After several trucks wrecked on the final lap of Friday night’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Parker Kligerman was initially declared the winner of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener, which concluded under caution. However, after Kligerman’s truck failed post-race inspection for minimum height requirements, Corey Heim, who had finished second, was declared the race winner.
“Well, it is my first time experiencing this kind of situation either way, so I’m certainly happy to be on the right side of it,” Heim said. “It sucks for Parker and his team. It seemed like they positioned themselves well to win the race, but obviously, there’s more to it after the race. I’m grateful to be in this position to take advantage of that. Big thanks to everyone at TRICON Garage, Toyota, and Safelite. First win under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner, so that’s pretty cool. Now, we’ll head to Atlanta and try to get another one.”
Kligerman ultimately finished 36th (last), with his team already announcing plans to appeal the disqualification.
Heim’s TRICON Garage teammate Giovanni Ruggiero finished second in his Truck Series debut, giving the team a one-two finish. Ruggiero also led 11 laps in the 100-lap race.
“It feels great,” Ruggiero said. “I was hoping for more, but it’s Daytona, and everyone is going for the win. I had a blast tonight. These TRICON Garage Tundras are really fast. The whole team did great. Everything was pretty new for me, especially with live pit stops, but I’m excited for the season and looking forward to Atlanta.”
Ruggiero was one of three drivers to lead double-digit laps. Chandler Smith led a race-high 34 laps, and Ben Rhodes led 22.
Reigning Truck Series champion Ty Majeski finished third, and Grant Enfinger completed the top five.
Daniel Hemric took the lead on a lap-46 restart, but Smith was leading when the yellow flag waved for Tyler Ankrum’s blown engine on lap 49. Smith and Hemric battled for the lead before Smith regained control of the position.
A green-flag pit stop cycle that started on lap 65 was interrupted by a lap-69 caution for Clay Greenfield. Once the stops were completed under yellow, Giovanni became the new race leader.
Smith regained the lead on lap 79, and Tanner Gray took the lead on a lap-89 restart after a caution on lap 83 for a multi-truck crash involving Matt Crafton, Rajah Caruth, Michael McDowell, Jack Wood, Toni Breidinger, and Nathan Byrd. A lap later, Ruggiero retook the lead.
Rhodes moved into the lead on lap 96, but after battling Kligerman for the win on the final lap, Rhodes was among the drivers involved in the crash at the end of the race.
“Clark’s, SantaHill Ranch, and ToyonRanch all came on board to support this race. We had an excellent run for them,” Rhodes said. “It felt like I could take my Ford F-150 anywhere. It was super strong. ThorSport gave me an absolute missile. I could do whatever I needed with it. It all came down to the last 20 seconds. Going into turn three, on the backstretch, I was being pushed really hard. I don’t know. I haven’t seen the replay, but you can only hang on to so much. It’s just physics. The truck gets unloaded, and there’s only so much you can do with the steering wheel. I spun out, but that’s Daytona for you. We’ve led a lot of these races coming to the white flag. I never really get excited until the checkered flag drops, because I’ve lost them in turn two, in turn three, and even at the start-finish line. It’s just how it goes. One day, we’ll get it right and bring this home as we should.”
Rhodes won the first stage of the season with a victory on lap 20. His ThorSport teammate, Johnny Sauter, was second at the stage’s end.
Rhodes started the race from the pole, with another teammate, Majeski, beside him on the front row. Rhodes led most of the opening stage.
Majeski also finished in the top-10 at the end of the first stage.
After a lap-15 caution for Breidinger, the stage ended with a one-lap, green-flag sprint. Enfinger briefly led on the restart, but Rhodes quickly regained the lead.
Enfinger led four laps in stage one and was third at the stage’s conclusion.
The Breidinger caution was the second of the race. The first yellow flag waved on lap five when Kaden Honeycutt spun into the wall after being pushed by Smith.
Pit strategies varied throughout, with some trucks pitting during each caution. This shuffled the front positions after stage one, with some trucks staying out.
Rhodes pitted twice for handling improvements after stage one but quickly moved back toward the front.
Hemric restarted with the lead for stage two. Kligerman also led before Enfinger took the lead on lap 29. Enfinger was among the drivers who pitted after stage one.
ThorSport drivers were in the top-three at the end of stage two. Crafton won the stage after taking the lead in the final 10 laps. He was followed by teammates Rhodes and Majeski in second and third.
Smith finished sixth, Hemric seventh, Jason White eighth, William Sawalich ninth, and Frankie Muniz rounded out the top-10.