The NASCAR Cup Series might be taking a rare weekend off, but the action at Rockingham Speedway is going to be anything but quiet. “The Rock” is back, and this Friday’s Black’s Tire 200 for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is shaping up to be a pivotal moment early in the 2026 season.
For Kaden Honeycutt, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Taking over the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota—the same truck Corey Heim drove to a record 12 victories and a championship last season—comes with immense pressure. Honeycutt has shown flashes of brilliance, including a pole and a race-high 59 laps led at Darlington, but he’s still hunting for that elusive first win.
Standing in his way? None other than Corey Heim himself, who will be piloting the No. 1 TRICON truck this weekend. Heim already played spoiler to Honeycutt at Darlington with a late strategic pit stop, and you can bet he won’t be taking it easy on his teammate at Rockingham.
Adding to the intrigue, we’ve got some Cup Series regulars moonlighting in the Truck Series. Ty Dillon is jumping into the No. 25 Ram for Kaulig Racing, marking his first Truck start at Rockingham since 2013. Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar is making his Rockingham debut in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.
“It’s a really cool track that I’ve always wanted to race at,” Hocevar said earlier this week. “It will be fun to have a whole weekend where I just get the opportunity to run the truck and don’t have to worry about juggling it with my responsibilities in the Cup Series.”
With Chandler Smith currently leading the standings by 33 points over Honeycutt, the battle at the front is tight. Rockingham’s abrasive surface and unique layout always test tire management and driver patience. Last year’s race saw 11 lead changes and a late fuel-mileage thriller. Expect more of the same this Friday.
The green flag drops at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Grab your snacks and settle in—The Rock is ready to deliver.
