ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The cloak of uncertainty that hangs on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence’ first street-circuit race simply obtained a bit heavier — and wetter — to put on.
A difficult monitor, a pageant ambiance and valuable little on-track time greeted the Truck Sequence in Friday’s prelude to Saturday’s OnlyBulls Inexperienced Flag 150 (midday ET, FOX, NASCAR Racing Community, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, FOX One) on the streets of St. Petersburg. Rain dampened the 1.8-mile momentary highway course barely 10 minutes into what was scheduled to be a 50-minute observe session with a qualifying chaser. Each driver within the area obtained on monitor, however none turned greater than eight laps.
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It’s one other query mark for what’s in retailer for Saturday’s 80-lap, 144-mile matinee, the third race of the early Truck Sequence marketing campaign.
“Truthfully, I believe that it’s in all probability probably the most enjoyable I’ve had on a highway course ever,” mentioned Tricon Storage’s Kaden Honeycutt as he made the soggy stroll from pit highway to the Truck Sequence storage. He’ll begin nineteenth Saturday. “I beloved it. I don’t know, truthfully there’s so many variables, particularly now that we’re not gonna qualify, so many good guys will probably be within the again, some struggling guys are gonna begin out entrance. So it’s simply the best way it really works.”
Overcast skies Friday changed the sun-splashed clear blue from Thursday’s load-in and orientation day, when IndyCar group personnel shared the circuit with the Truck Sequence’ early arrivals for a preliminary monitor stroll. The tight nature of sure places on the momentary course got here into first view, in addition to the belief that the well-worn boundaries that type the lap structure have already got loads of character.
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Three on-track incidents marked IndyCar’s opening observe, and a full 36-truck area could add extra character marks in Saturday’s present, particularly if the potential for lingering rain within the forecast prompts the set up of wet-weather Goodyear tires.
“I imply, we’ve simply set to work by means of it,” mentioned Daniel Hemric, who begins thirty fourth for McAnally Hilgemann Racing. “Clearly, with the little little bit of expertise I obtained with Chicago particularly, the rain racing is totally different than rain racing elsewhere, simply because the oils within the streets from common vehicles. So it simply provides one other aspect. However yeah, it’s not fully out of the unusual for what we’ve finished prior to now. We’ll simply all adapt to it.”
Tricon Storage crew members cowl the No. 5 Toyota of Adam Andretti on pit highway at St. Petersburg
The race weekend is the primary of two consecutive meets the place NASCAR will share the stage with IndyCar, which opens its 2026 season on the streets of St. Pete. Subsequent weekend, the NASCAR Cup Sequence would be the essential occasion at Phoenix Raceway, the place IndyCar will be part of the O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence for a Saturday doubleheader.
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The mix right here has to date been a preferred one, with a strong Friday turnout alongside the downtown waterfront circuit, the place followers spilled out onto the grounds with drinks and food-truck fare in hand. IndyCar and Vans make for a curious mixture of motorsports cultures, and the Mazda MX-5 Cup and USF2000 sequence have added extra selection for good measure.
“It’s very totally different from the NASCAR scene, and it’s cool that you just get to have the followers form of stroll round right here within the storage space,” says Entrance Row Motorsports driver Layne Riggs. “Had lots of people say that is their first time seeing NASCAR in individual, and that’s actually cool for us to get some new eyes on our sequence. I believe that we’re the gritty American sequence, we’re gonna placed on some gritty American racing, and hopefully we placed on a superb present and we are able to come again in future years.”
Mentioned Hemric: “I truthfully didn’t develop up watching any IndyCar stuff, however during the last in all probability seven or eight years, turned buddies with a few them over there. Scott McLaughlin, particularly, was someone I truly referred to as this week, like, ‘hey, all proper, give me the inside track. Like, what’s the little nuances right here and there?’ So yeah, it’s been enjoyable to form of be built-in with them, a part of … I’d name it a doubleheader weekend, however there’s different sequence right here as effectively, which is de facto cool to see followers from throughout they usually’re having fun with it. I’ve been to 3 totally different eating places since I’ve been to city, and also you stroll in and folks round you might be speaking about racing. It’s actually, actually cool to see. So it’s cool to be welcomed and hopefully put the present on that they deserve.”
