The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has been full of surprises over the years. Winners, champions, reception, and of course, silly season changes. Recently, ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski captured his first championship in the series last November at Phoenix Raceway. Will he be able to defend his title? Let’s take a look at the new competition Ty will have to face in the final part of the Silly Season Review.
TRICON adds Toni Breidinger, and Gio Ruggiero as new drivers to the 2025 lineup
Breidinger and Ruggiero formerly raced for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series (Toni full-time, Gio part-time). Former occupants Dean Thompson and Taylor Gray are moving to the Xfinity Series. Breidinger to the #5 Toyota with Derek Smith as crew chief, and Ruggiero to the #17 with Jerame Donley calling shots. The two finished 4th and 13th in ARCA last year, respectively. The duo will act as teammates to veteran Tanner Gray.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing welcomes Daniel Hemric, Connor Mosack to the team, Jack Wood promoted to full-time
Hemric, the 2021 Xfinity Series champion, finished 29th in Cup Series points last season and will be driving the #19 Chevrolet. Former Jordan Anderson Racing, OUR Motorsports Xfinity Series crew chief Joshua Graham will work with him. Mosack, who won two ARCA races from 2023-24, will be driving the re-numbered #81 Chevrolet. Wood contested a 13-race part-time schedule with MHR in 2024, and will run the full schedule in 2025. Crew chief Blake Bainbridge remains with the #81 team, and Kevin Bellicourt will be crew chief of the #91. Bellicourt was previously with the team in 2020 while working with Derek Kraus. All drivers will serve as Tyler Ankrum’s teammate.
Dawson Sutton is running their first full-time Truck Series season for the family team, Rackley W.A.R., in the #26
Sutton, the son of team co-owner Chris, replaced Ty Dillon towards the end of the 2024 season. Driving the re-numbered #26 Chevrolet, the Lebanon, Tennessee native will be partnered with crew chief Chad Kendrick. Kendrick made strategy calls for Rackley WAR from 2021-23 before leaving to work with Parker Retzlaff in the 2024 Xfinity Series.
‘Malcolm in the Middle’ star Frankie Muniz returns to full-time NASCAR competition with Reaume Brothers Racing as the team expands
RBR expands from two trucks to three in 2025, with the #2 and #22 Fords featuring a rotation of drivers. Muniz will be replacing Lawless Alan full-time in the #33. This marks his first full-time season since the 2023 ARCA campaign with Rette Jones Racing. Drove part-time for Joey Gase in Xfinity and RBR in the Truck Series last season. New crew chief Pedro Lopez guides the ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ celebrity.
Layne Riggs moves to Front Row Motorsports #34 from #38, Chandler Smith demoted to Truck Series despite a two-win Xfinity Series season in 2024
Riggs and crew chief Dylan Cappello, a two-time race winner in 2024, will remain put, albeit in the new #34 Ford. Smith, who finished 5th in 2024 Xfinity Series points with two wins for Joe Gibbs, will be demoted to FRM’s #38 team despite the successful season due to sponsorship issues. Jon Leonard will call the shots for Smith; Leonard worked with NIECE Motorsports for most of 2024 and with FRM from 2020-21.
Christian Rose NOT racing full-time for NIECE Motorsports in 2025? Bayley Currey was named interim driver of #44, and Kaden Honeycutt promoted to full-time
5th place 2024 ARCA Menards Series pointsman Christian Rose was announced for a full-time Truck Series ride with NIECE Motorsports and the #44 Chevrolet, but the deal fell through at the last minute due to sponsorship disputes. Bayley Currey has been named interim driver, with Wally Rogers atop the box. Kaden Honeycutt, who ran part-time with the team in 2024, will get a taste of full-time action for the first time. Phil Gould will be working with Kaden. Both will serve as Matt Mills’s teammates.
Spire Motorsports, another team expanding in 2025, adds ARCA champion Andres Perez as a full-time driver
Spire Motorsports added a fourth full-time truck in the offseason: the #07 Chevrolet. The #07 will act as a second all-star rotating truck, just like their #7. Spire also hired 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion, Andres Perez, despite not winning a race during said campaign. Perez made his Truck Series debut at Gateway in 2024. Chad Walter moves from Rajah Caruth to Perez as crew chief. REV Racing will no longer exist thanks to these new moves. Former Sam Hunt Racing Xfinity Series crew chief Allen Hart is the crew chief of the new #07 truck, too.
And so, the 2025 NASCAR season is all ready to go. The Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series are looking to continue to satisfy their fans with new faces in new places. Like the other two series, who will cross the finish line first at Daytona? And WHO WILL REIGN SUPREME? The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season begins on February 14, 2025, at 7:30 PM EST.
