Ty Majeski, behind the wheel of the No. 98 Ford F-150 from ThorSport Racing, is gearing up for the Kubota Tractor 200 at Kansas Speedway. This critical race, happening on Friday night, serves as the final showdown in the Round of 10 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs. Majeski claimed the pole position with an impressive qualifying lap of 30.853 seconds at 175.023 mph.
However, the veteran driver has some worries about the weather:
“The wind is definitely a challenge,” he admitted. “I felt it loosen up the truck right in the middle of [Turns] 3 and 4, which made it bog down a bit. But thankfully, I managed to pull off the pole.”
This marks Majeski’s fifth pole for the season and his tenth in 85 starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
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Starting right behind Majeski is Connor Mosack in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado, who will kick off the race from second place. Christian Eckes, secured a solid third with his No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, already locked into the Round of 8. Defending series champion Ben Rhodes starts fourth and is under pressure, sitting 12 points below the cutline.
Dawson Sutton will fill in for Ty Dillon in the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet Silverado, starting fifth. Other notable starters in the top 10 include Kaden Honeycutt (sixth), Nick Sanchez (seventh and already in the Round of 8), Stewart Friesen (eighth), Jake Garcia (ninth), and Daniel Dye (tenth), who is currently seven points below the cutline.
The Kubota Tractor 200 is vital for drivers aiming to move to the Round of 8. With a comfortable 58-point lead above the cutline, Majeski’s main focus will be to manage the tricky wind conditions. These winds can greatly affect the truck’s handling, especially in crucial corners like 3 and 4, where Majeski already sensed some instability but was still able to secure pole.
For playoff hopefuls, their starting positions and point standings will drive their strategies and decisions on race day. Tyler Ankrum (14th, +25 points), Rajah Caruth (16th, +28 points), Taylor Gray (17th, +23 points), and Grant Enfinger (19th, +7 points) all need strong outings to advance. Meanwhile, Corey Heim, already secured in the Round of 8, will start further back in 33rd place.