Ty Majeski secured the pole position for the 2026 Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13, marking a significant moment as he began his first official laps in the famed No. 88 Menards/ThorSport Racing Ford F-150. By achieving the fastest time during Friday’s qualifying, Majeski put himself at the forefront for the start of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, shining a spotlight on his transition to the new entry and his pursuit of continued success at Daytona.
Two-Round Qualifying Format Determines Lineup
This year’s event adopted a two-round, single-truck qualifying procedure. In the initial round, 44 competitors each completed a single timed lap, with the ten fastest moving on to a final round. The decisive round saw each of those ten drivers take another solo lap to vie for the coveted pole position.
During the first stage, Ty Majeski, the 2023 Truck Series champion hailing from Seymour, Wisconsin, delivered a lap at 176.675 mph, clocking in at 51.941 seconds—enough to easily advance. His momentum carried into the final session, where he managed to edge out Michael McDowell by registering a blistering 176.883 mph lap in just 50.881 seconds, locking in his place at the top of the grid for Friday’s race.
Majeski’s Milestone and Team Transition
This pole marks Majeski’s twelfth in his Truck Series career, his third at Daytona, and his first since clinching the 2023 championship event at Phoenix Raceway—a race that secured his first series title. The 2026 campaign sees Majeski starting his fifth consecutive full-time season but his debut piloting the No. 88 for ThorSport Racing. He inherits the seat from Matt Crafton, a three-time series champion who retired at the end of last season, as Majeski sets his sights on a second series championship and his first ever series victory at Daytona.
The expanded Florida 250 field will mean new challenges and opportunities for ThorSport Racing and Majeski, especially as he leads a lineup full of high-profile competitors and Daytona veterans eager for an early-season win.
Front Row and Key Competitors
Lining up beside Majeski on the front row is Michael McDowell, famous for his 2021 Daytona 500 triumph. Driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports, McDowell posted a 176.554 mph lap during the opening session and a formidable 176.682 mph in the second round but was narrowly edged out by Majeski’s speed.
Tanner Gray, Carson Hocevar, and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top five qualifiers. Others who advanced to the final qualifying session included Tyler Ankrum, Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia, Giovanni Ruggiero, and Chandler Smith, each of whom will start in the top ten. This competitive front-of-grid is poised to drive a fast-paced and unpredictable opening to the 2026 Truck Series season.
Noteworthy Qualifying Results and Field Additions
Just outside the top ten, Christian Eckes, Cleetus Mitchell, Travis Pastrana, Taylor Gray, Tony Stewart, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, John Hunter Nemechek, Brenden Queen, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes, Andres Perez De Lara, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Hemric, Frankie Muniz, and Layne Riggs filled in slots eleven through thirty-five. Each brings their own mix of experience and storylines, promising further excitement throughout the field.
A points of note, Mini Tyrrell—recent winner of Kaulig Racing’s ‘Race For the Seat’ reality show—received an OEM RAM provisional, granting him a spot at the rear of the field in the 37th position despite not qualifying within the top thirty-six.
Some high-profile names, including Bryan Dauzat, Timmy Hill, Justin Carroll, Tyler Tomassi, Norm Begnning, Toni Breidinger, and Greg Van Alst, did not qualify and will miss the starting grid for this event.
Complete Qualifying Results for Daytona
1. Ty Majeski, 176.883 mph, 50.881 seconds
2. Michael McDowell, 176.682 mph, 50.939 seconds
3. Tanner Gray, 176.215 mph, 51.074 seconds
4. Carson Hocevar, 176.084 mph, 51.112 seconds
5. Grant Enfinger, 175.891 mph, 51.168 seconds
6. Tyler Ankrum, 175.860 mph, 51.177 seconds
7. Kaden Honeycutt, 175.682 mph, 51.229 seconds
8. Jake Garcia, 175.562 mph, 51.264 seconds
9. Giovanni Ruggiero, 175.490 mph, 51.285 seconds
10. Chandler Smith, 175.380 mph, 51.317 seconds
11. Christian Eckes, 174.910 mph, 51.455 seconds
12. Cleetus Mitchell, 174.897 mph, 51.459 seconds
13. Travis Pastrana, 174.798 mph, 51.488 seconds
14. Taylor Gray, 174.730 mph, 51.508 seconds
15. Tony Stewart, 174.693 mph, 51.519 seconds
16. Justin Haley, 174.608 mph, 51.544 seconds
17. Clay Greenfield, 174.561 mph, 51.558 seconds
18. Corey LaJoie, 174.557 mph, 51.559 seconds
19. John Hunter Nemechek, 174.466 mph, 51.586 seconds
20. Dawson Sutton, 174.395 mph, 51.607 seconds
21. Jason Kitzmiller, 174.381 mph, 51.611 seconds
22. Brenden Queen, 174.371 mph, 51.614 seconds
23. Cole Butcher, 174.273 mph, 51.643 seconds
24. Stewart Friesen, 174.203 mph, 51.664 seconds
25. Nick Leitz, 174.169 mph, 51.674 seconds
26. Kris Wright, 174.034 mph, 51.714 seconds
27. Ben Rhodes, 174.017 mph, 51.719 seconds
28. Andres Perez De Lara, 173.910 mph, 51.751 seconds
29. Josh Reaume, 173.906 mph, 51.752 seconds
30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 173.792 mph, 51.786 seconds
31. Daniel Dye, 173.782 mph, 51.789 seconds
32. Daniel Hemric, 173.541 mph, 51.861 seconds
33. Frankie Muniz, 173.534 mph, 51.863 seconds
34. Spencer Boyd, 173.494 mph, 51.875 seconds
35. Layne Riggs, 173.094 mph, 51.955 seconds
36. Jason White, 173.004 mph, 52.022 seconds
*37. Mini Tyrrell, 173.712 mph, 51.810 seconds (Provisional Used)
Race Details and Broadcast Information
The 2026 Fresh from Florida 250 is scheduled to take place at Daytona International Speedway, with the green flag set to wave at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch the race live through FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM. Ty Majeski, now leading the pack, will be aiming for his first series victory at the historic track, while veterans and rookies alike chase a strong start to the campaign.
What This Means for the Truck Series Season
Ty Majeski’s pole-winning performance not only signals high expectations for his run with ThorSport Racing but also sets a competitive tone for the rest of the field, including notable names like Michael McDowell, Grant Enfinger, and Chandler Smith. As the racing action begins, each contender will be pressing for momentum early in the 2026 season, with eyes on both the Daytona trophy and the overall championship battle. The Fresh from Florida 250 promises intense competition and high energy as drivers and teams kick off another electrifying NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series year.
