Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen has made a decision ahead of the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway. He will not request a waiver that would keep him eligible for the playoffs.
Friesen suffered multiple serious injuries in a Dirt Modified crash in Quebec, Canada, on July 28. He received treatment at a local hospital before returning to the United States. He underwent a multi-hour surgery at a New York hospital to address a pelvis fracture and a compound leg fracture.
"Halmar Friesen Racing has elected not to pursue a driver waiver for Stewart Friesen for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs," Halmar Friesen Racing said in a Thursday statement.
"We look forward to chasing a driver's championship with Kaden Honeycutt and continuing the owner's title push when the playoffs begin."
HFR previously announced that Friesen would miss the rest of the Truck Series season while recovering from the injuries and the surgery.
Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography
The team had Christopher Bell fill in as the driver of the No. 52 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro at Watkins Glen International, but it announced that Kaden Honeycutt would take over at Richmond and for the rest of the Truck Series season.
Turning to Honeycutt filled two needs. It kept the No. 52 eligible for the owner's championship after Friesen put the truck in the playoffs with a win at Michigan International Speedway.
The opportunity also kept Honeycutt eligible for the Truck Series playoffs. The Texas native has been above the playoff cutline since Rockingham Raceway, but he needed to attempt to start every race on the schedule to remain eligible for a spot in the playoffs.
With Friesen deciding that he won't request a playoff waiver, the bubble takes on a different look heading to Richmond Raceway. ThorSport Racing driver Jake Garcia is now 11 points above the cutline. He is the final driver in on points, but he could quickly lose his spot based on how the race unfolds.
One of Garcia's teammates, Ben Rhodes, is the first driver out of the playoffs. He is 11 points back of Garcia heading to the regular-season finale. Tricon Garage driver Gio Ruggiero is just behind Rhodes in the standings. He is 21 points behind Garcia.