Darlington Raceway will host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday evening for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200, marking the series’ return to action after a hiatus since February 28th. Layne Riggs, who secured a victory at the St. Petersburg street course on that date, will be among the competitors at the 1.36-mile oval.
This weekend’s race represents a shift for the series, being the first event of the 2026 season held on a non-drafting oval. The series began with the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 13th, won by Chandler Smith, followed by Kyle Busch’s win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 21st.
Several drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series are also entered in the Buckle Up South Carolina 200, including Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain and Carson Hocevar, adding a competitive element to the field.
The race will not feature Kaulig Racing driver Daniel Dye, who has been indefinitely suspended by both NASCAR and his team following comments made about IndyCar driver David Malukas during a live stream. AJ Allmendinger will take Dye’s place in the No. 19 Kaulig Racing truck at Darlington.
The green flag is scheduled to drop at approximately 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time/6:30 p.m. Central Time. The 147-lap race will cover 200.8 miles and be divided into three stages: 45 laps, 45 laps, and 57 laps. Television coverage will be provided by FOX Sports 1, with radio broadcast on the NASCAR Racing Network. Streaming options include FUBO, which is offering a free trial, as well as NASCAR.com and SiriusXM for audio, which require subscriptions.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule continues after Darlington with the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway on April 3rd, followed by the Tennessee Army National Guard 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 10th. The series will then move to Texas Motor Speedway for the SpeedyCash.com 250 on May 1st, and Watkins Glen International for the Mission 176 at The Glen on May 8th.
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