TRUCKS: Two-Time Champion Ben Rhodes On Pole for Season-Opener at Daytona

Ben Rhodes smokes the tires on his No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150 prior to his qualifying run at Daytona International Speedway. | Taylor Kitchen | Racing America

Ben Rhodes will begin his quest for a third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship from the pole position in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. On Friday afternoon, Rhodes turned the quickest lap, a 50.995 second (176.488 mph) trip around the 2.5-mile speedway, in the final round of qualifying.

This is the sixth pole position for the Kentucky native, and it breaks a massive pole drought for the driver as Rhodes' most recent pole prior to this weekend came in August 2018. The pole comes in his 211th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. It also marks the first time that Rhodes has recorded a pole position at Daytona.

Rhodes was able to narrowly defeat Ty Majeski, his ThorSport Racing teammate, for the pole. Majeski was just 0.014 seconds slower than the fast time set by Rhodes. Majeski is the defending NASCAR Truck Series champion.

Corey Heim will roll from the starting grid in the third position, and the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra will have Grant Enfinger lined up alongside him in Row 2.

Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, Dawson Sutton, Kaden Honeycutt, Clay Greenfield, and Johnny Sauter rounded out the top-10 qualifiers for Friday night's Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Actor, turned racer, Frankie Muniz is a notable driver, who failed to advance to the second round of the qualifying session, but he was able to secure the 14th starting spot in the No. 33 Reaume Brothers Racing Ford F-150. Muniz will compete full-time this season.

Bryan Dauzat (No. 28 FDNY Racing) and Justin Carroll (No. 90 Terry Carroll Motorsports) failed to make it into the field for Friday night's race as only 36 trucks are able to start events in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and 38 trucks attempted to make the race.

The first race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is set for Friday, February 14. The race will be televised on FS1 (streamable on the FOX Sports App) with coverage beginning at 7:30 PM ET.