Purdy Nips Majeski For Kansas Truck Series Pole

Chase Purdy celebrates the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole Saturday at Kansas Speedway. (HHP/ Tim Parks photo)

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A strong early effort by Chase Purdy during NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying Saturday at Kansas Speedway ended up paying dividends.

Purdy earned his third career Truck Series pole with a fast lap of 30.728 seconds (175.735 mph) around the 1.5-mile oval that has hosted NASCAR’s third-highest division since it opened in 2001.

It marked his first pole since Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last September and his second in a row at Kansas. Purdy led the field to green in the Truck Series playoff race in the Sunflower State last fall.

The 24-year-old from Meridian, Miss., earned $1,200 for the Cometic Gasket Pole Award, nipping Ty Majeski by .004 seconds for top honors.

“It’s huge,” said Purdy of his qualifying performance. “It’s been kind of a struggle to start the season, but getting the pole here is great for our momentum. Going into the race tonight, this is a track that I’ve had circled for a while now as one I think we can win at, ever since we left here [last fall]. We’re always pretty strong here, we sat on the pole the last time we were here, and this is the same truck as well.

“This Silverado just likes Kansas, I guess. I’m proud of the work my guys put into this truck, and I think we’ll be really fast tonight.”

Despite starting from the pole in the Truck Series’ most recent race at Kansas, a pit-road miscue cost Purdy a chance to contend for the victory that day.

The Spire Motorsports driver said he’s learned his lesson not to be too greedy too early at this track, tipping that a driver has to let the race come to them.

“I think this is one of those racetracks where you really do have to be patient,” noted Purdy, whose best finish of 10th at Kansas came in 2020. “Last year, we started up front and made a mistake on pit road early. We beat ourselves in that one. I think that the key tonight is to not take ourselves out of it, and if we accomplish that then we should be OK.”

Majeski’s No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150 will join Purdy on the front row, posting a time of 30.732 seconds (175.713 mph) late in the going.

Rackley WAR’s Ty Dillon earned a season-best starting position of third (30.830/175.154), followed by Purdy’s two Spire teammates – Las Vegas winner Rajah Caruth and Connor Mosack.

Daniel Dye, Jake Garcia, Stewart Friesen, 2022 champion Zane Smith, and current point leader Christian Eckes filled out the top 10 in time trials.

Notables starting deeper in the field include two-time and defending series titlist Ben Rhodes (11th), three-time champion Matt Crafton (14th), Grant Enfinger (16th), 2018 champion Brett Moffitt (19th), and Australian Supercars ace Cam Waters (20th), making his second career Truck Series start.

In a bit of a surprise, Niece Motorsports’ Kaden Honeycutt (23rd) and Front Row Motorsports’ Layne Riggs (25th) both struggled on their qualifying laps despite being with two of the Truck Series’ top teams.

Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez was not allowed to qualify after his truck failed inspection three times. He’ll start last in the 33-truck field.

Coverage of Saturday night’s Heart of America 200 is slated for 8 p.m. ET, live on FS1, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.