HOMESTEAD, Fla — Not many laps were turned for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday in Homestead. Mother nature dropped moisture on the 1.5-mile South Florida race track interrupting practice and washing out qualifying for Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN). As a result, the pole for the Round of 8 elimination race will go to Ryan Preece. This will mark the first Truck Series start at Homestead for Preece but he’ll lead the field to green in his No. 17 Ford.

Joining him on the front row is Ben Rhodes. He started 2nd here in 2017 too but finished 19th. This is his first top 5 start in his No. 99 Toyota in his last 9 races on the season. The defending series champion enters Saturday’s race +3 as the fourth and final spot ahead of the cutline.

The good news for them is, 4 of the last 6 winners here came from a front row starting spot.

The winner of the last race of the season in Talladega, Matt DiBenedetto, will roll off third in his No. 25 Chevrolet while Chandler Smith and Christian Eckes rounds out the top 5 of the starting lineup.

Smith is +30 in the standings while Eckes is -3. Between them is Zane Smith (+18) who starts 6th and Rhodes.

Stewart Friesen (9th), John Hunter Nemechek (13th) and Grant Enfinger (23rd) are -3, -5 and -29 respectively.

That’s 4 of the 8 playoff drivers starting in the top 6 on a track that 11 of the last 12 race winners came from the top 4 rows including 10 of the last 11 from the top 5 at that.

Homestead Trends

• Toyota has won 7 of the last 8
• Chevrolet last won here in 2012
• In 3 of the 4 races in the stage era here, the eventual race winner finished in the top 3 at the end of Stage 1
• In all 4 races in the stage era here, the eventual race winner finished in the top 3 at the end of Stage 2 with the Stage 2 winner winning this race the last 3 years.
• In all 4 years under this stage era, the driver to lead the most laps won in the end.

Starting Lineup

Row 1: Ryan Preece (P owners), Ben Rhodes

Row 2: Matt DiBenedetto, Chandler Smith (P)

Row 3: Christian Eckes (P), Zane Smith (P)

Row 4: Hailie Deegan, Parker Kligerman

Row 5: Stewart Friesen (P), Chase Purdy

Row 6: Tyler Ankrum, Derek Kraus

Row 7: John Hunter Nemechek (P), Colby Howard

Row 8: Kaden Honeycutt, Kaz Grala

Row 9: Bret Holmes, Ty Majeski (P)

Row 10: Corey Heim (P owners), Matt Crafton

Row 11: Timmy Hill, Carson Hocevar

Row 12: Grant Enfinger (P), Jack Wood

Row 13: Tanner Gray, Blaine Perkins

Row 14: Dean Thompson, Lawless Alan

Row 15: Stefan Parsons, Chad Chastain

Row 16: Max Gutirrez, Spencer Boyd

Row 17: Nick Leitz, Mason Maggio

Row 18: Brennan Poole, Tyler Hill