For the first time since a debilitating crash in a Big Block Dirt Modified at Autodrome Drummond in July, Stewart Friesen returned to a NASCAR Truck Series race on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Friesen has been sidelined for the past two months with a shattered pelvis, a fractured right leg (tibia and fibula), a fractured C7 vertebra and a fractured left hip that required plates, screws, rods, and pins.

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He was still on crutches this past weekend, not remotely cleared to compete, but actually wants to get back into his Modified by the World Finals at Charlotte Motor Speedway in November.

The road to recovery

Stewart Friesen, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota

With that said, it’s going to require a really intense rehabilitation and recovery timeline.

“We’re getting there,” Friesen told Motorsport.com on Saturday. “It’s been a slow road. I have lost a lot of weight this last month and a half laying in bed so it feels good to start crutching around a little bit these last couple of days and to get back to the race track.”

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Friesen was able to attend a race on Saturday that saw Kaden Honeycutt advance in the Truck Series Playoffs in the No. 52 he has co-owned with Chris Larsen and driven since the 2017 season.

Honeycutt, a playoff driver needed a playoff truck since he was forced to leave Niece Motorsports last month due to an impending deal with TRICON Garage. The No. 52 needed a playoff driver to steer the truck through the owners’ playoffs and it was just a perfect match.

Giving up a playoff spot

Stewart Friesen, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota

This also required Friesen to forfeit his own playoff spot and a 10th-place championship finish. It wasn’t his first choice as he really wanted the record books to reflect that he won a race and was a top 10 driver — even after missing the final nine races of the season.

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NASCAR, however, would have been forced to fine him for missing numerous playoff responsibilities, offsetting whatever the team makes in chasing an owner’s championship with Honeycutt.

“That was our first idea but we just decided it wouldn’t have been the best look for us to do that,” Friesen said. “Sometimes, you just have to accept your lumps and move on. This was one of those times.”

Thus, the team hired Honeycutt and has even fielded a second part-time truck through an alliance with Bruce Cook Performance for drivers like Cole Butcher and Wesley Slimp.

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“This is a small group of guys to field two trucks so I want to thank Bruce and a couple of guys from his team that came over to work on our No. 62 because they’ve done a great job,” Friesen said. “The goal was to get Kaden into the next round, which we barely did by the skin of our teeth with the bad luck we had at Darlington, so we just need to keep getting better so it’s not so close next time.

“We’re always building a notebook, and expect to keep building better trucks, and keep moving forward.”

Determined to go back racing

Stewart Friesen, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota

This doesn’t sound like a 42-year-old plotting a NASCAR retirement, does it?

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“I thought all sorts of things when I was in bed, being away from the race track all this time, but being back here reminded me of how much I still do love this,” he said. “It makes me want to be back out there racing all the other guys and working directly with our team.

“And another thing, I’m really proud of (wife) Jess too because she has stepped up on the administration side. She’s had to take care of some of the work I haven’t been able to get to while taking care of me too.

“It’s a lot of work and it’s been a lot but we’re here and looking forward to what’s next.”

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That includes taking the green flag at the Daytona Truck Series opener in 2026.

“I hope so,” Friesen said. “That is our ultimate goal but it just depends on how my nerves react and if I can get some feeling back in the lower part of my leg and foot.”

Read Also:

Stewart Friesen returns home as full extent of injuries revealed

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

What’s Happening?

Joe Gibbs Racing has found its replacements for two suspended crew members after deferring their suspensions for one week.

• During the Round of 16 cutoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin lost a right front tire on track, resulting in a two-race suspension of two crew members. This left JGR in need of substitutes for tire changer Austin Maloney and jackman Joel Bouagnon.
• Tuesday, JGR confirmed that they will pull their replacements from Front Row Motorsports, one of the two teams they lease pit crews to. The replacements come from FRM’s No. 4 team, with Thomas Hatcher substituting for Maloney and Nate McBride substituting for Bouagnon.
• While this situation has come at an inconvenient time, Hamlin, who sat first in points when the penalty was dulled out, approached the issue in a rather relaxed manner. Saying on last week’s episode of Action’s Detremental, “I have no idea who’s sitting on the bench, who’s ready, and it’s not even my concern.”
• Pit road was not an issue for the No. 11 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as JGR deferred the penalty for one week. However, that does not mean the team left NHMS without issue, with an on-track run with teammate Ty Gibbs being the storyline of the race weekend.

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The NASCAR playoffs remain a divisive topic, with fans, drivers, and analysts frequently criticizing the format, even as NASCAR defends its entertainment value. Amid the ongoing debate, The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck has shed light on how TV broadcasters are responding to the controversy.

TV Networks Steer Clear of NASCAR Playoff Debate

In the latest episode of *The Teardown* podcast, Gluck and co-host Jordan Bianchi discussed Ryan Blaney’s thrilling victory at New Hampshire, but the conversation also turned to the polarizing playoff system. Many fans argue that the current format undervalues season-long consistency, offering drivers too many opportunities to recover from poor performances. NASCAR, however, maintains that the playoffs heighten excitement and unpredictability.

Gluck revealed that NASCAR has formed a playoffs committee, led by Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Tim Clark, to gather feedback. While the committee lacks decision-making power, its input could shape potential changes. Initially, only one member strongly supported returning to the traditional, non-playoff format, but Gluck noted growing sentiment among committee members for reverting to the old 36-race structure.

A common narrative suggests NASCAR retains the playoffs to please broadcasters. However, Gluck clarified that one broadcast partner, NBC, has explicitly distanced itself from the debate. “I think [NBC] caught wind of the conversation and didn’t like being part of it,” Gluck told Bianchi. “They don’t want people saying, ‘TV wants this.’”

Gluck shared that NASCAR recently met with NBC, which emphasized that NASCAR should make decisions in the sport’s best interest. “NBC essentially told them, ‘You guys do what’s best for the sport. We’re not making this decision,’” Gluck explained, paraphrasing the network’s stance. This hands-off approach reflects broadcasters’ desire to avoid fan backlash and further declines in viewership, already a concern for NASCAR.

Why It Matters

The playoff debate is a hot-button issue, and broadcasters like NBC are wary of being seen as influencing NASCAR’s choices. As the committee continues to evaluate the format, NASCAR faces pressure to balance fan sentiment with the sport’s appeal. For now, the broadcasters are staying out of the fray, leaving NASCAR to navigate the controversy on its own.

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Dale Coyne Racing announced today that reigning INDY NXT by Firestone Champion Dennis Hauger (pictured) will pilot one of the Dale Coyne Racing Honda’s for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. In addition to adding Hauger to the team’s driver lineup, Dale Coyne Racing has entered into a technical partnership with Andretti Global for the upcoming season.

Coming off a championship-winning rookie INDY NXT season, 22-year-old Norwegian driver Hauger secured six wins, five additional podiums, seven poles, 13 top-10 finishes and 301 laps led across 14 races. Additionally, Hauger set multiple qualifying records in 2025, recording the fastest laps in track history on the Streets of Detroit, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Milwaukee Mile. Hauger’s on-track success allowed him to clinch the 2025 INDY NXT Championship at the penultimate race of the season at The Milwaukee Mile.

Prior to making his debut in North American open-wheel racing, Hauger advanced through the European racing ranks, capturing the Italian F4 Championship (2019), the FIA Formula 3 Championship (2021) and earning five wins and 13 podiums over three seasons competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022-2024).

Hauger will take his first INDYCAR laps in offseason testing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with Dale Coyne Racing and will make his official on-track debut at the 2026 INDYCAR season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg, February 27 – March 1.

DALE COYNE, OWNER, DALE COYNE RACING

“This is a great opportunity for us here at DCR to bring on a talented driver and gain a strong technical partner in Andretti Global, Thanks to Dan and his belief in our sport and his dedication to elevating Dennis to the top of the ladder.”

DENNIS HAUGER, DRIVER, DALE COYNE RACING

“I’m excited to be joining Dale Coyne Racing for my rookie INDYCAR season. The progress the team has shown this year is really impressive, and it’s an honor to take my place on the grid with them in 2026. I want to thank Dale Coyne and everyone at the team for putting their trust in me. It’ll also be nice to see some familiar faces through the team’s technical partnership with Andretti Global. They’ve been a big part of my success since making the switch, so having their involvement in another rookie season for me will be great. I’m looking forward to contributing and starting this next chapter together.”

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney became the first driver to punch his ticket to the round of 8 of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, with his Mobil 1 301 victory on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway sending him to the semifinal round for the fifth consecutive season.

Though points technically no longer matter for Blaney during the round of 12, since he could crash out on the opening lap of the next two races at Kansas Speedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval and still be set to advance to the next round, Blaney did become the new official points leader for the Cup Series after the round of 12 opener.

Blaney actually spent two races atop the standings earlier this year. He was the first points leader of the season following a seventh place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, despite the fact that Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron actually won the race.

Ryan Blaney back on top of NASCAR standings

He retained the lead following a fourth place finish in the season’s next race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but he hasn’t been back on top since.

Blaney now owns a two-point lead over Byron, the top driver not yet locked into the round of 8. Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson is eight points out of the lead in third place. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who opened the round of 12 on top of the standings, dropped down to fifth and is 22 points out of the lead. Teammate Christopher Bell is two points ahead of him in fourth.

As far as a season-long points are concerned, Byron still owns the lead, just as he has for the overwhelming majority of the 2025 season, but Blaney, despite seven regular season DNFs, is only 19 points behind amid an extended hot streak that features just one finish outside of the top eight in the 10 most recent races.