Stewart Friesen’s 2025 Truck Series campaign has been a season of highs and setbacks. His Truck Series championship hopes have come to a halt. His summer win solidified his spot in the playoffs, but the momentum came to a stop when a violent crash in the Big Block Modified race in Canada left him broken.

Now that the playoffs are drawing near, his absence has left a noticeable gap in the grid and fueled speculation about what is next for both him and his team.

Stewart Friesen prioritizes recovery over Truck Series drivers’ championship hopes

As the regular season wraps up, Stewart Friesen sits 14th in the Truck Series standings with 397 points, trailing the playoff cut-off by just a few spots. He accumulated that total from one win, a sterling Michigan victory, and a handful of top tens. It is a spot that still hints at potential if he were able to race, but sadly, that is not in the cards right now.

A month ago, Friesen returned home after a harrowing crash in Quebec. He was rushed to a New York trauma center, where he underwent multi-hour surgery to repair fractures in his pelvis and right leg.

Thankfully, scans confirmed no head, neck, or spinal injuries, and he was discharged nearly a week ago and has since begun a demanding physical therapy regimen at home. But now, with his playoff hopes being questioned. Stewart has made a decision on the medical waiver.

The medical waiver is an exception that allows a driver who misses a race due to injury, illness, or another health-related issue to remain eligible for the playoffs despite not completing the full schedule. Essentially, if a driver who has otherwise qualified for the playoffs can no longer compete because of a medical situation, NASCAR may grant a waiver so that they won’t lose their postseason spot.

The statement says, ” Halmar Friesen Racing has elected not to pursue a driver waiver for Stewart Friesen for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs. We look forward to chasing a driver’s championship with Kaden Honeycutt and continuing the owner’s title push when the Playoffs begin.”

Stewart Friesen announced on Thursday afternoon via his social media that he will not seek a medical waiver to maintain eligibility for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs. Friesen is still recovering from the serious pelvic and leg fractures sustained last month due to his horrifying Big Block Modified crash in Quebec, Canada.

The injuries sidelined him for last weekend’s race at Watkins Glen International, and he will also miss Friday’s event at Richmond Raceway. And in his absence, Kaden Honeycutt has taken over driving duties in the No. 52 truck.

Honeycutt, recently released from Niece Motorsports after signing with a Toyota team for next season, will now chase a playoff berth for both himself and the team. And at Watkins Glen last weekend, Christopher Bell had the honor to fill in for Stewart Friesen. 

Friesen had already locked himself into the playoffs with an outstanding win earlier this summer at Michigan. While he cannot compete in the driver’s championship, his truck remains eligible for the Truck Series owners’ championship, which awards half of the event purse, the other half going to the driver standings.

By opting out of a playoff waiver, Friesen effectively leaves the final postseason slot open to other competitors. Currently, Jake Garcia holds an 11-point advantage over two-time champion Ben Rhodes for the last provisional spot based on points.

NASCAR insider links Honeycutt to potentially replace Corey Heim

The NASCAR Cup Series silly season has been unusually quiet this year, with most drivers already locked into contracts or signing extensions earlier in the season. The truck series, however, is experiencing far more movement, highlighted by a possible shake-up involving Corey Heim and Kaden Honeycutt.

On Tuesday’s episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, host and spotter Freddie Kraft revealed that Honeycutt is set to sign with Toyota and is expected to take over the No. 11 Tricon Garage next season. Kraft said, “He (Honeycutt) is leaving Niece Motorsports. He is signing with the Toyota team. You can probably put two and two together that he’s going to be the one to replace Heim in the 11.”

On August 4, Niece Motorsports announced it was parting ways with Honeycutt just weeks before the truck series playoff. According to Bob Pockrass, the decision came after Honeycutt agreed to race for a different manufacturer beginning in 2026. Fortunately, Honeycutt quickly secured a short-term right to keep his playoff hopes alive.

Stewart Friesen’s injury opened the door for him to step into the No. 52 truck as a substitute for the remainder of the season, starting in Richmond. Now, the 22-year-old is positioned for a major career move.

If the Tricon/Toyota deal goes through, Honeycutt would inherit a No. 11 truck that currently boasts the best average starting position in the truck series of 4.9 and the most poles, seven, this season.