Daytona International Speedway

The opening round of the AAES TRUCK season delivered everything Daytona International Speedway is capable of producing — chaos, carnage, and an unlikely winner. #93 Brian Knotts II launched from 16th on the grid and converted 15 laps led into a maiden victory in the series, surviving a race that saw 13 cautions consume 39 of 103 laps and 25 lead changes among a 27-truck field where not a single driver finished without an incident on their scorecard. Knotts held off #46 Graham Van Ewyk at the line to claim the 40-point haul, with #097 Anthony Raso — who also notched his first AAES TRUCK win in the record books — rounding out the podium after gaining seven spots from his P10 starting position.

The man who deserves a separate mention is Graham Van Ewyk. Starting dead last in the 27-truck field, the #46 truck clawed forward 25 positions across 103 laps of attrition-heavy racing to finish second, earning Van Ewyk the Hard Charger award in commanding fashion. His run carried 13 incidents — a testament to the aggressive, high-contact nature of drafting racing — but the result put him inside the top five in the early standings with 38 points through one round.

Up front, the lead changed hands 25 times, meaning no single driver held control of this race for long. #12 Tyler Starcher led the most laps of anyone, pacing the field for 30 circuits from his P14 starting spot before ultimately finishing fourth. #86 Rick Dewees led 27 laps from P23 on the grid, yet crossed the line 12th — a reminder that leading laps at Daytona and converting them are entirely different propositions. Pole sitter #38 Jack Kelly had the worst day of anyone with early speed, tumbling from first to 23rd by the checkered flag.

With 14 rounds remaining, the early points picture is tighter than the margin between Knotts and Starcher makes it appear. Knotts leads with 55 points, just two ahead of Starcher's 53, while #99 Clay Matthews sits third at 48 points after a sixth-place run from P15. Dewees is fourth at 39 points and Van Ewyk fifth at 38, meaning five drivers are separated by 17 points after a single race. The title fight in the AAES TRUCK series has every appearance of a long, competitive season ahead.