# Short-Track Crucible: Inside the Spire Stacking and Cup Invaders for the Faith Fest 250 at North Wilkesboro

**By Luca Bertolini**  \nPublished July 31, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> As the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to the historic 0.625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway for the Faith Fest 250, a stacked field featuring Cup Series heavies and hungry part-timers converges for 250 laps of short-track warfare.

When the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rolls into the historic 0.625-mile oval of North Wilkesboro Speedway for the **Faith Fest 250**, the event is much more than a routine mid-summer points race. As the 15th of 25 points-paying rounds on the 2026 schedule, the 156-mile contest serves as an unforgiving short-track laboratory where full-time title contenders must weather an onslaught of elite Cup Series interlopers and chassis-tuning masterclasses.

The layout of North Wilkesboro places an absolute premium on throttle control, tyre longevity, and spatial positioning through tight corners. Saturday's 250-lap distance is split into three rigorous stages running 70, 70, and 110 laps respectively. With green flags waving at approximately 12:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, tracking track position across changing rubber buildup becomes the primary strategic chess match for crew chiefs peering down pit wall.

## The Spire Heavyweight Rotation and Cup Invaders

Spire Motorsports enters the weekend carrying immense organizational momentum, anchoring its owner’s championship aspirations on an all-star caliber stable. Spearheading the charge in the No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST is Chase Elliott, pulling a daunting quadruple duty weekend at the venue. Filling in for what was originally slated to be Kyle Busch’s assignment, Elliott pilots a brand-new Spire Manufacturing chassis, SMT-096. Elliott's short-track pedigree at North Wilkesboro runs deep; at just 14 years old, he captured a Pro All Stars Series South Super Late Model victory here, leading 69 of 200 laps.

Down the Spire pit lane, Shane van Gisbergen tackles the 0.625-mile configuration in the No. 71 NationsGuard Chevrolet Silverado RST, utilizing chassis SMT-085. Fresh off an eighth career Cup Series win earlier this season at Sonoma Raceway, the New Zealand star is hunting for more short-oval repetitions. Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar commands the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Silverado RST using chassis SMT-094. Hocevar, sitting eighth in the Cup Series points standings with career-high metrics through 20 races, returns to the Wilkes County venue looking to convert his runner-up speed from 2023 into a clean victory.

## Qualifying Shakedown and the Starting Grid

The battle for pole position set a blistering pace, as Layne Riggs wrestled his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford around the asphalt to claim the top spot with a lap of 18.502 seconds. Riggs edged out Carson Hocevar by a razor-thin margin of just 0.01 seconds. Four 2026 Cup Series race winners litter the front portion of the 36-truck field:

- **Layne Riggs** (No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford) – Pole

- **Carson Hocevar** (No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – Outside Pole

- **Christopher Bell** (No. 62 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota) – 3rd

- **Corey Heim** (No. 5 TRICON Garage Toyota) – 4th

- **Chase Elliott** (No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – 6th

- **Shane van Gisbergen** (No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) – 19th

Further down the grid, veteran Ryan Newman makes his return to the series in the No. 25 Kaulig Racing Ram free-agent entry, starting 25th for his first Truck start in eight years. At the cut line, Timmy Hill and Landon Huffman failed to secure positions in the 36-truck field during Friday qualifying.

## Broadcasting and Live Streaming Logistics

Fans looking to follow every lap of the Faith Fest 250 have multiple viewing avenues across television, radio, and digital streaming platforms:

- **Television:** Live national broadcast coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT on **FS1**.

- **Live Streaming:** Cord-cutters can stream the race via platforms offering FS1, including **DIRECTV Stream** (which features a free trial), **FuboTV**, **Sling TV**, and **Hulu + Live TV**.

- **Radio Audio:** National radio broadcasts are available via the **NASCAR Racing Network** and **SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90**.

  **Viewing Insight:** Because North Wilkesboro's abrasive surface eats rear tires over long green-flag runs, watch for teams managing their equipment through Stage 2 to save fresh sets of rubber for the 110-lap sprint to the finish in Stage 3.

## Sources

- [spire-motorsports.com](https://www.spire-motorsports.com/news/2026/july/14/spire-motorsports-faithfest-250-race-advance-2026) — original
- [Phil Watson](https://www.fubo.tv/news/nascar-craftsman-truck-series/faith-fest-250-live-stream-how-to-watch-nascar-craftsman-truck-series/) — original
- [Nick Gray, Nashville Tennessean Sat, July 18, 2026 at 10:02 AM UTC · 2 min read](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/channel-nascar-truck-series-north-100214610.html) — original
- [Ben Axelson | baxelson@syracuse.com](https://www.syracuse.com/tv/2026/07/where-to-watch-nascar-truck-series-at-north-wilkesboro-today-free-live-stream.html) — original
- [primevideo.com](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0PJJQBHLBOU92PMLW9Z2VWQYJV?jic=8%7CEgNhbGw%3D) — original
- [northwilkesborospeedway.com](https://www.northwilkesborospeedway.com/events/craftsman-truck-series-race/) — original
- [tennessean.com](https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nascar/2026/07/17/nascar-north-wilkesboro-lineup-tv-schedule-race-truck-series-2026/90945112007/) — original