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Zane Smith finished second in Heat Race 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (HHP/Jim Fluharty photo)

Starting Lineup Set For Bristol Truck Series Race

Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Joey Logano and Matt Crafton won Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heat races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, setting the starting lineup for the Weather Guard Truck Race on Saturday night.

ThorSport Racing’s Rhodes controlled the opening heat race, edging forward from a third-place start to beat teammate Hailie Deegan and Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Chase Purdy to the checkered flag. Dirt late model star Jonathan Davenport — who is driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series and the No. 13 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series race this weekend — finished seventh.

Friesen, driver for Halmar Friesen Racing, emerged victorious during the second heat. Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith and AM Racing’s Chase Briscoe — who races full-time for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series — filed in behind the No. 52 Toyota.

Fellow Cup Series driver Joey Logano, who is wheeling the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford during the Bristol Truck Series race, led the third heat race. Despite two red flags that plagued the 15-lap sprint, Logano, ThorSport’s Ty Majeski and RevRacing’s Nick Sanchez soared ahead of the field to complete the top three.

Matt Crafton drove his No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford to a heat race victory during the fourth qualifying round. GMS Racing’s Rajah Caruth and Roper Racing’s Kaden Honeycutt finished second and third.

The Truck Series field will take the green flag at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday.

Smith will lead the field from pole position.