NASCAR Truck Series drivers: Qualifying, Daytona starting lineup 

NASCAR Truck Series drivers will take the green flag at Daytona International Speedway Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST. The NextEra Energy 250 will kick off the 2021 Camping World Truck Series on NASCAR’s biggest stage.

NASCAR Truck Series drivers will compete in 22 races with the championship decided during the seven-race playoffs at the end of the season. This will be the 22nd season that NASCAR Truck Series drivers have opened their season at Daytona.

NASCAR Truck Series drivers Grant Enfinger and Austin Hill have won the last two Truck Series races at Daytona, with Enfinger taking the checkered flag last year.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns tonight! pic.twitter.com/iiYp07qf8e

— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) February 12, 2021

NASCAR Truck Series drivers to watch in 2021

Sheldon Creed is the defending champion among NASCAR Truck Series drivers. He led the series with five wins last season and won the series championship with a victory in the championship race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Daytona 500: 6 dark horses to watch

The defending champion makes a statement! @sheldoncreed goes to the top of the board in #CometicGasketPole qualifying at @DAYTONA: https://t.co/139dKTgD0o pic.twitter.com/O5ePk3jkUy

— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) February 12, 2021

NASCAR Truck Series drivers Zane Smith, Brett Moffitt and Enfinger also made the playoffs last season. Other race winners included Hill, Ben Rhodes and veteran Matt Crafton. Also keep an eye on NASCAR Truck Series driver John Hunter Nemechek, a young driver who was impressive in the NASCAR Cup Series last year and will be driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Rookies to watch among NASCAR Truck Series drivers

All eyes will be on 19-year-old Hailie Deegan, who will run the full season with David Gilliland Racing. A Ford development driver, Deegan finished third in the ARCA Series last season with four top-five and 21 top-10 finishes. She finished a career-high second in the ARCA race at Daytona.

Hailie Deegan

Deegan will drive the No. 1 Ford for Gilliland, a former NASCAR Cup Series drivers, and is expected to contend for Rookie of the Year honors.

Also keep an eye on 18-year-old Chandler Smith, a Toyota development driver who is also running the full schedule. Smith will be driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, so he should have a fast truck and be a frequent contender. Smith has won nine ARCA races the past three season and has eight top-five finishes in 16 Truck Series starts.

Which NASCAR Truck Series drivers are favorites at Daytona?

NASCAR Truck Series drivers and championship contenders Sheldon Creed, Grant Enfinger and Austin Hill are all expected to contend, but keep an eye on veteran NASCAR Truck Series drivers Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, who won the pole for Friday's race. Crafton has 15 Truck Series wins, while Sauter, a former Cup Series drivers, has won the Truck race at Daytona three times.

Among other NASCAR Truck Series drivers, also keep an eye on former Cup veteran David Gilliland, who will team with Deegan in his own truck.

NASCAR Truck Series Drivers: Daytona Starting Lineup

1 Johnny Sauter No. 13 ThorSport Racing Toyota

2 Sheldon Creed No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet

3 Kris Wright No. 02 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

4 Chase Purdy No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet

5 Raphael Lessard No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet

6 Chandler Smith No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota

7 John Hunter Nemechek No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota

8 Zane Smith No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet

9 Hailie Deegan No. 1 David Gilliland Racing Ford

10 Timothy Peters No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet

11 Tyler Ankrum No. 26 GMS Racing Chevrolet

12 Carson Hocevar No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet

13 David Gilliland No. 17 David Gilliland Racing Ford

14 Matt Crafton No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota

15 Brett Moffitt No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet

16 Jennifer Jo Cobb Jennifer No. 10 Jo Cobb Racing Chevrolet

17 Drew Dollar No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota

18 Austin Hill No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota

19 Austin Wayne Self No. 22 AM Racing Chevrolet

20 Jordan Anderson No. 3 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

21 Todd Gilliland No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

22 Tanner Gray No. 15 David Gilliland Racing Ford

23 Ben Rhodes No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota

24 Spencer Boyd No. 20 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

25 Ryan Truex No. 40 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet

26 Codie Rohrbaugh No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet

27 Kris Wright No. 02 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

28 Bryan Dauzat No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet

29 Stewart Friesen No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota

30 Tate Fogleman No. 12 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

31 Cory Roper No. 04 Roper Racing Ford

32 Danny Bohn No. 30 On Point Motorsports Toyota

33 Derek Kraus No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Toyota

34 Gus Dean No. 56 Hill Motorsports Chevrolet

35 Jason White No. 33 Reaume Brothers Racing Chevrolet

36 James Buescher No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet

DID NOT QUALIFY

Norm Benning No. 6 Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet

Joe Nemechek No. 8 NEMCO Motorsports Ford

Spencer Davis No. 11 Spencer Davis Motorsports Toyota

Trey Hutchens No. 14 Trey Hutchens Racing Chevrolet

Bret Holmes No. 32 Bret Holmes Racing Chevrolet

Jesse Iwuji No. 34 Reaume Brothers Racing Toyota

Dawson Cram No. 41 Cram Racing Enterprises Chevrolet

Ray Ciccarelli No. 49 CMI Motorsports Chevrolet

Clay Greenfield No. 68 Clay Greenfield Motorsports Toyota

Parker Kligerman No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

Toni Breidinger No. 82 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

Tim Viens No. 83 CMI Motorsports Chevrolet

Justin Carroll No. 91 Justin Carroll Racing Toyota

Todd Peck No. 96 Peck Motorsports Chevrolet

NASCAR Truck Series Winners at Daytona

2000 Mike Wallace

2001 Joe Ruttman

2002 Robert Pressley

2003 Rick Crawford

2004 Carl Edwards

2005 Bobby Hamilton

2006 Mark Martin

2007 Jack Sprague

2008 Todd Bodine

2009 Todd Bodine

2010 Timothy Peters

2011 Michael Waltrip

2012 John King

2013 Johnny Sauter

2014 Kyle Busch

2015 Tyler Reddick

2016 Johnny Sauter

2017 Kaz Grala

2018 Johnny Sauter

2019 Austin Hill

2020 Grant Enfinger