Tristan McKee delivered an impressive performance during Friday's Black's Tire 200 at Martinsville Speedway, finishing fifth after becoming the youngest pole winner in NASCAR national series history. The 16-year-old Spire Motorsports driver qualified first, led 29 laps and remained competitive throughout the 200-lap event.
McKee secured the pole with a lap of 96.864 mph, becoming the youngest Truck Series pole winner at 16 years, two months and 27 days old. Although Layne Riggs passed him on the opening lap, McKee remained among the strongest competitors.
His No. 77 Chevrolet finished second in both stages, demonstrating impressive consistency against several championship contenders. McKee later challenged Riggs during the final stage, briefly
taking the lead following a restart.
McKee continued battling near the front during the closing laps, but his afternoon included contact with championship leader Kaden Honeycutt on the final restart. The contact sent Honeycutt up the track while McKee remained among the leading trucks.
McKee ultimately finished fifth, earning 50 points during his part-time Truck Series campaign. The performance marked another significant milestone for the young driver, who demonstrated his ability to compete against established NASCAR veterans while recording his first career national series pole position.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Tristian McKee's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Martinsville
