Cole Butcher delivered an impressive recovery at Kansas Speedway, advancing from 29th on the starting grid to finish 12th. The ThorSport Racing rookie entered the afternoon buried in traffic but steadily improved throughout the 134-lap event.
Butcher avoided the incidents and mechanical problems that eliminated several trucks and gained 17 positions before the checkered flag. He did not score points during either stage, but his final-stage progress allowed him to finish as the highest-running rookie in the race. Butcher completed every lap and earned 25 championship points.
The result moved Butcher to 302 points for the season, placing him 19th in the standings and outside the 10-driver Chase. Kansas was nevertheless valuable for his rookie campaign,
adding another lead-lap finish and substantially improving on his starting position while keeping him ahead of Mini Tyrrell among the full-season newcomers.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Cole Butcher's race recap in the Truck Chase race at Kansas in 2026
