TALLADEGA, Ala.: Veteran race car driver Greg Van Alst will return to NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series competition for two of the three remaining races this season, beginning with Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
The return carries extra weight: it is to the same 2.66-mile superspeedway where he sustained a back injury during the 2023 Truck Series event while driving for Young's Motorsports -- an injury that prematurely ended his season.
Fully healed and stronger, Van Alst is determined to return and complete the unfinished story under his own banner: Greg Van Alst Motorsports.
"I'm excited to get back to Talladega this weekend," Van Alst said.
"At the time, the injury was tough to swallow -- especially at a track where I'd seen success in ARCA and felt we were en route to a career-best in Trucks. It didn't work out, and I got hurt.
"That's all part of the journey. I feel great now, and I'm ready to return and keep building our notebook for Greg Van Alst Motorsports."
Across his NASCAR and ARCA experiences, Van Alst has earned a reputation for acumen at superspeedways, where drafting and momentum dominate.
His resume includes a win in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season opener at Daytona (Fla.) -- a venue with stylistic parallels to Talladega's famed tri-oval layout.
Although his NASCAR superspeedway results have been mixed, he sees opportunity in Friday's 85-lap shootout.
"I'm looking forward to Friday," he said.
"We bought this truck from Hill Motorsports earlier in the year and have devoted significant time, effort, and financial commitment to it, hoping to unload well, qualify strong and deliver on race day.
"We're still in learning mode as a new team -- only two starts so far under the Greg Van Alst Motorsports banner -- but Talladega is one of those tracks where underdogs can compete with powerhouses. Sometimes David beats Goliath.
"If we can have a good run, take notes, and build, it'll set us up not only for this year but for 2026."
With 36 trucks pre-entered for the final superspeedway event of the season, Van Alst is locked into his eighth Truck Series start.
The team's focus is squarely on race execution and securing a solid starting spot to leverage track position when the green flag flies.
"You always want a good starting position, even at tracks where it's not 100% critical," Van Alst explained.
"What matters is handling. We want a well-balanced truck that can keep pace in the lead draft and keep us in contention."
At 44, the former ARCA CRA Series champion knows that to win, one must first survive.
"We want to be methodical and showcase our capabilities on Friday, but to finish first, you must first finish," Van Alst said.
"The gloves will come off at some point, and I'll be focused on putting us in contention for a strong finish -- maybe even a win.
"The Truck Series has produced many first-time winners, and I'd love to etch my name into that statistic."
After Talladega, Van Alst and his all-volunteer Greg Van Alst Motorsports team will regroup and prepare for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series Championship 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on Friday, October 31, 2025.
"I'm proud of the work our team has done since Bristol last month," he added.
"It hasn't been easy. We've logged a lot of long hours, but I hope it pays dividends not only at Talladega but also at Phoenix."
To strengthen continuity and performance, Van Alst has reunited with his championship-winning crew chief, Kevin Shannon, from his ARCA CRA Late Model days.
"Having Kevin back on top of the box at Talladega means a lot to me," said Van Alst.
"I know this will be a different world to him as far as the racing goes, but he is a quick learner and he knows what I'm looking for behind the wheel, so hopefully that will play into our hands at Talladega, but also give us further confidence and a solid foundation to keep building on in the Truck Series."
For this eighth Truck start, Van Alst's company, Top Choice Fence, will serve as the primary marketing partner. Meanwhile, Greg Van Alst Motorsports continues to actively seek additional partners to join the team's growth journey.
The 2023 Daytona ARCA winner began the 2025 season competing part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen. After eight starts, Van Alst opted to step back and reset his racing schedule for the remainder of the year.
For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
The Love's RV Stop 225 (85 laps | 226.1 miles) serves as the 23rd of 25 races on the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series schedule. Qualifying begins on Friday, October 17, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag later that day, shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are in Central Time (CT).