Kaden Honeycutt Delivers Career-Best 3rd in Charlotte Truck Race

Kaden Honeycutt achieved a personal milestone on May 23, 2025, by finishing third in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race was held on a cool May evening in Concord, North Carolina, and saw Corey Heim dominate by winning both stages and leading 98 of the 134 laps on the 1.5-mile track.

Heim’s speed in the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota gave him his fourth victory of the 2025 Truck Series season, keeping him strong at the top of the leaderboard. Honeycutt drove the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports and fought his way to a best-ever third-place result.

He and teammate Ross Chastain, both from Niece Motorsports, worked throughout the night to put pressure on Heim. Honeycutt moved into the lead after his team made the bold choice not to take new tires at the end of Stage 2.

This gamble paid off, as he stayed out front and collected sixteen stage points, helping his position in the series standings. Honeycutt credited his crew with a strong performance, saying the pit calls and quick stops made the difference on pit road.

During the race, Honeycutt was up against experienced drivers including Heim, Kyle Busch, and Chastain. The challenge was big for Honeycutt, who is in his first full Truck Series season at age 21. For more insights into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, you can explore the official NASCAR website.

Despite missing out on the win, he described the race as a valuable learning experience, praising crew chief Phil Gould for strategy and saying the team worked hard to compete with the top contenders. Honeycutt mentioned that while he put pressure on himself to win, he was glad for the team’s success with three trucks finishing inside the top seven.

Ross Chastain, who finished second, has taken on a mentor role at Niece Motorsports this year. He has watched Honeycutt develop as a driver and explained that trusting team owner Al Niece’s instincts about driver talent has paid off.

Chastain pointed out that Honeycutt, who grew up racing in Texas, has quickly adapted to new tracks and the competition level. For Honeycutt, racing door-to-door with Chastain was meaningful. To learn more about driver development in motorsports, check out this SAE International resource.

He called Chastain a role model and thanked him for the advice throughout the season. After Charlotte, Honeycutt sits seventh in the championship standings, holding 76 points behind Chandler Smith, who is in second.

Heim leads the series with a 176-point advantage. With Charlotte being the last 1.5-mile track on the regular-season schedule, Honeycutt will be challenged on a variety of circuits he hasn’t seen in the series before.

Still, his strong start has given him momentum heading into Nashville Superspeedway, where the Truck Series will race next week. The finish marked a turning point for Honeycutt, earning respect among his peers and showing he has the potential to compete at the front. For more details on track specifications, visit RacingCircuits.info.

The team now looks ahead to new challenges, building on the progress they have made together. Honeycutt’s determination and clear focus are set to drive the group toward more top finishes as the season continues. For more details on the event, see NASCAR Charlotte info.