Latest news with #KadenHoneycutt
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shocked After NASCAR Team Cuts Truck Series Driver
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shocked After NASCAR Team Cuts Truck Series Driver originally appeared on The Spun. Just like countless NASCAR fans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was shocked by a move Niece Motorsports made earlier this week. Niece Motorsports announced Monday that Truck Series driver Kaden Honeycutt was relieved of his driving duties. This move was made in the middle of a season where he ranks sixth in the Truck Series standings. It has already been determined that Connor Zilisch will take over the No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado for this Friday's race at Watkins Glen International. In the official statement from Niece Motorsports, it was revealed that Honeycutt signed with a different team and manufacturer for 2026. On the latest episode of Earnhardt's podcast, "Dale Jr. Download," he addressed Honeycutt's fallout with Niece Motorsports. He can't remember the last time a driver was let go mid-season. "Honeycutt is 73 points above the cut line for the playoffs. I don't remember hearing anything like this before, where a guy got a new job or next year, so you fire him," Earnhardt said, via On3. "I'm sure it's happened, but it feels like this is something that maybe went down in the '70s or '80s. It's nothing that's happened recently." Earnhardt also said that he has no issue with Honeycutt signing with another team for the 2026 season. "I have zero problem with a driver getting a different deal and going somewhere else. Now, you'd like some loyalty, you'd like some commitment. You've given Kaden this chance, Niece has given him this chance to get into the Truck Series. Well, he used that opportunity, and he's going to go somewhere better and different." So what's next for Honeycutt? He'll represent Halmar Friesen Racing for the final eight races of the 2025 Truck Series season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shocked After NASCAR Team Cuts Truck Series Driver first appeared on The Spun on Aug 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Stewart Friesen returns home as full extent of injuries revealed
Stewart Friesen will not get to take part in the NASCAR Truck playoffs as he recovers from various injuries sustained in a serious airborne crash nine days ago. Kaden Honeycutt will drive the No. 52 truck in his absence, except for Watkins Glen this weekend, where Christopher Bell will take the wheel. Friesen was competing in a Super DIRTcar Series event, driving a Big Block Dirt Modified at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec, Canada, when the accident occurred. In the latest update provided by his wife, Jessica, she has revealed that Stewart has returned home after being released from the hospital. "Stewart continues to be in pain as he recovers, but we are very happy to have him at home to recoup before we start the physical therapy process," an official statement read, thanking the Albany Medical Center and its trauma team for their efforts. New details regarding Friesen's injuries Stewart Friesen, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota Jessica also revealed more details regarding the injuries he sustained when his car went airborne and was struck by another car upon landing. "The procedures to reconstruct his shattered pelvis and his right leg tibia and fibula went smoothly," the statement continued. "He has some extra plates, screws, rods, and pins as well as a fractured C7 and fractured left hip but we are thankful to finally be on the other side of these injuries and on the road to recovery." When the 42-year-old misses this weekend's race at Watkins Glen, it will be the first Truck race without Friesen in the field since Kansas Speedway in the fall of 2020. Friesen willingly skipped that race in order to compete in a Short Track Super Series event at Port Royal Speedway. He has 200 career starts in the Truck Series, including four race wins. Read Also: Kaden Honeycutt to fill in for injured Stewart Friesen during playoffs Christopher Bell to fill in for injured Stewart Friesen at Watkins Glen Stewart Friesen suffers fractured pelvis and broken leg in terrifying crash To read more articles visit our website.
Forbes
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Kaden Honeycutt To Replace An Injured Stewart Friesen
Top Nascar prospect Kaden Honeycutt is switching teams after being released from his duties at Niece Motorsports. Honeycutt, who has been contending for wins throughout the 2025 Nascar Craftsman Truck Series season, parted ways with the team he's been competing for since parts of 2023. Honeycutt will replace Stewart Friesen in the Halmar Friesen Racing No. 52 truck, which has already qualified for the playoffs via Friesen's Michigan win. However, Friesen was severely injured in an accident during the Super DIRTcar Series race at Canada's Autodrome Drummond last weekend. He will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing numerous surgeries in New York. 'While I continue to recover, it was important for us to put someone in our truck that can help us compete at the highest level,' Friesen said. 'I know Kaden will deliver strong performance in our truck and allow us to continue to run for the owner's championship.' Friesen, a well-known dirt track racer, has been competing in the Truck Series full time since 2017. Honeycutt will not race for the team this weekend at Watkins Glen International, as Cup Series driver and 2017 Truck Series champion Christopher Bell will take the helm. 'It's an honor to be able to fill in for Stewart for the rest of the season and help give his team a chance at the owner's championship, which they earned. I'm excited to compete in contending, race-winning equipment as I pursue a title this season,' Honeycutt said. 'We are going to work hard to have a solid final eight races of the season and continue to deliver great results for Stewart, his family and this organization.' The move is a major one for Honeycutt, who goes from the Chevrolet development program to the crowded Toyota pipeline. It is likely he will continue to compete in the Truck Series next year, with rumors he will join Tricon Garage. Honeycutt is currently eighth on the playoff grid and will need a waiver if he qualifies for the postseason.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rare NASCAR Truck Series championship run swap taking place
Rare NASCAR Truck Series championship run swap taking place originally appeared on The Sporting News A championship contending NASCAR Truck Series team in search of a driver has connected with a championship contending driver in search of a team. Starting at Richmond, Kaden Honeycutt will finish this season driving the Halmar Friesen No. 52 for the sidelined Stewart Friesen, who is still recovering from his crash last week in a Big Block Modified in his native Canada. 'While I continue to recover, it was important for us to put someone in our truck that can help us compete at the highest level,' said Friesen. 'I know Kaden will deliver strong performance in our truck and allow us to continue to run for the owner's championship.' To his point, Friesen had qualified both himself and the team into their respective playoffs. Friesen will waive his own playoff eligibility but Honeycutt will now be able to race that truck for an owner's championship. Honeycutt will also very likely advance into the Truck Series drivers championship after spending this whole season with Niece Motorsports. Honeycutt, however, was released from the team in the middle of the season on Monday because Honeycutt signed with a new team and a different manufacturer for next season. Niece general manager Cody Efaw says it was just a business decision. 'It's tough, my job is to make sure all of our partners are taken care of, and one of our larger partners is Chevrolet and Team Chevy, and what they do for us on the engineering side, and they have been great partners for 10 years with us, and we have partners that help make these trucks go around the racetrack that are tied to General Motors and Chevrolet,' Efaw said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday. 'With Kaden deciding to go to a different OEM, I respect that he came to us and told us, you know, it was hard. It was hard for him. He's a young man; he's got his racing career ahead of him. He's been racing since he was eight years old. This is everything he has ever wanted to do.' Ultimately, with Honeycutt leaving Chevrolet, that OEM is not going to keep giving that driver access to their tools and that forced Niece into a bind. 'I commend him for being honest and upfront with us. I would love to finish the season but also look at it like it's a situation where now, it's a lame duck term,' Efaw said. 'Chevrolet's not going to let him walk into their tech center and get on the simulators, and I'm not going to let him come into our meetings or comp meetings, and you know, Phil Gould, who I think is a great name in this industry, he has certain things that he wants to live up to, and there's certain information that he needs out of a driver that I don't feel that we can continue moving forward and do it at a championship level in the No. 45 truck.' Now, Honeycutt and Niece will race against each other for the owner's championship. Christopher Bell will drive the HFR car this weekend at Watkins Glen with Honeycutt making a one-off start at Young's Motorsports just to keep his playoff eligibility.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kaden Honeycutt to fill in for injured Stewart Friesen during playoffs
Just a couple of weeks ago, this headline wouldn't have made any sense, and yet, it is happening. When Stewart Friesen was seriously injured in a dirt modified crash, the No. 52 Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota needed to find a replacement driver as the team is set to take part in the championship playoffs. Enter Kaden Honeycutt, who was abruptly let go from his full-time ride at Niece Motorsports this week for signing with a rival team and manufacturer for 2026 (believed to be TRICON and Toyota). Honeycutt is also bound for playoffs, sitting 73 points above the cut-line. While Christopher Bell will drive the No. 52 at Watkins Glen, Halmar-Friesen has announced a new partnership with Honeycutt for the rest of the 2025 season. Both will be be able to fight for the championship as a duo after one lost its driver and the other lost their ride. Stewart Friesen, Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota Honeycutt's first race in the No. 52 will be at Richmond Raceway next weekend, which serves as the regular season finale for the NASCAR Truck Series. "While I continue to recover, it was important for us to put someone in our truck that can help us compete at the highest level," said Friesen. "I know Kaden will deliver strong performance in our truck and allow us to continue to run for the owner's championship." Honeycutt has not yet win in the Truck Series, but he has been solid, currently sitting sixth in the championship standings. "It's an honor to be able to fill in for Stewart for the rest of the season and help give his team a chance at the owner's championship, which they earned. I'm excited to compete in contending, race-winning equipment as I pursue a title this season," said Honeycutt. "We are going to work hard to have a solid final eight races of the season and continue to deliver great results for Stewart, his family and this organization." Read Also: Niece Motorsports immediately releases Kaden Honeycutt after signing with rival team Christopher Bell to fill in for injured Stewart Friesen at Watkins Glen Stewart Friesen suffers fractured pelvis and broken leg in terrifying crash To read more articles visit our website.
