Kaden Honeycutt Bio
Kaden Wade Honeycutt (born June 23, 2003) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and across several Late Model tours, building a reputation as one of the most versatile young talents in short-track and national-level stock car racing. Honeycutt pilots the No. 17 Ford Mustang for Tom Usry Motorsports in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour and Virginia Triple Crown, while also running Dirt Super Late Model events in the No. 10 Longhorn Chassis for his own Kaden Honeycutt Racing team.
A native Texan, Honeycutt has steadily climbed the stock car ladder from regional Late Model events to the NASCAR national stage, earning marquee victories along the way. His aggressive driving style and willingness to race across pavement and dirt surfaces have made him a familiar name among stock car fans.
Early Life and Background
Kaden Wade Honeycutt was born on June 23, 2003, in Willow Park, Texas, United States. Growing up in the Dallas-Fort Worth region placed him near a strong short-track racing scene, and he was introduced to motorsports at a young age through local Texas tracks. His early exposure to Late Model racing shaped his development and helped him transition from weekend hobby racing into a structured competitive career.
As a teenager, Honeycutt balanced school with an increasingly demanding racing schedule, splitting time between his family home and various race shops. Support from his family and regional racing community in Texas provided the foundation he needed to chase national-level opportunities.
Path to NASCAR
Honeycutt’s path toward NASCAR began in the ARCA Menards Series, where he drove part-time for Empire Racing in 2018 before fielding his own entry in 2019. Those early ARCA starts introduced him to the national touring format and gave him valuable experience on intermediate speedways.
In 2021, Honeycutt moved into the CARS Late Model Stock Tour, running the full thirteen-race schedule. He captured two wins, seven top-fives, and twelve top-tens, finishing second in the championship standings and earning CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year honors. The strong CARS Tour campaign marked him as a rising stock car prospect and opened doors to opportunities with established NASCAR teams.
Kaden Honeycutt Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
Honeycutt’s earliest national-level experience came in 2018 when he drove part-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Empire Racing. The following year, he fielded his own ARCA car, gaining hands-on experience as both a driver and a small-team owner. These formative years allowed him to build his race craft and learn the operational side of motorsports.
His breakthrough development season came in 2021 on the CARS Late Model Stock Tour. With two victories and a runner-up finish in the championship standings, Honeycutt established himself as a championship-caliber Late Model driver and positioned himself for a transition to NASCAR’s national series.
ARCA Menards Series and West (2018–2023)
After his initial ARCA Menards Series appearances, Honeycutt returned to the series in 2023. On September 12, 2023, it was announced he would enter the Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 17 for McGowan Motorsports. An accident limited him to a 21st-place finish, but the opportunity showcased his willingness to race at the national ARCA level.
Honeycutt also made his ARCA Menards Series West debut in 2023 with McGowan Motorsports, winning his first start at All American Speedway after leading the most laps. He followed it up with a dominant victory at Madera Speedway, leading every lap to claim his second West Series win of the season.
NASCAR Xfinity Series (2023)
On April 11, 2023, it was announced that Honeycutt would attempt to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Martinsville Speedway for CHK Racing. He made the race after qualifying 33rd and ran a competitive stint before suffering an engine failure on lap 83 that relegated him to a 38th-place finish.
Although the debut did not produce the result he wanted, Martinsville gave Honeycutt his first taste of NASCAR’s second-tier national series and confirmed his ability to qualify into a top-level Xfinity field.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2022–2024)
Honeycutt’s Truck Series debut came in 2022 at Martinsville Speedway, driving the No. 46 for G2G Racing. G2G later added Nashville, Richmond, and Kansas to his schedule, while On Point Motorsports signed him for a three-race deal in the No. 30 at Pocono, Richmond, and Kansas. His top-fifteen finish at Bristol served as a breakthrough moment and proved he could compete with established Truck Series teams.
In 2023, Roper Racing tabbed Honeycutt to drive the No. 04 truck for the first six races of the season. Later that year, he was announced as a part-time driver in a fourth Niece Motorsports entry, the No. 44, attempting to qualify at Pocono. On February 9, 2024, Niece Motorsports announced Honeycutt would drive the No. 45 truck for a twelve-race slate shared with Johnny Sauter, Connor Mosack, and Ross Chastain, beginning at Atlanta with a sixth-place finish.
Niece Motorsports Era (2025)
On October 1, 2024, Niece Motorsports announced that Honeycutt would drive the No. 45 truck full-time starting in 2025. Sitting 73 points above the playoff cutoff line, his 2025 campaign was cut short on August 4, 2025, when Niece announced they had released him effective immediately after he signed an agreement with a different manufacturer for the 2026 season. To preserve his playoff eligibility, Honeycutt drove the No. 02 Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports at Watkins Glen.
After that, he substituted for an injured Stewart Friesen at Halmar Friesen Racing, driving the No. 52 Toyota for the remainder of the season beginning at Richmond. Despite not winning a race, Honeycutt qualified for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs and advanced all the way to the Championship 4, ultimately finishing third in the final point standings.
Driving Style and Strengths
Honeycutt is known for his aggressive, forward-driving style and his ability to adapt to a wide variety of track types, from short paved ovals to high-speed intermediates and dirt Super Late Models. His comfort in Late Model equipment translates well to the Truck Series, particularly on short tracks and abrasive surfaces, where tire management and rhythm are critical. His partnership with Toyota at Halmar Friesen Racing showed he can quickly build chemistry with a new crew chief mid-season.
Notable Races and Milestones
Honeycutt’s career highlights include his dominant 2023 ARCA Menards Series West sweep at All American Speedway and Madera Speedway, his 2024 CARS Pro Late Model Tour championship, the 2024 Snowball Derby victory, and the 2022 Hart to Heart 100 win. His run to the 2025 Truck Series Championship 4 after mid-season team changes stands as his most dramatic accomplishment at the national level.
Kaden Honeycutt Career Wins
Across national and regional stock car competition, Kaden Honeycutt has built a strong and varied win record, highlighted by his 2024 CARS Pro Late Model Tour title and a Snowball Derby crown. He has also captured marquee Late Model wins and turned heads with two ARCA Menards Series West victories in 2023. While he has not yet won a NASCAR national series race, his Truck Series playoff run to the Championship 4 marks him as a future threat.
Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Honeycutt has yet to record a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory, but his 2025 campaign produced his deepest postseason run. After a mid-season switch from Niece Motorsports to Halmar Friesen Racing, he advanced through the Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs to the Championship 4 and finished third in the final standings, the best result of his national-series career to date.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Truck Series, Honeycutt captured the 2024 CARS Pro Late Model Tour championship, won the 2024 Snowball Derby, took the 2022 Hart to Heart 100, and earned CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 with two wins and a runner-up points finish. He also swept his 2023 ARCA Menards Series West starts at All American Speedway and Madera Speedway.
Kaden Honeycutt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Honeycutt has built much of his racing operation through family and personal support, fielding his own Kaden Honeycutt Racing entry in ARCA and Dirt Super Late Model competition. His Texas roots and willingness to operate his own team reflect a hands-on, family-driven approach to motorsports common among short-track racers.
Personal Life
Honeycutt is based in his home state of Texas and continues to balance his national NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule with regional Late Model and dirt programs. He maintains an active presence on social media, sharing updates from his races and his Kaden Honeycutt Racing team throughout the season.
2025 Season Performance
Kaden Honeycutt’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began with high expectations after Niece Motorsports announced in October 2024 that he would drive the No. 45 truck full-time. He opened the year with a sixth-place finish at Atlanta and spent the first half of the season inside the playoff cutoff line, steadily building playoff points with consistent runs.
His season took a dramatic turn on August 4, 2025, when Niece Motorsports released him after he signed an agreement with a different manufacturer for the 2026 season. Honeycutt responded by driving the No. 02 Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports at Watkins Glen to preserve his playoff eligibility, then stepped into the No. 52 Toyota at Halmar Friesen Racing as a substitute for an injured Stewart Friesen starting at Richmond.
Despite the mid-season upheaval and zero race wins, Honeycutt qualified for the Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs and mounted a remarkable run to the Championship 4. He ultimately finished third in the final 2025 Truck Series point standings, capping a turbulent but breakthrough year that established him as one of the series’ rising stars heading into 2026.