Leland Honeyman Bio
Leland Dillon Honeyman Jr. (born February 23, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, and part-time in both the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 20 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports. He previously competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Early Life and Background
Leland Honeyman was born on February 23, 2005, in Phoenix, Arizona. Growing up in a region with a strong short-track and off-road racing culture, he was exposed to motorsports at a very young age. His early environment played a key role in shaping his path toward a professional racing career.
Honeyman first climbed aboard a quad at the age of two, before moving on to International Trophy Karts at four. He spent three seasons racing Jr. Trucks and Off Road Jr. Trucks, capturing three championships in the off-road series along the way. On his eighth birthday, he contested his first go-kart race and would go on to win three more karting championships.
In 2017, Honeyman added the INEX Bandolero championship to his growing résumé. Two years later, he made two starts in the CARS Tour, further expanding his experience on pavement. By the time he reached his mid-teens, he had already built a varied foundation across karting, off-road trucks, and late models.
Path to NASCAR
Honeyman’s transition into NASCAR’s development ladder began with the Carolina Pro Late Model Series in 2021. That season, he earned the Fall Brawl victory and finished runner-up to Nick Loden for the series championship, results that helped him secure recognition as the Carolina Pro Late Model Series Rookie of the Year.
On January 28, 2022, Young’s Motorsports announced that Honeyman would race full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 02. The same announcement included plans for his NASCAR national-series debut later that year. He finished the East campaign with five top-ten runs and placed third in the final standings, a strong showing for a teenager stepping into stock cars.
That platform set the stage for Honeyman to graduate to NASCAR’s top three national tours. His progression from regional late models to ARCA, and then to the Truck and Xfinity Series, reflected a steady climb through the development pipeline.
Leland Honeyman Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Honeyman’s earliest stock-car success came in the INEX Bandolero ranks, where he captured the 2017 Bandolero championship. He supplemented those pavement efforts with two CARS Tour starts in 2019, gaining valuable seat time against established late-model competition.
The 2021 Carolina Pro Late Model Series season marked his most significant late-model result. Honeyman won the Fall Brawl, was named the series Rookie of the Year, and ended the year second in points behind Nick Loden. Those results positioned him for a move into NASCAR’s ARCA platform the following season.
ARCA Menards Series East Breakthrough (2022)
Honeyman joined Young’s Motorsports full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2022, driving the No. 02. Across the season, he recorded five top-ten finishes, a tally that demonstrated consistency and pace on a variety of tracks.
He closed the year third in the East championship standings, an impressive outcome for a 16-year-old competing against older, more experienced rivals. The campaign also provided the springboard for his national-series debut later in 2022.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Debut (2022)
Alongside his ARCA East announcement, Honeyman revealed plans to attempt his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in late 2022. He made that debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, rolling off 31st and bringing the truck home in 29th.
Although the result was modest, the Bristol start gave Honeyman his first laps in a NASCAR national series and signaled his arrival on the Camping World Truck Series grid.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2023–2024)
On December 30, 2022, Alpha Prime Racing announced that Honeyman would join the organization on a part-time basis for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, driving the No. 45. He debuted at Phoenix Raceway, qualifying 23rd and finishing 27th, then posted back-to-back 25th-place results at Richmond and Martinsville.
At Portland, Honeyman qualified 21st but was sidelined mid-race by food poisoning, with Brad Perez taking over. Later that season, he attempted Kansas in Alpha Prime’s No. 44 but failed to qualify, and a deal with MBM Motorsports put him in the No. 66 for the race, where he did make the field. He also drove the No. 35 for Emerling-Gase Motorsports at Sonoma, where he failed to qualify.
On January 3, 2024, Young’s Motorsports confirmed it would expand to the Xfinity Series in 2024, fielding the No. 42 with Honeyman driving full-time. His breakthrough moment came at Talladega, where he crossed the line fourth, his first top-five finish in the series. On January 2, 2025, it was announced that Honeyman would move to the rebranded Cope Family Racing team to drive the No. 70 Chevrolet SS part-time, sharing the ride with Thomas Annunziata, with Honeyman scheduled for seventeen of the season’s races.
Nitro Motorsports Era (2025–Present)
In 2025, Honeyman shifted his primary focus to the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 20 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports. He also continues to run part-time schedules in both the ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West, broadening his exposure across the ARCA platform.
Balancing a part-time Xfinity slate with a full ARCA campaign, Honeyman is using the ARCA schedule to build race craft and consistency. The arrangement allows him to remain active in stock-car racing while gaining experience on a wide range of track types.
Driving Style and Strengths
Honeyman has shown a knack for the high-speed, pack-style racing found at superspeedways, highlighted by his top-five run at Talladega. His background in karts, off-road trucks, and late models has given him a versatile feel for car control across changing track conditions. Working within established teams such as Young’s Motorsports, Alpha Prime Racing, and Nitro Motorsports has allowed him to refine his race craft and strategic approach.
Notable Races and Milestones
His first NASCAR national-series start came at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Truck Series in 2022. His first top-five in the Xfinity Series came at Talladega in 2024, a result that signaled his arrival as a serious competitor. Winning the 2021 Fall Brawl and earning Carolina Pro Late Model Series Rookie of the Year honors remain defining early achievements.
Leland Honeyman Career Wins
Leland Honeyman’s career win list spans karting, off-road trucks, Bandoleros, late models, and ARCA competition. His most notable victory came in the 2021 Fall Brawl, a marquee Carolina Pro Late Model Series event. He has also added multiple championships in karting, off-road, and Bandolero competition earlier in his career.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Honeyman competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series in 2025 with Nitro Motorsports, driving the No. 20 Toyota. His prior ARCA experience includes a full 2022 East campaign with Young’s Motorsports, where five top-ten finishes helped him finish third in points.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond ARCA, Honeyman captured the 2017 INEX Bandolero championship and earned three off-road championships in Jr. Trucks competition. He also added three karting championships, giving him a deep well of results before reaching NASCAR’s national series.
Leland Honeyman Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Honeyman’s family background is limited. He was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where he began racing quads at the age of two, suggesting a household supportive of his early motorsports interests.
Personal Life
Details about Honeyman’s personal life, including marital status and family, are not publicly confirmed. Born in 2005, he is among the youngest drivers to have competed in NASCAR’s top three national series.
2025 Season Performance
Honeyman’s 2025 schedule is split between a full-time ARCA Menards Series effort with Nitro Motorsports in the No. 20 Toyota and a part-time Xfinity Series run with Cope Family Racing in the No. 70 Chevrolet SS. The ARCA campaign is the centerpiece of his season, with additional part-time starts in the ARCA East and ARCA West series.
The Xfinity schedule includes seventeen announced races, shared with Thomas Annunziata, giving Honeyman a continued presence on NASCAR’s second-tier circuit. Combining ARCA seat time with selected Xfinity weekends is designed to balance development and exposure.
With a Talladega top-five already on his Xfinity résumé and a stable ARCA ride at Nitro Motorsports, Honeyman enters the back half of 2025 with momentum. The focus is on consistent finishes, playoff contention in ARCA, and sharpening his craft for a future full-time Xfinity run.