Kaden Honeycutt’s day went from ruined to remarkable in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season finale at New Hampshire. A tire failure burned him early, but a gutsy charge to the front made for a great story for the Tricon Garage driver.
After starting on the front row, the No. 11 machine reported a right-rear tire down, which caused the side skirt to hit the ground and sent the car a lap down. This left Honeycutt with a 32nd-place finish in Stage 1.
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“It’s not even driving right,” Honeycutt said over the radio after he began to fall like a rock through the field.
He remained calm and saw the incident as something he and his team could learn from with the Chase approaching.
“I think this is a good test of how to handle something in the Chase if this were to happen,” Honeycutt said. “Cook up some strategy for me, and we’ll be alright.”
Whatever strategy crew chief Scott Zipadelli cheffed up unlocked Honeycutt’s truck, letting him storm through the field, earn a free pass, and finish Stage 2 P17.
From there, Honeycutt just kept climbing. He muscled into the top-10 with under 40 laps left and ultimately finished third, marking a stunning turnaround that showcased exactly why Honeycutt will be a threat when the Chase rolls around.
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Now, the 23-year-old will compete for a Truck Series championship after finishing second in the final regular season standings, with the first race of the postseason taking place on Sept. 17 at Bristol.
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