TOYOTA RACING – Kaden Honeycutt
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Quotes
CHARLOTTE (September 15, 2026) – TRICON Garage driver Kaden Honeycutt was made available to the media on Tuesday as part of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Chase Media Day.
KADEN HONEYCUTT, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
How invaluable is it to have Scott Zipadelli and the entire 11 team that won it all last year run this year with you?
“It’s definitely very valuable. He has brought a lot to the table as far as my racecraft and improving things that I’ve needed to be better on. And I feel like the races that we’ve won outside of the Truck Series is because of Scott (Zipadelli, crew chief). He’s taught me a lot of things on racecraft, managing a race, how to manage sim and things like that. He’s just an amazing guy outside of the racetrack too. We’ve had a really good relationship going through this year. I feel like I’ve given up a couple of races for him that I could’ve won, but we have seven weeks to go out and win him another championship. I don’t think there’s one weak spot on our schedule going into this Chase, so looking forward to it, and hopefully we can win it all.”
How important was your dominant win at Richmond for you going into the Chase?
“It was definitely good, for sure. I think as far as for me, I haven’t done a truck race like that before, so it was really good. We were struggling at Wilkesboro and IRP before that. And to go to another short track that was like IRP and to figure out the things we had wrong, and to win at Richmond was really, really cool. To do it in the fashion that we did just showed how relentless the team is and how they never give up and they will always strive for it and strive for greatness. So yeah, it was really good for us at Richmond, good for me confidence-wise, knowing that we absolutely can do this stuff every single week. Just need to put our mind to it and we can accomplish anything that we can set for it. I think we can do that at Bristol, and going forward after that it should be no problem.”
Where do you feel like you stack up against Layne Riggs and his team right now?
“Honestly, I don’t really compare myself to anybody. We’re racing 35 other trucks on the racetrack to win every week and that’s kind of the mindset. What this team sets on is we go out to win no matter who’s in front of us, a Chase guy or a non-Chase guy, it doesn’t matter. We go out and try to win the race and the points take care of themselves after that. That’s just Scott and the guys’ idea, and that’s my idea as well, that’s all we focus on is 35 other trucks to beat every single week.”
You’re racing for the championship for the first time with a top team in TRICON Garage. How do you approach the Chase knowing you’re in the best equipment of your career?
“It’s been really awesome for sure. Scott (Zipadelli, crew chief) and the guys have done a great job on getting me up to speed. We’ve had some rule changes as far as bodies and things like that were some changes from last year. But I feel like this year were really solid pretty much all season. I feel like I’ve lost at least three or four races by myself, just self-inflicting. Just cleaned that stuff up. I had a really good race at Richmond and a really good race at Loudon before the Chase before we had a flat tire. We have really all the tools that we need to go out and win this championship and to win the races going forward. So yeah, it’s been really awesome. Last year going through the transition and things like that was definitely not ideal, but we were able to still make it to Phoenix and be a contender at the end. I feel like if we can even put ourselves even close in that spot with this team, we’ll have no problem executing it and finishing these seven weeks off on top.”
Do you think that being able to achieve good performances during the Chase could affect your future in a positive way?
“Probably not. I think it’s definitely a tough seven weeks for sure, especially on the crew guys on the Truck Series doing five weeks in a row after Kansas, I believe. I don’t think it would change our speed or what we’ve accomplished this year as a team. It would definitely be disappointing if we don’t contend for it at the end. I think if we can just go through the first couple races and figure out where we’re at, and see if we can win those two, just put ourselves in spots and put ourselves in good position to have good points. We do that by trying, just going for the win. And I feel like if we can do that on a consistent basis throughout these seven weeks, it should be a good deal for everybody.”
You’re 25 points from the leader sitting second to start of the Chase. Can you put 25 points into perspective where you’re looking at it from the second position?
“As far as being able to jump that 25-point gap in one race, I think you would have to sweep both stages and win. The one seed would have to, I think, probably finish second or third in the stages and run second or third, and that would make it even after it. It’s definitely very difficult. I think it just shows and it rewards you for being good during the regular season. So, if we can go out and start really good at Bristol. Really just consistent, and we’ve obviously seen the last couple races for Cup have completely turned upside down for most of the guys. I feel like if we just execute, do our own deal, race our race, and not try to do anything else other than that and not focus on points so much, just focus on winning, and everything kind of takes care of itself after that.”
How much could things shake up with the Chase starting at Bristol?
“Yeah, absolutely. Bristol is pretty changing, for sure. It can make or break your Chase just like every racetrack can. Bristol is very high intense. It’s a short track and it’s going to be nonstop 250 laps bare-knuckle racing, so looking forward to it. Always love going to Bristol no matter what the occasion is. I think we had a good strong, spring performance. Not the finish we wanted, but I think we have a really good package going this weekend and kicking it off the right way.”
How did you just spend your downtime since the last race? Did you get away from thinking about racing or how did you spend it?
“I’ve been racing the last three weeks. We were able to win a couple races in the Pro Late Model with my JC Motorsports group out in Pensacola and also in the CARS Tour race at Florence. So I’ve been racing. I’ve been racing the last three weeks. I raced last week at Tri County. I actually spotted and I tested C. Bell’s (Christopher Bell) car that he won the ASA race with. The test driver was able to work that out and make that good for him. I’ve been busy. I’ve been staying in a race car the whole time and just trying to stay locked in and prepared for the seven-week stretch. Trying not to focus on anything else but winning a championship. I didn’t want to take those three weeks off and just not have my hands on a race car or be locked into a race mentality situation. I just stayed in it and looking forward to going to Bristol locked in for sure.”
How big of an advantage is it being with TRICON Garage and the championship winning team from last year?
“Things obviously change year to year. As far as rules, they got changed some stuff up this year. I think as far as speed, we haven’t really had any problem with speed at all. I feel like I’ve given up a few this year that were very easily probably could have been four or five wins this year. I think as far as speed, we’re not really concerned about the next seven races. We’re just going to go in each race and just see how it unfolds under practice and then make our race after that. Having a crew chief like Scott and the whole team that’s a championship caliber team is definitely very easy to get used to. Scott has helped me tremendously on my race craft and e’s done a lot of things for me outside of truck racing that’s led to winning races. I just think that’s a testament for how good of a teacher he is, how good of a crew chief he is, and also a great person as well. So, looking forward to hitting hard with this team and hopefully we can win them their second championship after Homestead.”
You’ve been lights out this year in the Pro Late Model on the CARS Tour. Can you just talk about the balancing act of being in position to win a title in CARS Tour while also pursuing a championship in trucks?
“I really didn’t plan on trying to win the Pro Late Model championship, but we’ve had such a good season on the tour that we’ve just put ourselves in a good spot to win that. Even after missing two races, I’m sitting here kind of can’t believe that. I’ll run Newport and in South Boston later on in the season. Not really caring about trying to win the championship in that, just going out and trying to win the races for the JC Motorsports Group. The points just fall where they are after that. Definitely want one of the young guys to go out and win the championship. It would do a lot more for them than it would for me. I go there to try to compete and win every week like I do in Truck Series anything I drive. As far as balance, I feel like I’ve done a good job at it this year. I’ve stayed mentally locked in on both sides every time I’m at the racetrack for any car that I’m in. I try to be locked into that race specifically and then move on to the next one once it’s over. I think we’ve done a good job at it this year. I’ve had a great management group that’s helped me out so much with that. My amazing wife also helps me balance it out as well. It’s been a good year. Hopefully we can keep it rolling and maybe win two of them. It’s not really a big of a deal for the Pro, but really just focused on winning the Truck Series championship and just winning races on the side.”
Dealing with non-chase drivers has been a big headline so far. In your opinion, how important is it to be aware of those other drivers and not make enemies out of them?
“It’s definitely good for them to come and race with us. I wouldn’t have won maybe Watkins Glen and Richmond without learning some of the things that they’ve taught us. It’s good for them to come down and teach us lessons and figure out what we need to do to be better. To go out and in the next race go and beat them at next time that they show up in the series. It’s really good to have them there. Thankfully for the next seven races we don’t have to worry about anybody coming from the outside. We treat them like a normal person, treat them like they’re a Truck Series driver and we try not to focus on anything but that. We don’t try to roll over or anything like that, especially me. I don’t try to particularly do anything like that. We need them in our series and it helps us grow because eventually if we want to race in the Cup Series, we have to race them as well. Looking forward to the next seven races and I think they get to run Homestead, I believe. I can’t remember what the rule is, but even if they do, it doesn’t matter. The goal is still the same.”
Is it an advantage or disadvantage for your truck team to have this three weeks off going into the Chase when you had such great momentum?
“The advantage for the Truck Series team is to have weeks and trucks ready prepared weeks ahead. I think for the five-week stretch, it’s definitely going to be pretty hard on those guys. If we can make their lives less stressful, that’s great. I know from the financial side, it’s definitely hard for a Truck Series team to stay in good operation for those weeks off. I don’t really know if we have a disadvantage as far as momentum, but I think since I’ve stayed in the race car and we’ve won some races and my confidence is high as ever. I don’t really have a concern or the team has a concern going to the racetrack and having speed. I think the advantage for sure is the be weeks prepared ahead and have the guys not so stressed out and working after hours from seven to midnight. If we can get those guys out of the shop by then and have them go home and have a good dinner with their wives and family, you get a good head space, it makes everybody’s lives better. I think that’s been the advantage that we’ll take and run with and the guys have done a great job getting ahead. Looking forward to the next race couple weeks.”
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