Across two tracks, Watkins Glen International and Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C., 22-year-old racer Kaden Honeycutt added four wins to his name.
Two in NASCAR’s lower divisions, ARCA and Craftsman Truck Series, then adding two more in the popular short track series CARS Tour. In doing so, the Texan etched his name with two separate records.
First, the TRICON Garage ace announced his arrival at Watkins Glen International with an ARCA Menards Series win. Then he went one step further, charging to his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory after a chaotic late-race battle against a stacked field featuring names like Connor Zilisch, Shane van Gisbergen, and AJ Allmendinger.
And because apparently that still wasn’t enough, He went right back to work the next night at Ace Speedway and swept both CARS Tour features too, totaling four wins across two tracks and an unforgettable weekend, capped by a wild shotgun celebration.
Honeycutt finally gets his Truck Series breakthrough and celebrates exactly as promised
If there was any doubt about how much Friday’s Truck Series victory meant to Honeycutt, his celebration erased it instantly.
Back in April, the No. 11 trucker promised fans he would shotgun a beer in the stands if he ever won his first NASCAR race. Moments after climbing from his Toyota Tundra TRD Friday night, he walked over to the fence near the frontstretch, grabbed a Busch Light from the crowd, and delivered on that promise as fans erupted around him.
The celebration quickly spread across social media, but honestly, it fit the moment perfectly. The youngster looked like a racer who finally got the payoff after years of grinding for opportunities.
“I’m so appreciative,” Honeycutt said Saturday, looking back at his incredible wins. “I’m just so thankful for every team owner I’ve raced for this weekend. I couldn’t do it without them. This is just unbelievable that a guy like me that dirt raced in Texas his whole life moves here at 18 years old and did everything he could for an opportunity. A weekend like this makes it worth it.”
Even after winning twice more at Ace Speedway, Honeycutt admitted exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him – “I’ve been beat to death these last couple of days,” he said with a laugh. “Staying up until 4 a.m. last night partying didn’t help out, but I’m probably going to party again tonight.”
His wins in the NASCAR circle made him the second driver to win both an ARCA race and a Truck Series event on the same day. On the CARS Tour side, he made history as the series’ first driver to win a Pro Late Model and Late Model stock car races in the same evening.
The icing on the cake? Honeycutt didn’t sound rehearsed; he sounded overwhelmed, grateful, and genuinely aware of how difficult it is to reach this level in stock car racing.
Weekend sweep puts Honeycutt on the spotlight
It wasn’t just the quantity of wins, either, but the competition he actually beat to win. At Watkins Glen, Honeycutt outran some of the best road racers in NASCAR. At Ace Speedway, he went toe-to-toe with rising short-track stars and reigning champion Landen Lewis and still found a way to finish on top despite racing nearly nonstop for two straight days.
The Truck Series victory especially felt significant because of who was chasing him in the closing laps. Zilisch, van Gisbergen, and Allmendinger are all established road-course threats at the Cup level, yet the Texan held them off during a frantic overtime finish to secure the biggest win of his young career.
For years, he has been viewed as a talented racer capable of winning on short tracks and dirt, which is why he has a seat at Tricon Garage in the No. 11. But weekends like this make fans wonder whether something bigger is developing.
In fact, by Sunday night, Honeycutt wasn’t just the hottest driver leaving Watkins Glen and Ace Speedway. He was one of NASCAR’s biggest stories.
“I’m so appreciative,” Honeycutt told after the CARS Tour race. “I’m just so thankful for every team owner I’ve raced for this weekend, Tricon Garage for an amazing truck, Cook Racing in ARCA, JC Motorsports and Tom Usry Racing, all these guys.”
“I couldn’t do it without them. This is just unbelievable that a guy like me that dirt raced in Texas his whole life moves here at 18-years-old and did everything he could for an opportunity, a weekend like this makes it worth it.
“It’s worth it for my mom and dad who’ve worked and sacrificed homes and vacations. I just can’t believe it.”
Amid all the victories, the celebrations, and even the tension surrounding his battle with Landen Lewis, Honeycutt leaned into a belief shaped by something Mark Martin once admitted about his own career. The NASCAR Hall of Famer had spoken openly about regretting not enjoying the big moments enough while he was living them.
This weekend, Honeycutt made sure not to fall into that same trap. Whether it was celebrating with fans at Watkins Glen or soaking in every victory lane at Ace Speedway, the 22-year-old embraced every moment of a weekend that may very well change his career.
