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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 20: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite Toyota, speaks to the media after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway on March 20, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Kaden Honeycutt delivered one of his strongest\u00a0NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series<\/a> performances at Darlington Raceway on March 20, 2026, though the final result did not reflect the speed he showed early.<\/p>\n Driving the No. 11 Toyota for\u00a0Tricon Garage<\/a>, he started from the pole for the first time in his career and led a career-high 59 laps. He also won Stage 2 and controlled much of the race before late restarts altered the outcome.<\/p>\n Contact during two overtime restarts dropped him back, and he finished fourth. After the race, his comments about Cup Series drivers quickly spread online and drew strong reactions from fans across social media.<\/p>\n Strong Run Ends in Late-Race Contact<\/p>\n Honeycutt<\/a> controlled the race from the start, leading early laps and staying near the front through each stage. His truck maintained a consistent pace and held its track position during long green-flag runs.<\/p>\n The race changed dynamics late in the game. Restarts during overtime resulted in a close competition, with multiple drivers vying for the lead. Corey Heim<\/a> secured the win with a last-lap pass in the final overtime, while Ross Chastain finished second and Christian Eckes third.<\/p>\n Carson Hocevar, a regular in the Cup Series, was leading late but encountered a flat right-front tire. During those closing moments, Honeycutt lost positions after contact and could not recover before the finish.<\/p>\n NASCAR Driver Kaden Honeycutt\u2019s Comments Spark Fan Reaction<\/p>\n In a post-race interview shared by\u00a0FOX NASCAR<\/a>, Honeycutt addressed what he saw as overly aggressive driving from Cup Series competitors.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you line up against Cup guys, they really don\u2019t care about restarts or anything. So, they just plug you into the fence.\u201d<\/p>\n The clip quickly spread and drew mixed reactions from fans.<\/p>\n Harry wrote<\/a>, \u201cThe Plug\u201d is the only defense left when you can\u2019t match the footwork. The Entity relies on the fence because it can\u2019t find the grip @shanevg97 finds with a loose car. Darlington is a driver\u2019s track; technical skill beats gatekeeping every time.\u201d<\/p>\n Bam added<\/a>, \u201cHoneycutt\u2019s entire team resents the fact that he got the ride, btw. Not naming any names, but I can quote \u201cOh, Jesus Christ\u2026\u201d as one reaction. lmao.\u201d Kue wrote<\/a>, \u201cComes off like a crybaby. You are in the best truck in the series. Go take wins away from them as Heim did.\u201d<\/p>\n Debate Continues Over NASCAR Cup Drivers in Truck Series<\/p>\n Other fans used the moment to defend Honeycutt or to question the presence of Cup drivers in the series.<\/p>\n Auz wrote<\/a>, \u201cY\u2019all don\u2019t like drivers not showing personality, then get mad when drivers say something about dirty driving.\u201d<\/p>\n Jessie\u00a0<\/a>also\u00a0doesn\u2019t want a cup driver in the truck series.\u00a0\u201cCup Drivers should not be allowed to race in Triple Truck Challenge or DASH for CASH races.\u201d<\/p>\n Some responses remained critical of Honeycutt\u2019s stance.<\/p>\n Hawk\u00a0<\/a>also\u00a0has this to share, \u201cTake a lesson from the guy whose truck you\u2019re driving, the same guy who raced the same cup guys and got to VL. If you can\u2019t handle Cup guys coming down to race for the win, hand the 11 to Gio and go back to racing late models. This is Nascar, this is Darlington. NOTHING IS EASY\u201d<\/p>\n Micheluzzo<\/a> says Cup drivers don\u2019t hold back; they race hard everywhere. \u201cDoes he think Cup drivers\u2019 tone it down\u2019 when racing non-Cup races? Cup drivers get to the Cup by competing at everything they do.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott<\/a> mocked the driver as privileged and overly emotional. \u201cIf he thinks that\u2019s bad, he should have a good-for-nothing whiny screaming in his headset. Oh, that\u2019s only when you race cock mouth on iRacing because rich family gives you the real thing, so you don\u2019t give a shit.\u201d<\/p>\n Honeycutt remains winless in the series despite several strong performances. His Darlington run added to that record, and his post-race comments have brought more attention to how drivers from different levels compete on the same track.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDogli Wilberforce<\/a> is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. 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