SALISBURY, N.C. — Niece Motorsports released Kaden Honeycutt as he sits in a playoff spot with two races left in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ regular season.
Photo: Jeff Ames/TRE
Niece released Honeycutt from the No. 45 team, effective Monday.
“Honeycutt has signed a contract to race with a different Truck Series organization and OEM in 2026 – making this change allows our team the opportunity to begin building for next year,” Niece Motorsports stated.
According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Tricon Garage may be where Honeycutt goes in 2026.
Honeycutt is 89 points above the playoff cutline with two races left until the playoffs. He essentially needs to start the race and have a repeat winner at Watkins Glen to make the playoffs.
If he doesn’t attempt the upcoming race at Watkins Glen, he will be ineligible for the playoffs.
To keep his playoffs hopes alive, Young’s Motorsports is a possible landing spot for Watkins Glen. After Watkins Glen, the No. 52 Halmar-Friesen Racing Toyota is a possibility with Stewart Friesen likely out for the rest of the season with extensive injuries. The No. 52 team is also locked into the owner playoffs.
Like Honeycutt and the No. 52 team, the No. 45 team is set to race in the playoffs. Connor Zilisch will race for them at Watkins Glen before Bayley Currey will finish out the season.
Crew chief Phil Gould and all other personnel will stay with the team.
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com