Kaden Honeycutt Secures First Career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Win at Watkins Glen
In a career-defining performance, Kaden Honeycutt captured his first victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series during the Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at Watkins Glen International. Making his 67th career start, Honeycutt delivered a masterclass in persistence, passing Connor Zilisch in overtime to take the checkered flag for TRICON Garage.
The victory capped off a dominant day for Honeycutt, who achieved a rare “sweep” by winning an ARCA Menards Series race just hours before his Truck Series breakthrough. An emotional Honeycutt credited his team and the support of Toyota for the milestone.
“It’s amazing,” Honeycutt said. “Thank you Toyota, this whole No. 11 crew… Everyone that believed in me to take over this truck from Corey (Heim) after last year. It’s just amazing. I can’t believe I just won on a road course. This is unbelievable.”
Overtime Drama and the Final Push
The conclusion of the race was marked by high tension and shifting momentum. Connor Zilisch had dominated much of the event, leading the most laps, but the final restart proved decisive. After a series of late-race penalties and incidents pushed the event into overtime, Honeycutt muscled his way past Zilisch to seize the lead.
Honeycutt maintained his composure through the final laps, holding off Zilisch to secure the win. Zilisch was forced to settle for a second-place finish, while Shane van Gisbergen rallied late to claim third in only his second career Truck Series start.
A Race of Attrition and Chaos
The road to the finish line was fraught with mechanical failures, penalties, and aggressive driving. The race unfolded across three chaotic stages:
- Stage 1: Brent Crews started from the pole, but the stage was highlighted by early exits, including Ben Rhodes, who suffered transmission issues, and Natalie Decker, who was black-flagged for failing to meet minimum speed. Daniel Hemric took the Stage 1 win.
- Stage 2: The intensity ramped up as Connor Zilisch took the lead after making contact with Crews through the esses. Zilisch ultimately won Stage 2, while other drivers dealt with uncontrolled tire penalties and wall contact.
- Stage 3: The final stage saw significant attrition. Wesley Slimp suffered a severe accident at the bus stop, and several drivers were caught in a flurry of restarts. A pivotal moment occurred when race leader Chastain was penalized for jumping the restart zone, sending him to the rear of the field.
The closing laps were particularly volatile. A restart saw Ruggiero lean on Zilisch for the lead, triggering a chain reaction that caused Riggs to spin and left Kris Wright with heavy front-end damage. After another penalty to Ruggiero for jumping a start, the stage ended in a scramble that set the scene for Honeycutt’s overtime victory.
Top Finishers and Team Highlights
Beyond Honeycutt’s victory, the race provided strong showings for several veteran and emerging drivers. Daniel Hemric and Chandler Smith rounded out the top five. A.J. Allmendinger secured a sixth-place finish, marking the best result of the year for Ram and contributing to a triple top-ten finish for Kaulig Racing.
Race Results: Top 10
| Position | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Kaden Honeycutt |
| 2 | Connor Zilisch |
| 3 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 4 | Daniel Hemric |
| 5 | Chandler Smith |
| 6 | A.J. Allmendinger |
| 7 | Brent Crews |
| 8 | Mini Tyrrell |
| 9 | Brenden Queen |
| 10 | Connor Mosack |
Key Takeaways
- Career Milestone: Kaden Honeycutt earned his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win in his 67th start.
- Double Victory: Honeycutt won both the ARCA Menards Series and the Truck Series races on the same day.
- Road Course Success: Despite the technical difficulty of Watkins Glen, Honeycutt secured the win in overtime.
- High Attrition: The race was defined by numerous penalties and accidents, including critical restart violations for Chastain and Ruggiero.
Honeycutt’s victory at Watkins Glen serves as a major turning point in his career, proving his ability to compete and win on a challenging road course against some of the most tenacious drivers in the series.