Kaden Honeycutt delivered one of his strongest performances of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season but came up just short of victory in the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway.
The Tricon Garage driver finished second on April 3, crossing the line 0.090 seconds behind teammate Corey Heim. Honeycutt showed speed throughout the race and stayed in contention in the closing laps. Speaking after the race on FOX, he said the effort reflected everything he had in the final run while also pointing to traffic as a factor near the finish.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Battle Ends with a Narrow Rockingham Finish
Honeycutt ran near the front for much of the race and positioned himself for a late challenge. He said the truck improved at the right time, allowing him to fight for the win.
“That was everything I had, no doubt about that. Man, thank you to Safelite and everyone on this 11-team. They gave me a really good truck today. I know Corey was really good, too.”
He explained that late adjustments helped him close the gap.
“I finally got the adjustment at the end that I needed and got the track position to be right behind them and race them at the finish,” he said.
Kaden Honeycutt Points to Traffic in the Closing Laps
As the race entered its final laps, Honeycutt found himself navigating tight conditions while trying to make a move for the lead. He pointed to traffic, including a teammate, as a factor that limited his options.
“We went down into Turn 3, and my teammate was right there, which made it tough to get to the line,” Honeycutt said.
He added that he did not see a clear move to take the win without contact.
“I caught him, but I’m not sure what I could have done differently to win,” he said. “The racing is tight there. I wasn’t going to move my teammate out of the way.”
Honeycutt still acknowledged Heim’s performance and the team’s.
“Congrats to Corey and the whole No. 11 team at Tricon,” he said.
Strong Result Builds Momentum
The second-place finish marked another solid result for Honeycutt early in the season. It was his fourth top-10 finish and helped strengthen his position in the standings.
He credited the team’s recent form and race-day calls.
“This organization has been really strong the last five weeks, and it shows in our trucks,” Honeycutt said. “Scott did a great job on the box, making adjustments. That last one was exactly what I needed.”
Looking ahead, Honeycutt said the team will carry momentum into the next race.
“It’s unfortunate we didn’t get the win, but second place is still a solid result,” he said. “We’ll go to Bristol with speed and momentum and keep pushing.”
He also pointed to the bigger picture for the team.
“I’m glad Toyota Racing and Tricon got the win. Our time will come. We’ve got plenty of races left, and we gained good points today.”
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