Honeycutt Set For Quadruple Duty During Derby Week

Kaden Honeycutt (Nigel Kinrade/NKP photo)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Though Kaden Honeycutt has competed at Five Flags Speedway during the prestigious Snowball Derby week many times already in his career, this year’s sojourn will be his busiest ever.

Honeycutt is set to compete in four different classes from Dec. 4-8 at the half-mile paved oval, headlined by the 300-lap, 57th annual Snowball Derby for super late models on Sunday afternoon.

The 21-year-old native of Willow Park, Texas, will also drive in a Pro Truck, asphalt modified, and pro late model leading up to the weekend finale.

His No. 21 super late model will be prepared by Jett Motorsports, while his pro late model and Pro Truck will both be prepared by Bryson Lopez Racing, the team that Honeycutt closed his CARS Pro Late Model Tour championship season and won at historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway with back in October.

Rounding out the set, Honeycutt will wheel the No. 21 SOTEX Motorsports modified, which he previously drove during Snowball Derby week three years ago during a triple-duty effort.

It’s a lofty effort, but one that Honeycutt is eager to tackle beginning Thursday night with the Pro Truck program.

“This is probably the last time I’ll be able to race the week and do as much as we’re doing this year, so I really wanted to take advantage of it,” said Honeycutt, who will embark on a full NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule next year with Niece Motorsports.

“It’s a lot of work, but I’m invested in the short track racing that I get to do and to succeed, you just have to get after it,” he continued. “Five Flags is a place that I love to drive and it’s so much fun to figure out what it takes to be fast every time you’re there. We’ve got four great shots to win this week, and I hope we can really show out well and finish our season on a high.”

This year marks the fifth time in seven years that Honeycutt will attempt the famed super late model classic, and his first time back at Five Flags for the Derby since 2021.

Honeycutt’s career-best finish in four Derby starts is fifth, which he achieved in 2020 with Wilson Motorsports after qualifying on the front row and leading 26 laps during the afternoon.

He hopes to better that this go-round after racing from ninth to seventh with Jett Motorsports during a Southern Super Series race at Pensacola in September before misfortune sidelined him just past halfway.

“We know the car has speed; it’s just about staying in it for all 300 laps when it comes to the Derby,” said Honeycutt. “We did that in 2020 and had a shot to win the race, and Jett Motorsports has always had pace when it matters at Pensacola, but specifically during the Derby each year. I’m confident in them and I believe that we’ll have a shot to kiss the Snowball (trophy) if we can stay out of trouble on Sunday.”

Giving Honeycutt extra confidence is the fact that he set the fastest time in three of his four race cars – the super late model, pro late model, and Pro Truck – during the recent Snowball Derby Preview open test session on Nov. 23.

Are multiple wins within reach? Honeycutt believes they could be.

“I feel like our chances (to end up in victory lane) are pretty high, at least, particularly in the Flake (Snowflake 100 for pro late models),” Honeycutt tipped. “We’re carrying so much momentum in with Bryson Lopez Racing and the whole (No.) 47 crew after winning at Wilkesboro and finishing off the CARS Tour championship that I believe we can come in on offense and really have a shot to do something special.

“The Derby is always its own animal – it’s a long race and so many different things can happen – but I feel like we’ve done a lot of good things on the truck and the modified leading up to this week and I really believe we’ve given ourselves a shot to run well in all four cars,” he added. “It’s a tall task, but I wouldn’t have gotten into this if I didn’t believe we could do everything that we’re setting out to do.”

Coverage of the 57th annual Snowball Derby week will stream live on FloRacing, the official streaming partner of NASCAR Regional and presenting sponsor of this year’s super late model headliner at Five Flags Speedway.

About Kaden Honeycutt

Kaden Honeycutt is a 21-year-old, multi-discipline racer from Willow Park, Texas, who competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Niece Motorsports. He also races in the zMAX CARS Tour in both the Pro Late Model and Late Model Stock Car divisions – driving for Bryson Lopez Racing and R&S Race Cars, respectively – and in super late models on rare occasions with Jett Motorsports.

On the dirt side, Honeycutt cut his teeth in the Gulf South region of the United States, both in his home state of Texas and the surrounding areas. He first ran factory stocks and dirt modifieds before more recently branching out into dirt late model racing, attending premier events like the Wild West Shootout and selected races with the World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series.

Proving his extreme versatility, Honeycutt also raced at the prestigious Chili Bowl Midget Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink in 2023, earning a B-main finish on Championship Saturday among a field of nearly 400 entries inside Tulsa, Oklahoma’s SageNet Center.

Honeycutt has been a persistent worker on his own race vehicles, routinely helping his various teams at the racetrack, as well as in the Niece Motorsports shop through the week. He continues to push up the NASCAR ladder as a prospect to eventually reach the premier NASCAR Cup Series, and will tackle the full Truck Series calendar in 2025 under the guidance of team owner and Marine Corps veteran Al Niece.

Off the racetrack, Honeycutt is passionately involved with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, where he supports children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. He runs the FOJ logo on both his car and uniform, including a tribute to his adopted child Jackson, who passed away in 2020.

For more information, visit his website at https://kadenhoneycuttracing.com/.