Laprade Battles Rain Throughout The Month Of May

Matthew Laprade (right) walks the pit area at Houston Motorsports Park. (Damon Laprade photo)

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The month of May was dominated by Mother Nature for Matthew Laprade, as both of his scheduled Pro Truck events across two different states were washed out by rain.

Laprade’s planned May 3 stop at Houston (Texas) Motorsports Park with Kaden Honeycutt Racing, as well as last Saturday’s return to Auburndale (Fla.) Speedway with Right Foot Down Motorsports, both fell to wet weather.

It marked a total of three lost features for Laprade, who would have raced Twin 50s at Auburndale over Memorial Day weekend, something the 13-year-old from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., lamented.

“Really a bummer to lose both of our race weekends in May,” said Laprade. “Any chance we have for track time is always important, not just to build my notebook in Pro Trucks, but also because I wanted a chance to continue learning Houston after our top five there in April.

“Hopefully, we can get the rain to stay away and get back to the racetrack sooner, rather than later.”

Laprade’s overall season to-date includes five wins, 10 podiums, and 12 top fives in 13 starts. Laprade’s five victories came during INEX Legend car competition at Auburndale in February.

Thanks go out to marketing partners Wade Tractor & Equipment, Adrenalin Powersports, Synergy SpeedLab, Race Face Brand Development, and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for their support of Laprade’s racing efforts.

Laprade’s next scheduled Pro Truck start is July 5 at Houston, back with Kaden Honeycutt Racing.

Additional schedule updates will be provided as they become available.

About Matthew Laprade

Matthew Laprade is a 13-year-old Legend car and Pro Truck racer from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., who is competing primarily in Pro Trucks this year across the Southeast, as well as in high-profile Legend car events, including the INEX Winter Nationals at Auburndale (Fla.) Speedway and the Cook Out Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

He drives for Right Foot Down Motorsports and Kaden Honeycutt Racing in the Pro Truck category.

Laprade began his driving career at six years old in dirt go-karts, now having raced for more than half his life. He shocked the karting world in 2019 during his rookie season by winning the Vega Florida State Championship in the Rookie Division.

Invited to the nationals as a result, Laprade went on to capture the Vega National Championship that season in the Rookie Division, cementing his place as a young racer with prodigious talent.

Laprade’s second major championship came in 2021, when he claimed the Florida Dirt Championship Series title in the Junior 1 division, and he also added a victory in the prestigious World 100 karting event in Junior 1 that season as well.

After racing Bandolero cars for back-to-back seasons in 2022 and ’23, highlighted by a third-place finish in the Bandolero Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway in his sophomore Bandolero season, Laprade made the move to Legend cars for 2024. His Winter Nationals mini-series championship at Citrus County Speedway came on the strength of five race wins in five days from Feb. 12-16.

Laprade’s summer stretch was highlighted by a top-five finish during round nine of the Summer Shootout, as well as a ninth-place finish in the Thursday Thunder Young Lions standings.

Away from the racetrack, Laprade’s competitive interests include golfing and fishing, and he golfed rounds with the PGA Junior League this year during downtime from his racing schedule. He is also a supporter of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s efforts to fight pediatric cancer.