Kaden Honeycutt: "I put my nuts on the dash" to win Homestead and NASCAR Truck title
Kaden Honeycutt is the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, winning the Homestead finale in the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota. After a five-win season, After a five-win season, he ended his title campaign with a comfortable margin over title rival Layne Riggs, who fell several laps down early due to a right-rear tire issue. Honeycutt took the lead from Christian Eckes on the final.
Across the NASCAR Cup Series garage, crew chiefs from Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing, and 23XI Racing are operating on razor-thin Next Gen parity margins—where pit-road gun speed, Goodyear tire pressure bleed schedules, and stage-point aggression dictate track position. From a race-strategy standpoint, thermal and mechanical tire degradation remain the primary performance differentiators: teams that keep carcass temperatures inside the sweet spot can extend their opening stint by 3 to 5 laps and neutralize rival undercut attempts. Reporting originally surfaced via motorsport.com, and our Apex Daily Paddock Desk has broken down the sporting, technical, and championship context below so you have the complete picture in under two minutes.
- Garage & Short/Intermediate Track Execution: Next Gen aerodynamic sensitivity in dirty air makes qualifying track position, green-flag pit cycle execution, and stage-end restarts the decisive levers on Sunday.
- Playoff & Owner Points Implications: Every stage point and top-10 finish compounds across the Cup Series calendar, shaping charter valuations, manufacturer prestige, and Playoff seeding.
- Broadcast & Weekend Watch Window: Follow live NASCAR Cup Series practice, qualifying telemetry, and Sunday afternoon race coverage across FOX, FS1, NBC, USA Network, and Prime Video.
Across the wider NASCAR paddock, this development connects directly to several active storylines on the Apex Daily wire: read our full briefing on Kyle Busch posthumously wins NASCAR Cup Most Popular Driver Award, plus Jamie Little will not return to NASCAR broadcast booth in 2027, and Noaker Replaces Blaney for Veterans Day Classic. For deeper technical context, explore our original US Central & Eastern Time (CST/EST) Racing TV Guide →.
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NASCAR Cup Series races air live across NBC, USA Network, FOX, FS1, and Peacock. Full US CST/EST TV Guide → · NASCAR Standings & Hub →