Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shocked After NASCAR Team Cuts Truck Series Driver originally appeared on The Spun.
Just like countless NASCAR fans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was shocked by a move Niece Motorsports made earlier this week.
Niece Motorsports announced Monday that Truck Series driver Kaden Honeycutt was relieved of his driving duties. This move was made in the middle of a season where he ranks sixth in the Truck Series standings. It has already been determined that Connor Zilisch will take over the No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado for this Friday's race at Watkins Glen International.
In the official statement from Niece Motorsports, it was revealed that Honeycutt signed with a different team and manufacturer for 2026.
On the latest episode of Earnhardt's podcast, "Dale Jr. Download," he addressed Honeycutt's fallout with Niece Motorsports. He can't remember the last time a driver was let go mid-season.
"Honeycutt is 73 points above the cut line for the playoffs. I don’t remember hearing anything like this before, where a guy got a new job or next year, so you fire him," Earnhardt said, via On3. "I’m sure it’s happened, but it feels like this is something that maybe went down in the ’70s or ’80s. It’s nothing that’s happened recently."
Earnhardt also said that he has no issue with Honeycutt signing with another team for the 2026 season.
"I have zero problem with a driver getting a different deal and going somewhere else. Now, you’d like some loyalty, you’d like some commitment. You’ve given Kaden this chance, Niece has given him this chance to get into the Truck Series. Well, he used that opportunity, and he’s going to go somewhere better and different."
So what's next for Honeycutt? He'll represent Halmar Friesen Racing for the final eight races of the 2025 Truck Series season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shocked After NASCAR Team Cuts Truck Series Driver first appeared on The Spun on Aug 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
