{"id":58009,"date":"2026-05-08T19:50:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T00:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=58009"},"modified":"2026-05-09T21:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T02:56:09","slug":"kaden-honeycutt-outduels-connor-zilisch-for-first-nascar-craftsman-truck-series-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/08\/kaden-honeycutt-outduels-connor-zilisch-for-first-nascar-craftsman-truck-series-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaden Honeycutt outduels Connor Zilisch for first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

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By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.\u2014A week after chastising himself at Texas for repeated failure to win NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, Kaden Honeycutt pulled off his first career victory over the two drivers who have dominated NASCAR road courses over the past two years.<\/p>\n

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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Honeycutt grabbed the lead from Connor Zilisch through tight Turn 1 on the first lap of overtime and pulled away for his first victory in the series in Friday\u2019s Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen.<\/p>\n

A few hours earlier, Honeycutt had won the ARCA Menards Series race on the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International circuit. With the Truck Series win, he became the second driver to win both an ARCA race and Truck Series event on the same day, joining Sam Mayer (2020 at Bristol) in that distinction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just amazing,\u201d said Honeycutt, who got to the finish line 0.902 second ahead of Zilisch. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I just won on a road course. It\u2019s just unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honeycutt proceeded to shotgun a beer beneath the flag stand, reveling in the liquid pouring across his face.<\/p>\n

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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The victory was no easy accomplishment for the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, which went to Victory Lane last year at The Glen with Corey Heim behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

Honeycutt drew a penalty near the end of the second stage for pitting when pit road was closed and was forced to restart the final 32-lap stage from the rear of the field. A series of cautions and restart violations by both Ross Chastain and Gio Ruggiero, however, helped Honeycutt on his march back to the front.<\/p>\n

Ruggiero\u2019s infraction while leading on Lap 69 put Honeycutt on the front row next to then-leader Zilisch for the overtime restart. Zilisch chose the outside lane for the two-lap shootout but lost the top spot to Honeycutt as they navigated the right-hand first turn.<\/p>\n

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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota, and crew celebrate after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cOn the restart, I think Zilisch missed a shift a little bit coming off of (Turn) 7, and I was tight to him,\u201d Honeycutt said. \u201cThe only option I had\u2026 we were three-wide going into (Turn) 1, and I barely got to his right rear and touched him a little bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just enough to scoot by him. As soon as I got the lead, I pulled my visor up, and I was full-blown focused after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the race, Zilisch rued his lane choice for the overtime.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just an unfortunate way to end that race,\u201d said Zilisch, who was denied his first Truck Series victory in his ninth start. \u201cI chose the top, hoping we could get through there without making contact. I knew that the bottom would be better if that happened, but I didn\u2019t want to be that guy.<\/p>\n

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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Brent Crews, driver of the #1 Mobil 1 Toyota, and Connor Zilisch, driver of the #71 Trackhouse Labs Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cYeah, I just wish I could go back and re-do it and pick the inside, but we\u2019ve got two more races this weekend (O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series). I appreciate Spire Motorsports for giving me a really fast truck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five-time 2025 NASCAR Cup Series road course winner Shane van Gisbergen finished third, thanks to the New Zealander\u2019s ability to pick off cars during the series of late restarts.<\/p>\n

Daniel Hemric was fourth and Chandler Smith fifth, followed by Ram Free Agent driver AJ Allmendinger, pole winner Brent Crews, Mini Tyrrell, Brenden Queen and Connor Mosack. The race marked the first time multiple Ram drivers (Allmendinger, Tyrrell and Queen) finished in the top 10 in the brand\u2019s return to NASCAR racing this year.<\/p>\n

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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – MAY 08: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on May 08, 2026 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Honeycutt led only the two overtime laps. Zilisch led a race-high 28 laps and won the second stage. Crews led 17 laps from the start (19 overall) before pitting and handing the stage win to Daniel Hemric.<\/p>\n

Honeycutt leaves The Glen with the series lead by 29 points over Smith.<\/p>\n

Chastain held the lead over Zilisch for a restart with eight laps left in regulation but powered his Niece Motorsports Chevrolet before he reached the restart zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d exclaimed Chastain over his radio. \u201cYou can\u2019t get a penalty when you\u2019re the control car.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video, however, showed the car launching early. Sent to the back, Chastain fell victim to a wreck in Turn 5 on Lap 70 and finished 28th. That incident forced the overtime.<\/p>\n

Connor Hocevar, last week\u2019s Truck Series race winner at Texas, ran in the top 10 for most of the afternoon before checking up on a Lap 62 restart and nosing into the inside frontstretch wall off Allmendinger\u2019s bumper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure AJ didn\u2019t plan on me lifting,\u201d said Hocevar, who will race in the NASCAR Cup Series\u2019 Go Bowing at the Glen on Sunday. \u201cI just enjoyed getting my butt kicked by the teenagers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hocevar is 23 years old.<\/p>\n

Interview: NCTS Race Winner Kaden Honeycutt (No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota) –<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n