Kaden Honeycutt makes a big move late in the Truck Series regular season with some big repercussions. Some exciting entries for this weekend’s races at Watkins Glen. Kevin Harvick and Dale Jr. sound off on the issues with the NextGen Cup Car. This is your NASCAR newsflash for the first week of August.

Honeycutt Moves Pre-Playoffs, Watkins Glen Entries, and Legends Sound Off About NextGen Race Car: NASCAR News Flash

This week started with excitement from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Kaden Honeycutt, who currently sits ninth out of ten drivers in the playoff, will leave Niece Motorsports to substitute for an injured Stewart Friesen. That started a snowball effect of drivers announcing rides for this weekend at Watkins Glen.

LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 20: Kaden Honeycutt, driver of the #45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet, drives during practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series MillerTech Battery 200 at Pocono Raceway on June 20, 2025 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

However, on the reflection side, we had some legends of the sport start sounding off on the current state of the racecar. Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both shared their negative thoughts on the car this week, and it should be an awakening for NASCAR’s higher-ups.

Kaden Honeycutt Leaves Niece Motorsports For Toyota, Rumored TRICON:

Last week, we saw Stewart Friesen have a bad wreck, leaving him with a broken pelvis and a compound fracture in his leg. He is out for the remainder of the season, and a big question was being asked: Who would fill in for him in the playoffs? Friesen got a win at Michigan earlier this year, and that truck is locked into the playoffs.

Well, Niece Motorsports helped answer that question on Monday. They announced that Honeycutt and they would be parting ways, effective immediately. It has come to light that Honeycutt is highly rumored to be taking over the #11 Toyota next season, as Corey Heim seems to be moving up to Cup. With Friesen injured and Honeycutt released from Niece, plans fell into place.

Kaden Honeycutt was in a position to point his way into this year’s Truck Series playoffs with Niece, but with this move, he was immediately released from the Chevrolet truck team. He will take over driving duties in the #52 Toyota for Halmar-Friesen Racing at Richmond. He will drive the #02 Chevy for Young’s Motorsports this weekend at Watkins Glen.

While Honeycutt had a great run this year in the #45 truck, I think it is important to remember that Honeycutt needs to do what is best for his career. While he has been close to winning this season, that ninth spot in the playoffs is not solidified. The #52 ride is locked in, and that is a big step up in his career. Keep your eyes open for an official announcement on Kaden’s 2026 plans.

Read More: Austin Hill Suspended, an Injury, and a Schedule Change: NASCAR News Flash

Familiar Faces in Different Places for NASCAR Watkins Glen Weekend:

We have a lot of familiar faces in different places this weekend at Watkins Glen. Starting with the Niece Motorsports team, we will have Connor Zilisch taking over the #45 truck for this weekend. Following Watkins Glen, it will be Bayley Currey for the remainder. Ross Chastain will be in the #44 truck.

With his injury and quick timeline with Honeycutt, he will not be in that truck this weekend. Christopher Bell will drive for Halmar-Friesen Racing this weekend at Watkins Glen.

Brent Crews, a young up-and-coming talent, announced that he has started a Truck Series team and will be making their first race this weekend at Watkins Glen. He will drive the #70 Toyota sponsored by Pristine Auction.

Kaulig Racing announced it had parted ways with Josh Williams before the Iowa Speedway race last week. This week, Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell will pilot the #11 Camaro this weekend.

On the Cup Series entry list, we have Connor Zilisch making his fourth start of the year. He will drive the #87 Red Bull Chevy for Trackhouse Racing.

Legends Sound Off On Next-Gen Car:

The Next-Gen car has been the big topic of conversation over shortcomings since it was introduced in 2022. Well, this week started with both Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Junior sharing their thoughts on the Next Gen car after a rough Iowa race for the platform.

Kevin Harvick was frustrated that the Next Gen Car was slower than the ARCA car in qualifying. Here is an excerpt from his podcast:

Horsepower is on the table for the Next-Gen Car, but not until next season at the earliest, Elton Sawyer, SVP of Competition for NASCAR, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Is horsepower the end all be-all for problems with Next-Gen? I don’t think so. This car is so radically different than anything NASCAR races that I am not sure what small changes can improve the product.

Dale Jr. was direct about his complaints.

He just came out and said it “I don’t love this car”. “It’s an IMSA car, it’s got a diffuser, low profile tires, big rims, and big brakes, it’s a sports car, not a NASCAR stock car, but it is here”.

“It doesn’t do any good, doesn’t do me any good to sit and b**ch about the f*****g lack of tire fall off or the inability to pass, it’s frustrating”

Here is a clip from the episode, towards the end of the discussion, talking about the single lug nut.

I have shared my thoughts on the Next-Gen car previously, but it seems that a cloud of outrage is looming over NASCAR regarding this car. And at some point, it is going to storm. There are changes to be made, big and small, that can help improve the racing product that NASCAR serves.

Read Next: NASCAR’s Horsepower War has Returned

Main Photo: IMAGO/Zuma Press Wire

Recording Date: 11/8/2024