Kaden Honeycutt to fill in for Stewart Friesen for rest of Truck Series season

Halmar Friesen Racing announced Tuesday that Kaden Honeycutt will substitute as the driver of the team's No. 52 Toyota for the final eight races of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The move comes as HFR's primary driver, Stewart Friesen, recovers from serious injuries suffered July 28 in a crash at a Super DIRTcar Series event in Canada. Friesen, who will miss the rest of the season, has undergone multiple surgeries to treat pelvic and leg fractures. RELATED: Craftsman Truck Series standings "While I continue to recover, it was important for us to put someone in our truck that can help us compete at the highest level," Friesen said in a team release. "I know Kaden will deliver strong performance in our truck and allow us to continue to run for the owner's championship." Honeycutt's appointment comes one day after his release by Niece Motorsports. The Al Niece-owned organization severed those ties Monday, saying the 22-year-old driver had signed with a different team and manufacturer for the 2026 season. Honeycutt released a statement later Monday, indicating he intended to keep his eligibility for the Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs intact. Honeycutt ranks sixth in the series standings, and he sits ninth in the provisional playoff picture with a 73-point cushion above the elimination line. "It's an honor to be able to fill in for Stewart for the rest of the season and help give his team a chance at the owner's championship, which they earned," Honeycutt said. "I'm excited to compete in contending, race-winning equipment as I pursue a title this season. We are going to work hard to have a solid final eight races of the season and continue to deliver great results for Stewart, his family and this organization." Cup Series regular Christopher Bell has been tapped to drive Halmar Friesen's No. 52 Toyota in Friday's Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International (5 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Honeycutt's tenure with the No. 52 team is scheduled to begin Aug. 15 in the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway. He will take the wheel of the No. 02 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend at Watkins Glen, an opportunity that will allow him to meet the requirement of competing in every event to remain championship-eligible. Friesen qualified for a spot in the 10-driver playoff field with a June 7 victory at Michigan International Speedway, a triumph that snapped a 72-race drought.