NASCAR Truck Series driver Kaden Honeycutt. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Team executive explains why Niece Motorsports suddenly released driver

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 9:32 PM ET

On Monday, Niece Motorsports made a shocking move by releasing driver Kaden Honeycutt with two races remaining in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season.

Honeycutt, who has piloted the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado to sixth in the Truck Series standings through 16 races and is in position to make the Truck Series playoffs, was released by the organization after it said Honeycutt has signed with another team and manufacturer for 2026.

On Tuesday, Niece Motorsports general manager Cody Efaw took to the airwaves to explain the team's decision.

"My job is to make sure all our partners are taken care of," Efaw said. "One of those large partners is Chevrolet. They've been great partners for 10 years with us."

️ "There's certain information that [Phil Gould] needs out of a driver [...] I don't think we can continue moving forward and do it at a championship level."@NieceMotorsport's Cody Efaw gives his take on parting ways with @KadenWHoneycutt.

More ➡️ https://t.co/WGRTG5gnEd pic.twitter.com/UR0NUXmJF0
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) August 5, 2025

"I would've loved to have finished the season," Efaw continued. "But it's a situation where now, it's a lame duck term. Chevrolet is not going to let (Honeycutt) walk into their tech center or get on the simulators, and I'm not going to let him come into our (competition) meetings."

Honeycutt is far from the first driver to have signed a contract for an upcoming season in the middle of an occurring season, but Niece Motorsports and Chevrolet clearly felt that it was in their best interest to move on without Honeycutt behind the wheel. Whether or not that decision comes back to bite them remains to be seen.

Honeycutt will drive the No. 02 Young's Motorsports Chevrolet at Watkins Glen on Friday before closing out the 2025 season in the No. 52 Toyota for Halmar Friesen Racing. He is expected to stay in the Toyota camp with TRICON Garage in 2026.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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