Leland Honeyman Bio
Leland Dillon Honeyman Jr. (born February 23, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, and part-time in both the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, driving the No. 20 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports. He has previously competed in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Early Life and Background
Leland Dillon Honeyman Jr. was born on February 23, 2005, in Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up in a region with deep roots in short-track and oval racing, which helped shape his early interest in motorsports. From a very young age, Honeyman was exposed to a wide variety of racing vehicles, giving him a broad foundation behind the wheel.
Honeyman first got his start racing quads at the age of two, then moved into International Trophy Karts at four. For three years, he made starts in Jr. Trucks and Off Road Jr. Trucks, winning three championships in the off-road series. On his eighth birthday, he raced his first go-kart event and went on to win three more championships at that level, building the championship pedigree that would carry him into stock cars.
Path to NASCAR
Honeyman’s climb through the grassroots ranks was steady and well-documented. In 2017, he won the Bandolero championship in INEX, one of the most respected youth racing organizations in the country. In 2019, he made two starts in the CARS Tour, gaining experience against older and more seasoned Late Model Stock competitors.
In 2021, Honeyman competed in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series, where he was named Rookie of the Year. He finished that season as the runner-up to Nick Loden for the series championship. He also won the 2021 Fall Brawl in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series. These results put him on the radar of NASCAR team owners and opened the door to national series competition starting in 2022.
Leland Honeyman Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Honeyman’s early career was defined by a string of youth and Late Model titles. His 2017 INEX Bandolero National Championship marked him as one of the top young drivers in the country, and he followed it with multiple go-kart and off-road championships during his formative years.
His transition to Late Model racing in 2021 produced immediate results. Honeyman won the Carolina Pro Late Model Series Rookie of the Year award and finished second in the overall championship behind Nick Loden. The Fall Brawl victory that same year added a marquee win to his resume and helped set up his move into the ARCA Menards Series in 2022.
ARCA Menards Series East Breakthrough (2022)
On January 28, 2022, Honeyman was announced as a full-time driver for Young’s Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 02. The series served as his primary stage during a developmental year. He earned five top-ten finishes across the season and finished third in the final points standings, a strong result for a 16-year-old rookie.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2022–Present)
Alongside his 2022 ARCA East announcement, Honeyman revealed plans to attempt his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start later that year. He made his Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, qualifying 31st and finishing 29th. He has continued to make select Truck Series starts, driving the No. 62 Toyota Tundra for Halmar Friesen Racing. His best Truck Series finish to date is 71st in the 2022 standings, with zero wins, zero top tens, and zero poles in the series.
NASCAR Xfinity / O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2023–2025)
On December 30, 2022, Alpha Prime Racing announced that Honeyman would join the organization part-time for the 2023 Xfinity Series season in the No. 45. He made his debut at Phoenix Raceway, qualifying 23rd and finishing 27th, then added finishes at Richmond and Martinsville. At Portland, he was replaced mid-race by Brad Perez after suffering from food poisoning; he is still officially credited with that finish. He also attempted races at Sonoma and Kansas during the year.
On January 3, 2024, Young’s Motorsports announced an expansion into the Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 42 full-time with Honeyman behind the wheel. At Talladega Superspeedway, Honeyman scored a career-best fourth-place finish, his first top-five in the series. His best season result in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series remains 22nd, set in 2024. For 2025, Honeyman moved to the rebranded Cope Family Racing team, driving the No. 70 Chevrolet part-time and sharing the ride with Thomas Annunziata. Across his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career, he has recorded zero wins, four top tens, and zero poles.
ARCA Menards Series and West (2022–Present)
Honeyman has also built a strong record across the national ARCA Menards Series and its West counterpart. His first ARCA Menards Series start came at Iowa Speedway in 2022, and his most recent came at Kansas Speedway in 2025. In the ARCA Menards Series, he has zero wins, five top tens, and zero poles, with a best points finish of 35th in 2025. In the ARCA Menards Series West, his career has included two top tens and zero poles, with a best points finish of 45th in 2023. He now competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Nitro Motorsports in the No. 20 Toyota.
Notable Races and Milestones
Honeyman’s 2021 Fall Brawl victory in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series remains one of his signature early wins. His first top-five in a national NASCAR series came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2024, a fourth-place run that announced his arrival on superspeedways. He has also made national series debuts at several iconic tracks, including Bristol, Phoenix, and Kansas.
Leland Honeyman Career Wins
Honeyman’s career win column is anchored by his 2021 Fall Brawl victory in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series. He has not yet recorded a win in any of the three national NASCAR or ARCA series in which he has competed, but his top-fives and top-tens at the ARCA and Xfinity levels show steady progress. As his schedule continues to expand, additional wins are a near-term goal.
ARCA Menards Series East Highlights
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Honeyman has recorded zero wins, six top tens, and one pole across his career, with a best points finish of third in 2022. His pole and consistent top-ten pace established him as one of the more promising rookies to run the series that year.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his national ARCA and NASCAR starts, Honeyman captured the 2017 INEX Bandolero Bandit National Championship and three off-road Jr. Truck championships during his youth. He has also added multiple go-kart championships and a 2021 Carolina Pro Late Model Series Rookie of the Year award to his trophy case.
Leland Honeyman Family
Personal Life
Public details about Honeyman’s personal and family life are limited. He is recognized primarily for his work on the track and his rapid progression through the American short-track and stock car ladder.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season finds Honeyman balancing multiple series. He is running full-time in the ARCA Menards Series with Nitro Motorsports in the No. 20 Toyota, while also making selected ARCA Menards Series East and West starts. His most recent ARCA Menards Series result was a top-ten effort at Kansas Speedway, and his ARCA East run at Bristol in 2025 extended his streak of top-ten finishes in the regional series.
In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Honeyman split driving duties of the No. 70 Chevrolet at Cope Family Racing with Thomas Annunziata. That arrangement gave him 17 scheduled starts and a chance to continue building seat time at the national NASCAR level. He also made his Truck Series start at Charlotte in 2026, keeping his name in the national series mix.
Looking ahead, Honeyman’s 2025 campaign is about stacking experience across ARCA and NASCAR national series. Continued top-ten pace in ARCA, combined with sharper qualifying and race-trim speed in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, will be the markers to watch as he works toward his first national-series victory.
