Track Specs: 2.5-mile oval / 80 laps
Honeycutt’s finish: 7^th
LaPradd’s finish: 16^th
Team Standings: 4^th (-16)          

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 14, 2023) – JR Motorsports drivers Kaden Honeycutt and Briar LaPradd kicked off the season-opening eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series event at the virtual Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday night, with Honeycutt a strong seventh and LaPradd in 16^th. Both drivers were in position to win in the closing laps, running together in the top three, but a wild finish scattered the field. (Watch the full race.)

Honeycutt, making his first start for the team in the No. 8 FilterTime Chevrolet, was consistently fast after starting 39^th, heading up the order to see what he had for later in the race.

Taking care to keep the fenders clean, Honeycutt bided his time until after the halfway point and began to make noise. Missing the first crash at lap 42, Honeycutt again played the waiting game until lap 52, when he began to move forward with LaPradd’s No 88 Ledford Billiard Supply/Race Face Digital Chevy in tow.

LaPradd, back in the JR Motorsports fold this season after competing full-time for JRM in 2022, started a solid 10^th and also played the waiting game on the superspeedway, focused on the handling and waited for the end.

Pitting around the halfway mark for two tires and fuel, LaPradd rejoined the field mid-pack. At lap 52, both JRM drivers nimbly avoided a crash in front of them and soldiered on. Riding in the pack, Honeycutt and LaPradd made the team run at the lead with 20 laps to go, rising to second and third at one point before falling back.

On the final green-white-checkered restart, the teammates started 14^th and 16^th, respectively and hooked up again in the middle of a three-wide gaggle, riding all the way to 10^th at the white flag.

In the run to the checkered, Honeycutt cut his way to seventh at the stripe, while LaPradd fell victim to contact from behind and spun, eventually crossing the line in 16^th position.

Wyatt Tinsley won the race, his first career eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series triumph, outdueling Steven Wilson and Malik Ray. Casey Kirwan was fourth ahead of Bobby Zalenski, the race leader entering Turn 3 on the final lap.

The solid finishes put JR Motorsports fourth in the initial team standings after one race, 16 points off the lead.

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series will race again on Feb. 27 at the virtual Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kaden Honeycutt, driver No. 8 FilterTime Chevrolet team

"We started off in a tough spot in 39^th, but we were able to keep it clean the whole race even after pit stops around lap 42. Managed to avoid the first Big One at lap 52, and after that it was go time. We went from 33^rd to third in less than six laps! On the last restart, we went from 14^th to seventh. That’s a great start to the year with our No. 8 FilterTime Chevy. I appreciate Deadzone Racing for the fast car and Steven Steffen on the awesome spotting all night. Can’t wait for Las Vegas in two weeks!”

Briar LaPradd, driver No. 88 Ledford Billiard Supply/Race Face Digital JR Motorsports Chevrolet team

“I was super excited to get back to Daytona for the start of our 2024 season and had some confidence in our Ledford Billiard Supply/Race Face Digital Camaro going into this race. I tried to ride around on the top line, but a lot of people went to the bottom and flew around us. I ended up falling all the way back to 25^th-30^th. That changed our game plan for the rest of the race. I rode around in the back to avoid trouble and did pretty well at that. After pit stops, we were riding around 20^th and missed the wreck at lap 52, went to the apron and somehow got out of it cleanly. I hooked up with Kaden (Honeycutt) and we drove all the way to the top five, and we were in the top 10 at the white. Unfortunately, we got turned coming to the checkered. We could've had a top-10 but ended up 16^th to start the year! Looking forward to Vegas in two weeks!”