Queen wins Truck Series Rookie of the Year
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — With tonight’s start, Brenden Queen wins the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award.
He beat out fellow rookies Cole Butcher and teammate Mini Tyrrell, who was just announced to leave the team at the end of the season, for the honor.
Queen cut his teeth racing short tracks throughout Virginia and North Carolina. The late model stock car standout found success around that scene and the CARS Tour before making his way into NASCAR, opening the door to greater opportunities.
In 2025, he further cemented his status as a rising prospect by capturing the ARCA Menards Series championship with eight victories behind the wheel of the Pinnacle Racing Group No. 28.
That success helped earn Queen a spot as the first full-time driver announced for the new Kaulig Racing-RAM program ahead of its 2026 debut.
Queen’s 2026
The pairing got off to a strong start at Daytona. Queen finished seventh, collecting a season-best 32 points and setting an encouraging tone for the year ahead.
During the course of the regular season, Brenden Queen and his No. 12 RAM team contended for the Chase. His performances ebbed and flowed and ultimately missed the ten driver cutoff before the regular season finale at New Hampshire.
Although he never matched that single-race point total over the remaining 24 events after Daytona, consistency became the defining trait of his rookie campaign.
A single DNF at Charlotte in the spring was the only blemish on an otherwise steady season. The 28-year-old recorded a 16.4 average finish and five top-10 results in 2026.
His best finish came on tracks where the Virginian lacked experience. His season-high seventh happened three times from Daytona, Talladega, and Naval Base Coronado San Diego.
Tonight, Brenden Queen, better known as Butterbean, completed another top-20 performance. He rounded out the season with a 20th-placed finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Following a solid debut season for both driver and organization, Queen will return in 2027 with another opportunity to develop alongside the growing Kaulig Racing-RAM program.
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Ryan Kemna View All
Ryan Kemna is a photojournalist for The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2025.
Currently residing in the Minneapolis, MN, area, Kemna brings his passion for motorsports, photography, and a good story to readers.