NASCAR Midseason Prospect Checklist: Will ‘Butterbean’ Be Subsequent Older Driver To Make It?

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen won’t be on this list much longer.

At age 27, he’ll drop off this list of prospect rankings after this season, as one of the conditions is that a driver is under 28 years old.

Queen is getting his first shot at a national series this year, as he leads the ARCA standings with five victories. His next step would be full-time truck or full-time Xfinity. He’s hopeful — but not fully certain — that he’ll reach this goal.

Four or five years ago, someone of Queen’s age would be considered too old.

“You can kind of see the tide turning where the teams are looking at it like sometimes having an 18-year-old, they’ve got a longer career, maybe,” Queen said.

“But at the same time, if you’ve got a 27-year-old, 28-year-old that can be good marketing for your partners and can also go get the job done, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Queen should thank Josh Berry for maybe a more hopeful outlook. Berry had similar roots, racing late model stocks in the Southeast. He got his first relatively full season on a NASCAR national level at age 30.

Berry said that Queen being 27 “is not that old.”

“It’s a reality that all of our journeys are a little bit different getting to this point,” Berry said. “Some of us, it takes a little longer. He’s done a really good job.

“I feel like my success coming from a late model primarily straight to the Xfinity car opened up people’s eyes of what’s possible, that the late model stocks is a good proving ground to go right into a heavier car.”

Queen has dropped 15 pounds. He has improved from both a physical and mental standpoint through his work in the Chevrolet driver training program under former driver Josh Wise. And Queen does recognize Berry’s influence in his success.

“I feel better now than I did three years ago,” Queen said. “If you’d asked me this question [about my future] once I was 24 or 25, I might have advised you it is most likely over. I’m simply going to race late fashions due to my age.

“However I feel Josh actually modified the trajectory of the groups going, ‘OK let’s take into consideration this for a minute.’ Truthfully, I really feel higher than I did at 24 so far as maturity, the way to handle a race and put it collectively.”

Due to his outgoing character, Queen resonates with grassroots followers. And a few would say that he has confirmed individuals incorrect about whether or not he can do it on a nationwide stage. 

Or perhaps he extra proved one thing to himself?

“I all the time thought, if I had the suitable alternative, that I may do it — simply off of what I had achieved late mannequin racing. After which additionally seeing folks that I’ve raced with transfer up and be capable to do it, realizing that I went toe-to-toe with them at instances,” he stated. 

“I feel it was most likely extra vital to me to indicate the world I may do it. I by no means like to present an opinion of myself. I’ll depart it as much as the world or Bean Nation to determine.”

So with all this in thoughts, right here’s my midseason prospect record, primarily based on efficiency and potential. 

Whereas advertising, sponsorship alternatives and funding should not main elements, they do issue into this record as a result of they will influence if these drivers will make it to Cup.

Some parameters: To be on this record, drivers can’t have had a season in Cup and so they should be youthful than 28 years outdated.

1. Connor Zilisch 
Age: 19
Earlier Rating: 2

Zilisch leads the Xfinity Sequence standings with a series-high 5 victories. 4 of these have come within the final 10 races, all prime fives for him. He’ll be Cup subsequent 12 months at Trackhosue Racing.

2. Corey Heim 
Age: 23
Earlier Rating: 1

Heim has dominated the vehicles this 12 months with 5 wins and 10 prime fives in 16 begins. He clinched the regular-season factors title with two races left. Already signed with 23XI Racing, he’ll possible have to attend till 2027 to be in a Cup automobile full time. Whether or not he’s in an Xfinity automobile full time in 2026 remains to be TBD.

3. Brent Crews 
Age: 17
Earlier Rating: 5 

Crews has two wins and a second in 5 ARCA nationwide sequence begins. He additionally has one prime 10 in three truck begins. He’ll possible race full time in Xfinity subsequent season at Joe Gibbs Racing after he turns 18 in March.

4. Jesse Love 
Age: 20
Earlier Rating: 4

Love sits fourth within the Xfinity standings with one win and 15 top-10 finishes. The driving force is at Richard Childress Racing and the query is that this: Does he keep there for an additional season in hopes a Cup trip opens up in 2027?

5. Nick Sanchez 
Age: 24
Earlier Rating: 9

Sanchez is twelfth within the Xifnity standings and has a win driving for Massive Machine Data Racing. He has had a good rookie season and if he continues to enhance, he may very well be in Cup in 2027.

6. Sam Mayer 
Age: 22
Earlier Rating: 12

Mayer is third within the Xfinity standings and has been spectacular with 10 top-five finishes driving for the revamped Haas group. He bought a giant victory final week at Iowa. Extra runs like that and Cup groups will begin speaking about him.

7. Corey Day 
Age:19
Earlier Rating: 6

Day has two prime fives in seven truck begins (and no prime 10s in 5 Xfinity begins) as he begins making the adjustment to inventory vehicles and pavement racing. It has been a bit little bit of a tough adjustment however these strikes do take some time.

8. Layne Riggs 
Age 23
Earlier Rating: 13

Riggs is third within the truck standings with two wins and 7 prime fives this 12 months, driving for Entrance Row Motorsports. One other 12 months in vehicles subsequent season for FRM is kind of doable.

9. Carson Kvapil 
Age: 22
Earlier Rating: 8

Kvapil is sixth within the Xfinity standings and has 9 prime 10s as a rookie whereas nonetheless searching for his first victory. The JR Motorsports driver is taken into account to have a excessive upside as he had not raced a full season in ARCA or in vehicles earlier than this 12 months.

10. Kaden Honeycutt 
Age: 22
Earlier Rating: 17

Honeycutt is on tempo to make the truck playoffs and the previous Neice Motorsports driver is changing Stewart Friesen beginning subsequent week at Richmond. So whereas not introduced, it’s pretty evident he’s now within the Toyota pipeline. A Tricon truck is his possible vacation spot subsequent 12 months. 

11. Taylor Grey 
Age: 20
Earlier rating: 10

Grey is ninth in his first full season of operating within the Xfinity Sequence. His six prime fives and 11 prime 10s present potential. Would anticipate him to return to this seat subsequent 12 months.

12. Chandler Smith 
Age: 23
Earlier rating: 7

Smith is second within the truck standings and has two wins. He has simply 4 top-five finishes however 12 prime 10s driving for Entrance Row Motorsports. He isn’t main a ton of laps however he’s getting his truck to the end. Like his teammate Riggs, he’ll fairly presumably return to the truck subsequent season.

13. Rajah Caruth 
Age: 23
Earlier Rating: 14

Caruth is eleventh within the truck standings however has certified for the playoffs with a win. Somewhat extra was anticipated from Caurth this 12 months. His three top-fives should be increased however he additionally didn’t have a ton of stock-car expertise earlier than starting in vehicles a number of years in the past.

14. Christian Eckes 
Age: 24
Earlier Rating: 3

Eckes didn’t overlook the way to drive however this has been a protracted 12 months, as he sits fifteenth within the Xfinity standings driving for Kaulig Racing. He wants a turnaround over the ultimate few months of 2025 and/or a fast begin in 2026.

15. Tristan McKee 
Age: 15
Earlier Rating: 15

McKee has 4 prime fives in seven begins within the CARS Tour late mannequin inventory division. He’s a Spire growth driver.

16. Isabella Robusto 
Age: 20
Earlier Rating: 18

Robusto is fifth within the ARCA standings with 5 prime fives in 12 begins. Her progress has not been as vibrant as some had hoped however there are glimpses of potential that she is going to problem for the ARCA title subsequent 12 months on the revamped Nitro Motorsports (after its buyout of Venturini Motorsports).

17. Keelan Harvick 
Age: 13
Earlier Rating: Not Ranked

Harvick is second within the CARS Tour professional late mannequin standings with one win and three prime fives in seven begins. The son of NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick, he has proven robust capability at a younger age.

18. Jade Avedisian 
Age: 18
Earlier Rating: 19

Avedisian has one win and three top-fives in 4 CARS Tour professional late mannequin begins as she begins to give attention to late mannequin pavement racing. A midget racing champion in 2023, Avedisian was the primary feminine driver to win a CARS Tour race.

19. Brenden Queen 
Age 27
Earlier Rating: 20

Queen has 5 wins and 10 prime fives in 12 begins and leads the ARCA nationwide sequence standings. It has been a stable season for Queen, who possible must be in a truck or Xfinity automobile subsequent 12 months if he needs to get some appears to be like from Cup homeowners over the following few years.

20. Gio Ruggiero 
Age: 18
Earlier Rating: 16

Ruggiero is twelfth within the truck standings as a rookie with three prime fives and 6 top-10 finishes driving for Tricon. There have been flashes of potential but in addition some disappointing runs. He stays on this record, as many consider he’ll present important enchancment over the following 12 months.

25 others to look at: Lawless Alan, Tyler Ankrum Luke Baldwin, Austin Beers,  Lanie Buice, Cole Butcher,  Sheldon Creed, Daniel Dye, Luke Fenhaus, Jake Finch, Jake Garcia, Tanner Grey, Conner Jones, Isaac Kitzmiller, Caden Kvapil, Treyten Lapcevich, Landen Lewis, Ben Maier, Andres Perez de Lara, George Phillips, Tyler Reif, Taylor Reimer, William Sawalich, Lavar Scott, Sammy Smith.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time overlaying motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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