In a surprise mid-season change just two races before the Craftsman Truck Series playoffs, Niece Motorsports announced the immediate release of Kaden Honeycutt from the No. 45 Chevrolet. The move, striking given his playoff eligibility, wasn't about performance. It was about planning ahead and about loyalty to manufacturer partnerships, explained the General Manager of Niece Motorsports, Cody Efaw.Honeycutt informed the team that he would join a different manufacturer and team in 2026. That revelation, coupled with Niece's long-standing relationship with Chevrolet, prompted the decision. It was a deliberate step from the Al Niece-owned outfit to reset its lineup and begin building for the future without delay.Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Niece Motorsports general manager Cody Efaw offered clarity on the decision:"We went to him with a offer to extend his racing opportunities or career here at Niece Motorsports for several years to come. He informed us that, he appreciated it and we meant a lot to him, but he was going to go a different route in the future, with a different OEM. My job is to make sure all our partners are taken care of. One of our large partners is Chevrolet and... they've been great partners for 10 years with us."Niece Motorsports has been a partner with Chevrolet since entering the Truck Series in 2016 and continues to run 3 Chevrolet Silverados in a close working relationship with General Motors.Given that alignment, Niece Motorsports believed it made more sense to make the transition now rather than finish the year with a driver who would soon be aligned with another OEM - one that the team sees as a rival.Kaden Honeycutt's Chevrolet for the NASCAR Truck Series test session at Charlotte. Source: GettyIn his place, Connor Zilisch will pilot the No. 45 at Watkins Glen this weekend. Bayley Currey will handle the final eight races of the season. Kaden Honeycutt, meanwhile, is left looking for an immediate landing spot to finish his 2025 campaign and potentially his playoff run.Playoff position or not, the timing left Kaden Honeycutt on the outsideKaden Honeycutt (45) during qualifying for the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series at Lime Rock Park. Source: GettyKaden Honeycutt felt the move was sudden and, in his own words, disappointing. The 22-year-old is ranked sixth in the Craftsman Truck Series points standings, with 520 points. While he is yet to win a race this season, he currently occupies one of the three remaining playoff spots with a 73-point cushion above the cutline.Honeycutt has nine top-tens and two top-fives, which reflected a consistent campaign in the No. 45 truck. But the future deal he had secured with another manufacturer created what Cody Efaw called a "lame-duck" situation on SiriusXM NASCAR:"I respect that he came to us and told us, it was hard.... I'd love to finish the season, but also look at it as like, it's a situation where now it's a lame duck term, right? And Chevrolet is not going to let him walk into their tech center and get on the simulators." (0:39 onwards)Efaw expanded on the complications from a team standpoint, especially from their crew chief, Phil Gould's, perspective:"And I'm not going to let him come into our meetings or comp meetings and, Phil Gould, who I think has a great name in this industry... He has certain things that he wants to live up to. And there's certain information he needs out of a driver that I don't feel that we can continue moving forward and do it at a championship level in the 45 truck." (1:06 onwards)For Kaden Honeycutt, the release now shifts his focus to finding another ride. He's already been linked with the No. 52 Halmar-Friesen Racing entry, where he could fill in for the rest of the season. That move is not yet confirmed, but if it materializes, it could allow him to keep his playoff hopes alive.