BRISTOL, Tenn: On the heels of their second-best finish of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season Thursday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway with driver Kaden Honeycutt, On Points Motorsports is at a crossroads.
The Denver, N.C.-based team is working hard to solidify its foundation and continue competing in the Truck Series for the remaining three races of the year but if the team is unable to attract a driver or funding for the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, the organization may not exist.
“It’s a shame because this program certainly has potential,” On Point Motorsports owner Steven “Bones” Lane told CATCHFENCE.com. “I have poured my heart, sweat and soul into this team trying to keep us at and on the track this year, but it hasn’t been easy.
“If things don’t change or we aren’t able to find some footing for 2023, I will have no choice but to cease operations and look at (doing) something different.”
On Point Motorsports launched during the 2018 season as a parent operation of the JGL Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series team. Lane, along with some investors launched the Truck Series team with the intention of having a competitive operation in that they could attract drivers and marketing partners at a time when the series was booming with renewed interest.
With a variety of drivers including Scott Lagasse Jr., Jeb Burton, Austin Theriault, Brennan Poole, Danny Bohn, Chris Hacker and Honeycutt, the team has been able to collect one top-five and 10 top-10s overall. Still, Lane said the 2022 season has been the team’s most difficult yet.
“We’re hoping to reset and find a driver or partners that will allow us to contend and compete in 2023,” added Lane. “I think we have shown that we can do that with the right circumstances and driver.
“Kaden did an exceptional job for us at Bristol on Thursday night and finishes like that will continue to push us forward, but it takes funding to make these trucks go in circles and right now, we don’t have someone who can do for that is long-term or even full time.”
2021 Talladega Truck Series winner Tate Fogleman joined the organization at the beginning of the year, a pairing that some thought would propel the team into the Truck Series Playoffs. Unfortunately, the partnership only lasted 11 races and produced an average finish of just 23.4.
Fogleman finished just one position higher than Honeycutt in the series’ second race of the season at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway when he finished 12th.
Since Fogleman’s departure following the Gateway race in June, On Point has picked up the pieces the best they can with several one-race partnerships until Late Model standout Honeycutt arrived on scene Pocono in late July and competed in four of the last five races.
He is expected to finish the season aboard the No. 30 Toyota Tundra if funding can be secured.
Lane knows solid performances like Honeycutt delivered on Thursday night could be his saving grace.
“I’m hoping that we can show people over the next six to seven weeks that we are capable of finishes like we had on Thursday night on a weekly basis,” he said. “Our plan is to keep Kayden behind the wheel if we can find more money to run him, otherwise we will do what we have to do to keep ourselves on the track.”
Lane added, “I’ve been doing this program on my own now for about three years, but I don’t have much more financially that I can put into it.
“I’m not a quitter and I hope we don’t have to quit. But, if that happens, we’ll know we gave it our all and just look forward to the next chapter, whatever that may be.”
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action after a week-off on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway as part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
