Do you remember the recent race where the late car prodigy defeated NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr? In Virginia’s Late Model Triple Crown race, Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen won the race and Dale Jr came in 5th. What a feeling it must have been to race with your childhood idol.

The 3-time Langley Speedway winner did not have it easy in his teen racing years. In a recent Podcast with Dale Jr., Butterbean opened up about his early beliefs and how he transitioned into a more mature racer.

Brenden Queen matured on the way to glory

At a very young age, Brenden was regarded as one of the best late-model stock racers of his time. Queen has earned four CARS Tour victories, including one at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, and a runner-up finish in points. Plus, Queen won the prestigious Hampton Heat in Virginia and the season-ending Thanksgiving Classic in North Carolina. The 26-year-old made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in May 2024 with TRICON Garage.

The Late Model racing star Brenden is racing anything and everything he can get his hands on. What a debut he’s had in the Truck series as he finished 4th at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. And finished 19th in his last Truck Series race at Nashville Super Speedway. The youngster who’s already had a stellar career has a long way to go. However, he recently opened up about his early days in racing and the misconceptions that he had. 

In Dale Jr’s podcast, he said, “When I was man 17-18 I thought, I had to win every race. That’s the only way I am gonna get noticed. Its the only way I am gonna get somewhere.” He went on to talk about how things gradually changed in his 20s. Which led him to create a brand for himself outside of racing without taking the constant pressure of winning. Brenden went on to share his formula – lesser the pressure, more the wins; he said, “Then obviously the on track performance is a bonus and has helped. I’m not saying that you don’t need to win because you do need to win. What I felt like when I stopped putting pressure as much pressure on myself. I started winning a lot more races.”

After his latest win in the Hapton heat in Virginia’s Late Model Triple Crown race, his future in Late Model racing is uncertain. Would he go for the Triple Crown, which he almost won last year? Or Is he eyeing a permanent seat in the NASCAR truck series? Brenden hinted at his future plans.

“Loves Late cars but going to the next level is the dream”

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The Late Model racing star has recently made his start in the truck series. However, he is juggling between the two until things get more clear to him. After his debut, he made his future wishes clear. He said in a post-match interview,  “I love racing my late model but this is my dream to get to the next level. I’d like to be here for a couple more this year and I’d love to be full time here next week.”

Brenden, who just won one of the legs of the Triple Crown isn’t keen on sticking around. He’s eager to make a name in the big leagues, which he’s repeatedly referred to as the next level for him. After his Hampton heat, he reiterated the same while thanking his fans, whom he calls ‘bean nation’. He said, “I would like to thank bean nation. I miss racing in front of y’all but obviously y’all know that I am trying to make it to the next level.” Going forward in the conversation, he further cleared things up when he said that he wouldn’t be competing to win the Triple Crown. He said, “I’ll be in Kansas. I won’t be running for the triple crown.”

Nothing is official yet. However, based on what he said, we might see the #1 in his Tricon Garage truck at the Kansas Speedway in September this year. So far wherever Brenden has driven, he’s gotten success. Hopefully, the same will continue in his next levels. Who knows, we might also soon see him in the Cup series. What do you think about Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen’s future in the various NASCAR series? Let us know in the comments down below.