Houston Double Duty Results In Twin Podiums For Laprade

HOUSTON, Texas – Matthew Laprade’s first double-duty weekend at Houston Motorsports Park was a strong one, highlighted by podium finishes in both modified and Pro Truck action.

Laprade battled a tight handling condition in his Kaden Honeycutt Racing-prepared Pro Truck, leaving him fourth after qualifying, but improved through the 40-lap main event.

A pass of Matthew Remore at the halfway point of the caution-free feature put Laprade into the top three, and the Florida teenager held serve from there to the finish, behind winner Jared Maupin and runner-up Jake Wright.

“In a race that runs green to checkered like that, you don’t really have the opportunities to make up positions because the field isn’t bunched up for restarts,” Laprade noted. “We just ran out of laps to get to second, but I was still happy with how the truck handled in the feature after where we were early in the day.”

Test days on Thursday and Friday in advance of Saturday’s modified program were of great benefit to Laprade, who qualified second for his modified debut at Houston and only faded back one position to third at the start of that division’s main event.

Laprade was later able to use a strong launch on the final restart to climb back into second place, taking the checkered flag there for an impressive runner-up in his first-ever asphalt modified race.

Afterward, Laprade credited John Heil of BMF Shocks & Chassis’ guidance for his speedy acclimation to the new car and solid results.

“All in all, this was a great learning weekend for me,” said Laprade. “I have some really great people on this BMF team out in Houston who are working with me and helping me to succeed. John Heil built a fast car and pushes me to be a better driver every time I am on the track. Chris Mitchell came from Birmingham and is a great coach, with a lot of driver development experience, and Jared Maupin is one of the top drivers running every class and continues to mentor me every time we are out here.

“Johnny Walker took time off work to come help us test the [modified] and coach me, then raced me very clean during the race,” Laprade continued. “I feel extremely fortunate to have these people around me right now and I am doing everything I can to make the most of the opportunity given to me.”

The overall season to-date for Laprade includes seven wins, 18 podiums, and 21 top fives in 23 starts. Five of Laprade’s seven victories came during INEX Legend car competition at Auburndale in February.

Thanks go out to marketing partners Wade Tractor & Equipment, Adrenalin Powersports, Synergy SpeedLab, Race Face Brand Development, and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for their support of Laprade’s racing efforts.

Laprade’s next scheduled race is Saturday, Aug. 23 at Auburndale (Fla.) Speedway, back with Daniel Webster’s Right Foot Down Motorsports team for a 50-lap Pro Truck special at the facility.

About Matthew Laprade

Matthew Laprade is a 13-year-old Legend car and Pro Truck racer from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., who is competing primarily in Pro Trucks this year across the Southeast, as well as in high-profile Legend car events, including the INEX Winter Nationals at Auburndale (Fla.) Speedway.

He drives for Right Foot Down Motorsports, Grant Thompson Racing, and Kaden Honeycutt Racing in the Pro Truck category.

Laprade began his driving career at six years old in dirt go-karts, now having raced for more than half his life. He shocked the karting world in 2019 during his rookie season by winning the Vega Florida State Championship in the Rookie Division.

Invited to the nationals as a result, Laprade went on to capture the Vega National Championship that season in the Rookie Division, cementing his place as a young racer with prodigious talent.

Laprade’s second major championship came in 2021, when he claimed the Florida Dirt Championship Series title in the Junior 1 division, and he also added a victory in the prestigious World 100 karting event in Junior 1 that season as well.

After racing Bandolero cars for back-to-back seasons in 2022 and ’23, highlighted by a third-place finish in the Bandolero Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway in his sophomore Bandolero season, Laprade made the move to Legend cars for 2024. His Winter Nationals mini-series championship at Citrus County Speedway came on the strength of five race wins in five days from Feb. 12-16.

Laprade’s summer stretch in 2024 was highlighted by a top-five finish during round nine of the Summer Shootout, as well as a ninth-place finish in the Thursday Thunder Young Lions standings.

Away from the racetrack, Laprade’s competitive interests include golfing and fishing, and he golfed rounds with the PGA Junior League this year during downtime from his racing schedule. He is also a supporter of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s efforts to fight pediatric cancer.