Brenden Queen Bio
Brenden Michael Queen (born November 21, 1997), nicknamed Butterbean, is an American professional stock car racing driver from Chesapeake, Virginia. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. TBA Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing. Queen is the 2025 ARCA Menards Series champion and the 2024 CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion. Over the course of his young career, he has built a reputation as one of the rising stars of short-track and late model racing in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Brenden Michael Queen was born on November 21, 1997, in Chesapeake, Virginia. He grew up in a household that breathed racing, as his father, Mike Queen, was also a competitive racing driver. From an early age, Queen was surrounded by the culture of short-track stock car racing that thrives throughout the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. His family ties to the sport helped shape his path toward becoming a professional driver.
Queen picked up the nickname “Butterbean” from the famous boxer Eric Esch, who carries the same moniker. According to Queen, he resembled the boxer when he was a baby and in his early years, and the name simply stuck with him throughout his life. He began racing at the age of six in the Legend division at his home track of Langley Speedway. Langley became the foundation of his career and remains a place he frequently competes at whenever his national schedule allows.
Path to NASCAR
As Queen developed his skills on the short tracks of Virginia, he came under the mentorship of Phil Warren, a seven-time Langley Speedway track champion. Warren eventually became his crew chief in the mid-2010s and helped guide the young driver through the ranks of late model competition. Queen won the 2016 late model stock track championship at East Carolina Motor Speedway, signaling his arrival as a serious talent in the regional scene.
He continued stacking championships at Langley, winning three consecutive track titles in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He also added the 2022 dirt late model track championship at Dixieland Speedway, demonstrating his versatility on both pavement and dirt surfaces. In 2022, Queen won the prestigious South Carolina 400, one of the major post-season events for late model stock cars. These accomplishments attracted the attention of NASCAR-affiliated teams and opened the door to a national career.
Brenden Queen Career
Early Career (2019-2022)
Queen made his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2019 at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 35 car for Vizion Motorsports. Team owners Jennifer and Teddy Brown had been impressed by his late model results and invited him to test and race at Daytona. Although he and the team planned to run a full season together, financial troubles for Vizion prevented any further races that year. The brief debut, however, gave Queen a taste of national-level competition.
During the same period, Queen continued to build his resume on the late model circuit. In November 2022, he joined Lee Pulliam Performance and won the 30th Annual Charlie Powell Memorial 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, a major post-season late model event formerly known as the Myrtle Beach 400. He also claimed the 2022 dirt late model track championship at Dixieland Speedway, adding yet another title to his growing collection.
CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour Breakthrough (2023-2024)
Queen ran full-time on the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour beginning in 2023 with Lee Pulliam Performance. He wasted no time making an impression, winning the CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway held on the Wednesday before the track’s NASCAR race week. That particular event featured several NASCAR drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., making Queen’s victory all the more impressive. The win helped establish him as a legitimate threat on the national late model stage.
His success continued into 2024, when Queen captured the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour championship. The title cemented his status as one of the top late model drivers in the country and served as a springboard to bigger opportunities. It also caught the attention of NASCAR team owners looking for emerging talent.
ARCA Menards Series (2025)
On December 4, 2024, it was announced that Queen would return to the ARCA Menards Series on a full-time basis, driving the No. 28 Chevrolet for Pinnacle Racing Group. He wasted little time delivering results, scoring his first career ARCA victory in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. That early win set the tone for what would become a dominant season.
Queen added victories at Kansas Speedway in May, Michigan International Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, Salem Speedway, and Kansas Speedway again in September. The late-season surge secured him the 2025 ARCA Menards Series championship, a major accomplishment that confirmed his arrival as a championship-caliber driver at the national level.
Kaulig Racing Era (2025-Present)
Queen began his relationship with Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. On September 5, 2025, it was announced that he would make his Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing. He finished twentieth in that first race but quickly showed improvement. At Kansas Speedway, he led his first career Xfinity laps and brought home a strong ninth-place finish. Kaulig later announced that Queen would run the remainder of the Xfinity season starting at Talladega Superspeedway.
On the Truck Series side, Queen made his debut on March 8, 2024, at North Wilkesboro Speedway, driving the No. 1 truck for Tricon Garage. On July 15, 2025, he was announced for an event at IRP with Spire Motorsports in their No. 07 truck. Then, on October 16, 2025, Kaulig Racing announced that Queen would compete full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, driving a Ram 1500 for the organization. He is also working toward a degree in mechanical engineering at Old Dominion University, balancing his academic pursuits with a rapidly accelerating racing career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Queen is known for his smooth, consistent driving style and his ability to adapt to a wide range of track types. His years competing on short tracks, intermediate ovals, and dirt surfaces have made him a versatile racer. He is also recognized for his late-race poise, often finding his best results when the pressure is highest. His post-race ritual of eating at Waffle House has become a fan favorite and a small signature of his personality.
Notable Races and Milestones
Some of Queen’s most memorable moments include winning the Charlie Powell Memorial 400 in 2022, his CARS Tour victory at North Wilkesboro in 2023 that featured Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the field, and his first ARCA win at Daytona to open the 2025 season. He has also earned a reputation as a champion at Langley Speedway, winning three consecutive track titles from 2020 through 2022.
Brenden Queen Career Wins
Brenden Queen has compiled an impressive list of victories across multiple series and disciplines. He is the 2024 CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion and the 2025 ARCA Menards Series champion. He also won the South Carolina 400 in 2022 and has earned multiple ARCA wins during his championship 2025 campaign.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Queen scored his first ARCA Menards Series victory at Daytona International Speedway to open the 2025 season. He went on to win at Kansas, Michigan, Dover, Iowa, DuQuoin, Salem, and Kansas again in September. The string of wins was enough to lock up the 2025 ARCA Menards Series championship, his first national touring series title.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his national series success, Queen has been a dominant force on the regional and short-track scene. He is a three-time Langley Speedway track champion, a CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion, and a winner of the prestigious Charlie Powell Memorial 400. He also won the 2022 South Carolina 400 and the 2022 dirt late model track championship at Dixieland Speedway.
Brenden Queen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Racing runs deep in the Queen family. Brenden’s father, Mike Queen, was also a racing driver, and his grandfather and other relatives have been part of the local racing community in southeastern Virginia. Growing up around the sport gave Brenden an early understanding of cars, competition, and the dedication required to succeed at the highest levels of stock car racing.
Personal Life
Queen resides in his hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia, and remains closely tied to Langley Speedway, where he first began racing as a child. He is currently attending Old Dominion University, where he is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. He is also known for his well-liked post-race tradition of eating at Waffle House whenever he finds victory lane.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a breakout year for Brenden Queen. He kicked off the ARCA Menards Series campaign with a win at Daytona and rolled through the year collecting additional victories at Kansas, Michigan, Dover, Iowa, DuQuoin, Salem, and a second Kansas win in September. By the time the championship was decided, Queen had accumulated enough wins and points to secure the ARCA Menards Series title with Pinnacle Racing Group. The championship was the highlight of his national-level career to date.
On the NASCAR side, Queen made his Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in September, finishing twentieth before bouncing back with a ninth-place run at Kansas that included his first series laps led. He was then announced to run the remaining Xfinity races of the year with Kaulig Racing, beginning at Talladega Superspeedway. On the Truck Series side, he piloted the No. 07 for Spire Motorsports at IRP and was later announced as a full-time Kaulig Racing Truck Series driver for 2026. Each new opportunity has built momentum heading into a busy offseason and an even bigger 2026.
