Brenden “Butterbean” Queen was one of the most talked about young racers on the stock car scene last year. Unable to secure a full-time position with Vision Motorsports, Queen continued to hone his skills in late model stock car racing. It was here that Kyle Larson’s decision maker and crew chief honed his racing skills and first met Butterbean. Cliff Daniels’ racing career was short, competing in late model races in his home state of Virginia, but he has some fond memories, most notably driving as a backup car for the Mac McKee team during the 2018 Thanksgiving Classic in Kenly. It was the first time the two met, but they quickly formed a bond that remains strong to this day.
Since then, Daniels has won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship and multiple race wins with Kyle Larson. But the HMS crew chief may have a potential chance to compete in the Southern Nationals in 2024. And if he wants to race again, the Queen would welcome him onto the team with open arms.
Cliff Daniels could be back behind the wheels
It’s hard to imagine the 36-year-old crew chief racing himself. It may sound strange, but this is where his racing career began. After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, little did he know he’d end up leading one of the best teams in the Cup Series. Guys like Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are all in their 40s and still competitive racers. So the idea of Daniels racing again isn’t surprising, but would he choose to do it in a late model stock car again? That’s the question. As for Brenden Queen, everything is in place to get Daniels back behind the wheel. I’m going to be in Lee’s car this weekend, so if Cliff wants to race, I’ll get the car out and put it on the track for him right away. He’ll have to get his boys to the track, but other than that, I’ll do anything for Cliff Daniels. If he calls me and says, ‘Let’s go race,’ I’ll do it, because I’m willing to do anything for him. “He’s a really good guy and he means a lot to me,” Queen said in an interview with Sports Note.
The feeling seems mutual, as Cliff Daniels has been following Queen’s progress as a racer. He’s also a fan of Butterbean, but also makes sure the young driver is under control. He plays a dual role as mentor and friend to the zMAX CARS Tour sensation.
Daniels gave the young driver some much-needed constructive criticism.
The crew chief of the HMS #5 car is busy preparing for races during the week and racing on the weekends. But despite that, he still makes time to keep up with what’s going on in the Late Model Stock Car racing scene. He’s involved in keeping Butterbean in check and constantly reminding him how to get better on and off the track. “What I like about Cliff, besides the fact that he’s a great guy and a great friend I can talk to about anything, is that I can always count on him to point out my crap. He’s a guy that gives constructive criticism, and I need that, you know? In this sport, you don’t always need to be told how right you are. “I’m often wrong, but Cliff always tells me to ‘get better’ and ‘do better,'” Queen added. It will be interesting to see if Cliff Daniels feels he has an opportunity to return to competitive racing.
