“I was always told that beans grow better in dirt. So, we’re going to test the theory.”
Butterbean is certainly a quote machine, but Brenden Queen is also a heckuva wheelman. The 28 year-old driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will try his hand at one of toughest dirt series in America this weekend when the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt program rolls into Port Royal, Pennsylvania. As far as expectations, that’s another conversation altogether.
“I don’t know how to answer that correctly, but we will be there and, we’re going there with the goal of, obviously, making the race. If we can do that, that’s a win in itself.”
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is highly regarded as the toughest Dirt Late Model tour in America. Combine that with the fact that the local late model contingent in the Keystone State is pretty tough as well, and provides Butterbean with the tough task of just making the field.
Queen is modest, but his accolades in pavement stock car racing suggest he should be brazen. He is the defending ARCA champ with eight wins one year ago. He also won the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car championship in 2024, and has seven total wins in that class. Oh, and he is a two-time winner in the Virginia Triple Crown Series.
All that doesn’t matter when he rolls into the “Speed Palace” in the small town of Port Royal, PA, to square off against the likes of Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard and Hudson O’Neil and more.
Yet, many often forget, prior to coming to the pavement scene, Butterbean was a dirt guy, for a year. Queen won the championship at Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
“I’m super pumped. I mean, these are the big boys of dirt racing. It is the Cup (series) of dirt racing,” explained Queen. “My car owner is John Staton, and this is a lifelong dream of his. He drove for years before he and I were hooked up together, and always wanted to go run World of Outlaws or the Lucas Oil series.”
But is Butterbean ready for it?
“It’s been tough to obviously focus on this race with my main focus being the (NASCAR) truck series, but I have been able to hop on iRacing and run Port Royal and then watch some film. I know it’s nothing like I’ve done before – it’s going to be a whole different ball game. I’m going to have to learn, but we go to so many mile-and-a-half’s and you roll right off pit road and rip the fence. This stuff’s gonna make me better, whether I get my teeth kicked in or run good. it’s gonna make me better when I go back to Bristol (Motor Speedway) in a couple weeks.”
The John Staton owned team is bringing a new Longhorn Chassis car, and one of its top setup guy’s, Matt Langston, to Port Royal. Butterbean it’s not considering this to be a one-time only scenario.
“I feel like you’re gonna probably see us quite a bit next year for sure,” admitted Queen. “We’re gonna run Pittsburgher (100 – October 2-3) if this goes well, and then I know we’re supposed to go to “The Dome” (St. Louis) in December (3-5). We’re going to do this when it doesn’t conflict with my job at Kaulig Racing and the truck series. I think everybody’s used to seeing me go run asphalt late models, and not saying I’m not going to do that still too, but I think you might see us run a lot more big dirt races next year.”
And with a personality like Butterbean, there’s no question he’s going to gel with everyone.
“I feel like I’m going to fit right in, and obviously, once we get rolling, I’d love to try to have some “Bean” merch at the dirt races, and be just a normal guy like those guys are out there. I know I’m gonna be the new guy on the block, but I hope, once they get to know me, they can trust racing around me. I’m looking forward to the friendships and the racing family you make through all the types of racing. I’m looking forward to the new people I’m gonna meet, and obviously another whole fanbase that might know me or might not.”
Nevertheless, Brenden Butterbean Queen is ready to take on the big league of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, this Friday and Saturday (August 28-29), in the Rumble by the River, at Port Royal Speedway. You can watch the race live on FloRacing.