“The Claremont Kid” is back. Landon Huffman has partnered with Justin Carroll’s Carroll Speedshop team out of Concord, North Carolina to take on the CARS Tour full time in 2025, as well as all three Virginia Triple Crown events, starting with this year’s Triple Crown finale, the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.

Huffman will make his third start behind the wheel of the Carroll Speedshop No. 57 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as he looks to finish one spot higher than he did in last year’s race. Huffman missed out on taking home a grandfather clock by just a few inches in a finish that will be talked about for years to come.

“This opportunity could not have come at a better time for me, personally,” Huffman told FloRacing. “I’ve had my heavy dose of struggle in 2024 early on, but in the couple starts I’ve been fortunate to have with Justin on the Tour, we have established a strong base. Moving into Martinsville, a race that with all things considered, I feel I should have probably won in 2023, finishing one spot better is the goal this time around.”

“We are excited to have Landon join us for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 this year and the CARS Tour next year,” said team owner, Justin Carroll. “As a team, we are looking forward to build on his 2023 success and hoping to be one spot better than his runner-up finish he had last year.”

Huffman and Carroll have been friends for a long time, so he had it is special that they now have the chance to work together and race for wins together as well.

“Justin and his family have been friends of mine for a number of years, so the opportunity to not only drive for him, but work together to build his program next year is a blessing,” Huffman said.

After taking over the No. 22 for Nelson Motorsports in May of 2023, Huffman ran the rest of the CARS Tour season that year to mixed success. While he and the team got off to a slow start, they found their stride in the summer with their partnership culminating with Huffman’s win in the $30,000 “Old North State Nationals” at Tri-County Speedway. Huffman, who was crowned the 2023 CARS Tour Most Popular Driver, went on to finish ninth in the standings while missing the first few races of the year, but he was let go by the team at the end of the season.

Huffman then partnered with Jimmy Mooring Racing for what was supposed to be a full CARS Tour campaign. The partnership was funded by JMR, but Huffman and his personal team prepared and maintained the cars. 

That partnership came to an end after just six races. Huffman failed to qualify for the CARS Tour season opener at Southern National Motorsports Park, then had finishes of 15th, 24th, 29th, 16th, and 25th before Huffman made the decision to leave JMR and the CARS Tour.

Fast-forward to July and Huffman returned to the CARS Tour on a part-time basis, first at his home track of Hickory Motor Speedway where he finished 11th in his first race with Carroll Speedshop. The pair came back together for a second time at North Wilkesboro Speedway in August where he drove from 32nd to finish 13th. Their third race together so far this year was at Wake County Speedway one race later where they scored their first top 10 together with a ninth-place finish that night.

When the 2024 season ends, Huffman and Carroll Speedshop will have run five races together. Martinsville this weekend is their fourth race, and then Huffman will be back in the No. 57 for the CARS Tour season finale at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Huffman is missing the race at Tri-County Speedway because he will be racing his Modified in the SMART Modified Tour event at South Boston Speedway that evening. 

But while he’s excited for the chance at CARS Tour redemption next season, he’s currently more focused on getting Martinsville redemption for coming up short in last year’s thriller.

“Of course, I’m super excited to be back on the CARS Tour full time in 2025, but the focus right now is bringing home a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 grandfather clock to Claremont.”

Race fans can watch Huffman race for a clock this weekend and with the CARS Tour exclusively on FloRacing with a FloRacing subscription. Fans can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.