​Noah Gragson’s joking label of Landon Huffman as the “resident complainer” on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast may have been a stretch, but Huffman’s growing content machine is opening new doors. The 30-year-old Huffman will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time in seven years on July 18 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, driving for Henderson Motorsports with a varied group of supporters. He wants to emphasize two things: first, that he isn’t a constant complainer; second, that being authentic and honest in his content has helped him build a career in short-track racing, a path that can be difficult to pursue.
Huffman is a veteran figure on the CARS Tour and in the Late Model Stock ranks, a regional tour winner and a champion at his home tracks, Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Motor Speedway. He documents the sport’s ups and downs through Huffman Racing Radio, a weekly podcast, a YouTube vlog, and his social channels, underscoring that short-track life isn’t always glamorous. “Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s not for great reasons, but it’s in the limelight,” he said. “When things go well, it’s fantastic and people celebrate it, and I’m seen as a strong advocate for the sport. But my social media isn’t always candy and roses. When things go bad, I won’t sugarcoat it. I’m honest about how I feel because that’s racing. It has its highs and lows.”
Huffman argues that racing content that hides hardships or controversies is misleading. “Sometimes I’m wrong, and I’m wrong on some days, but often these are just my feelings after getting out of the car. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, and if I’m upset, I’ll speak about it.” He has learned from top creators about producing authentic content and has formed friendships with Cleetus McFarland and Friends, recently lending his Limited Late Model to George Siciliano, who competes as Squirrel McNutt, as that group pursues an ARCA career. Huffman has also raced alongside them in the Crown Victoria Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park, with BaldEagle.com—the brand owned by Cleetus—as the primary sponsor for his Truck Series entry.
Beyond that, Huffman gathered the rest of his funding from Chuck Ward, Newport Speedway, Hudson Autoworks, Scott’s Collectables, Athens Towing & Recovery, Southern Custom Electrical, Home Place Brewing, and supporters who contributed via social media crowdsourcing. He believes this year’s equipment is by far the best he has had across nearly six Truck Series starts, noting that his earlier appearances were often about getting laps for SEO purposes.