The NASCAR Local Racing Series is proudly represented amongst the five drivers named as finalists for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program.
Michael Bumgarner, Carson Haislip, Ryley Music, Chase Johnson and Penn Sauter are now set to embark on a season-long journey for the prestigious Kulwicki Cup, with each of them receiving $7,000 along with training across several fields. More than $30,000 will be distributed between the drivers who finish top three in the Kulwicki Cup standings.
Established in honor of 1992 NASCAR Cup Series champion Alan Kulwicki, who was killed in a plane crash the following year, the Kulwicki Driver Development Program has assisted drivers with their motorsports ambitions since 2014. The program accomplishes this by providing financial assistance along with resources in areas like networking, marketing and publicity.
The list of drivers who have won the Kulwicki Cup include Ty Fredrickson, Luke Fenhaus and 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ty Majeski. Other notable Kulwicki Driver Development Program alums include Carson Kvapil, Cole Butcher, Evan Shotko, Derek Griffith and Kole Raz.
Each member of the current Kulwicki Driver Development Program possesses a unique story like the one Kulwicki experienced as he worked his way toward NASCAR’s top levels. Some are fresh off a track championship; others are continuing a family tradition. All seek to embody the same spirit and mindset that are now synonymous with Kulwicki’s legacy.
Below is a breakdown of the drivers who will participate in the Kulwicki Driver Development Program for the 2026 season.
[caption id="attachment_504583" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Michael Bumgarner
Fresh off his second consecutive track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway, Michael Bumgarner’s 2026 is already off to a solid start.
A couple days after taking home Hickory’s Late Model Stock season-opener, Bumgarner was named as a finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program. Already with momentum on his side, Bumgarner intends to capitalize on the opportunity with the Kulwicki Driver Development Program by putting together his best year to date.
Bumgarner considers Kulwicki the ideal role model for drivers with small operations; an underdog whose focus and resolved propelled him to the top of the NASCAR pedestal against the powerhouse organizations of his era.
“[Kulwicki’s] determination [with] a small team and a small budget he built from the ground up [was amazing],” Bumgarner said. “To reach the heights and accomplishments he did in the Cup Series with the same small group of guys is really inspiring in that way.
“Comparing it kind of to our small team and the success we’ve had, it really means a lot [to be part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program].”
Bumgarner developed a passion for racing through his father Keith, who earned a track championship at Hickory back in 2005. Watching Keith excel at the historic track convinced Bumgarner to start a motorsports career of his own, a journey that would eventually see him work his way into Hickory’s premier Late Model Stock division.
Through every phase of that journey, Bumgarner has followed one key piece of advice from Keith: Live in the moment. While he strives to one day make it to one of NASCAR’s top three series, Bumgarner also wants to appreciate everything he is accomplishing now instead of staying too focused on the next step.
From Bumgarner’s perspective, being part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program is only going to help reinforce that mindset. Not only does Bumgarner get to enjoy the resources provided by the program, but a top-three finish in the Kulwicki Cup standings and the accompanying rewards could be crucial toward more years of on-track success.
Expectations are high for Bumgarner as both a finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program and as the reigning Hickory track champion. If he sticks to the values instilled into him by Keith, Bumgarner knows he can excel on both fronts and reward the faith so many people have in him.
“Out of 103 drivers that initially applied for the program, it really is special to be one of the drivers chosen,” Bumgarner said. “That’s a competitive application process, and the final five finalists are really stacked. It’s going to be hard [to get the Kulwicki Cup], but I’m thankful for the opportunity, and I hope it works out.”
[caption id="attachment_504584" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Carson Haislip
When Carson Haislip first started competing professionally in motorsports six years ago, he never imagined he would be in his current position.
The 2025 season at Wake County Speedway saw Haislip put together a dominant campaign in which he secured the track championship by winning 11 of the 18 races he entered. Haislip’s efficiency played a vital in his selection as one of five drivers chosen as finalists for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program.
Since Day 1, Haislip feels he has embodied all the characteristics shared by Kulwicki and many other competitors with limited resources. From Haislip’s perspective, strenuous effort off the track will always show up on track.
“The way [Kulwicki] went about his racing, it replicates the stuff we do,” Haislip said. “Working hard in the shop, making sure our stuff is really well maintained and making sure we show up to the track with a really good race car, that’s something he always did. He made sure he could get the best out of what he had. I feel like that’s something we do very well.”
Haislip’s career began two wheels instead of four, as he competed on dirt bikes during his youth. While attending Wake Christian Academy in Raleigh, Haislip grew curious about Wake County Speedway across the street after constantly hearing races Friday evenings. That convinced him and his dad to start attending the weekly events.
Haislip's curiosity quickly morphed into a desire to start racing, with him and his dad eventually renting their first car. As time progressed, Haislip grew more comfortable around Wake County’s bullring layout, winning races in Bandoleros and Legends before working his way into the facility’s Late Model Stock class.
Nothing about Haislip’s journey to a Late Model Stock title at Wake County has been easy, but each challenge overcome served to bolster his confidence. While Haislip admits he can be hard on himself from a performance standpoint, those self critiques are a primary source of motivation he plans to always carry with him.
A more diverse schedule awaits Haislip in 2026, but he intends to keep improving on everything that worked for him at Wake County. Refining every aspect of his career is going to be a pertinent focus for Haislip, especially as a finalist for a driver development program named after one of NASCAR’s most inspirational underdogs.
“I want to mature more not only as a person, but as a driver,” Haislip said. “I want to push myself this year to have more consistent finishes, run up front in the big races. We don’t have to win everything, but I want to show people what we do have. [We’re not] a one-track team, we can go to other places and be just as good.
“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing. [Kulwicki] and I represent each other well, so I want to support his program in the right way.”
[caption id="attachment_504585" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Ryley Music
The grandson of Late Model Stock legend Phil Warren, Ryley Music always had a firm understanding of the fundamentals needed to excel in racing.
Music has methodically crafted a solid resume at Virginia's Langley Speedway, the same track where Warren earned seven championships during his career. The accomplishments Music has accumulated include two titles in Langley’s Bandolero division along with his first Late Model Stock victory at the facility last year.
The time Music has spent around Warren helped him adopt a hands-on approach to racing like that of Alan Kulwicki. As a finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, Music wants to continue tallying victories against many of the best not only at Langley, but across the Late Model Stock discipline.
“It was impressive what [Kulwicki] was able to do at the top level against the smartest guys each and every week,” Music said. “I feel like it’s the same way with some of us local guys when we [do touring races]. We’re working our butts off in the shop, and you’re going up against those really smart guys like he was.
“How we run our program is probably a lot like how he ran his program.”
For all the accolades Warren obtained, Music said his grandfather has always encouraged him to approach his career in a different way. Music recalls Warren discussing how networking and self-marketing were not high priorities during his youth, as his focus was centered on staying one step ahead of his fellow competitors.
The social media presence Music possesses is an area that has garnered praise from Warren. Whether it involves a recap of the previous night’s performance or charitable activities, Music believes he and his family have excelled in building his brand and keeping fans up to date on where he is racing and the progress being made.
A key factor behind Music’s improvement is the group of people around him. Music got the chance to work with Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen while Warren served as his Late Model Stock crew chief, but he has also spent time with other stalwarts in the discipline like Peyton Sellers and Chad Bryant.
For Music, any way he can acquire knowledge and input can only make him a more refined driver. The Kulwicki Driver Development Program is another resource at Music’s disposal, one he intends to utilize so he can properly honor Kulwicki’s memory and make his own mark on Langley’s proud history.
“I at least want to double my win count from last year, which was only one.” Music said. “I feel like our race cars are really good this year from testing them, so I have a lot of confidence. This is a big special deal that I don’t really know how to explain. It’s big for somebody like me who never thought I’d be as far as I am already.”
[caption id="attachment_504587" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Chase Johnson
The first full season for Chase Johnson in Division I of the NASCAR Local Racing Series far exceeded his own expectations.
Going into 2025 with a goal to simply gain experience, Johnson instead put together a stellar campaign at Dominion Raceway that saw him earn not only a track title, but also the Southeast Regional championship with 15 victories and 21 top fives. That efficiency also helped Johnson become Rookie of the Year at both the national and regional levels.
Now Johnson looks to build off a standout rookie season as a finalist for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program. With the blue-collar approach Johnson implements with his small team, he sees a lot of similarities between his journey and the one on which Alan Kulwicki embarked.
“I look at [Kulwicki] as a big role model,” Johnson said. “I’ve worked on my own with a lot of my race cars. It’s just my dad and a couple of guys we have in the race shop. We’re kind of like how he was, being an independent team and pretty much doing everything yourself. That’s how I really relate to him the most.”
Johnson also has plenty of influences in his family that helped mold his perspective on motorsports. His grandfather Cal competed during the 1950s and 60s, while Johnson’s father Eddie developed a reputation as a stalwart Late Model Stock driver with several track Virginia titles and two victories at Martinsville Speedway.
Patience is a quality Eddie and Johnson’s older brother Chris, a driver himself, have instilled into him throughout his brief career. By being calculative and staying composed, Johnson felt he was able to stay one step ahead of his competition at Dominion, which translated into him winning the track championship by 104 points.
A title defense at Dominion is on the agenda for Johnson in 2026, but he also intends to branch out more in a full-bodied stock car. Johnson’s planned schedule includes a handful of appearances at South Boston Speedway along with contesting the entire Virginia Triple Crown after attempting the final two legs last year.
Even though his program is small, Johnson believes his 2025 was evident of how determination can lead to success regardless of circumstances, just like Kulwicki did decades ago. Johnson is proud to be a part of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program and looks forward to putting together another strong campaign while under their banner.
“The goal is to try and win a Division I national title,” Johnson said. “We came about eight points short last year, and we think we’ve got a decent shot to win it this year. I want to represent [Kulwicki] well on and off the race track the best we can by doing everything we can to better ourselves and make the Kulwicki program look as best [as possible].”
[caption id="attachment_504588" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Penn Sauter
Having grown up in the Midwest, Penn Sauter is familiar with the impact Alan Kulwicki has on the region’s short-track community.
Kulwicki’s journey from the short tracks of Wisconsin to the top levels of NASCAR has inspired countless Midwest competitors that includes the Sauter family, whose members have raced for over seven decades. Penn is now carrying on that legacy at 16 years of age with a full slate of Super Late Model events planned for 2026.
Given his family’s own history with Kulwicki, Penn considers it both fitting and rewarding to be one of the finalists for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program.
“My grandpa [Jim] raced Kulwicki,” Penn said. “My dad [Johnny] sat on the hill some nights at Wisconsin [International Raceway] and watched Kulwicki. Being a guy from the Midwest, he took his little team to a NASCAR Cup [Series] championship. He just sounded like a good guy all around, and I’m honored to be a part of this. I’m striving to be more like him.”
Success has followed the Sauters in nearly all their racing ventures. Jim Sauter’s accomplishments include back-to-back ARTGO Challenge Series titles in 1981 and 1982, and Johnny Sauter earned a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title in 2016 and has 27 combined victories between Trucks and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Penn’s uncles Jay and Tim Sauter also earned plenty of accolades during their respective racing careers. While he primarily leans on Johnny for input, Penn said the experience and knowledge Jay and Tim possess gives him the option to ask them for advice on setups or how to approach a certain race track.
The guidance from every member of his family has been crucial for Penn during his transition from running Pro Late Models at Dells Raceway Park to battling many of the best Super Late Model drivers from around the country. That process is ongoing, but Penn feels fortunate that he can travel around and learn from veterans with over a decade of experience.
Penn is approaching his busy schedule one race at a time as he and Johnny figure out how to maximize the speed of their cars. With the prestigious Kulwicki Cup on the line, Penn hopes he can take the next step forward in his development while simultaneously living up to the traits that made Kulwicki so influential to his family and many others.
“I’ve always been a go-getter,” Penn said. “As soon as they drop the green flag, I want to go get it. Running these longer Super Late Model races now, they preach patience. That’s been a huge help for me because tire management is a part of those races. Being patient and managing your stuff are two big things [I’ve learned].
“Representing Kulwicki’s name is going to be big, but consistency throughout this year is going to be key.”