NASCAR drivers at the Chili Bowl: Here is who’s racing at the 2025 Nationals in Tulsa

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Adam Fenwick

The cars are built. The decals have been applied. Preparations are done. All that’s left is the biggest dirt midget car event in the world. The 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals are here.

Held every year since 1987, the Chili Bowl annually attracts the biggest dirt racing stars from across the United States and the world to the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Every driver who enters the building wants one thing: to take home the famous Golden Driller trophy. The field of more than 300 will be narrowed down throughout the course of five days via heat races, qualifiers and preliminary main events.

Ultimately, what was once more than 300 entrants will be whittled down to just 24 starters for Saturday night’s 40-lap championship feature.

NASCAR drivers have enjoyed plenty of success throughout the history of the Chili Bowl. Christopher Bell has three Chili Bowl victories on his resume, with Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart and Dave Blaney being among the others who have hoisted the Golden Driller at least once.

The 2025 edition of the event will see seven drivers who made NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2024 mixing it up with the best midget car drivers in the world, including Tanner Thorson, Buddy Kofoid and defending winner Logan Seavey.

Below is a guide on the NASCAR drivers competing in the Chili Bowl.

NASCAR drivers at the Chili Bowl in 2025

Kyle Larson at the 2022 Chili Bowl (Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

Kyle Larson (No. 1K Silva Motorsports)

Making his 17th attempt at the Chili Bowl is 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. A two-time Chili Bowl champion (2020 and 2021), Larson has made the championship feature 11 times during his career.

He’s already taken home two trophies this year inside the SageNet Center after winning the A-Class and Outlaw features during the Tulsa Shootout.

One season ago, he made a surprise return to the Chili Bowl, but a flip during his preliminary night ended his hopes of making the Saturday finale. He’ll look to right the ship and return to the Chili Bowl main event for the first time since 2022.

Kyle Busch, shown here at Lee USA Speedway in 2023, will make his Chili Bowl Nationals debut this year. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)

Kyle Busch (No. 51K Kyle Busch Motorsports)

It’s not often you find something Kyle Busch has never done, but that’s exactly the case as the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion makes his Chili Bowl Nationals debut. Driving his own No. 51K midget car, Busch will look to turn in a strong performance during his first Chili Bowl.

This isn’t the first time Busch has raced inside the SageNet Center. He’s competed in the Tulsa Shootout three times, with his most recent attempt coming just two weeks ago.

He even scored a pair of heat race wins during his Tulsa Shootout campaign.

Christopher Bell looks over the track before the 2022 Chili Bowl Nationals finale at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 15, 2022. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

Christopher Bell (No. 71W KKM – Curb-Agajanian)

After being forced to miss the last two Chili Bowl Nationals due to rules put in place by Joe Gibbs Racing, Christopher Bell is back and ready to chase his fourth Golden Driller. The three-time (2017-19) event winner has made the championship feature nine times in 12 previous attempts.

His most recent Chili Bowl Nationals start came in 2022, when he finished second to winner Tanner Thorson.

He’s already gotten a bit of practice in inside the SageNet Center this year by competing in the Tulsa Shootout, where he won the Non-Wing Outlaw feature in a photo finish over Larson.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during the 2024 Chili Bowl (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 86X CB Industries)

Another NASCAR Cup Series race winner with plenty of experience inside the SageNet Center is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The 2023 Daytona 500 winner has made 17 previous Chili Bowl appearances, making the championship feature eight times.

His best effort came during the 2021 running of the event, when he finished seventh in the championship feature.

One season ago he, like Larson, made a surprise appearance at the Chili Bowl and raced his way to the C-Main on championship Saturday before he was eliminated.

Ty Gibbs will make his Chili Bowl Nationals debut during the 2025 running of the event. (Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Ty Gibbs (No. 81 CB Industries)

Another NASCAR Cup Series driver making his Chili Bowl Nationals debut this year is Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs, who honed his skills racing on dirt at North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway.

He recently made his Midget racing debut during the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at California’s Ventura Raceway and will look to turn heads during his first Chili Bowl.

Gibbs will be racing as a teammate to Stenhouse, with both drivers set to compete for CB Industries.

J.J. Yeley during the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

J.J. Yeley (No. 3J Petty Performance Racing)

One of the best dirt racers of his generation, veteran NASCAR star J.J. Yeley returns to the Chili Bowl Nationals for his 29th attempt to capture the prestigious Golden Driller trophy.

In his 28 previous attempts, Yeley has made the championship feature eight times, including scoring a runner-up finish during the 2007 Chili Bowl.

Yeley made history during the 2004 running of the event, advancing a stunning 69 positions from his F-Main to finish third in the Chili Bowl championship race.

Josh Bilicki during the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

Josh Bilicki (No. 40B Chase McDermand Racing)

Journeyman NASCAR competitor Josh Bilicki is back at the SageNet Center for the third consecutive year to take part in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals.

His best effort in his previous two starts came in 2023 when he made it to a J-Main on championship Saturday.

Brent Crews will seek to make his second Chili Bowl Nationals championship feature in 2025. (Photo: Nic Antaya/ARCA Racing)

Brent Crews (No. 71M Paul May Motorsports)

A victor in ARCA Menards Series competition each of the last two seasons who is slated for a part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series effort with Tricon Garage in 2025, Brent Crews will attempt to make the Chili Bowl Nationals championship feature for the second time during his career.

The 16-year-old has made three previous attempts inside the SageNet Center, with his best effort coming in 2023 when he finished 24th in the Saturday night finale.

Corey Day finished third during the 2024 edition of the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. (Photo: Ed Zurga/ARCA Racing)

Corey Day (No. 41 Willie Kahne)

A fast rising star in the sprint car world who has also begun dabbling in NASCAR, Corey Day is back for his fourth attempt at the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2025.

In three previous attempts inside the SageNet Center, Day has made the championship feature twice.

His best effort came last year, when he finished third in the Saturday night main event behind winner Logan Seavey and runner-up Buddy Kofoid.

Posted on January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday that Amazon’s Prime Video has joined the organization as a primary sponsor for Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team through 2027. The relationship includes three races annually, complemented each year by full-season associate sponsorship.

The No. 9 Prime Video Chevrolet will debut at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27, followed by Kansas Speedway on May 11 and the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 18.

The paint scheme was also revealed Wednesday on social media.

Prime Video’s three primary events with Elliott will lead directly into the streaming service’s five-race Cup Series broadcast slate, which kicks off with the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. Prime Video is NASCAR’s first fully direct-to-consumer media partner.

“We’re thrilled to work with Hendrick Motorsports and Chase as we begin our NASCAR coverage in 2025,” said Stacey Rosenson, Amazon’s Director and Head of U.S. Sports Marketing, in a press release. “It represents an exciting extension of our new NASCAR relationship. Chase is a wildly popular, championship-winning driver, and we can’t wait to see the No. 9 Prime Video team in action as we approach our streaming debut.”

In addition to streaming five races to conclude the first half of the Cup Series season, Prime Video will present exclusive coverage of practice and qualifying for almost the entire first half of the Cup schedule (excluding the Cook Out Clash, Duel at Daytona, Daytona 500, and the NASCAR All-Star Race). Fans in the United States will be able to watch NASCAR live at home or on the go and across hundreds of compatible devices, streaming from the web or using the Prime Video app on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, game consoles and connected TVs.

“Welcoming Prime Video to our team is a proud moment,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports in a press release. “They’ve committed to our sport in a big way and are taking an innovative approach to delivering world-class broadcasts and content to our fans. Hendrick Motorsports is ready to support their efforts, and we look forward to building something special together over the next three years.”

MORE: 2025 Cup Series schedule

Elliott, 29, won the Cup Series championship in 2020, owns 19 Cup Series victories and has been voted Most Popular Driver in the series for seven consecutive years dating back to 2018.

“It’s great to see Prime Video come into NASCAR and now join us at Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 9 team,” Elliott said in a press release. “They’re leaders in entertainment and technology, and I think that’s a perfect fit on a lot of levels. Seeing a fresh perspective on our sport is cool, and I’m happy to be a part of the effort and have their support.”

Posted on January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 by Staff Report

Veterans Jonathan Toney and Jason Trinchere will serve as Haas Factory Team’s crew chiefs for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the team announced Wednesday.

Toney will pair with Sheldon Creed for the No. 00 Ford this year, while Trinchere will call the shots with Sam Mayer behind the wheel of the No. 41 car.

MORE: Haas announces 2025 lineup | 2025 Xfinity schedule

Toney led Cole Custer to the 2023 Xfinity Series title and collected five victories with the California native the past two seasons. Toney remains with the organization after beginning at Haas CNC Racing more than 20 years ago, according to the release.

Trinchere moves back to the Xfinity Series after a stint in the Craftsman Truck Series with Spire Motorsports in 2024, where he crew-chiefed the No. 77 Chevrolet for Chase Purdy. Trinchere previously spent four seasons at Kaulig Racing, leading AJ Allmendinger to a five-win campaign in 2021. He also worked with Landon Cassill, Justin Haley, Daniel Hemric, Derek Kraus, Layne Riggs and Jordan Taylor.

Additionally, HFT announced the hiring of two competition directors on Wednesday. Nick Sandler will lead the team’s Cup Series efforts with Custer piloting the No. 41 Ford, while Adam Gravitt will oversee the Xfinity program.

Sandler moves to Haas from RFK Racing, where he spent 19 years dating back to 2006. Sandler served as crew chief for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. from 2015-16 and later moved to oversee the organization’s engineering department. Aaron Kramer, crew chief of Custer’s No. 41 Ford in the Cup Series, previously worked with Sandler.

Gravitt previously headed Stewart-Haas Racing’s Xfinity teams’ engineering department and has worked for Haas’ NASCAR endeavors since 2004.

Posted on January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: Today’s Spire Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-crew chief pairings: Justin Haley-Rodney Childers (No. 7); Michael McDowell-Travis Peterson (No. 71); Carson Hocevar-Luke Lambert (No. 77).

Team outlook: The 2025 campaign marks a significant shake-up to the personnel roster for Spire Motorsports, which begins its seventh season of Cup Series operations with plenty of promise. Michael McDowell shifts from his longtime home at Front Row Motorsports, bringing a veteran presence to blend with young talents Justin Haley and Carson Hocevar. The trio of drivers will have crew chiefs with winning pedigrees in their corners, as Rodney Childers and Travis Peterson join the fold with the returning Luke Lambert. Spire has also shored up its competition department with a pair of key additions, adding former crew chief Matt McCall (formerly of RFK Racing) as Director of Vehicle Performance and race engineer Dax Gerringer as Technical Director. The total combination could be the next stage in Spire’s foundation-building efforts, which have included expansion into a new headquarters and the establishment of a winning Craftsman Truck Series team in recent years.

JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 7 CHEVROLET

Experience: Four full seasons in NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 31st in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 0 top fives, 3 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 250-1

Outlook: The season ahead marks a homecoming for Haley, who brought Spire its first — and only, so far — Cup Series victory (Daytona, 2019) in the organization’s early days. The 25-year-old driver got a jump on this year’s effort, shifting from Rick Ware Racing to Spire in a trade for Corey LaJoie in the final seven races of 2024. During that brief stretch, he notched the No. 7 team’s best finish since the Daytona 500 — seventh at Talladega. Spire signed Rodney Childers to a multiyear deal last summer, leaving former No. 7 crew chief Ryan Sparks to focus solely on his role as competition director going forward. Childers is a 40-time winner in NASCAR’s top division, sharing in the 2014 Cup Series championship run with Kevin Harvick in Stewart-Haas Racing’s heyday. His veteran’s poise plus Haley’s knack for maximizing his equipment equals gobs of potential.

MICHAEL McDOWELL, NO. 71 CHEVROLET

Experience: 17 seasons in NASCAR Cup Series (full-time for the last eight seasons)
2024 stats: 23rd in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 2 top fives, 7 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 170-1

Outlook: McDowell starts the season with a new team for the first time since 2018, and he brings a wealth of experience to Spire’s driver lineup. The 40-year-old veteran also brings along Travis Peterson, his crew chief for the last two seasons at Front Row Motorsports, keeping their chemistry intact into the approaching campaign. Peterson helped guide McDowell to his most recent Cup Series victory — on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023 — and they combined to rack up a series-best six pole positions last year. Having crew-chief continuity should be a boon to McDowell, who aims to return to the Cup Series Playoffs after a 2024 miss.

MORE: ‘Thankful’ McDowell on FRM-Spire transition | McDowell: Decision ‘wasn’t easy’

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 CHEVROLET

Experience: One full season in NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 21st in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 6 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 130-1

Outlook: With the team’s turnover setting in, Hocevar suddenly finds himself as the driver with the longest current Spire tenure. The 21-year-old Michigander surged to Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors last season, showing flashes of what made him a big-league prospect with six top-10s — including a stellar third-place day in the postseason at Watkins Glen — and an overall performance that flirted with the top 20 in the final standings. Hocevar also weathered some of the rookie lapses that characterized his rough-edged, over-aggressive Truck Series days. He’ll shoot to rise above those more-publicized missteps and avoid ruffling feathers in his second Cup Series season.

MORE: Improved Hocevar nets top rookie honors

BOLD PREDICTION: McDowell makes the Cup Series Playoffs, and one of his teammates joins him. How? McDowell becomes the first driver in 42 years to win with car No. 71 (Dave Marcis, Richmond 1982), and the hunch says it happens on a road course. The victory continues his alternating odd/even-year pattern of qualifying for the postseason. The fellow Spire driver who comes along for the playoff ride is a toss-up, but superspeedway fate will smile on one of the two.

Posted on January 7, 2025 by Staff Report

Dean Thompson will pilot the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra full-time for Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, the team announced Tuesday.

Thompson, 23, raced full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2022 as a member of Niece Motorsports and most recently with Tricon Garage from 2023-24. Thompson tallied two top fives and 11 top-10 finishes across 70 races with the two organizations. Thompson additionally logged two Xfinity starts with SHR in 2024, finishing 34th at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and 20th at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

“I’m very excited to join the Sam Hunt Racing group and continue to pursue my dreams in NASCAR,” Thompson said in a press release. “The team made me feel at home after the two races we shared last year. Everything clicked with us, and we are both in a spot where we could fulfill each other’s needs to help our growth as a race team and driver. I’m lucky to have this opportunity to take the next step, which most can only dream of reaching, and I’m grateful to share it with such an awesome group of people.”

Thompson, an Anaheim, California native, began racing at 5 years old and made stock car racing his career at 16. Thompson quickly climbed the racing ladder, clinching the Irwindale Late Model Track Championship and California State Title in 2020. After being named Southwest Tour Series Rookie of the Year, Thompson transitioned to ARCA Menards Series West action in 2021, where he logged nine races and tallied one top five and two top 10s to go along with two pole positions.

Sam Hunt Racing has competed in the Xfinity Series since its debut in 2019, and with each campaign, the team’s performance has gradually strengthened, headlined by the organization collecting four top-five finishes in 2024 among a rotation of 10 different drivers.

“We’re all excited to bring Dean into the SHR family to develop in the Xfinity Series full-time in 2025,” Sam Hunt, owner of Sam Hunt Racing, said in a press release. “He is extremely tough, has a great personality and works hard behind the scenes to make the most of his opportunities. As in any rookie, Dean understands the challenge that awaits, but he is completely committed to becoming a well-rounded, mature race car driver who can put himself in a position to succeed every single week. Our goals are aligned, and we are ready to get to work.”

MORE: 2025 Xfinity Series schedule

Thompson Pipe Group, MCM Transportation and Assured Partners have partnered with SHR to support Thompson’s 2025 effort. Additional partnership information, in addition to more details on the No. 24 entry, will be announced at a later date.

The 2025 Xfinity Series begins Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 by Press Release

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing announced today that four-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Justin Bonsignore will drive the team’s No. 19 Toyota GR Supra in five NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2025.

Bonsignore made his Xfinity Series debut for JGR last June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Despite having no practice or qualifying laps, the Holtsville, New York, native found his way into the top five before contact on a late-race restart relegated him to a 22nd-place finish.

The 36-year-old driver is no stranger to success on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He has racked up 45 victories, 130 top-five finishes, 169 top-10s, 33 pole awards, and 5,442 laps led in 226 career starts. In 2024, Bonsignore posted five victories on the way to his fourth career championship. He has not finished lower than fourth in the final rankings in the past nine seasons.

“When we had the opportunity to work with the Joe Gibbs Racing team at New Hampshire last year, it was a perfect pairing,” Bonsignore said. “As soon as that weekend was over, we started looking at options to run a larger schedule in 2025 and it all came together. When you work with a team like JGR, you know you’re going to have a car in contention to win every race you run. We’re looking forward to having some fun and chasing trophies.”

Bonsignore is looking to add his name to an impressive list of drivers who have won for the JGR Xfinity Series program. In the team’s history, JGR owns 214 wins, including 10 in 2024. Since the team’s inception, 23 different drivers have taken JGR to victory lane in the Xfinity Series, including 14 drivers who claimed their first career victory in the series driving for JGR. The organization has won four Xfinity Series driver championships and six owner’s championships.

“We’re excited to have Justin back in our car in 2025,” said Steve de Souza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for JGR. “He has proven himself over and over again in the modifieds and he did a great job for us at New Hampshire with no track time before the race started. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do with more opportunities to adapt to the Xfinity cars and working with the same team multiple times this season.”

The No. 19 team’s full driver schedule will be announced at a later date.

Posted on January 7, 2025January 21, 2025 by Cameron Richardson

Editor’s Note: Today’s Kaulig Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.

KAULIG RACING

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: ECR Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Ty Dillon-Andrew Dickeson (No. 10), AJ Allmendinger-Trent Owens (No. 16)

Team outlook: Ahead of its fourth full-time season at the Cup Series level, Kaulig once again wipes the slate clean with different drivers in their two cars compared to 2024. AJ Allmendinger returns to Cup full-time in the No. 16, while Ty Dillon will debut the No. 10 for the organization as he goes for points in the Cup Series after spending time in the Craftsman Truck Series with Rackley W.A.R. Racing last season. Expect Allmendinger to be a contender on every road course and have an outside shot at a playoff spot.

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 CHEVROLET

Experience: Nine full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 3rd in final Xfinity standings; 1 win, 7 top fives, 18 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 200-1

Outlook: 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year Allmendinger has flip-flopped between the Cup and Xfinity Series. The 43-year-old wheelman is coming off a run to the Xfinity Championship 4 last season, where he snagged a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the playoffs. His Cup fortunes in recent years haven’t borne the same fruit; Allmendinger has a best points result of 21st but highlighted his 2023 run with a rousing win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

This season marks a crossroads for Allmendinger. While his road-course prowess is just as good as anyone at the Cup level, he’ll need better results across the board if he wants to be a formidable playoff contender. He has the talent to do it, but it’s Kaulig finding speed in the No. 16 on ovals and short tracks to really get the most out of the fan-favorite veteran.

TY DILLON, NO. 10 CHEVROLET

Experience: Six full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 22nd in final Truck standings; 0 wins, 0 top fives, 2 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 500-1

Outlook: Dillon makes his return to full-time action for the first time since 2023 and brings a new number for Kaulig to the Cup level to start anew. In 245 Cup starts, Dillon has two top fives to his name, but in his part-time Cup schedule with Kaulig last season, the 32-year-old collected two top 20s at Texas Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, along with a third with Richard Childress Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With modest expectations for Dillon, he should enter 2025 a bit looser than prior years to potentially elevate his results. A good takeaway from last year is that Dillon kept his cars out of trouble and finished races, so if he can manage that for a good portion of the schedule, he could find himself with enough career-high marks to make a statement to the rest of the field.

MORE: 2025 Cup Series schedule

BOLD PREDICTION: Like he did in 2023, Allmendinger could play spoiler in the playoffs and win for the second time on the Roval. But Mexico City’s looming Cup debut should be the one circled for him as there will be bragging rights galore going up against fellow road-course ace Shane van Gisbergen, who will make his rookie campaign in Cup this season. With Larson also being one of the top road-course drivers, it will be fun to see how the trio battle it out on each circuit this season.

Allmendinger is a familiar face for Dillon, and there is still a lot for Dillon to learn from his teammate. If Dillon can have a clean season like Daniel Hemric did in 2024, there’s no stopping Dillon from finishing top 25 in the points standings, which would be in the ballpark of where his results were when he first ran full-time at the Cup level.

Posted on January 6, 2025February 11, 2025 by Zach Sturniolo

Hélio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2025 Daytona 500, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91, the team announced Monday.

Castroneves, a four-time champion of the Indianapolis 500 and three-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, has enjoyed a long career in open-wheel and sports-car racing. The São Paulo, Brazil, native owns 25 wins in the NTT IndyCar Series and six wins in the former Champ Car Series. The 49-year-old has competed at least once in IndyCar each year since 2001 and is now set to attempt his NASCAR debut for the Feb. 16 Cup Series opener.

MORE: Full Daytona Speedweek schedule

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” Castroneves said in a press release. “This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. I am so thankful to Wendy’s for allowing me to wear their uniform and drive their car, (Trackhouse owner) Justin Marks and everyone that made this happen. I wish the race were tomorrow.”

In addition to his storied open-wheel career, Castroneves has earned 10 wins in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series, winning multiple races in the 2020, 2022 and 2023 seasons. He also made four starts in the Repco Australian Supercars Championship across the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Though Castroneves has never competed in a NASCAR national series event, he does have limited experience racing stock cars. Castroneves made 16 IROC starts from 2002-05, collecting a best finish of second at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Monday’s announcement marks the culmination of a years-long endeavor to bring Castroneves to the “Great American Race.” Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks has discussed Castroneves as a target for the team’s “Project 91” program since 2022, with hopes to plug the veteran racer into the 2023 Daytona 500. Though it took until 2025, the plan came to fruition.

“Hélio is one of the greatest drivers of all time and exactly the type of driver we want to bring to NASCAR,” Marks said in a press release. “I think race fans around the world will be excited to see Hélio in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. It also exposes our sport to a global audience and allows them to see just how great of a series we have in NASCAR.”

Trackhouse’s Project 91 was birthed in 2022, the same year NASCAR introduced its “Next Gen” chassis to the Cup Series. Its goal has been to attract successful and well-known racers outside the stock-car scope into a top-level opportunity at NASCAR’s highest level. Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula One World Champion, was its first driver, making his and the program’s debut in 2022 at Watkins Glen International. Räikkönen returned to the ride in 2023 at Circuit of The Americas.

The mission earned its shining moment in the inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023 when three-time Supercars champ Shane van Gisbergen scored the victory in his NASCAR Cup Series debut. SVG was back behind the wheel at the Indianapolis road course with a 10th-place finish. His immediate success propelled him to a full-time Xfinity Series ride in 2024 with Kaulig Racing through a Trackhouse partnership. In 2025, van Gisbergen will compete full-time in the Cup Series for Trackhouse in the No. 88 Chevrolet.

Practice for the Daytona 500 is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12, when Castroneves will make his first laps in a NASCAR stock car.

Posted on January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 by Staff Report

Tricon Garage rounded out its Truck Series lineup for the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series season on Monday, with the team announcing the four drivers who will drive the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for the 25-event schedule.

The 2025 lineup is set.

Meet our No. 1 Toyota Tundra crew 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1aNf7QKZID

— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) January 6, 2025

William Sawalich will kick off driving duties for the team called an “all-star” car at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 14 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The 19-year-old will also race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 22), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 14), Nashville Superspeedway (May 30) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8).

Xfinity Series veteran Brandon Jones, who announced his return to Joe Gibbs Racing in September, will pilot the N0. 1 entry for seven races starting with Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21. The Atlanta, Georgia native will also get behind the wheel at Bristol Motor Speedway (spring, April 11), Rockingham Speedway (April 18), Texas Motor Speedway (May 2), Kansas Speedway (May 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and Pocono Raceway (June 20).

Brent Crews, a 16-year-old racer from Hickory, North Carolina, is slated to make nine starts in the Truck Series, starting with North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17. Other starts for the two-time ARCA Menards Series winner include Lime Rock Park (June 28), Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25), Richmond Raceway (Aug. 15), Bristol (fall, Sept. 11), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 20), the newly added Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 3), Martinsville (fall, Oct. 24), and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Oct. 31).

Lawless Alan, who will compete in four races in 2025, will complete the lineup for Tricon Garage. The 24-year-old will tackle Martinsville (spring, March 28), Michigan International Speedway (June 7), Darlington Raceway (Aug. 30) and Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 17).

Tricon previously announced that drivers Corey Heim, Toni Breidinger and Gio Ruggiero would also compete full-time in 2025 in search of their respective first Truck Series championship crowns.

The team also announced that Jake Hampton will sit atop the pit box for the No. 1 team for 2025. Hampton has been with Tricon Garage since 2019, serving as a race engineer.

Posted on January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 by Zach Sturniolo

Editor’s Note: Today’s Legacy Motor Club preview begins NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Toyota Gazoo Racing North America
Driver-crew chief pairings: John Hunter Nemechek-Travis Mack (No. 42); Erik Jones-Ben Beshore (No. 43)

Team outlook: Legacy Motor Club experienced its fair share of growing pains in 2024, its first season under the Toyota banner. The dawn of a new year, however, provides a clean slate with a young, speedy talent in Nemechek and a steady, quick veteran in Jones. Mack enters the company after a departure from Kaulig Racing, while Beshore and Jones enter their first full season together in Cup.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, NO. 42 TOYOTA

Experience: Two full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 34th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 0 top fives, 4 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 400-1

Outlook: Nemechek’s return to the Cup Series featured a career-high in top-10 finishes, but those flashes left more to be desired from his results. The 27-year-old returns for his second full season with Legacy in 2025 with a new crew chief in Mack, who brings years of experience from his time at Hendrick Motorsports, JR Motorsports, Trackhouse Racing and Kaulig Racing. Nemechek produced notable runs at Bristol Motor Speedway (sixth, March 2024), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (eighth) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (ninth, October) while also leading 16 laps in his first Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Perhaps that will provide a good starting ground for a program that could use a boost in 2025.

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 TOYOTA

Experience: Eight full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 28th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 2 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 200-1

Outlook: The 2024 campaign marked Jones’ worst statistical season at the Cup Series level, with a 22.9 average finish, 26.9 average start and just 17 lead-lap finishes. Jones also missed two races because of a back injury incurred in an April crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Crew chief Ben Beshore, who began the season with teammate Nemechek, pivoted to the No. 43 car and Jones for the final five races of 2024 with a best finish of 19th at Martinsville Speedway. Jones, a two-time winner of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, is still plenty capable of competing for wins in Cup, and a full season ahead with Beshore could put that skill on display once again.

BOLD PREDICTION: After a year in which Nemechek and Jones combined for one top five in 70 starts, the duo will collect a combined eight in 2025. That still leaves plenty to be desired for two talented racers, but Legacy Motor Club is still finding its footing after multiple years of significant change at the organization. Jones is a threat at just about any track with the right car, and Nemechek has shown he can be effective on a multitude of track types, too. As the team continues to grow, its results should improve, if even slowly, at first.