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Justin Allgaier, NASCAR Xfinity leader, on veteran leadership, airborne Ubers and more: 12 Questions

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7 months ago

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Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports, who is both the defending Xfinity Series champion and current points leader. This interview has been condensed, but the full version is available on the 12 Questions podcast. Note: Our usual question No. 11 was dropped due to time constraints with the interview.

1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment?

I have a really cool shirt from the 1988 Talladega race that has some amazing signatures on it. It’s got Dale Earnhardt Sr. I don’t remember getting it, but I remember the shirt. My mom has got it framed now. Kenny Schrader was at the house one year, and my mom was talking about the shirt and how it was so cool.

I don’t remember who she thought won the race, but she thought (that person) had signed it. And Kenny said, “Dorothy, he didn’t win the race.” And she’s like, “Yeah, they won.” He’s like, “No, Dorothy …” They went back and forth a few times. Then Kenny said, “I won that race. I remember that very well. So they didn’t win the race.”

2. What is the most miserable you’ve ever been inside of a race car?

When I was almost two laps down last year in Phoenix about halfway through the (Xfinity Series championship) race. I just knew that was our shot, right? I’ve done this a long time and been in that final four a lot and had good opportunities, but that was that moment where I just went, “Man, I just gave this one away and I’ve completely ruined it for myself.” That was the most miserable on myself. (Allgaier rallied back to win his first career championship.)

3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about?

Softball. (His daughter Harper plays on a traveling softball team.) She actually had to ask me to back down a little bit. The competitive side of me doesn’t know how to do that. I want it to go well. I got to drive up to Asheville (earlier this month) and go watch the whole weekend of softball. It was really fun for me, because it’s really the first time I’ve been able to show up at a tournament, and I didn’t really care about the outcome. … I saw a different side of the girls, that they were just having a good time and the camaraderie and the teamwork together; they were playing better than they’ve ever played.

4. What do people get wrong about you?

A lot of people assume when I was in Cup, I had equal equipment to what the guys up front were running. I see a lot of comments where somebody will say, “Oh, I wish he would go back to Cup racing” and then you’ll see 100 comments that say, “He had a shot in Cup and didn’t make it last.” Well, look at Alex Bowman when he drove for BK Racing. Look at Clint Bowyer when he drove the (HScott Motorsports) car after me. You could name all these guys who drove in stuff that wasn’t competitive, but they were still able to go on and be ultra successful (in better cars).

I don’t regret that time and I wouldn’t change it. Would I love an opportunity on the Cup side in good equipment? Yeah, absolutely. But if I look back at my career, I wouldn’t have changed anything I’ve done from then to now.

Justin Allgaier


“If you want it easy, don’t come to the 7 car,” Justin Allgaier jokes of his career. “If you think it’s going to be easy, the 7 car is not the path you want to go down.” (David Jensen / Getty Images)

5. What kind of Uber passenger are you and how much do you care about your Uber rating?

I tend to feed off of the Uber driver. If the Uber driver is talkative, I’m going to be talkative. If the Uber driver is quiet, or if he’s got the music on, I’m going to sit back and I’m probably going to fall asleep. Because I can sit in the backseat of a car and fall asleep in about 30 seconds. So just depends on the driver and how they’re driving.

That being said, we just rode in a car (service) last week that (public relations representative Mike) Campbell and I were both confident we weren’t going to make it to the destination. At one point, we were off the ground in the back of this car. It was quite an experience. It’s the first time I’ve ever had that, and I was really quiet because I didn’t know what to say or how to talk.

6. This is a wild-card question. People say you’re the veteran driver of the Xfinity Series and look to you for guidance. But you have to be focused on your own racing at the same time. So how do you balance being a mentor in the series with the desire for your own success?

If I can help somebody a little bit and just be a small part of what helps them, that’s fun for me. … I also look at the situation that happened in Texas with Kris Wright (when Wright was heavily criticized for not holding his line when Allgaier crashed into him). Here I’m the veteran who crashes with somebody out there on the racetrack, and a lot of people were quick to jump on me for taking blame for it after the race was over.

I’m going to look at this like highway rules: I ran in the back of him. It doesn’t matter who is at fault. It doesn’t matter what he did in front of me. I still ran into the back of him. The cool thing, though, was the dialogue that started with Kris and the conversation we had. While it sucks for us, it’s a great learning moment for somebody, but it’s also a great learning moment for a lot of other people who were watching it.

I’m not going out telling people like, “Hey, I’m the best there’s ever been and you should listen to me.” I make plenty of mistakes, but if I can help somebody, or if I can help the series or the sport as a whole grow, I want to be there and I’m going to be a part of it. …

Even if I don’t win another race ever again but I can help grow the sport, then I’ve done my job. That, to me, is what I consider success.

7. This is my 16th year of doing the 12 Questions interviews. You were part of the inaugural edition in 2010, so I’ll go back to a question I asked you then: “What is the first thing you do when you get home from a long weekend?” At the time, you said you lived in an apartment and you obviously didn’t have kids yet, so you said you would just toss the bags on the floor and typically turn the TV on and go back and watch a fast-forwarded version of the race and then go to bed. I imagine it’s different now?

Oddly enough, it is not. If I get home and everybody is already asleep, then that’s what I’m doing. There’s a burning inside me to want to be better, even after the races are over. I still go back and watch the replays every week, still go back and study.

If they’re still awake, which very rarely happens, you hope it’s a good day because they’re excited for you. But the best is when it’s been a bad day and you get home and they’re just as proud and just as happy, and you being home is good as anything.

The part that’s different is I had a lot less stuff in an apartment. I didn’t have clutter. I didn’t own hardly anything. And it was really easy if you needed something fixed: You called the landlord, and you said, “Hey, I need this fixed.” So I joke with my wife I can go back to apartment living right now. Give me a 750-square-foot apartment and we’ll make it work. If we’ve got to sleep in bunk beds, I don’t care.

8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver who you would be one of the first people to congratulate them in victory lane, if they won a race.

After every win, Josh Williams randomly appears with a Yoo-hoo in victory lane. I don’t know where the Yoo-hoos come from; I’m assuming they just have them in their cooler. A lot of people think we’re cracking a beer, but it’s actually just chocolate milk.

But it doesn’t matter where we win, it doesn’t matter how his day has gone — he’s down there. That’s really cool to me. So when he gets that opportunity, I’m gonna be there and be a part of it.

9. How much do you use AI technology, whether for your job or your daily life?

I have tried to use it some. I’m not great at it. I also am a little worried AI is going to take over the world. So I’m like, “If I don’t input all of my data, maybe it won’t steal all of my data.” But I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

I do like the AI videos of the babies. I saw the babies doing “Tommy Boy” and it was so awesome. I can’t even describe to you how awesome it was. But it’s also super creepy, and I’m going to be the guy who says “I told you so” when the AI takeover happens.

10. What is a time in your life you felt was really challenging, but you are proud of the way that you responded to it?

Can I just put my whole career in there? (Laughs.) We laugh all the time like, “If you want it easy, don’t come to the 7 car.” If you think it’s going to be easy, the 7 car is not the path you want to go down.

In my Cup career, I didn’t handle it well. I didn’t handle the adversity well, I didn’t handle not running good. It’s shifted in my post-Cup career. Even when we don’t have good days, I’m able to be more grateful of the job I get to do and less miserable I didn’t get the good finish I wanted.

12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next person. The last one was Álex Palou and he wants to ask you about oval racing. He wants to know how you feel the limit of the tires on an oval compared to a road or street course because he says that’s something he’s still trying to figure out. (Note: The Palou interview was conducted before he won the Indy 500 and got his first oval victory.)

It’s funny, because I don’t know where the limit of the tire is on a road course, but I have so much of an easier time of feeling that on an oval. The Xfinity Series car is great for me because the Cup Series car, I would say that’s the hardest part. When I go drive Cup, whether it be the 40 car at Daytona or filling in for Kyle (Larson) in the 5 car, I struggle with finding a little bit of the tire because it is a short sidewall, real low profile. The car has a ton of grip. The tire has a ton of grip. IndyCar is the same way, right? Really wide tires, lots of grip. An Xfinity car has got the narrower tire, taller sidewall, more flex. It’s probably the easiest car I’ve ever driven to find the limit of the tire.

So if Alex were to ever get in an Xfinity car and feel the tire like he does, he’d go, “Oh man, this is way easier than I thought.” It would be way more comfortable.

(Allgaier said he’ll submit his question for the next person when he knows who it is.)

(Top photo of Justin Allgaier at qualifying for last weekend’s Charlotte Xfinity race: Logan Riely / Getty Images)



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Motorsports

Daren Lucas Named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA)

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45 minutes ago

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January 6, 2026

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  • Career Sports Marketing, Private Equity, Fundraising, College Athletics and Motorsports Executive Third President in MSHFA’s 38-Year History
  • Appointment Brings Lucas Back to Daytona Beach Where He Previously Worked in Sales, Marketing and Business Development Executive Positions at Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 5, 2025) – Daren Lucas, a 35-year career professional in sports marketing, private equity, fundraising, college athletics and motorsports has been named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA). The appointment returns Lucas to the Daytona Beach area where he previously held several executive business development, management and revenue generating positions with both Daytona International Speedway (DIS) and NASCAR from 2000 through 2006.

Lucas joins the MSHFA after most recently spending the past 10 years in his own sports consultancy, which has kept him at the forefront of sports sponsorship and digital and social marketing. Previously in Daytona, Lucas led all Sales and Marketing at DIS and all Consumer Marketing and Ticketing for NASCAR-owned tracks, in support of such major events as the Daytona 500, the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car race and the Daytona 200 motorcycle road race and other major motorsports events. In his agency work, Lucas executed more than 100 official partnership deals including with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the Indianapolis 500. Lucas also brings extensive career experience in the sports travel and tourism industry at Super Bowls, Olympics, Masters and Kentucky Derbys. Lucas earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was followed by a Master of Sports Administration (MSA) at Ohio University.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as President,” Lucas said. “The impressive MSHFA Museum has grown extensively since relocating nearly 10 years ago in the DIS Ticket and Tours building, which is located just outside of the Speedway’s NASCAR Turn 4. The MSHFA administrative headquarters facility is housed in the same offices I worked in earlier in this century with DIS and NASCAR. Now, I look forward to working with both the MSHFA Board of Directors and the MSHFA team in my next chapter in Daytona and – most importantly – the next phase of success and growth for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.”

Lucas takes over MSHFA’s leadership from the retiring George Levy, who served as president from late 2019 through the end of 2025. Levy was just the MSHFA’s second president following the late Ron Watson, who initially held the presidential position from 1989 until his unexpected passing in October of 2019.

“The future of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is solid but has room to continue to grow,” said MSHFA Board of Directors Chair Paul Doleshal. “With the hiring of Daren, we feel that we are poised for that growth. We are more than confident that we have found the right person with Daren who can help advance the Hall into its next chapter of success. The MSHFA presidential search committee managed a long and thorough process, culling through more than 50 applications, interviewing dozens via video interviews, and then meeting with our final eight candidates through in-person interviews in both Daytona and Charlotte. We want to thank the entire search committee and sincerely thank George Levy, and we are proud of his ongoing efforts and the solid growth he led in the last six years.”

Lucas brings dual passions for both modern-day motorsports as well as the rich history and legacy of racing in the United States, which includes a high-speed family tie to the very roots of motorsports Americana.

“The history of motorsports in America is truly right at home in our family,” Lucas said. “My wife, Dawn, is the daughter of stock car pioneer Dink Widenhouse, and we are thrilled to be able to once again live so close to where he and his friends and racing peers competed on the beach here in Daytona. Our daughter Caroline was born in Daytona, and we are so happy to come back to where both my father-in-law and our daughter’s grandfather was part of the amazing motorsports legacy in America, which I now have both the responsibility and honor to preserve for generations to come.”

Widenhouse is pictured in his trademark No. B-29 stock car at the final Daytona beach race in 1958 and with his friends and racing peers Ned Jarrett (MSHFA Class of 1997) and Ralph Earnhardt.

Ned Jarrett (MSHFA Class of 1997) and Ralph Earnhardt.

The 38th Annual MSHFA Induction Ceremony Presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing takes place March 9 – 10, 2026 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort in the heart of Daytona Beach, Florida. The traditional black-tie gala, which is the crowning event of the two-day, multi-function induction celebration. The Induction Ceremony will be preceded the night before on Monday, March 9, by the traditional “Heroes of Horsepower” reception and strolling dinner at the MSHFA Museum on the DIS grounds.

Daytime events, presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing, include the annual Inductee Welcome Luncheon on Monday, and the annual Inductee Brunch on Tuesday morning.

For more information or to purchase Class of 2026 Induction tickets, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com.

The MSHFA is located in Daytona International Speedway’s Ticket and Tours Building. Access to the MSFHA Museum is included with every Daytona International Speedway tour, which runs throughout each day, or as a museum-only ticket. The museum is open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. except for major holidays. It is visited by more than 150,000 guests each year from every state in America and countries all over the world. For museum tickets call 1-800-PIT-SHOP.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF. Learn more at www.mshf.com.

About the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: The MSHFA is the only hall that honors all major American motorsports: cars, motorcycles, airplanes, off road and powerboats. Its mission is to celebrate and instill the American motorsports values of leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork and spirit of competition. Founded by Larry G. Ciancio and led by first President Ronald A. Watson, it held its first induction in 1989. Watson spent the next 30 years tirelessly building it into the nation’s premier such hall until his passing in 2019. Originally based in Novi, Mich., it relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2016 and greets more than 120,000 guests a year in its museum. MSHFA is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation, Inc.



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Yamaha Motor Corp, USA, Promotes Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports Division

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January 6, 2026

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Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA

Mike Martinez to Retire After Three Decades of Leadership and Growth

Yamaha Motor Corp, USA, Promotes Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports Division

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, is promoting Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports. Burnett brings more than three decades of Yamaha experience to his new position, most recently as Vice President of Yamaha’s Marine Innovation Center, and President of Siren Marine and Skeeter and G3 Boat companies.
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, is promoting Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports. Burnett brings more than three decades of Yamaha experience to his new position, most recently as Vice President of Yamaha’s Marine Innovation Center, and President of Siren Marine and Skeeter and G3 Boat companies.

Mike Martinez to Retire After Three Decades of Leadership and Growth

Mike Martinez, Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, SVP and President of Motorsports since 2022, announced his retirement after 32 years at YMUS. Martinez will stay on for the first quarter of 2026 to work closely with Burnett and ensure a smooth transition of the Motorsports business and operations. He will officially retire on April 3, 2026.
Mike Martinez, Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, SVP and President of Motorsports since 2022, announced his retirement after 32 years at YMUS. Martinez will stay on for the first quarter of 2026 to work closely with Burnett and ensure a smooth transition of the Motorsports business and operations. He will officially retire on April 3, 2026.

MARIETTA, Ga., Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yamaha Motor Corp., USA (YMUS), is promoting Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports. Burnett brings more than three decades of Yamaha experience to his new position, most recently as Vice President of Yamaha’s Marine Innovation Center, and President of Siren Marine and Skeeter and G3 Boat companies.

Mike Martinez, the current SVP and President of Motorsports since 2022, announced his retirement after 32 years at YMUS. Martinez will stay on for the first quarter of 2026 to work closely with Burnett and ensure a smooth transition of the Motorsports business and operations. He will officially retire on April 3, 2026.

“Yamaha owes Mike Martinez a huge debt of gratitude for his decades of service, spearheading groundbreaking products, dealer programs, and initiatives that directly led to Yamaha’s success in the U.S. powersports industry. I’m confident that Mike’s legacy is in great hands with Dean Burnett, who’s intimate knowledge of Yamaha, from sales and marketing to operations and finance, combined with his extensive leadership experience, makes him the perfect person to lead Motorsports into the future,” said Michael Chrzanowski, President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Corp., USA. “Over the next few months, Dean and Mike will work closely together to align strategy and operations for the future success of Yamaha Motorsports and our dealer partners.”

Burnett was born into his family’s marine dealership in Louisville, Kentucky, and worked his way through various Yamaha business groups dating back to 1987, including sales, marketing, service, operations, manufacturing, and finance. He brings vast leadership experience in addition to his roles in Yamaha’s Marine business, having served as President and Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Canada, Ltd. (YMCA), and President and Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Finance Canada, Ltd. (YMFCA). Prior to his time in Canada, Burnett was President of the Yamaha WaterCraft Business Group.

“I enjoy being part of the Yamaha family, and I’ve seen firsthand how Martinez worked tirelessly to build a culture based on community, innovation, and real-world experiences. Importantly, the Yamaha Motorsports team values, supports, and celebrates our dealer partners and business relationships. I’m proud and excited to accept this new opportunity,” Burnett said. “At its core, Yamaha creates lifelong memories, and we’ll continue to deliver on that promise to our dealer partners and customers over the decades to come.”



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Summit Racing Equipment | Error 410: Resource Gone

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Daren Lucas Named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America – Speedway Digest

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2 hours ago

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January 6, 2026

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Daren Lucas, a 35-year career professional in sports marketing, private equity, fundraising, college athletics and motorsports has been named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA). The appointment returns Lucas to the Daytona Beach area where he previously held several executive business development, management and revenue generating positions with both Daytona International Speedway (DIS) and NASCAR from 2000 through 2006.

Lucas joins the MSHFA after most recently spending the past 10 years in his own sports consultancy, which has kept him at the forefront of sports sponsorship and digital and social marketing. Previously in Daytona, Lucas led all Sales and Marketing at DIS and all Consumer Marketing and Ticketing for NASCAR-owned tracks, in support of such major events as the Daytona 500, the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car race and the Daytona 200 motorcycle road race and other major motorsports events. In his agency work, Lucas executed more than 100 official partnership deals including with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the Indianapolis 500. Lucas also brings extensive career experience in the sports travel and tourism industry at Super Bowls, Olympics, Masters and Kentucky Derbys. Lucas earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was followed by a Master of Sports Administration (MSA) at Ohio University.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as President,” Lucas said. “The impressive MSHFA Museum has grown extensively since relocating nearly 10 years ago in the DIS Ticket and Tours building, which is located just outside of the Speedway’s NASCAR Turn 4. The MSHFA administrative headquarters facility is housed in the same offices I worked in earlier in this century with DIS and NASCAR. Now, I look forward to working with both the MSHFA Board of Directors and the MSHFA team in my next chapter in Daytona and – most importantly – the next phase of success and growth for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.”

Lucas takes over MSHFA’s leadership from the retiring George Levy, who served as president from late 2019 through the end of 2025. Levy was just the MSHFA’s second president following the late Ron Watson, who initially held the presidential position from 1989 until his unexpected passing in October of 2019.

“The future of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is solid but has room to continue to grow,” said MSHFA Board of Directors Chair Paul Doleshal. “With the hiring of Daren, we feel that we are poised for that growth. We are more than confident that we have found the right person with Daren who can help advance the Hall into its next chapter of success. The MSHFA presidential search committee managed a long and thorough process, culling through more than 50 applications, interviewing dozens via video interviews, and then meeting with our final eight candidates through in-person interviews in both Daytona and Charlotte. We want to thank the entire search committee and sincerely thank George Levy, and we are proud of his ongoing efforts and the solid growth he led in the last six years.”

Lucas brings dual passions for both modern-day motorsports as well as the rich history and legacy of racing in the United States, which includes a high-speed family tie to the very roots of motorsports Americana.

“The history of motorsports in America is truly right at home in our family,” Lucas said. “My wife, Dawn, is the daughter of stock car pioneer Dink Widenhouse, and we are thrilled to be able to once again live so close to where he and his friends and racing peers competed on the beach here in Daytona. Our daughter Caroline was born in Daytona, and we are so happy to come back to where both my father-in-law and our daughter’s grandfather was part of the amazing motorsports legacy in America, which I now have both the responsibility and honor to preserve for generations to come.”

Widenhouse is pictured in his trademark No. B-29 stock car at the final Daytona beach race in 1958 and with his friends and racing peers Ned Jarrett (MSHFA Class of 1997) and Ralph Earnhardt.

The 38th Annual MSHFA Induction Ceremony Presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing takes place March 9 – 10, 2026 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort in the heart of Daytona Beach, Florida. The traditional black-tie gala, which is the crowning event of the two-day, multi-function induction celebration. The Induction Ceremony will be preceded the night before on Monday, March 9, by the traditional “Heroes of Horsepower” reception and strolling dinner at the MSHFA Museum on the DIS grounds.

Daytime events, presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing, include the annual Inductee Welcome Luncheon on Monday, and the annual Inductee Brunch on Tuesday morning.

For more information or to purchase Class of 2026 Induction tickets, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com.

The MSHFA is located in Daytona International Speedway’s Ticket and Tours Building. Access to the MSFHA Museum is included with every Daytona International Speedway tour, which runs throughout each day, or as a museum-only ticket. The museum is open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. except for major holidays. It is visited by more than 150,000 guests each year from every state in America and countries all over the world. For museum tickets call 1-800-PIT-SHOP.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF. Learn more at www.mshf.com.

MSHFA PR



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Ranking Non-Super-Team Drivers | SVG, Zilisch Lose Sponsor? | Bristol Hockey Rumor

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2 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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We’re ringing in the new year with fresh NASCAR news and a brand new ranking that shifts the spotlight away from the usual super teams. From updates inside the Driver Advisory Council to rumors swirling around Bristol and TrackHouse, plus a full breakdown of the top non super team drivers heading into 2026, this episode covers a lot of ground as the season creeps closer.

  • Who made the 2026 Driver Advisory Council, and why this group matters more than ever
  • Why Bristol Motor Speedway rumors won’t die, even after being shut down
  • The growing mystery around WeatherTech and TrackHouse Racing
  • A full ranking of the top non super team drivers who could break through next season

Beyond the headlines, this video dives into the bigger picture of NASCAR’s competitive landscape. With Gibbs, Hendrick, and Penske dominating championships, the question becomes which other teams are truly positioned to challenge in 2026. From veterans trying to rebound to young drivers on the rise, this ranking sets the stage for a fascinating season ahead.

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Zeigler Auto Group to Sponsor Carson Hocevar in 11 Cup Races

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3 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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Zeigler Automotive Group is continuing its long-term relationship with NASCAR Cup Series team Spire Motorsports and third-year driver Carson Hocevar, the company confirmed in a press release on Monday.

The brand, noted as one of the largest privately-owned automotive dealer groups in the United States, will be adorning the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro in a total of 11 NASCAR Cup Series events this season — one exhibition event and 10 points-paying events.

“Sponsoring Carson Hocevar for the 2026 season is about more than putting our name on the No. 77 — it’s about supporting someone who represents the future of this sport and the way we do business,” said Aaron J. Zeigler, president and CEO of Zeigler Auto Group and Zeigler Racing. “Carson brings intensity, authenticity, and a relentless drive to improve every time he takes the track. That mindset will take him far, and we can’t wait to see what he does next as he continues to push what’s possible.”

Zeigler.com and Zeigler Auto Group will both be showcased on the racecar of the Portage, Michigan-native starting with the pre-season exhibition event, The Clash, at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on February 1.

The company’s points-paying slate of events will begin in June, at the brand’s home race in Brooklyn, Michigan at Michigan International Speedway on June 7. Additional events include Pocono (June 14), Chicagoland (July 5), Atlanta (July 12), Indianapolis (July 26), Iowa (August 9), Richmond (August 15), Bristol (September 19), Kansas (September 27), and the penultimate event of the season at Martinsville (November 1).

“I’m excited to continue our partnership with Zeigler Automotive Group,” said Hocevar. “I grew up right down the street from their headquarters in Kalamazoo, so it is cool to see how it has all come full circle. The whole Zeigler family have been such great supporters of me and the No. 77 team since day one. I’m looking forward to continuing to build our partnership on and off the track and can’t wait to park the Zeigler Chevrolet in Victory Lane this year.”

Hocevar, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of The Year, is prepared to enter his third season competing at NASCAR’s top-level after a solid sophomore campaign that included a pair of second-place finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway, and nine top-10s — both career-highs.

The 22-year-old driver has been with Spire Motorsports for much of his NASCAR Cup Series career, joining the team full-time in 2024, after making his debut at World Wide Technology Raceway the season before in an interim role. Hocevar did make a series of starts for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in the No. 42, also on a interim role in 2023. In 81 career starts, Hocevar has managed three top-fives and 15 top-10s.

Zeigler Auto Group will kick off its sponsorship campaign at Bowman-Gray Stadium on Sunday, February 1 at 8:00 PM ET. Coverage of the event will be on FOX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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