Gifts for NASCAR Fans
The 2026 NASCAR Season is fast approaching, and teams are setting their lineups for the coming season. This article highlights those full-time drivers who will tackle the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule.
Connor Zilisch | 2026 No. 88 | 2026 Team: Trackhouse Racing | 2025 No. 88 | 2025 Team: JR Motorsports
Rajah Caruth | 2026 No. 88/No.32 | 2026 Team: JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing | 2025 No. 71 | 2025 Team: Spire Motorsports
Lavar Scott | 2026 No. 45 | 2026 Team: Alpha Prime Racing | 2025 No. 2 | 2025 Team: REV Racing (ARCA)
Daniel Dye | 2026 No. TBA | 2026 Team: Kaulig Racing | 2025 No. 10 | 2025 Team: Kaulig Racing
Christian Eckes | 2026 No. 91 | 2026 Team: McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | 2025 No. 16 | 2025 Team: Kaulig Racing
Josh Bilicki | 2026 No. 07 | 2026 Team: SS Greenlight Racing | 2025 No. 91/14 | 2025 Team: DGM Racing/SS Greenlight Racing
Austin Green | 2026 No. 87 | 2026 Team: Peterson Racing | 2025 No. 32/87 | 2025 Team: Jordan Anderson Racing
Josh Williams | 2026 No. 92 | 2026 Team: DGM Racing | | 2025 No. 11/No. 45/No. 91 | 2025 Team: Kaulig Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, and DGM Racing
Carson Kvapil | 2025 No. 1/No. TBA | 2025 Team: JR Motorsports
Harrison Burton | 2026 No. 24 | 2026 Team: Sam Hunt Racing | 2025 No. 25 | 2025 Team: AM Racing
Matt DiBenedetto | 2026 No. TBA | 2026 Team: TBA | 2025 No. 99 | 2025 Team: Viking Motorsports
Ryan Ellis | 2026 No. 02 | 2026 Team: Young’s Motorsports | 2025 No. 71 | 2025 Team: DGM Racing
Parker Retzlaff | 2026 No. 99 | 2026 Team: Viking Motorsports | 2025 No. 4 | 2025 Team: Alpha Prime Racing
Anthony Alfredo | 2026 No. 96 | 2026 Team: Viking Motorsports | 2025 No. 42 | 2025 Team: Young’s Motorsports
Nick Sanchez | 2026 No. TBA | 2026 Team: TBA | 2025 No. 48 | 2025 Team: Big Machine Racing
Garrett Smithley | 2026 No. 0 | 2026 Team: SS-Greenlight Racing | 2025 No. 14 | 2025 Team: SS-Greenlight Racing
JR Motorsports No. 1 | 2025 Driver: Carson Kvapil
JR Motorsports No. 88 | 2025 Driver: Connor Zilisch
DGM Racing No. 92 | 2025 Driver: C.J. McLaughlin, Natalie Decker, and Leland Honeyman
Nick Sanchez | 2025 No. 48 | 2025 Team: Big Machine Racing
No. 00 | Sheldon Creed | Haas Factory Team
What’s Happening? Justin Allgaier, a longtime Xfinity Series driver and veteran at JR Motorsports, will return to JRM through 2026. This…
Creed will return to the Haas Factory Team in 2026. The team announced this as part of an overall shift to Chevrolet for 2026, reuniting Creed with the OEM that gave him his start in the OAP Series and the one with which he won his 2020 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship.
No. 02 | Ryan Ellis | Young’s Motorsports
What’s Happening? NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series veteran Ryan Ellis is set to join Young’s Motorsports for 2026 and beyond, as…
Ellis will play a major role in the two-car expansion of Young’s Motorsports as he brings along sponsors like TabloTV to the team’s new No. 02 Entry. In 2024, Ellis had another solid year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with DGM Racing.
No. 0 | Garrett Smithley | SS-Greenlight Racing
Garrett Smithley will return to SS-Greenlight Racing in 2026 but not in the No. 14. He joins Josh Bilicki as the team’s two full-time drivers next season, with Smithley piloting the No. 0 and Bilicki in the No. 07.
No. 1/No. TBA | Carson Kvapil | Jr Motorsports
What’s Happening? Amidst ongoing speculation about Carson Kvapil’s 2026 plans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has stepped up to clarify that the standout…
After months of speculation, and thanks in part to a deep playoff run, Carson Kvapil will race full-time during the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. This will be through multiple entries, all fielded by JR Motorsports, with his main entry being the No. 1, which he will share with NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch.
No. 2 | Jesse Love | Richard Childress Racing
Love, who is exiting his second full-time season at RCR, will return to the team for a third year. This shoots down rumors of a return to Toyota that were also pushed aside by the conclusion of the Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing lawsuit, which determined that LMC will receive its third charter in 2027.
No. 07 | Josh Bilicki | SS Greenlight Racing
What’s Happening? NASCAR National Series veteran Josh Bilicki will race SS Greenlight Racing’s No. 07 for the entirety of the 2026…
Josh Bilicki will race full-time with SS Greenlight Racing in 2026, marking his first full-time NASCAR National Series ride since 2021, and his first full-time NASCAR OAP Series effort since 2018. Bilicki raced part-time with DGM Racing in 2026, finishing no higher than 14th.
No. 7 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports
What’s Happening? Justin Allgaier, a longtime Xfinity Series driver and veteran at JR Motorsports, will return to JRM through 2026. This…
Allgaier will return for an 11th season at JR Motorsports in 2026, per a multi-year extension he signed in late 2024. Yet Allgaier will be without his championship-winning Crew Chief, Jim Pohlman, as he shifts to the Cup Series to work with RCR’s Kyle Busch in 2026.
No. 8 | Sammy Smith | JR Motorsports
JR Motorsports has already confirmed that Smith will return for the 2026 season. This will mark his third season with the team, fourth in the OAPS. So far, Smith has won at least one race and made the playoffs in all four of his full-time seasons in the OAPS.
No. 17 | Corey Day | Hendrick Motorsports
What’s Happening? Hendrick Motorsports is promoting prospect Corey Day to a full-time ride for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Day will…
For the first time in nearly two decades, Hendrick Motorsports will field a full-time car in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Corey Day. Day, a dirt racing prodigy, has raced part-time in the Truck Series in 2024 and 2025, and, in 2025, made 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in the No. 17.
No. 18 | William Sawalich | Joe Gibbs Racing
What’s Happening? Taylor Gray and William Sawalich are set to return for their sophomore seasons in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts…
Sawalich looks ready to put a difficult 2025 Rookie Season behind him. Last year, the highly touted ARCA winner struggled early on in the Xfinity Series season, though he turned the ship around late in the year. His season was cut short due to an injury sustained at Talladega in the fall.
No. 19 | Brent Crews | Joe Gibbs Racing
What’s Happening? Brent Crews will compete in the majority of NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races for Joe Gibbs Racing during…
Crews is technically racing as a full-time driver in 2026, though he will only be behind the wheel of the No. 19 for 29 of the season’s 33 races. This is due to his age, with Crews set to turn 18 years old on March 30, which means that until his birthday, he is only allowed to compete at road courses and oval tracks that are 1.25 miles or less. The only races he will be able to compete in prior to his birthday are COTA, Phoenix, and Martinsville.
No. 20 | Brandon Jones | Joe Gibbs Racing
Jones returned to JGR this year after two seasons abroad with JR Motorsports. With a return to his winning ways and consistent sponsorship from Menards and their partners, it seems like Jones will return as a stable veteran in JGR’s full-time roster.
No. 21 | Austin Hill | Richard Childress Racing
Austin Hill will likely return for more full-time action with RCR in 2026, having signed his most recent multi-year extension with the team in late 2023, though the team has yet to announce such plans. Hill is one of the series’ most consistent winners, and it seems like a lock for the playoffs every season.
No. 24 | Harrison Burton | Sam Hunt Racing
Harrison Burton will return to the Toyota camp as the first-ever second full-time driver for Sam Hunt Racing. Burton is coming off a solid season with AM Racing, taking the team to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Playoffs for the first time.
No. 26 | Dean Thompson | Sam Hunt Racing
Dean Thompson will return to SHR for a second season after a solid rookie campaign. The 23-year-old scored a National Series career high of eight top tens this year with the team, and in 2026, he will have a full-time teammate for the first time in Harrison Burton.
Jeb Burton | 2025 No. 27 | 2025 Team: Jordan Anderson Racing
What’s Happening? Jordan Anderson Racing has announced that Jeb Burton will return for another season behind the wheel of their No….
Burton is coming off his third season with JAR and will return for a fourth in 2026. Last season, the team came close to making the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on points but fell short in the final two races of the 2025 regular season at Daytona and WWT Raceway.
No. 28 | Kyle Sieg | RSS Racing
What’s Happening? RSS Racing has confirmed that they will switch from Ford to Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts…
This year marked Kyle Sieg’s first full-time NASCAR OAP Series season racing with his family’s own RSS Racing. He will return in 2026 as part of an overhaul that will see the team switch to Chevrolet.
No. 31 | Blaine Perkins | Jordan Anderson Racing
What’s Happening? Jordan Anderson Racing has announced that Blaine Perkins will return for a second full-time season in the team’s No….
Perkins will return to JAR for a second season of full-time action. In 2026, Perkins scored four top-ten finishes and an average finish of 23.7 in what was his first-ever season to start all 33 races.
No. 39 | Ryan Sieg | RSS Racing
(CONT’D) Much like his brother, Ryan will return to the team in 2026. This will be Ryan’s second go driving Chevrolets for the team, after doing so from 2013 to 2020. However, this time around, the team will have support from Hendrick Motorsports as part of the Haas Factory Team Alliance alongside Jeremy Clements Racing’s No. 51.
No. 41 | Sam Mayer | The Haas Factory Team
In the same announcement that announced HFT’s shift to Chevrolet and the re-signing of Sheldon Creed, the team announced that Mayer will return to the team in 2026. This move also returns Mayer to the OEM with which he broke into the NASCAR National Series and, notably, back in the Hendrick Motorsports alliance.
No. 44 | Brennan Poole | Alpha Prime Racing
What’s Happening? Alpha Prime Racing has announced that NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series veteran Brennan Poole will return to the team’s…
Despite some speculation that he could be on the move for 2026, Brennan Poole will return to Alpha Prime Racing and the No. 44 team for a third season. Last year, the 34-year-old failed to improve on his 2024 points finish, but he did improve his average finish year-over-year.
No. 45 | Lavar Scott | Alpha Prime Racing
What’s Happening? Former ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year Lavar Scott will race full-time with Alpha Prime Racing during the…
After two impressive full-time seasons in ARCA, Scott will get a shot at full-time competition in NASCAR’s second-highest division. Despite his consistency in ARCA, including two second-place point finishes and double-digit top-tens, Scott notably failed to score a win in the series.
No. 48 | Patrick Staropoli | Big Machine Racing
What’s Happening? Patrick Staropoli is set to make his full-time debut in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Big Machine…
Patrick Staropoli, a former winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, is set to tackle his first full-time season of racing with Big Machine in 2026. He takes over for Nick Sanchez, who brought home the team’s second-ever win in 2025 at EchoPark Speedway.
No. 51 | Jeremy Clements | Jeremy Clements Racing
What’s Happening? Jeremy Clements Racing has formed a new technical alliance, joining forces with the Haas Factory Team for the upcoming…
Per an announcement in mid-November, JCR will return in 2026 with a new technical alliance with Chevrolet’s Haas Factory Team. Per the announcement, the team will operate out of the HFT shop in Kannapolis.
No. 54 | Taylor Gray | Joe Gibbs Racing
What’s Happening? Taylor Gray and William Sawalich are set to return for their sophomore seasons in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts…
Gray very well could be a championship contender in 2026. Though he had to deal with a dominant Connor Zilisch in 2025, with the top seat in the series vacated, the 20-year-old has a chance to improve on his winning effort from this past season.
No. 87 | Austin Green | Peterson Racing
What’s Happening? Fan favorite second-generation driver Austin Green will finally get his chance to race full-time in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly…
After two part-time seasons racing with Jordan Anderson Racing, all while snagging some impressive finishes, second-generation driver Austin Green will get his first full-time opportunity with Petereson Racing in 2026. The team, known for its efforts in the IMSA Mustang Challenge series, will have an alliance with Richard Childress Racing in its inaugural OAP Series season.
No. 88/No.32 | Rajah Caruth | JR Motorsports/Jordan Anderson Racing
What’s Happening? Rajah Caruth confirmed that he will compete full-time in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, splitting his…
Rajah Caruth is getting his full-time promotion to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series after three full-time seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The 23-year-old is set to drive JRM’s No. 88 for a majority of the season, but claims he will drive JAR’s No. 32 when he is not in the JRM car.
No. 92 | Josh Williams | DMG Racing
What’s Happening? NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series veteran Josh Williams is returning to DGM Racing to drive the team’s No. 92…
Following his abrupt exit from Kaulig Racing, Williams reunited with DGM Racing to help round out his 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. In 2026, Williams and his former team will reunite as part of a multi-year deal that will see the veteran pilot the No. 92.
No. 96 | Anthony Alfredo | Viking Motorsports
What’s Happening? Anthony Alfredo will race for Viking Motorsports in 2026, with the team set to expand to two full-time efforts…
Alfredo is yet again switching teams in 2026, jumping into an expanded effort at Viking Motorsports in their new No. 96 car. This will be the long-time Chevrolet driver’s fourth different NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team in as many years, and his fifth full-time season in NASCAR’s secondary series.
No. 99 | Parker Retzlaff | Viking Motorsports
What’s Happening? Viking Motorsports has announced that 22-year-old NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series veteran Parker Retzlaff will pilot their No. 99…
Retzlaff moves to his third team in three years in 2026, taking his talents from Alpha Prime Racing to another young Chevrolet team, Viking Motorsports. On the face of it, the 22-year-old had a worse 2025 season compared to his 2024 season at Jordan Anderson Racing, though a deeper look shows that his average finish increased despite a drop-off in the quality of race craft.
This article will be updated throughout the 2025 season and off-season, should any roster or driver changes/signings happen.
