The 2026 NASCAR season is already shaping up to be transformative, with the Richard Childress Racing alliance drawing attention for its role in a bold team move. Amid significant reshuffling of teams and sponsors, SS GreenLight Racing’s decision reflects a drive for continuity and ambition in a turbulent era for the sport.
SS GreenLight Racing Backs Josh Bilicki for Full 2026 Campaign
Amid closures and mergers across the NASCAR landscape, SS GreenLight Racing has committed to a full-season campaign in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for 2026, centered around their technical partnership with Richard Childress Racing. The team announced Wisconsin native Josh Bilicki will drive the No. 07 Chevrolet for the entire season, granting him his first full-time shot after years of working part-time agreements across multiple series.
Bilicki, born in 1995, has carved out a reputation as a persistent journeyman, having competed in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and select Truck Series events. Despite more than a hundred starts across national NASCAR tours, he had never enjoyed the stability of week-in, week-out competition—until now. This opportunity marks a dramatic shift in his career, providing the consistency and resources rarely offered to drivers outside of blue-chip teams.
SS GreenLight Racing has been an underdog in NASCAR since Bobby Dotter founded it in 2001. Often working with limited funding and older equipment, the group has weathered industry shocks that have forced others to scale back or close. Their move to secure Bilicki for every race suggests renewed confidence in the value of perseverance, technical alliances, and the principle that weekly experience builds championship-caliber teams.
Josh Bilicki will get a full-time opportunity in the #NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026. He’ll drive the No. 07 Chevrolet. https://t.co/yuDAoJU4xn— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) November 29, 2025
The team’s decision stands out just as available seats seem to be dwindling in the wake of sponsor uncertainty, competition from major manufacturers, and the overall contraction in the field. SS GreenLight’s decision to back Bilicki is a rare signal of trust and tenacity, echoing the old-fashioned NASCAR ethic of grit and gradual improvement.
I’m really grateful for the opportunity to drive for SS GreenLight Racing full time in 2026 in the newly branded NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series,
— Josh Bilicki, Driver
Having the opportunity to be at the track every weekend creates the consistency needed to move this No. 07 team forward… I’m excited for that challenge.
— Josh Bilicki, Driver
This move also signals a strategic use of the Richard Childress Racing alliance, which supplies technical support and resources to ensure the No. 07 Chevrolet can be competitive against teams with greater budgets. Bilicki’s relentless approach and adaptability are seen by the team as the perfect complement for this stage of their development, hoping the combination can surpass mere survival and contend for meaningful results.
A Veteran’s Full-Time Break Reflects Broader Grid Upheaval
Bilicki’s journey from a patchwork list of part-time rides to a secured seat for an entire season is emblematic of the chaos and opportunity within NASCAR today. While larger teams may attract headlines for their spending and sponsorship deals, small outfits like SS GreenLight Racing demonstrate resilience and resourcefulness. Under Bobby Dotter’s ownership, the team has rarely enjoyed lavish success, but moments of overachievement—marked by strategic calls or excellent racecraft—have kept them relevant amid the sport’s shifting fortunes.
The alliance with Richard Childress Racing goes beyond sharing technical notes, underscoring a commitment to shared goals: develop drivers, maximize limited resources, and maintain a positive garage presence even as many rivals consolidate or disappear. For Bilicki, the full-time ride offers a chance to prove what consistency can yield for a dedicated driver who, unlike prospects in more stable environments, has had to fight for every start.
NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, known for its grueling schedule and mix of veteran talent and rising stars, will spotlight Bilicki’s story as one of endurance and hope for fellow underdogs. Richard Childress Racing’s behind-the-scenes support has already been vital in helping SS GreenLight Racing punch above its weight, both in terms of equipment and strategy.
Young Talent and Contrasting Development Paths
This season’s shakeup isn’t just about veteran drivers catching a break. While the Richard Childress Racing alliance helps veteran Josh Bilicki anchor SS GreenLight, Joe Gibbs Racing now offers a different perspective by betting on youth. Seventeen-year-old Brent Crews, a Toyota development standout, has been tapped to contest 29 of 33 scheduled events in the No. 19 Toyota vehicle due to age restrictions at certain tracks. Crews will receive NASCAR’s standard playoff waivers to remain championship-eligible despite missing a handful of starts.
With notable performances already on his résumé—ten Truck Series events with two top-five and three top-ten finishes, over a hundred laps led, and a runner-up finish at the Charlotte Roval—Crews has rapidly caught the attention of established organizations. He has also secured six ARCA victories spanning the East and West series, making his selection a logical one for a major team such as Joe Gibbs Racing, especially as they seek to nurture talent for the future.
The No. 19 car, celebrated for clinching the owner’s championship in 2025 with an array of Cup Series stars, now offers Crews the opportunity to establish himself in a stable ride. The juxtaposition between Bilicki’s long-awaited regular gig and Crews’ accelerated promotion underscores the split philosophies across team management, with consistent experience weighed against raw potential. Both stories contain echoes of classic NASCAR values—determination, skill-building, and the drive to compete at the highest level week after week.
Impact of Alliances and Significance of the 2026 Moves
The ongoing transformation in NASCAR, as seen in the Richard Childress Racing alliance with SS GreenLight and Joe Gibbs Racing’s investment in Brent Crews, points to a defining season ahead. Alliances have grown in importance, with major teams lending technical expertise, chassis, and knowledge to smaller groups to raise the overall level of the field. Richard Childress Racing’s support is a game-changer for SS GreenLight Racing, allowing them access to technology they might otherwise not afford and positioning them to potentially upset more established teams.
Meanwhile, these driver selections reflect both creative risk and pragmatic strategy. Bilicki’s case shows that industry veterans still have opportunities if they can find the right platform—especially under the guidance of experienced owners like Bobby Dotter and the influential Richard Childress. At the same time, prospects like Brent Crews illustrate how teams want to lock down emerging talent before it is scooped up elsewhere, even if that means managing complexities with race eligibility or playoff status.
The broader NASCAR audience, from longtime fans to newer followers of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, will watch closely as SS GreenLight Racing attempts to rise with Bilicki at the wheel. The team aims to challenge the narrative that only the best-funded entries can succeed. Richard Childress Racing’s role as a technical backbone could provide the edge needed to move the No. 07 Chevrolet up the pecking order, reshaping the competitive balance for 2026.
Both Bilicki and Crews embody the range of opportunities and challenges that define today’s sport. Whether advancing through decades of resilience or leaping forward as a teenage prodigy, these drivers represent the persistent hope and passion at the heart of NASCAR, where alliances like that with Richard Childress Racing can make all the difference in who rises, who stays, and who surprises.
Josh Bilicki will get a full-time opportunity in the #NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026. He'll drive the No. 07 Chevrolet. https://t.co/yuDAoJU4xn
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) November 29, 2025
