Luke Fenhaus Bio
Lucas Fenhaus (born April 8, 2004) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is best known for his success in regional late model touring series and for climbing the NASCAR ladder through the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Fenhaus has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing and currently races part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Hettinger Racing. His blend of Midwest short-track roots and national-series experience has made him one of the more closely followed young drivers in American motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Lucas Fenhaus was born on April 8, 2004, in Wausau, Wisconsin. He grew up in a family with deep ties to motorsports, as his cousin, father, and grandfather all raced snowmobiles on ice oval tracks. Inspired by their example, Fenhaus began his own racing journey on snowmobiles before eventually transitioning to paved-surface competition through go-kart and Bandolero racing.
At the age of fourteen, Fenhaus began competing in late model events at State Park Speedway in his hometown of Wausau. He grew up watching races at the short track and was especially inspired by Wisconsin racer Tim Sauter and his success at the facility. Fenhaus later attended Wausau East High School, graduating early in 2022 in order to relocate to North Carolina, where most NASCAR teams are based.
Path to NASCAR
Fenhaus’s rise through the racing ranks began with a strong late model foundation in the Midwest. He was part of the Alan Kulwicki Driver Development Program from 2019 to 2021, won the 2018 Midwest Truck Series Rookie of the Year, and captured the Lodi Memorial along with the 2018 track championship at State Park Speedway. His continued success in regional events earned him the CARS Pro Late Model Tour Rookie of the Year honor in 2022.
That same year, Fenhaus tested an ARCA Menards Series car for Fast Track Racing at Daytona International Speedway, marking his first stock car outing. The experience helped set the stage for a full-time ARCA campaign the following season, which served as his formal entry point into the NASCAR ladder system.
Luke Fenhaus Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
Fenhaus’s earliest documented national recognition came in 2018 when he was named Midwest Truck Series Rookie of the Year. He continued to develop his late model skills at State Park Speedway and other short tracks in Wisconsin, building a reputation as a disciplined and competitive young driver in the upper Midwest.
His breakthrough season arrived in 2021, when he won the Alive for 5 Super Late Model Series Championship, the Dells Icebreaker, and the prestigious Slinger Nationals. The Slinger Nationals victory earned him a coveted invitation to compete in the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) event at Slinger Speedway, where he finished second behind Marco Andretti and led the most laps against a field of current and former NASCAR and IndyCar drivers.
CARS Tour Breakthrough (2022)
In 2022, Fenhaus moved into the CARS Pro Late Model Tour, driving the No. 96 Chevrolet for Highlands Motorsports. He won the series championship in its inaugural season, becoming the CARS Pro Late Model Tour Champion while also earning the tour’s Rookie of the Year award. The championship cemented his status as one of the top rising late model talents in the country.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2023)
On March 3, 2023, Fenhaus was announced as a full-season driver for Pinnacle Racing Group in the ARCA Menards Series East, piloting the No. 28 car. He opened the season with a victory at the Music City 200 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and later added a second win at Iowa Speedway in the Calypso Lemonade 150. Across the combined ARCA Menards Series and ARCA East schedules, he recorded two wins, seven top-ten finishes, and no poles.
Fenhaus finished the 2023 ARCA East season ranked second in the championship standings behind William Sawalich after a crash at Bristol Motor Speedway in the finale. He also made select starts in the ARCA Menards Series, with his best overall result being 30th in points.
ThorSport Racing Era (2024–2025)
In 2024, it was revealed that Fenhaus would make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway), driving the No. 66 Ford for ThorSport Racing. He finished tenth in that debut, then added starts at Pocono Raceway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, finishing twenty-second and seventh respectively.
In 2025, Fenhaus returned to ThorSport Racing for an expanded eleven-race Truck Series schedule in the No. 66 Ford F-150. He scored his first career Truck Series pole at Michigan International Speedway and earned his best career Truck Series finish of third place. Across his Truck Series career to date, Fenhaus has recorded zero wins, three top-ten finishes, and one pole, with a best series points result of 27th in 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Fenhaus is widely regarded as a polished short-track racer whose late-model background translates well to the drafting and restarts common in the Truck Series. His regional championship pedigree suggests strong race craft and consistency, while his pole at Michigan indicates raw straight-line speed. His partnership with ThorSport Racing has provided the structure needed to refine his skills at the national level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his 2021 Slinger Nationals win, his runner-up finish and most-laps-led performance in the SRX race at Slinger Speedway, his back-to-back ARCA East wins at Nashville and Iowa in 2023, and his first career Truck Series pole and third-place finish at Michigan in 2025. His Truck Series debut top-ten at Gateway also stands out as an early milestone.
Luke Fenhaus Career Wins
Luke Fenhaus has compiled a varied winning résumé across regional and national touring series, beginning with regional championships in the upper Midwest and extending into ARCA national competition. His victories span super late model events, the CARS Pro Late Model Tour, and the ARCA Menards Series East.
Series Highlights
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Fenhaus collected two career wins (Nashville Fairgrounds and Iowa Speedway in 2023) along with seven top-ten finishes. In the combined ARCA Menards Series, he scored one win, three top-ten finishes, and no poles, with a best championship result of 30th in 2023.
Other Wins & Performances
Fenhaus captured the 2021 Alive for 5 Super Late Model Series Championship, the 2021 Dells Icebreaker, and the 2021 Slinger Nationals, establishing himself as a premier short-track racer. He added the 2022 CARS Pro Late Model Tour Championship in its inaugural season. He has yet to record a national NASCAR victory, with zero wins across his Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts combined.
Luke Fenhaus Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Fenhaus comes from a family with deep racing roots. His cousin, father, and grandfather all raced snowmobiles on ice oval tracks, which directly influenced his early decision to enter motorsports. This family connection to racing provided both the inspiration and the foundation for his transition from snowmobiles to go-karts and eventually to stock cars.
Personal Life
Fenhaus graduated early from Wausau East High School in 2022 and relocated from Wisconsin to North Carolina to be closer to NASCAR team headquarters. He has cited Kevin Harvick as an inspiration, which is why he chose to race the No. 4 in late models and adopted a similar font style used by Harvick in the Cup Series.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season marked Fenhaus’s most extensive national schedule to date. He competed in eleven races with ThorSport Racing in the No. 66 Ford F-150, expanding on his three-race 2024 debut campaign and continuing his development within the team.
His strongest performance came at Michigan International Speedway, where he captured his first career Truck Series pole position and earned his best career finish of third place. He closed the season with the Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing the year ranked 27th in the Truck Series standings with zero wins, three top-ten finishes, and one pole.
Looking ahead, Fenhaus has been announced as a part-time driver in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Hettinger Racing in the No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, beginning with the 2026 United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway. His ongoing partnership with established teams signals continued progression up the NASCAR ladder.
