Sam Mayer Bio
Samuel Adam Mayer, known professionally as Sam Mayer, is an American professional stock car racing driver born on June 26, 2003, in Franklin, Wisconsin. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Haas Factory Team. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing roughly 165 pounds, Mayer has built a reputation as one of the most promising young talents in American motorsports. He first rose to national attention as a two-time champion of the ARCA Menards Series East in 2019 and 2020.
Early Life and Background
Sam Mayer was born and raised in Franklin, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. His father, Scott Mayer, is a former IndyCar Series driver and the founder of QPS Employment Group, a staffing company that has grown into one of the largest employment firms in the Midwest. Growing up around his father’s racing background, Sam was introduced to motorsports at a very young age.
He began competing in go-kart events at the age of four and quickly developed a passion for racing. Although his father had an open-wheel background, Sam chose stock car racing as his path during his preteen years. The family made frequent trips to short tracks across Wisconsin, and by his early teens, Mayer was already making a name for himself at regional venues.
During the summer of 2017, when he turned fourteen, Mayer spent time in Charlotte, North Carolina, racing Legends cars. He won the Young Lions division of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout, an early sign of his growing talent. He also won at Greenville-Pickens Speedway to become the track’s youngest winner and claimed a Midwest Truck Series race at Dells Raceway Park in his first series start.
Path to NASCAR
Mayer’s journey into NASCAR began through the late model racing ranks. In 2017, he connected with industry veteran Lorin Ranier, who helped him secure a late model ride with JR Motorsports in the CARS Tour for 2018. That same year, Ranier also linked Mayer with MDM Motorsports for a limited slate of races in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, with age restrictions limiting which tracks he could compete on.
In 2018, Mayer earned recognition as the CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year and was voted the series’ Most Popular Driver. He also won at Wake County Speedway and finished second to Stephen Nasse at the World Series of Asphalt. His performances attracted the attention of GMS Racing, which signed him to a development deal in late 2018.
Sam Mayer Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Sam Mayer’s early career was built on a foundation of short-track success. His 2017 Legends car championship at Charlotte Motor Speedway marked his first major achievement, and he quickly transitioned into Limited Late Model competition. He won at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, becoming the track’s youngest winner, and added a Midwest Truck Series victory at Dells Raceway Park in his first series start.
In 2018, Mayer competed in the CARS Tour with JR Motorsports, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors and Most Popular Driver recognition. He also made select ARCA Racing Series and K&N Pro Series East starts with MDM Motorsports. One of his most impressive moments came at Wake County Speedway, where he collected a CARS Tour victory.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Mayer made his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2018 at Iowa Speedway, finishing inside the top ten. Over the next two seasons, he became one of the series’ most dominant drivers. In 2020, he won his first ARCA race at Toledo and went on to claim the ARCA Menards Series East championship for the second straight year, this time with an average finish of 1.2 across the season. He also won the inaugural ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship that year.
Mayer added victories at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and swept both the Truck Series and ARCA events at Bristol in a single night. He also made a TA2 Trans-Am start at Road America, where a crash resulted in a hairline wrist fracture that briefly sidelined him.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2021–2024)
After signing with JR Motorsports in late 2020, Mayer transitioned into the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He ran a part-time schedule in 2021 before going full-time in 2022, replacing Michael Annett in the No. 1 car. His first full season produced a seventh-place points finish, with a runner-up result at Talladega standing out as his best performance.
Mayer’s breakthrough came in 2023 when he scored his first career Xfinity Series victory at Road America. He added wins at Watkins Glen, the Charlotte Roval, and Homestead-Miami Speedway, advancing to the Championship 4 and finishing third in the final standings. In 2024, he earned a dramatic victory at Texas Motor Speedway, winning by 0.002 seconds over Ryan Sieg, and added a second win at Iowa. He also claimed a victory at the Charlotte Roval during the playoffs.
Haas Factory Team Era (2025–Present)
On August 17, 2024, Sam Mayer signed with Haas Factory Team to drive the No. 41 Ford beginning in 2025. The move marked a fresh chapter for both Mayer and the relatively new Haas Factory Team organization. He started the season with a runner-up finish at Daytona and stayed consistent throughout the year, building momentum with strong runs across both ovals and road courses.
Mayer’s standout moment with Haas came at Iowa Speedway, where he captured the win and delivered the team’s first victory of its existence, as well as the first Ford victory of the 2025 season. Later in the year, NASCAR suspended Mayer for one race after an incident on the cooldown lap at Martinsville, with Ryan Sieg substituting for him at Phoenix. The team and driver parted ways at the end of the 2025 season, with Mayer moving to JR Motorsports for 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sam Mayer is widely regarded as a versatile driver who performs well on both oval tracks and road courses. His ability to adapt to different track types was on full display during his breakthrough 2023 Xfinity Series season, when he won at Road America, Watkins Glen, the Charlotte Roval, and Homestead. Mayer has also shown a knack for close finishes, highlighted by his 0.002-second victory at Texas in 2024, one of the closest finishes in Xfinity Series history.
Notable Races and Milestones
Some of Sam Mayer’s most memorable races include his first Xfinity Series win at Road America in 2023, his Texas victory over Ryan Sieg in 2024, and his Iowa win with Haas Factory Team in 2025. He also became the youngest NASCAR national series champion at 16 years, 3 months, and 8 days when he won the 2019 K&N Pro Series East title. His on-track altercation with Ty Gibbs at Martinsville in 2022 remains one of the more talked-about moments of his early Xfinity career.
Sam Mayer Career Wins
Sam Mayer has compiled an impressive list of victories across multiple NASCAR and ARCA series. He has won races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West. Across his career, Mayer has earned championships in the K&N Pro Series East and the ARCA Menards Series East, along with the inaugural ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown title in 2020.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Sam Mayer has recorded 8 wins, 81 top-ten finishes, and 6 poles in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. His first victory came at Road America in 2023, and his most recent win came at Iowa in 2025. He finished third in the 2023 standings, the best of his career so far, and earned a spot in the Championship 4 that same year. Mayer also earned a reputation for dramatic finishes, including his 0.002-second victory at Texas in 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Mayer scored 1 win, 5 top-ten finishes, and 0 poles. He also earned 5 wins in the ARCA Menards Series, 9 wins in the ARCA Menards Series East, and 2 wins in the ARCA Menards Series West. His combined accomplishments across regional and national series have made him one of the most decorated young drivers in American motorsports.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 8 | 81 | 6 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 5 | 23 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 9 | 21 | 5 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Sam Mayer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sam Mayer comes from a family with deep ties to both racing and business. His father, Scott Mayer, is a former IndyCar Series driver and the founder of QPS Employment Group, a staffing firm with branches across eight states. Through QPS, Scott founded Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions, which became Sam’s primary sponsor in the Xfinity Series. Sam’s early exposure to motorsports came largely through his father’s racing background and his family’s strong support of his career.
Personal Life
Sam Mayer is known for keeping much of his personal life private. As of the latest available information, he is not married and does not have any children. He continues to focus on his racing career and his growing list of accomplishments across NASCAR’s national and regional series.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Sam Mayer’s first year with Haas Factory Team, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro SS. The transition came after he signed with the team in August 2024, and the pairing produced immediate results. Mayer opened the year with a second-place finish at Daytona and quickly established himself as a consistent presence near the front of the field.
His biggest highlight came at Iowa Speedway, where Mayer delivered Haas Factory Team its first-ever victory in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The win was also the first for Ford in the series that season, giving both Mayer and the new team a major confidence boost. Throughout the year, he logged multiple top-ten finishes and remained in playoff contention.
Late in the season, Mayer received a one-race suspension from NASCAR for an intentional wreck during the cooldown lap at Martinsville. Ryan Sieg replaced him for the Phoenix finale, and Mayer finished the year tenth in the final standings. Despite the late-season setback, 2025 was a strong debut season for Mayer and Haas Factory Team, with the Iowa win serving as a clear sign of progress for the young organization.
