Vicente Salas Bio
Vicente Austin Salas (born August 20, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Temecula, California. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Alpha Prime Racing. He also competes in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and won the 2023 championship in the Contender Series.
Beginning his career in California karting before transitioning to late model stock cars, Salas has built a résumé that spans real-world circuits and virtual competition. His path has included stints in the CARS Tour, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Early Life and Background
Vicente Austin Salas was born on August 20, 2002, in Temecula, California. Growing up in Southern California placed him near a deep well of grassroots racing, and he began his career in 2018 by racing karts at local tracks in the region. The competitive karting scene in California provided a foundational training ground for his early development behind the wheel.
By the age of fifteen, Salas had progressed to shifter karts and was competing at a national level. This rapid move up the karting ladder reflected both his growing skill and his ambition to race at higher levels. The technical demands of shifter karting, which require precise gear changes and aggressive driving, helped shape his race craft during his formative years.
Like many young racers, Salas’s progression was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which paused real-world competition. Rather than stepping away entirely, he channeled his competitive drive into sim racing, a decision that would later open important doors in his career.
Path to NASCAR
During the pandemic-era slowdown, Salas switched to the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and quickly found success. He scored a dominating virtual win in the 2021 race at Richmond Raceway, leading every single lap. That performance helped establish his reputation in the sim racing community and showed his ability to master new platforms quickly.
In 2022, Salas returned to physical racing, joining the CARS Tour in late model competition, which marked his first time racing a real-life car. A fourth-place finish in his first CARS Tour start convinced team owner Justin Carroll to give him a full-time ride for the 2023 season. That opportunity gave Salas the seat time he needed to pursue NASCAR’s national series.
On March 18, 2024, it was announced that Salas would make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas, driving the No. 20 truck for Young’s Motorsports. He started 31st in that race but finished 34th after transmission issues cut his day short. He later made a second Truck Series start at World Wide Technology Raceway in the No. 91 for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, completing his transition to NASCAR’s national ladder.
Vicente Salas Career
Early Career (2018-2021)
Salas began racing karts at local California tracks in 2018, working his way through the grassroots scene during his early teenage years. Within a few seasons, he had advanced to shifter karts and was competing nationally, gaining experience against some of the country’s top young karting talents. These early karting years laid the technical and mental foundation for everything that followed.
When the COVID-19 pandemic halted real-world competition, Salas pivoted to the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. His 2021 win at Richmond Raceway, in which he led every lap, was a defining early moment and announced his arrival on the sim racing stage.
CARS Tour Breakthrough (2022-2023)
Salas entered the CARS Tour in 2022 as a late model rookie, and an impressive fourth-place finish in his debut convinced Justin Carroll to offer him a full-time ride for the 2023 season. The CARS Tour gave Salas his first sustained exposure to stock car racing in a real-world car. The 2023 campaign also included winning the Contender Series championship, a notable accomplishment that bridged his short-track work with his national series ambitions.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Debut (2024)
Salas made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas in 2024, driving the No. 20 for Young’s Motorsports. The race ended early because of transmission trouble, but it represented a major milestone as his first national NASCAR start. He added a second Truck Series start at World Wide Technology Raceway with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, gaining additional experience at the national level.
Alpha Prime Racing Era (2025-Present)
In 2025, Salas moved into the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Xfinity Series) with Alpha Prime Racing, driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro SS. His first race in the series came at Rockingham in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250, and his most recent start was the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland. He continues to balance his national series schedule with his ongoing efforts in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Salas built his foundation in shifter karts, which demand precise gear work and aggressive cornering, and that background shows in his confident feel for the race car. His sim racing success at Richmond, where he led every lap, points to a driver who is comfortable controlling a race from the front. Working with Alpha Prime Racing, he has continued to develop his stock car instincts across both road courses and ovals.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series win at Richmond Raceway, leading every lap, stands as one of his signature early performances. The 2023 Contender Series championship and his Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas in 2024 were also defining moments. His 2025 move to Alpha Prime Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series marked his arrival as a regular in a NASCAR national touring series.
Vicente Salas Career Wins
Salas’s verified victories to date are rooted in sim racing and short-track competition rather than NASCAR national series. His 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series win at Richmond and his 2023 Contender Series championship represent his most celebrated results. In NASCAR’s national touring series, he is still building toward his first top-tier win.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Salas’s 2025 campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Alpha Prime Racing has produced a 66th-place ranking in the standings, with no wins, top tens, or poles recorded so far. His first start came at Rockingham, and his most recent start came at Portland, giving him experience at a variety of track types. He is still in the early stages of his national series development.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Across his two Truck Series starts in 2024, Salas finished 61st in the season standings. His debut at Circuit of the Americas with Young’s Motorsports was cut short by transmission issues, and his second start came with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. These appearances were primarily developmental and gave him valuable seat time at the national level.
Vicente Salas Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Salas’s family background is limited, and he has not publicly discussed a multi-generation racing lineage. His rapid rise from local California karting to NASCAR’s national series has been driven by his own results and the opportunities his performances created.
Personal Life
Salas continues to be based in his home state of California, and his career remains centered on building a full-time presence in NASCAR’s national touring series. Details about his personal relationships and family life are not publicly documented.
2025 Season Performance
Salas’s 2025 season centers on his part-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign with Alpha Prime Racing in the No. 45 Chevrolet. His first race of the year came at Rockingham in the North Carolina Education Lottery 250, and he has continued to gain experience across different track layouts, including a start at Portland. The season has been developmental, focused on building comfort and pace at the national level.
As the year progresses, Salas has been working to translate his sim racing and short-track success into consistent national series results. With Alpha Prime Racing, he has the benefit of a competitive environment and a crew group familiar with the demands of stock car racing. The 2025 schedule is giving him a chance to learn the rhythms of full race weekends in NASCAR’s second-tier series.
Looking ahead, Salas is positioned to keep adding starts and mileage in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series while maintaining his eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series commitments. Continued improvement in qualifying and race trim will be key to moving up the standings. His mix of virtual and real-world experience gives him a broad skill base to draw from as he works toward a full-time national series role.
