Alpha Prime Racing Overview
Alpha Prime Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Founded in 2009 by Craig Martins under the original name Martins Motorsports, the team rebranded as Alpha Prime Racing in 2022 following a partnership with Caesar Bacarella. The organization is co-owned by Craig Martins, Tommy Joe Martins, and Caesar Bacarella, with Tommy Joe Martins also serving as president and general manager. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the team fields Chevrolet Camaros across multiple car numbers, including two full-time entries in 2025.
The team fields several entries in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, including the No. 44 driven by Brennan Poole and the No. 45 driven by Lavar Scott. Caesar Bacarella runs part-time in the No. 4. The team also holds a record of 268 total races competed across the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Truck Series, and ARCA Racing Series, though it has yet to record a victory at the top national levels. The team’s identity is rooted in its family-owned origins, its underdog mindset, and a steady expansion from short regional efforts into a multi-car national operation.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Alpha Prime Racing traces its roots to 2009, when Craig Martins established Martins Motorsports as a family-run racing operation. The team was created with the goal of providing an accessible, independent path into NASCAR’s national touring series for the Martins family and its close circle of supporters. From its earliest days, the team operated on a lean budget, relying on family resources, handshake agreements, and modest sponsorship to keep cars on track.
The organization made its competitive debut at the 2009 AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway in the Camping World Truck Series with Tommy Joe Martins behind the wheel. The team expanded in subsequent seasons, adding entries in the ARCA Racing Series and the Nationwide Series, then known as the second tier of NASCAR competition. The shop was built gradually, with chassis acquired from established teams and engines sourced through independent builders. The early operational structure was centered on family members handling key roles, including driving duties, mechanical preparation, and team management.
Growth Into NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Competition
Martins Motorsports took its first steps into what is now the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2014, fielding cars in the No. 67 and No. 76 entries. The early seasons were a learning experience, with the team frequently failing to qualify for races and operating as start-and-park entries at higher-paying events. After stepping away from the series following the 2014 season, the team focused its efforts on the Camping World Truck Series, where it built a modest but consistent presence through 2017.
Following a period of inactivity in 2018 and 2019, Martins Motorsports announced its return to the Xfinity Series in December 2019, with longtime sponsor Rodney Riessen joining Craig Martins as a co-owner. The team purchased chassis from GMS Racing and JGL Racing to bolster its inventory. In August 2021, the team announced a partnership with Caesar Bacarella, and in 2022 the operation rebranded as Alpha Prime Racing, named after Bacarella’s fitness brand. The rebranding coincided with an expansion of the driver lineup and an increase in competitive ambitions, marking the team’s formal growth into a multi-car national program.
Alpha Prime Racing Competitive Journey
Alpha Prime Racing’s competitive journey has unfolded across the ARCA Racing Series, the Camping World Truck Series, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. From modest beginnings as a small family operation, the team has progressed into a multi-car Chevrolet program competing full-time in the national Xfinity Series, steadily building its infrastructure and on-track results while remaining independent and family-led.
Early Seasons and Development (2009–2017)
The team’s earliest competitive years were spent primarily in the Camping World Truck Series, beginning with Tommy Joe Martins’ four-race schedule in 2009. The team made additional Truck Series starts in 2011 and returned to the series on a more regular basis between 2016 and 2017. In 2010, the team expanded into the ARCA Racing Series at Daytona with the No. 95 Ford, where Tommy Joe Martins finished eighth. The team also entered ARCA at Daytona in 2011 with a No. 42 Dodge, finishing fourteenth.
In 2014, Martins Motorsports made its initial foray into the Nationwide Series with the No. 67 and No. 76 entries, though the team struggled to qualify and largely operated as a start-and-park team. The team’s most sustained early progress came in the Truck Series, where partnerships with Brandonbilt Motorsports and AM Racing helped sustain operations through the 2017 season. In December 2017, the team announced its closure due to financial pressures and the loss of committed drivers and sponsors, ending its first chapter.
Breakthrough in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2020–2024)
The team’s return to the Xfinity Series in 2020 marked the beginning of a steady climb. Tommy Joe Martins recorded the team’s first top-10 finish on October 24, 2020, at Texas Motor Speedway, placing tenth. The team continued to build momentum in 2021 and, in August 2021, formed a partnership with Caesar Bacarella that led to the rebranding as Alpha Prime Racing in 2022. The 2022 season featured three drivers, including Tommy Joe Martins, Caesar Bacarella, and Rajah Caruth, marking the team’s first multi-car effort under the new name.
Between 2023 and 2024, Alpha Prime Racing expanded its program with additional part-time and full-time entries across the No. 43, No. 44, and No. 45. The team signed Jeffrey Earnhardt for a full-time ride in 2023 and Brennan Poole for a full-time seat in 2024, with sponsorship from Finance Pro Plus and Macc Door Systems. In March 2025, Poole earned Alpha Prime Racing’s first top-five finish on a non-superspeedway track with a fourth-place result at Martinsville, signaling the team’s arrival as a credible competitor in the series.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
In 2025, Alpha Prime Racing operates two full-time entries, the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Brennan Poole and the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Lavar Scott, with Caesar Bacarella running part-time in the No. 4. The team also announced additional part-time efforts with the No. 5 and the No. 43, expanding its presence on the grid. The organization has continued to invest in its Mooresville, North Carolina shop and its engineering capabilities, drawing on chassis partnerships and owner-point acquisitions to support its growth.
The team’s competitive direction has emphasized steady improvement, diversification of sponsors, and the development of younger drivers alongside experienced hands. In March and April 2025, Alpha Prime Racing recorded back-to-back top-five finishes, including a historic double top-five at Rockingham, where Parker Retzlaff finished second and Poole fourth following post-race disqualifications. The team announced in late 2025 that both Poole and Scott would return for the 2026 season, signaling continued stability and ambition.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Alpha Prime Racing’s core identity is built on an underdog, family-first philosophy that values perseverance, resourcefulness, and steady growth over flash. The team tends to perform best on short tracks and intermediate ovals, where mechanical grip and disciplined pit work can offset limited resources. Its competitive strengths lie in driver development, race-day adaptability, and the ability to extract consistent finishes from well-prepared equipment.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones in Alpha Prime Racing’s history include its 2009 debut in the Camping World Truck Series, its first top-10 Xfinity Series finish at Texas in 2020, the 2022 rebranding as Alpha Prime Racing, and its first top-five non-superspeedway finishes at Martinsville and Rockingham in 2025. The team’s first double top-five at Rockingham in 2025 stands as a landmark moment in its young history.
Alpha Prime Racing Achievements and Results
Alpha Prime Racing has recorded a total of 268 races across the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the Truck Series, and the ARCA Racing Series, including 225 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts, 41 Truck Series starts, and 2 ARCA starts. The team has not yet recorded a victory, pole position, or drivers’ championship at any of the three national levels. Its achievements to date are measured in steady growth, infrastructure development, and progressively stronger on-track results.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Achievements
Across 225 starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Alpha Prime Racing has notched multiple top-10 and top-5 finishes, including a program-defining fourth-place result by Brennan Poole at Martinsville in March 2025. The team’s first top-five on a non-superspeedway came at Martinsville, and a second followed three weeks later at Rockingham, where the team earned its first-ever double top-five. The team has steadily expanded from a single-car effort in 2020 to a multi-car program competing full-time across the 2025 season.
Conference Achievements
Alpha Prime Racing competes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series without a formal conference structure. As an independent single-team operation fielding Chevrolet Camaros, the team does not accumulate conference titles or divisional standings under the series’ championship format.
Divisional Achievements
Alpha Prime Racing does not compete within a divisional framework. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is contested as a national tour rather than a regional or divisional championship, and the team’s results are measured against the full series standings rather than divisional rankings.
Series Achievements
In the Camping World Truck Series, Martins Motorsports made 41 total starts between 2009 and 2017, with a best finish of 21st at Chicagoland in 2009. In the ARCA Racing Series, the team recorded two starts at Daytona, finishing eighth in 2010 and fourteenth in 2011. Across all three national series combined, the team has recorded 268 starts without a victory or pole position, reflecting its status as a developing independent organization.
