AM Racing Overview
AM Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series from 2016 through 2025. The organization was owned by Tim Self and operated from a Statesville, North Carolina base, with Kevin Cywinski listed as operator and Wade Moore as president. Across its run the team campaigned with multiple manufacturers: Toyota in 2016–2017, Chevrolet from 2018–2022, and Ford from 2023–2025. AM Racing positioned itself as a small independent operation that expanded into multiple national series and maintained technical partnerships and mergers to support growth.
Founding and Organizational Origins
AM Racing opened in 2016 with the objective of fielding competitive entries in NASCAR national series while building a stable shop and personnel core in North Carolina. The team launched under owner Tim Self and initially centered operations around running trucks and developing seat time for family-affiliated drivers. Early organizational structure combined owner-led management with outside partners to address the resource needs common to new teams entering NASCAR competition.
The team pursued operational partnerships early in its history to strengthen race-day performance and technical resources. In 2016 AM Racing entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program and later engaged in alliances and partial operational control arrangements that shaped its early trajectory. Those foundational choices reflected a pragmatic approach to scaling: leverage partnerships to compete while incrementally expanding in-house capabilities.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
AM Racing stepped into NASCAR competition with a full-time Truck Series entry and gradually broadened to ARCA and eventually the Xfinity Series. The team combined direct entries with strategic mergers and technical alliances to field multiple cars and trucks across national and regional series. Notable organizational moves included sharing a shop that formerly belonged to Front Row Motorsports and later a formal merger with Win-Tron Racing that took effect for the 2021 season.
Throughout its expansion, AM Racing balanced independent operations with collaborative arrangements. The team rejoined independent status at times and returned to partnerships when strategic, demonstrating flexibility in structuring race operations to match competitive and commercial goals. This approach enabled AM Racing to contest a range of events from superspeedways to road courses and to develop a varied driver roster.
AM Racing Competitive Journey
AM Racing’s competitive path progressed from Truck Series origins to part-time and full-time efforts in ARCA and a later expansion into the Xfinity Series. The team’s race program accumulated a broad set of starts across NASCAR national and regional series while remaining without a series championship or race victory through its active years. AM Racing recorded owner and driver starts in Truck, Xfinity and ARCA competition and focused on building experience and occasional high finishes.
Early Seasons and Development (2016–2018)
AM Racing debuted in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2016 with the No. 22 Toyota Tundra, driven primarily by Austin Wayne Self. The team’s opening events included the season-opener at Daytona, where its debut truck qualified and finished 19th, and showed incremental improvement through the spring and summer. AM Racing posted its first top-ten at the Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby with a ninth-place finish, marking the program’s initial competitive highlight.
Operational dynamics shifted during the debut season when Win-Tron Racing took over team operations after twelve races, while the Self family retained ownership interest. The team continued to experiment with driver lineups and partnerships, including loaned entries and start assignments that are typical for new teams seeking competitive footing and continuity in owner points.
Breakthrough in Truck Series (2017–2020)
In 2017 AM Racing secured a technical partnership for engine power with Joe Gibbs Racing and fielded multiple entries at marquee events. The year included a standout near-win when Austin Wayne Self finished second driving the No. 32 at the Daytona season-opener, the team’s best finish to that point. The organization cycled drivers and technical relationships while maintaining a presence across the Truck schedule.
The team briefly merged operations with Niece Motorsports for the 2018 season and then split to relaunch independent entries in 2019. AM Racing returned to full-time Truck competition with Austin Wayne Self in 2019, earning a first top-five at Michigan Speedway. The 2019 season also included adversity when Self was suspended for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy; Bubba Wallace substituted for two races before Self was reinstated. Self returned full-time in 2020 and produced two top-ten finishes, concluding the year 16th in points.
Expansion to Xfinity and ARCA (2021–2025)
AM Racing expanded its footprint into ARCA and later the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of a multi-series growth strategy. The organization merged with Win-Tron Racing for the 2021 season, extending its ARCA presence with entries such as the No. 32 and part-time drivers like Howie DiSavino III. ARCA efforts included part-time campaigns and technical alliances to field stock cars at superspeedways and road-course events.
In 2023 AM Racing entered the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the No. 25 and later expanded to field a second Xfinity car, the No. 15, for 2024. The No. 25 carried Brett Moffitt as the announced full-time driver for 2023, while the No. 15 lineup included Hailie Deegan in a multi-year agreement announced for 2024 before the pair parted ways midseason. The Xfinity program featured a mix of full-time and part-time drivers, guest starts from established Cup competitors and rotating talent across the 2024–2025 seasons.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023–2025)
By 2023 AM Racing was operating multiple entries across Xfinity, ARCA and the Truck Series and had transitioned to Ford manufacturer support for 2023–2025. The team based operations in Statesville and used a formerly Front Row Motorsports shop starting in 2020, sharing facilities with Jordan Anderson Racing and Win-Tron Racing before merging with Win-Tron for 2021. Leadership under owner Tim Self, operator Kevin Cywinski and president Wade Moore guided the multi-series effort through the mid-2020s.
Late in 2025 AM Racing announced that it would be acquired by Sigma Performance Services with the acquisition taking effect in 2026, and that the combined operation would continue to field entries in the Xfinity and ARCA programs under the SPS Racing identity. The transaction signaled an organizational transition from founder-led independent operations to a new ownership structure while preserving continuity for select entries.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
AM Racing developed a pragmatic engineering approach centered on resource-sharing, technical alliances and targeted race preparation for specific track types. The team’s operational strengths included flexibility in driver selection, selective focus on superspeedways and intermediate ovals when performance peaks were possible, and the ability to use partnerships to augment engine and chassis support. Pit crew and strategy capabilities varied by series and event, reflecting the realities of a small multi-series organization.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key moments for AM Racing include its 2016 Truck Series debut at Daytona, the first top-ten at the 2016 Eldora Dirt Derby, the runner-up finish at the 2017 Daytona Truck race driving the No. 32, and the team’s expansion into ARCA and the Xfinity Series. Organizational milestones also encompassed the 2018 merger and split with Niece Motorsports, the 2021 merger with Win-Tron Racing, relocation to the Statesville shop in 2020, and the announced 2026 acquisition by Sigma Performance Services.
AM Racing Achievements and Results
Across its career AM Racing accumulated a total of 300 starts across national and regional series but did not record a drivers’ championship or a race victory during the 2016–2025 period. The team’s record lists one pole position at the Xfinity level and a variety of top-five and top-ten finishes, with the most notable race results coming in the Truck Series and select ARCA events. AM Racing’s program emphasized sustainable participation in multiple series while developing drivers and technical relationships.
Xfinity Series Achievements
AM Racing’s Xfinity Series program began in 2023 and expanded in subsequent seasons to two primary car numbers, the No. 25 and the No. 15. The team secured one pole position at the Xfinity level and fielded a mix of full-time and part-time drivers, including announced campaigns and midseason driver changes. The organization used guest drivers and developing talent to combine competitive outings with development goals.
Truck Series and Development Program Success
The team’s Truck Series roots produced AM Racing’s most consistent high finishes, including a second-place finish at Daytona in 2017 and an early top-ten at Eldora in 2016. Across 136 Truck Series starts the operation carved out credible results for a small team and served as a development platform for drivers such as Austin Wayne Self. AM Racing also ran ARCA programs that supported driver development and provided additional race miles to crew and technical staff.
