Cook Racing Technologies Overview
Cook Racing Technologies is an American professional stock car racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Founded in 1998, the team currently competes in the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, and the ARCA Menards Series West, fielding part-time entries for multiple drivers. Owned by veteran crew chief Bruce Cook, the organization has built its identity around developing emerging talent and supporting part-time programs across NASCAR’s developmental ladder.
Across its three primary ARCA divisions, Cook Racing Technologies has accumulated 3 total race victories, 1 pole position, and 111 combined race entries. The team has yet to capture a drivers’ championship in any of the series in which it competes, but it remains an active presence in American stock car racing through its Toyota and Chevrolet partnerships.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The organization traces its roots to 1998, when Jeff Finley partnered with NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader to field the No. 99 car at Salem Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. That early effort established the Finley family’s long involvement in ARCA competition and laid the groundwork for the team’s presence in the ARCA Menards Series. In 2000, Jeff Finley fielded the No. 82 car for himself, attempting to qualify for the first six races of the season and managing to start one event.
The modern chapter of the team began in 2016, when driver Chad Finley formed a part-time ARCA Racing Series team, fielding the No. 51 Chevrolet with himself behind the wheel. The team made its debut at Michigan, starting and finishing thirteenth, before posting a strong fifth-place run at IRP. Despite an engine issue at Chicagoland that ended their first season early, the program gave the Finley family a renewed foundation in stock car racing.
Growth Into ARCA Menards Series Competition
In 2017, the team scored its breakthrough moment when Chad Finley pulled off an upset win at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the No. 51 car. That victory validated the part-time effort and helped the team gain credibility within the ARCA garage. The following year, on June 20, 2018, it was announced that Chad Finley would enter the summer Gateway race fielding his self-owned No. 42 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, finishing an impressive sixth in that debut.
On December 5, 2018, the team announced that the No. 42 would run full-time in the 2019 Truck Series season, with Chad Finley, Robby Lyons, and other drivers splitting the ride. However, a hauler accident while exiting Atlanta Motor Speedway caused severe damage to both the hauler and the race trucks inside, forcing the team to withdraw from both the spring Las Vegas and Martinsville races. On November 21, 2019, Finley announced the team’s Truck Series assets had been sold to focus on racing in the American Ethanol Late Model Tour. Shortly after, on January 30, 2020, crew chief Bruce Cook took over most of the ownership of the stock-car program, and the team was renamed Cook-Finley Racing. The organization debuted in the ARCA Menards Series East that same year, fielding the No. 42 Toyota part-time for Parker Retzlaff starting at Five Flags, with a technical partnership formed with Visconti Motorsports.
Cook Racing Technologies Competitive Journey
Cook Racing Technologies has progressed from a small family-led ARCA effort in the late 1990s into a multi-series operation competing across the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West. The team has expanded its car count over the years, running the No. 17, No. 42, and occasionally the No. 41, while also maintaining a part-time Craftsman Truck Series presence with the No. 84. Its competitive journey reflects a steady emphasis on driver development, manufacturer flexibility, and regional series participation.
Early Seasons and Development (1998-2017)
The team’s earliest recorded entries came in 1998 at Salem Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway with Ken Schrader and Jeff Finley in the No. 99 car. Jeff Finley returned in 2000 with the No. 82, attempting six races and starting one. After years away from active competition, Chad Finley revived the program in 2016 with the No. 51 Chevrolet, racing part-time in the ARCA Racing Series. The 2016 season featured a thirteenth-place debut at Michigan, a fifth-place run at IRP, and an early exit at Chicagoland due to an engine issue.
In 2017, the team’s first victory arrived when Chad Finley won at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, providing a foundation for future expansion. The No. 51 program continued through 2018, when Chad Finley also began fielding the No. 42 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Gateway and Bristol. The Bristol effort ended in a disappointing 30th-place result after an early engine failure, but the Gateway sixth-place finish demonstrated the organization’s growing competitive potential.
Breakthrough in ARCA Menards Series (2018-2020)
On December 5, 2018, the team announced the No. 42 would run full-time in the 2019 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, sharing the drive among Chad Finley, Robby Lyons, and other drivers. The season-opener at Daytona ended in a lap-2 accident, and Atlanta brought another incident that resulted in a 28th-place finish. A hauler accident after Atlanta forced the team to withdraw from both the spring Las Vegas and Martinsville races, but Texas produced a solid 15th-place run with Garrett Smithley, and Charlotte and Kentucky added further data for the program.
On November 21, 2019, Finley announced the Truck Series assets had been sold to focus on late model racing. On January 30, 2020, Bruce Cook assumed primary ownership of the stock-car program, and the team was renamed Cook-Finley Racing. The organization then debuted in the ARCA Menards Series East with Parker Retzlaff driving the No. 42 Toyota, beginning a new era focused on ARCA competition and driver development.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2020-Present)
From 2020 onward, Cook Racing Technologies expanded its footprint across the ARCA Menards Series East and West while continuing its main ARCA Menards Series program. Parker Retzlaff signed with the team full-time in 2020, driving the No. 42 and earning five top-ten finishes plus a fourth-place standing in the East series. In 2021, the team made its ARCA Menards Series West debut, fielding the No. 42 for Tony Toste and Christian Rose, and in 2022, Landen Lewis scored a victory at Kern County Raceway Park in the No. 42.
In 2024, Marco Andretti drove the No. 17 Chevrolet in up to fourteen races across the three ARCA divisions. In 2025, Patrick Staropoli was reported to return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the No. 84 at Martinsville, and Kaylee Bryson made her stock car debut in the ARCA Menards Series West at Sonoma Raceway. On January 3, 2026, the team announced that Mini Tyrrell would attempt to make his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona in the No. 17 car. The team’s most recent recorded race is the 2026 General Tire 150 at Phoenix in the ARCA Menards Series West.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Cook Racing Technologies has built its identity around driver development, flexibility across Toyota and Chevrolet chassis, and a willingness to field part-time entries for multiple drivers in any given season. The organization focuses on giving emerging talent exposure in ARCA’s three regional series while maintaining a secondary presence in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series through the No. 84 program.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The team’s most significant milestones include its 1998 debut at Salem Speedway with Ken Schrader, its first ARCA victory at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2017, its Truck Series debut at Gateway in 2018, the 2020 rebranding under Bruce Cook, Parker Retzlaff’s fourth-place East Series finish in 2020, and Landen Lewis’s 2022 West Series win at Kern County Raceway Park. Recent additions include Marco Andretti’s 2024 multi-series program, Patrick Staropoli’s 2025 Truck Series return, and the announcement of Mini Tyrrell’s 2026 ARCA debut.
Cook Racing Technologies Achievements and Results
Cook Racing Technologies has accumulated 3 total race victories and 1 pole position across 111 combined race entries in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team has yet to capture a drivers’ championship in any of those divisions, but its part-time victories and consistent development programs reflect an organization focused on long-term growth in American stock car racing.
ARCA Menards Series Achievements
Cook Racing Technologies has recorded 2 victories in the ARCA Menards Series across 53 race entries. The first victory came in 2017 when Chad Finley won at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the No. 51 car, marking the team’s breakthrough moment. Subsequent campaigns have featured multi-driver lineups, including Parker Retzlaff’s 2020 full-time run and Marco Andretti’s 2024 partial schedule, with the team continuing to field the No. 17 Chevrolet and Toyota in 2025 and 2026.
Conference Achievements
Cook Racing Technologies has not captured a conference-level championship, and the organization operates primarily as a part-time effort rather than a full-season contender. Its conference-level results are best reflected in Parker Retzlaff’s 2020 ARCA Menards Series East fourth-place standing, which remains one of the team’s strongest seasonal performances to date.
Divisional Achievements
The team has yet to secure a divisional title, with all three of its ARCA divisions showing zero drivers’ championships. The ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West campaigns have produced consistent top-ten runs and one West Series win, but no championship-level results. The Craftsman Truck Series program, while limited to 14 total starts, has produced a sixth-place debut finish at Gateway in 2018.
Series Achievements
Across all series, Cook Racing Technologies has recorded 3 total victories: 2 in the ARCA Menards Series and 1 in the ARCA Menards Series West. The team has also earned 1 pole position in the ARCA Menards Series West and has totaled 111 race entries across its competitive divisions. Its drivers’ championships total remains at zero, reflecting the organization’s status as a developing part-time operation rather than a perennial title contender.
