Halmar Friesen Racing Overview
Halmar Friesen Racing is an American professional stock car and dirt track racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team fields the No. 52 Toyota Tundra full time for Stewart Friesen and operates a No. 62 Toyota program. The organization is based in Statesville, North Carolina, and lists Chris Larsen and Stewart Friesen as owners.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Halmar Friesen Racing opened in 2016 with a dual focus on national truck competition and regional modified racing. The team originated around Stewart Friesen’s transition from a dirt and modified background into national NASCAR competition, combining his driving experience with Chris Larsen’s resources to build a professional operation. From the outset the organization maintained links to dirt racing and continued to support modified programs in the Northeastern United States.
Early operational choices reflected a pragmatic approach to building competitive equipment quickly. For its debut at the 2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby, the team used a body supplied by Kyle Busch Motorsports and an engine from Richard Childress Racing, signaling immediate technical cooperation with established NASCAR suppliers while the shop and staff infrastructure were still being developed in Statesville.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
After debuting at Eldora in 2016, Halmar Friesen Racing moved to a full Truck Series schedule in 2017, renumbering its primary entry to the No. 52. The team hired experienced personnel and initially brought in Tommy Baldwin Jr. as team manager to provide NASCAR-level leadership. That period was marked by the team finding its footing on both dirt and paved short tracks while expanding personnel and technical resources.
Throughout its early growth the team established technical alliances that shaped its competitive capacity. After a partnership shift in 2017 and 2018 the team formed an alliance with GMS Racing, which provided technical support and parts-sharing benefits. Later, in December 2019, Halmar Friesen Racing announced a switch from Chevrolet to Toyota in an alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, a move that redefined its manufacturer support from 2020 onward.
Halmar Friesen Racing Competitive Journey
Halmar Friesen Racing has progressed from a part-time dirt-focused entrant to a consistent full-time contender in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team mixes national truck competition with continued involvement in regional dirt and modified racing, using its Truck Series efforts to develop personnel and showcase driver Stewart Friesen.
Early Seasons and Development (2016–2018)
The team debuted in 2016 at the Eldora Dirt Derby and expanded to a full Truck Series effort in 2017 with the No. 52. Stewart Friesen captured the pole at Eldora in 2017 and led more than half the race before finishing second, an early sign of the team’s competitiveness on dirt. Initial seasons emphasized maximizing short-track and dirt performance while assembling a crew capable of competing across the full national schedule.
Operational adjustments continued in 2017 and 2018, including a managerial transition away from the initial Tommy Baldwin Jr. arrangement and the establishment of Trip Bruce in a crew chief and technical leadership role. The 2018 campaign produced a playoff appearance and a solid points finish, demonstrating the program’s ability to translate early investments in personnel and alliances into consistent results.
Breakthrough in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2019–2022)
The team recorded its first Truck Series victory at Eldora in August 2019, breaking through after strong runs earlier in the season. Stewart Friesen added a second victory that year at Phoenix Raceway, establishing Halmar Friesen Racing as a race-winning team on both dirt and paved tracks. Those wins reflected progress in race setup, strategy, and pit execution built over prior seasons.
Following the manufacturer switch to Toyota in 2020 and an alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, the organization continued refining its program. The team returned to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway on May 20, 2022, ending a long winless streak and underscoring the benefits of strengthened technical partnerships. The 2019–2022 window included playoff appearances and incremental gains in equipment, engineering, and race operations.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023–Present)
Into the mid-2020s, Halmar Friesen Racing has maintained a full-time No. 52 entry for Stewart Friesen while operating the No. 62 as a complementary program that has hosted a mix of drivers, including Jessica Friesen and a roster of regional and development drivers. The team continued to run Toyota Tundras following the 2020 manufacturer alliance and has focused shop investments around its Statesville, North Carolina base.
The 2023 and 2024 seasons saw the team deliver consistent top-ten finishes and occasional poles, though wins were less frequent. In 2025 Stewart Friesen returned to victory lane at Michigan in a triple-overtime finish, giving the team another marquee result. Later in 2025 Friesen suffered serious injuries competing in a Super DIRTcar Series event, and the team used substitute drivers Christopher Bell and Kaden Honeycutt to complete the Truck Series schedule while the organization managed recovery and lineup continuity.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Halmar Friesen Racing blends dirt-racing heritage with NASCAR national-series engineering, emphasizing setups that translate between dirt and short-track asphalt performance. Technical alliances with established NASCAR organizations have supplied engines, chassis components, and data that the team integrates with its shop-level engineering. The program has demonstrated strength on dirt and short oval tracks, with race strategy and chassis setup frequently cited as competitive assets.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones include the team debut at the 2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby, the 2019 first career Truck Series win at Eldora, a subsequent victory at Phoenix later that year, the manufacturer and alliance shift to Toyota and Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020, and the Texas win in 2022. Stewart Friesen’s 2025 Michigan victory and the mid-2025 driver substitutions following his racing incident are among the program’s most recent major events.
Halmar Friesen Racing Achievements and Results
Across its national Truck Series program, Halmar Friesen Racing has compiled verified race victories and playoff appearances while building a development pipeline for drivers who run its No. 62 and regional modified entries. The team’s official career totals list multiple wins, pole positions, and more than two hundred national starts since the 2016 debut.
Truck Series Achievements
Statistically, the team debuted in 2016 and by the mid-2020s has competed in over 200 Truck Series races, earning four race victories and three pole positions. The program achieved its first win at Eldora in 2019 and added wins at Phoenix in 2019, Texas in 2022, and Michigan in 2025. While the organization has not claimed a drivers’ championship in the Truck Series, it has established itself as a multi-win, competitive independent operation with ongoing manufacturer support from Toyota.
