Halmar Friesen Racing Overview
Halmar Friesen Racing, also known as Halmar Racing Team, is an American professional stock car and dirt track racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Founded in 2016 and based in Statesville, North Carolina, the team fields the No. 52 Toyota Tundra full-time for driver and co-owner Stewart Friesen and operates the No. 62 as a second full-time entry beginning in 2026. The team is co-owned by Chris Larsen and Stewart Friesen, runs Toyota equipment through an alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, and has built a reputation for competing strongly on both dirt and paved ovals. Since its debut, the organization has accumulated five race victories and three pole positions across 226 starts.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Halmar Friesen Racing was created in 2016 as a joint venture between businessman Chris Larsen and driver Stewart Friesen. The team launched in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a part-time schedule, entering the short track races with Friesen as the driver. For its debut race at the 2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby, the team borrowed a truck body from Kyle Busch Motorsports and an engine from Richard Childress Racing, a practical start that reflected Friesen’s deep roots in dirt track racing in the Northeastern United States.
The team also fields modified racing cars for several drivers around the Northeast, including Stewart and his wife Jessica Friesen, keeping the organization connected to its dirt track heritage. The shop, personnel, and early operational structure were built around the strengths of Friesen as a versatile driver capable of winning on both dirt and pavement.
Growth Into NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Competition
In 2017, the team announced plans to run the full Truck Series schedule as Halmar Friesen Racing with Friesen driving the No. 52 truck. The organization hired Tommy Baldwin Jr., a former Cup Series team owner, to serve as team manager. By August of that year, the team ended its working relationship with Baldwin and entered a new technical alliance with GMS Racing, while longtime crew chief Trip Bruce took over day-to-day operations. Bruce later became Director of Competition and remained a key figure at the team.
Under the GMS alliance, Halmar Friesen Racing advanced to the playoffs in 2018, with Friesen posting three runner-up finishes and ending the year seventh in the final standings. The team’s growing competitiveness and Friesen’s strong results on dirt tracks laid the foundation for the organization’s first breakthrough victories.
Halmar Friesen Racing Competitive Journey
Halmar Friesen Racing’s progression through the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series reflects steady growth from a part-time short track effort into a respected two-truck operation. After early seasons focused on building infrastructure and alliances, the team earned its first win in 2019 and has since added additional victories, playoff appearances, and a second full-time entry for 2026.
Early Seasons and Development (2016-2018)
The team’s first competitive years were defined by limited schedules, technical partnerships, and a focus on learning the Truck Series. In 2016, Halmar Friesen Racing ran part-time in the No. 16, concentrating on short track races. The 2017 season marked the first full-time effort, with Friesen behind the wheel of the No. 52 and the formation of an alliance with GMS Racing after a midyear change in team management.
Friesen captured the pole for the 2017 Eldora Dirt Derby and finished second to Matt Crafton after leading more than half the laps, signaling the team’s potential. In 2018, the GMS alliance grew so close that fellow GMS driver Johnny Sauter referred to Friesen as a teammate, and the team advanced to the playoffs with three second-place finishes, ending the year seventh in points.
Breakthrough in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2019-Present)
The 2019 season delivered Halmar Friesen Racing’s long-awaited first victory. After a difficult stretch that included NASCAR confiscating the No. 52 truck before the Kentucky race due to a firewall issue, Friesen broke through to win at Eldora on August 1, 2019, and added a second win later that year at Phoenix Raceway. On December 3, 2019, the team announced a switch from Chevrolet to Toyota beginning in 2020, forming a new alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports and ending the partnership with GMS Racing.
In 2020, Friesen skipped the Kansas Speedway Truck race to compete in a dirt event, with Timothy Peters filling in for the No. 52. The 2021 season saw Friesen return to the playoffs without a win, and in 2022 he broke a 54-race winless streak by winning at Texas Motor Speedway in overtime after passing Christian Eckes for the lead. The 2023 and 2024 seasons were consistent but winless, with Friesen posting five top-fives and seven top-tens in 2023 and seven top-tens and a pole at Nashville in 2024, both years ending twelfth in the standings.
The 2025 season began with a 23rd-place finish at Daytona before Friesen ended a 72-race drought with a victory at Michigan in triple-overtime. In late July, Friesen was involved in a high-speed accident during a Super DIRTcar Series event at Autodrome Drummond, suffering fractures to his pelvis and right leg. Christopher Bell substituted for Friesen at Watkins Glen, while Kaden Honeycutt took over the No. 52 for the final eight races starting at Richmond.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2019-Present)
Halmar Friesen Racing has operated with Toyota equipment through its alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports since 2020, providing the team with strong manufacturer support. The organization is co-owned by Chris Larsen and Stewart Friesen, with Trip Bruce serving as Director of Competition and the team based in Statesville, North Carolina. The addition of the No. 62 as a second full-time entry for 2026, with John Hunter Nemechek announced as the first driver, marks a major step in the team’s expansion.
The 2025 season also featured the debut of Wesley Slimp across the three road course races in the No. 62, the Truck Series debut of Super Late Model standout Cole Butcher at Bristol, and the announced debut of Mike Christopher Jr. at New Hampshire. These moves highlight the team’s continued effort to develop new talent while maintaining its competitive presence in the series.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Halmar Friesen Racing is built around Stewart Friesen’s versatility on both dirt and paved surfaces, with a focus on short tracks, intermediate ovals, and dirt events like Eldora and Knoxville. The team excels in strategy-heavy races and high-stakes moments, as shown by its overtime wins at Texas and Michigan and consistent late-season playoff pushes.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The team’s most significant milestones include its first Truck Series victory at Eldora in 2019, the manufacturer switch to Toyota in 2020, the emotional overtime win at Texas in 2022, and the Michigan victory in 2025 that ended a 72-race drought. The expansion to a second full-time truck in 2026 with John Hunter Nemechek represents the latest organizational milestone.
Halmar Friesen Racing Achievements and Results
Halmar Friesen Racing has recorded five race victories and three pole positions across 226 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, along with multiple playoff appearances. The team’s win total reflects steady growth since its first victory in 2019 and its continued investment in equipment, personnel, and driver development.
Craftsman Truck Series Achievements
The team’s five victories include wins at Eldora and Phoenix in 2019, Texas in 2022, and Michigan in 2025, with Friesen behind the wheel for each. Halmar Friesen Racing has made the playoffs multiple times, including a seventh-place finish in the 2018 final standings, and has continued to log top-five and top-ten finishes across recent seasons.
Series Achievements
Halmar Friesen Racing has also supported a variety of drivers in the No. 62, including Jessica Friesen’s dirt track starts, Todd Bodine’s return to NASCAR competition with Camping World sponsorship, Layne Riggs’s debut season in 2022, and the 2025 debuts of Wesley Slimp, Cole Butcher, and Mike Christopher Jr. These efforts have helped develop emerging talent while expanding the team’s presence in the series.
