Mike Harmon Racing Overview
Mike Harmon Racing is an American professional stock car racing team based in Denver, North Carolina. The team fields the No. 74 entries part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and has run programs in the ARCA Menards Series. Mike Harmon is the team’s principal and owner; manufacturers used by the team have included Chevrolet and Toyota.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The organization traces its competitive roots to 2005 when the operation debuted in the ARCA Re/Max Series. In NASCAR national series competition the team first entered the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2007 under the name Richardson-Netzloff-Harmon Racing, reflecting the initial co-ownership of Donnie Richardson and Eddie Netzloff alongside Mike Harmon.
After two seasons with shared ownership and a 2008 rebrand as Elite 2 Racing, Mike Harmon became sole owner in 2009 and renamed the operation Mike Harmon Racing. The team has remained a small, independent shop that builds its program around part-time entries, driver development opportunities, and partnerships with other teams to sustain competition on a limited budget.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
Mike Harmon Racing expanded from ARCA to consistent Xfinity Series participation beginning in 2007 and launched a truck program in 2009. Early organizational development emphasized flexibility in driver lineups and pragmatic entry strategies, including using start-and-park runs to preserve funding while fielding cars and trucks across a long national schedule.
Over time the team relied on alliances with other organizations to broaden its fielding capacity and technical reach. Partnerships and shared entries with teams such as Rick Ware Racing and occasional owner points arrangements allowed additional starts and helped the team enter races beyond what the core shop could support alone.
Mike Harmon Racing Competitive Journey
Mike Harmon Racing has built a steady presence as a small independent that competes primarily on a part-time basis across the Xfinity and Truck national series. The program has carried numerous drivers and numbers through more than a decade of national-series competition and has emphasized opportunity for drivers looking for seat time at the national level.
Early Seasons and Development (2005–2012)
The team’s first national-level start came in ARCA in 2005, and Mike Harmon Racing entered the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2007. In those early Xfinity seasons the operation often ran limited schedules, frequently using the bulk of its program as start-and-park entries while working to expand technical capacity and sponsorship support.
From 2007 through the early 2010s the organization continued alternating car numbers and drivers while growing familiarity with national touring competition. The No. 84 and No. 74 identities were used in different years, and the team worked with a wide range of veteran drivers as it sought sustainable entry plans and incremental improvements on race day.
Breakthrough in the Xfinity Series (2011–2023)
The No. 74 car became the primary Xfinity Series entry beginning in 2011 and eventually served as the team’s most consistent identity in national competition. That era saw a gradual shift away from pure start-and-park activity in some events and a greater emphasis on completing races when funding permitted, yielding improved finishes on road courses and superspeedways.
Mike Harmon Racing also pursued partnerships to expand its schedule and resources. In 2017 and again in 2019 the team cooperated with Rick Ware Racing to field the No. 17 on select weekends. The team added a second Xfinity car, renumbered to No. 47, to run alongside the 74 in multiple seasons, and the operation recorded its best owner points position of 30th in 2020.
Notable moments in Xfinity competition include a team-best top-ten finish when Bayley Currey finished seventh at Phoenix Raceway while piloting the No. 74, and seasons in which full-time runs were attempted by drivers such as Kyle Weatherman and Joe Nemechek. The team has also endured operational setbacks, including a high-value theft of a race hauler and equipment in 2020 that removed substantial resources from the shop.
Truck Series Participation (2009–Present)
Mike Harmon Racing launched a Craftsman Truck Series program in 2009, debuting the No. 42 before later fielding the No. 74 as its main truck entry. The truck program has similarly operated on a part-time basis and has provided starts to a range of drivers, including Jordan Anderson, Wendell Chavous, and others across multiple seasons.
The truck entries have often been used to give developing drivers national exposure and to maintain the team’s presence across NASCAR national divisions. Partnerships and occasional use of owner points from allied operations helped the team enter races it might not otherwise have been able to attempt.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023–Present)
In 2023 Michael Clayton Sr. and former JD Motorsports co-owner Gary Keller joined as co-owners, marking an ownership expansion beyond Mike Harmon himself. The operation continued to operate primarily as a part-time competitor through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, focusing on selective race entries and driver opportunities.
Activity in 2024 and 2025 reflects the team’s ongoing part-time strategy. In 2024 the team attempted several Xfinity races with a mixture of veteran and developmental drivers and managed to qualify at Pocono with Dawson Cram. In 2025 the team continued to run the No. 74 with drivers such as Carson Ware, Dawson Cram, and Caleb Costner making attempts in Xfinity and Truck events.
Engineering Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
As a small independent shop, Mike Harmon Racing emphasizes pragmatic engineering and operations that prioritize finishing races when funds allow and creating driver opportunities. The team frequently uses partnerships, owner points agreements, and selective race targeting to maximize track time and preserve equipment, and it often focuses resources on events where part-time entries offer the best return for sponsorship and development goals.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones include the ARCA debut in 2005, entry into the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2007, the establishment of the No. 74 as the primary Xfinity identity in 2011, the team’s highest owner points finish of 30th in 2020, and a top-ten result at Phoenix in 2021. The team has also weathered significant operational challenges such as the 2020 theft of a hauler and equipment.
Mike Harmon Racing Achievements and Results
Mike Harmon Racing has logged extensive national-series participation but no race victories or drivers’ championships in ARCA, the Xfinity Series, or the Craftsman Truck Series. Across national competition the organization has entered hundreds of races and maintained a steady role as a small independent competitor that fields opportunities for journeyman and developing drivers.
Xfinity Series Achievements
The Xfinity program remains the team’s primary stage, where the No. 74 identity has seen the most starts since 2011. While the team has not recorded series wins, it achieved its strongest single-race result with a top-ten finish at Phoenix and reached a best owner points placement of 30th in 2020 while fielding multiple drivers and occasionally running two cars in a season.
Truck Series and Development Program Success
The Craftsman Truck Series program has supplied numerous starts for emerging drivers and for Mike Harmon himself across seasons since 2009. The truck entries have not produced national wins but have functioned as a platform for driver seat time, racecraft development, and sustaining the team’s presence across multiple NASCAR national divisions.
Overall, Mike Harmon Racing’s record reflects longevity and persistence as a family-style independent team in American stock car racing, sustaining national competition through flexible operations, partnerships, and a steady stream of driver opportunities.
