Rick Ware Racing Overview
Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is an American motorsports team founded in 1995 and based in Concord, North Carolina. Owned by Rick Ware, the organization fields entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, ARCA Menards Series, American Flat Track, and NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The team also has a history of competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series East, Pinty’s Series, NTT IndyCar Series, and Asian Le Mans Series. RWR maintains a manufacturer alliance with Chevrolet and has built a reputation for operating across a wide range of motorsport disciplines.
Over three decades, Rick Ware Racing has grown from a single-driver effort into a multi-series operation with shop facilities in Concord and a deep pool of past and present drivers. The team earned one championship in the Asian Le Mans Series and has secured victories across road-course and stock car competition.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The organizational roots of Rick Ware Racing date back to Ware & Sons Racing, when Rick Ware and his father John Ware competed in the SCCA Series. The pair raced under the Ware & Sons banner beginning in the 1960s, when Rick first went go-kart racing. Once he reached legal driving age, Rick joined his father in SCCA and IMSA Series events.
In 1983, Ware & Sons won Rookie of the Year in the California Sports Car Club with Rick behind the wheel. The team went on to win several additional titles in that series, as well as SCCA and IMSA championships. After a stint as a driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Rick Ware renamed the organization Ware Racing Enterprises in the 1990s and eventually rebranded it as Rick Ware Racing in 2004.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
Rick Ware Racing began expanding into stock car racing in the mid-1990s, making its NASCAR Busch Series debut in 1995 with Rick Ware driving the No. 98 Chevrolet. The organization soon expanded into the Craftsman Truck Series in 1999 and gradually added entries across NASCAR’s national and regional series. As the team grew, RWR took on alliance partners such as Max Q Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports to expand its competitive footprint.
Through strategic charter acquisitions and partnerships, RWR steadily grew from a start-and-park operation into a multi-car Cup Series team. The 2017 season marked a return to the Cup Series with the No. 51 Chevrolet, and by 2019 the team was running multiple chartered entries. Key personnel additions, including Tommy Baldwin Jr. as competition director in 2023, have helped shape the team’s modern identity.
Rick Ware Racing Competitive Journey
Rick Ware Racing has progressed from a modest SCCA and IMSA program into a multi-discipline motorsport operation. The team has competed across stock car, open-wheel, sports car, motorcycle, and dirt track racing, building a diverse résumé of entries and results. Today, RWR operates primarily in NASCAR’s top national series while maintaining active programs in NHRA drag racing and American Flat Track.
Early Seasons and Development (1995–2009)
Rick Ware Racing entered the NASCAR Busch Series in 1995 with Rick Ware driving the No. 98 Chevrolet. Over the next several seasons, the team fielded a variety of part-time entries with drivers such as Stan Boyd, Morgan Shepherd, and Stanton Barrett. In 1999, RWR made its Craftsman Truck Series debut with Randy MacDonald and Rick Ware sharing trucks numbered 51 and 81. The team switched to Dodge in 2002 and continued to expand its Truck Series presence through the early 2000s.
In the late 2000s, RWR returned to the Nationwide Series full-time, running the No. 31 Chevrolet. In 2009, the team scored several milestone results, including Kerry Earnhardt finishing 12th at Talladega and Stanton Barrett qualifying 11th at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The same year, RWR also expanded into motorcycle racing, beginning a long-running partnership in AMA Arenacross, AMA Supercross, and WMA Motocross competition.
Breakthrough in NASCAR (2010–2016)
During the 2010–2016 stretch, Rick Ware Racing gradually built its reputation as a competitive independent team. In 2010, Chrissy Wallace became the first female driver to make her Nationwide Series debut at Daytona in RWR’s No. 41 Chevrolet. The following year, Timmy Hill won the Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year in the No. 15 Ford for RWR.
RWR continued to develop drivers across multiple car numbers through partnerships with teams like Mike Harmon Racing and B.J. McLeod Motorsports. The team celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016 before shutting down its Xfinity program to focus on the Camping World Truck Series. The Truck program was briefly revived in 2017 with the No. 12 Silverado before being dissolved after five races.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2017–Present)
Rick Ware Racing returned to the Cup Series full-time in 2017 with the No. 51 Chevrolet and secured its first charter in 2018. Over the following seasons, the team expanded to as many as four chartered entries, including the No. 15 acquired through the purchase of Premium Motorsports in 2020. RWR relocated its shop from Thomasville to Mooresville in 2020 and then to Concord, North Carolina, in 2023 as part of an alliance with RFK Racing.
In 2024, Justin Haley drove the No. 51 full-time, recording top-ten finishes at Darlington and Gateway. For 2025, Cody Ware returned to the No. 51 full-time, and the team announced an agreement for T. J. Puchyr to purchase RWR’s NASCAR operations while retaining Rick Ware as a partner. For 2026, RWR switched from Ford to Chevrolet, forming an alliance with Richard Childress Racing.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Rick Ware Racing operates as a versatile, multi-series organization focused on opportunity, alliance-driven competition, and driver development. The team’s strengths include adaptability across series and disciplines, strategic charter management, and a willingness to field entries for emerging talent. Its broad operational base allows RWR to pivot between NASCAR, open-wheel, sports car, and two-wheeled competition.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Rick Ware Racing has celebrated several historic firsts, including Jessica Patterson’s WMA Motocross titles in 2006 and 2007, Vicki Golden’s X Games gold medal in 2011, and the team’s first NASCAR-sanctioned victory at Flamboro Speedway in the 2021 Pinty’s Series with Andrew Ranger. The Asian Le Mans Series championship and a record three consecutive AMA Arenacross titles from 2007 to 2009 also stand as major organizational achievements.
Rick Ware Racing Achievements and Results
Rick Ware Racing has compiled a wide-ranging record of accomplishments across multiple racing disciplines. The team has earned one championship in the Asian Le Mans Series, two Pinty’s Series victories, three Asian Le Mans victories, and three AMA Arenacross titles. Additional highlights include X Games success, sports car endurance entries, and NASCAR milestone moments for several drivers.
NASCAR Achievements
Rick Ware Racing has recorded three race victories across its NASCAR-affiliated competition, including two Pinty’s Series wins and one Asian Le Mans victory, with three pole positions. The team scored its first NASCAR-sanctioned victory on September 12, 2021, at Flamboro Speedway with Andrew Ranger. The 2017 Daytona 500 featured multiple RWR entries, and Cody Ware’s career-best 17th-place finish came at the 2022 Daytona 500. RWR has steadily grown its competitive footprint through strategic charter purchases and manufacturer alliances.
Conference Achievements
Conference-level achievements are not formally tracked across Rick Ware Racing’s varied series participation. The team’s operations span multiple national and regional championships rather than a single conference structure.
Divisional Achievements
Rick Ware Racing’s divisional record is similarly broad, with success spread across LMP2 Am class, GTD class, and various stock car divisions. In the Asian Le Mans Series, RWR scored an LMP2 Am Trophy class win at The Bend Motorsport Park, marking the youngest driver to win an ACO-sanctioned race at sixteen years of age.
Series Achievements
Rick Ware Racing has earned one Asian Le Mans Series championship, three AMA Arenacross titles in partnership with Tuf Honda, and major contributions in the WMA Motocross Series. The team also fielded entries in the Rolex Sports Car Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the Allison Legacy Series, where Tyler Hill won the U.S. National Championship in 2009. RWR’s continued presence across AMA Supercross, X Games, and NASCAR reflects its commitment to motorsport diversity.
