21-Year-Old Racer Will Compete in Season-Opening United Rentals 300
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 27, 2026) – Midwestern short-track star Luke Fenhaus will make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut in the Feb. 14 United Rentals 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The 21-year-old racer from Wausau, Wisconsin, will drive the No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Hettinger Racing, a team that is also making its O’Reilly Series debut at Daytona.
“My background is in Late Model racing and I’ve seen Luke’s development in real time. He’s smart, he takes care of his equipment, he learns quickly and, ultimately, he wins,” said team owner Chris Hettinger. “Luke belongs in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and we’re proud to have him in our Ford Mustang at Daytona.”
Fenhaus has been making a steady climb up the NASCAR ladder, winning in Late Models to secure seats in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
His breakout season came in 2021 when he became the youngest winner of the prestigious Slinger Nationals. The victory vaulted a then 17-year-old Fenhaus onto the national stage, where the win earned him a starting spot in the penultimate Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) event at Slinger (Wisc.) Speedway. In front of a primetime network TV audience, Fenhaus started second and led 18 times for a race-high 92 laps. He finished second to IndyCar driver Marco Andretti while holding off three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart.
“Winning the Slinger Nationals and getting that SRX invite was a game changer. It put me on peoples’ radar and helped open some doors. I worked hard to make the most of it,” Fenhaus said.
“To be at Daytona five years later to make my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut is a testament to the work we’ve put into this – my family, my partners, my friends – they’ve all been so supportive. Chris Hettinger has provided a really great opportunity for me to make the next step in my career and I want to reward his faith with a good, strong run at Daytona.”
Fenhaus went on to win the 2021 Slinger track championship while simultaneously earning the track’s Rookie of the Year title. He also earned the 2021 Kulwicki Driver Development Program championship. The following season brought similar accolades as Fenhaus won the 2022 CARS Tour Pro Late Model championship and its Rookie of the Year award.
In 2023, Fenhaus made his ARCA debut, and in his just his third career start, he won the May 13 Music City 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Fenhaus won again two races later, taking the checkered flag in the July 15 Calypso 150 at Newton Speedway in Iowa. In eight career ARCA starts, Fenhaus scored five top-three finishes and tallied an average finish of 6.1.
While still racing and winning in Late Models, Fenhaus made his Truck Series debut in 2024, finishing 10th in his first career start June 1 at Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Three Truck Series races in 2024 set the stage for a 12-race campaign in 2025, a run that was highlighted by a career-best third-place drive after winning the pole June 7 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
“It’s been a steady climb, one step at a time,” Fenhaus said. “Late Models are my foundation, ARCA helped me take the next step, and the Truck Series taught me what it takes to compete at a national level. To be making my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Daytona is something I’ve worked toward for a long time, and I’m ready for it.”
Practice for the United Auto Rentals 300 takes place from 4:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 13. Qualifying begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14 with the 120-lap race going green at 5 p.m. The CW will provide live, flag-to-flag coverage as will SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Hettinger Racing has a guaranteed starting spot in the United Rentals 300 as the team acquired the owner points from the No. 70 team of Cope Family Racing. Hettinger Racing receives technical support from Ford Racing and it engines are supplied by Roush Yates Engines. Joe Williams Jr. is the team’s crew chief.
