Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway | Blue Cross North Carolina 300
Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Ryan Ellis
Primary Partner(s): The Loaded Tea Shop
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Eddie Troconis
2026 Driver Points Position: 27th
2026 Owner Points Position: 34th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing
Notes of Interest:
Year Three, Driven Forward: In November 2025, Ryan Ellis was announced as Young’s Motorsports’ full-time driver in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as the organization enters its third season of competition.
In a significant step for 2026, Young’s Motorsports will transition its flagship No. 02 — long synonymous with the organization’s success in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series — to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time, underscoring the team’s continued growth at the national level.
Ellis will pilot the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro across the full 33-race schedule, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and culminating with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway in November.
● About Ryan: A respected veteran in the NASCAR garage, Ellis joins Young’s Motorsports with more than a decade of experience across NASCAR’s national ranks, including competition in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
The 2026 season will mark Ellis’ fourth full-time campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The 35-year-old Virginia native is coming off his first career NASCAR top-10 finish in 2025 and looks to build on that momentum while continuing to expand his résumé, which includes 191 career starts in series competition.
Known for his consistency, professionalism, and versatility behind the wheel and in the garage, Ellis aims to apply his experience to elevate Young’s Motorsports’ competitive presence in its third season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
● All-Aboard!: For the 29th of 33 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes The Loaded Tea Shop to the organization as the primary partner of Ryan Ellis and the No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap event.
The Loaded Tea Shop is a clean-label online wellness beverage brand that sells zero-sugar, zero-calorie, and zero-carb loaded tea powder packets.
Founded by Alicia and Mark, the company was started as a family-run, independent alternative to traditional multi-level marketing (MLM) nutrition clubs like Herbalife.
Their products focus on providing energy and focus without the hidden commissions, crash, or artificial additives commonly associated with standard loaded teas.
● Tablo TV and GOVX Celebrate Those Who Serve: Season-long partners Tablo TV and GOVX will once again support Ellis and Young’s Motorsports this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Tablo TV serving as the primary partner aboard the No. 02 Chevrolet and GOVX continuing its presence as a major associate partner.
GOVX, the members-only platform serving U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, emergency medical professionals and government employees, provides exclusive access to premium brands and special pricing for those who serve.
Tablo TV and GOVX will continue to build on their new partnership this weekend, celebrating military members, veterans and their families through an exclusive offer for the military community.
Following the successful launch during the United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 at Naval Base Coronado on June 20, eligible GOVX members can receive $30 off the Tablo Total System, making it even easier to enjoy free over-the-air television at home.
● Tablo Gives Fans More Ways to Watch NASCAR: As a valued partner of Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, NASCAR fans have even more ways to watch and record racing action with Tablo.
Fourth-generation Tablo DVR owners can now access and record The NASCAR Channel, featuring 24/7 free programming, including classic races, delayed broadcasts of the current season, select live events, NASCAR Studios original content and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Morning Drive.
The addition brings Tablo’s lineup to 106 free streaming channels, complementing its ability to watch and record free local broadcast television with a TV antenna through its whole-home DVR platform.
This week, fans can use promo code ELLIS to receive $20 off the purchase of a new Tablo TV device.
● Ryan Ellis O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday’s penultimate intermediate speedway battle just outside the Queen City will mark Ellis’s seventh NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, a fast 1.5-mile oval that has delivered action-packed side-by-side racing year after year.
In his previous six outings at the Concord, N.C.-based track, Ellis delivered a track and then career-best finish of eighth after starting 30th in the spring edition of the BETMGM 300, while driving for DGM Racing.
Overall, he holds an average NOAPS finish of 19.8 at the popular venue.
Further bolstering his Charlotte résumé, Ellis has made one start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2014, earning a track-best 27th in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 for FDNY Racing.
After a western swing to Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns to the heart of NASCAR country this weekend for its second and final visit of the 2026 season to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
This weekend’s return to “America’s Home for Racing” carries added significance as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series prepares to compete on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s famed 1.5-mile oval during the fall race weekend for the first time since the 2017 season.
From 2018 through 2025, the series’ annual fall Charlotte event was contested on the facility’s ROVAL configuration before returning to the traditional oval for Saturday afternoon’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300.
The historic return is part of a NASCAR national-series tripleheader weekend, beginning Friday afternoon with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series EcoSave 200.
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series takes center stage Saturday before the NASCAR Cup Series closes the weekend Sunday with the Bank of America 400.
Saturday’s race also represents the penultimate 1.5-mile event of the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, placing a premium on sustained speed, aerodynamic balance, tire management and track position as teams continue their push toward the season finale.
With multiple racing grooves capable of developing throughout the afternoon, drivers will search for grip while teams work to stay ahead of changing track conditions. Qualifying, pit-road execution and strategy could also prove critical in determining who is positioned to contend late in the 300-mile event.
For Ryan Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, Saturday’s return to Charlotte provides an opportunity to build upon their first trip to the 1.5-mile oval earlier this season, where Ellis earned a 21st-place finish with the No. 02 Chevrolet in May.
With only a handful of opportunities remaining together in 2026, Ellis and the No. 02 team will look to apply everything they have learned this season in hopes of improving on their spring Charlotte performance.
While the organization and Ellis will pursue separate paths following the conclusion of the season, their objectives for the remaining races remain unchanged: maximize every opportunity, execute complete races and deliver the strongest possible results for the partners and personnel who have supported their efforts throughout the year.
A strong performance in Saturday’s historic return to the Charlotte oval would give Ellis and Young’s Motorsports another chance to add a positive result to their 2026 campaign as they continue their push toward the season finale.
● Ryan Ellis NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Career Stats: Entering Charlotte, Ellis has 192 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races to his credit, earning a career-best sixth-place finish after starting 32nd in the 2026 edition of the United Rentals 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for Young’s Motorsports.
Since his 2012 debut, Ellis has averaged a 26.5 finish in series competition, including the past three seasons running full-time.
● Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Focused Health 302 Race Recap: Ryan Ellis and the No. 02 Ajinomoto Foods North America Inc. Chevrolet team arrived at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway hoping to deliver a strong performance while welcoming a new partner to the Young’s Motorsports organization.
From the early stages of Saturday afternoon’s Focused Health 302, however, Ellis battled a persistent lack of grip aboard the No. 02 Chevrolet, particularly through the center of the corners as he searched for additional front turn around the 1.5-mile Nevada intermediate track.
Throughout the race, Ellis continued providing detailed feedback to his Young’s Motorsports team as they worked through adjustments in an effort to improve the balance and responsiveness of the Ajinomoto Foods North America Chevrolet.
While the handling challenges prevented Ellis and the No. 02 team from making the progress they had hoped for, the group never gave up, continuing to make adjustments and maximize what they had through the final lap of the 300-mile event.
Ellis ultimately took the checkered flag in 29th position, giving the team valuable intermediate-track information to evaluate and apply as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heads directly to another 1.5-mile venue this weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
● Calling the Shots: Guiding Ryan Ellis as crew chief of the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief, engineer and industry veteran Eddie Troconis.
On Saturday afternoon, Troconis will call his 50th NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race from atop the pit box. In his previous 49 starts, he has recorded two top-10 finishes, most recently in the 2026 season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The season’s 29th race will mark Troconis’ third O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway and his second since 2021, when he guided series veteran Josh Williams to a respectable 21st-place finish in the Alsco Uniforms 300.
Additionally, Troconis has four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Charlotte, earning a track-best fifth-place finish with driver Ben Rhodes in 2018.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Overview at Charlotte Motor Speedway: This weekend’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300 will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fifth and sixth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
In the organization’s most recent appearance at the popular 1.5-mile oval earlier this season, Ryan Ellis delivered Young’s Motorsports its best series finish at “America’s Home for Racing.”
After starting 27th, Ellis and the No. 02 Four Loko USA Chevrolet team steadily worked their way forward throughout the event, gaining six positions before taking the checkered flag in 21st place.
Ellis and the No. 02 team return this weekend looking to build upon that organization-best result and continue their progression at the famed intermediate track.
Beyond its growing O’Reilly Auto Parts Series résumé, the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization also brings considerable experience to the track through its NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program.
Since 2013, Young’s Motorsports has recorded 25 Truck Series starts at Charlotte, highlighted by a track-best 13th-place finish from veteran dirt racer Tyler Dippel in the 2019 North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
Across those appearances, the organization owns an average starting position of 23.0 and an average finishing position of 25.3, adding another layer of experience as the team prepares for its return to the 1.5-mile oval.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History: Since entering the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 122 starts and earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes while maintaining an average starting position of 27.7 and an average finish of 25.1.
● Follow on Social Media: For more on Ryan Ellis, please visit ryanellisracing.com, like him on Facebook (Ryan Ellis), and follow him on Instagram (@ryanellisracing), TikTok (@ryanellisracing), and X | Twitter (@ryanellisracing).
For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).
Ryan Ellis Quote Board:
On Return to Charlotte Motor Speedway: “I’m looking forward to getting back to Charlotte. It’s obviously a special place for our sport, but it’s also nice going back somewhere where we had a pretty solid race earlier this year.
“We started 27th in the spring and were able to work our way up to 21st, which ended up being Young’s Motorsports’ best O’Reilly Auto Parts Series finish at Charlotte. We’d definitely like to take another step forward from that this weekend.
“It’s also going to be pretty cool having the fall race back on the oval. It’s been a long time since the series raced this configuration during the fall weekend, so hopefully we can put together a good run and be part of a successful return.”
On Keys to Success at Charlotte Motor Speedway: “Charlotte is definitely a track where the weather can have a big impact on the balance of the car, and I think that’s going to be something everyone has to pay attention to this weekend.
“It should be considerably cooler than when we raced there in May, so you can’t necessarily assume everything that worked in the spring is going to translate exactly the same way. The grip level can change, the track can react differently and we’ll have to stay on top of what the car needs as the race progresses.
“For us, the biggest thing will be unloading with a good baseline, communicating well and making the right adjustments. If we can keep the balance underneath me and have good front turn without giving up the rear of the car, hopefully we can maintain our speed over the longer runs and keep moving forward.”
On Goals for Charlotte Motor Speedway: “The goal is pretty straightforward — we want to improve on what we did here in May. We finished 21st that day, so naturally I’d love to get this No. 02 Chevrolet inside the top 20 this time and hopefully have an opportunity for even more.
“Las Vegas was a difficult race for us, but nobody on this team gave up. We kept working on the car all afternoon, and now we have another mile-and-a-half race immediately afterward where we can apply some of what we learned.
“There aren’t many races left for us together, so I want to make every one of them count. If we can qualify better than we did in the spring, stay on the lead lap and execute a complete race, I think we can give ourselves an opportunity to have a solid day.”
On New Partnership with The Loaded Tea Shop: “I’m really excited to welcome The Loaded Tea Shop to our No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend.
Anytime we can bring a new partner into the program and introduce them to NASCAR, especially at a place like Charlotte, it’s something I’m really thankful for.
“Charlotte is such a great place for a partner to experience a NASCAR weekend because there’s so much history surrounding the track and the industry, and our race is part of a huge tripleheader weekend.
“I’m grateful to The Loaded Tea Shop for believing in us and supporting our program. Hopefully we can give them a great first weekend with the No. 02 team, represent their brand well and deliver a performance on Saturday that everyone can be proud of.”
On Goals for Remainder of 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Season: “My goals for the rest of the season haven’t changed. I want to race as hard as I can, represent our partners the right way and give everyone at Young’s Motorsports the best results possible before the year is over.
“Tyler, Randy, Becky and everyone on this No. 02 team gave me an opportunity to race full-time this season, and even though we know our paths will be different in 2027, that doesn’t change the commitment we have to each other for these remaining races.
“We’ve experienced some great moments and some difficult ones together, but there’s still time to create a few more good memories. I’d really like to finish this chapter on a high note and give the guys on this team and all of the partners who have supported us something to be proud of when the season is over.”
No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Matt DiBenedetto
Primary Partner(s): Eranova
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2026 Driver Points Position: 52nd (One Race)
2026 Owner Points Position: 32nd
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing
Notes of Interest:
● Year Three, Driven Forward: Young’s Motorsports continues its campaign in the newly rebranded NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend as the tour returns to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and the famed 1.5-mile oval for the first fall event since the 2017 season.
Fan-favorite and NASCAR veteran Matt DiBenedetto returns to the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for a second consecutive weekend, building upon his debut with the organization last weekend at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.
Saturday afternoon’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300, the 29th of 33 races on the 2026 schedule, will give DiBenedetto and the No. 42 team an immediate chance to apply what they learned in their first race together while continuing to strengthen their communication and chemistry in the closing stretch of the season.
● About Matt: Matt DiBenedetto, 35, is a veteran NASCAR driver with more than 15 years of experience competing across the sport’s three national series.
A native of Grass Valley, Calif., DiBenedetto has made more than 240 NASCAR Cup Series starts while competing for several organizations, including Wood Brothers Racing, where he earned some of the strongest performances of his Cup Series career.
Throughout his NASCAR career, DiBenedetto has earned a reputation as a determined competitor and fan favorite while accumulating multiple top-five and top-10 finishes across NASCAR’s national ranks.
In 2022, DiBenedetto added a NASCAR national series win to his résumé, capturing an emotional NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway while competing for Rackley W.A.R.
More recently, DiBenedetto has competed in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he earned a career-best fifth-place finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in the spring of 2025.
This weekend, DiBenedetto returns to the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet for a second consecutive race, looking to build upon the experience and chemistry established with the team during his Las Vegas debut as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval for Saturday afternoon’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300.
Away from the race track, DiBenedetto and his wife, Taylor, are preparing for another exciting milestone, as the couple is expecting their first child in February 2027.
● All-Aboard! For the 29th of 33 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Eranova as the primary partner of the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap Blue Cross North Carolina 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Eranova is a Charlotte-based enterprise AI software company providing a platform and suite of AI agents designed to automate work across supply chain and back-office finance operations.
Eranova’s AI agents work across existing core systems to automate workflows ranging from shipment quoting, booking and tracking to document processing, accounts payable and accounts receivable.
Headquartered in the heart of NASCAR country, Eranova has strong connections to the transportation and logistics industries and sees a natural alignment with NASCAR’s longstanding ties to transportation, technology and innovation.
Through its involvement in NASCAR, Eranova aims to introduce its growing brand to the sport’s passionate fan base while developing new relationships, connecting with potential customers and expanding its presence throughout the transportation and logistics industries.
● Matt DiBenedetto O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday’s second trip of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season to the Queen City will mark DiBenedetto’s fifth career series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
In his previous four starts at the challenging intermediate track, DiBenedetto earned a track-best 26th-place finish in the 2024 edition of the BetMGM 300 while driving for RSS Racing.
Overall, DiBenedetto carries an average series finish of 34.5 at the famed 1.5-mile oval into Saturday’s return to the Tar Heel State.
Beyond his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series experience, DiBenedetto has made 11 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, highlighted by a track-best 15th-place finish in 2020 while driving the iconic No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing.
The Grass Valley, Calif., native also owns two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Charlotte, including an eighth-place finish after starting 20th in the 2023 North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
After a western swing to Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns to the heart of NASCAR country this weekend for its second and final visit of the 2026 season to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
This weekend’s return to “America’s Home for Racing” carries added significance as the series prepares to compete on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s famed 1.5-mile oval during the fall race weekend for the first time since the 2017 season.
From 2018 through 2025, the annual fall Charlotte event was contested on the facility’s ROVAL configuration before returning to the traditional oval for Saturday afternoon’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300.
The historic return is part of a NASCAR national-series tripleheader weekend, beginning Friday afternoon with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series EcoSave 200.
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series takes center stage Saturday before the NASCAR Cup Series closes the weekend Sunday with the Bank of America 400.
Saturday’s race also represents the penultimate 1.5-mile event of the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, placing a premium on sustained speed, aerodynamic balance, tire management and track position as teams continue their push toward the season finale.
With multiple racing grooves capable of developing throughout the afternoon, drivers will search for grip while teams work to stay ahead of changing track conditions. Qualifying, pit-road execution and strategy could also prove critical in determining who is positioned to contend late in the 300-mile event.
For Matt DiBenedetto and Young’s Motorsports, Charlotte provides an immediate opportunity to build upon their first race together last weekend at Las Vegas, where DiBenedetto started 25th and finished 23rd aboard the No. 42 MP Wheels Chevrolet.
With DiBenedetto returning to the No. 42 Chevrolet for a second consecutive weekend, the team will look to capitalize on the communication and familiarity established in Sin City while applying what it learned to another intermediate-track challenge.
The back-to-back 1.5-mile races provide valuable continuity for a No. 42 program that has utilized a variety of drivers throughout the season, while giving DiBenedetto and the team another opportunity to strengthen their working relationship and pursue an improved result at “America’s Home for Racing.”
● Calling the Shots: Guiding as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.
On Saturday afternoon, he will be the crew chief in his 191st NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. In his previous 190 races, he has four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.
The season’s 29th race will mark Abbott’s his seventh tango at Charlotte Motor Speedway as crew chief in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
In his previous leadership effort at “America’s Home for Racing”, Abbott earned a track-best 13th-place finish with driver Jeremy Clements in the 2019 edition of the Alsco 300.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Overview at Charlotte Motor Speedway: This weekend’s Blue Cross North Carolina 300 will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fifth and sixth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
In the organization’s most recent appearance at the popular 1.5-mile oval earlier this season, Ryan Ellis delivered Young’s Motorsports its best series finish at “America’s Home for Racing.”
After starting 27th, Ellis and the No. 02 Four Loko USA Chevrolet team steadily worked their way forward throughout the event, gaining six positions before taking the checkered flag in 21st place.
Ellis and the No. 02 team return this weekend looking to build upon that organization-best result and continue their progression at the famed intermediate track.
Beyond its growing O’Reilly Auto Parts Series résumé, the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization also brings considerable experience to the track through its NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program.
Since 2013, Young’s Motorsports has recorded 25 Truck Series starts at Charlotte, highlighted by a track-best 13th-place finish from veteran dirt racer Tyler Dippel in the 2019 North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
Across those appearances, the organization owns an average starting position of 23.0 and an average finishing position of 25.3, adding another layer of experience as the team prepares for its return to the 1.5-mile oval.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History: Since entering the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 122 starts and earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes while maintaining an average starting position of 27.7 and an average finish of 25.1.
● Follow on Social Media: For more on Matt DiBenedetto, please visit mattdracing.com, like his Facebook page (Matt DiBenedetto Racing), or follow him on Instagram (@mattdracing) and TikTok (@mattdracing).
For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).
Matt DiBenedetto Quote Board:
On Charlotte Motor Speedway: “Charlotte is a place I’ve raced at a lot throughout my career, and I’m really looking forward to getting back there, especially with the fall race returning to the oval.
“It’s a challenging mile-and-a-half and a place where the balance of the car can change quite a bit throughout a race. I’ve competed there in Cup, Trucks and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, so hopefully all of that experience can help us this weekend.
“There’s also something special about racing at Charlotte because it’s right in the heart of NASCAR country. It should be a really cool weekend with all three national series there, and I’m excited to be part of it with Young’s Motorsports.”
On Keys to Success at Charlotte Motor Speedway: “Charlotte is extremely sensitive to weather and track temperature, and that could be a big factor this weekend. It should be quite a bit cooler than when everyone raced there in the spring, so I think we’ll see the track have a different personality.
“You need good front grip, but you also have to keep the rear underneath you, especially as you get deeper into a run. Having a car that gives you confidence to move around and search for different lines as the track changes is really important.
“The biggest thing for us will be staying ahead of those changes. We learned a lot working together at Las Vegas, so hopefully we can unload closer, communicate well and continue making the car better throughout the race.”
On Goals for Charlotte Motor Speedway: “I definitely want to build on what we accomplished at Las Vegas. That was our first race together, and finishing 23rd gave us a baseline and a much better understanding of what I need from the car and what the team needs from me.
“Naturally, we want to improve on that this weekend. I’d love to get the No. 42 Eranova Chevrolet solidly inside the top 20 and put ourselves in position to battle for even more if the race comes our way.
“If we can qualify well, stay on the lead lap and keep making progress throughout the afternoon, hopefully we can be around at the end and capitalize on whatever opportunities develop.”
On Eranova Partnership: “I’m really excited to welcome Eranova to NASCAR and incredibly thankful for their support of our No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet at Charlotte.
“It’s especially cool that they’re a Charlotte-based company making their first venture into NASCAR at their home track. With their connections to the transportation and logistics industries, I think there’s a really natural fit between what they do and the NASCAR community.
“I’m looking forward to representing Eranova, introducing them to our fans and helping them experience everything that makes NASCAR special. Hopefully, we can give them a great first weekend in the sport and put together a strong performance they can be proud of.”
On Another NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Opportunity with Young’s Motorsports: “I’m really grateful to Tyler, Randy, Becky and everyone at Young’s Motorsports for having me back in the No. 42 Chevrolet for a second straight weekend.
“Las Vegas was our first time working together, and there’s always a learning curve when you’re getting to know a new team, a new crew chief and what everybody needs from each other.
“The great thing is we don’t have to wait several weeks to take what we learned and try again — we get to go right back to the track together at Charlotte.
“That continuity is really valuable. We can take our notes from Las Vegas, build on the communication we established and hopefully start the weekend a step ahead of where we were last week.
“I appreciate the opportunity and everyone who has helped make these races possible. I want to keep improving every time I climb into the car and hopefully give this No. 42 team a result that reflects how hard everyone is working.”
Race Information:
The Blue Cross North Carolina 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 29th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026 schedule. Practice will occur on Sat., Oct. 10, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. Qualifying will begin immediately after, at 11:35 a.m. The field will take the green flag later in the day, shortly after 4:00 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).
