An owner-driver in

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

is a NASCAR driver who fully or partially owns the team they are driving for full-time or part-time. The practice has been established since the beginning of NASCAR in 1949. However, owner-drivers are almost nonexistent today in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, primarily due to the expense and responsibilities involved, essentially having two jobs in one. However, there are many owner-driver teams in the lower tier

Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...

and

Gander Outdoors Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of t ...

. Owner-driver is not to be confused with a driver who owns a separate team, such as

Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. (; April 29, 1951February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock car driver and team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably dri ...

, who fielded his own team but still drove for RCR.

History

When NASCAR started in the late 1940s nearly all drivers owned their cars and would drive their car to the track. While sponsorship was useful, it was not essential to win at this time, leaving less burden for the driver. But by the 1970s and 1980s more and more drivers drove for another team. Since 1980, with the exception of

Alan Kulwicki Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 – April 1, 1993), nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American auto racing driver and team owner. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional ...

and

Tony Stewart Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He is a ...

(1992 and 2011, respectively), no

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...

champion was an owner-driver.

Notable owner-drivers in NASCAR's national series

The following list is a list of owner-drivers: *

Lee Petty Lee Arnold Petty (March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000) was an American stock car racing driver who competed during the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR and one of its first superstars. He was NASCAR's first three-time Cup ch ...

1949–1961 ( Petty Enterprises) *

Herb Thomas Herbert Watson Thomas (April 6, 1923 – August 9, 2000) was a stock car racer who was one of NASCAR's most successful drivers in the 1950s. Thomas was NASCAR's first multi-time Cup Champion. Background Born in the small town of Olivia ...

1949–1955; 1956 *

Buck Baker Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002), better known as Buck Baker, was an American stock car racer. Born in Richburg, South Carolina, Baker began his NASCAR career in 1949 and won his first race three years later at Columbia ...

1949–1957 *

Neil Castles Henry Neil Castles (October 1, 1934 – August 4, 2022) was an American NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver. He raced from 1957 to 1976, and won the NASCAR Grand National East Series in 1972. Early life Castles was born in Ma ...

1957–1976 *

Richard Petty Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937), nicknamed "The King", is an American former stock car racing driver who raced from 1958 to 1992 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notabl ...

1958–1983; 1986–1992 ( Petty Enterprises) *

Wendell Scott Wendell Oliver Scott (August 29, 1921 – December 23, 1990) was an American stock car racing driver. He was one of the first African-American drivers in NASCAR and the first African-American to win a race in the Grand National Series, NASCAR's h ...

1961–1973 *

J.D. McDuffie John Delphus McDuffie Jr. (December 5, 1938 – August 11, 1991) was an American racing driver. He competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1963 to 1991, collecting 106 top-10 finishes during his career, despite never finishing on the lead ...

1963–1991 * John Sears 1964–1973 *

Junior Johnson Robert Glenn Johnson Jr. (June 28, 1931 – December 20, 2019), better known as Junior Johnson, was an American NASCAR driver of the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966. In the 1970s and 1980s, he became ...

1965 (

Junior Johnson & Associates Junior Johnson & Associates (formerly Johnson Hodgdon Racing) was a NASCAR team that ran in the Winston Cup Series from 1953 to 1995. The team was run by former driver Junior Johnson and was best known for fielding cars for legendary talents such ...

) *

James Hylton James Harvey Hylton (August 26, 1934 – April 28, 2018) was an American stock car racing driver. He was a two-time winner in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition and was a long-time competitor in the ARCA Racing Series. Hylton finished second i ...

1968–1993 (

Hylton Motorsports Brad Smith Motorsports (formerly known as Hylton Engineering and James Hylton Motorsports) is a former NASCAR and current ARCA race team. It was one of the oldest professional race teams in the United States, running from 1964 to 1994; 1997–9 ...

) * Cecil Gordon 1970–1983 * Richard Childress 1969; 1972; 1976–1981 (

Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by Richard ...

) *

Dave Marcis David Alan Marcis (born March 1, 1941) is an American former professional stock car racing driver on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit whose career spanned five decades. Marcis won five times over this tenure, twice at Richmond, including his final ...

1969–1974; 1977; 1979–1983; 1985–2002 (

Marcis Auto Racing Marcis Auto Racing is a former NASCAR Winston Cup team. It was owned and operated by former NASCAR driver Dave Marcis. Winston Cup The highlight of Marcis' career as an owner-driver was winning at the old Richmond Fairgrounds in 1982 driving a ...

) * Darrell Waltrip 1972; 1991–1997 (

Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Darrell Waltrip Motorsports was a NASCAR team owned by three-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip. It was formed in 1991 when Waltrip resigned from Hendrick Motorsports to start his own team, and was originally named DarWal, Inc.. During the ...

) *

Jimmy Means James Means (born May 29, 1950) is a retired American racing driver and owner, who competed in the Winston Cup Series as an owner-driver. He is currently an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and owns his own team, Jimmy Means Racing. He compe ...

1978–1993 (

Means Racing Jimmy Means Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 52 Chevrolet Camaro part-time for Harrison Rhodes, Gar Robinson, and Brennan Poole. It is owned by former driver ...

) *

Bobby Gerhart Robert Gerhart Jr. (born July 21, 1958) is an American retired professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the ARCA Menards Series, driving Chevrolet SS for Gerhart Racing and the No. 63 Chevy Silverado for his own team in a joint ef ...

1984–present ( Gerhart Racing) *

1986–1993 (

AK Racing AK Racing was a championship-winning NASCAR Winston Cup Series team. It was originally owned by Bill Terry before he sold it to rookie driver Alan Kulwicki, who controlled and raced for the team until his death in 1993. Kulwicki won five races ...

) * Cale Yarborough 1986–1987 (

Cale Yarborough Motorsports Cale Yarborough Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series team that ran from 1987 to 2000. Ownership In 1986, The Race Hill Farms owner Jack Beebe sold his No. 47 Team to Cale Yarborough who wanted to drive part-time. He bought the team and s ...

) *

Morgan Shepherd Clay Morgan Shepherd (born October 12, 1941) is an American retired professional stock car racing driver and current team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 89 Chevrolet Camaro for Shepherd Racing Ven ...

1986–present ( Shepherd Racing Ventures) *

Geoff Bodine Geoffrey Edwin Bodine (born April 18, 1949) is a retired American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers (with Brett Bodine and Todd Bodine), and sister Denise. Bodine lives in West Melbourne, Florida ...

1993–1997 (

Geoff Bodine Racing Geoff Bodine Racing (also known as GEB Racing) was a NASCAR Winston Cup and Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned and operated by former NASCAR driver Geoffrey Bodine following his purchase of the estate of Alan Kulwicki. He remained owner of ...

) *

Joe Nemechek Joseph Frank Nemechek III (born September 26, 1963) is an American professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 24 Toyota Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. Nemechek has made the second mos ...

1993; 1995; 2009–present (

NEMCO Motorsports NEMCO Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that last competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team is owned by driver Joe Nemechek and his family. NEMCO Motorsports has had success, winning the 1992 Busch Se ...

) *

Kevin Lepage Kevin Paul Lepage (born June 26, 1962) is a retired American professional stock car racing driver, who last drove in NASCAR in 2014. Racing career Early career Lepage spent the 1980s driving in both the Busch North series and the Vermont-based ...

1994–1996 *

Ricky Rudd Richard Lee Rudd (born September 12, 1956), nicknamed "The Rooster", is an American former racing driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and former NASCAR Busch Series driver Jason Rudd. He retired in 2007 with 23 career wins. He was name ...

1994–1999 ( Rudd Performance Motorsports) * Bill Elliott 1995–2000 (

Bill Elliott Racing Bill Elliott Racing (formerly known as Charles Hardy Racing, Elliott-Hardy Racing, and Elliott-Marino Racing) was a NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned and operated by 1988 NASCAR champion Bill Elliott from 1 ...

) *

Brett Bodine Brett Elias Bodine III (born January 11, 1959) is an American former stock car racing driver, former driver of the pace car in Cup Series events, and current NASCAR employee. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine a ...

1996–2003 (

Brett Bodine Racing Brett Bodine Racing was a NASCAR racing team from 1996 until 2003. It was owned by former NASCAR driver Brett Bodine and his then-wife Diane, and fielded the No. 11 car for Bodine, who purchased the team from Junior Johnson & Associates (for whom ...

) *

Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty (born June 2, 1960) is an American former stock car racing driver, and current racing commentator. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash dur ...

1997–1998 ( PE2/Petty Enterprises) *

Derrike Cope Derrike Wayne Cope (born November 3, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He is known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 f ...

2001–2003, 2008–2010, 2012–2016, 2017–present (

Derrike Cope Racing Derrike Cope Racing with JP Motorsports (formerly known as Creation-Cope Racing, CFK Motorsports, Stratus Racing Group, Cope/Keller Racing and Derrike Cope, Inc, and Quest Motor Racing) was an American professional stock car racing team that com ...

) (

StarCom Racing StarCom Racing (SCR) was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. Based in Salisbury, North Carolina, the team last fielded the No. 00 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE full-time for Quin Houff in a te ...

) *

Kevin Harvick Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick is the 2014 Cup Series champio ...

2001–2011 (

Kevin Harvick Incorporated Kevin Harvick, Inc., colloquially referred to as KHI, was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who is the daughter of former Busch Series driver John Linville. The team owned cars in the NASCAR Natio ...

) * Michael Waltrip 2002-2015 (

Michael Waltrip Racing Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings LLC, doing business as Michael Waltrip Racing ("MWR"), was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The company was as a 50–50 partnership betwe ...

) *

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for ''NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving t ...

2003–present ( JR Motorsports) *

Robby Gordon Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, IMSA, IROC and the Dakar Rally. He is active in top-tier off road motorsports such as BITD, NO ...

2005–2012 (

Robby Gordon Motorsports Robby Gordon Motorsports is a motorsports constructor owned by Robby Gordon. The company was formed in 2005 as a race team for Gordon's NASCAR career. RGM spent the years of 2005 to 2012 competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, and part-time stints ...

) *

Mike Harmon Michael Joseph Harmon (born January 24, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for Mike Harmon Racing. In the past, he drove i ...

2007–present (

Mike Harmon Racing Mike Harmon Racing with Gary Keller, formerly Elite 2 Racing, is an American professional stock car racing team that fields the No. 74 Chevrolet Camaro full-time for TBA in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team has also competed in the NASCAR Campin ...

) *

Norm Benning Norm Benning Jr. (born January 16, 1952) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado for his team, Norm Benning Raci ...

2008–present (

Norm Benning Racing Norm Benning Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team is owned by Norm Benning, who drives the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado. History Norm Benn ...

) *

Brad Keselowski Bradley Aaron Keselowski (; born February 12, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for RFK Racing, a team he also ...

2008–2015 (

Brad Keselowski Racing Brad Keselowski Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Started in 2007, it was owned and operated by NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series champion Brad Keselowski. The tea ...

) *

Jeremy Clements Jeremy Wayne Clements (born January 16, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the son of Tony Clements, owner of Clements Racing Engines. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 51 Chevrole ...

2008–2009, 2011–present (

Jeremy Clements Racing Jeremy Clements Racing, formerly known as Jeremy Clements Motorsports, is an American professional stock car racing team. The team currently fields the No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro SS full-time for Jeremy Clements in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with c ...

) *

Jeremy Mayfield Jeremy Allen Mayfield (born May 27, 1969) is an American stock car racing driver. He drove cars for the Sadler brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas. In 2009, he drove for ...

2009 (Mayfield Motorsports) *

Chris Fontaine Christopher Fontaine (born December 1, 1981) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He has competed in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, driving in 59 races, most notably for Glenden Enterprises. He is known for ...

2009–present (

Glenden Enterprises Glenden Enterprises is an American professional stock car racing team which has competed in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. The team is owned by Chris Fontaine, and he's fielded the No. 47 Toyota Tundra for himself in select super ...

) *

2009–2016 (

Stewart-Haas Racing Stewart-Haas Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. The team is co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champio ...

) *

Kyle Busch Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and part-t ...

2010–present (

Kyle Busch Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. They formerly competed in the CARS Tour, ARCA/CRA Super Series, Southern Super Series, and the ARCA Mena ...

) *

Jennifer Jo Cobb Jennifer Jo Cobb (born June 12, 1973) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. She competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Silverado for her own team, Jennifer Jo Cobb Raci ...

2010–present (

Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing (also known as JJC Racing) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina and is owned by Jennifer ...

) *

Clay Greenfield Clayton Michael Greenfield (born June 3, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 84 Toyota Tundra for Cook Racing Technologies. Racing career A gradua ...

2013–present (

Clay Greenfield Motorsports Clay Greenfield Motorsports (formerly Alger Motorsports) was an American professional stock car racing team that competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team was owned by Clay Greenfield, who drove in the team's No. 68 Toy ...

) *

Carl Long James Carlyle "Carl" Long (born September 20, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver, mechanic, and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 66 Toyota Supra for MBM Motorsports. In t ...

2014–present (

MBM Motorsports Motorsports Business Management LLC, operating as MBM Motorsports (and sometimes known as Carl Long Motorsports), is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. M ...

) *

B. J. McLeod Darwin Benjamin Jerreld "B. J." McLeod Jr. (born November 17, 1983) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner of B. J. McLeod Motorsports and Live Fast Motorsports. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, drivi ...

2015–present ( B. J. McLeod Motorsports) *

Chad Finley Chad J. Finley (born March 17, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado for Chad Finley Racing. Raci ...

2016–present (

Chad Finley Racing Cook Racing Technologies (formerly Cook-Finley Racing, and Chad Finley Racing) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding the No. 84 Toyota Tundra part-time for C ...

) * Stewart Friesen 2016–present (

Halmar Friesen Racing Halmar Friesen Racing, also known as Halmar Racing Team, is an American professional stock car racing and dirt track racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding the No. 52 Toyota Tundra full-time for Ste ...

) *

Jordan Anderson Jordan Anderson or Jourdon Anderson (December 1825 – April 15, 1907) was an African-American and former slave noted for an 1865 letter he dictated, known as "Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master". It was addressed to his former mast ...

2018–present (

Jordan Anderson Racing Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro full-time for Myatt Snider, the No. 32 part-time for owner Jordan Ande ...

) *

Korbin Forrister Robert Korbin Forrister (born November 16, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, driving the Nos. 7 and 17 Toyota Tundras for All Out Motorsports. In ...

2018–present (

All Out Motorsports All Out Motorsports was an American professional stock car racing team that used to compete in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. The team used to field the No. 7 Toyota Tundra for Korbin Forrister. Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series ...

) *

David Gilliland David Leonard Gilliland (born April 1, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. Since 2017, he has operated David Gilliland Racing, a team that races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ...

2018–present (

DGR-Crosley TRICON Garage, formally known as David Gilliland Racing and Team DGR, is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, the ARCA Menards Se ...

) *

Bo LeMastus James "Bo" LeMastus (born January 8, 1963) is an American businessman, professional racing driver, and former team owner. He races in the Stadium Super Trucks and formerly competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series. ...

2018–present (

) *

Josh Reaume Joshua Robert Reaume (born October 11, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver, engineer, and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the Nos. 33 and 43 Toyota Tundras for his t ...

2018–present (

Reaume Brothers Racing Reaume Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team is owned by Josh Reaume, and it currently fiel ...

) *

2022 –present ( Roush Fenway Keselowski)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:NASCAR owner-drivers *Owner-Driver *Owner-Driver Owner-Driver Owner-Driver