CONCORD, N.C. – Rick Ware Racing is stepping up its game next season after reaching an engine leasing agreement with Roush Yates Engines and forming a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing.
The NASCAR Cup Series team, owned by industry veteran Rick Ware, currently fields four full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries for a variety of drivers including J.J. Yeley, Cody Ware, Josh Bilicki, James Davison, Garrett Smithley, Joey Gase and more.
“We have worked hard to get to this position and do it in conjunction with the new (Next Gen) car,” said Ware. “As an owner we have decided to wait for this gen seven car, which we were hoping to have possibly been racing in 2021 but with COVID and a bunch of issues, things got pushed back.
“We keep trying to double down in motorsports and grow and move up the ladder and pick up our performance. This was the right timing.”
This year the team currently fields a mix of Chevrolet and Ford race cars in the Cup Series, but the team will become a full-fledged Ford program next season as a result of the new relationships with Roush Yates Engines and Stewart-Haas Racing.
The agreement with Roush Yates Engines is a multi-year deal that will see Rick Ware Racing lease engines through the 2023 season.
“If you guys haven’t figured out by now, Rick Ware is a racer,” said Roush Yates Engines CEO Doug Yates. “He’s looking to improve his program and Roush Yates and Ford Performance are really proud to be part of that and we look forward to what we’re going to do in the future together.”
Ware said he expects the team to field at least two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries next year, with a third also possible depending on funding. Ware currently owns three charters and lease a fourth from Richard Petty Motorsports. It’s also possible that Ware sells one of his charters, though he didn’t reveal any details regarding a potential charter sale.
“My ultimate goal I think would be just to focus on a really strong two-car team going forward,” Ware said. “I believe you need to do that because of the economies of scale and if new manufacturers in one, two, three or four years from now, I think that’s going to be relevant. We did make some commitments when other people didn’t want to make that commitment, so that’s kind of how we got to where we are.”
In 426 starts at NASCAR’s top level, Rick Ware Racing has only earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes. Ware’s goal is for his team to grow and build itself up towards being a regular presence near the front of the field.
“There is still going to be a lot of work to do as a small team with a new car, but I feel that we are making the right steps and we’re going to continue put everything we can into making it a great season in 2022,” Ware said. “It’s going to be hard work, we’re still going to get our butt kicked by a lot of people next year. But we need to step up dramatically just to be relevant. I feel like if I wasn’t doing this, we would be in a bad situation.”