Rick Ware Racing set for takeover by TJ Puchyr next season

• Puchyr estimates Cup Series charters should be worth at least US$75m
• He ‘believes in the France family and the direction of the sport’ amid ongoing lawsuit

TJ Puchyr has revealed he is returning to Nascar as part of a deal to purchase Rick Ware Racing.

Puchyr founded the Spire Motorsports outfit in 2018 alongside Jeff Dickerson but sold his shares to Dan Towriss, chief executive of TWG Motorsports, the group behind the Cadillac Formula One entry, last year.

Still seeing value in Nascar’s charter system despite the ongoing lawsuit between the series and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, Puchyr will take over Rick Ware’s eponymous team from next season.

“I am bullish on wanting to build a three-car team. I believe in the France family and the direction of the sport and I want the rest of the shareholders and industry to know that I believe the charters are worth US$75 million or more,” he told the Associated Press (AP).

One of Puchyr’s last acts while in charge of Spire Motorsports was to purchase a charter for around US$40 million from Live Fast Motorsports in September 2023. He will need to do so again to make good on his promise of wanting a three-car team.

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Rick Ware Racing currently has two charters, although one is being loaned out to RFK Racing for this season. Fellow Cup Series team Legacy Motor Club recently sued Rick Ware Racing over this charter, believing to have a deal in place for the transfer of this charter between the teams for the start of the 2026 season.

A judge did not agree with Legacy’s claim and so Rick Ware Racing’s lease deal will remain in place with RFK Racing for the 2026 season.

Puchyr added: “If anybody deserves a pass it is [Liberty owner] Jimmie [Johnson] and if he wants to sit down and talk about it like men, I’d entertain the conversation. I don’t think Jimmie has all the facts, doesn’t understand the deal we had, and they tried to humiliate Rick publicly. We don’t do business that way.”

Puchyr expects this charter to return to Rick Ware Racing for the 2027 season, at which point he will explore options to add a third charter.

Rick Ware will remain as a partner of the team, while his son Cody will continue in the number 51 Ford. All Rick Ware Racing employees will also be retained.

Puchyr has not revealed how much he has paid for Rick Ware Racing, but the most recently sold charter went for between US$20 million and US$25 million when Front Row Motorsports acquired one from the departing Stewart-Haas Racing outfit in 2024.