In a surprising turn of events, Rick Ware Racing has announced a significant switch from Ford to Chevrolet for the upcoming 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. This unexpected decision also marks the establishment of a new technical partnership with Richard Childress Racing (RCR), which will provide engines through ECR Engines.
The announcement sent shockwaves throughout the racing community and caught Tommy Baldwin Jr., the competition director at RWR, completely off guard. During a recent episode of the podcast "Door Bumper Clear," Baldwin recounted how he learned of the news while driving to Long Island. "I had no clue. Not even a hint," he said. "I woke up around 3 a.m. on Wednesday and decided, you know what, I’m going to drive to Pensacola. But then I thought, why not just head to Long Island first? So, I got in my truck, started driving, and while I was in Pennsylvania, Robby Benton, the president of Rick Ware Racing, called me. That’s when I found out about the switch—last Wednesday."
After sharing this surprising update, Baldwin continued, "The news spread like wildfire the very next day. I reached Long Island, worked at the shop for a few hours, then went to rest at the hotel. Early the next day, I flew back to Charlotte to kick off the collaboration with RCR and ECR."
Rick Ware Racing is stepping into a new chapter as they transition in 2026. The team made its debut in the Cup Series in 2012 with Timmy Hill driving at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Out of a total of 702 Cup starts, 268 have been under the Chevrolet banner. However, the team has faced challenges in achieving competitive results, managing only two top-five finishes and eleven top-ten placements to date.
Currently, RWR fields a single full-time Cup entry, driven by Cody Ware, who ended up 36th in the points standings for the 2025 season.
As the team embarks on this new journey, preparations are already underway. "Now that I’m in the loop, it's been non-stop since I got the call," Baldwin shared. "We’ve met with everyone involved and laid out a strategic plan. We’ve been actively working on it for the last couple of days. All our components are currently at RCR, undergoing the necessary evaluations and adjustments. When you change alliances, everything is essentially reset.
"Every piece needs to be remeasured and integrated into their simulation systems. We’ve delivered all our parts, and the process is expected to begin imminently. Our crew chief is collaborating closely with engineers and other crew chiefs, and we’ve scheduled daily meetings to outline our next steps. Now, we’re just waiting on some body parts so we can get everything rolling."
This shift in strategy for RWR could be a pivotal moment for the team—will this new partnership with Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing finally bring them the success they've been striving for? This is where it gets intriguing: what challenges or advantages might arise from such a dramatic change? Share your thoughts below!
