MBM Motorsports will not compete in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This development comes at a time when MBM Motorsports is struggling with inconsistency in their race entries throughout the 2024 season.
Previously intending to field their No. 66 Ford, the team, led by co-founder Carl Long, is notably absent from the entry list for the Las Vegas event.
Founded in 2014 and based in Statesville, North Carolina, MBM Motorsports has seen its share of ups and downs. Carl Long, with a history of 174 starts across NASCAR’s national series, including 26 in the Cup Series, hoped to steer the team to a more consistent participation throughout the 2024 season.
Unfortunately, the team’s return to competition after missing the entire 2023 season has been erratic. Though they managed to enter ten points races with aspirational plans, MBM Motorsports’s continued struggle with stability in race attendance and driver lineup has become a recurring theme.
Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. MBM Motorsports… Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 03, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. MBM Motorsports will not take part in the Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. More Chris Graythen/Getty Images
This season, the No. 66 Ford has seen a rotation of six different drivers. Josh Bilicki made three starts, while Timmy Hill and B.J. McLeod made two each. Chad Finchum, David Starr, and Parker Retzlaff contributed with one start per driver. The inconsistency extended to sponsorships as well. Brands such as Green Light Performance Products, Aires Tech, and AES Restaurant Group (an Arby’s Franchisee) have backed the team, enabling partial participation. Yet, the sporadic support may have influenced their irregular presence on the track.
Despite their absence in Las Vegas, MBM Motorsports has plans to return to the track at Homestead-Miami Speedway the following weekend, with Chad Finchum driving under Aires Tech sponsorship. Finchum, stepping back into a competitive role at Nashville Superspeedway in June 2024, is poised to carry forward the team’s commitment to the sport despite past setbacks.
The upcoming South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, part of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, will broadcast live on NBC on October 20th at 2:30 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Cup Series: Current Standings