Young's Motorsports Sonoma Raceway June Team Preview

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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway | Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Ryan Ellis

Primary Partner(s): Sweetwater Construction

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Eddie Troconis

2026 Driver Points Position: 28th | 2026 Owner Points Position: 33rd

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

● Year Three, Driven Forward: In November 2025, Ryan Ellis was announced as Young’s Motorsports’ full-time driver in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as the organization enters its third season of competition.

In a significant step for 2026, Young’s Motorsports will transition its flagship No. 02 — long synonymous with the organization’s success in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series — to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time, underscoring the team’s continued growth at the national level.

Ellis will pilot the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro across the full 33-race schedule, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and culminating with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway in November.

● About Ryan: A respected veteran in the NASCAR garage, Ellis joins Young’s Motorsports with more than a decade of experience across NASCAR’s national ranks, including competition in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

The 2026 season will mark Ellis’ fourth full-time campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

The 35-year-old Virginia native is coming off his first career NASCAR top-10 finish in 2025 and looks to build on that momentum while continuing to expand his résumé, which includes 182 career starts in series competition.

Known for his consistency, professionalism, and versatility both behind the wheel and in the garage, Ellis aims to apply his experience to elevate Young’s Motorsports’ competitive presence in its third season of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition.

● All-Aboard!: For the 19th of 33 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back for the third time this season Sweetwater Construction as the primary partner on the No. 02 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday’s 79-lap event.

Sweetwater Construction is a Cranbury, N.J.-based construction management and general contracting firm delivering high-quality construction solutions throughout New Jersey.

Founded in 1988 by the late Ronald C. Witt Sr., the company has built a reputation for excellence through its commitment to integrity, craftsmanship, and client-focused service.

Today, under the leadership of President and CEO Ronald C. Witt Jr., Sweetwater continues to expand its footprint across a diverse range of market sectors, including corporate interiors, healthcare, biopharma, life sciences, multi-family, senior living, institutional, and hospitality.

Specializing in out-of-ground construction, additions and renovations, and interior construction projects, Sweetwater Construction remains dedicated to delivering projects safely, efficiently, and with the highest level of quality.

● Glad to Have You Here!: As the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to California’s wine country for its final road course race of the season, Young’s Motorsports and Ryan Ellis are pleased to welcome FullEnrich as an associate marketing partner.

FullEnrich is a powerful B2B data enrichment and lead generation platform that helps sales and marketing teams identify prospects and access verified contact information to improve outreach, accelerate pipeline growth and drive results.

It stands out by aggregating data from over 20 premium vendors to ensure maximum coverage.

● Tablo Gives Fans More Ways to Watch NASCAR: As a valued partner of Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, NASCAR fans have even more ways to watch and record racing action with Tablo.

Fourth-generation Tablo DVR owners can now access and record The NASCAR Channel, featuring 24/7 free programming, including classic races, delayed broadcasts of the current season, select live events, NASCAR Studios original content, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Morning Drive.

The addition brings Tablo’s lineup to 106 free streaming channels, complementing its ability to watch and record free local broadcast television with a TV antenna through its whole-home DVR platform.

● Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with Tablo: With the world's biggest soccer tournament underway, Tablo TV offers fans an easy and affordable way to watch live matches from official broadcast partners FOX and Telemundo — all without a monthly subscription.

With a one-time device purchase, a TV antenna and the free Tablo TV app, viewers can watch, pause, record and stream FIFA World Cup 2026™ action alongside local broadcast favorites from NBC, CBS, ABC, ION and The CW on compatible devices throughout their home.

Whether you're cheering on your favorite nation, catching every NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race on The CW or enjoying your favorite local programming, Tablo makes it simple to bring America's biggest sporting events and entertainment home for free.

● Ryan Ellis O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s battle in Northern California will mark Ellis’s third NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at the 1.99-mile Sonoma Raceway road course.

In his previous two outings at Sonoma Raceway, Ellis delivered a track-best finish of 26th after starting 34th in the 2024 edition of the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 while driving for Alpa Prime Racing. Overall, he holds an average NOAPS finish of 26.5 at the popular road racing venue.

This weekend, the NASCAR national series completes its second West Coast swing of the 2026 season with a return to Sonoma Raceway, one of the sport's most iconic and challenging road courses.

The three-day race weekend begins Friday with the ARCA Menards Series West General Tire 150, continues Saturday with the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 and concludes Sunday with the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota / Save Mart 350.

Nestled in the rolling hills of California's wine country, Sonoma Raceway has long been regarded as one of NASCAR's premier road racing venues.

The circuit's elevation changes, technical corners and limited passing zones place a premium on precision, strategy and execution throughout the weekend.

Unlike many traditional oval tracks, Sonoma demands a unique combination of braking performance, throttle control and patience, forcing drivers and teams to adapt throughout every stage of the race weekend. With little room for error and track position often at a premium, teams must strike the perfect balance between speed and conservation to contend for strong finishes.

With the eyes of the motorsports world focused on wine country, Ryan Ellis and Young's Motorsports will look to capitalize on the opportunity as the No. 02 team hopes to build momentum during the second half of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

For Ellis and Young's Motorsports, Sonoma Raceway represents another opportunity to put together a complete weekend and continue carrying momentum into the second half of the season.

● Ryan Ellis NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Career Stats: Entering Sonoma, Ellis has 182 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races to his credit, earning a career-best sixth-place finish after starting 32nd in the 2026 edition of the United Rentals 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway for Young’s Motorsports.

Since his 2012 debut, Ellis has averaged a 26.6 finish in series competition, including the past three seasons running full-time.

● San Diego Naval Base Coronado | United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 Race Recap: The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series was part of history last weekend as all three NASCAR national series competed on an active naval base in celebration of the U.S. Navy’s 250th birthday.

Carrying a special patriotic Tablo TV paint scheme, the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 Chevrolet team showed encouraging speed during Friday’s practice session, building confidence heading into qualifying on race day.

During time trials, Ellis delivered one of his best qualifying efforts of the season, placing the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet 19th on the speed charts and comfortably securing a spot in the field.

The momentum carried into the opening stages of the race, where Ellis maintained track position and demonstrated competitive pace as the team worked toward a strong finish in the inaugural event.

Unfortunately, the team's afternoon took a turn when a driveline mechanical issue forced Ellis to the garage for repairs.

After the crew completed the necessary work, Ellis returned to the track and recovered several positions, but the setback ultimately resulted in a 30th-place finish, 13 laps behind the race winner.

With the second half of the 2026 season underway, Ellis and Young’s Motorsports now turn their attention to their annual trip to Sonoma Raceway, eager to build on the speed they showed at Naval Base Coronado.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Ryan Ellis as crew chief of the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief, engineer and industry veteran Eddie Troconis.

On Saturday, Troconis will call his 40th NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race from atop the pit box. In his previous 39 starts, he has recorded two top-10 finishes, most recently in the 2026 season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

The season’s 19th race will mark his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Sonoma Raceway.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Overview at Sonoma Raceway: This weekend’s Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 will mark Young’s Motorsports’ third and fourth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, the iconic road course nestled in the wine country of Northern California.

In the organization’s previous appearances at the challenging Sonoma Raceway circuit, veteran Anthony Alfredo delivered the team’s strongest performance during its sophomore season in 2025.

After qualifying 13th, Alfredo spent much of the race inside the top 15 before a late-race shuffle relegated him to a 23rd-place lead-lap finish.

Beyond its growing résumé in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization also brings valuable experience to Sonoma through its NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program.

Since 2022, Young’s Motorsports has made three Truck Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, highlighted by a track-best 14th-place finish by driver Kaz Grala in the 2022 DoorDash 250.

Across those appearances, the organization owns an average starting position of 24.0 and an average finishing position of 18.0, continuing to build experience at one of NASCAR’s most physically demanding road courses.

In the team's inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Series appearance at Sonoma in 2024, rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. started and finished 29th, completing all but one lap.

Overall, Young’s Motorsports has competed in 20 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series road course and street course events, earning a best finish of 16th with Honeyman at Watkins Glen International in the summer of 2024.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History: Since entering the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 102 starts and earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes while maintaining an average starting position of 27.5 and an average finish of 25.1.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Ryan Ellis, please visit ryanellisracing.com, like him on Facebook (Ryan Ellis), and follow him on Instagram (@ryanellisracing), TikTok (@ryanellisracing), and X | Twitter (@ryanellisracing).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com , like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Ryan Ellis Quoteboard:

On Sonoma Raceway: “Sonoma is a fun challenge and one of the most unique tracks we visit all season. Road course racing always puts an emphasis on execution, and that’s something our team has continued to improve on.

“We’ve had some speed lately, so hopefully we can put together a complete weekend and come away with a result that reflects the effort everyone at Young’s Motorsports is putting in.”

On Keys to Success at Sonoma Raceway: “Sonoma is all about execution. You have to be disciplined in the braking zones, take care of your tires and avoid making mistakes because they can be really costly there.

“Track position is always important, but so is staying on top of adjustments throughout the weekend. If we can maximize our speed, keep the fenders on it and put ourselves in the right spot late in the race, I think we'll have a solid opportunity to put together a good result.”

On Goals for Sonoma Raceway: “The goal every weekend is to maximize what we've got and come away with the best finish possible. We've had some strong runs recently that were interrupted by things outside of our control, so hopefully Sonoma gives us the chance to put together a clean race, stay on the lead lap and show what this No. 02 team is capable of.”

On the Continued Partnership with Sweetwater Construction at Sonoma Raceway: “It’s great to have Sweetwater Construction back with us at Sonoma Raceway.

“Partnerships like this are what make it possible for us to compete each weekend, and we’re grateful for their continued support of our team.

“We’re looking forward to another opportunity to showcase their brand and hopefully put together a strong run for everyone involved.”

On Being Part of a Historic Weekend at Naval Base Coronado: “It was a privilege to be part of such a historic weekend at Naval Base Coronado. The atmosphere was unlike anything we've experienced, and you could really feel the significance of celebrating the Navy's 250th birthday.

“Even though our race didn't end the way we hoped, it's something I'll always be proud to have been part of, and I think everyone involved helped make it a memorable event for NASCAR.”

On Goals for Reminder of 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Season: “Our goals for the remainder of the season are pretty straightforward.

“We want to continue building on the speed we've shown recently, execute more consistently, and put ourselves in a position to capitalize on opportunities when they come. We've had several races where our speed has been better than the final result, so the focus now is on turning that potential into finishes.

“Everyone at Young’s Motorsports has continued to work hard and make improvements throughout the year, and if we can keep qualifying well, stay out of trouble and execute throughout the race, I believe we can close out the season with some of our strongest performances of the year and earn results that truly reflect the effort that's gone into this program.”

No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Will Rodgers

Primary Partner(s): Kelly Benefits

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2026 Driver Points Position: 48th (one race) | 2026 Owner Points Position: 36th

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

● Year Three, Driven Forward: Young’s Motorsports continues its campaign in the newly rebranded NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, looking to build momentum with its expanding two-car effort as the season rolls on at Sonoma Raceway this weekend.

Road course specialist Will Rodgers returns to the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization this weekend, set to make his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start with Young’s Motorsports behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro in the 19th race of the 33-race 2026 schedule.

● About Will: A native of Maui, Hawaii, Rodgers began his racing career in go-karts at the age of nine before transitioning to motocross at 13.

After capturing a regional championship on two wheels, Rodgers expanded his racing résumé into off-road competition before making the move to sports car racing in 2015.

By 2016, his road racing prowess opened the door to NASCAR’s development ranks, competing in the ARCA Menards Series, where he earned four victories at premier road courses, including New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

While sponsorship has limited his ability to compete full-time, the personable and respected driver has still compiled 10 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts since 2019, along with six NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances, most recently at last fall’s Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.

Rodgers is also a graduate of NASCAR’s Next program, having participated in the initiative during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

When he’s not behind the wheel, Rodgers plays a critical role high above the racetrack as one of the sport’s most trusted spotters.

On Sundays, he serves as the eyes and ears for Erik Jones in the NASCAR Cup Series with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

● All-Aboard!: For the 19th of 33 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes longtime Will Rodgers partner Kelly Benefits as the primary partner aboard the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday’s 79-lap event at Sonoma Raceway.

Founded in 1976, Kelly Benefits began as a small health and life insurance agency serving associations and their members.

Today, Kelly Benefits has evolved into one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing providers of benefits administration and technology, broker and consulting services, payroll solutions, retirement plan consulting, and comprehensive tools and strategies to benefit businesses of all sizes.

Headquartered in Sparks, Maryland, Kelly Benefits also has offices in the Greater Philadelphia area and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit kellybenefits.com.

● Spreading the Word!: Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation will also join the organization to serve as a major secondary marketing partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the final NOAPS road course race of the season.

The Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation was formed from the inspiration of Will Rodgers’ personal struggle, fight, and endurance with Liver Disease.

We were formed to help fill the gaps for those affected with liver health issues by providing education, testing resources and a link to care.

The Will Rodgers Liver Health Foundation’s vision is to build awareness and provide education on liver disease, remove any barriers to the treatment of liver diseases for targeted demographics, provide a link-to-care and eliminate negative stigma surrounding liver disease.

● Will Rodgers O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 will mark Rodgers’s second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at the 1.99-mile Sonoma Raceway road course.

In his previous appearance at Sonoma Raceway, Rodgers delivered a career-best series finish of 16th after starting 36th in the 2024 edition of the Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 while driving for Family Cope Racing. Through one start, he owns an average finish of 16.0 at the Northern California road course.

In addition to his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series experience, Rodgers also competed in the ARCA Menards Series West event at Sonoma in 2025, adding valuable laps and familiarity at one of the most challenging road courses on the schedule.

This weekend, the NASCAR national series completes its second West Coast swing of the 2026 season with a return to Sonoma Raceway, one of the sport’s most iconic and demanding road courses.

The three-day race weekend begins Friday with the ARCA Menards Series West General Tire 150, continues Saturday with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 and concludes Sunday with the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota / Save Mart 350.

Nestled in the rolling hills of California’s wine country, Sonoma Raceway has long been regarded as one of NASCAR’s premier road racing venues.

The circuit’s elevation changes, technical corners and limited passing zones place a premium on precision, strategy and execution throughout the weekend.

With little room for error and track position often at a premium, teams must strike the perfect balance between speed and conservation to contend for strong finishes.

With the eyes of the motorsports world focused on wine country, Rodgers and Young’s Motorsports will look to maximize the opportunity this weekend, utilizing his road course expertise to help strengthen the organization’s notebook while pursuing a competitive finish in Northern California.

● Will Rodgers NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Career Stats: Entering Sonoma Raceway, Rodgers has 11 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts to his credit, highlighted by a career-best 12th-place finish after starting 22nd in the 2019 B&L Transport 170 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Brandonbilt Motorsports.

Since his 2019 debut, Rodgers has recorded an average finish of 24.7 in series competition across 10 different tracks, including Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Circuit of The Americas, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Iowa Speedway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Road America (Wisc.), Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. During that span, he has competed for Brandonbilt Motorsports, Cope Family Racing, Motorsports Business Management (MBM) Motorsports, RSS Racing, Sam Hunt Racing and most recently Young’s Motorsports.

Further bolstering his NASCAR résumé, Rodgers has made six starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2021 and owns four career victories across the NASCAR-owned ARCA Menards Series platform.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Rodgers as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be the crew chief in his 181st NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. In his previous 180 races, he has four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.

The season's 19th race will be his third tango at Sonoma Raceway as crew chief in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

In the organization’s previous appearances at the challenging Sonoma Raceway circuit, veteran Anthony Alfredo delivered the team’s strongest performance during its sophomore season in 2025.

After qualifying 13th, Alfredo spent much of the race inside the top 15 before a late-race shuffle relegated him to a 23rd-place lead-lap finish.

Since 2022, Young’s Motorsports has made three Truck Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, highlighted by a track-best 14th-place finish by driver Kaz Grala in the 2022 DoorDash 250.

In the team's inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Series appearance at Sonoma in 2024, rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. started and finished 29th, completing all but one lap.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Will Rodgers, please like him on Facebook (Will Rodgers), follow him on Instagram (@willrodgers_) and X | Twitter (@willrodgers65).

Will Rodgers Quoteboard:

On Sonoma Raceway: “Sonoma Raceway is one of the most technical and demanding tracks on the schedule, which is part of what makes it so much fun to race.

“Every lap presents a different challenge, and there’s always something to learn. I'm excited for the opportunity to work with Young’s Motorsports this weekend, not only to compete for a strong finish, but also to help the team continue building its road course program for the future.”

On Keys to Success at Sonoma Raceway: “The biggest key at Sonoma is putting together complete laps and minimizing mistakes. It's a technical track with a lot of elevation change, and it's easy to give away time if you're not precise.

“Strategy, tire management and track position all play a role, but ultimately it's about execution. If we can do the little things right all day, the results usually take care of themselves.”

On Goals for Sonoma Raceway: “Our goal is to maximize the speed in our No. 02 Chevrolet and come away with a finish that reflects the effort everyone has put into this program.

“Sonoma is a challenging place, but it's also a track I enjoy racing because it rewards preparation and execution.

“If we can qualify well, maintain track position, stay disciplined throughout the day and avoid mistakes, I believe we'll give ourselves a solid opportunity to put together a strong run.”

On Continued Support from Kelly Benefits: “I’m incredibly thankful for the continued support from everyone at Kelly Benefits. They’ve been a tremendous partner throughout my motorsports career and have been with me through so many different chapters along the way.

“Partnerships like that are rare in this sport, and their loyalty and belief in me have allowed us to create some incredible memories together.

“To have them alongside us again this weekend on the No. 42 Chevrolet with Young’s Motorsports at Sonoma Raceway is really special, and hopefully we can represent everyone at Kelly Benefits with a strong performance on Saturday.”

On Another NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Opportunity with Young’s Motorsports: “I’m grateful for another opportunity to get behind the wheel with Young’s Motorsports this weekend.

“We were able to put together a solid run and earn a top-20 finish at Watkins Glen earlier this season, so it’s exciting to have another chance to work with the team and build on that momentum.

“Sonoma is a track I know well and enjoy racing, and I’m looking forward to working with everyone on the No. 02 team to see what we can accomplish together while representing our partners the best we can.”

Race Information:

The Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 (79 laps | 156.95 miles) is the 19th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026 schedule. Practice will occur on Fri., June 26, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, launching at 2:05 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, June 27, 2026, shortly after 2:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (PT).

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