Cody Ware Bio
Cody Shane Ware (born November 7, 1995) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing, and also races in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge for RWR with Ave Motorsports. A third-generation driver with experience in stock car, sports car, and open-wheel racing, he is the son of longtime NASCAR team owner Rick Ware.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, Ware has built a versatile career across multiple racing disciplines since 2014. His journey from Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Rookie of the Year to a full-time Cup Series driver reflects both his family racing heritage and his determination to overcome personal setbacks.
Early Life and Background
Cody Shane Ware was born on November 7, 1995, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He grew up surrounded by motorsports as the son of Rick Ware, a well-known NASCAR team owner, which gave him early exposure to the inner workings of professional racing. This family connection planted the seeds for his future career behind the wheel.
Ware is recognized as a third-generation racing driver, continuing a family tradition that spans multiple eras of American motorsports. He began his racing path in sports car competition before transitioning into stock car racing’s national series. His upbringing in North Carolina, a hotbed for stock car racing, further fueled his passion for the sport.
Path to NASCAR
Ware began his professional racing career in 2014 in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors. That same year, he made his NASCAR debut in the Nationwide Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, finishing fifteenth for Rick Ware Racing. These early experiences helped him gain exposure to the demands of American stock car racing.
In 2015, Ware joined MAKE Motorsports for a full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series campaign, competing for Rookie of the Year. He later left the team to focus on college studies, with aspirations of pursuing a pre-medical degree. He continued to develop his skills in lower-tier national series, including part-time Truck Series and Xfinity Series starts, before securing a more consistent opportunity in the Cup Series.
Cody Ware Career
Early Career (2014-2016)
Ware launched his professional career in 2014 with the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, where his Rookie of the Year award marked him as a rising talent. He simultaneously made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Mid-Ohio, driving for his father’s Rick Ware Racing team. The following year, he stepped up to a full-time ride in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with MAKE Motorsports.
After stepping away from full-time competition to attend college, Ware returned to NASCAR’s national series in 2017 with a renewed focus. He ran part-time schedules in both the Truck Series and the Cup Series, steadily building experience. In June 2016, he attempted to make his Sprint Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway, driving the No. 55 for Premium Motorsports, but failed to qualify.
NASCAR Cup Series (2017-Present)
Ware made his official Cup Series debut in 2017 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the No. 51 for Rick Ware Racing, finishing 39th after retiring with steering problems. He ran a limited Cup schedule through 2018 and expanded to thirteen Cup races in 2019, including his first Daytona 500. In 2020, his lone Cup start at Talladega Superspeedway produced a then-career-best nineteenth-place finish.
On January 18, 2021, Rick Ware Racing announced Ware would run the full 2021 Cup Series season in the No. 51. The following year, he scored his first career Cup top-ten finish with a sixth-place result in the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. He returned to full-time competition in 2023, but was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR in April 2023 following a felony arrest in Iredell County, North Carolina. He was reinstated on December 12, 2023, after the charges were dropped.
In 2024, Ware ran a limited Cup schedule and posted a new career-best fourth-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. On January 15, 2025, RWR announced he would return to full-time Cup Series competition in the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. That year, he led a career-high 23 laps in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and competed in all 36 points-paying races for the first time in his career.
NASCAR Xfinity Series (2014-2021)
Ware’s Xfinity Series career began in August 2014 at Mid-Ohio, where he started 26th and finished 15th for Rick Ware Racing. Over the next several seasons, he drove part-time for various teams including MBM Motorsports, B. J. McLeod Motorsports, Team Kapusta Racing, and Mike Harmon Racing. His first Xfinity top-ten came in 2020 at the Charlotte Roval, where he finished seventh.
In 2021, he competed in seven Xfinity races for SS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware Racing, recording a best finish of 15th at Mid-Ohio. He has continued to use the Xfinity Series as a developmental platform alongside his Cup Series duties, gaining valuable experience on a variety of track types.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2015-2018)
Ware entered the Camping World Truck Series in 2015 with MAKE Motorsports, contesting the full season in pursuit of Rookie of the Year honors. He left the team partway through the year to attend college full-time. He returned to the series in 2017 with Rick Ware Racing on a part-time basis and later attempted the 2018 season opener at Daytona with Mike Harmon Racing, though he failed to qualify.
Sports Car and Open-Wheel Racing (2014-Present)
Beyond NASCAR, Ware has built a notable career in sports car and open-wheel competition. In 2019, he raced in the Asian Le Mans Series with Mark Kvamme, finishing second in class at Shanghai International Circuit. He was also named to the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans entry list for EuroInternational, and in 2021, he joined RWR Eurasia for the 24 Hours of Daytona alongside Austin Dillon, Salih Yoluç, and Sven Müller.
Ware made his IndyCar Series debut at the 2021 REV Group Grand Prix at Road America with Dale Coyne Racing, finishing nineteenth on the lead lap. He also tested an IndyCar at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021 and was originally entered for the Indianapolis 500, though sponsorship issues forced the entry to be withdrawn. In 2024, he returned to sports car racing in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge with RWR and Ave Motorsports.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ware has developed into a versatile road course and superspeedway racer, drawing on his broad background in sports car, open-wheel, and stock car competition. His ability to adapt to different vehicle platforms has been a defining strength throughout his career. Working alongside his Rick Ware Racing crew chief, he has steadily improved his race craft and consistency at the Cup level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Ware’s signature results are his first career Cup top-ten finish in the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona and his career-best fourth-place run in the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400. He also scored his first Xfinity Series top-ten at the 2020 Charlotte Roval and earned Rookie of the Year honors in the 2014 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series. His full-time return to the Cup Series in 2025 marked another major milestone in his career.
Cody Ware Career Wins
Ware’s verified victories include an LMP2 Am Trophy class win in the Asian Le Mans Series at The Bend Motorsport Park in January 2020. He has yet to record an official victory in NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity, or Craftsman Truck Series. His top results include a fourth-place Cup finish at Daytona, a sixth-place Cup finish at Daytona in 2022, and a seventh-place Xfinity finish at the Charlotte Roval in 2020.
Other Wins & Performances
In the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series in 2014, Ware earned Rookie of the Year honors, an important early achievement that helped launch his professional career. He also recorded strong performances in the Asian Le Mans Series with podiums and class wins. His versatility across multiple racing disciplines remains one of his defining career characteristics.
Cody Ware Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ware is the son of Rick Ware, a longtime NASCAR team owner who fields entries across the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series. He is recognized as a third-generation racing driver, continuing a family tradition in American motorsports. His younger brother, Carson Ware, has also raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series.
Personal Life
In February 2018, Ware publicly shared that he struggles with depression and anxiety. A few months later, he revealed on Facebook that he has Asperger syndrome. In May 2021, he disclosed that during his teenage years, a group of friends led him into the woods, doused him with gasoline, and set him on fire, resulting in severe burns on the backs of his legs. In April 2023, he was arrested on a felony assault by strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault charge in Iredell County, North Carolina. The charges were dropped by prosecutors in December 2023, and he was reinstated by NASCAR on December 12, 2023.
2025 Season Performance
On January 15, 2025, Rick Ware Racing announced that Ware would return to full-time Cup Series competition for the 2025 season, driving the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The season marked his first complete 36-race Cup campaign, a significant step forward in his career trajectory. On May 12, 2025, he was announced as the driver of the No. 15 in the All-Star Open, as Harrison Burton drove the No. 51 in the main event.
One of the highlights of Ware’s 2025 campaign came in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he led a career-high 23 laps before finishing twentieth. He completed every points-paying race of the season, demonstrating improved consistency and durability. His partnership with RWR has continued to provide a stable foundation for his ongoing development.
Looking ahead, Ware’s full-season experience in 2025 is expected to build momentum for future campaigns. With sports car racing commitments in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge complementing his Cup duties, he remains one of NASCAR’s most versatile active drivers. His progress at Rick Ware Racing underscores a long-term commitment from both driver and team.