Dawson Cram Bio
Dawson Kevin Cram (born September 12, 2001) is an American professional stock car racing driver, mechanic, and team owner. He has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 74 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Mike Harmon Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 74 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for MHR. Cram has also previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series and is recognized as the youngest team owner in NASCAR history, having co-owned his own operation at the age of 16.
A versatile presence in the garage area, Cram has balanced driving duties with mechanical work, including a stint as a mechanic for a NASCAR Xfinity Series team. His career has spanned multiple national series, regional touring divisions, and team ownership roles, all before reaching his mid-twenties.
Early Life and Background
Dawson Kevin Cram was born on September 12, 2001, in San Diego, California. He grew up in a family deeply rooted in motorsports, with his father Kevin Cram working as a crew chief across all three NASCAR national series. His uncle, Clinton Cram, is also a crew chief and was the one calling the shots for Dawson’s first Truck Series attempt, giving the young driver a built-in support system from the start.
Cram began his competitive racing journey in 2007 at the age of five, when he started racing Mini Dwarf cars in his hometown of San Diego. He later relocated to Mooresville, North Carolina, a hub of NASCAR activity, where he transitioned into the INEX Bandolero Series. Cram found immediate success in the Bandolero ranks, winning thirteen races, a haul that helped establish his reputation as a promising young talent.
Path to NASCAR
In 2014, Cram graduated from Bandoleros to legend cars, broadening his experience on short tracks. By 2017, his racing slate had grown to include starts in legend cars, Super Trucks, and late models through the Whelen All-American Series, providing a steady ladder of stock car experience. That same year, he made his first attempt at a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event, signaling his intent to move into the national ranks.
From 2017 to 2021, Cram ran his own family-backed operation, Cram Racing Enterprises, making him the youngest team owner in NASCAR history at just 16 years old. He balanced those ownership responsibilities with driving duties and, in 2020, also worked as a mechanic for the No. 6 NASCAR Xfinity Series team at JD Motorsports, gaining an intimate understanding of the engineering side of the sport.
Dawson Cram Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
On October 24, 2017, Cram was announced as the driver of the No. 11 truck for Cram Racing Enterprises in the Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway. A blown engine during practice ended the team’s weekend before the green flag, forcing Cram to withdraw and reset for the next opportunity.
He returned to Martinsville in the spring of 2018, this time driving for Beaver Motorsports. The event was his first race with live pit stops, and Cram accidentally struck a crew member on his first stop before climbing to a seventeenth-place finish on the lead lap. His third Truck attempt also came at Martinsville, this time a joint effort between Cram Racing Enterprises and Copp Motorsports, where he finished 24th before also running the next race on the schedule at ISM Raceway in the No. 83.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2020–2021)
In 2020, Cram expanded his Truck Series schedule, running races for both Long Motorsports and Reaume Brothers Racing. He departed Long Motorsports in August for financial reasons but later purchased the team and ran the No. 41 under the Cram Racing Enterprises banner for the remainder of the 2020 Truck season, blending his roles as driver and owner.
Ahead of the 2021 Truck season, Cram voiced plans to contest the full schedule. In July of that year, he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Mike Harmon Racing, opening a new chapter in his national-series career. Cram also drove the G2G Racing No. 47 in the Truck Series race at Darlington in May 2023, though his team was later penalized with the loss of 25 owner points for an outdated window net.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2022–2024)
In 2022, Cram announced an attempt at the Xfinity Series’ September Darlington race driving the No. 35 car for Emerling-Gase Motorsports. He qualified and finished 30th, while also attempting to qualify for two races in the Mike Harmon Racing No. 47 car without success. He closed the year driving the MBM Motorsports No. 13 in the season finale at Phoenix, where he qualified and finished 31st.
Cram ran the majority of the 2023 Xfinity Series season in the No. 74 for CHK Racing, formerly Mike Harmon Racing, though the team failed to qualify for most of its attempted races. After qualifying for Charlotte in May, Cram and the team lost 10 driver and owner points due to an air duct violation, making him one of the few drivers in NASCAR history to carry a negative point total during a season. He also drove the SS-Green Light Racing No. 07 at Martinsville in April and the Alpha Prime Racing No. 44 at Darlington in September.
On December 6, 2023, Cram announced plans to run full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024, driving the No. 4 car for JD Motorsports. After four races he was scaled back to a part-time schedule following JD Motorsports’ April 2024 Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing. Starting at Pocono, Cram returned to Mike Harmon Racing in the No. 74, qualifying after JD Motorsports withdrew its No. 6 entry and giving MHR its first qualifying run of the year. He crashed on Lap 1 and finished 38th, failed to qualify at Darlington, qualified but retired at Atlanta after 18 laps with engine trouble, and again failed to qualify at Bristol. On September 10, 2024, it was announced that Cram would drive the No. 92 for DGM Racing for five races beginning at Kansas.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cram has shown versatility across stock car disciplines, moving comfortably between short tracks, intermediate ovals, and superspeedways. His experience as both a team owner and a mechanic gives him a sharp understanding of race craft, pit strategy, and the mechanical setup of his cars. He has built a working relationship with his uncle Clinton Cram, who served as his crew chief for early Truck Series attempts.
Notable Races and Milestones
Cram’s most notable milestones include his 2018 Martinsville debut with live pit stops, his 2020 purchase of Long Motorsports, and his 2024 return to Mike Harmon Racing that delivered the team its first qualifying result of the season. He also earned a place in the NASCAR history book as the youngest team owner in the sport’s national ranks.
Dawson Cram Career Wins
Dawson Cram has built his resume on experience, ownership, and durability rather than a long list of national-series victories. His most prominent win totals come from his youth, when he captured thirteen feature wins in the INEX Bandolero Series. At the NASCAR national level, verifiable win totals for the Truck, Xfinity, and ARCA Menards Series are not clearly supported by the available source material, and a summary table has been omitted to avoid presenting unverified figures.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Cram has logged Xfinity Series starts with multiple teams, including Mike Harmon Racing, Emerling-Gase Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, CHK Racing, SS-Green Light Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, JD Motorsports, and DGM Racing. His best verified Xfinity finishes include a 30th at Darlington in 2022 and a 31st at Phoenix in 2022, with most of his 2023 and 2024 entries ending in did-not-qualify results or early retirements.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his thirteen Bandolero wins, Cram has posted finishes across the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at venues such as Martinsville Speedway, ISM Raceway, and Darlington Raceway. He has also made starts in the ARCA Menards Series, though specific regional or series-wide title results are not clearly supported by the available sources.
Dawson Cram Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Racing runs deep in the Cram family. Dawson’s father, Kevin Cram, is a former crew chief who has worked across all three NASCAR national series, giving his son a direct connection to top-level teams and engineering. His uncle, Clinton Cram, is also a crew chief and notably served as the crew chief for Dawson’s first Truck Series attempt, anchoring his earliest national-level effort.
Personal Life
Cram grew up in San Diego, California, before relocating to Mooresville, North Carolina, to be closer to the heart of NASCAR country. He has continued to balance his time behind the wheel with hands-on work in the shop, a reflection of the family-first approach that has defined his racing journey.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Dawson Cram’s most recent national-series work came at the tail end of 2024, when he was announced as the driver of the No. 92 for DGM Racing for a five-race Xfinity Series stretch beginning at Kansas. That opportunity followed a turbulent year in which JD Motorsports filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, forcing Cram back to Mike Harmon Racing in the No. 74 and limiting his schedule to a handful of starts.
Cr’s 2025 plans have not been formally announced in the available source material, and any return to the Xfinity or Truck Series will likely hinge on sponsorship and team alignment. Given his recent work with both Mike Harmon Racing and DGM Racing, a continuation of part-time entries in either series appears most plausible, though no confirmed ride has been verified.
Outlook: Cram’s combination of driving skill, mechanical expertise, and team ownership experience makes him a flexible option for underfunded Xfinity and Truck Series teams seeking a reliable, motivated driver. His 2025 storyline will depend on landing a steady ride and converting partial schedules into more consistent on-track results.