Kris Wright Bio
Kristofer Cole Wright (born July 17, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, and also part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. He has also previously competed in sports car racing, open-wheel racing, the Euroformula Open Championship, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Wright is also the 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class champion.
Early Life and Background
Kristofer Cole Wright was born on July 17, 1994, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a household with a strong motorsport connection, as his father was also a racing driver, though his father encouraged him to pursue other sports during his early years. Despite the family racing background, young Kris was steered toward golf and other athletic endeavors before eventually returning to the family tradition behind the wheel.
Wright graduated from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh in 2013, and shortly afterward, he was a member of the IMG Academy and Robert Morris University golf teams. He also qualified for the district championship of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in 2014, but came up short in his bid to reach the World Finals. His competitive instincts, however, were soon channeled back into motorsport, where his father’s influence and his own natural talent began to take center stage.
Path to NASCAR
Wright’s professional racing journey began in sports car and open-wheel competition, building a versatile foundation that would later support his stock car ambitions. He entered the Road to Indy ladder in 2017, racing in the U.S. F2000 National Championship with John Cummiskey Racing, contesting events at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He later transitioned to the Pro Mazda Championship with JDC MotorSports, where he earned a best finish of fifth at Watkins Glen.
In 2019, Wright moved to the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with Fortec Motorsports, finishing sixteenth in points with a best result of fifth at Silverstone Circuit. He remained with Fortec in 2020 for the Euroformula Open Championship, though the season was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These open-wheel and prototype experiences sharpened his race craft and prepared him for his eventual transition to NASCAR’s national touring series.
Kris Wright Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Wright began his professional racing career in 2015 with Kinetic Motorsports in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car A class, where he earned his first podium finish with a third-place result at Miller Motorsports Park. In 2017, he moved to the IMSA Prototype Challenge with JDC MotorSports, finishing second in the Prototype Challenge standings on the strength of a win at Watkins Glen International and earning Rookie of the Year honors. These early results established him as a promising young talent in American sports car racing.
In 2018, Wright signed with Extreme Speed Motorsports for the Prototype Challenge season, scoring race wins at Barber Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway, finishing on the podium in all six events, and capturing the LMP3 class championship. He then ran his first endurance race at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona with Performance Tech Motorsports in the LMP2 class, finishing second in class alongside Kyle Masson, Robert Masson, and Cameron Cassels in the No. 38 entry.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Wright made his stock car racing debut in the summer of 2020, racing in the ARCA Menards Series West doubleheader at Utah Motorsports Campus, where he finished second and third. In August of that year, he joined the GMS Racing organization, competing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. His first Truck Series start for GMS came at the Daytona International Speedway road course, marking his entry into NASCAR’s national touring ranks.
In 2021, Wright joined Young’s Motorsports for the full NASCAR Truck Series season, driving the No. 02, and also debuted the team’s ARCA program at the Daytona test in January. He signed with Sam Hunt Racing as a road course ringer in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, but missed the Atlanta Motor Speedway race in March after testing positive for COVID-19. For 2022, he was announced to drive the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet full-time, though he later left the team in August and finished the Xfinity Series season with Brandonbilt Motorsports, with sponsorship from FNB Corporation.
NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Era (2023–2025)
On February 8, 2023, it was announced that Wright would return to Young’s Motorsports, driving the No. 02 full-time in the Truck Series. After earning only three top-twenty finishes in the first eleven races, he and the team agreed to part ways effective immediately before the race at World Wide Technology Raceway. On November 14, 2023, he was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 15 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series for 2024, while also racing two events for Tricon Garage.
On November 20, 2024, Our Motorsports announced that Wright would replace Anthony Alfredo as the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. However, on July 15, after Kaz Grala replaced Wright in the entry list for Dover, Wright confirmed he had mutually parted ways with the team. At the time of his departure, he was 29th in the standings, last among full-time drivers, with only three top-twenty finishes. On July 28, 2025, he announced a return to Venturini’s ARCA team for three part-time races, and on September 29, 2025, he was announced as a driver for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing’s Truck team for the Charlotte Roval and Talladega events.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wright has built a reputation as a versatile driver capable of adapting across multiple racing disciplines, from open-wheel and sports car machinery to heavy stock cars. His open-wheel and prototype background has translated into a smooth, precise driving style, particularly on road courses, where he has historically been strongest. His experience with the Road to Indy and British Formula 3 ladder has given him strong race-craft instincts and an ability to manage tires and fuel strategy across long runs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Wright’s career highlights are his 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class championship, his class podium at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona, and his first NASCAR Truck Series start at the Daytona road course in 2020. His debut with Young’s Motorsports in 2021 marked his first full-season national series effort, while his transition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Our Motorsports in 2025 represented his most significant stock car opportunity to date.
Kris Wright Career Wins
Wright’s most prominent career win came in 2018, when he captured the IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class championship with Extreme Speed Motorsports, scoring victories at Barber Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway. He also claimed a win at Watkins Glen International in 2017, which helped him secure both the Prototype Challenge runner-up position and Rookie of the Year honors. While he has yet to record a victory in NASCAR’s three national series, he has been a consistent presence across the Truck, Xfinity, and ARCA Menards Series.
NASCAR Highlights
Wright’s NASCAR career has been characterized by steady progression through the national touring series ladder rather than headline victories. He has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Young’s Motorsports, GMS Racing, Niece Motorsports, and McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing, Brandonbilt Motorsports, and Our Motorsports. His most recent top finishes in national series competition include three top-twenty results during the truncated 2025 Xfinity Series campaign with Our Motorsports.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his IMSA Prototype Challenge championship, Wright’s broader racing resume includes a third-place podium finish at Miller Motorsports Park in the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car A class, and a class runner-up result at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona. He also earned a fifth-place finish at Watkins Glen in the 2017 Pro Mazda Championship and a fifth-place result at Silverstone Circuit in the 2019 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship.
Kris Wright Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wright was raised in a motorsport-oriented family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his father having been a racing driver himself. Despite this background, his father encouraged him to pursue golf and other sports during his youth, which led Wright to compete at the IMG Academy and Robert Morris University. He eventually returned to the family passion for racing, channeling the lineage that had always surrounded him into his own professional career.
Personal Life
A native of Pittsburgh, Wright maintains ties to his hometown and is active on social media, where he engages with fans under the handle associated with his racing identity. He has balanced his stock car pursuits with his earlier commitments to golf and long-drive competition, reflecting the athletic versatility that has defined his career path.
2025 Season Performance
Wright entered the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Our Motorsports, taking over the No. 5 Chevrolet seat previously held by Anthony Alfredo. The campaign proved challenging, as he posted only three top-twenty finishes across the first portion of the schedule. By mid-July, he sat 29th in the standings, last among full-time drivers, leading to a mutual parting of ways with the team before the Dover event.
Following his Xfinity departure, Wright quickly secured additional part-time opportunities. On July 28, 2025, he was announced as a part-time driver with Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series for three events, returning to the organization where he had competed full-time in 2024. Later, on September 29, 2025, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing confirmed that Wright would pilot the No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the Charlotte Roval and Talladega Truck Series races, marking his return to the national Truck Series ranks. These late-season efforts provided a platform to rebuild momentum heading into the next phase of his career.