Alpha Prime Racing Overview
Alpha Prime Racing, originally founded as Martins Motorsports in 2009 by Craig Martins, is a professional American stock car racing team competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, now officially branded as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Co-owned by Craig Martins, Tommy Joe Martins, and Caesar Bacarella, the organization is headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, and fields Chevrolet Camaros across multiple full-time entries. The team rebranded as Alpha Prime Racing in 2022, drawing its name from a fitness brand created by co-owner Caesar Bacarella, and has steadily expanded both its operational footprint and driver lineup since returning to competition.
The team operates with Tommy Joe Martins serving as both President and General Manager, overseeing a multi-car program that includes entries numbered 4, 5, 43, 44, 45, 67, 76, 42, and 95 across various points in its history. Despite a relatively recent establishment in its current form, Alpha Prime Racing has recorded more than 250 races across NASCAR’s national series, gradually building credibility through perseverance, family-rooted values, and a willingness to grow methodically within one of the most competitive stock car racing environments in North America.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Martins Motorsports was established in 2009 by Craig Martins as a family-oriented racing operation built on the principles of persistence and grassroots competition. The team entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series that same year, debuting with the No. 44 truck driven by Tommy Joe Martins across a four-race schedule that produced a best finish of 21st at Chicagoland Speedway. The early program reflected the modest, hands-on nature of independent Truck Series efforts during that era, with Martins and a small crew piecing together schedules race by race.
The organization broadened its reach in 2010 by stepping into the ARCA Racing Series, fielding the No. 95 Ford for Tommy Joe Martins at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished eighth. A year later, the team entered its first Truck Series event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with the No. 42, signaling an intent to expand across multiple series while keeping costs manageable. Through these early seasons, Martins Motorsports prioritized learning, finishing races, and laying a foundation for future growth rather than chasing immediate headlines.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
In 2014, Martins Motorsports expanded into the NASCAR Nationwide Series, which would later become the Xfinity Series, fielding both the No. 76 and the No. 67 during the season. Nationwide veteran Willie Allen attempted to qualify the No. 76 at Daytona and Bristol without success, while the No. 67 also failed to qualify at Daytona with Clay Greenfield behind the wheel. Tommy Joe Martins eventually took over the No. 76, making eight starts and primarily running a start-and-park strategy at lower-paying events while completing full runs at higher-purse races such as Talladega and Charlotte. The team paused its Xfinity effort after 2014, taking all of 2015 off to regroup.
The Truck Series program returned in 2016, with Tommy Joe Martins as the full-time driver of the No. 44 except for qualifying incidents at Martinsville and Eldora and a did-not-qualify result at Homestead-Miami. In 2017, the team announced a partnership with Brandonbilt Motorsports to field Brandon Brown in the 44 truck for select races, and also unveiled a nine-race Xfinity slate for the No. 45 with sponsor Diamond Gusset Jeans. Despite these growth signals, the late-2017 loss of crew chief Kevin Eagle and the withdrawal of two pay drivers left the team financially exposed, leading Tommy Joe Martins to announce the organization’s closure in December 2017.
Alpha Prime Racing Competitive Journey
From a small Truck Series debut in 2009 to a multi-car Xfinity program in 2025, Alpha Prime Racing’s trajectory has been defined by reinvention. Following its 2017 closure and a two-year hiatus, the Martins family returned to NASCAR competition in 2020 and rebranded as Alpha Prime Racing in 2022, gradually expanding to as many as four car numbers in a single race weekend while developing drivers and pursuing the organization’s first top-five and top-ten results.
Early Seasons and Development (2009-2017)
The earliest chapter of Martins Motorsports centered on the Truck Series, where the team operated the No. 44 truck on a part-time basis from 2009 through 2011 before stepping away. A short-lived ARCA program in 2010 and 2011 produced a single Truck Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and one ARCA start at Daytona, providing valuable track time and technical experience for the young organization.
Between 2014 and 2017, the team attempted to establish itself in the Xfinity Series with entries numbered 67, 76, 44, and 45. Results were modest, with frequent failures to qualify and a start-and-park business model that prioritized race participation over outright performance. Nevertheless, the 2017 Xfinity announcement and the Brandonbilt partnership hinted at a team on the verge of a breakthrough, a momentum that was ultimately halted when financial pressures forced the December 2017 closure.
Rebirth and the Road Back to the Xfinity Series (2019-2021)
On December 24, 2019, Martins Motorsports announced its return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the 2020 season, with longtime family friend Rodney Riessen joining Craig Martins as co-owner. The team purchased chassis from GMS Racing and JGL Racing to bolster its inventory and fielded the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Tommy Joe Martins. After failing to qualify for the Daytona season opener and temporarily furloughing employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program hired Buddy Sisco as crew chief midway through the year, and results improved.
On October 24, 2020, Tommy Joe Martins recorded both his and the team’s first top-10 finish with a 10th-place result at Texas Motor Speedway, confirming a 2021 return. On August 30, 2021, the organization announced a partnership with Caesar Bacarella and officially rebranded as Alpha Prime Racing beginning with the 2022 season, drawing its name from Bacarella’s fitness brand. The new identity signaled a renewed commitment to multi-car competition and long-term growth.
Expansion Under the Alpha Prime Racing Banner (2022-2023)
The rebranded Alpha Prime Racing opened 2022 with Tommy Joe Martins, Caesar Bacarella, and Rajah Caruth as signed drivers, expanding operations and broadening the driver lineup across multiple car numbers. Bacarella faced an indefinite NASCAR suspension in November 2021 for a substance abuse policy violation after unknowingly taking a banned workout supplement, but he was reinstated on February 14, 2022. The team added the No. 43 entry on September 15, 2022, announcing that Ryan Ellis would drive a partial schedule in 2023 with partnership announcements to follow.
By the 2023 season, Alpha Prime Racing was running as many as three full-time entries, with Jeffrey Earnhardt announced for the No. 44 on December 13, 2022, and Sage Karam confirmed for the No. 45 on December 2, 2022, alongside Stefan Parsons on a part-time basis. Drivers including Rajah Caruth, Daniel Dye, and Greg Van Alst also piloted the No. 44 at various points, with Caruth delivering a 12th-place run at Martinsville that fall as the team’s best result of the season. On November 9, 2023, Alpha Prime Racing confirmed Brennan Poole as the full-time driver of the No. 44 in 2024 with primary sponsorship from Finance Pro Plus and Macc Door Systems.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2024-Present)
The 2024 campaign saw Brennan Poole lead the No. 44 program while Caesar Bacarella and Brad Perez handled superspeedway and road course duties in the No. 45, which scaled back to a part-time schedule. On July 16, 2024, Alpha Prime Racing acquired the owner points from the bankrupt JD Motorsports No. 4 for the No. 45 at Indianapolis, strengthening its competitive position. Across the season, the team continued refining its Chevrolet Camaro packages and building stronger engineering relationships within the manufacturer network.
In December 2024, the team announced that the No. 43 entry would be renumbered to No. 4, with Parker Retzlaff confirmed as the driver for 2025. On March 29, 2025, Poole delivered Alpha Prime’s first top-five finish on a non-superspeedway with a fourth-place run at Martinsville, and on April 19, 2025, at Rockingham, Retzlaff finished third and Poole fifth, with Retzlaff elevated to second after post-race inspection disqualified the original winner, giving Alpha Prime its first-ever double top-five. On August 18, 2025, the team announced a fourth entry, the No. 5 at the summer Daytona race with Caesar Bacarella driving, and on November 18, 2025, it confirmed that Poole would return for the 2026 season, underscoring a long-term competitive vision.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Alpha Prime Racing operates as a family-rooted, Chevrolet-backed independent built on persistence, driver development, and incremental improvement. The team has historically focused on completing races, refining setups, and maximizing learning from each event, while increasingly targeting strong intermediate and short-track results, as evidenced by its breakthrough top-fives at Martinsville and Rockingham in 2025.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Among the team’s most significant moments are its 2009 Truck Series debut, the 2017 closure announcement, the December 2019 return announcement, the August 2021 rebrand to Alpha Prime Racing, the first top-10 finish at Texas in October 2020, the 2022 expansion with Rajah Caruth, the 2024 acquisition of owner points from JD Motorsports, and the historic 2025 non-superspeedway top-fives at Martinsville and Rockingham that produced the team’s first-ever double top-five result.
Alpha Prime Racing Achievements and Results
Alpha Prime Racing has accumulated more than 250 combined starts across the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the ARCA Racing Series, and the Xfinity Series, now rebranded as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. While the team has yet to record a victory or a pole position in any of the three series, it has steadily built a foundation of competitive finishes, including its first top-10 result at Texas in 2020 and its breakthrough top-fives at Martinsville and Rockingham in 2025.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Achievements
In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Alpha Prime Racing has competed in 207 races, recording its first top-10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway in October 2020 and its first top-five finishes at Martinsville and Rockingham in 2025. The team’s expansion to as many as four car numbers in 2025, including entries 4, 5, 44, and 45, represents the largest operational footprint in the organization’s history.
Conference Achievements
Within the structure of the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule, Alpha Prime Racing has posted its strongest results on intermediate ovals and short tracks, with Martinsville and Rockingham producing the team’s first non-superspeedway top-fives in 2025. The 2024 acquisition of owner points from JD Motorsports further stabilized the team’s competitive standing across multiple venues.
Divisional Achievements
Alpha Prime Racing’s most notable divisional achievements include Ryan Ellis’s sixth-place run at Talladega in 2023 and Brennan Poole’s fourth-place result at Martinsville in March 2025, both of which represented the team’s best finishes of their respective seasons. The November 2023 announcement of Poole as the full-time driver in 2024 marked a clear organizational commitment to building consistency within the No. 44 entry.
Series Achievements
Across NASCAR’s national series, Alpha Prime Racing has made 250 starts, with 207 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, 41 in the Truck Series, and 2 in the ARCA Racing Series. The 2025 confirmation that Brennan Poole would return for the 2026 season, combined with the addition of the No. 5 entry for Caesar Bacarella, signals a continued investment in multi-car growth and long-term stability within the NASCAR Xfinity Series.