Greg Van Alst Motorsports Overview
Greg Van Alst Motorsports is a professional stock car racing team owned and operated by American racing driver Gregory Michael Van Alst. Based in Anderson, Indiana, the team is a family-rooted operation built around the owner-driver model, with Van Alst steering both the competitive and business sides of the program. The team is best known for its presence in the ARCA Menards Series and for its part-time forays into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Identified on track by the No. 35 and No. 20 entries, Greg Van Alst Motorsports has built a reputation for perseverance, technical development, and a willingness to compete across multiple national touring series.
The program runs Toyota and Chevrolet equipment, with the No. 35 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro representing its Truck Series presence and Chevrolet SS and Camaro chassis serving its Xfinity and ARCA efforts. Van Alst serves as the team’s principal, driver, and development lead, lending the operation a hands-on identity shaped by his two decades of stock car experience.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Greg Van Alst Motorsports grew out of the personal racing career of Gregory Michael Van Alst, who was born on July 1, 1981, in Anderson, Indiana. Beginning his driving career in the early 2000s, Van Alst built his reputation in regional short-track competition before progressing into national ARCA and NASCAR divisions. As his ambitions grew, he formalized his racing efforts under the Greg Van Alst Motorsports banner, creating a single-car operation that could be managed, funded, and driven by him directly.
The team was structured around lean operational principles. With ownership concentrated in Van Alst himself, the program relies on a small core of crew members, technical partners, and sponsor alliances assembled race by race. Headquarters in Anderson, Indiana, anchor the team’s logistical base, while competition takes the operation to short tracks, intermediates, and superspeedways across the United States.
Growth Into ARCA and NASCAR Competition
Greg Van Alst Motorsports first stepped into national touring series competition through the ARCA Menards Series, building its identity one season at a time. Van Alst had made his ARCA debut in 2002 with three starts in the No. 01 Chevrolet for Robert Locke at Kentucky, Chicagoland, and Salem, posting a best finish of fifteenth at Chicagoland. After a long absence from the series, he returned in 2021 driving the No. 35 for his own team, running eight races and collecting three top-ten results, including a runner-up finish at Winchester.
In 2022, the team committed to a full-time ARCA campaign for the first time, finishing fifth in the final points standings with eleven top-ten finishes. The breakthrough came in 2023, when Van Alst scored his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Daytona International Speedway, passing Jason White on the final lap of the BRANDT 200. The win established Greg Van Alst Motorsports as a legitimate contender in the ARCA paddock and laid the groundwork for expansion into NASCAR’s national touring series.
Greg Van Alst Motorsports Competitive Journey
From regional Late Model competition to national NASCAR series, Greg Van Alst Motorsports has followed a long, deliberate arc of growth. The program has balanced independent ownership with selective alliances, allowing Van Alst to compete across ARCA, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series while preserving its identity as a small, driver-led team.
Early Seasons and Development (2002–2020)
Van Alst’s earliest national exposure came in 2002 with three ARCA starts, a brief introduction that did not immediately translate into a full program. Throughout the 2000s and into the 2010s, the driver sharpened his skills in regional touring competition, capturing the 2014 CRA Late Model Sportsman Series championship. The 2019 season delivered another significant title, with Van Alst winning the ARCA/CRA Super Series championship, reinforcing his credentials as a champion before returning to the ARCA Menards Series with his own team.
Those regional successes shaped the team’s development approach. Greg Van Alst Motorsports entered the ARCA national scene with a foundation of race craft, chassis knowledge, and a network of technical partners familiar with Van Alst’s driving style. The 2021 return marked the formal launch of the team as a regular ARCA entrant.
Breakthrough in ARCA Menards Series (2021–2024)
The 2021 ARCA campaign reintroduced Greg Van Alst Motorsports to national series racing. With eight starts and three top-ten results, including a second-place run at Winchester, the team demonstrated the pace and consistency needed for a deeper run the following year.
The 2022 season delivered that step forward. Fielding the No. 35 on a full-time basis, Van Alst finished fifth in the final ARCA Menards Series standings with eleven top-ten results, including a season-best fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He also expanded into the ARCA Menards Series West with a combination start at Phoenix, finishing 36th after a handling issue.
The defining breakthrough arrived in 2023. At Daytona International Speedway, Van Alst scored his first career ARCA Menards Series victory by passing Jason White on the final lap of the BRANDT 200. The result pushed the team into national headlines and confirmed that Greg Van Alst Motorsports could win at the highest level of ARCA competition. Financial limitations later forced a reduction to a part-time schedule, but the Daytona win remained the program’s signature moment.
In 2024, Van Alst opened the season with a third-place finish at Daytona and held third in points while running full-time. On July 20, ahead of Michigan, sponsorship and manufacturer support constraints led the team to revert to part-time status. Van Alst returned at Bristol and Kansas, ultimately finishing eleventh in the final standings.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023–Present)
Greg Van Alst Motorsports expanded into NASCAR national touring series competition beginning in 2023. That August, Van Alst announced his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at IRP, driving the No. 20 truck for Young’s Motorsports, and he remained in that seat for the balance of the season. At Talladega, Van Alst suffered fractured vertebrae in a multi-truck accident, an incident that tested the team’s resilience but did not derail its long-term ambitions.
On the Xfinity Series side, Van Alst made his debut in 2023 with Alpha Prime Racing at Atlanta, then ran select 2024 races with SS-Green Light Racing. In December 2024, the team announced a majority-of-the-season Xfinity effort with Joey Gase Motorsports in the No. 35 Chevrolet. Van Alst later downsized that schedule to focus on his own Truck Series program. On July 7, 2025, Van Alst confirmed he would drive his own team’s No. 35 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in four Truck Series races during the 2025 season.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Greg Van Alst Motorsports operates as a hands-on, owner-driver program, with Van Alst directing both competition and business decisions. The team excels at superspeedway and intermediate-track competition, leveraging Van Alst’s drafting experience and short-track background. Selective alliances with established NASCAR teams allow the program to expand into series where it lacks internal resources.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The team’s signature milestones include Van Alst’s 2014 CRA Late Model Sportsman Series championship, his 2019 ARCA/CRA Super Series title, and his first ARCA Menards Series victory at Daytona in 2023. Additional landmarks include the program’s first full-time ARCA season in 2022, its Truck Series debut at IRP in 2023, and the announcement of its own Truck Series entries beginning in 2025.
Greg Van Alst Motorsports Achievements and Results
Across regional and national stock car competition, Greg Van Alst Motorsports has built a record highlighted by championship performances and a marquee ARCA victory. The team’s achievements reflect consistent development through Late Model ranks and a measured expansion into NASCAR national touring series.
ARCA Menards Series Achievements
Greg Van Alst Motorsports has recorded one ARCA Menards Series victory, twenty-six top-ten finishes, and zero poles across the team’s national-level tenure. The headline result is the 2023 BRANDT 200 at Daytona, where Van Alst took the win with a last-lap pass on Jason White. The team has also recorded consistent top-ten runs at Kansas, Michigan, and Charlotte, with a best points finish of fifth in 2022.
Regional and Series Achievements
Beyond the ARCA Menards Series, Greg Van Alst Motorsports has earned notable results in the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West. The team has posted six top-tens in the East division with a best series finish of twelfth in 2022, and one top-ten in the West division. Earlier championship success in the 2014 CRA Late Model Sportsman Series and the 2019 ARCA/CRA Super Series laid the foundation for the team’s national-level program.