Hettinger Racing Overview
Hettinger Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the CARS Late Model Stock Tour. Established in 2024, the organization emerged from the former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team Bret Holmes Racing and has gradually expanded its presence across multiple national stock car series. The team fields the No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse full-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with additional entries including the No. 4 and No. 71 used in ARCA Menards Series events. Owned by Katie Hettinger and Chris Hettinger, Hettinger Racing is building its competitive identity in American stock car racing through emerging drivers, technical partnerships, and primary sponsorship from Rackley Roofing.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Hettinger Racing was created in 2024 as a continuation of the racing operations previously run under the Bret Holmes Racing banner. After Bret Holmes Racing ceased operations, the Hettinger ownership group acquired the team’s existing assets and structures, repurposing them to launch a new competitive organization. The team’s earliest goal was to maintain a presence in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series while laying the groundwork for future expansion into higher national divisions.
The foundation of Hettinger Racing was built on a small but focused operational footprint. Katie Hettinger and Chris Hettinger took on the responsibilities of team ownership, working to assemble personnel and establish the basic infrastructure required to field entries in NASCAR-sanctioned events. Rackley Roofing was confirmed as the team’s main sponsor, providing a commercial anchor for the new organization’s debut season.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
Hettinger Racing’s entry into NASCAR competition was immediate upon its formation. The team purchased the owner points from the Bret Holmes Racing No. 32 Truck Series entry and renumbered that operation to No. 4, signaling its commitment to continuing the former team’s competitive lineage. In the team’s first Truck Series appearance at Martinsville in 2024, the No. 4 entry carried the Hettinger Racing name, establishing the organization as an active competitor in the series.
As the 2024 season progressed, Hettinger Racing laid the groundwork for expansion into the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East. The organization invested in new driver development, secured additional chassis, and recruited crew chief talent to staff multiple entries. These early hires and operational decisions were designed to position Hettinger Racing for sustained participation in the ARCA ladder and a future move into the NASCAR national series.
Hettinger Racing Competitive Journey
In its brief competitive history, Hettinger Racing has progressed from a single Truck Series entry in 2024 to a multi-series operation spanning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The team has prioritized building its technical foundation and recruiting emerging drivers as core elements of its long-term growth strategy.
Early Seasons and Development (2024)
Hettinger Racing’s debut season focused on establishing credibility in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team fielded the No. 4 truck for Brett Moffitt during the final two races of the 2024 Truck Series schedule, providing the organization with a respected veteran driver as it built its early on-track identity. This initial campaign allowed the team to test its operational structure and develop race-day procedures at the national series level.
Later in 2024, Hettinger Racing confirmed its first ARCA program. On September 16, 2024, the organization announced that Dawson Sutton would drive the No. 71 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, with Mardy Lindley serving as crew chief and Rackley Roofing as the sponsor. Sutton finished 33rd after a crash in the early laps, but the start signaled Hettinger Racing’s intent to compete across multiple stock car series.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
In 2025, Hettinger Racing continued to expand its footprint. On February 10, 2025, the team announced that Mason Maggio would drive the No. 4 truck at the Truck Series season-opener at Daytona. On March 18, 2025, the team confirmed it would make its second ARCA Menards Series East start at Five Flags Speedway, with Carson Brown driving the No. 4 Chevrolet. These entries demonstrated the team’s growing capacity to field cars in multiple series on a regular basis.
The most significant development came on December 23, 2025, when Hettinger Racing announced that the No. 5 car would be fielded full-time starting in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. At the time of the announcement, Joe Williams, Jr. was confirmed as the crew chief, while the full-time driver was listed as TBA. The team’s manufacturer relationship with Ford and its ongoing partnership with Rackley Roofing remain central to its competitive direction.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Hettinger Racing’s core identity centers on building a sustainable, multi-series operation through emerging driver talent and steady technical development. The organization prioritizes a Ford platform across its full-time national series effort, supported by Rackley Roofing as a primary commercial partner. Its strategy emphasizes growth through expanded race entries and gradual accumulation of on-track experience.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Key milestones in Hettinger Racing’s short history include the 2024 Truck Series debut at Martinsville, the team’s first ARCA appearance at Bristol with Dawson Sutton, Mason Maggio’s 2025 Truck Series opener at Daytona, Carson Brown’s ARCA East start at Five Flags Speedway, and the December 2025 announcement of a full-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program in 2026 with Joe Williams, Jr. as crew chief.
Hettinger Racing Achievements and Results
As a young organization, Hettinger Racing is still in the process of recording its first major victories. The team’s documented competitive results include three Truck Series races, one ARCA Menards Series start, and two ARCA Menards Series East starts, with zero pole positions and zero race victories recorded across all series to date. No drivers’ championships, series titles, conference championships, or division championships are listed in the team’s verified record.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Achievements
Hettinger Racing has not yet recorded starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series under its current branding, with zero races, zero pole positions, and zero victories in the series. The organization has announced a full-time No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry beginning in 2026, with the full-time driver listed as TBA and Joe Williams, Jr. serving as crew chief.
Craftsman Truck Series Achievements
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Hettinger Racing has recorded three starts, zero pole positions, and zero victories. Brett Moffitt piloted the No. 4 truck in the final two races of the 2024 season, and Mason Maggio was confirmed to drive the No. 4 truck at the 2025 season-opener at Daytona. The team purchased its Truck Series owner points from the former Bret Holmes Racing No. 32 entry to establish its initial series presence.
ARCA Menards Series Achievements
Hettinger Racing’s ARCA Menards Series record includes one start, zero pole positions, and zero victories. The team’s debut came at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2024 with Dawson Sutton in the No. 71 Chevrolet, finishing 33rd after a crash in the opening laps. A planned second ARCA start with Carson Brown in the No. 4 Chevrolet at Five Flags Speedway in 2025 was announced as an ARCA Menards Series East event.
ARCA Menards Series East Achievements
Hettinger Racing has recorded two starts in the ARCA Menards Series East, with zero pole positions and zero victories. The team’s most recent East Series event was the 2025 Pensacola 150 at Pensacola. The first East Series start came at Bristol in 2024 with Dawson Sutton, followed by the announced 2025 Five Fields Speedway entry with Carson Brown.