Pardus Racing Inc Overview
Pardus Racing Inc is a family-owned American stock car racing team based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The team is affiliated with the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where it fields Chevrolet Camaro SS entries associated with driver Preston Joseph Pardus. With roots in grassroots Sports Car Club of America competition and later expansion to NASCAR’s national stage, Pardus Racing Inc has built its identity around family involvement, long-term sponsorship from Danus Utilities, Inc., and a steady progression from club racing to the Xfinity Series.
The organization operates under the ownership of the Pardus family, and its presence in the Xfinity Series is tied closely to the career of Preston Pardus, son of former NASCAR driver Dan Pardus. The team has carried Chevrolet as its manufacturer of choice and has been identified with car numbers including 50, 43, 90, and 91 across different seasons. Its competitive profile combines part-time Xfinity Series entries with a foundation in SCCA Spec Miata racing.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Pardus Racing Inc grew out of the Pardus family’s longstanding involvement in motorsport. Dan Pardus, a former competitor in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and ARCA Re/Max Series, brought professional racing experience into the family, creating a natural pathway for a team rooted in family tradition. The organization took shape around the grassroots Spec Miata program driven by Preston Pardus, who graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 2015 and began building his résumé in club-level competition.
Operating from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, the team is supported by the Pardus family’s business interests, including Danus Utilities, Inc., an underground utility company that also serves as the team’s primary sponsor. The combination of family ownership, a Florida-based shop, and the utility company’s backing provided the financial and operational foundation for the team’s growth. Early personnel and logistics were assembled to accommodate both SCCA competition and limited national series appearances, establishing a flexible infrastructure suited to part-time racing schedules.
Growth Into NASCAR Xfinity Series Competition
The team’s expansion into NASCAR’s Xfinity Series began with Preston’s debut at Road America in August 2019, when he entered the CTECH Manufacturing 180 driving for his family’s Pardus Racing Inc entry. That effort relied on an older Chip Ganassi Racing chassis, an Earnhardt Childress Engines powerplant, and Tony Furr as crew chief, illustrating the team’s reliance on established technical partnerships during its first national-series steps. Although the debut marked Pardus Racing Inc’s entry into NASCAR’s higher tiers, the team continued to balance national outings with a heavier SCCA racing schedule.
After a developmental 2019 season, the team paused its own national entries while Preston gained additional NASCAR experience with other organizations, including DGM Racing, before returning to a Pardus Racing Inc-operated Xfinity Series program in 2023. The reactivation coincided with a shift to the No. 50 Chevrolet, a number Preston chose to honor his father’s 1999 Cup Series entry with Midwest Transit Racing. The team’s growth has been defined by selective part-time schedules, road-course-focused campaigns, and ongoing ties to Chevrolet.
Pardus Racing Inc Competitive Journey
Pardus Racing Inc’s competitive journey reflects a steady climb from SCCA club racing to part-time presence in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Beginning with Spec Miata success in 2017, the team expanded its national footprint with a 2019 Xfinity debut, supplemented Preston’s NASCAR development through allied teams, and returned to family-run Xfinity competition in 2023. Across this progression, the organization has prioritized road-course events and family-driven operations.
Early Seasons and Development (2017–2019)
The team’s earliest documented success came in 2017, when Preston Pardus won the Spec Miata class at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs with a last-lap pass. That victory established Pardus Racing Inc as a competitive force in club-level stock car racing and drew attention from Mazda Motorsports, which selected Pardus as a finalist for the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout later that year. The Runoffs title also became the foundation for the team’s growing collection of national-level results.
In 2019, the team expanded into NASCAR with Preston’s Xfinity Series debut at Road America, while simultaneously building on its SCCA program. Preston opened the SCCA Super Tour with a win at Sebring International Raceway in January and later claimed the SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship, a series that featured more than 150 entrants. The combination of an Xfinity debut and a strong SCCA campaign marked the team’s first multi-series season.
Breakthrough in NASCAR Xfinity Series (2019–2023)
Pardus Racing Inc’s breakthrough into national NASCAR competition is best measured through Preston’s Xfinity Series results, which include three top-ten finishes, zero victories, and zero poles across part-time schedules. His first top-ten finish came in July 2020 at the Pennzoil 150 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, where he started nineteenth and finished tenth while driving for DGM Racing. That result represented the team’s first notable NASCAR milestone and helped solidify its road-course focus.
During 2021, Preston continued his part-time Xfinity efforts with DGM Racing, posting a career-best seventh-place finish at the Charlotte Roval. The team also navigated operational challenges, including a missed entry at the Daytona Road Course when the No. 91 fell short of owner-point requirements and was excluded from the field. The 2021 campaign illustrated the team’s adaptability and its willingness to work alongside allied organizations to secure competitive opportunities.
In 2023, Pardus Racing Inc returned to fielding its own Xfinity entries, switching to the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro SS after Alpha Prime Racing claimed the No. 43 starting that season. The team’s first race back was at Circuit of the Americas, followed by additional starts at the Chicago Street Course and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. The 2023 schedule confirmed the team’s preference for road and street circuits, a pattern that has continued into subsequent seasons.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023–Present)
The modern Pardus Racing Inc program is anchored by the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with operations based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The team continues to rely on Danus Utilities, Inc. as its primary sponsor and maintains a part-time competitive presence that emphasizes road-course events. Across its documented Xfinity Series career, the team has recorded zero wins, zero poles, and three top-ten finishes, with a best series result of 36th in 2021.
Looking ahead, the team remains committed to selective Xfinity Series participation and ongoing SCCA involvement, balancing national exposure with grassroots development. The organization’s long-term direction centers on family-driven operations, the No. 50 entry, and continued partnership with Chevrolet. As of the most recent documented season, Preston Pardus’s last Xfinity start was the 2025 Blue Cross NC 250 at the Charlotte Roval, with his current series standing listed at 67th.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Pardus Racing Inc’s competitive philosophy emphasizes precision, patience, and racecraft suited to road and street courses. The team’s strengths lie in its ability to maximize older equipment and part-time schedules, drawing on family experience and selective technical partnerships. Its identity is closely tied to grassroots development, sponsorship stability through Danus Utilities, Inc., and a focused approach to limited NASCAR Xfinity Series opportunities.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Among Pardus Racing Inc’s most significant milestones are Preston’s five SCCA National Championship Runoffs titles, which include Spec Miata championships in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2023, along with the 2020 SCCA Super Sweep in the Spec Miata division. The team’s 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Road America marked its entry into national stock car racing, while its 2023 return to self-fielded Xfinity entries underscored a renewed commitment to family-run competition.
Pardus Racing Inc Achievements and Results
Pardus Racing Inc’s documented achievements are anchored by a strong SCCA record and steady part-time performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The organization is associated with five SCCA National Championship Runoffs titles and a 2020 SCCA Super Sweep in Spec Miata competition. Within the Xfinity Series, the team has recorded three top-ten finishes, zero wins, and zero poles across its entries to date.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Achievements
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Pardus Racing Inc has competed part-time with the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro SS, recording zero wins, zero poles, and three top-ten finishes. The team’s first Xfinity Series race was the 2019 CTECH Manufacturing 180 at Road America, and its most recent documented race was the 2025 Blue Cross NC 250 at the Charlotte Roval. Its best season result stands at 36th in 2021.
Conference Achievements
In SCCA conference competition, the team is associated with Preston’s 2019 SCCA Majors Southeast Conference Championship, a title earned in a series featuring more than 150 entrants. The conference championship complemented his regional Super Tour win at Sebring International Raceway that same year, marking a strong conference-level campaign.
Divisional Achievements
At the divisional level, the team’s record is highlighted by Spec Miata success within SCCA’s national structure, including the 2020 SCCA Super Sweep in the Spec Miata division. This award recognized a season in which Preston won the Runoffs, the divisional points standings, and a major conference championship, underscoring the team’s competitive depth at the divisional stage.
Series Achievements
In SCCA national series competition, Pardus Racing Inc is associated with five SCCA National Championship Runoffs titles in Spec Miata, earned in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2023, alongside the related Super Sweep honor in 2020. These achievements form the foundation of the team’s résumé and continue to define its standing within grassroots motorsport.