Viking Motorsports Overview
Viking Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Founded in 2024 and based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the organization is owned by Don Sackett, the chief executive officer of SciAps Inc., and co-owner Susanne Moller. The team fields Chevrolet Camaro SS race cars and has a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing, one of NASCAR’s most established operations. Since its debut, Viking Motorsports has grown from a single part-time entry into a multi-car organization competing regularly at the national level of stock car racing.
Viking Motorsports Competitive Journey
In only a short period of competition, Viking Motorsports has progressed from a part-time partnership entry into a multi-car Chevrolet team aligned with a championship-winning organization. The team fields the No. 96 for Anthony Alfredo and the No. 99 for Parker Retzlaff, with the No. 38 having been used in an earlier collaboration. Across its existence, the team has competed in 63 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events, registering zero pole positions and zero victories while building experience and infrastructure.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Viking Motorsports was established in 2024 by Don Sackett, the chief executive officer of SciAps Inc., and co-owner Susanne Moller. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, a city long associated with NASCAR teams and race shops, the organization was created to compete in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The team’s early operational structure was modest, with Sackett providing financial backing and the racing arm being assembled around manufacturer and technical partnerships rather than a large in-house staff.
The team’s first on-track appearance came at the 2024 Raptor King of Tough 250 at Atlanta, marking the debut of the Viking Motorsports name in national series competition. That initial effort was centered on a part-time entry, giving the ownership group an opportunity to learn the demands of running a stock car program at the national level. From the outset, the organization emphasized a Chevrolet platform, aligning itself with a manufacturer that has a deep heritage in American stock car racing.
Growth Into NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Competition
Viking Motorsports’ first competitive season was built around a collaboration with RSS Racing, with sponsorship and driver support supplied by Viking while crew, hauler, and crew chief duties were provided by RSS Racing. The No. 38 entry, initially driven part-time by C. J. McLaughlin, was officially fielded under the RSS Racing banner, with the race purse shared between the two organizations. After McLaughlin failed to qualify in two of the first four races, the team replaced him with Matt DiBenedetto for the remainder of the 2024 season.
A major step in the team’s development came on December 14, 2024, when owner Don Sackett announced that Viking Motorsports would switch from Ford to Chevrolet and renumber its entry to the No. 99, with Matt DiBenedetto returning as driver. Shortly afterward, the organization announced it would not form a technical alliance at that stage, choosing to establish its own competitive identity. As the 2025 season progressed, the team moved further toward independence, eventually announcing an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing.
Early Seasons and Development (2024)
Viking Motorsports’ first season focused on learning the rhythms of full national series competition while sharing resources with a more experienced partner team. The No. 38 entry gained useful track time but struggled to qualify for several early races, prompting a mid-season driver change. By bringing in Matt DiBenedetto, a veteran of NASCAR’s top three national series, Viking Motorsports added experienced feedback and visibility to its program.
The season ended with the team completing a respectable number of events for a brand-new operation, providing a foundation of data, supplier relationships, and shop routines. Off the track, ownership explored manufacturer and technical options that would shape the team’s long-term direction. That winter of evaluation led directly to the manufacturer’s switch and the decision to campaign a renumbered car under the Viking Motorsports name.
Breakthrough in NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2025)
The 2025 season represented Viking Motorsports’ first true step into full-time national series competition under its own banner. The No. 99 entry, driven by Matt DiBenedetto, gave the team a consistent presence in the garage area, allowing the crew to refine pit-stop procedures, race strategy, and car preparation throughout the year. The team’s most recent race on record is the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix, demonstrating that Viking Motorsports has remained a regular participant at the highest level of the series it competes in.
Midway through the 2025 campaign, DiBenedetto and Viking Motorsports parted ways, and Connor Mosack stepped in to drive the No. 99 for the final three races of the season. The change allowed the team to evaluate younger talent while continuing to build seat time and competitive data. On November 7, 2025, the organization announced that Parker Retzlaff would take over the No. 99 as its full-time driver beginning in 2026, signaling a clear long-term plan for the car.
On December 4, 2025, Viking Motorsports announced an expansion to two full-time teams, the No. 96 and the No. 99, with Anthony Alfredo named as the driver of the No. 96. The move transformed the organization from a single-car effort into a true two-car operation and marked a significant step in its competitive growth. Combined with the technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing, the expansion positioned Viking Motorsports as one of the more ambitious young teams in the series.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
Today, Viking Motorsports operates as a two-car Chevrolet team running the No. 96 for Anthony Alfredo and the No. 99 for Parker Retzlaff, with both entries supported by an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. The arrangement allows Viking to benefit from Richard Childress Racing’s engineering, chassis, and engine resources while maintaining its own identity on track. The team’s base in Mooresville places it within easy reach of many of NASCAR’s top suppliers, race shops, and engine builders.
Ownership remains in the hands of Don Sackett, chief executive officer of SciAps Inc., and Susanne Moller, with Sackett serving as the public face of the team’s business operations. The organization’s growth from a part-time partnership car to a two-car full-time operation in just two seasons reflects a deliberate plan to build the program step by step. With two experienced young drivers and a top-tier technical partner, Viking Motorsports is positioned to chase its first victories and stronger championship-level results in the seasons ahead.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Viking Motorsports has built its identity around a Chevrolet Camaro SS platform, manufacturer consistency, and a growing technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. The team benefits from shared engineering knowledge and established infrastructure, which allows a relatively new organization to operate with the efficiency of a much older team. Its multi-car structure with Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff gives Viking two experienced sets of driver feedback to draw from in development.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Viking Motorsports debuted at the 2024 Raptor King of Tough 250 at Atlanta and has since competed in 63 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events. The team switched its manufacturer from Ford to Chevrolet in late 2024, expanded to two full-time cars for 2026, and secured a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. In 2025, the team raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix, marking one of its highest-profile appearances to date.
Viking Motorsports Achievements and Results
As a young organization competing against long-established NASCAR teams, Viking Motorsports has focused on growth, consistency, and infrastructure rather than headline results. Across 63 recorded starts, the team has yet to record a pole position or a race victory, and it has not yet claimed a Drivers’ Championship. The foundation laid in 2024 and 2025, however, has set the stage for the team to pursue its first major milestones in the seasons ahead.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Achievements
Viking Motorsports has competed in 63 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events since its 2024 debut, building a steady presence on the schedule. The team’s 2025 campaign included a berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix, underscoring its commitment to running competitive entries on a weekly basis. While no race victories or pole positions have been recorded, the team’s expansion to two full-time Chevrolet Camaro SS entries reflects steady progress.
Series Achievements
Viking Motorsports is currently active in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, running Chevrolet Camaro SS race cars and maintaining an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. The team has fielded the No. 38, No. 99, and No. 96 entries at various points, with the No. 99 and No. 96 forming its full-time lineup going forward. Its drivers, Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff, are expected to lead the team’s push for its first series-level results.