Chris Hettinger will field a Ford Mustang Dark Horse after acquiring owner points from Cope Family Racing.
Ford lost the Haas Factory Team to Chevrolet for 2026, but the Blue Oval is getting a new organization in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity) to replace them thanks to second-generation racer Chris Hettinger.
In 2026, Hettinger Racing will field the No. 5 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and receive technical support from Ford Racing. Roush Yates Engines will be the team’s engine supplier. Hettinger has acquired the owner points from the No. 70 team of Cope Family Racing. That guarantees his entry a starting position in the Feb. 14 season-opening United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
Veteran crew chief Joe Williams Jr. will oversee all competition aspects for the new team. He was at Alpha Prime Racing during the 2025 season where he helped driver Parker Retzlaff to a career-best second place finish at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.
The team’s driver and partnership plans for 2026 will be announced before the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series open test Jan. 27-28 at Rockingham.
Hettinger began his racing career as a driver, winning in Late Models and open-wheel Midgets before becoming a full-time team owner. The Dryden, Michigan, native has been a fixture in Late Models, fielding multiple entries on the zMAX CARS Tour. The CARS Tour is owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Marks, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick and is a touring series for Late Models and Pro Late Models.
Category: General Sports
