Veteran racer Greg Van Alst is taking on a new challenge. He is launching his own NASCAR team to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series.
According to a press release, Greg Van Alst Motorsports will compete in four Craftsman Truck Series events this season, starting with the trip to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 25. The team will then head to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 11, Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 17, and Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 24.
This limited schedule will only serve as the new team's debut. Van Alst plans to expand the organization's footprint in NASCAR in 2026 so that he can control the No. 35 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in more events.
"This has been in the works for the last couple of months," Van Alst said in a press release. "Starting a Truck Series program has been an eventual goal of mine for a long time, and to finally see it coming together -- especially at a place like Lucas Oil Raceway, where I've turned so many laps -- is incredibly special.
"We know there's a lot of work ahead, but we're committed to building something competitive and sustainable, and we're excited to take this next step with Top Choice Fence, and hopefully, more partners join us along the way."
As part of the announcement, the team noted that veteran crew chief Kevin Shannon will continue calling the shots for Van Alst. They have previously worked together in CRA and the ARCA Menards Series.
The Indiana native has prior experience in the Truck Series. He joined Young's Motorsports for a partial schedule during the 2023 season. He made five starts but had to exit the truck due to a back injury sustained at Talladega Superspeedway.
Van Alst has spent part of this season competing in the Xfinity Series. He has made eight starts for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, and he has plans to return to the series later this season. Though the team noted that the veteran driver has "reset his racing schedule" and that details for future starts will be announced.
"We're not coming into this expecting to set the world on fire right away," Van Alst said. "We've set some realistic goals for this season and know the key is gaining experience and improving each time we hit the track. The more races we run, the stronger this team will become."