ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- The 2026 season will mark a major change in the ARCA Menards Series. Nitro Motorsports has purchased powerhouse Toyota team Venturini Motorsports.
Team owner Billy Venturini announced the news Friday afternoon at Rockingham Speedway. He confirmed the purchase and said that Nitro Motorsports will work out of the Venturini shop through the 2027 season. Venturini will stick around to serve as general manager in 2026 while supporting the transition.
The Toyota-affiliated team has been in the ARCA Menards Series since 1982 and has been a dominant force. The organization has scored a series record 107 wins, and it has served as a developmental program for some of the biggest names in NASCAR.
Some of the drivers who have worked in the Venturini Motorsports program are Jesse Love, Joey Logano, Justin Haley, Todd Gilliland, Corey Heim, Harrison Burton, and Christopher Bell.
"I want to thank my wife, my parents, my team, Jack Irving, Tyler Gibbs, and Ron Drager," Venturini said in a statement. "Each of them is what has made this journey so very special. The last 20 years (as owner and General Manager) have been very rewarding, but also incredibly demanding.
"I love what this sport has given to me, but in return, I gave it everything I had. So the time has come to be able to prioritize other things ahead of racing. As a racer, nothing comes before the sport. I understood, I believed, and lived by it. But it's now time to prepare for my departure."
Nitro Motorsports is no stranger to competition, especially outside of ARCA. The team has a Go-Kart program, and it competes in the Toyota GR Cup and Trans Am Series. Nitro Motorsports won consecutive championships in Trans Am TA2 in 2023 and '24.
Nitro Motorsports already has a relationship with Venturini Motorsports. Even though they compete with each other throughout the season, the two teams work together to build chassis for the intermediate and short tracks.
This relationship will continue in 2026 as Venturini works alongside Nitro Motorsports founder Nick Tucker.
"I knew that the person who was to take this team over when the time came needed to be someone who carried that same passion and intensity that I did," Venturini continued. "Nick is that guy. Nick seems like the perfect fit to continue this program for the team and for Toyota with the same devotion to drivers' development as I have."
Toyota Gazoo Racing North America confirmed that Nitro Motorsports will carry the driver development banner moving into the future as the team helps the next generation push for opportunities in the national NASCAR series.
"Toyota continues to see value in the ARCA Menards Series as part of our Toyota Driver Development program and will continue to support both the Joe Gibbs Racing and Nitro Motorsports teams in ARCA competition in 2026 and beyond," the OEM said in a statement.