Rick Ware Racing Adds 22-Year-Old Late Model Racer Michael Bumgarner

Bumgarner to drive No. 51 Chevrolet in Late Model Stock events across the Southeast

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:54pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic motion and energy of a Late Model stock car race, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the intense competition on the track.A cubist interpretation of the intense action and competition of Late Model stock car racing, as rising star Michael Bumgarner joins the Rick Ware Racing program.Hickory Today

Rick Ware Racing has signed 22-year-old driver Michael Bumgarner to its Late Model program. Bumgarner will pilot the No. 51 Chevrolet in a 15-race schedule featuring select zMAX CARS Tour races, the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, and weekly events at Hickory Motor Speedway, where he is the two-time and reigning track champion.

Why it matters

Bringing Bumgarner into the RWR program provides him with additional resources, experience, and support to help accelerate his development as a rising star in Late Model Stock racing. Hickory Motor Speedway, known as the 'Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars,' has been instrumental in Bumgarner's growth, and this new opportunity with an established NASCAR team like RWR could propel him to the next level.

The details

Bumgarner has been dominant at Hickory, winning 10 races in 2024 and 22 races in 2025, including victories in the Bobby Isaac Memorial and Fall Brawl. He opened the 2026 season with back-to-back wins at Hickory and was also named a finalist for the prestigious Kulwicki Driver Development Program. As part of the RWR program, Bumgarner will make his first CARS Tour start at Caraway Speedway, where he won the season-ending Caraway Crown 125 last October.

  • Bumgarner will make his first CARS Tour start for RWR on April 25 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, North Carolina.
  • Bumgarner will compete in the 75-lap feature at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

The players

Michael Bumgarner

A 22-year-old driver from Taylorsville, North Carolina, who is the two-time and reigning Late Model Stock champion at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Rick Ware

The owner of Rick Ware Racing, a team that fields entries in NASCAR, NHRA, and Late Model racing.

Robby Benton

The president of Rick Ware Racing and the 1997 recipient of the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship from UNC Charlotte's Motorsports Engineering program.

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What they’re saying

“Michael has shown tremendous ability and has proven to be a very strong competitor in the Late Model Stock ranks. Any time I saw him race at Hickory, he won. That got our attention, and now we're making a commitment to him. Bringing him into our program gives us the opportunity to provide additional resources, experience and support to help accelerate his development. We're looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”

— Rick Ware, Team Owner

“What we've been able to build over the last few years has meant a lot to me and my family. Everything we've accomplished together has prepared me for this next step. Transitioning to Rick Ware Racing is a tremendous opportunity and one that I'm incredibly grateful for.”

— Michael Bumgarner, Driver

“The way this season has started has definitely given us a lot of confidence. Opening the year with two wins at Hickory and then being recognized as a Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist is a huge honor. Now the focus is on carrying that momentum into this new opportunity with RWR.”

— Michael Bumgarner, Driver

What’s next

Bumgarner will make his first CARS Tour start for RWR on April 25 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, North Carolina.

The takeaway

This partnership between the rising Late Model star Michael Bumgarner and the established NASCAR team Rick Ware Racing represents an exciting opportunity for Bumgarner to take the next step in his career, leveraging the resources and experience of a top-tier organization to compete for wins and championships across the Southeast.