Rick Ware Racing will switch Ford partners for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. After working with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2022, they have joined forces with RFK Racing. RWR announced the news on Monday, shortly after it was broken by Lee Spencer of Racin’ Boys.
Holding two charters, Ware fields the #15 and #51 Ford Mustangs full-time. While the #15 is split between multiple drivers, Ware’s son Cody Ware pilots the #51. The two cars finished next to each other in the owner points with the #15 ahead in thirty-fourth. Ware placed thirty-second in the driver standings with a top ten in the regular season finale at Daytona.
The partnership with SHR allowed RWR to find a permanent manufacturer after spending much of their Cup programme’s history running a mix of Fords and Chevrolets. Despite dissolving the SHR alliance, Ware will still work with Roush Yates Engines and Ford Performance for engines and support.
“Very excited to be a part of this alliance as we take another step as a team and myself as a driver,” Cody Ware tweeted.
RFK Racing spawned from Brad Keselowski purchasing a stake in Roush Fenway Racing ahead of the 2022 season. Although both Keselowski and Chris Buescher missed the playoffs, the latter scored his first Cup win since 2016 at Bristol to complete a non-playoff driver sweep of the Round of 16. Buescher finished twenty-first in points with ten top tens and a pole, while Keselowski was twenty-fourth with six top tens and also notched a pole. The duo also won the two Daytona 500 qualifying races.
As part of their new relationship, RFK will share resources and their headquarters with Ware. The news also comes as RWR continues to expand their footprint in motorsport, most notably opening stables in NHRA Top Fuel drag racing and the FIM World Supercross Championship in 2022.
