It is officially the end of an era for AM Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, as the team announced this afternoon that it is closing its doors for good. The team has fallen off the radar over the past two months, leaving the window of speculation wide open about what might have happened to the organization. However, to some degree, it seems that the writing was already on the wall when the team withdrew from the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 in late March.

The team announced just before Thanksgiving that it was merging with Sigma Performance Services and taking all of its assets, but just as quickly as the announcement was made, it was axed. So, it was clear things were up in the air for the team, but this was one of those things that just couldn’t have been predicted. So, what happens next? That’s likely what fans are wondering, especially since the team made the playoffs in 2025 with drivers like Harrison Burton. Statistically speaking, apart from the playoffs, the team had a decent season last year, posting an average start of 17.6 and a finish of 15.6.

Even newcomer Nick Sanchez, who trickled over from Big Machine Racing to run full-time, stood at 25th and ranked in the top ten in P3 in the first stretch of the season. The team also bounced around the idea of adding a second car by putting Daniel Dye in the No. 52 after his controversial departure from Kaulig. But now that the team has dissolved, both he and Sanchez are left hanging.NASCAR insider Matt Weaver assures that every effort to save the team was made by VP of Competition Matthew Lucas, and notes that Lucas had already given staff their formal release.

Fingers are pointed in every direction, but most notably at the team’s manufacturer, Ford. The total retreat from the lower series mirrors a broader decline for Ford that is now affecting the Cup Series. In 2025, Ford had a top-level footprint with six Cup teams: Team Penske, RFK Racing, Front Row Motorsports, Wood Brothers Racing, and Rick Ware Racing. By 2026, that roster shrank to just four.

Now, with AM Racing folding, Ford has been completely wiped off the grid in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. It leaves a massive competitive void, raising the urgent question of whether another organization will step up to bring the Blue Oval back to the series, or if Ford’s footprint in NASCAR will continue to shrink.

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