Another NASCAR team is bidding farewell to one of its crew members this year, after Rick Ware Racing competition director Tommy Baldwin Jr. announced his departure from the organization. Baldwin, who has served Cody Ware and the No. 51 team since 2023, revealed the news on a recent episode of his Door Bumper Clear podcast, saying his expectations and owner Rick Ware’s no longer aligned.
Baldwin said the decision came after he and Ware reached a point where they no longer shared the same vision for the organization’s future. Rather than remain in a role where those differences continued to grow, he elected to step away with just four races remaining before the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The timing gives Rick Ware Racing little opportunity to make a leadership change before the postseason battle begins.
His departure leaves Rick Ware Racing searching for a new competition director at one of the busiest points of the season. With the regular season winding down, replacing a veteran leader behind the scenes presents another challenge for a team still working to build consistency at the Cup Series level. Baldwin joined Rick Ware Racing before the 2023 season, bringing decades of NASCAR experience.
A winning Cup Series crew chief and former team owner, he oversaw the team’s competition program while working closely with Cody Ware and the No. 51 team. His experience helped provide direction behind the scenes as Rick Ware Racing continued trying to gain ground against better-funded organizations. Speaking on Door Bumper Clear, Baldwin made it clear the decision was his own and not the result of being dismissed by the team.
“We decided, Rick and I, that our expectations were not aligned anymore. So, we decided, without ruining our friendship, which we have a really good friendship, it was decided to go different way,” Baldwin stated.
Baldwin added that there were no hard feelings between himself and Rick Ware, describing the split as the result of differing expectations rather than personal conflict. For Cody Ware and the No. 51 team, the timing could hardly be more challenging. Competition directors oversee race preparation, engineering, and communication between departments throughout a race weekend.
Replacing someone with Baldwin’s experience this late in the season leaves little time to establish continuity before the playoff push concludes. Rick Ware Racing has not announced who will assume Baldwin’s responsibilities or whether the role will be filled immediately. As for Baldwin, his résumé makes it unlikely he will be away from NASCAR for long. Along with the possibility of another opportunity in the garage, his departure also allows him to devote more time to Tommy Baldwin Racing and helping guide the careers of his sons, Jack and Luke Baldwin.
Luke has already started climbing NASCAR’s developmental ladder with starts in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series while continuing to race in the Whelen Modified Tour. Jack has continued building his own résumé in Modified competition, giving Baldwin the opportunity to pass along decades of experience as both drivers continue working toward NASCAR’s top levels.
For now, Baldwin’s three-year tenure with Rick Ware Racing has come to an end. His departure marks another significant personnel change in the NASCAR garage while leaving the No. 51 team searching for new leadership and allowing one of the sport’s most experienced veterans to focus on the next chapter of his career both on and off the racetrack.
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