Carson Ware Bio
Carson Reed Ware (born February 28, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the rebranded name for NASCAR’s second-tier national tour, driving the No. 30 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Barrett–Cope Racing and the No. 35 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen. Earlier in his career, he made starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series while building a reputation as a developing short-track talent. He is the son of team owner Rick Ware, which helped open doors to national-level racing opportunities.
Early Life and Background
Carson Reed Ware was born on February 28, 2000, in Jamestown, North Carolina. Growing up in the southeastern United States placed him near some of the country’s most active short tracks and Late Model circuits, an environment that shaped his early interest in racing. His father, Rick Ware, is a longtime NASCAR team owner who fields entries through Rick Ware Racing, giving Carson direct exposure to the sport from a young age. He also has a brother, Cody Ware, who has competed in NASCAR’s top national series, further connecting the family to stock car racing. Together, those influences helped chart Ware’s path toward a professional career behind the wheel.
Path to NASCAR
Before reaching NASCAR, Ware honed his skills in Pro Late Models, a common proving ground for young drivers in the Carolinas and across the Southeast. In October 2019, he made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Kansas Speedway with Rick Ware Racing in a partnership with Venturini Motorsports. The following month, in November 2019, he stepped into a Reaume Brothers Racing truck for his first NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series start, the Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway in Phoenix. Those appearances gave Ware a foundation across both stock car formats and prepared him for his move into the NASCAR Xfinity Series the next year.
Carson Ware Career
Early Career (2019)
Ware’s national-tour career began in 2019 with limited but meaningful starts. His ARCA debut came at Kansas Speedway driving for Rick Ware Racing, in collaboration with Venturini Motorsports. He later joined Reaume Brothers Racing for his Truck Series debut at Phoenix in the Lucas Oil 150, marking his first outing at NASCAR’s third-tier national level. In a season split between ARCA and the Truck Series, he finished 94th in Truck Series points and 65th in ARCA, results that reflected his newcomer status more than his potential.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2020–2021)
In May 2020, Ware made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway with SS-Green Light Racing. The team had formed an alliance with Rick Ware Racing to run the No. 07 entry for Ware and other RWR-affiliated drivers, a partnership that eased his transition into the series. He continued with Rick Ware Racing in 2021, sharing time in the Nos. 17 and 52 cars, and also drove Mike Harmon Racing’s No. 74 at Darlington Raceway. Across those seasons, he worked to gain seat time on ovals of every shape and size while learning the rhythms of NASCAR’s middle tier.
Return and New Teams (2024–2025)
Ware returned to NASCAR national-series competition in 2024 with Joey Gase Motorsports, racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Martinsville Speedway. The 2025 season then brought a return to Mike Harmon Racing for the Daytona opener, a race in which he failed to qualify, followed by a 32nd-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He also made a Martinsville start with SS-Green Light Racing, finishing 30th. On May 3, 2025, Ware scored his first career CARS Tour victory in a rain-shortened race at Ace Speedway, a breakthrough result outside the NASCAR national ranks.
Barrett–Cope Racing Era (2026)
In January 2026, Ware joined the newly formed Barrett–Cope Racing team to compete part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He made his debut for the team at Daytona International Speedway in the season opener, finishing 19th, which marked a career-best result across NASCAR’s three national touring series. He has also continued his relationship with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen in the No. 35, maintaining a multi-team schedule that keeps him active on a variety of tracks.
Notable Races and Milestones
Ware’s most notable NASCAR national-series moment to date is his 19th-place finish in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series opener at Daytona with Barrett–Cope Racing, a career-best across all three of NASCAR’s top national tours. His earlier Xfinity Series debut at Bristol in 2020 with SS-Green Light Racing, and his Truck Series debut at Phoenix in 2019 with Reaume Brothers Racing, also stand out as the races that launched each phase of his national career. Off the national stage, his first CARS Tour win at Ace Speedway in May 2025 added an important trophy to his résumé.
Carson Ware Career Wins
Across NASCAR’s three national touring series, Carson Reed Ware has not yet recorded a win in the Cup Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Xfinity Series), or the Craftsman Truck Series. His first major stock car victory came outside the national ranks, in the CARS Tour at Ace Speedway on May 3, 2025, where rain shortened the event.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Ware made his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at the 2020 Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway and has since logged multiple seasons of part-time competition. His best series points result to date is 49th in 2025, while his strongest single-race performance is the 19th-place run at Daytona in 2026 for Barrett–Cope Racing. As of his most recent start, the 2026 MillerTech Battery 250 at Pocono, he continues to pursue his first national-series victory.
Carson Ware Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Carson Reed Ware comes from a deeply rooted stock car racing family. His father, Rick Ware, is a longtime NASCAR team owner who operates Rick Ware Racing and has fielded entries across NASCAR’s three national series. His brother, Cody Ware, has also competed in NASCAR, including at the Cup Series level, reinforcing the family’s multi-generational connection to the sport. That lineage has provided Carson with both opportunities and a clear understanding of the business side of racing.
Personal Life
On October 20, 2021, Ware was arrested in Rowan County, North Carolina, on assault and property damage charges. NASCAR subsequently indefinitely suspended him from competition. On June 8, 2022, NASCAR lifted Ware’s suspension, allowing him to return to racing. His journey back to the track since that reinstatement has included part-time national-series work and regional Late Model success, including his first CARS Tour victory in 2025.
2025 Season Performance
Carson Ware’s 2025 season centered on a part-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule rather than a full-season run. He opened the year with Mike Harmon Racing at Daytona International Speedway, where he failed to qualify, before rebounding with a 32nd-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He also drove for SS-Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 30th, and ran additional races later in the year. Across the season, he was credited with a 49th-place finish in the final O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings.
Outside the national ranks, 2025 produced his most significant result to date. On May 3, 2025, Ware scored his first career CARS Tour victory in a rain-shortened event at Ace Speedway, a result that validated years of Pro Late Model and regional development work. He also made his ARCA Menards Series East debut at the 2025 Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol, finishing 59th in series points. With a return to national-series competition at Barrett–Cope Racing confirmed for 2026, the 2025 campaign set the stage for his most competitive national-level season yet.
