Kris Wright Bio
Kristofer Cole Wright (born July 17, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has competed across multiple NASCAR national and regional series, as well as sports car and open-wheel racing, and is the 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class champion. Wright most recently competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado RST.
Early Life and Background
Kris Wright was born on July 17, 1994, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a motorsports household, as his father was also a racing driver. Even so, his father encouraged him to play golf, and Wright developed into a talented amateur golfer in addition to his love of racing.
After graduating from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh in 2013, Wright continued to pursue golf at a high level. He was a member of the IMG Academy and Robert Morris University golf programs. In 2014, he qualified for the district championship of the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship, narrowly missing a spot in the World Finals.
Path to NASCAR
Wright began his racing career in sports cars, joining Kinetic Motorsports in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car A class in 2015, where he earned a podium finish at Miller Motorsports Park. In 2017, he moved into prototype racing with JDC MotorSports in the IMSA Prototype Challenge, finishing second in the standings, scoring a win at Watkins Glen International, and earning Rookie of the Year honors.
He also explored open-wheel racing during this period, contesting the U.S. F2000 National Championship and Pro Mazda Championship in 2017 with John Cummiskey Racing and JDC MotorSports. After winning the 2018 IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class championship with Extreme Speed Motorsports, Wright ran the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona in the LMP2 class with Performance Tech Motorsports, finishing second in class. These varied experiences helped shape his transition to stock car racing in 2020.
Kris Wright Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Wright’s professional career started in 2015 with Kinetic Motorsports in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car A class, where his first podium came at Miller Motorsports Park. He shifted to prototype machinery in 2017 with JDC MotorSports, finishing second in the IMSA Prototype Challenge standings on the strength of a win at Watkins Glen International and earning the series’ Rookie of the Year award.
In 2018, he moved to Extreme Speed Motorsports, scoring wins at Barber Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway while reaching the podium in all six rounds to clinch the LMP3 class championship. Wright’s early career also included open-wheel stints in the U.S. F2000 National Championship, the Pro Mazda Championship, the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with Fortec Motorsports in 2019, and a class podium at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona with Performance Tech Motorsports.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020–2024)
Wright made his stock car debut in the summer of 2020. He opened in the ARCA Menards Series West at Utah Motorsports Campus, finishing second and third in the doubleheader, before joining GMS Racing. His first ARCA national start came at Michigan International Speedway, and he went on to build a strong résumé in the ARCA Menards Series across multiple seasons.
On November 14, 2023, it was announced that Wright would run full-time in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, driving the No. 15 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports. He posted a best career ARCA finish of third in 2024, collecting 23 top-ten finishes in the series overall. He has also run the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West on a part-time basis, recording three and two top-ten finishes in those regional tours, respectively.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2020–2023, 2025–Present)
Wright debuted in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2020 at the Daytona International Speedway road course with GMS Racing. In 2021, he joined Young’s Motorsports for a full Truck Series season in the No. 02, also debuting the team’s ARCA program. His best Truck Series points finish came that same year, ending 26th in the standings.
Wright was announced as the driver of the No. 44 for Niece Motorsports in 2022 but left the team in August, finishing the year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Brandonbilt Motorsports. He returned to Young’s Motorsports and the No. 02 for a full 2023 Truck Series campaign before parting ways with the team mid-season. On September 29, 2025, he was announced for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing’s Truck program at Charlotte Roval and Talladega, and on December 9, 2025, the team confirmed Wright would take over the No. 81 Chevrolet full-time for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (Xfinity) (2021–2022, 2025)
Wright first appeared in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 with Sam Hunt Racing as a road course ringer. In 2022, he ran the latter portion of the Xfinity season with Brandonbilt Motorsports, with sponsorship from FNB Corporation. On November 20, 2024, Our Motorsports announced Wright as the full-time driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for 2025, replacing Anthony Alfredo.
His 2025 Xfinity campaign was difficult, and on July 15, 2025, Wright confirmed he had mutually parted ways with Our Motorsports after Kaz Grala replaced him on the entry list at Dover. At the time of his departure, he sat 29th in the standings with three top-20 finishes. He ended the year 35th in the final Xfinity Series standings with one top-ten finish.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wright has built much of his reputation as a road course specialist, a skill set that traces back to his early sports car and open-wheel background. His versatility across prototype, open-wheel, and stock car machinery has made him a dependable ringer on technical circuits. He is also known for his smooth, consistent race craft and his ability to provide detailed feedback to crew chiefs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Wright’s 2019 24 Hours of Daytona class podium with Performance Tech Motorsports stands as one of the biggest results of his sports car career. In NASCAR, his first Truck Series start at the Daytona road course in 2020 marked his arrival on the national stage, while his 2024 third-place finish in the ARCA Menards Series remains his best national series result. Joining McAnally–Hilgemann Racing for 2026 represents his most significant full-time national opportunity to date.
Kris Wright Career Wins
Wright’s most prominent victory came in 2018, when he won the IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 class championship with Extreme Speed Motorsports. He added multiple race wins that season, including victories at Barber Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway. Across his NASCAR national series career, he has not yet recorded a win in the Truck Series or the Xfinity Series, though he has collected top-ten finishes in both ARCA and Xfinity competition.
IMSA Prototype Challenge Highlights
Wright burst onto the prototype scene in 2017, winning at Watkins Glen International and earning Rookie of the Year honors. The following year, he lifted the LMP3 class title with Extreme Speed Motorsports, reaching the podium in every round. The 2018 championship remains the defining achievement of his career.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond prototypes, Wright has posted strong results in the ARCA Menards Series, where he recorded 23 top-ten finishes and a best points result of third in 2024 with Venturini Motorsports. He also earned top-ten finishes in the ARCA East (3) and ARCA West (2) regional series, and reached the podium at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona in the LMP2 class.
Kris Wright Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wright comes from a family with deep ties to motorsports. His father was also a racing driver, and that connection helped spark his early interest in cars and competition. Despite that background, his father steered him toward golf in his formative years, leading to Wright’s standout amateur golf career before he fully committed to racing.
Personal Life
Wright is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native who attended Central Catholic High School before continuing his athletic development at IMG Academy and Robert Morris University. He has been active in long-drive golf competitions, qualifying for the 2014 Re/Max World Long Drive Championship district event. Beyond his racing and golf pursuits, he remains connected to his Pittsburgh roots.
2025 Season Performance
Wright entered 2025 as the full-time driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Our Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, replacing Anthony Alfredo. The season proved to be a struggle, and by mid-July he sat 29th in the standings, last among full-time drivers, with only three top-20 finishes. On July 15, 2025, Wright confirmed a mutual split with the team after Kaz Grala took over the entry at Dover.
Following his Xfinity departure, Wright returned to familiar surroundings. On July 28, 2025, he was announced for three part-time ARCA Menards Series races with Venturini Motorsports, the team he had driven for full-time in 2024. A few months later, on September 29, 2025, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing announced Wright would pilot its Truck Series entry at the Charlotte Roval and Talladega, marking his return to the Truck Series grid. He finished the Xfinity season 35th in the standings with one top-ten result.
On December 9, 2025, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing confirmed that Wright would take over the No. 81 Chevrolet Silverado RST full-time for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, replacing Connor Mosack. The new deal gives Wright his first full-time national NASCAR opportunity since the 2023 Truck Series campaign with Young’s Motorsports, setting up a fresh chapter with a championship-contending organization.
