Sam Mayer Bio
Samuel Adam Mayer, born on June 26, 2003, is an American professional stock car racing driver from Franklin, Wisconsin. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Haas Factory Team. Over the past several seasons, Mayer has built a reputation as one of the most promising young talents in American motorsports, collecting championships and wins across multiple development and national series.
Rising from a go-kart background as a small child, Mayer climbed through stock car ladders and into the upper NASCAR ranks with a steady stream of victories. He is a two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion and an ARCA Menards Series race winner, and he now serves as a key driver for a growing factory operation in the national series.
Early Life and Background
Samuel Adam Mayer was born on June 26, 2003, in Franklin, Wisconsin, where he grew up surrounded by racing. His father, Scott Mayer, is a former IndyCar Series driver and the founder of QPS Employment Group. Growing up in a household that valued motorsports, Sam was introduced to racing at a very young age and began competing in go-kart events at the age of four.
Although his father built a career in open-wheel racing, Sam chose a different direction during his preteen years and focused on stock car racing. During the summer of 2017, when he turned fourteen, Mayer traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to race Legends cars. He won the Young Lions division of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout and also raced in a Limited Late Model, scoring a win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway to become the track’s youngest winner.
That same summer, Mayer returned to Wisconsin and won a Midwest Truck Series race at Dells Raceway Park in his first series start, an early sign of the promise he would carry forward. These formative experiences in karts, Legends cars, and Late Models gave him a strong foundation before he moved into NASCAR-sanctioned competition.
Path to NASCAR
Mayer’s entry into NASCAR was guided by industry veteran Lorin Ranier, who helped him land a late model ride with JR Motorsports in the CARS Tour for 2018. Ranier also connected Mayer with MDM Motorsports for a limited slate in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East during the back half of 2018. Age restrictions shaped his schedule, as both series limited fifteen-year-old competitors to certain tracks.
In his first ARCA race, Mayer ran as high as third and finished inside the top ten. He also won at Wake County Speedway during the CARS Tour season and was voted the series’ Most Popular Driver for 2018. On December 5, 2018, GMS Racing announced that Mayer would run a full NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule in 2019, along with seven ARCA races and four NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races once he turned sixteen.
Mayer scored his first K&N East win at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 6, 2019, leading every lap. He won the 2019 K&N East championship to become the youngest NASCAR national series champion at 16 years, 3 months, and 8 days, breaking a record previously held by Todd Gilliland. He ended the 2019 season with four wins and top-ten finishes in all but one race.
Sam Mayer Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
During 2017, Mayer established himself in junior stock car categories by winning the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout Young Lions division and a Limited Late Model race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. He capped the year with a Midwest Truck Series victory at Dells Raceway Park. Those results quickly drew the attention of established NASCAR development teams.
In 2018, Mayer competed in the CARS Tour with JR Motorsports and in selected ARCA and K&N East events with MDM Motorsports. He collected a CARS Tour victory at Wake County Speedway and was named the series’ Most Popular Driver. Moving to GMS Racing in 2019, he won four K&N East races, captured the series championship, and made his Truck Series debut at Bristol.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2018-2020)
Mayer began racing in the ARCA Menards Series in 2018 with MDM Motorsports and quickly found the front of the field. He returned to the series in 2020 and won the Menards.com 200 at Toledo Speedway for his first ARCA victory. He added a win at Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol, along with a victory at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, which was ARCA’s first visit to that track.
That same year, Mayer swept both the ARCA and Truck events at Bristol in a single night, recovering from a late pit miscue to claim the ARCA checkered flag. He also won the inaugural ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship in 2020, adding another major title to his résumé.
ARCA Menards Series East Breakthrough (2018-2020)
Mayer first raced in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2018 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and immediately showed speed. In 2019, he won the season opener at Bristol, leading every lap on his way to a series-best year. He secured the East championship in 2019, becoming the youngest NASCAR national series champion in the process.
Mayer defended the East title in 2020, closing the season by winning the finale at Five Flags Speedway to clinch the championship with an average finish of 1.2 across the year. He finished his East career with nine wins, twenty-one top tens, and five poles, establishing himself as one of the most successful drivers in series history.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Career (2021-2024)
On September 15, 2020, JR Motorsports announced a deal for Mayer to run part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 and full-time in 2022. He made his Xfinity debut in the 2021 Pocono Green 225 and joined the JRM No. 1 team full-time in 2022, replacing Michael Annett. In his first full season, he recorded a best finish of second at Talladega and ended the year seventh in points.
Mayer’s first national series win came at Road America in 2023, followed by a victory at Watkins Glen. During the 2023 playoffs, he won at the Charlotte Roval and at Homestead-Miami Speedway to advance to the Championship 4, ultimately finishing third in the final standings. In 2024, he opened the year with a narrow victory at Texas Motor Speedway, edging Ryan Sieg by 0.002 seconds in one of the closest Xfinity finishes in history. He added a win at Iowa and a second Charlotte Roval victory later that season.
Haas Factory Team Era (2025-Present)
On August 17, 2024, Mayer signed with Haas Factory Team to drive the No. 41 in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starting in 2025. He opened the 2025 season with a second-place finish at Daytona and stayed consistent through the year, posting strong results across a variety of track types. His biggest breakthrough came at Iowa, where he won the Hy-Vee PERKS 250 to deliver Haas Factory Team its first victory and Ford’s first win of the season.
Mayer wrapped the regular campaign ranked among the series’ top performers and entered the playoffs as one of the contenders to watch. On October 28, 2025, NASCAR imposed a one-race suspension on Mayer for intentionally wrecking Jeb Burton during the post-race cooldown lap at Martinsville, and Ryan Sieg replaced him for the season finale at Phoenix. Despite the setback, his 2025 results positioned Haas Factory Team as a rising player in the series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mayer is widely regarded as a versatile driver who performs well on a variety of track types, from road courses to intermediate ovals and short tracks. His background in Legends cars and Late Models has sharpened his race craft, particularly in close-quarters battles and tire management. He is also known for his aggressive but calculated approach, a style that has produced memorable finishes and occasional fireworks with rivals.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Mayer’s signature performances are his first K&N East win at Bristol in 2019, where he led every lap, and his first Xfinity Series victory at Road America in 2023. His 0.002-second win over Ryan Sieg at Texas in 2024 stands as one of the closest finishes in Xfinity history. He has also authored memorable playoff moments, including back-to-back wins at the Charlotte Roval in 2023 and 2024.
Sam Mayer Career Wins
Across his NASCAR and ARCA career, Mayer has accumulated a strong collection of victories in multiple series. He is a two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion, a winner in the ARCA Menards Series, and a multi-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His win list spans short tracks, road courses, superspeedways, and intermediate ovals.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Mayer has recorded eight wins, eighty-one top-ten finishes, and six poles in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. His first win came at Road America in 2023, and his most recent victory came at Iowa in 2025 in the Hy-Vee PERKS 250. He reached the Championship 4 in 2023 and has consistently contended for playoff spots each season since.
Other Wins and Performances
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Mayer earned one win and five top-ten finishes, highlighted by his victory at Bristol in 2020. In the ARCA Menards Series, he collected five wins, twenty-three top tens, and one pole, and in the ARCA Menards Series West, he scored two wins and three poles. He also won nine ARCA East races and five poles, and was named the 2018 CARS Late Model Stock Tour Rookie of the Year.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 8 | 81 | 6 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 5 | 23 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 9 | 21 | 5 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Sam Mayer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mayer’s father, Scott Mayer, is a former IndyCar Series driver and the founder of QPS Employment Group. Scott’s background in open-wheel racing shaped Sam’s early exposure to motorsports, even though Sam chose to focus on stock cars. The Mayer family has strong ties to Wisconsin and the Midwest racing community, with Sam often crediting his father for supporting his career path.
Personal Life
Sam Mayer resides in the United States and maintains close ties to his Wisconsin roots. His primary sponsor, Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions, was founded by his father and remains closely connected to the family business. Mayer is active on social media, where he engages with fans and shares updates from his racing career.
2025 Season Performance
Mayer’s 2025 season with Haas Factory Team marked a major step forward for both the driver and the young organization. He opened the year with a second-place finish at Daytona and quickly established himself as a weekly contender across both ovals and road courses. Consistency throughout the regular season helped him secure a playoff berth and built momentum for the team.
His biggest moment came at Iowa, where he won the Hy-Vee PERKS 250 to give Haas Factory Team its first victory and Ford its first win of the year. The result validated the team’s switch to the No. 41 and reinforced Mayer’s status as a championship-caliber driver. He finished the regular campaign ranked among the top ten in the standings.
Late in the season, NASCAR suspended Mayer for one race after an incident with Jeb Burton at Martinsville, with Ryan Sieg substituting at Phoenix. Despite the setback, Mayer’s 2025 results positioned Haas Factory Team as a rising presence in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and set the stage for continued growth in the seasons ahead.
