Carson Kvapil’s 2026 schedule in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has been finalized, reflecting a mix of opportunities across multiple teams. He will race full-time in the series, sharing duties between JR Motorsports and DGM Racing, aiming to build on his 2025 successes.
Details of Kvapil’s 2026 Race Lineup
DGM Racing announced that Kvapil will drive the No. 91 Chevrolet in four events during the 2026 season. His initial appearance with the team is scheduled for February 28 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Following this, he will compete at Watkins Glen International on May 9, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 23, and Sonoma Raceway on June 27.
Context Around Kvapil’s Dual-Team Engagement
Kvapil is set to compete full-time for JR Motorsports, where he drove the No. 1 car throughout 2025. Last year, the 22-year-old achieved 14 top 10 finishes and reached the Championship 4, underscoring his rising potential. For 2026, Kvapil will split driving duties in the No. 1 car with Connor Zilisch, while the experienced Cup Series crew chief Rodney Childers will lead the team’s efforts.
Rodney Childers shared insights into their offseason preparations:
“With Carson… we’ve spent… almost every day around each other the entire winter,”
Childers said.
“We’ve been to the simulator probably eight or nine times already. We’re working on races two, three months out. But, you know, for him, he wants to up his game and do better, of course, than what he did last year, and he’s working really hard to be able to do that.”
Kvapil’s Comprehensive Schedule Across Teams
Throughout the 2026 NOAPS season, Kvapil will drive the No. 1 car in 24 races, the No. 9 JR Motorsports car in five races, and the No. 91 DGM Racing car in four events. This varied lineup will test his adaptability and skill across different team dynamics and track types.
Reflecting on his goals for 2026, Kvapil expressed a mix of pragmatism and ambition in November:
“There’s just some things on our end that we can work on and hopefully, next year will be an improvement over this year,”
Kvapil said.
“Like, this year was good and I was proud of what we did but I was hoping to win a couple of races, which we weren’t able to do, but we did put ourselves in a great spot to make the final four and race for a championship.”
Recent Performance and Season Outlook
Kvapil began his second full season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with a strong seventh-place finish at the Daytona International Speedway season opener. This marks his third consecutive top-10 result at Daytona, signaling consistency as he prepares for a challenging and dynamic 2026 season.
The approach to splitting race duties among three cars highlights an evolving strategy for Kvapil, who seeks to leverage diverse opportunities while honing his performance. With experienced support from crew chief Rodney Childers and collaboration with JR Motorsports and DGM Racing, Kvapil’s 2026 schedule underscores both the uncertainties and hopes inherent to his career development.
Adding Carson to the lineup 🧑🧑🧒🧒 @JRMotorsports Driver, @CarsonKvapil will pilot the No. 91 at four @NASCAROReillyAP races filling out the remainder of his full time schedule. pic.twitter.com/IM80KzpGgh
— DGM Racing (@DGMRacingFL) February 18, 2026
