Ware Racing has added Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist Michael Bumgarner to its Late Model program for the 2026 season.
Bumgarner will pilot the team’s No. 51 Chevrolet in 15 Late Model Stock events. The schedule includes select zMAX CARS Tour races, the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, and events at Hickory Motor Speedway. The dates at Hickory include signature events such as the Jack Ingram Memorial on August 1, the Bobby Isaac Memorial on September 5 and the Fall Brawl on November 7.
“Michael has shown tremendous ability and has proven to be a very strong competitor in the Late Model Stock ranks,” said team owner Rick Ware. “Any time I saw him race at Hickory, he won. That got our attention, and now we’re making a commitment to him. Bringing him into our program gives us the opportunity to provide additional resources, experience and support to help accelerate his development. We’re looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”
Bumgarner, from Taylorsville, North Carolina, is the two-time and defending Late Model Stock track champion at Hickory. He has won 34 races at the track since 2024, including victories in the Bobby Isaac Memorial and Fall Brawl in 2025. “What we’ve been able to build over the last few years has meant a lot to me and my family,” said Bumgarner. “Everything we’ve accomplished together has prepared me for this next step. Transitioning to Rick Ware Racing is a tremendous opportunity and one that I’m incredibly grateful for.
“Hickory has been a huge part of my growth as a driver and it’s a track that feels like home. I’ve learned so much about racecraft, consistency and what it takes to win week in and week out. To be able to take what we’ve built at Hickory and continue it at RWR gives us a really strong foundation to go out and compete for wins no matter where we’re racing.” Bumgarner was named one of five finalists for the Kulwicki Driver Development Program for the 2026 season. He looks forward to furthering the legacy of 1992 NASCAR Cup Series champion Alan Kulwicki as part of his new endeavor with Rick Ware Racing.
“The way this season has started has definitely given us a lot of confidence,” Bumgarner said. “Opening the year with two wins at Hickory and then being recognized as a Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist is a huge honor. Now the focus is on carrying that momentum into this new opportunity with RWR.”
There is also a Kulwicki connection alongside Bumgarner and Rick Ware Racing joining forces. RWR president Robby Benton was the 1997 recipient of the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship, one of the highest honors within the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Motorsports Engineering program.
“With all that RWR does in NASCAR, NHRA, motorcycle racing and Late Model racing, they have a lot of depth,” Bumgarner said. “It’s a team built by racers and run by racers. That’s something I can lean into, and as competitive as Late Model racing is, especially on the CARS Tour, you want every advantage you can get.”
Bumgarner’s first start for Rick Ware Racing comes this Saturday, April 18 at Hickory Motor Speedway. He will make his first CARS Tour appearance for the team on April 25 at Caraway Speedway. He won in his last visit to Caraway, scoring the victory in last October’s Caraway Crown 125 over Mason Walters.
“Caraway is a great place to make my first CARS Tour start with RWR,” Bumgarner said. “Winning the last time I was there gives us a strong platform to build from. Ideally, we unload with speed, qualify up front, race smart and are there at the end when it matters most.”
Last year’s owners’ champion in the CARS Tour’s Pro Late Model division, Rick Ware Racing will continue to field a Pro Late Model for driver Carson Ware with the series.
Story: racingamerica.com