Carson Kvapil is in his first full NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports behind the wheel of the No. 1 Chevrolet, and although he has yet to earn his first victory, he finds himself fourth in the playoff standings following a fourth place finish in the postseason opener at Bristol Motor Speedway.
But in a somewhat shocking turn of events, he will not be back for a second full season with the team next year.
There had been rumors about Team Penske returning to the Xfinity Series (O'Reilly Auto Parts Series from 2026) and fielding a car for Kvapil, but that will also not happen in 2026. The 22-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina native is set to be back behind the wheel of the No. 1 JR Motorsports car, but on only a part-time basis.
Kvapil loses full-time ride, to share entry with Zilisch
Connor Zilisch, another JR Motorsports rookie who leads the standings and leads the Xfinity Series with nine wins, is set to replace Daniel Suarez full-time at Trackhouse Racing's Cup Series team next year, but he is also set to return to JR Motorsports and share the No. 1 entry with Kvapil. Exact schedules for both drivers have not yet been determined.
Rodney Childers is set to serve as the crew chief for the No. 1 team, marking a return to NASCAR after he was dismissed by Spire Motorsports' Cup Series program back in April.
JR Motorsports' full-time lineup for 2026 is set to consist of Justin Allgaier, the 2024 champion who is slated to return for an 11th season behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet, and Sammy Smith, who is slated to return for a third season behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet.
What becomes of the No. 88 Chevrolet that Zilisch currently drives remains to be seen, though there should certainly be no shortage of options who would presumably jump at the opportunity to join the team.