Garage 66, formerly MBM Motorsports, opened up the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season in surprise fashion, ending an 0-for-7 streak in terms of failing to qualify for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
Casey Mears, who got the team into the "Great American Race" for the first time since 2020, was supposed to compete in the following race at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta Motor Speedway), but the team ultimately withdrew the No. 66 Ford.
They did not return until the race at Darlington Raceway three weekends ago, and they did so with Timmy Hill in the No. 66 car. He was knocked out early with a handling issue.
The Carl Long-owned team did not compete in the most recent race at Martinsville Speedway two weekends ago, after running both races at the "Paperclip" with Mears in 2025, but after the off weekend for Easter, they are set to return at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend.
Garage 66 changes drivers for Bristol NASCAR race
Chad Finchum is set to make his first start of the 2026 season behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford in this Sunday's 500-lap Food City 500 around the four-turn, 0.533-mile (0.858-kilometer) high-banked Bristol, Tennessee oval.
Finchum, who made an O'Reilly Auto Parts Series start earlier this season in Atlanta, has not competed in a Cup Series race since the September race at the "Last Great Colosseum", where he was knocked out late due to a brake issue.
His other Cup Series start at Bristol was his series debut in 2018, and that also resulted in a DNF. He competed in a three total Cup Series races a year ago, matching his career-high from both 2020 and 2024. All 12 of his Cup Series starts have come with the same team, and all have come in the No. 66 car.
The No. 66 Ford is the only non-chartered (open) car on the entry list for Sunday's race, meaning it is locked in.
Beyond this weekend, Finchum is also set to compete in the May race at Texas Motor Speedway. The only other confirmed driver for Garage 66 this year so far is Josh Bilicki, who is set to run the following weekend's race at Watkins Glen International., although the team do plan to run additional races.
Fox Sports 1 is set to provide live coverage of Sunday's Food City 500 beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and catch all of the action from Bristol Motor Speedway!