NASCAR team, driver returning to Cup Series for All-Star Race

The 2023 season became the first season since MBM Motorsports made their NASCAR Cup Series debut (2017) in which they did not compete in any Cup Series races, and it also saw them scale back their Xfinity Series program from full-time to part-time.

But the team returned to the Cup Series in 2024, doing so at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) with Timmy Hill behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford. Hill, who competed full-time for the team in 2020 and started the 2021 season as their full-time driver before they were forced to scale back, had not competed in a Cup Series race since the 2021 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

The 31-year-old Port Tobacco, Maryland native attempted to qualify for the 2022 season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, but he failed to do so. In fact, the two MBM Motorsports entries were the two entries that failed to qualify for that edition of the "Great American Race."

After the Carl Long-owned team returned to the series with Hill at COTA, they made an additional start at Martinsville Speedway two weeks later, this time with David Starr behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford. Starr had not competed in the Cup Series since near the end of the 2021 season also, driving at Kansas Speedway two weeks prior to Hill's final start of the year.

Now MBM Motorsports are set to return as the only team fielding a non-charter entry during this coming weekend's All-Star Race festivities at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

MBM Motorsports, Timmy Hill returning at North Wilkesboro

Hill is set to drive the No. 66 Ford in the 100-lap All-Star Open at the four-turn, 0.625-mile (1.006-kilometer) North Wilkesboro, North Carolina oval. There are 20 drivers set to compete in this race, and only three will advance to the 200-lap main event, which already consists of 17 locked-in drivers.

The top two drivers in the Open, plus the winner of the NASCAR Fan Vote (specifically the highest vote-getter among drivers not locked in who still have raceable cars), all lock into the All-Star Race, creating 20-driver battle for the $1 million prize.

Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson won last year's All-Star Race in what was the first Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro since 1996.

MBM Motorsports also plan to compete in the upcoming regular season races at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26; Iowa Speedway on Sunday, June 16; Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 30; the Chicago Street Course on Sunday, July 7; Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 21; and Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, August 24.

Of those six races, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte is the only one for which they have confirmed a driver. Starr is set to return for the longest race on the Cup Series calendar and compete in the crown jewel event for the first time since he ran it in 2021 with the same team.

MBM Motorsports then plan to compete in the playoff races at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 21; Kansas Speedway on Sunday, September 29; the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, October 13; Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 20; and Phoenix on Sunday, November 10. No drivers have been confirmed for any of these races.

Tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 6:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 19 for the live broadcast of the NASCAR All-Star Open from North Wilkesboro Speedway, and stay tuned in for the All-Star Race itself at 8:00 p.m. ET. If you have yet to begin a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don't miss it!