Alpha Prime Racing has confirmed that 22-year-old Lavar Scott will race full-time in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 45 Chevrolet. The move lifts Scott from the ARCA Menards Series into NASCAR’s second-tier national level after several years of steady growth.
🤝 Welcome to the team, rookie.@LavarScott will compete full-time in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driving the No. 45 Chevy! #NASCAR | @TheCW_Sports pic.twitter.com/SxKR0Tm3WX
— Alpha Prime Racing (@TeamAlphaPrime) December 8, 2025
Scott, who is from Carney’s Point, New Jersey, built his early career through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and earned attention for his steady pace and short-track skill.
After the news broke, Scott shared his excitement, saying, “Don’t know what to say or type. Just thank you to everyone involved. Had a dream and a plan since 3 years old, and it’s actually happening. INSANE feeling.”
Scott Lavar Scott’s Path Through ARCA
Lavar Scott began his professional climb in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2023. He earned the 2024 ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year honors after a consistent season, which also saw him finish second in the championship standings. He expanded into the full ARCA series, gaining experience at larger tracks.
His 2025 season became his strongest yet, ending second in the championship standings. Scott made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Alpha Prime Racing in July 2025 at Dover Motor Speedway, recording a best finish of 19th in two starts in the 2025 season, according to Brandon White of Arcaracing.com.
Early Experience With Alpha Prime Racing
Lavar Scott already had a taste of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series before going full-time. He ran two races with Alpha Prime Racing in 2025, finishing 28th at Dover and improving to 19th at World Wide Technology Raceway as he got more comfortable with the team and the car. Those starts helped Alpha Prime evaluate him as a long-term fit. Now they hope his energy and growing speed can lift their 2026 performance.
Nick DeGroot of Motorsport reported, “Along with the No. 45 utilizing various drivers, Alpha Prime also fielded the No. 44 and No. 4 entries this past year, which were driven by Brennan Poole and Parker Retzlaff. Retzlaff moved on to Viking Motorsports, but Poole will be teammates with Scott in 2026.”
These details give a clearer picture of the team structure Scott will join as he prepares for his first full year at this level.
What the Move Means for 2026
Scott’s full-time move reflects NASCAR’s ongoing effort to build more diversity within the sport. His rise through the Drive for Diversity program follows the same path used by several other drivers who reached national NASCAR levels.
The 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will include 33 races, starting at Daytona International Speedway in February. The schedule will test Scott across superspeedways, short tracks, and road courses.
Alpha Prime Racing has not yet shared who will sponsor the No. 45 car, though past deals suggest the team may continue working with automotive and consumer brands. Team officials believe Scott’s short-track strength will help him compete early in the season as he races against other newcomers for Rookie of the Year honors.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Alpha Prime Racing Signs Lavar Scott for 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Series Ride appeared first on Heavy Sports.