Kaz Grala sees significant growth in 2024 with Rick Ware Racing

Kaz Grala spent years bouncing from team to team in Nascar, hoping to find something that would last to prove he was capable of being a top driver.

Time and time again, Grala showed promise with smaller, underfunded and often start-up organizations. He jumped to the Nascar Cup Series in 2024 with Rick Ware Racing, competing in 25 races and the Daytona 500 with Front Row Motorsports in a non-chartered entry.

The 25-year-old is having a respectable first half of the season in his rookie campaign, earning three top 20 finishes for a team that previously ran at the back of the field. His 26.3 average is not far behind teammate Justin Haley, who is averaging 23.5 in his fourth Cup season and has shined over the past month.

“We’ve had a good start this year and I feel like I’ve picked up the pace pretty well in the Next Gen car,” Grala said. “We’ve been quiet good at finding our footing each time, and I’m looking forward to the second half of the year when we go back to some of those tracks for the second time with this team. That’s where we’ll really be able to shine. “

Rick Ware Racing made a significant investment to improve its program this year. A collaboration with Ford and RFK Racing has proved crucial as the small team tries to climb the pylon.

Grala seizes the opportunity.

“We’re very much on the new end of this Ford relationship,” he said. “Rick Ware Racing is in its infancy with manufacturer support. We don’t get everything by any means, but it’s growing slowly but surely. We’re running well and proving ourselves to be legitimate contenders in the Cup Series, which is a hard thing to do. It helps the relationship [with Ford] and establish the credibility we need to take the next step.”

Not only did Grala make the transition from full-time in the Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing to the Cup Series, which has a steeper level of competition, but he’s also had to adapt to the Next Gen car.

“It’s a completely different animal than an Xfinity car,” Grala said. “When you take that jump, not only do you have to raise your performance level because of the competition, but you have to wrap your head around this new vehicle. It races differently and drives differently, what you’re looking for from a feel perspective is different.

“It’s a pretty big learning curve and the sooner you can get it out of the way, the better. The more serious of a candidate you’ll be for future cup tours if you’re someone who knows the car. It puts you ahead of that crop of drivers in Xfinity Series.”

With consistency in the middle of the pack, Grala has shown an ability to finish races and not destroy cars. Mistakes that other rookies have made and are currently making are not ones you will see from the driver of the number 15 car.

During the first half of the year, N29 Capital Partners has served as his primary sponsor. Come this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Meat N’ Bone will take over as Grala’s primary sponsor for most of the Nascar Cup Series season.

“The Meat N’ Bone people have been out for a couple of races this year and they’re incredibly excited to get into this sport,” Grala said.

With a wild silly season shaping up, Grala is putting his name in conversations he wouldn’t have been mentioned in until now. His decision to compete in Cup racing instead of competing in the Xfinity Series for one more season means he can stay in the Cup Series for one more season.

“I’m going to treat it just like my whole career, which has mostly been out of necessity,” Grala said. “I’m going to take every opportunity I get, make the most of it and I’m going to ride with it and be ready for the next one. For me, if it’s here at Rick Ware Racing for many years to come, I’d be thrilled, especially with the track the team is on. Those talks are just in the works now. With the Stewart-Haas shutdown, the entire Cup Series garage is in disarray. There aren’t a lot of commitments out there right now waiting to see where the dominoes fall.”

There are a number of open spots for next season, including the same Front Row Motorsports team he raced with in the Daytona 500.

“I would love to have that conversation with them [FRM] and those thoughts have certainly already been out there, Grala said. “Nothing is set in stone anywhere, but I am happy to talk to anyone and everyone. In my position, that’s what you have to do. My focus all year has been to go out and perform on the race track. There are a lot of factors involved in figuring out where you will be year to year that are frankly out of your control and out of the race car.

“I have to focus on doing my job and get the most out of it because it helps everything else. If we have a weekend or two where we really shine and make a statement, I’m sure there will be many conversations internally and externally about next year.”

This weekend, Grala makes its Cup Series debut at its home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In three Xfinity Series starts at the one-mile oval, he has a best finish of 13th. USA Today 301 can be seen on June 23 at 2:30 PM ET in the US.