Eiki Koga To Make NASCAR Jr. Late Model Debut

Youngest Japanese Driver With Wilson Motorsports At Madera Speedway

 

Ten-year-old Japanese driver Eiki Koga will make his race debut in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model  on March 14 at Madera Speedway, supported by Wilson Motorsports, as he begins his journey toward achieving his dream of becoming a NASCAR Cup Series driver.

 

In addition, Eiki has signed as a development driver with Fast Track Racing.

 

Andy Hillenburg, a two-time Daytona winner, will oversee Eiki’s management and guide him on his path to becoming a NASCAR driver.

 

“I’m very excited to take my first step toward becoming a NASCAR driver in the United States with Wilson Motorsports”, stated Eiki. “I would like to sincerely thank all of our sponsors for their support with this race opportunity.”

 

“I am also deeply grateful to Mr. Hojo and Mr. Takahashi of Team Blute, who have supported me in every way since I first started kart racing. Thanks to their continued support, I was given this amazing opportunity.” Eiki Koga

 

“Thank you to everyone for believing in me. I’ll give it my best! Eiki Koga

 

I’m excited to make my Junior Late Model debut this spring!! I get to race 8 times at Madera Speedway in California, my schedule is below! Can’t wait for this new opportunity!!😎💪🏻

Madera JLM Schedule:
• March 14th
• April 11th
• May 16th
• June 13th
• July 11th
• August… pic.twitter.com/tBW1HHXwxt

— Brexton Busch (@brextonbusch) January 20, 2026

“We are very excited to announce that Eiki Koga will be driving for Wilson Motorsports in the Junior Late Model division at Madera Speedway. Eiki will be driving alongside his teammate, Brexton Busch. We are looking forward to watching both of our young drivers develop throughout the year.” Team Owner, Charlie Wilson

 

 

source: Takuma Koga Facebook

Ryan Preece Wins the Clash at Bowman Gray

The First #Win is Always the Sweetest!

 

RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece won Wednesday’s Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, claiming his first win at the NASCAR Cup Series level. This win also marks Ford’s 11th victory in the Clash.

 

Going to be thinking about last night for a long time.🏆 pic.twitter.com/E7MLjbukdj

— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) February 5, 2026

 

“Congratulations to Jack, Brad, Derrick, Ryan, and everyone at RFK Racing on the Clash win at Bowman Gray,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Starting the year with a win gives us great momentum as we head into the 2026 season, and it’s a proud moment for everyone at Roush Yates Engines and Ford Racing.”

 

 

“I don’t even know what to say. It’s been a long road. And it’s the Clash but man, it’s just been years and years of grinding. Just super thankful for Brad Keselowski, all our partners, Jack Roush. Two years ago, I didn’t think I was going to have a job. I thought I was going back to Connecticut. Man, I’m just super, super, super emotional. We had a really good car, and I felt like we were fighting adversity all day. Trying to come from the back, we got a lot of good spots. When we were putting rain tires on, man, this is as much of a mental game as anything, and I felt pretty beat up. We had a couple of restarts go our way, and before you know it, you’re in the front two rows. Then the claws just come out. I’m speechless. I’ve got to thank Ford, Ford Racing and everybody there with all the support they give us. As far as emotions go, when you work as hard as I have, I hate talking about it because I hate getting emotional about it, but it’s not just the Clash – winning means everything to me. I’ve put a lot into it,” commented Preece.

 

 

Originally scheduled for Sunday, winter weather pushed the Clash to Wednesday, where it marked the unofficial start of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With heat races canceled due to weather, qualifying set the first 20 positions in the field, one provisional spot was awarded based on last season’s points standings, and the final two transfer positions were determined by the Last Chance Qualifier, rounding out the 23-car field.

 

RYAN PREECE IS A CUP SERIES WINNER! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/i4333BX6bL

— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) February 5, 2026

 

source: Roush Yates Media

2026 season preview: Wood Brothers Racing

Josh Berry is a dark horse candidate heading into his third full-time Cup season.

 

Wood Brothers Racing

• Manufacturer: Ford
• Engine: Roush Yates
• Driver-Crew Chief pairing: Josh Berry-Samuel "Miles" Stanley (No. 21)

Team outlook: Wood Brothers Racing enters 2026 with momentum, looking for a third consecutive season with a victory and a second with driver Josh Berry. In just his fifth start with the team, Berry took the iconic No. 21 Ford to Victory Lane at Las Vegas, securing a 2025 playoff berth in the process. And before Harrison Burton's 2024 Daytona victory, which doubled as the organization's 100th at the Cup level, it had been since Ryan Blaney in 2017 that the No. 21 entry had won. The fruits of the family-owned team's labor have paid off, and Wood Brothers Racing is primed for another stout season with Berry behind the wheel.

 

From the short track to the big stage!@joshberry's first career win comes at @LVMotorSpeedway! pic.twitter.com/Vmxm54Zsy8

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 16, 2025

Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford

Experience: Two full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 84 starts

 

2025 stats: 16th in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 3 top fives, 8 top 10s, 0 poles, 207 laps led

 

Driver outlook: Berry earned a playoff berth last spring with his first career Cup win at Las Vegas, but his season spiraled upon reaching the 10-race postseason. He finished dead last in all three Round of 16 races, crashing in the first two events and suffering a brake issue in the cutoff race at Bristol. So entering 2026, Berry must certainly be motivated to shed his playoff woes and make a deep run toward the Bill France Cup. He nearly banked a second win later in the 2025 season at New Hampshire, and a seventh-place finish in the finale at Phoenix gives him momentum into the new campaign. Berry's ceiling is extremely high, and at age 35 nearing the prime of his career, he's a dark horse candidate heading into his third full-time Cup season.

 

 

source: Wood Brothers Racing Media