The winter season has been a wild affair for the 2024 Cup Series driver line-up with some surprises from AJ Allmendinger shocking the community. But one move that the fans had been anticipating for weeks has finally revealed itself, and the NASCAR fandom could not be happier. 25-year-old underdog Kaz Grala is all set to drive the #15 Ford Mustang Darkhorse belonging to Rick Ware Racing for no less than 25 Cup Series races!

After bouncing around in the Xfinity and Truck series for a few years, Grala finally gets his well-deserved shot at proving his worth to a Cup Series team for a full-time role in the future. His first points race is set to be the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, February 25. With his good friend Justin Haley piloting the other RWR car, has the team finally revealed its blueprint for the near future?

Rick Ware Racing confirms fan’s suspicions with the announcement of the #15 driver

Kaz Grala’s 2023 Xfinity Series results may not have shown much potential, with his nine top-10 finishes resulting in a mere 17th place in the driver’s standings. However, whenever Grala has had the opportunity to race in the Cup Series, the 25-year-old made the most of it. In 2020, Grala delivered a tantalizing display of adaptability at the Daytona Road Course after replacing Austin Dillon to drive the #3 car to a top-ten finish.

Not only did this prove Grala was a reliable stand-in, but when he placed the Money Team into the 2022 Daytona 500 with last-lap shenanigans, Grala was going to be a name that would be remembered by most team bosses when the time came to select a new driver. And for Rick Ware, this was precisely the case. He shared in a statement, “Kaz Grala is a talented and tenacious driver who brings a lot to our race team.”

Evidently, Grala has done enough to impress Rick Ware by showcasing his ability to strive in the Cup Series with last-minute call-ups. The truth is, if the team wants to win at Super Speedways to stand any chances of making it to the playoffs, Kaz Grala is the man for the job. Ware added, “He has an incredible work ethic and leverages every opportunity to its full potential. He’s an asset inside and outside of the car who will help make our program better.”

Speaking of Grala being an asset, however, it’s safe to say that will largely depend on whether the support around the budding racer will be able to extract his maximum potential. Pairing with crew chief Billy Plourde, Grala will need to shine brightly in a season where the opposition is tougher than ever.

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With his teammate Justin Haley being equally new to the game, is Rick Ware Racing on the right path? If there’s anyone sure that the team is going to deliver, it’s Kaz Grala himself.

Kaz Grala believes RWR is the ‘perfect fit’

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The Boston native has always found himself in a familiar position in the Cup Series, as he states, playing the underdog. While the 25-year-old finds this to be his strength there’s a lot more to his involvement with the team than meets the eye. What the former Xfinity series racer needs is a consistent platform to prove his ability to match or even surpass the remaining field. And with the chance given to him by Rick Ware, it’s only fair to say that opportunity has finally come knocking.

Reflecting on his prospects with the Cup Series team and whether the move is truly the dream it seems to be, Grala shared his two cents: “I’ve been really impressed by RWR’s vision and the plan they’ve laid out to get where they want to be. This sport is all about people, and I’ve learned that having everyone pulling in the same direction is the key to success.”

Grala also feels his involvement with a team of RWR’s caliber allows for development alongside a passionate team eager to win races. Justin Haley will be equally eager to get out there and get up to speed fairly quickly. This prospect is what truly excited Grala as he shared, “Every single person at RWR is a racer, and they want to prove themselves in the Cup Series just as badly as I do, so it’s a perfect fit. I think we’re going to surprise some people this year.”

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Now that we know of Kaz Grala’s intentions with the #15 Rick Ware Racing seat, it’s safe to say the future of the team is looking as bright as ever. For a driver who has been desperately trying to get a full-time seat in the Cup Series, will this opportunity finally open the right doors?