Getty Dexter Stacey practices on the streets of Chicago.
MBM Motorsports has updated its plans for the remaining NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series races after withdrawing from the Atlanta Motor Speedway race.
The Carl Long-owned team announced the news on July 7 in a lengthy statement. MBM Motorsports announced that it would withdraw from the race in Georgia due to a lack of sim time, sponsorship issues that impacted the ability to purchase a plate engine, and the forecast that calls for thunderstorms.
An update from MBM Motorsports:
“The business model in the Xfinity Series has dramatically changed since we entered the series,” MBM Motorsports said. “Many smaller teams now operate as a customer of the top, factory-supported organizations in order to have a faster, more competitive car.
“For MBM to be more competitive, we must pick and choose races for which we have sponsorship and can obtain engineering and technical help.”
The race at Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the first time since the 2015 Xfinity Series season that MBM Motorsports has attempted to qualify for a race on the schedule. The team has competed in 491 events since 2016 while working with a variety of drivers. MBM originally made its Xfinity Series debut in 2008 with one start.
MBM Motorsports Will Alternate Between Series
GettyMason Maggio races at Portland International Raceway.
As part of the statement, MBM Motorsports confirmed that it will return for multiple Xfinity Series races that remain on the schedule. This list includes New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and the Charlotte Roval.
A new sponsor will support the team at Daytona, Bristol, and the Roval while Wild Willies will return for New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Though MBM Motorsports also noted that there is space remaining on the hood for the New Hampshire race.
The future will see MBM Motorsports alternating between the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. The team said that it only has the personnel to compete in one series per week, so that is the approach it will take as it seeks to hire a car chief or engineer with Next Gen experience.
“2023 has proven to be immensely challenging for our team, but MBM is not in the business of giving up. See you at the track,” the team said in closing.
The 2023 Season Has Tested MBM Motorsports
The 2023 season has not been smooth for MBM Motorsports. There have been more than 38 entries in the majority of races, which has played a role in the team failing to qualify for 10 of the first 16 events.
Timmy Hill was the first driver to secure a spot on the starting grid for MBM Motorsports. He joined the field at Auto Club Speedway, and he finished 32nd overall. Hill also qualified for the race at Dover Motor Speedway in late April.
Hill has spent multiple seasons competing for MBM Motorsports in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. He delivered the team’s best finishes by finishing third at Daytona in 2020 and second at Daytona in 2022.
Caesar Bacarella made his season debut for MBM Motorsports during the spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but his day ended after a crash in the opening laps.
Mason Maggio (two starts) and Dexter Stacey (one start) round out the list of drivers that have qualified for events in 2023. Maggio competed at Richmond Raceway and Portland International Raceway while Stacey competed at Talladega Superspeedway.