Getty Brandon Brown practices at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Mike Harmon Racing is undergoing a major change for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. The team has rebranded with two new partners.
According to a press release, Mike Harmon Racing will now run under the name CHK Racing. The change comes as the team adds Gary Keller and Mike Clayton Sr. as business partners. The rebranded team will continue to operate out of Denver, N.C., and it will move forward with a focus on full-time competition in 2023.
“Gary and Mike coming on board is a blessing to MHR which will be known now as CHK Racing,” Harmon said in a press release. “I’m very happy that Gary and Mike believe in us and sees the passion and the hard work that we put into our racing. It’s the shot in the arm we need here at CHK Racing.”
MHR Previously Underwent Another Change After the 2022 Season
GettyGray Gaulding practices at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The addition of Clayton and the subsequent change to CHK Racing continues an offseason of change for the Harmon-owned team. There was also a previous rebrand immediately after the 2022 Xfinity Series season.
A press release issued on November 8, 2022, announced that MHR would have a change for the 2023 season. The team announced that Keller had joined as a business partner and that he would provide a “shot in the arm” to Mike Harmon Racing with Gary Keller.
Keller had previously spent several seasons working as a business partner at JD Motorsports. He played a key role in marketing and sponsorships for the Xfinity Series team, and he worked with a variety of drivers over the years.
Keller went on to join MHR after the 2022 season, which has now only become one step in the journey forward. The team has since added Clayton and rebranded. Now there is another piece in place as it strives to make progress on the track.
Harmon Will Approach a NASCAR Milestone in 2022
GettyBrennan Poole (right) practices at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
MHR entries only competed in 11 of the Xfinity Series events in 2023 as there were regularly more cars than spots. Now, the rebranded team will attempt to make the show every week while bringing back the No. 74.
If the CHK Racing driver — or drivers — can secure a spot on the starting grid in 13 events, they will help Harmon hit a NASCAR milestone. He enters the 2023 season with 387 Xfinity Series races on his owner’s resume, and he will have multiple opportunities to hit this milestone.
Now the big question remaining focuses on the people in control of the entry. CHK Racing hasn’t provided any details about the driver lineup and whether it will have one full-time person or a rotating cast.
The 2021 lineup featured Kyle Weatherman as the primary driver as he made 30 starts. Eight other drivers made limited starts throughout the season while sharing the team’s other entry.
The 2022 lineup only featured five drivers due to the limited number of starts. Brennan Poole made seven starts for the team while Ryan Vargas, Brandon Brown, Gray Gaulding, and Harmon each made one. Gaulding’s 21st-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway stands out as the team’s best performance in 2022.