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HomeCup Series2022 Season in Review: Rick Ware Racing

2022 Season in Review: Rick Ware Racing

(Courtesy of sportsfancovers.com)

Drivers: Cody Ware (#51), Various (#15)

#51 Nurtec ODT Ford (Ware)

#15 Ford (various sponsors)

Engines: Roush-Yates

Crew Chief(s): Billy Plourde (#51), Jason Houghtaling (#15)

2022 Season Grade (Overall): C-

2022 Season Review (Cody Ware #51):

DRIVER

STRTS

W

T5

T10

RANK

Cody Ware

35

0

0

1

32

 2022 looked to be a landmark season for Rick Ware Racing and driver Cody Ware. Forging and alliance with Ford and Stewart-Haas Racing, as well as sponsor Nurtec ODT returning, the team was ready to take its next steps in the Cup Series.

Courtesy of Jayski & Getty Images / Sean Gardner

The season started decently for the team, as Ware drove the purple #51 Ford to a 17th place finish in the Daytona 500 to kickstart the season. Following Daytona, performance started to slip, as Ware would struggle to break the Top 20 most races. The exception would again come in a rain-shortened second race at Daytona, where Ware would place his Ford a surprising 6th. Ware also drove to a 17th place finish in the second Bristol race. 

Texas crash (Courtesy of Jayski & Getty Images / James Gilbert)

Then came the fall Texas race, where Ware bounced off the Turn 4 wall, and made hard contact with the pit road wall afterwards. While Ware was mostly ok, he did receive an ankle fracture that forced him to sit out the Charlotte ROVAL weekend. Fellow RWR driver J.J. Yeley took the wheel of the 51 that weekend, coming home 32nd.

The team also struggled mightily on the road courses in 2022, as the 51-car failed pre-race inspection four times in Sonoma, and was forced to start at the back, while also losing 20 driver and owner points. In Watkins Glen, crew chief Billy Plourde was suspended 4 races when the car lost a ballast. 

What started out as a season of improvement for the 51 team, quickly turned into another struggle throughout the ’22 campaign. By season’s end, Ware would place 32nd in the standings, with an average finish of 28th and 9 DNF’s.

2023 Outlook: While nothing has been announced as of yet, it is expected that Ware will return.

2022 Season Results: 

RACE

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

REASON

1

Daytona

32

17

200/201

Running

2

Fontana

27

32

187/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

33

26

273/274

Running

4

Phoenix

32

31

307/312

Running

5

Atlanta

32

26

300/325

Accident

6

COTA

35

27

69/69

Running

7

Richmond

33

36

241/400

Accident

8

Martinsville

35

33

394/403

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

35

26

250/250

Running

10

Talladega

34

28

105/188

DVP

11

Dover

28

34

238/400

DVP

12

Darlington

31

19

293/293

Running

13

Kansas

29

34

255/267

Running

14

Charlotte

33

18

412/413

Running

15

Gateway

31

35

166/245

Steering

16

Sonoma

36

32

109/110

Running

17

Nashville

31

27

298/300

Running

27

Road America

31

32

59/62

Running

19

Atlanta

34

23

259/260

Running

20

Loudon

36

30

297/301

Running

21

Pocono

36

26

160/160

Running

22

Indianapolis G.P.

33

24

86/86

Running

23

Michigan

34

22

200/200

Running

24

Richmond

28

34

391/400

Running

25

Watkins Glen

39

34

88/90

Running

26

Daytona

33

6

160/160

Running

27

Darlington

32

32

331/367

Accident

28

Kansas

30

27

265/267

Running

29

Bristol

32

17

497/500

Running

30

Fort Worth

36

33

166/334

Accident

31

Talladega

37

32

184/188

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

 

 

 

DNS

33

Las Vegas

34

27

264/267

Running

34

Homestead

36

34

262/267

Running

35

Martinsville

36

28

495/500

Running

36

Phoenix

34

30

308/312

Running

 

Various Drivers (#15):

While lacking sponsorship in 2022, the #15 Ford for Rick Ware Racing was the surprise of the season. Crew chief Jason Houghtaling squeezed everything he could from the 15, as the car (despite a constantly changing driver lineup), would frequently out-run his full-time teammates on the 51.

David Ragan drives the #15 at Daytona (Courtesy of Jayski & Getty Images / Jared C. Tilton)

As was the case in previous years, the team saw a revolving door of drivers which included David Ragan, Garrett Smithley, J.J. Yeley, Joey Hand, Parker Kligerman, and Ryan Preece all get seat time. Ragan, who is known for his prowess on superspeedways was the strongest performer, scoring Top 10 finishes in both Daytona races.

Hand, a road course specialist, was chosen to run the road course events, but was not quite able to replicate Ragan’s superspeedway success, despite some occasional strong runs. Hand did however finish 20th in Sonoma, and 21st at Road America.

Joey Hand in 15 at Sonoma (Courtesy of Jayski & Getty Images / Chris Graythen)

The remaining races on the schedule were filled in by veteran Yeley, Garrett Smithley, and SHR stand-by driver Ryan Preece. Parker Kligerman made his one-off attempt in the #15 Ford at Gateway, coming home 31st.

Full results for the season can be found below.

2023 Outlook: No plans have been announced, but this car is likely to return in 2023. 

2022 Season Results by Track:

RACE

TRACK

DRIVER

ST

FIN

STATUS

1

Daytona

David Ragan

34

8

Running

2

Fontana

Garrett Smithley

29

21

Running

3

Las Vegas

Garrett Smithley

36

30

Running

4

Phoenix

Garrett Smithley

35

32

Running

5

Atlanta

David Ragan

35

18

Running

6

COTA

Joey Hand

38

35

Susp.

7

Richmond

J.J. Yeley

35

33

Running

8

Martinsville

J.J. Yeley

32

34

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

J.J. Yeley

29

30

Accident

10

Talladega

David Ragan

36

24

Running

11

Dover

Ryan Preece

13

25

Running

12

Darlington

J.J. Yeley

32

23

Running

13

Kansas

J.J. Yeley

27

31

Running

14

Charlotte

Ryan Preece

26

37

DVP

15

Gateway

Parker Kligerman

36

31

Running

16

Sonoma

Joey Hand

17

20

Running

17

Nashville

J.J. Yeley

32

28

Running

18

Road America

Joey Hand

9

21

Running

19

Atlanta

Garrett Smithley

33

27

Running

20

Loudon

J.J. Yeley

33

29

Running

21

Pocono

J.J. Yeley

33

28

Running

22

Indianapolis G.P.

Joey Hand

27

29

Running

23

Michigan

J.J. Yeley

29

35

Accident

24

Richmond

J.J. Yeley

35

32

Running

25

Watkins Glen

Joey Hand

17

31

Running

26

Daytona

David Ragan

34

9

Running

27

Darlington

J.J. Yeley

33

34

Exhaust

28

Kansas

J.J. Yeley

33

28

Running

29

Bristol

J.J. Yeley

36

23

Running

30

Fort Worth

Garrett Smithley

33

23

Running

31

Talladega

J.J. Yeley

36

31

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

Joey Hand

27

38

Accident

33

Las Vegas

J.J. Yeley

26

31

Running

34

Homestead

J.J. Yeley

34

32

Running

35

Martinsville

J.J. Yeley

35

30

Running

36

Phoenix

Garrett Smithley

35

33

Running

 

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