The 2024 season reviews now end with a Cup Series returning Garage 66 (aka MBM Motorsports) following a two-year hiatus. Having fielded many teams and drivers the last several years in trucks and Xfinity, team owner Carl Long called upon a crop of those drivers for his No. 66 Cup team. Using a mix of Timmy Hill, B.J. McLeod, Chad Finchum, Parker Retzlaff, and Josh Bilicki….the team set out on their season plans.
Beginning with race six at Circuit of the Americas, the No. 66 team made fourteen starts during 2024 (this also included a withdrawn entry at Iowa), but struggled mightily in their return with such a stacked field.
(various drivers) / #66 Ford
2024 Crew Chief: Carl Long (owner)
2024 Season Grade: D-
The Drivers:
Timmy Hill: Longtime journeyman driver Timmy Hill made two starts during the 2024 campaign. Getting behind the wheel for the teams return, Hill would finish two laps down in 36th. Hill also returned to the team for the fall Darlington event, finishing 35th
David Starr: Much like Hill, veteran Starr also saw time in the 66. Starr made his lone start for the team in Martinsville, finishing 37th due to steering issues. Starr was also scheduled to run at Iowa, but the team elected to withdraw its entry.
B.J. McLeod: An owner-driver like Carl Long himself, B.J. McLeod started two races for the team, with finishes of 37th in Charlotte, and 39th for the Cup Series return to the oval in Indianapolis.
Chad Finchum: A veteran MBM driver through all of NASCAR’s top series, Chad Finchum made three starts for the Cup program. Debuting in Nashville, Finchum would finish 38th due to electrical issues. The duo would reunite towards the end of the season, with finishes of 37th in Homestead and 36th in Phoenix.
Josh Bilicki: The highest finishing of the 2024 lineup, Josh Bilicki made four starts during the season. Bilicki would debut on the streets of Chicago, finishing 28th. Bilicki would return at Bristol (34th) followed by the Charlotte ROVAL (29th), and Martinsville (37th).
Parker Retzlaff: Being required to make a Cup Series start before his planned debut with Beard Motorsports, Xfinity standout Retzlaff got the call to drive at Richmond. Brining sponsor XINSURANCE on board, Retzlaff would finish six laps down in 35th.
MBM’s Cup Series return certainly saw it’s share of ups and downs during the season. As much as Josh Bilicki gave the team some of their best runs, they also collected five DNFs, saw one withdrawal, and made the field by mere seconds most events. Often qualifying in the 39th to 35th range, Bilicki’s lead lap run on the ROVAL could be considered the highlight of their season.
2025 Outlook: Garage 66 has already somewhat confirmed plans for 2025, although it is not known how many races they will run. Garrett Smithley has signed to run in the Clash, while Chandler Smith has been signed for the Daytona 500. The team will likely run a mix of drivers similar to 2024, but some consistency behind the wheel could help to steady the team.
- Veteran driver Mike Wallace was previously signed for Daytona, but was not approved by NASCAR to make his return.
