Thad Moffitt, the grandson of NASCAR icon Richard Petty, is set to make his mark on the ARCA Menards Series by racing full-time in 2025 with Nitro Motorsports.
The 24-year-old driver comes from a family rich in racing history, with his grandfather Richard Petty standing as a major figure in NASCAR, having claimed 200 Cup Series wins and seven championships.
Prior to joining Nitro Motorsports, Moffitt spent time racing in several series, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he faced substantial challenges.
The 2022 and 2023 seasons were tough for him, with his best finish being the 18th position at Darlington Raceway in 2023. Nonetheless, his career in the ARCA Menards Series has shown promise, with nine top-5 finishes and 26 top-10 finishes out of 45 starts.
Nitro Motorsports may be new to ARCA racing, but the team's background in the Trans-Am Series provides a foundation of skills that could be advantageous in the ARCA Menards Series. Nitro Motorsports' collaboration with Venturini Motorsports, an experienced and successful ARCA team, is expected to provide crucial resources and expertise.
Moffitt will be driving car number 46, which continues a family tradition of using sequential car numbers, a nod to the Petty family's historical use of numbers 42 to 45.
Speaking about his upcoming full-time drive, Moffitt explained in a press release from the team:
"I'm excited to partner with Nitro Motorsports for the 2025 ARCA season.
"This is a great opportunity for me to be competitive and win races as I continue to progress in my career. I'm especially looking forward to working with Shannon Rursch, who's joining us as our Team Leader—he's a fantastic addition to the program.
"I'm heading into 2025 with more resources and confidence than ever, thanks to the backing of Toyota.
"None of this would be possible without the incredible support from my partners: Safety-Kleen, Leer Truck Caps & Covers, Pristine Auction, Induction Innovations, Tasty Duck, and Petty's Garage. I'm excited to see what we can accomplish together, and I can't wait to hit the track in Daytona!"
Nitro Motorsports Owner Nick Tucker also commented:
"Thad is an ideal fit for our program. His extensive experience in the ARCA Menards Series makes him the perfect leader for our debut season. We've been hard at work assembling a strong team to ensure we hit the ground running, and we can't wait for the season opener."
The 2025 ARCA Menards Series promises to be competitive, with drivers like Isabella Robusto of Venturini Motorsports and Brenden "Butterbean" Queen of Pinnacle Racing Group expected to be strong contenders.
With the ARCA Menards Series soon kicking off on February 15 at the Daytona International Speedway for the Hard Rock Bet 200, teams, and drivers are preparing for practice sessions this month.