A crossover between Love Live!, BanG Dream!, D4DJ, Project Sekai, and NASCAR!

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Far and away the best team in the IRL, Sonoda Motorsports hit the ground running as soon as the first green flag flew. Team owner Umi Sonoda has scouted drivers that she sees potential in, and her perception hasn't been proven wrong yet. Their operation may look old-fashioned on the outside, but on the inside, they know every track in and out, and they'll show up every week as the odds-on favorites for victory.

Trivia: If you're familiar with NASCAR drivers from at least a few years back, this is the team that greats like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson drove for. Gordon in particular is now the team's vice chairman, a position he took in 2022.

• Back to Teams
• #5 - You Watanabe
• #9 - Setsuna Yuki
• #24 - Kaho Hinoshita
• #48 - Rina Tennoji

With the sudden departure of former #5 driver Kanon, You has been brought in to fill some big shoes. She's what this team is looking for: Someone near the back of the pack that they know can be someone special. In her 4th year of IRL competition, You is in the best spot that she's ever been in. All eyes are on her to carry on the legacy of the #5 this season!

Trivia: The driver she represents is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, winning the cup in 2021 and 2025.He's also one of few to attempt the Memorial Day double, where a driver races in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Larson's 2024 attempt was marred by rain, with the same storm system impacting both races that day. His 2025 attempt again ended in disappointment as rain struck at Indianapolis again, and he wrecked out of the race early on lap 91 of 200. He would later spin out at Charlotte while leading the race on lap 43, eventually falling out after a crash on lap 246 of 400.

• Team
• #9 - Setsuna Yuki
• #24 - Kaho Hinoshita
• #48 - Rina Tennoji

Setsuna is the IRL's inaugural full-season champion, and remains one of the league's most consistent (and most popular!) drivers. Her passion is infectious, and she converts that passion into speed on the racetrack. While she (ironically) may not be as bombastic as her teammates, she still brings an energy to the league that's undeniably hers.

Trivia: The driver she represents is the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2014 NASCAR O'Reilly Series champion. He's also the son of 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, who won the sport's most popular driver award 16 times. It could have been more, but he personally asked to be removed from the ballot in 2003 so others could win. Chase has won the award every year since 2018. After Bill removed his name, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award every year after until his retirement. Chase has won it every year since.

• Team
• #5 - You Watanabe
• #24 - Kaho Hinoshita
• #48 - Rina Tennoji

Eyes have shifted to Kaho at the advent of the IRL's fifth season. Her freshman year with this team yielded impressive results despite the unfortunate 2nd-place points finish after a late tire failure at Phoenix. That's all behind her now. Kaho's found her footing and knows that she can win it all. It's gonna be fun to watch her blossom further this year!

Trivia: The driver Kaho represents is the 2017 Xfinity (now O'Reilly) Series champion.

• Team
• #5 - You Watanabe
• #9 - Setsuna Yuki
• #48 - Rina Tennoji

Many consider Rina the weakest link of her team, but she's still as consistent as the rest of her teammates. While she can win races, her primary role in the team's lineup is her expertise in on-track data collection. She's the one who studies the car's aerodynamics, and is always looking for that extra-tenth second of speed. Her role as a mechanic is an asset that other teams hunger for.

Trivia: The driver Rina represents holds the record for most consecutive front row starts for the Daytona 500, with 6 from 2018 to 2023. Bowman won the pole for the race in 2018, 2021, and 2023.

• Team
• #5 - You Watanabe
• #9 - Setsuna Yuki
• #24 - Kaho Hinoshita

Sonoda Motorsports' parallel is the Zhong Family Racing Team, helmed by... well, the Zhong family. They bring to the table the anti-hero of the league, a pair of sisters, and the heir to the metaphorical throne. While they may not have the same accolades as their direct rivals, they're always a threat to add a trophy to their case.

Trivia: The team they represent is helmed by Joe Gibbs, former coach of the Washington Redskins (now Commanders). He led the team to three Super Bowl victories before opening his NASCAR team.

• Back to Teams
• #11 - Wien Margarete
• #19 - Ruby Kurosawa
• #20 - Dia Kurosawa
• #54 - Lanzhu Zhong

Margarete has certainly softened up as she's gotten older, but her sharp tongue's never left. In addition to her success as a racer, she hosts one of the biggest podcasts related to the sport; always giving her thoughts on what could be made better. The best part about it? Her co-host is her wife, Tomari! Despite being a widely unpopular driver in the beginning of the IRL's life, Margarete's popularity skyrocketed in Season 4 after she worked her back off to make it so. Now more than ever, especially after the disappointment of the season finale, people want to see the Viennese driver on top.

Trivia: The driver she represents is commonly criticized for his lack of a championship compared to his peers. Hamlin has won the Daytona 500 three times (2016, 2019, 2020) but has never hoisted the cup at the end of the year. 2025 is considered to be his most devastating loss; he all but had it before a caution flew with 3 laps remaining in the finale.

• Team
• #19 - Ruby Kurosawa
• #20 - Dia Kurosawa
• #54 - Lanzhu Zhong

Season 4 was a breath of fresh air for the younger Kurosawa sister after a dismal three years leading up to it. Going in, people doubted her. Nobody doubts her now that she's put up a three win season and a genuine fight for the championship! Ruby and sister Dia had equal numbers last year and are going to put on a show in Season 5!

Trivia: Briscoe is a two-time Southern 500 winner, winning the race back-to-back in 2024 and 2025.

• Team
• #11 - Wien Margarete
• #20 - Dia Kurosawa
• #54 - Lanzhu Zhong

Dia is considered by many to be the best driver in the Idol Racing League that hasn't won a championship yet. She's been one of the few to consistently challenge against Sonoda Motorsports for wins, and she even has the most top 10 finishes out of anyone going into Season 5! She may not look it, but this traditional lady has a knack for all kinds of racing, and proves time and time again that she belongs at the top despite the title heartbreaks of recent years.

Trivia: Bell is the 2017 NASCAR Truck Series champion.

• Team
• #11 - Wien Margarete
• #19 - Ruby Kurosawa
• #54 - Lanzhu Zhong

Lanzhu is the pride and joy of this team... for better or worse. While she shares the family name and is a solid driver, she's really not on-par with her teammates. However, she has reserves of something that plenty of people desire: Confidence. Confidence in herself, confidence in her team. It's a wonder how Lanzhu can stay so upbeat in the car and in front of the media despite her less-than-stellar performances. She's taken a while to warm up, but in Season 5, her second Idol Racing League victory is sure to come.

Trivia: Ty Gibbs is the grandson of team owner Joe. He's also the 2022 O'Reilly champion and is one of few drivers to win in their first start in that series.

• Team
• #11 - Wien Margarete
• #19 - Ruby Kurosawa
• #20 - Dia Kurosawa

Onitsuka Enterprises has a simple motto: "Play the game right and win big." What game do they play? Well, they exclusively focus their efforts on the Postseason Chase, only half of the Idol Racing League's championship fight. Win during the regular season, then bring your absolute best in the closing races of the year. It worked like a charm for 3 years, as they completely shut out that side of the cup from any other team, only faltering in Season 4 to Kanon Shibuya and Sonoda Motorsports. Because of their focus on the final 10 races of the year, this team draws a lot of ire for their title runs feeling... undeserved. However, they don't care. The way they see it, strategy is strategy and you have to win by whatever means necessary.

Trivia: Team Penske has competed in and found success in all manner of motorsport, most notably in the IndyCar Series. That league is owned by team owner Roger Penske. His team has won the Indianapolis 500 20 times, most recently in 2024 with Josef Newgarden.

• Back to Teams
• #2 - Tomari Onitsuka
• #12 - Nico Yazawa
• #22 - Natsumi Onitsuka

Tomari's role in the Onitsuka Enterprises dynasty is one of strategy and calculation. She's the go-getter of whatever information is needed on any given week. Because of this, it may seem like she lags behind her teammates, as she hasn't won a championship and doesn't have nearly the stat sheet of Nico or Natsumi. That doesn't matter to her as long as sister dearest is doing well. When it is time for her to race for wins, she can always be found up front on drafting tracks. All these factors make her a true wildcard.

Trivia: The driver Tomari represents is the 2020 NASCAR O'Reilly Series champion. Austin is also the son of longtime employee and former president of Team Penske, Tim Cindric.Tomari and Austin are pretty similar personality-wise, I think.

• Team
• #12 - Nico Yazawa
• #22 - Natsumi Onitsuka

It's been a long time since Nico's school idol days. Her siblings are all grown up, their mother is retired and finally resting, and she's riding high in the Idol Racing League. Nico never left the idol sphere, so when the IRL was created, she was involved from the beginning. It's pretty hard to believe that she's in her mid-30s, but she shows her age in wisdom and poise that younger racers look up to. She's been a great teacher to Tomari and Natsumi especially. Nico is an IRL champion, a teacher, a role model, and will always be the number one idol in the universe.

Trivia: Ryan Blaney is the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion. He's also the son of legendary dirt racer Dave Blaney.

• Team
• #2 - Tomari Onitsuka
• #22 - Natsumi Onitsuka

Ever since Natsumi was little, she wanted to succeed. Of course, success doesn't come easy, and she went through many a dream before becoming a school idol and winning Love Live twice. Now, she's one of the best racers in the IRL... and a lot of fans hate it. Why? Well, let's just say her methods aren't well-respected. She's the first multi-time champion in the IRL, and her second title came after she entered the Postseason Chase a dismal 15th in regular season points. She's also not the cleanest driver ever... But at this point, Natsumi doesn't care about what the majority thinks of her. She has fans, a proud sis, she's a winner, and she's rolling in cash!

Trivia: The driver Natsumi represents is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Logano won his titles in 2018, 2022, and 2024, starting a superstition that he performs better in even-numbered years. His 2024 title is his most controversial as he won it with a dismal average finish of 17.1, also getting a lucky break after another competitor was disqualified at the end of one of the rounds of the (now gone) Playoffs.

• Team
• #2 - Tomari Onitsuka
• #12 - Nico Yazawa

The Viennese Racing Team was formed by Wien Margarete. That may sound strange because she drives for a different team, but this and the Zhong Family Racing Team are well-connected. They run for the same manufacturer and share a lot of information between each other. This team also sports a pretty star-studded trio. While they're still growing and are considered underdogs to the big three teams, they ensure that they do things differently... much to the sanctioning body's annoyance.

Trivia: 23XI Racing is jointly owned by Denny Hamlin (the driver Margarete represents) and NBA legend Michael Jordan. They were a pretty big thorn in NASCAR's side from 2024-2025, as they were pushing for fairer revenue for the sport's teams in addition to exposing the monopoly the sport was attempting to make. They went to trial in December of 2025 and settled after 11 days.

• Back to Teams
• #23 - Ayumu Uehara
• #35 - Ai Miyashita
• #45 - Chika Takami
• Part-Time Entries

Ayumu's lived an exciting life since graduating high school. For one, she's now an ambassador for Love Live and all future school idols! She's been all around the world to help grow idol culture, and she can even speak fluent English. When it comes to racing, it looks like she's finally found her footing after a strong Season 4, headlined by the advent of AiScReam and a victory at Indianapolis! Season 5 sees a new Ayumu ready to take to the track, reinvigorated after an eventful season and off-season.

Trivia: The driver she represents is only the second African-American winner in any NASCAR Series, the first being Wendell Scott in 1963. Wallace achieved this after a victory at Martinsville in 2013. His first Cup Series win came at Talladega in 2021.

• Team
• #35 - Ai Miyashita
• #45 - Chika Takami
• Part-Time Entries

After a season in the Regional Series, Ai's returning to Grandfes full-time! While some consider her Grandfes runs mediocre (and through Ai's own admittance, they'd be right), she's with a team that can contend and is ready to prove herself worthy of the top level.

Trivia: Herbst gets most of his funding from oil company Terrible Herbst, which is owned by his family.

• Team
• #23 - Ayumu Uehara
• #45 - Chika Takami
• Part-Time Entries

Chika is a surprise case for many fans. It took her a while to get her footing, but in Season 3, she nearly won the Chase championship! Though her chance to reach a new radiance fell short and she didn't win a race in Season 4, she isn't discouraged. She enters Season 5 with that same refined outlook on racing, ready to get back to victory lane! This monster is ready to shake up the competition and make her boss (and friends) proud!

Trivia: Reddick is the 2018 and 2019 NASCAR O'Reilly Series champion. Both of his titles came with different teams: JR Motorsports in 2018 and Richard Childress Racing in 2019.

• Team
• #23 - Ayumu Uehara
• #35 - Ai Miyashita
• Part-Time Entries

Make way for the very first Preliminary Series champion, Chiyu Tamade! Or, as she'd rather be called, CHU²! Surely after a historic season, she'd be able to springboard from that truck to a higher level, right? Well... not necessarily. She's got some waiting to do before then, so she'll be making the absolute most out of her limited starts this year to show why exactly she was so unstoppable last year!

Trivia: Heim is the 2025 NASCAR Truck Series champion. That season was one of broken records, smashing the record for most wins in a Truck season (12 to the late Greg Biffle's 9), and he also scored 18 top 5 finishes, 11 of which were consecutive. Not to mention 21 top 10 finishes in 25 races.

• Team
• #23 - Ayumu Uehara
• #35 - Ai Miyashita
• #45 - Chika Takami

Taylor-Matsuura-Mifune Racing is a joint effort between drivers Mia Taylor, Kanan Matsuura, and Shioriko Mifune. ...Mia and Shioriko reached out to Lanzhu first, but... well, she's already got her own thing going on with her family. Luckily, Kanan stepped up to make this team a trio! TMM's had a rocky start in the league, but they've slowly been getting better as each season goes by, even adding Shioriko to their full-time lineup in Season 4! They may not be championship contenders yet, but they've got consistent speed nearly every week. Who knows where they'll end up?

Trivia: The full name of the team they represent is Roush-Fenway-Keselowski Racing. The team is owned by Jack Roush in a partnership with driver Brad Keselowski (who Mia represents) and the Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Boston Red Sox in the MLB. In fact, the numbers they run (#6 and #17 specifically) are used because 617 is the area code for Boston and Fenway Park.

• Back to Teams
• #6 - Mia Taylor
• #17 - Kanan Matsuura
• #60 - Shioriko Mifune
• Part-Time Entries

Mia is a composition prodigy with many awards under her belt. In her opinion, there's nothing like composing a song, singing along, turning laps, or the crack of a baseball bat. She's been around the world with her music since graduation, and now races in the IRL for her own team. Season 3 was when she finally broke through for victory for the first time! Season 4 wasn't the same, but Season 5 is a new year full of development and 36 more chances at victory. Don't look away, or she may just snag another one!

Trivia: Mia celebrates her victories by holding an American flag out of her car's window as she does donuts. The driver she represents does the same. Keselowski is the 2012 Cup Series champion.

• Team
• #17 - Kanan Matsuura
• #60 - Shioriko Mifune
• Part-Time Entries

Kanan is the eldest of the TMM trio and has had the most on-track success. Her life remained modest after graduation, with her running her family's shop for a good while. Eventually, she began travelling the world and studying the creatures that she'd find in the sea. She likens racing to diving: Both let you zone in and enjoy yourself! Life's certainly gotten more exciting since the start of the IRL, but some things don't change: She's still the same breezily mature woman that rarely sweats the small stuff.

Trivia: This pair was pretty easy to make. Buescher is my favorite driver and Kanan is my favorite LL character. Any victory is doubly special because of that.Buescher is the 2015 O'Reilly Series champion, the last driver to win a title in a full-season point format. His first Cup Series win came in bizarre fashion: at Pocono Raceway in 2016, he stayed on-track late in a pit cycle hoping to steal a rain-shortened race win, only for a bank of fog to cover a third of the track. The fog ended the race early and gave him the win in an unexpected way. Chris is also the cousin of 2012 Truck Series champion James Buescher.

• Team
• #6 - Mia Taylor
• #60 - Shioriko Mifune
• Part-Time Entries

When the IRL began, Shioriko primarily worked behind the scenes, ensuring Mia and Kanan's on-track success. However, not even she could resist the urge to give racing a try, and in her limited starts in Season 3, she did fairly well. With a Rookie of the Year title under her belt from Season 4, she's ready to push herself even further to success in her sophomore season! For a bit of trivia... she runs the #60 because there's 60 seconds in a minute. A stopwatch is never far away.

Trivia: The driver Shioriko represents is the third driver to win the Clash (an exhibition race) before winning a points-paying race. The other two are Jeff Gordon in 1997 and Denny Hamlin in 2006. Preece is in some pretty good company.

• Team
• #6 - Mia Taylor
• #17 - Kanan Matsuura
• Part-Time Entries

Sometimes you just need a little extra muscle and some insurance for the future. TMM has found both of those things in Akira Gotō! She's here to provide some extra help on drafting tracks, while also being first in line for a seat if one of the current trio were to retire or scale back their schedule. Being unproven doesn't worry Akira; she'll do her best for the ones she admires.

Trivia: Corey LaJoie is the son of 1996 and 1997 Busch (now O'Reilly) Series champion Randy LaJoie.

• Team
• #6 - Mia Taylor
• #17 - Kanan Matsuura
• #60 - Shioriko Mifune

Team Snow is known for doing things differently. With Leah and Sarah Kazuno at the helm, other teams wonder when they're gonna strike with a victory next. Sarah may not drive for her own team anymore for competition-related reasons, but that just means the team's starting anew! Leah remains, Maki is coming off an impressive rookie campaign, and they've got a new face: an idol without the school! It's always a party when this team shows up with speed.

Trivia: When Trackhouse was formed in 2021, it was co-owned by American rapper Pitbull. That partnership ended after the 2024 season, so it's now an interesting nugget of the team's history while also being a big part of what got them into the league in the first place. Team owner Justin Marks is an O'Reilly Series winner, breaking through at Mid-Ohio in 2016.

• Back to Teams
• #1 - Leah Kazuno
• #88 - Aya Maruyama
• #97 - Maki Nishikino

In a word, Leah is aggressive. She'll do whatever she can to win on any given week, and in no season was that shown better than Season 1. She ruffled plenty of feathers, and even full sent her car into the wall at Martinsville to reach the final round of the Postseason Chase! Wall-riding is banned because of her. It's been a while since she's reached those same heights, but Leah's still a good driver that knows how to put the #1 in P1.

Trivia: That part about wall-riding? Yeah, that's real. The move was named the Hail Melon after Chastain and his family's history as watermelon farmers. It was obviously outlawed after the 2022 season.

• Team
• #88 - Aya Maruyama
• #97 - Maki Nishikino

And so, the invasion begins! Aya is the first driver without any roots in Love Live to run full-time in the Grand Festival Series, and it comes after a record-setting 10-win season in the Regional Series! Her rookie year is gonna be one that many watch intently, as many expect her to come out swinging with a victory or two. It's all yet to be seen, but one thing's for certain: Aya's here to stay, and she's here to spread smiles all around the track!

Trivia: Zilisch is currently the youngest Cup Series driver at only 19. Despite being so young, he's already won races in the Mazda MX-5 Cup, Trans-Am, IMSA, Pro Late Models, Late Model Stock Cars, the ARCA Series, and the NASCAR O'Reilly Series. Notably, he's won the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring in each race's LMP2 category, something he accomplished in 2024 when he was 17 years old.

• Team
• #1 - Leah Kazuno
• #97 - Maki Nishikino

After being absent in Season 1, Maki exploded onto the scene in Season 2 after a shocking win at Chicago... in her debut race! That set into motion her journey to the IRL, and Season 4 marked her rookie year. While the ovals left a lot to be desired, she blitzed the field in 5 of 6 of the road courses run last year! With steady oval improvement and victories on winding tracks being all but certain, Maki's sophomore season is going to be electrifying.

Trivia: The driver Maki represents is the 7th case of a driver winning in their debut race. SVG won at Chicago in 2023, with the previous before him being Johnny Rutherford at Daytona in 1963. He's also one of the few international drivers in the field currently, as he hails from New Zealand. He's a three-time champion in the Supercars Championship.

• Team
• #1 - Leah Kazuno
• #88 - Aya Maruyama

How'd you get here?

Trivia: -

• Team
• #1 - Leah Kazuno
• #88 - Maki Nishikino
• #99 - Sarah Kazuno

And now for something completely new! The team formerly known as Hasunosora Motorsports has evolved into the A-RISERS! This team now has closer ties to Sonoda Motorsports with a tight technical alliance, hoping to finally break through and get this team a W. With a veteran and some rookies (technically, they're all rookies at this level) at the forefront, this reborn team will be fun to watch!

Trivia: Spire Motorsports is owned by TWG Motorsports, which also owns Andretti Global in the IndyCar Series, Wayne Taylor Racing in IMSA, and is part of the operation to bring Cadillac to Formula 1.

• Back to Teams
• #7 - Izumi Katsuragi
• #71 - Tsubasa Kira
• #77 - Aurora Konohana

Izumi's case is the opposite of teammate Tsubasa. She's young, up-and-coming, and ready to try her hand at racing... though many say that she's jumping into the deep end. After all, she hasn't even run a full season in either the Regional or Preliminary Series. Izumi doesn't care, though. She's confident in herself, confident in her team, and most important of all, her girlfriend is confident in her. Any potential victory is claimed to make Ceras happy.

Trivia: Suárez is the only Mexico-born driver to win a race in any of NASCAR's top 3 series, and is also the first (and only) international champion, something he accomplished with his O'Reilly Series title in 2016.

• Team
• #71 - Tsubasa Kira
• #77 - Aurora Konohana

It isn't just young stars that can be considered rookies! Tsubasa's taking to the track for her freshman outing in the Grand Festival Series in a effort between her and her best friends to make a splash and mark their grand return! Did they ever really leave, though? Or did time just forget about them? Regardless, they desire to be remembered and their successors need to know that their story of the first A-RISE isn't finished yet.

Trivia: McDowell's rookie season in the Cup Series was in 2008, and since then he has won twice. This can be attributed to him being an underdog for virtually his entire career. He won the Daytona 500 in 2021 after the leaders crashed in front of him, and he would dominate the 2023 race at the Indianapolis Road Course. He also has experience in open-wheel racing, cementing his skills on road courses.As for Tsubasa, she represented driver Justin Allgaier in the Regional Series' first season. She's also one of the very few drivers with a confirmed crew chief and spotter, with her CC being Anju and spotter being Erena.

• Team
• #7 - Izumi Katsuragi
• #77 - Aurora Konohana

What do you do when you want to take a gamble? Hire someone new... completely new! At the start of the season, Aurora has a single Preliminary Series start to her name... but she's already in love with the thrill of the race. Ask around and anyone will tell you the same thing: she's got some surprising talent, and for someone who loves to spread love... she sure does have an aggressive driving style that makes her competitors angry.

Trivia: Hocevar owns a truck with a wrap matching that of Dale Earnhardt's legendary #3. ...Or, since it's a truck, would that be based on Mike Skinner?

• Team
• #7 - Izumi Katsuragi
• #71 - Tsubasa Kira

A passionate duo and their biggest fan; what more could you ask for? This team is known as the "ambassadors of the mid-pack", as that's usually where they can be seen running. They have their moments and have been steadily growing, so some surprise wins could be in their future! Even if there isn't, that doesn't change the fact that the people of the island Mao and Yuna hail from absolutely love seeing their girls turn laps.

Trivia: The team they represent gave NASCAR fits for over a year after they protested the fairness of the sport's charter system.

• Back to Teams
• #4 - Keke Tang
• #34 - Mao Hiiragi
• #38 - Yuna Hijirisawa
• Part-Time Entries

Some look at the stat sheets and wonder why Keke's even still racing at this level, but her presence at the track is something that nobody wants to see go. She brings smiles wherever she goes, and it's not like she's not trying to run well. As far as we know, Keke's already living the dream by being teammates with her beloved SunnyPa!

Trivia: Gragson holds the record for most consecutive race wins in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series at 4 in a row. He shares this record with 1983 and 1984 champion Sam Ard and (should have been 2025 champion) Connor Zilisch.

• Team
• #34 - Mao Hiiragi
• #38 - Yuna Hijirisawa
• Part-Time Entries

Mao fulfills the role of the team's night. Not bombastic and quietly takes whatever results she can get. Because of that, she doesn't have a win like Yuna does. That doesn't change a thing about her being a consistent mid-pack threat week in and week out. She's also a heck of a drafter; look for her at Daytona especially!

Trivia: The driver Mao represents is the son of former driver David Gilliland. David is the primary owner of Truck Series team TRICON Garage.

• Team
• #4 - Keke Tang
• #38 - Yuna Hijirisawa
• Part-Time Entries

Yuna is this team's sun. She's the one finishing strong more often, and she even took a surprise victory on the Indianapolis Road Course in Season 2! Her pa-pa-passion to grow can't ever be denied. Another victory? That's most definitely in her future!

Trivia: NASCAR currently has a Smith running full-time in each series. Zane in Cup, Sammy in O'Reilly, and Chandler in Trucks. None of them are related.Zane Smith is the 2023 Truck Series champion.

• Team
• #4 - Keke Tang
• #34 - Mao Hiiragi
• Part-Time Entries

There's strength in numbers, especially on superspeedways. That's where Ren comes in! She's a full-timer in the Preliminary Series for this team and is now slated for a Grand Festival Series start!

Trivia: --

• Team
• #4 - Keke Tang
• #34 - Mao Hiiragi
• #38 - Yuna Hijirisawa

What happens when Kasumi Nakasu is put in charge of something? Good things, surprisingly! The GoGo Kasumin Team is helmed by Kasumin and her family, competing in both the Grand Festival and Regional Series. The performance of this team has dipped over time, but they've still managed at least a win in all of the IRL's seasons so far, be it Mei, Kasumi, or Shiki.

Trivia: Richard Childress was a driver before he was an owner. When his racing career didn't pan out, he used his funds to open this team and caught lightning in a bottle with hall-of-famer Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt would win six of his seven (heh) titles in the legendary #3 before his tragic passing in 2001.

• Back to Teams
• #3 - Kasumi Nakasu
• #8 - Mei Yoneme
• Part-Time Entries

The cutest racer is back in the Grand Festival Series! Regional Series title in hand, she's more confident than ever in her ability to be competitive. She's here to make people smile, ruffle the feathers of some others, and on top of it all, cement herself at the tippy top of the chain!

Trivia: Shiki led 40 more laps in one season than Kasumi led in three. Nice.The driver that Kasumi represents is the grandson of the team's owner and older brother to Ty, the driver Tsuzuri represents. Austin was the first to win a NASCAR title without winning a race, claiming the 2013 Nationwide (now O'Reilly) Series title despite being winless. He's also the 2011 Truck Series champion.

• Team
• #8 - Mei Yoneme
• Part-Time Entries

Mei is starting to get a little sick of losing. Juuuuust a little. Going winless two seasons in a row is only kind of wearing on her! Okay, let's back up. Mei came out swinging in the IRL's first two seasons, recording three wins in each. After that, it's unfortunately been downhill. Needless to say, she desperately needs a pick-me-up. Maybe Season 5 will be the turnaround that this rowdy racer longs for.

Trivia: Mei represented driver Tyler Reddick in Season 1. When Reddick left for 23XI Racing in 2023, Busch took his place and has been there since.Kyle Busch is a two-time Cup Series champion; his first title came in 2015, where he won the championship after missing the first third of the season with a broken leg. He's also the winningest driver in NASCAR history, winning 232 times across NASCAR's top three series. 63 in the Cup Series, 102 in the O'Reilly Series, and 67 in the Truck Series. Kyle's older brother Kurt Busch is the 2004 Cup Series champion.

• Team
• #3 - Kasumi Nakasu
• Part-Time Entreis

This team will occasionally run a third entry for their Regional Series drivers. Shiki has her first race set up, with Muni sure to follow in the future!

• Team
• #3 - Kasumi Nakasu
• #8 - Mei Yoneme

It turns out that it is indeed possible to get more traditional than the Sonoda camp. The Maiden's Team was built by Nozomi Tojo and her family of shrine maidens, all with the goal of spreading the word of the gods through their on-track efforts. The team is still growing and has been up-and-down throughout the IRL's life, but there's a lot of growth in their future. Rome wasn't built in a day, after all!

Trivia: This team is owned by 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Another 7-time champ, Richard Petty, used to be the team's primary owner, but now just holds a minority stake in the team.

• Back to Teams
• #42 - Nozomi Tōjō
• #43 - Ginko Momose
• Part-Time Entries

When Nozomi announced her desire to go racing full-time in Season 4, people were skeptical. It was one of her many fortunes that led her to get her own hands dirty in an effort to improve her team's performance. She put up some solid numbers for a rookie and the team saw a small uptick in results! Season 5 is another year of growth for Nozomi and The Maiden's Team; only she knows where fate will take them.

Trivia: The driver Nozomi represents is the son of former driver Joe Nemechek. John Hunter moved to this car in 2024 to replace a departing Noah Gragson. Gragson came in to replace Ty Dillon in 2023, but was released from the team early for... reasons.In the IRL's first three seasons, Sumire Heanna drove this car, and Nozomi drove the #84.

• Team
• #43 - Ginko Momose
• Part-Time Entries

Ginko is quietly aggressive. She usually doesn't make a big splash, but when she does, she makes sure that everyone knows that she's there. She broke through early on by stealing a victory at Darlington in Season 1. She hasn't won since, but has been in contention more than multiple times. Some may wonder why she doesn't drop to a lower series to hone her craft, but as a fellow shrine maiden, she's committed to the team that she and Nozomi are building.

Trivia: Ginko did three races in the Zhong Family Racing Team's #19 in Season 3, temporarily swapping with normal driver Eli Ayase. This is how Ginko got that one pole position.Erik Jones is the 2015 Truck Series champion.The #43 was made famous by Richard Petty, otherwise known as The King. Petty scored 200 wins during his time in the Cup Series, a record that will never, ever be beaten.

• Team
• #42 - Nozomi Tōjō
• Part-Time Entries

Back-to-back Love Live champion, charismatic leader of Liella, and three-time champion of the Idol Racing League, Kanon's life has certainly changed for the better since she started her journey as a school idol. When talking about the best drivers in the IRL, Kanon's name is always mentioned first, especially now that she's taken a surprise step back from full-time racing. It wasn't that she wasn't having fun; others just deserve to have that fun, too! Now, she's an ambassador to all teams and manufacturers, choosing to partner with Nozomi and co. for her part-time runs in Season 5.

Trivia: Kanon represented driver Kyle Larson throughout the IRL's first four seasons.The driver she represents now is a 7-time Cup Series champion (a three-way record for the sport) and holds the record for most titles in a row at a staggering 5. Johnson accomplished this between the years of 2006 and 2011. His last two titles came in 2013 and 2016. He's also one of four drivers to win all four "Crown Jewel" races (Daytona, Charlotte, Indianapolis, and Darlington) at least once, a distinction he shares with Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Kevin Harvick. All of them are Cup Series champions.

• Team
• #42 - Nozomi Tōjō
• #43 - Ginko Momose

Team DOLLCHESTRA and Hasunosora Motorsports have combined their efforts in Season 5! Hasunosora Racers is a reborn team that primarily operates in the Preliminary Series. They're currently working toward bringing a new manufacturer into the league! Tsuzuri and the returning-to-Grandfes Sayaka are here to hold down the fort at the top.

Trivia: This team is responsible for RAM's return to NASCAR in 2026.
They'll make it to the Cup Series in either 2027 or 2028.

• Back to Teams
• #10 - Tsuzuri Yugiri
• #16 - Sayaka Murano

Tsuzuri here has never been one to set the world on fire, and her stint in the IRL is no different. She'll show up and break hearts every now and then, but you're more likely to find her riding around and logging laps, supporting her teammates in their own efforts.

Trivia: Ty Dillon is the younger brother of Austin Dillon, the driver Kasumi represents. Despite being born into the same family, Ty has mostly forged a racing path of his own as of recent.

• Team
• #16 - Sayaka Murano

Sayaka returns to the Grand Festival Series after a year's absence! She learned quite a bit in her Regional Series stint... notably that she sheels more comfortable with the IRL's top level. It just feels like home, especially after her win on the Charlotte Roval in Season 2. While she may not be a threat to win week in and week out, she's always up front on road courses and could steal victory at any point on one.

Trivia: Allmendinger is
a road course ace through-and-through. He has experience in IndyCar and IMSA, even scoring an overall win in the 2014 24 Hours of Daytona.

• Team
• #10 - Tsuzuri Yugiri

The Yazawa Family Team is a satellite team to Onitsuka Enterprises. Nico and her family make the decisions with this one with all cars being made in the Onitsuka shop. This team doesn't have nearly the same accolades as its sister, but they still managed breakthrough wins with both their drivers, Ruby and Yoshiko. They only get faster every year.

Trivia: The represented team is the oldest active NASCAR organization and was founded in 1950, only a year after NASCAR was founded. They've managed 101 wins in 77 years, most of which were given to the team by hall-of-famer David Pearson.

• Back to Teams
• #21 - Yoshiko Tsushima

It's no surprise that Yoshiko has had an up-and-down experience in the IRL. She's been here since the beginning, but it wasn't until Season 4 that she broke through for her first victory... at Las Vegas, of all places! Her notoriously awful luck was trapped at the casino then! She's still growing, but she's brought more speed to this team than they've ever had. There's plenty more wins in Yohane's future!

Trivia: Yoshiko represented drivers Cole Custer and Ryan Preece throughout the IRL's first three seasons, all in the #41. She moved to this car in Season 4. Whenever she finishes a race in the top 5, her nameplate on the result graphic changes to say Yohane!As for her real life counterpart... Berry attended Hendersonville High School in Tennessee. Not really important info on its own, but believe it or not, he and one Taylor Swift went there at the same time, though they were in different grades.

• Team

Money doesn't buy everything. This team is a prime example of that. Despite oodles of funding from her family, this team hasn't reached the heights of others. Still, they've managed a surprise 2 wins, and every week is all hands on deck for this group!

Trivia: One of this team's owners is former NBA player Brad Daugherty.

• Back to Teams
• #47 - Mari Ohara

Heir to the Ohara throne, Mari has put this team on her back since the beginning of the IRL. She's been the exclusive driver of the #47 ever since the first races in Los Angeles and Daytona. She shocked the world in Season 2 by stealing victory in the Daytona 500, and won once again at Talladega in Season 3! Her and the team's performance is up and down to say the least, but when they hit, they really hit hard, and are always a threat on drafting tracks.

Trivia: Stenhouse isn't really considered a popular driver among his peers, gaining the names "Ricky Stankhouse" and "Wrecky Spinhouse Jr." over the years. Still, he's been good enough to win 4 times, all on the superspeedways that made him so infamous. He's also a two-time champion in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series, winning the cup back-to-back in 2011 and 2012....Author's note, that chaotic nature is part of why I stuck Mari in this car.

• Team

This team certainly rode high in the IRL's first season. 3 wins, solid in the points... what could go wrong? Well, a lot. So much that they downsized to a single entry in Season 4. As such, their performance dipped drastically, but they still do their best to string together results whenever they can. With a new driver in Season 5, we'll see what they can manage!

Trivia: This team was founded by Gene Haas, who also founded the current Haas Formula 1 team.This team is formerly known as Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by Haas and hall-of-famer Tony Stewart. Stewart left the team after 2024, leaving only Haas as the primary owner.

• Back to Teams
• #41 - Honoka Kosaka

The mastermind behind the Idol Racing League is none other than Honoka Kosaka! Nowadays, though, she's taken a step back from the sanctioning body in favor of taking to the track with everyone else. It's... a recent change and hasn't really panned out exactly like she'd hoped. Still, she's got a lot of help going into her sophomore season. It's been a long time since her days as a school idol, but at the end of the day, Honoka is still Honoka. That's why she's more determined than ever to shine brightly again!

Trivia: Honoka represented driver Riley Herbst in the IRL's fourth season.Cole Custer is the 2023 O'Reilly Series champion. He's also the son of Joe Custer, president of the Haas Factory Team. Honestly, I really should stop putting Honoka in nepo baby cars.

• Team

Konoe Racing is the definition of a team on a shoestring budget. They're usually not fast, but they're scrappy and them being able to run full seasons is good enough for them. Really, they're just here for the fun of it, and to prove that they can make it!

Trivia: Rick Ware Racing has appeared in a surprising amount of leagues across the racing world. From many different NASCAR Series, to IndyCar, to drag racing, to their titles in Asian Le Mans, this team has been all over.

• Back to Teams
• #51 - Haruka Konoe

Haruka Konoe takes to the track! After four seasons, big sis Kanata is dropping to the lower ranks and letting little sis try out racing at the top level. Haruka has another purpose: pave the way for those idols that history glosses over, the ones that deserve the stage just as much as the big names!

Trivia: Cody is the son of team owner Rick Ware.

• Team

There's nothing like teams that run a limited schedule. They'll do anything to qualify for races, especially if they show up to Daytona early in the year. This page highlights the Grand Festival Series' part-time teams!

• Back to Teams
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

When you've already got a successful team that's won the past two Daytona 500s, obviously you've gotta get in on the action, too! Umi Sonoda enters the Grandfes fray for her shot at the biggest race of the year. This #40 already finished top 10 in the race once with Tsubasa driving; where could Umi take it this year?

Trivia: JRM finished 9th in last year's Daytona 500. Many have expected them for years now to go full-time in Cup, but they're content to sit pretty in the O'Reilly Series.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

Fuu Saiki has aspirations of becoming an Olympic sprinter. If that's the case, why sit in a race car? Well, believe it or not, racing is exercise, too, and a race is a race. She's here to give a different kind of racing a try. Who knows? Maybe it'll stick and she'll come back for more!

Trivia: Yeley is the 2003 USAC Triple Crown champion and has experience in open wheel cars as well as stock cars. While his NASCAR career didn't pan out despite a strong start, he finds rides as a solid journeyman for any team.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

Racing takes place all around. Misaki Shido comes to the Grand Festival Series after making a name for herself at Bowman Gray Stadium. She's a total wildcard and wants to make a splash with the Idol Racing League's big names however she can!

Trivia: Team AmeriVet used to be known as The Money Team Racing, owned by retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. With his departure in 2024, the team rebranded to what it is now.Myers is a true blue modified racer, being a two-time champion in NASCAR's Modified Tour (2010 and 2013), a three-time champion in the SMART Modified Tour (2002, 2021, 2023), and an eleven-time track champion at Bowman Gray Stadium. His first title was in 1999 and his most recent was in 2024.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

This team is a small group that carries the name of Yuigaoka High School, made famous after Liella's back-to-back Love Live titles. They compete at superspeedways with a multitude of drivers, tapping Miracle Kanazawa to run the season-opener at Daytona!

Trivia: Beard Motorsports shows up where they can compete: drafting tracks! They're a small operation with only one full-time employee.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

As of the start of the year, the Y.G. Racing Team is the only part-time group in the Grand Festival Series to run with multiple drivers. Those drivers are Nagi Shiraki, Maria Belmonte, and Emma Verde! Never take your eyes off this group. They could end up higher up than you expect!

Trivia: The driver Maria represents is a Cup Series veteran. He's planning to run enough races this year to reach 500 Cup starts."Belmonte" is a made-up name, as Maria has no canon last name.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #78 - Nijigasaki Dev. Team

The Nijigasaki Development Team ran three full seasons before tapping out of the Grand Festival Series. They've been part-time since, fielding a few different drivers. This year, Yuri Mido is their girl! For a team that usually finishes outside the top 30, they're scrappy and can put together a top 20 result every now and then.

Trivia: Live Fast used to run full-time, owning a charter from 2021 to its sale to Spire Motorsports in 2024. They now run part-time, usually on drafting tracks.Last year, open-wheel driver Katherine Legge made a few starts for the team. Her defining run was 17th at Indianapolis, delivering an above-average run for this group.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #40 - Minami Motorsports
• #44 - Race-Runners, Inc.
• #50 - Team Hazuki
• #62 - Yuigaoka Race Team
• #66 - Y.G. Racing Team

Like Sonoda Motorsports in the Grand Festival Series, Minami Motorsports came out swinging in the Regional Series' first season, winning nearly half the races run! Being a satellite team for the best team in the league will do that for you. In Season 2, they ride with the owners of the hour and two new faces. They've got a lot to back up!

Trivia: This team is owned by hall-of-famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., the son of 7-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. Dale Jr. never won a Cup title of his own, but he did score 2 victories in the Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014.

• Back to Teams
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Team Snow
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

Sarah's always been seen as the... lesser of the two Kazuno sisters. It hasn't bothered her as much as some would think, but that doesn't mean she isn't looking to prove her worth. Now in the Regional Series after Aya's promotion to Grandfes, who knows what she's capable of in a new setting?

Trivia: Sarah represented Daniel Suarez in the Cup Series for the IRL's first four seasons.The driver she represents now is the son of 2003 NASCAR Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil. Carson also has a younger brother named Caden that races in the CARS Tour for this very same team.

• Team
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Team Snow
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

A lot's been said about how good of a team owner Umi Sonoda turned out to be, but a lot about Umi as a racer hasn't been written yet. While she did well in the Regional Series' first season, she wasn't able to break through and reach victory lane. It's a new year, and she's declared to her team (and to herself) that she WILL win this time.

Trivia: The driver she represents is currently the veteran of the O'Reilly Series drivers. At 39 years old, Allgaier has made this series his home after his career in the Cup Series didn't pan out. He won his first title in 2024 after many years of trying.

• Team
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Team Snow
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

Kotori spread her wings as a school idol over a decade and a half ago, and she comes back about the same as she left! She's pursued fashion design and even took up a job as a teacher at Otonokizaka. Now, she's here to support her drivers while getting experience of her own. She even managed a win last year... on a disqualification, so she hasn't technically crossed the line first yet. That's on track to change this year!

Trivia: The driver Kotori represents is the 2021 and 2022 ARCA Series East champion.

• Team
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Team Snow
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

Here comes Polka Takahashi, ringing in the new age of racers! The concept of school idols never really died out (unlike in other places) but Polka and the other members of the IKIZULIVE club brought a resurgence to the concept! She'll split driving duties between two teams: the #32 with Wonderland Racing and the #88 with Minami Motorsports. She's got many, many people cheering her on; success is sure to follow in her rookie year!

Trivia: The driver Polka represents started his racing career through iRacing, competing well enough there to earn a spot in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. He would later make it it to the NASCAR Truck Series, where he managed 2 wins in 3 years. He is the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR race, joining Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace as winners.

• Team
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• PT - Team Snow
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

This team has tapped the Team Snow trio to run some Regional Series races part-time, in addition to their Grand Festival Series schedule! All ran well in this series last year, with Maki managing a win at Chicago and Aya setting... just about every record one can set. This year, Aya splits seat time in the #1 with Sarah while Leah and Maki will share the part-time #9, (likely) also where Sarah will be when Aya is in the #1.

Trivia: JR Motorsports as a whole won 17 races last year across 6 drivers. 10 from Connor Zilisch, 3 from Justin Allgaier, 1 from Sammy Smith, 1 from Kyle Larson, 1 from Daniel Suarez, and 1 from Shane van Gisbergen. You could even say that it was 7 drivers as Zilisch received an assist from Parker Kligerman at Daytona in the Summer.

• Team
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Sonoda Motorsports

While Polka will have the #88 for a majority of the season, she'll share seat time with the Sonoda Motorsports Grandfes quartet for 10 races! Kaho managed to win at Charlotte last season and all look to leech off of-I mean improve their skills against the up-and-comers of the Regional Series!

Trivia: This seems like the perfect time to introduce the concept of Buschwhacking. Buschwhacking is when a driver from the Cup Series runs a race in the O'Reilly (formerly known as the Busch) Series or the Truck Series. Currently, Cup drivers can only run a maximum of 10 O'Reilly races and 8 Truck races a year, but this restriction didn't exist until 2017... ...meaning each of the feeder series constantly had its regular drivers overshadowed by the big guys.

• Team
• #1 - Sarah Kazuno
• #7 - Umi Sonoda
• #8 - Kotori Minami
• #88 - Polka Takahashi
• PT - Team Snow

Unlike their direct rivals, the Zhong Family Racing Team has opted to run in both Grandfes and Regional to expand their reach even further! Each of the team's four drivers is picked by one of the Grandfes drivers: Ruby picked Riko, Dia picked Hanabi, Margarete picked Karin, and Lanzhu picked Sumire. With the blessing of their upperclassmen (so to speak), how will this new generation of royals fare?

Trivia: JGR expanded into the O'Reilly Series in 1997. Since then, they've won 221 races in this division.

• Back to Teams
• #18 - Riko Sakurauchi
• #19 - Hanabi Komagata
• #20 - Karin Asaka
• #54 - Sumire Heanna

Even after a full season, Riko admits that she still doesn't quite "get" the whole racing thing. It's exhilarating and keeps her moving (despite sitting for like 2 hours straight), but she doesn't understand what her friends like about it so much. Maybe a new year and a potential trip to victory lane will change her opinion? If not, it'll likely remain a side thing to her main focus as a professional pianist.

Trivia: Sawalich is the 2023 and 2024 ARCA Series East champion.

• Team
• #19 - Hanabi Komagata
• #20 - Karin Asaka
• #54 - Sumire Heanna

Hanabi is Dia's new understudy. She's learned to race under her, raced against her in smaller events, and they even practice traditional tea ceremony together. Now that she's reached the Idol Racing League, Hanabi is ready to show that she belongs and that she's fit to succeed Dia when she decides her time is up!

Trivia: Crews will miss four races early in the O'Reilly season this year simply because he's not old enough to race on big tracks. He's 17 years old at the start of the season and turns 18 in March.

• Team
• #18 - Riko Sakurauchi
• #20 - Karin Asaka
• #54 - Sumire Heanna

Karin hates losing. She's made that abundantly clear throughout the past year. Coming short of the Chase title has ignited a fire within her, and she's ready to run it back in Season 2! With three of her biggest rivals in Grandfes, there's no better time for her to make herself the dominant force.

Trivia: Brandon Jones is the son of JR Jones, president and CEO of Rheem Comfort Products. Rheem and it's associated brands have sponsored Jones throughout nearly every team he's been with.

• Team
• #18 - Riko Sakurauchi
• #19 - Hanabi Komagata
• #54 - Sumire Heanna

Sumire has always had to break her back to succeed. Showbiz and racing are both difficult to break out in, and she's learned that well over the last few years. She finally won a race at the tail-end of the Regional Series' first season, and now she's hungry for more. Ideally, her second win won't take four more years to happen.

Trivia: Taylor Gray is the younger brother of Truck Series driver Tanner Gray.

• Team
• #18 - Riko Sakurauchi
• #19 - Hanabi Komagata
• #20 - Karin Asaka

The team known as the GBP Racing Team has dissolved, and in its place, Wonderland Racing expands it's operation to three cars! They've picked up two actual idols for their full-time slots, and the third entry is reserved for a multitude of names. In a mid-pack that looks to be more competitive than ever, you need all the advantages you can get, and this team looks to grab that edge early!

Trivia: This team began in the Truck Series in 2018. They would attempt a move to the O'Reilly Series in 2021, failing to qualify 10 straight times before finally making their first race at Circuit of the Americas. They won their first race in 2023 with Jeb Burton winning at Talladega in the Spring.

• Back to Teams
• #27 - Minori Hanasato
• #31 - Haruka Kiritani
• #32 - Multiple Drivers

Minori had an up-and-down Preliminary Series season last year: She got cut off from her friends mid-season, only to bounce back and out-perform all of them to end the year on a high note. Now she's reunited with Haruka and is ready to have some fun in the Regional Series!

Trivia: The driver that Minori represents is the son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton. He's cousins with Harrison Burton, the driver that Eve represents.

• Team
• #31 - Haruka Kiritani
• #32 - Multiple Drivers

A race win against a dominant driver gets you places. Haruka's solid Preliminary Series season last year has gotten her a spot in Regional! Her outlook used to be jaded, but with Minori in her life, things have gotten a whole lot brighter.

Trivia: Perkins has 3 wins in the ARCA West Series. He hasn't really taken that success up high yet, though.

• Team
• #27 - Minori Hanasato
• #32 - Multiple Drivers

In addition to their full-time pair, this team is also running a third entry for a cavalcade of guest stars! Currently, hree have been slated to run: Ringleader Emu Otori, Polka Takahashi filling out the rest of her schedule, and Leah Kazuno getting every race she can out of the season!

Trivia: -

• Team
• #27 - Minori Hanasato
• #31 - Haruka Kiritani

The super-teams of the series usually run four cars, but Kasumi and her group opts for two, and they still get some solid results. You'll usually find the #2 and the #21 at the front of superspeedways, and occasionally (as in last year) stealing the Chase title from the dominant driver of the season! Shiki is quietly consistent and Muni is as aggressive as they come. With this pair, you'll learn to L-O-V-E Kasumin in no time!

Trivia: RCR has won 6 O'Reilly Series championships. Kevin Harvick in 2001 and 2006, Clint Bowyer in 2008, Austin Dillon in 2013, Tyler Reddick in 2019, and Jesse Love in 2025.

• Back to Teams
• #2 - Shiki Wakana
• #21 - Muni Ohnaruto

What do you do after a successful rookie season in the Grand Festival Series? Kiss it goodbye and move to the Regional Series! Well, this was moreso because team owner Kasumi wanted back into Grandfes, so Shiki's in her boss's old Chase-title-winning seat! There's a lot to live up to, but with Mei in her ear, there's nothing Shiki can't do.

Trivia: Going into 2026, Love is the defending O'Reilly Series champion. He pulled off the upset against a 10-win Connor Zilisch late in the finale at Phoenix, taking home the title with only 2 wins. This was likely the reason why NASCAR is moving away from a one-race championship this year.

• Team
• #21 - Muni Ohnaruto

For some of us, getting really good at one specific thing is the name of the game. In the Regional Series, Muni is the epitome of this philosophy! She's solid on other track types, but really shines on drafting tracks. So much so that it feels like the rest of the pack doesn't know how to race her and just lets her win. She's not a popular face, but she still manages to swing in some fans with her careless racing that goes out there and gets results!

Trivia: Hill holds the O'Reilly Series record for most wins on superspeedways, beating out hall-of-famers like Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr.

• Team
• #2 - Shiki Wakana

Despite the SIF Racing Team's ailing Grandfes efforts, they've managed a little nest egg in the Regional Series. Their veteran pair has proven to be consistent week in and week out, always contending for wins at the end of races. Hanayo and Rin make a great team, and an even better married couple!

Trivia: Stewart-Haas Racing (the team that this team inherited assets from when it folded) began racing in the O'Reilly Series in 2017. They won the title in 2023 with Cole Custer.

• Back to Teams
• #00 - Hanayo Koizumi
• #41 - Rin Hoshizora

Hanayo has always been someone that's criminally overlooked. Even in her idol days this was the case! You've gotta look closer, though. She went from cheering on her favorite idols to standing on the same stage as them as a solo artist after μ's split up. It's the same with racing! She cheered for Rin, and now she races alongside her!

Trivia: The driver she represents is the 2020 Truck Series champion. He also holds the record for most 2nd-place finishes in the O'Reilly Series without a win. At the start of the season, Creed STILL hasn't won an O'Reilly race. This isn't to say he can't win; he won 8 Truck Series races across two years, and he's the winningest driver in the history of Stadium Super Trucks, a monster truck series that raced on street courses around the world.Creed would finally win his first O'Reilly Series race at Atlanta this year.

• Team
• #41 - Rin Hoshizora

Rin's been devoted to her team since the start of the IRL. Even when the Grandfes team tanked, she just moved to the Regional Series to continue to back them up. It's paid off, too! She's got a win under her belt, her wife racing beside her, and fans old and new cheering her on! You can always teach an old cat new tricks!

Trivia: Mayer is the 2020 and 2021 ARCA East champion. He also got suspended for the finale last year for demolishing Jeb Burton after the checkered flag at Martinsville....Which means that happened with Rin, too. Bad kitty.

• Team
• #00 - Hanayo Koizumi

Cherry blossoms scatter in the wind as Osaka Racing drives along! Shizuku had a quietly solid first season, and now they've added a second entry with Eve behind the wheel! They may not contend for wins all the time, but they're always in the mix to finish in the top 12.

Trivia: This team began running in the O'Reilly Series in 2019.

• Back to Teams
• #24 - Eve Wakamiya
• #26 - Shizuku Osaka

The spirit of Bushido lives on in a new place! Pastel*Racers may have gotten subsumed by another team, but Eve has found a new home under the watchful eye of the Osaka family. She did well for herself last year with a victory at Atlanta and looks to improve on that in what's still some pretty solid equipment!

Trivia: Harrison is the son of hall-of-famer Jeff Burton. He has one Cup Series win, coming at Daytona in 2024. Jeff was a TV analyst that night and got a birds-eye view of his son's breakthrough victory.

• Team
• #26 - Shizuku Osaka

Shizuku's really taken a liking to racing. For one, it's a new role for her to pursue in addition to her other stage roles, and it's a sport that doesn't involve a ball that somehow always gravitates toward her face! She did pretty well for herself in her first year and looks to build upon it in Season 2, teammate included!

Trivia: Thompson gave Sam Hunt Racing their first stage win at Rockingham last year.Dean's father is Ken Thompson, CEO of Thompson Pipe Group. That company has funded a lot of Dean's rides.

• Team
• #24 - Eve Wakamiya

Miracle and Noriko come together for an on-track tea party! This duo has moved into a slot vacated by HHW Racing, hoping to improve upon what those that came before them did. With these rising stars, that looks to be a simple task!

Trivia: Viking is a fairly new team. They ran out of the RSS Racing shop in 2024 before expanding to their own garage in 2025. They're expanding to two cars in 2026.

• Back to Teams
• #96 - Miracle Kanazawa
• #99 - Noriko Chofu

Enter the home run queen and one of the best pastry chefs out there! While her hopes of opening her own cake shop haven't manifested yet, Miracle is well on her way there. She enters the Idol Racing League as an asset to her team and others, as she's already gained quite the reputation for sharing her delicious sweets with all!

Trivia: Fans have nicknamed Alfredo "Fast Pasta" in honor of his funny last name.

• Team
• #99 - Noriko Chofu

Noriko has always believed herself to be mass-produced and disgustingly ordinary. Throughout her time as a school idol and budding voice actress, she found out that couldn't be any further from the truth! She's got voicework on all sides, and now she's set to follow in the tire tracks of the idols that formed this league. Is she up to it? A part of her still doubts it, but luckily, she's got a loving teammate that gives her all the reassurance she needs.

Trivia: Retzlaff once drew the ire of Chevrolet fans by pushing Harrison Burton (a Ford) to the win in the Cup Series' Daytona Summer race in 2024. He was even told on the radio to push Kyle Busch (another Chevy) but instead made a move that would better put himself in position to win. He would finish 7th.

• Team
• #96 - Miracle Kanazawa

Through fire and flames comes Udagawa Racing making an explosive entrance! After a season, they've cemented themselves as a staple of the Regional Series' mid-pack. With an even more stacked lineup of contenders in the range of 10th-20th position, they're gonna have to push even further in their second season to blow them away!

Trivia: This team began operation in the O'Reilly Series in 2009. They've always been underdogs; since then, they've only won one race. That came in 2023 at Sonoma with Aric Almirola.

• Back to Teams
• #28 - Ako Udagawa
• #39 - Tomoe Udagawa
• Part-Time Entries

Racing is cool. Ako likes cool things. She gets to wheel around a lightning-fast hunk of steel with her sister, what more could one ask for? Ako may not have had the success that Tomoe had, but she's content with where she is for now.

Trivia: Kyle and Ryan Sieg are brothers as Ako and Tomoe are sisters. This is currently the only real life sibling pair to still end up a sibling pair in the Idol Racing League.

• Team
• #39 - Tomoe Udagawa
• Part-Time Entries

If there were anyone that works as hard as possible to make it in the IRL, Tomoe is a strong contender. She knows that her equipment could be better, but even still, she goes for whatever result she can get. One day soon, she'll break the barrier and stick it to the big teams!

Trivia: Ryan Sieg holds the unfortunate distinction of making the most O'Reilly Series starts without a race win. His most recent heartbreak was Texas in 2024, barely losing in a photo finish with Sam Mayer.

• Team
• #28 - Ako Udagawa
• Part-Time Entries

Shun Kurosaki is a born horseback rider. ...So why's she in a race car? Well, they're not so different, are they? You're still guiding a partner around a racetrack, even if that partner is a 1.7 ton hunk of steel with a fuel cell attached. Shun's here to try her hand at a new kind of steed by attempting a few Regional Series races!

Trivia: The driver Shun represents is currently full-time in the NASCAR Modified Tour. Modifieds are strange in that they almost resemble an open-wheel stock car.

• Team
• #28 - Ako Udagawa
• #39 - Tomoe Udagawa

Between seasons, this happy racing team has moved shop and picked up a new member! VBS Garage has dropped off to the Preliminary Series, allowing Kokoro and her suits to move in and take residence. With a new year on the horizon, this team'll still be there to make you happy, get a little lucky, make the world smile, and make the fans say yay!

Trivia: This team was formed in 2009 and started out in the Truck Series. Their best finish in the O'Reilly Series came at Rockingham in 2025 when Parker Retzlaff finished 2nd.

• Back to Teams
• #44 - Kokoro Tsurumaki
• #45 - Hagumi Kitazawa
• Part-Time Entries

Kokoro's done it all. Been all around the world, been in outer space, been deep underwater... and now it's time to go racing! She's no superstar yet, but there's always these mysterious people in suits helping her improve her craft... Make sure you make her your friend, okay?

Trivia: The driver Kokoro represents had a heartbreaking loss at Talladega in 2016, crossing the line first initially before losing the win to Elliott Sadler after NASCAR deemed him the leader when the yellow flag flew to end the race. Poole would end up third.

• Team
• #45 - Hagumi Kitazawa
• Part-Time Entries

Hagumi's joined her other best friends for Season 2! She had an alright first year, scoring four top 10 finishes throughout. It's a little big of momentum and she's bringing that over to her new home, ready to back Kokoro up in their mid-pack battles!

Trivia: Lavar Scott's biggest inspirations are fellow African-American driver Bubba Wallace and former driver Steve Park. Wallace and Scott both grew up racing dirt tracks and went through NASCAR's Drive For Diversity program. Park and Scott both grew up racing short tracks in the northeastern U.S.

• Team
• #44 - Kokoro Tsurumaki
• Part-Time Entries

Wouldn't something like this be overwhelming for someone like Kanon? Not so! Sure, it gets a little chaotic, but after the things she's done with her band, not much surprises her now. That doesn't stop her from overthinking, though... but it's okay! She's here to do her best because it'll make her friends happy!

Trivia: Bacarella is a co-owner of APR.

• Team
• #44 - Kokoro Tsurumaki
• #45 - Hagumi Kitazawa

Yamabuki and Mochizuki, two similar faces that sound like the perfect pair! They ran in both the Regional and Preliminary Series last year, which is fairly impressive for a team that's just getting started. Who knows where they'll go in the future?

Trivia: This team expanded to the O'Reilly Series in 2024, but the Truck Series is where they've had most of their success. They've won two Truck races, both coming at Talladega with drivers Spencer Boyd and Tate Fogleman.

• Back to Teams
• #02 - Hanamaru Kunikida
• #42 - Multiple Drivers

For a country bumpkin like Hanamaru, this race car stuff feels like rocket science sometimes. So many switches, which one makes the car go? Which one makes it stop? All the numbers on the dashboard? It's all so futuristic... but that's why she's so eager to learn! After a solid season last year, she's helping a smaller team and looks to hone her own skills even further!

Trivia: Ellis began racing in NASCAR in 2012. He finally broke through for his first top 10 finish last year at Charlotte.

• Team
• #42 - Multiple Drivers

Aurora's locked up rides in all three series! If you were ever questioning her commitment to the IRL, question no more as she wants you to know that she's here and she's ready to win races.

Trivia: Hocevar is one of the more active drivers on social media, having a big presence on Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch.

• Team
• #02 - Hanamaru Kunikida

Ayanokoji Racing is back in action, bringing back old drivers and bringing in new ones to have a shot at another hard-earned top 10 finish! This team works hard, and any strong finish is a feat worth celebrating day and night.

Trivia: This team is known in full as DGM Racing with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports. In addition to being a racer, Iwuji serves as a commander in the United States Army. The team is primarily operated by former driver Mario Gosselin.

• Back to Teams
• #91 - Multiple Drivers
• #92 - Sachiko Tanaka

Himeno returns to her own team in Season 2, this time on a part-time basis! She's got a lot to do now, but her ultimate dream is still yet to be realized: race on the same team as her beloved Karin! Sarah Kazuno has also joined the team to fill out her schedule for the year, as her usual #1 and #9 will be taken up by Grandfes drivers in certain events.

Trivia: Maggio has three wins and a championship finish of 2nd in the Carolina Late Model series, all of which he achieved in 2022.

• Team
• #92 - Sachiko Tanaka

New to the league this season is (alleged) fallen angel Sachiko! She descends to the track in hopes of getting her footing for a better chance at... "returning to heaven". I believe heaven would mean victory lane, in this case...

Trivia: A memorable moment for Williams came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2023. Upon being penalized by NASCAR for debris on his #92 (the same one he's back in now after a one-and-a-half-year stint with Kaulig), he protested by parking his car on the start/finish line, leaving it there and walking to the garage with only his helmet in his hand. NASCAR would suspend him for one race.

• Team
• #91 - Multiple Drivers

Just like last year, Verde Racing has a quartet of drivers ready to gain some more experience in their pursuits to make it in the IRL, with two new and two returning! With a lineup like this, the team's first top 10 finish is sure to come this year!

Trivia: This team was formed in 2000 and primarily competed in the Truck Series before moving to the O'Reilly Series in 2014. They have a single win, coming from Cole Custer at Fontana in 2022.

• Back to Teams
• #0 - Multiple Drivers
• #07 - Emma Verde

One full-time entry and a second entry for a trio of drivers to share. It worked out last year, so why not run it back? Kasane gets the majority of races, Coco gets the road courses, and Honoka gets five races of her choosing to try for a trophy!

Trivia: If you're familiar with YouTuber JonTron, Smithley appeared in one of his videos where he taught Jon how to drive a late model.Labbé is a Canadian racer with most of his success up north.Custer gave SS-Green Light its only win at the now mostly demolished Auto Club Speedway in 2022.

• Team
• #07 - Emma Verde

Emma's not really interested in racing for wins week in and week out. Just being able to share the track with her friends is enough for her to be happy! Now in the Regional Series, she'll soon have the distinction of being the only one to run a full season in all three of the Idol Racing League's divisions!

Trivia: -

• Team
• #0 - Multiple Drivers

What do you do with a bite-sized team with less than up-to-snuff cars? Give some budding drivers a chance to run an actual race, of course! You'd be surprised at how many people wanna try their hand at the IRL, regardless of how well they run. That's what this team's for: give opportunities to potential stars so older cars don't go to waste!

Trivia: This team was formed in 2021. Owner-driver Joey Gase runs a majority of the team's races.This team's full name is Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen. Osteen operated Truck Series team Floridian Motorsports in 2024.

• Back to Teams
• #35 - Multiple Drivers
• #55 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

The #35 has opened with three drivers: Yuka Tsukishima, Tsukasa Tenma, and Isabella Lehmann! A fun fact about each: Yuka's a street dancer turned racer, Tsukasa is part of Stageplay Racing's movie shoot, and Isabella is of German descent. They're among three of the drivers sharing seat time in the #35 this year.

Trivia: Decker has the interesting distinction of being the first woman to run a NASCAR race after having a child. Her son was born in February of 2025, and she ran the O'Reilly Series race at Daytona later that August.Austin J. Hill, despite sharing a name with RCR driver Austin Hill, is much younger and has a background in open-wheel racing."Lehmann" is a made-up name as Isabella has no canon last name.

• Team
• #55 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

The #55 is the other of The Racing Experience's full-time entries, and it currently has three drivers. Primary runner Yuka Tsukishima and IRL newcomers Nagi Shiraki and Shiho Hinomori are trading seat time in this car! Others are likely more to come as the season resumes, and this page will be updated to match.

Trivia: Gase is the primary owner of JGM and runs his own cars.

• Team
• #35 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

While The Racing Experience normally runs two cars full-time, they've gotten enough funding and interest to run a third in select events, and one driver is tapped: Shen Ranpha is of Chinese descent and is set up to run at Daytona to open the year! As for if she'll be back for more after a part-time stint in Season 1... that remains to be seen. The #53 rarely qualifies, but people still take a chance for any opportunity they can get. Who'll be the next miracle...?

Trivia: "Shen" is a made-up name, as Ranpha has no canon last name.

• Team
• #35 - Multiple Drivers
• #55 - Multiple Drivers

Sometimes you just can't resist getting in on some Regional Series action. It helps when you have a willing driver! Sonoda Motorsports has taken a full-time plunge into Regional for the first time, looking to become a dominant force here just like they are in Grandfes. Here, though? They only need one driver instead of four.

Trivia: Hendrick has won a single O'Reilly Series title, coming from Brian Vickers in 2003. I'm sure that's the only thing Vickers is known for today...

• Back to Teams
• #17 - Shion Sasaki

Only one person can call herself Umi Sonoda's #1 fan. Best of all, they just so happen to be the newest hire to Umi's team, an absolute dream come true for young Shion! She's got everything she wants right in front of her; all she has to do now is prove her superiority over all who oppose her on-track, with no mercy being spared to even her closest friends.

Trivia: The #17 is run by Hendrick Motorsports in the O'Reilly Series to honor team owner Rick Hendrick's late son. The car's paint scheme is even 1-to-1 with the trucks and cars that Ricky Hendrick used to run.

• Team

Woah, what happened to Pastel*Racers?! It's no more! Welcome to the Kaibara Racing camp! ...It's a very questionable way to enter the sport, but everyone kept their jobs, so I guess it's not so bad?

Trivia: This team was founded in 2021 by Scott Borchetta, founder of Big Machine Records. They have two wins: one from Tyler Reddick at Texas in 2022, and one from Nick Sanchez at Atlanta in 2025.

• Back to Teams
• #48 - Michiru Kaibara

Michiru has left D4FES. behind to trailblaze her own path in the Idol Racing League! Some say that in the Preliminary Series' mythical Season 0, Michiru won the full-season title. This is completely true, but to bank on that happening again is a little risky. Michiru believes that she's got what it takes to hack it over here, though! Who can say no to overwhelming confidence?

Trivia: The driver she represents is a licensed retina surgeon.

• Team

The GBP Racing Team may have merged with another team, but it did leave a piece behind. That piece is Morforacer, funded by the Hiromachi family! They're new on the track, but their driver has already proven that she can do well!

Trivia: This team was formed in 2023 by Trans-Am champion Doug Peterson. 2026 is their first full-time season, now working separately from their old partner in Jordan Anderson Racing.

• Back to Teams
• #87 - Mashiro Kurata

"Can I do this?"That's a question Mashiro has asked herself repeatedly throughout the majority of her life. After meeting her idol Kasumi Toyama, she'd find out that she can indeed do whatever she sets her mind to. From singing in a band, to studying insects, to now racing in the IRL, Mashiro's fairly content with what she's done since starting and graduating from high school. Now full-time in Season 2, she's sure to be a threat on road courses and will grow to learn the ovals too!

Trivia: The driver Mashiro represents is the son of former driver David Green. His uncle Jeff Green was also a racer.

• Team

Hooray for last-second entries! The week of the start of Season 2, in comes Race Team CiRCLE! They may be a little rushed getting here, but they have a strong pair of drivers behind their wheels and could swipe a victory when people aren't looking!

Trivia: This team opened in 2016 and ran in the Truck Series before joining the O'Reilly Series in 2023. They were on track to be acquired by SPS Racing in 2026, but the deal fell through about two weeks before the start of the season.

• Back to Teams
• #25 - Kasumi Toyama
• Part-Time Entries

This team was made for this driver. The GBP associates part of the IRL aren't dumb; they know that letting a name like Kasumi Toyama walk would be a fumble, so in they come with a bid in Season 2! Kasumi almost won last year. Let "almost" turn into victory so she can hear a different kind of star beat!

Trivia: Sanchez is the 2022 ARCA champion. He had his 2026 plans settled early into the 2025 season, but when his ride was bought out, he had nowhere to go. AM's unsuccessful deal with SPS lead to them needing a driver, and the rest is still unwritten!

• Team
• Part-Time Entries

Luckily for Team CiRCLE, they've got some extra hands on deck! Megumi's here from the Preliminary Series to run a part-time schedule for the team! Between Kasumi and Megumi, this party has a lot to look forward to.

Trivia: -

• Team
• #25 - Kasumi Toyama

Wonderland Racing has moved on to bigger race shops, so someone needs to fill the space. What about a totally-legitimate, definitely-licensed scientist? What if she just so happens to be a mechanic who plays a big part in building her own cars? Introducing Takamagaracing, the newest venture for Takamagahara labs! This team knows they fight from behind, but that doesn't shake them. Through every experiment, they continue searching for that formula that'll rocket them to victory!

Trivia: Apart from two starts each from Ty Dillon and Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements has raced his own car exclusively since going full-time in 2011.

• Back to Teams
• #51 - Mutsuki Takamagahara

Who says you can't bring rocket science to the racetrack? As long as you don't put jet fuel in your car to get an extra boost of speed, everything should be fine! Mutsuki's operation is humble compared to others, but it's something that's for sure her own, meaning she can do whatever she wants! ...As long as nothing explodes, things should be juuuuuust fine.

Trivia: The driver she represents is what's known as an owner-driver. Someone that owns the race team while being said team's primary driver. Clements has run for his own team full-time since 2013 and has won twice. His Road America win in 2017 was the first win for an indie team (one not affiliated with the Cup Series in any way) in the Xfinity (now O'Reilly) Series since 2006. His second win came at Daytona in 2022, so maybe he'll get his third in 2027...?

• Team

This team has been through the wringer throughout the past year. Their first driver destroyed so many cars they had to completely rebuild! Now they have a calm veteran behind their wheel for a race or two and look to finalize their return on some high notes.

Trivia: This team was formed by Chris Hettinger and his daughter Katie. They got their assets from the departing Bret Holmes Racing. As of now, they haven't run a full season in any series.

• Back to Teams
• #5 - Multiple Drivers

Kanata Konoe finds being in a race car strangely relaxing. While it's incredibly loud both inside and out, it's a kind of energy she hasn't felt before; something she welcomes. She can still be found taking naps whenever she can, but when she gets in a car, she'll do her best to keep it in one piece. She'll be splitting seat time for at least one race with Tae Hanazono, a like-minded individual who can also turn her brain off and just turn laps.

Trivia: The driver Kanata represents was the 2022 CARS Tour rookie of the year. As that year was the inaugural season for that league, that also makes Fenhaus the series' first champion.The driver Tae represents currenty drives in the IMSA series, a division of endurance racing.

• Team

The Kurobane and Shirase families have combined their strength in Season 2! They did okay last year, managing a top 10 finish early. Now with a more unified front, they look to begin a steady climb up the mid-pack.

Trivia: This team is operated by owner-driver Stanton Barrett and 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope.

• Back to Teams
• #30 - Multiple Drivers

Sakura and Koyuki were a rarity last year. They were one of only a few teams to swap out drivers every week, sharing seat time throughout the season. They look to do that again this year, adding Sakura's sister Sakuya to the fold as well!

Trivia: The driver Sakuya represents is brother to Cody Ware, the driver Haruka Konoe represents in the Grand Festival Series.

• Team

Most Regional Series part-time teams are run by teams that have full-time entries. Thus, this section is surprisingly barren, as only one part-time team has signed up to run a race. Any others that come to play will be documented here as the season goes on!

• Back to Teams
• #50 - Griffiths Racing
• #74 - Saotome Racing

Rebecca Griffiths comes from an open-wheel background. Hailing from the U.K., that's kind of obvious. She comes to the Idol Racing League to run on exclusively the road courses, believing that their winding turns help her reach a special kind of zen.

Trivia: "Griffiths" is a made-up name as Rebecca doesn't have a canon last name.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #74 - Saotome Racing

Yukari Saotome has cemented herself as an underdog. Qualifying for races is tough, but she and her team still show up with a shoestring budget and a dream!

Trivia: Team owner Mike Harmon is perhaps best known for a grizzly crash at Bristol in 2002. During practice, he hit an unsecured infield gate, causing the car to split in half. It would also taking a hit from the incoming car of Johnny Sauter. Harmon would walk away without a scratch.

• Back to Part-Timers
• #50 - Griffiths Racing

Who says you need to be an idol to compete in the Idol Racing League? You could play in a band or something... Meaning that those of Girls Band Party fame have taken to the IRL, and so far? They've run circles around those in the Preliminary Series! The RAS-Racers revolution continues into Season 2 with many new partners and an all-star cast that many teams wished they had!

Trivia: This team is owned by former driver David Gilliland.

• Back to Teams
• #1 - Multiple Drivers
• #5 - Multiple Drivers
• #11 - LAYER
• #15 - Yukina Minato
• #17 - MASKING

Two rising stars and two champions? What more could you ask for in a multi-driver truck? Sumire and Hanabi want more experience, Kanon's here for the fun of it, and CHU² wants to remind everyone of the person that won nearly half of the Preliminary Series' races last year...Wait, Midori, too!? She'd sooner catch on fire than step foot in one of these death machines! Well, for some background, the Idol Racing League is surprisingly eco-friendly, and that's basically all because of one Midori Yamada. To challenge herself, she's getting behind the wheel for a one-off race to get a feel for what could be changed inside the trucks and cars to make racing easier on the body, mind, heart, and soul!

Trivia: The driver Midori represents is a four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner. Franchitti tried a switch to NASCAR in the past, but when that didn't pan out, he went right back to winning races and championships in IndyCar.

• Team
• #5 - Multiple Drivers
• #11 - LAYER
• #15 - Yukina Minato
• #17 - MASKING

Rokka has LOCKed up a part-time ride in Season 2! She did solidly last year, but she's decided for now to go part-time and wait for a real good opportunity to show itself. Maybe she'll be the one in that #11 truck next year...? She shares the seat with Lisa Imai, dropping down from the Regional Series to run a slate of four races for the team. More to come in the future!

Trivia: Leitz's best finish in NASCAR is currently 11th at Talladega last year in the O'Reilly Series.Adam Andretti is the brother of John, son of Aldo, and nephew of Mario Andretti.

• Team
• #1 - Multiple Drivers
• #11 - LAYER
• #15 - Yukina Minato
• #17 - MASKING

Rei did not make a good case for herself last year. She spent more time in the back than in the front and was in an incident nearly every race. Whatever, that's Season 1. Season 2 brings new horizons and sets LAYER in the #11 that lit the world on fire last year. There's a big road ahead; maybe being in this truck will be the magical boost of skill and speed she needs to succeed?

Trivia: Honeycutt was let go mid-year by Niece Motorsports after he announced his plans to drive for a new manufacturer. He would substitute for the injured Stewart Friesen and finish the year with an appearance in the Championship 4.

• Team
• #1 - Multiple Drivers
• #5 - Multiple Drivers
• #15 - Yukina Minato
• #17 - MASKING

Some consider Roselia to be the ultimate band. They've blitzed everything and everyone under the sun and moon, with a lot of that being attributed to vocalist Yukina. ...So why would such a talented singer choose to race? It's for two reasons: excitement and superiority. Get some new experience to follow what others do while also proving that you're better than all of them. Yukina won't settle for less; she's going to end up at the top one way or another.

Trivia: The driver Yukina represents is the youngest driver to win an NHRA event and the NHRA championship. He made the jump to stock cars in 2019.Tanner's younger brother Taylor races in the O'Reilly Series, represented in the Idol Racing League by Sumire Heanna.

• Team
• #1 - Multiple Drivers
• #5 - Multiple Drivers
• #11 - LAYER
• #17 - MASKING

Masuki learned last season exactly what it felt like to be overshadowed. While her teammate was out there winning 12 races, she only managed a single win. Still, a win's a win, and that builds confidence. Now that CHU² has relinquished her seat to Masuki's direct rival Rei, the two will be head-to-head in Season 2, fighting for the honor of being top dog of the team!

Trivia: -

• Team
• #1 - Multiple Drivers
• #5 - Multiple Drivers
• #11 - LAYER
• #15 - Yukina Minato

A new manufacturer has joined the festival, and Hasunosora Racers is the team to lead them in! RAM joins the party with hopes of getting Dodge to the Grand Festival Series in the near future. First, they have to prove they belong at all. That's where this quartet comes in. One is a champion, the others are unproven. On top of that, they've got a fifth truck with a rotating cast of all-stars! If there was ever a time to prove your worth, it's right now!

Trivia: 2026 marks RAM's return to NASCAR for the first time since 2012.

• Back to Teams
• #10 - Megumi Fujishima
• #12 - Rurino Osawa
• #14 - Kosuzu Kachimachi
• #16 - Hime Anyoji
• #25 - Multiple Drivers

Megu's here! Her journey to the IRL is a rather complicated one, as she initially didn't care to pay attention to it at all. She showed up to a race sometime during Season 2, saw the kinds of things that went on and how much fun everyone was having, and opted to give it a go in Season 4. Her rookie year in the Grand Festival Series was ultimately disappointing, but her love for her friends meant that she still wanted to keep going. She's now followed them to the Preliminary Series, hoping to do things the right way by climbing the ranks slowly so that maybe one day, she'll rise to the top of the chain.

Trivia: Daniel Dye was once arrested in 2022 after teabagging a guy and punching him in the nuts. I swear this is important information.You want GOOD trivia? Uh... the Dye family and the Petty family are very close. Daniel even ran the #43 in his early career in the Truck Series.

• Team
• #12 - Rurino Osawa
• #14 - Kosuzu Kachimachi
• #16 - Hime Anyoji
• #25 - Multiple Drivers

Rurino needed a change of scenery. Four seasons in the Grand Festival Series without a win was too long a wait, and Ruri'll admit it: her battery was near dead. After an offseason of big changes, she finds herself in the Preliminary Series as a headliner to a new manufacturer! Is this the year she recharges, or will she continue running on a short circuit?

Trivia: The driver she represents has affectionately been nicknamed Butterbean by his fans. This nickname came from him resembling boxer Eric Esch, who is also nicknamed Butterbean. Queen is also known for always eating at Waffle House after he wins a race.

• Team
• #10 - Megumi Fujishima
• #14 - Kosuzu Kachimachi
• #16 - Hime Anyoji
• #25 - Multiple Drivers

Kosuzu's had a weird ride through the IRL, not nearly the smooth ride she would've wanted. She didn't come in until the IRL's third season, and only ran in the Grand Festival Series for one year before dropping to the Regional Series. She's dropped even further now to the Preliminary Series, now surrounded by a team of friends and ardent supporters! With one top 10 finish under her belt already from a small part-time stint last year, she's all set to expand on that momentum and become a real championship dino! ...Her words, not mine.

Trivia: The driver of the #14 was chosen as part of a reality show known as RAM: Race For The Seat, where 15 drivers were pitted against each other on different track types and in different cars. Mini Tyrrell won the ride after the 8 episode series came to a close.

• Team
• #10 - Megumi Fujishima
• #12 - Rurino Osawa
• #16 - Hime Anyoji
• #25 - Multiple Drivers

Hime proved early in the Idol Racing League's life that she was a force to be reckoned with. She won the full-season championship in Season 2 and picked up 11 wins in three years, including the season-opening Daytona in Season 3. She was succeeded by Kaho in Season 4 and now moves to the Preliminary Series to try sealing up another league's title as her own! Hime is an asset that many teams wish that they had.

Trivia: Haley's only Cup Series win came in the 2019 Summer race at Daytona. He skipped pit road right before a lightning delay that would ultimately end the race, stealing a win from previous leader Kurt Busch.

• Team
• #10 - Megumi Fujishima
• #12 - Rurino Osawa
• #14 - Kosuzu Kachimachi
• #25 - Multiple Drivers

This team's fifth entry is a little special. It's a multi-driver truck, but a majority of the drivers will only be unveiled the week of the next race! Whether it's someone unexpected or one of the team's Grandfes drivers, they're sure to keep you wondering. Their drivers so far are Kozue Otomune, Tsuzuri Yugiri, and Airi Amano!

Trivia: The driver Kozue represents is three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, making his first NASCAR start in 10 years. Stewart has been racing in the NHRA since retiring from NASCAR.

• Team
• #10 - Megumi Fujishima
• #12 - Rurino Osawa
• #14 - Kosuzu Kachimachi
• #16 - Hime Anyoji

Rin can run a team? Well, it's moreso a joint effort between her and Hanayo. In the Preliminary Series' first season, this team was the direct competitor to RAS-Racers. They did the best they could against the titan, managing two wins and a spot in the Chase title's finale. But enough of that! It's a new year, and this team sports two returning drivers and two new ones. There's only one thing left to do: scratch and claw your way to the top!

Trivia: MHR (Also known as Bill McAnally Racing or BMR) has won 11 championships and 100 races in the ARCA West Series as of the beginning of the 2026 season.

• Back to Teams
• #18 - Mizuki Akiyama
• #19 - Maya Yamato
• #81 - Kurumi Shiratori
• #91 - Mai Azabu

Mizuki returns to the fray in the Preliminary Series' second season! Her first year in the sport may have been middling, but she's not been swayed. This racing thing is fun and she gets the added bonus of advertising her clothing brand around the track! From #81 to #18, Season 2 looks to be a good one for this fashionista.

Trivia: Ankrum is the first driver born in the 21st century to win a race in one of NASCAR's top three series. He was born in 2001.

• Team
• #19 - Maya Yamato
• #81 - Kurumi Shiratori
• #91 - Mai Azabu

If you want a quietly consistent driver that knows how her ride feels at any given point, there's not many better than Maya. One win isn't breaking barriers like the dominant force of the last season, but to win at all is a major achievement that this gal doesn't take for granted. A new year approaches and after nearly stealing a Chase title, she's ready to improve on what was already a solid season!

Trivia: In his early years in the sport, Hemric was known as a solid driver that could never win races. His first O'Reilly Series win was extra important as it also gave him the 2021 championship.

• Team
• #18 - Mizuki Akiyama
• #81 - Kurumi Shiratori
• #91 - Mai Azabu

People slander Kurumi a lot, especially after her exceptionally poor performance in the Regional Series last year. She wrecked out of races constantly and didn't even make it all the way through the year before the team she was with had to rebuild. Still, she brings some funds and a fun personality, ensuring that shop days and race days alike are never boring. Just remember that you're driving a hunk of steel, please...

Trivia: Wright is notorious for constant crashes and a lot of talentless moves....Sorry, Kurumi. Someone had to fill this spot.

• Team
• #18 - Mizuki Akiyama
• #19 - Maya Yamato
• #91 - Mai Azabu

Cool, calculated, and always thinking about her next move: that's what Mai brings to the table. She's worked hard for this moment, considering every possible move she could make to ultimately land here. Are her calculations correct, or will she tank in her maiden year?

Trivia: Eckes is the most recent driver to lead every lap en route to a race win. He accomplished this at Nashville Superspeedway in 2024. Not even Corey Heim did that in the same year or during his record-breaking 2025.

• Team
• #18 - Mizuki Akiyama
• #19 - Maya Yamato
• #81 - Kurumi Shiratori

For a winless team, they sure did their best to score one last year. Now that Season 2 has rolled around, RONDOM4id racing has evolved and done what the other big teams have done: bring in more hands! Now as VividM4id (because VividRONDOM4id would've been too much, apparently), they're off to hunt for trophies again. All the pieces are in place for them to get one, two, or many!

Trivia: The team they represent is the longest tenured Truck Series team, competing in at least one race every year since 1996. For reference, the Truck Series began in 1995. It isn't the NASCAR Truck Series without ThorSport.

• Back to Teams
• #13 - An Shiraishi
• #88 - Rika Seto
• #98 - Kohane Azusawa
• #99 - Tsubaki Aoyagi
• Part-Time Entries

Following a consistent mid-pack season, An drops to the Preliminary Series with hopes of victory. She's got all the gear she needs to do it: a competitive truck, the drive to win, and her girlfriend as a teammate! Street performances panned out, history was made, and now she's a big name like the rest with every weekend being rad!

Trivia: Butcher is primarily a short-track racer, having won seven races in the ASA STARS National Tour.

• Team
• #88 - Rika Seto
• #98 - Kohane Azusawa
• #99 - Tsubaki Aoyagi
• Part-Time Entries

Rika is coming off of a very "how did I not win one" season. Plenty of opportunities for victory presented themselves in Season 1, and yet every time, she was outclassed. Is she ready to hang it up? Absolutely not, this is Rika Seto we're talking about! She knows what she's capable of (a Season 0 Chase title proves that) and with her main competition gone, she'll bring the Merm4id vibes to the checkered flag!

Trivia: The driver Rika represents is the 2024 Truck Series champion, continuing a trend of ThorSport drivers sniping titles from more dominant competitors. Majeski won the title with 3 wins compared to 4 from Christian Eckes and 6 from Corey Heim.

• Team
• #13 - An Shiraishi
• #98 - Kohane Azusawa
• #99 - Tsubaki Aoyagi
• Part-Time Entries

Kohane and An were a package deal; where one went, the other followed. They end up with new teammates Rika and Tsubaki this year, with Kohane in particular ready to wash out the bad taste of some of the worst luck in last year's Regional Series field. It seemed like something went wrong every week; surely now, in a new place, the poor fortune has been dispelled...?

Trivia: Garcia is the youngest champion in the history of the ASA's Southern Super Series, a late model league that primarily runs in the southern United States.

• Team
• #13 - An Shiraishi
• #88 - Rika Seto
• #99 - Tsubaki Aoyagi
• Part-Time Entries

Tsubaki returns to the Preliminary Series for Season 2 at the behest of Rika! She kind of understands why those around her have taken a liking to racing, and in an effort to find out more, she's vowed to take victory. It could be anywhere; she's just gotta win. This drive has led to her becoming friends with Yukina Minato, Roselia's vocalist and now Rose-RAS racer. The two have similar goals and look to push each other in both song and on the track! Also, racing as a whole is incredibly taxing on her body. She continues regardless because the Preliminary Series has a short season... and because it makes Rika happy.

Trivia: The driver Tsubaki represents is a two-time Truck Series champion. Both years saw him win over drivers with more wins: he beat John Hunter Nemechek in 2021 despite Nemechek's 5 wins to his 2, and beat Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar, and Grant Enfinger in 2023. Hocevar had 4, Heim had 3, Enfinger had 2, and Rhodes had 1. We don't talk about that 2023 championship race; it was embarrassing. Rhodes didn't care, though. He was drunk off his ass celebrating his accomplishments!

• Team
• #13 - An Shiraishi
• #88 - Rika Seto
• #98 - Kohane Azusawa
• Part-Time Entries

VividM4id Racing also enters the #66 for a multitude of drivers! Currently, only one's been announced. Airi Momoi joins the team for 10 races, hoping to get a win streak going despite not running the full season.

Trivia: The driver Airi represents is a three-time Truck Series champion. He drove the #88 truck with exclusive sponsorship from Menards for 20 years straight before being succeeded by Ty Majeski this year. Crafton won his third title in 2019 without a race win, something unheard of in the "win-and-you're-in" playoff era.

• Team
• #13 - An Shiraishi
• #88 - Rika Seto
• #98 - Kohane Azusawa
• #99 - Tsubaki Aoyagi

What happens when two sisters combine their genius? Hikawa Motorsports happens! They had some good races in Season 1 and have picked up many, many drivers for Season 2. There's strength in numbers and this team is here to prove that!

Trivia: -

• Back to Teams
• #42 - Multiple Drivers
• #44 - Hina Hikawa
• #45 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

Re-introducing Sayo Hikawa and her friends sharing the #42! Sayo will run at Daytona before relinquishing the truck to the trio of Tsugumi Hazawa, Tsukushi Futaba, and Ayumi Torii for the rest of the season. Tsugumi and Tsukushi have experience, but Ayumi does not. Tsugumi's going to have to set a real strong example for her new teammates!

Trivia: The driver that Sayo represents is best known as a stuntman, as well as a freestyle motocross and rally racer. Pastrana was winning gold medals in the X Games at just 15 years old.The driver that Ayumi represents is infamous for an incident at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2024 where he intentionally sent Matt Mills (who Sayo represented last year) into the wall. While he didn't suffer any major injuries, Mills was still hospitalized after the incident, leading to Jones being suspended from NASCAR for a week.

• Team
• #44 - Hina Hikawa
• #45 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

Hina returns to the fray in Season 2, now as Hikawa Motorsports' only full-time racer! She had some strong runs last year before ultimately fizzling out late. Still, racing got her heart runnin' and boppin', and now she's completely hooked. She adapts quick, so a win is sure to follow this year!

Trivia: The driver Hina represents is the 2024 ARCA Series champion. Hailing from Mexico, he's the first foreign-born driver to win the title in that league. It came without a win, though, as most of the races were dominated by the pair of William Sawalich and Connor Zilisch.

• Team
• #42 - Multiple Drivers
• #45 - Multiple Drivers
• Part-Time Entries

Kinako Sakurakoji has found a new home in the Preliminary Series and shares the #45 with Grandfes drivers Mari Ohara and Leah Kazuno! Mari wants a strong shot on drafting tracks and Leah just wants to race as many times as she possibly can. Kinako's here to watch these multi-time winners work their magic in hopes of gleaning as much knowledge from them as she possibly can. One day, she'll be a multi-time winner in the Grand Festival Series, just like her upperclassmen!

Trivia: In this very same #45 in 2019, Chastain took victory at Gateway Motorsports Park. It's a win remembered because of a rather infamous soundbyte from commentator Vince Welch. Two words:"THE WHEEL"

• Team
• #42 - Multiple Drivers
• #44 - Hina Hikawa
• Part-Time Entries

Toko Kirigaya takes to the track again! She's really hit it big on the socials and is ready to do her part to expose more people to the Idol Racing League! She's already got one top 10 to her name in limited starts... maybe this racing thing is in her blood?...Please don't tell anyone that Misaki is here. She wants to keep her starts a secret so she doesn't have to answer the question of why Michelle can't drive a car.

Trivia: Mitchell is better known as content creator Cleetus McFarland and currently has over 4 million YouTube subscribers. He was close friends with the late Greg Biffle and now aims to one day compete in the Daytona 500 after he was pushed toward it. He runs Biffle's stylized number to honor his fallen friend, who tragically passed away in a plane crash in December of 2025.

• Team
• #42 - Multiple Drivers
• #44 - Hina Hikawa
• #45 - Multiple Drivers

Reportedly, there's a team out there running races and gathering footage for documentaries and movies about the Idol Racing League. ...Wait, reportedly? That team just straight-up exists! It's drivers are a well-known theater kid, her understudy, and a longtime actress following in the footsteps of her idol bandmates. They're rarely up front, but their names being on the entry list still draws in crowds.

Trivia: I'd like to use this team as an example of what's known as a "start-and-park" operation. Start-and-parks are teams that enter races for prize money, only running a few laps before pulling into the pits with a supposed mechanical issue. They've mostly gone extinct, but this team does it quite a bit, intentionally or not. Start-and-parks were a fairly huge problem in the 2000's and early 2010's.To further break the fourth wall, I've tried to re-contextualize them in a more positive light here.

• Back to Teams
• #2 - Multiple Drivers
• #22 - Multiple Drivers
• #33 - Chisato Shirasagi

This team definitely has a lot of "princely" drivers. Its by design; the girls in the stands love their knights in shining armor no matter their track position! Everyone featured on this team from Saki Shimozono, Ryo Aikawa, Yukuri Harumiya, and ringleader Kaoru Seta are all a part of production for the stage and movie adaptations of the Idol Racing League. They get track time and lead roles in some badass screenplays!

Trivia: The driver that Mikoto represents, in addition to having a really funny last name, is an instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School. He's taught many Cup Series drivers on how they can improve their skills on road courses.The driver that Yukuri represents is the son of former NASCAR team owner Tommy Baldwin.

• Team
• #22 - Multiple Drivers
• #33 - Chisato Shirasagi

Kaoru and Yukuri split their seat time between the #2 and #22. As for the addition of Yumi Fujishiro, she's here for the same reason as the others. She'll take the role of a seaside rival on the streets of St. Pete!

Trivia: The driver Yumi represents is the son of IndyCar pit reporter Kevin Lee.

• Team
• #2 - Multiple Drivers
• #33 - Chisato Shirasagi

Chisato always seems to be busy with something. Whether it be racing, strumming her bass, filming a spot for TV, or telling her good friend Kaoru to take a hike, she's always wrapped up in work. Thanks to being around former bandmate Aya so much, Chisato's outlook on life took a positive turn. Racing isn't easy, especially not with so much going on at once, but if there's anyone that can handle it, it's her!

Trivia: You may know the driver Chisato represents as the title character of Malcolm in the Middle. Always a fan, Muniz eventually made the full-time jump to ARCA and NASCAR in 2023. He now juggles filming the Malcolm reboot and a full season in the Truck Series.

• Team
• #2 - Multiple Drivers
• #22 - Multiple Drivers

Pa! The passion team runs in the Preliminary Series, too! They did solidly in Season 1, with both drivers being neck and neck in their stats. They return in Season 2, ready to hit even harder now that the title fight has opened up anew!

Trivia: FRM started their Truck Series team in 2020 with Todd Gilliland as their driver. It would take until 2022 and new driver Zane Smith before their first victory came at Daytona. Smith would go on to win the championship that same year.

• Back to Teams
• #34 - Chisato Arashi
• #38 - Ren Hazuki

Who knew driving in circles could be so much fun? Who knew circles were so cool? Chisato knew. She always knew. For her, circles are life, and for a series that mostly consists of oval tracks, it was a match made in heaven! She managed 3 wins in her first season and was the only one to keep up with champion CHU² in some capacity. She's proven she can win three times over, and now she's ready to keep up the momentum!

Trivia: The driver Chisato represents is the son of former driver Scott Riggs. Layne is the 2022 NASCAR Weekly Series champion, the youngest in series history.He also dislocated his arm celebrating his first Truck Series win at Milwaukee in 2024. He would win again at Bristol the race after, nearly a month apart. Truck race scheduling is weird.

• Team
• #38 - Ren Hazuki

After her graduation, Ren never thought for a second that this is where her life would take her. The world works in mysterious ways, however, and before she knew it, she got bit by the racing bug and had to give it a try. Her first year was a success that saw her take victory twice, and her second year will for sure see her improve on that number!

Trivia: Chandler Smith is from Talking Rock, Georgia. Nothing else to it, I just think that's a funny name for a town and the creek that it's named after.

• Team
• #34 - Chisato Arashi

The A-RISERS have taken to the Preliminary Series as well! This team has one goal: develop their Grandfes drivers, prep a new driver or two for a potential jump to another series, and most important of all; go trophy hunting! The operation may be new, but they absolutely mean business.

Trivia: Spire's Truck Series team started as a part-time entry in 2022. William Byron would give the team their first win that year at Martinsville. Kyle Larson would win for the team at North Wilkesboro in 2023 before they went full-time in 2024. They scored three wins: two from Kyle Busch and one from Rajah Caruth.

• Back to Teams
• #7 - Multiple Drivers
• #77 - Multiple Drivers

Since their Grandfes trio can't run EVERY Preliminary Series race, they've picked up a name here and there to help them out. Introducing Ceras Yanagida Lilienfeld, handpicked by Izumi to run a few races this year! Ceras isn't quite ready to make the full jump to racing just yet and hopes that these limited starts will get her acclimated. Tsubasa is here to help as she already knows well and good how to win... and as for Mei... well, she just wants 8 opportunities to snipe victory in a truck.

Trivia: The season opener at Daytona will mark McDowell's fifth Truck Series start. His first was in 2007, his second in 2009, then his third and fourth came last year in 2025.

• Team
• #77 - Multiple Drivers

Whether it be a Grandfes car or a Preliminary truck, Aurora Konohana has the #77 on lock for as many races as she possibly can! It's not a matter of if she'll win this year; it's a matter of when, especially in the Preliminary Series.Shika Shimazu joins the team for a one-off at St. Petersburg as well! She's looking to try something different after a tough season in D4FES. Let's Race! last year.

Trivia: I mention in another page that Cup Series drivers can only run 8 Truck Series races a year. Hocevar is allowed to run more because that restriction only applies to drivers who have been full-time in Cup for more than 3 years, and he's in his third year now. 13 is the absolute maximum he can run as Cup drivers can't run lower series Chase races at all, nor can they run standalone events, special races like the Triple Truck Challenge, or any new track on the schedule like San Diego this year.Moving over to Shika, the driver she represents is a semi-retired IndyCar driver. Hinch now works as a color commentator for the series' TV broadcasts.

• Team
• #7 - Multiple Drivers

While RoseRAS-Racers may be the big team for the Girls Band Party, there's others forging their own path. The smallest of which is the Sunset Racing Team, helmed by the Mitake family. They may be a smaller operation, but they're still a feisty one and have already taken it to the big teams once! They've brought on a little extra help this year in hopes to build the team and fell Goliath in more races.

Trivia: HFR began as a part-time team in 2016 and went full-time in 2017. Owner-driver Stewart Friesen has been the primary driver since, picking up 4 race wins for the team. His first came at Eldora in 2017.

• Back to Teams
• #52 - Ran Mitake
• #62 - Multiple Drivers

After scheduling conflicts with her family ended her season early, Ran returns to the Idol Racing League for Season 2! Her rookie year was humble, only 6 top 10s... but one of them was a win at Michigan, no doubt boosting confidence. Now in year 2, she's the same as always; the best she can be.

Trivia: Friesen is an international driver, hailing from Canada. He is one of six Canadians to win a race in one NASCAR's top three series.

• Team
• #52 - Ran Mitake

The #62 currently sees two drivers: Nozomi Tōjō and Himari Uehara! Nozomi's coming to the aid of a another smaller manufacturer-aligned team to help them in the right direction, while Himari plays a big role in the team's growth and is stepping up to run some road races!

Trivia: The team began running the #62 part-time in 2021. It's hosted a number of drivers since then, including names like Stewart Friesen's wife Jessica or two-time Truck Series champion Todd Bodine. It's now a full-time truck in 2026.

• Team
• #62 - Multiple Drivers

Team Constellation is the Sunset Racing Team's direct rival. Red vs. blue with the lead singer and guitarist of a band of childhood friends at the forefront. Neither Leo/need nor Afterglow have stopped performing, meeting up and pushing each other to greater heights at the turn of the Idol Racing League. Victory is ahead for this group; it's just a matter of when it'll be.

Trivia: This team, despite the name, is not operated by footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. It's owned by owner-driver Codie Rohrbaugh and he just so happened to run the #7 during his time in the ARCA Series.
This team is also known as Grant County Mulch Racing.

• Back to Teams
• #9 - Ichika Hoshino
• Part-Time Entries

While things might not have panned out this year, many eyes are on Ichika to break out and have a stellar sophomore year in the Preliminary Series. Getting in a Regional Series car at Daytona and winning with no prior experience is no easy feat; only someone with true talent can pull that off. If Ichika can mark off some wins this year, that'll bump her stock even more and she's certain to hit it big! It's what Miku would want, right?

Trivia: At the start of the 2026 season, Enfinger has 12 Truck Series wins. His first came at Talladega in 2016. His most exciting win was in a photo finish with Jordan Anderson in the 2020 season-opener at Daytona.

• Team
• Part-Time Entries

Every now and then, this team will run a second truck for someone part of the party or someone outside of it. The first of these drivers is Ichika's bandmate Saki Tenma! A lot's been said about her frailty, but thanks to time and medical advancements, she's well enough to give racing a try! Maybe something'll come of it and she'll go full-time next year?

Trivia: The driver Saki represents is older than most that compete. Kitzmiller will turn 53 in July of 2026. Despite his age, he finished third in the 2025 ARCA Series championship.

• Team
• #9 - Ichika Hoshino

With Noble Rose Garage merging its operations with RAS-Racers, someone had to fill the spot. In comes a face new and old, Team S.H.I.! This team was operational during the Preliminary Series' test season, and with this spot opening up, they're now right back where they were then! They aren't the fastest team in the world, but they sure do look cool.

Trivia: The team's full name is Rackley-Willie Allen Racing. Rackley Roofing is the team's main sponsor, and Willie Allen is one of the team's owners. In addition to their Truck Series team, they also run Pro Late Models, notably fielding entries for 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his son Keelan.

• Back to Teams
• #26 - Hitomi Shiga
• Part-Time Entries

Hitomi isn't here to make friends; she's here to hunt demons. By that, she means other racers that stand between her and victory lane! Okay, she might be a little eccentric, but we all are. She's got spirit and some talent for racing, and in the IRL, that's what matters.

Trivia: Dawson is the son of Curtis Sutton, co-owner of Rackley W.A.R.

• Team
• Part-Time Entries