Ryan Ellis – Young’s Motorsports Photo
Young’s Motorsports EchoPark Speedway July NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Team Preview
Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Ryan Ellis
Primary Partner(s): If You Give a Child a Book [1] — Tablo TV [2]
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Eddie Troconis
2026 Driver Points Position: 28th
2026 Owner Points Position: 34th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing
Notes of Interest:
● Year Three, Driven Forward: In November 2025, Ryan Ellis was
announced as Young’s Motorsports’ full-time driver in the NASCAR
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as the organization enters its third season
of competition.
In a significant step for 2026, Young’s Motorsports will transition
its flagship No. 02 — long synonymous with the organization’s
success in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series — to the NASCAR
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time, underscoring the team’s
continued growth at the national level.
Ellis will pilot the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro
across the full 33-race schedule, continuing with Saturday night’s
Focused Health 250 at EchoPark (Ga.) Speedway and culminating with the
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami
(Fla.) Speedway in November.
● About Ryan: A respected veteran in the NASCAR garage, Ellis joins
Young’s Motorsports with more than a decade of experience across
NASCAR’s national ranks, including competition in the NASCAR Cup
Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
The 2026 season will mark Ellis’ fourth full-time campaign in the
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The 35-year-old Virginia native is coming off his first career NASCAR
top-10 finish in 2025 and looks to build on that momentum while
continuing to expand his résumé, which includes 184 career starts in
series competition.
Known for his consistency, professionalism, and versatility both behind
the wheel and in the garage, Ellis aims to apply his experience to
elevate Young’s Motorsports’ competitive presence in its third
season of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition.
● All-Aboard!: For the 21st of 33 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races
this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Scripps Howard Fund’s “If
You Give a Child a Book [3] …” campaign, using one of the sport’s
biggest stages to help encourage childhood literacy and inspire the next
generation of readers.
The initiative also reflects Ellis’ longstanding relationship with Tablo
TV [4], a valued partner of Ellis and Young’s Motorsports.
Tablo TV [5] is owned by Nuvyyo, a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W.
Scripps Company. The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established
by The E.W. Scripps Company, created the “If You Give a Child a Book
…” campaign to expand access to books for children in under-resourced
communities.
The nationally recognized program provides brand-new, age-appropriate
and culturally relevant books to students attending elementary schools,
helping children build their own home libraries while fostering a
lifelong love of reading.
The initiative reaches more than 32,000 students across nearly 100
elementary schools each year, with a goal of giving every participating
student 10 books annually.
Since its launch in 2016, the campaign has distributed nearly two
million books to children across communities served by The E.W. Scripps
Company and will celebrate its two-millionth book distribution later
this year.
For more on the “If You Give a Child a Book …” program, please visit
scripps.com/fund [6]
● Tablo TV and GOVX Celebrate Those Who Serve: Tablo TV [7] and GOVX
[8] will also continue their partnership this weekend at EchoPark
Speedway.
GOVX [9], the members-only platform serving U.S. military personnel,
veterans, first responders, emergency medical professionals and
government employees, provides exclusive access to premium brands and
special pricing for those who serve.
Tablo TV [10] and GOVX [11] will continue to build on their new
partnership this weekend, celebrating military members, veterans and
their families through an exclusive offer for the military community.
Following the successful launch during the United Rentals Driven to
Serve 250 on June 20, eligible GOVX [12] members can receive $30 off the
Tablo Total System [13], making it even easier to enjoy free
over-the-air television at home.
● Tablo Gives Fans More Ways to Watch NASCAR: As a valued partner of
Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, NASCAR fans have even more ways to
watch and record racing action with Tablo.
Fourth-generation Tablo DVR owners can now access and record The NASCAR
Channel, featuring 24/7 free programming, including classic races,
delayed broadcasts of the current season, select live events, NASCAR
Studios original content, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Morning
Drive.
The addition brings Tablo’s lineup to 106 free streaming channels,
complementing its ability to watch and record free local broadcast
television with a TV antenna through its whole-home DVR platform.
● Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with Tablo: With the world’s
biggest soccer tournament underway, Tablo TV offers fans an easy and
affordable way to watch live matches from official broadcast partners
FOX and Telemundo — all without a monthly subscription.
With a one-time device purchase, a TV antenna and the free Tablo TV app,
viewers can watch, pause, record and stream FIFA World Cup 2026™
action alongside local broadcast favorites from NBC, CBS, ABC, ION and
The CW on compatible devices throughout their home.
Whether you’re cheering on your favorite nation, catching every NASCAR
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on The CW or enjoying your favorite
local programming, Tablo makes it simple to bring America’s biggest
sporting events and entertainment home for free.
● Ryan Ellis O’Reilly Auto Parts Series EchoPark (Ga.) Speedway
Stats: Saturday night’s second race of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto
Parts Series season from the Hampton, Ga. track will mark Ellis’
eighth career start at the 1.54-mile quad oval.
In his previous seven Atlanta starts, Ellis’s best result occurred
during the 2025 edition of the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250,
where he earned a track-best 18th, driving for DGM Racing.
Overall, he holds an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series average finish of 22.1
at the famed hybrid speedway oval.
In addition to his seven NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts,
Ellis has one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at the track formerly
known as Atlanta (Ga.). Motor Speedway in the 2021 FR8 Auctions 200,
driving for Team Reaume.
This weekend, the NASCAR national series returns to EchoPark Speedway
for one of the sport’s marquee summer events, with the NASCAR O’Reilly
Auto Parts Series kicking off an exciting weekend of racing on Saturday
night before the NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage in the Quaker
State 400 available at Walmart, under the lights on Sunday night, July
13.
Located just south of Atlanta in Hampton, Georgia, EchoPark Speedway has
transformed into one of NASCAR’s most exciting and unpredictable venues
following its 2022 reconfiguration. The high-banked 1.54-mile oval now
produces intense, superspeedway-style hybrid racing, where drafting,
split-second decisions and teamwork often determine the outcome.
With tightly packed fields running inches apart, drivers must balance
aggression with patience while avoiding the inevitable late-race chaos
that has become synonymous with racing at EchoPark Speedway.
As temperatures ease following sunset, changing track conditions and the
constant battle for track position place even greater importance on
communication between driver and crew chief, while pit strategy and
timely drafting can make the difference between contending for a top
finish or getting caught in someone else’s mistake.
With another nationally televised opportunity on one of NASCAR’s premier
stages, Ellis and Young’s Motorsports will look to capitalize on the
speed they’ve shown throughout the 2026 season as the No. 02 team
continues its pursuit of valuable championship points heading deeper
into the summer schedule.
For Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, EchoPark Speedway presents another
opportunity to execute a complete race, stay in contention throughout
the evening and position themselves for a strong finish when it matters
most.
● Ryan Ellis NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Career Stats:
Entering Atlanta, Ellis has 184 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
races to his credit, earning a career-best sixth-place finish after
starting 32nd in the 2026 edition of the United Rentals 300 at Daytona
(Fla.) International Speedway for Young’s Motorsports.
Since his 2012 debut, Ellis has averaged a 26.5 finish in series
competition, including the past three seasons running full-time.
● Chicagoland Speedway | Cuervo 300 Race Recap: The NASCAR O’Reilly
Auto Parts Series returned to the Windy City this past weekend, making
its first visit to Chicagoland Speedway in seven years.
A massive thunderstorm swept through the Joliet, Illinois, area Friday
afternoon, forcing NASCAR officials to revise the weekend schedule.
Friday’s practice session was postponed until Saturday afternoon,
replacing the scheduled qualifying session, while qualifying was
canceled altogether.
As a result, teams had just one on-track session to dial in their cars
before Saturday night’s Cuervo 300.
Using the lone practice session to establish a baseline setup, Ellis
rolled off 28th for the 200-lap event. After maintaining solid track
position through the opening two stages, the handling on the No. 02
Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet continued to improve in the final stage.
Ellis capitalized on the adjustments, methodically working his way
through the field to secure a lead-lap 22nd-place finish at the
checkered flag.
With the second half of the 2026 season now underway, Ellis and Young’s
Motorsports turns its attention to NASCAR’s final trip to Georgia this
year, looking to build on the momentum gained at both Sonoma Raceway and
Chicagoland Speedway as the team heads into one of the season’s marquee
summer race weekends at EchoPark Speedway.
● Calling the Shots: Guiding Ryan Ellis as crew chief of the No. 02
Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief, engineer
and industry veteran Eddie Troconis.
On Saturday, Troconis will call his 42nd NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts
Series race from atop the pit box. In his previous 41 starts, he has
recorded two top-10 finishes, most recently in the 2026 season-opener at
Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The season’s 21st race will mark his fourth tango at EchoPark Speedway
as crew chief in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Troconis, however, brings valuable experience to the 1.54-mile quad
oval. As a crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, he has made
seven starts at EchoPark Speedway, earning three top-five and three
top-10 finishes, including a career-best track result of second with
Cameron Hayley in the 2016 Great Clips 200 while leading ThorSport
Racing.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark
Speedway: This weekend’s Focused Health 250 will mark Young’s
Motorsports’ seventh and eighth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts
at EchoPark Speedway.
In the organization’s six previous appearances at the 1.54-mile Georgia
oval, the team has earned a track-best finish of 17th, recorded by
rookie driver Leland Honeyman Jr. in the 2024 edition of the Focused
Health 250.
Last season, the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization showcased
impressive speed in both NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events at
EchoPark Speedway. However, both promising performances ended
prematurely after Anthony Alfredo was collected in separate late-race
incidents.
Earlier this year, Young’s Motorsports continued to show speed at the
reconfigured superspeedway-style venue, with Nick Leitz earning an
18th-place finish and Ryan Ellis bringing home a 22nd-place result.
Those efforts improved the organization’s average finishing position at
EchoPark Speedway to 24.0, while carrying an average starting position
of 29.5.
Beyond its NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program, Young’s
Motorsports has made 21 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at EchoPark
Speedway since 2015.
The organization owns an average finishing position of 22.0, highlighted
by a team-best 10th-place finish with Austin Dillon in the 2018 Active
Pest Control 200.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Since entering the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024, the
family-owned organization has logged 106 starts and earned one top-five
and four top-10 finishes while maintaining an average starting position
of 27.4 and an average finish of 24.9.
● Follow on Social Media: For more on Ryan Ellis, please visit
ryanellisracing.com [14], like him on Facebook [15] (Ryan Ellis), and
follow him on Instagram [16] (@ryanellisracing), TikTok [17]
(@ryanellisracing), and X | Twitter [18] (@ryanellisracing).
For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com,
[19] like them on Facebook [20] (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them
on Instagram [21] (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter [22]
(@youngsmtrsports).
Ryan Ellis Quoteboard:
On EchoPark Speedway: “EchoPark is always one of the wildest races on
the schedule. You’re constantly drafting, making split-second decisions,
and trying to put yourself in the right place without taking unnecessary
risks.
“We’ve shown some encouraging speed the last few weeks, and I think
our No. 02 team is heading in the right direction. If we can execute,
avoid the chaos and be there at the end, I think we have a chance to put
together another solid result.”
On Keys to Success at EchoPark Speedway: “EchoPark Speedway is all about
patience and execution. You have to race with your head as much as your
right foot because things can change in a hurry. Maintaining momentum,
making smart decisions in the draft and staying out of trouble are all
critical.
“If we can execute throughout the race and keep ourselves in
contention over the final laps, I think we’ll have a good opportunity to
bring home another solid finish for everyone at Young’s Motorsports.”
On Goals for EchoPark Speedway: “The goal is to keep the momentum
rolling. We’ve continued to make improvements as a team, and I’d like to
see us put together another clean, competitive race.
“If we can stay with the lead pack, avoid mistakes and be in the mix
when it counts, I think we’ll have an opportunity to bring home another
strong finish and continue building confidence heading into the second
half of the season.”
On If You Give a Child a Book [23] Campaign: “I’ve been incredibly
fortunate to chase my dream of competing in NASCAR, and that journey
started because people believed in me and invested in my future. “Every
child deserves the chance to dream big, and reading is one of the best
ways to open those doors.
“The work the Scripps Howard Fund is doing through ‘If You Give a
Child a Book …’ is making a real difference in communities across the
country.
“Knowing that nearly two million books have already reached children
who need them most is remarkable, and I’m honored to help bring more
awareness to a program that’s changing lives one book at a time.”
On Goals for Reminder of 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
Season: “Our goals for the remainder of the season are pretty
straightforward.
“We want to continue building on the speed we’ve shown recently,
execute more consistently, and put ourselves in a position to capitalize
on opportunities when they come. We’ve had several races where our speed
has been better than the final result, so the focus now is on turning
that potential into finishes.
“Everyone at Young’s Motorsports has continued to work hard and make
improvements throughout the year, and if we can keep qualifying well,
stay out of trouble and execute throughout the race, I believe we can
close out the season with some of our strongest performances of the year
and earn results that truly reflect the effort that’s gone into this
program.”
No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Nick Leitz
Primary Partner(s): Precision Measurements Inc. [24]
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2026 Driver Points Position: 77th (One Race)
2026 Owner Points Position: 32nd
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing
Notes of Interest:
● Year Three, Driven Forward: Young’s Motorsports continues its
campaign in the newly rebranded NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series,
looking to build momentum with its expanding two-car effort as the
season rolls on at EchoPark Speedway this weekend.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series part-time driver Nick Leitz will
return and pilot the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro in
the 21st race of the 33-race 2026 schedule.
About Nick: A relatively new face across NASCAR’s national series,
Leitz has been quickly and quietly building a resume with plenty of
experience and diversity.
With a healthy presence in the Late Model scene in the northeast, the
Chesapeake, Va. native graduated to the NASCAR scene in 2022 and has
been running a limited schedule since.
Last season, Leitz made a solo start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck
Series for Young’s Motorsports at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, while also
campaigning a 13-race schedule in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts
Series for SS-GreenLight Racing.
The Virginian opened the 2026 NASCAR season with a career-best
11th-place finish in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona (Fla.)
International Speedway, driving the No. 5 for TRICON Garage in his ninth
series’ start.
● All-Aboard!: For the 21st of 33 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races
this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Precision Measurements Inc.
[25] as the primary partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday
evening’s 163-lap event.
Precision Measurements Inc. [26] (PMI) is a full service Land Surveying
firm, established in 1995, providing surveying services statewide,
nationwide and internationally with offices in Virginia Beach, Newport
News, Richmond and Chantilly, Virginia as well as Columbia, Maryland.
PMI [27] is currently licensed to perform surveying services in
Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware,
Massachusetts, Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and
Tennessee.
● Nick Leitz O’Reilly Auto Parts Series EchoPark Speedway Stats:
Saturday night’s second race of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts
Series season from the Hampton, Ga., track will mark Leitz’s sixth
career start at the 1.54-mile quad oval.
In his previous five Atlanta starts Leitz’s best result occurred
during the 2026 edition of the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250,
where he earned a track-best 18th, driving for Young’s Motorsports.
Overall, he holds an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series average finish of 22.0
at the famed hybrid speedway oval.
This weekend, the NASCAR national series returns to EchoPark Speedway
for one of the sport’s marquee summer events, with the NASCAR O’Reilly
Auto Parts Series kicking off an exciting weekend of racing on Saturday
night before the NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage in the Quaker
State 400 available at Walmart, under the lights on Sunday night, July
13.
Located just south of Atlanta in Hampton, Georgia, EchoPark Speedway has
transformed into one of NASCAR’s most exciting and unpredictable venues
following its 2022 reconfiguration. The high-banked 1.54-mile oval now
produces intense, superspeedway-style hybrid racing, where drafting,
split-second decisions and teamwork often determine the outcome.
With tightly packed fields running inches apart, drivers must balance
aggression with patience while avoiding the inevitable late-race chaos
that has become synonymous with racing at EchoPark Speedway.
As temperatures ease following sunset, changing track conditions and the
constant battle for track position place even greater importance on
communication between driver and crew chief, while pit strategy and
timely drafting can make the difference between contending for a top
finish or getting caught in someone else’s mistake.
With the eyes of the motorsports world focused on NASCAR’s annual summer
night showdown at EchoPark Speedway, Nick Leitz and the No. 42 Young’s
Motorsports team will look to build on the speed they showed at the
Georgia oval earlier this season, put together another strong
performance and continue adding to the team’s notebook as the second
half of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season gains
momentum.
● Nick Leitz NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Career Stats:
Entering Atlanta, Leitz has 21 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races
to his credit, earning a career-best 11th-place finish after starting
28th in the 2025 edition of the United Rentals 250 at Talladega (Ala.)
Superspeedway for SS-GreenLight Racing.
Since his 2023 debut, he has averaged a 26.9 finish in series
competition.
● Calling the Shots: Guiding Leitz as crew chief of the No. 42
Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew
Abbott.
On Saturday, he will be the crew chief in his 182nd NASCAR O’Reilly
Auto Parts Series race. In his previous 181 races, he has four top-five
and 14 top-10 finishes.
The season’s 21st race will be his ninth tango at EchoPark Speedway as
crew chief in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
In 2020, Abbott guided veteran driver Jeremy Clements to a solid
13th-place finish in the EchoPark 250.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark
Speedway: This weekend’s Focused Health 250 will mark Young’s
Motorsports’ seventh and eighth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts
at EchoPark Speedway.
In the organization’s six previous appearances at the 1.54-mile Georgia
oval, the team has earned a track-best finish of 17th, recorded by
rookie driver Leland Honeyman Jr. in the 2024 edition of the Focused
Health 250.
Last season, the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization showcased
impressive speed in both NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events at
EchoPark Speedway. However, both promising performances ended
prematurely after Anthony Alfredo was collected in separate late-race
incidents.
Earlier this year, Young’s Motorsports continued to show speed at the
reconfigured superspeedway-style venue, with Nick Leitz earning an
18th-place finish and Ryan Ellis bringing home a 22nd-place result.
Those efforts improved the organization’s average finishing position at
EchoPark Speedway to 24.0, while carrying an average starting position
of 29.5.
Beyond its NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program, Young’s
Motorsports has made 21 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at EchoPark
Speedway since 2015.
The organization owns an average finishing position of 22.0, highlighted
by a team-best 10th-place finish with Austin Dillon in the 2018 Active
Pest Control 200.
● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Since entering the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2024, the
family-owned organization has logged 106 starts and earned one top-five
and four top-10 finishes while maintaining an average starting position
of 27.4 and an average finish of 24.9.
● Follow on Social Media: For more on Nick Leitz, please visit
NickLeitzRacing.com [28], like him on Facebook [29] (Nick Leitz) and
follow him on Instagram [30] (@nickleitz) and X | Twitter [31]
(@NickLeitz_).
For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com,
[32] like them on Facebook [33] (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them
on Instagram [34] (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter [35]
(@youngsmtrsports).
Nick Leitz Quoteboard:
On EchoPark Speedway: “EchoPark Speedway is one of the most exciting
races on the schedule because you’re constantly racing in the draft and
every decision matters.
“We learned a lot there earlier this season, and I think that’s
something we can build on this weekend. Hopefully we can keep ourselves
in contention, stay out of trouble and give our No. 42 Young’s
Motorsports team another solid finish.”
On Keys to Success at EchoPark Speedway: “The biggest key is staying
disciplined and keeping your momentum. The draft can change in a hurry,
so you have to make smart decisions, work well with the cars around you
and avoid putting yourself in bad situations.
“If we can execute on pit road, stay with the lead pack and be there
over the closing laps, I think we’ll give ourselves a chance to come
away with another solid finish for Young’s Motorsports.”
On Goals for EchoPark Speedway: “Every chance I get behind the wheel is
an opportunity to gain experience and continue building confidence.
“We had a solid run at EchoPark Speedway earlier this season, so I’d
like to build on that, execute a clean race and put ourselves in
position for another strong finish. If we can do that, it’ll be a great
weekend for everyone at Young’s Motorsports.”
On Another NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Opportunity with
Young’s Motorsports: “I’m really thankful to Tyler Young and everyone
at Young’s Motorsports for believing in me and giving me another
opportunity.
“Every race at this level is valuable, and I don’t take that for
granted. Hopefully, we can build on our last race together, execute a
clean weekend and give the team a finish they deserve.”
Race Information:
The Focused Health 250 (163 laps | 251.02 miles) is the 21st of
thirty-three (33) NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026
schedule. Qualifying will occur on race day, Saturday, July 11,
launching at 11:00 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag
shortly after 7:00 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the
Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All
times are local (ET).
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