CONCORD, N.C. — After two years of racing for Trifecta Motorsports at the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink, Michael Faccinto will join the team full time this year.
The Hanford, Calif. driver enters his rookie campaign with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota as the gasser of the Stanton-powered Spike Chassis No.5U for co-owners Steve Carbone and Staton Flurry.
“I’ve been lucky enough to drive for Trifecta the last two years at the Chili Bowl,” Faccinto said. “I developed a really good relationship with Steve, they reached out and asked if I would be interested in doing this whole deal and I was all on board. It’s going to be an exciting year, we got great partners behind us, and I’m looking forward to get out there and get going.”
He’ll also have a familiar face by his side, as Bobby “Janky” Milliser will turn the wrenches on Faccinto’s machine as they reunite in their first chance to chase the series title.
“I’m at a pretty high confidence [level] with Trifecta,” Faccinto said. “Janky and I actually worked together quite a bit, probably seven or eight years ago, and when we got to work at Tulsa a couple of years ago, it just felt right at home.
“Preparing for the 2025 season, I’m excited to know the boys have been putting in the hard work with me being out in California, but I know they’re prepared to tackle the season. They want a championship, so I want to deliver it to them.”
Faccinto has extensive open-wheel dirt racing experience, winning the 2022 USAC Western States Midget title and making various starts with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, American Sprint Car Series, USAC National Midgets and Micro Sprints.
Despite no Xtreme Outlaw starts to his name until the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 changes the stat, Faccinto is savoring every second he gets on the track as his way of being fresh and fast at the start.
“Track time, especially, is huge,” Faccinto said. “The track tendencies, running the curb or running the bottom, it’s obviously different than a Sprint Car or Micro, but that seat time, feeling it in your butt, it’s good to have that time in it. I’m going to spend time with Xtreme, but also running Midgets out in California, Winged Sprint Cars and a Micro on the off nights by just staying busy and staying as sharp as I can.”
The Californian is making his first touring endeavor outside of the West Coast U.S. with most of the tracks being new to him when he arrives for competition. Despite the unfamiliarity, he’s got eyes on the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway, Coles County Speedway for the Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series doubleheader, and the Pennsylvania Xtreme Appalachian Midget Week.
“To be honest, I haven’t really been to a lot of the places,” Faccinto said. “I’m looking forward to Coles County. I’ve seen a lot of videos of that place, and it looks right up my alley there. Even the season-opener at Farmer City, that track to me kind of fits the style.
“But getting out to Pennsylvania, running those racetracks, you see it out in California, you see all the videos of Pennsylvania tracks and they look [made] for the Midgets. They’re tight bullrings, just like California, so I would say those are what I’m looking toward the most.”
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