Venturini to sell its race team to Nitro Motorsports

Some significant news rocked the stock car racing world on Friday as Venturini Motorsports (VMS) announced that the entire operation is being sold later this year. Nitro Motorsports will assume full ownership of the highly successful organization on October 15th, 2025.

To help with the transition, Billy Venturini will remain as the general manager for one year. The Venturinis have been a part of the stock car racing scene since the 1950s and have owned an ARCA team since 1982. ARCA serves as the final step for drivers seeking to reach the three national levels of NASCAR and Venturini has played host to countless rising stars over the years. Billy’s father Bill Sr. was a two-time ARCA champion as a driver and helped to establish the team with his wife Cathy.

VMS is also the oldest active ARCA team and its most successful with 107 wins with multiple championships. The team is closely linked to Toyota and its driver development program. Together, they’ve helped several current Cup stars climb the racing ladder. Among them are Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, William Byron, and Alex Bowman.

Billy Venturini reacts

“I want to thank my wife, my parents, my team, Jack Irving [general manager, Toyota Racing Development], Tyler Gibbs [vice president and president, Toyota Racing Development] and Ron Drager [president, ARCA]. Each of them is what has made this journey so very special,” said Billy Venturini in a release from the team.

“The last 20 years [as owner and general manager] have been very rewarding, but also incredibly demanding. I love what this sport has given to me, but in return, I gave it everything I had. So the time has come to be able to prioritize other things ahead of racing. As a racer, nothing comes before the sport. I understood, I believed, and lived by it. But it’s now time to prepare for my departure.

“I knew that the person who was to take this team over when the time came needed to be someone who carried that same passion and intensity that I did. Nick is that guy. Nick seems like the perfect fit to continue this program for the team and for Toyota with the same devotion to drivers development as I have.”

Who is Nitro Motorsports?

Toyota will continue its partnership with the new owners. Nitro Motorsports, founded by Nick Tucker, has competed in various Trans Am Series events, Toyota GR Cup North America races and the ARCA Menards Series as well.

“Nitro Motorsports foundation has been built on driver development; a pillar of what Venturini Motorsports has been known for and curated. My partner Joe (Tovo) and I understand the responsibility to carry on that legacy and the history that the Venturini family has poured their life’s work into and build on that for many years to come with Toyota Gazoo Racing,” said Tucker.

“With the acquisition of Venturini Motorsports, Nitro becomes the most vertically integrated driver development program in the world starting with our premier cadet Go Karting program (Nitro Kart) as the ground floor with progression to cars with Toyota GR Cup, Trans Am and now ARCA.”