“We don’t have anybody signed”: Alpha Prime Racing faces uncertain 2026 as co-owner hints at Parker Retzlaff’s departure

Alpha Prime Racing (APR) will enter the off-season in a state of flux. Co-owner Caesar Bacarella has revealed that no drivers are signed for the 2026 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Bacarella is hoping that Parker Retzlaff joins a "bigger team" after leaving at the end of this season.

APR fields multiple full-time entries in the Xfinity Series this season. The No. 44 car with Brennan Poole and the No. 4 for Retzlaff. The team also fields the No. 45 Chevy for multiple drivers. During the latest episode of The Motor Stardom Show, co-owner and part-time driver of the No. 5 car, Bacarella, shared that none of the team's two full-time drivers are expected to return for the upcoming NASCAR season.

"We don't know what Poole is going to do next year, still, so right now we don't have any drivers for next year, signed, you know? So, we're kinda in limbo. It's kinda sketchy for the first time. It's like, we've done better, but right now, we don't have anybody signed for next year," Bacarella said.

Bacarella also hinted that Retzlaff, who is ranked 22nd in the Xfinity playoff standings with two races left this season, might be joining another team.

"The kid has a really bright future, you know, and I hope he moves up. We had the conversations for next year. I don't think he's going to be with us. I hope he might be going to a bigger team, which I'm hoping. I'm proud of the kid, so if he has other opportunities, I said, 'Attaboy, go ahead, go for it,' but would love to have him back," Bacarella added.

ARCA Menards driver Lavar Scott made his Xfinity debut with Alpha Prime Racing at Dover Motor Speedway this season. Team co-owner Tommy Joe Martins has also raced part-time in the team's No. 45 Chevy.

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Alpha Prime Racing still in the hunt for a win

Alpha Prime Racing was founded in 2009 as Martins Motorsports and rebranded under the APR name in 2022. used to compete in the NASCAR Truck and ARCA series. The team has made 248 starts in the three series but has failed to land a win.

Parker Retzlaff joined Alpha Prime Racing this season in the No. 4 Chevy. The 22-year-old has collected three top-10 finishes so far. His career-best finish of second place came at Rockingham Speedway earlier this year. He also posted a seventh-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend.

Meanwhile, Brennan Poole, who completed his first season with the team in 16th place overall last season, is ranked 19th in the Xfinity points standings ahead of this week's Round of 8 finale race. He has five top-10 finishes, including two top-5s at Martinsville and Rockingham so far.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar