There are some major changes on the horizon for Peterson Racing Group and its NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program.
Sources with intricate knowledge of the situation tell JosephSrigley.com that the first-year operation, based out of Sanford, North Carolina, will be sidelining its anchor driver, Austin Green, in multiple events throughout the remainder of the 2026 season, starting with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ next event at Pocono Raceway.
The Concord, North Carolina-native will NOT be piloting the No. 87 Chevrolet Camaro at Pocono Raceway on June 13 but is expected to return to the driver’s seat for at least the series’ two remaining road course events on the schedule at Naval Base Coronado (June 20) and Sonoma Raceway (June 27).
Nick Sanchez is expected to replace Green as driver of the No. 87 at Pocono Raceway, as well as the final five events of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular-season – Chicagoland, EchoPark, Indianapolis, Iowa, and Daytona – to assess the team’s equipment. It is unclear what the organization plans to do for the final nine events of the season (AKA “The Chase”).
Sanchez, a native of Miami, Florida, began the year as the full-time driver of the No. 25 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for AM Racing, but was left without a ride after the organization abruptly closed its doors following the seventh race of the season at Martinsville Speedway.
The 24-year-old driver ran full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Big Machine Racing in 2025, collecting a victory at EchoPark Speedway last June, and finishing 11th-place in final point standings. Sanchez was initially expected to return to the No. 48 in 2026 but was replaced in the middle of the off-season by Patrick Starapoli.
Peterson Racing Group has been the one constant for Green throughout his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career – joining the series in 2024 as part of a joint effort between the former Trans Am Series team and Jordan Anderson Racing. In 2026, the team elected to break away from its partnership with JAR to field its own entry, with support from Richard Childress Racing.
In 37 career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events, Green has recorded a pair of top-fives and 10 top 10 results, including a career-best runner-up finish last Fall at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
An attempt to reach out to Peterson Racing Group has gone unanswered.
Photo: Tyson Gifford
