The NASCAR lawsuit concluded exactly a week ago. For the past two years, two Cup Series teams had been wrangling for a more manageable revenue model, as NASCAR’s charter system revealed financial holes. And as the evidence grew more eye-opening over the two-week trial, the sport had no choice but to settle for permanent charters for the Cup Series. However, one of the lower-tier teams, which has no charter system, may hold a different opinion.

NASCAR team owner lays out his verdict

“I think it’s absolutely crazy that you have cup teams that race in our level and then have four or five different teams in their level. It’s just kind of weird. And for anybody that says, “Well, that would gut the series.” It’s like, “No, it wouldn’t because we would run another car and Sam Hunt would run another car and Ryan C would run another car.” And so, I mean, the series would just fill out. I mean, it would be fine,” Tommy Joe Martins recently said about implementing charters in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Owner of Alpha Prime Racing, Martins started his team ownership journey back in 2020. From joining hands with Caesar Bacarella in 2022 to fetching double top-fives this year at the Circuit of the Americas with Parker Retzlaff and Brennan Poole, the team has achieved many milestones. Alpha Prime clinched a 20th-place finish in the Xfinity Series owners’ standings, with the No. 44 Chevrolet team driven by Brennan Poole, who placed 18th in Saturday’s race. Retzlaff’s No. 4 team ended up 24th in the owners’ points.

Nevertheless, the economic situation of Alpha Prime has not been remarkable. It was evident in the fiery dispute that erupted over the team’s tire management at the Xfinity Series finale in Phoenix. Tommy Joe Martins clashed with the No. 4 crew chief, Joe Williams, over deciding not to use a set of tires. Martins admitted that due to the team’s small budget nature, they take tires often from the Truck Series or other teams, as it is cheaper than taking full-allotment tires. And that is what Martins reiterated while making his point for charters.

“It’s not just buying the stuff and going and racing. It’s the cost of continuing to race, right? There is a permanent cost in doing that and trying to make your team better and get better equipment and hire better people or pay them more or upgrade your facility or whatever you’re doing. So, like, you have to be profitable,” he said.

While tackling his team’s struggles, Tommy Joe Martins is also gaining fame for his noble work.

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Recognizing the lower series’ efforts

The hierarchy in NASCAR is no secret. The Cup Series reigns above O’Reilly and Trucks, with bigger exposure, paychecks, and sponsors. So what Tommy Joe Martins came up with dispels this disparity a little bit, to make all drivers feel valued. He introduced an awards ceremony called the “Grand National Bash,” focused particularly on the best-performing teams and individuals outside the Cup Series. The inaugural event of this ceremony was conducted last Sunday night. JR Motorsports won the Premier Organization of the Year award.

“All of us are racing for something. No matter the size of the organization, racing at this level is a big deal. It doesn’t exist without all of us. And that should be celebrated!” Tommy Joe Martins said in an official statement.

The Grand National Bash groups teams into four categories. These are Premier, Affiliate, Independent, and Breakout. A specialized panel of media members, drivers, agents, and team representatives selects the nominees for each award, with the help of data from Racing Insights. Beyond teams, it also recognizes crew chiefs and drivers. Several crew chiefs, including Jim Pohlman, Joe Shear Jr., and Danny Stockman, and many drivers like Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Corey Heim, Jesse Love, and others received nominations.

Clearly, Tommy Joe Martins’ contribution makes a deep impact on the sport. Let’s wait and see if his charter confession leads to anything.