The NASCAR world got a jolt on July 18 when Our Motorsports announced it’s pulling the plug after this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover Motor Speedway. The news hit hard, marking the end of the road for a team that’s been part of the racing fabric for six years. With the season still rolling, it’s a sudden exit that’s left folks wondering about the struggles behind the scenes, especially whispers of payout dollars not adding up. The garage is buzzing, and the timing couldn’t feel more dramatic with Dover’s concrete mile looming.

The shakeup started after the Sonoma Raceway event, where Our Motorsports parted ways with driver Kris Wright. In his place, Kaz Grala stepped into the No. 5 for the Dover race, signaling a last-minute pivot. The team put out a statement saying, “Our Motorsports and Kris Wright have officially parted ways following the Sonoma race on July 15, 2025.” They added that the season would wrap up Saturday in Dover with Grala behind the wheel of the number 5 Ferguson Chevrolet. It’s a quiet handover, but the weight of what’s next is unmistakable.

Then came the bigger blow: “Our Motorsports will cease operations in NASCAR racing moving forward. Thank you to NASCAR, Chevrolet, the fans, employees, and drivers, for a good ride over the last 6 years.” Those words carry a mix of gratitude and finality, closing a chapter that began in 2020 when Brett Moffitt took the wheel for most races in the No. 02. The team switched to the No. 5 in 2024, with Anthony Alfredo delivering two top fives and seven top 10s, showing some promise.

Our Motorsports did have a good run with Anthony Alfredo last year, with five top 10s and two top 5 finishes with the #5 team. But, fast forward to 2025, they found themselves in trouble, and the on-track results didn’t help their cause, forcing them to make a tough decision. Kaz Grala chimed in with a tweet, saying, “Grateful that @OurMotorsports reached out and wanted to race together this weekend as they close this chapter as a team. We’re gonna give it all we’ve got to cap things off on a high note tomorrow! I appreciate @LEGACYMotorClub and @ToyotaRacing for letting me take any opportunities that come my way. Was business as usual this week, and The CLUB’s Dover package felt a little extra sporty in sim.” It’s a heartfelt nod to the team’s final push, blending gratitude with a determined spirit.

The shutdown of Our Motorsports points to a larger problem simmering in the whole business model of the Xfinity Series. The sport’s financial strain seems to be hitting smaller teams hardest, raising questions about whether the payout structure and rising costs allow smaller outfits to stay afloat. It’s a wake-up call that’s got the industry talking about the need for a rethink, with this mid-season exit serving as a stark reminder of the challenges lurking beneath the checkered flag. Truck Series is also facing similar issues, and there are already talks about teams looking to pull the plug on their racing operations.

Burton blurts out the rising expenses problem

Speaking on the Crossroads podcast, Jeff Burton, a NASCAR legend and commentator, didn’t hold back, laying bare the exploitative system he sees in today’s NASCAR. He painted a picture of rising costs and a relentless chase for the latest technology, creating a barrier that makes it tougher for teams to survive and threatens the sport’s long-term sustainability.

Burton contrasted the old blue-collar “make it work” philosophy with the current tech and data science-heavy approach, suggesting it’s a shift that benefits no one. “The biggest difference is it’s too damn expensive,” Burton said bluntly, pointing to the gap between inflation and team costs. He reminisced about his early days, noting, “We won $57,000. We brought in just under $100,000 as sponsors. We spent about $220,000 that first year to run the full series.” Today, that figure barely covers two races. “And why? Is the racing better?” he questioned.

The addition of engineers, advanced data systems, and pricey components has driven costs sky-high, he feels. “It was three years before we had an engineer on staff. Three years. We won, we finished fifth in points, won three races,” Burton recalled, highlighting the unnecessary complexity of modern NASCAR operations. Burton argues these extra expenses don’t add value for fans or the racing itself. “You could take a Cup team today and you could run that cup team the same way Kyle Busch ran his truck team, and if everybody did that, the race would look exactly the same… NASCAR has become a nuclear arms race,” he said. This hits smaller teams hard, making it nearly impossible to keep up with the big dogs.