Around this time last year, a legacy NASCAR Cup Series team was shuttering. Stewart-Haas Racing had clinched two championships and 70 trophies across 16 years, leaving a trail of brilliance like no other. And yet Tony Stewart and Gene Haas had to close the doors on their revered enterprise. Now, however, a former SHR employee is looking to give back to NASCAR in a unique way.

Brian McKinley joined Tony Stewart’s organization in 2020 as vice president of sales and was upgraded to chief commercial officer in 2022. While his tenure could not last beyond 2024, McKinley continued in the same post at a different organization, which is now thinking of entering NASCAR with a spooky touch.

NASCAR may be up for a snazzy partnership

Race liveries in NASCAR receive annual ratings. From Tyler Reddick’s McDonald’s prison-themed Hamburglar scheme on his No. 45 Toyota to Ross Chastain’s classic Busch Light winter scheme, NASCAR has hosted some quirky artwork on the racetracks. However, the sport is now gearing up for something even better. In the sports car racing world, AO Racing has a good name – mainly for its quirky dinosaur and dragon paint schemes. This October, they have a Halloween special theme. But alongside rolling out their spooky season paint schemes, AO Racing has another special news to share.

Brian McKinley, who used to rope in sponsors for Tony Stewart‘s Cup Series team, now works as Chief Commercial Officer at AO Racing. And McKinley is looking to come back to NASCAR with a unique idea. Journalist Adam Stern posted the update on X, “@AORacingUSA is considering entering other forms of racing in the coming years including @NASCAR and @IndyCar.” The team has not announced any plans to field a NASCAR entry in any series.

Next week’s IMSA Motul Petit Le Mans race will witness AO Racing’s GTD Pro and LMP2 entries, delightfully known as “Spike” and “Rexy” in new liveries. They will appear in ghoulish black-and-white Halloween versions: Skeleton Spike and Skeleton Rexy. These liveries will feature in the IMSA 2025 finale from October 8th to 11th. AO Racing is also inviting fans who plan to attend the autograph session at noon on October 10th to wear costumes, if they please.

According to Tony Stewart’s former employee, AO Racing sells about $100,000 to $120,000 on an average race weekend. Brian McKinley emphasized the sports car team’s unique selling point, which involves dinosaurs and skeletons. “We’ve found, I think, a secret sauce between our racing platform being successful on the track and then our cars, characters, and stories that all support something much bigger that is drawing interest all over the globe.”

Clearly, NASCAR is in line for a spicy twist to its paint schemes in the future. However, the cost of this partnership may be too high for an existing Cup Series team.

Letting go of one to bring another

Well, the NASCAR lawsuit has been raging since last year and is approaching its final leg. Both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have lost their charters and are racing as open teams. What is more, NASCAR is looking to sell those charters to other teams. In a filing form on July 16th, NASCAR claimed that “motorsports companies racing in INDYCAR, Xfinity, and other series” are interested in acquiring a charter. On August 25, NASCAR informed the court of its intention to “convey” a charter to a new team. Although it is unlikely that the mystery team is AO Racing, the recent comments of Tony Stewart’s former employee may be a clue.

The reverse situation is also possible – with 23XI and FRM switching to different series. In previous filings and oral arguments, NASCAR has suggested that it could simply compete in the IndyCar Series or Formula 1 if dissatisfied with the terms of the charter agreement. Regarding this topic, the teams have motioned the federal judge overseeing the case to issue a judgment on the relevant market. They are trying to prove that the teams have nowhere else to race except for NASCAR.

While the results of this motion are awaited, NASCAR is moving towards a spicier future. If the partnership with AO Racing comes into being, some snazzy Halloween paint schemes may be on the way!