TeamWWF Driver Ambassador Draws Several Positives From FaithFest 250
By Kris Mills, Social Media Coordinator
It was a weekend of learning and growth for TeamWWF Driver Ambassador Nathan Nicholson.
Nicholson competed in his first oval race in a stock car with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this past Saturday at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina.
After qualifying P33, he completed 242 of 250 laps for 34th overall in the No. 76 Chevrolet.
“So much learning and progress over the weekend… getting thrown in the deep end for my first oval race in a stock car,” Nicholson said, who has made three NASCAR road starts this year. “So many nuanced differences lap to lap and so many different lines, making the racing and learning process a ton of fun. No better place to start than the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Huge thank-you to Spencer Boyd, Freedom Racing Enterprises, Freedom Warranty, and Whelen Engineering for believing in me and making this opportunity possible. Looking forward to building on it.”
Nicholson’s team, Freedom Racing Enterprises, was pleased with his performance, noting how an early penalty made the difference regarding track position.
“Nathan earned every lap (Saturday),” said the FRE team. “An early penalty made track position difficult to recover, but the pace stayed strong all race long. Plenty of positives to build on as we look ahead to the next one.”
Chandler Smith of Front Row Motorsports won the race, leading 105 laps throughout the afternoon. He was followed by series leader Layne Riggs and Shane Van Gisbergen, who finished second and third, respectively.
The Craftsman Truck Series returns to action this Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the TSport 200. NASCAR’s Pennzoil 250 and Brickyard 400 are set for Saturday and Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Mazda MX-5 Cup
Looking ahead for Nicholson, his next Mazda MX-5 Cup race is scheduled for Aug. 21-23 at Virginia International Raceway for Rounds 9-10 of the championship.
For those local to Indiana, Nicholson will get a chance to race in his home state in front of friends and family Sept. 18-20 for Rounds 11-12 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The TeamWWF Driver Ambassador is from Bloomington.
The Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship will conclude at Road Atlanta Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
Nicholson, who finished third in the championship in 2025, is currently No. 6 in the standings with 1,430 points — 10 points behind fifth. Justin Adakonis is the series leader with 2,110 points.
If you want to support Nicholson on his journey this year, please go here: www.teamwwf.org/teamwwf/nathan-nicholson/
