NASCAR Niners dominate 2026 season
Charlotte engineering alumni shattered records and delivered standout performances during the 2026 NASCAR season. Their success adds to a dominant track record for the college, whose graduates make up nearly one-third of all Cup Series crew chiefs, more than any other university.
Leading the pack, Cliff Daniels ‘10 earned his third NASCAR Cup Series championship with driver Kyle Larson, becoming only the eighth crew chief in NASCAR Cup Series history to win at least three titles.
In the Craftsman Truck Series, driver Layne Riggs ‘24 finished the season second overall, winning the regular-season championship and leading all drivers with seven race wins. He was also named “Most Popular Driver” of the series, determined entirely by fan voting.
In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, crew chiefs Adam Wall ‘11 and Sam McAulay ‘13 added four wins and two wins, respectively. To cap the season, McAulay led his crew to a season-finale victory at Homestead, FL last weekend.
On the Cup Series pit boxes, Billy Scott ‘05 led all alumni crew chiefs with six victories and a 5th-place finish in the final standings, while Rudy Fugle ‘07 secured a victory and an 8th-place points finish. Together with Daniels, UNC Charlotte alumni claimed three of the top 10 Cup crew chief spots in the final standings.
The roster of Niner Engineers serving as NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs this season also include:
- Randall Burnett ‘05
- Richard Boswell II ‘06
- Chris Gayle ‘06
- Aaron Kramer ‘16
- Travis Peterson ‘12
- Mike Skarbowski ‘13
- Ryan Sparks ‘07
- Andy Street ‘03
Nearly a third of NASCAR Cup pit boxes are led by Niner Engineers, proving that world-class motorsports starts on the UNC Charlotte campus.
