In the middle of a somber 2025 off-season, Nick Sanchez received news no driver wants to hear: his seat had been taken away. After a solid rookie campaign, the 24-year-old was abruptly released from Big Machine Racing, plunging his NASCAR future into uncertainty, thus fueling weeks of speculation.
Fortunately, with just days remaining before the 2026 season opener, that uncertainty has finally lifted. Statesville, N.C.-based AM Racing put an end to the rumors, confirming that Sanchez will pilot the No. 25 Dark Horse Ford Mustang alongside part-time driver Daniel Dye, turning a potential career crossroads into a fresh opportunity.
Nick Sanchez Set to Begin a New NASCAR Chapter With AM Racing at Daytona
Things were going well, perhaps too well for young Sanchez, until they weren’t. The Miami native notched his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) with BMR, then backed it up with seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10s in his first full-time season. He ultimately capped the year on a high note, finishing 11th in the standings.
That win carried significance beyond Sanchez’s personal breakthrough moment. For BMR, an organization that hadn’t visited Victory Lane since Tyler Reddick’s Texas triumph in 2022, it was redemption, marking a long-awaited return to relevance.
Yet as the offseason unfolded, the momentum abruptly stalled after the news of the parting came to light. Sanchez later described the decision as “unfortunate timing and circumstances,” emphasizing that the move was strictly business.
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While details surrounding his sudden exit remain unclear, the 24-year-old never wavered publicly. Now, as the NASCAR season opens at Daytona International Speedway on February 14 for the United Rentals 300, that optimism, paired with a proven winning track record, has landed Sanchez a new opportunity with AMR.
“AM Racing is excited to announce the signing of rising phenom Nick Sanchez as the driver of the team’s No. 25 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series,” the team confirmed via a statement on social media.
Sanchez will take over the seat vacated by Harrison Burton, who is set to move to Sam Hunt Racing this season. Much like Sanchez himself, AMR saw its offseason plans unravel. The organization had been on track to merge with Sigma Performance Services, a move that would have removed AM from the grid entirely, before the deal collapsed earlier this year.
Forced to pivot, AMR instead recommitted to a full-time return for the 2026 season with the No. 52 entry set for 22-year-old Dye for part-time appearances.
The reversal was significant for a team coming off a surprise 2025 campaign, in which it reached the driver playoffs with Burton behind the wheel despite long-shot expectations. When the proposed sale to Sigma Performance Services Racing fell apart in January, it reopened the door for AMR to continue operations and reshape its future, with a proven race winner at its forefront.
