In a Stunning Twist, Tommy Baldwin Racing Returns to Cup Series Starting With Darlington

Well, file this one under news we didn’t expect to be reporting. Tommy Baldwin Racing has announced their official return to NASCAR Cup Series Racing beginning this Sunday at Darlington Raceway. The team made the news official in a press release.

“I am excited to be returning to the NASCAR Cup Series,” said team owner Tommy Baldwin. “I have been in this sport for a long time, and I believe now is the best time to get back to the track.”

The team, which has not started a points-paying Cup Series race since 2017, will field the No. 7, and will have Josh Bilicki behind the wheel. Gravely Mowers will provide primary sponsorship of the effort and they will be joined by associate sponsor CNC Swiss Machining.

“I am very excited to be piloting the No.7 Gravely/CNC Swiss Machining Camaro for Tommy Baldwin Racing,” said Bilicki in the team release. “Darlington is one of my favorite tracks, and I can’t wait to get back on track, after a long two month break.”

Bilicki has contested 13 Cup Series events between 2017 and 2019. He will be making his first Cup Series start of 2020.

Bilicki’s career-best finish to date was a 29th-place effort at the Brickyard 400 last season.

While the talk during the entire two month break from racing action revolved around the potential shut down of small teams, we are actually seeing more teams return to the track as the sanctioning body returns for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the US.