Alpha Prime Racing, had an impressive 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Brennan Poole and Ryan Ellis behind the wheel of its race cars. With Ellis making the move to DGM Racing for the upcoming season, that opened the door for the race team to acquire a blue-chip development talent. On Wednesday morning, Alpha Prime Racing introduced 21-year-old Parker Retzlaff as the full-time driver of the team’s No. 4 Chevrolet Camaro in 2025.
Retzlaff, a native of Wisconsin, has shown his worth over the past two seasons driving for Jordan Anderson Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he recorded two pole positions, three top-five finishes, and 11 top-10s. With Alpha Prime enjoying a 16th-place driver points finish and 18th-place owners points finish with Poole as the driver of the No. 44 entry, the team is hopeful for another high-water season in 2025 with Retzlaff in the fold.
“I’m just super excited to have him join us,” team co-owner Caesar Bacarella said in a press release. “He’s a young, really talented racecar driver and he’s going to help elevate the team.”
Retzlaff, the young phenom racer, says while he has opened some eyes in his first two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, that he’s got more to prove in 2025 with his new race team.
“I feel like we still have something to prove,” Retzlaff said. “We all want to win races, be consistent and prove we’re here to compete. Everyone here has told me how much they believe in me and what I can do.”
While 2024 was a great season for Alpha Prime, Bacarella doesn’t shy away from the fact that his race team has seen plenty of rough moments over its three years as well, but feels with the talent behind the wheel (the returning Brennan Poole and new driver Retzlaff), 2025 will be a special one for Alpha Prime Racing.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but [Tommy Joe Martins] and I agree it’s all about the people. It’s so hard. We’re racing against the best teams in the world. But we’ve got great people and that’s what made it work. And now we’ve got two ace drivers in the stable full-time.”
Being considered an ‘Ace’ driver by Bacarella and Martins has Retzlaff feeling all sorts of confidence heading into the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
“I’m humbled, honestly,” Retzlaff stated. “Obviously, I wouldn’t be here without the support of my partners – who I’m really excited to announce later. Tommy and Caesar have put together an awesome team. It’s a big confidence booster for me to go into 2025 with a group that really wants me here.”
Retzlaff finished a career-best 16th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings in his rookie season in 2023. He’ll look to better that with the team that showed the ability to finish 16th in the championship standings a season ago with Poole, another ultra-talented driver.
