Parker Retzlaff will not be returning to the driver’s seat of the No. 4 Chevrolet at Alpha Prime Racing for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign.
The 22-year-old driver confirmed his departure from the multi-car organization, co-owned by Caesar Bacarella and Tommy Joe Martins, with a statement posted to social media on Monday evening.
“As I am closing out my third full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series season, I would like to announce that I will not be returning to Alpha Prime Racing in 2026,” the statement from Retzlaff reads. “I can’t thank Tommy Joe Martins, Caesar Bacarella, and Team Alpha Prime enough for giving me the opportunities this season and allowing me to continue to chase this dream of mine.”
After spending two seasons (2023, 2024) driving for Jordan Anderson Racing, Retzlaff pivoted his efforts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series to Alpha Prime Racing, where he would pilot the newly-renumbered No. 4 Chevrolet.
“As a team, we have a lot to be proud of. Achieving my career best of second-place at Rockingham and a lot of other stellar runs. Thank you for always showing up every weekend ready to be our best. To my sponsors, supporters, and team members, thank YOU for all of your supportive encouragement while I piloted the No. 4 this year.”
One of the highlights of Retzlaff’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign with Alpha Prime Racing was during the Easter Weekend return to Rockingham Speedway, where the driver of the No. 4 Chevrolet put together an impressive second-place qualifying effort, and finished in the second position — a career-best for the driver.
The driver from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, also picked up two additional top-10 finishes throughout the season, including a seventh at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWT Raceway) and an eighth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in October.
In late October, Alpha Prime Racing co-owner Caesar Bacarella told The Motor Stardom Show that he didn’t expect Retzlaff to be returning to the organization in 2025, but had some kind words to say about the 22-year-old driver.
“The kid has a really bright future, you know, and I hope he moves up,” Bacarella said of Retzlaff. “We had the conversations for next year. I don’t think he’s going to be with us. I hope he might be going to a bigger team, which I’m hoping. I’m proud of the kid, so if he has other opportunities, I said, ‘Attaboy, go ahead, go for it,’ but would love to have him back. You know?”
Retzlaff will confirm his plans for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign at a later date.
