Dawson Sutton, the 18-year-old son of Rackley WAR co-owner Curtis Sutton, has been confirmed as the organization’s full-time driver for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign.
The organization made the official announcement on Thursday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Sutton will be competing in the CARS Tour West Super Late Model event at the LVMS Bullring, with NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick as his teammate.
Sutton is expected to pilot the No. 26 Rackley Roofing and W.A.R. Shocks entry for the entire 25-race NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule next season, beginning with the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
“This is really a phenomenal opportunity,” said Sutton. “I’ve dreamed for this day to come, and my goal is to make it to NASCAR’s Cup Series that represents the best of the best. It’s all a little hard to believe right now, but I know I have a big job to do and that’s exactly how I look at it.”
The Lebanon, Tennessee-native was tapped to replace Ty Dillon as the driver of the No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet in the final five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events of 2024, beginning at Kansas Speedway, where the driver notched his first career top-five.
“I’m here racing with Kevin Harvick as my teammate in our Super Late Models this weekend at Las Vegas [The Bullring], so it’s been really cool working with him as well. I’m stoked to be back in the truck for the Homestead-Miami race in a couple of weeks then on to Martinsville and Phoenix.”
Willie Allen, co-owner of the Rackley WAR team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is on-site at the Las Vegas Bullring this weekend but spoke highly of Sutton, who will drive the team’s entry full-time in 2025.
“I really don’t think there’s anything he can’t do,” said Allen of Sutton. “He has a great work ethic; he doesn’t take any of this for granted. He works hard to be the best he can be no matter what the situation. He’s had a short learning curve in everything he’s attempted, and I don’t see any reason that wouldn’t continue in the [NASCAR CRAFTSMAN] Truck Series. We place a lot of confidence in him to represent this team and any of our partners very well going forward.”
Curtis Sutton, the other co-owner of Rackley WAR, and Dawson’s father, explained just how proud he is of his son, who will chase his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory in 2025.
“When we started this three years ago, I explicitly told him he had three years to prove himself. He took that to heart and went to work crafting his skill,” Curtis explained. “I couldn’t teach him how to race. I entrusted the best I knew of in Willie Allen, Ron, Candice Hornaday, and Joe Ryan to help me determine if he could really do this. He did.”
“Racing is not only a business, but a family for sure. Blood or not, it’s a family. But, when it is your blood and the family is on the road for 50 or more races a year together, I won’t lie – it’s special. I’m proud of him just as his mother is. She spent many, many days on the road in his young U.S. Legends career while I was balancing travel between his events and the truck series events. To see this all come full circle is a storybook for our family and the many dedicated Rackley W.A.R. and Rackley Roofing Company team members.”
Rackley WAR will make further announcements regarding its alliances and strategic partnerships for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign as they continues to develop.
