Cody Ware will not in the No. 51 Ford Mustang of Rick Ware Racing this weekend for the Bristol Dirt Race.
According to his family run team, Ware will be out of the car this weekend so he can focus on a personal matter. Taking his place will be two-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Matt Crafton.
Statement from Rick Ware Racing
Cody Ware will step away from racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway to focus on a personal matter. Matt Crafton will drive the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing. Crafton has more than 500 overall-starts in his NASCAR career, winning… pic.twitter.com/hUURe7RM6Q
— Rick Ware Racing (@RickWareRacing) April 8, 2023
Ware has made seven starts this season in the Cup Series with an average finish of 27.7 which accounting for seasons in which he appeared in multiple races is the best of his career. The 27-year-old Ware has made 97 Cup Series starts in his career while also appearing in some Xfinity and Truck Series events. In 2021, Ware appeared in three NTT IndyCar Series races.
Despite two Truck Series championships and 15 wins and 526 career starts in that series, Crafton has made just four Xfinity and two Cup Series starts in his career. The first Cup start for Crafton came in 2015 when he started the season opening race in place of an injured Kyle Busch. Most recently Crafton finished 25th in the No. 36 car of Front Row in the 2019 fall race at Martinsville.
