Samuel Adam Mayer (born June 26, 2003) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competes full-time in theNASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 41Chevrolet Camaro SS forHaas Factory Team. His father is the founder of QPS Employment Group, and formerIndyCar Series driver,Scott Mayer.[2]
Mayer is the2019 and2020East Series champion. He drove forGMS Racing (the other Drivers Edge Development team) both of those years in their No. 21 car and also won the inaugural championship of theARCA Menards SeriesSioux Chief Showdown in2020. Mayer started his NASCAR career driving for Jefferson Pitts Racing andMDM Motorsports in 2018 before joining GMS, JRM, and Chevrolet as a development driver in 2019.
Mayer got off to an early start in racing, competing ingo-kart events at the age of four.[3] Although his father,Scott Mayer, was an open-wheel racer, Sam chose in his preteen years to focus onstock car racing.[4] Over the course of the 2017 summer, during which Mayer turned fourteen, he spent the summer inCharlotte to raceLegends cars; he won the Young Lions division of theCharlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout.[5] He also raced in aLimited Late Model and won atGreenville-Pickens Speedway to become the track's youngest winner.[6] He came back to Wisconsin and won a September Midwest Truck Series race atDells Raceway Park in his first series start.[6]
In 2017, Mayer came in touch with industry veteran Lorin Ranier, who eventually landed Mayer alate model ride withJR Motorsports in theCARS Tour for 2018. Mayer's late model racing also brought him to theWorld Series of Asphalt, where he finished second to Stephen Nasse.[4] Ranier also led Mayer toMDM Motorsports for a limited slate in theARCA Racing Series andNASCAR K&N Pro Series East in the back half of 2018, with age restrictions being a factor in which races Mayer could run, as both series only let fifteen year old competitors race on certain tracks.[4] In his first ARCA race, Mayer ran as high as third and finished inside the top-ten.[7] After theCARS Tour season was over, Mayer was voted the series' Most Popular Driver for 2018. The CARS Tour season included one victory, atWake County Speedway.[8]
On December 5, 2018, it was announced that Mayer would run a fullNASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule withGMS Racing as part of a 2019 schedule that would also include seven ARCA races and fourNASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races with the team. All four of the Truck races will come after Mayer turns sixteen; his debut is slated to be atBristol Motor Speedway in August. That race would be followed by appearances atCanadian Tire Motorsport Park,Martinsville Speedway andISM Raceway.[3]
Mayer scored his first K&N East win at Bristol on April 6, 2019, leading every lap.[9] He nearly scored his firstARCA Menards Series win at Gateway in June after a late pit gamble, but was moved up the track byTy Gibbs in the final set of corners and was relegated to third.[10] In October, he won the 2019 K&N East championship to become the youngest NASCAR champion at 16 years, 3 months, and 8 days; the previous record was 16 years and 5 months byTodd Gilliland in 2016. Mayer ended the 2019 season with four wins and top tens in all but one race.[11]
While racing in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East in 2020, Mayer made a TA2 Trans-Am start atRoad America and suffered a hairline fracture in his wrist during a race-ending crash.[12] The injury forcedColin Braun to sub in for Mayer midway through the AMS race at theDaytona International Speedway road course.[13] Mayer later won ARCA's first trip toLebanon I-44 Speedway.[14]
On September 15, 2020, Mayer and JR Motorsports announced an agreement to have him drive one of the organization'sNASCAR Xfinity Series cars part-time in the latter portion of 2021 and full-time in the 2022 season.[15] Two days later, Mayer swept the night at Bristol, winning both the Truck Series and ARCA race.[16] He overcame a pit miscue to claim the checkered flag in the ARCA event.[17] Mayer won the East finale atFive Flags Speedway to capture the series championship with an average finish of 1.2 on the season.[18]
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On January 14, 2021, defending ARCA championBret Holmes announced he would begin fielding a part-time Truck Series team, the No. 32, for himself and Mayer for the upcoming season. In addition, Mayer would also drive select races in Bret Holmes Racing's No. 23 car in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East.[19] Three days later on January 17, it was also announced that Mayer would run seven races in the No. 75 forHenderson Motorsports in the Truck Series, beginning at the Daytona Road Course, which would end up being his only start with Henderson Motorsports.[20]
On January 4, 2022, it was confirmed that Sam Mayer would drive the JR Motorsports No. 1 in 2022, replacingMichael Annett. At theMartinsville spring race on April 8, Mayer finished fifth after doing a bump and run onTy Gibbs on the final lap. After the race, Gibbs attempted to spin Mayer out during the cool-down laps before both drivers engaged in a fistfight on pit road.[21] Mayer would go on to finish seventh in the final points standings with a best result of second at Talladega.
On August 9, 2022, it was announced that Mayer would return for the 2023 season.[22] He started the2023 season with a 27th place finish atDaytona, where he flipped down the backstretch on the final lap. Mayer scored his first career win atRoad America.[23] He followed it up with his second win atWatkins Glen.[24] During the playoffs, Mayer won at theCharlotte Roval and atHomestead to make the Championship 4.[25][26] Mayer finished fifth atPhoenix and third in the points standings.[27]
Mayer started the2024 season with a 36th place DNF atDaytona. AtTexas, he scored a narrow victory overRyan Sieg atTexas by 0.002 seconds,[28] making it part of a three way tie for the second closest finish in Xfinity Series history.[29] Mayer scored his second win of the season atIowa.[30] During the playoffs, he was disqualified atTalladega after his car failed the post-race ride height requirement.[31] A week later, Mayer won at theCharlotte Roval.[32]
On August 17, 2024, Mayer signed withHaas Factory Team to drive the No. 41Ford in2025.[33] Mayer started the season with a second place finish atDaytona. After staying consistent throughout the year, he won atIowa, earning Haas' first win in their career and the first win for Ford that year.
On October 28, 2025, NASCAR imposed a one-race suspension on Mayer for intentionally wreckingJeb Burton during the post-race cooldown lap atMartinsville, withRyan Sieg replacing him for the season finale atPhoenix.[34]
Mayer's fatherScott Mayer, also a race driver, is the founder of QPS Employment Group and Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions, Mayer's primary sponsor in the Xfinity Series. As of 2023, the company has 57 branches across eight states and employs thousands of associate employees, one of the largest employment firms in the Midwest.[35]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
| NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NOAPSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2021 | JR Motorsports | 8 | Chevy | DAY | DRC | HOM | LVS | PHO | ATL | MAR | TAL | DAR | DOV | COA | CLT | MOH | TEX | NSH | POC 18 | ROA 35 | ATL 9 | NHA 39 | GLN 10 | IRC 27 | MCH 33 | DAY 12 | DAR 39 | BRI 9 | LVS 34 | TAL 38 | ROV 10 | TEX 13 | KAN 8 | MAR 4 | PHO 13 | 25th | 338 | [36] | |
| B. J. McLeod Motorsports | 99 | Chevy | RCH 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | JR Motorsports | 1 | Chevy | DAY 30 | CAL 6 | LVS 25 | PHO 22 | ATL 21 | COA 5 | RCH 3 | MAR 5 | TAL 28 | DOV 5 | DAR 5 | TEX 3 | CLT 3 | PIR 38 | NSH 5 | ROA 20 | ATL 34 | NHA 15 | POC 6 | IRC 7 | MCH 33 | GLN 6 | DAY 34 | DAR 11 | KAN 9 | BRI 4 | TEX 8 | TAL 2 | ROV 11 | LVS 7 | HOM 5 | MAR 6 | PHO 34 | 7th | 2231 | [37] |
| 2023 | DAY 27 | CAL 2 | LVS 7 | PHO 11 | ATL 9 | COA 7 | RCH 17 | MAR 31 | TAL 29 | DOV 9 | DAR 8 | CLT 35 | PIR 3 | SON 10 | NSH 3 | CSC 18 | ATL 5 | NHA 18 | POC 2 | ROA 1 | MCH 5 | IRC 2 | GLN 1 | DAY 19 | DAR 11 | KAN 37 | BRI 35 | TEX 38 | ROV 1* | LVS 5 | HOM 1 | MAR 25 | PHO 5 | 3rd | 4032 | [38] | |||
| 2024 | DAY 36 | ATL 11 | LVS 38 | PHO 34 | COA 9 | RCH 30 | MAR 2 | TEX 1 | TAL 36 | DOV 3 | DAR 4 | CLT 4* | PIR 28 | SON 3 | IOW 1 | NHA 19 | NSH 10 | CSC 19 | POC 10 | IND 37 | MCH 37 | DAY 13 | DAR 28 | ATL 36 | GLN 20 | BRI 9 | KAN 13 | TAL 38 | ROV 1 | LVS 14 | HOM 9 | MAR 30 | PHO 11 | 9th | 2205 | [39] | |||
| 2025 | Haas Factory Team | 41 | Ford | DAY 2 | ATL 36 | COA 3 | PHO 7 | LVS 5 | HOM 2 | MAR 5 | DAR 14 | BRI 11 | CAR 26 | TAL 14 | TEX 5 | CLT 11 | NSH 3 | MXC 23 | POC 7 | ATL 3 | CSC 8 | SON 17 | DOV 12 | IND 2 | IOW 1 | GLN 2 | DAY 5 | PIR 16 | GTW 35 | BRI 3 | KAN 16 | ROV 19 | LVS 9 | TAL 38 | MAR 7 | PHO | 10th | 2204 | [40] |
| 2026 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | COA | PHO | LVS | DAR | MAR | CAR | BRI | KAN | TAL | TEX | GLN | DOV | CLT | NSH | POC | COR | SON | CHI | ATL | IND | IOW | DAY | DAR | GTW | BRI | LVS | ROV | PHO | TAL | MAR | HOM | |||||
| NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2019 | GMS Racing | 21 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | MAR | TEX | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW | CHI | KEN | POC | ELD | MCH | BRI 21 | MSP | LVS | TAL | MAR 28 | PHO 19 | HOM | 50th | 54 | [41] |
| 2020 | 24 | DAY | LVS | CLT | ATL | HOM | POC | KEN | TEX | KAN | KAN | MCH | DRC | DOV 15 | GTW 4 | DAR | RCH 19 | BRI 1 | LVS | TAL | KAN | TEX | MAR 18 | PHO 17 | 27th | 179 | [42] | ||
| 2021 | Henderson Motorsports | 75 | Chevy | DAY | DRC 37 | LVS | ATL | BRD | 100th | 01 | [43] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bret Holmes Racing | 32 | Chevy | RCH 9 | KAN | DAR | COA 6 | CLT | TEX | NSH | POC | KNX | GLN 9 | GTW | DAR | BRI 22 | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | ||||||||||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2018 | MDM Motorsports | 40 | Toyota | DAY | NSH | SLM | TAL | TOL | CLT | POC | MCH | MAD | GTW | CHI | IOW 10 | ELK | POC | ISF | BLN | DSF | SLM | IRP 7 | KAN | 52nd | 400 | [44] |
| 2019 | GMS Racing | 21 | Chevy | DAY | FIF 15 | SLM 2 | TAL | NSH | TOL 5 | CLT | POC | MCH | MAD 3 | GTW 3 | CHI | ELK 3 | IOW | POC | ISF | DSF | SLM 5 | IRP 3 | KAN | 14th | 1650 | [45] |
| 2020 | DAY | PHO 20 | TAL | POC 3 | IRP 2 | KEN 4 | IOW 2 | KAN | TOL 1 | TOL 1 | MCH | DRC 3 | GTW 3 | L44 1 | TOL 1* | BRI 1* | WIN | MEM 2 | ISF | KAN | 7th | 553 | [46] | |||
| 2021 | Bret Holmes Racing | 23 | Chevy | DAY | PHO | TAL | KAN | TOL | CLT | MOH | POC 22 | ELK | BLN | IOW | WIN | GLN 14 | MCH 4 | ISF | MLW 2 | DSF | BRI 29 | SLM | KAN | 27th | 149 | [47] |
| ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref |
| 2018 | Jefferson Pitts Racing | 27 | Ford | NSM | BRI | LGY | SBO | SBO | MEM | NJM | THO | NHA 17 | IOW 17 | 18th | 200 | [48] | ||||
| MDM Motorsports | 41 | Toyota | GLN 5 | DOV 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 12 | GTW 11 | NHA 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | GMS Racing | 21 | Chevy | NSM 4 | BRI 1** | SBO 2 | SBO 11 | MEM 4 | NHA 2 | IOW 1* | GLN 3 | BRI 1 | GTW 4 | NHA 5 | DOV 1* | 1st | 511 | [49] | ||
| 2020 | NSM 1 | TOL 2 | DOV 1 | TOL 1* | BRI 1* | FIF 1 | 1st | 382 | [50] | |||||||||||
| 2021 | Bret Holmes Racing | 23 | Chevy | NSM | FIF | NSV | DOV | SNM | IOW | MLW 2 | BRI 29 | 29th | 57 | [51] | ||||||
| ARCA Menards Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref |
| 2018 | Jefferson Pitts Racing | 27 | Ford | KCR | TUS | TUS | OSS | CNS | SON | DCS | IOW 17 | EVG | GTW | LVS | MER | AAS | KCR | 52nd | 27 | [52] |
| 2019 | GMS Racing | 21 | Chevy | LVS | IRW | TUS | TUS | CNS | SON | DCS | IOW | EVG | GTW | MER | AAS | KCR | PHO 2* | 37th | 42 | [53] |
| 2020 | LVS 1* | MMP | MMP | IRW | EVG | DCS | CNS | LVS | AAS | KCR | PHO 21 | 16th | 122 | [54] | ||||||
| 2024 | Sigma Performance Services | 23 | Chevy | PHO | KER | PIR | SON 1* | IRW | IRW | SHA | TRI | MAD | AAS | KER | PHO | 36th | 48 | [55] | ||
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
| CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour results | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | CLMSCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2018 | JR Motorsports | 9M | Chevy | TCM 3 | MYB 15 | ROU 7 | 5th | 297 | [56] | |||||||||
| 9 | HCY 7 | BRI 9 | ACE 20 | CCS 14 | KPT 4 | WKS 1 | ROU 6 | SBO 8 | ||||||||||
| 28 | HCY 7 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | K&N Pro Series East Champion 2019–2020 | Succeeded by |
