Starting anew: Alfredo embraces new chapter with Viking Motorsports

Anthony Alfredo is accustomed to change. Throughout his eight-year NASCAR career, he’s never been with the same organization for consecutive seasons.

Alfredo, however, would argue that his opportunity in 2026 with Viking Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is the most complete job that he’s had to date.

“I think I’ve learned to adapt very well to [change] because I haven’t had a choice,” Alfredo told NASCAR.com. “I don’t want to start over every year, but I think I’ve developed a lot of traits as a person, driver, competitor, team member to know how to build those relationships quickly.

“We all want to settle down and have a home somewhere.”

To the outside world, it might seem like Alfredo is jumping from team to team at will. But in full transparency, he would like more stability and to find an option for the foreseeable future, while also working as a Hendrick Motorsports simulator driver during the week, which led to his opportunity to fill in for Alex Bowman at Phoenix Raceway.

He believes Viking Motorsports could be that team.

“To have a team now that has laid out a clear path, not this year-by-year thing, not even knowing if they are going to come back and compete in the series or not,” Alfredo said. “To say they have a clear path of building a multi-car, competitive, race-winning organization and to have me a part of that is something that means a lot to me. I want to be a part of that, and I want to make the most out of it.”

Viking Motorsports upped its resources over the offseason. Parker Retzlaff signed on to drive the team’s signature No. 99 entry. It also agreed to an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing for the 2026 season, filling Kaulig Racing’s role. Adding Alfredo to the driver lineup also meant the upstart organization was beginning a second full-time team.

Team owner Don Sackett knows that adding a second team can be complicated. Over the offseason, Viking bought upwards of 10 chassis to add to its fleet for the Nos. 96 and 99 cars.

“I think the biggest reason with a bunch of the changes, there was a lot of good talent available with crew chiefs and crews,” Sackett said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but there might not be an opportunity to expand to two teams quickly if we waited a year. A lot of pieces came together at the right time, and we decided to go for it.”

Alfredo was on the market after one season with Young’s Motorsports, tying Viking’s No. 99 car for 25th in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series owner standings last season. The company wanted to build around Alfredo, so it signed Josh Graham as his crew chief, reconnecting them after their 2024 stint with Our Motorsports. The duo placed 17th in the owner standings that season despite having fewer assets.

“When that opportunity came up with an owner that has the ability to invest and help a driver like me who doesn’t have all the funding to be in an alliance car or a top-tier ride meant a lot to me,” Alfredo said. “It says [Sackett] believes in my ability, and all of our partners are on board with it and excited to take that next step in being competitive.”

The 2026 season also marks the first time since 2022 that Alfredo has had a teammate to connect with. Through the opening six events, he sits 16th in the driver standings, while Retzlaff ranks ninth and is coming off one of the best showings in team history at Darlington Raceway, thanks to his eighth-place result. Alfredo finished 12th after also being a mainstay in the top 10.

“To have two teams in the same building that can lean on each other, we can go separate directions or the same direction and build off each other,” Alfredo said. “Parker and I can push each other to be better and help each other. We all have common goals and interests and are already doing a lot together as a group.”

Sackett wanted to have a foundation built around Alfredo because of the experience — over 200 NASCAR starts — he brings to the table. It immediately amplified expectations within the Viking walls.

“[Alfredo] is a hard-working, hungry, young driver that wants to do well but now has a really good team and equipment,” Sackett said. “From what I can tell, Anthony and Parker have a good relationship, and I think they are going to work well together. We want to have two good teams. It wouldn’t make sense to do this if we had the Parker team and then we didn’t support Anthony with equally good equipment and people.”

Expectations remain high for Viking. Alfredo believes this is his best chance to date of making the postseason as a full-time driver. After failing to qualify for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, the No. 96 car has jumped to 22nd in the owner standings over the last five events. Up next for Alfredo and the No. 96 team is Martinsville Speedway on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Alfredo’s main goal through it all? Delivering his and Viking Motorsports’ first win, something Retzlaff nearly achieved last month with a runner-up finish at EchoPark Speedway.

“There are going to be a lot of opportunities [to win] this year, and that’s something I have to keep in mind,” Alfredo said. “With the Chase format, we are going to have to be consistent. We have to outweigh the risk versus reward, which is going to be crucial.”

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