- Spire Motorsports co-founder T.J. Puchyr acquires Rick Ware Racing
- Believes NASCAR charters are worth $75 million or more
- Deal includes keeping Ware, Cody Ware, and current team staff
T.J. Puchyr, one of the original founders of Spire Motorsports, has entered an agreement to purchase Rick Ware Racing and is making a bold return to the NASCAR Cup Series because he believes current charters are significantly undervalued.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Puchyr confirmed the acquisition and said, “I am bullish on wanting to build a three-car team. I believe in the France family and the direction of the sport and I want the rest of the shareholders and industry to know that I believe the charters are worth $75 million or more.”
Puchyr and Jeff Dickerson originally bought a charter from Furniture Row Racing for $6 million in 2018 after failing to find a buyer for team owner Barney Visser. That move helped reignite the charter market, and recent charters, including those from the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing, have reportedly sold for around $30 million.
Although Puchyr sold his Spire stake last year to TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, he remained active in the sport through consulting roles, including with RWR and Legacy Motor Club, and closely followed NASCAR’s charter-related court battles. As part of his new deal, he will retain Rick Ware as a partner, keep Cody Ware in the No. 51 Ford, and maintain all current employees. Ware’s second charter, currently leased to RFK Racing, has also been the subject of legal contention with Legacy Motor Club.
Puchyr said of the situation, “If anybody deserves a pass it is Jimmie and if he wants to sit down and talk about it like men, I’d entertain the conversation.” He added, “I don’t think Jimmie has all the facts, doesn’t understand the deal we had, and they tried to humiliate Rick publicly. We don’t do business that way.”
Puchyr is confident that the second charter leased to RFK will be returned in 2027, allowing expansion to at least two cars. He also aims to purchase a third charter to reach his goal of becoming a three-car team by 2027. The judge previously sided with Ware in the dispute with Legacy, ruling that there is a valid lease agreement with RFK for the 2026 season and no charter available for sale or lease to Legacy.
On whether this team can become competitive, Puchyr was direct: “I’ve won at everything I’ve done at every level and I think we can compete with these guys. I think we can build it brick-by-brick and it’s going to take people, money and time. It’s not lost on me that (RWR) is the 36th-place car in the garage, we all see it. But I believe we can make this a competitive organization, even a winner.” He added, “And I believe we can get these charters valued at their true worth.”
Rick Ware has a record of success in other motorsports, including NHRA with Clay Millican, the 2024 American Flat Track title, the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship, and the 2019–2020 Asian Le Mans Series prototype crown.
Puchyr did not disclose how much he is paying for RWR, but his move marks a serious investment in the future of NASCAR’s team model. With only 36 charters in existence — and values rising rapidly — the move signals a renewed push to grow a mid-pack team into a competitive force, and possibly influence the future direction of the sport’s economic structure.
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