Norm Benning Racing opened in 1993, DNQ'ing all attempts by team owner Norm Benning in Cup competition. Benning began fielding the No. 8 and 84 car in the ARCA Racing Series in 1995 for himself and other drivers. Benning ran the team in four Nationwide races from 2003–2004.
The team's most success has been found in the Truck Series. Despite not having the budget to compete for good finishes, the team has attempted races every year since 2008, with the number of entries varying. In 2013, Benning gained national notoriety after his battle during the Last Chance Qualifier for the inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway, barely finishing in the final transfer position over Clay Greenfield. 2025's season opener at Daytona saw Benning become the oldest driver in NASCAR's national series history to finish a race on the lead lap, finishing 16th at age 73.[1]
Sprint Cup Series
Car No. 57 history
Benning attempted the Daytona 500 in the No. 57 three times from 2009 to 2011 and did not qualify a single time. In 2011, he was forced to withdraw from the race because his car did not meet minimum speed.[2]
Benning began fielding the No. 84 in Winston Cup Series in 1993, finding very little success because of a lack of sponsorship and quality parts. Benning attempted the Daytona 500 in the No. 84 four times. First, in 1997 and from 2000 to 2002. He did not qualify a single time, whether it was due to mechanical failures or not transferring in through the duels.
In 2002, the made their Busch Series debut at Homestead Miami with Benning as the driver. He failed to qualify. In 2003, the 8 car made a return at Nazareth Speedway with Benning as the driver. He finished 40th.
In 2003, the team fielded the 81 car at Rockingham with Benning as the driver. He failed to qualify. In 2004, the 81 car made a return at Nazareth Speedway with Benning as the driver. He finished 38th.
In 2003, Benning fielded the 84 car for three races. He failed to qualify for two races. In 2004, Benning also fielded the 84 car for three races. He failed to qualify on all attempts.
Midway through 2014 season, Norm changed his iconic 57 to the number 6 on his truck. The 2015 season began on a high note as Benning finished 14th at Daytona. However, the remainder of the season would prove to be very difficult. Lack of sponsorship would force Benning to do several start and parks. Towards the end of the season, the 6 began missing races as the poor finishes left the team ranking lower in points, plus the fields being cut from 36 to 32 trucks. 2016 would be a disastrous season, as the team failed to make any of the first eight races. Ryan Ellis and Sean Corr would also each have a start in the No. 6 truck in 2016.
Once again, 2017 began on a low note, with Benning missing the first three races of the season. He was eventually able to make the fourth race of the season at Kansas. Benning would also strike a deal with GMS Racing, purchasing the owner points from the No. 24 team, locking him into all the remaining races. In 2018, Benning would again return and was running in the top-ten at Daytona, but a fuel pump issue resulted in a fourteenth place finish. Benning's next highlight would come at Eldora, where he would have a strong run in his heat race. In the closing laps of the main event, Benning would be involved in an accident that saw the driver's side door ripped off the car. Benning missed the season opener at Daytona for the sixth time in 2019. However, he managed to finish seventeenth at Texas Motor Speedway and got another top-twenty at Talladega Superspeedway.
In 2020, Benning missed the first three races he attempted. For the first time since 2008, he didn’t finish in the top-twenty a single time, with his best finish being a 22nd at Talladega Superspeedway. Benning elected to run full-time in 2021. He did not qualify at Daytona for the third year in a row. During the Spring Kansas weekend, the team's truck used for pulling the hauler was stolen from the hotel parking lot where they were staying. Benning attempted just four races in 2022 but did not qualify for any of them. Benning attempted four races in 2023 as well, but only qualified for two of them, with a best finish of 24th in the dirt race at Bristol. In 2024, his best result in his three attempts came at Talladega, where he finished 21st and on the lead lap.
2025 saw Benning make 12 starts, most notably finishing on the lead lap in 16th place at Daytona. He failed to finish any other races that year, often being parked for not meeting minimum speed.[3]
Since 2008, Norm Benning Racing has fielded the No. 57 truck. Beginning in 2009, Bennign ran the full schedule in the 57 despite having poor performing equipment and little to no funding. Beginning in 2011, Norm began fielding a second truck on a part-time basis to help fund the 57.
The 57 made its lone appearance at Gateway in 2015, parking after one lap with Joey Gattina. Steve Fox withdrew the 57 at Pocono.[5]
After not running in 2016, the 57 returned exactly two years after its previous race at Gateway in 2017 with Tommy Regan driving. B. J. McLeod and J. J. Yeley ran the 57 before Mike Senica became the primary driver.
In 2018, Senica announced that he was to drive the 57 fielded by Benning with several different companies sponsoring the truck, however, Benning and Senica couldn't reach an agreement because Benning only wanted Senica to start and park the 57.[citation needed] The 57 then showed up at Martinsville with Jeff Zillweger behind the wheel. The 57 would withdraw after not showing enough speed to have a good chance of qualifying.[citation needed]
Midway through the 2016 season, Benning struck a deal with MB Motorsports to run the No. 63. Benning would run seven races in the No. 63 and one race in the No. 6, while missing twelve, and not entering one.
In 2011, the team debuted the number 75, which NBR shared with Henderson Motorsports. The first race run by the team was with Mike Harmon behind the wheel. Harmon started and finished 33rd, parking the car after six laps. The truck ran sporadically throughout the season, driven by Johnny Borneman III, J. J. Yeley, Bobby Santos III, and James Hylton made his Truck Series debut at the age of 76 at Pocono. The team only ran twice in 2012, four times in 2013, and six times in 2014, although the team only ran one race as the 75.
In 2003, the No. 8 run part-time with multiple drivers such as Mitchell, Doug Keller, Antrican, Boomer Stevens, Jim Walker, Tim Turner, Hylton, Bill Paskiewicz, and Tim Burrell.
In 2004, the No. 8 run part-time with multiple drivers such as Antrican, Mario Gosselin, Frank Bigler, Mike Koch, Mike Zazula, Greg Seevers, and Turner.
In 2005, the No. 8 run part-time with multiple drivers such as Bill Eversole, Jim Walker, Koch, John O'Neal Jr., Jim Locke, Wayne Peterson, and Seevers.
Norm Benning Racing began fielding the No. 84 in the ARCA Racing Series in 1995 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Benning behind the wheel. He finished 24th after engine trouble.[9]
In 1996, Benning scored two top-tens at both Pocono races. [10]
In 1997, Benning started to drive the No. 84 full-time. He failed to qualify for the season opener at Daytona.[11]
In 2002, Benning returned to drive the No. 84 full-time. He scored three top-tens.
In 2003, Benning scored three top-tens and two top-fives.
In 2004, Benning drove the No. 84 for the majority of the schedule while Clair Zimmerman drove the car at Toledo. This season Benning scored his best finish of third at Springfield.
From 2005 until 2007, Benning continued to drive the No. 84 full-time.
In 2008, Benning drove the No. 84 for the majority of the schedule while Greg Seevers drove the car at Salem.
In 2009, Benning only drove the No. 84 car for four races while Antrican drove the rest of the schedule. Benning shut down the ARCA program at the end of the season.
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