DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Bryce Haugeberg is set to make his fifth appearance at Daytona International Speedway this weekend, carrying more confidence than ever before. The North Dakota State mechanical engineering student from West Fargo will compete in the ARCA Menards Series General Tire 200 behind the wheel of the No. 11 NDSU Brenco Corporation Toyota for Fast Track Racing.
Haugeberg expressed optimism about his progress, saying,
“Each year we come back, we’re getting better and better. That’s a huge confidence boost.”
The race will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, and will air live on FOX. Coming off a 10th-place finish at Daytona last year—his first career top-10 at the track—Haugeberg aims to build momentum heading into the new season.
Building Momentum on Superspeedways
Since his ARCA series debut at Phoenix Raceway in 2021, Haugeberg has focused on selective events, particularly on superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega. The 22-year-old driver sees these drafting tracks as a key area of improvement.
Reflecting on last season, Haugeberg noted,
“Last year — after coming off a 10th-place finish and an eighth-place finish at Talladega — we’re really finding our stride at these drafting tracks.”
He added,
“So just having that confidence and having the mindset that we’re just as equal as anyone else here really helps settle the nerves when we’re going green for the first time.”
With the upcoming Daytona race marking his 25th ARCA start, Haugeberg’s 2026 schedule is expected to include the traditional superspeedways plus the short Elko Speedway in Minnesota. The Talladega event will take place on April 25, while Elko is scheduled for June 27, both airing live on FS1 and FS2 respectively.
He explained his planned schedule expansion depends on sponsorship, stating,
“(Daytona and Talladega) are the next for-sure races we’re planning to attend. If we’re able to get some more funding and sponsors to hop on board, we’d definitely look at expanding our schedule.”
Continuing the Partnership with North Dakota State
For the second consecutive year, Haugeberg’s car will proudly feature the green and yellow colors of North Dakota State University (NDSU), showcasing the Bison logos prominently on the hood, rear quarter panels, and decklid. This collaboration began in 2025 after Haugeberg approached the NDSU athletic department with the proposal to design a Bison-themed vehicle for Daytona.
The university recognized the value of partnering with a fourth-generation NDSU student set to graduate this year and enthusiastically supported the plan. After donning the “Bisonmobile” at Daytona, Haugeberg also raced the NDSU car at Talladega and Elko last year.
Reaffirming the collaboration this season, Haugeberg shared,
“I had approached NDSU this spring to kind of confirm again if they were still on board for another run at Daytona and they said absolutely. So we kind of put together this deal again and you’ll see the NDSU car at Daytona and Talladega again this year.”
Die Cast Model Highlights Popularity of Bison Car
Haugeberg’s Bison-themed car captured enough attention to warrant the creation of a 1:24-scale die cast replica by Lionel Racing. Approximately 500 units were produced and made available for fans to pre-order, now stocked at Brenco’s online store.
Reflecting on this achievement, Haugeberg said,
“That’s definitely been a really cool feeling on my side having my own (die cast) car, and it’s a piece of merchandise any NDSU fan doesn’t have yet.”
Growing up as a die cast collector himself, Haugeberg found the experience surreal. He explained,
“I grew up getting them and my dad has a whole collection of them. As a racer growing up, you have all these guys you look up to like your Jeff Gordons and your Jimmie Johnsons and your Dale Earnhardts.”
He continued,
“You play with their cars your whole childhood and when you get your own like that and hold it in your hand for the first time, it’s a pretty surreal feeling and definitely a special feeling I’ll never take for granted.”
Race Weekend Objectives and Strategy
Qualifying for the General Tire 200 will take place on Friday, February 13, with 50 drivers competing for 40 starting positions. The race itself is scheduled for 80 laps covering 200 miles.
While winning is a goal, Haugeberg prioritizes finishing the race without damage. He emphasized,
“The No. 1 goal is to finish the race. Going to Daytona every year kind of dictates our Talladega plans. If we don’t have a car coming out of Daytona, we’re most likely not racing Talladega.”
Maintaining consistent top-10 finishes is also part of his focus, as he added,
“If we can finish in the Top 10 again and keep that momentum rolling, that would be great.”
He remains confident in his chances, saying,
“I think we have as good of a shot as anyone in the field. We’ve been here four times now and rolling into year five, we have all the advantages anyone else does.”
He concluded,
“I think this race gives us the best shot we’ve had and each year we come back, we’re still improving. As long as we can avoid carnage and keep mechanical bugs away, I think we have as good of a shot as anybody.”
Returning to Roots on Dirt Tracks Closer to Home
Despite the thrill of competing on some of the nation’s most prestigious tracks, Haugeberg finds special satisfaction in racing on local dirt tracks. Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon, Minnesota is among his favorite venues, where he has been racing lightning sprints over recent summers.
His 2025 dirt racing schedule also included the River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, Norman County Raceway in Ada, and Greenbush Race Park in Minnesota.
Haugeberg explained the significance of these regional events, saying,
“The regional racing is probably my favorite. I love coming home and racing on the dirt. Dirt is where I came from and grew up racing on since I was 8 years old.”
He shared,
“It’s always had a place in my heart and will always have a place in my heart. So when I get the chance to come back and see all my lifelong friends and the connections I’ve built through racing… every chance I get to go back and do that always means the world to me.”
Encouraging Youth and Expanding the Sport Locally
Haugeberg hopes that the visibility of the NDSU-sponsored car in national events like Daytona will inspire local youth to engage with motorsports and consider careers in automotive fields.
He stated,
“That’s kind of my goal, especially having NDSU on the car, is expanding our area into the racing community.”
He also shared a personal reflection on motivating young racers, saying,
“I hope it shows (kids) that they can keep going and they can go as far as they put their minds to. When I was 12 years old and racing a go-kart, I didn’t think I was going to be racing Daytona, especially five times. So having that opportunity has really opened my eyes to trying to help the youth.”
Further emphasizing the impact of the partnership, he added,
“Being able to expand the brand of NDSU to a whole new level of the world outside of say, football, and what NDSU is known for… getting kids into auto racing and maybe potential students like myself attending NDSU who are looking for an automotive background, they can now look at NDSU as a potential place to go.”
Bryce is back in the driver's seat!
NDSU mechanical engineering student Bryce Haugeberg returns to racing the NDSU car this season, representing Bison Nation all over the country.
Cheer him on as he reps the Green and Yellow three more times this season:
• Daytona on… pic.twitter.com/7uDZzRkv8N
— North Dakota State University (@NDSU) February 11, 2026
Impeccable detail. Striking design. Unmistakably Bison.
The new NDSU @HaugebergRacing diecast by Lionel sets a new standard for Bison collectibles.
Get yours! https://t.co/v0ctK5gXSl pic.twitter.com/bLYvAhNtsk
— NDSU OFFICIAL GEAR (@NDSUlicensing) February 3, 2026
