Cody Ware Bio
Cody Shane Ware, born on November 7, 1995, is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing and in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge for RWR with Ave Motorsports. A third-generation driver with experience in stock car, sports car, and open-wheel racing, he is the son of NASCAR team owner Rick Ware. Standing 193 centimeters tall, Ware has built his career across multiple racing disciplines in North America and abroad.
Early Life and Background
Cody Shane Ware was born on November 7, 1995, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He grew up in a family with deep ties to motorsports as a third-generation racing driver. His father, Rick Ware, is a well-known NASCAR team owner, and Cody spent much of his early life surrounded by cars, drivers, and race shops. The racing environment in his household provided constant exposure to the sport from a young age.
As a child and teenager, Ware developed a passion for racing and began exploring different vehicles and disciplines. His interest extended beyond stock cars to include motorcycles and open-wheel machines. This broad enthusiasm for motorsports helped shape his versatile skill set as he matured into a professional driver.
Path to NASCAR
Ware began his professional racing career in sports car competition. In 2014, he competed in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, where his performance earned him the Rookie of the Year title. That same year, he made his debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, finishing fifteenth for Rick Ware Racing.
In 2015, Ware joined MAKE Motorsports full-time for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, aiming to compete for Rookie of the Year honors. He later stepped away from the team to pursue a pre-medical degree in college but returned to NASCAR in 2017 with his father’s team. Over the following years, he raced part-time across the Truck Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series, building the experience that would eventually lead him to a full-time national series ride.
Cody Ware Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Ware’s professional career began in 2014 with a strong debut in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, where he captured Rookie of the Year honors. Later that year, he made his first NASCAR national series start in the Nationwide Series at Mid-Ohio, driving for his father’s Rick Ware Racing team and finishing fifteenth. These early results established Ware as a promising multi-discipline talent.
In 2015, Ware moved to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with MAKE Motorsports, contesting the full season. Although he left the team mid-year to focus on his education, the experience gave him valuable seat time in stock car competition. In 2016, he attempted to make his Sprint Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway with Premium Motorsports but failed to qualify, setting the stage for his next opportunity with his family’s team.
NASCAR Cup Series Breakthrough (2017–2022)
Ware made his official Cup Series debut in 2017 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving the No. 51 for Rick Ware Racing. His first season was a learning experience, highlighted by mechanical issues, back problems, and a high-profile social media incident following a wreck at Darlington. He continued part-time in 2018 and expanded his schedule in 2019, which included running the Daytona 500.
In January 2021, Rick Ware Racing announced that Ware would contest the full Cup Series schedule. That year brought both on-track challenges and personal milestones, including his first attempts at the Indianapolis 500 with Dale Coyne Racing. In 2022, Ware earned his first career Cup Series top-ten finish with a sixth-place run at Daytona, a breakthrough result that validated his full-time effort.
Rick Ware Racing Era (2023–Present)
Ware returned to the No. 51 for the 2023 season and opened the year with a fourteenth-place finish at the Daytona 500. His season was interrupted in April 2023 when NASCAR suspended him following his arrest on felony assault charges. After the charges were dropped in December 2023, NASCAR reinstated him, and he returned to competition in 2024 with a part-time Cup schedule.
In 2024, Ware posted a career-best fourth-place finish at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, his first top-five result in the Cup Series. On January 15, 2025, Rick Ware Racing announced that Ware would return to full-time Cup competition for the 2025 season. He went on to race all 36 events that year, leading a career-high 23 laps at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona and finishing twentieth.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ware has shown particular strength on superspeedways and road courses, where his sports car background and comfort in traffic come into play. His experience in prototype racing has helped him manage tire wear and fuel strategy across long runs. Working with his Rick Ware Racing crew chief, he has continued to develop his race craft and consistency at the national level.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Ware’s signature results are his sixth-place finish at the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona and his career-best fourth-place run in the same event two years later. He has also competed in prestigious events such as the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2025, he reached the milestone of completing a full 36-race Cup Series season for the first time in his career.
Cody Ware Career Wins
As of the 2025 season, Cody Ware has not recorded a victory in any of NASCAR’s three national series. His strongest results to date are a fourth-place finish in the Cup Series and a seventh-place run in the Xfinity Series, both achieved on the Charlotte Roval and Daytona respectively.
Cup Series Highlights
Ware’s top Cup Series result remains his fourth-place finish at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. He also recorded a sixth-place run in the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 and a nineteenth-place finish at the 2020 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, his first top-twenty in the series. In 2025, he led a career-high 23 laps at Daytona, signaling growing competitiveness.
Other Wins and Performances
In sports car competition, Ware won the LMP2 Am Trophy class at the 2020 Asian Le Mans Series round at The Bend Motorsport Park with co-driver Gustas Grinbergas. He also finished second in the LMPS Am class in his Asian Le Mans debut at Shanghai International Circuit. In 2014, he was named Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Rookie of the Year.
Cody Ware Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cody Ware is a third-generation racing driver and the son of NASCAR team owner Rick Ware, founder of Rick Ware Racing. His younger brother, Carson Ware, also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. The Ware family’s deep involvement in motorsports has shaped Cody’s path from an early age.
Personal Life
In 2018, Ware publicly shared that he struggles with depression and anxiety, and he later revealed a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. In 2021, he spoke about a traumatic incident during his teenage years in which he was severely burned. After his 2023 arrest, the charges against him were dropped, and NASCAR reinstated him later that year.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Cody Ware’s return to full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition with Rick Ware Racing in the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. In January, the team confirmed he would drive the full schedule, providing stability after a part-time 2024 campaign. The partnership with his crew chief continued to develop as the team worked to improve its weekly performance.
Ware’s most memorable moment of the season came at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he led a career-high 23 laps before ultimately finishing twentieth. That result highlighted his growing comfort on superspeedways and his ability to run at the front of the field. Reaching the end of the year, he completed all 36 points-paying races for the first time in his Cup Series career.
Looking ahead, Ware’s consistent full-time presence gives Rick Ware Racing a steady driver to build around in 2026. His experience across stock cars, prototypes, and open-wheel machines continues to broaden the team’s technical knowledge. With several top-ten and top-five finishes now on his resume, he remains focused on capturing his first career Cup Series victory.
