Con Nicolopoulos

Con Nicolopoulos Bio

Constatine Nicolopoulos (born October 17, 1961) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is best known for his part-time appearances in the ARCA Menards Series, where he has driven the No. 0 Toyota for Wayne Peterson Racing. Nicolopoulos balances his racing career with a professional engineering role, a combination that has shaped his methodical approach to the sport.

Early Life and Background

Constatine Nicolopoulos was born on October 17, 1961, in Columbus, Michigan, United States. Growing up in Michigan placed him in the heart of the American auto industry, an environment that would later influence both his professional and racing paths. The region’s deep ties to automotive manufacturing provided early exposure to vehicles and engineering principles that later proved useful in his motorsports career.

Beyond his professional engineering work, Nicolopoulos developed a passion for stock car racing that eventually led him to the track. His mechanical background gave him an informed perspective on car setup, durability, and race strategy, advantages that helped him navigate the world of part-time stock car competition later in his career.

Path to NASCAR

Nicolopoulos did not follow the traditional ladder system from karts to late models that many professional drivers pursue. Instead, he entered stock car racing later in life, making his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2011 with Brad Smith Motorsports. His introduction to the team came through a connection at Chrysler, where he worked as an engineer specializing in thermal dynamics, and where fellow Chrysler employee Brad Smith also worked.

He initially served as a spotter for Smith before transitioning into the driver’s seat of a second entry fielded by the team. That secondary car typically operated as a start-and-park effort, with the plan being to pull in early during each race. The arrangement gave Nicolopoulos valuable seat time and familiarity with the national touring series, laying the groundwork for his later move to Wayne Peterson Racing.

Con Nicolopoulos Career

Early Career (2011-2013)

Constatine Nicolopoulos began his stock car racing career in 2011 with Brad Smith Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series. Working alongside Smith, a coworker from Chrysler, Nicolopoulos first served as a spotter before taking the wheel of a second team entry at select events. The car was generally run as a start-and-park operation, with the team planning to retire early from each race rather than run the full distance.

During these early seasons, Nicolopoulos gained experience with the rhythms of race weekends, the demands of touring-series competition, and the logistics of running a part-time schedule. Although the start-and-park format limited on-track results, the experience built a foundation that would support his next chapter in the series.

ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2014-2017)

In 2014, Nicolopoulos signed with Wayne Peterson Racing on a part-time basis, continuing in a start-and-park role for most of his appearances with the team. The switch gave him a new shop, a new crew, and a steady platform from which to chase his first official finish in the series. That milestone came in 2017 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, where he completed the event and was credited with a 26th-place result.

The 2017 Nashville run marked a turning point, demonstrating that Nicolopoulos could turn a start-and-park program into completed-race efforts when the opportunity arose. Since that first finish, he has continued to compete selectively with Wayne Peterson Racing in the ARCA Menards Series, primarily behind the wheel of the No. 0 Toyota.

Wayne Peterson Racing Era (2014-Present)

Nicolopoulos’s long association with Wayne Peterson Racing has defined his modern career. Operating out of a small, part-time operation, the team has allowed him to pick and choose events that fit his schedule as a Chrysler engineer. The No. 0 Toyota has become his signature entry, and the partnership has produced the majority of his verified finishes in the series.

Across his time with the team, Nicolopoulos has earned one top-ten finish, recorded at Winchester Speedway. He has completed 21 of his 94 ARCA Menards Series attempts, a completion rate that reflects the start-and-park nature of many of his earlier runs combined with more recent efforts to go the distance. The relationship with Wayne Peterson Racing has remained his primary competitive home in stock car racing.

Driving Style and Strengths

Nicolopoulos is known for a measured, mechanical approach to racing that draws on his engineering background at Chrysler. His work in thermal dynamics gives him a strong understanding of engine and component behavior under stress, which translates into thoughtful car preparation. With Wayne Peterson Racing, he has favored a steady, finish-oriented strategy rather than aggressive runs, a style well suited to part-time competition.

Notable Races and Milestones

His first completed ARCA Menards Series race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2017 stands as a career milestone, as does his lone top-ten finish at Winchester Speedway. These moments highlight the progress he has made from a start-and-park program to a competitor capable of running at the back of the top ten on his day.

Con Nicolopoulos Career Wins

Con Nicolopoulos has not recorded a feature victory in the ARCA Menards Series through his part-time career. His results are best measured in completed races and top-ten finishes rather than trips to victory lane. The table below reflects only those statistics that can be verified from available sources.

ARCA Menards Series Highlights

In the ARCA Menards Series, Nicolopoulos has made 94 starts and completed 21 of them. He has one career top-ten finish, recorded at Winchester Speedway, and earned his first official finishing result at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2017. His program with Wayne Peterson Racing has emphasized selective starts and, more recently, attempts to log full-race distance.

Other Wins and Performances

No additional regional, late model, or championship wins could be verified for Nicolopoulos. His documented competitive record centers on his ARCA Menards Series efforts with Brad Smith Motorsports and Wayne Peterson Racing.

Con Nicolopoulos Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

No detailed information about Nicolopoulos’s parents or broader family racing connections could be verified. His introduction to stock car racing came through a professional relationship at Chrysler with fellow engineer Brad Smith rather than through a family lineage in the sport.

Personal Life

Outside of racing, Constatine Nicolopoulos works as an engineer for Chrysler in the field of thermal dynamics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also contributed to the development of new healthcare products, applying his engineering expertise beyond the automotive sector. Public details about a spouse or children are not available from verified sources.

2025 Season Performance

As of the 2025 season, Con Nicolopoulos continues to be listed as a part-time competitor in the ARCA Menards Series with Wayne Peterson Racing, driving the No. 0 Toyota. His schedule remains selective, fitting around his ongoing engineering role at Chrysler. Specific 2025 race results are not available from verified sources at this time.

Looking ahead, Nicolopoulos appears poised to maintain his familiar part-time presence with the team rather than pursue a full-season campaign. The arrangement has suited his professional obligations and his preference for a measured, completion-focused racing program. Should he choose to expand his schedule, his existing partnership with Wayne Peterson Racing provides a ready platform to do so.