If there’s anyone who knows not to take an opportunity for granted in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, it’s Nick Sanchez.
A successful two seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series landed him a ride last season with Big Machine Racing, with whom he snagged a win at EchoPark Speedway and 12 top 10s en route to a finish just outside the top 10 in points in 2025. In a rookie class filled with the likes of Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil, Sanchez found a way to stand out.
Then, Big Machine left him out of its 2026 plans, and the 25-year-old had to go find a ride. He started the season with AM Racing, and then that team shut down altogether after a miserable start to the season. Sanchez eventually found himself with Peterson Racing Group on a part-time schedule, splitting the ride with the previously full-time Austin Green.
In his third race with the young team, Sanchez looked to be on the brink of repeating as the summer winner at EchoPark. He restarted on the front row for the final overtime restart, but contact with Brennan Poole on the final lap undid his chances at an upset.
“I’ve been in these situations before, and nothing’s guaranteed until you cross the line,” Sanchez said after a 19th-place finish.
Sanchez, who had his best non-Atlanta finish of the season at Chicagoland Speedway with a 12th-place run, currently has one more scheduled race with Peterson at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in two weeks. Or at least it’s the last one scheduled for now.
“I think there’s more to come on that,” Sanchez said.
Coupled with the rumor reported on The CW broadcast that Peterson will have two full-time entries in 2027, it appears Sanchez won’t have to look far for his full-time ride.
The 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion and 2023 Truck rookie of the year has always been solid, the struggle has just been funding. If Peterson can find the funding for a second ride, it’s hard to imagine a better fit for an up-and-coming team.
Sanchez jumped into the ride for Green, a member of a family synonymous with the O’Reilly Series, as his father, David, won the 1994 championship. With experience in Trans-Am, Green’s strength is undoubtedly road courses. His first three starts in the series at Circuit of the Americas, Portland International Raceway and Sonoma Raceway saw him rack up finishes of seventh, 15th and fourth.
Green does have one major drawback that’s shown in his first full-time season. While he has a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in ARCA, he has been mediocre at best on ovals with Peterson. His average finish on such configurations is 25th. Still, he is responsible for all three top-10 finishes this year for a team sitting 23rd in owner points.
It’s a somewhat cruel irony that Sanchez, who had to watch from the sidelines after what felt like a doomed-from-the-start stint at AM came to an end, had Green watching him from the pit box in Atlanta with his career now on pause. Now, there are rumors he might not get back in the car this season, with the team saying they’ll have an announcement after Indianapolis.
Sanchez clearly has the potential to be a long-term title contender in O’Reilly with the right equipment. Green definitely needs time in the seat, but could have what it takes to compete in the series full-time. It’s no wonder that Peterson, fresh off a partnership with Jordan Anderson Racing for two seasons, will be looking to expand with the quality of talent it has at its disposal.
Then again, as Sanchez said, there are no guarantees.
If this season has shown us anything in the O’Reilly Series, it’s that the best-laid plans can go south quickly. AM’s sale to Sigma Performance Services ultimately fell through, leading to both the team’s end and Sanchez’s playoff hopes. Barrett-Cope Racing was set to go full time this season, but that hasn’t come to fruition either, and it’s the same story with Hettinger Racing
There’s a chance Peterson shows up as early as this year with two cars for Sanchez and Green (the team registered the No. 89 as a second entry before the start of the season). But just as quickly, 2027 plans might change should another team make a big play for one of the two hidden-gem prospects.
James Krause joined Frontstretch in March 2024 as a contributor. Krause was born and raised in Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University. He currently works in Fort Wayne, Indiana covering minor league, college and high school sports. Outside of racing, Krause loves to keep up with football, music, anime and video games.