Ryan Ellis will not be with Young’s Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2027, the team announced Wednesday (Sept. 16).
He drove the No. 02 full time this season.
“Ryan has been a tremendous ambassador for Young’s Motorsports, and we are grateful for everything he has brought to our organization this season,” Young’s Motorsports team principal Tyler Young said in a release.
“He came into our program determined to help us succeed, and that commitment has never wavered. Ryan has worked incredibly hard with our guys, represented Young’s Motorsports professionally and brought some tremendous partners and people into our family.
“While our paths will be different in 2027, there is nothing but respect and appreciation for Ryan and everything we have accomplished together. Everyone at Young’s Motorsports wishes him nothing but success with whatever comes next.
“Most importantly, though, we’re not finished yet. We still have races remaining together this season, and our focus is on giving Ryan everything we can to compete for strong finishes and hopefully create a few more memorable moments together before the year is over.”
In a post on X, Ellis said “Following the conclusion of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, I will be moving on from Young’s Motorsports.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time driving for Randy, Becky, and Tyler Young, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity they gave me. I wish them and everyone at Young’s Motorsports nothing but the best moving forward.
“I’m also extremely thankful for the dedication and hard work our No. 02 team put in throughout the entire season. Together, we created some amazing memories – highlighted by a career-best finish at Daytona to started the year – and moments like that, on and off the track, I’ll always remember.
“I truly can’t thank my incredible partners enough for their continued support and belief in me this year. As everyone who knows the NASCAR industry knows, none of this is possible without them.
“I’m extremely grateful for this chapter and everyone who was part of it, and I look forward to announcing my plans for 2027 in the near future.”
Ellis earned one top 10 this season, a sixth at Daytona International Speedway. He has one other top 10 that came last year with DGM Racing.
A driver of the No. 02, as well as Ellis’ future plans, are yet to be announced.
Joy joined Frontstretch in 2019 as a NASCAR DraftKings writer, expanding to news and iRacing coverage in 2020. She's currently an assistant editor and involved with photos, social media and news editing. A California native, Joy was raised watching motorsports and started watching NASCAR extensively in 2001. She earned her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies at California State University Bakersfield in 2010.
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