Austin Green’s NASCAR Career in Limbo After Mid-Season Ouster from Peterson Racing
Mid-season driver shuffle leaves 25-year-old's NASCAR future uncertain as team pivots to Pulliam and Burton for 2027
Charlotte — Austin Green entered 2026 with a full-time ride in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. By late June, the 25-year-old was watching from the sidelines as Peterson Racing cycled through replacements in the No. 87 Chevrolet.
Green’s removal after 16 races at Nashville Superspeedway marked the second time in three seasons a promising young driver lost a full-time seat mid-year in the series. The team brought in Nick Sanchez, suddenly available after AM Racing ceased operations, to diagnose equipment issues. Green returned for three more starts — a 23rd-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway his final result — before the organization confirmed Wednesday the partnership had ended.
“We recognize the frustration and disappointment surrounding our decision to part ways with Austin Green,” Peterson Racing said in a statement. The team acknowledged online attacks directed at Green, team personnel, and others involved in the drawn-out driver shuffle, and apologized for social media exchanges that “contributed to the tension.”
The episode underscores the fragility of development deals in NASCAR’s second tier. Green, a California native who climbed through the ARCA Menards Series, had posted two top-10 finishes in his first 16 starts. Team ownership cited a need to evaluate whether the No. 87’s struggles stemmed from driver input or mechanical variables. Sanchez, the 2023 series champion, logged four starts in the car. The data gathered during that window ultimately did not justify Green’s retention.
AM Racing’s shutdown in May sent shockwaves through the garage. Sanchez’s availability created a rare mid-season opening for a championship-caliber driver, and Peterson Racing acted quickly. The move left Green without a backup plan. His agent has not commented on 2027 prospects.
Peterson Racing has already announced its 2027 lineup: Lee Pulliam moves to the No. 87, while Harrison Burton — a Cup Series veteran with five Xfinity wins — takes the No. 78. The organization said it is reviewing social media moderation practices after acknowledging some accounts were blocked during the controversy.
Green’s situation mirrors that of Sammy Smith in 2024, when Joe Gibbs Racing replaced the then-19-year-old with veteran Christopher Bell for select races to accelerate car development. Smith eventually landed at JR Motorsports. Whether a similar landing spot materializes for Green remains the central question heading into the offseason.
