Grassroots Standout Fenhaus to Make NASCAR O'Reilly Series Debut for Hettinger at Daytona

Luke Fenhaus, who cut his racing teeth on short tracks in the Midwest, will officially slide behind the wheel of the No. 5 Hettinger Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse to make his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. Hettinger Racing announced the acquisition of Fenhaus on Tuesday afternoon.

The pairing of the 21-year-old Fenhaus and the budding Hettinger Racing NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series team, which is also making its series debut at Daytona, is perfect on the surface, as both the driver and team made their names in the world of Late Model racing.

This connection has bolstered Hettinger Racing's confidence in Fenhaus heading into a date with the high banks of Daytona on Saturday, February 14.

"My background is in Late Model racing, and I've seen Luke's development in real time. He's smart, he takes care of his equipment, he learns quickly, and, ultimately, he wins," said Chris Hettinger, owner of Hettinger Racing. "Luke belongs in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, and we're proud to have him in our Ford Mustang at Daytona."

Gearing up for his debut race in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series is the culmination of a whirlwind five-year stretch for Fenhaus, which started with a statement win in the 2021 Slinger Nationals, a win that made the driver the youngest winner in the history of the prestigious short track event.

The win in the Slinger Nationals propelled Fenhaus to a start in the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) at Slinger Superspeedway, where he would take the lead 18 times for a total of 92 laps in a second-place effort. Fenhaus would finish between two SRX Series champions, Marco Andretti, who won the event, and Tony Stewart, who finished third. Fenhaus credits those two performances in 2021 at Slinger as his springboard to the NASCAR National Series.

"Winning the Slinger Nationals and getting that SRX invite was a game changer," Fenhaus explained in a press release. "It put me on peoples' radar and helped open some doors. I worked hard to make the most of it. To be at Daytona five years later to make my NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut is a testament to the work we've put into this -- my family, my partners, my friends -- they've all been so supportive."

Fenhaus is dedicated to bringing home the best result possible for Hettinger Racing, which has taken the chance on putting him behind the wheel for the event.

"Chris Hettinger has provided a really great opportunity for me to make the next step in my career, and I want to reward his faith with a good, strong run at Daytona," Fenhaus said.

Last year, the native of Wausau, Wisconsin, competed in 12 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events, driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. The highlight of the part-time stint for Fenhaus was a breakout performance at Michigan International Speedway, where he started from the pole and came home with a career-best third-place finish.

Prior to the move into the NASCAR National Series ranks, Fenhaus parlayed a successful Late Model career into a full-season shot in the ARCA Menards Series East with Pinnacle Racing Group. Fenhaus would collect a pair of wins in 2023, one at Nashville Superspeedway and another in an ARCA/ARCA East combination event at Iowa Speedway, on his path to a runner-up finish in the season championship standings.

Now, Fenhaus will look to take another step forward in his climb through the NASCAR ranks in his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Daytona with Hettinger Racing.

Photo: Jonathan McCoy | Racing America