O'Gara Aims to Return to Victory Lane in 2026

As the YourBigPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour prepares for another competitive season, Kyle O'Gara and the No. 67 team have spent the offseason focused on one simple objective: getting back to Victory Lane.

For O’Gara, the winter months have been anything but quiet. The team has essentially started from scratch in preparation for the upcoming season.

“It’s been a rebuilding year,” O’Gara said. “Everything from the car, ground up, was a fresh rebuild. The engine is still at the engine builder after we hurt it at the last IRP race. We’re heading into the season as fresh as possible with every bit of our team.”

While the car is being refreshed, much of the work has centered on preparation and development. Crew chief Brad Larson has been busy refining the team’s chassis and working through new shock packages as the team looks to find even more speed in 2026.

Strong Performance Despite Tough Luck

On paper, the 2025 season may not reflect the true performance of the No. 67 team.

“On paper it looked like our worst year ever with the 500 Sprint Car Tour,” O’Gara explained. “But realistically, if you take a couple part failures out of it, I think we had a championship year going.”

Mechanical issues repeatedly disrupted what could have been a breakthrough season. Despite that misfortune, O’Gara still managed several standout performances, including a podium finish in the prestigious Unified Group Services Little 500 along with four additional podium runs during the season.

“We just couldn’t get away from the gremlins,” O’Gara said. “But I thought it was our best on-track performance that we’ve ever had.”

Breakthrough Moments in Michigan

Several of those strong runs came during the Michigan swing, including an impressive showing at Owosso Speedway. The race marked the first time non-wing sprint cars competed at the facility, and O’Gara’s team came prepared.

“We came off the trailer firing on all cylinders and went quick time,” O’Gara said. “That was our first ever pole with the 500 Tour.”

After starting near the front, O’Gara quickly worked his way into second place and pressured race winner Tyler Roahrig late in the race.

“We really had a great long-run car,” O’Gara said. “We just kept getting yellows at the wrong time.”

Despite the runner-up finish, O’Gara left impressed with the facility and eager to return.

“That was an incredible place and a great racetrack,” he said.

Another track where the team made noticeable gains was Berlin Raceway. O’Gara remembers his first visit to the high-banked oval as a difficult experience.

“Our first race there we ran eighth or ninth and were a lap down,” O’Gara said. “I had never been more miserable in a race car.”

Since then, the team has steadily improved. O’Gara has now scored multiple podium finishes at Berlin and believes the gap to the front continues to shrink.

“To go from being a lap down to having eyes on the 56 car (Tyler Roahrig) at the end of the race shows how much progress we’ve made,” he said.

Still, the team isn’t satisfied.

“We’re getting closer, but we’re not winning races there yet. So we still have work to do.”

Focus Shifts to Winning

For 2026, O’Gara and Larson have made a conscious decision to simplify their goals.

“We have to get the 67 car back to Victory Lane,” O’Gara said. “Brad and I have talked a lot about that this offseason. We’re putting the championship out of our minds and focusing on wins.”

While one victory would be satisfying, O’Gara believes the team is capable of more.

“I’d be happy with one win,” he said. “But I’d be frustrated if we only got one. With the package we have and the people around us, I think we can win multiple races.”

O’Gara also admits his driving style has evolved over the years. Experience, particularly at Anderson Speedway has helped transform him into a more assertive racer.

“I feel like I’m pretty aggressive nowadays,” he said. “If there’s a hole in front of me, I’m going to take it. We don’t go to the racetrack to run second.”

Part of what makes those wins so difficult is the depth of talent across the tour.

“The competition level just keeps increasing,” O’Gara said.

Drivers like Kody Swanson, Bobby Santos III, Dakoda Armstrong, and Roahrig headline a field that O’Gara believes features as many as eight potential winners every race.

“I think there are six to eight cars that can win any night,” he said. “That just shows how strong the competition is.”

Earning Respect

During the tour’s media day, drivers were asked to vote for the most underrated competitor in the series. O’Gara finished tied with rising driver Jackson Macenko.

For O’Gara, the recognition means a lot.

“I just hope it means we have the respect around the pit area that I think we deserve,” he said. “We’ve proven ourselves over the years, but we still have a long way to go.”

With a rebuilt car, renewed focus, and plenty of motivation, the No. 67 team enters the 2026 season determined to turn strong performances into the one result that matters most.

Victory Lane.

YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour info & Schedule

Founded in 2022, the YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour has quickly established itself as the premier pavement non-wing sprint car series in the nation. With a schedule that visits some of the most historic short tracks in the Midwest, the tour blends tradition with innovation while showcasing the best drivers and teams in open-wheel racing. Known for its thrilling wheel-to-wheel competition and passionate fan base, the 500 Sprint Car Tour has become a cornerstone event series for grassroots motorsports and continues to grow in prestige each season.For more information, visit 500sprintcartour.com or follow the YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour on Facebook, X, and Instagram.All races, including the 78th Annual Unified Group Services Little 500 presented by ED Martin Automotive Group, will be streamed LIVE on Racing America.

-YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour Release
-Photo credit: Rick Kimball