Viking Motorsports brought back Alfredo, Retzlaff for 2027

NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 29, 2026

Viking Motorsports lineup

Viking Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff would return next season, keeping both drivers in place as it tried to carry its current progress forward in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Alfredo would drive the No. 96 Chevrolet, with Josh Graham continuing as his crew chief. Retzlaff would return to the No. 99 Chevrolet with Danny Efland continuing in the same role. The team said keeping both driver-and-crew-chief pairings intact was intended to build on its 2026 season, giving Viking Motorsports the same core structure it had used that year. That continuity mattered for a team that wanted to keep climbing. It also gave both entries the chance to keep developing with the same voices on the box and in the cars. That was the point of the announcement: to tie the return of both drivers to the progress already made and the belief that the same group could produce more next season.

Sackett on continuity

Team owner Don Sackett said keeping the group together was a priority, and he pointed to what both teams had shown that year as the reason. He said both teams had shown what they could do, which gave the organization a clear reason to stay the course. Sackett also highlighted the No. 99 team’s run to the Chase in its second full-time season, a marker that underscored the progress Retzlaff and Efland had made together. For Viking Motorsports, the decision was about more than simple continuity. It was about protecting what had already worked and giving both sides of the garage a chance to deepen the chemistry they had built. The announcement suggested the organization saw value in keeping its current formula intact instead of changing pieces that had already produced results. That was a straightforward vote of confidence in Alfredo, Retzlaff, Graham and Efland, and it placed the emphasis on sustained development as the team headed forward.

Alfredo and Retzlaff

The on-track numbers backed up the decision to stay with both drivers. Alfredo had three top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes with two races remaining, while Retzlaff had four top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes. Those totals showed a team with two drivers producing steady results at the same time, which helped explain why Viking Motorsports wanted to keep both lineups together. Alfredo said the team’s recent momentum gave it something to build on next season, and he said he was excited to carry that momentum into 2027. Retzlaff gave a similar view of the year, calling 2026 the best of his career and saying he was excited to carry that momentum into 2027. Both drivers framed the return as a chance to keep moving forward instead of starting over. The results, the continuity and the confidence from both drivers pointed in the same direction. Viking Motorsports will enter next season with the same pairings, the same crew chiefs and a clear belief that its current momentum can lead to more.