Cody Ware

Cody Shane Ware, born on November 7, 1995, is a professional auto racing driver from Greensboro, North Carolina. Currently, in 2025, the 29-year-old competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing (RWR). Guiding him as crew chief is Billy Plourde. Ware's journey in racing began at the relatively late age of 16, a contrast to many drivers who start in go-karts around age 5. However, he quickly gained experience racing in Legend Cars and Late Model stock cars before transitioning to NASCAR.

Ware's NASCAR career started in earnest in 2013, and he has since competed in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and NASCAR Xfinity Series. He made his NASCAR Cup Series debut on March 5, 2017, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Beyond NASCAR, Ware has also made a name for himself in sports car racing. He was the 2014 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Rookie of the Year. In 2019, Rick Ware Racing formed an Asian Le Mans Series program, where Ware and Mark Kvamme drove the Ligier JS P2, securing a second-place finish in their first race at Shanghai International Circuit. Ware also won the 2019-2020 LMP2 championship in the Asian Le Mans Series with Gustas Grinbergas.

In January 2024, Ware achieved a podium finish in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, driving a Ligier JS P320 to third place. Throughout his NASCAR Cup Series career, Ware has accumulated 111 starts, with a best finish of 4th at Daytona in 2024, and has an average finish of 29.73. He aims to improve and earn the respect of his competitors as he continues his full-time presence in the NASCAR Cup Series.