A short track ace returns to the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Martinsville Speedway. Sam Hunt Racing announced on October 15 that Bubba Pollard will drive the No. 26 car for the team.

Pollard, who made his series debut for JR Motorsports at Richmond Raceway earlier this year, is one of the biggest stars in short track racing. Pollard's short track resume includes victories in the All-American 400, the Slinger Nationals, the Oxford 250 and many others.

SHR will have SANY America as the primary sponsor for Pollard aboard the No. 26.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to race with SANY and SHR at Martinsville,” Pollard said in a team release. “I really enjoyed the racing experience at Richmond earlier this season. Thanks to SANY, I’m excited to be back in an Xfinity car and can’t wait to get back on the track.”

“There is nothing more fulfilling than hitting the track with real racers, and Bubba is exactly that,” added team owner Sam Hunt. “He is not only a true racer, but also a great human being who respects and appreciates the effort and sacrifices that go into every race. Having him drive for me and having a great partner in SANY is a dream come true that the entire organization is looking forward to. It’s going to be a really fun weekend in Martinsville.”

Pollard finished sixth in his series debut at Richmond.

In 2024, SHR has four top-five and six top-10 finishes in the Xfinity Series between its full-time finish of 26th and its part-time finish of 24th.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series travels to Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, November 2nd for the penultimate race of the season.