Cody Ware entered in Talladega, making first NASCAR Cup Series start since suspension in 2023

Back for the first time since Richmond-1 in 2023, Cody Ware is entered in the Talladega Cup Series race with Rick Ware Racing. Ware takes over the No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for his first NASCAR start since being suspended.

Cody Ware was given a hefty suspension for off-the-track actions. The driver and son of Rick Ware, team owner, was arrested for felony assault by strangulation. Those charges were dropped in December of 2023. Ware was reinstated that same month.

The last time Ware raced was at Richmond. He finished P34 in that effort.

Cody Ware entered in the Rick Ware Racing No. 15 Cup car for Talladega. It's his first Cup race since his suspension last year (he was reinstated in December).

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 15, 2024

Kaz Grala has been doing well in that No. 15 car. We knew that Cody Ware was going to come back to the Cup Series. That was more or less confirmed at the start of the season. Ware had made starts in the Mazda MX-5 Cup.

Grala has a season-best finish of P14 from Atlanta and was P19 at Bristol. Otherwise, he’s at least managed to not wreck his No. 15 RWR Ford. He actually has a higher average finish and more points on the season than fellow rookie Zane Smith of Spire Motorsports, via Trackhouse.

Cody Ware gets another chance with family team

Anyone who thought Cody Ware wasn’t going to get in the 15 car this season was fooling themselves. It’s just how these things work. His last name is on the cars, it’s on the building, so he’s going to drive the car.

Kaz Grala won’t be in the Talladega race, at least not according to the entry list put out by NASCAR to start the week. So, Front Row Motorsports won’t field an additional car. I hate that Grala is going to miss this and hurt his place in the rookie standings. Honestly, he isn’t that far off Josh Berry in points.

Ware is going to hop behind the wheel and he will have a chance to prove he belongs there. There is a chance Ware races more than just Talladega this season. Whether or not Grala finds a ride for those races also remains to be seen.

How do you think Cody Ware will perform at Talladega? Will it be difficult for him to keep pace and race in the draft after so much time away?