NASCAR Xfinity Series team Alpha Prime Racing has nightmare logistical challenges on trip to Portland

Being a NASCAR team isn’t always easy. Just ask Alpha Prime Racing as they try to get themselves to Portland this weekend. The delay at Charlotte last week led to some logistical issues. Now, the team’s haulers have run into some major problems on their way to the Pacific Northwest.

The Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway is usually a fun one. This is a road course that will test a lot of young drivers in the field. However, the Alpha Prime Racing team will have to get their cars there before they even think about the race at hand.

President of Alpha Prime Racing, Tommy Joe Martins, detailed the painstaking road that his team had to take.

“So both of our haulers had issues on the way to [Portland]. 44/45 Hauler – Truck broke down in St. Louis (was quoted 24k to fix it, won’t be doing that) 43 Hauler (w/backup car) – trailer blew all the airbags near Kansas City, couldn’t be repaired til Sunday earliest.”

After the hauler was broken down and a backup solution in place, Alpha Prime Racing still needed a driver that could be gone for a week on really short notice to get to St. Louis and finish the haul to Portland.

“Leonard,” Martins continued in the thread, “a retired friend of Frank Earnhardt set out at 5 pm Wed with our dually & 50 ft enclosed trailer. Meanwhile, our working truck was headed back to St. Louis to pick up the working trailer. Jeff made it at 8 pm to make the swap, & send Bruce on his way – 30 hrs from POR.”

The good news is, all is well that ends well. Alpha Prime Racing was able to get to Portland despite the nightmare they went through.

Clearly your guy here could do a better job with logistics.

I’m looking into trailers & trucks but gotta figure out what to do with what we’ve got first.

LOTS of people offered to help the last few days so big thanks to them.

If you’ve got haulers/truck recs, send em over.

— Tommy Joe Martins (@TommyJoeMartins) June 2, 2023

Alpha Prime Racing looking for good weekend in Portland

What makes this really stink is the fact that Alpha Prime Racing gets by with what they can. Many of these Xfinity Series teams don’t have the most money in the world. So, losing two haulers on one trip is a major blow to operations.

This weekend, Leland Honeyman is jumping in the No. 43 with Dylan Lupton in the 44 Chevy. They are joined by teammate Jeffrey Earnhardt. Tommy Joe Martins would love to have some top-10 finishes in Portland to help with these unseen payments.

So, Portland will feature all three cars despite karma trying to bring them down for whatever reason. It is funny that they broke down in St. Louis where the Truck and Cup Series are racing this weekend. Maybe it was a sign they should also race Xfinity at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Best of luck to Alpha Prime Racing, they could use some right now.