What’s Happening?

NASCAR driver Thomas Annunziata is one of the sport’s rising young stars. The 20-year-old from Colts Neck, New Jersey, took a different path compared to most aspiring racers, but that hasn’t stopped him from collecting trophies and making a name for himself while rising through the ranks.

After winning his first ARCA Menards Series race on June 28 on the serpentine circuit at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park, Annunziata is looking to the future, taking advantage of every opportunity that comes his way.

What has your racing journey looked like?
I began racing go-karts at 10 years old in Englishtown, New Jersey. It started as just some friends and I racing local go-kart championships around the parking lot for five years. It wasn’t until I was around 14–15 years old when I was on the national karting scene, and I was able to quickly adapt and start winning races.

My dad and I were trying to figure out how to get me into an actual car and we decided on the Mazda route in 2022. I did the IMSA Mazda MX-5 Cup for a few years before jumping into the Trans-Am Series the following year. I was the only rookie to win a race or take pole position in any of the races that season, and then won the Young Guns championship a year later.

Last year, I got to drive Jeff McClure’s ARCA machine. I ran Daytona, Talladega, Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen, and ran very well. I finished second at Daytona, almost won Mid-Ohio and ran some awesome paint schemes as well. It was then when I got the call from JD Motorsports, and I got three free races to run for him in the Xfinity Series, which was an amazing experience to work with the great people over there, and Joey Gase gave me three free races as well. It led to today, where Derrike Cope hired me to drive for his new team, Cope Family Racing, splitting the No. 70 car with Leland Honeyman; and we’ve been growing ever since.

Who have been your key mentors along the way?
I’ve been lucky to have a lot of great mentors. Nick Tucker is my team owner, who used to be a race car driver. Cope of course. He’s watched my Trans-Am stuff and has been a big mentor for me. Billy Venturini, Paul Menard, Adam Andretti and Ryan Newman are all important mentors for me.

What’s it like having such a busy schedule?
It can be tough, but it’s really cool. Time feels very slow, but goes by very quickly when you’re all over the place. I had to move from New Jersey to North Carolina, so now it’s just me and my dad. You’re constantly grinding and working hard to get to where you want to be and reach your goals. I feel like I’m living in five different people’s lives at once.

What is the preparation like for each series?
Honestly, it’s mostly the same. The only differences are the people that I work with and the drivers I race against. But it’s mostly the same. I’m on the sim practicing for that race weekend and they can change the car, depending on what I’m driving that weekend. It’s hard work. People underestimate how important it is to get to know the guys on your team. It’s a huge deal to communicate well to get the best out of the team.

What does it mean to win in the ARCA Menards Series?
It means a lot. I started five to seven years later than anyone else. I’ve raced with guys like Connor Zilisch and Brent Crews, and they got into cars a year or two before I did, so I felt like I was chasing them my whole career. Watching them win lit a fire underneath me because I wanted to win in NASCAR and do burnouts like they do. When the opportunity came at Lime Rock, I had to take it.

It doesn’t feel real when you’re getting posted by FOX Sports, NASCAR and all of these big channels, but I love the attention. My whole family was there, so it was a cool experience, and it felt amazing.

Career-wise, where do you want to be in the next few years?
In the next two years, I hope to be either in the Xfinity Series or the Cup Series, racing for a competitive team, competing for wins and championships. In the next 10 years, I’d like to dip my feet into some endurance racing like the 24 Hours of Daytona and Le Mans.