Former Canada Series champion makes a strategic 2026 return for SS-Greenlight Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Alex Labbe is gearing up for a limited schedule with SS Greenlight Racing in the upcoming 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. The 32-year-old driver will be participating in all five road course events, including the newly added race at Naval Coronado Base in San Diego.

Labbe has a strong history with SSGR, as well as significant experience with DGM Racing, where he had his first full-time season in 2021. With over 150 starts in the second-tier series, Labbe’s standout performance came in 2020 when he secured a fourth-place finish at Charlotte Roval.

As the former NASCAR Canada Series champion, Labbe drove the No.07 Chevy in 2025, achieving three top-15 finishes in seven races. For the upcoming season, Labbe will be sharing the No.0 SSGR team with primary driver Garrett Smithley. The team also fields Josh Bilicki as their full-time driver in the No.7 Chevy.

The news of Labbe’s 2026 schedule was confirmed by Toby Christie in a social media post, where he announced, “@AlexLabbe36 will run the five road course events in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, driving the No. 0 for @SSGLR0708.”

Expressing his excitement about continuing his partnership with SS Greenlight Racing, Labbe stated, “I’m really excited to be staying with SS-GreenLight Racing. We have had some great runs over the years, and I’m looking forward to building on that with some good runs this year.” Bobby Dotter, the owner of SS Greenlight Racing, also shared his enthusiasm for having Labbe back in the car, highlighting the successes they have achieved together in the past.

Labbe’s season debut is scheduled for the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, February 28.

In other NASCAR news, Xfinity recently announced the end of its 11-year tenure as the title sponsor for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which will now be known as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. However, the brand reaffirmed its partnership with the NASCAR Cup Series, emphasizing its continued involvement as a Premier Partner, team sponsor of 23XI Racing, and sponsor of events like the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway and the Xfinity Fastest Lap Award across all three national series.

During Xfinity’s tenure with NASCAR, the Xfinity Series witnessed a surge in viewership, culminating in the 2025 season with standout performances by drivers like Connor Zilisch, who clinched 10 wins and 15 consecutive top-5 finishes. The series recorded an average viewership of over 1 million, with the season finale at Phoenix Raceway attracting 1,191,000 total viewers at its peak.

As NASCAR fans bid farewell to Xfinity’s title sponsorship of the Xfinity Series, the brand’s legacy and influence in motorsports remain strong, with continued support and partnerships within the NASCAR Cup Series and beyond.

The article has been edited by Vignesh Kanna for publication.