The short-lived return of the No. 94 to NASCAR Cup Series competition

 

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

  The No. 94 has made a lot of history throughout the years in the NASCAR Cup Series. For a short time, it seemed as the the legendary number would make it's long awaited return to the circuit, and on a full-time basis with GMS Racing. GMS selected driver Ty Dillon to pilot the No. 94 Chevrolet Camaro in 2022, alongside Jerome Donley as the team Crew Cheif. The No. 94 car made it to the track for two seperate test sessions at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as the team prepared for their debut season in the NASCAR Cup Series. All that was left was for the team to secure a charter to ensure full-time racing under the GMS Racing banner.

Those plans would soon be changed. 

On December 1st, GMS Racing officially purchaseda majority stake of Richard Petty Motorsports. A week later, Richard Petty Motorsports had rebranded under Petty GMS Motorsports, a merger between RPM and the GMS Racing Cup operation. Petty had owned 2 charters, as one for the No. 43 car and one being leased to Rick Ware Racing. The majority interest gave the rights to those charters to GMS owner Marty Gallagher. The No. 43 will stay in the Cup Series with Erik Jones behind the wheel, but Ty Dillon is now to pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro in 2022, abandoning the No. 94.

What make the No. 94 a legendary number in NASCAR, is its former owner/driver from 1995 - 2000: Bill Elliott. The 15-time Most Popular Driver Award winner drove for his own operation for 5 years.  Not once, did Elliott reach victory lane with his team, but a legendary scheme that would be embedded in the minds of NASCAR fans.

Jamie Squire/Allsport

McDonald's, one of America's most famous fast-food restaurants, had sponsored the most popular NASCAR driver of that era in his entire career racing for his own team, almost making the pair in-seperable. Many children who grew up watching NASCAR in the 1990s, they will remember the McDonald's car for the remainder of their lives, as that decade was the fast-food chains' best era of growth. A McDonald's was in at least every other town or city, making the marketing for Elliott's race merchandise wanted by children. 

When Elliott left his NASCAR Winston Cup team to go and drive for Evernham Motorsports, McDonald's would depart with Elliott, and sponsor the No. 96 operation owned by Cal Wells. McDonald's still sponsors NASCAR race car to this day, 

The No. 94 car may have not been a winning car in its past, but it certainly has some history that will not be forgotten, and its return to NASCAR Cup Series competition will be awaited yet again.