19-year-old Luke Baldwin is making his first start in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Hettinger Racing announced on Monday that Baldwin will drive the No. 5 Ford Mustang in Saturday’s NFPA 250.
With Martinsville being the shortest points-paying track on the NASCAR schedule, Baldwin’s racing pedigree makes it the perfect place for a new milestone in his career. In 2024 and 2025 Baldwin won the SMART Modified Tour championship, a NASCAR-sanctioned short track series in the Southeast.
Family Tradition
Not only does Baldwin have experience with the type of racing Martinsville presents, he also has family history at the Virginia racetrack. His grandfather Tommy Baldwin Sr. won twice at Martinsville NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Luke’s father Tommy Baldwin Jr. served as crew chief for each of those victories.
“Martinsville has always meant a lot to my family, so to have my own opportunity at the track is definitely special,” Baldwin said. “It’s a place where I have a decent level of comfort in terms of feel and what I need in the racecar to make a fast lap. It’s tight, it’s physical, and you have to race smart to be there at the end. I’ve been fortunate to have some good experiences there already, so the goal is to lean on that and keep learning throughout the race.”
Luke Baldwin’s Upward Momentum
Baldwin will be the fifth driver to enter a NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race for Hettinger Racing this year. Luke Fenhaus ran Daytona International Speedway and EchoPark Speedway, Tyler Gonzalez failed to qualify at Circuit of the Americas, Chandler Smith took the reins for Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and J.J. Yeley stepped in for Darlington Raceway.
“With all that Luke has achieved of late, a lot of people have their eyes on him. We’re proud to be the ones he chose to make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut,” team owner Chris Hettinger said. “The O’Reilly Series is a big step up, but Martinsville is a flat and fast short track, and it’s the kind of place where Luke has excelled. He’s proven he can adapt quickly and run up front driving all kinds of cars. Martinsville is the right track and this is the right time for Luke to have this opportunity.”
When he races at Martinsville this weekend, Baldwin will be making his sixth overall NASCAR national series start. Last year he ran five races for ThorSport Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series. His best finish was a 12th-place effort at Pocono Raceway. This year he’ll also run a dozen Truck Series races for Team Reaume, beginning with Rockingham Speedway on April 3.
