“All of us are racing for something. No matter the size of the organization, racing at this level is a big deal… and that should be celebrated.” Those words from Tommy Joe Martins capture the spirit behind the Grand National Bash, an award concept born out of a simple realization: Effort doesn’t diminish just because the spotlight does.

Drivers in the Xfinity and Truck Series work just as hard as those in the NASCAR Cup Series, yet the rewards often fall far short. Recognizing that imbalance, Martins created a way to give these competitors the appreciation they’ve long deserved. He has everything you need to know about the awards!

The Grand National Bash celebrates Xfinity and Truck teams!

For the first time ever, the award ceremony debuted Sunday night with JR Motorsports emerging as the recipient of the Premier Organization of the Year honor, and they didn’t miss a beat in thanking the Grand National bash.

“It takes an incredible group of drivers, team members, and sponsors to make it all possible. Thank you to the [Grand Bash] and the voting committee on this great honor!” JR Motorsports posted on X.

While the event honors NASCAR drivers and teams, it is independent of NASCAR’s official awards ceremonies. It’s organized by the fan communities and not by NASCAR itself.

For Tommy Joe Martins, the CEO and co-owner of Alpha Prime Racing, the moment carried deeper significance. Much of his racing career has been spent competing against underfunded teams that rarely receive recognition, and his goal with the event was simple: to pause the sport and acknowledge their contribution.

“Throughout my career, I’ve primarily competed with smaller organizations… I’ve often felt the effort it takes to simply participate gets overlooked and underappreciated,” Martins said last month.

In his view, these teams aren’t just participants; they are the backbone of NASCAR.

The awards were presented by ChaLew Performance, and the event took place at the Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius, North Carolina. Moreover, the divisions within the awards were drawing eyeballs.

The Grand National Bash divides organizations into four distinct tiers: Premier, Affiliate, Independent, and Breakout.

Nominees are selected by a panel that includes media members, drivers, agents, and team representatives, with performance data from Racing Insights helping guide the final selections.

Recognition extended beyond team awards as well. Crew chiefs were also honored, with nominees such as Jim Pohlman, Joe Shear Jr., and Danny Stockman earning consideration.

On the driver side, contenders included Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Corey Heim, and Jesse Love, among others.

Events like the Grand National Bash serve a larger purpose, offering long-overdue validation to competitors in the OAPS and Craftsman Truck Series, an acknowledgement that their work matters just as much.

Which teams and drivers stole the spotlight?

Beyond GRM claiming the top honor of the night and co-owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller expressing her appreciation, the Grand National Bash recognized several other standout performances of the year.

Joe Gibbs Racing was among the notable winners, earning pit crew of the year for its No. 20 Xfinity Series team driven by Brandon Jones.

Rising star Parker Retzlaff was also celebrated, taking home lap of the year for his dramatic second-place finish at Rockingham, his best career result after missing the pole by just 0.001 seconds.

On the Craftsman Truck Series side, TRICON Garage’s No.11 team, led by Corey Heim, captured Crew of the Year honors, while Layne Riggs was named Breakout Driver of the Year.

Rounding out the major awards, Martins’ Alpha Prime Racing owned the Independent Team of the Year award.

All in all, it was a win for pretty much everyone, and with the excitement and buzz created around the inaugural event, it can be set with much certainty that this tradition will follow through for years to come