TC Daily Pit Stop: NASCAR Crew Member Zachary Yager Passes Away Aged 34; Cody Ware Amped About First Win Outlook

TC Daily Pit Stop: Tuesday, August 26th, 2025

NASCAR Pit Crew Member Zachary Yager Passes Away at 34

Photo: Nigel Kinrade, NKP for Ford Performance

Zachary Yager, a long-time pit crew member working across NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away at the age of 34.

The Rochester, New York-native was a member of the Elite Race Services family, a company that specializes in assembling and leasing pit crews to organizations across NASCAR’s National Series.

“Obviously, nobody saw this coming, and we’re in total disbelief,” Cory DeMarco, owner of Elite Race Services, tells TobyChristie.com. “All of the guys send our thoughts and prayers out to his dad and family, right now.”

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Cody Ware Amped About First Win Outlook After Strong Daytona Run

Photo: Matthew T. Thacker, NKP for Ford Performance

“Why not us?”

That’s the message that Rick Ware Racing and driver Cody Ware were sending heading into the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway.

Heading into the weekend, that had the entire organization jacked up and ready to try and pull off the upset of all upsets, getting 36th-ranked Cody Ware into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

The final rundown for Saturday’s event will show a 20th-place finish for the No. 51 Arby’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse, but there were several moments throughout the 160-lap event where that earth-shattering win seemed like a possibility.

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Other NASCAR Headlines:

• Josh Williams Reunites with DGM Racing for Portland

• NASCAR Power Rankings: Where All 36 Cup Drivers Rank After Daytona

• Ryan Blaney Bests Playoff Hopefuls in Four-Wide Photo Finish at Daytona

• 19-Year-Old Zilisch Going Full-Time Cup Racing With Trackhouse in 2026

• Cover Art Revealed for iRacing’s NASCAR 25 Console Game

• Kaulig Racing to Anchor Ram’s Return to NASCAR Truck Series

• Marc-Antoine Camirand Dominates NASCAR Canada Series Event at Circuit ICAR

• Parker Kligerman Jumps in No. 88; Wins Daytona for Zilisch, JR Motorsports

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Darlington / Portland - Weekend Resources:

• NASCAR Cup Series: ENTRY LIST

• NASCAR Xfinity Series: ENTRY LIST

• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: ENTRY LIST

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2025 NASCAR Season Resources:

• Schedules: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• Driver Points: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• Owner Points: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• Rookie Standings: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• Manufacturer Standings: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• 2025 Driver/Team Charts: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks

• 2026 Driver/Team Charts: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks