Sam Mayer moved up the NASCAR ranks at a rapid pace. His trajectory was compared to two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano as JR Motorsports created an opening for Mayer on his 18th birthday, halfway through the 2021 season.
Then, reality hit. Mayer, who claimed three years ago he wanted to break every NASCAR record, realized how demanding the jump to the Xfinity Series was. Meanwhile, his closest foe, Ty Gibbs, was accelerating, winning in his series debut.
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It took Mayer more than two full seasons — 71 starts — to taste victory for the first time, coming at his home track, Road America. The dry spell was unfamiliar to a driver who climbed through the other developmental series in style.
“You kind of run out of excuses more than anything,” a reflective Mayer told NASCAR.com recently of his Xfinity route. “I had two years to develop and learn, and we saw that at the end of last year. This year, I’m executing races a lot better, not choking and finishing the job and taking wins that maybe I don’t deserve.”
Among the catalysts of Mayer’s surge was being paired with crew chief Mardy Lindley ahead of the 2023 season. The duo first worked together in 2019, splitting time in the Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series. The following season, the pair won five of the 13 ARCA races they entered.
“I push him as hard as I can,” Lindley said of his working relationship with Mayer. “That’s a key to him. Sam needs to be pushed; he thrives off it. But there is a limit, and with my experiences with him, I do know that limit.”
With six victories over the last 34 starts, no driver has won more Xfinity Series races since Mayer claimed his first checkered flag. His first three triumphs all came on road courses, a background he’s excelled at since racing go-karts at 4 years old.
Until Mayer won at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year to clinch a spot in Championship 4, he was concerned about being labeled a road-course specialist.
“I’m not too fluxed about that because I know when I show up to a road course, I have that extra little bit of confidence,” he added. “Getting those oval wins were huge. We got [Homestead] last year and two this year already.”
Mayer’s two oval wins in 2024 came in completely different fashion. In a dramatic ending, he caught Ryan Sieg and edged out the No. 39 car by a few inches at Texas Motor Speedway. At Iowa Speedway, he controlled the race late, leading 47 laps and holding off Riley Herbst in an overtime restart.
After Iowa, Mayer declared he was upset that his name wasn’t thrown around for opportunities at the Cup level while other young phenoms have moved up the proverbial ladder.
Clearly, Mayer has his eyes set on the Cup level.
“It’s definitely a step,” Mayer said of potentially moving to the Cup Series. “I’m not going to deny the fact that whatever team, when, if that comes soon in the next year or so, it’s going to be a step. It’s going to be a long lesson to learn at some point in time. You see a lot of these other guys that I’ve been racing against the last couple of years, they are in Cup now and still haven’t won yet.
“It’s interesting because it’s that big of a step and that much harder, I acknowledge that. But I feel like I can go up there and make something happen.”
Mayer doesn’t expect to necessarily win a race in his first 50 starts, but he set a lofty goal of earning 10 to 12 top-10 finishes. He knows a move to Cup will come with its trials and tribulations.
“I’m sure I’m going to get my teeth kicked in,” he added about whenever he does move to Cup. “I’m going to put my mouthguard in and get ready to rip on it. I like to learn my lesson the hard way a lot, and I feel like going Cup racing, you’re going to learn those lessons either way. The sooner I can experience that, the better, and make my future career that much longer.”
Through the process of weighing his options, Mayer has leaned on key people in his life. Lindley wants what is best for his driver, even if that means holding off on making the step up.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I would like to see him have one more year of Xfinity,” Lindley stated. “Just more experience. That is a tough outlet, especially if you’re with a B [level] or C race team and not with one of the top-performing race teams. At the same time, you have to learn how to race that style of race and you have to learn that car. Sometimes, the sooner, the better.”
One of the key components that Lindley wants to see an improvement from Mayer is consistency. Although the No. 1 team had a trying start to the 2024 season, wrecking out in three of the opening four races, some of that boils down to positioning. Mayer was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his five DNFs are tied for the third-most among full-time Xfinity drivers.And though Mayer has locked up an Xfinity Series playoff berth, he ranks 12th in the series standings. His 16.8 average finish ranks 13th among full-time competitors.
Mayer’s next chance at consistency will come at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
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“We just have to address it head-on,” Lindley said. “We have to shoulder that responsibility, no matter what. Whether it’s his fault, our fault, somebody else’s fault. The bottom line is the bottom line. If we can get on that path, then you’re talking about a championship contender.
“The next 13 are the most important of [Mayer’s] career and mine as well. You may not ever be in this opportunity, and you’ve got to take full advantage of it.
Selfishly, Mayer wants to be in the Cup Series as soon as next season. He has reportedly seen interest from multiple organizations to fill a potential spot for the upcoming season.
“I want to go Cup racing right now because the car is so different from what these Xfinity cars are that, as soon as you can hop in one of them and learn them before you compete for championships and all that, it’s going to take you a while,” he said. “I’m ready to learn. I’m ready to soak up information. I feel like I’m mentally ready. It’s just about getting everything done and buttoned up and making sure that I’m ready and not just saying that I’m ready.”
