Garage 66 will wrap up the 2026 season with Chad Finchum piloting the No. 66 Protection Technologies / SunCoast Performance / Cooper&Hunter USA Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, November 8.
The No. 66 ride will carry a striking paint scheme similar to the previously unveiled Protection Technologies 2027 Daytona 500 entry. As the team gears up for its next attempt at The Great American Race, NASCAR fans will get a preview of the Protection Technologies livery on-track as we close out 2026.
Protection Technologies designs, installs, and commissions complete low-voltage security systems for many types of clients, including general contractors, property managers, commercial real estate, government and municipal facilities, and professional sports venues.
SunCoast Performance was established in 1989 to answer the demand for high-quality aftermarket torque converters, transmission assemblies, and parts. Since that time, SunCoast has identified, tested, and corrected numerous failure points within the realm of OEM transmissions and torque converters. At the pinnacle of automotive performance in design, engineering, and manufacturing, SunCoast has grown to over 45 employees. Their in-house metal supplier National Aluminum & Alloy carries upwards of $2,000,000 worth of readily available raw materials. National Aluminum allows SunCoast to maintain complete manufacturing control of their products from inception to completion.
With more than 20 years of experience in air conditioning and ventilation, Cooper&Hunter USA has grown into a leading HVAC market player. The brand is dedicated to technological innovation and consumer-driven product development, generating HVAC equipment that adheres to the highest quality standards, providing reliable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective air conditioning
solutions.
For Finchum, the 32-year-old from Knoxville, Tennessee is set to start his 20th NASCAR Cup Series race, eight of which will have been made this season, a new career-high.
“There’s a lot to be excited about heading into Homestead,” said Chad. “It’s the final race of the season, it’s championship weekend, and I’m grateful to be part of it with this team. My only start there in a Next Gen car was back in 2024, so I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and building on that experience.”
“We’re welcoming some new partners on board for this race, which makes it even more special. It means a lot when people believe in you and want to be part of what you’re doing. To our new partners and the ones who continue to stand behind us, thank you for making these opportunities possible.”
“I’m also thankful for all the work Garage 66 puts in to get us to the track and for the fans who keep cheering us on. You want to give everyone something to smile about heading into the offseason, and that’s certainly our goal. We’ve got one more opportunity to go out there, give it everything we have, and finish the year strong. I’m ready to get to Miami and go racing!”
Garage 66 co-owner Carl Long has his eyes both on the conclusion of 2026 as well as peeking ahead to the 2027 season opener.
“Garage 66 is glad to welcome both new and returning sponsors on board,” said Carl. “Protection Technologies has already signed up for our 2027 Daytona 500 entry with Josh Bilicki, and they are stepping up to help us finish our year out with Chad. SunCoast Performance joins us on the hood for Miami, and we also return multi-year associate sponsor Cooper&Hunter USA. We are excited to bring these national brands into NASCAR.”
“Chad loves the no-grip track surface at Homestead. We are finishing off 2026 and continuing to build our 2027 Cup schedule and sponsor lineups.”
Homestead-Miami Speedway hosts three days of track activity for the NASCAR Cup teams this weekend. Friday will bring 50 minutes of practice, preceding qualifying on Saturday; both of those sessions air on truTV. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race will run at 3 pm ET on Sunday, November 8, live on network NBC.
— Garage 66 —