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The No. 99 Fentanyl Free America Chevrolet Heads to Charlotte this Weekend for its Final Race of the Season

Friday, October 09, 2026|
Fentanyl Free America NASCAR

The No. 99 Fentanyl Free America Chevrolet, powered by Viking Motorsports and driven by Parker Retzlaff, will compete Saturday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, in the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. 

The car’s bold design will carry an important message to race fans throughout the weekend; illicit fentanyl can be deadly, and education, prevention, and community action can save lives. 

This year, DEA partnered with Viking Motorsports to raise awareness about the nation’s deadliest drug threat, and to reach motorsport audiences with potentially life-saving information. This sponsorship brought the Fentanyl Free America message to races in Dallas, TX and Daytona, FL and will finish this Saturday in Charlotte, NC.

DEA Administrator Terry Cole shakes hands with NASCAR Pit Crew

“The response we saw in Texas and Daytona confirmed what we already believed: NASCAR fans are passionate, engaged, and ready to stand up for their communities. “Bringing this message to Charlotte gives us another opportunity to reach families and communities with information that can help prevent fentanyl poisonings and save lives. At DEA, we’re all gas, no brakes.”

Terry Cole, DEA Administrator

Viking Motorsports General Manager Jeremy Lange said the sponsorship has given the team an opportunity to support a message that extends beyond the racetrack.  “Working with DEA reminded our team and our fans that we are part of something larger than a race,” Lange said.  “Taking the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America Chevrolet to Texas, Daytona, and now Charlotte has given us an extraordinary opportunity to share this life-saving message with as many people as possible.”  

Fentanyl Free America wrapped Chevy NASCAR

For Retzlaff, driving the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America car has impacted him more than he imagined, “The reaction I have received from driving the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America car has made this one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” said Retzlaff. “People have shared their stories with me and are thanking me for being involved. Knowing that the message on the car can help save lives puts everything in perspective. I’m honored to take this cause to Charlotte and continue raising awareness about the dangers of illicit fentanyl.”

Fentanyl Free America is DEA’s national campaign to protect communities, prevent fentanyl overdoses and poisonings through education and awareness, and support people and families affected by synthetic opioids.  The campaign brings together enforcement, intelligence, forensic science, public education, community outreach, and strategic partnerships to confront the threat of illicit fentanyl.
No. 99 racing in Daytona

Since the campaign’s inception, DEA has seized more than 36 million fentanyl pills and 14,927 pounds of fentanyl powder, removing an estimated 359 million potentially deadly doses from communities nationwide.  Synthetic opioids remain a significant threat, although recent date shows an encouraging decline in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. has experienced a nearly 55% decline in synthetic opioid related deaths since its peak in 2023.

DEA Administrator Terry Cole in Daytona

Free fentanyl-awareness resources and educational materials are available at dea.gov/fentanylfree.

Fans can watch the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America Chevrolet race on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET on The CW Network. Follow @DEAHQ and @VKNGMotorsports on social media for race-week updates.