Project Never Lift turned its first laps Friday. The No. 25 ran practice at Florence Motor Speedway, one day before its Limited Late Model competitive debut on Mother's Day weekend.
Lee Faulk Racing operator Michael Faulk drove the car first. Dylan "Mamba" Smith — Queen City Garage's founder, driver of record on the program, and a longtime Dodge brand ambassador — drove second. The day was a chassis-baseline shakedown, not an engine debut. The Direct Connection 5.7L Hemi development continues on its own program timeline.
The No. 25 at Florence Motor Speedway. Practice day, May 8, 2026.
Smith's verdict, posted to the QCG build log Friday night: "By the end of the day, it was like riding a bike."
It is the first time Smith has been in a Late Model since November 2022, when he ran the No. 170 Lee Faulk Racing entry at this same track in Direct Connection paint — the South Carolina 400 weekend that originated the Mopar Hemi development effort QCG is now executing.
The No. 25 carries Mopar Heaven on the hood and B/R Racing on the quarter panels for what Smith calls "the maiden voyage."
Saturday night: 50 laps, $1,000-to-win, Mother's Day card, 7:00 p.m. ET green at the Diamond of the Southeast.
Smith's full Friday note, in his own voice, is here.
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