As the dust settled on his NASCAR Cup career, Paul Menard found himself at a crossroads. With his final season in the rearview mirror, he was more than ready to embrace family life and step into a new role with the Menards Home Improvement empire, a venture that has thrived under his father’s stewardship for decades. But the call of the racetrack proved irresistible, and after a four-year hiatus, Menard is back with a vengeance—this time tearing up the Trans-Am Series.
Menard’s journey through the world of auto racing has been nothing short of remarkable. Starting his career at the tender age of eight in go-karts, he climbed the ranks through ARCA, NASCAR Trucks, and Xfinity, ultimately spending 13 seasons in the elite NASCAR Cup Series. His impressive resume boasts 699 career starts, including 471 in the Cup Series, and four wins, with a standout victory at the 2011 Brickyard 400. Yet, when he exited NASCAR in 2019, it seemed like the curtain was closing on his racing days.
But Menard’s passion for racing never truly waned. In 2024, he made waves by joining the Trans-Am sports car series, competing on legendary road courses that include Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway. His entry into the series was marked by uncertainty, but the results spoke for themselves: he clinched the TA Series championship in his rookie season and followed it up with another title in 2025. With a staggering 12 wins in just 36 career starts, Menard has established an impressive winning percentage of .333, proving that this new chapter is not just a fluke; it’s the beginning of a triumphant resurgence.
In an exclusive interview, Menard opened up about his return to competitive racing. “It was kind of something that always, in the back of my mind, I wanted to pursue a little more, road course racing. I never retired from racing; I just was done with the NASCAR stuff,” he shared. He emphasized the importance of family during his time away from the track, yet the thrill of racing called him back when a friend from his NASCAR days, Poncho Weber, invited him to help set up a new Trans-Am car.
Menard reminisced about the pure driving experience that the Trans-Am cars offer, likening them to the Cup cars of his early career. “They kind of remind me of Cup cars when I first got in back in like 2006, 2007. They were a handful to drive and that’s what these things are,” he said. His excitement is palpable; racing on historic tracks has reignited his love for the sport, and he’s enjoying the camaraderie that comes with the Trans-Am community.
The shift from NASCAR to Trans-Am has also allowed Menard a more family-friendly schedule. “As long as the schedule doesn’t expand to more races, I’m good with 10 or 12 weekends a year,” he stated, highlighting the balance he has struck between racing and family life. He still has aspirations to participate in more endurance races, but for now, he is relishing the thrill of driving these powerful machines.
While reflecting on his NASCAR days, Menard expressed a fondness for the teamwork and the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into making a race successful. However, he admitted that the decreasing horsepower and increasing aero-dependence of the Gen 6 cars contributed to his decision to step back. “The last few years, they started cutting the horsepower and became so aero-dependent that driving the cars was not that much fun,” he noted.
Now, with the wind at his back in Trans-Am, Menard is not just racing; he’s thriving. He drives for 3GT Racing under the guidance of Paul Gentilozzi, a legendary figure in the sport. Menard’s passion is evident as he describes the excitement of competing in a series that has a rich history and a growing fanbase. “The Trans-Am series is the oldest road racing series in America; we’re gonna have our 60th year this year coming up,” he proudly stated.
As for the future, Menard is keen to share his love of racing with his children. While his daughter may not share the same passion, his son is starting to show interest in motorsports. “He’s been riding dirt bikes since he was three years old… I’ll probably get him a test in that one of these days and just see if he likes it,” he said with enthusiasm.
In a world where drivers come and go, Paul Menard is a testament to the enduring love for racing. His leap into the Trans-Am Series is not just a career revival; it’s a thrilling new chapter that promises to captivate fans and solidify his legacy in the motorsport community. The roar of the engines, the thrill of competition, and the camaraderie of fellow racers have reignited his passion, and with every race, Menard is proving that he’s still a force to be reckoned with on the track.
