# Matt Tifft

Matthew Kenneth Tifft (born June 26, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver and former team owner. He currently competes part-time in the Super Late Models, driving the No. 36 Chevrolet SS for Dan Fredricksonn Racing. In 2020, with his racing career in question due to a past brain tumor and a diagnosis of epilepsy, he became part owner of Live Fast Motorsports with B. J. McLeod & Joe Falk, becoming the youngest team owner in NASCAR Cup Series history. Tifft also was named to the 2022 Forbes 30 under 30 Class. Medical issues sidelined Tifft as a driver from the end of 2019 until the end of 2023 season.

## Racing career
### Early career (2007–2010)

In the fall of 2007, Tifft had his first opportunity to race in a go-kart at Barberton Speedway in Norton, Ohio. He was coached by Kevin Harter of CRP Racing. In 2009, he made his first divisional and national level go kart schedule, under Beasley Motorsports, being coached by Gary Lawson. During this season, Tifft would win two national-level victories. In 2010, Tifft transitioned from karts to asphalt and dirt super late models, with the help of Josh Richards, Dale McDowell, Clint Smith, Benny Gordon, and Tim Schendel.

### Stock car racing (2011–2023)

2011 marked Tifft's first full year in stock cars, as he compiled two super late model victories and had multiple top-5 finishes. Along with the work with Schendel and Gordon, Tifft also raced a significant number of races with BJ McLeod Motorsports. In 2012, Tifft won the Rookie of the Year title in the ARCA Midwest Tour. In addition, Tifft finished the season with 5th in points overall.
In 2013, Tifft joined the Win-Tron Racing team to race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, as well as select ARCA Series races.
In 2014, Tifft signed with Ken Schrader Racing to run select ARCA and K&N East races. Tifft also made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 8th.
On November 14, 2014, it was announced that Tifft would be running a 6-race schedule with Kyle Busch Motorsports for the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Tifft made his Xfinity Series debut in 2015 with Joe Gibbs Racing, finishing 10th. The following year, Tifft was then signed by JGR to drive the No. 18 in 13 races. Tifft drove 3 races with JGL Racing driving the No. 24 in the Xfinity Series, before driving for JGR. Tifft also joined Red Horse Racing to drive the No. 11 in the Truck Series.
Tifft sustained a disc condition in his back in 2016, and on recommendation of his doctor, sat out the American Ethanol E15 250. Sam Hornish Jr. subbed for him and ended up winning the race. Tifft eventually underwent surgery for a low-grade glioma in his brain. On September 12, 2016, NASCAR officials cleared Tifft to return to racing.
On November 4, 2016, it was announced that Tifft would drive full-time in JGR's No. 19 entry in 2017, competing for the Rookie of the Year.
Tifft had not scored a top five in 2017, but at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 12, 2017, he finished a career best third place. On August 27, 2017, Tifft came within two laps of his first Xfinity Series victory at the season's annual trip to Road America. Tifft was leading on the penultimate lap when a fast-closing Jeremy Clements hooked Tifft in Turn 14, spinning both cars out within sight of the finish line. Tifft would ultimately finish 3rd behind Clements and Michael Annett, tying his Mid-Ohio finish.
On October 5, 2017, it was announced that Tifft had signed a multi-year deal to drive the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing starting in 2018.
On November 27, 2018, it was announced that Tifft would drive the Front Row Motorsports No. 36 Ford Mustang GT in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and compete for 2019 Rookie of the Year honors. Tifft selected 36 as his racing number to honor his mentor Ken Schrader, who raced with that number in the Winston Cup Series from 2000 to 2002. Prior to the Martinsville race, Tifft was rushed to the hospital after suffering a seizure and blacking out in the team hauler, forcing Matt Crafton to take over the No. 36 for the race. As a result of the seizure, he missed the rest of the 2019 season as John Hunter Nemechek substituted in the No. 36 for the final three races. On November 13, 2019, he and FRM parted ways as Tifft intended to focus on his health and could not commit to a full-time 2020 schedule.
On October 23, 2020, Tifft and B. J. McLeod purchased Archie St. Hilare's half of Go Fas Racing's charter. Tifft, McLeod, and Joe Falk will use the charter full-time in 2021 while Go Fas Racing will scale down to a part-time schedule. When the team was formed as Live Fast Motorsports, Tifft would later say in an interview that part of the reason he decided to move to team ownership was because of the uncertainty over continuing his racing career due to his health issues, and his desire to continue his involvement in the sport. He also confirmed in the interview that doctors advised him to retire after 2019, because of his health issues. Tifft was the youngest Cup Series team owner in 2021 at age 24. Because of this achievement, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2022. Tifft stepped away as owner of Live Fast prior to the 2024 season, after the team sold its charter and scaled back to a part-time operation.

### Return to racing (2023–present)

After working with doctors at Georgetown University and participating in a test session at Hickory Motor Speedway, Tifft returned to racing in August 2023, competing in Super Late Models for Dan Fredricksonn Racing at Marshfield Speedway and Golden Sands Speedway. Tifft earned a top 5 finish in his first race at Marshfield, and in two races at Golden Sands he earned a pole, and 4th and 7th place finishes.
Tifft announced that he would compete in 30 events in 2024, split between dirt late models and the SCCA Trans-Am TA2 series.
In a video posted on X, Tifft revealed he has had discussions with NASCAR regarding a comeback, and that the sanctioning body has stated that he wouldn't be cleared until "2031."

## Personal life

Tifft was born in Fairfax County, Virginia, and grew up with brother Morgan and sister Maggie in Hinckley, Ohio. He graduated from Highland High School in nearby Granger, Ohio. He currently attends school at UNC Charlotte, majoring in Business Management. He is a fan of the Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Browns, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Tifft has attended several Indians games and threw the first pitch at an Indians game in 2018. Tifft also ran an Indians Fanatics car at his home track at Mid-Ohio.
On July 1, 2016, Tifft underwent surgery to remove a low-grade benign brain tumor. The tumor was discovered during treatment of a back injury.
Tifft became engaged in the offseason following the 2018 season. Tifft married Jordan Holt in December 2019. In a 2024 interview, Tifft revealed the couple welcomed a son earlier that year.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Monster Energy Cup Series

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | MENCC | Pts | Ref |
| 2019 | Front Row Motorsports | 36 | Ford | DAY 36 | ATL 28 | LVS 34 | PHO 20 | CAL 26 | MAR 29 | TEX 24 | BRI 27 | RCH 29 | TAL 37 | DOV 32 | KAN 21 | CLT 20 | POC 33 | MCH 24 | SON 28 | CHI 29 | DAY 9 | KEN 27 | NHA 24 | POC 23 | GLN 24 | MCH 25 | BRI 27 | DAR 27 | IND 32 | LVS 30 | RCH 20 | CLT 25 | DOV 25 | TAL 13 | KAN 25 | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 31st | 352 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 2019 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 33 | 36 |

#### Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts |
| 2015 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | IOW | CLT | DOV | MCH | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ROA | DAR | RCH | CHI | KEN 10 | DOV | CLT | KAN | TEX | PHO | HOM | 95th | 0$^1$ |
| 2016 | JGL Racing | 24 | Toyota | DAY 21 | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX 20 | BRI 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 101st | 0$^1$ |
| 2016 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | | | | | | | | RCH 33 | TAL 8 | DOV 8 | CLT | POC | MCH | IOW | DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ROA | DAR | RCH | CHI | KEN 5 | DOV | CLT 8 | KAN | TEX 9 | PHO | HOM 25 | 101st | 0$^1$ |
| 2017 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 19 | Toyota | DAY 11 | ATL 12 | LVS 34 | PHO 12 | CAL 17 | TEX 9 | BRI 16 | RCH 14 | TAL 6 | CLT 26 | DOV 9 | POC 10 | MCH 26 | IOW 22 | DAY 18 | KEN 14 | NHA 11 | IND 11 | IOW 19 | GLN 13 | MOH 3 | BRI 17 | ROA 3 | DAR 40 | RCH 13 | CHI 6 | KEN 9 | DOV 6 | CLT 9 | KAN 8 | TEX 8 | PHO 11 | HOM 7 | 7th | 2211 |
| 2018 | Richard Childress Racing | 2 | Chevy | DAY 19 | ATL 12 | LVS 11 | PHO 7 | CAL 8 | TEX 6 | BRI 35 | RCH 4 | TAL 25 | DOV 8 | CLT 9 | POC 14 | MCH 16 | IOW 9 | CHI 16 | DAY 20 | KEN 11 | NHA 5 | IOW 26 | GLN 37 | MOH 4 | BRI 10 | ROA 2 | DAR 8 | IND 6 | LVS 36 | RCH 5 | CLT 6 | DOV 15 | KAN 6 | TEX 7 | PHO 3 | HOM 10 | 6th | 2254 |

#### Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2014 | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | 0 | Chevy | DAY | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | KEN | IOW | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR 8 | TEX | | | | 43rd | 83 | |
| 2014 | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | 45 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PHO 20 | HOM 21 | | 43rd | 83 | |
| 2015 | Venturini Motorsports | 25 | Toyota | DAY 19 | ATL | MAR 9 | KAN 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21st | 327 | |
| 2015 | Kyle Busch Motorsports | 51 | Toyota | | | | | CLT 8 | DOV | TEX | GTW 25 | IOW | KEN | ELD 21 | | | | MSP 23 | | | LVS 19 | TAL 23 | MAR | TEX | | | | 21st | 327 |
| 2015 | Kyle Busch Motorsports | 54 | Toyota | | | | | | | | | | | | POC 8 | MCH | BRI | | CHI 9 | NHA | | | | | PHO 8 | HOM | 21st | 327 | |
| 2016 | Red Horse Racing | 11 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN 14 | DOV 12 | CLT 5 | TEX | IOW | GTW | KEN | ELD | POC | BRI | MCH | MSP | CHI 12 | NHA | LVS 15 | TAL 9 | MAR 16 | TEX 17 | PHO 8 | HOM 12 | 21st | 211 | |

#### K&N Pro Series East

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | NKNPSEC | Pts |
| 2013 | Win-Tron Racing | 89 | Chevy | BRI DNQ | GRE 26 | FIF 16 | RCH 10 | BGS 17 | IOW 7 | LGY 6 | COL 16 | IOW 24 | VIR 15 | GRE 12 | NHA 13 | DOV 16 | RAL 23 | | | 16th | 378 |
| 2014 | Ken Schrader Racing | 52 | Dodge | NSM 12 | DAY | BRI 9 | GRE | RCH 13 | IOW | BGS | FIF | LGY | NHA 12 | COL | IOW | GLN | | | DOV 19 | 24th | 193 |
| 2014 | B. J. McLeod Motorsports | 89 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | VIR 6 | GRE | | 24th | 193 |
| 2017 | Jefferson Pitts Racing | 27 | Toyota | NSM | GRE | BRI | SBO | SBO | MEM | BLN | TMP | NHA | IOW | GLN 10 | LGY | NJM | DOV | | | 50th | 34 |

#### K&N Pro Series West

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | NKNPSWC | Pts |
| 2013 | TEI Motorsports | 89 | Chevy | PHO | S99 | BIR | IOW | L44 | SON | CNS | IOW | EVG 9 | SPO | MMP 5 | SMP | AAS | KCR 9 | PHO 11 | 21st | 130 |
| 2014 | TEI Motorsports | 41 | Chevy | PHO | IRW | S99 | IOW | KCR | SON 10 | SLS | CNS | IOW | EVG | KCR | MMP | AAS | PHO | | 61st | 34 |
| 2015 | Jefferson Pitts Racing | 55 | Toyota | KCR | IRW | TUS | IOW | SHA | SON 15 | SLS | IOW | EVG | CNS | MER | AAS | PHO | | | 55th | 29 |
$^*$ Season still in progress $^1$ Ineligible for series points

### ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Racing Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | ARSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2013 | Win-Tron Racing | 89 | Chevy | DAY | MOB | SLM | TAL | TOL 5 | ELK | POC | MCH | ROA | WIN | CHI | NJE 15 | POC | BLN | ISF | MAD | DSF | IOW | SLM | KEN | KAN | 70th | 360 | |
| 2014 | Ken Schrader Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY | MOB 6 | SLM | TAL | | NJE 3 | POC 19 | MCH | ELK | WIN | CHI 3 | | POC 22 | BLN | ISF | MAD 9 | DSF | SLM | KEN 2 | KAN 28 | | 17th | 1820 | |
| 2014 | Ken Schrader Racing | 10 | Chevy | | | | | TOL 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 1820 |
| 2014 | Ken Schrader Racing | 11 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | IRP 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 1820 |
| 2015 | Ken Schrader Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY | MOB 6 | | | | | NJE 14* | | | CHI 4 | WIN | IOW 5 | IRP | POC 23 | BLN | | | | | | | 20th | 1550 | |
| 2015 | Ken Schrader Racing | 52 | Toyota | | | NSH 2 | SLM | TAL | TOL | | POC 10 | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | KAN 15 | | 20th | 1550 | |
| 2015 | Venturini Motorsports | 55 | Toyota | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ISF 28 | DSF | SLM | KEN | | | | 20th | 1550 |
| 2016 | Venturini Motorsports | 15 | Toyota | DAY | NSH | SLM | TAL | TOL | NJE | POC | MCH 5 | MAD | WIN | IOW | IRP | POC | BLN | ISF | DSF | SLM | CHI | | | | 55th | 425 | |
| 2016 | Ranier Racing with MDM | 28 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | KEN 3 | KAN | | 55th | 425 | |
| 2017 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | DAY 12 | NSH | SLM | TAL | TOL | ELK | POC | MCH | MAD | IOW | IRP | POC | WIN | ISF | | | | | | | | 57th | 335 | |
| 2017 | MDM Motorsports | 28 | Toyota | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ROA 15 | DSF | SLM | CHI | KEN | KAN | | 57th | 335 | |