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Defending Champion Cooper Webb Emerges with First Victory of Season After Triple Crown Showdown in Houston

Haiden Deegan Sweeps Triple Crown Races for Third Straight 250SMX Win

HOUSTON (January 31, 2026) – The fourth race of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship held its first stop of the 2026 season outside the state of California as Round 4 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship traveled to the Lone Star State and the domed confines of NRG Stadium. The first Triple Crown race of the stadium campaign produced the most unpredictable action of the young season as three different riders took race wins during the trio of 450SMX Class sprint races. However, none of those racers sat atop the overall podium at night’s end as reigning 450SMX Class Champion Cooper Webb parlayed a consistent night into his first win of the season, providing a much-needed boost to what has been a frustrating start to the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider’s title defense.

450SMX

Race 1 was dominated by Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, as the German grabbed the holeshot and rode to an uneventful wire-to-wire win where he never faced a serious challenge for the lead. Roczen took the first checkered flag of the night by 1.9 seconds over Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac in third. Webb began the night with a fourth-place result, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado rounded out the top five. Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence saw a podium finish slip away when a late miscue and tip over relegated him to seventh.

The second race of the evening got underway with Prado out front for the holeshot, followed closely by Lawrence and Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance’s Jason Anderson. Webb started fourth, with Roczen a few positions back in eighth. Both Tomac and Sexton were mired outside the top 10, with Tomac 11th and Sexton 17th. Prado impressed out front and led more than half of the race before Lawrence made the move in the closing stages and carried on to take the win. Webb battled his way into the top three and slipped by Prado as well to finish second, 2.1 seconds behind Lawrence. Prado held on for third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth and Roczen in fifth. Sexton did well to claw his way up to ninth, while the biggest moment of the race came when Tomac crashed while running sixth. The championship leader remounted and soldiered home to a 13th-place finish. After two races, Webb and Roczen sat tied for the lead, while Lawrence and Prado were tied for second.

The third and deciding race provided a captivating end to the night and began with Tomac out front for the holeshot, followed by Anderson and Lawrence. Webb started seventh, while Roczen (11th) and Prado (14th) were forced to battle back from outside the top 10. As riders jockeyed for position early, Webb made a costly error off the finish line jump that took him off track and back to eighth, behind each of his contending foes. Out front, Anderson charged by Tomac into the lead, as Lawrence followed through into second. The KTM rider settled back in and mounted an attack, which saw him get back by Lawrence for second and reclaim the lead from Anderson. Roczen, meanwhile, had fought his way up to fourth, just behind the leaders, in position for the overall. Lawrence then got by Anderson for second, which positioned the Honda rider for the overall. Behind them, Webb had overcome his early misfortune and was on the cusp of the top five. As he looked to pass his teammate for third, Roczen mistimed a rhythm section, which allowed Sexton and Webb to drop the Suzuki rider to sixth. Sexton then moved by Anderson for third but also mistimed a rhythm, which allowed Anderson, Webb, and Roczen to get by. Webb then went on the attack and made what became the winning move with a pass for third. Out front, Tomac bounced back from the adversity in the second race and cruised to the Race 3 win by 4.3 seconds over Lawrence. Webb successfully kept a hard-charging Roczen at bay for third, in what became the battle for the overall victory.

Webb’s 4-2-3 finishes and nine total points sealed the 31st win of his decorated career and his sixth Triple Crown triumph. Lawrence came up a single point shy of a maiden victory with 10 points on 7-1-2 finishes but netted a third consecutive runner-up result. Roczen rounded out the overall podium after 1-5-4 finishes tied him with Lawrence but placed him in third via Lawrence’s better Race 3 result. Tomac’s victory in the final race was significant in the overall standings as he finished fourth with 17 points on 3-13-1 finishes. Sexton rounded out the top five (2-9-6), one week after he claimed victory at Anaheim 2.

By missing the podium for the first time in 2026, Tomac’s lead in the 450SMX Class standings dropped to just four points over Lawrence, while Roczen moved to within 12 points of the lead. Sexton sits fourth (-14), while the win vaulted Webb up to fifth (-17).

Cooper Webb
A consistent effort across all three races allowed Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb to parlay 4-2-3 finishes into his first victory of the season

Cooper Webb – 1st Place – 450SMX Class
“This feels amazing. I can’t even put it into words. Honestly, it’s weird not to win a [race], but I’ll take any skin I can get right now. It’s been a really tough month mentally, physically, emotionally. Even yesterday was a rough day. Just to come in here today and make this happen means so much. It’s never over. I thought last week might be the nail in the coffin [in the title defense], but that’s a Cooper Webb move to come back a week later, put myself in a good position, and win. I’m proud of myself. We’ve still got plenty of work to do. We need to be better, but it’s a breath of fresh air and a boost of confidence. It’s just good to be back on top.”

Hunter Lawrence – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class
“The first [race] is where it all went bad for me. Just a silly little mistake. I’m happy with how the night went from that point on, honestly. I rode really well and this format is one of the tougher ones for me. Short duration sprints don’t come easy to me. I’m pretty happy with how it went after the first [race] and what could have been. We did good damage control and pulled four points back on the lead. We live to fight another day.”

Ken Roczen – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class
“I’ve got a little bit mixed emotions. This could have been my night. I got a little bit held up by my teammate [Anderson] and that forced me into a couple mistakes where I lost the rhythm and two positions. Here we are, back in third place. It’s the difference between catching Cooper [Webb] and winning and doing what I did. But I don’t want to be too bummed. We’re going to keep chugging along on the podium. My time will come.”

250SMX

The Western Divisional 250SMX Class was much more straightforward as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan was the class of the field in each race. The reigning champion made a statement in Race 1 after he grabbed the holeshot and ran away with a wire-to-wire win by a margin of 2.0 seconds over Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen and his teammate Cameron McAdoo. In Race 2 Deegan secured another top three start and methodically worked his way forward. He made clean passes around McAdoo, who earned the holeshot, and Kitchen, who led most of the race, to bring home his second win of the night by 3.9 seconds. The third and final race was Deegan’s most challenging, as he and Kitchen engaged in a cat-and-mouse fight for third place early on. The Kawasaki rider made an aggressive dive under Deegan, but the Yamaha rider fought back and gave Kitchen a nudge as he reclaimed the spot. Deegan then tracked down his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Max Anstie for second and was patient before he made the pass on ClubMX Yamaha’s Max Vohland, who captured the holeshot, for the race lead. Once out front, Deegan never looked back and completed the hat trick by 1.3 seconds over Anstie. Kitchen and McAdoo followed in third and fourth.

The Triple Crown sweep proved to be a statement in Deegan’s title defense as he’s now in the midst of a three-race win streak and continues to add to his lead in the championship standings. After a difficult start to the season that produced 6th, 4th, and 21st-place finishes, Kitchen broke through for his first podium result with a runner-up finish with 7 points on 2-2-3 finishes. McAdoo landed on the podium for the second time in three races and the 25th time in his career following 3-3-4 finishes for 10 points. Deegan’s lead in the Western Divisional standings over his Star Yamaha teammates now sits at 19 points over Anstie, who finished sixth in Houston following 10-6-2 finishes, and 20 points over Michael Mosiman, who endured through his toughest race of the season in an eighth-place effort following 4-14-8 finishes.

Haiden Deegan
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan swept the Triple Crown races for his third straight Western Divisional 250SMX Class win.

Haiden Deegan – 1st Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“It’s racing. I’m just trying to get into the lead and win races, so I’m down with cat and mouse [with Kitchen]. Aggressive is pretty much my middle name at this point. [It was] a good race and it was nice to hear some cheers out there [from the fans]. I appreciate that. I tried to make it entertaining for them and hope they enjoyed it.”

Levi Kitchen – 2nd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“It’s been a rough start to the season, so I need to give a lot of thanks to my team and everyone for sticking behind me. I’m pretty happy with tonight, to just get a couple good starts and kind of feel that pace [up front]. Haiden is riding phenomenal and I’m just trying to go out there and do my best.”

Cameron McAdoo – 3rd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“It was frustrating last weekend to lose the podium the way I did towards the end. I love these Triple Crowns. I love the pressure of three [races] and was able to execute every time. It was a fun night and awesome to put a couple Pro Circuit bikes on the podium.”

SMX Next – Supercross

For the second week in-a-row, the action of the 450SMX and 250SMX classes was complemented by the budding stars of SMX Next – Supercross. An elite group of the top A and B class prospects in amateur motocross took to the track once again with a field of 21 racers, with last week’s winner Kayden Minear missing in action after the 18-year-old Australian crashed aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine during qualifying and was forced to sit out. As the gate dropped on the 8 Minute + 1 Lap race, it was 16-year-old Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green rider Vincent Wey who put himself out front early with the holeshot. It wasn’t long before 17-year-old Triumph Racing America rider Deacon Denno, a Texas native, took the lead to the delight of the home crowd. As the race wore on, all eyes were on another Texan, 16-year-old Caden Dudney, who charged to the lead aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing ride and stormed to his first SMX Next victory by a margin of 1.5 seconds over Denno for a Texas 1-2. Wey crashed out of third in the closing laps while he attempted to pass Denno for second, which allowed 18-year-old Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider Landed Gordon to finish third.

Caden Dudney
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Caden Dudney captured his first SMX Next – Supercross victory in front of a hometown crowd.

Caden Dudney – 1st Place – SMX Next – Supercross
“The track was pretty tough out there, but it feels good to get the win in my home state. I was pretty close last weekend and that kind of pissed me off, so I had to get redemption on that. I had to put in the work [during the week] and here we are.”

The Monster Energy SMX World Championship and Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will continue next Saturday for the fifth race of the season from Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. Live broadcast coverage on Peacock will begin at 1 p.m. ET with Race Day Live, followed by the Gate Drop at 7 p.m. ET.Additionally, a domestic Spanish language broadcast is available on Pea cock while international viewers can choose from dedicated English, French, and Spanish broadcasts via SMX Video Pass (www.SMXVideoPass.com).

All 17 rounds of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SMX World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final will go on pre-sale Tuesday, Jan. 27, with general tickets on-sale to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at SuperMotocross.com. Saturday FanFest will take place at all postseason races, Friday FanFest and camping will be available in Columbus and Ridgedale, additional details to follow.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Instagram: @supermotocross
Facebook: @supermotocross
X: @supermotocross
YouTube: @supermotocross
TikTok: @supermotocross

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship:
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About Pro Motocross Championship:
The Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the Pro Motocross Championship. For more information, visit ProMotocross.com.

About Feld Motor Sports, Inc.:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

About MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.:
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

Why Mobile Car Body Repairs Are Changing How Drivers Fix Their Vehicles

Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Minor scratches, dents, and bumper scuffs are an unavoidable part of vehicle ownership. Whether it happens in a car park, on a narrow road or simply from everyday wear, bodywork damage affects millions of UK drivers each year. Traditionally, getting these repairs meant booking your car into a body shop, arranging alternative transport, and waiting days or even weeks to get it back. That approach is now changing.

Mobile car body repairs have grown rapidly in popularity across the UK, offering drivers a more convenient and often more affordable alternative to traditional repair methods.

What Are Mobile Car Body Repairs?

Mobile car body repair services bring professional technicians directly to your location. Rather than dropping your vehicle at a workshop, repairs are carried out at your home, workplace, or any convenient spot. These services typically cover scratch repairs, dent removal, bumper scuffs, stone chip repairs, and alloy wheel damage.

The process works simply. You contact a specialist, describe the damage, and receive a quote. A technician then arrives with a fully equipped van containing all the tools, paints, and materials needed to complete the repair on site. Most jobs are finished within a few hours, meaning you can watch the work happen and drive away the same day.

For drivers across Kent and Greater London, specialists offering mobile car body repairs Kent have made it easier than ever to restore vehicles without disrupting daily routines.

The Benefits of Choosing Mobile Services

The convenience factor is obvious, but mobile repairs offer several other advantages worth considering.

Cost savings represent a significant benefit. Traditional body shops carry substantial overheads, including premises, multiple staff, and equipment storage. Mobile technicians can often deliver the same quality repairs at lower prices because their operating costs are reduced.

Time efficiency matters to busy drivers. Taking a car to a body shop typically requires at least two trips, plus the inconvenience of being without your vehicle. Mobile repairs eliminate this hassle entirely.

Quality remains high with reputable mobile services. Modern colour-matching technology allows technicians to blend repairs seamlessly with existing paintwork. Advanced techniques like paintless dent removal preserve the original finish in many cases without the need for respraying.

According to the Highway Code’s guidance on vehicle maintenance, keeping your vehicle in good condition is essential for safe road use. Addressing bodywork damage promptly helps prevent rust and further deterioration while maintaining your car’s value.

What Repairs Can Be Done on Site?

Mobile technicians handle a wide range of cosmetic repairs, though some limitations exist. Services commonly available include scratch repairs ranging from light surface marks to deeper paint damage, small- to medium-dent removal using specialist techniques, bumper scuff and crack repairs, stone-chip touch-ups, minor panel repairs, and alloy wheel refurbishment.

However, extensive structural damage, major collision repairs, or work requiring specialist spray booths will still need traditional body shop facilities. Mobile services work best for localised cosmetic damage rather than large-scale repairs.

Choosing a Reliable Provider

Not all mobile repair services deliver the same standard of work. When selecting a provider, consider their experience, customer reviews and whether they offer guarantees on completed repairs. Reputable technicians will provide clear quotes before starting work and should be happy to show examples of previous jobs.

Drivers seeking mobile car body repairs Kent should look for specialists who use professional-grade materials, offer colour-matching technology, and will back their work with warranties.

The Future of Mobile Vehicle Repairs

Mobile car body repairs represent a broader shift in how services are delivered to consumers. The convenience of having skilled technicians come to you, combined with competitive pricing and quality results, makes this option increasingly attractive.

For minor bodywork damage, mobile repairs offer a practical solution that saves time and money while keeping vehicles looking their best. As more drivers discover the benefits, this approach to car care is likely to continue growing across the UK.

NASCAR reschedules Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium to Wednesday

Bowman Gray Stadium by Andrew Boyd for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR has postponed all events for this weekend’s Cook Out Clash festivities at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. All on-track activities have been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 4, due to snow and its impact on travel in the area.

According to the updated schedule, practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series will begin Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.ET, live on FOX Sports App. The 20 fastest drivers in the qualifying session will advance to the main event.

At 4:30 p.m. ET, the remaining drivers (18) will compete in the Last Chance Qualifier for two transfer spots and will air live on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The top two will advance to the main event. There will also be one spot reserved for the driver who finished highest in driver points in 2025 and did not advance.

At 6 p.m. ET The field of 23 drivers will then compete in the 200-lap Cook Out Clash on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The parking lots for the events will open on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET. Off-site shuttle services will also be available at noon with gates opening at 12:30 p.m. ET.

The Cook Out Madhouse Classic, which features the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series’ Modified Division and Sportsman Series divisions, has also been postponed from this Saturday to a future undetermined date.

In addition, the Clash’s Fan Fest will not occur this weekend.

CHEVROLET NCS AT BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM: Kyle Larson Media Availability Quotes

NASCAR CUP SERIES
BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
JANUARY 31, 2026

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson, met with the media via Zoom in advance of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Media Availability Quotes:

Monday night could still have a chance to be the coldest race in NASCAR history, if that’s when it gets run. What’s the coldest you ever remember being inside a car, and how do you prepare, if you do prepare any differently, for those kind of conditions?

“Yeah, I don’t know if I’ve ever competed when it’s that cold. But thankfully for us, we’re inside of a stock car, which is basically like an oven, so that’ll help. I think, honestly, I think it’ll feel fine for us inside the car. I wouldn’t be surprised if you still break somewhat of a sweat in there, just because of all the temps from internally, and it’s not windy in there because we’re going so slow.

But yeah, I just feel for the the crews, the mechanics, the fans and NASCAR officials; everybody who’s there outside in the cold. But, you know, we love the sport, and we’ll compete in any conditions, I think. I just look forward to the challenge; just seeing kind of how the race plays out and seeing what teams can step up.”

Usually with weather situations, it’s a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’. To get the information now this early, where we know we’re going to be pushing to Monday, how does that help you not just be in this sort of weird in between and help set up a better plan for what the next couple of days look like for you?

“Well, I think we all assumed it probably wasn’t going to happen tomorrow anyways. So, in my head, I think I was already planning for Monday, or potentially even further. But, really, it just kind of gets you excited that you can enjoy the snow with your family. As soon as I’m done with this, I’m going to head over to my shop. We’ve got a good hill. We’ll probably build a jump; put the kids on some tubes and sleds, and go have some fun for the next couple days.

So, just try to make the most out of the situation, and also be ready to go when it is time to go. You know, we’ve already done our pre-event packet; going over the race weekend, practice, qualifying, all of that. So, I feel like we have a good plan. Now, we just have to wait until we get on track.”

In terms of your last championship you won, how cool was it to win one with your kids being old enough to really kind of grasp what was going on, unlike back in 2021, when they were much younger?

“Yeah, I think Owen had an okay understanding from the first one. But, you know, this one I think was cooler because I would imagine Audrey will remember this now for the rest of her life. Obviously I wasn’t in the motorhome watching the race because I was on the track, but my wife, Katelyn, she told me how emotional Owen had gotten. You know, he was a little bit teared up because I think he could grasp the magnitude of it, and also grasp how wild the finish was for us. I think he understood that we were not in a great position to win the championship, and then the script flipped and we won. I think he was just as surprised and emotional as we all were on the team and behind the wheel. So, yeah, it was cool, but also, having all the photos, videos and memories made that we’ll get to have forever is always cool.”

How hard do you have to remind yourself when they’re racing not to over-coach?

“Yeah, it’s tough, for sure. I think I’ve realized at this point that, which it makes it even tougher to just keep your mouth shut, but I feel like my kids do better when I don’t talk to them. You know, I think I get a little too detailed, and then I think they’re probably out there trying to do what I say and they’re thinking too much rather than reacting to what’s going on on the track. I realized that at the Tulsa Shootout, because Owen did get to run a few divisions, that once I showed up to town — like the first race I got to watch him, I’m like trying to coach him and all that, and that was the worst race he had all week. So, I was like — all right, I’m just going to stop talking and let Chad Boat and the team coach him up because he seems to listen to them, or relate to what they’re saying, better than me.”

I’m thinking about the DAYTONA 500 in a couple weeks. There were some comments last year by some folks who said, well, the 500 doesn’t feel as prestigious as it once was. I’m curious, do you feel that way, and if so, what needs to happen, or what can NASCAR do, to get it back to feeling like it once was, where winning the 500 felt special, whereas now it seems like folks look at it as, oh, well, anyone can win?

“I mean, it’s always going to be prestigious and feel prestigious. You know, I’ve never won the race. I’ve never even finished top-five, so I don’t know what the feeling is like. I would imagine the feeling of winning is still going to be extremely massive, if it ever happens.

But in a way, yeah, not that I fully agree with those comments, and I don’t know if that’s exactly how they’re meant to be anyways, but it is difficult to get really excited about the winner or who’s won when usually there’s a 20-car pile-up and the guy running towards the back squeaks through, and then misses another wreck later and wins. But that’s the race and that’s how it is. You know, I think William Byron winning two in a row is not a fluke, so the cream does rise. He’s won there in the old-style car and this car.

So, yeah, Daytona and Talladega, sure, anybody can win, but still the teams positioning themselves the best and drivers making the best decisions do win.

I don’t know if that really answers your question or not, but it’s still always going to be prestigious.”

You were in a bit of a slump as you went on to win the championship. You hadn’t won in a while, but then you got into the off-season and you started to win again. I don’t know how many races you won, but do you feel like you sort of have gotten your momentum back?

“I don’t know… it’s completely different race cars and stuff, but we’ll see. I mean, we just got to get the season started. I feel good about things. I felt like we were trending in a good direction at the end of the year. I mean, you don’t make the final four in a slump, and you don’t win the championship in a slump. So, yeah, I feel confident. Although we didn’t get some wins in the playoffs, we had a great opportunity to win two or three races in the playoffs, barring some cautions or whatever playing out differently.

I feel very capable of winning. We have a new body style, which yeah, sure, maybe would take a handful weeks to get a full grasp on, but I think once we do, we can be really, really competitive. So, yeah, just look forward to getting on the track and getting things going; getting back in the flow and just racing.”

Katelyn had a bunch of funny videos while you were off racing. She sort of was in charge of the kids racing. What’s that like for her to have to do that on her own without you? Do they prefer you not being there, and then what was it like when you guys all won on the same night on different continents?

“Yeah, I mean, I’m sure Katelyn and the kids would prefer if I was there all the time, but I think they also understand that I can’t be there all the time because I’m working or whatever you want to call it… it doesn’t feel like work to me, but you know, we can call it that. But, yeah, she’s gotten the hang of it more. I think she thrives at the kids races now. I think it was a bit stressful in the beginning, especially when Cooper was younger. He’s still a handful for sure, but you can pack a lot less now. He can go play with friends, and she can focus more on Owen and Audrey.

But, yeah, I think she really loves it there. She was set up selling the kids merchandise by the trailer, helping push them to staging and doing all that.

At the Tulsa Shootout, when I was in Australia, was great. The kids did way better at the shootout than I thought that they would. I’m sure there’s a lot of people in here that have no idea what the Tulsa Shootout is, but there are 2,000 cars, and divided by, I don’t know, five or six classes… there’s a couple hundred to over 400 in some of the classes. And yeah, for Audrey, like she just started and won a heat race, so that was really cool. And then Owen, as well, he’s out there racing with adults, and adults who have won the shootout before, and beat them in a heat race. So, yeah, they had a really, really good week, and I was super proud of them.”

You and I talked a little bit about Audrey’s competitive nature in Perth. How important is it for her to have interest outside of racing, like her playing hockey. You guys did a photo shoot the other day with Roto-Rooter. How cool is it for her not just to have these experiences, but to have you share them, as well?

“Well, I think it’s good for — any parent can parent their kids differently, but I think for us, it’s important to try to have our kids in as many activities as we can try to have them in, especially because they’re homeschooled, so they don’t get quite the exposure to other kids, probably. I mean, I guess you could argue that either way I think because we do have them doing racing and hockey, and when the weather is better, playing baseball and stuff. So, yeah, I just think it’s important to have them mingling with other kids. And also, just staying active; being in different environments and stuff. Audrey loves hockey. She loves racing. She loves being able to do all the things she does. We signed Owen up for hockey now too, so he gets to start that soon. The hockey part of it’s fun because it’s so different than what I do. I know nothing about hockey, so it’s fun to kind of go there and see them learning and seeing how talented the kids are out there, so I really enjoy it”

I wanted to ask you about Steve O’Donnell. How would you describe Steve’s leadership and interacting with him over the years?

“Yeah, I mean, I think he’s a really good leader. I feel like he runs a good balance of being, you know, friends with everybody, but also can stand his ground, which I think is important for a leader. So, yeah, I respect him and I respect the role that he has. I know the job that they have as executives at NASCAR is extremely tough, so, like I said, I think he balances it all very well.”

I kind of know the answer to this from a racer standpoint, but if you were to develop your entirely own series, no matter what the cars, what would be the best way to determine your season champion?

“Well, I have started a series, and it’s about 60 races and we have a full season standing (laughs). But, I mean, that’s totally different… that’s sprint cars versus NASCAR. I would assume you’re talking about NASCAR, but we will race in whatever format.”

With your youngest, Cooper, how soon would you be able to get him in a car, and how far do you want your kids to go racing? Do you want them to follow all the way, like you did? “Well, racing is an expensive sport, and I’ve got two doing it currently. I’ve spent a lot of money here lately because we’re starting our own micro team for them. So, in a perfect world, I would love for Cooper not to race, but I know that’s probably impossible, so I don’t know. Both of my other kids were, I think, five-and-a-half or six when they started, so he’s still got a few years. But yeah, he’s the craziest, for sure, of the three. So, we’ll see. I think he’ll be the most expensive, probably, because I’m sure he’ll be tearing up the most equipment. So, we’ll see if we can keep him out of it.”

Can you take me through the micro team? What’s that going to look like?

“Yeah, so in the past couple years here, I’ve just rented their rides from Chad Boat. He’s got a really great program, but he was going to travel a lot less this year with his team and I wanted my kids to race a lot more. I have my shop that I used to run my World of Outlaw team out of, and not that it was empty, but it wasn’t seeing a lot of use. So, I thought it’d be a fun project to start my own team. We hired a couple guys, Clinton Boyles and Carsen Perkins, and we started our own team. We’ve got a truck and trailer, another trailer, a bunch of race cars, engines, all the parts, components, all of it, so we are fully invested in the micro racing.

It’s honestly been a lot of fun though, and I look forward to kind of having our own little touch on things.”

As you were going through last year, you had a pretty successful superspeedway package, where in the past it hasn’t. You had some good finishes. Do you have confidence going into this season, knowing that Daytona and Atlanta starts off the season?

“Well, I would say, honestly, I always have confidence when we go to superspeedways because I feel like we do a good job. Just prior to last year, you know, I would just get caught up in wrecks and whatnot, and last year just worked out where the wrecks avoided me. So, you know, I wouldn’t say I have any more confidence this year than I did last year. I just hope that we have the same sort of good fortune as we did last year… maybe it can be a few spots better to get a win.”

I was listening to Justin Swilling from NASCAR talk about the effort that has been put in to try to get this race underway, no matter when it happens. From a driver’s perspective, do you appreciate all that’s put in to try to get it underway, even though this is a challenge race, a pre-season race?

“Yeah, I absolutely appreciate the effort, as always. I feel like a lot of times, you know, there’s many races where I’m like — man, there’s no chance we’re going to get out there and they’ll postpone it to Monday, Tuesday or whatever, but they find a way. They work really hard, and that’s a credit to the men and women who are working behind the scenes to make it all happen, whether that’s drying the racetrack, making sure the tech line is clear, stuff like that.

I think they’ve got a long track record of a lot of effort, so I’m not surprised that we’re still in the same plan, even for an exhibition race.”

You also are very much one who rolls with the punches, and you said you’re looking forward to the challenge. Is that kind of what this is to you, or what this race means?

“Yeah, well for one, I don’t have experience, really, with a snow delay, especially one as heavy as it is, so I think that’ll be new. But as always, what are you going to do? You know, we all just have to ride it out and see. So, yeah, I think that’s obviously the approach.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium Rescheduled to Monday, Feb. 2

Cook Out Clash on Sunday, Feb. 1 has been Postponed

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Jan. 31, 2026) – The Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium has been postponed to Monday, Feb. 2 due to the impacts of winter weather in Winston-Salem, N.C.

NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET live on FS2. The Last Chance Qualifier is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET live on FOX followed by the Cook Out Clash at 6 p.m. ET live on FOX. MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will broadcast the entirety of Cook Out Clash action.

NASCAR is continuing to work closely with the City of Winston-Salem and North Carolina officials on the impacts of the winter weather in the city and surrounding region to host a safe event.

Parking lots will open Monday at 9 a.m. with off-site shuttle services beginning at 9:30 a.m. Gates will open at 10 a.m.

Race fans with tickets, can get more information at www.nascarclash.com/weather or calling 855-525-7223.

About Bowman Gray Stadium

Built in 1937, Bowman Gray Stadium, a quarter-mile short track, holds a special place in NASCAR history as the longest-running weekly racetrack. The racetrack hosted 29 NASCAR Grand National, now NASCAR Cup Series, races from 1958 to 1971 and hosted several East Series races from 2011 to 2015. The Cup Series returned in 2025 with the Cook Out Clash for the first time since 1971. For more information, visit bowmangrayracing.com.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

Bare Knuckle Boxing Returns and Ready to Fight for Title with Layne Riggs

BKB to Partner With Riggs in Four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Events

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January, 31, 2026) – Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB), Layne Riggs, and the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports (FRM) NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team are ready to knockout the competition in 2026. BKB is back again for an explosive and powerful four race primary schedule and full-season major associate partnership.

The news will be announced live by Riggs inside the BKB Trigon tonight during BKB 50 Evolution in Miami, Florida. US fans can tune in on VICE TV and Telemundo, and globally on UK’s talkSPORT. Riggs will be in attendance with BKB Chairman and President, Mike Vazquez, for the announcement.

“Layne, like all our BKB events and fighters, is always exciting to watch and is focused on being a champion,” announced Vazquez. “His fighting spirit on the track aligns with our values of providing the best, most entertaining, and exciting action for our fans. We are proud to be in his corner and fight with him and his Front Row Motorsports team as they go for the championship in 2026.”

BKB’s partnership will be highlighted by four main events on track. The BKB colors and primary branding will be featured at EchoPark Speedway in February, Michigan International Speedway in June, Lime Rock Park in July and Martinsville Speedway in October. BKB will also serve as a major associate on the No. 34 Ford F-150 all season.

“This is a great day to celebrate BKB and to announce our continued partnership,” said Riggs. “BKB, its fighters, fans and everyone at Front Row Motorsports strive for excellence and winning. That continues to be our goal on the track. We want to get more wins with BKB on the truck. I can’t wait to start our season with their support.”

Now celebrating its 50th event, BKB was born in South Florida by backyard legend Dada 5000, whose fights gained worldwide popularity online and were featured in the hit documentary, Dawg Fight. BKB (Originally BYB) was founded to harness the excitement of bare-knuckle fights into a structured product for a wider, mainstream audience. BKB is now a worldwide brand and growing daily.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit teamfrm.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

ABOUT BARE KNUCKLE BOXING

Originating in South Florida as BYB Extreme with Mike Vazquez and backyard legend Dada 5000, whose backyard fights gained worldwide popularity online, BKB was founded to harness the excitement of bare knuckle fighting into a more structured product for a wider, more mainstream audience. Since 2015, BBB has worked diligently to grow the reach of bare knuckle on both a domestic and international level, and is continuing to work with athletic commissions throughout the United States and globally to expand the fanbase growing sport of bare knuckle fighting. In the past two years, BKB has purchased the UK-based BKB, the world’s oldest professional bare knuckle boxing company, and in doing so merged the organizations to create the largest global bare knuckle boxing organization in the world in terms of roster, library and distribution; ushered in ethical and legalized gambling to the sport; acquired the rights to the historic and prestigious Police Gazette Diamond Belt which now serves as the Bare Knuckle Boxing World Championship; and brought bare knuckle boxing to lineal television on both sides of the Atlantic, including the recent deal with VICE TV and Telemundo Desportes in the US, and in the UK with TalkSport. Fans can learn more about BKB by visiting https://www.bkbbareknuckle.com/.

GEORGIA’S LANE CHRISTENSEN WINS 2026 JR. LATE MODEL COMBINE

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (January 30, 2026) – 14-year-old Lane Christensen of Pendergrass, Georgia has been named the winner of the 2026 Jr. Late Model Combine, topping 15 invited participants from across North American who tested INEX Legends and 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models at Madera Speedway on January 23-24. Organized by championship-winning Nascimento Motorsports, the win awards Christensen one fully funded race in the 2026 series which begins March 14 in Madera, Calif.

Participants were judged on their on-track performance, media performance, and their general aptitude to being a part of a race team. Twelve members of the Nascimento Motorsports and Madera Speedway organizations submitted ballots to determine a winner. Christensen’s career includes an INEX Bandolero national championship and numerous INEX Legends and Quarter Midgets victories.

“I did not think I was going to win that. I just want to thank everybody who helped me get here including my mom, my dad, my brother, Nascimento Motorsports, just everybody that helped me there. It was such an amazing opportunity to be there and I’m looking forward to racing for them,” Christensen said after learning of his prize.

12-year-old Jaxon Burnett of Snohomish, Washington finished second and earned a half-funded race in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series. A pair of 15-year-old drivers tied for third, with Alaska INEX Legends champion Wyatt Flowers and California dirt racer Wade Boertje both earning numerous votes. Both drivers will be awarded a fully funded INEX Legends race weekend at Madera Speedway. They also have the option to apply the value of the prize towards a Jr. Late Model race weekend instead.

For more information at about Nascimento Motorsports, visit www.NascimentoMotorsports.com For information on the Madera Speedway 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series program, televised nationally on RACER Network, visit www.racemadera.com

What Independent Dealers Miss With Generic Auto Repair Software

Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Auto repair software works well for standalone shops. The problem starts when dealerships try to use those same tools to manage recon and internal service work. The workflows look similar on the surface, but the goals are different.

Recon Is About Inventory, Not Transactions

Repair shops focus on customer pay jobs. Dealers focus on preparing inventory for sale. That difference changes everything from how labor is tracked to how costs are applied.

Generic repair software treats each job as a closed transaction. A vehicle comes in, gets fixed, and leaves. In a dealership, recon work feeds directly into inventory value. If that connection is missing, accounting gaps appear.

When recon costs are not tied cleanly to inventory, dealers often misprice vehicles. They think a car has one cost when it actually has another. That shows up later as smaller margins or unexpected losses.

Another issue is visibility. Repair software doesn’t always show recon status across the entire lot. Managers can’t quickly see which vehicles are waiting on parts, stuck at detail, or ready for photos. That slows turn time.

Dealer-First Software Solves the Right Problem

Dealer-centric platforms handle service differently. They treat recon as part of the sales lifecycle, not an isolated repair event. Platforms like dealr.cloud allow recon tickets, labor, and parts to flow directly into vehicle cost records. That keeps financials accurate without extra work.

This matters more as inventory grows. What feels manageable at 20 cars becomes chaotic at 60 or 100. Without dealer-specific service workflows, small delays multiply.

Independent dealers don’t need more software. They need the right software. Tools built for repair shops solve the wrong problem. Dealer-first systems recognize that recon exists to support sales, not stand alone.

Choosing software that understands that difference helps dealers protect margins and move inventory faster, without forcing teams to fight their tools.

Run Your Dealership Your Way. Try dealr.cloud today.


Car Dealer Software vs Standalone Tools – Where Profit Leaks Happen

Most dealerships didn’t plan to build a patchwork tech stack. It happened over time. One tool for inventory. Another for CRM. Another for accounting. Each solved a short-term need.

The problem is what happens between those tools. That’s where profit leaks live.

Standalone systems don’t naturally share context. A recon cost logged in one system may never reach accounting. A lead closed in the CRM might not feed back into marketing reports. Salespeople re-enter data because systems don’t talk.

Those gaps create small errors that add up. Missed costs. Slower follow-up. Confusing reports. None feel dramatic on their own, but together they erode margins and control.

Unified Dealer Software Reduces Handoffs:

Car dealer software built as a single system avoids those handoffs. Inventory, leads, deals, service, and accounting share the same data. That reduces duplicate entries and makes mistakes easier to spot.

This is especially important for independent dealers. Teams are lean. Owners wear multiple hats. They don’t have time to reconcile five systems just to understand profitability.

Some platforms, including dealr.cloud, are designed around that reality. Instead of forcing dealers to integrate multiple tools, they offer one system where data flows naturally from acquisition to sale. Recon costs affect inventory. Closed deals inform marketing. Accounting reflects real-time activity.

Stop Profit Leaks Before They Happen:

The advantage isn’t the features. It’s fewer blind spots. Dealers can see what’s happening without chasing reports or waiting for month-end summaries.

Standalone tools still have a place in some operations. But when core dealership functions operate in silos, profit leakage is almost guaranteed.

For dealers looking to scale without adding complexity, choosing unified dealer software is often less about upgrading technology and more about avoiding unnecessary losses. Everything you need from buying to selling. Try dealr.cloud today.

RCR Race Preview: Bowman Gray Stadium

Let’s Clash… The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the Clash at Bowman Gray this Sunday, February 1 at the narrow quarter-mile oval inside the legendary Bowman Gray Stadium. This weekend’s event marks the 48th running of the annual non-points exhibition race, with the Winston-Salem, North Carolina track serving as just the fourth venue for the event since its inception in 1979.

Richard Childress Racing in the Clash… Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins in the Clash, six by Dale Earnhardt (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1995) and three by Kevin Harvick (2009, 2010 and 2013). Prior to the Clash relocating to North Carolina in 2025, RCR had at least one driver claim a podium finish in the final three runnings of the exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2022: Austin Dillon – third; 2023: A. Dillon – second, Kyle Busch – third; and 2024: K. Busch – second).

Coming Home… Headquartered in Welcome, North Carolina, Richard Childress Racing is only 14 miles away from Bowman Gray Stadium.

Did You Know? Richard Childress’s humble beginnings started at Bowman Gray Stadium, selling peanuts in the grandstands as a young boy. Childress then began his driving career with a $20 race car – a taxicab – competing at Bowman Gray. The now-NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner also raced at the facility in the 1971 Cup Series event and the 1972 Grand National race.

Format Loading for 2026… Although 38 drivers will attempt to make the Clash, only 23 will make it through to the 200-lap main event. Each driver has two chances to qualify for the feature. Given the revised schedule due to anticipated inclement weather in the region, the top 20 fastest drivers from qualifying will advance to the main event.

Positions 21 and 22 will be set by the top two finishers from the last chance qualifying race (75 laps). The 23rd and final starting position is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series points standings that did not transfer on finishing position.

Catch the Action… The Clash at Bowman Gray will be televised live Sunday, February 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX, with the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 carrying the live radio broadcast.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet at Bowman Gray Stadium… Austin Dillon, the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion, is looking for redemption heading into this year’s Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium after narrowly missing out on advancing into the main event last year after failing to qualify in via the heat races and last chance qualifier.

Winston-Salem Roots… Dillon has lived within 20 minutes of Bowman Gray Stadium his entire life and has fond memories of watching races at the facility on Saturday nights in his youth.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, was founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris started selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. That was the company’s sole location for the first 13 years, and it has since grown to nearly 200 retail locations throughout North America. Today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Newsweek as “America’s Best Outdoor Retailer” for four consecutive years and “America’s Most Trusted Retailer for Outdoor Gear.”

The Winchester Legacy… Winchester is the largest small-caliber ammunition enterprise in the world and the leader in delivering innovative ammunition products to hunters, sport shooters, law enforcement, and the U.S. Warfighter. The 160-year-old Winchester® brand is built on integrity, hard work, and a deep focus on its loyal customers. Learn more about Winchester and the responsible use of its products by visiting Winchester.com or connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What do you think about the new points format and the return of the Chase to the NASCAR Cup Series?

“I think stage racing has made NASCAR a more aggressive sport than it ever was before. I was in the sport before stage racing and I think it’s made a difference in our sport. Everyone has to be aggressive from the drop of the green flag, and that’s what ends up building your points. Winning is everything, and it’s always going to be that way. I know I’m going to stay aggressive. Trophies are what I want to bring back to this organization. These people want to see us get to Victory Lane in any way possible and I owe that to the fans, the sponsors and all of the employees who come to work every day in Welcome, North Carolina.”

Are you looking forward to the Clash this year and returning to Bowman Gray Stadium?

“I can’t wait to get back there. I’m looking for a little redemption from last year, which didn’t go as well as we wanted to. Last year we missed making it into the race. Going there this year, we have a little better practice position, hopefully a little better qualifying position and if all goes according to plan we can get in the race and make some noise.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet at Bowman Gray Stadium… Sunday’s Clash will mark Kyle Busch’s second career start at Bowman Gray Stadium. In his debut at the quarter-mile oval last season, Busch battled back after going two laps down to finish the race inside the top 15. Historically, Busch has won the season-opening exhibition race twice, both at Daytona International Speedway – on the oval in 2012 and again on the road course in 2021.

Exhibition Wins Not Limited to the Clash… Busch’s success in NASCAR exhibition races extends beyond the Clash. The Las Vegas, Nevada native also has a win in the 2017 NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Busch used an aggressive three-wide pass for the lead to earn his first All-Star victory. The win was the first for him in a NASCAR Cup Series car at Charlotte Motor Speedway and paid a $1 million-dollar grand prize.

Welcoming Jim Pohlman… This weekend’s race at Bowman Gray Stadium will mark Jim Pohlman’s debut as crew chief for Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet. A determined competitor, Pohlman previously worked at RCR as the organization’s head of research and development. He returns to the Welcome, North Carolina based team after serving as the crew chief for the No. 7 Chevrolet with driver Justin Allgaier at JR Motorsports since 2023. During his time with the No. 7 team, Pohlman built a winning program in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series that included nine wins. He guided Allgaier to a Championship 4 appearance during their rookie year together in 2023, and followed up their first-year success with a dominating performance that led Allgaier to his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship in 2024. His tenure with Allgaier ended in 2025 with their third consecutive Championship 4 appearance.

Starting Out Strong… Busch has scored a win, two second-place finishes and a third-place finish in four of his last five Clash races.

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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What has the offseason been like getting to know your new Crew Chief Jim Pohlman? How has your relationship been developing over the last few months?

“The offseason has been good getting to know Jim, our new crew chief coming on board for this year. It’s not something I’m not accustomed to, I’ve had a few crew chiefs over the years. Fortunately for me, I have won with every single one of them, so I am looking forward to a new opportunity of working with another crew chief and having the opportunity to go out there, get some race wins, get ourselves up there in the points and contend for a Championship.

The relationship has been good. We’ve had some communication; we’ve had some sim sessions. Thankfully we actually had a really good opportunity to test in North Wilkesboro, so we were there getting some on track time and had a day to spend together at the racetrack kind of going through our dialogue, going through some changes and understanding what I would say and what the data would say, coming up with some good answers to make our racecar go faster. Jim’s been a very strong proponent of making sure we’ve got some good stuff this year.”

Where do you think that Jim Pohlman can help you now that you’ve spent a little bit of time with him?

“I think Jim’s biggest thing is keeping everyone accountable. Getting everyone in the race shop pulling the rope in the same direction. Pushing them in order to dig deeper and work harder. It’s not always just a 9-5 job. Racing in this business, especially at this level, you can be there 24 hours and still feel like you’re behind. It’s just the nature of what its all like and trying to get the most out of everybody.”

What are your thoughts going into Bowman Gray Stadium?

“Bowman Gray was really great last year. I feel like the fans really supported that race, really came out well. NASCAR’s most popular driver won the race, so that was good for everyone too. But we want to be a little bit more out front and be battling for the win. So hopefully we can be a force to be reckoned with and put our name in the hat to win this year.“

What does it mean to start the year with Bowman Gray Stadium?

“Bowman Gray is cool because it’s so short, it’s so small and the fans are right there on top of everything. It reminds me a little bit of the Summer Shootout and racing the Legends cars. It’s a real tight bull ring and hard to get around there, hard to pass with these big heavy stock cars. But we made the most of it last year and I felt like the fans came out and supported it very, very well, so I hope they do so again this year.”

Do you think after having a year of racing at this track, we’ll see some of that beating-and-banging Bowman Gray style this year?

“Yeah, I think we saw plenty of it last year. The heat races, the last chance qualifier race. There were guys crawling over guys and spinning each other out and all that stuff, so it got pretty hectic and chaotic, and even in the feature race there was some of that going on towards the back of the field. So hopefully we’re far enough up front where we don’t have to deal with much of that and we can have a nice smooth race.”

Do you expect more chaos at The Clash this season?

“I felt like last year’s Clash was a little chaotic. There were definitely some moments there where some guys were running over each other, and guys got mad at each other for no reason. You are going to hit each other. It’s inevitable, it’s going to happen. But the nature of just getting a little bump-bump and then getting mad about it and trying to retaliate, that’s just the nature of the sport I guess we are in today. Hopefully the drivers have grown up over the off season, I doubt it, but we will see what happens.”

Wood Brothers Racing Race Week Briefing: Cook Out Clash

Event: Cook Out Clash
Date/Time: Sunday, February 1, 2026, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Layout: 0.25-mile Oval
TV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse are set to compete this weekend in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., a venue deeply rooted in the history of Wood Brothers Racing.

Team founder Glenn Wood was one of the most successful drivers in the track’s storied past, recording 29 wins at the quarter-mile oval, including four victories in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series division. From Wood’s driving days to the present, Bowman Gray has remained a favorite among drivers and fans alike.

Last year’s Clash marked the return of NASCAR Cup Series competition to the famed “Madhouse,” and the non-points event delivered on its reputation.

“The Clash at Bowman Gray last year was awesome,” said Berry, who raced his way into the main event with an aggressive drive to a second-place finish in the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier. “The atmosphere was electric.”

Like many of his peers, Berry first experienced Bowman Gray as a fan.

“It had been a long time since I’d been there after previously going to watch a Modified race,” Berry said. “The fans were incredible, and that energy really showed.

“One of the things I remember most was pushing the cars out to the track during pre-race as a team right next to the fans, only about 10 feet away, which was really cool. It’s just a great atmosphere overall, and those fans truly love racing.

“That’s where we want to be, places where racing means something.”

Saturday’s activities at Bowman Gray have been canceled due to expected inclement weather, and practice and qualifying will now take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier will take the green flag at 6 p.m. ET ahead of the 200-lap Cook Out Clash, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET. Only green-flag laps will count in the feature, which will be televised live on FOX.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.