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NASCAR announces return of ‘The Chase’

CONCORD, N.C. - JANUARY 12: During the NASCAR Championship Format Announcement at NASCAR Productions Facility on Jan. 12, 2026, in Concord, North Carolina. Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images

The playoffs are no more. The Chase is back.

NASCAR announced, Monday, that the championship format for the Cup Series will revert to its original iteration, circa 2004. Rather than win and in, eliminations and a one race winner take all format, the champion will be decided based on who accumulates the most points over the span of the final 10 races. For the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, it will be the final nine races and the final seven for the Craftsman Truck Series.

Furthermore, NASCAR will award 55 points for a race win (up from 40), as a way to still reward winning more than a strong points day.

In addition, the regular season points leader will start the Chase with a 25-point lead over the driver second in points. The leader starts with 2100 points. Second gets 2075. Third gets 2065 and it drops in five-point increments from third to 16th, which starts with 2000.

“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” NASCAR president, Steve O’Donnell, said. “At the same time, we want to honor NASCAR’s storied history and the traditions that have made the sport so special. Our fans are at the heart of everything we do, and this format is designed to honor their passion every single race weekend.”

This format follows months of review from both the Playoff Committee and fan-feedback that focused on three key areas: A larger sample size for a championship, bolster the importance of each race and rewarding consistency while maintaining the importance of winning.

NASCAR began looking into changes for deciding the champion in 2025 and the calls for its change grew louder after the championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway in November.

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Cadillac goes for Rolex 24 At Daytona victory with three-car effort

DETROIT (Jan. 12, 2026) – Cadillac Racing won the final two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races in 2025 and now looks to carry forward that momentum in hopes of claiming its fifth Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victory with powerhouse teams Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing.

Cadillac Racing won the Rolex 24 At Daytona four consecutive years (2017-2020) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017, and was first and second in 2017, 2018 and 2019. It has had at least one prototype entry on the podium in eight of its nine races at Daytona.

In October 2025, Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti scored their second straight Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) victory in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. in the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The trio won the Battle On The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September.

For the Rolex 24, they will be joined by Connor Zilisch, who won 10 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts races in 2025 and was runner-up in the season-long championship.

Wayne Taylor Racing will have two cars, the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R sponsored by DEX for Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque and Will Stevens and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R sponsored by DEX for Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz and Colton Herta.

Herta is a test driver for Cadillac Formula 1Ⓡ Team and has notched nine IndyCar Series victories.

Three current Cadillac Racing drivers have won the Rolex 24 At Daytona with Cadillac Racing in DPi competition: Ricky Taylor (2017), Albuquerque (2018) and Jordan Taylor (2017, 2019). Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor also won the 2021 race with another manufacturer. Bamber is the only overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans entered in GTP.

Three Cadillac Racing drivers have earned full-season IMSA championships: Bamber (2019 GTLM), Jordan Taylor (2013, 2017 prototypes; 2020, 2021 GTLM) and Ricky Taylor (2017, 2020 prototypes).

The Cadillac Racing team begins the 2026 season on January 16-18 with the Roar Before the 24 and then return January 22-25 for practice, qualifying and then the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona in a twice-around-the-clock race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course.

Peacock (U.S.) and IMSA’s YouTube (not in the U.S.) channel will stream qualifications at 2:05 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 22. Coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 24, on NBC, with continuing network coverage on Peacock (U.S.) and IMSA’s YouTube channel (not in the U.S.) until NBC will pick up the broadcast at noon Sunday, Jan. 25, for the finish. Peacock (U.S.) and IMSA’s YouTube channel will stream the entirety of the race along with the IMSA Radio broadcast at IMSA.com, Sirius 211/XM 207, locally at 93.5 FM/1150 AM and 107.9 FM at the track.

Quotes from Keely Bosn, Cadillac Racing program manager: “We’re excited to get back to Daytona with all three Cadillac V-Series.Rs. The Roar is always an important checkpoint for us since it’s where we validate the hard work that’s been done over the past months and make sure we’re giving our drivers the best possible package for the Rolex. This race is unique as it’s the first one of the year, it’s a grueling 24-hour race, and it sets the overall tone for the season.

“From a program perspective, we feel very prepared but never complacent. The competition in GTP keeps rising, and that pushes us to keep improving every detail across our reliability, drivability, pit stop execution, all of it. Our focus going into the ROAR and Rolex is to execute cleanly, understand how the track and conditions evolve, and finalize a raceable setup so that when we roll off for the 24, the drivers have confidence in the car and we can fight for a result that reflects all the work from the entire Cadillac Racing team.

“At the November Daytona test, we evaluated a few updates to our overall package that are aimed at giving the drivers a more consistent, confidence‑inspiring car.

“On the performance side, we worked through some refinements in the aero and mechanical balance with our updated aero kit to help the car stay predictable as the track changes from day to night and as tire degradation comes into play. That includes small changes to how we manage downforce and overall platform control, all within the homologation framework. We’ve also spent time on the kind of details that matter in a 24‑hour race: better tire management, better stability in changing conditions, and a car that gives the drivers the same feedback at hour 23 as it did at hour three. On the propulsion side, we leveraged feedback from drivers in both series to find opportunities for performance gains and increase efficiencies.

“Overall, the feedback from the drivers at the test was positive. They noticed the improvements, and that’s what we’re targeting, a well‑rounded, durable package that lets them push when it counts and keeps us in contention all the way to the checkered flag.”

Driver preview quotes

No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing

Filipe Albuquerque: “Obviously, always looking forward to Daytona. It’s starting the New Year. A lot of preparation from Wayne Taylor Racing in the off season. We have the jokers on Cadillac, so I’m really excited to see the evolution but also from our competitors as well. I think we will only know the true speed of each one when we are on track with everybody at the same time. A new car livery, a new helmet, new suit, it’s like starting from zero. A fresh start is always great. It’s all motivation to go on into a very competitive championship with Cadillac and Wayne Taylor Racing.”

Will Stevens: “Really can’t wait to get 2026 started. It’s been nice to have a few weeks off to recharge the batteries and coming off a good test in Daytona in November, we are ready to hit the ground running come the Roar. There are quite a few new things on our Cadillac V-Series.R for 2026 and I am excited to see how that all pans out across the Daytona 24 hours. It feels nice going into such a big race with consistency in our lineup in the 10 car and hopefully we can come away with a great result.”

Ricky Taylor: “After the offseason, I am very excited to see my teammates again and get back to working in person. It’s been a lot of Teams calls, planning, and work for the guys at the shop, but to be together on track to start a fresh new year is very motivating. We start the year with a clean slate and a strong plan, and it all kicks off at the Roar.”

No. 31 Cadillac Whelen

Jack Aitken: “I’m excited for a few reasons, we have new hardware with the evo update to the car and seeing how that runs over the Roar and race will be really interesting. On the other hand, we have consistency in our lineup which will be a real strength when getting to grips with the update, but the addition of Connor (Zilisch) to add a little more firepower come race day, which never hurts.”

Earl Bamber: “Can’t wait to get down to Daytona. We’ve got an exciting new package with the car, but the same amazing team and a great driving crew, with the addition of Connor (Zilisch). It’s a really nice addition to the whole 31 crew. Obviously, we had a strong car there last year, but it didn’t go our way, but that is 24-hour racing. We’re looking for a little bit of redemption in that matter but coming off two strong race wins at the end of the season, so we feel like we have momentum and consistency on our side to get it done.”

Frederik Vesti: “I can’t for Daytona to start. To go the ROAR is always special. It will be my second time and taking all of the experience from last year and the way we finished the 2025 season back-to-back wins, I can’t wait to return in the Whelen Cadillac No. 31 with Jack (Aitken), Earl (Bamber) and now Connor (Zilisch). We learned so much throughout the last year obviously bring some new parts to the car in the Daytona test at the end of 2025. It will be quite exciting to continue that work and prepare for the 24-hour race. It’s the biggest, longest and toughest race of the season and the motivation is sky high, and we are ready to go. The Roar is an interesting place to be and there are many practices and so much time to the race, but before you know it, it’s all over and you are on the grid and ready to race. It’s about dialing in the car and fine tuning the setup and testing out anything that might happen in the race. That is the plan. Can’t wait to be back with the team.”

Connor Zilisch: “I’m super excited to get the opportunity to race with Cadillac for my first race in the GTP class. I always love going down to Daytona for the Rolex 24, and our Whelen team has some stellar drivers with Earl (Bamber), Frederic (Vesti), and Jack (Aitken). I can’t wait to learn alongside them and the entire crew and continue to build on what we gathered from the test a few weeks ago.”

No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing

Louis Deletraz: “The offseason was short, but everyone at Wayne Taylor Racing and Cadillac have worked hard to find every tenth-of-a-second we can. Daytona is one of the most important and exciting races of the year. We’re bringing a few updates to the Cadillac GTP V-Series.R, so it will be interesting to see where we’ve improved compared to the competition. Starting the season with a 24-hour race is never easy, but with Jordan (Taylor) and Colton (Herta), I’m confident we can fight for the win and start the year strong.”

Colton Herta: “I’m super happy to be back with Wayne Taylor Racing and very excited at another shot at an overall win at the Daytona 24. The Cadillac V-Series.R brings a new challenge for me, but one that for sure will be very enjoyable to drive and listen to from the pit stand. I’m looking forward to following Jordan and Louis into battle soon.”

Jordan Taylor: “Daytona is always my favorite two weeks of the year. It’s only an hour from where I live and grew up, so it always feels like I’m home when I go there. The team has been flat-out prepping and getting ready for the ‘Big One’ and I feel like we have had a really great and productive off season. We have some strong new updates to the car as well as some fantastic new team members for 2026. We are coming into our second year with Cadillac. We learned a lot of good lessons over the 2025 season and had some really good tests the past few months, so I feel like we are way ahead of where we were last year. I can’t wait to get started.”

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NASCAR Announces Return of ‘The Chase’ Championship Format

NASCAR National Series Champions Determined By Familiar Postseason Model

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2026) – NASCAR today announced the return of ‘The Chase’ as its national series championship format beginning in 2026, hearkening back to the roots of NASCAR’s original postseason format that was in place from 2004-2013 in the NASCAR Cup Series. The changes come after an extensive review that included collaboration between owners, drivers, OEMs, tracks, broadcast partners, and – most importantly – the fans.

“As NASCAR transitions to a revised championship model, the focus is on rewarding driver and team performance each and every race,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR President. “At the same time, we want to honor NASCAR’s storied history and the traditions that have made the sport so special. Our fans are at the heart of everything we do, and this format is designed to honor their passion every single race weekend.”

The enhanced format follows an exhaustive Playoff Committee and fan-feedback review that put forward three key recommendations:

  • A larger sample size for a championship
  • Bolster the importance of each race
  • Rewarding consistency while maintaining the importance of winning

NASCAR has implemented each of those cornerstone pieces of feedback by making the following changes for 2026 and beyond:

‘The Chase’ is back. NASCAR returns to the end-of-season championship format, maintaining the intensity and urgency that define postseason racing. Simply put, the driver with the most points after the postseason slate will be crowned the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion. The Chase will consist of the final 10 races for the NASCAR Cup Series; the final nine races for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series; and the final seven races for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – a similar proportion and calendar timeline between regular season and postseason races for each series.

‘Win and you’re in’ is gone. A race win will no longer guarantee automatic entry into The Chase, increasing the importance of every event on the schedule. Winning is still valuable, but drivers must continue to perform at a high level throughout the regular season.

Race winning drivers earn more points. A win will now earn the race-winning driver 55 points. Previously, a win paid 40 points. The goal is to reward drivers who go for wins, not just strong points days, and ensure aggressive racing and strong team performance remain central to each weekend. Points for all other positions, including stage points, remain the same.

The Chase will feature the top drivers in regular-season points. Returning to a points-based qualification system reinforces the value of consistent, season-long performance and ensures the drivers who execute across the full schedule earn the chance to compete for a championship. The Chase in the NASCAR Cup Series will feature 16 drivers; the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series field will be set at 12 drivers, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field at 10.

The points leader after the regular season will receive a meaningful advantage. As recognition for sustained excellence, the top driver at the end of the regular season will earn a 25-point cushion over the second seed.

Here is how the Chase seedings will be set for the NASCAR Cup Series (Note: The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series seedings will be the same, except cut off at 12 and 10, respectively.):

1st: 2100
2nd: 2075
3rd: 2065
4th: 2060
5th: 2055
6th: 2050
7th: 2045
8th: 2040
9th: 2035
10th: 2030
11th: 2025
12th: 2020
13th: 2015
14th: 2010
15th: 2005
16th: 2000

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 Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico 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 11 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.

RELATED: Transcript: NASCAR Championship Announcement – January 12, 2026

Martinez uses 2026 VP Racing SportsCar Challenge as a stepping stone to GT3

HOUSTON, Tx. (January 12, 2026) – With an eye toward GT3 and endurance racing ambitions, Rafa Martinez will contest the 2026 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge with RAFA Racing Team, starting at the Roar Before the Rolex 24.

Martinez will compete in the team’s Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 as part of a development-focused season centered on increased seat time, continuity, and long-term progression within IMSA competition.

The Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway will serve as the opening chapter of the campaign, providing an early benchmark ahead of the championship schedule.

“I’m super excited for it,” Martinez said. “It’s going to give me the opportunity to spend a little bit more time in the car. This is really a transition year for me. My goal for 2027 is to be able to compete in GT3, with the ultimate goal of endurance racing.”

“The ability to get extra seat time and focus more on testing instead of just having so many races is going to be really key for me, especially with how limited my schedule actually is. It’s honestly pretty unbelievable that I was able to do six races, let alone the ten we did last year.”

The VP Racing SportsCar Challenge format is expected to play a central role in Martinez’s development, with two sprint races per weekend allowing drivers to immediately apply lessons learned rather than waiting until the next event.

“When you split the weekend into two races instead of one longer race, it gives you the opportunity to correct things,” Martinez said.

“You actually get the chance to learn from the first race and apply it straight away instead of just moving on to the next weekend.”

“That’s a big part of why this series makes sense for me. It gives me the chance to really focus on becoming a better driver and to hone in on the details when I’m in the car.”

Continuity will be a defining theme of Martinez’s 2026 season. After racing multiple cars and platforms across his first two seasons in North American competition, the upcoming year marks the first time he will return to many of the same circuits in the same car.

“This is the first time I’ve been able to stay with the same platform,” Martinez said. “Every year that I’ve raced so far, every time I jumped in the car it was a new field and a new car.”

“Last year, at least half the tracks we went to I’d never been to before. Now I get to go back to tracks I’ve already been to in the same car, and that’s huge for confidence.”

The Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 proved to be a demanding but rewarding platform during Martinez’s previous season, particularly as it marked his first experience in a front-engine GT car.

“It was my first time driving a front-engine car,” Martinez said. “It has a short wheelbase, it moves under braking, and it’s on edge all the time. You really have to drive the car hard to extract the lap time.”

“But when you do, it’s very rewarding. It gives you the time, it holds, and it sticks. For me, getting back into the same car and building confidence is going to be huge.”

Limited track time during previous Michelin Pilot Challenge weekends further reinforced the value of continuity and additional seat time in 2026.

“There were weekends last year where I was getting maybe 45 minutes total at a brand-new track before qualifying,” Martinez said. “That’s a really small window to understand the car when you’re splitting time and setting it up with a teammate.”

“Being able to come back this year, stay on the same platform, and actually build on what we learned instead of starting from zero again is massive.”

RAFA Racing Team enters the 2026 season with a strong IMSA roster across multiple championships, with Martinez’s VP Racing SportsCar Challenge effort forming part of a broader, aligned program.

In VP Racing SportsCar Challenge competition, Martinez will be joined by Westin Workman as his RAFA Racing Team teammate, with the two drivers contesting the season in parallel entries.

Alongside the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge program, RAFA Racing Team has also confirmed its IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge lineup for 2026, with Kiko Porto and Varun Choksey set to share the team’s Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 in GS competition.

Porto enters the season following championship success in VP Racing SportsCar Challenge competition, while Choksey brings continued experience from multiple seasons at the national GT level.

“This is the kind of environment that really helps you grow,” Martinez said.

“Having Westin as a teammate in VP and then having guys like Kiko and Varun running in Michelin Pilot means there’s always data, always references, and always something to learn from.”

“It raises the level for everyone. You’re not just racing your own race. You’re constantly measuring yourself against people who are pushing hard in different programs.”

As the 2026 season approaches, Martinez’s focus remains firmly on development, consistency, and building toward future GT3 and endurance racing opportunities within IMSA competition.

“My goal is to be competitive, fight for podiums, and really establish myself in the series,” Martinez said. “If I can win races, that would be incredible.”

“But if I’m consistently battling at the front and competing with some of the top drivers in the class, I think that’s mission accomplished.”

ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway: Daytona Pre-Race Practice Weekend Notes

  • A total of 82 drivers and 49 different racecars made at least one lap during Friday and Saturday’s two-day Pre-Race Practice leading into the ARCA Menards Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The number of participating drivers and cars are the highest since 2012.
  • Gus Dean (No. 25 Nitro Motorsports Toyota), the 2024 winner at Daytona, made his first laps at the track since he went to victory lane two years ago. Dean quickly showed he hasn’t lost a step, setting the quickest lap of the weekend at 48.744 seconds/184.638 miles per hour.
  • The seven quickest laps of the weekend were turned at the end of the day on Friday when the six Nitro Motorsports teammates hooked up in a tight draft for several laps. Dean was followed by Gavan Boschele, 2024 Talladega Superspeedway winner Jake Finch, 2025 Lime Rock Park winner and 2024 Daytona runner-up Thomas Annunziata, reigning ARCA Menards Series Bounty Rookie of the Year Isabella Robusto, and Jake Bollman, all in Nitro Motorsports entries. YouTube superstar Garrett Mitchell (No. 30 Kenetix Ford), known to his legion of fans at Cleetus McFarland, was seventh quickest as he tagged on to the tail of that draft.
  • Austin Green (No. 82 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet) was on top of the speed charts on Saturday, timing in at 49.202 seconds/182.919 miles per hour. Green is expected to contend for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie of the year award in 2026.
  • Reigning ASA STARS National Tour champion Cole Butcher (No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford) was second quickest on Saturday. Butcher made laps in the same car Garrett Mitchell piloted on Friday, a car originally constructed by Chip Ganassi Racing in 1999 and famously driven by Sterling Marlin in the 2002 Daytona 500. Marlin was leading the race when he got out of the car under a late-race red flag and tugged on the right front fender, which is not allowed per NASCAR rules. The car has been a part of the Rette Jones Racing fleet for nearly 15 years and has finished in the top five at Daytona twice, once with team co-owner Terry Jones in 2017 and third with fellow Canadian Grant Quinlan in 2019.
  • Timothy “Mini” Tyrell (No. 17 Cook Racing Technologies Chevrolet)
  • Eight female drivers participated over the course of the two days of track activity, led by Isabella Robusto who was fifth overall. Amber Balcaen (No. 24 Sigma Performance Services Ford) was 13th overall, with Taylor Reimer (No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet) in 16th. Alli Owens (No. 68 Kimmel Racing Ford) made her first laps at Daytona in 16 years and was 19th overall, Jade Avedisian (No. 90 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) made her first laps ever at Daytona and was 25th overall. Sanford, Florida native Logan Misuraca (No. 85 City Garage Motorsports Ford) was 49th overall, while her teammates Quinn Davis and Becca Monopoli shared the No. 5 car and were 68th and 71st respectively. Avedisian, Misuraca, Davis, and Monopoli worked solely on single car runs and did not run any laps in the draft.
  • Reigning ARCA Menards Series West Bounty Rookie of the Year Robbie Kennealy was the fastest of the six participating Road to Daytona drivers, all of whom made laps in cars prepared by Andy Hillenburg, the 1995 and 1997 ARCA Menards Series winner at Daytona. Each of the drivers, Kennealy, Brad May, Albert Francis, Craig Lutz, Hudson Bulger, and Kody King, all ran approximately 100 miles at speed in single-car conditions, their first-ever laps around Daytona International Speedway.
  • Joe Gibbs Racing had two drivers on track on Friday. Giovanni Ruggiero will return in February with the team in an attempt to give the organization its first ARCA Menards Series victory at the track. Sixteen-year-old Max Reaves, who won five times across the ARCA Menards Series platform in 2025, also made his first laps at the track under the tutelage of 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte.
  • Michael Maples Motorsports arrived at Daytona with four racecars, with Ryan Vargas leading the way in 23rd overall. Team owner Michael Maples was 40th.
  • There were only two on-track incidents over the course of the two days, and both happened within minutes of each other on Friday. First, Amber Balcaen punctured a left rear tire in the tri-oval sending her into a spin. She made contact with the front of the car, necessitating a move to the team’s backup car to finish the day. The second happened moments after the track went back green when Bob Martin (No. 52 Martin Racing Toyota) had the car jump out from underneath him exiting turn two. Neither driver was injured.
  • The ARCA Menards Series returns to Daytona International Speedway in February for the 63rd Annual Daytona ARCA 200. On-track activity starts with practice on Thursday, February 12, with the starting field determined in qualifying on Friday, February 13. The Daytona ARCA 200 is set for noon on Saturday, February 14 and will be televised live on FOX. The race will also be broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide and can be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Live timing & scoring data for all on-track activities can be found at ARCARacing.com; follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.

About ARCA 
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!

Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

Racing to End Alzheimer’s ready for double duty at Daytona

  • Awareness and fund-racing effort returns to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2026 in partnership with Stephen Cameron Racing, and adds select VP Racing SportsCar Challenge events beginning this weekend
  • Founder Phil Frengs awarded prestigious So Cal golf accolade

LOS ANGELES (January 12, 2026) – The Racing to End Alzheimer’s with Stephen Cameron Racing team hits the ground running at the Daytona International Speedway this weekend, looking to get the 2026 racing season off to a productive start. The traditional visit to Daytona will feature a doubleheader in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge as well as six and a half hours of IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) testing ahead of next weekend’s four-hour IMPC season opener.

Racing to End Alzheimer’s drivers Sean Quinlan and Greg Liefooghe are back behind the wheel of the No. 19 Ford Mustang GT4, their eighth straight season with Stephen Cameron Racing. The Mustang is now adorned in even brighter red and purple Racing to End Alzheimer’s colors – but with the familiar “names” on board, honoring loved ones who have suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s. Entering the Roar Before the Rolex 24 weekend, more than 50 names are on the car (add a loved ones’ name here).

Racing to End Alzheimer’s founder Phil Frengs eagerly anticipates the start of the 2026 campaign, one that will continue to honor his late wife Mimi, the inspiration for the program.

“After Mimi passed last April, we vowed to continue Racing to End Alzheimer’s in her honor,” said Frengs. “We have made a difference in the fight against this disease, raising over $1.2 million since we began in 2017. And this year, we will have two cars on select IMSA weekends, giving family and friends the chance to honor their loved ones on not just one, but two race cars.

“We are grateful to be back with Cameron Racing in 2026,” continued Frengs. “Steve Cameron, Sean Quinlan, Greg Liefooghe, and the entire team, have been outstanding to work with. They’re dedicated to racing and they have become dedicated to this fight, with many of the team members adding their own loved ones’ names to the car.”

The VP Racing series is in its third season, with races that feature the multi-class prototype GT mix that IMSA is known for, pitting LMP3 prototypes against GT cars, just like the main WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

“Having a Ford Mustang identical to our main Michelin Pilot Challenge car in the VPRC gives us double the opportunity to honor these precious loved ones, and we can’t wait to get underway, especially since we’re adding a new series to our history!” added Frengs.

Quinlan will contest the pair of 45-minute VP Racing SportsCar Challenge events this weekend, as well as the doubleheaders at Mid-Ohio, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, VIRginia International Raceway, and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (schedule permitting). Liefooghe looks forward to the additional track time to dial in both car and driver.

“This is our third year racing the Ford Mustang, so I think we’re poised more than ever to have a great Daytona,” said Liefooghe. “The Mustangs have been good there historically. And with 34 cars in the Grand Sport class, it’s one of the biggest fields in years. It’s going to be good for us to do the VPRC sessions as well, to get the whole team back into race shape before the main event and to have that much more track time to work on setup and get back into the feel of the car. Off-season testing is great, but nothing replaces track time on the race weekend.”

Off-season accolades

Late last year, Frengs received the prestigious Ken Venturi “Spirit of Giving” award from the Southern California-based Friends of Golf (FOG). The Spirit of Giving award, named in honor of legendary golf announcer and philanthropist Ken Venturi, honors individuals for contributions to golf and to the greater good – which describes Frengs to a tee (pun intended!) Past award recipients include Al Michaels and the late, great Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully.

Full story here.

A board member and past president of the SCGA Junior Golf Foundation, Frengs hosts annual tournaments at both the Pebble Beach Golf Links and his home Palos Verdes Golf Club that have raised millions of dollars for the women’s golf team at UCLA, his alma mater, and has helped create hundreds of thousands of college scholarships through the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) Junior Golf Foundation.

“I was very proud and honored to be the recipient of the 2025 Ken Venturi Spirit of Giving Award from Friends of Golf,” said Frengs. “Ken was known as the ‘First Gentleman of Golf,’ and while I might not have that same accolade, I certainly share Ken’s commitment to giving back and I am truly grateful to be recognized with an award in his name.”

The No. 19 Racing to End Alzheimer’s Mustang gives families the chance to honor loved ones who have suffered from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. For a $250 donation, the family member’s name and hometown is placed on the car, and their photo can be posted on the Racing to End Alzheimer’s website’s tribute page.All donations are matched by Frengs’ company Legistics, with 100% going to the program’s two beneficiaries – the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist, and the UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program.

Donate now at this link.

Racing to End Alzheimer’s with Stephen Cameron Racing begins the 2026 Michelin Pilot Challenge season at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test weekend January 16-18, with the season opener Saturday, January 24, 2026. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on Peacock TV, and internationally on IMSA.TV and on IMSA’s YouTube channel – ad-free courtesy of Michelin.

About Racing to End Alzheimer’s

In 2013, Phil Frengs’s late wife Mimi was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Their experience with the disease led Frengs to a seminal moment: his company, Legistics, had long sponsored a team in IMSA sports car racing and he realized an opportunity to raise money and awareness for the fight against the disease. In 2017, he formed Racing to End Alzheimer’s, giving fans the opportunity to honor loved ones by putting their names on the race car via donation – with Legistics matching each donation. 100% of those donations go to the two organizations the team supports:

The Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist is exploring cutting edge strategies in therapy, care and research to find a cure for these dementias. NNAC was founded by longtime CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz and his family in honor of his father, Jim, Jr., who passed away after a 13-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program is a nationally-recognized grant-funded program designed to help patients and their families with the complex medical, behavioral and social needs associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Targeting a 2025 Encore

Five full-season Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs ready for pre-Rolex 24 testing to start 2026

DETROIT (January 13, 2026) – Five Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs and seven Corvette Racing factory drivers are set to kick off 2026 during the next two weeks at Daytona International Speedway. Things kick off for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the annual three-day Roar Before the 24 starting Friday.

It leads straight into the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona with Corvette Racing eager to capture another class victory – or two – in the opening round of the season.

Five full-season Corvette GT3s from four teams are part of the 60-car entry across two of the four classes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Corvette collective will test Friday through Sunday on the 3.56-mile Daytona Road Course ahead of next weekend’s season-opening round:

· Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Marvin Kirchhöfer(No. 3 Corvette); Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone (No. 4 Corvette)

· 13 Autosport – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Ben Green (No. 13 Corvette)
· DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Mason Filippi, Salih Yoluc, Scott McLaughlin (No. 36 Corvette)
· DragonSpeed – GTD: Giacomo Altoé, Henrik Hedman, Casper Stevenson, Matteo Cairoli (No. 81 Corvette)

(Factory drivers in bold)

This year’s group matches last year’s entry of five Corvettes at Daytona; the biggest change is that all five will contest the entirely of the IMSA season. In addition to returning teams Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD PRO and GTD customer teams 13 Autosport (formally AW) and DXDT Racing, new Corvette team DragonSpeed will debut its Z06 GT3.R at Daytona.

As a program, Corvette Racing has a deep and successful history at the Rolex 24 and includes five GT-class victories – one of those an overall win in 2001. The Corvette Racing factory team scored additional class wins in 2015, 2016 and 2021, and 13 Autosport won in GTD last year under the AWA banner for the Z06 GT3.R’s first Rolex 24 triumph.

In addition, Corvette’s successes at Daytona have bolstered Chevrolet’s impressive record of 125 wins at the circuit across IMSA and NASCAR’s national series.

Corvette Racing and its teams are looking to build on the global success of the Z06 GT3.R from 2025 into the new season. Corvette teams captured 16 race victories across six different global championships, and Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports swept the full-season GTD PRO Manufacturers, Drivers and Teams titles.

The Roar Before the 24 is set for January 16-18 with seven sessions scheduled across the three days. The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24 with qualifying on Thursday, January 22.

SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “In a lot of ways, the Rolex 24 each year at Daytona feels like the championship. I think not many people who are there think about the championship very much during the week. That’s something you think about Monday. Last year when we finished second, it wasn’t that great until Monday and we realized we had second-place points! It seems like there everyone is fighting all-out for the win, which is classic Daytona. It will be good to be back there with Alex and bring in Marvin. If he brings to us something of what he had last year in the race, we’ll be very happy! He and the AWA guys did a great job to end up winning the race, which was great for all of Corvette. He’s been around the paddock and in a lot of the big races here and in Europe. The experience is there and the speed is there as he showed last year. We’re happy to have him and looking forward to working with him this year.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s nice to have continuity again going into a third season with the same main team, and it’s a great addition having Marvin with us. The core group of people on our car are mostly staying the same… Andy Ramsey our race engineer and obviously myself and Antonio, plus Tommy, Nicky and Nico in the other Corvette. That’s a huge bonus and should give us strength. I think that’s probably the first time in my career that I’ve had three years in a row with the same co-driver and engineer, so that’s very nice.

“We were second last year at Daytona, and I’m quite keen to try and go one better. As with all of the races, the championship is the No. 1 focus and then race wins and other things would be fantastic along the way. That generally tends to happen if you win the championship so we obviously need to try and maximize every race. Daytona being the big one straight off the bat is an immediate opportunity and a great challenge.”

MARVIN KIRCHHÖFER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was really nice being back behind the wheel of the Corvette (at November test at Sebring). I was generally quite impressed by the whole setup of the team. I got a nice welcome, too, from my teammates as well. I already knew Nicky from previous racing before, too. That was very nice and I really, really enjoyed working with them. Everyone has been very supportive and very helpful getting me up to speed within the team and getting reacquainted with the Corvette. I also had the DIL test a couple of weeks ago in Charlotte, which also was quite interesting. I must say overall that it has been very good and very positive… good preparation for the Rolex coming up in a couple of weeks. Hopefully we’ve done our parts and our work well and can make it a good 2026 Daytona 24 race.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Hopefully this Daytona is a boring one! Boring in the sense that we are three laps ahead by Hour Six and it’s the most boring GT race ever! Last year was disappointing on a number of levels for us on the No. 4 side. We had a great race going for a majority of it and then unraveled a little bit there at the end. I’m hopeful we can have another strong race as we did last year. There’s no reason why that should change. Daytona is always that crown jewel event and first race in the U.S. each season with a lot of emotions around it. For me, this race and the GTD PRO class in particular gets more and more competitive each year, and the excitement ramps up as we get closer.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s good to be back and start working with everyone. I’m looking forward to being back in Daytona as always. Like every year it’s an amazing beginning of the season with one of the most important races of the year. At the start, I feel like this year on the No. 4 side we need to take a little bit more of a cautious approach to the race. It’s very important that we finish well because it kind of sets you up for the rest of the season. I feel like sometimes people can get a little over-excited because it’s Daytona. I really want to do well in the championship. The dream is to win the driver championship with the 4 car this year rather than 3! So I’m looking forward to realizing that. Daytona is always a very fun time with the teammates, as well. We have a couple of days off between the Roar and the race which is always a good time to sharpen up our Pickleball skills or paddle skills or mini-golf skills or whatever else we can do!”

MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to defending our Daytona 24 win from last year. It’s very exciting to be coming back under the new 13 Autosport banner while essentially keeping the same group of people that we succeeded with 12 months ago. There are not many teams that have defended their 24-hour win in the past, so our objective is to join the few that have.”

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m very excited about this new 13 Autosport venture heading into Daytona. We’re going into our third year as a part of Team Chevy, and over the course of the past two seasons we have learned so much and made significant leaps with our No. 13 Corvette. We’re all very eager to continue to further contribute to Chevrolet’s success at Daytona and into the rest of the rounds. I’m ready to kick off another season with Matt and Lars, and we’re all looking forward to bringing Ben into the family.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to being back at Daytona with DXDT and the Corvette. Last year wasn’t what we hoped for in my first race with the team in our first race in IMSA. There were a lot of things to learn and ultimately we didn’t end up finishing the race. But throughout the year the team made some massive strides and everyone is super motivated to get a good result. I think everyone knows if you can do that at Daytona, it really starts your championship off well. We have a great lineup. Having Scott is brilliant as he brings a lot to the team with his previous experience with the Corvette and in big races. I think we have a really good shot at it.”

GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s a new beginning for me with DragonSpeed and Corvette. I’m very excited for what’s coming. The project is a big one and we committed properly to do everything in the best way possible. It will be great to race together with Henrik for his comeback to racing and we have high goals in GTD. It’s a very competitive class and it’s always special to start at Daytona, with a 24-hour race. I can’t wait to be with the crew again and to get to know everyone at Chevy and Corvette Racing to start this new project together!”

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.

SupplyHouse Joins 23XI Racing as an Official Partner for 2026 Season

Leading Online Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Supplier to be Featured as Primary Partner with Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 Team

Huntersville, N.C. (Jan. 12, 2026) – 23XI Racing announced today that SupplyHouse, a leading e-commerce provider of plumbing, HVAC, and electrical supplies, has joined the team as an Official Partner. The partnership will feature the SupplyHouse brand as the primary paint scheme for several races with Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team, debuting at Kansas Speedway on April 19. The relationship marks the company’s first entry into the sports world, highlighting its commitment to supporting the trades and expanding its connection with skilled professionals nationwide.

In addition to the SupplyHouse-branded paint schemes on Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE, SupplyHouse will be an associate partner throughout the season and will appear on the No. 45 team’s equipment and Reddick’s driver uniform. SupplyHouse also plans to host tradespeople at various races to show appreciation for the many men and women who are involved in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work.

Founded in 2004, SupplyHouse provides professional-grade plumbing, HVAC, and electrical products to contractors, trade professionals, and DIYers nationwide. With more than 280,000 active SKUs, fast shipping from distribution centers across the country, and an industry-leading focus on customer experience, SupplyHouse continues to redefine how the trades shop online. As part of the partnership, the company will look to grow its loyal customer base by connecting with NASCAR’s passionate community of tradespeople and fans.

“This partnership gives us a meaningful way to connect with the pros who drive our industry forward,” said Kaylin Staub, Chief Marketing Officer of SupplyHouse. “Our customers value hard work, smart problem-solving and high performance – the same qualities that define 23XI. Partnering with them allows SupplyHouse to show up in a space our customers already enjoy, while giving us a unique platform to highlight the importance of the trades. From a marketing standpoint, it’s an opportunity to deepen relationships, build visibility, and engage with current and future customers in an environment that reflects our shared energy for rolling up our sleeves, doing great work, and celebrating a job well done.”

“We are excited to welcome SupplyHouse to the 23XI family and proud to bring another new brand into the sport,” said Steve Lauletta, 23XI team president. “We know that many of the professionals who rely on SupplyHouse are also NASCAR fans, and we look forward to representing them throughout the season and giving them a team to cheer for each weekend.”

“As anticipation heats up for the 2026 season, I’m excited to welcome SupplyHouse to the 23XI team,” said Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE. “SupplyHouse supports some of the most vital workers in our economy and I’m honored to represent all those tradespeople and the work they do.”

About SupplyHouse

Founded in 2004, SupplyHouse is a leading e-commerce company specializing in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical supplies. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., with distribution centers in Nevada, Texas, Ohio, and New Jersey, the company is redefining what it means to support the trades — from providing access to top-quality products to fostering education and recognition programs that strengthen the future of skilled labor.

About 23XI Racing

23XI Racing – pronounced twenty-three eleven – was founded by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020. With rising NASCAR star Bubba Wallace selected to drive the No. 23 Toyota Camry, the team made its NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2021 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Wallace made history on October 4, 2021, when he captured his first career Cup Series win, becoming just the second African American to win in the Cup Series, and earning 23XI its first-ever victory. 23XI expanded to a two-car organization in 2022 with Cup Series Champion and Hall of Famer Kurt Busch driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry. With a win at Kansas Speedway in May of 2022, Busch earned 23XI the team’s first-ever playoff berth. Tyler Reddick joined the team in 2023 to drive the No. 45 car. In 2024, Reddick won the Regular Season Championship and raced to a spot in the Championship 4, a first for both the team and Reddick. 23XI currently features the lineup of Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 Toyota Camry XSE, Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE and Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE. Corey Heim currently serves as the team’s development driver and races occasionally in the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE. The team operates out of Airspeed, a state-of-the-art facility in Huntersville, N.C.

Pressure, Flow, and Fuel: How Compressor Stations Optimize Pipelines

Natural-gas pipelines stretch for thousands of miles, yet the molecules inside rarely coast along effortlessly. They slow down as friction robs them of energy, temperatures fluctuate, and demand at city gates rises and falls by the hour. 

Compressor stations—the beating hearts spaced every 40 to 100 miles—restore pressure, balance flow, and trim fuel costs so that energy arrives safely and on schedule. Understanding how these installations work sheds light on the hidden engineering that keeps furnaces warm and power plants humming each day.

Balancing Pressure to Keep Gas Moving

Every pipeline shipment starts with a target pressure, but distance, elevation, and internal friction quickly drain it. Centrifugal or reciprocating compressors inside each station grab low-pressure gas, squeeze it back to spec, and hand it off to the next segment. Operators constantly monitor suction and discharge gauges; if pressure sags after a cold-night demand spike, additional compressor units spin up in seconds. 

Conversely, when demand drops, stations idle excess horsepower to prevent over-pressurizing downstream sections. This dynamic pressure management minimizes energy waste and reduces the risk of pipeline fatigue, cracks, or emergency blowdowns.

Managing Flow Variations Across Vast Networks

Pipelines rarely run at a steady “cruise speed.” Industrial shutdowns, power-plant peaking cycles, or maintenance on parallel lines all jostle the volume of gas in motion. Modern compressor stations use flow-measurement instruments—ultrasonic meters, orifice plates, and Coriolis sensors—to feed real-time data into their supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. 

Algorithms compare scheduled versus actual volumes and adjust compressor RPMs, guide-vane angles, or bypass valves to smooth out turbulence. The result is a more laminar flow profile that lowers frictional losses and enables precise custody-transfer accounting among shippers, marketers, and end users.

Fuel Choices That Shape Efficiency

Running large compressors requires serious energy, and stations have several options. Many burn a slipstream of the very natural gas they are moving, eliminating the need for external fuel deliveries. Where electricity is cheap and reliable, electric-drive compressors slash onsite emissions and reduce maintenance because they lack combustion components. 

Some hybrid sites even blend the two approaches, switching to grid power during off-peak hours and reverting to gas turbines when kilowatt prices spike. Selecting the right fuel mix depends on geography, air-quality regulations, and the size of the compressor fleet—but in every case, optimizing fuel consumption keeps tariffs competitive for pipeline customers.

Automation, Valves, and the Human Touch

Despite layers of sensors and automated controls, skilled technicians still walk the yard to check vibration levels, lube-oil quality, and valve performance. A single faulty actuator can negate fine-tuned pressure control, so robust hardware is essential. For example, the trunnion ball valve design—where the ball is anchored top and bottom—maintains a reliable seal under high differential pressure without excessive torque, ensuring quick shut-offs during maintenance or incident response. 

Coupled with programmable logic controllers, emergency-shutdown systems, and redundant power supplies, these mechanical safeguards give crews the confidence to operate 24/7 in all weather conditions while protecting both workers and the environment.

Conclusion

Compressor stations may look like sparse clusters of pipes and sheds along isolated rights-of-way, but they perform sophisticated balancing acts at the intersection of pressure, flow, and fuel. By restoring line pressure, adapting to changing volumes, and fine-tuning energy use, these facilities keep natural-gas pipelines efficient, safe, and reliable. 

Next time you cook dinner, heat your home, or flip on a light switch, remember the quiet stations diligently throttling, metering, and safeguarding the fuel that makes those everyday comforts possible.

From Tier I to Tier IV: Understanding Data Center Classifications

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

When business conversations turn to uptime guarantees or disaster‐proof infrastructure, the term “Tier” always surfaces. These tiers—defined by the Uptime Institute—offer a common language for describing how resilient a data center really is. 

Rather than arcane engineering jargon, the system boils down to four clear classes that balance reliability, redundancy, and cost. Below is a straightforward tour of Tier I through Tier IV, showing how each level raises the bar for power, cooling, and maintenance without burying you in technical noise.

Tier I – Basic Capacity, Best for Testing the Waters

A Tier I facility is essentially a well-organized server room with dedicated power and cooling, but no built-in backup for either. Everything runs on a single, non-redundant path: one utility feed, one cooling loop, one distribution system. That architecture keeps capital expenses down but accepts that scheduled maintenance or a surprise breaker trip will halt operations. 

Tier I sites often serve startups, pilot projects, or regional offices where occasional downtime is tolerable and budgets remain tight. Because the layout is simple, staffing costs stay low, yet the trade-off is a maximum of roughly 99.671 percent annual availability—translating to more than 28 hours of expected downtime per year.

Tier II – Redundant Components, Fewer Nerves

Tier II adds a safety net by doubling up critical components such as UPS modules, chillers, and fuel pumps while still feeding them through a single distribution path. The idea is to survive individual equipment failures without forcing a complete shutdown. For instance, one chiller can be serviced while its twin keeps the server hall cool. 

This “N+1” philosophy pushes expected availability to about 99.741 percent—roughly 22 hours of yearly downtime—and is popular among midsize enterprises that need better reliability but are not yet ready for the cost or complexity of higher tiers. Installation remains fairly straightforward because the power and cooling paths themselves are still singular.

Tier III – Concurrently Maintainable, Business-Ready Resilience

Tier III jumps from component redundancy to full path redundancy, creating two independent routes for power and cooling. Engineers can shut down an entire utility feed or cooling line for maintenance while IT loads stay live on the alternate path—no reboot, no angst. 

A raised commitment to infrastructure symmetry means dual generators, separate switchgear, and segmented conduit runs, all of which inch availability upward to about 99.982 percent, or just 95 minutes of expected downtime annually. Many SaaS vendors and financial firms place production workloads here, balancing operational certainty with reasonably contained costs and energy footprints.

Businesses seeking this level of reliability can benefit from the high-performance environments provided by colocation data centers by Opus Interactive, which offer the scalable power and security necessary for modern enterprise demands.

Tier IV – Fault-Tolerant, No-Excuse Continuity

At Tier IV, the architecture assumes something will break at exactly the worst possible moment—then designs around that certainty. Every electrical and mechanical subsystem is fully redundant, and each path is isolated so that a failure on one side cannot cascade to the other. Moreover, equipment is arranged to guarantee instantaneous switchover without human intervention. Even physical layout decisions—such as adopting data center raised floors—support easier cable segregation and airflow management in this uncompromising environment. 

The payoff is an impressive 99.995 percent availability, equating to barely 26 minutes of downtime per year. Tier IV suits mission-critical operations like global payment networks or life-and-death healthcare platforms where any outage carries steep legal or reputational risk, and budgets can justify the investment.

Conclusion

Choosing the right tier is less about bragging rights than about matching risk tolerance to cost. A small firm running nightly backups may thrive in Tier I, while an online bank cannot afford anything less than Tier IV’s fault tolerance. 

Understanding how each classification layer redundancy, maintainability, and physical design makes it easier to argue for (or against) added investment when business growth or regulatory pressure pushes the bar higher. After all, in a world that never sleeps, the silent hum of a well-designed data center keeps every digital promise alive.