Home Blog Page 202

Next Gen Wins: Busch, Harvick Shine Bright At Cook Out Summer Shootout

By
Official Release
-
For the first time this season, Keelan Harvick conquers the Dilling Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Pros division, outpacing some of NASCAR’s biggest names. (USLCI photo)
  • Camden Powers (Beginner Bandoleros), Brexton Busch (Bandits), Landon Thrasher (Outlaws), Paityn Feyen (Chargers), Brody Rhodes (Young Lions), Hunter Jordan (VP Fuels Semi-Pro) and Kyle Busch (American Rebel Ale Masters) also left it all on the track during Round 9’s high-octane Speedway Sports Night
  • The season wraps up with Tuesday’s Champions night filled with full-throttle racing, the fan-favorite school bus smackdown, NASCAR driver autograph sessions, a Cook Out Monster Truck Bash ticket giveaway and post-race fireworks to cap off the night
  • Tickets are just $15; kids 12 and under get in FREE. Wear past or present Summer Shootout driver merch for $5 off. All summer long, fans who bring a canned food donation to support Blue Cross NC will receive $2 off

CONCORD, N.C., (July 22, 2025) — Team spirit was in full force during Round 9’s Speedway Sports Night at Cook Out Summer Shootout. Brexton Busch snagged his sixth Bandits win of the season, while Keelan Harvick muscled through the field for his first win of the season in the Dilling Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Pro division. With high energy and fierce battles across every division, fans got one more taste of racing before next Tuesday’s final round of action.

On a night where fans repped their favorite sports teams, it was Harvick who stole the show in the Dilling Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Pros Division. The 13-year-old racing phenom didn’t just keep pace with seasoned motorsport stars; he left them in the dust!

Starting mid-pack behind polesitter Sean McElearney, Harvick wasted no time battling for first. In a pivotal moment in Turn 3 on Lap 5, Harvick raced past both McElearney and Jensen Jorgensen, marching his way to the front, before a PRO-FABrication Headers & Exhaust caution bunched the field. On the restart, a door opened for Harvick as he lined up next to NASCAR Cup Series star Shane Van Gisbergen, ready to get down to business.

Harvick launched ahead and began building a lead that he never relinquished. Lap after lap, he held off Van Gisbergen and a field of pros behind him. By Lap 16, Harvick’s lead was undeniable, and by the end of the race, there was no question of who was going to take home the win.

While the writing had been on the wall for weeks with multiple top-five finishes, including second-place efforts in Rounds 1 and 5, Tuesday’s win marked Harvick’s first Summer Shootout win in the Pro division. Van Gisbergen followed behind in second with London McKenzie, Michael Crafton and Danny Chisolm completing the top five.

“He (Van Gisbergen) has a lot more on me than I have on him,” said Harvick with a sense of humility as he acknowledged the challenging win against his Joe Ryan Racing teammate, Van Gisbergen.

BUSCH BATTLES THROUGH BANDIT BRIGADE

It was a battle for the ages in the Bandits division as series points leader Brexton Busch went head-to-head with national points leader James Behnke in a dramatic showdown. Busch took control early, swiping the lead from Christopher Flynn on Lap 3, but the race was far from over.

Behnke and Gerald White III stayed hot on Busch’s heels, refusing to let him run away with it. By Lap 18, Busch had built up a lead of over two seconds, before a late-race PRO-FABrication Headers & Exhaust caution set up a high-stakes, one-lap sprint to the finish.

Lined up side-by-side on the restart, Behnke threw everything he had at Busch in a bid for the win. The two charged through Turn 4 nearly even, but Busch held firm and powered down the front straightaway to the checkered flag, taking the win by just 0.142 seconds in a heart-pounding finish.

“The start of the race was really cool, and that last lap didn’t go as planned, but I’m still glad I was able to drive out of Turn 4 to win,” said a relieved Busch. “I tried to focus as much as I could on not worrying about the cars behind me.”

Behnke settled for a hard-fought second, followed by Cale Weavil, Gerald White III and Tuggie Case, who rounded out the top five in the penultimate round of the season.

Also repping their divisions with strong performances, Camden Powers (Beginner Bandoleros), Landon Thrasher (Outlaws), Paityn Feyen (Chargers), Brody Rhodes (Young Lions), Hunter Jordan (VP Fuels Semi-Pro) and Kyle Busch (American Rebel Ale Masters) all scored wins under the lights during Speedway Sports Night.

NEXT UP:

Next Tuesday, July 29, don’t miss Round 10 – Champions Night. For just $15, fans can enjoy an epic school bus smackdown, post-race fireworks and NASCAR driver autograph session with Front Row Motorsports and Sam Hunt Racing. Wear Summer Shootout driver gear and get $5 off. Plus, every ticket bought enters fans to win four tickets to the Cook Out Monster Truck Bash on Saturday, Aug. 2.

ABOUT COOK OUT SUMMER SHOOTOUT:

Celebrating its 32nd season, the Cook Out Summer Shootout is a 10-race showcase of speed, featuring eight racing divisions of Legend Cars and Bandoleros. Races are held each Tuesday night under the lights with championship points on the line all summer long.

TICKETS:

Tickets are just $15; kids 12 and under get in FREE. All summer long, fans who bring a canned food donation will receive $2 off as part of Blue Cross NC’s “Drive Out Hunger” campaign. For tickets, schedules and more details about all the happenings at Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

KEEP TRACK:

Follow all the thrilling Cook Out Summer Shootout action at Charlotte Motor Speedway on X, Facebook and Instagram.

GETTRX PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE ALL-STAR CALLOUT RETURNS TO DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS

By
Official Release
-

SONOMA, Calif. (July 22, 2025) – Eight of the top riders in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category get the spotlight – and a massive double-up opportunity – this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, as the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout takes place as part of the massive 37th annual Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge.

The picturesque – and notoriously fast – track has been home to bonus races in the category for years, with the Callout taking place in Sonoma for a third straight season. Gaige Herrera and Matt Smith won it the last two years, respectively, and each has gone on to win the Sunday race as well, a sign that success on Saturday’s race-within-a-race can lead to a double-up on Sunday.

The unique Callout pits eight riders against each other in a one-day specialty race, with competitors calling out their first-round opponent. Back-to-back world champion Herrera, who won on Sunday in Seattle, is again the top seed, meaning he gets the first pick of his opponents. The rest of the field, in order, includes six-time world champ Smith, Bristol winner Richard Gadson, Angie Smith, Norwalk winner John Hall, Jianna Evaristo, former Rookie of the Year Chase Van Sant and Chris Bostick.

Matt Smith would get the next selection if he’s not called out, going down the line until the four first-round matchups are set. The rider with the quickest winning run in the first round also gets to select their semifinal opponent. A year ago, Herrera selected his rival, Smith, in a move that pitted the top two riders against each other in the opening round. It didn’t work as planned for Herrera, as Smith won and then rolled to the bonus race win and the event victory, which may alter Herrera’s gameplan this time around.

“I’m not sure who I’m going to call out. Last year, I called out Matt and it kind of bit me in the butt. I don’t know if I’m going to do that again,” Herrera said. “We’ll see, but going into Sonoma we’ve got a lot of confidence and momentum. It’s going to be interesting. I love going back to Sonoma. It’s a beautiful facility and it’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to the Callout and we’ll see how it goes.”

Selections for the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout take place on Friday, with the first round of the bonus race set for 11:15 a.m. PT on Saturday. The semifinals follow at 1:45 and the final round takes place at 4:15 p.m. as part of a huge weekend in Sonoma. A special Callout broadcast also takes place at 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

The rabid area fanbase gets an opportunity to witness a variety of highlights during the 12th race of the 2025 NHRA season, too, including can’t-miss nitro at night on Friday night, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.

Last season, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Sonoma, while Shawn Langdon, Austin Prock and Troy Coughlin Jr. won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. This year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1 on Friday and Sunday, with coverage of the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on FOX on Saturday.

Reigning Top Fuel champ Brown earned his fifth Sonoma win when he defeated racing legend Tony Stewart in the final round. This season, Brown has a win in Gainesville while Stewart is second thanks to two wins. Langdon took over the points lead with his Seattle victory, while other top names include Justin Ashley and Brittany Force.

Funny Car’s Tasca earned his second Sonoma win last season over Ron Capps. This season has been dominated by John Force Racing teammates Prock and former champion Jack Beckman. Prock has four wins this season, while Matt Hagan won on Sunday in Seattle.

Pro Stock standout Stanfield defeated Cory Reed to earn his second Sonoma race win last season. Reed, of KB Titan Racing, is the most recent Pro Stock after his first career win in Norwalk. KB Titan Racing has dominated in 2025, winning all nine races. Leading the charge is points leader Dallas Glenn and reigning world champ Greg Anderson.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport, as well as the Top the Cops exhibition and autograph sessions at the Mission Foods Midway Display and for Pro Stock Motorcycle riders at the Suzuki Display. A kids-only autograph session takes place under the Main Grandstand at 3 p.m. on Friday as well.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, music and more. Sonoma race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:30 and 6:45 p.m. PT on Friday, July 25 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 26 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 27. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. A broadcast of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge takes place on FOX at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.

To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About DENSO and PowerEdge

Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ team members across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, DENSO in North America generated $12.5 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and explore career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/. 

PowerEdge® is a value-driven line of high quality and durable aftermarket products, designed to deliver performance, and reliability. Backed by the sales, service, and logistics support of DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc.—DENSO’s North American aftermarket headquarters in Long Beach, California—PowerEdge brings trusted quality at a competitive price. For more information, visit https://www.poweredgeproducts.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Wheel Alignment Myths That Eat Your Tires

By
SM
-
Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Your tires are screaming at you. They wear on one side while the other looks new. Your car drifts left on straight roads. Yet you still believe the myths that continue to cost you money.

Recent research indicates that tire misalignment can reduce tire life by up to 98% compared to proper alignment. That means replacing a $600 tire set every 15,000 miles instead of 60,000 miles. The math is brutal.

Most drivers wait until damage is done. They trust old wives’ tales about wheel alignment instead of facts. These myths result in thousands of dollars in premature tire replacement and wasted fuel.

Myth 1: You Only Need Alignment When Getting New Tires

This myth kills more tires than potholes. Many drivers believe that alignment is just part of the tire installation process. Wrong.

Your suspension moves every time you drive. Springs settle. Bushings wear. A 2024 study found that normal wear changes alignment gradually over time, even without hitting curbs or potholes.

Check the alignment every 6,000 miles or twice a year. Don’t wait for new tires. Regular checks catch problems before they eat your tread.

Signs you need alignment now include pulling to one side, an off-center steering wheel when driving straight, or uneven tire wear patterns. These symptoms indicate that your tires are already experiencing damage.

Professional wheel alignment in Waco typically costs $100 to $150. Compare that to replacing four tires at $600 plus. The choice is obvious.

Myth 2: Hitting a Pothole Won’t Affect Your Alignment

This myth comes from the days of simpler suspension systems. Modern cars utilize complex geometry that changes in response to even slight impacts.

Your suspension has three main angles: camber, caster, and toe. Hitting a pothole at 35 mph can shift these angles by fractions of degrees. Those tiny changes create big problems.

Camber affects how your tire sits relative to the road. Too much positive or negative camber wears either the inside or outside edge fast. Toe angle matters most for tire life. When tires point even slightly in different directions, they scrub against the pavement with every rotation.

A single pothole impact can throw toe angles off enough to cut tire life in half. The damage occurs gradually, so you won’t notice it until the wear pattern becomes obvious.

Drive carefully around road damage. If you hit something hard, get your alignment checked within a week. Quick action saves tires.

Myth 3: Vibration Always Means You Need Alignment

Drivers often confuse alignment problems with balancing issues. This confusion leads to wrong repairs and continued tire damage.

Wheel balancing addresses weight distribution around the tire and wheel. Unbalanced wheels cause vibration at highway speeds, usually felt in the steering wheel or seats.

Alignment affects how your car tracks down the road. Poor alignment creates pulling, uneven wear, and handling problems. It rarely causes vibration.

If your steering wheel shakes at 60 mph, you likely need balancing, not alignment. If your car pulls right on straight roads, that’s alignment.

Some symptoms overlap. Professional shops measure both during inspection. They use precision equipment to separate balancing from alignment issues.

Get both services when installing new tires. The cost is minimal compared to the expense of premature tire replacement due to misdiagnosis.

Myth 4: All Tire Wear Means Bad Alignment

Not every wear pattern points to alignment problems. This myth leads to unnecessary alignment work while real issues go unfixed.

Center wear usually means overinflation. Edge wear on both sides suggests underinflation. Cupping or scalloping often indicates worn suspension components, such as struts or shocks.

True alignment wear shows specific patterns. Feathering creates smooth edges on one side and sharp edges on the other. This indicates toe problems. Camber wear shows excessive wear on either the inside or outside edge, but not both.

Check tire pressure monthly. Rotate tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. These simple steps prevent many wear patterns that appear to be alignment issues.

When you see uneven wear, examine all four tires. Alignment problems usually affect the front tires first. Rear tire wear often indicates different issues, like worn suspension parts.

Professional tire shops can read wear patterns like fingerprints. They separate alignment damage from other causes. Don’t guess when tires are expensive.

The Real Cost of Alignment Myths

These myths cost more than a tire replacement. Poor alignment reduces fuel efficiency by increasing rolling resistance. The energy waste adds up to hundreds of dollars yearly in extra gas.

Safety suffers too. Misaligned cars handle poorly in emergencies. They take longer to stop and resist steering inputs. Blowouts from worn tires happen at the worst times.

Smart drivers regularly check their alignment and disregard the myths. They save money on tires, fuel, and repairs. Their cars handle better and last longer.

Professional wheel alignment services utilize laser precision to set your wheels to the exact specifications. The investment pays for itself quickly through extended tire life and better fuel efficiency.

Proper alignment isn’t optional maintenance. It’s essential for safe, economical driving. Don’t let myths eat your tires and wallet.

Stop believing the stories. Start protecting your investment. Your tires and bank account will thank you.

BMW Trouble Codes Explained: DIY or Specialist?

By
SM
-
Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Your BMW’s dashboard lights up. Warning codes flash. What now? You face a choice. Fix it yourself or head to the shop?

Modern BMWs throw complex codes that can puzzle even skilled mechanics. These cryptic messages reveal everything from simple sensor glitches to major engine problems. Understanding when to grab your tools or call a pro can save both time and money.

Decoding Your BMW’s Warning System

BMW uses two code types. OBD-II codes start with “P” and work with basic scanners. BMW-specific hex codes like “0x29CD” need special tools. A 2009 BMW 335i might show “0x29CD” instead of the standard P0301 code, leaving generic scanners confused.

Your car speaks in numbers for good reason. Each code points to specific problems. P0300 means random misfires. P0171 signals a lean fuel mixture. BMW’s VANOS codes like 2A82 and 2A87 warn of timing system failures.

Basic scanners cost around $50. BMW-specific tools run $200-500. Professional INPA diagnostics give deeper insights into your car’s health. The investment pays off if you work on BMWs regularly.

DIY Fixes: Your Quick Check List

Start with simple solutions. Many codes clear after basic maintenance. Auto repair spending jumped 100% from May to September in recent years, making DIY fixes more valuable.

Check these first:

  • Gas cap tight and seal intact
  • Air filter clean and properly seated
  • Oil level adequate and not overdue
  • Battery connections secure
  • Spark plugs within replacement schedule

Common DIY wins include oxygen sensor swaps, mass airflow cleaning, and ignition coil replacement. These parts fail predictably. YouTube guides walk you through each step. Parts cost $50-200 versus $300-800 at shops.

Oil leaks often trigger multiple codes. Check valve cover gaskets and oil filter housing seals. These BMW weak points cause electrical issues when oil contacts sensors. Clean connections and replace worn gaskets to clear related codes.

When VANOS and Cooling Systems Fight Back

Some BMW systems demand respect. VANOS variable timing controls engine performance through precise oil pressure. VANOS seals typically wear out by 50,000 miles, causing performance issues you might not notice until 70,000 miles.

VANOS solenoids clog with dirty oil. Clean them first before buying replacements. Remove, soak in solvent, and reinstall. Simple cleaning fixes many timing codes without spending $400 on new parts.

Cooling system codes spell trouble. BMW’s plastic components crack and leak. Expansion tanks, thermostats, and water pumps fail together. One repair leads to another. Catch these early before engine damage occurs.

Electric water pumps throw unique codes. These $300 parts control coolant flow electronically. When they fail, overheating follows quickly. Watch for temperature spikes and unusual pump noises.

Professional Territory: Complex Electronics and Major Repairs

Some codes demand expert help. Modern BMWs pack computers everywhere. CAN bus networks, adaptive systems, and integrated modules create repair challenges beyond basic tools.

Transmission codes often mask deeper problems. BMW’s complex automatics need special fluid and programming procedures. DIY attempts risk expensive damage. Labor alone runs $150-200 per hour at BMW repair Texas shops.

Turbo codes on N54 and N55 engines signal serious issues. These high-strung motors need precision repairs. Boost leaks, wastegate problems, and fuel system failures cascade quickly. Professional diagnostics prevent guesswork that destroys expensive parts.

Advanced driver assistance codes require calibration after repairs. Lane departure, adaptive cruise, and parking sensors need dealer-level programming. Independent specialists with proper equipment offer alternatives to steep dealer prices.

Making the Smart Choice for Your BMW

Time matters as much as money. Simple codes take minutes to diagnose and hours to fix. Complex issues eat entire weekends without guaranteed success.

Consider your skills honestly. Can you read wiring diagrams? Do you own proper tools? BMW repair Texas specialists invest heavily in equipment and training. Their hourly rates reflect this expertise.

Parts availability affects decisions too. Common sensors arrive overnight. Specialized modules take weeks to ship. Professionals stock critical parts and maintain dealer relationships for faster turnaround.

Warranty coverage influences choices. New BMWs under factory warranty need dealer attention for major repairs. Independent shops handle routine maintenance without voiding coverage.

Your BMW’s age and value guide repair strategies. High-mileage cars justify DIY experiments. Low-mileage examples deserve professional care to maintain reliability and resale value.

Bottom Line: Know Your Limits

BMW trouble codes reveal problems but don’t dictate solutions. Simple issues reward DIY efforts with saved money and gained knowledge. Complex problems punish overconfidence with bigger bills.

Start with basic checks and cheap fixes. Research thoroughly before attempting major repairs. When doubt creeps in, professional BMW specialists offer peace of mind through expertise and warranties.

Your BMW deserves proper care. Choose repair approaches that match both the problem’s complexity and your mechanical confidence. Smart owners know when to wrench and when to delegate.

Connor Zilisch’s first Indianapolis start preview

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

On July 22, 2017, William Byron from Charlotte, North Carolina, fended off veteran Paul Menard by 0.108 seconds to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The victory occurred in Byron’s first-ever start at Indianapolis and his first full-time campaign in the Xfinity division. It made him the youngest-ever race winner across NASCAR’s top three national touring series at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing at age 19 years, seven months and 23 days.

The Indianapolis victory was also Byron’s third of four overall during the 2017 Xfinity season. It played a crucial role in elevating his racing status to the ultimate height. Driving for JR Motorsports, Byron claimed both the 2017 Xfinity Rookie-of-the-Year and driver’s championship titles.

He then graduated to a full-time Cup Series campaign with Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) during the following season. Byron, the reigning two-time Daytona 500 champion, is in his eighth campaign driving the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet entry for HMS.

As Byron celebrated his Indianapolis victory in July, another Charlotte native, Connor Zilisch, was racing in karts and celebrating his 11th birthday. Fast forward eight years, and Zilisch is one of the rising prospects among the Xfinity division and the NASCAR garage. Zilisch, who turned 19 years of age on July 22, 2025, drives for JR Motorsports and shows no signs of slowing down on the track.

Over his previous eight starts in this year’s Xfinity season, Zilisch’s average finishing result is 2.25. This includes visiting Victory Lane three times in his first three series’ trips to three distinct venues: Pocono Raceway (June 21), Sonoma Raceway (July 12) and this past weekend at Dover Motor Speedway (July 19). Within the eight-race stretch, he has also recorded three runner-up results and has finished no lower than fifth.

Zilisch’s recent eight-race streak of top-five results marks a major turnaround in his first full-time Xfinity campaign. His average finishing result through the first 11 scheduled events was 16.8. Despite winning at Circuit of the Americas (March 1), he sustained three DNFs.

He was forced to sit out from competing at Texas Motor Speedway (May 3) due to sustaining a lower back injury following a last-lap accident during the previous event at Talladega Superspeedway (April 26). He was ranked in 12th place in the regular-season standings at the time of his injury and one-race absence. However, he leapt his way up to second place and trails teammate Justin Allgaier for the lead by 56 points.

Six races are remaining until the 2025 Xfinity Playoffs commence, including this upcoming weekend’s event at Indianapolis. The sky remains the limit for Zilisch in his pursuit of both the Rookie-of-the-Year and the driver’s championship title.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s event at Indianapolis, Zilisch has an opportunity to achieve several notable feats at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Should he win this Saturday, the Charlotte native would become the first competitor to win in a first Xfinity start at Indy since William Byron achieved the feat in 2017. He would also become the new youngest winner in the series at the track at the age of 19 years and four days.

Coming off back-to-back victories at Sonoma and Dover, Zilisch would become the first competitor to achieve three consecutive Xfinity victories since Noah Gragson achieved the latest feat (four overall) while he was driving for JR Motorsports in 2022.

Speaking of JR Motorsports, the organization, which debuted during the 2005 Xfinity finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, would achieve its milestone 100th victory in the series should Zilisch or his teammates (Carson Kvapil, Allgaier and Sammy Smith) emerge victorious at Indy.

Connor Zilisch will pursue his first victory in his first start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Saturday, July 26, at 4:30 p.m. ET for the Pennzoil 250 on the CW Network.

Christian Eckes reuniting with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for two Truck races in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Christian Eckes will be reuniting with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) for two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2025.

Eckes, the 2024 Truck Series regular-season champion and 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion from Middletown, New York, will be piloting MHR’s newly formed No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado RST entry at Richmond Raceway on August 15. He will return to compete at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 20.

For his first series start at Richmond, AAA Premium Battery will be sponsoring Eckes. NAPA Nightvision will sponsor him at New Hampshire.

The news comes as Eckes is currently campaigning in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series division with Kaulig Racing. Through 20 scheduled events, Eckes, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro entry for Kaulig, has recorded three top-five results.

In addition, he has earned eight top-10 results, with his best on-track result being a third-place result at Pocono Raceway in June. He is currently in 16th place in the 2025 driver’s standings and is 71 points below the cutline to make this year’s Playoff field. Six regular-season events remain until the Playoffs commence in September.

“Going back to run a couple of truck races with MHR is going to be a great time”, Eckes said in a released statement. “Competing in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing this year has been an honor and we’re laser-focused on getting into the playoffs.

“I feel like we have some unfinished business at Richmond with MHR since we were right on the cusp of winning there last year and across the board at the flat tracks. Those should be two great opportunities to compete for wins and stay sharp on off weeks from the Xfinity schedule.”

Eckes made his first career start in the Truck division at Iowa Speedway in June 2018, notching an impressive eighth-place result while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Over the following seven years, he made a total of 114 starts while competing for KBM, ThorSport Racing and MHR. After making his first Playoffs in 2020, Eckes notched his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September 2021 while driving for ThorSport on a part-time basis.

During the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Eckes competed on a full-time basis with MHR, where he notched four victories apiece and made the Playoffs during both seasons. He clinched the 2024 Truck Series regular-season championship and made the Championship 4 round before settling in a career-best third place in the final standings.

Eckes’ return to the Truck division with MHR excites team owner Bill McAnally, who opted to sport the number 16 alongside Eckes’ entry to pay tribute to the late Shigeaki Hattori. Hattori, the 2018 Truck Series championship-winning team owner and former racer from Okayama, Japan, died in early April following a traffic collision in Huntersville, North Carolina.

Hattori fielded the No. 16 under his team name, Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE), during its debut at Michigan International Speedway in August 2013. The entry returned on a full-time basis from 2017 to 2023. and notched a total of 14 victories under the HRE name from 2018 to 2021. It was last sported for three events throughout the 2024 season, most recently at Martinsville Speedway in early November.

“We’re all looking forward to having Christian back in the truck and running the No. 16 again”, McAnally said. “We accomplished a lot together and it’ll be great to have him step in for a couple of races. He has a lot of knowledge and will certainly be a benefit to our programs as we get closer to the playoffs.

“Being able to include AAA and NAPA Nightvision in these programs is especially rewarding, and want to also honor Shige Hattori and remember him by having the number 16 back on track.”

Christian Eckes’ first Craftsman Truck Series start of the 2025 season with MHR is scheduled at Richmond Raceway on August 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. His second start will occur at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 20 at noon ET on FS1.

Spire Motorsports Brickyard 400 presented by PPG Race Advance

By
Official Release
-
  • In five NASCAR Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Spire Motorsports has logged top-15 two and four top-20 finishes. Carson Hocevar earned a team-best 12th-place finish in last year’s Brickyard 400. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the Cup Series for Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
  • The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG will be televised live on TNT and streamed on Max, Sunday, July 27 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 21st of 36 points-paying races on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

  • Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Gainbridge/TEDSports Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  • Last season, in his lone Cup Series start at the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval, Haley started 35th and raced his way to a respectable 20th-place finish. He posted a spirited fifth-place finish during the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ 2019 100-lapper.
  • TEDSports Indianapolis, TED’s inaugural event dedicated to the transformative power of sports, will partner with Gainbridge to serve as co-primary sponsors aboard Justin Haley’s No. 7 Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  • TED is a nonprofit dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. The first-of-its-kind global confluence of athletes, innovators, scientists, creatives, and change-makers will convene Sept. 9-11, 2025 at the historic Old National Centre in downtown Indianapolis to explore how sports intersect with technology, culture, health, and social impact. The event will be held in partnership with the Indiana Sports Corp and Next Practice Partners.
  • While many drivers, native to the Hoosier State, pursue careers in the open wheel ranks, Haley was drawn to stock cars and made his mark on the national stage in his early teens. After making his maiden ARCA Menards Series start in May 2014, he turned heads by recording his first pole position and top-three finish one race later. Haley earned four top 10s that season and would secure his first win two seasons later in just his 13th start on the ARCA national tour. Haley made six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts from 2015-2016, before joining the series full-time in 2017, following his 18th birthday. He notched the first of three 2018 wins in June at World Wide Technology Raceway and went on to visit Victory Lane later that season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Texas Motor Speedway prior to finishing the season third in points.
  • He shifted his full-time focus to the Xfinity Series in 2019, where he’s earned four wins, 24 top-five and 69 top-10 finishes. He further cemented his pedigree with a 2019 NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway.
  • The 26-year-old racer earned one top-10 and five top-15 finishes this season and is coming off a 17th-place effort in the division’s most recent stop at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
  • Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
  • Haley is one of just 41 drivers to have won in all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series, collecting four Xfinity Series wins and three in the Truck Series.
  • The Indiana native is a veteran of 165 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 16 top 10s and led 103 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.
  • In total, Haley has made 64 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, including his first start in NASCAR’s premier division at Talladega Superspeedway on his 20th birthday.

Justin Haley Quote
What makes racing at Indianapolis so meaningful to you?
“I’m looking forward to racing in my home state this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s always great going back to Indianapolis. Track position is always at a premium at Indianapolis because it’s so tough to pass. We’ve got a really cool paint scheme so that’s another piece I’m looking forward to. It’s always fun when our partners do something unique and explore non-traditional ways to activate their sponsorships. Gainbridge and Group 1001 are always on the leading edge when it comes to thinking outside the box and innovating across multiple sports platforms. Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always special but, for a kid from Indiana, being able to represent Gainbridge and TEDSports Indianapolis is a big deal. Our entire team is looking forward to the weekend and eager for the opportunity to make everyone proud.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

  • Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley and was first paired with Haley at Bristol Motor Speedway in September 2024.
  • The Winston Salem, N.C., native has called 189 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
  • In total, Sparks has called two Indianapolis Motor Speedway races, where he earned a venue-best 14th-place finish last season with Corey LaJoie at the controls.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
  • McDowell has a dozen starts at the world-renowned “yard of bricks” where he earned a venue-best seventh-place finish in 2020. He qualified eighth and finished 16th in last year’s return to track’s traditional two-and-a-half mile oval configuration.
  • In three previous starts on the venue’s 2.439-mile grand prix circuit, McDowell secured one win, and two top-10 finishes. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner started fourth in the 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, led 54 laps and went on to win the race by a slim .93-second margin.
  • Last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, McDowell started seventh and earned a solid 13th-place finish. The top-15 effort marled his best finihs in NASCAR Cup Series competiton and the daunting one-mile oval.
  • Group 1001, parent company of Delaware Life and Gainbridge, calls Zionville, Ind. home with its headquarters located less than 15 miles away from IMS.
  • The No. 71 team earned a $100,000 payday and a trip to Victory Lane after winning the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge during May’s NASCAR All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. The crew’s blazing 12.587-second stop topped all entries for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race, earning the title of the fastest team on pit road.
  • The 40-year-old has claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards this season, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, Phoenix Raceway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • The No. 71 team secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. The 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap in NASCAR’s seventh-generation Cup Series car (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. The team is also credited with securing Spire Motorsports’ first stage win three weekends ago in the Grant Park 165 contest on the streets of downtown Chicago.

Michael McDowell Quote
You’ve won on the road course at Indianapolis, but you’re still in search of the elusive victory on the oval. How much would it mean to you as a driver to win on the traditional layout?
“It would be unbelievable. It’s hard to put into words. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to motorsports history and crown jewels, and I’m so thankful to have won at Indianapolis. There’s nothing cooler than kissing the bricks. I’ll cherish that moment forever with my family. But to me, that’s not a Brickyard win. We won on the road course — the Indy Road Course — which is awesome. But it’s not the Indy 500 and it’s not the Brickyard 400. You can only win those races on the oval. That’s a separate piece of history. A separate win. Separate everything. It’s like the Southern 500, Bristol Night Race, and Coca-Cola 600. It’s a crown jewel that we haven’t won yet — even though we’ve won at Indianapolis.

It’d be super important and awesome. I came into this sport as a road racer. Nobody really knew that, but I knew it would be my strength. It took a long time for it to actually be my strength. A lot of that was equipment. In my mind, I always said if I could win at Bristol or Martinsville — a place like that — that would really stamp my mark as a NASCAR guy. Not the road courses or superspeedways. I still haven’t done that. The Gateway pole — last year or maybe the year before — was one of those cool moments. Then we got a pole at Las Vegas this year. That was awesome, too. Now that I’m in cars with more speed and opportunities, those feel like real chances to add to that list of crown jewels. So, I’m excited about that potential and continuing to try to add wins and do it at some of those iconic places.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

  • Crew chief Travis Peterson called his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory with Michael McDowell during the 2023 Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The duo started fourth and led 54 laps before earning their first win as a driver-crew chief tandem.
  • Prior to his win with McDowell in 2023, West Bend, Wisc., native earned back-to-back top-10 finishes at IMS as a race engineer for Ryan Newman (2021) and as crew chief for Chris Buescher (2022) on the Grand Prix Circuit during his time with RFK Racing.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

  • Carson Hocevar is set to make his second NASCAR Cup Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 presented by PPG. The driver of the No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet finished 12th in his 2024 debut at the 2.5-mile oval.
  • Hocevar has made two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis where he earned a fourth-place result in 2023. He also made two ARCA Menards Series starts at LOIRP resulting in a fifth- and ninth-place finish in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
  • The Portage, Mich., native began his racing career at nine-years-old. He traveled the country racing USAC quarter midgets at venues like Indianapolis where he won the Battle at the Brickyard in multiple divisions. Hocevar holds the USAC quarter midget win record with 79 victories and 16 national championships.
  • In last weekend’s race at Dover Motor Speedway, Hocevar started 33rd after qualifying was rained out. He led eight laps and was holding strong in the top 15 before making contact with the wall during Stage 2. Despite returning to the track after lengthy repairs, Hocevar retired to the garage on Lap 360 and was credited with a 35th-place result.

Carson Hocevar Quote
Indianapolis is an iconic venue across all forms of motorsports. What does it mean to you to get to race at The Brickyard?
“I just love everything about Indy. I’ve raced quarter midgets in the parking lot, right behind the suites and, I’ve won there a few times. I think it’d be super cool to be the first to win the quarter midget race and the Cup race. And then if I can do that, maybe try the Indy 500 and the BC39. I just love that track so much. I want to win every race that runs there, even the Xfinity Series race. I want to sweep them all there at some point in my career. It’s always been one of my favorite tracks to think about, dream about. The feeling you get when you roll into that place is really hard to describe. It’s iconic. But it’s also a very difficult track and can lead to a lot of frustration. I remember the first 10 laps of practice last year, we were first in 10-lap average, and I think it was just because I was the only one out there pretending I was running the final 10 laps of the Indy 500. I was just sitting there smiling the whole time, almost touching the wall on exit. You know, just being me, being aggressive. I was having a lot of fun out there which is sometimes rare. It can be hard to get out of that competitive mindset and just go have fun, but it’s really easy to do at Indy because it’s one of those places that I dreamed of racing at and now I’m there.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

  • Luke Lambert has called eleven Cup Series races from atop the box at Indianapolis, nine of those being the Brickyard 400 on the oval. His best finish came in 2017, a third-place finish with Ryan Newman.
  • The Mount Airy, N.C., native has also called 425 Cup Series race with 65 of those coming with Carson Hocevar at Spire Motorsports.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

Ford Performance NASCAR – Indianapolis Advance

By
Official Release
-

INDIANAPOLIS

Friday, July 25 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series @ IRP, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, July 26 – NASCAR Xfinity Series @ IMS, 4:30 p.m. ET (CW)
Sunday, July 27 – NASCAR Cup Series @ IMS, 2 p.m. ET (TNT)

For the first time since Pocono last month, all three of NASCAR’s top series will be racing in the same location albeit different tracks. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will kick things off after a three-week break at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night while the NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

MUSTANG WINS BRICKYARD IN FIRST ATTEMPT

Mustang has been a staple of the Ford Motor Company passenger car lineup since 1964 and, just like a bottle of fine wine, it only gets better with age. When the iconic sports car made its NASCAR Cup Series debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2019, it didn’t disappoint. Kevin Harvick set the tone by putting his No. 4 Mobil 1 Mustang on the pole, and he continued that during the race as he led 118-of-160 laps to win by a whopping 6.118 seconds. That capped a big day for Ford, which saw Joey Logano finish second and six Mustangs end up in the top 10.

(For more on how many Mustangs are racing globally this week, please see the bottom of this week’s advance.)

KESELOWSKI AND THE BRICKYARD

Brad Keselowski is the only active Ford driver who has won the Brickyard 400 on the oval, taking the checkered flag in 2018 while driving for Team Penske. After a 10th place finish last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, Keselowski goes into Sunday’s race with four straight Top 10 finishes on ovals. The streak started at Michigan (10th) and continued at Pocono (9th) and then Atlanta (2nd). In 12 career starts on the Indianapolis oval, Keselowski has six Top 10 efforts and an average finish of 13.6.

AUSTIN CINDRIC: “The opportunity to win a crown jewel race is always awesome. To think about what the speedway means to both Roger and my family, it’s definitely a cool one to have on the schedule. There’s plenty of tracks on the NASCAR schedule that definitely have historical value, but nothing compares to the history of Indianapolis.”

CHRIS BUESCHER: “It’s just really fun being able to go places when you have speed like we do in the RFK cars. Indianapolis is such a big event, so when you roll into that place, it takes you back a bit. After last season, we have some unfinished business to do.”

ZANE SMITH: “I think Indy has probably been one that I’ve circled the biggest since the start of the year. Going back to last year, I felt like that was one of my best tracks and I really enjoyed that facility and racetrack after growing up racing karts in Indy. Watching the Indy 500 was big for me when I was younger, so being able to race on the big oval is always cool.”

THREE JEWELS FOR DJ

The first time Ford found victory lane on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a NASCAR Cup Series race was in 1996 when Dale Jarrett won the first of his two Brickyard 400 championships. What made the race most memorable from a Ford perspective is that it ended up being a battle between Jarrett and his Robert Yates Racing teammate, Ernie Irvan. The two ended up breaking away from the field as Irvan found himself in the lead after passing Jarrett on lap 139, but when he pushed up the track going into turn two with only seven laps to go, Jarrett was there to take advantage and make the pass. Jarrett held on to eventually win as the race ended under caution. That completed a trifecta of sorts for Jarrett, who also won the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 earlier that season, and capped a memorable day for Ford with seven finishers in the Top 10 and 11 in the top 14.

RUDD’S BIG WIN

One of the most recent NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, Ricky Rudd, stretched his fuel to the limit in winning the 1997 Brickyard 400 as he went the final 46 laps without stopping. That decision, along with a pair of timely cautions, enabled him to gain the lead and hold it until the checkered flag. Rudd inherited the lead on lap 147 after the yellow flag came out for debris. While leader Dale Jarrett and fellow contender Jeff Gordon were forced to pit for fuel, Rudd stayed out. Another caution with seven laps remaining allowed Rudd to save the necessary fuel to make it the rest of the way. In a single-file restart with three laps to go, Rudd led Bobby Labonte, Johnny Benson, Mark Martin, Jarrett and Gordon. Labonte was never able to get closer than a couple of car lengths as Rudd posted his second win of the season and biggest triumph of his career.

A MAST-ERFUL START

Another memorable Brickyard highlight came in the inaugural weekend in 1994 when Rick Mast won the pole while driving the No. 1 Ford of car owner Richard Jackson. Mast went on to lead the first lap at the speedway in official NASCAR competition, but would ultimately finish one lap down in 22nd place. The pole was one of four Mast earned during his 15-year NASCAR Cup Series career.

ON THE BUBBLE

There are six races remaining in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season and two Ford drivers are currently in playoff positions. Sam Mayer is third in the overall point standings and is 162 points above the cut line while Sheldon Creed is 61 points to the good in 10th. Harrison Burton and Ryan Sieg are both still within striking distance of the 12th and final playoff berth. Burton trails his cousin, Jeb, by seven points while Sieg is 30 points out. Sieg has the most experience among the Ford foursome with this weekend being his ninth series start on the Indianapolis oval. His best finish is 10th, which came in 2019.

MAJESKI GOING FOR THREE-PEAT

Ty Majeski is still searching for his first win of the season and if there’s one track on the circuit where he could be deemed a favorite it would be this weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Majeski, who has six career wins, has captured each of the last two series races at the facility, including last year when he took the lead from Christian Eckes and led the final 56 laps. The Wisconsin native was even more dominant the previous year when he led 179-of-200 circuits.

STANDINGS UPDATE

It’s been nearly a month since the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competed, so let’s review where Ford drivers currently sit in the point standings with only three races remaining in the regular season. Front Row Motorsports drivers Chander Smith (2) and Layne Riggs (1) have combined for three wins and rank second and third, respectively, in overall points. ThorSport Racing is also represented in the Top 10 with a pair of drivers as defending series champion Ty Majeski is eighth and Jake Garcia ninth, but both drivers are on the playoff bubble. Majeski currently holds the 10th and final playoff spot and has a 38-point lead over Garcia, but a win by either driver would automatically secure a berth.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT INDIANAPOLIS

1996 – Dale Jarrett (Oval)

1997 – Ricky Rudd (Oval)

1999 – Dale Jarrett (Oval)

2018 – Brad Keselowski (Oval)

2019 – Kevin Harvick (Oval)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (Oval)

2023 – Michael McDowell (Road Course)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT INDIANAPOLIS

2020 – Chase Briscoe (Road Course)

2021 – Austin Cindric (Road Course)

2024 – Riley Herbst (Oval)

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT INDIANAPOLIS

1999 – Greg Biffle

2002 – Terry Cook

2003 – Carl Edwards

2006 – Rick Crawford

2023 – Ty Majeski

2024 – Ty Majeski

The Ford Mustang, celebrating its 61st anniversary in 2025, is the world’s best selling sports car. It is also one of the planet’s most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Australian Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 27 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines. Learn more at FordPerformance.com.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE PREVIEW

By
Official Release
-

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Brickyard 400

DATE: July 27, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 22 of 36
TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2.5-mile oval

CLUB MINUTES:

JJ KISSES THE BRICKS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson knows what it’s like to kiss the yard of bricks at the Crown Jewel race of the Brickyard 400. Johnson has a total of 19 Cup Series starts at the 2.5-mile oval resulting in four victories, six top-fives, and seven top-10s with 306 laps led. He earned his first win at Indianapolis in August 2006 where he bested LEGACY MC competition advisor and runner-up Kenseth as the race ended under caution. He followed that up with back-to-back victories in July 2008 with a .332 of a second margin of victory over Carl Edwards and July 2009 with a .400 of a second margin of victory over Mark Martin. His final victory at Indianapolis came in July 2012 where he started sixth and bested runner-up Kyle Busch by 4.758 seconds after leading 99 laps.

JJ IN INDYCAR AT INDY: Johnson has not only experienced the iconic Brickyard in the NASCAR Cup Series, but also in the INDYCAR Series for the Indianapolis 500 which is raced on the same weekend as the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. He qualified on the fourth row for the May 2022 Indianapolis 500 where he ended up earning a 28th-place finish after contact on lap 193 ended his day early. Johnson did return to Indianapolis in 2024 and 2025 for their broadcast though. In 2024, he contributed to NBC’s pre-race and race coverage for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Earlier this year, he flew up to Indianapolis to participate in Tom Brady’s Fastest Seat in Sports – aka the G.O.A.T. RIDE – where Johnson and Brady led the field to green in a two-seat INDYCAR prior to Johnson flying back to Charlotte to race in the Coca-Cola 600 that evening.

KENSETH AT INDY: LEGACY MC competition advisor Matt Kenseth has a total of 20 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Indianapolis in his career. He earned a total of 10 top-fives and 13 top-10s while leading 77 laps. Besides his second-place finish to Johnson in August 2006, he earned the runner-up spot in three other Brickyard 400 races. In August 2003, Kenseth finished 2.758 seconds behind Kevin Harvick. He finished second again in the July 2016 race 2.126 seconds behind Kyle Busch. Finally in July 2020, he finished .743 of a second behind Harvick once again.

CROWN JEWEL NUMBER SHADOWING: LEGACY MC’s Number Shadowing program will be back this weekend at Indianapolis for the Crown Jewel race of the Brickyard 400. As part of the program that was announced prior to the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, the shadows of Richard Petty’s Parts Blue on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE and Lee Petty’s red on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE will be on the door for NASCAR’s select Crown Jewel races – which will include the Brickyard 400, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, and the Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

ULTIMATE CANINE: After Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LEGACY MC drivers Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek will road trip up to the Ultimate Canine Training Facility in Westfield, IN to interact with a group of graduating K9 officers and partake in a friendly competition. Ultimate Canine is an award-winning training facility just an hour north of the track founded by Julie Case. She has been training dogs for over 27 years. Jones will bring his four-legged companion Oscar to the activity to run him through some training exercises alongside the graduating K9 officers.

DOLLAR TREE VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Dollar Tree will serve as the primary partner on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE, driven by Erik Jones, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The bold green and white Dollar Tree scheme will hit the track alongside support from vendor partner Jack Links, showcasing a strong collaboration for the race weekend across LEGACY MC’s social platforms.

NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Jimmie Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. The podcast airs live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts. This week’s guest is Carolina Hurricanes head coach and 2006 Stanley Cup Champion pick Rod Brind’Amour.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT INDY: John Hunter Nemechek has two starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, one in 2020 where he finished 15th, and one in 2024 where he was running in the front half of the pack all day and led 16 laps before ultimately finishing 29th due to a late-race wreck. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he has also made two starts at the track in 2018 and 2019, where he finished 25th and 31st, respectively.

T-MACK INDIANAPOLIS STATS: Sunday’s race will be Crew Chief Travis Mack’s second NASCAR Cup Series race at the Brickyard. His first outing was in 2024 with AJ Allmendinger, who earned a 30th-place finish after a crash in the middle of Stage 2. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Mack has two starts with Michael Annett, where he finished 31st in 2018 and 12th in 2019.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“We had a really good run going in Indy last year. Ended poorly, result-wise, but led some laps. We had a really fast car though, so I’m looking forward to going back there. We have a long practice session this weekend, so we get to try some things. This has been a race that has been circled on our calendar all year. Hopefully we have a shot to win. If we don’t have a shot to win, we want to make the best day out of it that we possibly can and have a solid result in our No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota Camry XSE.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“I feel good about Indy. It’s going to come down to qualifying and pit strategy. John Hunter led laps here last year, and I feel like we’ve made lots of improvements since then. I look at this as one of our top races that we could clinch our way into the playoffs.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES INDIANAPOLIS STATS: Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will mark Jones’ sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at the iconic, 2.5-mile oval. In his five prior starts, Jones earned a best finish of second after starting 13th in the September 2018 race. He finished just .904 of a second behind race winner Brad Keselowski. He has an additional three starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Indianapolis where he earned a best finish of 22nd in July 2016. In his three Xfinity Series starts though, he never qualified worse than third.

BESHORE AT INDY: Crew Chief Ben Beshore has not only been on top of the box for one NASCAR Cup Series race on the oval at Indianapolis, but also one NASCAR Xfinity Series race which resulted in him kissing the bricks. His one Cup Series start with John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 team in July 2024 resulted in a 29th-place result after starting 10th, when a wreck took the team out on lap 161 after an incredible day that saw Nemechek lead 16 laps. In the September 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Beshore started from the pole with Kyle Busch. The team led 46 laps on its way to a .132 of a second margin of victory over Justin Allgaier.

ZIGAZOO AT INDY: In addition to his activities with Ultimate Canine, Jones will welcome social media influencer Elyse Hofer to the racetrack as his guest for the weekend. Hofer is an Indiana-native model and social media influencer who is well known on Instagram, TikTok, and Zigazoo. With over 250K followers on Zigazoo alone, the young social media starlet is making her name known and racking up a following on all three platforms.

GOODNIGHT RACETRACK: In collaboration with the Newgardens, Jones will post a special #READwithErik on his channels where he reads “Goodnight Racetrack” by Andy Amendola and Ashley Newgarden. This is the latest installment of Jones’ program that he started in 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He began reading children’s books live on social media for those kids who were stuck at home, and it has since transitioned into a pillar of the Erik Jones Foundation to promote literacy. Watch all of his #READwithErik episodes HERE.

ERIK JONES QUOTE
“Indy’s such a great track, and I’m so happy for it to be back on the oval. Last year getting back to it, we didn’t have much of a race, unfortunately. We had a mechanical issue from Lap 1 that kept us from getting much experience, but I feel like where we’re at this year and our strengths, Indy should be a really good track for the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota team. I’m excited to get there and see what the race is going to bring. This is a race win that is on everyone’s bucket list, including mine. I grew up just four hours away and raced there as a kid in quarter midgets in the parking lot. So, it’s always fun to go back there and just get a chance to race on the oval. I want to have a shot to win at the oval, so I’m looking forward to it. Hoping we can go there and execute well.”

BEN BESHORE QUOTE
“Indianapolis is a track where you can pull a lot of similarities from Pocono. It’s sort of that bigger, 2-mile track with a lot of straightaway time. Qualifying is going to be important at Indy. It’s going to be tricky to pass during the race. If you find yourself off sequence, it’s hard. You’ll have guys who will go back-and-forth on strategies, but you kind of just have to pick a strategy and ride it out. You have to hope that cautions fall in your favor. I love Indy. It’s a really cool track with a lot of tradition. Just seeing those cars come down the front straightaway with grandstands on both sides, there’s nothing like it. The yard of bricks at the start-finish line is iconic. It’s just a really cool place and probably one of my favorite tracks on the schedule.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
Jones will visit the NASCAR Classics trackside merchandise rig to sign for fans at 10:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, July 27.

Nemechek will visit the NASCAR Classics trackside merchandise rig to sign for fans at 11:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 26.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 27 at 2 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Preview: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

By
Official Release
-

NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: LUCAS OIL INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
Event: TSport 200 (200 laps / 137.2 miles)
Round: 16 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
Location: Clermont, Indiana
Date & Time: Friday, July 25 | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90

Team Stats & Notes

  • Niece Motorsports IRP Stats: Niece drivers have made a combined total of 12 starts at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) since the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) made its return to the track in 2022. The team has captured one top-five finish delivered by Carson Hocevar in 2023. Last year, Ross Chastain was the highest-finishing driver for the team in 11th.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Matt Mills Racing

  • Mills’ IRP Stats: Matt Mills has made two prior NCTS starts at IRP, coming home 23rd in his first start in 2023. Mills bested that result by one spot last year, when he finished 22nd.
  • Shiplett’s IRP Stats: Mike Shiplett has only competed in one NCTS race held at IRP which came last year, where he finished 26th with Bret Holmes. Shiplett also made one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at the short track in 2007, finishing in 35th with Deac McCaskill.
  • On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
  • Recapping Lime Rock: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team fought hard all afternoon at Lime Rock, but lost all their track position after going off course at the end of the race. Mills started the 100-lap event in 21st, and battled a tight-handling truck in the opening two stages. After making wholesale changes to the setup ahead of the final stage, the J.F. Electric Chevy gained speed. Unfortunately for Mills, once he locked up the brakes and slid off in turn one, his results were shot down, finishing in 26th.
  • Points Rundown: Following his 26th-place result in Lime Rock, Mills remains 19th in the championship points standings. With only three races remaining in the regular season (IRP, Watkins Glen, and Richmond), Mills finds himself in a must-win situation to enter the Playoffs as he sits 189 points below the cutline.
  • Quoting Mills: Given your history at short tracks like Richmond where there is a considerable amount of tire fall off, do you think that should be in your benefit this week?

“Yeah, I think there are some similar characteristics between those places. The first year I raced at IRP, I ran pretty well there, but last year, I put our team in a hole immediately by spinning on lap three of practice. Hopefully, I can help give our team a better notebook this year through practice, because I feel like we can find a good balance of what we need. I think this is a track that suits Niece Motorsports and myself, so hopefully we can rebound from where we were last year. I know we can be fast here.”

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 44 Illiana Watermelon Association Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Josh Bilicki Racing

  • Chastain Returns: Ross Chastain makes his NCTS return this weekend driving the No. 44 Silverado for Niece Motorsports. Chastain has competed in three events this season, finishing as high as second-place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His tour will wrap up at Watkins Glen International on August 8th.
  • Chastain’s IRP Stats: Chastain has competed in two previous NCTS races held at IRP. In 2011, the Florida native made his series debut at the short track and finished in 10th. Last year, he made his return to the track in over 10 years, recording an 11th-place finish for the No. 45 team.
  • Rogers’ IRP Stats: Wally Rogers has competed in five NCTS races at IRP, and has one top-five and two top-10s to his credit. Rogers’ best result at the track came in 2005 when he ran third with Ron Hornaday, and his team finished 29th last year with Conor Daly after suffering a cut tire mid-race. In six NXS starts at this track, Rogers’ record reflects similar numbers, including a fifth-place result with Hornaday in 2007.
  • On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the Illiana Watermelon Association, who has had a longstanding relationship with the veteran.
  • Recapping Lime Rock: Josh Bilicki and the No. 44 team successfully parlayed a mid-range day into a top-10 finish. Bilicki qualified 18th and noted that his truck lacked front end grip in the opening two stages, but the team made big swings on adjustments to make it better. Not afraid to think outside the box, Wally Rogers called for a four-tire pit stop with five laps left in the race. Once chaos ensued on the restart, Bilicki maneuvered his way around the carnage to sneak away in seventh-place.
  • Owner Points Rundown: Coming off their top-10 run in Lime Rock, the No. 44 team remains 17th in the owner championship. The group closed in on 16th-place’s No. 17 team from TRICON Garage, now only five points behind. They have a 35-point gap above 18th-place, currently occupied by the No. 81 team from McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
  • Quoting Chastain: Your team brought a fast truck here last year, but you weren’t able to get the finish you hoped for. What more are you looking for to be better on Friday night?

“We just have to try and get the trucks to turn better. Front turn is the main goal for us this time around. Last year, what hurt us mainly was I missed our pit stall on the last stop. I turned in too late and got it all jacked up for the pit crew. That’s what lost us the most spots. But yeah, for Wally and the guys, I think the biggest thing we remember that we need to fix is helping our trucks turn a little bit more.”

About Illiana Watermelon Association: Over 70% of our production is produced in and around Knox County, Indiana. Most of that production is within 15 miles east and west of a 50 mile corridor running along US Hwy 41. It has been said many times that you can stand in one farm’s watermelon field and throw a rock in another neighboring watermelon field. Not that we would throw rocks at each other, or anything so crude. We produce over 7,000 acres of watermelon on our farms. If you’re lucky enough to live close to our market areas you already know you can taste the difference. Many travelers stop at our roadside stands to experience the taste of Indiana and Illinois watermelon.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Kaden Honeycutt Racing

  • Honeycutt’s IRP Stats: Kaden Honeycutt will make his first NCTS start at IRP on Friday night. Honeycutt has competed in one ARCA race at the short track, finishing 19th after an early exit due to a mechanical failure in 2018.
  • Gould’s IRP Stats: Phil Gould has called three NCTS races at IRP, including one top-five finish. While working with Carson Hocevar in 2023, Gould’s team earned a respectable fourth-place result. Last year, Gould guided Ross Chastain to an 11th-place finish.
  • On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, who will serve as his anchor partner for the majority of the season.
  • Mr. & Mrs.: Last Friday, Honeycutt became a married man after tying the knot with wife, Jessica, in Trinity, North Carolina. The driver will have a special “Just Married” decal with strings and cans on the back of his truck celebrating the event. Congratulations to the happy couple!
  • Recapping Lime Rock: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team had impressive speed all throughout the day in Lime Rock, but were collected in a crash on the final restart. Honeycutt started sixth and finished there in both stages, earning a total of 10 extra points. The team appeared to be en route to a top-five there at the end, but were punted off the race track and had to settle back in 12th-place.
  • Points Rundown: Consistency has been key for Honeycutt, who gained a spot in the points standings after Lime Rock. Now up to fifth-place overall thanks to the help of a strong amount of stage points, Honeycutt has a 67-point cushion over the Playoffs cutline. Since there have been seven different race winners so far, he’ll need to maintain that consistency over the next three races in order to qualify for the postseason.
  • Quoting Honeycutt: You’ve never raced at IRP before, but have had a good amount of short track reps in a truck. What will be the biggest key to help you adapt here?

“I haven’t raced at IRP since I made my first ARCA start back in 2018, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been there, but the way our short track package has been going, it’s been pretty good all year. So, I’m looking forward to going back to another short track to try and lock ourselves into the Playoffs. We’ll look to have a solid night there and continue our momentum that we’re building on. Each week, we’re continuously getting faster and finishing better in stages, and I think we’re closing in on our first win. IRP is a really worn out racetrack, so it’s going to be about tire management and keeping ourself in a good position to be successful.”

About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 200+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).

1...201202203...6,455Page 202 of 6,455

© SpeedwayMedia.com. All rights reserved.

Site Map

Archives

Popular Category