Food City 500 – Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, Tenn. – April 13, 2025
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 SNAP-ON FORD MUSTANG START: 21ST STAGE 1: 18TH STAGE 2: 17TH FINISH: 17TH POINTS: 22ND RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Snap-on Ford Mustang team finished 17th in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. After rolling off 21st, Cindric worked his way into the top 20 early as the field settled into a single-file rhythm around the bottom groove. He finished Stage 1 in the 18th position, but a penalty for pitting outside the box due to a loose wheel forced him to restart at the tail end of the lead lap. He pressed on to the end of the segment to finish 17th and headed to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments to aid center-off turn and a loose condition. He restarted 16th on Lap 265 and informed his team on Lap 294 that the car was much tighter that run. The 26-year-old racer made a scheduled green flag pit stop on Lap 386 for four tires and fuel before ultimately crossing the line 17th to round out the day at “The Last Great Colosseum.”
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “With a lot of unknowns going into today with the tires I felt we adapted pretty quickly in the first stage. We made up some spots and stayed on the lead lap. I think being able to recover from having to pit twice there after the pit stop and kind of come back up through the back and get a decent finish. I still feel like we needed a few more adjustments there to get this Snap-on Ford Mustang where we wanted it, but I’m proud of the no-give-up effort there. It’s a hard place to do it at and it was cool to drive the car with all the Snap-on folks here this weekend.”
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/RICHMOND FORD MUSTANG START: 5TH STAGE 1: 7TH STAGE 2: 8TH FINISH: 5TH POINTS: 6TH RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney raced his way to a fifth-place finish Sunday afternoon at Bristol, marking his third top-five result of the season. After firing off from fifth, Blaney maintained top-10 pace in the opening 125-lap stage that stayed green for its entirety as the No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford crossed the line seventh in Stage 1. An early caution in Stage 2 brought Blaney to pit road as he was the first of the leaders to opt for service under yellow in order to fight to the front on fresh tires for the ensuing run. Blaney ultimately worked his way up to eighth in the running order by the end of Stage 2. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made the call for Blaney to run long during the final stage, allowing him to take over the lead on lap 391 in the middle of the green flag pit cycle. Blaney went on to lead the next 48 laps and was the only car on the lead lap with 72 to go before Hassler called him to pit road with 61 laps remaining. Following the four tire stop under green, Blaney rejoined the field scored ninth in the running order and ultimately made his way to fifth with six laps to go for his third-career top-five at Bristol.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It was just kind of a learning thing all day. The first run of the race nobody really knew what the tires were going to do and everyone kind of just rode around there a little bit and we finally got going and we went so long. Then it was like, ‘Alright, we can go a little bit harder.’ The track widened out, which was good. I honestly don’t know if I really anticipated that with the track getting wide and really not having tire problems. I’m glad that’s the way it was. I think it put on a pretty decent race. There were a lot of comers and goers, except for the lead, I guess, but it was a pretty fun day and a really good finish. We kind of took a chance of running really long there, seeing if we’d get a caution and then we finally bailed and had to make all the ground up and got back to fifth. Overall, it was a solid weekend.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG START: 38TH STAGE 1: 26TH STAGE 2: 28TH FINISH: 24TH POINTS: 9TH RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano started 38th and finished 24th in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Following contact with the outside turn two wall in qualifying Saturday, the Shell-Pennzoil crew repaired the primary car and started at the rear of the field for Sunday’s 500-lap battle. Logano gained eight spots early, but the torrent pace would see the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang get lapped near the end of Stage 1 with Logano crossing the line in 26th position. Logano continued to battle to get back on the lead lap to no avail in Stage 2 coming home 28th. The Shell-Pennzoil crew opted to take the wave around to begin the final stage of the race. Unfortunately, older tires and lack of track position relegated Logano to a 24th-place finish.
LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Tough day for overall for us with having to fight for track position all day. The long runs didn’t fall in our favor and forced us to take a shot with the wave around at the end of Stage 2. We’ll reset in the off-week and look ahead to Talladega.”
The NASCAR Cup Series next week off for Easter and will return to action Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway. Live coverage of the Jack Link’s 500 begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX with in-car camera angles available all race long through MAX Driver Cam.
RICK WARE RACING Food City 500 Date: April 13, 2025 Event: Food City 500 (Round 9 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile, concrete oval) Format: 500 laps, broken into three stages (125 laps/125 laps/250 laps)
Race Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
RWR Finish:
● Cory LaJoie (Started 37th, Finished 34th / Running, completed 494 of 500 laps) ● Cody Ware (Started 34th, Finished 36th / Running, completed 493 of 500 laps)
RWR Points:
● Cody Ware (36th with 45 points) ● Corey LaJoie (38th with 24 points, but running a limited schedule in 2025)
RWR Notes:
● This was LaJoie’s milestone 275th career NASCAR Cup Series start. ● LaJoie’s next start comes on June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Quaker State 400.
Race Notes:
● Kyle Larson won the Food City 500 to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his third at Bristol. His margin over runner-up Denny Hamlin was 2.250 seconds. ● Larson dominated by leading twice for 411 laps (82 percent of the 500 laps available). ● There were three caution periods for a total of 40 laps. ● Only eight of the 39 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● William Byron remains the championship leader after Bristol with a 30-point advantage over second-place Hamlin.
Sound Bites:
“When we got turned by the 88 (Shane van Gisbergen), that put us on a whole different lap and it just kind of ruined our day. We never got the chance to take the ‘wave around’ and get back in position to race the guys who we were faster than. The last half of the race, we were faster than a lot of good cars, but just didn’t get the chance to capitalize on any of it. So, onto Talladega.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Arby’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse
“That was a driver’s worst nightmare – a 250-lap, green-flag run to finish Bristol, especially coming off the couch. This place separates the men from the boys. We had a really good Schluter-Systems Ford – thought we could’ve ran 22nd to 26th with some track position – but my dumbass sped on pit road, and you can’t do that. You gotta be perfect in the Cup Series and we weren’t today, but it was still fun to get back in a Cup car and race.” – Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 01 Schluter-Systems Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Next Up:
The NASCAR Cup Series takes a rare weekend off for Easter before returning to action on Sunday, April 27 for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
A strong lap from Sam Mayer put him on the third row to start the 300-lap race at ‘The Last Great Colosseum’, his third straight top-10 qualifying effort this season. His teammate, Sheldon Creed, started 21st and began the race eligible for the Dash 4 Cash Bonus—needing to finish ahead of the other three drivers (Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Brennan Poole) to win it.
Mayer maneuvered his way up to 4th over the first 70 laps, utilizing the gripped bottom line to advance his position. With just eight laps remaining in the opening stage, Creed was spun off turn four before coming to a stop and collecting Brennan Poole, ending his day early for just the second time this season.
“It’s unfortunate for our Friends of Jaclyn Ford Mustang, and I’m bummed for all of our guys to be taken out in stage one like that,” Creed said. “I’m happy to be okay and we’ll fight on next week.”
The No. 41 team elected to stay out as the field went back to green with only four laps to go in the segment. It paid off for Mayer, as he secured his first stage win of the season and the first for Haas Factory Team in 2025 to earn a playoff point and 10 regular-season points.
After coming down pit road during the stage break, Mayer restarted 13th and worked his way into the top-10 by lap 140. He settled for a 10th-place result at the end of the second stage, earning another point towards the regular-season points standings.
Track position proved hard to come by, as the No. 41 Audibel Ford Mustang restarted the final stage in 11th. A caution with 81 laps to go reset the field, and Mayer’s team was able to pick up three spots on pit road. He fell outside the top-10, but took home a strong 11th-place result, while Creed finished 37th.
“We were really good today in Bristol, and there is lots to be proud of. We got decent points and came out with no marks on the car,” Mayer said. “We definitely want to be better in the fall when we come back here, but I’m really proud of these guys for putting together a good car for me.”
Mayer remains in second place in the Xfinity points standings while Creed slipped to eighth heading into Rockingham next Saturday.
Cup Series
After winning here in the Xfinity Series last season, Cole Custer qualified in the 33rd position for the 500-lap race. He entered with some momentum after finishing 8th in his last Cup race at Bristol in the fall of 2022.
Custer was able to climb as high as 29th within the first 15 laps, before the field migrated to the bottom line and passing became increasingly more difficult. The first stage ran entirely caution free, and he was put a lap down halfway through the segment before ending the stage in 36th.
From there, it was a constant battle at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’, as the No. 41 team battled with tightness in the middle of the corner. He finished 34th in the second stage, before the final 250 laps ran green and Custer was able to grind his way to a 29th-place finish.
Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series has next weekend off for the Easter holiday, while race coverage for the Xfinity series from Rockingham Speedway on April 19th is set for 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on the CW.
About Haas Factory Team The Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity program owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. Beginning in 2025, the team will feature Cole Custer driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer take on the Xfinity Series in the No. 00 and No. 41 Ford Mustangs, respectively. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports.
HAMLIN JUST MISSES THREE STRAIGHT WINS, FINISHES SECOND Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe follow Hamlin to the line to place three Camrys in the top-four
BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 13, 2025) – Denny Hamlin (second), Ty Gibbs (third) and Chase Briscoe (fourth) led Toyota in a green-flag dominated NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was Gibbs’ best finish of the season, and Briscoe’s fourth-place run matched his Daytona 500 run to equal his best run since joining Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). Christopher Bell finished eighth, giving JGR four of the top-eight finishers.
Heading into NASCAR Cup Series’ lone off-weekend, Hamlin has closed to just 30 points out of the championship points lead in second overall, with Bell in third, 41 back.
Toyota Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Bristol Motor Speedway Race 9 of 36 – 266.5 miles, 500 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Kyle Larson* 2nd, DENNY HAMLIN 3rd, TY GIBBS 4th, CHASE BRISCOE 5th, Ryan Blaney* 8th, CHRISTOPHER BELL 18th, TYLER REDDICK 19th, BUBBA WALLACE 21st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 26th, ERIK JONES 28th, RILEY HERBST *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Progressive Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
Came up just short of three straight, but how was your day?
“You have to give that team their due – just a dominate performance. It looked like a pretty flawless day for them. It looked pretty easy. It was all I had to try to keep up there. I’m glad we were able to give him a little bit of a run with our Progressive Toyota, but this weekend – we are all thinking about Jon Edwards’ family, Al Pearce, Shige Hattori. We’ve lost a lot of great people in our sport over the last week, so our thoughts are with them. Wish we could have got one more spot, but I just wanted to keep him honest there at the end. That was all I was trying to do, but he was a little too much to handle.”
How nice is it to go into the off week with all of this momentum?
“No doubt. It has been a great run here over the last month. We’ve been really good. Just have to continue this momentum. It all starts tomorrow when you figure out how you can get just a little bit better.”
TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
How was your race?
“It was a good day. I was kind of managing the race and figuring out the way we needed to be. It was fun. I had a blast. We’ve definitely made an improvement. Thank you to Monster Energy, SAIA and Toyota. It was fun.”
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
What was your perspective on that closing battle with your teammate?
“Yeah, I had been kind of catching him the last 30, 40 laps. I about got him in the end and then the 12 (Ryan Blaney) came out of nowhere – I didn’t even know there was anybody close to us. It was fun. The JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) cars were really good today. I wish we could have got (Ty) Gibbs there at the end there, but all-in-all, great day for us, especially after last week. Last weekend was probably our worst race of the year, so to be able to come back and have a good run like that in our Bass Pro Shops Toyota was good. Just need a little bit more still.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
NASCAR CUP SERIES BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT APRIL 13, 2025
Larson Conquers “The Last Great Colosseum” for Second Win of the Season
TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 1st – Kyle Larson 6th – William Byron 7th – Ross Chastain 9th – AJ Allmendinger 10th – Austin Dillon
Kyle Larson conquered the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” for the third time in his NASCAR Cup Series career – taking the checkered flag in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The victory – Larson’s second win of the 2025 season and his 31st all-time in the division – marks Chevrolet’s series-leading 48th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol, and the manufacturer’s second in now five races at the track in the Next Gen era.
Larson’s journey to becoming the series’ third repeat winner of the 2025 season came in yet another dominating performance at “The Last Great Colosseum” – driving his No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet to a sweep of the stage wins and 411 of 500 laps led en route to the triumph. The 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native came just short of completing the Tennessee triple, with the Chevrolet driver picking up the win in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race and a runner-up finish in Friday’s Truck Series race.
Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team were setting themselves up for a strong ending to the series’ ninth points-paying race of the season – collecting the pole win and a pair of top-four stage finishes. Running second at the start of the final stage, Bowman started to experience potential engine problems that ultimately forced the team to retire early from the race.
Larson’s triumph at the Tennessee short-track marked Chevrolet’s third NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2025 season, each of which have been recorded on a distinctly different track configuration. Among that list includes William Byron’s win at the 2.5-mile superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway, as well as Larson’s win at the 1.5-mile intermediate oval of Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Joining Larson inside the top-10 of the final running order were five drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations including Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, in sixth; Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain in seventh; and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon taking the ninth and 10th positions, respectively. Chevrolet has earned at least four top-10 finishes in now six of the nine points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races thus far this season, with five of those events seeing representation by three or more different Chevrolet organizations in those results.
Chevrolet’s all-time NASCAR Cup Series statistics at Bristol Motor Speedway:
Wins: 48 Poles: 40 Top-Fives: 23 Top-10s: 469
Chevrolet’s season statistics with nine NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
UP NEXT: The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues in two weeks at Talladega Superspeedway with the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, April 27, at 3 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Post-Race Driver Quotes:
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 1st
AS YOU CROSSED THAT START/FINISH LINE, YOUR CREW CHIEF CLIFF DANIELS SAID, ‘THIS ONE IS FOR JON’. HOW SPECIAL IS THIS WIN TODAY KYLE?
“Yeah, it’s special. You know, Jon Edwards meant a lot to the 5 team, and a lot to the NASCAR Industry, too. Just good to get a win for him. Obviously, we don’t want to be winning for him and his spirit, we wish he was here in person with us. But he is no longer here, so it’s just going to be fun to celebrate and I know he is smiling down on us. We had a damn good weekend, as he would say. A lot of fun, and I can’t say enough about the team. The car they brought again here to Bristol was amazing and just makes it fun for me.”
YOU MAKE IT LOOK EASY, BUT I SAW YOU ALMOST OUT OF BREATH AS YOU CLIMBED OUT OF THE CAR. HOW CHALLENGING IS THAT FOR YOU AS A DRIVER?
“It’s fun. I love this place because it is just so high paced and with traffic; just dicing it up and picking the right lines at the right time while conserving your tires. It’s like a 500 lap sprint car race. It just suits me and my style with quick decision making. I just love this place. I think a lot of us do here in this series. Just had another good race.”
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 6th
“Overall, it was just a long day having to come from the back. It didn’t seem like many people could pass, but I felt like we could slowly work our way forward. Bristol Motor Speedway has sort of been a tough place for us, so just trying to get our footing back and put some consistent runs back together, and I felt like we did that today with the No. 24 Axalta Chevy. I was really happy about that. We were close to the top-five, but we just needed a little bit more.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 9th
“Overall, really good race for our No. 16 group. I’m proud of the team and how we executed this weekend. We had a pretty consistent car, we were able to run in the top 12 all day so I’m really proud of that. We’ve had good momentum over the last few weeks that we’ll take into the off week and get ready for Talladega.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 10th
“We really came on strong there at the end. Our No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet was just too tight to start the race, and then when it kind of moved up, we had something to race, for sure. I wish we could have made our way forward a little sooner because I think our Chevy had runs in it that were capable of a top-five finish. But overall, that was big for us right there.”
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.
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF TODAY? “It was just kind of a learning thing all day. The first run of the race nobody really knew what the tires were going to do and everyone kind of just rode around there a little bit and we finally got going and we went so long. Then it was like, ‘Alright, we can go a little bit harder.’ The track widened out, which was good. I honestly don’t know if I really anticipated that with the track getting wide and really not having tire problems. I’m glad that’s the way it was. I think it put on a pretty decent race. There were a lot of comers and goers, except for the lead, I guess, but it was a pretty fun day and a really good finish. We kind of took a chance of running really long there, seeing if we’d get a caution and then we finally bailed and had to make all the ground up and got back to fifth. Overall, it was a solid weekend.”
IT WAS WORTH THE GAMBLE BECAUSE YOU WERE FOURTH WHEN YOU STAYED OUT AND ENDED UP FIFTH, RIGHT? “Yeah, it was worth it. I thought it was a good move just in case someone blew a tire or something, but for a while we had everybody lapped and that was the long shot play to try and win the race. I was fifth before that cycle started, so it was nice that we got back up there for how long we ran. I didn’t have a ton of laps to make it back up, but, overall, it was a good call by Jonathan. It was the chance to catch a break and it didn’t really come, but it was a good weekend.”
IT SEEMED LIKE PIT STRATEGY WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SHAKE UP THE FIELD. “Yeah. Running long right there was really our only play to win. We were running fifth before the cycle started, so why not take a shot? I thought I did a really good job of saving my tires to make sure I didn’t have a problem. We went really, really long. I had a lot of people lapped for a while and hung on pretty strong, and then we finally decided to pit and got back to fifth. I had third and fourth right in front of me, so it almost played out even better than what it did. It was a good weekend and a good call by Jonathan to have a shot to try to do something different but it just didn’t work out.”
HOW PHYSICALLY GRUELING WAS IT OUT THERE? “This place beats you up every time you go, especially on longer runs like that. My back started hurting me at the end of Stage 2. I was like, ‘We’re only halfway through this thing. My back hurts already,’ but it’s a physical racetrack. There’s no time to rest. I think that’s the biggest thing. There’s no time to take a breath. Even Martinsville, the g’s shoving you in the seat aren’t as bad as here. You’re going way faster here, so it’s more brutal on your body every lap, but that’s what you sign up for.”
BACK TO BACK TOP FIVES FOR THIS TEAM. DOES THAT GIVE YOU SOME MOMENTUM? “I hope so. Honestly, our cars have been really good and I’m happy to where our speed has been. We had just a few bad weeks of not finishing the race from motor problems and getting caught up in a wreck. The last two weeks of just having good races. We had a car that could win last week and it just really didn’t work out. Today, I might have been able to run third, but I thought about third through sixth or seventh is where I was gonna be and just really proud that we had a couple weeks that were just like a normal race and we finished where we were running, so that part is always good.”
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Snap-on Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “With a lot of unknowns going into today with the tires I felt we adapted pretty quickly in the first stage. We made up some spots and stayed on the lead lap. I think being able to recover from having to pit twice there after the pit stop and kind of come back up through the back and get a decent finish. I still feel like we needed a few more adjustments there to get this Snap-on Ford Mustang where we wanted it, but I’m proud of the no give up effort there. It’s a hard place to do it at and it was cool to drive the car with all the Snap-on folks here this weekend.”
The frustration of dead device batteries can quickly ruin an outdoor adventure. A portable dual battery system transforms your camping experience by providing reliable power to keep essential devices running for days. With professional dual battery installation brisbane, your camping fridge can stay powered for days straight with the right setup.
Regular vehicle batteries excel at quick power bursts. The camping battery setup works differently by providing steady energy throughout your adventure. The latest systems have made huge advances, with modern chargers delivering power much faster than previous generation technology.
Let’s dive into these systems’ inner workings, required components, and real benefits for various adventures. You’ll discover everything about picking and setting up the perfect system that matches your needs, from weekend getaways to long off-grid stays.
Why Your Off-Grid Adventures Need a Dual Battery System
A portable dual battery system is essential for serious off-grid adventurers who need reliable power away from electrical hookups. The risk of a camping fridge draining your main battery overnight is a real concern that can leave you stranded in remote locations.
A dual battery setup’s basic idea is simple but vital – it creates two separate power systems in your vehicle. Your main battery handles starting your engine, while your auxiliary battery runs all your accessories and equipment. This setup’s ability to keep systems separate becomes a lifesaver in remote places where starting your vehicle is absolutely critical.
On top of that, a dual battery system doubles your available power. This means you can run fridges, lights, communication devices, and other gear without stressing about battery life. Your vehicle’s core functions stay protected from these extra power needs.
The best part? A proper camping battery setup lets you sleep easy at night. You won’t end up stuck with a dead starter battery after running your accessories. This peace of mind means everything when you’re miles from help.
A dual battery system gives you amazing flexibility beyond the basics. You can power everything from fridges to phone chargers. The system boosts available power for important gear like winches, which could help you get unstuck in tough spots.
Adventure seekers can pair their dual battery systems with solar charging. This combo creates an eco-friendly power solution that keeps batteries topped up during extended off-grid stays.
The system improves your vehicle’s capabilities and overall performance. You get dedicated power for accessories without risking your ability to start the engine, so you can focus on enjoying your adventures without worrying about power limits.
Essential Components for a Complete Camping Battery Setup
A portable dual battery system needs several specialized components that work together. Your camping battery setup starts with the right auxiliary battery. Deep cycle batteries lead the popularity charts and come in three main types: traditional lead-acid batteries that are budget-friendly but need maintenance, AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries that are maintenance-free and last longer, and lithium batteries that offer the best power-to-weight ratio at a higher price.
Your system needs these essential components: Battery isolator or management system: This vital component keeps your starter battery from draining while running accessories. Modern battery isolators use voltage-sensing technology and disconnect automatically when voltage drops too low to protect your main battery. DC-DC charger: Vehicles with smart alternators, built after 2011, need these to regulate charging current and maintain proper voltage in your auxiliary battery. Battery monitor: Shows you up-to-the-minute information about charge levels, voltage, and temperature so you can avoid over-discharging. Wiring and fuses: Safety demands proper gage wiring and correctly rated fuses to prevent system failures and fire risks. Battery tray or box: Holds your battery firmly in place when you drive on rough terrain.
Many campers add solar charging capabilities to stay off-grid. Options include fixed panels, portable panels, or solar blankets, plus a solar controller that regulates charging. An inverter changes DC power from your batteries into AC power so you can run household appliances.
Experienced off-roaders say the right combination of components creates a reliable power system that runs a camping fridge for days without affecting your starting battery. Your power needs, available space, and budget should guide your component selection.
Real-World Benefits Across Different Adventure Types
A portable dual battery system proves its worth in real-life scenarios. These systems make a huge difference in all kinds of adventures. They turn basic outings into comfortable, stress-free experiences.
Weekend campers see the benefits right away by running a portable fridge non-stop. This simple feature changes everything—your food stays fresh and drinks stay cold throughout the trip. You don’t need melting ice anymore or limit your food choices. You can enjoy proper meals even at the most remote campsites.
People who explore off-grid areas benefit by a lot. A dual battery setup lets you stay self-sufficient in remote spots for days. The system powers all your campsite gear—from lights to electronics—without needing powered sites or generators. This kind of freedom is priceless to anyone who wants to get away from it all.
Off-road enthusiasts can’t do without these systems. They do more than power comfort items—they’re vital backup for recovery situations. The extra power gives a big boost to winching operations on tough terrain and helps pull your vehicle out of tight spots. You’ll feel safer knowing your starter battery won’t die on isolated trails.
Van lifers and road trippers get these same perks on long trips. The system takes away power worries, runs small appliances, and keeps temperatures just right whatever the weather. People living in their vehicles get the same comforts as a regular home.
The benefits go beyond just recreational users. Construction workers, trades people, and emergency services need these systems to power their tools and communication gear in remote areas. This flexibility in different situations shows why many people call a camping battery setup a must-have investment rather than just an upgrade.
Final Thoughts
Dual battery systems are game-changers for serious outdoor enthusiasts. These setups deliver reliable power that turns simple camping into comfortable off-grid living when you select and install the right components.
A well-designed dual battery system gives you genuine freedom to visit remote locations without worrying about power. These systems consistently prove their worth by powering a camping fridge for weekend trips or supporting extended off-grid stays with dependable performance.
The greatest advantage of a dual battery setup is peace of mind. You can focus completely on adventure instead of power management because your vehicle will start reliably while powering essential equipment. The system also offers flexibility to add solar charging, which creates eco-friendly power solutions for experiences of any length.
Real-world scenarios and user feedback show that a proper camping battery setup isn’t just an upgrade. It’s an essential investment for serious outdoor enthusiasts. Smart choices today lead to countless worry-free adventures tomorrow.
Cole Davies Dominates 250SX Class East/West Showdown #2
Philadelphia, Pa., (April 12, 2025) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton recovered from a first turn tangle and then put on an impressive charge to win Round 13 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. The Philadelphia Supercross victory tightened up the points as the final four rounds of the season promise to be thrilling.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb also recovered from the multi-rider first turn incident and matched Sexton pass for pass through the pack. Webb earned second place inside Lincoln Financial Field and retains the championship points lead by 12 points over Sexton. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen grabbed the Holeshot then led for the majority of the race despite nursing a bad ankle injury. Both divisions of the 250SX Class competed head-to-head in the season’s second 250SX Class East/West Showdown and rookie Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies fought past the top racers from both divisions to earn his second win of his pro career.
First place 450SX Class
“It’s time to make or break. I felt great all day, and that’s how you do it: one, one, one, one [fastest qualifier in both sessions, heat race win, Main Event win]. I’m looking forward to the next race, but today was awesome. Good, dry track, not like last weekend, and I’m feeling good on the bike. It’s been fun and today was a good step in the right direction.” – Chase Sexton
Second place 450SX Class
“It was a barn burner. We battled back the whole time. We both got [caught] up in that first turn [tangle]. He got going in front of me and we were coming through the pack together. He was able to charge through, I was coming with and just hoping I could pass guys just as fast as he did. And I did until we got to Kenny. He got around Kenny and put in two or three sprint laps and kinda dictated the race. I had a bad line [in one corner] and it was killing me. I should have caught up on that first, should’ve started jumping that quad sooner; woulda-shoulda-coulda on a lot of things. But he rode great. We’ll come back next weekend and kick his ass, though. [then, in response to a follow up question] …Like I said, I’m ready for the fight, I’ll be there at the end no matter what.” – Cooper Webb
Third place 450SX Class
“When the race time comes, I always seem to buckle up and do what I do. Obviously, I’m not riding the best in general just because I haven’t ridden during the week really since after Indy. It’s been really tough; I’m pretty banged up with the shoulder and the ankle. I know its monotonous to talk about but that’s really what’s holding me back. Especially this track, because we had five right-hand turns to two left-hand turns, and it’s my right ankle. So, I’m [losing] a lot of time in the turn just trying not to put my foot down, because it’s not very fun [to dab the ground at speed]. So I haven’t been in the best spot lately but I’m really trying to keep my head in there. I have a great support team behind me that kinda keeps me out here, because sometimes I do want to quit. But we always come back.” – Ken Roczen, when asked what he’s doing to help his ankle and shoulder injuries heal.
In the second of three 250SX Class East/West Showdowns in 2025, Cole Davies (west) established himself as the fastest 250SX Class racer with a statement ride over top competition. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, the points leader in the Western Divisional 250SX Class, finished in second. Deegan pushed his way into second late in the race and was unable to mount an attack for the lead. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire grabbed the Holeshot when the race was re-started due to a red flag after Daxton Bennick went down. Hampshire led the early laps of the race and finished as the top racer in the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class; the finish moved Hampshire into a points tie with Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker, who earned fourth place in his home race of Philadelphia.
First place 250SX Class
“I literally grew up watching all the guys that I’m racing right now. It’s a big stage out here, a lot of people watching, but I just focus on myself. Two in a row, I’m stoked. It’s been a long journey to get where I am. To Will – you get to keep your hair, mate. That’s two. So he gets to keep his hair, doesn’t get shaved, so he’s safe. I’m stoked, big thanks to the whole Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha team and my mechanic Lach [Lachlan Mills]. We’ve been putting in the work… The whole group around me is just very, very good and striving to be the best they can. So I’m just stoked for everyone around me.” – Cole Davies, on the podium.
Second place 250SX Class
“It took me a little bit to find my flow, and right in that middle [portion of the race] is where I really found my flow. It was like the best I’ve felt in a long time. I really just locked in perfect laps and didn’t make any mistakes after I got around Hammaker and Hampshire. I was flowing, slowly reeling in Cole. He ended up getting the Dub [win], I got second. That just felt good… That first part of that race I was a little too slow. I think I didn’t sprint hard enough, and I’ve just got to work on stuff like that. I don’t know whether it’s in my mind, like ‘championship mode,’ where I just try to be smart and not go down during those first few laps that’s hindering me. I mean, it’s working [for the points lead], so I don’t want to change it too much. Yeah, I definitely need to pick it up those first few laps.” – Haiden Deegan, at the post race conference, streamed live on the Monster Energy Supercross YouTube channel.
Third place 250SX Class
“The things that went through my head going into that first turn, on the first start [when Hampshire crashed in the first start before the red-flag restart], I felt [my injured wrist] cracking and popping. It was literally locked in with handlebars with, I think it was [Coty] Schock on the inside. I just couldn’t get out of it, and the things running through your head are, ‘Man, did you do it again?!’ I got up and felt pretty good… you never want to see it, but a red flag came out. This one definitely worked in my favor. We got a re-start. You don’t get these chances all the time. So I absolutely crushed that second start and it was literally perfect. I led a bit but just did not feel good… I’m thankful to get out of here with good points and tied for the lead now.” – RJ Hampshire, at the post race conference, streamed live on the Monster Energy Supercross YouTube channel.
VIPs on hand at the Philly Supercross included Bron Breakker, WWE Intercontinental Champion who was taking in his first Supercross on a rare weekend off from his pro wrestling schedule, including WrestleMania 41 just seven days away. Regarding the Supercross Fanfest experience in Philadelphia, Breakker said, “This is crazy, like how big this is, how much is going on, it’s crazy, man… I’ve ridden dirt bikes my whole life, four-wheelers and dirt bikes, I’m just excited to see, how talented [they are], what these guys can do today.” He got his answer early, and after the heat races said, “Watching those first couple of heats was crazy, man. The amount of physicality that goes into what these guys do on the track is incredible. My hat’s off to ‘em, these incredible athletes. What a great show.”
More race fans are discovering the thrill of Supercross; the 2025 season has already delivered eight of the top 10 most-streamed races, and viewership is up 21% over the previous season. The race action can be watched live and on-demand on Peacock. Select races are available on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. CNBC airs an encore every Monday following a race at 1:00a.m. ET. Live Spanish-language coverage for every round is available on Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels. International fans can watch the racing live on the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) with the option of English, Spanish and French language broadcasts. Live audio coverage can be heard on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey will be the site of Round 14 of the 2025 Supercross season. Like the Philly race, East Rutherford will present a daytime race schedule, with opening ceremonies beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET and racing starting at 3:00 p.m ET airing live on NBC and Peacock. Tickets are available now for the final four rounds of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. For more current race results and standings, race result archives, video highlights, and to purchase tickets please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SMX World ChampionshipTM. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the SMX World Championship:
The SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 12, 2025) – AO Racing continued its winning streak in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Saturday, claiming victory in the 100-minute Grand Prix of Long Beach. The team behind the Porsche 911 GT3 “Rawr” executed a flawless pit strategy and kept the car clean, leaping ahead of the competition in pit lane to take the win.
“Rexy loves Long Beach,” said Team Principal Gunnar Jeannette. “I can’t say much more than that. It’s been a fantastic weekend. Both Laurens and Jonny did an amazing job as ‘fill-ins’ for our usual drivers, and I hope we get the chance to put them back in Rexy and keep their win streak alive.”
Making his Porsche debut, Edgar delivered a standout performance in qualifying, securing a second-place starting position. Focused on preserving the car and avoiding the concrete-lined street circuit, he settled into third at the start and kept the car clean for Vanthoor’s closing stint. The team’s strategic advantage came during the lone pit stop, when Rexy pitted one lap later than the leaders, taking on only fuel and a driver change, skipping the tire swap. While the competition rejoined the race on cold tires and in traffic, Rexy took advantage of warm tires and clear air to vault into the GTD class lead. From there, Vanthoor maintained the gap, driving Rexy to the top step of the podium for the team’s second win of the 2025 season.
Rexy’s victory tour kicks off immediately, making an appearance at Morning Shift, a Porsche-focused car show, at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles on Sunday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. AO Racing will return to competition May 9–11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the site of Rexy’s first-ever win.
DRIVER QUOTES
Laurens Vanthoor
It was a perfect race. We had good strategy calls, and the car was good. It was a joy to be here. I love Long Beach and driving this car. My daughter was very happy about that, and then we won. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Jonny Edgar
I’m very happy to win my first weekend at Long Beach, and my first weekend in a Porsche. The team did a great job all weekend. I’m grateful for the opportunity to race Rexy here. The strategy in the race was amazing. We managed to get the lead, and Laurens did a great job holding on in the end. He made no mistakes and kept a gap. The Lexus was close, but we never had too much pressure. It was a great job from everyone.
In-race contact impacts both DXDT and AWA Corvettes in tough street fight
LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 12, 2025) – Two separate rounds of contact ruined the days of the two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday in a rough-and-tumble race on the streets of southern California.
AWA’s Matt Bell and Orey Fidani finished 13th in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Daytona (GTD) class with the No. 13 entry, the highest-finishing Corvette. Meanwhile, the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette of Tommy Milner and Robert Wickens placed 15th after a late-race pitstop to repair damage with the Z06 GT3.R running sixth at the time.
The DXDT Corvette – equipped with a hand-controlled electronic brake system from Bosch – was one of the biggest stories of the Long Beach weekend. It enabled Wickens to make his first start in the WeatherTech Championship, and for a while it looked like it could be a dream result.
Wickens began eighth but picked up a spot before what was to be the team’s only pitstop with a little more than an hour left in the 100-minute race. A quick exchange and full-service stop had Milner back out in 10th place. The Corvette factory driver wasted no time in moving through the field by advancing four spots in less than 15 minutes before settling into sixth place.
He made a clean pass on the inside of the tight Hairpin Turn that leads onto the front straight but appeared to get locked up with another car out of the corner, which pulled away the Corvette’s left-rear bodywork. Series officials required the DXDT team to pit the Corvette with 16 minutes left in the race.
AWA”s race took a big hit – literally – much earlier. Fidani started 11th after his best qualifying effort in his second year with the No. 13 Corvette and was solidly in 10th place before another GTD car tried to divebomb him, which pushed the AWA entry into the tire barriers.
The team lost a lap with a resulting pit stop to inspect the Corvette, which suffered minor bodywork damage that still impacted the balance of the No. 13 for the balance of the race. Undeterred, Fidani and Matt Bell drove their way back onto the lead lap by the end of the race.
The Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s next race in IMSA is May 9-11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Not the race we were hoping for. Obviously Orey’s start and the first part of stint was phenomenal. I think that was his best performance in the car, and that gave us all a lot of confidence that we could go forward in the second half of the race. Unfortunately a rogue maneuver from one of our competitors put Orey in the wall and a lap down. That ruined our race. The team did a great job on the strategy to get us back on the lap, which in a 100-minute race is almost impossible. So great job by them reacting to that. We were still at the very rear of the field, and it’s hard to come through around here. I managed to gain one place but unfortunately that’s all I could do. It’s a shame, really.”
OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Things started off well. It looked like it was going to be a positive day until it wasn’t. Unfortunately I got sent off into the wall which put us down a lap. We managed to get that lap back but it just wasn’t enough today. It’s tough but we’ll go onward and upwards into Laguna.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A frantic first couple of laps there out of the pits. I was fighting with a lot of cars that came out of the pits with me and fighting with cars that did the one-lap overcut. So there was a lot going on there. Honestly, it felt like those first 10 laps felt like 50 laps with how much stuff happened, but we were able to come out ahead of them and then focus on the next two cars in front. The pace of the Corvette was strong, for sure. I think we had kind of what we thought from the beginning – we had a car that could compete for the win. Maybe we weren’t quite as quick as the Porsche but in any case we had a quick car. I caught the two Mercedes and all that was fine. Then I came up on the 96 BMW and it was just good racing. As has been the case all year long, we just don’t have the straight-line speed and the drive off the corner that almost everybody else does. So racing is difficult for us.
“I think he got balked big time into Turn Eight and I had a nice run on him going into Nine. I stayed close to him through there and then just was peeking around in 10. We were strong there, I could tell already and was in pretty good position to make a difficult pass, no question, in the Hairpin. I thought my braking point was fine. My entry speed was okay. I think, as is the case there, it’s hard to go two-by-two and he turned in because he needs to. I don’t think he did anything wrong really. We just made side-to-side contact and I think we just kind of got hooked together. I’ll have to see video to know for sure, but that’s what my feeling is.
“Unfortunately, that was a big problem for us. We had to come in and fix it. It’s unfortunate for the DXDT team… kind of seems like this is how their year has gone a little bit so far. They’ve been really promising for a good part of the race and then something kind of hurts them a little bit toward the end, and that happened again today.
“Removing that and looking back on the weekend, I think there’s a lot of positives about what happened… getting Robbie in the car and comfortable in this hectic environment. There’s no more hectic environment than a Long Beach Grand Prix weekend with one day of practice and qualifying and then racing. From my perspective, I think he did an excellent job this weekend in the most difficult conditions at the most difficult track that he’s gonna experience this year. To me there was nowhere where he lacked anything. He had pace, he has the racecraft. He’s for sure is gonna want more and more time and experience. I think he’s going to have a darn successful year this season.”
ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m disappointed with the result, but I am proud of what we achieved. It definitely wasn’t the end to the weekend that we wanted. Qualifying dictated the weekend for us, unfortunately. We knew it was going to be a track-position race. Qualifying was not what we deserved; we know we had more speed than that, but it is what it is. This is a competitive championship, and we did what we could in the race.
“I kept the car clean and gave it to Tommy, and he got out in P10. I think our driver change wasn’t quite what it needed to be. We lost some track position, but then Tommy drove his heart out. He got us up to P5 and was making things happen. It was awesome to see. Unfortunately we had to come in and make a repair after Tommy took fifth. I think that was a little harsh, but there is nothing you can do when race control gives you a black flag for repairs.
“There are a lot of positive takeaways from the weekend. We proved we belong here, that we can be competitive. The Bosch hand-control system worked flawlessly, DXDT Racing gave us a great Corvette. The car was very good all weekend and I feel like we had one of the cars to beat. We just couldn’t maximize it, and that is what hurts right now.”
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