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Using Transportation Services? Here’s How to Stay Safe During The Trip

By
SM
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Photo by Atmajit Gohil on Unsplash

Getting around today is easier than ever with many apps and transit options. You can reach any part of the city with just a few taps on your screen.

Safety should remain your top priority every time you step into a car or bus. Taking small steps helps you avoid risks and reach your destination without any trouble. Proper planning turns a stressful trip into a smooth experience.

Stay Alert Throughout Your Ride

Keeping your eyes open is the best way to prevent issues during transit. Many passengers get distracted by their phones or books during a long commute.

A guide from the Department of Homeland Security suggests you never fall asleep on public transportation, as doing so leaves you open to potential crimes.

Staying awake allows you to see who enters and exits the vehicle at every stop. You should pay attention to the behavior of people around you at all times. If someone seems to be watching you, move to a different seat.

Road accidents happen even when you take every precaution possible. A West Palm Beach uber lawyer or a local legal professional can help victims navigate the complex rules of insurance claims. These professionals gather evidence to prove who was at fault for the crash.

Legal rules vary depending on whether you are in a taxi or a private car. You should keep records of your trip and any messages with the driver. These details become very useful if you need to file a report later. Staying organized is a key part of protecting your future.

Choose Strategic Seating Locations

Where you sit can change how safe you feel during the trip. If you are on a bus, a university safety page recommends sitting near the driver and keeping your bags close.

Avoid the very back of the bus or train where the driver cannot see you. These isolated spots are often where trouble starts since there are fewer witnesses.

Staying in the middle or front of the car puts you near other passengers. People are less likely to cause a scene when others are watching.

Examine Public Safety Programs

Public systems work hard to keep passengers safe from harm. The National Public Transportation Safety Plan from 2024 explains how agencies use data to lower the number of injuries on transit systems.

Agencies look at crash reports to find ways to improve road designs. They might add better lighting at bus stops or change how drivers are trained. Following these national guidelines helps every city follow the same safety rules.

Prepare Before Entering The Vehicle

Wait in well-lit areas when you are expecting a ride. Check the license plate and driver photo to make sure they match what you see on your phone.

This simple check prevents you from getting into the wrong car by mistake. Ask the driver to confirm your name before you pull the door handle.

Safety tips from a California university suggest you stay indoors until the app shows your driver has arrived. Taking 10 seconds to verify these details saves you from a lot of stress.

  • The make and model of the car.
  • The photo of the driver in the app.
  • The door handles and window locks.
  • The cleanliness of the backseat area.

Never hop into a car just because it has a rideshare sticker on the window. Many people use these stickers to trick riders into entering their personal vehicles. Wait until you are 100% sure the ride is yours.

Share Your Trip Details With Friends

Letting someone know your plans is a smart safety move. A health blog from a wellness university suggests you share your geolocation with friends using the app’s safety features.

Technology makes this process very simple for most riders. Most apps have a button that shares your live map with anyone in your contact list. Your friend can watch your little icon move across the city in real time.

van

Verify Driver Background Information

Trusting your driver is easier when you know the rules they follow. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office mentions that many states require criminal background checks for drivers. These checks might include fingerprints and searches through FBI records.

You can check the safety features of your specific app to see what checks they perform. Most major companies provide a detailed profile of the driver, including their rating and history.

If a driver has a low score, you can request a different ride. Knowing that a system is in place provides extra comfort during your travels.

Staying safe while using transportation services requires just a bit of effort and awareness. You can enjoy the convenience of modern travel without putting yourself at risk. Remember to check your surroundings and verify your driver before every trip.

Keeping these tips in mind helps you navigate the city with peace of mind. Safe travels allow you to focus on the fun parts of your day instead of worrying about your commute. Proper awareness is the best tool for any traveler.

Building A Valuable Collection Of Historic High-Performance Machines

By
SM
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Photo by Jose Mueses at pexels.com

Starting a collection of high-performance machines is a thrilling journey for any car lover. It requires a mix of passion and smart planning to find the right models.

You want cars that offer a great drive and lasting value. Finding these gems involves looking at history and engineering.

Finding The Right Starting Point

Every great collection begins with a single, meaningful purchase. The first car often sets the tone for the rest of your garage. It should be something you love to look at and drive.

Many collectors spend months researching different models before making a move. Looking through a current selection of classic vehicles helps narrow down the specific era you prefer. This step is key to making sure your investment matches your personal style.

Take your time to inspect the body and engine of potential buys. A solid foundation prevents costly repairs later on. You should check for rust or signs of past accidents.

Embracing The Modern Classic Era

The market for older cars is changing as new generations enter the hobby. Newer buyers are looking for cars they grew up seeing on posters. These vehicles often feature early electronic systems and bold styling.

One major automotive publication pointed out that vehicles from the 1990s and early 2000s now make up 40% of online searches for classics. This shift shows a huge interest in what people call “Youngtimer” machines. Collectors are starting to see them as the next big thing.

These cars often offer better reliability and performance than older models. They are becoming the new standard for many high-performance collections. You can still find parts for them fairly easily as well.

Understanding Shifts In Buyer Demographics

Knowing who is buying cars can help you predict future values. Different age groups have different tastes in speed and design. Keeping an eye on who is entering the auction room is useful.

A specialized magazine reported a 4% drop in older collectors while the number of Millennial buyers rose by 5%. The change suggests that tastes are moving toward more modern performance icons. The market is adapting to younger preferences.

Watching trends allows you to stay ahead of the curve. It helps you pick machines that will remain popular for decades. Knowledge makes your collection more stable.

Key Features Of Performance Machines

High-performance cars are defined by more than just top speed. The way a car handles and sounds matters just as much to an enthusiast. Some details separate a basic car from a true masterpiece.

There are specific features that make these machines stand out:

  • Aerodynamic body styles that reduce drag at high speeds.
  • High-revving engines that provide a unique exhaust note.
  • Manual transmissions for a more connected driving experience.
  • Limited production numbers that drive up rarity.

Finding a car with all these traits is a win for any collector. The details define the character of a truly historic machine. They offer a raw feeling that modern cars often lack.

Investing In Blue Chip Legends

Some cars are so rare and famous that they are considered blue-chip investments. These machines often lead the way at major global events. They represent the gold standard of the automotive world.

A report on public sales showed that a 1954 Mercedes-Benz racing car became the most expensive vehicle sold at auction in 2025. This proves that top-tier racing history still commands the highest prices. It sold for nearly $30,000,000 at a high-profile event.

While these cars are out of reach for most, they set the pace for the entire market. They represent the peak of automotive engineering and history. Studying them helps you understand what makes a car valuable.

Maintaining Your Automotive Investment

Buying the car is only the beginning of the journey. Proper storage and regular care are necessary to keep the value high. A clean garage is just as important as the car itself.

Use climate-controlled spaces to protect the paint and interior from damage. Keeping detailed records of all work done helps when it comes time to sell, too. Buyers like to see a complete history of the machine.

Driving the car occasionally is good for the mechanical parts. It prevents seals from drying out and keeps the engine healthy. Taking it out for a spin on a clear day is the best way to enjoy your investment.

classic car
Photo by ALEXGTACAR atpexels.com

Collecting historic machines is a rewarding way to preserve history while enjoying the open road. Each car tells a story of innovation and speed. These machines are pieces of art.

Keep learning about the market and refining your tastes as you go. Your collection will grow into an impressive display of mechanical art. Enjoy the process of finding your next great machine.

How to Start Following NASCAR if You Only Watch the Big Races

By
SM
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If you tune in for the events like the Daytona 500 and a couple of other marquee events, NASCAR can feel like a one-day spectacle instead of a season. You do not have to watch every lap to follow it. A few simple habits will give you context and make the next big race more fun.

Start with the right scope

NASCAR has three national series. The Cup Series is the top level and the easiest place to begin. The Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series usually race on the same weekend. When you have extra time, those races help you learn faster because the events are shorter and the stories move quickly.

Know the weekend rhythm

Most weekends have practice, qualifying, and the race. Sometimes the order changes, so checking a weekly schedule before the weekend helps.

During the race, remember stages, cautions, and pit stops. Many races are split into stages, and points are awarded at the end of the early stages. A caution usually follows, which bunches the field back up and creates a restart. That is why the race can feel steady for a while and then suddenly turn intense.

Get the season story 

A NASCAR season is long, so treat it like chapters. Early races show who has speed. Midseason shows who can stay consistent. The final stretch is about handling pressure.

The championship format is not always the same. For 2026, NASCAR returned to a Chase style postseason that puts more emphasis on full-season performance. You do not need to master the points system. Check standings once a week and note two things. Who is winning races, and who keeps stacking solid finishes.

Pick a small group of drivers on purpose

If you only watch the biggest races, the field can look like a blur of paint schemes. Pick three to five drivers and follow them for a month.

Choose one driver who usually runs near the front, one underdog team to root for, and one younger driver who is still building their reputation. If you like car brands, pick someone in the manufacturer you already drive.

Learn the car numbers too. Broadcasts say the numbers constantly, and they are easier to spot than names at speed. Once you connect a number to a driver, the race becomes much easier to track.

Understand strategy in plain terms

NASCAR strategy is mostly a trade between track position and fresh tires. Tires wear out. Fuel runs out. Cautions change the math.

On a caution, teams choose between taking four tires, taking two, or staying out. Four tires can give more grip. Staying out can keep you in front. It depends on how many laps are left and how the car feels.

When people learn something new, starting with the practical basics helps. Think of how someone might compare casino payment methods online to see what is simplest for deposits and withdrawals before worrying about anything else. NASCAR works the same way. Focus on the few choices that happen every week, and the bigger picture starts to make sense.

Use a watching routine that fits your life

Before the race, spend two minutes on the schedule and qualifying results. During the race, watch the start and the end of the first stage so you can see who is quick. If you cannot watch the whole thing, come back for the final stage. That is where the pressure and strategy collide.

While you watch, pick a few things to track instead of trying to track everything. Follow your chosen drivers, plus one car that is clearly fast, even if you do not like them. Watch pit road on cautions and listen for whether teams take two tires or four. Pay attention to restarts, because a great restart can gain five spots in one lap and a bad one can lose them. If the broadcast mentions clean air or tire wear, that is your clue that the next pit stop might matter.

After the race, read one recap and one takeaways style piece. A recap tells you what happened. A takeaways piece explains why it mattered and what it suggests about next week.

Learn how track types change the game

Superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega are pack racing, where drafting matters because cars can go faster when they line up. Short tracks are tighter and more physical, with traffic and contact. Intermediate ovals often reward balance and long run speed, and clean air can be a big advantage. Road courses add heavy braking and more driver mistakes, which can flip the running order.

Give it a month

After four weekends, you will recognize more names, understand why restarts matter, and notice how different tracks create different kinds of drama. Then, when the next big race shows up, you will be watching the next chapter.

The Ultimate WoW Speed Leveling Strategy for New and Returning Players

By
SM
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An effective WoW speed leveling strategy helps players reach the endgame content much faster than usual. You want to gain the highest level as quickly as possible. Efficiency is the most important factor here. Let us provide you with a few simple steps for quick results. New players have difficulty with the immense world. Returning players may be confused by the new systems. We will make things easier for you, regardless of what army you refer to.

Let’s Start With the Basics

Preparation is the key to success. For new players, the gold can slow down progression since you earn it early on. That is why some choose to buy WoW gold, so that they can avoid boring farming and focus entirely on speed leveling strategies. Having sufficient resources makes a huge difference. You can buy up bigger bags and get better gear. Mounts are also quite expensive in terms of currency. Do not overlook these early advantages.

Essential Gear and Items

Heirlooms are special things that grow with you. They deliver a steady power throughout the entire process. You can purchase them in big cities. They offset the requirement for constant gear updates. Upgrade them so that they can work at higher levels. This will save time in your leveling questing. Heirlooms are a good investment for any character.

Bags are another essential item in your setup. You need a lot of room for loot. Frequent visits to vendors eat up precious time. Buy the biggest bags that you can afford. Thirty-slot bags are often fairly inexpensive at the moment. Every slot should be filled before you travel away from the city. This keeps you in the wild for longer.

Consumables also have a large role to play in speed. Stock up on movement speed potions. Use food with stat bonuses. These little buffs add up really fast. They make the killing mobs much easier. Always carry large amounts of water as well. Mana classes require plenty of breaks without it. Speed is the only priority here.

Questing Efficiency

Efficiency involves movement and planning. You should have certain habits to keep things running fast. The following points are the details of the best ways to be efficient:

  • Enable the auto-loot feature in the menu.
  • Avoid fighting mobs that are not objectives.
  • Accept all quests in a single hub.
  • Turn them all in at the same time.
  • Use a hearthstone to return to hubs.

Following these simple habits will reduce your time a lot. Consistency brings about the quickest results in this world.

Reading the quest text is a common mistake. It slows down your progress. Use a quest helper to view objectives. Follow the arrows on your mini-map. Kill only what you need to kill for the quest. Ignore the rest of the enemies. Keep working towards the next goal. Any second spent standing still is wasted.

Grouping up can also help with difficult tasks. Some elite mobs take too much time to kill on their own. Ask for help in the local chat. Most players are glad to help out in a hurry. Divide the work to complete it more quickly. Then move on to the next objective straight away. Cooperation is a powerful tool in leveling.

Dungeons and Group Content

Dungeons have huge rewards for your time. They are great for quick bursts of points. However, often solo questing is more reliable. You do not wait for others. You are in charge of the pace of your progress. Mix both for the best results. Balance is important to a steady flow. Here are some tips for effective dungeon running:

  • Queue for random dungeons while questing solo.
  • Only run each dungeon once for quests.
  • Focus on the bonus objectives inside them.
  • Stay with your group until the very end.

Grouping up is perfect for breaking the monotony. Just be sure not to wait too long. Tanks and healers have a huge advantage. They rarely wait in queues. If you can play these roles, then do it. It will make your progress immensely faster. Damage dealers should remain in the questing zones. Only go into a dungeon when the queue pops. This will ensure that you are always earning points. Never sit idle in a city.

Professional Skills and Perks

Being a member of a guild gives you useful passive bonuses. Members receive discounted cooldowns on hearthstones. They are also faster on their mounts. Find a large guild that is open to everyone. They hardly demand anything from new members. The benefits are too good to pass up. Look for guilds in the recruitment tool.

Professions can wait till you hit max level. Gathering skills such as mining are an exception. They give a little bit of points. Pick them up as you pass nodes. Do not go out of your way, the focus must stay on quests. You can learn crafting later on down the line. Concentrate on getting the cap first.

Mounts are your most important tool. Upgrade your riding skills as soon as possible. Flying helps to make the process much faster. It gives you the ability to jump over terrain obstacles. This is crucial in vertical zones. Always save gold for these improvements. They are worth every copper of them. On the ground, speed is never sufficient.

Staying Motivated

Leveling can be a lengthy process. Break it down into smaller goals. Focus on ten levels at a time. Take a few breaks to keep yourself fresh. A tired player makes more mistakes. Efficiency is impaired when you are bored.

Resting at an inn is very helpful. It provides a bonus to your gains. Always log out in a sanctuary. This builds up rested points while you sleep. It doubles the points from killing monsters. This is a free boost for everyone. Make it a habit every night.

The world of Azeroth is quite big. Do not get lost in side activities. Stick to the main path always. For now, avoid vanity items and pets. You can collect those later. Your objective is the endgame content. Keep your eyes on the prize ahead. You will get there soon enough.

Final Technical Tips

Check your user interface for clutter. A clean screen helps to focus. Use some simple add-ons for improved navigation. Do not complicate your setup too much. Too many tools can be a distraction. Keep it simple and functional. This enables you to have better reaction times.

Update your gear every few levels. Even with heirlooms, there are still some empty slots. Use the items that you receive from quests. Check the auction house if you are weak. A strong character kills things more quickly. This has a direct effect on your leveling speed. Do not settle for bad gear. Always try to look for small improvements.

NASCAR suspends two Trackhouse Racing crew members for wheel detachment at COTA

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jake Daugherty for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR revealed the penalty report following this past weekend’s events between Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, and the Streets of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida. The only penalty that was issued was to Ross Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team.

During the Cup Series’ event at COTA, Chastain drew a late-race caution with 21 laps remaining when he went off the course in between Turns 19 and 20. Amid Chastain’s incident, his right-rear wheel detached from the entry. Chastain, who started on the front row and led four laps, settled in 35th place of the 37-car field following his loose wheel incident.

As a result of the loose wheel, Kenneth Pozega, Chastain’s rear-tire changer, and Josh Appleby, Chastain’s jackman, have been suspended from participating in the next two scheduled Cup events. Their infractions fall under Sections 8.8.10.4.A&D from the NASCAR rule book, which highlights the loss and separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from a vehicle during an event.

No other penalties were levied towards the remaining Cup Series teams, nor from Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ event at COTA and Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series’ inaugural event at St. Petersburg. 

The Craftsman Truck Series enters a two-week break period before returning to action at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 that will occur on March 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series returns to action Saturday, March 7, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, for the GOVX 200 that will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN and SiriusXM. The NASCAR Cup Series will also compete at Phoenix for the Straight Talk Wireless 500 on Sunday, March 8, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.

Isabella Robusto Aims to Rebound at Phoenix Raceway Following Strong Daytona Showing

By
Official Release
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Mooresville, NC – March 3, 2026 — Isabella Robusto returns to the track this Thursday (March 5th) at Phoenix Raceway for the next round of the ARCA Menards Series season, looking to build on the speed she and the team displayed at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in the General Tire 150. This will mark the second stop on the 2026 schedule.

Driving the No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports, Robusto delivered an impressive performance during the General Tire 200, qualifying second and leading 11 laps—the most laps led by a female driver in the ARCA Menards Series since 1989. Unfortunately, mechanical challenges forced the team to retire from the race before the finish, preventing them from capitalizing on what had been a strong start to the 2026 season.

Despite the setback, the Daytona performance demonstrated the speed and competitiveness of the No. 55 team as they prepare for Phoenix Raceway.

“Daytona was a great example of what our team is capable of,” said Robusto. “We had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota and were able to run up front and lead laps early in the race. It was disappointing not to finish after the mechanical issue, but everyone at Nitro Motorsports worked incredibly hard and the speed we showed gives us a lot of confidence heading into Phoenix. Our focus now is executing a clean race and continuing to build momentum.”

In addition to her racing career, Robusto is also pursuing her education through the online aeronautical engineering program at Arizona State University, balancing the demands of collegiate coursework with her national racing schedule. Her studies create a natural connection to Arizona as she continues working toward her degree while competing in the ARCA Menards Series.

“Being able to race at Phoenix while pursuing my aeronautical engineering degree through Arizona State is really special,” Robusto added. “I’ve always been fascinated by the engineering side of racing, and studying aeronautical engineering alongside my racing career gives me a deeper understanding of the sport I love.”

Phoenix Raceway’s unique one-mile layout presents a different challenge than Daytona’s high-speed superspeedway, rewarding drivers who can manage long green-flag runs, tire wear, and strategic positioning.

Robusto and the Nitro Motorsports team will look to translate the pace they showed at Daytona into a strong performance as the ARCA Menards Series season continues.

Fans can catch Nitro Motorsports and Isabella Robusto in action during the ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. A timed practice session will begin at 1:30 PM MST, with qualifying following at 2:30 PM. The green flag will fly at 4:00 PM on Thursday and can be viewed on FS1 and ARCARacing.com.

About Isabella Robusto

Isabella Robusto is redefining what’s possible in global motorsports. A record-setting trailblazer and one of NASCAR’s brightest rising stars, Isabella combines elite driving talent with professionalism and marketability rare for her age. Signed at just 16 years old to the prestigious Toyota Driver Development (TD2) program, she has quickly advanced through the ranks, earning the ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year Championship in 2025 and establishing herself as one of the sport’s top emerging drivers.

Off the track, Isabella’s story of resilience, precision, and performance resonates with audiences and brands alike. She is currently pursuing a degree at Arizona State University in their online Aeronautical Engineering Program. Her growing influence extends far beyond racing, representing innovation, diversity, and determination for the next generation of motorsport. Learn more at www.isabellarobusto.com.

TOP FUEL’S DOUG KALITTA LOOKS TO STAY AT THE TOP STARTING AT AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS

By
Official Release
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 3, 2026) – For the second time in three years, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta will start the season as the reigning world champion heading into this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, an impressive feat considering Kalitta’s longtime quest to win a world title in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Kalitta will open NHRA’s special 75th anniversary season as the driver everyone is chasing after a brilliant run in the second half of the 2025 campaign. He remained poised and consistent in the Countdown to the Championship, winning twice in the playoffs to capture a second world championship in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster.

It’s a moment Kalitta continues to treasure as he heads to Gainesville to open NHRA’s milestone year. He’ll have a chance to defend his title in the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race as well. The bonus race takes place on Saturday and Kalitta enters as the No. 1 seed with the opportunity to have a magical weekend in Gainesville.

“It’s really nice to go to the first race and have the No. 1 on your car, for sure,” Kalitta said. “The first race kind of resets everything and it’s off we go again. I’m really proud of what our Mac Tools team accomplished last year. It’s nice to have that number one back on the car for the year and seeing it there on the car never gets old. It’s taken a while – we had a long time of trying to accomplish this goal, and it looks good on there, I think.”

Last year, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won on the hallowed grounds of Gainesville Raceway to open the year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.

It’s the first of 20 races during the 2026 season and along with a full slate of racing, fans can expect a multitude of events to celebrate the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and NHRA’s 75th anniversary, including:

  • Appearances from a host of NHRA legends during the event, including Kenny Bernstein, Don Garlits, Joe Amato, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Darrell Gwynn and Bob Frey.
  • A celebration of Bernstein’s historic 300-mph run from 1992.
  • A free, limited-edition NHRA 2026 season poster to the first 6,500 fans in attendance on Sunday.
  • A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley.
  • Race winners will get the special NHRA 75th anniversary Diamond Wally, along with the Gatornationals traditional Golden Gator trophy.

Kalitta would love to be the first to win the 75th anniversary Diamond Wally and he’ll certainly be among the favorites in the loaded Top Fuel ranks. After riding high thanks to a season that included four victories and seven trips to the final round – along with eight No. 1 qualifiers – Kalitta enjoyed strong results at the test session in Gainesville two weeks ago.

That added to his confidence level and Kalitta has high hopes for what should be one of the biggest Gatornationals in recent memory.

“Testing went very well,” Kalitta said. “The car performed well. All the things you hope to find at a test session – we were able to work through a lot of issues, and I think we’re hopefully in good shape. The car ran really well, but we always win testing. It’s good to get everybody working again and doing our thing. We’ll be ready to hit the ground running.”

Joining Kalitta in the eight-car Callout will be teammate Shawn Langdon, Brown, racing legend Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, Clay Millican, Shawn Reed and 2023 Callout winner Josh Hart.

Chad Green won his second career Funny Car race last season, beating three-time world champ Ron Capps. Austin Prock earned his second straight title and after a move to Tasca Racing, he’ll look to keep rolling against four-time champ Matt Hagan, class newcomer Jordan Vandergriff, Jack Beckman and Daniel Wilkerson.

The 2025 Pro Stock season was dominated by KB Titan Racing, with standout star Dallas Glenn earning his first world title. Glenn will take on teammate Greg Anderson, six-time world champ Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera has never lost in Gainesville. Last year, he won his third straight, defeating rival Matt Smith. He’ll look for four in a row against reigning world champ Richard Gadson, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson and Jianna Evaristo.

The weekend will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Flexjet Factory Showdown and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

Before the race, fans are invited to the “Gatornationals Kickoff Party and Fanfest” at Josh Hart’s Burnyzz Speedshop in Ocala. In what’s become an exciting pre-event tradition, the event will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday. The fun-filled kickoff event will include driver appearances and autographs at the facility and more.

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, music and more. Race fans in Gainesville 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.

As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction. Fans have a chance to see teams in action and service their cars between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers and more. Fans can visit NHRA’s Nitro Alley, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, and food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 1:30 and 4 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.

The first round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, with the semifinals slated for 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will also air at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.

To purchase tickets to the 2026 NHRA Gatornationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.NHRA.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 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ 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.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: PHOENIX RACE PREVIEW

By
Official Release
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LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
PHOENIX PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Straight Talk Wireless 500
DATE: March 8, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 4 of 36
TRACK: Phoenix Raceway | 1-Mile Oval

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 MOBIL 1 TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT PHOENIX: John Hunter Nemechek has seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix, with a highest finish of 14th coming in March 2025. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Nemechek has made eight starts, where he earned one pole in November 2018, six top-10 finishes, and two top-fives. He earned a best finish of fourth in November 2019. In his nine starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Phoenix, he earned six top-10 finishes, including three top-five finishes. He earned a best finish of second twice in November 2015 and November 2017.

T-MACK AT PHOENIX: Sunday’s race at Phoenix will mark crew chief Travis Mack’s 11th NASCAR Cup Series race at the track. His first outing came in 2018 with Kasey Kahne. Mack returned to Phoenix with Daniel Suárez in the 2021 season. The duo competed in six races together through the end of 2023 and earned a highest finish of ninth in March 2022. In 2024, Mack competed with Derek Kraus in the March race. He then returned in March 2025 with Nemechek, where the duo finished 14th. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Mack has five starts with Michael Annett, where the pair earned three top-10 finishes and a best finish of fourth in November 2020.

MOBIL 1 IS BACK: Mobil 1 returns to the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE this weekend, continuing its long-standing presence in motorsports. As a global leader in advanced synthetic motor oil technology, Mobil 1 is trusted by drivers and teams around the world to deliver performance and protection under the toughest conditions. The No. 42 will feature Mobil 1’s signature red and blue colors, representing the brand’s commitment to innovation and high-performance excellence on and off the track.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“We learned a lot in the off-season, so I’m ready to see how it plays out for our No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE on our first non-drafting oval race of the season. We’ve shown good speed in Phoenix in the past, so I’m looking forward to kicking off our west coast swing this weekend.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work this offseason getting our program dialed in, and I feel really good about what we’re bringing to Phoenix. Our guys have done an excellent job preparing this race car, and we’re focused and ready to go out there and compete. John Hunter is fired up, the team is locked in, and we’re looking forward to a strong weekend.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES PHOENIX STATS: Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway will mark Erik Jones’ 20th Cup Series start at the mile oval in the desert of Arizona. In his career, he’s collected one top-five, four top-10s, and led 25 laps at the track. He earned his best finish of fourth in November 2017 after starting 11th. He has an additional 10 starts outside of the Cup Series at Phoenix – three in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and seven in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He won twice in the Truck Series in November 2013 and November 2014. He never finished worse than ninth in all three of those starts. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Jones also never finished outside the top-10 with five top-fives and seven top-10s. He earned a best finish of second after starting from the pole in March 2016, finishing just 2.285 seconds behind race winner Kyle Busch.

JONES’ FIRST NASCAR WIN: In November 2013, Jones captured his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory and his first win in NASCAR’s top-three series at Phoenix when he was just 16 years old. The Michigan native was running a limited five-race schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2013 and never finished worse than ninth in those starts. Jones qualified second for the race at Phoenix and led 84 laps en route to a 1.616 second margin of victory over Ross Chastain. He defended that win the following season in November 2014 with another victory at the track while once again running a part-time schedule. Jones started from the pole and led 114 of the 150 laps to best Matt Crafton. Across his three Truck Series starts at the track, he boasted an impressive average start of 1.3 and an average finish of 3.7.

450 NASCAR STARTS: Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway will mark Erik Jones’ 450th NASCAR start in the top-three series. He made his first career start in NASCAR’s top-three series on April 6, 2013 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Jones started 19th and finished an impressive ninth in his debut. Despite not even being 30 years old, Jones has made a name for him in NASCAR over the past 13 years. In his career, he won the 2015 Championship in the NASCAR Truck Series and two Southern 500 “Crown Jewel” races at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (September 2019 and September 2022).

ALEXANDER AT PHOENIX: Crew chief Justin Alexander has been on top of the box for 13 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix. He earned a best finish of eighth in November 2018 with Austin Dillon. He has an additional two starts as crew chief in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Dillon in 2016 and 2017. He earned a best finish of second in November 2016 after starting eighth. He returned in March 2017 with Dillon. The duo started third and led 31 laps until a crash took him out on Lap 190.

ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“Phoenix will be good. It’ll be nice to get on our first traditional oval of the year, and just getting to a short track will be good. This is a track where I think we saw a good bit of improvement in the November race. We ran a little bit better than we had in years past. We would qualify well and have good speed, but we just couldn’t get the long run and race setup quite where we wanted it. I’m excited to get there with added horsepower and see what that’s all about on an oval. Hopefully, it’ll be a bit better on racing versus years past of going there. Looking forward to it. I’ve always liked this track. We’ll see where we stack up on some traditional ovals.”

JUSTIN ALEXANDER QUOTE:
“Phoenix is the first weekend where it really feels like we’re getting back to our normal type of racing. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB made some good gains on the shorter tracks toward the end of last season, and I feel like we learned a lot about the direction we need to go in this year. Hopefully, we can carry that over and start off solid at Phoenix. It’s a good early test for us to see where we really stack up and what we still need to clean up.”

CLUB MINUTES:
JJ AT PHOENIX: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson owns 36 Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway. In his career, he has collected four victories, 16 top-fives, and 22 top-10s, and led 998 laps. Johnson scored three back-to-back wins at Phoenix between 2007 to 2008. His first victory came in November 2007 when he started sixth, led 55 laps, and finished .870 of second ahead of Greg Biffle. He followed that up in April 2008 where he started seventh and led 120 laps en route to besting Clint Bowyer by 7.002 seconds. The series returned in November 2008 and saw Johnson as the victor for the third straight race. He started on the pole, led 217 of the 312 laps and finished .295 of a second ahead of Kurt Busch. Johnson scored his final win at Phoenix in November 2009 after starting third, leading 238 of 312 laps, and beating Jeff Burton by 1.033 seconds. He owns four additional starts at Phoenix in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he earned a best finish of 12th in March 2013.

KENSETH PHOENIX STATS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth has 32 career Cup Series starts at Phoenix where he scored two wins, seven top-fives, and 13 top-10s as well as led 29 laps. Kenseth scored his first win at Phoenix early in his career in November 2002 in just his third start at Phoenix. He started 28th, led 55 laps, and bested Rusty Wallace by 1.344 seconds. His second victory came in November 2017 where Kenseth started seventh, led 62 laps and beat runner-up Chase Elliott by 1.207 seconds. He has an additional 15 starts at Phoenix in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he scored a total of one win, six top-fives, and 13 top-10s. From November 2004 to his final Xfinity Series start in March 2015, Kenseth never finished outside the top-10 at Phoenix. He won from the pole in November 2006 after leading 125 of 200 laps and besting Kevin Harvick by .337 of a second.

THE KING AT PHOENIX: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Richard Petty owns five NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway in his career between 1988 and 1992. He earned a best finish of 23rd in his November 1990 start after starting 36th.

GOING BACK TO HIS ROOTS: While the NASCAR world heads to Phoenix this weekend, Jimmie Johnson will be racing in Las Vegas to check off another race from his bucket list with the 2026 BF Goodrich Mint 400 on March 4-8. Alongside Carvana, Johnson will return to the discipline that launched his racing career in one of the most iconic events in American motorsports. He’ll pilot the No. 84 Carvana 1Nine Industries built Trick Truck for Terrible Herbst Motorsports, one of the most respected organizations in off-road racing. The event will broadcast live on SPEED SPORT 1 with additional streaming options, with coverage including drone, helicopter, and vehicle-mounted cameras.

LOCAL TIES: Born in nearby Mesa, pit crew jackman Kellen Mills is a former Arizona State football defensive end who has emerged as one of the top talents in the current pit crew lineup with the No. 43 Dollar Tree team. Before his NASCAR career, he played defensive end for Arizona State University in the early 2000s and was an all-state fullback at Mesa Mountain View High School. After college, Mills moved to North Carolina, where he has spent the last six years as a pit crew member beginning his career as a fueler before transitioning to a jackman in 2019, gaining experience with powerhouse teams like Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing. Along the way, he contributed to championship pursuits alongside drivers such as Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr. In January, it was announced that Mills was the inaugural recipient of the Richard Petty Award of Excellence, a LEGACY MOTOR CLUB honor meant to recognize individuals who embody the values and enduring spirit of Richard Petty, “The King.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
On Saturday, March 7, John Hunter Nemechek will be at the NASCAR Experience Stage for a Q&A session at 2 p.m. local time. On Sunday, March 8, he will sign autographs at the trackside merchandise hauler at 10 a.m. local time.

Erik Jones will make a pit stop at the NASCAR Experience stage for a Q&A session on Sunday, March 8 at 9:15 a.m. local time.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m. EDT on FS1, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a premier auto racing organization 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 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.

LEGENDS RACE WITH BERNSTEIN, AMATO, WJ & LARSON SET FOR AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS

By
Official Release
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 3, 2026) – In addition to their appearance at the upcoming Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, legendary NHRA drivers Kenny Bernstein, Joe Amato, Warren Johnson and Bruce Larson will take to the track on Friday and Saturday for a special legends match race at Gainesville Raceway.

It’s another added item for NHRA’s kickoff to the 75th anniversary season in Gainesville, as fans will see four of NHRA’s biggest names take to the track in 550-horsepower 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpacks.

The first round is slated for 2:20 p.m. on Friday, March 6, leading into the opening round of qualifying in the 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks.

The two winners will meet up in the final round at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, right before the opening round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout. The winner of the four-car legends race will also receive the special Golden Gator trophy given to all Gainesville winners.

It’s an incredible four-car lineup with some of the biggest names in NHRA history. Johnson racked up six world championships in Pro Stock and a remarkable 97 wins, while Larson raced in both Funny Car and Pro Stock, winning a Funny Car championship in 1989. Bernstein earned six world titles across Top Fuel and Funny Car, and Amato was a standout force in Top Fuel, winning 52 races and five world titles.

Joining them in Gainesville will be Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, a four-time world champion, three-time Top Fuel champ Shirley Muldowney and Bob Frey. Each will be making several appearances throughout the weekend, including the Top Eliminator Club, in the announcer’s booth, on the Nitro Alley stage and more.

For a full slate of appearances from NHRA legends, fans can go here: https://app.nhra.com/GatornatsEventGuide

Along with a full slate of racing, including the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday, fans can expect a multitude of events to celebrate the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and NHRA’s 75th anniversary, including:

  • Appearances from a host of NHRA legends during the event, including Kenny Bernstein, Don Garlits, Joe Amato, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Darrell Gwynn and Bob Frey.
  • A celebration of Bernstein’s historic 300-mph run from 1992.
  • A free, limited-edition NHRA 2026 season poster to the first 6,500 fans in attendance on Sunday.
  • A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley.
  • Race winners will get the special NHRA 75th anniversary Diamond Wally, along with the Gatornationals traditional Golden Gator trophy.

The 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals featured wins by Brown (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle). This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.

This year, fans will see a host of major stars, including Kalitta, Stewart, Hart, who joined John Force Racing, and the return of star driver Leah Pruett. In Funny Car, the stars include back-to-back world champ Austin Prock, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman and new John Force Racing driver Jordan Vandergriff, while Pro Stock features champ Glenn, Anderson, Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera is after a fourth straight Gatornationals win, while Richard Gadson begins his title defense against the likes of Matt Smith, Angie Smith and Chase Van Sant.

Before the race, fans will again be invited to a special “Gatornationals Kickoff Party and Fanfest” at Hart’s Burnyzz Speedshop in Ocala. In what’s become an exciting pre-event tradition, the event will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. The fun-filled kickoff event will include driver appearances and autographs from 7-8 p.m.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 1:30 and 4 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.

To purchase tickets to the 2026 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, including upgraded experiences in the Gainesville Top Eliminator Club, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.NHRA.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 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ 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.

Spire Motorsports Phoenix NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance

By
Official Release
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  • In 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, Spire Motorsports has logged one top-10 and three top-15 finishes. Michael McDowell, driver of the team’s No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, earned a team-best eighth-place finish in the series’ November 2025 visit to the “Diamond in the Desert.” Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with Daniel Suarez, McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series race from Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, March 8 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The fourth of 36-points paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Daniel Suárez – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Suárez will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
  • The two-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner has made 18 starts at Phoenix, earning four top-10s and nine top-20 results. He holds an average starting position of 22.1 and an average finishing position of 18.4 at the one-mile oval. In his 2017 rookie season, Suárez powered from 27th to seventh in just his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start, to earn his first career top-10 finish and best career Cup Series’ result at Phoenix.
  • In last year’s season finale, Suárez started 14th, battled mid-pack throughout the event, and capitalized in NASCAR Overtime to finish 19th, completing all 319 laps in what marked his final race with Trackhouse Racing.
  • Last Spring at Phoenix, Suárez drove from 31st to as high as sixth, showing top-10 speed before contact on Lap 216 forced an unscheduled stop, ultimately resulting in a 23rd-place finish.
  • Three races into the 36-race NASCAR Cup Series season, Suárez sits seventh in points.
  • Last weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Suárez earned eight bonus points with a third-place finish in Stage 2 of the DuraMax Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne, but a Lap-79 incident damaged his No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevy and dropped him to 25th overall.
  • Freeway Insurance was established in 1987 and is one of the largest and fastest-growing personal lines insurance brokers in the United States, offering coverage through a “click, call, or come in” approach that connects customers nationwide. The company continually researches, grows, and diversifies its product offerings to stay responsive to the evolving insurance market. Freeway provides a wide range of options—from basic to premium coverage—in auto, truck, commercial vehicle, homeowners, renters, small business, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, fire, and flood insurance. In 2008, Freeway Insurance became part of Confie, the nation’s leading personal lines insurance distribution company. Customers can access Freeway Insurance through neighborhood offices, online at www.freeway.com, or by calling (800) 300-0227.
  • The Monterrey, Mexico native has made five NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) starts at Phoenix, earning three top-five, three top-10 and four top-20 finishes. He recorded his career-best NOAPS result at Phoenix with a third-place finish in March 2016.
  • In 2017, Suárez captured his first career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory at the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway, capitalizing late in the race and holding off the field in the No. 51 for Kyle Busch Motorsports. In two Truck Series starts at Phoenix, he logged one win, two top fives and led 34 laps.
  • The 34-year-old is a veteran of 326 Cup Series starts and has notched two wins (Sonoma/2022; Atlanta/2024), 25 top fives and 76 top 10s in NASCAR’s premier division. Suarez has led a total of 907 laps and has earned three poles since becoming a series’ regular in 2017.

Daniel Suárez Quotes
Three races into the season with Spire Motorsports, how are you feeling about the team’s performance, and how has your experience behind the wheel been so far?
“My experience has been very good. I feel like we started off strong in Daytona and Atlanta. We have good speed and momentum. I am very pleased with Spire Motorsports. We are pushing ourselves to get better and better each week. You never know, you can work very hard, have all these meetings, communications, and chemistry, but you just never know exactly where you are going to stack up. I am impressed with the structure and speed at Spire. I was expecting to be fast, but this is faster than what I was expecting. In Daytona, I probably had the fastest superspeedway car I’ve ever been in. I still am learning the team and car, but so far to this point I am very impressed with what we are bringing to the racetrack.”

Who will you be rooting for in INDYCAR, and what do you think about crossover races with NASCAR?”
“I have a couple of friends in the INDYCAR series — my amigo Paisano Pato, who I’ve known for over 20 years and also Scott McLaughlin. I’ll definitely be rooting for them. I think the INDYCAR Series is amazing. I really love watching those guys race. INDYCAR has a different fan base than NASCAR, which makes it great to bring families together to enjoy both series. I really enjoyed crossing over between the two at Indianapolis – it was a lot of fun – and I’m looking forward to doing it again.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

  • Ryan Sparks has called 205 NASCAR Cup Series races, earning five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut atop the pit box in 2020.
  • The Winston-Salem, N.C., native’s best finish at Phoenix Raceway came in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, where he led Justin Haley to a 14th-place finish. Overall, Sparks has called 11 Cup Series races at Phoenix.
  • Sparks joined Spire Motorsports in 2021, where he served as both Crew Chief and Competition Director, leading the organization’s competitive and technical efforts. In 2026, Sparks serves in a singular role as crew chief for Suárez.
  • Sparks brings more than a decade of experience across all three of NASCAR’s national series, highlighted by 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing and contributions to title-winning campaigns in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2011) and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2013).

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

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
  • McDowell, a native of Glendale, Ariz., has made 30 starts at his home track in Cup Series competition, scoring back-to-back top-10 finishes in the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024. In the series’ most recent visit to the popular one-mile oval for the 2025 season finale, McDowell started 37th and raced his way to a spirited eighth-place finish.
  • Wednesday, March 11th, will mark Michael McDowell Day in Glendale. The hometown hero received the keys to the city following his 2021 Daytona 500 win.
  • In NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition, the 41-year-old has logged 999 laps at Phoenix and claimed a series/venue-best 11th-place finish in 2009 while driving for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
  • Last weekend at COTA, McDowell topped the charts during Saturday’s practice session, and qualified sixth for the 95-lap contest. After pacing the field for five laps late in the race, McDowell secured the No. 71 team’s first top-five finish of the season and 15th of his Cup Series career.
  • McDowell collected an impressive 40 points last weekend, propelling the father-of-five to ninth in the Cup Series point standings, a handsome 11-position increase from the week prior.
  • Across the first three races of 2026, the veteran racer has earned a 12.0 average start and a workman-like 15.7 average finish.
  • Delaware Life will return to the primary position aboard McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Delaware Life is a life insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance, we were born out of the advisor industry, and we understand how important it is to find the right fit for every client, every situation, and every individual need. We’re passionate about equipping you with annuities that give your customers peace of mind and a successful future—allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.

Michael McDowell Quote
Phoenix and Las Vegas will be your first traditional ovals of the year, what are you expecting?
“I feel like with Phoenix and Vegas you start to see and feel where you are as a team, because you go back-to-back on superspeedways and then a road course with Circuit of the Americas. They are all important. They all count points, but you don’t know really where you stack up on your overall program until you get through all those different types of tracks. So, building off last year, our Phoenix package was good. We finished in the top 10 last fall and we were fast. We have good notes and a good baseline going into Phoenix this weekend.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

  • Travis Peterson owns three top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway, all with McDowell behind the wheel.
  • As a race engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, Peterson played a key role in Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s final Cup Series victory at Phoenix Raceway in November 2015.
  • The West Bend, Wisc., native continued to boost the Hendrick No. 88 team in 2016, propelling Alex Bowman to his first-career pole award at the Avondale, Ariz., oval that fall. Bowman led 194 of the 324 laps, en route to a sixth-place finish.
  • Across 116 starts serving in the crew chief role, Peterson has captured eight top-five finishes, seven of which came with McDowell in the driver’s seat.
  • The 34-year-old contributed to several victories during his tenure at RFK Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports. He was a key member of Chase Elliott’s 2014 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship-winning team. Peterson was also part of Earnhardt’s three-win Cup Series team in 2015.
  • Peterson is a mechanical engineering graduate of the Williams States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The West Bend, Wis., native earned his degree in 2012.

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

  • Carson Hocevar will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 MINER Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway and will make his sixth start in NASCAR’s premier division at the venue.
  • The No. 77 team sits 10th in points thanks in part to a collection of 19 total stage points through the first three points-paying races of the year and is one of only two drivers to have earned stage points in every event this season. Hocevar also earned nine points by finishing second in the America 250 Florida Duel at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
  • Last week at COTA, the No. 77 team qualified 12th and endured balance issues throughout the day to finish 31st.
  • In last March’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix, Hocevar qualified third and maintained pace from the drop of the green flag to earn a seventh-place finish in Stage 1. Unfortunately, he was involved in an incident on a Lap-98 restart, ending his day 214 laps prematurely.
  • The five-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner owns five previous starts in the series at Phoenix, registering top 10s in 2021 (ninth) and 2022 (10th). Hocevar reached the series’ 2023 Championship 4 race at the facility after punching his ticket via a victory at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway two weeks prior.
  • Miner Ltd. is the leading self-perform, national service partner for smarter, safer loading docks and a division of OnPoint Group. As the premier expert in loading docks, commercial doors and more, Miner’s team of best-in-class service professionals help large-scale facilities and Fortune 500-class companies mitigate risk and improve efficiency. With over 400 service professionals in more than 40 markets, Miner is the only company of its kind with a coast-to-coast footprint, offering the largest self-perform network in the country for supporting all doors, loading dock products, vehicle restraints and safety products, HVLS fans, service, aftermarket and more. Miner also supports end users, general contractors, architects, and developers, from ground-up developments to tenant improvement or extensive remodels. Learn more about how Miner delivers speed, consistency and results at https://www.minercorp.com.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
What is your outlook heading into the next few weeks?
“We are right where we want to be heading into this part of the schedule. Anything can happen at Daytona and Atlanta, and road courses aren’t my favorite, but we are still 10th in points with some really good tracks coming up for us. We qualified really well with MINER at Phoenix last year, but got caught up in someone else’s mess. We excel at the 1.5-mile tracks like Vegas, and we ran in the top 10 at the Southern 500 last year. I’m excited to get into the heart of the schedule.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

  • Crew chief Luke Lambert enters his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with Carson Hocevar. The duo has logged one pole award, four top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 83 races together.
  • The Mount Airy, N.C., native played a key role in Ryan Newman’s 2017 triumph at the one-mile Avondale, Ariz, oval. The win was the 18th and final victory of Newman’s career.
  • The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 24 NASCAR Cup Series events at Phoenix Raceway, earning one win, three top fives and 10 top 10s.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, 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 Feb. 21, 2026, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the Fr8 Racing 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization will also field the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.

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