Mike Wallace has not received approval from NASCAR to contend for a starting spot for the 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway scheduled for February 16, 2025.
The decision was announced on January 13, only 11 days after MBM Motorsports announced that the 65-year-old Wallace would attempt to qualify for a starting spot in this year’s Great American Race in the team’s No. 66 Ford. After evaluating Wallace’s recent on-track activities, NASCAR flipped the script and deemed him ineligible to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500, which is scheduled to occur nearly a month from now.
The decision was based on the fact that Wallace has not competed across NASCAR’s top three national touring series since August 2020, when he competed at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course venue while driving for J.D. Motorsports. He has also not competed in any large venues within NASCAR’s premier series, the Cup division, since he made his recent Daytona 500 start in 2015, where he finished 36th while driving for Premium Motorsports.
To date, Wallace has made 11 career starts in the Great American Race. During his 11 starts, he recorded three top-10 results and notched a career-best result of fourth place during the 2007 event while driving for Phoenix Raceway.
In total, Wallace has made 115 career starts in the Craftsman Truck Series division, 497 in the Xfinity circuit and 197 in the Cup competition. While his best result in the Cup division is a runner-up result at Phoenix Raceway in October 2001 while driving for Team Penske, he has amassed four career victories in the Xfinity division and five in the Truck Series division. His latest Xfinity victory occurred at Daytona in July 2004 while driving for Biagi Brothers Racing. His latest Truck victory occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2011 while driving for Kevin Harvick Inc.
Following the news of NASCAR’s decision, Wallace took to Facebook to express both his disappointment on not being eligible to compete and his endorsement to MBM Motorsports.
“Daytona 500 NON update! To my utter shock and devastation at 4:00 today NASCAR [competition] director Elton Sawyer called me to inform me that NASCAR has decided not only to not approve me for Daytona 500 but at this time not approved to race in the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series in 2025 but could go through [their] process to possibly get approved for 2026. This comes as a total shock as the President of NASCAR last week in a real phone call told me all was good and he will see me in Daytona. I owe this posting to all my fans and [non-fans] who were so supportive through the great messages and postings of support as they say I inspired them! Please -Please show your Love and support to Carl Long and the complete MBM Motorsports team as this has now put them in a terrible position as I was not just the driver but also committed to sponsorship for their Daytona 500 effort, I had sponsorship commitments for the effort around me and. Help them find an approved driver and plenty of money!”
MBM Motorsports also took to social media to express the team’s disappointment in not having Wallace as the driver throughout the 2025 Daytona Speedweeks. Nonetheless, the organization remains committed to recruiting another competitor with funding for the team’s No. 66 entry to make a bid for a starting spot in the upcoming Daytona 500.
NEWS: MBM Motorsports can confirm that NASCAR has deemed Mike Wallace is not eligible to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500, despite eleven previous 500 starts and several superspeedway wins, due to lack of recent races in major professional motorsports. We are devastated for Mike… pic.twitter.com/AsV9fscgq0
— Garage 66 & MBM Motorsports (@MBMMotorsports) January 14, 2025
The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2025) – With the NHRA set for its 74th season of racing in 2025, the countdown is on for the start of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and it doesn’t get much bigger than the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, which kicks off the year March 6-9 at Gainesville Raceway.
The legendary facility will play host to the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, long regarded as one of the marquee events on the NHRA tour. This season will be no different as all the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will look to win the historic race and start their year with a spectacular victory.
The season kickoff is loaded with a host of special events to make the Gatornationals even bigger, including the big-money Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race, which takes place on Saturday, March 8, as well as the first race of 2025 in the Congruity Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, and action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
The Gatornationals have drawn massive crowds for more than five decades, as fans in 2025 will get their first glimpse of the incredible 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph nitro machines and all the biggest stars on the NHRA tour, including reigning world champions Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
In 2024, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won on the hallowed grounds of Gainesville Raceway to open the year. It marked the first double-up victory for Kalitta Motorsports, while six-time world champ Enders won the historic race for the first time. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including coverage of the Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 8 and eliminations at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.
Brown won the Top Fuel All-Star Callout a year ago, using that momentum to clinch his fourth world title. The standout will look to defend his title in the thrilling one-day bonus race, which adds the unique callout element to the big-money specialty event.
Action in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will start with two rounds of qualifying on both Friday and Saturday, the Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday and then eliminations on Sunday.
More top names that will be in action in Gainesville include Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta, Brittany Force, reigning rookie of the year and motorsports legend Tony Stewart, and local native Josh Hart, Funny Car stars Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III and Jack Beckman, who will be driving for legendary champion John Force in 2025, Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield, Dallas Glenn and Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith, Jianna Evaristo, Angie Smith, Richard Gadson and Chase Van Sant.
Before the race, fans will again be invited to a special “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, March 5. The fun-filled kickoff event will include driver appearances and autographs from 7-8 p.m. at the state-of-the-art facility and much more.
A host of additional special events – both off and on the track – as well as the full event schedule for the 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals will be announced in the coming weeks.
To purchase tickets to the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Upgraded experiences in the Gainesville Top Eliminator Club – which features a premium experience and a number of exclusive benefits at one of the biggest races of the season – are also available for purchase. 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 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Cadillac Racing expands to two-car Hypercar program for 2025 FIA WEC season
PARIS (Jan. 13, 2025) – Cadillac Racing, in conjunction with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA, revealed the livery of its two Hypercar racecars that will contest the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.
Highlighting the event at Cadillac City Paris, the iconic brand’s flagship EV store and experience center, was the unveiling of the Nos. 12 and 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R racecars. Guests included principals from General Motors, Cadillac Racing, JOTA Sport, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“The unveiling of the Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R livery here at our iconic flagship in Paris reflects Cadillac’s unwavering commitment to innovation and performance on the global stage,” said Pere Brugal, Managing Director and President, GM Europe.
“As we expand our footprint in Europe, this partnership represents a powerful opportunity to showcase Cadillac’s pioneering spirit in one of the most prestigious racing championships in the world.
“We are proud to work alongside JOTA Sport and Hertz to bring our V-Series.R to life and look forward to an exciting season ahead.”
Cadillac Racing has doubled its WEC factory program entries for its third season of global Hypercar competition, with championship-winning JOTA Sport campaigning the cars in its first WEC season as a works team.
OTA Sport is one of the most experienced and successful sports car racing teams in recent history, having finished on the podium in LMP2 at Le Mans 10 times, including second and third overall in 2017. Owned in part by affiliates of Knighthead Capital Management, LLC and sponsored by global car rental company Hertz and seven-time champion and entrepreneur Tom Brady, the England-based team entered the Hypercar class as a privateer in 2023.
”The unveiling of the Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R livery today is the culmination of an enormous amount of hard work and commitment on all sides of this new motorsport family. It’s a very proud moment for the entire group as we unveil this stunning race machine,” said David Clark, Co-Founder and Director, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA. “This moment represents more than our aesthetic for the year ahead, it represents the next step for both race-winning, record-setting brands within the FIA World Endurance Championship. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Hertz for being incredible partners to us on this journey and to show our gratitude to GM/Cadillac for having the belief in us, not just in our ability to perform but also for their trust in the level that we are going to represent one of their most prestigious brands on a global stage. We can’t wait to see what we can do together this year.”
Drivers Will Stevens, 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button and Norman Nato return to the team that earned a historic victory at Spa-Francorchamps for a privateer and second successive FIA Hypercar Team World Cup Championship this past season. They will be joined by Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn, who return as Cadillac Racing teammates for the third consecutive WEC season and fourth overall, and Sebastien Bourdais. Driver pairings will be announced at a later date.
The eight-race global calendar begins February 20-21 with the annual WEC Prologue leading into the Qatar Airways Qatar 1812Km on February 28 at the Lusail International Circuit. The race will mark the second consecutive year of the season opener on the 5.419-kilometer (3.367-mile), 16-turn circuit north of Doha, Qatar.
For more than a century, racing has provided a testbed for Cadillac to transfer knowledge and technology between racecars and production vehicles, as well as a way to build a fanbase for the brand around the world.
The Cadillac V-Series.R, powered by the purpose-built 5.5-liter DPOHC V8 engine, marks the third-generation Cadillac prototype racecar and the brand’s first hybrid electrified race car. Codeveloped by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara, the racecar represents the fifth generation of the V-Series, incorporating key Cadillac V-Series production car design elements such as vertical lighting and floating blades.
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.
SOUTH BOSTON, VA…..Competitors in South Boston Speedway’s Late Model Stock Car Division and Limited Sportsman Division will race on a new tire during the 2025 season.
South Boston Speedway and Hoosier Racing Tire officials announced that competitors will race on Hoosier’s new F45* (star) tire, a tire developed by Hoosier Racing Tires that will provide competitors a tire offering greater durability and consistency. The new F45* (star) tire will also be used by the CARS Tour in 2025.
“We’re extremely excited about this,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Brandon Brown. “We’ve worked very hard with Hoosier to get to this point. After the test here in December and the feedback we got, we’re confident this F45* tire will put on great racing for our fans and be a tire our competitors are extremely pleased with. A huge thanks to Hoosier, the CARS Tour, and our friends at all the tracks running Late Model Stock Cars for the collaboration on this effort.”
The new Hoosier F45* tire retains the same compound of Hoosier Racing Tires’ F45 tire that was used in 2024, but the construction of the tire will be stronger and more durable.
According to Hoosier representatives, all F45* tires will be within a half-inch chalk mark. To denote the difference between the two tires teams will begin to see a * (star) on the compound tag of the tire.
It was tested at South Boston Speedway by two-time NASCAR national champion and seven-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia, and Blake Stallings of Danville, Virginia, the runner-up to Sellers in the 2024 South Boston Speedway title chase.
Prior to the test at South Boston Speedway the tire was tested at Florence (South Carolina) Motor Speedway with driver Brent Crews who earned three wins, finished fifth in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car standings and earned the CARS Tour’s Rookie of the Year award while competing out of the Kevin Harvick Inc. stable.
“I’m looking for the best drivability, what’s going to put on the best show for the fans, what allows you to be able to go off into the corner and load the right-side tires up and not have the car get out from under you,” Sellers explained.
“You want to have guys being able to race side-by-side, door-to-door, and having good racing knowing the car is not going to be inconsistent in any way. At the end of the day, you want something that is going to be very forgiving, rolling in on the top side, rolling in on the bottom side, something that is not instantly going to lose grip and have a spike in any way where it gets the driver out from under him.”
Stallings notes that having a tire that can be used at a variety of tracks and across multiple series will help Late Model Stock Car Division racing.
“Getting a stable tire that works at a variety of racetracks and drives competitively at all of the racetracks is obviously the ultimate goal,” Stallings pointed out. “We raced at two different tracks last year that were on different tires. Putting everybody on the same playing field is going to be a huge step in the right direction as far as driving costs down in Late Model Stock Car racing.”
Stallings is grateful to Hoosier for taking steps to attempt to help competitors and speedways.
“All of the effort Hoosier is putting in to help grassroots racing helps Late Model Stock Car racing get stronger,” Stallings pointed out. “Helping competitors to be able to go from one track to another and not have to worry about what kind of tires they are on and getting some consistency back into Late Model Stock Car racing with the tire selection is going to help racing.
“It’s very gratifying to see Hoosier invest back into grassroots and Late Model Stock Car racing to keep us at a level where we are extremely competitive but also making it affordable the way grassroots racing should be.”
Hoosier Tire dealer Jimmie Doughton who works with Hoosier Tire South said the company was looking for a safe tire that will be consistent and make the racing better.
What we’re striving for is a tire that will be safe and more consistent,” he said. “We’re looking after the racer, something they like and will make the racing better.”
South Boston Speedway opens its 2025 season on Saturday afternoon, March 22 with the SMART Modified Tour’s King of the Modifieds race featuring Tour-Type Modifieds in a 125-lap race. In addition, the track’s Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will be featured in twin $2,500-to-win 50-lap races. Other divisions will be announced at a later date.
Advance tickets are priced at $20 each. Tickets may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $25 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $20 each at the gate on race day only. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free.
The latest news and updates at South Boston Speedway can be found on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours, and through the track’s social media channels.
Civic nameplate wins North American Car of the Year for a record 4th time
New Civic hybrid honored for sporty design, class-leading safety performance, excellent driving dynamics and fun-to-drive personality
Civic hybrid plays a key role in the Honda electrification strategy, expected to represent 40% of Civic sales this year
Detroit, Michigan, Jan 13, 2025 – (JCN Newswire) – The new Honda Civic hybrid, the electrified variant of America’s most popular compact car, has been honored with the prestigious 2025 North American Car of the Year™ award. It’s a record-setting fourth win for the Honda Civic, which has won more NACOTY honors than any other nameplate in the over 30-year history of the award.
The win also marks the second honor for the 11th-generation Civic and the seventh time a Honda vehicle has received a North American Car or Truck of the Year™ award – Honda Civic (2006, 2016, 2022 and 2025), Honda Ridgeline (2006 and 2017) and Honda Accord (2018).
“We are honored to have leading automotive journalists select the Honda Civic hybrid as the North American Car of the Year™,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “Our fun-to-drive hybrid-electric models are a key part of our Honda electrification strategy, and sales of the new Civic hybrid will ultimately represent about 40% of Civic sales.”
The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year™ awards honor excellence in innovation, design, safety features, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Initiated in 1994, vehicles are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for independent magazines, television, radio, newspapers, and industry websites.
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid
Positioned at the top of the refreshed 2025 Honda Civic lineup, the new Civic hybrid, offered for the first time as either a sedan or hatchback, combines the fun-to-drive spirit of Civic with the award-winning Honda two-motor hybrid-electric system.
With a combined 200 horsepower and an impressive 232 lb.-ft. of torque, the new Civic Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid are the most powerful non-Type R Civics ever. Featuring two large and powerful electric motors, the Honda two-motor hybrid system gives Civic hybrid quick, effortless acceleration with outstanding EPA fuel economy ratings – including a 50-mpg city rating for Civic Sedan Sport and Sport Touring hybrids1.
To further amplify the legendary fun-to-drive spirit and class-leading ride comfort of Civic, the ride and handling dynamics have been optimized with unique spring and damper tuning, and a special tire developed for Civic hybrid. Hybrid-electric trims also enjoy the highest levels of cabin quietness and ride comfort in the Civic lineup, with a robust noise reduction package that includes Active Noise Control on all hybrids, and wheel resonators on Sport Touring.
Civic is the longest-running Honda automotive nameplate and one of the top three best-selling passenger cars in America over the past 52 years2. Honda has sold over 15 million Civics in North America since 1973, and the 11th-generation Civic is an unparalleled success. Serving as the gateway to the Honda brand, it’s America’s most popular vehicle with not only Gen Z buyers, but also first-time new car buyers as well as multicultural customers3.
Honda Two-Motor Hybrid System
Honda is celebrating 25 years of hybrid sales in America. Honda began sales of the first-generation Honda Insight, America’s first mass-production hybrid-electric passenger vehicle, in December of 1999.
The new fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid system that powers Civic hybrid models maximizes efficiency without compromising dynamic performance or passenger and cargo space to deliver a sportier and more pleasant driving experience with exceptional fuel economy ratings.
Variants of the two-motor hybrid system are also available in the Honda Accord and CR-V and represent more than 50% of Accord and CR-V sales.
Praised for its power, efficiency and refinement by the editors at WardsAuto, the Honda two-motor hybrid system powering the 2025 Honda Civic Sedan and Hatchback received a “Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems” award. This was the second year in a row the Honda hybrid-electric powertrain has received this prestigious honor.
Hybrid-electric System Made in Ohio
The new fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid-electric power unit is built* by associates at the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio. It is paired with an all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine made at the Anna Engine Plant in Ohio. All major components in the engine have been redesigned and improved including the block, which now features stronger main bearing caps, cylinder head, crank, connecting rods and camshafts. These components are manufactured at the Anna Engine Plant for the first time, improving production efficiencies and increasing capacity.
Honda Civic Manufacturing
Honda has produced* nearly 12 million Civics in North America, including more than five million in the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of Honda vehicle production in the region since Honda began making cars in America in 1982. The 11th-generation Civic continues to build on that legacy with production* of the Civic Sedan in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, and Civic Hatchback at the company’s Greensburg, Indiana plant. Both plants produce Civic hybrid models.
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The award-winning Honda lineup includes the Civic and Accord, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport, Prologue and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Honda Ridgeline pickup, and the Odyssey minivan. The Honda electrified vehicle lineup, representing more than a quarter of total sales in 2024, includes the all-electric Prologue SUV, hybrid-electric Accord, CR-V, and Civic, and Fuel-Cell-electric CR-V e:FCEV, with a hybrid Prelude set to join the lineup in late 2025.
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2023, more than 99% of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, with about two-thirds made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
More information about Honda is available in the Digital FactBook.
Source: Wards Intelligence cumulative U.S. light vehicle sales among passenger cars, 1974-2023CY.
(1) 2025 Civic Hybrid EPA fuel economy ratings (City/Highway/Combined): Sedan: 50/47/49; Hatchback: 50/45/48; Use for comparison purposes only; your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition and other factors. (2) Based on total sales data from WardsAuto and Sales Flash 1973-2024CYTD October (3) Based on Strategic Vision’s New Vehicle Experience Study 2021-2023.
Anaheim, Calif., (January 11, 2025) A sold out Angel Stadium was alive with the excitement and anticipation of Round 1 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, part of the SMX World ChampionshipTM series. Red Bull KTM Racing’s Chase Sexton took his first opening round win in convincing fashion. Even with a brief stall near the midpoint, Sexton never relinquished the lead after taking it less than four minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap Main Event.
Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen also battled forward, reaching second place early and holding the spot to the finish. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson managed to avoid first-turn chaos and found himself in the lead on the first lap. After intense battles with Sexton and Roczen he finished the race on the podium with third place. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac crashed on the opening lap while leading. The defending champion, Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence, had two big mistakes in the opening laps and was only able to climb back to 12th spot. In the 250SX West class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Joe Shimoda rode a nearly flawless race and led every lap to take the victory.
First place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I kind of knew where I was at coming in here. I knew I had good speed. I feel more like myself in 2023 when I was fast, but I feel like I’m a little more mature now and I can get out front and kind of run my own laps and not make mistakes, so it was a fun race. [I] had Kenny behind me, and also Jason, and it was just a good ride. Honestly, I had so much fun on this track tonight. I can’t give it up to the team enough. They put in so much hard work this off-season to get me comfortable, knowing that I wasn’t comfortable last year; and coming in now we’re back where we need to be. We still have lots to improve; it’s only one race in and there’s 16 left, but we’re off to a good start and first time winning A1 feels pretty good.” – Chase Sexton, after winning the A1 Main Event following his Heat Race victory.
Second place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“My practices have been terrible, and then [in] the last one I was 13th. And It’s not like I’m stoked about it, but I told Larry [Brooks, Team Manager], I said, ‘I’m so not worried about that, you know? Because I know: I just was calm. Like, I had the calmness inside of me. I’ve done this a lot now and it showed. Again, we executed tonight. It was a little bit of mayhem on the start; I locked bars with a bunch of people and then I just rode such a solid race. And I know this sounds stupid, but in the bus earlier, in my head, I said, ‘I really want to get a second tonight. I think that’s perfect because first, you know, I don’t know, not on the first one. But second is like the perfect spot.’ And I made that happen; so, this is probably going to be the only race where I’m hoping for a second. What a night! Awesome night, bike worked great, I had a solid Main Event and I couldn’t be more stoked about the second place.” – Ken Roczen, on the podium, when asked about his slow start earlier in the daytime qualifying sessions.
Third place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“The whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team, we’ve been putting in a lot of work. I’m thankful to have them behind me and, yeah, that Main Event was crazy. That first corner, I went in there and I tangled with about everyone. I don’t know how I survived. [The contact] ripped some spokes out and I could just see them, like, ticking on my fork. And I’m so lucky that it [the wheel] survived the Main. Yeah, felt pretty good out there, had a lot of moments, and hoping to clean it up and see if we can stay up here on the podium. So, excited for the season.” – Jason Anderson, when asked what it takes to show up with the speed for a Supercross podium.
Fifth place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“Talk about a high and a low; I mean, oh my gosh, I just couldn’t believe it, you know?… [I] made the pass for the lead over the triple there. I’m like, ‘Okay, you know, here we go! Let’s put this great 20 minutes in…’ And just like that, it ended. I just tucked my front end there in that 90 degree corner. Good Ol’ Anaheim, gets slick in the evening, and didn’t respect it. So all these years I’ve done it and just, you know, barely made that mistake. I had a good come back, getting to that fifth. I’m excited [about] the way I rode the rest of the main there, so thank you… I was feeling just like I should, and what I know I can do, the whole day there. So great qualifying and a good quarter lap, but we’re going to come back. [laughs]” – Eli Tomac, when asked to describe his emotions after crashing out of the lead on the first lap.
In 250SX Class racing, Joe Shimoda took the win without being challenged throughout the 15-minute plus 1 lap Main Event. It was Shimoda’s first opening round podium finish. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer put in a strong performance; Beaumer was the fastest qualifier and won his heat race. He held close to Shimoda for much of the race but never got close enough to make a run at the lead. Triumph Racing Factory Team’s Jordon Smith recovered brilliantly from a tip-over in a left-hand turn. With just 11 seconds on the race clock he reached third place and held the spot to the end.
First place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“This is the start I was looking for every single year. And I think I was honestly sleeping on the gate [in previous seasons]. [Laughs] But we came out with a good start and just put in some consistent laps, you know, and never looked back. All this happened because of my team behind it. I’d just like to thank everyone at Honda, my trainer, mechanic and everybody… Thank you so much. Thank you, I love you guys.” – Jo Shimoda, when asked on the podium how it feels to start the season with a strong performance.
Second place 250SX Class, Western Regional 250SX Class Champion – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I think obviously I was fast in the off-season, but I haven’t translated that to a race yet. So, I had to show myself that tonight, and I think I did that. I believe I can be in the hunt for this championship and win these races. So, I’m going to get back to work this week and be ready for next weekend.” – Julien Beaumer, when asked about his impressive speed preparing for 2025 and what his first Supercross podium finish tells him.
Third place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I’m really happy with my riding tonight. I caught a [Tuff Blox] in that lefthander over there with my clutch and tipped over. I was feeling really good in the Main. I’ve just got to give it up to the whole Triumph Racing team… Going from the Star Yamaha team that I was on last year then moving over to the Triumph team, there’s so many question marks, right? But I have full belief in everyone over there. We put in the work this off-season. It was every day we had a better part, or a better this, or a better suspension setting. I mean, we couldn’t do it without all the guys that are there… It’s just a full team effort and it’s awesome to give them their first Supercross podium. Hopefully we can put it on top of the box here soon.” – Jordon Smith earning Triumph their first podium result in Supercross.
Fifth place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“Not really happy to get interviewed for fifth, but better than last year. We’ll take the positive. Obviously not a great start. It happens, [I] went down, [then] fought my heart out and made my way back up to fifth and that’s all I could do. But congrats to the boys, obviously the light should be shined on them and all we can do is come out swinging at the next race.” – Haiden Deegan, when asked about his impressive charge to fifth place.
The Anaheim broadcast began with a heartfelt message from play-by-play commentator Leigh Diffey, “And as we come on the air, the people of the Los Angeles area are still dealing with the extreme wildfires that ravaged the region this week… And our thoughts are with all who have been affected. And tonight, here in Anaheim, not too far down the road, hopefully the sport of SuperMotocross can serve as a source of light entertainment for those seeking it, and perhaps needing it.” A second message during the event encouraged fans to support the Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts by going to redcross.org, by calling 800-RED-CROSS, or by texting REDCROSS to 90999.
The 2025 Anaheim Opener pays points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercoss season as well as toward the SMX World Championship. The SMX League™ starts its third year in an exciting race format that combines both the Monster Energy Supercross season, the AMA Pro Motocross season, two SMX Playoff rounds and the SMX World Championship Final.
Every round of the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross season is available live and on-demand on Peacock. Select races will also be broadcast or streamed, live or encore, on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. CNBC will air an encore presentation of each round on the Monday following the race at 1:00p.m. ET. Spanish-language coverage is available live for every round on Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels. International coverage is available through the SMX Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) with live coverage of each round giving viewers the option of English, Spanish and French language broadcast teams. Live audio coverage can be heard for each race on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85. Race Day Live pre-event and daytime qualifying coverage is also available live for each round on Peacock. This allows fans to see each Monster Energy Supercross round from nearly anywhere on the globe.
Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California hosts Round 2 of the 2025 season. The racing starts at 8:30p.m. ET. Tickets are available now for the San Diego Supercross as well as every race of the 17-round Monster Energy Supercross season. For more information, race results, video highlights, or to purchase tickets please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Tickets for the SMX World Championship Playoffs in Concord, NC and St. Louis, MO, plus the Final in Las Vegas, NV will go on pre-sale, Tuesday, January 28, followed by public on-sale Tuesday, February 4. Friday FanFest, Saturday FanFest and camping options for each SMX event will be announced later in the season.
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.
NASCAR revealed a series of new and updated rule changes that were made to the sport’s rule book on Friday, January 10, and that will be implemented for the upcoming racing season.
The first item that was both revealed and is new to NASCAR highlights the creation of the “Open Exemption Provisional” (OEP) rule, which would enable “world-class competitors” opportunities to be guaranteed starting spots for an event, pending a pre-approval, case-by-case process from NASCAR. The OEP policy, which would mirror a similar policy called “promoter’s choice provisional” that would enable special or invited competitors to compete in events involving certain forms of short-track competition, would become a factor in the event if a Cup entry list for an upcoming race exceeds the maximum starting list of 40 cars.
Within this format that restricts any current full-time Cup competitor from being eligible, an OEP entry would still be eligible for race victories and an automatic berth to the Cup Series All-Star Race. The entry, however, would not be eligible for any race points, prize money, championship points or automatic berths to the Playoffs.
Thus far, Trackhouse Racing submitted a request to use an OEP policy to guarantee four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves and the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team, which is unchartered, a starting spot for this year’s 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Any additional uses of the OEP for the upcoming 2025 season remains to be determined.
Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Another rule that received a critical update was NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP). Beginning in 2025, any entry driven or towed to the garage after being involved in an on-track incident will not be automatically ruled out of a race. Instead, teams will be granted an opportunity to repair and have their respective cars return to the track.
The seven-minute clock will still be implemented across all racing venues, minus Atlanta Motor Speedway which runs on an eight-minute clock. The time limit in the clock represents the time all teams will receive to attempt to repair the cars on pit road. Any team that does not complete the repairs on pit road by the time the time limit expires will have to have their respective entries taken to the garage. Compared to the previous eight seasons, where any team that violates the DVP clock would automatically be ruled out of the event, the repairs can still be made for the entries to return.
Within the DVP update, an entry that is unable to return to pit road after being involved in an accident or is left with flat tires will be towed to the garage. In addition, any team that attempts to continue a race after their DVP time session expires will be penalized. This comes after numerous competitors and teams vocally and repeatedly criticized the original DVP policy throughout the 2024 season, including the Playoffs.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
A third critical component that was updated by NASCAR was the sport’s use of assessing Playoff waivers to competitors who miss even a single event throughout a season, especially throughout a regular-season stretch. We saw an occurrence of this last May when the 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson did not participate in the start of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to competing in the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and after having his Memorial Day double-duty attempt foiled due to Mother Nature. Despite being absent at Charlotte, Larson was still granted a waiver to be eligible for the 2024 Playoffs.
Within the updated waiver policy for the 2025 season, any driver who is suspended, misses a race or is absent for any reason aside from medical or emergency is subject to forfeit all past and future Playoff points earned throughout a season and before the Playoffs, even if granted a waiver. Competitors who are granted waivers for Playoff eligibility would commence the Cup Series’ post-season run for the championship with a maximum of 2,000 points once the Playoff standings are set.
Such medical or emergency reasons that include a competitor missing a race for the birth of a child and a family emergency would not result in any Playoff points being forfeited. Another exemption that matches the criteria of no points being forfeited is if a competitor is unable to compete an entire racing season due to age restrictions.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Additional rules that were revealed from NASCAR’s rule book include the following:
The penalty structure for any rule violations by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). These violations include manufacturer points being docked and/or both wind tunnel hours and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) test runs being revoked. Additional penalties include vehicle test sessions being limited, a code of conduct being enforced and event-roster protocols being implemented.
The use of suspensions being deferred without any form of appeal for an upcoming event after an assigned penalty is issued. This policy only applies for technical penalty purposes while any other form of suspension would be made with immediate effect.
The performance integrity, where NASCAR’s definition of the “100% rule” would solely focus on any form of manipulation occurring that would affect the outcome of any event or championship scenarios.
The practice and qualifying procedures across all racetrack types, were revealed on December 12.
With the new rules revealed, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to commence at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the Cook Out Clash on February 2 with a coverage start time at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. This event will be followed by the 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, scheduled for February 16 with a coverage start time at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Meanwhile, the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona on February 15 with a start time at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network while the Craftsman Truck Series season will commence the day prior, February 14, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Charlotte, St. Louis, and Las Vegas Named as Host Cities
ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 10, 2025) – During today’s SMX World ChampionshipTM season opening press conference in Anaheim, CA, the SMX LeaugeTM announced that zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, The Dome at America’s Center, and The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host the 2025 SMX World Championship Playoffs and Final in September.
Last year’s historical season saw two of the sport’s youngest and brightest stars cement their place in the history books as both defended their inaugural year championships and won. At just 18, Haiden Deegan earned his second 250cc World Championship while Australian generational-talent Jett Lawrence, at 21, became the first-ever repeat 450cc World Champion in the premier class.
SMX World Championship Playoff 1 will take place on Saturday, September 6 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. and Playoff 2 will take place on Saturday, September 13 at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo. The SMX World Championship Final will take place on Saturday, September 20 at The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas after a very successful return to the city for last year’s championship final.
zMAX Dragway is situated adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. and its world famous four-lane dragstrip and dual grandstands provide the perfect backdrop to host an SMX World Championship Playoff round. The Charlotte area is a hotbed for fans of the sport and is an easy city to get to from most points in the Eastern region. 2025 will mark the third year in a row for the city and venue to host the opening round of the playoffs.
zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. will once again play host to the first round of the SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Situated in the middle of the country, the Dome at America’s Center will be a perfect Midwest backdrop to host the second round of the playoffs. St. Louis is no stranger to the sport as the city has hosted 26 Monster Energy Supercross races since 1996 and has been a consistent host market on the schedule since. The venue has gone through several name changes over the years, but the Dome at America’s Center has long been lauded as having the best “dirt” in the world. The domed stadium and adjacent exhibition hall combined feature an impressively large footprint with which the master track builders will use to create a one-of-a-kind “motocross-inspired” SMX World Championship caliber track. The combination of event spaces will also provide a unique fan viewing experience unlike any other indoor stadium race.
Aptly named, The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is conveniently located just twenty minutes away from the world-famous Las Vegas strip. Last year’s sold-out event proved that fans were eager to get back to the “entertainment capital of the world” and enjoyed a plethora of unique VIP experiences that could only be concocted in a market like Las Vegas.
“The Strip” is one of the most iconic dragstrips in the country and joins zMAX Dragway as being one of just two dragstrips in the nation to feature four-wide racing. This expansive footprint allowed our master track builders to get very imaginative last year in creating the final SMX World Championship track and they will be eager to outdo themselves this year. Situated right across the street from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Strip is home to more than 50 events a year and provides an intimate viewing experience from the grandstands and suites while also offering fans the ability to “line the fence”, similar to what is done at a Pro Motocross event.
The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway provides an intimate viewing experience and loads of VIP options fitting for the “entertainment capital of the world”.
A variety of travel packages will be available to fans for the SMX World Championship Final. Please visit SMX World Championship Final Travel Packages for more details. Fans can purchase hotel and camping accommodations that include many ticketing and VIP experience options.
The SMX World Championship Playoffs and Final will feature the best athletes in the world as the top 20 in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points are automatically seeded into the playoff rounds. As in other sport playoffs, athletes will be competing for the sport’s ultimate World Championship title, and the prestige that comes from overcoming adversity through a 28-round, dual-discipline (indoor and outdoor) season, plus two SMX Playoffs and a Final.
All 17 rounds of the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SMX World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final will go on pre-sale, Tuesday, January 28, followed by public on-sale Tuesday, February 4. Friday FanFest, Saturday FanFest and camping options for each round and venue will be announced later in the season.
For information about the SuperMotocross World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news: Instagram: @supermotocross Facebook: @supermotocross Twitter: @supermotocross YouTube: @supermotocross
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 AMA Pro Motocross Championship: The AMA Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
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 Feld Motor Sports: 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 SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About MX Sports Pro Racing: MX Sports Pro Racing manages and produces the world’s most prestigious motocross series – the AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Championship. The industry leader in off road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators. Visit www.mxsportsproracing.com.
JR Motorsports (JRM) took to social media to reveal its crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season which features the return of four familiar names and one new name calling the shots atop their respective numbered pit boxes and paired drivers.
Beginning next season, Cory Shea will be serving as an Xfinity crew chief for JRM’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro entry which will be fielded as the “all-star” entry. Shea makes his move atop the pit box as a crew chief after recently serving as a car chief for veteran Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 JRM team that achieved the 2024 Xfinity Series championship. Thus far, Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, both of whom compete in the Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing, have been confirmed to pilot the No. 9 “all-star” entry for select events (nine total combined).
Speaking of JRM’s No. 7 team, Jim Pohlman, the reigning Xfinity championship-winning crew chief, will remain both atop the pit box of the No. 7 Chevrolet team and paired up with Allgaier as both strive to defend their title for the 2025 season. Pohlman first joined JRM as an Xfinity crew chief in 2023, where he navigated Allgaier and the No. 7 team to four victories and a runner-up result in the final standings. This past season, the duo captured two regular-season victories, made the Championship 4 round and outdueled the competition during the finale at Phoenix Raceway to win the title, which marked Allgaier’s first in the series after 14 previous attempts and during his seventh appearance as a Championship 4 contender.
Currently, Pohlman, who first served as a crew chief for Sheldon Creed at Richard Childress Racing for four Xfinity events in 2022, has achieved six victories, three poles, 25 top-five results and 41 top-10 results as a crew chief in the series.
Like Pohlman, Phillip Bell will be returning as a crew chief for JRM’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro team which will be piloted by Sammy Smith, the latter of whom returns for a second consecutive driving campaign at JRM in 2025. Bell, who embarked in his first season as a NASCAR crew chief last year, initially spent the first 23 scheduled events working atop the pit box of JRM’s No. 9 team and driver Brandon Jones. Then starting at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September, he shifted to JRM’s No. 8 team and was paired with Sammy Smith for the final 10 scheduled events. During the span, Bell notched his first victory as a crew chief after Smith won at Talladega Superspeedway in October, which enabled the duo to transfer to the Playoff’s Round of 8 and settle in 11th place in the final driver’s standings.
Through his first full-time season as an Xfinity crew chief (33 races total), Bell notched one victory, two poles, three top-five results and nine top-10 results as he prepares to lead the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet team and Smith on a full-time basis in 2025.
Meanwhile, Andrew Overstreet will be paired up with incoming Xfinity rookie Carson Kvapil, the latter of whom will be driving the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet entry for his first full-time campaign in the division amid a successful campaign in late model competition. Previously, Kvapil achieved the 2021 CARS Super Late Model Tour title and back-to-back CARS Late Model Stock Tour titles between 2022 and 2023. This past season, Kvapil also won the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 and the Icebreaker 125.
Overstreet, who first served as an Xfinity crew chief for driver Sam Mayer for three events in 2022, was a crew chief for JRM’s No. 88 “all-star” Chevrolet team that appeared in a total of 17 events in 2024. At Watkins Glen International this past August, Overstreet achieved his first Xfinity career victory as a crew chief after he navigated Zilisch to his first career victory in his series’ debut from pole position. In addition to Zilisch, Overstreet spent the 2024 season working with Kvapil, team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Connor Mosack and Bubba Pollard with the No. 88 team. He also served as a crew chief for JRM’s No. 1 team and Mayer for a single event this past season.
Through 21 appearances as an Xfinity crew chief, Overstreet has achieved one victory, two poles, 10 top-five results and 14 top-10 results as he strives to lead Kvapil to both his first victory and Playoff berth.
Like teammate Overstreet, Mardy Lindley will be paired with another incoming Xfinity rookie, that being Connor Zilisch as he will be piloting the No. 88 JRM Chevrolet for his first full-time campaign in the series. Lindley became an Xfinity crew chief for JRM for the first time in 2023 after spending the previous two seasons as a Craftsman Truck Series crew chief at Kyle Busch Motorsports. Paired with Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team, Lindley led both the driver and team to four victories and a Championship 4 berth, where they settled in third place in the final standings. This past season, Lindley and Mayer notched three victories and ended up in ninth place in the final standings after both fell short of reaching the Championship 4 round for a second consecutive season.
Through 62 appearances as an Xfinity crew chief, Lindley has achieved seven victories, one pole, 19 top-five results and 30 top-10 results as he strives to navigate Zilisch to additional victories and his first Playoff berth in 2025.
The 2025 season is scheduled to mark JR Motorsports’ 20th consecutive season as a full-time team in the Xfinity Series division. Since its inception, the organization has accumulated a total of 88 victories and four championships. The organization has also notched a combined 35 poles, 534 top-five results, 1,045 top-10 results and 14,308 laps led through a 19-year span as they strive for more on-track success for the upcoming racing season.
With the crew chief lineup set, JR Motorsports’ 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 15. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network.
Amber Balcaen (No. 70A Nitro Motorsports Toyota) was the fastest of 70 drivers that took time in the two-day ARCA Menards Series Pre-Race Practice at Daytona International Speedway. Balcaen turned her fast lap, 49.102 seconds/183.292 miles per hour, in a tight draft with her Nitro Motorsports teammate Thad Moffitt and fellow Toyota drivers out of the Venturini Motorsports stable.
Eighteen-year-old Chase Pinsonnault (No. 15 Venturini Motorsports Toyota) made a strong debut in the ARCA Menards Series, timing in second fastest at 49.226 seconds/182.830 miles per hour. Pinsonnault, a third-generation racer, has driven in the ASA STARS National Tour for NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar; he will make his first career ARCA Menards Series start in the Daytona ARCA 200.
Balcaen, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Pinsonnault, from Windsor, Ontario, gave Canadian drivers a sweep of the top two positions for the first time in the history of the pre-season practice runs at Daytona International Speedway.
Willie Mullins (No. 3M Mullins Racing Ford), last year’s General Tire Pole Award winner at Daytona International Speedway, was third fastest at 49.227 seconds/182.826 miles per hour, just one one-thousandth of a second off the pace set by Chase Pinsonnault.
Lawless Alan (No. 20 Venturini Motorsports Toyota), 2024 Talladega Superspeedway winner Jake Finch (No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota), and Isabella Robusto (No. 55R Venturini Motorsports Toyota) were fourth through sixth in the overall results. VMS had four of the top six drivers, all from Thursday’s session.
KLAS Motorsports had its two drivers in the Pre-Race Practice both in the top ten; the team’s regular driver Andy Jankowiak (No. 73J KLAS Motorsports Ford) was seventh fastest in the draft on Thursday, while newcomer Vincent Arthur (No. 73A KLAS Motorsports Chevrolet) was ninth overall.
NASCAR Xfinity Series hotshoe and utility crewmember in virtually every major motorsports series in America Brad Perez (No. 3P Mullins Racing Chevrolet) teamed up with team co-owner Willie Mullins in a right draft and set the eighth fastest lap of the week at 49.308 seconds/182.526 miles per hour.
Kole Raz (No. 76 AM Racing Ford) rounded out the top ten at 49.536 seconds/181.686 miles per hour.
Jeff Scofield (No. 07 Finney Racing Chevrolet), Jason Kitzmiller (No. 97 CR7 Racing Chevrolet), and Katherine Legge (No. 23 SPS Chevrolet) rounded out the top 13 on the speed chart, all setting their fast laps on Thursday. Dale Quarterley (No. 4 Quarterley Racing Chevrolet) turned in the 14th-fastest lap and was the fastest driver in Friday’s session.
Other notable drivers in the two-day session included Thad Moffitt in 17th, Hendrick Motorsports development driver Corey Day in 19th, Joe Gibbs Racing youngsters Brent Crews and William Sawalich in 20th and 21st respectively, Pinnacle Racing Group’s Brenden Queen – who will race for the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2025 – and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves in 26th and 27th.
Seven drivers representing regional and grassroots racing series made laps in the ARCA Menards Series Road to Daytona program, led by Trevor Huddleston who was 39th overall. The other six drivers, Ty Fredrickson, Dustin Smith, Burt Myers, Zachary Tinkle, Austin Beers, and Chase Burda, all ran approximately 100 miles in single-car runs in cars prepared by 1995 ARCA Menards Series champion Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track High Performance Racing Team.
The 62nd Annual Daytona ARCA 200 is set for Saturday, February 15 at 12 noon. The race will be televised live on FOX and will be carried live nationwide on select affiliates of the MRN Radio Network. Live timing and scoring data from all on-track activity, including practice on Thursday, February 13, and General Tire Pole Qualifying on Friday, February 14, is available at ARCARacing.com. Follow @ARCARacing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates and information.
About ARCA The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).
About Menards A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture. Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries. And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.
