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Front Row Motorsports: Las Vegas Motor Speedway NCS Race Advance (Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith)

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Official Release
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Front Row Motorsports
Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Las Vegas Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance

Event Details:

Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Track Size / Surface: 1.5-miles / Asphalt
Track Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Race Date: October 4, 2026
Race Start Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Race Information: 267 Laps (Stages – 80 / 165 / 267) – 400.5 Miles
Television: USA
Radio: SiriusXM / PRN

Event Notes:

  • 31st points-paying event of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. 33rd on-track event overall this season for the series.
  • Second NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Speedway this season.
  • Fifth race of The Chase, the NASCAR Cup Series postseason.

No. 4 Team Details

Driver: Noah Gragson

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Primary Sponsor: Rush Truck Centers

Standings: 31st

Recent Season Results:

Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 36th
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 16th
World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 33rd

Driver and Team Event Notes

Noah Gragson will make his eighth Las Vegas Motor Speedway start this Sunday. In seven previous NASCAR Cup Series start at the track, Gragson has three top-15 finishes, with his best result of sixth occurring in the March 2024 event.

The hometown hero has an impressive NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Part Series record at the 1.5-mile track, recording seven top-five finishes in eight starts.

Rush Truck Centers Event Notes

Rush Truck Centers, the premier solutions provider for the commercial vehicle industry, will again join Gragson and company for the 267-lap race. This weekend will be Rush Truck Centers’ 11th primary sponsorship race of the season.

With a commitment to keeping customers up and running, Rush Truck Centers proudly serves the mountain west region, with nearby locations in Las Vegas (Nev.), St. George (Utah) and Flagstaff (Ariz.).

For the haul to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and each week during the NASCAR Cup Series season, the Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse race cars are transported to the track behind the power of Peterbilt Model 579 tractors, provided and serviced exclusively by the team at Rush Truck Centers. To find the Rush Truck Centers location nearest to you, visit rushtruckcenters.com.

No. 34 Team Details

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Primary Sponsor: Love’s Travel Stop’s

Standings: 22nd

Recent Season Results:

Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 19th
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 19th
World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 24th

Driver and Team Event Notes

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race will mark Todd Gilliland’s 10th series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Gilliland has scored four top-10 finishes in seven starts at the track.

Love’s Travel Stops Event Notes

Love’s Travel Stops returns with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for Sunday’s race.

This will be Love’s Travel Stops 16th race of the 2026 season with Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford team.

Love’s Travel Stops has rolled out a major update to the Love’s App, introducing a unified Love’s Rewards program that now benefits every customer who stops at Love’s. Whether fueling up, grabbing a snack, or stocking up on Love’s-branded products, customers can now save and earn points at every turn simply by scanning the Love’s App in-store or at the pump.

The new Love’s Rewards program focuses on delivering meaningful value at every stop and aims to make Love’s the first stop drivers think of on the road. Love’s Rewards App users can also save 10¢ per gallon on gas and up to 25¢ per gallon on auto diesel. Fans can download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. To explore all the new benefits of the Love’s Rewards program, visit www.loves.com/loves-rewards.

No. 38 Team Details

Driver: Zane Smith

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Primary Sponsor: Losi RC Cars

Standings: 27th

Recent Season Results:

Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 31st
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 28th
World Wide Technology Raceway (September 13) – 36th

Driver and Team Event Notes

Zane Smith will make his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. In five previous starts, Smith’s best result occurred in the March 2026 event, when he started 12th and finished 14th.

In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Smith has five top-10 finishes at the track, over seven starts.

Losi RC Cars Event Notes

The No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will carry Horizon Hobby’s Losi brand with a scheme that was unveiled at Front Row Motorsports’ 2026 Fan Day in May and debuted at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Horizon Hobby and its Losi brand have strategically built a footprint in NASCAR for RC enthusiasts and racing fans alike, becoming the officially licensed maker of NASCAR RC cars.

In 2024, Horizon Hobby debuted six NASCAR Cup Series schemes, including the No. 34 Horizon Hobby Ford Mustang Dark Horse. All current offerings can be found at your local RC dealer or online at www.horizonhobby.com/nascar/.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Spire Motorsports South Point 400 Race Advance

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Official Release
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  • In 31 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS), Spire Motorsports has one pole and 10 top-20 finishes. Justin Haley earned the team’s best result in March 2025 with a 14th-place effort. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series will contest the fifth race of The Chase Sunday at LVMS. Hocevar and Suárez sit 11th and 16th, respectively in the championship standings. McDowell is 20th in points following last week’s race at Kansas Speedway.
  • The South Point 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, Oct. 4 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 31st of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will also be broadcast live on the Performance 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 South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS).
  • Freeway Insurance was established in 1987. Freeway Insurance 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.
  • In 18 Cup Series starts at LVMS, Suárez has earned two top-five, four top-10 and 13 top-20 finishes. He’s also led 168 laps, the most he’s led at any track on the Cup Series schedule. In his last 10 races at LVMS, the veteran driver has finished inside the top 20 in all but one.
  • In March’s trip at the “Diamond in the Desert”, Suárez started 13th and ultimately finished 18th.
  • Last fall at LVMS, Suárez ran inside the top 15 for much of the day but finished 20th after pit-road miscues hampered his day.
  • The No. 7 Chevrolet team has delivered a 15.3 average finish in 30 races this season. Suárez has logged one win, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes, including 22 top 20s. He enters Sunday’s race ranked 16th in the standings, 13 positions better than he was at this point last season.
  • Last week at Kansas Speedway, Suárez started 14th and spent a portion of the day racing inside the top 10, before ultimately finishing14th, to earn his 16th top-15 finish of the season.
  • The newly minted father brings 352 Cup Series starts of experience to the field, along with victories at Sonoma Raceway (June 2022), Atlanta Motor Speedway (February 2024) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 2026). A 10-year veteran of NASCAR’s premier division, he has earned 27 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut in 2017. Suárez has also led 949 laps and collected three career poles.
  • Daniel Suárez Quote
  • Heading back to Vegas, what are your thoughts on the fall race?
  • “Vegas has been a really good track for me over the years and I feel like we’ve been able to find a good balance there. We’ve had some strong runs and led a lot of laps, so hopefully we can put everything together again this weekend. It’s a long race, but I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can put ourselves in position to fight for a good finish.”

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Ryan Sparks is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Sparks has called 231 Cup Series races, earning five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes since making his debut in NASCAR’s premier division atop the pit box in 2020.
  • The Winston-Salem, N.C., native’s best result at LVMS came in Spring 2022, where he led the No. 7 team to a 15th-place finish. Sparks has called 12 races at LVMS and overall, led the charge in 110 races on intermediate tracks, resulting in one victory, three top-five and six top-10 finishes.
  • Sparks joined Spire Motorsports in 2021, when 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 Daniel Suárez. He brings more than a decade of experience across all three of NASCAR’s national touring 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 Fly Alliance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s South Point 400.
  • Fly Alliance is a global private aviation company providing on-demand charter, jet card memberships, aircraft management, maintenance, and parts services. Headquartered at Orlando (Fla.) Executive Airport, the company serves clients across North America, Europe, and the Middle East with a commitment to precision, performance, and concierge-level service. Led by CEO, President and Co-Founder Christopher Tasca, Fly Alliance is built on innovation and operational excellence. Chris brings those same values to Tasca Motorsports, where racing serves as a natural extension of the Fly Alliance brand and its pursuit of performance on and off the track.
  • After 25 Cup Series starts at LVMS, McDowell is still searching for his first top-15 finish at the popular mile-and-a-half oval, located just 17 miles north of the famous Las Vegas Strip. In March 2025, McDowell won pole for the Pennzoil 400 and went on the finish 16th. The top starting spot marked Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award after McDowell toured the racetrack in 28.833 seconds (186.961 mph). He matched that same finish when the series returned for the second time later that fall. In the division’s most recent visit this March, the veteran racer started 30th and finished 26th.
  • While McDowell originally hails from Glendale, Ariz., he and his older brother, Billy, moved to Las Vegas while he was still a teenager to pursue opportunities in the karting business where they built, sold and raced karts.
  • The 2021 Daytona 500 Champion has made a pair of NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at LVMS, highlighted by a sixth-place finish in 2009.
  • Last weekend at Kansas Speedway, the father-of-five started 22nd, persevered through handing issues, but came away with a disappointing 27th-place finish.
  • Over the first 30 races of the season, McDowell has led 24 laps while logging three top-five and six top-10 finishes. He’s recorded a 16.7 average start, a 19.1 average finish and currently sits 20th in points.
  • Michael McDowell Quotes
  • Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been a challenge for you in the Cup Series. What are your thoughts heading into this weekend?
  • “Building on our 1.5-mile program is important with Las Vegas and Charlotte coming on back-to-back weekends. We have had some speed on those types of tracks. We sat on the pole at Las Vegas last spring, and Daniel (teammate Daniel Suárez) won at Charlotte this year. We had mechanical issues in March so that kept us from finishing better. We certainly expect to see some improvement this weekend.”

You’ve also got some personal history in Las Vegas.
“Outside of the racetrack, Vegas was an important part of my career. It is where my brother and I first took the first steps in my professional racing journey. We built and raced go-karts not too far from LVMS, and I learned so much during that time. That’s an important reason I always look forward to racing in Las Vegas.”

Travis Peterson – Crew Chief, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Travis Peterson serves as the Crew Chief for driver Michael McDowell and Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Across 142 starts serving in the crew chief role, Peterson has captured one win, eight poles, 10 top-five, and 29 top-10 finishes.
  • In seven previous races at LVMS, Peterson has led his team to one pole, four top-20, and six top-25 finishes, all with McDowell at the wheel.
  • 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 race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s South Point 400, the fifth of 10 races in The Chase.
  • Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), the leading broadband and video company in the nation and the fastest growing mobile provider in its footprint, with services available to more than 70 million homes and small to large businesses across 45 states. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. 
  • Hocevar and the No. 77 team, alongside teammate Daniel Suarez and Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team, are competing for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship honors. The opportunity marks the first appearance in The Chase for Hocevar and the first time a Spire Motorsports team will compete for a Cup Series title. Through four of 10 races in The Chase, the No. 77 team sits 11th in points, just 10 markers behind ninth.
  • Through 30 races, the Portage, Mich., native has already set career-highs in multiple categories:
  • Season-to-date results – one win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
  • 198 laps led
  • 785 points scored
  • 12.2 average start
  • 16.3 average finish
  • The 23-year-old driver has been one of the most improved on the circuit throughout the 2026 campaign. The team’s average starting position has improved by over five spots compared to this point in 2025, while its average finish has improved by 4.4 positions. Hocevar is on pace to improve his average finish by 5.3 positions by season’s end – the fourth-best of all drivers – while his 11th position in points is a 13-position improvement compared to the end of 2025 – the third-best improvement across the field.
  • Hocevar owns six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas, where he secured a venue-best 15th-place finish last March.
  • In the series’ first of two 2026 visits to the “Diamond in the Desert” in March, Hocevar started 19th and worked his way inside the top 10 by Stage 2. Unfortunately, a tire issue with five laps remaining in the second segment forced him to pit road under green-flag conditions where he lost a lap to the leaders, ultimately leaving him 22nd in the final rundown.
  • The six-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner owns four previous starts at LVMS, registering a series/venue-best seventh-place result in March 2023.
  • Last Sunday at Kansas Speedway, the driver of the No. 77 Chevy started and finished fourth in Stage 1, scoring seven stage points. He continued to manage top-10 track position in Stage 2 until contact on a Lap-121 restart left him with right-front and splitter damage to his machine. The No. 77 team worked to complete repairs, but the change in balance and grip made advancing through the field difficult, ultimately leaving Hocevar three laps off the pace, with a 33rd-place finish.
  • Hocevar registered his first-career victory earlier this season at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. He survived a late-race restart with three laps remaining and brought home the checkered flag to register Spire Motorsports’ second Cup Series win and first since the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
  • Carson Hocevar Quote
  • Coming off a tough week at Kansas, are you optimistic looking at the remainder of the schedule?
  • “I think so. There are some really good tracks coming up for us. Last week we were fast until we got caught up in that crash. It looked like a bunch of guys in the Chevrolet camp showed a lot of speed too, so I think there is a lot to look forward to.”

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Luke Lambert is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Carson Hocevar.
  • Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with Hocevar. The duo has logged two pole awards, one win, nine top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 110 races.
  • The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 20 NASCAR Cup Series events at LVMS, earning one top five and four top 10s, highlighted by a third-place finish with Ryan Newman in March 2015.
  • In three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Las Vegas, Lambert-prepared cars have yet to finish outside the top-three. He and driver Noah Gragson earned a pair of runner-up finishes at the venue in 2022.

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 July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 24, 2026, when Daniel Suárez won the NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports campaigns 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 also fields the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.

Resident Evel: Las Vegas’ Evel Knievel Experience Rides With Cody Ware in South Point 400

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2026) – Evel Knievel created an incredible highlight reel of jumping buses on his motorcycle. His mesmerizing leaps made for must-see TV and captured global attention throughout the 1970s and ’80s. Despite his passing almost 19 years ago at the age of 69, Knievel remains an icon whose legacy is promoted by Rick Ware Racing (RWR).

RWR team owner Rick Ware is a Los Angeles native who grew up amid Southern California’s car culture, which included hot rods at Pomona, stock cars, sports cars and Indy cars at Riverside, and motorcycles that ripped around the dirt at Ascot. He saw Knievel’s rise to prominence in person and in real time. Today, as a successful owner who fields entries across multiple motorsports disciplines, Ware is doing his part to ensure that Knievel’s place in Americana remains strong. He secured a marketing partnership with the Knievel family and is using Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to promote the recently opened Evel Knievel Experience in Las Vegas.

“Evel Knievel didn’t just ride a motorcycle – he flew it,” said Ware, owner of the No. 51 Chevrolet that his son, Cody, drives in the Cup Series. “I remember watching him jump buses, fountains, anything you could line up in front of him, and he made it a must-see event every time. I didn’t just see it on television, I was there. His career was filled with jaw-dropping moments that people will never forget. Being able to promote the Evel Knievel Experience in Las Vegas through our race team is our way of keeping those legendary feats front and center.”

The museum is located in Las Vegas’ downtown Arts District and features a range of mementos from Knievel’s career, with his lineup of motorcycles and star-spangled leather suits prominently displayed. Following Sunday’s race at Las Vegas, a different kind of racing suit will be added to the collection – Cody Ware’s firesuit, which mimics the iconic design of Knievel’s leathers and will be worn in Sunday’s South Point 400.

“Never in a million years would I have ever thought a firesuit of mine would be in any museum, let alone the Evel Knievel Experience,” said the 30-year-old Ware, who will make his 173rd career Cup Series start on Sunday. “To have something of mine represent even a fraction of all the history inside the Evel Knievel Experience is a true honor.”

Knievel would certainly appreciate Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Located just 15 miles north of the Strip up Interstate 15, the 1.5-mile oval is a fast, sweeping racetrack. Drivers lap its D-shaped layout in under 30 seconds at average speeds approaching 185 mph. With its corners banked at 20 degrees, two- and three-wide racing is common, and its aged asphalt offers enough grip for drivers to move around the racetrack in search of more speed.

“Vegas is one of my favorite tracks to go to on the schedule. It’s got a lot of character,” Cody Ware said. “Being out in the desert, it can be a little bit dusty, and you have some pretty significant bumps, especially over in the corners. You have to be very cognizant of your corner entry and the line you’re taking, because if you hit those bumps in turns one and two just the wrong way, it could end your day pretty quickly.

“And with the different lines you can run, you can find ways to make the car work for you even if your car isn’t exactly where you want it. If you don’t have a good handle on your car, there’s about a lane-and-a-half you can use in turns one and two. But if your car is handling well, you can take those bumps aggressively. That opens up a lot of racing opportunities from the bottom of the racetrack all the way to the wall.”

Getting a good-handling racecar means finding equilibrium between mechanical balance and aero balance.

“You have to have a lot of aero grip and a lot of downforce built into the car to make sure you can run aggressively, especially as tire degradation goes on during the run. That, and just compliance and platform control over the bumps in (turns) one and two,” Ware said.

Ware and his Cup Series counterparts raced at Las Vegas more than six months ago, when the air was cool. They return after the track has been baking beneath Nevada’s scorching sun. Despite another summer of intense weathering, Ware expects the asphalt to have the same feel it did in March.

“We race Las Vegas early in our season and then close to the end of our season, so the weather isn’t too drastic of a change for us. It’s the most consistent mile-and-a-half track we go to,” Ware said.

Ware aims to leverage that consistency into fast, repeatable lap times, a process that begins Saturday with practice at 1:30 p.m. PDT/4:30 p.m. EDT followed by qualifying at 2:35 p.m. PDT/5:35 p.m. EDT. TruTV and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide live coverage of both. Sunday’s South Point 400 goes green at 2:30 p.m. PDT/5:30 p.m. EDT with live, flag-to-flag coverage delivered by USA Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. The third-generation racer first got behind the wheel at age 6, beginning a career that has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s. He finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries forced Ware out of the driver’s seat and into full-time team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with his wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that competes full-time in the elite NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track, FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and zMAX CARS Tour.

Niece Motorsports To Host Fan Day Event Ahead of Charlotte Race Weekend

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Official Release
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SALISBURY, NC (Sept. 29, 2026) – Niece Motorsports welcomes fans to its race shop for its second-annual Fan Day event on Thursday, October 8, ahead of the NASCAR triple-header race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The organization, which was formed in 2016, hosted its inaugural Fan Day event in front of a large crowd last October, and looks to expand the festivities further this year. Conveniently located under half an hour away from the track, Niece Motorsports’ shop is a great location to kick off race week.

Among the activities scheduled for the event include an autograph session, live interviews, a special paint scheme unveiling, partner activation displays, shop tours, and team merchandise sales.

Drivers Ross Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Landen Lewis, Ron Hornaday, Andrés Pérez de Lara, Tyler Reif, Parker Eatmon, Conner Jones, Connor Hall, Donovan Strauss, Ben Maier, and Matt Mills will all participate in an autograph session from 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM.

Team partners including Acceptance Insurance, Circle B Diecast, Nightclubs Suck, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Melon 1 will each have a presence activating at the event, while Blues Hog will be on-site selling delicious barbecue throughout the day.

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio hosts Brad Gillie and Dave Moody will interview several of the team’s drivers and key personnel during the event, giving fans a unique behind-the-scenes look into what goes into a live radio broadcast.

Fans in attendance will be among some of the first to see a special paint scheme that the team will race later this year before it gets shared with the public at 1:30 PM. They will also have a chance to tour the race shop in its entirety and purchase team merchandise in-person at a discounted rate.

“We are looking forward to hosting our second-annual Fan Day,” said Amanda Efaw, Chief Marketing Officer for the team. “We had a great turnout last year and are excited to involve even more of our partners in this year’s event. Fan Day gives our partners a valuable opportunity to engage directly with race fans while allowing fans to spend time with our drivers and get a closer look at Niece Motorsports. We love being able to open our doors and welcome the people who support our team.”

Join Niece Motorsports on Thursday, October 8 and be sure to share the invitation to others via the Facebook event page. For more information, please visit the team’s social media accounts.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

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

STAMPEDE OF SPEED BRINGS A TEXAS-SIZED SHOWDOWN TO PLAYOFFS WITH TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

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Official Release
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ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 29, 2026) – The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is headed to the famed Texas Motorplex for a Texas-sized event for the sixth annual Stampede of Speed and the main event of the 10-day extravaganza, the 41st annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, which takes place Oct. 9-18 at the famed facility as part of NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

The NHRA FallNationals takes place Oct. 14-18 and marks the 18th of 20 events in the 2026 NHRA season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship. The race has always been a pivotal playoff and with the stakes as high as ever, every NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series championship contender knows how important it is to perform well in Dallas.

That was the case just a year ago when all four drivers who won the NHRA FallNationals finished as world champions. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won the highly coveted NHRA FallNationals cowboy hat and the Wally trophy, emphasizing the magnitude of the annual stop at legendary Texas Motorplex.

This year’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 18, and it’s a weekend loaded with big moments during NHRA’s milestone 75th anniversary season.

The action kicks off in a big way on Friday with two qualifying rounds and the thrilling “JEGS Friday Night Live,” featuring the popular “Battle for the Saddle.” More than $40,000 in bonus money is on the line for drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The low qualifier under the lights on Friday night will net Top Fuel and Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the quickest qualifier in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

For the must-see night session, fan are encouraged to wear black and yellow as part of a special “Black and Yellow Bash,” another fun aspect of “JEGS Friday Night Live”.

Like Friday Night’s action, fans will enjoy VP Racing Spirits Final Qualifying during the second qualifying session on Saturday afternoon (and fourth overall). VP Racing Spokesperson Ida Zetterstrom will be joined by the VP Racing Mad Scientist mascot to represent the brand and their Twisted Sisters Texas Whiskey debuting at its first motorsports event, the NHRA FallNationals. All four pro classes will be competing for a “Speedy Armadillo” trophy during VP Racing Spirits Final Qualifying, where Zetterstrom will present the awards. Eliminations will commence on Sunday, where winners will be crowned at the legendary facility during another memorable stop at Texas Motorplex.

As NHRA’s year-long celebration of its 75th anniversary season, fans will be treated to incredible racing from the 340-mph nitro-burning machines as well as a tribute to Texas Motorplex owner Billy Meyer, as he is honored as one of NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers.

Last season, Top Fuel’s Kalitta earned his third Dallas victory and then won his second world title. This season, Kalitta has four wins as well as the regular season title, but his teammate Shawn Langdon has been red-hot with seven wins. He’s currently on a three-race win streak, while taking on the likes of Antron Brown, Leah Pruett, rookie standout Maddi Gordon and motorsports legend Tony Stewart.

Prock picked up his first Dallas win last year before rolling to his second consecutive Funny Car title. This season, four-time world champion Matt Hagan currently leads the points, with Jordan Vandergriff sitting second. Former world champions Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman are also firmly in the mix as one of the closest Funny Car points battles in recent years heads to Dallas.

Pro Stock standout Glenn won for the first time in Dallas last year en route to the world title. He won the regular season title and currently sits third, behind Matt Hartford and current points leader Greg Stanfield. Others to watch include Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr. Troy Coughlin Jr., as well as Texan Erica Enders.

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Gadson won over Brayden Davis last season on his way to his first world title. Gadson won the regular season championship and remains in the points lead early in the Countdown, facing off against a field that includes Gaige Herrera, Matt and Angie Smith, John Hall, Ryan Oehler and Chase Van Sant.

The Texas NHRA FallNationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which begins on Wednesday, Oct. 14, as well as the finale in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and Right Trailers Outlaw Street.

Fans will also be treated to the JEG’s Allstars event, which pits sportsman racers from across the country against each other, beginning on Friday, Oct. 16. The unique specialty race is back as a highlight of the 2026 Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex and is one of the most highly-anticipated sportsman events of the year.

Leading into the race weekend, fans can take part in several events during the massive 10-day Stampede for Speed. That includes the Stars of Texas Music Festival (October 9-11), the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional race (October 12-13) and the popular NHRA FanFest presented by Red Line Oil at Railyard Park in downtown Waxahachie (Thursday, October 9), where fans can meet and get autographs from the top stars in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the JEGS Allstars.

Race fans at Texas Motorplex 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 well as the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans can congratulate the winners.

Fans with reserved tickets with a pit pass get access to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction. They can see their favorite teams in action in the pits, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway with interactive displays, merchandise and food.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 16, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 18. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET.

To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, call 800-668-6775 or visit tickets.texasmotorplex.com. For info about 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 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports 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.

ARCA Menards West at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch Classic Pres. by Star Nursery

By
Official Release
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THE RACE: Kyle Busch Classic Presented by
Star Nursery & WCSCMHOF
THE PLACE: The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
THE DATE: Friday, October 2, 2026
THE TIME: 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT
TV: FloRacing, Live

ARCA Menards Series West at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch Classic Pres. By Star Nursery and West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame

Pre-race Notes

  • The ARCA Menards Series West heads into its championship stretch at one of its most familiar venues, but a huge variable looms ahead as new pavement awaits at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The track was repaved over the summer and has seen very little on-track activity leading into Friday’s Kyle Busch Classic Presented by Star Nursery and West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame.
  • Trevor Huddleston (No. 50 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) leads the ARCA Menards West standings by 40 points over Mason Massey (No. NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet) with three races remaining. Huddleston won at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025 and has four top-five finishes in his last five starts at the track, while Massey will be making his first appearance at The Bullring.
  • Hailie Deegan (No. 16 Monster Chevrolet) heads to Las Vegas fresh off her fourth career ARCA Menards West victory and her first in seven years last Saturday night at Madera Speedway. Deegan has gone to victory lane on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway property; her second career series win came at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2019.
  • Robbie Kennealy (No. 1 Jan’s Towing / Jan’s Racing Ford) has made a charge through the series standings since a 20th-place finish in the season opener at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. Kennealy finished fourth last weekend at his home track in Madera, and sits just two points out of second in the point standings. Kennealy and Huddleston are the only two drivers with nine top-ten finishes in 2026.
  • Vito Cancilla (No. 20 Home Smiles / Impact Transportation Chevrolet) will make his West debut in a third Bill McAnally Racing entry. The 15-year-old is the great grandson of Coz Cancilla, the winning champion car owner and crew chief for 1955 series champion Danny Letner.
  • Taylor Mayhew (No. 17 MMI Services Chevrolet) will make his fourth start of the season and first since Sonoma Raceway in June. Mayhew, the son of former ARCA Menards West winner David Mayhew, finished third in his series debut at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in February.
  • Helio Meza (No. 28 Alessandro’s / Heraldos Media Chevrolet) has won eight of ten Trans Am TA2 races in 2026 and will be making his ARCA Menards Series platform debut at The Bullring. The Houston native was born with bilateral aural atresia, the failure of the ear canal to form, and can hear through bone conductivity. He will be driving for the Pinnacle Racing Group team that won the West race at Phoenix Raceway with Carson Brown in March.
  • Nitro Motorsports will field entries for Mia Lovell (No. 15 Pine Health Toyota), Sam Corry (No. 25 Nitro Motorsports Toyota), and Quebec native Donald Theetge (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota).
  • In addition to entries for series regulars Kennealy and two-time 2026 winner Cole Denton (No. 71 Jan’s Towing Ford), team owner Jan Qualkenbush and his son JJ will field a third entry for Tucson native Quinn Davis (No. 41 Jan’s Towing / Dollywood Ford). Denton will be looking to rebound from a 21st-place finish at Madera, while Davis – who finished eighth in the ARCA Menards East standings – will be looking for her first career series top-ten finish.
  • Previous ARCA Menards West winners at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway include Ron Hornaday, Jr. (1994), Ernie Cope (1995), Mark Reed (2001), Austin Cameron (2002), Jim Inglebright (2003), Greg Pursley (2011, 2012), Sam Mayer (2020-1), Gracie Trotter (2020-2), Taylor Gray (2021, 2022), Dylan Cappello (2023), and Trevor Huddleston (2025).
  • ARCA Menards West races at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have gone into overtime on two previous occasions, in 2022 and 2023. Should the race be extended into overtime, it will conclude with unlimited attempts at a two-lap green flag followed by white flag followed by checkered flag finish. Should the caution flag be displayed after the white flag is displayed, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap green and white flag together followed by checkered flag finish.
  • The Madera 150 Presented by West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame is set for 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT on Saturday, September 26. The race will be streamed live on FloRacing. Live timing & scoring data and live race audio will be available on ARCARacing.com; for up-to-the-minute updates please follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly known as Twitter).

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.

ZONiE Expands to Primary Sponsorship for Garrett Smithley at Las Vegas

By
Official Release
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ZONiE will take center stage on the No. 0 Chevrolet in the Focused Health 302

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (September 28, 2026) – ZONiE Beverages is expanding its partnership with Garrett Smithley and will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 0 Chevrolet for the Focused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 3. The expanded role builds on the partnership announced earlier this month, which placed ZONiE on Smithley’s car for the remainder of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

ZONiE’s growing presence in NASCAR reflects the company’s genuine passion for the sport and its fans. The Las Vegas primary sponsorship is an important step as ZONiE works to build a lasting place in racing and connect with a fan base known for loyalty and strong support of the brands that support the sport.

“I’m excited to represent ZONiE at Las Vegas,” Smithley said. “This is the first of many races together, and I’m happy to carry a company like theirs on my race car.”

ZONiE and Smithley share a commitment to faith, family and freedom. NASCAR’s culture of hard work, perseverance, performance and community closely matches the values that guide the ZONiE brand. The company views its investment in the sport as a way to develop long-term relationships with fans, teams and partners while introducing more people to the ZONiE lifestyle.

“NASCAR fans are among the most passionate and loyal in sports, and Garrett perfectly embodies the hard work, faith, and dedication that our brand stands for. We’re thrilled to take center stage on the No. 0 Chevrolet for the Las Vegas race and continue sharing the ZONiE lifestyle with racing fans across the country, said Troy Clegg, CEO and Co-Founder of Zonie Beverages”

The Las Vegas event gives ZONiE a national platform during one of the most competitive stretches of the season. Smithley and the No. 0 team will carry the brand’s colors throughout the race weekend as the partnership continues to grow on and off the track.

Tune In

Race: Focused Health 302
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: The CW
Radio: PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

About ZONiE

ZONiE is an American-made functional energy drink brand built around its Mind, Body and Soul philosophy. Its smooth, non-carbonated beverages are made with organic ingredients and performance-focused nootropics, with naturally caffeinated and caffeine-free options. Learn more at zoniebev.com.

Ford Racing NASCAR – Las Vegas Chase Advance

By
Official Release
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LAS VEGAS 2

Sunday, October 4 — NASCAR Cup Series, 5:30 p.m. ET (USA)

The second of three straight intermediate tracks is on tap this weekend as Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the NASCAR Cup Series for the second time in 2026. Ford has 16 all-time series wins at the 1.5-mile facility, which is the most among all manufacturers. Joey Logano leads the way for Ford with four victories while Brad Keselowski has three.

FORD DRIVERS IN THE CHASE

4th – Joey Logano (-67 behind leader Kyle Larson)

5th – Ryan Blaney (-91)

9th – Austin Cindric (-140)

14th – Ryan Preece (-173)

15th – Chris Buescher (-186)

LOGANO’S DRIVE FOR FIVE

Joey Logano has four NASCAR Cup Series wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, tying a personal best for a single track with Phoenix Raceway. Statistically, Logano has made 26 career starts at Las Vegas with an average finishing position of 9.8, which is his second-best mark in races where he has at least 10 starts (Richmond is first at 9.6). Besides his four Vegas victories, Logano has 8 top-5 and 15 top-10 finishes since joining the series in 2009.

BLANEY STILL LOOKING FOR VEGAS WIN

Ryan Blaney will be making his 21st career NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend and while he’s been consistently up front with six top-5 and 10 top-10 finishes, he’s still looking for his first victory. Blaney, who won the pole in 2018, finished 16th earlier this year at LVMS which broke a stretch that saw him crash out of consecutive races at the track in 2025.

CINDRIC SOLID IN CHASE

Austin Cindric’s second place finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway is the latest example of how consistent he’s been since the Chase started. In the first four races, Cindric has an average finish of 9.0 and has been no lower than 13th at the checkered flag. That string of solid efforts has also allowed him to move up from 15th when the Chase started to ninth going into Sunday’s event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

CINDRIC CHASE FINISHES

13th – Darlington

10th – Gateway

11th – Bristol

2nd – Kansas

JOEY LOGANO: “Vegas has been a great track for us, especially the fall race. It’s been kind of what’s propelled us into the championship the last few times we’ve won it. So hopefully, that’s something that continues. It’s been a good track for Team Penske in general. Yeah, we know the mile and a half tracks have been a little tough, but that’s probably been our best mile and a half. So, I feel pretty optimistic.”

RYAN PREECE: “Vegas is definitely a place that I feel like we’ve had good runs in the past. There’s no reason why when we go to Kansas, Vegas and Charlotte that we can’t have good days with our RFK Ford Mustangs.”

LOGANO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF SECOND CHANCE

Joey Logano began his run to a third NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2024 when he won the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, passing Daniel Suarez with five laps remaining. That capped a frenetic week that saw Logano eliminated after the Charlotte ROVAL and then reinstated after Alex Bowman was disqualified during post-race inspection. Logano took advantage of his second chance, finishing eighth and fifth in the first two stages of the race and then going into fuel conservation mode. His strategy paid off as he got by Suarez and then held off a hard-charging Christopher Bell on the final corner to register his third points victory of the season and fourth overall, including the All-Star Race.

FORD’S CUP SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS

1998 – Mark Martin

1999 – Jeff Burton

2000 – Jeff Burton

2003 – Matt Kenseth

2004 – Matt Kenseth

2008 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Carl Edwards

2014 – Brad Keselowski

2016 – Brad Keselowski

2018 – Kevin Harvick (1) and Brad Keselowski (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1)

2020 – Joey Logano (1)

2022 – Joey Logano (2)

2024 – Joey Logano (2)

2025 – Josh Berry (1)

The Ford Mustang® coupe is America’s best-selling sports car and has a global racing presence. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke regional one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 21 Mustang race cars are scheduled to compete across all active disciplines. Learn more about Mustang at www.FordRacing.com.

How Secure SD-WAN Is Changing the Way Businesses Manage Distributed Networks

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

Organizations no longer operate from only a few central locations. People work from branch offices, home, and regional offices, while applications and data reside in cloud networks. As a result, network management faces new challenges.

Connectivity must be reliable, application performance must be consistent, and security policies must apply regardless of location without adding extra administrative burden.

A secure approach to SD-WAN networking connects security, traffic management, and connectivity even more closely. Instead of depending on hard-wired routing and manual device configuration, companies can manage traffic using policy-based approaches.

Why Distributed Networks Are More Complex

Today, a corporate network may include headquarters, branches, offsite employees, cloud apps, data centers, and third-party providers. Each has its own requirements for connectivity and performance.

One branch may use broadband connectivity, while another uses private or cellular backhaul. Additionally, offsite employees can also use cloud applications to communicate and collaborate.

And here is the main problem – the path of the traffic does not have a single direction anymore from users to a data center. Moreover, traditional methods may force an IT department to configure each individual device manually.

Moving From Fixed Paths to Policy-Based Networking

One key innovation of SD-WAN is the ability to manage traffic with centralized policies.

Rather than treating all routes the same, policies are now set up based on application needs, network status, business needs, or security.

For example, a company could prioritize voice and video traffic when real-time communication matters. Non-critical traffic could then take another route if the first is congested.

This makes network management more flexible. Instead of determining how each type of traffic flows through the network, the administrator sets policy rules that let the network manage itself based on those policies.

This means shifting from device management to network behavior management.

Security and Connectivity Work Together

Distributed networks pose a greater security threat because applications, users, and devices connect from various locations, so security controls should work the same way in these environments.

The branch may connect directly to the cloud applications instead of sending all data through the headquarters. Although this reduces the backhauling process, security must be considered beyond the traditional perimeter.

SD-WAN security can introduce new security considerations into network design. The implementation choice would allow features such as encryption, segmentation, access control, inspection, and policy enforcement.

This method is similar to recommendations by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which stresses resiliency and consistent enforcement of security policies where there are various connectivity options used by branch offices, such as SD-WAN.

Security need not be an afterthought once routing decisions are made.

What Changes for Network Teams?

The biggest operational change is often centralized management.

A centralized approach makes it easier to establish common policies and apply them across multiple sites.

This may include for networking teams:

  • Less repetitive configuration
  • Greater consistency in policies between sites
  • Visibility into network conditions
  • Better management of alternative connectivity options
  • A faster reaction to changes in application needs

Application Performance Becomes a Network Consideration

Not all network traffic is equally important to business. For instance, a video conference may be vulnerable to delay and data loss, while a software patch may not be time-critical. A business application that handles customer transactions may be more mission-critical than other applications.

The application-awareness policy enables a business organization to consider workload attributes when managing network traffic. This can help a business utilize its network connections effectively.

If connection quality degrades, policies can route mission-critical applications to another connection, if appropriate.

Making Better Use of Multiple Connections

Many businesses no longer rely on only one type of connection at every site. Many types of broadband connections, private connections, wireless connections, and others, can be used for different purposes.

Multiplexing several connections can make it easier to handle connection problems, but adding more connections alone doesn’t simplify network management. The network should decide which traffic to route over which connection and which connection to use as a backup.

A secure SD-WAN provides a policy-based way to manage these links. Administrators can create policies based on application priorities, availability, performance, and security, not just static routing.

Greater Visibility Can Improve Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting distributed networks becomes hard when IT departments lack visibility into what’s happening across locations.

If an application slows down, the problem may be local network congestion, packet loss, or an unavailable connection, among other factors.

Centralized visibility lets teams analyze network behavior from a more holistic viewpoint. The administrator can detect whether the issue is limited to one branch, several branches, one application, or a specific type of connectivity.

The Internet Engineering Task Force’s work on SD-WAN overlay networks discusses policy-based routing, traffic segmentation, and secure communication over control planes as components of scalable SD-WAN architecture.

Scaling Without Adding Complexity

Adding another branch should not require developing a completely different network management policy.

As organizations grow, they need procedures that ensure connectivity deployment, security policy implementation, and performance monitoring.

A policy-based WAN makes this possible by letting organizations create standard configurations and policies that apply across locations.

Thus, scalability comes not from individual configurations, but from an enabling environment that supports more branches.

What Businesses Should Evaluate

Secure SD-WAN is not a one-stop solution for all networking technologies. First, businesses should understand their existing networking technology and its drawbacks.

Some important points that should be considered are:

  • Which applications are more sensitive to latency and packet loss?
  • How many locations require connectivity?
  • What connectivity options are available in each location?
  • Which points have security or visibility issues?
  • How are network policies being managed?

Businesses should also consider how their architecture will evolve as cloud applications, remote work, and distributed infrastructure grow.

The Broader Shift in Network Management

Secure SD-WAN represents more than a change in WAN technology. It reflects a broader shift in how businesses manage distributed connectivity.

This shift can also help organizations align network operations with business priorities.

Networks increasingly need to respond to application requirements, changing connection quality, cloud adoption, security policies, and organizational growth. That makes centralized visibility and policy-based control increasingly important.

For IT teams, the long-term value is a network that can adapt without requiring manual changes at every location. For businesses, this can support more consistent connectivity and security as operations become increasingly distributed.

As applications and employees move beyond traditional corporate boundaries, network architecture needs to follow them. Secure SD-WAN offers one approach to coordinate connectivity, performance, and security.

FAQs

1. What is a secure SD-WAN?

Secure SD-WAN is a software-defined WAN management technology that integrates policy-based traffic management with security features. It helps organizations manage connections across branches, remote locations, the cloud, and other dispersed facilities.

2. How does secure SD-WAN help distributed businesses?

It provides centralized policy management, application-based traffic management, network visibility, and the ability to use different connectivity options. This makes it easier to manage distributed networks as locations and applications grow.

3. Does secure SD-WAN improve application performance?

Sure it can. Based on application needs and network conditions, SD-WAN policies can route traffic through connections that suit specific workloads. Performance depends on the company’s infrastructure and network conditions.

4. Is secure SD-WAN suitable for cloud applications?

Absolutely. Secure SD-WAN can support applications and data across cloud and on-premises environments. This is enabled through the network’s policy-based methodology.

Why Good Drivers Make Risky Decisions When Running Late

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

Ask drivers whether they are safe behind the wheel and most will probably have a reassuring answer. Ask about everyone else on the road and the assessment can change quickly. The other driver was impatient. The other driver failed to leave enough room. The other driver should have been paying attention.

A recent Australian study puts numbers to that gap. In a survey of 2,334 drivers, 84% of respondents rated their own driving as safe during the 3pm rush. Just 42% said the same about other drivers.

The study, commissioned by Australian insurer Youi, also found that 62% admitted to at least one risky driving behaviour when running late. Taken together, the findings raise a useful question for anyone who considers themselves a capable driver. What happens to that judgement when the clock starts dictating the journey?

Confidence does not tell the whole story

There is nothing unusual about feeling confident on a familiar route. You know the junctions, the lane you need and where traffic usually slows. Repetition can make a journey feel easy to manage.

But confidence is a personal assessment. It does not account for the pedestrian approaching a crossing, the vehicle braking ahead or the driver beside you making an unexpected move.

The gap in Youi’s Project 3PM research is particularly relevant here. Drivers can see themselves as safe overall while acknowledging that time pressure changes their behaviour. A person does not have to think of themselves as reckless to make an impatient decision on a difficult afternoon.

That makes specific habits a more useful focus than a general verdict on whether we are good drivers. It is worth noting this is exactly the gap professional motorsport tries to close through repetition and process rather than instinct alone. A driver on a grid rarely relies on general confidence to get through a race clean. Formation laps, spotter communication, and rehearsed pit and restart procedures exist precisely because split-second judgement under pressure is not something even the most experienced drivers are asked to trust unassisted. The everyday equivalent of that discipline, a routine you follow regardless of how capable you feel that day, is what the research below is really pointing towards.

How running late changes the drive

Among those surveyed, 28% reported becoming impatient with other road users when behind schedule. More frequent lane changes were reported by 20%, accelerating through amber lights by 19% and exceeding the speed limit by 18%.

These are recognisable responses to feeling delayed. The lane beside you moves, so you want to move too. A light changes, and you are tempted to get through before another wait. A slow vehicle starts to feel like the reason the whole afternoon is falling apart.

Each decision can seem small in isolation. Together, they describe a journey increasingly shaped by the desire to recover lost time. Attention shifts towards getting ahead of the next car or reaching the next junction, when it needs to remain on the full road environment.

The useful moment to intervene is when that urgency first appears. Notice the temptation to change how you drive because you are late, then keep your decisions tied to the conditions in front of you.

Why the afternoon deserves attention

The study found that 55% of respondents considered 3pm more stressful for driving than any other time of day. It is a period when work travel, shopping, appointments and school collections overlap.

That mix makes it misleading to dismiss afternoon congestion as somebody else’s school-run problem. Drivers are sharing the road while trying to complete very different tasks, often with limited time between them.

Nearly a quarter of respondents, 24%, reported a road incident during the 3pm period in the previous year. That category included near misses and loss of vehicle control as well as collisions; it should not be read as a collision rate.

The research describes drivers’ reported experiences, rather than proving that every incident was caused by rushing. Even so, the combination of pressure, admitted risky behaviour and reported incidents gives motorists a reason to examine their routines.

Make a plan for being late

Most driving advice tells people to leave earlier. That can help, but it does not cover the days when a meeting runs over or an earlier appointment takes longer than expected.

A useful addition is deciding how to respond when the schedule slips. Before departure, tell the person expecting you about the delay. Drop an optional stop if possible. Set navigation while parked, so an unfamiliar route does not add another task once you are moving.

On the road, leave space, avoid unnecessary lane changes and accept that the journey may take longer than planned. If you need to change arrangements, wait until you can stop somewhere safe and legal. The delay is a scheduling problem to resolve without adding pressure to each driving decision.

Review habits before judging everyone else

Youi’s 3PM Playbook, developed with input from Road Sense Australia, encourages drivers to Plan, Prepare and Pause. It gives the familiar idea of preparation a place in everyday journeys, including a check of the driver’s state of mind before departure.

For someone who is already comfortable behind the wheel, the most valuable change may be modest. Leave the phone alone. Stay patient when a lane slows. Recognise that an appointment will be missed before treating every traffic gap as a chance to catch up.

A driver’s own habits are something they can act on directly. The next time an afternoon journey starts late, that is a useful place to put their attention, whether the drive in question is a school pick-up or the trip home from a track day.

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