Motorsports

23XI Racing’s approach has given Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick two of NASCAR’s best pit crews

Published

7 months ago

June 8, 2025

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Three years after a driver’s exasperation with his pit crew, a team executive’s social media post about needing to “clean up our messes on pit lane” and frustration on behalf of one of the owners, 23XI Racing has two of the best pit crews in NASCAR.

Bubba Wallace’s unit ranks first in the series in pit crew ratings as done by Racing Insights. Teammate Tyler Reddick’s crew ranks eighth heading into Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. The ratings are based on the time of pit stops, a crew’s consistency in servicing the car, positions grained during yellow-flag stops and penalties against the unit.

“It is certainly encouraging to see because we have definitely put a lot of effort into it,” 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin said of the progress the pit crews have made. “Not just money, but effort. Whether that be recruiting people, getting (them) to trust us that we have a process.”

That process started three years ago with Josh Shipplett, a tire carrier with no coaching experience who was promoted to be 23XI Racing’s pit coach.

Making the job more challenging was that 23XI Racing no longer would lease pit crews from Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2022 season. It was Shipplett’s job to find 10 pit crew members for the two teams the organization had at the time, put them in the right unit and train them to excel.

A recent decision by a federal appellant panel could lead to 23XI Racing becoming an open team in the next few weeks.

The 2022 season was a tipping point for the organization. That was just the second year for 23XI Racing, a team co-owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan. The organization put its resources into other areas to gain speed and leased pit crews from Joe Gibbs Racing.

That May, Steve Lauletta, president of 23XI Racing, responded to a fan’s comment about Wallace’s crew by saying on social media “we have to clean up our messes on pit lane and at least keep the 23 where it runs when they pit. Working hard at this frustrating issue.”

About a month later at Nashville, Wallace’s frustration boiled after another pit road miscue cost him several spots. He told Bootie Barker, then his crew chief, he was done talking to him for the rest of the race.

By the middle of the season, Hamlin said 23XI Racing planned to have its own pit crews.

That’s what Shipplett faced as he put together a group for the 2023 season. The focus was to recruit experienced crew members because the team didn’t want to develop young crew members with two teams it felt could win immediately.

“It started with Denny and ownership allowing us to have the mindset that we need to achieve some kind of consistency before we go for speed (in pit stops),” Shipplett, now the team’s athletic director, told NBC Sports this past week. “So, that’s really what we built the teams around.

“(The mindset then was) we want to keep the drivers in the races. We know this is a new program. We don’t expect to light the world on fire, but we’re trying to not take it out of the driver’s hands, team’s hands, in any way.”

As Wallace’s team gained consistency the focus turned to going for quicker pit stops in 2024.

NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 - Qualifying

Christopher Bell and his new spotter will be tested in today’s race, particularly on restarts.

The focus in 2023 was to have an average variation of half a second for Wallace’s team with its pit times. As the team improved, the average variation decreased to quarter of a second. Last year, Tyler Reddick’s pit crew had an average variation of about three tenths of a second.

“What we were chasing was to get to a point (that) whenever you have half a second of variation, it’s very hard to figure out what the problem is because when you have that much variation, it’s typically not one person. It’s typically several different people. It’s just whose turn is it?

“But whenever you get down to that quarter of a second of deviation, you can kind of pinpoint what exactly the issue is.”

As Shipplett analyzed the pit crews for both teams, he moved jackman Nathan Ricketts from Reddick’s team to Wallace’s team, joining front tire changer Austin Dickey, rear tire changer Adam Hartman, tire carrier Joe Crossen and fueler Josh Pech.

“He got more consistent,” Shipplett said of Ricketts after moving to the No. 23 team. “As a jackman, he flipped a switch. He was good, he was really good last year. This year, he’s extremely good and he’s gotten extremely consistent. So the rest of the team hasn’t lost any consistency, but now their jackman has gained it.”

Seeding for the In-Season Challenge will begin with the first June race at Michigan since 2019.

The key for Ricketts, Shipplett said, was his ability to mount the right front tire. Once the jackman raises the car, his duty is to put the right front tire on for the tire changer to tighten.

The better Ricketts is at putting the right front tire on, the quicker Dickey can be in tightening it. Even half a tenth of a second — .05 seconds — can be vital. Gain .05 seconds in a couple of areas and it can mean help gain a position or more on pit road.

Reddick’s team had jackman Brandon Banks join the team from Stewart-Haas Racing, which folded after the 2024 season. Front tire changer Devin Lester and rear tire changer Dakota Ratcliff joined 23XI from SHR and moved up to Reddick’s team, joining tire carrier Wade Moore and fueler Brian Dheel.

“With the way Tyler ran, we … had expected more, we had to have more,” Shipplett said from the No. 45 pit crew.

Thus the changes going into this season and the addition of the three Stewart-Haas Racing pit crew members, who were originally hired for 23XI Racing’s third (the No. 35 of Riley Herbst). But those three excelled in the offseason and moved up to Reddick’s team.

“We couldn’t be a 20th-place pit crew (the team ranked 25th in the Racing Insights ratings last year), trying to contend for championships,” Shipplett said.

Chase Briscoe won the pole with a lap of 195.514 mph, the fastest pole in the Next Gen car era.

Another key change this season is that Shipplett moved up to the athletic director’s role after the team hired Jon Carvin to be the pit crew coach. Carvin, a former college football coach, had been with Hendrick Motorsports since 2015.

“We hired Jon because he’s that guy that can enliven the group up and command the locker room, command a timeline, has the practice plan every day,” Shipplett said. “Puts a lot of thought into it.

“So I don’t really attribute a lot of (the progress of the pit crews) to the things I’ve done. It’s just who I’ve been able to hire.”

Mistakes will still happen and time will still be lost on pit road — it happens to all teams — but the key is limiting those issues. Both Wallace’s and Reddick’s teams have, helping them gain spots on pit road this season. The result is that there’s less criticism on the radio because there are fewer issues.

“Growing up and maturing a little, you look back on the frustrating times and you see that even when you’re screaming and shouting and pissed off, that people are listening and that when they tell you they’re going to fix it, they do,” Wallace said of the pit crew struggles three years ago.

“We’re greedy and we want to fix it in the moment, but you don’t realize it takes a lot of time. Two years, three years, whatever it is, we’re starting to see things be put in place in the right spot. I appreciate everybody on that side of things for stepping up and delivering to allow our players and myself to have good Sundays.”

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Motorsports

Aaron Rodgers gives his Steelers linemen $20K vehicles for Christmas

Published

1 hour ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Aaron Rodgers delivered the “gift of horsepower” to this offensive lineman.

The Steelers quarterback purchased each of his protectors a Can-Am Maverick side-by-side vehicle for Christmas.

Rodgers’ generosity was documented Thursday on TikTok and Instagram by Mosite Motorsports, which showed the future Hall of Famer riding next to his linemen in the off-road vehicles outside the Steelers’ practice facility.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) running off the field after a game. — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) runs off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“This Christmas, Aaron Rodgers gave his offensive line the gift of horsepower. Safe to say, it delivered. Merry Christmas from Mosites Motorsports,” the dealership wrote in its TikTok video.

The 2026 Maverick 3X goes for $19,999 on the Cam-Am website, putting Rodgers’ tab around $100,000 for his five linemen.

“Unleash unbeatable off-road dominance with this revolutionary machine, now the most affordable in its category,” Cam-Am describes the Maverick on its website. “Engineered with a lightweight chassis, experience lightning-fast agility and breathtaking speed that constantly shatters expectations.”

It was a different approach than Russell Wilson took last year in the Steel City.

During his one season with he team, he gifted his linemen a $10,000 Airbnb gift card, a Black and Gold Louis Vuitton duffle bag, a bottle of his wife Ciara’s Ten To One Rum and custom shoes from his own Good Man Brand.

Rodgers, 42, has plenty to be happy with from his group during his first season in Pittsburgh, as he’s been sacked a total of 25 times this season, with only five coming in the past five weeks as Pittsburgh makes a push for the playoffs and the AFC North title.

The former Jets signal-caller has had a strong season with the Steelers, throwing for 2,860 yards, 23 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 98.2 quarterback rating.

Pittsburgh (9-6) can clinch the division title with a win over the Browns or a Ravens’ loss to Rodgers’ former team, the Packers.

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Motorsports

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Field by the Numbers

Published

2 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

What’s Happening?

It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and winning to make it to the NASCAR Cup Series, and the 36 full-time drivers slated to take on the series championship in 2026 are no different. Here are all the notable accolades, race wins, and championships boasted by the 2026 Cup Series lineup.

What’s Happening?

The 2026 NASCAR Season is fast approaching, and teams are setting their lineups for the coming season. This article…

Crown Jewel Wins

The four Crown Jewel races tell the NASCAR Cup Series season in four parts. Starting with the season-opening Daytona 500, moving to the start of the summer with the Coca-Cola 600, finishing the summer with the Brickyard 400, and starting the run to the championship with the Southern 500.

Former Daytona 500 Champions

No. 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske
No. 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing
No. 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske
No. 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Hyak Motorsports
No. 71 | Michael McDowell | Spire Motorsports

Former Coca-Cola 600 Champions

No. 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing
No. 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing
No. 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing
No. 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing
No. 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske
No. 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing

Former Brickyard 400 Champions

No. 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing
No. 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing
No. 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing

Former Southern 500 Champions

No. 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing
No. 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing
No. 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 19 | Chase Briscoe | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club

Lower Division Champions

NASCAR’s lower divisions include racing on short tracks in select areas of the country, all the way up to racing on the high banks of Daytona in the ARCA Menards Series. In an ever-changing world, these drivers prove that winning at even NASCAR’s lowest levels can turn into a successful career at the top.

ARCA Menards Series

No. 10 | Ty Dillon | Kaulig Racing
No. 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing
No. 19 | Chase Briscoe | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing

ARCA Menards Series East

No. 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske
No. 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports

ARCA Menards Series West

No. 34 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

No. 60 | Ryan Preece | RFK Racing

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champions

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is NASCAR’s lowest National Series. Though the competition may not be as deep as the NASCAR Cup Series garage, the Truck Series makes young drivers prove their worth against underdogs, up-and-comers, and salty veterans.

Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champions

No. 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing
No. 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 38 | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports
No. 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club

O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champions

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is often viewed as the final step before achieving NASCAR Cup Series glory. Though drivers can prove their worth just by winning in the series, a championship shows that you are ready for whatever the sport has to throw at you at the very top.

Former NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champions

No. 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske
No. 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing
No. 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing
No. 7 | Daniel Suarez | Spire Motorsports
No. 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing
No. 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing
No. 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 41 | Cole Custer | Haas Factory Team
No. 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing
No. 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Hyak Motorsports
No. 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing

NASCAR Cup Series Champions

The NASCAR Cup Series is the big dance, a 36-race grind in a field of drivers battling it out for the right to be champion. The drivers on this list are future Hall of Famers, living legends, and the names that currently serve as the backbone of the Cup Series garage.

Former NASCAR Cup Series Champions

No. 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing
No. 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing
No. 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports
No. 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske
No. 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske

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Motorsports

Speedway Motorsports Announces Promoter of the Year – Drag Bike News

Published

6 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Speedway Motorsports officials, in recognition of exemplary performance and exceptional service on behalf of and its world-class facilities, recognized the 2025 recipients for the company’s O. Bruton Smith Award, Promoter of the Year, Speedway of the Year and the Acceleration Award. Announcements were made during a company-wide town hall meeting this week as the industry-leading company wraps up a successful year hosting entertainment and motorsports events across the country.

Dover Motor Speedway’s Jim Hosfelt earned the 2025 O. Bruton Smith Award, while Bristol Motor Speedway President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell received Promoter of the Year honors. Las Vegas Motor Speedway was named Speedway of the Year award and Sonoma Raceway earned the fourth annual Acceleration Award.

“At Speedway Motorsports, our goal is to exceed expectations in sports and entertainment by delivering unforgettable moments at every touchpoint,” said Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. “That mission is only possible because of the passion, dedication and effort our teams across the country bring to their work each day. It’s a privilege to celebrate the leaders and teammates across our footprint whose commitment fuels our momentum and helps transform every event into a truly remarkable experience for our fans.”

Bruton Smith Award

Dover Motor Speedway Vice President of Safety and Security, Jim Hosfelt, received the 2025 O. Bruton Smith Award.

Established 13 years ago to recognize one employee annually across all of Speedway Motorsports and its subsidiaries, the recipient of this prestigious award is someone who exhibits Speedway Motorsports’ founder O. Bruton Smith’s traits: character, enthusiasm, drive, a heart for helping others, respect and appreciation for team members, vision and determination. It is the company’s highest honor.

Hosfelt joined Dover Motor Speedway in 2014 to oversee the day-to-day security and event-time public safety at the facility. Shortly after Speedway Motorsports acquired Dover in 2021, Hosfelt added the title of Director of Safety and Security for Speedway Motorsports, working as a liaison for NASCAR and federal agencies at events across the company’s portfolio of properties.

Prior to his speedway tenure, the Cumberland, Md. native spent 25 years in law enforcement with the Dover Police Department, where he retired as Chief of Police.

Away from the track, Hosfelt serves as a coordinator for food distribution events conducted by the speedway with the Food Bank of Delaware. An Air Force veteran and graduate of the FBI National Academy, he was elected to seats on Dover City Council (2015-2017) and Kent County Levy Court (2017-2019).

“The contributions Jim makes, the relationships he has across the sport, thankfully it’s a low profile thing, but (public safety) is one of the most important things we do,” said Speedway Motorsports Chief Operating Officer Mike Burch. “We talk about ‘safe, clean and comfortable.’ He’s invaluable to making sure our fans from across the nation are safe when they come to our race tracks.”

“When we finished the transaction to acquire Dover Motorsports, we had no idea what an amazing fit our teams would be,” Smith added. “Jim, specifically, is just remarkable – how he is able to be everywhere and always deliver so professionally. It’s really impressive and he’s made a tremendous impact on our company.”

H.A. Humpy Wheeler Promoter of the Year

Recognized for his team’s effort around the Speedway Classic partnership with Major League Baseball and continued success in NASCAR and other secondary events, Bristol Motor Speedway President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell was named H.A. Humpy Wheeler Promoter of the Year for 2025. The annual award, named in honor of the legendary promoter who passed away in August, is chosen by the selection committee and given to the Speedway Motorsports general manager who best displayed the creativity, innovation, leadership and execution that are fundamental to Speedway Motorsports’ way of doing business.

A first-of-its-kind event in baseball, the Speedway Classic saw the highest ticket sales for a single event in the history of Major League Baseball with over 91,000 tickets sold.

“Humpy was known as the PT Barnum of motorsports,” Smith said. “He inspired a lot of people to think outside the box. To name Jerry as this year’s promoter is very fitting as he’s done a great job in leading the team to phenomenal success this year. Bristol has a reputation where people aren’t going to question if something like building a baseball stadium inside a race track can happen – they know it can.”

Speedway of the Year

Las Vegas Motor Speedway received Speedway of the Year recognition, edging out 10 state-of-the-art Speedway Motorsports entertainment complexes to earn top honors 11 of the last 14 years. The award was presented to LVMS President Patrick Lindsay, who replaced the facility’s longtime head Chris Powell upon his retirement earlier this year. The award recognizes the Speedway Motorsports facility with the best overall performance during 2025 in such aspects as fan friendliness, attendance, financial performance, sponsor relations and creativity.

“It’s not easy to grow on an already fantastic performance,” Smith said. “Patrick has carried the torch well and it’s great to have his leadership. It’s a huge effort because everything that happens — from corporate sales to operations and logistics — this team has done a great job and delivered every time.”

Acceleration Award

For the second year in a row, Sonoma Raceway was honored with the Acceleration Award, which recognizes a Speedway Motorsports subsidiary for significant year-over-year gains across multiple performance measures. The award was accepted by Sonoma Raceway Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Flynn.

Sonoma Raceway delivered a strong performance in 2025, driven by growing track rental activity in the raceway’s premium Turn 11 facility, along with strategic cost-efficiency initiatives that enhanced operations across the property while maintaining a high-quality fan experience.

“We had multiple speedways that made significant improvements, but we had one that really outdid themselves year-over-year,” Burch said. “They continue to bolster the fan experience, drive down expenses and find new ways to use the speedway to serve their clients.”

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Motorsports

Suzuki Announces 2026 Supercross Team – Drag Bike News

Published

7 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Suzuki Motor USA, LLC and Pipes Motorsports Group are thrilled to unveil their official lineup for the 2026 Supercross season, fielding a trio of elite athletes including Daytona winner Ken Roczen, reigning World Supercross SX1 Champion Jason Anderson, and Colt Nichols—each competing aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450.

With three of the sport’s most accomplished and recognizable riders leading the program, Suzuki heads into the 2026 Supercross season with strong momentum and championship-level aspirations. Building on Roczen’s impressive performances throughout 2025 and in the World Supercross Championship, along with Anderson’s newly secured 2025 World Supercross title, 2026 represents a pivotal year as Suzuki lines up with a proven, competitive roster in the premier class.

Ken Roczen returns to the Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki team for his fourth season on the team and he takes on a new role as Global Brand Ambassador for Suzuki. Roczen has had an impressive run on the Suzuki RM-Z450 including 19 podium finishes, a thrilling victory at Daytona, and two overall wins in the 2025 FIM World Supercross Championship, dominating the Buenos Aires opener winning all three main events.

“I am so happy and extremely excited to start the 2026 season with the PMG group, the people that I’ve been with for the last four years, and of course the partnership with Suzuki, ” said Roczen. “I think we have a great motorcycle and we have been able to keep making it better and better. I’ve been having a lot of fun practicing on and racing the RM-Z450.”

“We’ve been doing really well lately and I’m looking forward to carrying some of that momentum into the 2026 season. I’m excited to get it going and we have definitely done our work and now it’s time to have some fun and see where we stack up against the competition.”

New to the team for 2026, but not new to the brand, Suzuki is pleased to welcome Jason Anderson back to Suzuki on the Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance RM-Z450.

Anderson, the 2018 AMA Supercross 450SX Champion who began his career as a Team Suzuki amateur in 2003, brings a proven blend of experience and raw talent to the team—and has already showcased his exceptional speed aboard the RM-Z450 winning the 2025 FIM World Supercross Championship for Suzuki.

“ I’m excited to get 2026 going with Suzuki again, and have been working really hard with the team to get ready to be on the podium!” said Jason Anderson.

Completing the 2026 Suzuki Supercross lineup is proven performer Colt Nichols. Colt had a strong season in 2025 aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450 and is looking forward to racing at the highest level with the Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance team.

Nichols delivered strong and consistent performances throughout the Supercross season and is already showing momentum heading into 2026, earning an overall podium finish aboard his Suzuki RM-Z450 at the final round of the World Supercross Championship during the South African GP in Cape Town.

“I’m very excited to be back with the HEP Twisted Tea Suzuki team for 2026,” commented Nichols. “ We have a fun team and I really enjoyed working and being around all of these guys. Looking forward to leveling up this year and couldn’t think of a better group to do it with”

Chris Wheeler, Motorsports Manager from Suzuki confirmed the positive mood of the team heading into the 2026 season: “There’s very good energy within our group heading into the 2026 Supercross season. We have a great mix of talent, perspectives, and experience that continues to push the program forward each year. The team is fun, but serious and focused, and we’re seeing improvement across the board—from technical development to communication—which makes the momentum around this program exciting and infectious.”

A multi-time championship winner, Larry Brooks continues to provide a wealth of experience and proven leadership to the program. His talent for matching rider strengths with exceptional Suzuki performance has been critical in the team’s preparation for the 2026 season.

“2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the HEP Suzuki team. We’re thrilled to welcome back Ken Roczen and Colt Nichols, and excited to add Jason Anderson to our team roster,” said Brooks. “That gives us three incredibly strong racers heading into the 2026 Supercross season. As a team, we’re united by a shared goal: giving our absolute best and having fun while doing what we love most—racing motorcycles for a living.”

For the 2026 season, Suzuki and Pipes Motorsports Group continue their focused commitment to the premier 450-class championship, reinforcing a clear objective: deliver peak performance and compete at the highest level of Supercross.

The team now turns its attention to the season opener on January 10 at Anaheim Stadium, where fans can expect intense, high-level racing as Roczen, Anderson and Nichols line up aboard the Championship winning Suzuki RM-Z450.

Suzuki remains proud of its deep racing heritage and moves forward with a program built on elite rider talent, experienced leadership, and strong technical expertise. With momentum on its side, the 2026 season promises plenty of excitement, and Suzuki invites fans to follow along for another action-packed year.

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Motorsports

This Is What Happens When a WRC Co-Driver Gets a Crack at Driving

Published

10 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

It takes a special kind of person to willingly strap oneself into a hatchback aimed at flying through the woods at high speeds. Rally drivers are madmen full-stop, but their shotgun-riding co-drivers are a whole different breed. Don’t discount the amount of driving know-how tucked away in those high-flying passenger seats, however. Hyundai Motorsports co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe recently took the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 at the 2025 Rallye du Pays Vençois in France, making fellow co-drivers round the world beam with pride.

While you might not be familiar with Martijn Wydaeghe, you have likely heard of his teammate Thierry Neuville. The two have been driving together since the 2021 season, with Wydaeghe co-driving during Neuville’s 2024 WRC Driver’s Championship effort. This year wasn’t as successful for last year’s champs, with Neuville finishing 5th overall in the standings. The results were largely tempered by two consecutive retirements at the Central Europe and Japan rallies towards the end of the season. The pair came back to win the final event of the year at Rally Saudi Arabia.

While the automaker didn’t put Wydaeghe out in the proper Rally1 machine he’s used to riding in, the Belgian driver made his driving debut in the production-based Rally2 machine. He did previously get a go in the Rally1 car at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, however. I’m sure the co-driver-turned-wheelman wasn’t too upset about the more approachable platform for his first go either.

With co-driver Florian Haut-Labourdette alongside, Wydaeghe pushed the IXO-sponsored Hyundai through the 25-mile rally. His pace was undeniable, with Wydaeghe managing to take home a stage win on his very first attempt. The pair only managed to muster sixth place overall, but fans were more than happy to see Wydaeghe give it a shot. That said, I don’t think Neuville needs to be too worried about job security for the time being. Perhaps the WRC should look at a co-driver shootout event moving forward, though.

Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.

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Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports reveals rare ‘Days of Thunder’ photos with Tom Cruise, others

Published

11 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A Christmas gift from Hendrick Motorsports! A collection of rare, behind-the-scenes photos of “Days of Thunder” was revealed for fans. Featuring Tom Cruise, Rick Hendrick, Geoff Bodine, and more, the photos show moments that were largely unseen until now.

“Days of Thunder 2” is likely to happen. Tom Cruise is going to be part of it, if it does happen. It is amazing to look back at these photos, more than 35 years ago, and see how this film came to be.

The collection of photos also includes some from a 1987 IMSA race at Road Atlanta. Cruise shared a Nissan 300ZX Turbo with Rick Hendrick in the race. A mechanical issue hurt their finish in the race.

Check out the photos at the Hendrick Motorsports website. There are a lot of great snapshots into these mostly forgotten moments.

Since “Days of Thunder” came out, Hendrick Motorsports sure has changed a lot. All of the wins, championships, and so much more in the time since 1990. More than 40 years of history in the Cup Series, the story of Hendrick only continues to grow.

Kyle Larson is fresh off his second championship. William Byron was so close to becoming a champion for the third year in a row. Hendrick was not nearly the organization it is now, back when Mr. H was working with Cruise. The sport has completely changed as well.

If “Days of Thunder 2” happens, I am sure that Hendrick will be involved in that effort as well. They are involved in just about every major NASCAR promotion and new venture. Why would the sequel film be any different?

Hendrick Motorsports ready to race for championship again

In the 2026 NASCAR season, Hendrick Motorsports is going to be just as good as they were this year, if not better. Kyle Larson and William Byron are going to be good for about five wins each. Chase Elliott should be back to winning two to three races a year. You have to expect Alex Bowman to win a race or be top-16 in sports.

In the Next Gen era, Larson and Byron have been two of the most successful drivers on the track. In terms of wins, they top the list since 2022. Hendrick knows that they have three legitimate championship drivers in their stable, and a fourth that can win races and be incredibly competitive otherwise.

Hendrick Motorsports is also going to get a new Chevrolet Camaro body. What they discover with that new downforce and how they build speed with it will be very interesting to watch.

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