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Federal judges rule in favor of NASCAR in lawsuit filed by Jordan-owned 23XI and Front Row – Action News Jax

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — A three-judge federal appellate panel ruled Thursday in favor of NASCAR in the antitrust lawsuit filed by two teams, one owned by Michael Jordan, and vacated an injunction that required 23XI and Front Row be recognized as chartered teams as their case snakes through the legal system. Both race teams […]

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — A three-judge federal appellate panel ruled Thursday in favor of NASCAR in the antitrust lawsuit filed by two teams, one owned by Michael Jordan, and vacated an injunction that required 23XI and Front Row be recognized as chartered teams as their case snakes through the legal system.

Both race teams sued NASCAR late last year after refusing to sign new agreements on charter renewals. The charter system is similar to franchises in other sports, but the charters are revocable by NASCAR and have expiration dates. 23XI, which is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, allied with Front Row in suing NASCAR after 13 other organizations signed the renewals last September and those two organization refused.

“We are disappointed by today’s ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and are reviewing the decision to determine our next steps,” said Jeffery Kessler, attorney for 23XI and Front Row. “This ruling is based on a very narrow consideration of whether a release of claims in the charter agreements is anti-competitive and does not impact our chances of winning at trial scheduled for Dec. 1.

“We remain confident in our case and committed to racing for the entirety of this season as we continue our fight to create a fair and just economic system for stock car racing that is free of anticompetitive, monopolistic conduct.”

The two teams sued and asked for a temporary injunction that would recognize them as chartered teams for this season. The antitrust case isn’t scheduled to be heard until December.

The teams said they needed the injunction because the current charter agreement prohibits them from suing NASCAR. 23XI also argued it would be harmed because Tyler Reddick’s contract would have made him a free agent if the team could not guarantee him a charter-protected car.

The original judge ruled that NASCAR’s charter agreement likely violated antitrust law in granting the injunction. But when they heard arguments last month, the three judges at the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia, indicated they were skeptical of that decision.

The judges said in Thursday’s ruling they were not aware of any case that supports the lower court’s theory of antitrust law, so they vacated the injunction.

“In short, because we have found no support for the proposition that a business entity or person violates the antitrust laws by requiring a prospective participant to give a release for past conduct as a condition for doing business, we cannot conclude that the plaintiffs made a clear showing that they were likely to succeed on the merits of that theory,” the court said. “And without satisfaction of the likelihood-of-success element, the plaintiffs were not entitled to a preliminary injunction.”

The teams have 14 days to appeal to the full court. The injunction also has no bearings on the merits of the case, and the earliest NASCAR can treat the teams as unchartered — a charter guarantees their organizations a starting spot each week and prize money — is one week after the deadline to appeal, provided there is no pending appeal.

NASCAR has not said what it would do with the six charters held by the two organizations if they are returned to the sanctioning body. There are only 36 chartered cars for a 40-car field. If the teams do not appeal, the six entries would have to compete as “open” cars — which means they’d have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and they would receive a fraction of the money.

It’s not clear what would happen to Reddick’s contract. He goes to Michigan this weekend ranked sixth in the Cup Series standings. Both organizations are still seeking a win this season — Hamlin’s three victories are with Joe Gibbs Racing, the team he drives for.

Reddick is last year’s regular-season champion and competed for the Cup title last November.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing





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Nitro Motorsports Charges to Watkins Glen

July 9, 2025 July 9, 2025 – Nitro Motorsports heads to the iconic Watkins Glen International (WGI) this weekend for Round 8 of the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Fielding another impressive eight-car lineup, Nitro Motorsports is ready to take on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course steeped in American motorsport […]

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July 9, 2025

Nitro Motorsports Charges to Watkins Glen

July 9, 2025 – Nitro Motorsports heads to the iconic Watkins Glen International (WGI) this weekend for Round 8 of the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli and CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Fielding another impressive eight-car lineup, Nitro Motorsports is ready to take on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn road course steeped in American motorsport history.

Leading the charge for the team will be Thomas Annunziata, who currently sits second in the National Driver’s Championship following a strong point haul at Road America. With multiple wins to his credit, Annunziata is one of the favorites heading into the weekend. He’ll be joined by Sam Corry and Julian DaCosta, who hold fourth and fifth in the TA2 championship standings, as both drivers have been at the front of the field in 2025. In the Rookie Championship, Corry, DaCosta, and Gian Buffomante are all in the hunt, sitting third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, and they look to climb the leaderboard this weekend.

The Nitro Motorsports driver roster for Watkins Glen also includes Cale Phillips, Seamus McKendree, and Boris Said Sr., a formidable group determined to make an impact at one of North America’s most legendary circuits. Veteran Cale Phillips, who has scored multiple TA2 Pro/Am podiums in 2025, will be searching for another trip to the podium steps in 2025 and continue to add to Nitro Motorsports results resume.

Team owner Nick Tucker shared his excitement for the event. “Watkins Glen is a classic on the schedule and an important round for the team. We’ve had strong results so far this season, and with eight talented drivers pushing hard, I’m confident we’ll be fighting up front all weekend. It’s fantastic to see so many of our drivers in the championship hunt, and we can’t wait to get rolling.”

The weekend kicks off Friday with optional testing and official practice sessions. Saturday will feature split-group qualifying, setting the grid for the 30-lap feature race scheduled to go green at 1:05 PM ET. Fans can catch all the action live on speedsport1.com.

For more information on Nitro Motorsports, please visit them online or contact Nick Tucker via email HERE or visit them online at www.RaceNitro.com.



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23XI and Front Row Denied Rehearing, Clash Returning to Bowman Gray and More: NASCAR News Flash

It has already been a hectic week in the NASCAR world. From a wild racing weekend on the streets of Chicago, to some major breaking news stories. This is the NASCAR News Flash for July 7th through the 12th. 23XI and Front Row Denied Rehearing, Clash Returning to Bowman Gray and More: NASCAR News Flash […]

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It has already been a hectic week in the NASCAR world. From a wild racing weekend on the streets of Chicago, to some major breaking news stories. This is the NASCAR News Flash for July 7th through the 12th.

23XI and Front Row Denied Rehearing, Clash Returning to Bowman Gray and More: NASCAR News Flash

There were plenty of crazy moments in the closing moments in Chicago. You had quite the drama between several different drivers. Including a heated exchange between Joey Logano and Ross Chastain. That, however, might not be the biggest news of the week.  23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports received some not-so-great news. Not to mention, the Clash will return to the ‘Madhouse’ for 2026.

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 26: Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing Root Insurance Toyota talks with Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx Office Toyota during driver introductions prior to the running of the 2nd annual NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Ally 400 on June 26, 2022 at Nashville Super Speedway in Nashville, TN. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

23XI and Front Row Motorsports Rehearing Denied, Won’t Be Chartered Teams Come Dover

While there have been plenty of headlines surrounding 23XI and FRM’s standing as chartered race teams this season. They will have to face a real reality come next week at Dover. A massive bombshell dropped for both teams this week. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the teams’ request for a rehearing in their lawsuit against the Sport.

That now means, as early as the Dover Race Weekend, both teams’ three cars will have to qualify their way into the races as open cars. Affecting drivers Bubba Wallace (No. 23), Tyler Reddick (No. 45), and Riley Herbst (No. 35) from 23XI.  Noah Gragson (No. 4), Todd Gilliland (No. 34), and Zane Smith (No. 38) from FRM are also in a tough situation.

It would also mean that FRM and the 23XI team, co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, would make less money than the chartered teams. It also begs the question of what becomes of those six charters in the future.

In a statement from Jeffery Kessler, Attorney for both teams in this case, cited the disappointment in the lack of a full rehearing, and that the teams are still committed to competing every week.

” We are disappointed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to deny our request for a full rehearing,” Kessler said. ” This decision has no bearing on the strength of our antitrust case, which we look forward to presenting at trial. We are committed to racing this season as we continue to fight for more competitive and fair terms for all teams to ensure the future of the sport, and remain fully confident in our case.”

At this point, it pretty much makes all six drivers expendable in a way. Each has proven to be a very capable driver, so it will be interesting to see what happens over the next several weeks. It certainly makes things much more difficult for all who are battling for the 2025 NASCAR playoffs at this rate.

Clash Returns to Bowman Gray for 2026

In a statement shared on Wednesday, NASCAR officials announced that the return of the Cook Out Clash exhibition race. The first race of the 2026 NASCAR season will once again be at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium. Joey Dennewitz, the NASCAR Regional’s Managing Director was happy to announce the return of the event for the second-straight year.

” We wrote a new chapter in the storied history of motorsports at Bowman Gray Stadium with the Cook Out Clash this year,” Dennewitz said. ” As NASCAR’s first weekly race track, we are proud to bring the 2026 Cook Out Clash back to the original home to grassroots racing. Thanks to the City of Winston-Salem and Winston-Salem State University for their continued partnership at ‘The Madhouse.’”

The first run their this season did not disappoint, and it saw NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, Chase Elliott, emerge victorious. Which made him a perfect way for NASCAR to promote the return in a promotional video on Social Media.

 

Logano vs Chastain Rivalry Should Be Fun

A very heated exchange occurred following Sunday’s race in Chicago. Ross Chastain and Joey Logano had a bit of a run-in in the closing laps of the race, and the pair exchanged words after the event. Though you couldn’t make out exactly what was said, during their moment of talking to each other. After Logano walked away, he claimed Chastain admitted to wrecking him on purpose and called for Ross to be fined, to the media that was walking with him.

It also appears that Chastain’s onboard camera and audio caught him admitting he did it on purpose. NASCAR did announce there will be no penalties for rough driving from Chicago, so Joey will just have to get even with Ross. It just seems like stubborn drivers butting heads in all reality. Which should make for a fun rest of the season for the pair.

 

Plenty of storylines as NASCAR heads to Wine Country and Sonoma Raceway.

Read Next: What Future Do Street Courses Have In NASCAR?

Main Photo: Sean Gardner, Getty Images

Recording Date: 2/2/2025

 





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Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Sonoma – Speedway Digest

5 KYLE LARSON  Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)  Hometown: Elk Grove, California  Last Week: 13th (Chicago Street Course)  Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels  Standings: 3rd Twitter Instagram Facebook  No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet      2025   Cup Career   Sonoma Races 19   385   10 Wins 3   32   2 Poles 1   22   4 […]

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5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Last Week: 13th (Chicago Street Course)

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 3rd

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No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Sonoma

Races

19

 

385

 

10

Wins

3

 

32

 

2

Poles

1

 

22

 

4

Top 5

9

 

128

 

2

Top 10

12

 

194

 

4

Laps Led

851

 

10,107

 

113

Stage Wins

8

 

70

 

3

Average Finish

12.7

 

14.0

 

13.0

Kyle Larson comes home to race at Sonoma Raceway. The Elk Grove, California, native grew up approximately 80 miles from the raceway.
Larson ranks second among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series road course wins (six). Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott is the only driver with more (seven).
The 32-year-old is tied for the most road course wins in the Next Gen era with three.
Larson is tied for the second-most poles at Sonoma (four), trailing only Jeff Gordon (five)
The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy has the best average all-time starting position (3.8) at Sonoma in 10 starts.
Larson and Denny Hamlin lead all drivers with nine top-five finishes in 2025.
Larson is ranked third in the points standings just 19 points behind teammate William Byron. He is projected first in the playoff standings.

 


9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 29 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Last week: 16th (Chicago Street Course)

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 2nd

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No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Sonoma

Races

19

 

341

 

8

Wins

1

 

19

 

0

Poles

0

 

12

 

0

Top 5

6

 

110

 

4

Top 10

10

 

181

 

6

Laps Led

136

 

5,662

 

52

Stage Wins

0

 

38

 

0

Average Finish

10.6

 

12.8

 

11.1

Heading to Sonoma Raceway this weekend, Chase Elliott is second in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season points standings, 13 markers behind teammate William Byron.
Making his 341st Cup Series start last weekend at the Chicago Street Course, Elliott surpassed Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the driver with the fourth-most starts for Hendrick Motorsports.
Elliott’s average finish of 10.58 in 2025 leads the series and is also his second best all-time through a season’s first 19 races. He is the only driver to finish in the top 20 in every event so far. It’s the second straight season he’s headed into the 20th event having completed all but one lap.
The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has scored more points (155) than any other driver over the last four races. His average finish of 6.3 in that span is also tops.
Elliott has four consecutive top-10 finishes at Sonoma, tied for the longest active streak. He’s won at five road courses in his career, most of all drivers, but is still looking for his first win on the Napa Valley road course. He’s led laps in each of the last five Sonoma Cup Series events, tied for the record.
The 2020 Cup Series champion has the most road course wins among active drivers (seven) and the third all-time behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). His average finish of 9.03 leads active drivers (minimum four starts).
In the Next Gen era on road courses, Elliott leads the series in top-five finishes (10), and his 12 top 10s are third most. His 147 laps led rank third and 610 points earned rank second.

 


24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 27 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Last Week: 40th (Chicago Street Course)

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 1st

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No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Sonoma

Races

19

 

271

 

6

Wins

1

 

14

 

0

Poles

2

 

15

 

0

Top 5

7

 

61

 

0

Top 10

10

 

114

 

1

Laps Led

769

 

3,747

 

26

Stage Wins

7

 

30

 

1

Average Finish

14.2

 

15.1

 

22.0

William Byron is in the midst of a career year, leading the NASCAR Cup Series points standings for 16 out of 19 weeks, including presently by 13 markers.
Through the same stretch of 19 races, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native has paced the field for 769 laps across 13 events, the most races with a lap led by a driver and second most laps total.
In the Next Gen era on road courses, Byron has two wins (fifth most), 138 laps led (fourth most) and has collected 542 points.
In the last 10 road course races, the 27-year-old has two wins, five top-five finishes and seven top 10s, all tied for the most. He also has led 110 laps in that same span, tied for the second most.

 


48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 32 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Last Week: 8th (Chicago Street Course)

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 10th

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No. 48 Ally Chevrolet

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Sonoma

Races

19

 

344

 

8

Wins

0

 

8

 

0

Poles

2

 

7

 

0

Top 5

4

 

44

 

0

Top 10

10

 

106

 

2

Laps Led

157

 

1,525

 

0

Stage Wins

0

 

7

 

0

Average Finish

17.4

 

19.2

 

17.3

Alex Bowman sits 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff standings, holding a 39-point cushion above the elimination point.
The Tucson, Arizona, native has finished inside the top 10 in each of the last three road course races in 2025, making him one of only two drivers to do so.
Bowman’s average finish on road courses in 2025 is seventh, which ranks second among full-time drivers.
Bowman’s best finish across eight starts at Sonoma Raceway is ninth, achieved twice (2018, 2021).
In the Next Gen era, Bowman has accumulated six top-five finishes and nine top 10s on road courses.
With his eighth-place finish at Chicago, Bowman advanced to the third round of the NASCAR In-Season Tournament and will compete against Ty Dillon.
For this weekend’s Sonoma race, the Best Friends Animal shelter partner Friends of Upland Animal Shelter, in Sonoma, California.
Ally and HendrickCars.com are teaming up again to give fans the chance to win prizes with this year’s “Open Road Sweepstakes.” Fans can win VIP experiences at various races throughout the season and one lucky winner will hit the open road in a Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss with an Airstream camper. Fans can stop by the Ally Fan Zone to enter the sweepstakes in-person and check out the camper. Fans can also enter at ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar.

 


HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /
Hendrick Motorsports

 

2025

 

All-Time

 

Sonoma

Races

18

 

1,400

 

35

Wins

5

 

317*

 

8*

Poles

5

 

258*

 

10*

Top 5

26*

 

1,305*

 

36*

Top 10

42*

 

2,229*

 

63*

Laps Led

1,913*

 

84,225*

 

830*

Stage Wins

15*

 

130

 

5*


*Most all time
**Tied for most all time

With Alex Bowman’s eighth-place run at the Chicago Street Course on Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports remains the only organization to place at least one car in the top 10 of every event in 2025. That streak goes back 27 events to last season, the longest such run of any team in the Next Gen era.
The Hendrick Motorsports engine shop has won 15 combined poles (seven in the NASCAR Cup Series and eight in the Xfinity Series) and 16 combined races (five in the Cup Series, 10 in the Xfinity Series and the preseason Clash) this year. Its 39 victories in regular season Cup Series events are the most in the Next Gen era.
Hendrick Motorsports has led 1,913 laps through 19 events this year, accounting for 40% of all circuits completed in the Cup Series and more than any other team by 953.
Hendrick Motorsports enters this weekend’s race at Sonoma Raceway as the all-time leader in wins (eight), poles (10), top fives (36), top 10s (63) laps led (830) and stage wins (five).
Five of the last 10 road course races have gone to Hendrick Motorsports with Bowman, Kyle Larson (twice) and William Byron (twice) all winning in that span. Larson is the defending winner at Sonoma Raceway.

 


QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, on racing in his home state of California: “It’s always special to go back home. I love having friends and family at the track, especially the friends that don’t typically get to go to the track. We have dominated there in the past – hopefully we’ll be just as good and catch Jeff Gordon (on Sonoma Raceway’s all-time wins list). It will feel hotter in Sonoma with the race being in July. The pavement will be a little bit slicker. I personally prefer the race to be in July, more enjoyable for everyone that comes into town and experience Napa (California).”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, on Sonoma Raceway: “Sonoma is a track I always enjoy going to. Last year, I thought that we had really good pace, and our road course program this season has been strong, so that gives me confidence heading into this weekend. This entire stretch of races coming up, really, I think could be good for us. We’re within reach of the regular season championship, so running well and maximizing points is going to be really important.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, on the team as it heads to Sonoma Raceway: “It’s been a rough couple weeks for our No. 24 team. We can’t get down though. We’ve been fast at every track and just had something, both in and out of our control, happen. Hopefully this weekend can just be a smooth one so we can get back in the groove we were in. I know everyone on the team has the same mindset, and no one is giving up.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, on Sonoma Raceway: “Sonoma’s one of those places that really challenges you as a driver. It’s technical, it’s physical, and every lap you’re just trying to stay mistake-free. We are coming off of a solid race from Chicago. I feel like we got our bad luck out of the way and need to be consistent here on out to make sure that we stay off the cutoff line. We’re a team capable of winning it just hasn’t been in the cards for us yet.”

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Chase Elliott replacement confirmed at Hendrick Motorsports for Sonoma

After finishing in second place at Darlington Raceway back in April, Chase Elliott returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series behind the wheel of the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, the team for which he competes full-time in the Cup Series, at Pocono Raceway a few weeks ago. He finished in fourth place after trouble […]

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After finishing in second place at Darlington Raceway back in April, Chase Elliott returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series behind the wheel of the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, the team for which he competes full-time in the Cup Series, at Pocono Raceway a few weeks ago.

He finished in fourth place after trouble and contact with Justin Allgaier on a late restart ultimately knocked him from the lead. As it turns out, the No. 17 car was taken back to the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina, and Rick Hendrick’s team ended up being slapped with several hefty penalties due to a technical infraction.

The No. 17 Chevrolet hasn’t been back since, and Elliott does not have any plans to drive it throughout the remainder of the 2025 season. But this weekend, it is set to return, and it’s the driver with the most starts behind the wheel of the car so far this year who is set to drive it once again.

Corey Day is set to replace Elliott for this Saturday afternoon’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma Raceway.

The 19-year-old Clovis, California native has made three starts so far this season. He made his Xfinity Series debut at Martinsville Speedway and finished in 21st place, and he added finishes of 16th at Texas Motor Speedway and 11th at Nashville Superspeedway.

Day is effectively set to become the car’s primary driver moving forward, even though he won’t compete every weekend.

In addition to this weekend’s 79-lap race around the 12-turn, 1.99-mile (3.203-kilometer) Sonoma, California road course, he is set to drive the No. 17 entry in the upcoming race at Iowa Speedway, plus the playoff races at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix Raceway.

Rajah Caruth and Jake Finch are expected to drive the car at some point before the season ends as well, but schedules have not yet been confirmed for either one of them.

William Byron and Kyle Larson have each driven the No. 17 Chevrolet twice this year, like Elliott, and Alex Bowman has driven it once. Nobody else is currently lined up to drive it later this year.

As for this weekend’s race, tune in to the CW Network at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 12 for the live broadcast of the Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 from Sonoma Raceway. Start a free trial of FuboTV now if you have not already had the chance to do so!



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F1 movie seems familiar. Brackets ain’t for NASCAR. Bad losses linger

It’s been a while since we virtually dipped into the virtual mail bag. Not sure what we’ll accomplish, but I assure you this is the only place you’ll find Robert Redford, Ty Dillon and either of those golfing Molinari brothers in the same dispatch. F1 movie review HEY, WILLIE! I enjoyed your column about Brad […]

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It’s been a while since we virtually dipped into the virtual mail bag.

Not sure what we’ll accomplish, but I assure you this is the only place you’ll find Robert Redford, Ty Dillon and either of those golfing Molinari brothers in the same dispatch.

F1 movie review

HEY, WILLIE!

I enjoyed your column about Brad Pitt’s F1 movie, but didn’t really get your personal review.

BRADLEY

HEY, BRAD!

I’ve been tossing around the term “entertainingly formulaic.” 

I’m not big on show-folk, so I don’t see a lot of modern movies, but I recognized that story line: Aging hero returns, wins the day, wins the girl, hits the road again — it was a vagabond racer this time, but it also works with aging gunfighter, ballplayer, detective, whatever.

It was an hour or two later when I realized, “I just watched the four-wheeled version of ‘The Natural,’ ” including the similarity between Brad Pitt and long-ago Robert Redford. Those two were put on Earth to humble the rest of us and our merely handsome selves.

Here’s a NASCAR In-Season Challenge idea

HEY, WILLIE!

NASCAR’s bracket event has turned into a dud. I believe you said that was highly possible because of everything that can happen to ruin a driver’s race. I agree.

Ty Dillon knocks out Denny Hamlin just because Hamlin got wrecked while Dillon didn’t. If the two drivers went head-to-head without interference, there’s no way Hamlin would lose.

So I started thinking. Why not set aside a day and race them all, one-on-one?

STEVE

HEY, STEVE!

Not the worst idea I’ve heard today. If Hamlin and Dillon lined up for a few laps at, say, Darlington or Richmond, Hamlin would win every time he didn’t blow a Goodyear or miss a shift.

Have the next two ready to roll as soon as they’re done, and so on, and we could blow through a 32-car tournament bracket in a couple hours. 

The more I think about it, the more I like it. I’ll pass along the idea, but, meanwhile, I’m gonna keep lobbying to move the preseason Clash to the Seekonk Figure 8 track in lower Mass.

My Mount Rushmore of most depressing sports outcomes

HEY, WILLIE!

Long-time reader here from Indianapolis.

What would be your Mount Rushmore of the most depressing sport outcomes you’ve witnessed/experienced?

Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA finals got me thinking about that, and I would like to know yours since you’re a seasoned vet of sports watching.

KYLE IN INDY

HEY, KYLE!

That’s a good one but a tough one. I have to break mine up into two mountains, one for personal rooting interest and another for personal financial interest.

First, rooting interest …

∎ The memory is hazy because my cerebral cortex was still forming, but anyone with the fuzziest memory would list the 1972 Gold Medal basketball game between our Yanks and the cheating Soviets.

∎ Also a bit fuzzy, but the Raiders’ “Sea of Hands” win over the Dolphins in the 1974 playoffs. A possible three-peat was gone for the Fins, who were our state’s only big-league team at the time.

∎ The history books and highlight reels are still in love with Tom Watson’s miracle chip that won him the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. But if you were a Jack Nicklaus fan, you still cringe.

∎ Magic Johnson’s mini-sky hook to beat the Celtics in Game 4 of the ’87 finals.

Some World Series games that make my honorable mention: Game 4 in ’79, Game 6 in ’86, and Game 7 in ’91, though I’ve forgiven Lonnie Smith for that one. Oh, and the rained-out Game 1 of the ’82 NLCS. Do your own research.

Now, those that hurt the wallet more than the heart …

∎ Ross Chastain punting AJ Allmendinger at the COTA road course three years ago on the final lap (AJ, NASCAR’s best road-racer at that time, went off at shockingly tall odds that some of us couldn’t resist).

∎ Francesco Molinari joining the line of guys drowning their 2019 Masters hopes in Rae’s Creek.

∎ Also in 2019, and to show you my willingness to shop far and wide for a “sure thing:” Morgan State 34, Delaware State 3. This one can’t be forgotten because I dragged others down with me and therefore, as I said, it can’t be forgotten because they won’t let it.

∎ Does the entire 1980s at the old Daytona dog track count as one heartbreak? 

Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com



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Second life for used tires from NASCAR Chicago race

During a weekend of hot, high-speed friction against the asphalt of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course, thousands of tires burn out and wear down. After a few dozen laps, they lose their grip and become obsolete. But their life cycle doesn’t end there. Each NASCAR race weekend, most of the 3,000 tires provided by […]

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During a weekend of hot, high-speed friction against the asphalt of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course, thousands of tires burn out and wear down. After a few dozen laps, they lose their grip and become obsolete.

But their life cycle doesn’t end there. Each NASCAR race weekend, most of the 3,000 tires provided by Goodyear Racing become a fraction of the tens of thousands recycled annually by Liberty Tire Recycling. Before state laws prohibited it, used tires would be landfilled or stored in stockpiles, said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear’s product manager for NASCAR.

“And at a certain point, that’s got to be dealt with. We came to the realization that there had to be a new use for these tires, and that’s where we’re at today,” he said. “When they’re not usable anymore on the street, they’re very suitable when they’re turned into a different type of product to make other things, things that are all around us.”

A crew member releases tire air for Katherine Legge (78)'s team during the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 on July 5, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)
A crew member releases tire air for Katherine Legge (78)’s team during the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 on July 5, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)

In 2024, a total of 215 million tires — including 92,588 from NASCAR — were recycled by Liberty, a company based in North Carolina that collects and processes racing, as well as auto and truck tires, from all across North America, according to spokesperson John Dowdy.

The ideal would be to reuse a tire for the rest of its life, Dowdy said, which is possible when retailers resell gently used auto or truck tires for less than new ones. But, after being used, racing tires don’t usually have any more life left in them, at least in their original form.

At a Liberty facility in Concord, a suburb of Charlotte in North Carolina, NASCAR racing tires are shredded into quarter-sized chips that can be used as aggregate in roadbeds, landfill liners and landscaping products.

“It’s a perfect example of sustainability,” Heinrich said. “You’re taking stuff that’s worn out, you can’t use it again for what it was originally built for, but it goes into something else. Nothing is wasted.”

The shredded tires can also be used as a more efficient fuel to power kilns and boilers in concrete factories, electric plants and pulp and paper mills. However, while burning so-called tire-derived fuel is cleaner than using other fossil fuels, the process still releases some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.



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