CONCORD, N.C. – Weeks removed from Kyle Larson claiming the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship and all the media and buzz that followed, Jeff Gordon sat in his office at Hendrick Motorsports and pondered the meaning of this latest title. 

Having won four as a driver (1995, ’97, ’98, 2001) and also having been a part of Jimmie Johnson’s seven as a team co-owner, championships are hardly new for Gordon. But Larson’s second crown, won at Phoenix Raceway in early November, added yet another distinction – his title as vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports. 

“It’s incredibly rewarding,” Gordon concluded. “There’s no doubt every year that goes by that I’m in this role I get more connected with the people and the teams on this level to really enjoy the success and the championship almost as much as when I was driving.” 

Even in Gordon’s driving days, there was never quite a title-winning scenario like Larson’s this year. The No. 5 team took advantage of a late caution and utilized a two-tire call from crew chief Cliff Daniels, putting Larson out ahead for a green-white-checkered finish. Larson made it stick, coming home in third place, which was good enough to win the championship after much of the day – including a blown tire – looked bleak at best. 

RELATED: Check out Hendrick Motorsports’ 2026 paint schemes here!

The sudden change of fortunes certainly added to the experience, as evidenced by a now-viral video of team owner, Rick Hendrick, rooting Larson to the finish line in the closing laps. 

As for Gordon, he said he made an effort to be more subdued, standing atop the No. 9 pit box. 

“I always try to be respectful of the box I’m on,” Gordon said. “That’s what’s a unique dynamic of that day – you’re following the championship and pulling for the two teams that are in it but you’re sitting on the pit box of one of the other teams and you’re hoping they have a great day. The ultimate is one of those other two cars wins the race and the two cars finish 1-2 in the championship. 

“I was still in so much shock. I was excited and then I got down off the box and I think it started to sink in as I was walking to victory lane.”

RELATED: Check out some rarely seen, recently uncovered “Days of Thunder” photos

And yet, nearly two months later, Gordon admits that process is still ongoing. 

“Being around the shop in meetings and interacting with the crew chiefs, teams and drivers you realize how bad they want it, how hard they’re working just to get to Phoenix,” Gordon said. “Then, when you see them pull that off, that’s what pulls me in – the trust and belief and excitement and nervousness you have for them. I definitely felt that throughout the whole weekend … Then it was more, ‘Holy cow, that just happened.’ And I’d say I’m still a little bit in that mode. The record books years from now won’t talk about any of that, it’ll be that we won our 15th championship. 

“I think right now, where I am is just incredibly proud of knowing we put ourselves in that position. Our folks worked extremely hard and they did it.” 

Now, to do it again. 

RELATED: Chase Elliott’s 2025 season in review

Like everyone else at Hendrick Motorsports, as the holidays come and go Gordon’s attention will turn to 2026 along with the calendar. Gordon said it’s a mentality the entire organization has long since embraced. 

“I think what our folks are so good at, no matter how good you did last year, they’re working equally or even harder at raising the bar the next year,” Gordon said. 

Aiding in that effort, and at the top of Gordon’s list, is a new Chevrolet body that will be used, as testing already took place this past November. 

“When you’ve done what we’ve done with our car and our teams and one of those things is winning a lot of races and winning a championship, I get really excited when I think we’ve got something that’s an upgrade,” Gordon said. “I don’t want to get too caught up in that because sometimes, it takes time to fine tune that change. 

RELATED: Alex Bowman’s 2025 season in review

“I do think we’ve been a bit behind when you look at aerodynamics – our car versus some of our competitors. I feel like we’ve gotten ourselves on a level playing field with them, so I’m very excited about that.” 

New car, new schedule, a new road race on a Naval base and perhaps a new playoff format, change is coming in 2026, but such is life in racing. Adapting has been a requirement since Hendrick fielded his first Cup Series entry in 1984 and for Gordon, it’s been the same story no matter what role he’s filled since running his first race for Hendrick Motorsports at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992. 

And yet, now 15 championships and counting, the organization has evolved with time and rolled with punches and Gordon doesn’t see that – or the success – stopping anytime soon, especially not in 2026. 

“I think our campus and our organization is in a really good place,” Gordon said. “The things we’ve been able to accomplish and celebrate – our 40th anniversary (in 2024), a really good year this year and take out the championship, three of our four teams winning multiple times, new partnerships, adding Corey Day full time (in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series) – to me, a lot of things feel good. Just the energy here.” 

As the checkered flag waves goodbye to ’25,
Rev your engines high, feel the adrenaline thrive.
May 2026 bring lightning-fast laps and tight turns,
Podium finishes where your passion burns.
Overtake every challenge with grip and with grace,
Full throttle ahead in life’s thrilling race.
Smooth straights of joy, no red flags in sight—
Happy New Year, racer: conquer with might!

When the Indoor Auto Racing Series returns to the PPL Center in Allentown, PA for a tenth time on January 9 and 10 for the Ironton Global race weekend, Huntersville, N.C. driver Ryan Flores will once again be the odds-on favorite to win at least one of the two TQ Midget features contested on Friday and Saturday night.

Flores’ record on the PPL Center’s concrete floor speaks for itself. In 17 TQ Midget events held to date, the New Jersey native has captured an incredible seven victories. Remarkably, all seven wins have come in the same white No. 15 TQ Midget that Flores will return with for his tenth year of Allentown competition.

Only Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y. – the inaugural winner in 2016 – has more than one Allentown victory, with two. Seven other drivers have each won once, including last year’s champion Andy Jankowiak of Tonawanda, N.Y. Jankowiak scored his first Allentown victory on Saturday night in 2025, snapping an 0-for-14 drought at the venue, after Flores won Friday’s series opener.

Jankowiak, who will be testing in Daytona Beach, Fla. in the days leading up to the Allentown event, may miss Friday night’s program but is expected to return Saturday to chase a second PPL Center win. Other one-time winners looking to repeat include Pennsylvania drivers Matt Janisch and Tanner VanDoren, along with New York’s Scott Kreutter.

More than 40 additional TQ Midget drivers from eight different states will be on hand, all seeking their first-ever Allentown victory. The entry list includes Allentown native Briggs Danner, who finished third in the series standings last year behind Jankowiak and Flores.

Mathematically, the Catalano family of Ontario, N.Y. may have the best odds of success, with four brothers entered. Oldest brother Tommy, a perennial Allentown contender, finished fourth in the standings last season. Tyler placed 10th, Trevor – who competes against Tommy on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour – was 11th, and Timmy finished outside the top 20. All four qualified for the 24-car feature field in Allentown last year.

Another asphalt Modified standout, Matt Swanson of Harvard, Mass., is expected to contend for an indoor win driving Ken Sebring’s No. 89. Swanson finished a career-best second to Flores in the 2025 Indoor Series finale in Atlantic City, ending the season sixth in points. Joining Swanson as a teammate is Asphalt Late Model star D.J. Shaw of Conway, N.H., who will pilot the No. 21.

Midget car racer Joey Bailey of Gardnerville, N.Y. returns to Lenny and Donna Boyd’s iconic yellow No. 1B following a fifth-place finish in the Atlantic City finale and ninth in the standings. Tyler Ferris of Wall, N.J. enters with momentum after winning the ATQMRA season-ending Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium Speedway for the second consecutive year in the Brien Hamer-owned No. 7.

Ryan Tidman of Southampton, Pa., a multi-time ATQMRA winner, rejoins the series driving Tyler Bartlett’s No. 93 from Watertown, N.Y. Another New York–New Jersey pairing features Billy Pauch Jr. returning with Fulton, N.Y. car owner Jason Simmons as they search for a second Allentown victory. Pauch’s teammate will be rising Supermodified standout Josh Sokolic, who will make his TQ Midget debut driving for his hometown owner.

New Jersey car owner Mike Corigliano enters his second Indoor TQ Midget season with Tyler Wagner and his uncle Don Wagner driving the team’s No. 19 entries. With a year of experience under their belts, both PA drivers will be seeking their first indoor win.

Paulie Hartwig III, last year’s series Slingshot champion, will make his Indoor TQ Midget debut driving the Tolerico Motorsports No. 83. The 14-year-old from Galloway, N.J. finished an impressive third in the standings on the southern SMART Asphalt Modified Tour last season.

Another 14-year-old, Mason Hanel of Clarence Center, N.Y., has landed a TQ Midget ride with car owner Bill Pippard, who previously enjoyed series success with Tim Buckwalter. Buckwalter has since moved to a Lou Cicconi-owned TQ, which will make its debut in Allentown.

The TQ Midgets will contest a 30-lap feature on Friday night and a 40-lap main event on Saturday. Drivers will again have the opportunity to claim the Ironton Auto Body Challenge by winning both features. 

Friday’s winner will be offered a guaranteed starting position in Saturday’s main event—provided they start tenth. Accepting the challenge earns a $1,000 bonus, with an additional $4,000 awarded if they charge from tenth to win Saturday’s feature. Combined with Saturday’s purse, a weekend sweep would total $10,000. Flores won Friday night’s event last year, accepted the challenger, but came up just short finishing in second place to Jankowiak.

If the challenge is not completed, Ironton Auto Body will roll over a portion of the bonus to the Atlantic City Indoor Race. Flores accomplished the feat last season at the NAPA Gambler’s Classic, earning $10,000 including challenge bonus money and support from the Atlantic City Sports Commission and Visit Atlantic City.

Friday night will also feature the Will Cagle Shootout, sponsored by Ricky Harring, pitting the top 10 qualifiers in a 15-lap dash where drivers choose their starting positions. The pole position pays $240 to win, increasing by $120 per position. A driver winning from tenth would earn $1,320.

The headline TQ Midget division will be joined by Slingshots and Champ Karts, with full programs and main events for all three classes. Champ Kart teams will tow in from 12 states and Ontario, Canada, while Slingshot competitors will represent PA, NY, NJ, and Quebec.

Lower-level reserved ticket holders for Saturday night receive access to a special pre-race FanFest, allowing fans to walk the track and meet drivers and teams prior to the 7 p.m. green flag. 

Ticket information and special hotel rates are available through links at IndoorAutoRacing.com.

Lower-level reserved ticket holders for Saturday night receive access to a special pre-race FanFest, allowing fans to walk the track and meet drivers and teams prior to the 7 p.m. green flag. 

Tickets are available through a ticketmaster link at IndoorAutoRacing.com or at the box office the day of the events. Check the website for more information.

Indoor Auto Racing PR

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The International Hot Rod Association announced big plans Tuesday for the future of Heartland Motorsports Park after officially taking ownership of the facility.

The IHRA said the history, soul, and footprint of the property will make their vision possible. For more than 30 years, Heartland Motorsports Park thrived with races and events until a tax dispute between Shelby Developments and Shawnee County closed its gates in 2023.

In 2024, Shelby put Heartland Park up for auction, ultimately putting it in the hands of placeholder “Topeka 77.” The future of the property remained in question until Tuesday.

“It came as a surprise,” said Eric Prill with the Sports Car Club of America.

Prill said he’s excited to hear the IHRA is ready to hit the ground running with renovation planning to begin immediately.

“The bit that we do know about the new owners IHRA is that they make things happen,” he said.

Prill said SCCA had utilized Heartland Park for events that bring in hundreds of people from across the nation. They hope the new ownership allows them to bring those events back.

“People come from all over the place that their goal is to get on a track and to enjoy themselves and have fun but they’re gonna stick around for a couple of days they’re gonna stay in hotels. They’re gonna go out and and eat at local establishment,” he said.

As someone who’s hit the track himself, Prill said he’s excited to be in that atmosphere once again.

“Obviously, the drag strip is very famous world famous you know one of the fastest places on earth. The excitement that the fans get from the power of NHRA and IHRA drag racing, it’s just quite an experience,” he said.

Prill said he’s hopeful to start planning events at Heartland Park in the new year.

International Hot Rod Association owner Darryl Cuttell took ownership of the association at the start of this year. Already, the group has moved rapidly to purchase multiple racetracks. At least nine, including Heartland, this year alone, according to a review of its website.

Copyright 2025 WIBW. All rights reserved.

In the rolling hills of Sparta, Kentucky, a once-thriving hub of high-octane excitement now sits largely silent, its grandstands echoing with memories of roaring engines and checkered flags. Kentucky Speedway, a 1.5-mile tri-oval that burst onto the NASCAR scene in the early 2000s, has faced a steady decline since its last Cup Series race in 2020.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Recent news of a proposed zoning change by the Gallatin County Planning Commission has reignited fears among fans that the track could be repurposed for industrial use, potentially sealing its fate as a racing venue. With a public hearing scheduled for January 6, 2026, to discuss reverting the property’s zoning from a specialized “Motor, Equine, Entertainment District” back to “Heavy Industrial,” the question looms: Is Kentucky Speedway doomed?

A Brief History of Glory and Gridlock

Opened in 2000, Kentucky Speedway quickly climbed the ranks of American motorsports. Located in the small city of Sparta—population around 250—the track was designed as a state-of-the-art intermediate oval, hosting its first NASCAR Cup Series event in 2011 after years of lobbying and infrastructure upgrades to handle massive crowds. For nearly a decade, it was home to the Quaker State 400, drawing tens of thousands of fans and injecting millions into the local economy. However, challenges mounted: notorious traffic jams on race days, declining attendance, and criticism of the track’s banking and surface, which limited overtaking and led to processional racing.

A 2016 repave and reconfiguration aimed to address these issues, but by 2020, NASCAR pulled the plug on the Cup Series event amid shifting priorities toward more short tracks, road courses, and urban venues. Owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) since 2008, the facility has hosted sporadic lower-tier events, music festivals like a 2022 EDM rave, and even served as overflow storage for Amazon trailers during the pandemic. Today, it’s classified as “inactive” for major racing, with Ford also leasing space for vehicle storage, helping offset maintenance costs estimated at around $1 million annually.

The Zoning Rewrite: A Red Flag for the Future?

The latest controversy stems from Gallatin County’s effort to streamline its comprehensive plan. In 2008, the speedway’s zoning was customized to “Motor, Equine, Entertainment District” to encourage diversified development, including potential horse racing or entertainment complexes that never fully materialized. Now, planners propose reverting to the original “Heavy Industrial (I-2)” designation—still permitting automobile racing but broadening appeal for industrial buyers like warehouses or data centers. Officials describe it as a procedural cleanup to make the property easier to market, insisting it doesn’t preclude racing.

However, this has sparked alarm. Social media buzzes with speculation that SMI might sell the 1,000-acre site, especially given its underutilization. Some reports and online posts erroneously claim the track was already “sold and repurposed” in 2022, but these appear to stem from misinformation; SMI remains the owner, and the facility isn’t officially on the market. Local leaders, including those at the nearby Capital City Airport Authority, emphasize the track’s ongoing viability for events, noting its modern infrastructure and economic potential amid regional growth.

Fan Fears and Expert Insights

NASCAR enthusiasts aren’t buying the optimism. On platforms like Reddit and Facebook, fans lament the zoning shift as a “death knell,” drawing parallels to defunct tracks like North Carolina Speedway or Chicagoland, which faced similar fates. “It’s just sitting there hoping somebody will bring it back to life,” one poster shared alongside sunset photos of the empty venue. Critics point to the track’s history of unfulfilled promises—early traffic woes alienated fans, and post-repave racing remained lackluster until the Next Gen car’s introduction elsewhere showed promise for intermediates.

Driver Denny Hamlin, in a 2024 interview, suggested Kentucky could thrive with upgrades under the current car package, but NASCAR’s 2026 Cup Series schedule tells a different story: No slot for Sparta. Instead, the calendar prioritizes short tracks like North Wilkesboro and road courses, with additions like Chicagoland’s return signaling a selective revival strategy. Speculative Reddit threads from 2025 floated a possible 2026 comeback, but those proved unfounded.

That said, the track isn’t entirely dormant. NASCAR Racing Experience programs are slated for June 20 and August 15, 2026, allowing fans to drive laps themselves. And while major races are absent, the facility’s role in logistics and occasional events keeps it operational.

Echoes of Other Tracks: Lessons from Revival and Ruin

Kentucky’s plight mirrors other ovals sidelined by NASCAR’s evolution. Rockingham Speedway, dormant for years, saw a revival in 2025 with Xfinity and Truck Series races before its sale to the IHRA, which plans to maintain racing. Chicagoland, once shuttered, reappears on the 2026 schedule, proving comebacks are possible with investment. Conversely, tracks like Nazareth or Pikes Peak faded into oblivion, repurposed for non-motorsports uses.

For Kentucky, the zoning hearing could be pivotal. If approved, it might signal SMI’s intent to divest, especially as industrial demand surges in the region near Cincinnati. Yet, officials stress the change doesn’t ban racing, and with no sale announced, the track’s infrastructure—valued at hundreds of millions—remains intact.

Verdict: On the Brink, But Not Buried Yet

Is Kentucky Speedway doomed? Not imminently, but its future as a premier racing destination hangs by a thread. Without a NASCAR return or significant reinvestment, the zoning shift could accelerate a pivot to industrial uses, fulfilling fans’ worst fears. As the January 6 hearing approaches, all eyes are on Sparta. For now, the engines may be quiet, but the checkered flag hasn’t waved just yet—though it might be fluttering in the wind.