Sunday at Martinsville was pure domination for William Byron, who led 304 of 500 laps on his way to capturing the checkered flag. He had to deal with Ryan Blaney, who had won the previous two fall races at Martinsville. He elbowed him out of the way, taking the lead with 44 laps to go and never looking back.
“Damn, I got a lot to say (smiling),” said Byron, who now has 16 career wins. “Things have a way of working out. God really tests your resilience a lot of times. We’ve been tested. Just unbelievable.
“I’m out of breath. Thank you, fans, for coming out. Bad-ass crowd. I watched my first NASCAR race up there just before start/finish line. Man, I am just so thankful, excited to see my family, just celebrate this one.
“We obviously go to Phoenix. Just go try to kick ass there.”
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images
Blaney finished a disappointing second, Chase Elliott third, Ross Chastain fourth, and Kyle Larson fifth.
Larson was the final driver to advance into the final four, and the only one to do it on points, beating Christopher Bell by seven points. Bell was eliminated alongside the Penske duo of Joey Logano and Blaney, as well as Elliott.
Ryan Preece, Bell, Logano, Todd Gilliland, and Josh Berry filled out the remainder of the top ten.
At Phoenix, it will be the JGR duo of Denny Hamlin Chase Briscoe (who both suffered engine failures at Martinsville) facing the Hendrick duo of Byron and Larson.
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Stage 1
The action was constant from the very start with contact throughout the field. While Byron remained in control, the first caution was for Daniel Suarez, who went for a half-spin while in the middle of a three-wide battle for position.
Everyone took the opportunity to pit, but McDowell rolled the dice and took just two tires. It did not work out for him as he quickly fell back through the field, and Byron reclaimed control of the race.
Byron was flying, lapping all the way up to 15th place by the end of Stage 1. Tyler Reddick got the free pass at the stage break, as Byron won Stage 1 over Logano, Larson, Elliott, Gibbs, and Hamlin.
Hamlin also had a nervous moment near the end of the stage, slipping up out of the groove and nearly tagging the wall.
Stage 2
The second stage was very green for the first 90 or so laps, but a spin by Carson Hocevar triggered a caution in the latter portions of the stage. It appeared like he got some help from future teammate Suarez. Larson narrowly avoided getting swept up in the incident.
Byron’s lead remained unchallenged as he absolutely dominated the event. The race resumed with 37 laps to go in the stage, and the Hendrick teammates worked together to control the restart from both lanes.
Jones and Chastain chose to take the wave-around, and it worked out perfectly for them as a caution quickly flew for a spinning Cole Custer. Bowman knocked Berry into Custer, causing the incident. Keselowski nearly plowed into the spun No. 41 car after the fact. There was no free pass since Berry was involved in the incident.
Another caution quickly flew for the spun car of Cody Ware, losing a right-rear wheel, which will result in penalties next week.
Many drivers took the opportunity to pit during these yellows, but some did not, including Bell and Larson. They are battling to out-point each other, as neither wants to be the playoff driver on the bubble with a potential new winner.
Byron went on to win the stage, beating Larson, Bell, Elliott, and Gilliland.
Stage 3
During the stage break, Reddick led a new group of drivers that chose to stay out. Byron was set to restart seventh, which was the deepest he had been in the field all day.
Blaney quickly took the lead from Reddick as Byron tried to find a way back to the front.
Back in the pack, Berry got spun after getting put on the outside of three-wide situation by Keselowski and Wallace.
Briscoe suddenly fell off the pack, and went to the garage with an engine issue. He was the first driver to fall out of the race. It took almost 300 laps for the first DNF of the day. Herbst soon followed him into the garage with his own mechanical issues.
The gremlins continued to plague the Toyota drivers, as Hamlin suddenly fell out of the race with his own engine failure.
Elsewhere on track, Hocevar got back at his future teammate, shoving Suarez up the track.
And while all eyes were on the win-and-you’re-in drivers, one non-playoff driver was flying through the field. Preece broke into the top five, and continued a steady march towards the lead.
With about 125 laps to go, green-flag pit stops began. However, a spin by Jones in the middle of green-flag pit stops threw a wrench into everything. Chastain was leading, and the only drivers who had pitted and remained on the lead lap were Blaney and Byron.
Cindric was penalized a lap for speeding off pit road in an attempt to not lose a lap.
The run didn’t last very long as Hocevar spun in yet another run-in with Suarez. During the caution, Bell led a small group of drivers that chose to pit, doing the opposite of Larson.
Byron eventually ran down Blaney, muscling him out of the way as they lapped T. Dillon with 44 laps to go. With 18 laps left, Hocevar spun for the third time on Sunday, setting up a mad-dash to the finish.
However, drivers kept it fairly clean, and Blaney was unable to bridge the gap to Byron, who claimed victory for HMS.
Watch: Byron wins Martinsville: ‘Things have a way of working out’
A coalition dubbed Restore Our Fairgrounds is calling for a voter referendum to block NASCAR-style racing in favor of affordable housing and green space at the Fairgrounds in South Nashville, the latest measure in a two-decade effort to strip auto racing from the property.
The group said it filed paperwork recently with the metro clerk to start a charter amendment ending auto racing at the Metro Nashville Fairgrounds amid rumors about Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Speedway Motorsports negotiating a deal for NASCAR-type expansion.
The group says resumption of car races would hurt local taxpayers and cause more traffic and noise.
If successful, the amendment would undo a 2011 referendum that amended the charter to protect existing uses of the fairgrounds, including auto racing. The measure passed with 72% of voters approving it.
Metro Nashville voters would have to vote in favor of a referendum to end racing at the fairgrounds, which was home to different types of racing for more than 100 years.
The group supports the preservation of green space, development of affordable housing and improvements to nearby Brown’s Creek, a tributary to Cumberland River on the federal list of polluted waterways.
Multiple Nashville groups, such as the Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Nashville Organized for Action and Hope Economic Equity, Jobs & Transportation Task Force and South Nashville Action People are part of the coalition.
Mike Kopp, cofounder of Fairgrounds Preservation Partners, is among those signing the petition, along with Metro Council member Terry Vo; Heidi Basgall Favorite, founder of Neighbors Opposing Track Expansion; and Jose Gonzales, cofounder of Conexion Americas.
In 15 TQ Midget races contested inside the PPL Center over the past nine years, a Pennsylvania driver has visited Victory Lane just twice. Young standout Tanner VanDoren of Slatington and veteran Matt Janisch of Wind Gap are hoping to become the first Keystone State drivers to score multiple Allentown Indoor Racing Series victories when the Ironton Global Races return on Friday and Saturday, January 9 and 10.
A total of 13 drivers from Pennsylvania are entered, and they’ll have two chances to win a feature. On Friday, the headline TQ Midgets will compete in a 30-lap feature, and on Saturday, the distance will be 40 laps. It won’t be easy with drivers entered from eight different states with many different forms of motorsports racing experience.
Ryan Flores remains the undisputed king of Allentown. The Huntersville, N.C. driver and New Jersey native has captured seven victories at the PPL Center. New York drivers account for five wins, led by Erick Rudolph—the only other repeat winner—along with Justin Bonsignore, Scott Kreutter, and Andy Jankowiak, who will be seeking his second Allentown triumph.
Since winning in his Friday-night Indoor Series debut at Allentown in 2024, VanDoren has been a contender in nearly every race he’s entered while driving for car owner Jeff Ulrich. Tragically, Ulrich was struck by a vehicle and killed while crossing a street last February.
New Jersey’s Anthony Sesley, a four-time Gambler’s Classic winner in Atlantic City, earned his lone Allentown victory in 2023, driving for Ulrich. It was Sesley who arranged for VanDoren to serve as his test driver in Allentown the following season, and the two have been teammates in the Indoor Series TQ Midgets ever since. Following Ulrich’s passing, Sesley acquired the team’s two race cars to continue Ulrich’s legacy.
At Allentown, Sesley will not compete as a driver, instead focusing solely on VanDoren’s efforts as crew chief. After gaining speed through two Allentown events without Ulrich, Sesley will return to the cockpit as VanDoren’s teammate at the Atlantic City Indoor Race on January 30 and 31.
Allentown native Briggs Danner could bring the house down if he captures his first Indoor Series victory on his home turf. A frequent contender in past seasons, Danner is banking on speed found last year with a new TQ Midget built by Kevin Graver to finally seal the deal and become the third driver from his state to win in Allentown’s ten-year history.
Danner will have a new teammate in 16-year-old Logan Watt of Boyertown, who stormed onto the Modified racing scene during his rookie season in 2025. Although Watt has never driven a TQ Midget, the proven Graver-Danner setup could make him fast right out of the gate—much like VanDoren, who won in his Indoor debut at age 16 in 2024.
Tim Buckwalter of Royersford, a former Indoor Series Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic winner, hopes to score an Allentown victory in front of his home-state fans, driving for a new team assembled by legendary racer Lou Cicconi.
Ryan Smith, coming off a strong outdoor season in 410 Sprint Cars, returns to TQ Midget competition in George VanVarick’s No. 43. After resolving mechanical issues last season, Smith found speed in Atlantic City last January and hopes to carry that momentum into Allentown.
Matt Roselli of Brodheadsville, Pa.—a past preliminary-night Triple 20 winner in Allentown—returns in the radical Laffler-built TQ Midget featuring a right-side-mounted engine that debuted last season. Chad Jones of Quakertown, Pa., who designed and built a brand-new TQ Midget from the ground up last year, looks to iron out the remaining issues and take a step forward.
Kyle Lick of Lehighton, who finished seventh in the standings last year, is another driver knocking on the door of his first Indoor TQ Midget series win. Pennsburg car owner Matt Chowns returns with a two-car effort, including John Barnett in the second entry.
Jesse Strohl, a 24-year-old asphalt Modified driver from Slatington, will make his TQ Midget debut. Strohl comes from deep racing roots, with his grandfather, Marvin Bartholomew, and father, Lou Strohl, longtime competitors at Mahoning Valley and Evergreen Speedways.
Drivers will again have the opportunity to claim the Ironton Auto Body Challenge by winning both feature races in Allentown. Friday’s winner will be offered a guaranteed starting spot 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 advance from tenth to win. Combined with Saturday’s purse, a weekend sweep would total $10,000.
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, showcasing the top 10 qualifiers in a 15-lap dash where drivers choose their starting positions. The pole pays $240 to win, with payouts 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 for all three classes. Champ Kart teams will arrive from 12 states and Ontario, Canada, while Slingshot competitors will represent Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Quebec.
Lower-level reserved ticket holders for Saturday night receive access to a 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 on the day of the events. Check the website for more information.
Like so many second-generation racers, Austin Kardules has always been around the sport. But what started out as a hobby has become a multi-faceted career that sees the central Ohio native reach new audiences in hopes of growing the sport he loves.
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025.
Kardules’ father started racing motorcycles in the late 1970s. When Austin and his older brother, Camron, came along, the boys were out at the track as babies. Austin, now 29, started racing Jr. Dragsters in 2003 and traveled with the MyChron series. He had some success, ultimately winning the points runoff at Summit Motorsports Park to take home a brand-new Half-Scale dragster custom-painted by R&R Auto Body.
Driving took a back seat as Kardules grew up, but he filled the void by going to work for Pure Speed Drag Racing Experience, previously known as Doug Foley’s Drag Racing School. He started working with Foley and his family – including sons Doug Jr. (a 2016 honoree) and Joe (a 2024 honoree) – as a driving instructor on a part-time basis in 2012 before going on the road full-time in 2015.
Through that experience, he helped hundreds of people make their first passes down a dragstrip. Kardules then stepped away from racing completely for about two years to start a career in sales and marketing, which actually led him back to Foley and drag racing.
After Foley decided to get back into NHRA Top Fuel competition, Kardules got involved with the Foley Lewis Racing sponsorship efforts. Over the last few years, he’s helped secure partnerships with Alloy Employer Services, United Garage Door, CHI Overhead Doors, and LiftMaster, introducing new brands to the sport in the process.
“That’s probably the most rewarding part about what I do,” says Kardules, who counts Foley as a mentor. “Bringing new companies into the sport, and seeing them realize what all goes into it – not just on track, but off track – and how beneficial it can be on the B2B side with the experience they’re able to give their customers.”
That led to one of Kardules’ proudest moments in the sport earlier this year when Foley qualified No. 1 at the IHRA Nitro Outlaw Series event at Darana Raceway, previously known as National Trail Raceway, outside Columbus, Ohio.
“That was surreal,” Kardules says. “The last NHRA national event that was there was 2006. I was 10 years old. Growing up there, it seemed like we would never have a Top Fuel race there ever again. So, for that to happen almost 20 years later is kind of unbelievable. But to be a part of a team while that happened, with my dad standing on the starting line, and to get the No. 1 spot when we weren’t in the show on the last qualifying session? I couldn’t even dream of that happening.”
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A few years ago, the Kardules brothers also worked with future 30 Under 30 honoree Jeb Bolyard to bring back the King of Columbus event to National Trail. Austin focused on sponsorships and promoting the event, which later expanded to two events.
“I think the most rewarding part is all the appreciation from racers that we put a focus on what we would want if we were in their shoes,” he says. “Because a lot of races they go to, sometimes the focus is not the racer’s experience.”
Though Kardules is no longer involved with the racing school, he and his brother continue to mentor local racers both young and old who are just getting started. He even coached a former student who bought a race car, truck, and trailer after attending a Pure Speed school event.
“My brother and I always try to help people getting into the sport, understanding the dos and don’ts, and helping them get their start and feel comfortable at the racetrack,” Kardules says. “The only way to keep people coming back is make them feel comfortable and understand what they’re doing.”
Kardules’ efforts in various arenas of the sport achieve different outcomes, but the overarching theme is bringing in new fans, racers, and sponsors. He says the sport sells itself once people see it in person. It’s getting them out to the racetrack that can be a challenge.
“One thing that is universally the same, whether it’s driving a 10-second dragster for the first time or sponsoring a Top Fuel car – or just coming to watch Top Fuel – is that people underestimate what it is until they get there,” says Kardules, who thanked his parents and brother as well as Joe Clark with United Garage Door, Palmetto State Armory, and Kyle Fischer with Hot Shot’s Secret for supporting his various endeavors.
“When they get there, they realize it’s a lot cooler than they expected. There’s a lot more involved. Especially when someone gets in the driver’s seat for the first time, they realize it’s a lot faster in the seat than it looks.“Those people who have never even heard of drag racing, or have a lower expectation of what it truly is, how do we get them to the racetrack and get them to see it?”
Can-Am has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the 40th Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2026 Show, set for Friday and Saturday, January 23–24, 2026, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
This high-profile sponsorship is a key highlight of Can-Am’s focus on industry-leading performance, innovation, and off-road dominance. From championship-winning motocross heritage to today’s cutting-edge lineup of ATVs, Side-By-Side vehicles, and three-wheel road machines. Can-Am continues to define what’s possible for racers, adventurers, and motorsports enthusiasts everywhere.
As PPB Motorsports 2026 Presented by Can-Am, the show will feature a major Can-Am presence on the show floor, including a large-scale, interactive vehicle display hosted by Smith Marine, an authorized Can-Am dealer located at 573 E. Butler Ave., New Britain, PA. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of Can-Am machines—built for racing, trail riding, work, recreation, and motorsports event lifestyles from the pit area to the campground.
With more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Motorsports Show delivers a high-energy environment perfectly aligned with the Can-Am brand. The event will showcase over 200 race cars on display, driver autograph sessions and stage interviews, free racer seminars and a wide array of motorsports-focused vendors and manufacturers.
Pioneer Pole Buildings, based in Schuylkill Haven, PA, returns as title sponsor for the 15th consecutive year, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to motorsports. Their expansive exhibit near the main entrance will feature PPB-sponsored race cars, company displays, and driver autograph sessions—welcoming fans as they enter the Can-Am–powered show experience.
Adding to the prestige of the weekend, legendary drivers Geoff Bodine and Kenny Brightbill will be honored with special tribute displays. Two of the most respected names in motorsports history, both legends will be available to meet fans throughout the event.
Friday night excitement peaks with the Aqua Duck Water Transport–sponsored Ms. Motorsports Competition at 8:00 PM, awarding $2,500 to the winner. Applications are available now through the official show website.
Saturday afternoon puts the spotlight on the next generation of motorsports fans with the Little Miss Motorsports Competition and the RAACE Foundation Big Wheel Races, two beloved traditions that highlight the family-friendly side show.
Exhibitors looking to align their brands one of the Northeast’s premier motorsports events are encouraged to act quickly. For exhibit space, visit motorsportstradeshow.com or email [email protected] or call Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 before space sells out.
Special host hotel rates are available at the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn of Valley Forge/Oaks, both located directly on the Expo Center property. Following Friday’s show, the official Motorsports After Party will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn bar and banquet room, bringing together racers, fans, exhibitors, and industry leaders.
Rockingham Speedway, which opened in 1965 as North Carolina Motor Speedway, has been purchased by the International Hot Rod Association.
The IHRA, based in Fairfield, Ohio, announced the purchase of Rockingham Speedway on New Year’s Eve 2025, just a day after it said it had acquired Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas. The announcement also came less than two months after the NHRA announced it would conduct a 2026 event at Rockingham Dragway, which is located across the street from the 1.017-mile oval that was a long-time home for NASCAR events.
In Wednesday’s announcement, the IHRA said its purchase of Rockingham Speedway reflected its “commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”
“This is a special place with a strong foundation,” IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell said in a prepared statement. “Our goal is to be good stewards of the facility, respect its history, and work collaboratively to bring quality racing and entertainment back to The Rock.”
Planned improvements include facility upgrades, expanded fan amenities, and the addition of entertainment elements such as concerts and festival-style experiences in addition to races.
RacingOne//Getty Images
eartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.
NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) and Craftsman Truck series returned to Rockingham Speedway last year. They are scheduled to race this year at the facility April 3-4. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has an open test scheduled at the track January 27-28.
In Wednesday’s release, IHRA leadership said conversations were underway with respected industry operators, including Bob Sargent and Track Enterprises which oversaw last year’s NASCAR weekend when the track was owned by Dan Lovenheim. Slightly more than a month after the sold-out 2025 NASCAR weekend, Lovenheim, who acquired the 250-acre property in August 2018, announced it was for sale.
Rockingham Speedway and Heartland Motorsports Park weren’t the only acquisitions the IHRA made in December 2025. Two days before Christmas, the IHRA announced it had acquired the facility in Millington, Tennessee, formerly known as Memphis International Raceway and Memphis Motorsports Park. In mid-December, the IHRA obtained Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
In addition to track purchases, in the last two months of 2025, the IHRA acquired F1 Powerboat Racing and the World Drag Racing Alliance, created an alliance with the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association and the Hot Shot’s Secret Pro Pulling League, and launched a new stock car racing series that will conduct events at tracks in the Southeast and Midwest. The eight-race IHRA Stock Car Series schedule begins March 21 at Pulaski (Virginia) Motorsports Park and ends October 17 at Memphis Motorsports Park.
A North Carolina native, Deb Williams is an award-winning motorsports journalist who is in her fourth decade covering auto racing. In addition to covering the sport for United Press International, she has written motorsports articles for several newspapers, magazines and websites including espnW.com, USA Today, and The Charlotte Observer. Her awards include the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence, two-time National Motorsports Press Association writer of the year, and two-time recipient of the Russ Catlin award. She also has won an award in the North Carolina Press Association’s sports feature category. During her career, Deb has been managing editor of GT Motorsports magazine and was with Winston Cup Scene and NASCAR Winston Cup Scene for 18 years, serving as the publication’s editor for 10 years. In 2024 she was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame.
