Motorsports

Job Finished for McIntosh! 2025 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Review – Speedway Digest

Published

3 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

Resilience was at the forefront of Cannon McIntosh’s ascension to the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in 2025.

One year after finishing as the runner-up in the series standings, the Bixby, Oklahoma native climbed to the top after leading the series with five victories, 14 top-fives and 19 top-tens at the wheel of his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/Mobil 1 – Toyota – Curb Records/LynK/Speedway Toyota No. 71K.

By a 44-point margin, McIntosh became the third Oklahoman to capture the USAC National Midget crown following Christopher Bell (2013) and Daison Pursley (2024), who McIntosh finished as a runner-up to in the standings one year ago.

Meanwhile, McIntosh also provided Keith Kunz Motorsports its record-extending 13th USAC National Midget entrant title. For Curb-Agajanian, their latest entrant title is their 11th.

Since returning to KKM in 2024, McIntosh has accumulated eight wins, 29 top-fives and 39 top-tens in a total of 46 feature starts, a consistent run that saw him win more often (5) than he finished outside the top-ten (4) throughout the 2025 campaign. Mission accomplished.

“(Crew chief) Beau (Binder) and I sat down and talked about our goals and what we needed to do to accomplish them,” McIntosh explained. “I just took it one race at a time and I felt like we struggled at the beginning and just learned from every race as we went on. We had our down moments but I feel like that’s when we came out and did our best, whether it was winning or just running up front the next time out.”

That seemed to be a reoccurring theme for the 22-year-old McIntosh. In May in Belleville, Kansas, McIntosh tangled with his championship nemesis, Justin Grant, while battling for second on the first of two nights on the short track. Restarting at the tail, he charged back from 22nd to finish fifth! One night later at Belleville, he bounced back to take the victory.

In July at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mishap relegated him to a 21st place finish on the opening night of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors. On the next night at IMS, misfortune seemingly continued after flipping wildly in his heat race. After repairs, he came back to win the semi-feature. Starting 19th in the feature, it seemed to be a long shot to win it, but don’t tell that to Cannon. After passing teammate Jacob Denney with two laps remaining, McIntosh had earned a $20,039 prize while becoming the first multi-time BC39 winner. The +18 run proved to be the biggest charge of the series season by any driver.

“We were really good at being resilient and overcoming bad nights,” McIntosh noted. “When I look back at the BC39, on the first night, we struggled, stalled the car and ended up in the back. When we came back the next night, I was scratching my head. I knew the car was capable, and then we went out and won it. That’s the moment I knew this team was capable of doing this.”

Prior to his BC39 triumph, McIntosh stood a distant 106 points out of the championship lead behind Justin Grant and Kale Drake. That just so happened to be when Cannon was at his best as he strung together seven consecutive podium finishes that resulted in another pair of victories during Mid-America Midget Week at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex and Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway, the latter of which was worth a cool $10,000.

In a mere five races, McIntosh had erased a 106-point deficit to reign at the top of the standings following his Jefferson County win. After initially pulling away to a 39-point edge, the first event of November’s Golden State Invasion at Placerville Speedway’s Hangtown 100 had shrunk McIntosh’s lead to three over Grant.

But when the walls began to close in on McIntosh, he responded. He won the next race out, this time at Merced Speedway’s Midget Madness, and subsequently, stretched out his lead over Grant, a lead he did not relinquish. In fact, the Merced win was monumental as it provided car owner Keith Kunz his 200th career USAC national victory across the three divisions (Midget, Sprint Car, Silver Crown).

“It was those bad moments that really helped us do what we had to do,” McIntosh acknowledged. “But we weren’t going down without a fight. We were down a lot of points but we just kind of forgot about that and decided to go out and start clicking off wins and podiums, and I think we went on a streak of seven podiums in a row. That got us right back in the fight. We were just not even thinking about it and just going out and racing.”

Behind every winning driver is a winning crew, and McIntosh is no exception.

“These guys worked really hard all year – Beau (Binder), Phil (Zubizareta) and Spencer (Rolenc) – that was our core group throughout the entire season,” McIntosh said. It took all these pieces to make it happen along with Pete Willoughby and Keith Kunz. it’s an honor to do this for them. These guys stayed confident in me and I stayed confident in them all the time. That’s what did it. Belief in ourselves and belief in the group that we have. I definitely couldn’t have done it without these guys.”

Elsewhere, Justin Grant led the points longer than any other driver on the circuit, topping the standings for 12 races throughout the first half of the season. He won three times, including April’s Kokomo Grand Prix at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway where he set a new record by winning across all three USAC national divisions quicker than any driver in series history. He won again in his next outing at Belleville, then scored the opening night of the BC39 at IMS en route to a runner-up points finish for the third time in his career, also doing so in 2022 and 2023. He also led all series drivers with three fast qualifying times.

Kevin Thomas Jr. equaled a career best finish in the USAC National Midget points by taking third in the standings a full decade after also finishing third in 2015. Despite no wins, he tied McIntosh for the series lead with 19 top-ten results, while garnering four second place finishes at Circle City, Bloomington and Eldora twice. He did accrue the most heat race victories of the season as well, amassing eight.

Jacob Denney continued his rise up the rankings with three wins and a career best fourth place finish in the standings. His first USAC start for the KKM team resulted in victory in the season opener at Kokomo after starting 17th! That erased a drought of 48 series starts without a win. Furthermore, he won twice during USAC Indiana Midget Week in June at Paragon and then continued his prowess at Kokomo with his second of the win there to close out IMW.

Kale Drake finished fifth in the standings, starting off the year by winning back-to-back in extremely superstitious fashion. On the way to Sweet Springs, he paid $22.22 for gas, then drew pill #22, then put on 22 tear-offs before the feature. For good measure, he led the final two laps of the feature to earn his second career series win. In fact, he won – you guessed it – two times overall this season, including at Circle City in June. His second place finish at Kokomo clinched him the $15,000 USAC Indiana Midget Week championship by – wait for it – a 22-point margin. You can’t make this stuff up.

Gavin Miller experienced a breakout year, winning three times in a four-race span during the late summer months. After 763 days and 56 races without a USAC victory, he returned to victory lane at Jefferson County, then did it again twice on Labor Day weekend by scoring at Bloomington, then grabbing the prestigious 40th Firemen’s Nationals at Wisconsin’s Angell Park Speedway worth $10,000.

Logan Seavey also posted a victory in November at Merced’s Chase Johnson Classic and led all drivers with 115 laps led. Drake Edwards became a first-time USAC National Midget winner during the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds. Fellow Arizonan Hayden Reinbold also became a first-time series victor in September at Eldora in what was his 101st career series start, which occurred on the very same night he also earned his first career fast qualifying time with the series.

Non-championship contenders, but midget racing masters, also dropped in on occasion to flex their muscles. Daison Pursley’s historic September night at Eldora saw him perform a USAC sweep of the 4-Crown Nationals by winning the Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget portions of the program in a single $45,000 night. He backed that up in the next series round at Placerville’s Hangtown 100 where late-race contact between him and Kyle Larson for the lead led to a deafening chorus of boo birds. Yet, it was another $20,000 payday for Pursley.

Buddy Kofoid won the $12,500-to-win Jason Leffler Memorial at the event’s new home of Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in November, utilizing essentially the same team and car number that Leffler used to win his first USAC National Midget title in 1997. At Ventura, Corey Day closed out the year by becoming the youngest back-to-back winner in the 84-year history of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented by the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame, which was worth $15,000.

Steven Snyder Jr. was named USAC National Midget MPI Rookie of the Year after finishing eighth in the standings with a pair of second place results at Kokomo and Placerville. Gunnar Setser, another impressive Rookie, finished 10th in the standings with a best result of fifth at Sweet Springs.

Also of note, Jerry Coons Jr. and his son, Cale Coons, each started both features at Belleville in May, making it one of the rare occasions a father has competed against his son in a USAC National Midget feature, joining Ted & Gene Hartley, Danny & George Kladis, Don & Rich Vogler, Bob & Bobby Wente, Bob & Terry Wente, Buddie & Trevor Boys, Jim & Ted Hines, Norm & Travis Young, Leon & Brady Bacon, Ryan & Randy Oerter, Ryan & Ashley Oerter and Joe & Clinton Boyles.

For the first time in series history, one team occupied the top four finishing positions of a feature event. In 2025, it happened twice for the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team, in April at Belleville and again in November at Merced.

In a statistical oddity in August at Bloomington, every race conducted during the program was won by a car sporting the number 97. Zach Wigal scored the first heat race win in Pat O’Dell’s No. 97x. The second race victory was captured by Kale Drake in the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97K. Gavin Miller, aboard his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97, finished off the preliminaries with a win in heat race three, then completed the night as the feature victor.

Nine drivers started all 23 feature events: Jacob Denney, Drake Edwards, Justin Grant, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Gunnar Setser, Steven Snyder Jr. and Kevin Thomas Jr. Overall, 107 drivers started a USAC National Midget feature in 2025.

2025 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK NATIONAL MIDGET STAT LEADERS

Driver Champion: Cannon McIntosh

Entrant Champion: Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K

Most Wins: Cannon McIntosh (5)

Rookie of the Year: Steven Snyder Jr. (8th)

Most Laps Led: 115-Logan Seavey

Most Top-Fives: 14-Cannon McIntosh

Most Top-Tens: 19-Cannon McIntosh & Kevin Thomas Jr.

Most Fast Qualifying Times: 3-Justin Grant

Most Heat Race Wins: 8-Kevin Thomas Jr.

Most Feature Starts: 23-Jacob Denney, Drake Edwards, Justin Grant, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Gunnar Setser, Steven Snyder Jr. & Kevin Thomas Jr.

Biggest Charge of the Year: Jul 2: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Cannon McIntosh (19th to 1st)

2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Apr 26: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN

WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)

Apr 27: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN

WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)

May 16: Belleville Short Track – Belleville, KS

WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)

May 17: Belleville Short Track – Belleville, KS

WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)

May 18: Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex – Sweet Springs, MO

WINNER: Kale Drake (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97K)

Jun 3: (I) Circle City Raceway – Indianapolis, IN

WINNER: Kale Drake (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97K)

Jun 4: (I) Paragon Speedway – Paragon, IN

WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)

Jun 8: (I) Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN

WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)

Jul 1: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, IN

WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)

Jul 2: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, IN

WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)

Jul 8: (M) Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex – Sweet Springs, MO

WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)

Jul 9: (M) Mitchell County Fairgrounds – Beloit, KS

WINNER: Drake Edwards (CB Industries #83)

Jul 11: (M) Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE

WINNER: Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97)

Jul 12: (M) Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE

WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)

Aug 29: Bloomington Speedway – Bloomington, IN

WINNER: Gavin Miller Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97

Aug 31: Angell Park Speedway – Sun Prairie, WI

WINNER: Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97)

Sep 18: Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH

WINNER: Hayden Reinbold (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports #19AZ)

Sep 20: Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH

WINNER: Daison Pursley (CB Industries #86)

Nov 15: (G) Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA

WINNER: Daison Pursley (CB Industries #86)

Nov 21: (G) Merced Speedway – Merced, CA

WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)

Nov 22: (G) Merced Speedway – Merced, CA

WINNER: Logan Seavey (Abacus Racing #57)

Nov 25: (G) Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA

WINNER: Buddy Kofoid (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71)

Nov 29: (G) Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA

WINNER: Corey Day (Willie Kahne #4K)

———————— KEY DEFINITIONS ————————-

(I) represents an Indiana Midget Week event

(M) represents a Mid-America Midget Week event

(G) represents a Golden State Invasion event

2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER POINT STANDINGS:

POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN

1 1432 Cannon McIntosh, Bixby, Oklahoma

2 1388 Justin Grant, Ione, California

3 1385 Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, Alabama

4 1383 Jacob Denney, Galloway, Ohio

5 1252 Kale Drake, Collinsville, Oklahoma

6 1233 Gavin Miller, Allentown, Pennsylvania

7 1212 Logan Seavey, Sutter, California

8 1192 Steven Snyder Jr. (R), Rising Sun, Maryland

9 1144 Drake Edwards, Peoria, Arizona

10 1003 Gunnar Setser (R), Columbus, Indiana

11 992 Hayden Reinbold, Gilbert, Arizona

12 842 Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, Oklahoma

13 766 Cale Coons (R), Greencastle, Indiana

14 605 Brecken Reese (R), Canyon, Texas

15 599 Kyle Jones, Kennedale, Texas

16 541 Jakeb Boxell (R), Zanesville, Indiana

17 445 Karter Sarff, Mason City, Illinois

18 416 Mack Leopard (R), Beavercreek, Ohio

19 374 Ethan Mitchell, Mooresville, North Carolina

20 373 Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, California

21 327 Zach Wigal, Belpre, Ohio

22 314 Colton Robinson (R), Titusville, Florida

23 222 Chelby Hinton (R), Dubberly, Louisiana

24 215 Zach Daum, Pocahontas, Illinois

25 198 Corbin Rueschenberg (R), Mesa, Arizona

26 189 Brandon Carr (R), Sheffield, United Kingdom

27 170 Kyle Cummins, Princeton, Indiana

28 137 Zack Merritt (R), Greeley, Colorado

29 112 Garrett Benson (R), Concordia, Missouri

30 107 Frankie Guerrini (R), San Rafael, California

31 105 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, Arizona

32 96 K.J. Snow (R), Kingsburg, California

33 82 Cord Kisthardt (R), Hershey, Pennsylvania

34 78 Bradley Cox (R), Burkburnett, Texas

35 61 Caiden Warren (R), Eaton, Colorado

36 59 Trey Zorn (R), Russell, Kansas

37 58 Chris Hartman (R), Boulder, Colorado

38 40 Blake Brannon (R), Morgan Hill, California

39 40 Tom Payet (R), Perth, Western Australia

40 40 Jake Robinson (R), Perth, Western Australia

41 40 Mathew Radisich (R), Auckland, New Zealand

42 30 Dylan Doyle (R), Brighton, Colorado

43 20 Adam Taylor (R), Wheatfield, Indiana

(R) represents a USAC National Midget Rookie

2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRANT POINT STANDINGS:

POS. PTS. ENTRANT, TEAM LOCATION

1 1432 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#71K)

2 1388 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#87)

3 1385 4 Kings Racing, Battle Creek, Michigan (#14)

4 1383 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#67)

5 1252 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#97K)

6 1233 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#97)

7 1212 Abacus Racing, Indianapolis, Indiana (#57)

8 1192 RMS Racing, New Lenox, Illinois (#4)

9 1144 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#83)

10 1091 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#86)

11 1001 Kevin Arnold, Columbus, Indiana (#43)

12 992 Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports, Gilbert, Arizona (#19AZ)

13 696 Dooling Autosports/Curb-Agajanian, Freeport, Texas (#63)

14 599 Joyner Motorsports, Concordia, Kansas (#27x)

15 541 4 Kings Racing, Battle Creek, Michigan (#14JB)

16 426 Tim Engler, Princeton, Indiana (#7x)

17 355 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#67K)

18 339 Bundy Built Motorsports, Mooresville, North Carolina (#19m)

19 297 Karter Sarff Racing, Mason City, Illinois (#21K)

20 246 Central Motorsports, Edmond, Oklahoma (#85)

21 232 Pat O’Dell, Rochester, Illinois (#97x)

22 222 Klatt Enterprises, Hastings, Nebraska (#4B)

23 199 Cornell Racing Stables, Monee, Illinois (#8)

24 198 Scott Rueschenberg, Mesa, Arizona (#26)

25 189 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#98K)

26 179 Tim Engler, Princeton, Indiana (#7s)

27 170 Glenn Styres Racing, Ohsweken, Ontario (#3G)

28 137 Ryan Oerter, Ellicott, Colorado (#43m)

29 110 F & F Racing, Indianapolis, Indiana (#63G)

30 82 Cord Kisthardt, Hershey, Pennsylvania (#21K)

31 78 Lonnie Cox, Elbert, Colorado (#45)

32 40 Paul Brannon, Morgan Hill, California (#40)

33 40 Bennett Motorsport, Perth, Western Australia (#7AU)

34 40 Paul Robinson, Perth, Western Australia (#8AU)

35 40 Out & About Racing, Safety Beach, Victoria (#17NZ)

36 30 Nick Poe, Centerville, Ohio (#2B)

37 20 Adam Taylor Racing, Wheatfield, Indiana (#7T)

2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROOKIE DRIVER POINT STANDINGS:

POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN

1 1192 Steven Snyder Jr., Rising Sun, Maryland

2 1003 Gunnar Setser, Columbus, Indiana

3 766 Cale Coons, Greencastle, Indiana

4 605 Brecken Reese, Canyon, Texas

5 541 Jakeb Boxell, Zanesville, Indiana

6 416 Mack Leopard, Beavercreek, Ohio

7 314 Colton Robinson, Titusville, Florida

8 222 Chelby Hinton, Dubberly, Louisiana

9 198 Corbin Rueschenberg, Mesa, Arizona

10 189 Brandon Carr, Sheffield, United Kingdom

11 137 Zack Merritt, Greeley, Colorado

12 112 Garrett Benson, Concordia, Missouri

13 107 Frankie Guerrini, San Rafael, California

14 96 K.J. Snow, Kingsburg, California

15 82 Cord Kisthardt, Hershey, Pennsylvania

16 78 Bradley Cox, Burkburnett, Texas

17 61 Caiden Warren, Eaton, Colorado

18 59 Trey Zorn, Russell, Kansas

19 58 Chris Hartman, Boulder, Colorado

20 40 Blake Brannon, Morgan Hill, California

21 40 Tom Payet, Perth, Western Australia

22 40 Jake Robinson, Perth, Western Australia

23 40 Mathew Radisich, Auckland, New Zealand

24 30 Dylan Doyle, Brighton, Colorado

25 20 Adam Taylor, Wheatfield, Indiana

2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS

FEATURE WINS

5-Cannon McIntosh (May 17 at the Belleville Short Track, Jul 2 at The Dirt Track at IMS, Jul 8 at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, Jul 12 at Jefferson County Speedway & Nov 21 at Merced Speedway)

3-Jacob Denney (Apr 26 at Kokomo Speedway, Jun 4 at Paragon Speedway & Jun 8 at Kokomo Speedway)

3-Justin Grant (Apr 27 at Kokomo Speedway, May 16 at the Belleville Short Track & Jul 1 at The Dirt Track at IMS)

3-Gavin Miller (Jul 11 at Jefferson County Speedway, Aug 29 at Bloomington Speedway & Aug 31 at Angell Park Speedway)

2-Kale Drake (May 18 at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex & Jun 3 at Circle City Raceway)

2-Daison Pursley (Sep 20 at Eldora Speedway & Nov 15 at Placerville Speedway)

1-Corey Day (Nov 29 at Ventura Raceway)

1-Drake Edwards (Jul 9 at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds)

1-Buddy Kofoid (Nov 25 at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway)

1-Hayden Reinbold (Sep 18 at Eldora Speedway)

1-Logan Seavey (Nov 22 at Merced Speedway)

FEATURE LAPS LED

115-Logan Seavey

111-Jacob Denney

110-Justin Grant

99-Corey Day

92-Gavin Miller

76-Cannon McIntosh

52-Kyle Larson

45-Buddy Kofoid

42-Drake Edwards & Kevin Thomas Jr.

26-Kale Drake

21-Riley Kreisel & Daison Pursley

18-Hayden Reinbold

6-Steven Snyder Jr.

2-Brecken Reese

TOP-5 FEATURE FINISHES

14-Cannon McIntosh

12-Jacob Denney & Justin Grant

10-Kevin Thomas Jr.

8-Kale Drake & Logan Seavey

7-Gavin Miller

6-Drake Edwards & Steven Snyder Jr.

5-Daison Pursley

3-Buddy Kofoid

2-Jakeb Boxell, Corey Day & Hayden Reinbold

1-Jake Andreotti, Landon Brooks, Tanner Carrick, Jerry Coons Jr., Kyle Cummins, Zach Daum, Shane Golobic, Kyle Jones, Riley Kreisel, Kyle Larson, Carson Macedo, Thomas Meseraull, Justin Peck, Brecken Reese, Karter Sarff, Gunnar Setser, K.J. Snow & Zach Wigal

TOP-10 FEATURE FINISHES

19-Cannon McIntosh & Kevin Thomas Jr.

17-Jacob Denney & Justin Grant

16-Kale Drake, Gavin Miller & Logan Seavey

13-Drake Edwards

12-Steven Snyder Jr.

9-Daison Pursley

8-Gunnar Setser

7-Hayden Reinbold

6-Karter Sarff

4-Jakeb Boxell & Kyle Jones

3-Landon Brooks, Cale Coons, Buddy Kofoid, Brecken Reese & Zach Wigal

2-Tanner Carrick, Kyle Cummins, Zach Daum, Corey Day, Carson Macedo, Thomas Meseraull, Justin Peck & Colton Robinson

1-Jake Andreotti, Jerry Coons Jr., Colby Copeland, Briggs Danner, Andrew Felker, Shane Golobic, Rylan Gray, Chelby Hinton, Riley Kreisel, Kyle Larson, Mack Leopard, Ethan Mitchell, K.J. Snow, Ricky Thornton Jr., Austin Wood & Jett Yantis

HONEST ABE ROOFING FAST QUALIFYING TIMES

3-Justin Grant

2-Jacob Denney, Karter Sarff & Logan Seavey

1-Tanner Carrick, Drake Edwards, Kyle Larson, Mack Leopard, Carson Macedo, Cannon McIntosh, Daison Pursley, Hayden Reinbold, Steven Snyder Jr. & Kevin Thomas Jr.

USAC PR

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“I Felt the Pressure for Him”: Julia Piquet Opens Up on Daniel Suárez’s Dream Win in Mexico City

Published

5 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Daniel Suarez’s 2025 season was not particularly one to write home about. The 33-year-old finished 29th in the standings, marking a rather underwhelming end to his tenure with the organization. The lone high point came when he won the Xfinity Series race on his home ground in Mexico City. His wife, Julia Piquet, spoke about the moment back in September.

Piquet, in a conversation with Samantha Busch, the spouse of two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, was asked what it was like to race in front of so many fans who were rooting for Suarez. She explained that it was not a case of them traveling to Mexico City on a whim and returning immediately after the win. The visit had been months in the making.

Suarez and Piquet traveled to the city multiple times before the race for promotional activities, fan engagements, sponsorship meetings, and more. When race day finally arrived, it was Piquet who felt and showed the most pressure. Suarez, staying true to his nature, remained as calm and collected as ever.

She said, “I felt a lot of pressure for him. I can’t speak for him. I mean, a lot of people always ask me, ‘Does Daniel get nervous before a race?’ And I’m like, ‘Honestly, if he does, he doesn’t show it.’ He’s always cool as a cucumber. He’s always in the right mindset. I’m sure there was extra pressure obviously for Mexico City, but he never, never shows it, you know?”

Piquet had been nervous enough for both of them, given how badly Suarez had wanted to race again in front of his home crowd. The sheer number of media personnel and documentary crews following them around only added to the pressure. Once Suarez reached Victory Lane, the atmosphere turned absolutely electric, and Piquet was still in awe of it even months later.

She continued, “I get goosebumps every time I think about it because it was so magical. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. To crash in qualifying and come back in a backup car. I mean, they were singing the national anthem for the Xfinity race when they were rolling the car onto the grid because it took them up to the last minute to get it fixed or to prepare the backup car. It was a storybook ending.”

In 2026, Suarez will leave Trackhouse Racing for Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series. Expectations are that he is able to fare a lot better with the team than he did with Trackhouse.

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Northern Tool + Equipment Launches TV Show Highlighting Young Tradespeople

Published

8 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

northern tool student build tv series class around table

Minnesota-based Northern Tool + Equipment is partnering with RACER Network to launch a first-of-its-kind television series highlighting the next generation of tradespeople — namely, high school CTE (career and technical education) students. A new four-episode series will follow Tennessee’s LaVergne High School CTE juniors and seniors as they participate in the Legends Challenge: Student Build from Northern Tool — transforming a Harley-Davidson Nightster into an XR750-inspired flat-track racer with hands-on mentorship from racers and builders.

“The work these students are doing belongs on the big screen,” said Frank Crowson, chief marketing officer at Northern Tool + Equipment. “RACER Network fans—and motorsports diehards everywhere—are going to see real talent, determination and teamwork on display. This is a serious challenge; even seasoned pros would be pushed to finish a build like this in just 174 days.”

The series will highlight Northern Tool’s mission to put professional-grade tools in the hands of high school CTE students and invest in future tradespeople with unique learning experiences and industry mentorship, according to officials in a press release announcing the program. The retailer’s investment has already impacted more than 30 schools across the country, including two previous builds—the Monster Jam Mini Build and Rat Rod Kart Build Off.

Northern Tool + Equipment Launches TV Show Highlighting Young Tradespeople | THE SHOP

“We greenlit the Northern Tool Legends Build because the students at La Vergne High School—and the skilled trades they’re learning—are the future of motorsports,” said Scott McLemore, RACER Network vice president of programming. “The craft, the grit, the teamwork—that’s the story RACER Network tells best. We’re proud to add Northern’s Legends Build to our new show lineup next fall, and we’re already eyeing Northern’s Build 4.”

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family-owned company serving both DIYers and trade professionals as a leading supplier of more than 100,000 high-quality tools and equipment.

The series is anticipated to air in 2026. Updates can be found on social media and Northern Tool’s YouTube channel.

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NASCAR team names 2026 driver after Dale Earnhardt Jr left unhappy – Motorsport – Sports

Published

8 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

With around two months to go until the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series goes green, Big Machine Racing made the announcement of the exit of Nick Sanchez in early December, after recording the team’s first win since 2022 this past season. Regardless, the team has since moved on, announcing his replacement on Tuesday.

Sanchez’s exit came as a surprise, given that not only did he win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Focused Health 250, but he recorded a further six top-five finishes as well as another five top 10s, coming home 12th in the driver’s standings.

News of the 24-year-old’s exit did not go down well with Hall of Fame driver and JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who labeled the decision “surprising” because of both his performances in 2025 and the late timing of it all.

Speaking on the ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, the 51-year-old added, “It’s late. It’s a tough part of the year to find out that you don’t have a job for next season.”

He noted how the “talented” Sanchez could already have a new spot lined up, however, given that as of December 23 he has yet to make any announcements regarding a new home for 2026, this seems increasingly unlikely.

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“He’s decent, and he’s got some talent,” Earnhardt later added. “The other thing too I like is that he pisses some people off, right? I mean, I don’t love that cause sometimes he pisses me off or he pisses one of my guys off…But as a fan or as a broadcaster and as somebody who’s like wanting to fall in love with the sport. We need guys like that.”

With Sanchez no longer behind the wheel of the No. 48 BMR Chevrolet, it now falls upon Dr. Patrick Staropoli, who also happens to be a retina surgeon, to fill his shoes for the 2026 season.

The 36-year-old made his series debut in 2025, making four appearances for Sam Hunt Racing, finishing a season best of 16th at Martinsville Speedway in the US Marine Corps 250.

This will mark Staropoli’s first full-time season in any of NASCAR’s national series, while he also has yet to complete a full-time slate in the ARCA Menards feeder series.

“From the moment I buckled into a pure stock at Hialeah Speedway in 2003, my life’s goal has been to compete at the top levels of this sport. The path has taken many unexpected turns but after working every day for 23 years in pursuit of this dream, I now have the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to Scott Borchetta, Patrick Donahue, and Chevrolet. I am ready to do whatever it takes to put this SYFOVRE Chevy up front and raise awareness for Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration by combining my passion for motorsports and medicine.”

BMR crew chief and team manager, Patrick Donahue, said the team was “pleased to welcome Dr. Patrick Staropoli to the #48 Big Machine Racing team for the 2026 season.

“He brings a rare blend of professionalism, focus, and drive that will continue to strengthen our organization. This partnership reflects our commitment to surrounding the team with individuals who share our values and vision for building long-term success.”

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Motorsports

NASCAR veteran enters Daytona 500 for first time since 2019 – Motorsport – Sports

Published

8 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A familiar name is set to return to NASCAR’s biggest stage after MBM Motorsports confirmed that veteran driver Casey Mears will look to qualify for the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2019. Mears has competed in ‘The Great American Race’ fifteen times with his best finish of second in 2006.

Team owner Carl Long confirmed that MBM Motorsports and Garage 66 will field the No. 66 entry for Mears on NASCAR radio on Tuesday. The 47-year-old driver’s return places him among the notable non-chartered NASCAR entries attempting to race their way into the field.

Mears has not started the Daytona 500 since 2019, when he finished 40th after crashing in Stage 2. He made several starts for the MBM and Garage 66 last season. Alongside Mears in the No. 66, confirmed open entries include Justin Allgaier in the No. 40 for JR Motorsports, B.J. McLeod in the No. 78 for Live Fast Motorsports, and Jimmie Johnson in the No. 84 for Legacy Motor Club.

Several additional teams, including RCR, NY Racing, Team AmeriVet, Tricon, Beard Motorsports, and 23XI, have also been mentioned as potential entrants, creating a tight qualifying environment.

During his 16-year Cup career, Mears has started 494 races, with one win, 51 top-10 finishes, and three poles. His only Cup win occurred at the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, which established him as a fan favorite during his prime.

His first Cup race came in the 2003 Daytona 500, making this return a full-circle moment more than two decades later. Carl Long’s own Daytona 500 history adds another layer to the storyline.

As a team owner, Long has endured a series of DNQs at Daytona, with failed qualifying attempts stretching from 2000 through 2009 across multiple teams and manufacturers. The entry with Mears represents another chance to finally break through at a race that has repeatedly slipped just out of reach.

MBM Motorsports will also field an ARCA Menards Series entry at Daytona for Derek White. The Canadian stock car driver’s only registered Cup Series race was the 5-hour Energy 301 in New Hampshire, where he finished 33rd.

Mears also made his Truck Series debut with the team last season at Martinsville Speedway and drove the No. 69 Pit Stop Diecasts Ford F-150 for his 600th NASCAR start. He raced to a 24th-place finish during the Slim Jim 200 and said how special it was for the team to give him such an opportunity.

“It’s pretty special to come back to Martinsville for my 600th NASCAR start,” said Mears. “This sport has given me so many incredible experiences, and to make my Truck Series debut with MBM Motorsports and The Pit Stop Diecasts at such an iconic track is exciting.”

“The Truck Series has always been on my list. It’s tough, exciting racing, and Martinsville is the perfect place to make it happen.”

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Motorsports

Spire Motorsports opens full-time dirt racing team for 2026

Published

12 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

“We are not a NASCAR team that is going dirt racing. We are dirt racers who happen to have a NASCAR team.”

Spire Motorsports is going dirt track racing on a much larger scale in 2026. In addition to their NASCAR efforts, they’ll also field a 410 winged sprint car entry. The new team will race full time in the Kubota High Limit Racing series.

In the middle of the 2025 season, Scelzi parted from KCP Racing. He finished the season with Clauson Marshall Racing, filling the seat for the injured Tyler Courtney. Now, he has a new ride…

Giovanni “Gio” Scelzi has been signed as the driver. He was previously awarded the 2023 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year. Scelzi has 12 race wins in national competition.

Eric Prutzman will join the team as the crew chief after taking Brad Sweet to six national championships.

He’ll also race in the 40th annual Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa. The car is a Spire Motorsports’ Chili’s-sponsored entry fielded by Keith Kunz.

Spire Motorsports has acquired a High Roller Club membership (charter) ahead of the 2026 season. It was purchased from Jason Myers Racing.

High Limit Sprint Cars introducing charter system to dirt racing

Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson comments

“Going on the road with High Limit is like a dream come true and to do this with people I have deep respect and appreciation for makes it even better,” said Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson in the team release.

“We’ve worked with and for Kyle (Larson), Brad (Sweet), Kendra (Jacobs) and JP (Josh Peterman) for years and I have an immense amount of gratitude to them for not only building a great series but for making a series that offers long-term growth to all of us in a sport we all love.”

“I’m thankful to Tim Clauson and the Marshalls for providing us a launch pad to make this jump and look forward to working closely this season.”

He added, “We are not a NASCAR team that is going dirt racing. We are dirt racers who happen to have a NASCAR team. This is in our blood and we can’t wait to get to Vegas in March.”

Gio Scelzi comments

“To see the enthusiasm from the employees at Spire Motorsports, that’s really something that made an impact on me,” said Scelzi.

“The NASCAR stuff is their job but it’s pretty obvious they enjoy sprint car racing. We’ll likely run 80 to 90 times a year at probably 50 different race tracks, but when you have an owner like Jeff (Dickerson) who truly loves sprint car racing and comes from that background, it really makes this an exciting opportunity.”

“I’ve known Eric (Prutzman) for a long time. When I was probably 10- or 12-years-old, when Donny Schatz was driving for Tony Stewart Racing, those guys would work out of my dad’s shop during that three-week West Coast swing and Eric was the tire guy at the time, so we became friends and stayed in touch.”

“I’ve watched Eric’s career and he’s had amazing success. The guys who run up front all have really good equipment so, now more than ever, it’s the people. Having someone as accomplished as Eric is just as important as the equipment.”

“I’m thrilled to race the Chili Bowl, again. I’ve run it three times in the past. I ran for Clauson Marshall Racing my first time and made the show.”

“The two years after that, I was there with Chad Boat Racing. To race a car prepared by Keith Kunz at the Chili Bowl is a dream come true. They’ve won prelim after prelim and Saturday after Saturday. The Chili Bowl is an event where being lucky is just as important as having a fast race car and putting yourself in position to win a race.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting back there. I’m really grateful to Jeff, Keith and the whole team at Chili’s for the opportunity.”

NASCAR charter sold for $40M to Spire Motorsports; New record

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Gio Scelzi | Spire Motorsports | High Limit Racing | NASCAR

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Motorsports

Ten Tenths Motor Club Names Veteran Automotive Executive Andy Thomas as Vice President of Manufacturer Relations – Speedway Digest

Published

15 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Ten Tenths Motor Club has named longtime automotive executive Andy Thomas as its new Vice President of Manufacturer Relations, bringing more than three decades of global experience in luxury automotive sales, marketing and brand management to the newly opened motorsports and lifestyle destination.

In his new role, Thomas will develop and maintain relationships with OEM partners to understand their needs, perspectives and objectives, while working to identify opportunities for growth by leveraging new and existing partnerships to increase facility usage.

Thomas joins Ten Tenths Motor Club after serving as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for McLaren Automotive North America since 2015, where he led strategic marketing, communications and global strategy that helped drive record sales growth. During his decade with McLaren, Thomas oversaw experiential events in over 30 major metro markets and developed retail programs that significantly increased sales conversions and owner engagement.

“Andy’s reputation and relationships within the global automotive community are unmatched,” said Rick Hendrick, who founded Ten Tenths Motor Club in partnership with Speedway Motorsports. “His leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our partnerships with manufacturers and luxury brands as we continue to establish Ten Tenths as a world-class venue for automotive experiences.”

Prior to McLaren, Thomas served in leadership roles with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in both Goodwood, U.K. and North America, where he guided global brand alignment and oversaw international marketing strategy across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, he held key marketing and sales roles with BMW of North America, Ferrari North America and Land Rover North America, gaining experience in dealer relations, product marketing and luxury customer engagement.

“Our vision for Ten Tenths Motor Club is to establish the facility as not only a premier experience for passionate automotive enthusiasts, but also to create a destination for corporate events that is unmatched in the automotive industry,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “We look forward to Andy joining our efforts to invite manufacturers from around the world to Ten Tenths Motor Club and the greater Charlotte region.”

A Clemson University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Thomas also serves on the Board of the Erwin Center for Brand Communication at his alma mater. In that role, he mentors students, sponsors real-world marketing projects and connects students with opportunities across the automotive and luxury brand landscape.

A native of Salisbury, Maryland, Thomas began his career in dealer operations at Fox Chevrolet in Baltimore before joining the OEM side of the industry. His work has taken him across the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, building a broad network and a deep understanding of international brand collaboration.

“I’m thrilled to join Ten Tenths at such an exciting time,” Thomas said. “The club’s vision represents the next evolution of automotive lifestyle and performance culture. I look forward to connecting global manufacturers with this extraordinary facility and to becoming part of the Charlotte community.”

Located adjacent to the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ten Tenths Motor Club combines exclusive track access, curated events and premium hospitality to create an unparalleled environment for members and partners. The facility has quickly become a premier destination in the Charlotte metropolitan area for automotive launches, luxury brand activations, enthusiast experiences and special events. Tickets are now on sale for Ten Tenths Motor Club signature public event, Heritage Invitational, April 9-11, 2026.

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