New installation celebrates the owners who helped shape NASCAR competition

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Jan. 10, 2026) – “Glory Road: Owners,” the sixth edition of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s signature Glory Road exhibit, is now on display.

The next generation of this exhibit places ownership at the forefront, highlighting the leaders who helped steer NASCAR from its early days to today’s championship-level competition.

Reimagined every three years, the Hall’s Glory Road exhibit reflects the sport’s evolving history.

“The process for identifying the theme and cars for our iconic Glory Road exhibit is among the most challenging and enjoyable activities we are blessed to do here at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The ‘Glory Road: Owners’ edition is no exception,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Our exhibits team has done a phenomenal job selecting a wide range and diverse group of owners and cars to show the remarkable depth and breadth of owners who have been a critical foundation of NASCAR’s history throughout our nearly 80-year history. I believe our guests will be equally impressed and excited with Glory Road: Owners.”

Encircling the Great Hall, Glory Road has served as one of the Hall’s most prominent focal points since opening in 2010.

Along its iconic banked track, visitors will see firsthand how team owners shaped every aspect of NASCAR, from car design and competition strategy to the drivers and teams who became household names.

The collection features 18 historic cars spanning model years 1937 through 2025, representing seven manufacturers across six racing series, and offers an immersive journey through the sport’s evolution.

Fourteen of the owners featured are NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees.

Together, they account for 55 NASCAR Cup Series championships, nearly 1,700 race wins and 44 Daytona 500 victories, showing the remarkable influence these leaders have had on the sport.

“It is always exciting to present new stories, interactives and historic artifacts to our guests,” said Kevin Schlesier, Senior Director, Museum and Industry Affairs, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Glory Road: Owners is part of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s commitment to continually update and change exhibits to engage our visitors and to bring new aspects of NASCAR’s history to light.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with these 18 historic race cars that bring to the forefront the incredible contributions owners have made in growing the sport. It is an equal privilege to create unique displays and digital interactives to bring the stories to life.”

Below is the complete lineup of new cars installed on Glory Road.

More details on each owner and car are available here.

Additionally, the full media kit is available here.

• Roger Penske (Class of 2019) / Team Penske / 2022 Ford Mustang

• Wendell Scott (Class of 2015) / Wendell Scott Racing / 1937 Ford Modified

• Glenn Wood (Class of 2012) / Wood Brothers Racing / 1954 Ford Coupe

• Bud Moore (Class of 2011) / Bud Moore Engineering / 1964 Mercury Marauder

• John Holman, Ralph Moody (Class of 2025) / Holman Moody Racing / 1965 Ford Galaxie

• Junie Donlavey / Donlavey Racing / 1979 Ford Thunderbird

• Lee Petty (Class of 2011) / Petty Enterprises / 1981 Buick Regal

• Junior Johnson (Class of 2010) / Junior Johnson & Associates / 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

• Robert Yates (Class of 2018) / Robert Yates Racing / 1992 Ford Thunderbird

• Jack Roush (Class of 2019) / Roush Racing / 1997 Ford Thunderbird

• Richard Childress (Class of 2017) / Richard Childress Racing / 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

• Rick Hendrick (Class of 2017) / Hendrick Motorsports / 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

• Ray Evernham (Class of 2018) / Evernham Motorsports / 2006 Dodge Charger

• Duke and Rhonda Thorson / ThorSport Racing / 2019 Ford F-150

• Joe Gibbs (Class of 2020) / Joe Gibbs Racing / 2022 Toyota Supra

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Class of 2021), Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Rick Hendrick (Class of 2017) / JR Motorsports / 2024 Chevrolet Camaro

• Kevin and DeLana Harvick / Kevin Harvick Inc. / 2025 Chevrolet Camaro

• Bill Blair / Bill Blair Racing / 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88

“Glory Road: Owners” will be on display through December 2028 and is included with general admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Tickets, hours and additional information are available at nascarhall.com.

About the NASCAR Hall of Fame:

Located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR.

The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, a 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor and the NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop.

Opened on May 11, 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

For more information, visit nascarhall.com.

Source: NASCAR Hall of Fame 

Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, the only teams in the Cup Series to field four entries, are also the most successful teams in NASCAR. In any given season, they are expected to get at least one of their drivers to the championship finale. But what are the chances that they get all four drivers there?

All four drivers of a team reaching the finale is unprecedented, no doubt, even for JGR and Hendrick Motorsports. Recently, Dave Alpern, the president of Joe Gibbs Racing, discussed this ‘perfect’ scenario in a video for his team media.

“There are only two organizations that could happen, and that’s Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Alpern.

“Because we are the only ones with four. We are the only ones that have ever put three in. I can tell you one thing. It’s really stressful,” added Alpern, before explaining how dynamics and resources get stretched in the process.

Alpern likened it to having multiple children participating in the same competition, knowing that all except one is going to lose. As stressful as such a scenario would be, he recognizes that it would be an amazing problem to have.

“I would love to try it one year. I am sure our friends down the road will love that as well,” continued Alpern.

The logistics and the sheer workload that would go into such a setting would be massive, to say the least. Moreover, the current format will require three of the cars to each win a race in the playoffs’ Round of 8, while the final car will have to qualify on points for this to happen.

Yes, technically, it could happen. Alpern hopes it does happen. But the question is if it ever will.

“I hope it does happen. In some ways, it’d be great because you’d clinch the championship the week before. But it sounds like the playoff format might change. So, we may never get to find out,” said Alpern.

NASCAR is on the verge of announcing key changes to the existing playoff format. Word around town is that a multi-race championship round is on the cards instead of a single race.

However, speculations will have to wait until official word comes from Daytona. Until then, Joe Gibbs Racing fans can look back at the historic 2019 season, when the team put three drivers in the Championship 4.

Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Denny Hamlin had competed for the title alongside Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick. Busch eventually won that year.

Connor Zilisch is preparing for his rookie NASCAR Cup Series campaign, and he’ll have veteran crew chief Randall Burnett on pit road after leaving Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing mid-way through 2025. Zilisch, 19, was confirmed by Trackhouse Racing mid-season, long before the Xfinity Series Championship 4 race in Phoenix, where he fell painfully short to Jesse Love despite dominating the competition year-long.

To support the teenager, Trackhouse made immediate moves to provide Zilisch with veteran experience in the Cup Series. And so, they hired Burnett to be Zilisch’s crew chief.

Burnett and Busch parted ways after underwhelming seasons and missed back-to-back playoff appearances. Zilisch is pleased to have Burnett in his corner, with the crew chief bringing a wealth of experience, having joined RCR in 2020. Before that, Burnett had several years of experience as a crew chief in the Xfinity series.

“He’s a great guy. He worked with a lot of younger guys. He was with Tyler and Xfinity and worked with him in Cup as well, and then he’s also worked with guys like, obviously, Kyle Bush, one of the most pronounced guys in our sport, and so he’s got a lot of experience,” Zilisch said.

Burnett isn’t a rookie when it comes to working with first-year drivers, either. “I think that experience is gonna help me, and the fact that he’s worked with a rookie before, he understands the growing pains. That way, I kinda know what to expect. I think that’s gonna be really helpful for me and him in our relationship,” Zilisch added.

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Likewise, Burnett is looking forward to his “fresh start” with Zilisch. “I’m excited about my opportunity over there, and you know, obviously, something’s got to change on this 8 car,” Burnett told NASCAR.com. “We haven’t been performing the way we needed to.

“I think everybody needs a fresh start. I got a really good opportunity with where I’m going. Obviously, Connor’s a great young talent. I miss working with the younger guys. So, you know, just kind of all worked out.”

Before Zilisch’s Xfinity championship heartbreak, Burnett identified that the Cup Series won’t be plain sailing for the NASCAR phenom. “I think he’s going to have a lot to learn in the Cup Series,” Burnett said.

“Obviously, the races are longer. These cars definitely race a little different than what he’s used to on the Xfinity side right now, and the talent level over here is incredible, you know what I mean.

“I think he’ll have a pretty steep learning curve when he gets over here, but I want to help guide him with that and try to coach him up. Obviously, the kid’s got an immense amount of talent — there’s no question about that.

“So it’s just going to be taking that and harnessing it and trying to get the wins and the finishes he deserves over here, and we’re going to work hard on that this winter.”

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series sees relatively few driver swaps compared to prior years, with the lineup largely stable and no open full-time chartered seats (barring any lawsuit outcomes). Key moves include one major driver switch, several crew chief shuffles, and some team alliances/manufacturer changes. Here’s a breakdown by category:

–by Mark Cipolloni–

NASCAR Cup Driver Changes

– Daniel Suárez: Leaves Trackhouse Racing (No. 99 Chevy) after mutual agreement and joins Spire Motorsports (No. 7 Chevy), replacing Justin Haley.
– Connor Zilisch: Promoted from Xfinity (JR Motorsports No. 88) to full-time Cup with Trackhouse Racing (No. 88 Chevy, formerly van Gisbergen’s number).
– Shane van Gisbergen: Stays with Trackhouse but switches car numbers from No. 88 to No. 97 Chevy.
– Cody Ware: Returns full-time to Rick Ware Racing (No. 51 Chevy) for a second season.
– No other full-time driver seats are changing hands; veterans like Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott are locked in with extensions.

NASCAR Crew Chief and Personnel Changes

– Ross Chastain (Trackhouse No. 1): New crew chief Brandon McSwain (formerly an engineer with Hendrick’s No. 24). Previous chief Phil Surgen moves to another role at Trackhouse.
– Kyle Busch (RCR No. 8): New crew chief Jim Pohlman (from JR Motorsports Xfinity). Randall Burnett shifts to Trackhouse for Zilisch.
– Connor Zilisch (Trackhouse No. 88): Crew chief Randall Burnett (from RCR No. 8).
– Daniel Suárez (Spire No. 7): Retains Ryan Sparks as crew chief; Matt McCall promoted to competition director at Spire.
– Erik Jones (Legacy No. 43): New crew chief Justin Alexander (RCR veteran); Ben Beshore moves to race engineering director.
– Noah Gragson (Front Row No. 4): New crew chief Grant Hutchens; Drew Blickensderfer becomes competition director.

NASCAR Team and Manufacturer Changes

– Trackhouse Racing: Expands effectively with Zilisch’s promotion; car number swap (88 and 97); new Red Bull sponsorship for Zilisch and van Gisbergen (25 races total).
– Haas Factory Team (No. 41): Switches from Ford to Chevrolet with Hendrick alliance; Cole Custer full-time.
– Rick Ware Racing: Switches from Ford to Chevrolet with RCR alliance; ownership shift to T.J. Puchyr; Corey LaJoie runs partial schedule in No. 15.
– Other Stables: Front Row, Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, Penske, Roush Fenway Keselowski, 23XI, Legacy, and Kaulig see no major team expansions or folds, but various sponsorship renewals (e.g., Dollar Tree/Family Dollar through 2028 for Legacy).
– Technical Boost: NASCAR increases horsepower to ~750 on short ovals (<1.5 miles) and road courses (up from 670).

Changes in Other Series (Xfinity/O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Trucks)

For completeness, here’s a high-level overview of notable shifts mentioned in broader silly season coverage:
– O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity): Rebranded with new sponsorship. Key driver moves include Brent Crews to Joe Gibbs No. 19 (29 races), Rajah Caruth splitting JR Motorsports No. 88 and Jordan Anderson No. 32, Corey Day to Hendrick No. 17 full-time, and Harrison Burton to Sam Hunt No. 24. Teams like Viking Motorsports expand to two cars, Kaulig pauses operations, and RSS switches to Chevrolet. Age minimum lowered to 17 for certain tracks.

– Craftsman Truck Series: Michael McDowell heads to Trucks (as noted in your article), Ross Chastain gets a new crew chief in some reports, and Justin Haley joins Kaulig full-time. Other moves: Rajah Caruth leaves Spire No. 71; expansions at Jordan Anderson and Young’s Motorsports. Additionally, RAM returns as a manufacturer for the first time since 2012, partnering with Kaulig Racing and Cummins; they’ve introduced a reality show (“Race for the Seat”) to select a driver for one of their entries.

2026 Schedule Highlights

Several tracks shift dates: Chicagoland returns (July doubleheader), North Wilkesboro hosts first Cup points race in 30 years, All-Star at Dover, In-Season Challenge back with new tracks ending at Indy. Trucks add St. Petersburg and San Diego; finale at Homestead.

Guven joins the already confirmed trio of Thomas Preining, Ricardo Feller and Klaus Bachler in the “Grello” liveried No. 911 entry.

In a post on social media, Manthey wrote: “A new season, a new chapter — and we’re rolling into Daytona with serious intent. Before we hit the High Banks, there’s one more update to our driver line-up for the first 24h race of the year: reigning DTM Champion Ayhancan Güven joins the No. 911 crew at Daytona. The No. 912 is fully prepped as well, ready to take on our IMSA debut season.”

Guven made his IMSA debut in the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona, finishing second in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) with Wright Motorsports.

Meuspath “After the first IMSA test in Daytona in November, we are now looking forward to the official start of the season in January. We are particularly pleased to be able to count on a very strong driver line-up with close ties to Manthey: with Ryan, Riccardo, Morris and Richard as the fourth man for the 24-hour race, we are relying on absolute constants in the Manthey 1st Phorm car – we have gained a lot of experience and celebrated many successes with each of them. Well-known and proven faces will also be at the start for us at the wheel of the starting number 911. Alongside Thomas and Klaus, we are delighted to welcome on board Ricardo, who joins us with valuable IMSA experience.  We are excited to see what we can achieve in the coming season,” says Patrick Arkenau, Director Racing at the Manthey Racing GmbH.

Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of the Manthey Racing GmbH, adds: “With the start of the IMSA season, a new and exciting chapter will begin for us very soon. We can rely on experienced drivers, most of whom already know our team from the DTM, WEC and the Nürburgring, and we are proud that these seven will represent us in America next year. I am looking forward to laying the foundation for a successful season with this team at the first race in Daytona.”

After the official Daytona pre-test, known as ROAR, from 16 to 18 January, the IMSA season opener for Manthey is scheduled for 24 January 2026 with the 24 Hours of Daytona. This event will be followed by four more endurance races in Florida, New York, Wisconsin and Georgia, each lasting between six and twelve hours.

In a major boost for team finances, head of Penske Entertainment, Roger Penske, has committed an additional $11 million to the IndyCar Leaders Circle program over the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons. This increase effectively adds $500,000 per qualifying contract annually, providing critical support as teams prepare for the significant costs of introducing the all-new ‘spec’ Dallara IR-28 chassis in 2028.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The Leaders Circle program, established in the early 2000s, delivers guaranteed prize money to the top 22 finishers in the annual entrants’ championship. These payouts reward full-season participation and help offset the high costs of competing in the NTT IndyCar Series. The program is exclusive to the series’ 25 charter entries, which compete for the 22 available contracts.

In 2025, Penske Entertainment allocated $31.9 million for the Leaders Circle, with each contract valued at approximately $1.145 million. Starting in 2026, the per-contract amount rises to $1.645 million — an increase of $500,000 per team. This marks the largest single-year jump in the program’s history since its inception in 2002 and will apply through 2028.

IndyCar President Doug Boles highlighted the significance of the move, stating: “Roger [Penske] made a pretty big commitment to the charter teams and the Leaders Circle by increasing the Leaders Circle by $11 million in ’26, ’27, and 28 from where it was in ’25. That was just Roger doing the right thing to help IndyCar teams, his partner teams, be more successful and have a little more cash to move forward.”

The timing of this financial enhancement is particularly strategic. Teams currently face annual operating budgets ranging from $8-10 million (and up to $11-12 million for top programs) per entry, driven by factors like engine leases, hybrid technology (introduced in 2024), and general inflation in racing costs. The $500,000 boost represents roughly 17-20% of a typical team’s budget, offering meaningful relief.

More crucially, the increase aligns with preparations for the 2028 chassis transition. The current Dallara DW12 chassis, in service since 2012 (with updates like the aeroscreen and hybrid integration), will be replaced by the new IR-28. Teams are expected to budget upwards of $1 million per car for the switch to the updated Dallara model. The IR-28 promises a lighter overall weight (targeting an 85-100 lb reduction, including a 25-lb lighter gearbox), a more powerful 2.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine (up from the current 2.2-liter), and continued hybrid evolution — all aimed at enhancing performance, safety, and fan appeal.

On-track testing for the new chassis is slated to begin in early 2026, with prototypes potentially ready by late 2025 and manufacturer testing targeted for mid-2026. The full rollout in 2028 will mark the first clean-sheet chassis redesign in over 16 years, addressing accumulated modifications and setting the stage for future competition.

This Leaders Circle enhancement follows smaller adjustments in recent years, including a $100,000 increase for 2025 (bringing contracts to $1.2 million) and prior fluctuations tied to hybrid upgrades and economic factors. With the series benefiting from a recent 33% stake sale to Fox Corporation and ongoing growth efforts, the commitment underscores Penske Entertainment’s focus on team stability and long-term competitiveness.

As IndyCar continues its upward trajectory—highlighted by competitive ‘spec series’ racing, the iconic Indianapolis 500, and expanding visibility — this financial support positions charter teams to invest more effectively in development, talent, and operations ahead of the exciting 2028 era. Stay tuned to AutoRacing1.com for further updates on the IR-28 rollout, engine developments, and the 2026 season.