Those brutal Nitro Harley-Davidson dragbikes are coming back to disrupt the park-like serenity of Martin, Michigan’s US 131 Motorsports Park on June 27-29. The PennGrade1 AMRA series swings off the highway for the Michigan Nitro Nationals, with riders hanging off of their flame-throwing, ground-pounding beasts the FULL quarter mile. This one’s not for the faint of heart or those lacking courage.

Recent Ohio Circle M Ranch Top Fuel winner Jordan Peterson and Louisiana opening round winner Ryan Peery will lead the violent parade down US 131’s 1320, but a full slate of hungry contenders will be after their spoils—starting with their own teammates!

Finland’s Samu Kemppainen makes the long trip to wield one of the Chris Stewart Racing mounts tuned by Michigan Nitro Harley legends Mike and Jack Romine. Samu’s determination against Peterson carried him off the end of the track and completely out of the property last time out, and he will not be deterred in Michigan.

Peery’s teammate Buddy Johnson is still getting his Top Fuel feet back under him, but a winning effort is bound to happen and there’s no better trailer to run out of than Ryan’s.

The powerhouse Jay Turner Racing team would dispute that last statement, but they’re 0-2 so far in ’25. Riders Turner, Chris “Nashville” Smith, John “JT” Toth, and perhaps Randal Andras or Tii Tharpe will all race at 131.

Paul Anderson came from out of nowhere to hit the semis last time out, and he’s shown that he can advance further still with his “Road-Rage” mount.

Will Curtis “No-Bolts” Heisler make another launch into low-earth orbit? You won’t see it if you’re not there.

The Bad Apple Racing team is also a headline-making Nitro Harley powerhouse, but they’re focusing on Nitro Funnybike and Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel at Martin.

That’s good news for Cameron “Flash” Gunter, who might still be waiting to leave the starting line for the Ohio final. Bad Apple’s Tracy Kile will have Gunter set in Tasmanian Devil mode in Michigan and the bike dialed in to “Nuclear.”

But Ohio Funnybike winner Peterson (that’s right, he won twice) can expect to have an even stronger Romine Racing-prepared, Phil Lower-owned bike this weekend. “A modern day Funnybike should drop off the trailer and run 6.6 seconds and 200 mph,” says Jack Romine. “We have made some more changes and we are ready for Martin and see what happens.”

They’ll also face Universal Fleet and Tire’s “Racin’ Ray” Robinson—AKA “The Head Torcher!”

“Bad Apple Mary” Dangrow will have more of Kile’s attention this weekend as he works the tuning knobs to make her bike run even better and more consistent. 

Two-time defending champion Sam White and his White Lightning Racing team have struggled to find the hallmark performance and consistency that has defined their effort. White is a determined man and this just might be his weekend—or that of rookie White Lightning rider Darren Brinkman.

Ohio was very nearly THE weekend for another nitro rookie—John Jenkins—who runnered-up to Dangrow in Ohio and will be inspired to place one spot better.

But they’ll all face a full field of the popular carbureted nitro bikes, including Universal Fleet and Tire’s Jason Leeper, Louisiana runner-up Kenneth “Stubby” Hultman, legendary Rocky Jackson, Jim “Bad Influence” Martin, Stewart Racing’s nitro rookie Brian Conley Jr., Walter “Half Again as Tall” Halonski, Al Balice, Louis Sansone and more.

Gasoline classes will heat up the track as well, including Pro Outlaw, Zipper’s Performance Pro Bagger, Thundermax Street Bagger, Zipper’s Performance Modified, Super Gas 9.90, Axtell Cylinders Hot Street, Top Eliminator 9.30 and Baker Drivetrain Eliminator Dial-in, BK Electric Super Pro 10.30, Pro Eliminator 10.90, and Thundermax Street Eliminator 11.50.

The Nitro Harley competitors look forward to seeing the Harley-Davidson drag racing family, riders and fans at beautiful U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, THIS WEEKEND on June 28-29

The Nitro Harley racers thank Bad Apple Racing, Chris Stewart Racing, DayStar Machine and Cycle Concepts, White Lightning Racing, Universal Fleet and Tire, P and C Johnson Trucking, RP Motorsports, Hawaya Racing, and Johnny Mancuso’s Circle M Ranch.

This story was originally published on June 26, 2025.

Some roads closed ahead of schedule this week for the July 5-6 NASCAR Chicago Street Race after pavement around Grant Park buckled under extreme heat.

Portions of Columbus and Balbo drives closed Wednesday night so crews could repair the roads that were damaged during a heat wave that peaked at 95 degrees on Monday, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

Columbus had been scheduled to close June 30 from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road. Balbo was initially scheduled to close June 27 from Michigan Avenue to Columbus.

Street closures for the third consecutive year of NASCAR races around Grant Park began last Thursday, June 19, with the blockage of Balbo between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. On Monday, crews closed Ida B. Wells Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus.

NASCAR says it has reduced the time it takes to build the course by 42% compared with the first street race in 2023 — down to 25 days from 43 days. The total length of street closures has also been reduced 28%, down to 18 days of closures compared to 25 in 2023.

Future scheduled closures include:

• On June 30, Columbus Drive will be closed from Jackson Drive to Roosevelt Road.
• At 10 p.m. July 2, Roosevelt Road will be shut down from Michigan to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
• Starting at 12:01 a.m. July 3, southbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive.
• At 10 p.m. July 3, northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed along the same stretch.

Find more information on road closures at https://www.nascarchicago.com/local-info/.

Photo Credit: Corvette Racing

Two Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs as brand returns to Spa 24 for first time since 2011

DETROIT (June 25, 2025) – For the first time in more than a decade, Corvette will be on the grid for the 24 Hours of Spa – the biggest GT3 race in the world.

Johor Motorsports Racing and Steller Motorsport each are entering a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Spa-Francorchamps in the blue-riband round of SRO Motorsports and the Intercontinental GT Challenge. It’s the first Spa 24 Hours for Corvette since 2011.

Corvette Racing factory driver Alexander Sims – GTD PRO championship co-leader with Antonio Garcia after a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen in IMSA – leads the lineup for the Bronze-class No. 2 JMR Z06 GT3.R and teams with Jordan Love, Prince Jefri Ibrahim, Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim. Steller Motorsport also will go with a four-driver lineup in its Silver-class No. 24 Corvette: Matisse Lismont, Lorcan Hanafin, Daniel Ali and Olivier Hart.

Both teams have tasted success so far this year. JMR already is a two-time winner in GT World Challenge Asia this year, and Prince Jefri Ibrahim leads the series’ Drivers Championship. In GT World Challenge Europe, Steller Motorsports claimed a runner-up, Silver-class finish in its first race with the Corvette at Paul Ricard in Endurance Cup competition.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R has scored six victories worldwide this year, including the Rolex 24 at Daytona by GTD team AWA, as well as a third-place LMGT3 finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans by TF Sport.

Preparation for Corvette’s return to the Spa 24 Hours has included the two-day Prologue for both Steller and JMR plus simulation tests by Corvette factory drivers at Chevrolet’s Driver-in-the-Loop facility in North Carolina.

The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa takes place June 25-29, with full race and qualifying coverage available on SRO Motorsports’ official YouTube channel.

JESSICA DANE, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

“The launch of our Corvette GT3 program opened the door to a number of new possibilities to see the Corvette Z06 GT3.R race around the world. The Spa 24 Hours ranks very close to – if not at – the top of that list. We are excited to see JMR and Steller Motorsport take Corvette back to the largest GT3 race in the world for the first time in almost 15 years. Both teams are well-prepared following the Spa Prologue, and we hope to see them challenging for the podium and class victories come Sunday.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 2 JOHOR MOTORSPORTS RACING CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Pretty much every single year at Spa, it’s upwards of the in 60s if not more for car count. It’s always an incredibly competitive race… pretty much the GT3 race of the year. There is a little more restriction on strategy and things nowadays than when I first did it 10 or 12 years ago. But it’s an awesome event. The track is lovely to drive. During the Prologue, the Corvette was working pretty well and feeling nice to drive around there. It works really well on the Pirellis so there’s really very little to adjust to (from IMSA).

“I’m looking forward to it. It should be an enjoyable 24 hours. I’m not entirely sure that we have the most competitive driver lineup in the Bronze class because of the way the gradings work. You see some of the lineups and they are just phenomenal. But I have every confidence that Prince Jefri and Prince Abu Bakar can pull their weight in terms of the Bronze driver pace, and hopefully Jordan and I can do a decent job compared to the other pros and we’ll see how we end up.

“I got to work with Steller at Barcelona for their shakedown, and that was lovely to get into a brand new car and have it feel perfectly familiar. And being able to do some other racing outside of IMSA but in a Corvette with JMR, it means you can arrive at a track and get straight down to business of thrashing the car to the limit straightaway and you feel comfortable.”

HH PRINCE JEFRI IBRAHIM, NO. 2 JOHOR MOTORSPORTS RACING CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I think this is one of the most historic races and one of the biggest races of the year, especially with 75 cars which is a record. It’s a huge one for us. This is quite unique. We just started a new team. We’re working with a new manufacturer in Corvette and Chevrolet. We have new challenges that we are trying to meet, so there are a lot of exciting things going on. This is our first year at Spa. We have two mechanics from Malaysia and two drivers from Malaysia – myself and my brother – alongside the other 200 drivers who are here. So it does mean a lot for us to come here. The Corvette is still a new car for us as drivers plus the team, the engineers and everyone. We are learning more and more each race about the car. We still have a long way to go as a team, and we want to be the best one out there. It’s positive that things have gone this well so far, but this is just the beginning. There are a lot of strong teams and cars. This is an endurance race and anything can happen. Our main focus is first to finish before we aim to win.”

HH PRINCE ABU BAKAR IBRAHIM, NO. 2 JOHOR MOTORSPORTS RACING CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It is the biggest race for the team this year. Driving Spa on the simulator and driving on it in real life is amazing. You cherish all these moments. It’s my first year in endurance racing, and there is no better place to do this than Spa. This is the first year that we are running on our own as a team. We have a few crew members from Malaysia, and our focus is to get people back home to work and race with us internationally. Not only do we want to be on the top steps all the time, but part of that journey is bringing people from back home to help them achieve the same goals as us.”

JORDAN LOVE, NO. 2 JOHOR MOTORSPORTS RACING CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“Spa is always such a special event; it’s by far one of the highlights of the year for many reasons. It’s history and the intensity that this race brings is unlike anything else. To come back for a second year running with JMR – our first as a standalone team – is awesome but this year with a new challenge in the new Corvette is super exciting. The year so far with the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R has been great, and I really enjoy driving it. To tackle a challenge as big as having a new car and to do that with your own new team is a huge challenge. To have the success that the team has had in such a short space of time is a huge credit to everyone involved. Last year’s Spa 24 hour didn’t go our way so we definitely have some redemption this year.”

OLIVIER HART, NO. 24 STELLER MOTORSPORT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I am more than excited to join Steller Motorsport for one of the biggest GT races in the world. I have raced at Spa-Francorchamps many times and enjoyed some success, and I cannot wait to tackle this hard and exhausting race again. We’ve got to race smart, endurance racing can throw a lot at you, but given our Corvette’s strength during the Prologue, I’m heading to the Ardennes with high hopes for a great first race with this incredible group of people.”

LORCAN HANAFIN, NO. 24 STELLER MOTORSPORT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“I am really looking forward to the 24 Hours of Spa. We’ve had an encouraging couple of endurance races with the Corvette and we showed some good pace at the Prologue. Keeping it clean and avoiding mistakes will be the key to getting a good result, but I’m confident we can deliver a strong performance.”

DANIEL ALI, NO. 24 STELLER MOTORSPORT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“It’s really exciting to be heading into the 24-hour with the Corvette and Steller Motorsport. We had a promising Prologue and there were plenty of positives to take from Monza, and I know we have the experience and speed to challenge for a good result. This is my first 24-hour race and so I will have a lot to learn but I am ready for one of the most challenging and prestigious racing events in the world.”

MATISSE LISMONT, NO. 24 STELLER MOTORSPORT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:

“My home race of the season, so, like always, I am very much looking forward to it; it’s an iconic track, an iconic event, and with iconic GT cars driving for 24 hours straight in the infamous Spa weather it is always a special feeling. I’m feeling good, and ready to get going.”

Source:

CorvetteRacing.com

Related:

Corvette Racing at Watkins Glen: Points Lead for No. 3 Corvette

Corvette Racing at Le Mans: A Group Effort!

Steller Motorsports Wants to Race its 2nd Corvette Z06 GT3R Entry This Year

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Names Two ‘Biggest (Expletives)’ In NASCAR originally appeared on The Spun.

Former NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. had two popular drivers in his crosshairs this week when he addressed a certain style of defensive driving.

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On the latest episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Earnhardt called out Joey Logano and Ross Chastain for their reputations as excellent mirror-drivers. Using a particular expletive, he described the two of them as self drivers who are more eager to win and thus do just enough to ensure their own safety rather than try to make friends off the track.

“The reason why Joey’s good at it, the reason why Chastain’s good at it, is because they’re willing to be the biggest (expletive) out there,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s not engrained in all of us to be selfish, and be purely selfish, but you have to be. I always tried — speaking frankly here, I want to be everybody’s buddy. Everywhere I go around the race track on the weekend, I want to be friends with Chase [Briscoe], I want to be friends with everybody.

“When I raced, I wanted to get out of the car and go, ‘Hey man, that shit was fun. You good? Hope you liked racing me.’ Now, we go to Daytona and Talladega, and I would have to tell myself before I got in the car, ‘You’re going to have to be an asshole today,’ because it wasn’t engrained in me to go out there and drive like that.

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“I didn’t do things intentionally like, ‘Screw you guys,’ and run people into the wall, ‘I don’t care about your race,’ but I knew, to be good at Daytona and Talladega, I kind of had to be a bit of a jerk. I think, the way the Cup car is today, you have to be a jerk, everywhere you go.”

Whether Dale Jr. likes it or not, Logano and Chastain have maneuvered themselves into great position this year. Both have won a race this season and qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff.

We’re going to see the two of them use all of their skills – even the ones Dale Jr. may not love – to try and win it all this year.

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Related: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Admits He Has A Problem With NASCAR’s Two Penalties

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Names Two ‘Biggest (Expletives)’ In NASCAR first appeared on The Spun on Jun 25, 2025

This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.

Joe Gibbs Racing has officially announced that SONIC will serve as the primary sponsor for Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota Camry XSE during this Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The sponsorship celebrates the launch of the new SONIC® x Grillo’s Pickles Big Dill Meal, a bold, pickle-inspired collaboration hitting SONIC locations nationwide on June 30.

In partnership with Grillo’s Pickles, the Big Dill Meal is packed with fresh, tangy flavor and includes menu items like the Big Dill Double or Triple SONIC Smasher™, the Grillo’s Pickles Picklerita Slush, and a choice of Pickle Seasoned Tots or Groovy Fries. Each item captures the crisp, refreshing taste Grillo’s is known for.

“I’m excited to have our team take part in the launch of the Big Dill Meal this week,” said Ty Gibbs, who will pilot the eye-catching No. 54 car featuring SONIC and Grillo’s branding. “This partnership brings together two fun and flavorful brands, and I can’t wait to represent them on the track in Atlanta.”

To mark the occasion, SONIC and Grillo’s Pickles are also launching a line of limited-edition, pickle-themed merchandise on LiveFreeShopSonic.com starting June 30. The collection includes hats, T-shirts, and even a nugget ice maker. In keeping with SONIC’s commitment to giving back, 100% of the proceeds from the merch will go toward supporting public education through the SONIC Foundation.

“At SONIC, we believe in choosing fun and living free – and what captures that better than racing 180 mph in a NASCAR showdown?” said Ryan Dickerson, Chief Marketing Officer at SONIC. “Bringing a SONIC-branded car back to the track for the first time since 2020 had to make a statement. This partnership with Grillo’s Pickles and Joe Gibbs Racing is all about bold flavor, innovation, and turning every moment into something memorable – and in this case, a little more dill-icious.”

Fans can catch the race this Saturday, June 28 at 7:00 PM ET on TNT, as Ty Gibbs and the SONIC/Grillo’s Pickles No. 54 team take on EchoPark Speedway. The Big Dill Meal will be available at SONIC locations nationwide starting June 30.

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Scott Bowdish is a lifelong entrepreneur. He got his start selling pagers out of the trunk of his car at flea markets, eventually owning a cellular store, and then another and another until he had 30 stores across the Chicagoland area.

But in 2014, he found his calling.

Bowdish loved steak. Living in downtown Chicago, the steakhouse was his go-to restaurant, and there were plenty to choose from. But after moving to Saugatuck, Michigan, he and his wife realized something was missing.

Bowdish got to work, looking for a location to open his first steakhouse, and Bowdie’s Chophouse was born.

“The location in Saugatuck was a small, converted house with 62 seats,” said Zionsville General Manager Bradley Phelps. “The second location in Lansing was a similar spot with 42 seats. It was always people who had dined here before, wanting it close to them, that caused Scott to open up another spot, and now, there are six across the country.”

He started close to home with a location in Saugatuck, and then Grand Rapids and Lansing. Then began branching out to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.

A chance encounter with a legendary race car driver solidified Bowdish’s next targeted location: Zionsville, Indiana.

One of those people who wanted Bowdie’s Chophouse close to him happened to be Bobby Rahal. He had frequented the Saugatuck location for years, and when the Graham Rahal Performance campus was under construction at Creekside Corporate Park in Zionsville, they knew just who to call for a unique and classy dining experience.

Bowdie’s Chophouse in Zionsville opened just weeks ago, and true to Bowdish’s style, the special location includes a special twist.

Graham Rahal Performance often hosts Cars & Coffee events. They have the WheelHouse Social Club, an exotic car and race car storage facility for Founders and Collectors members and often host special community events.

The campus includes the 105,000-square-foot Rahal Ducati Indianapolis showroom, Rahal Paint Protection and Rahal Precision Tint operations. There is office space for the Graham and Courtney Rahal Foundation, a coffee shop, Rivet Coffee and more.

The upscale restaurant has also always been in the plans.

It’s the perfect spot for drivers to stop in or entertain visitors, but it’s also a great spot for the lunchtime crowd from Zionsville businesses.

“Bowdie’s Chophouse faces the courtyard of Ducati and the Rahal racing building. They often have car shows and motorcycle shows out there,” Phelps said. “We can seat 154 inside and 30 outside. The private dining space overlooks the WheelHouse, and part of the dining room also faces the museum space, with different cars rotated every so often.”

They’re aiming for a dining experience that has a high-end feel but is also family-friendly.

Designed by Bowdish-selected Kristine Kay Interiors, imagine the checkered flag-inspired black-and-white tile, sleek accents, rich woods, leather seating and vintage lighting.

“We want to be the place for the special occasions but also the day-in and day-out dining spot,” Phelps said. “We’ve already had a lot of people that live here in Zionsville stop by and ask because they’ve been to the other locations, and they’re excited we’re in Indiana.”

The menu, of course, centers around Bowdie’s favorite: the USDA prime.

“The smallest steak we have is the 10-ounce tomahawk. The tomahawk and the porterhouse are shareable and make a great appetizer, too. The chef has fresh catch salmon and chicken liberties, and he’ll rotate those dishes throughout the season. We also have a soup of the day, appetizers and dessert, but it’s really a core, tight menu across all locations,” Phelps said.

Start the meal off with appetizers like shrimp cocktail, seared scallops or prime tartare. Choose between salads and seasonal soup selections, and then enjoy a variety of steaks, including the 18-ounce Kansas City and the 10-ounce filet mignon. Listed on the shareable menu, guests can try the au gratin potatoes, lobster mac, truffle fries or Brussels & belly, to name a few.

They also have an assorted menu of wine and spirits with bourbon, vodka, tequila and gin.

The staff at Bowdie’s and Graham Rahal Performance hope visitors enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere, complete with great food and unique entertainment.

Whether you are a racing enthusiast, a foodie or simply someone who appreciates luxurious steakhouse dining, Bowdie’s Chophouse has you covered.

Visit bowdieschophouse.com for a full menu, and for a list of upcoming public events on campus, visit grahamrahalperformance.com.