Texas Motor Speedway is an enigma among intermediate tracks. Video of the races from a decade ago looks like a completely different race track. Most of the track surface can’t even be utilized in current races for various reasons, but how did we get here? Flashback to 2016: Drivers and teams were dissatisfied with the […]
Texas Motor Speedway is an enigma among intermediate tracks. Video of the races from a decade ago looks like a completely different race track. Most of the track surface can’t even be utilized in current races for various reasons, but how did we get here?
Flashback to 2016: Drivers and teams were dissatisfied with the weepers at TMS, making it impossible to dry the track in a reasonable amount of time. As a result of the drainage issues and the aging surface, a repave was scheduled for the off-season that followed. But this was no simple repave — it was a full reconfiguration.
The first two corners were flattened out a bit with the banking lowered from 24 degrees to 20 degrees, while the track surface in that area was widened from 60 to 80 feet. There was also a nasty bump that appeared above the tunnel in Turns 3 and 4.
The traction compound conundrum
With the new reconfiguration, passing had become extremely difficult, even with the added room. As a result, various traction compounds were dumped onto the upper grooves in an attempt to improve the on-track product. Instead, it ended up staining the track and making it even more treacherous for drivers.
Cars getting into the upper grooves were lucky not to completely spin out on the noticeably blacker surface. PJ1 traction compound is very temperamental and it can feel like velcro in one spot, but slime or ice in another. In order to be properly activated, it needs cars to go through it and heat it up, but there were few volunteers as drivers scrambled for the safety of the bottom groove.
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Photo by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Images
As for the highest part of the track — above the PJ1 — that became just completely unusable. While the traction compound has little grip, that area has none. Some have described going up there like ‘falling off a cliff’ and no one races beyond the first couple of grooves if they can help it. Even venturing up near the wall to avoid a crash is a sketchy move.
The situation has gotten slightly better as the years go by, but it’s still a far cry from the multi-groove Texas of old, and the damage has already been done. Texas lost one of its Cup dates, over 40,000 seats have been removed and IndyCar also abandoned the facility. There are always discussions around completely tearing the track up and trying again, or turning it into another drafting track like Atlanta. At one point, a steel mesh grate was dragged along the stained portion of the track to try and alleviate the feeling of ‘black ice’ some drivers were experiencing.
A truly challenging race track
And remember that bump we mentioned in Turns 3 and 4? Its impact on the cars has only gotten worse in the Next Gen era. As we saw several times in last year’s race, a car trying to race side-by-side often leads to the car on the outside bottoming out and immediately spinning into the outside wall. Even with an attempt to grind down that bump, it didn’t seem to help very much.
Kyle Busch, who has four Cup wins at Texas (most among active drivers), recently described it as follows: “Texas — it’s a challenging race track. Turns one and two being as flat as they are and as wide as they are. There’s a lot of room for where you can go. But there’s probably about six inches of that racetrack that feels really good. And that’s the groove that you want to be in, and stay in, in order to get that grip.”
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Getty Images
Oddly enough, the strangeness of modern races at TMS have actually made it a bit of a wildcard that has managed to put on a show every so often. Passing is difficult and the track is treacherous, leading to more aggressive moves and several heart-stopping moments. Last year’s race featured 16 cautions and the previous four Cup races there have had 11 or more yellow flags.
The ever-evolving track seems to be a little different every year, and even changes over the course of a race weekend as the surface reacts to any temperature change and any activity in a way far more pronounced than most circuits.
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Clint Knight talks workforce, local music and revival of Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
The News Man Weekly Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Relax, It’s Just Coffee! MANSFIELD — From music to motorsports to workforce development, Clint Knight wears a lot of hats — and we talk about all of them in this week’s 51st episode of the News Man Weekly podcast. By day, Knight […]
The News Man Weekly Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Relax, It’s Just Coffee!
MANSFIELD — From music to motorsports to workforce development, Clint Knight wears a lot of hats — and we talk about all of them in this week’s 51st episode of the News Man Weekly podcast.
By day, Knight is the workforce development director for the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, working to build a talent pipeline that can support the region’s evolving economic needs.
Outside the office, he runs Valley Media and Productions, curates the Sunday Songwriter Series at the Phoenix, and co-hosts the Ohio Dirt Track Podcast.
We dig into Clint’s southern history as a musician and his passion for local music — including his work creating intimate singer/songwriter showcases.
We discuss his deep roots in the dirt track racing scene, where he co-hosts a podcast and is closely following the revival of the Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.
We also touch on his day job in workforce development and what it really takes to prepare a community for industrial growth.
Plus: Local news headlines from around the region, including a death penalty case in Morrow County, inmate overdoses at RICI and the latest on solar energy restrictions in Richland County.
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Check out the Ohio Dirt Track podcast!
Intro song credit: Smoke And Drink, by Luke Watson.
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City editor. 30-year plus journalist. Husband. Father of 3 grown sons and also a proud grandpa. Prior military journalist in U.S. Navy, Ohio Air National Guard. — Favorite quote: “Where were you when…
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Mexico’s altitude will test engines for NASCAR Cup, Xfinity Series teams this weekend
Drivers and teams will have more than each other to contend with when the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race this weekend at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. They’ll also have to contend with the elevation. The road course is about 7,500 feet above sea level — the next highest track in NASCAR is […]
Drivers and teams will have more than each other to contend with when the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race this weekend at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
They’ll also have to contend with the elevation. The road course is about 7,500 feet above sea level — the next highest track in NASCAR is Las Vegas at about 2,000 feet elevation.
The higher elevation means thinner air. Air plays a key role in horsepower and cooling and those will be significant issues for teams.
Doug Yates, president and CEO of Roush Yates Engines, estimates that the thinner air could reduce horsepower as much as 20% for the 670-horsepower Cup engines.
Danny Lawrence, long time engine builder for Richard Childress Racing and its director of the Xfinity Series and vice president of alliance operations, said maximizing horsepower is challenging at such a high altitude.
“You’ve got to fool the engine to make it think that the conditions are better,” he told NBC Sports.
#NASCAR races this weekend at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. The area is about 7,500 feet above sea level (Charlotte, NC, home to the teams is at 751 feet above sea level). Daniel Suarez talks about the challenges of competing at high elevation. pic.twitter.com/N2YzUAxQyQ
Daniel Suarez said the horsepower reduction will be minimal for drivers.
“I don’t think you have to drive different, but the cars are going to have more mechanical grip especially on the exit of the corners because you have less power,” he said. “We’re going to lose like 80 to 100 horsepower. That’s a lot. … But at the same time, in the high-speed corners, we’re going to lose a lot of downforce. We’re going to lose a little bit of everything.”
Racing at such elevation is new for the Cup Series. The Xfinity Series raced in Mexico City from 2005-08. The series averaged nearly seven engine failures per weekend (practice and the race) the first three years. The final year racing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw no engine failures during the weekend.
“I would say we’re more concerned about the cooling and the components and the other things we have to ensure are properly set up,” Yates told NBC Sports.
NASCAR will allow each manufacturer to have two sets of hood louvers to run during practice Saturday to see which best cools the engine. Each manufacturer will select which hood louver it will use and all of its teams must use the one selected on its cars.
The only time the NASCAR Cup Series has had a podium celebration was for the Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum exhibition races from 2022-24.
“The problem we have with the engine is the caution laps,” Trent Owens, crew chief for AJ Allmendinger, told NBC Sports. “It gets so hot under the caution laps, more so than the green laps.”
Under green flag conditions, the cars are at higher speeds and can get more air to cool. The slower speeds under caution means less air gets to the engine to cool it. As engines start to overheat, several problems can ensue.
“What happens with the engine management software is it goes into protection (mode) if you don’t get it cool enough before the restart,” Owens said. “So you’re trying to prevent that. It doesn’t shut the engine off, but it starts feeding it fuel and changing the timing and stuff like that where you lose horsepower.
“So, just having that stuff right is probably our concern that we normally don’t have to worry about at any (other) event.”
With NASCAR’s rule that engines must run two races, most of the engines that will run in Sunday’s Cup race will be that engine’s second race.
Yates said a lot of the Ford engines for the 2.42-mile road course in Mexico were run earlier this year at Martinsville, a half-mile short track.
Yates says the two courses share some similarities so that running one engine at both tracks makes sense.
“We shift at Martinsville every straightaway, every lap,” Yates said. “So the power curve actually shifted up quite a bit from years ago. As the engine group, we have the opportunity to change the intake manifold and the exhaust system today, so we can tune around the base engine and have power lower RPM range or higher RPM range with those two tuning tools.”
Young Motocross Rider Camden Trail Remembered After Tragic Accident at East Bend Motorsports
EAST BEND, N.C. (BTW21) — The motocross community is mourning the loss of Camden “Cam” William Trail, a 14-year-old rising motocross star from Bassett, Virginia, who tragically passed away on June 7 following a mid-air collision during a practice session at East Bend Motorsports in North Carolina. According to race official Travis Rominger, the incident happened […]
EAST BEND, N.C. (BTW21) — The motocross community is mourning the loss of Camden “Cam” William Trail, a 14-year-old rising motocross star from Bassett, Virginia, who tragically passed away on June 7 following a mid-air collision during a practice session at East Bend Motorsports in North Carolina.
According to race official Travis Rominger, the incident happened at the finish line jump when two riders collided in mid-air.
Video footage reviewed by race organizers indicated that the crash was a heartbreaking accident with no fault attributed to either rider.
Rominger, who was the first to reach Camden after the crash, shared that medical professionals—including paramedics, EMTs, and nurses—were on the scene within a minute.
Despite over an hour of life-saving efforts, Trail could not be revived.
In the ambulance, Trail’s parents told Rominger that their son died doing what he loved. “Their faith is very strong,” Rominger said in a statement released by the facility. “We ask the entire EBMX family to lift this family up in prayer during this unthinkable time.”
Camden Trail was born April 6, 2011, in Roanoke, Virginia.
A vibrant and ambitious young man, he had a deep passion for motocross and a love for anything outdoors or with an engine.
His infectious smile and joyful spirit left lasting impressions on all who knew him.
Beyond motocross, Camden ran his own business, Cam’s Lawn Care, showcasing a rare work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit for someone so young.
He was also known for his love of dancing, his loyalty to friends, and the way he brought joy to every room he entered.
A funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Bassett, with visitation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Burial will be held privately.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the Trail family with funeral and memorial expenses.
Organizers of the fundraiser described Camden as “more than a talented rider — he was a beloved son, friend, and inspiration to everyone who knew him.”
The motocross world now rides with a heavy heart, honoring a young life cut far too short, but forever remembered.
RCR forced to make changes before Kyle Busch heads to Mexico – Motorsport – Sports
NASCAR heads to Mexico City this weekend for the first points race outside of the United States in the modern era, but while Daniel Suarez has benefited from a special sponsorship agreement due to his Mexican ties, Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing have been forced to make changes. While NASCAR has traveled to Mexico […]
NASCAR heads to Mexico City this weekend for the first points race outside of the United States in the modern era, but while Daniel Suarez has benefited from a special sponsorship agreement due to his Mexican ties, Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing have been forced to make changes.
While NASCAR has traveled to Mexico for exhibition races, there has never been a competitive Cup Series race south of the U.S. border. NASCAR is looking to expand by adding more international drivers to the stock car series and has taken inspiration from Formula One.
In addition to racing in Mexico, NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps has entertained taking the Cup Series to Brazil. However, as Busch and RCR have discovered, switching locations can lead to sponsorship issues.
RCR has been forced to cover several active sponsors ahead of Sunday’s race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Due to advertising laws in Mexico, alcohol sponsors have been covered up.
Some products containing less than six percent alcohol must undergo a permitting process to be authorized. Due to strict regulations, all nicotine, tobacco, and CBD logos have also been covered.
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Casinos and gambling sponsors are permitted if they are licensed in Mexico, but others will be banned. Several NASCAR teams, including RCR, have been covering their haulers ahead of the race, and some cars also need a makeover.
BetMGM and 3Chi have previously sponsored Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet, but both sponsors are banned from advertising in Mexico. Despite the operational changes impacting teams, Phelps is still excited to make history.
“I’m excited. It’s the first time we’ve taken the Cup Series in the modern era outside our own borders,” Phelps told Motorsport.com. “It’s a big stage for us, and we need to make sure we make it.
“I think the Mexican fans are going to come, they’re going to support us, and I think it’s going to be a great show. Our drivers will love the circuit, and maybe, who knows, we can have our drivers, at some point, come to Brazil and have a race in Sao Paulo.”
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Phelps has made it clear that Brazil could be a future destination, as he added: “I’d like to see it happen. Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category.
“But I personally would be very excited about it. We’d like to have a Brazilian (driver) come out of NASCAR Brazil, come and race with us full-time, and, you know, compete for wins and championships.
“So we’re excited about this prospect, I was very impressed with the number of drivers I saw and how fast they were and their abilities, and we’re excited about this happening in the future.”
Tickets On Sale for 2025 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto
INDYCAR Public sales for all 2025 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto multiday tickets are underway at hondaindy.com. The 37th edition of the motorsports festival headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns July 18-20 to Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. The longstanding summer event again will bring high-speed racing action to Toronto’s downtown streets alongside a […]
Public sales for all 2025 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto multiday tickets are underway at hondaindy.com. The 37th edition of the motorsports festival headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns July 18-20 to Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto.
The longstanding summer event again will bring high-speed racing action to Toronto’s downtown streets alongside a festival atmosphere full of family fun with interactive displays and diverse food and beverage options. The weekend offers great value for families, as children 12 and under receive free general admission every day when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
On track, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will take on the 1.786-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit built on Exhibition Place near the Lake Ontario shoreline.
On Friday, July 18, Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Free Fan Friday, which offers general admission courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada. Since 2010, Toronto Indy fundraising has raised over $1 million for the charity.
Fans can further enhance their Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto experience by purchasing a Paddock Pass, which grants access to the “locker room of motorsports.” Spectators looking to get even closer to the action can add a Pit Pass. For children ages 5-12, the Rookie Racers program offers behind-the-scenes experiences including access to the drivers and race cars.
Pricing starts at $85 for 2-Day General Admission for Saturday and Sunday. Fans planning on using public transportation can purchase a GO Combo ticket that includes a 2-Day General Admission ticket and two round-trip GO Transit fares to and from the event for $90 at hondaindy.com/promotions.
Bronze-level 2-Day Grandstand seating is available for $110. Silver and Gold levels are priced at $170 and $235, respectively. The Gold 2-Day Grandstand seat also includes a Paddock Pass ($80 value).
For full ticket pricing and 2025 event information and news, visit hondaindy.com or follow Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto on social media using #indyTO.
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