TDT | Manama Email : hussianm@newsofbahrain.com The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Bahrain, in partnership with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), held a business networking luncheon yesterday at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, focusing on Bahrain’s role in global motorsports and its economic impact. Speaking exclusively […]
TDT | Manama
Email : hussianm@newsofbahrain.com
The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Bahrain, in partnership with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), held a business networking luncheon yesterday at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, focusing on Bahrain’s role in global motorsports and its economic impact.
Speaking exclusively to TDT, H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of BIC, shared a candid insight into the spirit that drives Bahrain’s Formula 1 experience from behind the scenes: “You know, it all starts with our people — from the moment guests arrive during Formula 1 week, you’ll see Bahrainis at the airport handling everything with care and humility,” he said. “That sense of kindness, of treating visitors like family, is something quite unique here. Many leave saying they never expected such warmth from a place they didn’t know much about — and that’s when you realise they become ambassadors for our small island.” He added, “Of course, safety is always our top priority. We work on it every year to make sure everything runs smoothly. But beyond that, motorsports is about bringing people together. That spirit of enjoying an event, of feeling part of something, is at the heart of what we do. And it shows — the fact that fans choose Bahrain year after year out of a 23 or 24 race calendar means we’re doing something right.”
The keynote speech by H.E. Shaikh Salman later built on this theme, delivering a compelling reflection on how Bahrain has not only cemented itself on the Formula 1 calendar but also aims to play an even bigger role on the international stage.
The event was well-attended by a diverse group of influential business and financial leaders, including Khalid Humaidan, Governor at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB); Ali Moosa, Vice President of AmCham; Daniel Taylor, Treasurer of AmCham; and Michel Sawaya, Board Director of AmCham. Also in attendance were Zahra Taher, Secretary of AmCham; Jassim Darwish, Executive Technical Advisor at GPC; Iyadh Borgi, CFO at Zain Bahrain; Ali AlShamma, CFO at Singapore Gulf Bank; Amine El Hajj, Chairman of BNP; Sh. Fahad Al Khalifa; and Laila Danesh of Finmark Communications.
“We’re proud — but we’re not done yet”
In a speech that was part celebration and part rallying cry, H.E. Shaikh Salman reminded attendees of the long road Bahrain has taken since it first embraced motorsports in 1953 through the Bahrain Motor Federation — decades before Formula 1 arrived in 2004.
“Many people think it all started in 2004,” he said. “But our journey began much earlier. We’ve built something special, but we can’t rest. We need to look at what the U.S. is doing with events like the Miami Grand Prix — the scale, the ambition — and push ourselves even further.”
H.E. Shaikh Salman admitted he disliked benchmarking Bahrain against other countries but acknowledged the importance of doing so. “It’s uncomfortable, but necessary. We’re among giants now like the U.S. and the UK, so we have to act like it.”
American viewership, regional pride
H.E. Shaikh Salman noted that over 52 million Americans now follow motorsport, a figure he says “reflects well on the sport and the country.” He emphasized the significance of fostering U.S.-Bahrain commercial collaboration, pointing to growing synergies through events like Formula 1 and the expanding footprint of manufacturers like Cadillac.
Bahrain welcomed over 12,000 fans at this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, a rise from last year’s attendance and further proof that the island nation is becoming a major attraction in global motorsports.
Local impact, global story
AmCham President Qays Zu’bi highlighted the symbolic importance of McLaren’s victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, praising H.E. Shaikh Salman’s leadership as pivotal to that success. “It’s a proud moment for all of us.”
H.E. Shaikh Salman also spotlighted the pride in having a Bahraini-owned F1 team — McLaren, the oldest team on the grid — and emphasized Bahrain’s unique status in the region. “We’re the only country in the Middle East to own a Formula 1 team. That’s no small feat.”
He closed by highlighting the development of Bahraini talent, particularly the marshals. “In April’s race, so many of our marshals were Bahrainis. That’s what makes this more than just a sport, it’s a national effort.”
Looking ahead
While Bahrain’s motorsports track record already turns heads, the message from the Sheraton ballroom was clear: the Kingdom is shifting gears, not slowing down.
As Bahrain continues to advance its goals of economic diversification and global positioning, the Kingdom seems poised not just to stay on the circuit, but to lead it.
The NASCAR Cup Series hits the midpoint of the 26-race regular season with Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Seven of the 16 playoff spots are held, at this time, by drivers who have at least one win this season: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric and Josh […]
The NASCAR Cup Series hits the midpoint of the 26-race regular season with Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Seven of the 16 playoff spots are held, at this time, by drivers who have at least one win this season: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric and Josh Berry.
Here is a look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams heading into Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.
23XI Racing — Good news: Tyler Reddick has finished in the top 10 in all five of his Coca-Cola 600 starts, including a fourth-place result last year. Bad news: Bubba Wallace finished 33rd in each of the past two points races, dropping him from seventh to 10th in the standings. … Reddick has one top 10 in his last six Cup points races. … Riley Herbst has finished 27th or worse in six of the last nine points races.
Kurt Busch won 34 Cup races and the 2004 Cup championship
Front Row Motorsports — Good news: Todd Gilliland has finished 16th or better in five of the last six races. … Zane Smith has six top-20 finishes in the last seven points races. … Noah Gragson won the All-Star fan vote for a third year in a row. Bad news: Gragson has not been running at the finish in any of his three Coca-Cola 600 starts.
Haas Factory Team — Good news: Cole Custer has two top-20 finishes in the last three races. … Both of those top-20 finishes came after he started 20th or better. Bad News: Custer has started 30th or worse five times this year.
Hendrick Motorsports — Good news: Kyle Larson’s three wins, eight top-five finishes, nine top-10 results and 817 laps led this season are the most in his Cup career through the first 12 points races of the season … Larson has won six of the last eight stages this season. … Larson seeks to be only the second driver in the last 20 years to race in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. … William Byron has finished fourth or better in three of the last four Coke 600s. … Chase Elliott has led in the last six Coca-Cola 600s. … Alex Bowman has five top 10s in his last seven Coke 600s. … Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers have led 41.6% of the laps run this season, the team’s highest percentage of laps led through 12 races since 1996 (44.1%). Bad news: No driver leading the points after 12 races went on to win the championship since the playoff format debuted in 2014. … This is the third time Larson led the points at the All-Star break. He led the points in 2017 (eliminated in the round of 12) and 2024 (eliminated in round of 8).
Hyak Motorsports — Good news: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has four top 10s in his last seven Coca-Cola 600 starts. Bad news: His sixth-place finish at Texas is his only top 10 in the last 13 races on a 1.5-mile track.
Joe Gibbs Racing — Good news: Christopher Bell has finished first or second in five of the 12 points races this season, winning three times and finishing second twice. … Bell is the defending Coca-Cola 600 winner and comes into this weekend after his victory at the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. … Chase Briscoe has finished a season-best fourth four different times this year. … Ty Gibbs will make his 100th career Cup start this weekend. … Gibbs won the pole and finished sixth in last year’s Coca-Cola 600. Bad news: JGR has led only 21 laps on 1.5-mile tracks this year, the team’s fewest through four races at 1.5-mile tracks since 1994. … Denny Hamlin failed to finish the past two races, the first time since 2013 he’s done that. … Briscoe has finished 20th or worse in three of his four Coca-Cola 600 starts.
Christopher Bell has won five points races and the All-Star Race since last year’s Coca-Cola 600.
Kaulig Racing — Good news: AJ Allmendinger has four top-10 results in his last six races on 1.5-mile tracks. Bad news: Allmendinger has finished 36th and 38th in the past two races, dropping him from 15th to 25th in the season standings. … Ty Dillon’s only top-10 Cup result at a 1.5-mile track came in February 2020.
Legacy Motor Club — Good news: John Hunter Nemechek’s four top-10 finishes this year already ties for his most in a season. … Nemechek has finished eighth (Texas) and 10th (Kansas) in the last two points races. … Jimmie Johnson will make his 700th career Cup start this weekend, becoming the 21st driver to reach that mark in series history. … Johnson finished third in the Daytona 500, his only start start this year ahead of this weekend. Bad news: Erik Jones has scored one stage point since the Daytona 500.
Richard Childress Racing — Good news: Kyle Busch has seven top 10s in his last eight starts in the Coca-Cola 600. … Austin Dillon, the 2017 Coke 600 winner, has finished in the top 10 twice in the last four Coke 600s. Bad news: RCR has only one top-five finish this season. … Dillon’s 22nd-place finish at Kansas snapped a streak of three consecutive top-10 results. … Busch has finished outside the top 15 in six of the last eight points races.
Rick Ware Racing — Good news: Cody Ware’s best career finish on a 1.5-mile track (18th) came in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2022. Bad news: Ware ranks last among the 36 full-time drivers in points after 12 races.
RFK Racing — Good news: RFK Racing announced Monday that it would appeal penalties to Chris Buescher and his team, that included being docked 60 points and 10 playoff points, for an infraction discovered after Kansas. … Ryan Preece will make his 200th career Cup start this weekend. … Preece has four top-10 finishes this season. The most in his Cup career is five. Bad news: Buescher has finished outside the top 10 in four of the last six points races. … Brad Keselowski has failed to finish the last three races. … He has a series-high five DNFs this year.
The Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing driver was running second before being sent to the rear with 17 laps remaining.
Spire Motorsports — Good news: Michael McDowell’s team comes into the Coca-Cola 600 after winning the Pit Crew Challenge last weekend at North Wilkesboro. … Carson Hocevar has scored points in five of the last eight stages. Bad news: Justin Haley has one top-10 finish in his last 17 starts on 1.5-mile tracks (a 10th-place result at Miami this year). … McDowell has one top-10 finish in his last 22 races on 1.5-mile tracks.
Carson Hocevar, John Hunter Nemechek and Noah Gragson are in the All-Star Race.
Team Penske — Good news: Ryan Blaney has finished third in each of the past two races at 1.5-mile tracks, Texas and Kansas. … Joey Logano’s win this season came at Texas, a 1.5-mile track. Bad news: Austin Cindric has never placed better than 20th in three Coca-Cola 600 starts. … Blaney’s average finish of 19.7 at Charlotte is his worst among 1.5-mile tracks. … Logano has finished outside the top 10 in seven of the last eight Coke 600s, including the last five.
Joey Logano said of how Bell raced him: “When I went back and re-watched it, I was like, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.”
Trackhouse Racing — Good news: Connor Zilisch, who is 18 years old, makes his second career Cup start this weekend. … Daniel Suarez will make his 300th career Cup start this weekend. … In the past six races, Ross Chastain’s average finish has been 10.0. Bad news: In the last six races, Chastain’s average starting position has been 27.7. … Shane van Gisbergen finished 28th last year in his only Coke 600 start. … Suarez has finished outside the top 20 in four of the last five Coke 600s.
Wood Brothers Racing — Good news: Josh Berry finished 10th in last year’s Coca-Cola 600. … Berry has one win (Las Vegas) and two top 10s (Las Vegas and Kansas) on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Bad news: Berry has one top-10 finish in the seven races since his Las Vegas victory.
State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Country United States of […]
Pinnacle Financial Partners and 23XI Racing announced an expanded partnership on Tuesday, which will see the companies extend their longstanding partnership in a multi-year agreement. Pinnacle, which has served as an associate sponsorship partner for Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team since 2023, will expand its role into primary sponsorship in 2025. Reddick will […]
Pinnacle Financial Partners and 23XI Racing announced an expanded partnership on Tuesday, which will see the companies extend their longstanding partnership in a multi-year agreement. Pinnacle, which has served as an associate sponsorship partner for Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team since 2023, will expand its role into primary sponsorship in 2025.
Reddick will carry the Pinnacle colors in two NASCAR Cup Series events during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season beginning with the event at Nashville Superspeedway in June. Pinnacle will return as the primary sponsor of Reddick in the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.
“Our team has enjoyed the partnership with Pinnacle since Tyler joined the team, and we’re excited to grow our relationship with Pinnacle to more prominently feature their brand on the No. 45 car,” said team president Steve Lauletta. “Much like 23XI, Pinnacle is driven to be impactful for their clients, their employees, and their community, and we look forward to developing more programs and activations with them.”
As part of the partnership, Pinnacle’s logo will be featured on the No. 45 23XI Racing team’s equipment, and will continue to have placement on Reddick’s driver uniform.
Pinnacle has been a valued partner of Reddick since the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, a year that Reddick captured his first of two consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series championships.
“The group at Pinnacle has played such an important role in my career, and I’m honored to have the chance to represent them in a greater way through this partnership expansion,” said Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE. “From supporting me earlier in my career to continuing to believe in me and what we’re doing at 23XI, I’m excited to represent all the associates at Pinnacle and look forward to having a great opening race with them in Nashville.”
When Pinnacle serves as the primary sponsor for Reddick at Nashville, it will mark the first time that the company has ever been a primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series. The company is proud to do so with Reddick and 23XI Racing.
“Pinnacle and 23XI are such a great match for each other because we both share a vision of being the best,” said Andy Moats, Pinnacle’s director of music, sports and entertainment. “The love for NASCAR and racing runs deep at our firm, and we’ve been with Tyler for a long time. Working alongside him as he’s grown into the racer he is today has been a privilege, and this partnership will bring us even closer to him, his team and the incredible community that surrounds this sport.”
Reddick, 29, was a NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 contender a season ago behind the wheel of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. Reddick has eight wins through 194 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, and he has made the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in each of the last four seasons.
Reddick ranks fifth in the championship standings through the opening 12 races of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Few moments in motorsports rival the pageantry and emotion of Coca-Cola 600 pre-race ceremonies at Charlotte Motor Speedway. From an awe-inspiring military tribute to the roar of fighter jet flyovers and the sound of 40 engines firing up for NASCAR’s longest race, the spectacle sets the tone for an unforgettable Memorial Day weekend tradition. For […]
Few moments in motorsports rival the pageantry and emotion of Coca-Cola 600 pre-race ceremonies at Charlotte Motor Speedway. From an awe-inspiring military tribute to the roar of fighter jet flyovers and the sound of 40 engines firing up for NASCAR’s longest race, the spectacle sets the tone for an unforgettable Memorial Day weekend tradition.
For drivers, it’s more than just pre-race rituals—it’s a moment to reflect, honor and soak in the energy of one of the sport’s most patriotic weekends. Here’s what some of NASCAR’s biggest stars have to say about what makes the Coca-Cola 600 pre-race experience so special:
Kyle Larson, No. 5, Hendrick Motorsports
“The pre-race stuff for the (Coca-Cola) 600 is really impactful. They do a great job. There’s just a lot of honor and remembrance that happens before the race with the military. You’re usually with the family of a fallen member you’re representing on your race car, hanging around them and taking pictures. Just the meaning of that whole day is extra special. NASCAR and the promoters at the (Coca-Cola) 600 do a great job with the pre-race ceremonies.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16, Kaulig Racing
“Well, I think it’s just the reason that we’re there for the Coke 600. Memorial Day Weekend, what that represents, what that means, to have a name on the side of a race car, to share that with their family, it means more than motorsports. I think sometimes, I’ll be 100% honest, I get lost. You know what our job is, you’re out there to win, and that’s all you focus on, but there’s a brief moment there of all the pre-race stuff at the (Coca-Cola) 600 where racing doesn’t mean anything, and that’s very important.”
Chase Briscoe, No. 19, Joe Gibbs Racing
“The Coca-Cola 600 pre-race is unlike anything else we have in the sport. You have all the military stuff out there, helicopters landing in the infield. People literally jumping out of helicopters, it’s just a super cool pre-race. It’s a super long one too, and just the atmosphere, the intensity is constantly ratcheting up at the Coke 600. It’s unlike anything else we do, it’s really cool. My son always loves watching the helicopters come down and hover literally 50 feet above the car, it’s one that I always try to sneak out on the grid for and watch a little bit of it before we get out for the driver’s meeting. Just a super cool event and an awesome atmosphere.”
Chris Buescher, No. 17, RFK Racing
“I think it’s just the action, right? It’s everything that’s going on. All of the flyovers and the drop-ins, it’s just way bigger, on a proportion scale, than any other pre-race ceremony we do, and it’s a showstopper, right? It’s a heck of a way to fire off our race.”
Erik Jones, No. 42, Legacy Motor Club
“The 600, I think, is probably our longest pre-race, but it’s also our neatest, just with the action of the military and the show that they put on, before the race is, is pretty unique to the 600. A lot of fun to watch. I tell people all the time, when they’re talking about going to a race at the 600, it’s a really fun race to go to, just from even the pre-race that they put on and that weekend is a lot of fun. So it’s always cool to see the show that they have, and it’ll give you goosebumps watching everything they’ve got going.”
Tyler Reddick, No. 45, 23XI
“I think everything that they do in pre-race for the (Coca-Cola) 600, all the military presence that we have with us on the grid, everything they do to honor and recognize, those at the racetrack. The flyover, when they drop in, just all the steps they do to take to recognize those in our military, I think, is what makes it really special.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71, Spire Motorsports
“The Coca-Cola 600 Pre-Race is unlike any weekend. Just the military presence that we have, the helicopters, people jumping out of planes, it’s wild, and it’s always a special moment. Not just cool, but somber of just being thankful and appreciative to all the men and women who have served our country and honoring the ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. There’s an energy in the crowd, in that pre-race that’s really special.”
Daniel Suárez , No. 99, Trackhouse Racing
“The Cola 600 pre-race is special because it’s certainly different from everything else. We have a lot of people from the Army, family members from people who have served in the past and the people who are serving currently, so it’s just very special. It’s a race that honors them and brings a lot of emotion. Every race, you have excitement, but in the Coca-Cola 600, in the beginning, you don’t get excited, you get emotion and it’s a little bit different, The the military members getting out of the helicopter and all the different things is there, there’s a lot of emotion because, there is a lot of things that these people have gone through and, it’s also their family, so it’s quite special.”
TICKETS:
Fans can purchase Coca-Cola 600 weekend tickets, online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
Information provided by Speedway Motorsports
For Kurt Busch, waiting for the announcement of the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class felt like race day. That was before his name was called as a member of the class, joining Harry Gant as a Modern Era choice. Modified superstar Ray Hendrick earned election to the 2026 class on the Pioneer Ballot, and […]
For Kurt Busch, waiting for the announcement of the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class felt like race day.
That was before his name was called as a member of the class, joining Harry Gant as a Modern Era choice.
Modified superstar Ray Hendrick earned election to the 2026 class on the Pioneer Ballot, and promoter extraordinaire H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler was recognized as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
The induction ceremony for the new members is scheduled for January 23, 2026.
Busch’s career was characterized by remarkable consistency. The 46-year-old from Las Vegas won at least one NASCAR Cup Series race in 19 of his 21 full-time seasons.
NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2004 at age 26, Busch pushed Ryan Newman to victory in the 2008 Daytona 500 when both drove for Team Penske. Nine years later, Busch won the Great American Race in a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
“I felt like it was race mode,” Busch said of his nervousness in waiting to hear his name called. “I had to put the emotional blinders on… Everyone that’s on the ballot is someone who can go into the Hall because of the impact they made on the sport.
“For me, just a blue-collar kid out of Vegas, I never would have imagined this. We were a family where it was just a hobby to race. It was just fun to go to the track as father/son. Dad (Tom Busch) had his car, and I had mine…
“I’m running a Legend Car in 1999 at the (Las Vegas) Bull Ring, September of 1999. In September of 2000, I’m in Jack Roush’s Cup car, qualifying at Dover. Jeff Gordon’s next to me. Dale (Earnhardt) Sr.’s behind me. That’s how fast things happened for me. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.”
Busch blossomed early in his NASCAR career, winning a pole position at Darlington Raceway in his 2001 rookie season and following that with four victories in 2002.
It’s appropriate that Busch’s first career NASCAR Cup victory would come at Bristol, a track he came to dominate with six victories spread over a span of 17 years—and where he added to Bristol lore by making a “Snow Angel” after winning in uncharacteristically cold and snowy conditions in 2006.
From 2002 through 2022, Busch amassed 34 Cup wins. In 2004, he won the first championship under NASCAR’s Playoff format, then known as the Chase.
Driving the No. 97 Ford for Jack Roush, Busch weathered a bizarre accident when the right-front wheel separated from his car as he was approaching pit road. Busch continued onto pit road while the tire rolled onto the racing surface.
But a quick fix in the pits propelled Busch to a fifth-place finish in the race and his only Cup championship, by eight points over Jimmie Johnson.
Through the first decade of his career, Busch fought to find a balance between his elite talent and the mercurial temperament that cost him rides with Roush and Roger Penske. Ultimately, he won Cup races with five different owners—Roush, Penske, Stewart-Haas, Chip Ganassi and finally at Kansas Speedway in 2022 with 23XI Racing.
“The late Jim Hunter (NASCAR executive) said it best to me once when I was in some trouble,” Busch recalled. “He said, ‘Son, you can get in as much trouble as you want, because you have that much talent to dig yourself out of these holes you’re putting yourself in.
“But wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t dig those holes, and you could just stay on top, riding with your talent?’ It took a lot of lessons, but this was a fun announcement, and I can’t wait to tell more stories.”
Kurt and Kyle Busch hold the record for most Cup victories accumulated by brothers with 97.
The only driver to win a Cup race in cars of four different manufacturers—Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota—Busch was named on 61 percent of ballots during a closed session on Voting Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the same percentage Gant received.
In stark contrast to Busch, Gant was a late bloomer who didn’t race in NASCAR’s top division until age 33. It wasn’t until age 40 that Gant ran his first full season the Cup Series in 1980.
Dubbed “Handsome Harry” for his striking good looks, Gant won 18 times in 474 starts on NASCAR’s top tour with a versatility that spoke volumes about his talent.
Gant, now 85, was a standout on such big tracks as Daytona, Darlington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Talladega, Pocono and Michigan—with victories at each of those venues—but he also conquered the venues of a mile of less at Richmond, Rockingham, Bristol, North Wilkesboro, Dover, Martinsville and Phoenix.
Gant also triumphed on the road courses of Watkins Glen and Sonoma, proving he could wheel a stock car at any sort of venue.
Gant will be remembered most prominently for the feat that earned him another moniker — “Mr. September.”
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 22 of 1991, Gant drove the iconic Leo Jackson-owned Skoal Bandit to four straight wins, at Darlington (the second of his two Southern 500s), Richmond, Dover and Martinsville, tying the Modern Era record for consecutive victories.
Gant wasn’t finished. In 1992 he won twice, with his victory at Michigan in August making him the oldest driver to win a Cup race, at age 52.
Two years later, at 54, he was the top qualifier at Bristol, becoming the oldest driver ever to win a Cup pole.
Ray Hendrick led the Pioneer ballot with 31 percent of the vote. Early NASCAR Cup Series driver Bob Welborn was second in the balloting.
Nicknamed “Mr. Modified,” Hendrick won more than 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races in a career that spanned 38 years (1950-1988). Driving the iconic red No. 11, Hendrick won five track championships at South Boston Speedway in his native Virginia.
Though he never won a Modified championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960 through 1969. He is credited with 20 combined Modified and Sportsman victories at Martinsville Speedway alone.
Hendrick was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.
Born in 1928 in Denton, North Carolina, Welborn passed away in 1997 at age 69.
Wheeler, 86, is a man of many and varied talents. He was a boxer, a scholarship football player at the University of South Carolina and a sportswriter for the Columbia (S.C.) Record before joining the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company’s public relations staff.
But Wheeler is best known for his 33-year tenure as President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, where his innovative—sometimes outrageous—ideas brought a new vision to the promotion of stock car racing.
Wheeler’s legendary stunts included school buses jumping over (and crashing into) lines of cars and full-scale Memorial Day weekend “battles” in the speedway’s infield grass, complete with startling pyrotechnics.
NEW YORK, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, New York Racing Team announced a partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook to become the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet, driven by star driver J.J. Yeley for two of the NASCAR Cup Series’ most prestigious races – the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway and […]
NEW YORK, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, New York Racing Team announced a partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook to become the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet, driven by star driver J.J. Yeley for two of the NASCAR Cup Series’ most prestigious races – the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.
The Fanatics Sportsbook No. 44 Chevrolet will take to the track – first in Music City on Sunday, June 1 and next in The Valley on Sunday, November 2 – decked in the company’s signature Lava Red and Black paint scheme and adorned with the Fanatics Sportsbook logo on the hood and sides of the car. It’s only fitting that Fanatics Sportsbook will grace the car for the first time in Tennessee, as the state was the first to experience the sportsbook upon its launch in 2023.
In celebration of this partnership, Fanatics Sportsbook will have exclusive new customer offers for the Nashville and Phoenix races, along with expanded NASCAR betting capabilities, such as race parlays, to finish on the podium, exacta and trifecta betting. Fanatics Sportsbook will also offer unique JJ Yeley specials and live betting markets on Raceday.
According to Fanatics Sportsbook, Yeley is +800 to have a Top 10 Finish at Nashville Superspeedway and customers will also be able to place wagers on J.J. Yeley’s Starting Grid Position, Chevrolet-specific placement, first lap results, and much more. NASCAR fans can download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics betting experience.
“We are proud to partner with John Cohen and the New York Racing Team,” said Selena Kalvaria, CMO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming. “The partnership with New York Racing Team is an incredible branding opportunity and an inflection point for us as we continue to build the fastest growing sportsbook in America.* We are going to develop exclusive content for NASCAR fans and curate an elevated experience for our customers at each race that only a brand like Fanatics can offer. Our employees and customers can’t wait to cheer on the No. 44 Fanatics Sportsbook Chevrolet toward the checkered flag at Nashville Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway.”
Nashville Superspeedway is Middle Tennessee’s racing jewel. The 1.33-mile D-shaped track with 14 degrees of banking is the largest concrete-only track in NASCAR and the perfect track for a prime time race. The sponsorship will see Fanatics Sportsbook featured on Yeley’s No. 44 Chevrolet in the Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 1 at 7 PM ET, broadcast live on Prime Video. The No. 44 Fanatics Sportsbook car will return at the end of the season to compete at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 2, 2025, which will air live on NBC. For up to date news and information on the Fanatics Sportsbook No. 44 Chevrolet follow @FanaticsBook on X and @FanaticsSportsbook on Instagram.
About Fanatics Betting and Gaming
Launched in 2021, Fanatics Betting and Gaming is the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics, a global digital sports platform. The Fanatics Sportsbook, now the fastest growing sportsbook in America*, is available to 95% of the addressable online sports bettor market in the U.S. Fanatics Casino is currently available online in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Fanatics Betting and Gaming operates twenty-two retail sports betting locations, including the only sportsbook inside an NFL stadium at Northwest Stadium. Fanatics Betting and Gaming is headquartered in New York with offices in Denver, Leeds and Dublin.
“Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER
(CO/DC/IA/IL/KS/KY/LA/MD/MI/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV/WY), www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), (800)-327-5050 or gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), Call (877)8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), or Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT), or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), morethanagame.nc.gov (NC), 1800gambler.net (WV)
*Compared across all sportsbooks accounting for 98.5% of national handle.
Contact: Kevin.Hennessy@betfanatics.com
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4eaf4697-d15e-401d-a1f4-4deb7fdb0461
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9cbe9d06-356f-4bb5-82d7-0b44cebacd11
has always dreamed in Mercurial. Now his initials are on the boots.
The new Kyl…
Deputies investigating incident that caused panic at Pace youth sports complex
Former South Carolina center Nick Pringle commits to Arkansas basketball, John Calipari
Appling County football to forfeit all 10 wins from 2024
This is poetry in motion.
How to watch Avalanche vs. Stars Game 7 FREE stream today
Web exclusive
Princeton University
2025 NCAA softball bracket: Women’s College World Series scores, schedule
Bowman Gray is the site of NASCAR’S “Advance Auto Parts Night at the Races” this Saturday
2025 Big Ten Softball Tournament Bracket: Updated matchups, scores, schedule
Patty Gasso confirms Sophia Bordi will not finish season with Oklahoma softball
MOTORSPORTS: Three local track set to open this week | Sports
$1.5 Billion Legal Powerhouse Announces Multi-Year NASCAR Deal With Kyle Busch
Maryland Basketball Recruiting
