Baseball Legend Ken Griffey, Jr. Connects with CARS Tour Photographer
It was the last weekend in April, and motorsports photographer Matt Marrie was snapping pictures during the zMAX CARS Tour race weekend at Orange County Speedway, when he saw a brand-new face stationed around the 0.375-miel short track taking photos. Marrie, a photographer for CARS Tour team Nelson Motorsports, introduced himself and engaged in a […]
It was the last weekend in April, and motorsports photographer Matt Marrie was snapping pictures during the zMAX CARS Tour race weekend at Orange County Speedway, when he saw a brand-new face stationed around the 0.375-miel short track taking photos.
Marrie, a photographer for CARS Tour team Nelson Motorsports, introduced himself and engaged in a conversation with the newcomer, who shared that it was his first time taking photos at a racetrack. After providing him with some pointers and talking more about motorsports photography, the two parted ways for the afternoon.
The next day, the pair met again and looked at each other’s photos from the weekend, and before parting ways, exchanged Instagram handles. Unbeknownst to Marrie, the person he had talked to all weekend long was named Tevin… Tevin Griffey, son of Major League Baseball (MLB) legend Ken Griffey, Jr.
“I had no idea,” Marrie told Racing America on SI. “I work for Nelson Motorsports in the CARS Tour as a photographer, so I meet a lot of different photographers at every track that I go to. So, I’m always meeting people, and I like to introduce myself and just see what kind of pictures they take. So, I literally had no idea who I was talking to.”
Marrie would find out exactly who Tevin was about a week later, when Ken Griffey, Jr. sent him a direct message (DM) on Instagram to thank him for helping his son, which read: “Just want to say THANK YOU!!!! For helping out Tevin last week.”
The Virginia-native was shocked to see the message pop-up, and remained flabbergasted, as Griffey was one of the baseball players that he grew up watching on television as a kid, alongside Sammy Sosa, Martin McGuire. Marrie was even watching when Barry Bonds broke the record for career home runs in August 2007.
“[It’s] humbling,” said Marrie. “It just makes me appreciate that my mom did a very good job of teaching me how to be nice to people and treat everybody the same. So, it’s pretty cool. It’s eye-opening that the world can be so small sometimes.”
After retiring from Major Leage Baseball in the early 2010s, Griffey, Jr. has spent the last decade working as a sports photographer – and has been credentialed to shoot events in the MLB, MLS, NFL, and the NTT IndyCar Series, as well as the 2025 Masters Tournament. His son, Tevin, has begun to follow in his footsteps, but shooting with the zMAX CARS Tour.
So, did Marrie respond to Griffey, Jr’s message?
“Oh, of course,” Marrie chuckled. “I told him his son was really nice, and I was honored to be able to help him.” The experience in itself is something that nobody could have ever predicted, where working a CARS Tour event in Orange County, North Carolina, would result in a line of communication with an baseball Hall of Famer.
“Never even thought of that [being a possibility]. I go into every weekend just trying to enjoy it and get as many pictures as I can to make people happy.”
The zMAX CARS Tour is a Late Model division located in the Southeast, which is owned and operated by prominent NASCAR figures Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Justin Marks. So, from one hall of famer to another, maybe Ken Griffey, Jr. might want to check out a CARS Tour event?
Motorsports: Aussie eyes dirt-track future in United States | Sports
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana — They refer to dirt-track racing in Blake Glynn’s home country of Australia as “speedway,” and he would like to make a career working in it stateside. Glynn, 17, lives in Winchelsea, Victoria, a city of just over 2,000 people situated at the southeast tip of the country, not far from Melbourne. The […]
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana — They refer to dirt-track racing in Blake Glynn’s home country of Australia as “speedway,” and he would like to make a career working in it stateside.
Glynn, 17, lives in Winchelsea, Victoria, a city of just over 2,000 people situated at the southeast tip of the country, not far from Melbourne. The state of Victoria is home to both Avalon Raceway and Premier Speedway, which hosts the Classic, Australia’s version of the Knoxville Nationals.
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Indy 500 Champion Alex Palou’s Explosive NASCAR Debut Announcement Shocks Racing World
Indy 500 sensation Alex Palou makes a roaring statement after his historic victory at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway! The 109th running of the prestigious race saw Palou emerge victorious, solidifying his name in the motorsport hall of fame. Palou, the newly crowned champion, has now set tongues wagging with talks about a potential NASCAR […]
Indy 500 sensation Alex Palou makes a roaring statement after his historic victory at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway! The 109th running of the prestigious race saw Palou emerge victorious, solidifying his name in the motorsport hall of fame.
Palou, the newly crowned champion, has now set tongues wagging with talks about a potential NASCAR debut. The racing world is abuzz with excitement as fans eagerly await to see if the Indy 500 hero will make a bold leap into the high-octane world of NASCAR.
The Spanish racing prodigy’s triumph at the Indy 500 has catapulted him into the global spotlight, with many speculating about his next move. Will Palou bring his winning skills and fearless attitude to the NASCAR tracks? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – the racing community is brimming with anticipation for what could be a game-changing debut in the world of stock car racing.
Stay tuned as Alex Palou gears up to potentially conquer yet another frontier in his already illustrious racing career!
Struggling NASCAR Star Will Brown Battles Sponsorship Woes: The Harsh Reality of Oval Dreams
Australian racing sensation Will Brown, reigning champion of the Supercar Series, is facing a tough challenge hindering his NASCAR dreams. Despite a promising start in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024, Brown encountered setbacks that he is determined to overcome. Returning to the stock car racing scene this year at the Chicago Street Course, Brown […]
Australian racing sensation Will Brown, reigning champion of the Supercar Series, is facing a tough challenge hindering his NASCAR dreams. Despite a promising start in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024, Brown encountered setbacks that he is determined to overcome.
Returning to the stock car racing scene this year at the Chicago Street Course, Brown candidly discussed the hurdles he faces as a stock car driver, referring to them as the “difficult part” of his journey. The 26-year-old driver made his debut with Richard Childress Racing at the Sonoma Raceway, showing potential during practice sessions. However, persistent electrical issues plagued his performance, leading to a disappointing 31st place finish in the race.
Switching teams this season, Will Brown joined Kaulig Racing for the Chicago Street Course event in July. Despite facing challenges with sponsorships, Brown remains optimistic about his prospects in the Cup Series. He emphasized the importance of securing sponsors and support to progress in his racing career, expressing hopes of competing in Xfinity or Truck oval races in the future.
With 11 career wins and a third-place finish at the Bathurst 1000 last year, Will Brown is a force to be reckoned with in the racing world. Eager to showcase his talents on the road course with Kaulig Racing, Brown shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming race with fans, expressing his excitement for the opportunity.
Inspired by fellow racer Shane van Gisbergen’s performance at the Chicago Street Race in 2023, Brown’s ambition to excel in the NASCAR Cup Series is stronger than ever. Team owner Matt Kaulig echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence in Brown’s abilities and the team’s readiness to compete for victory in the prestigious event.
The Grant Park 165, part of the Cup Series Chicago Street Race, is scheduled for July 6, 2025, promising an intense 75-lap/165-mile race broadcasted by major sports networks. As Will Brown gears up for this thrilling competition, fans and competitors alike await to witness his prowess on the track.
Previewing the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville
The NASCAR Cup Series makes its lone visit of the year to the Music City this weekend, competing in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Here’s a look at what to expect as the NASCAR starts take on Nashville on Sunday. Date: June 1, 2025Track: Nashville Superspeedway (Lebanon, Tennessee)Time: 7:00 p.m. ETTV: Prime VideoStages: […]
The NASCAR Cup Series makes its lone visit of the year to the Music City this weekend, competing in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Here’s a look at what to expect as the NASCAR starts take on Nashville on Sunday.
Date: June 1, 2025 Track: Nashville Superspeedway (Lebanon, Tennessee) Time: 7:00 p.m. ET TV: Prime Video Stages: 90/185/300 Defending Winner: Joey Logano
Date
Time
Session
TV
Sat., May 31
4:30 p.m. ET
Practice
Prime Video
Sat., May 31
5:40 p.m. ET
Qualifying
Prime Video
Sun., June 1
7:00 p.m. ET
Cracker Barrel 400
Prime Video
VIEWING GUIDE: How to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400
High Five for Nashville
Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s hard to believe this will already be the fifth year of NASCAR Cup Series competition at the Nashville Superspeedway. The 1.33-mile oval hosted its first event for NASCAR’s premier series in 2021, won by Kyle Larson.
Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and Joey Logano have since won at Nashville, four different winners in the first four NASCAR Cup Series events at the track. Larson has not finished outside the top 10 in any of those four races, with an average finish 4.5.
Can Chastain Build on Coca-Cola 600 Win?
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
When Ross Chastain won at Nashville in 2023, he did so from the pole position. That was quite different than last week, when the Florida driver drove from last to first to win the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Chastain’s first win of the season moved him to eighth in NASCAR Cup Series points and ensured he will be part of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff conversation. Now, he returns to one of his best tracks, with three top-five finishes in four races at Nashville.
The one finish outside the top five came last year, when Chastain led 45 laps and was in contention for another victory. However, he was involved in an incident on the first overtime restart of the race and finished 33rd.
A Rare Concrete Challenge
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Nashville Superspeedway is one of just three facilities on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule with a concrete racing surface, alongside Dover Motor Speedway and fellow Tennessee track Bristol Motor Speedway. However, it is the only one of the three more than a mile in length.
The concrete surface presents some unique challenges, such as increased temperature sensitivity and usually greater tire wear. The NASCAR Cup Series stars only see this track once a year, limiting their chances to prepare and build a notebook for this unique test.
Add in a 7 p.m. start that will see the track transition from sunset to nightfall like we saw last week with the Coca-Cola 600, and Sunday’s race will keep teams on their toes from start to finish.
Justin Bonsignore Set For Return to Seekonk Speedway – Speedway Digest
The Action Track of the East will host the fourth race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season this Saturday, May 31. The series returns to Seekonk Speedway for the J&R Precast 150 – under the lights in Massachusetts. Justin Bonsignore heads back to Seekonk looking to visit Victory Lane at the third-mile for the […]
The Action Track of the East will host the fourth race of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season this Saturday, May 31. The series returns to Seekonk Speedway for the J&R Precast 150 – under the lights in Massachusetts.
Justin Bonsignore heads back to Seekonk looking to visit Victory Lane at the third-mile for the first time since 2018. That season, Bonsignore won at Seekonk en route to his first series championship. In six career Seekonk Whelen Modified Tour starts, Bonsignore has finished sixth or better in all of them, including three podium runs.
The Holtsville, New York, native enters the race tied for second in the Whelen Modified Tour championship standings, just one point behind the leader, through three events in 2025.
“We won at Seekonk back in 2018, but the track has changed a lot since with the new pavement in the corners,” Bonsignore said. “We’re looking forward to getting back there and improving on how we ran last year. We’ve had a solid start to the year with three top-five finishes and have come away from races that didn’t go our way still with strong finishes. Consistency is key.”
The schedule for NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race day at Seekonk Speedway includes NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour practice from 3-4:10 p.m., followed by qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and the J&R Precast 150 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available online at SeekonkSpeedway.com. The event has a rain date of Sunday, June 1 if necessary. If the event is moved to Sunday, action will begin at 2:30 p.m.
For more information on four-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore, visit JustinBonsignore.com and follow him on social media
For the first time in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series, a race was featured exclusively on streaming. The numbers are in and they are solid for the first outing. The Coca-Cola 600 peaked a 2.92 million viewers with over one million watching the extended post-race show, but most importantly, the average median age […]
For the first time in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series, a race was featured exclusively on streaming. The numbers are in and they are solid for the first outing. The Coca-Cola 600 peaked a 2.92 million viewers with over one million watching the extended post-race show, but most importantly, the average median age of viewers went down by seven years.
As NASCAR chases a younger demographic, this alone makes it a huge win. There were around 800,000 viewers from the 18-49 demographic, which is more than any race on cable for the last three years (at least). And while the total viewership is down from the 600 on FOX, which is to be expected, it still beat six of the eight Cup races this year that were aired on FOX Sports 1.
NASCAR on Prime
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
But what made Prime Video a real winner on Sunday night was how they approached the event. The booth was energetic and informative, and they took the event seriously (aside from the puppet segment). You felt the gravity of it, which FOX managed to do quite well for the Indy 500, but it’s something that has been missing from a lot of their NASCAR events. The commercials were minimally invasive and side-by-side was used constantly. Even with William Byron dominating 283 of 400 laps, the middle portions of the race never felt boring as Prime went around the track to find the action. Stunningly, the final stage went without a single commercial interrupting the final two runs of the event — about 64 consecutive laps.
The addition of personalities like Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie was a great move while the booth unsurprisingly nailed it between Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte. And the way they explained things without patronizing the viewer was refreshing as well. They weren’t explaining what stages were or how caution flags at the end of the race work, but they did throw together a highly informative 30-second segment on the fly to explain why Denny Hamlin’s team failed to get their car full of fuel.
The never-ending post-race show
Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
But the post-race show was the biggest breath of fresh air. On cable, NASCAR fans are used to not getting much of a post-race show due to the constraints of that medium. FOX and NBC have their hands somewhat tied in that regard, but Prime took full advantage of that, giving viewers one hour and 18 minutes of post-race coverage where they brought in race winner Ross Chastain and runner-up finisher Byron for full sit-down discussions. Team owner Justin Marks also joined the panel to discuss the big win for Trackhouse. They even interviewed crew chief Phil Surgen in Victory Lane and were sure to tell the whole story of Chastain’s remarkable comeback, fighting from last to first in a backup car to win NASCAR’s longest race.
Speaking on his weekly podcast, Earnhardt Jr. said of the post-race show: “The other luxury of streaming is that the post-race is fluid. If we feel like we’ve got everything done, and everything we can possibly share in 30 minutes, that’s when it’ll end. if it needs to go longer, it’ll go longer. we don’t have an out … And if there was ever so much going on that we need to be on for an hour and a half, they will. That’s the great thing about the post-race.”
Prime purchased a total of five races this year and for fans not willing to open up their wallets just yet for streaming, they could still opt in for a 30-day free trial that covers the entire run on Prime. Around these events, Prime is doing a ton of activation between commercials and highly-acclaimed documentaries like the new ‘Earnhardt’ docuseries, which quickly became the No. 1 trending series on Prime.
It showed that change is sometimes needed to shake up the status quo, and that’s not a knock on FOX. Just look at IndyCar moving from NBC to FOX and everything FOX has done for the series. Just handing someone else the same ball will result in an entirely different ballgame. So congrats to Prime, who took the expectations for a NASCAR broadcast and hit that ball right out of the park.
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