Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Motorsports

Chesapeake’s Bussel finds new life with NASCAR pit crew

Luke Bussel, a former Virginia Tech football player, transitions from tackling on the field to tire-carrying in the fast lane as Cup pit crew member. CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Luke Bussel’s football journey began in Chesapeake, Virginia, and took him to the storied fields of Virginia Tech. A standout at Greenbrier Christian Academy, Bussel lived and […]

Published

on


Luke Bussel, a former Virginia Tech football player, transitions from tackling on the field to tire-carrying in the fast lane as Cup pit crew member.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Luke Bussel’s football journey began in Chesapeake, Virginia, and took him to the storied fields of Virginia Tech. A standout at Greenbrier Christian Academy, Bussel lived and breathed football — until the clock ran out on his collegiate career after the 2023 Military Bowl. For a while, it seemed like that was the end of the road.

“I had no clue what I was going to do,” said Bussel, reflecting on the final moments of his football life. “About a week before the game…I was like I’m done playing football.”

At a crossroads, Bussel was juggling married life, fatherhood, and the looming question of what came next. A potential shot at an NFL future faded as his drive to play started to dim. But life had another play dialed up — one far from the football field and deep in the world of motorsports.

Enter Hendrick Motorsports.

One of NASCAR’s most iconic teams, with 14 Cup Series championships under its belt, came calling. A recruiter had noticed Bussel’s athletic potential and invited him to participate in their combine — a tryout for pit crew hopefuls. The opportunity lit a new spark.

Bussel seized the moment, and soon, he and his family packed their bags for Charlotte, North Carolina. Now 25, Bussel works as a tire carrier for the No. 71 car of driver Michael McDowell. And just last week, he and his team raced their way to victory — winning the prestigious NASCAR Cup All-Star Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The prize? A $100,000 team reward — and the glory of being the best in the pit.

“We were able to pull off the fastest time,” he said. “It was a fantastic experience.”

Adding another layer of Hokie pride to the story, Bussel celebrated the win alongside a familiar face: his former Virginia Tech teammate, linebacker Dax Hollifield, who now serves as a jackman for the same crew.

“We’re all really, really close,” he said. “We all love to chat about how the times of football, college and…it’s great.”

From football pads to pit stops, Luke Bussel’s journey proves that passion and perseverance can open doors in the most unexpected places — even on pit road.



Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Motorsports

NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick to race his 13-year-old son at Owosso Speedway

Owosso, Mich. (WILX) – 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick retired from the Cup Series after the 2023 season but has stayed very busy since. Harvick is involved with on-air media coverage of the sport, and this summer, he has traveled the country racing against his 13-year-old son, Keelan Harvick. Kevin and Keelan will […]

Published

on


Owosso, Mich. (WILX) – 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick retired from the Cup Series after the 2023 season but has stayed very busy since. Harvick is involved with on-air media coverage of the sport, and this summer, he has traveled the country racing against his 13-year-old son, Keelan Harvick.

Kevin and Keelan will race among a very talented field of drivers at the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour ‘Masters of the Pros’ pro late model race at Owosso Speedway on Wednesday, July 16. The 200-lap race begins at 7 p.m.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR ’25 Will Not Have “Local Multiplayer”

What’s Happening? A producer for iRacing’s upcoming NASCAR ’25 Console game confirmed in a recent interview that the game will not have local multiplayer. During an interview with Mike Straw of Insider Gaming, Matt Lewis, a producer on NASCAR ’25, stated that the upcoming game will not have local multiplayer. “We made the tough decision […]

Published

on


What’s Happening?

A producer for iRacing’s upcoming NASCAR ’25 Console game confirmed in a recent interview that the game will not have local multiplayer.

WeatherTech Push DownWeatherTech Push Down

  • During an interview with Mike Straw of Insider Gaming, Matt Lewis, a producer on NASCAR ’25, stated that the upcoming game will not have local multiplayer. “We made the tough decision to cut local multiplayer, so that’s not a thing in this game,” Lewis said.
  • Lewis did not expand on what exactly he meant by local multiplayer, though most could assume that split-screen or in-person multiplayer is not featured in NASCAR ’25. Split-screen mode is a long-time gaming staple, but its use has steadily declined since the introduction of online play.  
  • Yet Lewis could mean another form of Local Multiplayer, as the term is often used interchangeably for certain forms of play. For example, Lewis could have referred to features such as LAN play being removed from the game, with the split screen still intact.
  • Of course, online multiplayer is a major part of this game, with private lobbies and “special events” for those seeking a multiplayer experience. Lewis said these special events include “certain nights have sort of special events at a given track where there’s kind of a structure.”
  • There is no set release date for NASCAR ’25 at this time. We have covered all the news and rumors about NASCAR ’25 and its development via the article linked below.

What’s Happening?

Since late 2023, NASCAR fans have been waiting for the release of iRacing’s upcoming NASCAR console game. In…

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on InstagramFacebook, and YouTube.





Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR suspends two crew members for Cody Ware loose wheel

Cody Ware was hoping for a calm day at Sonoma Raceway after a terrifying crash at the end of the Chicago Street Course race, one week prior. A brake rotor exploded at one of the fastest parts of the circuit and Ware’s car buried itself into the tire barriers at Turn 6. He impacted the wall […]

Published

on


Cody Ware was hoping for a calm day at Sonoma Raceway after a terrifying crash at the end of the Chicago Street Course race, one week prior. A brake rotor exploded at one of the fastest parts of the circuit and Ware’s car buried itself into the tire barriers at Turn 6. He impacted the wall at around 90mph, causing noticeable damage to the steering wheel and cracking his HANS Device.

Thankfully, nothing like that happened at Sonoma, but it wasn’t without its own drama. In the closing laps of the race, the right-rear wheel separated from the car. The No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford was able to continue, but the runaway wheel brought out a caution flag. Ware drove the car back to the pits and carried on, ultimately finishing 34th of the 37 starters. It was Ware’s worst finish since Bristol in April.

As a result of the loose wheel, NASCAR has issued team penalties to RWR. Rear tire changer Marquill Osborne and jackman De’Quan Hampton have both been suspended for the next two races — Dover this weekend and Indianapolis next weekend.

The only other penalties from the race weekend were fines for unsecured lug nuts in the Xfinity Series. The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Austin Hill, No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota of Dean Thompson, and the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet of Brennan Poole.

Read Also:

In this article

Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time news email updates on these topics



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR’s Trackhouse Racing Makes High Profile Joe Gibbs Racing Hire

NASCAR’s Trackhouse Racing team has announced the hiring of Todd Meredith from Joe Gibbs Racing as president of racing operations. The newly created role means Meredith does not replace anyone at the team. According to LinkedIn, Meredith was the vice president of operations at JGR and has been serving the team since May 1992. The […]

Published

on


NASCAR’s Trackhouse Racing team has announced the hiring of Todd Meredith from Joe Gibbs Racing as president of racing operations. The newly created role means Meredith does not replace anyone at the team.

According to LinkedIn, Meredith was the vice president of operations at JGR and has been serving the team since May 1992. The big announcement comes a day after Trackhouse’s Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup Series race at Sonoma.

Meredith began his new role on Monday, marking the start of a new chapter with Trackhouse and the end of his long partnership with JGR. Speaking about Meredith’s arrival to the team, Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks said in a statement:

“We’re thrilled to welcome someone of Todd’s caliber and experience to help guide Trackhouse from the top. His focus on culture, strategy, quick decision making and organization will be a massive shot in the arm for this company as we navigate a pivotal growth period in the history of Trackhouse Racing.”

Shane Van Gisbergen
Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025 in Sonoma, California.

Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Meredith said:

“I feel at home in NASCAR and wanted to return in some form. The more I talked with Justin, the more I was excited by his vision of Trackhouse Racing. The team is very talented and quite successful, as you have seen in the last few months, but we want even more.”

While Trackhouse’s SVG stole the show at Sonoma, JGR made news for other reasons. The team found itself in the middle of a controversy after Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski pitted.

JGR’s pit stall was right next to RFK Racing. At the end of Stage 2, Gibbs came into the pit lane and grazed RFK’s tire changer, Telvin McClurkin. Footage revealed later that Gibbs’ car grazed a tire McClurkin was holding as he prepared to service Keselowski’s car.

The situation escalated after both drivers had pitted. McClurkin confronted the JGR crew before a fight erupted between them. NASCAR officials had to intervene to prevent further escalation.

The sport decided not to penalize Gibbs for the incident, despite Keselowski’s team presenting footage with an overhead view. Former driver Kyle Petty stated that crew members need to adjust and make space due to the smaller pit boxes. He said:

“People get bumped, people get moved, people have to adjust. And I think it’s just the timing. It’s the perfect storm here. Ty had to be in his pit box, had to get in straight.

“When you’ve got a short pit box, the only way to get in your pit box straight and close for fueling and give the tire guys room is to come in the back door, to come in that back line completely straight. And when you see Ty come in, he comes through the 6’s box and into his box straight.

“No, I don’t have an issue with what Ty did. Now, I don’t really have an issue with what the tire carrier did either because he’s a little upset. He should have maybe kept his tire out of the way.”



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

RestorationMaster Sponsors Stock Race Car Driven by Micheal Clayton Sr. of City Garage Motorsports

We’re proud to stand behind a team that’s not only building competitive race cars but also building a name for themselves in the sport. We’re thrilled to be part of their journey and can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds. Post this “City Garage Motorsports is making big moves on the […]

Published

on