What’s Happening?
Since late 2023, NASCAR fans have been waiting for the release of iRacing’s upcoming NASCAR console game. In…
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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.
Copyright 2025 WILX. All rights reserved.
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 […]
A producer for iRacing’s upcoming NASCAR ’25 Console game confirmed in a recent interview that the game will not have local multiplayer.
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 Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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 […]
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.
In this article
Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time news email updates on these topics
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 […]
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.”
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.”
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 […]
“City Garage Motorsports is making big moves on the track as their dedication, passion, and commitment to excellence perfectly align with our values,” says RestorationMaster Managing Partner Patrick Panayotov. “Partnering with City Garage Motorsports reflects our own commitment to supporting organizations that take pride in what they do and put quality at the forefront. 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.”
About RestorationMaster
RestorationMasterFinder.com (RMF) is an innovative lead generation platform developed by RestorationMaster to connect disaster restoration and cleaning professionals with high-quality, cost-effective leads in their designated service regions. RMF provides fully optimized micro-sites targeting specific locations, ensuring businesses achieve strong visibility in local search engine results. These micro-sites are designed to drive targeted traffic, delivering high-quality leads that are likely to convert into customers. Accessible through major search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing, RMF also leverages local directories, industry-specific platforms, and social media networks to maximize exposure for its listed members.
Visit RestorationMaster at https://restorationmasterfinder.com/ for more information about their lead generation services.
Media Contact
Patrick Panayotov, RestorationMaster, 1 (888) 846-1992, [email protected], https://restorationmasterfinder.com/
SOURCE RestorationMaster
The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025. Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model […]
The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025.
Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, and 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.
The case is winding its way through the court system but now with urgency: the teams were set to lose their charters Wednesday and in the latest filing, they allege NASCAR has indicated it will immediately begin the process of selling the six tags that guarantee entry into every race as well as monetary rewards and other benefits.
After the filing NASCAR was ordered to respond by 5 p.m. Wednesday — which means there would be no ruling on if the charters will be revoked likely until Thursday, at the earliest.
“Today we filed a motion in the district court for a renewed preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to protect the teams’ ability to race chartered for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season and prevent irreparable business harm to 23XI and Front Row Motorsports until we can present our case at trial in December,” said Jeffery Kessler, attorney for the teams.
“New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary. The teams’ love of stock car racing and belief in a better future for the sport for all parties — teams, drivers, employees, sponsors, and fans — continues to motivate their efforts to pursue this antitrust case.”
There were large portions of the filing redacted because the arguments are based on information learned through discovery, making it confidential, for now. But, the urgency is likely tied to NASCAR indicating it plans to immediately begin selling the charters if they are revoked.
Should the teams have their six combined charters revoked, the drivers would have to qualify on speed to make each week’s race and would receive a smaller percentage of the purse. They may also have to refund money paid out through the first 20 races of the year.
NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of filing “a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction” and noted it has made multiple requests to the teams “to present a proposal to resolve this litigation.”
“We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere.
“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”
Also on Monday, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a short virtual hearing in a North Carolina court over their fight for a charter.
Legacy, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, contends it had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its two charters in 2026. RWR contends the agreement was for 2027 and it already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a charter next season.
Legacy on Monday asked for and was granted the right to depose RWR over the recent revelation that T.J. Puchyr, one of the founders of Spire Motorsports, plans to purchase the race team. Legacy contends if Ware is selling the team, then one of the charters should be transferred to its organization.
Legacy also argued that Ware did not disclose he was entering into a sales agreement with a third party — Puchyr, who is now a consultant and brokered the initial lease deal between RWR and Legacy — in an April hearing. The judge in that case warned that RWR could be in contempt of court if it misrepresented its intentions in the first hearing.
Pet fitness and wellness trends for a healthier and happier dog
WAC to Rebrand to UAC, Add Five New Members in 2026
A new era of Dickinson hockey begins behind the bench – The Dickinson Press
Why Cosmetics are Making Up for Lost Time in Women’s Sports
Florida assault survivor shares hope for change with new mental health law
Team Penske names new leadership
New 'Bosch' spin
NASCAR This Week – Patriot Publishing LLC
🚨 BREAKING: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs the RICHEST annual salary in league history
E.l.f Cosmetics Builds Sports Marketing Game Plan Toward Bigger Goals