Motorsports

Christian Eckes trying to adjust to ‘challenging’ first year in NASCAR Xfinity Series

With 12 races in the record books leading into a two-week break, the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season has been open for some time. But a few weeks ago, it was more or less Open Season on the series as a whole. After an unsightly spectacle at Martinsville Speedway in which overaggressive driving led to […]

Published

1 week ago

May 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

After an unsightly spectacle at Martinsville Speedway in which overaggressive driving led to 14 caution flags in 250 laps and the second-place driver ramming the leader out of his way and spinning him out in the final corner proved so egregious that NASCAR issued a hefty fine and points penalty for it, the series regulars of the Xfinity level — many of them 20-somethings or younger aspiring to reach the Cup Series — were subject to a rebuke from NASCAR officials and heavy criticism from veteran drivers, with Kyle Larson in particular admitting he likes to try and “embarrass” the field when he drops down for the occasional Xfinity race as a means of showing them what a long way they still have to go to claim to be among the best of the best.

NASCAR 2025 race schedule, results: Complete list of Cup Series race dates, winners, tracks, locations

Steven Taranto

Christian Eckes, a rookie for Kaulig Racing, is one of the young drivers in the Xfinity field who has been witness to everything that came before and after Martinsville’s bumper car theatrics. Following a meeting between NASCAR officials and the Xfinity Series drivers at Darlington in which NASCAR made it clear it would begin policing the racing and potentially penalize or park drivers if their on-track conduct did not improve, Eckes said that there has been a “decent” shift in the racing product, which has remained hard nosed without stepping over the line.

“Since we had that meeting at Darlington, that was very productive for everybody,” Eckes said. “I feel like a lot of things have changed and a lot of cleaner racing has happened. I think we’ve had less cautions and less stuff happen. I think we’re heading in the right direction on that as well.”

On an individual level, Eckes and his race team would like to head in a better direction as well. While Eckes has four top-10 finishes so far, including a fifth at Circuit of the Americas, he has been enduring a rough stretch of races — including his fourth DNF of the year after an early engine failure at Texas — that has relegated him to 18th in the points standings. That’s a far cry from his 2024 season in the Craftsman Truck Series, where he had one of the most statistically successful seasons in series history with four wins, 15 top fives and 22 top 10s in 23 races.

“It’s been a challenging year to say the least. We’ve definitely not exceeded expectations by any means,” Eckes said. “We’ve had speed and have been headed in the right direction, but it’s definitely been more of a challenge than we probably anticipated. It’s definitely gonna be crucial over the next couple weeks to kind of turn it around. We’ve had good speed, we just haven’t had good finishes or really good luck in most of the races.

“A lot of missed opportunities, but still plenty of season to make up for it.”

Taking the wheel of a car that had contended for the Xfinity Series championship with A.J. Allmendinger, Eckes said that Allmendinger is the “No. 1 resource” he has, while also crediting crew chief Alex Yontz and Kaulig Racing team president Chris Rice with helping to make the jump up from Trucks to Xfinity easier on him.

“If you look at it, when it comes to the Truck Series at least, I haven’t driven anything else since 2019 except for this year,” Eckes said. “Kind of just being a little bit more adaptable is definitely something that I need to work on, and I feel like I have worked on. The last couple weeks I feel like we’ve had enough speed to run top five, top three, and unfortunately it hasn’t gone our way yet.

“But we’re heading in the right direction. We just have to keep pushing forward.”

Texas Motor Speedway marked a setback for Eckes and his race team, as problems under the hood of the No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet relegated them to a 38th-place finish, the first car out of the race. Eckes is among a number of drivers who have been brought into the fold of Celsius’ increasingly prolific sponsorship of NASCAR drivers, which now also includes Daytona 500 champion William Byron and Cup breakout candidate Ryan Preece.

“It’s an honor for sure,” Eckes said of earning Celsius as a sponsor. “I feel like it’s an elite class of drivers and people that have that partnership, and I’m honored to be a part of them. It’s been a great partnership so far and has been super cool to have everybody from Celsius out on the weekends that we’re sponsored by them.”

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Motorsports

NASCAR star Denny Hamlin issues worrying health update on lingering injury

Denny Hamlin has revealed an injury which has bothered him throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The veteran driver has already secured his playoff spot with a win at Martinsville, perhaps making him more willing to admit a little short-term weakness with his post-season spot already assured. NASCAR HEADLINES: Cup Series leader […]

Published

19 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Denny Hamlin has revealed an injury which has bothered him throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The veteran driver has already secured his playoff spot with a win at Martinsville, perhaps making him more willing to admit a little short-term weakness with his post-season spot already assured.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Cup Series leader demoted as dozens of in-race penalties confirmed

The 56-time Cup Series winner was talking to fellow veteran Kyle Busch on his Actions Detrimental podcast this week, having needled the two-time champion about ‘dodging’ an appearance on the show.

Hamlin recalled: “You dodged me for a year, I think you were supposed to be on here after Indy of last year? You wrecked my ass…you were inside of me and lost control.”

Hamlin: My wrist is still not the same

The pair bickered good-naturedly for a bit before Hamlin admitted: “I felt that he was dodging me to not take responsibility for crashing into me, but then it turned out he actually did have a wrist issue.”

That turned into the pair sharing stories on their recent injury histories, with Hamlin admitting that he’s still suffering from the impact of a wreck in the first race of the 2025 Cup Series.

“I got in a wreck in Daytona this year and my wrist is still not the same,” he said. “In February, that’s three months now and it’s still not right.”

Busch sympathized, adding: “Mine took until about the end of the year to be right. There’s still times when I work out that I’m like ‘hmm, it’s gonna be sore for this week’.”

READ MORE: Michael Jordan-owned 23XI team could leave NASCAR MID-SEASON after appeal hearing

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Kyle Busch outlines path for son Brexton to enter NASCAR

Kyle Busch shared details on how his son, Brexton, will compete in NASCAR. While speaking to Denny Hamlin on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Busch was asked if there’s a right path for Brexton to follow. “I don’t think there’s a right path,” Busch said. “He’s getting more into the Legend car right now. He turns […]

Published

35 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kyle Busch shared details on how his son, Brexton, will compete in NASCAR. While speaking to Denny Hamlin on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Busch was asked if there’s a right path for Brexton to follow.

“I don’t think there’s a right path,” Busch said. “He’s getting more into the Legend car right now. He turns 10, he can’t race a Legend car until he turns 10. That’s this week, so he’ll actually race his Legend car debut this week at Hickory. There’s a lot more racetracks around our area for Legends cars, pavement racing Legend cars than there are the Dirt Micro.

“…For KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports), KMB still exists, it’s the Legends cars, the Micros, the Bandoleros. It’s just that stuff that I’ll keep doing with Brex. But the next level, so when he turns 12, it will be Late Model stuff, so getting him into Dirt Late Models, getting him into Pavement Late Models. I’d like to keep him on both, just learning that sense of all the different vehicles that you can drive. Don’t stay in anything too long that you learn those bad habits that keep you good at that, that doesn’t allow you to keep your mind open and fresh to new things.”

Kyle Busch wants the Kyle Larson path for Brexton

Busch also said that when Brexton turns 13 and 14, he will get him into the Super Late Models and a few Late Model Tours “for the dirt world.” The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion wants Brexton to race on both pavement and dirt because Kyle Larson has done the same thing in his career.

“I look at Kyle, ‘Tiny’ Kyle Larson,” Busch said on the Door Bumper Clear podcast in April. “I would say he’s obviously one of the top talents right now in our space and in the dirt world space as well. He can get in anything anytime and go fast. I feel like the dirt world and having that expertise and feeling comfortable crooked and being sideways and not having the grip has helped him a lot over the years and just being able to carry cars further than they were potentially worth. And then obviously the pavement side as well, just kind of get that craft as well of being on the pavement.”

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Front Row Motorsports: North Wilkesboro Speedway NCTS Race Advance- Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith

Layne Riggs | Chandler SmithNorth Wilkesboro Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race AdvanceWindow World 250Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025Event: Race 10 of 25Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck SeriesLocation: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)#of Laps: 250Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 PM ET on FS1/SiriusXM channel 90 Layne Riggs Notes Layne Riggs heads to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina this Saturday for 250 […]

Published

56 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith
North Wilkesboro Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Advance
Window World 250
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Event: Race 10 of 25
Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)
#of Laps: 250
Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 PM ET on FS1/SiriusXM channel 90

Layne Riggs Notes

Layne Riggs heads to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina this Saturday for 250 laps at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. This will be Riggs’ second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at the short track. In his previous start in 2024, Riggs started 23rd and finished third, earning his first top-five finish of the 2024 season. After last week’s race at the Kansas Speedway, Riggs is now ninth in the Truck Series’ Driver Championship points standings.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte will join Riggs and the No. 34 Ford F-150 team for their first race of the 2025 season. For Riggs, the relationship with the University extends beyond the partnership. In 2024, Riggs earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University while also making his rookie debut in the Truck Series with Front Row Motorsports.

“My education is something I take a lot of pride in,” said Riggs. “When I started my journey at Charlotte, I put a big emphasis on taking what I learned in the classroom and applying it to my racing career, something I still do today driving for Front Row Motorsports. Both my crew chief and my engineers have an engineering background, so when I joined the team, I was able to apply my degree in not only SIM sessions but also at the track to help them make the proper adjustments. I owe a lot of my success to my Alma Mater and my former professors, so it’s special to me that I get to represent them on track. Hopefully, I can make current students and professors proud with a trip to Victory Lane.”

“North Wilkesboro Speedway is my type of track,” said Riggs. “Growing up in the late model world, I feel most comfortable at the short-track circuits and Wilkesboro is just that. The team and I are hungrier than ever and with the momentum we have, I think we can get the job done this weekend and lock ourselves into the Playoffs.”

Road Crew

Driver: Layne Riggs

Crew Chief: Dylan Cappello

Truck Chief: Alex Lacognata

Engineer: Jonathan Coates

Mechanic: Clark Houston

Mechanic: Brandon Selph

Tire / Interior Specialist: Robert Benzenhafer

Spotter: Josh Williams

Transporter Driver: Joe Haresky

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Blake Hickman

Rear Tire Changer: Steven Chereek

Tire Carrier: Alvin Wilson

Jackman: Landon Honeycutt

Fueler: Patrick Gaddy

Chandler Smith Notes

Chandler Smith will make his first North Wilkesboro Speedway Truck Series start this weekend. Smith has one previous start at the historic short track, competing in the Cup Series’ All-Star Open race in 2023 with Kaulig Racing.

Following last week’s race at the Kansas Speedway, Smith remains second in the NCTS Driver Championship points standings. Through the first nine races of the season, Smith has earned one win, three top-five, and six top-10 finishes.

“I’m looking forward to North Wilkesboro,” said Smith. “Kansas didn’t go how we wanted, but I’m still confident in my team and truck heading into this weekend. This is my first time racing a truck at Wilkesboro, so we’ll have to maximize our practice session to ensure we qualify up front and stay there. I think we can do that.”

Road Crew

Driver: Chandler Smith

Crew Chief: Jon Leonard

Truck Chief: Ron Schutte

Engineer: Caleb Williams

Mechanic: Levy Bixler

Mechanic: Alex Campbell

Tire / Interior Specialist: Kyle Clark

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Transport Driver: Mark Hadley

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Garrett Wager

Rear Tire Changer: Jacob Ray

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Fueler: Chris Webb

ABOUT UNC CHARLOTTE

More than 31,000 students choose to call North Carolina’s urban research university home. As Charlotte’s only R1 institution, UNC Charlotte drives innovation and discovery in one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. The University has an award-winning focus on student success, internationally recognized research and creative activity, and a deep commitment to community engagement and cultural vibrancy that makes it one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 Public Universities. Learn more about what’s great—only at Charlotte.

ABOUT QUICKTIE

Quick Tie Products, Inc., (“QuickTie”) manufactures and distributes the QuickTie™ System (a proprietary, patented hold-down system for high wind and seismic construction) and a full line of framing hardware including u-hangers, hurricane clips, straps, structural wood screws, truss connectors and foundation connectors.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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Motorsports

Unexpected Challenges Arise for Honda TCRs in WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120

William Tally, Tim Lewis show podium promise with the #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda #93 MMG Honda crew of Karl Wittmer, LP Montour’s race meets premature end The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 brought challenges for the Honda-powered teams in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge field, with contact on track […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

William Tally, Tim Lewis show podium promise with the #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda

#93 MMG Honda crew of Karl Wittmer, LP Montour’s race meets premature end

The WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 brought challenges for the Honda-powered teams in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge field, with contact on track and subsequent mechanical issues resulting in a difficult ending to the two-hour race. The KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda Civic Type R TCR and #93 MMG Honda concluded the day in fourteenth and fifteenth, respectively.

LP Montour qualified fourth the day prior in the #93 Honda, but was further promoted up to third for the start of the two-hour race. Similarly, William Tally qualified ninth in the TCR field in the #5 car, but took the green flag from eighth position.

Montour had a strong start, immediately gaining a position in the opening minutes. He was eventually promoted into the lead 25 minutes into the race, as the frontrunning competitor was handed a drive-through penalty for a pass under yellow. However, Montour was later given the same penalty, dropping him down the running order. Teammate Karl Wittmer took over just after the halfway mark, returning on track in sixth.

However, issues arose again as Wittmer was involved in some contact with another car, resulting in damage to the front left of the vehicle, ultimately bringing his race to an early end.

Meanwhile, William Tally had been making steady progress through the field, moving up to sixth before completing a driver change with co-driver Tim Lewis, who gained another position in the shuffle in pit lane.

Lewis continued to rise up the ranks, and was challenging in the top four in search for the final podium position when he suffered from a broken turbo clamp, forcing him to make an unplanned visit to pit lane for repairs with only 25 minutes to go. The team were able to address the problem and he returned on track to complete the race, taking the checkered flag in fourteenth.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 Honda Race Results

Finished 14th – #5 KMW Motorsports with TMR Engineering Honda Civic Type R TCR William Tally, Tim Lewis

Finished 15th (Not Running – contact) – #93 MMG Honda Civic Type R TCR Karl Wittmer, LP Montour

Next
Honda will return for the fourth round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, the four-hour O’Reilly Auto Parts 4 Hours of Mid-Ohio, on Sunday, June 8th at 12:00 PM ET.

Acura and HRC US social media content and video links can be found on:

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Motorsports

COVID-19 Pulled This “Resto-Mod” Track Back from the Brink

NASCAR’s All-Star race rolls into North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third consecutive year this weekend, but without the pandemic recovery grant North Carolina awarded the facility, the historic track’s revival might have remained a dream. In November 2021, North Carolina’s Legislature passed a budget that awarded $45.8 million to 15 local governments to help 17 […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In November 2021, North Carolina’s Legislature passed a budget that awarded $45.8 million to 15 local governments to help 17 motorsports venues recover from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Of those 17 facilities, the historic North Wilkesboro track was awarded the largest grant from the Motorsports Relief Fund—$18 million.

“This is, literally, the only thing you could ever thank COVID-19 for because if it wasn’t for COVID-19 and the funds that went into fixing this back up, I don’t know that it ever would have happened,” driver Ryan Newman has said.

The money funded numerous infrastructure improvements that included:

Repairing significant drainage problems in the infield and paving the infield.
Renovating suites, the infield media center and concourse.
Installing the new MUSCO lighting system, a new public address system, internet, SAFER barriers, and new catch fence.
Constructing a new hospitality building in turn four.

North Wilkesboro Speedway owner Speedway Motorsports also had a financial investment totaling more than seven figures allocated for the facility’s projects.

nascar cup series all star race qualifying and pit crew challenge — James Gilbert – Getty Images

“The support we received from the American Rescue Plan, coupled with our own investments has put us in a very blessed position to host NASCAR yet again with the All-Star race,” Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith said. “Not only did then Governor (Roy) Cooper and the state Legislature get behind the project, but the Wilkes County community has been supportive from day one.”

Prior to the revitalization, the track’s surface and grandstand area were overgrown with weeds. Trees had grown up through the grandstands in the first and second turns and backstretch. Terri Parsons, wife of NASCAR Hall of Fame member and Wilkes County native Benny Parsons, spearheaded a county-wide campaign to let Smith know the area’s residents would embrace him if he reopened the facility.

Once the short-track’s return appeared on the horizon, local residents began assisting with the cleanup. Former Junior Johnson employee Ronald Queen, now the track’s operations director, began cleaning up the property and track as a volunteer, using thousands of gallons of weed killer. Wilkes County volunteer first responders cut the trees into firewood for those in the county who needed it for heat in the winter.

Once the restoration of North Wilkesboro Speedway began, every building on the property that could be saved was restored in an effort to maintain the nostalgic, historical look and feel of the facility. Smith likened the speedway’s restoration to a “resto-mod” in the car world.

“North Wilkesboro Speedway is now one of the most unique venues in motorsports, like Lambeau Field or Fenway Park, it’s truly a throwback race track,” Smith said.

Fans attending this year’s All-Star race weekend, which includes the CARS Tour, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, are coming from 43 states and nine foreign countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

North Carolina Motorsports Association statistics show that auto racing’s economic impact on the state of North Carolina is $6 billion.

While North Wilkesboro Speedway received the largest grant from the state’s Motorsports Relief Fund, Charlotte Motor Speedway was next with $13 million and then Rockingham Speedway, which hosted NASCAR’s Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series races earlier this year, at $9 million.

Jared C. Tilton – Getty Images

Not every race track in North Carolina received a grant, but of those who did, Orange County Speedway in Rougemont received the lowest amount. The three-eighths-mile paved track was awarded $39,738. Next was the three-eighths-mile dirt track Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City at $85,600. Tracks receiving six-figure grants included Bowman Gray Stadium, which hosted The Clash earlier this year, and Hickory Motor Speedway, a 0.363-mile paved track that hosted NASCAR’s Cup Series prior to 1972 in addition to its weekly races.

Overall, the 17 grants went to one intermediate track, a one-mile facility, eight paved, and two dirt short tracks, four dragways, and one—Coastal Plains Dragway now known as Coastal Plains Park in Jacksonville—that has a dragway, short track, and dirt and drift complexes.

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Motorsports

Revving Up: Del Amo Motorsports to Bring New Powersports Hub to Victorville

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A proposal to open a new Del Amo Motorsports dealership in Victorville is moving forward after the city’s Planning Commission approved key land use changes during its meeting on May 14, 2025. The project involves repurposing and renovating an existing commercial building located at 14444 Atstar Drive, adjacent to Costco along Valley Center Drive. […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A proposal to open a new Del Amo Motorsports dealership in Victorville is moving forward after the city’s Planning Commission approved key land use changes during its meeting on May 14, 2025.

The project involves repurposing and renovating an existing commercial building located at 14444 Atstar Drive, adjacent to Costco along Valley Center Drive.

The building was previously occupied by Howard’s Furniture, which closed in February 2024. Howard’s Furniture had acquired the site after purchasing the former Midway Home Solutions appliance store in 2021, according to prior reporting by VVNG.

Del Amo Motorsports plans to renovate the approximately 89,000-square-foot building into a powersports dealership offering sales and service for motorcycles, off-road vehicles, and watercraft.

To facilitate the project, commissioners voted to recommend approval of several items:

Amending the Civic Center Community Sustainability Specific Plan to re-designate approximately 20 acres from “Office Campus” to “Civic Commercial.”
Updating the land use table to allow new vehicle sales as a conditionally permitted use.
Approving a Conditional Use Permit and an associated Environmental Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

According to city staff reports, the Specific Plan Amendment is covered under a previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration. The Conditional Use Permit qualifies for a categorical exemption because the project involves reuse of an existing commercial facility with limited expansion.

City officials said the Office Campus designation, adopted in 2016, aimed to attract medical, office, and educational development, but market demand shifted toward retail and service businesses.

The new Civic Commercial designation is intended to reflect current land use patterns near Valley Center Drive and better support commercial activity.

Site plan for the future Del Amo Motorsports location in Victorville, outlining the building footprint, parking lot improvements, and access points along Valley Center Drive near Costco.

Del Amo Motorsports describes itself as “the new powerhouse for the powersports industry in Southern California,” operating five locations that serve Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties.

Renovation plans include repainting the building, updating doors and windows, repairing the parking lot, and replacing perimeter fencing. The project also calls for upgrading the trash enclosure to meet current city standards.

Interior exiting plan for the future Del Amo Motorsports dealership in Victorville, showing customer lounge, service areas, parts storage, and sales floor layout.

The dealership proposes operating hours of Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with closures on Sundays and Mondays. All retail and service activities would be conducted indoors.

The property provides 272 parking spaces, exceeding city code requirements. Traffic impacts are expected to be comparable to or less than the building’s previous retail use, according to city documents.

The Planning Commission’s decision is a recommendation. Final approval of the Specific Plan Amendment and Conditional Use Permit must be made by the Victorville City Council at a future meeting.

If approved by the City Council, the Victorville location would become Del Amo Motorsports’ sixth dealership in Southern California.

For more information about Del Amo Motorsports, visit delamomotorsports.com.