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

Motorsports

Columbus’ motorsports history: interview with Bobby Rahal

Central Ohio once had a thriving auto racing scene, sparking curiosity from a Curious Cbus viewer about Columbus’ rich motorsports history. Legendary racer and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal shares how Columbus became home to vibrant grassroots racing, the Columbus 500 and helped launch national talent. “The history of motor racing in the state […]

Published

on


Central Ohio once had a thriving auto racing scene, sparking curiosity from a Curious Cbus viewer about Columbus’ rich motorsports history. Legendary racer and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal shares how Columbus became home to vibrant grassroots racing, the Columbus 500 and helped launch national talent.

“The history of motor racing in the state of Ohio goes way back,” said racing legend Bobby Rahal. “Really probably as far back as Indiana and Indianapolis in itself.”

Ohio once hosted numerous dirt tracks and road circuits, including the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which opened in the early 1960s and the Put-in-Bay races of the 1950s.

“It truly was grassroots,” Rahal recalled. “Every car dealer had a team…every auto parts store had a car or was involved in it.”

Columbus itself was home to the Columbus Motor Speedway and the Columbus 500, a street race that brought international attention to the city.

“The Columbus 500 was a significant race because it brought IMSA European-style racing into the streets of Columbus, Ohio,” Rahal explained. “Some of the best drivers in the world came to the streets in Columbus and competed for a trophy that was highly sought after.”

The area also nurtured local talent. Drivers like Bob Johnson, Don Sessler, and Chuck Dietrich found national success, helping to cement Ohio’s place in American motorsports.

Though many of the local tracks have since closed, the spirit of racing remains strong.

“The passion, the fervor for racing is as strong today in the Columbus area as it ever was,” Rahal said. “I don’t see that going away.”





Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Motorsports

NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

Viewership numbers from Saturday’s NASCAR race on WISH-TV – Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Saturday will be a day that NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch will never forget. The NASCAR Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports won the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “This is awesome,” Zilisch said in an IMS news release. “Those bricks look really kissable, and I’m ready to kiss them. Winning at […]

Published

on


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Saturday will be a day that NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch will never forget.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports won the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“This is awesome,” Zilisch said in an IMS news release. “Those bricks look really kissable, and I’m ready to kiss them. Winning at Indy is awesome and getting 100 wins for JRM is pretty cool, too, so I consider this a pretty awesome day.”

It was his third straight win in the Xfinity Series, following victories at Dover and Sonoma.

The race aired on live on WISH-TV and the numbers are in. According to a post on X, formally known as Twitter, by The CW Sports:

  • Viewership was up +23% compared to last year’s 21st race from Michigan (which aired on USA)
  • Audience grew +6% over last week’s race from Dover
  • Viewership peaked at 1,333,000 total viewers from 7:15 – 7:30 p.m. EDT

Overall, the event had 1,108,000 viewers according to the post.

Zilisch actually spoke with News 8’s Cody Adams earlier this year on Life.Style.Live! ahead of the Xfinity Series’ race in Mexico. Click here to watch their full conversation.

The next NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be at Iowa Speedway on Saturday. The HyVee Perks 250 will begin at 4:30 p.m. EDT and can be seen live on WISH-TV. It will be one of five races remaining for the series before the Xfinity Series playoffs begin.

The following are the remaining races remaining ahead of the playoffs:

  • Saturday, Aug. 2 – Iowa Speedway
  • Saturday, Aug. 9 – Watkins Glen International
  • Friday, Aug. 22 – Daytona International Speedway
  • Saturday, Aug. 30 – Portland International Raceway
  • Saturday, Sept. 6 – World Wide Technology Raceway

The playoffs begin on Friday, Sept. 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Justin Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series standings by 21 points over Zilisch, although Zilisch has won five times this season compared to Allgaier’s three victories.

To re-watch Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at IMS, click here.



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR suspends Austin Hill one race for wrecking Aric Almirola at Indy

NASCAR suspended Austin Hill one race for intentionally wrecking Aric Almirola in last weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hill will not compete in Saturday’s race at Iowa Speedway. Richard Childress Racing stated it would not appeal Hill’s penalty. Austin Dillon will drive Hill’s car at Iowa. A playoff waiver will have to […]

Published

on


NASCAR suspended Austin Hill one race for intentionally wrecking Aric Almirola in last weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hill will not compete in Saturday’s race at Iowa Speedway. Richard Childress Racing stated it would not appeal Hill’s penalty. Austin Dillon will drive Hill’s car at Iowa.

A playoff waiver will have to be requested for Hill to maintain his playoff eligibility, but he will lose all the playoff points he’s earned and any playoff points he scores in the final five races of the regular season.

With the waiver, Hill will be last in points with 2,000 entering the first round of the playoffs.

Hill had scored 21 playoff points — behind only Connor Zilisch (29 playoff points) and Justin Allgaier (21) — this season. Hill has three wins and six stage wins.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250

Stewart Friesen will require surgery after his crash Monday night.

The incident between Hill and Almirola unfolded late in the Xfinity race last weekend.

Almirola got to the rear of Hill’s car and got him loose as they raced for fourth with 10 laps left in last weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The back end of Hill’s car slid out but he corrected the slide and straightened the car as Almirola moved underneath him. Hill’s car then had contact with the right rear of Almirola’s car, sending into the SAFER barrier nose-first.

“That was violent,” Almirola said of the crash. “To be totally honest, that was one of the hardest hits I’ve taken in my NASCAR career. The impact felt very similar to when I broke my back (in 2017 at Kansas Speedway). I’d be very interested to see the black box data from (Saturday’s) crash, but it was vicious and that’s just uncalled for.

“I got him a little bit loose to get under him because it was time to go. I would have never done that five laps into the race, but when you’re coming down to the end of the race at Indianapolis and he’s already blocked me three times, I certainly got him loose.

“I didn’t feel what he did was necessary. I felt like he could have easily fell back in line. He was damaged anyway. We were losing time to the leaders. It wasn’t like we were on pace with them. He was holding me up clearly.

“It’s just unfortunate. He obviously lost his mind right there. That was really bad judgment in my opinion.”

NASCAR penalized Hill five laps his contact with Almirola.

NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 - Qualifying

Chase Elliott leads the points but the next three drivers in the standings are within 20 points with four races left in the regular season.

Hill said on the team’s radio after the incident: “I couldn’t hang on to it. I was not trying to right rear him. He had me out of control. I was like jerk back to the left to keep it off the wall. I’m not sure what the hell he thought just running me over in (Turn) 3, though.”

After being told on the radio he was being held five laps for reckless driving, Hill directed multiple expletives to NASCAR.

Asked if Hill should be suspended, car owner Richard Childress said: “Hell, no. They didn’t do a damn thing to the No. 2 car (Austin Cindric). He wrecked Ty (Dillon) and admitted to it, drove him in the right rear and wrecked him at COTA. It’s who you are. We’re a blue-collar team. They give us trouble all the time.”

NASCAR did not penalize Cindric during the race for wrecking Dillon at COTA, but series officials docked Cindric 50 points and fined him $50,000 a few days later after reviewing the incident.





Link

Continue Reading

Motorsports

NASCAR’s Stewart Friesen injured in fiery Canada crash

Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire. WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada.  Video of […]

Published

on


Friesen will need surgery to fix his pelvis, which was broken in multiple places, and his fractured leg after his car flipped multiple times and caught fire.

WASHINGTON — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen suffered multiple injuries to his pelvis and leg during a dirt modified racing crash Monday in Canada. 

Video of the incident, which was being streamed live, shows the fiery crash out during the King Of The North race at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec. 

Friesen’s car appears to drift wide around a turn, striking the sidewall around the track. His vehicle flew into the air, tumbling multiple times before coming back down in a fireball. As it continued rolling down the track, less than a second later it was struck by at least one other vehicle coming down the track behind him, igniting more flame and sending debris out over the dirt. 

According to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Friesen’s wife Jess, he is in the hospital with severe injuries. 

“Stewart has suffered an unstable/open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jess Friesen wrote. “CT scans have come back clear of any head, neck or spine injuries. Unfortunately, he is still in a tremendous amount of pain.” 

She said her husband also suffered a fractured right leg in the crash. 

Both the pelvis and leg breaks will require surgery, but as of Tuesday he is “in better spirits and resting” after he was transferred to a larger hospital for the procedures, Jess Friesen said. 

Three days before the crash, Friesen competed in his 200th Craftsman Truck Series race, according to NASCAR.com. 

What kind of vehicle was Friesen driving?

Dirt car racers are highly modified vehicles designed specifically for the rough terrain of a dirt track. They come in various classes and characteristics, but the most common type of dirt car is called a modified. 

The cars are blocky, with metal paneling wrapped around cage bars, and sit low to the ground on open wheels, with a body similar to a dune buggy. 

During races, modifieds hit speeds of around 75 mph going around corners and 90 mph on straightaways. 



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending