2024 Detroit Supercross and the 2025 SMX World Championship Preview Show Bring Home Silver Awards in Television Directing and Sports Television Among Competitive Field of Entrants in the 46^th Annual Telly Awards

ELLENTON, FL – May 21, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Feld Motor Sports, Inc. and the SMX World Championship broadcast team have won two Telly Awards in the 2025 iteration of the awards for Television and Sports content. Round 5 – 2024 SMX World Championship Series, Detroit and the 2025 SMX World Championship Season Preview Show both garnered Silver recognition in the 46th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies. Among the winners and competition this year were Pixar Animation Studios, Hearst Media, ESPN, LinkedIn, NATO, MTV Entertainment Studios, NASA, the LA Clippers (NBA) and more.

“Being recognized in back-to-back Telly Awards is a major accomplishment for the entire SMX Broadcast Team. The awards recognize not just the dedication and passion of our team, but also the powerful stories and key moments that make this sport so inspiring.” Said Ken Adelson, Head of SMX Broadcasting. “We’re going to continue telling the impactful stories of the incredible athletes competing in SMX and look forward to bringing the remainder of the 2025 series to our passionate fans each week.”

Click to re-watch the 2025 SMX World Championship Season Preview Show submission that took home Silver in the General Television Sports Category.

Every December the SMX broadcast team delivers fans a first look at the upcoming season, featuring a wealth of knowledge and pre-season scoops from industry experts, media, and the racers themselves. The 2025 Season Preview Show premiered on Sunday, December 29, 2024 on NBC and Peacock. Contributing to the SMX Preview Show each year is Doug Cabrera, Director of Broadcast and Media Content serving as Producer; with contributions from Chris Bond, Lead SMX Producer; Host, Jason Weigandt; Ken Adelson, Head of SMX Broadcasting; Sean Brennen, Director of Public Relations; Pamela Mariani, Features Producer; Aaron Feldstein, NBC Sports Producer; Kent Vanderberg, Editor; Chase Stallo, Writer; Karl Phrihoda, Lead Camera Operator; Michael Kirkpatrick, Supercross Video Editor; and Shawn Rogers, Supercross Video Graphics Designer.

Go to the SuperMotocross tab on Peacock to re-watch Round 5 of the 2024 SMX World Championship Series from Detroit, MI that took home Silver in the Television Directing Category.

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The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, the first race broadcast for Prime Video (6 p.m. ET, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Prime Video will also air Cup Series qualifying on Saturday (2:40 p.m. ET).

QUALIFYING ORDER: Coca-Cola 600 | Xfinity Series | Craftsman Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

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RELATED: How to watch Coke 600 on Prime Video

Saturday’s qualifying session will be one lap and one round.

MORE: Weekend Schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is gearing up for its hometown race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Friday (May 23).

While Corey Heim is expected to be the favorite yet again (who’s surprised at this point?), there’s one driver who has everybody talking.

Fan favorite BJ McLeod will join the field for his first Truck Series start since 2021, and he does so in what is by far the best equipment of his 16-year NASCAR career.

In a surprising announcement, Spire Motorsports signed McLeod to drive its No. 07 truck at Charlotte, with sponsorship from Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster. McLeod is the owner of Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster, which is set to open sometime in 2025.

The attraction, located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has been featured on McLeod’s Cup Series car this season.

He will have three teammates he probably never imagined he’d have: Andres Perez, the 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion; Rajah Caruth, a proven Truck Series winner; and Kyle Busch, a three-time champion (two Cup, one Xfinity) with over 200 race wins across all three of NASCAR’s national Series.

McLeod has spent most of his career, especially recently, as a team owner. He owned BJ McLeod Motorsports in the Xfinity Series up until early 2024, when McLeod ran four races of the 2024 season before focusing on his Cup team, Live Fast Motorsports. McLeod co-owned LFM with Matt Tifft until the team sold its charter at the end of 2023. At that point, Tifft exited ownership in favor of focusing on returning to the racetrack.

McLeod and Joe Falk (former owner of Circle Sport Racing) now run part-time in the Cup Series, competing mostly on the superspeedways in an unsponsored, jet black No. 78 Chevrolet. Though if sponsorship comes along, McLeod has been open to running the car more — such is the case with Katherine Legge, who will run a total of six races with LFM thanks to sponsorship. McLeod will continue to run his normal six superspeedway races.

The sale of LFM’s charter is important to the story, because McLeod and Tifft made $40 million off of the sale of its charter. Who bought the charter from the team?

Spire Motorsports.

The same team giving McLeod undoubtedly his best shot to win a race in NASCAR.

McLeod and Spire have worked together before — he made two starts for the team back in 2020. But Spire was nowhere near the competitive team in 2020 that it is now. That third charter, plus the purchase of Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series, elevated the team to a weekly contender in the Truck Series and knocking on the door of wins in the Cup Series (aside from Justin Haley’s massive upset at Daytona International Speedway in 2019).

McLeod has become a fan favorite because of his laid-back demeanor and his commitment to being an owner-driver. The phrase “Get Loud for McLeod” has become popular on social media whenever McLeod makes news.

Fans will certainly be loud for McLeod on Friday night. But the big question is: What can McLeod do with the opportunity?

It’s easy to say he ought to be able to go out and win, but it’s not as simple as that. Yes, McLeod has race-winning equipment, but given this is the first time we’ve seen him in competitive equipment, we don’t exactly know how well he’ll be able to wheel it.

Lest we forget the tale of Corey LaJoie, who filled in for Chase Elliott in the Cup Series in 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Elliott was suspended for the race and LaJoie got the opportunity to drive Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 in a one-off. LaJoie finished a dismal 21st, not really making many moves throughout the day. The replacement in his own ride, Carson Hocevar, worked his way up from the back into the top 15 before a brake failure ended his day.

Sometimes, drivers get their shot in good equipment and don’t do anything in it. And rarely do they get second chances.

That being said, McLeod will certainly take care of his equipment — being an owner-driver himself with a limited budget, McLeod knows that tearing up equipment is the last thing he wants for himself or his team.

Spire’s No. 07 is currently sixth in the owners’ standings, with a win courtesy of Kyle Larson at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But in 10 races this season, it only has three top fives and four top 10s — not exactly mind-blowing stats for the team. However, the No. 07 is leading the Spire fleet in the point standings — the No. 7 is 10th, Caruth’s No. 71 is 15th and Perez’s No. 77 is 24th.

Realistically, a top 15 will be a solid night out for McLeod — a top 10 would feel like a victory. McLeod only has two career top 10s (both in the Cup Series). Adding a third with the equipment he’s in would be amazing — especially when you consider he hasn’t set foot in a truck since 2021.

While McLeod will certainly be more focused on savoring the moment and making the most of what is currently his only scheduled start with Spire, one has to wonder what the future could hold for him. Does a good finish net him more starts with Spire? Does another top team give him a call to run its truck or Xfinity car?

Spire still has 12 races available in its No. 07 truck, and nine in the No. 7 truck, that haven’t been announced (as both trucks are all-star trucks for the team) — a good finish could certainly give McLeod another opportunity with Spire, and with the funding he brings from Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster, he could potentially find his way into another race regardless of the result.

They say winning fixes everything, though. If McLeod were to pull off a stunner in Charlotte? It would be a party in Concord, N.C., as well as Wauchula, Fla., McLeod’s hometown, and everywhere else fans “get loud for McLeod.”

We’ll find out on Friday night if McLeod has a career-changing night at 41 years old.

McLeod and 33 other Truck Series competitors take to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 23. Coverage begins at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (for those who watch television) and the all-new NASCAR Racing Network on SiriusXM Channel 90.

Truckin’ Tidbits

• The Truck race at Darlington Raceway has a new title sponsor. The Aug. 30 race will now be known as the Sober or Slammer 200.
• Spencer Boyd heads to Charlotte with a brand-new sponsor, this time teaming up with Canal Coffee Co., who will sponsor Boyd’s No. 76 in the series’ home race.

Anthony Damcott joined Frontstretch in March 2022. Currently, he is an editor and co-authors Fire on Fridays (Fridays); he is also the primary Truck Series reporter/writer and serves as an at-track reporter. He has also assisted with short track content and social media, among other duties he takes/has taken on for the site. In 2025, he became an official member of the National Motorsports Press Association. A proud West Virginia Wesleyan College alum from Akron, Ohio, Anthony is now a grad student. He is a theatre actor and fight coordinator in his free time.

You can keep up with Anthony by following @AnthonyDamcott on X.

NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will have some chill as he gets locked in and focused on the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Blaney’s No. 12 will feature the Bodyarmor Chill design for the highly anticipated race.

Each flavor of Bodyarmor Chill will be featured on the hood of his vehicle, including Frozen Cherry, Frozen Orange and Frozen Berry.

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Ryan Blaney will drive the No. 12 Bodyarmor Chill car at the Coca-Cola 600. (Bodyarmor)

The NASCAR star hasn’t been with Bodyarmor since 2017, and he told Fox News Digital he was looking forward to having the premium sports drink back on his car again.

“It’s been a fun ride, a fun journey,” he said. “It’s been fun (to see) both of (us), whether it’s my career or their company, grow and be successful together. It’s pretty awesome when you can be teamed up with a group like that.

“They work like crazy, and it’s always fun to do different schemes through the years and multiple ones in the year. Whether we’re doing SportWater, we have the Bodyarmor Chill car this weekend at the 600, which I’m really excited about, Flash I.V. Being able to do all these fun schemes with all the products they have, that’s a dream.”

Blaney said he likes being able to use unique designs and knows the fans enjoy it too.

NASCAR fans will pack the speedway for the race, and it will be the first Cup Series points race after the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

TY DILLON THREATENS FELLOW NASCAR DRIVER AFTER ALL-STAR OPEN RACE

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) during driver introductions for the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., April 13, 2025. (Randy Sartin/Imagn Images)

The drivers will travel 600 miles, completing 400 laps in what could be considered one of the most grueling races of the year. Blaney agreed with that notion, mentioning how taxing the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is each season.

“It’s funny, I remember my first 600 in like 2015, and they’re like, ‘All right, halfway.’ And I’m like, ‘What? We’re only halfway in this thing? Like, I’m exhausted.’ So, it just really puts it into perspective of actually how long the night is, how physically draining it is. … I think just as physically exhausting as it is, it’s really mentally draining. Staying in the game for 600 miles is really, really tough.”

Despite the race’s challenges, Blaney said he enjoyed trying to outlast everyone else on the track.

Blaney won the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 en route to his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

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He will enter this year’s race fifth in the drivers’ standings. He has yet to win a race this season but has five top five finishes and six top 10 finishes.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—For Kurt Busch, waiting for the announcement of the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class felt like race day.
That was before his name was called as a member of the class, joining Harry Gant as a Modern Era choice.
Modified superstar Ray Hendrick earned election to the 2026 class on the Pioneer Ballot, and promoter extraordinaire H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler was recognized as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
The induction ceremony for the new members is scheduled for January 23, 2026.
Busch’s career was characterized by remarkable consistency. The 46-year-old from Las Vegas won at least one NASCAR Cup Series race in 19 of his 21 full-time seasons.
NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2004 at age 26, Busch pushed Ryan Newman to victory in the 2008 Daytona 500 when both drove for Team Penske. Nine years later, Busch won the Great American Race in a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
“I felt like it was race mode,” Busch said of his nervousness in waiting to hear his name called. “I had to put the emotional blinders on… Everyone that’s on the ballot is someone who can go into the Hall because of the impact they made on the sport.
“For me, just a blue-collar kid out of Vegas, I never would have imagined this. We were a family where it was just a hobby to race. It was just fun to go to the track as father/son. Dad (Tom Busch) had his car, and I had mine…
“I’m running a Legend Car in 1999 at the (Las Vegas) Bull Ring, September of 1999. In September of 2000, I’m in Jack Roush’s Cup car, qualifying at Dover. Jeff Gordon’s next to me. Dale (Earnhardt) Sr.’s behind me. That’s how fast things happened for me. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.”
Busch blossomed early in his NASCAR career, winning a pole position at Darlington Raceway in his 2001 rookie season and following that with four victories in 2002.
It’s appropriate that Busch’s first career NASCAR Cup victory would come at Bristol, a track he came to dominate with six victories spread over a span of 17 years—and where he added to Bristol lore by making a “Snow Angel” after winning in uncharacteristically cold and snowy conditions in 2006.
From 2002 through 2022, Busch amassed 34 Cup wins. In 2004, he won the first championship under NASCAR’s Playoff format, then known as the Chase.
Driving the No. 97 Ford for Jack Roush, Busch weathered a bizarre accident when the right-front wheel separated from his car as he was approaching pit road. Busch continued onto pit road while the tire rolled onto the racing surface.
But a quick fix in the pits propelled Busch to a fifth-place finish in the race and his only Cup championship, by eight points over Jimmie Johnson.
Through the first decade of his career, Busch fought to find a balance between his elite talent and the mercurial temperament that cost him rides with Roush and Roger Penske. Ultimately, he won Cup races with five different owners—Roush, Penske, Stewart-Haas, Chip Ganassi and finally at Kansas Speedway in 2022 with 23XI Racing.
“The late Jim Hunter (NASCAR executive) said it best to me once when I was in some trouble,” Busch recalled. “He said, ‘Son, you can get in as much trouble as you want, because you have that much talent to dig yourself out of these holes you’re putting yourself in.
“But wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t dig those holes, and you could just stay on top, riding with your talent?’ It took a lot of lessons, but this was a fun announcement, and I can’t wait to tell more stories.”
Kurt and Kyle Busch hold the record for most Cup victories accumulated by brothers with 97.
The only driver to win a Cup race in cars of four different manufacturers—Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota—Busch was named on 61 percent of ballots during a closed session on Voting Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the same percentage Gant received.
In stark contrast to Busch, Gant was a late bloomer who didn’t race in NASCAR’s top division until age 33. It wasn’t until age 40 that Gant ran his first full season the Cup Series in 1980.
Dubbed “Handsome Harry” for his striking good looks, Gant won 18 times in 474 starts on NASCAR’s top tour with a versatility that spoke volumes about his talent.
Gant, now 85, was a standout on such big tracks as Daytona, Darlington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Talladega, Pocono and Michigan—with victories at each of those venues—but he also conquered the venues of a mile of less at Richmond, Rockingham, Bristol, North Wilkesboro, Dover, Martinsville and Phoenix.
Gant also triumphed on the road courses of Watkins Glen and Sonoma, proving he could wheel a stock car at any sort of venue.
Gant will be remembered most prominently for the feat that earned him another moniker — “Mr. September.”
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 22 of 1991, Gant drove the iconic Leo Jackson-owned Skoal Bandit to four straight wins, at Darlington (the second of his two Southern 500s), Richmond, Dover and Martinsville, tying the Modern Era record for consecutive victories.
Gant wasn’t finished. In 1992 he won twice, with his victory at Michigan in August making him the oldest driver to win a Cup race, at age 52.
Two years later, at 54, he was the top qualifier at Bristol, becoming the oldest driver ever to win a Cup pole.
Ray Hendrick led the Pioneer ballot with 31 percent of the vote. Early NASCAR Cup Series driver Bob Welborn was second in the balloting.
Nicknamed “Mr. Modified,” Hendrick won more than 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races in a career that spanned 38 years (1950-1988). Driving the iconic red No. 11, Hendrick won five track championships at South Boston Speedway in his native Virginia.
Though he never won a Modified championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960 through 1969. He is credited with 20 combined Modified and Sportsman victories at Martinsville Speedway alone.
Hendrick was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.
Born in 1928 in Denton, North Carolina, Welborn passed away in 1997 at age 69.
Wheeler, 86, is a man of many and varied talents. He was a boxer, a scholarship football player at the University of South Carolina and a sportswriter for the Columbia (S.C.) Record before joining the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company’s public relations staff.
But Wheeler is best known for his 33-year tenure as President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, where his innovative—sometimes outrageous—ideas brought a new vision to the promotion of stock car racing.
Wheeler’s legendary stunts included school buses jumping over (and crashing into) lines of cars and full-scale Memorial Day weekend “battles” in the speedway’s infield grass, complete with startling pyrotechnics.