COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — With hats, photos and even car bumpers, NASCAR fans came from around the area to Zeigler Motorsports in Kalamazoo Monday night to meet one guy — Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar.

The 22-year-old NASCAR driver and Portage native was back to greet fans and sign a sponsorship deal with Zeigler Auto Group. The line formed in the showroom more than an hour before the event.

“It’s almost 4 o’clock on a workday on Monday, right after the New Year that everybody’s busy or just took all their days off of work. So, it means a lot for me,” said Hocevar.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year is stepping into year three on the track. With those accolades behind him, the excited crowd was still a surprise to him. 

“It just sort of shocks me a little bit at times. I’m like, I just drive in circles, and I play with my dogs. I don’t do anything special at home,” he said.

In the background was a black and metallic gold racecar similar to the one Hocevar drove in June 2025 at Michigan International Speedway. He has sported the Zeigler name before. But Monday’s stop marked a primary sponsorship with Zeigler Auto Group for the next three years. It’s a full circle moment for him.

“We’re doing all the press conference and everything after … not many years (since) I was coming here picking up some of my buddies or meeting them and going to work out. And I barely had any NASCAR starts in any of the three series,” he said.

The deal means the Zeigler name will be sported for 11 races this season, including the June 7 run at Michigan International Speedway.

Despite some other drivers sharing issues with his aggressive nature on the course, he said he’s not letting up. It’s just instinct. 

“I’m just racing and making moves and I feel like I make more mistakes when I’m thinking about it than not,” he told News 8.

It’s part of the playbook, he explains. 

“Ultimately, we race for the best of us, best of the team, best of our sponsors, and people we represent. And just being aggressive is part of the game nowadays,” said Hocevar. 

He said that he doesn’t want to tear anybody up, but make competing drivers uncomfortable enough to create an opening to gain a spot. 

For Zeigler Auto Group President and CEO Aaron Zeigler, watching Hocevar’s rise is something he considers to be once-in-a-generation talent.

“For 22 years old, he’s wise beyond his years, and it’s great to see the heart that he has and to see him give back. A lot of people don’t see that on the track, but he really does, and he does a great job with it,” he said.

Looking back, Hocevar said the previous years have created challenges and successes that he has built upon to prepare for this next season.

“What shows up on the racetrack speed-wise is everything you can’t see. It’s the shocks, it’s the people, it’s everything underneath the car, you know, all those little details that take time. It’s not easy to, even in a top team, plug a driver in anymore and have that set-up work for that driver, especially with how this new next-gen car is,” he said.

It goes back to that constant growth despite the outcome. 

“We were really, really fast because that two years of development has been good. And then some tracks we were out to lunch because that two years of development we thought we were going to hit on it and went the wrong direction. But going the wrong direction, I feel better for year three that we can replicate the good stuff and fix the iffy miss of setups,” said Hocevar.

During year three, he hopes to improve on road courses and see improvements on short tracks. With the new season starting next month, Hocevar has enjoyed the time at home. One of his favorite parts has been spending time with his grandfather.

“My grandma passed away unfortunately last year. So, it’s been great to go to his favorite spot and you know, just kind of fill in, and nobody will ever replace grandma and it’s taught me a lot of just how loving they were,” Hocevar said. “It just truly teaches you stuff about life that racecars can’t.”

At the end of the announcement event, Hocevar got the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to his grandfather ahead of his 90th this week.

Full-season sponsorship is very rare across the NASCAR garage

Cummins Inc. has joined NASCAR ahead of the 2026 season. Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will drive the No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500 for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing.

Queen is entering his first full-time season of NASCAR competition. Cummins branding will be on the No. 12 truck as a primary sponsor for every race of the 2026 season.

Kaulig Racing is making the switch to Ram for the 2026 season. Cummins and Ram have a long history as they launched the first Cummins-powered Dodge Ram back in 1989. 3.5M Ram trucks have been built with Cummins power.

View the photo of the 2026 Cummins NASCAR Truck below.

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen comments

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible,” Queen said via the team release.

“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible,” Queen added. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

Chris Rice comments

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Cummins to the Kaulig Racing family,” said Chris Rice, Chief Executive Officer of Kaulig Racing.

“Their engineering excellence and commitment to innovation are a perfect match for our vision. Brenden is an exceptional talent, and we’re building a program around him that we believe can compete for wins and make a playoff run right away.”

Cummins comments

“Cummins has racing in its DNA,” said Brett Merritt, Vice President and President, Engine Business, Cummins.

“From Clessie Cummins’ winning the first Indianapolis 500 as a crew member to our leadership in commercial power, we’ve always pushed the limits of what’s possible. Brenden Queen represents that same spirit – talented, hardworking, and full of momentum. Partnering with both Kaulig Racing and Ram provides the opportunity for us to continue to write our motorsport legacy.”

The Cummins truck will make it’s debut at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 13.

Cummins NASCAR Truck Photo

Daren Lucas, a 35-year career professional in sports marketing, private equity, fundraising, college athletics and motorsports, has been named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA). The appointment returns Lucas to the Daytona Beach area where he previously held several executive business development, management and revenue generating positions with both Daytona International Speedway (DIS) and NASCAR from 2000 through 2006.

Lucas joins the MSHFA after most recently spending the past 10 years in his own sports consultancy, which has kept him at the forefront of sports sponsorship and digital and social marketing. Previously in Daytona, Lucas led all Sales and Marketing at DIS and all Consumer Marketing and Ticketing for NASCAR-owned tracks, in support of such major events as the Daytona 500, the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car race and the Daytona 200 motorcycle road race and other major motorsports events.

In his agency work, Lucas executed more than 100 official partnership deals including with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the Indianapolis 500. Lucas also brings extensive career experience in the sports travel and tourism industry at Super Bowls, Olympics, Masters and Kentucky Derbys. Lucas earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was followed by a Master of Sports Administration (MSA) at Ohio University.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as President,” Lucas said. “The impressive MSHFA Museum has grown extensively since relocating nearly 10 years ago in the DIS Ticket and Tours building, which is located just outside of the Speedway’s NASCAR Turn 4. The MSHFA administrative headquarters facility is housed in the same offices I worked in earlier in this century with DIS and NASCAR. Now, I look forward to working with both the MSHFA Board of Directors and the MSHFA team in my next chapter in Daytona and – most importantly – the next phase of success and growth for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.”

Lucas takes over MSHFA’s leadership from the retiring George Levy, who served as president from late 2019 through the end of 2025. Levy was just the MSHFA’s second president following the late Ron Watson, who initially held the presidential position from 1989 until his unexpected passing in October of 2019.

The future of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is solid but has room to continue to grow,” said MSHFA Board of Directors Chair Paul Doleshal.

“With the hiring of Daren, we feel that we are poised for that growth. We are more than confident that we have found the right person with Daren who can help advance the Hall into its next chapter of success.”

Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI), a global power technology leader and one of America’s most storied engineering and motorsports innovators for over a century, is returning to the national racing spotlight. Today, the leader in diesel, natural gas, and alternative power technologies announced it will serve as the full-season primary sponsor of Brenden “Butterbean” Queen and the No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500 for the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing.

The partnership pairs Cummins’ 100+ year history of engineering expertise and innovation with one of NASCAR’s fastest-rising talents. Cummins branding will be featured on the primary livery of Queen’s Ram 1500 for every race in 2026. This partnership marks the latest milestone in the longstanding partnership between Cummins and Ram, which began in 1989 when the first Cummins-powered Dodge Ram was produced. Since then, more than 3.5 million Ram trucks have been powered by Cummins, setting the standard for heavy duty diesel pickups.

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen

“Cummins has racing in its DNA,” said Brett Merritt, Vice President and President, Engine Business, Cummins. “From Clessie Cummins’ winning the first Indianapolis 500 as a crew member to our leadership in commercial power, we’ve always pushed the limits of what’s possible. Brenden Queen represents that same spirit – talented, hardworking, and full of momentum. Partnering with both Kaulig Racing and Ram provides the opportunity for us to continue to write our motorsport legacy.”

Queen, a fan-favorite short-track star known affectionately as “Butterbean,” enters his first full-time Truck Series season following a breakout year across multiple national platforms. During his 2025 ARCA Menards Series championship run, Queen earned eight wins and finished inside the top five in 17 of 20 races. Kaulig Racing further tested his potential with five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to close out 2025, where Queen delivered strong, attention-grabbing performances.

Following that success, Queen, 28, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was announced as the first of Kaulig’s five drivers chosen to lead Ram’s high-profile return to the NASCAR Truck Series in 2026.

“To have a company with Cummins’ history and worldwide reputation support me is incredible,” Queen said. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this Ram 1500 and represent Cummins and Kaulig Racing every weekend. This is the type of opportunity every driver dreams about.”

For Kaulig Racing, the Cummins partnership represents a significant step forward as the team expands its competitive footprint in the Truck Series.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Cummins to the Kaulig Racing family,” said Chris Rice, Chief Executive Officer of Kaulig Racing. “Their engineering excellence and commitment to innovation are a perfect match for our vision. Brenden is an exceptional talent, and we’re building a program around him that we believe can compete for wins and make a playoff run right away.”

Queen’s No. 12 Cummins Ram 1500 will make its official debut at the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 13.

Kaulig Racing PR

With less than a month remaining before the NASCAR Cup Series kicks off the season at the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Trackhouse Racing is facing fresh speculation off the track.

Fans have begun spotting a potential red flag for Trackhouse Racing: a major sponsor appears to be missing from the team’s official website.

Sponsor Uncertainty Emerges As Trackhouse Racing Undergoes Major Changes

According to reports, fans have noticed that WeatherTech, one of the organization’s most recognizable partners in recent seasons, is no longer listed among the team’s sponsors on its official website. This has raised questions about Trackhouse’s sponsorship lineup heading into 2026.

Trackhouse has undergone a period of rapid evolution over the past two seasons, reshaping both its competitive structure and long-term vision. The team entered 2025 with major ambition, expanding to a third full-time Cup Series entry.

The team also signed Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen to drive the No. 88 last season. That move signaled Trackhouse’s intent to grow beyond a two-car operation and lean further into its global racing identity.

Then, at the end of the 2025 season, Trackhouse parted ways with Daniel Suárez, one of the organization’s foundational drivers since its Cup debut. In his place, the team announced rising star Connor Zilisch as part of their 2026 plans, doubling down on youth development and long-term growth.

Driver commitments were also solidified with van Gisbergen signing a long-term extension, joining Ross Chastain, who inked his own multi-year deal in 2023. Both drivers are now a cornerstone of Trackhouse’s future. Alongside these moves, the team also adjusted its on-track branding, assigning Zilisch to the No. 88 while unveiling the No. 97 as van Gisbergen’s new Cup Series number.

Against that backdrop of expansion and restructuring, the apparent disappearance of WeatherTech from the team’s sponsor listings has drawn particular attention. Neither Trackhouse nor WeatherTech has issued an official statement confirming or denying anything. However, sponsor visibility, especially this close to the start of a season, is often closely monitored by fans and industry insiders alike.

If confirmed, the loss would be a meaningful one. Since partnering with the team in 2024, WeatherTech has sponsored Trackhouse or Trackhouse-affiliated drivers in 23 NASCAR Cup Series races and 40 NASCAR Xfinity Series events, making it one of the organization’s more consistent commercial partners.

WeatherTech’s involvement in the sport has also extended beyond race weekends. The company served as the base sponsor in the NASCAR 25 console game’s custom car creator. This expanded its marketing investment within the NASCAR ecosystem and made it popular among younger fans.

Sponsorship changes are not uncommon in NASCAR. However, with Trackhouse preparing for a pivotal 2026, featuring one of the most exciting driver lineups, the potential departure of a major sponsor has fans on high alert.

Words:

Nathan Chadwick

| Photography: Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2026 returns to Monterey Car Week with four featured classes: the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, the Lamborghini Diablo, the Legacy of Japanese GTs and the Ferrari F40.

The Route 66 class marks 100 years since the establishment of the legendary highway, which extends for nearly 2500 miles between Chicago and Santa Monica. The display will examine Route 66’s cultural and automotive relevance through a selection of historic vehicles associated with its use.

Meanwhile, the Lamborghini Diablo class will focus on the model introduced in the early 1990s as Lamborghini’s first production car capable of exceeding 200mph. The display will include a range of examples, including rare specifications and limited-production variants.

The Legacy of Japanese GTs class will consider the development of Japanese grand touring cars, with an emphasis on engineering, design and technology. A selection of influential models will be shown, reflecting their impact on performance car culture.

And the Ferrari F40 class will return for a second year; introduced in 1987 to mark the marque’s 40th anniversary, the F40 was the final model approved by Enzo Ferrari. The class will focus on its design and engineering characteristics.

A new collector series will be introduced to present selected private collections. One of the first will draw from the collection of Bruce Meyer, whose interests include historic racing cars, hot rods and motorcycles. A selection of vehicles from his collection will be shown.

In addition to the featured elements, eight established classes will return, including Custom Coachwork, Pre-War Sports and Racing Cars, Post-War Sports Cars 1945-1960, Post-War Sports Cars 1961-1975, Post-War Racing Cars, Sports and Racing Motorcycles, Evolution of the Supercar and The Great Ferraris.

“Our new featured classes, alongside the debut of the collector series, are propelling The Quail into an exciting new era,” said Gordon McCall, director of motorsports at The Quail. “Collectively, they showcase emerging technologies and design philosophies, while upholding the timeless craftsmanship and heritage that have been at the heart of this event for more than two decades.”

Participant registration is open The Quail A Motorsports Gathering 2026 here, and more details on the event, which takes place on Friday, August 14, 2026, can be found here.