Ed Pink, known throughout racing as The Old Master, whose engines powered racers from Tony Stewart, Don Prudhomme, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch, Kasey Kahne, and Eddie Cheever to victories in Indianapolis, NHRA, USAC Sprint cars, IMSA, and Infiniti IRL, has passed away at age 94.

Pink started out as a drag racing specialist in the 1960s, the golden age of the sport, building big block Hemis for the best racers in the field. Pink and Keith Black were the dominant forces in the sport, and their rivalry elevated drag racing in America just as it lowered ETs in the quarter mile.

But as racing changed over the years, so did Ed Pink Racing Engines in Van Nuys, California. After decades of success in drag racing, Pink expanded into seemingly everything, from Can-Am, Formula 5000, IMSA, and even midget racers and Infiniti’s IRL efforts, as well as LMP2 and the Japanese Super GT championship, winning races in all those categories.

He did restoration engines, too. EPRE did the powerplants for seven entries at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in 2013, for instance. Those engines varied from a 1916 National Champ Car, to Chevy V8s, to Turbo Porsches, and many unique engines in between. Two of those cars were class winners. Ed Pink Racing also did the engines for two entries at the Pebble Beach Concours that year.

Ed Pink helped develop the engines used in Singer Porsches, as well as working on restorations of 917s for Bruce Canepa and others.

When Don Prudhomme wanted to sell one of his dragsters, the front-engine Shelby Super Snake that he drove in 1968 and ’69, he had Pink rebuild the engine.

“I told him, ‘All I want to do is a burnout,’ and he built a f** Rolex watch!”

Pink was born in Los Angeles in 1931. Almost as soon as he could drive he was taking part in lakes racing on Southern California’s El Mirage dry lake bed in the Mojave desert in a 1934 Ford Coupe.

From that he eventually developed an interest in the 426 Chrysler Hemi, lending his talents to its development as the engine of choice among Top Fuel and, later, Funny Car teams in the growing NHRA drag racing series.

And from that came all the other racing series and the restorations.

Pink stayed with the shop until he sold it to local race car collector and sponsor Tom Malloy in 2008, remaining as a consultant for many years after that.

Under the guidance of racing specialist Frank Honsowetz, the 12,000-square-foot shop has grown to include a variety of high-tech tools and equipment, such as the latest versions of CAD solid modeling and three-dimensional software systems, according to a 2014 article in Vintage Motorsport. One of the departments houses Haas CNC vertical machines, which manufacture some of the company’s products.

In 2013, Pink was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.

“There is a good reason Ed Pink is known as The Old Master: The man’s command over automotive engineering is legendary and in a league of its own,” wrote racing historian and former director of the NHRA Motorsports Museum Tony Thacker. “Engines and high performance have been in his blood right from the start. He didn’t have his first car 24 hours before he had the engine out and apart.”

In 2012 Pink was inducted into the Class of 2012 of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America along with luminaries such as Derek Bell, Ricky Johnson, Pop Dreyer, Neil Bonnett, Vic Edelbrock, Sr., and Danny Sullivan.

That same year, Engine Builder magazine announced Ed Pink Racing Engines as the winner of its inaugural “Performance Engine Builder of the Year” contest during the
International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) in Indianapolis.

“Too many times, the driver and the race day team are the only ones who get to hold
the trophy for winning a championship,” said Lake Speed, Jr., at the award ceremony. “The engine builder knows that he was part of that and, while there
are some trophies for those guys, frankly, they only win if the whole team
wins. This is more of a contest about who runs the best engine shop.

“Personally, I think the race engine builder needs this. The simple fact of the matter is,
nobody is going to cross that finish line without the expertise of a great
engine builder.”

Fox Sports is not very fan friendly with some motorsports right now.

Sure, it has the newly acquired Indy Car series and the Indianapolis 500 for May as well as some of the other series events, but Fox doesn’t get it. It’s nice to have all those eggs, NASCAR, Indy Car and NHRA as well as college football, the NFL, MLB, college basketball and others, in one basket.

The only problem is how you treat them, carrying them between broadcast and the fan. The end result? Well, besides egg prices being high, so are Fox’s claims.

I’ve never been a big Fox Sports fan. I always felt like they were a lot like ABC from my childhood and teen years; buy the big box-office movies, claim you’re number one and use the product to its ultimate demise, or in this case, ratings demise, and then move on to the next sweet fruit on the tree.

This year, Fox Sports is touting Indy Car, the series and the Indy 500 as the fastest motorsports on the planet. Top speed in Indy Car? About 220-230 mph. NHRA? Try over 300 mph. Brittany Force recently set a dragster record this year at 341 mph. That, in my opinion, makes NHRA the fastest motorsport on the planet, followed by Indy Car and then NASCAR.

One drag-racing star doesn’t appreciate one element of the hype. NHRA team owner and Funny Car driver Bob Tasca went on a rant with Fox Sports between runs, one weekend early in the season at Gainesville, Fla.

“I should be talking about that run right now, but really, to me, I gotta call Fox Sports (out). All winter long, we heard about the fastest motor sports on the planet. And I was a little confused because I didn’t see (my car),” Tasca said. “And the truth is, it’s an insult to the fans and to the drivers for Fox to go on TV and say that the fastest motor sport in the world is IndyCar.

“Come on, now. I didn’t think it was fake news network on Fox,” he added before walking off.

It’s obviously for positioning themselves as the self-proclaimed experts on motorsports. NHRA and its fans have a legitimate beef with Fox, but NASCAR fans do, too.

I have to admit that in the last few years, NASCAR on Fox has not been the best. Mike Joy is arguably one of the best-and well-known announcers in the sport and has been reduced to just a talking head during NASCAR broadcasts. He’s made some flubs, we all have, but I feel like Joy’s knowledge of the sport, the drivers and the teams has been reduced greatly on Fox’s coverage of NASCAR.

Some fans have called for house cleaning, starting with Joy. I can’t call for Joy’s career to be severed like a head in a guillotine during the French Revolution. Joy is about the best we have covering NASCAR for the Cup Series for Fox.

But if your Rick Allen, former point man for NASCAR on NBC, you’re still seeking answers as to why NBC cut Allen.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks,” replied Allen on a recent podcast with Dirty Mo Media and the “Dale Jr. Download.” It all hit when Michael Jordan addressed Allen on the golf course and asked Allen, “What did you do, man? How come you are not announcing the races? You’re NASCAR.”

Allen is a very humble man. Not a flamboyant type, just a simple man. He’s a woodworker as well as an entrepreneur now that he’s not working for NBC.

Before being in the broadcast booth, he was a celebrated track and field star at Nebraska and Olympian. He was going places in announcing.

But the thing is Allen did nothing wrong or at least by his admission to Dale Jr. on the “Dale Jr. Download.” It wasn’t his choice and so the famed Peacock Network opted to spread their tail feathers to drop kick Allen out of the press box and to the side after NASCAR’s hiatus for Olympic coverage and go with Aussie Leigh Duffey.

Now let’s set something straight, Duffey is not a good ol’ boy broadcaster. He loves motorsports and NASCAR, but the matchup is about as comfortable for some fans as wearing sandpaper underwear in 100-degree weather. Duffey, not of his own doing, or rather NBC, rubbed fans the wrong way. There were still answers to questions of what happened to Allen.

NBC provided no information. Allen had been in the broadcast booth for almost 10 years before being cut loose. Allen told Earnhardt Jr. that he was supposed to have a new contract for the next few years along with Earnhardt, and then suddenly both of them were told their contracts would not be renewed. He was told not to say anything and regrettably, Allen faded from view.

Another announcer who suffered a similar fate, John Roberts, was charged with anchoring one of the best NASCAR pre-race shows on TV. Suddenly without any warning, Roberts was cut loose by Fox. Roberts wanted to find out why the show had been axed. He called and called Fox execs until one finally talked to him.

What’s worse during the conversation, the Fox exec didn’t even know who Roberts was while cursing him on the phone, essentially telling Roberts that “they (the execs) know better what the public wants.”

All of these examples also reflect on why Allen Bestwick, former voice of NASCAR on NBC the first time around, isn’t around. Bestwick was, in my opinion, well on his way to becoming a Ken Squier successor. I remember talking with Allen Bestwick long before his NASCAR career on MRN Radio when he was working for ABC Radio Networks and “American Top 40.” Allen had potential. Now, he is the voice of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

So, in summary, you’ve got a bunch of know-it-all execs who know more than we know, calling the shots claiming they know what is best for fans. It might take NASCAR leaving the networks like Fox and NBC and be a good thing.

I’ll say this, NASCAR, like Fox and NBC, need to be seriously paying attention to the fans and what the fans desire. Bristol was not a ratings bonanza for Fox this spring after dominance by Kyle Larson. Fans are grumbling and they continue to grumble and gripe as to stage racing wanting instead to go back to a straight run race with no stage breaks and winners.

Then, there’s the advertising and running commercials side by side or, as Fox did yesterday, run the big ad, reduce the racing action to a smaller square. All of these and more have led to a fall of fan support from older NASCAR fans and the sport paying less attention to the 18-30 age group, which NASCAR desperately needs to move forward into the future.

Network execs and NASCAR honchos need to pay attention. The fans are watching, and the future is in your hands, sort of like those broken eggs you made when you think you know a better way other than simply carrying them in a safer basket.

But then again, I guess we fans don’t know anything about television programming either, or cutting cable, or going to on-demand programming and not paying high prices for subscriptions and not receiving our programming a la carte.

The yolk is leaking, and it’s not on the fan, but rather about to hit the fan, when it comes to coverage of all sports, not just NASCAR or the NHRA.

NASCAR Diecast Production Plummets as Tariffs Take Toll on Iconic Partner

The world of NASCAR diecast collectibles is reeling as one of its major players, Lionel Racing, hits the brakes on production. With nearly $35,000,000 in annual revenue at stake, the decision to halt new merchandise orders and shipments is sending shockwaves through the racing community.

The pause in production comes as a result of the escalating U.S.-China tariffs, forcing Lionel Racing to temporarily suspend pre-orders for diecast models. This move has left avid collectors and fans in limbo, unable to get their hands on the latest race win versions and new paint schemes they eagerly seek.

Despite the setback, Lionel Racing assures enthusiasts that design and production efforts for future diecasts will continue unabated. The company remains optimistic that once the tariff situation stabilizes, they will be able to resume pre-orders and deliver the highly anticipated collectibles to fans worldwide.

The impact of these production disruptions extends beyond just diecast models. The broader financial challenges faced by NASCAR due to rising costs and geopolitical trade disputes are reshaping the landscape of the sport. From potential price hikes on new vehicles to sponsorship dynamics being under threat, the entire NASCAR ecosystem is facing unprecedented challenges that require strategic navigation.

As the industry grapples with the fallout of tariff-induced cost increases and supply chain disruptions, stakeholders must band together to find innovative solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of NASCAR in the face of these economic headwinds. The resilience of the sport will be tested as it navigates through these turbulent times.

Stay tuned as the NASCAR diecast saga unfolds, reshaping the way fans engage with the sport’s rich history and iconic moments.

Hendrick Motorsports ace Kyle Larson had a career-best performance at the iconic Alabama track, Talladega, during Sunday’s Cup Series action. Although superspeedways aren’t his traditional strong suit, the 2021 Cup Series champion put on a clinical performance to break the 14-year-old HMS drought at ‘Dega,’ stringing his second straight top 5 finish.

Kyle Larson Snaps HMS’s Long Talladega Dry Spell in Style

For most of his career, Talladega seemed to have Larson’s number. Over seven years, he logged just one top 10 finish in 13 starts at the 2.6-mile superspeedway. Even as recently as a year ago, the 32-year-old had managed only a single top 5 finish in 19 appearances. But after Sunday’s 188-lap ringer, Larson has now strung together back-to-back top-5 finishes at “Dega.”

Starting 25th on Sunday, Larson dominated the field, winning stage 1 of the race before finishing stage 2 second, racking up valuable stage points. He now leads the NASCAR Cup Series in most stage points collected in 2025 when he collected 18 in Sunday’s Jacks Link’s 500.

Larson is now at the top with 97 total points, followed closely by teammate William Byron, who has 90 points. Before “Dega,” 2023 Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney led the table with 89 points, yet he remains in third spot.

To top it all off, Larson was the highest-finishing HMS driver, leading a milestone day for the team, as all four HMS Chevys finished inside the top 10 at Talladega for the first time since 2011. The last time this happened was in April 2011, when seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson won the race, with his teammates Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and veteran Mark Martin finishing third, fourth, and eighth, respectively.

However, Sunday’s top 5 finish wasn’t a smooth sail for Larson, who voiced his displeasure in the post-race interview about the limitations of the Next Gen car. He said , “You are trying to do all you can to win without crashing the front row. I could have easily crashed the front row. But that’s not anything you want to see at the end of these races. Did all I could, I thought, in the final five laps or so.”

Although he couldn’t pinpoint the real reason, Larson admitted that passing was extremely difficult. Meanwhile, race winner Austin Cindric took full advantage of his competitors’ issues and beat Ryan Preece to the checkered flag by 0.022 seconds.

Unfortunately for Preece, NASCAR disqualified him after post-race inspection, awarding Larson the second-place finish. With this, Larson jumped to second place in the regular season championship standings.

Renaissance Specialty Insurance (RSI), supported by Roosevelt Road Specialty, the MGU division of Roosevelt Road Capital Partners, announced that Jason Thrash has joined the company as a Senior Programme Underwriter.

Thrash brings more than 18 years of experience underwriting Sports, Leisure, and Entertainment programmes, with a concentration in Sports and Motorsports.

His background includes working with amateur and professional sports organisations, stadiums, venues, and recreational facilities, giving him insight into the exposures common in these sectors.

In his new role, Thrash will focus on risk evaluation and underwriting across Property & Casualty, Excess Casualty, and Participant Accident lines.

He will work with the RSI team to support underwriting profitability, manage production targets, and maintain relationships with clients, brokers, and carriers through effective communication and negotiation.

Thrash’s familiarity with underwriting systems and processes allows him to assess applications, identify areas of concern, and recommend appropriate policy terms, conditions, and pricing. His addition aligns with RSI’s efforts to strengthen its capabilities in the Sports, Leisure, and Entertainment markets.

“We’re very excited to add Jason Thrash to the RSI team!” added Chris Smyth, RSI Chief Underwriting Officer.

“Jason brings a wealth of industry experience and expertise in underwriting the Sports, Leisure and Entertainment niche. This, combined with Jason’s already established relationships with many of our existing clients, align perfectly with our mission to deliver best-in-class solutions across the board.”

Before joining RSI, Thrash managed a complex, multi-line portfolio for one of the largest specialty motorsports programs in the United States.

He was involved in growing the Facilities & Events segment to more than $13 million in written premium for fiscal year 2024. Thrash’s work supported the expansion of the broader motorsports programme, which surpassed $20 million in written premium—exceeding the 2024 target by 20% and setting a new production record for the programme.