When Rick Hendrick entered the NASCAR Cup Series competition in 1984 with Geoff Bodine piloting the No. 5 car, Dale Earnhardt had already etched his name into history with a Cup championship in 1980. Hendrick initially set his sights on bringing Dale Sr. into his fledgling operation, but timing and circumstance shut that door.

When Hendrick made his pitch, Dale Sr. remained aligned with Bud Moore Engineering, a team with history in the sport since the 1960s, and by the time Hendrick officially launched his effort, Senior had already committed to the more established Richard Childress Racing.

Revisiting that crossroads on the Dale Jr. Download, Hendrick recently detailed how close the paths briefly ran. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. referenced a photo of Hendrick and Earnhardt standing together in the garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Dale Sr. dressed in blue while testing a Cup car, Hendrick explained that he had asked him to shake the car down.

As the conversation extended, Hendrick admitted his interest in landing Dale Sr. Still, Hendrick Motorsports was little more than a blank page at the time, without results or reputation to lean on, and Dale Sr. chose not to take the gamble. Hendrick acknowledged he understood the odds, noting that his chances were “zero,” before adding, “But I’m a car salesman. I mean, I’ve got to try, right?”

The connection between the two, however, predated Hendrick Motorsports’ Cup debut. In 1983, when Hendrick first dipped his toes into stock car racing ownership with Robert Gee, the duo had called on Dale Sr. to drive their No. 15 at Charlotte in the Late Model Sportsman division, now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

That decision paid immediate dividends as Dale Sr. won in his first outing for the team, delivering Hendrick his first-ever victory as a stock car owner. Later that same year, Dale Sr. climbed into the No. 5 again, this time to test for All-Star Racing. One season later, that program officially went racing, marking another early chapter in Hendrick’s ascent.

Years down the line, the storyline came full circle when the elder Earnhardt’s son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., eventually joined Hendrick Motorsports and took over the No. 88. In his first race with the organization, the exhibition event ahead of the Daytona 500 in 2008, he drove straight to victory lane.

Hence, father and son both won on debut for Rick Hendrick, separated by 25 years, and did so in cars carrying the same name. The original 1983 entry was called “Emma,” named after Gee’s mother, and in 2008, the No. 88 chassis carried the same name as a tribute.

Kenny Wallace believes that engine trouble was the likely cause of the plane crash that killed NASCAR legend Greg Biffle and six others.

Biffle, his wife Cristina, and their five-year-old son were killed in the crash. Biffle’s 14-year-old daughter, Emma, whom he had from a previous marriage, also lost her life in the tragic accident. 

Friends Craig Wadsworth and Dennis Dutton, and his son Jack, were the other passengers on the plane, which crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. 

Biffle and the Duttons were licensed pilots, but aviation authorities do not know who was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash.

Nine-time Cup Series race winner Wallace was left heartbroken by the death of close friend Biffle and his loved ones.

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After having some time to process his loss over the holidays, Wallace shared his theory on what caused the tragedy. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

“Here’s what I think. I think the plane took off, I think they lost a motor, and then, I guess it started having a lot of drag on it. In other words… yes, we know it should fly just perfectly with one motor,” Wallace said on his YouTube channel.

“I think we lost a motor. That’s where all the up and down was taking place. They decide to come back. The flaps are down, and they don’t have any horsepower. 

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“There was so much drag and they had the throttle wide open, they just didn’t make it. I think that’s what happened. They just didn’t make it to the runway.”

Biffle, 55, was a beloved figure in the NASCAR community. He won 19 Cup Series races and finished second in the championship in 2005. He later worked as a TV analyst. 

Away from racing, he was a proud supporter of his community, and he cemented his hero status in North Carolina by using his helicopter to help people in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Wallace continued: “May the Lord be with everybody, this is a very heartfelt discussion. It was a very tragic loss. Everybody wants to know what happened. 

“I think it was a tragic loss of life and that’s what I respectfully think is what happened. It has been a sad, sad couple of weeks here with the Greg Biffle tragedy.”

The USAC Wholesale Batteries Midwest Racing Association Sprint Car Series will begin competition in 2026 featuring a 14-race schedule with additional dates yet to be announced.

Jon Sawyer will oversee the operation of this new venture which will race primarily around the greater Kansas City area.

The Sawyer family has been involved in motorsports in some form or another for decades. It’s a family tradition that includes Jon’s grandfather, Hugh Sawyer, and father, Jim Sawyer, as well as his wife, Jessica, and son Jonathon.

Jon raced go karts and modified midgets before deciding being a car owner was the way to go for many years, winning championships in midgets and sprint cars while capturing the 2021 USAC Midwest Wingless Racing Association title with driver Kory Schudy behind the wheel of his black No. 28, plus the POWRi WAR Sprint Car crown in 2022.

Turning their focus to running USAC MRA, the Sawyers are grateful for all the support of the race teams, fans, sponsors, USAC, and the staff that will be on board with them for the inaugural campaign.

Also joining the MRA team for 2026 will be scorer Becky Burks, announcer/media director Ray Cunningham, Chaplain Justin Lawson, video streaming producer/media Nathaniel Viscioni, and Carter Markley, who will help anywhere needed.

The 2026 slate will consist of six dates at Grain Valley, Missouri’s Valley Speedway on a monthly basis on April 11, May 23, June 20, July 11, August 29 and the Helm Memorial on September 26.

Electric City Speedway in Butler, Missouri welcomes the series twice on May 15 and July 31. Winston, Missouri’s I-35 Speedway will host a pair of series events on June 13 and July 18. The annual Weld Memorial is slated for August 28 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Avanti Windows & Doors Corn Belt Clash at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway will be held on National Sprint Car Hall of Fame induction weekend on May 29-30. Both nights will be co-sanctioned with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship.

On April 25, the Aubren Dudley Memorial Race will be held at Springfield Raceway, in Springfield, Mo. This event will honor the life of Aubren, niece/cousin of the Sawyers who worked for the Missouri division of family services. Along with her husband, she fostered five children before being killed in an auto accident in 2024 while on the job. This event will have many sponsors to help increase the purse over the standard events and will join the Weld Memorial at Lakeside Speedway in KCK, and the Helm Memorial at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, as special events for the series for 2026.

2026 USAC MIDWEST RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE

Apr 11 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Apr 25 – Springfield Raceway – Springfield, Missouri

May 15 – Electric City Speedway – Butler, Missouri

May 23 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

May 29 – Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, Iowa

May 30 – Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, Iowa

Jun 13 – I-35 Speedway – Winston, Missouri

Jun 20 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Jul 11 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Jul 18 – I-35 Speedway – Winston, Missouri

Jul 31 – Electric City Speedway – Butler, Missouri

Aug 28 – Lakeside Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas

Aug 29 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Sep 26 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

USAC PR

Having just made it back in time from winning the High Limit International at Perth Motorplex in Australia for a second straight year, reigning two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is already back Stateside to see his children take on the legendary Tulsa Shootout.

Both Owen, 11, and Audrey, 7, are competing in the micro sprint car event at the SageNet Center, where well over 1,000 competitors of all ages and experience levels are taking on one another in six different classes for the ‘Golden Driller’ trophies.

Despite having just flown back from his win Down Under on Tuesday, Kyle, too, plans to participate in the Winged Outlaw class. However, his main focus is on his children, with Owen competing in the K&B Restricted Motorsports A-Class, the JST Motorsports A-Class, and the Joe’s Racing Products Stock Non-Wing Class, while Audrey will be taking on the Flying A Motorsports Junior Sprints Class.

“That’s what I’m most excited about is just getting to see the kids participate in a big event, have fun and, hopefully, do a good job,” Kyle admitted on Monday, whilst in Perth ahead of the Shootout, via FloRacing.

“Audrey, she’s getting to run her first Shootout in the junior sprint—and she takes it very seriously. We’ve watched every lap of the 2024 Shootout, every lap of the Junior Sprint. So she’s been studying. Hopefully, she can do good.

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“And then Owen, he has been doing a good job this year, but he’s going to be in a lot of tough divisions, so I don’t know what to expect there. Obviously, it takes a little bit of luck along the way.”

Reflecting on what both Owen and Audrey bring to the track, 33-year-old Kyle explained how, when it comes to intensive preparation, “Audrey’s more like me in that sense,” adding, “Owen’s just kind of carefree with the racing. He’s takes it a little more seriously lately but Audrey definitely likes to study.”

Kyle went on to add how Audrey is “kind of herself. I think she’s just really competitive, a competitive spirit. And I think, ultimately, it’s whatever her brother, she watches her older brother and wants to do what he’s doing. 

“But then, like I said, she’s herself. She plays ice hockey. I definitely have never played ice hockey. And she’s athletic and wants to play baseball, and she’s into racing stuff and all that. 

“On the racing side of it shes probably more similar to me than Owen would be. Owen personality wise is more similar to me. Audrey is very fiery and lots of personality and attitude. I’m not like that, but the competitive mindset is probably more similar to me.”

For Owen, the event got off to a great star beating Jeffrey Newell to a Winged A-Class win. “Yeah, it was a lot,” he admitted, speaking to FloRacing. “I was getting frustrated because I was warming up in there, and my helmet kept fogging up a little bit. And I knew I had to just roll to the bottom and get the win. And I tried the top at the end. It looks a little bit sketchy, but it looks fun.”

Owen could end up taking on two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and/or his son Brexton in the JST Motorsports A-Class and the Joe’s Racing Products Stock Non-Wing Class, with another NASCAR star, Ty Gibbs, also competing in both categories.

One big showing of monster trucks is pretty impressive, but it looks like Bossier City is in for twice as much fun.

The Kicker Monster Truck Show is headed for Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City on January 24 and they are bringing out some of the most recognizable trucks in the world.

And this time, there will be two shows in one day!  For the first time ever, Kicker will have a matinee show on January 24 which begins at 1:00 pm with doors opening at 12:00 pm and a second show will begin at 7:30 pm, with doors for that one opening at 6:30 pm.

Of course, if you and the family would like to see the massive trucks up close, meet the drivers, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly fun, you’ll want to grab tickets for the Kicker Monster Truck Show Pit Party.

Plan to be on site a couple of hours before each showing and bring cash to buy your passes at the track for only $10 per person.

According to the organizer’s website, kickermonstertruck.com, these shows, set for the same day, January 24, will feature one of the biggest names ever in Monster Truck history, Bigfoot!

Plus, you’ll see trucks from Veteran, Trouble Maker, Monster Moose, American Scout and Outlaw Wrangler.

Tickets for the matinee showing at 1:00 pm start at $37.55 and are available now at Ticketmaster.com

Tickets for the night show at 7:30 pm also start at $37.55 are are also available HERE at Ticketmaster.com

Staff Report

ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County’s iconic oval track has a new owner — the International Hot Rod Association.

IHRA announced the purchase of Rockingham Speedway on New Year’s Eve, a move reflecting the sanctioning body’s “commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”

“IHRA recognizes what Rockingham Speedway means to this community and to motorsports fans around the world,” Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA, said in a press release. “This is a special place with a strong foundation. Our goal is to be good stewards of the facility, respect its history, and work collaboratively to bring quality racing and entertainment back to The Rock.”

According to the press release, IHRA intents to restore the track “to its former glory while enhancing the venue as a multi-use destination.”

IHRA plans to make upgrades to the facility, expand fan amenities, and add concerts and festivals along with racing events.

“This isn’t about changing what made Rockingham special,” Cuttell added. “It’s about investing in it, taking care of it, and making sure it continues to be a place where great racing and great memories are made.”

The track was purchased by Rockingham Properties LLC in 2018 for $2.8 million. 

The track started hosting events in 2021, with MB Drift finding its new home there following the closure of Myrtle Beach Speedway in late 2020.

NASCAR finally returned to the Rock in 2025 with races in the Xfinity Series — now O’Reilly Auto Parts Series — and the Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the Arca Menards Series East. All three are set to come back for another triple-race weekend April 3-4.

In addition to motorsports events, the Rock also hosted a concert by Struggle Jennings, the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Festival featuring Bailey Zimmerman and other country acts, and an electronic dance music festival.

Many renovations have been made to the track in recent years, including a repave for both the oval and the road course, new SAFER barriers and updates to the suites and media center.

Many of those upgrades were made possible by $9 million allocated to the county from the 2021 state budget — via the N.C. Department of Commerce — for infrastructure improvements at the track.

An additional $300,000 came from a reallocation of $2 million that had been set aside for a pedestrian bridge across U.S. 1 to connect the speedway with Rockingham Dragway.

“For decades, The Rock has been one of our community’s most recognizable and celebrated tourism icons,” said Meghann Lambeth, executive director of the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority. “We’re proud to continue supporting Rockingham Speedway as it draws visitors to Rockin’ Richmond County under the new ownership of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).”

This is the third North Carolina motorsports facility IHRA has purchased this year: GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson; and Piedmont Dragway in Julian.

Recently, IRHA announced purchases of Heartland Motorsports Park in Kansas, Memphis International Raceway in Tennessee, and Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania.

The organization has also announced both a stock car and powerboat series.

More plans for Rockingham are to be announced at a later date.