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Front Row Motorsports: Texas Motor Speedway Competition Notes – Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rush Truck Centers Ford Team – Speedway Digest

Noah Gragson Notes Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Talladega Superspeedway, Noah Gragson shifts his focus to this weekend’s race at the Texas Motor Speedway. This will be Gragson’s third NASCAR Cup Series start at the Fort Worth, Texas track. In his eight Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile venue, Gragson has one win, […]

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Noah Gragson Notes

  • Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Talladega Superspeedway, Noah Gragson shifts his focus to this weekend’s race at the Texas Motor Speedway. This will be Gragson’s third NASCAR Cup Series start at the Fort Worth, Texas track. In his eight Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile venue, Gragson has one win, three top-five, and four top-10 finishes with an averaging finishing position of 15.3. In the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Gragson has four top-10 finishes at the track.
  • Rush Truck Centers returns this weekend in the brand’s third primary race with Gragson and the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team. Cummins also joins Rush Truck Centers this weekend at Texas for the 267-lap race. Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments – Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins – supported by their global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. From buses that transport kids to and from school to the trucks that carry essentials, to construction, mining equipment, trains and ships, and critical backup power for places like data centers and hospitals, Cummins powers the future through innovations that make people’s lives better. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy – the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. Learn more at cummins.com.

“Texas is one of my favorite tracks,” said Gragson. “I’ve made a lot of great memories there over the years, and with the momentum this No. 4 team has right now, I feel confident we’ll add to that this weekend. Texas really pushes your racecraft—it’s a tough track. You’re wide open from the exit of Turn 2 all the way through Turns 3 and 4, and the surface is usually hot and slick. It’s easy to get out of the groove and spin in Turns 1 and 2, so you’ve got to be sharp from the start.”

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Nitro Motorsports Heads to Lime Rock Park with Eight-Driver Lineup

May 21, 2025 May 21, 2025 – After an action-packed weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Nitro Motorsports is ready to regroup and reload as the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli heads east to Lime Rock Park for the next round of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series championship. With a powerful eight-driver roster, including a pair of NASCAR ladder series drivers, […]

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May 21, 2025

Nitro Motorsports Heads to Lime Rock Park with Eight-Driver Lineup

May 21, 2025 – After an action-packed weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Nitro Motorsports is ready to regroup and reload as the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli heads east to Lime Rock Park for the next round of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series championship. With a powerful eight-driver roster, including a pair of NASCAR ladder series drivers, the North Carolina-based outfit looks to return to the top step of the podium on the historic Connecticut circuit in the Memorial Day weekend event.

Racing out of the Nitro Motorsports stable at Lime Rock will be:

  • Corey Heim
  • Thomas Annunziata
  • Sam Corry
  • Boris Said Jr.
  • Gian Buffomante
  • Julian DaCosta
  • Cale Phillips
  • Thad Moffitt

“We’ve got a deep lineup of talent heading into Lime Rock, and I’m excited to see what we can do as a team,” expressed Nick Tucker, Team Owner of Nitro Motorsports. “After a tough end to a promising weekend at Laguna Seca, everyone is fired up and ready to fight back.”

Last time out, Gian Buffomante turned heads by charging from 21st on the grid to finish third, earning his first career Trans Am podium and the Basset Hard Charger of the Race Award in the process. Boris Said Jr. showed his consistency as well, finishing fourth in class after penalties reshuffled the final order. Meanwhile, early front-runners Thomas Annunziata, the current TA2 championship point leader, and Sam Corry showed winning pace with Annunziata, a two-time race winner this season, looking to rebound after a disappointing event.

Julian DaCosta and Cale Phillips will pilot Nitro Motorsports machines at Lime Rock Park this weekend as they look for their best results of the season, as a pair of new names will join them in the series in 2025. Coming from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series, Corey Heim and Thad Moffitt will race for Nitro Motorsports this weekend. 

“We welcome Corey and Thad to our program this weekend as they have a slight break in their NASCAR schedules and can join us,” Tucker continued. “We’ve shown speed at every track this year. Now the goal is to put it all together—and get back to our dominating ways. With eight talented drivers in the paddock, I have no doubt we’ll be right in the mix this weekend.”

Set to hit the track on Friday for three test sessions, Saturday will be the home of qualifying and race one. Tune in LIVE all weekend long at GoTransAm.com.

For more information on Nitro Motorsports, please visit them online or contact Nick Tucker via email HERE or visit them online at www.RaceNitro.com.



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Rwanda: What’s Attracting Celebrities to Motorsport?

For a long time, motorsport has drawn the rich and famous from around the world. Rock stars, models, celebrities, and even world leaders have been spotted at Formula One (F1) races and other high-power rally events, and Rwanda is steadily catching up with this global trend. In 2022, Miss Rwanda 2017 third runner-up, Queen Kalimpinya, […]

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For a long time, motorsport has drawn the rich and famous from around the world. Rock stars, models, celebrities, and even world leaders have been spotted at Formula One (F1) races and other high-power rally events, and Rwanda is steadily catching up with this global trend.

In 2022, Miss Rwanda 2017 third runner-up, Queen Kalimpinya, made history by becoming the first Rwandan woman to compete in the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally since its inception in 2002.

Her trailblazing move was soon followed by renowned radio personality Sandrine Isheja Butera, who boldly entered the world of rally driving in 2024.

Now, other big names like DJ Anita Pendo and rapper Ish Kevin, along with a growing number of Rwandan actors, broadcasters, and musicians, are developing a serious passion for the speed game. But what exactly is drawing this celebrity attention?

Family tradition

For rising rapper Ish Kevin, who was the most recent celebrity to step into rally driving, motorsport is a family affair.

He participated in the recent “Sprint Rally GMT” in Musha in Rwamagana District alongside his older brother Jacques Hakizimana. Their father Genese Semana, put family aside as he turned from parent to rival and competed against them during the GMT rally.

ALSO READ: Family tradition: Ish Kevin ventures into rally driving

“Personally, I drew my passion for racing from my family. My father and uncle hold several accolades in Rwanda’s Mountain Gorilla Rally, which is a legacy I want to keep alive,” Ish Kevin told The New Times.

With guidance from his uncle, Ish Kevin says he’s determined to elevate Rwanda’s motorsport scene and hopes to inspire more creatives, artists, musicians, and entertainers to join the sport, which offers considerable exposure and opportunities.

This family legacy approach isn’t unique to Rwanda. In Kenya, for example, motorsport also runs deep in several families. One notable case is the Gatimu family of Caroline Gatimu and Tinashe Gatimu, known for their mother-daughter rally racing duo.

Passion and exposure

For Kalimpinya, anything mechanical has always sparked her curiosity.

ALSO READ: Kalimpinya commends ‘growing presence’ of women in Rwandan motorsport

“It started in my neighborhood, where I rode a bicycle from a very young age, and later spent about six years riding motorbikes. That passion for machines naturally evolved into a love for cars,” Kalimpinya said.

Her entry into motorsports came when a racing driver noticed her enthusiasm and introduced her to rallying. She began as a co-driver, and through that experience, her love for the sport blossomed. Eventually, she took the driver’s seat and that’s when her real journey began.

She says it’s not just the thrill but also the discipline, adrenaline, and the constant challenges that got her hooked.

When asked whether her fame helped or hindered her racing career, Kalimpinya acknowledged that her name in the fashion and pageantry world definitely helped bring attention to her racing.

ALSO READ: Blazing a new trail: How Sandrine Isheja found herself into Motorsport

“It’s important. it attracts more people to the sport, especially young girls who need to see that it’s possible to be a female racer,” she said.

However, she is quick to note that fame alone doesn’t make one a successful driver.

“Motorsport requires resilience, intense training, and serious financial commitment. In fact, sometimes you have to work twice as hard. At the end of the day, the car doesn’t know who’s behind the wheel, it only responds to the skill and command of the driver,” she added.