Like so many second-generation racers, Austin Kardules has always been around the sport. But what started out as a hobby has become a multi-faceted career that sees the central Ohio native reach new audiences in hopes of growing the sport he loves.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025.  

Kardules’ father started racing motorcycles in the late 1970s. When Austin and his older brother, Camron, came along, the boys were out at the track as babies. Austin, now 29, started racing Jr. Dragsters in 2003 and traveled with the MyChron series. He had some success, ultimately winning the points runoff at Summit Motorsports Park to take home a brand-new Half-Scale dragster custom-painted by R&R Auto Body. 

Driving took a back seat as Kardules grew up, but he filled the void by going to work for Pure Speed Drag Racing Experience, previously known as Doug Foley’s Drag Racing School. He started working with Foley and his family – including sons Doug Jr. (a 2016 honoree) and Joe (a 2024 honoree) – as a driving instructor on a part-time basis in 2012 before going on the road full-time in 2015.

Through that experience, he helped hundreds of people make their first passes down a dragstrip. Kardules then stepped away from racing completely for about two years to start a career in sales and marketing, which actually led him back to Foley and drag racing. 

After Foley decided to get back into NHRA Top Fuel competition, Kardules got involved with the Foley Lewis Racing sponsorship efforts. Over the last few years, he’s helped secure partnerships with Alloy Employer Services, United Garage Door, CHI Overhead Doors, and LiftMaster, introducing new brands to the sport in the process.

 “That’s probably the most rewarding part about what I do,” says Kardules, who counts Foley as a mentor. “Bringing new companies into the sport, and seeing them realize what all goes into it – not just on track, but off track – and how beneficial it can be on the B2B side with the experience they’re able to give their customers.”

That led to one of Kardules’ proudest moments in the sport earlier this year when Foley qualified No. 1 at the IHRA Nitro Outlaw Series event at Darana Raceway, previously known as National Trail Raceway, outside Columbus, Ohio. 

“That was surreal,” Kardules says. “The last NHRA national event that was there was 2006. I was 10 years old. Growing up there, it seemed like we would never have a Top Fuel race there ever again. So, for that to happen almost 20 years later is kind of unbelievable. But to be a part of a team while that happened, with my dad standing on the starting line, and to get the No. 1 spot when we weren’t in the show on the last qualifying session? I couldn’t even dream of that happening.”

A few years ago, the Kardules brothers also worked with future 30 Under 30 honoree Jeb Bolyard to bring back the King of Columbus event to National Trail. Austin focused on sponsorships and promoting the event, which later expanded to two events. 

“I think the most rewarding part is all the appreciation from racers that we put a focus on what we would want if we were in their shoes,” he says. “Because a lot of races they go to, sometimes the focus is not the racer’s experience.”

Though Kardules is no longer involved with the racing school, he and his brother continue to mentor local racers both young and old who are just getting started. He even coached a former student who bought a race car, truck, and trailer after attending a Pure Speed school event. 

“My brother and I always try to help people getting into the sport, understanding the dos and don’ts, and helping them get their start and feel comfortable at the racetrack,” Kardules says. “The only way to keep people coming back is make them feel comfortable and understand what they’re doing.”

Kardules’ efforts in various arenas of the sport achieve different outcomes, but the overarching theme is bringing in new fans, racers, and sponsors. He says the sport sells itself once people see it in person. It’s getting them out to the racetrack that can be a challenge. 

“One thing that is universally the same, whether it’s driving a 10-second dragster for the first time or sponsoring a Top Fuel car – or just coming to watch Top Fuel – is that people underestimate what it is until they get there,” says Kardules, who thanked his parents and brother as well as Joe Clark with United Garage Door, Palmetto State Armory, and Kyle Fischer with Hot Shot’s Secret for supporting his various endeavors.

“When they get there, they realize it’s a lot cooler than they expected. There’s a lot more involved. Especially when someone gets in the driver’s seat for the first time, they realize it’s a lot faster in the seat than it looks.“Those people who have never even heard of drag racing, or have a lower expectation of what it truly is, how do we get them to the racetrack and get them to see it?” 

Can-Am has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the 40th Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2026 Show, set for Friday and Saturday, January 23–24, 2026, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.

This high-profile sponsorship is a key highlight of Can-Am’s focus on industry-leading performance, innovation, and off-road dominance. From championship-winning motocross heritage to today’s cutting-edge lineup of ATVs, Side-By-Side vehicles, and three-wheel road machines. Can-Am continues to define what’s possible for racers, adventurers, and motorsports enthusiasts everywhere.

As PPB Motorsports 2026 Presented by Can-Am, the show will feature a major Can-Am presence on the show floor, including a large-scale, interactive vehicle display hosted by Smith Marine, an authorized Can-Am dealer located at 573 E. Butler Ave., New Britain, PA. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of Can-Am machines—built for racing, trail riding, work, recreation, and motorsports event lifestyles from the pit area to the campground.

With more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Motorsports Show delivers a high-energy environment perfectly aligned with the Can-Am brand. The event will showcase over 200 race cars on display, driver autograph sessions and stage interviews, free racer seminars and a wide array of motorsports-focused vendors and manufacturers.

Pioneer Pole Buildings, based in Schuylkill Haven, PA, returns as title sponsor for the 15th consecutive year, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to motorsports. Their expansive exhibit near the main entrance will feature PPB-sponsored race cars, company displays, and driver autograph sessions—welcoming fans as they enter the Can-Am–powered show experience.

Adding to the prestige of the weekend, legendary drivers Geoff Bodine and Kenny Brightbill will be honored with special tribute displays. Two of the most respected names in motorsports history, both legends will be available to meet fans throughout the event.

Friday night excitement peaks with the Aqua Duck Water Transport–sponsored Ms. Motorsports Competition at 8:00 PM, awarding $2,500 to the winner. Applications are available now through the official show website.

Saturday afternoon puts the spotlight on the next generation of motorsports fans with the Little Miss Motorsports Competition and the RAACE Foundation Big Wheel Races, two beloved traditions that highlight the family-friendly side show.

Exhibitors looking to align their brands one of the Northeast’s premier motorsports events are encouraged to act quickly. For exhibit space, visit motorsportstradeshow.com or email [email protected] or call Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 before space sells out.

Special host hotel rates are available at the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn of Valley Forge/Oaks, both located directly on the Expo Center property. Following Friday’s show, the official Motorsports After Party will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn bar and banquet room, bringing together racers, fans, exhibitors, and industry leaders.

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Rockingham Speedway, which opened in 1965 as North Carolina Motor Speedway, has been purchased by the International Hot Rod Association.

The IHRA, based in Fairfield, Ohio, announced the purchase of Rockingham Speedway on New Year’s Eve 2025, just a day after it said it had acquired Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas. The announcement also came less than two months after the NHRA announced it would conduct a 2026 event at Rockingham Dragway, which is located across the street from the 1.017-mile oval that was a long-time home for NASCAR events.

In Wednesday’s announcement, the IHRA said its purchase of Rockingham Speedway reflected its “commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”

“This is a special place with a strong foundation,” IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell said in a prepared statement. “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.”

Planned improvements include facility upgrades, expanded fan amenities, and the addition of entertainment elements such as concerts and festival-style experiences in addition to races.

eartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) and Craftsman Truck series returned to Rockingham Speedway last year. They are scheduled to race this year at the facility April 3-4. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has an open test scheduled at the track January 27-28.

In Wednesday’s release, IHRA leadership said conversations were underway with respected industry operators, including Bob Sargent and Track Enterprises which oversaw last year’s NASCAR weekend when the track was owned by Dan Lovenheim. Slightly more than a month after the sold-out 2025 NASCAR weekend, Lovenheim, who acquired the 250-acre property in August 2018, announced it was for sale.

Rockingham Speedway and Heartland Motorsports Park weren’t the only acquisitions the IHRA made in December 2025. Two days before Christmas, the IHRA announced it had acquired the facility in Millington, Tennessee, formerly known as Memphis International Raceway and Memphis Motorsports Park. In mid-December, the IHRA obtained Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.

In addition to track purchases, in the last two months of 2025, the IHRA acquired F1 Powerboat Racing and the World Drag Racing Alliance, created an alliance with the Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pulling Association and the Hot Shot’s Secret Pro Pulling League, and launched a new stock car racing series that will conduct events at tracks in the Southeast and Midwest. The eight-race IHRA Stock Car Series schedule begins March 21 at Pulaski (Virginia) Motorsports Park and ends October 17 at Memphis Motorsports Park.

A North Carolina native, Deb Williams is an award-winning motorsports journalist who is in her fourth decade covering auto racing. In addition to covering the sport for United Press International, she has written motorsports articles for several newspapers, magazines and websites including espnW.com, USA Today, and The Charlotte Observer. Her awards include the American Motorsports Media Award of Excellence, two-time National Motorsports Press Association writer of the year, and two-time recipient of the Russ Catlin award. She also has won an award in the North Carolina Press Association’s sports feature category.  During her career, Deb has been managing editor of GT Motorsports magazine and was with Winston Cup Scene and NASCAR Winston Cup Scene for 18 years, serving as the publication’s editor for 10 years. In 2024 she was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame. 

FAIRFIELD, Ohio — The International Hot Rod Association has purchased NASCAR national series track Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina.

The IHRA announced the purchase Wednesday. The Rockingham Properties group owned the track for seven years and brought NASCAR national series racing back in April 2024. Capitalizing on the momentum from the success of the weekend, the group put the track up for sale in May 2024 – leading to the IHRA sale.

“IHRA recognizes what Rockingham Speedway means to this community and to motorsports fans around the world,” said Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA. “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.”

The IHRA stated this move “reflects its commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”

IHRA’s other purchase, Heartland Motorsports Park, opened in 1963. NHRA raced at the property’s drag strip and NASCAR, ARCA and TransAm racing at the road course. Ultimately, the track closed in 2023 and was proposed for redevelopment. However, IHRA is promising “revitalized drag racing operations” and renovations to bring more motorsports back to the property.

“Motorsports has to evolve to stay strong,” Cuttell said. “The future is about creating places where racing, music, entertainment, and community come together. Heartland has all the pieces to become one of the premier motorsports and entertainment destinations in the country.”

It’s unclear yet what racing series could come to Heartland Motorsports Park. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series raced there from 1995 to 1999 while the ARCA Menards Series raced there in 1991 and 1992.

Rockingham Speedway will host its first NASCAR race weekend under IHRA ownership in April 2026 with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series East. Sammy Smith, Tyler Ankrum and Brent Crews won there in those series in 2025.

Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.

A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.

Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.

Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com

Era Motorsport finalized its driver lineup for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, headlined by former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant. 

The team also confirmed Ferdinand Habsburg, a champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Asian Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series, along with tech pioneer Naveen Rao. The trio, along with a yet-to-be-named FIA silver-rated driver, will share the No. 18 Oreca 07 LMP2 for the upcoming endurance classic. 

This will mark Sargeant’s debut in the Rolex 24, with his only previous experience in IMSA coming in the final two rounds last year with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. 

“I’m super excited to be tackling my first-ever Daytona 24 with Era to kick off 2026,” said Sargeant, a native Floridian. “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to be part of, with how close it is to home. It’ll be great to get acquainted with my teammates at the ROAR and push hard to come away with a Rolex at the end of the race.”

In addition to championship-winning experience in various series, Habsburg comes in also having an LMP2 class win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He, along with Rao, are set for contest the full slate of endurance rounds. 

“There is something truly special about starting the season in Daytona,” said Habsburg. “This will be my fifth time racing at the Rolex 24 and my first full IMSA Endurance season.

“I am really looking forward to working with Era Motorsport. They showed in 2024 that they know how to win this race, and I will give everything I have to make it happen again this year. I came close to grabbing that Rolex in 2022, and this could finally be the year I get it. I am also excited to race at iconic tracks like Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.”

Rao, who made his name as a pioneer of artificial intelligence in the tech world, has also built a solid reputation as a racer having previously claimed an LMP3 title.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Era Motorsport for the 2026 IMSA season,” said Rao. “We’ve built a strong team and I’m confident in what we can do together. My focus now is on preparing as best as possible and seeing everything come together at Daytona.”

The 2026 season will mark the seventh year for Era Motorsport competing in IMSA’s LMP2 class. Over that time, they have scored two wins at Daytona and two championship podiums. And team owner Kyle Tilley is excited for the possibilities of this roster adding to that success. 

“I have no doubt in my mind that this year is going to be a great one,” said Tilley. “Even though it’s a big switch-up from our 2025 season, everyone has been wonderful to work with and has already proven themselves capable behind the wheel.

“The LMP2 class is the most competitive it’s ever been, so we know it’s going to be tough. But just like every other year, we’re here to win, and we’ll do everything it takes to make that happen.”

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– The Motorsport.com Team

Era Motorsport has revealed its new livery and formally confirmed most of its Rolex 24 At Daytona driver line-up, featuring Formula 1 alumni Logan Sargeant, and multi-time LMP2 racing champion Ferdinand Habsburg.

Together with Bronze driver Naveen Rao, they’ll drive the new-look No. 18 ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2 at Daytona, sporting a new purple and white livery.

It will be Sargeant’s first Rolex 24 start, after making his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut in September at the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – under the management of five-time IMSA champion Oliver Gavin.

“I’m super excited to be tackling my first-ever Daytona 24 with Era to kick off 2026,” said Sargeant. “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to be part of, with how close it is to home. It’ll be great to get acquainted with my teammates at the Roar (Before The 24) and push hard to come away with a Rolex at the end of the race.”

Rao, the 2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge champion, made his return to the WeatherTech series at Road America – his first start in the championship since 2021. This will be his first full-season IMSA LMP2 campaign, after two starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a full 2024-25 Asian Le Mans Series season.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Era Motorsport for the 2026 IMSA season,” said Rao. “We’ve built a strong team and I’m confident in what we can do together. My focus now is on preparing as best as possible and seeing everything come together at Daytona.”

Joining Rao for the Michelin Endurance Cup is Habsburg, who has won LMP2 titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship, European, and Asian Le Mans Series. In September, he gave the Alpine Endurance Team its first WEC Hypercar win at the 6 Hours of Fuji.

“There is something truly special about starting the season in Daytona,” Habsburg said. “This will be my fifth time racing at the Rolex 24 and my first full IMSA endurance season.

“I am really looking forward to working with Era Motorsport. They showed in 2024 that they know how to win this race, and I will give everything I have to make it happen again this year. I came close to grabbing that Rolex in 2022, and this could finally be the year I get it. I am also excited to race at iconic tracks like Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.”

Era Motorsport will reveal its fourth driver for Daytona, and third driver for the remaining IMSA Endurance Cup races, at a later date. The provisional entry list for the Rolex 24 that was released by IMSA in December listed Indy NXT driver James Roe as the designated Silver driver alongside Rao, Habsburg, and Sargeant.

“I have no doubt in my mind that this year is going to be a great one,” said team owner Kyle Tilley. “Even though it’s a big switch-up from our 2025 season, everyone has been wonderful to work with and has already proven themselves capable behind the wheel.

“The LMP2 class is the most competitive it’s ever been, so we know it’s going to be tough. But just like every other year, we’re here to win, and we’ll do everything it takes to make that happen.”