Daytona International Speedway roared back to life as pre-season practice for the ARCA Menards Series kicked off, and Nitro Motorsports made an emphatic statement. The team fielded six cars on Friday, and all six topped the leaderboard during the first day of the two-day session.

Leading the charge was Gus Dean in the No. 25 Nitro Motorsports Toyota, returning to the track for the first time since his victory in last year’s season opener. Dean’s strong performance set the tone for the organization, which showcased speed and depth across its lineup. Gavan Boschele followed in second with the No. 90B entry, while Jake Finch placed third in the No. 15 Phoenix Toyota. Thomas Annunziata, Isabella Robusto, and Jake Bollman rounded out the top six, giving Nitro Motorsports a clean sweep of the fastest positions.

Garrett Mitchell, better known to millions of fans as YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland, broke up the Nitro dominance by placing seventh in the No. 30 Kennetix Ford. Andy Jankowiak was eighth in the No. 71 KLAS Motorsports Chevrolet.

Amber Balcaen overcame early adversity after an incident in Turn 3 left her with significant nose damage. Following evaluation and release from the Infield Care Center, Balcaen returned in a backup car and posted the ninth-fastest time. Taylor Reimer completed the top ten in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, marking three female drivers inside the top ten.

Further down the charts, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Giovanni Ruggiero and Max Reaves finished 13th and 14th, separated by just 0.012 seconds. Reaves will chase the ARCA Menards Series East title in 2026, while Ruggiero will compete in the Daytona season opener alongside his full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign.

CARS Tour standout Timothy “Mini” Tyrell made his first laps at Daytona, ending the day 20th in the No. 17 Cook Racing Technologies Chevrolet. Incidents also sidelined Bob Martin and Alex Clubb, though both plan to return for Saturday’s session after repairs.

In total, 79 drivers and 49 cars are registered for the pre-race practice, with 65 drivers logging laps on Friday. The second day of testing will set the stage for the highly anticipated season opener next month.

Tibbetts Lumber Company is partnering with Spire Motorsports for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

The family-owned and Florida-based business will adorn the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the February 13 event in Daytona Beach, Florida. 2021 DAYTONA 500 champion Michael McDowell will pilot the entry.

Wood you look at that.@TibbettsLumber will team up with @Mc_Driver in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Daytona!

?: https://t.co/Qd3MwxDt4J pic.twitter.com/Tf4xGtkmhI

— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) January 9, 2026

McDowell will be making his fifth career start in the NASCAR Truck Series, and with a trip to Victory Lane, would join an exclusive list of drivers who have won in each of NASCAR’s top-three divisions.

The Phoenix, Arizona-native competed in two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events last season — Daytona and Atlanta — and recorded a best finish of 12th-place.

“I have a great deal of respect for the Tibbetts Lumber team,” said McDowell, “They’ve helped me on my own property, and their team truly combines outstanding service with a high-quality product. It’s special to have them racing with us at Daytona, and earning a win in all three national series is something I’ve wanted to make happen for a long time. I think we’ll have a real opportunity to do that on Friday night in Daytona in our Tibbetts Lumber Chevy Silverado.”

Founded in 1949 by Linton N. Tibbetts, Tibbetts Lumber Company has grown into the largest independently-owned lumber and building materials supplier in Florida, while building its legacy as one of the largest roof and floor truss companies in the Southeast.

“Tibbetts Lumber Co. is thrilled to be the primary sponsor of the Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Michael McDowell,” said Russ Hallenbeck, CEO of Tibbetts Lumber Company. “Being that we are headquartered in Florida, Daytona International Speedway has become a very special place for us come springtime. We are honored to be teaming up with Spire Motorsports and Michael this February.”

This isn’t the first go-around for Tibbetts Lumber Company when it comes to sponsorship in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, either. Over the last two seasons, the company has backed Spencer Boyd and Freedom Racing Enterprises a total of five times, which resulted in a single top-five result at Daytona in 2024.

With nearly 640 starts across NASCAR’s National Series, McDowell is one of the most seasoned veterans in the sport, right now. The Phoenix, Arizona-native has been to Victory Lane twice at NASCAR’s top-level, and once in NASCAR’s second-level NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener will take place on Friday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Michael McDowell will run the season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway for Spire Motorsports, the team announced Jan. 9.

McDowell will pilot the No. 7 with sponsorship from Tibbetts Lumber Company.

“I have a great deal of respect for the Tibbetts Lumber team,” McDowell said in a team release. “They’ve helped me on my own property and their team truly combines outstanding service with a high-quality product. It’s special to have them racing with us at Daytona, and earning a win in all three national series is something I’ve wanted to make happen for a long time. I think we’ll have a real opportunity to do that on Friday night in Daytona in our Tibbetts Lumber Chevy Silverado.”

Spire Confirms Truck Return, Announces Promotions

McDowell also drove Daytona for Spire in 2025, steering the No. 07 to a 26th-place finish.

He’s the first driver announced to Spire’s Truck program for 2026. The team previously revealed it plans to field the Nos. 7 and 77 this year.

Executive Editor at Frontstretch

Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.

At his day job, he’s a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio — you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.

View the No. 1 Busch Light paint scheme for Trackhouse Racing

Ross Chastain drives the No. 1 car for Trackhouse Racing. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series paint scheme was leaked several weeks ago.

View the Ross Chastain Busch Light paint scheme below.

Now, the paint scheme has officially been released. Trackhouse Racing posted the following image to social media on Friday.

Ross Chastain
2026 Busch Light Paint Scheme

Ross Chastain will have a new crew chief in 2026

Links

Ross Chastain | NASCAR

With a new NASCAR season so close and sweeping changes already in motion, from horsepower adjustments to an updated playoff format, Hendrick Motorsports has moved to strengthen its foundation away from the racetrack as well. After publicly backing the new Chevrolet body unveiled in December, the organization has turned its focus inward, emphasizing the physical demands on its people as speed increases and the calendar tightens.

To that end, Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has partnered with Atrium Health, one of the largest hospital networks in the southern United States, to provide integrated medical, wellness, and sports performance services for more than 50 pit crew athletes. The collaboration will also extend care and resources to HMS employees based in the Charlotte area, a move that Jeff Gordon believes could play a significant role in the team’s long-term development.

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The partnership includes the construction of a 35,000-square-foot facility, the Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center, which is scheduled to open later this month. Sports facility design firm Forty Nine Degrees played a key role in designing the space. As part of the agreement, Atrium Health branding will be featured across HMS assets, including driver fire suits, team apparel, and track equipment.

Explaining why the collaboration struck the right chord, Gordon, vice chairman of HMS, emphasized that progress in the sport constantly circles back to people. He said, “We’re always looking at how can we make our race teams stronger and better, and it always falls back to people… I love that Atrium is interested in how our athletes train.”

Gordon noted that NASCAR places a unique strain on the body, unlike traditional stick-and-ball sports. “It is different than other sports. It’s a different discipline on your body. Performance, execution, and recovery after an event, you need the experts in those fields to be able to do that properly,” he added.

He further stressed that NASCAR’s grind leaves little room for error. The schedule offers no real pauses, margins remain extremely thin, and success depends as much on preparation as on what happens in the car or over the wall. By housing coaches, performance staff, and Atrium Health clinicians under one roof, the new center would allow training, recovery, and readiness to move in lockstep.

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The layout places athletes and team members at the center, reinforcing the belief that sustained performance is built on consistent, comprehensive care. From HMS’s perspective, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting its people the right way, every day.

Inside the new facility, HMS athletes will have access to state-of-the-art training equipment, modern locker rooms, a race-day operations center, nutrition and recovery spaces, film rooms, therapy and treatment areas, and dedicated sports research zones. The center also features a closed-loop pit stop practice circuit designed to accommodate two teams simultaneously, further enhancing preparation and efficiency.

In fact, support for the partnership arrived quickly from the HMS driver lineup as well. Kyle Larson publicly endorsed the move, resharing Gordon’s post that offered an early look at the facility, including the gym and swimming areas. Larson punctuated his approval with a short message: “Canceling my gym membership now .”

Atrium Health’s ties to NASCAR extend well beyond this agreement. The organization has supported the sport for years through efforts such as the NASCAR Day Giveathon and by providing sports medicine coverage at marquee events, including the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Team owner Rick Hendrick and his wife Linda have also maintained a long history of philanthropic involvement with the health system.

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HMS President Marshall Carlson serves on Atrium’s governing board executive committee, further strengthening the relationship. Atrium Health operates as part of Advocate Health, a nonprofit system ranked third-largest in the United States, serving nearly 6 million patients.

The post “It is Different Than Other Sports”: Jeff Gordon Explains How Hendrick Motorsports’ Partnership Is a Perfect Fit appeared first on The SportsRush.

Viking Motorsports (VMS) announced today two major partnerships that will anchor the team’s expansion to a two-car operation in the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. DUDE Wipes will continue its long-standing relationship with Anthony Alfredo on the No. 96 Chevrolet, while FUNKAWAY extends its partnership with Parker Retzlaff on the No. 99 Chevrolet.

Both partners will serve as the primary sponsors for their respective drivers to kick off the 2026 season at Daytona International Speedway for the United Rentals 300 on February 14, 2026.

DUDE Wipes, the flushable wipes brand that has become a staple in NASCAR, returns to support Alfredo for a seventh consecutive season. The partnership, which began in 2020, has evolved into one of the most recognizable driver-sponsor combinations in the garage. For the 2026 campaign, DUDE Wipes will serve as the primary partner on the No. 96 Chevrolet for over 10 races.

“We have built something truly special with Anthony over the last seven years, and it’s been incredible to watch him grow as a driver while our brand has grown alongside him,” said Ryan Meegan, Co-Founder and CMO of DUDE Wipes. “Viking Motorsports is building a serious program, and we are thrilled to be part of this next chapter with Anthony and the No. 96 team. We can’t wait to get down to Daytona and keep the momentum rolling.”

FUNKAWAY, the extreme odor eliminator brand, returns for its fifth year partnering with Parker Retzlaff. Since first joining forces with Retzlaff in 2022, FUNKAWAY has supported the young driver’s rise through the NASCAR ranks. FUNKAWAY will be featured on the No. 99 Chevrolet for multiple races throughout the 2026 season.

“Parker has been a fantastic ambassador for FUNKAWAY since day one, and it is exciting to see him take this next step with Viking Motorsports,” said Kyle Bolke, President of FUNKAWAY. “Our partnership has always been about performance and reliability—values that Parker demonstrates every time he gets behind the wheel. We are proud to be on the No. 99 car at Daytona to start our fifth season together.”

The announcement solidifies Viking Motorsports’ commercial foundation as it fields two full-time entries in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome DUDE Wipes and FUNKAWAY to the Viking Motorsports family,” said Jeremy Lange, General Manager of Viking Motorsports. “To have two partners with such deep roots in NASCAR and long-standing loyalty to Anthony and Parker speaks volumes about the character of our drivers and the potential of our program. We are honored to carry these brands on track and look forward to a successful season ahead.”

Viking Motorsports looks forward to sharing future partnership announcements in the coming weeks.

Viking Motorsports PR