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Jeff Gordon Unveils Bold Strategies to Attract Female NASCAR Fans and Redefine Racing’s Future

Jeff Gordon, currently serving as vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, has launched a series of innovative plans aimed at significantly increasing NASCAR’s appeal to women. With these Jeff Gordon strategies to attract female NASCAR fans, the sport could soon see a fresher and more inclusive community, setting the stage for new generations of spectators and […]

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Jeff Gordon, currently serving as vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, has launched a series of innovative plans aimed at significantly increasing NASCAR’s appeal to women. With these Jeff Gordon strategies to attract female NASCAR fans, the sport could soon see a fresher and more inclusive community, setting the stage for new generations of spectators and racers.

Innovative Sponsorships Targeting New Demographics

Leading the charge for change, Jeff Gordon is advocating for partnerships with non-alcoholic beverage companies to expand the sport’s reach. By aligning with trending brands and boosting their presence in retail spaces, Gordon is not only aiming to capture the interest of young male fans but is deliberately focusing on drawing more women into the excitement of NASCAR races. This diversification strategy demonstrates how changing sponsorship can help foster a welcoming atmosphere for all audience segments.

Increasing Visibility Through Charismatic New Drivers

Gordon underlines the power of visibility and relatability in connecting with potential fans. While NASCAR already features women throughout its organization, from marketing to engineering to pit crews, Gordon believes that the faces of the sport need to reflect its future. He maintains that putting “young, interesting, and good-looking” drivers at the heart of racing can greatly aid engagement, a model observed in other global motorsport series.

Jeff GordonJeff Gordon
Image of: Jeff Gordon

Enhancing Driver Recognition Inspired by International Models

Taking cues from Formula 1’s widespread popularity, Gordon stresses the importance of making NASCAR drivers recognizable beyond the race track. He points to the progress made by the series’ Netflix documentary, “NASCAR: Full Speed,” yet acknowledges that more work is needed to introduce these athletes to wider audiences, similar to the impact of F1’s documentary series, “Drive to Survive.” This approach, he argues, can help create personal connections between viewers and racing stars, ultimately bringing new supporters into the fold.

Understanding the Shift Toward a New Generation of Stars

The landscape of NASCAR is evolving, marked by the retirement of legendary drivers and the rise of emerging talents. Gordon emphasizes the need for patience as the sport nurtures its next generation of stars, signaling confidence that a new era of icons will capture the imagination of audiences worldwide and continue the legacy of NASCAR excellence.

Emphasizing the Live Event Experience

Despite the rise of digital media, Gordon champions the irreplaceable thrill of attending a live NASCAR event. He insists on the undeniable impact of the “atmosphere and energy” present only on race day, maintaining that firsthand experiences at the track are crucial for turning casual spectators into dedicated fans, thereby increasing viewership and international interest.

NASCAR’s Vision for the Future

With international ambitions and a renewed focus on inclusion, Jeff Gordon’s proposals set out to not only revolutionize NASCAR’s demographic landscape but also secure its reputation as a leading force in motorsport entertainment. As the series embraces these new strategies, the industry watches closely to see how NASCAR’s relationship with its audience—especially women—may fundamentally transform.



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Hendrick Motorsports Taps 20-Year-Old Rookie for Big Xfinity Debut at Dover

Jake Finch has never raced in the Xfinity Series before, but he’s about to get behind the wheel of one of NASCAR’s hottest cars. The 20-year-old ARCA driver will pilot Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway, stepping into a ride that has already won twice in 2025 with prominent Cup Series drivers. […]

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Jake Finch has never raced in the Xfinity Series before, but he’s about to get behind the wheel of one of NASCAR’s hottest cars. The 20-year-old ARCA driver will pilot Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway, stepping into a ride that has already won twice in 2025 with prominent Cup Series drivers.

Can Jake Finch Handle the Pressure of the No. 17 Car?

Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has ramped up its Xfinity Series activity in 2025. The No. 17 car made only 10 starts in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2024, but 19 races into this season, that number has already climbed to 11. Another race start is scheduled for the upcoming Dover International Speedway race.

After all the team’s Cup drivers have already piloted the No. 17 car this season, Mr. H has handed the keys to a debutant this time. The car has been a beast on the track so far, with Kyle Larson, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, and Corey Day running it. Out of the 11 races, the car has visited victory lane twice: First with Larson at Bristol Motor Speedway and then with Byron at Charlotte. Beyond those wins, the car finished seven times in the top five, with three runner-up finishes.

You can imagine the pressure that its newest pilot faces, especially when he’s never even set foot in the Xfinity Series before. Part-time ARCA Menards series driver Finch will be taking on the car at the “Monster Mile.” HMS even released a teaser video on X, with the caption: “Next up in the No. 17! @jamessfinch will drive the No. 17 @HendrickCarsChevy at the @MonsterMile.”

Why Did Hendrick Motorsports Choose Dover for Finch’s Debut?

Finch making an Xfinity start was already known in the NASCAR community, thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealing it earlier in his podcast. However, few would have guessed that HMS would put him at Dover. The Dover track is called the Monster Mile for a reason. The track’s high banking challenges the most seasoned veterans, let alone a rookie.

Despite the challenge, the 20-year-old has shown promise in the ARCA series. He has made 18 race starts so far. As Sports Illustrated reported, Finch has accumulated two wins, 11 top-five finishes, and 28 top-10s in his ARCA career. Additionally, he is currently running for Venturini Motorsports. He already has three starts to his name this season. His best finish was a seventh-place run at Talladega.

Finch has been good at Talladega, where he even won in 2024. But the reason why HMS picked Dover for Finch was that he won there in 2023. Clearly, Finch has the talent. However, the race won’t be easy. Xfinity Series regulars will be pushing extra hard as the regular season will soon come to a close. Those who haven’t already secured a win would be desperate to get a victory and a playoff spot.

Still, Finch has some of that No. 17 car’s form on his side. After all, he isn’t the only debutant to run the car this year. Before him, Day drove it for four races and had decent runs. His best was an 11th-place finish at Nashville.

There is a chance that Finch could pull off something extraordinary at Dover, too. Only time will tell how he fares in the race.





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‘Nothing wrong’ for Ty Gibbs in NASCAR Cup top-10 finish at Sonoma

SONOMA, Calif. — Ty Gibbs continued to shine on road courses with “nothing wrong” in a seventh-place finish Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE “Nothing wrong” was the ruling from NASCAR after drama unfolded on pit road between Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing team. While […]

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SONOMA, Calif. — Ty Gibbs continued to shine on road courses with “nothing wrong” in a seventh-place finish Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE

“Nothing wrong” was the ruling from NASCAR after drama unfolded on pit road between Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing team.

While coming into his pit box, Gibbs drove through Keselowski’s box where his crew prepared for a pit stop. Keselowski’s tire carrier, Telvin McClurkin, claimed Gibbs clipped his hand and twisted his wrist. After finishing the pit stop, McClurkin had a shoving match with Gibbs’ crew to express his displeasure.

RFK Racing posted video on social media showing the incident.

NASCAR ruled Gibbs did “nothing wrong,” according to the TNT broadcast, absolving of any penalties. In fact, NASCAR reportedly ruled Keselowski’s team should’ve given Gibbs more room to pull his car into his pit box.

All that to say, Gibbs and Keselowski had speed Sunday. While they didn’t have the pace to compete with Shane Van Gisbergen, both teams are headed in the right direction.

For Gibbs, he had another solid points day. He earned 32 points from finishing ninth in stage one and seventh in the race.

Still, leaving Sonoma at 60 points below the NASCAR Cup Series playoff cutline, a win may be what gets Gibbs into the playoffs. Luckily, the No. 54 team is improving as the season goes on.

Ty Gibbs Todd Gilliland Darlington 2025
Photo: Ethan Darling/TRE

In the 14 races before Michigan, Gibbs had only three top-15 finishes. In the six races since Michigan, Gibbs hasn’t finished outside of the top-15 and has picked up three top-10 finishes. Although he didn’t finish inside of the top-10 in Mexico City and EchoPark Speedway Atlanta, he led the second- and third-most laps in those races – leading 27 laps in Mexico City and 32 laps at EchoPark.

The next race for the NASCAR Cup Series is the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, Sunday, July 20, at Dover Motor Speedway. In 2024, Gibbs finished 10th while teammate Denny Hamlin took home the checkered flag.

Gibbs is within striking distance of the playoff cutline but may need his teammate’s fortune to stave off another new winner knocking him down in points.

  • Tyler Reddick: 615 points (+149 points to the cutline)
  • Chris Buescher: 500 (+34)
  • Alex Bowman: 498 (+32)
  • Bubba Wallace: 469 (+3)
  • Ryan Preece: 466 (-3)
  • Kyle Busch: 432 (-37)
  • A.J. Allmendinger: 419 (-50)
  • Ty Gibbs: 409 (-60)
  • Erik Jones: 401 (-68)
  • Michael McDowell: 399 (-70)



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NASCAR teams 23XI and Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s […]

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23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.



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23XI, Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters

The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model […]

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The two race teams suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Monday to be recognized as chartered organizations for the remainder of 2025.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are locked in a lengthy legal battle over the charter system, which is the equivalent of the franchise model in other sports. 23XI, owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, last September rejected NASCAR’s final proposal on extensions and instead filed an antitrust suit.

The case is winding its way through the court system but now with urgency: the teams were set to lose their charters Wednesday and in the latest filing, they allege NASCAR has indicated it will immediately begin the process of selling the six tags that guarantee entry into every race as well as monetary rewards and other benefits.

After the filing NASCAR was ordered to respond by 5 p.m. Wednesday — which means there would be no ruling on if the charters will be revoked likely until Thursday, at the earliest.

“Today we filed a motion in the district court for a renewed preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to protect the teams’ ability to race chartered for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season and prevent irreparable business harm to 23XI and Front Row Motorsports until we can present our case at trial in December,” said Jeffery Kessler, attorney for the teams.

“New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary. The teams’ love of stock car racing and belief in a better future for the sport for all parties – teams, drivers, employees, sponsors, and fans – continues to motivate their efforts to pursue this antitrust case.”

There were large portions of the filing redacted because the arguments are based on information learned through discovery, making it confidential, for now. But, the urgency is likely tied to NASCAR indicating it plans to immediately begin selling the charters if they are revoked.

Should the teams have their six combined charters revoked, the drivers would have to qualify on speed to make each week’s race and would receive a smaller percentage of the purse. They may also have to refund money paid out through the first 20 races of the year.

NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of filing “a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction” and noted it has made multiple requests to the teams “to present a proposal to resolve this litigation.”

“We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere.

“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”

Also on Monday, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a short virtual hearing in a North Carolina court over their fight for a charter.

Legacy, owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, contends it had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its two charters in 2026. RWR contends the agreement was for 2027 and it already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a charter next season.

Legacy on Monday asked for and was granted the right to depose RWR over the recent revelation that T.J. Puchyr, one of the founders of Spire Motorsports, plans to purchase the race team. Legacy contends if Ware is selling the team, then one of the charters should be transferred to its organization.

Legacy also argued that Ware did not disclose he was entering into a sales agreement with a third party — Puchyr, who is now a consultant and brokered the initial lease deal between RWR and Legacy — in an April hearing. The judge in that case warned that RWR could be in contempt of court if it misrepresented its intentions in the first hearing.



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Santangelo stays hot with Stock victory at South Georgia Motorsports Park

The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at South Georgia Motorsports Park: COMPETITION ELIMINATORGlen Treadwell, Eustis, Fla., ’23 23T, M/AA, 19.869, no speed  def. James Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., ’23 T, G/EA, broke.  SUPER STOCKKevin Helms, Plant City, Fla., ’95 Achieva, SS/BM, 9.001, 145.16  def. Don Barber, […]

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The following are final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at South Georgia Motorsports Park:

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Glen Treadwell, Eustis, Fla., ’23 23T, M/AA, 19.869, no speed  def. James Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., ’23 T, G/EA, broke. 

SUPER STOCK
Kevin Helms, Plant City, Fla., ’95 Achieva, SS/BM, 9.001, 145.16  def. Don Barber, Hohenwald, Tenn., ’96 Avenger, FGT/E, 9.160, 150.83. 

STOCK ELIMINATOR
Joe Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., ’69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.445, 118.26  def. Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., ’23 Copo, FS/C, 9.522, 136.46. 

SUPER COMP
Chris Childress, Spartanburg, S.C., ’00 Horton, 8.911, 176.77  def. Ashley Childress, Spartanburg, S.C., ’04 Racetech, foul. 

SUPER GAS
Jim Perry, Niota, Tenn., ’00 S-10, 9.934, 167.20  def. Keith Mayers, Ellendale, Del., ’88 Spider, 9.929, 151.29. 

SUPER STREET
Keith Mayers,  ’92 968, 10.874, 146.54  def. Michael Ruff, Orlando, Fla., ’92 Camaro, 10.862, 134.11. 

TOP SPORTSMAN
Thomas Schmidt, Lakeland, Fla., ’10 GXP, 7.018, 198.38  def. Jeremy Hancock, Commerce, Ga., ’63 Corvette, 7.575, 179.73. 

TOP DRAGSTER
Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., ’14 American, 6.342, 205.47  def. Robert Houston, Newland, N.C., ’23 Race Tech, 7.156, 183.44. 

FIRDAY

The following are Friday’s final qualifying results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Southeast Division event at South Georgia Motorsports Park:

COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
1) Glen Treadwell, Eustis, Fla., ’23 23T, M/AA, 7.832 seconds, -0.548 (under index)
2) David Eaton, Merritt Island, Fla., ’32 Bantam, A/AA, 7.761, 0.611
3) James Hill, Fayetteville, Ga., ’23 T, G/EA, (no time)

SUPER STOCK
1) Mark Alvey, Chesterfield, Va., ’04 Sunfire, GT/GA, 9.423 seconds, -0.977 (under index)
2) John Fogle, Norway, S.C., ’05 Cavalier, GT/HA, 9.562, -0.938
3) Don Barber, Hohenwald, Tenn., ’96 Avenger, FGT/E, 9.091, -0.909
4) Russell Ghent, Mooresville, N.C., ’94 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.095, -0.905
5) Dan Starko, Nashville, Tenn., ’16 Copo, FSS/C, 8.766, -0.884
6) Marion Stephenson, Williamsport, Ind., ’06 Cobalt, GT/FA, 9.382, -0.868
7) Frank Beasley, Taylorsville, N.C., ’08 Cobalt, GT/JA, 9.935, -0.865
8) James Schaechter, Cumming, Ga., ’03 Cavalier, GT/H, 9.493, -0.857
9) Jarrod Granier, Labadieville, La., ’66 Nova, SS/F, 9.524, -0.826
10) Mike Crutchfield, Montgomery, Ala., ’08 G5, SS/DM, 8.956, -0.794

STOCK ELIMINATOR
1) James Marshall, Indian Land, S.C., ’79 Malibu Wagon, G/SA, 10.955 seconds, -1.045 (under index)
2) Thomas Mace, Jacksonville, Fla., ’90 Corvette, G/SA, 10.981, -1.019
3) Anthony Hughes, Mcdonough, Ga., ’66 Nova, K/SA, 11.747, -0.903
4) Mike Trumble, Pasadena, Texas, ’71 Chevelle, D/SA, 10.671, -0.879
5) Joel Warren, Clinton, N.C., ’94 Formula, H/SA, 11.294, -0.856
6) Orion Riley, Longwood, Fla., ’74 Nova, I/SA, 11.454, -0.846
7) Blake Hickman, Laurinburg, N.C., ’83 Camaro, J/SA, 11.633, -0.817
8) Joseph Santangelo, Marlborough, Conn., ’69 Camaro, B/SA, 10.439, -0.811
9) Timothy Fletcher, Selma, N.C., ’69 Camaro, F/SA, 11.065, -0.785
10) Darrell Bargeron, Jesup, Ga., ’72 Duster, E/SA, 10.922, -0.778

TOP SPORTSMAN
1) Douglas Crumlich, Douglasville, Ga., ’63 Corvette, 6.610 seconds, 211.00 mph
2) Paul (jackie) Robison, Greer, S.C., ’66 Nova, 6.714, 208.84
3) Thomas Schmidt, Lakeland, Fla., ’10 GXP, 6.964, 199.46
4) Jeff Windholz, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., ’63 Corvette, 7.208, 197.91
5) James Hinkle, Danville, Ky., ’05 Grand Am, 7.273, 189.90
6) John Gifford, Naples, Fla., ’10 Cobalt, 7.395, 185.82
7) Frank Altilio, Longwood, Fla., ’02 S 10, 7.404, 184.02
8) Bruce Thaxton, Butler, Ga., ’03 Mustang, 7.457, 185.56
9) Jeremy Hancock, Commerce, Ga., ’63 Corvette, 8.012, 180.31
10) Daniel (danny) Leibham, Tomball, Texas, ’01 Camaro, 12.400, 69.51

TOP DRAGSTER
1) Robert May, Kinsey, Ala., ’24 Nelson Racecra, 6.128 seconds, 225.97 mph
2) Wayne Brooks, Monroe, Ga., ’19 Worthy, 6.168, 226.77
3) Casey Spradlin, Ranburne, Ala., ’14 Miller, 6.214, 228.15
4) Jeff Strickland, Red Bay, Ala., ’14 American, 6.253, 223.69
5) Darryl Childress, Spartanburg, S.C., ’25 Maddox, 6.615, 200.47
6) Tisha Wilson, Salisbury, N.C., ’25 Racetech, 6.704, 200.74
7) Alexis Whitaker, Telford, Tenn., ’21 Mike BOS, 6.808, 196.02
8) Chad Taylor, Laurens, S.C., ’19 Maddox, 6.846, 195.76
9) Jeremy Hancock, Commerce, Ga., ’19 M&M, 6.948, 196.02
10) Kelsea Hinkle, Danville, Ky., ’11 Miller, 6.983, 191.81



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From Denny Hamlin to Ryan Blaney, and where’s SVG?

Might as well lead off with who’s not here in our humble Top 10. It’s tough to win two straight races, and three of the past five, and stay on the outside looking in. But such is the disparity between Shane van Gisbergen on road courses and Shane van Gisbergen everywhere else. Given that one-sixth […]

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Might as well lead off with who’s not here in our humble Top 10.

It’s tough to win two straight races, and three of the past five, and stay on the outside looking in. But such is the disparity between Shane van Gisbergen on road courses and Shane van Gisbergen everywhere else.

Given that one-sixth of the Cup schedule is on road courses, should SVG get at least a cursory visit to that 10th slot on our board this week? If not now, for Pete’s sake, when? Fair question.

Here’s another fair question: Should Denny Hamlin still be on the far-north end of our top 10? He’s had two clunkers in the past three weeks, sandwiched around a rare quality finish on a road course, maybe because that road course was actually a street course.

But with the other three-time winners (Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell) bogged down a bit, who else would you put there? So it remains Denny, for now.

1. Denny Hamlin

Grip on our top spot is weakening, as is his grip on the 23XI charter, if NASCAR decides to play hardball.

2. Chase Elliott

Keeps piling up points and conserving room in the trophy case.

3. Kyle Larson

Played some pinball at Sonoma as his Summer of Shove continues.

4. Christopher Bell

A fifth at Sonoma slowed his recent mini-slump.

5. Chase Briscoe

Made SVG work on the late restarts at Sonoma and got a rare good road-course finish.

6. Chris Buescher

Wonders why he’s never found the White Cliffs of Dover.

7. William Byron

Not back on eight cylinders yet, but probably back to 7½.

8. Alex Bowman

A win and five top-5s in his last seven Dover starts.

9. Tyler Reddick

Made some hay at road courses the past two weeks, but right-hand turns at Dover aren’t recommended.

10. Ryan Blaney

Wine country delivered sour grapes. Raise your hand if you didn’t irritate Blaney at Sonoma.

Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com



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