VICENZA, Italy (BRAIN) — Former Crankbrothers CEO Gaspare Licata leads a group of private investors that acquired a majority interest in Extreme Racing Shox (EXT), a manufacturer of bike and motorsports suspension systems.

Licata, Crankbrothers CEO for 10 ½ years, left the brand last month and has been working in the bike industry since 2009. The death of EXT founder and technical director Franco Fratton in April convinced former owner Katia Persico that a new investment and experienced leadership team was needed. As a longtime friend of Fratton and Persico, Licata stepped in.

“I’ve admired EXT’s factory, engineering culture, and the people behind it for years,” Licata said. “This acquisition allows us to build on that foundation with the flexibility and focus that a privately led structure enables. The company has untapped potential in both the bicycle and motorsports categories, and I’m committed to honoring its heritage while pushing it to fulfil that potential.”

The investment will consolidate the partnership between existing shareholders and allow EXT to build on its engineering and legacy, according to EXT in announcing the news.

Under the new ownership, EXT plans to invest in new technologies, strengthen its global dealer and distributor relationships, and enhance supply chain capabilities. EXT will continue to serve as an R&D partner to leading motorsports racing teams and bring suspension solutions to market segments, including mountain bike, motocross, and e-moto.

“After Franco’s passing, it became clear the company needed partners who understood both our values and the technical depth of the brand,” Persico said. “While larger companies expressed interest, what mattered most to me was preserving EXT’s technical excellence and relationship-driven approach. Gaspare and his team share that philosophy, which is why this partnership made sense.”

When your dad spends three decades as a high-ranking executive in motorsports, and you then end up working your way into NASCAR’s premier series, claims of nepotism are bound to follow you around.

This has long been the case for Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, who, after winning the 2020 Xfinity Series and finishing second a year later, went full-time in the Cup Series with Roger Penske’s storied team.

Austin’s father, Tim, worked with what is now Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, an IndyCar staple, before taking over as Penske’s Team President in 2006.

Of course, this prompted some to suggest that Austin’s move to Penske in 2017, initially on a part-time basis, was influenced by Tim — something the now three-time Cup Series race-winner vehemently denied in a recently resurfaced interview with Frontstretch in 2019.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword. This is such a family sport. You’ve got the Elliotts, Blaneys, Earnhardts, all the Pettys, these are all people—even someone with a pretty similar situation to myself is Cole Custer. It’s a family sport, that’s where the passion is grown,” he admitted.

Subscribe to our NASCAR newsletter here.

“I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in the same house who finds the best drivers in the world to drive the best cars in the world. I’ve been able to learn from those drivers, from those experiences and from being around that my entire life, what I need to do to put myself in the best position, whether that be a Team Penske car or a Sports Car somewhere. That doesn’t come easily. The door isn’t opened for you.”

In fact, Austin, who recently made his Supercars Championship debut in Australia, insisted that Tim made a conscious effort not to get overly involved in his son’s career, doing his utmost “to stay as far away from my program as possible.”

“From the aspect that I’m his kid, but I’m here to do a job and be representative of all our sponsors,” Austin added. “I don’t take that lightly, I don’t think he does either. I can’t say that from a competition side we’ve interacted that much.

“I’ve got a great support system with guys like Travis Giesler and Mike Nelson on the NASCAR side. He’ll give me his two cents if I’ve done something wrong or whatever, but that relationship has been a fun dynamic.”

Any suggestions that Austin’s presence at Penske as of 2025 remain because of Tim are no longer valid, given that the elder Cindric was let go by the company in May, together with IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer and IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski. This came after two of their IndyCar entries, those of Josef Newgarden and Will Power, “were found in violation of IndyCar rules” at the Indianapolis 500, as per the series.

“Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,” Penske said in a statement. “We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.”

Now a free agent, Tim told Racer in November that he has used his firing as an opportunity to “catch up on life.”

“I’ve had some interesting inquiries within and outside of motorsport, but I haven’t committed anything yet to speak of. It’s just the way it is,” he said. “There’s certainly more to life than motorsport. I’m finding out that’s all I’ve done all my life. But I’m open minded to interesting inquiries within and outside of motorsport.”

U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Michigan, will host a NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event in 2026, with the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals set to open the 2026 Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

The event will take place September 18-20 at the facility, serving as the 15th of 20 races during NHRA’s special 75th anniversary season and the first of six playoff races.

The Great Lakes Nationals marks the first NHRA national event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, giving NHRA four new national event facilities during the 2026 campaign that includes national event tracks in 19 markets.

U.S. 131 Motorsports Park will also host an NHRA national open on July 8-9, leading into a NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional event on July 10-12.

For more information, visit nhra.com.

Amazon Prime Video will serve as the primary sponsor of Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet for three NASCAR Cup Series events in 2026, continuing its growing presence in the sport. The partnership extends Prime Video’s involvement with Hendrick Motorsports following its debut on Elliott’s car in 2025.

The sponsorship will feature a refreshed black-and-blue paint scheme, accented with streaks of red and yellow, making its first appearance at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26. Elliott will also carry the Prime Video colors at Texas Motor Speedway on May 3 and in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on May 17.

Elliott enters the 2026 season with momentum after a strong 2025 campaign that included two victories and a top-10 finish in the championship standings. Over his career, the Georgia native has amassed 21 wins, 115 top-five finishes, and 190 top-10s across 358 starts.

Prime Video’s sponsorship aligns with its broader NASCAR strategy with the streaming platform began a seven-year broadcast deal in 2025, airing five Cup Series races annually. In 2026, its broadcast slate includes marquee events such as the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and the San Diego street race at Naval Base Coronado.

Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) is entering a new chapter guided by the vision of owner Kristi Copham, whose commitment to long-term facility growth has been central to the raceway’s evolution since the Copham family purchased the track in 2006.

BIR has announced a strengthened leadership team and a refreshed brand identity, two foundational steps in positioning the facility for its next decade of growth.

Copham’s approach has remained consistent: build on the loyalty and strength of BIR’s long-standing team while bringing in new talent capable of elevating programming, improving operations, and expanding BIR’s reach across multiple motorsports disciplines. Many of BIR’s staff members have been with the raceway for years — some for decades — forming the core group often described internally as “the BIR family.” The recent additions reflect her belief that BIR’s future rests on pairing this deeply rooted foundation with strategic new expertise.

Sara Walker has been promoted into an expanded general manager role, advancing from her position as director of business development. Walker joined BIR one year ago after 17 seasons with the NHRA, beginning in 2007, the year after the Copham family assumed ownership. Her long-standing working relationship with Kristi is rooted in years of shared commitment to strengthening grassroots motorsports and supporting the Sportsman-racing community.

Walker’s experience with NHRA gives her a deep understanding of how grassroots and Sportsman programs are built, sustained, and evolved, knowledge she pairs with a personal background shaped by her family’s involvement in Outlaw Pro Mod racing. That combination gives her a unique perspective on the families BIR serves and the culture that drives the facility forward. She has often said BIR has always felt like home, and this expanded role reflects her alignment with the raceway’s long-term direction.

Michael Morgan has joined BIR as road course & drifting manager, bringing a blend of operational experience and genuine passion for motorsports. Morgan most recently served as operations manager at US Air Motorsports Raceway, where he led drifting, autocross, and road-course programming with a strong emphasis on safety, communication, and participant experience.

His background as a lifelong driver and enthusiast gives him a grounded understanding of what modern road-course and drifting communities are seeking. Morgan’s role at BIR is designed to strengthen these disciplines, complementing Phil Abramson’s leadership on the dragstrip and aligning with the facility’s long-term vision to develop balanced, high-quality programming across all motorsports. As a St. Cloud native, he brings both regional connection and a commitment to the culture that drives BIR forward.

Glenn Van Zee has been promoted to facility & grounds manager, building on his long-standing commitment to BIR’s operations and community. His background combines hands-on facility management with practical motorsports experience, shaped in part by years of managing guest services, property maintenance, and day-to-day operations within the hospitality and powersports industries. That range gives him the steady operational perspective needed as BIR continues modernizing its infrastructure.

A lifelong racer, Van Zee has competed across multiple disciplines and has been immersed in motorsports since childhood, making him deeply connected to the culture that defines the BIR racing family. In this role, he will oversee the care and development of the raceway’s 580-acre facility, strengthening BIR’s ability to maintain and elevate its operations as the venue moves into its next phase of growth.

To complement its leadership growth, BIR is launching a refreshed visual identity that reflects both the facility’s heritage and its trajectory.

BIR has officially retired the long-used stoplight logo. In its place, the raceway is reintroducing a modernized version of its retro “B” logo, a mark rooted in the early 1970s and inspired by the outline of the original Donnybrooke road course. The updated design unifies the raceway’s visual presence across digital platforms, signage, apparel, and upcoming campaigns, bridging BIR’s past with a clear, modern direction for the future.

The brand refresh represents Kristi’s long-held vision to modernize BIR while preserving its soul. It is a continuation of her stewardship: honoring what racers and fans love about the facility and investing responsibly in the improvements needed to support the next generation.

The leadership updates and brand modernization mark the first phase of BIR’s broader long-term strategy led by Copham. Future announcements will detail the rollout of BIR’s new multi-agency marketing structure, expanded drifting initiatives, and program development designed to grow participation across all ages and skill levels.

Brainerd International Raceway moves into the upcoming season with a strengthened team, a unified identity, and a clear vision, anchored by the same family-driven values that have defined the raceway for nearly two decades.
 

On paper, NASCAR’s recent antitrust settlement with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports appears to be a significant win for the owners. After more than a year of legal battles, the deal finally delivered exactly what teams wanted: long-term security.

However, the new “evergreen” charters might have done more than stabilize the business. They may have quietly built a wall around the Cup Series that no one else can climb.

How Did the Settlement Change NASCAR’s Economics?

When charters arrived in 2016, they provided teams with guaranteed race entry and a share of the TV money. NASCAR initially handed them out for free, and they were never supposed to be permanent franchises. Instead, they existed only as long as NASCAR said so, leaving teams stuck with short-term contracts and long-term worry.

That uncertainty fueled the lawsuit, with 23XI and Front Row Motorsports fighting against the system’s lack of permanence and the heavy-handed leverage held by the sanctioning body.

The concept of permanent charters dominated the trial discussions. NASCAR executives admitted that making charters permanent would bring stability, but they also warned that it would skyrocket their value. That prediction is already coming true. Early estimates suggest that valuations could exceed $50 million, with some projections reaching even higher.

The price history tells the whole story. Less than a decade ago, you could pick up a charter for barely more than $1 million. By 2019, that price tag climbed past $5 million. Then things got crazy. Recent seasons have seen deals reach $28 million, $40 million, and, most recently, around $45 million. If permanence doubles those numbers as expected, even mid-tier charters could soon approach $100 million.

For the big teams, this is a jackpot. Powerhouse organizations with multiple charters now hold assets worth hundreds of millions, transforming race teams into serious investment vehicles. From a business perspective, the sport finally gave its most committed owners absolute security.

MORE: Why NASCAR’s Take-It-Or-Leave-It Gamble Collapsed Against Michael Jordan

But that win creates a serious problem. As prices explode, the door to the Cup Series slams shut for almost everyone else. Entering the sport isn’t just hard anymore; it’s nearly impossible. New owners or top-tier Xfinity squads face a financial barrier that makes moving up a pipe dream.

Even well-funded groups with great cars might stay on the sidelines simply because the upfront cash is too high. While the lower series still lets new blood rise through the ranks, the Cup Series is looking more and more like a closed club.

Ultimately, the evergreen charter fixed one issue but triggered another. Now, NASCAR must answer a tricky question: Can they maintain stability in the sport without excluding everyone else?