Motorsports
Job Finished for McIntosh! 2025 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Review – Speedway Digest
Resilience was at the forefront of Cannon McIntosh’s ascension to the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in 2025.
One year after finishing as the runner-up in the series standings, the Bixby, Oklahoma native climbed to the top after leading the series with five victories, 14 top-fives and 19 top-tens at the wheel of his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/Mobil 1 – Toyota – Curb Records/LynK/Speedway Toyota No. 71K.
By a 44-point margin, McIntosh became the third Oklahoman to capture the USAC National Midget crown following Christopher Bell (2013) and Daison Pursley (2024), who McIntosh finished as a runner-up to in the standings one year ago.
Meanwhile, McIntosh also provided Keith Kunz Motorsports its record-extending 13th USAC National Midget entrant title. For Curb-Agajanian, their latest entrant title is their 11th.
Since returning to KKM in 2024, McIntosh has accumulated eight wins, 29 top-fives and 39 top-tens in a total of 46 feature starts, a consistent run that saw him win more often (5) than he finished outside the top-ten (4) throughout the 2025 campaign. Mission accomplished.
“(Crew chief) Beau (Binder) and I sat down and talked about our goals and what we needed to do to accomplish them,” McIntosh explained. “I just took it one race at a time and I felt like we struggled at the beginning and just learned from every race as we went on. We had our down moments but I feel like that’s when we came out and did our best, whether it was winning or just running up front the next time out.”
That seemed to be a reoccurring theme for the 22-year-old McIntosh. In May in Belleville, Kansas, McIntosh tangled with his championship nemesis, Justin Grant, while battling for second on the first of two nights on the short track. Restarting at the tail, he charged back from 22nd to finish fifth! One night later at Belleville, he bounced back to take the victory.
In July at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mishap relegated him to a 21st place finish on the opening night of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors. On the next night at IMS, misfortune seemingly continued after flipping wildly in his heat race. After repairs, he came back to win the semi-feature. Starting 19th in the feature, it seemed to be a long shot to win it, but don’t tell that to Cannon. After passing teammate Jacob Denney with two laps remaining, McIntosh had earned a $20,039 prize while becoming the first multi-time BC39 winner. The +18 run proved to be the biggest charge of the series season by any driver.
“We were really good at being resilient and overcoming bad nights,” McIntosh noted. “When I look back at the BC39, on the first night, we struggled, stalled the car and ended up in the back. When we came back the next night, I was scratching my head. I knew the car was capable, and then we went out and won it. That’s the moment I knew this team was capable of doing this.”
Prior to his BC39 triumph, McIntosh stood a distant 106 points out of the championship lead behind Justin Grant and Kale Drake. That just so happened to be when Cannon was at his best as he strung together seven consecutive podium finishes that resulted in another pair of victories during Mid-America Midget Week at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex and Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway, the latter of which was worth a cool $10,000.
In a mere five races, McIntosh had erased a 106-point deficit to reign at the top of the standings following his Jefferson County win. After initially pulling away to a 39-point edge, the first event of November’s Golden State Invasion at Placerville Speedway’s Hangtown 100 had shrunk McIntosh’s lead to three over Grant.
But when the walls began to close in on McIntosh, he responded. He won the next race out, this time at Merced Speedway’s Midget Madness, and subsequently, stretched out his lead over Grant, a lead he did not relinquish. In fact, the Merced win was monumental as it provided car owner Keith Kunz his 200th career USAC national victory across the three divisions (Midget, Sprint Car, Silver Crown).
“It was those bad moments that really helped us do what we had to do,” McIntosh acknowledged. “But we weren’t going down without a fight. We were down a lot of points but we just kind of forgot about that and decided to go out and start clicking off wins and podiums, and I think we went on a streak of seven podiums in a row. That got us right back in the fight. We were just not even thinking about it and just going out and racing.”
Behind every winning driver is a winning crew, and McIntosh is no exception.
“These guys worked really hard all year – Beau (Binder), Phil (Zubizareta) and Spencer (Rolenc) – that was our core group throughout the entire season,” McIntosh said. It took all these pieces to make it happen along with Pete Willoughby and Keith Kunz. it’s an honor to do this for them. These guys stayed confident in me and I stayed confident in them all the time. That’s what did it. Belief in ourselves and belief in the group that we have. I definitely couldn’t have done it without these guys.”
Elsewhere, Justin Grant led the points longer than any other driver on the circuit, topping the standings for 12 races throughout the first half of the season. He won three times, including April’s Kokomo Grand Prix at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway where he set a new record by winning across all three USAC national divisions quicker than any driver in series history. He won again in his next outing at Belleville, then scored the opening night of the BC39 at IMS en route to a runner-up points finish for the third time in his career, also doing so in 2022 and 2023. He also led all series drivers with three fast qualifying times.
Kevin Thomas Jr. equaled a career best finish in the USAC National Midget points by taking third in the standings a full decade after also finishing third in 2015. Despite no wins, he tied McIntosh for the series lead with 19 top-ten results, while garnering four second place finishes at Circle City, Bloomington and Eldora twice. He did accrue the most heat race victories of the season as well, amassing eight.
Jacob Denney continued his rise up the rankings with three wins and a career best fourth place finish in the standings. His first USAC start for the KKM team resulted in victory in the season opener at Kokomo after starting 17th! That erased a drought of 48 series starts without a win. Furthermore, he won twice during USAC Indiana Midget Week in June at Paragon and then continued his prowess at Kokomo with his second of the win there to close out IMW.
Kale Drake finished fifth in the standings, starting off the year by winning back-to-back in extremely superstitious fashion. On the way to Sweet Springs, he paid $22.22 for gas, then drew pill #22, then put on 22 tear-offs before the feature. For good measure, he led the final two laps of the feature to earn his second career series win. In fact, he won – you guessed it – two times overall this season, including at Circle City in June. His second place finish at Kokomo clinched him the $15,000 USAC Indiana Midget Week championship by – wait for it – a 22-point margin. You can’t make this stuff up.
Gavin Miller experienced a breakout year, winning three times in a four-race span during the late summer months. After 763 days and 56 races without a USAC victory, he returned to victory lane at Jefferson County, then did it again twice on Labor Day weekend by scoring at Bloomington, then grabbing the prestigious 40th Firemen’s Nationals at Wisconsin’s Angell Park Speedway worth $10,000.
Logan Seavey also posted a victory in November at Merced’s Chase Johnson Classic and led all drivers with 115 laps led. Drake Edwards became a first-time USAC National Midget winner during the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds. Fellow Arizonan Hayden Reinbold also became a first-time series victor in September at Eldora in what was his 101st career series start, which occurred on the very same night he also earned his first career fast qualifying time with the series.
Non-championship contenders, but midget racing masters, also dropped in on occasion to flex their muscles. Daison Pursley’s historic September night at Eldora saw him perform a USAC sweep of the 4-Crown Nationals by winning the Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget portions of the program in a single $45,000 night. He backed that up in the next series round at Placerville’s Hangtown 100 where late-race contact between him and Kyle Larson for the lead led to a deafening chorus of boo birds. Yet, it was another $20,000 payday for Pursley.
Buddy Kofoid won the $12,500-to-win Jason Leffler Memorial at the event’s new home of Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in November, utilizing essentially the same team and car number that Leffler used to win his first USAC National Midget title in 1997. At Ventura, Corey Day closed out the year by becoming the youngest back-to-back winner in the 84-year history of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented by the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame, which was worth $15,000.
Steven Snyder Jr. was named USAC National Midget MPI Rookie of the Year after finishing eighth in the standings with a pair of second place results at Kokomo and Placerville. Gunnar Setser, another impressive Rookie, finished 10th in the standings with a best result of fifth at Sweet Springs.
Also of note, Jerry Coons Jr. and his son, Cale Coons, each started both features at Belleville in May, making it one of the rare occasions a father has competed against his son in a USAC National Midget feature, joining Ted & Gene Hartley, Danny & George Kladis, Don & Rich Vogler, Bob & Bobby Wente, Bob & Terry Wente, Buddie & Trevor Boys, Jim & Ted Hines, Norm & Travis Young, Leon & Brady Bacon, Ryan & Randy Oerter, Ryan & Ashley Oerter and Joe & Clinton Boyles.
For the first time in series history, one team occupied the top four finishing positions of a feature event. In 2025, it happened twice for the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team, in April at Belleville and again in November at Merced.
In a statistical oddity in August at Bloomington, every race conducted during the program was won by a car sporting the number 97. Zach Wigal scored the first heat race win in Pat O’Dell’s No. 97x. The second race victory was captured by Kale Drake in the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97K. Gavin Miller, aboard his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97, finished off the preliminaries with a win in heat race three, then completed the night as the feature victor.
Nine drivers started all 23 feature events: Jacob Denney, Drake Edwards, Justin Grant, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Gunnar Setser, Steven Snyder Jr. and Kevin Thomas Jr. Overall, 107 drivers started a USAC National Midget feature in 2025.
2025 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK NATIONAL MIDGET STAT LEADERS
Driver Champion: Cannon McIntosh
Entrant Champion: Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K
Most Wins: Cannon McIntosh (5)
Rookie of the Year: Steven Snyder Jr. (8th)
Most Laps Led: 115-Logan Seavey
Most Top-Fives: 14-Cannon McIntosh
Most Top-Tens: 19-Cannon McIntosh & Kevin Thomas Jr.
Most Fast Qualifying Times: 3-Justin Grant
Most Heat Race Wins: 8-Kevin Thomas Jr.
Most Feature Starts: 23-Jacob Denney, Drake Edwards, Justin Grant, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Gunnar Setser, Steven Snyder Jr. & Kevin Thomas Jr.
Biggest Charge of the Year: Jul 2: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Cannon McIntosh (19th to 1st)
2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Apr 26: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN
WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)
Apr 27: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN
WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)
May 16: Belleville Short Track – Belleville, KS
WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)
May 17: Belleville Short Track – Belleville, KS
WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)
May 18: Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex – Sweet Springs, MO
WINNER: Kale Drake (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97K)
Jun 3: (I) Circle City Raceway – Indianapolis, IN
WINNER: Kale Drake (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97K)
Jun 4: (I) Paragon Speedway – Paragon, IN
WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)
Jun 8: (I) Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN
WINNER: Jacob Denney (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67)
Jul 1: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, IN
WINNER: Justin Grant (CB Industries #87)
Jul 2: The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, IN
WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)
Jul 8: (M) Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex – Sweet Springs, MO
WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)
Jul 9: (M) Mitchell County Fairgrounds – Beloit, KS
WINNER: Drake Edwards (CB Industries #83)
Jul 11: (M) Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE
WINNER: Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97)
Jul 12: (M) Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE
WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)
Aug 29: Bloomington Speedway – Bloomington, IN
WINNER: Gavin Miller Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97
Aug 31: Angell Park Speedway – Sun Prairie, WI
WINNER: Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97)
Sep 18: Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH
WINNER: Hayden Reinbold (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports #19AZ)
Sep 20: Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH
WINNER: Daison Pursley (CB Industries #86)
Nov 15: (G) Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA
WINNER: Daison Pursley (CB Industries #86)
Nov 21: (G) Merced Speedway – Merced, CA
WINNER: Cannon McIntosh (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K)
Nov 22: (G) Merced Speedway – Merced, CA
WINNER: Logan Seavey (Abacus Racing #57)
Nov 25: (G) Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
WINNER: Buddy Kofoid (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71)
Nov 29: (G) Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
WINNER: Corey Day (Willie Kahne #4K)
———————— KEY DEFINITIONS ————————-
(I) represents an Indiana Midget Week event
(M) represents a Mid-America Midget Week event
(G) represents a Golden State Invasion event
2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER POINT STANDINGS:
POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN
1 1432 Cannon McIntosh, Bixby, Oklahoma
2 1388 Justin Grant, Ione, California
3 1385 Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, Alabama
4 1383 Jacob Denney, Galloway, Ohio
5 1252 Kale Drake, Collinsville, Oklahoma
6 1233 Gavin Miller, Allentown, Pennsylvania
7 1212 Logan Seavey, Sutter, California
8 1192 Steven Snyder Jr. (R), Rising Sun, Maryland
9 1144 Drake Edwards, Peoria, Arizona
10 1003 Gunnar Setser (R), Columbus, Indiana
11 992 Hayden Reinbold, Gilbert, Arizona
12 842 Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, Oklahoma
13 766 Cale Coons (R), Greencastle, Indiana
14 605 Brecken Reese (R), Canyon, Texas
15 599 Kyle Jones, Kennedale, Texas
16 541 Jakeb Boxell (R), Zanesville, Indiana
17 445 Karter Sarff, Mason City, Illinois
18 416 Mack Leopard (R), Beavercreek, Ohio
19 374 Ethan Mitchell, Mooresville, North Carolina
20 373 Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, California
21 327 Zach Wigal, Belpre, Ohio
22 314 Colton Robinson (R), Titusville, Florida
23 222 Chelby Hinton (R), Dubberly, Louisiana
24 215 Zach Daum, Pocahontas, Illinois
25 198 Corbin Rueschenberg (R), Mesa, Arizona
26 189 Brandon Carr (R), Sheffield, United Kingdom
27 170 Kyle Cummins, Princeton, Indiana
28 137 Zack Merritt (R), Greeley, Colorado
29 112 Garrett Benson (R), Concordia, Missouri
30 107 Frankie Guerrini (R), San Rafael, California
31 105 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, Arizona
32 96 K.J. Snow (R), Kingsburg, California
33 82 Cord Kisthardt (R), Hershey, Pennsylvania
34 78 Bradley Cox (R), Burkburnett, Texas
35 61 Caiden Warren (R), Eaton, Colorado
36 59 Trey Zorn (R), Russell, Kansas
37 58 Chris Hartman (R), Boulder, Colorado
38 40 Blake Brannon (R), Morgan Hill, California
39 40 Tom Payet (R), Perth, Western Australia
40 40 Jake Robinson (R), Perth, Western Australia
41 40 Mathew Radisich (R), Auckland, New Zealand
42 30 Dylan Doyle (R), Brighton, Colorado
43 20 Adam Taylor (R), Wheatfield, Indiana
(R) represents a USAC National Midget Rookie
2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRANT POINT STANDINGS:
POS. PTS. ENTRANT, TEAM LOCATION
1 1432 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#71K)
2 1388 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#87)
3 1385 4 Kings Racing, Battle Creek, Michigan (#14)
4 1383 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#67)
5 1252 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#97K)
6 1233 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#97)
7 1212 Abacus Racing, Indianapolis, Indiana (#57)
8 1192 RMS Racing, New Lenox, Illinois (#4)
9 1144 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#83)
10 1091 CB Industries, Mooresville, North Carolina (#86)
11 1001 Kevin Arnold, Columbus, Indiana (#43)
12 992 Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports, Gilbert, Arizona (#19AZ)
13 696 Dooling Autosports/Curb-Agajanian, Freeport, Texas (#63)
14 599 Joyner Motorsports, Concordia, Kansas (#27x)
15 541 4 Kings Racing, Battle Creek, Michigan (#14JB)
16 426 Tim Engler, Princeton, Indiana (#7x)
17 355 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#67K)
18 339 Bundy Built Motorsports, Mooresville, North Carolina (#19m)
19 297 Karter Sarff Racing, Mason City, Illinois (#21K)
20 246 Central Motorsports, Edmond, Oklahoma (#85)
21 232 Pat O’Dell, Rochester, Illinois (#97x)
22 222 Klatt Enterprises, Hastings, Nebraska (#4B)
23 199 Cornell Racing Stables, Monee, Illinois (#8)
24 198 Scott Rueschenberg, Mesa, Arizona (#26)
25 189 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Columbus, Indiana (#98K)
26 179 Tim Engler, Princeton, Indiana (#7s)
27 170 Glenn Styres Racing, Ohsweken, Ontario (#3G)
28 137 Ryan Oerter, Ellicott, Colorado (#43m)
29 110 F & F Racing, Indianapolis, Indiana (#63G)
30 82 Cord Kisthardt, Hershey, Pennsylvania (#21K)
31 78 Lonnie Cox, Elbert, Colorado (#45)
32 40 Paul Brannon, Morgan Hill, California (#40)
33 40 Bennett Motorsport, Perth, Western Australia (#7AU)
34 40 Paul Robinson, Perth, Western Australia (#8AU)
35 40 Out & About Racing, Safety Beach, Victoria (#17NZ)
36 30 Nick Poe, Centerville, Ohio (#2B)
37 20 Adam Taylor Racing, Wheatfield, Indiana (#7T)
2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROOKIE DRIVER POINT STANDINGS:
POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN
1 1192 Steven Snyder Jr., Rising Sun, Maryland
2 1003 Gunnar Setser, Columbus, Indiana
3 766 Cale Coons, Greencastle, Indiana
4 605 Brecken Reese, Canyon, Texas
5 541 Jakeb Boxell, Zanesville, Indiana
6 416 Mack Leopard, Beavercreek, Ohio
7 314 Colton Robinson, Titusville, Florida
8 222 Chelby Hinton, Dubberly, Louisiana
9 198 Corbin Rueschenberg, Mesa, Arizona
10 189 Brandon Carr, Sheffield, United Kingdom
11 137 Zack Merritt, Greeley, Colorado
12 112 Garrett Benson, Concordia, Missouri
13 107 Frankie Guerrini, San Rafael, California
14 96 K.J. Snow, Kingsburg, California
15 82 Cord Kisthardt, Hershey, Pennsylvania
16 78 Bradley Cox, Burkburnett, Texas
17 61 Caiden Warren, Eaton, Colorado
18 59 Trey Zorn, Russell, Kansas
19 58 Chris Hartman, Boulder, Colorado
20 40 Blake Brannon, Morgan Hill, California
21 40 Tom Payet, Perth, Western Australia
22 40 Jake Robinson, Perth, Western Australia
23 40 Mathew Radisich, Auckland, New Zealand
24 30 Dylan Doyle, Brighton, Colorado
25 20 Adam Taylor, Wheatfield, Indiana
2025 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
FEATURE WINS
5-Cannon McIntosh (May 17 at the Belleville Short Track, Jul 2 at The Dirt Track at IMS, Jul 8 at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, Jul 12 at Jefferson County Speedway & Nov 21 at Merced Speedway)
3-Jacob Denney (Apr 26 at Kokomo Speedway, Jun 4 at Paragon Speedway & Jun 8 at Kokomo Speedway)
3-Justin Grant (Apr 27 at Kokomo Speedway, May 16 at the Belleville Short Track & Jul 1 at The Dirt Track at IMS)
3-Gavin Miller (Jul 11 at Jefferson County Speedway, Aug 29 at Bloomington Speedway & Aug 31 at Angell Park Speedway)
2-Kale Drake (May 18 at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex & Jun 3 at Circle City Raceway)
2-Daison Pursley (Sep 20 at Eldora Speedway & Nov 15 at Placerville Speedway)
1-Corey Day (Nov 29 at Ventura Raceway)
1-Drake Edwards (Jul 9 at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds)
1-Buddy Kofoid (Nov 25 at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway)
1-Hayden Reinbold (Sep 18 at Eldora Speedway)
1-Logan Seavey (Nov 22 at Merced Speedway)
FEATURE LAPS LED
115-Logan Seavey
111-Jacob Denney
110-Justin Grant
99-Corey Day
92-Gavin Miller
76-Cannon McIntosh
52-Kyle Larson
45-Buddy Kofoid
42-Drake Edwards & Kevin Thomas Jr.
26-Kale Drake
21-Riley Kreisel & Daison Pursley
18-Hayden Reinbold
6-Steven Snyder Jr.
2-Brecken Reese
TOP-5 FEATURE FINISHES
14-Cannon McIntosh
12-Jacob Denney & Justin Grant
10-Kevin Thomas Jr.
8-Kale Drake & Logan Seavey
7-Gavin Miller
6-Drake Edwards & Steven Snyder Jr.
5-Daison Pursley
3-Buddy Kofoid
2-Jakeb Boxell, Corey Day & Hayden Reinbold
1-Jake Andreotti, Landon Brooks, Tanner Carrick, Jerry Coons Jr., Kyle Cummins, Zach Daum, Shane Golobic, Kyle Jones, Riley Kreisel, Kyle Larson, Carson Macedo, Thomas Meseraull, Justin Peck, Brecken Reese, Karter Sarff, Gunnar Setser, K.J. Snow & Zach Wigal
TOP-10 FEATURE FINISHES
19-Cannon McIntosh & Kevin Thomas Jr.
17-Jacob Denney & Justin Grant
16-Kale Drake, Gavin Miller & Logan Seavey
13-Drake Edwards
12-Steven Snyder Jr.
9-Daison Pursley
8-Gunnar Setser
7-Hayden Reinbold
6-Karter Sarff
4-Jakeb Boxell & Kyle Jones
3-Landon Brooks, Cale Coons, Buddy Kofoid, Brecken Reese & Zach Wigal
2-Tanner Carrick, Kyle Cummins, Zach Daum, Corey Day, Carson Macedo, Thomas Meseraull, Justin Peck & Colton Robinson
1-Jake Andreotti, Jerry Coons Jr., Colby Copeland, Briggs Danner, Andrew Felker, Shane Golobic, Rylan Gray, Chelby Hinton, Riley Kreisel, Kyle Larson, Mack Leopard, Ethan Mitchell, K.J. Snow, Ricky Thornton Jr., Austin Wood & Jett Yantis
HONEST ABE ROOFING FAST QUALIFYING TIMES
3-Justin Grant
2-Jacob Denney, Karter Sarff & Logan Seavey
1-Tanner Carrick, Drake Edwards, Kyle Larson, Mack Leopard, Carson Macedo, Cannon McIntosh, Daison Pursley, Hayden Reinbold, Steven Snyder Jr. & Kevin Thomas Jr.
USAC PR
Motorsports
‘Duels at Daytona’ receive patriotic new name ahead of US celebration – Motorsport – Sports
NASCAR’s iconic Daytona 500’s Duels have received a one-off title for 2026, as the U.S. celebrates its 250th birthday.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Speedway, with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as the sponsor of ‘The America 250 Florida Duel at Daytona.’
Both Duels one and two are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 12, setting the starting grid for the Daytona 500, which will kickstart the NASCAR season in earnest that Sunday.
The decision for FDOT to become a sponsor of the event was made as part of an existing partnership between the organization and the Speedway, with the ultimate goal of promoting safe driving in the region.
In a statement, the Speedway’s president, Frank Kelleher, said, “It’s an honor to welcome the Florida Department of Transportation as our new sponsor for the America 250 Florida Duel at Daytona to help kick off Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in 2026.
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“This sponsorship is a commitment to FDOT’s continued efforts to help keep Volusia County’s roadways safe. As we move forward on the shared journey toward a brighter future in Florida, there’s no better place to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence than at The World Center of Racing.”
Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who also serves as the chair of Florida’s Semiquincentennial Commission also released a statement, saying, “The history of automobile racing in Florida began in 1903 with a line drawn on the Florida sand, and throughout the years, the sport has rapidly grown in the state to make the Daytona 500 the most prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar.
“Duel at Daytona is an exciting way to commemorate that history for the America250FL initiative which celebrates Florida’s role in the 250th (semiquincentennial) anniversary of our nation’s founding.
“Visit America250FL.com and follow America250FL on X, Facebook, and Instagram to stay informed about ways to commemorate America250FL and our history.”
Meanwhile, FDOT’s secretary, Jared W. Perdue, P.E., said he felt the Duel was “an ideal opportunity to honor Florida’s storied history” with the nation celebrating its founding.
The 2026 race will mark the 68th edition of the Daytona 500, one of the most renowned in American motorsports.
Reigning back-to-back winner, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, who was also recently named to the Drivers’ Advisory Council board, will be looking to become just the fifth three-time 500 winner, joining Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, and Bobby Allison. He would also become the first driver in history to win it three times in a row.
Currently, the record for most wins all-time at the track is appropriately held by the winningest driver in Cup Series history, seven-time champion Richard “The King” Petty. The 88-year-old won the race on seven occasions between 1964 and 1981.
However, a win for Byron would extend Hendricks’ lead as the most successful team at the track, with 10 wins to date, one ahead of Petty Enterprises.
Motorsports
Carson Hocevar makes announcement with $2.4B NASCAR backer – Motorsport – Sports
Spire Motorsports and NASCAR Cup driver Carson Hocevar will again be backed in 2026 by Zeigler Automotive Group, a family-owned dealership network that generates over $2 billion in annual revenue.
The team announced on Monday afternoon that Zeigler will serve as the primary sponsor for 11 NASCAR Cup Series races, placing its branding on the No. 77 Chevrolet. Races will include events at tracks including Michigan, Pocono, Indianapolis, Bristol, Kansas, and Martinsville.
Zeigler has now tied itself to the driver previously penalized for his racing style across multiple seasons. The privately-backed company believes that the relationship synergy is much deeper than branding on the side of a car.
“Sponsoring Carson Hocevar for the 2026 season is about more than putting our name on the No. 77. It’s about supporting someone who represents the future of this sport and the way we do business,” said the president and CEO of Zeigler Auto Group and Zeigler Racing, Aaron Zeigler.
“Carson brings intensity, authenticity, and a relentless drive to improve every time he takes the track. That mindset will take him far, and we can’t wait to see what he does next as he continues to push what’s possible.”
The 22-year-old driver posted multiple top-10 finishes last year and led laps at Bristol and Michigan. His best finishes were two seconds at Nashville during the Cracker Barrel 400 won by Ryan Blaney, and in Atlanta for the Ambetter Health 400, which was the first of three consecutive wins for Christopher Bell.
“I’m excited to continue our partnership with Zeigler Automotive Group,” said Hocevar. “I grew up right down the street from their headquarters in Kalamazoo, so it is cool to see how it has all come full circle.”
“The whole Zeigler family has been such great supporters of me and the No. 77 team since day one,” he continued. “I’m looking forward to continuing to build our partnership on and off the track and can’t wait to park the Zeigler Chevrolet in Victory Lane this year.”
Hocevar found himself in hot water with drivers over the course of last season and has angered the likes of established veterans Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Blaney called Hocevar a “moron” for the way he raced in Atlanta.
Zane Smith expressed a desire to punch Hocevar after their collision, which was initiated by the No. 77 at Bristol, which saw Hocevar get loose and spin Smith into a barrier.
“No, I didn’t talk to him. And it’s just you’re not going to get anything from it. Like, I don’t really know how else you can explain that,” said Smith. You want to go up to him and punch him in the face, but that’s $75,000, and that’s not very cool.”
The 2026 NASCAR regular season begins at Daytona on Feb. 15.
Motorsports
Carson Hocevar Signs Contract Extension With $2.2 Billion Worth Sponsor
Slowly but surely Carson Hocevar is establishing himself as one of the superstar racers of the sport, by punching above his weight in the Spire Motorsports Chevy. He had a strong 2025 season that saw him almost winning the Atlanta race, and being a challenger in multiple events. P2 finishes at Atlanta and Nashville has been him bets moments of the year.
Now he is rewarded for the strong season, as Zeigler Automotive Group one of his primary sponsors has signed a contract extension with him. They are set to sponsor him for 10 points paying races and the Clash. Carson Hocevar sees the support from ZAG as full circle moment, as he grew up a street away from the company’s HQ in Kalamazoo.
I’m excited to continue our partnership with Zeigler Automotive Group. I grew up right down the street from their headquarters in Kalamazoo, so it is cool to see how it has all come full circle.
Carson Hocevar said (via TRE).
From day one of Carson Hocevar signing with Spire to drive the No:77 Chevy, the Zeigler family has had his back. He is more determined than ever to grow the partnership and wats to get the Zeigler Chevrolet to the victory lane. It would be really special to win his maiden Cup race for his biggest sponsor.
The whole Zeigler family have been such great supporters of me and the No. 77 team since day one. I’m looking forward to continuing to build our partnership on and off the track and can’t wait to park the Zeigler Chevrolet in victory lane this year.
Carson Hocevar added.
Zeigler Auto Group CEO explains why they extended Carson Hocevar deal
In the statement announcing the extension, Zeigler Auto Group CEO Aaron J. Zeigler has also shared his thoughts on the extension. He sees Hocevar as the future of NASCAR as well as the future of their business as a whole.

Sponsoring Carson Hocevar for the 2026 season is about more than putting our name on the No. 77. It’s about supporting someone who represents the future of this sport and the way we do business.
Aaron J. Zeigler said
He pointed out that the Chevy driver is special because of the intensity, authenticity, and a relentless drive he has. Zeigler expects these characteristics to earn him more success in NASCAR in the coming years and the company seems to banking on thar success.
Carson brings intensity, authenticity, and a relentless drive to improve every time he takes the track. That mindset will take him far, and we can’t wait to see what he does next as he continues to push what’s possible.
Aaron J. Zeigler added.
The comments from the Zeigler Auto Group CEO seems rational and on point regarding Carson Hocevar. Many expects him to be future superstar the sport needs to grow and the only big question is whether he needs to move from Spire to achieve this success.
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Motorsports
Zeigler Automotive renews sponsorship with NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar
Zeigler Automotive Group announcing on Monday that it will return to Spire Motorsports to partner with Michigan native and 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Carson Hocevar for multiple races in 2026.
“Sponsoring Carson Hocevar for the 2026 season is about more than putting our name on the No. 77 — it’s about supporting someone who represents the future of this sport and the way we do business,” said Aaron J. Zeigler, president and CEO of Zeigler Auto Group and Zeigler Racing. “Carson brings intensity, authenticity, and a relentless drive to improve every time he takes the track. That mindset will take him far, and we can’t wait to see what he does next as he continues to push what’s possible.”
Zeigler.com and Zeigler Auto Group will be showcased as the team’s primary sponsor in 11 Cup Series races in 2026 beginning with the season-opening Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The distinct yellow and black Zeigler paint scheme will be featured aboard Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevy Camaro at the following races in 2026:
Bowman Gray Stadium – February 1
Michigan International Speedway – June 7
Pocono Raceway – June 14
Chicagoland Speedway – July 5
Atlanta Motor Speedway – July 12
Indianapolis Motor Speedway – July 26
Iowa Speedway – August 9
Richmond Raceway – August 15
Bristol Motor Speedway – September 19
Kansas Speedway – September 27
Martinsville Speedway – November 1
Hocevar, 22, is fresh off a 2025 campaign featuring two top-five and nine top-10 results, including a pair of career-best runner-up finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. The sophomore driver also secured his first-career pole award at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
“I’m excited to continue our partnership with Zeigler Automotive Group,” said Hocevar. “I grew up right down the street from their headquarters in Kalamazoo, so it is cool to see how it has all come full circle. The whole Zeigler family have been such great supporters of me and the No. 77 team since day one. I’m looking forward to continuing to build our partnership on and off the track and can’t wait to park the Zeigler Chevrolet in Victory Lane this year.”
The Portage, Mich., native impressed throughout his rookie season in 2024, earning top rookie honors on the strength of one top-five, six top-10 and 13 top-15 finishes. His 686 points accumulated out-distanced his next closest competitor by a handsome 107-point advantage.
The 22-year-old made his Cup Series debut for Spire Motorsports on June 4, 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway. In addition to his first appearance in NASCAR’s premier division, Hocevar made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for Spire Motorsports in 2023, earning top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway (sixth) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (eighth).
The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium will kick off racing festivities for the 2026 season and will be televised live on FOX Sunday, February 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. NASCAR’s annual pre-season exhibition race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
*article courtesy Spire Motorsports
Motorsports
Tony Stewart named Chili Bowl grand marshall
It’s been a bit since Tony Stewart has attended the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, but the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and overall motorsports legend is synonymous with the Tulsa Expo Center and that will be celebrated next week.
‘Smoke’ has been named Grand Marshal for Championship Saturday.
“Not only is Tony a winner here, but he was also part of what really made the Chili Bowl take off in the early 2000s, and was the one who really started to rebuild the connection between dirt track and NASCAR fans. He’s an ambassador to our sport at more levels than anyone; he’s a great friend, and they don’t make them like Tony anymore, so being able to honor him as our Grand Marshal means a lot to me, and this event,” stated Chili Bowl co-founder, Emmett Hahn. “I remember, we made Tony an award in 2014 to recognize what he has done for Sprint Car racing, but this is our chance to let him know how much the Chili Bowl appreciates him.”
Stewart won the Chili Bowl main event in 2002 and 2007 and has 12 starts in the main event over 14 attempts, producing three podiums, four top-5s, seven top-10s with his last start coming in 2013. Stewart also spent the years after working with the track prep crew alongside Brad Chandler (aka Gravel), Steve Hahn, Matt Ward, and Martin Edwards.
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Motorsports
Daren Lucas Named President of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Daren Lucas—a 35-year career professional in sports marketing, private equity, fundraising, college athletics and motorsports—has been named president of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA). The appointment returns Lucas to the Daytona Beach area, where he previously held several executive business development, management and revenue-generating positions with both Daytona International Speedway (DIS) and NASCAR from 2000 through 2006, officials stated in a press release.
Most recently, Lucas spent the past 10 years in his own sports consultancy, which has kept him at the forefront of sports sponsorship and digital and social marketing. Previously in Daytona, Lucas led all sales and marketing at DIS and all consumer marketing and ticketing for NASCAR-owned tracks, in support of such major events as the Daytona 500, the Rolex 24 At Daytona sports car race and the Daytona 200 motorcycle road race and other major motorsports events.
Lucas Brings Experience in Building Partnerships & the Sports Travel & Tourism Industry
In his agency work, Lucas executed more than 100 official partnership deals, including with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the Indianapolis 500. Lucas also brings extensive career experience in the sports travel and tourism industry at Super Bowls, Olympics, Masters and Kentucky Derbys. Lucas earned a bachelor of arts (BA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was followed by a Master of Sports Administration (MSA) at Ohio University.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as president,” Lucas said. “The impressive MSHFA Museum has grown extensively since relocating nearly 10 years ago in the DIS Ticket and Tours building, which is located just outside of the Speedway’s NASCAR Turn 4. The MSHFA administrative headquarters facility is housed in the same offices I worked in earlier in this century with DIS and NASCAR. Now, I look forward to working with both the MSHFA board of directors and the MSHFA team in my next chapter in Daytona and, most importantly, the next phase of success and growth for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.”

Lucas Succeeds Retiring President George Levy
Lucas takes over MSHFA’s leadership from the retiring George Levy, who served as president from late 2019 through the end of 2025. Levy was just the MSHFA’s second president following the late Ron Watson, who initially held the presidential position from 1989 until his unexpected passing in October of 2019.
“The future of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is solid but has room to continue to grow,” said MSHFA board of directors chair Paul Doleshal. “With the hiring of Daren, we feel that we are poised for that growth. We are more than confident that we have found the right person with Daren, who can help advance the Hall into its next chapter of success. The MSHFA presidential search committee managed a long and thorough process, culling through more than 50 applications, interviewing dozens via video interviews, and then meeting with our final eight candidates through in-person interviews in both Daytona and Charlotte. We want to thank the entire search committee and sincerely thank George Levy, and we are proud of his ongoing efforts and the solid growth he led in the last six years.”
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