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Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant voted into NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Drivers Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant were voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame… CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Drivers Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant were voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, while executive Humpy Wheeler was named the Landmark Award winner for his contribution […]

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Drivers Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant were voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Drivers Kurt Busch, Ray Hendrick and Harry Gant were voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday, while executive Humpy Wheeler was named the Landmark Award winner for his contribution to the sport.

A ceremony will be held to officially induct the Class of 2026 into the Hall of Fame.

The 46-year-old Busch, a first-ballot selection, held off Jimmie Johnson to win the 2004 Cup Series championship and went on to win 34 Cup races, including at least one in 19 of 21 of his full-time seasons on the premier circuit before retiring in 2023.

His journey to NASCAR stardom began in 2000 with a Truck Series rookie season that foreshadowed greatness. His big breakthrough came in 2004, when he became the first driver to win the title under NASCAR’s “playoff” system – a feat that proved both his excellence and adaptability.

The consistent Busch finished in the top 10 in the Cup Series standings 10 times.

Hendrick, who died in 1990 at age 61, was the original “Mr. Modified.”

He is one of the winningest drivers of all time, with than 700 modified and late model sportsman wins between 1950-88. His success started in his home state of Virginia, where his No. 11 was well know. He won five track championships at South Boston Speedway — four modified and one late model sportsman.

He was known as a driver that was willing to race “anywhere and everywhere,” and did just that. He filled his schedule with modified and late model sportsman races across the East coast. Hendrick was known best for his wins on short tracks, but also produced victories at Talladega, Charlotte and Dover.

Despite never winning a Modified Division championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960-69.

The 85-year-old Gant, known as the “Bandit” for his long-time sponsorship with Skoal Bandits, won 18 Cup Series races, including the Southern 500 in 1984 and 1991. In the five seasons from 1981 through 1985, he finished in the top five in points four times, including a runner-up championship finish to Terry Labonte in 1984.

He also won 21 Xfinity Series races.

Gant raced into his 50s, and still holds premier series records for oldest driver to win a race (52 years old) and a pole (54). He drove the first race car with a telemetry system installed in it at Talladega in 1985 and relayed the data to CBS during its coverage of the event.

This was the Gant’s seventh time on the ballot.

All three were among NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.

Wheeler became synonymous with promotion and innovation.

He spent 33 years as the president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway and played a pivotal role in transforming the venue into a world-class facility.

Wheeler added a new dynamic to the sport, a visionary whose leadership and creativity helped shape today’s fan experience with the introduction of dramatic prerace ceremonies and the development of night racing at superspeedways.

He was known for his innovative promotions and stunts.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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LOCAL MOTORSPORTS: Shelby Speedway has new winners at last weekend’s meet | Sports

HARLAN – It doesn’t get any better than 136 cars, Great racing action, food, beverage and fun. Starting on time and providing a three and a half-hour show for the fans. All wrapped up at 10:33 p.m. This night, Saturday, July 26, was Suicide Awareness night sponsored by Gregerson Motorsports, who procured additional awards for […]

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HARLAN – It doesn’t get any better than 136 cars, Great racing action, food, beverage and fun. Starting on time and providing a three and a half-hour show for the fans.

All wrapped up at 10:33 p.m. This night, Saturday, July 26, was Suicide Awareness night sponsored by Gregerson Motorsports, who procured additional awards for the feature winners.

Action got underway with heats in the KNOD Hobby Stocks. And taking the checkers in the heats were Colby Christensen, Dayton Ullrich and Kaylb Brunssen. In the A Feature coming from the sixth starting spot Colby Christensen charged his way to the front and never looked back picking up the win. Kaylb Brunssen came through from the ninth spot to capture second place. With third place to Anthony Davis and fourth place to Jason Tetzlaff.

In the Murphy Equipment IMCA Stock Cars heats were won by Tyson Partridge, Mike Stapleton and Carson Reinig. Feature action saw Tyson Partridge pick up his first win ever at SCS. Doing a great job holding off challenges from point leader Mike Albertsen who came in second, Bob Daniels finished third and Larry Robinson Jr rounded out the top four. Congratulations to Tyson on your first win!

It was National points night for Joe’s Carting mini mods. A great field of 23 of these guys were here tonight. Heat winners were Bobby Daniels, Ben Mattick and Joey Robel. Action in the feature saw Robel take the win from start to finish with Ben Mattick finishing second, Brant Tweed third and Lucas Daniels rounded out the top four. This race had some spectacular rollovers and the good news nobody was hurt.

Action in the Keast Motors IMCA Sport Mods saw Heats taken by Cody Olsen, Kevin Zeitner and Jenae Gustin. In the B Feature Gregg Hamann picked up the win over Joe Hendricks. Then Kevin Zeitner took advantage of his pole position start and pretty much checked out on the field as nobody could catch the 60 machine. Kevin, a former track champion at SCS on the big track , picked up the win, his first since winning the Tiny Lund the last year on the big track before the reconfiguration. Coming in second place was Dylan Petersen who had a great run as did Jenae Gustin in third and Cody Olsen finished in fourth.

In Atlantic Bottling Coca Cola IMCA Sport Compacts 27 cars were on hand and we had 3 heats. Heat winners were Caine Mahlberg, Josh Deist and Kaytee Devries. In the feature Caine Mahlberg made his way from the 10th starting spot to the lead and went on for the win. second place went to Michael Gardner, third went to Kaytee Devries and Levi Volkert finished in fourth. Sport Compacts continue to put on a great show weekly at SCS.

In the Sorensen Equipment IMCA Late Models yet another fine field was on hand. Heat winners were Zach Zeitner, Allan Hopp and Jake Sully. In Feature action Mike Collins made his way to the front. And picked up a long-awaited win at SCS. Collins looked strong as he held off Nick Deal who got second with Kale Kosiski finishing third and fourth spot went to Zach Zeitner.

It was another great night of action at SCS. Don’t miss this week on Back-to-School night as we have Kids Bike races and Bikes to give away! It’s always a fun night with the kids.



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Austin Hill suspended by NASCAR, stripped of all playoff points

Austin Hill has been suspended by NASCAR for one week and will be forced to miss the Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway. This comes after he appeared to intentionally right-hook Aric Almirola into the outside wall at Indianapolis, causing a violent crash. Almirola moved Hill out of the way in the battle for fourth, […]

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Austin Hill has been suspended by NASCAR for one week and will be forced to miss the Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway. This comes after he appeared to intentionally right-hook Aric Almirola into the outside wall at Indianapolis, causing a violent crash.

Almirola moved Hill out of the way in the battle for fourth, and despite pulling off an impressive save, Hill then appeared to swerve to the left and turn Almirola head-on into the outside wall at the high-speed oval. Thankfully, no one was injured in the accident. Hill was held for five laps during the race for reckless driving, and at one point, he started throwing expletives at NASCAR over the radio.

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This suspension will also severely hinder Hill’s chances of winning a championship later this year. Per NASCAR’s new waiver policy for 2025 (which RCR will surely request, or Hill will become ineligible for the playoffs), missing a race due to a suspension will result in the loss of all playoff points — both present and future. Hill had 21 bonus points but they will all be lost now and he will start the postseason with zero points.

Watch: Hill makes contact with Almirola, sending Almirola hard into the outside wall

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Hill, who drives for Richard Childress Racing, denied that the contact was intentional, but the team has chosen not to appeal. Austin Dillon, who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for RCR, will pilot the No. 21 car at Iowa.

“Richard Childress Racing will not appeal the penalty NASCAR issued to the No. 21 team following the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” an official statement read. “We remain focused on winning a championship with Austin Hill in 2025.”

NASCAR described this as a behavioral penalty, citing Sections 4.3.A; 4.4.B & D of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct.

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Read Also:

Stewart Friesen suffers fractured pelvis and broken leg in terrifying crash

How Bubba Wallace’s Brickyard 400 win changes the fight to make the playoffs

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.



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Quaker City Motorsports Park to Host ‘Big Buck Nationals’ August 8-10

SALEM, Ohio — Quaker City Motorsports Park is set to host the “Big Buck Nationals” on August 8-10. There is a $5,000-to-win, 64-car Shootout scheduled for Friday, Aug. 8. There are 32 No Box cars and 32 Box cars, which will run separately until the final round. As per the name, racers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and […]

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SALEM, Ohio — Quaker City Motorsports Park is set to host the “Big Buck Nationals” on August 8-10. There is a $5,000-to-win, 64-car Shootout scheduled for Friday, Aug. 8. There are 32 No Box cars and 32 Box cars, which will run separately until the final round.

As per the name, racers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas will compete for big bucks Saturday, Aug. 9, and Sunday, Aug 10. The Top (Box) class features $10,000-to-win races, and the Mod (No Box) class will race for $5,000-to-win each day. In addition, the Junior Dragsters will have $600 Summit Bucks for the winner’s purse.

Although rain has been a nuisance of late with washouts the last two Saturdays, Tom Edinger and Jerry Coblentz were the big winners on Friday, July 18. Edinger raced to the top prize in the Top (Box) class as he captured the final-round win over Mike Alfman. Coblentz took the victory in Mod (No Box) with Tim Miller the runner-up.

Unfortunately, rain also washed out racing last Saturday night, but Quaker City was able to get in Gamblers races on Friday. Alfman was the Top (Box) winner with Dan Hageman runner-up. Tim Singer scored the win in Mod (No Box) as Steve Tigelman also advanced to the final round.

There is another test-and-tune, along with Gamblers races scheduled for this Friday night. It is followed by IHRA Summit SuperSeries points races on Saturday.

Click here to check out the track’s Facebook page for the latest up-to-date information about these and other exciting events at Quaker City Motorsports Park.

Big Buck Nationals

 



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NASCAR won’t race in Mexico City in 2026. Chicagoland could fill void

NASCAR playoff bubble no longer includes Bubba Wallace. Who’s in it? The guys talk about Bubba Wallace’s Brickyard 400 win, the NASCAR playoff bubble, a Dale Earnhardt Jr. show-and-tell and the upcoming race at Iowa. NASCAR will not return to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 2026. Chicagoland Speedway is expected to replace the Mexico […]

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  • NASCAR will not return to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 2026.
  • Chicagoland Speedway is expected to replace the Mexico City race on the 2026 NASCAR schedule.

NASCAR in Mexico City will remain a one-off for now.

The Athletic reported on July 30 that NASCAR will not return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 2026. What’s expected to fill that slot on the schedule?

None other than a comeback of Chicagoland Speedway. NASCAR has not raced there since 2019.

Why is NASCAR not returning to Mexico City in 2026?

In June, Mexico City became the first international city to host a points-paying Cup Series event since 1958. Shane van Gisbergen won by a 16-second margin.

Finding a return date for next summer proved challenging for NASCAR and the city, though. Mexico City is slated to host five matches in the Men’s World Cup soccer tournament between June 11 and July 5.

The two sides explored a spring weekend, according to The Athletic, but turned their attention toward reuniting in 2027.

What is NASCAR history with Chicagoland?

Chicagoland makes sense as a replacement. Though the track has sat largely vacant since 2019, it would keep NASCAR in the big Chicago market. Earlier this month, NASCAR announced it would not run the Chicago Street Race in 2026, instead heading to San Diego and the Naval Base Coronado.

Chicagoland rests 50 miles outside of downtown Chicago in Joliet, Illinois. The 1.5-mile asphalt track opened in 2001 and welcomed the Cup Series and Xfinity Series that same year.

Alex Bowman claimed the most recent Cup Series race at Chicagoland. Tony Stewart is the only three-time winner there (2004, 2007, 2011).



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Austin Hill Suspended, an Injury, and a Schedule Change: NASCAR News Flash

Wow is there are plenty of headlines across all of NASCAR. Both stemming from Indianapolis and just within the sport alone. Here is your NASCAR News Flash for July 28th through August 3rd. Austin Hill Suspended, an Injury, and a Schedule Change: NASCAR News Flash While JR Motorsports was celebrating its 100th win in the […]

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Wow is there are plenty of headlines across all of NASCAR. Both stemming from Indianapolis and just within the sport alone. Here is your NASCAR News Flash for July 28th through August 3rd.

Austin Hill Suspended, an Injury, and a Schedule Change: NASCAR News Flash

While JR Motorsports was celebrating its 100th win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Others had their focus on what was going to happen to Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill. The devastating right-rear hooking incident was seen by everyone. The question remained: would Hill be suspended? We certainly got that answer this week. Time and time again, the sport has been forced to step in in these situations, and what Austin did this past weekend was clear. The judgment came down on Tuesday, but that isn’t the only massive news in the sport worth talking about.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JULY 26: Kyle Larson, driver of the #17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 Hellmann’s Spicy Mayo Chevrolet, Sam Mayer, driver of the #41 Audibel Ford, and Brandon Jones, driver of the #20 Menards/BestAir Toyota, race during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

A massive schedule change for NASCAR is also making waves, plus other driver news.

No Surprise: NASCAR Suspends the Driver of the No. 21

Like anyone with a brain is surprised, NASCAR brought down the official punishment for RCR’s Austin Hill on Tuesday. Hill has officially been suspended for this weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway. The suspension comes after he purposefully right-reared Aric Almirola into the wall in the closing laps of the Verizon 250 at the Brickyard this past Saturday.

It falls in line with other very similar incidents that saw Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliott suspended in the past. Unlike those drivers, there isn’t a waiver this time, and more importantly, Hill had quite the playoff points built up on the season, having won three races, plus a handful of stage wins. But he kissed those points goodbye the moment he wrecked Aric, plus telling the sport to f-off probably didn’t help his case.

Yep, he has lost all his playoff points. That is a killer for a driver that arguably could win at any track in the series. He’s going to have a huge climb once he’s back from serving the suspension this weekend.

In a statement, RCR released on X, they said they would not appeal, and that they were focused on helping Hill try and win the 2025 Xfinity Series Championship. An odd stance, especially after the comments team owner Richard Childress said following the incident on Saturday. They also stated that Austin Dillon would be behind the wheel of the No. 21 this weekend.

A Horrible Crash Leaves Truck Series Veteran on the Shelf

Stewart Friesen is a well-respected racer in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. When he’s not racing trucks, he’s somewhere racing on dirt. That was no different this week. He was back in his homeland of Canada, racing his dirt modified. He was involved in a very ugly crash that saw him flip massively, hit the wall, and the car caught fire.

He was pulled from the car and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. After awaiting news, Stewart’s wife Jessica offered an update Tuesday morning via his social media.

“Stewart has suffered an unstable open-book pelvic fracture, meaning his pelvis is broken in two or more places, with a large hematoma on the area,” Jessica said. ” Stewart also has a fractured right leg.”

A tough situation for the driver of the No. 52 Halmar Truck, who is locked into the Truck Series playoffs with his win at Michigan earlier this season. But this incident certainly puts into question what will happen with the team while Stewart recovers.

They are a small team, and obviously, he will need time to heal. Let’s just say it has been a tough couple of days for the Friesens. Especially after he got D’Q following Friday night’s race at IRP.

Read More: Layne Riggs Near Unstoppable in Truck Series Win at IRP

Farewell, Mexico City. Hello, Chicagoland?

Everyone knows NASCAR is always up to changing its racing schedule. That appears to be the case once again for 2026. Following up on the historic announcement of moving the Chicago Street Course date to San Diego. NASCAR appears to have found a way to keep the Chicago market open.

According to the Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, Mexico City is off the 2026 NASCAR schedule. That leaves a hole in the schedule, which Chicagoland Speedway appears to be filling.

The race in Mexico City proved to have plenty of buzz and excitement this season. However, after a lot of issues with the logistics of getting everything and everyone to Mexico, with a date that works with other races on the schedule, it proved to be too challenging. NASCAR raced there in June this season, but that ultimately wouldn’t work in 2026, as Mexico City is one of the hosts for the FIFA World Cup. With five matches scheduled between June 11th and July 5th, there wouldn’t be space for NASCAR to race then.

NASCAR doesn’t want to completely abandon racing in Mexico City. Thus, they are looking to return in 2027, according to Bianchi. There is no official word from NASCAR about Chicagoland, but it seems to be the buzz right now.

I’m sure there will be plenty more to talk about as NASCAR heads to Iowa Speedway this weekend.

Read More: NASCAR Rule Book Update, Kyle Larson Going for a Different Double Attempt and More: NASCAR News Flash

Main Image: Logan Riely, Getty Images

Recording Date: 4/26/2025

 





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Dale Earnhardt Jr. teases major NASCAR schedule news following return to Chicagoland

The 2026 NASCAR schedule is beginning to take shape. Last week, it was the news of NASCAR bringing all three of its national series to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic then reported Wednesday that NASCAR won’t return to Mexico City next season. Chicagoland Speedway, which last hosted a Cup […]

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The 2026 NASCAR schedule is beginning to take shape. Last week, it was the news of NASCAR bringing all three of its national series to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic then reported Wednesday that NASCAR won’t return to Mexico City next season. Chicagoland Speedway, which last hosted a Cup Series race in 2019, is expected to take its spot on the schedule. Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not be an insider, but he’s hearing things.

“And this ain’t the last big domino to fall I hear,” Earnhardt wrote on X.

The San Diego street course and Chicagoland are replacing the Chicago Street Race and Mexico City, respectively. NASCAR previously announced that the season finale will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway, switching places with Phoenix Raceway. The season-opening Clash exhibition is returning to Bowman Gray Stadium.

Beyond that, NASCAR has explored the possibility of bringing its show to Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal has also been rumored for a return to the schedule, at least in the Xfinity and Truck Series.

NASCAR 2026 schedule looking to have several changes

NASCAR unveiled the 2025 schedule in late August of last year, so we’ll know pretty soon the full 38-week schedule. For now, fans can look forward to the return of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland oval. The Next Gen car generally pairs well with intermediate tracks such as Chicagoland, and its return should be popular among drivers.

“It’s awesome; it’s such a cool track,” Joey Logano said last month. “We bring everything else back these days, let’s bring that one back. That’d be cool.”

Chicagoland hosted an annual Cup race from 2001-2019. Tony Stewart won the race three times (2004, 2007 and 2011), and four drivers won the race twice. Those four drivers are Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002), Brad Keselowski (2012, 2014), Martin Truex Jr. (2016, 2017) and Kyle Busch (2008, 2018). Alex Bowman won the last race in 2019. The 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



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