Last year Kyle Larson was forced to settle for second at Jacksonville Speedway, and he simply wouldn’t allow that to happen again this time around.
It didn’t matter that a tougher road was ahead of him at Friday’s Hy-Vee Perks 40. Larson started on the front row in 2024 and led most of the way before David Gravel snuck by late. This year “Yung Money” lined up back in sixth for the 40-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Feature. But a climb to the front wasn’t going to halt the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion.
Larson methodically picked his way forward aboard the Silva Motorsports No. 57 through a flurry of early restarts. By Lap 8 he was on the podium, and three circuits later he was up to second. A Lap 16 slider on Carson Macedo gave him the top spot, and then he showed everyone why he’s one of the best race car drivers on the planet right now.
The Elk Grove, CA native absolutely checked out in traffic. He sliced through lappers and grew his advantage north of four seconds at times. When the checkered flag flew, Larson had lapped up through 11th place. No runner-up this year.
“For what Kyle Larson likes to do, yes that was a lot of fun,” Larson said. “It was a super challenging racetrack kind of all night. I was just waiting for above the cushion in (Turns) 3 and 4 to get loosened up. It barely did. After cautions I could kind of rip above it in (Turns) 3 and 4 really well and just wanted to stay committed to it just to try to clean it off up there as much as I could before I caught traffic. I felt like that kind of allowed me to get by lappers a little easier because I could have such a run on the frontstretch. Just a great car, great race, all of that.”
Larson’s win was his third in six tries this year with The Greatest Show on Dirt. He’s won six of his last nine in World of Outlaws action dating back to last year. The three times he hasn’t he still finished on the podium, making for an average finish of 1.44 over those nine races competing with the best Sprint Car drivers in the world. The 32-year-old has 38 victories in 150 career Feature starts, a remarkable 25.3% winning clip. He became the sixth different winner through six Series visits to Jacksonville.
“It’s always fun to get to race the 57, especially on a small bullring like this,” Larson said. “I hope the fans enjoyed it. I know I did from my seat. Thank you guys for coming out. That was a good one.”
The second spot belonged to Brady Bacon and the TKH Motorsports crew. The Broken Arrow, OK native had speed all night and got by Carson Macedo late to secure his fifth career World of Outlaws podium. “The Macho Man” built some momentum before he goes for a three-peat at Tri-State Speedway on Saturday.
“Carson and I, I feel like we were kind of close to the same,” Bacon said. “I was kind of right on him, so I could kind of try some different stuff in lapped traffic to get the bottom working and figured out especially in (Turns) 1 and 2. I was able to sneak by him, and then I got really backed up in traffic and got a little scared he was going to get me back. Just want to thank Kelly and Lora Hinck for giving us the opportunity to come out here and run some more wing races.”
It was a nice rebound for Carson Macedo and Jason Johnson Racing as they went from their first DNF of 2025 last Saturday at Knoxville to a third place finish at Jacksonville. The Lemoore, CA native led eight laps after taking the top spot from early leader Logan Schuchart but couldn’t quite hold back Larson.
“I don’t know how Kyle does it,” Macedo said with a laugh. “It’s pretty amazing. When I was behind him, pacing him after the restart, which wasn’t very long, he was running above it (the cushion). It looked like he was wall grinding the fence. I just don’t know that I can do that for all 40 laps and hold it all together and still finish these races.”
Logan Schuchart and David Gravel completed the top five.
A 23rd to 13th outing gave Chris Windom his third KSE Racing Hard Charger of the year with Sides Motorsports.
Heat Races went to Carson Macedo (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Sheldon Haudenschild (Real American Beer Heat Two), Bill Balog (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Logan Schuchart (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Four).
David Gravel topped the Toyota Dash and received the SPA Technique #1 Redraw.
Giovanni Scelzi won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Zach Hampton.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars make their only Indiana stop of 2025 on Saturday, April 26 at Haubstadt’s Tri-State Speedway. Tickets will be available at the gate.
For the complete 2025 schedule, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
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.
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.”
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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.
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.”
Fishers, Indiana and Silverstone, UK — The Cadillac Formula 1® Team is pleased to confirm that Zhou Guanyu has joined as Reserve Driver for the team’s Formula 1 debut in 2026.
Zhou joins a talented lineup of drivers at the Cadillac Formula 1® Team, which includes race drivers Valtteri Bottas – alongside whom he raced throughout his stints at Alfa Romeo and Kick Sauber – and Checo Perez, plus Test Driver Colton Herta, who will compete in Formula 2 with Hitech in 2026.
Shanghai-born Zhou, who is China’s first and only F1 driver, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. His 68-race F1 career began in 2022 with Alfa Romeo, for whom he scored points three times, including on his debut in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Having quickly developed a reputation as a fast and hard-working team player, he continued with the outfit in 2023 when he also scored points on three occasions. Zhou remained with the team when it became Kick Sauber in 2024, and he claimed its only points finish of the year in the Qatar Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old also brings valuable experience from his time with Scuderia Ferrari, which will supply the Cadillac Formula 1® Team with its power unit and gearbox in 2026. Zhou completed various trackside, simulator, and Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programs for the Italian marque in 2025 as Reserve Driver, acquiring relevant and recent experience ahead of his new role with the Cadillac Formula 1® Team.
As a junior driver, Zhou was recognized as a standout talent. He collected 20 podium finishes, including five victories, across a three-year stint in Formula 2, which culminated in third place in the series standings in 2021, when he also won the F3 Asian Championship by claiming four victories and five pole positions. He boasts wins in the highly regarded Formula 3 European Championship and Italian Formula 4 Championship, finishing second in the latter in 2015.
Zhou Guanyu said:“I am delighted to join the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as a Reserve Driver ahead of its Formula 1 debut. This is one of the biggest and most exciting new projects that the sport has ever seen.
“I have worked with both Graeme [Lowdon] and Valtteri [Bottas] for many years in various capacities, so joining the team feels like rejoining family. Having had recent experience on track and in developing the cars off track, I know I can add huge value to the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, and I am looking forward to supporting them the best way that I can.”
Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal, Cadillac Formula 1 Team, said:“Our process for selecting a Reserve Driver has been as thorough as the search for our Race Drivers. We wanted a candidate who had recent F1 driving experience, is prepared to work hard as part of a team and understands the challenges of developing a car throughout the season. Zhou fits the bill perfectly. He will be a great asset to us as we go racing in 2026 and we look forward to him being an integral part of our team.”
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings, said:“I’m excited to welcome Zhou to the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. He will be an excellent addition to complement Valtteri and Checo; talented, personable and respectful of the hard work and commitment it will take for us to achieve our ambitions. I’m excited by our complete driver line-up – alongside Colton, we have a hungry, fast and collaborative group to make our 2026 debut.”
ABOUT CADILLAC FORMULA 1® TEAM
The Cadillac Formula 1® Team is a specialist motor racing team competing in the FIA Formula 1® World Championship. Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors, the team has operations in Fishers, Indiana (USA); Charlotte, North Carolina (USA); and Silverstone, Northamptonshire (UK).
With the confidence to dream big and the passion to deliver, the Cadillac Formula 1® Team is building everything from the ground up – from high-performance race cars to an inclusive, values-driven culture. The team will make its Formula 1® debut in 2026.
ABOUT TWG MOTORSPORTS
TWG Motorsports is the motorsports entity of TWG Global, unifying a robust racing portfolio across the world’s biggest stages in Formula 1®, INDYCAR, Formula E, IMSA, and NASCAR. With strategic partnerships that include General Motors on the Cadillac Formula 1® Team and ownership of Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports, TWG Motorsports combines deep technical expertise, proven competitive excellence and industry-leading business acumen. TWG Motorsports is committed to innovating, growing and winning at the highest levels of the sport. Learn more at TWGMotorsports.com.
ABOUT GM
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA (YMUS), is promoting Dean Burnett to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports.
Dean Burnett has been promoted to Senior Vice President and President of Motorsports of Yamaha Motor Corp., USA.
Burnett brings more than three decades of Yamaha experience to his new position, most recently as vice president of Yamaha’s Marine Innovation Center and previously as president of Yamaha’s subsidiaries Siren Marine, Skeeter Boats and G3 Boats.
Mike Martinez, the current SVP and President of Motorsports since 2022, announced his retirement after 32 years at YMUS. Martinez will stay on for the first quarter of 2026 to work closely with Burnett and ensure a smooth transition of the Motorsports business and operations. He will officially retire on April 3, 2026.
“I enjoy being part of the Yamaha family, and I’ve seen firsthand how Martinez worked tirelessly to build a culture based on community, innovation, and real-world experiences,” Burnett said. “Importantly, the Yamaha Motorsports team values, supports, and celebrates our dealer partners and business relationships. I’m proud and excited to accept this new opportunity. At its core, Yamaha creates lifelong memories, and we’ll continue to deliver on that promise to our dealer partners and customers over the decades to come.” CN
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Career Sports Marketing, Private Equity, Fundraising, College Athletics and Motorsports Executive Third President in MSHFA’s 38-Year History
Appointment Brings Lucas Back to Daytona Beach Where He Previously Worked in Sales, Marketing and Business Development Executive Positions at Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (January 5, 2025) – 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.
Lucas joins the MSHFA after most recently spending 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. 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 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.”
Lucas brings dual passions for both modern-day motorsports as well as the rich history and legacy of racing in the United States, which includes a high-speed family tie to the very roots of motorsports Americana.
“The history of motorsports in America is truly right at home in our family,” Lucas said. “My wife, Dawn, is the daughter of stock car pioneer Dink Widenhouse, and we are thrilled to be able to once again live so close to where he and his friends and racing peers competed on the beach here in Daytona. Our daughter Caroline was born in Daytona, and we are so happy to come back to where both my father-in-law and our daughter’s grandfather was part of the amazing motorsports legacy in America, which I now have both the responsibility and honor to preserve for generations to come.”
Widenhouse is pictured in his trademark No. B-29 stock car at the final Daytona beach race in 1958 and with his friends and racing peers Ned Jarrett (MSHFA Class of 1997) and Ralph Earnhardt.
The 38th Annual MSHFA Induction Ceremony Presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing takes place March 9 – 10, 2026 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort in the heart of Daytona Beach, Florida. The traditional black-tie gala, which is the crowning event of the two-day, multi-function induction celebration. The Induction Ceremony will be preceded the night before on Monday, March 9, by the traditional “Heroes of Horsepower” reception and strolling dinner at the MSHFA Museum on the DIS grounds.
Daytime events, presented by Toyota Gazoo Racing, include the annual Inductee Welcome Luncheon on Monday, and the annual Inductee Brunch on Tuesday morning.
For more information or to purchase Class of 2026 Induction tickets, visit the MSHFA at www.mshf.com.
The MSHFA is located in Daytona International Speedway’s Ticket and Tours Building. Access to the MSFHA Museum is included with every Daytona International Speedway tour, which runs throughout each day, or as a museum-only ticket. The museum is open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. except for major holidays. It is visited by more than 150,000 guests each year from every state in America and countries all over the world. For museum tickets call 1-800-PIT-SHOP.
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsHOF/ and Instagram and Twitter at @MotorsportsHOF. Learn more at www.mshf.com.
About the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: The MSHFA is the only hall that honors all major American motorsports: cars, motorcycles, airplanes, off road and powerboats. Its mission is to celebrate and instill the American motorsports values of leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork and spirit of competition. Founded by Larry G. Ciancio and led by first President Ronald A. Watson, it held its first induction in 1989. Watson spent the next 30 years tirelessly building it into the nation’s premier such hall until his passing in 2019. Originally based in Novi, Mich., it relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2016 and greets more than 120,000 guests a year in its museum. MSHFA is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation, Inc.
