North Florida Motorsports Park announced Dec. 9 it plans a 600-acre development in Nassau County.

A map with the announcement shows the park on undeveloped land north along County Road 108 west of Interstate 95 near the Florida Welcome Center rest stop. Access to the park is from County Road 108.

The park says it will feature a racetrack designed by Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indy 500 winner and International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee. Rahal is also a partner in the project.

The development would have trackside residences, a kart track, garage facilities and a private membership club. A hotel, spa and conference center are planned.

A map shows an RV park, shooting club and a watersports lake with a marina.

“This region has an incredible automotive culture, and North Florida Motorsports Park will provide enthusiasts with an exceptional venue to celebrate that passion,” Rahal said in a news release. “We’re creating more than a racetrack – we’re building a community.”

In addition to Rahal, the release said project partners include:

• NF Sports Development: Financial advisory and motorsports project development. The company website says it is based in Illinois and Orlando and “has professional racing and sports education on its core and targets the North American market.” The website says the company was founded in 2015 by former Brazilian Formula One racer Rubens Barrichello and Bruno Fusaro.

• M2 Real Estate Advisors: Real estate strategy and development. Founded by Michael McNaughton, the company is based in Ponte Vedra Beach. McNaughton is the former COO of Jacksonville shopping center developer Sleiman Enterprises.

• Atlanta Motorsports Park: Operational expertise and motorsports management. Jeremy W. Porter is the creator and CEO of Atlanta Motorsports Park, which was founded in 2012. The racing venue in Dawsonville, Georgia, is a “motorsports country club” offering auto and kart racing. It offers residential condos and villas.

The release says Rahal’s role will be “prominent, ensuring not only world class off-track facilities but also track design with world leading architects, delivering what promises to be a true driver and owner focused experience, from start to finish.”

According to Nassau County property records, the land on which the park would be developed is owned by Rayonier Inc. through Rayonier Forest Resources LP.

Rayonier is the developer of the Wildlight community in Nassau, where it is now headquartered. Rayonier announced in October it plans to merge with Spokane, Washington-based PotlatchDeltic Corp. and move its headquarters to Atlanta.

“This Project represents a unique convergence of passion and place,” McNaughton said in the release. “The trackside condominium concept offers an unprecedented real estate opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts who want to live where they play. We’re seeing tremendous interest in experiential luxury real estate, and this project positions Nassau County, North Florida at the forefront of that trend.”

The release did not include a timeline, development cost or the project’s architects and engineers.

“North Florida Motorsports Park represents a transformative opportunity for Nassau County. This project blends innovation, recreation, and economic development in a way that strengthens our community and elevates our region. We are proud to welcome a world-class motorsports destination,” said Nassau County Manager Taco Pope said in the release.

“North Florida Motorsports Park is the evolution of automotive lifestyle communities,” Fusaro said. “We’re creating an environment where driving enthusiasts can pursue their passion while enjoying world-class amenities and the camaraderie of like-minded individuals.”

The project did not respond to an email for comment.

Lionel Racing has revealed the ten best-selling diecasts from the 2025 NASCAR season, counting them down throughout the day on Wednesday.

In 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reminded everyone just how popular he is when his Budweiser-backed Late Model car beat all other diecasts from the year. In 2023, Kevin Harvick’s return to the No. 29 for the All-Star Race with a recreation of his 2001 scheme on his modern Busch Light Ford Mustang was the best-selling diecast.

While nostalgia ruled the previous two years, 2022 saw Ross Chastain’s wall-ride car from the Martinsville ‘Hail Melon’ (complete with right-side damage) as the No. 1 best-selling diecast of that calendar year. In 2021, it was Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Grave Digger paint scheme. 

Looking back to 2020, Most Popular Driver Chase Elliott led the way with his championship-winning No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet. Elliott’s cars were also the best-selling diecasts in 2019, 2018, and 2016, while the throwback scheme Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran in his final Cup start topped 2017’s list. Various Earnhardt cars also topped the list in 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.

Now, here’s a look at the top-selling diecast from 2025:

10. Shane van Gisbergen #88 Trackhouse / Red Bull Chevrolet

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Red Bull returned to the NASCAR Cup Series as a sponsor in 2025, and a Red Bull-sponsored car went to Victory Lane for the first time in over 13 years when Van Gisbergen won at Sonoma Raceway. Red Bull sponsored SVG in six races this past year. Along with a dominant win at Sonoma where he led 97 of 110 laps, SVG also carried Red Bull colors for his first Cup Series top ten on an oval at Kansas Speedway.

9. Josh Berry #21 Wood Brothers / Motorcraft Chevrolet (Vegas raced version)

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Berry earned his first career win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway early in the 2025 season. He did so in the famous Wood Brothers No. 21 machine, earning the historic team its 101st win at the Cup level. He bested Daniel Suarez on a late-race restart and led the final 15 laps to secure the win. The raced win version of this diecast is complete confetti from Victory Lane.

8. Connor Zilisch #87 Trackhouse / Red Bull Chevrolet

Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

Another Red Bull-backed Trackhouse car! The teenaged phenom made his Cup debut at COTA in the Red Bull-sponsored No. 87 Chevrolet. That race ended in a DNF with Zilisch placing 37th (last) after colliding with the driver he would end up replacing at Trackhouse — Daniel Suarez. He ran the same paint scheme in all three of his Cup starts this year, placing 23rd in the Coca-Cola 600 and earning a career-best finish of 11th at Atlanta.

7. Kyle Larson #5  Hendrick / Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet (Phoenix raced version)

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Larson didn’t win the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. However, third was enough to secure him the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series title over Denny Hamlin. This raced version is an exact replica of the car he drove to his second Cup Series championship in November.

6. Kyle Larson #5 Hendrick / Hendrickcars.com championship Chevrolet

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

This special edition car looks almost identical to Larson’s usual No. 5 Chevrolet, with the added yellow windshield banner and yellow rear spoiler for the playoffs. However, the big difference here is the fact that the No. 5 on the roof has been replaced with an icon that reads ‘NASCAR Cup Series champion.’

5. William Byron #24 Hendrick / Axalta Daytona 500 win Chevrolet (raced version)

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Mike Ehrmann – Getty Images

William Byron became just the fifth driver to win back-to-back Daytona 500s with his victory in the 2025 season-opener. It was an unlikely victory as he wasn’t even a true factor at the white flag, but when the top five runners crashed into each other on the backstretch, he squeezed by to capture the checkered flag. This raced win version will include marks on the car’s body from the thrilling crown jewel event, and confetti from Victory Lane across the top of the car.

4. Chase Elliott #9 Hendrick / NAPA Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta win Chevrolet (raced version)

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Krista Jasso / Getty Images

Another raced win Hendrick Motorsports diecast, but this time it’s the sport’s Most Popular Driver. Chase Elliott escaped the race-halting pileup that took out half the field, and out-dueled Brad Keselowski to earn the victory at his home track this past summer. The special paint scheme was designed by 11-year-old Rhealynn Mills.

Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing Ford, Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota, Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

This year, JR Motorsports (co-owned by Dale Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller) made their debut in the Cup Series. A championship-winning organization in the secondary level of the sport, they brought in 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier who raced his way into the Daytona 500 in an emotional moment for JRM. And despite sustaining left-front damage during the race, he soldiered on to a top ten finish. The diecast is the raced version, so it includes all of the battle scars and even a recreation of the bearbond tape on the fender.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Speedway Classic Chevrolet Late Model

Photo by: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR

Despite being retired from the NASCAR Cup Series, Earnhardt still appears on this list almost annually. This year, he reunited with Budweiser to recreate the 2001 MLB All-Star Game paint scheme he ran at Daytona, winning the summer race in the first Cup event back at the famed speedway following his father’s tragic death earlier in the year. The paint scheme was fitted to a Late Model Stock and used to promote the Speedway Classic MLB game at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dale Jr. raced with the scheme at a CARS Tour event at Anderson Motor Speedway, placing tenth.

1. Justin Allgaier #40 JR Motorsports / Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet 

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

Yes, the No. 40 JRM entry from the team’s Daytona 500 debut made the list twice. First at No. 3 as the raced version, and also just the base diecast without any of the battle scars. That means Dale Earnhardt Jr.-affiliated cars swept the top three on this year’s list.

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– The Motorsport.com Team

FORT WAYNE, Ind (WANE) — When businessmen Bill Bean, Tom Kelley and Chuck Surack scrapped their plans for a racetrack in southwest Allen County, they wanted to be good neighbors to nearby residents who worried about developing the quiet farm fields near Hamilton and Branstrator roads.

Apparently, good things come to those who wait.

Wednesday they announced plans for the Auburn Motorsports Park, located on the grounds of the old Kruse Auction Park, near I-69 and DeKalb County Road 11-A, land already zoned for an automobile road course.

“We want to build a world-class facility that will draw people from around the world to come to Auburn, Indiana,” Kelley told WANE 15, calling the site and project “a perfect marriage.”

For decades, the land served thousands of car collectors and aficionados with the annual Labor Day week auction of rare and collectable automobiles, in conjunction with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival.

“A motorsport park in Auburn just goes along with the culture and the 100-year love affair with automobiles,” Surack said.

The early feedback has been positive from the site’s few neighbors.

The park’s road course would be designed as an FIA level two track, meaning Formula One safety standards and runoff areas, lacking only the media center and medical center found at an F1 course.

Kelley was quick to point out that the park, which would include a go-kart track, would cater to drivers of all income levels, with some $20 admission days and free events for the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Market research showed the trio that Auburn is in a sweet spot to attract a multitude of motorsports enthusiasts within a three hour drive, the key to a successful operation.

“There’s a reason people pay to play Pebble Beach, right?” said Kelley. “In the racetrack work, we eventually want to be known like Pebble Beach.”

Surack said they hoped to use some of the buildings already at the Auction Park, but were early in the design process.

Auburn officials were also excited.

“As the Home of the Classics, Auburn is the perfect place for a project like this,” said Mayor David Clark.

“This project represents exactly the kind of forward-looking investment our community has been preparing for,” said Natalie DeWitt, President of the Auburn Common Council.

Both Surack and Kelley thought the area around the park could attract housing, a hotel, dining and more.

“Other companies will want to be there,” said Kelley.

The purchase of the land from Ambassador Enterprises has not closed yet.

Construction on the project could be complete by summer of 2028.

After moderate success in her rookie campaign in the ARCA Menards Series, Isabella Robusto is going full-time again. This time, Robusto will team up with Nitro Motorsports. Nitro bought out the Venturini Motorsports program earlier this year.

Isabella Robusto was a common sight in the top-five last season in the ARCA Menards Series. She has legitimate talent at 21 years old. Early in the season, DNFs cost her points to compete for the top spots in points. Besides those DNFs, Robusto’s worst finish was a P10 at Lime Rock Park and Kansas. Not bad for a driver still figuring out stock cars.

During her high school years, Robusto was a multisport athlete. Now, she’s racing cars full-time in ARCA. I’d expect her to compete for wins in the 2026 season. We will have to see who Pinnacle Racing Group and Joe Gibbs Racing have in store for the year. But Robusto should be in one of the best cars week in and week out.

The FIA’s updated changes of the superlicense points allocation to the IndyCar Series championship ahead of the 2026 season has been welcomed by several in the paddock, including Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council concluded its final meeting for 2025 on Wednesday, making several changes across several series that also impacted North America’s premier open-wheel championship. 

Previously, the top 10 in the IndyCar championship were awarded superlicense points from first to 10th as follows: 40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3-2-1. However, the updated changes will now see first to 10th allocated 40-30-25-20-15-10-8-6-3-1. 

This brings IndyCar’s status closer to Formula 1 as a ‘feeder series’ in terms of hitting the required 40 superlicense points over a three-year span, remaining behind Formula 2 (40-40-40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3) and ahead of Formula 3 (30-25-20-15-12-9-7-5-3-2). 

Kanaan reacts to FIA superlicense change

Tony Kanaan

Photo by: Gregg Feistman / Motorsport Images

“No one doubts that IndyCar is one of the most competitive racing series in the world, and I’m glad the FIA is acknowledging that by increasing the points to be more comparable to F2,” Kanaan said, via a statement sent to Motorsport.com. 

“It’s good news for IndyCar and good for the drivers in the series if they do want to race in F1. An IndyCar driver shouldn’t need to go to a feeder series to prove they’ve got what it takes to compete in any other series.” 

Although Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward also serves as McLaren F1’s reserve and test driver (and recently driven in FP1 outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi this year), Kanaan is likely referencing Colton Herta. 

Herta has been among the shortlist of drivers highly touted in the IndyCar paddock since coming onto the scene at the end of 2018, and becoming the youngest race winner in 2019 (at 18 years, 11 months and 25 days old). However, his eligibility for a superlicense has been difficult. A potential F1 debut for AlphaTauri in 2023 was halted due to having 32 superlicense points despite finishing seventh, third and fifth in the title race from 2019-21. 

The 25-year-old Herta went into the 2025 season with 31 superlicense points and, under the FIA’s previous criteria, needed to finish fourth in the championship or fifth with an FP1 appearance. 

Despite Herta falling short of that goal and ending up seventh in the title race, he was still brought into Cadillac’s F1 team, albeit a test driver. He also left IndyCar at the end of the year to run F2 with Hitech in pursuit of securing enough superlicense points for a shot at an F1 seat in 2027. He needs to either finish eighth, but could also secure it with 10th in combination with multiple free practice appearances.

Only Alex Palou (120 points), Scott Dixon (56 points), O’Ward (48 points) and Scott McLaughlin (41 points) are eligible based on results from the past three seasons. The updated changes will only impact points scored from 2026 onwards.

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– The Motorsport.com Team

The man who avoids the limelight and a microphone didn’t have that luxury Tuesday in a North Carolina federal courtroom.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France (pictured above) was called as the final witness for the plaintiffs, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, in the antitrust lawsuit the teams filed against France and the sport he owns and operates. France was questioned by the team’s lead counsel, Jeffrey Kessler, for nearly 2.5 hours, during which he repeatedly said he couldn’t recall certain internal communications, events or numbers.

But France did admit that “I did say no” to permanent charters. Kessler did not ask why.

The concept of permanent charters was a key point for race teams during negotiations for the 2025 charter agreement. Heather Gibbs testified to the importance they had for the Gibbs family and how valuable they would be for stability. Richard Childress also testified that permanent charters would help financially in a sport with a challenging economic model.

NASCAR, however, wanted to remain flexible going forward, according to Steve O’Donnell’s testimony. O’Donnell, who became president of NASCAR earlier this year, said the unknowns were part of the reason for not granting permanent charters, as NASCAR didn’t know what the sport would look like in the future regarding costs, schedule, cars and other financial variables.

Kessler repeatedly pressed France on being the top of the NASCAR food chain and the one who makes decisions. Some of that came through Kessler asking, “You bear the ultimate responsibilities for the company?” and, “The buck stops with you?”

But France, like other NASCAR executives who testified before him, such as Phelps, O’Donnell and Scott Prime, would only say that NASCAR has a board of directors, and that’s where the discussion and decisions go.

Although France said the board can overrule him, he couldn’t recall one of those instances. Kessler quipped to let him know if he thought of one while they continued with the testimony.

France owns 54% of NASCAR through the family trust. Lesa France Kennedy, his niece, owns 46%.

Kessler also spent time showing France communications within the company during the charter negotiations, one of which was O’Donnell saying that France was visibly reacting, swearing, while reading a Heather Gibbs letter out loud. But not only did France counter that he doesn’t recall being upset about the letter, nor there being anything in it that would make him upset, France also said he’s not sure why O’Donnell characterized things that way.

France also challenged part of Heather Gibbs’s testimony. She explained that Sept. 6, the deadline to sign the charter agreement, France had told Joe Gibbs that the negotiations were done and the deadline set. Furthermore, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30,” is what Gibbs relayed.

“I don’t think I’d say that to Coach (Gibbs),” France said.

And so the testimony went as Kessler continued to press on communications France received from team owners and his reaction. France acknowledged receiving letters from Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush and Joe Gibbs in the spring of 2024. All expressed concerns over the sport’s business model and race teams losing money.

France will return to the stand Wednesday for cross-examination by NASCAR’s counsel. NASCAR will then begin presenting its case.

Childress says his race team relies on support from his other businesses and thinks permanent charters could address this. James Gilbert/Getty Images

Tuesday closed with France after also seeing Childress and Phelps on the stand.

Childress testified that he signed the charter agreement because he had no choice. The NASCAR Hall of Famer didn’t want to lose his charters, admitting his company isn’t financially able to compete without them. He said the other businesses Childress has founded help support the race team.

But, he, too, wanted permanent charters. Childress also agreed with the other key items the teams asked for, including a say in the governance of the sport, revenue, and receiving a percentage of new revenue.

“It wouldn’t cost NASCAR nothing” to award permanent charters, said Childress.

He also said, “I would love to see RCR running 60 years from now, but with this model, we can’t do it.”

As for the testimony from Phelps, there were times when he, too, under questions from Kessler, said he couldn’t recall or didn’t know about what he was being asked. However, he disputed the version of events the teams have relayed, claiming the Sept. 6, 2024, deadline was a take-it-or-leave-it situation. Multiple times, Phelps said that wasn’t what happened, or it was an unfair statement.

According to Phelps, the first draft went out in December of 2023. The teams responded in January of 2024.

Another response from the teams came through in February, and soon thereafter, NASCAR began meeting with the teams individually because they were hearing that not all of the information NASCAR was giving to the Team Negotiating Committee (TNC) was making its way back to everyone.

In May, another draft went out with a response from the teams in June. The meetings continued in June, July, and August. The third draft went out on Aug. 14, in which the teams were told the deadline would be the end of August.

Phelps said that Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports then asked for an extension of the deadline. It was moved to Sept. 6. When the new deadline was set, Phelps said he called every team owner or team representative and let them know.

Lawyers for the teams sent comments about the draft on Sept. 5. At this point, Phelps said he was “pleasantly surprised” that the changes and comments weren’t that extensive. He was at the point where he felt the teams would sign after those updates were made.

As for September 6, Phelps said the day unfolded with the deadline being the end of the day. Jim France, meanwhile, had promised Roger Penske that no charter agreement would go out until they had spoken. Penske ended up calling Phelps, who told him to make sure he spoke with France before they could proceed.

Soon enough, the deadline was extended to midnight. Phelps made that decision because he said he knew the teams needed time for the agreement to reach their inboxes. He was still under the impression they were going to sign, and they had been updated by their lawyers.

“I was surprised,” Phelps said, when 23XI Racing and Front Row didn’t sign. Those two teams were even given an additional deadline to sign, but they didn’t.

Phelps also testified that NASCAR could not give the teams the $720 million per year they wanted because it would bankrupt them.