The Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) SoCal chapter and the NHRA are joining forces to host a special Women in Motorsports Field Trip at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, held on November 14, the first day of qualifying of the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.

This gathering invites racers from every motorsport, industry professionals, marketers, social media creators and students to come together at the dragstrip for a day of inspiration, connection and to watch Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing. Attendees will tour the NHRA museum, hear from leading voices in motorsports and then watch the first day of NHRA Finals qualifying.

Hosted by Amanda Busick of NHRA and FOX Sports, the program will feature conversations with Erica Enders (six-time Pro Stock champion), Hannah Rickards (NHRA Live Events Marketing Manager), Melanie Johnson (drag racer and daughter of legendary crew chief and tuner Alan Johnson), and other trailblazing women who continue to define excellence in drag racing. The event will also include remarks from Cindy Sisson, Executive Director of WIMNA, and the introduction of PRI Magazine Executive Editor Meredith Burns, president of the newly formed WIMNA Southern California Chapter.

For more information, visit womeninmotorsportsna.com.

By The Chronicle staff

Maximilian Motorsports announced in a news release that it will be hosting a driver education event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Maximilian Motorsports shop location south of Chehalis.

This education event welcomes all new and learning drivers and offers an opportunity to learn from an industry professional, the release stated. Event attendees can also tour the shop. Light refreshments will be served throughout the event.

The class is geared toward complimenting a standard driver’s education course by teaching all the things that drivers won’t learn in the classroom, helping them become a more well-rounded and informed driver, according to the release.

Attendees can pre-register for the event at https://tinyurl.com/65vwwmts. There is no cost to attend.

Maximilian Motorsports was founded in 1993 and has been based in Chehalis for the entirety of its existence, offering vehicle maintenance, service and repair on many makes and models of vehicles. Maximilian Motorsports also offers educational opportunities for its automotive technicians and students alike.

To learn more about Maximilian Motorsports, visit https://maximilianmotorsports.com/ or visit it at 1983 Bishop Road, Chehalis.

Jimmie Johnson’s golden horseshoe found a new home on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

If you’ll recall, Kevin Harvick suggested that Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team kept a horseshoe in their hindquarters after Johnson took advantage of an opportune caution to win at Fontana, Calif., in February of 2010.

You could argue that the horseshoe migrated to another Hendrick driver in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, after Kyle Larson took advantage of serendipitous circumstances to claim his second title in NASCAR’s premier division.

On Lap 310 of a scheduled 312, Championship 4 driver Denny Hamlin held a comfortable lead over second-place William Byron and appeared destined to win the title that had eluded him for two decades.

Enter the horseshoe.

Byron, the only driver in the Champ 4 who hadn’t experienced tire issues to that point, blew a right rear and rocketed into the Turn 3 wall, causing the caution that flipped the championship in Larson’s direction.

After a second straight two-tire call, Larson lined up fifth, five spots ahead of Hamlin, who had taken four tires, for an overtime restart. Two laps later, Larson finished third to Hamlin’s sixth to claim the 15th championship for team owner Rick Hendrick.

Larson, whose winless streak reached 24 races, won the title without leading a lap in what was arguably the slowest car among the Championship 4, but it would be wrong to ascribe his championship to luck alone.

Larson made a courageous run near the fence in Turns 1 and 2 in overtime and built the momentum that kept him ahead of Hamlin, proving once again that, if given the opportunity, he will do whatever it takes to come out on top.

Hours after Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag to win his fourth race of the season, Larson was still in disbelief.

“Yeah, it’s insane,” he said. “I don’t know. I mean, did anybody in here think that we had a shot? Like, I definitely… like (crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) was saying, we weren’t dead, but we were pretty close.”

As a measure of how fortunate Larson realized he was, the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet expressed genuine empathy for Hamlin’s gut-wrenching disappointment.

“It’s great to celebrate and all that, but it does feel a little awkward, because he has put so much time and energy, has been so close to winning so many championships,” Larson said. “This is as close as he’s ever been.

“Sure, he’s a competitor, but he is a friend. I was going to be happy for him to win. That’s kind of what I was thinking about. Like, man, I can’t wait to go tell him, ‘Good job.’ Then the caution came out and the script flipped right there, so…”

There’s a saying that luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity. Larson proved that thesis on Sunday. When the opportunity presented itself, he and his team were ready to seize it.

That wasn’t the first time Larson has been an opportunist. Four years ago, late in the Championship Race at Phoenix, Martin Truex Jr. was leading, with Hamlin in hot pursuit in a faster car.

Larson was running fourth among the championship drivers with little hope of overtaking the frontrunners. A caution on Lap 283 changed everything. With a sub-10-second pit stop in stall No. 1, Larson vaulted from fourth to first and led the final 28 laps to win his first championship.

Come to think of it, maybe the horseshoe has been there all along.

There will be a change atop the pit box for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet next season. Brandon McSwain, who has worked as an engineer for the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team for the past six years, will replace Phil Surgen.

Chastain has worked with Surgen since the 2021 season when he still drove for Chip Ganassi Racing, and has won all six of his Cup races with the same crew chief. The duo nearly won the 2022 Cup Series championship, and most recently earned a crown jewel victory in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. 

They made the playoffs in three of the last four years, and ended the 2025 season tenth in the final championship standings.

Surgen will transition to a new role within the organization, per Trackhouse.

McSwain has limited crew chief experience, filling in for Rudy Fugle at HMS on a few occasions. The No. 24 Chevrolet of Byron has made it all the way to the Championship 4 in the last three consecutive years.

This continues a trend at Trackhouse as they continue to make internal changes, including crew member swaps and a new president of racing operations. The organization has struggled overall this year in comparison to previous seasons, excluding the dominance of Shane van Gisbergen on road and street courses.

McSwain was also a part of JR Motorsports before joining Hendrick, and was a member of the 2017 and 2018 championship-winning team with Byron and then Tyler Reddick.

We want your opinion!

– The Motorsport.com Team

Arrow McLaren is joining forces with Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) through a multi-year sponsorship announced today. The collaboration will focus on cultivating pathways that serve to advance, connect and enable women across the motorsports industry. 

The team will play a key role in Women with Drive – Driven by Mobil 1, WIMNA’s annual Indianapolis-based summit that brings together professionals, students and leaders across the motorsports landscape to forge connection and opportunity. Held the week of the PRI Show in downtown Indianapolis, the event features panels, breakout sessions, special events and engaging networking opportunities. In 2024, Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan spoke at the event, and in 2025, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Lauren Gaudion will join the panel ‘Breaking In: Non-Traditional Pathways into Motorsports.’ 

Since returning to full-time racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2020, Arrow McLaren has more than doubled its workforce amid a period of expansion and growth. The upcoming opening of the McLaren Racing Center — Arrow McLaren’s new state-of-the-art INDYCAR facility in Indianapolis — marks another milestone in the team’s continued growth and investment in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. 

Kevin Thimjon, President, Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, said:

“We recognize that a diverse range of skillsets is key to accelerating performance. Partnering with WIMNA provides us with an additional avenue for recruitment and development of top talent by supporting the advancement of women across our industry.” 

Cindy Sisson, Executive Director, Women in Motorsports North America, said:

“This partnership underscores how collaboration between industry, community and city leadership can create a lasting impact. Arrow McLaren’s commitment to Women with Drive not only uplifts women in motorsports but also contributes to developing the next generation of skilled professionals who will drive Indianapolis’ continued leadership in motorsports innovation.”

By Tom Coughlin

If you are headed out Sunday to the Lebanon Valley Speedway for their annual Super Swap Meet, the Lebanon Valley Kart Track is holding a Pancake Breakfast in the Speedway Club House. The breakfast will benefit the Lebanon Valley Kart Track and speedway point fund. Breakfast will be served from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m., and the Swap Meet is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., rain or shine.

Dodge City Speedway will celebrate its 2025 season at Checkers Out Speedway, located at 2299 Route 30A in Johnstown, on Friday, Nov. 7. Appetizers will be served at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Dinner tickets are $40 for ages 14 and up. Please R.S.V.P. to Paul Montenaro by Nov. 3, either through the Dodge City Speedway Facebook page messenger or by telephone. Juice Box Kart participants have been invited by Checkers Out Speedway to bring their Karts to race on the indoor track by 5 p.m. Please remember your helmet if you want to race after the banquet.

On Saturday, Nov. 8, Elmo’s Speed & Supply will host its 10th annual Swap Meet on the grounds of Albany-Saratoga Speedway, 2671 Route 9 in Malta, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Nov. 8, Outdoor Motorsports and Trailer Sales, located at 3953 NY-30 in Amsterdam, will host a fall open house, vintage snowmobile show, and charity food drive from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Awards will be presented to Best in Show for various categories of sleds. On-site will be food trucks, vendors, raffles, special guests, manufacturer representatives, and promotional deals. Bring in a canned food item and receive a discount on a purchase.

On Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, the Northeast Racing Products Auction, Trade Show, and Swap Meet will take place in the Exposition building at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

In preparation for the 2026 season, Sportsman driver Kirsten Swartz of St. Johnsville has recently picked up a new Bicknell chassis. Dirt modified and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen continues to make daily progress in his efforts to heal and rebuild himself from injuries suffered in the horrific modified crash in Canada in late July.

The Capital District Racing Association has listed its high point earners for 2025. Tim Hartman Jr. claimed the title by sitting on top of the C.D.R.A. Sportsman Modified point standings. Taylor Wason and Nick Brundige completed the top three.

Results From Last Week’s Eastern States Weekend

Last Thursday night, Orange County Fair Speedway hosted the Short Track Super Series modified division in the Hard Clay Finale. Mat Williamson was the Hot Lap Hero with a 20.904-second fast time. The six heat race winners for the 61 STSS modifieds that signed in were Matt Sheppard, Chris Raabe, Mat Williamson, Brian Calabrese, Danny Bouc, and 2025 O.C.F.S. modified track champion Jack Lehner. In the 50-lap feature, Matt Sheppard scored the win over Mat Williamson and Anthony Perrego. Matt Sheppard was also crowned the STSS North Region champion.

On Friday night, the Eastern States 50 for the sportsman division saw Jared LaBagh score the win, with Tyler Peet and A.J. Albreada filling the podium. Mat Williamson earned the pole position for the 358-modified Eastern States 100, with Matt Sheppard, Noah Walker, Brian Calabrese, Matt Stangle, and Jessica Friesen locking in the top six starting positions.

Also on Friday, Kaden Honeycutt was at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Driving the Halmar-Friesen Racing number 52, Honeycutt started fifth, finished stage one in seventh, stage two in eighth, and stage three in second.

Saturday’s running of the Eastern States 100 for the 358-modified division took place on a fast and smooth track. In a thrilling finish, Anthony Perrego beat Mat Williamson to the line by only 0.056 seconds. Jessica Friesen, Felix Roy, and Brian Calabrese rounded out the top five. Jack Lehner, in the Nelson Motorsports No. 85, finished ninth.

Jessica Friesen of Sprakers had an outstanding run. After time-trialing sixth, she ran in the top five for the first half of the race and moved into second place behind Perrego when Matt Sheppard pitted around lap 95. Williamson, who had pitted earlier, charged through the field and passed Friesen in the closing laps. A top-three finish in the ESW 100 is a major accomplishment for Friesen, who runs a limited schedule.

On Sunday, Alex “Kid Rocket” Yankowski, the 21-year-old 2024 & 2025 Fonda modified champion, started on the outside of the front row and went on to claim his first victory in the iconic Eastern States-Will Cagle 200, collecting the $24,000 check. Tyler Dippel and Peter Britten filled the podium. Our other area drivers had strong showings: Jack Lehner finished fourth, Marc Johnson sixth, Max McLaughlin seventh, and Anthony Perrego eighth.

Overall, our area drivers had a very good showing at the 64th Eastern States Weekend, a weekend that they can all be proud of.

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