NASCAR driver’s ‘need for read’ inspires Henry County students
NASCAR driver shares love of reading in Henry County NASCAR driver Erik Jones visited Henry County’s Rocky Creek Elementary School on Wednesday, reading to students and helping re-stock the book vending machine installed there by his nonprofit, The Erik Jones Foundation. HAMPTON, Ga. – We’re still more than a month away from the Quaker State […]
NASCAR driver shares love of reading in Henry County
NASCAR driver Erik Jones visited Henry County’s Rocky Creek Elementary School on Wednesday, reading to students and helping re-stock the book vending machine installed there by his nonprofit, The Erik Jones Foundation.
HAMPTON, Ga. – We’re still more than a month away from the Quaker State 400 taking over Atlanta Motor Speedway — but this morning, a top NASCAR driver spent a little time down in Hampton, visiting with local students and giving a new meaning to “speed reading.”
NASCAR driver Erik Jones visited Henry County’s Rocky Creek Elementary School, reading to students and helping re-stock the book vending machine installed there by his nonprofit, The Erik Jones Foundation. The driver’s foundation encompasses several missions — including promoting early cancer detection and care and animal welfare — but a chief cause for Jones is encouraging kids to read. And what better way to get kids interested in books than by filling an eye-popping vending machine with books and placing them in schools?
Jones teamed up with Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta and Atlanta Motor Speedway back in 2023 to install the so-called “Bookworm” machine at Rocky Creek Elementary School. And no quarters or dimes are needed for this vending machine; students buy books using tokens, which they earn at school through hard work and positivity.
Along with filling up the machine with new books, Jones was on-hand as Atlanta Motor Speedway announced the return of a reading initiative through the Henry County library system: kids (up to 18 years old) who meet their quarter milestone reading goal get two free race tickets to NASCAR weekend in June!
We love NASCAR here at Good Day Atlanta, and we love books, too — so, we didn’t hesitate to head down to Rocky Creek Elementary School to catch up with Erik Jones and students. Click the video player to check it out, and click here for more information on The Erik Jones Foundation.
The Source: Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken spent the morning at Rocky Creek Elementary School with Erik Jones, helping the driver re-stock the book vending machine and learning more about his passion for reading.
Elwood Motorsports Team Shines at Cincinnati’s Speedom Fest – 95.3 WKTN – Your Region, Your Radio
The Elwood Motorsports Team had an action-packed weekend at the Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati’s Speedom Fest, where driver Alan Elwood showed impressive speed and determination. Saturday’s action began with Elwood qualifying 7th. However, a gear failure on the opening lap of the prefinal dropped him to 17th, where he would start the final. Despite […]
The Elwood Motorsports Team had an action-packed weekend at the Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati’s Speedom Fest, where driver Alan Elwood showed impressive speed and determination.
Saturday’s action began with Elwood qualifying 7th. However, a gear failure on the opening lap of the prefinal dropped him to 17th, where he would start the final. Despite the setback, Elwood charged through the field, gaining 10 positions by lap four and setting the fastest lap of the race. He was in second place and contending for the lead with just two laps to go when contact from the third-place kart sent him crashing into the outside wall, ending his run.
On Sunday, Elwood bounced back with a strong qualifying performance, placing 4th. By turn 13 of the 16-turn layout, he had taken the lead. He maintained the top spot until the final straight, where he was edged out in a drag race to the finish line and secured a hard-fought second place.
It was a weekend of highs and lows, but Elwood’s pace and resilience were clear throughout the event.
More information and future updates can also be found by visiting Elwood Motorsport Team LLC on Facebook.
How a historic event overcame skepticism and delays – News-Herald
By JENNA FRYER MEXICO CITY — Despite the handful of industry insiders too scared to leave their hotels in Mexico City, NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era was a cultural experience that brought new fans to the series and provided its competitors with a chance to enjoy a new country. The […]
MEXICO CITY — Despite the handful of industry insiders too scared to leave their hotels in Mexico City, NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era was a cultural experience that brought new fans to the series and provided its competitors with a chance to enjoy a new country.
The event had its detractors — rumors persisted for months that it would be canceled over security concerns or the escalating tensions between the United States and Mexico — and some NASCAR team members remained critical all the way through the June 15 race.
But was it a success? Even with travel delays, hotel room snafus and confusion over shuttle transportation, it was unequivocally a shining moment for NASCAR.
“Every single thing about this weekend exceeded my expectations,” said Daniel Suarez, the Monterrey-born NASCAR driver who was the face of the three-day weekend. “The people, the fans, the sponsors, the excitement, the energy. I had expectations for this weekend… and I can tell you that I personally exceeded those expectations.”
The idea to try the road course at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez — host of one of the most popular Formula 1 events on that calendar — was the brainchild of Ben Kennedy, executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer. The great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. has been aggressive in shaking up a schedule that went to the same tracks on the same weekends for decades.
Bringing the Cup Series to Mexico City — only the third race outside the U.S. in 77 years — was a chance to expose stock car racing to a new demographic and give Mexican fans their first chance to see the series race live.
“This was a historic moment for our sport, for Mexico, and for the global motorsports community,” Kennedy said after Shane Van Gisbergen won the race to lock the New Zealander into the playoffs.
“One of the coolest parts about this weekend was seeing the reaction of the fans. I had the opportunity to go into the stands a few times,” he continued, “the energy and the passion of the fans here is unmatched.”
Kennedy said 90% of those in attendance were from Mexico, with 44% from Mexico City. Most important, there were “a lot of new fans coming out of this weekend.”
Will NASCAR return?
Even so, Kennedy could not guarantee another race in Mexico City. FIFA has World Cup games scheduled for this same week next year and there are the logistical issues of finding a date during a packed 38-week schedule.
The cars had to leave Michigan International Speedway immediately after last week’s race to make the 40-hour journey across the border, and now must get to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania in time for this weekend’s race.
“I want to go everywhere in the world — England, Germany, South America, Australia, every where we can go,” said Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, the vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports. “The next thing that makes sense in Canada. But we have to figure out the schedule before we do too much of this.
“We can’t do this. Michigan, Mexico City, back to Pocono, can’t happen. We’re doing it and we’re excited to take on the challenge, but it’s going to wear on us and I don’t think we can do it all back-to-back. So we’ve got to make some adjustments to the schedule and how do we fit it all in into what’s already a very difficult schedule.”
Where will NASCAR go next?
Nothing is off the table for Kennedy, who is globally exploring where NASCAR can race and showcase its product.
One glaring issue: Those in the industry who remain comfortable with the same old schedule of traveling to Bristol, Tennessee, and Martinsville, Virginia, and Darlington Raceway in South Carolina twice a year.
While those markets are tied deeply to NASCAR’s Southern roots, there isn’t room for growth in playing to the same crowds over and over. The pushback on Mexico City didn’t come from any high-profile drivers, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s spotter had a scathing social media post ripping the city in which he said “screw this place, people can talk it up all they want” and 22-year-old driver Carson Hocevar had a similar sentiment in derisive comments on a live stream he has since walked back.
“Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should never give an opinion about what any place is like other than (hometown) Portage, Michigan,” Hocevar posted on social media. “I was skeptical about the trip and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here.
“Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed,” he continued. “I am embarrassed by my comments.”
A cultural field trip
This was baffling to some of the more well-traveled drivers, including Kyle Larson, who has raced at 200-plus different tracks around the world and makes annual trips to Australia and New Zealand. He also attended the 2021 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi and then vacationed in Dubai.
He likened Mexico City to a field trip for NASCAR because the drivers all stayed in the same hotels and rode buses together to the circuit each day. On a normal weekend, they are holed up in their motorhomes at the track and rarely venture out.
“It’s honestly really fun and enjoyable to be around your competitors and get to know each other a bit better because on a typical weekend, we just kind of lock ourselves in wherever we’re at,” he said. “We don’t talk to anybody or anything. So it’s nice that, yeah, you’re almost forced to hang out with each other. It’s cool. You get to know them, so I’ve enjoyed that.”
Even Kyle Busch, who was arrested in Mexico in 2023 for carrying a concealed weapon, was surprised by the few who had a negative response to racing in Mexico City.
“The food is amazing, the city has some of the top restaurants in the world,” Busch said. “This is a great place to be and I don’t understand the people holed up in their hotels too scared to leave. Live a little.”
Lottery.com And Sports.com Sponsor Racing Women To Boost Women’s Motorsport And STEM Inclusion
(RTTNews) – Lottery.com Inc. (LTRY) and Sports.com have entered a sponsorship deal with Racing Women LLC, an organization dedicated to expanding global access and opportunities for women in motorsports and STEM. Led by motorsport veteran Graeme Glew, Racing Women connects 4,500 women across 70+ countries and offers a pathway for female driver development through advanced […]
(RTTNews) – Lottery.com Inc. (LTRY) and Sports.com have entered a sponsorship deal with Racing Women LLC, an organization dedicated to expanding global access and opportunities for women in motorsports and STEM.
Led by motorsport veteran Graeme Glew, Racing Women connects 4,500 women across 70+ countries and offers a pathway for female driver development through advanced training, mentorship, and competitive racing opportunities.
The partnership will fund three key events in 2025: an elite driver training camp in August, Radical races at Donington Park in September, and Virginia International Raceway in November. This initiative highlights Sports.com’s commitment to gender equality in sports and its investment in the rapidly growing market of women’s athletics.
Sports.com and Lottery.com CEO Matthew McGahan expressed that the partnership embodies their mission to support authentic, inclusive sporting opportunities and commended Racing Women’s vital role in transforming women’s motorsport. Graeme Glew emphasized that the collaboration with Sports.com marks a turning point in building a global brand that empowers women to compete at top levels in motorsport.
LTRY is currently trading at $1.115, or 1.3274% lower on the NasdaqGM.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
RACE RESULTS: Viva Mexico 250 at Mexico City Using an average of rankings between Racing America On SI’s Toby Christie, Joseph Srigley, and Zach Evans, here’s where all 36 full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers stand heading into this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway. Estimated Reading Time:9 minutes 1. Christopher Bell Christopher Bell was no match for […]
Using an average of rankings between Racing America On SI’s Toby Christie, Joseph Srigley, and Zach Evans, here’s where all 36 full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers stand heading into this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway.
Estimated Reading Time:9 minutes
1. Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell was no match for Shane Van Gisbergen, but a second-place finish isn’t all that bad for the COTA winner. Hopefully, this returns the No. 20 team to race-winning form. (Previously: 5th)
2. William Byron
He battled back from a 27th-place starting spot to finish respectibly in ninth. The regular-season point lead continues to grow for William Byron with 10 races left until the Playoffs begin. (Previously: 2nd)
3. Chase Elliott
Now, THIS is what we’ve expected out of Chase Elliott. A very good, all around performance, capped off with a podium finish. Top-15s are not the standard, his third-place run in Mexico City is now the bar going forward. (Previously: 8th)
4. Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin didn’t compete in Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250, staying home to tend to his fiancée and their newborn son. Ryan Truex drove the No. 11 and finished 23rd. (Previously: 1st)
5. Ross Chastain
After a couple of good weeks on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, Ross Chastain put together a so-so result on Sunday, fading late to 16th. After having top-10 speed and qualifying in third, the No. 1 team is still showing signs of major speed. (Previously: 3rd)
6. Chris Buescher
Chris Buescher continues to build momentum with his second consecutive top-10 finish. However, Buescher, a skilled road racer, had to be disappointed with a 10th-place result in Mexico City. (Previously: 6th)
7. Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney bounced back from disappointment at Michigan with a 14th-place finish at Mexico City. He picked up plenty of stage points with a second-place finish in Stage One and a fourth-place in Stage Two. (Previously: 7)
8. Kyle Larson
It’s been hit or miss for Kyle Larson lately. Sunday, at Mexico City, he was hit by Kyle Busch, which resulted in a miss in the form of a 36th-place finish. Larson now has two top-10s and two finishes of 36th-or-worse in his last four starts. (Previously: 4th)
9. Chase Briscoe
A seventh-place finish is mighty impressive for Chase Briscoe, considering his involvement in the Lap 6 accident with Kyle Busch put him one lap off the pace. No pole position this weekend, but a solid run nonetheless. (Previously: 16th)
10. Tyler Reddick
With three of his eight career wins on road courses, Tyler Reddick was a driver to watch entering the weekend in Mexico City. However, he qualified 22nd and finished 20th, a quiet day. (Previously: 10th)
11. Bubba Wallace
Bubba Wallace has never been shy about discussing his struggles on road courses, so you know he was plenty happy with a 12th-place finish on Sunday. He even picked up stage points in the first stage, making a solid all-around day for Wallace. (Previously: 12th)
12. Ryan Preece
Another solid run for Ryan Preece, who won a Stage, and came home with a 15th-place result at the 2.42-mile road course in Mexico City of all places. (Previously: 17th)
13. Joey Logano
Joey Logano finished 22nd on Sunday, an improvement on his 24th-place result in the first road course event of the season at Circuit of The Americas. He also had a meeting of the fenders with Austin Dillon in the final stage of the race. (Previously: 11th)
14. Erik Jones
He came home in 17th, but overall, Erik Jones had a much better run in Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250. Although he didn’t get the top-15 he deserved, he had another solid effort in a 17th-place finish. (Previously: 13th)
15. Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell earned his first top-five finish of the season with a fifth-place result on Sunday. There have certainly been other opportunities for McDowell to have a run like this, but all the pieces came together in Mexico City. (Previously: 28th)
16. Shane van Gisbergen
He may have been “leaking out of both ends” but Shane Van Gisbergen curbstomped the NASCAR Cup Series field on Sunday, winning by more than 16 and a half seconds. The No. 88 is now going to be in the Playoffs. (Previously: 23rd)
17. AJ Allmendinger
It was a surprisingly quiet but solid 13th-place finish for A.J. Allmendinger. He was another driver tagged during the early multi-car incident, but had a fast car and recovered nicely. (Previously: 19th)
18. Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric was one of just two drivers who stayed out on slicks during the rain showers to start Sunday’s race. It didn’t quite work out as hoped, but Cindric did spend some time near the front of the field and even led a lap before finishing 18th. (Previously: 21st)
19. Josh Berry
Like at Circuit of The Americas, Josh Berry finished 26th at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Most of the conversation surrounding Berry after the race involved his viewpoint of the conversation between Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Carson Hocevar. Not the worst thing to leave the race watching the beef instead of partaking in it. (Previously: 15th)
20. Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman finally stopped the bleeding with a fourth-place run, and in doing so, he put in one of the gutsiest performances of the 2025 season as he was in obvious pain following last week’s insanely hard crash at Michigan International Speedway. (Previously: 25th)
21. Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch went bowling for cars on Lap 7 of Sunday’s race. The end result? A last-place finish, which dramatically drops the driver of the No. 8 in our weekly power rankings. (Previously: 9th)
22. Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs looked like the one person who could challenge Shane Van Gisbergen on Sunday, but a poor strategy and the burning of his rear tires prevented him from taking the fight to the eventual race-winner, or even score a top-10. (Previously: 26th)
23. Carson Hocevar
The good news: Carson Hocevar picked up stage points in both stages. The bad news: He finished 34th, one lap down. The worst news: Relations with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. went from bad to worse after a collision in the stadium section of the circuit on Sunday. (Previously: 14th)
24. John Hunter Nemechek
Nemechek had one of his better runs of the season on Sunday as he collected a sixth-place finish at Mexico City. It’s been a quiet, yet decent year for the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver. (Previously: 29th)
25. Brad Keselowski
A rough 25th-place outing for Brad Keselowski, but the driver of the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford isn’t expected to turn many heads on a road course. This weekend at Pocono will be very important for Keselowski’s hopes to win his way into the Playoffs. (Previously: 22nd)
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
While hopes of making the Playoffs have slipped away for Ricky Stenhouse and the HYAK Motorsports team, the Olive Branch, Mississippi-native might get some stress relief when he finds Carson Hocevar back in North Carolina. A run-in with Hocevar certainly didn’t help the frustration of a rough afternoon. (Previously: 18th)
27. Daniel Suarez
It’s not the result he was hoping for in front of his home crowd, finishing 19th, but Daniel Suarez managed to score an Xfinity Series victory the day before, so not all was lost during this historically monumental weekend for the Mexican driver. (Previously: 24th)
28. Zane Smith
After some incredible momentum lately, Zane Smith saw his day end early when Kyle Busch went bowling into Turn 1 in the wet weather conditions, collecting the No. 38 and several others. After riding around, another issue sent Smith to the garage before the race’s end, dropping him way down the standings. (Previously: 20th)
29. Todd Gilliland
Todd Gilliland had some speed this weekend in Mexico City, but things didn’t materialize for the No. 34 Ford Mustang, between strategy and an in-race incident or two that cost the team some major track position. A 22nd-place run isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t live up to the potential for Gilliland. (Previously: 31st)
30. Cole Custer
NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer put together his best run of the season for Haas Factory Team, spending most of the afternoon inside the top-10, and at times in the top-five, before coming home in eighth. Travel woes be damned, Mexico was a breath of fresh air for the No. 41 team. (Previously: 35th)
31. Austin Dillon
There was a portion of Sunday’s race, where Austin Dillon worked his way inside of the top-10, and it looked like a surprise good finish was incoming. However, it all shook out with a 28th-place finish south of the border. (Previously: 27th)
32. Justin Haley
Justin Haley recovered from being collected in a multi-car incident on lap eight for a 24th-place finish. It wasn’t the kind of result that leaps off the page, but it was an important one to run around what had been a challenging start to the summer for the No. 7 team. (Previously: 33rd)
33. Ty Dillon
Ty Dillon was poised for a great result in Mexico, running in the top 10 throughout the day. However, he finished 33rd, one lap down, after suffering a flat tire following contact on the final restart of the race. (Previously: 30th)
34. Noah Gragson
One of quite a few drivers to feel ill in Mexico City this weekend, Noah Gragson had a pretty tough weekend between his race day sickness, a crash in practice that sent him to a backup car, and some incidents in-race that left him outside the top-30 when the checkered flag was displayed. (Previously: 32nd)
35. Riley Herbst
Riley Herbst had a particularly scary moment at one point, spinning in the stadium section of the course and nearly pulling in front of Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Herbst finished 29th, which has to sting after an eighth-place finish in stage two. (Previously: 34th)
36. Cody Ware
Road courses are where Ware is expected to be able to gain on the some of the drivers on this list. It just simply didn’t happen in Mexico City as Ware walked out of the Viva Mexico 250 with a 31st-place finish. (Previously: 36th)
Lottery.com And Sports.com Sponsor Racing Women To Boost Women’s Motorsport And STEM Inclusion
Lottery.com Inc. (LTRY) and Sports.com have entered a sponsorship deal with Racing Women LLC, an organization dedicated to expanding global access and opportunities for women in motorsports and STEM. Led by motorsport veteran Graeme Glew, Racing Women connects 4,500 women across 70+ countries and offers a pathway for female driver development through advanced training, mentorship, […]
Lottery.com Inc. (LTRY) and Sports.com have entered a sponsorship deal with Racing Women LLC, an organization dedicated to expanding global access and opportunities for women in motorsports and STEM.
Led by motorsport veteran Graeme Glew, Racing Women connects 4,500 women across 70+ countries and offers a pathway for female driver development through advanced training, mentorship, and competitive racing opportunities.
The partnership will fund three key events in 2025: an elite driver training camp in August, Radical races at Donington Park in September, and Virginia International Raceway in November. This initiative highlights Sports.com’s commitment to gender equality in sports and its investment in the rapidly growing market of women’s athletics.
Sports.com and Lottery.com CEO Matthew McGahan expressed that the partnership embodies their mission to support authentic, inclusive sporting opportunities and commended Racing Women’s vital role in transforming women’s motorsport. Graeme Glew emphasized that the collaboration with Sports.com marks a turning point in building a global brand that empowers women to compete at top levels in motorsport.
LTRY is currently trading at $1.115, or 1.3274% lower on the NasdaqGM.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
A few hundred racing fans took in the IMCA Father’s Day show at Mosca Motorsports Park on Sunday in what was the start of a new era of motorsports racing in the San Luis Valley. It’s been a decade since stock cars took to the ⅓-mile oval track. Thanks to new track operator Clint Adams […]
A few hundred racing fans took in the IMCA Father’s Day show at Mosca Motorsports Park on Sunday in what was the start of a new era of motorsports racing in the San Luis Valley.
It’s been a decade since stock cars took to the ⅓-mile oval track. Thanks to new track operator Clint Adams and a team of volunteers who put it back in shape, motorsports fans saw Sport Mods, Stock Cars, Modified Stocks, among other events all on the dirt track during three hours of racing.
Chad Green of Dolores took the checkered flag in the Sports Mods, while Frank Ogden won the Stock Car race over Tony Hill of Cortez. Martin Adams, the 8-year-old son of Clint Adams, won the Junior Compacts division, while Joe Esquibel of Monte Vista took the checkered flag in the Dwarfs/Mod-Lites cars.
Mosca Motorsports will host a night of racing on Friday, July 25, with its High Plains Late Model Show. The rest of its summer schedule includes two days of racing on Friday, Aug. 29 and Saturday, Aug. 30; and then a final Championship Night on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Photos captured by Dennis Shoenfelder
Credit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis ShoenfelderCredit: Dennis Shoenfelder
