BJ McLeod will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, driving for Spire Motorsports, the team announced May 16.

McLeod will drive Spire’s No. 07 with sponsorship from Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster.

“Getting to race again in the NASCAR truck series with an incredible team is an honor,” McLeod said in a team release. “It’s a perfect partnership with Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster — speed, adrenaline, and pure excitement — both on the track and in the mountains. We’re ready to put on a show for the fans and make this ride one to remember.”

The race will mark McLeod’s first in the series since 2021, when he made two starts for Reaume Brothers Racing. He has 41 appearances in the series since 2010.

So far in 2025, McLeod has made two NASCAR Cup Series races in his own Live Fast Motorsports No. 78, while also failing to qualify for the Daytona 500.

Executive Editor at Frontstretch

Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.

At his day job, he’s a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio — you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.

No. 30 Rette Jones Racing OPEN Team:

Driver: Gil Linster

Primary Partner(s): Rette Jones Racing | Port City Racecars

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Roy Hendriks

2025 Driver Points Position: First (+5) | 2025 Owner Points Position: First

No. 30 Rette Jones Racing PRO Team:

Driver: Liam Hezemans

Primary Partner(s): Rette Jones Racing | Port City Racecars

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Roy Hendriks

2025 Driver Points Position: Fifth (-12) | 2025 Owner Points Position: Fifth

Notes of Interest:

● Inaugural Season: After a successful NASCAR Euro Series debut last month at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Rette Jones Racing Euro surges forward with its two-driver program this weekend at Autodromo di Vallelunga, near Rome, Italy.

Building on the positive momentum from their inaugural outing, the team returns to competition with renewed confidence and a focus on consistency, performance, and growth as they continue their European campaign.

Both drivers are eager to capitalize on the experience gained in Valencia and aim to deliver strong results on the technical and fast-paced Vallelunga circuit.

EuroNASCAR’s American-themed festivals, close action, and pure racing have conquered the hearts of the passionate Italian tifosi, and the 2025 edition is shaping up to be no different.

As Rette Jones Racing prepares to tackle the technical demands of Vallelunga, the team is poised to build upon its momentum and embrace the unique blend of racing excitement and cultural immersion that this Italian venue offers.

● Rette Jones Racing Euro Fast Fact: This weekend marks the second weekend of Rette Jones Racing Euro competition in the NASCAR Euro Series.

Expanding their successful motorsports platform, the Mooresville, N.C.-based team will compete full-time in 2025, fielding entries in both the EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2 (Open) divisions.

Gil Linster will represent the team in the EuroNASCAR 2 championship, while former EuroNASCAR 2 champion Liam Hezemans steps up to the PRO division.

Both drivers will pilot the No. 30 Ford Mustang, featuring Rette Jones Racing and Port City Racecars branding.

For its inaugural season, Rette Jones Racing has formed a technical alliance with powerhouse Hendriks Motorsport.

● Meet the Drivers: Hezemans, a native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, brings a strong résumé to the program as the 2022 EuroNASCAR 2 champion and a 10-time race winner in the series.

He is also the younger brother of Loris Hezemans, a two-time EuroNASCAR champion and former competitor in the NASCAR national series.

Linster, from Frisange, Luxembourg, will reunite with Hezemans for the 2025 season under the Rette Jones Racing banner.

A former Euro Series race winner, Linster gained international attention in February 2024 with an impressive top-10 finish in the ARCA Menards Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, driving for Kimmel Racing.

● Get to Know Autodromo di Vallelunga: Autodromo di Vallelunga once again welcomes the NASCAR Euro Series gladiators for its annual NASCAR GP Italy, the second event of the 2025 season.

The 4.085-kilometer track located close to the Italian capital of Rome is gearing up for a fantastic new chapter in its long history.

Situated approximately 30 kilometers north of Rome in Campagnano di Roma, the Autodromo di Vallelunga “Piero Taruffi” is a historic racing circuit renowned for its challenging layout and rich motorsport heritage.

Initially established in 1951 as a sand oval, the track was transformed into an asphalt circuit in 1957 under the guidance of Italian racing legend Piero Taruffi.

Today, the circuit features a 4.085-kilometer International layout with 14 turns, offering a mix of high-speed straights and technical corners that test both driver skill and vehicle performance.

Beyond the track, Campagnano di Roma offers a picturesque setting steeped in history and culture. The town boasts medieval architecture, charming piazzas, and notable landmarks such as the Chiesa del Gonfalone and the Fontana dei Delfini.

Visitors can explore the nearby Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sorbo, nestled in a wooded area ideal for nature walks. The region also features archaeological sites, including remnants of Roman roads and ancient settlements, providing a glimpse into Italy’s rich past.

For ticket information, please visit vallelunga.it.

● Sponsor Intel: Recently added to the Jones Group portfolio, Port City Racecars is a premier racecar facility, specializing in manufacturing championship-winning chassis, providing top-tier technical support and supplying premium race parts to competitors across North America.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Liam Hezemans, please follow him on Instagram (@liamhezemans) and TikTok (@liamhezemans50).

For more on Gil Linster, please like him on Facebook (GilLinsterOfficial), and follow him on Instagram

(@gillinster), X | Twitter (@gillinster) and YouTube (@gillinster472).

For more on Rette Jones Racing Euro, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing), or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and X | Twitter (@RetteJones30).

Gil Linster Quoteboard:

On Autodromo di Vallelunga: “I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend at Vallelunga.

“It’s a technical and demanding track, but one that really rewards precision and patience. Racing just outside Rome, with all the history and energy around us, adds an extra layer of excitement. The team’s been working hard, and I think we’ve got a great opportunity to keep building on the momentum we started in Valencia.”

On Circuit Ricardo Tormo Performance: “Valencia was a great way to kick off the season,” said Gil Linster. “To come away with two solid finishes in such a competitive field really boosted my confidence and showed what this team is capable of.

“We learned a lot that weekend—about the car, the competition, and how we work together—and I’m excited to carry that momentum into Vallelunga.”

On Rette Jones Racing Partnership: “I’m really proud to continue my journey in the NASCAR Euro Series with Rette Jones Racing. This opportunity means a lot, especially having the support of an American team with such a strong reputation.

“Racing at Daytona last year was a massive moment for me in my Motorsports career, and I’m looking forward to building on the relationships I formed in the United States as I continue to grow as a driver.

“I’m confident this partnership will help me take another step forward in my career.”

On Goals for the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series Season: “This year, the goal is clear: I want to fight for wins every weekend and be in the hunt for the championship.

“Consistency will be key, and I know we have the right people around us to make that happen. I’ve never been more focused or more motivated to deliver.”

Liam Hezemans Quoteboard:

On Autodromo di Vallelunga: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Vallelunga. It’s a track I’ve raced before and really enjoy—it’s fast, technical, and demands a lot from both the car and the driver.

“Having that past experience gives me a bit more confidence heading into the weekend, and I’m excited to see how we stack up with the improvements we’ve made since Valencia.”

On Circuit Ricardo Tormo Performance: “Valencia was a great way to kick off the season. We had a strong pace all weekend and came away with two solid top-six finishes, which is exactly the kind of consistency we were aiming for.

“It gave us a solid foundation to build on, and now we’re focused on taking that next step forward at Vallelunga.”

On Rette Jones Racing Partnership: “I’m really excited to join Rette Jones Racing for the 2025 season. Having the opportunity to represent an American team in the NASCAR Euro Series is a big step for me, and I’m proud to be part of this new chapter.

On Goals for the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series Season: “Heading into 2025, the goal is to take everything we’ve learned over the past seasons and turn it into consistent results. I want to be fighting at the front every weekend and ultimately challenge for the championship.

“With the experience I’ve gained and the support of Rette Jones Racing and Hendriks Motorsport, I feel more prepared than ever.

“It’s all about staying focused, maximizing every race, and putting ourselves in a position to win.”

Race Information:

Full weekend coverage of the NASCAR Euro Series is available on the series’ YouTube page.

RJR PR

INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — NASCAR star Kyle Larson crashed for the second time in the lead-up to the Indianapolis 500 on Friday when he lost control of his Arrow McLaren entry and hit the wall in the final practice session before this weekend’s qualifying runs.

The damage was relatively minor, though, and it only took Larson’s team about an hour to make repairs to the front and rear of the car. That allowed him to get in some precious laps with about 30 minutes left in the 6-hour session.

Larson, who also crashed on April 24 during an open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is taking his second shot at trying to complete “the Double” by running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Larson finished 18th in the rain-delayed 500 last year, but he never ran a lap in the NASCAR race in Charlotte when rain there ended the race early.

“Obviously it’s tricky. I spun,” Larson said after leaving the care center. “I don’t know. Kind of caught off guard a little bit there, but I think we’ll be fine. I tend to get over things pretty quickly. I know I spun but my balance felt pretty close to being good.”

Larson waited until there were about 90 minutes left in Friday’s practice, which was marked by high temperatures and gusty winds that made for treacherous conditions, before trying his first qualifying simulation. He wasn’t far into the run when his No. 17 car went skittering up the track, bumped nose-first into the wall and then spun around and hit it again.

The crash came several hours after Kyffin Simpson hit the wall hard and nearly flipped his car.

Larson’s damaged car was put on a hoist and taken to Gasoline Alley, where Arrow McLaren went to work fixing it. Along with the late laps he got Friday, the team will have an hour-long practice Saturday morning before qualifying begins at 11 a.m. EDT.

“I’m sure at this point, we’ll want to get out there and shake it down,” Larson said. “If not, you still get time to make a few runs tomorrow. The track conditions will be better and I’m sure we’ll pack a little extra downforce to be safe that first run, and get a run in. Not too worried about it.”

___

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

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. claims that the version of the sport he once knew and grew up with has gone.

Earnhardt Jr. has noted the staggering cost behind fielding a car in the Cup Series, which he explains starts at approximately $50 million to get the charter, arguing that it has “become this place where only people with that kind of money can play.”

During an appearance on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast (below), Earnhardt Jr. explained:

“I have been around long enough to remember that if you and I just woke up one day and said, ‘Man, we’re going to enter a Cup car in any race we want,’ we can go find us a car, find us a driver, get all the parts and go do it, right?

“Now, there’s some couple hoops. You’ve got to get licensed and got to enter the car, pay the money, the entry fee, all that good stuff. But it was pretty much an understandable challenge.

“Today, to just get out there and compete, you need that $50 million charter, and that charter is going to be $100 million and $150 million and $200 million — it’s going to go to the moon over the next several years.

“It was a good time to buy it 10 years ago. I regret that I didn’t. But it’s become this place where only people with that kind of money can play.”

Claiming that it is “hard” for him to believe the changes, Earnhardt Jr. continued:

“The world, the NASCAR that I knew, in terms of just being able to field the car and go race, doesn’t exist anymore. That’s hard for me to just believe, that we’re in that — for me to go run an open car isn’t realistic. It’s not realistic for anybody to do it every single week.”

Despite this, the 50-year-old former driver acknowledges that this is a great position for the sport to be in. He concluded:

“But while that is tough for me to stomach, it is incredibly great for the current people that are involved in the sport. Great for NASCAR, great for the France family, great for the owners and teams that have those charters that are appreciating year after year, hour after hour.

“They’re just going up. But for somebody who’s trying to get in? You can’t play unless you got a big entity behind you. Somebody with real cash.”

By DAVE SKRETTA

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NASCAR star Kyle Larson crashed for the second time in the lead-up to the Indianapolis 500 on Friday when he lost control of his Arrow McLaren entry and hit the wall in the final practice session before this weekend’s qualifying runs.

The damage was relatively minor, though, and it only took Larson’s team about an hour to make repairs to the front and rear of the car. That allowed him to get in some precious laps with about 30 minutes left in the 6-hour session.

Larson, who also crashed on April 24 during an open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is taking his second shot at trying to complete “the Double” by running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Larson finished 18th in the rain-delayed 500 last year, but he never ran a lap in the NASCAR race in Charlotte when rain there ended the race early.

“Obviously it’s tricky. I spun,” Larson said after leaving the care center. “I don’t know. Kind of caught off guard a little bit there, but I think we’ll be fine. I tend to get over things pretty quickly. I know I spun but my balance felt pretty close to being good.”

Larson waited until there were about 90 minutes left in Friday’s practice, which was marked by high temperatures and gusty winds that made for treacherous conditions, before trying his first qualifying simulation. He wasn’t far into the run when his No. 17 car went skittering up the track, bumped nose-first into the wall and then spun around and hit it again.

The crash came several hours after Kyffin Simpson hit the wall hard and nearly flipped his car.

Larson’s damaged car was put on a hoist and taken to Gasoline Alley, where Arrow McLaren went to work fixing it. Along with the late laps he got Friday, the team will have an hour-long practice Saturday morning before qualifying begins at 11 a.m. EDT.

“I’m sure at this point, we’ll want to get out there and shake it down,” Larson said. “If not, you still get time to make a few runs tomorrow. The track conditions will be better and I’m sure we’ll pack a little extra downforce to be safe that first run, and get a run in. Not too worried about it.”

___

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

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Kyle Larson went into the wall on Turn 3 on Fast Friday.

Larson had both left tires below the white line of the track. He spun and the front of his car hit into the wall.

Larson said he is OK after the crash.

“Just got loose in 3,” Larson said. “Just kind of had a lot of front grip and just kind of swung the back around on me. Ended up spinning and getting into the wall a couple times. Yeah, bummer, but I think it didn’t look like too major damage I think as we quickly drove by the car. I’m sure we’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Larson was asked how he mentally resets after crashing.

“I race so often and I honestly crash a lot,” Larson said. “I feel like I get over things pretty quickly. I was happy right there that the speed didn’t really bother me. When you go from race trim to qualifying trim here, the boost feels like way more power and I was a bit nervous about that. It didn’t feel crazy to me. I like that the speed aspect didn’t scare me. You can deal with the crash.”

Larson was able to get back on the track before the end of practice on Fast Friday.

Larson is attempting to do “The Double,” racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. This is his second attempt. Larson qualified fifth for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 and finished in 18th.

Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2021. He leads NASCAR in points in the 2025 season.

Qualification for the Indy 500 is on Saturday and Pole Day is on Sunday. The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 25.