As Charlotte Motor Speedway gears up for the 32nd season of Cookout Summer Shootout, its legacy continues to shine. For decades, these summer nights on the famed frontstretch quarter-mile have served as a launching pad for future NASCAR stars.

Long before piloting powerful stock cars at NASCAR’s highest level, many of today’s top drivers cut their teeth in Legend Cars, learning the ropes at America’s Home for Racing. Now, those drivers reflect on the memories, milestones and lessons they gathered from the grassroots racing series that helped shape their careers now:

Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske

“Racing Legend Cars made me a lot tougher, that’s for sure. Especially on long nights of Summer Shootout. It definitely started everything for me.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing

“Legend Car racing can be rough and tumble, and you’re going to use the bumper, so I learned a lot from Legend Car racing.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9, Hendrick Motorsports

“Those cars actually teach a lot of really good lessons. The tires are narrow. They’re overpowered, or they used to be overpowered for how big they were. I think it was kind of the first time, at least in my career, that you had more power than you needed and you didn’t have enough tire for the weight of the car. So, it was just a good car control learning experience.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10, Kaulig Racing

“I have so many memories. One of the most important ones is, my wife’s family from Washington state drove down for Summer Shootout, and they were parked beside us. Little did I know that that would be the beginning of me meeting the love of my life, my wife and now three kids. So that’s the most important thing that ever happened to me is that I met my wife at Summer Shootout, but also, I’ve competed against so many drivers that I’m now competing against in the Cup Series, which has been so cool. Daniel Hemric, Bubba Wallace, Austin Hill, so many of the guys that we grew up racing against each other and knew each other from those days. We all went our separate paths after our Legend Car days, but then we all ended up back in the Cup Series, and it really speaks to the amount of learning experience you get at that level.”

“I think, at a young age, being able to race in U.S Legend Cars, the competition is so high, but you’re learning the right ways to race and compete. You have to be aggressive in a lot of the races because a lot of the drivers there are hungry too, and there are a lot of eyeballs on that series as far as people in higher positions at race teams. So, there’s a lot of pressure on it, which is good, and I think if you can learn how to perform early with pressure, it’s obviously a solid thing to have on your resume.”

Ryan Blaney, No. 12, Team Penske

“I loved Legend Cars. I spent many weekends at Winter Heat, out on the fifth mile there and at the road course and Summer Shootout for many, many years. So I think Legend Cars are fantastic. A lot of motor, not a lot of tire. It kind of teaches you throttle control, car control, stuff like that. So, the one thing that Legend Cars probably didn’t do well for a lot of people is repairable bumpers that you just bolt on a new one. Some people just run into each other in Legend Cars. I thought the throttle and car control were the best things that it taught me.”

Chris Buescher, No. 17, RFK Racing

“U.S. Legends cars were a fantastic learning ride. It’s a lot of power for a very small tire, a small, short wheelbase. It gives you a lot of car control. They are technically open-wheel as well, so you do have to have that finesse and kind of that planning into each and every race, to where you wanna make sure you stay shiny side up at all times. It makes you learn how to race clean, but aggressively.”

William Byron, No. 24, Hendrick Motorsports

“The best memories were just making a lot of friends and memories at the track. I mean, just over the summer, being there every week and winning there was huge. So anytime you won one of the Summer Shootout races, it was a big deal. U.S. Legends Cars was just a great, great step for me in my career. Those cars were really fun to drive, and fun to race against people and I enjoyed it a lot.

Zane Smith, No. 38, Front Row Motorsports

“I raced Legend Cars initially on the West Coast, then I made my move out to the East Coast and I felt like they’re just such great cars. Way too much power for a little tire, and just taught me so much. There’s so much racing out here to just race all around the short tracks here, on the East Coast and even getting to do the Summer Shootout. I remember getting onto the big track on the front stretch and just praying that one day I’d be able to keep going straight and stay on the big track, so that was always really cool.”

From rising young talents chasing their dreams to NASCAR stars like Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Shane van Gisbergen, and Australian Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin still jumping in on the action, the Cook Out Summer Shootout continues to deliver high-octane thrills. With 10 rounds of action-packed racing ahead, there’s no better place to be this summer than Charlotte Motor Speedway.

ABOUT COOK OUT SUMMER SHOOTOUT:

Celebrating its 32nd season, the Cook Out Summer Shootout is a 10-race showcase of speed, featuring eight racing divisions of Legend Cars and Bandoleros. Races are held each Tuesday night under the lights with championship points on the line all summer long.

TICKETS:

Tickets are $10; kids 12 and under get in FREE. For tickets, schedules and more details about all the happenings at Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit www.charlottemotorspeedeay.com/tickets.

KEEP TRACK:

Follow all the thrilling Cook Out Summer Shootout action at Charlotte Motor Speedway on X, Facebook and Instagram.

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With the 32-driver field for the In-Season Challenge set, Michigan International Speedway will begin a three-race run to determine the seedings for the five-race bracket tournament for $1 million.

The winner Sunday at Michigan will be guaranteed one of the top three seeds in the In-Season Challenge, which will begin June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Seeding will be based on best finishes over the next three races at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono Raceway with tiebreakers based on the second- and third-best finishes in those races (points standings after Pocono is the final tiebreaker).

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to one of its fastest tracks this weekend with a trip to Michigan International Speedway.

The bracket-style tournament will begin at Atlanta with the top 32 drivers in the points standings after the June 1 race at Nashville Superspeedway. Eliminations will take place over four races until two drivers face off at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the $1 million prize.

There have been four different winners in the last four races at Michigan: Tyler Reddick (2024), Chris Buescher (2023), Kevin Harvick (2022) and Ryan Blaney (2021), who is coming off his first victory of the 2025 season at Nashville.

Kyle Larson and Joey Logano lead active drivers with three wins apiece at Michigan, where only one of the past 12 races has been won by a driver earning his first win of the season. The past two races at Michigan each tied a track record with 16 leaders.

The only time the NASCAR Cup Series has had a podium celebration was for the Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum exhibition races from 2022-24.

A Michigander has yet to celebrate a Cup victory at the Brooklyn, Michigan, track. There are three Michigan natives in the field Sunday: Brad Keselowsk (a three-time runner-up at Michigan), Erik Jones and Carson Hocevar, who just tied a career best with a second at Nashville.

Joe Gibbs Racing is in a peculiar drought at Michigan — winless in its past 14 races on the 2-mile oval despite having won five of the past seven stages there. Its most recent victory was in Aug. 16, 2015 with Matt Kenseth. JGR since has won 96 times on 25 other tracks.

This will mark the first Cup race in June at Michigan since 2019. The past seven races at the track (which was downsized to one annual Cup weekend) were held in August.

Details for Sunday’s Cup race at Michigan

(All times Eastern)

START: The command to start engines will be given at 2:10 p.m. by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph. … The race is scheduled to begin at 2:19 p.m.

PRERACE: The Cup garage will open at 11 a.m. … The drivers meeting is at 1 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 1:25 p.m. … The Canadian national anthem will be performed by Lisa Bascom at 2:02 p.m. The U.S. national anthem will be performed by Staff Sergeant MeLan Smartt, United States Air Force Band of Mid-America, at 2:03 p.m.

DISTANCE: The race is 200 laps (400 miles) on the 2-mile oval.

STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 45. Stage 2 ends at Lap 120.

ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 36 cars entered at Michigan.

TV/RADIO: Prime will broadcast the race starting at 1:30 p.m. … Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage.

FORECAST: WeatherUnderground —Partly cloudy with a chance for a shower or thunderstorm and a high of 77 degrees and winds from the south at 5 to 10 mph. It’s expected to be 74 degrees with a 15% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.

LAST TIME: Tyler Reddick held off William Byron for a victory in overtime. The race was completed Monday, Aug. 18, 2024 from a postponement after 51 laps Sunday.

After a tough start to the 2025 season, six-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders hopes to continue her momentum from last week’s race in Epping at this weekend’s 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Enders is not only a six-time Pro Stock world champion, but she is also the winningest female across all of motorsports, with 49 wins to her lengthy list of accomplishments. However, she hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since the 2024 season opener in Gainesville. After finishing runner-up last weekend in Epping to her longtime rival and reigning world champ Greg Anderson, Enders is confident the Elite Motorsports camp has turned a performance corner with her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car.

“We worked nonstop,” Enders said. “We made some substantial changes and spent a lot of time on the dyno. We applied everything we learned at the shop to the track during some testing at Tulsa. Pro Stock is not for the weak. It’s competitive problem-solving and we take a lot of pride in how well we work together, accomplishing things legitimately. We may be down now but they will not keep us down forever.”

This weekend’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals marks the eighth event of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Scenic Bristol Dragway is always a highlight for drivers and fans, and that holds true for Enders as well.

“I feel good going into Bristol. I feel like we have a direction to head in and a small pep in our step,” said Enders, who has three wins Bristol wins to her credit. “Bristol has always been good to me and is one of my favorite tracks to race. I’m definitely looking forward to the weekend.”

In 2024, Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Bristol. Clay Millican, Prock, Erica Enders and Matt Smith each won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while semifinalists from the NHRA New England Nationals will rematch in Bristol in 2025. The race will be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 8.

Following her runner-up finish at the NHRA New England Nationals, Enders will also be slotted into this weekend’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Enders will rematch with her Elite Motorsports teammate, Aaron Stanfield, while points leader Anderson will meet up with Matt Hartford.

Enders made significant progress in Epping, moving up to ninth in points, and has another opportunity to make a big leap with plenty of season left.

“Confidence takes time to build, whether it is in yourself, your team, or your equipment,” Enders said. “It’s kind of like trust, easy to lose, hard to gain. Don’t get me wrong, we have definitely turned a corner, but we also still have a ton of catching up to do. I promise there is no other group that I’d rather go to battle with than my guys at Elite.

“I look around and realize how lucky I am to have a group like I have. From their work ethic to the content of their character, to their never-quit mentality. We have been through so much together as a big family. This year has been tough on us personally and professionally, but the cream will always rise to the top.”

In the Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks, Herrera will be aiming to be the first rider to win twice at Bristol. Other Bristol winners include former champion Angelle Sampey, Jery Savoie, and Steve Johnson. However, Herrera’s competitor and six-time champion Matt Smith will have his sights set on his chance at history at Bristol Dragway.

Racing legend Tony Stewart has taken control in the Top Fuel ranks, advancing to the past five final rounds to move into the points lead. Other top names include Epping winner Brittany Force, Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon and Antron Brown.

Reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock earned his first Bristol win last weekend over J.R. Todd. Todd is the most recent winner on tour, thanks to his Epping win over rookie Spencer Hyde. Prock currently leads the points after earning two wins earlier this year, with his John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman in second. Others to note will be Phoenix winner Paul Lee, as well as former champs Matt Hagan and Ron Capps.

The event will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock. After final qualifying on Saturday, fans will also be treated to a special autograph session and fanfest at the Bristol Dragway Welcome Tent in the midway.

All weekend, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and more. Bristol race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.

As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3 and 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 6, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 8. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday and 8 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

This story was originally published on June 6, 2025.

A new documentary is set to launch on sports broadcaster TNT to showcase the work of Carol Glenn, who is Britain’s first Black, female motorsports official. The short film follows Glenn through the launch of her new Formula Ford team, Next Generation Racing, which saw her become the country’s first woman of colour to launch a race team.  

Directed by filmmaker Daisy Ifama, Set Pace is the first in a new series of three short films as part of a joint initiative from TNT Sports Reframe the Game and the Warner Bros Discovery Access development programme. The series aims to highlight the untold stories of women in sport. 

Ifama previously directed numerous documentaries, which highlighted subjects such as police brutality in London and mental health. Her latest film spotlights Glenn’s story as a trailblazer in her field and follows the creation of her new team, Next Generation Racing. 

“[Daisy] had done her research, she’d looked about what I was doing. And she could see that there was a story to tell,” Glenn told Autosport.  

“Especially nowadays, I think it is very important because as somebody that’s now representing for people of Black and Brown, and they haven’t got very many role models, other than maybe Lewis [Hamilton], and there’s not many people who are actually visible.  

“I always thought of myself as being a bit behind the scenes, but now having the last few years out there talking to kids in schools and universities, I realise a lot of them actually do Google to find out who’s in the industry and that I am that face for them.” 

The film, which is available to stream on TNT Sports and discovery+, follows Glenn’s story as she manages her team over a race weekend in Silverstone. It highlights the obstacles and microaggressions that she faces over a weekend, and discusses the origins of Next Generation Racing.

“I’ve been around motorsport for 37 years, and at the time I never set out to break any records or barriers or anything,” Glenn said.

Photo by: WBD

“I just did it because I was interested, I really loved being around cars.

“When I started off as a marshal, I was the first person of colour, and I didn’t know that at the time.

“Being around in the space and realising that there was nobody else like me around. There was very, very few.

“Now, I really want to try and change that to make sure we’re not always talking about the first and the only, it should just be normal conversations going on.” 

Since the film’s premiere, it has received positive reviews, with TNT Sports presenter Suzi Perry saying that it shows Glenn is an “amazing person.”

“She was the first black official in British motorsport, and now the first Black woman to have a team in motorsport in the UK, and I hope that she does really well, and I think she will,” Perry said.

“She’s an inspirational character. I think people will be inspired by her – young women, and particularly young Black women. Because if you see somebody that you relate to doing well, it opens a door for you, you think it’s possible.”

The film’s director added that she was “inspired by Carol’s tenacity and perseverance” over her 37-year career in motorsport. Ifama said that she hopes the short film will serve as an “example of the sport’s future.”

“I want people to see a piece of themselves in Carol’s story and feel galvanised to keep up the fight, not be swayed by obstacles and be the change they wish to see in their world,” Ifama added.

“As Carol says in the film, ‘the only way I can see change is if I make it happen’.”  

Joseph maintains the role of Managing Editor for TobyChristie.com, while also working as an Editor for Racing America. Additionally, Joseph graduated from the University of Windsor in 2022 with a Business Administration degree, a specialization in Supply Chain Management and Data Analytics, and a minor in Mathematics.

Thursday, news broke that the U.S. Court of Appeals plans to overturn the preliminary injunction that allowed 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to compete with charters while suing NASCAR over the 2025 Charter Agreement. Should the ruling go uncontested, it will take effect on June 26th and both teams will lose their charters ahead of the Atlanta race weekend, but what does this mean? We’re here to explain it all.

Contracts voided, qualify on time, and loss of income

The most glaring issue involves guaranteed grid spots. Chartered teams are guaranteed a spot on the grid each week while Open teams have to qualify on time. However, only one race this year has had more than a full field of entries, sending cars home (the Daytona 500). The Coca-Cola 600 was the only other race that reached the cap for field size with 40 cars starting.

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Open teams will not benefit from the financial aspect of the Charter Agreement either, meaning that they will earn far less money than chartered teams every race weekend, regardless of where they finish. Part of that is revenue from NASCAR’s multi-billion dollar broadcasting deal, and only Chartered teams get a slice of that pie. While exact figures aren’t made public, it’s clearly several million dollars.

As pointed out by 23XI/FRM attorney Jeffrey Kessler, this will also compromise and void contracts with sponsors and drivers. Drivers such as Tyler Reddick can move to other teams while sponsorship deals that were locked in will suddenly be in jeopardy. There are clauses in some contract that nullify any previously existing agreements.

With no charters, teams will have to rely heavily on sponsorship dollars and in the case of 23XI, funding from team co-owner Michael Jordan. In this situation, things would likely be tighter for a FRM team owner and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins. Either way, they will surely be operating in the red as even chartered teams have spoken about struggling to make a profit due to the cost of business.

Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports Ford; Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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Now, what it does not have an impact on is the championship. The points system is identical for both open and chartered entries. Open teams are eligible to compete in the playoffs and run for the championship. And if an open team fails to qualify for a race but is competing full-time, they do not need a playoff waiver because they attempted the race.

This won’t compromise on-track speed other than being a possible distraction, but an open entry hasn’t won a Cup race since Shane van Gisbergen’s 2023 victory in the Chicago Street Course race in Trackhouse’s Project 91 entry.

Contrary to what some mistakingly believe, losing charters does not mean a team will lose their car numbers. Charters are numbered, yes, but that is not tied directly to actual car numbers.

What becomes of the charters

Another interesting question in this specific scenario is what becomes of the six charters the teams now hold. If this ruling holds, NASCAR could choose to just run with 30 charters, increasing the payout for the remaining teams.

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However, no one is sure what will happen in the case of the charters that helped create the third teams for both 23XI and FRM. They each purchased a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the 2024 season, a team that has since shut down. The deal only went through because 23XI and FRM used the courts to push it through. These charters cannot be returned to SHR because SHR doesn’t exist. Gene Haas continues to race, but only as a single-car team in the Cup Series.

Read Also:

23XI and FRM likely to lose NASCAR charters after major loss in U.S. Court of Appeals

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