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NASCAR Transcripts: Joey Logano – Press Conference – 05.06.25 – Speedway Digest

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THE MODERATOR: Joey, thank you so much for joining us today. Obviously a lot of positivity and energy around today’s announcement with the championship race moving to Homestead-Miami. You had the opportunity to win a championship in Phoenix and to also win a championship in Miami as well. Just talk about what it is like for you to go back to Miami, but ultimately with the news that the championship will rotate.

JOEY LOGANO: First, I’m sure everyone was surprised to hear this one. No one saw it coming.

I do think I love finishing the season in Miami. It’s something that I think as an industry all of us got so used to, right? End of the year, it’s cold in other places, you fly down to Miami, it’s nice and warm. We got used to what this weekend felt like under the lights, finishing the races.

I always thought it was a really cool environment to do it in Miami. I look forward to going back down there racing for a championship. I like that part. I like the rotation, as well. I like that we move it around. That was one of the things I thought would be a great idea if we were able to pull it off.

The Super Bowl doesn’t stay in the same place every year. Why should our Super Bowl, our championship race, stay in the same place every year?

Gives our fans a great opportunity to see the race, right? I know a lot of fans travel to the championship race already. There are also a lot of fans that are local that will get to have the opportunity to be able to make a weekend out of it with a short drive hopefully.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll go ahead and go to the media for questions.

Q. We often hear that some driver’s opinions can be shaped what is in their own best interest. How come you’re not out going, Phoenix is the best thing ever, don’t move it, based on how good Team Penske has been there?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, on one hand I think we can win everywhere. We won in Miami before. Why can’t we win there again? I feel good about that.

Is there some drivers that are probably happier than others? Yeah, I can think of two or three that are pretty good in Miami that are probably really excited about today.

But I like to think that when you’re in the championship mode, there’s probably no (indiscernible) track for you. You can probably figure it out where you’re at. As a team, I feel like Team Penske is strong, we can go to many places and compete.

Yeah, as great as Phoenix has been, and it definitely has been, I still feel like we can win anywhere.

Q. We talked about moving the championship race. I guess with the Playoff Committee kind of still deciding what that looks like, have you had an opportunity to read the tea leaves or get an idea for what direction NASCAR might decide to go next year?

JOEY LOGANO: I don’t think there’s quite a clear direction on where things are going. You’re talking to a guy that thinks we have a great system. I would make minimal changes, if any.

There’s different opinions, right? All of us will have different ones, probably depending on where you’re sitting. I try to look the at it and ask what do I think is most entertaining?

As I watch the Truck Series or Xfinity Series, that’s what I am, a pure fan watching. What brings the most drama but also the most do-or-die moments?

As a fan of sports in general, I like watching people with their back up against the wall, have to perform or you’re going home. I love that. That’s what I love about the Playoffs. Our format does that, right? It gives everybody in the Playoffs an opportunity to go out there and show up when it matters the most. It also gives the opportunity for teams to create a huge advantage going into the Playoffs with the Playoff points that’s there.

I don’t know. I know no one wants to hear my opinion on it because we’ve been successful with it. I do feel like it’s pretty fun to watch, as well.

Q. Oddball question for you. You’re very good at doing activation, hospitality, media requests. Have you been incentivized this year by the driver ambassador program? Do you sense a bit of competition amongst you and your peers to kind of step up what you do?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, yes, to answer your question. I’ve always done the things before. I always did it because I care about the sport, right? I want the sport to live on past my career because that’s what the previous generation did for me, the previous generation did for them. They built this amazing platform. We need to continue to do that, right?

I realize I cannot do that on my own. I also think that no one should work for free. I don’t think that’s the case either. Every time you do something, you’re taking away from something else. I think being able to be incentivized to do things is not a bad thing. I think we’ve seen that throughout the whole sport with the drivers right now. They’re doing stuff, right? They’re out there. Whether it’s autographs at the souvenir haulers or media engagements, it’s traveling to do things that would never happen, never happen before.

Yeah, there’s a reason to go do it now. Not that there wasn’t before, but there’s extra reason to go do it. It seems to be working, for sure.

Q. If Joey Logano was able to make the next three or four final races as a schedule, what would they be? I work in the Myrtle Beach area. Darlington obviously a big spotlight here. Would Darlington be on that list?

JOEY LOGANO: Yeah, I think one thing everybody thinks about is weather, right? South Carolina can be fine. That track would be in the mix.

Naturally you’re going to look at the tracks you’re good at, right? Like at Richmond, that’s one that would stand out to me.

I think Vegas would probably be in the loop.

Texas is obviously possible, depending on the weather. The weather there is pretty good.

I wouldn’t want to add into the rotation of a superspeedway. We should not end the season on a superspeedway. We should not end the season on a road course either. That’s my opinion.

When you get down to the nitty-gritty of the Playoffs, especially if it’s coming down to one race, like it is right now, you don’t want an oddball race, you want it to be the grassroots of what our sport is built off of, which is ovals, right? Whether it’s a short track or mile-and-a-half, that’s what our roots really are. That is what built our sport.

Throwing in a road course or any other oddball type racetrack, superspeedway, it’s too much by chance and it wouldn’t be ideal I don’t believe for our sport.

Q. You’ve made so many accolades in this sport. One thing that has not made it your way yet, the Coca-Cola 600, talk about what a victory would be like there?

JOEY LOGANO: Yeah, I mean, there’s two of them that really stand out to me. One being Indy, the other being the Coke 600. I’d like to win both of them. Both of them are crown jewel events.

The Coca-Cola 600 is special because of what it is. It’s also special because I’ve been a Coca-Cola racing family member for my whole career, from day one, 16 whatever years ago it was. It’s been a long time.

It would be really cool to click off that win on top of what that weekend already means. Memorial Day weekend means more to me than what the race is. It would definitely be neat to celebrate in Victory Lane there.

Q. I want to talk about the drama you mentioned. Everyone loves drama. When you have it going to different tracks for rotation for the championship, does that ramp up the drama level knowing that you automatically can’t pencil in Penske at Phoenix or Reddick or Larson at Homestead?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, I don’t think anyone can pencil anyone in no matter what. But I think we’ve seen in our sport that change is good when it comes to schedules. Even changing the rules, it’s usually good, makes better racing.

I think people, they like the unknown. They’re not exactly sure where things are going to play out, whether that’s moving to new racetracks we’ve never been to, we’ve seen that be very successful. I think moving the final race around, it’s not a bad idea.

Q. So many drivers over the years have remarked how much they have enjoyed Homestead-Miami Speedway. Between the layout of the track itself, the weather, the general location, what would you say is the primary reason that so many drivers are basically in love with Homestead-Miami Speedway?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, if you’re asking drivers, it’s about the track, right? The environment obviously is really cool. It’s different being in Miami. That’s a neat thing.

But the drivers, what we care about is the racing, right? Can we move around the racetrack, can we do different things, are the tires falling off, is that fun. To us, yeah, that’s fun.

Having a slick track that’s tough, challenging, a couple bumps there, you’re running up next to the wall, you can run a little bit off the wall, you can do stuff. That is something that is special, right?

Not to mention moving this championship race around, what it does for our sport and the racetrack and the facilities, right? Look what happened at Phoenix when they got their championship race. They redid the whole place. Looks beautiful. It brought a lot of new eyes to that racetrack.

Same thing will probably happen in Miami, right? I’m sure they’re going to look at ways to make the experience even better. If it moves around from there, wherever it goes, I think it will have the same effect.

There’s a lot of great things that happen with this.

Q. It was also announced that facility upgrades are coming to Homestead ahead of the upcoming race. Between the garages, the rest of the infield, the asphalt itself, what is the one aspect of Homestead that you would like to see upgraded ahead of the championship race?

JOEY LOGANO: Oh, man. I don’t know. I don’t know off the top of my head. It’s different for a driver sometimes to be commenting on that because I don’t get the full fan experience. You know what I mean? I’m not out there watching the race as a fan. I’m in the car, right? I’m not showing up with my family looking for parking. Maybe that’s an issue. I don’t know if it is or not. I don’t know what it’s like getting tickets, what it’s like trying to find your seats, get good food. I don’t see all that. What’s the garage experience like?

I can’t comment on it because it’s just different for me being inside the car, inside the sport.

Q. Is there a track that absolutely positively needs renovations before they’re awarded a championship race?

JOEY LOGANO: A couple of ’em. A couple, yeah. But the majority have kept up with the times. Not all of them, but a few of them have.

Q. Would Texas be one of them?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, Texas is one of the biggest facilities we go to. There’s a ridiculous amount of people there. They had a good crowd this week. They got the suites, condos. They got the stuff if you’ve been there. They got a lot of stuff there.

Q. When it comes to the racing surface itself, would that be something that needs an upgrade, reconfigure the track again?

JOEY LOGANO: I think it’s starting to come into its own. It’s getting better. We’ve seen that.

If you’re going to go out there and start lobbying for a track reconfiguration, know that you’re investing not only money but years before it’s going to be a good race. Repaves don’t typically do it. Every now and again they do it right. I don’t even know what they do to do it right. Doesn’t seem to be the same everywhere.

The investment of time into the resurface and the reconfiguration of Texas for it to be where it is now took I don’t know how many years since they paved it. Now there’s some decent racing, right? I watched all three races this weekend. It’s fine.

I think there’s racing, there’s passing. There’s other tracks that are worse, in my opinion. I think it’s not that bad.

Q. At the beginning you said the industry in this sport is changing. How do you feel it’s going to be a structure till the end of the year with the tracks? You’re going to Las Vegas, Miami. How do you feel it’s going to be?

JOEY LOGANO: I mean, I think like I said earlier it’s going to be a good thing for the sport, right? I think for the fans it’s good. For us, we’ll have to figure it out. The race teams will figure out how to do it. The schedule is always changing and evolving.

A point earlier that somebody brought up: what do the Playoffs look like in two years, next year? We’re not 100% sure yet. It’s hard to say exactly what things are going to look like, but we know at least the final race will be in Miami next year.

Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.

THE MODERATOR: Joey, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. We wish you the best of luck in Kansas.

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John Force Racing Names Jordan Vandergriff Driver of Cornwell Tools Funny Car

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Drag racing rising star Jordan Vandergriff has been named as the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

The announcement was made Friday at the NHRA booth during Day 2 of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

“This is a dream come true to have the opportunity not only with John Force Racing, the premier team in NHRA Drag Racing, but to drive the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car for the greatest Funny Car driver of all time,” said Vandergriff. “As a kid growing up in the sport, you look at John and you see the greatness he’s portrayed, so the fact that I get to drive a Funny Car for him is amazing.”

The California native had two NHRA starts in 2025, driving in relief of injured Top Fuel driver Shawn Reed at Brainerd and Indianapolis. In the 11 Top Fuel races of his rookie season in 2019, Vandergriff earned a runner-up finish at Dallas and two other semi-final showings. He has served as an NHRA on FOX reporter the past two seasons.

“I think the transition to Funny Car is going to be fine. I’ve proven that I can drive the Top Fuel car well and the Funny Car presents a new fun challenge. It’s a shorter wheelbase and a lot more violent but I did some test hits in 2024 in John’s car and, ever since, I’ve had to itch to drive these cars.”

Cornwell Quality Tools began its partnership with John Force Racing in 2019 and has steadily expanded its presence. They have been the primary sponsor of the Funny Car program the past two seasons and held the primary position on Brittany Force’s Top Fuel dragster team at the 2025 U.S. Nationals when she set the national speed record of 343.51 mph. Cornwell Quality Tools is also the Official Professional Tools of NHRA.

“We are incredibly excited about today’s announcement from John Force Racing and to welcome Jordan Vandergriff to the Cornwell Tools Funny Car program,” said Cornwell Quality Tools CEO Bob Studenic. “Jordan is a dynamic talent with the skill, professionalism, and competitive fire that align perfectly with Cornwell’s values and our commitment to excellence.

“With more than 810 hardworking, USA-based Cornwell dealers representing our brand coast to coast, this partnership is bigger than racing—it’s a celebration of the drive, integrity, and craftsmanship that define who we are. Our dealers, employees, and customers have helped build Cornwell Tools into a championship-caliber organization, and we look forward to standing beside Jordan and the entire JFR team as we chase even greater success in the year ahead.

“This is an exciting moment for Cornwell Tools. We’re proud to continue our longstanding relationship with John Force Racing, and we can’t wait for our dealers to experience another season of world-class competition with the Cornwell Tools Funny Car.”

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“I have a great relationship with Cornwell Quality Tools and I’m super happy they decided to pick me,” said Vandergriff. “They’re such a quality brand and they’ve done so much in the world of NHRA Drag Racing. I’m excited that I get to help their dealers sell tools and celebrate race wins together!”

John Force Racing’s full 2026 lineup will include 2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman, Alexis DeJoria and Vandergriff in Funny Car and Josh Hart in Top Fuel.

“We’re proud to announce Jordan Vandergriff as the driver of the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing,” John Force said. “We worked closely with the folks at Cornwell Tools to make sure we had the right fit for their program. Jordan did a great job when he tested with us a couple of years ago but we didn’t have a place for him at the time. Now that we have all of our drivers in place, we can focus 100 percent on preparing our cars and teams for the 2026 season.”

Veteran crew chief Chris Cunningham will move to the Cornwell Tools team from John Force Racing’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Funny Car with 2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman. Cunningham has been a key part of John Force Racing in various positions since 2016.

“This is the opportunity I’ve been working towards. I’ve always wanted to run a full season and compete for a championship,” said Vandergriff. “I want the chance to run with the best and prove that I can be one of the best. This car has won two championships in a row, and Cunningham has so much experience. I have great respect for what he’s done in the sport, and I’m honored that I get to work with him.”

Further announcements from John Force Racing will be made in the coming weeks.

This story was originally published on December 12, 2025. Drag IllustratedDrag Illustrated





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Nascar legal saga ends as 23XI, Front Row secure settlement

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Motor racing’s Nascar series has reached a settlement with its 23XI and Front Row Motorsports teams with which it has been embroiled in a long-term legal feud over antitrust concerns surrounding stock car racing.

Front Row Motorsports and 23XI (co-owned by NBA icon Michael Jordan) accused Nascar of monopolistic practices relating to its revenue-sharing “charter” model, introduced in 2016 and renewed in 2024, through which the pair claimed Nascar worked to prevent competition.

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The settlement, financial terms of which will remain confidential, has ended the case, with a number of notable concessions that could change the landscape of Nascar for the future.

Both 23XI and Front Row Motorsport have regained their charters, three each, which were suspended amid the court proceedings.

Furthermore, the 36 charters of all 15 Nascar teams will now become ‘evergreen’, effectively making them permanent rather than expiring, and those teams now have an increased say in the governance of the series, and crucially, an increased share in the series’ overall revenue.

The teams have, reportedly, already been made aware of these changes in a Thursday meeting, with the new rules to be implemented at a later date.

Also reinstated is the three-strike rule, now expanded to five strikes, which allows teams to flag complaints with Nascar rule changes and, if a team were to reach that three (now five) strike threshold, they could depart to race for a rival stock car series.

The decision came after both plaintiffs rested their case after eight days of court in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Following the conclusion of the case, Bob Jenkins, owner of the Front Row Motorsports team, commented: “After more than 20 years in this sport, today gives me real confidence in where we’re headed.

“It was clear we needed a system that treated our teams, drivers, and sponsors fairly and kept the competition strong. With this change, we can finally build long-term value and have a real voice in Nascar’s future.”

In a separate statement, Nascar chief executive and chair Jim France added: “This outcome gives all parties the flexibility and confidence to continue delivering unforgettable racing moments for our fans, which has always been our highest priority since the sport was founded in 1948.

“We worked closely with race teams and tracks to create the Nascar charter system in 2016, and it has proven invaluable to their operations and to the quality of racing across the Cup Series. Today’s agreement reaffirms our commitment to preserving and enhancing that value, ensuring our fans continue to enjoy the very best of stock car racing for generations to come.”

The next season of Nascar will begin on February 15, 2026, with the iconic Daytona 500 race.




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Sunoco to sponsor No. 8 Ganassi Honda IndyCar in multi-year deal

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Sunoco is making its return to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as a full-time primary partner with Chip Ganassi Racing on the No. 8 Honda driven by Kyffin Simpson beginning in 2026. The multi-year agreement marks Sunoco’s first full-season primary partnership in INDYCAR since 1973.

Sunoco, the largest independent fuel distributor in the Americas, previously served as the primary fuel supplier of INDYCAR from 2010-2018 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2015-2018. The company’s new commitment to the Fastest Racing on Earth signals a powerful reentry into top-tier open-wheel racing and a notable partnership with one of motorsport’s winningest teams.

Notes of Interest:

Returning to American Open-Wheel Racing: With the deal, Sunoco returns to the INDYCAR SERIES with a full season team primary partnership for the first time in 53 years. Sunoco’s relationship with INDYCAR goes back to 1968 in Riverside, California, when Mark Donohue drove the No. 12 Sunoco Eagle. Donohue and Sunoco won their first Indianapolis 500 four years later. Its INDYCAR roster also includes Gary Bettenhausen, Tony Kanaan, NASCAR legend Bobby Allison and current INDYCAR on FOX personality Townsend Bell.

Simpson Behind the Wheel: Kyffin Simpson is one of the young talents in the sport, completing two full INDYCAR seasons before his 21st birthday – which is more starts than Chip Ganassi Racing champions Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Jimmy Vasser or Alex Zanardi had by their 21st birthdays. The 2025 season marked a significant step forward for the Caymanian, scoring his first career podium, three top-5 finishes, six top-10s and his first trip to the Firestone Fast Six. He will look to take another leap forward, fighting for wins in 2026 and continue learning from his teammates that share a combined 10 INDYCAR championships and two Indianapolis 500 victories.

A Trusted Fuel Brand: The largest manufacturer of race fuels, Dallas-based Sunoco will use the partnership to showcase Sunoco 94 Octane, the highest-octane fuel on the market. As a Top Tier™ fuel, it can help engines run cleaner, longer and more efficiently. Beyond INDYCAR, Sunoco remains a dominant force in American motorsports, supplying high-performance fuel to more than 500 tracks and over 50 racing series nationwide.

A Championship Pairing: Sunoco joins Chip Ganassi Racing after one of the most successful seasons for a team in INDYCAR history. Combining for nine wins, six poles and 17 podiums with Dixon, Palou and Simpson, the team won both the Indianapolis 500 and the INDYCAR championship. Since its founding in 1990, CGR has won 17 INDYCAR championships, tied for most all-time, and over 145 INDYCAR races. Sunoco will have a presence across all Chip Ganassi Racing INDYCAR entries for all 17 races.

Chip Ganassi, Owner, Chip Ganassi Racing:“Sunoco has long been synonymous with performance and innovation, values that mirror the DNA of our team. To join forces with such an iconic brand and one with a storied legacy in INDYCAR is truly special. This partnership reflects our shared drive to keep pushing boundaries, and we look forward to what we’ll accomplish together on and off the track.”

Kyffin Simpson, Driver, No. 8 Sunoco Chip Ganassi Racing Honda: “Starting my third year in INDYCAR with Sunoco joining the No. 8 Honda is an incredible boost. We’ve made big strides on the track, and this partnership will only help us get better, I’m confident we can take another step forward and have even more success in 2026 and beyond.”



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NHRA Releases National Event Category Schedule For 2026

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The NHRA has announced the full Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national event category schedule and a series of purse increases for the 2026 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, outlining a wide-ranging competition lineup as the sanctioning body enters its 75th anniversary season.

The schedule details every sportsman and professional category set to compete at NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events during the commemorative campaign. Alongside the calendar, NHRA confirmed nearly a 15 percent increase in national-event purse payouts for Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers, as well as a 33 percent boost to regional championship purses for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car competitors in each NHRA division. New logos for all seven NHRA divisions were also unveiled.

The milestone season will open with the 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, March 5–8, at Gainesville Raceway. Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock are scheduled to compete at all 20 national events, while Pro Stock Motorcycle will appear at 15 events in 2025.

nhra, national event, schedule

Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will contest 13 national events in 2026, highlighted by a national-event debut at Maryland International Raceway. Competition Eliminator will race at 15 events, while Super Stock, Stock, and Super Gas will each appear at 19 national events, including first-time national events at South Georgia Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway.

Super Street will compete at seven national events, while Top Dragster and Top Sportsman are both slated for 16 appearances. In the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, all four professional categories will again compete at every Countdown to the Championship playoff event. All-Star Callout races will return, with Top Fuel in Gainesville, Funny Car in Indianapolis, Pro Stock in Norwalk, and Pro Stock Motorcycle in Sonoma. The Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge will also return for 13 regular-season events.

NHRA also released the 2026 Super Stock and Stock class specialty race schedule, with events planned at Gainesville, No Problem Raceway, Firebird Raceway, Beech Bend Raceway Park, Brainerd International Raceway, Indianapolis, Famoso Dragstrip, and Maple Grove Raceway.



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Rick Hendrick comments after the NASCAR lawsuit settlement

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23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have settled their lawsuit with NASCAR

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were in court, suing NASCAR for alleged anti competitive practices. On Thursday, the two sides agreed to a settlement.

The two teams will receive an undisclosed amount. 23XI and FRM will now have their charters returned.

NASCAR lawsuit settled; Comments from both sides

In turn, all charter holders will have the option to sign an updated charter agreement. Evergreen charters have entered the agreement, making the charter system permanent.

This is something that all teams were looking for during the negotiations, years ago. NASCAR has just agreed to give it to them.

Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports is pleased that it’s over with…

Rick Hendrick comments

“Millions of loyal NASCAR fans and thousands of hardworking people rely on our industry, and today’s resolution allows all of us to focus on what truly matters – the future of the sport,” Rick Hendrick stated.

“For more than 40 years, NASCAR racing has been my passion. I believe deeply in what we can accomplish when we work together.”

“This moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen our relationships and recommit ourselves to building a collaborative and prosperous future for all stakeholders. I’m incredibly optimistic about what’s ahead.”

Hendrick concluded, “When our industry is united, there’s no limit to how far we can go or how much we can grow the sport we love.”

Hendrick Motorsports lost $20M despite 2 NASCAR championships

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NASCAR | Hendrick Motorsports | 23XI Racing | Front Row Motorsports



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Charlotte Motor Speedway sells land near NASCAR track to Hendrick Motorsports

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Hendrick Motorsports has made another significant land purchase in Concord.

ALSO READ: NASCAR settles federal antitrust case

Late last month, an entity tied to Hendrick bought a 20.2-acre site at 7001 Bruton Smith Blvd. for $14.2 million, according to Cabarrus County real estate records. The site was acquired from Charlotte Motor Speedway LLC, which is affiliated with racetrack owner Speedway Motorsports.

Read more at Charlotte Business Journal’s website here.

VIDEO: NASCAR settles federal antitrust case



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