Motorsports

NASCAR’s Last Cowboy: Snakebit Carl Long Will Do Whatever It Takes to Race

Published

2 months ago

October 31, 2025

I know what day I met Carl Long: Saturday, October 26, 2002. My memory for dates was, and remains, pretty sketchy, but Google recalls that the final round of the International Truck Challenge was held then at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The Challenge, held by NASCAR sponsor International Truck and Engine Corporation, was presented not for NASCAR drivers, but for the drivers of their NASCAR haulers, which carried the cars and equipment literally coast to coast during that grueling 36-race season.

I had been flown to Atlanta not only to attend the NASCAR NAPA 500 race on Sunday, but to help judge the Truck Challenge, which required drivers, towing a 53-foot trailer attached to a new International 9400i tractor, to make a timed run that included negotiating through two intricate 180-degree turns, two slaloms around a series of tethered barriers, and backing into a simulated loading dock, which is where I was standing. The driver who negotiates the course the quickest, knocking over a minimum number of pylons, wins.

Carl Long daytona 66 hauler — Steven Cole Smith

With a damn-the-torpedoes speed we had not seen that day, Long just attacked the course, and was absolutely flying as he backed the International truck and trailer into a narrow corridor that simulated a loading dock, with barriers at the end that represented the dock itself. That’s where I was standing. I moved, because I wasn’t sure Long would be able to stop before he crunched into the “loading dock.”
Long not only stopped after locking up the trailer’s brakes, but the truck came to rest about six inches from the dock. It was the closest to a perfect score we awarded all day, and I am pretty sure we presented one of those big cardboard checks to Long.

Overall, it was a good weekend for the journeyman driver in the then-NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Long, possibly the only NASCAR competitor to drive his own tractor-trailer to the track, qualified his number 59 Check Into Cash Dodge 43rd out of 43 cars entered, and finished 39th, the last car still running in the race, completing 237 of the 248 laps. Not a bad weekend.

But a finish like that would be a terrible weekend for the vast majority of the NASCAR drivers that Sunday, where winner Kurt Busch pocketed $212,100. But they operate from an entirely different spreadsheet than Long, who won $54,100 for a 39th-place finish, which Long likely split with team owner Foster Price. Then there was the $1000 Long won for the truck challenge.

Long’s goal in the 2002 season was the same as it was for his first season in the NASCAR Cup Series 25 years ago, and it’s the same as it was for this 2025 NASCAR season, which concludes this Sunday with the championship-crowning event at Phoenix Raceway. That goal is for his team to qualify for the race—at the back is fine, as long as his car gets in—and use the prize money, and hopefully a little sponsorship revenue, to make it to the next race.

And yes, 23 years later, Long still drives the team 18-wheeler to the races.

Carl Long daytona garage — Steven Cole Smith

After Sunday, that next race would be the NASCAR season opener, and also the series’ biggest race of the year: The Daytona 500, which runs on Sunday, February 15, 2026. It’s the holy grail for NASCAR team owners like Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, and former NFL coach Joe Gibbs. But they want to win. Carl Long just hopes his car runs fast enough to make the race.

Seems like a modest request, to just finish in the last five or so of the maximum of 40 teams that can run a Cup race. Each week, Long, who gave up driving in the NASCAR Cup series after the 2017 season, hopes that a “funded” driver, who has assembled enough sponsor (or family) cash to pay for a race or two, hires MBM Motorsports, which is the name of Long’s company.

MBM would supply a car from his small inventory of used NASCAR Cup cars he bought from larger teams that have traded up for the next season, complete with a plastic “wrap” displaying the car’s number, usually 66, and whatever sponsor logo the funded driver wants to run. And if that driver can’t afford to rent the Cup car, Long has several Xfinity Series cars and a few NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series trucks, which cost less.

Carl Long daytona pit stop — Steven Cole Smith

It’s a true “arrive and drive” situation for Long’s customers: He and wife DeeDee, who works with MBM (that’s Motorsports Business Management), handle the logistics, the paperwork, and hopefully, at the end, making out the deposit slip for the driver’s money. Which can vary from race to race, and depending on how badly Long wants to go. Though NASCAR stopped announcing the race purse a decade ago, Long and everybody else know which races pay the best: Just finishing last in the Daytona 500 will get you a six-figure paycheck, while some races pay in the low- to mid-five figures for bottom-of-the-results finishes. For a team like Long’s, just making the Daytona 500 field can help fund the next few events.

MBM Motorsports, incidentally, was originally formed in 2014 as a partnership between Long and Canadian financier and part-time racer Derek White. Soon, though, White was arrested and charged with smuggling cigarettes into Canada from the U.S., and NASCAR suspended him. White, who says he is part Mohawk Indian, appealed his conviction, arguing that Excise Tax Act laws were not applicable to the Mohawk nation. The judge agreed and overturned the conviction. White, now 56, is back racing in NASCAR. Just another of the oddball obstacles placed in front of Long’s racing efforts. More about those in a moment.

Long finally hung up his helmet in 2017, after he backed his car hard into the wall at Martinsville on lap 444 of 500, when his car’s tired brakes finally gave up.

Though a couple of other small teams also supply cars for the highest bidder, assuming there are any bidders at all, it’s MBM Motorsports’ entire business plan. The top 36 teams own NASCAR “charters,” which, since 2016, guarantee that a NASCAR-chartered team will make every race, regardless of how poorly they qualify. This means that the driver for a chartered team will never be left on the sidelines, thus allowing the team to sell sponsorship based on the fact that no matter where your driver qualifies, he or she will be on television in every race that season.

Carl Long Josh Bilicki — Instagram/mbmmotorsports

But those original charters pass back and forth between teams, and now can cost upwards of $50 million apiece. Long doesn’t have $50 million; consequently, he doesn’t have a charter. And with a 40-driver cap for a race, Long is competing with other non-chartered teams for those final four spots. Lately, with the exception of the two races at Daytona and several others, NASCAR has had problems producing a full 40-car roster each race. Again, Long roughly knows when a particular race may traditionally have trouble filling the field, and those races are good targets for MBM—and every other non-chartered competitor.

It’s a tough way to make a living, but it’s pretty much all Long knows, even though he came to it comparatively late in life. A North Carolina native, Long began racing on a local level in 1983 at age 16, but it wasn’t until 1998, when he was 31, that Long went after NASCAR’s big leagues, which means the Craftsman trucks, the Xfinity series, and at the top of the mountain, the NASCAR Cup Series. Partnering with local businessman Thee Dixon, one of NASCAR’s first black team owners, Long raced for Dixon’s Mansion Motorsports for several years, with modest results.

Long and the team failed to qualify for any NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, or Craftsman truck races in 1999. In 2000, though, Long qualified for his first Cup race: The prestigious (and lucrative) Coca-Cola 600, held on Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

And that’s when the first of an absolutely staggering series of challenges was inflicted upon Carl Long and his NASCAR career—so many that you may wonder how he’s still standing.

Turns out the year 2000 was the farewell season for longtime driver Darrell Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Waltrip had some pressing sponsor engagements during his final year as a driver, and one of them was at the May race in Charlotte.

But Waltrip didn’t qualify in his Kmart Ford. So Waltrip and Kmart cut a deal to turn team owner Thee Dixon’s Noopco Paint Remover Ford, which Long had qualified, into the Big Kmart Ford for one race, with Waltrip replacing Long in the driver’s seat. Long wasn’t happy, but he knew that Waltrip and Kmart paid the team quite well for hijacking his seat, enough to help them make it to the next few races.

But Long would never again qualify for the Coca-Cola 600. He did qualify for the 2000 Cup race in Dover, Delaware, where he started 42nd and finished 41st in his NASCAR Cup debut. He also made the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, qualifying last but finishing 35th, which came with a $26,900 paycheck.

It continued pretty much like that until the 2004 Subway 400 at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. Long, between rides and working as a mechanic for David Starr’s Craftsman Truck team, noticed that there wasn’t a full field of entries for the race, so he and a few friends cobbled together a Dodge that Long owned, powered by a tired V-8 that Kyle Petty had gifted him. (Long’s career has often depended on the kindness of others, who would pass along used parts and slightly worn tires.) Still, Long spent $30,000 out of his own pocket getting the car ready for The Rock.

The hood had a decal for Al Smith Dodge, a North Carolina dealer who had once helped Long out, but contributed nothing for this race. Long tried to pull the Al Smith decal off, but the paint began to come off with it, so Long just left it on, and the car was entered as the number 46 Al Smith Dodge.

All was well until lap 255, when another car, which was busy wrecking, hit Long in the back and launched him and Al Smith Dodge into the outside wall, where the car began flipping down the track, making five complete barrel rolls, ending up back on its now-flattened tires. Long was OK; the flattened car was not. The TV commentators were apoplectic until Long was released from the Infield Care Center. Afterward, Long told the media that he knew he was in trouble when, upside down and through his windshield, “I saw a big guy in the stands eating chicken,” he said. “I’m glad I gave them something for the highlight reel, but it don’t do too much for me racing anymore. That was the only Cup car I had.”

Without a car, one of Long’s friends, driver and team owner Hermie Sadler, asked Long to drive his number 02 RacingJunk.com Pontiac at the Cup race in Las Vegas. Long started 41st, finished 38th after the oil pump quit. In an interview, Sadler defended Long. “I’m comfortable with Carl behind the wheel,” he said. “He’s a talented race car driver who’s like me in that he hasn’t gotten the right opportunity yet. He knows it’s an honor and a privilege to compete in a Nextel Cup race and he cherishes every opportunity. He’s not a field filler.”

From then on, Long raced for an extensive list of teams, often a race here, a race there. Team 23 Racing. Jay Robinson Racing. Glenn Racing. Ware Racing. Foster Price Racing. Creech Motorsports. Moy Racing. McGlynn Racing. Hover Motorsports. In total, more than 25 teams, not counting his own.

Long generally worked a day job at other teams’ shops, toiling over his own cars at night. Wikipedia notes that Long worked at a Domino’s Pizza, was named Domino’s manager of the year, and once held the record for most pizzas delivered in one night. I forgot to ask him about that, but it seems plausible.

But then came the biggest blow of all, administered by NASCAR with unusual alacrity. It very nearly put a permanent end to Long’s lifelong ambition of somehow making a career from motorsports.

It happened in May of 2009, when Long entered his own car in NASCAR’s non-points race, the Sprint Showdown. After practice, NASCAR asked to look at his engine, which was a Dodge V-8 he had bought used from Ernie Elliott, the engine-building brother of former NASCAR champ Bill Elliott. Long had no objection.

Shortly, NASCAR inspectors returned with a ruling: Illegal. NASCAR Cup engines must be no larger than 358 cubic inches. They measured Long’s second-hand V-8 at 358.17 cubic inches, .17 inches too big. The idea that such a tiny amount would add anything to the performance, or be evidence of intentional cheating, was absurd, but NASCAR levied the largest fine in its history for Long’s engine: $200,000, and a 12-race suspension not only for Long, but also for his wife DeeDee, who was listed as the car owner.

It was unprecedented. Though on appeal the suspensions were reduced to eight races, there was no way Long could pay a $200,000 fine. Until he did, he was banned from the NASCAR Cup garage. This was a problem because he was working for the number 34 Cup car owned by Front Row Motorsports.

Long had one more appeal, before the NASCAR Commissioner, 87-year-old Charles D. Strang, who upheld the sanction. NASCAR did say that Long could work in the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series, but not in Cup. It amounted to a lifetime ban for an engine bought from a reputable source that was .17 inches too big.

Long was bitter after he lost the second and final appeal. The National Stock Car Racing Commission “intentionally put it out of my reach,” Long said. The 12-race suspension and the $200,000 fine were both NASCAR records. “I’m truly disappointed in NASCAR,” Long told The Associated Press. “The sport I love and grew a part of has really given me a sour taste in my mouth.”

He has softened some, but the memory of the oddly severe penalty is still acidic. And with good reason. NASCAR’s modern-day penalties for far more scandalous instances of cheating seem profoundly timid compared to what they assessed Long.

Carl Long, driver of the #85 Mansion Motorsports Dodge Intrepid R/T, discusses race strategy with Richard Petty before the 2001 Pop Secret 400 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina.Getty Images

Example: Richard Petty won a record 200 NASCAR Cup Series races, and that record is likely to stand. But it was mildly tainted in 1983, when Petty’s Pontiac, which had won the Miller High Life 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and his 598th race, was found to have an illegal engine. It measured 381.983 cubic inches, nearly 24 cubic inches too large, which would indeed have given Petty an advantage. The car also had left-side tires on the right side of the car, which was also illegal, and would have improved cornering. Petty was fined a record $35,000, but was allowed to keep the win. Interestingly, team owner Junior Johnson’s second-place car, driven by Darrell Waltrip, was hastily loaded up after the race and removed from the track before NASCAR could inspect it—something Johnson had apparently done before.

Example: In 1991, Johnson didn’t pack up and leave quickly enough after a non-points race at Charlotte. Then, as now, the engine can’t be bigger than 358 cubic inches; the engine in Johnson’s car—actually, wife Flossie was listed as the owner—was 361.856 cubic inches. Puzzlingly, driver Tommy Ellis, who was just substituting for an injured Geoff Bodine, the car’s regular driver, was fined $18,000. Johnson and crew chief Tim Brewer were not fined but were suspended for four races.

Example: NASCAR inspected the engine in the number 55 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry that driver and team owner Michael Waltrip intended to use for the 2007 Daytona 500. It would be Toyota’s long-awaited NASCAR Cup Series debut, which the company had been promoting nonstop. Inspectors almost accidentally discovered a substance in the engine’s intake that was reportedly related to jet fuel, undeniably a blatant attempt to cheat during qualifying for the 500. The team was fined $100,000, but puzzlingly was allowed to compete in the 500. Waltrip finished two laps down, in 30th, which paid $258,050, more than absorbing the fine. Pundits asserted that NASCAR, conscious of how valuable having a new manufacturer participating in the Cup Series was, deliberately went easy on the Toyota team.

Example: In the September 2013 race at Richmond International Raceway, Clint Bowyer, driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, was allegedly instructed, by radio, to gently spin his Toyota out. The resulting caution flag would almost certainly result in teammate Martin Truex, Jr., making the season-ending Chase for the Championship lineup. The team seemed to have forgotten that the radios are monitored by NASCAR, by fans, and by the TV network carrying the race. NASCAR booted Truex from the Chase lineup and added Ryan Newman, who had been eliminated. It also fined the team $300,000, which finally surpassed the $200,000 fine that NASCAR had levied on privateer Long four years before. Sponsor NAPA, who had continued to back Waltrip after the jet-fuel scandal in 2007, had had enough and canceled its contract to sponsor Waltrip.

Was NASCAR fair to Long? Hard to argue that it was, given that these examples cited were all intentional and would definitely add to the guilty team’s performance.

Still, it kind of seems that NASCAR continues to mess with Carl Long. For this year’s Daytona 500, Long planned to put NASCAR veteran Mike Wallace, younger brother of 1989 Cup champion Rusty Wallace, and older brother of former Xfinity and Cup racer Kenny Wallace, in the MBM Motorsports number 66 Ford. Mike Wallace had run 197 Cup races over 19 seasons, plus 497 Xfinity races and 115 Craftsman Truck races.

At 65, Wallace had wanted to make one last return to Daytona, where he had won before. Wallace had found sponsorship and said he wanted to race as a tribute to his wife Carla, who died from cancer in 2024. They were married for 44 years.

Several days after the deal between Wallace and Long was announced, NASCAR nixed it, suggesting that Wallace might be too rusty, and possibly too old, to compete at Daytona, because Wallace hadn’t competed in NASCAR since 2020. This despite the fact that NASCAR rolled out the red carpet to allow IndyCar veteran Helio Castroneves to race in the 2025 Daytona 500, despite the fact that the 49-year-old had never competed in any NASCAR races.

Castroneves was too slow to qualify for the 500 on speed alone, and then crashed in his qualifying race. The series created a special category called the “Open Exemption Provisional” that overlooked all that if the designated competitor was deemed to be a “world-class driver,” which Castroneves certainly is, just not a world-class stock car oval driver. He raced, using that provisional, and crashed in the Daytona 500. Critics suggested that NASCAR did not want to give up the extra eyeballs Castroneves would bring to the broadcast, not only from South American fans, but from IndyCar fans.

As for Long and MBM, at the last minute, they were able to bring in Xfinity and Craftsman Truck driver Chandler Smith to drive the car, who had also never competed in the Daytona 500. But he didn’t qualify for the second straight year, crashing hard in his qualifying race.

Still, Long will be back next season. Is he a glutton for punishment? Perhaps. But racing, he says, “is addictive. Once you are in it, you’ll do most everything to stay there.”

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Motorsports

BangShift.com IHRA Acquires Historic Memphis Motorsports Park In Millington Tennessee. Big Race Weekend’s Planned For 2026!

Published

1 hour ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Fairfield, OH — The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) has officially completed the acquisition of the historic motorsports facility in Millington, Tennessee, formerly known as Memphis International Raceway and Memphis Motorsports Park, closing on the property on December 23, 2025.

Originally opened in the late 1980s, the facility has played a significant role in American motorsports history. It has hosted major drag racing events and national touring series and was, at one point, sanctioned by IHRA, hosting IHRA-sanctioned drag racing events during that time. With the property now under IHRA ownership, the acquisition represents a full-circle moment that reconnects the track’s past with a renewed vision for its future.

The facility has long contributed to tourism and economic activity in Millington and Shelby County. Under IHRA ownership, it will operate as a multi-use destination supporting drag racing, stock car competition, grassroots motorsports, and other large-scale events that engage the broader community and region.

“This investment honors the legacy of Memphis Motorsports Park while positioning it for a strong future. IHRA’s acquisition reflects confidence in our region and creates new opportunities for tourism, local businesses, and fan experiences.” said Mayor Paul Young, City of Memphis.

“As the Commissioner for District 1, I am thrilled about IHRA’s acquisition of Memphis Motorsports Park. This investment strengthens our local economy, puts world-class racing back on solid ground, and gives our families and young people a safe, exciting place to create memories for years to come. Having a national organization like IHRA committed to the long-term success of this historic facility is exactly the kind of partnership Shelby County needs.” said Amber Mills, Shelby County Commissioner, District 1, Shelby County Government.

“Memphis Motorsports Park has long contributed to tourism and economic activity in Millington and Shelby County, and IHRA’s acquisition represents a positive step forward for the facility and the community. This investment supports the continued use of the track as a regional destination while creating opportunities for local businesses and future growth. The Millington Area Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with IHRA as this next chapter takes shape.” said Chris Thomas, Executive Director, Millington Area Chamber of Commerce.

“This is a special place in American motorsports,” said Darryl Cuttell, CEO of IHRA. “This facility has a deep history in drag racing and stock car competition, and our goal is to honor that legacy while building a strong, sustainable future. We are committed to bringing meaningful racing back to this property while expanding its role as a destination for a wide range of events that serve racers, fans, and the surrounding community.”

“This acquisition represents more than reopening a racetrack,” said Leah Martin, President of IHRA. “It is about restoring opportunity for racers, families, and the community. This facility aligns with IHRA’s racer-first vision and our commitment to grassroots motorsports, while also allowing the property to support diverse uses that strengthen its year-round impact.”

“Memphis Motorsports Park holds a special place in our hearts,” said Daniel Horton, Assistant Director of the IHRA Stock Car Series. “Bobby Hamilton won the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series race here in a truck built by Tim and with Danny as the crew chief. With the facility now under the IHRA umbrella, we can give grassroots racers a chance to compete where legendary drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Randy LaJoie, and the late Greg Biffle have won. We are extremely excited to bring stock car racing back to Memphis and continue the legacy of this iconic track.”

In the coming days, IHRA will begin facility improvements and operational preparations. Fans and community members are encouraged to follow IHRA across its social media platforms for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage as revitalization efforts get underway. Further announcements regarding schedules and programming will be released in the near future.

To stay informed on the latest news from IHRA, CLICK HERE!

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Motorsports

Remembering Those the NASCAR Community Lost in 2025

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

What’s Happening?

As 2025 comes to a close, we ask you to take a moment with us to remember those in the NASCAR family who passed away during the past calendar year.

Media Members

Ed Hinton

Born: 1948 | Died: February 6, 2025

Hinton was a long-time motorsports and sports writer for several publications during his lengthy career, including Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

Al Pearce

Born: 1942 | Died: April 9, 2025

Pearce was a long-time staple of NASCAR media known for his time with Autoweek, where he recently served as the brand’s NASCAR editor. During his career, he covered 56 consecutive Daytona 500s, including the race’s 67th edition earlier this year.

Keith Waltz

What’s Happening?

Keith Waltz, a well-known and long-tenured motorsports writer, has passed away at the age of 65.

Waltz held numerous roles…

Born: 1960 | Died: September 27, 2025

Waltz served in many roles, both as a journalist and as a PR representative in the sport. During his time in the sport, Waltz worked for publications like Speed Sport and NASCAR Pole Position Magazine, and as a member of the communications team at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 2025, prior to his passing, Waltz tied Ted Schmidt for the Jim Hunter Writer of the Year award at the 52nd Annual Eastern Motorsport Press Association.

Crew Members

Steve ‘Birdie’ Bird

Born: 1955 | Died: September 6, 2025

During his NASCAR career, Bird only called the shots for one NASCAR Cup Series race, as his true success would be found in the NASCAR Busch Series. Across his ten seasons in the series, Bird, atop the box for drivers like Rob Moroso, Kenny Wallace, Johnny Benson Jr., and Randy LaJoie, won 18 total races and three series championships.

Zachary Yager

What’s Happening?

Members of the NASCAR garage area are sharing their thoughts and memories of late NASCAR crew member Zachary Yager,…

Born: 1990 | Died: August 23, 2025

Yager was well known around the NASCAR garage area for his time with many teams across the sport’s National Series. In recent seasons, Yager found himself with teams like Team Penske and JTG Daugherty Racing, winning the Daytona 500 as a member of JTG’s No. 47 crew in 2023, and was serving as a member of ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 team at the time of his passing.

Owners

Shigeaki “Shige” Hattori

What’s Happening?

Shigeaki Hattori, owner of the part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team Hattori Racing Enterprises, passed away Saturday morning following…

Born: 1963 | Died: April 5, 2025

Hattori, a racer in his own right, went on to own one of the more fan-favorite operations in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series of the past decade after hanging up his helmet. From 2013 to 2024, Hattori Racing Enterprises fielded the likes of Brett Moffitt and Ryan Truex, among others, to 14 wins and the 2018 series championship alongside entries in the ARCA Menards and NASCAR Xfinity Series. He was 61.

Bill Baumgardner

Born: 1947 | Died: January 13, 2025

Baumgardner was a long-time owner of the NASCAR Busch Series team BACE Motorsports, with his drivers, including but not limited to Johnny Benson Jr, Randy LaJoie, and Tony Raines, entering 389 races from 1993 to 2004, collecting 16 wins and three series championships along the way.

Travis Carter

Born: 1949 | Died: June 10, 2025

Carter served as a Crew Chief for many of NASCAR’s top drivers in the 1970s and 1980s, including an eight-year run calling the shots for Harry Gant, where the pair won nine total races. However, after his days atop the pit box came to a close, the NASCAR Cup Series Champion moved to ownership,

Charlie Henderson

Born: 1937 | Died: June 14, 2025

Henderson fielded entries across NASCAR’s National Series for many years. However, his true impact on the sport would come with Henderson Motorsports’ run in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which began in 2013. Since their first season in the Truck Series, Henderson’s team has served as one of the most competitive part-time underdogs in the sport, winning two races, including a third that NASCAR disqualified in the 2025 season opener.

Larry McClure

Born: 1944 | Died: June 25, 2025

McClure owned one of the most iconic cars in NASCAR history, with his team, Morgan McClure Motorsports, co-owned by Tim Morgan, fielding the No. 4 car in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1987 to 2007, with sponsor Kodak gracing the car’s hood for the majority of that run. In total, the team won an impressive 14 races with the likes of Ernie Irvan, Sterling Marlin, and Bobby Hamilton, including three Daytona 500s between Irvan and Marlin.

Bill Davis

Born: 1951 | Died: September 7, 2025

Davis was one of the most influential owners of the late 1990s and early 2000s in the NASCAR Cup Series, with his team giving many drivers, like Bobby Labonte, Ward Burton, and Dave Blaney, their first real shot at the sport’s highest division. Over his 16 years racing in the highest level of NASCAR, the team won five races, including the 2002 Daytona 500 with Sterling Marlin.

Drivers

Martin Truex Sr.

Born: 1958 | Died: January 17, 2025

Truex Sr. was a true racing legend of the northeastern racing scene, making over 135 starts in the former NASCAR Busch North Series, now known as the ARCA Menards Series West. His legacy continued into NASCAR, where his sons Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex have won races and championships across the sport’s three national series.

Wayne Andrews

Born: 1937 | Died: February 2, 2025

Andrews was a long-time racer who made many starts in the NASCAR Cup and the now-defunct Grand National East Series and NASCAR Grand American Series, winning the 1972 series title in the latter of the two.

Mike Chase

Born: 1952 | Died: April 18, 2025

During his time in NASCAR, Chase was one of the stars of the sport’s grassroots levels, though he would make the occasional start in the National Series. In his efforts racing in lower divisions of the sport, Chase won 19 races and a 1997 series championship in the NASCAR Southwest Tour, and 10 races, and the 1994 series championship in the NASCAR Winston West Series.

Rex White

Born: 1929 | Died: July 18, 2025

White was one of the sport’s greatest drivers during the early days of NASCAR. From 1956 to 1964, White won 28 races and scored 163 top ten finishes in 233 career starts. In 1960, the future NASCAR Hall of Famer scored six wins, 25 top fives, and 35 top tens en route to his first and only NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

Phil Barkdoll

Born: 1937 | Died: September 2, 2025

Though he only made 23 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR fans remember Barkdoll as a true underdog of the sport, with his Barkdoll Racing No. 73 serving as an early iteration of what modern fans would now call an “open car.”

Michael Annett

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR community is mourning the loss of former Xfinity and Cup Series driver Michael Annett, who has passed…

Born: 1986 | Died: December 2, 2025

Annett played the role of a journeyman driver during his NASCAR career, racing across the three National Series from 2008 to 2016, before finally settling down in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he raced for JR Motorsports from 2017 to 2021. During his time with JRM, Annett found his groove, making the playoffs three times and finally winning his first career race at Daytona in 2019. He retired from racing after the 2021 season.

Greg Biffle

Born: 1969 | Died: December 18, 2025

Throughout his NASCAR career, Biffle proved himself to be a true wheelman, winning in everything he got behind the wheel of, including 17 wins and a series championship in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 20 wins and a series championship in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and 19 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. One of the most impressive moments of his racing career came at Texas Motor Speedway in 2019, when he won in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start since 2004, and his first race since retiring from full-time action in 2016.

Biffle and his family, alongside three others, lost their lives in a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina, on December 18.

Industry Professionals

Jon Edwards

Born: 1972 | Died: April 10, 2025

Edwards was a long-time PR representative for Jeff Gordon throughout the driver’s lengthy NASCAR career. Eventually, Edwards would be elevated to Director of Racing Communications at Hendrick Motorsports while also working with Kyle Larson. The week of his death, Larson and HMS would find their way to an emotional victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Dr. Jerry Petty

Born: 1935 | Died: April 20, 2025

Petty, a neurosurgeon, was one of the most important figures in the medical side of motorsports, being honored for his many contributions to NASCAR drivers by winning the 2006 Bill France NASCAR Award of Excellence. In a statement following his passing, NASCAR said Petty “was a constant and caring figure within the NASCAR garage, lending his immense medical knowledge and skills to treat competitors every single week.”

H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler

What’s Happening?

H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, the former President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway and innovator in fan experience, has…

Born: 1938 | Died: August 20, 2025

Wheeler is often cited as the sport’s greatest track promoter, known for pulling every string possible to make race fans feel that they must be at the track on raceday. His legendary run at Charlotte Motor Speedway includes many spectacles and stunts, and groundbreaking innovations, such as the 1992 NASCAR All-Star Race, which was the first time the race was held “under the lights.” Wheeler was chosen as the recipient of the 2026 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR prior to his passing.

Grant Lynch

Born: 1953 | Died: October 2, 2025

Lynch helped make Talladega Superspeedway into the icon it is today during his long tenure as the track’s president and chairman. During his time at Talladega, which began in 1994 and concluded upon his retirement in 2019, the superspeedway saw many changes to its look, but continued to be one of, if not the sport’s most feared venue.

These members of the NASCAR family, among many others, were remembered throughout the year through many online notes, posts, and tributes.

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Motorsports

Maserati Sets Its Sights On A Bigger 2026 Racing Season

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Maserati’s modern return to top-level GT racing has quickly turned from a comeback story into a momentum-driven success story. As the curtain closes on an impressive 2025 campaign, the House of the Trident is now firmly focused on an even more ambitious 2026 season—one that expands its footprint globally, including a major push into North American racing.

After stepping back into closed-wheel competition in 2023, Maserati Corse has wasted little time proving it belongs. The Maserati GT2 has already delivered championships, race wins, and credibility across multiple series. In 2025, that momentum peaked with a dominant Am-class title in the GT2 European Series, where consistent performance and reliability showcased exactly what Maserati set out to achieve with its customer racing program.

What makes this resurgence notable isn’t just the trophies—it’s the structure behind it. Maserati isn’t chasing one-off headline results. Instead, it’s building a sustainable racing ecosystem that supports teams, drivers, and series organizers. That approach carries directly into 2026, when the GT2 platform will again compete in the GT2 European Series while also aligning with the broader SRO ladder system, including pathways that eventually connect to GT World Challenge competition.

For American fans, the biggest news is Maserati’s growing presence stateside. In 2026, both the Maserati GT2 and the extreme, track-only Maserati MCXtrema will be eligible for competition in the U.S.-based International GT series, competing in the GTX category. This marks a significant step for the brand, putting modern Maserati race cars on legendary circuits that resonate deeply with American motorsports culture.

Maserati MCXtrema at Laguna Seca. (Maserati).

The International GT calendar reads like a bucket list for road racing fans, with stops at iconic venues such as Sebring International Raceway, Road Atlanta, Road America, Watkins Glen, Laguna Seca, and Circuit of the Americas. For Maserati, this isn’t just about participation—it’s about visibility. Racing on these tracks puts the Trident in front of U.S. teams, drivers, and enthusiasts who may be encountering modern Maserati motorsport hardware up close for the first time.

Another key factor heading into 2026 is the expansion of race formats made possible by Maserati’s Endurance Pack. This update broadens the GT2’s eligibility across more championships and endurance-style events, making it more attractive to customer teams that want flexibility without sacrificing performance. In plain terms, it allows teams to race more often, in more places, with the same core platform.

All of this builds toward a symbolic milestone that gives the 2026 season extra weight. Maserati will celebrate 100 years since its first racing appearance, when the Maserati Tipo 26 debuted at the Targa Florio and won its class. A century later, Maserati is once again leaning into competition as a core part of its identity—not as a nostalgia act, but as a forward-looking performance brand.

As 2026 approaches, the message is clear: Maserati isn’t dabbling in racing. It’s committed. With a growing global schedule, expanding U.S. involvement, and proven on-track results, the Trident is positioning itself for one of the most important seasons in its modern motorsports history.

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Motorsports

Dale Earnhardt broke down in tears after special gift to mom – Motorsport – Sports

Published

2 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dale Earnhardt broke down in tears after his NASCAR stardom allowed him to buy his mom, Martha, a special gift. The NASCAR legend came from humble beginnings, born to a working-class family in North Carolina.

While his father, Ralph, was a racing driver, it was Dale who would go on to alter the family’s trajectory. Earnhardt went on to become one of U.S. motorsports’ most successful and beloved names, winning the joint-most Cup Series championships (7) alongside Richard Petty and Jimmy Johnson.

Sitting at the top of NASCAR also saw Earnhardt become one of motorsport’s most marketable names. He laid the foundations for his two sons, Kerry and Dale Jr., to step into NASCAR, with the latter going on to be one of the sport’s most popular drivers ever. This popularity remains intact to this day, nearly 25 years on from his father’s tragic passing on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

However, in his younger years, around Christmas time, it wasn’t a straightforward time of year for Dale Sr., who wasn’t able to spoil his family, particularly his mother, as much as he had hoped. Dale Sr.’s gifts to Martha had been modest, usually everyday plug-in items like toasters.

However, in 1980, something shifted. He experienced a moment of clarity that led to an especially emotional exchange with his mother, marking a turning point in their relationship. After winning the Winston Cup in 1980, Earnhardt bought his mom diamond earrings.

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Joe Whitlock, his manager at the time, revealed an emotional exchange he had with the NASCAR legend before passing the gift to his mother. “After he had won the Winston Cup crown, we came home, and he’s driving the car, and I’m sitting in the passenger seat,” he said.

“And he starts crying, he’s laughing and crying, it’s not a serious cry. I said, ‘What’s the matter?’ He said, ‘This is the first Christmas that I can buy my mother something that doesn’t plug into the wall.’ It was always a toaster or something. But he bought her diamond earrings.”

Martha continued wearing the earrings for decades until her passing on Christmas Day, 2021, nearly 21 years after her son’s passing. In the 2015 I Am Dale Earnhardt documentary, Martha said: “I still have my diamond earrings, yeah. And it was really a big surprise that he could even afford that, you know. But he was always springing something on you, and I thought it was just amazing how he fought to get to where he was.”

Earnhardt legacy

Earnhardt’s 2001 passing at the Daytona 500 left a long-lasting impact on the sport. NASCAR had lost one of its biggest and most beloved names, while the Earnhardt family lost its figurehead.

Dale Jr. finished second on the day his father had died, and his passing came in just his second full season of Cup Series racing. Despite the pain of her son’s passing, Martha watched Dale Sr. carry the torch, and though he didn’t win a Cup title like his dad, he forged a legendary path of his own.

Dale Jr. is continuing the Earnhardt legacy in NASCAR with JR Motorsports alongside his sister, Kelley. JR Motorsports has won a total of four NASCAR Xfinity Series championships in its history: 2014 (Chase Elliott), 2017 (William Byron), 2018 (Tyler Reddick), and 2024 (Justin Allgaier). The team came mighty close to going back-to-back last year, with Connor Zilisch losing to Jesse Love in Phoenix’s Championship race.

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Motorsports

Honda Newly Launches “Discover Honda” Content Curation Media Platform — TradingView News

Published

3 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TOKYO, Dec 26, 2025 – (JCN Newswire) – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today launched a content curation media platform, Discover Honda, on its corporate information website(1). Discover Honda is a media platform that holistically curates and clearly communicates a wide range of Honda initiatives, including Honda products, technologies, designs, and the thoughts of Honda associates who create them, as well as various corporate activities including the environment, safety and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Discover Honda URL：https://global.honda/jp/discover/ (Japanese) https://global.honda/en/discover/ (English)

Key features of Discover Honda

Discover Honda is a newly created media platform that curates (gathers) and posts articles from multiple Honda owned media(2) platforms that currently exist within the Honda corporate information website. This will enable users to access articles that were previously scattered across various owned media in one place and in a timely manner. In addition, Discover Honda will share feature articles which will compile multiple articles related to certain selected themes. For example, by selecting a single product as a theme, the feature article will enable readers to explore a series of articles written about the product from different aspects, such as technologies, designs and the thoughts of Honda associates who were involved in the development of the product. Feature articles on Discover Honda are designed to enable the readers to gain a deeper and more multifaceted understanding of the particular themes.

At its launch, Discover Honda is featuring two special articles: one on the all-new Prelude, which went on sale in Japan in September of this year, and the other on electric motorcycles. New feature articles are scheduled to be added on monthly basis.

Concept of Discover Honda

The concept behind Discover Honda is creating a ?march? (marketplace) for Honda content. Just like march? or farmers’ market brings together a wide variety of desirable items ranging from fresh foods to home goods and handmade items, Discover Honda was created with an image of a place where users can encounter articles on diverse themes and perspectives related to Honda.

In addition to its motorcycle, automobile, power products and aviation businesses, Honda is engaging in a wide range of initiatives as a comprehensive mobility company, including the development of cutting-edge space and robotics technologies, environment and safety initiatives, taking on challenges in motorsports, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. By featuring articles that introduce such a wide range of activities, Discover Honda will strive to become a media platform where users can discover a variety of attractive facets of Honda ? just like people finding a variety of attractive items at a marketplace.?

This new content curation media platform was named ?Discover Honda? based on the desire of Honda for more people to visit this media site, explore the diverse activities Honda is involved in, and discover new facets of Honda.? ?

With participation of designers from the Honda Design team, the Discover Honda site was designed with a main color of orange that evokes a vibrant image, freshness, and positive energy of the marketplace. The Discover Honda logo features multiple cubes within the initial letter D, representing diverse themes users can encounter through this platform, and one of the cubes incorporates the Honda Red.?

Why Honda created Discover Honda

Since 2020, as a part of its corporate information website, Honda has been operating ?Honda Stories,? as one of the owned media platforms that communicates the current initiatives and future vision of Honda. It introduces Honda initiatives from the past, present and future, including the underlying thoughts and passions of each initiative, through interviews with Honda associates, executives and other stakeholders.

In addition to Honda Stories, Honda has been communicating a wide range of information through multiple owned media platforms:

?Honda Technology? introduces Honda technologies with more technical insights.?Honda Design? introduces initiatives related to design works?Motorsports? and ?HRC??introduce various Honda initiatives in motorsports?Honda Sports Challenge??introduces various Honda corporate sports activities.

The use of multiple owned media platforms has enabled Honda to present a single theme from multiple perspectives. However, having multiple owned media platforms created a challenge, making it difficult for users to find related articles on the same theme all at once. To address this challenge, Honda launched Discover Honda, a new content curation media platform that enables users to find related articles from multiple Honda owned media while leveraging the unique expertise of each medium.

Initially, Discover Honda will primarily curate content from Honda Stories, Honda Technology, Honda Design, Motorsports, HRC, and Honda Sports Challenge. Moving forward, Honda is planning to expand the range of owned media included in the curation.

(1) Honda corporate information website URL:?https://global.honda/jp/ (Japanese), https://global.honda/en/(English)

(2) Media produced and operated by Honda

Source: Honda Motor Co, Ltd

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Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports Icon Delivers Powerful Christmas Reminder As NASCAR Still Reels From Greg Biffle Loss

Published

9 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

This year’s Christmas proved to be a difficult one for NASCAR, owing to the events that transpired last week. With all the legal proceedings settled, it looked like Christmas would be a major celebration this year, but the tragic passing of Greg Biffle and his family proved otherwise. Grief has remained the primary theme ever since, with the Hendrick Motorsports team being among the first ones to react to the news.

While many came forward to share their message of grief, one of the most respected voices in the HMS camp remained mum. Ray Evernham, the Championship-winning crew chief for Jeff Gordon, had opted for the silent path when Biffle passed. But with Christmas festivities in full flow, the HMS icon couldn’t help but lay forth a sobering truth.

HMS Icon Delivers a Gut-Wrenching Truth to NASCAR

Tragedy struck NASCAR last Thursday as news surfaced of the Biffle family passing away in a plane crash alongside three others. The family of four was on its way to Florida to meet up with Garrett Mitchell, aka Cleetus McFarland, but 10 minutes into their flight, the Cessna 550 ran into trouble and couldn’t make it back to the runway safely.

Ever since, the NASCAR world has been struggling to come to terms with reality, with Mark Martin spending considerable time researching the potential reasons behind the plane’s failure.

While all that goes on, Gordon’s former crew chief decided to take to X and leave a few people teary-eyed with what he had to say.

“It’s been a rough week or so, but today is a special day. It’s Christmas, and it’s about family, it’s about being together, it’s about great memories,” said Evernham. He added, “And we don’t know how many Christmases we’re going to get. Some of the Christmases, people who start the year with us won’t be here.”

Speaking further, the iconic crew chief expressed his gratitude for the gift that life is while also being thankful for all of his friends and family, hoping to carry great memories into the new year.

Evernham’s words come just in time for “Biffmas,” an annual initiative started by Biffle that centers around spreading holiday cheer through daily cash giveaways and prizes for fans.

To make this year’s Christmas even more chilling, those close to the Biffle family ended up receiving their Christmas mail from the departed souls during the holidays.

One such incident happened with Ron Herbert of North Carolina, who received the festive season’s greetings from the Biffles in his mailbox. The mail proved to be a harsh reminder of the reality that cannot be escaped, with Evernham’s message further highlighting just how precious life is.

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