PRI Attendee Registration Opens in Three WeeksPerformance Racing Industry
The road to the 2025 PRI Show, December 11-13, downtown Indianapolis, continues in just a few weeks when attendee registration opens for qualified industry members on Tuesday, July 15. This year’s event will once again offer an experience unlike any other trade show on the planet, delivering the three biggest business days of the year […]
The road to the 2025 PRI Show, December 11-13, downtown Indianapolis, continues in just a few weeks when attendee registration opens for qualified industry members on Tuesday, July 15.
This year’s event will once again offer an experience unlike any other trade show on the planet, delivering the three biggest business days of the year for the global motorsports community.
With a focus on the present and future of racing, the 2025 PRI Show promises to feature all the newest parts, latest innovations, nearly unlimited networking opportunities and access to an unrivaled number of motorsports manufacturers and service providers that can’t be matched anywhere else. Attendees can also get excited for some of the Show’s signature events and features, including the Featured Products Showcase, the Grand Opening Breakfast (keynote speaker set to be announced at a later date), the world-famous Machinery Row with live demonstrations, the PRI ESports Arena and much more.
You can also view the current 2025 PRI Show Floorplan here. Check back in during the leadup to the Show to see what other motorsports brands are added to the world’s largest gathering of motorsports professionals.
Before registering, PRI Show organizers recommend attendees book their hotel rooms now to start planning the best PRI Show experience possible. Click here to secure your accommodations.
In addition, prospective attendees should also renew their PRI Membership, which is required to attend the Show.
For more information on the 2025 PRI Show, visit here.
NASCAR driver averages: Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports look to build on Sonoma success
CONCORD, N.C. – On to wine country where Hendrick Motorsports has been popping bottles since 1998! That’s when Jeff Gordon scored the first of eight victories for the company at Sonoma Raceway, the most of any organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gordon is the all-time winningest driver at the track, visiting victory lane five times. […]
CONCORD, N.C. – On to wine country where Hendrick Motorsports has been popping bottles since 1998!
That’s when Jeff Gordon scored the first of eight victories for the company at Sonoma Raceway, the most of any organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gordon is the all-time winningest driver at the track, visiting victory lane five times.
Recently, the fastest man at the serpentine track has been another California native, Kyle Larson, who picked up his second victory at the venue last June. His resume includes four pole awards and his average starting position of 3.8 is tops among all drivers.
On the other side of things, Chase Elliott carries the best career average finish into Sunday’s event at 11.1 in eight starts. That includes six top-10 finishes.
FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION: Read up on Jeff Gordon’s 1995 NASCAR title!
Alex Bowman has finished in the top 15 in five of his last six Sonoma races with a pair of top 10s sprinkled in. He will look to outrun Ty Dillon to advance to the final four of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge.
Finally, William Byron has started inside the top eight four times in his six races in central California.
Here’s a look at how each driver has done at the track as well as a brush up on Hendrick Motorsports history:
Kyle Larson averages, statistics at Sonoma
Starts:
10
Wins:
2
Poles:
4
Top fives:
2
Top 10s:
4
Laps led:
113
Average start:
3.8
Average finish:
13.0
Chase Elliott averages, statistics at Sonoma
Starts:
8
Wins:
0
Poles:
0
Top fives:
4
Top 10s:
6
Laps led:
52
Average start:
6.1
Average finish:
11.1
RELATED: Check out all of Hendrick Motorsports’ road course wins!
William Byron averages, statistics at Sonoma
Starts:
6
Wins:
0
Poles:
0
Top fives:
0
Top 10s:
1
Laps led:
26
Average start:
10.8
Average finish:
22.0
Jeff Gordon won five times at Sonoma Raceway, the most of any driver ever in the NASCAR Cup Series.
RFK Racing Joins Forces with NTangible as Official Mental Fitness Partner, Enhancing Pit Crew Performance Through Groundbreaking Assessment
CONCORD, N.C. (July 8, 2025) — Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing today announced a strategic partnership with NTangible, a leading provider of mental fitness assessments for elite performers. As the newest member of the RFK Tek Alliance, NTangible will deliver advanced mental fitness evaluations to RFK Racing’s pit crews, supporting efforts to enhance performance under pressure […]
CONCORD, N.C. (July 8, 2025) — Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing today announced a strategic partnership with NTangible, a leading provider of mental fitness assessments for elite performers.
As the newest member of the RFK Tek Alliance, NTangible will deliver advanced mental fitness evaluations to RFK Racing’s pit crews, supporting efforts to enhance performance under pressure and sustain a competitive advantage in the high-intensity environment of motorsports.
Established in 2023, the RFK Tek Alliance unites top-tier technology and performance partners to drive innovation across all facets of RFK Racing’s operations. NTangible becomes the alliance’s first partner dedicated specifically to mental fitness and psychological resilience.
“Integrating NTangible’s platform into our talent pipeline equips us with a data-driven approach to evaluating and developing mental fitness,” said Doug Randolph, Partner and Performance Director for RFK Racing.
“This partnership enhances our ability to recruit individuals with the right mental attributes for high-stakes environments and to tailor development programs that optimize decision-making, composure, and adaptability.”
NTangible’s proprietary assessment platform provides predictive insights within minutes, enabling performance staff to evaluate key cognitive traits such as composure, processing speed, and role compatibility.
Unlike conventional personality assessments, NTangible’s tools are specifically designed for high-performance environments and are already in use across professional baseball, football, and Olympic programs.
“RFK is setting the standard for what elite teams should expect from their support systems,” said Dan Connerty, CEO of NTangible.
“By focusing not just on physical training but on the unseen mental game, they’re putting their crew members in position to succeed in the moments that matter most. That’s exactly what NTangible is built for.”
As part of the partnership, NTangible’s assessments will be integrated into RFK Racing’s processes for crew selection, training, and ongoing development.
This initiative aims to optimize current team performance while also identifying and cultivating the next generation of pit crew talent — individuals equipped with the cognitive and psychological strengths required to succeed in the most demanding moments in sport.
About RFK Racing:
RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004.
Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing.
Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns.
Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
Longtime Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was fired abruptly Wednesday after a 20-year stint that included eight Formula 1 drivers titles and a rise to celebrity status. Red Bull did not give a reason for the decision in a statement Wednesday but thanked Horner for his work and said he will “forever remain an […]
Longtime Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was fired abruptly Wednesday after a 20-year stint that included eight Formula 1 drivers titles and a rise to celebrity status.
Red Bull did not give a reason for the decision in a statement Wednesday but thanked Horner for his work and said he will “forever remain an important part of our team history.”
Laurent Mekies of sister team Racing Bulls will replace Horner in his role as chief executive of the Red Bull team.
Horner had been Red Bull team principal since it entered F1 as a full constructor in 2005. He had performed his team and media duties as normal throughout the British Grand Prix last week.
His wife is Geri Halliwell — Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls — and Horner himself became a celebrity figure through his prominence on Netflix’s F1 docuseries “Drive to Survive,” in which his bitter rivalry with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff was a key plot point. He and F1 champion Max Verstappen were booed at the season launch in London in February.
Horner oversaw eight F1 drivers titles — four for Sebastian Vettel and four for Verstappen — and six constructors titles during his time with the team.
But McLaren has dominated this season while Red Bull’s performance has dipped, though defending champion Verstappen remains third in the standings and the team is fourth.
Uncertainty for the future
Horner spent much of last week fielding questions over Verstappen’s future with the team after the Dutch driver declined to commit to stay with Red Bull for 2026. Zak Brown, boss of rival McLaren, told The Associated Press last week it would be a “disaster” for Red Bull if Verstappen were to leave.
Horner is the latest in a series of high-profile executives to leave the team over the last year and a half. Car design great Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley departed for Sauber, which is soon to become the Audi works team. All of these changes have followed the 2022 death of Dietrich Mateschitz, the billionaire co-founder of Red Bull who created its F1 project.
The team also shuffled drivers, dropping Sergio Perez at the end of last season before a brief failed experiment with Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s teammate. He was in turn replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, who hasn’t scored a point in five races.
“We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years,” Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s chief executive for corporate projects and investments, said in a statement. “With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”
The announcement comes more than a year after Horner was accused of misconduct toward a team employee.
An investigation conducted on behalf of the Red Bull company dismissed the allegation, as did a further investigation conducted after the employee appealed against the initial ruling, Red Bull said at the time.
Horner remained in charge of the F1 team throughout the entire process.
Red Bull’s next challenge
Horner, a former driver whose racing career stalled one level below F1, was the youngest team boss in F1 at 32 when he took charge of Red Bull in 2005 after its parent drinks company bought what had been Jaguar. He’s the only leader the team has known since.
As team principal and CEO, Horner had unusually broad authority for an F1 boss. He signaled last week he expected to stay in charge for a long time.
“We have a very tight senior management, a very strong structure,” Horner said. “We’ve got strength in depth. We don’t feel, and I certainly don’t feel, that there’s a need to change or tune it.”
Horner’s departure comes in the middle of the team’s efforts to prepare for one of the biggest rule changes in F1 in decades next season. Red Bull will make its own engines in partnership with Ford, a project led by Horner.
At Racing Bulls, whose cars have sometimes outperformed the main Red Bull team this season, Alan Permane will be promoted from racing director to team principal to fill the gap left by Mekies.
“The spirit of the whole (Racing Bulls) team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning,” Mekies said in a statement released by Racing Bulls, which did not mention Horner.
“Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.”
NASCAR coming back to historic North Carolina racetrack in 2026
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WBTV) – NASCAR is coming back to a historic North Carolina track in 2026 after a successful return in 2025. Next season’s preseason “Clash” will be held at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. Chase Elliott — NASCAR’s most popular driver — won the 2025 event in February. It was the first Cup Series […]
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WBTV) – NASCAR is coming back to a historic North Carolina track in 2026 after a successful return in 2025.
Next season’s preseason “Clash” will be held at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. Chase Elliott — NASCAR’s most popular driver — won the 2025 event in February. It was the first Cup Series race at the venue since 1971.
Elliott thanked fans for making the return to Bowman Gray “special” after February’s win.
Built inside the football stadium at Winston-Salem State University, the quarter-mile oval has earned the nickname “The Madhouse” thanks to its bumper-to-bumper, action-packed racing.
“The 2025 race was an immensely successful event for all parties involved,” Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said in a news release. “We will work hard to ensure that the 2026 Cook Out Clash is even more successful.”
NASCAR is bringing its preseason “Clash” back to Bowman Gray Stadium in 2026.(Matt Kelley | AP)
The Clash — which is scheduled 14 days prior to the Daytona 500 — is not a points-paying race. The 1971 event was the last points race at the North Carolina venue. Hall of Famer Bobby Allison was given credit for winning that race after a disputed finish was overturned in October 2024. The decision gave Allison his 85th win and broke a tie for the fourth-most in Cup history.
Other drivers who won Cup races at The Madhouse include Richard and Lee Petty, Junior Johnson, David Pearson and Glen Wood.
The 2026 Clash will be run on Sunday, Feb. 1. Tickets can be bought now by clicking here.
Bowman Gray hosts races every Saturday throughout the spring and summer and remains the longest-running weekly track.
Related: NASCAR’s most popular driver wins in return to historic North Carolina track
Hertz To Sponsor Car at NASCAR Cup Series Race in Dover
Legacy Motor Club has announced that Hertz has signed on as primary sponsor of John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway on July 20. Hertz livery will make its NASCAR return on the high-banked concrete mile at Dover—known as the “Monster Mile,” bringing international […]
Legacy Motor Club has announced that Hertz has signed on as
primary sponsor of John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE for the
NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway on July 20.
Hertz livery will make its NASCAR return on the high-banked
concrete mile at Dover—known as the “Monster Mile,” bringing international
motorsports synergy under the Knighthead umbrella.
Hertz Car Sales will
also be featured prominently on the racecar.
“We’re excited to see Hertz and Hertz
Car Sales on the No. 42 this summer at Dover,” said John Hunter Nemechek,
driver of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota. “It’s awesome to represent such a
recognizable global brand, and even more special knowing it ties into the
broader Knighthead motorsport vision that spans NASCAR and endurance racing.”
Hertz’s entry into the NASCAR Cup Series complements its
sponsorship of Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s No. 12 and No. 38 Cadillacs in the
WEC. This cross-series sponsorship strategy, backed by Knighthead, exemplifies
a global approach to brand visibility and performance alignment across premier
racing platforms.
Gil West, Hertz Executive Officer said in a statement, “Hertz
has a proud legacy in motorsports and we’re excited to expand our presence by
partnering with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and John Hunter Nemechek for the NASCAR Cup
Series race at Dover.
He added, “This collaboration not only highlights our iconic
brand on one of racing’s biggest stages, but also showcases Hertz Car Sales as
a trusted source of high-quality used vehicles. It’s an exciting opportunity to
connect with fans and customers through the thrill of racing.”
Fans can get their first look at the Hertz-branded No. 42
Toyota Camry XSE during practice and qualifying at Dover on July 19, with race
coverage airing nationally on TNT Sports.
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Why was Christian Horner sacked as Red Bull F1 team boss? | Motorsports News
Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect after 20 years, the Red Bull Racing Formula One team announced on Wednesday. The 51-year-old oversaw a period of dominance by the team, winning the drivers’ championship eight times – including the past four titles with Max Verstappen – and adding six […]
Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect after 20 years, the Red Bull Racing Formula One team announced on Wednesday.
The 51-year-old oversaw a period of dominance by the team, winning the drivers’ championship eight times – including the past four titles with Max Verstappen – and adding six constructors’ crowns.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who will replace Horner at Red Bull Racing?
Horner, who has been in charge of Red Bull since the team was formed in 2005, will be replaced by the principal of sister team Racing Bulls, Laurent Mekies.
A motorsport aerodynamics specialist, the French-born Mekies entered Formula One in the early 2000s and had stints working with Arrows, Minardi, Toro Rosso and Ferrari before joining Racing Bulls as team principal in 2024.
“I think he has a very, very good understanding of the business, having started as an engineer and then worked at the FIA,” said Fred Vasseur, current F1 team principal at Ferrari, when Mekies left the famous Italian team in July 2023.
Laurent Mekies is the new team principal of Red Bull Racing after the shock exit of Christian Horner [File: Alessio Morgese/Stefano Facchin/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
No reason given for Horner sacking
Horner was sacked as Red Bull’s team principal with immediate effect.
The team’s official media statement, released on Wednesday, reads:
“Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today [Wednesday, July 9, 2025] and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing. Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments, thanked Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.”
“We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years,” said Mintzlaff. “With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”
Martin Brundle, an ex-F1 driver, current race commentator and friend of Horner, told Sky Sports News:
“I am due to speak to Christian later. I put a message to him saying, ‘I am sorry to read this, can we have a chat before I am due to go on TV because I want to know more about it from his point of view’.
“He wasn’t able to do that. What he did say was that no reason was given to him as to why he is being released.”
Horner, right, and F1 commentator Martin Brundle chat in the paddock prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 23, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia [Kym Illman/Getty Images]
A difficult 18 months for Horner
Horner’s dismissal follows a challenging period on several fronts for the team principal.
His exit from the team comes nearly a year-and-a-half after it was leaked that a female employee had accused Horner of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour. Horner was twice cleared of the claims by Red Bull headquarters, situated in Austria.
At the same time, Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, called for Horner to leave his position and claimed that the Briton’s presence could tear the team apart in a March 4, 2024, interview.
Jos told The Daily Mail that “there is tension while he remains in position”, referring to Horner.
He added, “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim when he is the one causing the problems.”
The early-2025 departure of Adrian Newey – the former chief technology officer of Red Bull Racing and widely considered one of the greatest motorsport designers in F1 – to rival team Aston Martin was a huge loss to the Milton Keynes-based team and to Horner personally.
Newey had joined Red Bull in 2006, just months after Horner’s appointment, with the pair forming one of the most successful F1 management partnerships in history.
Horner, who is married to former ‘Spice Girls’ popstar Geri Halliwell, right, had been accused of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague but was twice cleared of the claims by the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH [File: James Bearne/Getty Images]
How successful was Horner as Red Bull boss?
Under Horner’s leadership, Red Bull won their first world championship in 2010, with German driver Sebastian Vettel taking the first of four consecutive drivers’ titles.
Following a multiyear period of dominance by archrival Mercedes, Red Bull, this time with Max Verstappen of the Netherlands as their star driver, entered a second championship window, winning four more drivers’ titles consecutively from 2021 to 2024.
In 2023, Horner presided over the most dominant season in Formula One history, with the team winning 21 of 22 races, and Verstappen setting a new F1 record with 10 consecutive victories.
Horner, left, celebrates winning the 2021 F1 World Drivers Championship with driver Max Verstappen at Yas Marina Circuit on December 12, 2021, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates [Bryn Lennon/Getty Images]
Will Max Verstappen stay at Red Bull Racing?
At the midway point of the 2025 season, Verstappen trails McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings and has all but conceded the drivers’ title for this season.
As far back as April 13, Verstappen was already pessimistic about the prospects of winning a fifth straight drivers’ championship.
“McLaren are not my rivals right now. I am just taking part in this world championship,” Verstappen said, as quoted by nl.motorsport.com.
When pressed further if he meant he doesn’t see himself competing for the 2025 drivers’ title, he replied: “No, I don’t.”
In recent days, and not for the first time, Verstappen has been linked with a move to rival Mercedes, possibly as soon as next season.
Brundle told Sky Sports News that Horner’s exit from Red Bull may defuse tensions, resulting in Verstappen re-signing with the only F1 team he has ever driven for.
“It makes it more likely that Verstappen will stay,” Martin Brundle said. “It became personal in Team Verstappen.”
Verstappen has been heavily linked in recent weeks with a move away from Red Bull Racing [File: Jay Hirano/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images]