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Remembering Those the NASCAR Community Lost in 2025

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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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The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering To Celebrate the World’s Most Iconic Vehicles

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The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering returns to Monterey Car Week Aug. 14, 2026, to celebrate the world’s most iconic automotive brands and historic vehicles, company officials stated in a press release. The event will showcase four featured classes and an exclusive collector series. The 23rd annual event will also include more than a dozen vehicle debuts from top OEMs and designers and a curated display of hundreds of rare and unique vehicles.

Four celebrated classes will take center stage at next year’s event: The 100th Anniversary of Route 66, The Lamborghini Diablo, The Legacy of Japanese GTs, and The Ferrari F40.

The 100th Anniversary of Route 66

Spanning nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 symbolizes freedom, adventure and the enduring spirit of the American road trip, noted the release. This special featured class will pay tribute to the highway’s cultural impact through a curated lineup of classic vehicles that once traveled America’s “Mother Road,” each honoring Route 66’s role in shaping American automotive history and inspiring generations of travelers.

The Lamborghini Diablo

The Lamborghini Diablo featured class will celebrate the “poster car” of the 1990s. Lamborghini’s first model capable of exceeding 200 mph and a former holder of the world’s fastest production car title, the Diablo stands as an icon of futuristic design and breakthrough engineering, solidifying Lamborghini’s standing as a trailblazer in modern supercar performance, event organizers said. The class will include Diablo examples, highlighting rare specifications and limited-production editions.

The Legacy of Japanese GTs

Celebrating the legacy of Japanese automotive craftsmanship, the artistry of customizable styling and advanced technology, The Legacy of Japanese GTs class will showcase a selection of the most influential and sought-after models. Famous for their distinctive blend of performance, precision and tunability, Japanese GTs have earned a devoted following among enthusiasts worldwide.

The Ferrari F40

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering will honor an iconic Ferrari model for the second consecutive year with The Ferrari F40 featured class. Celebrated as one of the most iconic supercars ever built and introduced in 1987 to commemorate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, the F40 was the final Ferrari model to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. This class will highlight the raw performance and engineering excellence that continue to define Ferrari’s legacy.

Ferrari F50 GT
Ferrari F50 GT. (Photo courtesy The Quail)

The Bruce Meyer Collection

The Quail will also introduce an all-new collector series that will highlight unique collections from renowned collectors and enthusiasts. Among them, Bruce Meyer is widely recognized as one of the most passionate and influential car collectors in the hot rod and classic car spaces. Driven by his signature mantra, “never lift,” Meyer has assembled one of the finest private collections of Le Mans-winning race cars, Bonneville land speed cars, trend-setting hot rods and many other cars and motorcycles of historical significance. The Bruce Meyer Collection will present an exclusive selection that reflects his profound appreciation for the automotive hobby.

Timeless Craftsmanship & Heritage Will Be on Display at The Quail

“Our new featured classes, alongside the debut of the collector series, are propelling The Quail into an exciting new era,” said Gordon McCall, director of motorsports at The Quail. “Collectively, they showcase emerging technologies and design philosophies, while upholding the timeless craftsmanship and heritage that have been at the heart of this event for more than two decades.”

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering will also include eight returning traditional classes, including Custom Coachwork, Pre-War Sports and Racing Cars, Post-War Sports Cars 1945-60, Post-War Sports Cars 1961-75, Post-War Racing Cars, Sports and Racing Motorcycles, Evolution of the Supercar and The Great Ferraris.

The vehicle entrant application is currently open.



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Business Leader and Former NASCAR Team Marketing Executive Tony Priscaro Releases His New Book Still Standing, A Real-World Guide to Building Credibility When the Stakes Are High – Speedway Digest

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Tony Priscaro, founder of PK Velocity Sports & Entertainment and a veteran sports marketing executive, has released his debut book, Still Standing, now available on Amazon and Kindle. The book delivers a candid, practical look at leadership, resilience, and value creation drawn from decades operating at the intersection of professional sports and business.

Unlike traditional business books rooted in theory, Still Standing is built on real-world execution—closing high-stakes deals, navigating career pivots, managing risk, and rebuilding momentum when circumstances collapse.

“This isn’t a book about success,” said Priscaro. “It’s about what happens between success—the pressure, the setbacks, the moments where quitting feels logical but staying the course matters most.”

Priscaro’s career spans professional sports marketing, NASCAR sponsorship strategy, corporate partnerships, and brand development. In Still Standing, he translates lessons learned in high-pressure sports environments into actionable insights for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals.

“In sports, there’s no room for excuses,” Priscaro said. “You either deliver or you don’t. That same reality exists in business—especially when trust, reputation, and credibility are on the line.”

A Business Book Disguised as a Story

While the book draws on experiences from NASCAR, professional basketball, and national brand partnerships, Still Standing is ultimately about business fundamentals: decision-making under uncertainty, earning trust without credentials, and creating value when resources are limited.

“Brands don’t care where you went to school,” Priscaro noted. “They care if you can reduce risk, execute consistently, and deliver results. That lesson applies to every industry.”

The book has already begun resonating with professionals navigating career transitions, leadership challenges, and entrepreneurial risk.

Supporting Speaking & Executive Engagements

The release of Still Standing coincides with Priscaro’s expanded focus on executive speaking engagements and business workshops. His talks center on leadership under pressure, credibility over credentials, and what professional sports reveal about how decisions are really made in business.

“I didn’t write this book to sell books,” said Priscaro. “I wrote it to start conversations—with leaders, teams, and organizations that want to perform when the stakes are real.”

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Nashville fairgrounds group petitions against NASCAR-type racing

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A coalition dubbed Restore Our Fairgrounds is calling for a voter referendum to block NASCAR-style racing in favor of affordable housing and green space at the Fairgrounds in South Nashville, the latest measure in a two-decade effort to strip auto racing from the property.

The group said it filed paperwork recently with the metro clerk to start a charter amendment ending auto racing at the Metro Nashville Fairgrounds amid rumors about Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Speedway Motorsports negotiating a deal for NASCAR-type expansion.

The group says resumption of car races would hurt local taxpayers and cause more traffic and noise.

If successful, the amendment would undo a 2011 referendum that amended the charter to protect existing uses of the fairgrounds, including auto racing. The measure passed with 72% of voters approving it.

Metro Nashville voters would have to vote in favor of a referendum to end racing at the fairgrounds, which was home to different types of racing for more than 100 years.

The group supports the preservation of green space, development of affordable housing and improvements to nearby Brown’s Creek, a tributary to Cumberland River on the federal list of polluted waterways.

Multiple Nashville groups, such as the Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Nashville Organized for Action and Hope Economic Equity, Jobs & Transportation Task Force and South Nashville Action People are part of the coalition.

Mike Kopp, cofounder of Fairgrounds Preservation Partners, is among those signing the petition, along with Metro Council member Terry Vo; Heidi Basgall Favorite, founder of Neighbors Opposing Track Expansion; and Jose Gonzales, cofounder of Conexion Americas.

Read more at TennesseeLookout.com.

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VanDoren, Janisch Lead PA Drivers Hoping For Another Allentown Indoor Racing Series Victory – Speedway Digest

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In 15 TQ Midget races contested inside the PPL Center over the past nine years, a Pennsylvania driver has visited Victory Lane just twice. Young standout Tanner VanDoren of Slatington and veteran Matt Janisch of Wind Gap are hoping to become the first Keystone State drivers to score multiple Allentown Indoor Racing Series victories when the Ironton Global Races return on Friday and Saturday, January 9 and 10.

A total of 13 drivers from Pennsylvania are entered, and they’ll have two chances to win a feature. On Friday, the headline TQ Midgets will compete in a 30-lap feature, and on Saturday, the distance will be 40 laps. It won’t be easy with drivers entered from eight different states with many different forms of motorsports racing experience.

Ryan Flores remains the undisputed king of Allentown. The Huntersville, N.C. driver and New Jersey native has captured seven victories at the PPL Center. New York drivers account for five wins, led by Erick Rudolph—the only other repeat winner—along with Justin Bonsignore, Scott Kreutter, and Andy Jankowiak, who will be seeking his second Allentown triumph.

Since winning in his Friday-night Indoor Series debut at Allentown in 2024, VanDoren has been a contender in nearly every race he’s entered while driving for car owner Jeff Ulrich. Tragically, Ulrich was struck by a vehicle and killed while crossing a street last February.

New Jersey’s Anthony Sesley, a four-time Gambler’s Classic winner in Atlantic City, earned his lone Allentown victory in 2023, driving for Ulrich. It was Sesley who arranged for VanDoren to serve as his test driver in Allentown the following season, and the two have been teammates in the Indoor Series TQ Midgets ever since. Following Ulrich’s passing, Sesley acquired the team’s two race cars to continue Ulrich’s legacy.

At Allentown, Sesley will not compete as a driver, instead focusing solely on VanDoren’s efforts as crew chief. After gaining speed through two Allentown events without Ulrich, Sesley will return to the cockpit as VanDoren’s teammate at the Atlantic City Indoor Race on January 30 and 31.

Allentown native Briggs Danner could bring the house down if he captures his first Indoor Series victory on his home turf. A frequent contender in past seasons, Danner is banking on speed found last year with a new TQ Midget built by Kevin Graver to finally seal the deal and become the third driver from his state to win in Allentown’s ten-year history.

Danner will have a new teammate in 16-year-old Logan Watt of Boyertown, who stormed onto the Modified racing scene during his rookie season in 2025. Although Watt has never driven a TQ Midget, the proven Graver-Danner setup could make him fast right out of the gate—much like VanDoren, who won in his Indoor debut at age 16 in 2024.

Tim Buckwalter of Royersford, a former Indoor Series Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic winner, hopes to score an Allentown victory in front of his home-state fans, driving for a new team assembled by legendary racer Lou Cicconi.

Ryan Smith, coming off a strong outdoor season in 410 Sprint Cars, returns to TQ Midget competition in George VanVarick’s No. 43. After resolving mechanical issues last season, Smith found speed in Atlantic City last January and hopes to carry that momentum into Allentown.

Matt Roselli of Brodheadsville, Pa.—a past preliminary-night Triple 20 winner in Allentown—returns in the radical Laffler-built TQ Midget featuring a right-side-mounted engine that debuted last season. Chad Jones of Quakertown, Pa., who designed and built a brand-new TQ Midget from the ground up last year, looks to iron out the remaining issues and take a step forward.

Kyle Lick of Lehighton, who finished seventh in the standings last year, is another driver knocking on the door of his first Indoor TQ Midget series win. Pennsburg car owner Matt Chowns returns with a two-car effort, including John Barnett in the second entry.

Jesse Strohl, a 24-year-old asphalt Modified driver from Slatington, will make his TQ Midget debut. Strohl comes from deep racing roots, with his grandfather, Marvin Bartholomew, and father, Lou Strohl, longtime competitors at Mahoning Valley and Evergreen Speedways.

Drivers will again have the opportunity to claim the Ironton Auto Body Challenge by winning both feature races in Allentown. Friday’s winner will be offered a guaranteed starting spot in Saturday’s main event—provided they start tenth. Accepting the challenge earns a $1,000 bonus, with an additional $4,000 awarded if they advance from tenth to win. Combined with Saturday’s purse, a weekend sweep would total $10,000.

If the challenge is not completed, Ironton Auto Body will roll over a portion of the bonus to the Atlantic City Indoor Race. Flores accomplished the feat last season at the NAPA Gambler’s Classic, earning $10,000, including challenge bonus money and support from the Atlantic City Sports Commission and Visit Atlantic City.

Friday night will also feature the Will Cagle Shootout, sponsored by Ricky Harring, showcasing the top 10 qualifiers in a 15-lap dash where drivers choose their starting positions. The pole pays $240 to win, with payouts increasing by $120 per position. A driver winning from tenth would earn $1,320.

The headline TQ Midget division will be joined by Slingshots and Champ Karts, with full programs for all three classes. Champ Kart teams will arrive from 12 states and Ontario, Canada, while Slingshot competitors will represent Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Quebec.

Lower-level reserved ticket holders for Saturday night receive access to a pre-race FanFest, allowing fans to walk the track and meet drivers and teams prior to the 7 p.m. green flag.

Tickets are available through a Ticketmaster link at IndoorAutoRacing.com or at the box office on the day of the events. Check the website for more information.

Indoor Auto Racing PR



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