Chase Elliott won a NASCAR Cup race at Pocono in 2022, but it came in the most bizarre fashion.
Long after the race had ended and the track’s grandstands had cleared, the apparent race winner, Denny Hamlin, and the apparent runner-up, Kyle Busch, were disqualified when their cars didn’t pass inspection.
Elliott, who had finished third, found out about his “victory” after he got back home in Georgia.
Matt Barndt found out about Elliott’s win while getting ready to get on a plane at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. He was stunned, but happy.
Barndt, a Lower Saucon Township native and Saucon Valley High School graduate, has one wish this weekend as he returns to familiar turf at Pocono Raceway as Elliott’s car chief.
“This time I want us to win because we were the first ones across the finish line,” Barndt said. “I don’t want to win it any other way. And I want to get a celebration in Victory Lane. That didn’t happen the last time.”
Barndt, a 2009 Saucon grad, has been working with Elliott since Elliott joined Hendrick Motorsports on a full-time basis in 2016. Barndt previously worked with NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, a staple of Hendrick’s dominant racing team.
“Basically, everyone who worked on Jeff”s team went on Chase’s team,” Barndt said.
Bardnt has formed a strong bond with Elliott, who is 29 and five years younger than Barndt.
“His experience far exceeds his years because he grew up in a racing family,” Barndt said. “He’s a great person to work with, and we communicate quite well. We both grew up around race tracks.”
Of course, Barndt must also work with crew chief Alan Gustafson, who has been working with Elliott since 2016 and entered this season as the longest-running driver-crew chief pairing in the Cup Series. Barndt and Gustafson also have a great rapport.
Saucon Valley High School graduate Matt Barndt (left) is the car chief for popular Hendrick Motorspots driver Chase Elliott.
(Hendrick Motorsports/Adrian Lauerman)
During an interview available on the Hendrick Motorsports website, Barndt said he was fortunate that Gustafson saw something in him when he was ready to graduate from college.
“You transitioned from design engineer to race engineer to car chief in a really short period of time, and you’re still really young.” Gustafson said. “And now you have a really difficult job.”
Barndt said that NASCAR’s newest car, now in its third season, makes it difficult for any team to gain an advantage. That’s one reason why Hendrick, which used to be considered the Yankees of NASCAR because of its all-star lineup and dominance in the Cup series, no longer dominates.
But Barndt said Hendrick remains a great place to work. He started working there on an internship while a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, which is located right smack dab in the home base for NASCAR and its teams.
Barndt earned a degree in mechanical engineering, but his heart was in racing, which is something he started at the age of 5.
“I started in quarter-midgets, then did mini-cups, asphalt late-models, and after starting at local tracks, I went to national events around the country,” he said. “My sister was racing, too. We were a racing family. The dream was always to make it to this level of the sport, but it happened in a different capacity. That competitive drive and desire to win when I was a kid is still there. But now I’m not on the track, but you still want to find an edge. I still want to win.”
Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, is a seven-time winner of NASCAR’s Cup Series Most Popular Driver Award as voted on by the fans. His father, Bill, won the same award 16 times.
Saucon Valley High School graduate Matt Barndt is the car chief for Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports/Adrian Lauerman)
There are a lot of people who hope Elliott can end a drought and win a Cup points race for the first time since April 2024 at Texas.
While he hasn’t won a race, he has a streak of 16 top-20 finishes going for him.
“I go into every race thinking we can win,” Barndt said. “And I feel the same way about this race. We’ve been running well. We would love to get one at Pocono.”
Win or lose, Barndt, who flew to Pennsylvania late Friday afternoon from Charlotte, said it’s tough to find time to go home and visit with family.
“We now put on two-day shows in NASCAR, and things aren’t spread out like they used to be when you’d get to town on Thursday night,” he said. “From the time we get there, we’ll be going to work and try to figure out what we need to do to be successful.”
Kurt Busch named grand marshal
Kurt Busch made his way into Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway three times and won on the Cup circuit 34 times.
He’s on his way into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January.
But he will make a pitstop at Pocono Raceway on Sunday to serve as grand marshal of The Great American Getaway 400, the marquee event of NASCAR’s three-race weekend at Pocono.
Governor Josh Shapiro will serve as the honorary starter and wave the green flag for the 2 p.m. race being live-streamed by Amazon Prime.
“We’re honored to celebrate Kurt’s Hall of Fame career with our fans,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said. “Pocono Raceway is proud to be a small part of that illustrious career with Kurt being a three-time race winner and two-time polesitter.
Busch, 46, won at Pocono in 2005, ’07, and ’16. He also won the pole in 2005 and ’11. He totaled 21 top-10 finishes, including 14 in the top five, in 41 career starts in Monroe County.
In 23 years on the circuit, Busch won the series title in 2004 and the 2017 Daytona 500. He also won at least four times in each of the three NASCAR national series — Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck.
In addition to being named grand marshal, Busch will be honored by Pocono with “TY KURT” painted on the start/finish line, and the Mattioli Foundation will donate $10,000 to Vet Tix in his honor.
Pocono Raceway schedule
Saturday
8 a.m. — Gates, Fan Fair & Paddock Open
10 a.m. — NASCAR Xfinity Series practice
11:05 a.m. — NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying
12:35 p.m. — NASCAR Cup Series practice
1:45 p.m. — NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
3:30 p.m. — Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race (100 Laps / 250 Miles)
Sunday
8 a.m. — Gates, Fan Fair & Paddock Open
2 p.m. — The Great American Getaway 400 NASCAR Cup Series Race (160 Laps / 400 Miles)
Daniel Suarez’s 2025 season was not particularly one to write home about. The 33-year-old finished 29th in the standings, marking a rather underwhelming end to his tenure with the organization. The lone high point came when he won the Xfinity Series race on his home ground in Mexico City. His wife, Julia Piquet, spoke about the moment back in September.
Piquet, in a conversation with Samantha Busch, the spouse of two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, was asked what it was like to race in front of so many fans who were rooting for Suarez. She explained that it was not a case of them traveling to Mexico City on a whim and returning immediately after the win. The visit had been months in the making.
Suarez and Piquet traveled to the city multiple times before the race for promotional activities, fan engagements, sponsorship meetings, and more. When race day finally arrived, it was Piquet who felt and showed the most pressure. Suarez, staying true to his nature, remained as calm and collected as ever.
She said, “I felt a lot of pressure for him. I can’t speak for him. I mean, a lot of people always ask me, ‘Does Daniel get nervous before a race?’ And I’m like, ‘Honestly, if he does, he doesn’t show it.’ He’s always cool as a cucumber. He’s always in the right mindset. I’m sure there was extra pressure obviously for Mexico City, but he never, never shows it, you know?”
Piquet had been nervous enough for both of them, given how badly Suarez had wanted to race again in front of his home crowd. The sheer number of media personnel and documentary crews following them around only added to the pressure. Once Suarez reached Victory Lane, the atmosphere turned absolutely electric, and Piquet was still in awe of it even months later.
She continued, “I get goosebumps every time I think about it because it was so magical. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. To crash in qualifying and come back in a backup car. I mean, they were singing the national anthem for the Xfinity race when they were rolling the car onto the grid because it took them up to the last minute to get it fixed or to prepare the backup car. It was a storybook ending.”
In 2026, Suarez will leave Trackhouse Racing for Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series. Expectations are that he is able to fare a lot better with the team than he did with Trackhouse.
Northern Tool + Equipment is launching a TV series with RACER Network highlighting the next generation of tradespeople, following Tennessee’s LaVergne High School CTE juniors and seniors. (Photo courtesy Northern Tool + Equipment)
Minnesota-based Northern Tool + Equipment is partnering with RACER Network to launch a first-of-its-kind television series highlighting the next generation of tradespeople — namely, high school CTE (career and technical education) students. A new four-episode series will follow Tennessee’s LaVergne High School CTE juniors and seniors as they participate in the Legends Challenge: Student Build from Northern Tool — transforming a Harley-Davidson Nightster into an XR750-inspired flat-track racer with hands-on mentorship from racers and builders.
“The work these students are doing belongs on the big screen,” said Frank Crowson, chief marketing officer at Northern Tool + Equipment. “RACER Network fans—and motorsports diehards everywhere—are going to see real talent, determination and teamwork on display. This is a serious challenge; even seasoned pros would be pushed to finish a build like this in just 174 days.”
The series will highlight Northern Tool’s mission to put professional-grade tools in the hands of high school CTE students and invest in future tradespeople with unique learning experiences and industry mentorship, according to officials in a press release announcing the program. The retailer’s investment has already impacted more than 30 schools across the country, including two previous builds—the Monster Jam Mini Build and Rat Rod Kart Build Off.
“We greenlit the Northern Tool Legends Build because the students at La Vergne High School—and the skilled trades they’re learning—are the future of motorsports,” said Scott McLemore, RACER Network vice president of programming. “The craft, the grit, the teamwork—that’s the story RACER Network tells best. We’re proud to add Northern’s Legends Build to our new show lineup next fall, and we’re already eyeing Northern’s Build 4.”
Northern Tool + Equipment is a family-owned company serving both DIYers and trade professionals as a leading supplier of more than 100,000 high-quality tools and equipment.
The series is anticipated to air in 2026. Updates can be found on social media and Northern Tool’s YouTube channel.
With around two months to go until the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series goes green, Big Machine Racing made the announcement of the exit of Nick Sanchez in early December, after recording the team’s first win since 2022 this past season. Regardless, the team has since moved on, announcing his replacement on Tuesday.
Sanchez’s exit came as a surprise, given that not only did he win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Focused Health 250, but he recorded a further six top-five finishes as well as another five top 10s, coming home 12th in the driver’s standings.
News of the 24-year-old’s exit did not go down well with Hall of Fame driver and JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who labeled the decision “surprising” because of both his performances in 2025 and the late timing of it all.
Speaking on the ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, the 51-year-old added, “It’s late. It’s a tough part of the year to find out that you don’t have a job for next season.”
He noted how the “talented” Sanchez could already have a new spot lined up, however, given that as of December 23 he has yet to make any announcements regarding a new home for 2026, this seems increasingly unlikely.
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“He’s decent, and he’s got some talent,” Earnhardt later added. “The other thing too I like is that he pisses some people off, right? I mean, I don’t love that cause sometimes he pisses me off or he pisses one of my guys off…But as a fan or as a broadcaster and as somebody who’s like wanting to fall in love with the sport. We need guys like that.”
With Sanchez no longer behind the wheel of the No. 48 BMR Chevrolet, it now falls upon Dr. Patrick Staropoli, who also happens to be a retina surgeon, to fill his shoes for the 2026 season.
The 36-year-old made his series debut in 2025, making four appearances for Sam Hunt Racing, finishing a season best of 16th at Martinsville Speedway in the US Marine Corps 250.
This will mark Staropoli’s first full-time season in any of NASCAR’s national series, while he also has yet to complete a full-time slate in the ARCA Menards feeder series.
“From the moment I buckled into a pure stock at Hialeah Speedway in 2003, my life’s goal has been to compete at the top levels of this sport. The path has taken many unexpected turns but after working every day for 23 years in pursuit of this dream, I now have the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to Scott Borchetta, Patrick Donahue, and Chevrolet. I am ready to do whatever it takes to put this SYFOVRE Chevy up front and raise awareness for Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration by combining my passion for motorsports and medicine.”
BMR crew chief and team manager, Patrick Donahue, said the team was “pleased to welcome Dr. Patrick Staropoli to the #48 Big Machine Racing team for the 2026 season.
“He brings a rare blend of professionalism, focus, and drive that will continue to strengthen our organization. This partnership reflects our commitment to surrounding the team with individuals who share our values and vision for building long-term success.”
A familiar name is set to return to NASCAR’s biggest stage after MBM Motorsports confirmed that veteran driver Casey Mears will look to qualify for the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2019. Mears has competed in ‘The Great American Race’ fifteen times with his best finish of second in 2006.
Team owner Carl Long confirmed that MBM Motorsports and Garage 66 will field the No. 66 entry for Mears on NASCAR radio on Tuesday. The 47-year-old driver’s return places him among the notable non-chartered NASCAR entries attempting to race their way into the field.
Mears has not started the Daytona 500 since 2019, when he finished 40th after crashing in Stage 2. He made several starts for the MBM and Garage 66 last season. Alongside Mears in the No. 66, confirmed open entries include Justin Allgaier in the No. 40 for JR Motorsports, B.J. McLeod in the No. 78 for Live Fast Motorsports, and Jimmie Johnson in the No. 84 for Legacy Motor Club.
Several additional teams, including RCR, NY Racing, Team AmeriVet, Tricon, Beard Motorsports, and 23XI, have also been mentioned as potential entrants, creating a tight qualifying environment.
During his 16-year Cup career, Mears has started 494 races, with one win, 51 top-10 finishes, and three poles. His only Cup win occurred at the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, which established him as a fan favorite during his prime.
His first Cup race came in the 2003 Daytona 500, making this return a full-circle moment more than two decades later. Carl Long’s own Daytona 500 history adds another layer to the storyline.
As a team owner, Long has endured a series of DNQs at Daytona, with failed qualifying attempts stretching from 2000 through 2009 across multiple teams and manufacturers. The entry with Mears represents another chance to finally break through at a race that has repeatedly slipped just out of reach.
MBM Motorsports will also field an ARCA Menards Series entry at Daytona for Derek White. The Canadian stock car driver’s only registered Cup Series race was the 5-hour Energy 301 in New Hampshire, where he finished 33rd.
Mears also made his Truck Series debut with the team last season at Martinsville Speedway and drove the No. 69 Pit Stop Diecasts Ford F-150 for his 600th NASCAR start. He raced to a 24th-place finish during the Slim Jim 200 and said how special it was for the team to give him such an opportunity.
“It’s pretty special to come back to Martinsville for my 600th NASCAR start,” said Mears. “This sport has given me so many incredible experiences, and to make my Truck Series debut with MBM Motorsports and The Pit Stop Diecasts at such an iconic track is exciting.”
“The Truck Series has always been on my list. It’s tough, exciting racing, and Martinsville is the perfect place to make it happen.”
“We are not a NASCAR team that is going dirt racing. We are dirt racers who happen to have a NASCAR team.”
Spire Motorsports is going dirt track racing on a much larger scale in 2026. In addition to their NASCAR efforts, they’ll also field a 410 winged sprint car entry. The new team will race full time in the Kubota High Limit Racing series.
In the middle of the 2025 season, Scelzi parted from KCP Racing. He finished the season with Clauson Marshall Racing, filling the seat for the injured Tyler Courtney. Now, he has a new ride…
Giovanni “Gio” Scelzi has been signed as the driver. He was previously awarded the 2023 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year. Scelzi has 12 race wins in national competition.
Eric Prutzman will join the team as the crew chief after taking Brad Sweet to six national championships.
He’ll also race in the 40th annual Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa. The car is a Spire Motorsports’ Chili’s-sponsored entry fielded by Keith Kunz.
Spire Motorsports has acquired a High Roller Club membership (charter) ahead of the 2026 season. It was purchased from Jason Myers Racing.
High Limit Sprint Cars introducing charter system to dirt racing
Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson comments
“Going on the road with High Limit is like a dream come true and to do this with people I have deep respect and appreciation for makes it even better,” said Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson in the team release.
“We’ve worked with and for Kyle (Larson), Brad (Sweet), Kendra (Jacobs) and JP (Josh Peterman) for years and I have an immense amount of gratitude to them for not only building a great series but for making a series that offers long-term growth to all of us in a sport we all love.”
“I’m thankful to Tim Clauson and the Marshalls for providing us a launch pad to make this jump and look forward to working closely this season.”
He added, “We are not a NASCAR team that is going dirt racing. We are dirt racers who happen to have a NASCAR team. This is in our blood and we can’t wait to get to Vegas in March.”
Gio Scelzi comments
“To see the enthusiasm from the employees at Spire Motorsports, that’s really something that made an impact on me,” said Scelzi.
“The NASCAR stuff is their job but it’s pretty obvious they enjoy sprint car racing. We’ll likely run 80 to 90 times a year at probably 50 different race tracks, but when you have an owner like Jeff (Dickerson) who truly loves sprint car racing and comes from that background, it really makes this an exciting opportunity.”
“I’ve known Eric (Prutzman) for a long time. When I was probably 10- or 12-years-old, when Donny Schatz was driving for Tony Stewart Racing, those guys would work out of my dad’s shop during that three-week West Coast swing and Eric was the tire guy at the time, so we became friends and stayed in touch.”
“I’ve watched Eric’s career and he’s had amazing success. The guys who run up front all have really good equipment so, now more than ever, it’s the people. Having someone as accomplished as Eric is just as important as the equipment.”
“I’m thrilled to race the Chili Bowl, again. I’ve run it three times in the past. I ran for Clauson Marshall Racing my first time and made the show.”
“The two years after that, I was there with Chad Boat Racing. To race a car prepared by Keith Kunz at the Chili Bowl is a dream come true. They’ve won prelim after prelim and Saturday after Saturday. The Chili Bowl is an event where being lucky is just as important as having a fast race car and putting yourself in position to win a race.”
“I’m really looking forward to getting back there. I’m really grateful to Jeff, Keith and the whole team at Chili’s for the opportunity.”
NASCAR charter sold for $40M to Spire Motorsports; New record
Links
Gio Scelzi | Spire Motorsports | High Limit Racing | NASCAR
Ten Tenths Motor Club has named longtime automotive executive Andy Thomas as its new Vice President of Manufacturer Relations, bringing more than three decades of global experience in luxury automotive sales, marketing and brand management to the newly opened motorsports and lifestyle destination.
In his new role, Thomas will develop and maintain relationships with OEM partners to understand their needs, perspectives and objectives, while working to identify opportunities for growth by leveraging new and existing partnerships to increase facility usage.
Thomas joins Ten Tenths Motor Club after serving as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for McLaren Automotive North America since 2015, where he led strategic marketing, communications and global strategy that helped drive record sales growth. During his decade with McLaren, Thomas oversaw experiential events in over 30 major metro markets and developed retail programs that significantly increased sales conversions and owner engagement.
“Andy’s reputation and relationships within the global automotive community are unmatched,” said Rick Hendrick, who founded Ten Tenths Motor Club in partnership with Speedway Motorsports. “His leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our partnerships with manufacturers and luxury brands as we continue to establish Ten Tenths as a world-class venue for automotive experiences.”
Prior to McLaren, Thomas served in leadership roles with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in both Goodwood, U.K. and North America, where he guided global brand alignment and oversaw international marketing strategy across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, he held key marketing and sales roles with BMW of North America, Ferrari North America and Land Rover North America, gaining experience in dealer relations, product marketing and luxury customer engagement.
“Our vision for Ten Tenths Motor Club is to establish the facility as not only a premier experience for passionate automotive enthusiasts, but also to create a destination for corporate events that is unmatched in the automotive industry,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “We look forward to Andy joining our efforts to invite manufacturers from around the world to Ten Tenths Motor Club and the greater Charlotte region.”
A Clemson University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Thomas also serves on the Board of the Erwin Center for Brand Communication at his alma mater. In that role, he mentors students, sponsors real-world marketing projects and connects students with opportunities across the automotive and luxury brand landscape.
A native of Salisbury, Maryland, Thomas began his career in dealer operations at Fox Chevrolet in Baltimore before joining the OEM side of the industry. His work has taken him across the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, building a broad network and a deep understanding of international brand collaboration.
“I’m thrilled to join Ten Tenths at such an exciting time,” Thomas said. “The club’s vision represents the next evolution of automotive lifestyle and performance culture. I look forward to connecting global manufacturers with this extraordinary facility and to becoming part of the Charlotte community.”
Located adjacent to the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ten Tenths Motor Club combines exclusive track access, curated events and premium hospitality to create an unparalleled environment for members and partners. The facility has quickly become a premier destination in the Charlotte metropolitan area for automotive launches, luxury brand activations, enthusiast experiences and special events. Tickets are now on sale for Ten Tenths Motor Club signature public event, Heritage Invitational, April 9-11, 2026.
