The NASCAR Xfinity race at Dover will feature NASCAR Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth and rising star Jake Finch, who will be making his Xfinity Series debut.

On Monday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that they will enter the No. 17 Chevrolet with the 20-year-old Finch behind the wheel. Finch is a winner in the ARCA Menard’s Series, but has zero starts in any of the three national levels of the sport. Finch is also the son of former NASCAR team owner, James Finch, who operated Phoenix Racing in the Cup Series for over 20 years.

This will be the 12th Xfinity race HMS has entered this year. Kyle Larson and William Byron have both won with the No. 17 during the 2025 season, but the car has also featured Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Corey Day.

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

But Finch’s HMS announcement wasn’t the only Xfinity news on Monday. Caruth, who drives for Spire Motorsports full-time in the Truck Series, will pilot the No. 32 Chevrolet for Jordan Anderson Racing at Dover.

Caruth is a proven winner in the Truck Series with a victory at Las Vegas in 2024, ending the year seventh in points. He won again at Nashville, earlier this year, once again locking himself into the playoffs.

Caruth also has 19 starts in the Xfinity Series, but none since the end of the 2023 season. 

Like the HMS No. 17, JAR’s No. 32 car has also used a variety of drivers during the year, including Katherine Legge, Austin Green, and team owner Jordan Anderson. Its best result came at both Daytona and Mexico City, placing seventh.

The NASCAR Xfinity race at Dover will also see the NXS debut of ARCA driver Lavar Scott, which was previously announced.

In an effort to be considered Chartered teams for the remainder of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports requested a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction Monday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The documents were filed in response to a Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that said the two teams who elected not to sign the 2025 Charter agreement couldn’t reap the Charter benefits while pursuing an antitrust suit against NASCAR. The mandate from the appellate court is scheduled to be issued July 16.

“New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary,” Jeffrey Kessler, the teams’ attorney, told The Associated Press. “The teams’ love of stock car racing and belief in a better future for the sport for all parties—teams, drivers, employees, sponsors, and fans—continue to motivate their efforts to pursue this antitrust case.”

If the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction aren’t granted, the six cars fielded by the two organizations wouldn’t be guaranteed starting positions in the Cup Series races for the season’s reminder. They would have to qualify on speed. The two teams also wouldn’t receive the percentage of the TV money that goes to the teams that signed the 2025 Charter agreement. They may also have to repay the money they received through the season’s first 20 races if Monday’s request isn’t granted.

Court documents contend that if the two teams lose their Charter rights or are forced to unwind their Charter purchases before trial that the teams could possibly go out of business. The jury trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

Monday’s filing alleges that since the appellate court’s ruling, NASCAR has signaled its intention to immediately sell or issue the two teams’ Charters to other entities. NASCAR has been ordered to respond to Monday’s filing by 5 p.m. Wednesday. That means no ruling on whether the Charters would be revoked until at least Thursday.

In a statement released by NASCAR, the sanctioning body accused 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports of “burdening the District Court with a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction.” It noted it has made multiple requests to the teams to “present a proposal to resolve this litigation” and had not received one.

“We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.,” NASCAR said in the statement.

Retired NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin co-own 23XI Racing while entrepreneur Bob Jenkins owns Front Row Motorsports. 23XI Racing fields drivers Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick and Riley Herbst, while Front Row employs drivers Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith.

In another Charter issue, Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club had a virtual hearing in a North Carolina court regarding their dispute over a Charter owned by RWR. Legacy, which is owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, claims his team had an agreement with RWR to lease one of its Charters in 2026, but RWR contends the arrangement was for 2027. RWR already has a contract with RFK Racing to lease that team a Charter in 2026.

On Monday, Legacy requested and was granted the right to question RWR regarding the recent report that T.J. Puchyr planned to purchase RWR’s Cup operation. Puchyr was one of Spire Motorsports’ founders. He is now a consultant and brokered the initial lease deal between Legacy and RWR. Legacy contends that Ware didn’t disclose he was entering into a sales agreement with Puchyr earlier this year.

The judge warned RWR it could be in contempt of court if the team misrepresented its intentions in the first hearing, which occurred in April.

In their third attempt for a preliminary injunction against NASCAR, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports on Monday petitioned U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would ensure the two teams keep racing three chartered cars for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season and through a trial scheduled for December.

In a statement shared with Sportico, a NASCAR spokesperson called it “unfortunate” that “instead of respecting” the two previous defeats, 23XI and Front Row “are now burdening the District Court with a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary inunction.” NASCAR also claimed it has followed the judges’ recommendations that the parties try to settle. NASCAR said it has made “multiple requests” to 23XI and Front Row to try to reach a deal but “we have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row.”

In Monday’s filing, 23XI and Front Row attorney Jeffrey Kessler argued his clients should be granted the rights and face the obligations of the 2025 charter agreements without having to agree to a mutual release provision that would prevent the antitrust lawsuit. 

Kessler wrote that public policy justifies the desired injunctive relief. He maintained that requiring 23XI—which is co-owned by Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk—and Front Row to sign the release would “deprive the most efficient antitrust enforcers (NASCAR teams) of remedies provided by the antitrust laws to challenge an unlawful monopoly as a condition of being able to compete at all.” Kessler further contended that, through pretrial discovery and expert testimony, his clients have cultivated a more robust and evidenced-based argument that NASCAR “has engaged in exclusionary acts designed to maintain its monopsony in the market for premier stock car racing.”

Kessler also insisted that while the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit last month vacated a preliminary injunction that had been in his clients’ favor, the appellate court did so without sufficiently addressing relevant public policy arguments. The Fourth Circuit stressed that the result that 23XI and Front Row seek is unprecedented in contract law—essentially compelling NASCAR to enter a new (and undesired) contract by requiring the association to supply the benefits of a charter to 23XI and Front Row without those teams, unlike charter teams, having to agree to a release of claims.

It wasn’t the first setback for the antitrust suit. Last November, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney denied 23XI and Front Row a preliminary injunction. He reasoned the alleged harm from racing without a charter was too speculative and uncertain. Along those lines, Whitney found that a possible loss of revenue, drivers and sponsors to 23XI and Front Row seemed more conjectural than concrete. 

But a month later a new presiding judge, Bell, issued an injunction. Bell found 23XI and Front Row had sufficiently detailed prospective harms that would arise without an injunction. 23XI driver Tyler Reddick, for instance, suggested that the absence of a charter would cause a breach of his driver and personal services agreement while 23XI driver Bubba Wallace indicated he might switch teams to race for one with a charter. As mentioned above, however, the Fourth Circuit last month ruled that Bell erred in requiring NASCAR to effectively adhere to contractual terms it did not, and would, not offer.

Bell has given NASCAR until Wednesday to file a response to the temporary restraining order demand made by 23XI and Front Row. If Bell grants the teams a TRO, NASCAR will appeal the ruling to the Fourth Circuit and hope for another win at the appellate court. 

Although a trial is scheduled for December, and although NASCAR claims 23XI and Front Row won’t engage in meaningful settlement talks, the odds of the parties reaching a deal before trial remain more likely than not. The parties have vast financial resources to pursue legal maneuverings, but at the end of the day, they are disputing core business issues: money and control. Chances are that as a trial date nears and as the prospect of Jordan, Hamlin, Polk, the teams’ drivers, NASCAR CEO Jim France and other NASCAR officials having to testify in court becomes more pressing, the parties find common ground. 

The 79th annual Jefferson County Fair will offer plenty of familiar favorites, like live music; food and craft vendors; carnival rides and four motorsport events.

The four-day festival is set for Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 10349 Hwy. 21, in Hillsboro. The Fair hours are 5-11 p.m. July 17; 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. July 18; 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. July 19; 3-9 p.m. July 20.

Admission is free for children 10 and younger and for active military members. Admission costs $15 for adults and provides the ticketholder with access to all events, including those held at the arena, pavilions and Civic Club buildings and grounds.

Special passes are available for $50 and include four tickets that may be used in different ways. One person could use the pass to attend all four nights, two people could use it for two nights or four people could use it for one night. The special pass must be purchased before noon on July 16. To purchase tickets, go to jeffersoncountyfair.net and at the top of the page, click on “events” then “event tickets.”

“There is an advantage to buying the tickets online,” Fair chairman Randy Starkey said. “The (ticket) line does get long, especially on Friday and Saturday; those are our biggest nights.”

Parking will be available onsite and at the Hillsboro Intermediate School and Hillsboro High School lots. Shuttle services will offer rides to and from the Fair on July 18 and July 19.

Pig races will return to the Fair this year and will be held every two hours by the barns. The races will take place all four days.

“We had (the races) for the first time last year, and those were a big hit,” Starkey said. “They set up an oval racetrack, and it’s a lot like a horse race.”

A carnival midway will offer rides all four days of the festival. Single-day, unlimited-ride armbands will cost $28 (plus a $1.25 surcharge) in advance or $36 onsite. To purchase armbands in advance, go to wadeshows.com and click on “find an event” and then scroll down to “Jefferson County Fair.” Individual tickets also are available online and onsite.

A variety of vendors will be on hand at this year’s Fair, including food vendors, crafters, military personnel, veterans and business representatives.

Starkey said the Fairgrounds have seen some big changes since last year.

“We laid a whole lot of asphalt around the walkway around the outside of the vendor area,” Starkey said.

He said two large sections of bleachers have been added, too.

Music

This year’s live music will feature country singer and songwriter Tyler Farr, set to headline the Budweiser Main Stage at 9 p.m. on July 18. At 7:30 p.m., country artist Ward Davis will open for Farr.

Other artists performing throughout the weekend include Scottie Kemp, the Lick Creek band and the Borderline band, all at the RWZ Pavilion. Many other artists are scheduled to perform on the Arnold Ready Mix Patio throughout the Fair.

VIP seating tickets for Farr’s performance may be purchased for $30. Those tickets will be sold first-come-first served and includes Fair entry.

Motorsports, other activities

A variety of motorsports will also return to the STL Diesel Arena this year, including Surdyke motocross at 7 p.m. on July 17; Surdyke SXS/ATV at 7 p.m. on July 18; a truck and tractor pull at 6 p.m. on July 19; and a demolition (demo) derby at 5 p.m. on July 20.

Kid’s Day at this year’s Fair will be from 3-6 p.m. on July 20. Some of the activities will include water play, games, face painting and crafts. Discounted carnival rides will also be available for children during the Kid’s Day hours.

A petting zoo will feature the Wildlife Command Center, camel rides and a butterfly aviary.

The livestock market show and auction will also return to the Fair this year. The market show will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Farm Bureau Barn on the Fairgrounds. The auction will feature cattle, hogs, goats and sheep. The auction and buyer dinner will begin at 5 p.m. For more information about registration, visit the Jefferson County Livestock Show Association Facebook page.

Starkey said this year’s profits will be used to continue giving back to the community through events, scholarships, donations to other community organizations, infrastructure improvements and more.

No pets, coolers or weapons are allowed at the Fair. Outside food and beverages are also prohibited.

For more information about the Fair, visit jeffersoncountyfair.net or call the Hillsboro Community Civic Club office at 636-797-3900 or check the Jefferson County Fair Facebook page.

Nine musical acts to perform at Fair

The Jefferson County Fair, set for Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20, will feature nine musical acts, with five returning after performing last year.

The performances will be held at either the Budweiser Main Stage, the RWZ Pavilion or the Arnold Ready Mix Patio at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 10349 Hwy. 21, in Hillsboro.

Admission to the concerts is free with a purchased ticket to the Fair. Tickets are free for children 10 and younger and for active military members. Admission costs $15 for adults and provides the ticketholder with access to all events, including those at the arena, pavilions and Hillsboro Community Civic Club buildings and grounds.

Special passes are available for $50 and include four tickets that may be used in different ways. For example, one person could use the pass to attend all four nights, two people could use it for two nights or four people could use it for one night. The special pass must be purchased before noon on July 16. To purchase tickets, go to jeffersoncountyfair.net and at the top of the page, click on “events” then “event tickets.”

VIP seating tickets for Farr’s performance cost $30. Those tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis and includes Fair entry.

Parking will be available onsite and at the Hillsboro Intermediate School and Hillsboro High School lots. A free shuttle service will offer rides to and from the Fair on July 18 and July 19.

Tyler Farr

Country singer/songwriter Tyler Farr is set to headline the Budweiser Main Stage at 9 p.m. July 18.

The Missouri native released his debut album, “Redneck Crazy,” in 2013, which landed at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Albums and No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. Since then, Farr’s success has continued, and he has toured with big-name country artists like Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Combs, Brantley Gilbert and Lee Brice.

Rolling Stone described Farr as “a no-frills musician who pours his drinks as hard as he pours his heart into his songs.”

In 2019, Farr was the first artist to be signed under Jason Aldean’s record label, Night Train Records, a part of Broken Bow Records (BBR).

Farr’s second EP was released in 2023 and includes a song featuring Grammy-nominated artist Jelly Roll.

Farr’s most recent single, “My Town Too,” has an upbeat modern country sound, showcasing an opera-trained voice. His other most recent song, “Coming to a Bar Near You,” is a soulful country ballad.

Ward Davis

Country singer-songwriter Ward Davis will open for Farr at 7:30 p.m. July 18 on the Budweiser Main Stage.

Originally from Arkansas, Davis moved to Nashville in the early 2000s to pursue his music career. Since then, he has worked with country stars like Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Clint Black. Davis has also worked with country artist Cody Jinks and has been featured on some of Jinks’ albums. Davis also has co-written and toured with Jinks.

Some of Davis’ most popular works include songs like “Another Bad Apple,” “Get to Work Whiskey” and “Time to Move On.” His most recent album release, “The Bordello Sessions,” features live recordings of his set at Blue Heaven Restaurant and Bar in Key West, Fla.

RWZ Pavilion

Scottie Kemp, the Lick Creek band and the Borderline band are scheduled to perform at the RWZ Pavilion during the Fair.

■ Scottie Kemp, a solo singer and songwriter who specializes in country, classic rock and blues, will return to the Fair this year at 9 p.m. on July 17. Kemp is familiar to Jefferson Countians, performing at this year’s Jefferson County Rodeo and often playing at the El Mariachi restaurant in House Springs.

■ Lick Creek will also return to the Fair this year at 10:30 p.m. July 18. Founded in 2013, this six-member band from Springfield, Ill., comprises Clint Brockmeyer on lead guitar, harmonica and mandolin; Ryan King on lead guitar, banjo and mandolin; Jimmy Cloney on bass and vocals; Maddie Brown on guitar and lead vocals; Bob Bryant on drums; and Lance Stone on lead vocals. Pat Keating, owner of the Boondocks night club in Springfield, said the band is “One of the hottest country bands to come out of central Illinois.” Keating also said the band has a unique style and high energy, according to the band’s website.

■ The Borderline band, another returning band, is a six-member country rock group and will perform at 9 p.m. on July 19. Formed in the late 1990s, this St. Louis-based band has performed with country stars Trace Atkins, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and even this year’s Fair headliner, Tyler Farr. The band plays a variety of music, like today’s country hits, classic country hits and familiar classic rock tunes.

Patio

The patio lineup this year will include Scottie Kemp, Bill Scott, Dawn Turlington, 90 Proof Acoustics and Selena Robertson.

■ Singer and songwriter Scottie Kemp is set to play the patio at 5 p.m. July 17 and July 18.

■ Bill Scott is another performer returning to the Fair this year and is scheduled to play at 4 p.m. on July 19. Scott specializes in country music and sings many hits by popular artists.

■ Dawn Turlington will play the patio at 7 p.m. July 19. She sings many types of music, from show tunes, jazz standards, pop and even Top 40 hits. According to the La De Da Entertainment website, Turlington has a wide vocal range and is one of the most versatile female singers in the St. Louis area. She is often called to sing the national anthem for the St. Louis Blues Hockey organization.

■ The 90 Proof Acoustics duo will perform at 3 p.m. on July 20. The duo consists of Buddy Shadowens and Garr DeRousse, musicians from Festus who will play a mix of acoustic country and southern rock.

■ Singer Selena Robertson will perform at the Fair for the first time this year at 6 p.m. on July 20.

Fair will feature several motorsport events

The Jefferson County Fair will feature a variety of motorsport events for guests to enjoy this year. The Fair will run from Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20. Each motorsport event will be held in the STL Diesel Arena at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 10349 Hwy. 21, in Hillsboro.

Motocross

The Jeffco MX Classic, a motocross race presented by Surdyke Motorsports in the Festus area is set for 7 p.m. July 17 on the STL Diesel Arena.

This year’s competition will include 20 classes, and five of those will offer a cash payout. Other winners will receive a commemorative plaque.

“Depending on how many people sign up in different (classes), as we’re doing the racing, we may combine a couple,” said Matt Surdyke, president of Surdyke Motorsports. “So it won’t necessarily be that many individual races, but it’s one of those things you have to play by ear the night of and just see.”

Early registration costs $30, and registration on the day of the event is $35. It costs $10 to get access to the pit.

Early registration for riders is available until July 16 at Surdyke Motorsports, 1305 Hwy. 61, or at surdykemotorsports.com. Registration the day of the event is from 4-6 p.m. at the Fairgrounds and practice is at 6 p.m., an hour before the event begins.

To participate, riders must have basic safety equipment, such as a helmet, boots, goggles and a long shirt and pants.

“You should wear gloves and all that,” Surdyke said. “At the Fair races, you sometimes get a local kid who’s been riding around in his backyard, and he doesn’t have all the expensive gear, but he’s got the basics.”

Any rider younger than 18 will need a parental signature to participate.

Each registered rider will be entered for the chance to win a $250 gift card to Surdyke Motorsports, with one winner on Thursday and another on Friday.

For more information, call Surdyke at 636-931-9166 or email marketing@surdykemotorsports.com.

SXS and ATV Race

The SXS (side-by-side) and ATV racing events presented by Surdyke will be held at 7 p.m. July 18 in the STL Diesel Arena.

“We do usually, like, eight classes for that one, a couple of them being four-wheelers, ATV, and two that are specifically four-wheeler,” Surdyke said. “The youth class can be four-wheeler or ATV, and then we have five side-by-side classes.”

Early registration costs $30, and registration on the day of is $35. Access to the pit costs $10. Registration the day of the event is from 4-6 p.m. at the Fairgrounds, and practice is at 6 p.m.

To participate in the events, riders will need to follow a set of safety requirements and wear some protective gear.

“Not near as much (equipment as motocross) – a helmet really is the basic,” Surdyke said. “On ATV, it’s helmet and boots and long pants, but on the side-by-side, because you’re in a full cage, I think a helmet and eye protection.”

Any rider under the age of 18 needs a parental signature to participate. Races will be divided up by age ranges.

This year winners will receive a commemorative plaque.

Each registered rider will be entered in a drawing to win a $250 gift card to Surdyke Motorsports, with one winner on July 17 and on July 18.

“Fair racing is always fun to watch because at least half of the guys who sign up are people who don’t race regularly, so that adds a level of excitement to it,” Surdyke said. “My favorite race of all of them is the little 3- to 5-year-olds who are out there. In their minds, they’re going 1,000 miles an hour.”

For more information, call Surdyke at 636-931-9166 or email marketing@surdykemotorsports.com.

Truck and Tractor Pull

The Truck and Tractor Pull, organized by the Eastern Missouri Truck Pullers and Xcaliber Pulling Association, will start at 6 p.m. on July 19 in the STL Diesel Arena.

EMTP will have gas and diesel classes, including street stock gas, small block gas, hot stock gas, pro street gas, pro stock gas, true stock diesel, hot stock diesel, work stock diesel and 2.6 smooth bore diesel.

That organization will hold technical inspections from 3:30-5:30 p.m. followed by registration from 4-6 p.m. A driver meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m., and the event will begin at 7 p.m.

To register for truck pulling, you must be 16 or older with a valid driver’s license; those younger than 18 must have parental consent and a signed waiver.

The cost to get a “hook” and participate in those events is $40 for EMTP non-members and $30 for members.

“If (people) have a stock vehicle and would like to pull, they just have to be there in time to get their vehicle checked and qualify, and they will be allowed to pull,” said Dwight Terry, owner of EMTP.

For the tractor pull, the Xcaliber Pulling Association classes will include 9000 Pro Farm and 5800 Modified.

Registration will be held a few hours prior to the event. Once someone is registered, then the inspection will be held.

Participants must pay $160 for a one-day membership if they are not already Xcaliber members.

“It’s basically like a membership for the day so they’re covered under the insurance,” Xcaliber Pulling president Bobby Crawford said. “They have to pay a hook fee also, depending on what class they’re in.”

The hook fee is $30 for all classes, except the 1/4 class, which costs $40.

“That’s kind of our big class,” Crawford said.

For more information about the truck pulls and safety requirements, visit easternmissouritruckpullers.com/rules or call Dwight Terry at 314-262-4008.

For more information on the tractor pulls and safety requirements visit xcaliberpullingassociation.com.

Demo Derby

The Full Throttle Demo Derby is scheduled for 5 p.m. July 20 in the STL Diesel Arena.

Several classes and a special kids’ section will be held this year. The classes include super stock, stock, mini street stock and modified mini street stock for those 16 and older. The youth street class is for kids ages 12-15, and the kids’ power wheels derby will include two classes for kids – 3-5 and 6-9.

A prize will be awarded to each of the top three winners in each class. In the modified mini class, there will be one winner who will receive $1,000 if more than 15 cars participate in each class. Each kid’s power wheel derby participant will also receive a goodie bag.

Fair chairman Randy Starkey said organizers will expect 40 cars to participate this year.

Drivers and riders will be charged $45 to participate. Admission to get into the pit is $25. Admission is free for children 9 or younger.

A mandatory inspection for the event will be held from noon to 4 p.m.

The team post said the sprint car driver was in a wheelchair as he was tossed by security at Sonoma Raceway during the NASCAR race; Sending him back to the hospital

Chase Johnson is a sprint car driver that was severely injured in a sprint car crash. He suffered multiple vertebrae fractures in the incident on August 2nd, 2024.

The crash at Silver Dollar Speedway landed the driver in a wheelchair.

He’s been in recovery ever since. Last year he shared an update from the hospital, “It’s been a tough road to get to this point, the most pain I’ve ever experienced in my whole life. Didn’t know that pain could be this hard, but I’ve been working really, really hard to get better.”

On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series raced at Sonoma Raceway. Chase Johnson was there and according to a now deleted Facebook post from the Chase Johnson Racing page, there was an altercation between Chase and security at the track.

According to the post, that altercation sent Chase to the hospital:

Chase Johnson Racing shared the following:

“Sunday, July 13th at the NASCAR race at Sonoma Raceway, Chase was physically assaulted and hurt by this security guard on pit row,” the team opened via a now deleted social media post.

“Chase was physically pushed hard enough to flip him and his wheelchair completely backwards and upside down. When his head hit the concrete, he lost consciousness for about 15 seconds.”

“We spent the next hour in the med center at the racetrack, then went directly to the hospital after that, where he was at until early Monday morning.”

The story

“Here is the story: Chase and Hayley were leaving the race track headed back to the truck that was parked at the handicap parking lot which is in a completely different area than the normal parking lots.”

“The security guard at the top of the pit row gave them direction to go down pit road towards turn 11 to exit. They finally made it all the way down to the end of pit road to the exit where another security guard was at.”

“He then for some reason said we needed credentials to exit. We showed him the appropriate credentials.”

“At the same time, individuals with the same credentials were allowed by at this same moment. We asked him multiple times to call his supervisor. We tried to explain that was are parked in the handicap parking lot not the normal parking lot.”

“He also went on to tell us that another ‘crippled’ that was worse than I was, had to turn around and go back the other way. After this point, he said he wasn’t going to get his supervisor and told Chase he wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Immediately after those words he shoved Chase backwards with his hands on his chest. He flew backwards with his hands on his chest.”

“He flew backwards with the chair. It was a hard enough push to completely flip the wheelchair over the wheelie bars/tip bars. He hit his head on the ground, along with his neck, back and shoulders.”

Chase Johnson went to the hospital

“Chase woke up on the ground with Hayley in a panic holding his head. The crowd of people and other witnesses around were shocked and in panic trying to get help and medical attention.”

“The NASCAR medical team and some other officials came over, checked out Chase. They helped him back into his chair. Then, they took him to the Med Center and they suggested that he should go to the hospital.”

“We went to Kaiser in Santa Rosa, spent a little over eight hours there. Chase had CT scans on his head, neck and back. In the CT scan, they found a 5mm crack on C1.”

“This then prompted a MRI, which resulted in showing spinal swelling to the C6 and T2 areas on the spinal cord. The doctors had a difficult time determining if these injuries were part of Chase’s initial injury or if these were new.”

“He was released early Monday morning, and was recommended to wear a neck collar to the next couple weeks or until he feels better.”

“Chase’s wheelchair also has damage. The back rest is broken along with the back of the chair now scratched from the pavement.”

“The Sonoma County Sheriff was there at Sonoma Raceway and ended up taking him to the Sonoma County jail.”

The post above from CJR has since been deleted.

Links

Chase Johnson Racing

The Motorcycle Industry Council announced on July 11 the appointment of Henrique Martins as director of electric vehicle policy and infrastructure.

With over 25 years of experience in regulatory compliance, certification, and homologation, Martins has worked with major automakers and startups worldwide, leading efforts in EV policy development, certification of motorcycles and off-road vehicles, and regulatory alignment.

Martins held leadership roles at Automobili Pininfarina, Mahindra Automotive North America, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors. He oversaw spearheading initiatives related to battery safety, global standards, and EV charging infrastructure. Most recently, Martins served as vice president of certification, homologation, and compliance at Quantron US, leading the certification of zero-emission trucks and buses across North and South America and Europe.

Martins contributed regulatory expertise to emerging technology platforms focused on compliance strategy and policy trends. His work has taken him across the globe, including extended engagements in Europe, China, India, Australia, and South America, giving him a uniquely international perspective on the challenges and opportunities in EV policy and innovation.

“I’m thrilled to join the Motorcycle Industry Council, along with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, at such a pivotal moment for the future of powersports and mobility. This role brings together so many of the things I care about: powersports, protecting the environment and promoting access to the outdoors, and shaping policies that promote innovation, safety, and sustainability.” — Henrique Martins

Martins holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of São Paulo in Brazil and has completed additional technical training at the University of Michigan. He has authored technical papers and presented them at international conferences, including those hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.