A former NASCAR star once received a presidential pardon that he described as “a tremendous Christmas present.”

Junior Johnson, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and renowned driver and team owner, once had a pardon signed by United States President Ronald Reagan that vindicated him of a crime he committed 30 years prior.

As a kid growing up in the foothills of western North Carolina, Johnson was born into a family involved in the whiskey business and known as bootleggers, a term used for those who illegally produce and transport alcohol where it is prohibited by law.

Johnson regularly partook in bootlegging as a child and young adult but was never caught or convicted, unlike his father, who spent nearly two decades in prison for his role in operating the family whiskey business.

A 25-year-old who was fresh off his first season as a NASCAR driver at the time of his arrest, Johnson spent one year in an Ohio prison for having an illegal still, an at-home production device for the popular spirit moonshine.

Over the next three decades, Johnson built a Hall of Fame-worthy career as a NASCAR driver and team owner. His resume includes 50 race wins and 148 top 10 finishes as a driver and six drivers’ championships and 132 race victories as team owner of Junior Johnson & Associates.

Johnson’s most decorated drivers include Carl Yarbrough and Darrell Waltrip, each of whom won three NASCAR drivers’ championships in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

All the while, Johnson was ineligible to vote in United States elections due to his status as a criminal. 

Reagan’s decision to pardon the NASCAR legend, who was 20 years retired from his driving career at the time, restored that right. Johnson “could not have imagined anything better,” he wrote on Motorsports Unplugged in 2012.

The pardon was signed on December 26, 1985, and was “a tremendous Christmas present for me,” Johnson wrote in 2012.

“Let me tell you that the loss of basic civil rights impacts you in a way you can’t imagine. You come to think of yourself somewhat less than an American citizen. It’s not a good feeling,” Johnson wrote on Motorsports Unplugged.

Johnson’s criminal status also kept him out of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame for 10 years, as the man in charge of the induction committee, Dick Herbert, refused to count votes cast for Johnson. 

In 1981, votes for Johnson were counted, and the North Carolina native was inducted into his home state’s sports hall of fame.

In 2010, Johnson was inducted into the inaugural class in the NASCAR Hall of Fame and was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers in 2023.

Johnson died on December 20, 2019, at the age of 88.

Before becoming an all-time great NASCAR driver and a team owner, Brad Keselowski began his career at the lowest level within his father’s racing organization.

Keselowski’s father, Bob, owned and operated the now-defunct K-Automotive Racing team during Brad’s childhood, and the former ARCA Series racer subjected his son to some less-than-desired manual labor duties around his operation.

In a 2015 interview for USA Today with motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck, Keselowski detailed the specifics of his day-to-day to-do list.

“They let me sweep floors, and I ended up mowing the grass a lot and mopping,” Keselowski said. “I think I made like $20 a day, which was a lot of money when I was 16. I had to work 8 to 5 every day in the summer.”

First as a star for Hendrick Motorsports and Penske Racing, and now the co-owner of his own racing team, RFK Racing, Keselowski, who recently broke his leg in a skiing accident, has been at the top of the totem pole ever since he burst onto the scene in 2009 when he won his first Cup Series race at Talladega. 

His foundation as a regular employee in his father’s business laid the groundwork for the success that would soon come for Keselowski, although it didn’t look at all like the path some sons of NASCAR stars, such as Keelan Harvick, are taking to prepare themselves for a career in professional racing.

During the interview with Gluck, Keselowski recalled a specific, objectively gross detail of the everyday grind he faced when working for his father’s team.

Responsible for taking out the trash every day, Keselowski noticed chewing tobacco, which most everyone in the race shop used, spat all alongside the trash can due to poor aim. 

He would be forced to touch the sides of the can covered in the substance, and because the trash was only picked up once a month, the dumpster would often overflow, and Keselowski would need to find a way to fit in every last spit-covered piece of trash.

That led him to ask his parents if the trash could be picked up more often, a plea they rejected due to the cost being too expensive.

Years later, as a racing team owner of his own, Keselowski discovered the cost of one more trash pickup per month to be an extra $18, to which the NASCAR star realized his parents were trying to teach him a lesson back in the day, rather than being cheap.

“Are you (freaking) kidding me? I jumped in trash and chewing tobacco and risked losing my foot for two whole summers for like $15?” Keselowski said. “I guess it was good for me. My parents must have known that.”

Kyle Larson stunned fans at Australia’s Perth Motorplex on Sunday when he made a surprise appearance in bold fashion.

The second annual High Limit International event commenced on December 28 and Larson, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and a co-founder of the league, opted against a quiet and modest arrival.

The Hendrick Motorsports star instead dramatically descended from the sky in a silver helicopter before the first race of the three-day series began to deliver a briefcase containing $110,000 Australian Dollars, a record prize for an Australian sprint car racing event.

The helicopter landed on the racetrack before Larson emerged wearing a red fire suit, holding a black briefcase containing the winning prize, set to go to the winner of Tuesday’s main event.

The NASCAR star, who won the inaugural High Limit International race one year ago, walked to the infield and delivered the case to Perth Motorplex General Manager Gavin Migro.

“I was actually nervous because of how windy it is,” Larson said as he walked to the infield. “That was probably the smoothest helicopter ride I’ve ever been on.”

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion also noted that he’s only accustomed to taking helicopters out of tracks, which he has famously done twice before on ‘Double Duty,’ when he raced in both the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar race and Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race on the same day.

Then came the race, the first of two prelims leading up to Tuesday’s main event, which pitted big-name drivers from the United States against high profile Australian racers for a $15,000 prize.

Larson’s HMS teammate Corey Day took the checkered flag, fending off Australian Kaiden Manders by a half second. Day, who began the race in fourth position, was briefly overtaken by Manders after Larson caused the lone caution of the race when he suffered a flat right-rear tire on Lap 22.

The defending High Limit champion and co-owner finished 17th on the night, an underwhelming result after his grand entrance.

Larson’s cross-globe journey to participate in High Limit comes less than two months after he captured the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

The 33-year-old won the title without leading a single lap in the championship race at Phoenix, outlasting Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron, all of whom suffered tire issues, to finish third. 

The former Chip Ganassi Racing driver won three races during the 2025 season and finished atop the points standings thanks to six top-seven finishes in the playoffs.

Unlike in 2021, Larson’s first NASCAR Cup Series title, he did not win a single playoff race en route to claiming the championship.

A sequel to Days of Thunder, titled Days of Thunder 2, has reportedly entered early development. Tom Cruise is expected to return as Cole Trickle in the movie that has a target release window of 2026. While details remain vague, industry chatter has also hinted at possible involvement from NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon.

Fueling that speculation, Hendrick Motorsports recently published a set of 23 behind-the-scenes images on its website, offering a glimpse of Cruise during filming. The photographs were of the Hollywood superstar seated in a race car and posing between takes.

The photos have intensified interest. The hype is also fueled by Cruise’s connection to racing extends beyond the silver screen.

Long before portraying a stock car driver in Hollywood, Cruise had some firsthand experience in competitive motorsports. In 1987, he stepped into professional racing by competing in the IMSA Firestone Firehawk Grand Sports endurance race. He also took part in several SCCA events in the 1980s.

That IMSA debut placed him in the deep end, though. The three-hour endurance race at Road Atlanta demanded extreme patience from Cruise, who was sharing the car with Rick Hendrick. His true test of patience came when he encountered a refueling issue that disrupted his run.

The issue ultimately dropped his team to a 14th-place finish in the endurance race at Road Atlanta. Cruise completed 97 laps around the 2.52-mile road course and came away with a clearer understanding of what drivers go through each weekend.

“It was a lot of fun. I got a lot of seat time, and it was fun racing with those guys. The first three laps were like a demolition derby. Guys were bouncing off each other. After that, it settled down, and we had some good racing,” said Cruise, reflecting on the experience.

Cruise had started the Nissan 300 ZX Turbo from 15th on the grid and handled the opening 80 minutes of the three-hour race. He steadily climbed into P9 place before pitting on lap 50. That pit stop, however, proved costly.

A fueling problem stretched the visit to two minutes. They ended falling behind by two laps, undoing the progress. When Hendrick rejoined the race, the team found itself in 19th place, forced to salvage what it could over the remaining distance.

The event also marked Hendrick’s professional racing debut in the street-stock category. That race was won by John Heinricy of Holly, Michigan, and Stuart Hayner of Yorba Linda, California. Cruise and Hendrick focused on finishing the endurance challenge and gaining experience.

Now 63, Cruise appears ready to strap in once more, not to chase trophies, but to return to racing on the silver screen. Reports suggest Days of Thunder 2 will frame him as a mentor confronting modern technology and younger rivals, with themes centered on legacy, redemption, and NASCAR competition.

Speculation has also swirled around Margot Robbie potentially joining the cast as a rising star, alongside possible cameos from the original film’s ensemble.

Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the 10 biggest moments of 2025 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.

Doug Boles was once an NTT INDYCAR SERIES competitor, a founding partner of Panther Racing, which won season championships in 2001 and 2002 with Sam Hornish Jr. at the wheel. This year, the longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway president was named to the same position at INDYCAR, replacing Jay Frye.

Boles has decades of motorsports experience. He became IMS president in 2013, overseeing the sellout of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the first full-capacity crowd in the event’s stories history. He managed more than $150 million in strategic investment at the Racing Capital of the World, including “Project 100” and significant infrastructure improvements following the acquisition of IMS by Penske Corporation.

Across his tenure at IMS, Boles has been lauded for his promotional prowess and strategic marketing capabilities, growing the Speedway’s global reach and better connecting Indy 500 fans to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Boles worked extensively within the INDYCAR paddock during his roles as Panther Racing’s chief operating officer and Hulman & Company’s vice president of communications. At Panther, he helped lead the Chevrolet-powered organization to 15 INDYCAR SERIES race wins and the two INDYCAR SERIES championships, in addition to seven INDY NXT by Firestone race wins and a championship won by Mark Taylor in 2003.

In total, Boles brought more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in motorsports, within team operations, sponsorship, marketing, public relations and more to INDYCAR.

Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles called Boles “the ideal choice” as the series moved into a new era of opportunity and visibility.

“(He) is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders,” Miles said.

Frye served 10 years as president. During his tenure, he led a period of tremendous successes at INDYCAR, including securing the entitlement series sponsorships with Verizon and NTT, the development of the AK18 universal aero kit, development and implementation of the total driver cockpit safety solution aeroscreen and state-of-the-art hybrid technology introduction.

Frye also oversaw an expanded grid with incredible competition. The longtime motorsports executive is now president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

The Olympic Flame doesn’t just travel through city squares and historic landmarks—it also stops where real-world craftsmanship happens. On December 27, the flame made a meaningful visit to the Pomigliano d’Arco Assembly Plant, one of Italy’s most important automotive manufacturing sites and the home of the Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUV.

For Alfa Romeo, the moment was more than ceremonial. It was a powerful blend of sport, industry, and national pride as the flame’s journey toward the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics passed directly through one of the brand’s most modern production hubs.

A Factory With Deep Roots –

Pomigliano d’Arco isn’t just another assembly plant—it’s a symbol of Italian manufacturing excellence. Alongside other key Stellantis facilities in Melfi, Modena, and Turin, Pomigliano represents the backbone of Italy’s automotive industry. Today, it plays a crucial role in Alfa Romeo’s future by producing the Tonale, a vehicle designed to bridge classic Alfa performance with modern electrification.

That made the plant a fitting stop as the Olympic Flame continues its long relay across Italy. After beginning its journey in Rome on December 6, the flame will pass through more than 300 towns and cities before reaching Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo for the opening ceremonies in 2026.

Alfa Romeo’s Role in the Olympic Journey –

As an Official Partner of the Olympic Flame relay, Alfa Romeo is supporting the convoy with a fleet that includes the Stelvio, Tonale, and Junior. These vehicles aren’t just transportation—they’re rolling ambassadors for Italian design, performance, and technology.

Alfa Romeo has also tied the partnership directly to its product lineup, previewing special Milan Cortina 2026-themed editions of the Junior and Tonale. These models feature exclusive styling touches inside and out, along with sport-focused upgrades that reinforce the brand’s performance-first identity while celebrating the Olympic spirit.

Employees Take Center Stage –

One of the most impactful parts of the event had nothing to do with sheet metal or horsepower. Alfa Romeo employees and their families were invited to take part in the celebration, turning a normal production day into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A selected group of workers physically carried the Olympic Flame through the plant itself, weaving between production areas while coworkers looked on. It was a rare and emotional moment that connected everyday manufacturing jobs with one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.

Adding to the significance was the presence of Stefania Belmondo, one of Italy’s most decorated Winter Olympians. With ten Olympic medals and a legendary career in cross-country skiing, Belmondo opened and closed the event, sharing personal reflections about representing Olympic values on the world stage.

Bigger Than One Brand –

The Pomigliano stop also highlighted Stellantis’ broader role in the Games. As an Automotive Premium Partner, Stellantis brands—including Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and Maserati—will provide approximately 3,000 vehicles to support athletes, staff, volunteers, and officials during the Games. More than half of that fleet will be electrified, underscoring the group’s push toward a more sustainable future.

For Alfa Romeo, the Olympic Flame’s visit wasn’t just about the Games—it was about celebrating people, passion, and the pride that comes from building vehicles with history and purpose.