Motorsports

Wheels Up adds Challenger 300s; sets motorsports partnership

Wheels Up continues its fleet modernization program while signing a new motorsports partnership to provide members VIP access. Its fourth Challenger 300 is expected to enter service on June 1. The Delta Air Lines-backed private jet flight provider now offers limited memberships, providing Challenger access with guaranteed recovery. The popular Bombardier super-midsize jets will be […]

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Wheels Up continues its fleet modernization program while signing a new motorsports partnership to provide members VIP access.

Its fourth Challenger 300 is expected to enter service on June 1.

The Delta Air Lines-backed private jet flight provider now offers limited memberships, providing Challenger access with guaranteed recovery.

The popular Bombardier super-midsize jets will be offered at dynamic pricing.

The fleet makeover follows its $332 million revolving facility with Bank of America from last October.

A portion of the funds was used to acquire 17 Phenom 300s.

Earlier this month, Wheels Up reported continued financial improvement.

That included its highest Q1 jet card block sales since 2022.

Wheels Up, United Autosports

Separately, Wheels Up announced a multi-series global partnership with United Autosports.

United Autosports is a successful endurance racing team and official racing partner of McLaren Automotive.

This multi-series collaboration offers Wheels Up customers exclusive access to prestigious motorsport events.

The FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series, and the WeatherTech IMSA SportsCar Championship are included.

The partnership starts at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14-15.

It marks the 30th anniversary of McLaren’s 1995 overall victory.

Wheels Up customers will have a rare opportunity to witness endurance racing at its iconic venue through immersive behind-the-scenes experiences, trackside viewing, and opportunities to connect directly with drivers, engineers, and team leadership.

Other events included Lone Star Le Mans, the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on September 7.

‘Unforgettable experiences’

Wheels Up CEO George Mattson says, “Our ‘Wheels Down’ portfolio is designed to deliver immersive, unforgettable experiences that extend far beyond air travel.”

He adds, “Just as private aviation and motorsport are defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence and constant innovation, this partnership with United Autosports and McLaren gives our customers rare access to the world of elite motorsport.”

Mattson continues, “It also puts the Wheels Up name in front of a global audience that values performance, innovation, and exclusivity—fueling both brand awareness and growth.”

United Autosports CEO and Principal Richard Dean says, “Wheels Up understands the power of creating unforgettable moments.”

He adds, Their community of discerning customers is a perfect fit for the unique and visceral world of endurance racing.”

United Autosports cars and drivers will feature the Wheels Up logo and decals on vehicles and uniforms.

Luxury travel, attending sporting events, and high-performance/luxury autos are among the top passion pursuits with subscribers of Private Jet Card Comparisons.

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Motorsports

Coca-Cola 600: Ryan Blaney reveals Bodyarmor Chill scheme

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will have some chill as he gets locked in and focused on the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Blaney’s No. 12 will feature the Bodyarmor Chill design for the highly anticipated race. Each flavor of Bodyarmor Chill will […]

Published

3 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will have some chill as he gets locked in and focused on the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Blaney’s No. 12 will feature the Bodyarmor Chill design for the highly anticipated race.

Each flavor of Bodyarmor Chill will be featured on the hood of his vehicle, including Frozen Cherry, Frozen Orange and Frozen Berry.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Ryan Blaney will drive the No. 12 Bodyarmor Chill car at the Coca-Cola 600. (Bodyarmor)

The NASCAR star hasn’t been with Bodyarmor since 2017, and he told Fox News Digital he was looking forward to having the premium sports drink back on his car again.

“It’s been a fun ride, a fun journey,” he said. “It’s been fun (to see) both of (us), whether it’s my career or their company, grow and be successful together. It’s pretty awesome when you can be teamed up with a group like that.

“They work like crazy, and it’s always fun to do different schemes through the years and multiple ones in the year. Whether we’re doing SportWater, we have the Bodyarmor Chill car this weekend at the 600, which I’m really excited about, Flash I.V. Being able to do all these fun schemes with all the products they have, that’s a dream.”

Blaney said he likes being able to use unique designs and knows the fans enjoy it too.

NASCAR fans will pack the speedway for the race, and it will be the first Cup Series points race after the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

TY DILLON THREATENS FELLOW NASCAR DRIVER AFTER ALL-STAR OPEN RACE

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) during driver introductions for the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., April 13, 2025. (Randy Sartin/Imagn Images)

The drivers will travel 600 miles, completing 400 laps in what could be considered one of the most grueling races of the year. Blaney agreed with that notion, mentioning how taxing the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is each season.

“It’s funny, I remember my first 600 in like 2015, and they’re like, ‘All right, halfway.’ And I’m like, ‘What? We’re only halfway in this thing? Like, I’m exhausted.’ So, it just really puts it into perspective of actually how long the night is, how physically draining it is. … I think just as physically exhausting as it is, it’s really mentally draining. Staying in the game for 600 miles is really, really tough.”

Despite the race’s challenges, Blaney said he enjoyed trying to outlast everyone else on the track.

Blaney won the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 en route to his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

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He will enter this year’s race fifth in the drivers’ standings. He has yet to win a race this season but has five top five finishes and six top 10 finishes.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Motorsports

NASCAR and INDYCAR Spotter, Brent Wentz Makes Second Attempt at “The Double”

Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, and John Andretti are just a few of the drivers who have attempted “The Double,” but what about crew members who have chased the same feat? Brent Wentz, current spotter of the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, is no stranger to […]

Published

25 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, and John Andretti are just a few of the drivers who have attempted “The Double,” but what about crew members who have chased the same feat?

Brent Wentz, current spotter of the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, is no stranger to racing’s biggest stages. The seasoned spotter has celebrated in victory lane at the Daytona 500 with Matt Kenseth in 2012 and kissed the bricks with Takuma Sato after winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2020. Now, for the second year in a row, he’s attempting one of his greatest feats yet: “The Double”.

The first opportunity presented itself when Wentz signed on as the primary spotter for Rick Ware Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series program. At the time, Team President Robbie Denton and Team Owner Rick Ware had talked about doing “The Double” through a partnership with Dale Coyne Racing. While that plan fizzled out, another path emerged, taking the Pennsylvania native back to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL).

“I always had a relationship with RLL, obviously, working with them in 2020 and 2021,” Wentz explained. “So they’ve always asked me to do it [“The Double”], but logistically, it wasn’t going to happen. And we talked about it with RWR and, you know, we thought it would be a cool story, and something trying to try to do, and they were all about it. Robbie always tells me when you get an opportunity to do those kinds of things we want you to do, and we’re gonna be behind you to do it.”

With both teams’ blessings, and a priority on the Indy 500, Wentz set his sights on completing a successful first go at 1,100 miles of racing from the spotter’s stand. But getting approval from both teams was the least of his worries because Mother Nature was the one who had the final say.

“You watched the weather and knew it was going to rain. I mean, it never changed for 10 days, it said it was going to rain,” Wentz remembered. “So I had an airplane ready for me to go after the race with a couple of sponsors that I knew were going back and forth. And, you know, when the race kept getting pushed back and pushed back and pushed back, you just knew that it wasn’t going to happen.”

As the rain poured in both Indianapolis and Charlotte, Wentz made the decision to stay at “The Brickyard”, taking a commercial flight back home to North Carolina the following day. So, after countless hours of planning, significant personal expenses for travel, and hopeful prayers to the sky, Wentz’s first attempt at “the Double” came up short.

But not all was lost. This year, Wentz is more prepared than ever, armed with last year’s experiences and critical support.

As was the case in 2024, if weather or delays created a scheduling conflict, Rick Ware Racing will have another spotter on standby in Charlotte to take Wentz’s place. This year, that person is Chris Osbourne, spotter for Corey LaJoie when he runs RWR’s unchartered Cup Series entry.

Second, Hendrick Motorsports is stepping in and lending a helping hand when it comes to travel logistics.

“We put a lot of effort and money and things of my own to get going,” he shared about last year’s attempt. “But this year, thankful to Hendrick and all the people there. I’ll be getting on one of their planes after the Indy 500 and flying back with them. They have three planes, so obviously, not Kyle’s [Larson] but one of their airplanes. So logistics-wise, this year, I think it’s going to work out a little bit better.”

With travel and personnel logistics in place, Wentz can now focus on calling the action from the spotter’s stand during one of the biggest weekends in American motorsports. And focus is exactly what he’ll need as he transitions from spotting an open-wheel series on its biggest stage to a stock car series on the same day, at two different tracks, with two entirely different fields of competitors. Though Wentz shares that he uses the same spotting style with both his IndyCar and NASCAR drivers, he does share some of the difficulties of going from one series to another.

“In NASCAR, the drivers know who the other cars are. In IndyCar, you have to tell everybody by name because you don’t see numbers on the back, just a blinking light, you know, a spoiler,” Wentz shared. “So when you’re behind somebody, you really don’t know who you’re behind. You know, NASCAR, you look at the back window, and it’s pretty spot on. You know who you’re racing. So you have to know the cars, you have to know the paint schemes, you have to know the drivers’ names, and that’s how we communicate.”

Though Wentz is well-versed in switching between NASCAR and IndyCar thanks to years of experience spotting in both series, he’ll still be making a late adjustment ahead of this year’s 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 – one that involves a driver change.

Through all of practice and qualifying, Wentz was working with Devlin DeFrancsesco, the driver of the No. 30 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. On Saturday, the 25-year-old driver managed to place his bright pink and orange DOGECOIN-sponsored car 16th on the grid, the best Indy 500 qualifying effort in his career. Meanwhile, his teammate, Takuma Sato, managed to race his way into the “Fast Six”, and will start from the front row in second.

On the same day, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner requested that he and Wentz be paired together for the race – a request the team made happen.

“Takuma is a great driver, mentor and friend. I have a lot of respect for him and his career accomplishments. To have him vouch for me is very cool. On the other hand, I really was looking forward to working with Devlin and seeing what we could accomplish next Sunday. We made big gains last week and felt like we had a car capable of competing at a high level in the 500. But it’s business as usual; this is racing, and things will always happen fast. Being versatile and ready when called upon is the name of the game.”

“This was ultimately a decision made by Takuma and RLL with the intentions of having the best communications for the 500 with a great car and starting spot,” Wentz explained. “Nothing was amiss with the 30 or 75 spotter lineups, as this was merely something that came up from past experience and communication in previous 500’s. It’s really no different than any other professional sports, if there is an opinion that fits better in certain situations, use it to better the whole operation if applicable.”

A last-minute change like this could have rattled even the most experienced professionals. But for Wentz, the combination of familiarity with Sato and plenty of practice atop the spotter’s stand at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway has him feeling confident heading into race day.

As he chases the successful completion of “The Double”, Wentz has not lost sight of the magnitude of what he is doing – or what he’s already accomplished at the Indy 500.

“You don’t ever take a step back, right, and look at it all, because you’re so focused on the next week and the next week, right? After the Indy 500, I sat in the airport by myself and took it all in, right? And it kind of got a little emotional, right? Because you don’t see yourself doing these kinds of things, and you’re lucky to have it, you know, you gotta have the support of everyone. You gotta have a supportive family. Because, man, you’re gone so much so, you know chokes me up a little bit, you know?”

Wentz will have plenty of supporters cheering him on this Sunday as he makes his second attempt at “The Double”, starting with the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at 12:45 PM ET on FOX, followed by the Coca-Cola 600 at 6:00 PM ET on Prime Video.

Motorsports

Kurt Busch, Harry Gant, Ray Hendrick make up NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Published

45 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—For Kurt Busch, waiting for the announcement of the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class felt like race day.
That was before his name was called as a member of the class, joining Harry Gant as a Modern Era choice.
Modified superstar Ray Hendrick earned election to the 2026 class on the Pioneer Ballot, and promoter extraordinaire H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler was recognized as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
The induction ceremony for the new members is scheduled for January 23, 2026.
Busch’s career was characterized by remarkable consistency. The 46-year-old from Las Vegas won at least one NASCAR Cup Series race in 19 of his 21 full-time seasons.
NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2004 at age 26, Busch pushed Ryan Newman to victory in the 2008 Daytona 500 when both drove for Team Penske. Nine years later, Busch won the Great American Race in a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
“I felt like it was race mode,” Busch said of his nervousness in waiting to hear his name called. “I had to put the emotional blinders on… Everyone that’s on the ballot is someone who can go into the Hall because of the impact they made on the sport.
“For me, just a blue-collar kid out of Vegas, I never would have imagined this. We were a family where it was just a hobby to race. It was just fun to go to the track as father/son. Dad (Tom Busch) had his car, and I had mine…
“I’m running a Legend Car in 1999 at the (Las Vegas) Bull Ring, September of 1999. In September of 2000, I’m in Jack Roush’s Cup car, qualifying at Dover. Jeff Gordon’s next to me. Dale (Earnhardt) Sr.’s behind me. That’s how fast things happened for me. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.”
Busch blossomed early in his NASCAR career, winning a pole position at Darlington Raceway in his 2001 rookie season and following that with four victories in 2002.
It’s appropriate that Busch’s first career NASCAR Cup victory would come at Bristol, a track he came to dominate with six victories spread over a span of 17 years—and where he added to Bristol lore by making a “Snow Angel” after winning in uncharacteristically cold and snowy conditions in 2006.
From 2002 through 2022, Busch amassed 34 Cup wins. In 2004, he won the first championship under NASCAR’s Playoff format, then known as the Chase.
Driving the No. 97 Ford for Jack Roush, Busch weathered a bizarre accident when the right-front wheel separated from his car as he was approaching pit road. Busch continued onto pit road while the tire rolled onto the racing surface.
But a quick fix in the pits propelled Busch to a fifth-place finish in the race and his only Cup championship, by eight points over Jimmie Johnson.
Through the first decade of his career, Busch fought to find a balance between his elite talent and the mercurial temperament that cost him rides with Roush and Roger Penske. Ultimately, he won Cup races with five different owners—Roush, Penske, Stewart-Haas, Chip Ganassi and finally at Kansas Speedway in 2022 with 23XI Racing.
“The late Jim Hunter (NASCAR executive) said it best to me once when I was in some trouble,” Busch recalled. “He said, ‘Son, you can get in as much trouble as you want, because you have that much talent to dig yourself out of these holes you’re putting yourself in.
“But wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t dig those holes, and you could just stay on top, riding with your talent?’ It took a lot of lessons, but this was a fun announcement, and I can’t wait to tell more stories.”
Kurt and Kyle Busch hold the record for most Cup victories accumulated by brothers with 97.
The only driver to win a Cup race in cars of four different manufacturers—Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Toyota—Busch was named on 61 percent of ballots during a closed session on Voting Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the same percentage Gant received.
In stark contrast to Busch, Gant was a late bloomer who didn’t race in NASCAR’s top division until age 33. It wasn’t until age 40 that Gant ran his first full season the Cup Series in 1980.
Dubbed “Handsome Harry” for his striking good looks, Gant won 18 times in 474 starts on NASCAR’s top tour with a versatility that spoke volumes about his talent.
Gant, now 85, was a standout on such big tracks as Daytona, Darlington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Talladega, Pocono and Michigan—with victories at each of those venues—but he also conquered the venues of a mile of less at Richmond, Rockingham, Bristol, North Wilkesboro, Dover, Martinsville and Phoenix.
Gant also triumphed on the road courses of Watkins Glen and Sonoma, proving he could wheel a stock car at any sort of venue.
Gant will be remembered most prominently for the feat that earned him another moniker — “Mr. September.”
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 22 of 1991, Gant drove the iconic Leo Jackson-owned Skoal Bandit to four straight wins, at Darlington (the second of his two Southern 500s), Richmond, Dover and Martinsville, tying the Modern Era record for consecutive victories.
Gant wasn’t finished. In 1992 he won twice, with his victory at Michigan in August making him the oldest driver to win a Cup race, at age 52.
Two years later, at 54, he was the top qualifier at Bristol, becoming the oldest driver ever to win a Cup pole.
Ray Hendrick led the Pioneer ballot with 31 percent of the vote. Early NASCAR Cup Series driver Bob Welborn was second in the balloting.
Nicknamed “Mr. Modified,” Hendrick won more than 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races in a career that spanned 38 years (1950-1988). Driving the iconic red No. 11, Hendrick won five track championships at South Boston Speedway in his native Virginia.
Though he never won a Modified championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960 through 1969. He is credited with 20 combined Modified and Sportsman victories at Martinsville Speedway alone.
Hendrick was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.
Born in 1928 in Denton, North Carolina, Welborn passed away in 1997 at age 69.
Wheeler, 86, is a man of many and varied talents. He was a boxer, a scholarship football player at the University of South Carolina and a sportswriter for the Columbia (S.C.) Record before joining the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company’s public relations staff.
But Wheeler is best known for his 33-year tenure as President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, where his innovative—sometimes outrageous—ideas brought a new vision to the promotion of stock car racing.
Wheeler’s legendary stunts included school buses jumping over (and crashing into) lines of cars and full-scale Memorial Day weekend “battles” in the speedway’s infield grass, complete with startling pyrotechnics.

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Motorsports

Paityn Feyen claims personal best with maiden top-15 in Sebring

“Sebring was definitely a rollercoaster, but I’m proud of what we accomplished, especially in the first race of the weekend” – Paityn Feyen made a step forward in the third round of the 2025 Toyota GR Cup North America season at Sebring, where the Nitro Motorsports driver scored her first top-15 finish in the series […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

“Sebring was definitely a rollercoaster, but I’m proud of what we accomplished, especially in the first race of the weekend” – Paityn Feyen made a step forward in the third round of the 2025 Toyota GR Cup North America season at Sebring, where the Nitro Motorsports driver scored her first top-15 finish in the series with a recovery drive in Race 1, ultimately earning the Highest Finishing Female Award in both races.

Paityn Feyen, Nitro Motorsports, Toyota GR Cup North America, 2025 Sebring — Photo credits: FredHardyPhoto / SRO

Paityn Feyen made a significant step forward in the third round of the 2025 Toyota GR Cup North America season at Sebring International Raceway, where the Nitro Motorsports driver scored her first top-15 finish in the series with a strong recovery drive in Race 1, ultimately earning the Highest Finishing Female Award in both races.

The 16-year-old driver, a 2025 Shift Up Now Foundation grantee, is contesting her rookie season in the Toyota GR Cup North America—her first full-time campaign in race cars after stepping up from karting. She made a promising debut at Sonoma Raceway, where she earned the Highest Finishing Female Award in Race 1 and secured a personal best result of P25. Feyen impressed with her clean driving as she took her first steps in the highly competitive single-make series.

At Circuit of the Americas, Feyen showed notable progress in pace and racecraft during her second race weekend, where she bounced back from a setback to complete a recovery drive that gained her first top-20 finish in the series in Race 1.

Heading to Sebring for the third round, she targeted an even bigger step forward—and she immediately showed progress in practice.

“Sebring is one of those tracks that really challenges you as a driver,” explained Paityn before the event. “It’s rough, it’s fast, and it rewards you when you’re brave but smart. I’ve been working hard to prepare for this weekend, and I’m feeling confident. I’m ready to push hard and fight for strong results in both rounds.”

Known for its demanding and bumpy layout, Sebring presented another challenge for the rookie driver—but she was up for it and made big gains during the practice sessions.

In FP1, Paityn ran 18th fastest, steadily within the top 20, and continued her improvement in FP2, where her 2:27.742 lap was just 1.8 seconds off the overall pace-setter. She carried that momentum into qualifying.

In the first qualifying session on Saturday morning, Feyen clocked a 2:27.489 and qualified P21—just outside the top 20—but remained positive, having shown strong and consistent pace and confidence in her ability to move forward during the races.

Later in the day, the field took the green flag under sunny skies for the first race of the weekend. Feyen initially dropped to P22 but quickly picked up a position as Beltre Curtis encountered issues and pitted on the opening lap.

Finding her rhythm early, Feyen set a 2:29.2—faster than the cars ahead—and passed Max Schweid on lap 2, then began closing in on Massimo Sunseri. With improving lap times, she overtook Sunseri on lap 3 to move into P19.

Once ahead, Feyen continued her charge, overtaking Karl Forman and opening a gap to the cars behind with particularly strong sector one times. On lap 6, she gained another position when Ayden Kirk fell down the order, moving up to P18 with 28 minutes to go.

She settled into P18 with consistent pace, holding about a one-second buffer to Sunseri behind. Midway through the race, she set more personal best laps and began closing the gap to Farran Davis and Forman, who were battling for 16th.

With seven minutes remaining, Sofronas went off the track after contact with Tovo, and Feyen advanced to P17. Tovo then pitted with damages, allowing Feyen to climb to P16 and begin chasing Davis for a place inside the top 15.

On lap 16, she made a clean move on Davis for P15, though the latter fought back the following lap. The final lap saw the two trade places again, but Feyen ultimately secured P15 at the flag—clinching her personal best finish in the series to date, marking another step forward in her rookie season.

Sunday morning’s second qualifying session saw an early start, with Feyen aiming to build on Saturday’s strong result. She set a 2:28.224 and qualified P22 after being unable to improve in her final laps.

Starting from P22 for Race 2, Feyen unfortunately encountered trouble just before Turn 1 and was forced to retire due to a mechanical issue that prematurely ended her weekend.

Nevertheless, the weekend still marked significant progress: Paityn Feyen showed good pace in practice and delivered an excellent charge in Race 1 to secure her first top-15 finish of the season.

“Sebring was definitely a rollercoaster, but I’m proud of what we accomplished, especially in the first race of the weekend,” said Paityn. “Saturday’s race showed the progress we’ve made, and even with the tough break on Sunday, we still walked away with some positives. I’m learning every weekend and can’t wait to keep building toward even better results at VIR.”

After six races, Feyen has finished as the top female driver five times, banking another $10,000 in the series awards after the Sebring round. She will look to continue her upward trajectory at the next round at VIRginia International Raceway, scheduled for July 16–18.

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Motorsports

Kurt Busch Headlines NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026

NASCAR officially revealed the three drivers who will take their place inside the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 on Tuesday in a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC. Headlining the class is 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch, who was elected to the NASCAR […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Headlining the class is 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch, who was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in his first year on the Modern Era Ballot.

Busch, 46, was one of the most naturally talented drivers that have come through the NASCAR Cup Series. The native of Las Vegas scored 34 NASCAR Cup Series wins over a career that spanned 776 starts.

Among the racer’s 34 career wins was a triumph in the Daytona 500 in 2017.

Busch’s NASCAR Cup Series career came to an abrupt end 20 races into the 2022 season. Busch suffered a concussion in a crash in qualifying at Pocono Raceway. The side effects from the concussion forced Busch to retire from NASCAR Cup Series racing.

The driver scored victories in the NASCAR Cup Series for four different manufacturers (Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet, and Toyota).

Joining Busch in the Class from the Modern Era Ballot was “Handsome” Harry Gant.

Gant, 85, excelled in the NASCAR Sportsman Division, and was a late-bloomer on his unique path to the NASCAR Cup Series. Gant didn’t compete in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series until he was 40 years old.

However, the late start didn’t hold Gant back.

The legendary driver would amass 18 NASCAR Cup Series wins, including a run of four consecutive victories during the 1991 season.

Gant picked up his final victory at Michigan International Speedway in 1992, and to this day, he remains the oldest driver to ever collect a win in NASCAR Cup Series competition at 52 years, 7 months old.

Ray Hendrick, a legend from the NASCAR Modified ranks, was the driver elected from the Pioneer Ballot, and he’ll be enshrined along with Busch and Gant.

Known as “Mr. Modified”, Hendrick captured more than 700 wins combined in Modified and Late Model Sportsman competition from 1950 to 1988. Hendrick was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.

Additionally, H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, a longtime promoter, President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway was the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Wheeler spent 33 years innovating what it meant to attend NASCAR Cup Series races from his helm at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and he was never afraid to push the needle if he felt it would add something for the fans scouring far and wide to attend a race at his facility.

Members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met on Tuesday in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2026 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

The Class of 2026 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano). In all, 49 votes were cast.

According to NASCAR, the accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

Busch and Gant both received 61% of the Modern Era ballot votes, which secured their places in the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton.

Ray Hendrick received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. NASCAR Convertible Series standout Bob Welborn finished second.

Motorsports

Brian Sullivan Looking to Continue Stafford Extra Distance Mastery in Monaco Ford SK Light Double Down – Speedway Digest

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Over the past 2 seasons at Stafford Speedway, when it comes to extra distance racing in the SK Light division, Brian Sullivan and the #46 Monaco Ford team have been the combination to beat. Sullivan swept a pair of 40-lap feature events during the 2023 season and he is the defending champion of the Monaco Ford Double Down. With Monaco Ford sponsoring this Friday night’s 40-lap feature event as well as sponsoring his #46 car, Sullivan has some extra motivation to take home yet another extra distance checkered flag.

“I definitely look forward to the extra distance races and these are the races that I circle on my schedule since I’m running part-time this year,” said Sullivan. “Especially with this race being the Monaco Ford 40-lapper, this is a race that we wanted to hit from the beginning of the year. There’s some extra motivation with Monaco being my sponsor and sponsoring the race. They’re going to have some extra guests at the track this Friday night, so these are the races that we want to win.”

In the last 5 extra distance SK Light feature events at Stafford, Sullivan has 3 wins, a third, and a fourth place finish. Sullivan has also recorded three top-10 finishes in 6 starts during his time racing in Stafford’s SK Modified® division from 2011-2016. Sullivan’s background shows he knows what it takes to be successful around the Connecticut half-mile facility when it comes to extra distance racing.

“I think with the extra laps you can pace yourself to get to the front,” said Sullivan. “I wouldn’t say I’m a cautious racer, but the extra distance suits me and I have more laps to get to the front and keep the wheels on the car. I’ve ran a few extra distance races in the SK Light division and 100-lap races in the SK Modified® division and the longer races really fit my driving style.”

With the Monaco Ford 40-lap race directly following a 30-lap extra distance event, Sullivan and his team have an excellent idea of where they need to be with their car setup versus a normal 20-lap weekly feature.

“We started the season and the first race the car was really good,” said Sullivan. “Last week the car was way too loose so we kind of know what not to do for this week. Whatever we learned from last week we’re going to carry into this week and we’ll make sure we tighten the car up a little extra for the 40 laps. Last week was the 30-lapper so there’s not a whole lot of difference. We’ll just put a little more lead and a little more fuel in the car. Other than that, it’s pretty much normal procedure for us with the car. Thanks to Monaco Ford, Constantine Paving and Sealing, Competitive Edge Coatings, Sullivan Landscaping, and my car owners Mike and Nicole Royce. We’re all excited for the race.”

In order for Sullivan to notch another extra distance feature victory, he will have to contend with Nickolas Hovey, who has come out of the gates strong with two victories in the first two races of the 2025 season.

“Nick has some momentum on his side and he and his team were really stepping things up towards the end of last season,” said Sullivan. “With a couple guys like Tyler Chapman and Alex Pearl moving up to the SK Modified® division, you knew he was probably going to be the favorite going into the season and he’s our goal. If we can go out and beat him on the track, we know we did our homework.”

The SK Lights will be joined this Friday, May 23rd by Stafford’s SK Modified, Late Model, Limited Late Model, and Street Stock divisions for the Monaco Ford SK Light Double Down. This Friday night is also Military Appreciation Night. Active or retired military personnel may purchase tickets for $10 with valid I.D. at the gate. Tickets are available now online at StaffordSpeedway.com/tickets and can also be purchased at the admission gates. General admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-14, and free for kids 5 & under. Reserved seating is priced at $25 in advance and $30 at the gate for all ages. Pit passes are $40 with a valid 2025 Stafford Competition License and $45 without one. If you can’t attend in person, don’t miss the action—tune in to the live stream on FloRacing, the official streaming partner of Stafford Speedway.

For more information, visit staffordspeedway.com, follow Stafford Speedway on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.

Stafford Speedway PR

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