ON THE MEND: Kofoid Recovers from Off-Season Illness, Silences Volusia Doubters

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 19, 2026) – Michael “Buddy” Kofoid knew something wasn’t right.

Symptoms of sickness set in as he spent his off-season racing in Australia preparing for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series campaign with Roth Motorsports, but this was no ordinary flu. A severe headache. Lethargy. Loss of appetite. Nausea. You name it, Kofoid likely felt it. Eventually, whatever was ailing him sent the 24-year-old to the emergency room.

“Honestly, the first day I knew it wasn’t normal,” Kofoid explained. “I don’t think I’ve ever had food poisoning, but I thought maybe it could’ve been that. But then pretty quickly I figured out it was probably something more serious than that, especially by the second or third day when I could barely even get out of bed.

“It actually started with a massive headache, and it never went away, and I just felt nauseous all day, could barely even eat, barely even drink. I just kind of suffered through the day and finished the race. It just kind of progressed and got worse and worse. I had to go to urgent care there and get some help and honestly kind of started to feel a little better leading up to when I had to fly home and was like maybe it’s starting to go away whatever this is.

“And then the second day home, that night, it was like a snap of a finger. It was way worse than it ever had been. The next morning, I felt really bad. I went from like a 98 (degrees) temperature to like a 101 in 30 minutes. And I was like OK this is probably serious now. I went to the hospital and was at the emergency room for like 12 hours and did every test pretty much known to man.”

The tests finally revealed a parasitic invasion and nearly necessitated surgery with the World of Outlaws season on the horizon.

“Long story short, I had some sort of bacterial, I don’t want to say infection, but a parasite type of thing,” Kofoid said. “I found out it came from most likely some sort of water or ice that I had while I was in Australia. That caused appendix inflammation and small bowel inflammation that they were really worried about. From being that sick, it caused a lot of issues and a lot of worries. I lost a decent amount of weight that I can’t afford to lose and just had no energy.”

The sickness sidelined Kofoid and forced him to axe the remainder of his off-season racing plans. This meant no Chili Bowl to chase a coveted Golden Driller. No returning to Australia for more Sprint Car seat time. Instead, his focus became healing and putting the weight back on as the annual trip to Florida neared.

And that’s exactly what Kofoid did. He regained energy and got himself in shape to chase a championship.

The Penngrove, CA native joined forces with Dennis and Teresa Roth’s team midway through 2023, hit the road with The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2024, and has cemented himself as a title contender. He came home fourth during his rookie campaign before rising to runner-up last year.

The season kicked off two weeks ago at Volusia Speedway Park, and Kofoid eliminated any concern or doubt that may have existed after falling ill. Bad luck had bitten Kofoid at Volusia in the past since teaming with Roth, but he came out swinging to make a statement. He got his first win at the 1/2 mile on the second night and finalized the week with a charge from 21st to fourth, nearly bagging the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator in the process. All positive results for the No. 83 group consisting of Dylan Buswell, Nate Knotts, and Gage Tyra came away happy with their performance.

“I feel like this was the first week where we were able to control our own destiny so to speak and not have something out of our control put a damper on it,” Kofoid said. “I’ve talked to some people, done interviews, or I’ll hear people say that I’m not really that great (at Volusia). And it’s like yeah, I mean, I hadn’t won there, but I ran second twice. I was leading a couple years ago and blew a tire with like nine (laps) to go. I ran podium there before and been fourth or fifth a couple times. So, I was like I don’t think I’m bad or lacking, just got to put the rest of it together or not have something go wrong for us. I feel like finally we were able to prove, and I was able to prove that we are good or we can be good here.”

One of the biggest storylines entering Volusia was whether or not Kofoid could hang with David Gravel at one of the two-time and defending champion’s best tracks. The years have proven you can’t win the title in Florida, but it certainly seems you can lose it. The standings show Kofoid and Gravel are knotted up at the top.

A long season remains, but Kofoid quieted the questioning for now. He proved he can circle Volusia as well as anyone. The frightening illness is behind him. He knows it won’t be easy, but he’s ready to put forth his best effort for a championship. It’s not just Gravel he’s battling on a nightly basis. It’s Carson Macedo, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, Sheldon Haudenschild, and many more. But that’s why he wants it so bad. It’s the pinnacle of Sprint Car racing. The peak of the sport he’s loved his entire life.

“I’ve always wanted to be an Outlaw champion,” Kofoid said. “I feel like I’m in the best opportunity that I can be in to do that and the best position. For me, I’m into statistics a lot, too, and history. I would love to be Dennis and Teresa’s first Outlaw champion. That would mean the world to me, just for them and everything they’ve done.”

Kofoid and the Roth Motorsports team continue their title pursuit at Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park during the Bike Week Jamboree, March 1-2, before traveling to Alabama’s Talladega Short Track on March 6 and Mississippi’s Magnolia Motor Speedway on March 7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

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Wood Brothers Racing Race Week Briefing: EchoPark Speedway

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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Cadillac, Corvette Have Strength in Numbers at Le Mans

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Cadillac Racing FIA WEC Hypercar contenders to be joined by Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing· Four Corvettes – three from TF Sport, one from 13 Autosport – to make up 25-car LMGT3 grid
DETROIT (February 19, 2026) – Three Cadillac V-Series.R race cars along with four Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will take part in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with today’s release of the official entry list by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

Cadillac Racing will challenge for overall victory with a trio of factory Cadillac V-Series.R race cars supported by experienced and championship-winning teams and drivers in the Hypercar class. For LMGT3, four Corvettes are part of a strong class that will feature 25 cars. “General Motors has the broadest and most diverse motorsports presence of any automaker in the world,” General Motors President Mark Reuss said. “Fielding seven cars at Le Mans reflects not only our competitive ambition, but our relentless drive to advance endurance, innovation and performance on a global stage.”Cadillac Racing at Le Mans:
Seeking victory with Three EntriesEvent organizer Automobile Club de l’Ouest extended three invitations to Cadillac Racing. In addition to the No. 12 and 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R entries from the World Endurance Championship (WEC), also on the grid will be the No. 101 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrant in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. The Nos. 12 and 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R received automatic invitations based on full-season participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). JOTA Sport is in its second season of WEC Hypercar competition with Cadillac as a works team. Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais, Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens will be the drivers.The No. 101 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R will compete at Le Mans for the second time. Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque will be the drivers. In the 2025 WEC Hypercar competition, Cadillac finished fourth in the manufacturers’ championship and in July in Brazil the No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R won the event, while the No. 38 car was second. At Le Mans, Cadillac swept the front row with the No. 12 car taking the pole and the No. 38 qualifying second. The Cadillac V-Series.R features a purpose-built Cadillac 5.5L DOHC V-8 engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing Propulsion team based in Pontiac, Michigan. The racecar, co-developed by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara, was informed by the Project GTP Hypercar that was unveiled in June 2022. It incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements, such as vertical lighting and floating blades.Corvette Racing at Le Mans: Four of a KindFor the first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, four entries from the Corvette Racing program will be on the grid for the June endurance classic. TF Sport, Corvette Racing’s full-season representative in the FIA WEC, will be present for the third year in a row with its Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs – the No. 33 of Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Ben Keating plus the No. 34 of Charlie Eastwood Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey – that also will contest the full-season championship. The team will also take up its automatic invitation from winning last year’s European Le Mans Series with another Corvette, which will sport the No. 66 for Le Mans. Running under the TF Sport banner, the effort also includes personnel from Johor Motorsports Racing with Prince Jefri Ibrahim, Afiq Ikhwan and Ben Green teaming together. From North America, 13 Autosport will take to the Le Mans grid with its No. 13 Corvette. Under the AWA banner in 2025, 13 Autosport owner/driver Orey Fidani won his second straight Bob Akin Award in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship to earn 13 Autosport a return trip to Le Mans this year. Fidani will team with IMSA teammates Matt Bell and Lars Kern.

This isn’t the first time that four Corvettes have taken on Le Mans in the same year. The brand’s first appearance at the French classic came in 1960 with a quartet of Corvettes – one of which won the GT class in the hands of John Fitch and Bob Grossman. Four Corvettes also appeared at the 2016 race including two factory cars from Corvette Racing in the GTE Pro class. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R starts with the same production chassis frame as the road-going Z06. Similar carbon-fiber splitters for front downforce, and the surface area from the top of the windshield to the rear of the Z06 remained intact on the Z06 GT3.R. That includes side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes. The similarities carry over to the hand-built 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine in the Z06 GT3.R. Both originate from the Bowling Green factory with the racing version sharing 80 percent of the production content from the Z06 The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled for June 13-14 and will be the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Cadillac, Corvette Have Strength in Numbers at Le Mans· Cadillac Racing FIA WEC Hypercar contenders to be joined by Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing· Four Corvettes – three from TF Sport, one from 13 Autosport – to make up 25-car LMGT3 grid
DETROIT (February 19, 2026) – Three Cadillac V-Series.R race cars along with four Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will take part in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with today’s release of the official entry list by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

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Hoffman Looks Back On DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator, Ahead to Hendry County Debut

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CLEWISTON, FL (February 19, 2026) – Following his dominant week at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Nick Hoffman stands out as dirt Late Model racing’s man to beat at the moment.

Recognition as the best in the nation isn’t a new feeling for the former DIRTcar UMP Modified superstar, but it’s the first time he’s had a serious case for the position since turning his full attention to Late Model racing in 2023. Now that he’s leaving Volusia with three wins and five top fives in six nights against a stacked 60-car field, Hoffman is feeling better than ever about remaining in the conversation at the top of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

A Big Gator championship has often meant that a driver is in for one of the most memorable years of their career, and you don’t have to look back far for proof. In the past two seasons, 2024 Big Gator champion Brandon Sheppard went on to win his fifth World of Outlaws championship, while Ricky Thornton Jr. won his first World 100 nine months after topping Volusia last year.

“If you leave [Volusia] in bad shape, I mean, your whole year kind of goes to s**t,” Hoffman said. “McCreadie started off [2025] really bad, and at the end of the year, he was probably one of the best cars. You just look at that, if your February and March goes bad, it’s so hard to rebound in June, July, August, you know? As a brand-new team and stuff, this gets us all acclimated. We’re running good, so everybody’s in good spirits. Definitely helps us moving forward.”

The Tye Twarog Motorsports team is entering their fourth season on the road with the World of Outlaws with a fresh approach in more ways than one. Hoffman’s crew has a pair of new names, with Scott Fegter and Brayden Sebenoler joining Darin “D-Train” Townsend.

The other major change comes under the hood. Hoffman’s engines have previously come out of the Clements Racing Engines shop, but his three Volusia wins were powered by a Durham Racing Engines powerplant. Hoffman has no plans to abandon Clements, instead opting to bounce between two suppliers to keep his engine inventory as versatile as possible. It’s a strategy that has become more common in the Late Model pits in recent years, with the most notable example being Hoffman’s close friend, Jonathan Davenport.

“This is a brand-new [Longhorn Chassis], brand-new motor, first time with a Durham,” Hoffman said. “I’ve always ran Clements stuff, that’s what I ran at Sunshine [Nationals] was my Clements. We wanted to save this car for DIRTcar Nationals just because it was our freshest bullet, our freshest car. I just felt like this was more important than Sunshine was, and we were fortunate to run really well at Sunshine and then come here with a brand-new car. I unloaded this car at the Sunshine test and was really fast with it. Only ran three laps, but felt really good and really fast right out of the box. So, I was pretty confident coming into this week with this car and this package.”

Once DIRTcar Nationals race week arrived for the Late Models, Hoffman was entering his fourth-consecutive week on the Volusia property. He may not have competed in the nine nights of Modified competition at the event – aside from practicing Kenny Wallace’s car – but he was able to monitor track evolution night after night and listen to feedback from his Elite Chassis customers, which he credited with preparing him for whatever came his way when he got back behind the wheel.

“Every single night, I feel like they gave us something a little bit different,” Hoffman said. “Which is good, it’s what we expect, it’s what we want. We don’t want the same racetrack every single night. They did a good job. [Saturday], I just missed it a little bit and wasn’t quite good enough. All in all, the experience last week, adjusting on Modifieds and learning what the track does throughout the night definitely helped me for this week. At the end of the day, to win the Big Gator is a huge, monumental deal for me.”

With a month of racing at Volusia in the rearview, Hoffman will wrap up his winter trip to Florida with an entirely different challenge at Hendry County Motorsports Park for the inaugural Swamp Cabbage 100 (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Like most drivers in this weekend’s field, Hoffman has never raced at Hendry County before, and he was also not present at last month’s open test session. Hoffman sees Thursday as the most important practice night of the season, as it will be his only chance to get up to speed at the track before defending his World of Outlaws points lead.

“I watched a little bit of that Modified [Speedweeks] race, and it’s interesting for sure,” Hoffman said. “It looks like a typical Florida racetrack as far as sandy, loose dirt, wheel spinning early in the night and then it looks like it does get slick later. But the wheel spin side is what worries me, I’m not very good in those conditions typically. We’ll just see what we’ve got. Our race car’s good, but it’s going to take a whole different package when you go there. So, I don’t really know what to expect.”

Hoffman and the rest of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision are headed to Hendry County Motorsports Park for the Swamp Cabbage 100 (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets in advance by clicking here.

Hoffman Looks Back On DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator, Ahead to Hendry County Debut

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

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Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–UNSER Open Test Preview

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Phoenix Raceway 1.0-mile short oval Avondale, Arizona The Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway Session #2February 18, 2026
Avondale, Arizona (February 18, 2026) – ECR veteran Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet turned a lap at 174.542mph (20.6524 seconds) during the afternoon on the second day of the Unser Open Test at Phoenix Raceway to lead the combined timesheet after a dozen hours on the iconic 1-mile oval. Five of the top six drivers across the two-day test were Chevrolet-powered, with Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Rasmussen in the No. 21 ECR Chevrolet, David Malukas in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet all finishing the test in the top six..
Rossi led the morning session with a lap of 174.444mph (20,6370 seconds) during the three hours before lunch, leading a top five that saw four drivers sporting Bowties. Chevrolet has visited victory lane ten times at Phoenix Raceway. Rick Mears, twice and Team Penske, five times, are the winningest driver and team. Team Chevy drivers have stood on the podium at Phoenix Raceway on 25 occasions, with Bob Rahal’s three straight podiums in 1992, 1991 and 1990 leading all drivers. Team Penske leads all Chevrolet-powered teams with 12 podiums at the one-mile oval. Chevrolet and General Motors can surpass a pair of laps led milestones when they return for the Good Ranchers 250 in March. Bowtie-adorned cars have led 1990 laps at Phoenix Raceway, while drivers powered by General Motors have led 2977 laps in The Valley of the Sun. Rick Mears leads all drivers with 247 laps led.

Phoenix Raceway Combined Timesheet

What They’re SayingJosef Newgarden – No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:“It was great to be back at Phoenix. I have a lot of fond memories of this place from the last race in 2018 when we ended up in Victory Lane. Hopefully we can have the same success at the doubleheader weekend coming up, which will be an amazing weekend of motorsports. And we actually have several crew members from 2018 so we know we can get it done, even if it is a new configuration. It’s a blast to race on, for sure and the XPEL Chevy had plenty of speed.”
Scott McLaughlin – No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet: “I was a bit disappointed in the overall speed with the Gallagher Chevy following the first day of the test. We came back today and tuned it up. I felt really comfortable and competitive today, and ready to come back for the INDYCAR-NASCAR doubleheader weekend. The conditions were windy and cold today so that will give us something to think about before we come back, but I’m confident that we will get it all dialed in.”
Caio Collet – No. 4 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
Nice recovery today, are you starting to feel more comfortable?
“Yes, definitely. Today we analyzed a lot more data and tried to understand what the Penske guys were doing. I think they have pretty good knowledge. I’m trying to adapt my driving style to what they are doing, and I think it is beneficial. The qualifying sim that I did wasn’t exactly a qualifying sim. I’m just trying to get more comfortable with the procedure and so on. I think we can be competitive. Before that, it was a bit of a nightmare. I think being competitive is good to end the test on a positive note. Did some pit stops at the end to be ready for St. Pete.” Alexander Rossi – No. 20 ECR Chevrolet:How was the day?“We got through everything we wanted, and obviously, when you can do that it’s a good day. Of course, the top is good, and the team car. Christian’s car is also strong, so there’s nothing more I could ask for.” Does that give you lots of confidence coming back here in a few weeks?“It doesn’t take away confidence. But, it is 50 degrees, and if you look at the weather forecast, it”s going to be 85 degrees when we come back. We have a good baseline and it feels like we are on top of it.” Christian Rasmussen – No. 21 ECR Chevrolet:“We’re pretty happy in the ECR camp. Going one, two, here this afternoon, and Alex was P1 this morning. I was up there as well, even with a run where I had a bit of traffic. It’s safe to say we’re pretty excited about Phoenix.”
Rinus VeeKay – No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“Had a really first oval test with the team here at Phoenix. We hit the ground running. Really happy with the car and, made a lot of progress throughout the the 3 sessions in 2 days. So, yeah, I learned a lot for the race for sure. Really good qualifying case. You know, most important, really good long run pace. So, now really good time with the team. Final test, and well, St. Pete coming up. Very excited. We are ready.”
Sting Ray Robb – No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“Well, the Unser open test was interesting to say the least. I think this track is actually really fun. I like the layout. I think that it’s really easy in testing here to kinda get off the trail, and then you kinda have to find your way back. So I think we did a good job of finishing the two day test.”
“On a good note, I think that we were in a good spot to end and we’ll come back with so we can roll off the truck strong. There’s definitely a lot to learn here. There is some of the big teams that, unfortunately, got a a few extra days on this since we’re tired testing gears, so they knew what was ahead of them. But I think with that, we did a very good job. I think both cars are very quick, and I think that we can roll off here and be in the top half of the field right away.”
Nolan SiegelPress Conference
THE MODERATOR: Nolan Siegel also joins us. He was P8 in that practice session, driving the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.Just your thoughts; it is your first time here at Phoenix Raceway. Did you enjoy it?
NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I thought it’s a very fun track to drive, very unique. The two ends are quite different — three ends, I guess, are quite different from each other. It’s a challenge setup-wise, a challenge driving-wise, and yeah, very much enjoying myself here. I think it’s a cool location, as well. Good to hit this region.
We had a ton of fans at the autograph session. I was surprised. We were all like, why are we doing an autograph session here, and then everyone showed up, and we were like, oh, that’s why. I think that’s a good look into what the race weekend is going to be like.
Q. For the team, you led among the three. What kind of race car do you think you’ll have come back here in a couple weeks?NOLAN SIEGEL: I think we’ll be strong. I think we’ve been strong on all the short ovals pace-wise. I have full confidence that we’ll figure it out as a group. We have done a good job splitting kind of test items between the three cars.That’s the advantage obviously of having three cars, three strong teams that you trust feedback from. Learned a lot across the three cars over the two days, and I feel like we’re way, way better than where we started.
It’s been cool to have Sebring and here as an opportunity to test so many sort of off-season developments that we’ve done, and I’m very optimistic looking into the year as a whole, but coming back here I think we’ll be as strong as we have been on other short ovals as a group.
Q. Did you do sim work for this test, and if so —NOLAN SIEGEL: I did not. I did not do a lap on the sim here.
Q. How did you get adjusted? Or did you just take a lap around the track in a passenger car and then go at it?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, I mean, I say I didn’t do a lap on the sim. I didn’t do a lap on the real sim. I’ve jumped on iRacing and done it that way at home.No, we have — obviously the team has a long history, so we have some info from when we were here last in INDYCAR. Obviously it was a while ago, but some good resources there from the team. Watched the race replays from 2016 through 2018, got kind of as much on board as I could from there, and then walked the track, and it’s been really nice to have these two days to just get adjusted.
Obviously when you’re at the race weekend and short on time, you have this pressure to get up to speed immediately when it’s a new place, and it was nice to have the test where you can take a run to kind of check the place out and try some different things, experiment a little bit. So it was a good opportunity for that.
Q. Kind of curious, we know about the off-season talks that have happened with Kanaan saying some things and then what you had said at media day, and you’ve kind of put that aside since media day. I’m kind of curious, with all of that, is this maybe the most comfortable that you’ve felt getting into a race car just because of that experience and everything else, you’re able to kind of block that out and get in and run? Is that fair to say?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah. I mean, I think honestly, people have made a really big deal about all of that, and I don’t think internally with me or Tony or any — it’s really not that big a deal for us. Nothing has changed. We still have a good relationship.
I’m very comfortable. It’s been nice to run with the group that TK has helped put together on the 6 car. I think there’s some really good additions. He’s done a great job with that.
Everything is good. I feel comfortable where I am, comfortable with the people I’m with. Working with Kate again; Andy, new performance engineer, has been doing a great job.
Yeah, a lot of familiar faces, which is obviously comforting going into the season. A lot of really strong new faces.
I think honestly, for me, I would say I’m at this point more comfortable and more confident with the group we have than I expected to be. It feels like a group that’s worked together for a long time. Yeah, I would say the comfort level is very high, and everyone is happy. Everyone is optimistic.I think there’s been some kind of drama created around all of that in the off-season that didn’t actually exist for us. It was just like kind of people spooling each other up. We’re chilling over here. We’re doing well.
Q. To follow that up, from a performance standpoint in the car, doing some of that LMP2 running over the off-season and obviously coming into now having a couple — almost a couple of full-time seasons, several starts, how much of your comfort also is because of all of that experience in the off-season running and things like that coming in?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, I think it was super helpful. Last year obviously we didn’t have this test, either, so it was just Sebring, and I hadn’t driven a race car for a long time, so you get in and it’s — I felt a little bit more rusty kind of than I would have liked, and I think a lot of people have that experience where you jump in and it takes a few runs to get comfortable, whereas this year it was just in and it felt normal right away. Same thing here, just comfortable and right into rhythm, and it eliminates some of that time to get readjusted.I think it was really helpful. It was also just a lot of fun. It’s nice to kind of come into the season having some good weekends recently where it’s just — the confidence is high, everything is comfortable. We’re excited to get going. I think it’s very positive as a whole.
Q. You talked about just the comfort level with your team, with your guys. I’m curious now with Arrow McLaren’s new shop opening up, how comfortable are you in that new shop, and what’s been that experience for you?NOLAN SIEGEL: It’s great that the team has a new facility that I think sort of matches the rest of the program. Before it was a big program running out of a small space. I think it was maybe not the most comfortable for everyone. People were crammed into small offices. The cars were close together. It was definitely cramped. So it’s nice to have a bit more space now.It certainly looks the part, and everyone is settling in.I think people are still sort of getting used to the new space and getting used to things being different, but ultimately I think everybody is going to really enjoy it, and once everyone gets settled in it’s going to be a huge positive for us and just make things a bit easier on everyone.
Q. A lot of the drivers have talked about the different tools that you have at your disposal and being able to do different things as you’re navigating different portions of the racetrack. Looking ahead towards the double-header weekend, for the NASCAR fans who don’t know, walk us through what you can do in the car throughout a lap.NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, on the ovals we have the weight jacker, which we don’t have on road courses, so we can change the balance with that weight jacker, which is a really nice tool to have through a stint. We’ve got the anti-roll bars, roll stiffness in the front and rear individually, so we can use a combination of all three of those tools. That’s been another nice thing to have this testing for, because you do these long runs and you can take some time to go through all of the different positions in the bars and move the jacker around and have time to feel it out before we get to the race.
Definitely kind of increases the workload on the driver, but at the same time, if you have a problem, you do have an opportunity to try and make it better for yourself and try and fix it. I think that’s a really cool aspect to the long runs in INDYCAR.
Q. With you guys coming right back here in a couple weeks, what do you feel like are the biggest things you were able to learn in these couple of days about the track in Phoenix?NOLAN SIEGEL: I think a big one is just as a driver having been here before, obviously coming into practice 1, you get to it right away. That’s big.Then nobody has been here in a long time, so having the opportunity to try tons of things across all three cars is super helpful. I think you get to a race weekend, and sometimes with the lack of time, you’re hesitant to take big swings at things and try kind of more experimental items just because you don’t have the time to get yourself way out of the window and then work your way back, whereas here, you can take a big swing at something and if it doesn’t work, that run wasn’t good, and whatever. You come back and try something else.
It’s fun. I really enjoy testing for that reason, and it allows people to get a little bit more creative. I think we found some big, big things and got a good chunk better as a team with all three cars over these two days.Very confident with our starting point going into the race weekend. Certainly more confident with that starting point than I would have been coming to a new track without a test.
Q. With there being four races in March, how important do you feel like it is to get off to a very good start in the first three or four races?NOLAN SIEGEL: It’s always important. I think it’s important for my confidence, for the group’s confidence. It’s always nice to go to St. Pete and have a good event and build some momentum going through the first bit of the season. I think at the same time, it’s still going to be a new group for us. It’s a lot of new people that are working together for the first time and there are going to be little kinks to iron out. We’re going to continue working through that and we’re going to continue working through our program. I’m quite confident that we’ll be strong in St. Pete. I’m really excited for St. Pete. But at the same time, if you’re not, then it doesn’t really change anything for us. We keep working through it the same way.
We’ll see where we’re at. I’m confident that we’re going to be good, and we’ll try and just maximize the potential every weekend.
But I think having three back-to-back races at the start of the season is actually going to be really nice. Normally you wait so long through the off-season, everyone is ready to go, you do your one race and you’re just back to waiting again, and I think everyone is ready to go and energized for those three weekends, and it’s nice to do those back-to-backs at the start of the season when everyone is excited for it and ready for it.
Q. INDYCAR hasn’t been there in a while, but INDYCAR used to be there for a long time. Do you get the sense of the history of what that track means in INDYCAR? It’s kind of a little bit like Milwaukee to some degree. When you walk in there, you know the greats of the great have run at that track. It’s the same thing with Phoenix.NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, absolutely. I think this is kind of the heart of INDYCAR racing, right, these short ovals. It’s going to be a fun race, and it does definitely feel like it’s kind of back to the roots of series, which is really cool. Talking to — obviously we’ve got TK who’s raced here a ton; Ryan Hunter-Reay has been hanging around and has raced here a ton, as well.
I obviously watched this race growing up and watched those guys racing here growing up, and it’s cool to hear their perspective having driven the previous generations of cars here.
I really enjoy INDYCAR short oval racing. I think it does feel like the home for the series, and it just feels like this is what INDYCAR was meant for.Cool to have another short oval on the calendar, and it’s fun for it to be somewhere with so much INDYCAR history.
Q. What about the unique characteristic of the dogleg coming out of Turn 4?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, it’s interesting. I think the dogleg itself isn’t super exciting. It’s very easy flat, kind of just a straightaway. But what is different is Turns 3 and 4 are not full 180 degrees. It is kind of like a 90-degree corner that feels more like a road course corner. Having the mix of more standard sort of I would say Gateway feeling Turns 1 and 2 and then this kind of funky 90-degree big banked compression that feels like a road course is a very interesting combination and an interesting challenge to have the two of them.Really enjoy driving around this place so far.
Q. What’s it going to be like for you — everybody has grown up seeing NASCAR on TV, to actually be at a short oval with NASCAR out there the same weekend as you guys?NOLAN SIEGEL: I think it’s awesome. I really enjoyed watching the NASCAR race here last year. It was awesome, awesome racing. Very exciting.I think if we can get some NASCAR fans interested in INDYCAR, get some INDYCAR fans interested in NASCAR and just kind of have an event that’s really fun and exciting for all of the motorsports fans in general that come out — I think the more eyes on INDYCAR, the better. The more eyes on NASCAR, the better. If we can just have this be a big weekend that boosts both series, gets people excited about short oval INDYCAR racing, I think that’s a great thing. So very excited about that.
Q. You kind of mentioned earlier about Ryan and his impact on the team. How much have you been able to tap into his knowledge so far, and what role has he played outside of his role during the Indy 500?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, I actually honestly haven’t been able to talk to him as much as I would like. He’s another great resource, and I’m very lucky to have so many experienced people around me that are so willing to help.I’ve had some short conversations with Ryan about just issues I’ve had here and whether that’s something he’s experienced and how he dealt with it, and I think there are some kind of track-specific things that are a little different from other places here and how to drive around those things and what we need to work on.
It’s been nice to be able to have those chats with him, and I’m looking forward to talking to him more, and obviously when he gets in the car, it’ll be cool to listen to how he goes about things when he’s driving, as well.
Q. Nolan, as a young guy, when you come to these tracks like Phoenix, Arlington, D.C., does that give you a competitive advantage with everyone starting from square one not having been here recently?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yeah, I don’t know. It is obviously tough being newer to the series and having so many people here that have been in it for so long and have so much experience, so I do think that coming somewhere new where everyone resets a little bit is good.
At the same time, I wouldn’t say this is necessarily one of those places because we do have quite a few people here that raced here in 2018 I think was the last time we came.
There are definitely still people with more experience, but yeah, I think going to new street circuits where everyone is learning and starting from scratch is probably not the worst thing for me. I don’t think it really makes a huge difference, but I would rather be closer on experience than further away.
Q. You get to hang out with the D-backs tomorrow, right?NOLAN SIEGEL: Yes.
Q. Do you know what you’re going to do?NOLAN SIEGEL: I don’t know. I was just told that I might have to do batting practice, which sounds like it could have the potential to be very embarrassing.
Q. Can you take a 100-mile-an-hour heater?NOLAN SIEGEL: No, definitely not. I’ll do my best, and I will try not to hurt myself.Q. Do you have any experience with baseball at all?NOLAN SIEGEL: No. I think I played tee ball when I was maybe five or six years old, and that was the last time.

The Team Chevy drivers and teams head home to their shops for the weekend before making the journey to St. Petersburg, Florida, for the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Track action begins on February 27, and the race will get the green flag at 12:29 pm on March 1, airing on the FOX Network.

Media Resources: Images | Media Advances | Chevrolet Newsroom

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESPhoenix Raceway 1.0-mile short ovalAvondale, ArizonaThe Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway Session #2February 18, 2026
Avondale, Arizona (February 18, 2026) – ECR veteran Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet turned a lap at 174.542mph (20.6524 seconds) during the afternoon on the second day of the Unser Open Test at Phoenix Raceway to lead the combined timesheet after a dozen hours on the iconic 1-mile oval. Five of the top six drivers across the two-day test were Chevrolet-powered, with Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Rasmussen in the No. 21 ECR Chevrolet, David Malukas in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet all finishing the test in the top six..
Rossi led the morning session with a lap of 174.444mph (20,6370 seconds) during the three hours before lunch, leading a top five that saw four drivers sporting Bowties. Chevrolet has visited victory lane ten times at Phoenix Raceway. Rick Mears, twice and Team Penske, five times, are the winningest driver and team. Team Chevy drivers have stood on the podium at Phoenix Raceway on 25 occasions, with Bob Rahal’s three straight podiums in 1992, 1991 and 1990 leading all drivers. Team Penske leads all Chevrolet-powered teams with 12 podiums at the one-mile oval. Chevrolet and General Motors can surpass a pair of laps led milestones when they return for the Good Ranchers 250 in March. Bowtie-adorned cars have led 1990 laps at Phoenix Raceway, while drivers powered by General Motors have led 2977 laps in The Valley of the Sun. Rick Mears leads all drivers with 247 laps led.

Phoenix Raceway Combined Timesheet

Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway  General Motors (Chevrolet and Oldsmobile) Wins – 15
Chevrolet Wins – 10
2018 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2016 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2002 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske1992 – Bob Rahal – Rahal Hogan Racing1991 – Arie Luyendyk – Doug Shierson Racing1990 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1989 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1988 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1969 – George Follmer – George Follmer
Oldsmobile Wins – 5
2001 – Sam Hornish – Panther Racing2000 – Buddy Lazier – Hemelgarn Racing1999 – Scott Goodyear – Panther Racing1998 – Scott Sharp – Kelley Racing1997 – Jim Guthrie – Blueprint Racing
General Motors Poles – 13
Chevrolet Poles – 8
2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2002 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske1991 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1990 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1989 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1988 – Rick Mears – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
Oldsmobile Wins – 5
2001 – Greg Ray – Team Menard2000 – Greg Ray – Team Menard1999 – Greg Ray – Team Menard1998 – Jeff Ward – ISM Racing1997 – Tony Stewart – Team Menard
General Motors Podiums: 39
Chevrolet Podiums: 25
Driver Podiums: Bob Rahal (3), Emerson Fittipaldi (2), Rick Mears (2), Simon Pagenaud (2), Will Power (2), Al Unser Jr. (2), Mario Andretti (1), Helio Castroneves (1), Gil de Ferran (1), George Follmer (1), Scott Dixon (1), Roberto Guerrero (1), JR Hildebrand (1), Sam Hornish (1), Arie Luyendyk (1), Josef Newgarden (1), Danny Sullivan (1), Jimmy Vasser (1)
Team Podiums: Team Penske (12), Galles Racing (4), Chip Ganassi Racing (1), Doug Shierson Racing (1), ECR (1), George Follmer (1), Granatelli Racing (1), Hayhoe Racing (1), Newman Haas Racing (1), Panther Racing (1), Rahal Hogan Racing (1)
Oldsmobile Podiums: 14
Driver Podiums: Scott Goodyear (2), Buddy Lazier (2), Tony Stewart (2), Billy Boat (1), Jim Guthrie (1), Davey Hamilton (1), Donnie Beechler (1), Sam Hornish (1), Eliseo Salazar (1), Scott Sharp (1) Jeff Ward (1)
Team Podiums: A.J. Foyt Racing (3), Panther Racing (3), Hemelgarn Racing (2), Team Menard (2), Blueprint Racing (1), Cahill Racing (1), Kelley Racing (1), Pagan Racing (1)
General Motors Laps Led: 2977
Chevrolet Laps Led: 1990
Driver Laps Led: Rick Mears (247), Bob Rahal (242), Mario Andretti (198), Helio Castroneves (174), Scott Dixon (155), Paul Tracy (151), Will Power (139), Arie Luyendyk (129), Simon Pagenaud (119), Michael Andretti (88), Sam Hornish (67), Al Unser Jr. (65), Juan Montoya (56), Danny Sullivan (53), Josef Newgarden (32), George Follmer (29), Gil de Ferran (15), Kevin Cogan (13), Emerson Fittipaldi (10), Eliseo Salazar (7), Tomas Scheckter (1)
Team Laps Led: Team Penske (996), Newman Haas Racing (286), Rahal Hogan Racing (200), Chip Ganassi Racing (155), Doug Shierson Racing (129), Panther Racing(68), Galles Racing (68), Kelley Racing (39), George Follmer (29), Patrick Racing (13),  A.J. Foyt Racing (7)
Oldsmobile Laps Led: 987
Driver Laps Led: Tony Stewart (212), Sam Hornish (140), Scott Goodyear (134), Scott Sharp (94), Jim Guthrie (74), Greg Ray (61), Buddy Lazier (45), Billy Boat (41), Stephan Gregoire (36), Eddie Cheever (28), Jeff Ward (25), Kenny Brack (24), Al Unser Jr. (22), Mark Dismore (14), Affonso Giaffone (13), Robbie McGehee (11),  Robbie Buhl (5), Helio Castroneves (4), Gil de Ferran (3), Donnie Beechler (1)
Team Laps Led: Panther Racing (274), Team Menard (273), Kelley Racing (104), Blueprint Racing (74), Galles Racing (46), A.J. Foyt Racing (45), Hemelgarn Racing (45),  Dick Simon Racing (36), Team Cheever (28), ISM Racing (25), Chitwood Motorsports (13), Treadway Racing (11), Team Penske (7), Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (5), Cahil Racing (1)
Manufacturer History at Phoenix International Raceway
Wins  17 – Cosworth (1987, 1986 #2, 1986 #2, 1985, 1984 #2, 1984 #1, 1983, 1982 #2, 1982 #1, 1981 #2, 1981 #1, 1980, 1979 #2, 1979 #1, 1978 #2, 1977 #1, 1976 #2)15 – General Motors (Chevrolet & Oldsmobile)13 – Offenhauser – (1976 #1, 1975 #1, 1974 #2, 1974 #1, 1973, 1972 #2, 1972 #1, 1968 #2, 1968 #1, 1967#1, 1965 #1, 1964 #2, 1964 #1)12 – Ford (1996, 1995, 1993, 1971 #2, 1971 #1, 1970 #2, 1970 #1, 1969 #2, 1967 #2, 1966 #2, 1966 #1, 1965 #2)10 – Chevrolet (2018, 2017, 2016, 2002, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1969 #1)5 – Oldsmobile (2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997)2- DGS (1978 #1, 1977 #2)2 – Honda (2004, 2003)1 – Toyota (2005)1 – Ilmor (1994)1- Foyt (1975 #2)
Poles18 – Cosworth (1986 #2, 1986 #1, 1985, 1984 #2, 1984 #1, 1983, 1982 #2, 1982 #1, 1981 #2, 1981#1, 1980, 1979 #2, 1979 #1, 1978 #2, 1978 #1, 1977 #2, 1977 #1, 1976 #1)14 – Offenhauser (1976 #2, 1975 #1, 1974 #2, 1974 #1, 1973, 1972 #2, 1972 #1, 1971 #2, 1971 #1, 1968 #2, 1968 #2, 1967 #1, 1965 #2, 1964 #1)13 – General Motors (Chevrolet and Oldsmobile)13 – Ford (1996, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1970 #2, 1970 #1, 1969 #2, 1969 #1, 1967 #2, 1966 #2, 1966 #1, 1965 #1, 1964 #2)8 – Chevrolet (2017, 2016, 2002, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Oldsmobile (2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997)4 – Honda (2018, 2005, 2004, 2003)1 – DGS (1975 #2)1 – Ilmor (1994

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ARP Continues Support of Grassroots Drag Racing

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

By Drag Illustrated

While ARP (Automotive Racing Products) has long been an NHRA Major Sponsor, posting for use of its head studs (or bolts) for all Sportsman categories at all National events, the company also supports grassroots racers in other venues.

At the upcoming Good Vibrations March Meet, to be held on March 5-8 at Famoso Dragstrip near Bakersfield, California, ARP is the presenting sponsor of Heritage T/F and Funny Car categories with cash awards to the event winners and quickest qualifiers. ARP is also providing a cash bonus for the No. 1 AA/Fuel Altered qualifier and the event winner.

On the opposite site of the country, ARP is lending its support to the Southeast Gassers Association and posting contingency awards at its 10-race schedule. The popular series pays homage to the wild, wheelstanding early iron that roamed the nation’s drag strips in the sport’s halcyon days.

ARP is also continuing its support of the Contingency Connection, which offers benefits to grassroots competitors at a large number of tracks across the United States.

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ARP Continues Support of Grassroots Drag Racing

ByDrag Illustrated

Published 1 day ago

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ARP is also continuing its support of the Contingency Connection, which offers benefits to grassroots competitors at a large number of tracks across the United States.

For additional information on the wide variety of ARP fasteners available for your race car or street machine download the new 2026 catalog at www.ARPcatalog.com or request a free printed copy. For personalized technical assistance call 800-826-3045.

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DOUG FOLEY TRANSITIONS TO TEAM OWNER ROLE GARY PRITCHETT NAMED 2026 TOP FUEL DRIVER

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

DOUG FOLEY TRANSITIONS TO TEAM OWNER ROLE;
GARY PRITCHETT NAMED 2026 TOP FUEL DRIVER

MOORESVILLE, NC (February 18, 2026) — Doug Foley Racing announced today that Doug Foley will transition from driving duties to a full-time team owner role beginning with the 2026 season. Gary Pritchett has been named driver of the team’s Top Fuel dragster.

“We are going to do a driver swap in 2026,” Foley said. “I am going to get out of the seat. And I just felt like we could be better all the way around and I kind of wanted to focus more on just taking the team to another level, and so I decided to get out of the seat.”

Gary Pritchett will take over Top Fuel driving duties for Doug Foley in 2026, photo courtesy of Doug Foley Racing

DOUG FOLEY TRANSITIONS TO TEAM OWNER ROLE;
GARY PRITCHETT NAMED 2026 TOP FUEL DRIVER

MOORESVILLE, NC (February 18, 2026) — Doug Foley Racing announced today that Doug Foley will transition from driving duties to a full-time team owner role beginning with the 2026 season. Gary Pritchett has been named driver of the team’s Top Fuel dragster.

“We are going to do a driver swap in 2026,” Foley said. “I am going to get out of the seat. And I just felt like we could be better all the way around and I kind of wanted to focus more on just taking the team to another level, and so I decided to get out of the seat.”

Gary Pritchett will take over Top Fuel driving duties for Doug Foley in 2026, photo courtesy of Doug Foley Racing

Foley, a veteran Top Fuel competitor and multi-time IHRA event winner, said the move allows him to focus on strengthening the organization both competitively and commercially.

“I just didn’t feel like our team was at the level it could be, and that’s my goal to fix that,” Foley said.

The team will compete in a combination of NHRA and IHRA events in 2026. Foley said the hybrid schedule provides opportunities for growth while maintaining a competitive presence across both sanctioning bodies.

Pritchett, a former Top Alcohol Dragster competitor and longtime Top Fuel crew member, earned his Top Fuel license in 2015 under the guidance of crew chief Doug Kuch.

“Doug Kuch actually got me my Top Fuel license back in 2015 in Charlotte and coming full circle,” Pritchett said. “I feel like all the stars are kind of aligning and really excited for the opportunity.”

Pritchett said the opportunity represents a career milestone.

“It feels like I got the opportunity I’ve been waiting on my whole life,” he said.

Additional announcements regarding partnerships and testing plans for the 2026 season will be released in the coming weeks.

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Hull Racing Adds Crew Chief Matt Bynum andFocuses on Strong Start in Gainesville

February 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Hull Racing Adds Crew Chief Matt Bynum and
Focuses on Strong Start in Gainesville

DALLAS (February 19, 2026) — Team owner and Funny Car driver Buddy Hull is building his newly formed Hull Racing team on a foundation of performance, safety and strong relationships. The past two months have seen a flurry of activity in Hull’s race shop located just south of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex by long-time crew chief Mike Guger and new addition veteran crew chief Matt Bynum. With two Funny Cars in the shop the tandem has been meticulously going over every part and piece of the operation preparing for their season debut at the historic Gatornationals, March 5-8, 2026. Hull is excited about the beginning of a new era in his career.

“I have been a team owner and a team driver but this new endeavor, Hull Racing, has me so excited for my future,” said Hull. “This is a family-owned team with my wife Madi and my son Maverick. We are building a program that I am very proud of. Having Matt join Mike to tune this Funny Car gives me a lot of confidence for the long term. Matt has a background like mine, and I am really looking forward to working with him and seeing the success he and Mike can have with this team.”

Matt Bynum (left) and Buddy Hull are looking forward to getting season started in Gainesville,
photo credit Werner Communications

Hull Racing Adds Crew Chief Matt Bynum and
Focuses on Strong Start in Gainesville

DALLAS (February 19, 2026) — Team owner and Funny Car driver Buddy Hull is building his newly formed Hull Racing team on a foundation of performance, safety and strong relationships. The past two months have seen a flurry of activity in Hull’s race shop located just south of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex by long-time crew chief Mike Guger and new addition veteran crew chief Matt Bynum. With two Funny Cars in the shop the tandem has been meticulously going over every part and piece of the operation preparing for their season debut at the historic Gatornationals, March 5-8, 2026. Hull is excited about the beginning of a new era in his career.

“I have been a team owner and a team driver but this new endeavor, Hull Racing, has me so excited for my future,” said Hull. “This is a family-owned team with my wife Madi and my son Maverick. We are building a program that I am very proud of. Having Matt join Mike to tune this Funny Car gives me a lot of confidence for the long term. Matt has a background like mine, and I am really looking forward to working with him and seeing the success he and Mike can have with this team.”

Matt Bynum (left) and Buddy Hull are looking forward to getting season started in Gainesville,
photo credit Werner Communications

Bynum joins Hull Racing after years working on nitro Funny Cars with several top-level teams including Blake Alexander, Del Worsham and Alexis DeJoria. Bynum also has extensive success in the nostalgia Funny Car ranks.

“Funny Car is a premiere category and working with Buddy is something fresh and new,” said Bynum. “This is a chance to build on what I have been doing over the past several years. Buddy and I have the same mindset. We want to stay within ourselves and make full runs without smoking the tires. We are going to be consistent, safe and quick.”

Hull is proud to be working with one of the youngest crew chiefs in the sport and helping build the future of his team. Bynum, 34, has worked with some of the brightest minds in drag racing and he is eager to join Guger and continue to build a quality program.

“I am always looking to give young talent a chance to shine whether it is one the racetrack or with my business Vertex General Contractors,” said Hull. “I want to work with people who are hungry for success and have a great positive attitude. Matt has come into the shop and really continued to move us in the right direction. He and I have had several conversations about racing and life. This is going to be an exciting season for sure.”

Over the off-season Hull along with Guger and Bynum have been adding parts and inventory to their Funny Car team which includes a primary Funny Car along with a back-up Funny Car and all the supporting materials. Hull recently announced Red Line Oil as a sponsor and he has a marketing relationship with Five Star Ford, a major Dallas/Ft. Worth-based dealership. Additional sponsorship announcements will be made in the coming weeks leading up to the Gatornationals.

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Atlanta Advance

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE EchoPark Speedway February 21-22, 2026

NASCAR is set to face yet another weekend of superspeedway-style racing as all three national touring series will head south to the suburbs of Atlanta to take on the 1.54-mile oval of EchoPark Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

The tripleheader weekend will kick-off with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) on Saturday afternoon, where the event’s defending winner, Kyle Busch, will return to the seat of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to make his first NCTS appearance of the season. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) will then take its turn later that evening as Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill looks to continue to stack onto his already impressive superspeedway stats with back-to-back victories to open the 2026 season. Rounding out the weekend on Sunday is the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), with hometown hero, Chase Elliott, looking for redemption after a heartbreaking end to his pursuit for his first Harley J. Earl trophy last week at Daytona. Entering its fifth season of competition on the track’s reconfigured surface, Chevrolet continues to be the only manufacturer to find victory lane in all three national divisions – entering the weekend with five NCS wins, six NOAPS wins and three NCTS wins.

STATEMENT SEASON-OPENER IN THE NOAPSComing off a record season in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Chevrolet picked up right where it left off with a near-dominate performance at Daytona International Speedway. With a front-row sweep in qualifying courtesy of the pair of Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet’s, Austin Hill went on to take both stage wins en route to the organization’s fifth-straight season-opening race win. On top of the victory, the manufacturer led all but two laps of the event with seven Team Chevy drivers tallying a combined 118 laps led. At the checkered flag, it was the Bowtie brigade that swept the top-20 positions of the final running order – a feat accomplished by 11 different organizations that are competing under the Chevrolet banner.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at EchoPark Speedway: Chase Elliott – two wins (July 2025; July 2022)William Byron – two wins (July 2023; March 2022)Kyle Busch – two wins (Sept. 2013, March 2008)Daniel Suarez – one win (Feb. 2024)

·        In 123 NASCAR Cup Series races held at EchoPark Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 victories. Since the reconfiguration of the 1.54-Georgia venue prior to the start of the 2022 season, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer to reach victory lane in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions – leading the way with five NCS wins, six NOAPS and three NCTS wins.

·        Since the debut of the Next Gen Cars in 2022, Chevrolet has won 13 of the 25 superspeedway-style races in the NASCAR Cup Series – recorded by seven drivers from four different Chevrolet teams:

·        In 145 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 67 victories – a winning percentage of 46.2%.

·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.

·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 881 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader 400Sunday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m. ETFOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesBennett Transportation & Logistics 250Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. ETCW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesFr8 Racing 208Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1:30 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat is your most memorable moment racing in Atlanta?“Before I ever drove, I went and watched a race that Kyle Busch won, I think it was 2008. Another memorable moment was backing up to Christopher Bell off turn two to get some energy to make a run for the win on big Will Byron.” What is the key to winning at Atlanta?“At EchoPark Speedway, to finish first, first you must finish. We’ve seen big crashes with the new reconfiguration. So my goal is to have air in all four tires and have them pointed somewhat in the right direction toward the end of the race to give us a shot at the win.” Are you looking forward to EchoPark Speedway after Daytona?“Having one race under the belt with my new crew chief, Brandon McSwain, is great. I feel like everything went well in Daytona. We don’t have any practice at Atlanta but I’m confident the car will be good. It’ll be a little more traditional weekend at EchoPark since we aren’t there for a week (laughs), but it’s great to have the season started and get back into a routine. It’s the first Wendy’s paint scheme of the year which is cool. They always have fun promotions in their app so I hope everyone takes advantage of them.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletEchoPark Speedway changed a lot with the repave and the reconfiguration, but how has it changed since? Where are we with the evolution? “I think EchoPark Speedway is gaining character from the winters, and just the passing of time. That place is so banked, and you’re starting to find little bumps and stuff that were in it from the beginning that are getting bigger. It’s a cool style of racing. It’s a lot different than what we all envisioned a repave of EchoPark Speedway would be, I think. It’s speedway racing but with an important handling component. Handling is going to become more and more important as the track wears. I had a lot of fun in previous races there, even though we’ve been caught up in some messes.” It’s very easy to get caught up in somebody else’s problems at EchoPark Speedway… “It seems like it is, because two years ago that was probably the best car I’ve had going there. We were just riding along and the wreck happens and you’re in it. I mean, if you’re within a car length, it’s very tough to get away from the wreck at EchoPark Speedway.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow do you view Atlanta? Is it a superspeedway or an intermediate racetrack?“I don’t think it’s either in my opinion. I think it’s a hybrid track and the reason why I like it so much is because it is very different. It doesn’t race like a 1.5-mile track but it also doesn’t race like a superspeedway, either, because everything happens so quick. The way the track is built, the speed in the corners, the banking is just completely different when you compare it to another 1.5 mile track, for example, Kansas Speedway. So, the way I see it, yes maybe on paper people call Atlanta a superspeedway with that style of racing, but to me it’s a hybrid.”
How mentally taxing is Atlanta compared to other tracks?“Atlanta is very mentally exhausting. At most 1.5-mile tracks, you usually get some space after five or 10 laps to move around, and at superspeedways, it’s intense but mostly in the first 15 laps. At Atlanta, you never get space—you can’t relax or reset. Even running 25th, it’s still super intense. You have to go full speed and constantly learn and adjust during the race. There’s no time to think about what just happened because everything happens so fast.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletTalk about racing at EchoPark Speedway and what it’s like.“EchoPark Speedway is an entirely different track than what it used to be. No more old age asphalt and running and strategy to have the best tires at the end. It’s a speedway race. It’s all everybody on top of one another and there’s a lot of chess matches going on. So trying to figure out the best lane to be in, where you want to be on that last lap, do you want to be leading, do you want to be second, it just kind of depends on the situations and the runs and the energy that is happening behind you from the other cars to push you forward.” Talk about the chaotic nature of racing in Atlanta.“Atlanta has gotten pretty chaotic, anything can happen. Any moment, we’re pushing each other, bumping each other, and more times than not we’re crashing down the straightaways. It’s a tricky little racetrack because it’s a mile-and-a-half. So the superspeedway aspect of it, at a mile-and-a-half, the speed sensation is so much higher. So, it’s really a fun place to race, but yet a big challenge on the drivers.” How do you balance the aggression of racing there, and surviving?“You want to be aggressive at Atlanta because you want to get up towards the front. You want to make those moves to get yourself in position, and everybody else is also trying to do that, so you got 30-40 drivers vying for that number one position, and it gets a little bit hectic. But, you know, you’ve got to wait. It’s a long race, you can’t be wrecking and piling up 30 something cars in Turn 3 in the first stage it just makes zero sense. So trying to find a way to make it through the wrecks and not get caught up in one.” Do you like just getting up and rolling, or would you prefer some practice when it comes to speedway racing?“I would like practice. I feel like us being able to get out there, make a couple of runs and shake things out, finalize your heights and put everything where you want it to be, and then go qualify. I feel like that’s okay, we’re talking 20 minutes of practice we get every week anyway, so let’s just do it.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletThoughts after Daytona?“I’m really happy after Speedweeks. We showed great speed in every session and race. A top-15 after everything that went on Sunday around us is pretty good. Our team worked well together, communicated like we should and had a really good strategy. We have some things to clean up on the execution side, but I know we will fix that. I expect we’ll run well this Sunday in Atlanta.”
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“It’s kind of a quasi-superspeedway, I mean everybody’s running in a pack, and it’s intense. It definitely feels as fast inside the race car as the racetrack looks from the outside. It’s probably one of the most intense races we have, mentally and even somewhat physically.
In the past, we’ve had good cars there and some strong finishes. At the end of the day, it’s the same deal, put yourself in the right position, try to miss the wrecks, and hopefully go there, be strong, and execute the race weekend the way we need to.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Coming out of Daytona with a second-place finish gives our whole team a lot of confidence heading into Atlanta. We had a fast race car, executed well, and that momentum is something we want to keep building on. Atlanta races a lot like a superspeedway now, so drafting, track position, and making smart decisions all day are going to be important. Having Chef Boyardee on the car makes it even more fun and we’re ready to go fight for another strong finish.”
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet“Hendrick Motorsports had a strong showing in Daytona, which is really positive to see with the new Chevrolet body. Obviously, for our No. 48 Ally team, being in the wrong place at the wrong time ended our day early last weekend. With what we saw out of the car, we’re ready to get to Atlanta, another drafting track, and see what we can accomplish. We have shown speed there, had good runs in the past and we’ll look to continue building on that.”
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“At Atlanta, you’re laser-focused on the racetrack and what’s going on directly in front of you. You don’t have time to think or even breathe. It’s more difficult than Daytona in that regard.
Atlanta takes superspeedway racing to the extreme, where we’re drafting on an even smaller, tighter track. It makes the margin of error razor thin, almost non-existent. You’re basically at the whim of everything going on around you. You want to know that you’ve got a racecar that’s going to stay underneath you as the tires wear off throughout the run. It’s about having a good-handling, well-balanced racecar.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat did you learn during Atlanta last year that you can use for this weekend?“I am looking forward to going to Atlanta with B’laster on our Spire Motorsports Chevy. We obviously had some troubles there on the No. 71 last year and rallied back to the lead lap, but 77 had a great run there at the end of the race; Carson was one of the fastest cars. So, we have a good notebook and good momentum coming off Daytona with having cars that had lots of speed and handled well, now going to another drafting semi-speedway track to hopefully redeem ourselves from Daytona.”
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat about the new configuration at Atlanta has clicked for you?“I’ve been envious and watched a bunch of races at the old bumpy Daytona. Every time I get to run Atlanta it just makes me think about bumpy Daytona where you can draft by yourself. You don’t need anybody. You can just make moves and time things. It’s basically all offense. It just works for me. If this move didn’t work, I’ll get back in line and make the next one. And if that didn’t work, I’ll make the next one. Eventually, one of my six moves is going to work and I’ll gain spots. Ultimately, I’m just smiling the whole time because it reminds me of those nostalgic 2000s era races at Daytona. Atlanta provides the opportunity and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, so that’s the best thing we got.” How do you balance the disappointment of the finish of last weekend’s Daytona 500 with the optimism of Atlanta this weekend?“Well we ran second in the Duel on Thursday, and were right where we needed to be on Sunday. We were leading coming to the white, but obviously, things just didn’t work out. I’m not too disappointed knowing we were where we needed to be and there isn’t really anything I could have done to prevent the outcome. If anything, I am more confident for Atlanta this weekend.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletAfter a busy week in Daytona, are you looking forward to getting back to more normal race weekend at EchoPark Speedway? “It’s going to be nice to have a nice, short weekend. Atlanta is a really chaotic racetrack. I’ve got Tootsies on my car for the first time which is really cool and getting to experience what it’s going to be like to get in the rhythm of things and understand what it’s like to be a full-time Cup driver and that starts this weekend. It’s going to be a long season but I’m excited for each and every weekend.” How big of a factor is handling at EchoPark Speedway?“Every time we go back to EchoPark Speedway it gets harder and harder to hold it wide open around that place. When it’s three-wide and you’re hanging on to your racecar it’s superspeedway racing but your car isn’t handling well it makes for some pretty crazy racing and it’s certainly intense behind the wheel too. Everything happens quicker but it makes for a lot of fun behind the wheel.” What is the racing like at EchoPark Speedway like in a Cup car? “You’re on the edge of being flat-out the entire time. It’s very, very close quarters racing and everyone is in a pack. Anything can happen at any time, and we saw that last year. It’s a very exciting race and it opens up a lot of opportunities for guys who maybe don’t have the chance to win every week.” How much did you learn at Daytona that will help you this week? “A lot of things, just understanding how these Cup cars race in the draft and just how different they are. It’s a big learning curve for me so figuring that out is crucial. I had a good day in Daytona and learned a lot.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat does race at EchoPark Speedway compare too? Do you like the racing there?“It’s kind of like a mile and a half, the way it kind of drives but the racing is one of the most fun ovals, I think. You’re always jockeying for position and trying to put yourself in the right spot. I really like the racing there.” How intense is it racing there (EchoPark Speedway)? Is it more mental or physical?“Oh, it’s all mental. You’re trying to think, and I always find myself getting too excited, then you end up going bottom of three, then you have no help down the straights, and you just get shucked back. It’s a real challenge to have patience there.” Is the drafting hard for you? Or do you feel like you kind of got that down?“No, I’m still learning and trying to make friends, I guess. People leave you for no reason, or you do something wrong and lose the trust of people. It takes a while to understand how to put your car in the right place.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEEchoPark SpeedwayFebruary 21-22, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11) Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007) 2026 STATISTICS: Wins: 0Poles: 1Laps Led: 67Top-Fives: 2Top-10s: 2Stage Wins: 0 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 881 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 767Laps led to date: 256,801Top-fives to date: 4,438Top-10s to date: 9,153 Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date: General Motors: 1,215 Chevrolet: 881 Pontiac: 154 Oldsmobile: 115 Buick: 65 Ford: 847 Ford: 747 Mercury: 96 Lincoln: 4 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467 Dodge: 217 Plymouth: 191 Chrysler: 59 Toyota: 204

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Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown sets nine-race schedule for 2026 season, Mark Pawuk Looking for Three-Peat

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CLEVELAND, OH (February 18, 2026) — Flexjet, a global leader in private aviation, will continue as the title sponsor of the exciting NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, which will make nine appearances at NHRA national events during the upcoming 2026 season. Two-time world champion Mark Pawuk will be looking to make it three championships in a row when the series kicks off at the historic Gatornationals, March 5-8, 2026. Competitors from across the country will be battling it out on the track in Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet factory hot rods.

Mark Pawuk captured his second consecutive Flexjet Factory Stock Series world championship in St. Louis , photo credit Auto Imagery

Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown sets nine-race schedule for 2026 season, Mark Pawuk Looking for Three-Peat

CLEVELAND, OH (February 18, 2026) — Flexjet, a global leader in private aviation, will continue as the title sponsor of the exciting NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, which will make nine appearances at NHRA national events during the upcoming 2026 season. Two-time world champion Mark Pawuk will be looking to make it three championships in a row when the series kicks off at the historic Gatornationals, March 5-8, 2026. Competitors from across the country will be battling it out on the track in Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet factory hot rods.

Mark Pawuk captured his second consecutive Flexjet Factory Stock Series world championship in St. Louis , photo credit Auto Imagery

The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series will add an extra race for 2026 and will begin its season at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., on March 5-8 before heading to Charlotte, N.C. for the four-wide race on April 24-26. From there, the class will race at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago on May 14-17, followed by races at picturesque Bristol Dragway on June 12-14 and then fan-favorite Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, on June 25-28.

The category will take a summer break following the Norwalk race, returning to action as part of the prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown class will stay busy to close out the season, racing at US 131 Motorsports Park on Sept. 18-20 and then at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis on Oct. 2-4.

The added ninth race will also serve as the finale, as the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown will close out the 2026 season at Texas Motorplex on Oct. 14-18 as part of the track’s massive Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA Fall Nationals.

The Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category has provided thrilling action for several years, with some of drag racing’s top drivers competing for the prestigious Wally behind the wheel of Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks. In 2025, Pawuk clinched his second straight championship on the strength of event wins in Norwalk and Bristol. He was also the runner-up in Charlotte, holding off a strong charge from Jason and Taylor Dietsch, who won a combined four races.

The popular Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Bounty Program will also return in 2026. Established during the 2021 season, the program puts a “bounty” on the winner of the previous event.

2026 FLEXJET NHRA FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE

March 5-8: 57th annual NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.

April 24-26: 16th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, N.C.

May 14-17: 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago

June 12-14: 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.

June 25-28: 20th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio

Sept. 2-7: 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis

Sept. 18-20: Inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals, US 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Mich.

Oct. 2-4: 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis

Oct. 14-18: 41st annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas

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Seven-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr Returns to AMA Pro Racing as Series Director of Progressive American Flat Track

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Chris Carr riding with the number one plate in 2002. [Photo: Dave Hoenig for AMA Pro Racing]Download high-resolution photo from AMA Pro’s Digital Asset Management systemDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 18, 2026) – AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce the appointment of seven-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr as the Series Director of Progressive American Flat Track. Effective immediately, Carr will oversee all competition-related aspects of the series as it enters an exciting new chapter of growth and evolution. “We’re proud to welcome Chris Carr back to AMA Pro Racing,” said Gene Crouch, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “Chris understands this sport at the highest levels: as a champion, a leader, and a steward of its incredible history. He brings unmatched credibility, integrity, and competitive insight that will strengthen our riders, teams and manufacturer ecosystem while elevating the fan experience nationwide.” One of the most accomplished riders in the history of American motorcycle racing, Carr’s career spans decades at the top of the sport. His championship success, institutional knowledge, and deep relationships across the industry uniquely position him to guide Progressive American Flat Track’s competition strategy. “I’m excited to return to AMA Pro Racing and take on the role of Series Director for Progressive American Flat Track,” said Carr. “Flat track has defined my life. I look forward to working alongside riders, teams, manufacturers, and partners to ensure safe, fair, and fiercely competitive racing that honors our history and builds our future.” In his new role, Carr will manage season calendar development and event planning, event operations and safety protocols, rulebook evolution and technical regulations, rider and team relations, new rider evaluations and licensing, and strategic initiatives including the Road to AFT talent development program. He will serve as the primary competition liaison among riders, teams, manufacturers, promoters and officials, with fairness, safety and integrity as the guiding principles that define his leadership and shape the championship’s competitive standards. Next UpThe 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season will kick off with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA doubleheader at the DAYTONA Flat Track during Daytona’s Bike Week festivities. The twin short track races will take place at the “World Center of Racing” on Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6. To purchase tickets to the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I & II, please visit: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack. After the season opener, America’s Original Extreme Sport will head north for the Yamaha Atlanta Short Track at Senoia Raceway on March 21. Tickets are available now at https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-atlanta-short-track-165280 How to Watch

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Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Pato O’Ward

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Tuesday, February 17, 2026Pato O’Ward Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. We wanted to set the stage for this week’s Unser INDYCAR Open test here at Phoenix Raceway. It’s great to be back at Phoenix Raceway.
Alex Palou joins us, driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, four-time reigning NTT INDYCAR Series champion after really a dominating performance last year, eight wins, 19 for his career.This season will go for the rare four-peat, trying to become just the second driver in the history of the INDYCAR Series to do that and the first since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.
Pato O’Ward also joins us driving the No.5 McLaren Chevrolet beginning his seventh full season in the NTT INDYCAR Series. He is a nine-time winner in the series after having two wins last year; also a seven-time pole winner after adding two pole positions in 2025.
THE MODERATOR: Pato, welcome to Phoenix Raceway. I think there’s only four drivers that have had any experience here: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Scott Dixon. How much are you looking forward to really learning about this race course?
PATO O’WARD: Yeah, this is a new race for me just like it is for Alex. It looks a bit of a mix of maybe Gateway, Iowa; obviously looks old school, typical INDYCAR. Yeah, hopefully we can get a second lane working.Honestly, I haven’t really watched the 2018 Phoenix race, so it’s been a while since I’ve seen INDYCARs go around this place, at least online. So we’ll see what it’s all about, but it looks quite quick, and our race weekend truly starts here because it’s coming up very quickly. Lots of work to do.
Q.  Pato, your times weren’t the greatest at Sebring, so I’m curious –PATO O’WARD: That was straightforward (laughing). We cannot read too much into Sebring. We’ve done well there, we’ve done bad there, and not a lot of influences into what St. Pete usually looks like.
We were just testing a lot of the things that we obviously worked on during the off-season with obviously the sets of tires and stuff. We weren’t there to set the fastest time with what we wanted to try.
I would say, yeah, I don’t think it was full-on performance running where we were trying to set the fastest lap time.
But I’m not worried. I’m happy with what we’ve found and developed over the off-season. I know there’s been a lot of work going into that.
Yeah, hopefully you’re not asking me this after St. Pete.
Q.  With it being your first time racing here in INDYCAR, what things are you looking for in this test, as you said, Pato, as this is kind of the beginning of the Phoenix race weekend? What are you looking for as you go out there this week?
PATO O’WARD: I mean, it’s a new oval to the calendar for most parties involved, apart from the three or four guys that have ran here before.INDYCAR oval racing really is obviously part of what the fans love here. I think I share the same passion as a lot of the other guys in terms of racing. It’s just obviously very different to street courses and road courses, so it’s been good to add a new one.
Yeah, we’ll see what it’s all about. I really don’t know what to expect in terms of what the racing is going to look like, but I’m assuming we’re probably going to do a two-lane session this weekend to try and bring that up to life a little bit and see if guys can be running up there because we obviously want the race to be good enough for cars to be exploring rather than just the one-lane zone.
Q.  For both of you, what would you come away from these couple of days of testing kind of seeing as being a success, and what are you really wanting to achieve from this test?
Q.  Anything different from your side, Pato?PATO O’WARD: No. I mean, obviously the ovals you would think would be more of a caution whenever the car isn’t really to your liking. You obviously need something that is under you to be able to just be running out there really. If it’s not, then it really is a big delta from one to the other.Like what Alex said, you have to be comfortable, you have to be happy with what you have, and this will be a huge opportunity to see the car in every aspect rather than just a performance run and then kind of guessing what the car is going to be like in the first stint.
Q.  We’ve kind of heard people mentioning about, oh, there could be a benefit of having Phoenix before the 500. But obviously with it being quite a different oval, is there any benefit to having that before the 500 in terms of another oval race to start the season?
PATO O’WARD: You know, we’ve both been part of years where there’s nothing before the 500 and then where there is. Indy is Indy; like Indy is very different. Even when we had Texas before Indy, it doesn’t fully translate. Indy just decides what it wants, and obviously the car can be good one day, and then the other day it’s like, what’s going on with it. Indy is its own beast.I would say it really doesn’t have too much of a comparison if we were to start with an oval or not.
Q.  The fact that there’s three races right off the bat, have you guys done anything differently in terms of your conditioning, either physical or mental, to be able to be ready for that? You’re race drivers; you’d run every weekend if you could. But in INDYCAR it’s a little bit different start to the season. Have you made any changes to your regimen to get ready for it?
PATO O’WARD: Not really. Just build on what maybe you feel like you lacked in last year or whatnot. But I guess it can be quite specific to maybe a certain muscle or something that you need to be working on. But all in all, it’s quite close.
I try and keep it very — a variety, basically, not just all weight training, and that seems to keep me entertained the best. That’s what I try to do in the off-season.
Q.  At this stage in your careers, how do you approach test sessions such as this differently than you may have done in the past?
PATO O’WARD: I mean, obviously when you start a day when you don’t know the racetrack, maybe it’s a little bit different to maybe a track that you’ve already known, so I would say it’s kind of like going just to any new tracks. You don’t quite know — for the teams that haven’t really tested here since 2018, obviously, the aero is different because of the aeroscreen and all that stuff, so things have changed. So you first just need to see if you’re in the window and you’re in a place where you can start evolving from that package that you’ve brought.
So I think that’s the biggest thing, at least for us in Arrow McLaren, just trying to get that underway and then really build on that. But no certain specifics I would say.
Q.  You talked about the FOX commercials earlier. There’s a lot of cross-promotion this year with the trucks of St. Pete, O’Reilly is joining you guys on Saturday. What are you most excited for in terms of Phoenix weekend crossing over with fans, the drivers, anything you guys are in particular looking forward to?
PATO O’WARD: Obviously FOX have done a phenomenal job with trying to keep growing our sport, right, our brand, the INDYCAR brand, our personal brands, as well. We’re two of the lucky ones that got this shot, not just once but twice, the first one being a Super Bowl commercial and then now with the second part of them.
I know that weekend that we’re here is a NASCAR weekend, which is why we’re racing on Saturday afternoon, but even in the past when we’ve had weekends with them, we obviously see them around, but we don’t really — we’ve got our own kind of hectic schedule going on, so there really isn’t much crossover rather than just hearing them in engineering meetings on the track, very loud.
PATO O’WARD: Just different rubbers. The NASCAR rubber sometimes affects the INDYCARs a little bit differently than obviously if it’s just all Firestone rubber for us.
Sometimes it varies from track to track, so you just have to wait for the rate weekend and see if it decides to throw the balance upside down or not.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026David MalukasPress Conference
THE MODERATOR: David Malukas joins us P1 today and day one of the Unser INDYCAR open test here at Phoenix Raceway driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Best lap at 172.605 miles an hour. Your first impressions of Phoenix Raceway, your thoughts?
DAVID MALUKAS: I love it. Very, very nice. From just the difference one and two, three and four, it’s almost giving me similarities to Gateway in St. Louis, just having that difference between the two and trying to get the car setup how you like it in that short time frame on the back straight and getting the car swapped with the tools that we have in the car to get that good lap time.For me, so far very good day. Enjoyed it.
THE MODERATOR: You do pretty well at World Wide Technology Raceway.DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, engineers were saying that, Hey, if you like Gateway, this might be another one that you might like to add to your list. So far I think they were right. Like it a lot. It’s nice.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll open it up for questions.
Q.  Some drivers may not really care where they are on the sheet, but I’m curious for you, just being new at Penske, does it matter maybe a little bit more?DAVID MALUKAS: I think it’s hard for test days, because you know, you’re running through your own plans, but I mean, of course, it feels good.We know that we have pace. The car is good, and we’ve kicked off our oval set with the team on a strong suit. So I feel confident, but is it what we were aiming for today? No, we just ran through our test plan, and we managed to get a time up on the board.
Does it feel good? Yeah, I would say it feels good.
Q.  Have you had much interaction with the Penske NASCAR drivers, and how much will you feel like you’ll either interact or pay attention to what they’re doing here in a couple of weeks?DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I had a little bit of interaction with them a few weeks ago. Just doing some preseason content with them. Yeah, we had a good time. I had a good conversation.
I think we’ll definitely talk to them. Obviously they’ve been here before many times, and obviously can get whatever data we can. Obviously it’s different cars though, so yeah, we’ll have a good time with them.
Q.  Speaking about the difference in cars, their pole speed was 133.7 miles an hour in November, so just can you give us a little bit feel the sensation of how fast this place is?
DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, it’s very, very fast. When you are going through especially one and two, I mean, we are on the limit.
Even myself, you know, the first few laps coming in, I thought, Oh, you know, I saw Josef put a time up. I’m, like, Man, I don’t know how he’s doing that. You actually keep pushing the car, and you are, like, Oh, this thing, it can take a lot of grip. It’s very quick.
It’s definitely going to be already one of my favorite tracks just to drive in. Obviously racing is going to be a completely different beast to see how that handles. We didn’t get any race running today, so I think that’s going to be something more that we’re looking into tomorrow and hopefully try and get an idea of is racing going to be good here. I truly do hope so it will be.
Q.  You talked about that the Sebring test, getting comfortable first with the car and then also getting comfortable with the Penske way. I’m curious, now that you’ve had time to get settled into the car, how are you feeling?DAVID MALUKAS: I’m feeling great. This is the best I’ve felt in a very long time. The chemistry I have with the guys, the team, I’m just so happy.I get to race this beautiful car. It’s fantastic. It’s a dream for me. So every time I come in and out of the pits, I’m smiling. I got a big smile on my face, and I think on top of that, it adds to the performance.
You see that with all the other guys. You know, everybody is on it. They have their own missions to make sure that, as a team, we can get good results. Just being in that environment, it’s perfect.
Q.  You touched earlier on how Josef, you leaned on him already today just on pushing the car. What is it like having a teammate with so much experience and success at the ovals?DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, look, it works very well. I think just between all of us, Scott and Josef, the amount of data that we’re looking at and comparing. Our driving is also very similar with each other.
So no matter what changes that Josef might do or I might do, we’ll all be able to know that with each other that, oh, I can trust him. If he’s made that change, I know that if it’s good for him, it’s going to be good for me.
I think it just makes us continue that, with all the short amount of time that we have. Obviously we have two full test days, but maybe a little tire limited. If we can split our test items that we want to do and we can fully trust that Josef and Scott is going to do these different test items and we’re going to know if it’s going to be good or bad, it helps, because now instead of running through it with one car, you can run through it with three cars.
That’s the dream with any team that you want to accomplish. So far after Sebring and (indiscernible), I think we’re actually in a very good window that, hey, all three drivers are in a similar window of driving style.
Q.  David, would love to ask you, since you mentioned that this track is kind of similar to Gateway, what is it like to nail a lap around here? When you’re on a fast lap, what are the key spots at Phoenix?DAVID MALUKAS: Key spots to nail… I think, like it is at Gateway, it’s always trying to figure out that difference between one and two and three and four.Wind today… honestly a very similar feel like with Kyle. Normally wind is a big play at Gateway. Here it seemed that they may be slight, but not that much.It’s always just knocking that out. You have that short time frame that once you come out of turn two, it’s very high speed. Three and four you’re having a bigger lift, you’re having some break. When you go through that section, it’s a complete different car set. You’re at such a lower speed.
In that short time frame with the weight tracker and the tools that you have in the car, how quickly can I change it and think in my head, Oh, I think it’s going to need two clicks of this and that movement there in that short time frame to make sure you can go in there and have a good lap.
Then you come out of three and four, and okay, lap two. What’s it going to do going back to turn one? Do I go back all the way, or are the tires degging? It’s always the game the drivers are trying to play.
Normally a lot of tracks, like Milwaukee, for example, one and two, three and four feel very similar, so you get it set up, and that’s kind of it.
With here, every lap it’s almost like you’re changing, changing, changing, changing. For me, it keeps my minds busy. For the ADHD brain, you know, I’m always stimulated. It’s good (laughing).
Q.  Do you get a sense of the deepness of the engineering expertise, especially on short ovals, with Team Penske, because they’ve got an awful lot of great engineers on that team. Just in the short time you’ve been there, have you developed a sense for just how deep that knowledge really goes when you show up at a track like Phoenix?DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, like I said, this is the best environment I’ve truly been in. It’s amazing. A lot of smart guys, so many people are working on these cars. Everybody is just working 110% in their sector, and it’s all combining together to what is the Team Penske car.
I mean, I’ve been loving every minute.
Q.  That track has a tendency to get sandblasted because of the desert, high winds. Sometimes there will be a lot of sand on the track, which can make it a little slippery. Combine that with some our Goodyear tire rubber here in a couple of weeks. Will that create an unknown factor for you guys?DAVID MALUKAS: For sure, it will definitely be unknown, needing to all of a sudden deal with sandstorms (laughing). Yeah, it’s very interesting.Like I said, from actually just driving the track, have a great time racing, it is going to be a completely different thing. The way I’m loving it right now, I really hope it races well.
We’ll have to see with, like you said, the Goodyear rubber, what it’s going to do, but my hopes are high. I really hope that it does well for us.
Q.  Obviously you said it’s similar to Gateway in that the two ends of the track are very different and the nature of the corners. When you approach that, how do you approach the setup of the car? Is it you’re trying to happy at both? Do you prioritize one? Does it take a while to find what setup suits the corners the same way?
DAVID MALUKAS: I think it defers driver to driver. You can get it either set up for one and two or set up for three and four and try to match the difference, or you can try to fight for something in between.
I think that’s why I enjoy that game so much, because it’s do you want to find more time in one and two or find more time in three and four or maybe try to go in between and be a little bit slower in both, but overall it might be better? It adds to this game.
I just have a fantastic time. I don’t know. It’s like a big game of chess trying to figure out where do we want the setup. With all these great minds at Team Penske, it makes it a lot more fun.
Q.  This is something Will said when he moved to Andretti and the fact that there’s a lot different, but driving INDYCAR is the same. Obviously a lot has been spoken about the move to Penske and the difference in culture there. When you got into the car, does it still feel like a normal INDYCAR, or does it feel different being in a Penske car?DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, I would say in general it still feels like an INDYCAR. I mean, since 2024 I’ve jumped through many times it feels like, so I’ve been able to experience many different feedbacks.
I think at the end once you start getting up to things, it’s generally all feel like an INDYCAR. You are looking at minuscule changes and trying to change your driving style to it. Overall it still feels like an INDYCAR.
Q.  Obviously Phoenix is race two of the season. Compared to previous years, you’ve got a much quicker start in races. How good is it to have that momentum early in the season rather than having staggered starts like we have in previous seasons?
DAVID MALUKAS: It feels really good. I mean, I was looking at the schedule and seeing that we’re going to be going back-to-back-to-back. You can build that rhythm. Obviously build the interest.
I think we also every year feel like we bring a lot of new people in for INDYCAR and then we always have this big gap in people, and we kind of lose that viewership. I’m excited from the viewership side to keep the people engaged and see that week after week we’re going to be doing these new races.
Even for ourselves, we can get into a rhythm really early on and start running through our lists and just building on that confidence. Especially now, new team again, having that back-to-back-to-back, it helps a lot.
Q.  Every track has a different feel or personality, giving visual cues and so on. How does Phoenix strike you, given you got the mountain on one side and then obviously the stands coming into three and four? How does it all feel to you, and what’s your impression on the whole thing?DAVID MALUKAS: Well, surprisingly, watching it on TV, it seems a lot longer than what it is. You see the beautiful mountains and things.
I think I saw that once I pulled in, but once you’re on track, it feels so fast-paced to me. I didn’t even notice that you have the hills and everything going on because you just have to be so focused on what’s in front.
I don’t know. The track just feels very short, very quick. There’s a lot going on. Again, having that difference between one, two, three, and four, there’s so, so, so busy.I love it. It’s amazing. I think that’s why it’s one of my favorites so far for ovals. Yeah, I think the characteristic would be busy. That would be its characteristic for me.
Q.  Also, a comment was made earlier about pit lane and how in some ways it might be challenging, especially with the rise towards the end and so on. What is your reaction of pit lane and where you’re set up?DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, there was talks. I can see the concerns over it. It’s just going to be, again, a question mark for now until we can see what marbling is going to happen.
Is there going to be quite a lot of marbling once you get down into pit lane, especially with the pit commitment and pit out. We’re going to have to see how that plays out.So far of a whole day of running, and it doesn’t seem like there wasn’t that much marbling, but a race is a different beast in its own. I think a lot of these questions will get answered once we get closer to race weekend.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026Pato O’WardPress Conference
THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. We wanted to set the stage for this week’s Unser INDYCAR Open test here at Phoenix Raceway. It’s great to be back at Phoenix Raceway.
Alex Palou joins us, driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, four-time reigning NTT INDYCAR Series champion after really a dominating performance last year, eight wins, 19 for his career.This season will go for the rare four-peat, trying to become just the second driver in the history of the INDYCAR Series to do that and the first since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.
Pato O’Ward also joins us driving the No.5 McLaren Chevrolet beginning his seventh full season in the NTT INDYCAR Series. He is a nine-time winner in the series after having two wins last year; also a seven-time pole winner after adding two pole positions in 2025.
THE MODERATOR: Pato, welcome to Phoenix Raceway. I think there’s only four drivers that have had any experience here: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Scott Dixon. How much are you looking forward to really learning about this race course?
PATO O’WARD: Yeah, this is a new race for me just like it is for Alex. It looks a bit of a mix of maybe Gateway, Iowa; obviously looks old school, typical INDYCAR. Yeah, hopefully we can get a second lane working.Honestly, I haven’t really watched the 2018 Phoenix race, so it’s been a while since I’ve seen INDYCARs go around this place, at least online. So we’ll see what it’s all about, but it looks quite quick, and our race weekend truly starts here because it’s coming up very quickly. Lots of work to do.
Q.  Pato, your times weren’t the greatest at Sebring, so I’m curious —PATO O’WARD: That was straightforward (laughing). We cannot read too much into Sebring. We’ve done well there, we’ve done bad there, and not a lot of influences into what St. Pete usually looks like.
We were just testing a lot of the things that we obviously worked on during the off-season with obviously the sets of tires and stuff. We weren’t there to set the fastest time with what we wanted to try.
I would say, yeah, I don’t think it was full-on performance running where we were trying to set the fastest lap time.
But I’m not worried. I’m happy with what we’ve found and developed over the off-season. I know there’s been a lot of work going into that.
Yeah, hopefully you’re not asking me this after St. Pete.
Q.  With it being your first time racing here in INDYCAR, what things are you looking for in this test, as you said, Pato, as this is kind of the beginning of the Phoenix race weekend? What are you looking for as you go out there this week?
PATO O’WARD: I mean, it’s a new oval to the calendar for most parties involved, apart from the three or four guys that have ran here before.INDYCAR oval racing really is obviously part of what the fans love here. I think I share the same passion as a lot of the other guys in terms of racing. It’s just obviously very different to street courses and road courses, so it’s been good to add a new one.
Yeah, we’ll see what it’s all about. I really don’t know what to expect in terms of what the racing is going to look like, but I’m assuming we’re probably going to do a two-lane session this weekend to try and bring that up to life a little bit and see if guys can be running up there because we obviously want the race to be good enough for cars to be exploring rather than just the one-lane zone.
Q.  For both of you, what would you come away from these couple of days of testing kind of seeing as being a success, and what are you really wanting to achieve from this test?
Q.  Anything different from your side, Pato?PATO O’WARD: No. I mean, obviously the ovals you would think would be more of a caution whenever the car isn’t really to your liking. You obviously need something that is under you to be able to just be running out there really. If it’s not, then it really is a big delta from one to the other.Like what Alex said, you have to be comfortable, you have to be happy with what you have, and this will be a huge opportunity to see the car in every aspect rather than just a performance run and then kind of guessing what the car is going to be like in the first stint.
Q.  We’ve kind of heard people mentioning about, oh, there could be a benefit of having Phoenix before the 500. But obviously with it being quite a different oval, is there any benefit to having that before the 500 in terms of another oval race to start the season?
PATO O’WARD: You know, we’ve both been part of years where there’s nothing before the 500 and then where there is. Indy is Indy; like Indy is very different. Even when we had Texas before Indy, it doesn’t fully translate. Indy just decides what it wants, and obviously the car can be good one day, and then the other day it’s like, what’s going on with it. Indy is its own beast.I would say it really doesn’t have too much of a comparison if we were to start with an oval or not.
Q.  The fact that there’s three races right off the bat, have you guys done anything differently in terms of your conditioning, either physical or mental, to be able to be ready for that? You’re race drivers; you’d run every weekend if you could. But in INDYCAR it’s a little bit different start to the season. Have you made any changes to your regimen to get ready for it?
PATO O’WARD: Not really. Just build on what maybe you feel like you lacked in last year or whatnot. But I guess it can be quite specific to maybe a certain muscle or something that you need to be working on. But all in all, it’s quite close.
I try and keep it very — a variety, basically, not just all weight training, and that seems to keep me entertained the best. That’s what I try to do in the off-season.
Q.  At this stage in your careers, how do you approach test sessions such as this differently than you may have done in the past?
PATO O’WARD: I mean, obviously when you start a day when you don’t know the racetrack, maybe it’s a little bit different to maybe a track that you’ve already known, so I would say it’s kind of like going just to any new tracks. You don’t quite know — for the teams that haven’t really tested here since 2018, obviously, the aero is different because of the aeroscreen and all that stuff, so things have changed. So you first just need to see if you’re in the window and you’re in a place where you can start evolving from that package that you’ve brought.
So I think that’s the biggest thing, at least for us in Arrow McLaren, just trying to get that underway and then really build on that. But no certain specifics I would say.
Q.  You talked about the FOX commercials earlier. There’s a lot of cross-promotion this year with the trucks of St. Pete, O’Reilly is joining you guys on Saturday. What are you most excited for in terms of Phoenix weekend crossing over with fans, the drivers, anything you guys are in particular looking forward to?
PATO O’WARD: Obviously FOX have done a phenomenal job with trying to keep growing our sport, right, our brand, the INDYCAR brand, our personal brands, as well. We’re two of the lucky ones that got this shot, not just once but twice, the first one being a Super Bowl commercial and then now with the second part of them.
I know that weekend that we’re here is a NASCAR weekend, which is why we’re racing on Saturday afternoon, but even in the past when we’ve had weekends with them, we obviously see them around, but we don’t really — we’ve got our own kind of hectic schedule going on, so there really isn’t much crossover rather than just hearing them in engineering meetings on the track, very loud.
PATO O’WARD: Just different rubbers. The NASCAR rubber sometimes affects the INDYCARs a little bit differently than obviously if it’s just all Firestone rubber for us.
Sometimes it varies from track to track, so you just have to wait for the rate weekend and see if it decides to throw the balance upside down or not.

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Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Phoenix Advance

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Phoenix Raceway 1.0-mile short ovalAvondale, ArizonaThe Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway Session #1February 17-18, 2026
Avondale, Arizona (February 17, 2026) – A pair of Team Chevy drivers led the first of two days of The Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix. David Malukas, making his first official NTT INDYCAR SERIES appearance on track with Team Penske, set the quickest lap at 172.605mph (21.7098 seconds). Malukas’ teammate Josef Newgarden, the 2018 winner at Phoenix Raceway, set the second-quickest lap of the day.
INDYCAR set aside the first hour of practice for the three rookies in the field. Chevrolet-powered A.J. Foyt Racing newcomer Caio Collet was the quickest driver at 162.474mph (22.1574 seconds) on the historic one-mile oval. Chevrolet’s first INDYCAR win outside of the Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb came at Phoenix Raceway in the 1969 Jimmy Bryan Memorial with George Follmer at the wheel of a Cheetah chassis powered by an Al Bartz-built small-block Chevrolet. Chevrolet has a three-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES win streak at Phoenix Raceway, with wins in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The last three seasons, the open-wheel series visited The Valley of the Sun. Since Chevrolet returned as a manufacturer in 2012, cars adorned with the Bowtie have won 31 of the 40 (77.5%) races held on short ovals (tracks 1.33 miles or shorter).

Phoenix Raceway Test Session #1 Results

The teams are back on track for more testing tomorrow, with test sessions from 9 am through noon and from 1:30 pm through 4:30 pm. All times are local, which is MST.

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESPhoenix Raceway 1.0-mile short ovalAvondale, ArizonaThe Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway Session #1February 17-18, 2026
Avondale, Arizona (February 17, 2026) – A pair of Team Chevy drivers led the first of two days of The Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix. David Malukas, making his first official NTT INDYCAR SERIES appearance on track with Team Penske, set the quickest lap at 172.605mph (21.7098 seconds). Malukas’ teammate Josef Newgarden, the 2018 winner at Phoenix Raceway, set the second-quickest lap of the day.
INDYCAR set aside the first hour of practice for the three rookies in the field. Chevrolet-powered A.J. Foyt Racing newcomer Caio Collet was the quickest driver at 162.474mph (22.1574 seconds) on the historic one-mile oval. Chevrolet’s first INDYCAR win outside of the Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb came at Phoenix Raceway in the 1969 Jimmy Bryan Memorial with George Follmer at the wheel of a Cheetah chassis powered by an Al Bartz-built small-block Chevrolet. Chevrolet has a three-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES win streak at Phoenix Raceway, with wins in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The last three seasons, the open-wheel series visited The Valley of the Sun. Since Chevrolet returned as a manufacturer in 2012, cars adorned with the Bowtie have won 31 of the 40 (77.5%) races held on short ovals (tracks 1.33 miles or shorter).

Phoenix Raceway Test Session #1 Results

The teams are back on track for more testing tomorrow, with test sessions from 9 am through noon and from 1:30 pm through 4:30 pm. All times are local, which is MST.

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: American Sprint Car Series Debuts at Central Arizona Raceway

February 18, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Inaugural ‘Sonoran Clash’ features 360 racing’s best against multiple national 410 stars

CASA GRANDE, AZ (Feb. 17, 2026) — This weekend, the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) kicks off a double dose of desert Sprint Car action with its debut at Central Arizona Raceway.

The inaugural Sonoran Clash hits the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval in Casa Grande, AZ, for the first of back-to-back weekends of racing this Saturday and Sunday night, Feb. 21–22, before returning the following weekend, Feb. 28–March 1. The stars of the national 360 Sprint Car tour will battle for a $4,000 winner’s share on both Saturday programs before $6,000-to-win main events on both Sundays.

In addition, Avanti Windows & Doors has sponsored a points fund for drivers competing over both weekends. A separate points tally will be kept during each of the four races, awarding $4,000 to the driver with the most points after all Feature events have been completed. The runner-up in points will receive $3,000, third place gets $2,000 and $1,000 goes to fourth.

Pit gates will open each day at 11 a.m. Grandstands will open at 1 p.m., and Hot Laps are set for 2 p.m. with Qualifying and racing to follow. Adult GA tickets are $35, seniors/military are $30, kids ages 11–17 are $20 and children 10-and-under are free.

Tickets can be purchased at the track on race day. If you can’t make it to the track, how can you watch each race? Every American Sprint Car Series race is live on DIRTVision.

PACK LEADER — Sam Hafertepe Jr. comes into Arizona as the de facto points leader, sitting the highest up of any full-time driver in the championship standings after the opening races at Volusia Speedway Park.

The six-time and defending Series champion recorded finishes of fifth, 11th and seventh over the three-race stretch, seeding him sixth in the current championship standings but above all other fellow ASCS national title chasers.

Like many others, Hafertepe makes his debut at the fast, 3/8-mile oval of Central Arizona this weekend. Fortunately, his prowess on larger tracks is likely to be a difference-maker against his competition, as seven of the 11 Feature wins he scored last year came at tracks measuring 3/8-mile or larger.

HEY, ROOKIE — Three months removed from clinching the 2025 American Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year Honors, Garrett Benson is projected to join the field for his debut at Central Arizona.

The 15-year-old from Concordia, MO, wrapped up a fifth-place finish in the championship standings last November and led the rookie points battle nearly the entire season, besting fellow contenders Brady Baker, Ryder Laplante, and Brogan Carder. In 29 Feature starts, Benson scored four third-place finishes — two of which came at tracks of 3/8-mile in size.

Now entering his second full season in Sprint Cars, Benson kicks off the outdoor portion of his 2026 racing campaign at Central Arizona at the controls of the Don’s Diesel, SPEC Racing Engines-powered J&J Chassis No. 2B. So far in 2026, he’s made several starts on dirt indoors at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in January, most notably posting a third-place finish in the A-Class Micro Sprint main event during the Tulsa Shootout.

BROWN IS BACK — A familiar face to ASCS and 410 Sprint Car fans is expected to rejoin the national 360 Sprint Car roster at Central Arizona this weekend – Higginsville, MO’s Brian Brown.

Brown, 47, posted finishes of fourth, 10th, and fourth in the ASCS portion of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, ranking him fifth in the final event points standings. The 21-time ASCS Feature winner did this all in his return to racing for the first time since a hard crash took him out of competition with an arm injury during the Knoxville Nationals last August.

One of his standout runs at Volusia came following ASCS competition, as Brown strapped a 410 c.i. engine back in the Casey’s/FVP No. 21 and ran fifth in Saturday’s main event against the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.

HOME STATE STANDOUT — Arizona’s own Sterling Cling has had success at Central Arizona before and will be one of the home-state drivers in the field to watch for this weekend.

Cling, the 29-year-old native of Tempe, has two ASCS-sanctioned, Non-Wing Sprint Car Feature wins in his career at Central Arizona — once with the former ASCS Desert Sprint Car Series in 2020, and another with the former ASCS Arizona Non-Wing Sprints in 2023.

In his six career national ASCS Feature starts with the wing on, Cling has been strong as well, producing three top-10 and four top-10 finishes since his debut with the Series in 2024.

410 CONTENDERS — Two additional 410 Sprint Car regulars are headed for Casa Grande to challenge the 360 regulars in the desert.

Brock Zearfoss contested all three ASCS Features at Volusia with a best finish of third on Friday night behind the wheel of the Brock Zearfoss Racing No. 3Z. This weekend, the Pennsylvania native will drive for California car owner Clayton Snow and his signature white/pink No. 7 — the same car Zearfoss won in at the former Arizona Speedway in ASCS Southwest Region action in 2021.

Justin Peck will make his first ASCS appearance of 2026 in his second season driving the Rudeen Racing No. 26. Peck, 27, of Monrovia, IN, raced at Central Arizona in 410 competition last March, posting finishes of third and sixth — nearly two months after sweeping the ASCS season-opening weekend at Volusia.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE

• Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 21–22, at Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, AZ

TRACK FACTS

• High-banked, 3/8-mile oval
• Track Record — None set

ON THE INTERNET
X — @ASCSRacing
Instagram — @ascs_racing
Facebook — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
YouTube — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
DIRTVision — DIRTVision.com (Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (3/35 Races)

Tyler Courtney (150pts)
Brady Bacon 142pts (–8)
Austin McCarl 135pts (–15)
Emerson Axsom 130pts (–20)
Brian Brown 125pts (–25)
Sam Hafertepe Jr. 122pts (–28)
Cole Macedo 119pts (–31)
Brock Zearfoss 116pts (–34)
Whit Gastineau 113pts (–37)
Chris Martin 110pts (–40)

FEATURE WINNERS (2 Drivers):

Tyler Courtney (2 wins)
Brady Bacon (1 win)

FEATURE LAPS LED (6 Drivers)

Austin McCarl (21 laps)
Brady Bacon (18 laps)
Cameron Martin (16 laps)
Brian Brown (13 laps)
Cole Macedo (7 laps)
Tyler Courtney (6 laps)

QUICK TIME AWARDS (2 Drivers)

Sam Hafertepe Jr., Chris Martin (1 award)

HEAT RACE WINNERS (9 Drivers)

Whit Gastineau, Chris Martin (2 wins)
Brady Bacon, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Tyler Clem, Emerson Axsom, Brian Brown, Cole Macedo, Matt Covington (1 win)

DASH APPEARANCES (13 Drivers)

Whit Gastineau, Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown (3 appearances)
Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Brady Bacon, Davie Franek, Chris Martin, Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2 appearances)
Brock Zearfoss, Cameron Martin, Cole Macedo, Tyler Clem (1 appearance)

SMITH TITANIUM LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (3 Drivers)

DJ Christie, Matt Covington, Tyler Clem (1 win)

HARD CHARGER AWARDS (3 Drivers)

Ryder Laplante, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo (1 award)

PODIUM FINISHES (29 Drivers)

Tyler Courtney, Brady Bacon, Austin McCarl (2 podiums)
Cole Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Emerson Axsom (1 podium)

2026 SCHEDULE + WINNERS

Race Number. Day, Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins)

Thu, Jan. 29 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (1)
Fri, Jan. 30 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (2)
Sat, Jan. 31 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brady Bacon (1)

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: American Sprint Car Series Debuts at Central Arizona Raceway