CONCORD, NC (April 24, 2026) — Tempting their fate with time, Chris Martin and his team pulled into Salina Highbanks Speedway on April 11 with minutes to spare before Hot Laps for the American Sprint Car Series.
It was a last-minute decision to make the haul from Iowa to Oklahoma to compete at a track the 28-year-old had never seen before.
But he’d already had several good weeks behind the wheel of a 360 Sprint Car – a top-10 with ASCS at Volusia Speedway Park and a win with the United Sprint Car Series. Why stop now?
Martin came out of the box strong, setting the fastest lap in Hot Laps and his Qualifying group. Then, in the Feature, he passed Sean McClelland for the lead on Lap 4 and never looked back to score his second career victory with the national tour and first since 2018.
“We were doing some planning around the weekend of Salina,” Martin recalled. “We were kind of looking at going to Pevely (I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park), looking at Burlington (34 Raceway), and Salina was like our Plan B. It looked like rain in Pevely. They canceled Burlington at 11 a.m. So, when we went to Salina, that was real last minute. We didn’t get there until 5:30 p.m., and it was mine and my brother’s first time there.
“To be Quick Time in our group was super cool, and Cam won the Heat race, so that put us both in the Dash. I knew we were in a position to be able to win. Salina is really slick, and my brother and I’s cars and driving styles with the speed and banking did us pretty good with that. It’s been a huge momentum-builder for our team.”
The proof came only eight days later. Martin picked up another ASCS victory, but this time with the Midwest Region at Iowa’s 1/4-mile Stuart Speedway during the Series’ season opener.
“I think it goes back to having the confidence when you unload,” Martin said. “We’re prepared and have a fast race car that will make every turn, and that it makes the nervousness and mental part a whole lot easier on myself as a driver. So, when you go to the track, you know that you have a prepared hot rod, and your boys have the rest of the parts and components prepared to go.
“No matter what the scenario happens, you got a crew chief that’s on your side that wants to work with you and address what you need to win. Adjusting to these different tracks, they’ve all been super fun for me, they all come in different shapes and sizes, and when we’ve got confidence heading in there, it’s huge.”
Another contribution to Chris and his brother Cameron’s growth in Sprint Car racing is having a World of Outlaws champion in their corner – “The Dude” Danny Lasoski. Through the last three years, Lasoski has brought invaluable insight to the program, helping the Martin brothers step up their Sprint Car efforts through advising their preparations and race-day adjustments.
“Honestly, Danny came in and put a new light and aspect on all of our program,” Martin admitted. “So, this is the start of our third season together. From where it started to now, I would say he’s boosted our program a lot. From different cars, getting better components on the cars, helping our engines running better, being a driving coach, and getting me in a better racing state.
“Not only has he helped us with the lifestyle coaching, he’s brought a full team morale. He’s definitely one of the boys, and he’s a cheerleader for both my brother and I. Even though we have our own crew chiefs, I can’t thank him enough. He’s helped me in life, in driving, organizing things, and getting us faster. He’s never got a lack of words, and you know he always has a good idea cooking.”
The Martin brothers are committed to building up their 360 Sprint Car and 410 Sprint Car program by racing with ASCS and the World of Outlaws, respectively, along with chasing a title at nearby Knoxville Raceway and its crown jewels: the Xtream powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank and the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s.
“Me and my brother are both going to run Knoxville full-time, with it only being an hour down the road,” Martin said. “We’ve got quite a few 360 races on our agenda while trying to hit up more Outlaw races than ever this year, so we’re pretty stoked about that.
“The biggest thing I think that’s helped the start of the year is that we’re just having more fun with it. We’re laughing and joking, and I feel more focused when it’s not like a business. That’s really the biggest change that I can think of. I don’t think a single part or component is what’s made a difference, but we’ve just improved on the little things for myself to drive it a little better. I tell my brother, ‘We’re gonna give it 110%, wherever that ends up. We’re gonna walk away with a smile on our face because we know that we gave it our all, no matter what.’”
While Chris and Cameron Martin will join the World of Outlaws at Knoxville for the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash on Friday-Saturday, April 24-25, the American Sprint Car Series will get back to racing in May with a doubleheader weekend – Benton Speedway on Friday, May 8, and Paducah International Raceway on Saturday, May 9.
Where can you watch every lap of the American Sprint Car Series? Live on DIRTVision.
Chris Martin Enjoying Early 2026 Success With ASCS, Receiving Help From Danny Lasoski CONCORD, NC (April 24, 2026) — Tempting their fate with time, Chris Martin and his team pulled into Salina Highbanks Speedway on April 11 with minutes to spare before Hot Laps for the American Sprint Car Series.
It was a last-minute decision to make the haul from Iowa to Oklahoma to compete at a track the 28-year-old had never seen before.
But he’d already had several good weeks behind the wheel of a 360 Sprint Car – a top-10 with ASCS at Volusia Speedway Park and a win with the United Sprint Car Series. Why stop now?
Martin came out of the box strong, setting the fastest lap in Hot Laps and his Qualifying group. Then, in the Feature, he passed Sean McClelland for the lead on Lap 4 and never looked back to score his second career victory with the national tour and first since 2018.
“We were doing some planning around the weekend of Salina,” Martin recalled. “We were kind of looking at going to Pevely (I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park), looking at Burlington (34 Raceway), and Salina was like our Plan B. It looked like rain in Pevely. They canceled Burlington at 11 a.m. So, when we went to Salina, that was real last minute. We didn’t get there until 5:30 p.m., and it was mine and my brother’s first time there.
“To be Quick Time in our group was super cool, and Cam won the Heat race, so that put us both in the Dash. I knew we were in a position to be able to win. Salina is really slick, and my brother and I’s cars and driving styles with the speed and banking did us pretty good with that. It’s been a huge momentum-builder for our team.”
The proof came only eight days later. Martin picked up another ASCS victory, but this time with the Midwest Region at Iowa’s 1/4-mile Stuart Speedway during the Series’ season opener.
“I think it goes back to having the confidence when you unload,” Martin said. “We’re prepared and have a fast race car that will make every turn, and that it makes the nervousness and mental part a whole lot easier on myself as a driver. So, when you go to the track, you know that you have a prepared hot rod, and your boys have the rest of the parts and components prepared to go.
“No matter what the scenario happens, you got a crew chief that’s on your side that wants to work with you and address what you need to win. Adjusting to these different tracks, they’ve all been super fun for me, they all come in different shapes and sizes, and when we’ve got confidence heading in there, it’s huge.”
Another contribution to Chris and his brother Cameron’s growth in Sprint Car racing is having a World of Outlaws champion in their corner – “The Dude” Danny Lasoski. Through the last three years, Lasoski has brought invaluable insight to the program, helping the Martin brothers step up their Sprint Car efforts through advising their preparations and race-day adjustments.
“Honestly, Danny came in and put a new light and aspect on all of our program,” Martin admitted. “So, this is the start of our third season together. From where it started to now, I would say he’s boosted our program a lot. From different cars, getting better components on the cars, helping our engines running better, being a driving coach, and getting me in a better racing state.
“Not only has he helped us with the lifestyle coaching, he’s brought a full team morale. He’s definitely one of the boys, and he’s a cheerleader for both my brother and I. Even though we have our own crew chiefs, I can’t thank him enough. He’s helped me in life, in driving, organizing things, and getting us faster. He’s never got a lack of words, and you know he always has a good idea cooking.”
The Martin brothers are committed to building up their 360 Sprint Car and 410 Sprint Car program by racing with ASCS and the World of Outlaws, respectively, along with chasing a title at nearby Knoxville Raceway and its crown jewels: the Xtream powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank and the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s.
“Me and my brother are both going to run Knoxville full-time, with it only being an hour down the road,” Martin said. “We’ve got quite a few 360 races on our agenda while trying to hit up more Outlaw races than ever this year, so we’re pretty stoked about that.
“The biggest thing I think that’s helped the start of the year is that we’re just having more fun with it. We’re laughing and joking, and I feel more focused when it’s not like a business. That’s really the biggest change that I can think of. I don’t think a single part or component is what’s made a difference, but we’ve just improved on the little things for myself to drive it a little better. I tell my brother, ‘We’re gonna give it 110%, wherever that ends up. We’re gonna walk away with a smile on our face because we know that we gave it our all, no matter what.’”
While Chris and Cameron Martin will join the World of Outlaws at Knoxville for the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash on Friday-Saturday, April 24-25, the American Sprint Car Series will get back to racing in May with a doubleheader weekend – Benton Speedway on Friday, May 8, and Paducah International Raceway on Saturday, May 9.
Where can you watch every lap of the American Sprint Car Series? Live on DIRTVision.
Talladega Superspeedway is known for its unpredictability, and for Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse team, managing that balance between opportunity and risk will be key this weekend. Berry led laps in both races at the 2.66-mile track last season, putting himself in position, but like much of the field, was left trying to avoid the chaos that often defines superspeedway racing.As teams prepare for Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500, NASCAR officials have adjusted the stage lengths in an effort to encourage more aggressive racing and reduce fuel-saving.For Sunday’s race, the longest segment (98 laps) will open the event, followed by two shorter stages of 45 laps each to close out the race.The change is intended to reduce the impact of fuel-saving, which teams have used to shorten pit stops late in races. By conserving fuel, drivers can take on less during green-flag stops, allowing them to gain positions when they cycle back onto the track.Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse, said the adjustment is a positive step, but doesn’t expect it to significantly alter how teams approach the race.“You’re still going to have to save fuel – long story, short,” Berry said. “The first stage is going be longer, so obviously there will still be some fuel saving early in the run to try to shorten your pit stop under green flag, if it goes to green flag.“The question of where it goes from there is if you have two shorter stages – your second stage and your final stage – then as much fuel as you can save in the second stage will significantly shorten your pit stop for your final stage, which is when track position matters the most.“I have a hard time believing that a majority of the field is going to intentionally burn a lot of fuel that second stage just to try to get stage points and then come out last to start the final stage.”Berry added that it can be difficult to maneuver through the pack, especially at Talladega, which could continue to influence strategy regardless of the format change.“I think Daytona is a different story, but at Talladega it seems to get locked down with two lanes and maybe three,” he said. “It will definitely look different. Truthfully, I don’t think it’s going to fix it, but it’ll be interesting to follow. It’ll shake things up a bit and hopefully will make a better race for the fans.”Per NASCAR rules for drafting tracks, there will be no practice prior to qualifying this weekend. Qualifying is set for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET with coverage on Prime Video.Sunday’s 188-lap, 500-mile race is scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET start time, with coverage on FOX.
Saturday, April 25Berry will be participate in a Q&A session at the Ford Racing activation at 12:00 p.m. local time in the Talladega Superspeedway fan zone.Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers merchandise hauler beginning at 12:15 p.m. local time (pending weather) in the Talladega Superspeedway fan zone. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.
Josh BerryAge: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)Hometown: Hendersonville, TennesseeCrew Chief: Miles StanleyIG: @joshberry88X: @joshberry
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STENHOUSE ON SPEEDWAY’SRicky Stenhouse Jr. sees Talladega Superspeedway as a way to make a big gain in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings. The Olive Branch, Mississippi, native is a four-time Cup Series winner, all of which have come on a superspeedway. In fact, his first and most recent trips to victory lane at NASCAR’s highest level have come at the 2.66-mile Alabama venue. Stenhouse Jr.’s win in the Oct. 2024 event made the Team Chevy driver one of the eight different winners at the track in the Next Gen era. The No. 47 team earned their season-best finish right out of the gate at the circuit’s other superspeedway, Daytona International Speedway, when they led the Bowtie brigade with a runner-up result in the “Great American Race”. 
LARSON CONTINUES HIS CLIMBFor the second consecutive weekend, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team took home a podium result and a 54-point day to continue to chip away at the standings. With his season-best runner-up result, the Elk Grove, California, native will lead the Bowtie brigade to Talladega Superspeedway ranked fifth in the standings. Through nine races, Larson’s climb up the standings has come from the team’s exceptional ability to collect stage points, with the reigning champions setting the pace with 91 stage points earned. One year ago at the Talladega spring race, Larson earned his career-best superspeedway finish when he took home a second-place finish. 
DOUBLE-DIGITS AT DEGAChevrolet’s dominance in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Talladega Superspeedway has extended well into the double-digits with the manufacturer entering the weekend with 27 all-time wins, including an active streak of 13-straight. The run began in April 2018 with Spencer Gallagher behind the wheel of a GMS Racing Chevrolet entry, and over the past eight seasons, nine different drivers have added to the Bowtie brand’s double-digit streak. Richard Childress Racing driver and speedway specialist, Austin Hill, owns Chevrolet’s past two Talladega triumphs in the division. If Hill can make it three-in-a-row on Saturday, the feat would tie Martin Truex Jr.’s record for the longest win streak by a driver at the track, which he accomplished in a Chevrolet-powered machine from April 2004-2006. 
LOVE LOOKS FORWARD TO CUP SERIES RETURN Reigning NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion, Jesse Love, is slated to make his return to the sport’s highest level this weekend – driving the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for his second Cup Series start of the season. The Menlo Park, California, native has just six career starts in the division to his name, but this weekend will mark his first on a superspeedway. But it comes at a track where the young Team Chevy driver has already shared a great amount of success. Love earned his first of now three O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at Talladega Superspeedway, which came in his first season alongside Richard Childress Racing in April 2024. In his four starts at the track, Love boasts front-row qualifying efforts in each event, including three-straight poles. His other notable feats include results no worse than 10th, double-digit laps led in each race and top-six points earned in seven of eight stages. 