NASCAR CUP SERIES CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Connor Zilisch, driver of the No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media onsite at Circuit of The Americas to preview his doubleheader race weekend and his first career NASCAR Cup Series start in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

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Media Availability Quotes: Connor, you made your first NASCAR National Series start here at COTA in the Truck Series, where you won the pole and ultimately posted a top-five. Now you’re back, this time in the Xfinity Series, and we know you’ve had success on road courses after winning your debut in the series up at Watkins Glen. So, can you kind of talk to us about your feelings or perhaps excitement heading into this weekend? “Yeah, it’s going to be a really cool weekend for me, getting to make my Cup Series debut with Red Bull back in NASCAR. Yeah, I’m really excited to see what, you know, Sunday is all about and learn from all the guys who are so seasoned and professional. There’s a lot of cool guys that I’m getting to race against and learn from this weekend. So, excited for that and excited to hopefully, you know, have a really good run in the Xfinity car and maybe lock ourselves into the playoffs in our Weather Tech Chevrolet.”  How much are you looking to gain respect from the veterans out there and show them that — hey, you know, I’m an accomplished racer. I can walk the track and you don’t have to worry about beating someone out there? “Yeah, it’s really important to gain respect from those guys, you know, as early as possible. You don’t want to go out and make a fool of yourself because once you lose respect of all the veterans, it’s really tough to get it back. So, you definitely want to race them the right way at first and, you know, show them that you’re going to race them with respect. I think if you do that, they’ll give it back to you. So, that’s definitely the plan. I’ll try and stick by it as best I can. But it can be tough for us sometimes, you know, with pressure and just everything involved. It’s a lot tougher than people realize, but obviously the goal is to show those guys that I’m here to show them respect and, you know, not step outside my boundaries.” It doesn’t seem like you’re too nervous.. maybe you’re hiding it well. But is it part of that that you didn’t grow up with this being the goal? Like, does it help that it wasn’t some lifelong quest and you’re finally here and what you’re feeling is in the moment? Is that playing into that at all.. why are you approaching this in sort of like a more excited, it’s as cool as just riding down the highway? “I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily why, but the biggest thing for me is to just not let any moment be too big. You know, it’s important to kind of just treat every race the same, whether it’s, you know, a Cup Series race or whether it’s a local late model race, right? You want to prepare. Maybe you’re going to do more to prepare yourself for a race like this and do more to make sure that you’re ready to show up and race on Sunday. But I feel like, for me, I try and just treat every race the same. It’s easy to get in your own head when you’re thinking — oh my gosh, this is such a big stage, this is crazy. You know, it’s better to just kind of treat it like another race, and I think that’s what works best for me. I think it’s different for everybody, but it’s easy for me to get in my own head if I try to tell myself — oh my gosh, this moment’s so big. I’ll tend to make more mistakes if I do that.” So how do you shove it out? Like, when that stuff starts to creep in, how are you like — nah, I’m not going to go there? “Man, it’s so internally, you know, it’s something that you just kind of have to do yourself, right? You can’t let outside noise affect the way you prepare; the way you compete and the way you think. It’s just kind of got to be the way you are, right? You got to show up to the track and understand that there’s going to be a lot of noise around you, and there’s going to be a lot of lights, and you know, it’s going to be a big stage. But you kind of just got to let it, you know, not get to you and not affect you. Just treat it like any other race.” You’ve had a lot thrown at you over the last year. Now, you’re 18 years old and about to make your Cup Series debut. So how do you handle all of this, I guess, I don’t know if it’s PR pressure or career pressure or racing pressure, but how do you handle all that and sit here so cool, calm and collective like — I’m just ready to go to another race because this isn’t just another race, this is the Cup Series..“Yeah, no, I mean, it is crazy, right? There’s been obviously moments where I’ve kind of let the best, you know, let me get the best of myself and think — oh my gosh, this is pretty crazy. But, you know, if you get too excited in the moment and you hype yourself up too much, that’s when nerves start to become a thing, and I’m really bad with nerves. Like, when I’m nervous and, you know, I’m amped up, I just don’t perform. I struggle. So the best thing for me to do is just, you know, act like this is just any other race. And I think one thing that helps me is I feel like I’ve competed in a lot of big races already. I’ve had a lot of big moments. You know, I remember for my Truck Series debut, it was tough for me, right? I had all the nerves get to me and made way too many mistakes. And then I went to the Xfinity debut and just kind of went out there and, you know, did what I do to do, and it worked out well for me. So I’m kind of coming into this weekend with the same attitude and, you know, just going to go out there and run the best race that I know I can run, and whatever result comes is what happens.” Has anyone helped you with that? “Yeah, Josh Wise would have to be my biggest mentor. You know, I go to him for anything.. whether it be, you know, relationship advice or how to drive through a corner, right? It’s good to have someone like that at my age, who I can go to and can always give me a non-biased answer no matter what it’s about. So I definitely am fortunate to have not only Josh, but a lot of people in my corner who are willing to give me those, you know, non-biased answers, whether it’s what I want to hear or what it’s not what I want to hear.” What are your expectations going into Sunday?  “Yeah, it’s hard to set expectations when you haven’t done it before, right? The car is new. I’m racing against probably 25 drivers I’ve never raced against before. Yeah, there’s a lot of variables that I just don’t know. So for me, setting expectations is really tough, right? I don’t want to set a goal of, you know, I want to go out and finish top-five, and then I get a speeding penalty or, you know, my pit crew has a loose tire and I finish 15th because of something out of my doing, right? Because then I’ll be upset, you know, that I didn’t meet my goal. But for me, my expectation is I expect to be, you know, reasonably fast. I expect there to be — I don’t want to say that I’m going to be really fast, but I do expect to not be way off on speed. But the biggest thing is going to be execution on Sunday and making the most of the race and not making mistakes. You know, if the pit road speed is 50, expect me to be doing 48, right? I’m not going to be pushing the limit. You know, I just want to take it easy and make sure I run all the laps and don’t get a penalty. That’s going to be the biggest thing when it comes to the race. But I feel like when it comes to speed, I feel confident in myself that I’ll be able to run fast enough laps to be at the front.”  How important is your mentality for the Xfinity Series race, knowing you’ve had DNF’s the last two weeks? “Yeah, it’s really important. It’s been a tough year so far and it’s important to get the momentum kind of swinging back in the right direction, and there’s no better place to do it than a road course for me. So, yeah, it’s crucial this weekend to have a mistake-free weekend; execute all day and hopefully have at least a good enough run to get us moving in the right direction in the point standings. And if we could lock ourselves in, even better. But, yeah, it’s been a frustrating year to this point. But at the end of the day, it’s a 33-weekend schedule, so I’m not really worried yet. But, you know, a few more of those DNFs and you start to worry.” How much have you prepared for this weekend? “Yeah, that’s something that — you know, this answer might be surprising, but I try not to overdo it, right? I don’t want to confuse myself. I don’t want to overthink it. I don’t want to, you know, go in and study so much that I drown myself in this. You know, I feel like I have a good baseline off of what I learned in the Truck race last year here. The Cup car in the sim.. I’ve done quite a bit. You know, I’ve probably done 10 hours.. eight to 10 hours in the last three weeks of that. So, you know, I feel like I’m prepared. And I’ve gone back and watched the race. I’ve watched some in-car footage, and, you know, done the basic stuff. But for me, I don’t want to drown myself in past races because, you know, maybe something’s different this year, right? Maybe we show up and the asphalt is crazy more grippy. I don’t want to overconsume myself with information and overload myself, and then, you know, show up for practice and it’s way different and I’m freaking myself out. So, I kind of give myself a guideline of, you know, a checklist for practice. A checklist for the race.. things that I want to achieve and things I want to do. But I don’t overload myself with information prior to the event because you never know what could change.” I’m just wondering, if you find yourself late in the stages near the front, do you think the veteran drivers around you are looking for ways to exploit, say, your inexperience, or just the fact that, you know, you may not have been able to move forward and they’ll be looking for ways to get in your head?“Yeah, I mean, when it comes to the race, I definitely think they’re going to try and exploit my inexperience, you know, no doubt. But I do think that that’s going to be part of being a rookie, right? They are going to expect me to make mistakes. So, they’re going to try and force the mistakes, and that’s one thing that I’ve definitely focused on is not allowing that to happen, right? Don’t let people force mistakes and don’t let them make me do things I don’t want to do. You know, if I go out and do what I know to do and treat it like there’s a short track racer behind me that I’ve raced at Hickory Motor Speedway and, you know, not Kyle Busch or Kyle Larson, then it’ll probably help me. So, yeah, just like I said, I’m going to try and treat this like any other race.And, you know, I feel like I’ve not been exploited on these road courses to this point. It’s different on ovals, but, you know, I feel like I have a good feeling of what I need to do come Sunday.” Is it overstating to say that whoever is figuring out 6A, 6B, or whatever they’re calling it, is going to be in the driver’s seat for this race? I mean, is it just that important, those two turns, or is it just another part of the course that they’re going to figure out? “Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely going to be important. The guy who wins the race has got to be good everywhere. I don’t think it’s going to be the case of they’re going to be really good in 6A, 6B and give it up the rest of the track. I feel like it’s going to be just like any other road course we go to. You know, you’re going to have to figure it out quickly, and you’re going to have to be good everywhere to win especially come Sunday. It’s tough to win these races and you’ve got to be really fast everywhere. And I think it’s going to be important to understand how restarts will work there. 6A is really wide on entry, so, you know, expect a lot of chaos there. And the exit’s really tight, as well. So, I’m curious to see what the race is like. I’m glad I get Saturday to kind of get a feel for it and understand what that is like. But, yeah, come Sunday, I mean, it’s going to be whoever’s the best and makes the least amount of mistakes.”

Curt Spalding left Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with about every Gator trophy available to the DIRTcar UMP Modified division this year. But he almost wasn’t there to do it. 

Living over 1,000 miles away in Watervilet, MI and unsatisfied with his overall level of performance in 2024 – having not won a race at Volusia Speedway Park since 2020 – making the trip to the Florida track for nine nights of racing wasn’t a sure thing.  

However, his car owners, Chris and Adam Terry, and his son, Tyler, thought otherwise. They believed he could leave Florida with at least one Gator trophy. 

“Being on the fence, Tyler got fired up and really excited to work even harder cause he wanted us to represent well,” Spalding said. 

And after those nine nights of racing, the hard work paid off. Spalding left with five Feature win Gator trophies, the Gator Championship Big Gator trophy and the week-long DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator Championship trophy. 

“It was surely not our goal at all,” Spalding said about returning home with a farm of Gator trophies. “Obviously, we wanted to run good.  We were hopeful to come out of there with at least one Gator. So, to come out of there with a handful of them and everything that happened, honestly, it goes back to the last two years where we worked really hard on this program for (Volusia). 

“We sacrificed a lot of things last season trying to get to a better place in our program, and it’s tough when you’re doing that and you’re running 10-15 places at places where you’re expected to win.  But, when things like this come together, it makes it well worthwhile.”

On top of achieving more than he and his team envisioned, the victories were special for several reasons. Spalding has been a fan of the event and facility for several years, making visits since the 1990s, and to pick up wins there is very special.  

“Every day, it’s pretty unbelievable the amount of people that have reached out,” Spalding said. “It’s still so surreal. I think Chris Terry has been getting more and more excited as every day passes. You keep hearing more and seeing more and realizing what took place, we’re very happy and fortunate that we got it done.” 

Focus towards the 2025 season has Curt planning to run UMP Modified events throughout the year, including select races with the DIRTcar Summit Modified Nationals. 

He’ll also turn attention towards Tyler’s racing career as the 23-year-old gains more time behind the wheel of a DIRTcar UMP Modified.

“Tyler raced his Modified about 20 times locally in 2024, won a couple and now it’s time to expand out,” Curt said.  “Tyler is focused on the overall program and what’s nice is that he’s learned how to drive and watch a race car. Not a lot of people are good at watching, driving and tuning. A lot of the time, he’ll be telling me stuff before I even get out, when typically it’s the other way around.

“He’s had some good guidance from one of my co-workers and close friend, Dewayne Ragland. He’s passed now, but he talked and worked with (Tyler) to show him things, it definitely parleys to where we’re at today. Thankful for everyone that helps our program and we are all very excited to see what else 2025 brings.”

The 2025 DIRTcar Summer Nationals season starts in Illinois at the Brownstown Bullring on Tuesday, June 10. For the full “Hell Tour” schedule and news, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

The Series sophomore went from questioning his racing future to being ready to return this week

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 28, 2025) – Questions and fear swirled in Bill Balog’s mind as he sat upside down in his Sprint Car.

He’d just flipped while running fourth at Volusia Speedway Park’s DIRTcar Nationals. Pain burned in his right ankle. He feared the worst. But like most racers, his thoughts were only on the next race.

“When I was in the car kind of upside down, I was trying to think if I could run the throttle pedal with my left foot on the next race because I thought my foot got ripped off, honestly,” Balog explained. “Or I wondered who am I going to hire to drive this thing?”

World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car officials carefully removed Balog from the No. 17B, and the “North Pole Nightmare” headed to the hospital. He expected his foot to be broken at the very least, but good news came from the doctor. Tissue damage and swelling was the extent of the injuries.

“They did all the x-rays, and it wasn’t broken,” Balog said. “It looked like a softball, and it’s still big. I mean, I’m walking around fine on it and working. It’s just a little bit sore.”

It was a rapid, positive turn of events for the Hartland, WI resident. From thinking his foot was gone to learning there were no breaks. Fortunately for Balog, the only break was in the World of Outlaws calendar following the night of his crash. Three weeks off have allowed him enough time to rest and heal. Now, the season is set to resume, and Balog is ready to roll.

The Greatest Show on Dirt heads back to Volusia for the Bike Week Jamboree, Sunday-Monday, March 2-3. Before his flip, the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” gave Balog and his team ample reason for encouragement.

Balog qualified second quickest in his flight during the first full points night of the season. That led to a Heat win and a personal best Volusia result of sixth in the Feature. The following evening, he timed in seventh quickest before securing another top 10 in the main event. Saturday’s finale looked as if it may be the highlight of his week. Despite drawing the very last pill for Qualifying, Balog managed to qualify second quickest in the flight. He won his Heat with a thrilling last lap pass and finished third in the Dash to line him up on row two of the Feature. Then the crash ended a potential top five.

“I feel like we learned a lot last year on the practice night, basically everything not to do,” Balog said. “We basically just rolled that setup into this new car with what we learned at Volusia, and it was really good. The car that we started with was a brand new Triple X, and it scaled out really nice. Everything measured really good. We had some confidence that way.”

The focus is fully back on Florida this week. Four-wheel and two-wheel worlds will collide as the country’s best Sprint Car drivers invade Bike Week at Volusia, kicking off a stretch of 17 consecutive weeks of racing for the World of Outlaws.

Balog had the window to heal. Now it’s time to hit the road again as he takes on his sophomore season with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Balog said. “I feel confident with what we’re doing with the car, definitely going in the right direction, and we want to carry that on to the other tracks.”

Balog and his team continue the 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park, Sunday-Monday, March 2-3, before heading to Eastaboga, AL’s Talladega Short Track on Friday, March 7, and Columbus, MS’s Magnolia Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 8.

TICKETS FOR THE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE NOW

For the entire 2025 schedule, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

Posted on behalf of AFT Events  Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 28, 2025) – AFT Events is thrilled to announce that master motorcycle designer, fabricator, and television personality Paul Teutul Jr. of Paul Jr. Designs will serve as Grand Marshal for the highly anticipated Daytona Short Track II on Friday night. Known worldwide from his hit television series American Chopper, Paul Jr. has built a legacy out of pushing creative boundaries and forging the unimaginable out of raw metal – a spirit that resonates perfectly with the adrenaline-fueled world of flat track racing.  With nearly three decades of hands-on experience bending steel into jaw-dropping shapes, Paul Jr. has left an indelible mark on motorcycle culture. Throughout his career, he’s collaborated with some of the most recognizable brands and personalities, crafting bespoke designs that blend artistry with functionality. Now, he’ll bring his legendary flair to the starting line at Daytona, ready to pump up the crowd and officially kick off Friday’s can’t-miss AFT action.  “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Paul Jr. as our Grand Marshal for Daytona Short Track II,” said Bob Deislinger, Managing Director of AFT Events. “Paul’s visionary designs have inspired an entire generation of custom bike builders and race fans. His passion for creativity and speed mirrors the old-school tradition and fresh energy we celebrate in flat track racing.”  Paul Jr. will join a stacked field of the world’s top flat track racers as they unleash bar-to-bar battles on the tight, demanding short track at Daytona. Fans can expect a high-revving spectacle that merges time-honored racing grit with modern-day innovation – a nod to Paul’s own legacy of marrying tradition and invention in his groundbreaking builds.  Don’t miss your chance to see Paul Jr. in the Grand Marshal role and experience the heart-pounding excitement of Progressive American Flat Track’s season opener. The 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season will launch with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7.  To purchase Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I tickets, click HERE.  To purchase Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II tickets, click HERE.  And to save $10 by purchasing Thursday and Friday tickets together via the Multi-Day Discount for the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I & II, click HERE.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will tackle their first road course circuit of the 2025 season, with the pair heading to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for a doubleheader event. This weekend will mark just the fifth appearance by both series at the Austin, Texas, road course, but the first on the circuit’s shorter configuration.

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Drivers and teams in NASCAR’s top two divisions will shift from COTA’s 3.41-mile, 20-turn, full course layout to the 2.3-mile, 20-turn, circuit known as the track’s “National Course”. Despite a whole new set of challenges on the horizon, the Chevrolet camp has proven they can master the Texas circuit – heading into the race weekend with three wins in both divisions in just four races.  Team Chevy Leading the Charge at COTA:

Chevrolet drivers have found victory lane in three of the four appearances made by both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at the Austin-based circuit. In the sport’s debut at the circuit in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott made the trip even more special for the Bowtie brand, with his victory delivering the manufacturer its milestone 800th all-time win in NASCAR’s top division. Fellow Chevrolet driver, Ross Chastain, added yet another memorable trip to victory lane the following season by becoming a first-time NASCAR Cup Series winner – a triumph that also marked the first victory for Trackhouse Racing in just the organization’s second season of competition. Most recently, it was William Byron who added his name to the history books as a winner at COTA – becoming the third different Chevrolet driver to reach victory lane in NASCAR’s top division at the Texas circuit.

In the Xfinity Series, Chevrolet will look to extend its triumphant streak at the circuit to four-straight in Saturday’s 65-lap event. The manufacturer’s three-peat kicked off in 2022 with a win by Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger, with the road course warrior going back-to-back with a return trip to victory lane the following season. Last season, it was Kyle Larson who made a last-lap pass to steal the checkered flag – delivering Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet entry its long-awaited first Xfinity Series victory.

ROAD COURSE WARRIORSWith back-to-back superspeedway-style races in the books, NASCAR will turn its attention to making left- and right-hand turns for the first time this season. Road course circuits have fared well for the Bowtie brigade in recent years, with seven different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 20 wins in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events. In the Next Gen era, Chevrolet holds a winning percentage of 67 percent on road courses heading into the COTA race weekend, with Kyle Larson’s 2024 Charlotte ROVAL victory marking the manufacturer’s 10th road course triumph in the Next Gen car. Among Chevrolet’s 15 full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitors includes eight past road course winners in the division: Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and William Byron; Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez; Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch; Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger; and Spire Motorsports’ Michael McDowell. Also earning a victory making left- and right- hand turns on a street course circuit includes Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who have collectively kept Chevrolet undefeated in the series at the Chicago Street Course.

ZILISCH SET FOR CUP SERIES DEBUTThis weekend will bring the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series debut for one of Chevrolet’s racing stars – Trackhouse Racing Development Driver Connor Zilisch. One year ago at COTA, the 18-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native made his first-ever start in the NASCAR national ranks behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports-prepared Silverado RST. Immediately taking the NASCAR scene by storm, Zilisch drove the Chevrolet entry to a pole win and a fourth-place finish at the Austin-based circuit. Just a few months later, Zilisch made yet another impressive debut – partnering with JR Motorsports to make his first career Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch went on to take the pole and the race win, making the young talent just the seventh driver in NASCAR history to earn the victory in his first Xfinity Series start.  Zilisch will have the opportunity to make history yet again this weekend. The 18-year-old Chevrolet driver will get behind the wheel of the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet – a fourth entry under the Trackhouse Racing banner – for his first appearance in NASCAR’s top division. The last driver to win in his Cup Series debut also came from the Chevrolet camp – fellow Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen (Chicago Street Race – July 2023).

RCR STAYS UNDEFEATED IN ‘25With two races in the books for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, it has been the pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates that have dominated the series’ statistical categories. With yet another commanding performance at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Austin Hill joins his teammate, Jesse Love, with an early ticket into the series’ playoffs and keeps Chevrolet undefeated heading into the COTA race weekend.  The pair of victories were accompanied by strong performances throughout each event. Hill has swept the stage wins in each race thus far, but an unfortunate mechanical issue took him out of contention for the win at Daytona International Speedway. The duo also paced the series in laps led in each event, with Love and Hill tallying a combined total of 86 of 126 laps led in the season-opener, as well as 159 of 163 laps led at Atlanta last weekend. In addition, Love has captured the only pole win of the season – driving his No. 2 Chevrolet to back-to-back qualifying triumphs at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.

BYRON TAPS IN FOR HMS’ FIRST XFINITY SERIES START OF THE SEASONReigning DAYTONA 500 Champion, William Byron, will take over the driving duties for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet this weekend for the entry’s first appearance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. This will mark the first of 16 starts in the series for the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet team – an entry that will also feature Byron’s teammates, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, as well as development driver Corey Day, behind the wheel. The team has made two trips to victory lane since returning to the series in 2022, with the first coming one year ago at COTA with Kyle Larson.

First Truck Triumph of the Season In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Chevrolet will enter back-to-back off-weekends on a high note. The Bowtie brand earned its first trip to victory lane of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend – courtesy of Spire Motorsports and Cup Series regular Kyle Busch. The victory was accompanied by a near dominate performance by the Chevrolet camp throughout the weekend – nabbing the pole win with Connor Mosack; a stage win sweep courtesy of Jack Wood and Busch; and six different Chevrolet drivers tallying a combined 124 of 135 laps led.  With a second-consecutive top-10 finish, CR7 Motorsports’ Grant Enfinger also found himself at the top of the series’ points standings heading into the off-weekends. The 40-year-old Fairhope, Alabama, native has tallied podium finishes in all but one stage thus far this season, with the series’ veteran being one of just three drivers who have posted back-to-back top-10 finishes.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Circuit of The Americas: William Byron: one win (2024) Ross Chastain: one win (2022)Chase Elliott: one win (2021) ·       In four appearances for both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series at Circuit of The Americas, Chevrolet leads the series with three wins in each division.  ·       Chevrolet has earned 20 victories in the past 26 NASCAR Cup Series road course events – dating from Chase Elliott’s victory at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2019, to Kyle Larson’s victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in Oct. 2024. ·       In 15 NASCAR Cup Series road course races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with 10 victories – recorded by six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations. ·       Chevrolet has recorded 67 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses – starting with Buck Baker’s victory at Watkins Glen International in 1957.  ·       In 110 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 53 victories – a winning percentage of 48.2%.  ·       With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 867 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 EchoPark Automotive Grand PrixSunday, March 2, at 3:30 p.m. ET(FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 250Saturday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m. ET(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat are you thoughts on how they have changed the COTA track?“It should keep the track cleaner (laughs), no dirt back there in that right-hander where we were all driving off of the track. I like it obviously and I’ve been fast there and just enjoy it. The different layout doesn’t bother me.” You’ve been successful at COTA.. why is that?“Phil Surgen (crew chief) gives me cars that I can be aggressive with and chase the grip, both in qualifying and the race, and be able to attack it. The track is going to be repaved in a lot areas with means it will be smooth and have a lot of grip. They continue to invest in the surface there. As it continues to get bumpy, they don’t let it go; they go ahead and fix the issues. It will be a different track from what we saw last year.”  Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow do you feel about heading to Circuit of the Americas with the 7 team, especially after a tough start to the season?“I’ve always felt really comfortable at Circuit of the Americas. We haven’t had the best start to the season but I’m looking forward to getting to a road course with the No.7 team and racing it out on Sunday.”  Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletGoing to COTA with a reduced track length with the short course. What do you think the changes will do there? “I don’t know.. you know, I think you lose a couple passing zones. You lose turn 11, all the way up at the top. You lose coming down into turn 12 after the long straightaway. I don’t think going into turn six is going to be a passing zone. It’s really tight. I mean, sure – guys are going to try and throw it in there and pass there, but it’s a 90 degree corner. It’s going to be slower and sharper than the frontstretch at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, when you come down into the turn on the front straightaway. As you come back onto the back straightaway, that corner is just kind of a flowy corner, so I don’t think you’ll get much two-wide racing through there. Trying to setup something on that little short shoot you have now before turn 12 is going to be tricky to say the least because you want to be on the inside for that corner but the next two corners you’re going to want to be on the outside. So I don’t know.. I feel like we lost two and we didn’t gain any. We’ll see how that transpires and what it looks like. But being a shorter course and not having that long straightaway in turn 12, you’re going to get less separation from all those other cars around you, so it’s going to be more Martinsville-esque with cars staying closer together and probably a little bit more pushing and shoving, and I’m sure that’s what the fans will certainly enjoy.”  Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“I love road course racing. It’s something I’ve always had a lot of confidence at, but I’m very excited this year for the opportunity to get to work with AJ (Allmendinger), probably the best in the business at road course racing, especially with Kaulig Racing. So, for me, it’s a shut mouth and open ears for the weekend and try to learn as much as I can. I can’t expect to go out and run AJ, but I can learn a lot and hopefully improve my past performances at the race track. I think it’s going to be a really fun weekend. I enjoy the discipline of road course racing, and then I love Austin, Texas, too. I’m a huge Longhorns fan, so I just love being in the city and everything it’s about.”   AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“I always enjoy going to COTA, I feel like we’ve had a lot of speed there in the past. We’ve had some success, but we’ve always been in the mix to run inside the top five. It’ll be a challenge this weekend with the new layout, but I feel good from where our road course program has been. If we can unload, have speed, and execute, we’ll give ourselves a shot to win the race.”  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports ChevroletCOTA is a track where you see a lot of drivers struggle due to its tight turns and limited space. What goes through your mind as a driver when you prepare for these tracks that you might have struggled at in the past?“COTA’s honestly a really fun racetrack. I would say, for me, I don’t really focus on the results as much as I do the speed that we’ve had and been able to show at some of these tracks. Especially throughout portions of that race the past few years. We’ve just had mistakes – whether it’s been the team or the driver. They took us out of contention for a few decent races there. I try to block some of that out from the past road course races over the last few seasons. Obviously, we have a whole new section of the racetrack that we have to figure out. We ran it on the sim so that helps a little bit. For the most part, we’re going to try to pick that up as fast as we can during those two practice sessions on Saturday.”  Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet“I’m looking forward to going to COTA, obviously having a road course early on in the season is really beneficial, especially for me as I am getting up to speed with the race team, with Chevrolet, and just feeling out the differences. Now we can learn what we need to work on, so we are carrying good moment going into COTA. I am looking forward to you kicking off our first road course of the season.”   Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFollowing your 29th-place run at COTA last March you improved your finishing position over the final three road course events, underscored with a third-place finish at Watkins Glen. How confident are you that the No. 77 maintain that momentum Sunday at COTA?“I’m really excited to get to COTA and check out the new layout. Luke (Lambert) and, really, everyone at Spire did a great job last season of building up our road course program. I think we’ll all pick up where we left off, and a lot of that is the result of the work that was put in during the off season. Running the Xfinity race will give me a chance to get a couple more laps on the track and maybe find something I can share with my teammates. The other thing we’ve got going for us is two new teammates in Justin (Haley) and Michael (McDowell) that are really strong road-course racers. It’s been an exciting start to the season for us and we can definitely keep that going this weekend.”  Connor Zilisch, No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet What are your thoughts entering the first Cup race of your career?“Going into my first Cup race at COTA, it’s going to be a big challenge for me. A lot of question marks but I just want to go in and enjoy it and have fun. You only get to make your debut in the Cup Series once. I feel like it’s going to be a good experience for me to go learn and run all the laps. I think that’s what I’m honestly looking forward to the most is just running all the laps and making the most of the experience.”  How cool is it for you and Trackhouse to bring Red Bull back to the Cup Series?“It’s awesome to have Red Bull back in the sport. It’s going to be a big race for everybody, Trackhouse, me, Red Bull. No pressure to out and perform at any level. I just want to go out and learn as much as I can and enjoy my first Cup race.” Do you think the extra track time in the NXS car will help you in the Cup race?“I think it’s going to be helpful to have the Xfinity car there on Saturday and race that race. The track is a little bit different than last year so those laps are going to be really important to getting up to speed and getting used to the new track updates. It’ll be helpful to have those laps but the Cup car is a lot different. At the end of the day it’s going to be different because how different the cars are.”  Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet What do you think about the course change to COTA? How might that impact things?“I think the new course will be okay. I did like the long track, but I see why they (NASCAR) shortened it, to give more times past the fans and more action. The cut through they have done, we don’t lose any passing spots, more laps as well. I think the shorter track is probably a good thing.” What are your impressions of COTA? Kind of comparing it to some other tracks you’ve been to around the world.“I like the track and I think it’s pretty cool. The change they have done is really good, with the second extension or cut through. The one we did in Supercars would be terrible in these (Cup) cars, so they made a good call there. But there will probably be a bit of action, I think, with the tight left hander. It’s odd how we spend more time off the track than on it, but that’s how it is here, and it looks pretty cool when the cars are all battling.”  Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletDo you enjoy racing at COTA?“Yes, I do love the track. It’s one of the best in the world and the crowds are awesome. They make me feel so welcome. I love going around and seeing all the fans. We have run so well over the years here but just haven’t had the finish we deserve. Maybe Sunday will change all that.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2024): 43First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2024 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 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2024): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2021) 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 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2025 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 1Poles: 0Laps Led: 96Top-Fives: 4Top-10s: 8Stage Wins: 1 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 867 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 753Laps led to date: 252,807Top-fives to date: 4,373Top-10s to date: 9,015                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,201           Chevrolet: 867           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 840                                                                                        Ford: 740           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 190

The Greatest Show on Dirt will help kick off the famed Florida event with racing on Sunday and Monday

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 26, 2025) – Three weeks off was more than enough. The 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign is ready to fire back off.

Volusia Speedway Park ignited the season with four consecutive nights of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals action in February. Now, The Greatest Show on Dirt is ready to return to the Barberville, FL oval.

“The World’s Fastest Half Mile” welcomes the country’s best Sprint Car drivers back to town for the Bike Week Jamboree. It marks the third consecutive year that the four-wheel and two-wheel worlds have crossed over during Daytona Beach, FL’s Bike Week. Bikers can ride their Harley along the coastline during the day before heading inland for some Sprint Car racing in the evening.

BUY TWO-DAY VOLUSIA TICKET PACKAGE HERE
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WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the top storylines entering Bike Week:

RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF: There were zero signs of a championship hangover for David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports when they began their title defense at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

The Watertown, CT native wheeled Tod Quiring’s No. 2 to four straight finishes of fourth or better including a trio of podiums. His average finish was third against one of the toughest fields the Series sees all year. Those results have him leading the de facto standings in his pursuit of back-to-back championships.

Going back to Volusia gives no reason to think Gravel and the Cody Jacobs-led crew will slow down. He’s missed the top 10 only once in his last 34 Sprint Car starts at the half mile, and 24 of those finishes have been within the top five.

SWIMMING IN THE SWAMP: There’s no denying 2024 didn’t go the way Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing had hoped. But if their performance a couple weeks ago is any indicator, they’re in for a bounce back season.

Schuchart collected top 10s in all four Features of DIRTcar Nationals. Two of those nights led to podiums, moving him within one of his top three total for the entire 2024 season. His average finish for the week was a stout 4.25. The Hanover, PA native also earned his first Simpson Quick Time since July of 2023 at Eldora Speedway.

The stats say Schuchart and new crew chief Kyle Pruitt will continue to click as they return to Volusia. Schuchart has been in the top 10 in 16 of his last 17 starts at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.” He owns a trio of Volusia victories, twice with the World of Outlaws (2020 & 2021) and once with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) in 2021.

WINNING THROUGH THE PAIN: There was cause for concern when a broken leg in December sidelined Carson Macedo from the Australian racing season. Would he be ready for the World of Outlaws season less than two months after the injury? He left no doubt he was prepared at the DIRTcar Nationals.

The Lemoore, CA native came out and led every lap of the Volusia season opener aboard the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 for his 48th career World of Outlaws triumph. Macedo slipped to 12th on night two but rebounded with and finishes of sixth and fourth to close out the week. Last year struggles at the season-opening event left him buried in points. This year, he’s a manageable 24 markers behind Gravel for the de facto point lead.

Macedo goes back to Florida looking to cut into Gravel’s advantage as well as gain on Schuchart, who sits six markers back of Gravel. It’s early, but every point matters in the season-long battle. Macedo is a five-time Volusia winner with a pair of those checkered flags coming from the month of March.

FLYING THROUGH FLORIDA: Donny Schatz made a habit of driving his Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian No. 15 through the field last year. So much so that his net position change for the year was more than +300. And the trend continued two weeks ago.

The 10-time Series champion passed a total of 32 cars in DIRTcar Nationals Feature action – an average of eight per night. The charges led him to a trio of top 10s.

While his ability to slice through the field is impressive, Schatz will be in search of some better real estate in the Feature lineup this time around. His average starting position so far in 2025 is 17.75. The Fargo, ND native knows races and championships are won by starting near the front.

Fortunately for Schatz, last year’s trip to Bike Week led to Victory Lane as he scored his 500th overall Sprint Car win. It was also his 24th overall checkered flag from Volusia with 15 coming in World of Outlaws competition and the other nine with ASCoC.

NEED A REBOUND: A trio of World of Outlaws stars will be in search of a bounce back trip to Florida.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid rolled into 2025 with some looking at him as a potential championship contender following an impressive conclusion to his rookie campaign with Roth Motorsports. The pairing reeled off six wins in the final 16 races.

But DIRTcar Nationals didn’t go according to plan. Kofoid was running up front in the season opener before a crash relegated him to 24th. Finishes of 11th and 14th followed before the Penngrove, CA native cracked the top 10 with an eighth on the final night. With a pair of Volusia podiums on his résumé along with a near victory during Bike Week last year, there’s reason for optimism for Kofoid heading back to Florida.

Sheldon Haudenschild also managed just one top 10 with his Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing team – ninth on night three of DIRTcar Nationals. However, the Wooster, OH native is a proven winner at Volusia having topped a trio of Features (2018, 2022, 2024).

Giovanni Scelzi and the KCP Racing crew entered their third year with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Struggles resulted in a best run of 14th through the opening four nights. Like Kofoid and Haudenschild, Scelzi’s past success gives reason to believe a rebound could be in store. “Hot Sauce” was on the Volusia podium in 2021. And last year he had no finish worse than seventh in five tries at the Florida facility.

SUNSHINE STATE BOUND: The Bike Week Jamboree is expected to attract many more competitors outside the full-time World of Outlaws roster.

Pennsylvania with have some representation with a few drivers including Jonestown, PA’s Brock Zearfoss. He owns a pair of Volusia top 10s, peaking at seventh in 2023. Zearfoss will also have his car on display at the DeLand Bike Rally on Saturday, March 1, before racing begins the following day. Zearfoss will be joined at Volusia by fellow Pennsylvanian Anthony Macri, who is a former World of Outlaws runner-up at Volusia (2024).

Three-time and reigning Knoxville Raceway track champion, Austin McCarl, has Bike Week on his calendar. He’s already made seven Volusia appearances this year between ASCS and World of Outlaws competition. Last year the Altoona, IA native topped at United Sprint Car Series (USCS) main event at the Florida oval.

Others planning to race include Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN), Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, OK), Andy Pake (Felton, MN), Jacob Allen (Hanover, PA), Tyler Clem (St. Petersburg, FL), and more.

FLORIDA FUN: It’s not only about the racing with the World of Outlaws trip to Florida as there will be plenty of other fun activities for fans to partake in.

The DeLand Bike Rally takes place in downtown, DeLand on Saturday, March 1. The World of Outlaws Fan Zone tent will be set up right when the rally begins at 9 a.m. Fans who pick up a Motorcycle Kickplate Stand or a Bike Week Koozie from the tent on Saturday can show them at the gates on Sunday or Monday at Volusia for $10 off tickets.

The same day, NOS Energy Drink will be set up from 2-4 p.m. at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach. Fans can check out a two-seater Sprint Car, have a chance to score free tickets to the races on the weekend, and hang out with Sheldon Haudenschild as the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing superstar will be there for the duration.

Moving into race day, a pair of NHRA Funny Car champions plan to appear at Volusia. Kalitta Motorsports’ J.R. Todd will enjoy some racing on Sunday. Then, on Monday John Force Racing’s Austin Prock will be in attendance. Prock will sign autographs with Giovanni Scelzi from 5-5:30 p.m. at the KCP Racing merch trailer.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 
Sunday-Monday, March 2-3 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL

ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
X – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (4/89 Races):
1. Kyle Larson – Silva Motorsports No. 57 (536 PTS)
2. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (-16 PTS)
3. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-22 PTS)
4. Ryan Timms – Liebig Motorsports No. 10 (-38 PTS)
5. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-40 PTS)
6. Brad Sweet – Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 (-42 PTS)
7. Tyler Courtney – Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC (-50 PTS)
8. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-58 PTS)
9. Christopher Bell – Kreitz Racing No. 69K (-60 PTS)
10. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-62 PTS)

NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (3 Drivers): 
2 Wins – Kyle Larson
1 Win – Carson Macedo, Christopher Bell

FEATURE LAPS LED (5 Drivers):
51 Laps – Kyle Larson
25 Laps – Carson Macedo
17 Laps – Emerson Axsom
8 Laps – Christopher Bell
4 Laps – David Gravel

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (4 Drivers):
1 Quick Time – Emerson Axsom, Kyle Larson, Danny Sams III, Logan Schuchart

HEAT RACE WINNERS (8 Drivers): 
3 Heat Wins – Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson
2 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Carson Macedo
1 Heat Win – Emerson Axsom, David Gravel

TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (15 Drivers):
4 Dashes – Brian Brown
3 Dashes – Christopher Bell, David Gravel, Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart, Kyle Larson
2 Dashes – Michael Kofoid, Emerson Axsom, Bill Balog, Danny Sams III
1 Dash – Justin Peck, Brad Sweet, Ryan Timms, Tyler Courtney, Parker Price-Miller

MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (4 Drivers):
1 LCS Win – Donny Schatz, Ryan Timms, Giovanni Scelzi, Garet Williamson

KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (3 Drivers):
2 Hard Chargers – Ryan Timms
1 Hard Charger – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart

PODIUM FINISHES (5 Drivers):
4 Podiums – Kyle Larson
3 Podiums – David Gravel
2 Podiums – Logan Schuchart, Christopher Bell
1 Podium – Carson Macedo

TOP 10 FINISHES (17 Drivers): 
4 Top 10s – Kyle Larson, David Gravel, Logan Schuchart
3 Top 10s – Ryan Timms, Carson Macedo, Brad Sweet, Tyler Courtney, Donny Schatz, Justin Peck
2 Top 10s – Christopher Bell, Bill Balog
1 Top 10 – Michael Kofoid, Danny Sams III, Brian Brown, Sheldon Haudenschild, Parker Price-Miller, Anthony Macri

2025 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Wed, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
2. Thurs, Feb 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Christopher Bell (1)
3. Fri, Feb 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Kyle Larson (1)
4. Sat, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Kyle Larso

MARYVILLE, TN (February 26, 2025) – Hot off his best year to date on the World of Outlaws Late Models trail, Ryan Gustin entered 2025 with new tools to take his performance to the next level.

He and his No. 19R squad weren’t far off from being championship contenders last year, picking up five wins and 18 top fives. So, to help take that next step, they brought on what they believed to be the missing ingredient – new crew chief Cody Mallory.

“We got to talking a little bit at the end of last year,” Gustin said. “He said he would do it, and that’s really all it was. He’s obviously one of the best, if not the best out here I feel like, so to have him in our corner, it’s huge for our team.”

Having worked for the likes of Scott Bloomquist, Bobby Pierce, Rocket1 Racing and several others in the past, Mallory has long had a knack for making dirt Late Models go fast. But any driver who’s been through a change on the wrenches knows that it can take time for a pairing to gel and the success to start rolling in.

For Gustin and Mallory, their getting-to-know-you phase was almost nonexistent. On the opening night of the World of Outlaws season at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Gustin led all 35 laps around Volusia Speedway Park en route to the 11th win of his career with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

An 18th-place showing the following night may not have been what Gustin had in mind, but he rebounded three weeks later at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with three-straight top 10s.

Those performances were enough to put him in unfamiliar, yet comfortable territory as the World of Outlaws points leader.

“The Reaper” has worked with his fair share of wrenchers in his nearly two decades of dirt track racing, but none of them had ever delivered results at the national level right off the bat.

“Never in a Late Model,” Gustin stated. “Modified stuff, we’ve kind of done that, but I did the majority of stuff myself on the Modified side. But these things are so technical, you’ve got to drive so hard and everything. He does a hell of a job making it happen where you can get up on the wheel and make it happen.”

However, Mallory’s addition isn’t Gustin’s only reason for optimism in 2025. Compared to the start of Gustin’s first year with Todd Cooney Racing one year ago – when making it to the track was an accomplishment in itself – the team is entering this season far more primed for the Outlaw grind.

“We’re way more prepared,” Gustin said. “I think we got a hauler maybe two weeks before Speedweeks started last year. It was a mad dash to get everything done and get down there. It’s definitely nice to have everything we need and everything where it needs to be showing up, and obviously the results show.

“You ain’t going to win them all no matter what, but it’s a hell of a lot better than we’ve ever done [at Volusia]. Most of the time I’ve been there with any team we’ve struggled, can’t get around the place. But the boys have been working hard, Cody’s one of the best in the business, we’ve got great car owners that give us all tools we need to do our job. Hopefully we just keep on keeping on here.”

The next stop on tour will take Gustin to Smoky Mountain Speedway in March, where he’s had strong runs in the past. He finished fifth in the most recent World of Outlaws race at the track in 2022 a few months before its reconfiguration into a 3/8-mile facility.

However, Gustin has been even more competitive on the smaller layout, winning with the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series last April before finishing on the podium again in the track’s annual Mountain Moonshine Classic in June.

“I feel really good about it,” Gustin said. “Since they reconfigured it, I think the worst we’ve ran is third, so we’re definitely looking forward to it.”

Gustin and the rest of the World of Outlaws Late Models will head to Maryville, TN for the Tennessee Tipoff at Smoky Mountain Speedway on Friday and Saturday, March 14-15.

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

After opening the 2025 season with drafting-style races at Daytona and Atlanta, NASCAR’s Cup Series now moves to a road-course race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Josh Berry and his No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse will carry Freightliner colors for the race on COTA’s National Course, which is about a mile shorter than the full course that was used in earlier Cup races. The shorter course, which eliminates much of the backstretch, still has 20 turns but covers 2.3 miles instead of 3.41. Due to the shorter distance the race will be 95 laps rather than the 68 previously.Berry said he’s fine with the new layout. “Selfishly I like the changes to the course,” he said. “Last year I was pretty solid with the majority [of the course] that they left.” Berry said he’s worked hard to prepare himself for the upcoming weekend. “I spent some time at Ford with the simulator, getting acclimated to the new layout and working on things,” he said. “I feel good going there.”Berry said he and the Freightliner team have done all they can to be as prepared as they can be, and he believes he has reasonable expectations for the race. “I’m continuing to gain experience on the road courses, so for me I think we just want to execute a solid race,” he said. “I want to be more competitive than I was there last year with no mistakes. If we can keep the car facing in the right direction and keep it on the race track, we can have a solid day.”Practice for the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Eastern Time) to be followed by qualifying at 11:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. Eastern). Amazon Prime will carry the TV coverage of practice and qualifying.Sunday’s 95-lap, 219-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX. Stage breaks are planned for Laps 20 and 45.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 26, 2025) – AMA Pro Racing is excited to confirm that Progressive Insurance® will return as the title sponsor of American Flat Track in 2025, marking the sixth consecutive season of the sponsorship.  As the series’ Official Title Sponsor Progressive is the nation’s #1 motorcycle insurer. Since its founding in 1937, Progressive has grown to not only become the country’s second largest personal auto insurer but has also spent decades being dedicated to helping motorcyclists move forward and live life to the fullest.  Progressive has a unique understanding of the passion, enthusiasm, and commitment possessed by motorcyclists in general, and race fans in particular. As such, it has proven a pivotal sponsor during an era of expansion and growth for the series, helping to bring the sport to new audiences via numerous digital and experiential activations.   The 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season will launch with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7.  To purchase Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I tickets, click HERE.  To purchase Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II tickets, click HERE.  And to save $10 by purchasing Thursday and Friday tickets together via the Multi-Day Discount for the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I & II, click HERE.  For the latest news, schedule details, and ticket information, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@americanflattrack) for live updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more from the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season.

25 February 2025 – DragonSpeed has signed Italian Giacomo Altoè for the remainder of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Altoè will partner Albert Costa for the rest of the IMSA calendar’s sprint and Michelin Endurance Cup events, with Ferrari factory driver Davide Rigon joining them for the long distance rounds after his strong run in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The 24-year-old Altoè started in Formula 4 and touring cars before turning to GT competition, where he enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024 at the wheel of Ferrari 296 GT3 entries in Europe and the US. His speed at this year’s Rolex 24 earned him the second full-time DragonSpeed seat.

Following an impressive season-opening performance at Daytona, which saw DragonSpeed emerge as the leading Ferrari to finish sixth in the GTD Pro class, the team is keen to build on its momentum heading into next month’s Mobil 1 Sebring 12 Hours endurance classic.

Altoè said, “I’m extremely motivated for this opportunity! IMSA is a world-class championship and to be able to join DragonSpeed alongside Albert and Davide is a great chance. I can’t wait to start working with the team in two weeks’ time at Sebring!”

DragonSpeed Team Principal Elton Julian said, “We’re excited to welcome Giacomo to the team full time. He shares familiarity with, and success in, the 296 GT3 with Albert and Davide, making him the perfect fit as we continue our push for podiums and victories this season.”

TALLAHASSEE, FL (February 25, 2025) — Randy Meyer Racing in conjunction with  the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) and the INA Towing Network will be bringing attention to the Slow Down Move Over (SDMO) movement on Tuesday, March 4 during a press conference at the Florida State Capitol at 2 p.m. Representatives from the Randy Meyer Racing team will be on hand along with two Slow Down Move Over branded race cars that will be competing in the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, March 6-9. Two-time world champion and SDMO ambassador Megan Meyer and Florida State Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, the legislative sponsor of the press conference at the Florida State Capitol will be the featured speakers.


“This will be a great event to highlight the urgent need to spread the word to drivers across Florida and around the country that they need to Slow Down and Move Over on our highways and streets,” said Meyer. “This program hits home for Randy Meyer Racing and thousands of people across the country. We appreciate the support from the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) and the INA Towing Network and especially the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Highway Safety Office, Tallahassee Fire Department and the Tallahassee Police Department.”

To draw more attention to the initiative Randy Meyer Racing will be campaigning two spectacularly designed race cars, Matt Cummings’ Injected Nitro Dragster and world champion Julie Nataas’ Injected Nitro Funny Car featuring the bright yellow ‘Slow Down Move Over’ liveries, just days prior to the historic NHRA Gatornationals event at Gainesville Raceway.


The goal of the press event and the on-track racing program is to promote the Florida “Move Over” Law (Statute 316.126) to the citizens of Florida and raise awareness for this important safety initiative. Randy Meyer Racing along with the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) are working with Florida Representatives, Senators, and the Governor’s Office to support this national awareness campaign that seeks to save lives, reduce personal injuries, and minimize property damage on the roadways throughout Florida and across America.

During the event Megan Meyer, a two-time NHRA World Champion driver and a TRAA Motorsports Ambassador, along with representatives from the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Highway Safety Office, Tallahassee Police Department, Tallahassee Fire Department, the TRAA, and several Tow Operators will be on hand to talk about Slow Down Move Over. The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Florida State Capital (400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32399).
 

TEAM CHEVY IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES2025 TEAM PREVIEW  Chevrolet enters the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season defending a ninth manufacturers title in the 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6 era since 2012, entering the new year competing for a 10th.At the conclusion of 2024, Team Chevy holds 122 wins, 135 earned NTT P1 Pole Awards, 336 podium finishes, and six Indianapolis 500 victories in the V6 era since 2012.Chevrolet raced to 11 wins in 17 races in 2024, with eight NTT P1 Pole Awards and 28 podium finishes.Team Chevy drivers combined for 1,536 laps led of 2,551 in 2024, or 60.2%.Joining Team Chevy in their inaugural NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, PREMA Racing hits the track for their first event in St. Petersburg with rookie Robert Shwartzman and Callum Ilott behind the wheel of the Nos. 83 and 90 Chevrolet respectively. DETROIT (February 24, 2025) – Chevrolet enters the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with sights set on a successful 2025 campaign after capturing the ninth NTT INDYCAR SERIES manufacturers title last year. With the 20th anniversary Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the horizon, Team Chevy is approaching the dawn of a new season aiming to add to their 122 victories, 135 NTT P1 Pole Awards, 336 podium finishes, and six Indianapolis 500 victories in the 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6 era since 2012. In 2024, Chevrolet captured 11 wins in 17 events, including the prestigious 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 by Josef Newgarden and Team Penske, along with eight NTT P1 Pole Awards, and 28 podium finishes. Additionally, the introduction of hybrid technology at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course saw the Bowtie brand capturing seven impressive wins in nine events in the last half of the year. Team Chevy drivers also swept the podium three times last season, including Road America, Iowa 1, and Milwaukee 1, as well as locking out the front row for the Indianapolis 500. “The hard work, dedication, and talent by our Chevrolet engineers, drivers and teams is a testament to last year’s success, and we’re excited to carry 2024’s momentum into the new season,” said Mark Stielow, Director of Motorsport Competition Engineering at General Motors. “The NTT INDYCAR SERIES grows more competitive each year, but we are bringing with us into the new year back-to-back manufacturer titles, as well as the back-to-back Indianapolis 500 victories by Josef Newgarden. St. Petersburg has been quite successful for Chevrolet in the past, and we’re looking forward to potentially kicking off a 10th Manufacturers title drive on the Streets of St. Pete.” In 2025, Chevrolet is excited to lead the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field to the green flag at six iconic tracks for eight events, including the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, World Wide Technology Raceway, Road America, Iowa Speedway, and Portland International Raceway. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg takes the green flag for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season live on FOX Sunday, March 2 at 12 p.m. ET. Additional coverage of the 20th-anniversary event is carried with INDYCAR Radio and SiriusXM Channel 160.

AJ Foyt RacingThe legendary organization of AJ Foyt Racing welcomes David Malukas to their two-car lineup, in the No. 4 Chevrolet, along with Santino Ferrucci returning in the No. 14 Chevrolet. With highlights from Ferrucci in 2024’s Indianapolis 500 (finishing eighth after qualifying sixth in the Firestone Fast Six), Portland where he captured the pole, and finishing the season in the top-10 (ninth, career highest) in driver standings, adding Malukas has the team’s sights set on the season with great anticipation and determination. David Malukas, No. 4 Chevrolet:Strategist: Craig BrooksEngineer: James SchnabelCrew Chief: Nick Cooper Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Chevrolet:Strategist: Larry FoytEngineer: Michael ArmbresterCrew Chief: Steve McKenzie Arrow McLarenLooking to improve on its 2024 season, Arrow McLaren solidified their three-team lineup with Pato O’Ward returning in the No. 5 Chevrolet along with Nolan Siegel in the No. 6 Chevrolet and bringing aboard Christian Lundgaard to the No. 7 Chevrolet. O’Ward, moving to the senior driver role of the team, looks to add to his already captured career seven wins, five NTT P1 Pole Awards, and 26 podium finishes. Siegel, who moved up to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES after racing to the 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year, holds 12 career starts in INDYCAR, and raced in the lead with eight laps led at World Wide Technology Raceway. Lundgaard, while new to Arrow McLaren in 2025, isn’t new to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, having one race win in 2023 at Toronto, in addition to two NTT P1 Pole Awards, three podium finishes, seven top-five finishes, and 131 laps led in 51 starts. Joining O’Ward, Siegel, and Lundgaard, Kyle Larson, driving the No. 17 with Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports, will attempt a second “Double,” competing in both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, respectively. Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet:Strategist: Nick SnyderEngineer: Will AndersenCrew Chief: Chris Nash Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Chevrolet:Strategist: Scott HarnerEngineer: Kate GundlachCrew Chief: Heath Kosik Christian Lundgaard:Strategist: Brian BarnhartEngineer: Chris LawrenceCrew Chief: Todd Phillips Ed Carpenter RacingBolstering their two full-time car lineup in the offseason, Ed Carpenter Racing looks to 2025 with renewed vigor and excitement, with Christian Rasmussen shifting to the No. 20 Chevrolet as veteran Alexander Rossi joins the team in the No. 21 Chevrolet. Additionally, Ed Carpenter will return to the No. 33 Chevrolet for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 for a three-car effort in the legendary race. With a top ten in 14 starts, Rasmussen looks to build on his 2024 rookie season in the new year, with valuable knowledge and seat time gained in the previous year. Rossi, brings his veteran knowledge and a stacked resume to the team that sees eight career wins, one Indianapolis 500 victory (2016), seven NTT P1 Pole Awards, 30 podium finishes, 50 top-five finishes, and 995 laps led in 147 career starts. Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Chevrolet:Strategist: Tim BroylesEngineer: Matt BarnesCrew Chief: Austin Shepherd Alexander Rossi, No. 21 Chevrolet:Strategist: Brent HarveyEngineer: Peter CraikCrew Chief: Jimmie Johnson Juncos Hollinger RacingJuncos Hollinger Racing welcomes back Conor Daly to the team, fielding the No. 77 Chevrolet along with his new teammate Sting Ray Robb, competing in the No. 78 Chevrolet. With a 2024 season that saw the team capture their first podium finish in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES by Daly at Milwaukee 1, Juncos Hollinger Racing has their aim on adding to their two top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes in 2024. Conor Daly, No. 77 Chevrolet:Strategist: Ricardo JuncosEngineer: Townsend LucasCrew Chief: Ryan Lall Sting Ray Robb, No. 78 Chevrolet:Strategist: Dave O’NeillEngineer: Adam BlockerCrew Chief: Adam Farrer PREMA RacingBolstering Chevrolet’s esteemed lineup in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, PREMA Racing joins Team Chevy in 2025 with rookie Robert Shwartzman in the No. 83 Chevrolet and Callum Ilott in the No. 90 Chevrolet. A legendary organization founded in 1983, PREMA Racing has been a premier leader in junior single-seater racing in Europe. While new to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES stateside, PREMA Racing has cultivated many driving talents in their journey to Formula 1, including Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon among many others. PREMA Racing looks to the 2025 season with excitement as they enter a new endeavor in INDYCAR. Robert Shwartzman, No. 83 Chevrolet:Strategist: Robert GueEngineer: Joao GineteCrew Chief: Dave Arnold Callum Ilott, No. 90 Chevrolet:Strategist: Lorenzo CasiraghiEngineer: Steve BarkerCrew Chief: Ernest Bustamante Team PenskeTeam Penske fielded a stellar 2024 campaign in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, not only capturing a back-to-back prestigious Indianapolis 500 victories with Josef Newgarden in May from 2023 to 2024, but also overall winning eight times during the year. Additionally, the Team Penske trip earned seven NTT P1 Pole Awards, while also sweeping the Indianapolis 500 front row, and 20 podium finishes between Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Chevrolet), Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Chevrolet), and Will Power (No. 12 Chevrolet). Newgarden, Power, and McLaughlin combined to lead 1,140 of 2,551 total turned laps by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field all season. In McLaughlin’s Iowa win in July, he led 164 laps on his way to winning, setting most laps led in a single race during the season, most consecutive laps led, and most laps led by a race winner in that one event. Team Penske looks to the new season ready continuing their victorious pursuit. Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Chevrolet:Strategist: Tim CindricEngineer: Luke MasonCrew Chief: Chad Gordon Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Chevrolet:Strategist: Kyle MoyerEngineer: Ben BretzmanCrew Chief: Trevor Lacasse Will Power, No. 12 Chevrolet:Strategist: Ron RuzewskiEngineer: David FaustinoCrew Chief: Matt Jonsson

2025 Chevrolet by the Numbers:9: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration. 7: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration since mid-2024.  216: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR.  122: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012.  135: Earned poles since 2012. Chevrolet holds 140 pole awards in total, with five recorded based on points for weather. 5: Earned pole in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as V6 engine supplier with hybrid technology integration. 9: Manufacturer Championships since 2012.  7: Driver/entrant champions since 2012.  13: Indianapolis 500 victories by Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 6: Indianapolis 500 wins by Chevrolet since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era. 35: Number of times Chevrolet has swept the podium in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era. In total, a manufacturer has swept the podium 56 times since 2012. 29: Wins by Will Power since 2012 – all with Chevrolet power – most of any driver with the same manufacturer.   9: Wins from the pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver.  46: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver.*Will Power’s career total of 70 poles makes him the all-time pole winner in INDYCAR.

DALLAS (February 25, 2025) — As the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series gets closer to its opening debut at Gainesville Raceway for the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 6-9, Drag Race Bracket Bonanza (DRBB) is officially announcing that they will once again be back for the entire season. And to kick off this season in a major way, Summit Racing Equipment will be a premium sponsor for the year, where their logo will be included on the popular Drag Race Bracket Bonanza event plaques.

“Summit Racing Equipment was one of our first sponsors to come on board last year,” said DRBB founder Elon Werner. “They were a terrific partner to us all throughout 2024, so we are thrilled to have them back this year in an even bigger and better way. We saw terrific growth during our first full season in 2024, and with the help of sponsors like Summit, we know our free game will continue to improve during our second full season.”

Since launching the free bracket game for drag racing fans at the 2023 U.S. Nationals, Drag Race Bracket Bonanza has sent prizes to 42 states and five countries outside of the U.S. Those prizes include the DRBB event plaques that are sent to the Overall winner, Top Fuel winner, Funny Car winner, Pro Stock winner and Pro Stock Motorcycle winner at each national event. So far, all DRBB event plaques have been signed by the drivers who won each event. This is an element of personalization that Werner plans on maintaining in 2025.

2024 prizes also included three trophies designed by Katie Buttera of @applegirlart for winners of The Majors series, a custom Impact Racing helmet signed by all drivers in the Countdown, certificates for players who picked better U.S. Nationals brackets than our legends, as well as many others.

“We were able to send out some pretty incredible prizes in 2024,” said Werner. “We plan to keep the ball rolling in 2025 by continuing to offer up other special prizes. The drag racing community is full of creative people and passionate fans. One of the best parts about DRBB is connecting those two groups. And because DRBB is a free game, anyone of any age can play, which means our young fans also have the opportunity to win some pretty cool prizes.”

In addition to having their logo on the DRBB plaques, Summit Racing Equipment will be providing each plaque winner with a $25 gift certificate. Summit gift certificates were a huge part of the sponsorship program in 2024, and DRBB fans saw a huge value in them. Paul S., a DRBB player from Stacy, Minnesota who placed 17th overall in 2024, said this on social platform X, “Big thanks to [Summit Racing] for the “Top 20” $25 gift certificate. My oldest son needed new racing gloves [for the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League] so we put it to good use!” 

“Our initial sponsorship experience with Drag Race Bracket Bonanza was so positive, that I knew we would want to continue it in some way in 2025,” said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing Motorsports and Events Manager. “When Elon came to us with the idea of us sponsoring the plaques and providing even more players with gift certificates, we jumped at the opportunity. We love getting to directly tie the fun element of a free, unique prize like the DRBB plaques to the Summit Racing Equipment brand.”

Drag Race Bracket Bonanza will have many more exciting announcements coming out during the lead up to the Gatornationals. Fans can follow DRBB on social media for cool stats, prize updates, and info on Twitter/X at @dragracebb or @DragRaceBracketBonanza  on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

DRBB players will have the chance to fill out their brackets for the first time in 2025 during the Gatornationals when qualifying ends at Gainesville Raceway on Saturday, March 8. They will then have until the first round of eliminations begins on Sunday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m. ES

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 24, 2025) — Bradley Fezard entered the toughest stint of his career when he joined the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour for his rookie campaign in 2024. But it left him eager for another round this year.

He’s been building toward this trajectory for over 10 years, climbing the ranks through Micro Sprints, Midgets and 305 Sprint Cars.

“Once you get to run the 360 with the ASCS guys, it’s kind of a whole new take on competition,” Fezard said. “It’s really stout, and with as tough as it is to run competitively, it keeps you hungry and wanting more each week.”

The former NOW600 and POWRi Micro Sprint champion from Bonnerdale, AR, compiled four top-10 finishes in his rookie season, with a best finish of ninth coming on three occasions. While a 12th-place finish in the final points wasn’t the result he was looking for from his first year on the road, he began to build the foundation of patience necessary to develop his skills in the future.

“I think the series ended up being a little tougher than we expected going into it,” Fezard said. “Last year, it was, unfortunately, just a season of ‘if it could go wrong, it did go wrong.’ For us and our team, it was a tough, challenging year, and we fought a lot of adversity every weekend.”

All four of Fezard’s ASCS top-10 finishes last year came on tracks in Oklahoma, where he grew racing and winning titles in 2020 and 2021. However, 2024 meant spending far more time outside of his proving grounds.

“We learned going to a lot of new racetracks last year,” Fezard said. “I feel like building some notes and taking some ideas and things away from first-time tracks that will help us this season when we go back to those racetracks.”

Another year older, another year wiser, and another year stronger is the motto for Fezard and the V&H Fresh Racing team in 2025, especially when it comes to equipment.

“This year, we’re going into the season with two new (Triple X) chassis, we have a new full-time crew guy that’s going to help us out this season,” Fezard said. “I feel like that’ll be something that really helps keep us going competitively each weekend.”

The team has also taken on some help in the shop, adding crew chief Jesse Barstad for the 2025 season. Barstad will provide extra help both in the shop during the week and at the track on race weekends, helping to further accelerate Fezard’s learning curve.

“This year, I would be happy with a win or two, and I’d definitely like to add on to the podium count,” Fezard said of his goals for the new year. “Definitely run better toward the end of the year and in the overall points standings. We would be thrilled to be in the top 10. That would be an accomplishment for us.”

Fezard continues his second season on the ASCS National Tour trail in the next event — Saturday, April 12, at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, OK. Tickets for the event will be on sale at the gate on race day.

If you can’t be at the track to watch, stream every lap live on your devices with a subscription to DIRTVision.

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Hocevar Leads Chevrolet with Runner-Up Result At Atlanta Motor Speedway

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS: POS.     DRIVER2nd – Carson Hocevar3rd – Kyle Larson5th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 7th – Kyle Busch8th – Ross Chastain

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

·       In yet another photo finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Carson Hocevar led Chevrolet to the checkered-flag in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Ambetter Health 400 – driving his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to a runner-up result.  ·       Kyle Larson earned his career best superspeedway finish in NASCAR’s top division – tallying a third-place result in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.  ·       Larson delivered Chevrolet its first stage win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. After a 17th place finish in Stage One, Larson progressively maneuvered his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet towards the front of the pack throughout the stage – ultimately taking the lead on the final lap to earn his first career superspeedway stage win.  ·       Michael McDowell and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team endured a power steering issue during the early laps of race. Making quick repairs to return to the track six laps down, the No. 71 Chevrolet team collected a record-tying six-straight free passes to rejoin the lead lap in the final stage – ultimately taking the checkered-flag for a 13th-place finish.   

UP NEXT: The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Circuit of The Americas with the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday, March 2, at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Post-Race Driver Quotes:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 8th “To qualify 33rd and drive through the field – I made some bad decisions throughout the race. The car was good enough in traffic to keep cycling forward. Great call by Phil Surgen (crew chief) there at the beginning of the final stage to come and get four tires. I was definitely second guessing that in the moment, but it was definitely the right call. So I am glad he is the one making the calls on the No. 1 Moose Chevrolet.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 3rd“I think if I didn’t let the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) get to my outside, I would have had an opportunity, but he would probably split to my inside into (turn) one and clear me. If I don’t hesitate, the wreck probably doesn’t happen. So yeah, I don’t know.. I haven’t seen a replay yet. But yeah, bummer not to get a win. I’m proud of the effort today by this No. 5 HendrickCars.comChevy team. We had a lot of fun. It was super intense. It was my first legit finish here at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the reconfiguration, so I’ll take it. I feel like we learned a lot and I feel like we can be a lot better with the balance of our racecar to be a little bit more on offense while we are in traffic. We just came up a little bit short. Congratulations to Bell. Thank you to HendrickCars.com, Chevrolet and all the Chevy partner teams, too. It’s been a good night, just wish we could have been a couple spots better.”  Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletFinished: 7th “It was a better finish than I thought we were going to get tonight. There were a lot of crashed cars there too, so we kind of cycled our way forward a little bit with some guys that wrecked out. Overall, the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy had really good speed, I just had a really hard time opening it up. When I got back in traffic, worse than third in line, I just really had to lift out of the throttle a lot and that was holding me up and holding my lane up. Not a lot of guys were willing to deal with that and have the patience for that, so it kind of shucked us back there a few times. But we were able to rally and get what we could for our Cheddar’s Chevrolet. Just wish we were closer to the front for the end, but that’s where all the wrecks were happening too, so maybe not.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Finished: “Hard fight all night, just struggled with balance overall. Then when you get back there in traffic, it’s hard to make the right moves. I definitely need to be a little bit better making the right moves. I’m proud of the guys; we made a lot of changes to make the car as good as we could. We salvaged a decent finish there at the end, but we need to be a little bit better overall.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 5th“It was an up-and-down day for the No. 47 Chevy team. We were at the back. We were at the front. We got some stage points. All-in-all, our Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls Chevy was really, really good. I could go anywhere I wanted to on the race track. I thought we had a shot at the end. I was bummed.. I wanted the No. 5 (Kyle Larson) or us to win. I thought my only shot was to push the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) as hard as I could, which I did. And then I was hoping to get to the outside of the No. 20 in (turns) one and two, but somebody got me in the fence down the frontstretch, and then we were just trying to hold on for a top-five. Our car was really good and I had a lot of fun today.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 13th“That was an eventful day for the No. 71 Group 1001 Chevy team. We had an issue early on with the power steering pump. We actually lost the hose; came in the garage and went down seven laps. We got all of our laps back, nothing short of miraculous, and capitalized there at the end. So thankful to get a good finish, given that it could have been a disaster there. Really proud of Carson (Hocevar). He had a great race. I didn’t see the ending of it, but I know he was up front racing for the win all night long. Really proud of Spire Motorsports for bringing fast Chevy’s. We got some good notes for us for when we come back here. I’m proud of my team and their effort – just grinding through it, getting laps back, fixing a mechanical issue and never giving up. That’s what it’s all about.”  Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 2ndCAREER BEST FINISH FOR YOU, BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU — THERE WAS A LONG LINE OF DRIVERS HERE TO TALK TO YOU. RYAN BLANEY, ROSS CHASTAIN, VERY AGGRESSIVE RACE OUT THERE, WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO SAY? “I will just leave those to myself. But first off, apologies to (Kyle) Larson, HMS, Mr. H and everybody. They help us out a lot and I didn’t realize we weren’t racing back to the line. The last two nights were kind of that way, and I hit the No. 20 to get him out of the way and filled the middle. A little bit longer and maybe we win the race. But big thanks to Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet and Delaware Life. I normally ride in the back and run last, so I was just trying to get a good, decent finish. For how bad we were at Daytona, I was not riding. But yeah, there is some stuff I have to learn and clean up a little bit, but I feel like we put ourselves in the perfect opportunity to win the race. I have never had that opportunity really before, especially on a big superspeedway. So just big thanks to Spire Motorsports. They deserve all the praise, and I just get to hold the wheel, run wide open and try to put myself in a decent spot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best spot but was just one spot short.” Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletSidelined by damage sustained in an accident in the final stage. Finished: 33rd What was your take on the accident that ultimately ended your day early? It seemed like it went three-wide pretty quickly..“Yeah, I mean it was quickly, definitely, but the No. 54 (Ty Gibbs) was there. He was in the middle, and I didn’t know he was in the middle. That’s on me and my spotter. I think we have to do a better job in those situations. It’s part of it. I think that, overall, we just put ourselves in very bad situations throughout the race. We were not fast enough. The No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevy wasn’t handling the way I was hoping it would. Normally our speed is good and our handling is great, and that’s how we’ve been successful here. Today, that just wasn’t the case. We have to go through everything and see what we can do better for next time.”

TF Sport Corvettes show strong form in testing ahead of WEC opener LUSAIL, Qatar (Feb. 22, 2025) – TF Sport’s six drivers expressed satisfaction with the team’s pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs following the FIA World Endurance Championship’s two-day Prologue test ahead of the Qatar 1812 Km and the opening round of this year’s season-long LM GT3 title race.

The two Corvettes collectively completed 602 laps for 2,028.74 miles across the four Prologue sessions at the 3.37-mile, 16-turn Lusail International Circuit, which plays host Friday to the WEC’s first race of the year for the second consecutive season.  TF Sport was well-represented at the top portion of the combined LM GT3 time sheets following four sessions across Friday and Saturday. Corvette newcomer Jonny Edgar led the Corvette charge with the fifth-fastest time among all 54 LM GT3 drivers – a 1:55.132 (105.428 mph) lap during Saturday’s final session in the No. 33 Corvette that he will share during this season with Ben Keating and factory driver Daniel Juncadella, who was a little more than a tenth of a second off his teammate’s time.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFO Corvette Racing media information is available ahead of the Qatar 1812 Km and season-opening race for the FIA WEC. Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, factory driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

Fellow factory pilot Charlie Eastwood wasn’t far off Edgar’s pace with a 1:55.174 (105.210 mph) lap in the final session, as well. He finished the Prologue as the 11th-fastest LM GT3 driver in the No. 81 Z06 GT3.R that he will share for the second year in a row with Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy, last year’s Qatar pole-sitter in class. The 3.37-mile, 16-turn Losail International Circuit was the site of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s WEC debut a year ago. Armed with the lessons learned from the venue at year ago plus a win and runner-up finish to start 2025 at Daytona, TF Sport is hoping to continue the momentum from last year’s double-podium finish at the season finale in Bahrain and spring ahead to championship contention in a stacked 18-car LM GT3 field. TF Sport and the rest of the FIA WEC field will open the season with the Qatar 1812 Km at 2 p.m. Arabian Standard Time / 6 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, February 28.

TF SPORT POST-PROLOGUE QUOTESDANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s a big difference from last year and a massive step forward. Not that we weren’t prepared last year; I think we were in a good place but unfortunately with not enough mileage in the car, the team was new… so we had to focus too much on solving little hiccups, which are expected in a brand new car. Now we are focusing 100 percent on the performance. This is the second year of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this championship. It’s great to see also in terms of team preparation and driver lineup… everything has taken a step forward and that’s very exciting to see.”

JONNY EDGAR, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’ve been enjoying things so far. Everyone seems pretty happy with the car. It’s enjoyable working with TF Sport again. Most of the people I’ve already known but I’m also getting used to working with some of the new people. Ben and Dani I’ve gotten to know more over the last few days and it’s been nice working with them. They’re obviously both very quick. It’s mine and Ben’s first time here so it took us both a little bit to get used to the track but I feel we’re both very comfortable at the end, the car was nice to drive and the days went smoothly. We tried a few things but if we had to race as we were now, we would be in a pretty good position. Now we are just trying to find the last few things to see if we can make the car even better. But it’s nothing big or major. We’re overall pretty happy.”

BEN KEATING, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was great to get back in the Corvette and with TF Sport. There are still some tweaks to come but I feel like I’ve made a tremendous amount of progress in two days of testing. TF Sport clearly knows what they’re doing. It feels more comfortable and at home. I love running with TF Sport. I love racing in the Corvette. It’s easy to drive, and I know I will continue to improve throughout the week. I’m still making improvements in the comfort level and ergonomics of the car in learning about it on this track. I’ve never been on this circuit so it’s been nice to have time to get up to speed during the Prologue.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “There is close to no comparison to where we were a year ago. Everyone is in a much better place… with the continuity between us as drivers, we know what we need to do. Also the team is way more well-versed with the Corvette and with the steps forward with the Z06 GT3.R since this time last year, it’s hard to compare. Ultimately we seem to be in a pretty good spot at the minute. The lineups between the two cars is going to help a lot. If anything, we (on the No. 81) were stronger last year and now the No. 33, at least on paper, is on paper the strongest lineup on the grid. We have extra data use and more people doing faster laps times that will give us a really good idea of where we are in that regard. At the minute, it’s all clean sailing for us.”

RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I feel really good. We have the sense as drivers that the team and Corvette Racing really put a lot of effort into the car throughout the end of last year and in the winter. The improvements are clear in both performance and reliability. There is a lot less guessing and more confidence in the package. We know we are quick. Now it’s more about maximizing things and putting those together. I wish we were at the point last year where we are now! Everything is going much more smoothly, we have a lot more control on the torque sensor side and the cars are running faultlessly. No issues and no reason to stop. Things feel really, really good. Having the kinds of drivers that we have inside the team makes us all improve.”

TOM VAN ROMPUY, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “For myself and the team, we go into the season more confident because we have a year under our belt. We went to some tracks where I had never been before, and having the miles and progression on the Corvette makes us more confident and hungry to go for nice results this year. The entire team is a nice step up from last year. We will have two really competitive cars, which is good and keeps everyone on their toes. You can learn from each other and help each other. It’s nice.”

Prologue sets foundation for new program

LUSAIL, Qatar (Saturday, Feb. 22) – With the foundation solidly in place, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA turns its attention to details next week during the build-up for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season-opening Qatar 1812 Km. Not only did the Prologue this week at the 5.38-kilometer, 16-turn Lusail International Circuit on the northern outskirts of Doha prove that the team has a firm handle on the manufacturer transition and move from privateer to factory program, the test sessions established the Nos. 12 and 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R entries as race victory contenders.The preseason exercise was the first time all six drivers, engineers and crews with the first-year Cadillac Racing-JOTA Sport alliance worked together as Cadillac Racing expands to a two-car program for its third season of WEC Hypercar competition. “If the path you travel is down a corridor, our corridor is very wide at the moment because we’re making sweeping changes to try different things, which is what testing is for,” JOTA Sport co-founder and director Sam Hignett said. “We’re narrowing the corridor to find the best window where the car operates. We should roll into race weekend in pretty good shape.” At least one of the Hypercars was in the top five on the lap time chart in the field of 18 in each of the four sessions totaling 14 hours over the two days, including a 1-2 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA showing in the night outing the initial day as team worked through a series of objectives.The No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, co-driven by Earl Bamber, Sebastien Bourdais and Jenson Button, recorded the second-best lap time overall of 1 minute, 39.116 seconds. The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R co-driven by Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens posted a quickest lap of 1:39.296.A 60-minute free practice session February 27 precedes Hypercar qualifying and the 10-minute Hyperpole. The 10-hour race February 28 is scheduled for green flag at 2 p.m. AST/6 a.m. ET.

Media resourcesCadillac Hertz Team JOTA information to assist in your coverage of the season opener and beyond, including event notes, storylines, driver CVs, photos, statistics and more. HEREQatar interview opportunities

What they’re sayingSam Hignett, JOTA Sport co-founder and director: “We’ve got six generally happy drivers, which is always a good gauge of how it’s going, If the path you travel is down a corridor, our corridor is very wide at the moment because we’re making sweeping changes to try different things, which is what testing is for. What’s really encouraging is wherever we go, it’s a definitive answer. We’re narrowing the corridor to find the best window where the car operates. We should roll into race weekend in pretty good shape. We can go testing and do things, but it’s just not the same as being at the Prologue. There’s so many bits and pieces, working with the other cars, GT car traffic, working with the race director, pit lane rules and full-course yellows. It is absolutely the best test session we do all year.” No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R

Alex Lynn: “I think we’re on the right track. There were so many times last year in the WEC we were very fast and sometimes we didn’t put the results on paper. There is so much potential in this championship for this car and it’s really coming on leaps and bounds. Team JOTA has been amazing and we’ve been enjoying it, and that usually results in fat lap times as well.” Norman Nato: “This is the first time we’re working together in a race environment, so we don’t feel 100 percent ready yet. But step by step we’re going to create a team pushing in the same direction to have the best package. It’s a really exciting project and I’m happy to be part of it. Already, having six drivers with different driving styles you can learn from corner to corner, and set-up and strategy-wise you can try different things and arrive next week with a package that you’re thinking about the race and not trying to find the best set-up. This is a track that suits our car and it’s also important to have a clean race to learn as much as possible because you need consistency to fight for the championship.”Will Stevens: “All of us working together for the first time generally has worked really well so far. I think we had a positive start to the week. We rolled off the truck with a good racecar and I feel quite comfortable with everything we have at the moment. It’s still early in the race week. We have a lot of things we want to cover in the Prologue and then we have time before next week starts for us to go in and analyze everything. The six of us are giving similar feedback and that’s positive point that we’re going to push in the same direction.”No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.REarl Bamber: “I think we’ve been doing our homework in the winter. I think it’s definitely helped overall with different drivers driving at Daytona, Sebring test and now coming here. I think we’re in a good window; the car is feeling really nice, and it’s been really nice to be with two cars here. We can learn and share a lot. Get twice as much done with the limited track time we have in the WEC. We also get a lot of help and support from the guys in America and vice versa. We’re working on the details on the racetrack. This one team, one dream that we’ve got at Cadillac Racing is working well.”Sebastien Bourdais: ““It was the first time we had the 38 with Jenson, Earl and I and our engineering group together. The very first time. Is it perfect? No. Do we have work to do? Yes. But with the Prologue we have plenty of time to learn and go through the test program to be ready for next week. All it all, I’d say it’s been a positive start.”

Jenson Button: “I’m happy. You always wish there was more testing, but there is still quite a lot more before the race. I’ve watched the Cadillac racing the last couple of years, whether its’s in IMSA or WEC, and loved the way the car looks in high-speed corners, the way it rides curbs, the sound of it. It’s awesome. I think the car suits my style a little bit more than what I was driving last year. I’m enjoying the process and obviously it’s a big learning for the team to be working with the Cadillac. But I think everyone has worked so well together – all the engineers from Cadillac and JOTA. We’ll have moments, some stumbling blocks along the way, but I feel the atmosphere is really good and everyone is gelling.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 22, 2025

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series’ qualifying session at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Media Availability Quotes:  Have you heard from Sabrina Carpenter yet (laughs)?“(Laughs) That’s a good one. No.. it was cool to have a little bit of fun with that. We’ll see where it goes.” We’re going on year four of racing at this track since the reconfiguration. What has surprised you about what it takes to get around this track in a pack and be competitive, compared to Talladega and Daytona? Is it more mentally or physically taxing? “Yeah, I honestly think it’s really challenging. Especially as the track starts to age, it’s just a blend between Daytona and Talladega. Obviously, you’re not able to run wide open throttle, really, ever until, I would say, the end of the race or if you’re one of the top two or three cars. For us, it’s a blend. You have to be lifting in the corners. Your car has to handle well to run various lanes because, really, I would say any of the cars can run sort of the bottom to middle. But to be able to move around and make passes effectively and put yourself into some bad aero situations, you have to be able to handle well. So I think it’s challenging. I hope it continues to age. I was a little disappointed that the tire isn’t softer this weekend because I felt like the tire has been hard to feel and get ahold of. But I think it will still put on a great race and I think towards the end of the race, you’ll probably see the pack racing that you normally do, just because I feel like the surface takes a bit to get some rubber into it and then it picks up some grip as we go. It’s unique, for sure.” You got to the do the DAYTONA 500 media tour for the second time. What was your favorite about this year’s tour, and did you get to do anything different this year than you didn’t get to do for your first DAYTONA 500 win? “Yeah, I mean I got to do a lot more than I feel like last year, especially with the circumstances of last year’s race being on a Monday. So for us, Monday Night RAW was a really fun, unique, experience. I had never been to a wrestling match, so I really enjoyed that, honestly. And then obviously going to New York and then we were here yesterday doing a bunch of stuff with the Braves, the Weather Channel and CNN. It was cool. It’s been a crazy week, but that’s what you want. You don’t think about all that stuff when you’re trying to win the race. I think it’s cool that we won. It’s cool that we got the chance to really go and do some fun stuff.” Is the DAYTONA 500 one of those wins where it doesn’t fully set in while you’re in the midst of that whirlwind? “Yeah, I mean it was in that moment because of the way the race played out there at the end and just sort of the shock on my face. But yeah, I think everyone’s a little bit different. But this one, I tried to take it in a lot as I went through it and thought about what it meant. I feel like the DAYTONA 500 is a win that, over time, you grow more and more fond of. So I feel like that’s unique.. I haven’t really had a win like that in my career.” Inaudible..“It just makes me chuckle. Yeah I think for me, there’s definitely — we know that. Really for me, when I started superspeedway racing, I treated it as luck, and I didn’t think strategy really worked out very well. So for me, I just go into it and try to control the things that I can control. Obviously I was fortunate in that situation, but I made moves leading up to that that put me in that position. I sensed that it was coming and just tried to position myself. So I don’t know.. I don’t really read too much into stuff outside of my circle of people. Obviously I’m proud of the win. I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m excited for my team.” With the win came a lot of fun. What was the best part about yesterday that you can think of? “Yeah, there was a lot of cool parts of yesterday, as well. I think the Braves, being a part of their organization and seeing the locker rooms and some of those things, was really cool. Definitely grew my appreciation for everything there. Some of the other interviews were really fun, as well. Yeah, it’s just been a whirlwind.” You did burnouts in the outfield? “Yeah, that was pretty fun. That was unique (laughs).” I wasn’t aware you went on the Weather Channel.. what did you do on the Weather Channel?“(laughs) Nothing productive.. I wasn’t giving any weather reports.” What questions does the Weather Channel ask the defending DAYTONA 500 champion? “They actually asked some of the best questions. They were very detailed and asked a lot about strategy. They asked about rain delays and how that changes your mindset. One of the most common questions this week was the rain delay and how that changed my outlook on the race. That was cool to hear some of their questions.” Where did the 2024 DAYTONA 500 winning car go or where is it going? “That’s a great question. I don’t know.. I feel like it’s probably going to go in the museum or something like that. I don’t know.. I don’t know if we’re going to use that car again. With the Next Gen allotment, you can’t really retire cars as often, so I’m not sure if we’re going to retire it or race it again. It might be raced again.. we’ll see.” Was there one congratulatory message you received this week that maybe surprised you? “I received a lot.. probably over like 300. But I think really just the people that are close to me. That was what meant the most and just being able to celebrate with them. Some of the Hurricanes guys, they were quick to reach out. It was cool, really, to just experience it with my family and friends back home in Charlotte. Got a chance to do that on Wednesday, so that was probably the best part of the week, for me.” 

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 22, 2025

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series’ qualifying session at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Media Availability Quotes:  Obviously with the fan following, anytime you come back here, it is going to be big with this being your home track. Does it ever get old coming back here and coming back into that sea of things again? What do you enjoy every time you get to come back here? “I love coming here. I’ve said it a lot, but I’m glad we have two dates here at this track. There was a large investment made to try and make the track better — make it more exciting and I think they achieved all of those things, honestly. Yeah, I’m glad we still have the opportunity to come down here and get to do it twice a year, I think, is good. You know, it seems like the fan engagement and excitement has been elevated since the track reconfiguration and hopefully that continues to get better as time goes.” We’re entering year four on this configuration and we’re really starting to see the surface wear out. Guys say that handling is much more key now. What has surprised you or stuck out to you as the surface has evolved here and the superspeedway style has changed? “Yeah, I mean I didn’t think it had changed a whole lot last year, honestly. You know, I think we’re still on the slow side enough of the envelope that it’s OK. Now, like the Xfinity cars, they might get in that mid-range a little sooner than we will. But our cars are pretty draggy and slow here, so I think it will be a bit yet until it becomes an issue or handling becomes a huge issue. But I could be wrong.. I could be surprised today. It has seemed like this race, being colder weather, is always a little more difficult just getting the tires to heat up, particularly with your qualifying lap and the way the cars are configured. But it seems like when the race gets going, you get some temperature in things and some heat, that always seems to help a little bit and everyone gets brave again.”  What is your outlook on racing at these tracks? You do so well at Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta. You race really well and then maybe some crazy ends up happening, like what happened in the DAYTONA 500. Do you like racing this style? And secondly, how do you put that behind you and go? Have you just adapted that attitude that that’s going to happen? “Yeah, I don’t necessarily know that it’s my favorite style of racing to participate in, but it is definitely a style of racing that you really have to learn to at least accept and try and learn how to get better at, and really just understand that there’s not just two or three on the schedule anymore. You know, when you look at the schedule, you have two Atlanta’s, two Daytona’s, two Talladega’s, right? When you come to that conclusion, it’s like — well we better really try and race this, improve and figure out a way to make these races count for the better because, if not, you’re just throwing too much of the season away. So I think that, historically, you could kind of get away with not worrying about the speedway races with where they fell on the calendar and the fact there wasn’t as many of them. But I don’t really think that’s the case anymore.  So there’s that side of it. The side of it from, like last week, and how do you bounce back from that. Honestly, I wouldn’t do anything different than we did last weekend. Was I disappointed in the result? Absolutely. You know, certainly felt like we were better than that. But when I just look at the week of work that we put in and the preparation that went in — we had probably our best car in the Next Gen era down there for a DAYTONA 500, so I thought that was great. All the things that I ask of and I talk about being important to me at drafting tracks, I thought we executed all of those things on Sunday. So, you know, the lane that I chose ended up going backwards at the end of the race. But at the end of the day, when you kind of just look at the global landscape of what the week was like, what our performance was like, the execution throughout the race — it’s really, and I’m a pretty honest person, it’s hard for me to give our team a bad grade. I felt like we did a pretty good job.” In qualifying, can you still go out and run flat-out here, or is it that because the surface has aged a little bit, you can’t do that? How do you know with no practice? “Yeah, you’re going to try, for sure. You’re certainly going to enter the corner wide open as if you can. If you get in there and you realize that the grip level doesn’t feel right or something, then you try and bail out and hopefully be smooth doing it. I don’t think we’re to the point where — like I was saying a second ago, we’re not to a point where we’re not going to run wide open around here. The challenge is – what makes this unique and different with qualifying and why sometimes it looks a little sketchy on TV and sometimes why it is a little sketchy for us – is because the tires are cold, the cars are on the ground because they’re trying to take drag out of them, right? So you’re sitting on the shock stops and it’s just really uncomfortable, bumpy and rough. And you’re sitting on a tire that ultimately becomes your spring at that point, right? And it’s cold and has no grip. So you combine all of those things together and it’s cold outside, that’s why it’s kind of sketchy. But you pick the cars up off the ground and you had any heat in them whatsoever, you’re going to run around here wide open, no problem. So it’s just a matter of balancing that out a little bit.”  What has made this track more agreeable to the drivers as the years have gone on? How it’s worn or just different factors?“I can’t speak for the rest of them, but for me, living pretty close by, I hear comments and I hear opinions about the race and people that actually come and attend and watch the races — so it’s much easier, I think for me, to kind of get behind it when I see the positive reaction to a race and people kind of speaking highly of the race track because for so many years, I heard nothing but the opposite. So I think that it’s easy for me to be like – well you know what, that was fun for us, but the people that came down here and watched didn’t really love that. And now, it’s totally reversed. I think some of the drivers probably don’t necessarily love that we added two more speedways. But the people that come down here and support us seem to really like that. So that’s why I can get onboard with it, just because I’ve interacted with the people that attend this track probably a little more than others.” How much more taxing is the speedway-style racing here compared to Daytona and Talladega, given the shorter distance and you’re on the straightaways for a short amount of time? “Yeah, I mean certainly everything happens a little quicker, right? Like runs are developing faster.. you know, if you get pushed out, it seems like you kind of slinky back a little quicker. So I feel like it’s very much like a speedway, everything is just condensed and it happens in a shorter period of time. The work load can be higher. On the same note, the race is – I think it’s 400 miles this weekend and the laps go by pretty quick, so the race really isn’t that long. It doesn’t seem like it’s that long, to me. You kind of get both sides of the fence, right? Things are happening a little quicker. It can be maybe a little chaotic throughout the event, but also it seems like it goes by pretty fast, too.” When you look at the start of the season, we’re going to two drafting-style race tracks into a road course and then the one-mile fast Phoenix Raceway. Are these first couple of races, the first month or so, kind of deceiving of where everyone is going to stack up? Will we not really know that until the end of March or even April? “I think that’s totally fair. You know, it used to be like — let’s get like a month in or something. That will probably still be true. Really, I think by the time you get through – where do we go.. from COTA, to Phoenix, to Las Vegas? I think by the time you get through Vegas, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what’s going on, truthfully, at that point. So you’ve delayed it a week, basically, with the second speedway and the road course thing. But you know, the road course thing — in the past, I would agree that it was kind of an outlier. Well now, we have 15 of them, it seems like, so they kind of matter, too. It used to be that you could get away with just not being a road racer for two weeks a year, and it didn’t really matter because it was in the summer. If you ran good, great. And if you didn’t, no big deal, right? Where now, you have so many of them so you kind of have to embrace. I would argue that that one matters, as well.” Heading to COTA next weekend and the new reconfiguration, do you see that changing the racing much at all and how are you preparing for it? “Yeah, a little bit.. trying to. It’s kind of one of those things where it’s tough because the only thing you can do is simulator work, right, until you can get some eyes on it. The good news is that we’ve got some practice next week to understand the reconfiguration. I do not have my head wrapped around it completely at this point. I mean, I know what it’s supposed to look like, but I think until you really get out there and feel it – for me, it’s always hard to kind of understand exactly how things are going to be. And I kind of hate guessing because I don’t want to guess wrong in that situation, so I just kind of look forward to practice, honestly, more than anything. I would have to imagine it will change the racing a little, I would think, just based off the way it’s shaped. So hopefully it gives more opportunities to get crafty; have some more options, opportunities to pass or just be different. If it does, great. And if it doesn’t, it’ll look like it has for the last few years out there.”

A pair of podiums and no finish worse than eighth have Shark Racing off to an encouraging start

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 21, 2025) – Logan Schuchart stood on the front stretch of Volusia Speedway Park with a wide smile after the final Feature of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. He hadn’t won the race, but a runner-up finish punctuated a winning week for he and the Shark Racing team.

The Hanover, PA driver and his team are open about last year’s World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign. It didn’t go the way they’d hoped. After six victories in 2023 and a fifth-place finish in points, they slipped to a single checkered flag and seventh in the standings in 2024.

They wanted to come out swinging in 2025, and that’s exactly what they did.

With new crew chief Kyle Pruitt and long-standing team members Brendan Collum and Bill Klingbeil alongside, Schuchart opened the season by qualifying second quickest in his flight and finishing fourth in the Feature. The following night, the No. 1S improved to third.

In 2024, it took him until June 29 to find the podium. This year, it took two nights. Schuchart’s final two outings of the week led to a charge from 19th to eighth before his second podium with Saturday’s second-place effort.

“The first two nights we were good,” Schuchart said. “I knew we had a good chance to race well. It was the qualifying part I wanted to gain on and be better. We were top five the first two nights and then the third night we didn’t qualify as well. I felt like we were just missing a little bit of speed there that third night even though we raced well. I felt like the car handled good in qualifying. We just didn’t have the speed we needed. But what I was most proud about was the last night we kind of thought about how we could get more speed out of the car and keep our balance in the car in the same general area, and we were able to go out and set our first Quick Time in over a year and a half.”

There’s a long way to go, but the DIRTcar Nationals speed gave early evidence of the benefits of bringing Pruitt aboard to turn the wrenches. He’s a former driver that competed against Schuchart in the past before switching to crew roles in recent years. For Pruitt, the results are a proof of a productive off-season.

“It was very gratifying,” Pruitt said. “We were very blessed to come out of the gates running like that, but I think it’s a testament to what we did over the winter. Michael (Newman) with the motors. We went to Tim Engler’s and spent time there. Just everything with the cars, looking at every little detail of how they ran last year or the year before and maybe things we felt we could improve on.”

The connection between Schuchart and Pruitt is already clicking. The 42-time World of Outlaws Feature winner is accustomed to calling the shots himself. He’s hands on. He’s been his own crew chief to a certain extent. It’s a new, welcome dynamic for Schuchart.

“Kyle is more going to take on that role as a crew chief and kind of take a little bit of the pressure off myself,” Schuchart said. “I can lean on him for some of the setup changes and have someone to talk to about it instead of it all being on my shoulders, which I think has already proven to be very helpful. I think Kyle is very easy to work with. He’s very driven and passionate about being successful in the sport.”

“It’s a pleasure because he’s very intelligent,” Pruitt said of working with Schuchart. “He’s very hands on with the cars. He knows them from top to bottom. That’s how his granddad Bobby Allen taught him. It’s a good thing. It gives a driver a good outlook and respect for the cars, other racers, and what goes into it.”

Fortunately for Schuchart and company, a return trip to Volusia is next on the agenda as The Greatest Show on Dirt heads to the Barberville, FL oval on Sunday-Monday, March 2-3 for the Bike Week Jamboree.

Then, the campaign kicks into high gear with eight more races in five different states on a variety of tracks of all shapes and sizes. While the No. 1S crew isn’t overlooking Volusia, they’re ready to ensure their season-opening speed translates everywhere they go as Schuchart chases a championship in his 12th season.

“I feel like this can carry over to other racetracks, I hope,” Schuchart said. “We’ve always been fast at Volusia, so it’s hard to judge the whole season off of DIRTcar Nationals. But I’m happy with the start.”

“We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but know we’ve got a stretch of short tracks we’re running,” Pruitt said. “So, we kind of have some plans just like we kind of mulled over stuff for Volusia and got our time trial package honed in. We’ve done kind of the same thing with the short tracks. We’ve got a gameplan, and hopefully it all works out.

“I’m very confident that if we can just keep that momentum going in qualifying, whether it’s big tracks or a short track, and we put Logan Schuchart in a situation to excel, then he will. He’ll be at the front of the pack.”

Schuchart, Pruitt, and the entire Shark Racing team resume the 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Volusia Speedway Park on March 2-3. Tickets are available now.

BIKE WEEK TICKETS

For the complete 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.