This, That and the Next Thing by Ernie Saxton - February 1, 2025

Seven-time NASCAR champion and co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (“LEGACY MC”) Jimmie Johnson announced that LEGACY MC has joined forces with Knighthead Capital Management, LLC, on behalf of certain of its affiliates and accounts (“Knighthead”) as a strategic partner. LEGACY MC, founded by entrepreneur Maury Gallagher, has entered its third full-time season with Johnson as a co-owner. Future-facing, with Knighthead’s partnership, LEGACY MC is poised to expand its competitive presence, global brand recognition, partnerships, innovation, and fan engagement.

As part of this strategic partnership, Knighthead will acquire a minority stake in LEGACY MC.

After 12 years of owning and operating the impressively successful GMS Racing team which competed in the NASCAR Truck and Xfinity Series, Gallagher will take a step back from the day-to-day and assume an ambassador role with LEGACY MC. GMS Racing won five championships across the NASCAR Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. The team won 71 races in total and won 26 pole positions with many talented drivers. In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports, and Petty GMS Racing was formed. The team won the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway with driver Erik Jones in 2022 before striking a deal with Johnson and expanding to a two-car team for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. The team continues to tout the iconic No. 43 made famous by CLUB Ambassador Richard Petty “The King”, who recently celebrated 75 years in racing.

The partnership with Knighthead positions Johnson as LEGACY MC’s majority owner, solidifying his leadership and significant role in the team’s future. Johnson stated, “I really have to thank Maury Gallagher for giving me the opportunity within the ownership space. He has been an outstanding partner, mentor and friend and I’m grateful we had the opportunity to work together, I’ve learned so much from him. As his professional career takes a different path, he can worry less about the daily team owner things and focus more on family and enjoying life.”

Chief Executive Officer Cal Wells III credits Johnson with his exceptional ability to network and secure strategic partnerships, a skill that has been pivotal in driving LEGACY MC’s growth and success. “As one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, Jimmie’s leadership and his partnership-minded business prowess remain central to the success of LEGACY MC,” said Wells, III. “This partnership is an important step for this race team, and we are thrilled to welcome Knighthead to LEGACY MC,” said Wells, III. “Each partner we add brings a unique set of strengths and insights that will help us build a long-lasting legacy in NASCAR and sports in general. Together, we can unlock new opportunities, enhance our competitiveness, and offer fans an experience unlike any other.”

Johnson feels the partnership with Knighthead will align LEGACY MC with entities across many platforms. “The partnership with Knighthead is a game-changer for LEGACY MC,” said Johnson. “Their expertise in navigating complex investment opportunities and success in sports will provide LEGACY MC with the resources and guidance needed to push for championships and solidify our place in NASCAR for years to come.” Johnson continued, “Having Knighthead on board will not only strengthen our racing efforts but also enhance the fan experience and expand our reach in the global motorsports ecosystem, not limited to NASCAR.”

Founded in 2008, Knighthead Capital Management, LLC is an investment firm with deep expertise across a variety of sectors, including finance, sports, and entertainment. Knighthead’s diverse portfolio includes investments in HERTZ, JOTA Racing, Singer Vehicle Design, Revology Cars, and Birmingham City Football Club. Tom Wagner, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Member of Knighthead Capital, shared his excitement for the partnership: “We are thrilled to partner with Jimmie Johnson and LEGACY MC. NASCAR’s rich history and LEGACY MC’s ambition and innovation make it a unique opportunity. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Jimmie and Cal to drive the team forward—both on the track and within the wider racing community.”

Richard Childress Racing has announced that veteran driver Kasey Kahne will pilot a third entry for the storied organization in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Rockingham Speedway on Saturday, April 19. Kahne will drive the No. 33 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet when NASCAR returns to ‘The Rock’ for the first time in over a decade.

“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of a stock car, especially at a place like Rockingham Speedway,” said Kahne. “Rockingham has been a special track throughout my career. I remember winning the Truck Series race in 2012 when the sport went back there last, so to be a part of the current return is cool. Very appreciative of the opportunity that Mr. Hendrick, Richard (Childress), and everyone at RCR have given me, along with the support of HendrickCars.com, Chevrolet, Curb Records, and Karavan Trailers. I look forward to hitting the track next week for the test.”

During a successful 15-year career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Kahne captured 18 victories, 93 top-five and 176 top-10 finishes – including winning the Coca-Cola 600 three times and the Brickyard 400 once. The Enumclaw, Washington native was named one of the 75 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR history, an honor bestowed to Kahne in 2023. Kahne has previously competed at Rockingham Speedway seven times, earning the checkered flag in the NASCAR Truck Series event in 2012.

“Kasey is a great driver and a fierce competitor,” said Richard Childress, chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Our Xfinity Series program is top notch, and we look forward to watching Kasey race with Austin (Hill) and Jesse (Love) for an exciting return to Rockingham Speedway. With Kasey behind the wheel, we expect the No. 33 to have a shot at winning the race.”

“Kasey is a great friend and an incredibly talented driver, and we’re proud to have HendrickCars.com on board with him at Rockingham. It’s going to be exciting to see him return to NASCAR at such a special track and with a great team,” said Rick Hendrick, chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “I have tremendous respect for Richard and everything his organization has accomplished. We look forward to seeing Kasey return to NASCAR in what promises to be a memorable weekend for the sport.”

The green flag for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Rockingham will wave at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 19. Watch live television coverage on The CW and listen to flag-to-flag coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Grizzly Nicotine Pouches sponsoring Ty Dillon in nine races

Kaulig Racing announced Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, from American Snuff Company, LLC (ASC), an affiliate of the iconic RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., will be a major primary sponsor on the No. 10 Chevrolet with driver Ty Dillon during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Grizzly Nicotine Pouches will debut the new partnership on Dillon’s No. 10 Chevrolet at the 2025 Daytona 500 and will be the primary sponsor for eight additional races throughout the season. Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, a tobacco leaf-free product available nationwide (where permitted), will also have a major associate position on Dillon’s entry all season, including the season kick-off Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., the home of RJ Reynolds for nearly 150 years.

The team will also feature The Fallen Outdoors organization, a non-profit that organizes outdoor adventures for veterans, Gold Star families and active-duty service members to bring together like-minded people who find comfort in each other through common interests.

“This is an absolute honor,” said Dillon, who was announced as Kaulig’s full-time driver last October. “Kaulig Racing has offered me the best opportunity I have ever had in the Cup Series and bringing on a partner like Grizzly Nicotine Pouches is really humbling. I understand the heritage of the company and the value of great sponsors, so I am just so anxious to get busy and deliver great results for everyone.”

ASC’s affiliate RJ Reynolds served as NASCAR’s Cup Series naming rights sponsor for more than 30 years, helping grow NASCAR into a globally recognized sport.

“NASCAR is an extension of who our consumer is, and this collaboration shows we’re right there with them, every step of the way,” said Brent Trader, Sr. Director at American Snuff Company. “This isn’t just a partnership; it’s a friendship built on shared values and a shared vision for success.”

Grizzly Nicotine Pouches 2025 Primary Races:

– February 16: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway

– May 4: Texas Motor Speedway

– May 18: All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro Speedway

– May 25: Charlotte Motor Speedway

– June 1: Nashville Superspeedway

– August 31: Darlington Raceway

– September 13: Bristol Motor Speedway

– October 19: Talladega Superspeedway

– October 26: Martinsville Speedway

Multiple NASCAR Cup Series teams revealed sponsorship announcements recently, including renewed deals like Rebel Bourbon and Kyle Busch.

Rebel Bourbon was named the Official Bourbon of Richard Childress Racing, the No. 8 Chevrolet and two-time Cup Series champion Busch.

It’ll be a multi-race primary sponsor with more opportunities in store for the season including a new paint scheme. Busch will race the No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet in select Cup Series races beginning with the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on March 2 in Austin, Texas.

“We can’t wait to keep the excitement going in 2025 after connecting with thousands of Rebel, Kyle Busch and RCR fans last season who have a rebellious spirit and live against the grain,” said Philip Lux, brand manager for Rebel Bourbon.

“We’re building on the success of year one with a lot more in store for fans at the track, in race markets and at retail plus a lot of interactive social content in year two.”

Rush Truck Centers will join Noah Gragson and Front Row Motorsports in a new partnership for the upcoming Cup Series season.

Having partnered with the 26-year-old Las Vegas native at Stewart-Haas Racing last year, Rush Truck Centers will now move with Gragson to FRM, serving as the primary sponsor of Gragson and the No. 4 team in eight Cup Series races, beginning at the Daytona 500.

Rush will also serve as a full-season associate sponsor for Gragson and the No. 4 team.

Additionally, the partnership will go beyond the race track, with all three of FRM’s NASCAR Cup Series race cars being transported via Peterbilt Model 389 tractors provided by Rush Truck Centers, making Rush Truck Centers the “Official truck dealer and service center of Front Row Motorsports.”

“It’s always a ton of fun representing Rush Truck Centers both on and off the track. Rusty and the entire Rush Truck Centers team create a welcoming, family atmosphere—race days are all about coming together, having a great time, and connecting with new faces while catching up with old friends,” said Gragson.

“We’re thrilled to have Rush Truck Centers support us at eight races this year, continuing the incredible partnership we built last season. I’m super excited to see what we can achieve together in 2025!”

Spire Motorsports announced a multi-year partnership with Workforce – Occupational Health & Safety Solutions to support Michael McDowell and the No. 71 Chevrolet ZL1.

Workforce served as the primary sponsor of McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet at the Feb. 2 pre-season Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Workforce paint scheme will return on March 9 at the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway, then again on Aug. 16 for the night race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.

Workforce will also ride along on the No. 71 entry as an associate sponsor throughout the season.

“I am thankful to have Workforce onboard with us this season and I look forward to kicking off this new partnership at the Clash,” said McDowell. “It’s an exciting time for the sport, especially to be able to race at Bowman-Gray Stadium to start the year. I’m really looking forward to representing the Workforce team. Workforce aims to make sure that any injuries at the workplace are managed as efficiently as possible and, of course, you never want to see anyone get hurt at work.

“But if it does happen, Workforce eliminates so much unnecessary stress. I am looking forward to having them at the track as they celebrate their 30th anniversary.”

In preparing for a brand new racing season, Grandview Speedway is proud to announce that T.P. Trailers and T.P. Truck Equipment of Limerick, Pa. will be continuing their support of the race teams at the Speedway, as a major sponsor at the one-third-mile high banked clay raceway for the 2025 racing season.

T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment owned and operated by the Perkins family, feels that their business continues to receive great exposure through their relationship with Grandview Speedway, with the result being increased support for their business by the racers and fans.

Once again for the 2025 racing season, the Modified and Sportsman divisions at Grandview Speedway will be known as the T.P. Trailer Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, and the drivers willbe racing for bonus money on every one of the weekly Saturday night race programs provided by T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment.

Each week the T.P. Trailer Modified feature winner will get a $300 bonus, while the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman winner will receive a $200 bonus. This is all provided the winning car has the proper TP decals displayed on both sides of the car or no bonus money will be paid.

In addition to the weekly sponsorship of the two divisions, T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment will also have a night of sponsorship during the season, receive weekly PA announcements promoting their business, plus billboards viewed by all in attendance at the track during every event.

T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment continues to serve area customers with a variety of different products and services from their facility in Limerick, Pa. or you can check out their fantastic inventory, parts and service listing on their website at www.tptrailersinc.com.

If you are in the market for a trailer to haul your race car, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment has over 100 trailers in stock at all times, you can stop in and find the BEST trailer for YOU!

In addition to race car trailers, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment also has ATV trailers, deck over trailers, dump trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, equipment trailers, gooseneck trailers, heavy equipment trailers, landscape trailers, motorcycle trailers, open utility trailers, tilt trailers, emergency trailers, and junk removal trailers.

T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment is where you will find Truck Bodies, including landscape and chipper bodies, platform truck bodies, utility/service/crane truck bodies, switch and go hook lift systems, along with custom truck bodies, dump hoists, and lift gates as well.

If your pickup truck’s bed has seen its better days due to rust and wear, T.P. Trailers & Truck Equipment can give you a quote on replacing it with a new aluminum truck body.

Contact T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment at 800-255-0666 for full service truck maintenance, repairs, fabrications, and inspections on pickups, semi-tractor trailers, heavy equipment, trailers, and everything in between!

The stage is set for the 2025 edition of the American Racer Cup presented by Sunoco.

Fourteen tracks representing New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Quebec, Canada are set to participate in the ’25 program, which rewards Modified and Sportsman competitors for competing at their American Racer home tracks.

The American Racer Cup is presented by American Racer, Lias Tire of Indiana, Pa., and Sunoco Race Fuels.

Matt Sheppard of Savannah, N.Y. (Modified) and Kenny Peoples Jr. of Addison, N.Y. (Sportsman) are defending American Racer Cup champions.

Competitor registration for the American Racer Cup is now live both online and by utilizing paper forms at the following link: https://theamericanracercup.com/?page_id=26. The cutoff for registration is May 1.

Points tabulation for the American Racer Cup begins on Friday, April 11 and concludes on Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 1.

Modified racers will compete for more than $40,000 in point fund cash. The top 15 finishers in the overall standings share in $36,000: 1. $10,000; 2. $5,000; 3. $4,000; 4. $3,500; 5. $2,500; 6. $2,000; 7. $1,750; 8. $1,500; 9. $1,250; 10. $1,000; 11. $900; 12. $800; 13. $700; 14. $600; 15. $500.

Sunoco Race Fuels also presents North and South regional point funds as follows: 1. $1,000; 2. $750; 3. $500; 4. $350; 5. $250.

Hundreds of tire certificates are distributed, as well.

· Five “pre-season” drawings for early registrants

· Up to 12 tires via tire drawings at every participating speedway

· Year-end home track breakdown is as follows: champion – three tires; second – two tires; third –one tire; fourth – one tire; fifth – one tire

· Ten tire certificates distributed via a random drawing to any driver not receiving any other year-end awards (certificates or cash)

Sportsman competitors share in a $6,750 overall point fund: 1. $1,500; 2. $1,000; 3. $750; 4. $600; 5. $500; 6. $450; 7. $400; 8. $350; 9. $300; 10. $250; 11. $200. 12. $150; 13-15. $100.

Sunoco Race Fuels regional point funds for North and South will also be paid totaling $3,000: 1. $500; 2. $400; 3. $300; 4. $200; 5. $100.

Sportsman tire certificate distribution:

· Five “pre-season” drawings for early registrants

· Up to twelve 12 tire certificate ($85 each) giveaways via weekly tire drawings at every participating speedway

· Year-end home track breakdown is as follows: champion – three tires; second – two tires; third – one tire

To learn more about the American Racer Cup, visit the official website at www.theamericanracercup.com, follow on X (Twitter) @racer_cup or on like Facebook: The American Racer Cup.

2025 American Racer Cup presented by Sunoco Participating Tracks

Accord Speedway

Race Night: Friday