Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Dover Motor Speedway.
What are your thoughts on running an open team and are you worried about Tyler Reddick’s contract and being lured away to another team?
“I don’t have any direct comment to that. All I can tell you, and this will be my blanket answer for all questions about this is, if you want answers, you want to understand all of why this is happening, come December 1st. You will get the answers that you are looking for and all will be exposed.”
Has anything changed that has made you second guess your decision to file the lawsuit?
“Not a chance.”
Have you talked about running open cars and what it would mean if 41 cars show up?
“December 1st is all that matters. Mark your calendar.”
Was there a meeting at 23XI or any message to the team?
“No.”
I ALWAYS APPRECIATED TIME SPENT WITH REX.
Fiercely Competitive 1960 NASCAR Cup Champ Rex White Dies at 95
Underappreciated Cup Series champ just hated losing; he had been the oldest living Cup champion.
I enjoyed what Al Pearce wrote.
It’s a winnable debate that Rex White is NASCAR’s second-most underappreciated Cup Series champion, trailing only 1950 champion the late Bill Rexford.
But be warned. A closer look at White’s racing career reveals a highly successful and fiercely competitive driver who doesn’t fit into any “superstar” category except one: he hated losing more than almost anything in life.
Rex White is a member of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
White was NASCAR’s oldest living champion, having lapped Richard Petty by seven years. Born in the hardscrabble year of 1929, he lives on the same plot of rural land where he was reared in Taylorsville, North Carolina. (Not in the same structure, but in a home built atop his birthplace; he and former NASCAR star Harry Gant were neighbors). He was in his early 20s, living near Washington, D.C. and working at a service station, when he quite impulsively decided to become a race-car driver.
“A man kept coming in the station with posters advertising stock car racing nights at Lanham Speedway,” White told Autoweek from the side porch of his home in Taylorsville. “I saved up some money to go with my wife and her brother and his wife. I had no earthly idea what I was going to see. I had grown up near North Wilkesboro Speedway, but had never been there. Lanham was the first time I’d ever seen a race track and a race car. It was in the early 1950s and I was pretty young.”
In every sense of the word, it was a life-changing experience It’s a virtual certainty that Rex White is NASCAR’s second-most underappreciated Cup Series champion, trailing only 1950 champion the late Bill Rexford. But be warned: a closer look at White’s career reveals a fiercely competitive, highly successful, doggedly determined man who doesn’t fit into any “superstar” category except one: he hated losing more than almost anything in life.
NASCAR WILL NOT RETURN to the city of Chicago next year. The announcement was made Friday afternoon:
“Thank you for all that you have done to make the NASCAR Chicago Street Race one of the most iconic events in global sports.
Following the success of the first three years, the Chicago Street Race will hit pause in 2026 to afford us the time necessary to work collaboratively with the City of Chicago to explore a new potential date and to develop a plan that further optimizes operational efficiencies, with a goal to return to the streets of Chicago in 2027.
Together, we have built and grown an expanded community of fans that consists of longtime NASCAR enthusiasts and first-time racegoers from around the globe, and for that, we are immensely grateful.
Thank you for your continued support — and we look forward to seeing you at the races.”
Recent rumors have NASCAR moving back to Chicagoland Speedway, and taking a street course race to San Diego next year.
NEIL BONNETT INDUCTED INTO THE FANS HALL OF STOCK CAR LEGENDS
It’s official — and it’s long overdue.
Neil Bonnett, the hard-charging Alabama Gang hero and one of the most beloved figures in NASCAR history, has been elected as the second-ever inductee into the Fans Hall of Stock Car Legends — following a passionate fan vote that sent a clear message to the racing world: these are the kinds of legacies fans have never forgot, and never will.
With 18 Cup Series wins, a fearless driving style, and a magnetic personality that lit up both the garage and the broadcast booth, Neil Bonnett was more than just a racer — he was family to the fans. From his early days alongside Bobby and Donnie Allison, to his emotional comeback after injury, and his unforgettable friendship with Dale Earnhardt, Neil’s career was filled with unrelenting courage, grace, and heart.
👏 Bonnett now joins our inaugural fan vote winner:
🏅 Smokey Yunick — Inducted May 2025
🏅 Neil Bonnett — Inducted June 2025
Together, they represent exactly what this Hall was created to do: recognize the legends that Charlotte keeps overlooking — even as fans continue to call their names year after year.
This is what the fans want.
When the industry shrugs, the fans rise up. When history forgets, we remember.
Neil Bonnett was more than deserving. He was a winner. A friend. A fighter. And thanks to you, he’s now forever enshrined in a Hall that listens to the people who matter most — the ones who filled the stands, tuned in on Sundays, and never stopped believing in the heart of the sport.
🫡 Thank you for showing what real race fans believe in.
Thank you for giving Neil Bonnett his rightful place in the story of stock car greatness.
🗳️ Next up? A brand-new Hall of Honor nominee joins the ballot — and your third chance to vote opens August 1st.
Because here, the fans don’t just vote — they help preserve the soul of the sport.
NASCAR is headed for San Diego next season. RACER has learned a deal has been reached for NASCAR to return to Southern California next year, and the announcement of the event could come as soon as next week. San Diego has been a rumored destination of the sport for the last few months, and RACER noted last week that Coronado has recently floated about as the potential destination.
It is unclear where the exact location of next year’s race will be, or where it will fit onto the schedule.
NASCAR and the city of San Diego have not yet agreed on a deal, but discussions are ongoing, and it is expected that an agreement will be reached, according to those sources. An announcement is tentatively slated for next month, pending a finalized deal.
NASCAR and Sports San Diego, the city’s sports tourism commission, declined comment.
Adding a race in San Diego would accomplish NASCAR’s stated goal of returning to Southern California, a move likely to be popular in the garage and throughout the sport’s landscape. It would be the first points race in the market since California Speedway in Fontana was indefinitely shuttered in 2023. NASCAR last raced in Southern California in 2024, when it held the final of three straight season-opening exhibition races on a purposely-built oval inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
How San Diego would fit within the 2026 schedule is not yet clear. A current race would have to be dropped to accommodate any addition, as the schedule is presently at its 38-race cap (36 points races plus two exhibitions).
After making its groundbreaking oval debut at Martinsville Speedway last year, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin will return to the famous short track alongside NASCAR’s top-tier series.
Mazda’s signature spec series, now in its 20th season, will replicate its single-day exhibition event on Thursday, October 23, leading into the penultimate weekend for the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck series championships.
The inaugural Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup race at Martinsville in 2024 saw 18 cars take the green flag for a 100-lap feature race. The event produced an outstanding race, which culminated in a green-white-checkered finish and Jared Thomas taking the win and $25,000 prize plus a Ridgeway clock.
“We were delighted by the fan reaction and feedback from our first visit to Martinsville Speedway,” Mazda Motorsports Senior Manager Jonathan Applegate said. “We immediately knew we needed to do it again. Clay Campbell and the leadership at NASCAR and IMSA thought the same thing and I’m thrilled that last year’s experiment has landed us as an opening act for NASCAR’s top series.”
The series’ return to Martinsville will look very similar to its’ debut; a one-day event, sharing the track with the Whelen Modified Tour. Teams will have two practice sessions leading up to single-car qualifying and a 100-lap race divided into two 50-lap stages.
“The Mazda MX-5 Cup race at Martinsville Speedway really captures everything this place represents,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “It brings us back to some of our earliest days of racing in the 50s, the last time we had open-top cars on track here, and blends it with all the intensity of modern-day competition. We couldn’t be more excited to add it to our NASCAR Playoffs race weekend and elevate that signature history-making atmosphere that comes with racing at Martinsville.”
Once again, IMSA’s YouTube channel will provide free live streaming of the race. A MX-5 Cup open test will be held at Martinsville, Monday, August 25, following the series’ doubleheader at VIRginia International Raceway
A thrilling new chapter is being written in Northeast dirt racing history as officials with the Super DIRTcar Series and Georgetown Speedway have announced a major fall schedule update that promises to reshape the regional dirt racing calendar.
The highly anticipated Delaware Diamond 75, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, has officially been rescheduled and reimagined as part of the General Refrigeration Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend Presented by Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts, now set for Friday, October 31, and Saturday, November 1, 2025. This exciting two-day extravaganza will mark the final stop on the Road to the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, ensuring a blockbuster field of competitors and an electric atmosphere for race fans.
In a bold and unprecedented move, the rescheduled weekend will now serve as the culmination of Georgetown Speedway’s season-long championship chase, the conclusion of the Fall Clash Super Late Model Series, and the final Super DIRTcar Series event before Charlotte’s World Finals. The result? A marquee weekend of racing, unlike anything Delaware has ever seen.
Georgetown Speedway proudly welcomes General Refrigeration Company as the new Title Sponsor of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend. Headquartered in Delmar, Delaware, General Refrigeration is a second-generation family-owned and operated company with a strong commitment to quality industrial refrigeration construction and service across the mid-Atlantic region. For nearly 50 years, they have built their reputation on exceptional craftsmanship, responsive customer care, and a long-standing dedication to the communities they serve. Their support of this landmark weekend highlights their investment in local events and regional traditions, including short track racing on Delmarva.
Also returning in a key role is Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts, once again serving as the Presenting Sponsor of the Delaware Diamond 75 and now the full Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend. With trusted locations in Milford, Harrington, and Milton, Delaware, Millman’s NAPA has long been a staple for professional mechanics, racers, and do-it-yourselfers alike. Their continued support of Georgetown Speedway underscores their deep-rooted connection to the local racing scene and their dedication to keeping the region’s motorsports tradition strong.
The opening night of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend on Friday, October 31, will feature a packed program. Headlining the night is the Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts Modifieds Championship Finale, paying $5,000 to win, with optional gamblers' fees pushing the winner’s purse to $6,000 ($50 entry) or $7,000 ($100 entry). Also in action will be the Fall Clash Super Late Model Series Finale presented by Bernheisel Race Components and LAZER Chassis, which will now be a one-day showdown paying $8,000 to win. The 1st State Chevrolet RUSH Late Models will crown their 2025 champion, and additional support divisions will include the Delmarva Chargers, Delaware Super Trucks, and the Little Lincolns. Friday night will also feature two rounds of hot laps for Super DIRTcar Series competitors. Note: Super DIRTcar entries must be run in a separate car and cannot be entered into the regular Modified program. All Friday night action will be streamed live on FloRacing.
On Saturday, November 1, the spotlight shines on the return of the Delaware Diamond 75. Now boasting an increased purse and earning the distinction of the highest-paying Modified event in the Mid-Atlantic region this season, the 75-lap feature will pay $12,075 to win, $6,000 for second, $3,000 for third, $2,000 for fourth, and $1,000 for tenth. Full payout details and additional bonuses will be announced in the coming weeks. With the race serving as the final stop before the Super DIRTcar Series World Finals in Charlotte, it’s expected to draw some of the biggest names in the sport for one final showdown before the championship stage. Saturday’s event will be streamed live on DIRTVision, bringing the action to fans nationwide.
Also competing on Saturday will be the Blue Hen Dispose-All 602 Sportsman, the Delmarva Chargers, the Southern Delaware Racing Club, and the final event for the Juicebox division, all helping to round out an action-packed weekend of grassroots and national-level dirt racing.
To cap off the weekend, Georgetown Speedway will host a Racer’s Appreciation Party following the conclusion of Saturday night’s program. More information on the celebration and other weekend events will be announced in the coming weeks.
The General Refrigeration Company Mid-Atlantic Championship Weekend Presented by Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts is more than just a race — it’s a two-day celebration of speed, competition, and community that will shape the championship picture and provide an unforgettable send-off to the Super DIRTcar Series stars heading to Charlotte. Make your plans now – October 31& November 1, 2025 – Georgetown Speedway. You won’t want to miss it.
"SILVERSTONE: The home of British motor racing" is now available in the U.S. This second edition, by Chas Parker, tells the entire story of Great Britain's most important racing circuit, from disused wartime airbase to one of the world’s great race tracks.
Silverstone is the home of the British Grand Prix and where the first Formula 1 World Championship race was staged in 1950. Originally published in 2013 and now comprehensively updated in this second edition with 64 extra pages, this book tells Silverstone’s entire history, covering the great races, influential characters and unforgettable events, as well as the evolution of the circuit itself. The book is profusely illustrated, including plenty of great photographs that have rarely been published.
Key content:
• Early days: a wartime airfield, the Royal Automobile Club’s search for a motorsport venue, the first RAC Grand Prix of 1948.
• Subsequent Silverstone history told decade-by-decade: track changes, commercial developments, politics.
• Year-by-year highlights and landmarks: club events as well as the big races; memorable moments, highs and lows.
• The people: drivers, personalities, commentators.
• Packed with first-hand interview content from significant people in Silverstone’s history.
• Contains a wealth of historic photographs, many in color.
• Updated material includes an account of the protracted negotiations with Liberty Media over the contract to stage the British Grand Prix, management changes at the circuit and the selling of land to repay loans.
• The story is brought right up to date with the signing of a new ten-year Grand Prix contract in 2024, and the development of the Silverstone Museum along with other major new projects.
Produced with the full assistance of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) and Silverstone Circuits Ltd, this is the last word on the history of the much-loved home of British motor racing, from its beginnings in the aftermath of the Second World War to its status now as a world-class motorsport venue.
Hendrick Motorsports has added leading cybersecurity provider Atlantic Data Security (ADS) as a new technology partner in a multi-year agreement that runs through 2027. The sponsorship underscores the growing importance of threat prevention in high-performance environments where speed, data and innovation intersect.
Connecticut-based ADS will work closely with Hendrick Motorsports to enhance the team’s digital security infrastructure and safeguard critical systems across its operations. The relationship will allow ADS to generate unique promotional content across all forms of media and offer one-of-a-kind hosting opportunities for its clients and prospects.
“Hendrick Motorsports has always been about speed and finding the competitive edge through excellence and innovation,” said John Overbeck, vice president of sales for ADS. “Atlantic Data Security is all about meeting our customers where they are, empowering them to pursue their core strategy, backed by effective and efficient modern cybersecurity measures. In a world where speed and adaptability on and off the track are essential for success, our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports allows them to do what they do best: win races.”
Atlantic Data Security offers comprehensive cybersecurity services, including risk assessments, network and cloud security architecture, threat detection and response, compliance consulting, penetration testing, and managed security solutions. The company specializes in integrating best-in-class technologies with deep technical expertise to safeguard sensitive environments. It works with organizations across industries to prevent data breaches, protect intellectual property and ensure business continuity in today’s fast-evolving threat landscape.
“We rely on a staggering amount of information, systems and tools to compete at the highest level of NASCAR,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “Protecting that environment is essential, and ADS brings the experience and technical insight to help us do it the right way. At the same time, we look forward to building a strong partnership that provides world-class experiences for their customers and helps grow the ADS business and brand.
