In its continued effort to promote Heart Health, RFK Racing team partner Esperion invites fans and the public to walk a one-mile route on the infield camping area at Pocono Raceway. The walk will begin at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 13th, with Brad Keselowski leading the way in the walk.
“We’re thrilled to activate with RFK and Brad at the upcoming race in Pocono,” said Sheldon Koenig, President and CEO, Esperion Therapeutics. “Staying active and living an active lifestyle is one of the best ways for us to promote health and wellness, and we’re excited to do that alongside the team next month. No strings attached, we welcome and encourage anyone who wants to participate!”
Fans interested in attending the walk are encouraged to stay tuned to RFK’s social media channels for updated maps and information. The walk will promptly start at 9 a.m. ET at the block party stage along the infield camping road and last until the one-mile loop is complete.
Track activity begins after the walk at 12 p.m. with group practice, followed by single-car qualifying at 12:45 p.m. Sunday’s race is set for 2:30 p.m. ET (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
A pivotal partnership has emerged between Kubota High Limit Racing, a premier national sprint car series, and FanGate Solutions, a leading provider of ticketing and event management solutions. As a part of this collaboration, FanGate Solutions oversees every aspect of ticketing, from staffing to customer service and operational execution, for 32 nights of Kubota High Limit Racing action in 2024. A trusted, customer service driven company that provides a professional team of trained event day staff for live entertainment and sports events, FanGate Solutions brings to this partnership an unrivaled commitment to fan satisfaction.
FanGate Solutions is responsible for setting up a seamless ticketing system for Kubota High Limit Racing events, ensuring a positive and hassle-free experience for attendees. Ticketing for these events is built on the Ticket Spice platform, with each venue’s unique page individually created with the comfort, accuracy, and ease of the fan experience in mind. In addition to setting up the ticketing system, the FanGate Solutions team will travel to all Kubota High Limit Racing events for which they have built ticketing pages, providing on-site assistance to fans and offering world-class customer service. Tickets for these events are available for purchase here.
“We are more than thrilled to be working with such an amazing, groundbreaking series as Kubota High Limit Racing,” said Lance Erwin, Chief Executive Officer of FanGate Solutions. “We’ve been fortunate to work with some of the greatest professionals in dirt racing, who’ve created some of the most entertaining events across the country. This only furthers our commitment to providing quality support for professional sports and entertainment organizations nationwide.”
The team reports directly to Kendra Jacobs, High Limit Racing’s Chief Marketing & Events Officer. With her vision and dedication to the series’ fanbase, coupled with FanGate Solutions' long-standing reputation for delivering exceptional ticketing services to major events and venues worldwide, this collaboration promises to elevate the overall event experience for Kubota High Limit Racing event attendees.
“FanGate Solutions has been an integral part of the inaugural nationwide Kubota High Limit Racing season,” said Jacobs. “Lance and his staff have not only worked closely with us at High Limit as we make our vision a reality, but also with the tracks that we have partnered with. Their advice, attention to detail, and sincere desire to assist every race fan has helped us to focus on the events and continuing to grow the series.”
The Kubota High Limit Racing series has hosted thrilling high-energy events that showcase the best of sprint car racing. With FanGate Solutions at the helm of ticketing, fans receive a seamless and memorable experience from start to finish.
To follow along and to stay up to date on all the excitement, follow along with @FanGateSolutions and @HighLimitRacing on Instagram.
The NHRA announced today the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will open March 6-9 with the 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway.
It marks the third straight year the Gatornationals will kick off the NHRA season, as the historic facility will open the 74th year of incredible NHRA racing. Tickets for the famed season-opening Gatornationals will go on sale on Aug. 19, and the full 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule will be announced soon.
The NHRA Gatornationals has been a historic weekend for more than five decades and that will continue to open the 2025 campaign, as all the top NHRA stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will look to start their season with a Wally and put on a spectacular show in the process.
“We are excited to announce the date of our 2025 season-opener in Gainesville and starting a terrific year of racing at the Gatornationals,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “We’ve had great success starting our season at Gainesville Raceway the last two years and it’s something our race teams and partners have enjoyed as well. Starting in Gainesville gives us a lot of momentum to open the year and we’re looking forward to announcing the full 2025 schedule in the coming weeks.”
This year, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won to open the 2024 season. It marked the first double-up victory for Kalitta Motorsports, while six-time world champ Enders won the historic race for the first time.
The Gatornationals have been synonymous with record runs and magical moments for 55 years, including eight victories from Funny Car legend John Force. Top Fuel legend Tony Schumacher and five-time Pro Stock world champ Greg Anderson both have five wins at the historic race.
Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champ Ron Capps and Robert Hight both have four Gatornationals victories, while other stars expected to be in action in Gainesville include Antron Brown, Brittany Force, reigning world champs Erica Enders, Matt Hagan, Doug Kalitta and Herrera, and many more.
For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America today announced it raised nearly $1.8 million after completing its 28th Anniversary Ride, which took place May 4 – 10, 2024. Funds raised directly benefit Victory Junction – a camp in Randleman, North Carolina servicing children with chronic medical illnesses. The Ride’s donation supports summer camperships, building projects and maintenance programs – including the building and maintenance of the brand new Kyle Petty Charity Ride Water Park.
Former NASCAR driver and racing analyst Kyle Petty led 150 motorcycles across nine states on a seven-day trek, covering more than 2,100 miles and stopping at iconic American landmarks along the way. The Ride began in Deadwood, South Dakota and ended in Greensboro, North Carolina.
All along the Ride’s 2024 route, fans came from miles around to welcome the Ride, meet celebrity riders and support the cause. Highlights included seeing Mount Rushmore National Monument, stopping at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, exploring Churchill Downs – home of the Kentucky Derby, touring the legendary National Corvette Museum, visiting Bristol Motor Speedway, ending with a finale celebration at Victory Junction and so much more.
“Every year, the Ride is always a week I look forward to and never forget. This year was extra special because we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Victory Junction,” said Petty. “The Ride has been a part of Camp since its inception and, to date, we remain Victory Junction’s largest cumulative donor. We visited spectacular places and enjoyed several once-in-a-lifetime experiences on this year’s Ride, but my favorite part was ending at Camp. It was truly an emotional moment for me to celebrate 20 years of Victory Junction – which all began as Adam’s dream. To know we have kept his dream alive and to see Adam’s smile on the faces of so many campers who were there to welcome us home, meant the absolute world to me.”
Victory Junction has served as the Ride’s primary beneficiary since its establishment by Petty and his family in 2004 in honor of his late son, Adam. Since it first began in 1995, the Ride has raised more than $22 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities. As a result, the Ride has helped Victory Junction mobilize resources to provide over 125,000 camp experiences for children of all levels of abilities who are living with complex medical conditions at no cost to their families.
Funds were gathered from fans along the route, as part of the Ride’s “Small Change. Big Impact.” program, as well as donations made by generous sponsors, organizations, and the riders themselves.
“The generosity of our sponsors is a huge reason why we’re able to do the things that we do, and this year we were fortunate enough to visit our friends at Manheim Indianapolis and be greeted by Blue-Emu in Bristol,” said Petty. “In addition to making contributions to our cause, these companies work so hard to provide our riders with memorable visits that include great food, fellowship, activities and more.”
The 2024 Ride is made possible by presenting sponsor Cox Automotive, as well as Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Dodge Law, Racing Electronics, WinCraft Racing, Petty Family Foundation, Piedmont Moving Systems, Wiley X, Prevost, Blue-Emu, Goody’s and Kelderman Manufacturing.
This year’s Ride also featured several celebrity riders, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Hershel McGriff; NASCAR Cup Champion Joey Logano; former NASCAR drivers Max Papis, David Ragan, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace and Mike Wallace; former NFL great and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker; and TV personalities Rick Allen and Rutledge Wood.
The quick demise of Stewart-Haas Racing matches its unexpected meteoric rise into one of NASCAR Cup’s most successful organizations – but both appear the result of the willingness of its owners to invest the time and money to do it.
Motorsports journalist Jim Utter tell us that on May 28, co-owners Gene Haas and Tony Stewart issued a joint statement announcing the closure of SHR at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR season. That involves four full-time Cup Series teams and a pair of full-time Xfinity teams (although they are expected to continue in a different form in 2025).
“The commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch,” the statement said in part.
With the retirement of SHR veterans Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola at the end of the 2023 season and SHR’s deal with Ford Performance entering its last year with no renewal in sight, the organization’s viable future was already a hot topic of discussion entering this season.
Still, the finality of the decision seemed jarring – and with it left many questions, the exact answers to which may never truly be known.
Even with SHR’s future announced, its present comes with a difficult road ahead for its drivers and employees as they try to finish out the year while at the same time working to secure new homes for the future.
The signs were clear the end was coming for SHR, but the reasons behind it were much cloudier.
The unusual pairing
The idea of Stewart, then a two-time Cup champion driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, sharing ownership in a Cup team with billionaire machine-tool businessman Haas, seemed to come out of nowhere in 2008.
Haas had owned a two-car Cup operation called Haas CNC Racing that had a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, but it never had attracted top-level drivers or been able to win on a consistent basis.
Stewart, a hard-nosed driver prone to controversy off the track, had burst into NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing straight from the IndyCar Series with great success in 1999.
The two seemed an unlikely pairing but Stewart provided what Haas needed most – a reason for the best in NASCAR to want to work with his racing team – and Stewart would have the opportunity for autonomy in the decisions that would forge his NASCAR future.
Haas was willing to invest the money – both in people and equipment – to win and Stewart’s commitment to excellence would help attract sponsors and some of the best talent in the NASCAR garage.
To kick off the 2009 season, the newly named SHR fielded a pair of full-time Chevrolet Cup teams with Stewart driving the No. 14 and Ryan Newman – who had enjoyed a successful career at Team Penske – in the No. 39.
The new organization flexed its muscle quickly with Stewart winning four times in his first season as a team co-owner. He then captured his third Cup title two years later, winning the 2011 championship in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards, which cemented SHR as a big-league player in the sport.
By 2013, SHR added a third Cup team with former IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, who became the first woman to win pole position for the Daytona 500. The rapid expansion continued, enticing Harvick to leave Richard Childress Racing to replace Newman before Haas went out on his own and hired Kurt Busch to create a new fourth team in 2014.
Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers flourished from the start in their initial season together, winning five times and capturing the series title – and SHR’s second in just six years.
Even when Stewart decided to retire as a full-time Cup driver following the 2016 season and Haas entered Formula 1 with a two-car operation, SHR seemed to maintain its standard of excellence, both on the track and in attracting quality drivers and sponsors.
In 2017, Busch provided the organization with its first Daytona 500 victory. By 2020, SHR had moved from Chevrolet to Ford and quickly established itself as one of the manufacturer’s top NASCAR programs.
SHR collected 26 victories over the course of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons and it had all four of its drivers qualify for the Cup playoffs in 2020.
But just as SHR had established itself as one of NASCAR’s elites, its luster started to fade.
The inevitable decline
All organizations in racing go through their lean years – it’s generally just a matter of degree in the drop-off.
Teams like Hendrick Motorsports and JGR may win far less often and fail to be in contention for the series championship. Smaller, lower-funded teams may go from occasionally winning to being unable to garner top-10 finishes.
For SHR, it was as if it plunged off a mountaintop.
Wins – which seemed to come easily – were suddenly scarce, even for veterans like Harvick, who continued to have the most consistent results of any of the drivers at SHR.
Since 2021, SHR has won just four times – two of them by Harvick in the 2022 season. SHR also saw the departure of veterans Clint Bowyer and Busch and an influx of younger talent.
With the decline in performance came also a noticeable lack of involvement – at least publicly – by both Haas and Stewart in the SHR organization, both at the track and the race shop.
Haas seemed far more interested in his F1 operation but alsohas battled a serious health issue over the last couple years. In addition to his sprint car team, Stewart now owns an NHRA team, which includes his wife, Leah Pruett, as a Top Fuel driver.
Earlier this year, Stewart announced he would compete full-time this season in NHRA in place of his wife as the couple planned to start a family.
By this season, SHR – once a dominant force filled with consistent winners – was fielding four Cup teams with drivers holding a collective one series win. The retirement of Harvick and Almirola also saw the departure of longtime sponsors Busch Beer and Smithfield Foods.
It was by no means a stretch of the imagination to say SHR was in trouble, but more troubling was the apparent lack of effort – or perhaps interest – in saving it.
Where do they go?
Once the joint statement was issued by Stewart and Haas on May 28, and meetings held at the race shop the same day, hundreds of employees and four Cup drivers – Chase Briscoe, Ryan Preece, Noah Gragson and Josh Berry – suddenly had an uncertain NASCAR future.
Some of the organization’s top engineers and pit crew members had seen the writing on the wall and left over the last year for other teams.
Those that remained, however, now face a seemingly impossible task – finish out the 2024 season while at the same time trying to lock down positions for the future.
While Stewart never held any ownership role in the F1 organization, its future should be unaffected by the closure of SHR and its NASCAR operations. Haas, alone, has run that racing program and will decide its fate.
For those at SHR, the drivers will likely find it easier to continue to their careers. Briscoe has been mentioned as a likely replacement at JGR for Martin Truex Jr., who recently confirmed his retirement at season’s end.
Berry has been mentioned as a possible addition at Front Row Motorsports. Gragson and Preece face more uncertain futures.
While SHR is offering financial incentives for employees to remain through the end of the season, there will be some who decide to leave early – and some who already have. What is left of SHR will have its resolve tested as it tries to finish the season.
“Every other team that we’re racing against, all they focus on week-in and week-out is how to make their race car go fast that weekend,” Briscoe said.
“At our place, we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to provide for our families next year, where we’re going to work next year, and on top of all that, how am I going to get a fast race car to the race track.”
Just five years ago, who could have envisioned such a scenario?
Trump-Endorsed Ex-NASCAR Driver Austin Theriault, a former driver for NASCAR, who was backed by former President Donald Trump has won the GOP primary in the race for Maine’s Second Congressional District. One of Trump’s talents is being able to sniff out a winner, whether that’s in politics or in sports, or whatever he puts his mind to. He has great instincts. And those instincts have struck once again with Theriault.
One has to wonder though. Is he good at picking winners, or does he have the Midas touch and by picking someone, turns them to gold, making them a winner? Something to ponder.
As per The Western Journal’s Jack Davis, “Austin Theriault, who is currently a member of the Maine state House, defeated fellow state Rep. Michael Soboleski by a dominating 66.2 percent to 33.8 percent, according to WMTW-TV in Poland Spring, Maine.”
Theriault will now go head-to-head with Democratic Party nominee Rep. Jared Golden in the upcoming election for the congressional seat later this year.
“I deeply appreciate the support and want folks to know: I am running to fight for you,” he commented. “It’s time to start putting people over politics. Too many Mainers have been forgotten and left behind by the political system in DC and the big money on Wall Street.”
“The reality is that Jared Golden and Joe Biden have failed us, and we see the results every day,” Theriault added during the speech. “The 2nd District is falling further and further behind and that’s not acceptable to me. That’s why I got in this race. We need to look at November as a good chance to get Maine’s 2nd District back on its feet.”
The former NASCAR driver then credited the Trump endorsement as the main reason why so many GOP members came out and supported him this week.
“He looked at [the race] and said, ‘I think he’s a good fit for the Second District,’” Theriault explained, a report published by WMTW divulged. “‘He’s somebody that can go to Congress and get stuff done.’”
House Speaker Mike Johnson also gave him his stamp of approval.
One of the top issues on Theriault’s platform is immigration. As we all know by now, President Joe Biden and his administration have essentially adopted an “open border” policy, which has enabled millions of illegals, many of them with long criminal records and proclivities toward acts of violence, to waltz into our country with little to no resistance.
“I know that we live thousands of miles away from the southern border, but it’s a huge issue because of the drugs coming across and the human trafficking,” he explained.
“Soboleski said he would issue a statement on Wednesday when asked if he would congratulate Theriault, according to the Bangor (Maine) Daily News,” Davis wrote in the article.
“We unturned every stone we could,” Soboleski remarked. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way, and the voters have decided what they want to do.”
Mark Brewer, a political scientist who works with the University of Maine, spoke with the Associated Press where he referred to the race between Golden-Theriault as one of the top five Houses races in the nation. He noted the district is “incredibly evenly divided” before pointing out that not many of those exist in the U.S. at the moment.
Davis penned in his piece, “According to Theriault’s campaign biography, in 2017 he won the ARCA Racing Series national championship, and that since retiring from driving moved into racing management, ‘mentoring, managing and training new drivers.’ He was elected to Maine’s legislature in 2022.”
“As a legislator, Theriault sought to impeach Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after Bellows ruled former President Donald Trump could not be on Maine’s presidential ballot, citing a section of the 14th Amendment. The ruling was later set aside,” the report said.
“I voted to impeach Shenna Bellows because she has proven that she can’t do her job fairly. Secretary Bellows unilaterally took the ability to vote away from Mainers. That’s unacceptable, and she should either resign or be removed from office. The people should pick their president — it’s that simple,” he stated on his campaign Facebook page.
On July 26, 2024, the Saratoga Automobile Museum will present its Annual Gala, celebrating the Saratoga Automobile Museum and the 2024 feature exhibition – “Enzo Ferrari: An Obsession with Speed.”
This year's Gala, of which famed car collector Larry Auriana is the Honorary Chairman, will offer guests an unparalleled experience with a silent auction, book signing, cocktail hour, formal dinner, music, gaming tables, and more. The highlight of the evening will be a panel discussion moderated by automotive historian, Donald Osborne.
The panel discussion will focus on Ferrari as its theme, in honor of the feature exhibition and will include a group of experts commenting on all aspects of the iconic marque:
Pam Yates: Author and Executive Producer of the Michael Mann Film, “Ferrari.”
Derek Hill: Professional racing driver, stunt driver for the “Ferrari” movie, and son of American Formula One champion Phil Hill. He also played the part of driver Jean Behra in "Ferrari."
Joe Colasacco: Renowned Ferrari expert, historian and racing driver.
Luigi Chinetti Jr.: Son of the legendary Ferrari importer and founder of the Ferrari North American Racing Team.
(Chinetti Jr, will also appear in a program, moderated by Donald Osborne, on Saturday, July 27, at 9 a.m. – with a continental breakfast available at 8:30 a.m. – at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel located at 11 Excelsior Avenue in Saratoga Springs, which will be open to all Gala ticket holders.).
The panelists will share their unique insights and experiences, exploring the rich heritage of Ferrari, the storied past of the Ferrari North American Racing Team, and the thrilling aspects of the Michael Mann film, "Ferrari." The discussion promises to captivate the audience with tales of racing glory, movie-making, stunt driving, and so much more.
The evening will also feature:
The Museum’s Drive For Excellence Award: Presented to collector Laurence Auriana for his generous philanthropy in the automotive community.
Cocktail Hour: Fellow automotive and museum enthusiasts will mingle while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and signature cocktails.
Formal Dinner: Catered by Mazzone Hospitality.
Silent Auction: Exclusive items and experiences will be available for bidding.
Music and Dancing: Guests will be able to dance the night away to music intended to capture the spirit of the evening.
Gaming Tables: Classic games in a lively, social setting, by Casino Parties.
Book Signing: Pam Yates will sign copies of "Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine” – the Brock Yates book on which the movie “Ferrari” was based.
The "Enzo Ferrari: An Obsession with Speed" exhibit at the Saratoga Automobile Museum. (Image courtesy of Saratoga Automobile Museum)
"We are thrilled to host an event that not only honors the incredible legacy of Ferrari but also supports the museum's mission to educate and inspire future generations," said Megan Hennessey, Executive Director of the Saratoga Automobile Museum. "The Gala is our premier fundraising event, and this year's celebration is set to be the most memorable yet.”
The evening begins with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., during which the panel discussion will be held. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., and awards will be presented during the evening.
Tickets for the Gala are available now, with sponsorship opportunities and honorary committee tickets available as well. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit saratogaautomuseum.org or contact Megan Hennessey at 518.401.5185, megan@saratogaautomuseum.org.
About the Saratoga Automobile Museum:
The Saratoga Automobile Museum opened its doors to the community in 2002. The Museum's mission is to celebrate the rich history, innovation, and cultural impact of the automobile in New York State and beyond. Through engaging exhibits, dynamic events, and educational programs, the Museum strives to ignite a passion for automotive heritage and inspire future generations. It is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York Department of Education as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution.
