Less than a month after the conclusion of the richest Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series season in history, which featured a dramatic finale as 14-year-old phenom Brock Pinkerous captured the $20,000 to-win title by a mere point over four-time champion Jeremy Wonderling at Lernerville Speedway on October 12, Series directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone have already been diligently working to make 2025 even bigger and better. With that said, the 2025 Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour will open with a $10,000 to-win event April 4-5 at Bridgeport Motorsports Park!
The high-banked 4/10-mile "Kingdom of Speed" is located just minutes from the Pennsylvania and Delaware borders in Swedesboro, New Jersey. The event will make history on several levels; not only will it be the richest opener in Series history, but will also mark the first ever RUSH-sanctioned event in the state of New Jersey and the first ever Chevrolet Performance Late Model event at Bridgeport, NJ.
"We like to kickoff our seasons in a big way and what better way to do it than with a $10,000 to-win RUSH Late Model Touring Series race," expressed Bridgeport owner Doug Rose. "Late Models on the 'High Banks' is always an exciting event for both racers and fans!"
"What an opener this will be for our 2025 RUSH Late Model Touring Series," expressed Emig. "To be able to kickoff the season with a $10,000 to-win event is certainly going to continue the strong forward momentum that the Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series has once again experienced this past season. The 2024 Touring Series car counts were tremendous and set a record with an average of 40 cars per event despite losing several events to Mother Nature that would have experienced high car counts! Our racers continue to provide fans with exciting door-to-door, edge of your seat racing with the winner being determined more often than not on the final few laps. I believe with this early opening date and $10,000 to-win, East Coast fans will be able to witness some of the very best Chevrolet Performance crate engine Late Model racers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic roll into the Kingdom of Speed!"
"We developed a relationship with Bridgeport's owner Doug Rose this past season," explained Emig. "We provided technical assistance for his $10,000 to win Sportsman Modified event in October and also provided our RUSH engine sealing system for his non-wing Sprint Car division. Bridgeport has already announced that their Sportsman Modifieds will now join the program in 2025 as both utilize the Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine."
Additional details surrounding the event including the Friday portion will be announced in the future. There will also be a rain date of Sunday. Stay tuned for more information regarding the 2025 season throughout the off-season.
Bridgeport Speedway is a premier dirt track facility located just 20 miles from downtown Philadelphia in Logan Township (Gloucester County) at 83 Flood Gate Road Swedesboro, NJ 08085. For more information, check out their website at https://bridgeportmotorsportspark.com/, like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BridgeportSpeedway, and
With Thanksgiving Weekend on the horizon, arrangements are complete for the annual Racing Memories program at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.
Set for Saturday, November 30, 2024, the popular program, formerly titled Lost Speedways, will once again fill the museum with racing enthusiasts, drivers, memorabilia collectors and at least one well-known promoter. And as a bonus, attendees will be among the first to view the newly opened Golub Gallery exhibit “Evolution of Performance and Design.”
“I know I’ve said it before, but I really think this could be the best program ever” offered event organizer Ron Hedger. “We have Ken Parrotte looking at a great era of the Indianapolis 500 and Mark Supley, the ‘Motorcycle Guy,’ back with a segment on side-car racing. Racing historian Herb Anastor will be here to talk about the fabled Formula Libre race at Lime Rock Park where Roger Ward beat the world’s best sports car racers with Ken Brenn’s midget. And to put that presentation over the top, Keith Majka will have the beautifully restored Brenn midget on hand so that everyone, whether a road racing enthusiast or an oval racing fan, can check it out.
“On the interview front, I’ll talk with modified star Demetrious Drellos, who will bring along his uncle, Dan Drellos, to share memories of his grandfather Chris’ famed #11 and #111 coupes wheeled by such notables as Kenny Shoemaker and Pete Corey. I’ll also interview promoter Brett Deyo about his Short Track Super Series and his weekly promotions at Fonda and Utica-Rome.
“And as the grand finale, we’ll have popular drivers Brian Ross, Phil Spiak, Nick Ronca and Jack Halloran on hand for a panel discussion of the early NASCAR era at the then newly opened asphalt Albany-Saratoga Speedway.”
As always, attendees will be allowed to ask the presenters a few questions following each of the segments.
Admission for the event can be obtained ahead of time on the museum website, www.saratogaautomuseum.org or at the door. As always, museum members are free.
The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park, just off Exit 13N of I-87, the Adirondack Northway. Doors open at 10 am with the formal presentations set to begin at 11:45.
A variety of food and beverages from West Avenue Pizza will once again be available in the museum lobby during the event.
NASCAR held its first wet weather tire test at an intermediate track on Monday, and the first reports were positive.
The test was held at Homestead-Miami Speedway a day after its Round of 8 race. Alex Bowman (Chevrolet), John Hunter Nemechek (Toyota), and Ryan Preece (Ford) were the drivers who participated. There were five sets of tires, with four of them being different wet weather options to work through.
“They wet the track down the night before, so it was damp, and they got it wet prior to the start of the test,” NASCAR Cup Series managing director Brad Moran told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “From my reports – and we’ll go through this thoroughly later today in our competition meeting – the tires held up really well. They did a great job.
“They were running up against the wall and kind of all over the racetrack in the wet. There was some spray, which we anticipated. The speeds are obviously much higher when we go to mile-and-a-halfs, so we’ve probably got a little work to do there. But overall, it was a really good test. All three drivers agreed on the tire they all liked; they were all in agreement that it was the best tire. We gained a lot.”
Moran anticipates seeing more wet weather tires being used next season. NASCAR used wet weather tires on an oval for the first time at North Wilkesboro last season in the non-points event All-Star Race.
The first time they were used on an oval in a points-paying event was at Richmond Raceway in April. The series then had the chance to use them to finish the June event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
NASCAR does not use its tires when in a hard rain. However, a light rain or a track that does not need to be completely dried allows NASCAR to restart an event sooner.
“This is a directive from Jim France a couple of years back; we’ve been working hard at it,” Moran said. “We started doing some testing a few years ago. Obviously, we got to see more of it this year, and it worked out very well in New Hampshire as well as North Wilkesboro. It certainly helped us get back to racing and helped the fans have the opportunity to enjoy the race when they come.
“So, again, we have not been running in downpours, but we certainly have run on wet tracks. Goodyear has done a fabulous job with the tires.”
Irwindale Speedway & Event Center Inc. (ISEC) has announced that Irwindale Speedway and Dragstrip will close following the 2024 season, ending a quarter-century as a beloved motorsports hub in Southern California. Since opening in 1999, Irwindale has been home to NASCAR races, demolition derbies, street-legal drag racing, and the iconic Formula Drift events at “The House of Drift,” along with numerous car culture festivals. Its final event, Irwindale Speedway’s Farewell Extravaganza, is set for December 21, marking the close of a significant chapter in racing history.
“Irwindale has been more than just a track—it’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” said Tim Huddleston, President of ISEC. “On behalf of my wife Lisa and our partners Bob and Maureen Bruncati, we extend heartfelt thanks to our fans, racers, sponsors, and the City of Irwindale for their unwavering support over the past 25 years. We’re grateful for every moment and memory we’ve shared as a community.”
Events will continue through the remainder of 2024. The dragstrip will host its final events in December, starting with the last Thursday Night Thunder on December 5, giving fans one last chance to race down the dragstrip or enjoy the burnout box. Irwindale Dragstripwill then close out its history with the legendary Mooneyes Christmas Party on December 7, featuring drag racing, a classic car show, live entertainment, and more—a fitting farewell to the iconic drag racing venue.
Irwindale Speedway’s Farewell Extravaganza on December 21 promises an unforgettable finale, packed with heart-pounding action. Fans can expect a full day of NASCAR short-track races, wild Night of Destruction events like Figure-8s and Trailer Races, a high-octane Drift Invitational, and the prestigious ARCA Menards Series West. This historic event will be Irwindale’s biggest and most thrilling celebration yet, a fitting tribute to the legacy of a track that has defined West Coast racing for 25 years.
While the closure marks the end of an era, Irwindale’s motorsports legacy will continue as its assets and events transition to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield for 2025, ensuring that Southern California’s racing spirit endures.
Tickets for the Farewell Extravaganza will be available for purchase beginning Friday, November 8, 2024.
For more information, event details, and ticket purchases, please visit IrwindaleSpeedway.com or follow Irwindale Speedway & Dragstrip on social media.
NASCAR in the 90s was more than a sport – it was a cultural phenomenon. The roar of the crowds, the frenzy of fans, and the widespread corporate support made it a national obsession. You couldn't escape it: From Jeff Gordon on Pepsi stands, Tony Stewart on Coke machines, and even Terry Labonte on your Corn Flakes boxes, it felt like the drivers were part of your daily life. But as times changed, the sport couldn’t keep up with the demands.
Cable TV was king back then, and NASCAR was right there riding the trend. There were fewer digital distractions, meaning you didn’t have cell phones or Netflix, so more people tuned into the tube. And since NASCAR was one of the few major sports being broadcast on TV, it held a captive audience. Fast forward to today: half of America doesn’t even have cable. And that’s not to mention the confusion around NASCAR’s new media rights deal that will now see them split up their schedule and telecast races across half a dozen channels.
But above all, companies like Winston, Budweiser, and Ford were pouring millions into the sport, and turning it into a marketing powerhouse. The money wasn’t like any primary sponsorships we see these days. Fortune 500 companies used to push drivers, like Dale Earnhardt, the larger-than-life yet somehow still ‘one of us’ personalities as their biggest stars. So it felt way more human.
Today, our NASCAR drivers rarely exist outside the track, leaving most of the world with little connection. No Nike deals, no mass commercials. Because of that, if you ask a non-fan to name a NASCAR driver in 2024, they’ll probably still say, "Dale Earnhardt."
Regardless, the death knell fell after NASCAR had to say goodbye to their Winston sponsorship after a ban on tobacco advertising, under the 1998 Tobacco Industry Settlement Act. By 2003, Winston had finally left NASCAR to take away a sizeable chunk of the marketing money. Once that machine slowed down, the drivers, once household names, started fading from the spotlight. And when the once-strong bond between fans and drivers began crumbling under those financial constraints, NASCAR didn’t just lose a bit of popularity. It ended up losing its soul.
While this is the Lucky Dog's perspective on the matter, we're sure there were more factors that led NASCAR to lose its steam over time. So send us your thoughts and get featured in our next edition
NASCAR today announced an extension of the entitlement partnership of its original series as Whelen Engineering, Inc. returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour through 2029 in a partnership that guarantees increased team payouts starting with the 2025 season. In conjunction with the announcement, NASCAR released the 16-race 2025 Whelen Modified Tour schedule.
Whelen’s commitment to the Whelen Modified Tour in the coming years will see the largest Tour purse increase in the last decade, with championship prize money increasing by 250%. Additionally, the entire starting field will see the benefits of the new partnership, as each entry will see a minimum $2,000 payout to start the race – in several cases more than double the current payout for lower-finishing positions. Race winners will get a minimum of $11,000 in Whelen payout.
“The heart of NASCAR is in our regional racing and long-time partners like Whelen help support the high quality racing our fans and competitors deserve in the grassroots programs,” said Joseph Dennewitz, Managing Director of NASCAR Regional. “By building up the purse for all in the garage, Whelen is putting their money where their mouth is in ensuring the success and health of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for years to come.”
Competitors in the Whelen Modified Tour will begin seeing the benefits of the extended partnership next season at the season opener at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 8. This will mark the fourth consecutive year that the Tour will open at the track that is just down the road from the birthplace of NASCAR.
The Whelen Modified Tour is NASCAR’s oldest and original series, which began racing in 1948 in Daytona Beach. The partnership between Whelen and the Tour originated with the 2005 season, and over the past two decades, Whelen has demonstrated a continued commitment to the dedicated fans and competitors of the Tour. The extension of the entitlement of the Whelen Modified Tour brings the partnership to 25 years in 2029, making them one of the longest-running sponsors in NASCAR.
“We are incredibly proud to extend our longstanding partnership with NASCAR and celebrate 20 years as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” said Peter Tiezzi, General Manager of Motorsports for Whelen Engineering Company Inc. “For the past two decades, being part of this iconic series has been both an honor and a reflection of our commitment to grassroots racing. As the Official Warning Lights of NASCAR, we are excited to continue supporting the sport while further strengthening our ties within the racing community. This partnership highlights our dedication to safety and performance, both on and off the track.”
The Tour will continue to partner with NASCAR national series event weekends to highlight the extremely competitive nature of the racing. On Sunday, May 18, the Whelen Modified Tour will be part of a unique double-header as the opening act for the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Richmond Raceway will host the Tour on Thursday, Aug. 14, as part of its late summer NASCAR weekend, and the Tour joins the lineup for the NASCAR Playoff weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a Saturday, Sept. 20, race.
Fan favorite Whelen Modified Tour tracks such as Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (Connecticut), Monadnock Speedway (New Hampshire), and Riverhead Raceway (New York) will each host multiple events.
“We are proud to once again have a strong mix of types of tracks on the 2025 Whelen Modified Tour schedule that allow our drivers to put on an impressive show for fans in multiple markets,” said Jimmy Wilson, Senior Director, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “As you can see by the quality of racing and the intense championship battle to the end this year, these events showcase the various strengths of each of our drivers and allow for competitive racing from the first race to the finale.”
Thompson will host a trio of high-profile events, starting with the Sunday, March 30, event as part of the Icebreaker Weekend – now the second race on the Tour’s schedule. They will also host a Wednesday night mid-summer showdown on Aug. 6, and the penultimate race of the season as part of the World Series of Speedway Racing.
Monadnock will host two events on Saturday, May 3, and Saturday, July 19. Riverhead will have a pair of races on Saturday, June 14, and Saturday, Sept. 6.
Seekonk Speedway (Saturday, May 31), Lancaster Motorplex (Saturday, July 12), Oswego Speedway (Saturday, Aug. 30) will once again host Tour races next season. Additionally, White Mountain Motorsports Park returns to the Whelen Modified Tour schedule for 2025. The New Hampshire track previously held a pair of Tour races in 2020.
“The short tracks of the Northeast are at the heart of the Whelen Modified Tour and offer so many options for our teams to compete close to home in front of their friends and family,” added Wilson. “We have strong historic ties to many of these facilities and all host great events for everyone who comes through their gates.”
Tony Stewart told journalist Mark Glendenning he’s at peace with his decision to shut the doors on Stewart-Haas Racing.
In its 16 seasons, Stewart Haas won NASCAR Cup Series titles in 2011 (with Stewart himself) and 2014 (with Kevin Harvick), and the team has three more opportunities to add to its current tally of 70 victories.
“This is the right time,” Stewart told Harvick’s “Happy Hour” podcast. “This was never a part of a master plan. But as this year has gone on, this has become very clear that this is the right time for me to get out of the sport. There’s things that I see that I definitely don’t like. And I’m happy doing the stuff I’m doing now. I’ve always been somebody that’s ran all kinds of different series.”
Against the background of ongoing struggles to secure sponsorships and manufacturer support, SHR’s 300-plus workforce was informed of the team’s impending closure in May.
“The reason we did the announcement early in the season was to try to take care of all of our people,” Stewart said.
“I got so blamed for people losing their jobs. Well, there’s companies left and right that shut down. Look at COVID: How many people had to shut down? Nobody was screaming about how employees weren’t taken care of and what it did to their families. We did what we did to take care of our people, and we created great severance packages for them to take care of them and their families… I would say over 80 percent of the employees at SHR have found homes for next year.
“The bashing I got online and on social media was very unjust through the process. It’s easy to sit on your ass, on a chair, on your couch in your mom’s house and sit there and tell us how we’re doing it wrong. But nobody can seem to sit there and come in on Monday morning and tell us how to do it right.”
Stewart said he recently visited the SHR headquarters to farewell some of the staff.
“Knowing that when I left the building there, here’s some of those people I’ve known for 16 years, and I may never, ever see them again, unfortunately,” he said.
“I don’t know that it’s even bittersweet. It’s more bitter than sweet. It’s a tough decision. But things in life change. Your priorities change, and variables outside of your control change as well.”
Some of the current SHR employees could remain in the building beyond this year when it is taken over by the new Haas Factory Team, which will utilize the one SHR Cup Series entry that co-owner Gene Haas will retain. As for Stewart, the focus will switch to his NHRA program and sprint car teams.
“(NASCAR is) going to be healthy, it’s going to survive,” he said. “It always has. It always will. But I’m happy at this point in my life to make this change… It wasn’t that way at the beginning of the year.
“We had different reasons for why we had to shut down at the end of the season, but as time has gone on and watching the owners and NASCAR fight and just the chaos that’s going on over there, I’m fine being done with this at the end of the year.”
Richard Allen asks why is there only one race each year at Homestead?
The mere mention of the name Homestead-Miami Speedway quickly brings praise from both competitors and fans of NASCAR. The wall-brushing driving style needed to most effectively circulate around the 1.5-mile oval has thrilled followers of the NASCAR Cup Series for years. If there is any problem with this track it is that, since its inception in 1999, there has been only one race held at the south Florida venue each season.
So if everyone likes Homestead, why do they only race there once each year?
There could be several reasons listed as to why two races at this track are not on the schedule. Perhaps it could be that, when combined with Daytona International Speedway, there are already three Cup races held in the ‘Sunshine State’. Or there is always the balance between the races held at International Speedway, Corp.(Homestead’s owner) and Speedway Motorsports facilities.
Of course, if a race is added, one will have to be taken from somewhere to keep the slate at its current 36-race level and that could prove to be a point of contention. However, NASCAR has shown a willingness to shuffle the schedule in recent years by moving to new locations or shifting dates.
When asked who the favorites to win in Homestead will be this Sunday, many point to Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell. But the reality is that no one driver greatly outshines the others at this speedway. The track has proven to be highly competitive over the years, especially in its current configuration.
The last eight events held on its progressive banking have produced eight different winners and half of those races have produced 20 or more lead changes over the 400-mile distance.
Those numbers were achieved by only averaging 5.25 cautions per race over those last eight years so it is not like positions are only being exchanged on restarts.
On his most recent podcast, former driver and current Fox broadcaster Kevin Harvick was singing the praises of Homestead Speedway. He is not the only one to do so. With it being so popular among drivers and fans, why is there only one race there each year?
Race fans and competitors can continue to fill their calendar with race dates for the 2025 racing season to attend exciting Race of Champions “Family of Series” events.
Race of Champions Management is currently working on several traditional and potential “new” events, including a potential change for Race of Champions Weekend.
The dates for Holland (NY) Speedway were announced back in late August, however, they are Saturday, June 21, Saturday, July 26 and August 23. These are traditional race dates for the high-banked southern tier oval. There was a shift in the June date due to a family commitment on behalf of the speedway ownership.
The Race of Champions Modified Series will return to Chemung (NY) Speedrome a minimum of two (2) times during the 2024 calendar year. With the Watkins Glen NASCAR Cup Series date shifting back to its traditional August date, will move “The Night before the Glen – Rod Spalding Classic” back to Saturday, August 9. The Series Spring visit will come on the traditional date of Saturday, May 10 and hold an inclement weather date of Saturday, June 14.
Race of Champions weekend is currently in negotiation and will be held one of two weekends in September. The dates that are announced as TBA will be Friday, September 12, Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14 and Friday, September 19, Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21.
“We are working diligently to get our entire schedule out to participants and fans,” stated Joe Skotnicki, Race of Champions. “We know some things need to change so we are looking at everything and every option. We are in negotiation with several traditional venues as well as some new to the Series. This past season was an exciting one and we are just looking at continuously improving our product as well as giving racers and fans an opportunity to compete at premier events throughout the region.”
All Race of Champions “Family of Series” events will continue be streamed on RoCModifiedSeries.TV powered by Racing America in 2025. For more information in regard to the Racing America streaming platform visit; offer.racingamerica.com/race-of-champions/. In addition to the entire year featuring all Race of Champions Series races, subscribers will receive access to 200+ live short track races from tracks across North America as well as expanded media coverage throughout the sport and more than 10 years of short track racing archives. (www.racingamerica.tv)
The Race Track Business Conference - 2024 releases the agenda for its gathering on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 said Tim Frost, publisher of National Speedway Directory.
With eight cutting edge presentations from leading industry professionals, RTBC-2024 will provide attendees with an outstanding overview on the current status of motorsports - on and off the track.
Sessions include:
Digital Marketing
Venue Maintenance
Financial Strategies for Motorsports
Karting Tracks
Growing the Membership, Participant and Spectator Base
Driving Schools
Motorsports Education
Media
Details on keynote and speakers will be posted soon.
The cost to attend RTBC - 2024 is $250. Additional information can be found at (www.racetrackbusinessconference.com) or by contacting Tim Frost at (twfrost@speedwaysonline.com) or (847) 778-9475 (cell).
About National Speedway Directory
National Speedway Directory (www.speedwaysonline.com) is an information source for the motorsports industry. The website has listings tracks, sanctions, publications, and museums.
About Performance Racing Industry
Performance Racing Industry, (www.performanceracing.com) monthly business magazine, is recognized as "The Voice of Racing Marketplace." Targeted at the racing trade, PRI connects manufacturers of racing products and technology with the distribution channels of retailers, builders, distributers, and teams. The PRI Show is the world's largest auto racing trade show.
