When High Limit Racing (SPRINT CARS) resumes competition next month, the series will be doing so with a rebranded look and name. Kubota Tractor Corporation has joined the series as the title sponsor in a multi-year partnership that will see the iconic orange equipment brand grow with the burgeoning sprint car series.
“Kubota equipment can be found in rural communities and race tracks around the country where a commitment to hard work is driven by a passion for getting the job done right,” said Christoph Nathan, Kubota Executive Director, Product Support. “That’s why we’re proud to sponsor High Limit Racing and put our brand in action to bring high-quality racing to fans everywhere, including the communities where our dealers and customers live and work.”
Kubota will be featured at-track with on-site branding and select activation initiatives throughout the season. The national tractor brand will also be featured extensively through livestream integrations and advertising on FloRacing, Kubota High Limit Racing’s exclusive live streaming partner. All Kubota integrations, including new series merchandise, will begin when the series resumes action in April.
One Kubota High Limit Racing “family” member will be honored with the Kubota Genuine Parts Spirit Award and gifted $5,000 at the series championship banquet on October 13. The honoree will be chosen by a peer vote as the most genuine, optimistic, inspiring and authentic.
“I’m thrilled to have Kubota come on board as the title partner of High Limit Racing,” said Kyle Larson, NASCAR Champion and co-owner of High Limit Racing. “When Brad (Sweet), the team and I started this series, one of our goals was to find the right partner that shared the same values of building a brand. I believe we absolutely achieved that goal with Kubota.”
“Successful partnerships in this sport are driven by authenticity and a true connection with the fan base,” said Sweet, five-time World of Outlaws champion and co-owner of High Limit Racing. “Kubota is a brand that our fans are familiar with and respect. Kubota is a brand that recognizes hard work, grit and getting the job done - all things that we are doing at High Limit Racing. We’re proud to showcase them, their logo and to grow with them for years to come.”
The Kubota High Limit Racing partnership is part of a multi-tiered advertising and promotional collaboration between Kubota Tractor Corporation and FloSports that also includes advertising on the platform and presenting sponsorship of the Castrol FloRacing Night in America series.
"The FloSports team is excited to bring on Kubota as our partner and title sponsor of High Limit Racing," said Mark Floreani, FloSports CEO. "Kubota continues to show its commitment to motorsports and the racing community at large and this sponsorship will elevate our coverage of the series all season long."
The re-branded Kubota High Limit Racing series returns to action on Tuesday, April 9 for the first race of the Midweek Money Series at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. The race is the first of a seven-races in 12 nights stretch from Arkansas into Texas and concluding in Oklahoma on April 20. Tickets for the upcoming April swing can be purchased at www.highlimitracing.com.
Every lap of every race will continue to be broadcast live on FloRacing, the official streaming partner of Kubota High Limit Racing. To subscribe to FloRacing, click here.
Following four completed race nights of the 59-race 2024 schedule, Tyler “Sunshine” Courtney is the championship point’s leader by 18 points over Sweet. Courtney has earned two victories, while Larson and Pennsylvania’s Jacob Allen have each earned one.
Former Superstar Racing Experience Chief Executive Officer Don Hawk will join the Skip Barber Racing School in 2024 as the organization’s new Chief Strategy Officer. Hawk will play an instrumental part in the continued growth and development of the Skip Barber Racing School brand which includes racing schools, safe driving academies, an iconic formula car race series, and a professional race team operating in SRO and IMSA.
At the same time Skip Barber Racing has announced the purchase of defunct SRX. It will be interesting to see what they are able to do with the series.
Hawk played a key role in the expansion of the SRX brand and served as the series’ CEO for two years. Prior to his time at SRX, Hawk worked as Speedway Motorsports, Inc’s Chief Racing Development Officer overseeing expansion, innovation, and competition at all eleven of Speedway Motorsports’ venues.
“The Skip Barber Racing School is something I knew about and admired for the 36 years I’ve been involved full-time in racing,” Hawk said. “That interest peaked even more-so over the last two years having worked so well and directly with Owner & CEO Anthony DeMonte throughout the SRX seasons. I recently visited VIR for over 7 hours of non-stop touring of the new facility and one-on-one meetings with Anthony. I knew then that this is what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.
“I look forward to joining the SBRS team and helping them elevate every existing avenue of the company and also help create and complete some new initiatives that are in Anthony’s radar and vision. I’m eager to put the Rolodex to work in this exciting racing platform,” Hawk added.
Hawk brings an extensive motorsports background to the Skip Barber Racing School. In addition to his roles with SRX and SMI, Hawk served as President of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. for seven years and as owner of Hawk Sports Management where he represented a variety of parties in motorsports, golf, and college athletics.
Throughout his career, Hawk has worked with key stakeholders in all major racing series including NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, SCCA, and the World of Outlaws. His efforts as Executive Vice President for U.S. Legend Cars International helped turn the grassroots level of American motorsports into an incubator for multiple generations of talent. He received the inaugural U.S. Legend Cars International O. Bruton Smith Award in 2012.
“We are thrilled and incredibly fortunate to be bringing Don onto the Skip Barber Racing School team,” SBRS Chief Marketing Officer Dan DeMonte said. “His background, expertise, and industry relationships will serve us well for many years to come, particularly as we continue to expand our reach and diversify our program offerings.”
Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) and Lime Rock Park are proud to announce the SpeedTour All-Star Race, which will bring together an unprecedented gathering of motorsports legends to race at the historic Connecticut circuit, July 19-20. Gathering icons from Formula 1, NASCAR, INDYCAR and IMSA, the SpeedTour All-Star Race will pair all-star drivers with competitors from the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series to compete as co-drivers in a 60-minute race that will air live on MAVTV.
“We’re really excited to debut the SpeedTour All-Star Race,” said Tony Parella, CEO of PMH. “The concept draws off the Vintage Race of Champions (VROC) format that we featured pre-COVID, but by using the spec TA2 cars and pairing the legend drivers with our current TA2 drivers, it will take this event to the next level. Lime Rock Park has been a fantastic partner for many years, and the fans in New England have been great supporters of our SpeedTour events, so I am excited to bring this show to them and look forward to seeing everyone in July.”
“Lime Rock Park is thrilled to continue to build its collaboration with PMH to bring this amazing new SpeedTour All-Star Race event to fans throughout the Northeast,” said Dicky Riegel, President and CEO of Lime Rock Park. “With our decades-long history of Trans Am racing here at The Park, the new All-Star format will shine an even brighter light on the cars and stars that make TA and TA2 racing such a fan favorite. We anticipate that this will be the biggest event of 2024 at Lime Rock.”
With 16 legends already committed to race, the field includes Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 champions, IROC winners and drivers who have stood atop the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring, and Daytona. The field represents nearly 6,000 NASCAR starts, 47 Indianapolis 500 starts, 50 F1 starts, 88 IROC starts, seven Rolex 24 at Daytona victories, four 24 Hours of Le Mans wins and two 24 Hours of Nürburgring triumphs. In total, they’re responsible for eight NASCAR championships, an INDYCAR championship, 11 road racing championships, an IROC champion, three USAC championships and four Rallycross championships.
Greg Biffle – 2004 Daytona 500 Pole winner, 2002 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion
Geoff Brabham – Four-time IMSA GTP Champion, 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, 1981 Can-Am Champion, 1997 Bathurst 1000 winner, 10 Indianapolis 500 starts, two-time IROC winner
Ron Fellows – Three-time American Le Mans Series Champion, 2001 Rolex 24 at Daytona winner, two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner, 20 Trans Am Series race wins
Davey Hamilton – Two-time INDYCAR Vice Champion, 11-time Indianapolis 500 starter
Ron Hornaday – 2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, four-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion
Davy Jones – 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, 1990 Rolex 24 at Daytona winner, five-time Indianapolis 500 starter
Bobby Labonte - 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, 2000 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, 1991 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, 2001 IROC Series Champion
Pippa Mann – 2021 24 Hours of Nürburgring winner, seven-time Indianapolis 500 starter
Paul Menard – 2011 Brickyard 400 winner, two-time Trans Am Series race winner
Ryan Newman – 2008 Daytona 500 winner, 2014 Brickyard 400 winner, 1999 USAC Silver Crown Series Champion, 2023 SRX Champion
Max Papis – 2004 Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype Champion, two-time Rolex 24 at Daytona winner, five 24 Hours of Le Mans podiums, seven F1 starts
Boris Said – 2004 Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series GT Champion, two-time Rolex 24 at Daytona winner, 2005 24 Hours of Nürburgring winner, 2002 Trans Am TA Champion, 100+ Trans Am starts (18 wins)
Ken Schrader – Two-time USAC Champion, 984 starts in NASCAR’s top-three series, four NASCAR Cup Series wins, 18 ARCA wins
Mike Skinner – 1995 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, 1997 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of The Year, 1997 Daytona 500 Pole winner
Scott Speed – 28 F1 starts (including a top-10 finish at Monaco), four-time Rallycross Champion, three-time X Games Gold Medalist
Danny Sullivan – 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner, 1988 CART Champion, 1998 Rolex 24 at Daytona class winner, 15 F1 starts (including a top-five finish at Monaco)
Combining legendary all-star drivers with today’s stars of the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series, the duos will team up in the TA2 spec racecars for a 60-minute race. The all-star driver will qualify and start the race before a mid-race five-minute pit stop allows for a driver change, giving the wheel to today’s TA2 Series star. All cars will pass through standard tech to ensure a fair playing field in the spec racecar. Drivers will not only be racing for a trophy, as a $50,000 winner-takes-all prize will also be on the line for the race-winning team.
The action starts Friday, July 19, with all-star drivers taking to the track for a 30-minute practice session, followed by qualifying that afternoon. Saturday, July 20, will be all about the fans, as drivers will participate in a group autograph session at 10 a.m. ET, followed by a fan walk and pre-race ceremonies on pit road at 12 p.m. ET. The SpeedTour All-Star Race will go green at 12:30 p.m. ET.
In addition to the SpeedTour All-Star race, the two-day event will include racing from Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), Prototype Sprint Series Association presented by Hankook (PSSA), Canada’s Nissan Sentra Cup, and F1600 Canada.
Tickets are on sale now with advanced ticket discounts for spectator tickets and camping packages at LimeRock.com. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket. All active-duty military and veterans with a valid military ID will also gain free admission.
RACINGNASCAR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says Netflix NASCAR Series 'Can Improve People's Opinion Of Our Sport'
Earnhardt is executive producer of 'NASCAR: Full Speed' docuseries inspired by popular F1 'Drive to Survive'
The Netflix series wasn’t the first for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as an executive producer according to respected journalist Deb Williams.
Earnhardt says statistics show the majority of the people that started the program watched it to its conclusion, which he believes speaks to its good content.
The five-part docuseries follows the 16 drivers competing for the 2023 championship through the 10-race playoffs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says the Netflix Series NASCAR: Full Speed will elevate the sport, but it needs to continue for several seasons to impact the fan base.
“Netflix is gonna have a lot of people see this documentary that have never seen a NASCAR race. Never thought to tune into a NASCAR race, much less go to one in person,” says Earnhardt, one of the show’s executive producers. “They’re gonna watch a show on Netflix because that’s their personal habit, their activity that they do in the evenings during the week when they get home from work.
"If we can lock in and get several seasons on Netflix, we have that potential to grow our audience (in person as well as on TV) … improve our position in society and improve people’s opinion of our sport.”
Earnhardt says statistics show the majority of the people that started the program watched it to its conclusion, which he believes speaks to its good content. He was pleased with the series overall. However, in the fifth and final part of the series, he would have liked to have seen more coverage of Ryan Blaney’s activities after he won the NASCAR Cup championship at Phoenix Raceway.
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“I know that he had to stay late,” Earnhardt says. “He was still standing on the race track when I got back in North Carolina, still taking pictures. I would have loved to have figured out a way for us to capture that part, showing what the driver experiences. It would have been nice to tag on to the back end of the episode so it wouldn’t have felt like we rushed to the edge of the cliff, and it was over. It would have been nice to have had a cool-down lap.
“The first four episodes were a very, slow, casual, get-to-know everybody storyline and then the last episode felt hurried. In my opinion, it was because of the anticipation and anxiety or the nervousness of that final event.”
The Netflix series wasn’t the first for Earnhardt as an executive producer. The owner of Dirty Mo Media became interested in the profession after he retired as a driver. Many people mark the beginning of his producing days with the show Back In The Day that aired on the Speed Channel. He also has done historical automotive-based shows on the Discovery channel.
The docuseries followed the 16 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers through the grind of the postseason.
When he joined NBC Sports, people were introduced to Lost Speedways. He had a third season of that show ready to go and was waiting on a network to pick it up. Earnhardt enjoys creating a show and then overseeing its production. It’s a passion he hopes to fulfill in 2025 when he joins Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports.
“They’re going to need additional content and programming on their platforms to help introduce their customer base to NASCAR outside of just the races themselves,” Earnhardt says. “I want to help build that programming. I’m absolutely excited about that.”
Earnhardt was with the Netflix show, which made its debut in late January, from its inception. The five-part docuseries follows the 16 drivers competing for the 2023 championship through the 10-race playoffs. Produced by Word + Pictures and NASCAR Studios, NASCAR asked Earnhardt to be involved in the project. The NASCAR Hall of Fame member was asked to suggest storylines and drivers to interview.
“To be honest, it was not a ton of work,” said Earnhardt, even though it took a year to produce. “We got together on several occasions. We kind of all had a like minded approach to it. Even the drivers were eager to make it great. You didn’t feel like you were playing tug-of-war with some entity that’s necessary for success of the program.”
Denny Hamlin immediately recognized the series potential and was heavily involved and featured in it. Earnhardt admitted Hamlin had a personal agenda since he’s one of the series top drivers and he co-owns 23XI Racing with former NBA star and cultural icon Michael Jordan.
“He had a lot of things that he’s trying to shine a light on,” Earnhardt says. “He was motivated, and he knew the Netflix opportunity was going to be incredible.”
Still, there were those drivers who were apprehensive. Earnhardt understands that uneasiness. He said the drivers’ apprehension comes from not having full control over what the public will see.
“The drivers don’t want to be presented in a way that they don’t feel is genuine,” Earnhardt says. “I was surprised the drivers were as open as they were. If we’re lucky enough to have a second season, I think they’ll be more comfortable.”
“The drivers don’t want to be presented in a way that they don’t feel is genuine."
The drivers conversing among themselves resulted in Joey Logano, Christopher Bell and others giving access that had never been permitted previously. Earnhardt cited Hamlin and NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney as probably more comfortable in front of the cameras than the other drivers.
“The temperament from the drivers about his project was different and good,” Earnhardt says. “I think them all communicating together to get behind it was probably what helped the program the most.”
While there have been complaints that the Netflix Formula One series “Drive to Survive” had manufactured drama between the drivers, Earnhardt says none of “NASCAR: Full Speed” was scripted.
“I don’t think any of them really know how to be scripted,” Earnhardt said. “Denny certainly performed. Denny’s smart and saw the opportunity to share with people who he is, what he’s about. He talks about being misunderstood, so this was his opportunity to kind of shine a light on who he is even at home.”
However, if the Netflix series does go into a second season, Earnhardt admits that manufactured drama is a valid concern because drivers don’t want to be pushed in directions they don’t want to go or don’t feel is realistic.
“They are in control of that,” Earnhardt says. “They can be firm … saying they want their genuine self to be portrayed … but still allow us into those spaces where we can really see what’s going on behind closed doors.”
Texas-based high-end spirit brand Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey brings an extra element of Lone Star State energy to the Stockyard Stampede at The Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 13 as the title sponsor of the event. Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey is the liquor offering from genre-bending band Whiskey Myers, also the sponsor of High Limit Racing’s Victory Lane each night, The two Texas favorites now join forces to host the Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey Stockyard Stampede presented by Whiskey Myers.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership”, said Laurel Dixon, Director of Marketing for Uncle Chicken’s. “Texas is a key market for Uncle Chicken’s and this is a great opportunity for us to drive awareness for the brand."
Uncle Chicken’s is currently available in eight states: Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York and Tennessee. Bottles are also available for purchase online at www.unclechickenswhiskey.com with a suggested retail price of $54.99 for a 750 ML size. Click here to find an Uncle Chicken’s retailer near you.
All liquor stands at The Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway will serve Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey and offer a signature cocktail for this one-night event. Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey will also be available for purchase in all executive suites at the event.
“Not only do we love showcasing brands that are local to the tracks we are at, we also want to put the actual product in the hands of the fans,” said Kendra Jacobs, Chief Marketing and Events Officer at High Limit Racing. “Whiskey Myers has been a great supporter of dirt racing for years. They love the sport and they see the value of sprint car racing’s growing fanbase. We’re honored to introduce the fanbase to the whiskey brand that they own, too.”
The multi-Platinum, chart-topping band joined High Limit Racing prior to the start of the 2024 season, sponsoring both Victory Lane and the Whiskey Myers Minute highlight video each race week on High Limit Racing’s Instagram account.
“Creating Uncle Chicken’s and partnering with High Limit Racing are two ways we’ve been able to pursue our passions beyond music recently,” explains Whiskey Myers drummer Jeff Hogg, “so to be able to bring both together right here in our home state is really exciting and something we’re proud to be part of.”
The action at The Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 13, begins at 3:30pm, local time, with the High Limit Racing Fan Fest. Grandstand gates will be open allowing fans access to driver autograph sessions at various driver merchandise trailers. At 4pm, drivers take to the stage for a special live “Trackside Live! Dirt Edition” show with guests Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet, Rico Abreu, Kasey Kahne, Brent Marks, Tanner Thorson, Corey Day and Zeb Wise.
FloRacing, the official streaming partner of High Limit Racing, will have live coverage of every lap of the Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey Stockyard Stampede presented by Whiskey Myers. To subscribe to FloRacing, click here.
To learn more about Uncle Chicken’s Sippin’ Whiskey, visit www.unclechickenswhiskey.com and follow them on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and on Facebook.
Following a meeting between Thunder Road officials, Vermont state government officials and representatives of the Squier family, all parties have announced that the Kenley Dean Extravaganza – A Celebration of Life, for the One-and-Only, Ken Squier is in full planning stages and scheduled for Saturday, May 4 at Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont. The Kenley Dean Extravaganza will begin at 12:00-noon on Saturday, May 4 with the annual Thunder Road car show set to start the day beginning at 9:00am.
I am so proud to have been able to call Ken a friend and I did work a couple of events with him.
While the particulars, including the panel of speakers, are still in the planning stages, all parties agreed that this is meant to be an extravaganza to celebrate a one-of-a-kind life. Dave Moody, who also joined the planning meeting via video call said, “This is truly a celebration of Ken. Although we were, and are, saddened by his loss, we also all know that he wouldn’t stand for some somber, black suit get-together.”
Governor Phil Scott added, “One of the things we all agreed on is this will certainly be a celebration, a time to tell our favorite Ken stories and a time to remember all that he has done for our state and, of course, the sport of stock car racing.”
As in years past, Saturday, May 4 will start at 7:00am with the pit gate opening for Thunder Road and American-Canadian Tour teams for Car Show set-up. Gates will open at 9:00am for spectators, completely free of charge with the Kenley Dean Extravaganza to begin at 12:00-noon, again free and open to the public. Practice for Thunder Road opening weekend divisions will begin at some time following the services.
The 2024 season hits its stride on Saturday, May 4 with the annual Car Show at Thunder Road with free admission for the general public from 9:00am to 12:00pm, followed by the Kenley Dean Extravaganza starting at 12:00-noon. The 26th annual Community Bank 150 for the American-Canadian Tour kicks off the Thunder Road season the following day, Sunday, May 5. Track championship action for the Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers and rk Miles Street Stocks begins on Sunday, May 5, alongside the Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors for an explosive start to year 65 at the Nation’s Site of Excitement!
For more information, contact the Thunder Road offices at (802) 244-6963, media@thunderroadvt.com, or visit www.thunderroadvt.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ThunderRoadVT.
Pocono Raceway will open its July 12-14 NASCAR tripleheader weekend in grand fashion with the longest scheduled CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race ever to run at the historic venue.
The CRC Brakleen 175 will consist of 70 laps and 175 miles on the 2.5-mile tri-oval – an increase of 10 laps and 25 miles from the most recent races – and serve as the weekend opener for all three of NASCAR’s national series on Friday, July 12, at 5:30 p.m. ET.
When the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series made its debut at Pocono Raceway in 2010, the series ran a 50-lap, 125-mile race for the first four visits. The race was extended to a 60-lap, 150-mile event in 2014 and remained that length through last year.
In addition to the CRC Brakleen 175 becoming the longest NCTS race at Pocono Raceway, it also will be the first ever contested on a Friday evening at “The Tricky Triangle.” Of the previous 14 NCTS races run, 12 were held on Saturday and two (2011, ’20) on Sunday.
The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will put on a one-day show with practice and qualifying also scheduled on race day. The series will open practice at 2 p.m. and follow with single-lap qualifying at 2:30 p.m.
“We take tremendous pride in our Pennsylvania roots and having another home state company in CRC Industries and their Brakleen products sponsor our first 175-mile CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race is something we are extremely excited about,” said Pocono Raceway President Ben May, referring to CRC’s global corporate headquarters in Horsham, Pa. “We’re looking forward to seeing the stars of the truck series entertain the world’s best fans at the CRC Brakleen 175.”
Pocono Raceway and race entitlement sponsor CRC Industries are launching a sweepstakes beginning Friday, March 8, with various prizes including the CRC Shop Maintenance Power Pack, with CRC Brakleen® and the SmartWasher® BenchtopPRO®, other featured items from the CRC product line and 300 level NASCAR race weekend tickets. For more information or to sign up for the sweepstakes, please click HERE.
In celebration of the extended CRC Brakleen 175, Pocono Raceway will be offering a special Friday ticket at $17.50 for a limited time. Click HERE for more information.
“We are excited to return to Pocono for the fourth year in a row to sponsor the CRC BRAKLEEN 175 and support our local track in Pennsylvania,” said Steven Drake, President of CRC Industries, Americas. “We are neighbors who share a passion for high-performance racing and a commitment to delivering excellence to our fans.”
“The CRC line of products are world class, and one lucky sweepstakes winner is going to have the best stocked garage on their block thanks to CRC Industries,” May added.
The NASCAR race weekend also will feature the Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 on Saturday, July 13, and Cup Series Pocono 400 on Sunday, July 14.The Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 will start at 3 p.m.following Cup Series qualifying. The Pocono 400, which sold out the frontstretch seating last season, will begin at 2:30 p.m.
It sounds like new engine regulations could debut for the NASCAR Cup Series come 2026 or 2027 that could allow for a new manufacturer to join Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.
Honda has been at the center of garage rumors as the most likely OEM to enter the highest levels of Stock Car competition. And while NASCAR nor Honda has confirmed those rumors, NASCAR chief racing development officer John Probst made an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Thursday to detail all the reasons a new manufacturer will soon have a logical runway.
“A timeline for a new OEM coming into our sport is somewhere in the 18- to 24-month period,” said Probst on the licensed NASCAR channel. “When we work with our existing partners, obviously it’s important for us to make sure that any new partner coming in would be a complement to what we have here today.
“So, there would be an outside chance we could do it quicker. And certainly, when all of our existing OEM partners are on board, which they are, you know the opportunity would exist, we may be able to expedite that, but under normal circumstances, 18 to 24 months.”
Probst said a new manufacturer would likely have to begin the engine and body submission process over the summer months.
“If a new OEM did want to come in 2026, we are within a few months of us getting to the point where you almost start running out of time to go through all the steps that we have today,” Probst said. “If all the stars align, it is possible you could do it quicker than 18 months.
“It would take a lot of effort and frankly a little bit of luck to get everything to line up perfectly to do that… Certainly, 2026-2027 would be pretty ideal years for an OEM that would be looking to come to our sport right now to make a launch.”
Toyota was the last manufacturer to enter NASCAR, arriving to the Cup Series in 2007 following a three-year stint in the Craftsman Truck Series, and a challenge for that manufacturer was working towards a chassis and body combination that was both competitive and aesthetically pleasing.
Now, the current generation car is effectively a spec platform with only the body and engine fundamentally different between the manufacturers.
“The timing has probably never been better for an OEM to consider coming into our sport,” Probst said. “In years past, you were effectively trying to build the car from the ground up before you would come into our sport. With the Next Gen car, the way it is today, we preserved the DNA of the OEM’s in the body work and in the engines that go in the car.
“So as a new OEM looking to come into NASCAR, you’d be looking at developing a body and then also getting an engine approved for use in our sport.”
NASCAR appears to be inching closer towards a hybrid component to its longstanding pushrod V8 power plant too.
Since 2012, McLaren has provided the ECUs, digital dashes and numerous electronic components that power cars at the highest level. McLaren has since extended with NASCAR and Probst indicated even more electric technology is on the way that would be appealing for manufacturers in their pursuit of futuristic power plants.
“We’ve already awarded that contract to McLaren, who is the existing electronic supplier in the Cup Series,” Probst said. “The feedback from our team partners and the OEMs as to which direction we want to go in this case with the ECU and the electronics around the Cup cars, that was McLaren and that will launch in 2025.”
Does this mean the V8 pushrods will soon go the way of carburetors from over a decade ago?
“Yeah, certainly,” Probst said. “One thing that is common in our approach to just about everything now on the technical and the competition side is we leave all our options open and we try not to close any doors. That’s certainly true of the electronics. They are more capable than the electronics that we have on the car today.
“They will open up doors to allow us to explore what may potentially lie ahead with respect to power trains in the Cup Series. In general, it’s just meant to keep our cars current to the relevant technology that exists today and to keep our options as wide open as they can be into the future.”
Long term, NASCAR is still pursuing alternative fuel sources for its future, like hydrogen combustion but the NextGen was always intended to feature a form of EVO on the current generation engine platform and it seems that could come as early as 2026 or 2027.
The 2024 fundraising event season at the New England Racing Museum (922 NH Route 106N, Loudon, NH 03307) opens up with the 3rd annual New England Racers Reunion: Race Car Show on Saturday May 4th.Each of the museums events are essential fundraisers to help meet financial obligations so we can continue our mission of New England motor racing discovery, preservation and education.
As is now tradition the museum's event season will open up on the first Saturday in May. On May 4th the 3rd Annual New England Racers Reunion: Race Car Show Presented by Autopac Gallery will once again take over the museum's parking lots. The event features a unique display of historic race cars and race motorcycles from regional clubs and independent car owners. Last year’s event featured 59 historic race cars and 13 motorcycles. Unique regional motor racing artifacts from various visiting auto racing museums will also be on display. The event will feature the awarding of the Jim Martel Best of Show Trophy and other best appearing awards to be presented at the conclusion of the program.
June will be a busy month at the museum in 2024. Laconia Motorcycle Week kicks off in the middle of the month which is directly followed by NASCAR race week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The museum will be open to the public from Wednesday June 19th to Sunday June 23rd to welcome visiting race fans. The month concludes with a visit from 125 unique road rally cars as the nation’s largest road rally The Great Race stops for a lunch visit at the museum presented by Team EJP on Friday June 28th from 11am to 2pm. Spectators are encouraged to stop at the museum to view the high quality road rally cars as the museum will be open to the public.
The museum's annual all vehicle car show “Hot Rods, Muscle and More” presented by Shea Concrete Products closes out the summer event season on Saturday August 24th. Supporting car and truck owners will contest for the 4th Annual Parker-Coraine Best of Show Trophy as we honor two valued museum supporters, Ted Parker and the late Gil Coraine. 20 class trophies will be awarded in total and includes the fan favorite “Coolest Sounding” award. The event regularly features over 200 show vehicles.
The 7th Annual Legends Day will take place on Sunday November 17th and will honor the regions most accomplished road racers. Legends Day was created by the late Russ Conway as a way to honor the most successful and celebrated personalities of New England motor racing. Make sure to visit www.NERmuseum.comthroughout the year for all specific event details.
NEW ENGLAND RACING MUSEUM 2024 FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Saturday May 4th: New England Racers Reunion: Race Car Show
Wednesday – Sunday, June 19th-23rd: NASCAR Race Week at NHMS
Friday June 28th: The Great Race Road Rally Visits the Museum
Saturday August 24th: Hot Rods, Muscle and More: All Vehicle Car Show
Sunday November 17th: Legends Day, Honoring New England Road Racers
About the New England Racing Museum
The museum is owned by the Racing History Preservation Group, a 501 (C ) (3) educational nonprofit organization that seeks to discover, preserve and educate the public on the history of New England motor racing. The 10,000 square foot museum opened in 2017 on the grounds of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. Call 603-783-0183 or visit nermuseum.com to learn more.
