A North Carolina Superior Court judge denied a preliminary injunction Wednesday that Legacy Motor Club sought to keep Rick Ware Racing from possibly selling the charter that Legacy MC states it purchased.
Among details revealed in court:
Judge Smith noted that Legacy MC purchased a charter from Rick Ware Racing for “roughly $45 million.” That makes it the highest price for a charter.
The agreement calls for Rick Ware Racing to sell Charter No. 36 (currently used by the No. 51 car of Cody Ware). However, Legacy MC’s attorney noted that the wording in the contract described the charter to be purchased as Charter 27, which also is owned by Rick Ware Racing but is being leased to RFK Racing this year for the No. 60 car of Ryan Preece.
An attorney for Rick Ware Racing said two weeks after the agreement was signed the two sides met at Las Vegas where Legacy MC offered to pay RWR $5 million more than the original purchase price to purchase Charter 27 so it could have three chartered cars next season.
It was also noted in court that RFK Racing has an agreement with Rick Ware Racing to lease Charter 36 (the one being used by Cody Ware this year) next season. Teams are allowed to lease a charter once every seven years.
A key issue Wednesday in court was the contract and the confusion created by it.
It may be hard to believe but the first invasion of the season by the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Series at Williams Grove Speedway is just two weeks away!
Slated for Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, the outlaws series drivers will hit town to compete in the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup weekend, doing battle with the weekly Williams Grove Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint car drivers known as the Pennsylvania Posse.
Friday’s feature event will be 25 laps in distance with the big prize up for grabs on Saturday night with a 30-lap feature on tap.
With $12,000 on the line for the winner on Friday, Saturday’s finale will pay $15,000 to win plus another $5,000 for Morgan Cup bragging rights setting up a cool $20,000 to the finale winner.
Racing has been sporadic on the tour and at Williams Grove to date this season with weather taking its toll on racing schedules.
With the outlaws in April, winners to date have been Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Rico Abreu, Kyle Larson and Sheldon Haudenschild.
At Williams Grove, just Anthony Macri has taken a pair of wins.
Named after late track owner Morgan Hughes, the Morgan Cup is contested each May to establish bragging rights between the outlaws and Williams Grove drivers.
The home of the Morgan Cup champion lays claim to the Morgan Cup trophy itself for the ensuing year, either at the speedway office in Mechanicsburg or at World of Outlaws headquarters in Concord, North Carolina.
Morgan Cup action gets underway both nights at 7:30 pm.
Adult general admission both nights is $35 with youth ages 13 – 20 admitted for just $15.
Kids ages 12 and under are always FREE at Williams Grove Speedway.
Keep up to date on all the latest speedway news and information by visiting the oval’s official website located at www.williamsgrove.com and by following the track on X, Facebook and Instagram.
RacingJunk.com is the Official Classifieds for Williams Grove Speedway
Prime Video has announced the first two episodes of the thrilling four-part docuseries, Earnhardt, would premiere on May 22, just three days before Prime Video’s first-ever presentation of a NASCAR Cup Series race—the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway. The final two episodes will be released a week later on May 29. Prime Video also revealed the official trailer and key art for the highly anticipated docuseries, which will take a multi-generational look at the sacrifice, hardship, and drive of one of the most famous families of NASCAR. Produced by the award-winning team at Imagine Documentaries, acclaimed filmmakers Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin, and directed by Joshua Altman, Earnhardt will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, and is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership.
A charismatic, working-class hero to millions of fans, Dale Earnhardt was the most influential figure the sport of NASCAR has ever known. ‘The Intimidator’ spent the better part of two decades as the most visible figure in stock car racing, breaking through the confines of the sport’s regional fan base into mainstream notoriety. The Goodwrench No. 3 Chevrolet, with an eye-catching black paint job, became one of the most feared and iconic symbols in NASCAR history, as Earnhardt notched 76 race wins and a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships over a groundbreaking 26-year career. Racing was his life, and it ran in his blood. He grew up idolizing his father Ralph, a respected driver on the early NASCAR circuit, and his own children likewise strove to follow him onto the track—with son Dale Earnhardt Jr. eventually becoming one of the most enduringly popular drivers of all time in his own right. From one generation to the next, racing would become the Earnhardt legacy – fueling their greatest triumphs and delivering their deepest loss.
Earnhardt is a four-part documentary series that explores the legendary racing career and complex family dynamics of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. With rare archival footage, thrilling races, and emotionally revealing interviews from his children, rivals, and closest friends, Earnhardt is the definitive story of an American icon, both on and off the track.
Earnhardt is produced by Imagine Documentaries, Everyone Else, and NASCAR Studios, in association with Dirty Mo Media. The series is directed by Joshua Altman and executive produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Christopher St. John, and Justin Wilkes of Imagine Documentaries; Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin of Everyone Else; and Tim Clark and John Dahl of NASCAR Studios.
Episode Guide:
Episode 101 – Ironhead: Dale rockets to stardom on NASCAR’s biggest stage with an unprecedented championship in just his second season, but a series of challenges on and off the track threatens his future. His upbringing inside North Carolina’s racing culture sheds light on what drives him, while he and upstart team owner Richard Childress aggressively chart their path back to the top.
Episode 102 – The Intimidator: Dale transforms into ‘The Intimidator’ as the bad boy of racing chases Richard Petty’s record of seven Winston Cup championships. As his legend grows, the intensifying demands of Dale’s career fuel tensions within the family—and the life and death stakes of racing soon hit close to home.
Episode 103 – One Tough Customer: Dale’s fame and fortune reach new heights as he pursues an eighth championship and an ever-elusive Daytona 500 win. But a younger crop of drivers challenge his reign, and family dynamics become more complicated when the Earnhardt kids set out to follow in their father’s footsteps on the track.
Episode 104 – Dale: Father and son unite on the track at the 2001 Daytona 500, leading the pack in a fateful race that becomes a turning point for the family and the entire sport of NASCAR.
Join for the 2025 USAC Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Wednesday, July 2!
The event will take place at USAC Headquarters located at 4910 W 16th St. Speedway, Indiana 46224.
A luncheon ticket is required to attend the event and must be reserved in advance at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2025-hof-ceremony-. Tickets will be available at will call.
The luncheon starts at noon Eastern. The hall of fame ceremony is slated to begin after the luncheon at 1:00pmand is open to the public at this time.
USAC’s 12th hall of fame class includes driver/car owner Jack Bowsher, driver Dave Darland, car owner/official Bob Estes, car owner/crew chief Bob Hampshire, promoters Roger & Linda Holdeman, official Tommy Hunt and driver Gordon Johncock.
The 2025 USAC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held between race days during the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. USAC headquarters are located just across the street from the racetrack.
Frankie Muniz shared that he’s at a “new low” mentally and emotionally in a post on X
The Malcolm in the Middle alum-turned-NASCAR driver had a challenging race on April 18, where his power steering line burst
He said he’s “oddly cursed” but was thankful for his team, saying, “They’re sticking with me”
Frankie Muniz is at a “new low” mentally and emotionally, amid setbacks in his recent races.
“If I'm being 100% honest... Mentally/emotionally I may be at a new low. Just wanted to say it out loud,” the former Malcolm in the Middle star — and now NASCAR driver — shared in an April 21 post on X.
While racing in the April 18 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, Muniz, 39, had technical difficulties early on that derailed him.
“My power steering line burst, so I lost power steering,” he said in a post-race interview with Peter Stratta. “I ripped a hole in my hand [turning the wheel].”
He called trying to steer “the hardest thing I’ve ever done," and the setback left him essentially out of the race, Muniz explained, saying he’s “oddly cursed or something.”
Since Feb. 14, when he finished 10th at Daytona, Muniz has struggled to finish above 21st place.
“Our goal is always top 20,” he told Stratta. “I’ve had bad luck for almost two years straight.”
Still, he praised his team, saying, “I really love them ... They’re sticking with me, and I hope the fans do, too. I hope they don’t turn on me.”
If I'm being 100% honest... Mentally/emotionally I may be at a new low. Just wanted to say it out loud.
He continued, “How many times can I say, ‘Wow, I got bad luck,’ “ sharing that his "super supportive" wife, Paige Muniz has said, "‘Maybe it’s you, like, maybe you’re just not good.’ “
“So I hope people see that. I mean, people are going to say what they do, but you know we’re trying really hard.”
"I think at first, maybe people thought [racing] was like a hobby," Muniz recently told PEOPLE.
"Then to have an actor jump in, it probably is a little odd. I get that," Muniz shared. "But you earn respect or the recognition as a driver and not just as an actor when you're out there competing and beating them, right? That's what I'm trying to do.”
The NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium left race fans clamoring for more.
The recent NASCAR Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series doubleheader at Rockingham Speedway had the same effect.
The enthusiastic turnout engendered hopes that perhaps the Cup Series might someday join its national series brethren at the rejuvenated “Rock.”
After winning the Black’s Tire 200 Truck Series race on Friday, Tyler Ankrum got right to the point.
“It’s really, really cool,” Ankrum said. “When we get to bring back these old tracks, it’s really, really cool. You can tell the fans are really excited. Even on pit road, the fans are going crazy all the time, and they’re talking so loudly you can hear ‘em from pit road.
“You kind of get the feeling of what I imagine as a kid what Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon felt like. They’re here for us—they’re not here for the Cup guys. It’s really, really cool to see racing like this come back to North Carolina…
“I was really surprised at how wide the track had gotten, how much fall-off there was, especially there at the end of the race… I hope Rockingham stays on the schedule for a long time.”
Kasey Kahne, the only driver in the Xfinity Series field who had raced at Rockingham before the series left the track in 2004, made a return of his own after an absence from NASCAR racing of nearly eight years. Kahne thought the Cup Series would be a viable option at the 0.94-mile speedway.
“I think a Cup race could probably be really good here,” said Kahne, who also won a Truck race at the track in 2012. “I used to enjoy watching it and being a part of it the one year I was.
“Yeah, it could make a great race.”
Kahne’s point is hard to argue against. The racing surface, which was repaved in late 2022, readily took rubber in both practice and the races themselves. The result was a viable second groove that lent itself to compelling racing.
“It’s been cool to go back to some of the venues that may not be as big places but the history, I think, of NASCAR and great racing is at some of those tracks, Rockingham being one of those as well,” Kahne said.
“I like where some of that stuff seems to be headed.”
Jesse Love, disqualified as the ostensible winner of Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, nevertheless waged intense battles at the front of the field against both Carson Kvapil and Ryan Sieg.
Drivers found creative lines around the track, running higher in the corners to gain momentum and dropping down to try to make passes on the inside. It wasn’t uncommon to see competitors swap positions more than once within the same lap with slide jobs and crossover moves.
As Ankrum indicated, fan reception was exceptional. The grandstands were packed, and likewise, the hospitality suites were sold out. As both the Clash Bowman Gray and the move of the NASCAR All-Star Race to North Wilkesboro Speedway have proven, there’s an appetite within the fan base for the traditional venues that are an integral part of NASCAR’s past.
Yes, bringing a Cup race to Rockingham would require improvements to the track’s infrastructure, but that was also the case at Bowman Gray and North Wilkesboro.
Though not yet three years old, the pavement at “The Rock” already is showing some age, and the racing—already compelling—will only improve as the asphalt continues to degrade.
There was no issue with access to the speedway. It’s a straight shot up U.S. Highway 1, with multiple entrances and ample parking. Even at expected peak times, the traffic flowed.
The bottom line? There’s no reason a Cup race can’t be a viable option at Rockingham, but even if the schedule doesn’t allow such an option in the immediate future, the Truck/Xfinity national series doubleheader—with an ARCA Menards Series East race thrown in for good measure—is well worth the price of admission.
That was certainly the case during NASCAR’s long-awaited return.
2026 Championship races expected to move to Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is expected to host NASCAR’s national championship weekend in 2026, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans but not authorized to speak publicly, with an announcement tentatively planned in the coming weeks.
The 1.5-mile track in South Florida previously hosted the championship weekend for NASCAR’s three national series — Cup, Xfinity and Trucks — from 2002 to 2019 before NASCAR shifted the November event to Phoenix Raceway.
The title weekend moving to Homestead is just for the 2026 season, according to those sources, as another track will be selected to host in 2027, beginning a rotation in which a different venue is chosen each year. Phoenix is expected to be included in this rotation, the sources said, and the track will continue to have two races each season.
NASCAR has announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, joins the Modern Era ballot for the first time, alongside Randy LaJoie, a two-time champion in what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Additionally, Jake Elder, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief, returns to the Pioneer ballot.
Ten nominees appear on the Modern Era ballot, five on the Pioneer ballot – designed to honor those whose careers began more than 60 years ago. Two Modern Era candidates and one Pioneer candidate will be elected as the Class of 2026.
The Landmark Award honors those who made significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR. Former President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy Wheeler, joins the Landmark Award ballot for the first time.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting panel will meet in person to discuss and vote for the Class of 2026 and Landmark Award on Tuesday, May 20. Once again, the fans have a voice in the selection process via the NASCAR.com Fan Vote (www.nascar.com/halloffame). The Fan Vote is currently open and will close on Sunday, May 18 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The Honors Committee, largely comprised of all NASCAR Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot.
The following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:
Modern Era Ballot
Greg Biffle, 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion and 2002 Xfinity Series champion
Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories
Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief
Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s
Kurt Busch, 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2017 DAYTONA 500 winner
Randy Dorton, built engines that won over nine championships across NASCAR’s national series
Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories
Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief
Randy LaJoie, two-time Xfinity Series champion and 1985 North Series champion
Jack Sprague, three-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion
Pioneer Ballot
Jake Elder, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief, including the DAYTONA 500 and two Southern 500s
Ray Hendrick, won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman
Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships
Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion
Bob Welborn, winner of nine NASCAR Cup Series races and three Convertible Division championships
Landmark Award
Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice Chair and one of the most influential women in sports
Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway
Les Richter, long-time NASCAR executive oversaw competition, helped grow the sport on the West Coast
Humpy Wheeler, former President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, transformed the venue into a world-class facility
IndyCar Clarifies ‘Reserve Driver’ Policy For Indy 500
IndyCar officials have clarified the sanctioning body’s reserve driver policy for the 109th Indianapolis 500.
The change could impact 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports if the race is delayed, or stopped, for rain.
Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren agreed that in 2025, the Coca-Cola 600 would take priority over the Indianapolis 500 for Larson to avoid last year’s situation when a four-hour rain delay to the start of the Indianapolis 500 kept Larson from competing in the 600.
Larson drives the full NASCAR Cup Series schedule and competes for the season championship. He is an Indy 500-only competitor in the IndyCar Series.
IndyCar has informed race teams of a procedural update involving eligible drivers ahead of the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. During a recent team manager call, teams were made aware that a replacement driver would be eligible with the following parameters:
A replacement driver will only be considered if the primary (entered) driver also is participating in another marquee event with the driver’s principal racing series on Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
The IndyCar-approved veteran replacement driver is eligible for and passes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway refresher program in the entry during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice.
Additional tires for the refresher program will not be allowed for the Indianapolis 500 entry. The tire allotment for each entrant is 32 sets for the event. Any tires used for the refresher program will be taken from the allotted tires to that entry.
During the refresher program, minimal setup changes will be allowed.
After the replacement driver completes the required phases of the refresher program, additional laps during the session will not be permitted.
Once IndyCar is notified that a team will use its replacement driver for the Indianapolis 500, the entry’s qualified position is forfeited, and the car will start at the rear of the starting lineup and ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.
A qualified driver, who is officially replaced by the team, may return and compete with that entry provided the replacement driver has not participated in a session other than the refresher program.
The car’s starting position will remain at the rear of the field with the starting lineup ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.
The 2025 IndyCar rulebook will be updated to reflect these changes.
In the event Larson has to leave the Indianapolis 500, Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan would be the reserve driver for Larson. Kanaan won the 2013 Indianapolis 500.
The annual NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway will have the same look with the return of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) as the entitlement sponsor, but a different feel for drivers with the race distance being lengthened.
The Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, set for Saturday, June 21, has been extended 25 miles and 10 laps on the 2.5-mile tri-oval while serving as the middle race of the NASCAR tripleheader weekend. The 100-lap Xfinity Series race is joined by the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on Friday, June 20, and The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM Cup Series race on Sunday, June 22.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that the PMVB has been a race entitlement partner with Pocono Raceway. The first came in 2021 for the Cup Series event and the subsequent races for the Xfinity Series. The Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 will be the 16th of 33 races in the Xfinity Series season and be broadcast live nationally on the CW, MRN and SiriusXM Radio beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.
“Pocono Raceway is a proud family-owned and -operated business and to be able to use our platform to highlight the Pocono Mountains and showcase all that our region has to offer is something we are extremely proud of,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said. “We encourage our guests to come early and stay after the race to take advantage of everything the Pocono Mountains has to offer, from state parks to water parks and everything in between. We’re honored to have the PMVB on our team as we kick off summer in northeast Pennsylvania with our NASCAR weekend.”
With approximately 60 percent of race fans coming to Pocono Raceway from out of state, the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 provides an avenue for the PMVB to showcase the area’s numerous attractions, events, activities, lodging and restaurants that are available to visitors throughout the four seasons.
The Pocono Mountains encompass 2,400 square miles in northeast Pennsylvania’s Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties. The area is famous for its resorts, natural scenic beauty, 150-plus lakes including Lake Wallenpaupack, and quaint, historic towns with plenty to enjoy. The Pocono Mountains also have more than 350 hiking and bike trails, three dozen golf courses, boating, fishing, whitewater rafting, two national parks, nine state parks and several water park resorts.
According to the 2023 Tourism Economic Impact of Visitors in Pennsylvania Report, more than 30 million guests spent $4.8 billion and accounted for 38,075 jobs, which is nearly 40 percent of the employment and labor income in those four counties. Tourism provides $875.1 million annually in total taxes for the area and more than $1,500 per person in direct tax support for residents of the Pocono Mountains.
“It’s no secret the power of motorsports in the Poconos helps drive tourism, especially during the NASCAR weekend at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ each summer,” said Chris Barrett, President/CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “Race fans are treated to world-class hospitality at Pocono Raceway and many take advantage of our four-season destination and countless reasons to stay and play in the Poconos. We are extremely proud to have Visit PA and the Commonwealth tag-team the racing action with us again this year, shining a light on the economic prowess of the tourism industry here in PA and the Poconos.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced in February that his Administration would be partnering with Pocono Raceway as the Cup Series entitlement sponsor for the second consecutive year with The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM. Governor Shapiro unveiled “Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway” tourism campaign in 2024 to highlight all the Commonwealth has to offer visitors. Pocono Raceway has been a key driver in providing national and international exposure for the Commonwealth through NASCAR’s popularity.
In celebration of the race entitlements, Pocono Raceway is offering a limited special for all three races in the 100/200 section grandstands. The first 200 fans can score a $10 savings and purchase a ticket at just $15 for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. The first 250 can save $10 and purchase a ticket for $25 to the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250. The first 400 can enjoy a $15 savings and purchase a ticket for $65 to The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM. Click HERE for more details or to purchase tickets.
The PMVB will have a presence on race weekend to assist any fans who may want to enjoy activities outside of Pocono Raceway. Bureau representatives will be on site throughout the weekend at the Pocono Mountains Activities & Welcome Center. The center, which also hosts several activities on site for race fans including children, is located in the infield adjacent to the inclusive playground on the right after coming through the Turn 2 tunnel.
To learn more about the Poconos, visit PoconoMountains.com or tune in to the Pocono Television Network online.
For ticket information and the latest news on the upcoming NASCAR weekend at Pocono Raceway, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.
