2025-05-22

NASCAR Announces NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026, Landmark Award Busch, Gant, Hendrick Voted Into Hall’s 16th Class

NASCAR Announces NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026, Landmark Award

Busch, Gant, Hendrick Voted Into Hall's 16th Class

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 20, 2025) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The three-person group – the 16th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 – consists of Kurt Busch, Harry Gant and Ray Hendrick. In addition, Humpy Wheeler was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

 

Members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2026 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

 

The Class of 2026 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano). In all, 49 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

 

Busch and Gant both received 61% of the Modern Era ballot votes. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton. Ray Hendrick received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Bob Welborn finished second.

 

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were: Ray Hendrick (Pioneer); Kurt Busch and Harry Gant (Modern Era).

 

The two Modern Era inductees came from a group of 10 nominees that included: Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Randy Dorton, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Randy LaJoie and Jack Sprague.

 

Nominees for the Pioneer Ballot included: Jake Elder, Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Larry Phillips and Ralph Moody.

 

Nominees for the Landmark Award included Alvin Hawkins, Lesa France Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Les Richter and Humpy Wheeler.

 

Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1966 or earlier, was selected by the Honors Committee.

 

The Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be available later this month on NASCARHall.com.

 

 

Class of 2026 Inductees:

 

Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch's journey to NASCAR stardom began in 2000 with a Truck Series rookie season that foreshadowed greatness. With four wins and a championship runner-up finish, Busch signaled to fans and competitors alike that he would soon be a force at the top level of the sport. By 2002, Busch was already making waves in the NASCAR Cup Series. His first win came at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway, he finished third in points, and from there, his career soared to new heights. Busch's big breakthrough came in 2004, when he captured the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, becoming the first driver to win the title under NASCAR's 'playoff' system – a feat that proved both his excellence and adaptability. Busch earned 34 Cup Series wins in 776 starts, including a thrilling victory in the 2017 Daytona 500.

 

Harry Gant

Harry Gant was a man with many nicknames: "Handsome Harry" for his good looks, the "Bandit" due his long-time sponsor Skoal Bandit, "Mr. September" after his four consecutive premier series and two Xfinity series wins in September of 1991 and "High Groove Harry" because of his proficiency in taking the high line through the corner. Gant won 18 premier series races, including the Southern 500 in 1984 and 1991. The North Carolinian also registered 21 wins in the Xfinity Series. In the five seasons from 1981 through 1985, Gant finished in the top five in points four times, including a runner-up championship finish to Terry Labonte in 1984.

 

Ray Hendrick

The original "Mr. Modified," Ray Hendrick is one of the winningest drivers of all time, amassing more than 700 modified and late model sportsman wins between 1950-88. Hendrick's success started in his home state of Virginia, where his famous No. 11 was known to all. He won five track championships at South Boston Speedway – four modified and one late model sportsman. Despite never winning a Modified Division championship, Hendrick finished in the top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960-69. Hendrick was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers and one of NASCAR Modified's All-Time Top 10 Drivers.

 

Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:

 

Humpy Wheeler

Humpy Wheeler's name is synonymous with promotion and innovation. Best known for his 33-year tenure as President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Wheeler played a pivotal role in transforming the venue into a world-class facility that attracted a wide range of fans and corporate sponsors. Most notably, Wheeler spearheaded the construction of the iconic Turn 4 grandstands and introduced the "NASCAR Experience," which brought fans even closer to the action. Adding a new dynamic to the sport, Wheeler's visionary leadership and creativity helped shape today's fan experience with the introduction of dramatic pre-race ceremonies and the development of night racing at superspeedways.

 

Contact:

Madison Faulkner

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications


Pour lire le reste / Read more...

Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 22.5.25 0 comments

Camirand Wins Season Opener at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park After Eventful Clarington 200

Camirand Wins Season Opener at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park After Eventful Clarington 200

 

Bowmanville, ON (May 18, 2025) - The 2025 NASCAR Canada Series officially launched its season on Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with the Clarington 200. Defending champion Marc-Antoine Camirand, driving the No. 96 GM Paillé / Chevrolet Canada Chevrolet, claimed the first win of the year following a race marked by dramatic overtakes and multiple changes of leaders.

 

Kyle Steckly started strong from pole position, after securing the E3 Spark Plugs Pole Award with a lap time of 1:22.264 in Saturday’s Qualifying session. However, the young MBS Motorsports driver faced early challenges in his No. 22 MBS Motorsports / Sierra Excavating / APC Chevrolet. This allowed Alex Tagliani to surge to the lead in his No. 80 St-Hubert / UPS Store / Bet GRW Chevrolet.

 

The first caution of the race came on Lap 5 following an incident involving Matthew Scannell’s No. 99 Nitro 54 / Main Street Logistics / Rack.ca Dodge in Turn 3, forcing his early retirement from the event. Steckly’s race came to an early end as well when he was forced to take the No. 22 machine back to the garages because of damage he picked up on Lap 14. He’s one of the twelve drivers who did not finish.

 

Cautions continued to shape the race, including a restart incident in Turn 1 involving Brent Wheller commanding the No. 81 Industrial Deck Equipment/Arbon Equipment Dodge, Domenic Scrivo in the No. 69 MBS Motorsports/Sierra Excavating/Bolton GM Chevrolet and Mathieu Kingsbury aboard the No. 9 Duroking/BFL Canada Chevrolet. As this was unfolding, Tagliani’s Chevrolet stalled in Turn 5 due to an electrical issue. Through the race, Alex Guénette, at the helm of the No. 39 GL Électricité-Automatisations / Bet GRW Chevrolet, and Sam Fellows, No. 87 AER / Polysleep / Novus Auto / Mobil 1 Chevrolet, battled for position, with Guénette briefly climbing to second place.

 

Meanwhile, Gary Klutt showed strong pace in his No. 59 Autologic / Hofmann Plastics Dodge despite hitting the tire wall in Turn 9, which slowed his momentum. Halfway through the race, Malcolm Strachan, who started 11th on the grid in the No. 98 Curb Records / Darkhorse Trailers / Strode’s Ford, led the field, but eventually fell back in the order.

 

With 3 laps to go, Klutt gained the lead, setting up a late-race fight between himself, Camirand, and Strachan. On the final lap, Camirand made the decisive move in Turn 3 and took the win.

 

Camirand, who was fastest in Practice earlier in the weekend, praised his team’s efforts. “It was a good way to start the season,” he stated. “The pace was fast early on, but the car wasn’t ideal. After our fuel stop, we made some adjustments, and the car really came alive. I’m proud of what the team accomplished all weekend.”

 

Gary Klutt made a strong push leading in the final laps before Camirand overtook him in Turn 3 on the final lap. “We were a bit off in qualifying, but the team executed our pit strategy really well,” Klutt said. “We had a shot at the win, but Marc-Antoine had the better pace at the end.”

Strachan delivered a standout performance, leading laps and ultimately finishing third. “The strategy worked out perfectly today. After a few restarts, we got a bit of a lead, and I was hoping it would stay green. We led a bunch of laps. I’m overjoyed to be in the top 3.”

 

Alex Guénette and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin completed the top five, while Alex Tagliani earned the Evirum Fastest lap of the race. Both the Gulf Race Fuels Move of the Race and Jostens Rookie of the Race went to rising star Danny Chisolm.

 

The NASCAR Canada Series returns to action on May 31 with the Bud Light 250 at Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction, Quebec.

NASCAR Race Number 1

Unofficial Race Results For The Clarington 200 - 05/18/2025

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park - Bowmanville, Ont. - 2.459-mile paved road course

Total Race Length 201 K - 51L - 125 M

 

Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status

1 4 96 Marc-Antoine Camirand GM Paillé Chevrolet Canada Chevrolet 51 47 4 Running

2 6 59 Gary Klutt Autologic/Hofmann Plastics Dodge 51 43 1 Running

3 11 98 Malcolm Strachan Curb Records/Darkhorse Trailers/Strode's Ford 51 43 2 Running

4 5 39 Alex Guenette GL Électricité-Automatisations/Bet GRW Chevrolet 51 40 Running

5 13 47 L.-P. Dumoulin WeatherTech/Omnifab Dodge 51 39 Running

6 8 27 Andrew Ranger GM Paillé Chevrolet Canada Chevrolet 51 38 Running

7 16 17 DJ Kennington Castrol Edge/Brimstone Games/CIM Metals Dodge 51 37 Running

8 2 74 Kevin Lacroix Adaptive One Calipers/NAPA Racing Chevrolet 51 36 Running

9 7 3 Jason Hathaway Leland/Sangsin Brakes/Fast Eddie/HGC Chevrolet 51 35 Running

10 25 8 Danny Chisholm * Jani-King/Choko Chevrolet 51 34 Running

11 12 24 Josh Hurley * BC Race Cars/CathcartTrucking/Akers AutoGlass 51 33 Running

12 20 28 Ryan Vargas Critical Path Security/Leargas Dodge 51 33 1 Running

13 21 84 Darryl Timmers * Switch Tire/Keith's Trailer Sales/Rack.ca Dodge 51 31 Running

14 23 54 Dave Coursol AutoPlace/Carquest/Qualité Refrigeration Dodge 51 30 Running

15 18 9 Mathieu Kingsbury Duroking/BFL Canada Chevrolet 51 29 Running

16 17 88 Simon Charbonneau * TransGestion/NAPA/IAI Experts Conseils Chevrolet 51 28 Running

17 22 0 Glenn Styres GSR/Ohsweken Speedway/Chantarellie Chevrolet 50 27 Running

18 3 80 Alex Tagliani St. Hubért/UPS Store/Bet GRW Chevrolet 49 27 1 Running

19 15 42 Ryan Klutt Legendary Motorcar/K-Line/Fix Network Dodge 46 25 Running

20 9 87 Sam Fellows AER/Polysleep/Novus Auto/Mobil 1 Chevrolet 42 24 Running

21 24 85 Larry Jackson Rack.ca/Castrol/Emzone Dodge 41 23 Transmission

22 28 81 Brent Wheller Industrial Deck Equipment/Arbon Equipment Dodge 39 22 Running

23 27 67 David Thorndyke Feed the Need in Durham Chevrolet 34 21 Engine

24 10 6 Peter Klutt Legendary Motorcar/K-Line/Fix Network Dodge 28 20 Accident

25 26 69 Domenic Scrivo * MBS Mtps/Sierra Excavating/Bolton GM Chevrolet 17 19 Accident

26 19 1 JP Bergeron ERacer/JC Perreault/Prolon/Whiskey Pembroke Ford 16 18 Power Steering

27 1 22 Kyle Steckly Racing MBS Mtps/Sierra Excavating/APC Chevrolet 13 17 Engine

28 14 99 Matthew Scannell Nitro54 Variety/Mainstreet Logistics/Rack.ca Dodge 4 16 Clutch

 


Pour lire le reste / Read more...

Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 22.5.25 0 comments

2025-05-14

2025 NASCAR Canada Season Opener Set for Action at CTMP

For Immediate Release
NASCAR Canada 2025 Race 1 | Clarington 200

 

2025 NASCAR Canada Season Opener Set for Action at CTMP

 


(Bowmanville, ON) – May 12, 2025 – NASCAR Canada is back, and the 2025 season kicks off in full force at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) with the highly anticipated Clarington 200 on May 18th. Fans can expect a thrilling weekend as the grid features a mix of returning champions, seasoned veterans and rising stars ready to push their limits.

Defending champion Marc-Antoine Camirand returns in the #96 Paillé Racing Chevrolet, looking to carry the momentum from his 2024 title-winning season. Among his fiercest challengers will be Kevin Lacroix, last year’s runner-up and pole-position leader with five poles in 2024. Andrew Ranger, #27 Paillé Racing, a three-time series champion, and veterans D.J. Kennington, #17 Castrol Edge Dodge, and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, #47 WeatherTech Canada / Omnifab, who rounded out the top five in last year’s standings will also be ones to watch.

Adding to the excitement are two newcomers: American sensation Ryan Vargas, who joins the series in the #28 Critical Path Security Canada Dodge Challenge with DJK Racing after a full-time season in the NASCAR Euro Series, and GT racing driver Josh Hurley, making his series debut in the #24 BC Race Cars Chevrolet.

Also in the spotlight is Gary Klutt with the #59 Legendary Motorcar Company Dodge, who grabbed pole position at CTMP last season. Hometown driver Sam Fellows will be looking for a podium, a feat he came close to achieving while commanding the #87 AER / POLYSLEEP Chevrolet machine in last year’s WeatherTech Canada 200. 

A strong contingent of returning drivers rounds out the grid, including crowd favourites, Alex Tagliani, sharing the #80 St-Hubert / The UPS Store / Impression Mirabel / Dryshine / Grand Royal Wôlinak / BetGRW.com / Vulcain / Garoy Construction with Donald Theetge this season. Young talents Alex Guénette, #39 GL Électricité Automatisation Chevrolet, and Jean-Philippe Bergeron, #1 ERACER Drink / JC Perreault Ford, are set to make their presence felt, while Simon Charbonneau embarks on his second part-time season in the #88 TransGestion / NAPA St-Jérôme Chevrolet.

EHR will be represented by Jason Hathaway, #3 Fast Eddie / Leland Industries Chevrolet, and Danny Chisholm, #8 Jani King Chevrolet. MBS Motorsports also fields a strong lineup with Kyle Steckly, car #22, and Domenic Scrivo, #69 Sierra Excavating Chevrolet.

“There’s an incredible energy heading into the 2025 season,” said Alan Labrosse, NASCAR Canada General Manager. “The mix of young talents, returning champions, and fan-favourite veterans sets the stage for one exciting season.”

Saturday’s on-track activities will start at 12:30 PM for Practice, followed by Qualifying at 4:45 PM. Sunday’s Clarington 200 will take place at 2 PM. Catch all the action live on REV TV, TVA Sports and tape-delayed broadcasts on TSN.

 

ENDS


For media inquiries:

nascarcanadamedia@nascar.com 

 

Picture: Matthew Manor

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

 


Pour lire le reste / Read more...

Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 14.5.25 0 comments

2025-05-13

Free Grandstand Admission for 2025 Peterborough Speedway Opener

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media


Some words in the English language stand-up well on their own. "Free" will always be one of them. Saturday, May 17th spectator grandstand general admission passes are free at Peterborough Speedway.
KX 105.1 New Country presents the 2025 season opener with the home track Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock, SwitchTire Mini Stock, Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck, Jiffy Lube Super Stock and KOD Disposal Late Model fields, plus the Trailers Plus Ontario Legend Car Series. Gates open at 3:00, with the first Great Canadian RV green flag at 5:00.
Come early and enjoy live music with Peterborough's own Ty Wilson – a 2024 Reader's Choice 'Diamond Award Winner' as best local musician or band and 'Male Vocalist of the Year' at the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards – starting at 3:30. You can also meet the opening night's drivers during the trackside autograph session at intermission.
"Opening night has always been our biggest event of the year and we're thankful to everyone who helps put it all together," said Peterborough Speedway track owner and promoter J.P. Josiasse. "From the marketing and promotional staff, the social media team, to sponsors and officials. The total effort from everyone who works behind the scenes to get everything ready for a new season makes the facility ready for when the first fans roll through the gates."
Josiasse says that when they arrive for the season's first show, they'll notice some changes at their favourite weekly racing facility. One thing that will never change is Peterborough Speedway's ongoing commitment to providing the best track food choices in the business. Their selection of pub grub is second-to-none and includes locally grown, fresh-cut fries. The recent addition of the Turn 4 Beer Garden for those of legal drinking age completes the package.
Be on hand for the Saturday, May 17th season opener and be part of a stretch of 16 straight Saturday nights of exciting hometown motorsports action. For the latest news, information and schedule details, be sure to head to www.peterboroughspeedway.com and the track's social media platforms and pages for everything you'll need to know for another year of Making Memories for Life.
Photo attachment: Jim Clarke – Clarke Motorsports Communications/Frist Draft Media
Catch the action the with the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Trucks during the 2025 Season Opener – Saturday, May 17th – at Peterborough Speedway.
Teams with the Trailers Plus Ontario Legend Car Series will be part of the 2025 Season Opener – Saturday, May 17th – at Peterborough Speedway.

Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media


Pour lire le reste / Read more...

Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 13.5.25 0 comments

2025-05-08

NASCAR and TelevisaUnivision Announce Landmark Broadcast Partnership

NASCAR and TelevisaUnivision Announce Landmark Broadcast Partnership

 

TelevisaUnivision to serve as exclusive free-to-air broadcaster in Mexico for 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City on Sunday, June 15

 

Agreement includes weekly highlight rights on TelevisaUnivision platforms for the entirety of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season

 

May 8, 2025 – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC ("NASCAR") and TelevisaUnivision, Mexico's leading media company, today announced an exclusive broadcast agreement for free-to-air coverage of the sanctioning body's Mexico City race.

 

Under this new agreement, TelevisaUnivision will serve as the exclusive free-to-air (FTA) broadcaster in Mexico for the highly anticipated 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City, scheduled for Sunday, June 15 at 3 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. local time. The race will be broadcast live on TelevisaUnivision's 'Canal 5' with full spanish-language commentary.

 

In addition to live race coverage, TelevisaUnivision will also deliver weekly NASCAR highlights, including 52-minute race cutdowns and short-form clips from the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. These will be distributed across TelevisaUnivision's linear and digital platforms, including ViX, its streaming service and official social media channels.

 

"We are thrilled to partner with TelevisaUnivision to bring the NASCAR Cup Series to passionate sports fans in Mexico," said Nicholas Skipper, NASCAR Managing Director, Media Strategy. "The upcoming race in Mexico City is a significant milestone for our company, and this agreement reflects our commitment to providing the most comprehensive coverage of the event, as we continue to grow our sport internationally."

 

Marco Liceaga, TelevisaUnivision Senior Vice President of Sports Rights Acquisitions and Commercial Partnerships, stated: "We are delighted to partner with NASCAR to bring fans of the motorsports world in Mexico closer to the Mexico City race, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, its teams and drivers. The above demonstrates TelevisaUnivision's commitment to continuing to have the most robust sports portfolio, for the benefit of our audiences and commercial partners".

 

TelevisaUnivision will also provide robust marketing and promotional support for the Mexico City race to help build excitement for the event.

 

About TelevisaUnivision

TelevisaUnivision is the world's leading Spanish-language media company. Powered by the largest library of owned Spanish-language content and a prolific production capability, TelevisaUnivision is the top producer of original content in Spanish across news, sports and entertainment verticals. This original content powers all of TelevisaUnivision's platforms, which include market-leading broadcast networks Univision, Las Estrellas, Canal 5 and UniMás, and a portfolio of 38 cable networks, which include TUDN, Galavisión, Distrito Comedia and TL Novelas. The company also operates the leading Mexican movie studio, Videocine, and owns and operates the largest Spanish-language audio platform in the U.S. across 35 terrestrial stations and the Uforia digital platform. TelevisaUnivision is also the owner of ViX, the largest Spanish-language streaming platform in the world.

 

For more information, please visit televisaunivision.com. 

 

About NASCAR 

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook. 


Pour lire le reste / Read more...

Posted by Marc Patrick Roy at 8.5.25 0 comments

Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)