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JENNA FRYER Auto Racing Writer.

FILE - H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, pays up for being late to the news conference to announce the burnout contest that will be held during the pre-race show before the start of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race during a new conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway on April 22, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Rick Havner, FILE)

Humpy Wheeler, the ‘P.T. Barnum of motorsports,’ dies at 86

August 21, 2025

Humpy Wheeler, a pioneering motorsports promoter and former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway, has died at 86. NASCAR announced his passing on Wednesday, stating he died of natural causes surrounded by family. Known as the “P.T. Barnum of motorsports,” Wheeler was celebrated for his innovative approach to fan experiences. He transformed Charlotte Motor Speedway into a must-visit racing and entertainment complex. Earlier this year, Wheeler was named the winner of NASCAR’s Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions and was set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.

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FILE - Drivers pass the start line after a caution during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 16, 2025, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

NASCAR’s 2026 schedule shake-up: New street race, Chicagoland’s return, and more

August 20, 2025

NASCAR has announced its 2026 schedule, featuring a new street course in San Diego and the return of Chicagoland Speedway. The All-Star race moves to Dover, Delaware, and the season will conclude at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The schedule, released Wednesday, includes two off weekends and runs from February to November. The season kicks off with the Clash at Bowman-Gray Stadium on February 1, followed by the Daytona 500 on February 15. Chicagoland reopens after a six-year break, and the San Diego event will take place on a military base. NASCAR has dropped the Chicago street race and will not return to Mexico City.

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FILE - The guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale leaves Naval Base Coronado Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

NASCAR will hold first street race on active military base at Naval Base Coronado in 2026

July 23, 2025

NASCAR will hold a street race on Naval Base Coronado in Southern California next June as a replacement for its downtown Chicago event that ran the last three years. The move to the San Diego area doesn’t eliminate a return to Chicago, where NASCAR will still maintain an office and effort an eventual return, perhaps as early as 2027. But the shift next year will allow NASCAR to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy by hosting all three of its national series over a three-day weekend on June 19-21.

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FILE - A Rick Ware Racing patch is displayed on the fire suit of driver Cody Ware prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 300 auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Judge denies 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ request to race with charters

July 17, 2025

A federal judge has denied a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to race with charters while battling NASCAR in court. This decision means their six cars will compete as open entries at Dover this weekend and Indianapolis next week. The teams argue this move risks their businesses, as charters guarantee race spots and base payouts. NASCAR has assured the court it won’t sell the disputed charters before a preliminary injunction ruling. The case, set for trial in December, stems from the teams rejecting NASCAR’s charter extension offer. None of the affected drivers are locked into this year’s playoffs.

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FILE - Bob Jenkins, owner of Front Row Motorsports, and Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, pose before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Oct. 6, 2024, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

Fights over charters loom over NASCAR as teams, series await key court rulings

July 15, 2025

NASCAR hits midsummer amid legal battles involving team charters, a key part of its business model. Two teams, including Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, are suing NASCAR over antitrust issues. They claim losing their charters could force them out of business. A federal court ruling is expected soon, with a trial set for December. Separately, Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club is in a dispute with Rick Ware Racing over a charter sale. Johnson hopes to secure the charter, while the legal chaos highlights the skyrocketing value of NASCAR charters.

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Shane van Gisbergen, center, celebrates with his crew after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Sonoma Raceway, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Shane van Gisbergen dominates on another road course, wins at Sonoma to extend streak

July 13, 2025

Shane van Gisbergen extended his winning streak to two straight and three victories in the last five weeks with yet another dominating run on a road course. The New Zealander once again showed he’s in a completely different class on road and street courses than his rivals as he led 97 of 110 laps Sunday to win from pole at Sonoma Raceway. All three of his wins this year have been from pole. That ties him with Jeff Gordon for the NASCAR record. Van Gisbergen is the fastest driver to win four Cup Series races since Parnelli Jones in 1969.

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Shane van Gisbergen drives to Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Grant Park 165, Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Shane van Gisbergen’s unique braking technique makes him the favorite at Sonoma

July 12, 2025

Shane van Gisbergen proved in his NASCAR debut to be an elite road and street course racer by winning in his first career outing. Two years later, his rivals have gotten a good look at the New Zealander’s technique and have declared him the favorite to win Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. He will start from the pole for the second consecutive week and third time in five races. Van Gisbergen is on a two-race winning streak on the specialty courses following victories on the road course in Mexico City and last Sunday on the streets of Chicago.

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FILE - A Rick Ware Racing patch is displayed on the fire suit of driver Cody Ware prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 300 auto race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

T.J. Puchyr agrees to buy Rick Ware Racing with plans to build a 3-car NASCAR team

June 26, 2025

One of the founders of Spire Motorsports has entered an agreement to purchase the NASCAR team owned by Rick Ware and is jumping back into the stock car series because he believes the current charters are grossly undervalued. T.J. Puchyr in 2018 alongside Jeff Dickerson launched the Spire team to take over the charter that Furniture Row Racing could not unload. He told The Associated Press he and Rick Ware Racing have a deal for him to take over Ware’s organization next season. He expects it to be a three-car team by 2027 and thinks NASCAR charters are worth $75 million.

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Denny Hamlin (11) leads the field into Turn 1 to start the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

NASCAR teams fear ‘catastrophic’ impact of disclosing financial records during court fight

June 24, 2025

Attorneys for 12 of NASCAR’s 15 race teams told a federal judge that disclosing their financial records to the stock car series would be “catastrophic” to competitive balance. NASCAR wants the details as part of its court fight with two other teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which contend NASCAR is a monopoly and needs to change its charter system. The other teams don’t want their financial records to become part of the legal battle, saying they are private.

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FILE - Bob Jenkins, owner of Front Row Motorsports, and Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, pose before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Oct. 6, 2024, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

Federal judge calls on NASCAR, teams to settle bitter antitrust battle

June 17, 2025

A federal judge is urging NASCAR and two of its teams to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing this week. 23XI Racing, which is owned by Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, is fighting with NASCAR along with Front Row Motorsports. The two say the series is a monopoly, but NASCAR has struck back with a countersuit of its own.

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Denny Hamlin (11) leads the pack of cars through turn three during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Federal judges rule in favor of NASCAR in lawsuit filed by Jordan-owned 23XI and Front Row

June 5, 2025

A three-judge federal appellate panel has ruled in favor of NASCAR in the antitrust lawsuit filed by two teams, one owned by Michael Jordan. The judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday vacated an injunction that required 23XI and Front Row be recognized as chartered teams as their case snakes through the legal system. Both race teams sued NASCAR late last year after refusing to sign new agreements on charter renewals. Jordan owns 23XI. The charter system is similar to franchises in other sports, but the charters are revocable by NASCAR.

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Josef Newgarden prepares to drive before the start of practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A sold-out Indy 500 packed with drama, from firings to Larson’s double to Newgarden threepeat bid

May 23, 2025

The storylines are packed for this year’s Indianapolis 500.  Roger Penske fired the top three executives of his IndyCar team because the cars of two-time defending winner Josef Newgarden and Will Power failed inspection. The race is sold out for the first time since 2016. Robert Shwartzman is the first Israeli driver in the 33-driver field and the first rookie pole-winner since 1983. Newgarden will try to become the first driver to win three straight 500s. And  Kyle Larson will try again to complete the 500 and the 600-mile NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

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President of Team Penske Tim Cindric, left and driver Josef Newgarden wait for the start of during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Team Penske focused on moving forward after shock firings following Indy 500 cheating scandal

May 22, 2025

Roger Penske personally told Will Power about the firings of Team Penske’s top three executives and the decision came after a sleepless night of contemplating how to handle a cheating scandal ahead of the Indianapolis 500. Penske cleaned house after the cars for both Power and two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden failed inspection ahead of Sunday’s final round of qualifying. The cars were found to have modified a spec part. IndyCar said it has found no evidence the modification provided a competitive advantage. But it was the second major technical violation for Team Penske in just over a year.

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The winning car that Josef Newgarden drove to victory in the 2024 Indianapolis 500 is shown in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

IndyCar explores independent governance after Penske cheating scandal

May 21, 2025

IndyCar is exploring the creation of an independent governing body absent of any Roger Penske employees in the wake of the Team Penske cheating scandal ahead of the Indianapolis 500. Penske owns three-car Team Penske, IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. He fired his top three racing executives Wednesday after two of its cars were found to be illegal ahead of Indy 500 qualifying.

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President of Team Penske Tim Cindric, left and driver Josef Newgarden wait for the start of during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Penske fires top 3, including Tim Cindric, from IndyCar organization as part of cheating scandal

May 21, 2025

Roger Penske has fired team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing director Ron Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer in the wake of an Indianapolis 500 cheating scandal. Penske said in a statement Wednesday that “nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams.” Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden and teammate Will Power were found to have an illegally modified part on their cars ahead of Sunday’s final round of qualifications for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.

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Former Team Penske driver and Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud works on the timing stand as a driver coach for Scott McLaughlin during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Pagenaud easing back into motorsports after serious injury in 2023. Finding a new career outside car

May 20, 2025

Simon Pagenaud’s career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he’s still battling nearly two years later. He wants no sympathy and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Frenchman now is Scott McLaughlin’s driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It’s just the start for Pagenaud’s transition: Théo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States.

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