2025 NASCAR

[MinnieM123]

(Long Daytona 500 yesterday, with over a 3-hour rain delay.)

Congratulations to the #24 Chevrolet -- William Byron, (Hendrick Motorsports) who won his 2nd straight Daytona 500, after a last-lap wreck took out race leader Denny Hamlin on the backstretch.

photo credit: Jared C. Tilton // Getty Images

Photo credit: Terry Renna, AP

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Aaron's announced they are returning to NASCAR as a sponsor. They are sponsoring Todd Gilliland on Feb. 23rd at Atlanta and will be sponsor Zane Smith for 7 cup races. The 7 races Aaron's will be sponsoring Zane are The following:
Phoenix raceway - March 9, Homestead - March 16, Bristol - April 13, Atlanta - June 28th, Indianapolis Motor Speedway - July 27th, Daytona - Aug. 23rd, and Phoenix - Nov. 2nd.

 

[artvandelay]

Aaron's announced they are returning to NASCAR as a sponsor. They are sponsoring Todd Gilliland on Feb. 23rd at Atlanta and will be sponsor Zane Smith for 7 cup races. The 7 races Aaron's will be sponsoring Zane are The following:
Phoenix raceway - March 9, Homestead - March 16, Bristol - April 13, Atlanta - June 28th, Indianapolis Motor Speedway - July 27th, Daytona - Aug. 23rd, and Phoenix - Nov. 2nd.

Good to see an old sponsor come back to NASCAR.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Prime video announced Carl Edwards will be joining their cup coverage as a studio analyst for 5 cup races starting with the Coca Cola 600.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR announced Steve Phelps is the first commissioner of NASCAR. Steve O' Donnell is now the President of NASCAR replacing Steve Phelps.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR announced nominees for the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame. The nominees are in the modern era ballot, and pioneer ballot.

The Modern era nominees are the following:
Greg Biffle - 19 time cup, 1 time truck series champion, and 1 time xfinity series champion
Neil Bonnett - 18 time cup winner
Tim Brewer - 2 time cup champion crew chief
Jeff Burton - 21 time cup winner
Kurt Busch - 35 time cup winner and 1 time chase champion
Randy Dorton - his engines won 9 NASCAR Championships
Harry Gant - 18 cup wins
Harry Hyde - 1 time cup championship winning crew chief and an import part of early Hendrick Motorsports.
Randy Lajoie - 2 time Xfinity series championship and 1985 Busch Series North Champion
Jack Sprague - 3 time truck series champion

I'll have to go through more details on the next post for some of the nominees including Jack Sprague.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Jack Sprague is an interesting nominee. You can't tell the early part of the Truck series without Jack Sprague. The major drivers in the early part of the truck series history was Ron Hornaday jr., Mike Skinner, and Jack Sprague.

The problem with Jack Sprague is its not like dealing with Ron Hornaday's resume. Ron for the most part raced on western part of lower NASCAR Series and was champion. Sprague on the other hand came from Michigan and failed at 2 successful Xfinity series organization before Truck Series existed. What got is a Hall of fame Truck series career, but was a Xfinity series failure before joining Hendrick Motorsports in the truck series.

Randy Lajoie can be argument of NASCAR Hall of Fame is a bit deeper than his lower NASCAR series championships. He is known for his race seat safety.

As far as Randy Dorton, he is connected to follow NASCAR Hall of fame nominee Harry Hyde to a degree . Randy worked under Harry back in the late 1970s before Hendrick Motorsports bought out Randy's engine company in 1984. Basically Randy Dorton and Harry Hyde was the original foundation of Hendrick Motorsports.

Harry again at the start of Hendrick Motorsports. The difference is Harry left Hendrick Motorsports after 1988, but Randy stayed. The fact is the history Hendrick Motorsports can't be told without Randy Dorton from 1984 to the airplane crash of 2004.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

The nominees of the Pioneer ballot are the following:
Jake Elder - 3 time cup championship winning crew chief
Ray Hendrick - won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman
Banjo Matthews - the cars he built won 72 percent of all cup races from 1974 to 1985
Larry Phillips - first 5 time NASCAR weekly champion
Bob Welborn - 9 time cup winner and 3 time NASCAR convertible series champion

I do have a complain about Smokey Yunick not being on the Ballot. The guy is not the ballot because the France family holds a grudge against him.

I want to share a little of Information on Jake Elder. Jake's nickname was "suitcase Jake" because he was known to quite race organization for no reason.

While Jake is credited with 3 cup championships, his 3rd championship is shared with another crew chief. The other crew was Doug Richet and Doug was only 20 years old in 1980.

The fact is Jake Elder left Dale Earnhardt Sr. in May of 1980 during Dale's first championship season despite Earnhardt had the points lead.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR also announced the Landmark award nominees. The Landmark award Nominees are the following:
Alvin Hawkins - NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.
Lesa France Kennedy - NASCAR Executive Vice Chair
Dr. Joseph Mattioli - founder of Pocono
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 Motorsports

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Kurt Busch is an automatic inductee into the 2026 NASCAR Hall of fame from the Modern era ballot. The 2nd pick from the modern era is more tricky. I don't think Randy Lajoie and Jack Sprague will not inducted for 2026. Sprague's problem right now Greg Biffle being on the ballot. Biffle was champion for 2 out 3 NASCAR national touring series and he had a very good cup career.

I think the 2nd spot in the modern era will between Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Harry Gant, and Neil Bonnett. Randy Dorton's problem right now is having Harry Hyde on the ballot due to history of HMS. What Helps Harry Hyde some is Harry built 2 cup winning organizations. Tim Brewer's problem is Harry Hyde had more crew chief wins than Tim does.

I think the inductee from the Pioneer ballot is between Ray Hendrick, and Banjo Matthews. Both are extremely deserving.

The only reason not Larry Phillips is he's from a very low NASCAR series despite having over 300 career NASCAR wins. Larry was a very influential driver in the Midwest, but his amount of wins is way less than Ray Hendrick since Ray had over 700 career NASCAR wins.

I don't have Jake Elder yet is due to 2 modern era crew chefs having more career wins. Jake Elder's problem is him being a nomad crew chief hurt his career and that 3rd cup championship is more on Earnhardt than Jake. The reason is Dale held the team together to win cup championship despite working with an inexperienced crew chief that was 20 years old after Jake left. Jake left Earnhardt and organization for no reason in May of 1980 despite Earnhardt had the points lead and Earnhardt won despite what Jake pulled.

My opinion on the Landmark award winner will be Humpy Wheeler. My reasoning is due to him being a legendary promotor.