News of the Week - Veteran Retirement, New Title Sponsor, Zilisch Injury, Friesen's Playoffs, SoCal Naming Rights and More

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

By Adam Carabine

Come and check this out each Tuesday, where we break down the important stories of the last week in NASCAR!  Here are some of the headlines you might have missed in the last week:

Matt Crafton Retires - Ty Majeski Shifting Over to the 88

Veteran Truck Series driver Matt Crafton has announced he'll call it a career at the end of his 2025 campaign. The longtime stalwart announced a retirement from full-time racing after 26 straight seasons.

His ThorSport teammate, Ty Majeski will be shifting over to take over the famed No. 88 Truck fulltime.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Taking Over the Xfinity Series Mantle

Xfinity will stop being the title sponsor of NASCAR's secondary series at the end of this season, and O'Reilly Auto Parts is set to take it over for 2026.

Connor Zilisch Injury/Surgery Update

While celebrating in Victory Lane after winning at Watkins Glen, Connor Zilisch took a tumble and broke his collar bone.  He needed medical assistance to get up, and was taken to a nearby hospital. 

A few days later, he underwent surgery, and had a plate put in to assist with the healing process.  There’s still no word on a timetable for his return, though he was likely grateful for the built-in off-week for the Xfinity Series, while the other two series raced at Richmond.

Craftsman Truck Series Silly Season Moves

Spire Motorsports released Andres Perez de Lara from their team, and was swiftly picked up by Niece Motorsports for the remainder of the season.  While it’s not unheard of to have some mid-season silly season moves, it is certainly less common.  Perez de Lara will now take over the No. 44 Truck.

Stewart Friesen Update – No Playoff Waiver

After a rough crash in a dirt modified race earlier this month, Stewart Friesen has been ruled out of the remainder of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season.  With his win at Michigan earlier this year, he had already earned himself a spot in the playoffs. 

Normally, drivers who have been injured can request a waiver to be able to maintain their playoff spot.  However, with Friesen unable to return this year, he and his team, Halmar Friesen Motorsports, opted not to request the waiver, instead granting a playoff spot to someone else.

San Diego Street Course Naming Rights Update

Sometimes, the news about naming rights might not get everyone excited, but all eyes are on San Diego for a new event next season – so we figured we’d include this one here.  San Diego’s Street Course race, which will take place in 2026, now has an official sponsor for the Cup Series portion of the weekend. 

Anduril, a renowned defense products company will be the presenting sponsor of the entire weekend, and the race entitlement sponsor of the Cup Series race.  The race will be called the Anduril 250 Race the Base.

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And Finally, Some Personal News...

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that both Peyton Lohr and Logan Morris have left Racing Refresh to pursue other opportunities. As founding members of the original Racing Refresh, dating back many years, they will be remembered for their strong work ethic and great passion for this project.

Peyton, known for her infectious creativity, and her deadpan humour, was the backbone of all things Behind-The-Scenes. If you have ever interacted with our website at any point over our history, chances are you encountered something that Peyton had touched.

Logan, known for his spicy takes and unmatched passion, was the lifeblood of our weekly podcast. He was the host-with-the-most who brought the best out of his co-stars, and often guest interviews as well.

They will both be missed greatly, but we wish them the best of luck in their new endeavours.