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(Photo Courtesy NASCAR) Joe Williams is set to join Alpha Prime Racing as crew chief for Parker Retzlaff’s new No. 4 team in 2025. Williams brings experience from working with drivers like Hailie Deegan and Kyle Sieg in 2024, as well as a win with Cole Custer in 2022. Alpha Prime Racing recently announced a revamped lineup, including Retzlaff, and we think this new partnership could be a strong one. Let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to Racing Refresh for all the latest motorsports updates!

Press Release | NHRA PHOENIX (Dec. 20, 2024) – After previously announcing a multi-year extension for the annual NHRA Arizona Nationals as part of a bright long-term future, operators at Firebird Motorsports Park are full speed ahead on some impressive improvements heading into the 2025 season. Next year’s Arizona Nationals takes place March 21-23 and will celebrate 40 years of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event at the famed Phoenix-area track. Tickets are on sale now for the annual “Duel in the Dessert” and fans and race teams will get a freshly repaved dragstrip, building excitement for what will be an incredible event in 2025. Currently, the track is utilizing 125 truckloads of asphalt and employing pavers, rollers, and active-leveling skis. The 35 members of Sunland Asphalt crafted a continuous pour with no cold joint thanks to a solid plan by the company, building plenty of excitement for the 2025 NHRA Arizona Nationals and beyond. “When we made our announcement Dec. 7 of last year that we were not only continuing operation of the facility, but rebranding as Firebird Motorsports Park, we understood the importance of our actions of proving to the motorsports community how committed we were to making the track successful, and how great our support is from Gila River Development and the Gila River Indian Community,” Track Manager Casey Buckman said. “I can't think of a better display of commitment than being able to ink a long-term agreement with NHRA to host the Arizona Nationals, as well as making the largest facility improvement in decades by replacing the asphalt surfaces of the dragstrip, within weeks of each other. We have great partners on this project in Sunland Asphalt and Kurt Johnson, whose reputation in the drag racing industry speaks for itself, all to make the most competitive surface possible for our great racers and fans.” Sunland led the charge on the continuous pour and they boast an impressive track record, including paying the Miami Formula 1 track and other big racing venues. It adds another exciting element to one of the hallmark events on the NHRA tour. “This project just shows how strong our sport is right now, seeing NHRA Member Tracks investing in the future of their track, their local racers and our sport as a whole simply makes me happy,” NHRA Pacific Division Director Matt DeYoung said. “It’s great to see vendors like Sunland Asphalt, Total Venue Concepts, and RDO show so much support and dedication to the success of this project.” The race first became a Southwest fixture in 1985 and it has been a must-see race for any NHRA fan, delivering record performances, incredible early-season action and drawing a huge number of fans. The NHRA Arizona Nationals will continue its status as a fan-favorite during the 40th anniversary season in 2025, serving as the second of 20 races on the NHRA tour. In 2024, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) won in Phoenix, with Prock enjoying his first-ever career Funny Car victory. Both Prock and Anderson went on to win world titles. The rich history at the track includes notable achievements from the sport’s biggest stars. Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher’s has five Phoenix wins, while Funny Car legend John Force has eight wins at the facility. Top Fuel’s Antron Brown, the 2024 Top Fuel world champ, Funny Car drivers Ron Capps and Matt Hagan, and Pro Stock’s Anderson all have three wins at Firebird Motorsports Park. Fans can purchase tickets to the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park by visiting www.nhra.com/tickets. For more information about the NHRA, including the 2025 schedule, visit www.nhra.com. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (Dec. 21, 2024) – Set for its exciting two-day grand opening festival this weekend, NHRA officials are pleased to announce the addition of Lead Foot City, a unique, all-purpose facility in Brooksville, Fla., to the NHRA Member Track Network as part of the NHRA’s Southeast Division (Division 2). Billed as America’s Automotive Theme Park, the facility will cater to the large street legal racing scene in the area and offer a number of unique amenities at the track, including an 1/8-mile dragstrip, a drift and autocross pad, burnout pit, convention center, amphitheater, a variety of family-friendly events and more. Lead Foot City has also put safety first, creating an environment for everyone to race and aligning with NHRA’s mission for safe and exciting drag racing across the country. “We’re thrilled to partner with the NHRA, having a unified vision of safety in motorsports. As a street car focused multi-purpose entertainment venue, Lead Foot City will be the first of its kind in the country,” said Achilles Thomas, Mayor of Lead Foot City. “Being a facility that is focused on the NHRA Street Legal program helps to bring NHRA back to its roots, giving racers a safe place to race without taking the fun out of it.” As one of the more than 100 NHRA Member Tracks, Lead Foot City will be eligible to offer racers in the area a variety of NHRA racing opportunities in the future. Following a spectacular two-day grand opening this weekend, Lead Foot City will host a variety of events during the 2025 season, ranging from drag racing to concerts to car shows and more. Lead Foot City’s members only club offers several benefits as well and is open to anyone interested in joining the facility. Lead Foot City’s mission for safety lines up ideally with NHRA’s when it comes to street legal racing. Since its formation in 1951, NHRA has worked tirelessly to combat and eliminate the dangerous and illegal practice of street racing. To this day, that continues to be the primary mission for the association. One of the most effective tools in the fight against illegal street racing has been establishing Street Legal events, which are held regularly at NHRA member tracks. “Bringing a track like Lead Foot City into the NHRA family is vital in today’s age of drag racing,” NHRA Division 2 Director Cody Savage said. “It is exactly the type of racetrack this company was founded on, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish with our Street Legal and Speed for All programs. Achilles and his team have a great vision for their members and the future of the track, and we look forward to seeing Lead Foot City thrive and deliver incredible events and experiences for the racing community.” For more information about Lead Foot City and its grand opening weekend, visit www.leadfootcity.com. For more information on NHRA, including the 2025 schedule, visit www.nhra.com. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

(Photo Courtesy NASCAR) Legacy Motor Club has unveiled a new logo and made subtle updates to the iconic Petty font numbers for the 2025 season. While the font itself remains the same, the offset and shadowing of the No. 42, 43, and 84 have been slightly adjusted, giving it a refreshed yet classic look. This marks the first stylistic change to the Petty font since the 1960s, maintaining its heritage while adding a modern touch. We’re curious to see if this rebranding can translate into success for Legacy after a challenging 2024 season. Let us know your thoughts on the updates, and don’t forget to subscribe to Racing Refresh for more motorsports news!

Press Release | AB MOTORSPORTS BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Dec. 19, 2024) – A month after securing his fourth NHRA world championship, Antron Brown and his AB Motorsports team continued speeding towards success, this time off the track, as Brown and tenured primary partner Matco Tools announced today an extension of their relationship, which spans more than 20 years. Brown joined the Matco Tools Racing team in July 2003 when Don Schumacher Racing assumed ownership of the U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle team of Brown and Angelle Sampey before the Mile-High Nationals near Denver. Less than five years later, Brown was named the driver of the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster in the fall of 2007, after concluding a successful decade in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category that saw the New Jersey native win 16 races and claim 11 No. 1 qualifying awards. Entering year 18 as the flagship driver of the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster, Brown has amassed an imposing resume that features four NHRA Top Fuel world championships, 64 Top Fuel race wins, 39 Top Fuel No. 1 qualifiers, and 631 Top Fuel round wins. His 64 Top Fuel wins rank second in the category’s history and his 80 overall national event victories and 852 career round wins rank sixth all-time. “We are incredibly proud to extend our time-honored partnership with Antron Brown, especially following his remarkable achievement of winning the 2024 NHRA Top Fuel world championship, making him a four-time world champion,” said Mike Dwyer, President of Matco Tools. “Antron embodies the spirit of excellence and determination that resonates with the Matco Tools community. We take immense pride in the role Matco’s high-quality tools have played in empowering Antron and his team to achieve multiple championships. We are thrilled to continue showcasing the Matco Tools logo on the side of his dragster for years to come, and we look forward to supporting him in his future endeavors on the track. Together, we will continue to inspire and support our customers and fans.” The multi-year agreement will see Brown’s dragster fly the familiar Matco Tools hex eagle with the addition of Matco Tools branding on Sampey’s A/Fuel dragster as part of the ABM Accelerate program with the Columbus, Ohio-based Michalek Brothers racing team of Kyle and Corey Michalek. “I’m so proud to be making this announcement today that we’re continuing our long-standing partnership with Matco Tools,” said Brown, as he gears up for his fourth season as an NHRA team owner/driver. “On the back of our firesuit, it says, ‘Thank You Matco Distributors’ and I thank them first and foremost for allowing us to represent the Matco Tools brand and its distributor teams. For more than two decades, I’ve been a member of team Matco and they’ve become family. We have such wonderful relationships with so many great people at Matco’s corporate headquarters in Stow (Ohio), field managers around the country, and so many distributors who text me when we win and do well. “This announcement also is great for the sport to see Matco Tools, and its parent company, Vontier, invest in NHRA racing and see the value from the sport of drag racing to recruit new franchisees, sell tools and tool storage, and entertain guests in our Pit-Side Experience hospitality area. We’re thrilled to bring another NHRA championship trophy to Matco Expo in Nashville (Tenn.) in April to share our success with the distributors and our entire Matco family.” Brown’s Matco Tools rail, flying the No. 1 on the sides of the rear wing spill plates, will hit the track in early February for pre-season testing and the PRO Superstar Shootout in Bradenton, Fla., Feb. 6-8. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season launches March 7-9, in Gainesville, Fla. with the NHRA Gatornationals. Last March, Brown won the Pep Boys All-Star Callout bonus race during the season-opener at Gainesville Raceway. “When we decided to start AB Motorsports, Matco Tools fully supported my decision to venture out on my own,” Brown added. “As we enter year four of ABM, we’re strengthened by Matco’s continued support for our organization. We host thousands of Matco distributors, family members, and guests as part of our Pit-Side Experience hospitality program, we have the ABM Accelerate Program to develop new talent and athletes, and we launched the FAB Fabrication division of ABM this fall with water jet and other machining services.” (Photo Courtesy AB Motorsports)

Press Release | ELITE MOTORSPORTS WYNNEWOOD, Okla. (Dec. 19, 2024) – Veteran racer Mike Coughlin will celebrate 40 years of having an NHRA license by driving a Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock entry for Elite Motorsports during the 2025 JHG NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock season. “Richard [Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports] and I had been talking for a couple years now. Our families have dealt with each other for a long time in the drag racing space,” Coughlin said. “Being involved with Elite, it’s a highlight. The team is really second to none. Everything is done right and if it’s not right, they make it right. That’s just the way they roll. I’m looking forward to being around and associated with that level of professionalism and for the chance to represent Jason and Nikki Johnson of JHG.” Coughlin, who will be joining his brother six-time world champion Jeg Jr. and nephew Troy Jr. racing under the Elite banner, began his racing career in 1985 driving in the Super Gas class. His first NHRA national event victory came in Pro Stock Truck in 1999 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. With six wins in Pro Stock Truck, including two at the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1999 and 2001and the final event of the now defunct Pro Stock Truck class at the NHRA Finals in 2001, Mike is familiar with the five-speed transmission. "Our goal for the Mountain Motor Pro Stock program from the very beginning was to have rental customers just like our highly successful NHRA Pro Stock program,” said Freeman. “I started driving when we purchased the program from JR Carr along with Erica. Then our great friends Bo and Randi Lyn Butner started driving and this helped to further strengthen our successful Mountain Motor Pro Stock program on and off the track to where we are today and in the future. A big thank you to the Butner's for what they did to help get us to this point and reach the goal we started with. "We are excited that another veteran and uber talented driver like Mike Coughlin thought of Elite Motorsports when it came to making plans for 2025,” Freeman said. “It's going to be great to see Mike back behind the wheel of a 5-speed, he was a real threat to win at every Pro Stock Truck race back in the day and this is going to be a lot of fun to see him racing with us for JHG in Mountain Motor Pro Stock and winning." "I have gotten to know Mike Coughlin the last couple of years, and he is going to make a great addition to the Johnson's Horsepower Garage family,” Jason Johnson, owner of JHG. Coughlin has earned wins in five different NHRA categories. In addition to his six Pro Stuck Truc victories he has four in Top Sportsman, three in Super Comp and one in Top Dragster. He most recently competed in Top Alcohol Dragster with the McPhillips Racing team from 2022-2024 picking up three victories for the father-son team. He will make his Mountain Motor Por Stock debut at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway and run the full eight-race JHG NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock 2025 schedule. “I’m looking forward to driving a five-speed again. I’m excited about the challenge, all the procedure that goes with it. It really is different than anything out there,” Mike said. “It’s probably one of the hardest things to drive but also one of the most fun, it really is a good time. I’m going to enjoy Mountain Motor Pro Stock, all the power and torque they make. It’s similar to a Top Sportsman engine combination, but it’s a five-speed. It’s going to be fun.” (Photo Courtesy Elite Motorsports)

(Photo Courtesy NASCAR) Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing will be able to operate as chartered teams in 2025 while their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR continues. A judge granted a preliminary injunction, also allowing the transfer of Stewart-Haas Racing's charters. NASCAR has announced plans to appeal the ruling, so the situation could still change. We’re eager to see how this legal battle unfolds and what it means for the teams involved. Let us know your thoughts on this decision, and stay tuned to Racing Refresh for all the latest updates in motorsports!

(Photo Courtesy NASCAR) Kaulig Racing has revealed its 2025 Xfinity Series driver and crew chief lineup, and we’re excited to share the news. Daniel Dye will drive the No. 10 car with Kevin Walter as his crew chief, while Josh Williams will pilot the No. 11 car with Eddie Pardue leading the team. Christian Eckes rounds out the lineup, taking the wheel of the No. 16 car with Alex Yontz as his crew chief. We can’t wait to see how these pairings perform in the Xfinity Series this season. Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to Racing Refresh for all your motorsports updates!

Press Release | MCANALLY HILGEMANN RACING McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) announced today that Jack Wood will return to the organization in 2025 to compete in the full 25-race NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) schedule. The Loomis, Calif. driver will pilot the No. 91 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet Silverado RST and continue working with veteran crew chief Kevin Bellicourt. Wood competed in 13 NCTS races in 2024 and finished fourth in the ARCA Menards Series West championship standings with five top-five’s and seven top-10 results. His 2025 effort will be anchored by longtime MHR partner Adaptive One Calipers on board for 10 races, including three of the first four events at Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. “I’m definitely thankful and excited to be back at MHR next season,” Wood said. “We had a lot of bright spots this past season and have a great foundation to build on. I have a lot of trust in Kevin (Bellicourt), Bill (McAnally), and everyone at MHR, so that makes me excited for what’s ahead of us next year. It’s great to have Adaptive One Calipers board with us and looking forward to activating with their customers throughout the season.” “We’re glad to have Jack return next season and excited to see him build on the groundwork from 2024,” McAnally said. “The No. 91 team did a great job last season with multiple drivers and Jack managed the year well with splitting time between the truck program and the west series. It’s tremendous to have continued support from everyone at Adaptive One Calipers and allowing Jack to focus on the entire truck schedule next year will pay dividends for the whole team.” Wood will wheel the Adaptive One Calipers colors in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. To stay connected with MHR and Wood, follow @bmr_NASCAR and @driverjackwood on X, @bmr_NASCAR and @driverjackwood on Instagram, and Bill McAnally Racing and Jack Wood on Facebook. (Photo Courtesy McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

Press Release | ALPHA PRIME RACING Alpha Prime Racing has signed Wisconsin native Parker Retzlaff to drive the #4 Chevrolet Camaro full-time for the organization in 2025. Only 77 races into his NASCAR career the 21-year-old Team Dillon Management standout has already scored 12 Xfinity Series top-tens along with 2 poles at Richmond and Martinsville, and a NASCAR Cup Series top-ten at Daytona International Speedway for Beard Motorsports last summer. Alpha Prime Racing comes off the most successful season in company history, finishing 16th in Driver points and 18th in NASCAR Xfinity Series Owner Points with driver Brennan Poole. Despite the speed he’s shown at such a young age, Retzlaff’s second full-time campaign at Jordan Anderson Racing was seen by many as a sophomore slump, leading the NXS with 12 DNF’s. For Parker, it’s the chip on his shoulder going into 2025. “I feel like we still have something to prove,” Retzlaff said. “We all want to win races, be consistent and prove we’re here to compete. Everyone here has told me how much they believe in me and what I can do.” Owner Caesar Bacarella, who scored 2 top-tens as a driver in limited starts for the team in 2024, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the signing. “I’m just super excited to have him join us,” Bacarella said. “He’s a young, really talented racecar driver and he’s going to help elevate the team.” Bacarella spoke briefly about the challenges his organization has faced over its three-year history, and the conversations he’s had with team President Tommy Joe Martins regarding the competition in the series. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but he [Tommy] and I agree it’s all about the people. It’s so hard. We’re racing against the best teams in the world. But we’ve got great people and that’s what’s made it work,” Bacarella said. “And now we’ve got two ace drivers in the stable full-time.” The vote of confidence isn’t lost on the young driver. “I’m humbled, honestly,” Retzlaff said. “Obviously I wouldn’t be here without the support of my partners – who I’m really excited to announce later,” he said with a smile. “Tommy and Caesar have put together an awesome team. It’s a big confidence booster for me to go into 2025 with a group that really wants me here.” Further information on sponsorship, Crew Chief, and other organizational details will be announced at a later date. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

Press Release | HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS William Byron and the Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will have Liberty University as primary sponsor for six races in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, starting with The Clash on Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. That exhibition event has already sold out as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the historic venue, which features a quarter-mile track, for the first time since 1971. Three weeks later — one week after Byron attempts to defend his first-ever Daytona 500 championship on Feb. 16 — Liberty will again feature primary sponsorship position on the Chevy Camaro ZL1 for the Feb. 23 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. On March 30, Byron will drive with a Liberty paint scheme at Martinsville Speedway, where his father took him to see his first race in 2006. Byron won in April of 2024 as Hendrick Motorsports celebrated its 40th anniversary before securing the fourth and final Championship 4 bid with his sixth-place finish in the Round of 8 finale on Nov. 3, 2024. Then, on July 27, Liberty will serve as primary sponsor for the No. 24 car at the 30th annual Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, known as the Racing Capital of the World. Liberty will wrap up its primary sponsorship for the 2025 season by sporting its red, white, and blue colors on Byron’s car for the last two regular-season events — a night race on Aug. 16 at Richmond Raceway and the finale back at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 23. Byron, who turned 27 last week, is coming off a spectacular 2024 season that featured three race wins and 13 top-five finishes and concluded with seven consecutive top-six showings. He returned to Phoenix Raceway for his second straight Championship 4, where he placed third and repeated his third-place position in the final point standings. All four of the Hendrick Motorsports Cup Series drivers placed in the top 10, with Byron followed by Kyle Larson (six wins, sixth place), Chase Elliott (seventh place), and Alex Bowman (ninth place). Liberty has sponsored Byron — who is pursuing a B.S. in Strategic Communication through its Online Programs — since 2014, when he drove for JR Motorsports. He moved up to the K&N Pro Series in 2015 and the NASCAR Truck Series in 2016 before winning the Xfinity Series championship in 2017 and moving to the Cup Series in 2018, when he earned Rookie of the Year honors. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

Press Release | SS-GREENLIGHT RACING SS-Greenlight Racing is excited to announce the return of Garrett Smithley as the full-time driver of the #14 Chevrolet during the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Garrett has over 250 NASCAR National series starts, including 11 for SS-Greenlight racing. In those 11 starts Garrett managed 8 top 25s and a top 10 at Talladega. Veteran Crew Chief Jason Miller will crew chief the #14, his tenure with SS-Greenlight and experience in NASCAR will be invaluable to the team! Garrett’s long time partner Trophy Tractor will be an anchor partner on the #14 in 2025. The other partners for the #14 team will be announced at a later date so make sure to follow both SS-Greenlight and Garrett Smithley on social media to keep up to date on our partners, race schedule, and updates from the track! SS-Greenlight owner Bobby Dotter said of the partnership “We are really excited to have Garret back, his experience will be crucial to succeeding in 2025.” he went on to say “When Garrett has raced for us in the past he did a stellar job and we look forward to building on that success.” Smithley said of the opportunity “I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be a full-time driver at SS Greenlight Racing.” he continued by saying “I haven’t been full-time since 2019 so beyond, excited to get to work with Bobby and Jason Miller. Daytona can’t come soon enough!” (Photo Credit: x.com/GarrettSmithley )

Press Release | RICK WARE RACING Ever since he was a fresh-out-of-high-school 19-year-old just beginning his racing career, Tim Brown had an eye on competing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Nearly 35 years later, Brown will finally get the opportunity to race in NASCAR’s premier division. Rick Ware Racing (RWR) has tabbed Brown to drive its No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the Feb. 2 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray, the season-opening exhibition race for the NASCAR Cup Series. Brown isn’t some journeyman. With 101 victories, he is the all-time winningest driver at Bowman Gray Stadium, the flat, quarter-mile asphalt oval in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that is the country’s longest-running weekly racetrack. NASCAR runs the venerable facility and the city of Winston-Salem is listed as its owner, but Brown has made “The Madhouse” his house by augmenting his win tally with 12 track championships and 146 poles. The 53-year-old from Yadkinville, North Carolina, competes in the track’s Tour Type Modified division, where he has set just about every record imaginable. Beyond having the most wins, the most poles and the most championships at Bowman Gray, Brown owns the fastest lap ever recorded (12.965 seconds on April 30, 2016). He won every pole during the 2003 season, and his championships span four decades, with titles in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2021 and 2022. “I’ve worked my whole life to try to be a Cup driver,” said Brown, who toils fulltime at RWR as its suspension and drivetrain specialist. “I’m good with working on racecars for a living because it’s still a pretty cool gig, but I always wanted to drive for a living. For Rick Ware and everybody involved here at RWR to give me the chance to go run a Cup race is so humbling and so heartwarming. It’s really cool.” Ware is a former driver who transitioned to team ownership after injuries took him out of the seat. “As someone who understands what it’s like to try to achieve goals and move up the racing ladder, it’s just a great opportunity for Tim and it’s something we’re proud to do,” Ware said. “We’ve had the opportunity to give a lot of drivers their first Cup start, and this is one that’s very well-deserved, especially at this track.” Brown has turned thousands of laps around Bowman Gray, and he will turn even more before the NASCAR Clash. He will race his Modified in the undercard Madhouse Clash on Feb. 1. That means in addition to the track time Brown will get in a Cup car via practice, qualifying and his heat race prior to the NASCAR Clash, he will get a practice session in his Modified before qualifying and the 125-lap race. “That time in the Modified will be very helpful for multiple reasons,” Brown said. “NASCAR has already done some updates to the stadium with soft walls and things like that. That’s going to change the line of the racetrack because you make the track smaller. So the line that we generally run, you won’t be able to run because they run right out against the wall. If the soft walls take up 2-and-a-half or 3 feet, now that’s 3 feet that you can’t let the car drift out to the wall. Just getting some track time before we climb in the Cup car, which I’ve never driven before other than on the chassis dyno, will be very helpful.” While Brown has not driven a Cup car, he knows it inside and out. He has been building Cup cars since he was in high school, first with Cale Yarborough Motorsports and through the many iterations of Cup technology, including the current-generation car. “I’ve been Cup racing for almost 35 years now, and I don’t know that you’ll find a Cup driver who actually gets to build his own Cup car from the ground up, chassis dyno it, and then go race it,” Brown said. “These guys that work here at RWR, they’re my buddies and they’re all racers, and we get to do this as a group effort. I actually get to put the nuts and bolts on it, and mount a seat, put the motor in it, and go drive it on the chassis dyno before I run it in the Clash. That’s pretty cool.” The cool factor is heightened because the opportunity is coming on NASCAR’s biggest stage. “The guys who race these Cup cars today are elite,” Brown said. “They’re the best drivers in the world, and I’m not even going to put myself in that same category. I’m just going to do the best I can. “I want to climb out of that thing at the end of the Clash and see my son and our family with big smiles on their faces and knowing that we did the best we could because, I promise you, I’m going to give it 110 percent. I just want to enjoy the moment, relish it and soak it all in. I’m not going to leave there and say, ‘Hey, I’m a Cup driver, now.’ I’m just going to leave there knowing this was the experience of a lifetime.” Beyond creating an exceptional moment for Brown, Ware envisions this endeavor highlighting grassroots racing and the skills of its personalities. “At Bowman Gray, Tim really has the same opportunity as anybody else,” Ware said. “He was with Roush for decades before he was with us. He’s a very good mechanic. He’s built all his own racecars and he understands racing. I think he’s got an inside track just because he has touched every single part of these cars. He’s a racer, and particularly at this track, he’s got a lot of experience.” The NASCAR Clash will be broadcast live by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

Press Release | RFK RACING RFK Racing has announced that Mohawk Northeast – a premier heavy-civil contractor – has joined the team as a partner for Ryan Preece and the No. 60 team. “It’s so exciting to have Mohawk with RFK in 2025 to continue building the relationship we’ve had for the past 10-plus years,” said Preece. “They’ve been supporting me since the beginning and I’m looking forward to accomplishing our goals together with their support.” A longtime supporter of Preece, the company has been providing high quality construction services to a wide variety of clients. Specializing in heavy highway, railroad, movable and fixed bridges and marine construction, Mohawk has completed countless projects safely, on time and within budget. Mohawk can self-perform all phases of construction and they offer an extensive fleet of cranes, barges, offshore tugboats and many other heavy equipment pieces. Clients include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, USACE, Generic Dynamics – Electric Boat, Connecticut DOT, Massachusetts DOT, New York DOT, Metro North Railroad, Amtrack, and various other clients. Mohawk will appear on Preece’s No. 60 in three races in 2025, making its debut at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 3 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA Network). They will return as the primary partner a week later at Watkins Glen (2 p.m. ET, USA Network), before their final race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, now a playoff race, on Sept. 21 (2 p.m. ET, USA Network). (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

(Photo Courtesy NASCAR) Live Fast Motorsports announced they will compete in seven races during the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, including all the superspeedway events and the Coke 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. We’re excited to "Get Loud for McLeod" with Live Fast Motorsports in the upcoming season. Let us know what you think about this lineup in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned to Racing Refresh for all your motorsports updates!