Major Auto Club Speedway Shake-Up on the Horizon!

^{Apr 03, 2025 | Edition #158}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

Time to shift gears to Darlington! Denny Hamlin leads the way with three wins at the track, but Brad Keselowski isn’t far behind. And after Denny’s dominant run at Martinsville—where chaos reigned as usual, you just can’t count him out.

Speaking of chaos, Sammy Smith’s intentional wreck in the Xfinity race is still making waves. This time, it’s Joey Logano weighing in, calling out every owner in the Xfinity and Truck Series. But while Logano sees it one way, Sammy’s team owner doesn’t quite agree.

Meanwhile, NASCAR just made a firm call on a track losing its comeback, and from the sound of it, President Steve Phelps isn’t backing down.

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 📈 Trending News

President Phelps Shakes Up the NASCAR Community

It looks like NASCAR has done it again. This time, it’s about the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Yes, the one known for the high-speed action, historic wins, and the infectious atmosphere. Well, now it’s just weeds and construction equipment, and that’s a damn shame, ‘cause boy this place was FAST! The Auto Club is NASCAR’s fastest track, and we’re talking over 190 mph—even in traffic!

Back in 2005 at the Sony HD 500, Greg Biffle was flying at 193 mph, locked in battle with the pack. And Jeff Gordon took it up a notch. Mid-race, stuck back in 16th, his HMS engineer fed him some tips on handling the car. That’s when things got wild. Gordon, drafting like a rocket, cracked 200 mph as per the analysts in the booth (196 as per records). Meanwhile, up front, Biffle led the charge with Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin breathing down his neck. But it was Gordon’s raw speed, unlocked in the thick of it. Here’s the moment that made jaws drop.

There have been talks about a short track where the 2-mile superspeedway once stood. But it seems like that hope is fading fast. Steve Phelps recently addressed the situation, and let’s just say that his words didn’t inspire much confidence.

“I’m still unsure. Would I like to build a new facility at Fontana? I would. It would be a short track because we don’t have room for anything else, frankly. Do I think creating a short track out there would be a cool thing for us? Yes. With that said, it’s $300 million to build that facility.”

Unsurprisingly, fans are not happy.

“Ugh, I hate political answers…,” one fan vented on Reddit. “Fans know it, NASCAR knows it, the developers wanting the land know it…”

And, even the Lucky Dog thinks, they may have a point. If NASCAR wanted to race at Fontana, maybe they shouldn’t have sold 433 of the 522 acres for a staggering sum of $569 million. And fans are just getting a logistics facility and 6.6 million square feet of warehouse space. But we want racing action, not containers.

Fontana is more than just a racetrack. It’s a part of NASCAR history. From Jeff Gordon securing his first win at the venue to Jimmy Johnson’s dominance, it’s a legacy that is worth preserving. However, with every delay and vague statement, its rich heritage is slipping away.

For now, clearly, NASCAR is hitting the pause button on the project.

Continue Reading: Rick Ware & Co. Hit Back at Legacy MC’s Charter Accusations With Bold Verdict

🌪️ Cause for Controversy

Logano’s Damning Verdict on NASCAR’s Lower Tiers

You’ve probably noticed how chaotic races have gotten in the Truck and Xfinity Series. Especially the one that happened last weekend in Xfinity between Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray.

Wrecks are piling up, and races are turning into demolition derbies. And, according to Joey Logano, it’s not just about aggressive racing. It’s about having a system that rewards it. Back in the day, drivers were coached by veteran team owners, and if you didn’t race smart, you were out. But that’s mostly gone.

Just look at how Sammy Smith spun Taylor Gray in the final corner and ended up wrecking himself, along with half the field. Now that’s intentional wrecking. Here’s a recap.

And, according to Joey, “With the Xfinity series these days and the Truck Series, all of them are paying to drive the car, So you will not get fired if you’re bringing money to the table.” In short, if you’ve got the cash, you’ve got the ride, no matter how you race.

Maybe Logano has a point. Because when you look at the figures, it makes perfect sense. NASCAR’s Cup Series race in Vegas had a purse of over $11 million. And the Xfinity Series just got over $1.6 million. Meanwhile, the Truck Series’ purse was a tiny $782,900. Now, that’s a significant gap. Smaller teams are barely scraping by.

Further, when speaking about reaching the highest level, Logano said, “Now you have a boss, right? Now, there’s a lot more on the line. Now, you can’t afford to get suspended. You can’t afford to lose points. You can’t afford to do all this stuff, but you don’t know how to do that now because you weren’t trained to do that.”

We feel NASCAR is at a crossroads. If things continue the way they are, the chaos from the lower series will spill into the Cup Series. And before you know it, the sports’ reputation will take a hit.

So maybe, Logano is right, while racing has to be like this, the system needs to change. There has to be accountability, driver development, and rewarding talent over the checkbook.

Continue Reading: Jimmie Johnson Shuts Down ‘Financial Bubble’ Accusations on NASCAR as He Unmasks Roger Penske’s Strategic Brilliance

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🗝️ From the Vault

The 1984 Race That Saved Rick Hendrick’s Dream

Hendrick Motorsports is on fire. William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott are currently occupying the top three positions while Alex Bowman is right behind them in fifth place. Of course, Mr. H couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, as Byron went on to win the Daytona 500 while Larson took the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami. They are just unstoppable.

But that wasn’t always the case. Back in 1984, Rick Hendrick wasn’t thinking about championships. It was all about survival. He first stepped into the NASCAR with five employees, a resourceful crew chief in Harry Hyde, and barely enough sponsors to scrape by. And, when Hendrick showed up at Daytona for the season opener, he took one look at the big, established teams around him and thought, ‘What am I doing here?’

But by April that year, money was already tight, and Rick Hendrick was convinced he’d have to shut shop in weeks. But then came Martinsville. Geoffrey Bodine, who had made a name for himself in Modified Racing, had joined Hendrick’s then-struggling team.

And oh boy, did Bodine shake up the NASCAR world on April 29, 1984! It was classic short-track racing from the 80s—fender-banging, tempers flaring, and a whole lot of drivers falling by the wayside. But through it all, Bodine kept his No. 5 All-Star Racing Chevrolet clean, managed his brakes, and stayed out of trouble (not to mention he had already run many 500-lap races there before). Then, with just 49 laps to go, he made his move, passing none other than NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison for the lead.

The triumph, which was Hendrick Motorsports’ first in the Cup Series, proved to be the difference-maker. But Mr. H wasn’t there to experience it firsthand. When he heard the news, he made a quick trip to Bodine’s house in Greensboro, N.C. And, here’s how they celebrated by literally toilet papering the place.

Fast forward to today, and Hendrick Motorsports stands tall with over 300 Cup Series wins and 14 championships. Kyle Larson is also ready to chase history again with another shot at The Double. Although last year Mother Nature stole his moment, this time, he's back with unfinished business!

However, Mr. H has made one thing clear: the priority is the Coca-Cola 600. If the weather acts up again, Larson will be prioritizing the NASCAR race, while Tony Kanaan remains on standby for the Indy 500.

Continue Reading: After Chase Elliott, $2 Trillion Giant Goes All in on Kyle Larson to Extend Support

 🎥 Paint Scheme Reveal

Kyle Larson is on his way to becoming the next big superstar.

Yes, Amazon Prime is bringing his Double attempt to life with an exclusive documentary. The Hendrick-Arrow McLaren collaboration isn’t just a partnership—it’s a full-throttle fusion of technology and passion. And that Arrow McLaren Chevy? It has a bold design and is built for history. Watch the launch video.

🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Taking Things Too Far?

Dale Jr., as usual is standing his ground. Even though the criticism against his driver, Sammy Smith, is louder than ever, he isn’t budging. At a time when fans, fellow drivers, and even team owners have called for tougher consequences, Junior isn’t having any of it.

“There are a lot of people out there that are like, ‘Oh man, NASCAR’s gotta park him. Dale Jr. should park him.’ You know, anyone who thinks I’m gonna park Sammy, that’s out of the question. Never gonna happen.” In other words, there’s nothing to see here.

What makes it worse is that Sammy Smith isn’t exactly remorseful. Justifying his decision, the youngster also said, “I know that everyone is going to be mad and upset at me and say I’m a dirty driver, but I don’t care because everybody does it.”

Despite his attitude, Dale Jr. said, “Sammy’s my driver. Ya’ll can continue to be p-ssed and think what you want. I got to figure out how Sammy can clean this up.”

But is this what Logano was pointing at when he said, “Drivers are not being trained.” The question is whether Junior is training Sammy in the wrong direction.

Here’s the thing—Junior’s also no saint behind the wheel. He’s done worse. Remember the 2009 Daytona 500? Dale Jr., in a moment of frustration, sent Brian Vickers spinning, setting off a 10-car demolition derby that wiped out Kyle Busch, who had been dominating all day. Just like that, chaos erupted. Jamie McMurray and Busch were right in the mix, fighting for the win—until Junior flipped the script and turned the entire race upside down! And, all because of his frustration. Here, you can easily spot Junior’s intentional move.

Dale Jr has also admitted to intentionally wrecking several other drivers over the years, including Kyle Busch at Richmond in 2008. But that could not be the reason why he’s not punishing Smith. Maybe he knows exactly what it feels like to be in the same position.

And then there’s Denny Hamlin, another driver-owner in the sport currently. Outspoken as ever, the veteran racer just had to offer his two cents. “God, I wish I were in the booth. I’d get fired but I damn sure would call these idiots out.” Now we think that’s a fair reaction as an owner and veteran of the sport. But you never know, Denny must be kidding.

Not one to let go of a chance to have some fun, Dale Jr. also had a good comeback to Denny’s comment. “They ought to let me and Denny go up in that booth and just hand out penalties.” Watch the banter between the two.

Regardless of these chit chats, one thing is clear: Junior’s loyalty towards his drivers is commendable. But if Sammy Smith continues making such moves, will the JR Motorsports co-owner continue to maintain his stance? Only time will tell.

Continue Reading: Dale Jr. & Kevin Harvick Bag Mega New Deal With FOX as CARS Tour

📰 Lucky Dog’s Recommended Reads

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4. Toni Breidinger Cautions Racing Community Against ‘Personal’ Social Media Scam - Full Story

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