NASCAR Invests in the Future!

June 12, 2025

Jun 12, 2025 | Edition #187

👋 Dear Motorheads,

For the first time since 1958, NASCAR is set to hold a points-paying championship race beyond U.S. borders. And, the buzz around it couldn’t be bigger. Despite a few bumps on the sponsorship front, the energy is building fast. Haulers have started rolling in with security in place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and preparations are in full swing.

But the 2,674-mile road course won’t be easy on the drivers. Between the unfamiliar turns and the challenge of racing at high altitude, Daniel Suarez is looking confident.

📅 Weekend Schedule

🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

Richard Childress Loses Sympathy for NASCAR Ally

What started as an engine failure in Kansas ended up with a dramatic turnaround. When A.J. Allmendinger’s No. 16 Chevy gave out in the middle of the race, it wasn’t just an ordinary DNF. The smoke started belching out of his Chevy, and Allmendinger was frustrated. He even called out the Earnhardt-Childress Racing.

“Hey ECR, you guys f—— suck. I mean, what … f— you guys!,” he said. Listen to his unfiltered rant; it was directed towards the engines, the makers, and even the ones who make it. But out of all, Richard Childress didn’t take that feedback lightly.

Speaking to NBC Sports, Childress retaliated, saying, “The 12 blew up two times. The 48 blew up. They never said anything. It’s how you want to run your mouth.”

But in a surprising twist, Kaulig Racing doubled down on A.J. Allmendinger’s comments, with team executive Ty Norris expressing his unwavering support. “If this is how you feel, don’t back down,” he told his driver.

As far as Norris was concerned, that passion and frustration were needed to send a message, as he mentioned that they didn’t want him to shrug his shoulders and act like everything was okay.

The situation escalated quickly, and before you knew it, Ty Norris, Richard Childress, and Mike Verlander sat down with the rest of the ECR crew and laid everything out. Change was demanded, and then came the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Just a week later, Allmendinger came all guns blazing at the Coca-Cola 600. He showed lightning-fast pace from the get-go, stayed in the top six all race, and finished fourth. The same driver who had a complete meltdown in Kansas now looked like a serious contender, and Kaulig Racing knew that the performance bump was no coincidence.

“They put an army on this,” Norris mentioned afterwards. It was just the type of response Allmendinger hoped for. ECR didn’t try to smooth things over with effective PR after Kansas. Instead, they rolled back their sleeves and fixed the problem under the hood.

While Richard Childress may not have liked Allmendinger’s expletive-filled rant, the outburst proved to be effective in Charlotte.

Race to Dad’s Favorites

This Father’s Day, swing by Kohl’s for the ultimate gifting pit stop. It's where comfort, style, and value come together for every kind of dad!

•⁠ ⁠Athletic polos, joggers, and tees from top brands like Adidas & Under Armour

•⁠ ⁠Deals designed to make dad’s downtime even better

•⁠ ⁠Free shipping and easy returns for a no-stress win

 🔎 The In-Depth View

NASCAR Has a Major Change of Heart

It looks like NASCAR is finally making a move that would benefit the grassroots. Collaborating with FloSports, the sanctioning body is adding an extra $50,000 to the pot for the Virginia Triple Crown. For short track racing drivers who are grinding it out every week, that’s the kind of news that will bring in plenty of sighs of relief.

So, the Virginia Triple Crown is a three-race shootout featuring late model stock cars at South Boston Speedway, Langley Speedway, and the grand finale at Martinsville’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300. It’s full of excitement, and short track racers love it. And, it’s Turn 2, you need to see it. Very few can pass it unscathed. Here, take a look.

While bragging rights were always on the line, drivers have something more to motivate them this time around. Having a fatter purse will benefit the top-three drivers in the overall rankings, which means the stakes couldn’t be higher.

But it’s not just about the money. Local racers have been keeping short-track racing alive for years, while the bigger leagues have moved on to fancier things. With this move, NASCAR is assuring that no one is forgotten, and the sport remembers where it came from. While such an initiative was long overdue, it’s a welcome change to be sure.

Martinsville has always been a crown jewel for late model drivers, but things have gotten a lot more interesting now. The Virginia Triple Crown winner won’t just earn respect, some photos on the podium, and a token of appreciation.

There’s a significant money on the line, which means the racing will be tight, and the battles will be hard. More drivers will want to push themselves, now that there’s some real incentive to fight for.

If this is a turning point for the grassroots, or simply a one-off gesture, it’s too early to tell. But NASCAR handing out some real money at the grassroots is a step in the right direction.

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll! 🏁

Can a $50,000 Boost Meaningfully Impact the Careers of Short Track Drivers?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

🫡 The Lucky Dog Salutes

It's a Birthday Motorfest!

It looks like the motorsports world has turned into one big birthday bash. On June 11th, social media was full of wishes from teams and fans, with many celebrating drivers (and legends) on their special day. Even we at the Lucky Dog on Track had to admit, it was quite awesome to see many prominent figures get their moment in the spotlight.

To begin with, we have John Hunter Nemechek, who turned 28 and got a simple but strong shoutout from Legacy Motor Club. LMS took to X to write this heartfelt note.

As things stand, 49 fans did the needful by retweeting, showing the No. 42 Toyota driver some love on social media. He might not be a fan favorite, but many turned up to wish him on his special day.

Over in the Truck Series garage, Matt Crafton got a thoughtful shoutout on social media, with ThorSport Racing writing, “Happy Birthday 3x @Matt_Crafton.🥳” They are, of course, referring to his three championships in 2013, 2014, and 2019. Despite turning 49, Crafton is still going as strong as ever, finishing sixth at Michigan International Speedway recently.

And then there’s Rajah Caruth, who got a big birthday wish from Spire Motorsports. The recently turned 23-year-old received this message from his team, accompanied by a cool picture of him. Caruth can be seen tying his shoelaces in this picture.

The birthday greetings were not just limited to current drivers, though. Goodwood Festival of Speed took it global by sending a heartfelt message to none other than Sir Jackie Stewart.

“Happy Birthday to the three-time #F1 world champion and friend of Goodwood, Sir Jackie Stewart,” their X post read. For those who don’t know, he is an excellent racing driver with many successes over his career. He is a true gent and a great friend of us all at Goodwood. In these old pictures, the 86-year-old is posing with the cars.

Sir Jackie Stewart is nothing less than a living legend, with three Formula One titles to his name. Goodwood even teased his return later this year, and honestly, we couldn’t be more excited!

 📈 Trending News

Daniel Suarez Is Preparing Big for the Mexico Race!

NASCAR’s visit to Mexico City isn’t just another race weekend for Daniel Suarez. As the only full-time Mexican driver in the Cup Series, going to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is nothing short of a homecoming. Suarez has waited years for a moment like this, and now that the opportunity is finally here. And, of course, he wants to make it count.

Back in 2016, Daniel Suarez made history by becoming the first international star to win a NASCAR national series championship, taking the Xfinity title. Almost a decade has passed since then, but the 33-year-old is feeling that sense of euphoria once again after getting an opportunity to make his mark in front of his home fans.

“It’s not just a very special moment for myself, but also for the sport, for the industry,” Suarez said. Let’s not forget Daniel Suarez’s achievements, and his fandom helped NASCAR succeed in its international expansion.

“I’m very proud of bringing you guys in the media, the teams, and the drivers to my home to teach you a little bit about myself and about my culture.” With the stakes high, the racer is leaving no stone unturned to secure his first Cup Series race of the season.

While other drivers fly in a day or two before the race weekend, the No. 99 driver was already in Mexico City on Tuesday. It wasn’t about the logistics; Suarez made a shrewd and calculated move, using the extra time to acclimatize to the altitude, get some training in, and fulfill media commitments.

So that once the weekend kicks off, he has no distractions. He was seen with Julia Piquet, and both looked tense. Julia even called it a Daytona 500, Game 7, and Super Bowl for Suarez. Watch for yourself!

“Once we get to Friday, it’s time to be selfish because I want to be the best version of myself, and I know we can win the race,” he said. The pressure will be high, and the expectation will be on Suarez to win on a track he knows all too well.

The racer believes a triumph is within reach as well, going on to say, “I have to execute everything right, and I have to be on my game.” Well, if he is, there might be no stopping him.

  1. Ex-DEI Executive Confesses “Game of Thrones” Power Grab That Crushed Intimidator’s Legacy - Full Story

  2. Tyler Reddick Risks Upsetting the Mother of His Children, Goes to Extreme Lengths - Full Story

  3. “So It’s Not Safe” - New Revelations Raise Alarms Over NASCAR’s Mexico Gamble - Full Story

  4. Daytona 500 Tickets Cause Massive Backlash - Full Story

  5. Calls Mount for Dale Jr. to “Stay in America” After Trip to Mexico Gets Compromised - Full Story

💌 Feedback

How did you enjoy today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.