NASCAR Is Being Blackmailed for Millions

^{Apr 10, 2025 | Edition #161}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

After the action at Darlington, it almost feels like the calm before the storm rages on at ‘The World’s Fastest Half-Mile’. Expectations are high for the upcoming triple-header, as the short track tends to bring in plenty of drama and chaos every year.

And, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the Food City 500 is more like the spring race last year, even though Denny Hamlin disagrees. But before tempers begin to flare at Bristol, NASCAR is stuck with a huge “scam,” and this involves millions of dollars.

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 📈 Trending News

NASCAR Faces $4 Million Ransom Threat

It looks like NASCAR has a different type of race on its hands. It’s not your typical event at Daytona or Charlotte this time either. Instead, the sanctioning body is racing against a countdown set by the Medusa ransomware gang.

And their demands?

An eye-watering sum of $4 million. Yep, you read that right. According to Medusa’s big claims, they’ve stolen over one terabyte of internal NASCAR data. Now that’s huge! And, we know that Jim France and Co. are notoriously private regarding data. This situation looks like their worst nightmare, as the gang dropped a threat on April 8th, sharing documents and different file structures.

The message was simple: pay up, or all the information will be leaked.

To make matters worse, the data isn’t some unimportant information either. We’re talking financial reports, raceway maps, sponsorship details, and employee contact information. Some of these folders even indicate the ‘race data’, ‘accounting’, and ‘work main’. And, it’s no joke, they have posted 37 document images as proof. Here are the screenshots of the leaked images.

For those who don’t know, it’s not the first time Medusa has done something like this. They first emerged in 2021, targeting schools, hospitals, and telecom services. Over 300 victims across infrastructure sectors have already fallen for their devious schemes. They don’t just leak your data. Medusa steals your data, locks it down, and threatens to make it public unless you pay up.

They’ve even stepped up their game in recent weeks by using stolen digital certificates to sneak past malware tools. The FBI and CISA were forced to get involved last month, warning companies to improve their defenses to not fall victim to Medusa. While NASCAR hasn’t confirmed or denied a breach just yet, it’s only a matter of time before they come up with an official statement.

With millions in revenue and deep corporate ties, the sanctioning body was always going to be a prime target. A few weeks back, NASCAR’s official X account was compromised, and it posted an odd message about a NASCAR-themed cryptocurrency. So, rumors are, it could be Medusa’s doing.

And, this is not the first time NASCAR has been threatened. Back in 2016, a NASCAR team got hit by ransomware demanding Bitcoin. Clearly, NASCAR has a big decision to make. And, if they’ll bow down to Medusa and cough up $4 million to protect its data, only time will tell.

Continue Reading: Michael Jordan and Co.’s Legal Notice to NFL Rejected With Scrutiny as Battle Against NASCAR Turns Ugly

🔮 Lucky Dog’s Perspective

Can Hamlin Make It Three Out of Three?

Two wins. Momentum on his side. And, Bristol (his favorite track up next). Things are finally looking good for Denny. He has won four times in Bristol. Naturally, the expectations are high. Going to ‘The World's Fastest Half-Mile’, fans are already wondering, ‘Could he make it three out of three?’

However, Hamlin isn’t so sure. Sharing his thoughts on the Actions Detrimental podcast, he said, “I wish we had the same kind of Bristol that we had last spring. But that's not going to happen. That was an interesting tire conservation - a billion lead changes, a billion passes, cars running 60 MPH on the apron and on the racetrack. We're not going to see that.”

According to the JGR veteran, NASCAR is sticking with the same tire setup from last fall. And we all remember what that led to: Kyle Larson leading a jaw-dropping 462 of 500 laps. But we can’t just count out Denny Hamlin — especially at Bristol, when he has a chance to equal C. Bell’s record.

Flashback to the 2019 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Hamlin was the man on the pole, ready to dominate. But on Lap 83, disaster struck. A wild tangle with Jimmie Johnson and Austin Dillon pushed the No. 11 out of rhythm and seemingly out of contention. But Denny made a good comeback.

With two laps to go, the engines screamed, and Hamlin was right there. Door-to-door with Ryan Blaney, slicing through a maze of lapped traffic. White flag in the air. As the No. 11 of Denny was nearing the chequered, the backmarkers suddenly went three-wide. It was pure chaos, and here’s how Hamlin threaded a needle at 130 mph.

And that’s the thing about Hamlin: no matter the tire, no matter the chaos, when the lights shine bright at The Last Great Colosseum — he shows up.

If that result is anything to go by, Denny Hamlin remains a force to be reckoned with, even if the 2025 Food City 500 lacks the chaos of last year’s iteration. While that’s for him, and the grid to figure out, we’ve got an exciting update: a collaboration with Michael Waltrip.

But Before That, Bristol Motor Speedway Could Churn Out the Biggest Dark Horse of the NASCAR Playoffs

🏁 Lucky Dog Heading to the Bristol Food City 500! 🏁

Lucky Dog on Track is giving our subscribers an exclusive fan meetup with Michael Waltrip at the Food City 500 in Bristol!

🔎 The In-Depth View

Darlington Debate Stirs Up Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“When you go into Darlington, it just feels like you’re going back in time,” Dale Earnhardt once said. That’s exactly why the throwback weekend has been held at ‘The Track Too Tough to Tame’ for a decade. Retro paint schemes. Hall of Famers in attendance. And, the feeling of nostalgia is running high. What’s not to love, right?

But this year, something felt off. 19 teams didn’t participate in the throwback weekend. That’s more than half the field. The situation isn’t wholly unexpected, as the number of teams that have refused to participate has been growing with every passing year. It looks like it’s time for the weekend to be reconsidered.

Maybe, but Junior was having none of it. Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download, the veteran racer said, “Why are we having this conversation? This is sacred, hands off!” However, even he could see the bigger picture. “It was lost on me... some of these partners might only have a few races a year. They don’t want to change all their stuff for this one event.”

And, Hamlin, who won the throwback weekend race this year, couldn’t help but chime in. “It’s tough to keep the enthusiasm with it, and I think it has lost enthusiasm.”

While we understand, fans and veterans need that enthusiasm back, the long-term sponsors are hard to come by. And, despite loving and winning the race, even Denny couldn’t deny the truth: “When it’s a sponsor-driven sport, sponsors are going to drive what you see.”

This time, his No. 11 Toyota carried the legacy of Carl Edwards — and somehow, the stars aligned. Denny Hamlin didn’t just show up for Darlington’s Southern 500. He delivered. With Edwards' iconic scheme riding again, Hamlin stormed to his second consecutive win, turning a nostalgic tribute into a full-circle moment of NASCAR glory.

However, flashback to 2015 — the inaugural Southern 500 Throwback Weekend. It was a slugfest of NASCAR legends. Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, and Carl Edwards locked into a battle for the ages.

Edwards, running P3 with just seven laps to go, suddenly found himself in perfect rhythm. Cool under pressure, carving through the chaos. With six laps remaining, the No. 19 surged forward. And, right behind him was Denny Hamlin. Pressuring. See how he was pushing Edwards with unmatched intensity.

From the man who chased Edwards under the lights in 2015… to the one who brought his spirit back to Victory Lane in 2025. That’s the legacy Denny has created, so his take on the throwback weekend weighs more than the rest.

And, Hamlin and Dale Jr. aren’t the only ones. Even NASCAR’s Most Popular driver has opened up on the matter. Sharing his experience, Chase said, “We’ve rode the horse to death.” And, joining him is Rajah Caruth, who came up with an innovative solution. Instead of focusing on paint schemes, Caruth wants the sport’s legacy to be celebrated, with iconic figures and old school sponsor logos.

But one thing’s certain: if NASCAR changes the essence of the throwback weekend, it’ll change its value. Reminding the grid of the same, Kyle Busch exclaimed, “It’s not for us, it’s for the fans.” And, Kyle, we agree with you!

The weekend was never meant for drivers, teams, or sponsors. It’s all about the fans and always has been. While getting rid of the ‘throwback weekend’ might be too drastic, the time may have come when the concept needs to be evolved.

Continue Reading: Kyle Larson Leaves Dale Earnhardt Jr. Disappointed After Revealing His Future With McLaren

🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

The Unspoken Battle Female Drivers Face Online

The problem is real. In a male-dominated sport such as NASCAR, breaking in as a female driver is a daunting prospect in itself. Only a handful of racers, such as Danica Patrick, Hailie Deegan, Katherine Legge, and now Toni Breidinger, have made it to one of the three national series. Unfortunately, their challenges don’t just end there, as social media is proving to be a different beast entirely.

Recently, Toni was forced to share a disclaimer on X, saying, “Also, I don’t have anyyyyy private secret fan-only accounts. I will never ask you for money or sell fan club / vip cards or anything like that. There are 100000000 fake accounts of me. My management won’t either. So be smart out there.”

And, now this is haunting another female driver, Kaylee Bryson. Kaylee is just 24 and is another talented female racer. She became the first woman to win the USAC National Series feature race last year. That was a big moment in her career, but little did Kaylee know that with success and name would come an online fraud.

So, Kaylee Bryson received a random email that accused her of messaging someone’s husband, even though she knew nothing about the situation. And, just like Toni, this has now prompted her to send an outright apology on X.

“Please be aware of scammers…This is a common occurrence where people think they are in a relationship with me,” Kaylee wrote. She has posted the conversation online, take a look.

For any athlete or celebrity, situations like these can be incredibly unpleasant and could even jeopardize their career, especially when money and sponsors—key players in NASCAR—are on the line. While male drivers have yet to speak out in support, CARS Tour driver Jade Avedisian shared her thoughts, tweeting, “It’s bad😭🤦🏻‍♀️.”

In all, making it in the world of motorsports for a female driver is difficult. And, maybe it’s time we need more advocates like Kenny Wallace, who, from time to time, talks in support of female racers.

Continue Reading: NASCAR Veteran Slams Rising Disrespect in the Xfinity Series, Calls for Tough Bans to Fix Wreck Fest

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