NASCAR Rant Report - Friday, April 11th

Subscribe to Rant Report | Listen on YouTube | Follow us on Social Media

Major headlines out of Wednesday and Thursday:

Looking Ahead to Bristol
Joey Logano & Team Penske Visit White House
Updates in all NASCAR Lawsuits
Katherine Legge for Seven NASCAR Events

Plus, miscellaneous topics so far this week.

Looking Ahead to Bristol:

The upcoming weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway is set to be an action-packed event featuring all three of NASCAR's national series. Denny Hamlin is aiming for his third consecutive win, hoping to match Christopher Bell’s accomplishment from earlier this year. Hamlin is also celebrating his 400th consecutive Cup Series start. Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin are currently even betting favorites for the Cup Race.

This race weekend will see Kyle Larson attempting to sweep all three races, a feat only achieved by Kyle Busch in 2010 and 2017. Larson's past dominance at Bristol, leading 462 of 500 laps in last year's fall Cup race, makes it clear why he chose Bristol to attempt the sweep. Larson is the current betting favorite for both the Truck Race and Xfinity Race.

Several drivers are making notable appearances, including Jesse Love's Cup Series debut and Corey LaJoie's return for his third start of the year. The weekend also marks the return of PJ1 Trackbite to enhance track grip, a decision made after resin proved less effective in previous races.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Want some non-AI content? Check out the previous Editorial:
NASCAR Sponsorship Flashback

Joey Logano & Team Penske Visit White House:

On April 9, 2025, President Donald Trump hosted Team Penske at the White House to celebrate their recent championship victories across NASCAR, IndyCar, and IMSA. The event honored Joey Logano, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion, and Ryan Blaney, the 2023 Cup Series champion, along with other notable drivers such as Josef Newgarden, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, and the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winners Nick Tandy, Felipe Nasr, and Laurens Vanthoor.

President Trump praised Roger Penske, the team owner, for his significant contributions to motorsports and his business acumen. Penske's race cars, including Logano's No. 22 Ford Mustang, Newgarden's No. 2 Chevrolet, and the No. 7 Porsche 963 GTP, were displayed on the White House lawn. The president also commended the athletic abilities of the drivers, calling them "great athletes."

During the event, Trump engaged with the drivers, asking about their racing speeds and expressing his admiration for their achievements. He also hinted at possibly attending the Indianapolis 500, to which Penske extended an open invitation. This visit marked the third time the Trump administration honored the previous year's NASCAR champion, continuing a tradition upheld by prior presidents.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Updates in all NASCAR Lawsuits:

Firstly, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, alleging monopolistic practices and unfair terms in the 2025 charter agreement. The teams are seeking financial information from Liberty Media, the owner of Formula 1, as well as other major sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL. They aim to compare revenue-sharing models to support their claims that NASCAR's practices have resulted in lower revenue shares for teams compared to other leagues. Despite narrowing their requests to specific categories of financial information, Liberty Media has resisted, citing confidentiality and undue burden. The teams won preliminary injunctions allowing them to race as charter teams while the lawsuit is pending, but NASCAR has appealed these injunctions, arguing that the terms of the charter agreement are standard business practices.

In another dispute, Legacy Motor Club has filed a lawsuit against Rick Ware Racing, alleging that RWR is attempting to back out of a signed agreement to sell a charter for the 2026 season. RWR claims the agreement was for 2027 and that Legacy changed the contract without informing them. A judge granted Legacy Motor Club a temporary restraining order preventing RWR from selling or leasing the disputed charter while the lawsuit is ongoing. Both sides are preparing to resolve the matter through legal channels.

Lastly, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson were involved in a trademark dispute over the stylized No. 8. Earnhardt Jr. sought to trademark the number used during his early racing career, while Jackson contested the application, citing potential conflicts with his "Era 8" brand. Earnhardt Jr. abandoned the trademark application for the JR Motorsports version of the No. 8, resolving the dispute amicably.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Katherine Legge for Seven NASCAR Events:

Katherine Legge is set to expand her involvement in NASCAR with plans to compete in at least seven races across the Cup and Xfinity Series in 2025. Legge, who made her NASCAR Cup Series debut earlier this year at Phoenix Raceway, will be partnering with e.l.f. Cosmetics for these events. Her schedule includes the Xfinity Series races at Rockingham Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the inaugural Cup Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.

Legge's partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics began in 2023 when she became the fastest woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. The beauty brand has supported her across various motorsports disciplines, emphasizing their commitment to empowering women and promoting diversity in sports. Legge expressed her excitement about the partnership, highlighting how e.l.f. Cosmetics has helped her achieve her racing goals and inspired young athletes.

In addition to e.l.f. Cosmetics, Legge's racing program is supported by Sherfick Companies, Droplight, Desnuda Tequila, Sparco, and Bell Helmets. Legge aims to be respected as one of the best drivers in motorsport and sees NASCAR as a platform to hone her skills against top competitors. Legge's involvement in NASCAR is significant as she is currently the only woman to compete in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series this year. Her return to stock car racing is seen as a positive step towards diversifying the paddock and inspiring future generations of female racers.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Miscellaneous:

Remembering Jon Edwards and Al Pearce: The NASCAR community mourns the loss of Jon Edwards, Hendrick Motorsports' director of racing communications, and Al Pearce, a veteran auto racing journalist. Edwards was remembered for his professionalism and lasting relationships within the sport, while Pearce was celebrated for his extensive coverage of auto racing over more than half a century. Pearce's contributions to motorsports journalism and his dedication to the Victory Junction Gang Camp were particularly noted. Both will be deeply missed by their colleagues and the broader racing community.

NASCAR Partners with Recast for Global Reach: NASCAR has partnered with Recast, a fintech-for-media company, to enhance access for motorsports fans worldwide. This collaboration will provide flexible, pay-as-you-go access to NASCAR racing content, particularly for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races. The partnership aims to expand NASCAR's reach into underserved markets and gain valuable insights into fan engagement.

Shake N Bake Sports YouTube Series: Shake N Bake Sports, a new multimedia sports and entertainment company, is launching a YouTube series featuring NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers Connor Zilisch, Daniel Dye, and Jesse Love. The series will showcase the lives and friendships of these young stars away from the racetrack, with new episodes dropping weekly. The first episode will feature a "Speed Golf" competition at The 500 Club.

Sonoma Raceway and Save Mart Extend Partnership: Sonoma Raceway has extended its partnership with The Save Mart Companies for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race. This multi-year extension celebrates their 33-year relationship, making it one of the longest-running event sponsorships in NASCAR history. The partnership includes the popular "Chase the Savings Sweepstakes" and other race day activities.

Cracker Barrel Sponsors Nashville Cup Race: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® has been named the entitlement sponsor for the June 1 NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. The Cracker Barrel 400 will highlight the connection between two Tennessee institutions and feature pop-up experiences at Speedway Motorsports destinations across the country. This partnership is part of Cracker Barrel's multi-year transformation journey to revitalize its brand.

Morgen Baird's Multi-Race Deal with Reaume Brothers Racing: Reaume Brothers Racing has announced that driver Morgen Baird will make his debut with the team in a multi-race deal, starting with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway in May. Alro Steel will sponsor Baird's No. 22 Ford F-150 for two races, including a homestand at Michigan International Speedway in June. Baird, who has eight years of ARCA racing experience, expressed his excitement about representing Alro Steel and its employees.

Greg Van Alst's Sponsorship by Phil’s Heating and Air: Greg Van Alst will be sponsored by Phil’s Heating and Air for the SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Van Alst, who has transitioned from the ARCA Menards Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, highlighted the meaningful exposure and value that motorsports collaborations can bring to brands. Phil’s Heating and Air, a local HVAC company, is proud to support Van Alst and bring attention to their business through this partnership.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on these topics.

Thumbnail image credits on our Source Materials Page.

Subscribe to Rant Report | Listen on YouTube | Follow us on Social Media