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NASCAR greats sound off on Stephen A Smith's take that drivers are not athletes

Thu, 14 May 2026 07:04:17 -0400

Stephen A. Smith did not make many friends in NASCAR circles when he labeled drivers as non-athletes.

"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith said last month on his SiriusXM show. "I’m being honest. It’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.

"You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud."

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Well, Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon caught wind of what Smith had to say, and naturally, they challenged him.

"My first response is, do we really want to give clicks and attention to Stephen A. for, I feel like that's what he's asking for there," Gordon began during a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

"But at the same time, clearly he doesn't know a whole lot about the sport, and he doesn't know what it takes to be an athlete in motorsports. There's no doubt about the mental fatigue it takes to be in the car for hours, the competitiveness and things that make drivers true athletes. It's just in a different sense of how a stick-and-ball sport is perceived as an athlete."

Larson, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion then challenged Smith, or anyone for that matter, to go one lap in a race car "without feeling like they're going to die."

"Everybody's got a little bit different definition for what an athlete might mean to them. So his definition is different than the way I would feel about it. Do I get worked up about it when I hear somebody say that we're not athletes? No."

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"I do," Gordon butted in.

But Larson is a bit more understanding.

"I just accept that they won't understand, because they will never be able to strap into a race car that goes 200 miles an hour. If they did, I don't think they would be able to make it a lap without feeling like they're going to die," Larson continued.

"And then you factor in three-and-a-half-hour-long races and a 150-degree car with an elevated heart rate of probably 150 for three hours, with a peak of, for me, would be 190. I think then they would quickly realize that although you're not shooting a ball into a hoop, this is definitely a sport and definitely a tough one where you have to be an athlete — maybe more on the endurance side of things."

Gordon said he recently invited Jason Kelce to take a lap and even drive a car on a course.

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"I'm pretty sure he'd have a different opinion about it," Gordon said. "Just ask him."

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Carson Hocevar says his mom was more fired up about him going to the Met Gala than winning at Talladega

Wed, 13 May 2026 19:30:15 -0400

It's been a good few weeks to be Carson Hocevar, driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.

Last month, Hocevar won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race when he took the checkered flag in the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, then dropped a celebration for the ages.

Then just days later, he became the first NASCAR driver to hit the Met Gala since Jeff Gordon went in 2010.

Sure, it's usually a parade of people sniffing their own farts in dumb costumes, but it's still a big deal for the sport to get a driver there.

BUBBA WALLACE TRIGGERS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WRECKS IN NASCAR HISTORY, 'DEGA LAP DANCES & COWBOY PILLOW GIRLS!

So, you've got to imagine that Hocevar's family is pretty pumped for him, but guess as to which one of those achievements his mom was more excited about.

While the Cup Series is at Dover this weekend for the NASCAR All-Star Race, Hocevar dropped by Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the second day of Indianapolis 500 practice.

During the visit, he was hanging around with Andretti Global — a corporate cousin of Spire Motorsports, as both fall under the TWG Motorsports umbrella — but also took some time to visit Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell in the IndyCar on FOX booth.

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There, he talked about the Met Gala and how fired up his mom was about him being there.

"I laugh that, like, my mom thought winning Talladega was cool and everything," he said. "(But it was) a lifelong accomplishment for her son to go to the Met Gala."

Hocevar also revealed that he was there not because NASCAR had purchased a table at the event, but because organizers had reached out to them.

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"The craziest part was that they reached out to NASCAR," he said. "It wasn't NASCAR paying for a ticket or trying to hook me up or a sponsor. It was literally like NASCAR got the car and was like, 'Do you know what this is? Would you want to go?"

Well, like I said, as much of an eyeroll as the Met Gala gets — deservedly so — having Hocevar on-hand was a big win for NASCAR when it comes to getting eyes on the sport.

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Now, it's just a matter of how many of those eyes that were watching Met Gala coverage will tune into a race.

Unfortunately, I suspect not as many as they would hope.

Kyle Larson relives attempts at 'The Double' as he contemplates trying it again in the future

Wed, 13 May 2026 11:26:15 -0400

After his attempt at running "The Double" was unsuccessful due to rain in 2024, Kyle Larson ran it back the next year.

Larson was aiming to become just the second person to complete both the Indy 500 in Indianapolis and Coke 600 in Charlotte on the same day, joining Ton Stewart in 2001, having already become one of five drivers to even attempt it.

However, Larson crashed on the 92nd lap of the Indy 500, thus ending the dream (rain delayed the start of the Indy500 by 45 minutes, so he probably would not have been able to get to Charlotte in time, anyway).

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Due to the crash in Indianapolis, Larson was able to hop on a flight to Charlotte, but he crashed in that race, too. It was the first time since 1997 that a driver failed to finish both races.

It's just a long day. It's just a really long day. It starts very early in Indy, your first meetings are at 8:30, 9:00 in the morning or something. When you think about from then to when this Coke 600 is done at the end of the night, it's 11:15 p.m. at the earliest probably. It's just a really long day of work," Larson said to Fox News Digital.

"So to me, it takes more mental stamina than anything, but it's still really cool to compete in two of the biggest races in the world, the pageantry that goes along with it and all of that."

Larson's journey in trying the double will be featured in an Amazon Prime Video documentary, "Kyle Larson vs. The Double," to be released next week.

"It's a cool experience, number one, but I think also, just to give the fans an inside perspective of what it takes to prepare for the Indy 500, learning something new, but also what it takes to try and be ready to compete in 1,100 miles of racing in one day with the Indy 500 and Coke 600," Larson said of the documentary.

"Also to show people my journey of my upbringing and my love for racing and all that, but also to showcase how difficult it was, the stress, the emotions, everything that went along with trying to attempt to complete it and not being able to. I think it captured all the stuff that you need for a good film, the drama and emotion and everything else."

Admittedly, Larson did not want to go through all those emotions while watching it back, but he's glad he did.

"It was honestly really cool for me to live back and see where my head was at in all of it. You forgot how stressed I was. So it was just good to relive that..." he said.

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"It was cool just to see my family videos from when I was really young to my kids, because they have filmed me for like three years before," Larson continued. "So even to see my kids as smaller versions of themselves right now, seeing how their personalities are different even today than they were back then is great. There were some memories that were not the most fun to live through in the moment, but I had no problem going through it again because it was cool."

"It was a lot of fun and very interesting and a part of putting a deal and a business deal together that was great experience for me and for Hendrick (Motorsports) and for Kyle and to be able to document all that," added Jeff Gordon, who is featured in the documentary as the co-owner of Larson's team. "It's only been done less than a handful of times. This goes to show you why because it is a very difficult thing. You got to have a lot of things really all align. It's very easy for them not to, as a lot of people will witness through this documentary. But at the same time, I'm so glad we were a part of it and a part of Kyle's journey and that we documented it."

So, is the double in the cards for the future? Unlikely.

"Just 30 minutes of rain can just derail it, so that was just tough to live through. You never say never on trying to do the Indy 500 again someday but as long as I'm a full-time NASCAR driver I just won't be able to (attempt the double)," he said. "And if I never get to run the Indy 500 again, I'm perfectly fine with that as well."

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But Larson got paid back after going through hell on back-to-back Memorial Day Weekends.

"I got repaid with a Brickyard and championship," the reighing NASCAR Cup Series winner said.

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Katherine Legge aims to become first woman to complete the most daunting task in motorsports

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:49:26 -0400

Katherine Legge will attempt to race her way into the history books later this month by becoming the first woman to complete the infamous NASCAR-IndyCar "Double."

For those who don't know, that's when a driver competes in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Both events are held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

Only five drivers have attempted "The Double," which includes running 1,100 miles in one day. Tony Stewart is the only one to complete all 1,100 miles, finishing sixth at Indy in 2001, and third at Charlotte.

John Andretti, Robbie Gordon, Kurt Busch and, most recently, Kyle Larson are the other four drivers to attempt it. Larson missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600 in 2024 because the Indy 500 was delayed due to rain. He crashed out of both events last season.

NASCAR STAR RYAN BLANEY TALKS INTEREST IN COMPLETING ONE OF TOUGHEST CHALLENGES IN RACING

Katherine Legge made her NASCAR debut last season

Legge, 45, is no stranger to either series. She made her NASCAR Cup Series debut last season, with a season-best finish of 17th at the Brickyard 400. Legge made her eighth career Cup start last weekend at Watkins Glen, finishing 35th. She's finished 30th or worse in six of her eight races.

This will be her fifth Indy 500, with a career-best finish of 22nd in the 2012 race.

"It’s meticulously organized down to the minute," Legge told USA Today. "I just have to turn left a bunch of times that day. Hopefully there's no weather issues. We'll be all over the place."

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Legge's attempt at "The Double" comes 50 years after Janet Guthrie became the first woman to run practice laps at Indy. She failed to qualify for that year's event, but quickly turned her attention to the World 600, traveling to Charlotte and finishing 15th in the race.

The following year, she became the first woman to race in both the Daytona 500 and Indy 500.

Danica Patrick, of course, is the most recent — and most successful — woman to compete in both forms of racing. Patrick famously finished third in the 2009 Indy 500, and also started on the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500.

Patrick retired after the 2018 Daytona 500 and was the last woman to compete in the Cup Series until Legge made her debut last season. She never attempted "The Double."

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"It seems like there's nobody waiting in the wings ready to take on that mantra," Legge continued. "How many years out are we from having the next me? There's a couple of girls in the Truck Series that I don't think have what it takes to get there. We need to develop the next generation so that I can hand over the baton, so to say.

"But unfortunately, there seems to be this big gap these days. And it's on the IndyCar side, the open-wheel side and on the NASCAR side."

Bubba Wallace has tense pit road confrontation, NASCAR fans rip female driver & Sam Busch goes cowgirl!

Mon, 11 May 2026 08:43:05 -0400

Another wasted road race for the NASCAR Cup Series. Just a giant waste of time and breath. You finally have a little momentum during a season that's been, frankly, boring, and you just piss it all away by going to a road course.

Nothing against road courses, of course. They're fine. They used to be fun. Now, they're the ultimate snoozer.

Shane Van Gisbergen won, again, Sunday at Watkins Glen. Let me rephrase that ... SVG was 29 seconds back after a late pit stop, and still won the race ... by seven seconds. That's how dominant he was.

Nobody else stood a chance. SVG's the purest road racer the Cup Series has ever seen. There, I said it. It's him, and THEN Boris Said.

But now, SVG will go back to the middle of the pack until late June when the fellas head to San Diego and then Sonoma. Good seeing you, SVG! Have a nice vacation.

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What else do y'all wanna hit on today? Again, it wasn't the most exciting automobile race ever, but we'll cobble something together.

I've got Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell exchanging pleasantries after the race. How does that sound? I've also got Cody Ware in an insane crash, Amazon Prime is on deck, and Natalie Decker had a GREAT run down in the Truck series over the weekend.

And by that, I mean she was so horrifically slow, she was basically ejected from the race 20 laps in. Amazing. Impressive, really.

Four tires, just a splash of fuel because I need to be able to afford dinner later, and maybe a towel for the rest of the field after SVG wiped the floor with them all day ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the "SVG dominated another road course, so we're going to have to dig deep for content today" edition — is LIVE!

Is SVG good or bad for NASCAR?

Look, it's impressive. I'm not going to sit here and dump on SVG because he's that much better than everyone else on a road course. Look at that drive through the field. Yes, he was on fresher tires, but still ... I don't think anyone else could do it. They certainly couldn't do it that quickly.

But is it good for NASCAR? Is Shane Van Gisbergen dominating every single road course good for a sport that A) has a lot of road races on the schedule, and B) is struggling with Mr. Nielsen this season?

If this was Jeff Gordon — and by the way, it was for a period in the '90s — it would be fine, right? If this were an Earnhardt or a Gordon or an Elliott, it would all be ham and eggs, I assume.

But, it's not. It's a relatively new and unknown driver to the series who comes from a very different racing background and a much different part of the world, and he's now torching the rest of the field a few times a year while struggling on the ovals and speedways.

He provides some incredible moments on road race weeks, and then sort of goes invisible for the next handful of months until the next road course.

I personally don't think it's good for NASCAR, at all. I don't want to take anything away from SVG (which is what folks say when they want to take something away), but I'm firmly in that camp. It makes the races boring. I have a feeling Sunday's race at Watkins Glen is going to do abysmal numbers. Maybe I'll be wrong. I doubt it, though.

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I'd also venture to say that I'm in the majority on this one, which isn't usually the case with my NASCAR opinions. I just don't think folks love SVG boat-racing the rest of the field.

Bubba and Christopher have a chat

I could go on and on. Trust me. And yes, there are plenty of folks with the obligatory, "You have to appreciate greatness!" line. I get that, too.

But come on. Until SVG wins a race outside a road course, I don't think he's going to resonate with anyone. Hell, he doesn't even have to win one. Just sniff a win on a regular track. Just "be there at the end," as DW used to say. And then, we'll talk.

Until then? Eh. I don't think he's moving the needle for the casual fan, no matter how impressive the drive is.

OK, let's move on ... to someone who DOES move the needle for the NASCAR folks: Bubba Wallace!

OutKick and Fox News fan-favorite, Bubba Wallace!

Ware's wreck, Natalie's short day & Sam Busch goes country

So, Bubba's spotter says he wasn't mad, but nobody knows anything beyond that? Seems odd to me. Bubba, by the way, was actually wrecked later in the race by John Hunter Nemechek.

Perhaps he got JHN and Christopher Bell mixed up? Lord knows I have before:

I'm kidding. Relax. Nobody ever confuses two white NASCAR drivers!

In any event, Bubba finished 29th at Watkins Glen, which I'm sure most of you are just distraught over. Chin up! Bubba will be back up front in no time!

OK, let's put the pedal to the floor and shift this second-Monday-of-May into high gear. First up? For some reason, NASCAR didn't throw a late caution for this Cody Ware wreck.

I know Cody wrecks A LOT, but ... this one seemed worthy of a yellow:

NASCAR either A) missed it, or B) saw it was Cody Ware and refused to stop another race for Cody Ware. I'm going to assume it's the second one, because that's more fun.

And yes, I know, Fox didn't show the wreck. Spare me the emails. I ain't bringing it up, for obvious reasons. For those who truly hate the production, Sunday's All-Star race at Dover will be the final Fox broadcast of the year.

We move to Amazon Prime for the next five races before TNT and USA Network take over for all July and August. It'll be nice to hear Dale Jr. again. Sad to lose Mike Joy.

Next? Let's give the minor league series' some love on the way out! Natalie Decker had a great day at Watkins Glen!

Amazing. Coming in last and having a "too slow" next to your name on the official stat sheet has to be just humiliating. Natalie, to be fair, blamed the lack of speed on an electrical issue in both practice, qualifying and the race.

Seems like something you'd think they'd get figured out before the green flag drops, but whatever. Nothing a little nicotine lipper won't fix:

Incredible. Where do we stand on women who pack nicotine pouches? Do we think Natalie actually does this? Lord knows I use them a dozen times a day, but I also assume I'm more of the target audience.

Anyway, that's our big question of the week. Where do we stand on women who dip? It's a weird question, admittedly, but I'm also having to dig deep because SVG is still lapping the field this morning. It ain't easy.

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OK, let's go ahead and head off into the middle-week-of-May with Sam Busch channeling her inner Ella Langley for reasons unknown.

See you at Dover!

Tony Danza rolled a go-kart while racing NASCAR great Rusty Wallace 21 years ago today

Sat, 09 May 2026 17:56:25 -0400

Have you ever had something pop into your head and struggled to remember if it actually happened? You're not sure if it was something that the clump of brain matter in your noggin just cooked it up on its own.

Well, that was me with the time Tony Danza rolled a go-kart while racing Rusty Wallace, but sure enough, it happened exactly 21 years ago.

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So, you may recall — or have perhaps blocked it out like some kind of childhood trauma — but Tony Danza, the star of shows like "Taxi" and "Who's The Boss?", had a daytime talk show that ran from 2004 to 2006.

It was called "The Tony Danza Show," which was also the name of a 1997 sitcom that ran for just five episodes.

It was not stellar. Unless your idea of stellar is hearing Tony talk about his daughter's spelling test at school or making linguine and clams, in which case it kicked ass.

However, on one fateful day — May 9, 2005 — the show aired what is by far the most memorable moment of its entire run.

Danza had NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace on the show, and of course, being a cookie-cutter daytime talk show, they decided to have the two race go-karts.

BRAD PITT STILL 'BITTER' ABOUT DECADES-OLD COMPETITION WITH TOM CRUISE

Had that gone off without a hitch, it would've been forgotten.

But there was a big, barrel-rolling hitch that made it very memorable.

You'd think a guy with taxi-driving experience would be a bit better behind the wheel.

For years, I had this memory of seeing the promo for this, but I would wonder, "Did that happen or did I imagine it?"

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Of course, I hoped it was real because it is so hilarious. Also, I'd be really concerned if my wandering brain, when left to its own devices, started writing its own Tony Danza/NASCAR crossover fan fiction.

Fortunately, Tony came out of that one unscathed, and even more fortunately, the internet has kept it alive for over two decades.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. buries mouthy NASCAR fan who attempted to insult his intelligence

Sat, 09 May 2026 07:56:17 -0400

Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver 15 years in a row from 2003-17, knows a thing or two about how to win the award.

That's usually how it works when ... you win something 15 (!!!) years in a row. If I did something 15 times in a row, I would assume I'd be pretty darn good at it by the fourth or fifth year. At least by the tenth. Lord knows I'd be unstoppable come Year 15.

Anyway, Junior retired after the 2017 Cup season, officially handing the reins over to Chase Elliott, who has won the award every year for the past decade. He's pretty good, too, but not quite up to Junior's level ... yet.

As for Dale, he's now a car owner, and, more importantly, an Internet security guard when it comes to all things NASCAR.

He's not afraid to get down in the trenches when someone gets a little sassy, and that's exactly what happened this week when one fan got a little mouthy about this year's race for most popular driver.

NASCAR DRIVERS RICKY STENHOUSE JR, CARSON HOCEVAR GET INTO ALTERCATION AFTER MEXICO CITY RACE

The discussion centered around Carson Hocevar — who recently won his first career Cup race at Talladega — and whether he could realistically unseat Elliott if he had the backing of YouTuber-turned-ARCA-star, Cleetus McFarland.

Take a look:

NASCAR's most popular driver is pretty locked in on two families

Dale: "Cleatus would have to campaign on social daily to make it competitive."

Internet troll: "You don’t know that. You’re just dismissing him and it’s clear the disrespect you have based on the way you spelled Cleetus wrong on purpose. I’ll reiterate that u don’t know bc the numbers ain’t released publicly."

Dale: "I won it 15 times and have a pretty solid understanding of how it works."

Game, set, match. Forget the checkered ... wave the white flag! It's over. Another win for an Earnhardt, this time in 2026.

BUBBA WALLACE TRIGGERS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WRECKS IN NASCAR HISTORY, 'DEGA LAP DANCES & COWBOY PILLOW GIRLS!

Again, Dale Jr. won the award 15 times. In fact, the history of NASCAR's most popular driver is actually quite insane. Since the 1980s, it's been dominated by either an Earnhardt or an Elliott. That's pretty much it.

Bill Elliott won the award a record 16 times (84-88, 91-2000, 2002). Dale Earnhardt won it in 2001, the same year he tragically died in the Daytona 500. Elliott won it once more the following year, and then Earnhardt Jr. locked it down for the next 15 seasons.

DALE EARNHARDT JR THREATENS TO LEAVE NASCAR OVER DISGUSTING ELECTRIC CAR RUMOR

So, yes — Dale Jr. knows a thing or two about how to win. No, he probably didn't have to do much campaigning on social media, as he suggests, back in the day. Partly because social media didn't really exist when he drove, and partly because he's Dale Earnhardt Jr. and he was always going to win the award as long as he drove.

BUT, he's now a car owner. He's been in the sport for a decade post-retirement, and knows how it works. In fact, a JR Motorsports driver has won the award every year since 2012 down in the Xfinity Series.

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So, yes, Dale knows how to win this award. If he says Carson Hocevar needs to campaign daily for the next seven months to win it, I'd listen. Or don't.

Personally, I don't think another driver wins until Chase Elliott retires, anyway.

NASCAR sends dangerous message with latest penalty that has fans fuming: shut up and drive

Wed, 06 May 2026 13:09:32 -0400

NASCAR sent out a loud message with their most recent wrist-slapping this week: Keep quiet, and you can do whatever you want.

Officials handed down their weekly penalties Tuesday after Sunday's contentious race at Texas, and, yes, we did have a driver penalized, fined, and docked points.

It just wasn't the one most fans expected.

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Ryan Preece was docked 25 points and fined $50,000 for his ... incident ... with Ty Gibbs during the race. For those who missed it, Preece was furious with Gibbs during a caution in the middle of the race, unleashing an all-time radio rant aimed at the 23-year-old:

"What a [expletive] idiot that kid is. He is so lucky his car is so [expletive] fast. … All right, when I get to that 54, I’m done with him. [Expletive] idiot."

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A man of his word, Preece did end up wrecking Gibbs.

NASCAR had to penalize Preece after that, right?

Yikes. Not great!

Which brings us to Kyle Busch — who was really ticked off Sunday. First, at Carson Hocevar. Next, at John Hunter Nemechek. Busch appeared to take Nemechek out on the final lap of the race, sending his No. 8 Chevy hard into JHN in Turn 3 and sending him spinning to the wall.

The video went viral, and the two eventually bickered about it on social media later Sunday night. Busch, a two-time Cup champ, was left off Tuesday's penalty report, and NASCAR's Mike Forde later explained why.

"We do look at all available resources, whether that’s the video, in-car audio, SMT data," Forde said on the "Hauler Talk" podcast. "And really what this came down to is … (Preece) said what he said, and then he did what he said."

"And so in our view," according to Forde, "It was intentionally wrecking another vehicle."

Forde later added that Busch didn't say anything on the radio about wrecking Nemechek. That, along with the SMT data that was "inconclusive," according to NASCAR, kept Busch's bank account safe this week.

Naturally, that's a tricky message to send. It's a potentially dangerous one.

The video of Busch's crash went viral because it looked so bad. Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick said as much on the broadcast. Fans went nuts on social media. If anyone was going to get docked points and be forced to send NASCAR a big, fat check this week, it was going to be Kyle Busch, right?

Except, he didn't say anything over the radio. Ryan Preece did. And NASCAR is basically saying, as long as you shut up and drive, you can get away with a lot.

Fans were quick to point that out, by the way:

So, where do we stand on this?

NASCAR, to be fair, was put in somewhat of a tough spot here. You had a driver (Preece) go on a Hall of Fame radio rant basically saying he was going to wreck the kid. And then, he did it. I'm not sure how you don't penalize him after that.

But had he just stayed quiet, would he have gotten away with it? Sure seems like it, given Kyle Busch — being the savvy veteran he is — did just that.

I've long said that NASCAR drivers usually do a good job of policing themselves on the track. Lord knows that's how it used to work. New data, readily available from the cars, makes that a bit trickier. What do we think Dale Earnhardt's data would've looked like at Bristol in 1999? Bet Terry Labonte would've loved to see it!

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But it sounds like as long as that data is inconclusive, and as long as you keep quiet on the radio, the series is OK with letting it still play out.

Fair? Foul? Let me know!

NASCAR's viral star Natalie Decker has a new nicotine pouch deal and truck to drive, Topanga turns 45 & more

Wed, 06 May 2026 09:11:33 -0400

Two weeks after finding a ride for the Talladega O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race, TikTok and Instagram star Natalie Decker broke news Tuesday that she's found a truck to drive for this upcoming weekend's truck race at Watkins Glen. This will be the first time since 2020 that she's raced in the truck series.

Add in a new nicotine pouch deal that Decker, 28, promoted on Monday and it's turning into a massive moment for one of the most recognizable female names in racing. Oh, and she found a Maryland-based bagel and brunch restaurant to sponsor her ride in Watkins Glen and at Dover on May 15.

Just when it looked like Decker's 15 minutes of fame were over in racing, she's BACK. After completing her two-race deal with the bagel shop, Decker will have raced four times this year, which is the most action she's seen behind the wheel since 2021.

Quick hitters of things that are on my mind this morning

• Be honest, do you find yourself slipping and turning on Screamin' A. Smith to see what he has to say on a topic? I get that Screencaps readers aren't the targeted demo outside of anything Mike Greenberg appears on, but, still, it feels like ESPN would be MTV if it didn't have football.

• My Reds are in big trouble. They went on the road against the NL Central and have now lost five straight, the closer is out with a torn hamstring and the bats have quieted down. If there's anything positive to report, it's that they're still four games over .500 and the Astros (6-13 on the road) are coming to town over Mother's Day weekend.

• Did you guys see we're closing in on a 24-team CFB playoff? I don't know where this all goes other than the destruction of mid-majors because I can guarantee you they WILL NOT be invited to a made-for-TV playoff where ratings are on the line. We're heading for two conferences – B1G & SEC – and NFL-like programming where you'll have Michigan playing Alabama in the middle of the season or Ohio State on the road to Ole Miss on October 28. SEC teams will still play SEC teams, but there will be cross-overs. It's coming guys. The TV dollars would be too high for these schools to pass up.

• I think the track season ends tonight. Thank God. I really enjoy watching Screencaps Jr. and his buddies compete, but there are something like 200 kids on his school's boys and girls teams. These meets are taking 4 to 4 1/2 hours. I'm not kidding. Monday night, the event started at 4:30 and ended after 8:30 and we had a 40-minute drive home. Give me cross country season over this hell that I'm living.

ARE PEOPLE WHO PARK ON STREETS FACING THE WRONG WAY THE WORST PEOPLE ON EARTH?

E-bikes and Costner movies

– Chris W. in California writes: Reading your article about e-bikes brought to mind two recent events that have been in the news here in the land of the overtaxed involving e-bikes and the like, both of which give me at least a small glimmer of hope for this Godforsaken state.

The first involves an idiot teen that killed a Vietnam vet while doing dumb shit on a way overpowered e-bike. Apparently the teen and the mother who allowed him to operate the bike had been warned in the past and as such the Orange County D.A. is coming down hard on both of them, throwing everything possible in the book at not only the teen but most importantly the mother, holding her responsible for her son's negligence.

The second involves a bike, motorcycle, ATV (?) takeover of the Bay Bridge up North. The CHP and local PDs became aware of what was going on and closed off both ends of the bridge effectively trapping all the dumbasses. A bunch of them ran off, a few of them tried to jump in the water and all of the vehicles were confiscated and impounded.

It's wonderful to see some law and order meted out! Since the first incident took place in Orange County, where they tend to actually try to enforce the law the D.A.'s actions aren't as surprising, but the fact that law enforcement was actually able to do their job up in the area that Newscum drove into the ground before he started doing the same to the state offers the smallest bit of light in the eternal darkness that idiot has cast across the Golden State.

Also, a few days ago one of your readers chimed in with his top 5 Kevin Costner movies. I'm surprised this didn't cause more discourse. Here's my take:

Silverado (Costner is super young and has this batshit crazy energy, plus this is one of the best Western's of all time.)
The Untouchables.
Field of Dreams
Bull Durham
J.F.K.

Screencaps reader retires from his job, but his role of being a dad will never end

– Doug in Mason shares his story: First time, long time. I found Outkick at the beginning of the PLANdemic as I was sick and tired of the woke bs on ESPN. Been a fan ever since. SC is a daily must. You gave me something to look forward to at lunch when I was working my 8-5 job. I have been retired for about a month after working 32 years at a lighting manufacturer and it continues to be a must read. And no, I am not bored! Far from it and that's why I'm writing.

Regarding Do Hard Things, not sure if I have seen this subject come up, but I was wondering if there are any fellow SC'ers who are caretakers for their special needs sons or daughters? My wife had twins (boy/girl) in 2004, and they were delivered 3 months premature. Olivia had a few minor issues and was in the NICU for about 2 months. Today she is a happy, healthy college graduate (Go Bearcats!) and will be a high school teacher in the fall. (Our oldest son is in medical school at OSU). But Joey wasn't so lucky. He had a LOT of issues and was in the NICU for 5 months. With help from some doctor errors (won't bore you with the long story), Joey was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and does not walk or talk and is confined to a wheelchair. Our entire life turned upside down.

My wife and I have been his 24/7 caretakers for 22 years now. My wife could be an RN at this point. She is the CEO of Joey. Taking care of him is not for the faint of heart. But through the blood, sweat and (many) tears, he is a survivor---and so are we! There are no off days. When we're sick--too bad---we still have Joey to take care of. He loves TV and has his favorite animated shows he watches daily. But our saving grace is that he loves watching football. Notre Dame on Saturdays and Bengals on Sundays. But really, his face lights up when ANY football game is on. On Football Saturdays it's GameDay and Big Noon Kickoff. He will watch the Combine and the Draft from beginning to end. Wish he was a Reds fan like his dad, but for some reason, he grunts when I turn baseball on and wants me to change the channel!

NFL'S PUSH FOR GROWTH IS INEXORABLE AT EXPENSE OF FANS AND AMID AN 'EXISTENTIAL THREAT'

Now that I'm retired, Joe and I go on daily walks and I take him on my trips to Costco, Kroger and wherever the day takes us. We go to family parties and weddings but it's a challenge. My wife works from home so having me home is a huge burden lifted off her shoulders. We have taken Joe with us on our annual vacations, but now it's getting to be too much as we age so we need to start looking at respite care facilities. The point of this long gospel---being a caretaker is the epitome of 'doing hard things.' IYKYK. But I can't stress this enough-- the smile on Joey's face when I walk through the door is worth all the drama. Can't imagine life without him. So--are there other SC fans out there who are in similar situations?

Kinsey: I cannot stress enough how grounding this column can be for me. Working on the Internet can be a very odd place where there are days people will scream at me over and over and over via email and then along comes a message like this from Doug.

It resets my brain to remember that there's a real world out there where people are dealing with bigger issues than I've ever had to deal with. There are people with real struggles who have to get out of bed every single day to handle what Doug and his wife tackle.

MORNING GLORY: LEGACY MEDIA DIDN’T LOSE READERS, IT DROVE THEM AWAY

These people are what I consider to be the backbone of this country.

NBA championship question

– Jase wants to know: Of the teams that are left, who do you like to play for and win the NBA Championship?

Kinsey: If you remember, I'm on record saying how much I respect the way the Detroit Pistons play the game. I think it was November when I wrote about the topic. But, that said, I have a very long-standing tradition of NOT watching the NBA until mid-May. It's not mid-May, so I haven't watched more than 5-10 minutes of the playoffs and that was pretty much on accident when I hit the wrong YouTube TV button. Give me the Pistons.

#################

That is it this morning. Enjoy those marathon track meets. Enjoy those baseball games. The sun is out and life goes on for another day, at least. Let's go make the most of it.

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Have a great Wednesday.

Numbers from :

Stuff You Guys Sent In & Stuff I Like :

Kyle Busch turns nasty during violent NASCAR race, F-bombs fly in wild radio rant & spectators wreck!

Mon, 04 May 2026 08:49:18 -0400

Chase Elliott might be back. Kyle Busch might be toast. John Hunter Nemechek was finally relevant for an actual NASCAR race and got mauled over by a demon. And Ryan Preece went on the rant of the century over Ty Gibbs.

How'd you spend YOUR Sunday afternoon?!

Goodness gracious. Everyone left Texas mad. Just ... angry. Pure, raw, unedited anger. Sure, I could make the joke about everything being hotter in Texas right here, but I won't. We don't need any low-hanging fruit today. We've got plenty to fill our plate as it is.

Let's get to filling.

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We'll get to Chase, because NASCAR's Most Popular Driver may just be regaining his 2020-22 form. If that's the case, look out. Good for ratings, though!

We'll obviously get to Kyle Busch and JHN. Those two couldn't stop bumping into each other yesterday, and then it got analytical after the race. You'll see.

Along the way, we're gonna go on an F-bomb rampage with Ryan Preece, check out the Colorado Nationals because that event seems ELECTRIC, and then end the day with Kennedy Mosley defending her man.

Sound good? Good!

Four tires, enough fuel to get us to Watkins Glen even though it's May and NASCAR shouldn't be racing there in May, and maybe a beer or 10 for JHN and Kyle Busch ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'Everyone Hates Everyone!' edition — is live!

Kyle Busch vs. JHN, who ya got?!

Boy howdy, what a DAY at Texas. As I said, Chase Elliott might be back. We'll get to Chase here in a bit, but this wasn't a gas mileage win or a superspeedway win. This was different. This felt different. And, frankly, it should be a wake-up call for the rest of the garage.

But first, we're obviously gonna start the week with Kyle Busch and John Hunter Nemechek. Front Row Joe's son! Boy oh boy, was he put through the wringer on Sunday. Anyone who has to go up against Kyle Busch this season better be prepared for war, because Rowdy seems awfully close to that breaking point.

As an aside, Kyle did turn 41 over the weekend, so there's that. Happy birthday, Kyle!

Now, let's get to the video ...

Strap in:

Perhaps we should've seen it coming ...

Thoughts? Impressions?

I'm gonna be honest here ... I think I'm with John Hunter. And I'm usually pro-Kyle Busch. I'm always pro-Sam Busch. But I just don't know how you can watch that video and think this was an accident. It wasn't. Come on.

I know Kyle can't just come out and say it because that could make NASCAR's ears perk up just a bit, but he should just come out and say it.

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The video is damning. Listen to Kevin and Clint in the booth. They've both been there before. Lord knows they've both wrecked someone out of anger. I think Clint and Jeff Gordon are still beating the piss out of each other at Phoenix!

But they know. Maybe John Hunter pinched Kyle down the backstretch. Maybe. That part of that lap isn't as clear to me. Nobody was clear. Kyle went up too far. JHN went down just a tad. Not really sure why they did either. Just stay straight and work it out when you get to Turn 3.

So we can debate who pinched who to start the whole thing off. That's fair game. But after that? To me, it's obvious that Kyle Busch doored the hell out of him ... and then some.

And by the way, even if we decide the 42 came down on Kyle down the backstretch ... is that really a reason to wreck someone ... on the final lap!? You've made it that far, fellas. WHY ruin it now? It just didn't seem like that big of a deal.

Both cars were good yesterday. Let me say that again ... both KYLE BUSCH and JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK had good cars yesterday. Those cars usually stink.

Somehow, they both actually brought good automobiles to a race track, and they were both junked by the end of it.

In hindsight, perhaps we should've seen this one coming from Rowdy ...

Carson Hocevar was nearly his first victim earlier in the day:

Chase is back, Ryan is angry & what an event!

Yeah, clearly, Kyle Busch was just on one yesterday. Don't know why, but he had zero patience from start to finish. Again, I don't really see why he's angry at Carson Hocevar. There are usually plenty of reasons to be pissed at Carson. He can sometimes race like a pissed-off teenager. I get it.

This ... didn't seem like one of those times. Does Kyle Busch not realize you're supposed to race each other in these events? That's sort of the whole point ... to race.

Why did he act so shocked yesterday when other drivers actually raced him and didn't just pull to the side and let him on though? I don't get it.

Anyway, the "we haven't been in the top-10 in three years" line was great. I'm not positive, but I think we also got a "put some ice on your crotch" line at the end, which was also delightful. What a day.

OK, let's all ice our crotches down and rapid-fire this first-Monday-of-May session into a big month. First up? Kyle Busch wasn't the only one in a pissy mood at Texas:

"End of rant."

"Yep, copy that."

"10-4, we're gonna come down and getcha four tires here and start over."

Perfection. No notes. We can go ahead and put Ryan Preece firmly on the "no" side when it comes to Ty Gibbs fans in the garage. Are there any on the "yes" side at this point?

Next? Plenty of Chase Elliott fans ... at least in the stands!

I agree. It's been a down few years for Chase. He's won, sure, but he hasn't been a real threat in quite some time. Hendrick has been sort of quiet all season besides Chase. Remember when William Byron was all the rage last season? We haven't really heard a peep from him this year.

Chase has now won twice over the past few weeks, and this one was pretty dominant. If that teams finds their mojo again ... look out. Frankly, I think they already have.

OK, two more on the way out.

I hate to go back to last week, but I'd like to quickly check in with Christopher Bell on the way out to get his thoughts on the current state of NASCAR's superspeedway package:

Okeeeeeeeeeedokeee! Christopher Bell — NOT a fan of the Next Gen car at 'Dega and Daytona. Gotcha!

I'm sure NASCAR loves him calling it a "suicide mission" too. Great look for the fellas in marketing!

Speaking of wrecks ...

Amazing. Didn't know this was a thing, but I couldn't be more all in. Give me MORE Spectator racing. Please. Inject it into my veins. This is what separates this country from everyone else.

Imagine a European watching that today. They'd be DISGUSTED. Not us. God, I love America.

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OK, that's it for today. Good work to all. Watch out for Kyle Busch on the roads!

Let's go ahead and let JHN's girlfriend, Miss Kentucky's Ken Mosley, take us into the first week of May. It's the right way to end this particular class.

Shawn Langdon breaks NHRA speed record with 345 mph run at South Georgia Motorsports Park

Sat, 02 May 2026 11:21:52 -0400

Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon certainly had the need for speed.

Langdon broke the NHRA’s speed record on Friday during a qualifying run at South Georgia Motorsports Park, reaching 345.00 mph. Brittany Force had the previous record of 343.51 mph, which she set last year in Indianapolis.

Langdon had several runs of 340+ mph in preseason testing, but the 43-year-old said members of the team weren’t sure if the numbers were legit.

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"It was special for the guys," Langdon said. "I was happy for them, especially (crew chief) Brian (Husen). We were able to do that testing, and some people had different ideas on what they thought — if it was legit or not. We kind of talked about it and Brian was like, ‘Well, we’ll just do it in the season to prove it was legit.'"

"It’s also good to be able to do that here, at this new track, in front of these new fans. I knew it was on a good run, but I was actually a little surprised because you don't really notice the mile per hour," Langdon said, according to NHRA.com.

Langdon covered the 1,000-foot track in 3.724 seconds, not far behind Force's record run of 3.623 seconds during that same run in 2025. He entered the weekend second in points, trailing only Doug Kalitta after four events.

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Langdon's record-breaking pass came during the NHRA debut at South Georgia Motorsports Park, one of the newest stops on the drag-racing series' 20-event schedule.

The NHRA added two new tracks to its 2026 schedule, marking the drag-racing series’ first expansion in more than a dozen years. After racing at South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Georgia, the series will run in Mechanicsville, Maryland, for the first time later this month.

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Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, racing his third full season in NHRA's top division, was second in qualifying with a 3.758-second run at 334.40 mph.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Stephen A Smith says he argued with Michael Jordan about whether NASCAR drivers are athletes

Fri, 01 May 2026 21:00:56 -0400

Stephen A. Smith saying that NASCAR drivers are not athletes has been one of my favorite stories for quite some time.

You've got someone giving a demonstrably incorrect hot take, and then just digging their heels in.

It's everything that's both great and terrible about sports media rolled up in a single package.

NASCAR DRIVER WHO WAS LEFT BLOODIED FROM HORRIFYING DAYTONA CRASH HAS HARSH WORDS FOR STEPHEN A. SMITH

But, I thought if there was one person who could break through to Stephen A. and point to the mountain of evidence why NASCAR drivers — and racing drivers in general — are not just athletes, but high-level, highly trained athletes, it would be Michael Jordan.

But I would be mistaken.

Stephen A. has been called out on this take by drivers like Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick, who brought his own in-car fitness tracking info as proof. So, Smith, being the savvy media personality he is, took this to his show.

That's when, according to Awful Announcing, he got a call from his Airness.

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Now, if you didn't know, Jordan is a longtime NASCAR fan and co-owns one of the sport's hottest teams right now, 23XI Racing, with current Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin.

Surely, he could talk some sense into Stephen A.

"You know who wanted to correct me about the NASCAR thing? Michael Jordan," Smith said on his SiriusXM. "Michael Jordan. I argued with him! Because that’s how I feel! I’m being honest. That’s how I feel. That’s all, it’s not a crime. That’s what makes radio and sports talk."

All right, so not at all.

I mean, people are entitled to their opinions, but when someone goes, "Here are several dozen reasons and examples why you're wrong," and you stick to your guns, you're just being difficult.

But remember, it is Stephen A. who is under attack through all of this.

"Don’t you notice what we call the gang mentality?" Smith asked. "Where everybody in my line of work jumps on popular opinion so they are lumped in with the vast majority of people who feel the way they feel? That’s easy. The hard part is, ‘this is where I stand, and I genuinely feel this way, and here’s why.’"

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NASCAR drivers being athletes isn't a popular opinion.

It just is.

MAGA bikini congresswoman sends a message to big brother, Dale Earnhardt turns 75 & MLB fan gets pulverized!

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:35:06 -0400

Whew. Final Hump Day of April. Can you believe it? What a month. We started it with March Madness. We had The Masters. We had the start of baseball season. The NFL Draft. Dianna Russini. Trump was nearly assassinated for the billionth time.

Hell, even OutKick looked different at the beginning of the month. Look at us now! And you all love it!

Yes, I know. There are some complaints. I've heard you. I've passed the messages on. They're working on it. I promise. These things are jarring at first. It takes me twice as long to put this class together now. Brutal stuff.

But, we're getting there. Hang with us. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Summer is nearly here.

Let's roll.

Welcome to a Hump Day Nightcaps — the one where Anna Paulina Luna sends Big Brother a NASTY message for a disgusting new law. You'll see.

What else? I've got a monster fan fight in Texas, ABS doing the Lord's work in Cincinnati, and Apple TV's baseball girl, Tricia Whitaker, turning out to be the coolest college professor this side of the Mississippi. Whatever that means.

Oh yeah! Dale Earnhardt would've turned 75 today. We'll obviously pay our respects because that's what patriots do.

OK, grab you two beers today in honor of Dale, and settle in for a Hump Day 'Cap!

Two beer? No beer!

That story never gets old. I shared it a few months back during Daytona 500 week, but we have some new faces in class nowadays, so I'm going back to the well.

Anyway, Dale would've turned 75 today. It's been 25 years since he died, which is still wild to think about. I often wonder what in the world he'd think about today's version of NASCAR.

How the cars sound
What they look like
Where the numbers are on the side
The "chase" format
The media deals
The TV ratings compared to when he raced
The grandstands

I just can't imagine the things he'd say... and then probably get canceled for. What a legend.

Those were the days.

OK, let's go ahead and get this class going. It's a Hump Day, after all. I've got another gator on the hook outside, so I've got things to go.

Speaking of driving cars... let's check in with how OutKick fan-favorite Anna Paulina Luna likes the DISGUSTING new bill that will put the robots straight inside our cars:

What a FIGHT!

Get 'em, Anna Paulina Luna! I've been on the APL bandwagon for two years now, and she keeps proving me right.

For those who don't know, that's a real law that passed. Like, it's happening. It's coming for us. Frankly, it's already here.

Yes, it's a good thing to get drunk drivers off the road. Duh. Nobody is arguing that. But this is incredible government overreach, right? It also makes me wonder about the future of car companies.

For starters, they're already in trouble with Tesla — and other self-driving cars. Those are the future, like it or not. I don't know how dealerships survive the next 10 years.

And now you have AI controlling the dashboards and watching over you all the time in every new model, beginning next year? If you thought old cars were valuable now, just wait.

I may be able to retire if I hang on to my 2013 F-150 long enough!

Thanks for trying, Anna Paulina. It's all we ask.

OK, let's beat the crap out of each other and move this class along!

Tricia, ABS & streamer get pulverized

If Star Wars taught us anything, it's that you're NEVER going to win a battle if you don't have the high ground. That's Fighting 101. Chirping at someone from the bleachers a row down is a suicide mission.

And how about the guy with the plastic bat? Didn't see that one coming. Credit to this Yankees fan for having the stones to get back up after that, though. I'd probably just act dead. Stay down, avoid the inevitable cameras, pray to God they didn't get my face.

Instead, he just gets back up, still at a major disadvantage, and goes back in for seconds. What a move. Insane.

OK, let's rapid-fire this Hump Day class into a big Hump Day night. First up? I will be the first to admit, I think I was wrong about the ABS stuff:

I was worried about ABS during spring training, mainly because the players just constantly used it. I'm talking four or five times in an INNING. Clearly, that was just preseason stuff, because they've been far more selective during the season. I'm good with it.

I also underestimated moments like THAT. I didn't anticipate the fans getting into it quite like this. Boring game. No drama. 7-2 in the ninth. Normally, we'd all be half asleep. But not in the world of ABS. What else is going to create real drama like that in a meaningless baseball game in April?

Great move, MLB. I take it back. I'm all in.

Next? Let's stick with the baseball and beer theme to end class:

Could you imagine signing up for a course, and walking into class and seeing Tricia Whitaker as your professor? My God. Is Indiana firing on all cylinders right now, or what? Perhaps journalism isn't dead after all!

P.S.: Tricia is a star. Remember where you met her first last year.

As always, we were ahead of the trends.

OK, that's it for today. Good Hump Day. Good end to the month. Here's video of a streamer getting absolutely demolished while walking on the side of the road for charity.

He's fine, by the way. Somehow.

See you tomorrow.

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OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. (roughly, we’re not robots).

What would Dale say about today's NASCAR? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.

New warrants expose chilling, disturbing details in Greg Biffle home burglary

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:39:35 -0400

Three months after security footage showed a suspect break into the family home of the late Greg Biffle, search warrants, obtained by WBTV, paint an even grimmer picture.

According to the outlet, which obtained and reviewed the warrants this week, not only were "hundreds of thousands of dollars" stolen from the Biffle home after the family died in a plane crash just before Christmas, but it might have been an inside job.

Furthermore, the warrants allege that family bank accounts were compromised before the break-in, including at least one fraudulent check being cashed from an account tied to Biffle’s business interests.

"There are multiple suspects over multiple states. We can’t say they’re not connected, but we’re still investigating," Iredell County detectives told WBTV.

NASCAR LEGEND REFLECTS ON GREG BIFFLE'S TRAGIC DEATH: 'I GET SICKER AND SICKER'

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Greg Biffle situation gets worse by the day

I mean, goodness gracious. What a disgusting story all around. What world are we living in? Seriously. And here's the real kicker: Authorities believe several people in Biffle and wife Cristina Grossu’s "inner circle" are involved.

Names are currently being withheld because no charges have been made.

Again, it's a disgusting, brutal story all around. I don't even love revisiting it, because Biffle's death last December was one of the darkest days in NASCAR in a long, loooooong time.

Biffle, Cristina and their two children were all killed in a plane crash on Dec. 18. The plane, owned by Biffle, experienced issues right after takeoff and crashed a short time later as it attempted to return to Statesville Regional Airport. The former NASCAR driver was 55.

Less than a month later, Biffle's home was burglarized, and a reported $30,000 was stolen. A family friend was allegedly staying at the house, and called 911 when she noticed the doors inside the house had been kicked in.

According to WBTV, detectives frame both the alleged fraud and the break-in as potentially coordinated and reliant on insider knowledge of the couple’s accounts and routines.

Biffle raced in the Cup Series from 2003-16, winning 19 times over 13 seasons — including six times in 2005. His notable wins include the 2005 Southern 500 and the 2003 Pepsi 400 at Daytona.

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He won the Xfinity Series championship in 2002 and the Truck Series title in 2000, making him the first driver to win a title in both series.

Biffle finished in the top 10 in points six times, and was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers a few years back.

Stephen A Smith escalates feud with NASCAR with insufferable two-word suggestion

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:28:08 -0400

Stephen A. Smith is confused that NASCAR drivers are angry at him because he mocked them last week in one of his predictable podcast rants.

Weird, I know. I can't believe they'd fire back after that! I figured they'd just stay quiet because, after all, it's Stephen A. Smith. Precious, popular, untouchable Stephen A. Smith.

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For those who missed it, the "First Take" host hopped on his little podcast and took a dump on NASCAR drivers after one caller insisted Richard Petty belonged in some sort of discussion he was having about LeBron James.

Yes, Stephen A. was talking about LeBron. Stunning.

"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith told Jay from Greensboro. "I’m being honest, it’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same. You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud. A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete."

It's not a new debate, by the way. This comes up every few years, and everyone gets all flustered every few years. I've seen it a dozen times in my life.

Anyway, Joey Logano — also known as a two-time Cup champion and future Hall of Famer — stuffed Stephen A. in a locker last weekend at Talladega, saying he only made those comments because he needed to stay relevant.

I thought it was a relatively obvious retort given that's all these podcasters do. They say things to get clicks. That's the name of the game.

Stephen A., however, did NOT share the same sentiment on his show last night (starts at the 11-minute mark):

Joey Logano and Stephen A. Smith are both right, unfortunately

"Let me speak directly to Mr. Joey Logano, I don’t know you from a can of paint. Why can’t I just have an opinion about NASCAR? Why do I have to be doing it to stay relevant? My television show has been No. 1 in the morning for 14 straight years. I’m on television and radio and my career spans 30 years.

"Check the news. Google me. I don’t have that concern. I’ve been blessed by God enough not to have that concern ... Do I look like somebody that needs to be relevant? I am relevant."

I mean, what a response! What a battle we have brewing between Stephen A. Smith and the NASCAR world. Certainly didn't see this one coming, but I'm glad we're here.

Look, I think both guys are probably right here, which is a boring stance to take, I know. But, it's the one I'm taking.

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Joey Logano is right in saying that Stephen A. just says stuff to say it. Duh. That's been his shtick for over a decade now. Nobody flip-flops more than Stephen A. Smith. The dude has attempted to get into politics for the past 18 months, and it's been laughable.

The way he walks into a "big" NBA game like he owns the place and all eyes are on him gets me every time. He really does think the world just loves him.

And, he's also sort of right. Look at what I'm writing about today. This is the SECOND time I've written about this in the past week. The guy does get clicks. He does move the needle. Like it or not, it's true. The data says it's true. Fair is fair, and I have to listen to the data on this one.

There's a reason "First Take" is one of the very few shows at insufferable ESPN that has survived all the turnover. People watch it.

I don't, because I value my sanity, but plenty of folks do.

Now, the whole "Google me" shtick is so exhausting. That's where Stephen A. loses me. People who throw that line out there are usually pretty intolerable. There is nothing worse than a self-righteous Big J journalist. Nothing. It's pathetic, and, frankly, embarrassing.

You can give us the facts without following up with "Google me." We gotcha, Stephen A. We know. We hear you. Trust us, we always hear you.

You never shut up!

Anyway, the truth is that most of Stephen A.'s audience doesn't know Joey Logano, and most of Joey Logano's audience doesn't know Stephen A.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Frankly, I think they should just play a game of one-on-one and hash it out on the court.

My money is on Joey!

Kevin Harvick shoves Stephen A. Smith in a locker for saying NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:22:13 -0400

Stephen A. Smith dropped an all-time uninformed take recently when he said that golfers and NASCAR drivers didn't count as athletes.

It's insane on both counts, but especially when it comes to NASCAR drivers or racing drivers in general, and NASCAR great Kevin Harvick has a prime example of why.

On the last episode of SPEED on Fox, hosted by Harvick and the voice of IndyCar, Will Buxton,

"Here's the deal with Stephen A. Smith: this guy has no clue about racing," Harvick said. "And I don't mind people criticizing our sport or our drivers or our people, but if you don't know anything about racing, just keep your opinion to yourself because you shouldn't even have an opinion if you don't know anything about a sport."

NASCAR DRIVER WHO WAS LEFT BLOODIED FROM HORRIFYING DAYTONA CRASH HAS HARSH WORDS FOR STEPHEN A. SMITH

Now, I think those comments Stephen A. made it pretty damn clear that he has no idea what he's talking about, but Harvick told a story that shows just how off the mark he was.

He said that he was starting to get serious about his fitness and asked the people at Polar, a company that makes fitness trackers and smartwatches, to hook him up with a watch to wear while in the car.

"I did the first event, and I think I burned 3,200 calories," he said. "It's a 500-mile race, so you're in the car for a long time, hot day, (we) didn't have a lot of cautions that day.

"They called me the next week, and they said, 'Hey, we're going to send you another watch, there's something wrong with that watch. We think we got a bad reading, so you're just a race driver, there's no way you're expending that much energy.'

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

At the next race, Harvick burned 2,400 calories thanks to a few more cautions.

"So the guy from Polar calls me, and he says, 'Hey, you know, the first one is correct, the second one confirmed everything that we had going on,'" Harvick recalled. "'The only thing that we see with that much of a calorie burn or constant heart rate are marathon runners,' and he was totally caught off guard."

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It just goes to show how misinformed some people are about racing.

Which is fine, but maybe keep your comments about it to yourself.

Bubba Wallace triggers one of the biggest wrecks in NASCAR history, 'Dega lap dances & Cowboy Pillow girls!

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:18:39 -0400

What a week for NASCAR. I'm not sure if it's was good, bad, or indifferent, but it was ... something. It was certainly newsy. Certainly not boring.

You can call the sport a lot of things after this past week. "Boring" ain't one of them. And, if you ask insufferable Stephen A. Smith, "sport" ain't one of them, either! We'll get into it.

Carson Hocevar became another first-time Cup winner Sunday at Talladega. I can unequivocally say that Carson winning was good for NASCAR. Let's get that out of the way right off the bat. In a week where the sport experienced major turnover, and turned a major eye towards the future, it got a much-needed kick in the pants with a guy like Carson Hocevar winning.

NASCAR has needed a face for a while now. Chase Elliott was supposed to be the guy, but that ship sailed a long time ago. Denny Hamlin doesn't have a lot of years left. Kyle Busch is very clearly past his prime. Bubba Wallace ... well, forget that. It ain't gonna be Bubba, although I would LOVE to see that fallout.

I've banged on the Hocevar drum for a year now. Some kids just have it. Carson has it. We'll get into that, too.

What else? I've got The Big One at Talladega, which I'm fairly certain deserves an even bigger name. That HAD to be up there in terms of biggest crashes in NASCAR history. I've never seen anything quite like it.

I've also got Jim France stepping down, Steve O'Donnell stepping in and the greatest sponsor in NASCAR history — Cowboy Pillows — is BACK! What a moment.

OK, four tires, enough fuel to get us to Texas, and maybe a couple more tow-trucks to help finish cleaning up yesterday's mess ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'Is There Anyone Even Left?' edition — is LIVE!

Who do we blame here?

Let's spin the wheel today and start with ... the chaos! It's the final Monday of April, after all. Let's end it with a bang.

Look, these wrecks are a dime-a-dozen at places like Talladega and Daytona. I'm not here to hype up crashes. I've seen them all. I'm numb to most of them at this point.

That being said, every once in a while, you get a pileup like what we got on Lap 115 yesterday at Talladega. One of those Big Ones that takes out half the field. One of those that goes viral because it's mesmerizing to watch unfold.

"Parking lot" was the sexy word everyone used yesterday. The field "looked like a parking lot" after this one. That's what usually happens when the leaders wreck at Daytona and 'Dega. When you're going 180 mph and everyone in front of you starts spinning left and right, it's tough to miss.

Here's the kicker ... everyone's favorite driver, Bubba Wallace, was the one who got the party started. Of course he was!

Was it his fault?

Well ...

Rollllllllll tape!

Joey Logano probably said it best

So, the official count from NASCAR was 26. Twenty-six cars involved in that wreck, which puts it up there with one of the biggest ever. Two years ago, we had 28 cars wreck at 'Dega. At the time, folks called that the largest Cup crash ever.

For those wondering, the 2002 Busch race at ... you guessed it, Talladega ... still holds the record for most cars involved with 31. So close! Maybe next time.

Anyway, back to Bubba ... fans, obviously, jumped all over him after that. I get it. At first glance, it doesn't look great. How do you wreck from the lead? Did he just try to throw an unnecessary block with 80 laps still to go? Is he just an awful driver?

That one, by the way, is the most popular opinion on the internet this morning:

I could go on and on. Trust me. It's a WAR ZONE on NASCAR Twitter today. It's a bloodbath.

Here's the part where I ... don't blame Bubba! I know. Please don't yell at me. Fair is fair, and I can't watch that — knowing how bad these Next Gen cars are — and still blame Bubba Wallace. I'm sorry. I know you're angry.

Look, these cars stink. All the drivers hate them. All the fans hate them. They've made superspeedway racing unwatchable. You can't draft. You can't push. You can't bump. Hell, you can't really get good gas mileage. I'm just not sure what they're good at.

KYLE LARSON'S ATTEMPT AT 'DOUBLE' COMES TO END AS HE WRECKS AT INDY 500

That sort of hit should not have sent Bubba into the wall. Five years ago, it wouldn't have. But these cars are so squirrely, the driver really doesn't have much control anymore.

Listen to Joey Logano. He's a two-time Cup champ. He knows how to win a restrictor-plate race. He's got absolutely no allegiance to Bubba Wallace, or to Toyota:

"Round bumpers and unstable cars." There you go. That's the Next Gen car in a nutshell.

That's a bad combination for places like Daytona and Talladega. It just doesn't work. It's why you see guys running around single-file for half the race now. The second they start racing, they start wrecking.

It's pathetic. It's embarrassing. It's, frankly, killing the series.

Ryan Blaney ... thoughts?

Carson, Cowboys & NASCAR's future

Yeah, I mean, I don't know what to do at this point, beyond tearing it all down and starting over. I doubt NASCAR is gonna do that given the investment they made in this car years ago.

The good news is, I don't have to make those decisions ... Steve O'Donnell does! He's the new man in charge of NASCAR after Jim France announced Saturday he was stepping down as CEO.

Was it a huge surprise? No. Jim's 81. Frankly, his position is far more ceremonial this point than anything. Steve O'Donnell and Ben Kennedy have been in charge for years now. With Steve Phelps thankfully removed earlier this year, this was the logical next step.

Steve's in charge, Ben's his No. 2, and NASCAR should be off to the races!

... right?

The sport to be a "must-have" for TV partners. (That's not happening. Have you seen the ratings this year?).
More and more sponsors. (I don't even know what the marketing landscape is going to look like in five years with AI. I can't imagine it'll be good for humans, though.)
You'll see drivers that are "crossover superstars, outside of racing." (Highly doubtful. We haven't seen that since Dale Jr. He retired 10 years ago, by the way).
"Bringing in new fans, but being proud of who we are."

I've heard that spiel from NASCAR for two decades now. It's why they went to places like the LA Coliseum and the Chicago streets. It's why they went to Mexico last year. It's why they're going to San Diego this year.

MICHAEL JORDAN'S NASCAR DRIVER MAKES HISTORY WITH 3RD STRAIGHT WIN TO START 2026 SEASON

Has it worked? I don't know. There's a reason they're all of a sudden resurrecting places like Rockingham and Chicagoland now, right? There's a reason they've gone back to North Wilkesboro the past few years. "Finding news fans" has been the sexy buzz term for a decade now.

How about just finding the right fans? We ever thought about that?

Maybe employ Carson Hocevar as your new spokesperson while you're at it!

As I said 1,200 words ago ... this guy is what NASCAR needs. They need him to win again. And then again after that. And then a few more times after that.

Let's inject some life back into the garage. Let's find someone with an ounce of personality. Carson Hocevar fits the bill.

It was a good win to kick off the Steve O'Donnell era.

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OK, that's it for today. Solid Monday. Even better when you end it with Cowboy Pillows.

THIS is how you sponsor a race at Talladega!

NASCAR driver who was left bloodied from horrifying Daytona crash has harsh words for Stephen A. Smith

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:18:51 -0400

Ryan Preece, who is single-handedly responsible for the removal of the backstretch grass at Daytona International Speedway, has a blunt message for Stephen A. Smith:

Shut up and steer!

OK, I'm paraphrasing, but I assume Preece at least thought that.

For those who missed it, Stephen A. sent the NASCAR world into a frenzy this week when he said NASCAR drivers aren't athletes. It's not a new debate, by the way, but Stephen A. brought it back to the surface, and it went ... poorly.

The conversation all took place on his SiriusXM podcast, and it turned to NASCAR (and golf) during a debate about where LeBron James ranks as one of the greatest athletes ever in terms of longevity.

Weird that Stephen A. was talking about LeBron. He almost never mentions him!

Anyway, a caller suggested Richard Petty deserves to be on that list, and the "First Take" host LOST it.

"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith said. "I’m being honest, it’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same. You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud. A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete."

Ryan Preece isn't falling for it, Stephen A. Smith!

Whoaaaaaaaaaaa Nellie! Tell us how you really feel, Stephen A. Smith! Goodness gracious. Such a random rant from someone who I can promise you hasn't watched one second of a NASCAR race in ... maybe ever? Seriously.

What are the odds that Stephen A. has ever watched a single lap? Not great. I'd venture to say that he can't name a single driver outside of Bubba Wallace. Maybe Tyler Reddick, but only because he drives for Michael Jordan.

But outside of that? No shot. Just a ridiculous thing to say, which makes sense given it's Stephen A. Smith.

Now, back to Ryan Preece ...

For those who don't recall, Preece went for an insane ride a few years back at Daytona. The wreck was so brutal, the speedway actually removed the grass from the backstretch to hopefully keep the car on the ground in the future.

Take a look:

Yeah, you just don't see stock cars do that nowadays. Certainly not like we used to. It's rare that they even flip anymore, much less do it a billion times. Wild.

Anyway, Preece was asked about Stephen A. Saturday afternoon at Talladega, and didn't mince words:

"I'd love for him to go tumbling 13 times, have black eyes, and show up next week doing what you gotta do."

Amen, brother! Get him! Don't let Stephen A. get away with that nonsense. Like I said, the guy is full of crap. Like Ryan said, he says things just to say them. Just to get a rise out of folks.

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Obviously, it worked. I'm writing about it on a Saturday in April during the NFL Draft. Well done, Stephen A.

Can't wait to see you on the track soon!

NASCAR fans pack into Talladega Superspeedway ahead of Sunday's Jack Links 500 race

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:42:12 -0400

NASCAR's high-stakes Jack Links 500 race is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, where 41 drivers will take on the league's largest track in front of an estimated 100,000 race fans.

The legendary track attracts visitors from "all 50 states and multiple countries," according to track officials.

"It's like a vacation for them. There's people that just see each other twice a year here, and they meet up here at Talladega Superspeedway," Patrick Barfield, senior director of Venue Experience and Guest Services at Talladega Superspeedway, said. "They all have their little parties and groups, and it's a great site."

Josh Harris, Regional President at Talladega Superspeedway, credits the charm of the track to its unpredictable pack racing at extreme speeds exceeding 200 mph. The track, at 2.66 miles, is the longest in the NASCAR Cup Series, and drivers must complete 188 laps to finish the 500-mile race.

2026 NASCAR ODDS: JOEY LOGANO, RYAN BLANEY EARLY FAVORITES FOR TALLADEGA

"Everything's just a little bit bigger here at Talladega, and that's how we like it," Harris said.

The Jack Links 500 is the tenth race in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, and drivers are already fighting for their spot in the playoff standings.

"Drivers are positioning themselves. They want to be in that top 16 come Daytona in August and be able to jump themselves into the chase," Harris said.

Talladega is always challenging for drivers, according to Harris, both physically and mentally. As the NASCAR Cup Series continues into spring and summer, he said the inside of a race car can exceed 100 degrees on an 85-degree day.

Many fans, however, are taking advantage of the warm weather. Thousands of fans started camping outside the track and in the infield over the past week.

Riley Eubanks traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana, with his cousin and friend. The three of them are spending their first Talladega race together in a small tent inside turn one, living on "plenty of food and water" and a constant game of poker.

LONGTIME NASCAR CREW CHIEF TELLS WILD STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE SPORT'S BIGGEST CHARACTERS

"We spent hundreds, if not thousands on meat and plenty of water," Eubanks said. "We're able to provide food to others if they want to come by, but we have got plenty to eat here for a few days."

Many fans said they were excited to see the track's infamous 33-degree banking in its four turns, the steepest in stock car racing. The turns are engineered to allow drivers to maintain 200 miles per hour without losing traction.

"The coolest thing is getting over here and checking out how high up that wall really is. Seeing it for the first time. Just crash after crash over years. After years of watching, I got to see it," Caleb Eubanks said.

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Drivers will begin qualifying Saturday morning to secure their starting position for Sunday's race.

NASCAR makes major change in front office, including new CEO in unprecedented move: report

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:45:35 -0400

It is the end of an era in NASCAR.

The Athletic reported Friday that Jim France is stepping down as NASCAR's CEO, and his replacement will be the first non-France family member to run the ship.

The outlet noted that France, who will remain NASCAR's chairman, will be replaced by NASCAR resident Steve O'Donnell.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

France's father founded NASCAR in 1948, and it has grown into the most popular motorsport in the United States.

Ben Kennedy, France's great-nephew, will also be promoted from executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer to NASCAR's chief operating officer.

All the changes are expected to be announced on Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, where the Jack Link's 500 will be run on Sunday.

LONGTIME NASCAR CREW CHIEF TELLS WILD STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE SPORT'S BIGGEST CHARACTERS

France took on both roles in August 2018, shortly after his nephew, Brian, stepped down.

France's 54% ownership stake of NASCAR will remain unchanged. Kennedy's mother owns the other 46%.

This is hardly the first seismic change for NASCAR this year. Steve Phelps announced in January he was stepping down as commissioner after two racing teams, including one owned by Michael Jordan, filing an antitrust lawsuit against the company.

The suit unearthed inflammatory text messages Phelps sent during contentious revenue-sharing negotiations. Jordan's 23XI Racing and NASCAR settled their suit in December.

He was named NASCAR's first commissioner last season after a courting process for the same role by the PGA Tour. The opportunity with the PGA was revealed during December testimony in the trial.

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France, however, is reportedly insistent that the lawsuits had nothing to do with his decision to step down, and it has been a thought for a long while.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

NASCAR's Natalie Decker gets out of the pool & into her fire suit for big race, NFL Draft drama, plus MEAT!

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:08:17 -0400

One of NASCAR's biggest social media draws, Natalie Decker, will be back on the track this weekend in Talladega for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 on Saturday. The 28-year-old mom with 200k Instagram followers and about the same on TikTok, hasn't slid into a fire suit since Daytona where she finished 33rd.

Instead of racing these days, Decker is better known for Instagram Q&As like the one she recently did on "How much do implants cost?" Spoiler: In the video, the racing veteran says her boobs cost the same price as a "set of tires." Then, the video cuts to a shot of Goodyear racing tires. In 2024, Denny Hamlin said that one Goodyear racing tire was $2,400. You can do the math and adjust for inflation.

You get the idea on why Decker heading back to the track is a big deal. CONTENT!

You can catch Natalie and the good old boys as they turn left in NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at 4 p.m. EST Saturday on CW.

My thoughts on the NFL draft

The good: Goodell and his minions sped up the process. It felt like a pick was coming in just as picks were grabbing their hats and looking into the mirror as they prepared to go bro hug it out with the commissioner. The pace of play has definitely improved over the old days.

The bad: It was a boring draft. The emotion of the draft has been stripped away by NIL. Yes, some of these guys walked out with tears in their eyes, but it's just not the same. You're already looking at millionaires walking out to jump into Goodell's arms.

Something else that's driving me nuts is the lack of guys being picked out of small schools. Last night, we had a guy picked out of San Diego State and UCF. Throw in two picks out of Arizona State and that's as small-school as it got. The days of Steve McNair out of Alcorn State are done forever. Would Josh Allen have stayed at Wyoming if NIL was around in 2016-17? I doubt it.

I lost my way on Thursday and was correctly put in my spot by a long-time reader

My crime: I wrote that I was going to use Chinese Temu to have one-off custom golf head covers made.

– Jon C. emails: Seriously? You call yourself an American and you want to farm out a small batch production to some sweatshop? Sure, capitalism and all that but I’m sure you can find a local print shop or someone with a computerized sewing machine to make a demo. Big companies and been reshoring production so why off shore yours.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

The world of youth sports and money continues to fascinate Screencaps readers

– Aaron tells me: I love that you've thrown a light on the Travel Ball Industrial Complex through your column. I could spend hours and pages on this, writing about it from a thousand different directions—-but instead I will keep it relatively short and specific to yesterday's column.

Hunter posed some valid questions & points on 4/23 regarding the Travel Ball parents & the cost associated with it.

As a parent who did AAU basketball for three seasons with my oldest daughter, the answer, I believe is pretty simple. The vast majority of parents have very little objectivity about their childrens' athletic ability. They believe if their child gets this special training, or goes to these "special tournaments", the result will be a scholarship. When, the truth is, the majority of kids (excluding the elite AAU teams) are not talented enough to play at the college level, or, if they are, may only be offered a preferred walk-on spot or very small scholarship.

So, when Hunter asks, why don't they (the parents) throw their hands up & say enough? The answer is because the majority of parents I come in contact with believe their son or daughter is talented enough to play in college & earn a scholarship.

SHEDEUR SANDERS DRAFT SLIDE TIMELINE: NFL EXECUTIVES CAUSE MEDIA MELTDOWN BY REJECTING POLARIZING PROSPECT

From the youth level up through high school athletics, I find it rare for parents' to be truly objective about what their kids strengths & weaknesses are.

Just so you have the entire story of why we chose to spend the money on AAU. As a freshman in high school, my daughter stated she wanted to play college basketball. She was (is) a good athlete, but not exceptional. In Wyoming, you will receive very few serious looks from colleges (particularly in basketball), because of the dearth of talent in our state, unless you are an obvious Division I athlete.

So, in order for her to have multiple offers and several options of schools, we chose to get her exposure through the AAU system (she also did continue to play high school basketball for her high school). Had we chosen not to go the AAU route, I believe she may have only had one or two offers with scholarships attached & likely only from local Junior Colleges.

FOX NEWS SPORTS HUDDLE NEWSLETTER: TRUMP ESTABLISHES TASK FORCE AHEAD OF SUMMER OLYMPICS 2028 RETURN TO US

From an economics standpoint, the math is simple. Spend around 9 to 10K over three years of AAU which resulted in a $120,000 scholarship (over 4 years) & the opportunity to play at a high-level Division II women's basketball program. Again, I could have written the equivalent of Pride and Prejudice on this topic, but appreciate your time.

– Jim B. shares: Good day and thank you for your daily contributions to keeping America great.

An alternative to the youth travel sports chaos, encourage running and perhaps choose cross country as a high school sport. Running is a great form of exercise, can be a life-long pursuit and may lead to participation in local 5K, 10K or marathons, Spartan Races or other forms of outdoor activities and more.

I know this from my son's experience. He ran cross country in high school. During and after college he got into the Spartan Racing thing. Today he is a very good Ironman athlete competing in both their half and full distance events.

To participate in some of these events isn't cheap. However, everyone can find a local 5K or 10K to run for a good cause and minimal entry fee. Parents go support your son or daughter running a local 5K. When they cross the finish line it will be very rewarding to all. Build from there. Organized off road obstacle races like the Spartan Races are more money and Ironman races are truly expensive to enter. I'm guessing a Travel Ball summer though is much more expensive. The key is participation in these higher dollar types of events may be later in life when the teenager becomes a young adult ideally with a job and can pay for the expenses on their own or with some parental support. The foundation for this pursuit is formed early on with high school cross country.

Enclosed is a photo of my son finishing at the Ironman World Championships last fall in Nice, France. His next Ironman is in a few weeks in Jacksonville Florida. I act as his Sherpa at these events. It all began back in junior high when he chose to run on the cross country team.

Joe, keep up the great work! Screencaps is a daily must read.

Kinsey: I hear you loud and clear, Jim. It turns out that Screencaps Jr. took the cross country path this past fall and ended up on the junior high varsity team that finished runner-up in the state of Ohio in Division 1. I couldn't believe it. He went from not caring much about running to finishing 85th. I counted like 20 7th graders who had faster times in his state race.

Mrs. Screencaps and I now love cross country. The kids run for 13 minutes, we pull out our lawn chairs or walk around, maybe get a drink, just hangout in the nice fall air. No stress on us. No concerns about the coach not giving our son playing time. It's the most relaxing sport for a parent. We're in heaven.

Kids in 2026 and electric scooters/e-bikes

– Jacob N. hits on a topic that I've had on my mind with a 13-year-old in my house who deep down would like to have some sort of motorized mode of transportation: Joe, as always thanks for being a beacon of light in today’s world! Link is to an electric scooter crash in Omaha.

https://www.wowt.com/2026/04/23/mother-daughter-injured-after-car-scooter-crash-north-omaha/

Kinsey: This week, Screencaps Jr.'s best friend was in a scooter crash right in front of our house. After I got off a work Zoom call, Mrs. Screencaps told me that the boy was thrown off the scooter and sent flying across the road. He landed on his shoulder, skinned up his arm and leg, but thankfully he didn't break his collarbone or separate his shoulder.

It turns out the boy is one of my pitchers and catchers on my 13-14U baseball team which was already short on pitching. Not only did he just about ruin the end of his school year, but his baseball season nearly came to an end. Stay safe out there, kids.

Look at the age of this Wendy's that was closed in Lubbock, TX

Some of you owe me an apology. I don't have the time to go look up your emails, but there were several emailers who called me crazy when I said Wendy's would be a dead fast-food franchise in 5-10 years. That was three years ago. Look at where we're at now.

Like my Wendy's prediction, people laughed at me when I invented Thursday Night Mowing League

Yet here we are just a week away from the start of the sixth season with Millennials now making up a growing number of the participants. When TNML started, it was dominated by Boomers. Those Boomers are now slowing down while the Millennials pick up the pace.

Can a Boomer do the unthinkable and win a national title? It's never been done in league history.

###########################

That's it this week. I know it's been stressful for legacy Screencaps readers. Hopefully all of you read the newsletter I put out Thursday to ease concerns. I've been at this a long time. Adjustment is hard, but things tend to work out in the end. It's still the same community, the same morals, the same goals.

Let's have a great weekend. Let's stay positive and move forward. Now go dominate the day.

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Longtime NASCAR crew chief tells wild story about one of the sport's biggest characters

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:43:07 -0400

One of the most memorable names in NASCAR history is that of Dick Trickle, and now his former crew chief is telling some wild stories about what a character the 1989 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year was.

Jimmy Fennig was a longtime NASCAR crew chief who worked with the likes of Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, and Carl Edwards.

NASCAR DRIVER KATHERINE LEGGE SLAMS 'DEI HIRE' SLIGHTS AFTER XFINITY SERIES CRASH

In 1989, Fennig was paired with Trickle, who was entering his rookie campaign at the age of 48 after making occasional one-off appearances in the Winston Cup Series and racing in various other series before that.

Fennig talked about working with his fellow Wisconsinite, Trickle, during an appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.

"I think our first race was Rockingham, and I'll never forget this one because old Dick was from the north, you know, and Dick always wore cowboy boots. So, he got (to the track) and I had a set of driving shoes for him because I know the interiors of these cars are hotter than ASA (American Speed Association) cars, you know.

"I said, 'Dick, you're going to need to take these boots off and put these Simpson (racing) shoes on.' And, he said, 'No, I'm going to be all right. I'm going to be all right.'"

RICKY NELSON’S SONS RECALL HIS FINAL CALL THAT SAVED THEIR LIVES BEFORE PLANE CRASH

So, Fennig acquiesced, and Trickle hopped in the car with his cowboy boots on, something that would never fly today.

However, Trickle — who sadly died in 2013 — realized this may have been a mistake.

"So, I think halfway during the race, they had a yellow," Fennig recalled. "He says, 'I need them shoes.' So I said, 'Okay, four tires and a set of shoes, guys.'"

Earnhardt then asked about another Dick Trickle legend.

"Did he have a cigarette lighter in your car?" Earnhardt asked.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

"Oh, yeah," Fennig said. "He put it in there."

Fennig talked about a race at Dover in which Trickle crashed entering the pit lane, and he suspected it was because he was lighting a cigarette.

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Well, we may never know for sure, but just before this interview came out, footage was making the rounds on X that showed Trickle puffing away on a lung dart mid-race.

They certainly don't make them like they used to, do they?

Dale Earnhardt Jr threatens to leave NASCAR over disgusting electric car rumor

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:54:00 -0400

Well, NASCAR has committed the cardinal sin: They've pissed off Dale Earnhardt Jr. You simply can't do that. There are a lot of folks you can anger in the world of racing, and get away with.

Dale Jr. ain't one of them. You need him on your good side. Even a decade after his retirement, he's the leading voice in the sport. That's not hyperbolic, either. He's got the biggest racing podcast on the planet. He's extremely active on social media. Fans still, overwhelmingly, turn to Junior for all things racing.

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That, by the way, is a major indictment on the current Cup drivers, but that's a story for another time.

Anyway, all the fuss right now in the racing world is centered around a rumor involving NASCAR fans' worst nightmare ... electric cars. That's right. E-cars!

Just the thought of it makes folks feel queasy. Fans can take a lot, but even getting a whiff of an electric car in NASCAR sends them running for the hills.

John Probst, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer, floated that possibility this week, telling Sports Business Journal that NASCAR could one day implement a crossover utility vehicle EV into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Dale Jr. threatens to leave NASCAR if they go electric

Nope. Don't love that. At all. Sure, it's all shop-talk right now, but that's how these things start. Before you know it, the fellas are out there racing in cars we can't hear and don't recognize, and pit crews are replaced with charging stations.

We can't have that, and NASCAR's O'Reilly Series really can't have it. In a year where viewership is down pretty much across the board, the O'Reilly Series on the CW has been surging. Fans love it, and a lot of it has to do with A) the racing, and B) the car.

Switching to an electric car, which has long been in development in the NASCAR R&D shop, would be a disaster.

And if you don't believe me, fine. But at least listen to Dale Jr.

"I think making a switch to anything unlike we have would be a massive, massive mistake," he said on this week's "Dale Jr. Download." "Any kind of change like that, as dramatic as that would be, would destroy the series. I would not be interested in that. I don't think JR Motorsports would be interested in that."

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Yikes. Tell us how you really feel, Dale!

That last part is the part that will get NASCAR's attention, by the way. Like I said at the jump, if Dale Jr. isn't on board with something, it's a pretty good harbinger of things to come. If you want to know how fans will react to something, check out how they respond to something Junior says.

NASCAR can't afford to lose JR Motorsports in the O'Reilly Series. They can't afford to piss off Dale Jr. They really can't afford to lose the viewership the series is suddenly bringing in.

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Going electric may be the way of the world, but that doesn't mean it's one size fits all.

Hopefully, NASCAR listens to its most important voice.

Kyle Busch drops bombshell about NASCAR during '23 season: 'Cheating without cheating'

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:19:57 -0400

Kyle Busch has been everywhere this week, and it's not because he's once again a NASCAR Cup Series winner. Quite the opposite, in fact!

The two-time Cup Series champ is in the news again because of his inability to win. That's right. The guy who has won over 60 Cup races, and holds the record for most wins across all three series (233), can't buy a win lately.

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For those who missed it, Busch and former JGR teammate Denny Hamlin had beef last weekend after Hamlin essentially called Busch a scrub on his podcast. I'm paraphrasing, of course, but he called him out for not having won a Cup race in three years, which was fair.

Busch then went on Sean Hannity's new podcast and ... didn't hold back. He hit on everything.

Drivers he hated.

Drivers he liked.

How he wanted to "beat guys into the ground."

You know, the normal stuff you'd expect from Rowdy.

But he didn't stop there. Busch also talked about his last Cup win, which came in 2023. He won three times that season — his first with RCR — and then things got weird.

"After the third race that we won at Gateway, we got our hands smacked for some of the stuff that we were doing to the race car that NASCAR didn't like and said 'don't bring that back,'" Busch told Hannity.

"It wasn't anything, like, against the rules. It was just, you always exploit the gray area. So we exploited a gray area and we found something and we had an advantage."

This is nothing new for NASCAR, but it does make you wonder

The entire interview is worth the watch, but that specific part begins at the 1:07:44 mark for those who want to watch it.

This doesn't look great on paper for NASCAR. Let's just call it like it is. Not the best look when your future Hall of Fame driver is saying, essentially, that the fellas who make the rules stepped in after you won three races and told you to quit doing certain things to your car.

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But, as Busch notes, it's what NASCAR has been doing for 70 years now. He's not the first driver to receive a slap on the wrist, and he won't be the last.

It's "cheating without cheating," Busch added.

"We exploited a gray area and we found something, and we had an advantage," he continued.

How? Busch didn't exactly say (smart man!), but he did give fans a glimpse into how teams try to get an advantage. Shockingly, it's all about making the car faster.

Stunning, I know.

"You want more downforce," Busch said. "You want to make it lighter. So, you go and you try to figure out ways of making more downforce than everybody else. Getting your car lower to the ground, lower CG, making it go around the corners faster."

Again, it's how NASCAR teams have operated for decades now. Since the days of Big Bill France, really. It's the game within the game.

The problem fans are going to have with this, and I don't blame them, is NASCAR stepping in after Kyle Busch won three races at the start of 2023, and basically telling them to stop whatever it is they were doing — even if it wasn't against the rules.

That seems unfair. To me, at least.

It's also going to make people bring this conversation back to the present day of NASCAR, where Tyler Reddick has won five of the first nine races this season. He's quite literally putting up prime Dale Earnhardt numbers.

I've got news for you — Tyler Reddick ain't prime Dale Earnhardt.

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People will start asking questions. Fans will get suspicious. Frankly, they already are.

And this little bombshell from Kyle Busch won't help.

Stephen A Smith refuses to call golfers, NASCAR drivers athletes: 'That don't count'

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:03:05 -0400

Stephen A. Smith might marvel at the skills of golfers and NASCAR drivers, but he praises them with caution.

Smith said the professionals are "elite at what they do," but he is drawing a line when describing them.

On his SiriusXM show, while debating some of the greatest athletes of all time, a caller suggested NASCAR legend Richard Petty, and Smith launched into a rant.

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"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith began, via Awful Announcing. "I’m being honest. It’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.

"You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud."

Smith also insinuated that "just because you gotta walk the course for 18 holes for four days, that don’t make you an athlete."

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"They’re skilled players, they’re elite at what they do. But athletes? Athletes? Are you kidding me? Is walking the latest sport that you want to turn into an Olympic sport? Because I guess that would make them athletic, right?" Smith continued.

"Because they can walk. If you’re out there doing stuff that grandmas and grandpas can do, I’m not gonna look at you that way. You’re skilled, you’re phenomenally skilled as a golfer … but that is not an athletic sport."

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Smith, though, did make an exception for 15-time major champion Tiger Woods — not necessarily due to his golf skills, but because of his build and athleticism in general.

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