See where your favorite NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers will pit this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
NASCAR Cup Series
NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday (9 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
One of the most moving tributes on a day of many moving tributes was one of the simplest.
One day after the sudden, shocking death of NASCAR giant Kyle Busch, Charlotte Motor Speedway opened its doors to what would under normal circumstances be one of its most celebrated weekends of the year. The gray skies and spitting rain fit the collective gloom, and the track’s scoring pylon went dark, save for one beaming marker. Kyle Busch’s No. 8 stood alone in the P1 spot.
Busch was always a bright light and a towering presence, over stock-car racing’s home court and beyond. The loss is difficult to measure, a past-tense reality that doesn’t feel possible.
As the flowers and memorials began to pile up at his Richard Childress Racing team’s front doors about an hour up the road, the industry felt the weight of Busch’s impact. For fans, Busch left little room for middle-ground indifference. His backers were unwavering in their faithfulness and easy to spot, wearing colorful M&M’s gear brandished with his No. 18 during some of his most prolific years. The other side of the fan spectrum was equally vocal, showering boos from the bleachers each time Busch grabbed a checkered flag — often, in other words.
Busch leaned into the role of NASCAR’s ruling-class villain with swagger and humor. He was confident, sometimes even cocky, but equipped with the quick wit that made him endlessly meme-ready. His competitive drive was laced with the type of honesty and old-school sensibility that helped move the sport’s needle. You couldn’t help but watch Kyle Busch.
Alex Bialek for NASCAR
Many memories stand out from his future Hall of Fame career, but 2015 keeps coming back as a flashpoint. Busch opened the season with a devastating crash that severely injured both legs, and the void on the grid was palpable. He held his first public press conference nearly two months later, and the detailed explanation of the wreck and the events that followed felt like a well-tenured professor’s lecture. What sort of broadcaster would Kyle Busch have been? His gripping analysis that day provided a glimpse.
One month more passed and Busch became a father, joining his wife, Samantha, in welcoming Brexton into the world. The couple had been strikingly candid about their fertility struggles, helping spread awareness and raising funds for couples in similar straits through their Bundle of Joy Fund. But the first half of that season had created two life-changing moments, and he opened up on how it had shaped him in a 2022 interview: “I was like, ‘man, OK, I need to really have a different perspective on what all I do.’ ” He funneled that into making Brexton a racer, just as his father had done for him.
Another two weeks passed and Busch was back on the grid. Questions about how he might perform were answered quickly with a victory in his fifth race back. A three-race win streak that included a Brickyard 400 triumph followed, and the Rubik’s Cube of the 10-race Chase that had almost always foiled him finally came together that fall with all the sides and colors aligned to make him — at long last — a Cup Series champion.
It’s too early to take a full assessment of Busch’s legacy. The tangible measure of 234 NASCAR national-series wins now feels like one of those unbreakable records that goes from statistics to lore – both in racing and in sports. Incredibly, he was still adding to the stats and the legend as of a week ago, with a final victory and signature bow after a dominant day in the Craftsman Truck Series at Dover Motor Speedway.
Busch’s RCR team announced later Friday that it has opted to shelve the No. 8 that Busch last drove, switching to the car No. 33 for the foreseeable future and indicating that it has No. 8 reserved for Brexton Busch when he is ready.
The No. 8 burned bright atop the track’s leaderboard on an otherwise dreary Friday. Kyle Busch’s legacy always will.
Saturday evening’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was postponed to Sunday at 10 a.m. ET due to inclement weather (FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 was scheduled for 9 p.m. ET after an initial postponement Friday evening. Due to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race finishing up late Saturday after a weather delay, the Truck Series race in the Queen City had to be rescheduled.
When the 134-lapper gets underway, Corey Day will lead the 36-truck field to the green flag at the 1.5-mile North Carolina track.
Day will get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, the same truck Kyle Busch was set to drive before the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion passed away Thursday after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis.
On May 15, Busch won for the 69th time in the Truck Series at Dover Motor Speedway in the No. 7 Spire entry.
CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell offered perspective and praise for two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch in a Friday press conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway after Busch’s sudden death on Thursday.
In a 20-minute press conference in which he took questions from the media, O’Donnell summarized Busch succinctly: “Kyle Busch defines what it means to be a racer in NASCAR.”
O’Donnell likened NASCAR to weekly family reunions. And as Busch’s bristling personality would show in his rise to greatness, not all family members always saw eye to eye.
“For me personally, the family reunions week to week are just not going to be the same without him,” O’Donnell said. “But we’re going to do our damn best to continue his legacy and support his family.”
Busch collected 234 wins across NASCAR competition, the most all-time in the Craftsman Truck Series (69) and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and the ninth-most in Cup with 63. At age 41, Busch collected his final win May 15 at Dover Motor Speedway in the Truck Series, just six days before his passing.
“Kyle Busch, to me, is an American badass,” O’Donnell said. “Behind the wheel, he’s who you want to be. And I think when you look back at all those things, that’s part of being a race-car driver. That’s part of representing the sport. We’re not always going to agree — if we did, I think people would be really bored. And we certainly had our battles. But I’d give a lot of money to have a few more battles going forward.”
Busch’s intensity as a competitor led to contentious moments with the sanctioning body at times. On Friday, O’Donnell recalled one of his favorite moments with Busch was an incident during Cup practice at Texas Motor Speedway in 2017 in which Busch spun and contacted the wall.
“He would challenge NASCAR on some rules,” O’Donnell said. “[He] maybe spun out, maybe hit the wall. [NASCAR] decided that we needed to take him to the care center. He laid flat out on a pit cart, made fun of us. I was mad at the time, but I look back, and that was damn funny — and that was Kyle.”
O’Donnell praised Busch’s ability to play the villain role, egging on fans while continuing to help grow the sport in ways only he could. His presence was polarizing — particularly at his winningest peaks. Busch made clear his fire never cooled, driven to find success as his 11-year-old son Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix watched on.
“What I look back on is a text from Kyle Tuesday, as only Kyle could do,” O’Donnell said. “And I keep looking at it, and he said, ‘Hey, man, what do you think about an over-40 rule to be able to compete in all the Truck Series races next year?’ And I said, ‘You know, we put that [race-restriction] rule in place because you were winning so much.’ But when we looked at it and we had a meeting Wednesday internally, we said, damn, that’s actually good. We need Kyle in the Truck Series.
“And it was twofold, because he knew he could help the series, but I think one day had a dream to race against his son in a national series event. And that was Kyle, always thinking about the sport and going forward.”
Additionally, O’Donnell also touched on the following topics:
• Postponing Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte was briefly discussed, but through conversations with RCR and the Busch family, O’Donnell said: “Kyle Busch would probably be pretty pissed off if we didn’t race, so we’re going to honor his memory.”
• O’Donnell offered condolences to team owner Richard Childress and the Busch family, notably Busch’s wife Samantha, children Brexton and Lennix and Busch’s NASCAR Hall of Fame brother Kurt Busch. “A lot of us were in the Hall of Fame voting (Tuesday), and you think about the future. And I think about Kyle’s future and the ability for all of us to sit in that room and celebrate him and listen to him speak and talk about that final chapter and see his kids maybe one day race. And it makes me really sad not to see the end of that chapter.”
• O’Donnell said adding Kyle Busch to the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2027 has been considered. “We have a little bit more time to think about what we could do as well in the future, and who knows? That could be something we look at.”
Richard Childress Racing announced Friday the indefinite use of the No. 33 in place of the No. 8 for its second NASCAR Cup Series entry.
The change comes a day after the tragic death of driver and icon Kyle Busch, who piloted the No. 8 Chevrolet for RCR since the start of the 2023 season. Busch, 41, died Thursday after a severe illness led to hospitalization.
RCR announced it will save the No. 8 designation for Busch’s 11-year-old son, Brexton, whenever he advances to NASCAR.
“Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry,” RCR said in a team statement. “No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular Austin Hill will compete in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 in the No. 33 Chevrolet in place of Busch.
The motorsports community grieved the sudden and tragic loss of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch on Thursday evening.
To all, Busch was a fierce competitor. To many, Busch was a mentor, especially those who came through Kyle Busch Motorsports, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team and late model program he previously owned and operated. The racing world and beyond united on social media to express their condolences to the Busch family and reminisce on their battles with the man affectionately known as “Rowdy.”
I made him earn every victory and stole a few from him along the way. We took our shots at each other, in the media and on the track. But I’d like to think that somewhere deep down there was an appreciation that we pushed each other to perform at the highest level, even if… pic.twitter.com/1dAq7Eui7D
I’m so sad and stunned to hear the news about KB. He meant so much to a lot of people, not just myself. Kyle was the best mentor you could ever have. He was incredibly unselfish, cared about his people and his family deeply. And helped shaped my career to what it is. I’m… pic.twitter.com/Y4VYaf5QNS
Completely heartbroken to hear the news of Kyle’s passing.
I have so many memories of great battles with him throughout my career that I’ll cherish forever. It’s hard to even put into words what he meant to me and my career, whether he knew it or not. He was the bar we all… pic.twitter.com/wJmFDmY7LN
every day is a privilege and today is a truly sad reminder of that.
this little boy in this picture hated you on sunday’s. but he loved to hate you, and you made it very difficult to hate and not become a fan when your passion for racing showed, when you would show up to his… pic.twitter.com/RxKignaf51
Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years. But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better…
My heart goes out to Kyle’s family, his Team and everyone that knew and supported him. Kyle was a Champion, a feared competitor, a loving husband, a great dad and he’ll truly be missed, as he made a forever impact on and off the race track. Let us pray for Samantha, Brexton,… pic.twitter.com/Pxi0u4OK9o
In 2015, I used to call Kyle once a week for his help and guidance as I started going to racetracks for the first time. He gave me a hand when I was brand new to this. I am in complete shock. I am thinking of his family during this incredibly difficult time.
Much love amigo 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/7XdQcxiMin
This is a devastating loss and one that is hard for the NASCAR community to process. Kyle was a fierce competitor who demanded the very best from himself each time he put on the helmet. As teammates, I saw firsthand the passion and intensity he brought to the sport every single… pic.twitter.com/jVQLdTXcyF
Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen, he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with. We spent years as teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and even as competitors, there was always a deep respect for what… pic.twitter.com/uAX3o2D0Nz
Our hearts are broken for Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, and the entire Busch family. Kyle was a fierce competitor, an incredible teammate, and, far more importantly, a devoted husband, father, and son. His impact on our organization and on the sport of NASCAR will never be… pic.twitter.com/Va7PzWEseG
Kyle was not just a mentor, but also a friend. His impact on my career was significant, and I’m forever grateful to him for giving me a chance in the Truck Series over 13 years ago. He helped put me on a path in NASCAR from our first time racing each other at that 2012 Snowball… pic.twitter.com/MK0Jk8QkDm
My first hero. The first driver I ever wanted to be like. You were bigger than life. Since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day I could be like you too. I’m just one of the many kids you gave that dream to. And I never stopped looking up to you.
The FIA extends its deepest condolences following the passing of Kyle Busch.
A two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the sport’s defining, generational talents, Kyle inspired many through his passion, determination and extraordinary achievements on track.
Kyle Busch, a generational talent who rose to become a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the sport’s greatest drivers, died Thursday. He was 41.
Busch’s death, which was announced by the Busch family, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing, marked a sudden, staggering blow to the motorsports community. His team had indicated earlier Thursday that Busch had been hospitalized with a severe illness. The Busch family released a statement on Saturday morning with more details, indicating that “the medical evaluation provided to the Busch family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications. The family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time.”
Busch was in his 22nd full-time season in NASCAR’s top division, where he won two Cup Series titles (2015, 2019) and 63 races — a figure that ranks ninth on the circuit’s all-time win list. His numbers across the other two national NASCAR series are record-setting, with 102 victories in what is now called the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and 69 wins in the Craftsman Truck Series.
The Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR made the following joint statement: “On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch.
“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’ Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha’s parents, Kurt and all of Kyle’s family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.
“During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate.”
Busch drove for three Hall of Fame team owners in Cup, getting his start with Hendrick Motorsports as a heralded rookie in stock-car racing’s big leagues in 2005. He joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, establishing a long-running partnership that made him the face of Toyota’s NASCAR endeavors. He spent the final stages of his career with Childress, arriving in 2023 and taking the reins of the No. 8 Chevrolet.
At each phase of his career, Busch was a polarizing figure among fans — intensely popular for his adoring supporters and booed loudly by his detractors. He entered the sport as a brash teenager with the nickname “Shrub” as the younger brother to Hall of Famer Kurt Busch, but the alias of “Rowdy” — a nod to one of the main characters in “Days of Thunder” and to his aggressive style — is what stuck with him.
Kyle Thomas Busch was born May 2, 1985 into a racing family in Las Vegas. His father, Tom, was a mechanic who raced locally after he and his wife, Gaye, relocated from Schaumburg, Illinois. His brother, Kurt, was seven years older and set a competitive benchmark for him to aspire to on the track.
David Jensen | Getty Images
Kyle Busch followed many of the same steps that his brother did in accelerating up the racing ladder — family go-karts on makeshift tracks in cul-de-sacs and parking lots, Legends Cars at the Vegas bullring before a move to full-bodied Late Model competition. Kurt hinted at the impact his brother would make in 2001: “You think I’m a pretty good race car driver? Wait until you see my brother. He’s the best driver in the family.”
Kyle Busch’s path to NASCAR was also in line with his brother’s career arc, and Kyle joined his team when he signed with team owner Jack Roush as a 16-year-old junior in high school. That deal was derailed shortly after it began, when NASCAR raised its minimum age requirements to 18 for national-series competition in 2001.
The rule-mandated break from Roush also gave the younger Busch an opportunity to “step out of the shadow of Kurt,” he said, to forge his own identity. “I need to be my own person and make my own way and show everybody that I can drive,” he told the Associated Press in 2003, the same year he signed on to Rick Hendrick’s organization.
Showing everybody his talent came quickly. Busch made his O’Reilly Series debut for Hendrick on May 24, 2003, finishing second to Matt Kenseth at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He made a splash when he entered the series full-time the next year, winning five races and finishing second overall to Martin Truex Jr.
As those victories began to accumulate, Busch created what would become a patented celebration, punctuating each win with a showman’s bow. The gesture served a tribute to his roots as a Vegas native but also a flourish like a magician appearing from the smoke of another triumphant burnout.
Busch reached the Cup Series with a six-race audition in 2004 before a full-fledged rookie campaign the next year, paired with crew chief Alan Gustafson in the No. 5 Chevrolet. He became the premier series’ youngest winner in his 31st Cup start, prevailing at Auto Club Speedway for the first of four wins he’d collect in his three full seasons with Hendrick.
Busch made what would become a pivotal move after Hendrick signed Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the 2008 season, aligning with Coach Joe Gibbs and Toyota in another blockbuster deal. Busch was already becoming an established Cup Series star, but the combination of his colorful No. 18 car with M&M’s sponsorship became one of the sport’s most recognizable.
His 15-year association with Joe Gibbs Racing was one of the sport’s most successful tenures, with at least one victory in each of those seasons. Busch scored 56 of his 63 Cup Series wins with the former NFL coach, adding 90 more O’Reilly wins and a series championship in 2009.
Busch also made his mark during that time as a team owner in the Craftsman Truck Series, fielding trucks for himself and a host of future Cup stars. His Kyle Busch Motorsports entries won 100 races from 2010 to 2023, adding two championships — one with Erik Jones in 2015 and another two years later with Christopher Bell.
Busch left JGR after the 2022 season and a series of drawn-out negotiations, starting a new chapter with Childress and joining the Chevrolet camp in the No. 8 Camaro. The agreement seemed to be a tenuous one, struck nearly a dozen years after Childress initiated a post-race physical altercation in the Kansas Speedway garage. The Hall of Fame team owner made it known that the bygones had passed, making a humorous reference to his “hold my watch” comment before their scuffle as he gave Busch his own timepiece as a welcoming gift.
Busch won three races in the No. 8 Chevy in the first half of the 2023 season but was mired in the longest dry spell of his career at the time of his passing. His final Cup Series win came June 4, 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
Kyle Busch is survived by his parents and his wife, Samantha, whom he married on New Year’s Eve in 2010, and two children — son Brexton, who turned 11 on Monday, and 4-year-old daughter Lennix.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In 60 years of competition, Team Penske has built a history that spans nearly every national series imaginable. Beginning Thursday, a portion of that history is enshrined inside NASCAR’s hallowed grounds.
Penske and the NASCAR Hall of Fame have partnered to present a new temporary exhibit inside the Uptown Charlotte building, beneath Glory Road in the museum’s Great Hall. Six different vehicles spanning four different series are featured, including Joey Logano’s 2024 Phoenix Raceway car — the one that helped lead him to his third Cup Series championship.
And that is not the Middletown, Connecticut, native’s only car in the Hall. His 2022 championship ride is featured at the beginning of the Glory Road exhibit, making him the only driver with two cars featured inside the Hall of Fame.
“It really is special,” Logano told reporters Thursday, standing in front of his No. 22 car that won his most recent title. “Kind of a pinch-yourself moment, feels surreal, because I still see myself as normal Joe, right. It’s good to drive race cars, and I’ve been so blessed to work for an incredible team that’s allowed me to have some success in this sport and have a car in the Hall of Fame. I mean, I never guessed that.
“I think in my career before Team Penske and what it was looking like, and what it was going to be, to where it is today, it just goes to prove that it depends a lot on who’s around you and the team that’s there, and I wish I can tell everyone how to do that. I really think I just got lucky.”
In addition to Logano’s No. 22 Ford, team artifacts on display include:
Rusty Wallace’s 1996 PRS-001 Ford Thunderbird
Brad Keselowski’s 2012 Dodge Charger championship car
1975 Penske PC-1 Formula One (F1) car
Rick Mears’ 1982 Penske PC-10 CART championship car
2025 Porsche 963 IMSA SportsCar Championship car
Trophies, firesuits and other artifacts from all six decades of Team Penske history
For Penske Vice Chairman Walt Czarnecki, the choices for the exhibit were relatively obvious.
“It represented virtually all the disciplines that we’ve been involved in over the years,” Czarnecki said. “We wanted to demonstrate, as I said, the breadth of our involvement in motorsports, not only in North America … I don’t think there’s any other team that has had that experience at that participation level, but overseas as well.”
The only series not represented in the display, Czarnecki said, was Australian Supercars; a throwback scheme ran on the No. 22 Ford earlier this season at Phoenix, reviving IndyCar teammate Scott McLaughlin’s 2019 Bathurst 1000 win.
Chris Lawyer | NASCAR Digital Media
When asked about his favorite artifact, Logano hated to pick just one. He went with Wallace’s 1996 Ford Thunderbird and joked that he’d be too tall to fit in any non-stock car.
But with videos playing in the background to commemorate Logano’s most recent championships, he admitted they brought back memories — more so than the winning cars themselves.
“The videos, to me, matter the most,” Logano explained. “And watching that back, maybe even better than any of it, is hearing it from the people on the team because you don’t truly know how they felt. I remember how I felt, how special it was, but to see how special it was to everyone else on the team and hearing it from their perspective – those interviews to me mean a lot. I’m going to ask them to send me that video because I want to have it for years down the road, but I mean, championships is what it’s all about.
“I’m fully convinced there’s not another way in life that you can experience the moment of winning a sports championship. As a competitor, there’s nothing like it, right? Getting married, having kids, all amazing milestones in life, but they’re in different categories. Those are equally amazing, but a different category than winning at a sport, and it all happens like that, right? You don’t know you got it until it happens, and the emotions hit you all at one time. It’s pretty surreal at those moments. It’s pure celebration, joy, screaming and yelling – no words to describe it. I’ve been very fortunate to experience that three times.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona International Speedway today announced a transformative, venue-wide LED lighting project that will introduce the next generation of lighting technology to the “World Center of Racing,” marking the next step in how motorsports are experienced by fans, competitors and viewers around the world.
In collaboration with Musco, Daytona International Speedway will install LED lighting across all existing oval track high mast pole-mounted fixtures, the road course, infield, pit box and emergency lighting systems. The project will also feature LED RGB accent lighting on track light poles synchronized with the caution light system, as well as uplighting for the upper-level underside of grandstand seating — creating dynamic, visually engaging moments throughout race events.
“The new LED lighting system at Daytona International Speedway underscores NASCAR’s continued commitment to reinvest in its facilities, enhancing the overall experience for fans attending events at Daytona as well as those watching around the world,” said Ben Kennedy, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR. “The project will create new, visually compelling moments that drive fan engagement, elevate partner visibility and generate excitement across the sport.”
This comprehensive upgrade represents more than a modernization — it is a generational leap that reinforces Daytona International Speedway’s legacy of innovation while positioning the iconic venue to lead motorsports into its next chapter.
“Daytona International Speedway has long set the standard for motorsports venues, and this project ensures we continue to do so for the next generation of race fans,” said Frank Kelleher, President, Daytona International Speedway. “From enhanced visibility for drivers to a more immersive atmosphere for fans in the stands and watching at home, we are proud to partner with Musco for this new LED lighting system that will transform the racing experience.”
The new Musco LED lighting system will deliver brighter, more consistent illumination across the facility, significantly improving visibility for competitors and race teams, enhancing the in-person fan experience, and elevating broadcast quality for global audiences. Additionally, the new lights are expected to reduce energy consumption by approximately 50 percent, supporting NASCAR Impact’s broader goal of achieving net zero operating emissions by 2035.
“We’re excited to partner with NASCAR to relight the iconic Daytona International Speedway,” said Musco CEO Jeff Rogers. “We installed the original system in 1998 and appreciate our long-standing relationship to deliver exciting new LED solutions for drivers, television, and fans.”
The project officially began in April and is expected to be completed in Jan. 2027.
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway Continues Legacy of Innovation
Since breaking ground in Nov. 1957 and opening with the inaugural DAYTONA 500 in Feb. 1959, Daytona International Speedway has been synonymous with NASCAR’s most defining moments. The track once again raised the bar in 1998 when it installed lights, becoming the largest lighted outdoor sports facility in North America at the time, with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 serving as its first night race.
From 2013 to 2016, the $400 million “Daytona Rising” redevelopment reimagined the facility as a world-class motorsports stadium. The new LED lighting project continues that tradition of reinvestment, ensuring the venue remains at the forefront of innovation for generations of fans.
Industry-Leading Technology with Musco
Through its partnership with Musco, a global leader in sports lighting for 50 years, Daytona International Speedway will become the largest sports facility in the world to feature Musco’s state-of-the-art LED lighting system — and the first major motorsports facility in North America to do so.
Musco’s lighting solutions, known for innovations in glare reduction and precise light control, are utilized across a wide range of venues, from local fields to premier global sporting events, including NFL and MLB stadiums, NBA and NHL arenas, collegiate facilities, and the Olympic Games.
The addition of RGB lighting — capable of producing more than 16.7 million color combinations — will allow for synchronized lighting effects tied to race action and cautions, creating new opportunities for fan engagement, partner integration and broadcast storytelling.
Daytona International Speedway
Upcoming Race Events
NASCAR returns to the “World Center of Racing” for intense action as the NASCAR Cup Series closes out the regular season during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, Aug. 29. The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will compete in the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola on Aug. 28.
The 65th running of the Rolex 24 will take place Jan. 28–31, 2027, preceded by the Roar Before the Rolex 24 on Jan. 22–24, 2027.
The 69th running of the Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2027.
Tickets for all Daytona International Speedway events are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can also follow @Daytona on social media for the latest updates.
After rave reviews and heaps of praise during its debut season of NASCAR broadcasts in 2025, Prime Video is preparing for its five-race sophomore campaign this weekend as the streaming service carries the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Prime Video will largely stick with what worked last year with Adam Alexander, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the broadcast booth, while host Danielle Trotta and analyst Corey LaJoie will lead pre- and post-race coverage at Charlotte, Nashville Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Naval Base Coronado.
With high expectations after a strong first year, Dale Jr. did not temper his excitement to return to announcing duties.
“We have an incredible team around us. Everybody has an incredible attitude and personality and everybody has this want to succeed,” Earnhardt Jr. said on a Wednesday Zoom teleconference. “I guess also there’s this excitement and anticipation from all of us to get back to it. We had so much fun together last year, and we’ve had to wait so long to do it again. So while that’s not always fun, having to wait for a good thing to come back around, you go into five weeks knowing you want to get it right, you want to do it well.”
A new wrinkle in Prime’s coverage plans is a rotation of guests on the desk before and after each race.
Hall of Famer Carl Edwards, who was part of Prime’s coverage last year, will kick things off at Charlotte. Fellow Hall of Famer Mark Martin will join Trotta and LaJoie at Nashville, Martin Truex Jr. will be at Michigan, Brad Keselowski will preview Pocono before jumping into the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford, and Jeff Gordon will close guest duties in San Diego during pre-race coverage at the naval base.
Prime Video Senior Coordinating Producer Alex Strand discussed the importance of diverse voices across races and getting the likes of Edwards and Truex to return to the track, despite each enjoying time away from the grid.
“I think one thing we’re really excited about is bringing voices to fans that they want to hear, and one thing we knew about Martin Truex Jr. was that he’s somebody that fans really want to hear from,” Strand said. “If you look at our slate of five races, we’re bringing a new voice each time that’s just going to bring a unique perspective. We love what we’re bringing to fans this year as well. It’ll give us something different each week to chomp onto, and creatively, as we’ve been thinking about the shows, just, you know, how do we approach Martin joining us for Michigan? What’s our unique way to do that and lean in there? How are we going to handle Mark Martin, Nashville? What do we want to bring to fans there? It’s been something we’re really excited about, and it’s got our creative juices flowing.”
LaJoie became a fan favorite as a desk analyst last year and really found his footing as a key component of what made Prime Video’s coverage stand out.
After navigating the Cup Series for a handful of years, LaJoie said Prime changed his perspective on what success meant.
“I thought a lot of things because my life, my ups and downs, my high highs and low lows have been on national television, and then I go turn around the next day and talk about it. I feel like I was defensive. I felt like I had almost reached the top where I was trying to go, and then felt like I got the rug ripped out from underneath of me. Prime changed my whole perspective on my whole entire career of what it meant to be successful as a race-car driver based off your relationships in the garage and not just solely your accomplishments behind the wheel because that’s all that I’ve been chasing. It’s all I’ve been hardwired to do my entire life.
“The fans’ receptiveness there, I think their positivity towards the job I did behind the desk really, really gave me a confidence booster. Really helped quiet that imposter syndrome that you just kind of always battle as a competitor to just kind of own it, and that took a lot of weight off my shoulders.”
From capturing the atmosphere and excitement before the green flag with fans behind the desk to the high-end cameras and microphones that will capture the roar of 40 Cup Series cars racing on track, Prime is once again set to bring fans what they enjoy, which is, simply, racing.
“We learned that fans want to sit back and enjoy the sport and celebrate what they’re seeing,” Strand said. “I think we’ve got a group that really has a great time at the races, and we want fans to be able to think that they’re there with us each and every week. Let’s deliver on the core race. Let’s give people everything that they want.”
