Auto Racing News - 19 February 2026

This week the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be racing in Georgia tomorrow at the Echopark/Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Fr8 Racing 208. John Hunter Nemechek is scheduled to be back behind the wheel of the Halmar-Friesen Racing white no. 62 and Stewart Friesen will be in a black no. 52.

The Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club will be at Lake Luzerne as part of the Lake George Winter Festival on Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am. until 4:00 pm. for racing and the 20/20. Spectator admission is free. However, if you plan to compete you must pre-register and pay through www.motorsportreg.com. As with all events this is ice/weather permitting.

This Sunday, February 22 the ADK Jeepers will hold their 3rd. annual Winter Carnival at Hummingbird Hills Winery 1442 Burtonville Road, Fultonville. Wheeling will happen weather permitting, bring your snow tubes & sleds, No outside alcohol, leashed & well behaved pets welcome. The winery will be open.

Just announced last week Utica-Rome Speedway will host their annual Race Car Show Friday through Sunday, March 27-29 at the Sangertown Square Mall located at 8555 Seneca Turnpike, New Hartford. If you know of anyone interested in taking, please have them contact the speedway through facebook messenger.

Carter Gibbons is looking for anyone interested in helping out/ working with a local dirt modified/sprint car race team. Requirements: willingness to learn, that is it! You will learn and be hands on with the cars from the start. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in entering the automotive field, has an interest in racing, or enjoys working hands-on. Come and go as your schedule needs, no 100% commitment needed. Send Carter a message for more details at Gibbons Motorsports on facebook.

Modified driver Mike Mahaney is also seeking a crew member. Fulltime race team position available! Serious applicants only, they are looking for someone who wants to build a future in racing, not just fill a seat. Team 35 is looking to hire a full time mechanic/crew member immediately to their Big Block Modified team based out of Elizabethtown, N.Y. This is not just a job-it's a racing lifestyle. They race 80 plus events per year and are a team that shows up ready to work and ready to win.

What the position includes: Full Time salary position, housing provided, travel to 80 plus races per year, friendly-supportive-family style team environment, fast paced high performance race atmosphere. What you will be doing: working on race cars and shop equipment, traveling with the team to events, helping transport equipment safely from track to track, assisting with weekly car prep-maintenance and race day execution, helping keep shop-hauler and equipment clean and organized, supporting all-around team operations as needed.

Ideal candidate: Eager, committed and dependable, punctual and professional, passionate about racing and motorsports, team first mindset, willing to learn and be coached, respectful of equipment and shop standards, comfortable with long hours during race season. Bonus experience, not required, but helpful: prior race team travel experience, hauler driving experience (CDL is a plus, but not required), fabrication-body work-tire prep or mechanical experience, rear end/motor swap experience. Important to know, you will be on the road frequently during the race season, some weeks are long, some are not. This is performance based, team oriented racing, not a clock in-clock out job. Start date: as soon as possible, Apply: send resume/experience to mikemahaney33@gmail.com.

Results from last week in Florida: Wednesday night kicked-off the race to collect small Gator trophies, which leads up to someone earning the Big Gator at the end of the series. Wednesday night kicked off the Super DIRTcar Series at Volusia with 49 modified cars in the pit area. The 30-lap feature saw Stewart Friesen score his first big block modified victory since his horrifying crash last July at Autodrome Drummond in Canada. Felix Roy was second and Erick Rudolph was third. Jack Lehner of Saratoga Springs was fifth. Alex Yankowski finished 11th., Peter Britten 12th., Heat race winners were Erick Rudolph, Stewart Friesen, Mat Williamson, and Matt Caprara. In the redraw for the feature starting lineup Stewart and Felix were on the front row.

Thursday evening was practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway, The Halmar-Friesen Racing team had both of their Toyota Tundra's on the track, with Stewart Friesen in the number 52 and John Hunter Nemechek in the number 62. Last night was their scheduled race in the Fresh From Florida 250.

Heat race winners at Volusia on Thursday were Jimmy Phelps, Darren Smith, Mat Williamson, and Alex Payne. Consolation race winners were Matt Caprara and Jack Lehner. Bobby Varin drew the pole at the redraw and Jimmy Phelps was on the outside pole. Mat Williamson would claim the $5,000 check after the 30-lap feature. He was followed across the finish line by Larry Wight, and Alex Payne. Bobby Varin finished seventh, Felix Roy eighth, Peter Britten ninth, Alex Yankowski tenth, and Jack Lehner 13th., Justin Stone finished 26th. and Andrew Buff 28th.

The World of Outlaw Late Model Series was also at Volusia and Nick Hoffman was the feature winner with Tim McCreadie driving from 22nd. to second. For Watertown N.Y. native McCreadie, it was his 500th. WoOLM start.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competed Friday night at the Daytona International Speedway in the Fresh From Florida 250. The two truck team from Halmar-Friesen Racing had a good opening race, with both trucks finishing the event in the top ten. John Hunter Nemechek qualified 19th. in the no. 62 and Stewart Friesen qualified 24th. in the no.52 at the end of stage one Nemechek was fourth and Stewart was 19th. at the end of Stage two Nemechek was eighth and Friesen 19th. After 200-laps Nemechek would finish fifth and Stewart would finish tenth. Chandler Smith was the feature event winner.

On the dirt over at Volusia Mat Williamson collected another small gator followed by Alex Payne, Jack Lehner, and Alex Yankowski. Peter Britten finished eighth, Felix Roy ninth, Justin Stone 19th., Bobby Varin 24th.

On Saturday night the modified division were chasing the big gator as they competed in the DIRTcar Nationals finale, a 50-lap feature paying $7,500 to win. Heat race winners were Mat Williamson, Justin Stone, Matt Sheppard, and Louden Reimert. In the feature Lightning Larry Wight returned to victory lane followed by Stewart Friesen and Mat Williamson. Felix Roy finished fifth, Jack Lehner seventh, Justin Stone tenth. Alex Yankowski 12th., Peter Britten started on the pole but unfortunately was a did not finish in the results. Felix Roy received the Hard Charger award coming from 21st. to fifth.

The Big Gator champion was Mat Williamson with 457 points, Alex Payne-20, Felix Roy-32, Erick Rudolph-34, Larry Wight-38, Jack Lehner-43, Jimmy Phelps-43, Matt Sheppard-50, Alex Yankowski-51, Peter Britten-58.

On Sunday, at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. Tyler Reddick won the 68th. running of the Daytona 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series driving for a team owned by Former basketball star Michael Jordan. John Hunter Nemechek finished 26th. As a note of interest, Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick has raced at Utica-Rome Speedway in a dirt late model. He paid a visit to the Utica-Rome Speedway in 2010 when he was racing with the Lucas Oil Late Model Series as a 14 year old.

The local racing community has lost another member as Danny Canton of Gloversville passed away last week. Danny was a great influence and mentor for many Go-kart racers and was also a champion snowmobile racer. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, March 1 from 1:00 pm. until 4:00 pm. at the Robert M. Halgas Funeral home, 111 County Highway 106, at the intersection of NY-29 and Black Street.