By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio Teen-ager Alessandro De Tullio will make his INDY NXT by Firestone debut in 2026 wheeling A.J. Foyt Racing’s signature No. 14 car. Addition of the 19-year-old Italian-American is a significant marker in Foyt Racing’s recently launched commitment to developing the next generation of NTT IndyCar Series talent. The 17-race schedule includes a visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the inaugural INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington street race on Sunday, March 15. “This is an amazing opportunity to take the next step in my career with such a respected and historic team,” De…
Author: John Sturbin
John Sturbin
John Sturbin is a Fort Worth-based journalist specializing in motorsports. During a near 30-year career with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, he won the Bloys Britt Award for top motorsports story of the year (1991) as judged by The Associated Press; received the National Hot Rod Association’s Media Award (1995) and several in-house Star-Telegram honors. He also was inaugural recipient of the Texas Motor Speedway Excellence in Journalism Award (2009). Email John Sturbin at jsturbin@hotmail.com.
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio Sebastian Murray has laid down the first marker of the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season, leading Monday’s Chris Griffis Memorial Test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course. Murray was quickest among 24 drivers turning laps on the 2.439-mile/14-turn circuit, stopping the clocks at 1-minute, 14.5035-seconds/117.852 mph after 86 laps in the No. 27 Andretti Global car. Murray finished 13th in the series standings in 2025 as a rookie for Andretti Cape INDY NXT before moving to the Andretti team for 2026. SEE: Overall Test Results “Great day at IMS,” said Murray, an 18-year-old native of…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio A.J. Foyt Racing will field a two-car team in the INDY NXT by Firestone championship beginning in 2026 in a strategic alliance with HMD Motorsports. Announced in Indianapolis, the collaboration between Foyt Racing and HMD Motorsports will strengthen the connection for open-wheel driver and team crew personnel looking to advance from the developmental INDY NXT series into the premier NTT IndyCar Series. While Foyt Racing will maintain its brand and identity, the new program emphasizes the team’s commitment to the next generation of INDYCAR talent. The organization aims to provide a more integrated and…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio John Force Racing has signed two-time NHRA Top Fuel national event-winner Josh Hart to drive the car two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force will vacate at the end of the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Hart’s multi-year contract with JFR’s 23-time world championship organization will begin with the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 5-8, 2026. The Gator Nats will kick-off the National Hot Rod Association’s 75th anniversary season celebration. Force announced Sept. 12 she will be stepping away from competition at the conclusion of this season to focus on starting…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS – A pragmatic Dallas Glenn exited the Texas Motorplex Sunday afternoon poised for his first NHRA Pro Stock world championship. Glenn trailered Aaron Stanfield in the final of the 40th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals to notch his seventh win of the season, 20th of his career and third-in-four Countdown to the Championship playoff races. Glenn’s first victory on the Motorplex’s famed all-concrete surface also boosted his lead over arch-rival Greg Anderson from 25-to-60 points with two races remaining. “I definitely feel more relaxed this season in the Countdown, maybe because last year…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS – With two races remaining on the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship schedule, Richard Gadson is unashamedly doing the math. “Mostly, I’m counting points,” said Gadson, who is chasing his first Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship. “It’s a math equation right now for me.” Gadson’s victory over Brayden Davis in Sunday’s final of the 40th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex padded his lead from 29-to-72 points over Vance & Hines teammate Gaige Herrera, the two-time/reigning PSM champion. “I’m not taking nothing for granted,” said Gadson, a 39-year-old native of…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS – Drag racing Hall of Famer Billy Meyer and his Texas Motorplex are aging gracefully this weekend, while playing host to what has morphed into the sport’s longest cocktail party. The fifth annual Stampede of Speed is inexorably rolling toward its top end _ Sunday’s eliminations of the 40th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. After 10-days and nights of drag racing mixed with Texas-themed live music, menus and family-friendly events throughout Ellis County, attention-spans are re-focusing on “The Billyplex.” “Yeah, it’s not quite Jerry’s World,” said Meyer, 71, referencing the AT&T Stadium…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS – Billy Meyer’s Texas Motorplex drew a comparison to Max Yasgur’s farm during Wednesday evening’s annual Champions Dinner, a prelude to this weekend’s 40th Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Glenn Menard, the Motorplex’s first general manager, led off a Stampede of Speed program honoring reigning and past national event champions with a look back on the facility’s inaugural day of eliminations on Sunday, Sept. 28, 1986. “It was magic that day,” said Menard, introduced on-stage as Employee No. 1. “People came from all over the country to see the Motorplex, (just ask Funny Car…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio Mick Schumacher will add to his globe-trotting motorsports resume during an INDYCAR test later this month with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course. Schumacher, 26, currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) for Alpine. The son of seven-time Formula One World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher, Mick has made 44 starts in F1 with a best finish of sixth in addition to four WEC podiums to-date. Schumacher most recently drove an open-wheel race car as the Mercedes F1 reserve driver while competing in WEC in 2024, and participated in…
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio Veteran INDYCAR team-owner Dale Coyne will mentor rising star Dennis Hauger during his rookie NTT IndyCar Series season in 2026 in partnership with Andretti Global. Dale Coyne Racing has confirmed that Hauger, the reigning INDY NXT by Firestone champion, will drive one of the team’s Honda-powered entries for the full 17-race schedule. The team also announced it has entered into a technical alliance with Andretti Global for the 2026 season. A 22-year-old native of Norway, Hauger scored six wins, five additional podium finishes, 13 top-10s and seven poles in 14 races en route to…