NWSLMS returns to South Sound Speedway
South Sound Speedway returns to host a Northwest Super Late Model race, Aug. 1, 2026 staging the “Weatherguard Roofing 200.” South Sound photo. — John Force Racing photo
Spokane, WA – (Oct. 20, 2025): The Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by Knottical Marine announced the return to South Sound Speedway (WA) on August 1st for the track’s traditional marquee event of the season. The 28th annual running of the South Sound/ Miller 200 will be known as the “Weatherguard 200” in 2026.
The series last visited South Sound Speedway in 2021 for the “South Sound 200” won by Trenton Moriarity over a 24 car field. This will be the eighth visit to the facility for the NWSLMS and the fourth for the traditional 200 lap event.
The NWSLMS visited the west side of Washington in 2025 with the “Summer Showdown 200”, and will return to Rochester, WA this summer for another big 200 lap affair.
“The series is excited to return to South Sound Speedway”, NWSLMS director Dan Garber stated. “They have a beautiful facility located in the Pacific Northwest that we love to be a part of, and we are excited for the opportunity to put on a great show for the fans. Thank you to Nick (Behn) and his staff for allowing us another opportunity to bring a great field of Super Late drivers to his facility, for the 2026 “Weatherguard 200”.
The popular 3/8 mile oval is one of only a limited number of paved short tracks in the Western United States to feature Super Late Model racing on a regular basis. Ethan Ebert was the Powersports NW Super Late Model track champion in 2025. Track operator Nick Behn is looking forward to adding to an already prestigious event in 2026.
“South Sound Speedway is excited to announce the return of the NWSLMS to headline the “Weatherguard Roofing 200” weekend August 1st. You won’t want to miss this one,” Behn added.
The Northwest Super Late Model Series will head into its’ 13th season of operation in 2026. Among the previous NWSLMS winners at South Sound include Mitch Kleyn, Brittney Zamora, Alan Cress (2), Max Schroeder, Austin Thom, and Trenton Moriarity. On August 1st, another name or repeat winner will be added to the list.
John Force Racing signs Josh Hart to drive its Top Fuel dragster
Josh Hart will fill the seat formerly occupied by Brittany Force, who announced she will be stepping away from competition at the conclusion of the season to focus on starting a family. — South Sound photo
John Force Racing has signed multi-time NHRA U.S. Nationals winner and two-time NHRA Top Fuel winner Josh Hart to a multiyear contract to drive for the 23 time world championship organization beginning with the 2026 season.
John Force Racing has signed multi-time NHRA U.S. Nationals winner and two-time NHRA Top Fuel winner Josh Hart to a multiyear contract to drive for the 23 time world championship organization beginning with the 2026 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 5-8, which kicks off the National Hot Rod Association’s 75th anniversary season.
The Huntington, Ind., native will step into the cockpit vacated by two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Brittany Force, who announced Sept. 12 she will be stepping away from competition at the conclusion of the season to focus on starting a family.
The team will continue to be led by crew chiefs Dave Grubnic and John Collins, with primary sponsorship coming from Hart’s Ocala, Florida-based Burnyzz Speed Shop.
“I have always said ‘Anything’s possible,’ and this opportunity proves that statement. I want to thank John Force and the entire John Force Racing team for being open to this endeavor,” said Hart. “No one can replace Brittany Force and what she has done for the sport and this organization.”
Hart will become just the third driver to race in the highly competitive Top Fuel class under the John Force Racing banner. He will join Force and current John Force Racing Funny Car driver Austin Prock on a short list of Top Fuel competitors.
“I have been talking to Josh for a while, and every time we talked, it just made sense for our team to add someone like him,” said John Force, CEO and 16 time NHRA Funny Car champion. “He is a family guy, and he is a businessman.
Hart started his own race team for the 2021 season and earned the first of his two NHRA Top Fuel victories in his series debut at the Gatornationals.
He won again later that year at the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, N.C., and won the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout in Gainesville.
Hart is currently 10th in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel points standings with two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship.
His NHRA career began in 2011, racing in multiple Sportsman categories before earning his Top Alcohol Dragster license in 2015. Hart won three Top Alcohol Dragster NHRA national events, including consecutive U.S. Nationals titles (2018-19), and eight NHRA regional events from 2017-2019 before earning his Top Fuel license in 2020.
Briscoe locks up Championship 4 spot with overtime victory at Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. (Oct. 19, 2025)– In a typically dramatic push to the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway checkered flag, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe made a last lap pass on the frantic field to claim victory in Sunday’s YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race and earn his first-ever career shot at the season title.
The 29 year old Indiana-native Briscoe will join his JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, who won last week at Las Vegas, leaving the final two positions in the Championship 4 to be decided in next week’s regular season finale at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Briscoe thanked another JGR teammate, however, 23 year old Ty Gibbs for the push forward on the final lap Sunday that resulted in his first ever superspeedway win .145 second over Front Row Motorsports’ driver Todd Gilliland and Gibbs, neither who are among the current eight-driver Playoff field.
The runner-up showing was a career best for Gilliland. 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Haas Factory Team’s Cole Custer rounded out the top-five.
“Ty Gibbs, just an incredible teammate there,’’ said an emotional Briscoe, who stood on his No. 19 JGR Toyota waving his arms to the cheering crowd “I honestly would not have won that race without Ty. It was an amazing team effort. I can’t believe I won a superspeedway race. I’ve never done it at any level.”
Another JGR driver, Christopher Bell joined Briscoe as the only other Playoff competitor to finish among the top 10 Sunday, crossing the line eighth in the frantic three-wide four rows deep finish that has long characterized the 2.66 mile Talladega high-banks – NASCAR’s largest track. With Hamlin and Briscoe in the title race thanks to victories, Bell now holds the top points position, 37 points above the cutoff line.
As good of a day as it was for the Gibbs team to be able to claim half the championship race eligibility and position Bell atop the points standings, it was a disappointing afternoon for the other two organizations also racing for a shot at the title - Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske.
Hendrick had two cars running among the top five for the overtime restart only to have Kyle Larson drop back from the lead after running out of fuel. William Byron get spun out from behind only yards in front of the finish line while running top 10. They finished 25th (Byron) and 26th (Larson).
Larson is ranked fourth, a point below Bell in the standings – 36 points above the cutoff line. Byron – the regular season champion – is now fifth, 36 points below the line.
Penske’s two Playoff drivers, reigning series champion Joey Logano and 2023 series champ Ryan Blaney also experienced similar late-race frustration after positioning themselves up front in the waning laps. Logano’s No. 22 Ford actually led the most laps (35) on the day and turned in the longest single stint out front (16 laps) in a race that featured an incredible 77 lead changes among 27 drivers.
Ultimately neither could move forward in the closing pair of laps, however. Logano finished 16th and Blaney was 23rd – after both had to pit during the overtime caution period to top off on fuel.
Sunday’s results leave Logano ranked sixth among the eight Playoff drivers, 38 points below the cutoff line. Blaney is seventh, 47 points back. Both now need a victory at Martinsville to return to the championship race. Blaney has won the last two Playoff races at the half-mile Martinsville track and Logano won it in 2018.
The final round to set the 2025 Playoff field is Sunday afternoon’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
