John Tharp Ziggy Moonglow Zakk Miller
Ryan Heuser Rick Jackson
Dave Miller
Trae Larkin
Jimmie Stevens Steve Inkman Mike Carroll Dakota Wilkins
Donald Stewart
Dalton Lucas
Craig Lee Geno Sphere Ben Geer
Timothy McDonnell Doug Spark Michael Henson Kevin Corbat Jeremy Hebel
Molemar Diggs Nigel Ramasawmy
David Baldinger
Rod Weston
Tom Barber
David Courtney
*yellowindicates the eleven drivers racing their way in. Top-6 will make the race.
Flagman "Bucket" Bill Gallaway readies the field in an 18-car dash for $2,000,000! Pole winners dominate the facility, with miracle-men Ken Joynt, Michael Henson and Chauncey Redmond Jr. earning their entry while Timothy McDonnell, Ken Pettit, Rick Jackson, Alex Crapser and Matt Raboin relax on the sidelines. 50-laps and a pit stop will determine the first winner of 2025, with John Battista and Tony Pizzaro on the front-row.
The Wendy's #39 leads the field to the green! Battista cleared the Fenway Frank machine off of turn two, leading the first lap before Pizzaro made his bid. Behind them, Bink Lucas dives three-wide for the third spot, blindsiding Chauncey Redmond and Ryan Heuser on the inside. Pizzaro would fly past leader Battista with draft-help from John Tharp's Zig-Zag Toyota. Tharp would capitalize with a bold three-wide maneuver of his own entering turn-three, clearing for the top-spot.
John Tharp's #14 was a preeminent force, leading the field for fourteen-straight roundabouts. Matthew Dominique used his Wendy's slip-stream to slide by Tharp on lap sixteen, only for the #14 Zig-Zag Toyota to cross back by. Lapped car Dakota Wilkins gave Tharp a scare on lap-31, allowing Zakk Miller and Adam Crapser to facilitate an unlikely pass. Tharp drifted back while the field bunched into a three-wide cavalcade.
Dakota Wilkins, Chauncey Redmond Jr. and Ken Joynt all lost the draft failing to keep up with Tharp's lucrative speed. All three got lapped before the first pit stop, praying for a miracle to put them back in contention. Both Joynt and Redmond are desperate to make the Daytona 500 field during next week's Daytona Duel's. Joynt's teammate and spotter Mark Heron churns on the radio.
Ryan Heuser and Adam Crapser dive three-wide with less than twenty laps-to-go! The #138 NOS-Energy Chevrolet got lost his track position early after a simiar three-wide maneuver on the second lap. A seventy-five mile charge puts him back up front, only for Champion Johnny Reed Foley to snag it back. 1,630 laps led in 2024 and two so far tonight. Matthew Dominique re-took the top-spot with fifteen laps remaining.
Race dominator John Tharp catapults into the wall! Markell Murphy and Jeremy Hebel tangle in turn-3, sliding into Tharp and Dakota Wilkins as all four compress into the outside retaining barrier. Zig-Zag's twenty-six laps led now sits in the garage, with both he and Wilkins out of the event. Murphy and Hebel would lose the draft after the oncoming restart, with twelve drivers up to speed for an eleven-lap dash for the victory!
Matthew Dominique and Bink Lucas battled defiantly for the top-spot while crossing the line with ten-to-go. Lucas would make the pass, with Craig Lee, Johnny Reed Foley and Zach Michael freight-training the inside and putting them 1-2-3! Foley and Michael battled defiantly for the second spot while Craig Lee pulled ahead. Lee's never won a Big Bud Shootout in his illustrious career. On the final lap, Zakk Miller and Zach Michael stormed behind the #101 Nos Energy Chevrolet, only for Michael to make a bid on his own. He would be denied! Craig Lee wins his first career Big Bud Shootout in 2025!
A well-earned victory for Craig Lee, hoping to continue his flow for the early part of the year. Last season he finished second in the Daytona 500 and won California, leading the points en route to his eventual 5th-place standing! Teammates Ryan Heuser and Dave Miller also looked strong, an omen for more Quick-Silver dominion in 2025. Congratulations to Lee, crew chief Pokey Reese and the entire Quick-Silver Motorsports organization for an excellent victory!
A 50-lap showdown of pole winners for $2,000,000! Johnny Reed Foley gained weight during the offseason, devouring the "Artery Clogger" mega-meal at Uncle Crumpler's pizzeria. "We'll gain traction on the high banks" said crew chief Ronnie Pressley. Teammate Timothy McDonnell lost weight in depression of not making the show! He will be in the broadcast booth with Alex Crapser and Ken Pettit, reminiscing on the poles Foley and Miller hijacked during their 2024 campaign. Good luck to the contenders! Here are the winners from the previous six seasons:
2019: Scott Jackson 2020: Tony Pizzaro 2021: Johnny Reed Foley 2022: Dave Miller 2023: Zach Michael 2024: Alex Crapser
Delta Sim Racing doesn't have to run up front to earn glory. Between Ziggy's pit-wall wreck at Sonoma and Trae's 28th-place streak, you can be assured these guys will make the Monday headlines! Coca-Cola and Fanta are back for another year, with Trae Larkin earning his spot in the Daytona 500 field. Ziggy is still recovering from Sonoma as an outside favorite to make the show. A top-5 finish for both drivers is the goal for 2025.
Kelpo T-Shirts reached top-20 in sales! Tony Gunk finished 47th in points, solidifying his "miracle-man" status by maintaining revenue throughout the year. His magnum opus was a 14th in the Eddie Money Classic, hoping to earn his first career top-10 in 2025. Teammate Steve Inkman started the year with a 9th in the Daytona 500, making the field in every race through the summer stretch. They had no expectations last year. The same goes for 2025. A top-35 result for both drivers would be the pinnacle.
Ken Joynt joins Extravaganza full-time in 2025. A Bud Shootout birth gave Skoal the incentive to run the full year, hoping to make the Daytona 500 field en route to a full-fledged effort. That Gateway pole and his big victory at the 250-mile Indianapolis race proved he was ready for the big time, with teammate Mark Heron ready for a go of his own. Energizer is back for a second season in hopes of another top-10 performance in the Daytona 500.
Kevin Corbat and Doug Spark won the Extravaganza companion races at Atlanta, Talladega, Michigan and Las Vegas for their Overspeed Rennsport Bonzanza effort. Due to their immaculate success, the team has been promoted to Extravaganza, with Spark as the sole Rookie of the Year contender of 2025! Engines will be leased from the CFM warehouse in St. Louis to the Rennsport headquarters on the other side of the city. There are high hopes and limited expectations.
CFM motorsports, Quick-Silver Motorsports, Team Danger Zone, Race-2-Win Motorsports, Lucas Racing and Quantum Racing monopolized 16 of the top-17 spots in the final 2024 standings. The lone wolf was John Tharp's PHR Racing, defying the odds once again with their immeasurable Toyota engine program. He and Cristian Torres run their foreign brands once again, with William Perry, Alan Nesfeder, Michael Henson, Rod Weston and Jonathan Skrabacz all ready to stroll in their single-car enterprise!
Molemar Diggs wins Rookie of the Year! A miraculous campaign after a torrid start to the 2024 season; up to 6th in points after the Coca-Cola 600. Five-straight top-7 finishes for the 2023 Bonanza Series Champion between Atlanta and Martinsville hoped to set the standard. He couldn't continue the success, but his Lucas Racing horsepower made up for the lack of experience. Teammate Chauncey Redmond Jr. miraculously crawled his way into every field despite being outside the top-35. If he continues that pace, look for the race results to start flourishing. Chauncey will have to race his way into the Daytona 500.
Switching from Lucas Racing to the Team Danger Zone engine program was a small grind for Bink Lucas and Jimmie Stevens in 2024. The #2 Ampio machine failed to maintain his trademark consistency, catapulting into mid-pack accidents throughout the year. Bink Lucas stole a victory at Texas to continue his four-year streak in victory lane, keeping their upstart reputation alive! Look for the fruits of labor to increase their 22nd and 29th place efforts in the standings. A chase birth for either driver is the goal, with a victory on both sides the cherry on top! Hopefully they don't choke on the stem.
Rumors saw W.A.S.P. Motorsports being bought out by a candy bar company during the offseason. Miraculously, the deal fell through, keeping Scott Jackson on a pedastal by himself with his ATEUP sponsorship remaining in tact. Bill Werkheiser and Randy Dobbins now sit at home, leaving Jackson by himself to overachieve in his seemingly out-dated equipment. Teammate Geno Sphere failed to earn a top-10 to Jackson's seven, including his miracle victory at Pocono that sent shockwaves through the spines of all. This might be Scott's final Extravaganza Series campaign.
Geer-5 Racing continues their in-house engines for 2025! "Twinkie Man" Ben Geer finished the campaign with nine top-16's in the final ten races, hoping to advance his momentum to a well-deserved Daytona 500 victory. He finished 7th in last year's race with a 6th at the Brickyard; the track that nearly took his career a half-decade ago. He and teammate Donald Stewart hope to improve mightily on their short track program, going winless in 2024 with Foley and Wilkins stealing the #55's usual speedway glory.
Mike Carroll is back! His previous stint at High Octane Racing was filled with misfortune, reaching the pinnacle at Talladega in the fall of 2021. Longtime sponsor SPAM extends their partnership with Mike after his Bonanza Series Championship in 2024, joining forces with Dan Johnston for a second time. Dan maintained a top-30 pace all year in an extended race field, earning top-5 finishes at Rockingham and Lime Rock en route to a 28th-pace effort in the standings. Look for both drivers to capture a top-30 points finish. Their current goal is getting Mike Carroll into the Daytona 500 field.
Old Farts Racing becomes the first multi-car team in Extravaganza Series history to go a full season without an engine failure. What a feat! Their lack of horsepower proved significant in finishing races; well enough to beat Bill Werkheiser, Steven Spears and Chauncey Redmond for the top-35. Rob led only two laps during his entire campaign, racing defiantly within the mid-pack chaos the entire year. Butterworth endured the same adversity and pulled through, beating Donald Stewart and Dalton Lucas in the standings despite arguably better equipment. Both will start the first six races of 2025 thanks to their immaculate grit-and-grind style.
Team Danger Zone started off strong! An isolated Ford organization among GM elites showcased their handicap in previous years. In 2024, their 1.5-mile program soared, with Zakk Miller sweeping the poles at Texas and Zach Michael winning at Charlotte in the fall! Their biggest boon was consistency, blowing only four engines between Miller, Michael and Markell Murphy combined. The Coca-Cola #20 and Bepis #30 finished 3rd and 4th in the 2024 standings purely due to their laps completed. With the same luck, Steven Spears could propel himself back into the top-35 in points to continue his Mello Yello sponsorship.
Lucas Racing is ready to stroll! Six victories last year were second-most of any organization, but a myriad of accidents limited their success in the standings. Alex Crapser and John Battista peaked at 10th and 11th, with the Wendy's #39 second in total top-5's and top-10 finishes. Adam Crapser hopes to continue his big race success, with victories at Charlotte, Daytona and Martinsville solidifying his status as an Extravaganza elite. Dalton Lucas hopes to stay inside the top-35 in points to continue his Little Caesar's sponsorship.
The only organization with three Extravaganza Series Champions! A morbid start to Ryan Heuser's 2024 campaign turned into a second-place effort in the standings. He and Craig Lee dominated the final two-third's of the year, overcoming bad luck with their usual top-line horsepower. Eight combined poles tied Team Danger Zone with the most; both finishing the year with two drivers inside the top-5 in points. If Dave Miller can get back to his winning form, look for Quick-Silver Motorsports to lead the league in laps led and take down the newly-found CFM powerhouse.
Race-2-Win Motorsports was overtaken by Team Danger Zone and Blazin' Pedals Racing as the top-dogs of 1.5-mile racetracks. In fact, their three victories were at Richmond, Darlington and Watkins Glen; three facilities that produced heartache and despair in the past. Ken Pettit's smooth Marley ride somehow kept pace with Johnny Reed Foley in the standings all year, nabbing top-20's at a rate only Babe Ruth himself could perform. Unfortunately, Ruth was not on Tony Pizzaro's side. Rick Jackson gnawed his way to 9th in the standings despite a winless campaign. Look for their engine program to improve in 2025.
Matthew Dominique dominated the fall-stretch after a vile start to his 2024 campaign. He and John Battista dominated the final ten-race stretch, hoping to continue their stride heading to Daytona. Matthew's victory at Rockingham broke a 147-race winless streak, with Logan Sheets looking for victory #1 after 18 career top-5 finishes. Matt Raboin's short track prowess continues to illuminate, failing to lead laps but continuously driving inside the top-5. Logan's Intrepid flows through the air better at the 1.5+ mile speedways. If Raboin and Dominique's Vipers can do the same, look for this team to remain a force with their continuing QSM engine support.
Johnny Reed Foley dominated his 2024 campaign! Eight victories with horsepower from the gods; illuminating the grandstands with blue, white and red all season. The 2024 Champion and most popular driver won at Atlanta, Kansas, Gateway, Loudon, Pocono, Darlington, Atlanta and Homestead, while teammate Timothy McDonnell scrapped to a 7th-place effort. If both teams can even out, look CFM Motorsports to dominate Extravaganza for a second-straight year. Satellite team Overspeed Rennsport with Kevin Corbat and Doug Spark will start due to Foley's 2024 success.
Dakota Wilkins went on a rampage! Five victories on the year; proving his 2023 victory at California was not a fluke. Rookie teammate Jeremy Hebel fulfilled his promise to add short track value to the team, nearly winning at Martinsville in April while Dakota dominated the speedway's. Victories at Homestead, Talladega, Nashville, Chicagoland and Bristol were surrounded by tough luck and slow speed on the smaller racetracks. If Jeremy's program improves, it could propel Dakota and Blazin' Pedals Racing into a perennial Championship contender.
2025 Extravaganza Series Schedule February 7th, 2025: Big Bud Shootout* February 14th, 2025: Daytona Duel #1* February 14th, 2025: Daytona Duel #2* February 21st, 2025: Daytona February 28th, 2025: Atlanta March 7th, 2025: Rockingham March 14th, 2025: Phoenix March 21st, 2025: California March 28th, 2025: Homestead April 4th, 2025: Martinsville April 11th, 2025: Darlington April 18th, 2025: Bristol April 25th, 2025: Talladega May 2nd, 2025: Texas May 9th, 2025: Kansas May 16th, 2025: All Star Consolation #1* May 16th, 2025: All Star Consolation #2* May 16th, 2025: All Star Race* May 23rd, 2025: Charlotte May 30th, 2025: Nashville June 6th, 2025: Pocono June 13th, 2025: Richmond June 20th, 2025: Gateway June 27th, 2025: Sonoma July 4th, 2025: ... Read more »
