By David G. Firestone
So some newsworthy racing stories happened this week. The first of came from the NHRA. I’ll quote the NHRA from their own website:
“NHRA has levied a $5,000 fine and deducted 100 championship points from Erica Enders’ score for the use of rear wheels at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals that did not meet NHRA’s approved specifications for Pro Stock.
Following the disqualification of Erica Enders’ run during the fourth round of qualifying on Saturday in Bristol due to the use of rear wheels that did not meet NHRA’s approved specifications for Pro Stock, the following additional penalties have been announced: a 100-point deduction and a $5,000 fine.
The team has the right to appeal the financial penalty if they wish to do so. The funds collected from this fine will be used to support and enhance the capabilities of the NHRA Safety Safari.”
The NHRA later followed up on this statement clarifying the issue at hand:
“The NHRA Technical Department has issued a statement to further explain the fine and points penalty levied on Erica Enders’ Pro Stock team after it was found to be equipped with prohibited beadlock liner wheels at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
Following the fourth round of qualifying at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Erica Enders’ Pro Stock car was found to be equipped with beadlock liner wheels, including an inner liner tire. These wheels and (inner/liner) tires were originally developed to provide increased sidewall support during launch and reduce the likelihood of tire shake. The widespread adoption of this combination in other categories where wheel liners are legal demonstrates that the performance benefits of improved tire support outweigh the added weight.
Based on this, the NHRA Technical Department determined that the use of these wheels and (inner/liner) tires was intended to create a performance advantage not permitted in the Pro Stock category.
The 2025 NHRA Rulebook clearly states that “…unless optional performance equipment or performance-related modification is specifically permitted by this Rulebook, it is prohibited. All model, engine, or equipment changes or modifications not specifically addressed in this Rulebook must be submitted in writing to NHRA for consideration prior to competition…”
The Elite Motorsports team had a conversation with an NHRA Official regarding this topic during the Epping event, and this rule was communicated to them at that time. By choosing to use these wheels and tires in Bristol, they demonstrated a willful disregard for the instruction given by NHRA.”
Based on that, I think that there’s no room for interpretation. This was clearly an attempt from a struggling team to get a competitive advantage using an illegal strategy. It’s been no secret that Elite Motorsports has been struggling for some time. It’s no secret that they are frustrated, and want to turn things around. But did they really think they would get away with it?
Seriously, do cheating teams thing that sanctioning bodies are that dumb that they could run blatantly illegal equipment and not get caught? It rarely works, and there are serious consequences. The loss of points has effectively ended her playoff hopes. Her season is over. Even if the team appeal the penalty, it’s unlikely she will win. It’s not like these wheels are in the gray area. They are outright banned. Teams and drivers know good and well what equipment is legal and what equipment is illegal. Erica is screwed, she knows it, and she can’t blame anyone but herself.
Next we move on to Formula 1. The 2026 Formula 1 schedule came out, and a stunning change was made. To quote the Formula 1 website:
“The calendar sees further improvements to the geographical flow of races, including the Canadian Grand Prix now following Miami in an earlier slot from May 22-24, delivering significant freight efficiencies as some equipment can move directly from one event to the other.
This change creates a consolidated European leg of the season across the summer months, beginning in Monaco from June 5-7 and finishing in Spain, where Madrid will make its F1 calendar debut from September 11-13.”
As Adam Stern phrased it:
“Person familiar with @F1’s thinking disputed the characterization that the Canada switch was made to encroach on the Indy 500, adding that F1 respects Indy but had to better regionalize its schedule and factor in the wishes of the @F1GPCanada promoters.”
Well, here’s the problem. Regardless of intention, F1 is running opposition to the Indy 500. While the Monaco/Indy/Charlotte system worked well for years, and got everybody good TV numbers, this new setup will cost F1 a lot of live viewers. NASCAR, which does three to four times the viewership that IndyCar does, won’t try to run opposition, since they understand the significance of the Indy 500 in North America.
The only time a nationally televised race tried to compete with the Indy 500 was the 1996 US 500, which was CART desperately trying to prove they were just as good as the Indy Racing League. It was such a disaster, CART never tried to compete with the Indy 500 again. It says a lot that, in 1996, the US 500 couldn’t get a broadcast tv deal, or a title sponsor.
If Formula 1 thinks they are going to win this battle, they are dead wrong. Formula 1 barely has the foothold in America to tie NASCAR, even with the move to Amazon Prime. If they honestly think they are going to put a dent in the Indy 500 viewership, they have another guess coming. The Indy 500 is too important to the American racing scene for the Canadian Grand Prix to put a dent in the ratings.
Why would F1, which is desperate for a foothold in the American market try this is mind boggling. This won’t work, and even with a broadcast on ABC, they won’t put a dent in the Indy 500 ratings. I know I sound like a broken record, but it just won’t happen. It won’t work, so please don’t try.
Sources Cited:
DGF2099-Main Page 