MESA, Ariz. Cant we all just NOT get along?

Thats what four-time and reigning Top Fuel champion Antron Brown was wondering.

Everybodys seeing the value of our sport, he said, but there are some things in our sport that I see that could be different. One, Brown suggested, was that we need to really stop being Mr. or Mrs. Nice Person. Hes jonesing for some authentic smack-talk.

I think that will make our sport where you could get some more storylines and people could see it, because thats what people resonate with. Thats why they like watching UFC. Thats why they watch watching a boxing match. Connor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather. They were friends, but when they put those gloves on, they were talking junk to each other, and then they were backing it up what they were doing in the ring. And thats what we need is not putting something thats fake on its being true, but just letting our true inner competitive nature out.

Shirley Muldowney said it years ago: Im not to get out the car and say something nice about somebody who just beat me. They took money out of my pocket.

Absolutely, Brown said. People think its funny. They laugh at me when I say, That jokers trying to take my lunch money. It was more on the comedy side, but I was being who I am, and Im telling the truth because thats how I look at it.

When we put our race helmets on, we need to bring in our competitive nature and show it. And thats one thing that we need to do more of so people could see us and our competitive nature. Were nice and huggy and everything else like that, where I think we need to show em more of who we really truly are because were all gladiators. We go to war, he said.

He cited on-track rival Brittany Force: She has a pretty smile. She looks like a Barbie doll, but she aint no Barbie doll when she puts that helmet on. I say she is a monster.

Brown said Force cuts her better reaction times against him, trying to put me on the trailer. So we need to tell more of that. We need to have some more combatants against each other.

He would have giggled If he heard Vance & Hines crew chief Andrew Hines critical remarks about his rider Gaige Herreras opponent and keenest adversary, Matt Smith, in the recent Gatornationals Pro Stock Motorcycle final at Gainesville, Fla.

Smiths bike had trouble firing, and Herrera waited patiently for Smiths team to recover. But Hines said of Smith, We took the high road. But the ready line is back there. He shouldve had his stuff ready.

And maybe Brown enjoyed Bob Tasca IIIs rant against FOX Sports for claiming in its wildly popular IndyCar ads that the open-wheel series produces the fastest racing on Earth.

Tasca indignantly called it insulting to NHRA drivers and fans. Pro Stock winner Dallas Glenn, 34, complimented team boss and final-round foe Greg Anderson, 64, but called him an old guy.

Brown had to be grinning.

You could see me smiling, kissing babies, shaking hands, and when I put my helmet on, Im like gladiator because Im trying to bring death to the competition. And that never changes, brother. I dont care who you are. I dont care what kind of car were racing. We could race big wheels to the 60-foot clock, and you could be a little girl thats seven years old and I aint giving her no false hope. Im taking her to the cleaners, brother, Brown said.

Im a true competitor by nature, and I tell people this all the time: The day that I feel like I dont want to win, I will not be driving a race car. I dont like to lose. I go to the gym, I try to eat the right foods, keep myself in shape, and I try to come out in the best shape and mindset that I could be to win. Im always hungry, brother. Im just speaking the truth of my competitive nature, and Ive always been like that.

Announcer Bill Stephens tried to whip up some passion years ago. He told drag racers that they should be able to leap from their hot rods and share that sense of excitement they just experienced a few seconds earlier. If they cant convey excitement, why should anyone else care to watch? Stephens has a disciple in Brown.

AUSTIN, Texas FloRacing Night in America presented by Kubota is back for its fifth year of action in 2025.

With 10 events on the schedule, the miniseries once again posts a $75,000 champions take if a driver has perfect attendance or a guaranteed $50,000 without perfect attendance.

A drivers best eight finishes will count toward the miniseries title. If less than eight events are contested, all finishes will count toward the title.

The total point fund payout for the miniseries exceeds $137,000 and is as follows:

1)$50,000 ($75,000 championship with perfect attendance) 2)$20,000 3)$10,000 4)$7,000 5)$6,000 6)$5,000 7)$4,000 8)$3,750 9)$3,500 10)$3,000

Last year, Ricky Thornton Jr. took the $75,000 series title over 2023 champion, Bobby Pierce with Daulton Wilson, Jason Feger, Garrett Alberson, Spencer Hughes, Tyler Erb, Hudson ONeal, Dennis Erb Jr. and Carson Ferguson.

All the drivers from the 2024 Top 10 standings with the series have already voiced an intent to run for the miniseries title this year.

The season opens on May 6 at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway with the facilitys grand reopening, which also serves as the opening round of the annual Illinois Speedweek.

Action continues for Illinois Speedweek on May 7 at Spoon River Speedway (Banner, Ill.) before rolling into Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway on May 8.

The NTT IndyCar Series trip to The Thermal Club in California was a statement weekend for the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team.

With Chip Ganassi Racings Alex Palou favored mightily after a win in the season opener in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the question became simple who can challenge Palou and the No. 10 Honda for a championship?

Arrow McLarens Pato OWard and Christian Lundgaard answered the bell during qualifying as the duo locked out Palou from the front row. It was OWards first pole in three years.

Even during Sundays 65-lap event, Arrow McLaren appeared to be in control as OWard led over half the race, despite various tire strategies playing out.

However, quiet as could be, Palou made quick work of Lundgaard after a fierce back-and-forth battle and chased down OWard, who had an over nine-second advantage, to take the lead and the victory.

The team missed out on the ultimate prize and settled for second and third.

As OWard reflected, he believes the standard Firestone Black tire that was on his No. 5 Chevrolet was the demise his day.

We took a gamble and it didnt work out for us, OWard said. We had used our new reds in the start because we didnt really quite know what the deg was going to be like, the deg profile. The blacks really kind of took a turn in the negative towards the end of the race and that was it. We didnt really stand a fighting chance.

But thanks for all of the fans hanging in there with us. Thanks to you guys for tuning in and hopefully it was somewhat of an entertainment. Long Beach is whats coming up and hopefully we can have a repeat weekend, maybe even go one better. We have fought for the championship every single year, and thats where I expect to be. The weekends like this is where every point does count.

Every win does count for so much more and we just missed it by that, you definitely feel like youve left some points on the table where if we wouldve gone tomorrow, we maybe wouldve done something different, OWard continued. But, yeah, happy with the points day and were going to keep pushing.

Its a long, long, long season ahead and the ovals are a different beast as well. We need to be strong everywhere.

With Palous recent tear on the series dating back to last year where he scored a third championship, being strong at every track is a must.

For Lundgaard, it was a mixed bag of emotions as a podium result was the positive, but frustration crept in due to Palous dominance.

I think the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet has done a very good job, Lundgaard said. The entire team has done a very good job all weekend. We just didnt have it there. We gave it a shot and came up short, but having two cars on the podium is as well of a day we couldve wished for coming into Thermal.

Its tough seeing this guy beat us every single event. Weve got to find a way to stop him. Gotta thank the fans too for sticking in there. Its a long race, its tough.

WELCOME, N.C. Austin Hill will return to NASCAR Cup Series competition for a limited schedule this year with Richard Childress Racing and backing from United Rentals, the team revealed Monday afternoon.

In the first of five starts, Hill will drive the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet at the historic Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on April 6. Andy Street will crew chief the part-time entry and make his debut calling the shots in the Cup Series.

Im excited to compete in the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet again this year, said Hill. United Rentals has been a longtime supporter of my career and to continue that relationship once again at the top level of our sport is special. Ive enjoyed my starts in the Cup Series so far and the goal is to keep learning every time I climb into the car.

We have been strategic with adding new tracks to the lineup each season, which allows me to gain valuable experience. Racing for Richard at any level is an honor, but especially in the Cup Series. The focus remains on winning the Xfinity Series championship in November, but any laps in the Cup car are important for the future.

The 2025 campaign marks United Rentals fourth year of partnership with RCR, but the relationship with Hill has been a constant for over eight seasons.

United Rentals and Hill have found success and earned victories together in both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series.

In addition to the primary races on the No. 33 Chevrolet, United Rentals will serve as an associate partner on both Austin Dillons No. 3 Chevrolet and Kyle Buschs No. 8 Chevrolet throughout the Cup Series season.

We are looking forward to racing with Richard Childress Racing and Austin Hill in the NASCAR Cup Series, said Craig Schmidt, senior vice president of national accounts, United Rentals. We have a shared culture of team work that really cements the partnership.

We are excited to continue our support and give our customers unique experiences and a great team to root for.

Hill, who has competed in at least one Cup Series event the last three seasons, made his series debut at Michigan Intl Speedway in August 2022, earning an 18th-place result in the No. 33 Chevrolet. Hill is a 19-time NASCAR winner, the 2020 Truck Series regular season champion and the 2023 Xfinity Series regular season champion. The 30-year-old made his inaugural Championship 4 appearance in 2024 and captured his first victory of the 2025 Xfinity Series season in February to secure another Playoff run.

United Rentals is not only a long-time supporter of Austin, but of our sport, said Mike Verlander, president of RCR. They have consistently and strategically used their partnerships to showcase their position as a leader in the equipment rental industry.

We are proud to represent their brand once again this season and to have Austin back in the No. 33 Chevrolet. Our Xfinity Series program is designed to develop talent among drivers and crew members, and we are showcasing that progress.

Before being promoted to the Cup Series program, Street spent the last three seasons as crew chief of Hill and the No. 21 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series. Together, the duo advanced to the Playoffs each year and earned a total of 10 victories, including three consecutive in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Street, a 20-year veteran of the Welcome, North Carolina-based company, is the winningest crew chief at RCR in the past three years.

Hill will compete in a total of five races, all carrying the United Rentals colors.

• April 6, Darlington Raceway
• July 6, Chicago Street Course
• August 23, Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway
• September 13, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
• October 19, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway

Hill is currently fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings on the strength of a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this year.