CONCORD, N.C. After two years of racing for Trifecta Motorsports at the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink, Michael Faccinto will join the team full time this year.

The Hanford, Calif. driver enters his rookie campaign with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota as the gasser of the Stanton-powered Spike Chassis No.5U for co-owners Steve Carbone and Staton Flurry.

Ive been lucky enough to drive for Trifecta the last two years at the Chili Bowl, Faccinto said. I developed a really good relationship with Steve, they reached out and asked if I would be interested in doing this whole deal and I was all on board. Its going to be an exciting year, we got great partners behind us, and Im looking forward to get out there and get going.

Hell also have a familiar face by his side, as Bobby Janky Milliser will turn the wrenches on Faccintos machine as they reunite in their first chance to chase the series title.

Im at a pretty high confidence [level] with Trifecta, Faccinto said. Janky and I actually worked together quite a bit, probably seven or eight years ago, and when we got to work at Tulsa a couple of years ago, it just felt right at home.

Preparing for the 2025 season, Im excited to know the boys have been putting in the hard work with me being out in California, but I know theyre prepared to tackle the season. They want a championship, so I want to deliver it to them.

Faccinto has extensive open-wheel dirt racing experience, winning the 2022 USAC Western States Midget title and making various starts with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, American Sprint Car Series, USAC National Midgets and Micro Sprints.

Despite no Xtreme Outlaw starts to his name until the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 changes the stat, Faccinto is savoring every second he gets on the track as his way of being fresh and fast at the start.

Track time, especially, is huge, Faccinto said. The track tendencies, running the curb or running the bottom, its obviously different than a Sprint Car or Micro, but that seat time, feeling it in your butt, its good to have that time in it. Im going to spend time with Xtreme, but also running Midgets out in California, Winged Sprint Cars and a Micro on the off nights by just staying busy and staying as sharp as I can.

The Californian is making his first touring endeavor outside of the West Coast U.S. with most of the tracks being new to him when he arrives for competition. Despite the unfamiliarity, hes got eyes on the season-opening World of Outlaws Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway, Coles County Speedway for the Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series doubleheader, and the Pennsylvania Xtreme Appalachian Midget Week.

To be honest, I havent really been to a lot of the places, Faccinto said. Im looking forward to Coles County. Ive seen a lot of videos of that place, and it looks right up my alley there. Even the season-opener at Farmer City, that track to me kind of fits the style.

But getting out to Pennsylvania, running those racetracks, you see it out in California, you see all the videos of Pennsylvania tracks and they look [made] for the Midgets. Theyre tight bullrings, just like California, so I would say those are what Im looking toward the most.

CONCORD, N.C. Running every DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour race is not a task for the faint-hearted.

This years edition of the famed tour resembles the schedule of years past with a grueling pace of 31 races in 34 days. Not all have the resources or stamina complete it in full, but those who have took away lessons for their career and life.

In Part I of this series, Summer Nationals champions Ashton Winger, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., Nick Hoffman and Tyler Erb talked about their path to the Hell Tour. Here, several of them expand on what it took to be successful on the tour.

Learning Yourself Through Hell

The challenge of taking good care of the race car and parts day in and day out teaches drivers about their work ethic and living lessons theyve used throughout their careers on national dirt Late Model tours.

2022 World of Outlaws Late Model champion Dennis Erb Jr took his lessons of mixing the positive and negatives he experienced from the time spent with the Summer Nationals that helped prepare him better for national dirt Late Model tours.

There were a lot of things there (to learn), Erb Jr said. Going up and down the road, taking care of all the equipment while racing near 30 nights in a row. You obviously had to make good decisions, definitely mixing good and bad, but theres a lot of things that went on through that time.

It was a learning curve to be able to learn how to race for points, know where to pick your battles throughout that month or two. There was a lot there that helped me as far as learning how to be consistent, finishing races, and being up front. That was one of the biggest things, where you can group them all together to concentrate on being consistent, because thats what wins championships.

Nick Hoffman had a special challenge in 2019 when it was just, he, his two-month-old son, Maddox, and his wife, Lacy, on the Hell Tour. Hoffman got by with only family by his side, recording 13 Feature wins and his second-career Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals title.

It definitely teaches you to work hard because you aint got a choice, Hoffman said candidly. Very grueling days, long weeks, but as long as you can put nights together and have a little bit of success, it makes it a hell of a lot easier. Its very rewarding, but it can also beat you down pretty quick.

Maddox, my firstborn, the first year I did it with just my wife and him, he was only two months old. So, it was just us three on the road, and thats a memory that Ill never forget as we were able to win the championship and race every single race. That will always be special to me.

Ashton Winger noted the difference in competition from traditional national tours. In 2023, he had to square up against Bloomington, ILs Jason Feger for his Hell Tour championship while racing against other prominent Illinois Bad Boys through the summer.

Winger compares the caliber of drivers to racing against southeastern staples Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, and Chris Madden.

I definitely think Feger has picked it up in the last few years, Winger said. Hes definitely gotten way better, but youre gonna have to race (Shannon) Babb everywhere, (Ryan) Unzickers fast, obviously Squirrel (Brian Shirley) and Bobby (Pierce) have gone onto the Outlaws.

I mean, hell, when I go, I feel like me and Terbo are probably the adopted sons of Illinois. Youre gonna race some guys that are coming up and the usual veterans, its like going to race (Brandon) Overton, (Jonathan) Davenport, and (Chris) Madden at Cherokee (Speedway). You go race with (Midwest) guys every single night in their backyard, and we always get to enjoy that.

Before scoring his first World of Outlaws Late Model championship in 2023, Bobby Pierce made a name for himself on the Summer Nationals tour, collecting five championships his last coming in 2022. When he moved to the World of Outlaws full-time in 2023 his first full year with the tour he was already driving and winning like a champion early in the season due to his experience gained on the Hell Tour.

I feel like Summer Nationals makes you better when youre racing all the time like that, Pierce said. Everyone gets into the routine more, and its like a muscle memory thing too when youre racing every time and its like riding a bike the next time you race. When you can do it, I think it just makes you better and gave me the confidence to go out and win.

Since scoring his lone Summer Nationals championship in 2013, Brandon Sheppard has gone on to hold the most victories and championships with the World of Outlaws Late Models. He too cited his acceptance of the grind on the Hell Tour as a key factor for his success on the national tour.

Basically, the experience [helped me], Sheppard said. What it takes to go up and down the road, and race night after night with no breaks, no days off, and even the days off were harder work than the days we raced. At the end of the day, it is the experience that if youre a young racer getting into the sport and need to gain experience in a short amount of time, [Summer Nationals] is a good way to do it for sure.

Theres no easy road on the Hell Tour. Not all can do it, but those who do find they leave a better driver and a better person. In Part III of this series out Monday, March 24 these champions share what it meant to win their first Hell Tour race and title and what those milestones meant to their careers.

Longtime team leader of Foley Lewis Racing, Tim Lewis, has passed away, the team revealed Monday afternoon.

Lewis was a successful businessman who in the late 1990s attended Doug Foleys drag racing school. It was there that the duo formed an almost 30-year relationship.

We started competing in Alcohol Dragster in the late 90s and made the leap to Top Fuel in 2004, Foley said in a statement. This was an unattainable dream that Tim made happen. We travelled the country in our motorhome like we belonged in this class we won, we lost, but most importantly, we always laughed.

Tim had a great personality and didnt take life too seriously. He taught me to dream big and he literally changed mine, Shelaghs and the boys lives in so many ways, and for that we will always be grateful. No matter my crazy ideas, he was always encouraging and enthusiastic about tackling my vision whether it was for the team, my business or my family, Foley continued.

It has been hard racing this year without him at the track with us, but now to lose him, knowing he will never be at the track with us again after 25-plus years is truly heartbreaking.

The last race he attended was Charlotte in the fall, where we went to the finals, which now I look at as a gift from God on what would be our last race weekend together. The team and I will race this season in his honor and we will miss him dearly.

Two years ago, AO Racings Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) made major waves at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the reveal of its now famed Rexy livery.

Then last season, the team made significant strides as it won the title in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD PRO category on the strength of three victories.

However, none of those wins came in the series premier events Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring or Petit Le Mans.

With anchor driver Lauren Heinrich behind the wheel again this season, the goal after a title season for the Illinois-based team was to secure a crown jewel race.

They did just that Saturday at Sebring (Fla.) Intl Raceway as Heinrich and his co-drivers, Klaus Bachler and Alessio Picariello, snagged the lead away during the final hour to win.

Obviously last year we won the championship, Heinrich began. We won three races in the process of that. But none of them were, lets say, one of the big three in the IMSA calendar: Daytona, Sebring or Petit.

So this year I want to defend the champion for myself and AO. For sure on my list was to win one of the big three. Daytona unfortunately didnt work where we were trying, but now it worked.

For me personally, its my very first major endurance win in sports car racing, Heinrich continued. Its a huge achievement. I couldnt have done it without my teammates Alessio and Klaus, my team AO and Porsche.

Yeah, Im over the moon. I think a moment like this will stay forever. Certainly a day I will remember hopefully for a really long time. I hope its the first of many.

The team also put an exclamation point on the victory as Heinrich broke the GT track record twice in the final stint, something that showed the pure strength of the teams race car after nearly 12 hours of competition.

The car really came alive when the sun went down, Heinrich said. Its always the crucial part of this race. Also when you prepare for this race, you always aim to have a quick car at the end when it really matters.

To be honest, AO and our engineer, hes done an amazing job at predicting what we need in these conditions because we dont know. Of course, we have the night practice, but after the night practice the track rubbers in even more. Its never the same. Its something you cannot really practice.

He has experience. He gave me the car to win the race, and I just pushed. I wanted to drive away from the others. I managed to do it.

Now with a victory under their belts, Rexy is second in the standings, 17 markers behind Ford Multimatic Motorsports No. 65 entry.

NHRA officials announced that mud flaps in Top Fuel will be optional for the next four races, starting at the upcoming NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix on March 21-23, while NHRA evaluates their effectiveness of reducing rear wheel loads without significantly impacting other areas.

The NHRA Technical Department will reassess the mud flap after the four-race trial period, working with Top Fuel teams to gather as much information as possible.

If no mud flap is utilized, the side of the Top Fuel body must be covered with a replacement body panel, with no bare chassis exposed.

Notably, during a test session at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway two weeks ago, Brittany Force ran the fastest eighth-mile speed in Top Fuel history (302.69 mph) without the mud flaps being on the car.