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Some of the biggest automakers in the U.S. are Japanese, led by Toyota and Honda. But on the other side, there’s Mitsubishi, with sales volumes that are only a fraction of those brands. Last year, Mitsubishi sales declined by 13.7%, and the brand closed a high number of dealerships in the country over the last few years. Many remaining dealers have expressed frustration with the automaker’s dated, uncompetitive lineup, as well as the its heavy reliance on fleet sales. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening behind the scenes as remaining dealers battle to keep Mitsubishi alive. A Dramatic Decline in Dealerships Mitsubishi According to Automotive News, Mitsubishi started 2026 with 56 fewer dealerships than it had early in 2019. No other mainstream brand besides Ford and Chevrolet (far larger brands overall) have seen their dealer network diminish at this rate. In the last 18 months alone, 35 franchises have been terminated by Mitsubishi, according to CEO Mark Chaffin. However, the company added 12 new dealerships over the last year, with the new stores expected to be more lucrative. “We’re focused on quality over quantity as we evolve our franchise,” said Chaffin. “It’s all about the right stores run by new-car-focused operators in the right areas.” Currently, Mitsubishi has 297 dealerships, but they only average 15 new-car sales monthly, which Chaffin believes isn’t good enough. Mitsubishi Dealers Aren’t Happy Mitsubishi Motors North America Mitsubishi dealers are unhappy with the automaker on several fronts. These include a heavy reliance on fleet sales, challenging factory demands, and few incentives for a generally older range of models. Mitsubishi’s only three models are the Outlander, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross. The Outlander Sport is based on a platform that’s been around for 15 years, while the Eclipse Cross first went into production in 2017. Go back to around 2010, and Mitsubishi still sold sedans and even the Raider pickup. “It’s harder to compete with this lineup,“ Mitsubishi National Advisory Board Chairman R.C. Hill said. ”Dealer enthusiasm for the brand is fading." Mitsubishi Motors North America One dealer in the Midwest recently closed a store there, saying he had “lost confidence” in the brand’s lineup and was “fed up” after several years of losing money. Dealers are further incensed by the fact that many lower-trim models are being directly allocated to rental companies. In the first quarter of this year, almost 60% of Mitsubishi models sold went to fleet buyers. A compact electric crossover planned for September and a more rugged Outlander due to arrive in the first half of 2027 are part of Mitsubishi’s plans to revitalize its lineup, but retailers aren’t confident these models will arrive on time. “We keep being promised all this new stuff and how it’s gonna get better,” one of the retailers said. “Eventually Mitsubishi may get there with the new product, but it’s going to have to commit more to the U.S. if it wants to do well here.” What It Means Mitsubishi There’s only so much an automaker can do with a small, mostly dated lineup of vehicles. Until Mitsubishi introduces a few new models, its growth is expected to be limited and dealer frustrations will mount. Besides the need for more competitive crossovers, today’s Mitsubishi is a far cry from the enthusiast-pleasing brand it was in the 1990s and 2000s, when models like the Galant VR-4, 3000GT, and Lancer Evolution elevated its image. Such vehicles may not sell in large volumes, but they can be essential in attracting a new generation of customers to the brand in other segments. View the full article

A 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X Quail Silver Limited Edition convertible crossed the block at Mecum Indy 2026 and sold for $605,000. Its starting price at launch was $241,395, meaning the buyer paid nearly 2.5 times what the dealer originally paid for it. For that price, the buyer gets 1 of 60 cars made, this one with just six miles on the clock. With just an estimated 100 scheduled for production, getting a ZR1X through the normal process required being the right kind of customer at the right dealership at the right moment. That scarcity is exactly what’s sent used prices into the stratosphere. Mecum Rules, Restrictions, and Why None of It MatteredChevrolet has been fighting the scalper problem for years. GM requires ZR1X buyers to sign a retention agreement promising not to sell within the first year of ownership. Violators forfeit the car's factory warranty and become ineligible to order future high-demand Chevy models. The second owner also loses warranty coverage if the car is resold within that window. For the ZR1X specifically, that means bumper-to-bumper, powertrain, sheet metal, tire, accessory, and electric propulsion coverage are all voided, with the only exception being the EV battery warranty. The Mecum buyer knew all of this and raised the bar anyway. Mecum What $605,000 Actually BuysThe ZR1X is quite extraordinary. It combines 1,064 horsepower from the LT7 engine with an additional 186 horsepower from the electric front drive unit, reaching a combined 1,250 horsepower. On a prepped drag strip, it hit 60 mph in 1.68 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 8.675 seconds at 159 mph. At the Nürburgring, it set a lap time of 6:49.275, making it the fastest American car to ever turn a lap there, till the Mustang GTD beat it, at least. That time made it the fourth-quickest unmodified production car to lap the Ring overall. Mecum View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article The Quail Silver edition added a layer of ceremony to all that performance. It wears Blade Silver Matte paint, making it the first factory matte-finish Corvette in roughly 60 years, along with a full Carbon Fiber Aero Package including a rear wing, dive planes, and hood spoiler, plus carbon fiber wheels. For $605,000, you could have bought a Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and still have money left for track days. Whether this ZR1X buyer got a bargain depends entirely on how desirable these things remain five years from now. That part remains to be seen, of course. View the full article

This week, BMW announced arguably its coolest G-series car yet: a 2027 BMW M3 CS with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. But why is it only being offered in the U.S. and Canada? What makes us worthy of such a focused means of experiencing the manual transmission when the rest of the world missed out? Jay Hanson, a spokesperson with BMW's Product and Technology department, explained to BMWBlog that the U.S. is arguably the M division's most important market, and what an automaker's most important market wants, it gets: "The U.S. is the largest market for BMW M, and our fans there, more than anywhere else, have made it very clear to us that they still want these special, high-performance cars with manual transmissions. They asked for it, and we delivered - the M3 CS Handschalter was created for them." America Has Always Been a Fan of BMW M's Manual Transmission BMW While so-called daily drivers are almost always equipped with an automatic transmission for the majority of U.S. drivers, Americans tend to feel differently about performance cars, and the M3 CS Handschalter is only the latest manual Bimmer we get to keep to ourselves. The E60 BMW M5 was sold worldwide exclusively with the SMG transmission, a single-clutch automated manual, but in the U.S., a true six-speed manual was demanded, and BMW obliged by making it a no-cost option. The take rate for the stick shift was only said to have been around 14 percent, or 1,366 cars, but these were the days when 'paddle-shift' technology was a relatively new concept that, despite its clumsiness and ineptitude relative to modern DCTs and automatics, allowed a buyer to role-play as a Formula One driver, and every manufacturer that had a similar system boasted how it felt like being in a supercar. It was next-gen tech, and it's understandable why so many wanted to try it, especially when some manuals in high-performance cars had stiff clutch pedals. Related: BMW Alpina Starts Its New Era With A Big V8 Sedan Still, the fact that BMW was willing to go to the effort of providing a manual just for those few Americans who might not otherwise have bought an M5 showed that the brand understood the hardcore enthusiasts who make up an important portion of its buyer population, and they're the ones who talk most passionately about how fun-to-drive their M car is. Today, being able to drive a manual car properly is arguably the same kind of flex as having the means to own a paddle-shift car used to be. And flexing comes at a premium. Or does it? The Cynic's View of the $108,450 M3 CS Is Flawed BMW It's understandable if you have to question why this pricy special variant of the G80 M3 has only appeared now. The E60 M5 was offered from 2004 to 2010, and already in late 2006, around the middle of its time with us, BMW announced the option of a manual for the U.S. Meanwhile, the G80 M3 has been around since 2020, and only as a farewell to this generation is the three-pedal M3 CS arriving. Introducing this choice at the end of the G80's life cycle, for a single year, effectively limits availability. That's great for resale values, but if it had come sooner and been sold in greater volume, the CS badge might be less closely associated with the phrase "collector status," perhaps even avoiding most of the inevitable markups. Yes, this is the last non-hybrid M3, and it may well spell the end for the manual M3, too, which would make it the only M3 CS ever offered with three pedals. It's also the lightest G80 in this form, but it shouldn't be treated as something to preserve for posterity. Its performance should be plundered. It should be something to indulge in on a quiet canyon road, or during an untimed track day, not parked as an appreciating asset for all time. On the other hand, much of the essence of the manual M3 CS can be had with the base M3, too, and BMW's contemporary commitment to the stick isn't only extended to those paying six figures, though it could easily have made it so for 2027. If you want a manual M3, you can have one for $80,650. A 'normal' M3 won't be quite as light as a CS Handschalter, but you still get to row your own gears through 473 horsepower of rear-wheel-drive fun - and save nearly 30 grand in the process. The point is this: it's easy to be cynical about special editions, but while AMG and Audi Sport have long deserted enthusiasts of the manual transmission, BMW M has celebrated them as best it can for as long as it can, and whatever happens with the next M3, manual or not, giving Americans the choice of three pedals for this long, in base or CS form, is worthy of respect. BMW View the full article

MotoGP's Tech3 Racing team has, after deep deliberation, once again picked KTM power as its engine supplier. If it hadn't, however, it could've meant the end of KTM in MotoGP. View the full article

Toyota’s V6 Recall Keeps GrowingThe saga with Toyota’s non-hybrid 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 continues. In the latest round, the Japanese marque has confirmed that another 44,000 model-year 2024 Toyota Tundra trucks in the US have been added to the recall list. That brings the total number of vehicles recalled for the V35A-FTS engine family to nearly 270,000 since 2024. This engine isn’t just powering the Tundra – it’s also used in several Toyota and Lexus trucks and SUVs, like the Lexus LX and GX. According to Toyota, the culprit is machining debris left inside the engine during production. That debris can damage the #1 main bearing, which might lead to knocking, rough running, hard starts, or even total engine failure. In some cases, drivers could suddenly lose power while on the move. However, this latest recall pops out because these engines were supposed to be safe from the issue, built with extra cleaning steps after the earlier recalls. However, Toyota admits that, even with those added measures, debris can still slip through and damage the bearings. Hybrid versions, for now, remain unaffected. Lubrication-Related Issues Could Also ContributeWhile Toyota continues to blame debris contamination, independent engine teardowns are starting to raise more questions about the V6’s long-term reliability. In a failed 2023 Tundra V6 engine – one with only 38,000 miles on the clock – the lower end looked far from ideal. Metal flakes were found in the oil pan, while several main bearings showed severe wear and heat damage. Some rod bearings also appeared heavily worn for the mileage. The damage seemed concentrated around the bearings rather than spread randomly throughout the engine. Looking at these findings, it’s easy to wonder if oil pressure inconsistencies, bearing tolerances, or other lubrication issues might also be at play. Toyota hasn’t pointed to any alternative causes, but says newer engines now use an improved #1 main bearing that should handle contamination better. What Happened Since 2024Toyota first recalled about 102,000 Tundra and Lexus LX models in May 2024, later announcing that many would receive full engine replacements. By November 2025, another 127,000 vehicles joined the list, including more Tundras, Lexus LXs, and the Lexus GX. Toyota says over 77,000 repairs from the original recall have already been completed. Even so, reports of failures outside that initial group kept popping up, which eventually led to this latest expansion. As for the newest recall, Toyota says fixes are still being worked out. Owners will be contacted in phases as soon as repairs are ready. I Do Cars/YouTube View the 5 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

The Isle of Man TT is undoubtedly one of the coolest races on the planet, but if you're attending in person, keep your wits about you.View the full article

India's Ultraviolette and Bolt.Earth are rapidly expanding a dedicated DC fast charging network for electric two-wheelers. View the full article

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released new crash-safety scores for 16 models this month, and only two of them managed to achieve a safety award. This comes as the authority’s safety tests are made progressively more challenging. One notable vehicle that missed out on a safety award is the Toyota Land Cruiser, a model more closely associated with durability and toughness than most others. While not as large as the previous Land Cruiser, the new one’s more modern design was expected to attain perfect safety scores, so where did it fall short? Toyota Land Cruiser Safety ScoresFirst, we’ll start with the good news. The 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser excelled in the small overlap front and side crash tests, where it achieved the highest possible ‘Good’ ratings. The former test represents a crash whereby the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or object, while the side test represents a T-bone crash. The Toyota held up well in both tests, with no elevated risk of injury for the driver or passenger. The moderate overlap front test was another story, though. In this test, an offset crash is represented between two vehicles traveling at just under 40 mph in opposite directions. In 2022, the IIHS updated this test to evaluate rear-seat protection, too, and this is where the Land Cruiser struggled. It achieved only a ‘Marginal’ overall score for this test. While the structure and safety cage remained intact, there was a raised injury risk for the driver’s legs and feet, along with an increased risk for head/neck and chest injuries for those at the back. The rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics were only rated as Marginal. In the test, the rear passenger dummy’s head approached the front seatback and the lap belt moved from the ideal position on the pelvis to the abdomen. This result prevented the Land Cruiser from attaining a safety award, as a Good rating is required in all three crashworthiness tests. Related: Toyota Corolla Misses IIHS Top Safety Pick Over One Rear-Seat Weakness A Possible Weak Spot For Toyota? Toyota We took a look at ratings in the moderate overlap front test for other Toyota/Lexus models and noticed a bit of a trend: The Land Cruiser wasn't the only Toyota to struggle in this test. The Highlander, Sienna, and 4Runner were also rated as Marginal; the 4Runner shares its platform with the Land Cruiser. An Acceptable rating was given to the Corolla Cross, bZ, and bZ Woodland, while another SUV from the Toyota family, the Lexus RX, was rated as Poor. One Toyota SUV did well, though, and that was the Grand Highlander. Toyota isn’t the only automaker to struggle with the tougher moderate overlap front test; the popular Honda CR-V also got a Poor rating. However, in the midsize SUV segment, the Land Cruiser is one of the few vehicles to be marked down. While the Land Cruiser remains a safe vehicle overall, this gap in its level of safety protection is something for Toyota to pay attention to in a forthcoming update, as it’ll bring the vehicle up to the level of similar models like the Jeep Wrangler and Honda Passport. View the full article

Royal Enfield says Himalayan 450 sales outside India surged 53%. Clearly, this says a lot about what riders are looking for. View the full article

A handful of years ago, Aston Martin teamed up with motorcycle manufacturer Brough Superior and debuted the AMB 001. It was highly limited, and extremely expensive, and now one just came up for auction and it didn't go the way the seller would've likely hoped. View the full article

Opposition from major stakeholders including Honda, which is the biggest seller of motorbikes in Vietnam, may have played a role. View the full article

Few motorcycles capture the spirit of old-school motorcycling quite like the Ducati Scrambler Café Racer. In a world increasingly dominated by high-tech superbikes loaded with electronics, aerodynamic wings, and touchscreen dashboards, Ducati’s retro-inspired middleweight stands out for an entirely different reason: personality. In a recent video on YouTube, The Obsidian Collection took a closer look at the black-and-gold Scrambler Café Racer, highlighting why this machine might quietly be one of the coolest modern motorcycles Ducati has ever produced. With its […] The post Ducati Scrambler Café Racer: The Retro Ducati Everyone Overlooks appeared first on Return of the Cafe Racers. View the full article

It’s Drag and Drive season and that means more and more folks are taking their hot rods and race cars out for racing and road trips and we love them for it. Back to the Streets is one of the more unique Drag and Drive events in that it is a No Prep event with a slightly different points and racing format throughout the week. We’ll let you watch the video to learn all you need about the event and hope you enjoy the coverage all week long. Check it out below! CLICK HERE TO WATCH ALL THE NO PREP DRAG AND DRIVE ACTION! The post FREE No Prep Drag And Drive LIVESTREAM: Back To The Streets 2026 Is Hitting Wabash, Wagler, Brown County And Bunker Hill Dragways This Week! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

(Photos by David Whealon) – It was a cool, fast, and adventurous weekend for the stars of the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lucky for us, we have great photos from our dude David Whealon who was on hand shooting all kinds of race cars, from nitro burners to door cars and everything in between. He was on hand for the first running of the Outlaw Street class as well, so we’ve got those photos for you to check out too! David Whealon shot these images and there are some stunners in here. From the four wide launches to the tight shots of funny cars and dragsters rocketing off into the night, if you dig drag racing, you’ll dig these photos. We’ll have even more galleries coming over the next few days, so stay tuned in to see more! The post NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Action Photos From Zmax In Charlotte: Our Nitro Burning Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car 4-Wide Drag Racing Photos Continue! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

Brian Bednar's Oldsmobile Cutlass has transformed from family car to race car. Now the Olds is powered by a supercharged Gen III HEMI.View the full article

Whether you love their 4 cylinder power, or not, it’s hard to argue with the handling prowess of the venerable Mazda Miata. The MX5, as it is known everywhere else in the world, is light, nimble, and arguably the most popular weekend track and autocross machine out there. With great handling, moderate power, and a price point that made them easily attainable, the Mazda Miata has single handedly given more people their first racing experience than maybe any other car ever. They are kind of a big deal. It’s no wonder they have lots of aftermarket support, but when looking at the NC Miata the folks at Ridetech thought they could do something better. And boy have they. This is a really cool system that not only improves handling, and looks, but does so without sacrificing suspension travel which is a common issue on these machines. So if you can get improved handling, and maintain a decent ride quality, while also making this thing lower and cooler looking, it sounds like a win win to us. Check out the video below to learn more. Video Description: Coil-over Product Page: https://ridetech.com/product/hq-serie… NC Miata Sway Bars: https://ridetech.com/product-category… Ridetech is pleased to announce the expansion of their popular HQ coil-over lineup to include the 2006-2015 (NC) Mazda Miata. Ridetech continues to add to their already impressive line-up of performance suspension systems for late model performance cars and trucks. The majority of those have stayed within the traditional brand focus and include popular domestic marks such as the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger/Charger. And while each are great driver’s cars, 400+ horsepower and 8 cylinders on tap is certainly not a prerequisite for enjoying a spirited drive on a favorite backcountry road, or a weekend autocross or track day. Check out the video for the full overview! The post Featured Product: Mazda Miata Coil Overs From Ridetech! One Of The Best Track Day Cars Ever Gets Some New Goodies From Ridetech! appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

A late-season winter storm is hammering the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains today, Thursday May 21, 2026, with enough snow to threaten the scheduled Memorial Day weekend opening of the US-212 Beartooth Highway. NWS Billings has an active Winter Storm Warning through 6 PM MDT for the high country straddling south-central Montana and northwest Wyoming. Peak Driving Danger WindowThe worst window runs through Thursday afternoon and into the early evening refreeze, with 8 to 15 inches of fresh snow and 30 mph north winds piling drifts onto US-212 between Cooke City and the Wyoming line, and onto the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296) climb toward Dead Indian Pass. What to ExpectSnow totals: 8 to 15 inches on north-facing slopes above 6,500 feet, roughly 10 inches at pass-level elevationsWind gusts: North winds to 30 mph, tapering through the eveningWorst corridors: US-212 over Beartooth Pass, the Cooke City southern access via WY-296, and Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance approachTiming: Through 6 PM MDT todayThe Weather Prediction Center had this corridor flagged at 40 to 50 percent probability for 4-plus inches days before NWS Billings upgraded to operational warning language. A cold upper-level trough is wringing moisture against the highest peaks of the Absaroka and Beartooth ranges, hence heavy mountain accumulation with modest valley impacts. Road ConditionsThe Beartooth Highway is still under seasonal closure. MDT and WYDOT plow crews have worked through 15-foot drifts since mid-April to ready the 64-mile corridor, and the Friday, May 22 scheduled opening is now in doubt. NWS Billings stated directly that several inches of snow are expected over Beartooth Pass, which may impact the opening of the highway. Cooke City is the bellwether. East access via the Beartooth is closed; the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296) remains open but exposed to the same wind and snow. The only year-round route in is from the west through Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance. Check Montana 511 and the WYDOT road map before committing. Winter Driving TipsThree numbers matter more than vehicle type for spring mountain snow: Tread depth: At least 4/32 inch before climbing a pass at altitudeTire pressure: Cold air drops PSI 1 to 2 pounds per 10-degree temperature drop; check cold, adjust to door-jamb specStopping distance: Triple your following distance on snow; AWD helps you go, not stopLook for the 3PMSF mountain-snowflake symbol on the sidewall, the only winter-specific certification the industry recognizes. M+S markings alone do not qualify. Autoblog's guide to best practices for driving in snow, ice, and rain covers technique, and our roundup of the best cars and SUVs for snow and winter driving covers hardware. At 10,947 feet on Beartooth Pass, a stuck vehicle is an exposure problem, not an inconvenience. Yellowstone NPS road status has the live picture for the Cooke City corridor. TimingThe Winter Storm Warning runs through 6 PM MDT this evening, Thursday May 21, 2026. Snow tapers as the trough exits east, winds easing overnight. The forward-looking question is whether plow crews clear the new accumulation in time for the Friday, May 22 opening. A similar 2024 storm delayed the Beartooth opening by several days. We'll update this article as conditions evolve. View the full article

Spring might be in full swing across most of the country, but road crews in Wyoming and Montana are facing a brutal reality check. The annual battle to reopen the scenic Beartooth Highway is officially underway, and the Montana Department of Transportation is currently using heavy machinery to carve through massive 15-foot snowdrifts. Photo by Maleo Photography on Getty Images The High-Alpine ChallengeConnecting southwest Montana to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, U.S. Highway 212 is one of the highest paved roads in North America, peaking at a staggering 10,947 feet. Because of this extreme alpine elevation, the 64-mile stretch closes every winter under dozens of feet of snow. Rebuilding the InfrastructureHowever, do not expect an early trip. Plowing is only half the battle. Once the pavement is clear, crews must complete essential safety repairs, fix damaged asphalt, and reinstall protective guardrails that are purposefully dismantled every autumn to prevent destruction from winter snow chutes. The official target opening date is locked in for May 22, just in time for the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend. Drivers planning an early-season road trip should prepare for intense mountain conditions. Up at 10,000 feet, the weather changes instantly. Mountain officials run a pickup truck with a snowplow across the pass every single morning to clear rockslides and sudden snow accumulation, meaning travelers should always pack extra warm clothes, food, and water before making the climb. Late-Season Storm ComplicationsThe hard-set opening date of May 22 is now facing a major, last-minute challenge from mother nature. The National Weather Service in Billings has officially issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, stretching through 6:00 p.m. MDT today. A late-season system is bringing heavy snow and 30 mph wind gusts to the region, dropping an estimated 8 to 15 inches of fresh accumulation right over the mountain pass. This sudden blast of severe weather puts the highly anticipated Friday morning opening at significant risk. Crews who were previously cruising ahead of schedule to clear the remaining 5 to 15-foot snowdrifts must now pivot to clear a massive layer of fresh snow and ice. Fortunately, the intense system is expected to clear out quickly. The local forecast shows high pressure building right behind the storm, bringing clear skies and a rapid warm-up into the mid-50s by Friday, followed by low 60s for the weekend. While the Montana Department of Transportation and the National Park Service have not officially canceled the May 22 at 8:00 a.m. reopening time, travelers looking to tackle U.S. Highway 212 this holiday weekend need to keep a close eye on local road reports. If the gates do unlock on time, expect winter driving conditions, heavy slush, and potential delays as daily plow trucks clear any lingering rockslides or overnight snow accumulation from the pavement. Take a ride in a snow cat to see the massive scale of this clearing operation first-hand in this Beartooth Highway Snow Clearing Video. This footage captures the immense size of the high-altitude snow drifts that crews must level and push past mountain cliffs before standard passenger vehicles can safely access the pass. View the full article

The Indianapolis 500 will be run for the 110th time this Sunday as the green flag drops for the 2026 edition of this amazing race. Regardless of whether you are a hardcore Indy Car Series fan, or just have casual interest, everyone talks about the Indy 500 over Memorial Day weekend. This one should be fun to watch. We’ve been sharing testing and qualifying coverage, but this video below is something special. This is more than 100 years of history, stories, and amazing moments. Watch below. Video Description: Watch the full documentary from INDYCAR and FOX Sports, tracing more than a century of triumph, heartbreak and sacrifice through the stories of Indianapolis 500 legends, trailblazers and unforgettable moments that shaped the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The post Indianapolis 500 Movie – The 500: Immortality at Indy. The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. appeared first on BangShift.com. View the full article

The National Weather Service has formalized what its Weather Prediction Center has been signaling for two days. At 1:15 a.m. MDT Thursday, May 21, NWS Billings issued two bulletins covering high mountain ranges of NW Wyoming and S Montana, with both running through Thursday evening. The warning was anticipated in our coverage of the Weather Prediction Center's outlook earlier this week. Where It's Hitting TodayZone Highway / Location Snow Wind NWS Bulletin Through WPC Signal Through Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains (Warning) Cooke City, Beartooth Pass 8–15" 30 mph 6 PM Thu 6 AM Fri Pryor/Northern Bighorns (Advisory) Story, Burgess Jct (MT) 5–10" 30 mph 9 PM Thu 6 AM Fri Northeast Bighorns (Advisory) US 14 through Burgess Jct (WY) 5–10" 30 mph 9 PM Thu 6 AM Fri NWS Billings on the Bighorns advisory: "Expect wintry travel conditions on US-14 through Burgess Junction. Recreation in the high country will be impacted by heavy accumulating snow." The full national list of active Winter Storm Warnings is updated continuously by the NWS. Beartooth Highway Is the StoryUS 212, the Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge, Montana and the northeast entrance of Yellowstone, is the second-highest paved road in the United States at 10,947 feet. It closes every winter and typically reopens for the season around Memorial Day weekend. NWS Billings explicitly flagged the threat in Thursday's bulletin: "Several inches of snow are expected over Beartooth Pass, which may impact the opening of the highway at the end of the week." The Weather Prediction Center's latest probability guidance holds the heavy-snow signal across NW Wyoming and S Montana through 6 a.m. MDT Friday, meaning fresh accumulation could continue right up until the Beartooth opening window. For drivers with Memorial Day plans into Yellowstone via the Beartooth, this is now the route to check before committing. Live status at Montana DOT's 511 system. US 14 Through Burgess JunctionIn Wyoming, the named highway is US 14 over the Bighorns between Sheridan and Cody. Burgess Junction sits at 8,300 feet, and the road climbs higher on either side. Five to ten inches of fresh snow with 30 mph north winds will produce blowing and drifting conditions on what is normally a busy late-spring tourist route. US 14A through Lovell is in the same advisory zone. Photo by rbkomar on Getty Images What Drivers Should DoCheck road conditions before committing to a route. WYDOT and Montana DOT 511 update continuously.Avoid US 14 over Burgess Junction Thursday unless travel is necessary. Five to ten inches of snow with 30 mph winds means reduced visibility and drifting.Do not assume Beartooth Highway opens Friday. Montana DOT will confirm or postpone based on Thursday's accumulation at the summit.Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) tires are the industry standard for late-season mountain conditions above 8,000 feet. Summer tires are not adequate for fresh snow in the Bighorns or on Beartooth Pass.Cold-soak tire pressure drop is real. A vehicle leaving Cody or Sheridan at 60°F can sit several PSI light at Burgess Junction (8,300 ft) or Beartooth Pass (10,947 ft). Check pressures before climbing.Cell coverage above 8,000 feet is limited across both ranges. A stranded vehicle in a late-May storm at altitude is the same survival problem as in February.High-profile vehicles, RVs, and trailers should delay Bighorn crossings until Friday afternoon when winds typically subside.Prepare before you climb. Five inches of fresh snow at 8,000 feet handles differently than five inches at sea level, and the techniques that work on the Front Range may not be enough on a mountain pass. Our guide on best practices for driving in snow, ice, and rain is worth reading before you leave the driveway.We will update this story as the Beartooth Highway opening status is confirmed and as NWS Billings posts further bulletins. View the full article

The 2026 FIM MotoMini World Series has expanded again, with Australia confirmed in both 160 cc and 190 cc categories as local riders chase places at the Valencia World Final. The post MotoMini World Series expands as Aussie pathway builds towards Valencia appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

TeamMoto’s 2026 EOFY Sale is now live across new motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and SSVs, with offers available online and through 23 locations until June 30. The post TeamMoto EOFY Sale now on across bikes, ATVs, SSVs and scooters appeared first on MCNews. View the full article

A rule change, effective immediately, brings the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series more symmetrical to what takes place in the Cup Series, specifically regarding cars involved in an incident and on the damaged vehicle policy. Starting last year, NASCAR changed its DVP for the Cup Series allowing cars involved in a crash to complete repairs behind the wall and return ...Keep readingView the full article

Street Trucks Are So BackIt started with the Ford Maverick Lobo, which quietly reopened the door for the street truck segment after years of dormancy. Then Ford doubled down with the F-150 Lobo, giving fans a lowered, sportier full-size pickup powered by a 400-horsepower naturally aspirated V8 mill. Not too shabby. But if there’s one thing guaranteed in the American truck market, it’s that competition never stays quiet for long. Stellantis is officially entering the conversation with the 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee, a new lineup of V8-powered “muscle trucks” designed to bring back the kind of performance pickups that disappeared after the mid-2000s. And unlike Ford’s more appearance-focused Lobo formula, Ram is determined to go much further. And yes, it’s a whole lineup of V8-powered Rumble Bee trucks (hence, the name), starting with a 395-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8, moving up to a 470-hp 6.4-liter 392 HEMI, and topping out with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 making 777 hp in the Rumble Bee SRT. Ram says the flagship can hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and run an 11.6-second quarter mile, which puts it in serious performance car territory. View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article More Than Just a Styling PackagePreviewed by last year's visually loud SEMA Concepts, the Rumble Bee feels much more aggressive mechanically compared to the Ford F-150 Lobo. The latter mainly focuses on street-oriented styling and suspension tweaks, while Ram redesigned major chassis components specifically for performance driving. The truck features a unique Quad Cab short-bed layout with a 13-inch shorter wheelbase. Ram says the reduction improves rigidity and sharpens handling response. Wider tracks, Bilstein Performance Dampers, massive stabilizer bars, and available air suspension also help set it apart from a standard Ram 1500. The SRT model takes things even further with 325-section rear tires mounted on 22-by-12-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, launch control, adaptive dampers, and a dedicated rear-wheel-drive mode. Ram even engineered aerodynamic aids like a front splitter, rear spoiler, and underbody aero shielding to keep the truck stable at its claimed 170-mph top speed. Interestingly, Ram still wants the Rumble Bee to function like a truck. Depending on trim, towing capacity reaches 8,890 pounds while payload tops out at 1,160 pounds. View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Loud Looks, Driver-Focused CabinThe Rumble Bee lineup clearly takes inspiration from old-school muscle trucks, especially the original Ram SRT10. Widebody fenders, aggressive fascias, functional hood vents, and oversized wheels give the truck a much meaner stance than a regular Ram 1500. The hotter 392 Track Pack and SRT variants get even more dramatic with deep front splitters, larger grille openings, unique spoilers, and optional graphics packages. Ram also revived the angry bee logo with different variations depending on trim level. The top-spec SRT gets black-and-orange accents that tie into the orange-painted Hellcat engine block. Inside, the muscle truck theme continues with flat-bottom steering wheels, paddle shifters, bucket seats, and performance pages built into the Uconnect system. Higher trims add suede, carbon fiber trim, upgraded audio systems, and larger portrait-style touchscreens. View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Hotter Models Arriving Next YearThe 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee will be built in Saltillo, Mexico. Production starts with the 5.7-liter HEMI model in late 2026, while the 392 and SRT variants arrive sometime in the first half of 2027. Ram hasn’t announced pricing yet, though the SRT will almost certainly sit deep into premium performance territory like the circa $100,000 Ram TRX SRT. What’s interesting is how quickly the street truck segment has escalated. Ford reopened the conversation with the Maverick Lobo and F-150 Lobo, but Ram just answered with a 777-hp supercharged pickup that feels closer to a modern-day SRT10 successor than a simple appearance package. If this is where the new muscle truck era is headed, the horsepower wars are probably just getting started. View the 16 images of this gallery on the original article View the full article

Electric vehicle startup Slate Auto is getting up to $5 million from the State of Michigan to expand its Troy headquarters. The taxpayer-funded grant was approved on May 19 by a state economic development board for the Michigan-based company, which is closing in on its goal to start production of its affordable battery powered pickup truck by the end of the year. Slate Pledges to Bring 400 New Jobs to Troy HQ Slate Auto In return, Slate is promising almost 400 new corporate, engineering and design jobs in Michigan that pay a minimum of $43 an hour over the next five years as production ramps up. Currently, the company employs approximately 325 people in the state. Slate is promising close to 400 new corporate, engineering and design jobs in Michigan that pay a minimum of $43 an hour over the next five years as it ramps up production. The company employs abut 325 people in the state. Slate’s headquarters expansion is expected to result in capital investments of roughly $10.4 million in Troy. Under the terms of the state grant, Slate may request reimbursement for up to $2.5 million in construction, machinery, furniture, job training and other expenses. The company could get another $2.5 million after meeting job creation and capital investment targets. Backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Slate Auto was set up in 2022 and so far has raised at least $650 million to begin production of its electric truck in Warsaw, Indiana. Deliveries are expected to begin late this year for the Slate Truck, which comes as a two-seater pickup that can be converted into a four-seater SUV. $25,000 Electric Truck on Track to Launch Before Year-End Slate Slate Auto says it has more than 150,000 reservations for the truck, which is expected to start at around $25,000, making it the most affordable electric truck on the U.S. market. To build a low-cost EV, Slate’s government affairs head Will Nicholas said the company recruited engineers, product designers and other innovators, mostly from Michigan, with experience from the blue chip automotive brands. “We needed a team that had been in the metaphorical trenches," he told the Michigan Strategic Fund Board during a May 19 meeting, according to The Detroit News. "There are few places in the world that buzz with automotive innovation. Michigan is clearly one of them.” Slate is entering the market amid slow-growing demand for EVs and no more EV incentives, but the low starting price could offer an advantage, along with rising gas prices. The Slate Truck features a single rear-mounted electric motor rated at 201 hp (150 kW) that draws energy from a standard 52.7-kWh battery pack enabling a targeted range of 150 miles. An 84.3-kWh extended-range pack is also planned with a 240-mile range target. Slate View the full article