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New Questions Surround Greg Biffle’s Crash, Larson Raves About Perth, Mark Martin Goes on the Mic, and More

New Questions Surround Greg Biffle’s Crash, Larson Raves About Perth, Mark Martin Goes on the Mic, and More

Gowtham Ramalingam
January 04, 2026

Welcome to Hoot in the Oval — your all-access pass to everything NASCAR. From Denny’s clutch finishes to Ross’ wild moves, Chase Elliott fandom to Bubba’s bold takes—we’ve got the stories that fuel the track and the timeline. Fast, loud, unfiltered. Buckle up, y’all. 🏁

The latest edition of our newsletter covers:

How Ross Chastain’s big sponsorship break with Busch Light came about
New anomalies surface in Greg Biffle’s tragic plane crash
Kyle Larson is in love with Australia’s Perth Motorplex, and it shows
Mark Martin finally has a NASCAR podcast

🏁 Inside the Oval

Ross Chastain Credits Kevin Harvick’s Retirement for His Busch Light Break

The Busch Light brand, owned by Anheuser-Busch, was synonymous with Kevin Harvick for over a decade till he retired from the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023. After that, the company was on the lookout for a replacement. The driver who fit their bills perfectly was Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain.

In a recent NASCAR video, Chastain was responding to questions from Reddit users when a fan asked if Busch Light had approached him for the sponsorship deal or if Trackhouse Racing reached out first. “We wanted Busch Light. We knew Kevin Harvick was retiring, and we wanted to make our case to him. I drank Busch Light before they sponsored me,” replied Chastain.

Admittedly, Chastain would have drunk the beverage regardless of whether they’d chosen to sponsor him or not. But those few gulps appear to have helped him make a good first impression. The deal was a big step ahead for the team and him, who have been competing in the Cup Series together since the turn of the decade.

So, why does being sponsored by this particular brand matter so much to Chastain? The 33-year-old driver is a native of Alva, Florida, where his family has been involved in watermelon farming for generations. It is tradition in the household to include beer in every celebratory occasion, or to pop a cold one at the end of a day of hard work. Naturally, Busch Light is close to his heart.

His words during the sponsorship announcement reflected that sentiment.

“This sponsorship means so much to me as the brand not only supports NASCAR, but also places value and extends their support to communities that are close to my heart — the humble, hard-working people across the U.S. who enjoy cracking a cold one after an honest day’s work,” said Chastain.

Had Harvick not retired, Chastain would not have gotten this opportunity. He is now hoping to enjoy a similar long-term relationship with the brand as Harvick did.

🏁 Inside the Oval

Aviation Experts Flag Possible Altitude Anomaly in Greg Biffle Crash

NASCAR suffered an insurmountable loss when Greg Biffle and his family died in a plane crash at the Statesville Regional Airport on December 18. The Cessna’s black box has been sent to Washington, D.C., and investigations are on to determine the exact cause of the mishap.

Meanwhile, several solid theories about what must have gone wrong have begun circulating on the internet. The flight had taken off from the airport and been airborne for a few minutes before it attempted to return to its point of origin. Aviation podcaster Max Trescott pointed out an anomaly in the ADS-B flight data that signals a possible altimeter malfunction in the aircraft.

It wasn’t a routine fluctuation. Trescott detailed how the plane appeared to have climbed 1,374 feet in a span of 1.64 seconds according to the altimeter. This raises immediate concerns. What raises more suspicion is that the altitude hadn’t changed at all in the 34 seconds leading to that sudden spike.

This issue couldn’t have been the biggest reason for the crash, though. But it could have been the cannon event that eventually led to it. Another theory that has been gaining quite some traction was originally put forward by former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace. He said on his YouTube channel that the Cessna likely suffered an engine failure and that it must have begun experiencing strong drag.

Planes, however, can typically nail a landing on a single engine. But Wallace felt that with the flaps deployed and the horsepower reduced, drag might have increased significantly, and Biffle’s plane failed to reach the runway.

Only when all the investigations are complete will fans learn the exact reason for the accident.

🗣️ Pit Politics

Kyle Larson Calls Perth Motorplex ‘The Best Racetrack in the World’

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson has driven on several race tracks across the country and the world. And Perth Motorplex has impressed him the most.

The 2025 Cup Series champion was at the Australian track for the High Limit International finale this week and bagged the $100,000 prize, just as he did last year.

Larson told FloRacing after the historic win that he felt right at home at the Perth Motorplex and that the energy that came from the stands made it extremely special for him “It feels great to win again. Awesome to win in front of the amazing crowd, as always in Australia. You guys are some of the best sprint car fans in the world,” he said.

“And it’s always a pleasure to come down here and get to race for you guys. I mean, I’ve never seen so many kids at the racetrack, too. There are hundreds of kids down here,” added Larson, who went on to point out that such enthusiasm is what sprint car racing needed to grow and called the track “just the best race track in the world.”

In the race, Larson overcame Dayne Kingshott by a mere half-second to secure the win. NASCAR’s Corey Day was also a part of the field. However, he quit early after hitting the wall following a flat tire. Michael Kofoid rounded up the podium by finishing in third place. The race was largely a battle between these four drivers.

Larson will return home from Australia for the Tulsa Shootout. Before that race commitment, he hopes to spend some quality time with his kids as well. Larson will also try to be a part of the Chili Bowl Nationals and take part in the World of Outlaws race at the Volusia Speedway.

🏁 Trackside Trivia

The Next Gen car’s wheels are 9 pounds lighter than the old ones, and use a single center-lock nut instead of five separate lug nuts

Despite being larger in diameter at 18 inches, up from the old 15-inch wheel setup, the seventh-generation racercar’s wheels weigh significantly less, aiding on-track performance.
The change also allows NASCAR teams to run bigger brakes at tracks such as Martinsville, where deceleration is also important, allowing drivers to stop quicker.

🎙️ Hoot’s Radio Chatter

Mark Martin and Son Matt Team Up for a New NASCAR Podcast

Mark Martin is determined to continue his role as a torchbearer for the traditional stock car racing fan. The NASCAR veteran spent a significant part of 2025 vociferously campaigning to bring back the full-season points-based championship format.

Mark has possibly realized the potential that podcasts and similar platforms have in the sport. And he is making a big step forward by partnering with Kenny Wallace Media to start his own podcast.

Mark announced the development during a conversation on Kenny Wallace’s YouTube channel, revealing that he would be hosting the podcast along with his son, Matt, who is also a former driver and an expert in the sport’s history.

Matt appears to be someone who can tell fans a lot of interesting stories from the history books. Together, the father-son duo can give the fandom a great time.

“We are going to do a lot differently than a lot of the podcasts out there. We are going to be talking about old stories, old racing, and historical stuff,” said Mark.

Mark believes he can educate people on all the technical stuff that goes into putting a stock car together and making it race-ready. Fans are increasingly more interested in those behind-the-scenes happenings. He then described the role Matt has played in planning the podcast.

“Matt’s the architect of this. He knows all the stories because we have been through all the stuff in the book. He knows what to tee up. He also knows what fans like and what they like to hear,” said Mark.

Matt is now 34 years old. Mark is 66. The expectation is that the podcast would be a perfect mix of old thoughts and new. Furthermore, they will also be welcoming guests on the show.

Mark, of course, did not just wake up this week and decide to start a podcast with his son. The idea has been several years in the making, and the timing of its launch just happens to be perfect. With the antitrust lawsuit over, the racing world is slowly returning to normalcy, ready for sane voices that could help guide the sport forward.

🏁 Lap Back in Time: NASCAR Stat of the Year
(One stat. One year. Every edition.)

1964: The NASCAR Cup Series included two distinct road course events in 1964 at Riverside International Raceway and Watkins Glen International, a notable number for that era when most races were on ovals. It was also the first time since 1957 that the sport had more than one road course event on the calendar.