As we often hear late in a race broadcast, the pay window is now open. And not just for one race, but for the whole shebang.

It’s that time of year where it’s all on the line, and the sport will crown its champions out in Phoenix before heading off into the sunset until February. Whether you like the format or not, we have four drivers who have risen above the rest and have their shot at glory out in the Soronan desert.

Here’s my take on how things will shake out this weekend, as these gladiators take to their chariots for the final time in 2023.

Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that its parent company, Subaru Corporation, reached an agreement with Tesla, Inc. to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for the charging ports of its battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to be launched in North America beginning in 2025.

To provide customers with access to the extensive Tesla charging network, Subaru will adopt NACS ports on certain Subaru BEVs launched in North America beginning in 2025 and will continue to advance NACS adoption for its subsequent BEVs to be launched after that.

Additionally, Subaru plans to provide access to an adapter enabling NACS charging from 2025 for customers owning or leasing applicable Subaru BEVs equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS). Customers of NACS-compatible Subaru BEVs will gain access to more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America, significantly enhancing charging convenience.

Under the new management structure established in June 2023, Subaru has announced a goal of “aiming for 50% of total global sales to be BEVs in 2030” to contribute to achieving carbon neutrality.

— Press release courtesy of Subaru

DEARBORN, MI — Ford Performance has unveiled the new Mustang for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series based on the Mustang Dark Horse. After a busy year of Mustang racing news, this 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Mustang is the icing on the cake for the full family of performance Mustang cars.

Based on the seventh-generation Mustang, this Dark Horse version adds to the impressive lineup of racing Mustangs, and means that starting in 2024, Mustang will be eligible to race on six continents.

“What a crazy year it has been revealing our new global Mustangs for racing. The positive response from our fans around the world has been amazing, and we’re confident that this Mustang Dark Horse Cup car will be no different and that NASCAR fans will be excited to cheer us on next year,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “Our Ford Performance staff, together with our NASCAR race teams, have worked tirelessly in the wind tunnel developing this car, and I can’t wait to finally see it race on the track next season.”

Ford unveiled the all-new Mustang Dark Horse just over a year ago, marking the first new performance nameplate for Mustang since 2001. It is the most track-capable 5.0-liter V8 street-legal Mustang ever and has inspired the current roster of Mustang cars that started racing this year in the Repco Supercars Championship in Australia and Formula Drift series.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The first ever BMW XM Label—the company’s most powerful production vehicle to date with 738-horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque on tap—set a new record for hybrid electric SUVs at Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs on September 21, 2023, during an officially certified course run.

Following a previous attempt for the race day record in June during the 101st running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, BMW driver Matt Mullins returned to take on the course last month aboard the range-topping BMW XM Label with support from Rhys Millen Racing. Reaching the summit in 10:48:60, Mullins outpaced the previous race day record by nearly a second and a half.

To provide a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into preparing both man and machine for such an extreme challenge, BMW had a camera crew follow Mullins and team during each stage of the endeavor. The result is an emotional two-part short film that exposes the heartbreaking lows of a failed first fun, followed by the exhilarating highs of success atop the mountain. Both parts are available online at the @BMWUSA official YouTube channel.

Woodcliff Lake, N.J. — More than 3,000 drivers rallied together on October 21 as part of the latest iteration of MINI Together, a one-day event by MINI USA that encourages owners across the United States to motor for a cause.  MINI owners gathered at their local dealerships to kick off an early morning, app-based road trip followed by an evening virtual event connecting this year’s theme of showing “Big Love” for the planet with interactive activities including seed planting and more.

Also during the evening festivities, the starting location for the 2024 MINI TAKES THE STATES owner rally was revealed to be Albuquerque, New Mexico. A big change from the East Coast-centric 2022 MINI TAKES THE STATES route, this kickoff from the southwestern United States gives owners a sneak peek at the potential route that can be expected next summer.