Amber Balcaen was the fastest of 70 drivers that participated in this week’s two-day ARCA pre-race practice at Daytona International Speedway. Balcaen turned her fast lap, 49.102 seconds/183.292 miles per hour, in a tight draft with her Nitro Motorsports teammate Thad Moffitt and fellow Toyota drivers out of the Venturini Motorsports stable.

The 62nd Annual Daytona ARCA 200 is scheduled for Saturday, February 15, at noon. The race will be televised live on FOX and will be carried live nationwide on select affiliates of the MRN Radio Network. Live timing and scoring data from all on-track activity, including practice on Thursday, February 13, and General Tire Pole Qualifying on Friday, February 14, is available at ARCARacing.com.

In other highlights from the two-day test:

— Eighteen-year-old Chase Pinsonnault made a strong debut in the ARCA Menards Series, timing in second fastest at 49.226 seconds/182.830 miles per hour. Pinsonnault, a third-generation racer, has driven in the ASA STARS National Tour for NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar; he will make his first career ARCA Menards Series start in the Daytona ARCA 200.

— Balcaen, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Pinsonnault, from Windsor, Ontario, gave Canadian drivers a sweep of the top two positions for the first time in the history of the pre-season practice runs at Daytona International Speedway.

Subaru of America, in partnership with Operation Warm, announced its continued efforts to help children in urgent need through the Subaru Loves to Help initiative. This season, Subaru and its retailers will provide brand-new coats, shoes and socks to more than 130,000 children across the country, visiting homeless shelters and support agencies to coordinate gifting events.

As the largest automotive sponsor of Operation Warm, Subaru understands that essential clothing provides warmth and comfort and just as importantly, instills confidence and emotional well-being. Through gifting events sponsored by more than 630 Subaru retailers around the country, children will personally select their new pieces of clothing, which have been updated with new designs and colors this year to keep pace with national trends.

“Kids grow out of clothing about every six months, so for those in urgent need situations a coat and shoes that fit cannot be taken for granted. As part of our commitment to being ‘More Than a Car Company,’ we are working to make sure that these children feel strong, confident, and prepared for the day, said Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing forSubaru of America.

If you think you’ve been hearing about the Volkswagen ID.Buzz for a while, you would be correct.

First unveiled as a concept vehicle at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, it is finally available for sale in the U.S. after a long journey and first debuting in Europe.

First things first, what exactly is the ID.Buzz?
Is it a microbus? A minivan?

Whatever you want to call it, this nostalgia-inspired offering harkens back to VW’s 1960s microbus heritage (the kind you might have taken to Woodstock). Brought into the present, it is a wholly unique entry in the U.S. automotive landscape. There are just a few large fully electric SUVs that can be considered competition (Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Rivian R1S), and some minivans that are offered in hybrid versions that could be cross-shopped, but none of the alternatives are in the exact class of the ID.Buzz — it’s truly its own category in many ways. 

Doubters will be tempted to write off the ID.Buzz as a trendy offering, but there is plenty of capability and versatility offered by the vehicle that should silence them. It’s got plenty of power, lots of cargo space and room for 7 passengers, and a versatile design to accommodate various needs.

I recently got some time behind the wheel of this long-awaited VW revival, driving a 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro S Plus, and I’m back with a full report for all who may be interested in taking one home.

The 2025 model year brings a new addition to the Mazda lineup … well, sort of new if we’re being honest.

The Mazda CX-70 is a five-passenger midsize SUV that is essentially the same as the CX-90 SUV, minus the third row of seats.

I recently tested a 2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus model, and below are the top 5 things you need to know when deciding if the CX-70 is a vehicle that will meet your needs.

When it comes to taking the plunge in the electrification of their vehicle offerings, some car brands jumped into it head-first, while other brands are being more cautious.

Mazda is one of the brands taking a more reserved approach, having no full EVs yet (and none expected until 2027), and really just starting to offer hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles in its lineup.

One of those initial offerings is the 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV, a plug-in version of the brand’s largest, three-row SUV — featuring standard all-wheel drive, and room for up to 8 passengers. This is the second year the plug-in option has been offered on the CX-90.

There are few true competitors to this vehicle — though Volvo offers a plug-in hybrid of its XC90 (which is more expensive) and Kia offers a plug-in version of the Sorento (which is less powerful). Many leading three-row SUVs, including the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, have no plug-in hybrid offerings as of now.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus model, and I’m back with a full report on how it looks and drives, and who might want to take one home.