Long-standing NASCAR tradition in danger due to | Sports News

One of NASCAR’s time-honored traditions may quickly fall to the wayside due to President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

NASCAR supporters and drivers alike have shared their ideas on the impression that Trump’s tariffs had on motorsports. Fans complained in regards to the rise in prices after the price of Lionel Racing’s Race Win Elite die-cast line shot up due to the import tax coverage, whereas RFK Racing driver and co-owner Brad Keselowski asserted that the sanctioning physique is “positioned well” to deal with the blowback.

In the most recent blow, the 100-year-old clock producer that produced the long-lasting NASCAR Martinsville grandfather clock introduced that it’d be shutting down — in half due to Trump’s tariffs. “A convergence of market influences beyond our control brought us to this point,” President and CEO Howard J. Miller stated in an official assertion.

“Our business has been directly impacted by tariffs that have increased the cost of essential components unavailable domestically and driven specialty suppliers out of business, making it unsustainable for us to continue our operations,” he stated.

Since 1964, Martinsville Speedway — one of the oldest tracks nonetheless featured on the NASCAR schedule — has gifted the Cup Series race winner a grandfather clock shortly after they coasted down victory lane. Fred Lorenzen first acquired the distinctive accolade that yr, during which he led a whopping 980 out of 1,000 whole laps over the 2 races held on the ‘paperclip.’

The Ridgeway Clock model, which has crafted the NASCAR grandfather clock for many years, was first based in 1926 by Howard C. Miller earlier than being taken over by Howard J. Miller in 2004. Despite the latter’s best efforts to discover a purchaser for the business, no sale was made.

“We are incredibly disappointed to have reached this point in our journey,” he stated. “For nearly a century, we have manufactured clocks, custom cabinets and other furniture designed to enhance the lives of our customers at home.

“We are deeply grateful to our talented team, our committed distributors and our loyal customers who have supported us throughout the years.”

Taking to social media, droves of people within the world of motorsports expressed their disappointment upon studying of the company’s closing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote on X: “Whomever makes the next version better make them exactly like the previous versions. Don’t get cute and f— this up.”

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FOX’s Mike Joy make clear the historical past behind the Martinsville grandfather clock, stating: “When we first visited Ridgeway Clocks for TNN (early ’90s) the clocks were made there, and a star employee was chosen to present the special ‘Speedway Clock’ to the race winner … When we returned for FOX (early ’00’s) the clocks were still assembled and finished in Ridgheway, using components made in China.

“When ISC (NASCAR) bought the track, they dissolved the association with Ridgeway Clocks. Drivers were mad, so ISC started buying finished clocks from stores to present to race winners … Howard Miller Co in Michigan bought the Ridgeway Clock brand and closed the factory in Ridgeway. The building is still abandoned.

“Today, Howard Miller announced (unless a buyer is found), it will shut down at the end of this year. Their brands, including Howard Miller, Ridgeway and Hekman will disappear. Very sad.”