logo
Over 1000 bikers participate in Reason to Ride in Plainfield

Over 1000 bikers participate in Reason to Ride in Plainfield

Yahoo15 hours ago

PLAINFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — Over 1000 bikers gathered in Plainfield for the 27th annual Reason to Ride.
Bikers came from all over the state to participate in the ride which raised money to support veterans.
All the funds raised go towards helping veterans with housing costs, medical bills or any other financial hardships they might need help with.
Strength in Numbers Fashion Show Fundraiser to benefit the Feeding Families Foundation
'They've done so much for our country its only fair we give back to them,' said Paige Haymond of Haymond Law Firm, a sponsor of the event.
Organizers believe that community helps events like these happen.
'The motorcycle community is one of the most generous communities there is, whether its for veterans, cancer, they really get around their communities and help out any way they can,' said Reason To Ride Chairman Dan Martin.
The organization is hoping to raise $45,000 this year.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NASCAR Michigan takeaways: Denny Hamlin's late-career strength, Ty Gibbs' frustration and more
NASCAR Michigan takeaways: Denny Hamlin's late-career strength, Ty Gibbs' frustration and more

New York Times

time37 minutes ago

  • New York Times

NASCAR Michigan takeaways: Denny Hamlin's late-career strength, Ty Gibbs' frustration and more

BROOKLYN, Mich. — When 44-year-old Denny Hamlin recently went 11 months without winning a NASCAR Cup Series race, his most sought-after career goal seemed to be slipping away. No, we're not talking about a Cup championship — even though Hamlin is the best NASCAR driver never to win one. Hamlin would absolutely love a title, of course, but championships have a different meaning to some drivers these days with the playoff elimination system. Advertisement What Hamlin wants the most? To finish his career among the top 10 on NASCAR's all-time Cup Series wins list. And reeling off three more victories in less than two and a half months, including Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, suddenly makes that goal a bit more realistic. Hamlin now has 57 career wins, which is three away from tying Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time list. And the burst of momentum has left him speaking a bit differently about it. At first, Hamlin repeatedly said the goal was that 60-win mark. Then he said actually he'd like to win 61 so he could be in sole possession of 10th. But listen to him now after Sunday's win. 'At least while I'm alive, I want to be in the top 10 for the most wins,' he said. OK, but that's going to take even more than 61, Hamlin figures. 'I've got to count on possibly (Joey) Logano, more than likely (Kyle) Larson overtaking us in wins,' he said. 'You've got to budget for at least a couple of these guys who started so much younger than I did to beat us on the win total.' After Harvick, Kyle Busch is ninth with 63 career wins. Can Hamlin finish with more than Busch, who is still trying to add more himself? That seems like a big ask for someone who might only race for another couple seasons. After all, Hamlin recently passed 700 starts and said he won't be around for 800 (there are 36 races per year). 'I'm going to hate it when I'm not at the level I'm at now,' Hamlin said. 'I certainly will retire very, very quickly after that. I'm not going to hang around and do it just to do it. This is how I want to spend my last season — still winning.' We've seen other drivers suddenly stop winning in their mid-40s with virtually no warning, and Hamlin is already in rare territory: Only 10 of the 20 drivers who have made more than 700 career starts have won after their 700th race (a list which now includes Hamlin) and only six have even won multiple races. Advertisement Hamlin likes his chances of getting a few more, but he's also realistic: These races are hard to win, and Sunday could have been it. 'You have another birthday (and) you keep wondering how long are you going to be able to keep doing this at this level?' said Hamlin, who turns 45 in November. 'Listen, 57 (wins) might be it. None of us in this room know. I'm at least going to enjoy it as if it's my last, then I'll go to work on Monday, just like I always have.' Denny gets it done at @MISpeedway! — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 8, 2025 As Hamlin celebrated in victory lane, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs was parked just behind the winner's circle backdrop — and in a much less cheerful mode. In fact, Gibbs was outright pissed. He wasn't having any of the consolation talk from his team or family, was uninterested in the moral victory of finishing third and brushed off a rear-end smack from his grandfather, Hall of Fame football coach Joe Gibbs. Gibbs, expected to contend for a playoff spot this year and win his first career race, has had a frustrating season. Michigan was only his second top-five finish, and he felt he was close enough to compete for the victory — especially since his teammate Hamlin was on a similar fuel strategy. 'I would rather go win,' the driver said. 'I don't come here to run third and run half-throttle on the straightaway, but it's what they thought we needed to do.' Gibbs was continuously instructed to save more gas, even when he was tracking down race leaders Hamlin and William Byron with four laps to go; the team urged him to back off just when it looked like he could have made a pass. 'He doesn't know how much we saved or if we were going to run out,' crew chief Tyler Allen said. 'So he's frustrated because he could see it and he was fast enough to go take it. Unfortunately, we weren't going to make it on fuel, and that wouldn't have done any good to our team and our points situation.' Advertisement But Gibbs disagreed, saying he saved enough fuel to go harder and ended the race without having to flip his reserve fuel switch (indicating there was perhaps another lap or so remaining). 'I was told to save more, and it's just frustrating for me,' Gibbs said. 'I would have loved to be more aggressive there.' Carson Hocevar was again a hot topic at Michigan after he led a career-high 32 laps before getting a flat tire while leading the race. But one thing that didn't happen, at least for now: On-track payback from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. After it seemed destined for Stenhouse to retaliate against Hocevar for their Nashville incident, the two spoke last week by phone — as did their crew chiefs and Spire Motorsports owner Jeff Dickerson with Stenhouse. The bottom line: Given their positions on the playoff bubble, it would be silly to continue the war. 'They all feel really bad about it and they can't give us back our points that we lost,' Stenhouse said Saturday. 'But if we get in a pissing match and I crash him this weekend and then we go back and forth, that does none of us good.' Still, Stenhouse said, Hocevar is on thin ice — not just with him, but the garage. After their Nashville incident, Stenhouse said, he received numerous texts from other competitors and team members who urged the veteran to either wreck Hocevar on purpose or fight Hocevar like Stenhouse did with Kyle Busch at last year's All-Star Race. 'It was a lot,' Stenhouse said of the volume of texts. 'It was kind of shocking. So I just told him that.' Hocevar reminded Stenhouse they've had no issues previously — and they actually communicate on occasion when Hocevar asks Stenhouse about his sprint car team. Stenhouse agreed they haven't had a problem before, but there's no third chance coming. Advertisement 'If it becomes a routine or it happens again…' Stenhouse said. 'As fast as your cars have been, you don't want to keep making people mad.' One group who doesn't seem mad? The fans at Michigan. Hocevar got one of the loudest cheers in driver introductions when walking out in front of his home crowd. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were dealt a blow last week when the U.S. Court of Appeals' Fourth Circuit overturned a preliminary injunction that allowed the teams to race as charter teams in 2025. Barring any further appeals, the teams could be reduced to running as 'open' cars as soon as next month. But 23XI co-owner Hamlin said the teams remain 'very confident' in their lawsuit overall, drawing a sharp distinction between the case and the preliminary injunction decision. 'That's just such a small part of the entire litigation,' Hamlin said of the appeals court's decision. 'So I'm not deterred at all that we're in good shape.' What could change for the teams in the near future? Aside from taking a significant dip in money earned from each race, Hamlin said there won't be much difference. 'Same as what we said in December: We're committed to run this season open if we have to,' Hamlin said. 'We're going to race and fulfill all of our commitments no matter what. Our team is going to be here for the long haul, and we're confident of that.' As for the 23XI drivers, whose contracts allow them to become free agents if the organization does not provide them with charter cars, they were tight-lipped. 'I'm going to keep doing my part to try and show up as prepared as possible and continue winning races,' Tyler Reddick said. '… I've got to stay focused on what I can control. And that's my preparation.' Bubba Wallace cited Marshawn Lynch's 'I'm just here so I don't get fined' and said, 'you're not going to get an answer you want to hear from us.' Advertisement 'Come on, now,' Wallace said when another reporter tried to broach the topic. 'Let's talk about Michigan, dawg. You ain't getting no comment.' But whether they want to talk about it or not, losing charters could be a massive hit long term. The ripple effect if 23XI and Front Row don't get those charters back during the legal process would last for years and threaten the organizations' existences. Before finishing fourth on Sunday to record back-to-back top-six finishes, Wallace had some fun on X when NASCAR released the list of its inaugural in-season tournament competitors last week — in alphabetical order, meaning his name was last. 'Bubbles last like he always is,' Wallace captioned the tournament list in a quote-tweet. 'Bubbles' is just one of the derogatory nicknames used by Wallace's detractors, but he hasn't let go of his trolling nature on social media. After all, he pointed out, even his X header image is a troll post: A cartoon depiction of NASCAR's Mount Rushmore — showing Petty, Earnhardt, Johnson and … Wallace. Wallace said he sticks his shoe in ant hills in real life, and this is no different. 'It's the boomers who are actually pissed off,' he said. 'They're probably just punching air because I beat them to their own comments. So yeah, that brings me joy.' Chase Briscoe became the first driver in more than two years to win three consecutive pole positions (Kyle Larson in spring 2024), starting first at the Coke 600, Nashville and now Michigan. But Briscoe, who is yet to win this season, is too close to the playoff bubble for comfort after another disappointing result on Sunday (23rd). He said he's taken note of the mentality carried by his beloved Indiana Pacers — who stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder with a Game 1 comeback in the NBA Finals before getting blown out on Sunday night in Game 2. Advertisement 'It's the 'never give up' part,' he said. 'We've seen that even throughout my career. There was a time we were four laps down in one race and got back on the lead lap. It's definitely been fun to see a basketball team have that same mentality of never giving up. 'A lot of teams (give up) if they're down nine points with two minutes left, but the Pacers have continued to come back from huge deficits even when the other team thinks the game is already over. There's definitely something to that.' (Top photo of Denny Hamlin celebrating Sunday's win: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

F1 Is So American Now It Even Has Its Own KFC Meal
F1 Is So American Now It Even Has Its Own KFC Meal

The Drive

timean hour ago

  • The Drive

F1 Is So American Now It Even Has Its Own KFC Meal

The latest car news, reviews, and features. I remember people asking me about my favorite sport when I was a kid. I'd just say 'car racing,' never bothering to specify it was Formula 1 because no one in the U.S. knew what the hell that was back then. Nine out of 10 times, people would say, 'Oh, you like NASCAR!' That's not the case anymore, as F1 has officially broken into American culture. The Liberty Media-owned racing series is as recognizable across the country as the NFL, and I don't need any silly studies or viewership statistics to prove this. All I need to validate this theory is the KFC commercial embedded below, promoting the KFC Fill Up Box Box Box. Get it? Box box box. What's more American than KFC? Oh, what's that—McDonald's, you say? Well, rumor has it the Golden Arches is also coming out with an F1-themed Happy Meal. I know what you're thinking: the KFC commercial is promoting the F1 movie and not exactly the F1 series. Okay, sure, but that's pretty much the same thing, given that the film was intended to serve as a marketing tool for the series from day one. The Joseph Kosinski-directed movie features Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as headliners, and took two years to finish, while an '11th F1 team' traveled the world for 16 months filming real on-track scenes during actual racing weekends. Some reports peg the total cost of the movie at around $300 million. As someone who grew up with F1 since the late '80s and has witnessed its incredible growth in the U.S. thanks to Netflix's Drive to Survive, these advertisements are a finish line of sorts. F1 has made it into mainstream media, and now into the marketing-hungry fast food industry. It simply doesn't get more American than that. F1, you've arrived. Got a tip? Email us at tips@

2026 Cadillac Optiq-V Looks to Be a Pocket Rocket, Packs a 519-HP Punch
2026 Cadillac Optiq-V Looks to Be a Pocket Rocket, Packs a 519-HP Punch

Car and Driver

timean hour ago

  • Car and Driver

2026 Cadillac Optiq-V Looks to Be a Pocket Rocket, Packs a 519-HP Punch

The 2026 Cadillac Optiq-V joins the lineup as the new crown jewel of the Optiq roster. It uses the same dual-motor setup as the larger Lyriq-V, though output is slightly lower at 519 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. When production and sales start this fall, the Optiq-V will carry a $68,795 starting price. Cadillac's V-badge-wearing lineup of EVs is about to get bigger with the introduction of the 2026 Optiq-V. The brand's compact electric SUV is undertaking the V-series treatment, giving it sportier looks and considerably higher performance. By historical standards, the non-V Optiq is a quick little machine that we estimate can spring from zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. But, as EV proliferation continues and our inner ears develop new standards for speed, the dual-motor's 300-horsepower setup just doesn't elicit excitement. On paper, the Optiq-V fixes that. View Gallery Cadillac The Optiq-V shares its dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with the larger Lyriq-V, though the Optiq's smaller battery means it spits out 519 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque in comparison with the Lyriq's 615 horsepower. According to Cadillac, the updated powertrain is capable of a 3.5-second sprint to 60 mph. Range is down from the non-V—an unfortunate side effect of adding 219 ponies to the equation. According to Cadillac, the 85.0-kWh battery pack is good for an estimated 275 miles of range, or 25 fewer than the standard model. Though certainly quick in a straight line, Cadillac says it doesn't just have a one-trick pony on its hands. During a video call with media, Alex Doss, the Optiq-V's lead engineer, told reporters that GM developed the performance model to be a canyon carver. That means six-piston Brembo front brakes, quicker steering, a retuned suspension, and Continental Sport Contact 6 summer tires. View Gallery Cadillac Visually, the V distinguishes itself from the regular Optiq with a unique front fascia and a special V pattern in the faux grille. A royal blue color scheme permeates inside and out of the Optiq-V's design, from the brake calipers to the rear quarter windows and throughout the interior from the dashboard to the seatbacks and the seatbelts. Aside from the performance changes, the Optiq-V will also be the first GM product equipped with a native NACS charging port, so it has access to Tesla's vast Supercharger network. Cadillac is targeting an on-sale date and production timeline for sometime this fall. When it goes on sale, the new performance Optiq will start at $68,795. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store