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Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Detroit Grand Prix draws fans, families from far and wide
When the doors opened on a full People Mover car at the Millender Center station in downtown Detroit, the unmistakable whine of race cars enveloped the space like a thunderclap. The passengers, some of whom had been looking down at their phones or talking amongst each other, stopped at the sound and looked toward the windows facing Jefferson Avenue. After all, people love cars, said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence at S&P Global Mobility. While the race has undergone many changes since its first run in 1982, there is still a strong draw to the track – and the city – that inspires residents across the state, even if they wouldn't consider themselves car enthusiasts. More: Detroit Grand Prix signs new contract through 2028 'Is this race important to Detroit? Yes, it is,' Brinley said. 'Because it keeps coming back. The city loves it.' The Detroit Grand Prix roared across downtown streets on Sunday, June 1, with the featured NTT IndyCar race won by Kyle Kirkwood before the organizers announced the event would stay in Detroit through at least 2028. The Grand Prix draws more than 100,000 people each year to downtown Detroit, according to the organizers. In the third year since making the switch from Belle Isle, the Detroit Grand Prix likely has more attendance than ticket sales can account for. Up in the corporate suites, Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis for AutoPacific, pointed out there were far more spectators watching the race from the parking structures than in the paid stands. 'Belle Isle is literally an island. The economic impact to Detroit may be negligible, but it is right downtown,' he said, of the move. 'You don't have to bypass the city to get to the race.' Detroit resident Lauryn Barlow, a traveling bartender, rates the Christmas Tree Lighting as the most attended event she works, with the Grand Prix falling slightly behind the Detroit Auto Show. As for those she served this weekend, she said most spectators arrived from out of town. 'Everybody that I talk to is either from Ohio, Wisconsin," shes said, "and I was just like, "Well dang, where's everybody from Detroit?'' Families congregated on Woodward Avenue and in Hart Plaza to enjoy free events throughout the weekend and the cooler weather. This is the third Grand Prix for Aaron Norton, who drove from Owosso with his son Evan, an incoming freshman of Michigan State University. 'It's something to do,' he said. 'I just drove an hour and forty minutes to get here. My other kids didn't want to come.' The two walked through to Hart Plaza to admire GM's latest vehicles and ask questions of the product specialists on staff. During their stroll, they caught a bit of the race. 'I've learned a lot watching this, and Googling to see how fast they're going. I'm blown away with how much they're worth,' Norton said. 'The safety gear, the halo, is like $17,000 just to protect their head. The crazy prices of the motor. I never knew that.' Sponsoring the race serves a dual purpose for automakers like Honda and General Motors. In addition to seeding goodwill at the community level and showcasing vehicles around the city in an open-air showroom, the race itself acts as a proving ground, S&P Global Mobility's Brinley said. Participating automakers calculate vehicle performance on the track, such as engine fatigue, steering, suspension, lift and driving dynamics, and apply what they learn to the vehicles they retail. 'Not every street car needs to drive like a race car, but lessons learned about performances and tolerances can be applied to street cars,' she said, adding that tire manufacturers also learn about tire wear and performance from extreme racing. Sitting in the center of the track and host to many media events surrounding the Grand Prix is the Renaissance Center, the soon to be former headquarters of GM, which is relocating this year to the new Hudson's Detroit building on Woodward Avenue. While the RenCen's massive office and commercial retail space remains an icon of the city's skyline, it no longer serves its original purpose, Waatti said. Because of GM's broad footprint, with offices across the U.S. as well as other countries, maintaining such a large property no longer makes good business sense. 'The Detroit Grand Prix is a powerful showcase of GM's performance brands and a celebration of Detroit's comeback story. That's what makes GM's decision to leave the RenCen all the more bittersweet,' he said. 'While the race energizes the riverfront and spotlights GM's roots, the company itself is stepping back from the landmark that defines both.' Detroit resident Travis Foster said he's 'heartbroken' that it would be GM's last time hosting the event from its RenCen headquarters. 'As a native Detroiter, I'm really hoping that at the last minute someone is either going to have a change of heart or there's some type of financial decision that will make them at least give that a second thought,' he said. 'This building is iconic when it comes to the city of Detroit. These buildings are supposed to be here, it's meant to be here, it deserves to be here, and we need it here.' Foster, a federal employee, considers the Detroit Grand Prix a pivotal part of the city's summer event schedule. He pointed to the diversity in the crowd and said the race shows off the beauty of downtown and invite tourists and other Michigan residents into the fabric of the community. Embracing change is necessary for GM's success and the city of Detroit, according to Anthony Abbott, a retired GM employee from Farmington Hills who has attended the Detroit Grand Prix 10 times. 'Belle Isle was a beautiful place to have a race, it almost seems like it was built to have a race. But I really enjoy it down here better,' he said. 'And you can watch the event from the garages and see so much.' For Abbott, changes to the Renaissance Center could improve the riverfront landscape and open up more space for future Grand Prix events. 'Embrace change. GM moved down here, I forgot how many years ago, and rehabbed the towers, did a really great job with it. They're not leaving, they're just moving down the street. They're going to blow up a few towers and really open it up,' he said. 'It's iconic, it still will be – just with one or two less towers.' Christian Romo contributed to this report. Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. Reach her at jcharniga@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Grand Prix draws fans, families from far and wide
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
An 11-year-old played softball too well—and what the adults did next will infuriate parents everywhere
Oregon mom Tracy Burchfield never expected to watch her 11-year-old daughter be publicly challenged for simply playing well. Brinley Stephens had just stepped up to bat at a youth softball game and hit a clean line drive when two adult male coaches from the opposing team stormed the field. One shouted, 'I want to see birth certificates or this game's done!' Brinley, a fifth grader who stands 5'10' and plays for the Astoria Future Fish, had already gone through standard age verification. Her height wasn't suspicious; it was simply tall. Still, the coaches saw her athleticism as cause for confrontation. She was left in tears. Her mom watched, horrified. 'There's these two adults confronting her,' Burchfield told ABC News. 'Thank God that our coach was there to step in between.' Instead of being celebrated for her strength, she was punished for it. What happened at that softball game is, sadly, a familiar story for many mothers. When girls excel, they're often questioned instead of encouraged. The incident wasn't isolated. 'We are still investigating the incident … The player did nothing wrong as she is just tall … and skilled for her age,' said Benjie Hedgecock, the executive director of North American Fastpitch. One coach received a full-season suspension. The other got 10 days and probation. Parents in the stands also reported obscene gestures from the coaches after the game. As the mom of tall kids, I know it can be surprising to hear that they're 'just tall' and the same age as your kids. But girls face cultural stigmas for being 'too strong,' 'too loud,' and 'too good. We know there's a deeper issue at play. Related: 10 important phrases parents can use to empower their daughters Don't stand out. Don't be too loud. Don't be too strong. Don't outshine the boys. Even in 2025, it's still happening—on ballfields, in classrooms, and in everyday parenting moments. How many moms of tall girls have heard, 'Wow, she looks older,' like that justifies treating them differently? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, around 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 13. A top reason? Adults who make the experience too intense. From yelling in the stands to excessive pressure to moments like Brinley's—where a girl gets singled out not for bad behavior but for being too good. As moms, we've been here before. We've seen how quickly strength in our daughters gets mistaken for threat. In school, they're told to sit down and be quiet. On the field, they're questioned for standing out. And when they speak up, they're labeled dramatic, bossy, or out of line. This behavior sends a clear message: excellence has limits, and they're tighter for girls. Related: Super Bowl ad calls out how body shaming pushes girls out of sports Raising confident girls in this culture requires strategy and solidarity. If something like this happens to your daughter—or any kid—here's what experts recommend: Model calm, assertive advocacy. If an adult crosses a line, step in. Your composure teaches your child how to handle conflict and see that their worth is non-negotiable. Debrief privately. Let your child vent without jumping straight to fixes. Acknowledge the hurt and remind them that their value isn't up for debate. Keep receipts. Have documentation ready (like registration forms or rosters) so that in heated moments, facts can speak louder than bias. Affirm their power. Tell your daughter: 'Being strong makes some people uncomfortable. That's their work, not yours.' These small moments of support help build long-term confidence—even when the world tells her otherwise. Related: How to raise girls who lead Brinley's height and skill should have been celebrated. Instead, they became grounds for suspicion. Her story points to a broader pattern where girls who defy expectations are often treated as problems. We see it in classrooms when assertive girls are labeled as disruptive. We see it in media coverage of female athletes who are scrutinized more for their looks than their performance. And we see it in everyday parenting moments—when people tell moms of tall girls, 'Wow, she looks older,' as if that justifies treating them differently. It starts young. And it sticks. Youth sports are meant to be character-building. But character doesn't grow in a culture of adult ego, gender bias, and public shaming. It grows when kids feel safe to try, to fail, and to succeed without fear of being torn down. Brinley didn't do anything wrong. She played her game. The adults failed her. Let's do better. Because the next time your daughter steps onto the field, court, or classroom, she should know—without question—that she belongs there. Related: How to Get Girls to Raise Their Hands
19-05-2025
- Sport
Mom speaks out after coaches say 11-year-old daughter is too old to compete
An Oregon mom is speaking out after two softball coaches were caught on camera questioning her 11-year-old daughter's age and height in an on-field incident that left the girl in tears. The coaches accused the child of being too old to compete mid-game and in front of an audience in the stands. "I want to see birth certificates or this game's done!" one coach said. Tracy Burchfield said the incident, which involved her daughter Brinley Stephens, was hard to watch. "I was holding back my tears because I was like, 'Oh my gosh, she's out there by herself. There's these two adults confronting her.' Thank God that our coach was there to step in between," Burchfield recalled. Brinley Stephens is an 11-year-old softball player and fifth-grader. Brinley stands nearly 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and she and fellow players in the league had proven their ages previously before they joined the team. But during a May 11 game, Brinley had just hit a line drive for her team, the Astoria Future Fish, before the opposing team's coaches stormed the field and began questioning her. "It was like, scary, like, him coming at me," Brinley recalled. "And I was just looking at him like, 'What the heck was going on?'" Brinley's family said she is used to comments about her height, but this experience was unlike any other. Following the verbal exchange, Burchfield claimed the opposing team's coaches continued making obscene gestures towards parents when the game ended. "We were upset, but we took it to the association and hoping that they do better and reprimand and hold him accountable for his actions," Burchfield said. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 70% of children quit playing organized sports by the age of 13, often due to pressure from adults who they say stop making games fun to play. Brian Barlow is the creator of Offside, a Facebook page that calls out bad behavior among adults at youth sports games. "We're not making room for our kids to be successful. We're not making room for our kids to understand that it's OK sometimes to lose, and in fact, sometimes when you lose, there's a victory in the loss," Barlow said. Since the on-field incident, one assistant coach has been suspended for the year while another was suspended for 10 days with probation for the year. Tournament organizers told ABC News they are looking into the incident. "We are still investigating the incident … The player did nothing wrong as she is just tall … and skilled for her age," Benjie Hedgecock, the executive director of North American Fastpitch said. Meanwhile, Burchfield said she has heard from other parents with kids in similar situations and who have thanked her for sticking up for her child and speaking out. Burchfield said she hopes the incident can serve as a lesson to show more kindness. "It doesn't take much to hurt a kid that much and make them just stop believing in themselves. These kids deserve better. We as adults need to do better," Burchfield said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs could prove nearly as harmful to U.S. auto market as Lehman collapse and COVID outbreak, warn S&P forecasters
S&P Global Mobility cut 700,000 cars from its annual U.S. sales estimate as a result of President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported vehicles. It's "one of the largest single-month changes" it has ever made to its forecast. President Trump's tariffs that took affect earlier this month are proving to be almost as disruptive to the U.S. auto industry as the global coronavirus pandemic and the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. On Monday, auto industry forecaster S&P Global Mobility cut a staggering 700,000 cars and light trucks from its U.S. sales estimate for this year. Previously it had anticipated 16.2 million light vehicles sold in 2025. 'The impact of Trump's auto tariffs, in combination with the 10% universal tariff, has led to one of the largest single-month changes we've ever made to the forecast,' wrote Stephanie Brinley in a research note. 'Only changes reactive to the 2020 Covid global manufacturing pause and the 2008-09 global financial crisis were larger than the changes to the sales and production forecasts.' Late last year, S&P Global Mobility—not to be confused with S&P Global's sibling credit ratings agency—predicted only mild growth of 1.2% for U.S. auto sales over last year's nearly 16 million vehicles as a result of continued high sticker prices and an uneasy consumer. Including the 700,000 unit cut to U.S. sales, the effect of the tariff should lower overall light vehicle sales worldwide by a grand total of 1.3 million units. Previously S&P Global Mobility estimated 89.6 million vehicles. Trump's tariffs went into effect on April 3 and imposed a duty of 25% on all imported, fully built vehicles. This comes on top of sundry other tariffs, including currently paused "reciprocal" tariffs that if implemented would differ depending on a country's trade balance with the U.S. As a result, a number of automakers have already paused new vehicles shipments to the United States, including Volkswagen, its premium sister brand Audi and Mitsubishi Motors. Even Jaguar Land Rover, a company heavily dependent on the U.S. market, has ceased exports. A full third of the U.K. carmaker's overall volumes are sold in North America. 'The impact of the tariffs has potential to have a massive near-term impact on global sales and production, with the U.S. and North America feeling the worst of the impact," Brinley continued. On Monday, Trump suggested he was now considering ways to aid carmakers, but the situation remains so fluid that these latest statements could not be factored into Brinley's analysis. How the administration's tariff regime may change going forward is not clear. Trump has flip-flopped several times already, including with the original one-month extension he granted automakers in February. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick did however state on ABC's 'This Week' Sunday news program that sectoral tariffs—unlike their so-called 'reciprocal' cousins—are not meant to extract concessions via negotiated deals. Instead they are fundamentally strategic in nature. This implies they are designed to facilitate re-shoring production of key industries rather than simply serve as a revenue driver to offset generous tax breaks Trump has planned, including an extension of his signature 2017 tax cut. 'Only about half of the vehicles sold in the United States are manufactured domestically, a decline that jeopardizes our domestic industrial base and national security,' the White House has said. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tariffs May Cut a Third of North American Auto Production Next Week
President Trump pulled the trigger on a 25% tariff for products coming in from Canada and Mexico, plus 10% added to Chinese imports for a 20% total tariff. The popular Toyota RAV4 stands out. Much of its North American production comes from Canada and it's unlikely Toyota will find space in its US assembly plants to replace that production. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China have a 20% probability of lasting six to eight weeks, which would overlap into Trump's promised tariffs on Europe, Japan, and South Korea. No matter if Canada and Mexico work something out with the Trump administration in the next two weeks, auto prices will go up, incentives will quickly disappear even on mostly US produced models, and auto production will decrease by as much as 20,000 units a day, says Stephanie Brinley, associate director at S&P Global. That production cut, which would be nearly a third of car and truck output in the US, Canada, and Mexico, could begin as early as next week, Brinley says in the Automotive Press Association's Real-Time Auto Intelligence webinar Tuesday. The presentation came about 12 hours after President Trump pulled the trigger on a 25% tariff for products coming in from Canada and Mexico, plus 10% added to Chinese imports for a 20% total tariff. Current production for North America is about 63,900 vehicles a day, with 41,700 in the US, 17,600 in Mexico, and 4,600 in Canada. 'Margins are going to take a hit here,' Brinley says of the auto industry and its suppliers. Volkswagen in particular is exposed to tariffs on Mexico, Brinley says. Anticipated tariffs on European imports by April 2 also will hit the German automaker, she says, but not by as much as the Mexican tariffs. The popular Toyota RAV4 stands out, as much of its North American production comes from Canada and it's unlikely Toyota will find enough space in its US assembly plants to replace that production. The RAV4 is a bestseller in the US after the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado, and so it's quite vulnerable. 'It's entirely feasible production of some models will be paused,' Brinley says. Bottom line is if you have been contemplating a new car or truck, get yourself to a dealership right now. Some vehicle stockpiling began in January, but 'inventory currently not tariffed is golden,' Brinley says. Dealers may introduce premiums to optimize inventory even in the short-term. Of 25 automakers selling and producing vehicles in North America, 11 have assembly plants in Mexico and five have plants in Canada, according to S&P Global. On top of Tuesday's tariffs, most every automaker uses parts and supplies that cross either border, often several times back-and-forth before final assembly. As for the 25% steel and aluminum tariffs the Trump White House imposed in February, most steel used in US production comes from inside the US, Brinley says. S&P Global projects a 70% probability that tariffs on Canada and Mexico will last just two weeks. But any hot upcoming model you've anticipated almost certainly will arrive late. 'We're already seeing programs delayed,' Brinley says. Automakers have been slowing or stopping new model development by two to three months as the industry adjusts and automakers try to figure out how to optimize strategies for where to build those new models. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China have a 20% probability of lasting six to eight weeks, which would overlap into Trump's promised tariffs on Europe, Japan, and South Korea. There is a 10% chance of a 'Tariff Winter,' permanent tariffs that could cut projected calendar 2025 US sales by 10%, according to S&P Global. Trump has signaled he wants early renegotiation of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement he first negotiated in 2017, possibly by the end of this year and maybe beginning this summer. Last December S&P projected US sales for 2025 of 16.3 million vehicles, Brinley says, which is a million-plus units short of the record sales years of a decade ago. A 10% drop would lower that projection to about 14.7 million vehicles, below the 15.5 million for the pandemic-recovery year of 2023. But from there, it's not far to the pandemic ravaged year of 2022, when demand far exceeded supply and just 13.7 million vehicles were sold. S&P worked in the possibility of new tariffs in its 2025 sales projection last December, and the 10% decline is preliminary, Brinley says; the decrease in sales could be greater as more variables come into focus. Even with lower demand, a repeat of pandemic-era supply will lead to higher prices for new vehicle purchases and leases, as well as for used vehicle prices. Though Brinley would not commit to any sort of dollar-amount prediction, we're going to go out on a limb and predict that in the coming weeks average transaction prices, which finished 2024 at $49,740 according to Kelley Blue Book, will easily top $50,000 within a matter of weeks. The Tariff Winter scenario poses another dilemma for automakers doing business in the US: What to do in the long term? It could easily take as long, or longer, for an automaker to build the new factories in the US that President Trump wants than it will take for us to wait for the 2028 presidential elections. Are tariff concerns forcing you to dealer showrooms sooner than you had planned? Please comment below.
