Latest news with #Trucks
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sorry about JD Vance circus: Owner of Oxfordshire manor house where VP is staying apologizes to neighbors
Pippa Hornby, the owner of the manor house in Oxfordshire, which is hosting Vice President JD Vance, apologized to the neighbors in advance for bringing a "circus" to the sleepy hamlet. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Before Vance's arrival, Secret Service agents were preparing the area around Charlbury, putting in place checkpoints, installing new technology and cutting grass to make a helipad. As reported by The Telegraph, Pippa told her neighbors that she was "so sorry for the circus that is there for the next few days". She added that she hoped it would not be too disruptive. The report detailed the massive work that started at the manor house Saturday before Vance's arrival. Black Trucks unloaded heavy-duty boxes and marquees had been erected across the road at two locations, each housing a generator and chairs. A probable signal jammer, or an anti-drone system or a telecom tower was erected behind the house. Residents said the area was humming continuously. The manor in which Mr Vance will be staying is said to have been built in around 1702 for Thomas Rowney, an Oxford MP. When the Hornbys bought it, they submitted planning proposals for a basement gym, second cellar and orangery. Vance's frequent holidays have come on the radar as he managed to fit many trips in his first eight months in the job. In March, he visited Vermont, then he was in India, Greenland, the Vatican, Disneyland and now the UK -- though some of the tours combined both work and vacation. Before the Cotswolds, JD Vance was hosted by Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Kent. "I have to say that I really have become a good friend, and David has become a good friend of mine," Vance said. "Our families enjoy each other's company very much, which always helps."
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Thailand's automotive market faces critical challenges amidst shifting regional landscape
Thailand's position in the ASEAN automotive landscape is facing increasing pressure as regional dynamics shift. The country experienced a staggering 26% YoY decline in Light Vehicle (LV) sales in 2024, and the outlook for 2025 remains bleak, with a further contraction of 7% YoY experienced in Q1 compared to an already depressed base during the same period in 2024, signaling continued weakness in domestic demand. Passenger Vehicles (PVs) and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) both suffered downturns in Q1 2025, with the LCV segment particularly hard hit and dropping by a significant 13% YoY, largely due to the sluggish 1-ton Pickup Truck market. The PV segment showed a more modest decline of 5%, but still reflects broader consumer caution. In response to these challenges, the Thai government has implemented measures to guarantee hire purchase loans for Pickup Trucks, with applications open from April 1 to December 30, 2025. This initiative aims to enhance access to financing by mitigating risks for financial loan guarantees, thereby encouraging leasing firms to approve more loans particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the Finance Ministry, the program aims to stimulate the purchase of over 6,250 new Pickup Trucks, which could help revitalize domestic sales. Notably, the policy focuses solely on Pickups— a segment that accounted for 47% of the country's LV sales in 2022 but 29% in 2024—with all models produced locally. However, this target represents only a small fraction of Thailand's annual vehicle sales, which totaled 566k units in 2024 and nearly 1 mn units in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the limited scope of the program may not be sufficient to drive substantial change in the overall industry. Additionally, high household debt, coupled with the prevailing economic climate, may deter consumers from taking on additional loans, even with government guarantees, potentially undermining the program's effectiveness. Although policy measures are in place, their impact has yet to materialize. Once the leading automotive market in ASEAN, Thailand has now slipped to the third largest as of 2024, trailing behind Indonesia and Malaysia. If favorable measures are not implemented and Vietnam maintains its positive momentum, Thailand could be overtaken and fall further behind to fourth place in 2025. Strong consumer demand, supportive government policies, and the emergence of domestic players like VinFast have propelled Vietnam's automotive sector forward. Following a slowdown in 2023, the country's sales have rebounded, supported by improvements in the economy, particularly in the property sector, which is recovering from the crisis that emerged in 2023. In Q1 2025, the Vietnamese market experienced remarkable growth of 53% compared to the same period last year, establishing itself as one of the region's most dynamic markets. In contrast, Thailand continues to face a series of economic headwinds, including high household debt, tightening credit conditions, and broader economic uncertainties. Compounding the challenge, several new vehicle launches have been delayed due to weak demand and cautious sentiment among OEMs, further limiting the market's ability to stimulate interest and dampening its short-term sales potential. Despite the contrasting trajectories, we remain cautious about the sales prospects for both Vietnam and Thailand for the remainder of the year. Our revised full-year 2025 forecast projects that Vietnam will achieve a record 512k units, while Thailand is expected to fall to a 15-year low of 555k units. The outlook scenarios for Thailand range from a pessimistic 519k units to a best-case of 571k units, while for Vietnam, the forecast spans from 489k units under the pessimistic scenario to 549k units in the most optimistic case. However, the projections for both markets remain subject to downside and upside risks stemming from ongoing global trade volatility, which could impact both demand and supply dynamics across the region. Nevertheless, despite subdued domestic sales, Thailand is poised to retain its status as ASEAN's largest automotive production hub and export base, with production expected to reach 1.39 mn units in 2025. However, it is important to note that this figure marks a decline from 1.47 mn units in 2024 and is significantly lower than the pre-pandemic production volumes of 1.99 mn units recorded in 2019. While short-term indicators present a mixed outlook, the automotive sector in Thailand possesses several strengths. Strategic policy support, particularly for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (xEVs), a recovery in key export markets, and ongoing investments in next-generation vehicle technologies are expected to stabilize the sector. These factors could facilitate a return to growth in the medium term and help maintain Thailand's competitive advantage within the ASEAN automotive market. Tanitta Tumrasvin, Manager, Southeast Asia Forecasting, GlobalData This article was first published on GlobalData's dedicated research platform, the . "Thailand's automotive market faces critical challenges amidst shifting regional landscape" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NBC Sports
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
NASCAR Championship Weekend moving to Homestead in 2026
NASCAR's Championship Weekend will return to Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2026, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday morning. NASCAR also announced that it will rotate its season finale for the Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series starting next year among 'NASCAR's marquee venues and key markets.' NBC Sports, which has broadcast the Cup playoffs and championship race since 2015, will do so through 2031. Phoenix, which has hosted NASCAR's Championship Weekend since 2020, will be among the rotating sites for the season-ending race for each series. NASCAR also announced that Phoenix will host two Cup weekends next year and that the track's second race weekend will be in the third round of the playoffs. Those dates will be announced later. Homestead-Miami Speedway's Championship Weekend will be Nov. 6-8 in 2026. Homestead hosted the championship races for Cup, Xfinity and Trucks from 2002-19 before the season finale moved to Phoenix. 'Homestead-Miami Speedway has a history of competitive, championship racing that will provide nostalgia for veteran drivers and fans and exhilaration for NASCAR's new generation,' said Ben Kennedy, EVP, Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, in a statement. 'As we move forward, the rotating model will provide new challenges for competitors as well as opportunities for unique venues to host our loyal fans at NASCAR Championship Weekend.' Kyle Larson won the most recent Cup race at Homestead, taking the checkered flag in March in a race that had 27 lead changes. Last fall's playoff race at Homestead saw Tyler Reddick win after going from third to first on the last lap. The last three laps each had a different leader in that event. 'This place is awesome,' said Christopher Bell, who finished fourth in that race and watched those lead changes ahead of him. 'It leads to some amazing races.' He's not the only driver who feels that way. 'It's just an awesome race track,' Larson said of Homestead this season. 'Definitely the best across all the series in our sport. It's just fun. It races kind of similar in all the divisions. It's just a cool place.' NASCAR Cup champions crowned at Homestead 2004 — Kurt Busch 2005 — Tony Stewart 2006 — Jimmie Johnson 2007 — Jimmie Johnson 2008 — Jimmie Johnson 2009 — Jimmie Johnson 2010 — Jimmie Johnson 2011 — Tony Stewart 2012 — Brad Keselowski 2013 — Jimmie Johnson 2014 — Kevin Harvick 2015 — Kyle Busch 2016 — Jimmie Johnson 2017 — Martin Truex Jr. 2018 — Joey Logano 2019 — Kyle Busch
New York Times
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Homestead-Miami Speedway expected to host NASCAR title race in 2026: Sources
Homestead-Miami Speedway is expected to host NASCAR's national championship weekend in 2026, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans but not authorized to speak publicly, with an announcement tentatively planned in the coming weeks. The 1.5-mile track in South Florida previously hosted the championship weekend for NASCAR's three national series — Cup, Xfinity and Trucks — from 2002 to 2019 before NASCAR shifted the November event to Phoenix Raceway. Advertisement Homestead returning as the championship host for all three series will likely be well received by competitors and fans alike, with the track regarded as one of the best on the schedule due to its propensity for producing quality racing. The title weekend moving to Homestead is just for the 2026 season, according to those sources, as another track will be selected to host in 2027, beginning a rotation in which a different venue is chosen each year. Phoenix is expected to be included in this rotation, the sources said, and the track will continue to have two races each season. NASCAR declined to comment. 'It's definitely something I want to see happen,' Homestead track president Guillermo Santa Cruz said last month. 'And I'm hopeful in the not-too-distant future the championship will come back.' Behind the scenes, Santa Cruz and NASCAR have been working for some time with elected county and city officials along with the state of Florida and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to put together a financial incentive package that would assist in the promotion of championship weekend throughout the South Florida market and with infrastructural improvements the track needs. These efforts, while still ongoing, have thus far not materialized. Still, the sources said, NASCAR recently decided that, despite the current lack of financial commitment from the local community, it is in the sport's best interest for Homestead to host championship weekend, with NASCAR covering the necessary expenses to ensure the event is a success. Homestead vice mayor Sean Fletcher said last month that the track hosting championship weekend provides an estimated $350 million economic boost to the area. 'It's really a big deal for the city of Homestead,' Fletcher said. 'I think it's the perfect race for the drivers; they love the track. It's really a driver's racetrack. And that's a great time of year to be in South Florida.' Advertisement Since Homestead last hosted championship weekend in 2019, the track has bounced around NASCAR's calendar. In different years it has been placed in the playoff portion of the schedule or at some point in the spring, as was the case this season when its race weekend was slated for March. 'I would certainly like to see (Homestead) play a bigger factor in our championship,' Joe Gibbs Racing driver and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin said last month. 'Whether it's in the playoffs, just a part of the championship race or round, or whatever it might be, I'd like to see it be a part of that as, like we just talked about, the driver makes a bigger difference at this track compared to the car.' (Photo of Joey Logano winning the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Reuters
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Steve Phelps named NASCAR's first commissioner
March 31 - Steve Phelps was named NASCAR's first commissioner on Monday with a mission focused on "strategic growth and international expansion." Phelps, 62, had been serving as president of NASCAR since 2018. In the newly created role, he will oversee all aspects of the sport that include the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) and all 15 NASCAR-owned or operated tracks. Steve O'Donnell was promoted from chief operating officer to succeed Phelps as president. O'Donnell is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of all three NASCAR national series (Cup Series, Xfinity and Trucks) and all commercial, media and track operations as well as four international series and multiple properties. "We are thrilled to name Steve Phelps as NASCAR's first Commissioner," said NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France. "His leadership, professionalism and well-earned respect from across the sports industry speak to his unique value for the sport. With more than 50 years of expertise between them, both Steve Phelps and Steve O'Donnell bring tremendous expertise, stability and a commitment to the bold racing innovations that will continue to serve fans, teams and stakeholders for many years to come." Phelps originally joined NASCAR in 2005. "I'm honored to take this next step in helping to guide NASCAR, the sport I've loved since my father took me to my first race at 5 years old, continue to grow and welcome new fans, competitors and partners that together create some of the most extraordinary moments in sports," Phelps said. "I cannot thank the France family enough for their unwavering commitment to our fans, their steady leadership and, most importantly, their stewardship of stock-car racing since its inception nearly eight decades ago. This sport is truly one of the great American business stories and I'm privileged to continue as part of that legacy -- and especially its bright future." O'Donnell becomes the sixth president in the sport's 77-year history. "In my 30 years in NASCAR, I've been most inspired by the passion of race fans at tracks across the country. It has been a privilege to help bring our sport to those fans through incredible new venues and innovative engaging content that showcase the best racing in our storied history," O'Donnell said. "I believe we're the best in the world at creating 'Bucket List' events that merge sports and entertainment with tailgating, camping and the most immersive fan experience in sports. I'm honored to continue that mission and build upon the collaboration and innovation with our teams and partners to deliver the best racing to sports fans everywhere."
