NASCAR Joins Hands With NFL to Fight Against a Looming Threat to Sports

Take the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race, April 8, 2023—a muddy, wild night where the “Choose Drone” stole the show. Decked out with blazing LED lights, this buzzing beacon hovered over the “choose area,” glowing like a neon lifeline for drivers picking their restart lanes. No more squinting through dust or guessing the line—this drone made restarts slicker than a fresh set of Goodyears. Fans in the stands and drivers like Chase Elliott got a crystal-clear marker, proving NASCAR’s not afraid to innovate with the same tech they’re taming. It’s a double-edged sword of genius—battling the dark side of drones while harnessing their power for good.

Recognizing the wild risks of unauthorized flyers, NASCAR’s teamed up with tech wizards to keep the skies safe and the races rocking. Picture Texas Motor Speedway, where DroneShield’s anti-drone gear stood guard, sniffing out and snuffing rogue drones before they could crash the party. Then there’s Phoenix Raceway, where NASCAR rolled out Dedrone’s airspace magic. This isn’t just detection—it’s preemptive strike stuff, spotting drones before they even lift off and tracking down their operators like a pit crew hunting a loose lug nut.

NASCAR has joined the lobby of different sporting leagues to address this issue

Did you know? The NFL clocked over 2,800 drone incursions in 2023 alone—unauthorized flyers buzzing into restricted airspace around stadiums, defined by the FAA as below 3,000 feet within three miles, from an hour before to after games. NASCAR’s no stranger to this either—think Talladega’s sprawling infield or Bristol’s tight bowl, packed with 100,000-plus fans. “Many drones are hobbyists or jokers,” Cotton said, “but we can’t risk fan lives because some can carry explosives or biological weapons.” Chilling, right? The AFC Championship Game in January 2024 paused when a drone invaded Baltimore’s airspace—the operator later pleaded guilty. Then, a wild-card clash between the Ravens and Steelers halted mid-play on January 11 over a rogue flyer. NASCAR’s races, with their massive crowds, could be next.

On Thursday, NASCAR teamed up with the NFL, MLB, NCAA, and the SEC to back a bold bill in Congress aimed at tackling this growing menace. Dubbed the Disabling Enemy Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment (DEFENSE) Act, it’s a bipartisan push from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) to arm state and local law enforcement with the power to zap drones out of the sky during big sporting events. “We need to give them the tools to protect the airspace from weapons and biological threats,” Cotton told ESPN. For the NASCAR community, it’s about keeping the roar of Daytona safe—not just from crashes, but from chaos above.

Right now, only federal agents—like at the Super Bowl or Boston Marathon—can legally disable drones. Cotton calls them “a small fraction” of law enforcement, nowhere near enough for every NFL kickoff, MLB pitch, or NASCAR green flag. “Local law enforcement already protects the perimeter,” he said. “We expect them to stop a dump truck—so why not drones?” The DEFENSE Act would extend that power to state and local cops at events with over 30,000 fans—like every Cup Series race—after they complete counter-drone training. MLB’s David Thomas cheered: “This legislation would dramatically increase the security of our stadiums and the safety of the 70,000,000 fans who attend our games annually.”

How do you stop a drone? Michael Robbins of the Association of Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International told ESPN it’s often as simple as finding the operator and demanding they land it. If that flops, cops could jam its signal, snag it with a net, ram it, or blast it down—most drones are wired to drop or retreat when cut off. But it’s not all smooth sailing. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) tanked a similar bill last year, warning on the Senate floor: “Fear and manufactured urgency are used as pretext to expand government power at the expense of freedom.”

Privacy hawks worry about surveillance creep, but the leagues aren’t backing down. “Intelligence agencies warn terrorist groups could target stadiums,” NFL security chief Cathy Lanier testified, pointing to Islamic State chatter about the Paris Olympics and Cricket World Cup drone threats. After years of lobbying, this bill’s a united front—NASCAR and the NFL, shoulder to shoulder, fighting for our Sundays. Will it pass? Opposition’s murky, but the stakes are clear.

Next time you’re at Martinsville, imagine a drone buzzing over—then cheer this push to keep our sport soaring safely. What’s your call—security win or overreach?

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From Super Bowl Glory to NASCAR Grit: Josh Bush’s Wild Ride

Imagine this: a Super Bowl champ vaulting over a pit wall, swapping tires in eight seconds flat, and thriving in the chaos of a 200-mph race. That’s Josh Bush—once a Denver Broncos defender who hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50 beside Peyton Manning, now a tire-changing wizard for Daniel Suárez’s No. 99 Trackhouse Racing team. Forget the usual post-NFL gigs like coaching or TV—Bush traded tackles for lug nuts, and ahead of the Atlanta Spring Race, he’s spilling the beans on this wild career shift.

Growing up, Bush never dreamed of NASCAR. But after snagging two key tackles in that iconic Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers, he’s found a new rush on pit road. “Sunday will be a good atmosphere, man,” he told Xavier Walton. “You still get that adrenaline going… It’s almost like football—you catch an interception, everything goes silent, and you just release everything and do it. Next thing you know, the stop’s over. We’re doing stops in eight seconds.” That speed? It’s a far cry from gridiron glory, but Bush’s precision helped Suárez snag second place finish at Atlanta’s Quaker State 400 in 2023 and a razor-thin win there in 2024.

The mental game’s the same, though. “You got them in your ear, they say, ‘Do it till you forget it,’” he explained. “When you jump off the wall, you’re not even thinking—you’re just reacting, doing what you’ve been trained to do.” It wasn’t easy getting there. Post-NFL, after stints with the Jets and Bills, his buddy Austin Dillon lured him to Richard Childress Racing’s pit crew. Struggling at first, the All-ACC star who once stumped Russell Wilson honed his craft, joining Trackhouse in 2022.

Now, Bush’s journey—from Super Bowl to speedway—shows what grit can do. What’s next—an Atlanta encore? We’re cheering!