Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup May 17-23, 2026

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Here are Larry’s Top Auto Story Picks of the Week of May 17-23, 2026: Larry picked these as important, relevant, interesting and sometimes semi-secret stories you need to know—served up as snappy, opinionated, and insider-sharp, these are expertly crafted, easy-to-understand news nuggets that cut through the noise and get right to what matters to you in the automotive world.

* Iran war slams consumers. The largest oil disruption in history is widening an economic divide, with Americans spending $45 billion more on gasoline and diesel during the Iran war than the same period a year ago. Surging energy costs disproportionately burden low- and middle-income consumers, while oil-and-gas companies are reporting record earnings. Free-cash flow for major oil companies rose 84% to $36 billion in the first quarter, as lower-income households cut fuel-ups. Read about it HERE

* Memorial Day weekend travel. AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend, a slight jump over last year. Driving is the most popular way to travel and makes up 87% of the share of Memorial Day travelers. This holiday weekend, drivers are paying more at the pump compared to last year when the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.17 on Memorial Day. Currently, pump prices are the highest they’ve been since the summer of 2022. The AAA says motorists are now facing a national average of $4.56 a gallon for regular unleaded and $5.43 for premium, as of May 21. 

* GasBuddy 2026 Summer Travel Survey. Fewer Americans are hitting the road, citing gas prices as main cause... 56% of Americans will hit the road this summer, down from 69% last year as gas prices surge. 83% cite use of smartphone apps, like GasBuddy, to find the lowest fuel prices. Most are willing to drive 2-3 miles out of the way to save big at the pump. Biggest motivation for where to fill? Stations that offer discounts & cents off w/ loyalty.    GasBuddy Forecasts Most Expensive Summer at the Pump in Years Amid Strait Closure... possibly touching $5/gal, setting new record average of $4.80 per gallon, exceeding 2022's summer average of $4.43 if the Strait remains closed.

* Read this. From Forbes: These Are The Most And Least Expensive New Cars To Run At Today’s Fuel Prices. HERE

* Business fuel saving. The Detroit News reports: Businesses and commercial fleet operators are seeking ways to reduce fuel costs as prices spike, but unlike previous hikes, software technologies offer a greater opportunity for automakers to capitalize on those needs. Fuel costs for some companies have close to doubled over the past couple of months amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil passes. Although fuel efficiency is always a goal for many businesses, the sudden surge has created additional incentives for companies to look at leveraging data that often can already be collected on a vehicle to operate a fleet with more efficient drivers, less idling and a greater eye on improper use. Excessive idling is a major target for savings; AI-powered tools from Ford Pro are helping fleet managers reduce idling, which has been shown to improve fuel efficiency by up to 52%. Technologies that track aggressive acceleration, rapid braking, and speed allow fleets to reduce fuel consumption and wear and tear. Tools are increasingly being used to analyze data, with GPS fleet tracking and video used to improve overall efficiency.

* Plug and play is the right way. A Toyota Research Institute of North America study reveals that plug-in hybrid (PHEV) owners frequently charge their vehicles, with Toyota drivers plugging in seven out of 10 driving days and Lexus drivers eight to nine times. Analyzing over 6,000 vehicles, the research indicates that high, consistent charging habits disprove the myth that PHEV owners rarely use electric power. Details . HERE

* Federal EV road tax. U.S. House lawmakers proposed bipartisan legislation that would require electric vehicles to ​pay a $130 fee to pay for road repairs annually and $35 for some ‌plug-in hybrid models. The House is working on a five-year highway reauthorization bill that would authorize $580 billion ahead of the current law expiration on September 30. Most revenue for federally funded road repairs ​is collected through diesel and gasoline taxes, which EVs do not pay. The fee would mean EV drivers could end up paying more than drivers of traditional vehicles, who pay between $73 and $89 a year in gasoline taxes, according to industry data.

* Sedan comeback? The Detroit Free Press reports auto industry insiders say the sedan is poised for a comeback. Consumers on car shopping sites are increasingly searching for a most unlikely vehicle: The good old sedan. Just when you thought it was all but gone, or at least a niche category, auto shopping site experts have noticed the search trend and say there are a few factors driving the newfound interest in sedans — the top being affordability. Consumers seeking unique styling are moving away from ubiquitous utility vehicles.

* New E-car for the EU. Stellantis will begin producing a new range of electric vehicles for Europe’s affordable small-car market starting in 2028. The E-Car project will be produced at its Pomigliano d’Arco plant in Naples, Italy, under multiple brands with partners. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a new E-car initiative to prevent market conquest by China. Stellantis has previously announced the Fiat Topolino is officially confirmed to arrive in the United States, targeting a release around spring 2026 as an ultra-compact electric urban mobility solution. It is marketed as a "little mouse" commuter designed for dense city environments, college campuses, and beach towns. Read more HERE

* Nature wins.  A Ford dealership in Kansas has a buyer for a shiny new F-250 sitting on its lot, but the pickup can’t legally be driven away yet. That dealer is Olathe Ford Lincoln in Olathe, Kansas, according to KMBC 9 news, which can't technically move the Ford F-250 because a robin built a nest directly on the top of one of its tires, while the truck was sitting on the dealer's lot. Since then, a group of baby robins have hatched, immediately turning the truck into a federally protected no-touch zone - which means that nobody can move the Super Duty, nor can they disturb the nest. More on this HERE

* Speed camera fail. The Volo Museum in Illinois received a $50 New York City speeding ticket for its stationary replica of KITT, a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, after an automated traffic camera mistakenly linked a novelty “KNIGHT” plate to the exhibit. Museum officials say the car has not been moved in years and are challenging the citation while city agencies investigate the error. Enjoy the story HERE

* Berlin car restrictions. Berlin, Germany has long embraced environmentally friendly initiatives, with its many bike lanes, car-pooling services and extensive public transport. In recent months, green-minded Berliners have moved to take that to the next level, with tens of thousands signing a petition to limit most private vehicles’ ability to enter the traffic-snarled city center, down to just 12 visits per person per year. Learn more here

* Jeep recall. Jeep is recalling 61,711 Cherokee SUVs because the two-speed power transfer unit in the transmission might have a catastrophic failure. The recall covers a population of Cherokees from the 2019–2023 model years, with associated documents estimating that 0.5 percent have the defect, according to the NHTSA.

* Hyundai recall. Hyundai Motor is recalling 54,337 vehicles in the U.S. over a fire risk linked to the overheating of hybrid power control unit, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. The recall covers certain 2024-2026 Elantra Hybrid vehicles.

* Acura & Honda recall. American Honda is recalling nearly 60,000 vehicles due to an increased risk of a crash or injury after some vehicles' rearview camera display showed "distorted or blank" images, according to a notice posted by the Na. The recall includes approximately 59,887 vehicles. The 2024 Acura ZDX and 2024-2025 Honda Prologue models are included in the recall, according to the NHTSA.

* NASCAR HoF. The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced its three newest members, with Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Larry Phillips elected to the Class of 2027. Harvick and Burton were chosen from a list of 10 candidates on the Modern Era Ballot, and Phillips was voted in from the five nominees on the Pioneer Ballot. The Class of 2027 Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, Jan. 22, 2027, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center.

* AMA HoF. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame has selected 16 nominees for its 2026 class, including industry ambassadors, motorcycle rights advocates, racers, and engineers. The 16 nominees have been divided into three categories: Competition, Non-Competition, and Well-Qualified. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be announced shortly after voting is closed on June 10, and the class will be celebrated at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sept. 10, in Pickerington, Ohio. More HERE

* Porsche sets new record. Henry Payne for The Detroit News writes Porsche announced this week a Porsche 911 GT2 RS has broken the Corvette C8 ZR1’s production car lap record at Road Atlanta Raceway with a time of 1.22.6 minutes. The record comes just two months after Ford shattered Porsche’s production lap record at Nürburgring (only the limited-edition Mercedes AMG One is quicker) with its Mustang GTD. Corvette’s ZR1 has posted competitive Nürburgring times as well. Get up to speed on this record-breaking story HERE

* NHRA returns to Michigan. NHRA National event racing is returning to the state of Michigan, courtesy of NHRA, Dodge and Mopar. NHRA officials announce that the Dodge and Mopar brands will serve as title and presenting sponsors of the first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park. Racing takes place Sept. 18-20 during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. The event is the first of six playoff races during the 20-event 2026 campaign. The inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by Mopar makes its debut at the standout facility in Martin, Michigan, representing the first NHRA National event Michigan stop in 66 years and kicking off the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

* Indy 500 pole. Defending race champ Alex Palou had a 231.665 mph 4-lap qualifying run in the Fast Six, breezing to the top of the 33-car grid for this Sunday's May 24 race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval. Alexander Rossi (231.990) and David Malukas (231.877) complete the front row. The second row has Felix Rosenqvist (231.275), Santino Ferrucci (230.846) and Pato O'Ward (230.442). Palou — who also won the Indy 500 pole in 2023 — has won three of six races in 2026, leads the IndyCar points and has earned three poles in the last four races. 

* Doing the double. Katherine Legge will attempt to become the first woman to complete the "double" by racing in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Legge qualified 27th for her fifth Indianapolis 500. Her best finish has been 22nd in 2012; she was 29th last year. She has appeared in eight NASCAR Cup races over the past two years and finished 35th last week at Watkins Glen.

* RIP.  Kyle Busch, a generational talent who rose to become a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the sport’s greatest drivers, died suddenly on Thursday. He was 41. Busch’s death, which was announced by the Busch family, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing, marked a sudden, staggering blow to the motorsports community. His team had indicated earlier Thursday that Busch had been hospitalized with a severe illness and subsequently reported he died from severe pneumonia and sepsis.Editor's Note "He Waited Too Long To Help Himself"** More HERE

* We wish all a safe, meaningful and festive Memorial Day Weekend.

Stay safe. Be Well.

Kind regards, 
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
The Auto Channel 
Chicago Car Guy

The death of NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, whose family said he had severe pneumonia that progressed to sepsis, has renewed questions about a condition many people have heard of but few fully understand. .

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt is a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine.

Brahmbhatt says he frequently cares for patients who arrive in the emergency room with infected kidney stones. The symptoms often started days earlier: flank pain, fevers, chills, nausea or a general feeling that something was not right. By the time they get to the emergency room, some look visibly ill: heart rate up, blood pressure low, tired and sometimes confused.

This is no longer just an infection. This is sepsis, the body’s extreme response to infection.

Pneumonia isn’t the only infection that can lead to sepsis. A skin infection that keeps spreading and raises your heart rate. A urinary tract infection that suddenly lowers your blood pressure. An infected kidney stone that raises your temperature – these are not just infections anymore. They could be sepsis.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 zone Jalapeno Lime Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)Kyle Busch's cause of death has been revealed

How common sepsis really is

About 1.7 million adults in the United States develop sepsis each year, and at least 350,000 die during hospitalization or are discharged to hospice, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sepsis contributes to more than one-third of hospital deaths in this country.

Yet public awareness remains surprisingly low. Many people still do not recognize the symptoms or realize that common infections can trigger it.

When your medical team suspects sepsis, the clock starts. They start IV fluids and broad-spectrum antibiotics within the first hour, and then they look for the source of the original infection.

Brahmbhatt has seen patients walk in barely able to talk who are then sitting up and asking for water a few hours later. But not every case follows the same course. Some arrive early, get aggressive treatment and still end up in the ICU.

Sepsis can be unpredictable, and that’s why early recognition matters so much.

What sepsis does to the body

Many people think of infections as staying in one part of the body. Pneumonia affects the lungs. A urinary infection affects the bladder. A skin infection stays in the skin.

Sometimes that is true. But when sepsis develops, the body’s response can become much larger than the original infection. Sepsis is like a kitchen fire that triggers sprinklers throughout an entire building. The original problem may start in one area, but suddenly the emergency response spreads much farther than intended or needed. The body is trying to contain the threat. But in some situations, the inflammatory response becomes wide enough that blood pressure falls, oxygen levels suffer and organs begin to fail.

That is what makes sepsis dangerous. The infection matters, but the body’s response matters just as much, if not more.

Where sepsis begins

Busch’s death has put the spotlight on pneumonia, but it is only one possible cause of sepsis.

Pneumonia happens when infection and inflammation affect the lungs, making it harder for oxygen to move through the body. Many cases improve with treatment, and recovery is common. But severe pneumonia can progress and, in certain situations, contribute to sepsis.

Sepsis can also develop from urinary infections, kidney stones, issues inside the abdomen, skin wounds and surgical sites.

In urology, infected obstructed kidney stones are one of the more dangerous examples. Bacteria become trapped behind a blockage, and the body cannot clear the infection on its own. Last year, actor Billy Porter said he went septic from a kidney stone in minutes — a public reminder that this disease can progress quickly.

Why sepsis is unpredictable

Infections do not affect everyone the same way. Age, underlying medical problems and immune status matter. But they do not explain everything.

Most sepsis cases happen in people with at least one risk factor – older adults, infants, people with chronic conditions like diabetes or cancer, weak immune systems, or anyone recently hospitalized or recovering from surgery. About one in five sepsis hospitalizations are cancer related, according to the CDC.

That is why it is hard to look at public accounts involving sepsis and automatically assume someone waited too long, ignored symptoms or received the wrong care. Those situations do happen. But sepsis can also develop despite timely evaluation and treatment.

Hindsight is hard. And many of us are wired to underestimate symptoms — physicians included.

What hospitals do when sepsis is suspected

Once sepsis is suspected, timing becomes everything. This is why hospitals emergency departments have protocols designed to identify and treat it quickly.

Teams move fast to obtain blood tests, look for signs of organ dysfunction, start IV fluids and antibiotics and identify the source of infection through cultures or imaging.

Treating the source matters just as much as treating the infection. In some cases, that means draining an abscess, removing infected tissue or relieving a blocked kidney with a stent so urine and infection can drain.

The goal is to try to control both the infection and the body’s rising immune response before the entire system gets overwhelmed.

Sepsis does not always end at discharge

Even when treatment works, sepsis can leave a mark. One thing that surprises many patients and families is that sepsis can have a long tail.

Many people recover fully. But up to half of survivors experience what is called post-sepsis syndrome: fatigue, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, anxiety and repeat infections that can last for months or years. Survivors are also at higher risk for new heart and kidney problems in the future, according to the CDC.

This is why catching sepsis early matters – not just for surviving it but for what comes after. In medicine, Brahmbhatt says doctors see it every day: patients who do best long-term are the ones that get treated fast.

What people should pay attention to

Brahmbhatt said his goal is not to scare people when they have a cough or a minor body ache. Most infections do not become life-threatening, but persistent or worsening symptoms deserve attention.

One memory tool worth knowing comes from Sepsis Alliance. It uses the acronym TIME:

T: Temperature – higher or lower than normal.

I: Infection – any sign of one.

M: Mental decline – confusion, sleepiness, hard to wake.

E: Extremely ill – severe pain, shortness of breath or a feeling that something is very wrong.

If you or someone you love has an infection and develops confusion, a racing heart, shortness of breath or just feels suddenly much worse — do not wait. Get to an emergency room now.

Sepsis moves fast. The people who survive it are usually the ones who showed up at the hospital emergency room early.