The 904EVER Club is entering its second year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, giving Jaguars fans a new way to preserve their connection to the team within the Stadium of the Future.

Longtime Eastern Iowa race fans should recognize the No. 55. Its throwback paint scheme recalls Gase‘s familiar early late model cars at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, which helped launch his path from hometown racing to NASCAR‘s national series.

The weekend is also a homecoming for Eternal Fan founder and CEO Matt Linn, who has a longstanding connection to Gase‘s early racing years. Eternal Fan is headquartered in Cedar Rapids.

“Joey and I first came together through Donate Life, and I have watched him use one of the hardest moments of his life to help other families,” Linn said. “To bring our relationship back to Iowa with a paint scheme that local fans will remember, while introducing the 904EVER Club to a national audience, makes this weekend especially meaningful for both of us.”

Gase‘s Donate Life work began after his mother, Mary Jo, died unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm in April 2011, when he was 18. Her organ, eye and tissue donations helped save or improve 66 lives.

Donation awareness became an important part of Gase‘s racing career and brought him together with Linn, beginning a relationship that has grown through several racing and Eternal Fan programs.

“A lot of people around Cedar Rapids will recognize this scheme because it goes back to the cars we raced at Hawkeye Downs,” Gase said. “Matt has been part of my racing journey for years, and it is special to bring Eternal Fan back home with us. The 904EVER Club gives Jacksonville Jaguars fans a unique way to preserve their memories and maintain a lasting connection to the team, and I‘m proud to help introduce the program to racing fans this weekend.”

Created by Eternal Fan in partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 904EVER Club allows Jaguars fans to reserve a personal Fan Space® within a monument planned for the Stadium of the Future. Fans can preserve photographs, team gear, keepsakes and other items representing their Jaguars memories. For those who choose, a Fan Space may also include cremated remains, extending that connection beyond a fan‘s lifetime. Placement events also bring members and families together.

A similar program already operates at Richmond Raceway through the 21-foot-tall stainless steel Eternal Fan® Piston, recognized as the World‘s Largest Racing Piston. Its private and shared Fan Spaces® allow race fans to preserve items and memories connected to their experiences at the track.

— Joey Gase Motorsports —

NASCAR also announced today that Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol has officially sold out, underscoring the tremendous demand for NASCAR’s return to the state of Iowa. Limited tickets are still available for Saturday’s Hy-Vee Perks 250 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race and Friday’s JR & Co. 150 showcasing the stars of the ARCA Menards Series. To purchase tickets, visit IowaSpeedway.com.

“From the moment NASCAR returned to Iowa Speedway, fans have embraced this event in an incredible way with three consecutive NASCAR Cup Series sell outs,” said Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson. “Moving to Fourth of July weekend and competing on a brand-new racing surface is an exciting next chapter for our fans, our partners and the entire state of Iowa.”

In addition to the repaved racing surface, NASCAR will also be making improvements to the fan concourse, suites, and Newton Club areas as well, in an effort to continually refine the fan experience for every race goer. The project represents NASCAR’s continued investment in Iowa Speedway and its long-term commitment to the state of Iowa, ensuring one of the sport’s most popular venues continues to deliver world-class racing and an unmatched fan experience for years to come.

“Hosting one of NASCAR’s marquee weekends on Independence Day, combined with a brand-new racing surface, reinforces Iowa’s place on the national stage,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “Since the NASCAR Cup Series race came to Iowa in 2024, the opportunity to showcase Iowa to NASCAR fans and promote the widespread use of clean, cost-effective E15 fuel has been truly extraordinary. The Iowa Corn 350 and improvements to the Iowa Speedway will generate meaningful economic impact for communities across central Iowa for many years to come.”

The 2027 NASCAR Weekend at Iowa Speedway will feature three days of racing:

• Friday, July 2: ARCA Menards Series
• Saturday, July 3: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
• Sunday, July 4: NASCAR Cup Series

Construction crews are scheduled to begin work on the repave immediately following the conclusion of the 2026 Cup Series race. The new racing surface will preserve Iowa Speedway’s reputation for close-quarters competition while positioning the facility to host major motorsports events for decades to come.

Additional information regarding 2027 ticket renewals, camping and event programming surrounding Iowa’s Fourth of July celebration will be announced at a later date.

Fans interested in receiving updates on the 2027 NASCAR Weekend at Iowa Speedway can visit IowaSpeedway.com or follow Iowa Speedway on social media.

— Iowa Speedway —

Trevor Bayne, 2011 DAYTONA 500 champion, joins USA Network‘s NASCAR broadcast team as a pit reporter this season and will serve as USA Sports‘ pace car analyst, reporting live from inside the pace car ahead of the green flag and during pivotal restarts throughout USA Sports‘ coverage.

“Having Trevor report live from inside the pace car at select races this season is going to bring a new insight to our coverage and give the fans at home unique viewing experience,” said USA Sports executive producer Jeff Behnke. “From our extended post-race shows to our radio-style broadcasts, we‘ve always looked for ways to innovate within our NASCAR coverage and enhance our coverage for race fans. USA Sports‘ new pace car analyst position is just another example of our fan-first approach.”

USA Sports‘ new pace car analyst role marks the latest in a long line of broadcast innovations from its NASCAR production team. USA Sports production team has pushed NASCAR coverage forward with innovations such as:

• Post-race burnout interviews on-track with winning drivers;
• Extended post-race studio coverage;
• The USA Sports Pit Box, giving USA Sports the only broadcast position on pit road;
• Radio-style broadcasts at road course races;
• The “My Track My Roots” grassroots racing initiative, showcasing local tracks and racing from across the country.

The Iowa Corn 350 is the first race of USA Sports‘ NASCAR coverage in 2026, which includes 14 races of the 2026 Cup Series Season and includes full coverage of “The Chase,” which begins at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 6 on USA Network and culminates with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 8, on NBC.

This week‘s coverage of the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway begins at 3 p.m. ET with pre-race coverage on Countdown to Green.

— USA Sports —

The latter series will race at the 0.875-mile short track for the 23rd time in Saturday‘s Hy-Vee Perks 250 (5 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

After a four-year absence, the O‘Reilly Series returned to the short track in Newton, Iowa, in 2024. Sam Mayer won that race and successfully defended his victory last year, giving him a 100-percent success rate at the track.

That puts Mayer in an elite group of drivers in the series who have “batted 1.000” in multiple starts at a particular venue. Christopher Bell triumphed in all four of his New Hampshire starts, and Connor Zilisch has won all three times he has raced at Watkins Glen.

Other drivers who, like Mayer, have gone 2-0 at a particular track are Shane van Gisbergen at the Chicago Street Course and Chandler Smith at Richmond.

Like William Byron in the NASCAR Cup Series, Mayer is winless this season coming to Iowa as the defending winner. His victory last year was the first for the newly formed Haas Factory team. In 2024, he took the checkered flag in a JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

Mayer and Justin Allgaier (2018) are the only former Iowa winners in the field for Saturday‘s race. Allgaier already has clinched top seeding in the Chase, which begins Sept. 5 at Darlington Raceway after events at Iowa and Daytona International Speedway.

Allgaier may have locked up the regular-season title, but the race for the final Chase spots is very much in doubt. Three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers surround the current cut line, with Brent Crews and Taylor Gray 11th and 12th in the standings and William Sawalich (13th) the first driver out.

Sawalich trails Gray by seven points, with JR Motorsports‘ Rajah Caruth 20 points back in 14th. Caruth, however, returns to his preferred No. 88 JRM ride for the rest of the season after driving the No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet for the last time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I’m really happy to get back with (crew chief) Mardy (Lindley) and everyone on the No. 88 team for the rest of the season,” Caruth said. “I haven’t raced at Iowa since the repave (before the 2024 race), so it’ll definitely be a different challenge than the last time I was there.

“The track has changed quite a bit, so we’ll spend practice learning what it wants and making sure we’re ready for the race. We’ve had speed on tracks like this all season, and if we can execute all day, I think we’ll have a good shot at a strong finish and gaining some ground in the points.”

— NASCAR News Wire —

After a rare week off, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the 0.875-mile short track for Sunday‘s Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol (3:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Byron is the defending race winner, but after six straight seasons of at least one victory, the driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has yet to post a win this year.

Iowa Speedway might just be the ideal place for Byron to end the dry spell, which has reached 23 races. In 2016, he won there in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

The following year, he picked up his first NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at the Newton, Iowa, track that was the brainchild of leading designer and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace.

In 22 races this season, Byron has posted just five top fives and nine top 10s. The 28-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., is 12th in the Cup Series standings, a relatively comfortable 88 points above the current cut line for the Chase, with the next four races providing an opportunity to improve that position.

“Iowa is just a track that has always clicked for me and that I really love,” Byron said. “I‘ve had success there in all three series, and last year‘s win really felt great to complete the sweep.

“I think having the off time, and this being the next track we go to, really gives our team confidence of what we can accomplish. I‘m looking forward to it.”

Sunday‘s race is the fourth of seven short track contests this season. Byron is the only driver to have won twice in the last 10 short-track races (Iowa and Martinsville last year), but the last six short-track races have been won by six different drivers.

In the two Cup races held at Iowa, five drivers have finished in the top 10 in both events—Byron, who was second in 2024; Ryan Blaney, the winner in 2024; Brad Keselowski; Alex Bowman; and Joey Logano.

Blaney, who was fourth last year, boasts the best average running position at Iowa of 3.9, with Byron second at 5.6. Blaney and Byron each led the most laps in their respective victories, Blaney with 201 of 350 in 2024, and Byron with 141 of 350 last year.

Kyle Larson is another driver who could use a turnaround at Iowa, but in order to break his 46-race winless streak, he‘ll have to make a quantum improvement at the track. Larson‘s average finish there is a dismal 31.0.

Among the top three drivers in the standings, third-place Blaney holds a decided edge over series leader Denny Hamlin and second-place Tyler Reddick. Hamlin finished 24th in both Iowa races. Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 84 points, posted respective results of 22nd and 19th.

Blaney is 120 points behind Hamlin as the Cup Series heads to Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona to complete the regular season.

After a recent review following the NASCAR weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in late July, all three NASCAR Series will race under new stage break procedures for the rest of the season.

If a caution falls within 10 or fewer laps prior to the advertised end of Stage 1 or Stage 2, the stage will be deemed official at the time of caution. The leader will return to the start/finish line to receive the green/checkered flag along with the yellow. The caution process that follows will serve as the stage break.

The finishing order of the stage, with the top 10 scoring points, will be determined using all available resources, just as it is whenever points are paid.

— NASCAR News Wire —

The traditional spring weekend returns with the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series providing an opportunity to gain points in a pivotal superspeedway clash early in the season April 24-25, 2027.

In the fall, The Chase will be in full swing as all three NASCAR national series head back to Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 29-31, 2027. The October race weekend will be pivotal to helping set the field for drivers who will compete for a championship at the end of the 2027 season.

“It‘s an honor for Talladega Superspeedway to continue to have two race weekends giving our fans multiple opportunities to experience high-stakes action at this incredible venue,” said Josh Harris, Region President, Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway. “Looking up into the grandstands and seeing the passion the fans have for NASCAR in the heart of Alabama is extremely rewarding and we look forward to seeing action-packed racing return next spring and fall.”

Below are the dates for the 2027 NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway:

April 24-25

• Saturday, April 24 — NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series races
• Sunday, April 25 — NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link‘s 500

Oct. 29-31

• Friday, Oct. 29 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Love‘s RV Stop 225
• Saturday, Oct. 30 — NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series The Progress Group 250
• Sunday, Oct. 31 — NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500

Earlier this year, Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega. The 23-year-old Michigan native edged out Chris Buescher for a thrilling victory, which included a one-of-a-kind celebration post-race in which he sat on the window ledge of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet while taking a victory pass in front of the grandstands.

Fans can still catch plenty of race action this fall as part of The Chase at Talladega Superspeedway kicking off Friday, Oct. 23, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Love‘s RV Stop 225 followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series The Progress Group 250 on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The excitement continues into Sunday, Oct. 25, with the return of the YellaWood 500 as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers prepare to tackle the iconic 33-degree banking.

For ticketing information and more details about upcoming events, including the YellaWood 500 race weekend, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

Fans are also encouraged to keep up with all the happenings at Talladega Superspeedway by following along on X, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as in the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest speedway news.

— Talladega Superspeedway —

According to officials, the procedure will occur when a natural caution falls within the final 10 laps of the scheduled stage break. In that event, the stage will be deemed official at the time of caution. The traditional caution process will then serve as the stage break.

— NASCAR.com —

“We are thrilled to return to September and The Chase next year,” said New Hampshire Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager David McGrath. “Last September, New England race fans showed up in sold-out fashion. Fall racing in New England is a win for race fans, especially all of our campers, and I know the drivers love coming to this area in September as well.”

TV and radio broadcast start times, network affiliations, additional racing action and entertainment will be announced at a later date.

— NHMS —

Bristol’s 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season will be anchored by the beloved Food City 500, April 9-11, as fans return to Thunder Valley when dogwoods bloom across the hills of Northeast Tennessee, and culminate with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Aug. 12-14, as America’s Night Race returns to its historic August home for the first time in years.

For decades, those two weekends have represented the very best of Bristol—one welcoming fans back each spring for a family tradition unlike any other, the other delivering one of motorsports’ most anticipated nights beneath the lights of The Last Great Colosseum.

The return of America’s Night Race to August marks one of the most significant shifts on NASCAR’s 2027 calendar. For 44 consecutive seasons, Bristol’s signature Saturday night spectacle became synonymous with the final days of summer, producing unforgettable finishes, legendary rivalries and championship-defining moments that helped establish the event as one of NASCAR’s most legendary races. Now, one of the sport’s biggest weekends returns to the date where so much of its history was written.

“The Food City 500 and the Bass Pro Shops Night Race aren’t simply races on our schedule—they’re traditions that generations of fans have built memories around,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “The Food City 500 has found a tremendous home in April, where the beauty of spring in Northeast Tennessee creates an incredible backdrop for one of NASCAR’s favorite weekends.

“And now, to welcome the Bass Pro Shops Night Race back to its longtime August home – there is just something special about Bristol in August. The anticipation, intensity and electricity that builds throughout the weekend. Our fans know they’re about to witness something unforgettable, and our competitors know every lap matters. We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate both of these incredible traditions with our fans in 2027.”

The Food City 500 weekend begins Friday, April 9, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Tennessee Army National Guard 250 before Saturday’s Suburban Propane 300 in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Bush’s Beans Qualifying. The weekend culminates Sunday with the Food City 500, one of NASCAR’s longest-running entitlement-sponsored events and one of Bristol’s most cherished annual traditions.

Four months later, the spotlight shifts to one of the most celebrated weekends in all of motorsports. The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series UNOH 250 presented by Ohio Logistics opens festivities Thursday, Aug. 12, followed Friday night by the always-popular Food City 300 and Nobody Trashes Tennessee Qualifying before the Bass Pro Shops Night Race roars to life under the lights on Saturday night.

Whether it’s the vibrant colors of spring or the electric atmosphere of a warm August night, Bristol Motor Speedway’s 2027 NASCAR season promises two unforgettable opportunities to experience the speed, passion and tradition that have made The World’s Fastest Half-Mile one of the sport’s most iconic venues.

“At Bristol, we don’t just host events—we welcome people into our community,” Caldwell said. “Whether it’s families returning for the Food City 500 each spring, race fans filling our campgrounds in August or visitors enjoying one of the many great events our region hosts throughout the year, every one of those weekends leaves an impact. This schedule gives our entire community the opportunity to make each of those moments even more special, and I think that’s something everyone can celebrate.”

Tickets for both NASCAR weekends will be available soon. Fans may visit BristolMotorSpeedway.com or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158 for ticket information.

BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY‘S 2027 NASCAR SEASON

Food City 500 Weekend

Friday, April 9
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Tennessee Army National Guard 250

Saturday, April 10
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Suburban Propane 300
Bush’s Beans Qualifying

Sunday, April 11
NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500

Bass Pro Shops Night Race Weekend

Thursday, Aug. 12
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series UNOH 250 presented by Ohio Logistics

Friday, Aug. 13
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Food City 300
Nobody Trashes Tennessee Qualifying

Saturday, Aug. 14
NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race

— Bristol Motor Speedway —

Sawalich, a Minnesota-native, joined Joe Gibbs Racing in late 2022 and ran the organization‘s ARCA Menards Series car in 2023 and 2024 earning two ARCA Menards East championships and amassing 20 wins. In 2024, Sawalich made his O‘Reilly Series debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He earned his first career pole award at Phoenix Raceway that year. In 2025, Sawalich competed full-time in the O‘Reilly Series earning three top-five finishes, nine top-10s, and one pole award.

“I am excited to be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2027,” Sawalich said. “The team has become a family to me since I first started here. We‘ve been making great progress this year, so I am excited to continue that into next season.”

Sawalich will continue to be sponsored by SoundGear throughout the 2027 campaign.

“William has been part of our racing family at Joe Gibbs Racing for almost four years now and it‘s exciting to watch his continued progress,” said Heather Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “He earned his first win in the O‘Reilly Series earlier this year at Rockingham and we expect our 18 team to build off that success for the remainder of this season and into 2027.”

— Joe Gibbs Racing —

This is the first race of USA Sports‘ NASCAR coverage in 2026, which includes 14 races of the 2026 Cup Series season and includes full coverage of “The Chase,” with USA Sports producing 10 races on USA Network and four on NBC, including the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race in Miami in November.

Long-time motorsports play-by-play commentator Leigh Diffey will lead USA Sports‘ NASCAR broadcasts alongside “The Mayor” Jeff Burton, who was recently elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as well as Steve Letarte, former crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Jeff Gordon.

Marty Snider will host USA Sports‘ Countdown to Green pre-race coverage starting at 3 p.m. ET and the post-race show alongside Burton, Letarte, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett. Snider, Kim Coon and Dave Burns will report from pit road along with 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne who makes his debut with USA Sports this season.

In addition to his work on pit road, Bayne will also serve as USA Sports‘ pace car analyst, a new broadcast innovation this season in which Bayne will report live from the pace car leading to the green flag and ahead of pivotal restarts throughout the season. USA Sports‘ pace car analyst role marks the latest fan-first broadcast innovation from USA Sports‘ production team, which introduced enhancements such as burnout interviews, radio-style broadcasts at road course races, extended post-race shows, and “My Track My Roots,” highlighting grassroots racing across the country.

Following Sunday‘s post-race coverage, USA Sports will premiere the first episode of NASCAR AMERICANA on USA Network. The three-part limited documentary series explores NASCAR‘s unique place in the American story and is produced by the critically acclaimed makers of The Last Dance and OJ: Made in America and executive produced by Peyton Manning and Omaha Productions.

— USA Sports —

Alongside Premiere Recycling, the #51 Chevy will feature new associate partner Avanti Windows & Doors, as well as returning partners Top Groove Consulting, Alliance Driveaway Solutions, and Kingdom Truck Sales.

“Iowa always puts on a great show, and we‘re excited to head there with new partner Premiere Recycling on the #51 Chevy,” said Clements. ” We‘re really thankful to Mark (Nelson) for helping bring Premiere on board and making this partnership come together for their home-state race. Now it‘s on us to put together a complete race and give all our partners a good, solid run,” said Clements.

Joining Premiere Recycling on the #51 Chevrolet as yearly associate sponsors are Spartan Waste, Rapid Fired Pizza, All Weather Power Equipment, Sherfick Companies, Elite Towing, Tools4Painting, zMAX, Carolina Driveline, MatMan Designs, Volt Battery, The Racing Warehouse, Nordic Logistics, and Dialed In Focused Energy.

— Jeremy Clements Racing —

“Phoenix Raceway has long been one of the premier destinations in motorsports, and our 2027 schedule gives fans two exciting weekends to experience the best racing in the world,” said Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey. “From the excitement of our NASCAR and NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader in March to the intensity of The Chase in October, Phoenix Raceway will once again shine brightly as one of racing‘s most competitive and fan-friendly venues.”

The 2027 spring weekend features a can’t-miss Saturday, March 13, with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NTT INDYCAR SERIES sharing center stage in a highly anticipated doubleheader. Weekend action begins Friday, March 12, with an ARCA Menards Series race and concludes Sunday, March 14, when the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series tackle the one-mile doglegged oval in a key early-season showdown.

Phoenix Raceway will once again play a pivotal NASCAR championship role when all three national series return for Chase races on Oct. 22-24. The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series opens the weekend on Friday, Oct. 22, followed by NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series West races on Saturday, Oct. 23. The weekend culminates with the Freeway Insurance 500 on Sunday, Oct. 24, as the NASCAR Cup Series Chase intensifies with drivers battling for a coveted spot in the championship conversation.

The full 2027 NASCAR and NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedules, along with broadcast details and times, will be released at a later date. Thankfully, fans don’t have to wait until 2027 to experience Phoenix Raceway.

Limited tickets remain available for the track’s upcoming 2026 NASCAR Chase weekend, Oct. 16-18. The weekend will feature Chase races for all three NASCAR national series and also include the penultimate race of the ARCA Menards Series West calendar. Tickets are going fast, so fans are encouraged to secure their seats while supplies last by visiting www.phoenixraceway.com.

— Phoenix Raceway —

The weekend will feature a race every day on the 1.5-mile tri-oval, highlighted by the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, May 2. Sunday‘s marquee event marks the 47th Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will jumpstart the weekend on Friday, April 30 with the SpeedyCash.com 250, followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Andy‘s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, May 1.

Texas Motor Speedway is coming off a highly successful NASCAR tripleheader weekend that featured sold-out grandstands on Sunday. The capacity crowd included fans from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 15 countries as far away as Australia, Japan, Colombia, Germany, England and Spain. The weekend also saw NASCAR stars Carson Hocevar (SpeedyCash.com 250), Kyle Larson (Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340) and Chase Elliott (WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY) celebrate in Victory Lane.

“Our fans have embraced the first weekend of May as evident by our sold-out grandstands on Sunday and increased attendance across all three series,” Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Mark Faber said. “The atmosphere and energy of the weekend is among the best on the NASCAR circuit. We‘re excited to build on the momentum from the last few years and deliver another outstanding tripleheader weekend for fans from across Texas, the U.S. and around the world.”

The NASCAR tripleheader weekend at “The Great American Speedway” remains one of the best family-friendly values in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Children 12 and under receive free admission on Friday and Saturday (with ticketed adult) and can attend the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY NASCAR Cup Series race for only $10 (with ticketed adult). In addition to on-track action, the mile-long Fan Zone features free entertainment acts, NASCAR driver appearances and various activities for visitors.

Individual race tickets and weekend packages, along with camping options, are available now by visiting texasmotorspeedway.com or calling the TMS ticket office at (817) 215-8500.

Start times, television broadcast partners and a full on-track schedule of events will be announced at a later date.

— Texas Motor Speedway —

On-track action opens on Friday, March 5, before the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race takes center stage on Saturday, March 6. The weekend culminates with the marquee DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne Cup Series race on Sunday, March 7.

The drivers will race around the 17-turn, 2.4-mile National Course, which made its debut in March 2025. Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing made history at COTA in March, becoming the first driver to win the opening three Cup Series races of a season. The driver of the No. 45 Toyota Camry narrowly defeated road-course master Shane van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing, who claimed the checkered flag in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race earlier in the weekend.

NASCAR at COTA continues to attract fans from around the world, with visitors traveling from 47 states and 10 countries for the 2026 race weekend. The stop on the circuit marks the third race of the year and the first of two in Texas. NASCAR‘s second stop in the Lone Star State comes later in the spring at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

“The popularity of NASCAR continues to grow in the Austin region and we‘re excited to be back at Circuit of the Americas for a seventh straight year,” NASCAR at COTA General Manager Mark Faber said. “Our team is working extremely hard behind the scenes to put together another memorable and entertaining event weekend for the fans at COTA.”

Individual race tickets, weekend packages and camping options are available now at NASCARatCOTA.com. Family affordability remains a priority for NASCAR at COTA as tickets for children 12 and under are $10 for Sunday‘s DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne and free on Friday and Saturday (ticketed adult required for all three days). The weekend will also feature the ever-popular Fan Zone that includes a variety of entertainment acts, NASCAR driver appearances and activities.

Race start times, television broadcast partners, any additional support series races and full on-track schedule will be announced at a later date.

— Speedway Motorsports —

Well, guess we have to announce it now. 😬

We‘ll see y‘all in 2027! 🔥#DuraMAXGP | 👉 https://t.co/JyKKyGxkUf pic.twitter.com/oMppiPTmUR

— NASCAR at COTA (@NASCARatCOTA) August 5, 2026

When NASCAR ushered in the Next Gen era in 2022, it gave Joey Gase the confidence to chase a different dream. Content with stepping away from full-time Cup competition, Gase turned his attention to building his own operation, determined to carve out a lasting place in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Since jumping on to the NASCAR scene in 2011, Gase has prominently been with smaller organizations. He grinded for each opportunity, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in 2015 with Jimmy Means Racing.

It was lessons learned from Means, along with SS-GreenLight Racing team owner Bobby Dotter and MBM Motorsports‘ owner Carl Long — all team owners that Gase competed for — that prepped Gase for the task he was about to face.

“As a small team, no matter what small team, it‘s hard to do everything perfectly from a budget standpoint and staff,” Gase told Jayski.com at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We decided to come back to the O‘Reilly Series and I had supporters who wanted us to [form] our own team, so we geared up and that‘s what we did.”

Originally partnering with Patrick Emerling to form Emerling-Gase Motorsports for two seasons, Gase purchased the bulk of the former H2 Motorsports equipment. That gave him a foundation to work with while getting his feet wet in ownership.

Following the 2024 campaign, Gase partnered with entrepreneur Scott Osteen, owner of Floridian Motorsports, in the Craftsman Truck Series. The team, nine full-time people deep, prepares two full-time entries each week. The Nos. 53 and 55 cars are a hodgepodge of chassis from Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and even GMS Racing. With no alliance to a specific manufacturer, Gase is open to running all three — Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota — depending on the race weekend.

“People are like, ‘Why don‘t you just choose one manufacturer and get support,‘” Gase said, rhetorically. “Unfortunately, you‘re not going to get support from a manufacturer that amounts to anything unless you‘re paying for an alliance from a top team. That is disappointing to say the least.”

Since aligning with Osteen, the Gase-ran operation has used 26 different drivers in 55 races. It‘s a group where drivers with less funding can get a chance to perform, sometimes outrunning organizations with a seismic monetary advantage. And Gase, who has competed in 17 of the 22 events in 2026, has yet to let off the gas pedal, though he has no problem being sidelined if it makes business sense.

“We‘re not somebody who is a Roger Penske — maybe some day — that has other businesses and can rely on that,” Gase stated. “We are truly a race team and a business, doing everything we can to survive and operate. If that means I don‘t get to drive — I want to drive — but if that‘s what we have to do, we have to do it.”

For Gase, the work doesn’t stop when he climbs out of the driver’s seat. Whether he’s diagnosing suspension issues after practice, helping turn the car around in the garage or serving as crew chief for one of the team’s two full-time cars, he’ll fill whatever role is needed.

That hands-on, old-school mentality has become the foundation of an operation determined to hold its own in a series increasingly dominated by organizations with deeper resources.

“We work our tails off each and every day,” Gase noted. “I‘m really proud of the group that we have right now. We definitely need more people, but the guys that we do have work our tails off and believe in us and do whatever it takes to get the job done.

“I truly believe there‘s nobody in the garage that works as hard as we do and do what we do with the little that we do have. Where we are now as a team from where I was 10 years ago when I started driving for Jimmy — 10 years ago, we would be a 15th-place team every week. No one realizes how much the O‘Reilly Series has grown all around from the competition level. I tell people now, it‘s the Cup Series with the old-style car. I truly feel that way and believe that.”

That blue-collar mentality shows up in every aspect of the operation. Gase shares fuel expenses with another team to transport a backup car to the track, while staffing each race by piecing together a crew from across the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast based on the schedule. Getting people to buy into that mindset can be challenging, though even the drivers are accommodating.

“I‘ve always loved owner-drivers and Joey crew chiefed for me at Dover,” Blake Lothian, part-time O‘Reilly driver, who makes the voyage from Massachusetts to the track. “Having someone that has been in the car and when I tell him what I‘m feeling, he just did it last week or maybe that same day. It‘s nice to balance information off somebody like that. It eases the learning curve when I go to my team and be like, ‘this is what I‘m feeling in the car‘ and he can tell me what he thinks or what changes need to be made.”

Gase refuses to take survival for granted. With three teams already shutting down this season, he understands how fragile the lifespan can be for an independent operation in a sponsorship-driven sport.

Still, he isn’t content with simply making it to the next race. Gase believes the foundation he’s building today can evolve into something much bigger tomorrow.

“You have to say no sometimes to things and keep on digging and believing,” Gase stated. “To be a team in the series for a long time and hopefully at some point be contending for wins and a championship.”

Today, The Carlos Rodón Foundation announced its Third Annual Willow Gala, taking place on Monday, August 24, 2026, from 6:00-10:00 PM at Skylight at The Refinery in New York City. Hosted by CNBC‘s Contessa Brewer, the annual event will bring together athletes, supporters, community leaders, and grant recipients to support families navigating the emotional and financial challenges of infertility and pregnancy loss.

Founded by three-time MLB All-Star and New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón and his wife, Executive Director Ashley Rodón, following their own journey with infertility and pregnancy loss, the Carlos Rodón Foundation provides financial assistance and resources to help make fertility treatments more accessible. Through the Willow Grant, named in honor of their daughter, the Foundation helps couples afford life-changing treatments like IVF.

The Third Annual Willow Gala aims to raise $1 million to expand grant funding for hopeful parents, ensuring financial strain is never a barrier to starting a family. The event will honor Samantha and Kyle Busch with the Seeds of Hope Award, given to leaders whose work embodies hope, perseverance, and the mission of The Carlos Rodón Foundation. Through their inspiring leadership of The Bundle of Joy Fund, which also partners with the Foundation to provide Willow Grants, they have helped expand access to treatment for families navigating infertility. Samantha will accept the award on behalf of their shared legacy. The evening will also feature performances from stand-up comedian Casey Balsham and former lead singer of Rascal Flatts, Gary LeVox.

“Having experienced the heartbreak of pregnancy loss firsthand, we created the Willow Grant to give couples real support when they need it most,” said Carlos and Ashley Rodón, Co-Founders of The Carlos Rodón Foundation. “Navigating infertility is one of the hardest journeys a couple can face, and cost should never be the reason a family has to give up hope. The Third Annual Willow Gala is an opportunity for our community to come together to ensure that financial barriers never stand between hopeful parents and the family they dream of.”

During the event, guests will hear directly from Willow Grant recipients as they share their personal stories of hope. New York Yankees players are also expected to be in attendance to support the Foundation, including Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Trent Grisham, Ryan McMahon, Ryan Yarbrough, Austin Wells, Ryan Weathers, Jose Caballero, Tim Hill, Brent Headrick, Will Warren, and more.

Since its inception in 2024, the Foundation has committed $587,500 to supporting families. This includes awarding 50 grants that have resulted in three Willow Grant babies born, 12 babies on the way, and 31 families currently in active treatment.

Sponsors and partners for the event include: Once Upon A Coconut, Alto Pharmacy, Balayage Blonde, BNY, BTIG, Columbia University Fertility Center, Daré Biosciences, Eddie Felling, Gulf of America Logistics, Hawthorne Design and Development, House of Fins, Morano Group, Morgan Stanley, Nicole Caroline, Progyny, Renee Little, The Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund, The Tobacconist of Greenwich, and Veronica Beard.

To purchase individual tickets and sponsorship packages for the Third Annual Willow Gala, please visit: https://thewillowgala.regfox.com/the-willow-gala-2026.

— Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis —

IOWA SPEEDWAY — HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS

RACE DATA — IOWA CORN 350
Season Race #: 23 of 36 (August 9, 2026)
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Race Length: 350 laps (306.25 miles)
Stage 1 Length: 70 laps (Ends on Lap 70)
Stage 2 Length: 140 laps (Ends on Lap 210)
Final Stage Length: 140 laps (Ends on Laps 350)

TRACK DATA — IOWA SPEEDWAY

Location: Newton, Iowa
Track Size/Type: 0.875 Mile — Asphalt Paved Oval
Number of Turns: 4
Degrees of Banking Turns: 12-14 degrees (progressive banking)
Degrees of Frontstretch: 10 degrees
Degrees of Backstretch: 4 degrees

QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 136.933 mph, 23.004 seconds, August 8, 2025

Track Race Record:
Ryan Blaney, Ford, 102.874 mph, (2:58:37), June 16, 2024

HISTORY

• On April 16, 2003, the Newton City Council unanimously approved the Iowa Speedway proposed project which would include a $30 million, 7⁄8 mile (1.4 km), 25,000-seat, multi-use racing facility headed by the U.S. Motorsport Entertainment Corporation and its CEO, Paul Schlaack.
• In June 2003, NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace was announced as the leading designer of the project.
• Although plans were made to hold groundbreaking in spring of 2004, construction was delayed in June due to a lack of funds for the now-$50 million project.
• In February 2005, progress on the Iowa Speedway project resumed when developers announced that they had gathered enough funds; by this point, the budget had increased to $70 million, and the opening year was delayed until 2006.
• Groundbreaking was held on June 21, 2005. By August, Todd Melfi was appointed as the track’s general manager.
• In mid-October, the track confirmed racing dates for the 2006 season with ARCA Menards Seriesand United States Auto Club (USAC)-sanctioned events, with a Hooters Pro Cup Series race being scheduled to christen the facility on September 15, 2006.
• The facility opened as scheduled on September 15, 2006, with Woody Howard winning the first race at the track. The race and its preliminary sessions were marred with excessive tire wear, with mandatory competition cautions being implemented prior to the event.
• Three weeks later, the facility held its first music festival.
• In 2007, the facility held its first IndyCar race, with Dario Franchitti winning the first major race at the facility.
• In late February 2008, chief financial officer Jerry Jauron replaced Stan Clement as the track’s president. The same year, the facility was awarded annual NASCAR races for 2009, with the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
• Three years later, in accordance with a plan to transfer ownership of the track within five years, U.S. Motorsport Entertainment sold controlling interest of the facility to the Clement family, a family from Newton.
• Jauron left shortly thereafter in September, handing over the track’s control to Doug Fritz, the senior director of marketing for NASCAR.
• In 2013, the facility was sold to the sanctioning body of NASCAR for $10 million, with Jimmy Small taking over Fritz’s position of leadership.
• In February 2018, David Hyatt, the former president of the Motor Racing Network (MRN), replaced Small as the president of the track.
• On October 3, 2023, Iowa Speedway announced it would hold its first NASCAR Cup Series races since its opening. The event would be held in 2024.
• In February 2024, Eric Peterson, a NASCAR regional director for corporate sales, was appointed to replace Hyatt as the track’s president.
• Iowa Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race on June 16, 2024, and the event was won by Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney driving a Ford.
• There have been two NASCAR Cup Series races held at Iowa Speedway (2024, 2025).

STARTS

• A total of 42 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway.
• A total of 31 of the 42 Cup Series drivers have competed in both of the Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway.
• Zero drivers have made their NASCAR Cup Series debut at Iowa Speedway.

Top-10 in Average Starting Position at Iowa Speedway

• Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Iowa Speedway with a 2.0 in two starts.
• Seven Cup Series drivers have an average starting position inside the top-10 at Iowa Speedway.

POLES

• Two drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series pole at Iowa Speedway:

• • Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 136.458 mph, 23.084 seconds, June 15, 2024
  • Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 136.933 mph, 23.004 seconds, August 8, 2025

• No Cup drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Iowa Speedway.
• Youngest Cup pole winner at Iowa Speedway: Chase Briscoe (August 1, 2025 — 30 years, 7 months and 19 days).
• Oldest Cup pole winner at Iowa Speedway: Kyle Larson (June 15, 2024 — 31 years, 6 months and 15 days).
• Two crew chiefs have won a pole at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series:

• • Cliff Daniels (Kyle Larson, 2024).
  • James Small (Chase Briscoe, 2025)

• Two organizations have won a pole at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series:

• • Hendrick Motorsports (Kyle Larson, 2024).
  • Joe Gibbs Racing (Chase Briscoe, 2025)

• Two manufacturers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway:

• • Chevrolet (2024)
  • Toyota (2025)

WINS

• Two drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway:

• • Ryan Blaney, Ford, 102.874 mph, (2:58:37), June 16, 2024 — started from the second position.
  • William Byron, Chevrolet, 92.905 mph, (3:17:47), August 3, 2025 — started from the second position.

• A NASCAR Cup Series driver has not won his/her first race at Iowa Speedway.
• Youngest Cup race winner at Iowa Speedway: William Byron (August 3, 2025 — 27 years, 7 months and 5 days).
• Oldest Cup race winner at Iowa Speedway: Ryan Blaney (June 16, 2024 — 30 years, 3 months and 16 days).
• One position on the starting grid has led to wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway — the second starting position or outside front row (winning both 2024 and 2025 races).
• Two crew chiefs have won a race at Iowa Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series:

• • Jonathan Hassler (Ryan Blaney, 2024)
  • Rudy Fugle (William Byron, 2025)

• Two organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway:

• • Team Penske (Ryan Blaney, 2024)
  • Hendrick Motorsports (William Byron, 2025)

• Two manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway:

• • Ford (2024)
  • Chevrolet (2025)

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• Two drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished runner-up at Iowa Speedway:

• • William Byron (2024)
  • Chase Briscoe (2025)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of eight different drivers have finished in the top-five in the two NASCAR Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway.
• Only two drives have finished inside the top-five in both Cup races at Iowa Speedway: Ryan Blaney and William Byron.

NASCAR Cup Series Drivers with Top-Five Finishes at Iowa Speedway

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 15 different drivers have finished inside the top-10 in the two NASCAR Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway.
• Five drivers managed to finish inside the top-10 in both Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway: Alex Bowman, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and William Byron.

NASCAR Cup Series Drivers with Top-10 Finishes at Iowa Speedway

LAP LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• A total of 12 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Iowa Speedway.

All-Time Cup Series Lap Leaders at Iowa Speedway

• Ryan Blaney leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Iowa Speedway with 230 laps led (33% of his laps completed).
• The most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was 201 laps led of the scheduled 350 by Ryan Blaney on June 16, 2024 — he started from the second position.
• The fewest laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was 141 laps led of the scheduled 350 by William Byron on August 3, 2025 — he started from the second position.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway by a driver that did not win the race was 81 laps of the scheduled 350 by Chase Briscoe — he started on the pole and ultimately finished second in the race.
• The number of leaders in the inaugural Cup race at Iowa Speedway was nine (2024).
• The number of leaders in last season‘s Cup race at Iowa Speedway was six (2025).
• The number of lead changes in the inaugural Cup race at Iowa Speedway was 17 (2024).
• The number of lead changes in last season‘s Cup race at Iowa Speedway was 10 (2025).
• In the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race (inaugural event) at Iowa Speedway, the final lead change for the race win took place with 88 laps to go, when Ryan Blaney passed Josh Berry for the lead on Lap 263.
• In last season‘s (2025) NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, the final lead change for the race win took place with 74 laps to go, when William Byron passed his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott for the lead on Lap 277.

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• A female driver has not competed in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway.

TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

• The Margin of Victory in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was 0.716-second — set by Ryan Blaney in the June 16, 2024 race over second-place William Byron.
• The Margin of Victory in last season‘s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway was 1.192-seconds — set by William Byron in the August 3, 2025 race over second-place Chase Briscoe.
• The two NASCAR Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway have not been shortened due to weather.
• The two NASCAR Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway have not gone to Overtime to finish the races.
• Qualifying has never been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Iowa Speedway.
• The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway produced eight cautions for a total of 49 caution laps.
• Last season‘s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway produced 12 cautions for a total of 72 caution laps.

NASCAR IN IOWA

• There have been 41 NASCAR national series races among three tracks in the state of Iowa.

• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Iowa was a NASCAR Cup Series race at Davenport Speedway, a half-mile dirt track, in Davenport, Iowa. The inaugural race was held on August 2, 1953, and 14 drivers battled it out for 200 laps, but it was Herb Thomas (Hudson) that took home the win.

IOWA IN NASCAR

• A total of 33 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Iowa.
• Five drivers from the state of Iowa have won at least one race in NASCAR‘s three national series for a total of 33 victories.
• Dick Hutcherson leads all Iowa drivers with 14 combined NASCAR national series wins — all in the Cup Series.

Winners from Iowa:

— NASCAR —

Founded in honor of Adam Petty, Victory Junction has spent more than two decades providing life-changing camp experiences for children living with complex medical and physical needs, welcoming thousands of campers and their families at no cost.

“I was so excited when Jeremy Reaves called to tell me Cook Out wanted to feature a Victory Junction paint scheme on Ty Gibbs‘ car at Richmond,” said Camp Founder Kyle Petty. “That track has always meant a lot to my family. Four generations of Pettys—my grandfather, my dad, myself, and Adam—have raced there, and we‘ve welcomed so many campers from Virginia and the Richmond area over the years.”

“To see Victory Junction represented on a track where our family‘s story runs so deep is incredibly meaningful,” said Petty. “I can‘t thank Jeremy, Ty, Cook Out and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing enough for believing in Camp and helping introduce even more people to the amazing kids and families we serve. Before the green flag ever drops, Victory Junction is already a winner.”

Since opening in 2004, Victory Junction has welcomed children from all 50 states and four countries, providing medically safe camp experiences that build confidence, foster independence, and create lifelong friendships. Operating year-round, Victory Junction serves children living with a wide range of medical and physical conditions, ensuring every camper can attend regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

“Victory Junction does such meaningful work for kids and their families, and it‘s super special to have them on board,” said Gibbs. “We‘re proud to help shine a light on everything they do, and hopefully we can put the No. 54 Victory Junction/Cook Out Toyota Camry XSE up front under the lights at Richmond.”

So far this season, Gibbs has posted career highs with nine top-five finishes and 14 top-10 results in addition to his first career Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway in April. His 12.0-average finish ranks fourth among Cup Series drivers, and he sits fourth in the championship standings with four races remaining in the regular season.

In addition to the Richmond race, JGR announced Max Reaves will race a similar design in ARCA Menards Series races at Iowa Speedway on August 7, the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield on August 23 and Madison International Speedway on August 28.

“I‘m so excited to drive the Victory Junction Cook Out Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the upcoming ARCA races. Victory Junction has always meant a lot to me because of the incredible work they do to give kids an unforgettable camp experience,” said Max Reaves. “We love Victory Junction – the campers, the volunteers, and everyone who works so hard to bring so much joy to kids and families summer after summer.”

Gibbs and the No. 54 Victory Junction/Cook Out Toyota Camry XSE will take the green flag at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, August 15, at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA.

— Joe Gibbs Racing —

DGM Racing and Mason Maggio welcome Costa Oil to the No. 92 Chevrolet this weekend at Iowa Speedway, marking the company’s first partnership with the Florida-based team and Maggio in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS). In addition to adorning DGM Racing‘s No. 92 Chevrolet, the Costa Oil colors are also featured in Sunday‘s NASCAR Cup Series race on Rick Ware Racing‘s No. 51.

The campaign is designed to create new moments for longtime fans while introducing the excitement and personality of NASCAR to broader audiences through entertainment, nostalgia, and pop culture. This event will transform Talladega Superspeedway’s fall race weekend into a celebration that blends NASCAR, entertainment and fan culture in a way only Talladega can.

DEGA-CON was announced today via social media with a creative video presenting DEGA-CON as the solution to Talladega Nights Withdrawal Syndrome (TNWS). The video kicking off the campaign was created by Concept 80 featuring Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece, and Riley Herbst.

After 20 years, are you struggling with Talladega Nights Withdrawal Syndrome?

Ask your favorite driver if DEGA-CON is right for you. pic.twitter.com/hrzHlHiyRW

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 4, 2026

The announcement offers an early look at what’s to come, including new content, fan experiences and special collaborations that will build throughout the season leading into Talladega race weekend.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby 20th Anniversary available now on disc and digital. Add it to your collection at https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/talladeganightstheballadofrickybobby.

Additional details about DEGA-CON will be announced in the coming weeks.

— NASCAR —

Performance plays a pivotal role in the success of racers on the track and golfers on the course. Dynamic design and state-of-the-art engineering ensure that drivers perform at their peak abilities. Capitalizing on the moments where inches mean the difference between first and second. At Garsen, we approach our putter grips in a similar manner. Our designs help golfers maximize their capabilities on the greens by reducing or removing the variables that prevent a player from taking advantage of every opportunity to score. “The Garsen-Sports Chain LLC-Smithley partnership represents an opportunity to align science and technology across motorsports and golf. Garsen‘s scientifically proven design and rich understanding of performance-based products is complementary to what Garrett brings to the racetrack, week in and week out. We see this as a unique opportunity to connect with race fans who know the importance of finely tuned vehicles and highlight the same important components in golf,” said Sports Chain CEO and Garsen General Manger, Andrew Doeck. “With our focus on providing tour quality products and Garrett‘s extensive experience and understanding of performance vehicles, we see this not only as an opportunity to connect audiences but also work closely in a way that benefits both sides mutually.”

“I’m proud to be partnering with such great brands as Garsen and Sports Chain. I‘ve been a long-time fan of golf, but have only recently begun playing and taking the game more seriously. I can say with confidence that I believe in the Garsen products and what they offer to golfers, having used the products myself,” said Garrett Smithley. “I look forward to working, collaborating, and representing Garsen and Sports Chain each week, and couldn‘t be happier to partner with such great companies.” As a part of this partnership, branding for both Garsen and Sports Chain will be displayed on Garrett‘s vehicles through the remainder of the 2026 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series season. We look forward to connecting and showcasing our performance capabilities to fans and followers across both the racetrack and the golf course.

— SS-GreenLight Racing —

EchoPark Speedway will once again host the second points-paying race of the year during its spring race weekend February 26—28, 2027. Fresh off the season-opening DAYTONA 500, the Autotrader 400 will be a highly anticipated event for fans and racers alike. Renowned for its intense and dynamic racing, Atlanta‘s Spring NASCAR Cup Series race has set new records for lead changes at the Hampton, Ga., track in each of the last three years. The stars of the Cup Series will hope to perform the final lead change and start their 2027 season with a victory at one of the series‘ most competitive venues.

NASCAR will return to EchoPark Speedway July 17—18, 2027, for primetime racing under the lights in Atlanta‘s Night Race weekend. The weekend is headlined by Cup Series action in the Dollar Tree 400 on Sunday night, July 18, and features the fast and furious racing EchoPark Speedway is known for, enhanced by the spectacle and intensity of competition under the lights.

“We can‘t wait to welcome fans back to EchoPark Speedway for two unforgettable NASCAR weekends in 2027,” said EchoPark Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “Whether it‘s paired with spring sunshine or the electric atmosphere of racing under the lights on a summer night, fans are enjoying some of the best racing in the world when NASCAR comes to Atlanta. We‘re looking forward to delivering more white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat excitement to everyone who joins us in February and July next year.”

For the first time since 2008, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will make two trips to Hampton, Ga., for its 2027 season. The spring race weekend will see the trucks hit the track on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027; on Saturday night, July 17, 2027, the rising stars of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will battle under the lights.

The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will make one visit to Georgia in 2027. During Atlanta‘s Spring NASCAR weekend, the Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 will run alongside the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race for the 13^th year of EchoPark Speedway‘s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027.

Green flag times, weekend entertainment, and complete broadcast information for EchoPark Speedway‘s 2027 NASCAR events will be announced at a later date.

Season tickets for all five NASCAR races at EchoPark Speedway in 2027, weekend ticket packages, and single-event tickets are available now at EchoParkSpeedway.com or by calling 770-946-4211.

— EchoPark Speedway —

Audibel has served as Mayer’s primary sponsor since he joined Haas Factory Team in the 2025 season. He won last year’s race at Iowa Speedway, the location where the new Starkey colors will debut this weekend.

Mayer sits 10th on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Chase grid with two races remaining in the regular season. He is 29 points above 13th in the standings, currently held by fellow Starkey representative, William Sawalich.

Hear better. Live better. 🔊

Sam Mayer will feature the @starkeyhearing colors alongside the No. 41 as a primary sponsor for the rest of the 2026 season.@TeamChevy | @sam_mayer_ | @NASCAROReillyAP https://t.co/yuj3Jp29ZA pic.twitter.com/8I8YgSzvUR

— Haas Factory Team (@HaasFactoryTeam) August 4, 2026

As part of the partnership, Wheatley American Vodka will also become the entitlement partner of The Wheatley Vodka Clash, one of NASCAR’s signature annual events that kicks off the season as the first Cup Series exhibition race. As announced today, the annual preseason event will return to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027.

Crafted at the historic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky., Wheatley American Vodka is known for its commitment to quality, precision, American craftsmanship—values that closely align with NASCAR’s heritage and fan base.

“The strongest partnerships are built on authentic connections, and like many of the partnerships we‘ve forged in recent months, Wheatley American Vodka shares the values that have defined NASCAR for generations—from a commitment to craftsmanship and American tradition to creating memorable experiences for our fans,” said Jake Krantz, Senior Director of National Sales, NASCAR. “From race weekends to the Wheatley Vodka Clash, this partnership gives us new opportunities to elevate the fan experience while introducing one of America’s premier vodka brands to one of the most passionate fan communities in sports.”

Wheatley American Vodka will hold vodka category rights for marketing and promotion, which will include year-round integration across NASCAR’s platforms and marquee events, highlighted by the title sponsorship of The Wheatley Vodka Clash. The partnership will also feature a custom 30-second promotional spot and elevated fan experiences through on-site activations at The Clash.

“Wheatley American Vodka was built with a focus on quality, hard work, and bringing people together, making NASCAR a natural fit for our brand,” said David Binder, Senior Brand Director, Wheatley American Vodka. “Whether fans are celebrating at the track, gathering with friends to watch the race, attending The Clash, or raising a glass after a memorable weekend, we’re proud to become part of those moments and to begin this partnership with one of America’s most iconic sports.”

Finally, as part of the partnership, NASCAR and Wheatley American Vodka will create a program to give back to service members and military veterans. Details around the program will be announced at a later date.

— NASCAR —

The Clash was last contested in Daytona in 2021 on the road course configuration at the famed motorsports facility, won by the late Kyle Busch. Prior to that, the 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway hosted The Clash from 1979-2020, with Erik Jones winning the last time it was raced on the oval. In recent years, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2022-2024) and Bowman Gray Stadium (2025, 2026) hosted the exhibition event.

Simultaneously, NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced today a new multi-year partnership with Wheatley American Vodka, naming the premium American-made spirit the Official Vodka of NASCAR®.

As part of the partnership, Wheatley American Vodka will also become the entitlement partner of The Clash, one of NASCAR’s signature annual events that kicks off the season as the first Cup Series exhibition race.

“The pairing of a fan-favorite event like The Clash with a premier vodka brand in Wheatley American Vodka is the perfect way to welcome home one of NASCAR’s most beloved traditions to open Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth for 2027,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The Wheatley Vodka Clash adds another can’t-miss event to an already unforgettable week, creating even more opportunities for our fans to experience the energy and excitement that make Speedweeks so special. It all builds toward the DAYTONA 500—The Great American Race—and the start of another unforgettable NASCAR season at the World Center of Racing.”

The announcement comes as part of the release of the 2027 slate of NASCAR activity scheduled for Daytona International Speedway, with Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth taking place from Saturday, Feb. 13, through the 69th running of The Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 21. The August weekend, capped off by the Coke Zero Sugar 400, will take place August 27-28.

In addition to the traditional slate of on-track action over the nine-day stretch, Daytona Beach will see the return of Bert Kreischer‘s “Full Throttle Festival” to the Ocean Center Convention Center on Saturday, Feb. 20. The pre-race bash on the eve of the DAYTONA 500 will feature a full night of music and comedy with a star-studded lineup curated by Bert. Fans can sign up now at FullThrottleFestival.com to be the first to learn the lineup and when tickets go on sale.

The ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will also return to the World Center of Racing for their 2027 season openers in February. The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will also accompany the Cup Series during the August race weekend.

Below are the dates for the 2027 NASCAR season at Daytona International Speedway:

DAYTONA 500 race weekend (Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth):

• Saturday, Feb. 13 — Wheatley Vodka Clash
• Wednesday, Feb. 17 — NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light
• Thursday, Feb. 18 — NASCAR Cup Series Duel at Daytona
• Friday, Feb. 19 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race
• Saturday, Feb. 20 — NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series races
• Sunday, Feb. 21 — NASCAR Cup Series DAYTONA 500

Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend:

• Friday, Aug. 27 — NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race
• Saturday, Aug. 28 — NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400

There is still plenty of thrilling NASCAR racing to come in 2026 at the World Center of Racing as the Cup Series and O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will contest their regular season finales in late August. The 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend kicks off on Friday night, Aug. 28th, with the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola taking the track. Then, on Saturday, Aug. 29th, the stars of the Cup Series battle in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at 7:30 p.m. ET for the final opportunity to earn their spot in The Chase.

Earlier this year, Tyler Reddick captured his first DAYTONA 500 championship, setting off an incredible start to the season that saw him go on to win five of the first nine races. The win was also the first DAYTONA 500 victory for 23XI Racing. While Reddick has already clinched his spot in The Chase for this season, he‘s aiming to become only the sixth driver overall and the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2013 to win both the DAYTONA 500 and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in the same season.

Fans can enjoy a variety of exclusive hospitality experiences for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and the 2027 DAYTONA 500, including the recently added NASCAR 1948. Blending the heritage of stock car racing with premium amenities, 1948 features behind-the-scenes access, dedicated parking and transportation, elevated dining, and personalized concierge service. Visit nascarexperiences.com/1948 to learn more.

Tickets for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend, as well as ticket and additional information for 2027 Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth events, can be found at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.  Fans can also purchase an exclusive pre-race ticket package for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 with a reserved seat, admission to the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone, and pre-race access for LOCASH‘s pre-race concert.

— Daytona International Speedway —

The news of the Clash moving back to Daytona was first reported a couple weeks ago.

The new left-side tire was developed following a successful Goodyear tire test at Iowa in May with drivers Austin Dillon (Chevrolet), Noah Gragson (Ford) and Tyler Reddick (Toyota). It features an updated construction and compound designed to withstand the track‘s high speeds and heavy loads while still promoting increased tire wear and fall off.

“Iowa is challenging because of its high cornering speeds and heavy loads,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “The Goodyear team has worked closely with the industry to provide a tire package that is ready for that challenge. Following our successful tire test at Iowa in May, we’re bringing a new left-side Goodyear Racing Eagle featuring an updated construction and compound to help promote more wear and fall-off.”

Teams in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will run the same tire setup used recently at Pocono Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The left-side tire has also been raced this season at Darlington Raceway, Rockingham Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Dover Motor Speedway.

Across the Atlantic, Goodyear Racing Eagles are also in action this weekend in the British Touring Car Championship at Knockhill Racing Circuit.

— PitBox 91 —

No ifs, ands, or butts about it. Since its late July debut, Butt Face™ has blasted onto this year‘s must-have lists, cracking up kids, parents, and anyone who appreciates hilarious, toot-powered fun. Shaped like a giant wiggling butt (yep, really), Chester loves loud music, silly dancing and letting it rip. Squeeze his cheeks, and he lets loose. Press his head and watch him bust into his signature dance moves.

“We knew Butt Face™ had gas, we just didn‘t know it could go 180 miles per hour,” said Brian Weiss, President of North America and Global Toys at Goliath. “This weekend, we‘re letting it rip.”

Iowa Speedway hosts one of NASCAR’s biggest family weekends, making it the perfect place for Chester Cheeks to make some noise. Fans won’t miss the one-of-a-kind Butt Face™ paint scheme on Sieg’s No. 28 Chevrolet, and Chester will be bringing his larger-than-life personality to race weekend both on and off the track!

“This is definitely one of the most outrageous cars I’ll have the chance to drive,” said Sieg. “It’s been a real blast working with the Butt Face™ team, and we‘re ready to get out there, kick some butt and compete for a great finish.”

Butt Face™ delivers a fast track to family fun, making Chester Cheeks the ultimate “butt-y” for anyone who believes laughter should always finish first.

Butt Face™ is available now at Walmart, Target, Amazon and retailers nationwide.  Joining Chester Cheeks is his cheek squad – Kung Pu, available exclusively at Target, and King Toot, who will take his royal throne at Walmart this November.

The Hy-Vee PERKS 250 goes green on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Iowa Speedway, with live coverage on The CW beginning at 5 p.m. ET. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the call on the airwaves.

— Beacon Communications —

DGM Racing is proud to announce the signing of part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Derek Lemke for his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on August 8, 2026, at Iowa Speedway in the HYVEE PERKS 250. Lemke will pilot the No. 91 Chevrolet carrying the colors of Crankshaft Supply, Rack Shack BBQ, and Burch Farms. 

Selected from thousands of fan nominations submitted during Military Appreciation Month, the 250 active-duty service members and veterans chosen for the program will each receive a custom NASCAR Heroes Pass gift box delivered to their homes during the month of August. The commemorative package includes a NASCAR Heroes Pass hat, a personalized letter recognizing their service to the nation, a commemorative ticket, NASCAR pin, patch, mug, and challenge coin.

Earlier this year, NASCAR and Coca-Cola invited fans to nominate deserving active-duty service members and veterans for the NASCAR Heroes Pass program. Following verification by GOVX, 250 recipients were selected from thousands of nominations nationwide via an exhaustive selection process.

To celebrate these recipients, Suárez, Elliott and Logano personally surprised three honorees in Charlotte, thanking them for their service and welcoming them into the NASCAR family for years to come.

“The NASCAR Heroes Pass was created to recognize the extraordinary sacrifices made by service members, veterans and military families, while building a lasting connection between them and our sport,” said Jess Smith, Vice President of Brand at NASCAR. “Being able to surprise some of these heroes with meet and greets from drivers makes this moment even more meaningful and allows us to express our gratitude in a truly memorable way.”

The NASCAR Heroes Pass was introduced as part of NASCAR Salutes 250 Together with Coca-Cola, an enhanced version of NASCAR‘s annual military appreciation platform. The program is designed to create lasting impact beyond Military Appreciation Month by providing military heroes and their families with opportunities to experience NASCAR together for years to come.

“At Coca-Cola, we are proud to stand alongside NASCAR in honoring the service, sacrifice and commitment of active-duty service members, veterans and their families,” said Don Rouse, Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Through the NASCAR Heroes Pass, we have an opportunity to create meaningful experiences that last well beyond a single race weekend—welcoming these heroes and their loved ones into the excitement, community and tradition of NASCAR for generations.”

The Heroes Pass recipients represent all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and come from communities across the country. Their nominations highlighted stories of service, leadership, sacrifice and commitment—qualities that embody the spirit of NASCAR Salutes.

NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola remains the sport‘s premier military appreciation initiative, honoring active-duty service members, veterans, military families and fallen heroes through special events, recognition programs and community partnerships throughout the season.

For more information about NASCAR Salutes and to see the full list of recipients, visit NASCAR.com/Salutes.

— NASCAR —

At A Child‘s Wish Foundation, the belief is that every child deserves a chance to experience joy, especially in times of adversity. Inspired by the lifelong compassion of Alice and Arnold Amthor, they are committed to granting wishes that create lasting memories and smiles for life-altering ill children and their families. Through our foundation, they aim to bring comfort, hope, and cherished experiences to those who need it most.

Spencer Boyd commented on the upcoming weekend and special opportunity, “We all rightfully get caught up with going fast in our business, but every now and again something comes along that makes you realize that slowing down for the right people puts things in perspective.  A Child‘s Wish Foundation is doing amazing work for amazing children and families, and I am honored to help bring some attention to what they are doing.  I‘m especially excited to welcome Ashlyn as an honorary crew member for the weekend.”

There are some surprises awaiting Ashlyn and the Cardone family on race day that Spencer was tight-lipped about noting, “This will be a memorable day for all of them.”

The heart of A Child‘s Wish Foundation lies in the passion and dedication of its founders, Alice and Arnold Amthor. Inspired by the strength and resilience of these young individuals, Alice and Arnold launched the foundation with the vision of spreading happiness to as many children as possible. Their unwavering commitment to this cause is reflected in every wish granted, every smile shared, and every family touched by the foundation‘s efforts.
A Child‘s Wish welcomes NASCAR fans to consider working with the foundation in one of three ways:

• Refer children to the foundation: Refer a Child
• Make a donation to help future wishes come true: Donate
• Become a corporate sponsor: Sponsor

Catch Spencer Boyd driving the A Child‘s Wish Foundation race truck at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race, the Black‘s Tire 250 presented by BTS Rewards, on Friday, August 14, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET. This special race will be broadcast live on FS1

— Freedom Racing Enterprises —

Customers may purchase discounted tickets at any O‘Reilly Auto Parts location nationwide by mentioning the promotion at checkout for discounted tickets to the Sept. 12 Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat and Sauced by Blues Hog NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase race for $33.

Fans also can purchase a two-day ticket package for just $99. The weekend package includes admission to both the Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat and Sauced by Blues Hog race and the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series Chase races.

The weekend will feature two days of championship racing as drivers battle for points and advancement in The Chase. The O’Reilly Auto Parts promotion provides fans with one of the best ticket values of the season through discounted single-day and weekend admission options. For the full weekend schedule, click HERE.

In addition to a race ticket, the Confluence Music Festival will be entertaining guests all weekend long with headliners Busta Rhymes pre-race on Saturday and Old Dominion on post-race on Sunday. The music festival will feature more than 30 national and regional acts throughout the weekend.

To redeem tickets, customers must keep their O‘Reilly receipt and exchange it at the World Wide Technology Raceway ticket office before race weekend or at a ticket booth during race weekend.

For more information, visit wwtraceway.com or call the ticket office at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1.

This will mark Brown‘s first career start in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, as he becomes the fifth driver behind the wheel of the No. 32 car in the 2026 season.

The 18-year-old, New London, North Carolina native has quickly risen through the stock car grassroots racing ranks, claiming one win in the ARCA Menards Series in just six starts. Brown will be the youngest driver to take the green flag in the 2026 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

“I‘ve been fortunate to race with great teams, filled with really smart and driven people, who have prepared me for this moment,” said Brown. “The O‘Reilly Series is a big step, but it‘s the right step and I‘m definitely ready for it. It‘s an awesome opportunity and I‘m proud to be doing it with Chevrolet, Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport and Distributor Wire & Cable.”

Jordan Anderson, team co-owner and president, can relate to a young driver rising through the ranks and trying to make it in the sport of NASCAR. He is hopeful his organization can provide a competitive car and finish with a positive result at Iowa Speedway.

“I‘ve watched Carson‘s progression for several years, going back to when he was racing dirt late models and then making the transition into asphalt super late models,” Anderson said. “It has been impressive to see how quickly he has adapted everywhere he has gone. Whether it has been late models, road racing or ARCA, he has continued to step into new situations, learn quickly and perform at a high level.

“What stands out to me is that Carson has never appeared overwhelmed by the moment. He carries himself with a level of confidence and maturity that is rare for someone his age, but he also understands that success comes from being prepared and working well with the people around him. He has earned this opportunity through his results and the way he has handled each step of his career.

“I feel confident that he is ready for this next challenge. Iowa will be another step up in competition, but I believe Carson has the talent, mindset and experience to make the most of it. We are proud that he will make his series debut with our team, and we are grateful to Distributor Wire & Cable, Chevrolet and RCR for helping bring this opportunity together.”

The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts series heads to Iowa Speedway on Saturday, August 8 for the running of HyVee Perks 250. Live coverage of the 250-lap race will air at 5:00PM EDT on The CW, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXm NASCAR Channel 90.

— Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport —

…

Does Larson still want to chase a Sprint Car championship before he turns 40?

“I started saying this last year, but 40 is my next milestone,” Larson told Motorsport.com. “I want to get there and then evaluate if I want to keep going or be done. It all depends on where my kids are in their lives and interests.

“As far as competing for a Sprint Car championship, I would say right now in 2026, that I have changed my mind on that. I feel like I have accomplished a lot since I made those comments. I‘ve been able to win three Knoxville Nationals, three Chili Bowls and a Kings Royal. All the other races.

“I just don‘t know what a championship would add to my career so I‘m just not into the idea now. And like I said, I think my kids are going to be busy doing their own racing by that time, so do I really want to commit to an 80-to-90 race schedule?

…

“I just feel like I have a really good balance in my schedule this year and I‘m enjoying that,” Larson said. “But you never know, and six or seven years down the road, things might change.”

— Motorsport —

The five NASCAR Cup Series races on TNT Sports averaged 2.0 million viewers per the Nielsen “Big Data + Panel” data that is the official currency, down slightly from a year ago, but 2.1 million per the prior ‘panel-only‘ methodology that NASCAR is now publicizing for its races — up 4%.

Both of the linear NASCAR packages this season — on Fox Sports and TNT Sports — posted slightly fewer viewers on a “Big Data + Panel” basis than under the panel-only metric. By comparison, the streaming-exclusive portion of the season on Prime Video averaged a 15% larger audience under “Big Data” than panel-only.

— Sports Media Watch —

“I’m excited to have Sukup back with me for Iowa,” said Bilicki. “We had the opportunity to work together last year, and I’m grateful to continue building our relationship. Racing at Sukup’s home track makes this event even more meaningful, and I’m looking forward to representing everyone at Sukup with a strong performance.”

Headquartered in Sheffield, Iowa, Sukup Manufacturing has been innovating in the agriculture industry for over 60 years. Sukup provides high-quality grain storage and drying equipment, with innovative solutions used by farmers across the globe to maximize efficiency and performance. With 3 generations active in the company and built on Midwestern values, the company is proud to support both local talent and community-driven events.

“At Sukup, we’re proud of our Iowa roots, so returning as Josh Bilicki’s sponsor at Iowa Speedway is a natural fit. It’s an opportunity to support a talented driver while celebrating the hardworking communities that have supported our company for generations,” said Steve Sukup.

Bilicki is competing full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026 with SS Green Light Racing in 2026. Iowa Speedway’s annual NASCAR weekend has become one of the premier events on the series schedule, drawing passionate fans from across the Midwest.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Iowa Speedway will take the green flag on Saturday, August 8th at 5PM ET, with live coverage on The CW. Fans can also follow the action on the NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— Josh Bilicki Racing —

According to the sanctioning body, the team committed a safety violation during pre-qualifying inspection regarding the shifter boot found in Sections 14.2.3.6 A & B of the NASCAR Rule Book. The No. 69, driven by Jonathan Shafer last weekend, failed to qualify for the event at IRP.

MBM Motorsports was fined $5,000 and the No. 69 truck was docked 25 owner points, while Shafer was docked 25 driver points.

— NASCAR.com—

Click here to download the PDF

Behind every NASCAR race weekend are thousands of people whose work often goes unseen. From track operations and safety crews to technicians, mechanics and facility personnel, the sport relies on skilled professionals who show up every day to get the job done. Timberland PRO will have the opportunity to equip these track workers with safety footwear that delivers the comfort, durability, and technical performance required for even the toughest jobs—making this sponsorship a natural fit for NASCAR.

Through integrated storytelling, digital content, at-track signage and at-track activations, NASCAR and Timberland PRO will celebrate the hardworking men and women who help power America‘s premier motorsport week in and week out. Whether they‘re on a jobsite, in a manufacturing facility, behind the wheel, in a race shop or at a racetrack, the partnership will shine a spotlight on the people whose skill, dedication, and work ethic keep the country moving.  The inaugural campaign launches August 3 with the headline “First Turn, Last Lap, Repeat.”

“At NASCAR, we are incredibly proud of the people whose dedication, skill and work ethic make our sport possible every single week,” said Craig Stimmel, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, NASCAR. “Timberland PRO is a brand that has earned the trust of hardworking professionals across America, making them a natural fit for NASCAR. As we continue building partnerships with companies that authentically fit with our sport, Timberland PRO stands out as a brand that supports the men and women behind the scenes who build, maintain, operate and power our sport and this country.”

As part of the partnership, Timberland PRO will strategically integrate its products and brand across NASCAR platforms while supporting NASCAR employees and track workers with protective footwear such as the Direct Attach 6-Inch and Boondock Ultralight Work Boots. The partnership also brings the potential for Timberland PRO designers to work with NASCAR teams to develop safety footwear solutions, as well as the potential for future co-branded products. Finally, the collaboration will create new opportunities to engage skilled trades professionals, technical education communities, and workforce development initiatives that align with both organizations’ commitments to support and grow the skilled trades.

“For over 25 years, Timberland PRO has been designing and building products for people who take pride in getting the job done right,” said Ryan Murphy, Head of Marketing, Timberland Americas. “Whether they’re working on a construction site, in a manufacturing facility, in an auto shop or behind the scenes at a NASCAR event, these workers share the same commitment to performance, reliability and excellence at their craft. NASCAR provides an incredible platform to celebrate and connect with those professionals, and we’re honored to support the people whose hard work helps make race weekends happen across the country.”

For generations, both NASCAR and Timberland PRO have represented grit, determination and a relentless commitment to performance. Together, they will spotlight the people who embody those values every day—on the jobsite, at the racetrack, and everywhere hard work gets done.

— NASCAR —

Ware will drive the No. 47 Chevrolet during the Iowa Speedway event on Saturday, August 8, 2026. The campaign will be featured prominently on the car throughout race weekend as YSS uses the reach of NASCAR to encourage prevention, early intervention and honest conversations about addiction and recovery across Iowa.

The partnership is rooted in Ware‘s personal history with substance use disorder, overdose and recovery. Ware comes from a family deeply connected to professional motorsports. His father, Rick Ware, is the owner of Rick Ware Racing, a longtime NASCAR Cup Series organization. Despite having access to opportunities, support and resources, Ware still found himself battling addiction. His experience reinforces one of the most important messages behind the YSS campaign: addiction can affect any person, family or community.

Ware survived an overdose and was given another chance at life. Now in recovery, he is choosing to use his return to racing and the platform NASCAR provides to speak openly about the consequences of addiction, the importance of asking for help and the possibility of rebuilding a life after its most difficult moments.

“Recovery gave me a second chance, and I have a responsibility to do something meaningful with it,” Ware said. “Addiction did not care who my family was, what resources were available to me or what opportunities I had. It took control of my life, and I came very close to not being here today.”

As part of the partnership, Ware plans to visit Ember Recovery, a YSS facility, ahead of the race and speak directly with young Iowans about his experiences.

The visit will focus on honest, age-appropriate conversations about substance use, peer pressure, warning signs, consequences, recovery and second chances. Ware will share how addiction affected his health, career and relationships, along with the ongoing work required to rebuild his life.

The goal is not simply to tell young people what not to do, but to help them understand that speaking up early can change the direction of their lives.

“I cannot change my past but I can be honest about it,” Ware explained. “I hope sharing my story helps a young person make a different decision, helps a family recognize that something is wrong or gives someone the courage to ask for help. Your worst moment does not have to be the end of your story.”

YSS launched “Before it Becomes More” as a statewide campaign focused on strengthening Iowans against opioid and other substance misuse. The initiative provides prevention education, community resources and tools designed to help young people, parents, educators and local leaders recognize risks and begin difficult conversations before experimentation or misuse develops into addiction.

As part of the campaign, YSS is encouraging schools, community organizations, employers and local leaders across Iowa to schedule the interactive “Before it Becomes More” display in their communities. The traveling exhibit helps participants recognize the early warning signs of substance misuse, understand risk factors that can lead to addiction and learn how to start conversations before a crisis occurs. By bringing prevention education directly to communities, the display empowers parents, youth, educators and community members with practical knowledge and resources to identify concerns early and connect individuals with support before experimentation or misuse becomes something more serious. Communities interested in hosting the interactive display can learn more and schedule a visit online at YSS.org.

“This partnership is about giving Iowa communities a powerful opportunity to learn, connect and take action,” said Aaron Blass, Chief Growth Officer at YSS. “Carson‘s story reminds us that every young person deserves access to information, support and trusted adults who can help them make healthy decisions. Through “Before it Becomes More,” we‘re helping communities recognize warning signs, understand risks and have conversations that can make a real difference,” Blass explained. “The more we invest in education and prevention, the stronger and healthier our communities become. And
when additional support is needed, programs like Ember Recovery are here to help individuals and families find hope, healing and a path forward. No one has to face these challenges alone.”

The YSS and “Before it Becomes More” branding will appear on Ware‘s No. 47 Chevrolet throughout the race weekend, supported by social media, community engagement, public relations and storytelling centered on Ware‘s recovery journey and the work YSS is doing with youth across Iowa.

“NASCAR has given me another opportunity and a platform that reaches millions of people,” Ware added. “For this race, we want to use that platform to reach young people, support families and let anyone struggling to know that it is never too early to ask for help and never too late to turn your life around.”

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at Iowa (HyVee Perks 250) will take place Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Iowa Speedway.

To learn more about YSS and “Before it Becomes More: Strengthening Iowans Against Opioids.”

— Carson Ware Racing —

Collectively, the ownership group represents:

• 30+ championships and major professional titles

• 5 Indianapolis 500 victories

• Multiple MVP awards, former World No.1 rankings, and Hall of Fame-caliber careers

• Grammy Award-winning artists and globally recognized media personalities

• Founders, investors and operators behind billion-dollar companies, leading investment firms, and category-defining consumer brands

The strategic ownership group includes accomplished figures spanning sport, business, entertainment, hospitality, media, and global finance, including:

• Bryce Harper — 2x National League MVP, 8x MLB All-Star

• Kelly Slater — 11x World Champion

• Andy Roddick — US Open Champion, former World No.1

• Darius Rucker — 3x Grammy Award winner, Grand Ole Opry member

• Guy Fieri — Emmy Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur

• Sam Byrne — Co-Founder & Co-Chairman of CrossHarbor Capital Partners

• Scott Dixon — 6x IndyCar Champion, Indianapolis 500 winner

• Dario Franchitti — 4x IndyCar Champion, 3x Indianapolis 500 winner

• Tony Kanaan — IndyCar Champion, Indianapolis 500 winner

• Jen Rubio — Co-Founder of Away; entrepreneur and builder of one of the defining modern direct-to-consumer brands

• Chase Utley — World Series Champion, 6x MLB All-Star

— joined by accomplished leaders across investment, hospitality, consumer brands, innovation, media, and global enterprise.

“This is not a traditional ownership group,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “It is a collection of people who understand competition, leadership, innovation, storytelling, and how enduring organizations are built. They come from different worlds but share a common belief: that LEGACY can become something fundamentally different within motorsports and culture.”

The ownership group reflects LEGACY‘s ambition to build a modern motorsports organization that competes at the highest level on track while building relevance across media, partnerships, hospitality, and fan experience. Unlike conventional ownership structures concentrated within a single industry, LEGACY‘s group intentionally spans championship sport, entertainment, finance, entrepreneurship, and consumer brands.

“Great organizations are built by people who understand what it takes to win — but also what it takes to build,” Johnson added. “The caliber, diversity, and perspective of this group speak directly to where LEGACY is headed.”

The announcement reflects who has chosen to invest in LEGACY MOTOR CLUB — and what it is becoming.

— Legacy Motor Club —

Veteran crew chief Chad Walter will lead the team‘s effort for McKee‘s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut.

McKee will celebrate his 16th birthday on Aug. 3, making him eligible to compete in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition on road courses and tracks measuring 1.25-miles or less. In addition to next month‘s 250-lapper at the famed Richmond oval, McKee is slated to contest four more Truck Series races in 2026 including New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Aug. 22), Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (Sept. 17), Phoenix Raceway (Oct. 16) and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (Oct. 30).

“This is a huge step in my career and I‘m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to drive for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series,” said McKee. “I can‘t thank Jeff Dickerson, Dan Towriss, Bill Anthony, and everyone at Spire Motorsports enough for believing in me and making this possible. I‘ve worked for this opportunity my entire life and I‘m thrilled to take this next step in my career.”

By any measure, McKee‘s talent has been undeniable, even before his transformative teenage years.

He began turning heads three seasons ago when, at just 12-years-old, he won a 100-lap CARS Pro Late Model feature race at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway to become the youngest winner in CARS Tour history.

Since then, the Williamsburg, Va., native has gone on to collect CARS Tour wins at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and Caraway (N.C.) Speedway. McKee has also been identified as a rising star by Chevrolet and is mentored by Josh Wise through his driver development program Wise Optimization.

In addition to his late-model accolades, McKee claimed the 2025 Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series (TA2) championship on the strength of four wins, 11 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, to become the youngest champion in series‘ history. Additionally, he earned the first of two ARCA Menards Series national tour wins in his series‘ debut just five days after turning 15-years-old at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

This season, the Kannapolis, N.C., resident has competed across multiple disciplines, including his pursuit of ARCA Menards Series East championship honors where he‘s compiled three wins and four top fives in five races and sits just three markers outside the points lead.

McKee has collected ARCA Menards Series East checkered flags at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway and Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway. Meanwhile he posted the win in an ARCA East/national tour combination race at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May. Additionally, he picked up his fifth career TA2 series win earlier this month at Watkins Glen.

“We look at Tristan McKee and see someone with a huge upside and potential to make a positive impact across Spire Motorsports‘ driver lineup,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Make no mistake, Tristan has earned this opportunity, and we expect he‘ll make the most out of it. We‘re not going to define success or failure based off one race, or a specific result. We‘ll be looking at the totality of these five races and how those results line up with our goals heading into each race. He‘s a tremendous young man, with undeniable talent who comes from a great family. We‘re more than optimistic to start a new chapter in his developmental process.”

The Black‘s Tire 250 from Richmond Raceway will be televised live FOX Friday, Aug. 14, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 17th of 25 races on the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series schedule will also be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

— Spire Motorsports —

…

Bristol Motor Speedway‘s revered night race will no longer be part of the Chase and will go back to a regular-season slot in August — where it was from 1976-2019 before it was moved to the playoffs.

Other tracks expected to bump out of the Chase next year are Darlington Raceway in South Carolina and World Wide Technology Raceway (commonly known as Gateway) outside of St. Louis.

Expected to replace Bristol, Darlington and Gateway as Chase races in 2027 are Richmond Raceway in Virginia, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International in New York. Watkins Glen‘s move was already announced in May.

…

It is increasingly likely that in 2027 NASCAR will again stage a race at the [San Diego] base, even with the risk of diminished returns in the second year of the spectacle. At this point, it would be highly unlikely for NASCAR not to go back — though the race date is anticipated to be in August.

…

NASCAR will be racing somewhere in the Chicago area next year, though it is still being sorted out whether it is on a purpose-built street course downtown, at the Chicagoland Speedway oval in Joliet, Ill., or both — with the last option considered less likely.

…

North Wilkesboro Speedway is considered the leading candidate to host the All-Star Race, based on talks with our industry sources, as it did from 2023-2025 before it was then awarded a points race for this season, its first in 30 years.

…

See much more at The Athletic.

However, what was not a rehash, was JGR deciding to withdraw one of the allegations it made in an amended complaint.

…

This was one of the more significant claims Joe Gibbs Racing has made since litigation began in February. However, Gibbs has now asked the court to strike this allegation from the record and that motion has been granted.

Specifically, JGR stated the following on the matter in a Wednesday filing:

“In discovery Spire Motorsports II, LLC (“Spire”) requested information supporting the allegations contained in paragraph 129 of the Second Amended Complaint. JGR responded to Spire‘s request and concedes that it does not possess nonprivileged information sufficient to support the allegations contained in paragraph 129 of the Second Amended Complaint.”

The caveat here is that JGR says they do not have non-privileged information, but that‘s a moot point as the plaintiffs cannot use information protected by attorney-client privilege.

— Motorsport —

Watch the official gameplay trailer here.

“Our fans told us they wanted iRacing Studios to build the next NASCAR console game, and they delivered,” said Nick Rend, Vice President of Interactive & Emerging Platforms at NASCAR. “The response to NASCAR 25 reflected the momentum we‘re seeing around NASCAR video games, and NASCAR 26 takes another meaningful step forward with improvements across the entire experience, from how the cars drive and tracks evolve to cross-platform play that brings the community together. This is the most complete and authentic NASCAR console game we have delivered.”

NASCAR 26 will build upon the success of NASCAR 25, developed by iRacing, which launched on PC and consoles last fall. This year‘s game, which features NASCAR star Kyle Larson as its cover driver, once again includes four NASCAR series — the NASCAR Cup Series, O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series — with real drivers from each series, along with a groundbreaking new dynamic track feature that evolves over the course of every race weekend.

Built in collaboration with NASCAR and powered by iRacing Studios’ industry-leading simulation technology, NASCAR 26 continues the franchise’s commitment to delivering an authentic representation of the sport both on and off the track.

Additional features include:

• New and improved game modes including an enhanced career mode with a new facilities feature and team upgrades, a standalone mode featuring The Chase, a new training mode, and cross-platform multiplayer
• Visual upgrades including improved graphics, skies, and dynamic lighting, plus better replay cameras
• More realistic racing with the new dynamic track system, enhanced calibration tools for controls and force feedback, an improved driving model with overhauled tire and braking models, better driver AI, a particle system that enhances smoke, debris, rubber buildup, and a 750 HP package
• New additions such as burnout celebrations, an all-new Dodge Ram truck, a new spotter (Freddie Kraft), and a trophy room
• New tracks including the Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado, Chicagoland, and St. Petersburg
• A host of other improvements with updated driver ratings, an improved paint kit, safety violations, DNFs and much, much more

“NASCAR 26 isn‘t just about adding new features, it is to continue our long term approach to building the most authentic NASCAR console franchise ever created,” said Matt Lewis, Vice President and Senior Producer at iRacing Studios. “Dynamic Track Technology means conditions evolve throughout a race weekend, the improvements we‘ve made to the driving model, the new modes we‘ve added… it‘s all rooted in one of the founding principles of iRacing; leading with an authentic experience for our fans. We’re excited for players to experience NASCAR 26 this September.”

Beginning today, July 29, fans can pre-order NASCAR 26 at www.NASCAR26.com and choose from a Standard Edition ($59.99) and Gold Edition ($79.99), with Gold Edition owners receiving three days of early access beginning on September 15, four monthly paint scheme DLC packs, 1,000 career mode rep points, a $10,000 career bonus, and more.

Launching on September 18, NASCAR 26 will be available for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam.

NASCAR 26 continues the sport’s expanding investment in interactive entertainment and fan engagement, bringing the latest innovations from the track to players around the world.

For more information, to pre-order the game or watch the official gameplay trailer, visit www.NASCAR26.com.

— NASCAR —

A highlight of the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge came with the highly anticipated return of NASCAR Cup Series racing at legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway on July 19. The race delivered TNT Sports‘ second most-watched race under the current rights agreement, averaging 2.4 million viewers across TNT, truTV and HBO Max, up 22% vs. Round Four of the 2025 In-Season Challenge (Dover Motor Speedway on July 20). The tournament concluded at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the race delivering 2.4 million average viewers, peaking at 3.1 million viewers at 5:15 p.m. ET.

​TNT Sports‘ coverage of the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge performed well throughout the five weeks. Excluding the weather-impacted race at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta on July 12 (which aired following a three-hour, nine-minute delay and had the latest finish to a Cup Series race in seven years), TNT Sports averaged 2.2 million viewers, an increase over an average of 2.1 million viewers last year.

Streaming engagement on HBO Max remained strong throughout the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, with minutes watched per viewing subscriber — including NASCAR Driver Cam and live race coverage — up approximately 50% versus 2025 (February through July).

Additionally, TNT Sports‘ coverage of NASCAR practice and qualifying posted significant gains throughout the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, with average audiences across truTV and HBO Max up 17% versus 2025, including a 55% increase among Adults 18-34.

— TNT Sports —

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel; TNT Sports‘ five races averaged 2 million viewers across TNT, truTV & HBO Max

The NASCAR online invitations mark an exciting evolution of the “Characters Kids Love” collection that Punchbowl launched in 2014. With this new addition, Punchbowl will expand the collection beyond film, television, and literary characters to feature real-life racing heroes, and offer NASCAR‘s multi-generational fan base a new way to celebrate the sport they love.

“NASCAR is an iconic sports brand that brings together fans of all ages,” said Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO of Sincere Corporation, parent company to Punchbowl. “We‘re excited to provide online invitations for the millions of passionate NASCAR fans who host parties every year.”

The NASCAR Collection on Punchbowl features dynamic online invitations inspired by the thrill of the track. Each invite has the look and feel of paper, and includes a matching envelope, liner, and postage stamp. Party hosts can personalize their invitation with the details of their event, customize colors and fonts, and deliver instantly by text or email. Select designs also have the option to add a photo of the guest of honor to the invitation.

Punchbowl makes it easy to plan a celebration with powerful party planning features. After selecting a NASCAR invitation, party hosts can track RSVPs, send messages and announcements, add a gift registry, create a potluck list, include a guest poll, add co-hosts, and more.

“Our fans create traditions that span generations, from birthday celebrations to race-day watch parties,” said Megan Malayter, NASCAR Vice President of Licensing and Consumer Products. “We’re excited to partner with Punchbowl to offer a new way for fans to personalize those moments with authentic NASCAR-themed invitations that capture the excitement of our sport.”

In addition to invitations, Punchbowl will also offer NASCAR eCards so fans can send thoughtful birthday, thank you, and holiday greetings.

To browse NASCAR online invitations, visit: www.punchbowl.com/nascar

To send a digital NASCAR birthday card, visit: www.punchbowl.com/nascarbirthdaycard

— NASCAR —

Despite a tumultuous rookie year at the Cup Series level, the 20-year-old driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet remains one of the early rumored candidates for a coveted seat at Hendrick Motorsports for the 2028 season.

In a Monday appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks addressed the recent rise in attention Zilisch has received since Hendrick Motorsports and Alex Bowman announced Bowman‘s impending retirement following the 2027 campaign.

“He‘s probably coveted for everybody,” Marks said on “SiriusXM Speedway” with host Dave Moody. “He‘s a very talented driver. He‘s a very smart young man. He‘s got a big career in front of him. And I think for us, we are committed to Connor; Connor is committed to us through the end of 2027. And 2028, although it‘ll be here quickly, is a little too far away I think for us to be spending a lot of bandwidth on at the moment. Because what we‘re trying to solve for right now is get him the experience, get him comfortable. We‘ve got a great relationship with Red Bull and a lot of our other partners on the Chevrolet that he drives, and it‘s important for us to be executing on the agreement and the relationship and partnership that we have now.”

— NASCAR.com —

During the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast, vice president of racing communications Mike Forde said NASCAR officials started discussions during the Brickyard 400 about tightening yellows in the future. The caution flag flew near the end of the first two stages at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – among five cautions that lasted for 27 of the race‘s 160 laps.

…

“If NASCAR fans are angry at the length of caution periods, I can promise you that NASCAR matches that displeasure,” Forde said. “We want green-flag racing, and we want to get it as fast as possible.”

…

Forde noted that cautions generally consume a minimum of four laps around the 2.5-mile track because of the time needed to open the pits and choose positions for the double-file restart. NASCAR could potentially move the location of the Choose V to help eliminate a lap under caution.

“Maybe there‘s something there that we can look at where we can choose and then go immediately back to green, but it won‘t work at every single track,” Forde said. “So there are several things in the hopper. It‘s something that‘s on our radar. It‘s important to us to get back green. We keep stats religiously on the blocks of time between red-, yellow- and green-flag racing. We‘re always working to get that green number higher and higher and higher.

“Stage breaks are a big topic of conversation. We hear it, and we see it.”

— NASCAR.com —

The race was up 8% in rating but down 3% in viewership from last year.

.@TNTSportsUS got a 1.34 rating and 2.384 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 @IMS, up 8% in rating but down 3% in viewership from last year, per @Nielsen's panel-only data. pic.twitter.com/bwznKXleak

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) July 28, 2026

Viewership peaked in the closing laps at 1,521,000 total viewers, seeing Carson Kvapil hold off Justin Allgaier for his first victory. Compared to last year’s Indianapolis event on the same weekend, there was a 13% increase in viewership.

The Black’s Tire 250 presented by BTS Rewards is the opening race of Richmond Raceway‘s 80th Anniversary NASCAR race weekend, showcasing many of the sport‘s top rising stars as they compete on the 3/4-mile D-shaped oval under the Friday night lights. Black‘s Tire will also be the primary sponsor on the No. 15 Tricon Garage Toyota with driver Tanner Gray. BTS will be including their winning BTS Partner Rewards Dealers on the decklid of the truck for this special event.

“We’re excited to welcome Black‘s Tire Service as the entitlement partner for our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race,” said Richmond Raceway President Lori Waran. “Their support of this event helps elevate an already exciting race weekend, and we’re proud to have them associated with one of the premier events on our schedule. We look forward to showcasing great racing while introducing Black‘s Tire to our passionate fans at Richmond Raceway.”

The Black’s Tire 250 presented by BTS Rewards also highlights BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors’ growing network of independent tire dealers and wholesale customers throughout Virginia and the Southeast. The event will bring together BTS Partner Dealers, family-owned tire retailers, and commercial customers to celebrate the partnerships that have helped fuel the company’s growth while reinforcing its commitment to supporting locally owned businesses and delivering industry-leading products and services including a growing network of dealer partners throughout the Richmond market and Central Virginia.

“On behalf of our team at Black’s Tire Service and BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors, we’re honored to partner with NASCAR and Richmond Raceway for this exciting event,” said Rick Benton II, Vice President of Black’s Tire Service. “The Black’s Tire 250 is more than a race sponsorship—it’s an opportunity to celebrate the independent tire dealers, wholesale customers and BTS Partner Dealers who are the backbone of our business. As we continue expanding our wholesale presence throughout Virginia, we’re excited to welcome our dealer partners from across the region to Richmond for a weekend that recognizes the relationships that drive our success.”

NASCAR Weekend presented by Who‘s Your Driver returns to Richmond Raceway Aug. 14-15. The stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will take center stage Saturday night, Aug. 15, in the Cook Out 400. Tickets are going fast, so fans are encouraged to purchase them now while supplies last at www.richmondraceway.com.

–Richmond Raceway —

“Chandler Smith will not return to Front Row Motorsports in 2027. We would like to extend our gratitude to Chandler for being a great representative of our CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program. The list of accomplishments that he and the No. 38 team have obtained are impressive, with four wins to date over the past two seasons, and we wish him the best on his continued career path.

The team will remain committed to competing at the highest level in the series and contending for championships, for the remainder of 2026 and beyond. Additional updates on our 2027 plans will be shared when available.”

So far in 2026, Smith has secured two race wins and a spot in the 10-man Chase.

Team Update pic.twitter.com/whxuEAH9fL

— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) July 28, 2026

Suburban Propane is one of the nation’s leading propane distributors, serving residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers across the United States. For nearly a century, the company has helped fuel homes, businesses and outdoor living experiences while expanding its commitment to renewable energy solutions and community engagement. As an Official Sponsor of NASCAR, Suburban Propane continues to connect with passionate race fans through one of America’s most recognizable sports.

“We are happy to welcome Suburban Propane to the Kaulig Racing family, and have them on board the No. 16 at Bristol,” said AJ Allmendinger. “It’s special to represent a brand with such a long history of serving communities across the country and helping meet America’s energy needs. Their connection with NASCAR makes this partnership a nice fit, and I’m really looking forward to helping showcase the products and services they provide.”

“We are excited to partner with Kaulig Racing and bring the Suburban Propane brand to NASCAR fans across the country,” said Nandini Sankara, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy and Spokesperson at Suburban Propane. “This represents the perfect platform to connect with consumers who share our passion for outdoor living, family, and community. Whether it‘s grilling with friends, enjoying a camping weekend, or gathering around the racetrack, propane helps fuel the moments that bring people together. We look forward to working with Kaulig Racing and AJ Allmendinger to showcase the many ways propane powers everyday experiences.”

At Bristol Motor Speedway, the No. 16 Suburban Propane driver has three top-10 finishes and led 78 laps in the NASCAR Cup Series. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has one win, one top-five finish and four top-10 finishes. He also has one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. It‘s a track that Allmendinger favors.

“I do think the Bristol night race is probably one of the coolest races that we have in NASCAR,” said Allmendinger. “I always tell people that. If you haven’t been to a NASCAR race, I would say this one is the most special.

“Bristol at night is a lot of fun and we have good memories there,” continued Allmendinger. “Winning the Xfinity (NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series) race and sitting on pole for the Cup race last year was special. I felt like in the spring there we were pretty good. We‘re ready to go back there and build on what we learned earlier this year and bring home a strong finish for Suburban Propane.”

The NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Motor Speedway night race is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on USA, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).

— Kaulig Racing —

The 30th event on this year‘s calendar and fourth of 10 races in NASCAR‘s “Chase” championship format will include WIMNA Nation‘s celebration of community, connection, and passion while continuing to drive the inclusive nature of professional Motorsports in North America forward.

As part of the visionary collaboration, the hood of Suárez‘s No. 7 Chevy will display the WIMNA Nation logo and include the names of all current WIMNA Nation members, showcasing the strength, dedication, and impact of a growing community on a national scale.

Following the race, one lucky random WIMNA Nation member will be awarded the hood from the No. 7 machine, personally autographed by Suárez. The once-in-a-lifetime keepsake will serve as a lasting tribute to the members who continue to inspire, support, and fuel the future of women in the motorsports industry. To be included on the hood, you must register for WIMNA Nation by August 13, 2026, at https://womeninmotorsportsna.com/wimna-nation.

“Seeing the WIMNA Nation logo on the No. 7 Gainbridge/WIMNA Chevrolet driven by Daniel Suárez is incredibly meaningful, but what makes this moment truly special are the names on the hood,” said Cindy Sisson, Executive Director of WIMNA. “Each name represents someone who believes in our mission to advance, connect, and enable women in motorsports. This is more than a race car—it‘s a powerful symbol of belonging and the incredible community we are building together. We are deeply grateful to Gainbridge and Spire Motorsports for creating this unforgettable opportunity, and we can‘t wait to cheer on Daniel Suárez at Kansas Speedway.”

“Gainbridge is proud to partner with Spire Motorsports to shine a light on the important work WIMNA is doing to create and champion opportunities for women across all areas of motorsports,” said Mike Nichols, Chief of Sponsorship Strategy and Activation at Group 1001. “Supporting organizations like WIMNA aligns with Gainbridge‘s continued commitment to investing in the future of professional women‘s sports and communities across the country through the Gainbridge Assists grant program.”

Suárez will make his 20th career start at Kansas Speedway, where he owns two top-10 finishes. His best result at the racy, multi-groove oval is a seventh-place finish in 2017.

The Monterrey, Mexico, native and 2026 Coca-Cola 600 winner is enjoying a breakout season, highlighted by one victory, two top fives and six top 10s. He currently sits 11th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 14 races remaining to determine this year’s champion. Through 22 races, Suárez has posted an average finish of 14.7 and finished outside the top 20 just four times this season.

“I‘m looking forward to seeing WIMNA Nation and Gainbridge on our No. 7 Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway,” said Suárez. “What makes this collaboration so meaningful is it‘s not just a logo on a race car. The effort represents the passionate women and their allies who are helping shape the future and drive the sport. Having the names of WIMNA Nation members on the hood of our car is a special way to bring their stories, passion, and support with us to the track. I‘m proud to drive this car and celebrate such an incredible community.”

The Hollywood Casino 400 from Kansas Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, Sept. 27 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 30th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

— Kaulig Racing —

Fans can activate the ESPN Unlimited plan through their TV or mobile providers in addition to a standalone subscription. Audiences now can watch all CW Sports offerings live on any device with the ESPN App as a complement to The CW‘s nationwide over-the-air broadcast and Pay TV distribution, combining premium sports offerings into a single viewer-friendly experience while advertisers extend reach to new audiences across all digital platforms.

CW Sports on the ESPN App launches with a thrilling two-hour live WWE NXT event on Tuesday, August 4 at 8:00pm ET. Motorsports fans can stream the final two regular season NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series races from Iowa Speedway on Saturday, August 8 at 4:30pm ET and the legendary Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 28 at 7:00pm ET before The Chase for the championship continues throughout the fall. The CW‘s biggest college football season in network history—which features 140 hours of games across the ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences—kicks off on Saturday, August 29 at 6:30pm ET with New Mexico State at Florida State. The weekend concludes with the can‘t-miss WWE NXT “Heatwave” Premium Live Event from deep in the heart of Texas on Sunday, August 30 at 3:00pm ET.

Launched in 2023, CW Sports has rapidly become a broadcast destination for live sports across a diverse variety of sports, including college football and men‘s and women‘s basketball from the ACC, Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences, the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, WWE NXT every Tuesday night, WWE NXT Premium Live Events, PBR Bull Riding, AVP volleyball, PBA bowling and the 2026 Arizona Bowl.

CW Sports is the exclusive home for all 33 races in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series through the 2031 racing season. During its first year on The CW in 2025, the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series had its most-watched season in four years, growing its total audience by ten percent over the previous year. The first 19 races of the current 2026 season delivered more than one million total viewers every week (pre-rain delay), and viewership is up 11 percent over last year‘s season average.

The CW is a prominent broadcaster within the college sports landscape, including a sublicense with ESPN to air ACC college football and men‘s and women‘s basketball games. The network extended its partnership with the new Pac-12 Conference to include 13 regular season football games per year through the 2030-31 season, regular season men‘s and women‘s basketball games, and the women‘s basketball tournament‘s semifinal and championship games. In Fall 2026, CW Sports will also begin its partnership with the Mountain West conference, airing 13 football games, 20 men‘s basketball games, and 15 women‘s basketball games per year through the 2030-31 season. This fall, The CW will also broadcast the 2026 Arizona Bowl for the fourth year in a row.

ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com with an ESPN Unlimited subscription, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able shortform vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package from certain providers. Subscription options available for fans include the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle that provides a one-of-a-kind streaming package combining sports with blockbuster movies and hit series. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle subscribers can access all ESPN and CW Sports content on Disney+. For more visit stream.espn.com.

— The CW —

Angie was not only dedicated to the sport she loved, but also to everyone who got involved with SpeedwayMedia. She loved helping out when she could, no matter when or where. She visited many tracks, but enjoyed her annual visits to Darlington Raceway.

Her bio reads in part, “A native of Charlotte, NC, Angela (Angie) was first introduced to racing by her father. An avid fan of NASCAR, she found a way to combine her love of racing with her passion for writing. Angie is also an award-winning member of the National Motorsports Press Association.”

— SpeedwayMedia.com —

“We decided, Rick and I, that our expectations were not aligned anymore,” Baldwin stated at the beginning of the episode. “We decided, without ruining our friendship, which we have a really good friendships, it was decided to go different ways.”

Baldwin, a longtime industry member, has made starts at crew chief dating back to 1997 with Lance Hooper. He won four races with Ward Burton, and another with Kasey Kahne in 2005.

Baldwin has been active in helping the careers of his sons Jack and Luke, with the latter competing in a handful of Craftsman Truck Series races and a pair of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events in 2026 alone. Baldwin stated he hopes to “figure out what the next options are” but admitted he’s going to take a break in the meantime.

Tommy Baldwin announced on DBC that he is no longer with Rick Ware Racing.

"We decided, Rick and I, that our expectations were not aligned anymore. We decided, without ruining our friendship, which we have a really good friendship, it was decided to go different ways."#NASCAR

— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) July 27, 2026

Both drivers made impressive statements this past weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hocevar, 23, won the pole for the Brickyard 400 and held the lead in the race until the first round of green-flag pit stops.

Heim, who turned 24 on July 5, grabbed the top spot after a restart on Lap 27 and kept veterans Christopher Bell and Joey Logano at bay for the final 34 laps.

Heim is the youngest winner of the Crown Jewel race since Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two days after turning 23 in 1994.

Indeed, Heim and Hocevar are emblematic of a younger generation in NASCAR racing, a group of 20-something drivers already making a mark in the sport and ready to do battle against each other.

All three first-time winners this season—Heim, Hocevar and Ty Gibbs—got their maiden victories when they were 23 years old, the first time in Cup history that three or more drivers that young accomplished the feat.

Gibbs, too, was a presence at Indianapolis, leading 46 laps and winning the first stage before finishing 12th.

But the focus was on Heim and Hocevar, who have a history dating to the Championship 4 Race in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2023, when both drivers were fighting for the title and wrecked each other in the process.

Nor could the drivers avoid a certain degree of controversy in the Brickyard 400. In the second stage, Hocevar steered his car to pit road on Lap 82. He returned to the track right behind the Toyota of Heim, who was leading at the time and running long.

For 10 frustrating laps, Heim kept Hocevar in his wake. When Heim finally ducked onto pit road on Lap 92, Hocevar steered toward him and expressed his displeasure with a one-finger salute.

“I‘m just a fan—I wanted to wave at him,” Hocevar quipped after the race. “He‘s number one. He won. It‘s fun… if we don‘t like each other, but we race really hard. His stuff‘s super-fast, obviously, with the car he‘s in. He does a really, really good job with it.

“I‘m looking forward to, when we get our stuff a little better, being in front of him and maybe holding him up.”

Hocevar is an imposing 6-foot-4, and he possesses a megawatt smile that can light up a room. He revels in the unusual and outlandish—witness his outside-the-car victory celebration at Talladega—and has developed a huge social media following eager to jump to his defense during online spats with other drivers.

Hocevar is undeniably aggressive on the race track. His 27 incidents involving 30 different Cup drivers this season are tops in the series.

Heim, on the other hand, is more laid back, but at every level of motorsports he is used to winning. His single-season series-record 12 victories propelled him to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title last year as he waited for a full-time Cup ride with 23XI Racing—a career goal that won‘t be met until next season.

Nevertheless, Heim wasn‘t about to let the byplay with Hocevar on Sunday go unaddressed.

“I was blocking him, not really too bad I thought,” Heim said. “I was trying to just hold my position. I never threw like a bad block. I was just trying to protect my entry. He didn’t like it. He lost and I won, so I don’t really care.”

Indeed. Heim defied the odds in winning for a second time in a part-time role with 23XI. He also seems to have a penchant for major events, with his first victory coming in the inaugural street course race at Naval Base Coronado, where Hocevar also qualified on the front row before finishing 19th.

In a sport that craves rivalries, Heim and Hocevar were front and center on Sunday, and you don‘t need a crystal ball to see the future of NASCAR racing.

It was right before your eyes at the Brickyard.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Brickyard 400 presented by PPG

Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:29 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 209
Minutes of race broadcast: 183
Minutes of traditional commercials: 26
Minutes of side-by-side commercials: 15

Total number of commercials: 102
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 50
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 59
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 45
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 43
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 31
Number of times TNT utilized ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast: 7

Companies seen the most in commercials during this broadcast: NASCAR (7 times); Busch Light (6 times); Xfinity (5 times); Buffalo Wild Wings (4 times); Arby‘s (4 times); Toyota (4 times)

— CawsNJaws —

He was born October 27, 1938 in Wilmington, the son of James Albert Brickhouse and Idell Woodcock Brickhouse. In addition to his parents Richard is preceded in death by his son, Richard Gary Brickhouse; daughter, Jennifer McDowell; and his brother, Thomas Brickhouse

Richard is survived by his wife, Sara Lopez; children, Angela Campbell, Cara Salter (Jason), and Richard F. Brickhouse Jr.; stepchildren, Patricia Vazquez, Sarah Vazquez, and Paul Vazquez; grandchildren, Sarah Salter, Savannah Garner (Donald), and Kristi Byers (Scott); three great grandchildren; and many additional family members and friends.

Richard had a true spirit of adventure and embraced life with enthusiasm. Richard stated, “I stayed in trouble with the highway patrol losing my first license three weeks after receiving it. I was racing on Highway 421 with friends.” In 1969, Richard made history by winning the first NASCAR race held at Talladega, Alabama, a memory he cherished throughout his life. Strong-willed and passionate in all he did, Richard carefully considered every decision and lived with purpose and intention. He served in the US Army and considered his service a great honor. Richard deeply loved his family and found great joy in the relationships that meant the most to him. His life was one of zeal, determination, and love, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him.

A graveside service will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at Kelley Cemetery near 473 Longview Road, Kelly with Pastor Jason Salter officiating. The family will receive friends at the cemetery following the service.

Shared memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.quinnmcgowen.com

A service of Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel.

There were no issues for #67-Corey Heim. He is officially the winner of the race.

No cars are returning to the R&D Center for teardown.

Heim lead 58 laps, the most of any driver. He took the lead on the final restart, with 33 laps remaining, and held off a late challenge by Christopher Bell.

The Cup Series now takes a week off before heading to Iowa Speedway.

In a race that produced an unexpected winner and an unexpected millionaire, Heim held off Christopher Bell and Joey Logano over the final 34-lap green-flag run on Sunday to win his second Cup Series race in his 15th start.

Not bad for a part-timer who won‘t step into a full-time seat with 23XI Racing until next year. Heim, who won at Naval Base Coronado in June, was driving the No. 67 Toyota for the eighth time this season in his first visit to the Brickyard.

“Yeah, that was a damn handful,” Heim said of the final run. “I was hanging on for dear life once the shade went down and the pace picked up. My car got really loose. And I had never really been in a lot of clean air throughout the day, so that was the hardest I’ve ever fought in my life to just make sure I focused on exits and kept them (Bell and Logano) in dirty air.

“I’m pretty out of breath. That was a workout. It was a dream come true. Winning at the Brickyard. That’s unbelievable. Caught a break early with the pit cycle. And just executed all day. Made no mistakes.”

In the finals of the Cup Series In-Season Challenge, 25th-seeded Todd Gilliland took advantage of third-seeded Ryan Blaney‘s unfortunate wreck on Lap 120 to win the $1-million winner-take-all prize by two positions, 24th to Blaney‘s 26th.

Blaney was comfortably ahead in the race for the Challenge bounty when his No. 12 Ford turned off the nose of John Hunter Nemechek‘s Toyota to ignite an accident that collected nine cars.

“It feels really good,” said Gilliland, who survived five rounds to prevail in the Challenge. “Obviously, we wish we ran a little bit better than 24th today, but we did what we had to do. Really, that was the name of our game all the way throughout this Challenge. We just barely skated by.

“We were obviously a bit lucky, but we still stuck out these races. We did the best we could, and luckily it was good enough, just barely every single round. It‘s a big prize. One million dollars going to the team. That‘s just massive.”

The restart on Lap 127—after the nine-car wreck that ruined Blaney‘s chances in the In-Season Challenge—made all the difference in the outcome of the race.

Leader Denny Hamlin chose the preferred inside lane, while Heim picked the outside. Hamlin had two of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Bell and Chase Briscoe, behind him on the bottom row, but they failed to organize a coordinated push.

Heim, on the other hand, got a strong, sustained shove from Logano in the top lane and barely cleared Hamlin before slipping in front of his 23XI Racing team owner and stalling his momentum. Hamlin fell to fifth in the running order behind Heim, Bell, Logano and Briscoe, and that‘s the way the race ended more than 30 laps later.

In the final green-flag run, Heim slipped noticeably only once—entering Turn 1 on Lap 198—and allowed Bell to close within a car-length.

But by keeping Bell‘s No. 20 Toyota in dirty air, Heim extended his advantage over the final two trips around the 2.5-mile track and crossed the famous Yard of Bricks 0.287 seconds ahead of the JGR driver, who finished second for the sixth time this season without a win.

Bell had nothing but praise for the 24-year-old race winner.

“Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to be able to get there at all,” Bell said. “My guys were telling me he was going loose. I knew really that was going to be my only opportunity, was a mistake from him. I knew whatever it was, 35 laps, was a very long run. I just needed one bobble. If he had one bobble, I was going to be able to get there.

“Yeah, he did a great job. He showed excellent mental toughness. Put together 35 really good laps. I didn’t have an opportunity.”

Hamlin rued the restart that cost him the chance to win the only Crown Jewel race that has eluded him.

“Yeah, everyone is trying to fight to win the race,” said Hamlin, who extended his series lead to 84 points over 10th-place finisher Tyler Reddick. “When you’re clear by an inch, you’re going to take that inch. It’s really more on us and the 20 (Bell) and the 19 (Briscoe) of just not orchestrating good pushes there. We came detached at the wrong time.

“I thought the 20 obviously was on board with getting us the push. It was way too early before the restart zone. I can’t go till we get to the restart zone. He said that Briscoe was on him way, way early or laying back, one of the two.

“Yeah, that’s how you lose ’em. These restarts, when everyone kind of knows when you’re going to go, it’s about the pushes. That’s essentially where I got the lead from the 67 the restart before (on Lap 120). Just came back the other way around. I maybe was in there just a hair into Turn 2. (Heim) shut the door. I mean, yeah, everyone’s fighting for a big Brickyard victory.”

Two other factors helped Heim‘s cause. He was on pit road on Lap 44 when, Kyle Larson‘s wreck caused the first caution. Gaining spots as the field slowed for the yellow, Heim finished second in Stage 1 after a one-lap dash.

After a debris caution on Lap 114, Heim was first off pit road after running long in Stage 2 and needing a shorter stop for fuel. Though Hamlin regained the lead on the Lap 120 restart, Heim took it back on the restart that proved decisive.

Brad Keselowski finished sixth, followed by Josh Berry, Ryan Preece, pole winner Carson Hocevar and Reddick. Ty Gibbs won the first stage, led twice for 46 laps—second only to Heim‘s 58—and clinched a spot in the Chase with a 12th-place finish.

Four races remain before the 16-driver Chase field is set.

Rotten luck continued to follow reigning series champion Kyle Larson, who maneuvered himself into a race-leading position with an early pit stop on Lap 28, only to have his strategy fall apart thanks to a blown left-rear tire 17 laps later.

When the tire lost air near the end of the backstretch, Larson‘s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet backed into the outside wall, severely damaging the car.

“It‘s obviously disappointing,” Larson said after his release from the infield care center. “To go from 10th to the lead on a good start and race strategy set ourselves up well to gain a lot of points there and set ourselves up well to maintain that track position the rest of the race.

“It‘s a bummer but just a part of racing … I had no warning. When I lifted, I felt it drop and spun.”

Larson, coming off a 15th-place finish at North Wilkesboro after consecutive 34th-place result at Chicagoland and Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway, fell out of the race in last (39th) place.

On a star-crossed day for Hendrick Motorsports, Chase Elliott fared little better than his teammate. Racing in close quarters with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on Lap 60, Elliott slammed the outside wall just beyond the Turn 2 exit.

Attempts to repair the car on pit road proved futile, forcing Elliott to drive the No. 9 Chevrolet to the garage. Elliott returned to the track 41 laps down and finished 37th.

— NASCAR News Wire —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Infraction Report.

For complete race information, check out the Indianapolis race page.

The announcement follows an extraordinary gesture by Rick Hendrick, Hendrick Motorsports and longtime No. 48 partner Ally Financial, who have agreed to loan Johnson the Hendrick Motorsports stylized No. 48 car number for his farewell race with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. The move will reunite Johnson with the number most closely associated with his Hall of Fame career. NASCAR has approved the one-race loan, allowing the tribute to take place without affecting the driver or owner points standings.

While Johnson‘s career has evolved from champion driver to team owner, broadcaster, entrepreneur and leader, there was only one number fitting for the final NASCAR Cup Series start of his driving career.

“This is far more than a number,” Johnson said. “The 48 represents people, relationships, memories and a chapter of my life that shaped who I am. To have the opportunity to make one final Cup Series start carrying that number is something I never imagined. I‘m incredibly grateful to Rick, Hendrick Motorsports, Ally and everyone who made this possible. It‘s a gesture I‘ll carry with me forever.”

Together, Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team won a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, including a record five consecutive titles from 2006 through 2010. It earned 83 points-paying Cup Series victories, including two in the DAYTONA 500 and four in the Brickyard 400. Johnson‘s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports remains one of the defining partnerships in NASCAR history.

Hendrick Motorsports will announce the car number for its Ally-sponsored entry in the 2027 DAYTONA 500 at a later date.

“The No. 48 is part of Hendrick Motorsports‘ history, and it‘s forever connected to Jimmie,” said Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “When Jimmie asked about using the number for his final race, it just felt right. Ally immediately understood why it mattered, too. They‘ve always valued relationships, and their willingness to be part of this says everything about the kind of partner they are. Seeing Jimmie back in the No. 48 at Daytona one last time will be quite a moment.”

As the longtime primary partner of Hendrick Motorsports‘ No. 48 program, Ally joined Hendrick Motorsports in approving the one-race loan of the stylized car number. Ally was Johnson‘s primary sponsor in 2019 and 2020, his final full-time season in the Cup Series.

“The 48 has always stood for something bigger than racing: a relationship built on trust, shared wins, and a fanbase that gives everything they have,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally‘s Chief Marketing and PR officer. “Jimmie is part of the Ally family, and the chance to see him at Daytona one last time with that number is something our fans deserve as much as he does. We‘re proud to be part of making this moment happen.”

For Johnson, whose personal philosophy has become Never Stop Starting, the significance reaches beyond nostalgia. His final NASCAR Cup Series race is not simply the end of one of the sport’s greatest careers — it‘s one final start in the number that began it all.

— Legacy Motor Club —

Alex Bowman’s car number for the race was not announced, but would likely be the No. 25 which Hendrick used to run.

One more race. One more incredible moment.
 
Hendrick Motorsports is loaning me the No. 48 for my final Cup Series start in the 2027 DAYTONA 500. I‘m beyond grateful to Rick, @Alex_Bowman, @TeamHendrick and @AllyRacing for making this possible.
 
I never imagined this could… pic.twitter.com/N1hg9yaKQf

— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) July 26, 2026

An iconic number synonymous with @JimmieJohnson‘s LEGACY.
          
With the permission of @TeamHendrick, Jimmie Johnson will drive the 48 in the 2027 Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/tgz2AVVLRI

— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LEGACYMotorClub) July 26, 2026

Both Jesse Love and Brandon Jones had one lug nut not safe and secure and will lose their pit-stall selections at Iowa Speedway.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Kvapil‘s emotional victory in Saturday‘s Pennzoil 250 presented by Take 5 Oil Change at Indianapolis Motor Speedway—one of the biggest stages in motorsports—had the driver shedding tears and team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. temporarily at a loss for words.

It was a day of milestones. With Justin Allgaier, Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott in positions two through four, respectively, JR Motorsports scored the first four-driver sweep of an event in series history.

The victory was the 14th of the season for JRM with six different drivers, the latter number tying the record the organization set last year. For the 79th straight race, JR Motorsports placed at least one driver in the top 10, tying the record set by RFK Racing from 2008-2010.

“It means the world to me,” Kvapil said, as his No. 1 Chevrolet team climbed the frontstretch catchfence in celebration of the victory. “It‘s very emotional. I rode around on that lap backwards (after taking the checkered flag), and I sat there just thinking about all the hard work I‘ve put in—me and my dad Travis—to get to this point.

“And the faith (team principals) Dale Jr., L.W. Miller and Kelley Miller put behind me to give me this opportunity—a second chance, I guess you could say, to come back at it this year…. I‘m going to try not to cry too much. I‘ve already shed a few tears—just trying to hold it together right now.”

In an event that featured just one caution for an on-track incident, Kvapil passed Chastain on Lap 79 of 100 and held it the rest of the way. Allgaier powered past Chastain into second place on Lap 94 and closed his deficit to Kvapil to less than a car-length on the white-flag lap.

Crossing the Yard of Bricks with one lap left, Allgaier trailed by a scant 0.283 seconds, but his efforts to shrink the distance on the final circuit proved fruitless, and Kvapil crossed the stripe with a 0.643 second advantage to score his first victory.

Kvapil accomplished more than just a win. He moved into second place in the series standings, 265 points behind Allgaier, who already has clinched the already clinched the top Chase seed.

Kvapil also joined Allgaier and Jesse Love in the Chase with two regular-season races left—as did Sheldon Creed (eighth Saturday), Corey Day (seventh), Brandon Jones (ninth) and Austin Hill (10th).

Allgaier, a six-time winner this season, felt the race slipped away from him when his No. 7 Chevrolet fell from first to fourth after the Lap 67 start of the final stage.

“That was kind the difference maker for us, I feel like, over the day,” Allgaier said. “I guess, in some ways, we kind of set up to be good on long runs, and it showed through. That‘s why we were able to be really good at the end of that run…

“We made good adjustments. We did all the right things. We just came up a couple of laps short. I think if we have a couple more laps, if we have maybe a little bit different help from some of the lapped cars, there‘s things that we maybe could have done different.

“But again, super proud of Carson and the whole No. 1 team. He‘s done a really good job, and as a company, to do what we did today shows really where we‘re at and what we‘re able to accomplish, and for that I‘m super proud.”

Crew chief Rodney Childers and the No. 1 team kept Kvapil in the mix from start to finish, but that was no surprise. While working as Kevin Harvick‘s crew chief, Childers fashioned two NASCAR Cup Series victories at the Brickyard.

Kvapil has cobbled the current season together in three different cars with three different teams—the Nos. 1 and 9 at JR Motorsports and the No. 91 fielded by Mario Gosselin for DGM Racing.

Saturday‘s victory was vindication of Kvapil‘s determination to sustain a career despite some imposing obstacles in his path.

With seven of 12 Chase positions now filled, the fight for the final spots intensified at Indy. After finishing 12th, Taylor Gray holds the final berth above the current cut line by seven points over Joe Gibbs Racing teammate William Sawalich and 20 over Rajah Caruth, who stayed out on old tires to win the second stage before finishing 22nd.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

…

While the NASCAR Team Owner Council has existed for years, O‘Donnell created seven committees to give teams a new level of power in helping define the future of professional stock car racing.

Brad Keselowski, co-owner and driver of RFK Racing, said the committees are “signaling a level of collaboration that probably didn‘t exist before.”

The committees are focused on: the future of NASCAR‘s car, engine and OEMs; schedule and race weekend formats; at-track experience for fans, sponsors and teams; revenue and commercial growth; international; on-track competition and product development; and media, content and fan base growth efforts.

…

Additionally, NASCAR is developing places where it could race internationally — Canada, England, the Middle East and Asia — and what sort of technologies it will use to power its race cars. It‘s also researching what it wants its domestic schedule to look like in the next media cycle.

…

With fans complaining that the racing at Daytona and Talladega lacked entertainment value, NASCAR made a midseason change to its superspeedway rules package this month, adjusting certain parts of the car to make the racing more enthralling for fans.

…

“We want to react quickly — Steve O‘Donnell, our new CEO, is on us all the time to get the feedback and react on the feedback as quick as we can,” Probst said. “We made changes that we felt had the highest potential to make a big change but with the lowest risk as well. We didn‘t pull every lever that we could, because some of those would frankly require us to get 15 cars down to Daytona [for testing].”

— Sports Business Journal —

Hocevar knew at that moment that Saturday‘s time trials at the historic 2.5-mile oval would not be a repeat of Michigan in June, when Hamlin, as the final qualifier, knocked Hocevar off the provisional pole at the 23-year-old‘s home track.

In fact, after earning his second Busch Light Pole Award of the season and the third of his career, Hocevar will lead the field to green in Sunday‘s Brickyard 400 (2 p.m. ET on TNT, IMS Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“I got out of the car, and they were cheering,” Hocevar said of the crowd in the grandstands near the Yard of Bricks start/finish line. “I don‘t know if they were cheering for me or because I beat Denny (who qualified fifth at 185.835 mph).

“Denny stole one from me at Michigan. That‘s my home track, but this is my favorite track. I love Indy.”

With a pole-winning lap at 186.598 mph in the No. 77 Chevrolet, Hocevar edged Suarez (186.382 mph) for the top starting spot by 0.056 seconds. The session was a triumph for Spire Motorsports and owner Jeff Dickerson, an Indianapolis native.

With Michael McDowell qualifying sixth at 185.762 mph, Spire put all three of its cars within the first three rows of the grid.

“It felt really good,” Hocevar said of his blistering lap. “Michael McDowell went out early and gave me the confidence that the car was going to be able stick with him putting up a good lap.

“I felt really comfortable. I love this place… You race differently if you‘re comfortable and confident here. I‘ve been confident since the first lap I‘ve been here.”

Toyota driver Tyler Reddick posted the third fastest lap at 186.077 mph and will start next to Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Ty Gibbs (185.966 mph). Naval Base Coronado winner, Corey Heim, claimed the seventh starting spot, followed by Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger and Kyle Larson.

The top 10 featured six Chevrolets and four Toyotas. Ryan Blaney, competing against Todd Gilliland for the $1-million In-Season Challenge prize, drove the fastest Ford (185.197 mph) to a 13th-place starting spot. Gilliland qualified 36th at 182.460 mph.

Blaney will make his 400th career Cup Series start on Sunday.

Defending race winner Bubba Wallace (183.861 mph) earned the 29th grid position.

Suarez was ahead of Hocevar‘s pace early in his lap but lost time through the final two corners.

“I felt like I left a little bit out there,” Suarez said. “A little mistake in corner 3, but I‘m very proud of my team.”

— NASCAR News Wire —

See the complete qualifying results and the Brickyard 400 Starting Lineup.

For complete race information, check out the Indianapolis race page.

Keselowski stated that the team exercised the 35-year-old driver’s option after joining the organization on a multiyear contract.

“We had a multiyear contract with Ryan and we picked up his option a few months ago,” Keselowski said. “We‘re going to continue to keep him as a part of the family for a while.”

— NASCAR.com —

Original story: RFK Racing President Chip Bowers said in May the organization planned to keep all three Cup Series teams on track in 2027. Read more.

SPEEDWAY, Ind.—The magnitude of the Brickyard 400 isn‘t lost on defending winner Bubba Wallace.

At the 16th Street entrance to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a giant banner featuring Wallace in his driver‘s uniform hangs on the back of the grandstand alongside other former winners of the race, many of them already members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

There‘s nostalgia involved with the most important of Wallace‘s three NASCAR Cup Series victories. The image of son Becks, not yet one year old, lying on Wallace‘s stomach on the asphalt near the iconic Yard of Bricks is indelible.

The one aspect Wallace remembers most about July 27, 2025, however, is distilled into a single word—winning.

“It‘s a very boring answer, but winning in the regular season was something I‘d never done in my previous two wins,” Wallace said. “That just allows you to unlock a new way of thinking inside the race car. The next four weeks after our Brickyard win, I didn‘t really care how we finished, because I knew we were in the Playoffs.”

As Wallace prepares to defend his victory, the rules have changed. With the return to the Chase format this year, no longer does a win guarantee a spot in the postseason.

“But, yeah, the biggest memory is just winning,” said Wallace, who held off Kyle Larson in two overtimes to earn the victory by 0.222 seconds.

Chase or not, a return to Victory Lane this year would be just as sweet.

Alex Bowman is calling it quits because it‘s the right time

It‘s certainly true that Alex Bowman has had his share of injuries and illnesses that have interrupted his career as a NASCAR Cup Series driver.

But that‘s not the primary reason Bowman has decided to leave the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after one more season in the car.

“I don’t think physical health is a number one contributor here in this situation for me,” said Bowman, who most recently suffered a bout of vertigo at Circuit of the Americas in March and remained out of his car for four races. “Obviously, I’ve had my fair share of injuries, but I can still do it.

“I still feel like I can do it, and I think with everything that we’ve figured out through the course of this season, everybody helping me in the athletic center with PT (physical therapy) every day, I think I’m in a good spot there and can continue doing it. I think for me, much more of it is things I want to do outside of the race car, other goals I have in life and stuff I want to do.”

Bowman and fiancé Chloe Henderson are building a house in rural North Carolina and looking forward to establishing what Bowman calls a normal life. The decision to retire from full-time racing after next season brings clarity to his situation.

“I think, for me, coming out and saying it and being like ‘Next year’s it‘ makes it easier to be all-in for the next 53 weeks,” said Bowman, 33, who agreed to a one-year contract extension through 2027. “I mean, I’m ready to rip. I‘ve always been all-in. I’m not worried about not wanting to do the work. I think that has never been a problem for me, and I’m excited to have 53 more chances at it…

“I would love to end on a really high note. Like, I mean, everything goes perfect and we go win a championship and I can walk out that way—that would be amazing, right? That’s not going to make me want to stay. I think for me—health-wise, mental-health-wise, kind of everything—this is what I needed to do that was best for me and things I want to do outside of the car.

Christopher Bell “rocked” during sprint car event at Indy Dirt Track

There are inherent hazards in racing non-wing USAC sprint cars, as Christopher Bell well knows.

On Thursday night, he discovered that serving as a sprint car racing analyst can also have its perils.

Bell was on a lift over the Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, broadcasting the USAC National Sprint Car invitational at the 0.25-mile oval with FloSports, when a flying rock kicked up by one of the cars hit him in the elbow.

“I got smoked,” Bell said. “It really hurt.”

Fortunately, the flying rock did no permanent damage. In recent weeks the full-time driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has been recovering from a broken left wrist he suffered in a brutal crash at Michigan Speedway.

So, was it the left elbow that was hit by the rock?

“Of course,” Bell said.

National Auto Body Council to donate “recycled ride” at Indy

An Indianapolis woman will receive a life-changing gift on Sunday, thanks to the National Auto Body Council and participating partners.

Through the NABC‘s “Recycled Rides” program, Menajia Wright, who has aged out of foster care, will get a reliable, refurbished car that will allow her to commute to and from work without the expense of an Uber ride.

After leaving foster care, Wright rented an apartment and spent her savings on a car, which became inoperable after a month. Sunday‘s donation, which will take place at 10:25 a.m. at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda, will remedy that situation.

Wright was nominated for the gift by Fire Fly Children and Family Alliance. Participating partners of the gift include Allstate, which donated the vehicle; Gerber Collision & Glass of Fort Wayne, Ind., which refurbished the car; Brickyard 400 presenting sponsor PPG; and event supporter Enterprise.

Fire Fly Children and Family Alliance is a private, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Indianapolis and dedicated to strengthening local communities by empowering individuals and building healthier families.

From his on-track achievements to his philanthropy and the example Jimmie Johnson has set for generations of fans, a Hollywood Star creates a permanent place for Johnson’s legacy among the most influential figures in sport, entertainment and American culture. It is a true testament to how far Johnson’s influence has traveled beyond the racetrack—and will now be cemented in Hollywood history.

For more than two decades, Johnson has stood among the defining athletes of his generation. His resume includes seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, 83 Cup Series victories, a record-setting five consecutive championships, and the distinction of being the only motorsports athlete ever named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Together, those achievements firmly established him among the greatest competitors in the history of sport. Yet beyond the statistics, Johnson has become known for the humility, curiosity, and character that have defined every chapter of his journey.

“To receive this honor is incredibly humbling,” said Johnson. “As a kid growing up in Southern California, Hollywood always represented a place where dreams became reality. I never imagined my path would lead through racing, much less to something like this. I’m grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey—my family, teammates, partners, competitors, fans, and friends. This recognition reflects all of us.”

Throughout his career, Johnson has consistently embraced new challenges beyond the driver’s seat: from endurance racing and team ownership to broadcasting, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. His willingness to evolve has made him one of the rare athletes whose influence extends well beyond the sport in which he built his name.

“Jimmie Johnson‘s remarkable career has been defined by speed, determination, and excellence at the highest level of motorsports,” said Ana Martinez, Producer Hollywood Walk of Fame. “As both a champion racecar driver and as an expert broadcaster in this field, his incredible achievements have inspired racing fans around the world, and we are proud to honor his enduring legacy with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jimmie‘s star is a fitting tribute to a true champion whose impact extends far beyond the finish line.”

As Johnson prepares for the final NASCAR Cup Series start of his legendary career at the 2027 DAYTONA 500, he continues to shape the future of the sport as co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB while pursuing new opportunities across media, business, and philanthropy.

— Legacy Motor Club —

The driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford led 198 of 200 laps, swept both stages and took the checkered flag 1.148 seconds ahead of persistent runner-up Connor Mosack to claim his second straight victory at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

“I think it‘s just a statement win,” Riggs said of his fifth triumph of the season and the 10th of his career. “What a truck! I was just on cruise control…”

As far as the series championship goes, Riggs pulled no punches.

“I think we‘re the ones to beat, for sure.”

Riggs‘ only bobble of the race came the Lap 72 restart after the first stage break. Choosing the preferred top lane for the restart, he spun the tires and allowed teammate Front Row teammate Chandler Smith to take the lead for two laps.

On Lap 74, however, Riggs made an emphatic pass of Smith, diving underneath Smith‘s No. 38 truck entering Turn 1 and sliding up in front of his teammate in Turn 2. From that point on Riggs maintained control, though Mosack was able to stay close in the closing laps.

Ty Majeski, a two-time winner at the 0.686-mile short track, finished third and remained solidly in sixth place in the Truck Series standings with two races left in the regular season. Smith came home third, having clinched a berth in the postseason Chase—joining Riggs and Kaden Honeycutt—with a third-place run in Stage 1. Christian Eckes and Giovanni Ruggiero also added their names to the list of those who have clinched berths in the Chase.

Driving the same Ford F-150 he raced in last year‘s IRP event, Riggs expanded his lead in the standings to 99 points over second-place Honeycutt, who pitted late for fresh tires and worked his way up to seventh by the end of Friday‘s race.

With a solid sixth-place run, Stewart Friesen broke a tie with Tyler Ankrum (ninth Friday) for 10th in the standings, the last Chase-eligible position. With two races left to decide the issue, Friesen holds an eight-point advantage over the driver of the No. 18 McAnally Hilgemann Chevrolet.

Daniel Hemric‘s hold on a Chase spot suddenly became more tenuous when he spun in Turn 3 to cause the only caution of the night for an on-track incident. With no way to escape the wreck, Landen Lewis plowed into Hemric‘s Chevy, eliminating both drivers from the race.

Hemric finished 34th, fell to ninth in the standings and leads Ankrum, the first driver below the current Chase cut line by only 14 points.

Nick Sanchez finished fifth in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Driving the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota, 18-year-old Gavan Boschele ran eighth in his Truck Series debut.

“I had a goal,” said Boschele, who will make his second start in the series Aug. 22 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “I told myself I wanted to run top-10, and we did that. I can‘t do without these guys—the No. 1 American Land Partners Toyota group helped me be really, really fast tonight.

“They a really good job to get me everything I needed and make me comfortable. Everyone on this team was really solid, so I‘m excited for the three more that I have left this year. We were really fast tonight.”

Friesen‘s teammate and fellow modified driver Michael Christopher Jr. came home 10th in his third Truck Series outing.

The Truck Series races next on Aug. 14 at Richmond Raceway (FS1, NRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

–NASCAR Wire Service–

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Indianapolis race page.

There were no issues and no trucks back to the R&D Center.

#34-Layne Riggs is the official winner.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

For complete race information, check out the Indianapolis race page.

The Clash will unfold on Daytona‘s oval for the first time since 2020, and will be at the famed facility for the first time since 2021, when it was held on Daytona‘s road course. The race is slated to be held on Saturday, Feb. 13 – the day before Super Bowl LXI and a week before the already announced Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.

…

An official announcement could come in the next few weeks. One of the holdups is due to final negotiations with a new partner expected to sponsor the Clash.

…

NASCAR bringing the Clash to Daytona, and on the oval, will likely be a popular decision, with many fans and those within the industry expressing interest in the race returning to its spiritual home.

— The Athletic —

In three races with Peterson Racing, Sanchez has banked a pair of top-20 finishes, including a best of 12th at Chicagoland Speedway. He was challenging for the win on the final lap in the most recent event at EchoPark Speedway, but tangled with Brennan Poole and dropped to 19th with a wrecked race car.

Sanchez ranked 11th in practice on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He will return to the seat following an off week at Iowa Speedway, with upcoming races at Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and Bristol.

pic.twitter.com/KoV1TOCNQ5

— Peterson Racing (@PetersonRace) July 24, 2026

Tipton is a California-born stock car driver who began his racing career in karting before advancing through the Late Model ranks, where he established himself as a consistent front-runner. In 2023, he finished third in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series standings in Nevada after recording 13 top 10 finishes in 15 starts. Since then, Tipton has continued his progression through the ARCA Menards Series, gaining valuable experience as he continues building his career within NASCAR‘s national ranks.

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park presents a unique challenge for drivers with its tight corners, short straightaways, and historic short-track racing surface. The 0.686-mile oval demands precision, patience, and adaptability throughout the race, providing Tipton an opportunity to showcase his skills while gaining valuable experience in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut.

Team Reaume continues its 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign with a commitment to developing drivers and providing opportunities for competitors looking to advance their careers. With Tipton joining the No. 22 Ford F-150 lineup, the organization looks forward to another weekend of competition while representing its partners and fans at one of NASCAR‘s most historic venues.

Bare Bones will serve as the primary partner aboard Tipton‘s No. 22 Ford 150 for Friday night‘s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The partnership brings together Bare Bones and Team Reaume on one of motorsports‘ biggest stages, providing an opportunity to showcase the brand in front of NASCAR fans across the country. Team Reaume is proud to welcome Bare Bones to the organization and looks forward to representing the brand throughout the race weekend.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Josh Reaume and everyone at Team Reaume for the opportunity to make my NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with this organization at IRP,” said Tipton. “I’ve been looking forward to getting behind the wheel, and I know this team works hard every week to bring competitive trucks to the track. I’m excited to work with everyone, learn as much as I can, and make the most of this opportunity. Hopefully, we can put together a solid run and bring home a strong finish on Friday night.”

“We‘re excited to welcome Monty to Team Reaume for his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at IRP,” said Team Reaume owner Josh Reaume. “He has continued to develop as a driver, and we‘re looking forward to working with him and giving him the opportunity to compete on this stage. We‘re also proud to have Bare Bones with us this weekend as we showcase their brand on the No. 22 Ford 150.”

For partnership or media inquiries, please contact marketing@teamreaume.com

— Team Reaume —

Bowman said the decision had been on his mind for years and that he wanted to finish his career on a stronger note than the current season has provided.

“Yeah, I mean, I think for me, it’s always been in this time frame. I would say like kind of this three-year block. Whether it was 2026, ‘27 or ‘28, that’s something we’ve talked about for a really long time and what I’ve always had circled. I think with what went on in March, I feel like in my head, I had looked at this year being it quite a bit. But yeah, just trying to make the best decision for me and obviously the best decision for Hendrick Motorsports. I think I really want to end on a more positive note than kind of how this year has been, so that gave me a little more motivation to come back and go one more year. I think it is better for me, personally. It’s better for Hendrick Motorsports.”

While injuries have been part of Bowman’s career, he said they were not the primary factor in his decision to step away.

“I think for me – health-wise, mental health-wise, kind of everything – this is what I needed to do that was best for me and things I want to do outside of the car. I think also, if it was my choice, I wouldn’t have made a retirement announcement. I would have just raced until the end of next year and disappeared, but that’s not how this sport works.”

Later, Bowman reiterated that retirement was always part of his long-term plan.

“This really isn’t a physical thing. I think if I would have had no injuries over the last 10 years, this time frame was still going to be this time frame. This is kind of always what I wanted. This sport has given me a lot. I love this sport, obviously. I love NASCAR racing. I think the guys that race forever, that’s super cool. That just was never going to be me. I’m excited for what the rest of my life holds. I’m honestly really just ready to be a normal person, in a lot of ways.”

Following his driving career, Bowman said he expects to remain with Hendrick Motorsports in a performance-related role while also pursuing opportunities to race other types of cars.

Transcript from Chevrolet Racing.

Toppin will drive the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT and lead the field around the iconic 2.5-mile oval to start the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 495-horsepower Corvette accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, offering an ideal blend of high performance and iconic design.

Toppin, the eighth overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft and 2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, was acquired by the Pacers in 2023 and was an integral part of the teams that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and the NBA Finals in 2025. In three seasons in Indiana, he has averaged 11 points, four rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 54 percent from the field.

Prior to joining the NBA, Toppin had breakout success in his sophomore season (2019-20) of college with the University of Dayton of Dayton, Ohio. He earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and National College Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He also earned the John Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Award and Naismith Trophy, as well as unanimous All-America First Team selection.

“Basketball and motorsports — Pacers and racers — go hand in hand in Indianapolis,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Obi joins us to pace the field as NASCAR‘s biggest stars compete to win the In-Season Challenge and add their name to the history books with a win at the Brickyard.”

The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG is the final race in the five-race NASCAR In-Season Challenge. The winner takes home a $1 million bonus. Catch the race live on TNT Sports at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, July 26.

Visit IMS.com for ticket information for Brickyard Weekend on July 24-26.

— Indianapolis Motor Speedway —

The team is understood to have Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch at the top of its wish list for 2028 to replace Bowman, according to people familiar with the matter, and there had been heavy industry chatter in recent months about whether HMS would try to negotiate a deal with Trackhouse to get Zilisch in for 2027. The Athletic and Fox Sports had previously reported Hendrick‘s interest in Zilisch.

In replacing Bowman for 2028, HMS could also pursue the rising Corey Day, who already has a relationship with the team.

— Sports Business Journal —

Instead, there is just one name Hendrick is focusing on: Connor Zilisch, the just-turned 20-year-old in his rookie season with Trackhouse Racing and who, despite a rocky first year in Cup, has many within the garage believing he possesses the kind of talent that one day will see him holding the Cup championship trophy.

This pursuit of Zilisch by Hendrick has already begun in earnest, according to multiple industry sources familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly, including a recent meeting between Hendrick and Trackhouse regarding Zilisch‘s availability. Nothing is known to be signed, and Zilisch is to remain with Trackhouse in 2027 to fulfill the final year of his contract, but talks between all three parties are ongoing. The expectation is that the sides will reach a deal for Zilisch to drive for Hendrick in 2028. Some of those sources even consider it a “lock.”

— The Athletic —

TNT Sports will present the Championship Round of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge this Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland will go head-to-head at the Brickyard 400 from the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman has earned eight points-paying Cup Series victories and qualified for the playoffs seven times since 2018. The Tucson, Arizona, native also started 10 Cup Series races for the team in 2016 while filling in for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. and served as its primary simulator testing driver in 2017.

The 2027 Cup Series campaign will be Bowman‘s 10th with Hendrick Motorsports.

“Alex has meant so much to our organization for a long time,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports . “He‘s overcome adversity, won big races and represented our team and partners with professionalism, personality and class. Alex is a tremendous talent in the race car and an even better person outside of it. We‘re proud he‘ll have the opportunity to finish his full-time career with us on his terms. He‘s family.”

Ally Financial has been Bowman‘s primary sponsor since 2021.

“Ever since Alex became part of the Ally family, it was clear he was someone special — not just behind the wheel, but in the way he represents everything Ally stands for. We‘ve been with him through the wins, the challenges and the moments that define a career, and we couldn‘t be prouder of the legacy we‘ve built together,” said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and PR officer at Ally. “The No. 48 Ally Chevrolet means something to our employees, our customers and our fans, and knowing we get one final season with Alex to compete for wins in 2027 makes it all the more meaningful. He will be deeply missed on the track, and we couldn‘t be more supportive of him as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his life.”

Bowman, 33, will eclipse 400 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series next season. He has competed in 307 races for Hendrick Motorsports, ranking sixth in team history.

“I‘ve spent a lot of time thinking about what‘s next, and this feels like the right decision at the right time,” Bowman said. “The sport asks a lot of you, and I‘ve learned it‘s important to listen to your body and make the right choices for yourself. To say I‘m incredibly grateful to Mr. Hendrick, our partners at Ally and Chevrolet, and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports would be an understatement. They believed in me and gave me the biggest opportunity of my life.

“My focus now is on making the most of my time on the racetrack and competing for wins. We still have a lot to accomplish, and I want to close my career on a high note for our team and our fans. To have the chance to do that with this organization and these people is really special.”

— Hendrick Motorsports —

The “Plan Ahead” page features detailed information about the entire fan experience at IMS, including directions, parking, schedule, gate regulations, digital ticket and parking guides, ADA accessibility and much more.

All Speedway patrons should be aware of the following to ensure a successful day at the track:

16th Street Bridge Closure

The 16th Street bridge over White River is closed. Guests should plan to use 10th Street, Michigan Street, New York Street or Washington Street bridges over White River and take White River Parkway north to 16th Street. Guests also can continue on 10th Street to Tibbs Avenue and turn north toward 16th Street. Gate 2 is credential-only both Saturday and Sunday, meaning all guests must have a pre-paid parking pass. Gate 2 is not accessible from the west, so guests should plan to arrive from the east and turn right into Tunnel 2.

Guests also may use the newly reopened 30th Street bridge and enter the facility from the north side of the racetrack through Gate 10. Free parking is available in the North 40 (Lot 7). Additionally, Turn 3 infield parking should be accessed through Gate 10. Gate 10 will allow both east and west bound traffic to turn into the gate.

Tickets

Tickets for Brickyard Weekend are available for purchase at IMS.com.

• Friday, July 25: $25 for General Admission seating to see NASCAR Cup Series and O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series practice. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult in General Admission locations.

• Saturday, July 26: $45 for General Admission for Pennzoil 250 presented by Take 5 Oil Change qualifying and race and Brickyard 400 presented by PPG qualifying in the infield viewing mounds only. Flex seating locations are available in H Stand (Sections 1-6), North Vista ADA (Sections 26-30), Northwest Vista (Sections 16-20), Paddock (Sections 9-18), South Terrace and ADA, South Terrace East ADA and Southwest Vista (Sections 1-10). for $65 per adult. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult in General Admission and Flex seating locations. Reserved seats range from $65-153.

• Sunday, July 27: $50 for General Admission for the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG in the infield viewing mounds only. Flex seating locations are available in A Stand (All Sections), H Stand (Sections 1-6), North Vista ADA (Sections 26-30), Northwest Vista (Sections 16-20), Paddock (Sections 9-18), South Terrace and ADA, South Terrace East ADA and Southwest Vista (Sections 1-10) for $75 per adult. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult in General Admission and Flex seating locations. Reserved seats range from $65-205.

Public Parking

Parking for Brickyard Weekend is available in a variety of locations inside and around the track. Parking can be purchased on-site or in advance. Race fans can visit IMS.com to purchase available parking passes.

Friday Parking

• Free parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40) and Turn 3 Infield. Race fans can enter through Gate 2, or Gate 10 from 30th Street. Free ADA parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40) and the infield in the Tower, Flag and West Museum lots. Motorcycle parking is free in the South Carousel Lot. Paid parking and ADA parking available in Lot 2 for $10.

Saturday Parking

• Free parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40). Race fans must enter through Gate 10 from 30th Street.
• Paid parking is available in Lot 1B, Lot 2, Lot 3G and Main Gate for $20, Turn 3 Infield for $25 (prepaid only), Lot 6A for $40, Gate 1 (Parcel B) for $75 and Gate 1 Tailgating for $125. ADA parking is $25 for inside lots and $20 for outside lots. Motorcycle parking (pre-paid only) is $20 in the South Carousel Lot.

Sunday Parking

• Free parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40). Race fans must enter through Gate 10 from 30th Street.
• Paid parking is available in Lot 1B, Lot 2, Lot 3G and Main Gate for $20, Turn 3 Infield for $25 (prepaid only), Lot 6A for $40, Gate 1 (Parcel B) for $75 and Gate 1 Tailgating for $125. ADA parking is $25 for inside lots and $20 for outside lots. Motorcycle parking (pre-paid only) is $20 in the South Carousel Lot.

Cashless Operations

IMS is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.

Pedestrian Gate Entry

Friday

• Public pedestrian gates open: 1, 2, 4, 6S, 7, 7S, 10, 10A

Saturday

• Public pedestrian gates open: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6S, 7, 7S, 9, 10, 10A, 11A

Sunday

• Public pedestrian gates open: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6N, 6S, 7, 7S, 9, 10, 10A, 11A

Fans attending IMS for the Brickyard Weekend will pass through magnetometers as part of the gate entry process.

Water Stations

IMS will have five water bottle filling stations located throughout the facility on Race Day in Turns 1, 2 and 4, as well as behind Tower Terrace and in the Garage Area.

Sam‘s Club Fan Midway

The Sam‘s Club Fan Midway features several exciting, fan-friendly activities, including NASCAR driver appearances. The Midway, located in the infield behind Tower Terrace, will be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Click here for more information.

IMS Museum

General admission tickets for the IMS Museum are $25, seniors (55 and over) are $23, and military (former and active) are $18. Tickets can be purchased online at https://imsmuseum.org/tickets/. Museum hours for Brickyard Weekend:

• Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Weekend Street Parking

Parking restrictions in the Town of Speedway will be enforced during Brickyard Weekend. No parking will be allowed on the south and east sides of any street bound by 25th Street on the north, Georgetown Road on the east, Lynhurst Drive on the west and Crawfordsville Road on the south from 6 p.m. Friday through 8 p.m. Sunday.

Click here for more information on weekend street parking restrictions in the Town of Speedway.

Additional Road Closures:

Race fans should be aware of multiple road closures before making their way to IMS during Brickyard Weekend. Those include:

• Speedway Police Department will close Georgetown Road to vehicular traffic south of 25th Street 30 minutes before the start of the Pennzoil 250 presented by Take 5 Oil Change on Saturday, July 25 and 30 minutes before the start of the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG on Sunday, July 26.

• Speedway Police Department also will close 16th Street between Olin Avenue and the roundabout 30 minutes before the start of the Pennzoil 250 presented by Take 5 Oil Change and the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG. Additionally, 16th Street will not be accessible from Polco Street, as it will be blocked at 10th Street. Traffic traveling east on Crawfordsville Road from the west will be turned around at the 16th Street roundabout. Traffic traveling west on 16th Street from downtown will be diverted south on Olin Avenue.

Additional Resources and Information

Drivers can learn the locations of work zones and highway restrictions by viewing an online map here or visiting @TrafficWise on X.

No coolers larger than 18 inches by 15 inches by 15 inches can be brought into the facility, which will be strictly enforced. Fans will be allowed to bring one cooler and one standard backpack or book bag per person.

For more information regarding access to IMS, visit IMS.com. For additional information, follow on X the Indiana State Police @IndStatePolice, the Speedway Police Department @SpeedwayPD or listen to radio stations WFNI-FM 107.5/WFNI-AM 1070 or WIBC-FM 93.1.

The Speedway Police Department can be reached for non-emergency services by dialing 311 on a cell phone. The goal of 311 is to provide an easy-to-remember number for non-emergency services while freeing up 911 lines for timely emergency response.

— IMS —

Stewart Friesen and Tyler Ankrum are tied for the final berth, with Friesen holding the tiebreaker, but the determining factor over the next three races will be performance on tracks of one mile in length or shorter.

The Truck Series heads to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for Friday night‘s TSport 200 presented by Warn Industries (8 p.m. ET on FS1, NRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Recently, the 0.686-mile oval has been the province of series leader and defending winner Layne Riggs and two-time winner Ty Majeski (2023-2024).

But Friesen and Ankrum will stage their own show as they battle for a berth in the postseason. Ankrum lost ground with consecutive finishes of 31st on the Naval Base Coronado Street Course, 25th at Lime Rock Park and 19th last Saturday at North Wilkesboro.

“It has been tough the last couple weeks, to say the least, but we are not focusing on the negatives and only throwing forward the positives,” Ankrum said. “This No. 18 (McAnally Hilgemann Racing) team has put in so much work at the shop and at the track to give us what we need to stay in contention in these races, and I‘m extremely confident our day will come soon.

“We‘re in rough shape with just three races remaining before the Chase, but if we can just knock out a few solid points races here in the next month, we will be good to go.”

Riggs, on the other hand, is in excellent shape entering a race he won last year. His second-place run at North Wilkesboro bumped his lead in the standings over second-place Kaden Honeycutt to 59 points.

Majeski is sixth in the standings, 67 points behind fifth-place Gio Ruggiero, but the 2024 series champion will look to make a significant move over the next three races—on his three best oval tracks by average finish: IRP, 3.75 in four starts; Richmond Raceway, 2.0 in four starts; and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, fifth in his only start.

— NASCAR News Wire —

“If they‘re making it a David vs. Goliath story, that‘s not good for me,” Blaney quipped. “I recall that David won that battle.”

Clearly, Blaney is the Goliath in the equation. The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford is a two-time winner this season, most recently at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) on July 12. Blaney and teammate Joey Logano have combined to win the last two races in the Cup Series.

Gilliland, on the other hand, has never won a NASCAR Cup Series race. In 165 starts, he has scored two top fives—one at the Indianapolis Grand Prix Course and one at Talladega Superspeedway.

Yet Gilliland has survived the first four rounds of the In-Season Challenge. In the semifinals last Sunday at North Wilkesboro Speedway, he finished eighth and took advantage of a mid-cycle caution to oust Chase Elliott.

“I definitely think we‘ve had luck on our side, but if you get past four or five drivers at this point, it‘s always going to take a little bit of luck,” Gilliland said. “I felt our speed was much better at North Wilkesboro, so I feel like we earned that one more.

“I‘m excited about it. It‘s been something fun for my team to focus on. They‘re pushing super hard for Indianapolis, so it‘s been cool to see those guys rise up to the occasion, and we‘re hoping for one more really good week.”

The In-Season Challenge, of course, is far from the only drama at Indianapolis this weekend. Five races remain before the cutoff for the postseason Chase, and the race for the final spots gained a bit of clarity at North Wilkesboro.

Austin Cindric finished 14th to hold the 16th position in the standings, the last Chase-eligible spot, by 33 points over 17th-place Erik Jones. That‘s the largest gap all season between drivers in those two positions.

Nevertheless, there‘s the prospect for extreme volatility in the standings, as exemplified by series leader Denny Hamlin‘s charge from 129 points behind Tyler Reddick to 68 points ahead over the course of nine races.

Even with Hamlin expanding his points lead, however, Blaney has gained on the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Over the last five races, Blaney, the third-place driver in the standings, has cut 78 points off Hamlin‘s advantage—from 165 points behind to 87.

Defending Brickyard 400 winner Bubba Wallace is 13th in the standings with a relatively comfortable 69-point margin above the current cut line, but another strong showing at the iconic 2.5-mile oval would solidify his position even further.

“Just beginning to relive that and bring up those conversations has been fun,” Wallace said of his most recent Cup Series victory. “We‘ve had a lot of speed every time we‘ve shown up at Indy, so, yeah, looking forward to it.”

In 2024, the NASCAR Cup Series returned to the Indianapolis oval after a three-year absence, with Kyle Larson winning the race. Larson, who finished second last year, comes to the Brickyard this season in the throes of a 45-race winless streak.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Brent Crews and Taylor Gray currently occupy the 11th and 12th positions in the standings, but 13th-place Rajah Caruth is only 17 points behind Gray and 18 behind Crews with Indianapolis, Iowa Speedway and Daytona International Speedway left on the regular-season schedule.

Another Gibbs teammate, William Sawalich, trails Gray by just 21 points.

The race to the postseason aside, there‘s one truism about the Indianapolis oval that has been consistent in each of the past 10 O‘Reilly Series races there: speed in qualifying translates into performance in the event itself.

In 2012, Brad Keselowski won from the eighth starting position. Last year, Connor Zilisch won from seventh on the grid. In between, all eight winners have come from the top three starting positions, four from the pole.

Justin Allgaier is the only former Brickyard winner in the field for Saturday‘s race, having triumphed at the track in 2018. With six victories this season, the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet already has clinched the top seed in the Chase, but Indy remains a significant venue to the Riverton, Illinois driver.

“Indianapolis is such a special track,” said Allgaier, who had contemplated retirement after the current season but recently signed an extension with JRM. “With the history that comes with being here, it‘s always been a place that we circle on the calendar.

“We came close here last year (leading 37 laps before a late crash), and there‘s nothing I would love more than another opportunity to kiss the bricks come Saturday afternoon.”

Allgaier will have plenty of competition within his own team. Full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott both are driving JRM cars.

In 34 aggregate starts on the Indianapolis oval, beginning in 2012, JR Motorsports has recorded three wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s and an average finish of 14.1.

A single top 10 for JRM on Saturday would constitute a significant milestone. The organization has placed at least one car in the top 10 for 78 consecutive races, one short of the record set by RFK Racing from 2008-2010.

— NASCAR News Wire —

“The 2026 event was our best yet. Spectator attendance was tremendous on all three days to witness history made with the NASCAR Trucks racing for the first time on a street circuit and INDYCAR kicking off its season once again,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “We look forward to having both of these series back together on track for our fans to enjoy at the 23rd annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend.”

Four-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou won for the second consecutive year in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1st to open the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The first ever NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series street race held on the temporary downtown St. Pete circuit was won by Layne Riggs on February 28th in the OnlyBulls Green Flag 150.

Tickets for the 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend will go on sale in the fall. Ongoing event updates will be posted at gpstpete.com.

— Green Savoree Racing Promotions —

The Fleetio 200 will serve as the opening race of NASCAR‘s Labor Day Weekend at the track Too Tough to Tame. It will also act as a thrilling kickoff of The Chase for the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series. The race will showcase many of the sport‘s top rising stars competing on the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval under the Saturday night lights.

“Fleetio is a great addition to our race weekend, and we‘re excited to welcome them as the entitlement partner of the Fleetio 200,” said Josh Harris, President of Darlington Raceway. “Their commitment to helping organizations operate more efficiently aligns with the innovation and performance that define NASCAR. We look forward to showcasing this partnership at the track as we kick off an exciting Labor Day weekend of racing for our fans.”

Fleetio‘s comprehensive fleet ecosystem simplifies maintenance workflows by automating service schedules, centralizing asset data, and streamlining parts, fuel, and tool management. With timely AI-powered recommendations and expert insights, fleets can make more informed decisions with greater confidence.

“Every fleet is racing the clock to keep vehicles moving, and no one understands that better than a NASCAR pit crew,” said Jon Meachin, CEO of Fleetio. “The Fleetio 200 at Darlington is our way of celebrating the maintenance teams, technicians, and fleet professionals behind the scenes who make the critical decisions that keep their fleets ready to roll.”

The Fleetio 200 on Saturday, Sept. 5, serves as a power-packed opening act for one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events, the Cook Out Southern 500. The opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase is set for Sunday, Sept. 6, as the top drivers in the world seek to etch their name on the Johnny Mantz Trophy. Tickets for all racing action can be purchased at www.darlingtonraceway.com.

— Darlington Raceway —

Cruise is on board to star in the follow-up to his 1990 racing drama and is producing with Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the producers of the original. The feature is intended to be Cruise‘s next production.

…

Days of Thunder was a reteaming of Cruise with his Top Gun helmer Tony Scott, and while it didn‘t fly as high as the latter, it still proved to be among the more memorable Cruise outings. The actor played hotshot NASCAR racer Cole Trickle who lives life on the fast lane, while crashing cars, finding love and winning Daytona 500s.

…

Details for the new story are being kept under the hood but the script is written by Will Staples, who has written video games such as Call of Duty 3: Modern Warfare, and co-wrote the Michael B. Jordan action movie Without Remorse.

— Hollywood Reporter —

The revised format will remain in place for the balance of the 2026 season at events not already designated as superspeedway or extended-practice weekends. Homestead-Miami Speedway, which is scheduled to feature an extended practice session ahead of the 2026 season finale, will not be affected by the change.

…

All entered cars will participate in the same 50-minute session, replacing the divided-group format used at most Cup Series events. The session will not include a mandated break.

Impound procedures will remain in effect, meaning teams will face restrictions on adjustments following qualifying. NASCAR also will add an additional set of practice tires to each applicable weekend allotment to accommodate the increased track time.

— NASCAR.com —

NOTE: NASCAR has implemented the change after reports last week that Cup Series practice time would be expanded. Read our previous story: NASCAR expected to double Cup Series practice time.

The partnership marks another chapter in the long-standing relationship between Bilicki and Zeigler Auto Group, a company that has supported the Wisconsin native throughout his NASCAR career. The iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway provides the perfect stage for the two to continue their partnership at one of the most prestigious venues in all of motorsports.

“Having Zeigler Auto Group back on board for Indianapolis is really special,” said Bilicki. “They’ve believed in me for years, and it’s always exciting to represent a company that has become such a valued partner both on and off the racetrack. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is such a special place to race, so to have Zeigler alongside us makes this weekend even more meaningful.”

Headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI, Zeigler Auto Group has grown into one of the nation’s largest privately owned automotive dealer groups, representing dozens of franchises across multiple states while maintaining a commitment to exceptional customer service and community involvement.

“Josh is the kind of driver who represents what we value at Zeigler—hard work, perseverance, and making the most of every opportunity,“ said Aaron Zeigler, president of Zeigler Auto Group.
“We‘re thrilled to be along for the ride this Saturday as he gets behind the wheel of the 07 Zeigler.com Camaro.“

Bilicki enters Indianapolis looking to continue building momentum during the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season with SS Green Light Racing. The 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway has hosted NASCAR’s biggest stars and remains one of the sport’s crown jewel venues.

Fans can watch Bilicki and the No. 07 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet compete in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Saturday, July 25th at 4PM ET. The race will air live on The CW Network, with radio coverage available on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— Josh Bilicki Racing —

UHP‘s central mission is transforming service members and veterans into leaders through immersive, high-impact programs centered on human performance, leadership development, and real-world skill building.

UHP recently launched the UHP Skilled Trades Institute, a veteran-focused, accelerated industrial trade school training veterans as electricians, welders, and HVAC technicians in a five-week program on UHP’s 800-acre campus in Northwest Arkansas. Graduates leave with nationally recognized credentials, hands-on experience, and the personal development to build careers as industrial technicians.

“Racing is a trade,” said UHP Founder and CEO Matt Hesse. “Every car on that track exists because somebody welded it, wired it, tuned it, and got it right under pressure with a clock running. That is exactly what we build at the UHP Skilled Trades Institute. We teach veterans to work with their hands at a professional standard, and there is no better stage for that than a NASCAR Cup Series car on a Saturday night in Richmond.”

The UHP Skilled Trades Institute program provides a pathway for veterans into high-demand careers in the skilled trades in a five-week format that delivers what traditional community colleges take six to 12 months to facilitate. It is also a subsidiary of UHP, which has helped thousands of veterans transition from military to civilian life, since its founding in 2021, through health and human-performance programming.

UHP‘s long-term vision for the UHP Skilled Trades Institute is to train thousands of veterans per year and connect them to high-demand, skilled trade careers.

Before the 2026 season, a contingent of Spire Motorsports team members, including drivers, crew chiefs, select competition and front office personnel, spent three days at UHP‘s vast Gentry, Ark., facility. The group was put through a set of rigorous physical trials while also focusing on nutrition, team building and mental health.

“I‘m really happy to have UHP on the car,” explained Suárez. “What they do for veterans and service members is incredibly meaningful, and it‘s an honor to carry their mission into a race weekend. I can‘t wait to showcase them on our car at Richmond. Back in January, our team spent three days at the UHP facility in Arkansas. I was there with my teammates Carson Hocevar, Michael McDowell, our crew chiefs, engineers, the competition team, and a group from our business office, and it was a really valuable start to the season. We pushed each other through some intense workouts, stayed on a clean diet all week, and spent a lot of time just getting to know each other away from the racetrack. Being in that kind of environment helps you understand how your teammates think and communicate, and that builds real trust. By the end of those three days, it felt like we‘d already built a stronger connection that we could carry into the season.”

The Monterrey, Mexico native and 2026 Coca-Cola 600 winner is having a breakout season on the strength of one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes and currently sits 11th in points with 15 races remaining to determine this year‘s champion. Meanwhile, Suárez has averaged a 14.6 finish across 21 races so far and has only finished outside the top 20 four times.

In 16 previous Cup Series starts at the iconic 0.75-mile Richmond oval, Suárez has logged five top 10s including a pair of venue/series best seventh-place finishes, the most recent of which came last August. He‘s recorded a 16.6 average finish and completed 99.8 percent of the laps at Richmond Raceway since his 2017 rookie season.

“Daniel Suárez is the right person to represent the skilled trades and the determination of our military veterans,” added Hesse. “He outworked the doubt, and our students recognize that immediately. ‘Ignite America‘ is not a slogan to us. It is what happens when you put in the hard work it takes to win, and when we put veterans back to work doing something that matters for our great nation.”

The NASCAR Cup Series 400-lap race from Richmond Raceway will be televised live on USA, Saturday, August 15 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 24th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

— Spire Motorsports —

Talking to SiriusXM NASCAR on Wednesday morning, Freeze said, “We want Noah back at Front Row, and I feel pretty good about it. You know, we’re working through the last details in his agreement, so I feel pretty good about it. You know, I’d look for something out of us in a few weeks on that.”

…

“So, you know, like I said, there’s always pieces of the puzzle that has just all got to mesh and come together, and we believe in Noah and look for him to be at Front Row for the foreseeable future.”

.@Team_FRM General Manager Jerry Freeze provides an update on @NoahGragson's future with the team for 2027.

🗣️ "We're working through the last details in his agreement […] I look for something out of us in a few weeks on that."

More → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/WLNODuMLXu

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 22, 2026

The partnership puts Flex Power‘s portable power line front and center on the No. 55 Chevrolet, piloted by owner-driver Joey Gase, at one of the most storied venues in American motorsports. As primary sponsor, Flex Power will anchor the car‘s paint scheme and reach hundreds of thousands of fans on-site along with a national television audience during one of the sport‘s biggest weekends.

The Brickyard continues a season of Flex Power showing up at the track and putting its name in front of racing fans across the country, and it won‘t be the last. The brand has activated at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta in both February and again earlier this month, as well as at Michigan International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Indianapolis marks its most prominent appearance yet, stepping up from a trackside presence to a primary sponsorship on the car, with more to come as part of a growing commitment to the sport.

“RVMP Flex Power is honored to partner with Joey Gase Motorsports. We realize NASCAR is a wonderful venue to interact with our existing RV customers, engage with new customers, and participate in Americana at its finest. This is the beginning of a long term and substantial investment for our brand,” said Jimmy Conroy II, Chief Executive Officer, RV Mobile Power.

For Joey Gase, the Brickyard continues a career defined as much by advocacy as by results. The veteran driver and team owner is a longtime supporter of organ and tissue donation awareness, a cause he carries with him at tracks across the country.

“We‘re excited to welcome Flex Power to our team for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Whether you‘re heading to the racetrack, the campground, or getting ready for whatever life throws your way, having dependable power makes all the difference. We‘re proud to represent a brand that‘s built around performance, reliability, and helping people stay powered wherever their adventures take them. Indianapolis is such a historic venue, and we‘re ready to put together a strong weekend for everyone who has made this partnership possible. We appreciate Flex Power‘s support and can‘t wait to get on track,” said Joey Gase.

The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Pennzoil 250 is scheduled for Saturday, July 25 at 4 p.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with television coverage on The CW and radio on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 presented by PPG closes out the weekend on Sunday, July 26.

— Joey Gase Motorsports —

“It‘s exciting to have Brantley Gilbert headline our Saturday Night Concert as part of The Chase triple-header weekend at Talladega Superspeedway” said Josh Harris, Region President, Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway. “Brantley brings unmatched passion to his high-energy performances and fans are in for an unforgettable night before our drivers battle in Sunday‘s YellaWood 500.”

A Georgia native, Gilbert is known as one of the most popular artists in the country music scene, debuting in 2009. Gilbert has accumulated numerous accolades throughout his illustrious career including 8.3 billion career streams and seven No. 1 hits including the RIAA 7x Platinum “Bottoms Up;” 2x Platinum “Country Must Be Country Wide;” 2x Platinum “You Don‘t Know Her Like I Do;” 2x Platinum “One Hell of An Amen;” and the Platinum-certified “What Happens In A Small Town” with Lindsay Ell. Gilbert is also an ACM, CMA and AMA award winner.

Gilbert is also known for collaborating with other pioneers of country music including Thomas Rhett, Justin Moore, Jelly Roll and more. Gilbert has also written songs that artists Colt Ford and Jason Aldean have recorded (4x Platinum “Dirt Road Anthem” and 4x Platinum “My Kinda Party”). Gilbert is currently on the Real American Tour and recently announced and expansion that will keep him on the road through November 2026.

On July 24, Gilbert is set to release his eighth studio album SINS OF THE FATHER, his first full-length project with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. The 15-track collection marks his most personal album yet, continuing the honest songwriting and hard-hitting sound that have become trademarks of his career. Lead single “GOOD DAMN” is currently climbing the charts at Country radio.

The Chase race action at Talladega Superspeedway kicks off Friday, October 23, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Love‘s RV Stop 225 followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series The Progress Group 250 on Saturday, October 24.

The excitement continues into Sunday, Oct. 25, with the return of the YellaWood 500 during as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers prepare to tackle the iconic 33-degree banking.

For ticketing information and more details about upcoming events, including the YellaWood 500 race weekend, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

Fans are also encouraged to keep up with all the happenings at Talladega Superspeedway by following along on X, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as in the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest speedway news.

— Talladega Superspeedway —

At Indianapolis Motor Speedway Stats & Tidbits:

TRACK & RACE DATA
Season Race #: 22 of 36 (July 26, 2026)
Track Length: 2.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Banking/Turns (all four): 9 degrees
Banking/Straights: 0 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 3,330 feet
Backstretch Length: 3,300 feet
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Stages 1 Length: 50 laps
Stages 2 Length: 50 laps (Ends on Lap 100)
Final Stage Length: 60 laps (Ends on Lap 160)

TRACK QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 188.889 mph, 47.647 secs., (Set in Round 1 of 3), July 25, 2014

Track Race Record (160 laps/400 miles):
Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 155.912 mph, (02:33:56), August 5, 2000

2025 Pole Winner (Most Recent):
Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 183.165 mph, 49.136 secs., July 26, 2025

2025 Race Winner (Most Recent):
Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 124.598 mph, (03:22:015), July 27, 2025

TRACK HISTORY

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has existed since 1909, and is the original “Speedway”, the first racing facility to incorporate the word into its name.
• Located just west of downtown Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the third oldest permanent automobile race track in the world, behind Brooklands and the Milwaukee Mile.
• With a permanent seating capacity for more than 250,000-plus people and infield seating that raises capacity to an approximate 400,000, it is the largest and highest-capacity sporting facility in history.
• The track is a 2.5-mile long rectangular shaped oval.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was August 6, 1994. The first Cup race was won by Hendrick Motorsport‘s driver Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 Chevrolet. Gordon led 93 laps in the 160 lap event and beat Brett Bodine to the finish line by 0.530-second to win. The average speed of the race was 131.977 mph, and it took 3 hours, 1 minute and 51 seconds to complete.
• In total, there have been 29 NASCAR Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; one per year from 1994 through 2020.
• From 2021 — 2023, the NASCAR Cup Series did not compete on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval but instead competed on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course producing three different winners — AJ Allmendinger (2021), Tyler Reddick (2022) and Michael McDowell (2023).
• This season marks the third time since 2020 the Cup Series has competed on the oval (2024-2026).

STARTS

• A total of 186 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• A total of 148 different drivers have competed in more than one NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 23.
• The top five in Cup starts at Indianapolis (All-Time): Jeff Gordon (23), Bobby Labonte (21), Jeff Burton (20), Kevin Harvick (20), Kurt Busch (20), Mark Martin (20), Matt Kenseth (20), Ryan Newman (20).
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 17.
• Top five in Cup Starts at Indianapolis (Active): Denny Hamlin (17), Joey Logano (14), Brad Keselowski (13), Michael McDowell (13) and AJ Allmendinger (12).
• A total of three different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their series debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — Danny Sullivan (8/6/1994), Geoff Brabham (8/6/1994), Ron Barfield Jr. (8/3/1997).
• Of the three drivers that made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ron Barfield Jr. posted the best finish with a 22nd-place result on August 3, 1997. Barfield started in the 23rd position.

Average Starting Position

• Ty Gibbs (two starts) leads all NASCAR Cup Series drivers in average starting position at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a 5.5.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 21 different drivers have won the pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Driver Rick Mast won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994 with a speed of 172.414 mph. Mast, driving a Richard Jackson owned Ford, led two laps and finished 22nd in the event.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (1995, 1996, 1999) and Kevin Harvick (2003, 2014, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with three poles each.
• A total of three of the 21 all-time Indianapolis Motor Speedway Cup Series pole winners are active this weekend:

• Of the 21 Cup Series pole winners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, only three have won consecutive poles: Jeff Gordon (1995-1996), Ernie Irvan (1997-1998) and Kyle Busch (2016-2017).
• Youngest Cup Series Indianapolis pole winner: Reed Sorenson (July 29, 2007 — 21 years, 5 months, 24 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Indianapolis pole winner: Mark Martin (July 26, 2009 — 50 years, 6 months, 17 days).
• Reed Sorenson (07/29/07) is the only driver to post his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• A total of 11 different organizations have won the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Five of the 11 NASCAR Cup Series organizations with poles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are active this weekend (Noted in the chart below in bold).

• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with six poles among five drivers: Tony Stewart (2002), Denny Hamlin (2012), Carl Edwards (2015), Kyle Busch (2016, 2017), Chase Briscoe (2025).
• Four different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 10 poles, followed by Ford (seven), Toyota (six), Dodge (two), and Pontiac (2).
• Most consecutive poles by a manufacturer at Indianapolis in the Cup Series is three — Toyota (2015-2017) and Chevrolet (2008-2010).

WINS

• A total of 17 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Six of the 17 Indianapolis Cup winners have won multiple times at the 2.5-mile rectangular-shaped oval track.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994. Gordon ran 400 miles (160 laps) in 3 hours, 1 minute and 51 seconds with an average speed of 131.977 MPH driving the famed Hendrick Motorsports‘ No. 24 Chevrolet. He started from the third position and led 93 laps enroute to the victory.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with five victories (1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014) — all with Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.
• This weekend, three of the 17 NASCAR Cup Series Indianapolis Motor Speedway race winners are active.

• Jimmie Johnson (2008-09) and Kyle Busch (2015-16) are the only two drivers to win consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Youngest Cup Series Indianapolis winner: Jeff Gordon (August 6, 1994 — 23 years, 0 months, 2 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Indianapolis winner: Bill Elliott (August 4, 2002 — 46 years, 9 months, 27 days).
• On July 31, 2011, Paul Menard became the first and only NASCAR Cup Series driver to post his first career win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Indianapolis without visiting Victory Lane at 17; followed by Joey Logano (14), Michael McDowell (13) and AJ Allmendinger (12).
• A total of 17 different starting positions on the grid have resulted in wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (five) than any other starting position at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series — a 17.24% winning percentage.
• Four drivers have won from the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (2003, 2019), Jimmie Johnson (2008), Ryan Newman (2013), Kyle Busch (2016).
• In 2016, Kyle Busch became the first driver in history to sweep both the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race from the pole and the NASCAR Cup Series race from the pole in the same weekend at Indianapolis.
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 27th, by Jeff Gordon in 2001.
• The deepest an active race winner has started at Indianapolis is sixth, by Brad Keselowski in 2018.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway‘s Brickyard 400 is considered one of the NASCAR Cup Series‘ Crown Jewel events, along with the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500. Only four drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history have won all four events in their careers — Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt.

• A total of 10 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 11 victories among four drivers: Jeff Gordon (five: 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014), Jimmie Johnson (four: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012), Kasey Kahne (one: 2017), Kyle Larson (one: 2024).

• Four different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 18 victories; followed by Ford with six, Toyota (three), Dodge (one) and Pontiac (one).
• The most consecutive wins by a manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 12 straight wins by Chevrolet from 2003 — 2014.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

• A total of 20 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with four second-place finishes.
• Joey Logano leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with two.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes

• A total of 51 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top fives at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 12.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top fives at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with six.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes

• A total of 76 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 17 top 10s.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-10 finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with nine.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish

• Todd Gilliland leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with an 6.0 in two starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Positions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 96 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 528 laps led in 23 starts.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active Cup Series drivers in laps led at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 153 laps led in 17 starts.
• Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by the race winner was 149 of the 170 laps completed (87.6%) on July 24, 2016, by race winner Kyle Busch.
• Most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by a driver that did not win the race was 116 of the scheduled 160 laps (72.5%) on July 26, 2009, by Juan Pablo Montoya; he started in second and finished 11th.
• The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by the race winner is just eight laps led on July 21, 2024, by Kyle Larson; he started the race from the fifth starting position.

LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• Most leaders in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 16 on July 27, 2008.
• Fewest leaders in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is three on July 24, 2016.
• Most lead changes in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 26 on July 27, 2008.
• Fewest lead changes in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is four on July 24, 2016.
• Five of the last 11 Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have resulted with the last pass for the lead occurring within 10 or less laps to go, and two events with the last passes for the lead happening with two laps to go.

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick became the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013.

Female Competitor Stats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Katherine Legge became the second female driver to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2025 — she started 38th and finished 17th.

TRACK SPECIFIC STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the August 3, 1997 race, that was won by Ricky Rudd over Bobby Labonte with a margin of victory of 0.183 second.

Top 10 Closest Margins of Victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series

• Since the advent of electronic scoring the largest margin of victory (MOV) in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the September 8, 2019 race, that was won by Kevin Harvick over Joey Logano with a margin of victory of 6.118 seconds.

Top Five Largest Margins of Victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series

• There have been seven NASCAR Cup Series races resulting with NASCAR Overtime at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since its inception into the series in 2004.

NASCAR Overtime Races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series

• Qualifying has been cancelled twice in the NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — in 2018 due to weather conditions and in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions.
• None of the 29 NASCAR Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
• The race has been postponed due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Cup Series to another date only once — the 2018 race was scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 9, but due to weather was not run till Monday, Sept. 10.
• The most cautions in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is 14 set in the July 23, 2017 race.
• The fewest cautions in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one set in the August 5, 1995 race.

NASCAR IN INDIANA

• There have been 99 NASCAR national series races among five tracks in the state of Indiana.
• Among the five tracks in Indiana, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park has hosted the most NASCAR national series events at 51.
• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Indiana was the NASCAR Cup Series event held on October 15, 1950 at Winchester ‘Funks‘ Speedway and the race was won by Loyd Moore (Mercury).

INDIANA DRIVERS IN NASCAR

• A total of 92 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Indiana.
• A total of 12 drivers from Indiana have won in NASCAR‘s national series, led by Tony Stewart with 62 combined national series wins.

— NASCAR —

The Miami, Fla., native will pull double duty this weekend and also race Peterson Racing‘s No. 87 Chevrolet in Saturday‘s 100-lap NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In 47 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, the 25-year-old has recorded seven poles, two victories, 13 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. Sanchez earned wins at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway during the 2024 season, leading 391 laps in Truck Series competition.

Sanchez has proven to be a strong contender at Indianapolis Raceway Park, earning two top-10 finishes in three career starts across CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ and ARCA Menards Series’ competition. The 25-year-old has posted Truck Series finishes of 10th and 11th, while finishing seventh in his lone ARCA Menards Series start.

“The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is always quite a bit different than the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and that‘s where I‘ve spent the bulk of my time over the last year-and-a-half. I think the biggest thing that is going to help is it‘s my old team from 2023 and 2024 when I ran in the Truck Series. I‘ll see a lot of familiar faces, and I think just understanding how they set up the trucks and what their goals are, it should be easy to acclimate quickly.”

— Spire Motorsports —

North Wilkesboro previously hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race the last three years, drawing 1.965 million viewers on FS1 in 2025, 2.573 million in 2024 and 2.20 million in 2023.

.@TNTSportsUS got 2.4 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro, the first points race there since 1996.

➡️ Wilkesboro was an All-Star Race in 2025 (1.965 million viewers on FS1), '24 (2.573 million on FS1) and '23 (2.20 million on FS1). pic.twitter.com/ibv2mbuj0t

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) July 21, 2026

Watch the trailer here.

From its roots on Southern back roads to its rise as a national institution, NASCAR AMERICANA traces the people and traditions that have shaped stock car racing. Each episode homes in on a theme which reveals how a regional pastime evolved into an American cultural phenomenon:

• Part 1 (August 9) — “Rebel Roots” traces NASCAR‘s origins from rebellious moonshiners to the founding of the sport in 1948, revealing how the DAYTONA 500 became an American tradition and how the 1979 edition transformed NASCAR into a national phenomenon. Part 1 follows third-generation NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney as he prepares for the 2026 DAYTONA 500.
• Part 2 (August 15) — From hometown dirt tracks to NASCAR‘s biggest stages, “Family Bonds” explores the love of racing that has united families across generations and made it one of America‘s most enduring communities. This episode features the first formal sit-down interview with Hall of Fame driver Kurt Busch since the sudden loss in May of his younger brother Kyle Busch, the all-time winningest driver across NASCAR‘s three national series. It focuses on the relationships that define NASCAR as drivers, teams, and fans come together to honor Busch at the 2026 Coca-Cola 600.
• Part 3 (August 23) — “Enduring Spirit” follows NASCAR‘s transformation from a regional pastime into a national institution while celebrating the patriotism and traditions that remain at its heart, proving that progress and heritage can race side by side. Part 3 explores modern day NASCAR through the eyes of five-time 2026 Cup Series winner and DAYTONA 500 champion Tyler Reddick and three-time Cup Series race winner Bubba Wallace at the 2026 Anduril 250, the first-ever race at a U.S. Naval Base.

The series leans on interviews and stories spanning generations of drivers, teams, and families to examine how NASCAR has reflected and shaped the culture, identity, and character of a changing nation. Prominent figures featured in the series include four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, country music star and NASCAR team co-owner Darius Rucker, actor turned stock car driver Frankie Muniz, and NFL Legend Manning.

The limited documentary series premieres on USA Network on August 9 at 7 p.m. ET, immediately following the Iowa Corn 350 post-race show. The Iowa Corn 350 is the first race of USA Sports‘ NASCAR coverage in 2026, which features 10 races live on USA Network. The second and third episodes of NASCAR AMERICANA will air on USA Network following live coverage of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, August 15 (7 p.m. ET), and the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, August 23 (3 p.m. ET).

Directed by Emmy-winner Max Gershberg (“Miracle: The Boys of ‘80”), NASCAR AMERICANA is produced by FULL SPEED ENTERTAINMENT, the production partnership between NASCAR Studios and Words + Pictures, which focuses on elevating the cultural footprint of NASCAR through bold storytelling, premium content, and large-scale specials. Words + Pictures is led by the creators and producers of the critically acclaimed documentary series The Last Dance and the Academy Award-winning documentary feature OJ: Made in America. NASCAR AMERICANA was also produced by Omaha Productions, Peyton Manning‘s media company dedicated to creating content that unifies and uplifts audiences.

— NASCAR —

The 18-year-old currently competes on a part-time basis in the ARCA Menards Series for Nitro Motorsports, driving the No. 25 Toyota Camry. In a handful of starts for the organization this year, Boschele has managed to pick up four top-fives (Kansas, Watkins Glen, Michigan, and Pocono), including a career-best runner-up result earlier this Summer at The Tricky Triangle.

According to Boschele‘s website, Indianapolis Raceway Park is the first of six NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events on the docket for the Mooresville, North Carolina-native this season, a schedule that also includes Richmond (August 14), New Hampshire (August 22), Kansas (October 9), Phoenix (October 16), and Martinsville (October 30).

— JosephSrigley.com—

Welcome to the show.

Rising prospect @GavanBoschele will join TRICON for a multi-race slate, starting at IRP 🙌 pic.twitter.com/9hl3LxhREf

— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) July 20, 2026

Gray has enjoyed success so far in his O‘Reilly Series career driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. He burst onto the scene with a third-place finish in his series debut at Richmond Raceway in March 2024. During his rookie season in 2025, Gray claimed his first career victory at Martinsville Speedway in October in addition to seven top-five finishes, 15 top-10s, and three pole awards. He finished the season seventh in the overall standings. Through 21 races this season, Gray has added his second career victory earlier this year at Kansas Speedway to go along with three top-five finishes, eight top-10s, and one pole award.

”I am super appreciative of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing for this opportunity,” said Gray. ”I feel like Jason (Ratcliff) and I have developed a really strong relationship that goes beyond racing. He has been a great mentor to me and helped me a ton both on and off the track. And overall, our team continues to grow and improve, so I‘m excited about the rest of this season and next year working together again.”

Gray is a part Joe Gibbs Racing‘s rich O‘Reilly Series history. JGR has claimed 224 O‘Reilly Series victory — most in series history. He is one of 25 different drivers who have taken JGR to victory lane and one of 16 drivers who scored their first series‘ win while driving for the team. The organization has earned four O‘Reilly Series driver championships and seven owners‘ championships.

”We are excited to have Taylor back with us next season,” said Heather Gibbs, co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. ”He has an incredible work ethic, and that shows with how much he continues to improve. We look forward to Taylor and the 54 team finishing this season strong and building on that success for 2027.”

In 2027, Gray will continue working with crew chief Jason Ratcliff. Throughout his career, Ratcliff has led eight drivers to an O‘Reilly Series record 59 victories.

— Joe Gibbs Racing —

RELATED: Taylor Gray signs one-year extension with Joe Gibbs Racing

The partnership will debut next weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Strictly Friendly will appear as an associate partner on the No. 45 driven by Lavar Scott in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Strictly Friendly branding will remain on the No. 45 for the remainder of the 2026 season before expanding to a primary sponsorship at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis this September.

More than a traditional sponsorship, the collaboration will explore ways to connect the Strictly Friendly community with the NASCAR experience through race weekend activities, behind-the- scenes content, and opportunities for members with shared interests to experience events together.

As a platform focused on helping people move beyond screen time and create meaningful, real-world connections, Strictly Friendly sees NASCAR as a natural environment where friendships and communities are built around a shared passion.

“One of the things that stood out to us about Strictly Friendly is that they’re building community through shared experiences, and that’s exactly what motorsports has always done,” said Jusan Hamilton, Team President of Alpha Prime Racing. “Race weekends naturally bring people together around a common passion. We’re excited to build a partnership that not only promotes the Strictly Friendly platform, but also creates opportunities for people to meet, build friendships and experience NASCAR together.”

As the partnership evolves, both organizations envision creating unique opportunities for Strictly Friendly members to experience NASCAR together through exclusive meetups, hospitality events and behind-the-scenes access at select races.

“Strictly Friendly was built on a simple idea that real friendships happen through shared experiences,” said Todd Moeggenberg, Founder of Strictly Friendly. “NASCAR already brings passionate communities together every weekend, making Alpha Prime Racing an ideal partner for us. Beginning at Indianapolis, we’ll start introducing our brand to fans through Alpha Prime Racing, and we’re excited to expand that partnership with our primary race at World Wide Technology Raceway. We believe this is the start of something that can continue to grow.”

“One of the things I love most about racing is the people you meet along the way, said Lavar Scott driver of the No. 45 for Alpha Prime Racing. Some of my closest friendships have come through this sport, so partnering with a company that’s built around bringing people together feels like a natural fit. I’m excited to represent Strictly Friendly beginning at Indianapolis and can’t wait to unveil the primary car at St. Louis later this season.”

Fans can follow the partnership throughout the remainder of the season as Alpha Prime Racing and Strictly Friendly collaborate on content, fan engagement, and community-building initiatives both at the racetrack and beyond.

— Alpha Prime Racing —