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It was an intense week with our first enduro for the season. The Bend in Adelaide was ready to get put to work and the drivers had a weekend and a half. Our first endurance race before Bathurst and we did not expect the results. The first endurance race out of the two for the season with a stellar lineup of drivers. (Source: Supercars)   From early on track action from Triple Eight’s Red Bull Ampol’s co-drivers, Jamie Whincup and Scott Pye to mistakes in qualifying from Ryan Wood, it was going to be interesting. For those who typically do not watch Supercars, we have our top 10 shootout which declares our starting grid for the race itself. This race was a longer track and more laps as it was one of two endurance races this season. 500 kilometres total for the Bend in Adelaide, which is 102 laps. Chaos between the two Triple Eight Co-Drivers in practice 4 as the two collide under safety car test conditions. (Source: V8 Sleuth)   Feeney and Whincup were on pole position with a brilliant lap, of a 1:48.6. Cameron Hill was P2 after a real fast lap with almost no errors for a 1:48.7 and starting in P3 was the Shell V-Power car of Brodie Kostecki. The Monster Castrol duo took out P4&P5, with only small margins separating the two. Matthew Payne was P6, after a slower lap than we would have thought with a 1:49.2. Anton De Pasquale was P7 just behind Matt Payne’s Penrite. Chaz Mostert received a penalty in the top 10 shootout which resulted in a drop to P10, however made a lap that put him in P8. Your final two were Cooper Murray in the Erebus car and Ryan Wood was P10 after his error in qualifying resulted in a very slow time of a 1:54.5.   The dramatic race tart at The Bend 500 in Adelaide. (Source: Supercars) The race started off as a very interesting result, Jamie Whincup led the race just ahead of Mcleod and Moffat. Craig Lowndes made a return to supercars pairing up with the young driver Zach Bates in the 888 car. He made up positions early on with 4 positions in the first few laps. Overall, this duos race weekend was great with experience, good defensive skill and young talent they were a good pairing finishing P16.   Andre Heimgartners co-driver Declan Fraser suffered a collision early in the race, which resulted in them being 3 laps down on the rest of the field. Not what you want in a race like this. Whilst this top 3 battle was going on we were seeing battles all over the track including a battle between Thomas Randle and Kai Allen.   Jamie Whincup faced with a shocking 40 second stop, due to issues with the fuel pump. This pushed them quite far down the grid with plenty to work back if they stood any shot of a top 3 position. By the time Broc Feeney was in the car, it was a tough ask for him. There were still 45 laps remaining but being towards the back of the pack, was going to be difficult. In the end, they finished P19. A shockingly slow pitstop for the Triple Eight Team with issues around the fuel pump connection. (Source: Supercars)   By lap 26 your top three was Hazelwood, Murray and Pye. The Shell V-Power pairing was a strong contender for a top 3 finish. Cooper Murray was yet to pit, and Scott Pye had already done one pitstop but hadn’t yet done the driver changes. Will brown and co-driver Scott Pye would just miss out on a podium opportunity finishing P4.   By Lap 44, we had seen small changes with Hazelwood still leading, but Winterbottom in P2 and Tander in P3. With Mark Winterbottom and Todd Hazelwood coming in to make the driver switches though, Mostert was able to get ahead and the top 3 suddenly appeared different, but Mostert still had to pit for new tyres and more fuel, so the likelihood of him getting top 3 was small. By lap 52 the top 3 was Mostert, Kostecki and Waters.   Kai Allen received a 5 second penalty, while James Golding got a pit penalty for a speed limiter breach.   Ultimately your winner with some brilliant defensive driving over the race was Brodie Kostecki and co-driver Todd Hazelwood, followed by Cam Waters and co-driver Mark Winterbottom and in P3 was Matt Payne and co-driver Garth Tander. Some high intensity battles between Brodie Kostecki and Cam Waters for the win. (Source Supercars)   With this result the championship battle closes significantly with only 71 points between Broc Feeney and Matt Payne. We now take a break before making our return to the Mountain. The Bathurst 1000 is our second endurance race and will determine the enduro cup winner. This takes place from Thursday October 9 th through to Sunday October 12 th . We're back and just in time for the most iconic race up the mountain at the Bathurst 1000. (Source: Supercars)

Honorable Mention: John Hunter Nemechek brought the Legacy 42 to a 14th place finish, which isn’t an amazing run, but he was on pace for another top 10, possibly top 5, before a tire issue set them back. Nemechek these past few weeks has shown speed that we haven’t seen out of him since his Xfinity days. Could Legacy be finally turning the corner? 10. Tyler Reddick had a solid day at Bristol, consistently around the 15th place area, which is exactly where he finished. New Hampshire is another solid track for Reddick. Of his 5 starts, he’s only finished worse than 13th once, a 21st in 2022. He’s got back to back 6th place finishes, including 53 laps led last year.  9. Chris Buescher had a solid top 5 run going, which seemed to go belly up late, with Buescher taking home an 11th. One spot better and he’d be tied with both Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell with 16 top 10s on the year, the most in the series. Instead, he’s still tied with Hamlin for 3rd. Buescher’s average finish the last 4 races is 9.25, so it seems pretty fair to put him at spot 9. From his time in Front Row equipment to 2023, he had never finished better than 15th at New Hampshire, but last year, he finally managed a top 5.  8. Kyle Larson has now gone 17 races since his last win, one race away from half the season. Larson looked to be making a strategy move early, but it failed, and from then on, a bad day got worse. He cut a tire and broke a toe link, and then wrecked from said toe link, subjecting him to 32nd place. New Hampshire is a decent track for Larson. His last 4 races have been top 15s, with 3 of them being 7th or better. However, since his first race there, in which he led 14 laps, Larson has only led 8 laps since.  7. Chase Elliott is on a sinking ship right now. In the first 23 races, Chase Elliott finished worse than 15th 4 times, with 0 finishes worse than 20th. In the last 6 races, he’s matched his sub 15ths with another 4, and has 2 additional finishes of 38th or worse. Since Watkins Glen, Elliott has an average finish of 22, salvaged by his 3rd at Gateway a couple weeks back. If the 9 wants to fight for a championship, much less make the Round of 8, he’d better figure it out, and quick. He only has 3 top 10s at New Hampshire in his career, and 3 of his last 6 finishes have been 18th or worse. He does have a silver medal snuck in that group; however, with a silver medal in 2023. 6. Christopher Bell finally won again, something he hadn’t done since May, and that race only paid money, not points. You’d have to go back to March 9th as the last time Bell won a points race. However, there’s a solid chance he repeats what he did in the spring and go back to back, considering we’re headed to New Hampshire. Bell’s never lost an Xfinity Series race here, and in the Cup Series, he has 3 podiums in 5 races and 2 wins in the last 5 years. 5. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Bubba Wallace is hot. Although he was caught up in a wreck and finished 34th, Wallace had a strong run going. He led 12 laps and was top 10 all day, and put on tires late to try and make a charge, but was wrecked with 13 to go. Had he not been wrecked, it’s possible this would’ve been Wallace’s 7th top 10 in 9 races. Wallace has finished top 10 twice in the last 3 races at New Hampshire, but was wrecked last year for a 34th. 4. William Byron maintains his 4th in the power rankings with a 12th at Bristol. A solid run punched him into the Round of 12 early, and the 24 was on autopilot the rest of the day. In his 7 races at New Hampshire, Byron has never finished top 10, but he does have 3 finishes of 12th or better. However, 3 of his last 4 have been 20th or worse. Don’t expect big things this weekend out of William. 3. Denny Hamlin was never a factor Saturday. He started 6th and immediately started dropping positions. He did try and make a comeback late in stage 2, but would have a tire fall off, solidifying his sub 30th place run. Hamlin heads to New Hampshire without 2 crew members. Hamlin has a handful of wins, but his last one came in 2017. Hamlin has since had a few runner ups, but his last finish there was a 24th. He did lead 43 laps in that one, however. 2. Ryan Blaney is back to #2. He and Ty Gibbs alternated stage wins and 2nds, and finishing 4th overall. That’s Blaney’s 8th top 10 in 9 races and his 5th top 5 in 7. However, since the Next Gen started racing, Blaney has never been able to muster better than 18th, including back to back sub 20ths. Short, flat tracks are Penske’s bread and butter, however, and it might just be a good run for Blaney. 1. Chase Briscoe retains the #1 spot. After a surprisingly poor qualifying run, Briscoe rallied to 9th. He led the 2nd most amount of laps on the day with 127. New Hampshire is Briscoe’s 3rd best track by average finish in the Next Gen era, with 9.0. He finished 2nd in this race last year, along with a 10th in 2023 and a 15th in 2022. Also, keep in mind of the “where MTJ was good at” rule. Truex’s last win came here, and after the first race in 2016, he finished top 10 the remaining 10 races in his career here, apart from a 12th in 2021. I’d say your winner is gonna come from a JGR car this weekend and it’s a good chance it’s this one.

It was a very inspiring weekend, especially for the Scuderia Ferrari duo. Lewis Hamilton had his first outing at Monza as a Ferrari F1 Driver and Charles maintained the excitement there too! For some fans, it was a great weekend, others not so much. It had the good, the bad and the ugly for various teams. The Tifosi were hoping for a dominate performance The race began and it was initially an easy run to the first corner for Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, until Verstappen was asked to give positions back to the McLaren driver Lando Norris, who clearly was frustrated with the move that put him into the grass, even calling Verstappen an idiot. similar movement was happening behind with a tough battle for P3 between Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. The McLarens had a strong weekend out managing P2 and P3, but a pit stop error for Lando Norris’s stop, almost cost him P2, until the team asked Piastri to swap positions. This was an extremely controversial situation, given similar result in Hungary 2024, but ultimately, Piastri gave it back with no arguments. Max Verstappen was one of many that were extremely confused on this call, even heard laughing on his radio about the slow pit stop and the need to get the position back. The driver managing to stop the McLarens from having a win, was Max Verstappen, with a strong lead ahead of just over 19 seconds. It was very impressive given the domination we’ve seen from McLaren so far this season. Yuki Tsunoda had another tough result finishing P13, after being stuck behind various DRS trains. The Ferrari pairing had a great weekend, especially with running their iconic new livery celebrating 50 years since Niki Lauda’s first world title win at Monza in 1975. It was going to be hard for Lewis Hamilton given his 5-place grid penalty from the Dutch GP, but he made it work. Qualifiying P5, being pushed back to P10, and ultimately finishing the weekend in P6. It was an impressive result, but pushing through the field to manage that is what we would expect from the 7-time world champion. His teammate Charles Leclerc, had a brilliant result only just missing out on P3, coming home to finish P4. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz had some tense moments during the race George Russell and Kimi Antonelli had a quiet weekend, keeping to themselves and making double points for the team. George Russell was close to having battles with Leclerc but was often forced to back off due to various reasons. Antonelli was also noted and received a 5 second time penalty for driving erratically. Russell finished P5, whilst Antonelli managed P9. Similarly, just sneaking into the points were 2 young rookies, Gabriel Bortoleto, ensuring points for himself and the team finishing in P8, and Isack Hadjar, who after starting a fair way back in P19, stormed through the field to take the remaining point scoring position in P10. Taking a page out of his mate Lewis Hamilton’s book I see. Oliver Bearman was another rookie, who managed to beat his teammate, although missing out on points this was still a good result. It was very relaxed weekend for him until he did received a 10 second time penalty for causing a collision. Alex Albon, being the experienced driver that he is, had an impressive drive all the way to P7, it was a strong result for a team that had one driver in the points and the other just missing out. His teammate, Carlos Sainz just being beaten for the final spot in the top 10 by Isack Hadjar, a good result, but just missed out finishing P11. Another driver beaten by a teammate was Liam Lawson, who had a not-so-great weekend, given the similar race start to Hadjar, it was to be a tough race starting from P18. He came home to finish P14, but most likely not the result that the team had expected. Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were all unfortunately down a lap after being lapped by the field. It was most likely a weekend to forget for these 4. Stroll finished P18, hard situation for the Aston Martin team with one driver last and the other as a DNF. Colapinto and Gasly were P17 and P16, hopefully we will see some improvement before the end of the year from this pairing before they move to the new Mercedes engine. And finally, Ocon who finished P15, another quiet race, where there was not lots going on with him other than an early penalty of 5 seconds. For Nico Hulkenberg, it was a very short race with the Sauber driver forced to retire before the race even started, due to a technical issue, linked to the hydraulics system. He was extremely disappointed, quoting the frustration “Are you serious?”, before pulling into the pitlane to retire. A disappointing result for a driver who has been on the up and up, seeing improvements every week. A similar race result for Aston Martins Fernando Alonso after an early race retirement due to a suspension failure. Alonso was certainly not happy with the result quoting “this is so unbelievable”. Red Bull's risk to use a lower downforce setup made the difference to get the win With Monza complete, the championships battle is very close with 34 points separating Norris to Piastri. It will come down to the wire with this battle, whilst the constructors is all but set in stone with McLaren significantly above Ferrari in P2. This weekend we return to Baku in Azerbaijan, for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. McLaren could win the constructors this weekend if they are lucky, if not the battle will continue. This weekend will be a difficult one, with many previous years of chaos both between teammates as well as competitors. This includes the 2018 incident between Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen as well as last year’s last lap incident involving Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez. It will be a race to watch!

Luke Baldwin grew up a in a famed racing family, though his path to driving wasn’t immediate. “I played a ton of sports growing up, which turned my interest away from racing, but at about 14, when I realized it was pretty terrible at everything I was playing, I caught the bug again,” Baldwin said. “I started working in the shop around that time, trying to play catchup from all the years I missed out on. Finally at 16 I got in a legend car, now I’m 19 racing Modifieds, Late Models, and Trucks.” When I asked about the most important skill he learned from growing up in a racing family, Baldwin emphasized understanding the car he drives. “I’m not a genius in the shop by any means, but I pride myself in knowing how to work on my racecars, and I think that helps a lot with being able to dial one in.” Luke Baldwin comes from racing royalty in the Northeast. His dad Tommy Baldwin Jr was a long time crew chief and worked with many drivers including Dick Trickle, Ward Burton, and Kasey Kahne. After his crew chief tenure he ran his own NASCAR team that competed full time from 2010-2016. Luke's grandfather Tom Baldwin was a famed modified racer and a fixture at Riverhead Raceway the only active track in the family home base of Long Island. Baldwin never worked in his father Tommy Baldwin Jr.’s Cup or Xfinity shop. “Regretfully, I never did work in his Cup or Xfinity shop. Unfortunately just rode my scooter around and sat in the seat. When my brother started racing is when I got iRacing, and that’s when I fell in love with it.” We talked about his father’s fiery reputation, and I asked Luke what his dad's most memorable crashout. Baldwin talked about a recent incident at South Boston. “I think the wildest I’ve seen was earlier this year at South Boston, where most people saw him getting pulled down by a tow truck driver. I understand where he was coming from, but in that moment, no I don’t think it was completely justified. He wasn’t mad at the wreck that occurred, because that was Jack’s fault, he was mad at the other group running their mouths, so that part I understand.” The tow truck incident is a reoccurring joke on his dad's podcast Door Bumper Clear' Baldwin has raced in multiple series recently, from the SMART Tour to the NASCAR Truck Series, noting the Truck Series has been the most beneficial for his development. “If I’m lucky enough to continue my career and keep climbing the ladder, I’m going to be dealing with heavy stock cars, dirty air, big tracks, and you don’t get any of that with the other cars I’ve raced.” Many experts note that the Truck Series races the closest to the Cup Series. Reflecting on his debut in the Truck Series, Baldwin said, “Making my debut at Martinsville definitely helped, but it was definitely a learning curve. I showed that at Kansas when I got in a bad aero spot and ruined my race. So yes it was hard to adapt, but I feel like I’m getting a bigger understanding every time I’ve been behind the wheel.” Baldwin has had solid runs with Sandusky, Ohio based team ThorSport Racing this year. I asked the 19 year old who at the team has helped him the most given the big jump to Trucks, “Ty Majeski has been a big help, but there are a lot of people that have played a role. Rich Lucius, Doug George, Eddie Troconis, the people at Ford, in the sim. That’s just to name a few.” Baldwin also explained how the partnership came together: “Towards the end of last year my dad and I decided we wanted to try and take the next step, so we reached out to people and had conversations, weighed everything out, and ThorSport was a great fit for us. Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) were gracious enough to give me the opportunity to do it.” No driver is perfect so I asked Luke what flaws he discovered this season and what he's planning on working on before 2026. “Getting a late start has definitely taken its toll. I’d say I just need to be more polished, limit mistakes. I’ve gotten myself caught up in bad positions and probably given away races, way too many times, so I’m definitely looking to eliminate those.” Luke's friend group consists of NASCARs next generation of superstars he is close to Connor Zilisch, Brent Crews, and Jesse Love. Now with them all being amazing up and coming racecar drivers I wanted to see if they all learn from each other and how intense their sim racing sessions can get. “I don’t know if they learn much from me, but I definitely learn a ton from them. It’s been good for me to listen in on conversations and have people to ask questions when I have them so often. Believe it or not, we actually don’t ever really play iRacing together, it might ruin relationships.” In the US alot of parents seem to throwing their kids in adult racing series and cars at very young ages. With Luke being a young driver I asked for his views, Baldwin commented, “I have mixed feelings on this. I’ve seen young kids hop in full-sized cars and immediately impress, for example, Keelan Harvick. However, I’ve also seen many kids do quite the opposite, and it usually depends on the people around them. I don’t have an exact answer on a fix, but I do think the minimum age might be a little low.” As the interview winded down I asked Luke some fun questions and got to learn more about who he is off the track. When asked who’s faster, he said simply, “Me,” referring to his older brother Jack. His favorite racing movie: “Days of Thunder.” His ideal co-drivers for a hypothetical 24 Hours of Le Mans entry would be “Connor Zilisch and SVG.” Another cool thing is Luke will be in the upcoming NASCAR video game as a driver in the Truck Series with the 66 ThorSport machine, Baldwin said, “I’m pumped, extremely pumped, but I’m not sure if I’m as excited about that as my brother is to wreck me in the game.” Overall it was great to talk with and get to know a great up and coming talent in NASCAR. Many are touting Luke for a full time seat in 2026 but no plans have been announced. No matter what happens though Luke Baldwin will be a key name to watch whether it's on Fox, Flo or wherever you get your racing fix.

Kevin Estre in the Porsche Penske #6 Hypercar in the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas (Photo by Kylar Boggs) Porsche Penske claims their first win of the year at the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas in chaotic fashion. It was a wet one for the drivers in the World Endurance Championship and the conditions on track were very unforgiving. Before the race got underway, the conditions were quite treacherous due to the rain and the spray of the cars on track. The race began behind the safety car. This was in hope to clear any standing water off the racing line with the cars on track to make the conditions good enough to race. Shortly into the race, the #5 Porsche Penske of Julien Andlauer goes for a half spin into turn 13 and loses a position under the safety car, and just after that the #6 Porsche Penske of Laurens Vanthoor reported some smoke from inside the car to the team, although was able to carry on just fine. #20 BMW Hypercar carried away by a safety vehicle after retiring in the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas (Photo by Kylar Boggs) In addition to that, the #20 BMW Hypercar of Rene Rast pulls off to the side of the track in turn 3 with a terminal problem to the car. 1 hour into the race, the stewards decide to red flag the race due to the conditions. The race would finally get underway at the 4 hour 10 minute mark, and the chaos would begin. Heading into turn 3, the #15 BMW of Kevin Magnussen would go wide and off the racing line but able to keep it straight. However, just behind Magnussen, the 007 Aston Martin of Tom Gamble would aquaplane off track and tag the wall with the rear of the car, and the #36 Alpine of Fred Makowiecki would also spin and hit the wall at higher speeds ensuing a lot of damage to the car. Due to the debris from the incident on track, the safety car was deployed. Racing resumed at the 3hr and 44 minute mark, but it wasn't much later until the virtual safety car was deployed for the #99 Proton of Nico Varrrone spinning in the triple right hander in sector 3 and getting stuck in the gravel. During the VSC, there would be an issue for the #83 Ferrari AF Corse Hypercar in the pitlane. Entering the pit lane, the #83 Ferrari had to take a sharp entry into the pit box, avoiding the #21 GT3 Ferrari. The Crew of the #83 would have to end up rotating the car for it to not only be in the pit box but for them to set the car back down before they could do their driver change, and this costed them multiple seconds in their pit stop. The VSC would end up going to a full safety car once again with 3 hours and 9 minutes remaining. This safety car period was rather a short one and the field went back to green flag conditions at the 2hr 56 minute mark. Shortly after, the #8 Toyota Hypercar of Ryo Hirakawa would go spinning through the esses in turns 4-6 due to contact with the #33 TF Sport GT3 Corvette. As the race went on, it was the #38 Cadillac Hypercar of Sebastien Bourdais going for a very fast spin just at the end of sector 1 but keeps it out of the wall, as well as the #36 Alpine going for a spin once more. In addition, the #7 Toyota of Jose Maria "Pechito" Lopez goes for a spin in turn 3, and later on in the lap spins again in turn 12 and brings out the VSC once again. The #7 Toyota would end up retiring from the race and the #33 TF Sport would go for a spin and this caused the full safety car to be deployed yet again. The field went back to green flag racing and heading into turn 1, the #51 Ferrari AF Corse of Alessandro Pier Guidi, and the Penske Porsche #6 of Kevin Estre would make contact and this resulted in a left front puncture for the #51 Ferrari causing him to fall down the order. After that occured, the #87 Lexus GT3 goes into the wall in the last corner and another safety car is deployed. More problems for the #33 Corvette LMGT3 as well and retires from the race with the right rear of the car broken. Later on after the safety car ends at the 1hr 19 minute mark, in LMGT3, the #61 Iron Lynx GT3 Mercedes would make contact with another car and spins in turn 8 and this causes a full course yellow. #95 United Autosport McLaren in the rain during the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas (Photo by Kylar Boggs) Meanwhile, the battle for the win in LMGT3 began to heat up with the #95 United Autosport McLaren of Marino Sato, and the #77 Ford of Ben Tuck racing for the lead, making contact with each other multiple times. Fast Forward to 36 minutes left in the race, as the #007 Aston Martin of Harry Tincknell came out of the pitlane, the engine died and he would end up retiring from the race. This brought out the final VSC of the race due to the Aston being stopped at the end of the pitlane up hill. The race went back to green with 26 minutes remaining and within the last 10 minutes of the race, it was the #94 Peugeot of Stoffel Vandoorne and the #50 Ferrari of Miguel Molina battling for 2nd in the Hypercar class as the Porsche Penske #6 of Estre was pulling away. In the GT3 class, the #54 Ferrari of Davide Rigon and #77 of Ben Barker making severe contact in the hairpin just past the end of sector 1. As the checkered flag fell, it was Kevin Estre for Porsche Penske picking up the win in the Hypercar class with Miguel Molina in the #50 Ferrari AF Corse in 2nd, and Stoffel Vandoorne for Peugot in the 3rd position rounding out the podium. In LMGT3 it was the #54 Ferrari crossing the line 1st, however due to the contact with the #77 Ford, the Ferrari received a 5 second penalty and was demoted to 3rd, making the winner the #95 United Autosport McLaren of Marino Sato, and in 2nd the #46 BMW of Kevin Van Der Linde. Lone Star Le Mans race winners #95 United Autosport McLaren LMGT3 (left) and #6 Porsche Penske Hypercar (right) in the celebratory area (Photo by FIAWEC - DPPI) In the post race conference, Matt Campbell, one of the three drivers of the #6 Penske Porsche was asked about the conditions and Campbell stated, "turn 18 and turn 2 were quite tricky and going down the back straight having to life halfway down the back straight due to the aquaplaning." This was Campbell's first win in the World Endurance Championship since Spa Francorchamps in 2019. When Marino Sato, Winner of the LMGT3 class, was asked about the choice of tire to go on towards the end of the race, Sato stated "it was 50/50 for the wet tires, and 5 laps before we had to pit, was discussing with the team where it was wet and where it was dry, ultimately going with the right call to go on the slick tires."

What a weekend (unless you’re a Lando Norris fan or Ferrari fan like me). There were plenty of highs and lows over the span of the F1 weekend leading up to the race, but ultimately who won? The race start at the Dutch Grand Prix.  It was an extremely intense race with rain causing a bit of drama, it was a race with a very unexpected podium result. Crashes saw an early leave for the Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, whilst Lando Norris suffered an engine issue close to the end of the race. Norris now will need to work twice as hard to even stand a chance at competing against teammate Oscar Piastri. Let’s get into the big winners and losers from the weekend at Zandvoort. WINNERS: Oscar Piastri: Your first winner must be none other than Oscar Piastri himself. Making the Dutch Grand Prix his seventh win of the season, it was one for the books for him. He drove a brilliant race giving almost no opportunity for Norris to catch up. The pit strategy was near perfect, and even in rainy conditions there was no errors. His weekend overall was perfection, resulting in an extension of the championship now to 34 points, it will be hard but with plenty of races to go, anything can happen. Piastri simply needs to maintain his momentum and the championship will most likely belong to him. Oscar Piastri finishes P1 at the Dutch GP (Source Getty Images). Isack Hadjar: Now was this the podium finisher that we expected? Probably not, but it was amazing to see him there. With yet another crazy result we saw Hadjar grace us with his presence on the p3 step. He was a confident driver with plenty of potential and we knew that coming into the season. He managed to defend against the likes of Charles Leclerc and George Russell which is a brilliant feat. He is a very strong contender for the rookie of the year. He has proven his capability so far this season starting off with a rocky race in Australia to now achieving his first F1 podium (one of many more I would hope). An honourable mention here must be Racing Bulls as well who assisted Hadjar to that result, how great it must have felt for them, especially Alan Permane in only his first race as the Team Principal. Isack Hadjar with a podium finish at the Dutch GP. Aston Martin: In the craziness of the safety cars and results, both Aston Martin cars managed to sneak into the top 10. They had a great weekend with decent positions in all the practice sessions but struggled a little in Qualifying. There was no need for panic because they would eventually get to that top 10, scoring double points for the team. Lance Stroll finished P7 and Fernando Alonso P8. The drivers may have been frustrated with pit stop strategies, but ultimately, they did pay off. Aston Martin Duo, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso (Source: Getty Images). LOSERS: Ferrari: This weekend was a tough pill to swallow for all the Ferrari fans. First with Lewis Hamilton out early due to a crash just after the rain had begun and then Charles Leclerc later after an incident with Kimi Antonelli, it just was not the race for them. Before that though, they really struggled to keep up with those ahead including George Russell and Isack Hadjar, the car was not doing what it should’ve. Once again as well, late pit strategies were not the best idea and was partially the reason for Hamilton’s DNF due to wet paint and simple misjudgement. In addition to the double DNF, Lewis Hamilton was given a 5-place grid drop to be imposed at the next Grand Prix AKA Monza. Not the day for Ferrari with a double DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lando Norris: Ouch. Any Lando Norris fans here? That was not the race for you guys either. That unexpected issue was insane, I could not believe we were seeing that and for such a close title battle. Before that however, Norris was still struggling to make any impact on the gap to Piastri, with only small movement in the gap. It was going to be a tough result if he could’ve gotten closer. That engine issue was the major problem with the gap in the drivers’ championship growing significantly. The battle is still there, but both McLaren drivers will have to FIGHT if they genuinely want to win it. Remember it can all come down to the final race, Abu Dhabi. (McLaren driver Lando Norris. Source: McLaren Media). Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli: I think the only way you can explain these drivers’ races are just simply unlucky. Carlos Sainz was hit early on with a 10 second penalty for a collision with Liam Lawson, this was going to be a tough race to get back, especially after starting in the top 10. He had a good start early on, with starting P9, just ahead of Fernando Alonso, he had done well, even making it up to 7 th at one point. But that incident with Lawson unravelled all the hard work, dropping down to P18. As for Kimi Antonelli, he had a quiet race until that incident with the Ferrari. He had plenty of work to do starting outside the top 10 after just being knocked out by Alonso. He was working his way up the grid, eventually getting into the top 10. He would have had a decent weekend if not for the penalties coming his way. With an initial 10 second penalty for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc and an additional 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, it went sideways very quick. He would go to finish outside the top 10, scoring no points and finishing P16. Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli with tough weekends after some unfortunate penalties.  With the Dutch Grand Prix over, we head off to one of the oldest tracks, Monza. The home of the Ferrari and very passionate Tifosi, the Ferrari pairing need a better weekend than Zandvoort. It will be a fast-paced weekend, with plenty going on.

As the F1 season starts back up post Summer Break, I decided to grade the drivers on their performances so far this season! This is purely opinion- based and how I have felt based on drivers’ performance so far. A+ Grades: Oscar Piastri: Minus the mistake in Australia and the penalty that cost him a win in Silverstone, Piastri has been near flawless this season. He has had plenty of pace and been able to keep up with current teammate Lando Norris. What he needs to do? Piastri will need to maintain this championship to Norris otherwise he may lose it. He will be pushed to his limits to maintain it, but this will ultimately turn him into a driver with plenty of promise for the future of the team. A Grades: Max Verstappen: Once again, this is a driver who is carrying the team on his shoulders, staying in contact with both mclaren drivers for the championship, Verstappen has plenty of speed and we know that. With errors that were not the result of him in Austria, and penalties after frustration took over in Spain, there is room to improve, but we know Verstappen will do exactly that.  What he needs to do?  For him, this second half will prove plenty for him and who he is as a driver, aiming to gain on Lando Norris in the championship. Lando Norris : Having made a fair few mistakes, It definitely is not easy to compete. He can have a brilliant race with a good result like Great Britain and Hungary with the 1 pit stop decision. But with races like Canada and Belgium with the unfortunate race start, it may make things tough for him.  What he needs to do? Norris will need to focus more on himself, and the team instead of aiming to please. This will ensure he can stay within touching distance of teammate Oscar Piastri and further distance himself from Verstappen and Russell.  B+ Grades: George Russell: Once again with mixed race results including DNFs and no points weekends, it can be difficult. He does have ability to race and get good results, he is very talented, but he will need to pull focus and work very hard to stay in touch.  What he needs to do? Russell will need to keep working hard for himself and the team, by getting good results and keeping up with the Mclarens and Ferraris ahead. He will also have to fight Verstappen for the P3 in the championship.  Charles Leclerc: Charles Leclerc has had a mixed season, but had opportunities for podiums, Leclerc is looking for more. Whether it be more pace, more podiums or both. He has capability that we have seen plenty of times before. Is Ferrari ruining him as a driver or is this the mould that will make him into a championship winning driver?  What he needs to do?  His aim for the remainder of the season, will be for both Ferrari drivers to work together and maintain that P2 in the constructors as well as close the gap to Russell.  B Grades: Isack Hadjar:  Being a rookie in a car that may not be the quickest on the grid, He has been forced to work for everything. Hadjar has not only shown speed and pace, but also plenty of potential and possible team swaps in the future. He is a young talent and has proved that plenty of time this season, being the 2 nd  highest scoring rookie driver (behind Kimi Antonelli).  What he needs to do?  He will be aiming to push that team further in the championship and chase down Stake and Aston Martin.    Lewis Hamilton:  With a change to the Scuderia Ferrari team, there was excitement for Lewis Hamilton. Soon after joining, he ensured he was able to show his ability with a sprint win in China. He has also shown his capability to overtake with an impressive 11 place race in Belgium.  What he needs to do?  He will be hoping to continue the momentum with the team, but we also know that Hamilton will not give up and will continue to push his teammate and the team to be better.    B- Grades: Kimi Antonelli: The best rookie driver based on scoring, he has been an impressive driver to watch. But with mixed race results nearing identical to his teammate, including a DNF in Austria, Spain and Great Britain, has not looked good. However, to be the only rookie with a podium so far this season, pushes those thoughts away.   What he needs to do? Antonelli will be pushed to new limits as a driver, and will need to catch Lewis Hamilton if he wants any shot of improving in the championship. He will also want to take different opportunities and figure out what may work for him.    Nico Hulkenberg: From a slow start for Hulkenberg to a shocking podium finish in Great Britain (which was super impressive). Hulkenberg has shocked the fans this season with his brilliant results, including various points finish (and double points with Bortoleto).  What he needs to do? Keep this pace up. He is such a talented driver in a team that does sometimes have difficulty in getting points, but with a driver like Hulkenberg, they have lots going for them.  C+ Grades: Alex Albon: A very quiet driver, with so much going on. I have been quietly impressed with Albon so far. With a few mishaps, due to mechanical error and such, which were tough to witness. He still manages to make good of the season and this team.   What he needs to do? Albon needs to continue at the pace he is at. He can do so much more, however now, this might be the point that Williams can maintain and do lots with it. With talented drivers, they can reach for the stars.   C Grades: Carlos Sainz: The change to Williams from Ferrari was a big one, he is a great driver, still with plenty to prove. He has had some good results so far including, Saudi Arabia, Imola and even Monaco being able to defend against the angry Mercedes.  What he needs to do? Carlos needs to maintain his strength for this team and work alongside Albon to continue extending away from the Aston Martin duo who are slowly catching them.  Lance Stroll & Fernando Alonso: I'm grouping both Aston Martin drivers together as the have had the same up and down season. With a mix of on and off race weekends, it has ensured both drivers are tied as of mid-season in the championship.   What they need to do?  For Stroll, He will want to push himself to be better than his teammate and work to build the team and their potential for 2026 with the new regulation changes. For Alonso, he has something to prove against the younger driver and must show who he is, whilst also being a team player and working hard with the team.  Yuki Tsunoda: With a good start to the year at Racing Bulls, it began to drop when he was switched to the RedBull team. Alongside Max Verstappen, his season does not look as competitive as it should be. He is a pocket rocket driver with capability beyond what we have seen. It is tough that the car is not easy to drive at all.  What he needs to do? He needs to push himself as a driver, he knows what he can do and I am sure that we are yet to see his true pace. He can be a very competitive person when given the opportunity, we saw it in the Racing Bulls, so hopefully we’ll see it again soon.  C- Grades: Liam Lawson: For Liam Lawson, being he was moved from RedBull early on, he has shown great potential since with many points scoring weekends and great results for the team. What he needs to do? Liam Lawson will want to chase his teammate Isack Hadjar and push himself, as he has good talent and can be very good. Lawson has to assert dominance over his rookie teammate and prove himself as a team leader. Pierre Gasly: For Pierre Gasly, he currently is carrying the Alpine team, slowly they are catching the rest of the midfield, but it will take more than just one driver. But Gasly must take control as he is the team leader and with the midfield being so close even having a "Good" weekend can still mean 0 points. What he needs to do? Pierre Gasly needs to continue scoring points for the team if they want to stay in the fight for the midpack. Even with a less than stellar teammate he can't write the season off he has to push and find his old form. And to be honest he can't be average anymore. Esteban Ocon: Similar to Bearman, it has been a difficult season with dicey results. Ocon is very capable and can pull some great results, even with the tough car he is driving. With points early on in China and Bahrain he has shown what he can do in any type of car.  What he needs to do? He will want to push this team for greatness, being the older and more mature driver out of the two. The team has plenty more opportunities for points before the end of the season, so making an aim for that.  Gabriel Bortoleto: Although Bortoleto has had a rocky start to the season, by mid-year, he was starting to show plenty of pace, keeping up with the likes of Fernando Alonso and more. We know based on previous seasons that Bortoleto can be an extremely fast and capable driver with overtaking and pure pace.  What he needs to do?  He will be continuing his push in the championship, improving his skill and getting prepared for the new regulations with Audi.  Oliver Bearman:  The Haas is not an easy car to drive and Bearman has proved that, with a few scoring opportunities, he has shown good potential for the future. With double points for Haas in China and Japan, he has created a good starting point. What he needs to do? Bearman will have to work extremely hard to have a chance at getting more points for himself and the team. I think he should lean on Ocon and learn how to navigate the midfield. He has to take steps before he's ready for Ferrari.   F Grades: Franco Colapinto:  As Jack Doohan’s replacement, there was an expectation. Has it been met yet? Probably not, having not received any points yet, It’s a tough time for Colapinto. He has made mistakes throughout the year leaving his teammate an extordinary task of getting Alpine points. What he needs to do? His best bet, is to try his best and work hard to try and get the team points.  And he has to stop crashing at crucial points. I hope things improve he's still young. I also think he's preoccupied with getting 2026 sorted and is trying to hard to push himself take things one lap at a time. Jack Doohan:  With an expectation of getting sacked looming on Doohan’s head, it was hard to focus on anything other than that. A tough start to the season with a sad ending to his time at Alpine. He showed some improvement from race 1 to race 5 but his fate was already decided in the preseason.   What he needs to do? He just has to be himself and work hard, he entered a weird situation where he wasn't even wanted.

There are a lot of great young talents to keep an eye on for the next couple of years like Corey Heim, Layne Riggs, Rajah Caruth, Connor Zilisch, and Jesse Love. But today’s article is about the up-and-comers who aren’t yet regulars in NASCAR’s top three national series but are well on their way. This is Part 1 of the series, with Part 2 coming soon. These aren’t rankings, just a closer look at drivers who stand out. Alongside each name, we also added an estimated time of arrival for the Cup Series, similar to how MLB projects prospects. 5. Luke Baldwin If you’re from the northeast and a modified fan, the Baldwin name is familiar to you. But we’re not talking about Tom Baldwin Sr. or Tommy Baldwin Jr, we’re talking about the third generation, Tommy Jr’s son Luke. At just 19 years old, Luke Baldwin has been racing in multiple series to sharpen his craft. He’s shown strong results in the SMART Tour, NASCAR Modified Series, the CARS Tour, and in limited Truck Series starts. He’s expected to get more opportunities with ThorSport, possibly landing a full-time ride for 2026. Baldwin’s versatility stands out, and if he closes the year strong and shows dominance in key late-season races, top Cup teams will start keeping tabs on him. Trucks and Xfinity should be a natural fit for his skillset, and he has the potential to thrive in both. Cup Series ETA: 2031 4. Keelan Harvick Don’t worry NASCAR fans, there’s another Harvick on the way. Keelan is just 13, but he’s already dipped into multiple disciplines while deciding whether to chase NASCAR, IndyCar, or even Formula 1. Recently, he’s leaned more toward stock cars and oval racing, a path that makes sense given his background. He’s won in Legend Cars and recently earned his first CARS Tour victory at Kern Raceway, his dad’s home track. 2025 was his first true season in stock cars, and he’s already sitting second in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour standings. While it’s early, you can tell Kevin Harvick’s experience amd grind to be a NASCAR legend is paying off in Keelan’s development. He’s been exposed to many different types of racing, and that versatility is something Cup drivers need if they want to win championships. The next two years will be key in how his career develops. Cup Series ETA: 2035 3. Tristan McKee Tristan McKee turned heads in August by becoming one of the youngest winners in NASCAR history with his ARCA victory at Watkins Glen, just days after his birthday. McKee currently splits time between ARCA and the CARS Tour, which has become the proving ground for America’s best young drivers. He’s also part of Spire’s development pipeline, giving him a strong foundation and potential opportunities. If he continues to develop at this pace, he could find himself in a Truck ride by late 2017 or 2028. I’m especially interested to see if he runs a full ARCA season soon, because that series is a real test of driver mentality. Mistakes happen there, and how he handles them will say a lot about his future. He’s young and has time, but the raw talent is there and even Stevie Wonder could see that. Cup Series ETA: 2035 2. Isabella Robusto Friend of the program Isabella Robusto has been quietly impressive in ARCA, showing she’s far more than just a marketing name. At 20, she’s already stacked up 10 top-10 finishes in 14 races this season, and she’s done it against tough competition. Toyota has invested heavily in her development, and it’s clear they see long-term potential. A part-time Truck schedule could be in play as soon as next year, although Toyota hasn’t announced their 2026 plans yet. What I’d like to see from her is a late-season push — maybe some wins or a consistent run of top-3 and top-5 finishes. ARCA can be chaotic at times, but Trucks might give her a better platform to show just how good she is. Robusto has the tools and support to make history in the Cup Series, and like many others, I’ve got a good feeling about her future. Cup Series ETA: 2032 1. Ben Maier Ben Maier may not be on everyone’s radar, but the 16-year-old has been putting together an impressive run. He currently leads the CARS Pro Late Model championship, ahead of Keelan Harvick in second. His resume is already unique, with experience ranging from Stadium Super Trucks to one-off appearances in the Truck Series, including a start at Lime Rock Park. Unlike others on this list, Maier isn’t officially aligned with any team pipeline. That leaves his future wide open, which could be an advantage if he continues to perform. I’m curious to see where his Chevy connections take him, and which team he ultimately chooses to align with. For now, I’ve projected his Cup Series ETA for 2036, but that could accelerate if he puts together a dominant season in the CARS Tour, ARCA, or another series next year. Cup Series ETA: 2036

Alex Palou Draws Interest From Red Bull Racing In one of the most intriguing crossovers between IndyCar and Formula 1 in recent years, Red Bull Racing has expressed interest in placing four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou  alongside Max Verstappen in 2026. The move, if it comes to fruition, would bring together two of the most dominant drivers in their respective series and signal Red Bull’s intent to strengthen its already formidable F1 lineup. Palou is a 4 time IndyCar Champion Per Nathan Brown and the Indystar, Palou and his camp remain adamant that no talks have taken place. Both the driver and his manager, Roger Yasukawa, denied having been in discussions with Red Bull. Chip Ganassi Racing, Palou’s current IndyCar team, also stated there had been no conversations about Palou leaving his DHL-sponsored No. 10 Honda. However Red Bull may be willing to to pay the exit clause. Palou was linked to McLaren but decided to stay in IndyCar However, Palou’s contract situation leaves the door cracked open. His current deal with CGR runs through 2026 but contains an out clause if a Formula 1 opportunity arises, provided a substantial buyout is paid. This wouldn’t be Palou’s first attempt to break away from Ganassi: he clashed with the team in 2022 when he sought to join McLaren Racing. That dispute even reached federal court before Palou ultimately stayed put. though not without cutting a deal that allowed him F1 testing opportunities with McLaren. With Palou fresh off securing his third straight IndyCar championship and fourth in five years, Red Bull’s interest shows how highly he is regarded in global motorsport. If the Spanish driver makes the jump, it could mark a rare and dramatic crossover from IndyCar dominance to Formula 1’s highest stage. Stellantis Brings Ram Back to NASCAR With Kaulig Racing For the first time since 2012, Stellantis  will return to NASCAR with its Ram brand , officially re-entering the sport in 2026 through a partnership with Kaulig Racing . The announcement was made near Daytona International Speedway and marks a significant expansion for Kaulig, which currently competes in the Cup and Xfinity Series with Chevrolet. Dodge is returning to NASCAR after a long time away Kaulig is expected to field up to five trucks at the 2026 Daytona season-opener, effectively creating a Ram “super team” for the Truck Series. No drivers have been announced yet, and outside of Kaulig, Stellantis has no plans for additional Ram entries. Importantly, the move will not impact Kaulig’s existing Chevrolet programs in the Cup and Xfinity Series, as Stellantis is only investing in the Truck division. Ram is fully funding the Truck effort so drivers do not have to bring huge sponsorship packages with them to race. Founded in 2016, Kaulig has steadily built itself into a competitive force. The team has scored 27 Xfinity wins, Championship 4 appearances in 2020 and 2024, and two Cup victories with A.J. Allmendinger. The Ram partnership represents a new era for the organization, bringing manufacturer backing to its first full Truck Series effort. For Stellantis, the return of Ram adds another layer of competition to NASCAR’s manufacturer wars. With Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota already locked into intense rivalries, Ram’s entry sets the stage for fresh storylines and could bring new energy to the Truck Series. Dutch Grand Prix to End After 2026, Zandvoort Eyes NASCAR or IndyCar The Dutch Grand Prix, a fan-favorite stop on the Formula 1 calendar and home race for Max Verstappen, will depart after the 2026 season . Circuit Zandvoort’s director, Robert van Overdijk, confirmed the split, citing financial realities. Unlike most other F1 venues, Zandvoort operates without government subsidies, relying instead on a trio of private partners to fund the event. Zandvoort is a fan favorite track Despite the financial strain, the race has become a cultural centerpiece in the Netherlands, with sellout crowds and international attention. F1 leadership, including CEO Stefano Domenicali, has praised Zandvoort for setting “a new benchmark” in fan engagement. Yet the lack of financial support means continuing beyond 2026 is not feasible. Looking ahead, Zandvoort is exploring partnerships with other motorsport series. Overdijk specifically mentioned IndyCar and NASCAR  as potential replacements, noting their ability to provide “spectacle” and unique fan experiences. While neither option would match F1’s global scale, they could still deliver strong entertainment value for Dutch fans and keep the circuit internationally relevant. Zandvoort wants to try to host new events like IndyCar and NASCAR If Zandvoort secures a deal, it would mark a groundbreaking shift. IndyCar has not raced in Europe in decades, and NASCAR has never staged a top-tier Cup or Truck race on the continent. A post-F1 Zandvoort event could bring new life to the track while offering American racing series an opportunity to expand abroad. As NASCAR seems committed to racing in various countries to showcase themselves to new audiences.

Honorable Mention: I’m extremely surprised. Shane van Gisbergen was this close to making my list. Not only was SVG somewhat competitive, he was running his own line on Saturday. No one was ripping the top but him. With Daytona this week, SVG could gain some serious momentum. Also Tyler Reddick gets some props. He had speed and won a stage, but got turned by Daniel Suarez. Unfortunately, he couldn’t recover, and a bad race at Daytona along with a new winner could spell doom for his playoffs before they even begin. 10. Had Brad Keselowski not cut a tire late at Watkins Glen, it’s likely he’d have 5 straight top 10s. The rebound for this team has been nothing short of incredible, but if he can’t win at Daytona this week, it’ll be all for naught. He won this race back in 2016, but it’s his only points paying victory at the track. He also pushed his teammate to victory in 2023. 9. Christopher Bell is straight up confusing me. He is by far the most inconsistent driver right now, as he’ll finish top 5 one week and run consistently 15th on pace the next. Daytona doesn’t spread high hopes very much for him, either, but Bell did win at Atlanta earlier this year.  8. Alex Bowman is on a run right now. He has 4 top 10s in the last 5 races, including 2 top 5s in that span. He wrapped up another one on Saturday night, with a P2 place at Richmond. He seemed to have the fastest car late, but it was too little, too late, as Austin Dillon already had a 4 second lead as Bowman passed Blaney for 2nd. While he’s never won at Daytona, in his 18 starts at Daytona, he’s never finished worse than 25th except for his 500 attempt in 2021. He has 7 top 10s in those 18 starts, including 4 top 6s in his last 5 stars. All Alex Bowman needs is no new winner, and he’s in the Playoffs, but even if he has a one, with a good run, he could knock out Tyler Reddick. 7. Bubba Wallace is in the 7 spot for back to back weeks. He was on his way to his 4th top 10 in a row. Wallace led 123 laps, won stage 1, and finished 2nd stage 2. A miscue on pit road cost him a few laps and a shot at the win, crediting him with a 28th place position. While Wallace won his duel race at Daytona earlier this year, he’s never won a points race here. He’s finished 2nd 3 times, though. 6. Kyle Larson got some track position midway through Richmond and never gave it up. He finished 6th, which was about where he ran. We’re still not seeing race winning speed out of the 5, but at least we saw speed. Larson heads to Daytona, a place he’s quoted as saying, “I have this f***ing place.” Safe to say, I wouldn’t put any money on him this week. 5. Chase Elliott is ice cold right now. He hasn’t had a top 10 since his 6th place at Dover, which was 5 spots worse than he should’ve finished. Any momentum Elliott had, it’s gone. He followed up his worst finish of the year with his first DNF of the year, though it was through no fault of his own. Elliott has a few wins at Talladega, but never at Daytona other than the duels. 4. Denny Hamlin had problem after problem after problem on Saturday…and he still finished top 10. Hamlin had to drive through the field twice, and he didn’t quite finish his mission the 2nd time. Hamlin’s won the Daytona 500 3 times, but he’s never won the fall race here. In fact, he hasn’t finished top 10 in the fall race since 2020. He’ll have speed and help, it’s just whether or not Hamlin makes it to the white, and unlike this year’s 500, through the white. 3. Ryan Blaney is the shining light at Team Penske right now. Since getting wrecked out of a top 5 run at Sonoma, Blaney has not finished worst than 8th, including 3 straight finishes of 6th or better. This looks like it could be another deep Penske playoff run. If you’re superstitious, however, Blaney is in the Advance Auto Parts car, which has seen Blaney take some gnarly hits in.  2. Chase Briscoe had a quiet day at Richmond, running top 10-15 all day. He didn’t make noise like some others on the list did, and that may be just as much of a good thing as it is a bad thing. Briscoe finished 4th at Daytona in the winter and 15th at Talladega in the spring. He’ll have a lot of Toyota teammates, but more than likely, they’ll all be pushing the 54. 1. The top 2 stay unchanged, as William Byron also had a quiet day, which was exactly what he needed. Byron locked up the regular season title, and all he’s going to try and do Saturday is gain more playoff points or help his teammate, Alex Bowman, into the playoffs. He has a pretty good track record here, as not only did his first win come at Daytona, but he’s won the last 2 Daytona 500s straight.

NASCAR Pushes Back in Charter Lawsuit In a late-night filing on Monday, NASCAR laid out its case against a new preliminary injunction that would return lost charters to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. If granted, the injunction would restore the six charters those teams lost earlier this summer. If denied, NASCAR would regain control and could sell them to new ownership groups ahead of the 2026 season. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for August 28, just as the Cup Series Playoffs begin. NASCAR insists there are “many eager potential entrants” ready to buy into the Cup Series, although the identities of these interested parties remain redacted in the court filing. The sanctioning body argues that selling the charters would create “a unique opportunity to bring in new teams that would delight fans and inject valuable innovation and investment into the sport.” NASCAR also pushed back against antitrust claims, pointing out that drivers and teams are free to compete in other stock car disciplines such as the CARS Tour, and claiming the sport is not a monopoly. The filing even called out 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan by name, accusing him of attempting to “use litigation to grant him a permanent charter that no other team has.” NASCAR pointed to increases in team payments under the 2016 and current Charter Agreements, as well as its share of revenue distribution compared to Formula 1, to show its financial commitment to teams. The urgency lies in the calendar. NASCAR argues that if the case drags on until its December 2025 trial date, there will not be enough time for new teams to prepare for the 2026 Daytona 500. According to NASCAR, an October 1, 2025, deadline would be the latest a new entrant could realistically gear up for a competitive debut. With high stakes on both sides, this looming court decision could redefine the competitive and financial landscape of NASCAR for years to come. IndyCar Sets Sights on Mexico City While NASCAR’s Mexico plans appear shelved for now, IndyCar is positioning itself to fill that gap. With NASCAR absent from the country in 2026, Roger Penske’s series has accelerated talks to bring IndyCar back to Mexico City for the first time since Champ Car raced there in 2007. The proposed event would slot neatly into the 2026 calendar. After opening in St. Petersburg (March 8) and traveling to the new Arlington street race in Texas (March 13–15), IndyCar has left nearly a month-long gap before Long Beach in April. Officials see this window as the perfect spot to stage a race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. IndyCar representatives reportedly toured the facility last week and continue to negotiate with local promoter Grupo Rentable. The series still faces decisions on which track layout to use, the full Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit or the shortened NASCAR configuration as well as financial negotiations over the hosting rights fee. Grupo Rentable has experience through its “Speed Fest” events, which blend motorsport with concerts and entertainment, but CIE-Ocesa (the promoter of Mexico’s F1 and NASCAR races) may also come into play. A potential partnership between the two companies could lower financial risks while ensuring the race’s long-term stability. Perhaps most importantly, IndyCar would benefit from its own local star power. Pato O’Ward has become one of the series’ biggest names, sparking a wave of “Patomania” across Mexico. With O’Ward a frontrunner in the championship, fan support would likely translate into strong ticket sales and vibrant crowds. If the deal is completed soon, IndyCar’s 2026 season could feature one of its most exciting international additions in nearly two decades. Aleix Espargaró Injured Again, LCR’s Rider Struggles Continue Meanwhile in MotoGP, LCR Honda’s #35 entry continues to be plagued by misfortune. Aleix Espargaró, who was set to substitute for the injured Somkiat Chantra at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, has withdrawn after yet another cycling accident. The Spaniard arrived at Balaton Park with severe back pain, and medical checks revealed an injury to his L3 vertebra. He has since returned to Barcelona for further evaluation. This marks the fourth consecutive race where LCR has scrambled to fill the seat. The saga began when Chantra crashed in training before the German Grand Prix, sidelining him for multiple rounds. While Johann Zarco has carried the team alone, the constant changes to the second bike have hindered the squad’s consistency and development. Chantra, however, is working toward a return at the Catalan Grand Prix in early September. Having spent two weeks recovering in Thailand, he has now resumed intensive rehabilitation in Barcelona with the aim of rejoining the grid at his home team’s race. Team boss Lucio Cecchinello confirmed that Chantra’s progress is promising, but his MotoGP future remains uncertain. With rising Moto2 talent Diogo Moreira set to join LCR in 2026, Chantra’s chances of retaining his spot appear slim. Espargaró’s injury only adds to the turbulence, highlighting how quickly fortunes can shift in MotoGP. For LCR, the Hungarian weekend has become yet another uphill battle in a season already defined by instability.

Nicky Hayden celebrating his 2006 MotoGP World Championship after the Valencian Grand Prix in Cheste. Photograph: Javier Soriano/Getty Images MotoGP as we know it nowadays hosts a very rich presence of Spanish and Italian riders thanks to the countries's great amount of race tracks and junior categories which allows for a better rider development than in many other places. However, as weird as it may seem, there was once a time where these 2 weren't dominating the Motorcycle World Championships scene, but rather the United States. Kenny Roberts Sr. riding his Yamaha around the Nürburgring. Photograph: Gold & Goose Long gone are the days where Kenny Roberts Sr. bursted onto the scene in 1978 winning the 500cc World Championship in his debut against Barry Sheene who had labeled him as "no threat" upon his arrival. Roberts went on to take 3 consecutive titles between 1978 and 1980, the first ones for an American rider. His experience in dirt tracks set a wonderful foundation for his unmistakable riding style. The back then nearly unridable 500cc bikes had a very loose rear end, and Roberts could only watch how the other riders struggled to keep the bike ontrack while he could control his Yamaha's rear end with ease. In his 6 season long career, he won 3 500cc World Championships, 24 races and got 44 podiums, a magnificent career. Freddie Spencer riding his Marlboro Agostini Yamaha in the 1989 Australian GP, one of his last races. With Roberts Sr.'s titles, the floodgates then opened for the Americans in the World Championships. Freddie Spencer, a fellow American, fought for the 1983 title against Roberts himself, a title that Spencer ended up winning by just 2 points in Roberts's last season in the 500cc championship. Spencer then would take another title in 1985, though he would not only take the 500cc one, but also the 250cc. To this day, Spencer remains the last rider to have won the senior and intermediate class in the same season, a true show of his greatness. He would lose the 1984 title to another american though, Eddie Lawson. Eddie Lawson riding his 1986 Yamaha YZR500 0W81. Photograph: Yamaha Lawson not only took Spencer's title away, he started a whole kingdom. He would win the 500cc World Championship in 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1989, the only American to win 4 500cc titles in MotoGP history. He was known for his precise and clinical riding style, as well as that flow that made Eddie so characteristic. Not only did he win 4 titles, he also became the first rider in Motorcycle World Championship's history to win back-to-back 500cc titles in 2 different teams and bikes. "Steady Eddie" as he was called back in the day had something else, something that set him apart from the rest of the riders. Only Lawson's unstoppable 1985 and his Yamaha's poor reliability in 1987 stopped him from winning 5 titles in a row. After little understanding with Honda, Lawson returned to Yamaha in 1990, but an injury in the United States GP pulled him aside for 6 GPs, finishing 7th in the standings. For 1991 Eddie had seen enough of Yamaha and decided to go bold. Knowing his retirement would come soon, he would spend his last 2 years in the 500cc class in the new Cagiva bike to help them get to the top of the field. In those 2 years before retirement, Lawson got 1 win, 2 podiums and a best place of 6th in the cmapionship in 1991. However, he wouldn't be the last american to be king of the hill. Randy Mamola riding his 1989 C589 Cagiva 500cc machine. Photograph: Goose & Gold Before Dani Pedrosa became the "King with no crown", Randy Mamola was there. 500cc runner up in 1980, 1981, 1984 and 1987, his 13 wins and 54 podiums in the senior class is nothing short of an amazing career for the Californian. You might not see his name in the MotoGP World Champions's trophy, but his legacy earned him a spot as an official MotoGP Legend. Wayne Rainey talking with Kevin Schwantz during their rivalry in the 1990s. After Lawson came these 2. The US could only watch as their riders dominated the 500cc scene. There was Wayne Rainey, Yamaha's eternal golden boy, and of course, Kevin Schwantz, Suzuki's best and protegé. Their rivalry comes a long way from back in the AMA days, but it was in the 500cc days where it became international and unavoidable. After Lawson's injury in 1990, it was a clear path for the 2 to fight for the title, although a very young Mick Doohan in the Honda machinery was getting closer every race. It was often Schwantz who did miracles with his inferior Suzuki bike, at times taking it to places where it most definetely shouldn't have been. But Rainey's consistency and patience was all he needed to take the 1990, 1991 and 1992 crowns. ahead of Kevin. It has to be noted that, hadn't it been for Doohan's leg injury in 1992, it was certain that the Aussie would've won that title and more, but that wasn't the case after all. In 1993 it seemed like Schwantz and Suzuki had finally gotten it right. Kevin's magnificent performances got him to lead the championship before the dark 1993 Misano race. There, during the race, disaster would strike. Wayne Rainey had a horrible crash which left him paralized from the waste down, ending his career with inmediately. With Rainey out, and Doohan still recovering from his injury, Schwantz took it easy to win the 1993 500cc World Championship. But it looked like something in him had clicked after Rainey's crash, something was wrong. For 1994 and 1995 he stayed in the World Championship wearing the so much deserved number 1. He began 1994 with great form, often challening Doohan, but his season was cut short after the Czech GP. He could only watch as Doohan would take the first of his 500cc world titles. Schwantz returned for the 1995 first 3 races, but he had enough and retired after the 1995 Japanese GP. Kenny Roberts Jr. leading Valentino Rossi in the 2000 Valencian GP. 1993 would prove to be the last senior class title for any American until the year 2000. The first year of the 21st century was a weird one for the Motorcycle Grand Prix world. There wasn't a clear dominant force like it had been in Doohan's or Criville's years. Kenny Roberts Jr., son of Roberts Sr. did exactly what he needed to do to take that year's 500cc World Championship home. With 4 wins he took what became Suzuki's last senior class crown until Joan Mir in 2020, but taking the title in that bike was nothing short of genius. In 2001 however he started going downhill with no brakes, and nor his Suzuki nor his father's premier class team which was created after the MotoGP era began could stop it. In 2007 Kenny Jr. had enough and hung up his boots, ending a career that, while it couldn't be compared to that of his father's, it was very good. Nicky Hayden after his win in the 2006 MotoGP United States GP, the "Kentucky Kid"'s last one in the premier class. Photograph: Gigi Solano The last rider coming from the United States to take a senior class World Championship was the forever remembered Nicky Hayden. The Kentucky Kid as he was called, always had something in store for us during the 990cc four-stroke era. With 3 wins, 2 of them taken during his World Championship year in 2006, Hayden was one to watch everytime. His 2006 season wasn't the best season ever, but he was consistent and challenged on a frequent basis, something that his rivals lacked during most of the season. Beating Rossi, Capirossi, Pedrosa and Melandri, all of which were in great shape, was something a lot of riders can only dream about today, but Nicky beat them all. Unfortunately MotoGP's change to the 800cc bikes ended all of Nicky's momentum which he could never get back again. Nicky unfortunately died in 2017 after being involved in a crash with a car while he was biking. Ben Spies riding his Yamaha as a wildcard in the Valencian GP after winning the 2009 WorldSBK title. Photography: Yamaha Ben Spies and Colin Edwards would also race in MotoGP at the same time as Nicky Hayden, but unfortunately neither of the 2 would get close to winning the title, though they would win at least a championship each in the World Superbikes series. Spies was Yamaha's hope after Rossi, and for some time it seemed like he would be able to fight for big things when he joined MotoGP full-time in 2010. However, his injuries and physical problems as well as his fear to flying could only stop him from archieving what he was one destined to be. Spies retired in 2013. Meanwhile, Colin Edwards had a very long career in MotoGP, but still to this day holds the record of the MotoGP rider with the most podiums in MotoGP without a single win (12). That however doesn't matter to good old Colin who says he remains "satisfied and happy" about his MotoGP stint. Joe Roberts during the 2024 Spanish Moto2 qualifying session. Photograph: Dorna After Hayden and Edward's retirement in 2015, no American rider has raced in MotoGP full-time, with the only one that has been closed to a chance being the ever so inconsistent Joe Roberts, who can't quite get the hang of his Moto2 machinery. Joe has been very close to striking a deal to race in MotoGP several times, but it seems as though that everytime he is close to getting a deal, his performances just go down a cliff. He still had hope to land a MotoGP ride, but his chances are only shrinking as time goes on. In 2024 Justin Marks owner of NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing started his own MotoGP team after buying what was left of RNF Racing. They currently are a satellite team of Aprilia and have been speculated to a switch to Honda depending on Honda's NASCAR plans. Currently as of the writing of this article the team has no podiums or wins yet, but with young rider Ai Ogura leading the team he has the potential to bring the team to glory. And with Trackhouse coming into the fold as Liberty Media takes over there are chances of Trackhouse being used as a tool to promote the sport in the states. The U.S. is in desperate hope of a MotoGP rider, even more after Dorna's new ownership in the series. The creating of a new 24/7 channel as well as free coverage has been welcome in the country, but that isn't everything that is needed to get people's attention. Will we see an American in the MotoGP class? Doesn't look like it will come soon, but we can only dream.