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NASCAR is heading to Coronado. After weeks of speculation and sourcing, the long-rumored event is expected to be officially announced this Wednesday: NASCAR will race at the Coronado Naval Base in San Diego during the summer of 2026. It’ll fill the slot previously held by the Chicago Street Race, which ends its run after 2025. Chicago was an ambitious project, and while the visuals were incredible, the racing product and logistical hurdles left its future in question. The decision not to renew after three seasons opened the door for a new street course, and it’s now set to be San Diego. Kelly Crandall of RACER reports that the announcement could be set for Wednesday. Many Hoped For A Race Downtown But It Looks Like Plan B Became Plan A This marks a significant return for NASCAR to Southern California. The last points-paying race in Southern California happened back in 2023 at Auto Club Speedway which is currently sitting in limbo, its proposed short track redevelopment stalled indefinitely. The Coronado event gives the region something new to rally around, and early feedback suggests it could be more dynamic than the Chicago layout with waterfront views, and fewer tight 90-degree corners. Between this, a possible Montreal addition NASCAR seems to be investing in making its schedule feel like a global tour. Whether fans enjoy it or not, the series appears all-in on diversification. Meanwhile, over in the MotoGP world, the silly season has mostly settled and Luca Marini is staying put. Motorsport.com reports that Marini has re-signed with Honda’s factory team, extending his contract through the end of the current regulations cycle (2026). It was the expected move, especially after Honda missed out on Jorge Martin, who is locked into Aprilia until the end of 2026. Marini has had a rough year in terms of results but remains Honda’s second-best rider and, more importantly, a known quantity for a manufacturer desperate for stability. His best result so far in 2025 came at the Sachsenring, finishing sixth. Luca Marini Is Re-Signed Through 2026 But No Word On Afterwards Behind the scenes, Honda is also rethinking its approach to the satellite LCR team. Johann Zarco is expected to continue leading that operation, but Somkiat Chantra may be on the way out. The Thai rider’s data is reportedly too far off the pace to be usable a big problem when every other Honda is already struggling. The bigger story might be Honda’s cooling interest in the Idemitsu pipeline, potentially opening the door for a more open rider selection process. Even as their results lag behind Ducati and KTM, Honda appears to be playing the long game eyes firmly on the 2027 rulebook and a hopeful rebuild around a major name. Finally, let’s talk Supercars because changes may be coming to one of the most polarizing rules of the year. The New Format Is Expected To Shake Up Strategies Speedcafe is reporting that Supercars is seriously considering scrapping the 2024 rule that forced primary drivers to start endurance races like Bathurst and The Bend 500. The intent was understandable: make sure the biggest names are on track for the green flag. But in practice, it eliminated nearly all strategic variety. Every team was locked into the same rhythm start the main driver, pit early, and get the co-driver’s required laps done ASAP. The proposed fix? A hybrid format. Under the idea being floated, the top 10 cars those that make the Saturday Shootout would be required to start the race with the driver who ran the Shootout lap. Everyone else, from 11th on back, could pick either the main driver or the co-driver to start the race. It’s a clever compromise. If a team wants full strategy freedom, they can play it safe in qualifying and opt out of the Shootout. But if they want a shot at pole, they’re locked into starting that same driver on Sunday. It’s believed the plan has support across the paddock and is part of a larger push by Supercars motorsport boss Tim Edwards to fine-tune the enduro product. Edwards already reduced fuel tank sizes and increased the minimum co-driver laps for 2025. This change could be the final puzzle piece to bring unpredictability and balance back to the races.

It was an interesting race in Dover for these NASCAR drivers in the Top 10, 2 new names enter the top 10 and a big name falls. Honorable Mention: Chris Buescher was not very good on Sunday. A top 10 finish doesn’t show the struggles the 17 team had all day. When he restarted 9th with 2 laps to go, it was the first time he had been top 10 all day. He was off my list completely, but thanks to a few running outside the top 15, Chris barely maintains some recognition. Chris has been fast at the big tracks this year, with a 2nd at Michigan and a 4th at Pocono. Keep an eye on the 17 come Sunday. 10. Ty Gibbs has been good the last month or so, but a slow start to the season kept him off the list for the past few weeks. Ty has 8 top 15s in a row, half of those being top 10s. Ty’s only finish at the Brickyard is a measly 23rd, but he did lose a cylinder midway through the race. Ty has a 3rd and a 14th at Michigan and Pocono this year, similar tracks to Indy. Finishes do the 54 no good, however: he needs a win. 9. Alex Bowman comes back to the power rankings after a couple months off. Some speed shown late boosts him back to the top 10. Other than a 19th at Sonoma, his worst finish since wrecking at Michigan is an 11th at Pocono. Indianapolis, however, is statistically Alex Bowman’s worst racetrack. Not counting his 2 sub 30s with Tommy Baldwin and BK Racing, Bowman’s average finish at Indy is 28.75, with a best finish of 21st in 2019.  8. Tyler Reddick had an ok day on Sunday, with a 12th place finish capping off a mediocre day. Reddick still hasn’t won a race this year, but that could easily happen at the Brickyard. In his 2 starts at the rectangle, Reddick has an average finish of 5, along with a 2nd place last year, not to mention he won the pole. He also has a win on the road course layout back in 2022, not that that translates, but still, wins at Indy are wins at Indy. Reddick is a good shot to win on Sunday. 7. Ryan Blaney came home 8th, after running top 10 all day. In a race where it was all Chevy and Toyota, this run looks rather impressive for Blaney, but we can’t pretend that he hasn’t gone a little cold recently. Since winning at Nashville, he only has 2 top 10s, granted, he seemed to have top 10 runs going at Sonoma and Atlanta before being wrecked in both of them. Indianapolis is a hit or miss track for Blaney. He finished 3rd here last year, with a car that probably could’ve won, and he also finished 7th back in 2019. Other than just missing out on a top 10 in both 2015 and 2018, Blaney has 3 sub 20ths to his name, including 2 sub 30ths. It’s time to put up or shut up for Ryan Blaney. 6. Christopher Bell had just about the most up and down day you could imagine. After starting 3rd due to the metric system, Bell finished stage 1 in 2nd and stage 2 in 1st. However, early stage 3, Bell spun going for the lead on Chase Elliott. After he was aided back to the lead by rain, Bell fought Denny Hamlin for the win…before spinning again. Christopher Bell was once this driver who would be fast but consistent; however, recently, he’s looked way more fast and way less consistent. He needs to hone it in before the playoffs in a few weeks, and Indy’s a good place to start. With a 4th last year and a 12th in 2020, Bell needs a fast, consistent run.  5. Chase Briscoe is apparently the second coming of Martin Truex. 2 of Truex’s best tracks in his career were Sonoma and Dover, and that’s exactly where Briscoe has finished runner up the last 2 weeks. This 19 car seems to have the speed that we haven’t seen in it since the summer of 2023. Briscoe only managed a 20th last year. If we go by the MTJ rule, I wouldn’t be too excited for Briscoe. In Truex’s 17 starts at the Brickyard, he only managed 3 top 10s, and over triple that amount of sub 20ths. Briscoe is his own man, however, and he could easily find his groove. It’s not like two of the best at Indy are sprint car drivers who grew up racing in the area just like Briscoe…oh wait.  4. I said William Byron could run 4th just as easy as he could finish 30th. He was running 7th when he got wrecked by Christopher Bell and finished 31st…I’ll take what I can get, I guess. Other than a 4th in 2019, Byron has never finished better than 19th at Indy, including a 38th last year after he was wrecked. However, in his lone Xfinity start in 2017 here, Byron did capture the win, however this was using restrictor plates.  3. Kyle Larson is so good that I have full confidence to move him back into the top 3 after a near-2 month slump, that only saw him lead 3 laps on strategy, came to an end on Sunday. (Just for the record, he still didn’t lead any more laps on Sunday.) Larson finished 4th on Sunday and heads to Indianapolis, a place he just won at last year. 2. Denny Hamlin is really good at Dover. Like, really good. Denny Hamlin, however, is not really good at Indy. In 16 starts, he has 8 top 10s but also 5 sub 20ths. Hamlin has seemed to figure it out slightly over the last decade, as 5 of those 8 top 10s have come since 2014. He has had speed the last few times at the Brickyard, but a cut tire in 2020 and a late race wreck last year have kept him from good finishes. Hamlin’s never finished better than 3rd, something he’s managed to do 3 times. With the speed he’s shown at the big tracks, this year, a win at Michigan and a 2nd at Pocono, it’s not an impossibility he could win Sunday. 1. Chase Elliott made it pretty easy to keep him at the #1 spot. Even though he didn’t win, much less earn a top 5, Elliott led for over half the race and won his first stage of the year, which also netted him enough points to take the regular season points lead. A miscue on pit road by the jackman and some questionable strategy from Alan Gustafson may have kept the 9 car out of victory lane; however, for the first time in over 3 years, Chase Elliott looks like a weekly threat to win races. In terms of Indy, other than an engine failure in 2017, Elliott has only finished outside the top 15 once, with an 18th in his rookie year. However, at the same time, his best finish is only a 9th in 2019. Does Elliott keep up with the top 5s and 10s, or is this simply a hot streak that burns out come playoff time?

🏁 Predicting the Next 10 F1 Champions (2025–2035) No one can really predict the future in F1, but that’s never stopped me from trying. So here’s my annual breakdown of who I think will win the Formula 1 championship from 2025 to 2035. Some picks might seem bold, others maybe obvious, but all are rooted in a mix of trends, talent, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. 2025: Oscar Piastri takes the throne I think Oscar Piastri will come off the summer break like a man possessed and level up to secure his first F1 championship. In doing so, he’d edge out his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and finally break Max Verstappen’s dominant streak of four straight titles. It feels like Piastri has that quiet confidence and raw pace that’ll shine once the stars align. 2026: Back-to-back for Piastri With new regulations and McLaren rumored to have nailed both the chassis and their engine partnership with Mercedes, I think Oscar goes back-to-back. The car will suit him, and McLaren looks poised to dominate early in the new era. But as F1 history shows dominance is never permanent. Will a three-peat be in play? 2027: Verstappen rises again? In 2027 Max Verstappen wins his fifth world title, but not with Red Bull. I think he might jump ship to Mercedes, who are reportedly building the strongest power unit for 2026. If Max smells a better shot at a title, he’ll go for it, and if Mercedes is serious about returning to form, they’d gladly make room and break the bank. 2028: Verstappen makes it six Assuming he makes that move, I don’t think Max slows down. In fact, he probably runs away with the 2028 title, cruising to his sixth championship with that same ruthless dominance. By this point, Max would have nothing left to prove, but he’s still out there proving it anyway. 2029: George Russell gets his moment 2029 is the year George Russell finally becomes world champion. Mercedes sticks the development, and Russell finally delivers on the promise Toto Wolff believed in all along. It’s a feel-good win, and one that validates years of hard work and near-misses. But the question is....can he do it again? 2030: Lando Norris silences the critics In 2030, Lando Norris finally gets his first world championship for McLaren. It’s a super tight fight between him, Russell, and Piastri, while Ferrari starts to close the gap. This is the moment where Lando proves he’s more than just a fun interview and fast driver plus he’s a legit F1 champion. Meanwhile, Max? He’s probably off enjoying himself in WEC or IMSA by now. 2031: Piastri returns to the top After a one-year break, Piastri is back on top and claims his third F1 championship. He edges out Lando once again and climbs the list of all-time greats. Other teams are playing catch-up and trying to figure out how McLaren keeps doing it. The Papaya team is riding high, but the grid is hungrier than ever to knock them off. 2032: Charles Leclerc finally gets his glory Ferrari’s long road pays off in 2032 as Charles Leclerc wins his first F1 championship. It took years of playing catch-up with the new regs, but now the Prancing Horse is back in S-tier form. Leclerc holds off a tight group that includes Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, and even rising star Kenzo Craigie. Meanwhile, Red Bull Ford is finally showing title-contending signs again just in time for the next major rule changes. 2033: The Antonelli era begins The final year of the 2026 regulation cycle ends with Ferrari still on top, but this time it’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli who takes the title. It’s a wild four-way title fight between Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull, but Antonelli holds his nerve. This win marks the beginning of what could be a major generational shift. 2034: Cadillac shocks the world with Oliver Wheldon Formula 1 reverts to naturally aspirated engines in 2034 due to new sustainable lab made fuel mandates and that plays right into GM’s wheelhouse. With Cadillac using their decades of NA V8 expertise from NASCAR and WEC finally pay off. Oliver Wheldon wins the title in a shocking twist that no one saw coming. Is this a one-off fluke or the start of something major? 2035: Antonelli seals his legacy The final year in this prediction sees Antonelli winning his second F1 championship with Ferrari, solidifying himself as one of the top drivers of his generation. The season ends with an all-time close title fight, the kind that defines a driver’s career and Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivers. F1 is unpredictable. That’s what makes it great. But it’s also what makes predicting it so fun. These picks aren’t just guesses they’re stories I’d love to see unfold. Whether you agree or think I’ve gone totally off the rails, drop a comment with your own predictions. Who do you think wins the next 10 F1 championships?

Honorable Mention: SVG is on fire. He’s the quickest driver in the modern era to reach 4 wins in a career. Unfortunately for Shane, we’re only turning left for the next couple of weeks; and I don’t have faith with him on the ovals. 10. Ross Chastain had an ok day on Sunday, opting for a points day over a good run. He flipped stage 1 and won the stage, getting a well needed playoff point, but that relegated him to 24th on the final pylon. Chastain has 2 podiums at Dover, in 2022 and 2023, and Trackhouse seems to be finding some speed late, so expect a decent run from the 1. 9. Chris Buescher had a good run going until the final restart. What looked to be a top 5 day turned into a 16th place finish. Buescher has 2 top 10s at Dover the past 3 races there, along with a win at another concrete track at Bristol in 2022. Chris needs that first win sooner rather than later, but I don’t see it coming this week. 8. Tyler Reddick seems to be back, but he’s also not winning. Reddick’s best finish at Dover is only 7th, with just one more top 10 to boot, and he’s never led a lap there. Just like the man right behind him in the rankings, I don’t see him winning this week. 7. Chase Briscoe had a very good run at Sonoma. He seemed to be the only one to be able to compete with SVG. He started and finished 2nd, collecting an additional 9 stage points for his troubles. While Briscoe doesn’t have much success at Dover, Martin Truex Jr. did, and that trend seemed to bode well this past week at Sonoma.  6. Good news and bad news for Kyle Larson fans. Good news: he finally led a lap at Sonoma, his first since spinning out from the lead at Charlotte. The bad? He’s still in a slump, having crossed the line 35th on Sunday after a wreck. It’s not like he looked much better before the wreck, though. Larson’s run very well at Dover in the past, with 7 podiums and a win in 2019, but I have little faith in this race team to put together a winning run right now. 5. Ryan Blaney hit everything but the pace car on Sunday…or rather, everything but the pace car hit him. First, he was shoved off into the dirt by Chase Briscoe, before Chris Buescher got loose under him, sending Blaney up the turn 1 hill and getting him high sided and stuck. By the time he was rolling, Blaney was 2 laps down…before being involved in another wreck with Kyle Larson. It’s hard to dock him, because when he wasn’t getting wrecked, he was running top 5. Blaney has 2 straight top 10s at Dover. He just needs to finish with all 4 wheels on the ground. 4. I was way off on Christopher Bell last week. I said he’d probably finish 4th when he actually crossed the line 5th. A solid run from Bell is exactly what he needs, as he heads to a place where he’s had mixed success. Bell has 2 top 10s in 2022 and 2023, but his next best finish after that is a 21st. Bell needs a few clean races under his belt to gain some momentum before heading into the playoffs. 3. Denny Hamlin looked back to usual self at the road courses. Fortunately, he got his best finish at Sonoma since 2021, but it’s still a mediocre 20th. As Hamlin stated, he’s ready to be back on ovals, and I’m not sure he could pick a better one. He won this race last year, as well as in 2020, and could easily win again this weekend. 2. Finally William Byron seemed to have a good run. Other than SVG and Briscoe, and maybe Elliott, he may have had the best car. He came home a respectable 8th, collecting some stage points and ever so slightly building his points lead. Dover is a mixed bag for Byron, as he has as many sub 15th place finishes as he does top 10s, both with 4. Byron could just as easily finish top 5 as he could finish 30th.  1. Chase Elliott moves to #1 with another top 5 finish. What seemed to be a questionable call from Alan Gustafson late turned into a 3rd place finish with the help from some late race cautions. Chase Elliott has 10, yes, 10 top 5s at Dover in his career. Take out an engine failure in 2019 and a wreck in 2020, his 2 worst finishes there are an 11th and a 12th. He’s won this race twice, 2018 and 2022, along with 4 additional podiums. Chase Elliott should be the favorite to win this week.

Aston Martin and DPK Racing Team Up for Future F1 Stars Aston Martin’s Driver Academy just got a major boost with a new partnership with DPK Racing, which is the official team of the FA Alonso Kart chassis. The move links Aston Martin directly with Fernando Alonso’s karting team, creating a streamlined development path for the next wave of young drivers for its newly created driver academy. “Our Driver Academy gives us the opportunity to shape the next generation of drivers, helping them grow into the complete package,” said Aston Martin F1's Andy Cowell. From physical training and media coaching to simulator sessions and trackside mentoring, the Academy promises a comprehensive program. And with DPK Racing involved, it also taps into the karting legacy of two-time F1 champion Alonso, a natural connection for a team carrying his name. The partnership follows the recent signing of 21-year-old Spanish driver Mari Boya to the Aston Martin Driver Academy. A three-time Spanish karting champion and current F3 driver with Campos Racing, Boya called it a “dream come true.” He’ll now gain access to the AMR Technology Campus and lean on mentors like Alonso, Lance Stroll, and Pedro de la Rosa. Boya’s goal? “To repay the team’s trust with strong performances.” And with this partnership, he won’t be the last. DJR Steps Back, Triple Eight Takes Over Ford’s Engine Program On the Supercars side, major changes are underway behind the scenes. Ford’s engine program will soon be led by Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull Ampol Racing), as DJR (Dick Johnson Racing) hands off both its engine supply and homologation team duties. The shift ends a complicated saga that included millions of dollars in investment from DJR after purchasing the Ford engine business from Herrod Performance in late 2023. While Ford’s commitment to Supercars was once in doubt, the manufacturer now appears locked in, with a long-term deal in place and Triple Eight planning to roll out its first Mustang prototypes for 2026 testing later this year. DJR, meanwhile, sees this as a much-needed reset, a chance to refocus on performance after spreading itself thin during Gen3 development. The handover begins next week, with staff shifting back into DJR’s race operations and crucial technical data moving to Triple Eight. Officially, Triple Eight becomes Ford’s homologation team starting in 2026, but they’re already hard at work shaping the future of the Mustang on the grid. And we could see a Triple Eight Ford before 2025 ends! Haas and Toyota Bringing F1 to Fuji with Tsuboi and Hirakawa In another nod to the future, Haas F1 and Toyota Gazoo Racing are teaming up for a two-day Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) event at Fuji Speedway next month. While Ryo Hirakawa returns for another session on August 6, it’s Sho Tsuboi who will make debut on August 7 with his first-ever F1 test in a Haas VF-23. Tsuboi is not a rookie in racing, he’s the reigning Super Formula and three-time Super GT champion, but this marks his first taste of F1 machinery. Fans will be allowed to attend, and the test underscores the growing partnership between Haas and Toyota, which began last October. Sho Tsuboi “This is part of our effort to develop people drivers, engineers, and mechanics alike,” said Toyota Global Motorsport director Masaya Kaji. The sessions will also provide a learning platform for Toyota engineers, who will be embedded with the Haas team throughout the test. According to Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, “The significance of running our car at Toyota’s home circuit and giving Sho Tsuboi his first outing, is equally satisfying.” With more talent and tech flowing between Japan and Formula 1, this partnership could be key to unlocking future success for both Haas and Toyota on the global stage.

Race 20 was the shortest of the 3 throughout the weekend. Red Bull Ampol drivers Will Brown and Broc Feeney had a tough qualifying session for this race, only managing positions 14 and 20. Pole position was Brodie Kostecki. Alongside him was the Monster entrant of Cam Waters in P2, and P3 was Will Davison. Matt Payne managed to overtake quickly to attack the 2 front runners. With Brodie Kostecki on pole, it was a good day for the Shell V-Power team. Kostecki maintained his position throughout this shorter race, ensuring a P1 finish. His teammate Will Davison finished P7. He had a tough day, all things considered. Whilst Kostecki was maintaining the lead, Waters had slowly begun his attempt to gain on Kostecki, but the gap began to jump further and further. Waters, unfortunately, did not have the speed to catch Kostecki. Whilst it was a tough qualifying for the two of them, they worked hard to make their way through the field. By the end of the race, they had made it to P8 and P10. Will Brown had one of the largest gains, being up 11 positions by the end of the race.  Ultimately, Shell V-power, Tickford Racing and Team18 would benefit from race 20. Your winner was Brodie Kostecki, P2 was Cam Waters, and P3 was Anton De Pasquale RACE 21 Race 21 was one for the books. David Reynolds was on pole, with a brilliant shootout lap of 1:12.8352s. P2 alongside Reynolds was Matthew Payne. In terms of qualifying, Tickford had a tough day down in P15 with Thomas Randle and P21 with Cam Waters.  From the jump, it was Payne who took the lead before the safety car was deployed due to early contact and the stopped car of James Golding. Jaxon Evan had an even tougher situation after damage to the brake duct due to contact from the pileup. He later returned to track, completing only 13 laps.  Feeney made quick work of overtaking Jack Le Brocq, as well as Brodie Kostecki up on from James Courtney. James Courtney was unfortunately the next driver out, due to engine failure. He completed 11 laps before his DNF.  There was damage on Thomas Randle’s car very early on, with the shock absorber taking the brunt of that. Kai Allen was another driver with minor damage after an error resulted in him hitting the barrier, but he reversed it back out and continued.  There were many time penalties handed out. This included a 5-second penalty for car 01, Will Brown, another 5-second penalty for car 06, Cam Waters and a 15-second penalty for car 08, Andre Heimgartner.  Ultimately, it was a day for the RedBull Ampol driver, Broc Feeney, as he went on to win Race 21, ahead of Chaz Mostert in P2 and Matthew Payne in P3. RACE 22: Whilst this race was not as action-filled as Race 21, Race 22 was still an interesting one.  Broc Feeney was on pole with Matthew Payne in P2 and Anton De Pasquale in P3. And it was a showdown for the front end at the beginning, with De Pasquale making quick work and overtaking Matt Payne. Early on, James Golding was down 4 positions, and David Reynolds was down 3.  Waters began with the early pit stops, managing a 5.9-second stop, compared to Chaz Mostert (also 5.9 seconds) and Bryce Fullwood, with the fastest time of 5.7 seconds. A 15-second penalty was given to David Reynolds after minor contact with James Courtney.  Issues were piling on, especially for Will Davison, who ended up losing a wheel nut and had to pit to fit that issue. Matt Hill had plenty going wrong as well, including brake fluid leaking. Eventually, Hill was back out with a brand-new brake calliper, due to extensive damage to the other one.  In the end, Sunday was the day for the RedBull Ampol duo with Broc Feeney, winning again in Townsville, and Will Brown taking out P2. Chaz Mostert brought another podium for Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU), managing P3. Cam Waters with an impressive result and a P4 finish in Townsville. Your fastest lap for Race 22 was Jack Le Brocq.  Your championship remains close. Especially between the top 3 runners. The next race weekend is the 2025 Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440 on the 8th-10th of August.  1 st : Broc Feeney- 1759pts 2 nd : Will Brown- 1539pts 3 rd : Matthew Payne- 1524pts 4 th : Cam Waters- 1341pts 5 th : Chaz Mostert- 1259pts 6 th : Brodie Kostecki- 1107pts 7 th : Anton De Pasquale- 981pts 8 th : Thomas Randle- 959pts 9 th : Andre Heimgartner- 951pts 10 th : Ryan Wood- 914pts

Lando Norris Celebrates home victory at the British Grand Prix (Photo by: Clive Rose/Getty Images) Nico Hulkenberg celebrates maiden F1 podium in his 239th race at the British Grand Prix (Photo by: Motorsport.com ) This year's British Grand Prix was sensational for many drivers this past weekend from start to finish. Down on the grid before lights out, there were some talks about whether or not drivers would pit on the formation lap for dry tires as the track began to dry. As the formation lap went underway, multiple drivers said over their radios the track is too wet for slicks and the majority of the grid went to the grid on the intermediate tires. However, multiple drivers decided to head to the pitlane at the last moment to go onto the slick tires with those drivers being, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoletto. Unfortunately Franco Colapinto lost power in his Alpine and was unable to start the race, making him the first person out of the grand prix The chaos didn't stop there, as the lights went out and the grand prix got underway, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson make contact in turn 3 causing Lawson to spin and crash out of the race. Ocon also received damage but was able to continue. Lawson came onto the radio and said to his team he got hit in the rear by the haas, but what he didn't realize is Yuki Tsunoda was to the inside of Ocon and they were 3 wide into turn 3 and Lawson had no idea the Red Bull of Tsunoda was there. Due to Lawson crashing out, the virtual safety car was deployed in order for the marshall's to retrieve Lawson's car and get it off the track. During the VSC, Kimi Antonelli goes into the pits for the slick tires and the VSC ends on lap 4. Although it wasn't much later as Gabriel Bortoletto would spin in turn 1 and causing another virtual safety car. Bortoletto lost the rear of the car and backed it into the wall due to low grip as the track was not yet fully dry. He was able to drive away but not for long. As he got back going, the right side of the rear wing fell off and onto the track and the rule is, you cannot drive around the track spreading debris so he pulled off track shortly after and retired from the race. As the 2nd VSC ended on lap 7, Max Verstappen would get passed by championship leader Oscar Piastri on lap 8. On lap 10 we saw Nico Hulkenberg and Kimi Antonelli pit for the intermediate tires as there was heavy rain reported to hit the track shortly after that. The stewards disabled DRS on lap 11 and that sent the message to the drivers to pit for a new set of intermediates. Also on lap 11, Max Verstappen has a big moment and goes wide losing 2nd place to Lando Norris. Shortly after, Norris' race engineer tells Lando to expect at least 10 minutes of heavy rain. It wasn't too much later the full safety car was deployed on lap 14 due to how heavy the rain was on track. During the safety car period, Charles Leclerc goes off into the grass in sector 2, but is able to keep it going. He states to the team there was water from the rain that went into his visor causing him to not be able to see well. After a couple of laps went by, the safety car ended on lap 17 and the race resumed. Isack Hadjar walking away from his Racing Bulls after crashing out of the British Grand Prix (Photo by: F1) However, shortly after the saftey car ended, chaos struck yet again, this time involving the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli. Heading into Copse corner, Hadjar struck the back of Antonelli and spun into the barrier ending his race. Visibility was still very low and many questioned why they went back racing. Antonelli recieved damage to the right side of the rake on his diffuser. Due to this incident, the safety car came out once again. During the safety car period, Esteban Ocon decided to come into the pitlane for new intermediate tires and while that was going on, Oscar Piastri reported a few puddles of standing water in turn 2 as the conditions seemed to have gotten trickier as the race went on. On lap 21 the stewards decided to call the safety car into the pitlane so the race can get underway once more. Race leader Oscar Piastri came to a halt on the hanger straight bunching the field up to create a gap to the safety car but in doing so, multiple drivers had to take avoiding action in order to not create another accident. Max Verstappen who was just behind Piastri, nearly ran into the back of him and further back in the field, Nico Hulkenberg nearly ran into the back of Lance Stroll and had to go into the grass to avoid running into the back of the Aston Martin. Just after that occurs, Max Verstappen spins just after Stowe and falls down to 10th place behind Carlos Sainz. Furthermore, as the race got back underway, Oliver Bearman spins from contact with Yuki Tsunoda and falls down to 15th. Fast forward to lap 24, Lewis Hamilton goes wide just after Copse and loses 6th place to former teammate George Russell. In addition, Kimi Antonelli retires from the race due to the contact with Hadjar. After all that occured, controversy unfolded at the halfway point in the grand prix. The FIA stewards decided that Oscar Piastri's actions under the safety car restart was enough to hand him a 10 second time penalty for the egregious decrease in speed that he did in order to give a gap to the safety car. That wasn't the only penalty handed out as Yuki Tsunoda also recieved a 10 second time penalty for the contact that sent Oliver Bearman spinning. Shortly after, Hamilton was able to pass George Russell for the 6th position he had lost a couple laps prior and also makes his way past the Alpine of Pierre Gasly for the 5th position. In addition, the track began to dry and the stewards enabled DRS on lap 34. With DRS enabled, this allowed the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg to go by Lance Stroll for the 3rd position and the next lap, Lewis Hamilton went by Lance Stroll as well moving up into 4th, with Stroll going from 3rd to 5th in the span of half a lap. Max Verstappen also moves his way up past Sainz for 9th and Charles Leclerc goes past Alex Albon for 11th. Since the track began to get more and more dry, Aston Martin made the call to bring Fernando Alonso into the pitlane to make him the first to go onto dry tires and a lap later, George Russell did the same. While that was going on, Charles Leclerc with a risky move, goes up into the 8th position past his former teammate Carlos Sainz. Sainz had to take avoiding action in order not to receive damage from Leclerc's lunge into turn 3 and he came over the radio saying "that was completely reckless from Leclerc." Fernando Alonso, who was the first to pit for dry tires, turned out to be 8 seconds slower a lap compared to those who were still on the intermediate tires. He wasn't the only one with issues as George Russell who was the other driver to follow Alonso's strategy spun in sector 2 due to the track still being too wet for the slick dry tires. Verstappen who had spun earlier in the race, kept making his way back up the field, passing Pierre Gasly for 6th on lap 41. On lap 42, multiple drivers made the call to dive into the pitlane for the dry tires as it finally was dry enough for dry tires on the majority of the track. After Lewis Hamilton made his stop for dry tires, as he exited the pitlane, he went wide in turn 2 losing a handful of time to Nico Hulkenberg for the 3rd position. On lap 44, Oscar Piastri serves his 10 second time penalty for the safety car infringement earlier in the race and hands the lead to McLaren teammate, Lando Norris who pitted a lap later than Piastri. Further back in the field, Alonso who was struggling when he first pitted for dry tires, was able to regain the lost time and pass Alex Albon for 8th. Oscar Piastri, who had given up the lead after serving the 10 second penalty goes wide in sector 2 and loses time to Lando Norris. He then comes onto the radio and tells the team the penalty was unfair and suggested the team to swap the positions of himself and Norris and then race each other. On lap 47, Charles Leclerc goes into the gravel in Copse and falls down to 14th and out of the points. After Piastri had requested for the team to swap himself and Norris, his race engineer tells Piastri they will not swap the positions and race to the end. As the laps were winding down, Max Verstappen makes it past Lance Stroll for 5th after Stroll goes wide in turn 3. Heading to the checkered, it was Lando Norris picking up his first British Grand Prix victory and claims his 8th win of his career, his 4th of 2025 ahead of Championship leader Oscar Piastri and the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg who claims his maiden F1 podium in his 239th start, snapping the longest streak of most races without a Formula 1 podium. Nico Hulkenberg being congratulated by teammate Gabriel Bortoletto (Photo by: Getty Images) The overtakes were not done yet as Alex Albon goes back by Fernando Alonso for 8th and Pierre Gasly going past Lance Stroll for 6th on the last lap. With Nico Hulkenberg earning his maiden podium, he becomes the oldest driver since 1973 to stand on a Formula one podium. This is also Sauber's first podium since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix with Kamui Kobayashi. McLaren team member (far left), Oscar Piastri (left), Lando Norris (right), and Nico Hulkenberg (far right) celebrate on top of the podium at the British Grand Prix (Photo by: Autocar India) Heading into the halfway point of the season, Oscar Piastri continues to lead the championship over Lando Norris but only by 8 points. Max Verstappen who lost more points to the Mclaren duo, is now 69 points behind and the chance at a fifth consecutive title is slowly going away. With Sauber getting their first podium of the season, they now move up to 6th in the constructor standings, their highest since 2022 under the Alfa Romeo Sauber name.

There was plenty of drama and chaos expected, given that the weather is always unpredictable in England. We saw Alpine’s Franco Colapinto forced to DNS, due to stalling the car and being unable to get out of 2nd gear. Will that be the last time we see Colapinto in F1?  2025 British Grand Prix Race Start- Source: Getty Images 5 drivers chose to come into the pits for the race start to switch out tyres. George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto and Ollie Bearman all switched to a set of slicks due to the track slowly drying from the rain earlier that day. This would ultimately not pay off, given the further wet weather conditions on the way. Liam Lawson was our first DNF and VSC due to a collision with Esteban Ocon. There was no investigation between the two, although Lawson was not happy about being pushed off the track. Gabriel Bortoleto soon joined Lawson with a DNF due to the conditions; this was our 2nd VSC of the day. Although able to keep the car going, due to the significant damage to his rear wing, he was not able to continue his race.  When we finally got back to racing after the 2nd VSC, Oscar Piastri officially took the lead from Max Verstappen, in a chaotic battle between the two. However, this would only last so long. As Piastri gained a massive 13-second lead on Verstappen, a Safety Car was called due to the wet conditions and lack of visibility. This brought the pack back together very quickly.  After the first safety car release, a second Safety Car was called due to Isack Hadjar after he ran into the back of Kimi Antonelli due to poor visibility. This incident also eventually resulted in a DNF for Kimi Antonelli as well.  After the Safety Car was released from the pack, Oscar Piastri was noted for braking too fast and almost causing an accident with Verstappen. This would eventually result in a massive 10-second penalty for Piastri. But not before a crazy restart with Max spinning and dropping down to P11, he had his work cut out for him.  Yuki Tsunoda also received a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Ollie Bearman. It was a difficult day for RedBull as they tried to recover themselves back up the field.  With many beautiful pirouettes and lawnmower moments throughout this race, it is sure to say it was a difficult race for everyone. This was a race purely built up to strategy.  And for the first time in his career, Lando Norris won his home race. It was another 1-2 finish for the McLaren pair, with Oscar Piastri finishing P2 after a tough day with his penalty.  2025 British Grand Prix Podium with McLaren drivers Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri and Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg- Source: Getty Images But the most exciting part for every F1 fan was for the first time in 239 race starts and starting from P19 at the British Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg officially got his first ever podium. It was a moment to be seen, as many of us were never sure if we would witness it.  Your top 10 finishers in Great Britain: P1: Lando Norris - 25pts P2: Oscar Piastri - 18pts P3: Nico Hulkenberg - 15pts P4: Lewis Hamilton - 12pts P5: Max Verstappen - 10pts P6: Pierre Gasly - 8pts P7: Lance Stroll - 6pts P8: Alex Albon - 4pts P9: Fernando Alonso - 2pts P10: George Russell - 1pts Now we get the race blues whilst we await the next race weekend, which is the Belgian Grand Prix and takes place on July 25th-27th.

Now that we’re halfway through the year, I wanted to put together my list of the best 10 drivers under the age of 25. I based this on how they’re performing against expectations and how they’ve looked all year long. FYI this list is for drivers who were 25 or younger on January 1st. This wasn’t an easy list to make. A lot of drivers just missed the cut, so I’ll give a quick shoutout to some honorable mentions: Andrea Kimi Antonelli (18), Jesse Love (20), Marcus Armstrong (24), and Fermín Aldeguer (20). 10. Corey Heim (23) Starting off the list is Corey Heim, who’s been dominating the Truck Series this year. It’s honestly gotten to the point where he could’ve won nearly every race if not for a little bad luck or some chaos around him. He’s also done some Cup and Xfinity with ok showings, but it’s a small sample size. That, combined with the limited depth in Trucks, is why I’m keeping him at 10. Still, he’s on the doorstep of a full-time Cup opportunity, and if he keeps this up, it’ll be impossible to overlook him in 2026. 9. Phil Hanson (26) / Yifei Ye (25) I’m grouping these two teammates together. These two are coming off a win at Le Mans and are right in the thick of the WEC championship fight. They’ve both taken massive steps forward in the World Endurance Championship, and that win at Le Mans the biggest race of their careers so far, and it proved they belong at the top level. Spa wasn’t their best weekend, but I’m not going to hold one off weekend against them when the highs have been so high. They’re second in points and look poised to push in the second half of the year. 8. Matthew Payne (22) Payne was in my list at the end of last hear for the best up and coming drivers. This year, Matthew Payne has fully arrived. He’s sitting third in the championship and has clearly taken the reins as the team leader at Grove Racing. His pace has been strong, he’s been smart in wheel-to-wheel battles, and he’s starting to consistently show podium potential. The growth from year one to now has been impressive, and he’s still got a lot of ceiling left. With Broc Feeney making headlines, Payne is making sure his name stays in the conversation too. 7. Christian Lundgaard (23) Some people called Lundgaard an F1 reject. But thankfully he’s found a home in IndyCar, and this season he’s been one of the most consistent drivers. Currently sitting fifth in the championship, he’s been delivering strong runs and getting podiums. The confidence is there, the chemistry with the team is solid, and you can tell he’s comfortable now. He even seems happier off-track, and I think that’s fueling his performance on it. He could be a real title threat next season or two. 6. Pedro Acosta (21) Pedro Acosta is doing exactly what I expected in MotoGP pushing way beyond his experience. He’s the top KTM rider and sitting comfortably in the top five of the championship. If KTM can fix their issues, Acosta would be right in the title fight. He’s smooth, aggressive when he needs to be, and brings a smart approach to every weekend. The kid just doesn’t seem fazed by anything. He’s still learning, sure, but everything points to him being a future world champion. And honestly, that future might not be very far away. 5. Isack Hadjar (20) Hadjar is quietly becoming one of the breakout stars of 2025. After low expectations in the winter, this season has been different. In F1 he’s looked confident and composed. He’s still outperforming expectations and been dogwalking to his current teammate Liam Lawson in my opinion. He’s been consistent, fast, and mentally sharp, and that’s what sets him apart this year. If Red Bull reshuffles the deck again, Hadjar’s name might be at the top of their call list. But after seeing what happened to Yuki it might be a good call to stay home. 4. Connor Zilisch (18) Before you NASCAR fans get the pitchforks out just remember what you tell your F1 cousins when it comes to watching different series. Connor Zilisch might not have the full Xfinity season under his belt just yet, but the flashes of brilliance are impossible to ignore. As he improves his racing IQ, and improving speed on ovals but at such a young age, you can just tell he’s different. People want to rush him to Cup next year, but I think letting him bake a bit longer could turn him into something really special. He still makes mistakes from tie to time in practice and needs to figure when to push and when to ride around but he is on a great path. If he grabs a few more Xfinity wins on ovals and continues to grow, we could be watching the next face of NASCAR and American motorsport before our eyes. 3. Pato O’Ward (26) Pato is one of the most interesting cases on this list. Whether it’s fans begging for him to get the Cadillac F1 seat or him going head-to-head with Alex Palou, he’s proven he isn’t slowing down. He’s currently the lead McLaren Indy driver and sits 3rd in the IndyCar championship. Like Lundgaard, he’s pushing hard for to get wins but has stacked up podiums along the way. He’s chasing down Kirkwood and pressuring Palou, it’s been fun to watch. 2. Broc Feeney (22) If you’re not watching Supercars, start. Please I beg. Broc Feeney is putting on a clinic. This year has been all him. He’s leading the championship by a healthy margin, has wins across a variety of tracks, and swept Darwin weekend with pole, fastest lap, and for all three race wins. That’s not just good….. that’s elite. He’s carrying the Red Bull Ampol torch with maturity well beyond his age. Many already want to see him in NASCAR, GT series, or even open wheeled stuff. He’s ready for the next challenge whenever it comes. but what is guaranteed he will win multiple Supercars Championships and will be on of the faces of Australian motorsport for a long time. 1. Oscar Piastri (24) Oscar Piastri is the best under-25 driver in the world right now. He’s leading the Formula 1 World Championship in just his third season, going head-to-head with the likes of Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc every weekend. What stands out most is his calm demeanor. He doesn’t get rattled. He just shows up and races all with the same emotion and tone of voice no matter what happens. In my opinion he may have Lando rattled and is making him second think who runs that McLaren team. If Piastri can hold on and win this championship, we’re looking at the start of a new F1 era led by the quietest killer on the grid. He’s a silent assassin

After a wild weekend in Chicago and a sweep from Shane Von (IYKYK) here are the updated NASCAR power rankings . Honorable Mention: Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs both get an HM this week. Briscoe’s on his way out, and Gibbs is on his way in. After a, quite frankly, lucky win at Pocono, Briscoe’s been on a downward spiral. A decent day at Chicago went belly up late for Briscoe. Ty Gibbs, unlike his teammate, is on the up and up. After the best run of Gibbs’ career at Mexico, he followed it up with a solid run at Pocono, a strong run at Atlanta, and a race-winning run at Chicago. Match that with the fact that veteran Chris Gabehart is now atop the box to help this team into the playoffs, it’s clear the 54’s here to play. He seems to be the only one who can match SVG on the road courses, which bodes well considering where the Cup Series is heading this week. 10. Ryan Preece has figured out the road courses, it seems. After winning a stage at both COTA and Mexico, he finished P7 at Chicago. He heads to another road course this week, but has never finished better than 13th there, with 3 sub 15th place finishes. Preece has been incredibly consistent this year, however, and he could surprise some people this week. 9. Chris Buescher seemed to bring a fast car to Chicago…until lap 4 hit.  Engine issues plagued the 17, relegating him 2 laps down at one point. He rallied for 18th, but an overall disappointing day that saw him dropped a spot in the playoffs and lose about 15 points to the cutline. However, spirits should be up at Roush this week, as Chris hasn’t finished worse than 4th at Sonoma since the next gen car was introduced. If there’s ever a place for Buescher to lock into the playoffs, it’s here. 8. Back to back race winning runs has brought Tyler Reddick back into the top 10. He backed up a 4th at Atlanta with 3rd place runs in all three stages, earning him the most points on the day. Reddick’s put himself to 143 points above the cutline, and barring a generational falloff and many new winners, Reddick should make the playoffs. At this point, it’s time for the 45 to get back to victory lane. 7. Ross Chastain had an eventful Sunday, tangling with Joey Logano late. However, he had another strong run with a top 10 in the first and 3rd stage. He heads to Sonoma with an average finish of 7.25 minus his 33rd place run with Premium Motorsports in 2019. Since being in top equipment with Chip Ganassi, Chastain hasn’t finished worse than 10th. 6. I’m lost on CBell. Backing up a bad run with another bad run, Christopher needs some momentum…bad. The only thing keeping him this high on the list is the fact that they can win anytime, anywhere, and they’ve proved that many times with their must win situation victories in the playoffs. After 2 sub 20th place finishes his first 2 years, he has finished 9th the last 2 years at Sonoma. I’m sure after my negative words and how I’m losing faith in Bell, he’ll have a really good run and finish 4th this week.   5. Kyle Larson’s weekend started out rough, to say the least. After receiving some damage in practice and qualifying, the team opted to repair it and start from the back. Larson rebounded for a 14th, but still hasn’t led a lap since the 600. Sonoma’s been kind to Larson, however, as he has 2 wins here, including last year’s race. 4. Ryan Blaney had a solid day at Chicago, winning stage 2 and finishing 13th.  3. Chase Elliott captures his first win of the year and his 3rd top 5 in a row on 3 completely different racetracks. Chicago is far from his best road course, but it’s a road course nonetheless. He’s looking to continue his momentum. He finished 3rd here in 2023, thanks to some strategy, but last year had a rough race and finished 21st. His qualifying here doesn’t bode much confidence either, but at the same time, no one is hotter in the garage right now. 2. William Byron was also involved in the big one. I genuinely have nothing else to say as I never even saw him. He heads to a track where he has never finished worse than 13th before, while also being a sneaky good road course racer.  1. Denny Hamlin got wrecked, totaled, destroyed. But so did a lot of other people. He keeps his #1 spot, but I don’t like his road course numbers. He sat on the pole for the first ever race here, and ran decent, picking up an 11th, but since that race, Hamlin has lost his groove. Other than a 2nd at Watkins Glen and a pair of 14th’s at COTA and the Roval, his best road course finish is only 19th, with 3 sub-30th place finishes. I don’t see him staying at the #1 spot after this weekend.

After a rollercoaster season filled with injury setbacks, Jorge Martin is finally nearing his return to MotoGP action. The reigning world champion has been sidelined for over three months but is now set for a pivotal test session with Aprilia at Misano. Meanwhile, in Formula 1, Gene Haas has reportedly rejected several buyout offers to stay firmly at the helm of the Haas F1 Team, underlining his long-term commitment to the sport. And in a significant political move, American motorsports executive Tim Mayer has officially launched a campaign to challenge Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the presidency of the FIA later this year. Martin Set for Aprilia MotoGP Test Ahead of Czech Return Aprilia has confirmed that Jorge Martin will undergo a private MotoGP test at Misano on Wednesday, July 9, as he eyes a return to racing at the Czech Grand Prix next week. Martin has missed six consecutive Grands Prix due to a series of injuries, starting with a crash in Qatar and setbacks that followed, including missing rounds in Jerez, France, Britain, Aragon, Mugello, and the Netherlands. The Misano test is permitted under new rules pushed by Aprilia, that allow a rider returning from injury after missing at least three Grands Prix to test a MotoGP machine before resuming competition. Martin has already completed two unofficial sessions on an Aprilia RSV4 at the Circuit de Barcelona, doing nearly 100 laps to assess his fitness. He passed the preliminary medical checks necessary to ride, and while he won’t compete at the German GP this weekend, the Czech Republic Grand Prix looks set to mark his comeback. Returning before the summer break is crucial, not only to prevent further rust but to use the break to recover from his first race back and regain momentum in the title defense. Gene Haas Rebuffs Multiple Offers to Sell F1 Team While the Formula 1 paddock has been rife with rumors about team sales and investment shakeups, Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has put speculation to rest. According to Komatsu, team owner Gene Haas has rejected "numerous offers" to sell the team over the past 18 months. Despite the challenges the team has faced, including a poor showing at Silverstone and sitting ninth in the Constructors’ standings. Haas remains committed to staying in F1. “He enjoys being the owner, one of ten teams (soon to be one of eleven). It’s such a privileged position to be in,” Komatsu said. “He came in at a time when F1 wasn’t like this and stuck with us through Covid. He’s enjoying it. He’s not interested in selling at all.” To celebrate the team’s 10th anniversary and 200th Grand Prix, Haas and Komatsu will both get behind the wheel of the VF-23 and VF-24 at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed. For Komatsu, it’s a symbolic moment: “When I asked him in Miami to drive the car, I said, ‘You’ve built this team, go enjoy what you created.’ He was nervous but agreed.” Tim Mayer Announces FIA Presidential Bid In a surprising turn of events within motorsports governance, American executive Tim Mayer has officially announced his candidacy for FIA President, setting up a challenge to incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem in December’s election. Mayer brings over three decades of motorsport experience and has held roles across a wide range of disciplines from Formula 1 to IndyCar, IMSA, Formula E, and WEC. He’s also no stranger to the FIA itself, having served as a member of its World Council and chairing the panel of F1 stewards for eight years before being removed from the role by Ben Sulayem last year. Now, Mayer is looking to bring what he calls “professionalism, transparency, and reform” back to the FIA under the banner of his “FIA Forward” campaign. “We need a professional organization that values our volunteers and Member Clubs and is looking for growth especially in underserved countries,” Mayer said. He praised Ben Sulayem’s 2021 manifesto for its ideals but criticized the lack of follow-through. “Four years ago, Mohammed came up with some very good ideas… but we’ve never had less transparency than we do now.”

Honorable Mention: Tyler Reddick had a good performance Saturday. He arguably had a race winning car, but a pit road penalty late relegated him to deep in the field. He still rebounded for a top 5 finish, but if he wants to make it back to the top 10 for rankings, I need to see some speed in a race that isn’t a superspeedway (much less a superspeedway with only half the field still intact after stage 2). 10. Ryan Preece Ryan Preece seemed to have yet another good run going before he was caught up in the lap 69 big one. Despite that, Preece still led a few laps and managed a top 15. He ran well at Mexico City a few weeks ago and won a stage at COTA earlier this year, but his best finish at Chicago is only 15th. RFK seems to be qualifying better though, and Preece will be looking for another good run. 9. Chase Briscoe One of the few people I’m moving is Chase Briscoe. Although we didn’t see much of him, I was not at all impressed. While running in 27th, Briscoe was swept up in the big one. Some might argue that he was riding in the back to get to the end, but the whole point of that is so that you can miss  the wreck, not piledrive into it. His best street course finish is 20th, so I’m not feeling much better this week either. 8. Chris Buescher Chris Buescher put together another good run at Atlanta, missing the big one with some strategy that put him on the front row as the wreck ensued behind him. From then on, he went on to lead 15 laps. Chris stalled late and ended up finishing 9th, but a solid run for the 17 is exactly what this team needed. He distanced himself on the cutline, and he‘s headed to a track where he has a top 10. 7. Ross Chastain Ross Chastain was also swept up in the big one tonight. However, unlike Briscoe, Ross was in 11th during the wreck, and I can’t judge him the same way I did Chase. While Chastain is a good road course racer, he has a best finish of 22nd atChicago, and a worst finish of…also 22nd. 6. Kyle Larson Kyle Larson finished at Atlanta after being caught up in q few wrecks. As a Larson fan, you’ve got to be pleased about that. Larson finished 4th in the inaugural race at Chicago, but last year, he took himself out early and finished 39th. If he keeps it clean, he’ll be fast. However, judging recently for Larson, that might be a big if.   5. Christopher Bell Christopher Bell had a bad night, to say the least. He lost his racecar late in stage one, taking out Ryan Blaney and damaging Bubba Wallace, AJ Allmendinger, Austin Dillon, Connor Zilisch and Kyle Larson in the process. Most Bell fans will be thrilled to head to a road course, but his best finish on the streets is only 18th. He has started both races inside the top 7, however. If he can find some race pace to match his qualifying efforts, the 20 might be a factor come Sunday. 4. Ryan Blaney Ryan Blaney never got a chance to show what he had. He played blocker for Joey Logano before pit strategy shuffled him behind the pack, to which Christopher Bell KO’d him. Blaney finishes last in an unfortunate showing at a track he’s found relative success at before. He heads to a track where he finished top 10 at last year. 3. Chase Elliott Chase Elliott captures his first win of the year and his 3rd top 5 in a row on 3 completely different racetracks. Chicago is far from his best road course, but it’s a road course nonetheless. He’s looking to continue his momentum. He finished 3rd here in 2023, thanks to some strategy, but last year had a rough race and finished 21st. His qualifying here doesn’t bode much confidence either, but at the same time, no one is hotter in the garage right now. 2. William Byron William Byron was also involved in the big one. I genuinely have nothing else to say as I never even saw him. He heads to a track where he has never finished worse than 13th before, while also being a sneaky good road course racer.  1. Denny Hamlin Denny Hamlin got wrecked, totaled, destroyed. But so did a lot of other people. He keeps his #1 spot, but I don’t like his road course numbers. He sat on the pole for the first ever race here, and ran decent, picking up an 11th, but since that race, Hamlin has lost his groove. Other than a 2nd at Watkins Glen and a pair of 14th’s at COTA and the Roval, his best road course finish is only 19th, with 3 sub-30th place finishes. I don’t see him staying at the #1 spot after this weekend.