Race Rewind: Richmond produces short-track showdown
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Three Up, Three Down: Drivers in focus leaving Richmond
With a weekend that had plenty of old-school feel to it, Austin Dillon was the one who shined the brightest in a short-track showdown under the lights. The Richard Childress Racing driver guided the iconic No. 3 ride to Victory Lane at Richmond Raceway with ease after leading 107 laps and earning redemption to return to Cup Series Playoffs. RELATED: | With one race left in the regular season, let's take a look at three drivers moving in the right direction and three drivers on their back foot before another Saturday night's thriller at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock). THREE UP ⬆️ 1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford Started: 20th Finished: 3rd What happened: Overall, it was a banner day for Team Penske with the 2023 Cup Series champ carrying the flag, scoring his first top-five finish at Richmond. Blaney was a force all evening, scoring points in both stages and coming alive in the second half of the race to challenge Dillon for the win. In the end, he couldn't make up the gap to catch Dillon in the final stint, settling for his ninth top five of the season. What's next: Blaney has proven to be a master on drafting tracks, and he does have a summer win at Daytona from 2021. With how much pace the whole organization is showing right now, Penske is peaking at the right time before the playoffs and Blaney has a chance to end the regular season on a six-race top-10 streak. 2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford Started: 38th Finished: 4th What happened: The defending champ had a mountain to climb before the green flag dropped, with a tire failure in practice sending him into the wall and not setting a lap in qualifying. He admitted it was a frustrating night post-race, but Logano kept his head down and didn't waste any time as he charged up to fourth by midway through Stage 2. His speed held true once the checkered flag flew, which resulted in his fifth top 10 at Richmond over the last six races there. What's next: With a season that's now only produced seven top-10 finishes through 25 races, this was the perfect tone-setting weekend for Logano and Co. to execute through adversity and build momentum before the playoffs picking up their first top five since Nashville, and we know how dangerous it is to give the No. 22 crew momentum at this point of the year. 3. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Started: 27th Finished: 14th What happened: Van Gisbergen chipped away at spots all night and slowly got more comfortable as the race went on. Plus, the Kiwi stayed clean once chaos did strike in the middle portions of the race. The result ties his best finish on ovals since the Coca-Cola 600 and his sixth top 20 at such tracks. What's next: With the second-most playoff points already in hand, this solid run at Richmond gives a shot in the arm to van Gisbergen as he continues to progress on ovals. The momentum should boost his confidence for the postseason, where every lap of experience matters and each clean finish could mean the difference in advancing. THREE DOWN ⬇️ 1. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Started: 1st Finished: 35th What happened: RFK Racing had a dismal day after showing blazing speed on Friday, highlighted no more clearly than by pole-sitter Preece. Preece appeared to have the car early to sail into his first career Cup Series win and lock into the playoffs. Instead the No. 60 team opted for a different strategy and saved fresher tires for later in the race. The gamble didn't pay off as Preece faded throughout the 400-lapper before being plagued by brake issues. What's next: Some good news is that the Fords show speed at drafting tracks and Preece has had great qualifying efforts two out of his last three visits to Daytona. It's going to take a mighty effort in close-quarter racing next Saturday for the Connecticut wheelman to keep his playoff hopes alive. 2. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford Started: 12th Finished: 30th What happened: Buescher never found the pace to contend and leaned on an alternate strategy to try and gain track position. The move didn't stick, and he steadily slipped back from the top 15 during the race. What's next: He came in as the last driver clinging to the playoff bubble, but Austin Dillon's win pushes him below the elimination line, a full 60 points back of Alex Bowman for the provisional final spot in the 16-driver postseason grid. That effectively leaves Daytona as a must-win with his postseason hopes against the wall. 3. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Started: 2nd Finished: 34th What happened: Reddick flexed early on, winning the opening stage and leading 41 laps at a track where he only has two top 10s. Unfortunately, contact from the lapped car of Ty Gibbs cost the No. 45 driver a chance to remain upfront and vie for his first win of the season as Reddick spun and never recovered. What's next: His points cushion to the playoff elimination line is still solid, and though he didn't clinch a spot with a race to spare, Reddick just needs to avoid calamity in the final tilt of the regular season and focus on getting off to a strong start in the Cup Series Playoffs.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Brad Keselowski Laughs at Connor Zilisch's Hard Fall after Xfinity Victory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski laughed at Connor Zilisch's fall, which occurred when Zilisch was celebrating his victory at Watkins Glen International last weekend. The 19-year-old driver suffered from a broken collarbone and recently underwent surgery to expedite his recovery for a racing return. The incident occurred when Zilisch had just climbed atop his car, only to slip and fall headfirst. The event made headlines over the past week due to its severity. However, Keselowski found humor in Zilisch's fall, stating that he experienced falls in the past. When asked ahead of the race at Richmond if he planned on climbing on top of his car if he won the race, the 2012 NASCAR Cup champion said: "Probably not. I think I'll just grab my American flag and stand outside of it. But man, that was sure scary. I called Adam Alexander [NASCAR commentator] yesterday because now that we know Connor's okay, it is one of the funniest damn videos I've ever seen in my life. And we've all had our, you know, moments. "The funniest part to me was Adam just saying, 'Oh my god, he fell.' And my wife and I, we've had a lot of fun with that. But, you do this sport long enough, you're bound to have a moment that you wish you could have back. And, I've got quite a few of them, and Connor got his first one." Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Ford, walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Ford, walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, gave an update recently after undergoing surgery. Newsweek Sports reported his comments: "Wanted to give everyone a quick update. Had surgery on my collarbone this morning to get a plate and screws to help with the healing process. Been a tough few days for me mentally, but all the love you guys have shown has certainly helped. Thank you." Due to the injury, Zilisch was unable to race the next day in the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing. It remains to be seen if he can return for the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway next weekend. Addressing the topic of his racing return, Trackhouse's team owner Justin Marks said: "I think it's a discussion that we all have to have. We haven't really talked about much, obviously, since yesterday, but in the little bit that we've discussed in some of the quiet moments over the last 24 hours, it's going to have to be a group decision. "It's going to have to be sponsors, Chevrolet, the team, taking care of his development, taking care of him as a human and as an athlete, and then keeping his motivations high and making sure he knows he's got a group of people behind him that are supportive of him."
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Fox News
A Year After Controversial Richmond Victory, Austin Dillon Wins With No Drama
RICHMOND, Va. — Austin Dillon didn't face any questions about whether he crossed any line other than the finish line Saturday night. Just one year ago, Dillon's Richmond Raceway victory stirred a huge controversy and resulted in NASCAR ruling that his contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin was too egregious to award a playoff berth for the win. But this year, Dillon won with absolutely no controversy, as he beat Alex Bowman by 2.47 seconds at the finish. "I'm too tired to be angry," Dillon said. "I got a little cold, a broken rib, a lot of adversity. Some things you don't understand at the time come back around. "God has a way of putting that timing together. I feel like I was probably the calmest I've ever been tonight in the car winning the race. I didn't act a certain way. I was just thankful for the opportunity." Dillon entered the race 28th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings but now will be one of the 16 drivers in the playoffs when they start in two weeks at Darlington Raceway. Two spots remain in the playoff field. Tyler Reddick and Bowman would gain those spots if the regular-season finale doesn't have a new winner. If there is a new winner, one of those two drivers would get the final spot, with Reddick entering the race 29 points ahead of Bowman. Dillon doesn't have those worries, as he no doubt has a playoff spot. Last year, the team lost its appeal to the NASCAR decision to withdraw the playoff berth in the wake of the last-lap fracas. "I'll never forget last year," said Dillon's grandfather and team owner, Richard Childress. "But today, winning the race — I want to focus and concentrate on it. "I was not happy with the way things went down with the way things were called on us. But that's history. Let's look at tonight. Tonight was a great night." Dillon and Ryan Blaney gave a great battle for the lead in the final 100 laps, with them side-by-side and at times swapping the front spot. Dillon made his final pit stop about four laps before Blaney and Blaney could never catch him, eventually wearing out his tires enough that Bowman passed him for second. "He raced door-to-door with a Cup champion," said Richard Boswell, who came to RCR to crew chief for Dillon this season after the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing. "He beat him at the end." For Dillon, it marked his sixth win in his 433rd career Cup start. Driving the famed No. 3 that Dale Earnhardt made famous while racing for Childress, Dillon faces questions about whether he deserves the privilege of driving such an iconic car number. That only increased when many questioned how he won the race at Richmond a year ago, a race where Dillon had a comfortable lead until a caution set up a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag. Dillon said it was hard for his grandfather to get over it. "Last year ... it stung to him because he felt like NASCAR kind of let him down in a way," Dillon said. "They had to make a call. I got over it. He doesn't get over those type of things. "Hopefully this lets him sleep at night again … because this sport is special. It's given our family a living and a lot of other families a living." And the win at Richmond was special, a track where Dillon struggled early in his career but also a track where RCR has had some great moments. Dillon also raced for the third consecutive week with a broken rib, suffered when he fell off a ladder at home. When Dillon arrived on Friday at Richmond, he said he didn't arrive with an angry feeling from last year and the term redemption didn't really seem to apply. The circumstances were just different this year. "This is what I wanted last year," Dillon said. "It's not how I wanted to end it last year [when] I felt like I had to with my back against the wall kind of deal." Dillon had led just one lap in any race since winning a year ago and before leading 107 Saturday night at Richmond. "If you would have told me we would come back a year later and sitting in Victory Lane after all we went through?" Dillon said. "I cried in our appeal process because that win meant a lot to me to be able to race with Denny and Joey. "Before that period, we didn't have a good run. I was so pumped to just be up there racing for a win. Then to come back this year, everyone is telling you, 'Go get it done. You can get the redemption here. Show them what it means to win.'" The 35-year-old Dillon made the playoffs for the first time in three years. He finished 29th and 32nd in the standings the last two seasons. "We're kind of like a fighter," Dillon said. "We don't go away. I think a lot of people think that guy is going to go away at some point. We're able to claw, chip, find ways. "I like that underdog mentality a little bit." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
