Ryan Blaney speeds to Busch Light Pole Award at Atlanta
Ryan Blaney posted the fastest lap in Saturday's Busch Light Pole Qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway at 179.371 mph in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford.
Right behind him was a trio of Team Penske-affiliated teammates in Austin Cindric (179.359 mph), Josh Berry (179.139 mph) and Joey Logano (178.827 mph).
MORE: Best Atlanta photos | Full weekend schedule
Rounding out the top five was another Ford in Todd Gilliland's No. 34 Front Row Motorsports machine.
The Cup Series will race Sunday in the Ambetter Health 400 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in the second race of the 2025 season.
This story will be updated.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
3 Things That Prove Car Buyers Don't Want EVs to Be Weird
The first mass-market electric vehicle (EV) was the Nissan LEAF, introduced in 2010, and it seems Nissan's goal was to separate the LEAF from gas-powered models by looking strange. The solid proboscis front fascia, the amorphous headlights that crept up to the A-pillars, the odd round rear haunches, and the protruding butt all made for an almost alien-like craft. And that was just the exterior. For more than a decade, automakers have tried to make electric vehicles stand out by making them… well, weird. Early EVs often looked and felt like they were from another planet. It was all part of a strategy: If you're going to drive the car of the future, shouldn't it look futuristic? But a funny thing happened on the way to mass EV adoption: car buyers balked. Turns out, most people don't want to drive a pod on wheels or relearn how to operate a vehicle just because it's electric. What consumers really want are EVs that fit seamlessly into their lives, not ones that scream, "I'm different!" Here are three things that prove car buyers want EVs to be familiar, rather than looking like weird rolling spacecraft. In the early EV days, standing out was the name of the game. It wasn't just the LEAF that worked too hard to be noticed. The BMW i3 was easily the brand's least fetching model with some of the worst bodywork we've ever laid eyes on. Sure, it looked like nothing else on the road, but that's not always a good thing. The original Toyota Prius-while not an EV but a hybrid pioneer-looked like Paul Bunyan was insulted by its environmental efforts and stepped on the nose of a once normal-looking subcompact sedan. But as more buyers entered the EV market, especially mainstream consumers who weren't early adopters or tech nerds, it became clear that outlandish designs were a turnoff. Today, many of the best-selling EVs are the ones that look like regular cars. They prove you can ditch the gas without ditching good taste. Take the Ford F-150 Lightning, for example. It looks nearly identical to the gas-powered F-150, the best-selling vehicle in America for decades. The typical bystander can't distinguish between the two, and that's no accident. Ford specifically chose to preserve the familiar shape and utility of the truck because it knows its customers don't want to drive a spaceship; they want to haul lumber, go camping, and tow boats, just like a gas truck owner. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 may look sleek and futuristic, but the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6-both of which sell well-strike a balance between distinctive and practical, without being too radical. Even Tesla, a brand known for innovation, has stuck with relatively minimalist, subdued exterior styling on its most successful models, the Model 3 and Model Y. They're clean and modern, yes, but not weird. Okay, so there's the Cybertruck, but we all know how that's going. Then there's the 3rd-generation Nissan LEAF, a conventional-looking modern crossover that shed all of its old weirdness. If that's not enough proof, consider the new crop of EVs: the Honda Prologue, the restyled Toyota bZ, the Chevy Blazer EV, the Hummer EV, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. These are EVs meant to look like real cars, and that's the hot trend now. If you think that some of the cabins in EVs were annoying and strange, you're not alone. One of the more frustrating trends in early EVs was the push to reinvent the wheel-literally and figuratively-when it came to controls. Carmakers, perhaps trying to emphasize that EVs were different, often went overboard with gimmicky interfaces. The first Nissan LEAF's bizarre interior looked like it came out of a '90s B sci-fi flick with its doughy white steering wheel and the orb-like shifter. It's the kind of stuff that makes the ovular 1996 Ford Taurus cabin look conventional. It also seems that numerous EV manufacturers thought their vehicles should have a tablet-sized center screen that controlled everything from the radio to the air vents. How about when Tesla eliminated stalks and buttons altogether in favor of a touch-and-swipe interface? For a while, EV cabins felt more like iPads on wheels than traditional cars. The result for drivers was often frustration with the unfamiliarity and the steep learning curve. Minimalism isn't always a good thing, tantamount to eyeglass frames that clamp on the nose with no temples to grab. Even Tesla's controversial decision to remove traditional turn signal stalks in the updated Model S and Model X has drawn widespread criticism. Many drivers are simply not ready to rewire their muscle memory every time they drive. Now, there appear to be more EVs that utilize physical controls, relatively standard shift knobs, and ergonomics that contribute to intuitive operation. The Chevy Blazer EV is one of them. It has big screens, yes, but switchgear to complement it. Hyundai and Kia have smartly kept a mix of physical and digital controls, allowing for a user experience that feels both modern and comfortable. The interior of the Honda Prologue is about as conventional as they get. If you were to get inside without knowing it's an EV, you'd never guess by looking at the dash, center stack, and center console. It has a normal-looking steering wheel, big stalk controls, and plenty of buttons and knobs for audio and climate. The lesson here is simple: car buyers might be open to new powertrains, but they don't want to relearn how to drive. Familiarity builds comfort, and comfort builds sales. Another clue that buyers want familiarity in their EVs is the transition away from names that were meant to set EVs apart from gas models. The Mercedes-Benz EQS and the Volkswagen ID series stand out the most. Both naming conventions seemed to have backfired. The EQS sedan and SUV don't carry the same panache as the S-Class or GLS-Class, as much as the electric versions try to follow in the footsteps of their gas-powered stablemates. VW's ID series is just plain awkward, especially when paired with non-words like and ID.2all. Even Toyota misfired with its hard-to-remember bZ4X name. Once you could finally memorize the name, you realized you didn't know which letters were uppercase or lowercase. Nobody should have to think about that. Now, it's just called bZ, and Toyota might do away with that shortly. Smarter name choices by manufacturers included the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Kona Electric, and the Chevrolet Blazer EV, all recognized model names with electric labels attached to them. It's not just ditching what's strange, it's capitalizing on what has already worked. In the EV race, it has taken only a little over a decade for automakers to figure out that departing too much from what's familiar is bad and that radical reinvention isn't always the way to win hearts or wallets. As EVs begin to feel more like the cars people already love-visually, ergonomically, and functionally-they're proof that making the kind of improvements people care about results in better sales. Of course, EV buyers don't want their vehicles to be boring. They just don't want them to be weird. Give them something familiar, with all the benefits of electric driving and none of the alienation, and they're on board. Onlookers might say, "That's electric?" because they can't tell the difference, and that just might be the best kind of compliment. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Forbes
7 hours ago
- Forbes
Denny Hamlin's Michigan Win Shows He Is Championship Ready
Denny Hamlin, at 44 years old, is in his prime. Through 15 races, the Joe Gibbs Racing pilot has three victories with his triumph at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Hamlin won only two or three races per season between 2021 and 2024. Now, he has a chance to top that for the first time since 2020, when he won seven contests. With 57 wins, he is now Joe Gibbs Racing's winningest driver ever, topping former teammate Kyle Busch. His legacy is certain to get him a seat in the Nascar Hall of Fame. But Hamlin is focused on capturing his first Cup Series championship. But Hamlin is also focused on winning races. He is 11th on Nascar's all-time wins list, and it is realistic that – should he continue racing for several more years – he could tie Dale Earnhardt at 76 wins for eighth on the list. Busch is the only other active full-time driver with more wins than Hamlin (60). 'It just feels good because I'm going to hate it when I'm not at the level I'm at now,' Hamlin said in his post-race press conference. "I certainly will retire very, very quickly after that. I'm not going to hang around and do it just to do it. This is how I want to spend my last season, is like still winning, you know? I'm going to keep going. 'I got to count on possibly Logano, more than likely Larson overtaking us in wins. You got to budget for at least a couple of these guys that started so much younger than I did to beat us on the win total. I forever want to be in the top 10. It's not going to be forever. There's going to be someone that comes down the line that's going to be the best ever. They're going to win a lot. At least while I'm alive, I want to be in the top 10 for the most wins.' Hamlin is still incredibly marketable. Not only does he have constant attention as the driver of the No. 11 Toyota Camry, but he also co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan. To make Hamlin even more marketable, he's the host of the 'Actions Detrimental Podcast.' The veteran racer just inked a major sponsorship deal with Progressive, which is replacing a large chunk of races that were vacant on the No. 11 car when FedEx dropped its primary sponsorship. Now, Hamlin is showing he is ready to win his first championship. He's done this before, but something feels different about the Virginia native this year.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
NASCAR Through the Gears: Ryan Blaney rights the Captain's ship; Chase Elliott goes down
Watching Ryan Blaney go a bit off-character Sunday night — cool, laid-back Ryan was off-the-rails giddy after his win — it was natural to let a nagging little thought enter the brain. 'Ahem, bud, you might want to bottle the celebration until you pass post-race inspection.' Advertisement Perception is a strong foe these days for Blaney's employer — Team Penske. And perception says the Penske team is a little loosey-goosey with the rulebook. NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney celebrates winning the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, June 1, 2025. Fair? Not so much 'down south' (as in NASCAR). Roger Penske's reputational battle has come in the IndyCar side corner of his motorsports empire. And even there, the recent infractions were arguably more cosmetic than strategic. But when you own a three-car race team, the entire IndyCar Series and the sport's most famous track, the medicine is bitter but must be taken. And so everyone waited Sunday night. It wasn't an edge-of-the-seat type of waiting. Everyone went about their usual post-race business. Advertisement An hour or so after a race, usually after you've forgotten about the goings-on over in the tech garage, a NASCAR spokesperson will announce that the winner's car has passed post-race inspection and the victory is official. It's generally routine, of course. Except this time, many must've delivered an exhale of relief. With that out of the way, let's catch up on things … First Gear: A welcomed win for Team Penske No, the recent problems for the Penske organization weren't ignored during Blaney's post-victory press conference. Sure, he's just one driver on the team's four-car NASCAR roster (assuming you count the Wood Brothers' No. 21 as a de facto Penske car, as you should). And the NASCAR team is just one facet of an organization that fields championship-caliber teams in IndyCar, IMSA and Europe's World Endurance Championship. Advertisement Aside from a love of building and driving fast cars, they all seem to share an appreciation of their team surroundings and the owner — the 'Captain' — who makes it all work. Blaney is no exception. 'We're always supporting each other, and you want to win yourself,' Blaney said, 'and you want to win for your team, but you're also happy for Roger and everybody who is affiliated with the (No.) 2 or 12 or 22 or 21, just to have their hands on everything, that they get to be successful, as well.' Second Gear: Carson Hocevar claims another scalp What to make of Carson Hocevar? Ever since they invented green and checkered flags, the sport of auto racing has always had up-and-coming youngsters who eventually came and went. Their 'rough around the edges' racing style was never honed a bit, and soon they were down the road with a trail of bent metal in the mirror. Advertisement Others have massaged the aggression and made a career of it. The jury is out on Hocevar, who posted his second runner-up finish of the season and, frankly, his first real one, since the other came in a 'plate race' at Atlanta. And for the second straight year, Hocevar roughed up a fellow racer in Music City. If you're looking either for improvement or some added finesse, consider this: Last year, Hocevar spun Harrison Burton during a caution lap. He was later fined and penalized. Sunday night, he didn't appear to purposely wreck Ricky Stenhouse, but let's just say he purposely didn't go to great lengths to avoid tagging Ricky's left-rear quarterpanel. Advertisement On the Amazon Prime broadcast, Junior Earnhardt spent a lot of time explaining that he likes Hocevar, but suggesting he needs to pick his spots — Stenhouse, it was pointed out, isn't one of those spots he should pick. But post-wreck, Ricky made it clear that it would be too expensive to stick around and defend his Garage Bantamweight Championship. His right-cross to Kyle Busch's head last year cost him $75,000. Third Gear: Kyle Larson passes Chase Elliott off the track, too Here's some marketing news that's not really news — at least not yet — but could be news if trends continue. A month away from the season's midway point, NASCAR released its leaders in merchandise sales for 2025, and Chase Elliott isn't the top driver. According to the Sports Business Journal, the reigning and seven-time Most Popular Driver didn't slip far, however. Advertisement He's currently second in sales behind Kyle Larson, but don't look for that to hold. Larson was certainly boosted in sales due to his second attempt at the Indy-Charlotte double. Yeah, yeah, it'd help if Chase's GPS would remind him of the whereabouts of Victory Lane. The top 15 drivers were listed, and all but three are current Cup Series racers. Those three non-Cup racers are ranked eighth, ninth and 10th. In order, they're Junior Earnhardt, Justin Allgaier (who drives an Xfinity car for Junior) and the senior Dale Earnhardt, who, like Elvis, Hank Williams and Edgar Allan Poe, continues piling up sales long after his untimely death. Fourth Gear: Amazon delivers lots of laps For those of you who, for a variety of reasons, haven't watched the first two races of Prime's five-race run, here's some good news to soothe your frustration. Advertisement You're not being spoiled by Prime's lack of commercial interruptions. As with Week 1, the Nashville race featured full commercial interruptions during the breaks after Stages 1 and 2. Other than that, commercials appeared on half the screen while the other half showed the race — and given the expansion of modern televisions, that half-screen is still bigger than your dad's 1992 Zenith. According to the folks at CawsNjaws, Nashville featured 198 minutes of race broadcast, with 38 minutes of side-by-side and just six minutes of full breaks. Traditional, commercial broadcasts have no way of matching that. Not if they want to stay afloat. Advertisement — Email Ken Willis at This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR at Nashville: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske win and pass inspection!