Latest news with #CupSeries'
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
NASCAR goes international: What to know about first Cup Series race in Mexico
NASCAR goes international: What to know about first Cup Series race in Mexico Show Caption Hide Caption Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Prime Video NASCAR coverage will provide new ways to cover the sport Starting on May 25th, Prime Video will have exclusive coverage of 5 NASCAR Cup series events. Dale Earnhardt Jr will be in the broadcast booth and reveals what to expect from their coverage. The NASCAR Cup Series grid is going international for the first time in decades this weekend. Cup Series drivers will take to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City in the second road course event of the 2025 season. This is the first international Cup Series race in 25 years and the first points race outside the U.S. since 1958. This isn't the first time NASCAR's visited the course, though. The Xfinity Series raced there from 2005 to 2008 with a different winner each year. This week's race will be a crucial event for NASCAR's first in-season challenge. Three races will be used for seeding in the challenge: the June 8 race at Michigan, Mexico City and the June 22 race at Pocono. The best result from each of those three races will decide how the 32-driver field will be seeded. This circuit is one of the better venues for racing spectacle. The start/finish line is on the longest straight of any road course NASCAR will visit this year, and the final few corners cut through a baseball stadium called the "Foro" that brings fans close to the action. Here's everything you need to know about the Cup Series' first race in Mexico: Where is the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez? The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is in Mexico City near the city center. It's a tough challenge for all non-electric formulas of racing because of the elevation. At 7,349 feet above sea level, the air is thin enough to make things difficult for both the cars and drivers. Construction on the circuit was completed in 1959 and was named for Mexican racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. NASCAR international history The Cup Series has raced outside the U.S. before but not in decades. Here's a full list of the series' international events: 1952: Canada The first Cup Series event outside of the U.S. took place on the half-mile Stamford Park dirt track in Niagara Falls. The race in Ontario was one of the toughest on drivers with 14 of the 17 failing to see the checkered flag by the end of the 200-lap race. 1958: Canada The Cup Series returned to Canada for the Jim Mideon 500 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. It was one of the shortest races on the calendar at 0.333 miles. NASCAR icon Lee Petty won the race but it was notably the debut of his son and future seven-time champion, Richard Petty. 1988: Australia This exhibition race at the Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne saw the best of the Cup Series compete over 280 laps on the 24-degree banking. It was such a success that NASCAR created an Australia racing division from 1989 to 2002. 1996-1998: Japan For 1996 and 1997, the Cup Series raced the Suzuka Circuit at the end of the year. NASCAR used the East Course of the circuit for both events and saw some Japanese drift racing stars take their chance against the Cup Series' best. In 1998, the Cup Series went to an oval – the Twin Ring Motegi – for 201 laps of exhibition racing at the end of the year. Viva Mexico 2025: How to watch, TV, streaming, stage info The Cup Series' first race in Mexico will be 100 laps on the 2.429-mile course. Stage 1 will be 20 laps, Stage 2 will be 25 and Stage 3 will be the final 55. Here's how to catch the action: Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025 Sunday, June 15, 2025 Time: 3 p.m. ET 3 p.m. ET Location: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City TV: None None Streaming: Prime Video The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
Denny Hamlin could miss first NASCAR Cup race in Mexico for birth of third child
Denny Hamlin could miss first NASCAR Cup race in Mexico for birth of third child Show Caption Hide Caption Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s take on lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. says despite the lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR, He believes NASCAR is better off with Michael Jordan as part of the sport. Denny Hamlin celebrated his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season on June 8 at Michigan International Speedway, and now he awaits a celebration of a different kind: the birth of his third child. Hamlin's fiancée, Jordan Fish, is due to deliver any day now, putting the driver's travel plans in flux for the Cup Series' first ever race in Mexico. In a recent interview, Hamlin said he would be willing to miss a race or even multiple ones to be there for his Fish and his new baby, prioritizing his family over racing. Drivers need to depart for Mexico City on Thursday, June 12 with practice for the Viva Mexico 250 beginning the next day ahead of the Sunday, June 15 Cup race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. HAMLIN: Wins NASCAR race at Michigan, taunts crowd with OSU chant During a June 10 interview on SiriusXM NASCAR, Hamlin said the distance between his home in North Carolina and Mexico City played a significant role in this decision. "It's one thing when you're in Michigan; you're an hour and a half flight away. There's no customs. I fly right into the airport. It's just not that in Mexico,' Hamlin said. Hamlin is fresh off a victory at the Firekeepers casino 400 and currently sits in third place in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with three wins, seven top-five finishes and eight top 10s. Here's how his absence could affect his shot at his first championship: Denny Hamlin just joined us On Track and said if Jordan doesn't deliver their baby boy by the time he has to leave for Mexico City he's not going. Said his priority is her and the delivery of their 3rd child. Drivers will leave Thursday so interesting to follow 'baby watch' and… — Danielle Trotta (@DanielleTrotta) June 10, 2025 Would Hamlin's absence affect his chance at NASCAR Cup Series title? Fortunately, Hamlin has already secured his spot in the 10-race Cup Series playoffs with his three wins this season. Furthermore, thanks to the NASCAR Playoff Waiver System, which classifies the birth of a child as an exemption, Hamlin would not lose playoff eligibility or points. Hamlin has 57 wins in his Cup Series career, which ranks 11th on the all-time list. While a championship has eluded him, he finished runner-up in 2010 and third three times (2006, 2014 and 2021). NASCAR IN-SEASON CHALLENGE: What you need to know about the new tournament How would Hamlin's absence affect the NASCAR in-season challenge? NASCAR is introducing its first ever individual in-season challenge this year, and the method to seed the drivers has already begun. The in-season challenge begins with the June 28 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but results at the three prior races – June 8 at Michigan, June 15 at Mexico City and June 22 at Pocono Raceway – will determine the seedings for the 32-driver bracket. There in-season challenge is a single-elimination tournament, which will take place over five consecutive races, beginning in late June. Similar to NCAA tournaments, including college basketball's March Madness, each driver will be seeded against an opponent, and the one with the best finish will advance. It is unclear yet, how a missed race would affect the bracket – either in the three races leading up to the tournament or the NASCAR in-season challenge itself. Who would fill in for Hamlin in Mexico City? Should Hamlin miss this weekend's race, it's unclear who would fill-in for him in the No. 11. Fans would certainly like to see 23XI Racing prospect Corey Heim, but more likely is Ryan Treux, who has served as the full-time reserve race for Joe Gibbs Racing for some time. Contributing: Ellen J. Horrow
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR results: Full finishing order of FireKeepers Casino 400 race at Michigan
Fifteen races down, 11 to go in the Cup Series' regular season. The 2025 NASCAR season continued to chug along with the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Sunday's winner: Denny Hamlin, who captured the 57th win of his Cup career. Advertisement Hamlin battled late with William Byron, but passed him and then cruised after Byron ran out of gas, leaving Chris Buescher as the nearest pursuer. He finished one second behind the winner. Ty Gibbs, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five. Here is the full finishing order. NASCAR standings: Results from FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan today Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota was first to the stripe Sunday at Michigan. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR race today: Results of FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan
Miami Herald
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Action shifts to Talladega after a couple of odd turns
Coming off a couple of very different race weekends, NASCAR arrives at Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday's Jack Link's 500 at the Cup Series' biggest track. The talk in the infield media center, garage and haulers will likely center around the last two races: a brutal Bristol for everyone not sporting Kyle Larson colors, followed by an incredibly delightful visit to Rockingham Speedway. After last spring's quirky, tire-falloff oddity in cool temperatures, not much happened in Thunder Valley on April 13 as Larson's No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet scorched its way around the half-mile Bristol bullring to lead 411 of the 500 laps on a warmer day. At least the 2024 version was compelling. The only reason Larson didn't repeat his 462 laps led in last September's Bristol race was because of Ryan Blaney's strategy of not pitting, putting him in position to lead 48 circuits. But the No. 12 Ford driver lost on the yellow flag for the second straight week -- not needing it when leading at Darlington and not getting it when needed at Bristol. The excitement ramped back up on Easter weekend when the Xfinity, Craftsman Truck and ARCA series gave fans who tuned in on FS1 and the CW plenty of action and tight racing at Rockingham that Bristol sorely lacked. The racing was so good at the 1.017-mile, D-shaped speedway located in North Carolina's sand hills that it begged a question: Is there a future place on the Cup schedule for The Rock? "We know that (NASCAR Executive Vice President) Ben Kennedy told the Charlotte Observer that, 'Yes, we're looking at Rockingham. We could go back there in 2027 if everything goes good,'" said former driver Kenny Wallace on social media. Wallace was at the track with fellow Missourian Ken Schrader for the festivities and racing's return and said he felt optimistic about Rockingham. "It was a grand slam. ... I feel really good that NASCAR Cup Series will be back at Rockingham in 2027," he added. As for the mammoth Talladega 2.66-mile high-banked challenge, it produced in a way as big as its layout one year ago. Running fifth off the final turn, Tyler Reddick drove his No. 45 Toyota through a mess sparked by blocking from leader Michael McDowell as the field approached the checkers. The Team 23XI driver won his first 2024 race for team owner Michael Jordan as chaos started behind him. While Reddick is the defending race winner, 15-year veteran Ricky Stenhouse Jr. notched just his fourth career victory when the Cup Series returned to the high-speed track east of Birmingham, beating Brad Keselowski's No. 6 Ford in early October. Talladega also has a history of drivers recording their very first Cup wins at the Alabama superspeedway. Keselowski found Victory Lane in 2009 for his initial triumph in NASCAR's top series. Over three straight seasons running from 1986-88, Bobby Hillin Jr., Davey Allison, Phil Parsons and Schrader were first-time series winners. And Stenhouse (2017) and Bubba Wallace (2021) also scored checkers there for the first time. So a driver like Ryan Preece, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Noah Gragson or Riley Herbst should hang in there, be patient and try to avoid "The Big One." Sunday may be your day. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
New York Times
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega odds, predictions: Team Penske favored but long shots shine at superspeedway
After the Easter break, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to party city Talladega this weekend for the Jack Link's 500. Drivers will be looking for a dose of good luck at the superspeedway in their attempts to avoid the 'Big One' and clinch a win. With an unbroken stretch of races from now until November, the unpredictability of Talladega could be exactly what a long-shot driver needs. Advertisement As always, we're previewing the race and getting predictions from our NASCAR experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. They're answering our questions about the Cup Series' upcoming schedule, All-Star race controversies, Rodney Childers' future and who might cross the finish line first this weekend. Take it away, guys! We're about to embark on the longest-ever stretch of consecutive race weekends to end the season in NASCAR's recorded history, with 28 straight weekends of racing until the championship on Nov. 2. Are any drivers/crews especially suited to shine in a grind like this? Any drivers/crews this might disadvantage more than others? Jeff: My take on this would be if you're running well, you're positioned for success. If you're off to a bad start and it looks like your team doesn't have the necessary speed to compete this year, it could be a long, long season. With no more breaks in this relentless schedule, there's really no time to reset and regroup. My guess is the familiar names we've seen at the front of the field should mostly stay there, while it will be a continued challenge for drivers 30th or worse in points (Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski and Noah Gragson among them) to find their footing. Of course, we know all it takes is a single victory to turn a season around — and a superspeedway like Talladega is the perfect place to do that. Jordan: The grinding schedule inevitably favors bigger organizations like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske, which have more personnel and therefore deeper rosters to lean on, so they rotate crew members to give them a weekend off. It is also much easier to navigate if you're running well as opposed to the other end of the spectrum, where each race weekend can feel like a never-ending slog. It will be interesting later in the year to see how teams feel about this stretch and whether they would've managed things differently. Advertisement I should also ask: How are our two intrepid NASCAR reporters feeling about zero summer breaks? I hope you both went to the Bahamas last week, but judging from the stories you churned out, you kept on working! Jeff: You're going to get two very different answers to this one. I not only went on a family vacation to a Mexican beach, but also took all social media off my phone for eight days. I didn't see a single post of any kind. It was glorious and a much-needed chance to disconnect before the upcoming grind. Jordan, of course, did not. Jordan: What's a vacation? Because from this viewpoint, the news doesn't stop. Taking time off can happen during the 'offseason.' In All-Star race drama, there's a lot of *ahem* 'dialogue' online about the 'promoter's caution.' Can you shed some light on the decision-making process and what impact that has? Also, NASCAR reportedly offered a 'run what you brung' model for the All-Star race, and teams declined. Do you know why they declined? Jeff: NASCAR told me it's racetrack magnate Marcus Smith and Speedway Motorsports who will make the decision on whether to call the caution, which could come anytime between Lap 100 and Lap 220 (or not at all). I assume Smith will be in the actual scoring tower along with NASCAR officials and give them the signal (or maybe he'll actually hit the caution button himself). It's a weird gimmick, and I don't know if NASCAR miscalculated what the reaction would be or what, but it's also not the end of the world. This is an exhibition race, after all, and it's similar to a competition caution used in other races (except for the unknown of when it will happen). That said, the 'run what you brung' All-Star Race would have been far more compelling and actually gotten fans excited, but NASCAR apparently couldn't get the teams on board with it. I assume there was a cost factor involved, and teams didn't want to spend extra money on one of the lowest-paying races for everyone except the race winner (who gets $1 million) that also comes with no points. Jordan: The 'promoter's caution' is what it is and perfectly fine for a non-points event solely designed to offer something different than what they'd normally see during the season. It's a bummer that the 'run what you brung' concept didn't take hold because that would've been absolutely fascinating to see what wild ideas teams would've employed. And it definitely would've added a very intriguing element to a race that has long lacked juice. Hopefully, this idea can be revisited next year. You reported that Rodney Childers and Spire have parted ways, and Childers is taking some time off. Will there be a mad rush to get him? Who is his most likely next team? That could really shift some futures odds. Jeff: Childers is going to take his time and see what's out there for a bit. I've spoken to both Childers and Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson this week, and the best way to describe the breakup is that it just wasn't working. It wasn't a good fit for either one of them based on what each expected going into the relationship. It happens, and Spire made the decision to move on quickly rather than drag it out and hope for a change. Childers has won 40 Cup Series races (second on the active crew chiefs list) and a championship, so he'll certainly be sought-after and his phone will be ringing, but it obviously depends on the right situation. As we saw with Spire, not every scenario that looks good on paper ends up working out, so it will be interesting to see if someone makes a crew chief move just to make room for Childers. Advertisement Jordan: After talking to multiple people familiar with the situation, the best way to describe the Childers-Spire relationship was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Sometimes a pairing that looks great on paper doesn't work as intended. This is an all-too-familiar tale in NASCAR with countless examples to point to. As for what Childers does next, we'll see. He should have options, but whether an opportunity materializes with a deep-pocketed organization is the unknown. OK, now to Talladega! Do you predict an exciting race this year? What are drivers looking to avoid, and what are fans hoping for? Who is best at avoiding the Big One? Jeff: By now, we know exactly what to expect at NASCAR superspeedway races with the Next Gen car — almost a full day of three- and four-wide pack racing where it looks good on TV, but in reality, the drivers are all just going half-throttle and saving fuel. Conserving gas is now the name of the game at superspeedways because crew chiefs want the drivers to take as little fuel as possible on the final pit stop of the race in order to get track position; it's otherwise hard to pass in the Next Gen car at these tracks. So we'll probably see a giant pack, followed by the usual Big One that takes out half of the field toward the end of the race. And it will probably end in overtime. This is a race where luck is a major factor, since avoiding crashes (or not) isn't really a skill. Jordan: Jeff nailed it with what we will likely see on Sunday. That's the nature of racing on a drafting track in the Next Gen era. That said, there is a group of drivers who routinely put themselves in a position to win better than others. For example, Penske's trio of Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric and Joey Logano routinely position themselves at the front of the field where they tend to lead a bulk of the laps. Of course, the issue with Penske's drivers has been converting all these laps led into strong finishes, as getting to the finish with their cars in one piece has been a challenge. Who do you pick for a win this weekend? Jeff: This is one of the times when you should avoid the favorites and sprinkle some money on some long shots who could win. Sure, it could be one of the great superspeedway racers like Ryan Blaney or Brad Keselowski. It could also just as easily be one of the guys who tend to pop up and win these things every now and then, like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. or Michael McDowell. And then it could be a longshot like Justin Haley or AJ Allmendinger (both +6000). I'd say not to go any lower than that, but remember what happened last summer at Daytona? Harrison Burton won his first career race, and his odds were +8000 at the time. Crazy things can happen, and anyone who tells you they confidently know who will win is just BS'ing. Jordan: Blaney's track record on drafting tracks is hard to ignore. And the same can be said for Cindric, who led the most laps in the Daytona 500 and the third-most laps at Atlanta, the only two drafting-track races we've had this year. Also, Logano, who probably had the fastest car at Daytona and led the most laps at Atlanta. Basically, this is a long-winded way of saying Team Penske is the favorite this weekend. Who is a long shot you like? Jeff: I'm going to throw out a wild one for you: Riley Herbst (+6000). It's easy to forget now, but Herbst was in contention to win the 2023 fall Talladega race and got wrecked from fourth place right before the finish line after pushing eventual winner Blaney to the lead (Herbst finished ninth instead). Herbst then was in fifth place on the last lap of February's Daytona 500 when he got spun into the grass. The Cup Series rookie seems to have a nose for staying in the mix of these races late, and it's not out of the question that he could pull a shocking upset and win his way into the playoffs. Jordan: Stenhouse at +3000 is good value for a driver who excels on drafting tracks and owns a single win on such tracks in each of the past two seasons. Looking behind that, Austin Dillon, a two-time winner at Daytona, is listed at an intriguing +5000, while the perpetually overlooked Allmendinger is at +6000. Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo by Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
