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Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR: Biggest Surprises and Disappointments of 2025 Season So Far
Only six races are remaining on the NASCAR schedule in the regular season, with the Cup Series quickly closing in on the playoffs. After 20 points-eligible races, there's more than enough data and evidence to highlight drivers who have exceeded expectations and those who have fallen short this year. Let's dive into some of the biggest surprises and disappointments from the 2025 season. Surprise: Shane van Gisbergen Everyone predicted that Shane van Gisbergen would win a road course race this year, at the very least earning himself a spot in the playoffs. Few saw this level of dominance coming. SVG won three of the four road course races this summer, including a commanding victory by 16.567 seconds in Mexico City. Most thought his lack of experience at Sonoma Raceway would even the playing field and end his road course streak. Instead, he decimated the competition with both a Stage 2 win and an outright victory, leading a race-record 97 laps at Sonoma. Related: With that performance, van Gisbergen now has three Cup Series victories this season, tying him for the series lead with several other top drivers. He earned 59 points at Sonoma, boosting his total playoff points and solidifying his place among the championship contenders. Van Gisbergen enters Dover tied for the most wins this year, with many now predicting he could reach the Round of 8 in the playoffs. Disappointment: Brad Keselowski In 2024, Brad Keselowski won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington (May 12) and recorded the 10th-most top-10 finishes (14), along with the 11th-most laps led (318) in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 2025 campaign, however, has been a major disappointment. Keselowski's average finishing position has plummeted from 15.6 to 22.4, and he has more DNFs (six) than top-10s (four) through 20 races. He has put himself in must-win territory for the playoffs, and since he's rarely leading races (just 81 laps led, 16th-most in the series), he appears destined for a winless season. Related: Surprise: Carson Hocevar While Carson Hocevar might not make the playoffs this season, the 22-year-old has already impressed in his second year in the NASCAR Cup Series. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, Hocevar has earned four top-10 finishes, including two top-5s and one pole, through 20 races this season. He has consistently proven to be one of the fastest drivers on ovals, regularly putting himself in the mix for wins. Road courses remain a major issue for him, but the flashes of talent Hocevar is showing this season are superstar-like. Related: Disappointment: Tyler Reddick Tyler Reddick will make the playoffs, and he's still statistically one of the best NASCAR drivers in 2025. However, this season still feels like a major disappointment for the No. 45 team. Reddick hasn't won a single race and ranks 13th in laps led (112), behind drivers like Josh Berry (169) and Austin Cindric (251). He's also tied for 10th in top-10 finishes (eight). Reddick's placement in the standings is largely a product of avoiding any DNFs this season, but the lack of victories is a major letdown. Related: Surprise: Ryan Preece While he doesn't have the support of one of the best NASCAR Cup Series teams, Ryan Preece is delivering consistent results this season. He had a bumpy start, then recorded three consecutive top-10 finishes from Las Vegas through Martinsville. Some DNFs resulted in a four-race lull, but Preece now boasts an average finishing position of 12.1 over the last 10 races, which even includes a 28th-place finish at Nashville. Preece might not be leading many races in 2025, but his seven top-10s in the last 15 races are tied with William Byron for the sixth-most. Disappointment: Daniel Suarez In a contract year, Daniel Suárez gave Trackhouse Racing enough reason to make a change next season. Suarez's stats have dropped across the board this season, ranging from his average finishing position (17.86 to 21.4) to the drop in top 10s (nine to three) and top fives (four to one). He didn't provide Trackhouse Racing with a reason to keep him, not with top prospect Connor Zilisch waiting in the wings. Maybe Suarez can find a full-time gig with a smaller team in 2026, but the Xfinity Series might be his best option to win races. Related: Surprise: Chase Briscoe Chase Briscoe has indeed benefited this season from stepping into the No. 19 car, replacing Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing. What makes Briscoe somewhat of a surprise, or more accurately a standout, is what he's done with the opportunity. As the driver of the No. 19, Briscoe has already delivered JGR more top-5 finishes (seven) and poles (four) than Truex did all of last season (five top-5s and two poles). Briscoe has been especially strong as of late, scoring a win at Pocono along with six top-10 finishes in the last 10 races. He's being slightly overlooked heading into the playoffs, but Briscoe's summer performance deserves recognition. Disappointment: Ty Gibbs There are always flashes from Ty Gibbs that suggest he's on the verge of his first NASCAR Cup Series win. He has shown improvement this summer, finishing inside the top 20 more frequently, and posted an average finish of 8.3 over a recent three-race stretch. Still, he is set to finish well below his totals from last season (12 top-10s and eight top-5s). To that point, his average starting position has slipped from 11.42 to 13.95 and his average finishing position has dipped from 17.42 to 17.65 in 2025. As of mid-July, Gibbs has just three top-10s and two top-5s with no wins or poles this season. Additionally, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates have combined for seven wins and 24 top-5 finishes this year, further highlighting that Gibbs hasn't been able to take full advantage of the equipment and opportunities available to him. Related Headlines 'Can't Just Trade Everybody': Phillies Owner John Middleton Opens Up About Deadline Approach 'All-Time Low': Pirates Reporter Reveals Why Bryan Reynolds Won't Be Traded at Deadline '1 Percent Chance': Pirates Reporter Shares Bleak Take on Paul Skenes Extension Prospects Yankees Expected 'To Get After It' Before Trade Deadline: 6 Blockbuster Trade Targets, Including Chris Sale
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Noah Gragson Cusses on Live TV, Then Calls Out Cup Series Stars for Being Boring
Noah Gragson has five top 20s through the first 12 races in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, including a pair of top 10s. His best finish was fourth at Talladega Superspeedway. On Sunday, the No. 4 driver raced in the All-Star Open, where he finished 17th and failed to advance to the main event. However, that all changed when the results for the fan voting were announced and for a third consecutive year he will race in the All-Star Race propelled by his loyal followers. Advertisement After the Open, the 26-year-old Front Row Motorsports driver visited with the FS1 crew and first talked about his on-track performance. Noah Gragson during the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Dedmon-Imagn Images 'We ran into power steering issues,' Gragson said. 'Hopefully we get that cleaned up for the race. But the car actually feels pretty fast. The last two years I've drove the [expletive] out of my car, and now I was like, man, we're in the top 5 of the fan vote, the car feels good, we've got a little bit of power steering issues, but man, you fans, you guys are the GOATs. It truly means the world to have the support from the fans and very grateful to be a part of this race.' A few moments later, Jamie McMurray asked the driver how he makes his fans so passionate to support him like they have the last three years. 'I just try to be myself at the end of the day and I probably have a bolder personality than most guys, but they don't really show any personality, you know,' he said. 'A lot of these guys in the Cup Series, if not all of them, they're all really cool guys. I don't know why they don't show it. Advertisement "But very grateful to have the fan support. At the end of the day I just try to be me. I don't know when my last day on earth is going to be, but if today is the day, I'm going to have as much fun as possible. I'm going to out-fun everybody.' Related: Noah Gragson Says Iconic Martinsville Trophy Is 'Obnoxious and Annoying'
Newsweek
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ryan Blaney Reveals Stance On Netflix's NASCAR: Full Speed Season 3
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney has revealed whether he would support a third season of the Netflix docuseries, NASCAR: Full Speed. The second season of the show, which followed the 2024 playoffs, was released on May 7. While speaking to the media in Kansas, Blaney opened up on filming the second season of the series and whether he would like to see it return for a third. "Yeah, my wife and I watched it when it came out, I think that night actually," the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion explained. Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in... Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. More"It's funny because there's some things that you don't remember about it, like, 'oh wow, I can't believe that happened or we said that,' and Joanna said a couple of things. She's like, 'I don't remember saying that', and a little mortified a little bit I think of some things that the microphone caught, but no, I thought it was great. "I thought they did a good job of taking their time with this one. More time than they did last year of waiting to put it out so they can refine some stuff. And it was cool for me personally having them around, following us around for our title defense that year and that was a fun journey with those folks over at Netflix." Confirming that he would support a third season, he continued: "Yes, is my answer to season 3. I hope everyone likes it enough and I hope Netflix gets enough of a response from it again to warrant season 3, because I think people really enjoy the inside look of the teams and the drivers and their significant others and the toll that it takes on a week to week basis. "And the highs and the lows of the sport, I think people can can relate to that in their own way, how people celebrate the good times or deal with the rough times. "I think it's all about the relatability side because the fan watching can't relate to driving race cars because they don't get the chance to do it. But, if you can relate to the person, I think people can really kind of latch on to you and then latch on to the sport as well. "So I hope they bring it back. I really do. I enjoyed filming with those folks and they're very respectful of us. I hope everyone liked it."
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps Linked To PGA Tour CEO Role According To Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As per a report by Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps has been linked to the vacant role of PGA Tour CEO. Phelps took the newly formed role of NASCAR Commissioner last month, after holding the role of NASCAR President since 2018. He commented at the time of the announcement: "I'm honored to take this next step in helping to guide NASCAR, the sport I've loved since my father took me to my first race at 5 years old, continue to grow and welcome new fans, competitors and partners that together create some of the most extraordinary moments in sports. "I cannot thank the France family enough for their unwavering commitment to our fans, their steady leadership, and most importantly, their stewardship of stock-car racing since its inception nearly eight decades ago. "This sport is truly one of the great American business stories and I'm privileged to continue as part of that legacy – and especially its bright future." NASCAR President Steve Phelps attends the Drivers Meeting prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. NASCAR President Steve Phelps attends the Drivers Meeting prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South this, Stern reports that Phelps is still "considered an active and attractive target" for the PGA Tour role. Stern stated: "The tour's search committee is likely drawn by Phelps' role in re-energizing NASCAR since he took over the stock car racing circuit in 2018, and he holds great respect across the sports business community." However, Stern added that Phelps will still likely stay in NASCAR for "years to come." He continued: "His level of interest in the role could not be immediately established, and he thus could wind up staying at NASCAR for years to come, as he is a hardcore fan of NASCAR and has great passion for the sport." PGA Tour Enterprises has been on the hunt for a new CEO since January 2024. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan commented in December 2024: "Everything is on the table. "We're bringing new perspectives on to our team to help us realize the incredible opportunities ahead for our sport, including launching a search for a CEO of the PGA Tour. "We can learn so much from across the world of sport and entertainment, and I'm excited to meet candidates for this important new role."
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Joey Logano Slams Chipper Jones After Talladega Meltdown: 'Maybe He's Just Trying to Stay Relevant'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano has retaliated after comments from Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. This comes after a number of social media posts from the latter. Starting after the Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, the No. 22 Ford driver faced Bubba Wallace during the latter stages of Stage 2 alongside his Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric. Cindric managed to lose the Stage win to Wallace, leading to an irate call over the radio. "Way to go, Austin. Way to go, dumb (expletive). Way to (expletive) go. What a stupid (expletive). He just handed it to him. Gave a Toyota a stage win. Nice job. Way to go. What a (expletive)," Logano shouted through his microphone. To make matters worse, after finishing fifth in the race, Logano was disqualified after his car failed its post-race inspection. Cindric, on the other hand, finished his race weekend in first place. Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 05, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 05, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina.A message from Jones followed: "Congrats to Austin Cindric on his Talladega win," the post said. "Good teammates are hard to come by, boss! Remember that one of urs MFed u on national TV, when in actuality, u did everything possible to keep from wrecking. "Hate to be #dueces in the 'team' meeting on Monday. Some people are 'hooray for our team as long as I'm the star,' as every team has them. Hendrick, RCR, JGR, Penske, etc. Sometimes karma is glorious. Enjoy this one! In case anyone is confused, lemme be clear... Joey Logano." Logano originally responded to this post on-air. "Has Chipper Jones ever driven a race car at Talladega? That would be my first question. I'm pretty certain he hasn't," he said. "That's like me saying something about baseball, I know nothing about baseball, that's like me saying something he did in baseball was wrong, it doesn't matter." He continued: "You care about what people say, their opinion, if you know them, and they know you. Everyone is going to have their opinion if you know them, and they know you, and they understand the scenario and the situation. "Everyone is going to have their opinion on how they see things from the outside. Nobody else, Chipper Jones, no race fans, nobody is in the room when we come up with how we race at superspeedways, except the drivers, the team principals at Team Penske, and the crew chiefs, that is it. "That's the only opinion that matters. The only one. "So everybody can go off and talk about whatever they want; they don't know the situation, they don't know everything that goes into it, so it doesn't matter what they say. So that's probably why I never saw it, or really care about it, even after you told me about it. "Chipper Jones seems like a cool dude, and he's done a lot, and he's a popular baseball player, but he's not a racecar driver, and I know he wasn't in the room with us when we set the way how things are supposed to go. "You would think someone who has been in professional sports and has been in a meeting like that would probably take a step back and say, 'Man, there's probably more to the story than what there is', I'm surprised that it went that way, but maybe he's just bored." The driver has now once again discussed the comments, this time on NBC Sports. "I'm surprised that a professional athlete would act in that manner because he's been through it. "I am very careful to form an opinion on an athlete by their emotions or the way they play the game because I know from being in that position, when there's that much on the line in a competitive environment, you act a certain way because you're out there to win. And then you got to be able to shut that off. "I would have assumed him being the athlete he is and was, that he would understand that and not mouth off on social media like somebody that's never played the sport before. It's surprising to me. All I can think is he's trying to be relevant still or something like that."
