Latest news with #HendrickMotorsports'
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
How to watch Saturday's Xfinity race at Nashville: Start time, TV info and weather
Justin Allgaier is the lone former Nashville Superspeedway winner in the field Saturday as the Xfinity Series enters the second half of the regular season. Five different drivers have won the past five Xfinity races at Nashville, which has been the site of seven first career wins in the Xfinity Series (most recently Brad Keselowski in 2008). Austin Hill is the only active Xfinity driver with top 10s in all four races since the track returned to the schedule in 2021. After winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports' No. 17 Chevrolet has two victories and five top-two finishes in eight starts this season. Corey Day will be driving the car at Nashville as one of 13 drivers making their Xfinity debut on the 1.333-mile concrete oval. Coming off his Coca-Cola 600 victory, Ross Chastain will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. Through 13 races, six of 12 Xfinity playoff spots have been filled by series regulars with victories. Allgaier has a series-leading nine top fives and 537 laps led. Details for Saturday's Xfinity race at Nashville Superspeedway (All times Eastern) START: The command to start engines will be given at 7:30 p.m. ... The race is scheduled to begin at 7:40 p.m. PRERACE: The Xfinity garage will open at 12:30 p.m. ... Driver introductions are at 6:55 p.m. ... The invocation will be given at 7:22 p.m. ... The anthem will be performed by Rocky Wallace at 7:23 p.m. DISTANCE: The race is 188 laps (250.04 miles) on the 1.333-mile oval. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 45. Stage 2 ends at Lap 90. ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 40 cars entered at Nashville. TV/RADIO: CW will broadcast the race starting at 7 p.m. ... Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage. FORECAST: WeatherUnderground — Mainly sunny with a high of 84 degrees and winds from the west-northwest at 10 to 20 mph. It's expected to be 78 degrees with a 15 percent chance of rain at the start of the Xfinity race. LAST TIME: John Hunter Nemechek led a race-high 76 of 188 laps and beat Chandler Smith by 0.366 seconds.
Indianapolis Star
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'I hope we're in that predicament': Why Kyle Larson won't make a run at Indy 500 pole
INDIANAPOLIS — After earning Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 in his IndyCar debut, Kyle Larson eyes a 500 race win in 2025 in what he says will almost certainly be his final start in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing while he continues to race full time in the NASCAR Cup series. But Larson says an Indy 500 pole this year, something the 2021 Cup series champion had a shot at until the final few minutes of Fast Six qualifying a year ago, is no longer on his radar. As part of he and Hendrick Motorsports' pledge to make NASCAR the priority in his second attempt at completing the double, Larson said he, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, team vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Co. have decided Larson will bolt for North Wilkesboro following the completion of the Fast 12 round of Indy 500 qualifying if of course he finishes in the top 12 at the end of Saturday even if Larson records one of the six fastest times and would be eligible to make a final run at pole. The issue at hand: a final three hours of Indy 500 qualifying that starts and ends this year an hour later than 2024 (4-7 p.m. vs. 3-6 p.m.), making it virtually impossible for Larson to arrive at North Wilkesboro Speedway — the track 75 minutes north of Charlotte, North Carolina that will play host to this year's NASCAR Cup series All-Star Race on that Sunday night — in time for that race's green flag. 'For me and definitely for Rick and Hendrick Motorsports, for this whole experience this year, Cup should be the priority, so I just assume we're going to run the All-Star Race no matter what,' Larson said Tuesday evening at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after logging 45 laps and finishing 24th on the timing charts for Day 1 of Indy 500 practice. 'Hopefully we run into that predicament, because that means our car's fast.' A year ago during Larson's first attempt at the double, he finished Day 1 of qualifying with the sixth fastest four-lap average, earning him a spot in the Fast 12 the following afternoon. There, he finished fifth in his lone attempt, which granted him one final four-lap run up against his Arrow McLaren teammate Alexander Rossi, AJ Foyt Racing's Santino Ferrucci and Team Penske's trio of drivers. Larson again finished fifth there, earning him a starting spot in the middle of Row 2 for his maiden 500. The details: Here's Kyle Larson's Indianapolis 500-NASCAR schedule in 2025 He and his team then high-tailed it from a golf cart, to a Chevy SUV and then a helicopter to the private jet awaiting to fly him to a regional airport in Concord, where he'd then shuttle via helicopter to the race track with the aim of making the All-Star race. With the help of a 16-minute delay to the race's start time, moving it back to 8:30 p.m. to give the series' points leader at the time a bit of a buffer, Larson arrived at North Wilkesboro Speedway grounds more than an hour before the green flag. But the 500 rookie's travel plans were completely thrown for a loop the following weekend, thanks to a four-hour rain delay on 500 race day, putting Larson and Hendrick Motorsports in a position where they had to choose: either run the team's maiden Indy 500 they'd all put 18 months of planning into, at the sake of missing the start of the Coca-Cola 600 late and rubbing NASCAR officials the wrong way, or stick to Larson's day job and give up what was a darkhorse chance at a 500 victory. As the story goes, Larson and Hendrick chose the former, where Larson ran up front much of the day but finished 18th due to a pit lane speeding penalty. But the same weather bands that had plagued IMS for large chunks of the day then arrived in Charlotte and forced an early end to the 600, just as Larson reached pit lane in a hasty attempt to relieve his substitution driver, Justin Allgaier. Though NASCAR officials reluctantly granted Larson and his No. 5 Chevy team a waiver into the 2024 NASCAR Cup playoffs — full-time drivers who qualify for the postseason but missed a race for any reason required them at the time — they changed their playoff rules last offseason, following a pledge from Larson and Hendrick in September while confirming their plans to make another go at the double that the Coca-Cola 600 would come first in 2025. Had this year's Sunday afternoon schedule at IMS remained the same as a year ago, there's reason to think Larson's schedule would have too — if he again were to find himself in the Fast Six, at least. In his team's tentative minute-by-minute schedule for May 18, Larson must be in a helicopter departing IMS no later than 5:40 p.m. which certainly won't pose an issue, should he make the Fast 12, which this year runs from 4:05 to 5:05 p.m. Being in the air by 5:40 p.m. from the driving range at The Brickyard Crossing and heading toward the airport should allow for Larson to land in Concord at 7 p.m. and touch down at the track by 7:05 p.m., well ahead of driver intros (7:30 p.m.) and the green flag for the All-Star Race (8 p.m.). 'We'll revisit this': Why Indianapolis 500 may be Kyle Larson's last double attempt, but not last But even if he were to be the first driver going off for this year's Fast Six at 6:25 p.m., it would still likely be pushing it to have taken off in his first of two helicopter rides by 6:40 p.m., leaving him touching down in Concord minutes before the scheduled green flag and actually at the racetrack right at the race's projected start. Qualifying well enough to run even deeper into the Fast Six would make the juggling act all the more untenable. And then, as Larson, the three-time NASCAR Cup All-Star race winner, was quick to explain, there's the All-Star race's grand-prize to consider. 'Yes, it would be extremely nice to go for the pole of the Indy 500, but at the same time, it's hard to turn down an opportunity for $1 million,' he said. 'But like I said, I hope we're in that predicament.' Get IndyStar's motorsports coverage sent directly to your inbox with the Motorsports newsletter.
Indianapolis Star
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'I hope we're in that predicament': Why Kyle Larson won't make a run at Indy 500 pole
INDIANAPOLIS — After earning Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 in his IndyCar debut, Kyle Larson eyes a 500 race win in 2025 in what he says will almost certainly be his final start in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing while he continues to race full time in the NASCAR Cup series. But Larson says an Indy 500 pole this year, something the 2021 Cup series champion had a shot at until the final few minutes of Fast Six qualifying a year ago, is no longer on his radar. As part of he and Hendrick Motorsports' pledge to make NASCAR the priority in his second attempt at completing the double, Larson said he, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, team vice chairman Jeff Gordon and Co. have decided Larson will bolt for North Wilkesboro following the completion of the Fast 12 round of Indy 500 qualifying if of course he finishes in the top 12 at the end of Saturday even if Larson records one of the six fastest times and would be eligible to make a final run at pole. The issue at hand: a final three hours of Indy 500 qualifying that starts and ends this year an hour later than 2024 (4-7 p.m. vs. 3-6 p.m.), making it virtually impossible for Larson to arrive at North Wilkesboro Speedway — the track 75 minutes north of Charlotte, North Carolina that will play host to this year's NASCAR Cup series All-Star Race on that Sunday night — in time for that race's green flag. 'For me and definitely for Rick and Hendrick Motorsports, for this whole experience this year, Cup should be the priority, so I just assume we're going to run the All-Star Race no matter what,' Larson said Tuesday evening at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after logging 45 laps and finishing 24th on the timing charts for Day 1 of Indy 500 practice. 'Hopefully we run into that predicament, because that means our car's fast.' A year ago during Larson's first attempt at the double, he finished Day 1 of qualifying with the sixth fastest four-lap average, earning him a spot in the Fast 12 the following afternoon. There, he finished fifth in his lone attempt, which granted him one final four-lap run up against his Arrow McLaren teammate Alexander Rossi, AJ Foyt Racing's Santino Ferrucci and Team Penske's trio of drivers. Larson again finished fifth there, earning him a starting spot in the middle of Row 2 for his maiden 500. The details: Here's Kyle Larson's Indianapolis 500-NASCAR schedule in 2025 He and his team then high-tailed it from a golf cart, to a Chevy SUV and then a helicopter to the private jet awaiting to fly him to a regional airport in Concord, where he'd then shuttle via helicopter to the race track with the aim of making the All-Star race. With the help of a 16-minute delay to the race's start time, moving it back to 8:30 p.m. to give the series' points leader at the time a bit of a buffer, Larson arrived at North Wilkesboro Speedway grounds more than an hour before the green flag. But the 500 rookie's travel plans were completely thrown for a loop the following weekend, thanks to a four-hour rain delay on 500 race day, putting Larson and Hendrick Motorsports in a position where they had to choose: either run the team's maiden Indy 500 they'd all put 18 months of planning into, at the sake of missing the start of the Coca-Cola 600 late and rubbing NASCAR officials the wrong way, or stick to Larson's day job and give up what was a darkhorse chance at a 500 victory. As the story goes, Larson and Hendrick chose the former, where Larson ran up front much of the day but finished 18th due to a pit lane speeding penalty. But the same weather bands that had plagued IMS for large chunks of the day then arrived in Charlotte and forced an early end to the 600, just as Larson reached pit lane in a hasty attempt to relieve his substitution driver, Justin Allgaier. Though NASCAR officials reluctantly granted Larson and his No. 5 Chevy team a waiver into the 2024 NASCAR Cup playoffs — full-time drivers who qualify for the postseason but missed a race for any reason required them at the time — they changed their playoff rules last offseason, following a pledge from Larson and Hendrick in September while confirming their plans to make another go at the double that the Coca-Cola 600 would come first in 2025. Had this year's Sunday afternoon schedule at IMS remained the same as a year ago, there's reason to think Larson's schedule would have too — if he again were to find himself in the Fast Six, at least. In his team's tentative minute-by-minute schedule for May 18, Larson must be in a helicopter departing IMS no later than 5:40 p.m. which certainly won't pose an issue, should he make the Fast 12, which this year runs from 4:05 to 5:05 p.m. Being in the air by 5:40 p.m. from the driving range at The Brickyard Crossing and heading toward the airport should allow for Larson to land in Concord at 7 p.m. and touch down at the track by 7:05 p.m., well ahead of driver intros (7:30 p.m.) and the green flag for the All-Star Race (8 p.m.). 'We'll revisit this': Why Indianapolis 500 may be Kyle Larson's last double attempt, but not last But even if he were to be the first driver going off for this year's Fast Six at 6:25 p.m., it would still likely be pushing it to have taken off in his first of two helicopter rides by 6:40 p.m., leaving him touching down in Concord minutes before the scheduled green flag and actually at the racetrack right at the race's projected start. Qualifying well enough to run even deeper into the Fast Six would make the juggling act all the more untenable. And then, as Larson, the three-time NASCAR Cup All-Star race winner, was quick to explain, there's the All-Star race's grand-prize to consider. 'Yes, it would be extremely nice to go for the pole of the Indy 500, but at the same time, it's hard to turn down an opportunity for $1 million,' he said. 'But like I said, I hope we're in that predicament.' Get IndyStar's motorsports coverage sent directly to your inbox with the Motorsports newsletter.
NBC Sports
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
How to watch Sunday's Cup race at Martinsville Speedway: Start time, TV info, weather
The NASCAR Cup Series will return to Martinsville Speedway for the first of six races on short tracks this season. William Byron won at Martinsville last April, the most recent of Hendrick Motorsports' five victories in the past nine races at the 0.526-mile oval in southwest Virginia. The past seven races at Martinsville have been won by drivers 30 years old or younger, the longest streak in track history. Martinsville Speedway has played host to at least one Cup race in every season since 1949. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano, who still is seeking his first top 10 this year, has 11 consecutive top 10s at Martinsville, the longest active streak at the track and his longest at any track. The past 13 Martisnville races have been won by three teams: Hendrick (five victories), Joe Gibbs Racing (four) and Team Penske (four). Details for Sunday's Cup race at Martinsville Speedway (All times Eastern) START: The command to start engines will be given by Cook Out representative Roo Reaves at 3:02 p.m. ... The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:11 p.m. PRERACE: The Cup garage opens at 12 p.m. ... The drivers meeting will begin at 2 p.m. ... Driver introductions will begin at 2:25 p.m. ... Martinsville Speedway chaplain Tim Hunt will give the invocation at 2:54 p.m. ... The Virginia Army National Guard 29th Infantry Division Band will perform the national anthem at 2:55 p.m. DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (210.4 miles) on a 0.526-mile oval. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 80. Stage 2 ends at Lap 180. ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 38 cars entered TV/RADIO: FS1 will begin its race broadcast at 3 p.m. Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage. FORECAST: Weather Undeground — Cloudy with a high of 68 degrees and winds from the south-southwest at 10 to 15 mph. It's expected to be 67 degrees with a 58% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race. LAST TIME: In a controversial finish last Nov. 3 that resulted in major penalties, Ryan Blaney won to advance to the Championship 4 while NASCAR awarded the final title spot to William Byron over Christopher Bell. LAST YEAR: William Byron won the April 7, 2024 race at Martinsville, earning a feel-good victory for Hendrick Motorsports as the organization celebrated its 40th anniversary with a 1-2-3 finish.
Washington Post
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
AUTO RACING: Kyle Larson earns 30th Cup Series win and F1's McLaren Team continue to dominate
All Times Eastern Cook Out 400 Site: Martinsville, Virginia. Schedule: Saturday, practice, 2:05 p.m., qualifying, 3:10 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (FS1). Track: Martinsville Speedway. Race distance: 400 laps, 210.4 miles. Last year: William Byron took the lead with 73 laps to go and held onto it during a two-lap overtime finish to enhance Hendrick Motorsports' celebration of its 40-year anniversary.
