Latest news with #NASCARCupSeries'
TimesLIVE
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Ryan Blaney triumphs in Nashville to claim first win of 2025
Ryan Blaney gained track position early in Sunday night's race near Music City and earned a playoff spot at the end of it. The Team Penske driver opened the second half of the NASCAR Cup Series' regular season schedule with a win over Carson Hocevar and the field at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennesse. Blaney took the lead late in Stage 2 of the 300-lap event - NASCAR's 14th points-paying race of the season - and stayed in front for the remainder to notch his first victory of 2025 and first at the Tennessee track, topping Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. The 2023 Cup champion, who won for the 14th time in his career, is the fifth different winner in Nashville's five Cup races. Blaney's crew chief Jonathan Hassler called for a two-tyre change on the first stop after Stage 1's conclusion, allowing the No 12 Ford to move up in the grid. "I thought it was a good call. We drove up to seventh there in the first stage," said Blaney, who led a race-high 139 laps. "The car was good (and) that set us up for the rest of the race. Great job by him as always. "I never gave up hope, that's for sure. We've had great speed all year, but it hasn't been the best year for us with good fortune." Denny Hamlin, making his 700th career start - becoming the 22nd driver in NASCAR history to do so - led 79 laps and finished third. Defending race winner Joey Logano and William Byron rounded out the top five. In his 450th career start, Ricky Stenhouse Jnr was tagged by Hocevar on lap 106 and hit the turn 4 wall. Stenhouse, who finished last (39th), was bidding to join Dale Earnhardt Jnr, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch in winning in outing No 450. "I think it's definitely over-aggressive. I think that's Carson," said Stenhouse. "Maybe I should've hung a right and let him go. (He kept) dive-bombing me. You can't just give up spots to give up spots." While polesitter Chase Briscoe pulled away from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Hamlin early, a problem arose for Kyle Larson as his No 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet got loose, went up the 1.33-mile concrete oval and lost speed. The 2021 champ then slipped to the rear of the field and tried to regroup. After pit service, Briscoe, who led 51 laps in Stage 1, cycled back around as the leader, but Hamlin moved by the JGR No 19 and set his sights on Larson, who was in position to be lapped as the 85-lap segment wound down. Hamlin won Stage 1 with Tyler Reddick and Briscoe close behind. Larson managed to stay on the lead lap and make up the distance lost on the circuit. After the Hocevar-Stenhouse incident, Alex Bowman's No 48 got loose and took out Noah Gragson's No 4 Ford for the fourth caution on lap 114. Then Christopher Bell spun off the nose of Erik Jones' No 43 for another yellow on the ensuing restart. Hamlin showed the way in the 399-mile race's middle portion, but Blaney's No 12 and Byron's No 24 came to life as Stage 2 neared its end. Blaney's Ford built a 2 1/2-second lead and easily won the stage over Byron and Hamlin.
TimesLIVE
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Ross Chastain chases down William Byron to win Coca-Cola 600
Ross Chastain kept a streak alive and won his first crown jewel race in the process. The Trackhouse Racing driver ran down William Byron over the final 37 laps to capture the NASCAR Cup Series' longest race, Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Chastain became the ninth different winner in the past nine races at the sport's home track. After fending off a battle with Denny Hamlin, Byron withstood a charge from Chastain until the No 1 Chevrolet suddenly closed a three-tenth's gap and got by with six laps to go to beat Byron by 0.673 seconds for his first win this season in the 66th running of the event. The Alva, Florida, native started last in the 40th spot at the 2.41km speedway after going to a backup car after a wreck in practice on Saturday. He led only eight laps in his sixth career win, while Byron managed a race- and career-high 283. "To drive on that final run in the (600) and pass two cars that had been way better, we just won the (600)," yelled Chastain, whose last win was at Kansas last September. "My team built me another car. We stayed in it. I passed them because my team went and built me a car all night." A Charlotte native, Byron was bidding for his first victory at his nearby track but could not deny Chastain, who in trademark fashion smashed a victory watermelon on the front stretch before eating a giant chunk. "I was defending," Byron said. "I was getting a little bit tight. He got a run on me and was able to get to the bottom and clear me off of (turn) 2. It's disappointing to lead that many laps (and not win)." Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe, AJ Allmendinger and Brad Keselowski completed the top five. In attempting "The Double", Kyle Larson struggled to a 37th-place finish after wrecking out at the midway point of the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the day. He finished 27th in that race. Larson passed Briscoe on Lap 9 but fought with his car and soon tagged the wall hard. The 2021 Cup champion then spun by himself off Turn 4 on Lap 42, forcing him to pit road for a long stop. Running ninth with three circuits left in Stage 1, Alex Bowman's No 48 banged the wall off Turn 4 and slid through the front stretch grass. Byron won the second segment during the second caution period, while Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell trailed him. Byron held an 8 1/2-second lead as Stage 2 neared its end. The two-time Daytona 500 champ then eased to the segment win over Hamlin and Reddick with Carson Hocevar continuing his strong run in fourth. The 400-lap race's biggest melee was on Lap 246 after a restart. Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Briscoe made contact, and Larson and Justin Haley were involved in the sixth caution on the front stretch. Hamlin led 34 laps in Stage 3, but Byron worked his way past the No 11 Toyota in the closing circuits to sweep the first three stages and pocket the maximum bonus points.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Coca-Cola 600 results: Ross Chastain wins NASCAR's longest race
Coca-Cola 600 results: Ross Chastain wins NASCAR's longest race 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. Ross Chastain ran down William Byron over the final 37 laps to capture the NASCAR Cup Series' longest race, Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. After fending off a battle with Denny Hamlin, Byron withstood a charge from Chastain until the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet suddenly closed a three-tenth's gap and got by with six laps to go to beat Byron by 0.673 seconds for his first win this season in the 66th running of the event. The Alva, Florida, native started last at the 1.5-mile speedway after going to a backup car following a wreck in practice Saturday. He led just eight laps in his sixth career win, while Byron managed a race- and career-high 283. Polesitter Chase Briscoe, AJ Allmendinger and Brad Keselowski completed the top five. In attempting "The Double," Kyle Larson struggled to a 37th-place finish after wrecking out at the midway point of the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the day. He finished 27th in that race. Larson passed Briscoe on Lap 9 but fought with his car and soon tagged the wall hard. The 2021 Cup champ then spun by himself off Turn 4 on Lap 42, forcing him to pit road for a long stop. Running ninth with three circuits left in Stage 1, Alex Bowman's No. 48 banged the wall off Turn 4 and slid through the frontstretch grass. Byron won the second segment during the second caution period, while Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell trailed him. Byron held an 8½-second lead as Stage 2 neared its end. The two-time Daytona 500 champ then eased to the segment win over Hamlin and Reddick with Carson Hocevar continuing his strong run in fourth. The 400-lap race's biggest melee was on Lap 246 after a restart. Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Briscoe made contact, and Larson and Justin Haley were involved in the sixth caution on the frontstretch. Hamlin led 34 laps in Stage 3, but Byron worked his way past the No. 11 Toyota in the closing circuits to sweep the first three stages and pocket the maximum bonus points. Restarting second on Lap 308, Hocevar had the engine on his No. 77 Spire Motorsports ride expire, triggering the eighth caution. Coca-Cola 600 full results
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Indy 500 2025: Why is Indianapolis Motor Speedway called the Brickyard?
Indy 500 2025: Why is Indianapolis Motor Speedway called the Brickyard? This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated for the 2025 Indy 500. There are more than 100 years of racing history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the iconic 2.5-mile track that will host the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday (pre-race coverage begins on Fox at 10 a.m. ET but the green flag is set for 12:45 p.m. ET). So obviously, there's a lot to learn about the track, the race and the drivers. The historic track is commonly referred to as the Brickyard — a term that even made its way into the name of the NASCAR Cup Series' previous race there each season. But why? Let us break it down... Why is Indianapolis Motor Speedway called the Brickyard? The simple answer is because it is literally a yard of bricks. At one time, more than a century ago, the whole track was paved with bricks, but to know how that happened, we actually have to go farther back in IMS track history. The original surface of the track when the speedway first opened in August of 1909 was created from "a sticky amalgam of gravel, limestone, tar, and 220,000 gallons of asphaltum oil", according to But this actually turned out to be a dangerously fatal disaster at the very first car race. Five people died as a result of the chaos produced from the rough yet slippery surface, and "flying gravel shattered goggles and bloodied cheeks". So the track owner, Carl Fisher, repaved it with bricks. More from the track's website: In a span of 63 days in fall 1909, 3.2 million paving bricks, each weighing 9.5 pounds, were laid on top of the original surface of crushed rock and tar to upgrade the Speedway. When were the Indianapolis Motor Speedway bricks repaved? Gradually, in the first few decades of the track's existence, asphalt was added to different pieces of the surface, and rougher sections of the turns were covered in 1936. Eventually, all four turns were fully paved with asphalt in 1937. More from Indianapolis Motor Speedway: In 1938, the entire track was paved with asphalt except for the middle portion of the front straightaway. In October 1961, the remaining bricks on the front straightaway were covered with asphalt. A 36-inch strip of the original bricks was kept intact at the start/finish line, where it remains today as the fabled Yard of Bricks. The bricks are still there today and actually continue past the literal track and into the infield. They're part of every celebratory moment. Why do drivers kiss the Yard of Bricks when they win the Indy 500? There are so many elements of the track's and Indy 500 history that come down to tradition. And you won't see an Indy 500 winner (or NASCAR race winner) walk away without kissing the bricks. Drivers and their teams will line up along the Yard of Bricks to take their own always spectacular photos. But it wasn't always that way, and this is a newer tradition compared with the whole history of the track. From IMS' website: The tradition of "kissing the bricks" was started by NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett. After his Brickyard 400 victory in 1996, Jarrett and crew chief Todd Parrott decided to walk out to the start-finish line, kneel and kiss the Yard of Bricks to pay tribute to the fabled history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team joined them for a group kiss on the bricks, and an Indianapolis tradition was born that Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 winners have followed since. And one of 33 drivers will continue the tradition of kissing the bricks this Sunday.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fanatics Sportsbook partners with NY Racing Team for two Cup Series races
NEW YORK (May 21, 2025) — New York Racing Team announced a partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook to become the primary sponsor of the team's No. 44 Chevrolet, driven by J.J. Yeley for two of the NASCAR Cup Series' most prestigious races — the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. The Fanatics Sportsbook No. 44 Chevrolet will take to the track — first in Music City on Sunday, June 1 and next in the Valley of the Sun on Sunday, Nov. 2 — decked in the company's signature Lava Red and Black paint scheme and adorned with the Fanatics Sportsbook logo on the hood and sides of the car. It's only fitting that Fanatics Sportsbook will grace the car for the first time in Tennessee, as the state was the first to experience the sportsbook upon its launch in 2023. Advertisement RELATED: Charlotte weekend schedule | How to watch Coke 600 on Prime Video In celebration of this partnership, Fanatics Sportsbook will have exclusive new customer offers for the Nashville and Phoenix races, along with expanded NASCAR betting capabilities, such as race parlays, to finish on the podium, exacta and trifecta betting. Fanatics Sportsbook will also offer unique J.J. Yeley specials and live betting markets on Raceday. According to Fanatics Sportsbook, Yeley is +800 to have a top-10 finish at Nashville Superspeedway and customers will also be able to place wagers on J.J. Yeley's starting grid position, Chevrolet-specific placement, first lap results, and much more. NASCAR fans can download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics betting experience. 'We are proud to partner with John Cohen and the New York Racing Team,' said Selena Kalvaria, CMO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming. 'The partnership with New York Racing Team is an incredible branding opportunity and an inflection point for us as we continue to build the fastest-growing sportsbook in America. We are going to develop exclusive content for NASCAR fans and curate an elevated experience for our customers at each race that only a brand like Fanatics can offer. Our employees and customers can't wait to cheer on the No. 44 Fanatics Sportsbook Chevrolet toward the checkered flag at Nashville Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway.' Nashville Superspeedway is Middle Tennessee's racing jewel. The 1.33-mile D-shaped track with 14 degrees of banking is the largest concrete-only track in NASCAR and the perfect track for a prime time race. The sponsorship will see Fanatics Sportsbook featured on Yeley's No. 44 Chevrolet in the Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m. ET, broadcast live on Prime Video. The No. 44 Fanatics Sportsbook car will return at the end of the season to compete at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 2, 2025, which will air live on NBC. For up to date news and information on the Fanatics Sportsbook No. 44 Chevrolet follow @FanaticsBook on X and @FanaticsSportsbook on Instagram.
