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Fox Sports
13-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Kyle Larson claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol: 'That was for Jon'
Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win on Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol. Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney. Larson's No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced. The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon's four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon's right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship. On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team. Larson also finished second in Friday's Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person. "He wouldn't want us to be sad," Larson said of Edwards. "I'm happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week." Helping others Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track's proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. "One of my quotes that I like to think about a lot is, 'Don't let a crisis go to waste,'" said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm's path last October. "A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It's some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there's a lot of comeback." The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for a Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday's race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford. Up next After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year. Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR's premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox News
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Legendary NASCAR broadcaster Bill Weber dead at 67
A major loss in the world of NASCAR was announced Tuesday. Longtime broadcaster Bill Weber died Dec. 13, and the organization kept his death private until recently. Weber was 67. "The National Motorsports Press Association is saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR broadcaster and pit reporter Bill Weber," the organization wrote on X. NASCAR fans were shocked at the news of Weber's death as it began circulating online. "Man…this is a sad email to get today from my friends at the @NMPAonline," one X user wrote. "Bill Weber, to me was such an iconic NASCAR voice of my childhood, specifically with his role in what is my all-time favorite NASCAR video game, NASCAR 2005. RIP Bill Weber." Weber rose through the ranks of NASCAR broadcasting to the point he was the lap-by-lap caller at NBC, beginning in 2004, where he was quickly embraced by the sport's fan base. Weber was known for some of the most memorable calls in the sport during his time in the booth, including Tony Stewart's second Cup Series championship in 2005. He retired in 2009 as a NASCAR broadcaster, though there was no reason disclosed. Weber spent time working as an illusionist after his career in broadcasting. Ralph Sheheen replaced Weber at NBC. Weber's broadcasting career spanned NBC, ESPN and TNT, and he was known as a fan favorite because of his "Ask Bill Weber a Question" online, where fans could ask about anything on or off the track. The National Motorsports Press Association noted there will be an online memorial for Weber at a later date. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
