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NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
2025 IMSA Detroit starting lineup: Acura sweeps front row in taking first pole of season
Acura swept the front row for the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic, breaking BMW's pole streak to start the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. Nick Yelloly claimed the pole on the streets of downtown Detroit with a 1 minute, 5.762-second lap in the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06. Tom Blomqvist qualified second in the No. 60 Acura ARX-06 for the 100-minute race on the 1.645-mile layout. 'Pole is the best place to start at any street circuit; it usually makes your life quite a bit easier,' Yelloly said. 'Super happy to get my first pole in IMSA. We've been working very hard as a team to make sure we get everything right, chipping away week after week. We go from strength to strength every weekend, and it just keeps getting better and better. STARTING GRIDS: Click here for the Detroit starting lineup l Lineup by row l Lineup by car number 'At a street circuit, you can't just bang in one lap, because you'll probably make a mistake. You kind of need to edge closer to the limit. I knew I'd done a relatively good lap already and knew I had two laps to go at the end. I put it, let's say, all on the line and rubbed the wall a few times, but it was just enough to get that pole.' Meyer Shank Racing earned its first IMSA pole position since July 2023 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and its first front row sweep since the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona. BMW M Team RLL took the second row with Sheldon van der Linde in the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8 and Dries Vanthoor, who had captured the first four pole positions this year in the No. 24 BMW. Porsche Penske Motorsport, which has won the first four races this season with its 963s in Grand Touring Prototype, swept the third row with the No. 6 in fifth and the No. 7 in sixth. In the GTD Pro category, the Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3s swept the front row with Seb Priaulx putting the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 in the top starting spot with a lap of 1 minute, 10.922 seconds. Teammate Christopher Mies qualified second, 0.329 seconds behind. DETROIT QUALIFYING ROUNDUP Starting lineup Lineup by row Lineup by car number Results Results by class Fastest lap by driver Fastest lap by driver after qualifying Fastest lap by driver and class after qualifying Best sector times Fastest lap sequence Time cards Weather report PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II Two clean laps was all Nick Yelloly needed to claim his first-career IMSA pole on the streets of Detroit, leaving everything on the table in his run that resulted in a front-row sweep for Meyer Shank Racing.
Fox Sports
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Top prospect Connor Zilisch taking it all in stride ahead of Cup oval debut
Connor Zilisch describes his rookie Xfinity season as one of "growing pains," and that has nothing to do with his recent back injury. The 18-year-old Zilisch was seventh in the standings before dropping to 12th after missing the last race at Texas following a hard crash at Talladega. His win at Circuit of the Americas in March has him comfortably in the playoffs, so Zilisch has already accomplished one of the goals. But, frankly, more eyes could be on Zilisch in the Coca-Cola 600 as he makes his Cup oval debut this Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Zilisch finished 37th after a crash about midway through his series debut at COTA, a day after winning the Xfinity race. Zilisch, who honed his road-racing skills in Europe, has been touted as a top Cup prospect the last few years and is under contract with Trackhouse Racing while also having a personal services deal with Red Bull. How he performs in the select Cup races this year, as well as in Xfinity, could determine if he moves to Cup in 2026 or whether he stays in Xfinity for another season. "I'm having so much fun competing for wins every week here," Zilisch said about racing for JR Motorsports in Xfinity. "It's been a blast. "And I try not to look too far into the future. I want to enjoy every race like it's my last, and I'm just trying to make the most of this season with the goal of winning a championship. I know if I do everything I need to do, that long-term I'll be where I want to be." While he has had the speed each week, even at tracks he has never raced previously, Zilisch feels he's not doing everything correctly to get the results worthy of the cars he's driving. "It's just been an up-and-down year," Zilisch said. "But throughout it all, my team and I, we've been getting better every week and understanding what I need out of the car every week and how to go through a race without making mistakes. "I've definitely done things that have hindered myself points-wise. I could have had a lot of better finishes. I have wrecked on all three superspeedway races. I finished 28th at Martinsville with the fastest car. Overall, looking back on it, I feel like we've done a really good job. But I feel like there are things that I can clean up." Many believe Zilisch has the whole package — great talent, grounded mindset and an engaging personality. Kevin Harvick saw Zilisch race at a young age and helped him land a few stock-car rides in order to get a NASCAR career in his grasp. Zilisch has won five ARCA regional series wins, five ARCA national series races and two Xfinity wins, including in his debut race last year at Watkins Glen. He also has a class win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Despite the two Xfinity wins, Zilisch said the "growing pains" in the series include that he can't come back from mistakes as easily as in other series. "I feel like you make one mistake and it ends your day," Zilisch said. "I've never had that before in the racing I've done. ... Learning to minimize mistakes has been probably the toughest part for me, and understanding that one mistake can end your day." The other thing Zilisch has learned is not to overthink his race and strategy. "I feel like coming into the year, I was so worried about how complicated the races were going to be, and going to new tracks and pit road and everything — and, honestly, the less I've tried to think about it, the better I've been," he said. The mistakes have increased chatter on social channels that Zilisch might not live up to the hype. As an 18-year-old who grew up with social media, Zilisch is used to the seeing comments about his performance. Those comments, though, likely have been more critical as the Zilisch hype has increased over the last year. "I don't let it get to me," Zilisch said. "If nobody was watching, I'd still race the same. It's just about going out there every weekend and preparing for every race the same, working with my team to do the best job we can do every weekend. "At times it does get tough to deal with the noise around and getting tagged on Twitter posts and whatever it may be. ... I feel like I've done a good job of just doing my deal and not really letting the outside noise affect me, good or bad." That's good because he has 400 laps in a Cup car ahead and everyone will be watching. "It's going to be tough," Zilisch said. "I don't expect to go and run well, ... but if I'm going to run in the Cup Series one day, I've got to be able to run those races. And there's no better way to get experience than trial by fire. "It's a long race that you can struggle the first half, and then you still have a full Xfinity race in the second half to come back from. There's a lot of time in that race. I feel like it'll be good for me to just get those reps, get the laps, and the more laps in that car, the better. That's part of the reason, is they just want to get me laps in the car, since we can't go testing. And what better way to do that than 400 laps at Charlotte?" Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
San Francisco Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pagenaud easing back into motorsports after serious injury in 2023. Finding a new career outside car
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Simon Pagenaud's career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he's still battling nearly two years later. He wants no sympathy, no pity, and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He also doesn't want to dwell on his personal health, which has been a frustrating rollercoaster of improvements, setbacks, and constant rehabilitation to return to some normalcy and enjoy life with his wife and two young children. But the Frenchman will never be able to shake the motorsports bug — and he has a goal of one day returning to some form of racing because without goals, what does a racer even have? For now, though, he's adjusting to a slow comeback that began last year when Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin asked Pagenaud to be his driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It wasn't as easy as he'd hoped because everything from his vision to the noise at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the vibration he felt as cars whizzed past the Team Penske timing stand disrupted his recovery. Even so, McLaughlin has him back this year as Pagenaud attempts to find a career outside the racecar. 'Last year he didn't know how he was going to feel with the noises, but he definitely feels a lot better,' McLaughlin said. 'I really enjoy working with him and bringing him back to the speedway, brought him back to something he loves. He's really intense, too. His preparation is next level.' It's just the start for Pagenaud's transition: Théo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States. 'I don't want to be involved with the management of 30 drivers, but I want to be involved with the best,' Pagenaud said. 'I want to go to teams with a guy I know can perform. I don't want to put my name on someone and then have a team come back to me and say he didn't perform, the guy wasn't good enough. I've got to be selective and to me, I think Theo can be one of the best.' But that's not all for Pagenaud, who was contacted by Chevrolet and asked to help do simulator work for the manufacturer in a true case of 'just what the doctor ordered.' 'I had no idea if I was going to be of use, but I was very attracted by the idea and my doctors were very enthused by the chance to test myself on a moving simulator,' he said. 'I'm not going to lie — it was a big challenge personally — but it was awesome to have a reference, a new reference, of where I was at and how much I was struggling for different things. 'And we decided that we would do this a bit more frequently. It was very useful for my recovery. It's probably been the most useful therapy I've had, and when I'm talking about therapies, physical therapy, eye coordination, reconnecting the bridges in the brain, things that were not as seamless as they used to be.' Pagenaud is also open to a more formal role with former team Team Penske, where he spent seven seasons and time with their sports car program. Team President Tim Cindric didn't rule out a role within the organization for the driver who contributed one of Roger Penske's record 20 Indy 500 wins. McLaughlin has raved about what Pagenaud has brought him at Indy. 'I'm probably a detriment to my own career throughout the years — I haven't been as intricate with looking at little details, and I think Simon is the professor in that regard,' McLaughlin said. "He strives for perfection in a lot of ways in how he sets up his car and what he feels. He's probably allowing me to look into more details and just the way I look at myself and the driving, the lines and what I'm doing with weight jacker and bars. It's really helped sort of accelerate my progress here, and really am enjoying working with a friend, as well." That knowledge could be welcome inside Team Penske as a whole at some point, Cindric said. 'Simon is always welcome within our team,' Cindric said. "But Simon has a lot going on on his own, beyond our team. I know Simon has been offered some really good things to do, but there's only so much that Simon really wants to do. 'I think he can be a benefit for anybody around this place. I don't think there's any limit in terms of what he does, but at the same time, he wants to be productive. Just hanging around probably isn't what he wants to do, either. I think we have a pretty good balance, and we're always open to him within our team.'
Fox Sports
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Pagenaud easing back into motorsports after serious injury in 2023. Finding a new career outside car
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Simon Pagenaud's career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he's still battling nearly two years later. He wants no sympathy, no pity, and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He also doesn't want to dwell on his personal health, which has been a frustrating rollercoaster of improvements, setbacks, and constant rehabilitation to return to some normalcy and enjoy life with his wife and two young children. But the Frenchman will never be able to shake the motorsports bug — and he has a goal of one day returning to some form of racing because without goals, what does a racer even have? For now, though, he's adjusting to a slow comeback that began last year when Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin asked Pagenaud to be his driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It wasn't as easy as he'd hoped because everything from his vision to the noise at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the vibration he felt as cars whizzed past the Team Penske timing stand disrupted his recovery. Even so, McLaughlin has him back this year as Pagenaud attempts to find a career outside the racecar. 'Last year he didn't know how he was going to feel with the noises, but he definitely feels a lot better,' McLaughlin said. 'I really enjoy working with him and bringing him back to the speedway, brought him back to something he loves. He's really intense, too. His preparation is next level.' It's just the start for Pagenaud's transition: Theo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States. 'I don't want to be involved with the management of 30 drivers, but I want to be involved with the best,' Pagenaud said. 'I want to go to teams with a guy I know can perform. I don't want to put my name on someone and then have a team come back to me and say he didn't perform, the guy wasn't good enough. I've got to be selective and to me, I think Theo can be one of the best.' But that's not all for Pagenaud, who was contacted by Chevrolet and asked to help do simulator work for the manufacturer in a true case of 'just what the doctor ordered.' 'I had no idea if I was going to be of use, but I was very attracted by the idea and my doctors were very enthused by the chance to test myself on a moving simulator,' he said. 'I'm not going to lie — it was a big challenge personally — but it was awesome to have a reference, a new reference, of where I was at and how much I was struggling for different things. 'And we decided that we would do this a bit more frequently. It was very useful for my recovery. It's probably been the most useful therapy I've had, and when I'm talking about therapies, physical therapy, eye coordination, reconnecting the bridges in the brain, things that were not as seamless as they used to be.' Pagenaud is also open to a more formal role with former team Team Penske, where he spent seven seasons and time with their sports car program. Team President Tim Cindric didn't rule out a role within the organization for the driver who contributed one of Roger Penske's record 20 Indy 500 wins. McLaughlin has raved about what Pagenaud has brought him at Indy. 'I'm probably a detriment to my own career throughout the years — I haven't been as intricate with looking at little details, and I think Simon is the professor in that regard,' McLaughlin said. "He strives for perfection in a lot of ways in how he sets up his car and what he feels. He's probably allowing me to look into more details and just the way I look at myself and the driving, the lines and what I'm doing with weight jacker and bars. It's really helped sort of accelerate my progress here, and really am enjoying working with a friend, as well." That knowledge could be welcome inside Team Penske as a whole at some point, Cindric said. 'Simon is always welcome within our team,' Cindric said. "But Simon has a lot going on on his own, beyond our team. I know Simon has been offered some really good things to do, but there's only so much that Simon really wants to do. 'I think he can be a benefit for anybody around this place. I don't think there's any limit in terms of what he does, but at the same time, he wants to be productive. Just hanging around probably isn't what he wants to do, either. I think we have a pretty good balance, and we're always open to him within our team.' ___ AP auto racing: recommended in this topic
Winnipeg Free Press
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pagenaud easing back into motorsports after serious injury in 2023. Finding a new career outside car
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Simon Pagenaud's career was cut short eight races into the 2023 season when he was badly injured in a crash that caused concussion-related symptoms he's still battling nearly two years later. He wants no sympathy, no pity, and looks back fondly on a career in which he won the Indianapolis 500, an IndyCar championship, 15 races and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He also doesn't want to dwell on his personal health, which has been a frustrating rollercoaster of improvements, setbacks, and constant rehabilitation to return to some normalcy and enjoy life with his wife and two young children. But the Frenchman will never be able to shake the motorsports bug — and he has a goal of one day returning to some form of racing because without goals, what does a racer even have? For now, though, he's adjusting to a slow comeback that began last year when Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin asked Pagenaud to be his driver coach at the Indianapolis 500. It wasn't as easy as he'd hoped because everything from his vision to the noise at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the vibration he felt as cars whizzed past the Team Penske timing stand disrupted his recovery. Even so, McLaughlin has him back this year as Pagenaud attempts to find a career outside the racecar. 'Last year he didn't know how he was going to feel with the noises, but he definitely feels a lot better,' McLaughlin said. 'I really enjoy working with him and bringing him back to the speedway, brought him back to something he loves. He's really intense, too. His preparation is next level.' It's just the start for Pagenaud's transition: Théo Pourchaire, a fellow Frenchman, announced Tuesday that Pagenaud will be his representation as Pourchaire tries to make a full-time move to racing in the United States. 'I don't want to be involved with the management of 30 drivers, but I want to be involved with the best,' Pagenaud said. 'I want to go to teams with a guy I know can perform. I don't want to put my name on someone and then have a team come back to me and say he didn't perform, the guy wasn't good enough. I've got to be selective and to me, I think Theo can be one of the best.' But that's not all for Pagenaud, who was contacted by Chevrolet and asked to help do simulator work for the manufacturer in a true case of 'just what the doctor ordered.' 'I had no idea if I was going to be of use, but I was very attracted by the idea and my doctors were very enthused by the chance to test myself on a moving simulator,' he said. 'I'm not going to lie — it was a big challenge personally — but it was awesome to have a reference, a new reference, of where I was at and how much I was struggling for different things. 'And we decided that we would do this a bit more frequently. It was very useful for my recovery. It's probably been the most useful therapy I've had, and when I'm talking about therapies, physical therapy, eye coordination, reconnecting the bridges in the brain, things that were not as seamless as they used to be.' Pagenaud is also open to a more formal role with former team Team Penske, where he spent seven seasons and time with their sports car program. Team President Tim Cindric didn't rule out a role within the organization for the driver who contributed one of Roger Penske's record 20 Indy 500 wins. McLaughlin has raved about what Pagenaud has brought him at Indy. 'I'm probably a detriment to my own career throughout the years — I haven't been as intricate with looking at little details, and I think Simon is the professor in that regard,' McLaughlin said. 'He strives for perfection in a lot of ways in how he sets up his car and what he feels. He's probably allowing me to look into more details and just the way I look at myself and the driving, the lines and what I'm doing with weight jacker and bars. It's really helped sort of accelerate my progress here, and really am enjoying working with a friend, as well.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. That knowledge could be welcome inside Team Penske as a whole at some point, Cindric said. 'Simon is always welcome within our team,' Cindric said. 'But Simon has a lot going on on his own, beyond our team. I know Simon has been offered some really good things to do, but there's only so much that Simon really wants to do. 'I think he can be a benefit for anybody around this place. I don't think there's any limit in terms of what he does, but at the same time, he wants to be productive. Just hanging around probably isn't what he wants to do, either. I think we have a pretty good balance, and we're always open to him within our team.' ___ AP auto racing:
