Latest news with #auto racing
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ross Chastain returns to Nashville after a thrilling Coca-Cola 600 victory
Joey Logano stands on his car to celebrate after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Denny Hamlin (11) and Chase Briscoe (19) head down the front straightaway during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) Joey Logano stands on his car to celebrate after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Denny Hamlin (11) and Chase Briscoe (19) head down the front straightaway during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley) LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Ross Chastain is ready to get back behind the wheel of a race car after a busy week celebrating going from worst to victory lane at the Coca-Cola 600 for the first time in his career. He also knows only too well how humbling racing can be. Advertisement 'We put ourselves at a lot of high risk getting back on track that the success could be hard again,' Chastain said Saturday still wearing the Coca-Cola 600 winner's ring on his right hand. 'The cars don't know what happened last week.' Chastain has had three top-three finishes over his past four races, and he goes into Sunday night's Cracker Barrel 400 very familiar with Nashville Superspeedway. Music City is home to his Trackhouse Racing team, and Chastain won here in 2023. He also has finished second and fifth, and had a chance to win last year. This also will be Trackhouse Racing's 300th Cup race. Chastain credited his crew chief Phil Surgen and Trackhouse Racing but said he doesn't know why he's been so successful at this track. Chastain said he doesn't feel like he does anything different down to his preparation. Advertisement "We have really, really good race cars,' Chastain said of his No. 1 Chevrolet. This race now is a month earlier than the past four years, and the Cracker Barrel 400 comes exactly halfway through NASCAR's regular season. Chastain is among the eight drivers already locked into the playoffs with a victory. No repeat performance This race took a record five overtimes to finish a year ago with Joey Logano surviving for his first Cup win of 2024. He had saved just enough gas to pull out that victory, so of course it merited a look back just in case. 'You don't know that opportunity will ever present itself again,' Logano said. "It's a pretty rare opportunity for it to end up like that. But because we were ready for it and we were prepared that day that's what helped us win. So yeah, you're always kind of looking at that stuff' Advertisement Concrete challenge Brad Keselowski, currently 32nd in the standings, won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race here in 2008. He walked the D-shaped track Saturday and marveled at how Nashville, which hosted its first races in 2001, has aged since his career-changing victory. 'It's kind of aged like fine wine," Keselowski said. "When I was doing the walk I was thinking about it. The surface is 25, 26 years old, and it's in great condition. The facilities are in great condition. It's just really a kind of walk back in time for me.' Start of new In-Season Challenge Nashville kicks off NASCAR's new In-Season Challenge involving 32 drivers and a single-elimination over five races starting June 28 at Atlanta. The top 32 drivers in points after Sunday night's race in Nashville will make up the field for the three seeding races. Advertisement Those races start at Michigan on June 8, and conclude at Pocono on June 22. Drivers will be seeded by their best finish over those three races for the competition starting at Atlanta. The field will be narrowed to 16 at Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four at Dover and finally two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tournament comes with a $1 million prize to the winner and is part of a new media rights deal including TNT. Odds and Ends Denny Hamlin at +350 is the betting favorite to win Sunday night, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by Kyle Larson (+550), Christopher Bell (+650) and William Byron (+725). If Hamlin makes the starting line Sunday night remains to be seen. His fiancee is expecting their third child, a boy, with Sunday the due date. Hamlin said he has an eight-hour window to race and get home but hadn't set a timeline to make a final decision before qualifying. 'I can't miss it,' Hamlin said of his new son's arrival. ... This race has had a different winner each of the first four years at this track. ... Country music singer Chase Rice, a former NASCAR pit crew member, will be the honorary pace car driver Sunday night. Rice has sold more than 2.8 million albums and had more than 2.9 billion total streams. His hits include 'Eyes on You,' 'Drinkin' Beer. Talkin' God. Amen.' and 'Lonely If You Are.' ___ AP auto racing:
CTV News
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Alex Palou makes history as 1st Spanish driver to win the Indianapolis 500
Alex Palou, of Spain, makes a pit stop during of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alex Palou has become the first driver from Spain to win the Indianapolis 500 by holding off former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson over the closing laps Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Palou, who has won three IndyCar titles in four years — including the last two, came to the speedway with four wins through the first five races. But it was No. 6, 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' that he had circled on his calendar. Without an Indy 500 win, Palou said his career resume would never be complete. Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, finished second for Andretti Global in a 1-2 finish for Honda. David Malukas was third for A.J. Foyt Racing and the highest-finishing Chevrolet. Josef Newgarden's bid to win three consecutive Indy 500s ended with a fuel pump issue. Palou started the race tied with Pato O'Ward as the co-favorites, listed at +500 by BetMGM. Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Penske gives command to start Indy 500, then watches McLaughlin crash out before the green flag
Fans make their way into the track before the start of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roger Penske delivered a forceful command for drivers to start their engines at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday after the most trying of weeks for his own race team, only to watch Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin crash out before it even began. McLaughlin was warming up his tires on the parade laps when he lost control and hit the inside retaining wall. Advertisement 'I have no idea what happened,' said McLaughlin, one of the pre-race favorites despite an earlier wreck in practice, who climbed from his car, cradled his helmeted head in his hands and appeared to be nearly inconsolable on the infield grass. 'Just really upset for my team,' he said. 'They built me a fantastic car again. I'm really sorry to my sponsors, my fans, my family. I don't know what happened. I can't believe we're out of the race. I had so much hope today. It's the worst moment of my life.' Penske, who also owns IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, had been scarce in public since qualifying weekend, when the cars of two-time defending winner Josef Newgarden and former winner Will Power were found to have an illegally modified part. Both were penalized and sent to the rear of the 33-car starting grid. Penske went even further after the second scandal to engulf his team in just over a year, firing team president Tim Cindric and Team Penske officials Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer, who had served as the strategist on McLaughlin's car. Advertisement McLaughlin did not have the illegally modified part on the car that he wrecked in the final round of qualifying. The start of the 109th running of the Indy 500 was delayed when a cloud of light rain that passed over the speedway, where a crowd of about 350,000 people had arrived early and packed the sold-out grandstands. Trucks with huge dryers were sent onto the track, and it was declared ready by race control after a delay of about 35 minutes. Penske received a warm ovation when he finally stepped to the microphone and delivered the starting command. McLaughlin, who was starting on the inside of the fourth row, was swerving back and forth across the track to warm up his tires when his car suddenly kicked left at the end of the front stretch. It slammed into the inner barrier, destroying his suspension and ending the race he wants to win more than any other before it had even started. Advertisement It was reminiscent of the 1992 Indianapolis 500, when pole-sitter Roberto Guerrero spun out and crashed while trying to warm up his tires during the parade laps. And just like McLaughlin, he was unable to take the green flag to start the race. 'I know it's probably dramatic,' McLaughlin said after leaving the infield care center, 'but it's just like — I put so much into the race. Everyone does. And I didn't even get to see the green flag.' ___ AP auto racing:
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Marco Andretti makes Indy 500 field in last-chance qualifying. Rinus Veekay survives over Jacob Abel
Marco Andretti drives through the first turn during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti made the field for the Indianapolis 500 in last-chance qualifying Sunday, while Rinus Veekay sweated out a last-minute run by Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel to earn the final spot on the 33-car starting grid. Marcus Armstrong, who wrecked during practice a day earlier, also made the May 25 race after Meyer Shank Racing hastily built up a replacement car Saturday. He will start between Andretti and Veekay in the middle of the final row. Advertisement 'I feel relief but not real happiness,' said Veekay, who has never started worse than seventh in five previous Indy 500s. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Andretti posted a four-lap average of 229.741 mph, and Armstrong was not far off during his qualifying run. But Abel and Veekay were well off the pace, and it quickly became evident that the teammates would be battling it out for the final spot. Coyne said that he would let his two teams operate independently as they sought to make the field. Veekay's first four-lap effort produced an average of 227.740 mph, well ahead of Abel's run. But with his teammate preparing to go again, Veekay pulled his initial effort and went back to the track with about 8 minutes left in the hour-long window. Advertisement That turned out to be a bad idea. Veekay went even slower — just 226.913 mph — and was left to watch nervously from pit lane as Abel went out in the final minutes of the session with a chance to bump him from the field. 'I was really afraid,' Veekay said. 'I thought that could be it.' But with a car still hot from its previous run, Abel also went slower. His speed of 226.394 mph made him the only driver that spent the past two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway who failed to make the starting grid. 'Jacob is not just my teammate. He's a really good friend,' Veekay said. 'I feel bad for him. This was going to be his first; this is my sixth. Of course it feels good to make the field, but it is the definition of bittersweet.' Advertisement Abel was at a loss to explain his lack of pace. His car had been good in practice but simply didn't show up during qualifying. 'Super weird situation,' he said. 'We were fast in no-tows. We were very, very conservative. It seemed like something happened overnight Friday to Saturday and we lost speed, and it got slower and slower every run.' Meanwhile, Andretti was safely in his 20th consecutive Indy 500. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti started on the pole in 2020, but now will be starting from the deepest he's ever been in the field. 'Never thought I'd be happy with 31st but today I am,' Andretti, who finished second in his debut in 2006 and has three third-place finishes, said on social media. 'Proud of the 98 group! Now we go try to win the Indy 500!' ___ AP auto racing:
Associated Press
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Marco Andretti makes Indy 500 field in last-chance qualifying. Rinus Veekay survives over Jacob Abel
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti made the field for the Indianapolis 500 in last-chance qualifying Sunday, while Rinus Veekay sweated out a last-minute run by Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel to earn the final spot on the 33-car starting grid. Marcus Armstrong, who wrecked during practice a day earlier, also made the May 25 race after Meyer Shank Racing hastily built up a replacement car Saturday. He will start between Andretti and Veekay in the middle of the final row. 'I feel relief but not real happiness,' said Veekay, who has never started worse than seventh in five previous Indy 500s. 'We were just very slow, both Jacob and I, and unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.' Andretti posted a four-lap average of 229.741 mph, and Armstrong was not far off during his qualifying run. But Abel and Veekay were well off the pace, and it quickly became evident that the teammates would be battling it out for the final spot. Coyne said that he would let his two teams operate independently as they sought to make the field. Veekay's first four-lap effort produced an average of 227.740 mph, well ahead of Abel's run. But with his teammate preparing to go again, Veekay pulled his initial effort and went back to the track with about 8 minutes left in the hour-long window. That turned out to be a bad idea. Veekay went even slower — just 226.913 mph — and was left to watch nervously from pit lane as Abel went out in the final minutes of the session with a chance to bump him from the field. 'I was really afraid,' Veekay said. 'I thought that could be it.' But with a car still hot from its previous run, Abel also went slower. His speed of 226.394 mph made him the only driver that spent the past two weeks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway who failed to make the starting grid. 'Jacob is not just my teammate. He's a really good friend,' Veekay said. 'I feel bad for him. This was going to be his first; this is my sixth. Of course it feels good to make the field, but it is the definition of bittersweet.' Abel was at a loss to explain his lack of pace. His car had been good in practice but simply didn't show up during qualifying. 'Super weird situation,' he said. 'We were fast in no-tows. We were very, very conservative. It seemed like something happened overnight Friday to Saturday and we lost speed, and it got slower and slower every run.' Meanwhile, Andretti was safely in his 20th consecutive Indy 500. The son of Michael Andretti and grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti started on the pole in 2020, but now will be starting from the deepest he's ever been in the field. 'Never thought I'd be happy with 31st but today I am,' Andretti, who finished second in his debut in 2006 and has three third-place finishes, said on social media. 'Proud of the 98 group! Now we go try to win the Indy 500!' ___ AP auto racing:
