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Examining NASCAR Cup 2nd-round In-Season Challenge matchups at Chicago
Examining NASCAR Cup 2nd-round In-Season Challenge matchups at Chicago

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

Examining NASCAR Cup 2nd-round In-Season Challenge matchups at Chicago

After a wild opening round that saw the top two seeds eliminated, along with a few other favorites, the In-Season Challenge heads to Chicago for the second round. The 32-team field has been cut to 16 for Sunday's street race. The third round (eight remaining drivers) is at Sonoma. The fourth round (four remaining drivers) is at Dover. The final round (two remaining drivers) is at Indianapolis. Advertisement The winner will collect $1 million. Here is a look, with the help of Racing Insights, at the second-round pairings for Sunday's race: No. 3 Chris Buescher vs. No. 14 Zane Smith At the front: Chris Buescher has the best average finish on road courses in the Next Gen car at 8.8. On a roll: Buescher has scored four consecutive top-10 finishes. Zane Smith has finished seventh twice in the last four races. Winner ... advances to meet winner of AJ Allmendinger - Ty Gibbs matchup. No 3 Buescher vs No 14 No. 5 Chase Elliott vs. No. 12 John Hunter Nemechek Streaking: Atlanta winner Chase Elliott has scored three consecutive top-five finishes entering this weekend. Advertisement Road trip: Elliott has finished in the top five in both road course events this year, finishing third in Mexico and fourth at Circuit of the Americas. Nemechek finished sixth at Mexico for his best road course finish in Cup. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Erik Jones - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. matchup. No 5 Elliott vs No 12 No. 6 Ty Gibbs vs. No. 22 AJ Allmendinger Top dog: Ty Gibbs has the best average finish on the streets of the Chicago at 6.0 in two races, placing third last year and ninth in the inaugural event. Three of a kind: All three of AJ Allmendinger's Cup victories have come on road courses: Watkins Glen, Indianapolis Road Course and Charlotte Roval. Advertisement Winner ... advances to meet winner of Zane Smith - Chris Buescher matchup. No 6 Gibbs vs No 22 No. 8 Alex Bowman vs. No. 9 Bubba Wallace Spicy history: NASCAR fined Bubba Wallace $50,000 for his retaliatory actions after Alex Bowman won last year's Chicago Street Race. Wallace was upset with Bowman for contact during the race that turned him. Wallace door-slammed Bowman's car on the cool-down lap and sent it into the wall. Two-for-two: Alex Bowman has top-10 finishes in both road course events this season, placing fourth in Mexico and ninth at COTA. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Brad Keselowski - Ty Dillon matchup. No 8 Bowmn vs No 9 No. 15 Ryan Preece vs. No. 31 Noah Gragson I know you: Matchup of former Stewart-Haas Racing teammates. Advertisement Opposite directions: Noah Gragson has five consecutive finishes outside the top 20. Ryan Preece has four top-20 finishes in the last five races. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Carson Hocevar - Tyler Reddick matchup. No 15 Preece vs No 31 No. 17 Brad Keselowski vs. No. 32 Ty Dillon By the numbers: Brad Keselowski's average finish on road courses in the Next Gen car is 20.6 with one top-10 finish. Ty Dillon's average finish on road courses in the Next Gen car is 27.7 with no finish better than 16th. Back-to-back: Keselowski has finished in the top 10 in each of the past two races this season. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Alex Bowman - Bubba Wallace matchup. No 17 Keselowski vs No 32 Ty No. 20 Erik Jones vs. No. 29 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Mirror image: Erik Jones' average finish this season is 18.4. Stenhouse's average finish this season is 18.9. Both drivers have three top-10 finishes this year. Advertisement Turning the corner: Jones has finished in the top 15 in five of the last six races. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Chase Elliott - John Hunter Nemechek matchup. No 20 Jones vs No 29 No. 23 Tyler Reddick vs. No. 26 Carson Hocevar Familiar ground: Tyler Reddick finished second in last year's race on the streets of Chicago. Tough matchup: Carson Hocevar has finished ahead of Reddick on a road course just once in seven Cup races. Winner ... advances to meet winner of Noah Gragson - Ryan Preece matchup.

How Chicago's historic orchestra hall helps NASCAR tackle a street-race problem
How Chicago's historic orchestra hall helps NASCAR tackle a street-race problem

New York Times

time2 days ago

  • Automotive
  • New York Times

How Chicago's historic orchestra hall helps NASCAR tackle a street-race problem

CHICAGO — The Symphony Center is one of Chicago's oldest structures, but the history inside isn't why NASCAR teams have descended on a building that first opened in 1904. The reason is that, when you go up to the ninth floor and walk out onto the east-facing balcony, you get a picturesque view of Millennium Park to your left, Lake Michigan straight ahead and Grant Park to your right. Advertisement From this lookout on the Symphony Center's highest floor, NASCAR teams get an important view during the Chicago race weekend. During on-track sessions for both the Cup and Xfinity Series, teams position spotters here to help their drivers navigate the temporary street circuit that encompasses 2.2 miles and 12 turns around Grant Park. 'It's definitely quite the view from up here,' said Travis Geisler, alternative spotter for Team Penske driver Joey Logano. Geisler, Penske's competition director, doesn't normally spot for Logano, only stepping into that role whenever NASCAR races on a road course. The spotter's job requires being an additional set of eyes for a driver, helping them through the potential safety and competitive facets they must navigate, while also monitoring every other driver. An already challenging role is made more difficult when NASCAR ventures away from its traditional oval tracks to road courses, like it will this weekend in downtown Chicago. For the third consecutive year, NASCAR is racing on the Windy City's streets. On circuits like Chicago, a spotter's visibility is often obscured, with several obstacles in the way and communication with their driver limited. And that's how a group of spotters find themselves atop a building that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra — regarded as one of the United States' 'Big Five' orchestras — calls home. It's an ideal place to view a section of the track. 'You are higher up, so you can see more, even though some of the braking zone into (Turn) 11 is blocked by the tree, you can at least see when somebody's setting it up and can give (a driver) a heads-up,' said Hayden Reeves, primary spotter for Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones, of the Symphony Center location. 'From here, you can pick them up a little sooner.' At most ovals, teams employ just a single spotter, stationed usually at the track's highest point — typically on top of the scoring tower on the frontstretch. On a road course, with a more complex layout, teams usually bring in at least two additional spotters, scattered throughout the circuit to offer guidance at areas where the main spotter cannot get a proper visual. Advertisement For Chicago, teams generally place their primary spotter on a stand along the main straightaway in the frontstretch. Additional spotters, many of whom study the vernacular of the primary spotter to make it easier for the driver to understand, are in the designated locations between Turns 3 and 4 — where they stand atop double-decker buses parked outside the circuit — and at the Symphony Center. Spotters along the straightaway are responsible for picking up the cars exiting Turn 12 and entering Turn 1, a primary passing zone, then coming into Turn 6, another passing zone. They also handle restarts, which are often frantic. Spotters on the buses handle the cars as they come down the high-speed backstretch into Turn 3, through Turn 4 and into Turn 5. Spotters at the Symphony Center pick up their driver as they exit Turn 8 and enter a quick succession of three turns, including Turn 11, a tricky 90-degree bend that has been the site of many pile-ups. 'Most of the corners are 90-degree corners and blind, and you can't see around them,' said Kaulig Racing driver AJ Allmendinger. 'And as we've seen a couple of times, you start stacking cars in there, if the spotter is slow to get to it or can't see it, we all kind of stack it in there because you just don't see the cars wrecked.' The use of multiple spotters on road courses — teams may use more than three and place them where needed — requires everyone to adjust their operations. T.J. Bell, spotter for 23XI Racing's Corey Heim, described it as a 'game of telephone' where not everyone has direct communication with everyone at all times. On an oval, a driver's lone spotter informs them of everything — choosing the right lane on a restart, if another driver is to the inside or outside of them, cautions, what's happening on pit road, or any number of other things. On road courses, however, the regular spotter is not necessarily the primary voice, as some duties are left to those with a better sightline. Advertisement The setup means the regular spotter has to accept not being able to talk to their driver as often as normal and must adapt to handing off to the alternative spotters, then remaining silent. 'Well, I'm an egomaniac. I don't like to share my job with anybody,' said Freddie Kraft, the spotter for 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace. 'I want to be in control of everything.' This year, track officials have relocated the primary spotter stand from above pit road to across from it, a move made due to the removal of a hospitality area that had been there for the past two years. While spotters should now have a straight-on viewpoint of pit road itself, some have expressed trepidation about whether they'll be able to clearly see cars exiting Turn 12 and entering Turn 1, or picking up their driver going into Turn 6 due to trees that line the course. Track officials responded to the concerns by adding video boards to assist. Limited visibility for spotters is not unique to Chicago, with similar concerns arising in the past few years at other tracks, including some ovals. Last month at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, a permanent road course in Mexico City where NASCAR raced for the first time in nearly 20 years, some of the initial designated spotter locations weren't ideal. Spotters had difficulty seeing cars going into Turn 1, a key section of the 2.49-mile, 15-turn course, due to the stand being too low to the ground. After consultation with NASCAR, spotters were allowed to relocate to areas they saw as a better fit, though some still said they lacked sufficient visibility. 'Spotters into Turn 1 of Mexico. Do you know where they were standing? You can't see anything,' Wallace said. 'And so if we want to talk about safety and all this stuff, either say we're not racing with spotters, or get them in a position and make sure the area is safe for them to operate in to give us the safety and the protocols that we need.' Wallace's frustration stems from how much drivers rely on spotters. That importance is magnified on some tracks, particularly a street course that offers little margin for error due to the concrete walls that closely surround the track. But because of the vast layout of the Chicago course, or nearly any road course, there are areas where spotters can't see their cars. There can also be radio issues due to interference from nearby buildings. The combination of factors leaves drivers momentarily on their own, a little blind to what's around them. Advertisement 'You just have to pick it up on the stuff that you may get relaxed on, stuff like relying on your ears a lot,' Logano said. 'When you get your spotter going and all that, you listen to him to make your decisions, and now you have to take a little bit of focus off the road and look at the mirror.' It's all part of the challenge of trying to race on a road course, both for those behind the wheel and those watching from above trying to keep a close eye on the action. 'Chicago is a tough one with a lot of blind spots,' Kraft said. 'You would probably need five or six guys to do it effectively. It's basically just a positioning thing. You see Turn 4 spotters are standing on top of a damn tour bus. Like, we got someone on Symphony (Center) on the balcony. Some guys are in hotel rooms trying to watch Turn 6. It's very challenging at times. It's hard.' (Top photo of cars going through Turn 11, with Symphony Center in the background, during last year's Chicago Street Race: Joseph Weiser / Icon Sportswire)

NASCAR: Allmendinger Eyes Chicago With Road Course Grit And Dad Perspective
NASCAR: Allmendinger Eyes Chicago With Road Course Grit And Dad Perspective

Forbes

time3 days ago

  • Automotive
  • Forbes

NASCAR: Allmendinger Eyes Chicago With Road Course Grit And Dad Perspective

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 02: AJ Allmendinger (#16 Kaulig Racing Celsius Chevrolet) acknowledges fans ... More during driver introductionsbefore the NASCAR Cup Series Echo Park Automotive Grand Prix on March 2, 2025, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) There are drivers who show up to a NASCAR race quietly optimistic. And then there's A.J. Allmendinger — the guy who shows up at the track looking like he's ready to win or fight someone trying to stop him. Or possibly both. Heading into this weekend's Grant Park 165 on the streets of Chicago, Allmendinger brings with him all the usual ingredients: a scrappy underdog mentality, a resume packed with road course success, and the kind of raw honesty that makes every interview feel like a confessional. Add to that a new layer of perspective thanks to fatherhood — and yes, a steady supply of CELSIUS energy drinks — and you've got one of the most intriguing storylines in the Cup Series garage. A Season Of Progress — And Realism 'I think it's a glass half full,' Allmendinger says, reflecting on his season so far with Kaulig Racing. 'At the end of the day, you've got to have realistic expectations. We show up every week trying to win and make the playoffs and win the championship — that's the pinnacle. AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 01: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, drives during ... More practice for the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by) 'But we also have an understanding of where we're at right now as an organization, where the team was at, at this point last year and the gains that we've made.' It hasn't all been smooth sailing. Two blown motors, a couple of disappointing road course races — rare for a driver with his pedigree — and the usual grind of life in NASCAR's top series have tested the team. But the bigger picture? There's progress. 'We've made a lot of gains from where we were last year,' he adds. 'There's light at the end of the tunnel… and for once it doesn't feel like it's a train coming back at you.' As fierce as Allmendinger remains behind the wheel, life at home has added some welcome chaos — and maybe, just maybe, a little perspective; chaos thanks in part to his son Aero, who will be two in September. AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 09: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, spends time ... More with his wife, Tara Allmendinger and son, Aero Allmendinger on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 09, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by) 'If you listen to my radio, I'm still as fiery as ever,' he laughs. 'But I feel like I'm still getting better. That fire of proving it to myself every weekend is what keeps pushing me.' The biggest change? What happens after a tough day at the office. 'My wife, Tara, is amazing — she's basically taking care of two kids, me included,' Allmendinger jokes. 'But you get home after a bad day, frustrated, sad, all of it… and Aero doesn't care. He just wants to play and jump on you. That part of it makes the bad weekends a little easier.' Given his three career Cup wins have all come on road courses, you'd expect Allmendinger to circle Chicago's street race as a golden opportunity. But the 12-turn concrete jungle that snakes through Grant Park has been anything but predictable. 'The street course definitely changes my confidence level — Chicago hasn't helped it at all,' he admits. 'The first year, we completely missed it — the car bounced around like crazy. Last year, we were just lost in practice and qualifying, but with the weather, we drove through the field and had a shot.' This year? Still a question mark. 'It's a tricky track — rough, technical, you've got to balance mechanical grip and aero grip perfectly. I've done all the studying I can. Now we'll see if I can be better when we unload.' For all the road course glory, that first Cup oval win remains on Allmendinger's to-do list — a challenge he embraces, even if it comes with the usual NASCAR frustrations. 'It's hard,' he says bluntly. 'You've got to have a good car — doesn't matter if it's an oval or road course, but on ovals, it's even more critical to hit everything right.' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 07: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #13 Benesch Chevrolet, drives after an ... More on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course on July 07, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by) Tracks like Dover or Las Vegas give him hope. Short tracks? A surprising struggle. 'It's weird because I've always loved short tracks,' he says. 'But with this car, we've struggled there. If we knew why, we'd fix it already.' For now, it's about maximizing every opportunity, one weekend at a time. 'There are ovals you circle on the calendar and say, 'We can win here.' Others? You run top 15 that's a that's almost a win.' In a sport where sponsor logos change as often as tires, having a partner like CELSIUS stick with him through the ups and downs is more than just a marketing win — it's personal. 'When I first joined Kaulig Racing, there was a little fridge in the corner with CELSIUS in it,' Allmendinger recalls. 'Honestly, I'd never even seen the stuff before.' Fast forward seven years, and both the driver and the brand have grown together — with plenty of Victory Lane celebrations (and CELSIUS can tosses) along the way. 'It's a product I actually use daily — training, hydration, energy, golf, you name it,' he says. 'That's what I love about it. With some sponsors, it's a logo. With CELSIUS, it's part of my life.' A.J. Allmendinger may not fit the mold of the typical NASCAR Cup Series contender — and he's just fine with that. Whether it's battling the unforgiving streets of Chicago, chasing that first elusive oval win, or navigating the joys (and sleep deprivation) of fatherhood, one thing remains constant: The fire's still there. The CELSIUS fridge is still stocked. And if the cards fall right, don't be surprised if Allmendinger is the one spiking another energy drink in Victory Lane.

NASCAR's Shane van Gisbergen recalls fighting queasiness to win Mexico City race
NASCAR's Shane van Gisbergen recalls fighting queasiness to win Mexico City race

Fox News

time16-06-2025

  • Automotive
  • Fox News

NASCAR's Shane van Gisbergen recalls fighting queasiness to win Mexico City race

Shane van Gisbergen picked up his first win of the NASCAR Cup Series season as the master of road-course racing drove to Victory Lane in Mexico City. It was almost a disastrous Sunday for the New Zealand native. As he outpaced Christopher Bell by 16.567 seconds, he opened up about the "queasy" feeling that plagued him all day. "I tried to treat it like when I go to Asia, just drink bottled water and be careful in the shower and brush your teeth with bottled water, but I just went downhill," he said. "Couldn't keep anything in. Everything just went straight through me. I felt really queasy, and my mind was there, but my body just had so much pressure in my stomach. Crazy weekend and everyone dug deep." It appeared to be a tough week overall, which started with a mechanical issue on his team's charter flight that paused his initial trip to Mexico. He slept on the floor of his hauler before the race, unsure if he would be able to compete at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Regardless of the illness, van Gisbergen still managed to lead 60 of the 100 laps. The win gives him hope that he could earn a berth into the NASCAR Playoffs. "It means everything to us, this is why I'm here," van Gisbergen said. "I am getting better and more competitive. We're really making a lot of progress." The next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Pocono. Van Gisbergen will enter the race 30th in the standings, but the victory in Mexico City will go a long way as long as 17 different drivers don't win races from here on out. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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