All Times Eastern

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Challenge Round 3 – Toyota / Save Mart 350

Site: Sonoma, California.

Track: Sonoma Raceway.

Race distance: 110 laps, 218.9 miles.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 1:30 p.m., qualifying, 2:35 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (TNT and MAX).

Last year: Kyle Larson took his second win at Sonoma and third of the season while taking the lead after a three-car battle with eight laps to go.

Last race: Pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen earned his second victory of the weekend and marked a first series sweep from the pole since Kyle Busch’s performance in 2016.

Next race: July 20, Dover, Delaware.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250

Site: Sonoma, California.

Track: Sonoma Raceway.

Race distance: 79 laps, 156.95 miles.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 4 p.m., qualifying, 5:10 p.m.; Saturday, race, 4:30 p.m. (CW).

Last year: Pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen secured the win, leading a race-high 32 laps while taking the lead late after contact with Austin Hill.

Last race: Van Gisbergen held off teammate Connor Zilisch after a late-race restart, giving him his first Xfinity victory with JR Motorsports.

Next race: July 19, Dover, Delaware.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

Last race: Pole sitter Corey Heim locked in his fifth win of the season while dominating 99 out of 100 laps at Lime Rock Park.

Next race: July 25, Indianapolis.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE

Last race: Lando Norris scored his first victory at his home race after capitalizing on teammate Piastri’s 10-second penalty amidst a safety-car restart.

Next race: July 26, Stavelot, Belgium.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR

SYNK 275

Site: Newton, Iowa.

Track: Iowa Speedway.

Race distance: 275 laps, 245.85 miles.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, practice, noon, race 1, 5 p.m. (FOX); Sunday, race 2, 1 p.m. (FOX).

Last year: Will Power earned his 43rd career win after overtaking leader Alex Palou during the final pit stops.

Last race: Relying on a fuel-saving strategy, Scott Dixon capitalized on a mistake made by Palou with five laps to go giving him his first win of the season.

Next race: July 20, Toronto.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING

Next race: July 20, Kent, Washington.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS

Deer Creek Clash

Battle at the Border – Night 1

Memorial Badger 40 – Night 1

Battle at the Border – Night 2

Memorial Badger 40 – Night 2

Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic presented by Dac Vitamins and Minerals

Next events: July 18 – 19, Rossburg, Ohio.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is open to NASCAR returning to Chicago, but hinted Tuesday the city may need a better deal before stock car drivers again race through its streets.

NASCAR has 90 days to request a contract extension with the Chicago Park District. If the racing authority wants to win city leaders over, it could need to change race dates, the mayor said Tuesday.

“The Fourth of July is already, quite frankly, it is a heavier burden for our law enforcement because of so much activity,” Johnson said at a City Hall news conference. “It’s something that will be part of the larger discussion if, in fact, NASCAR returns, what is the optimal time.”

Pressed on what else the city might need to approve another race, Johnson stayed tight-lipped, promising only that “there will be a lot of things that we will discuss.”

Whether the city and NASCAR can find dates that fit into both schedules is a key question. A NASCAR spokesperson declined comment Tuesday.

The 2026 and 2027 races, the prior contract negotiated by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot said, would be held on mutually agreeable dates. But the park district did confirm in the original contract that the 2023 event and staging window — July 4th weekend — “is acceptable for potential 2026 or 2027 events.”

NASCAR is reportedly in separate negotiations with officials in San Diego to host a street race there in 2026. The potential San Diego race may be in addition to Chicago, or supplant it. A negotiation window with Chicago officials could be narrow: NASCAR announced last year’s cup schedule last August. It featured 38 races between February and November, breaking briefly in May and June.

Considered the city’s front lawn, Grant Park already has a packed schedule in the warmer months, including Lollapalooza, Suenos, Blues and Jazz fests, Taste of Chicago, the half marathon, and various other festivals.

Downtown aldermen say moving the race is critical to winning their approval. The Fourth of July is a “family-oriented” weekend when Chicagoans should have free access to Grant Park, Ald. Bill Conway, 34th, said.

“If you’re going to have it again, please don’t have it on July 4th weekend,” Conway said. “We should choose to do it a different weekend if we choose to do it at all.”

Conway also said the city should recoup costs tied to the event “at a minimum” and added that he hopes construction and tear-down times continue to improve. The racing authority has become more efficient in its set-up and communicated well with residents to resolve initial concerns, he added.

“If we can get those things ironed out, I think it would be good to have NASCAR back. Chicago shines on the world stage, and it’s clear Chicago gives NASCAR that platform,” he said.

Conway said Johnson previously told him a city decision on the event’s future would come after this year’s race. The mayor on Tuesday promised “far more people are going to be involved” as future races are considered.

“We should have input, we should be involved in this process,” Ald. Brian Hopkins, 2nd, said.

Hopkins argued Lightfoot failed to bring in others when she landed the deal to bring the race to Chicago. He declined to cast judgement on whether the race should continue. It seems the city comes out slightly ahead financially, but weeks-long street closures still make the race hard to justify, he said.

The city’s cut has long been a point of contention with NASCAR skeptics. The 2025 payment includes a $605,000 base permit fee, plus $2 per ticket sold and 25% of net commissions on food, drinks and merchandise sold at the event. NASCAR must pay the non-permit cut within a 90-day window after the event.

In the fall of 2023, Johnson and NASCAR also memorialized an additional $2 million payment for 2024 and 2025. That payment was supposed to help compensate the city for public safety and other costs. NASCAR also agreed to continually slim down its setup and takedown window to reduce inconvenience to drivers and downtown residents.

The city came out slightly ahead last year, thanks in large part to that $2 million payment and fewer roadwork improvement costs.

NASCAR officials point to the broader economic impact as a point in their favor — plus added amusement taxes that flow to the city and county.

Leslie Recht, who leads the Grant Park Advisory Council, said she’s urged Park District Superintendent Carlos Ramirez Rosa, a close Johnson ally, to push for more money from the company and an even quicker set-up and takedown.

“For me, it’s still too long,” Recht said, stipulating that other advisory council members don’t mind it. “All the disruption in Grant Park, if you compare it to Lollapalooza or Suenos or some of the other events, they come, they go. They’re a much less impactful situation in Grant Park than NASCAR and they don’t pay enough… Lolla and Suenos together pay $12 million. It’s ridiculous.”

The city must be careful with how it uses Grant Park, because “it is for everyone,” Ald. Lamont Robinson, 4th, said. But NASCAR has so far been a “good neighbor,” he added.

“I think we need as much revenue as we can get in the city of Chicago,” Robinson said.

Originally Published: July 8, 2025 at 12:51 PM CDT

Big Game Motorsports enjoyed a rare weekend off during a busy World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series calendar.

Focus now shifts back to action, which resumes this Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., during the Deer Creek Clash followed by races on Friday and Saturday at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis., during the Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40.

“Once we get back we’re absolutely wide open so I don’t mind it,” David Gravel said of the weekend off. “Just a little bit of a reset. Once we get back Thursday it’s like 8 races in 10 days so it’ll be good to be fresh and ready to go for the big stretch. It’ll be Knoxville Nationals before you know it.”

Gravel set the track record at Deer Creek Speedway in 2014, when he produced his best outing at the track with a runner-up result.

“Deer Creek is a track that is really cool with a lot of banking,” he said. “We haven’t been there in several years so it’s a track I’m excited to get back to.”

Gravel has won a series-best four of the 13 World of Outlaws races at Wilmot Raceway with trips to Victory Lane in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2020.

“Wilmot is a track I’ve had a lot of success at,” he said. “We’ve been good there lately so I’d love to get a win in the No. 2 car.”

Gravel enters the weekend leading the World of Outlaws championship standings by 184 points.

SEASON STATS –

39 races, 10 wins, 33 top fives, 38 top 10s, 38 top 15s, 38 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the Deer Creek Clash and Friday and Saturday at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis., for the Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series

ILP PR

CHICAGO (AP) — NASCAR’s first in-season tournament hasn’t made much of an impression on its drivers so far. Ty Gibbs said Sunday he didn’t know who his second-round opponent was until after the Cup Series race.

That might be about to change.

Gibbs is one of eight drivers still in the mix for the $1 million prize that goes to the winner of the five-race, bracket-style competition. While Shane van Gisbergen was closing out his Cup victory in Chicago this weekend, some of the most compelling action on the downtown street course was at least connected to the inaugural In-Season Challenge.

Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace raced each other hard in the final laps after they tangled in Chicago last year. Bowman got the better of the head-to-head matchup, finishing eighth and eliminating Wallace from the tournament.

John Hunter Nemechek was 15th, one spot better than his opponent, Chase Elliott. Gibbs had a strong day and finished second, good enough to beat AJ Allmendinger in sixth. Ty Dillon, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, Zane Smith and Erik Jones also moved on.

The 14th-seeded Smith upset No. 3 seed Chris Buescher by finishing 14th. He is matched up with Gibbs for Sunday’s road race at Sonoma.

“I hate we had to knock another Ford out, but it’s super cool to advance,” Smith said.

With the in-season tournament — part of a new media rights deal that includes TNT — NASCAR is following in the footsteps of the NBA and soccer leagues around the world. After Sonoma this weekend, it concludes with races at Dover and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Bowman said the tournament wasn’t on his mind as he battled with Wallace at the end in Chicago. Whatever the reason for the contact, their head-to-head matchup certainly added a bit of intrigue to the racing behind van Gisbergen’s victory.

With the money involved and the field trimmed to eight drivers, there could be more moments like the duel between Bowman and Wallace in the final weeks of the challenge.

“I wasn’t expecting that to happen or to get raced like that, but we did,” Bowman said. “We just have to move on from it and keep digging.”

It sure sounds as if Dillon is enjoying the competition. Dillon, the No. 32 seed, eliminated Brad Keselowski on Sunday after he upset top-seeded Denny Hamlin at Atlanta on June 28.

There was absolutely no drama in Dillon’s win after Keselowski was collected in an early crash that began with Carson Hocevar hitting the wall and spinning out between Turns 10 and 11. Hocevar was eliminated by Reddick.

“I’m just so proud of Kaulig Racing and our No. 10 team,” Dillon said. “I knew in a basketball city, going up against Brad in a game of knockout, I was going to have a good chance.”

Dillon takes on Bowman and Preece faces Reddick in the next round. But the most interesting contest just might be Nemechek versus Jones in a matchup of Legacy Motor Club teammates.

“I felt like if we could have gotten through the first round, these next two rounds are really good for us,” Preece said. “Our road course program is pretty strong, and we keep making it better. So going into Sonoma, I think we’re up against Tyler Reddick, so he’s really good at road courses as well, but I like being the underdog.”

STATESVILLE, N.C. (July 8, 2025)  –  LEGACY MOTOR CLUB announced today that Hertz, one of the world’s largest mobility solutions providers, will serve as the primary sponsor of John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway on July 20. The announcement marks another chapter in the evolving partnership between LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and team co-owner Knighthead Capital Management, LLC, on behalf of its investors, which also co-owns Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA racing team in the FIA World Endurance Championship (“WEC”). 

The iconic black-and-gold Hertz livery will make its NASCAR return on the high-banked concrete mile at Dover—known as the “Monster Mile”— bringing international motorsports synergy under the Knighthead umbrella. Hertz Car Sales – which offers thousands of well-maintained, high-quality used vehicles online and in person at more than 40 locations nationwide – also will be featured prominently on the racecar.   

“We’re excited to see Hertz and Hertz Car Sales on the No. 42 this summer at Dover,” said John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota. “It’s awesome to represent such a recognizable global brand, and even more special knowing it ties into the broader Knighthead motorsport vision that spans NASCAR and endurance racing.” 

Hertz’s entry into the NASCAR Cup Series complements its sponsorship of Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s No. 12 and No. 38 Cadillacs in the WEC. This cross-series sponsorship strategy, backed by Knighthead, exemplifies a global approach to brand visibility and performance alignment across premier racing platforms. 

“Hertz has a proud legacy in motorsports and we’re excited to expand our presence by partnering with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and John Hunter Nemechek for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover,” said Gil West, Hertz Chief Executive Officer. “This collaboration not only highlights our iconic brand on one of racing’s biggest stages, but also showcases Hertz Car Sales as a trusted source of high-quality used vehicles. It’s an exciting opportunity to connect with fans and customers through the thrill of racing.” 

Fans will get their first look at the Hertz-branded No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE during practice and qualifying at Dover on July 19, with race coverage airing nationally on TNT Sports.

About Hertz 
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. is one of the world’s leading car rental and mobility solutions providers. Its subsidiaries, including The Hertz Corporation, and licensees operate the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, and Firefly vehicle rental brands, with more than 11,000 rental locations in 160 countries around the globe. The Company also operates the Hertz Car Sales brand, which offers a range of quality, competitively priced used cars for sale online and at locations across the United States, and the Hertz 24/7 car-sharing business in Europe. For more information about Hertz, visit www.hertz.com. 

About Knighthead Capital Management LLC 
Knighthead Capital Management, LLC was co-founded in 2008 by Tom Wagner  and  Ara Cohen and has grown to become a diversified asset management platform with an experienced team of investment professionals, specializing in fundamental analysis, operational and financial turnarounds and risk management. Knighthead’s long-term objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients while emphasizing the preservation of capital. Knighthead manages assets across a variety of investment vehicles including insurance asset management, real estate lending, and closed and open-ended vehicles. 

About LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MC is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

Source: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Ever since the new Ford Bronco debuted, the number one question from enthusiasts has been, “Where’s the V8?” While it seems Ford has no plans to build one, Juicy Motorsports has delivered an answer with a fully integrated 7.3-liter Godzilla V8 conversion for the Bronco Raptor. Bubba Bryan from Exodus 4×4 recently got a close look at the impressive build by Juicy Motorsports.

A True OEM-Level Conversion

Bubba Bryan is quick to point out that this is more than just a simple engine swap. “I’m calling a conversion,” he said, “because we’re not just putting a different engine in there and firing it up and driving it and having a bunch of lights on the dash.”