Here’s what makes ‘Earnhardt’ a documentary every racing fan should watch
Ahead of Prime Video’s first weekend streaming a NASCAR Cup Series race, the first half a four-part documentary on the late, great Dale Earnhardt was released. The show immediately shot to No. 1 among trending shows on the streaming service, and remains inside the top five a full week later as the final two parts […]
Ahead of Prime Video’s first weekend streaming a NASCAR Cup Series race, the first half a four-part documentary on the late, great Dale Earnhardt was released. The show immediately shot to No. 1 among trending shows on the streaming service, and remains inside the top five a full week later as the final two parts were released.
After completing the series and wiping a few tears away, it’s clear that ‘Earnhardt’ did a better job than anything that came prior in painting a realistic portrait of Dale the racer, but also the human being behind ‘The Intimidator’ persona. Many only know the mythic figure now immortalized in the media and few truly understand the complex and conflicted individual behind it all.
The two sides of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Photo by: Robert Kurtycz
While this documentary hits on all the major moments of his career and does a great job in following both his meteoric rise and on-track struggles, where it really shines is when it details Dale’s life beyond the track. It takes on his complicated personal relationships and does not shy away from sensitive subjects.
Dale Earnhardt’s story was one of tragedy, as much as it was one of triumph, and not just because of how it ended. The way Dale Sr. so desperately sought the approval of his father and how that desire followed him throughout his career to the point where he was “chasing a ghost” is a constant theme in each part. And of course, how his own relationship with Dale Jr. was impacted by this with the father-son duo only finding common ground once Junior began to win some prominent races. And then there’s Kelley, who was barely speaking to her famous father leading up to his sudden passing. I’d like to delve deeper into all of this, but really, if you’re intrigued, just go watch it because my words can never do it justice.
This docuseries covers aspects of Earnhardt’s life and mindset that have rarely been explored in media, and never this well before. It highlights his struggles in dealing with the tragic death of Neil Bonnett, which had a monumental effect on him in 1994. Earnhardt went on to win the title that year, dedicating it to him. Despite that, he struggled to process it and talk about Bonnett with others, nor could he even bring himself to attend his best friend’s funeral.
Dale Earnhardt
Photo by: General Motors
And that’s just scratching the surface of it all. It’s a story that feels like a look at the entire Earnhardt family — not just Dale — giving a specific focus to the upbringing of his children and Dale Jr.’s early NASCAR career.
The commentary from Dale Jr., as well as his siblings Kelley and Kerry, was some of the most captivating aspects of the entire documentary. And they are just some of the individuals who offer incredible insight into this four-part series, which carefully reconstructs the career and life of Dale Earnhardt with heart-wrenching perfection. There is no exaggeration. It is a real and unfiltered look at the NASCAR legend — the good and the bad.
And yes, the final episode is quite heavy, as it focuses on the 2001 Daytona 500 and the events that followed. We even hear about the intimate moments in the hospital with Dale Jr. unable to fully enter the room while Darrell Waltrip asked to go in to give his friend and old rival a final goodbye. You will likely come away from the show with a new understanding of Earnhardt and his life, even if you’re already a long-time fan.
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Road warrior van Gisbergen rolls on with Sonoma win
Shane van Gisbergen proved on Sunday that it’s impossible to keep a road course superstar down for more than a brief interlude. After finishing second to Connor Zilisch in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, van Gisbergen was back on top on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in wine country, winning the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. […]
Shane van Gisbergen proved on Sunday that it’s impossible to keep a road course superstar down for more than a brief interlude.
After finishing second to Connor Zilisch in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, van Gisbergen was back on top on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in wine country, winning the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.
As has become his custom of late, the New Zealander reached a trio of milestones, winning his third straight road/street course race from the pole position to equal Jeff Gordon’s feat from 1998 and ’99.
The victory was van Gisbergen’s third of the season in his first trip around the 1.99-mile, 12-turn circuit in a NASCAR Cup Series car. SVG won for the fourth time in 34 starts, becoming the quickest to four wins since Parnelli Jones won at Riverside in 1967 in his 31st Cup start.
His 97 laps led are the most by a Sonoma winner, eclipsing Jeff Gordon’s high-water mark of 92 set in 2004.
“We had an amazing car,” van Gisbergen said. “Chase Briscoe, what a great racer and gave me respect. Jumped the last (restart) a little bit, and it was pretty tense, but amazing. So stoked for Red Bull, Trackhouse, Chevy. I believe we had a really fun weekend here, some great races, and I hope everyone enjoyed that.”
The winner of 81 Australian Supercars races on the way to three championships in the series, van Gisbergen already is being touted as perhaps the best road course racer in NASCAR history.
“I had an amazing time in Australia, and then to come here and the last couple weeks or years actually has been a dream come true,” said the 36-year-old driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. “I’ve really enjoyed my time in NASCAR. Thanks, everyone, for making me feel so welcome. I hope I’m here for a long time to come.”
Winning the second stage despite short-pitting to preserve track position, van Gisbergen advanced to third on the current Cup Playoff grid with 17 Playoff points. He arrived at the finish line 1.128s ahead of consistent Chase Briscoe, but the win was far from guaranteed, given the chaos of the final 15 laps.
SVG had to survive three cautions and subsequent restarts in the late stages of the race to seal the win, as a large group of drivers on better tires chased those who had stayed on the track (including the race winner) after the No. 51 Ford of Cody Ware jettisoned a tire and caused a yellow on lap 97.
Briscoe qualified second and finished where he felt he deserved.
“I thought there was one restart I was maybe going to get clear of him, but truthfully, even if I cleared him, he was probably going to pass me back by the end of the lap,” he said. “Yeah, proud of the effort. We were a second-place car all day and obviously ended up second with it.”
Chase Elliott pitted on lap 97 for fresher tires and came home third after restarting 14th on lap 100. Michael McDowell, on the same strategy as Elliott, climbed to fourth at the finish, while Christopher Bell held fifth on older tires.
“It was nice to be on offense and give ourselves a shot,” Elliott said. “I wish I could have made it happen there. I was trying, but I just couldn’t get going like we needed to there at the end.”
The action on the final few laps was attributable in part to battles within the NASCAR Cup In-Season Challenge. In Sunday’s third round at Sonoma, 32nd seed Ty Dillon bumped the No. 48 Chevrolet of Alex Bowman out of the way on the final lap to finish 17th to Bowman’s 19th and keep his hopes for the $1-million prize alive.
Dillon will face John Hunter Nemechek in next Sunday semifinals at Dover Motor Speedway. Nemechek finished one spot ahead of Legacy Motor Club teammate Erik Jones (28th to 29th) to advance to the fourth round.
“It was a rough couple of laps there,” Dillon acknowledged. “Alex and I race really clean. I told him, ‘Man, if it wasn’t for the million dollars, I probably wouldn’t have done that,’ but I had to. It’s been an incredible run for this No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team. We’ve worked so hard for this opportunity…
“We’re going to give it all we’ve got at Dover; put pressure on the guys. I think you’ve seen through this that our team doesn’t quit. I saw the No. 48 there at the end, and I knew it was our opportunity to race hard and go get him. Just proud of this team’s effort.”
Ty Gibbs moved into the tournament semifinals with a seventh-place finish to Zane Smith’s 27th, and Tyler Reddick ousted Ryan Preece with a sixth-place run to Preece’s 12th. Gibbs and Reddick will face off at the Monster Mile for a trip to the finals.
William Byron, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch completed the top 10 in a race that featured six cautions for 17 laps.
Ty Dillon’s last lap gamble bumps Alex Bowman from NASCAR’s $1 million challenge
Motorsport photo When NASCAR and TNT introduced the in-season challenge, a bracket-style tournament with a $1 million prize for the winning driver, absolutely no one would have realistically picked Kaulig Racing’s Ty Dillon as a potential winner. Advertisement And yet, the No. 32 seed defeated Denny Hamlin at Atlanta after Hamlin’s early exit from the race, […]
When NASCAR and TNT introduced the in-season challenge, a bracket-style tournament with a $1 million prize for the winning driver, absolutely no one would have realistically picked Kaulig Racing’s Ty Dillon as a potential winner.
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And yet, the No. 32 seed defeated Denny Hamlin at Atlanta after Hamlin’s early exit from the race, later doing the same with Brad Keselowski when the former Cup champion crashed in Chicago.
At Sonoma, however, it wasn’t going to be another easy advancement. Dillon had to actually race head-to-head with Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on Sunday.
And as fate would have it, the duo found each other in the closing laps of the race. Dillon got passed by Bowman, but he remained close as they were both stuck in the middle of the pack.
On the final lap, Dillon gave Bowman a bump in the hairpin, pushing the HMS driver up the track. There was more contact on corner exit, but he passed him mere seconds before they reached the finish line. With that move, he ensured his advancement into the semi-finals with just four drivers left in the entire tournament.
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Both Bowman and Dillon shared a friendly chat after the race, even shaking hands after the tense battle.
“It was a rough couple of laps there,” said Dillon. “Alex (Bowman) and I race really clean. I told him – man, if it wasn’t for the million dollars, I probably wouldn’t have done that, but I had to. It’s been an incredible run for this No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team. We’ve worked so hard for this opportunity … I’ve worked so hard to get here and I’m just grateful. All of our partners that are on board, this has just been so much fun.
“We’re going to give it all we’ve got at Dover — put pressure on the guys. I think you’ve seen through this that our team doesn’t quit. I saw the No. 48 there at the end, and I knew it was our opportunity to race hard and go get him. Just proud of this team’s effort.”
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Dillon will now face John-Hunter Nemechek of Legacy Motor Club at Dover, another driver that few pundits expected to make it this far in the tournament. On the other side, it will be Tyler Reddick versus Ty Gibbs in a battle between two Toyota drivers.
Photos from Sonoma – Race
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
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Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota
Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota
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Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
General view
General view
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
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William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
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Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
General view
General view
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
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Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
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Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Katherine Legge, Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford
Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
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Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
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Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chris Graythen – Getty Images
Kasey Kahne, Red Bull Racing Toyota
Kasey Kahne, Red Bull Racing Toyota
Jonathan Ferrey Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
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Pit road confrontation erupts after close call during Sonoma Cup race
Shane van Gisbergen extends winning streak with an intense NASCAR Cup victory at Sonoma
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Loop North News – Southeast Side better fit for permanent NASCAR track
Residents and local officials are advocating for NASCAR to move its annual event out of Grant Park, citing disruptions to daily life and opportunities for more beneficial events. (Above) Driver Shane van Gisbergen competes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Grant Park on July 6 (AP Photo/Erin Hooley). By Don DeBat Jul. 14, 2025 […]
Residents and local officials are advocating for NASCAR to move its annual event out of Grant Park, citing disruptions to daily life and opportunities for more beneficial events.
(Above) Driver Shane van Gisbergen competes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Grant Park on July 6 (AP Photo/Erin Hooley).
By Don DeBat
Jul. 14, 2025 – Whether you love NASCAR or hate it, now is the time to start planning to move this redneck racing show out of Grant Park to save Chicago’s Game, 16-inch slow pitch softball, and to promote other more profitable events.
“While NASCAR has brought Chicago business, tourists, and a spectacle unique to sports culture, it has also brought noise, disruption, and road closures,” noted 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins, who along with four other alderpersons – Bill Conway (34th Ward), Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward), and Lamont Robinson (4th Ward) – is not a fan of the event.
“This past year alone, I heard from numerous 2nd Ward residents whose commutes and daily lives were altered drastically by these street closures,” Hopkins (left) said in a letter to NASCAR officials. “Other large-scale downtown events, whose economic impacts are as much or greater than this event, cause less disruption.”
Hopkins said it is his hope that in the future, the city can create a NASCAR deal that “sufficiently benefits Chicago without putting undue burden on downtown residents and businesses.”
After three years of NASCAR madness, which essentially kicked Grant Park Chicago softball to the curb, the good news is the racing venue now is considering an offer to move its July 4th event to San Diego.
Sixteen-inch softball’s 138-year history started near Grant Park
Time for a history lesson. Sixteen-inch softball was invented in Chicago in 1887, and the first indoor game was played at the Farragut Boat Club at Lake Park & 31st Street, only a couple of miles from Grant Park.
(Right) The first softball team in action in Grant Park, circa 1897. Photo by X.O. Howe.
So, softball lovers are cheering any plan to move the annual NASCAR event out of Grant Park. Now is the time to stop closing parts of DuSable Lake Shore Drive and major downtown streets, building temporary bleachers, and breathing exhaust fumes every Independence Day weekend, they say.
To raise tax revenues and help Chicago avoid bankruptcy, city planners should follow the words of legendary Windy City architect and urban planner Daniel H. Burnham: “Make no little plans.”
Planners and politicians should back construction of a permanent NASCAR track for four to six major races a year on 440 acres of the toxic U.S. Steel land along South DuSable Lake Shore Drive south of 79th Street in the long-forgotten South Chicago section of the East Side neighborhood.
Now overgrown with weeds and dotted with relics of its industrial past, the U.S. Steel site has been vacant for 30 years and until recently wasn’t high on Alderman Peter Chico’s 10th Ward agenda.
However, 128 acres along the southeast edge of the site has recently been targeted by PsiQuantum, a Silicon Valley firm, and Chicago developer Related Midwest, as the anchor in the Southeast Side research park by the planned Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park at 8080 South DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
(Left) Rendering of the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park. The 128-acre campus is planned as a hub for quantum computing and advanced microelectronics research and development. The north end of the site will be anchored by Advocate Health Care, which is planning a $300 million, 53-bed hospital on 23 acres.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is an advocate for building a major quantum computer facility in Chicago, and the city would benefit greatly if anything positive happened on vacant South Works land, which has had several failed startups announced for the acreage over the past decade.
The city has already spent $60 million to bring in Route 41 (South DuSable Lake Shore Drive) and create Steelworkers Park and Park 566 on the site, but most of the land sits empty.
A big problem is the South Works site has serious environmental concerns that have blocked residential developers for decades and need to be addressed. Layers of slag, toxic waste caused by steelmaking, is buried underground and would need to be remediated or capped.
So, a permanent, concrete-paved NASCAR racetrack, paid for and leased by the racing giant, might be better long-term use for a major section of the site on weekends for six to eight annual race events.
The proposed NASCAR track, which could run for two or three miles around the perimeter of the Southeast Side research park, likely would not interfere with the weekday work for computer scientists at the microelectronics facility.
Imagine the TV skyline views of the Loop and downtown Chicago from the racetrack, which would have permanent stands and elite seating just like the arena provided at Grant Park, without traffic congestion and displacement of softball leagues and other summer park events.
Or just build a casino
Here are this writer’s other whimsical proposals to help anchor the South Chicago section of the East Side neighborhood as a major tourist attraction:
• Once the racing mecca is established, NASCAR could invite participants from the Road American races, currently run in Elkhart, Wisconsin, to participate and use the track. Now in its 70th year of racing, Road America currently sponsors a series of 50 motorsport events ranging from Formula 1 European and American sports cars to muscle cars and motorcycles. Maybe it is time for Road America to show off its talents in Chicago?
• With Indiana only minutes away by car, the track also could be utilized on weekends for other blue-collar sports such as drag racing and demolition derbies when NASCAR is out of town.
• Racing investors likely will jump at the chance to build the Chicago NASCAR Museum on land near the track, along with a 200-room South Works hotel and Country & Western concert venue for after-race entertainment and frolicking fans.
• Since the U.S. Steel site likely belonged to Native American Indians originally, why not toss in the land for the South Works Casino and plenty of parking? The casino will help Chicago and Illinois, which generated more than $1.7 billion in tax revenue last year, lock in its place as the third largest gaming market behind Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
• There still will be enough acreage left over to build a small airport, similar to the city’s long-gone private Meigs Field, to fly in music concert fans and politicians. Why not name the new airport after Richard M. Daley, who razed Meigs?
(Right) Meigs Field on April 6, 2003, a few days after its runway was closed. Wikimedia Commons.
All this activity will give Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism organization, plenty of ammo to attract tens of thousands of tourists to the Windy City.
Shane van Gisbergen wins intense NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma
Shane van Gisbergen started Sunday’s Cup race from Sonoma Raceway on pole position, and he stayed there for most of the day. SVG has now won the last three road/street courses on the schedule, securing Red Bull’s first win as a primary sponsor in the Cup Series since the 2011 season. “Yeah, it was pretty […]
Shane van Gisbergen started Sunday’s Cup race from Sonoma Raceway on pole position, and he stayed there for most of the day. SVG has now won the last three road/street courses on the schedule, securing Red Bull’s first win as a primary sponsor in the Cup Series since the 2011 season.
“Yeah, it was pretty tough stuff,” said SVG, who led 97 of 110 laps. “We had an amazing car. Chase Briscoe, what a great racer and gave me respect. Jumped the last one a little bit and it was pretty tense, but amazing. So stoked for Red Bull, Trackhouse, Chevy. I believe we had a really fun weekend here, some great races, and I hope everyone enjoyed that.”
Watch: Cabernet Shane! No. 88 driver collects third Cup win of 2025 at Sonoma
Van Gisbergen was cruising out front when Cody Ware lost a wheel with 15 laps to go, setting up a dramatic sprint to the finish. SVG chose to stay out on older tires, and 13 other drivers did the same.
Chase Elliott led the way among the drivers who pitted for fresh rubber, but his forward progress was hindered by a series of cautions, burning up several laps.
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
A crash from Noah Gragson and a spin into the tire barriers by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. both forced restarts, but in both situations, van Gisbergen remained in form control of the race.
Elliott got all the way up to third while Chase Briscoe finished exactly where he started — second. Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell rounded out the top five with Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, William Byron, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch filling out the rest of the top ten.
Stage 1 and 2
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
At the start of the race, things were mostly clean as SVG drove off with the lead. However, he and most of the field chose to flip the stage, short-pitting before the scheduled caution.
His teammate Ross Chastain took another path, staying out and earning his first stage win of the year. Despite pitting, van Gisbergen still managed to end the stage in second place.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
As the second stage got underway, there was some more contact throughout the pack, with A.J. Allmendinger and John Hunter Nemechek both going for a spin.
SVG again chose to pit from the lead while Kyle Larson stayed out to try and win the stage. However, that didn’t work out for him as van Gisbergen ran him down and passed him for the stage win.
Stage 3
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
The final stage was the wildest of all as Ryan Blaney got sent into the dirt by Chris Buescher, getting stuck on a hill off-track and causing the first caution for an incident.
At the same time, both Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin spun. And while tensions were rising on the track, it was also getting heated in the pit lane as the RFK Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing pit crews got into a small scuffle.
The final round of green-flag pit stops began with about 30 laps to go, but van Gisbergen waited until 26 laps to go to make his final stop.
He continued to lead for the remainder of the race, despite multiple restarts where he had to fend off Briscoe.
Photos from Sonoma – Race
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Jimmie Johnson Hails Connor Zilisch for Holding off SVG in JR Motorsports’ Dominant Sonoma 1-2 Finish
Defeating Shane van Gisbergen on a road course is one of the most daunting tasks that a Cup Series driver can face today. The Australian Supercars champion reaffirmed his expertise once again at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday by capturing the checkered flag in style. But while all the stars struggled against him, 18-year-old Connor Zilisch […]
Defeating Shane van Gisbergen on a road course is one of the most daunting tasks that a Cup Series driver can face today. The Australian Supercars champion reaffirmed his expertise once again at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday by capturing the checkered flag in style. But while all the stars struggled against him, 18-year-old Connor Zilisch gave him a run for his money.
The JR Motorsports recruit won Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Sonoma after a long battle against SVG. Notably, the victory came in the aftermath of a 1-2 finish between them in Chicago the previous weekend, in which Zilisch finished as the runner-up. One of the many people impressed with the youngster’s talent was seven-time Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson.
Johnson was asked about van Gisbergen’s road course expertise during a press conference this weekend. He showered praise on the New Zealand native’s pedal management techniques and pointed out that it helps him manage the front tires and maintain speed through corners. In the wake of his appreciation, he also lauded Zilisch and his ability to defeat the ace.
He said, “You know to watch him (SVG) and Zilisch yesterday duke it out. What we saw in Chicago, SVG is really impressive, but to see a young driver come along and duke it out with him at this level is quite impressive as well.”
Van Gisbergen showers praise on Zilisch
Motorsports is a competitive field. Egos tend to get hurt when facing failure, and seldom do drivers take it in good spirit. But losing to Zilisch on Saturday did not make van Gisbergen feel the slightest of ill emotion. The icon delivered the biggest of compliments to the young driver following his victory on Sunday.
A member of the press asked him what he was going to tell Zilisch after securing his third Cup Series win of the season. He replied that he would thank the young gun for not being in the race and evoked rounds of laughter in the room.
“I’m going to have to race him a lot in the future, right? He’s a star of the sport, or going to be even more so. Racing him yesterday, he doesn’t look like he’s 18. You know, he’s placing the car in perfect spots, drives amazing and he’s an awesome young kid,” van Gisbergen continued.
With Daniel Suarez out of the No. 99 Chevrolet for 2026, Zilisch could soon be van Gisbergen’s teammate at Trackhouse Racing. As it seems, the Kiwi would love nothing more.
NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma: Live updates, highlights, leaderboard
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Sonoma Raceway on July 13 for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, with Shane van Gisbergen aiming for his third victory of the season. SVG is on the pole and coming off of a win in Chicago last week. A win on Sunday would tie SVG for the series lead this […]
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Sonoma Raceway on July 13 for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, with Shane van Gisbergen aiming for his third victory of the season.
SVG is on the pole and coming off of a win in Chicago last week. A win on Sunday would tie SVG for the series lead this year.
But there are several capable drivers that could contend at Sonoma and need a win to mix up the playoff picture, including AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs and Michael McDowell.
Follow along with our live race updates, with green flag set for after 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday.
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LIVE LEADERBOARD: Full field leaderboard of NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350
SVG wins at Sonoma, taking the victory ahead of Chase Briscoe and Chase Elliott by 1.3 seconds.
Elliott needed a couple more laps (and also ran through the dirt with two laps to go) on the newer tires, but finishes where he would have restarted had he not pitted anyway.
SVG gets his third win of the season. Good run for Briscoe. Michael McDowell finishes fourth, also on newer tires.
Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson crash, with Larson getting major damage to the rear after contact with John Hunter Nemechek. No caution.
Chase Elliott is fourth with three laps to go and newer tires.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. restarted in the top 10 but with older tires, and he spins into the tire barrier at turn 8. The tire barrier will need repairing.
Noah Gragson gets the worst of a multi-car crash in turn 7 on the restart. Several cars drove through the dirt there. Erik Jones also spun.
Chase Elliott is up to 11th and is the first car with newer tires. Ryan Preece has damage.
SVG is still the leader.
Cody Ware’s tire comes off, and the caution is out. 13 cars stay out, including SVG and Chase Briscoe. Chase Elliott pits, along with a good chunk of the top 10.
Shane van Gisbergen pits a couple laps after Chase Briscoe and Chase Elliott, but remains well in front of those two and in command. Michael McDowell is ahead of SVG in the lead but on old tires. A few laps later, SVG re-takes the lead.
Shane van Gisbergen continues to control the top spot on the restart and pushes out to a 1.5 second lead over Chase Briscoe, William Byron and Chase Elliott.
Ryan Blaney goes off road after contact from Chris Buescher, while Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace spin separately in a more eventful restart than we’ve seen so far today. Caution is out.
Shane van Gisbergen pits with two laps to go in Stage 2, comes out a couple seconds behind Kyle Larson, runs Larson down and passes Larson to win Stage 2 and get the playoff point. That was impressive.
The top 10:
Shane van Gisbergen
Kyle Larson (didn’t pit)
Kyle Busch (didn’t pit)
Bubba Wallace (didn’t pit)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (didn’t pit)
Chase Briscoe
Ty Dillon (didn’t pit)
Chris Buescher
Ryan Blaney
William Byron
Shane van Gisbergen has picked up the pace the last 10 laps or so, extending his lead to 3 seconds over Chase Briscoe. Chris Buescher is up to fifth, while Ty Gibbs is back to 10th and struggling after pushing earlier in the run.
Brad Keselowski is running laps comparable to the top five once again late in a run, so watch out for him if he’s able to get better track position.
Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez makes contact in turn 11, and Suarez spins. He’ll go from the top 15 back to 29th.
Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar is slow and off the pace. His team is trying to figure out what their next move will be, likely waiting out until the end of the stage at Lap 55.
Shane van Gisbergen is not running all that hard right now, and William Byron too appears to be pacing himself as the top nine cars have inched away from 10th-place Alex Bowman. Ty Gibbs is up to third and appears to be more willing to be racey up front.
Denny Hamlin is back outside the top 30 and has lost nine spots since the restart via an off-road excursion shortly after the restart. Hamlin complained about rear grip in Stage 1, but so has everyone.
AJ Allmendinger spins through turn 2 after Ty Gibbs got into the dirt. The Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was inside the top 5 at the time of the spin. Chase Elliott reports a rear toe link issue, though not sure it’s related to that incident.
Later in the lap, John Hunter Nemechek spins out of turn 7. No caution.
Shane van Gisbergen clears William Byron for the lead on the restart. An interesting nugget: Chase Elliott was told by his team that some leaders were reporting tire wear down to the cords after that first run. It’s almost certain that the final run will be longer than the 20-some laps in Stage 1.
Ross Chastain is the lone driver among the top 15 or so that stays out for the end of the stage, and he takes the stage win and playoff point. Shane van Gisbergen pitted but still will get stage points in second place. Christopher Bell pitted but spun after his stop.
The top 10:
Ross Chastain
Shane van Gisbergen
Bubba Wallace
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
William Byron
Ty Dillon
Chase Briscoe
Ryan Blaney
Ty Gibbs
Chase Elliott
Bubba Wallace picks up eight points in Stage 1.
Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger have been battling hard for position with the stage end in about 10 laps. Chase Elliott, in 10th, is approaching that group along with Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs.
SVG has extended his lead to 2.3 seconds over William Byron.
Looking at lap times, Brad Keselowski, in 17th, has been among the top 10 fastest laps later in this run. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin is back to 26th and is 10 spots down from where he started. Kyle Busch is also struggling, down six spots to 23rd.
Shane van Gisbergen told his team he is “rear limited”; despite that, his lead over William Byron is 1.6 seconds. Third-place Ross Chastain is five seconds back. SVG’s team tells him Byron is driving harder and to keep managing his car.
William Byron passes Chase Briscoe for second place with a lot of fast cars behind the No. 19. Shane van Gisbergen tells his team that his car is loose and needs some more rear grip.
Shane van Gisbergen clears Chase Briscoe through turns 1 and 2 in an otherwise calm start throughout the field. 110 laps, so plenty of time to settle in.
Engines are fired, and cars are rolling around Sonoma Raceway. Green flag is coming in minutes.
Which four drivers will advance to the semifinals at Dover next week? The NASCAR in-season tournament quarterfinal matchups:
32-seed Ty Dillon vs. 8-seed Alex Bowman
12-seed John Hunter Nemechek vs. 20-seed Erik Jones
6-seed Ty Gibbs vs. 14-seed Zane Smith
23-seed Tyler Reddick vs. 15-seed Ryan Preece
Shane van Gisbergen is on the pole for the second straight weekend, ahead of Chase Briscoe.
The top 10:
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Find the full starting lineup here.
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will be aired on the radio by the Performance Racing Network. PRN has affiliates all across the country, and their feed can also be streamed on NASCAR.com as well as the NASCAR app. The race can also be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.
Green Flag Time: Approx. 2:50 p.m. CT on Sunday, July 13
Track: Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile road course) in Sonoma, California
Length: 110 laps, 218.9 miles
Stages: 25 laps, 30 laps, 55 laps
TV coverage: TNT
Radio: PRN
Streaming: Watch FREE on Fubo;; MAX app for in-car cameras (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will be broadcast nationally on TNT. Other streaming options for the race include MAX for in-car cameras for each driver.