NASCAR’s EV future? It’s not what you think — yet. One year after unveiling its all-electric prototype to a mix of cheers and jeers, NASCAR has now rolled out three distinct EV race cars from Ford, Chevy, and Toyota. But don’t panic, the Cup Series isn’t going electric. At least… not anytime soon. Instead, this is about experimentation, education, and yes, acceleration — because the 1360-horsepower beast they’re testing is no glorified golf cart. ABB VP Chris Shigas joins the show to pull back the curtain on this electric stock car experiment, where it’s headed, and what fans should (and shouldn’t) worry about.

• Why is NASCAR showcasing EVs if there’s no plan to make the Cup Series electric?
• What makes this EV prototype different from any Formula E machine — and why does it have three motors?
• How do drivers like David Ragan and Rajah Karuth react after driving it?
• And what’s the real goal behind taking this car to both racetracks and climate summits?

This isn’t about replacing the V8 thunder — it’s about widening the garage door for racing’s next chapter. ABB, NASCAR, and the OEMs are using this project to test ideas, technologies, and maybe even fan tolerance. Whether you’re skeptical or curious, this one’s worth your time.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. has suggested that Kyle Larson’s attempt at ‘The Double’ may have thrown off his performance in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, but he seems to be getting back on track thanks to his prowess on dirt tracks.

Last season saw Larson take home the trophy for the Brickyard 400. This year, the former Cup Series champion will officially participate in both the Cup and Xfinity Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, joining Katherine Legge as one of the select few drivers to compete in both in 2025. He’s back at the venue of his attempt at a historic ‘double’ which was derailed by a crash back in May.

On Monday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Larson would be behind the wheel of the No. 17 car, which was driven by newcomer Jake Finch at Dover just last weekend. It comes after TNT Sports faced backlash over its NASCAR coverage with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s pleas ignored.

READ MORE:Denny Hamlin drops NASCAR retirement hint after JGR contract decision

READ MORE:10 nostalgic photos show NASCAR’s iconic first Brickyard 400 won by Jeff Gordon

The current Brickyard 400 champ will aim to defend his title, and Earnhardt Jr. thinks Larson is starting to find his stride again.

Earnhardt Jr. suspects that the double attempt may have upset Larson’s NASCAR rhythm – but suggest dirt racing has helped him get back on track. On his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, the 50-year-old stated: “All of those things didn’t go as well, or as easy or as smooth as he had hoped. I think that kind of knocked him off his perch.

“The schedule wouldn’t allow him to find some consistency to be able to gain confidence and get the team back to where it needs to be, everybody feeling good about everything.

“Over the last handful of weeks, I’m sure that they’ve all been questioning, are we doing everything we need to do?

“They’ve decided not to panic, get back to the basics, get in the part of the schedule where they might can find some peace of mind. “

Earnhardt Jr. believes Larson began to hit his stride thanks to “success in the dirt car,” which has played a significant role in turning his season around. He further stated: “When he starts doing good in that, it’s like everything starts getting better.

“His Cup stuff starts getting better as well. He needs to be behind the wheel of a race car, and he needs to be winning for him to get up on plane and be where he wants to be mentally.

“He’s no different than anybody else, in terms of when you don’t have the results and the results are harder to come by. He’s just as human as the rest of us, and he’s going to have some self-doubt, or what am I doing differently What should I maybe do differently or new?

“They are going to have those internal conversations as a team. I feel like that’s all in the review mirror now.”.

Larson is aiming to clinch his fourth Cup Series victory of the 2025 season at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 27.

Kyle Larson endured a difficult start to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, but has since turned his form around – with Dale Earnhardt Jr. pinpointing the moment it all changed

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has suggested that Kyle Larson’s attempt at ‘The Double’ may have thrown off his performance in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, but he seems to be getting back on track thanks to his prowess on dirt tracks.

Last season saw Larson take home the trophy for the Brickyard 400. This year, the former Cup Series champion will officially participate in both the Cup and Xfinity Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, joining Katherine Legge as one of the select few drivers to compete in both in 2025. He’s back at the venue of his attempt at a historic ‘double’ which was derailed by a crash back in May.

On Monday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Larson would be behind the wheel of the No. 17 car, which was driven by newcomer Jake Finch at Dover just last weekend. It comes after TNT Sports faced backlash over its NASCAR coverage with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s pleas ignored.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin drops NASCAR retirement hint after JGR contract decisionREAD MORE: 10 nostalgic photos show NASCAR’s iconic first Brickyard 400 won by Jeff Gordon

The current Brickyard 400 champ will aim to defend his title, and Earnhardt Jr. thinks Larson is starting to find his stride again.

Earnhardt Jr. suspects that the double attempt may have upset Larson’s NASCAR rhythm – but suggest dirt racing has helped him get back on track. On his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, the 50-year-old stated: “All of those things didn’t go as well, or as easy or as smooth as he had hoped. I think that kind of knocked him off his perch.

“The schedule wouldn’t allow him to find some consistency to be able to gain confidence and get the team back to where it needs to be, everybody feeling good about everything.

“Over the last handful of weeks, I’m sure that they’ve all been questioning, are we doing everything we need to do?

“They’ve decided not to panic, get back to the basics, get in the part of the schedule where they might can find some peace of mind. “

Earnhardt Jr. believes Larson began to hit his stride thanks to “success in the dirt car,” which has played a significant role in turning his season around. He further stated: “When he starts doing good in that, it’s like everything starts getting better.

“His Cup stuff starts getting better as well. He needs to be behind the wheel of a race car, and he needs to be winning for him to get up on plane and be where he wants to be mentally.

“He’s no different than anybody else, in terms of when you don’t have the results and the results are harder to come by. He’s just as human as the rest of us, and he’s going to have some self-doubt, or what am I doing differently What should I maybe do differently or new?

“They are going to have those internal conversations as a team. I feel like that’s all in the review mirror now.”.

Larson is aiming to clinch his fourth Cup Series victory of the 2025 season at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 27.

Denny Hamlin – The #11 car was strong and had great speed. In the closing minutes of practice, Hamlin jumped up to #1 on the speed chart. Hamlin said the car felt pretty good and he has good speed. In practice, Hamlin had the 6th best 10-lap average and the 2nd best 15-lap average. In qualifying, Hamlin crashed and as a result he’ll be starting in the rear of the field on Sunday.

John H Nemechek – The #42 had really good speed over a run. In practice, Nemechek ranked #1 for 5,10 and 15-lap averages. Nemechek was pretty happy with his car. During qualifying, Nemechek got into the wall pretty hard. Keep an eye to see if he’ll be starting in the back.

Brad Keselowski – Keselowski said his car was good and he was optimistic. He said the #6 team put a lot of work into this race. In practice, Keselowski had the 9th best 10-lap average.

Tyler Reddick – Reddick said he was tight. In practice, Reddick had good speed and had the 5th best 5-lap average.

William Byron – The #24 was fast and had good speed. Byron had the 2nd best 10-lap average. Byron did a long run to get a good feel for his car. He was viewed to be one of the best over a long run.

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Brazilian driver Caio Collet is not letting up in his pursuit of the Indy NXT by Firestone championship.

Hours after scoring the top starting position for both Grand Prix of Monterey races this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the HMD Motorsports driver led all 35 laps of the first race. Collet held off series points leader Dennis Hauger of Andretti Global for his second race win this season and his third overall over the past two years.

Collet’s margin of victory was 0.2092s, making it the closest IndyCar-sanctioned Indy NXT by Firestone race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Collet also is the series’ 11th consecutive pole winner to reach victory lane at this 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course.

“I think at the beginning of the race we had a really good car with pace,” Collet said. “I was just pushing, praying that everything would stay under control.

“But with a few laps to go I started to see a lot of vibration on my left front [tire], and I’m like, ‘OK.’ So, I worked with my tools, and I could see Dennis was catching me, catching me, catching me. I was counting down the laps, praying that the race was over soon.”

Collet also won the Grand Prix of Road America in June. He will start on the pole for Sunday’s second race, set for 1 p.m. ET on FS1, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports app and the IndyCar Radio Network.

Hauger entered the weekend with a string of five consecutive poles and a 76-point lead over Andretti Global teammate Lochie Hughes. With Hughes among the eight drivers collected in a series of first-lap incidents and finishing sixth, Hauger’s series lead grew to 81 points with Collet now in the second spot. Hughes is third in the standings, 89 points in arrears. Four races remain.

The Norwegian has finished first or second in eight of the 10 races this season. He also has finishes of fifth (at World Wide Technology Raceway) and eighth (in race one on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course). He will again start from the second position in Sunday’s 35-lap race.

HMD Motorsports’ Josh Pierson finished third, and he will start race two from that position. It is his first career podium in 33 race starts. 

The cars of Abel Motorsports’ Jordan Missig and Andretti Global’s Salvador de Alba were out after taking contact in the race’s first few corners. Other drivers involved in the incidents but able to continue were HMD Motorsports’ Juan Manuel Correa and Max Taylor, Andretti Global’s Hughes and James Roe, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Niels Koolen and Andretti Cape Motorsport’s Sebastian Murray.

The race continued under green after that stoppage, which lasted four laps.

RESULTS

Joe Gibbs Racing star Aric Almirola demanded NASCAR ban Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Hill after a controversial incident in the Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hill later raged at NASCAR in his own angry response. 

In a race featuring Kyle Larson among two Cup Series stars on ‘Double Duty’, a decision which forced broadcasters into a late change in the booth, there was controversy involving two of the front-runners late on.

Almirola was racing behind the fourth-placed Hill with ten laps remaining when Hill got loose and pulled off a spectacular save.

However, after straightening his No.21 car, he instantly veered left and collected the right rear of Almirola’s No.19, hooking him viciously into the wall in a hard hit. 

Hill quickly tried to clear-up his intentions by declaring on his radio: “I couldn’t hang onto it; I was not trying to right-rear him”. 

But Almirola instantly called for NASCAR to ban Hill for intentially putting him into the wall, declaring: ”If NASCAR is setting a precedent, the 21 shouldn’t be racing next week!”

Hill was punished immediately by NASCAR as he was parked for five laps for wreckless driving, but many, including those in the broadcast booth, felt that did not go far enough.

Hill, however, protested his innocence in an X-rated rant as he declared: “They can go —- themselves. —- NASCAR. 

“That is —-ing bull —-. I’m sideways. I go to correct it back to the left, it gets locked to the left, I get run into the 19.”

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If Hill does get suspended for a race in the aftermath, then it would see him give up all playoff points earned during the regular season after new regulations introduced in the offseason. 

Almirola was interviewed outside the Infield Care Center on The CW and didn’t hold back in his view on the incident.

Almirola said: “It was definitely intentional. He blocked me three times. I finally got him loose in (turn) three.

“He had damage on the nose so he was really slow in the corners, so it was time to go. We’re coming to ten laps to go and the leaders are starting to put a gap on us, so it’s time to go.

“I got him loose, then he just turned left and hooked me in the right rear. Honestly one of the biggest hits in my entire NASCAR career. Very reminiscent of the one I took when I broke my back.

“Glad I’m OK. Thankful to everybody back at the shop, Joe Gibbs Racing, for building amazing race cars and making them safe.

“Disappointed. Felt like we had a shot to win. I have so much fun every time I run these races. We have great race cars and I love doing it.

“It’s just unfortunate that guys like that, especially that guy…he stood up at a meeting at Martinsville and said he was going to be a role model for all the young kids to look up to, racing etiquette. I think that’s kind of laughable after that one.”