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Alex Bowman is looking for a 2nd straight Cup Series win in Chicago

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CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bowman thinks he is moving in the right direction. With the NASCAR Cup Series back in Chicago on Sunday, it’s good timing for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bowman thinks he is moving in the right direction. With the NASCAR Cup Series back in Chicago on Sunday, it’s good timing for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Bowman raced to a sorely needed victory in downtown Chicago a year ago, stopping an 80-race drought and securing a spot in the playoffs. He is still looking for his first win this season, but he finished third last weekend at Atlanta.

The 32-year-old Bowman is the only driver to win at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, a 45-mile drive from downtown, and the Chicago Street Course. He got his first Cup victory at Chicagoland in 2019.

“As far as confidence coming into this race, I feel like we’re plenty capable,” he said Saturday. “We’re typically pretty good at road courses. A lot of confidence coming into these places.”

Bowman struggled at the beginning of June, finishing 36th at Nashville and Michigan. But the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet turned it around in Mexico City, finishing fourth at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez — a 2.42-mile road course with 15 turns.

Three of the last eight races before the playoffs are on road courses — Chicago, Sonoma next weekend and Watkins Glen on Aug. 10.

Bowman said he likes Chicago because it’s so different from the rest of the NASCAR schedule.

“We do a lot of the same thing for most of the year,” he said. “So, you know, walking through the city to get to the racetrack … makes it different and a little more enjoyable. The challenge of a street course in general is super fun. Very technical, very little room for error.”

Bowman held off Tyler Reddick for last year’s win on the 12-turn, 2.2-mile course — a tricky drive with manhole covers and transitions from concrete to asphalt and back. The race was shortened in each of the last two years because of rain, and there could be more showers on Sunday.

Bowman also is competing in the second round of NASCAR’s inaugural in-season tournament this weekend. He faces Bubba Wallace after the two tangled in Chicago last year.

During the cool-down lap after his victory, Bowman was bumped into the wall by Wallace. Bowman spun out Wallace early in the race.

“I think he and I are totally good,” Bowman said. “But yeah, I mean, he’s been really fast here in the past. Like, you don’t tend to think of him as a road course guy, but here last year, he was really fast. So definitely going to be a tough one.”

The head-to-head matchup with Bowman certainly got Wallace’s attention.

“I’m sure he knows that a door slam does not count us even,” Wallace said. “So we’ll see what happens.”

Feeling relief

Daniel Suárez is racing for the first time since his split from Trackhouse Racing was announced. The sides are parting ways at the end of the 2025 season.

The 33-year-old Suárez is the only Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race. He has two victories in 305 career Cup starts.

Suárez, who became an American citizen last year, said he knew the relationship was going in this direction for months, and the resolution was a relief.

“To be able to make it official and be able to talk to other people and stuff for me was crucial to be able to feel lighter,” he said.

Suárez indicated he thinks he will be able to stay in the Cup Series.

“I have had a lot of conversations with a lot of people, and there is going to be opportunities,” he said. “We just have to see how things play out a little bit. I’m not going to lie. I believe that if this was happening next year, it was going to be way easier, because next year there’s a lot more openings, but there is going to be some, and I’m confident that things are going to work out.”

Following SVG

Will Brown, the reigning champion in Australia’s Supercars, is making his second career Cup start. The driver of the No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet was 19th in qualifying.

Brown is hoping to duplicate the success of Shane van Gisbergen, a three-time Supercars champion from New Zealand who is on the pole Sunday. Van Gisbergen won the Chicago race in 2023.

“Obviously, a lot of us Supercar drivers after watching Shane in 2023 loved the look of Chicago and the event, so a lot of us wanted to come over and try this event,” Brown said. “Very lucky to be here.”

Odds and ends

Van Gisbergen is favored to win the race, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Jay Cohen, The Associated Press







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Motorsports

Dale Jr warns Richard Childress’s grandson he’s in for rough future – Motorsport – Sports

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Ty Dillon, the 33-year-old youngest grandson of racing icon Richard Childress, will return to Kaulig Racing in 2025 in the No. 10 Chevrolet.

Outside of a surprising run in the maiden mid-season tournament, where he made a run all the way to the final, it wasn’t a 2025 to remember for Dillon. The Kaulig driver finished 33rd overall in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. 

Speaking on his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed pessimistic about Dillon’s chances in 2026, partially due wit the changes at Kauli, who are moving away from their deal with Dodge cars. Kaulig also paused its Xfinity team (now the O’Reilly Auto Parts circuit). 

“Man, is it going to be a frustrating year? I would predict that next year for him will be one of his toughest personally, physically, mentally,” Earnhardt warned. 

“He’s racing for Kaulig, and they’ve got little to no support in terms of engineering and resources…Chevrolet is not going to be helping them. They’re not driving Dodges in Cup,” the former driver continued. “It’ll be a hot mess.”

Dillon raced for Richard Childress Racing in the Cup Series in 2015 and in the Xfinity Series from 2012 to 2019. He switched to Germain Racing in 2017, Gaunt Borther Racing in 2021, Petty GMS Motorsports in 2022, SPire Motorsports in 2023, before joining Kaulig in 2024. 

“Ty Dillon is returning to Kaulig. I’m surprised by that because I thought when Kaulig got shut out of the Chevrolet deal,” Earnhardt continued.

DON’T MISS: 

“[Because] I thought Ty Dillon was at Kaulig because of RCR and that connection….So RCR is now going to be working with Rick Ware. So, Kaulig is shoved off the Chevrolet ship.”

Dillon finished a career-best 24th in the Cup Series in both the 2017 and 2019 seasons. He has zero wins in 281 career starts, including eight top 10s. 

The younger brother of fellow driver Austin Dillon expressed excitement about his deal with Kaulig. “I am incredibly grateful for another opportunity to run full-time in the Cup Series and honored to do it with the men and women at Kaulig Racing, which means a lot to me personally,” Dillon said in a press release



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Caulder Construction to Sponsor White Mountain Dwarf Car Division in…

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In 2026, the Caulder Construction Dwarf Cars are scaled down, open wheeled coupes resembling the earliest stock car racers of the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s with a 1,000cc motorcycle engine under the hood. One of White Mountain’s most unique divisions, they’ll light up the highbanks in eight scheduled appearances at White Mountain Motorsports Park this season.

“We’re glad the Dwarf Cars will get some more recognition with the help of Caulder Construction,” said Media Director Cale King. “They’re a great group of guys that put on some stellar racing and we, like the Caulders, hope this helps boost them up a bit for next summer.”



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INDYCAR Race Director Re-Elected To Key FIA Judicial Role

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Kyle Novak, longtime race director for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone, has been re-elected to serve on the FIA International Court of Appeal and the FIA International Tribunal.

Novak was initially elected in 2022 and has completed his first four-year term. His re-election marks the beginning of a second four-year term following a Dec. 12 vote at the FIA General Assembly in Uzbekistan.

He was appointed by ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee for the United States). That group was founded in 1957 and serves as the official liaison of the U.S. sanctioning bodies to the FIA.

The appointment places Novak among just 36 judges worldwide, a group composed of motorsports and sports attorneys from across the globe. Typically, each country is limited to no more than two representatives. Novak is one of two appointed from the United States, alongside Gary Crotty, legal counsel for NASCAR.

“My participation on this court provides me the opportunity to interact with some of the finest motorsports legal minds in the world,” Novak said. “Our days are filled with discussions on some of the most intricate topics in motorsports governance.

“These cases provide the backbone for future motorsports governance, both internationally and here in the United States. While FIA statutes are not binding on our championship, INDYCAR must constantly adapt to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving global motorsports landscape.”

The FIA International Tribunal serves as the first-instance judicial body and hears disciplinary matters brought before it by the FIA president. The FIA International Court of Appeal functions as the final appellate authority, reviewing decisions issued by stewards and other FIA sporting and disciplinary bodies, including the International Tribunal.

Serving on the FIA’s International Court of Appeal and International Tribunal is widely regarded as the motorsports equivalent of the United States Supreme Court – the final court of last resort once all internal FIA appeals have been exhausted.

An attorney who passed the bar in Michigan, Novak (photo, above) is the sole representative from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES among the FIA judges.

Novak said it’s an honor to represent the series when hearing cases or attending annual conferences, noting everyone involved is a racing fan. As an example, he recalled having breakfast last fall in Paris with a Spanish colleague who knew everything about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES through following four-time series champion Alex Palou, who also hails from Spain.

“I was initially surprised by the high level of interest in INDYCAR from my colleagues,” Novak said. “That interest demonstrates the global reach INDYCAR has. I hope my involvement on this court continues to raise awareness and further strengthen INDYCAR’s status as a premier motorsports sanctioning body.”

Over the past several years, Novak has heard cases involving competitors and member clubs across multiple disciplines, including sports car racing and karting, as well as a case between a member club and the FIA itself. All proceedings are conducted in person, either in Geneva or at FIA headquarters in Paris.

Novak said the experience has produced a direct impact on his officiating duties in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“Even in cases where I’m not sitting as a judge, we receive all the correspondence, which allows us to observe how regulations are written and how much litigation can arise from their interpretation and application,” Novak said. “Whenever we hear a case, I’m always thinking about how a similar situation might play out at INDYCAR.

“Some of these matters can be surprisingly small. One karting case involved a competitor making an obscene gesture, which resulted in a full-weekend disqualification. Seeing how other sanctioning bodies handle situations like that immediately makes you ask: ‘What would we do here? If it were appealed, how would it turn out? Are our regulations strong enough to handle it, and if not, how can we improve them?’

“Everything I learn in this role can be applied directly back to INDYCAR.”



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Chandler Smith returns to Front Row Motorsports for 2026 NASCAR season

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Dec. 17, 2025, 9:01 a.m. ET

Chandler Smith is returning to the NASCAR Truck Series in 2026. Smith will return to Front Row Motorsports to drive the No. 38 truck during the 2026 Truck Series season, the team announced. The Front Row Motorsports driver will keep Jon Leonard as his crew chief for the second straight year.

In 2025, Smith earned two wins, five top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes, an 11.8 average finishing position, and an eighth-place finish in the point standings. The driver of the No. 38 truck was eliminated in the Round of 10 finale at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after significant issues in the first two events.

Front Row Motorsports will bring back the same lineup with Smith and Layne Riggs driving their entries. The No. 38 team was a last-second announcement for 2025, so expectations are higher going into 2026. Smith hopes to be on the same level as Riggs with eyes on a Truck Series championship.



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JR Motorsports signs Arby’s as a primary sponsor for 2026 season

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Dec. 17, 2025, 9:40 a.m. ET

JR Motorsports has a brand new sponsor for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Series season. Arby’s is switching NASCAR teams from Rick Ware Racing to JR Motorsports starting in 2026, the team announced. Arby’s sponsored Cody Ware’s No. 51 Cup car throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

In 2026, Arby’s will sponsor Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith for a total of eight races. Kvapil will have support from the company at EchoPark Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Chicagoland Speedway. Smith will have Arby’s at Talladega Superspeedway, San Diego, and the Charlotte ROVAL. Finally, Allgaier will have one race with Arby’s at Darlington Raceway.

JR Motorsports inked a multi-year deal with Arby’s, so the food company will stick around the O’Reilly Series for several seasons. Arby’s had a great time sponsoring Rick Ware Racing in the Cup Series, but it hopes to find victory lane with JR Motorsports at some of NASCAR’s greatest race tracks in 2026.



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