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NASCAR driver calls out ‘unacceptable’ FOX Sports coverage decision – Motorsport – Sports

Brad Perez doesn’t drive in every NASCAR Xfinity Series race or have the big sponsorship dollars that a full-time Cup Series driver  like Denny Hamlin has, but he has a voice, and he used it louder than most regarding FOX’s coverage at Talladega. While fans tuned in on TV for the wild final laps of […]

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Brad Perez doesn’t drive in every NASCAR Xfinity Series race or have the big sponsorship dollars that a full-time Cup Series driver  like Denny Hamlin has, but he has a voice, and he used it louder than most regarding FOX’s coverage at Talladega.

While fans tuned in on TV for the wild final laps of Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500, they instead received back-to-back commercial block overlays, rather than focusing on the intensity of the race.

The move didn’t just upset fans, it also got under the skin of a few drivers. The 26-year-old part-time Xfinity Series driver was one of the first to call it out.

“Commercials during the final laps at Talladega is insane,” Perez posted on X. The message followed a growing group of NASCAR fans tired of seeing the product shoved into the corner of a screen during the most adrenaline-fueled moments.

“I will, on purpose, avoid purchasing anything advertised in that time slot,” he added.” Christian Eckes, a full-time Xfinity Series driver asked, “Why are we under commercial right now?” while his competition Garrett Smithley, called the mishap “insane work.”

Television viewers realized they had just watched over 50 percent of the final 15 laps in side-by-side format, with full-screen ads running from lap 15 to 12 and then again from lap 9 to 5. For a race that ended by a razor-close margin of 0.022 seconds, and saw Austin Cindric edge Ryan Preece, fans noted that they saw the replay before witnessing the live footage.

Perez has two Xfinity starts this year with Alpha Prime Racing. He finished 28th at Homestead-Miami, 23rd at Martinsville, and sits 45th out of 60 drivers in the standings.

While FOX and other networks are raking in ad revenue, they’re fans on X have suggested that FOX is undercutting the magic that sells NASCAR in the first place. Perez put it best when he responded to a fan’s frustration by saying, “Of course there needs to be commercials. But there has to be a way that benefits both the partners and the viewers. Not in a way that’s intrusive to the enjoyment of the program.”

DON’T MISS

Perez is part of a new generation of drivers who understand the value of the fan experience and are still motorsports fans themselves. Racing since 7 years old, he hopes to one day join the ranks in the Cup Series with the top drivers of the world.

He became addicted to playing “NASCAR Racing 2003 Season” and connected with people in the racing industry through the video game’s servers. He didn’t drive a race car until nearly 10 years later, when he visited Miami GP Raceway.

“I figured I was too old by the time I started racing to ever get somewhere. I just wanted to see if there was a way I could race,” sighting that it was what made him most happy.



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NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside US hits travel snags to Mexico City

MEXICO CITY (AP) — NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina. At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to […]

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NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight.

But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

NASCAR said only “a select few” teams aren’t on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.



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Do You Still Care About Motorsports In The Streaming Age?

Fans face difficulties accessing key races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans or Pikes Peak without paying for extra services Ram is returning to NASCAR next year and is looking to expand its viewership. Some rights are split between companies, making it hard to watch all the races. Motorsport fans have a lot to […]

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Fans face difficulties accessing key races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans or Pikes Peak without paying for extra services

 Do You Still Care About Motorsports In The Streaming Age?

  • Ram is returning to NASCAR next year and is looking to expand its viewership.
  • Some rights are split between companies, making it hard to watch all the races.

Motorsport fans have a lot to be excited about as the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off this weekend. The iconic race will then be followed by the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 22.

Those are two high-profile races and it brings us to our question of the day: Do you watch motorsports? That’s a pretty open-ended question as there are various forms of competitive racing ranging from NASCAR to Formula One and beyond.

More: How Do You Listen To Music In Your Car?

Speaking of NASCAR, Ram recently announced plans to return to the Craftsman Truck Series following a prolonged absence. At a media event previewing the announcement, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis acknowledged the sport typically has a tough return on investment. However, the executive sees a lot of potential and wants to make NASCAR more popular.

Unfortunately, NASCAR is also a prime example of how convoluted watching racing has become. Rights for the Cup Series are split between Amazon Prime, Fox Sports, TNT Sports, and NBC. The CW handles the Xfinity Series, while Fox Sports does the Craftsman Truck Series.

 Do You Still Care About Motorsports In The Streaming Age?

If you want to check out the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, you’ll need the RACER Network. As for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, you’ll need either Max or MotorTrend TV in the US.

Thanks to all these network and streaming deals, watching racing isn’t as easy or cheap as it used to be. It also poses a hurdle to newcomers and those looking to increase the popularity of their sport.

With all that being said, do you watch racing or motorsports? Let us know in the comments below.

 Do You Still Care About Motorsports In The Streaming Age?

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 Do You Still Care About Motorsports In The Streaming Age?



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NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside US hits travel snags to Mexico City – KIRO 7 News Seattle

MEXICO CITY — (AP) — Shane Van Gisbergen was buckled into his seat ready to head to Mexico City for NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era when a loud “BOOM!” suddenly forced the pilot to abort takeoff. There was an engine issue with the chartered flight in North Carolina and Van […]

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MEXICO CITY — (AP) — Shane Van Gisbergen was buckled into his seat ready to head to Mexico City for NASCAR’s first international Cup Series race of the modern era when a loud “BOOM!” suddenly forced the pilot to abort takeoff.

There was an engine issue with the chartered flight in North Carolina and Van Gisbergen and most of Trackhouse Racing suddenly found themselves stranded. In fact, two NASCAR charters had issues Thursday that delayed the arrivals of crew members and drivers for at least five teams.

They all arrived safely Friday morning — some teams drove to Atlanta to catch commercial flights — while others awaited a new morning charter.

“Yeah, it wasn’t real fun. Yesterday was a long day,” Van Gisbergen said once in Mexico City. “Pretty scary when the plane launched itself on take-off. They stopped and were trying to just get another plane. And then it was first thing this morning, so early start this morning. I think we got up at 3:30 a.m. at home and got on an early flight down here.”

It was a bumpy start to the first points-paying Cup Series race outside the United States as the entire Friday schedule had to be revamped to accommodate the stranded teams. And, with team personnel missing for some organizations, reinforcements were called in to help: the communications director for Trackhouse had to help unload the team cars off the haulers.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races were moved to early Friday instead of their late Friday schedule.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.

Van Gisbergen was rolling with the delay.

“You can’t predict that kind of stuff happening. There’s so many moving parts,” he said. “Everyone’s down here now. I think it’s all the important people, I guess, needed for (Friday) , so I think they’ve done a good job salvaging it.

“I guess it’s a big deal when you think about it, but I’m not really too fussed about it,” he continued. “I’m already focused on (racing). Obviously not ideal, but it happened and we fixed it.”

Truex gets a shot

It’s been 11 years since Ryan Truex raced in the Cup Series but he gets another start Sunday as the replacement for Denny Hamlin in Mexico City.

Truex is a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and has been in a holding pattern the last three weeks as Hamlin awaited the birth of his son. Hamlin didn’t have to get out of the car at Nashville or Michigan, but the baby finally arrived Wednesday and Hamlin opted to skip this weekend to care for his family of five.

Truex got the call the same evening to wheel the high-profile No. 11 Toyota. The younger brother of former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. has 26 career Cup starts, but none since 2014.

Martin Truex won an Xfinity Series race in 2005 in Mexico City, something he reminded his younger brother of when he told him he got the call.

“I texted him this week when I found out, and he said, ‘You know, the Truexes are 1-for-1 in Mexico,’ so no pressure,” Ryan Truex said Friday. “I’m glad he could throw that at me.”

Hamlin, a three-time winner this year, requested and was granted a waiver by NASCAR officials to retain his eligibility for the Cup Series Playoffs.

Truex does have recent seat time as the 33-year-old was a fill-in option in practice for Tyler Reddick of fellow Toyota team 23XI Racing during Coca-Cola 600 practice. Still, the waiting game to see if he was needed and getting ready for an international trip has been a whirlwind.

“It‘s been a crazy few weeks — especially since Charlotte, I‘ve been on standby,” he said. “I‘m glad it is at a track where I can practice and have time and know what to do to. It has been kind of chaotic getting here and putting all of that together, but I‘m just grateful for the experience and grateful to be here.

“I don‘t really have any set goals or expectations — I just want to enjoy the weekend. I‘m driving a Cup car for Joe Gibbs at an international race — this is not something I ever dreamed of doing, so I just want to take it all in and have a good time.”

Truex said that every time he received a text from Hamlin crew chief Chris Gayle the last month, his heart began to race as he wondered if this was the call.

He’s thankful for his time in a reserve role with Gibbs after a miserable time in Cup a decade ago. Truex is hoping to use Sunday as a springboard to regular racing.

“My last time in Cup was not a fun experience. It didn‘t go well for me. I didn‘t enjoy it,” Truex said. “That was probably not the right move for me, career-wise, and I‘ve kind of been fighting back since then. I enjoy everything I do at JGR. I‘ve been able to race part-time the last couple of years, and do all of this stuff away from the track.”

Elevation training

NASCAR drivers will face one of the biggest challenges of their career racing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which sits at an elevation of nearly 7,500 feet. The next highest track on the Cup circuit in terms of elevation is Las Vegas Motor Speedway at about 2,000 feet above sea level.

To prepare its drivers for the altitude, Toyota launched a comprehensive training program months ago that had its drivers wearing a mask that simulates less oxygen while training and even sleeping in a hypoxic tent.

Reddick was among those who slept in a tent to adjust to the higher altitude and mitigate potential symptoms of altitude sickness.

“One side effect of it is my wife hasn’t been super happy about me sleeping in a hypoxic environment especially at the later stages of her pregnancy,” said Reddick, whose wife delivered the couple’s second child May 25.

The tent idea was devised after JGR driver Christopher Bell asked Toyota what would be done to help maintain maximum performance in the high altitude.

“We started that early in the season just talking and getting a plan together, making sure we’re prepared for it,” Bell said. “I’m proud of everyone at Toyota, the Toyota Performance Center. Caitlin Quinn has really headed up the department of physical fitness and made sure we’re ready for this challenge. Hopefully, the Toyota drivers are the ones that are succeeding.”

The program was devised by Caitlin Quinn, director of performance for the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville, North Carolina. She was a strength coach at Florida State University before joining Toyota Performance Center.

Quinn helped drivers learn to perform in a lower oxygen environment when they’re resting, as well as exercise in an environment with less oxygen. Toyota enclosed a space in its center with a bicycle inside it for drivers to ride in a lower oxygen setting.

Quinn said Toyota starting implementing those programs about eight weeks ago for drivers.

“It is different sleeping in a hypoxic environment,” Reddick said. “I’ve noted the changes so far, and I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like.”

___

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





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Denny Hamlin to miss NASCAR’s first international race after birth of son

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Denny Hamlin will miss NASCAR’s first international race of the modern era to remain in North Carolina following the birth of his child. Ryan Truex will replace him Sunday in Mexico City. “See you guys in Pocono,” Hamlin posted on social media. “We are happy to announce the birth of our […]

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Denny Hamlin will miss NASCAR’s first international race of the modern era to remain in North Carolina following the birth of his child.

Ryan Truex will replace him Sunday in Mexico City.

“See you guys in Pocono,” Hamlin posted on social media. “We are happy to announce the birth of our son. Everyone is doing well. My main priority is to be here at home for Jordan and our family over the next few days when she is able to go home and we transition to life as a family of five.”

Hamlin and fiancee Jordan Fish now have three children, two daughters and a son born Wednesday. Hamlin had been on baby watch the last 12 days as Fish went nearly two weeks past her predicted due date.

He had planned to get out of the car at Michigan last Sunday if she went into labor early in the race, but when the first stage passed with no word, he went on to score his third win of the season. The victory was the 57th of his career and made him the all-time winningest driver at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Through 15 races this season, Hamlin ranks third in the overall Cup Series standings.

Truex, younger brother of former JGR full-time driver Martin Truex Jr., is Gibbs’ reserve driver. His last Cup Series start was in 2014 and he has 26 starts at NASCAR’s top level.

Hamlin will need NASCAR to grant him a waiver to be eligible to compete in the playoffs for the Cup Series championship. NASCAR during the offseason tightened the rules for granting waivers, but said it would permit a driver skipping an event for the birth of a child.

The 44-year-old Hamlin will snap his streak of 406 consecutive starts. Hamlin last missed a race in 2014 at California Speedway because of an eye irritation.



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50,000 NASCAR Euro Series fans celebrate another successful 2025 American SpeedFest at Brands Hatch – Speedway Digest

The third event of the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season brought the thunder to the iconic Brands Hatch circuit for the highly anticipated American SpeedFest. With almost 50,000 fans in attendance across the weekend, the SpeedFest once again proved to be the crown jewel of the calendar. The fans were treated to a sensational festival […]

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The third event of the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season brought the thunder to the iconic Brands Hatch circuit for the highly anticipated American SpeedFest. With almost 50,000 fans in attendance across the weekend, the SpeedFest once again proved to be the crown jewel of the calendar. The fans were treated to a sensational festival of motorsport, Americana, and family-friendly entertainment – all set against the rolling hills of the Kent countryside.

The event was not only a success at the track but also across digital platforms. NASCAR Euro Series content generated over 1.1 million impressions, with 90,000 engagements and a remarkable eight percent engagement rate. The official EuroNASCAR YouTube channel surpassed 40,000 subscribers, with over 500,000 minutes of live racing watched during the weekend alone – setting new benchmarks for the series.

Off the track, the American SpeedFest offered a full-blown festival experience. From monster trucks and live stunt shows to country music concerts and classic car parades, there was something for everyone. Fans got up close with the stars of EuroNASCAR in the paddock and enjoyed a weekend of racing, show cars, American food, and plenty of attractions.

Rounds 5 and 6 of the PRO and OPEN championships delivered intense battles on the legendary Indy layout. In the PRO category, the competition was fierce with elbows out and tempers flaring – every corner was a fight for survival. Gianmarco Ercoli was crowned “King of Brands Hatch” after two phenomenal race wins.

In the OPEN class, drama unfolded in every lap as drivers pushed their cars and skills to the limit in front of a roaring British crowd. In a rainy Saturday race, Melvin de Groot grabbed his maiden NASCAR win, while the reigning champion Martin Doubek struck back on Sunday, but de Groot got the title “Prince of Brands Hatch”.

With the season heating up, EuroNASCAR now turns its attention to the next round. The race to the championship continues, and fans can catch all the action live on YouTube and EuroNASCAR’s international TV partners. One thing is clear: SpeedFest 2025 has raised the bar once again. The regular season finale will take place on August 30-31 after the summer break at Autodrom Most, Czech Republic.

NASCAR Euro Series PR



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NASCAR Cup Series practice results: Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott lead Hendrick Motorsports at Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico – The sun broke through the clouds on Friday afternoon after rain moved both practice sessions back a few hours. All 37 Cup teams were greeted with two full-field practice sessions to help the teams figure out the newest road course on the circuit. The first session allowed 50 minutes of track time for all 37 teams […]

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Mexico City, Mexico – The sun broke through the clouds on Friday afternoon after rain moved both practice sessions back a few hours.

All 37 Cup teams were greeted with two full-field practice sessions to help the teams figure out the newest road course on the circuit. The first session allowed 50 minutes of track time for all 37 teams while the second session was half the length at 25 minutes.

Kyle Larson was the highest finishing Hendrick Motorsports driver in practice one, setting a time good enough for fifth. Chase Elliott was top of the board for the quartet in practice two in 12th position.

While both practice sessions helped the teams figure out the 15-turn road course, many unknowns still surround the race weekend. With rain looming just around the corner, anything can happen in tomorrow’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race. 

RELATED: Engineering for beginners: The challenges of building an engine for Mexico City

Check out the practice results below:

NASCAR Cup Series practice two results

  1. Todd Gilland, No. 34
  2. Ross Chastain, No. 1
  3. Ty Gibbs, No. 54
  4. Ryan Blaney, No. 12
  5. Chris Buescher, No. 17
  6. Ryan Preece, No. 60
  7. Austin Cindric, No. 2
  8. Joey Logano, No. 22
  9. Daniel Suarez, No. 99
  10. Shane Van Gisbergen, No. 88
  11. Christopher Bell, No. 20
  12. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Llumar Chevrolet
  13. Brad Keselowski, No. 6
  14. Chase Briscoe, No. 19
  15. Josh Berry, No. 21
  16. William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet 
  17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47
  18. Bubba Wallace, No. 23
  19. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet
  20. Austin Dillion, No. 3
  21. A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16
  22. Erik Jones, No. 43
  23. Zane Smith, No. 38
  24. Cole Custer, No. 41
  25. Michael Mcdowell, No. 71
  26. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet 
  27. Riley Herbst, No. 35
  28. Kyle Busch, No. 8
  29. Carson Hocevar, No. 77
  30. Ty Dillon, No. 10
  31. Justin Haley, No. 7
  32. Tyler Reddick, No. 45
  33. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42
  34. Cody Ware, No. 51
  35. Ryan Truex, No. 11
  36. Katherine Legge, No. 78
  37. Noah Gragson, No. 4

NASCAR Schedule updated 

Saturday, June 14
  • 11:05 a.m. – Xfinity Series practice, CW
  • 12:10 p.m. – Xfinity Series qualifying, CW
  • 2:05 – Cup Series qualifying, Prime Video
  • 4:30 – Xfinity Series race, CW
  • 7 – México Series race two, no TV
Sunday, June 15

Mexico City weather 

Rain is forecasted on and off this weekend. Make sure to stay tuned for the latest updates and changes to the schedule. 



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