Deniz Öncü scribed his name into Turkish motorsport history Sunday with a thrilling wire-to-wire win at MotorLand Aragon, becoming the first Turk to claim victory in a Moto2 World Championship race.

Racing for Red Bull KTM Ajo, the 21-year-old snatched the lead in the dying meters from Brazil’s Diogo Moreira, crossing the line just 0.003 seconds ahead – the closest margin in modern Moto2 history.

It was a battle of nerves, tires, and timing across 19 laps, and Öncü played it perfectly.

Race for ages

Moreira, on pole after a record-setting qualifying lap, led early, but Öncü wasted no time. Launching from third, he dove past Barry Baltus into Turn 1 and took the lead by Turn 8.

The race exploded into chaos on Lap 1 when Daniel Holgado crashed at Turn 12, collecting teammate David Alonso, both promising rookies out early.

Baltus temporarily led after Öncü ran wide at Turn 3 on Lap 2, but it was championship contender Aron Canet who stormed to the front by Lap 6. A tight lead group of Canet, Öncü, Baltus, and Moreira began to break away.

Öncü found another gear on Laps 13 and 14, setting consecutive fastest laps to reclaim the lead.

Moreira clawed back on the final lap, overtook Öncü at Turn 5, and seemed set for glory – until Öncü unleashed a stunning exit from the final corner to win by the width of a tire.

Baltus finished third, 3.2 seconds adrift.

Tears on podium

As the Istiklal Marşı (the Turkish National Anthem) echoed through Aragon, a teary-eyed Öncü stood on the podium, soaking in a moment years in the making. “I’m from Türkiye,” he said emotionally. “Kenan and Toprak are the best teachers in the world. I gave everything. My rival passed me, but I didn’t quit.”

Öncü paid tribute to his mentors – Kenan Sofuoğlu, five-time Supersport champion, and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, reigning WorldSBK ace. Both have helped shape his journey from Moto3 upstart to Moto2 trailblazer.

The Türkiye Motorcycle Federation called the victory a “historic success,” and Turkish media exploded with pride. Social media lit up with posts lauding Öncü’s grit, precision, and national symbolism.

Shaking up standings

Öncü’s 25-point haul boosts him to seventh in the championship with 62 points.

The title fight is heating up: Manuel Gonzalez and Aron Canet are tied at 118 points. Gonzalez charged from 18th to ninth after a qualifying crash; Canet faded to sixth.

Moreira’s runner-up finish places him third overall with 90 points, just ahead of Baltus (89). Joe Roberts (82 points) sits fifth after a P7 finish. Senna Agius and Filip Salač, finishing fourth and fifth respectively, remain dark horses.

While Öncü isn’t yet in the title hunt, his Aragon win hints at what’s to come – with confidence mounting and the Kalex under him, he’s poised for more fireworks.

Comeback forged in pain

This triumph marks a remarkable rebound for Öncü. After a rocky Moto2 debut in 2024 and a fractured hand that sidelined him for three rounds, he returned stronger. His third-place finish at Aragon last year was a turning point; now, he’s a winner.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo team has backed him fully, pairing him with rookie Collin Veijer and handing him the reins after parting with Celestino Vietti.

Öncü’s aggressive style suits the Kalex chassis, and Aragon proved he can outwit veterans and fellow rising stars alike.

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In the second stage of the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan, drivers were scrambling on a restart as they battled three and four-wide for position on track. Alex Bowman was deep in the pack, running 29th when his race came to sudden and violent end.

Bowman was in the middle of a tense battle with a four-wide situation directly in front of him. Cole Custer got loose after contact from Austin Cindric and shot up the track, spinning Daniel Suarez. At the same time, he hit Bowman as well. Bowman’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports shot to the right, slamming the outside wall head-on in an impact that managed to left the rear tires off the ground.

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Bowman was going about 150mph when the car slammed the wall. Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe was also collected, spinning at the exit of Turn 2.

“That one was really f****** big,” radioed Bowman as he put the window net down and climbed the car. It was a relief to see, as Bowman has been sidelined due to both a back injury and concussion in recent year.

“Yeah, that hurt a lot,” said Bowman after being released from the infield care center. “That was probably top of the board on hits I’ve taken and unfortunately, I’ve taken a lot of hits. I hate that for the #48 team. Obviously, (sponsor) Ally is from here. Looks like the #41 [Custer] got loose or the #2 [Cindric] got into him or something. At that point, just along for the ride. Couldn’t really do anything except think about oh shit this is about to hurt really bad. Hate that. Hate that for our team. It’s been a rough two months.

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Suarez and Briscoe were able to continue, while both Custer and Bowman fell out of the race. This continues an unfortunate run of races for the No. 48 HMS Chevrolet, finishing 27th or worse in seven of the last nine races.

The race was red-flagged on Lap 68 of 200 as Bowman’s car came to rest in the middle of the track. The stoppage lasted about 13 minutes.

Photos from Michigan – Race

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

General view

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Tire repair

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota, William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Chris Graythen – Getty Images

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BACK in August 2023, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) staged the country’s first-ever Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival, headlined by no less than Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio “Morizo” Toyoda. Fans packed the Quirino Grandstand in Manila to witness works team machines like the WRC GR Yaris rally car and Red Bull GR Corolla in action — an unforgettable experience for more than 6,000 attendees.

The Novice Class racers head
toward the checkered flag. TOYOTA PHOTO

Fast forward almost two years later, and TMP has proven that the spirit of Gazoo Racing in the Philippines doesn’t hinge on celebrity appearances or globally shipped race cars. It thrives in the roar of local engines, the energy of the crowd, and the unmistakable pulse of Filipino motorsport culture.
Held last May 24-25 in Villar City, the second round of the 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup marked a historic return to the streets — seven years since the last urban race in 2018. A section of Villar Avenue was transformed into a tight, technical, 2.4-kilometer street circuit. And for the first time in the racing series’ 11-year history, fans experienced a full-fledged motorsport festival right outside Metro Manila.
What TMP pulled off wasn’t just another race — it was a full-throttle celebration of speed and culture. Over 12,000 people filled the venue across the weekend, with millions more tuning in via livestream. Families, gearheads, and first-time fans were treated to a wide array of attractions beyond the main races: gymkhana showdowns, sim racing sessions, car club displays, and live performances by OPM icons like Rico Blanco, Ely Buendia, Bamboo, and Parokya Ni Edgar.

The event was proof that motorsport isn’t just a niche interest — it’s a community waiting to be tapped.
Bleachers placed along key sections of the track allowed spectators to witness close wheel-to-wheel action from the Vios Cup categories: Promotional, Sporting, Super Sporting, and Legacy. It was racing at its most raw and exciting, made even better by the visceral environment of a street circuit.

As a motoring journalist who first covered the Vios Cup’s 2018 street race as a rookie on the beat, I never imagined that seven years later, I’d find myself on the other side of the barrier — behind the wheel of a one-make race (OMR) Vios. And let me tell you: there’s nothing quite like it.
Heading into the weekend, I was nervous. I’ve had limited experience on street circuits, and the technical layout, lined with unforgiving barriers, left no room for error. But once the green flag dropped, the nerves faded. Each lap through the chicanes, especially the quick flicks through the course’s “Eau Rouge”-like section, was pure adrenaline.

Did I perform well? Not exactly. I had my fair share of missteps and even kissed the barriers twice. I learned the hard way that having pace isn’t enough — you need racecraft, patience, and a bit of luck. But in spite of the setbacks, I loved every minute behind the wheel. Seeing the crowd cheer as we raced past was electric.
What TGR Philippines has done goes far beyond racing. By taking the sport out of secluded tracks and into the streets, they’ve made motorsports accessible to the everyday Filipino. This isn’t just a corporate branding exercise — it’s a sincere push to grow the sport from the grassroots up.

TMP Assistant Vice President for Marketing Services Andy Ty said there are plans to expand TGR’s footprint across different racing disciplines in the Philippines. Circuit racing may just be the beginning. With Toyota Gazoo Racing’s DNA deeply rooted in “pushing the limits for the better,” TMP is laying the groundwork for a motorsport ecosystem that could one day rival our neighbors in Southeast Asia.

Whether you’re a die-hard racer, a casual fan, or just someone looking for a fun weekend, the message is clear: motorsports in the Philippines is alive and kicking — and Toyota Gazoo Racing is leading the charge.

June 8, 2025

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

Ultimately Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota had just enough fuel to claim the checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway and do one celebratory series of burnouts in front of the huge grandstand crowd before running out of gas on his encore celebration and needing a tow to his ultimate destination: Victory Lane.

The 44-year-old put on a master class in fuel saving and end-of-race pressure at the two-mile oval – taking his third win of the season and 57th of his career. Hamlin crossed the line 1.099-second ahead of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Chris Buescher and his JGR teammate, Ty Gibbs, after the day’s most dominant driver, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron had to pit for fuel on the last lap.

“No, not really,’’ Hamlin said, insisting he wasn’t overly worried about running out of fuel in the closing laps. “I wanted to get the lead and obviously he [William Byron] was doing a really good job defending.

“Sorry, but I beat your favorite driver,’’ a grinning Hamlin – in his 701st career series start – addressed the rowdy Michigan crowd.

“This whole team just stepped up,’’ he said. “Great job. We’ve been so fast this entire year, just haven’t finished it for one reason or another, so it feels good to come to Michigan where we’ve been so close the last couple of years.

“Such a gratifying day to restart 11th or 12th and charge to the front,’’ added Hamlin, who has now won multiple races in the last seven consecutive seasons.

With 20 laps remaining, Hamlin had made his way from 11th place to fifth in the running order, behind the day’s most dominant cars – Carson Hocevar in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and Byron in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Both Hocevar, a Michigan native racing for his first career NASCAR Cup Series win, and Byron were told by their crew chiefs they were going to run out of fuel before the end of the race. Instead of a fuel issue however, Hocevar, who led 32 laps, had to pit from the race lead with 19 laps remaining for a flat tire.

Byron, who led a race best 98 of the 200 laps, inherited the lead from Hocevar and then had to try to fend off Hamlin – who methodically started moving forward – racing Byron hard and forcing the championship leader out of any sort of fuel-save mode.

Hamlin got by Byron with four laps to go and Byron dove down pit road for fuel on the final lap, having to settle for a 28th place finish. Hocevar finished 29th.

“Ultimately, maybe not as good mileage as the guys farther back to start that run and that’s just the way the cautions go and the nature of being closer to the front and burning a lot of fuel,’’ Byron said. “That one, you can’t really do a lot about. It sucks. It really stings.

“But we had a really good car. I thought we executed well It seemed like we waited a little more on fuel on that last stop and just burned more, not able to do much about that. So it is what it is.’’

Bubba Wallace drove the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota – a team Hamlin co-owns – to fourth place. Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson was fifth.

Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain was sixth. Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith finished a season-best seventh place. Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch was eighth followed by RFK teammates Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski – marking the first time all three RFK cars finished among the top-10 this season.

There were 13 lead changes among 11 drivers and Hamlin led only five laps on the day.

A nearly 12-minute red flag period occurred early in the race while workers ensured the track was race-worthy after a four-car incident that sent the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, driven by Alex Bowman, hard into the wall after being clipped by Cole Custer’s spinning No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford. Bowman spoke to reporters after being checked out at the medical center. It marked the seventh time in the last nine races, however, that the perennial championship contender Bowman has finished 25th or worse.

With 11 races remaining in the regular season, Byron holds a 41-point lead over Larson in the championship points standings. There have been nine race winners. Team Penske’s Austin Cindric currently holds the 16th and final spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs point standings.

The NASCAR Cup Series will make its first international points-paying trip next weekend with Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at Mexico City’s renowned Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course (3 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, MAX).

In many ways, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports group were the team of the day at Michigan International Speedway. Byron led a race-high 98 of 200 laps, won a stage, set the Xfinity Fastest Lap with a 37.30s trip around the two-mile oval and led in the closing stages of the race.

But in the end, there was something the No. 24 team didn’t execute as well as its rivals – fuel management – and it made all the difference.

Byron spent the bulk of Sunday’s final run in the shadow of Carson Hocevar, who led from laps 151 through 181 as he chased his first Cup win. But when Hocevar suffered an ill-timed flat tire, it was Byron that shot to the front.

From there, the two-time Championship 4 qualifier set the pace, but a challenge arose from behind, with Denny Hamlin chasing the North Carolinian down to challenge for the top spot.

With four laps to go, Hamlin prevailed. After a multi-lap battle with Byron, the Virginian finally snuck past with four laps to go and marched off to a victory in his 701st start.

Byron was forced to fight for second from there, defending against a hard-charging Chris Buescher. It was a disappointing result, but one the Daytona 500 winner could benefit from with the points haul.

Coming to the white flag, that quickly changed. Byron ran out of fuel and had to drive down to pit road for a splash of gas as he rolled off turn 4. He made it to the checkered flag, but wound up 28th at race’s end.

“We didn’t have enough,” Byron told Prime Video team after the race. “We [ran] out with a lap-and-a-half left. It was just trying to manage both, right? Trying to keep the lead, manage the gap and save fuel down the straights, on exit, and everything. We just didn’t.

“Ultimately, I guess [we maybe had] not as good mileage as the guys that were further back to start that fun. That’s just the way the cautions go and the nature of being closer to the front and burning more fuel.”

Despite the setback, Byron didn’t lose many points at day’s end. Aided by stage points, the Hendrick Motorsports star tallied 29 points, the 12th-highest points haul on the day. He left Michigan with his regular season championship lead intact.

In the end, Byron didn’t even feel that bad about the loss. Given the way the race came undone, the 27-year-old wasn’t sure what he could have done differently.

“That one you can’t really do a lot about,” Byron said. “It sucks. It really stings, but we had a really good car. I thought we executed well. It seemed like we waited a little on fuel [during] the last stop.

“[We] just burned more. Not able to do much about that. It is what it is.”

BROOKLYN, MI — In a weekend full of speed, where the rubber literally meets the road, three winners came out on top at Michigan International Speedway: Brenden Queen, Stewart Friesen and Denny Hamlin.

Queen won the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 200 on Friday, June 6. Corey Heim came home in second with a 0.313-second margin of victory in the 100-lap race.

To see the full gallery from Friday click here.

On Saturday, Friesen won the Craftsman Truck Series DQS Solutions and Staffing 250 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics.

The truck race was scheduled for 125 laps, but after nine cautions and three overtimes, it ended in 139. The total distance covered was 278 miles, the most in any Truck Series race in series history.

To see the full gallery from Saturday click here.

In addition to taking home the first-place prize on Sunday, Hamlin also earned Toyota the Michigan Heritage Trophy by winning the race. It’s the second year in a row Toyota has won the award.

Hamlin topped Chris Buescher and Ty Gibbs to win the 200-lap race.

To see the full gallery from Sunday, click here. For more stories from the weekend, click here.