700 races, seven Cup Series championships, and 83 Victory Lane visits in 22 years. Jimmie Johnson’s journey with Hendrick Motorsports is the type of legend that little children go to sleep hearing with a wondrous glint in their eyes. But it ought not to be forgotten that his tale would not have become what it is if not for a loyal friend, companion, and crew chief in Chad Knaus.

When Johnson signed with Rick Hendrick’s organization, he was poised to be their fourth driver. He mentioned in a recent conversation with Before The Lights that the No. 48 team was already filled with the energy of young talent and ambition before he made it in. And once he walked through the doors, that energy only went up through the roof.

Johnson said, “Whatever energy or vibe was there, we created it. There was so much ownership in it, and man, we did so much in a short period of time.” He continued to explain that a core group of people had surrounded him throughout his career, and the continual relationship he had with them is the biggest reason for his success.

The most important of them all is Knaus. Knaus and Johnson worked together as driver and crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports. They won five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010, and two more after that. Johnson looked back at their time together and could only be grateful to the man for everything he’d done.

“But there’s one man that really led the team for all that (time we were together),” he said, referring to Knaus. “17 of my 19 full-time years, and he’s like a — I guess I have two younger brothers — he’s like a fourth or third brother to me.” Despite their success together and Johnson’s tryst with continuity, he couldn’t end his career with Knaus as his crew chief.

He added, “Unfortunately, we got to a point where we spent more time fighting, and our team owner had to say, ‘Alright. Enough of you guys. I’m going to have to separate you.’ I wish we could have made it those final two years together before I moved on to IndyCar. But people and consistency have been the bottom line for my success.”

The pain of separation was healed when they were both inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame together as a part of the Class of 2024. It was the perfect culmination of their long and storied partnership in the Cup Series. They remain close friends to this day.

LONG POND, Pa. — (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR’s most popular crew chief.

He’s certainly an undefeated one.

Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway.

“It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,” Earnhardt said. “And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.”

Earnhardt — who won NASCAR’s most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville.

Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday.

“Lot of fun for me today,” Earnhardt said. “I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don’t get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn’t really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.”

Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad’s arms.

“I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.”

The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut.

Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall.

His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International.

Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops.

“Midway through the race man, I was feeling it,” Earnhardt said.

Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second.

“Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,” Zilisch said. “Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.”

Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt.

“I don’t know that I see myself doing it again,” he said.

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

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar has revealed what prompted him to make a controversial comment about Mexico City on a live stream that led his team, Spire Motorsports, to hand him a $50,000 fine. This comes after Newsweek Sports reported his statement on X, where he shared his regret for his comment.

Hocevar came under fire after the race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez after he called Mexico City a “s**t hole” on a Twitch live stream. Following the action taken by his team, Hocevar has revealed that the comment did not reflect his own opinion but was reflective of what he had heard.

Acknowledging his mistake of not having done his homework, the 22-year-old driver spoke to Cup Scene during the pre-race presser at Pocono Raceway. He said:

“The issue wasn’t for the team having their kind of frustrations, not that I’m giving my opinion and putting it out there. It’s just the fact that, you know, my opinion wasn’t my opinion. It was just based off everybody else, you know, that I’ve heard or seen, right? I didn’t go do my own homework and voice my own opinion.

“I didn’t give it a shot, you know? I didn’t give it a chance – I didn’t go walk around, I didn’t go see. And when I did, you know, hindsight’s 20/20. Then I had my own opinion, but I had already put it out there.

“I think that was the biggest thing. I wasn’t doing what I pride myself on—having my own opinion, putting it out there, and being me. I just didn’t give it a fair shot. That’s where it all stems from.”

Newsweek Sports reported a statement posted by Spire Motorsports on X, announcing the action against Hocevar for his comment. It stated:

“After a thorough internal review of Carson Hocevar’s recent livestream remarks about Mexico City, and in close consultation with NASCAR, Spire Motorsports is issuing the following disciplinary measures:

“A $50,000 fine, which will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities:
– Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross) – providing humanitarian and medical relief across Mexico.
– Un Kilo de Ayuda – a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early-childhood development in rural communities.
– Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico) – funding local NGOs that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

“Mandatory cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training to be completed by Carson Hocevar.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel. Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.

“Spire Motorsports has informed NASCAR of these penalties, and NASCAR has confirmed that our team-imposed discipline satisfies the sanctioning body’s requirements. Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity.

“We look forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.”

NASCAR’s first international race in decades proved to be a dominant afternoon for Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen.

Six-time MotoGP world champ beat brother Alex and Fabio Di Giannantonio to sweep podium for local manufacturer Ducati.

Ducati’s Marc Marquez won the Italian Grand Prix after a dogfight for podium places at the Mugello Circuit, taking the chequered flag ahead of his brother Alex to maintain his iron grip on the MotoGP riders’ championship.

Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez briefly led the race early on Sunday before Marc took control, while Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Racing claimed third place after snatching the final podium spot from his Italian compatriot Francesco Bagnaia.

Home favourite Bagnaia also led the race in the initial stages, but the factory Ducati rider, who had won the last three races at Mugello, was overshadowed by the Marquez brothers and could only finish fourth in front of his home fans.

Marc Marquez’s victory was also the 93rd win of his career across all classes, matching his motorcycle number, and the Spaniard celebrated by planting a Ducati flag in front of the home fans who once saw him as a rival when he was with Honda.

“Amazing feeling … three Ducatis on the podium, to win here [at Mugello] in the red,” said Marc, who now leads Alex by 40 points while Bagnaia is 110 points back in third.

“I already understood this morning that was super special for them, even for me, because I feel part of them. Super happy.

“We managed the race … I was calm and then when the tyres dropped a bit, I started to give everything. Happy to take the 37 points in this amazing weekend.”

Fresh from claiming his historic 100th career pole with a blistering lap record and Saturday’s unlikely sprint victory, Marc found himself locked in a fraternal battle with Alex – a running theme this season.

The opening laps unfolded as a masterclass in close-quarter racing between the two factory Ducati machines – their special Italian Renaissance livery flashing through Mugello’s sweeping turns – while Alex stayed on their tails.

Bagnaia denied victory at home race

The crowd erupted when Bagnaia briefly snatched the lead from Marc after turn one, but what followed was high-speed drama as they traded positions, occasionally making heart-stopping contact with each other.

Disaster nearly struck when Bagnaia, pushing his bike to the limit, touched Marc’s rear tyre as he was forced to brake hard and surrender his position to Alex.

Fans in the grandstand witnessed a spectacular moment when all three riders thundered into turn one abreast, a three-wide gamble that saw Alex briefly seize control, drop to third on the brakes and then reclaim the lead moments later on the exit.

But Marc eventually broke free, leaving brother Alex to doggedly defend second position against a relentless Bagnaia.

However, the Italian did not have the late-race pace to catch up, and he was soon forced to defend the final podium place, with Di Giannantonio looking to upstage his compatriot.

With two laps to go, Di Giannantonio made his move on turn seven as he squeezed past the two-time champion and raced away to claim his first podium finish at Mugello.

“I knew that I had to risk a lot to take him, but at the end, the last lap, I said, ‘OK, let’s go for it,’ and we’ve done it,” Di Giannantonio said.

“My first podium in MotoGP Mugello, in front of this fantastic group of fans.”

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Carson Hocevar walked around Pocono Raceway without a scratch on his face. His polo shirt looked more tailored than tattered and the Spire Motorsports driver was ready to race rather than rumble.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hadn’t socked Hocevar with a right hook quite yet — hot on the heels of Stenhouse’s threat to beat up his racing rival after last weekend’s race in Mexico City — leaving the next shot at any potential retaliation inside or outside the cars set for Sunday’s NASCAR race.

Hocevar should walk with his head on a swivel because Stenhouse can throw a right hook.

Just ask Kyle Busch, who suffered a crushing TKO loss when he clashed with Stenhouse after last year’s All-Star race.

Get ready! The Pounding at Pocono could be just another round in the ongoing feud between Stenhouse and Hocevar.

“He probably will be looking over his shoulder for a long time,” Stenhouse said Saturday at Pocono. “We’ll see how that goes.”

Hocevar has to look over his shoulder — and for that charging Chevrolet in his rearview mirror.

“The scorecard has it that I I’m getting something from the 47 at some point, right? And I think my team and everybody kind of knows that,” Hocevar said.

Their beef has little chance of getting squashed any time soon, a dispute that started three races ago when Hocevar wrecked Stenhouse early at Nashville. Hocevar sent Stenhouse spinning last week in Mexico City, which ignited the postrace melee on pit road.

Stenhouse seemed to grab at Hocevar as he spoke to him, then slapped at his helmet as Stenhouse walked away.

Hocevar’s in-car camera captured audio of the confrontation.

“I’m going to beat your (behind),” Stenhouse threatened. “You’re a lap down, you’ve got nothing to do. Why you run right into me? It’s the second time. I’m going to beat your (behind) when we get back to the States.”

Hocevar avoided a smackdown from Stenhouse but his Spire team hit him where it hurts — a $50,000 fine on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a livestream as NASCAR raced there last weekend.

At just 23 and in his second full Cup season, Hocevar has whipped himself into a flurry of unwanted attention, continuing a trend that started last year when even veteran Denny Hamlin chimed in and said NASCAR had “ to do something to Carson.”

Stenhouse might do it on behalf of the sanctioning body with his fist or even his No. 47 Chevrolet.

Hocevar conceded, yes, payback may be imminent and the time to talk out their lingering issues is over.

Yet, Hocevar pleaded: “It’s not an open hunting season on the 77 because of these incidents.”

Hocevar stamped his own target on his back. With his aggressive racing. With his ignorant words.

“Just because I do something in the heat of the moment or maybe, you know, you do it two or three times, doesn’t mean I’m not hard on myself for those mistakes because they are mistakes,” he said. “It’s just trying not to make that a pattern. But when you’re constantly making aggressive moves like we’re doing, it’s balancing that fine line of, you know, you make a thousand moves a day. Just unfortunately, what people remember isn’t always the good ones. You always remember the negative ones.”

Case in point, Hocevar walked back his derisive comments about Mexico after he actually experienced the culture of the country following NASCAR’s foray into a new Cup Series market.

“I didn’t give it a shot. I didn’t give it a chance,” Hocevar said. “I didn’t go walk around. I didn’t go see it. When I did, you know, then hindsight’s 20/20, then I have my own opinion. But I’ve already put it out there.”

Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

He can be thankful he gets a shot at another race. Stenhouse’s spotter, Tab Boyd, was fired this week by HYAK Motorsports in the wake of an unflattering social media post about his experience in Mexico.

“That’s above my paygrade,” Stenhouse said.

The biggest KO so far came in the standings, where Stenhouse has been flattened in just three weeks from 13th in points in the thick of playoff contention before Nashville to 21st entering Pocono. Hocevar is one point ahead of Stenhouse in the standings.

“That’s the thing that hurts worse for our team is just where it’s put us,” Stenhouse said.

Stenhouse’s trash talk more worthy of UFC hype could put him in hot water should he actually deliver on his vowed retribution and take out Hocevar.

If it comes to a point where NASCAR dishes out a monetary punishment, it’s OK, the 2023 Daytona 500 champion could afford his fine. He just sold his North Carolina estate for $12.2 million, the highest-priced residential sale ever recorded in the greater Charlotte metro area.

“It’s been a big week. We’ve had a lot going on,” Stenhouse said, laughing.

He’d rather talk real estate than about the space and time wasted thinking about Hocevar.

“I’m just honestly tired of talking about the kid,” Stenhouse said.

Tired of the talk? Sure. Of the action? Not just yet.

“Eventually it’ll all come together at some point,” Stenhouse said. “I’m not sure when or how. But it will.”

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

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press