Motorsports
Kevin Harvick names 2 NASCAR drivers that must win quickly or else
Kevin Harvick has watched with a keen eye throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. While some drivers have multiple wins on the year, like Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, there’s a couple winless wheelmen who are in danger of falling deeper and deeper into a slump in 2025. The former Cup Series […]

Kevin Harvick has watched with a keen eye throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. While some drivers have multiple wins on the year, like Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, there’s a couple winless wheelmen who are in danger of falling deeper and deeper into a slump in 2025.
The former Cup Series champion has his focus squarely on two drivers who have also lifted the trophy at the end of a season. Harvick thinks it’s paramount that Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch return to Victory Lane sooner rather than later.
“The few cars that I think really need to win are the No. 9 [Chase Elliott]. The No. 9 needs a win. I think, for them to keep their confidence level where they are, I think Chase Elliott has to win,” Harvick proclaimed, via Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. “I think that’s the expectation that he has, the team has, the organization and [Crew Chief] Alan [Gustafson] have. They’re consistent. They’re finishing races. They’re dotting i’s. All the things that they need to do, but they’re not winning. I believe that if they don’t win soon, that frustration is going to build.
“The other one is the No. 8 [Kyle Busch]. I think that if Kyle Busch, if that doesn’t stabilize, with everything that we’ve talked about with contracts and this and that, I think that could boil over, before it’s all said and done, if there’s not some bright spots pretty quickly.”
While Elliott hasn’t been to Victory Lane in 2025, he’s been among the more consistent wheelmen in the series. He’s currently P4 in the overall standings, amassing six top tens, three top fives and 74 laps led this season. He doesn’t have a DNF, but he also doesn’t have a top three finish. His top mark was P4 twice, at the Circuit of the Americas and Martinsville Speedway.
One thing working against Elliott has been the performance of his teammates. William Byron and Larson have passed the former champion by, finding Victory Lane on a more consistent basis. If Alex Bowman goes on a winning streak, the pressure will be turned up even more for the Dawsonville, Georgia native.
On the other hand, the downfall of Busch has been highly publicized over the past couple of seasons. While his time at Richard Childress Racing started off with a bang, the two-time champion winning three races during the first half of the 2023 season, it hasn’t been smooth sailing ever since for the No. 8 team.
His streak of winning at least one race a year came to an end in 2024, and he hasn’t been as competitive as he’d like in 2025. Busch is currently P17 in points, with four top tens and one top five to go along with 62 laps led on his resume so far. His best finish came at the Circuit of the Americas, where Busch came home P5 after leading a litany of laps, before he was caught by the aforementioned Bell.
Evaluating the landscape, it’s easy to see why Kevin Harvick believes Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch need to get to Victory Lane sooner rather than later in 2025. Whether it happens remains to be seen, but two of the more talented, popular wheelmen in the sport falling by the wayside once again would be a major disappointment for fans and media members alike.
Motorsports
Roller Coaster Regular-Season Championship Battle Heads to Sonoma
Six races ago, William Byron looked like a near-certain lock to win the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship, and the 15 bonus Playoff Points that go along with it. However, heading into Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, Byron is anything but a lock to take the opening 26-race crown. Related: NASCAR Cup Series […]

Six races ago, William Byron looked like a near-certain lock to win the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship, and the 15 bonus Playoff Points that go along with it. However, heading into Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, Byron is anything but a lock to take the opening 26-race crown.
Related: NASCAR Cup Series Point Standings After Chicago
Byron comes into the 1.99-mile road course in Wine Country, fresh off the disappointment of a last-place (40th) finish in the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Course after he suffered a clutch failure on the opening lap of the race in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
The latest rough outing equaled the fourth finish of 27th-or-worse for Byron over the last five races, which has allowed the battle for the regular-season championship to intensify with just seven races until the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin.
After a fifth-place run in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, Byron extended his regular-season championship lead to 49 points over Kyle Larson, while Christopher Bell (-87), Denny Hamlin (-104), Chase Elliott (-105), and Tyler Reddick (-118) seemed completely out of contention.
Fast forward to the here and now, and the only driver from that grouping who appears to be a drastic longshot to contend for the regular-season championship is Bell, who ranks sixth, and is 67 points behind Byron.
Elliott, Larson, Hamlin, and Reddick have all clawed to within 50 points of Byron, and with a recent surge in performances, Elliott finds himself just 13 points behind Byron going into Sunday’s race.
While Byron has faltered in recent weeks, the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has yet to finish a race outside of the top-20 this season, and a 16th-place result last weekend at the Chicago Street Course marked the driver’s worst finish since another 16th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway at the beginning of May.
Over the last four races, which included Elliott’s first trip to victory lane since last season, the Dawsonville, GA native has recorded an average finish of 6.25. For sure the momentum seems to be swinging in Elliott’s direction, and Sonoma Raceway is a track that suits Elliott’s driving style quite well. While Elliott hasn’t scored any of his seven career NASCAR Cup Series road course wins at the California track, but aside from an engine failure at Sonoma in 2019, Elliott has been ultra-consistent at the track.
When you remove the 37th-place finish due to the engine failue, Elliott has averaged a finish of 7.43 through his other seven career starts at the track, and he comes into this weekend’s race on a back-to-back top-five finishing streak at Sonoma Raceway.
Larson, who sits just 19 points behind Byron, has the best track record at Sonoma of any of the regular-season championship contenders. Larson is the defending winner of this event, and he has found victory lane at Sonoma Raceway twice in 10 attempts.
While Hamlin (-43 points) isn’t known as much of a road racer, the third-place driver in the championship standings is coming off of a fourth-place result at the Chicago Street Course following a last-place start to that event. He also has four top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish to Tony Stewart in 2016, and seven top-10s. The only potential issue for Hamlin is mechanical stability.
The driver blew an engine in his opening lap of practice last week in Chicago, and he blew an engine at the end of the opening lap of this race a season ago. If his engine can hold together though, he could have a decent result on Sunday.
Reddick (-48 points), who hails from Corning, CA, hasn’t had the best career record at Sonoma Raceway, but he is widely regarded as one of the best road racers in the NASCAR Cup Series. Reddick’s career-best finish at Sonoma did come last year in the form of an eighth-place finish after he led 35 laps in the race. Perhaps last year’s effort, coupled with some newfound momentem (back-to-back top-five finishes at Atlanta and Chicago) is the signal that he’s ready for a big breakthrough on Sunday.
While all of the aforementioned drivers come into the race on some sort of hot streak or established past success at Sonoma, Byron doesn’t.
In addition to his rough five-race skid that he enters this weekend, Byron has just one top-10 finish through six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, and has a career average finish of just 22.0.
With all of this being considered, there’s a very realistic chance that Byron, who has led the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings for 16 of the 19 races in 2025, walks out of Sonoma not as the point leader.
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Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports Artifact of the Week: Wining and winning at Sonoma Raceway and beyond
CONCORD, N.C. – A native of Elk Grove, California, there’s no doubt Kyle Larson has long felt at home at Sonoma Raceway, a feeling only amplified by his two career wins there. The truth is, Hendrick Motorsports has been a force at the Wine Country road course for decades as its eight NASCAR Cup Series victories […]

CONCORD, N.C. – A native of Elk Grove, California, there’s no doubt Kyle Larson has long felt at home at Sonoma Raceway, a feeling only amplified by his two career wins there.
The truth is, Hendrick Motorsports has been a force at the Wine Country road course for decades as its eight NASCAR Cup Series victories there are the most all time. Vice Chairman and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon, remains the circuit’s all time winningest driver with five.
Yep, one could say Hendrick Motorsports’ prowess at Sonoma has aged like … well, fine wine. And that got our archivist, Sam Ulrich, thinking …
Ulrich, as you know by now, is the guardian of cool things on our Concord, North Carolina, campus. And it should come as no surprise, that he once again found the perfect items to showcase as NASCAR returns to the Napa Valley.
See, the vino hasn’t been limited to Sonoma victories. Hendrick Motorsports has several bottles lying around in archives. Pictured above are two, given to the organization as gifts from Richard Childress, as congratulations for winning the 2005 (Gordon) and 2006 (Jimmie Johnson) DAYTONA 500s. Also pictured is a bottle given as a prize for Gordon’s win in the inaugural race at the now defunct Auto Club Speedway. Finally, a wine glass presented to Larson for his Sonoma win last year.
So, we’re betting there’s a few wine connoisseurs who are also NASCAR fans?
We hope so, because we’ve got just the thing for you!
By now, hopefully, you know the rules. Take on ol’ Sam’s trivia quiz posted above, account for one of the week’s best scores and be automatically entered into a drawing for a prize.
This week, we’re providing a vessel for our wine sippers to use: A Hendrick Motorsports 40th Anniversary 16-ounce silicone tumbler. Drop it, bend it, throw it – it’s virtually indestructible and it can be yours next week!
And hey, if you don’t win, remember they can be purchased in our team store!

And hey, we’re feeling generous this week, so how about a couple of diecasts too? Say, one of Kyle Larson from 2023 and another of Chase Elliott from 2022?
Remember, the quiz will open on Thursday and will run through 11:45 p.m. on Monday night. Entries are limited to one per device.
Good luck!
Motorsports
Van Gisbergen Outruns Zilisch for Sonoma Xfinity Pole
For the second straight weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is being given a treat, with another head-to-head battle between teammates Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch, teammates at both JR Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing. After Friday’s qualifying session at Sonoma Raceway, the early advantage has to go to Van Gisbergen, after the Auckland, New Zealand-native […]

For the second straight weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is being given a treat, with another head-to-head battle between teammates Shane Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch, teammates at both JR Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing.
After Friday’s qualifying session at Sonoma Raceway, the early advantage has to go to Van Gisbergen, after the Auckland, New Zealand-native scored the pole for the Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 200.
With a stellar lap time of 75.259 seconds (95.191mph), Van Gisbergen was able to secure his fifth career pole in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, beating teammate Zilisch by nearly a quarter-second on his fastest lap.
“Qualifying, to be front row for our team, thank you to JR Motorsports, our car is really, really good,” Van Gisbergen said after qualifying. “Yeah, I was having fun out there, and awesome to have my friends from Australia, Quad Lock, back on the car, and yeah, looking forward to the race tomorrow.”
Van Gisbergen has been untouchable in his limited time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season, winning the pole and the race last weekend at the Chicago Street Course in the No. 9 for JR Motorsports, a feat he looks to accomplish once again on Saturday.
Connor Zilisch will roll from the outside of the front row in Saturday’s event at Sonoma Raceway, as the JR Motorsports full-timer looks to collect his third victory of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign.
Van Gisbergen and Zilisch were the two favorites coming into the event, and have proven exactly why that is with their 1-2 starting positions.
Sam Mayer will start from third in the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Haas Factory Team, while Jesse Love will roll from fourth place. William Sawalich was the fastest driver in the first group, and his lap time held up for a top-five starting spot.
Sammy Smith, Carson Kvapil, Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, and Justin Allgaier completed the top-10. All five entries from JR Motorsports will occupy a starting spot from inside the first five rows.
STARTING LINEUP: 2025 NXS Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250
Just outside the top-10 was Taylor Gray, who will have to drop to the rear of the field at the start of Saturday’s event. Gray told The CW that Joe Gibbs Racing will have to change the engine on his No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra before the race.
“Yeah, we’re going to have to swap motors here tonight or in the morning,” Gray said. “We blew up there in qualifying, but super proud of my Joe Gibbs Racing guys. We’re going to put some work in and get it changed, and have to come from the back tomorrow.”
Blaine Perkins and Anthony Alfredo put together some solid runs for their underfunded teams, Jordan Anderson Racing and Young’s Motorsports, qualifying 12th and 13th.
Other notables include Riley Herbst (15th), Austin Hill (16th), Christian Eckes (21st), Nick Sanchez (23rd), Ryan Sieg (29th), and Daniel Dye (31st).
With 39 drivers entered in Saturday’s 200-mile contest from Sonoma, only one driver was forced to pack up and head home prior to the green flag.
Austin J. Hill, driving the No. 35 Chevrolet for Joey Gase Motorsports, was forced to pack up, and will not make his series debut at Sonoma.
The Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 200 at Sonoma Raceway will take place on Saturday, July 12 at 4:30pm ET on The CW, Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.-
Motorsports
What to know about Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250
NASCAR’s rising stars are hitting Sonoma Raceway for just the third time ever. The Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 is gearing up to run at Sonoma Raceway on July 12. Here’s what you need to know about the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Shop PitBoss/Food Maxx 250 tickets Tickets for NASCAR Xfinity Series Sonoma race NASCAR Weekend Pass: […]

NASCAR’s rising stars are hitting Sonoma Raceway for just the third time ever.
The Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 is gearing up to run at Sonoma Raceway on July 12.
Here’s what you need to know about the NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
Shop PitBoss/Food Maxx 250 tickets
Tickets for NASCAR Xfinity Series Sonoma race
NASCAR Weekend Pass: Get the full NASCAR race weekend experience. The NASCAR Weekend Pass includes admission to three races along with practice and qualifying for the ARCA Menards Series West, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 (July 12): Don’t miss NASCAR’s up-and-coming stars as they take on Sonoma Raceway’s famed road course for the third time ever for the Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250.
Promotions, discounts for NASCAR Xfinity Series Sonoma race
Kids tickets: Kids 12 and under get in free for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series West races at Sonoma with a ticketed adult. Kids can also get into the NASCAR Cup Series race for $10 with a ticketed adult. NOTE: Limit two per ticketed adult. Tickets and credentials are required for gate entry for children age 12 and under.
College tickets: College students, using their .edu email address, will be able to access discounted tickets for the NASCAR race. There is a limit of four tickets per customer.
Hero ticket offer from GOVX: GOVX is thrilled to offer exclusive, special pricing on select NASCAR tickets for you and your family. This special offer is reserved for our heroes — Military personnel, first responders (Firefighters, EMS, EMTs), law enforcement, teachers and other government service personnel. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience the thrill of NASCAR at a fraction of the cost. Verify your eligibility today through GOVX and secure your tickets.
Weather guarantee: If weather postpones a NASCAR race held at a Speedway Motorsports venue and a ticket holder is unable to attend on the rescheduled date, the Weather Guarantee provides a ticket credit toward a future NASCAR race at any Speedway Motorsports venue.
Shop Sonoma NASCAR tickets
NASCAR driver autograph schedule for July 12 at Sonoma Raceway
NASCAR drivers will be signing autographs in the souvenir trailers this weekend, including July 12.
- Visit participating drivers NASCAR souvenir haulers for details on securing an autograph
- A wristband may be required to attend certain Driver Autograph Sessions
- Wristbands will be distributed by the souvenir trailers or appearance location and a purchase may be required
All times Pacific
Sammy Smith: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer
Justin Allgaier: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer
Carson Kvapil: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer
Conner Zilisch: 11:05 a.m. at Hendrick Motorsports Merchandise Trailer
Cole Custer: 1 p.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer
Ryan Preece: 1:30 p.m. at Ford Performance Merchandise Trailer
When is NASCAR Sonoma race?
The Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 is set for 3:30 p.m. CT on July 12 at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California.
NASCAR Sonoma race TV channel
The Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sonoma race will be broadcast on The CW.
Shop NASCAR Sonoma tickets
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Motorsports
Toyota-Save Mart 350: NASCAR returns to Sonoma Raceway this weekend for thousands of fans
SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — In the North Bay, the unmistakable roar of engines can be heard for miles this weekend. NASCAR is returning to Sonoma Raceway and thousands of racing fans are in Wine Country for all the thrills. You’ve really got to hear it to believe it. NASCAR weekend is back at Sonoma […]

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — In the North Bay, the unmistakable roar of engines can be heard for miles this weekend. NASCAR is returning to Sonoma Raceway and thousands of racing fans are in Wine Country for all the thrills.
You’ve really got to hear it to believe it. NASCAR weekend is back at Sonoma Raceway.
“This is something you just don’t hear, but you also feel,” said Scott Cooper from Sonoma Raceway.
Those feels might make it the most immersive experience you can have at a sports event.
“It’s been a tradition for us,” said James Green.
MORE: Bay Area sisters to start their engines in NHRA drag racing at Sonoma Raceway
Green From American Canyon brought his three kids and their ear protection.
“It’s a must. It’s pretty loud. You’ve got to protect the kid’s ears,” Green said.
“This year is the only NASCAR race weekend in the state of California, so that makes a special weekend even more special,” Cooper said.
Cars and drivers are on the move every which way at the track and fans converging from near and far.
Dale and Beth Hoeper from Fort Bragg brought the love for their favorite driver, Elk Grove-native Kyle Larson who’s going for his third victory as a cup series driver and defending winner from last year.
MORE: NASCAR unveils electric SUV, but the race series isn’t giving gasoline the boot
“We used to live in Sacramento, so he’s our hometown guy. It’s a huge crowd and everyone so everyone is friendly, respectful, kind, and the vibe is wonderful,” said Beth Hoeper.
If you can’t qualify for the track, there’s always a racing simulator fans can try out.
The weather was toasty, but there’s lots of shade for the fans.
“We’ve got strategically placed tent structures and water stations to keep people cool. The race fans are a hearty bunch. They’re kind of used to this,” Cooper said.
The big event is Sunday with the Toyota-Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series. The raceway says 40,000 fans are expected and tickets are still available.

Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Motorsports
Audio brand JBL becomes an official partner of the “TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League” sponsored by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.
Harman International Inc. has announced that JBL, one of the world’s largest audio brands, has become an official partner of the ” TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League ” sponsored by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (hereinafter referred to as TGR). The league aims to nurture young racing drivers through Gran Turismo 7, and is expected to promote the […]

Harman International Inc. has announced that JBL, one of the world’s largest audio brands, has become an official partner of the ” TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League ” sponsored by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (hereinafter referred to as TGR). The league aims to nurture young racing drivers through Gran Turismo 7, and is expected to promote the development of e-sports and real-world racing.
JBL, which has been researching sound for nearly 80 years, has become an official partner of the “TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League”!

“JBL” has been conducting research and development in all aspects of sound for nearly 80 years. Sound is what makes movies, games, and sports exciting. As an audio brand that delivers such excitement to the ear, JBL has been creating systems that provide great sound in offices, homes, automobiles, and mobile devices.
“e-Motorsports ” promoted by TGR, a new sponsor, is one of the e-sports categories that are rapidly expanding on a global scale, allowing anyone to enjoy motor sports in a game. Because of its high affinity with real life, some racing drivers from e-Motorsports are also active in real motorsports.
JBL signed an official partnership agreement with TGR this time because JBL shares the same future-oriented approach of e-Motorsports activities to nurture young racing drivers. JBL also has a long history of providing OEM audio systems for TOYOTA vehicles. This is expected to broaden the appeal of the “sound experience” in real cars to fans of e-motorsports.
JBL will work to create contact with the fans through promotional collaboration at events and campaigns, while at the same time working to ensure that the high-quality audio experience created by JBL’s technology will enrich their daily lives and time spent in mobility.
We look forward to seeing e-Motorsports transcend virtual boundaries and produce promising young racers for the future. This is an activity that not only fans of Gran Turismo 7, but also actual racers should pay attention to.
For more information about the competition and the rewards, please visit the official TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League special site.
Tournament Outline
Online Qualifying | |
---|---|
Name | TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League Qualifier |
Eligibility | Applicants must be born between April 2, 2010 and April 1, 2015 and reside in Japan to become a racing driver in the real world of motorsports. |
Period | July 31, 2025 (Thursday) 16:00 – August 13, 2025 (Wednesday) 23:59 |
Holding method | Time trial format in Gran Turismo 7 software for PS5 or PS4 |
Car Type | GR Supra Racing Concept ’18 |
Course | Fuji Speedway (in Gran Turismo 7) |
Offline Final | |
---|---|
Name | TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League Final |
Eligibility | Top 12 qualifiers of the TGR e-Motorsports Challenge League |
Schedule | October 5, 2025 (Sunday) |
Venue | Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology (4-1-35 Noritake Shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Nagoya City) |
Method | Race format in the “Gran Turismo 7” software for PS5 or PS4 |
Type of car and course | To be announced in the program on the day of the final, along with the regulations. |
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