Today, Spire Motorsports announced road-racing standout Thomas Annunziata will pilot the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series inaugural visit to Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park where TOP LINER will be showcased as the team’s primary sponsor.

Annunziata brings over nine years of competitive experience, spanning multiple division’s including karting, sports cars, Trans Am and NASCAR’s developmental divisions. The newly minted 20-year-old looks to build on his well-established road-racing acumen and to carry that experience into his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at the mile-and-a-half, seven-turn Lime Rock Park layout.

“It’s a dream to race for a top team in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for my debut race,” said Annunziata. “Spire Motorsports is one of the elite teams and I hope to get them another win.”

The Colts Neck, N.J., native, has carved a swift path through the road-racing ranks, having made a name for himself in Trans Am and IMSA-sanctioned events. He began karting at age 10, ascended to the senior class by 2021 and was ranked among the world’s top karters that season.

The three-time national karting champion transitioned to sports cars in 2022, where he swept both SCCA Spec Miata and Mazda Motorsports Spec MX5 Challenge titles and earned the $75,000 Mazda MX5 Cup Shootout scholarship. The Trans Am paddock took notice that same year when Annunziata earned a podium finish at Circuit of the Americas in just his second-career CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series start.

In 2023, Annunziata became the only rookie to capture a pole position and win in TA2 competition. He went on to claim the series’ Young Guns Champion award in 2024 while balancing ARCA Menards Series’ duties that included a runner-up finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and a strong run at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Those efforts opened the door to a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with Cope Family Racing in 2025. Meanwhile Annunziata continues to compete full time in the Trans Am TA2 Series where he’s notched victories at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
 
“Thomas drove for us in the Trans Am car and was on pace immediately,” said Claudio Burtin, Owner at TOP LINER and Team Principal at Burtin Racing. “He showed some unique car control. We look forward to mixing it up with the truck regulars and more to come!”

The LiUNA 150 at Lime Rock Park will be televised live on FOX Saturday, June 28, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

Spire Motorsports PR

NASCAR drivers have shared their excitement at the new in-season tournament set to begin from the next race, especially considering the impressive $1 million prize money.

The upcoming five races in the Cup Series will be treated as a tournament, and the seedings have been set after the race at Pocono. With a 32-driver field, each one will be slotted according to their best finish in Michigan, Mexico, and Pocono.

NASCAR drivers compete in five head-to-head races starting from the next round. Each winner will advance to the following round, with the field narrowing until the tournament winner is declared. After the race in Atlanta, the field will narrow down to 16 drivers, then to 8 following the race in Chicago.

After the race at Sonoma, only 4 drivers will remain, and after the round at Dover, two drivers will battle at Indianapolis for the grand prize. These races will be separate from the regular Cup Series races.

Joey Logano loved the idea of a mid-season tournament, given the extra bit of excitement it would bring to a regular NASCAR season. He said:

“Yeah, I love it. I think it’s great. I think it’s placed perfectly where it is in the season. This is kind of that moment where the newness has worn off, right? Like we’re into the rhythm. We’re racing every week.”

He added:

“It’s not like really the main story quite yet. So this really spices up the mid part of the season. We have a long season, so just kind of changing it up and adding something to it is great, and the in-season tournament, it’s cool.”

Chase Elliott said the idea was a great way to spice things up and welcomed the initiative to make the sport more exciting. He said:

“The season is so long, and anyway, you can spice up the year and have something else going on within our season is ultimately good not only for the fans but also for us.

“I think it’s exciting for us to have something else going on in any given weekend. It’s the first time we’ve done it, and I’m curious to see how it plays out. I think it’s a good addition, and I’m glad to see us try new things.”

Ryan Blaney admitted that the tournament was a unique concept to have mid-season. He said ahead of the race in Michigan:

“I think it’s a unique thing to have in the middle of the year. It’s definitely going to be something on people’s minds starting this week.

“Qualifiers are this week and it goes for three weeks, and then we get going. So, I think it’s in the back of people’s minds. I wasn’t sitting around this week like, ‘Alright, in-season tournament time.’ You just try to run the best you can, and then I think when you get into that five-week stretch of the tournament, you’re going to be aware of who you’re racing — like, who am I up against this week?

“You’re definitely going to be aware of that because there is a lot of money and pride if you win the thing. So, it’s like a five-week all-star race, kind of. You’re always going to be thinking about that.

“You can go the easy route and say, ‘Well, if I just win all five races, I’m going to beat everybody and win the deal.’ And I guess that’s a mindset you can have, for sure.”

Carlos Alcaraz, the rising star of tennis, created quite a stir during his trophy presentation at Queen’s Club, risking the wrath of a major sponsor due to a crucial blunder. The young Spaniard clinched victory over Jiri Lehecka in an impressive display, securing his second tournament win in three years and extending his winning streak to 18 matches. This outstanding performance sets him up with a red-hot form heading into Wimbledon.

Following his triumph, Alcaraz basked in the glory of the crowd’s applause during the trophy presentation. However, his moment of celebration was short-lived as he realized he had forgotten a significant detail – his Rolex watch. The 22-year-old hurriedly retrieved his £32,000 Rolex Daytona in yellow gold with a turquoise blue lacquer dial, a mandatory accessory as part of his £6 million annual deal as a Rolex ambassador.

Despite the initial mishap, Alcaraz managed to rectify the situation just in time for the photographs, ensuring the sponsor’s requirements were met. As he gears up to potentially defend his Wimbledon title, Alcaraz will need to be more vigilant to avoid any slip-ups in the future.

In a post-match statement, Alcaraz expressed his gratitude for the victory and praised his opponent, Jiri Lehecka, for an incredible performance. The young tennis sensation acknowledged the support of his team, family, and friends, emphasizing the importance of their presence both on and off the court.

Looking ahead, Alcaraz remains a strong contender for another Wimbledon title, despite being seeded second behind Jannik Sinner. Their recent showdown at the French Open final, hailed as one of the greatest, ended in Alcaraz’s favor, solidifying his position as a force to be reckoned with in the tennis world.

J.R. Gray extended his incredible run in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park, defeating Dmitry Samorukov in the final round to claim his third win in the past four races as part of this weekend’s American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals.

It was the sixth of 10 races during the 2025 NHRA Pro Mod season, and this weekend’s event was powered by DPFXFIT by GESi to close out the regular season in the category.

Gray closed out the regular season in style in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, continuing a dominant run with a pass of 5.787 seconds at 251.49 mph to defeat Samorukov, who had an unfortunate showing in the championship round.

Samorukov lost control shortly off the starting line, hitting the left guard wall. He crossed the center line and then hit the right guard wall before coming to a stop. Samorukov was alert and exited the car under his own power and was examined onsite by NHRA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Surface before being released.

For Gray, it was the latest moment in a terrific 2025 campaign, as he won for the third time this season and the fourth time in his career. It was also his fourth straight final-round appearance as Gray continues to impress this season.

“I just believe everybody has to catch up,” Gray said. “We’re putting time in day in and day out, and there’s always somebody working on these cars. This is four finals in a row for me, and we’ve been in every final round as a team this year, so we’re really ready.”

To reach the final round, Gray, who qualified second, defeated Doug Winters, Derek Menholt and Sidnei Frigo.

Before the final round, Samorukov enjoyed a strong weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park, qualifying No. 1 with a 5.764 at 249.39 and then defeating former world champions Mike Castellana and Mike Janis, and Stan Shelton to reach the championship round for the second time in his career.

The points will reset for the final four races, with Gray taking the points lead into the playoffs as he looks for his first Congruity NHRA Pro Mod world championship.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series opens its Road to the Championship playoffs as part of the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals on Aug. 27-Sept. 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

This story was originally published on June 23, 2025.