Motorsports

Cadillac is the Formula 1 team America has been waiting for

It was a big weekend for Formula 1 in America, with the world championship racing in Miami and announcing an extension to the circuit’s deal that will see it stay on the calendar until 2041. On the sidelines of the dramatic weekend of racing, American automaker Cadillac hosted a launch party for its incoming F1 […]

Published

2 weeks ago

May 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Formula 1 is making no secret of its desire to expand its reach in America. On the back of hit Netflix show Drive to Survive, the championship endeavoured to capitalise on the growing interest with new races in the US and a greater effort to woo American audiences.

Viewership in the US subsequently boomed, and the number of people tuning in to watch races on services like ESPN almost doubled between 2018 and 2024. What’s more, the on-track action and off-track spectacle around races in Miami, Las Vegas and Austin are proving that Formula 1’s fit with America is a natural one.

However, while fans descend on these grands prix in their thousands, the attending masses still don’t know what it’s like to watch an American team win a home race. This had to change if F1 wanted to prove that it was serious about attracting American motorsport fans.

Enter American automotive giant General Motors, which is counting down the days until the Cadillac F1 team makes its debut on the grid in 2026.

Cadillac logo

Photo by: Cadillac Communications

GM partnered with TWG Motorsports for the entry, which was finally approved over the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, and the side’s activities have steadily ramped up ever since. All manner of job postings have appeared on its site, an engine deal was inked with Ferrari for its inaugural season, and formal approval was finally granted for its 2026 entry earlier this year.

With work on the team and car rumbling away nicely behind the scenes, GM and TWG chose this weekend as the moment to launch the Cadillac squad and capture the hearts of American fans.

Before the team had so much as released the name of a driver it would field or shared a render of its 2026 challenger, Cadillac kicked off its entry into the world of Formula 1 with all the glitz and glam American fans have come to expect from the series.

At a launch party in Miami on Saturday, the General Motors-owned brand rolled out Michigan-born actor Terry Crews to kick off the festivities, invited American singer and actress Janelle Monae to perform, and began teasing its arrival on the F1 grid.

The event mirrored the polish that F1 strives for at American races like Las Vegas, and the sheer volume of gleaming chrome details and outfits that Cadillac teased during the event rivalled the Vegas shine as well.

The launch kicked the conversation about Cadillac’s F1 entry into overdrive, and fans are already engaged. During the event itself, the F1-obsessed crowded around to see who was invited. Some even called out to Cadillac executives to sign Mexican racer Sergio Perez to the team for the 2026 season.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

This is all playing into Cadillac’s hand in developing buzz around the new team. During a roundtable event over the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Dan Towriss – chief executive of TWG Motorsports, the umbrella company that houses Cadillac – went so far as to tell Motorsport.com that he “couldn’t be happier with the response to the Cadillac Formula 1 team.”

It’s reasonable to assume that the momentum behind the team will only increase from here and, over the ensuing months, the reasons for America to get behind the GM outfit will surely rise with it.

America loves a homegrown hero, especially one as proud of its roots as Cadillac clearly is. What’s more, sports fans across the US will always get behind an underdog, which Cadillac will be when it lines up against giants like Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull in 2026.

Up until this point, American F1 fans haven’t really had either. Supporting Haas can be an uphill battle with controversy seemingly following the side wherever it goes, and the next-nearest options would be Aston Martin with its Canadian backing or Red Bull thanks to its now-former driver Checo Perez.

But Cadillac will be hoping to out-American all of those, and team boss Graeme Lowdon acknowledged that “fans would love to see an American driver in an American team” when speaking with Motorsport.com earlier this year. The team boss has since attempted to temper expectations, adding that Cadillac will select its drivers “on merit” rather than the country on their passport.

Still, the excitement around an American side launching its campaign at an American race is palpable, and all kinds of work is going on behind the scenes at Cadillac’s various outposts across the US and Europe to best prepare it for the coming season.

The team is now racing to meet major deadlines like the first fire-up of its maiden F1 car, the planned end-of-January shakedown in Barcelona next year, and the 2026 season opener in Australia.

Before then, Cadillac just needs to assemble a team that can unite America’s love of motorsport, design a livery that screams “freedom” and create a car that rumbles like the thunder over Mount Rushmore.

After that, there’ll just be the small task of winning a race or two to secure its lifelong supporters. No biggie, then.

Photos from Miami GP – Race

Motorsports

It’s Time to Give North Wilkesboro a Point Race; It’s Earned One

After this past weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race festivities at North Wilkesboro Speedway, one thing became abundantly clear: the legendary short track, which has hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race in each of the last three seasons, deserves a NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race. And after Sunday’s race, there’s a chance, in year two of the track’s […]

Published

3 minutes ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

North Wilkesboro Speedway played host to an All-Star Race record 18 lead changes, and throughout the race, there was very little follow-the-leader, as side-by-side racing became the norm.

RESULTS: NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway

Christopher Bell, who took the win in Sunday’s All-Star Race over Joey Logano, explained that a mixture of progressive banking and a strange phenomenon with Goodyear’s soft tire compound allowed North Wilkesboro to put on such a great show this weekend.

“Man, that’s a million-dollar question right there. So definitely having the progressive banking is helping. It helps a lot,” Bell explained. “But whenever we go to other repaves, the track just stays really narrow and the track is very slippery until it rubbers up; and then once it rubbers up, it gains a lot of grip, and then if you get outside of the rubber, there is no grip.

“But here, for whatever reason, the rubber smears down and it gets really wide and the whole racetrack becomes usable. There might be a little bit of marbles at the very top of 3 and 4, but for the most part, you can run all over the racetrack.”

Bell also gave praise to the asphalt mixture that was utilized in the repave following the 2022 return of the track.

“The asphalt mixture is really good. Normally, when we get repaves, it’s single-file, and once that preferred groove rubbers in, that’s all you’ve got. For whatever reason, this asphalt mixture mixed with the progressive banking just makes a great racetrack.”

I’m not going to lie. Figuring out what definitively allowed Wilkesboro to do what no other short track can do currently, which is put on a good show with the Next Gen car, is certainly above my pay grade. But without a doubt, Sunday’s race passed the test as far as what a short track race could be with this seventh-generation NASCAR Cup Series car.

And in my opinion Sunday night’s All-Star Race, which was expected to be a snoozer, ended up being the breath of fresh air we all desperately needed.

Like Bell, Brad Keselowski feels North Wilkesboro Speedway has earned its place on the NASCAR Cup Series points-paying schedule. But if Wilkesboro is added, something has to be removed. Keselowski is in favor of the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL going away.

“I think [North Wilkesboro] needs to be a points racetrack,” Keselowski said in his post-pole-winning press conference. “I’d like to see the All-Star Race most likely return to Charlotte. That’s my personal opinion. I think the Charlotte racetrack, particularly since it only has one race on the oval, I think that’s a miss for our sport.

“It’s a great racetrack and puts on some of the best racing, so it would make sense to me if we were to revert back to that and make this a season race, and probably get rid of a race like the Roval or something like that.”

Keselowski reiterated, “I’m very strong about the ROVAL has got to go.”

Whether it’s the ROVAL, whether it’s a random second race date at another track on the schedule, it doesn’t matter. North Wilkesboro Speedway has worked itself into a points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race.

The on-track product now matches the intensity of the incredible fanbase, which has shown up in droves since the track was brought back from the dead going into the 2022 season. If North Wilkesboro doesn’t end up on the schedule as a points-paying race, it’ll be a massive miss.

Motorsports

Bell beats Logano in action-packed NASCAR All-Star Race

Christopher Bell loves North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Joey Logano hates the “Promoter’s Caution.” Those were the main takeaways from the top two finishers in an action-packed NASCAR All-Star Race at the 0.625-mile oval in North Wilkesboro, N.C. In a slam-bang affair that set a record for lead changes, Bell beat Logano by 0.829 seconds to […]

Published

27 minutes ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Christopher Bell loves North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Joey Logano hates the “Promoter’s Caution.”

Those were the main takeaways from the top two finishers in an action-packed NASCAR All-Star Race at the 0.625-mile oval in North Wilkesboro, N.C.

In a slam-bang affair that set a record for lead changes, Bell beat Logano by 0.829 seconds to earn his first All-Star Race victory. Bell, who won three consecutive Cup Series races earlier this season but had a previous best All-Star finish of 10th, delivered the third All-Star Race win for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“That right there is absolutely incredible,” Bell said. “North Wilkesboro, best short track on the schedule.”

He also is a fan of Marcus Smith, the president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports that owns North Wilkesboro Speedway. In a new All-Star Race wrinkle, Smith was allowed to choose when to throw a “Promoter’s Caution” that would bunch the field for a late restart.

Smith sent two-time Daytona 500 winner and Fox Sports personality Michael Waltrip to the flag stand to display the random yellow flag on Lap 217 with Logano leading by about a half-second ahead of Bell.

Logano, who was trying to win his second consecutive All-Star Race, elected to stay on track rather than pit during the caution, and the decision proved costly. Bell pitted for two fresh tires, restarted in sixth and needed only five laps to catch Logano. After a battle for first that lasted a dozen laps, Bell took the lead for good on Lap 241 of 250.

“I’m pissed off right now,” said Logano, who led a race-high 139 laps. “Just dang it, we had the fastest car. I’m trying to choose my words correctly on the caution situation. Obviously, I got bit by it, so I am the one frustrated.”

It was a stark turnaround for the defending Cup Series champion, who recently said he supported the “Promoter’s Caution” because “the All-Star Race presents the opportunity to try things outside of the box.” But he was questioning its validity after Sunday’s race.

“Yeah, I’m all about no gimmicks with the caution,” Logano said. “I am all about that. Me and Marcus Smith aren’t seeing eye to eye right now, okay? I’ve got to have a word with him.”

Ross Chastain finished third, followed by Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott.

The “Promoter’s Caution” was introduced to guarantee an exciting finish, but the All-Star Race hardly needed much help this year.

After lackluster showings in the first two outings, the All-Star Race delivered much more action in its third year at North Wilkesboro Speedway. There were 18 lead changes, breaking the mark of 13 (set in 2016) for the most in the event’s 41-year history.

Pole-sitter Brad Keselowski and Logano traded the lead twice in the first 10 laps and often ran side by side for the lead. There were six leaders and 10 lead changes in the first half of the race, which topped the total number of leaders (four) and lead changes (five) in the past two All-Star Races combined.

After leading 62 laps, Keselowski’s bid for his first All-Star Race victory ended with a crash on Lap 177.

All-Star Open results

Capitalizing on pit strategy, Carson Hocevar led the final 46 laps to win the All-Star Open earlier Sunday and advanced into the NASCAR All-Star Race.

Runner-up John Hunter Nemechek also advanced to the main event by finishing second in the 100-lap warmup race. Noah Gragson won an online fan vote to earn the final transfer spot to the All-Star Race, whose field will included 20 other drivers competing for $1 million.

Pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen finished 13th after leading the first 54 laps on the 0.625-mile oval. The New Zealand native, who is in his first full Cup Series season after winning three Supercar championships in Australia, fell from first to sixth on a four-tire pit stop during the halfway caution.

“I don’t know whether to smile or cry,” said van Gisbergen, who is ranked 35th in the points standings with one top 10 this season. “It’s been a dismal year for us, but I feel like we’re getting better every week. This shows it.”

More money

The All-Star Race winner’s share has been $1 million since the 2003 event, and some drivers have grumbled that an increase for inflation is well overdue.

“I definitely think it should get raised,” 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney said this week. “That’s the only thing about the All-Star Race I’d probably change. I don’t want to get greedy, but I think you can raise it to $3 million.”

Bubba Wallace said he’d suggest $5 million but would be good for a bump to $3 million.

“They’ve got more TV money, so why not,” Wallace said, referring to NASCAR’s media rights raising to $1.1 billion annually in a deal starting this year.

Up next

The Cup Series will race next Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the season. Bell won last year’s race, which was shortened from 600 to 374 miles by rain.

Kyle Larson missed the 2024 race after arriving late because the Indianapolis 500 was delayed by rain. The Hendrick Motorsports star again will attempt to become the fifth driver to race the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

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Motorsports

Amazing Race or Total Gimmick? | 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro had everything: Short-track bumping, tire strategy twists, and just enough controversy to keep fans arguing into the night. Christopher Bell walked away with the win, but the real story is how he got there. Was it a legit thriller or a manufactured mess? Did the race format […]

Published

48 minutes ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Did the race format help or hurt the action on track?
How did tire strategy completely change the outcome, and burn some teams hard?
What was up with the “promoter’s caution” and Michael Waltrip tossing a yellow?
And was that bump from Bell on Logano classic short track racing, or just dirty?

Some fans loved the chaos, others think NASCAR needs to stop trying so hard to create drama. One thing’s for sure—this race has people talking. And drivers? Even more fired up than usual. Did the format deliver a true All-Star showcase, or just a gimmick with a checkered flag? Watch now and decide for yourself, then drop your take in the comments.

Watch Also:

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Motorsports

New racing fans embrace motorsports, gear up for Indianapolis 500

The Brief INDYCAR racing is drawing fans of all ages. At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, racing fans young and old get one-on-one experiences with the drivers. INDIANAPOLIS – It wasn’t a race to see who can meet the most drivers, but Hayden Jaskela had quite the starting position. He was one of the first to […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Brief

INDYCAR racing is drawing fans of all ages.
At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, racing fans young and old get one-on-one experiences with the drivers.

INDIANAPOLIS – It wasn’t a race to see who can meet the most drivers, but Hayden Jaskela had quite the starting position. He was one of the first to meet the man in the orange hat, Scott Dixon, INDYCAR SERIES driver.

Ready to meet an INDYCAR driver

What we know

When FOX6 News asked him why Dixon is his favorite driver, he said, “My middle name’s Scott, and he’s also a redhead.”

Jaskela joined other young people at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who cheered for Dixon, like Titus Repp.

RELATED: Check out the new and improved FOX Sports app

“He signed a car for me,” said Repp, a 10-year-old INDYCAR SERIES fan.

While some fans had their eyes on the future of INDYCAR, one man was looking back.

What they’re saying

“Here I am, kind of honoring my dad,” said Dylan James, a new INDYCAR SERIES fan. “He passed last year.”

James is from New Zealand, like Dixon.

“I think it’s going to be emotional,” said James. “He loved the spectacle of epic sports events; he went to several, never to the Indy 500, so it’s a big deal to be remembering him this way.”

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

It’s a father-son bond Doug Boles knows well. He’s the president of INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I grew in a family where my dad actually worked in the sport, so it was kind of all I’ve really ever known, especially this place, the Indianapolis 500,” said Boles. “We just had this connection around the sport.”

Racing brings unity

Dig deeper

As the 109th Indianapolis 500 approaches, Boles said he is looking forward to the unity the race brings.

“I look forward to seeing the families, the generations of families that have been coming to the speedway so often,” said Boles.

Jaskela is already a part of the special tradition. He admires drivers, like Dixon, who make history with every lap.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

“I hope he wins,” said Jaskela.

The Source

The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News with assistance from INDYCAR and FOX Sports.

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Motorsports

Boys & Girls Home Riding with Gray, Black’s Tire for Charlotte – Speedway Digest

TRICON Garage (TRICON) will once again join forces with longtime partner Black’s Tire Service (BTS) for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. BTS will serve as the primary sponsor for Tanner Gray and the No. 15 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and will be highlighting its charitable partner, the Boys and […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Black’s Tire, which celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2024, has more than 70 locations in both North and South Carolina remaining a local, family owned and operated tire seller and wholesaler. Most recently, BTS was featured on the No. 15 for the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway in April.

Headquartered in Lake Waccamaw, NC, Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina (BGHNC) has served more than 7,500 children as a nonprofit agency. Its mission is to provide a wide array of services for children and youth who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or other family challenges. BGHNC offers adoption, family and therapeutic foster care in 26 counties, success coach services to prevent children from coming into foster care, and child and family therapy, as well as Carolyn’s Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center in Whiteville and residential care on the campus at Lake Waccamaw.

“The founder of Black’s Tire, Crowell Black, was on our original board of trustees, Ricky Benton II currently serves on our board of trustees today, and through the years, BTS fundraising has had a huge impact on continuing our programs of care through Boys and Girls Homes,” said Marc Murphy, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Homes. “We simply could not serve as many children without the support of BTS.”

“In addition to highlighting our charitable partnership with BGHNC, we are excited to feature 24 of our loyal partner dealers on the bed of the truck for this big event,” said BTS Chairman of the Board, Ricky Benton Sr.

Black’s Tire will be hosting its annual Boys and Girls Home charity golf tournament on Thursday, September 18. Those interested in supporting the cause and sponsoring a hole or a golf team can reach out to Amy Jenkins at [email protected].

The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 on Friday, May 23 at 8:30 P.M. ET, with radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

TRICON PR

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Motorsports

Motorsports: Anderson returns on top – Brainerd Dispatch

BARROWS — Three weeks ago, Tom Anderson’s car was battered and broken. He was in a much different position Saturday, May 19, on the winner’s stand with the checkered flag in hand after winning the 15-lap Hobby Stock feature event at North Central Speedway. Anderson’s car went into the wall during the season opener, April […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BARROWS — Three weeks ago, Tom Anderson’s car was battered and broken.

He was in a much different position Saturday, May 19, on the winner’s stand with the checkered flag in hand after winning the 15-lap Hobby Stock feature event at North Central Speedway.

Anderson’s car went into the wall during the season opener, April 26, and came to a rest on the front straightaway after the first lap with major damage. He returned with a top-five finish Saturday, May 10.

Starting from the second position in Saturday’s feature, Anderson raced to the win in front of Chris Seidel and Mark Johnson. With the win, Anderson is in sixth position in the points race.

Racers compete in a WISSOTA Mod Four heat on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at North Central Speedway in Barrows.

Mark Martini was a winner for the third time in four races in the Sport Mod Class and Aaron Johnson duplicated that with his third win in the Modified feature event.

Ashton Schwinn got his second win of the season in the Mod Four feature and Baylen Rooker won for the first time this season in the Sport Compact class.

Curt Myers was the Super Stock feature winner and Cole Greseth won for the Street Stocks.

Levi Randt, 11, and Weston Ramsrud, 67, round the corner during a WISSOTA Street Stock heat on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at North Central Speedway in Barrows.

Feature: 1-Aaron Johnson, 2-Shawn Fletcher, 3-AJ Viehauser

Heat 1: 1-Erick Thiesse, 2-Aaron Johnson, 3-Mike Brenny

Heat 2: 1-Devin Fouquette, 2-AJ Viehauser, 3-Shawn Fletcher

Feature: 1-Curt Myers, 2-Max Nelson, 3-Tim Johnson

Heat 1: 1-Tim Johnson, 2-Alex Myers, 3-Jason Gamer

Heat 2: 1-Eric Martini, 2-Curt Myers, 3-Dylan Nelson

Heat 3: 1-Josh Schmidt, 2-Max Nelson, 3-Austin Niemeyer

Fans bundle up to watch racing on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at North Central Speedway in Barrows.

Feature: 1- Cole Greseth, 2-Kolton Brauer, 3-Tommy Pogones

Heat 1: 1-Cole Greseth, 2-Levi Randt, 3-Weston Ramsrud

Heat 2: 1-Tommy Pogones, 2-Kolton Brauer, 3-Kyle Howland

Feature: 1-Mark Martini, 2-David Siercks, 3-T.J. Wyman

Heat 1: 1-T.J.Wyman, 2-Mark Martini, 3-David Siercks

Heat 2: 1-Devon Charpenter, 2-Jake Kierstead, 3-Chris Siercks

Feature: 1-Ashton Schwinn, 2-Robert Holtquist, 3-Rowan Tramm

Heat 1: 1-Patrick Specht, 2-Robert Holtquist, 3-Chad Funt

Heat 2: 1-Dustin Holtquist, 2-Ashton Schwinn, 3-Rowan Tramm

Feature: 1-Tom Anderson, 2-Chris Seidel, 3-Mark Johnson

Heat 1: 1-Tom Anderson, 2-Nathan Kohl, 3-Chris Seidel

Heat 2: 1-Mark Johnson, 2-Travis Koester, 3-Reid Randall

Feature: 1-Baylen Rooker, 2-Travis Roush, 3-Raeann Hanson

Heat 1: 1-Russell Kiker Jr., 2-Tyson Roush, 3-Matt Johnston

Heat 2: 1-Travis Roush, 2-Baylen Rooker, 3-Raeann Hanson

Heat 3: 1-Hunter Carlson, 2-Colton Lodermeier, 3-Eric Pfundt

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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