Motorsports

Change proves to be a constant in NASCAR, so what will be next?

The NASCAR Cup Series goes to a new venue for a fifth consecutive season. The championship race changes tracks next year. How the series crowns its champion also could be different in 2026. In a sport whose competitors can travel nearly 200 mph, what is happening off track can be dizzying to some — or […]

Published

1 week ago

May 8, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The NASCAR Cup Series goes to a new venue for a fifth consecutive season. The championship race changes tracks next year. How the series crowns its champion also could be different in 2026.

In a sport whose competitors can travel nearly 200 mph, what is happening off track can be dizzying to some — or seemingly slow to others.

Either way, it’s not stagnant.

“I think it’s always changing and always evolving,” former Cup champion Chase Elliott said of the sport. “I don’t think that’s ever going to stop. There has been a lot of it … over the last three or four years. I don’t think that will ever change, but I do think that they’re in search of a better balance right now between all their different track configurations and rightfully so, because I think it can be better.

“No reason why we can’t take all the knowledge that we’ve learned for the 75-plus years that it’s been around and have it the best today than it has ever been.”

AUTO: APR 26 NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 — AUTO: APR 26 NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500

Good news, bad news for NASCAR teams going into Kansas weekend

Ross Chastain won last fall’s playoff race at Kansas Speedway and has scored five top 10s in the last seven races this season.

Not all concepts prove fruitful, though.

NASCAR floated the idea to teams about relaxing some rules for this month’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway to give them more creativity with car setups. Teams declined for various reasons.

Series officials continue to examine at what can be done with the racing at short tracks with this car, which debuted in 2022. Goodyear continues to change tire compounds. Competitors and fans also want to see changes with superspeedway racing. For some, change can’t come soon enough.

“The thing is about everyone’s opinion is that you have to understand the full picture of one, how you got there, and two, why things aren’t so simple to change,” three-time Cup champion Joey Logano said.

“There’s a lot of positives that go on that we don’t talk about. There’s a lot of negatives that we talk about because people like that. With that same attitude, complacency is also one of the worst things you can ever have in your life.

“So you got to look at it and say, “OK, what can we make better?’ Because you can always improve something.”

AUTO: MAR 16 NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400

Daytona won’t host NASCAR’s Championship Weekend but what other tracks might?

Homestead and Phoenix will be among the tracks to rotate hosting the Cup season finale and there could be a few other tracks to do so.

Next month’s race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City continues NASCAR’s international push. The race will mark the first time since 1958 that the Cup Series has had a points race outside the United States.

“With Mexico, that will be a new experience,” Noah Gragson said. “It will be something that’s really cool and something that’s different for NASCAR.”

Since 2021, new tracks on the Cup schedule include Circuit of the Americas (2021 debut), Nashville (2021), World Wide Technology Raceway (2022), Chicago Street Race (2023), Iowa (2024) and the Mexico City event.

“I think schedule variation works, and it’s proven that it works,” NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps said last November at Phoenix. “It works from an attendance standpoint. It works from a ratings standpoint. Not insignificantly it works from kind of a brand standpoint, what it means to be bold and innovative and do things differently and change things up. That drives success.

“I think that’s what we’ve tried to do as a sport is do those things. And not just schedule innovation, but other things as well.”

NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400

NASCAR Championship Weekend moving to Homestead in 2026

NASCAR will begin rotating sites for the championship race in 2026.

NASCAR has a group looking at what changes, if any, to make with how the champion is crowned. Such changes could be instituted after this season.

“You’re talking to a guy that thinks we have a great system,” said Logano, who is among the drivers on the group. “I would make minimal changes, if any.

“There’s different opinions, right? All of us will have different ones, probably depending on where you’re sitting. I try to look the at it and ask what do I think is most entertaining?”

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue & racing innovation officer, said this week that the group is not expected to announce any decision for a few months.

NASCAR revealed this week that the championship race for Cup, Xfinity and the Craftsman Truck Series will move from Phoenix to Homestead-Miami Speedway for 2026. That will begin a rotation of tracks for the title event. Kennedy did not say what other tracks would be a part of the rotation other than Phoenix and Homestead.

Josh Berry, who is set to make the Cup playoffs for the first time with his Las Vegas win, has a track in mind for the championship rotation.

“I think the first one that comes to mind is Las Vegas, not only because of us winning there, but it just seems to put on good racing and I think it’s a good market for the championship race as well,” he said. “I think that checks those two boxes there. It’s a really good racetrack, but a really good area that could bring some excitement for the championship race.”

NASCAR Clash exhibition race expected to remain in U.S. in 2026

Series officials are still looking at the concept of moving the season-opening exhibition race somewhere outside the U.S. in the future.

Kennedy said that Daytona won’t be among those tracks because officials “unanimously agreed that (the finale) needs to look and feel like what we would expect traditional NASCAR racing to look and feel like. Short tracks, intermediate tracks, mile tracks are all on the board. Superspeedways, I think we all feel like right now we wouldn’t consider that as a championship venue, not that Daytona isn’t a championship caliber venue.”

But Daytona will remain the season opener. The Clash, though, will likely move to different venues and Kennedy has said an international venue could be in the event’s future but not next year.

“I wouldn’t ever rule out international in the future, though,” Kennedy said. “We have thoughts about a lot of it being prior to the season, in the off-season, an exhibition race. It’s a great opportunity for us to bring NASCAR racing to other parts of the world.”

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Motorsports

Haltech HyperFest, a massive motorsports festival, comes to Southern Virginia

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Published

3 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

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Motorsports

TV channel, schedule from North Wilkesboro

Daytona Motor Mouths: Kyle Larson wins at Kansas. Next up, Indy 500 The guys start with the Indianapolis 500 and Kyle Larson’s double attempt after his win at Kansas. Then, they discuss the NASCAR All-Star Race. As Monty Python would say, “And now for something completely different.” Drivers will practice entering and exiting the pits. […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

As Monty Python would say, “And now for something completely different.”

Drivers will practice entering and exiting the pits. Crews will practice, and compete, during what happens between that entrance and exit.

We’ll see heat races as well as something resembling the Last Chance Qualifier you get at the local short-track show.

But there will also be racing, and it’ll look rather familiar. Even the venue is starting to look familiar again. This is Year 3 for ancient North Wilkesboro Speedway to welcome NASCAR’s annual All-Star Race weekend. At five-eighths of a mile with a little bit of banking in the corners (14 degrees), it can be a racy little joint.

There will be plenty of opportunities to showcase that possibility over the next few days.

Friday: North Wilkesboro pit road is host to action

4 p.m.: Pit Road qualifying entry/exit practice (FS2).

5 p.m.: All-Star practice (FS2).

6 p.m.: Qualifying/All-Star Pit Crew Challenge (FS1).

$100,000 on the line.
The NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear returns to North Wilkesboro Friday, May 16!

Top crews battle for:
• $100K & the trophy
• All-Star/Open starting spots
• Bragging rights under the lights

Tickets: https://t.co/hzpDM1JsMH pic.twitter.com/KjUjLDUlGp

— RCW Sports (@RoCoWXSports) May 12, 2025

Saturday: NASCAR Truck Series race, All-Star heats take over

9:35 a.m.: Truck Series practice (FS2).

10:35 a.m.: Truck Series qualifying (FS2).

1:30 p.m.: Truck Series, Window World 250 (FS1).

5:10 p.m.: All-Star Race, Heat 1 (FS2).

6:15 p.m.: All-Star Race, Heat 2 (FS2).

Sunday: NASCAR at North Wilkesboro gets All-Star treatment

5 p.m.: All-Star Open (FS1).

8 p.m.: Cup Series All-Star Race (FS1).

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Motorsports

Guess who tops our list. Yes, Kyle Larson

Daytona Beach News-Journal Daytona Motor Mouths: Kyle Larson wins at Kansas. Next up, Indy 500 The guys start with the Indianapolis 500 and Kyle Larson’s double attempt after his win at Kansas. Then, they discuss the NASCAR All-Star Race. The top of this list is a pretty easy slot to fill. The rest? Not so […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Daytona Beach News-Journal

The top of this list is a pretty easy slot to fill. The rest? Not so much.

Let’s take a look at our updated NASCAR Power Rankings as we head into All-Star weekend with one-third of the 2025 Cup Series season behind us.

1. Kyle Larson

Kind of a no-brainer, wouldn’t you say? About all he can’t do right now is control the Indy weather, and boy does he wish he could.

2. Christopher Bell

A strong second at Kansas, but second. Don’t count the superspeedways, and a 29th at Homestead is his only misstep of the year.

3. Ryan Blaney

Gaining on a trophy. Had back-to-back podium finishes at Texas and Kansas.

4. William Byron

Had a rare bad finish last week. Lost official points lead to Larson.

5. Chase Elliott

Might win All-Star Race. Might not. Billy Clyde needs to win somewhere, though.

6. Joey Logano

Won last year’s All-Star Race. He won’t repeat.

7. Denny Hamlin

Last three finishes: 21st, 38th, 36th.

8. Ross Chastain

Middle name is Lee. Some literally think it’s “The Boss”.

9. Chase Briscoe

Here’s a guy with TWO middle names: Chase David Wayne Briscoe.

10. Chris Buescher

After three weeks in the wilderness, returned to top 10 at Kansas.

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Motorsports

NASCAR Night and Blowfish Baseball will feature a Pelion youngster who has dreams of one day racing against the best

Racing and baseball are on the Lexington County Baseball schedule on June 7 as NASCAR Night will feature 11-year-old racer Kenneth Blevins, Jr. from Pelion. LEXINGTON, S.C. — Opening Night for the Lexington County Blowfish is Friday, May 30 and that will be the first game of the 20th season of Blowfish Baseball. Part of […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Racing and baseball are on the Lexington County Baseball schedule on June 7 as NASCAR Night will feature 11-year-old racer Kenneth Blevins, Jr. from Pelion.

LEXINGTON, S.C. — Opening Night for the Lexington County Blowfish is Friday, May 30 and that will be the first game of the 20th season of Blowfish Baseball.

Part of the 20th anniversary season is a special NASCAR Night on June 7 and it will feature a local youngster who has dreams of competing in Formula One.

Kenneth Blevins, Jr, an 11-year-old from Pelion, has had quite the start to his racing career.

The Pelion Elementary fifth-grader has a pair of championship trophies which he won a couple of weeks ago. In late April, Kenneth was in Concord, N.C. where he finished first in the K1 Speed United States Junior Division. That was followed by a trip to California where he won the K1 Speed E-World Championship in the Junior Division, claiming the $8,000 1st place prize.

Kenneth is interested in two very different forms of racing, He has grown up in a NASCAR state but his goal is to one day, compete in Formula One. But he says his favorite driver is Chase Elliott who drives on the NASCAR tour for Rick Hendrick Motorsports.

In an effort to promote Kenneth and his racing endeavors, Kenneth will be a part of NASCAR Night with the Blowfish as he will be signing autographs on that June 7 evening of celebrating baseball and racing.

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Motorsports

All-Star Race North Wilkesboro weekend schedule, TV info for NASCAR Cup and Truck

The NASCAR All-Star Race returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third consecutive year with a few new wrinkles in the race format and schedule at the 0.625-mile oval in North Carolina. Cup cars will be on track for practice and qualifying Friday, two heat races to set the main event field Saturday and then […]

Published

3 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The NASCAR All-Star Race returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the third consecutive year with a few new wrinkles in the race format and schedule at the 0.625-mile oval in North Carolina.

Cup cars will be on track for practice and qualifying Friday, two heat races to set the main event field Saturday and then the Open and All-Star Race will be Sunday night.

The main event will feature a “promoter’s caution” that can be thrown ahead of Lap 220 of 250. A new “Manufacturer Showdown” will pit Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota in a battle for the best combined overall finish in the All-Star Race.

The Pit Crew Challenge also will be held during qualifying Friday and determine pit selection for Sunday’s 250-lap main event.

A ‘Manufacturer Showdown’ also will be featured in the annual exhibition race.

Joey Logano is the defending winner of the All-Star Race. Kyle Larson won the 2023 inaugural All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

The CARS Tour, Camping World Truck Series and Whelen Modified Tour also will be racing at North Wilkesboro this weekend.

Joey Logano won last year’s All-Star Race, leading 199 of 200 laps.

All-Star Race schedule at North Wilkesboro

(All Times Eastern)

Friday, May 16

Garage open

10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. — Cup
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. — Truck Series

Track activity

5:05 – 5:50 p.m. — Cup practice (FS2, MRN)
6:10 – 6:50 p.m. — Cup Open qualifying (FS1, MRN)
7:05 – 8 p.m. — Cup All-Star Race qualifying/Pit Crew Challenge (FS1, MRN)
8:15 p.m. — CARS Tour race (100 laps, FS1, Flo Racing)

Saturday, May 17

Garage open

8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. — Truck Series
1:30 – 7:30 p.m. — Cup

Track activity

9:35 – 10:30 a.m. — Truck practice (FS2)
10:35 – 11:30 a.m. — Truck qualifying (FS2)
1:30 p.m. — Truck race (250 laps, 156.25 miles, Stage 1 at Lap 70, Stage 2 at Lap 140; FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
5:10 p.m. — All-Star Race Heat 1 (75 laps, 46.875 miles, FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
6:15 p.m. — All-Star Race Heat 2 (75 laps, 46.875 miles, FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, May 18

Garage open

7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Whelen Modified Tour
2 – 11:55 p.m. — Cup

Track activity

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. — Whelen Modified Tour practice
10:55 – 11:25 a.m. — Whelen Modified Tour practice
12:45 – 1:15 p.m. — Whelen Modified Tour qualifying
2 p.m. — Whelen Modified Tour race (150 laps, 93.75 miles, Flo Racing, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)
5:30 p.m. — All-Star Open (100 laps, 62.5 miles, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)
8 p.m. — All-Star Race (250 laps, 156.25 miles, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)

Weekend weather

Friday: Cloudy with a stray shower or thunderstorm possible. A high of 86 degrees and winds from the west-southwest at 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Cloudy with a stray shower or thunderstorm possible. A high of 85 degrees and winds from the west-southwest at 10 to 20 mph. It’s expected to be 82 degrees with a 15% chance of rain at the start of the Truck race. It’s expected to be partly cloudy with a high of 82 degrees and a 15% chance of rain at the start of the first of the two Cup heat races.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 84 degrees and winds from the west at 5 to 10 mph. It’s expected to be 75 degrees with a 1% chance of rain at the start of the All-Star Race.

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Motorsports

FIA announces significant changes to controversial driver misconduct regulations

Entering the 2025 world motorsport season, there was a substantial talking point that dominated discussion, including in Formula 1. Driver misconduct. Last winter, the FIA introduced a controversial “Appendix B,” instituting new penalties for driver misconduct, including swearing. With penalties accelerating based on the number of violations and the series involved — with the most […]

Published

3 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Entering the 2025 world motorsport season, there was a substantial talking point that dominated discussion, including in Formula 1.

Driver misconduct.

Last winter, the FIA introduced a controversial “Appendix B,” instituting new penalties for driver misconduct, including swearing. With penalties accelerating based on the number of violations and the series involved — with the most significant financial penalties reserved for F1 drivers — and potential suspensions and sporting penalties on the table, many wondered if Appendix B would impact the future of motorsport.

However, the FIA is taking a step back.

The governing body unveiled a series of changes to Appendix B on Wednesday, changes that not only reduce the maximum financial penalties but also give race officials the option to suspend penalties fully for certain breaches.

In a statement released by the FIA, the motorsport governing body outlined that the “base maximum penalty has been reduced generally from €10,000 to €5,000. This is a reduction of 50%. However, for FIA World Championships, where multipliers were involved, the reductions will be even more significant.”

Race stewards not only can fully suspend penalties for a driver’s first infraction, but can “differentiate between controlled and non-controlled environments.” While driver conduct will be governed in “controlled” environments such as press conferences, comments made in the heat of the moment — such as on the track or during a rally stage — will fall under the “non-controlled” category.

The FIA also stated that “[m]itigating circumstances will continue to be considered” under the revised Appendix B.

You can read the fully revised Appendix B here.

“As a former rally driver, I know firsthand the range of emotions that are faced during competition. I have led an extensive and collaborative review with contributions from across the seven FIA World Championships, FIA Member Clubs and other motor sports organisations,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“The improvements the FIA has announced today to Appendix B will ensure we continue to promote the best of sportsmanship in motor sport, while also giving Stewards effective guidelines to act against individuals who may bring the sport into disrepute. The FIA will always be committed to ensuring motor sport is accessible for all our sporting family.”

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