Bradenton Motorsports Park, a drag racing facility off State Road 64, is poised to make history this winter. It is hosting an event called the 2025-2026 Drag Illustrated Winter Series that will award $1 million to a Pro Modified driver who can win all three races. (Pro Modified is a class of drag racing with cars based on popular production vehicles that feature opening-and-closing doors with few restrictions on engine size, horsepower or body modification.)

“This is the largest performance-based payout in drag racing history,” writes Wes Buck, founder of the trade publication Drag Illustrated. The publication has partnered with racing operation Elite Motorsports to sponsor the winter series, which will consist of three races: the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals (Dec. 5–7), U.S. Street Nationals (Jan. 23–25, 2026) and the World Series of Pro Mod (Feb. 26–28, 2026).

“This isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re going to have to beat the best, on the biggest stage, under the brightest lights,” Richard Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports, says in a statement. “But somebody out there is going to do it — and I can’t wait to shake their hand when they do.”

Historically, the prize money for drag racers has paled in comparison to other motorsports, according to Buck.

“This is about changing the trajectory of our sport,” Buck says in a statement about the Drag Illustrated Winter Series. “For too long, drag racers — legends and champions — have had to downplay their winnings when talking to peers in other forms of motorsports. That ends now. Drag racing deserves big numbers, and a million-dollar prize does more than get attention – it gets results. It motivates teams. It inspires dreams. And it tells the world we mean business.”

Bradenton Motorsports Park features a quarter-mile drag strip and is one of the premier drag racing facilities in the country, according to its website. It is open year-round and hosts approximately 300,000 visitors annually.

In December, YouTube star “Cleetus McFarland” became a 50% partner at Bradenton Motorsports Park with co-owner Victor Alvarez. Together, the duo is investing in upgrades to the facility, such as a $100,000 tech shed providing storage, tools and space for technicians to work on race cars on scales.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull aim to reset their season and steady the ship as they enter a new era at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix – their first without longtime team principal Christian Horner at the helm.

As Formula One returns from a short break, McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris ramp up their battle to unseat the reigning world champion.

Norris, chasing a third straight win, looks to cut into Piastri’s eight-point lead.

But the spotlight will fall squarely on Red Bull, now led by Frenchman Laurent Mekies, as the team races for the first time without Horner – the 51-year-old Briton who was abruptly dismissed two weeks ago after two decades in charge. Under his leadership, Red Bull claimed multiple constructors’ titles and guided Verstappen to four consecutive championships from 2021 to 2024.

His successor, Mekies – promoted from junior team Racing Bulls – faces a daunting challenge not only in maintaining the team’s focus and performance at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes, but also in restoring stability to Red Bull after a turbulent period.

Verstappen, born in Belgium, has been linked with a move to Mercedes for 2026. While Horner has remained silent since his departure, the reigning champion has welcomed the arrival of Mekies, who comes from an engineering background and is known for his low-key, collaborative leadership style.

Mekies’ appointment ends 18 months of rumors and internal friction, during which Horner was investigated for alleged inappropriate conduct, the team lost the constructors’ title to McLaren, and several key staff members departed.

“I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team,” Verstappen said in a team release that made no mention of Horner’s exit. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Laurent.

“Spa is a classic and always my favorite track on the calendar – a very old-school circuit where you have to do everything right to get a good lap.

“I enjoy the high-speed corners such as Eau Rouge, the layout which is different to other circuits, and the elevation changes that make the track more of a challenge to drive.”

After a frustrating outing at Silverstone, where he started on pole but finished fifth, Verstappen returns to one of his ‘home’ races hoping Mekies can rekindle Red Bull’s spark and deliver him a fourth career victory at Spa.

Feisty mood

Mekies said he would spend his first weeks in charge “meeting the guys and girls who do the magic behind the scenes … to try to understand this beautiful magic machine.”

His first test will be Saturday’s sprint race.

A win for Verstappen would not come as a surprise, as the Ardennes circuit’s characteristics suit his car. Still, he remains third in the standings behind the McLaren pair, whose intense intra-team rivalry could prove costly.

After his outburst at receiving a 10-second penalty at Silverstone, Piastri is expected to be in a feisty mood heading into the Belgian and Hungarian doubleheader that precedes the August summer break.

Mercedes’ George Russell will also relish the chance to shine in Spa’s often unpredictable conditions. Last year, he was stripped of victory when his car was found to be underweight, handing Lewis Hamilton his 105th – and most recent – career win.

Hamilton is still seeking his first podium with Ferrari, which arrives in Belgium with intent and a major upgrade package.

The seven-time world champion finished fourth at his home race in Britain, where Nico Hulkenberg claimed his first career podium at the 239th attempt, underlining Sauber’s momentum ahead of its transformation into the Audi works team next season.

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Who’s ready to kiss the bricks this weekend?

Every NASCAR driver would love to do just that, as the Cup Series heads to historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400.

NASCAR’s race at the famed track doesn’t have quite the history of the Indianapolis 500, but the stock car series has carved out its own unique traditions. There’s no milk in victory lane, but NASCAR did start the tradition of kissing the iconic brick-covered start-finish line after winning — thanks to current NBC analyst Dale Jarrett.

So, what’s in store for Indianapolis this year? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Sunday? Here’s everything you need to know for Brickyard 400:

When is the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race?

The Brickyard is set for Sunday, July 27, at 2:20 p.m. ET.

Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying on Friday and Saturday, respectively. All 39 drivers will hit the track for practice Friday, with 50 minutes scheduled. For qualifying, each driver will get one lap to set the starting order based on speed — taking the track in this order.

NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for Brickyard 400

This weekend marks the final race airing on TNT before NBC takes over for the rest of the season.

Adam Alexander (play-by-play), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call, with Shannon Spake, Jamie McMurray and Parker Kligerman providing pre- and post-race coverage.

Here’s the full schedule for Indianapolis:

Friday, July 25 (truTV and HBO Max)

• Practice: 1:05 p.m. ET, truTV and HBO Max

Saturday, July 26 (truTV and HBO Max)

• Qualifying: 2:35 p.m. ET, truTV and HBO Max

Sunday, July 27 (TNT and HBO Max)

• NASCAR Nation Pre-Race: 1 p.m. ET, TNT and HBO Max
• Brickyard 400: 2 p.m. ET, TNT and HBO Max
• NASCAR Nation Post-Race: 5:30 p.m. ET, TNT and HBO Max

The 2025 NASCAR season kicks off on Feb. 16, 2025 with the 67th running of the Daytona 500.

Who is racing in the Brickyard 400? Here’s the entry list

Thirty-nine drivers will race at the Brickyard — the 36 full-timers, plus three additional entries.

Josh Bilicki (Garage 66), Jesse Love (Beard Motorsports) and Katherine Legge (Live Fast Motorsports) are continuing their part-time schedules this season by racing at this historic venue. Bilicki and Love are both making their fourth Cup start of 2025, while Legge is back for her fifth. She has also made four prior starts at the Brickyard in the Indianapolis 500, so the track should be familiar.

Two other drivers in the spotlight at Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon, who are competing in the final round of the In-Season Challenge with $1 million waiting for whoever crosses the finish line first.

Here’s the full entry list for Indy:

Brickyard 400 picks, predictions, favorites

Last week at Dover, the powerhouse organizations stole the show. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports drivers occupied the top six finishing positions and led 387 of 407 laps. Expect more of the same at the Brickyard.

Starting with JGR, no driver has had more close calls without a Brickyard win than Denny Hamlin. Fresh off a win at Dover, the 44-year-old star knows he doesn’t have many more chances left to kiss the bricks. His teammate and Indiana native Chase Briscoe, who was second last week, is another strong pick — as is Christopher Bell, who was fourth at Indy last year.

For HMS, it all starts with Kyle Larson. Last year’s Brickyard 400 winner has started the last two Indy 500’s — giving him more track time here than any driver. Sure, it’s a different car, but the experience certainly helped him last year. Chase Elliott, after leading 238 laps last week, is leading the points standings and should challenge for the victory.

James Gilbert/Getty Images

James Gilbert/Getty Images

The third traditional powerhouse organization is Team Penske, who hasn’t quite had its usual speed this season. If there’s a track for them to turn it around, though, it’s Indy. Team owner Roger Penske owns and operates the track, and none of his drivers have yet won there. Ryan Blaney is the best bet for Penske this year.

If anyone can topple those three, look toward a pair of upstart teams — RFK Racing and 23XI Racing.

Tyler Reddick (40 laps led), Brad Keselowski (35) and Bubba Wallace (26) were the top three lap-leaders at the Brickyard last year — and all three need a win to lock themselves into the playoffs. Reddick was second and Wallace was fifth for 23XI, while Keselowski ran out of fuel while leading late in the race and finished 21st.

The winning pick for Indy is Elliott, who bounces back from disappointment last week to finally score his first career crown jewel victory.

NASCAR past winners, race history for the Brickyard 400

Just three of the 39 drivers in the field are past winners at the Brickyard.

Busch has won the race twice (2015 and 2016), while Keselowski (2018) and Larson (2024) are one-time winners.

NASCAR pit stops are a sport themselves with how much planning goes into a perfect pit stop. Here’s what you need to know about what happens during a pit stop.

Chase Elliott is the new NASCAR Cup Series championship point leader, and Bubba Wallace holds down the final spot on the provisional playoff grid with a handful of regular-season races ahead. 

Elliott overtook Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron after Sunday’s race at Dover Motor Speedway. He led 238 laps and finished sixth while Byron was involved in a late caution and finished 31st. Byron had led the points for 17 of 21 races.

The regular season champion will be awarded 15 playoff points when the grid is reseeded for the postseason. Elliott stands to gain the most from picking up those points as he currently sits with six playoff points in his bucket.

There are six drivers in the championship standings who are within 100 points of each other. Elliott leads a Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3 in the standings, followed by three Toyota drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing.

1.     Chase Elliott

2.     William Byron – 16 

3.     Kyle Larson – 38 

4.     Denny Hamlin – 39

5.     Tyler Reddick – 62 

6.     Christopher Bell – 67 

There have been 12 different winners thus far in the regular season. It leaves four spots to be decided over the next five weeks. The highest driver on the provisional playoff grid is Tyler Reddick, who has a 156-point advantage. And the driver on the bubble is Reddick’s 23XI Racing teammate, Wallace.

Wallace has a slim 16 point advantage on Ryan Preece. Preece is the first driver on the outside looking in.

1.     Denny Hamlin: 4 wins 

2.     Kyle Larson: 3 wins 

3.     Christopher Bell: 3 wins 

4.     Shane van Gisbergen: 3 wins 

5.     William Byron: 1 win 

6.     Ryan Blaney: 1 win 

7.     Austin Cindric: 1 win 

8.     Joey Logano: 1 win  

9.     Chase Elliott: 1 win 

10.  Chase Briscoe: 1 win 

11.  Ross Chastain: 1 win 

12.  Josh Berry: 1 win  

13.  Tyler Reddick +156 

14.  Alex Bowman +63 

15.  Chris Buescher + 44 

16.  Bubba Wallace + 16

—- 

17.  Ryan Preece – 16 

18.  Kyle Busch – 39 

19.  Ty Gibbs – 52 

20.  Michael McDowell – 77 

The regular season will conclude with races at Indianapolis, Iowa, Watkins Glen, Richmond, and Daytona.

What’s Happening?

NASCAR is moving its street circuit from the streets of Chicago’s Grant Park to the roads and tarmacs of San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado for a never-before-seen type of NASCAR race.

Photo by NASCAR

The Location: Naval Base Coronado

When rumors first circulated that NASCAR could head to San Diego, race fans in Southern California pitched their location and ideas for the event. However, what NASCAR had in mind was something unlike any other, with the sport announcing on Jul. 23 that the race, scheduled for 2026, will be held at Naval Base Coronado.

Though this is not NASCAR‘s first venture in street racing, it is NASCAR’s first race at a venue of this type. The weekend will not only be a celebration of auto racing in Southern California but also mark the return of NASCAR to the market and celebrate the United States and the United States Navy, both of which will be celebrating their 250th birthdays in 2026.

Naval Base Coronado, technically in Coronado, California, will serve as the setting for one of the most unique and visually eye-catching events in NASCAR history. The base, known as “the Navy’s West Coast Quarterback,” has 17 squadrons, three aircraft carriers, and four Navy SEAL teams, among other valuable military assets.

Photo by NASCAR

NASCAR’s Return to So. Cal.

While this event will have the normal pomp and circumstance of a NASCAR race weekend, its special nature goes far beyond that of just a unique race at a special, scenic venue.

Racing in Southern California has a rich history, with NASCAR traveling to tracks such as Ontario Motor Speedway, Riverside International Speedway, and Auto Club Speedway throughout its history. However, each of those tracks has seemingly met the same fate throughout time.

When NASCAR left the now mostly abandoned Auto Club Speedway in 2023, it marked the end of a long tradition of point races in both Northern and Southern California. At that time, NASCAR still had a preseason race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2024; however, that contract ended after that season.

Unfortunately, NASCAR would not return to the Southern California market in 2025. However, with its contract expiring with the city of Chicago, rumors swirled that NASCAR was considering San Diego as a temporary option to tap into the massive Southern California market once again. Now, that dream is a reality, and NASCAR is back in one of its western homes.

Track Layout

The current layout of the circuit is unknown, though it will use the base’s streets and some portions of the tarmac.

In the NASCAR announcement video, a track layout on a map of the base was shown. However, NASCAR officials have confirmed that this is not the official layout for the track and was made for the video’s promotional purposes.

In a press conference shortly after the announcement, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR EVP and Chief Venue and Racing Innovation Officer, said that they are working closely on the course design with NASCAR partner and sim racing firm, iRacing. While Kennedy said the layout is under development and will be unveiled later this fall, he did detail some visual and technical aspects of the circuit.

“We’re going to be weaving our way through the base, too. You’ll see a couple of carriers, F-18s on the tarmac. Some of the course will be set in stone a little bit as we’re making our way through the streets here on the base, then a lot of it is going to be a blank canvas. There will be a portion going out onto the tarmac, might have some long straightaways, more technical sessions.” — Ben Kennedy

The mention of long straightaways is reminiscent of the Chicago Street circuit, which featured several long portions of track laid out through Chicago’s Grant Park.

Background: NASCAR and Street Circuits

NASCAR has already confirmed that the San Diego Street Race will be the only street circuit on the 2026 NASCAR calendar.

It replaces Chicago’s Street Race, which took place from 2023 to 2025. Prior to the announcement of the San Diego Street Race, NASCAR confirmed that it will not return to Chicago in 2026, though it is attempting to return in 2027 or 2028. Though it is not exactly replacing Chicago’s Jul. 4 race weekend on the calendar, the street race in 2026 is scheduled for the weekend of June 19–21.

Furthermore, the San Diego street race is on a one-race contract, with Ben Kenndedy saying “Not sure what that looks like beyond ’26, whether it stays in San Diego or goes to other locations, but it’s something we’ve discussed.”

It may seem that a street race is no different from a normal road course race, but certain drivers will perform better than they normally do on road courses. Even though the race is a little under a year away, most fans already expect Shane van Gisbergen, who won two Xfinity Series and two Cup Series races at Chicago (four of the six races ever held on that circuit), to be the favorite to win.

Race Day and Broadcast Info

Unlike NASCAR’s first street race, the Chicago Street race, the San Diego race will be a traditional triple-header weekend, with the Truck Series racing on June 19, Xfinity Series cars on June 20, and Cup Series racing on June 21.

The Truck Series will be broadcast on Fox Sports, and the Xfinity series will once again be on the CW. The CW is on a tremendous run of viewership in its first full season of NASCAR coverage, scoring an impressive 1.137 million viewers for the Chicago race. On the Cup Series side, the race will be the final race of Prime Video’s five-race coverage in 2026.

This year, Pocono Raceway held that race weekend, and it is unknown where Pocono will be on the 2026 schedule. But, it is noteworthy that Prime’s younger average age of the audience gives NASCAR a chance to bring street racing to the attention of a younger audience as a whole.

Moving this race date could also remove a road course from the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge, as the Chicago Street race was part of the 2025 event. If NASCAR makes this change, it will likely be a popular one, as fans complained about the chaotic schedule of NASCAR‘s first-ever in-season tournament.

Tickets for the 2026 NASCAR San Diego Weekend will go on sale in the fall of 2025, and NASCAR expects enough room for “tens of thousands” of fans.

This article will be updated with new information about the 2026 San Diego Street Race as NASCAR announces more information.