Colton Herta has consistently shown early practice speed at Barber Motorsports Park – placing no worse than fourth over the past four years. However, that early promise hasn’t translated into standout race results at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn natural-terrain road course.
Despite his practice pace, Herta’s best qualifying effort at Barber is ninth in 2019 and 2021, and his best race finish is eighth last year.
“This is my worst track, by far, for qualifying,” Herta said. “I think the racing part is because we qualify so badly here. Qualifying, I just sucked here. It’s the only track (on the 2025 schedule) that I’ve gone to that I’ve not made the (Firestone) Fast Six. I’d love to change that.”
This weekend’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst, airing at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network, suggests a turning point.
Andretti Global was among three teams, joining Chip Ganassi Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing, that didn’t partake in the test March 11 at Barber, but Herta still placed third in Friday’s opening practice with a strong lap of 1 minute, 7.7728 seconds. Teammate Marcus Ericsson was first at 1:07.7470 in the No. 28 Bryant Honda.
That’s a testament to his raw pace and refined approach. Unlike in previous years when he admitted to misreading the car and the evolving track conditions, Herta brings improved self-awareness and technical clarity to attacking the Barber race weekend.
That includes having a more precise vision of what he needs from the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda leading into qualifying at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
“Today was one of the more important sessions of the weekend because you get both sets of tires,” Herta said. “I’m happy with it. Feels like we’re the only team who didn’t test here in the winter. The team really made a statement to roll off the trucks with speed.
“I do think we have some more left in the tank, but I’m not sure what everybody else has.”
New Colors for Palou
Alex Palou’s return to Barber Motorsports Park comes with momentum and a fresh look – and possibly a psychological edge.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader is running the striking Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) white, red and blue livery this weekend, swapping out the familiar, yellow-and-red DHL livery used in the season’s first three events. The HRC branding connects him back to the offseason crossover test in Las Vegas where Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda drove an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car with the same livery.
Performance-wise, Palou picked up right where he left off after finishing second at Long Beach. His 1:07.7602 lap in Friday’s practice placed him just behind leader Ericsson (1:07.7470), showing that he and his No. 10 HRC Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing have once again nailed their baseline setup.
His history at Barber suggests he will be a factor in Sunday’s 90-lap race. Palou won in his Barber debut in 2021 and never has finished outside the top five in four career starts. Palou’s average finish of 3.3 at Barber is best among all drivers since 2021.
Power Aims for Better Qualifying
Will Power arrived at Barber with a rich qualifying pedigree. His four poles at the Alabama road course are the most of any driver and part of his all-time record of 70 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. However, recent form casts some doubt on whether he can add a fifth Saturday.
Despite his glowing praise for Barber’s high-commitment layout and ending up fourth in the opening practice in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Power’s 2025 qualifying performances have been underwhelming.
His average start of 15.7 across three starts, including a low of 21st at The Thermal Club, suggests Team Penske hasn’t fully unlocked its one-lap pace yet this year.
That said, there are reasons to believe this could be a turnaround weekend for Power.
He turned 19 solid laps in Friday’s practice with a top time of 1:07.7869, just .0399 of a second behind leader Ericsson.
“It’s funny that you go through those cycles,” Power said. “Last year, I was quite strong, but this year is a bit of a softer tire, and things change a little.
“It hasn’t necessarily been pace. We’re definitely quick in all the practices and in the race. So that’s a goal for tomorrow, see if we can make it in the Fast Six and Top 12 to start with, because we haven’t done that this year.”
McLaughlin Becomes U.S. Citizen
Scott McLaughlin, a New Zealand native, became a dual citizen Tuesday, April 29, as he earned United States citizenship.
McLaughlin moved to the United States in late 2020 with his American wife, Karly, to become an NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver with Team Penske. The 31-year-old has seven wins in 71 starts, including the last two years at Barber.
The married couple closed on a house in North Carolina after the 2023 season and became parents to their first child, Lucy, after the 2024 season.
Rahal Seeks Strong Qualifying Pace
Graham Rahal has previously qualified well at Barber Motorsports Park. The second-generation driver started second in 2019 and finished in that spot twice (2015-16). Last year, he qualified seventh and used a two-stop strategy, allowing him to run inside the top five for the early portions of the race.
Rahal said the timing of cautions didn’t dovetail with his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team’s strategy last year, dropping him to an 11th-place finish.
This season, Rahal has produced strong race days but experienced qualifying woes. He gained 16 positions in the first two races, charging from 21st to finish 12th in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding and climbing from 18th to 11th in The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix.
At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Rahal started 16th and finished 22nd.
Rahal, who was 18th quickest among 27 drivers Friday, is aware Saturday’s NTT P1 Award qualifying session is crucial if he wants any shot of competing for a win in his No. 15 Hendrickson International Honda in Sunday’s 90-lap race.
“Our race pace is quite good in most places, but qualifying continues to be the Achilles heel for the team,” Rahal said. “We continue to work on that and improve on that. Fingers crossed we made all the right decisions and changes”
Sato Getting New Indy 500 Car
Takuma Sato badly damaged his primary Indianapolis 500 race car when he pounded the Turn 1 SAFER Barrier in last week’s “boosted” qualifying simulation practice during the Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sato had the quickest lap on the overall speed chart and the non-tow chart before the crash.
The car’s chassis was too badly damaged and deemed unusable, leaving Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing no choice but to replace the No. 75 AMADA Honda with a new car.
Sato is a two-time “500” winner and hopes to join the short list of 10 other drivers who have won the “500” three or more times.
Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice starts Tuesday, May 13.
Odds and Ends
Every other year since 2021, the quickest driver in the opening practice session won the race. Palou was quickest in 2021 and McLaughlin in 2023. Each was victorious that year. Can Ericsson, who was fastest in the No. 28 Bryant Honda on Friday, follow suit? He has a 36-race winless drought dating to the 2023 season opener at St. Petersburg and a best Barber finish of seventh in 2019.
Six drivers have qualified in the top 10 for all three races this season, all powered by Honda engines. Meyer Shank Racing teammates Marcus Armstrong (fourth, seventh, seventh), Felix Rosenqvist (third, ninth, fourth) are joined by Andretti Global teammates Herta (second, fourth, second), Ericsson (seventh, fifth, fifth) and Kyle Kirkwood (ninth, eighth, first). Points leader Palou (eighth, third, third) is also three-for-three.
Scott Dixon visited Great Beginnings Learning Center in Leeds, Alabama, on Thursday to read books to the students and show his racing helmet, fire suit and gloves to the children. It’s part of PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great program, which helps support early-childhood education efforts around the country.
Before becoming an all-time great NASCAR driver and a team owner, Brad Keselowski began his career at the lowest level within his father’s racing organization.
Keselowski’s father, Bob, owned and operated the now-defunct K-Automotive Racing team during Brad’s childhood, and the former ARCA Series racer subjected his son to some less-than-desired manual labor duties around his operation.
In a 2015 interview for USA Today with motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck, Keselowski detailed the specifics of his day-to-day to-do list.
“They let me sweep floors, and I ended up mowing the grass a lot and mopping,” Keselowski said. “I think I made like $20 a day, which was a lot of money when I was 16. I had to work 8 to 5 every day in the summer.”
First as a star for Hendrick Motorsports and Penske Racing, and now the co-owner of his own racing team, RFK Racing, Keselowski, who recently broke his leg in a skiing accident, has been at the top of the totem pole ever since he burst onto the scene in 2009 when he won his first Cup Series race at Talladega.
His foundation as a regular employee in his father’s business laid the groundwork for the success that would soon come for Keselowski, although it didn’t look at all like the path some sons of NASCAR stars, such as Keelan Harvick, are taking to prepare themselves for a career in professional racing.
During the interview with Gluck, Keselowski recalled a specific, objectively gross detail of the everyday grind he faced when working for his father’s team.
Responsible for taking out the trash every day, Keselowski noticed chewing tobacco, which most everyone in the race shop used, spat all alongside the trash can due to poor aim.
He would be forced to touch the sides of the can covered in the substance, and because the trash was only picked up once a month, the dumpster would often overflow, and Keselowski would need to find a way to fit in every last spit-covered piece of trash.
That led him to ask his parents if the trash could be picked up more often, a plea they rejected due to the cost being too expensive.
Years later, as a racing team owner of his own, Keselowski discovered the cost of one more trash pickup per month to be an extra $18, to which the NASCAR star realized his parents were trying to teach him a lesson back in the day, rather than being cheap.
“Are you (freaking) kidding me? I jumped in trash and chewing tobacco and risked losing my foot for two whole summers for like $15?” Keselowski said. “I guess it was good for me. My parents must have known that.”
Kyle Larson stunned fans at Australia’s Perth Motorplex on Sunday when he made a surprise appearance in bold fashion.
The second annual High Limit International event commenced on December 28 and Larson, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion and a co-founder of the league, opted against a quiet and modest arrival.
The Hendrick Motorsports star instead dramatically descended from the sky in a silver helicopter before the first race of the three-day series began to deliver a briefcase containing $110,000 Australian Dollars, a record prize for an Australian sprint car racing event.
The helicopter landed on the racetrack before Larson emerged wearing a red fire suit, holding a black briefcase containing the winning prize, set to go to the winner of Tuesday’s main event.
The NASCAR star, who won the inaugural High Limit International race one year ago, walked to the infield and delivered the case to Perth Motorplex General Manager Gavin Migro.
“I was actually nervous because of how windy it is,” Larson said as he walked to the infield. “That was probably the smoothest helicopter ride I’ve ever been on.”
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion also noted that he’s only accustomed to taking helicopters out of tracks, which he has famously done twice before on ‘Double Duty,’ when he raced in both the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar race and Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race on the same day.
Then came the race, the first of two prelims leading up to Tuesday’s main event, which pitted big-name drivers from the United States against high profile Australian racers for a $15,000 prize.
Larson’s HMS teammate Corey Day took the checkered flag, fending off Australian Kaiden Manders by a half second. Day, who began the race in fourth position, was briefly overtaken by Manders after Larson caused the lone caution of the race when he suffered a flat right-rear tire on Lap 22.
The defending High Limit champion and co-owner finished 17th on the night, an underwhelming result after his grand entrance.
Larson’s cross-globe journey to participate in High Limit comes less than two months after he captured the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The 33-year-old won the title without leading a single lap in the championship race at Phoenix, outlasting Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron, all of whom suffered tire issues, to finish third.
The former Chip Ganassi Racing driver won three races during the 2025 season and finished atop the points standings thanks to six top-seven finishes in the playoffs.
Unlike in 2021, Larson’s first NASCAR Cup Series title, he did not win a single playoff race en route to claiming the championship.
A sequel to Days of Thunder, titled Days of Thunder 2, has reportedly entered early development. Tom Cruise is expected to return as Cole Trickle in the movie that has a target release window of 2026. While details remain vague, industry chatter has also hinted at possible involvement from NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon.
Fueling that speculation, Hendrick Motorsports recently published a set of 23 behind-the-scenes images on its website, offering a glimpse of Cruise during filming. The photographs were of the Hollywood superstar seated in a race car and posing between takes.
The photos have intensified interest. The hype is also fueled by Cruise’s connection to racing extends beyond the silver screen.
Long before portraying a stock car driver in Hollywood, Cruise had some firsthand experience in competitive motorsports. In 1987, he stepped into professional racing by competing in the IMSA Firestone Firehawk Grand Sports endurance race. He also took part in several SCCA events in the 1980s.
That IMSA debut placed him in the deep end, though. The three-hour endurance race at Road Atlanta demanded extreme patience from Cruise, who was sharing the car with Rick Hendrick. His true test of patience came when he encountered a refueling issue that disrupted his run.
The issue ultimately dropped his team to a 14th-place finish in the endurance race at Road Atlanta. Cruise completed 97 laps around the 2.52-mile road course and came away with a clearer understanding of what drivers go through each weekend.
“It was a lot of fun. I got a lot of seat time, and it was fun racing with those guys. The first three laps were like a demolition derby. Guys were bouncing off each other. After that, it settled down, and we had some good racing,” said Cruise, reflecting on the experience.
Cruise had started the Nissan 300 ZX Turbo from 15th on the grid and handled the opening 80 minutes of the three-hour race. He steadily climbed into P9 place before pitting on lap 50. That pit stop, however, proved costly.
A fueling problem stretched the visit to two minutes. They ended falling behind by two laps, undoing the progress. When Hendrick rejoined the race, the team found itself in 19th place, forced to salvage what it could over the remaining distance.
The event also marked Hendrick’s professional racing debut in the street-stock category. That race was won by John Heinricy of Holly, Michigan, and Stuart Hayner of Yorba Linda, California. Cruise and Hendrick focused on finishing the endurance challenge and gaining experience.
Now 63, Cruise appears ready to strap in once more, not to chase trophies, but to return to racing on the silver screen. Reports suggest Days of Thunder 2 will frame him as a mentor confronting modern technology and younger rivals, with themes centered on legacy, redemption, and NASCAR competition.
Speculation has also swirled around Margot Robbie potentially joining the cast as a rising star, alongside possible cameos from the original film’s ensemble.
Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the 10 biggest moments of 2025 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
Doug Boles was once an NTT INDYCAR SERIES competitor, a founding partner of Panther Racing, which won season championships in 2001 and 2002 with Sam Hornish Jr. at the wheel. This year, the longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway president was named to the same position at INDYCAR, replacing Jay Frye.
Boles has decades of motorsports experience. He became IMS president in 2013, overseeing the sellout of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the first full-capacity crowd in the event’s stories history. He managed more than $150 million in strategic investment at the Racing Capital of the World, including “Project 100” and significant infrastructure improvements following the acquisition of IMS by Penske Corporation.
Across his tenure at IMS, Boles has been lauded for his promotional prowess and strategic marketing capabilities, growing the Speedway’s global reach and better connecting Indy 500 fans to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Boles worked extensively within the INDYCAR paddock during his roles as Panther Racing’s chief operating officer and Hulman & Company’s vice president of communications. At Panther, he helped lead the Chevrolet-powered organization to 15 INDYCAR SERIES race wins and the two INDYCAR SERIES championships, in addition to seven INDY NXT by Firestone race wins and a championship won by Mark Taylor in 2003.
In total, Boles brought more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in motorsports, within team operations, sponsorship, marketing, public relations and more to INDYCAR.
Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles called Boles “the ideal choice” as the series moved into a new era of opportunity and visibility.
“(He) is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders,” Miles said.
Frye served 10 years as president. During his tenure, he led a period of tremendous successes at INDYCAR, including securing the entitlement series sponsorships with Verizon and NTT, the development of the AK18 universal aero kit, development and implementation of the total driver cockpit safety solution aeroscreen and state-of-the-art hybrid technology introduction.
Frye also oversaw an expanded grid with incredible competition. The longtime motorsports executive is now president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
The Olympic Flame doesn’t just travel through city squares and historic landmarks—it also stops where real-world craftsmanship happens. On December 27, the flame made a meaningful visit to the Pomigliano d’Arco Assembly Plant, one of Italy’s most important automotive manufacturing sites and the home of the Alfa Romeo Tonale compact SUV.
For Alfa Romeo, the moment was more than ceremonial. It was a powerful blend of sport, industry, and national pride as the flame’s journey toward the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics passed directly through one of the brand’s most modern production hubs.
A Factory With Deep Roots –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
Pomigliano d’Arco isn’t just another assembly plant—it’s a symbol of Italian manufacturing excellence. Alongside other key Stellantis facilities in Melfi, Modena, and Turin, Pomigliano represents the backbone of Italy’s automotive industry. Today, it plays a crucial role in Alfa Romeo’s future by producing the Tonale, a vehicle designed to bridge classic Alfa performance with modern electrification.
That made the plant a fitting stop as the Olympic Flame continues its long relay across Italy. After beginning its journey in Rome on December 6, the flame will pass through more than 300 towns and cities before reaching Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo for the opening ceremonies in 2026.
Alfa Romeo’s Role in the Olympic Journey –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
As an Official Partner of the Olympic Flame relay, Alfa Romeo is supporting the convoy with a fleet that includes the Stelvio, Tonale, and Junior. These vehicles aren’t just transportation—they’re rolling ambassadors for Italian design, performance, and technology.
Alfa Romeo has also tied the partnership directly to its product lineup, previewing special Milan Cortina 2026-themed editions of the Junior and Tonale. These models feature exclusive styling touches inside and out, along with sport-focused upgrades that reinforce the brand’s performance-first identity while celebrating the Olympic spirit.
Employees Take Center Stage –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
One of the most impactful parts of the event had nothing to do with sheet metal or horsepower. Alfa Romeo employees and their families were invited to take part in the celebration, turning a normal production day into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
A selected group of workers physically carried the Olympic Flame through the plant itself, weaving between production areas while coworkers looked on. It was a rare and emotional moment that connected everyday manufacturing jobs with one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.
Adding to the significance was the presence of Stefania Belmondo, one of Italy’s most decorated Winter Olympians. With ten Olympic medals and a legendary career in cross-country skiing, Belmondo opened and closed the event, sharing personal reflections about representing Olympic values on the world stage.
Bigger Than One Brand –
The Olympic Flame at the Pomigliano d’Arco Plant. (Stellantis).
The Pomigliano stop also highlighted Stellantis’ broader role in the Games. As an Automotive Premium Partner, Stellantis brands—including Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and Maserati—will provide approximately 3,000 vehicles to support athletes, staff, volunteers, and officials during the Games. More than half of that fleet will be electrified, underscoring the group’s push toward a more sustainable future.
For Alfa Romeo, the Olympic Flame’s visit wasn’t just about the Games—it was about celebrating people, passion, and the pride that comes from building vehicles with history and purpose.
For any driver, finding victory lane is the pinnacle of their career. However, not every driver is lucky enough to find victory lane during their career. In 2026, rookies, veterans, and everyone in between will fight across 36 races in hopes of finding victory lane for the first time.
This list will be limited to full-time Cup Series drivers. Drivers competing part-time are not eligible, but adjustments can be made in the event of a driver swap.
This list will start with the driver with the fewest number of career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and end with the driver with the most. These streaks can span all the way from single digits to triple digits.
Last season, Josh Berry removed his name from this list, winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his 52nd career NASCAR Cup Series start.
Zilisch enters the 2026 season with just three starts under his belt, none at short tracks and none at super speedways. While he adjusted to the Xfinity Series rather quickly, this Cup Series will likely come as a sharper learning curve for the 19-year-old.
44 Starts – Riley Herbst – No. 35 – 23XI Racing
Despite showing promise in sporadic starts leading up to the 2025 season, Riley Herbst had one of the toughest rookie seasons in recent NASCAR history. While the pressure will be on in 2026, Herbst has overcome a similar situation before, coming quite a ways from his rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020.
After his impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Hocevar improved yet again in 2025, scoring better counting stats, his first career pole, and a much-improved average starting spot. The No. 77 came close twice in 2025, and it is only a matter of time before the stars align for Hocevar and Spire.
81 Starts – Zane Smith – No. 38 – Front Row Motorsports
Zane Smith made his return to Front Row Motorsports this past season, and, despite all-around struggles from the team, the No. 38 seemed like FRM’s most consistent option from start to finish. Smith still has a way to go until he is a real threat week in and week out, but once he finds his groove in the Cup Series, a win will likely follow soon after.
Noah Gragson is entering his first NASCAR Cup Series season, in which he will return to the team he raced with the year prior. The 2025 season was very challenging for Gragson, but maybe some consistency will pay off and help the fan favorite driver score his first win in 2026.
113 Starts – John Hunter Nemechek – No. 42 – Legacy Motor Club
John Hunter Nemechek may not have won his first race in 2025, but his year-to-year improvement cannot be overlooked. Entering 2026, he and his Legacy Motor Club teammate Erik Jones have a knack for racing at Darlington, and maybe Nemechek can turn his 2025 Southern 500 run into a win this season.
123 Starts – Ty Gibbs – No. 54 – Joe Gibbs Racing
It never felt like the No. 54 team found its footing during the 2025 season. Following a crew chief change and a difficult end to 2024, Gibbs and company found themselves starting where the team left off in 2024, and though he came close to winning at Bristol, the odds did not fall in his favor, keeping his winless streak alive for yet another season.
142 Starts – Cody Ware – No. 51 – Rick Ware Racing
Much like his family’s team, Cody Ware has yet to find a way to win after many years racing in NASCAR’s highest level. Though he may not impress every week, that No. 51 is often at the front of the field during superspeedway races, and if his timing is right, that could pay off in the long run.
Todd Gilliland took on the role of veteran for Front Row Motorsports in 2025, but failed to build on the gains he made during the 2024 season. As always, FRM had fast cars on superspeedways in 2025, and this will likely carry into the 2026 season, with Gilliand’s knack for racing on drafting tracks, which could be his most likely route to his first win.
223 Starts – Ryan Preece – No. 60 – RFK Racing
After a solid first season at RFK Racing, the vibe around Ryan Preece has shifted from ‘will he match expectations’ to ‘when will he finally win?’ The short track ace will have many opportunities to do so during his second year with the team, and his countdown to victory lane seems to be slowly coming to an end.
281 Starts – Ty Dillon – No. 10 – Kaulig Racing
Ty Dillon has had one of the toughest careers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and despite outperforming his equipment at times and frequent team changes, Dillon remained winless in his first year with Kaulig Racing. The second-generation racer has a hunger to win and hasn’t given up yet, and maybe 2026 will be his season to break this streak.
This list will be updated as the season goes on and drivers get their first wins.
