“We couldn’t be more thrilled to align with Viking Motorsports and Matt DiBenedetto,” said Chris Barrett, President/CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “Matt’s connection with fans is second to none, and the opportunity to bring our brand to life on the No. 99 car—during a race we’re also sponsoring—is something truly special for our region and visitors.”

DiBenedetto, who made the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team in 2020, and won the 2022 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Talladega Superspeedway, driving for Rackley WAR Racing, is excited at his prospects this weekend as he has always enjoyed racing at the 2.5-mile triangular Pocono Raceway track.

“Huge thanks to the PMVB for coming on board with Viking Motorsports and helping us show off everything that makes this place awesome,” said DiBenedetto. “I’ve always loved racing at Pocono—it’s such a wild track, and the fans are some of the best out there. Can’t wait to strap into the No. 99 Pocono Mountains Chevy and put on a show.”

Katherine Legge had issues with her car at the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City as her pedal was stuck to her foot. Per Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Legge said, the pedal was, “Literally, welded onto my foot.”

Legge was running just outside the top 20 when she revealed the pedal incident. The 44-year-old was competing in the second NASCAR Cup Series race of her career. Earlier in the season, Katherine Legge competed in the Cup Series race at Phoenix and finished 30th. She became the first woman to compete in a Cup Series race since Danica Patrick in the 2018 Daytona 500.

“I loved it and wanted to do more, I just didn’t know how to go about it,” Legge told NASCAR.com about her move to NASCAR. “I’m lucky that my sponsors pivoted with me and we’re all in on NASCAR.

“It was something that I felt incredibly passionate about doing. I have so much fun doing it and am so motivated. I’m working hard at it. I really want to make this home.”

More on Katherine Legge and her NASCAR career

Legge, who has competed in multiple racing leagues in her career, went on to talk about the challenges NASCAR presents. “It’s super fun to drive the cars; you were wrestling with them the whole time,” Legge reflects on her start in NASCAR. “It’s like Champ Car — we had to wrestle those beasts around the track. [NASCAR is] not easy. It’s one of the hardest championships to chase in the world because of the strength and depth. There are so many good drivers over here that are widely versed in stock car racing.”

Legge drives for Live Fast Motorsports, which is owned by former NASCAR driver BJ McLeod. He knows that Legge will have her share of issues anytime she is on a Cup Series track.

“It’s the toughest thing that she’s ever come across,” McLeod said. “I don’t know that she would tell you that, but I can tell you that the group of drivers that get to do [Cup] every week are truly some of the best drivers in the world. All of them are that good. Not one, not 20, not 30, all 36 or however many are there. They truly are that good, and it makes it extremely difficult for her because even if she’s equally as talented, she doesn’t get to race every week. She is the only part-timer that’s trying to get out there, get up to speed and she has very limited stock car experience.”

Alex Bowman suffered a nasty wreck at Michigan International Speedway prior to this past weekend’s race in Mexico City. The impact put his status in doubt for NASCAR’s international race throughout the week.

Still, the Hendrick Motorsports wheelman persevered, overcoming soreness and starting P29 to wind up finishing P4 on the afternoon. Afterwards, Bowman revealed he couldn’t walk because he was in so much pain throughout the week, which made his performance in Mexico even more impressive.

“Running well probably made it easier than it could have been. Just proud of the whole team. I put us behind this week. In full transparency, I couldn’t walk on Wednesday, so I missed all my sim stuff, all my meetings. Just trying to get back going,” Bowman revealed, via NBC Sports. “I had a lot of help from a lot of people to fix whatever the hell was going on, and thankfully enough, I was able to run all the laps this weekend. Honestly, my goal this weekend was just to come here and run all the laps and end up with a top five. I definitely will take it. Proud of Blake and all the guys.

“I wish I wouldn’t’ have burned the tires off so bad at the end, but we were pretty decent. It’s been neat. I’ve never been out of the country before. Certainly, this week has been a lot. Travel for this week has been a lot with what I had going on. I wish I could have walked around the city and enjoyed it a lot more than I did because I just laid in a hotel bed all weekend. It’s a neat spot. Have to thank my girlfriend, Chloe, for picking me up off the floor and getting me some help. Yeah, it’s been a heck of a week.”

Perhaps this could be the moment Bowman’s season turns around. While he started 2025 on a tear, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Hendrick Motorsports star lately. Without a win on the year, he’s far from locked into the playoffs at the moment.

Right now, Bowman is 22 points to the good, but that could all change with a couple more unexpected winners throughout the summer. However, if he keeps running like he did in Mexico, the No. 48 Chevrolet wheelman could find himself in Victory Lane sooner rather than later.

Time will tell, but it’s evident when the chips are down, Alex Bowman and his team will fight back. Next weekend’s race is at Pocono, a track he’s won at in the past. Perhaps he can get the job done once again.

CHICAGO – Road closures begin this week in preparation for the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race, which is set for the weekend of July 5-6 in Grant Park.

The overall preparation time has been cut to 25 days, compared to 38 days in 2024 and 43 days in 2023, organizers said.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 07: A general view of racing during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course on July 07, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

What to Expect:

Street closures will span only 18 days, a timeframe that’s 28% shorter than the first race in 2023.

Race preparations begin on Thursday with phased street and lane closures. 

The heaviest traffic impacts begin later this month, with full closures of major streets like Columbus Drive, Michigan Avenue, and DuSable Lake Shore Drive just before and after the race weekend.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to use public transportation, allow extra time when traveling through downtown, and keep an eye on alerts from the Office of Emergency Management & Communications (OEMC). 

The OEMC mobile app and the NASCAR Chicago website will be updated regularly with maps and reroutes.

More than half of Grant Park will still be open throughout the setup, race weekend, and teardown. Maggie Daley Park, Cancer Survivor’s Garden, and the Museum Campus will also stay open.

Road closures begin this week in preparation for the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race, which is set for the weekend of July 5-6 in Grant Park. (NASCAR Chicago Street Race)

Key dates and closures

Pre-race setup and closures:

• Thursday, June 19 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Full closure of Balbo Dr. from Columbus Dr. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr. “No Parking” restrictions will be put in place along SB and NB Columbus Dr. between Jackson Dr. and Balbo Dr.
• Friday, June 20 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Curb lane closure on NB and SB Columbus Dr. between Jackson Dr. and Balbo Dr.
• Monday, June 23 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Full closure on Ida B. Wells Dr. from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr., WB between Congress Plaza Dr. and Michigan Ave. will remain open and eastbound will be closed.
• Monday, June 23 – Beginning at 10:00 p.m. until 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 24: Temporary closure of NB Michigan Ave. between Congress Plaza Dr. and Jackson Dr.
• Wednesday, June 25 – Beginning at 10:00 p.m. until 5 a.m. Thursday, June 26: Temporary closure of NB Columbus Dr. between Balbo Dr. and Jackson Dr.

Progressive closures through early July:

• Thursday, June 26 – Beginning at 10 p.m.: Closure of Jackson Dr. between Michigan Ave. and Columbus Dr.
• Friday, June 27 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Closure of Balbo Dr. from Columbus Dr. to Michigan Ave.
• Saturday, June 28 – Beginning at 10 p.m.: Closure of Congress Plaza Dr.
• Monday, June 30 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Closure of Columbus Dr. from Jackson Dr. to Roosevelt Rd.
• Wednesday, July 2 – Beginning at 10 p.m.: Closure of WB and EB Roosevelt Rd., from Michigan Ave. and DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Thursday, July 3 – Beginning at 12:01 a.m.: Closure of SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. between Randolph St. and McFetridge Rd.
• Thursday, July 3 – Beginning at 10 p.m.: Closure of NB and SB Michigan Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to Jackson Dr. and NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. between Randolph St. and McFetridge Rd.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 07: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Jordan Brand Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Course on July 07, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

Race Weekend Closures – July 5–6:

• SB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. from Randolph St. to McFetridge Dr.
• NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. from McFetridge Dr. to Randolph St.
• NB Michigan Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to Monroe St.
• SB Michigan Ave. from south of Monroe St. to 8th St.
• Monroe St. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Columbus Dr. from Roosevelt Rd. to Monroe St.
• Roosevelt Rd. from DuSable Lake Shore Dr. to Michigan Ave.
• Jackson Dr. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Balbo Dr. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
• Ida B. Wells Dr. from Michigan Ave. to Columbus Dr.
• Congress Plaza Dr. from Harrison St. to Van Buren St.
• NB Indiana Ave. from Roosevelt Rd. to 13th St.
• Post Place: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Dr.
• Garvey Ct.: Entrance and exit of Lower Wacker Dr.

After the race:

• Select streets will begin reopening following the conclusion of the event. NOTE: The priority streets to reopen are DuSable Lake Shore Dr. and Michigan Ave. Other street closures will remain in effect as demobilization of the track wall, fence, and viewing structures takes place.
• NB DuSable Lake Shore Dr. will begin reopening Monday, July 7 at 6 a.m., with all NASCAR-related demobilization activity expected to conclude by end of day on July 14.

For more information on the race and preparations, visit nascarchicago.com/localinfo.

Ferrari’s 499P won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third consecutive time in 2025, but this year’s trophy won’t end up in the company’s Maranello, Italy, headquarters. Wearing number 83, and tellingly finished in bright yellow instead of red, the winning car was entered by an Italian privateer team named AF Corse.

The team entered a single car in the day-long race, which was a bold move. If it breaks, you’re out. It also enlisted the help of three respected drivers: Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson, and official Ferrari driver Yifei Ye. The win made history in more ways than one: Ye, who was born in Xi’an, became the first Chinese racer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Kubica, who is from Kraków, became the first Polish driver on the podium.

Ferrari’s odds of winning Le Mans looked bleak after qualifying: The quickest 499P secured seventh and the winning car started back in 11th. However, the three 499Ps ended up near the front of the pack almost immediately after the start. The trio put up one hell of a fight against the Porsche 963s, and for a while it looked like Ferrari would score a one-two-three finish. And, the podium could have looked much different had Alessandro Pier Guidi not spun the #51 499P while entering the pits about 20 hours into the race.

Second place went to a Porsche 963 (#6) driven by Matt Campbell, Kevin Estre, and Laurens Vanthoor; It crossed the finish line roughly 14 seconds behind the winner. One of the two factory-backed 499Ps (#51) finished third, about 28 seconds behind AF Corse’s car. Its sister car (#50) ended the race in fourth place.

Cadillac’s V-Series.R took pole position for the first time, but two of the four cars that lined up on the starting grid retired due to engine problems. The remaining two cars placed fifth (#12) and eighth (#38), respectively. Aston Martin’s long-awaited return to the top category at Le Mans didn’t go as planned, either: It entered two examples of the Valkyrie, which finished 13th (#009) and 15th (#007), respectively.

Inter Europol Competition took first place in the LMP2 category in an Oreca 07. And, while Porsche didn’t manage to secure its 20th overall win at Le Mans, it nonetheless beat rival Ferrari in the GT3 class. First place went to the Manthey 1st Phorm team’s Porsche 911 GT3 R, while Vista AF Corse’s Ferrari 296 GT3 finished second and TF Sport’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R (which sounded awesome) secured third.

MEXICO CITY – Hendrick Motorsports’ consistency and speed in 2025 certainly made it across the border this weekend. 

Chase Elliott (third) and Alex Bowman (fourth) gave the organization a pair of top-five showings as the NASCAR Cup Series held a points-paying event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City for the first time on Sunday afternoon. 

William Byron, who extended his points lead over teammate Kyle Larson to 67 tallies (unofficially), also came home with a ninth-place showing thanks to a furious late rally down the stretch. 

Unpredictability loomed large from the start as rain showers brought out a caution flag before the completion of lap one. From there ensued a mixed bag of fuel strategies and, in the early going, a balancing wet and dry tires. 

But Elliott’s speed and road-course acumen showed up in spades as he twice navigated through traffic after pit stops before coming home with his best finish of the year. 

RELATED: Jeff Gordon to give command at Mexico City

“I felt like we were in a really good spot, and I was super excited about having tires,” Elliott said. “I think we just pressed so hard to try and get through the traffic that when we got singled out, I just didn’t have a lot of pace left. 

“Really proud of our LLumar Chevy group for sticking with it … Finally got going there a few runs from the end and (crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) made a good call to get us on tires.” 

For Bowman, the performance was a testament to toughness as he fought through back pain resulting from a crash at Michigan International Speedway the week prior to register his third top-five finish of the season. 

Elliott picked up a pair of stage points in the race’s first segment and both he and Byron were running well inside the top 10 toward the end of stage two before short pitting. Bowman, meanwhile, stayed out and finished third, earning eight valuable markers to add to his cushion above the playoff bubble. 

An important moment in the outcome of the event came with 36 laps to go as Carson Hocevar spun and stalled, bringing out the caution flag. It would be the last stoppage of the event. 

Having already pitted in the final stage, Bowman stayed out, assuming the third position, and with fresh tires, Elliott and Byron began their march forward when the green waved again. Byron was momentarily hindered by some contact early in the stint but found his way through while it was smooth sailing for Elliott, who picked his way forward spot-by-spot before running out of laps. 

Kyle Larson qualified highest among the Hendrick Motorsports contingent in sixth. However, just seven laps in, Larson was caught up in a crash not of his own doing as Kyle Busch lost control, slamming into the No. 5 Valvoline Chevy. 

With every point mattering, however, the team furiously went to work in the garage to get the car back on track. Larson returned several laps down and after repairs and pit stops, laid down the race’s fastest lap, earning a bonus point in the process. 

The NASCAR Cup Series will return next week with a race at Pocono Raceway. The green flag is set to wave at 2 p.m. next Sunday and will air on Prime Video.