Motorsports

Federal judge calls on NASCAR, teams to settle bitter antitrust battle – WFTV

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (AP) — A federal judge urged NASCAR and two of its teams, including one owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina grilled […]

Published

1 month ago

June 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina grilled both NASCAR and the teams — 23XI Racing, which is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins — on what they hoped to accomplish in the antitrust battle that has loomed over the stock car series for months.

“It’s hard to picture a winner if this goes to the mat — or to the flag — in this case,” Bell said. “It scares me to death to think about what all this is costing.”

23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations that refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it offer from NASCAR last September on a new charter agreement. Charters are NASCAR’s version of a franchise model, with each charter guaranteeing entry to the lucrative Cup Series races and a stable revenue stream; 13 other teams signed the agreements last fall, with some contending they had little choice.

The nearly two-hour hearing was on the teams’ request to toss out NASCAR’s countersuit, which accuses Jordan business manager Curtis Polk of “willfully” violating antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in negotiations. NASCAR said it learned in discovery that Polk in messages among the 15 teams tried to form a “cartel” type operation that would include threats of boycotting races and a refusal to individually negotiate.

One of NASCAR’s attorneys even cited a Benjamin Franklin quote Polk allegedly sent to the 15 organizations that read: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney representing the teams, was angered by the revelation in open court, contending it is privileged information only revealed in discovery. Kessler also argued none of NASCAR’s claims in the countersuit prove anything illegal was done by Polk or the Race Team Alliance during the charter negotiation process.

“NASCAR knows it has no defense to the monopolization case so they have come up with this claim about joint negotiations, which they agreed to, never objected to, and now suddenly it’s an antitrust violation,” Kessler said outside court. “It makes absolutely no sense. It’s not going to help them deflect from the monopolizing they have done in this market and the harm they have inflicted.”

He added that “the attacks” on Polk were “false, unfounded and frankly beneath the dignity of my adversary to even make those type of comments, which he should know better about.”

NASCAR attorneys said Polk improperly tried to pressure all 15 teams that comprise the RTA to stand together collectively in negotiations and encouraged boycotting qualifying races for the 2024 Daytona 500. NASCAR, they said, took the threat seriously because the teams had previously boycotted a scheduled meeting with series executives.

“NASCAR knew the next step was they could boycott a race, which was a threat they had to take seriously,” attorney Lawrence Buterman said on behalf of NASCAR.

Kessler said outside court the two teams are open to settlement talks, but noted NASCAR has said it will not renegotiate the charters. NASCAR’s attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.

Bell did not indicate when he’d rule, other than saying he would decide quickly.

Preliminary injunction status

Kessler said he would file an appeal by the end of the week after a three-judge federal appellate panel dismissed a preliminary injunction that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI and Front Row as chartered teams while the court fight is being resolved.

Kessler wants the issue heard by the full appellate court. The injunction has no bearing on the merits of the case, which is scheduled to go to trial in December. The earliest NASCAR can treat the teams as unchartered is one week after the deadline to appeal, provided there is no pending appeal or whenever the appeals process has been exhausted.

There are 36 chartered cars for the 40-car field each week. If 23XI and Front Row are not recognized as chartered, their six cars would have to compete as “open” teams — which means they’d have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and they would receive a fraction of the money guaranteed for chartered teams.

Discovery issues

Some of the arguments Tuesday centered on Jonathan Marshall, the executive director of the RTA. NASCAR has demanded text messages and emails from Marshall and says it has received roughly 100 texts and over 55,000 pages of emails.

NASCAR wants all texts between Marshall and 55 people from 2020 through 2024 that contain specific search terms. Attorneys for the RTA said that covers more than 3,000 texts, some of which are privileged, and some that have been “deleted to save storage or he didn’t need them anymore.”

That issue is set to be heard during a hearing next Tuesday before Bell.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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Motorsports

Camrie Caruso Motorsports Partners with Green Genie of NY for Final Three IHRA Events of 2025

Camrie Caruso Motorsports is proud to unveil a brand-new partnership with Green Genie of New York, set to debut at the final three IHRA events of the 2025 season. The collaboration features the launch of the bold, vibrant Green Genie Chevy Cobalt, adding serious flair and firepower to the Mountain Motor Pro Stock class. The striking new […]

Published

3 minutes ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The striking new Chevy Cobalt Pro Stocker will make its first appearance at IHRA Columbus (Sept. 3–6), followed by West Salem, OH (Sept. 24–27), and the season finale in Dunn, NC (Nov. 5–8).

“I’m beyond excited to partner with a company from East Rochester, NY – where my mom grew up,” said Camrie Caruso. “This deal hits close to home for me, and bringing it to life with such a unique and eye-catching car makes it even more special. The Green Genie Cobalt is going to turn heads, and we’re showing up to win.”

Green Genie – known for their bold branding and tagline, “We make incredible edibles for people who know the difference!” – is bringing its high-energy style to the drag strip, teaming up with one of the sport’s standout female drivers to close out the 2025 season in unforgettable fashion.

Fans can expect not only fierce performance on the track, but also exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan-focused activations, and a deeper look into the creation of the Green Genie Chevy Cobalt.

This story was originally published on July 28, 2025. Drag Illustrated

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Motorsports

NASCAR Discloses Data Breach Linked to Medusa Ransomware Group

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has disclosed a data breach following a network intrusion that occurred between March 31 and April 3, 2025. Although the organization did not disclose many details about the breach, it may be connected to a broader ransomware incident earlier this year involving the notorious Medusa group. […]

Published

5 minutes ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NASCAR Discloses Data Breach Linked to Medusa Ransomware Group

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has disclosed a data breach following a network intrusion that occurred between March 31 and April 3, 2025.

Although the organization did not disclose many details about the breach, it may be connected to a broader ransomware incident earlier this year involving the notorious Medusa group.

NASCAR, headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, is the governing body for stock car racing in the United States and owns 16 major motorsport facilities nationwide. The organization employs over 8,700 people and plays a central role in American motorsports culture and business.

According to the breach notification submitted to the Maine Attorney General’s office, NASCAR detected unusual activity on April 3 and immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of a specialized cybersecurity firm. The company determined that threat actors had accessed and exfiltrated data files from their internal network during a three-day window. It wasn’t until June 24, 2025, that investigators confirmed these files contained personally identifiable information, specifically names and Social Security numbers.

The notice shared with the authorities does not list all the compromised data types, so it is unclear precisely what was exposed to the cybercriminals.

NASCAR began notifying affected individuals on July 24, offering them one year of free credit and identity monitoring services through Experian. The organization has also set up a toll-free call center to assist with inquiries related to the incident.

Although NASCAR has not disclosed the total number of individuals impacted, this disclosure follows a claim by the Medusa ransomware gang in April 2025 that they had breached the organization’s network. The gang claimed to have stolen over one terabyte (1,038.70 GB) of data and demanded a $4 million ransom. The entry, initially listed on Medusa’s leak site, has since been removed, an action that sometimes signals either negotiations, payment, or abandonment of the extortion attempt.

In its notification to affected individuals, NASCAR emphasized that it had taken immediate steps to secure its systems and was implementing additional security enhancements. While the company did not provide details on the nature of the compromised files or how many people were affected, the Medusa claim suggests that the scale may be far broader than officially acknowledged.

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Motorsports

Where All 36 Cup Drivers Stand After Indy

RACE RESULTS: Brickyard 400 Using an average of rankings between Racing America On SI’s Toby Christie, Joseph Srigley, and Zach Evans, here’s where all 36 full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers stand heading into this weekend’s event at Iowa Speedway. Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes 1. Denny Hamlin Denny Hamlin didn’t end up completing his grand slam this […]

Published

32 minutes ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

RACE RESULTS: Brickyard 400

Using an average of rankings between Racing America On SI’s Toby Christie, Joseph Srigley, and Zach Evans, here’s where all 36 full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers stand heading into this weekend’s event at Iowa Speedway.

Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

1. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin didn’t end up completing his grand slam this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but considering he started at the rear of the field in a backup car, a third-place result is mightily impressive for the No. 11 team. (Previously: 2nd)

2. Chase Elliott

Sunday’s race was one of Elliott’s worst in a while, which speaks volumes as to how competitive he and the No. 9 team have become as he finished 13th in the Brickyard 400. (Previously: 1st)

3. Alex Bowman

Interestingly, Bowman’s ninth-place finish in the Brickyard 400 marked his 12th top-10 finish of the season, which ties him with series point leader Chase Elliott, and he’s just two behind Kyle Larson, who leads the series with 14 top-10s this year. (Previously: 6th)

4. Kyle Larson

Speaking of Kyle Larson, he came up just shy of back-to-back wins in the Brickyard 400 as he finished runner-up to Bubba Wallace on Sunday. After three straight finishes outside the top-10, Larson now heads to Iowa on a two-race top-five finishing streak. (Previously: 8th)

5. Chase Briscoe

It wasn’t a Hoosier’s turn to be in Victory Lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year, but after winning the pole, Chase Briscoe continued to have a great run. However, the No. 19 pitted late in the going and couldn’t make up much track position, finishing 18th. (Previously: 5th)

6. Ty Gibbs

Ty Gibbs is $1 million richer, beating Ty Dillon to win the inaugural In-Season Tournament. However, the performance in the Brickyard 400 wasn’t worth a million bucks, finishing 21st. It’s going to be win or nothing now, though, with Bubba Wallace locking into the postseason. (Previously: 3rd)

7. Chris Buescher

Chris Buescher continues to put in steady performances, which has kept him above the Playoff cutline, but with more and more winners stacking up (Bubba Wallace became the 13th on Sunday), Buescher finds himself as the last driver inside the cut line. (Previously: 7th)

8. Christopher Bell

It was a mostly quiet afternoon for Christopher Bell, until he clipped the rear-end of Zane Smith in NASCAR Overtime. However, the driver of the No. 20 still recorded a solid eighth-place finish. (Previously: 9th)

9. Ryan Preece

Ryan Preece continued his excellent first season with RFK Racing with an impressive fourth-place result in the Brickyard 400. Preece was fast, and his team utilized great strategy throughout the race to get the driver into position. (Previously: 13th)

10. Bubba Wallace

No more talking about the playoff cutline for Bubba Wallace. With his win in the Brickyard 400, Wallace punched his ticket to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. It’s back-to-back top 10 finishes for Wallace heading into next Sunday’s race at Iowa. (Previously: 17th)

11. Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick pitted before overtime, relinquishing a top-10 running position. He was then collected in a multi-car incident on the first overtime attempt, finishing 29th. (Previously: 4th)

12. Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney won the second stage, but pitted for fuel before the pits opened, sending him to the rear of the field. He rebounded for a seventh-place finish, but especially with the strength of his teammate Austin Cindric in the race, you can’t help but wonder what could have been. (Previously: 11th)

13. Brad Keselowski

Clocked in right behind Preece, his RFK Racing teammate, with a fifth-place finish. Keselowski now has three top-five finishes this season, which have all come in his last 10 starts. (Previously: 16th)

14. William Byron

If William Byron didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. The driver that led the regular-season championship standings for much of the season looked poised to reclaim the point lead until he sputtered out of gas on the final lap of the Brickyard 400. (Previously: 14th)

15. Joey Logano

A lot of things didn’t go Joey Logano’s way, including a flat tire and being collected in a late accident. Logano ultimately finished 32nd, with his second DNF in the last five races. (Previously: 10th)

16. Kyle Busch

Another head-shaking day for Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing team as they finished 25th, two laps down. However, spotter Derek Kneeland posted on X that a win is around the corner. We’ll see. (Previously: 12th)

17. Austin Cindric

Austin Cindric finished the day with the most laps led in the Brickyard 400. However, a flat tire while leading the race dashed Cindric’s shot at a win, ultimately finishing 15th. (Previously: 23rd)

18. Shane van Gisbergen

Similar to last year’s Xfinity Series event at Indianapolis, Shane van Gisbergen had some strength on this particular oval racetrack, recording a top-20 result after running as high as 12th earlier in the event. Definitely another step in a positive direction for SVG. (Previously: 18th)

19. John Hunter Nemechek

With a 12th-place finish, it was another successful afternoon for John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team. JHN is now averaging a 19.1 finish in 2025, which is the best of his NASCAR Cup Series career. (Previously: 21st)

20. Michael McDowell

Michael McDowell’s troubles started early, as he made contact with Ross Chastain on lap 17 and sent him into the outside wall. Later, McDowell suffered a flat tire, and he ultimately finished 30th. (Previously: 15th)

21. Justin Haley

Good news, Justin Haley finished 11th, continuing a quietly strong July run for the No. 7 team. Bad news, with Bubba Wallace’s win, Haley is the new owner of the longest winless drought among active NASCAR Cup Series competitors. (Previously: 25th)

22. Josh Berry

Josh Berry was on the verge of a strong finish after staying near the front of the field throughout the day, but ran out of fuel on the last lap. Instead, Berry finished 22nd, still seraching for his first top-10 finish since Kansas. (Previously: 27th)

23. AJ Allmendinger

After qualifying ninth and finishing 10th in the first stage, A.J. Allmendinger finished 23rd on Sunday, one lap down. Allmendinger finished ninth in the last short track race at Bristol, and hopes Iowa can bring that same level of success. (Previously: 22nd)

24. Ty Dillon

After five weeks, the NASCAR In-Season Challenge ended in a loss to Ty Gibbs in the finals for Ty Dillon. Dillon finished 28th, suffering nose damage early in the race that hampered his hopes of a strong finish. (Previously: 19th)

25. Todd Gilliland

This is exactly what the doctor ordered for Todd Gilliland and the entire No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. A sixth-place finish is destined to build some momentum for an organization that so badly needs it, right now. (Previously: 34th)

26. Carson Hocevar

After a hard-fought day, Carson Hocevar finished 10th at Indianapolis. That gets him back into the top 10 after three straight finishes outside the top 30. (Previously: 32nd)

27. Ross Chastain

Things just keep getting worse and worse for Ross Chastain. An already poor streak got even worse Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with a wreck and a destroyed racecar in the race’s first 20 laps. Chastain has one finish better than 24th in the last six races. (Previously: 20th)

28. Erik Jones

Roush luck for Erik Jones, who had a really fast car in Indianapolis. He was so fast, he literally drove the right front wheel off of the thing. A hard crash led to a 36th-place finish for Jones. (Previously: 24th)

29. Zane Smith

Zane Smith had a shot for a top-10 finish on Sunday, until he was hooked on the back straightaway by Christopher Bell. That ruined any shot at a good finish and continued a difficult summer for FRM, both on and off the track. (Previously: 26th)

30. Daniel Suarez

The damage to the front-end of the No. 99 really hindered any chance at a decent day for Daniel Suarez. However, these kinds of finishes are not going to help him find a new NASCAR Cup Series seat for 2026. It’s time for Suarez to show what we know he’s truly made of. (Previously: 30th)

31. Austin Dillon

The only good thing about a 38th-place finish is that there’s little chance it could be worse next weekend for Austin Dillon, who dropped out of the race after suffering radiator damage in a stack up on a Lap 55 restart. (Previously: 28th)

32. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The summer backslide continues for Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who had his No. 47 Chevrolet critically damaged in a restart stack-up early in the race. A 35th-place finish was certainly not what HYAK had in mind for this weekend. (Previously: 29th)

33. Riley Herbst

Riley Herbst finished 26th, two laps down, in his battered and bruised No. 35 on a long and difficult day at Indianapolis. The series’ last trip to the Midwest ended with a 17th-place finish at Chicago for Herbst, and he’ll hope for similar improvement at Iowa. (Previously: 31st)

34. Cole Custer

Nothing flashy, but a solid top-20 in the Brickyard 400 is exactly what Cole Custer and Haas Factory Team need to continue doing. It’s going to take some time to build this program, but surely this is a step in the right direction. (Previously: 33rd)

35. Noah Gragson

Noah Gragson and Front Row Motorsports just cannot catch a break. The No. 4 team has been free-falling down the standings, and that continues with Indianapolis, after another poor finish due to a mechanical issue. There’s been some bright spots, but darkness has crowded them recently, for sure. (Previously: 35th)

36. Cody Ware

Sigh. Another rough day for Cody Ware and the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team. Ware was credited with a 37th-place finish after he dropped out of the race after completing just 58 laps. (Previously: 36th)

Motorsports

Why Austin Hill will likely face more penalties

In the closing laps of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Aric Almirola was trying to take fourth position away from Austin Hill, ultimately making some contact with the Richard Childress Racing driver. Hill managed to save the car, but he then appeared to abruptly turn back down the track, hooking Almirola’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota […]

Published

50 minutes ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Hill managed to save the car, but he then appeared to abruptly turn back down the track, hooking Almirola’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota directly into the outside wall. Almirola impacted a section of the wall that is not protected by SAFER Barrier nearly head-on, but thankfully walked away without injury.

NASCAR held Hill for five laps for “reckless driving,” and he was furious over the radio. Hill denied that the move was intentional, claiming he was still trying to gather up the car. He also threw several expletives at the sanctioning body, which certainly didn’t help his case.

Will Hill be suspended?

The new playoff waiver rules

Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

In 2025, a suspension would be even more impactful due to new playoff waiver rules implemented ahead of the new season. Should a driver miss a race due to a suspension, they can remain eligible for the playoffs via a waiver, but will lose all of their playoff bonus points and forfeit any future playoff points they collect leading up to the playoffs.

All signs seem to point to a one-week suspension for Hill, but the new playoff waiver rules could sway them towards a points penalty and a fine. However, the incident looks plenty severe enough to warrant a forced vacation, regardless of the new waiver policy. His radio communication may also play a factor, as NASCAR does not tolerate being spoken to in such a way. Kyle Busch once decided to flip off a NASCAR official while serving a penalty he disagreed with, which resulted in additional in-race penalties for unsportsmanlike behavior.

Hill is already locked into the NASCAR Xfinity playoffs via three race wins, and he currently holds 21 playoff points. He’s also fifth in the regular season standings, which brings with it more bonus points once the playoffs begin. But no matter what decision NASCAR makes this week, taking no action is extremely unlikely, and the punishment is likely to adversely impact his title hopes in some form.

Photos from Indianapolis – Race

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Anothony Alfredo, Young's Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Christian Eckes, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Jeremy Clements, Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Brennan Poole, Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Katherine Legge, Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Taylor Gray, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Carson Kapvil, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Matt DiBenedetto, Viking Motorsports Chevrolet, Jeb Burton, Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Aric Almirola, Toyota, Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

David Starr, Chevrolet, Dawson Cram, Chevrolet

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Sam Mayer, Haas Factory Team Ford

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

William Sawalich, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Carson Kapvil, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, David Starr, Chevrolet, Nick Sanchez, Big Machine Racing

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Indianapolis – Saturday, in photos

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Motorsports

Kris Wright Returns to Venturini Motorsports for Multi-Race ARCA Menards Series Deal; Iowa First Up – Speedway Digest

Venturini Motorsports is pleased to announce the return of Kris Wright to the team’s ARCA Menards Series driver lineup for the 2025 season. Wright will compete in a trio of events behind the wheel of a Venturini-prepared Toyota Camry, beginning this weekend at Iowa Speedway on August 1, followed by Watkins Glen International on August […]

Published

1 hour ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A versatile and experienced driver across multiple disciplines, Wright rejoins Venturini Motorsports after a prior stint with the team in 2023-2024. In 2024, driving full-time with Venturini Motorsports, Wright finished the season in third place in ARCA’s national driver championship point standings. The Pennsylvania native has recorded 35 career starts in the ARCA series with eight top-5 and twelve top-10 finishes.

Wright’s newly added 2025 schedule reflects a strategic mix of oval and road course competition, providing him the opportunity to showcase his skills in a variety of settings. The veteran driver has experience in the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, and sports car racing, including IMSA Prototype Challenge and LMP3 categories.

“Venturini Motorsports runs a top-notch program, and I’m excited to be back with them this season,” said Wright. “The combination of Iowa, Watkins Glen, and Kansas gives me a great variety of tracks, and I’m confident we can go out and compete for wins.”

Wright’s campaign will add depth to Venturini Motorsports’ formidable multi-driver lineup in 2025, continuing the organization’s tradition of combining promising young talent with experienced racers under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner.

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Motorsports

Bubba Wallace wins NASCAR Brickyard 400 today: Scott McLaughlin shares message

INDIANAPOLIS — Bubba Wallace claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series win at the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, the third victory of his career, and even after taking the lead on Lap 143 had his own doubts. “The last 20 laps, there were ups and downs of me telling myself I wasn’t going to be able […]

Published

1 hour ago

July 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

INDIANAPOLIS — Bubba Wallace claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series win at the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, the third victory of his career, and even after taking the lead on Lap 143 had his own doubts.

“The last 20 laps, there were ups and downs of me telling myself I wasn’t going to be able to do it,” he said.

The race broadcast shared fuel concerns, one that even Denny Hamlin was unsure of, but Wallace did a burnout after crossing the bricks first after a red flag for rain in Turn 1 that lasted 18 minutes, and then a second overtime. Wallace was able to kiss the bricks with his wife, Amanda, and their son, Becks, who was two days shy of being 10 months old.

A photo shortly after was shared on Twitter, and IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin had a heartfelt message. McLaughlin had finished, key word of late as he poked fun at recapping his own race, 10th at the IndyCar race at Laguna Seca, which was won by Alex Palou before the Brickyard 400 wrapped up despite a later start time.

“This guy is the best dad,” McLaughlin wrote on Twitter. “Has been going through it with the racing gods. Always one of the first people to text me if we have a bad day. So happy for Bdub, a great dude and I hope the haters enjoyed that.”

This guy is the best dad. Has been going through it with the racing gods. Always one of the first people to text me if we have a bad day. So happy for Bdub, a great dude and I hope the haters enjoyed that. https://t.co/vwohIs2Nt6

— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) July 27, 2025

McLaughlin’s 10th-place finish ended a drought of consecutive races with DNFs. He crashed on Lap 1 of Iowa Race 2 and again on Lap 3 at Toronto, finishing 26th in both races. McLaughlin sits tied for 11th with Rinus VeeKay (259 points) in the championship standings in what’s become a Palou runaway (590) with a slim margin for Pato O’Ward (469) to catch him.

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