Motorsports

How Chase Elliott drove from eighth to first in the final ten laps to win Atlanta

Published

6 months ago

June 30, 2025

With ten laps to go, it looked like Chase Elliott’s shot of winning at his home track was quickly fading. He had fallen to eighth in the running order and the Fords were working well together at the front of the pack.

Zane Smith led the way, searching for his first career win. In fact, every driver inside the top ten was winless in 2025, leading to some desperate moves and near-wrecks. But over the course of those final 15 miles, Elliott was the one who made all the right moves to get back to the lead at the very end. But how did it all go down?

The march back to the front

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

Running the outside lane, Elliott was able to get back to seventh with relative ease while the leaders went back-and-forth, keeping the pack bunched up. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman was dicing it up for the lead while Elliott found himself in a bad spot as Carson Hocevar nearly lost it directly in front of him. Elliott had nowhere to go with Chris Buescher directly to his inside so he just shoved the No. 77 of Hocevar forward.

Bowman and Smith continued to swap the lead as Elliott regrouped and set his sights on sixth place, cutting under Hocevar and clearing him from the inside. Things were getting tense in the battle for the win as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made a daring three-wide pass for the top spot. Bowman ended up getting stalled out and Elliott made his own three-wide pass to the outside of his teammate, re-entering the top five.

Brad Keselowski moved into the lead as Elliott and Bowman split Smith, shuffling the No. 38 back. That was a critical move as Smith was the only other Ford besides Keselowski running at the front. The RFK Racing driver had no friends left, and alliances were going to be everything in the closing moments of this race.

Smith tried to fight back, pulling alongside Elliott, but the 2020 NASCAR Cup champion held strong on the outside. With just three laps to go, he had the choice to either push Stenhouse from the top line or move low and help his teammate. Elliott wisely chose neither, sweeping to the far inside in a bold three-wide pass reminiscent of what Stenhouse had just done.

It was a remarkable move, clearing both drivers in the same corner and even pulling up alongside Tyler Reddick for the runner-up spot. With Bowman helping, he was nearly up to Keselowski when the race leader slammed the door on him into Turn 3. In the dirty air, Elliott was forced to fall back in line behind Reddick. If he hadn’t found that hole, it could have been game over. But he did and didn’t sit there for long, rebuilding the momentum in a single straightaway and diving back under Reddick. He cleared him with just two laps left, now all over Keselowski.

Teamwork for the win

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

There were three different manufacturers in the top three, so everyone was going to be looking out for themselves. But that’s when Bowman dove underneath Reddick, clearing him and filling the spot directly behind his teammate.

Keselowski was leading as the field took the white flag, but the battle was already over at this point. Elliott laid back and picked up a friendly push, allowing him to surge forward and dive to the inside of Keselowski. He desperately tried to block, but there was nothing he could do as Elliott claimed the race lead.

Keselowski now had Bowman behind him but he never had the chance to rebuild momentum as Bowman did what he could to ensure Elliott got away cleanly. While Keselowski and Bowman battled over second place, Elliott pulled ahead and captured the checkered flag, snapping a 44-race winless streak.

Driver reactions

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

Obviously, Keselowski was disappointed by the result, but he knew he had little chance when it became two against one at the front of the field.

“The #9 [Elliott] just had the #48 [Bowman] behind him giving him a huge push and there was nothing I could do to cover that,” said Keselowski. “When had our cars linked up at RFK we could do the same thing, but we lost that and it was just kind of a two-on-one and I fought as hard as I could.”

Bowman, who is also winless in 2025, said of the finish: “I needed to not be in the lead as early as I was. I felt like whoever was leading was kind of a sitting duck there at the end with how good everyone’s cars were driving. I just got shuffled back. We were coming back through the field and got back to third. We had a really good No. 48 Ally Chevrolet tonight. Happy for the No. 9 team. It’s a big win for them. Proud of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and we’ll keep on digging.”

Reddick fell back to fourth at the end, the best of the Toyota drivers left in the race. “Made the wrong move at the wrong time, most of the night,” he said after the race. “If I sat and waited, I would get shuffled back, just needed to be a little bit smarter with my move on the 6 [Keselowski]. I got shuffled too far back to fight truly for the win there, so just disappointing for sure, but it was nice to get a Playoff point and score some points at a superspeedway. Just more and more new winners, so we have to find a way to victory lane.”

Motorsports

Mini Bike Challenges Sport Bike to a Race – Drag Bike News

Published

28 minutes ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

It’s the biggest motorcycle drag racing grudge race of the year, Kings of Grudge Grinchmas from Orlando Speedworld Dragway and we cover this shocker as a fast mini bike calls out a stretched Suzuki Hayabusa grudge bike on the opening day of this event. We also see some motorcycle drag racing gone wrong as a fast Suzuki Hayabusa and GSXR 1000 suffer engine damage. Enjoy some thrilling motorcycle drag racing from Kings of Grudge

There are more videos on the Cycledrag Youtube channel (please subscribe here) and like the Cycledrag Facebook page (Please like here) and more will be coming soon. Also subscribe to our NEW Youtube channel “Racing Jack” and Check back daily.

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Motorsports

Bubba The Love Sponge and Cycledrag Discuss The State of Motorsports – Drag Bike News

Published

1 hour ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

It’s episode No. 3 of the Racing Jack Show and we sit down with media mogul “Bubba The Love Sponge” to Talk about what’s really hurting the racing business and what the sport must do to bring fans back to NHRA, NASCAR, Dirt Races and a whole lot more. After an in-depth discussion on the state of motorsports and racing the leader of the Bubba Army shocks us when he calls his good buddy and motorsports legend Tony Stewart.

We ask Bubba how the next generation of race fan has changed, how difficult it is to run a track and an organization and how racing organizations can follow the successful formula of WWE and UFC. We also discuss the controversial decision by the NHRA to cancel its final race of the season and discuss some of the interworking of NHRA drag racing and how it functions as a not for profit organization. Bubba also talks about what it’s like to climb the ladder in NASCAR in today’s climate compared to how it once was in the days of greats like Dale Earnhardt Sr. Finally we discuss Bubba’s reporting on the untimely death of Hulk Hogan and how the wrestling legend’s passing changes the way Cycledrag operates.

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Motorsports

Sport Bike Crashes at Biggest Grudge Event of the Year – Drag Bike News

Published

1 hour ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

We head to the biggest motorcycle drag racing grudge race of the year where we unfortunately see one fast racer on a Suzuki GSXR blow an en engine and suffer a big top end crash at Orlando Speedworld Dragway. It’s motorcycle drag racing gone wrong as this veteran driver suffers an incident but the good news is he was alert and awake and the Orlando safety team was right on top of it. We also see some unbelievable motorcycle drag racing as nitrous and turbo Suzuki Hayabusa and GSXR 1000 and Kawasaki ZX-14 stretched bikes go for big money win at the biggest Grudge race of the year, Kings of Grudge Grinchmas from Orlando, FL

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Motorsports

We rank the top-10 NASCAR Cup drivers of 2025

Published

4 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season was a 36-race saga of raw speed, strategy, and sheer misfortune, ending with Kyle Larson claiming his second championship at Phoenix Raceway—despite Denny Hamlin delivering what many consider the most statistically dominant campaign of the modern era. Hamlin’s six wins led the series, but a heartbreaking late caution in the finale snatched victory away, allowing Larson to capitalize. Points reset in the playoffs obscure the full picture of performance across ovals, road courses, and superspeedways.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

This ranking prioritizes overall impact: wins, poles, consistency, laps led, playoff pushes, and overperformance—elevating those who truly excelled beyond the trophy. In a year of road-course brilliance, veteran grit, and cruel twists, here are the top 10 drivers who defined 2025.

1. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) – The True Season Dominator

#11: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Progressive Toyota Camry. Photo courtesy of Toyota

Rank in Point Standings: 2nd
No. of Wins: 6
No. of Poles: 5
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Led JGR
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Strong

Hamlin’s six victories were the most in the series, backed by aggressive restarts, bold strategy, and unmatched hunger at age 44. He dominated the finale at Phoenix, leading a record 208 laps from pole—only for a late caution (unrelated to him) to erase his lead and hand the title to Larson. Heartbreakingly close after superior raw stats all year, Hamlin proved he’s among NASCAR’s all-time greats, championship or not.

2. Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) – The Opportunistic Champion

Kyle Larson poses for a photo during NASCAR Production Days at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 1st
No. of Wins: 3
No. of Poles: 1
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Tied high at Hendrick with Byron
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Competitive

Larson’s versatility and calm execution sealed his second title, leading over 1,100 laps with 15 top-fives and minimal errors. A smart two-tire call in Phoenix overtime turned Hamlin’s dominance into victory. Deserving champion, but Hamlin’s superior wins and poles make this a debated crown.

3. Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) – The Road-Course Phenom

Shane Van Gisbergen poses for a photo during NASCAR Production Days at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 12th
No. of Wins: 5
No. of Poles: 3
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Dominated road courses
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Led on twisties

In his full-season debut, SVG monopolized road courses with five wins (often by massive margins) and Rookie of the Year honors. Playoff qualifier with oval improvements, his raw talent overperformed the No. 88 Chevy—turning heads and redefining road-ring mastery.

4. Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) – The Qualifying Ace and Adapter

Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota poses for photos after winning the the Busch Light Pole Award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 12, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 3rd
No. of Wins: 3
No. of Poles: 7
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Competitive
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Led JGR

Switching to JGR after replacing Truex Jr., Briscoe exploded: series-high seven poles, three wins, and a Championship 4 berth. Massive speed gains and aggression made him a breakout, dragging his team deep into the playoffs.

5. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) – The Consistent Frontrunner

William Byron, driver of the #24 Raptor Chevrolet, spends time on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway on August 03, 2025 in Newton, Iowa. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 4th
No. of Wins: 3
No. of Poles: 3
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Tied with Larson
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Strong

Regular-season points leader Byron claimed three wins (including back-to-back Daytona 500s) and led thousands of laps. Dominant stretches and clutch Martinsville playoff advance highlighted his evolution into a perennial threat.

6. Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) – The Clutch Closer

Ryan Blaney poses for a photo during NASCAR Production Days at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 6th
No. of Wins: 4
No. of Poles: 2
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Most at Penske
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Competitive

Blaney’s four wins included a late surge, capping with Phoenix victory. Leading 852 laps despite inconsistencies, his momentum and improvements made him Penske’s leader.

7. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) – The Reliable Winner

Christopher Bell poses for a photo during NASCAR Production Days at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 22, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 5th
No. of Wins: 4
No. of Poles: 1
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Tied high at JGR
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Solid

Bell’s four wins and series-high 22 top-10s showed reliability across tracks. Steady playoff runs positioned him as a future champion in JGR’s lineup.

8. Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) – The Resurgent Favorite

Rank in Point Standings: 8th
No. of Wins: 2
No. of Poles: 0
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Solid
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Competitive

Elliott returned strong with two wins, consistent top-10s, and playoff pushes. Balanced oval/road performance rebuilt his momentum.

9. Joey Logano (Team Penske) – The Experienced Fighter

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Autotrader Ford, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at Echo Park Speedway on June 27, 2025 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 7th
No. of Wins: 1
No. of Poles: 2
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Led at times
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Strong

An “off” year for the defending champ still yielded a win and poles through savvy racing, keeping Penske competitive amid challenges.

10. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) – The Quiet Maximizer

Tyler Reddick poses for a photo during NASCAR Production Days at the Charlotte Convention Center on January 21, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Rank in Point Standings: 9th
No. of Wins: 0
No. of Poles: 2
No. of Wins vs. Teammate: Overperformed
No. of Poles vs. Teammate: Competitive

Winless but consistent with runner-ups and top-10s, Reddick extracted maximum from 23XI amid hurdles—excellent racecraft in a rebuilding effort.

2025 blended triumph, heartbreak, and emerging stars. While Larson holds the trophy, Hamlin’s dominance and SVG’s flair captured imaginations. NASCAR’s depth shines—on to 2026!

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Motorsports

4 NASCAR Cup cars unlikely returning for the 2026 Daytona 500

Published

5 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The entry list for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, which is now just over a month and a half away, is slowly but surely coming together.

In addition to the 36 chartered cars that are locked into the 68th running of the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, three non-chartered (open) cars have also been confirmed.

Justin Allgaier is set to drive the No. 40 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, B.J. McLeod is set to drive the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, and Jimmie Johnson is set to drive the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.

There are four spots open in the 40-car field, though that number could be increased to five if somebody (likely Johnson) is granted a world-class driver provisional and does not manage to successfully qualify either on speed or his Duel result.

Regardless, there will likely be multiple drivers sent home from the Duel races disappointed, as there are still expected to be five more cars added to the entry list between now and February, setting up a battle between eight drivers for either four or five spots. However, four cars once considered potential entries will likely not be a part of that battle.

Here’s a look at four possible Daytona 500 entries that are unlikely to return in 2026.

No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

For the first time since 2023, Trackhouse Racing brought back their PROJECT91 program for the 2025 Daytona 500, fielding the No. 91 Chevrolet for Helio Castroneves. Castroneves locked into the race via the world-class driver provisional, making the Daytona 500 the first since 1993 to feature exactly 41 cars.

PROJECT91 did not return for the rest of the 2025 season, and it is unlikely to be back for the season opener next year, as the Justin Marks-owned team aim to place full focus on their three-car full-time lineup.

No. 01/No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Rick Ware Racing expanded to two cars for four races in 2025, each race for Corey LaJoie as he drove the No. 01 Ford. That schedule included the Daytona 500 and two other superspeedway races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, plus the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It did not include any races during the second half of the season.

A second entry has not been completely ruled out by the team for 2026, but it is unlikely to make an appearance at Daytona, ever after LaJoie was competitive and led laps in 2025.

No. 50 Team AmeriVet Chevrolet

Team AmeriVet (formerly The Money Team Racing) have quietly competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for four consecutive years, though they have not competed in the Daytona 500 since over a year before their 2024 rebrand.

This underdog team still managed to qualify for the race in both of their previous attempts back in 2022 and 2023, but they are unlikely to make a third attempt this coming February.

No. 56 Tricon Garage Toyota

Tricon Garage did what JR Motorsports did in 2025 by moving up to the Cup Series for the first time and making their debut in the Daytona 500. They did so with Martin Truex Jr. behind the wheel of the No. 56 Toyota. but Truex is not expected back in 2026.

Additionally, Corey Heim, who won the Truck Series championship for the team in 2025, is expected to run a fourth 23XI Racing entry, so a Tricon Garage return for the “Great American Race” has been all but ruled out.

Expected Daytona 500 entry list additions: No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota

Single-car qualifying for the 68th annual Daytona 500 is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, followed by the two Duel qualifying races on Thursday, February 12. Fox’s live coverage of the race itself is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15.

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Motorsports

Aaron Rodgers gives his Steelers linemen $20K vehicles for Christmas

Published

7 hours ago

December 27, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Aaron Rodgers delivered the “gift of horsepower” to this offensive lineman.

The Steelers quarterback purchased each of his protectors a Can-Am Maverick side-by-side vehicle for Christmas.

Rodgers’ generosity was documented Thursday on TikTok and Instagram by Mosite Motorsports, which showed the future Hall of Famer riding next to his linemen in the off-road vehicles outside the Steelers’ practice facility.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) running off the field after a game. — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) runs off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“This Christmas, Aaron Rodgers gave his offensive line the gift of horsepower. Safe to say, it delivered. Merry Christmas from Mosites Motorsports,” the dealership wrote in its TikTok video.

The 2026 Maverick 3X goes for $19,999 on the Cam-Am website, putting Rodgers’ tab around $100,000 for his five linemen.

“Unleash unbeatable off-road dominance with this revolutionary machine, now the most affordable in its category,” Cam-Am describes the Maverick on its website. “Engineered with a lightweight chassis, experience lightning-fast agility and breathtaking speed that constantly shatters expectations.”

It was a different approach than Russell Wilson took last year in the Steel City.

During his one season with he team, he gifted his linemen a $10,000 Airbnb gift card, a Black and Gold Louis Vuitton duffle bag, a bottle of his wife Ciara’s Ten To One Rum and custom shoes from his own Good Man Brand.

Rodgers, 42, has plenty to be happy with from his group during his first season in Pittsburgh, as he’s been sacked a total of 25 times this season, with only five coming in the past five weeks as Pittsburgh makes a push for the playoffs and the AFC North title.

The former Jets signal-caller has had a strong season with the Steelers, throwing for 2,860 yards, 23 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 98.2 quarterback rating.

Pittsburgh (9-6) can clinch the division title with a win over the Browns or a Ravens’ loss to Rodgers’ former team, the Packers.

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