INDYCAR fans should have a new video game to play next year.
INDYCAR and iRacing announced a long-term agreement to produce INDYCAR games for consoles and PCs. The first game for PlayStation, Xbox and Stream should be available during the second half of 2026.
“INDYCAR fans have long been clamoring for a standalone title for consoles, and we’re excited to give them what they’re looking for in 2026,” said Tony Gardner, iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations president, in a news release.
“iRacing Studios’ standalone INDYCAR title will offer all the excitement of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and an immersive experience that fans of all ages can enjoy. We are already very excited about how the game is coming together.”
Among the drivers who will be deeply involved in the creation of the product will be Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the development process for iRacing Studios’ new INDYCAR title,” McLaughlin said. “It’s an honor to work with a team that has developed such amazing products to help deliver INDYCAR’s first dedicated title in quite some time.”
A dedicated title is seen as key to expanding the reach and interest in the sport.
“The most competitive and challenging racing on the planet deserves a dedicated and widely available gaming experience,” INDYCAR President Doug Boles said. “iRacing Studios is the ideal partner for us, trusted and known to our core fans and ready to share our sport with a wider and highly engaged audience.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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Dr. Patrick Staropoli, a board-certified medical and surgical retina specialist, has been tapped by NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series operation Big Machine Racing to compete full-time in the second-tier division in 2026.
Staropoli will get behind the wheel of the No. 48 SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection) Chevrolet, beginning with the February 14 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
“From the moment I buckled into a pure stock at Hialeah Speedway in 2023, my life’s goal has been to compete at the top levels of this sport,” said Staropoli. “The path has taken many unexpected turns, but after working every day for 23 years in pursuit of this dream, I now have the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to Scott Borchetta, Patrick Donahue, and Chevrolet. I am ready to do whatever it takes to put this SYFOVRE Chevy up front and raise awareness for Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration by combining my passion for motorsports and medicine.”
A third-generation driver from Plantation, Florida, Staropoli first gained national attention after winning the 2013 PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge to become a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver, emerging ahead of top talents like NASCAR Cup Series race-winner Chase Briscoe. The 36-year-old earned himself a seat with Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series West, where he captured a victory at Irwindale in 2014.
“We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Patrick Staropoli to the No. 48 Big Machine Racing team for the 2026 season,” said Patrick Donahue, Crew Chief and Team Manager. “He brings a rare blend of professionalism, focus, and drive that will continue to strengthen our organization. This partnership reflects our commitment to surrounding the team with individuals who share our values and vision for building long-term success.”
After nearly a decade on the sidelines, Staropoli returned to the ranks of NASCAR’s National Series in 2025, competing in four NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (Xfinity Series) events for Sam Hunt Racing and four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events for Cook Racing Technologies — earning two top-20s in both the O’Reilly Series and Truck Series.
The hiring of Dr. Patrick Staropoli comes after the surprising news earlier this month that Nick Sanchez, who earned the team’s second victory last Summer at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), had been released from the organization ahead of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign. Sanchez said in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the move was “strictly business” on the part of Big Machine Racing.
Staropoli will take on the 33-race NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign in 2026 with Big Machine Racing, starting with the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway on February 14. Coverage will be at 5:30 PM ET on The CW, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Kyle Larson is ready to go back to Daytona for the Rolex 24 Hours.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has three starts in IMSA’s season-opening crown jewel event, but none since 2016. He took overall victory with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2015, co-driving with Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, and Jamie McMurray.
On a recently-released episode of Dinner with Racers, a podcast co-hosted by Ryan Eversley and Sean Heckman, Larson was asked about his interest in returning for the endurance classic if Chrevolet came calling.
“I think at this stage in my career, yeah, I’d do it again,” said Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in NASCAR. “I had fun those three years I did it. I didn’t want to keep doing it every year.”
#02 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley DP Ford: Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
Few are as well-equipped as Larson to handle a busy racing schedule. Beyond his Cup commitments, he also competes in High Limit Racing, a Sprint Car Series he co-owns with five-time World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet. There’s also the random Midget races, and offseason racing trips to the other side of the globe.
“The offseasons have only gotten busier,” Larson said. “There’s more races and stuff. I go to Australia now, Chili Bowl, and West Coast Midget races. It’s just a lot and I, kind of, want time off. But it’s been so long since I ran it that you almost get to the point where you forget a little bit about it, right? And I just remember having a blast doing that race, so I just want to go there and relive it.”
The 33-year-old California native would also relish the opportunity to share the experience with his family, noting his oldest of three children, Owen, is 11 but was a newborn when Larson won the event.
“To have my kids be a part of it would be cool,” said Larson, who also has two starts in the Indianapolis 500 each of the last two years.
It also helps bolster a family vacation when Disney World is roughly an hour away, too.
“Yeah, that, too,” he said. “So yeah, I would probably do it again.”
However, Larson, who attempted to express not knowing anyone in IMSA to move the idea forward, does have one requirement: “I want to be in the best car.”
As the subject started to fade off, Larson pressed his level of interest into more of a declaration.
Here is a list of major auto racing events to be held around Wisconsin in 2026, weighted toward the Milwaukee area, as well as photo galleries and links to 2025 coverage. (The farther away an event is, the bigger it has to be to crack the list.) Factors considered include history, prestige, scope and purse.
Follow track and series links for additional information.
If you have ideas for events that should be considered for addition, email dkallmann@journalsentinel.com.
Jan. 15-18: 63rd World Championship Snowmobile Derby, Eagle River (2025 winner: Zach Dewald)
April 26: ASA Midwest Tour and Slinger Speedway season opener
April 30-May 2: World of Outlaws Late Model Series Dairyland Showdown, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City. $40,000 to win Saturday (2025 winners: Friday – Tyler Erb; Saturday – Nick Hoffman)
May 3: ASA Midwest Tour Joe Shear Classic, Madison International Speedway, Town of Rutland (2025 winner: Casey Johnson)
May 15-17: Spring Vintage Festival, Road America, Elkhart Lake
May 29-31: MotoAmerica Superbike Series, Road America, Elkhart Lake (Superbike winner: Josh Herrin both Saturday and Sunday)
June 3: High Limit Racing sprint cars, Red Cedar Speedway, Menomonie (2025 winner: Rico Abreu)
June 4: High Limit Racing sprint cars, Gondik Law Speedway, Superior
June 5-7: SCCA June Sprints club sports-car racing, Road America, Elkhart Lake
June 6: World of Outlaws sprint cars Cheese Town Showdown, Plymouth Dirt Track (2025 winner: Rico Abreu)
June 7: World of Outlaws sprint cars Badger State Brawl, Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, (2025 winner: Sheldon Haudenschild)
June 19-20: IMCA modifieds, Clash at the Creek XVIII, $10,000 to win, 141 Speedway, Maribel
June 19-20: World of Outlaws late models Maribel Late Model Showdown, $12,000 to win Friday, $25,000 to win Saturday, 141 Speedway, Maribel
June 19-21: NTT IndyCar Series XPEL Grand Prix, Road America, Elkhart Lake. (2025 winner: Alex Palou)
June 21: ASA STARS National Tour, Slinger Speedway (2025 winner: Cole Butcher)
June 23: ASA STARS National Tour, Madison International Speedway, Town of Rutland (2025 winner: Carson Brown)
June 26-27: World of Outlaws sprint cars Independence Spectacular, Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond (2025 inners: Friday, David Gravel; Saturday, Carson Macedo)
June 26-28: Trans Am Speed Tour Cheese Capital Cup, Road America (2025 winner: Chris Dyson)
July 10-11: World of Outlaws sprint cars Larry Hillerud Memorial, Wilmot Raceway, Kenosha County Fairgrounds (2025 winner: Buddy Kofoid).
July 14: Slinger Nationals, Slinger Speedway (Winner: Ty Majeski)
July 16-19: WeatherTech Vintage Weekend, Road America, Elkhart Lake
July 30-Aug. 1: World of Outlaws late models, Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, with $100,000-to-win USA Nationals feature Saturday (2025 winner: Ryan Gustin)
July 30-Aug. 2: IMSA sports cars, Road America (2025 winner: BMW M Team RLL, Dries Vanthoor and Phillipp Eng)
Aug. 4: ASA MidwestTour, Gandrud Auto Group 250, Wisconsin International Raceway, Kaukauna (Winner: Luke Fenhaus)
Aug. 28-30: Fanatec GT World Challenge, Road America, Elkhart Lake
Aug. 28: ARCA Menards Series, Madison International Speedway, Town of Rutland (2025 winner: Max Reaves)
Aug. 28-30: IndyCar Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250, Milwaukee Mile (2025 single race winner: Christian Rasmussen)
Sept. 3-6: Crandon World Championship Off-Road Races and Crandon World Cup, Crandon International Raceway
Aug. 31: USAC Midgets, Firemen’s Nationals, Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie (2025 winner: Gavin Miller)
Sept. 18-20: VSCDA fall vintage weekend, Road America, Elkhart Lake
Oct. 3-5: SCCA National Championship Runoffs, Road America, Elkhart Lake
Oct. 8-11: Oktoberfest races, culmiating with ASA Midwest Tour Oktoberfest 200 season finale, La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, West Salem (2025 winner: Ty Majeski)
Racing With Heavy Hearts…..The KSR Crew Heads To Bradenton Motorsports Park’s Christmas Tree Drags 2025!
Dec 23, 2025Chad Reynolds1320 Event Coverage, 1320 Spotlight, 1320 Videos, BangShift 1320, DRAG RACES, Event Coverage, RACING & ACTION, Videos
Kevin and the KSR Performance and Fab crew headed out to Bradenton for Cleetus McFarland’s Christmas Tree Drags, but like most folks in the motorsports world it was with a heavy heart after the unfortunate death of Greg Biffle and his family. He wasn’t alone, as he and many of the other racers at the Christmas Tree Race were friends with Biffle or raced with him in a variety of races at Bradenton and the Freedom Factory. But even though Greg’s death put a big of a dark cloud over the weekend, the race went on like he’d have wanted. Watch the racing action and see just how well KSR and Soccer Mom did with a Christmas tree strapped to it.
These Railroad Speeders Got A Unique View Of The Oregon Coast While Spreading Christmas Cheer!
Illinois Puts Out A Video Every Year Of Some Of Their More Entertaining Rejected Personalized Plates And Here It Is!
Editor’s note: This is part of a series from NASCAR.com reviewing the top 30 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in reverse order of the 2025 final standings.
Driver: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Crew chief: Alan Gustafson
Final 2025 ranking: 8th
Key stats: 2 wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s, 454 laps led
How 2025 ended: Elliott qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the ninth time in his 10-year career, winning the Kansas Speedway postseason race in the Round of 12 and earning six top-10 finishes during the 10-race playoff stretch. A 10th-place finish in the Phoenix Raceway finale placed Elliott eighth in the championship final standings.
RELATED: Check out Chase Elliott’s Kelley Blue Blook Chevrolet for the 2026 season
Best race: A last-lap pass at Atlanta Motor Speedway in June thrilled a sold-out crowd and earned Elliott his second career Cup Series victory at his “home” track. Although it was a dramatic last-lap pass that earned the trophy at Atlanta, Elliott led 41 laps on the day at the 1.5-miler and snapped a 44-race winless streak.
Other season highlights: His best race statistically came in a sixth-place finish after leading 238 of 407 laps at Dover Motor Speedway. His six-race top-10 showing in the 10-race playoff stretch was certainly a sign that the No. 9 team was prepared for a real fight for the championship. Three times Elliott strung together three consecutive top-10 runs, including an impressive stretch in the playoffs at three vastly different venues; he scored fifth at the one-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway, tallied a win at the Kansas 1.5-miler and landed eighth at the Charlotte ROVAL.
Stat to know: Remarkably, Elliott’s final season statistics beyond the two wins – his 11 top fives and 19 top-10 finishes – exactly matched his 2024 output. His 454 laps led were his most out front since 2022. His 12.6 average finish was impressive.
RELATED: All of Hendrick Motorsports’ 2026 paint schemes in one place!
Quotable: “The way I’ve kind of progressed through the playoffs this year is just to fight as hard as I can each week, try to earn myself and our team three more weeks, and you never know what can happen in three weeks. … That can be the difference in somebody being mediocre to potentially getting on a hot streak or even a team collectively getting better throughout that course of time.” – Elliott said of his 2025 playoff strategy.
Looking ahead: A multi-time winner for the sixth time in his career and first time in three years, Elliott and Alan Gustafson, his longtime crew chief, finished the year feeling optimistic about their progress. Elliott led the most laps since 2022 and advanced to the Round of 8, all positive progress for a former series champion.
Big Machine Racing Welcomes Retina Surgeon Dr. Patrick Staropoli to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Full-Time Competition Beginning at Daytona – Speedway Digest
Big Machine Racing announced today that retina surgeon and stock car driver Dr. Patrick Staropoli will join the team full time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, beginning with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway this February. Staropoli will pilot the No. 48 SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection) Chevrolet, marking a unique blend of elite medical expertise and high-performance motorsports on one of racing’s biggest stages.
“From the moment I buckled into a pure stock at Hialeah Speedway in 2003, my life’s goal has been to compete at the top levels of this sport. The path has taken many unexpected turns but after working every day for 23 years in pursuit of this dream, I now have the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to Scott Borchetta, Patrick Donahue, and Chevrolet. I am ready to do whatever it takes to put this SYFOVRE Chevy up front and raise awareness for Geographic Atrophy secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration by combining my passion for motorsports and medicine.”
A third-generation driver from Plantation, Florida, Staropoli first gained national attention after winning the 2013 PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge to become a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver, emerging ahead of top talents including runner-up Chase Briscoe. The Harvard University graduate went on to earn a seat with Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA West Series for the 2014 season, where he quickly proved himself as a frontrunner.
Staropoli competed in four Xfinity Series and four Truck Series races in the 2025 season. Across his career, he has accumulated 17 starts in multiple ARCA series divisions. His breakthrough victory at Irwindale Speedway in 2014 made him the first medical doctor in NASCAR history to win a race.
Dr. Staropoli is a board-certified medical and surgical retina specialist. His research on retinal detachment repair, macular disease, and resident education has been widely published. He completed both his ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the nation’s top-ranked eye hospital.
“We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Patrick Staropoli to the #48 Big Machine Racing team for the 2026 season,” said Patrick Donahue, Crew Chief and Team Manager. “He brings a rare blend of professionalism, focus, and drive that will continue to strengthen our organization. This partnership reflects our commitment to surrounding the team with individuals who share our values and vision for building long-term success.”
