Motorsports
NASCAR charter flight to Mexico City stuck in Charlotte after ‘small boom,’ failed takeoff attempt
A bit of trouble for the NASCAR industry on the way to Mexico City. Two chartered flights have been held up in Charlotte. On Wednesday this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to change his travel plans after his plane was held up in another country. Today is the day that drivers and team members are […]

A bit of trouble for the NASCAR industry on the way to Mexico City. Two chartered flights have been held up in Charlotte. On Wednesday this week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to change his travel plans after his plane was held up in another country.
Today is the day that drivers and team members are expected to arrive in Mexico City for the NASCAR weekend. It is a historic race weekend with the first international points race for the Cup Series since the 1958 season. So, all eyes are on the sport as they embark on this journey.
Ryan Ellis, driver of the No. 71 Chevy for DGM Racing, posted a photo from the Charlotte airport. Firefighters are seen on the tarmac as NASCAR industry members walk off the plane.
Ellis reported in a prior tweet that upon attempting takeoff, the “plane made a small boom” and returned to its gate. So, not an ideal start to the weekend for these NASCAR drivers and team members.
Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut and The Sporting News reported that passengers on the flight were told by the captain that “engine 2 blew.” The captain suspected a bird had possibly flown into the engine just as the plane attempted to take off. Scary situation.
So, the NASCAR Mexico City weekend is on hold for these industry members. While they have run into a bit of trouble, NASCAR has made arrangements for another flight.
NASCAR Mexico City weekend off to rough start with travel woes
Currently, NASCAR Is trying to find an alternative flight for the personnel left in Charlotte to get to Mexico City. Finding a last-minute international flight is not the easiest thing to do. However, the weekend can’t go on without these drivers and team members at the track.
Tomorrow is when the action starts. There will be extensive practice sessions for both the Cup and Xfinity Series. This is a new track for the field. Even drivers who competed in the Xfinity Series races in Mexico City years ago, they will not necessarily recognize the configuration being used this weekend, although it is similar.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a historic venue that hosts all kinds of races throughout the year. Daniel Suárez is used to racing on the oval back in his NASCAR Mexico Series days. F1 races at the track on a yearly basis, but that is not the exact same configuration that NASCAR will compete on.
There are a lot of questions right now around the weekend. The main one at the moment is when these drivers and teams will actually get to the city and settle in. Then there is the altitude change. Mexico City sits 7,500 feet above sea level, and these NASCAR drivers are not used to that kind of elevation. The air will be thinner, and blood oxygen levels will be lower than the drivers are used to.
Drivers like Tyler Reddick have been doing what they can to train for the intense altitude difference. While others have somewhat shrugged it off with it being only a one-time thing this season. We will see if those who have prepared the most gain an advantage on the field or not.
Motorsports
Sports on TV for Sunday, June 29
(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, June 29 AUTO RACING 7:30 a.m. FS1 — FIM MotoGP:… (All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, June 29 AUTO RACING 7:30 a.m. FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, TT Circuit Assen in Drenthe, Netherlands 8:55 a.m. […]

(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, June 29 AUTO RACING 7:30 a.m. FS1 — FIM MotoGP:…
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Sunday, June 29
AUTO RACING
7:30 a.m.
FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, TT Circuit Assen in Drenthe, Netherlands
8:55 a.m.
ESPN — Formula 1: The MSC Cruises Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria
ESPNU — Formula 1: The MSC Cruises Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria (F1 Kids)
11 a.m.
FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio (Taped)
2 p.m.
FOX — NHRA: The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio
BIG3 BASKETBALL
1 p.m.
CBS — Week 3: Houston Rig Hands vs. L.A. Riot, Boston Ball Hogs vs. Miami 305, Detroit Amps vs. Dallas Power, Chicago Triplets vs. DMV Trilogy, Miami
CFL FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
CBSSN — Toronto at Ottawa
GOLF
6 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The Italian Open, Final Round, Argentario GC, Monte Argentario, Italy
1 p.m.
FS2 — LIV Golf League: Final Round, Maridoe Golf Club, Carrollton, Texas
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Rocket Classic, Final Round, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit
2 p.m.
NBC — PGA Tour Champions: The U.S. Senior Open Championship, Final Round, Broadmoor Golf Club (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo.
3 p.m.
CBS — PGA Tour: The Rocket Classic, Final Round, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Dow Championship, Final Round, Midland Country Club, Midland, Mich.
HORSE RACING
Noon
FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
MLB BASEBALL
1:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Philadelphia at Atlanta (1:35 p.m.) OR Toronto at Boston (1:35 p.m.)
4:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Miami at Arizona (4:10 p.m.) OR Washington at L.A. Angels (4:05 p.m.)
7 p.m.
ESPN — Minnesota at Detroit
ESPN2 — Minnesota at Detroit (StatCast)
OT7 FOOTBALL
3 p.m.
NFLN — Playoffs: TBD, Quarterfinal 1, Miami
4 p.m.
NFLN — Playoffs: TBD, Quarterfinal 2, Miami
SOCCER (MEN’S)
Noon
TNT — FIFA Club World Cup: Paris Saint-Germain FC vs. Inter Miami CF, Round of 16, Charlotte, N.C.
TNT — FIFA Club World Cup: Paris Saint-Germain FC vs. Inter Miami CF, Round of 16, Charlotte, N.C.
4 p.m.
FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup: Canada vs. Guatemala, Quarterfinal, Minneapolis
7 p.m.
FOX — CONCACAF Gold Cup: U.S. vs. Costa Rica, Quarterfinal, Minneapolis
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
Noon
CBSSN — International Friendly: England vs. Jamaica, Leicester, England
3 p.m.
TNT — International Friendly: U.S. vs. Ireland, Cincinnati
TRUTV — International Friendly: U.S. vs. Ireland, Cincinnati
TENNIS
6 a.m. (Monday)
ESPN — ATP/WTA: Wimbledon, First Round, London
WNBA BASKETBALL
4 p.m.
ESPN — Chicago at Los Angeles
6 p.m.
NBATV — Las Vegas at Phoenix
X GAMES
1 p.m.
ABC — X Games 2025: Day 3, Salt Lake City
_____
Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Motorsports
Shocker Hitch Air Ride Towing Hitches Joins Jessica Power Racing
Currently sitting 3rd and 4th respectively in the weekly DIRTcar Sportsman-Modified standings at Can-Am and Brockville Speedways, Kingston’s Jessica Power Racing is pleased to welcome Shocker Hitch Air Ride Towing Hitches to the team’s marketing program. From a corporate home base in Lethbridge, Alberta, Shocker Hitch Canada is a trusted name known industry wide. For […]

Currently sitting 3rd and 4th respectively in the weekly DIRTcar Sportsman-Modified standings at Can-Am and Brockville Speedways, Kingston’s Jessica Power Racing is pleased to welcome Shocker Hitch Air Ride Towing Hitches to the team’s marketing program.
From a corporate home base in Lethbridge, Alberta, Shocker Hitch Canada is a trusted name known industry wide. For anything you’re towing or whatever you’re hauling, there is a Shocker Hitch Air Ride Towing system to match every need.
With 5th Wheel, Bumper Hitch, Camper, Farm, Gooseneck applications and more, Shocker Hitch Canada has the products and expertise you’re looking for. Get safer, smoother towing with Shocker Hitch. Their air trailer tongue mount couplers, the Streamline Aluminum air bumper hitch and Shocker Impact and Impact Max cushion hitch ball mounts provide a more comfortable ride, whatever you’re towing.
Learn more about Stocker Hitch Air Ride Towing Systems by visiting www.stockerhitches.ca or by seeing the Jessica Power Racing team hauler at their weekly events.
“It has been a great season so far and we appreciate the assistance of all of our marketing partners,” said Jessica Power, driver of the No. 52 DIRTcar Sportsman-Modified. “Bringing a new sponsor like Shocker Hitch Air Ride Hitches into our program is a positive move as the team gets closer to the special events near the end of the season.”
Catch car No. 52 and driver Jessica Power in Friday night action at Can Am Speedway in Lafargeville, New York. The team’s Saturday night home is Brockville Ontario Speedway. Be sure to like and follow Jessica Power Racing on social media for information on plans for the balance of the 2025 schedule.
Motorsports
Quaker State 400 Playbook, 6/28 – EchoPark Speedway
The NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Atlanta but with a new name as it has been re-branded as EchoPark Speedway! The Amazon portion of the broadcast schedule is in the past and now the NASCAR Cup Series can be seen on TNT, and they better bring their A-game because Amazon Prime was great to […]

The NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Atlanta but with a new name as it has been re-branded as EchoPark Speedway! The Amazon portion of the broadcast schedule is in the past and now the NASCAR Cup Series can be seen on TNT, and they better bring their A-game because Amazon Prime was great to watch.
The exciting part of this portion of the schedule is the In-Season Challenge, and if you haven’t submitted your bracket well by all means you can do so by clicking right here. 32 drivers going head-to-head in a March Madness style tournament. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night (in addition to watching UFC). Fortunately, we tend to know what’s in store for a race like this so let’s dig into the NASCAR DFS picks and plays for the first…
Motorsports
Inside MX-5 Cup: Ethan Goulart makes a name for himself in the rain
A pair of new faces in Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Michelin are not just battling for the Rookie of the Year honors – and the big scholarship money that comes with it – but looking like real threats for the overall championship as well. Ethan Goulart is one of those new faces. With […]

A pair of new faces in Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Michelin are not just battling for the Rookie of the Year honors – and the big scholarship money that comes with it – but looking like real threats for the overall championship as well.
Ethan Goulart is one of those new faces. With his victory in the most recent race at Mid-Ohio (above), driving the No. 29 Saito Motorsport Group MX-5, he’s not only propelled himself into the rookie fight with Noah Harmon, but with a little bit of consistency in the final six races, he could easily be contending for the overall championship.
Eight months ago, Goulart was in a different fight with Harmon, trying to claim the SCCA Spec Miata National Championship in the Runoffs at Road America. Starting on pole with no less than his father, four-time SCCA National Champion Elivan Goulart, alongside him, the race turned into a battle between the younger Goulart and Harmon. When the checkers flew, Goulart ended up the youngest SCCA National Champion in history at 15 years and 174 days old, and this in one of the most competitive amateur road racing classes.
Fast forward to June 2025, and Goulart is racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a track he hasn’t seen before – and with rain falling, too. With the help and advice of others, including his father casting a keen eye on the previous races during the IMSA weekend, and his own careful observation during the warm-up lap, Goulart found the grip, made the winning move and took his first win in MX-5 Cup.
“It was definitely really cool,” he says of that breakthrough victory. “Being a rookie just made it 10 times more gratifying. It was good in the moment, right? And now we’re on to the next weekend at [Canadian Tire Motorsport Park]. But I can’t thank the whole team enough, the Saito Motorsport team and SCDA track days. This past year-and-a-half has been really good for me: being the youngest National Champion in the SCCA Runoffs in Spec Miata, having a first MX-5 Cup win this year, plus having my podium debut at Daytona, too, is all really cool.”
Rain may be the great equalizer, but in a series of equal cars at a repaved track, the playing field was about as level as it could be.
“I don’t think it could have gotten more equal,” says Goulart, “because nobody has really driven on that track in the rain since the repave. But I actually hadn’t even been to Mid-Ohio before. That was my first time and I’m still fairly new to these cars as well, so I think that just made us even more of the underdog. But we were able to get the job done.”
And he got it done in conditions that were tricky and ever changing.
“The way the track dried and developed, it was so drastic,” he explains. “The way the puddles were developing…some spots would dry very quickly as the laps went on, and some would stay wet, and then some would actually even move to different spots as the water streamed. So, it was definitely the wettest in the beginning of the race, but what made it so tricky was on-and-off rain. You’d get 10, 15 minutes of dry, and then it would just start raining again. That’s what made it so tricky trying to read the track.”

After reading the changing conditions to perfection, Ethan Goulart celebrated a first MX-5 Cup win at Mid-Ohio.
The win, after some rough races, has him in the thick of the rookie fight with Harmon. But while Goulart certainly covets the Rookie of the Year title and the award that comes with it, he’s looking for even more, and sees himself in a good position to achieve it.
“I have my eye on Rookie of the Year, but I also have my eye on winning the overall championship,” he declares. “I don’t think any true racing driver shows up to race a full season without having their eye on a championship. So that’s my main goal.”
Like many ascending pro racers – and endurance sports car racing is his aspiration – Goulart started on the Mazda Motorsports ladder. While part of choosing MX-5 Cup just makes sense to continue on that path, he says the well-built, evenly-matched cars and great people were a big part of it as well. But, ultimately, he knows it’s a great proving ground.
“Mazda Motorsports has always put on a great ladder program with grassroots racing, and it really gets your name out there in the IMSA paddock,” he says. “This is like the pinnacle of Mazda’s ladder, right? It’s just so competitive; you have probably at least 10,15 guys who could win at any race. So if you win one of those races, you’re getting your name out there. And this was one of the things that we thought was best this stage of my career, right now, to help me progress to the next level.”
With a victory in MX-5 Cup, he’s certainly getting his name out there. Now he’s looking to get it engraved in the record book with a championship.
- All Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Michelin races are streamed live on RACER.com and archived on The RACER Channel on YouTube. The 2025 action continues with rounds 9 & 10 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ont., on Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13. Plus, find all the latest series news at mx-5cup.com.
Motorsports
Abiteboul plays down wild Hyundai-to-F1 rumors
(GMM) Former F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul (pictured) has played down wild rumors linking Hyundai with Formula 1. Once boss of Renault’s works Formula 1 team, Frenchman Abiteboul now heads Hyundai Motorsport. And the Korean carmaker caused a huge stir in the motorsport world on Friday with a social media post featuring a Formula 1 […]

(GMM) Former F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul (pictured) has played down wild rumors linking Hyundai with Formula 1.
Once boss of Renault’s works Formula 1 team, Frenchman Abiteboul now heads Hyundai Motorsport.
And the Korean carmaker caused a huge stir in the motorsport world on Friday with a social media post featuring a Formula 1 car with “What If?” on the rear wing.
“Get ready for the ride,” read part of the caption on the post, which was later deleted.
The rumor mill, however, was already in top gear, with some linking the post with recent statements made by Otmar Szafnauer about a potential bid for F1’s vacant twelfth team entry spot.
Speaking at Rally Greece, with Abiteboul overseeing Hyundai’s world rally team, the 47-year-old insisted: “I think there was a clumsy post from the marketing team in Korea.
“They wanted to create a buzz, and it worked,” Abiteboul told France’s Auto Hebdo.
“It has since been removed, which shows there is nothing behind it. There is no F1 project. We already have a lot to do with our two programs. We remain focused on that.”
Indeed, alongside its current world rally project, Hyundai is currently preparing a top-tier ‘hypercar’ prototype to contest the WEC and Le Mans from 2026.
When the Hyundai-to-F1 rumor spread around the Rally Greece paddock, Abiteboul also fielded questions from the international media.
“Perhaps in the long term,” he said when asked if the carmaker really might enter a Formula 1 team. “But not at all in the short term.
“Our only chance would be to enter the market in 2031. Take Audi as an example – they decided in 2021 to enter the market in 2026.
“Formula 1 is a different world,” Abiteboul added. “We can’t come as a sponsor as we have no interest in paying other people’s bills – that’s not our style.
“The other option would be to come in with our own technology.”
Interestingly, with Renault having announced the end of its works F1 engine project, recent rumors suggested that Abiteboul had gone shopping at Viry-Chatillon for motorsport engineers.
Hyundai has also been linked with Formula E.
“The Formula E technological roadmap is interesting,” Abiteboul admits. “However, I observe that it is a championship that is struggling to break through a glass ceiling in terms of audience and popularity among fans.
“We will continue to study this possibility,” he said.
Related Article: F1 Rumor: Hyundai eyes buying F1 team
Motorsports
NASCAR’s Cup Series to debut In-Season Challenge as $1 million backdrop to points race for title
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — The debut of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge in Saturday night’s Cup Series race in Atlanta generated differing opinions and expectations from drivers. After all, there’s a points race to attend to. Every team’s top priority is qualifying for the playoffs and trying to win the championship. Some drivers acknowledge they simply haven’t […]

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — The debut of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge in Saturday night’s Cup Series race in Atlanta generated differing opinions and expectations from drivers.
After all, there’s a points race to attend to. Every team’s top priority is qualifying for the playoffs and trying to win the championship. Some drivers acknowledge they simply haven’t paid attention to the new race within the race.
Joey Logano says he sees no reason to view the new tournament as a distraction.
“If there’s something to win, you want to go win it,” Logano said Friday before winning the pole for Saturday night’s race in his Team Penske Ford.
Denny Hamlin is the No. 1 seed in the 32-driver In-Season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament. Chase Briscoe, who held off Hamlin for his first win for Joe Gibbs Racing last week at Pocono Raceway, is the No. 2 seed. A $1 million prize awaits the winner as part of a new media rights deal that includes TNT.
Briscoe said Friday he felt “definitely a sigh of relief, you know, just a weight off your shoulders” following last week’s win. He said that sense of relief was shortlived.
“I’m expected to win multiple races, not just one,” Briscoe said. “It’s a sense of relief, but also more pressure because now they know you can win.”
NASCAR hopes the tournament generates mid-season interest. The single-elimination format cuts the field to 16 at Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four at Dover and the final two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Many drivers expect their interest in the tournament will increase after Saturday night’s race.
“I think some of the drivers have been kind of dismissive over the bracket challenge,” said Brad Keselowski, who enters the race No. 30 in the points standings and in need of a win in Atlanta to earn a playoff spot in his RFK Racing Ford.
“I think it’ll become a lot more real, whether it be for the drivers or for the media or the fans, as it progresses into the later rounds over the next few weeks,” Keselowski said.
Added Ricky Stenhouse, who is 24th in the points race, of the new tournament: “It’s cool. I think after this weekend you’ll have a little better idea of what you have. Our main goal in Atlanta is winning and getting into the playoffs.”
Team Penske dominates qualifying
Team Penske claimed four of the top five qualifying positions and Ford claimed all of the top five spots.
Logano was first at 178.960 mph, tying Josh Berry, who drives for Wood Brothers but has a technical alliance with Team Penske. Ryan Blaney qualified third and Austin Cindric was one spot back for Team Penske, while Ryan Preece, in another Ford for RFK Racing, was fifth.
“It definitely helps at the start for sure,” Logano said. “Being at the front and controlling the race is the thing for sure.”
Drawing ‘Uncle’ Noah
Briscoe is facing No. 31 seed Noah Gragson in the first bracket. He says it’s a difficult matchup, in part because “he’s actually probably my best friend on the circuit … and my son’s favorite driver.”
Briscoe said his 3-year-old son, Brooks, thinks of Gragson “like that uncle that just you take your kid to, and he has Pop-Tarts and ice cream and everything else when he’s with them.”
Added Briscoe: “Hopefully I’ll win. If not I’ll never here the end of it from Noah or my son.”
Briscoe posted a photo on his X account of his son’s bracket. The photo shows the smiling Brooks holding a bracket with his father’s No. 19 winning every round of the tournament.
Racing for Rhealynn
Chase Elliott has a special paint scheme on his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet that was designed by 11-year-old cancer patient Rhealynn Mills. Elliott chose Mills’ design to highlight his foundation’s efforts to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Elliott said the “Design to Drive” program has raised $500,000 for the children’s hospital.
“The only bad thing is I feel like we’ve crashed every time we’ve done it,” Elliott said, adding his sponsor, NAPA Auto Parts, deserved credit “for giving up the car” so the paint scheme could instead feature Mills’ design.
New name for Atlanta track
EchoPark Speedway is the new name for the track that was still known as Atlanta Motor Speedway in February when Christopher Bell won while leading only the final lap in overtime. It’s the home track for Elliott, from Dawsonville, Georgia, and he acknowledged seeing the name change and the new green paint “was different for me. I think it’s fine.”
Odds and ends
Ryan Blaney is the favorite (+800) to win the race, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Joey Logano and Austin Cindric, each at +1000, were next.
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