• Kirkwood is currently second in the IndyCar championship standings and is optimistic about his chances in the Indy 500 -despite qualifying 23rd.
• Hunter-Reay, a former series champion, is making his 17th Indy 500 start.

SPEEDWAY, IN – As host to the 109^th Running of the Indy 500, Indianapolis always has been considered one of sport’s “boom towns,” the center of it all in the middle of auto racing’s biggest weekend – major races all day in all the world’s premier series.

Even signing with Prime Video to be one of their analysts, Carl Edwards admitted he was wondering if NASCAR fans would know about the sport’s shift to streaming for five races on Prime Video or if they would know how to access the races.

That was, until he talked to one of his neighbors.

“We’re talking about other things and he said, ‘Hey, you’re doing some sort of TV thing.’ And I was thinking, you know, this guy’s 85 years old, and I’m gonna have to explain this to him,” Edwards said. “And I started and he’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve got Prime. I’ll be watching.’”

Prime Video’s first race on Sunday is the Coca-Cola 600. Not only is it NASCAR’s longest race, it comes on motorsports’ biggest day with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 taking place before the green flag drops at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Prime Video has a seven-year deal with NASCAR.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be starting with a crown jewel (race). It’s a huge responsibility and we’re excited to bring it to fans,” said Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports. “What we saw when we brought ‘Thursday Night Football’ to Prime is we spent a lot of time making sure that we’re delivering on expectations. There’s trust the viewers are putting in you to bring them the sport that they love.”

Prime Video is hoping to do that by getting some production help from NBC Sports, which has had NASCAR since 2015. Prime’s relationship with NBC goes back to 2022 when it launched “Sunday Night Football.”

In the booth, Adam Alexander is the play-by-play announcer for the Xfinity Series on The CW along with doing Cup Series races on TNT.

Analysts Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are reunited. Earnhardt Jr. was with NBC for six seasons (2018 through ’23) while Letarte has been with NBC since 2015.

Alexander said his approach to calling the races has been the same, no matter the network.

“Just be a setup guy for two analysts that obviously know it inside and out, and be able to relay the message to the fans of what’s happening on track,” he said. “I think it would be easy for someone when you look at new partners coming into the sport, that everything is going to be changed. It jumped off the board with me right away that Prime has the balance of new, but also the respect to traditions that we’re used to in the TV world and how that matches up with NASCAR.”

The only new faces are Edwards and Corey LaJoie, who will be on pre- and post-race coverage.

Many thought Edwards would become an analyst after retiring in 2017, but he resisted overtures from various networks until Prime Video approached him earlier this year.

“The timing just feels right. I’m shocked at the way the sport has welcomed me back personally,” said Edwards, a 28-time winner in the Cup series. “I wasn’t sure about this, but Prime came to visit me in Missouri and we sat around at my kitchen table talking with my family. I’m glad they came out. It’s going to be an adventure.”

Prime Video will be bringing its own touches to the races. Green flag racing will include a double-box commercial format, ensuring viewers won’t miss any action. There will also be highlights of key moments allowing viewers to catch up to action.

As far as in-race strategy innovations, Prime is still testing some things as they try to continue what they have done during NFL coverage, which is explain complex matters in a simple way.

“I believe people are going to find it. They’re going to enjoy it. And, you know, hopefully it just becomes, something that that all the fans feel good about and don’t have any hiccups,” Edwards said.

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

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — William Byron received a four-year contract extension from Hendrick Motorsports on Friday that will keep the 27-year-old driver with the team through the 2029 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Financial terms of the contract were not released.

The two-time Daytona 500 champion has emerged as one of the sport’s most competitive drivers, having already earned 14 Cup Series wins and six consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2024. He has won 13 Cup Series races since being paired with crew chief Rudy Fugle in 2021 — the second-highest total in the series over that span.

Now in his eighth season, Byron won this year’s Daytona 500 for the second straight year, becoming the youngest multi-time winner in the event’s storied history.

Byron, who grew up in Charlotte, currently ranks second in the Cup standings after 12 points-paying races.

“We’ve built something special with the No. 24 team,” Byron said. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue working with amazing people at Hendrick Motorsports who believe in me, especially Mr. and Mrs. Hendrick. We’ve accomplished some great things that we’re really proud of, but we have even bigger goals ahead. I’m excited to go after them with this team and this organization.”

Byron first signed with Hendrick Motorsports when he was 18.

He earned Cup Series rookie of the year honors in 2018 and has become a factor in the Cup Series championship with six straight playoff appearances, including back-to-back Championship 4 appearances in 2023 and 2024. Byrson is the only driver to win in Hendrick Motorsports iconic No. 24 Chevrolet other than Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

“William is the real deal,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said. “What makes him so special is that he combines natural ability with an unrivaled work ethic. You see it in the great ones — the drivers who could get by on talent alone but choose to outwork everyone anyway. That’s William. On top of it all, he’s a person of high character and embraces his role as a leader. We’re proud to have him in our lineup and look forward to many more wins together.”

Byron will race Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the season.

___

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

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

NASCAR arrives at the Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, for the four action-packed races culminating in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 25. It’s the first of two trips to the Charlotte race course during the 2025 NASCAR Season.

There will be televised practices and qualifying races throughout the weekend leading up to the Coca-Cola 600, but the main event itself is a streaming exclusive this time. Charlotte’s Spring Race weekend includes racing events for the ARCA Menards Series (General Tire 150), the NASCAR Truck Series (North Carolina Education Lottery 200) and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (BetMGM 300) along with the NASCAR Cup Series.

NASCAR’s 2025 Charlotte Spring Race Televised Schedule

Friday, May 23

Truck Series Practice, 3:35 p.m. on FS2 | STREAM

Truck Series Qualifying, 4:40 p.m. on FS2 | STREAM

ARCA Menards General Tire 150, 6 p.m. on FS1 | STREAM

NASCAR Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250, 8:30 p.m. on FS1 | STREAM

Saturday, May 24

Xfinity Series Practice, 11:05 p.m. on The CW | STREAM

Xfinity Series Qualifying, 12:10 p.m. on The CW | STREAM

Cup Series Practice, 1:30 p.m. on Prime Video

Cup Series Qualifying, 2:40 p.m. on Prime Video

NASCAR Xfinity Series Bet MGM 300, 4:30 p.m. on The CW | STREAM

Sunday, May 25

NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, 6 p.m. on Prime Video

Where to watch the Coca-Cola 600, all Spring Race events

For the first time this season, the NASCAR Cup Series airs exclusively on Amazon Prime Video for the Coca-Cola 600, and all related practice and qualifying events.

This makes for some amount of frustration for NASCAR fans, who will need a minimum of a live TV streaming service, like DirecTV (free trial) and a Prime Video (free trial) subscription in order to watch the complete weekend schedule.

Fans can also catch FS1 and FS2-televised events with Sling and fuboTV.

What to know about the Charlotte Speedway

Charlotte Motor Speedway, located in Concord, North Carolina, is a cornerstone of NASCAR racing. Established in 1959 by Bruton Smith, the 1.5-mile quad-oval track hosts both the Coca-Cola 600 and the Bank of America Roval 400 each year. The facility has evolved over the years, adding features like a massive HD video screen and a road course known as the Ten Tenths Motor Club, which opened in October 2024.

In recent NASCAR Cup Series events at Charlotte, Christopher Bell secured victory in the rain-shortened 2024 Coca-Cola 600, leading 90 laps for Joe Gibbs Racing. Brad Keselowski and William Byron finished second and third, respectively.

Looking ahead to the 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600, the race promises to be a test of endurance and strategy. Kyle Larson is attempting the rare “Double,” aiming to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

Teams will need to carefully manage tire wear and fuel strategy, as the abrasive nature of the Charlotte track can lead to increased pit stops and impact race outcomes. With a strong lineup of drivers and the challenges of a 600-mile race, the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 is set to be a thrilling event for NASCAR fans.

Can I bet on the Coca-Cola 600?

Yes, you can bet on NASCAR from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365 and more.

Kyle Larson is once again favorite to win the race at +550 on DraftKings, despite his busy weekend schedule. Chris Bell is at +700 thanks to his status as defending champion, and last week’s win at the All-Star Race.

SAN JOSE, Calif. & INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 23, 2025–

Lyten, the supermaterial applications company and innovator of 3D Graphene, today announced the launch of Lyten Motorsports, a new venture designed to bring Lyten’s material science innovations to motorsports parts. Lyten Motorsports is launching in partnership with INDYCAR Experience, bringing its 25-year experience as a supplier to motorsports circuits around the world.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250523498662/en/

IndyCar Experience car sponsored by Lyten

Lyten’s 3D Graphene is a foundational, carbon-based material that can be tuned to meet the specific needs of high-performance applications, impacting material properties like strength, weight, conductivity, and permeability. Lyten is already utilizing its 3D Graphene platform to build lithium-sulfur batteries approaching 2X the energy density of lithium-ion while eliminating 85% of the mined minerals, including elimination of nickel, cobalt, and graphite. Lyten is using the strength, weight, and conductivity of its materials to design and build parts that further push the limit of strength to weight ratio in motorsports.

“Material science is creating a future that is lighter, stronger and safer, while reducing our impact on the planet,” said Dan Cook, Lyten Co-Founder and CEO. “Motorsports sit at the apex of materials innovation, where small improvements make the difference in speed and safety. The introduction of carbon fiber revolutionized the sport, and we believe Lyten 3D Graphene can be the next materials revolution in motorsports.”

Lyten will continue to execute materials research and development at its Headquarters in Silicon Valley and has opened a design and manufacturing facility in Indianapolis, Indiana for motorsport parts, co-located with the INDYCAR Experience headquarters. Lyten Motorsports is currently manufacturing 3D printed parts utilizing Lyten’s proprietary filaments and adhesives and quickly expanding into autoclave manufacturing to meet market demands. Lyten will be further enhancing the performance of carbon fiber parts and identifying metal parts that can now be converted into lighter, lower cost composite parts. Lyten Motorsports plans to develop parts for a broad range of US and International racing series.

Lyten has been testing new material designs on the INDYCAR Experience 2-seat INDYCAR for more than 2 years and will continue to use the platform to accelerate part development. The Lyten sponsored INDYCAR Experience 2-seater will be active throughout this year’s racing season, including this year’s Indy 500.

“Motorsports is a high-growth, technology enabled industry and challenge #1 is pushing the bounds of known materials. There is tremendous demand for that next materials innovation and Lyten has it with its 3D Graphene platform,” said Scott Jasek, CEO of INDYCAR Experience. “I am excited to use our base in Indianapolis to scale up U.S. manufacturing of motorsport parts and bring with it technology focused jobs.”

Lyten is a privately held company with >$425M in equity investment, including investment from Stellantis, FedEx, Honeywell, Nokia, Prime Movers Lab, the European Investment Fund, and Luxembourg Future Fund. Its products include lithium-sulfur batteries, composites, concrete, and sensors, all built on Lyten’s 3D Graphene supermaterials platform.

About Lyten

Lyten, founded in 2015, is a supermaterial applications company that has received more than $425 million in equity investment. Lyten has built a proprietary materials platform, called Lyten 3D Graphene, that it uses to build better performing, lower cost, and decarbonizing products. Lyten is currently commercializing next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries for use in energy storage, transportation, aerospace, space, consumer electronics, and defense markets; next-generation high strength, low carbon footprint composites and concretes; and next-generation sensors that significantly increase detection sensitivity and selectivity for use in environmental, automotive, industrial, health, and supply chain applications.

The company lists more than 520 patents granted or pending and is currently manufacturing Lyten 3D Graphene material, lithium-sulfur batteries, and other products in San Jose, California. Lyten was named Fast Company’s #8 Most Innovative Energy Company and named one of America’s Top Green Technology Companies by Time in 2024 and one of the World’s Top Green Technology Companies by Time in 2025.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250523498662/en/

CONTACT: Bob Zeitlinger

bzeitlinger@makovsky.com

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDIANA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOTOR SPORTS SPORTS AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING OTHER TRANSPORT TRANSPORT GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

SOURCE: Lyten

Copyright Business Wire 2025.

PUB: 05/23/2025 12:32 PM/DISC: 05/23/2025 12:31 PM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250523498662/en

The 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600 will feature 40 drivers, and four of them will be celebrating special milestones when they take the green flag on Sunday.

The biggest milestone belongs to seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. After driving the IndyCar two-seater with NFL legend Tom Brady as part of the parade laps at the Indianapolis 500, he will then head to Charlotte to take part in the Coke 600. 

And when Johnson climbs into the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota that he co-owns, it will be his 700th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Johnson made his Cup debut in 2001 and on Sunday, he will become just the 21st driver to ever reach 700 career starts. He is also a four-time winner of the Coca-Cola 600 (only Darrell Waltrip has more) and has been running a partial schedule this season. Looking at active drivers, the only Cup driver to also reach 700 starts is Kyle Busch, who currently sits at 726.

Next weekend, Denny Hamlin will be the 22nd driver to reach this milestone after Johnson, as Hamlin makes his 699th start in the Coke 600.

Johnson has also pushed back on rumors that claim this weekend will be his final start in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Daniel Suarez, who is the only foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR championship at the national level (Xfinity 2016), will be making his 300th career start on Sunday. The Trackhouse Racing Team driver has two Cup wins but none yet this year, having finished as high as second at Las Vegas.

Ryan Preece, who drives the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, will be making his 200th career start on Sunday. Preece is having the strongest season of his career right now as he hunts his first career win. He finished second at Talladega in a photo finish, but was later disqualified when the car failed post-race inspection.

And then there’s Ty Gibbs, the grandson of Joe Gibbs. Driving the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, he will be competing in his 100th career Cup race. Like Preece, Gibbs has never won in the Cup Series, finishing as high as second at Darlington last year. He is also the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, also winning at the Charlotte oval during that season.