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Motorsports

NASCAR Through the Gears: Denny Hamlin has gas, a border needs crossing, and yes, that’s a Hemi

In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan. And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching […]

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In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan.

And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching Kevin Harvick and reaching the top 10.

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After the checkers, he revved it and smoked it just enough to run out of gas and his No. 11 Toyota needed a tow to Victory Lane. No big deal, you likely say.

Well, probably not. But all the same, Denny might want to start saving on that Sunoco bill because his accompanying NASCAR job — team co-owner — might come with some financial headwinds in the coming weeks.

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Denny Hamlin's third win of 2025 was the 57th of his Cup career.

Denny Hamlin’s third win of 2025 was the 57th of his Cup career.

That’s right, Denny will be going right from post-victory interviews to a chat with the lawyers. But not before first checking in with the obstetrician.

Huh?

Let’s get up to speed …

First Gear: Worried? Not Denny

Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s fastest track, and no, we couldn’t say that if speeds weren’t restricted at the two highest-banked superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) as well as the newest too-fast-for-sanity track (Atlanta).

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In-car telemetry showed cars tickling and even surpassing 200 mph on the Michigan straights. Stressing the horses to such degrees naturally takes a lot of fuel, which is why Michigan occasionally comes down to who’s done a better job of calculating the mileage and, when needed, loosening the laces on the right shoe in order to feather that throttle.

A final caution with 53 laps remaining around the 2-mile oval left no room for error on fuel. William Byron, who reluctantly gave up the lead to Hamlin with four laps left, ran out of gas and had to quickly dive to the pits coming off Turn 4 with the white flag in sight.

Denny being Denny, he claimed afterward he wasn’t worried about his own gas gauge, even after Byron disappeared from his mirror for obvious reasons.

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“No, not really,” he suggested.

He has other issues on his mind, you know. Longtime fiancee Jordan Fish spent the weekend back home, awaiting the birth of the couple’s third child.

And there’s that other thing …

Second Gear: Courtroom setback precedes on-track victory

We haven’t revisited the courtroom for a few weeks, so let’s check in.

Uh-oh, we have actual movement, and not just paperwork involving the ongoing antitrust case filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR.

Last week, a federal appeals court overturned an earlier judgement that allowed 23XI (owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan) and Front Row to keep their coveted charters and all the benefits that come with those Cup Series “franchises” — each is a three-car team.

The teams were given until June 19 to file for a rehearing. If they don’t file, or if they do file and get another negative judgement, the appeals court’s verdict is set and the two teams can have their charters stripped by NASCAR, which would take away their automatic entry into each race and, more importantly, cost them the financial benefits of being a chartered team (bigger weekly payouts, etc.).

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The automatic race entry isn’t likely a big deal, since Cup races rarely reach the maximum 40-car limit. Lost revenue streams, however, is another thing entirely.

Beyond the current dust remains the early-December trial date that will ultimately settle the ugliness, unless something is worked out before then.

Third Gear: NASCAR stretches its southern boundary

For the first time since early March, the Cup Series visits a road course this coming weekend. But this isn’t Watkins Glen, Sonoma or any of the other familiar layouts. It’s the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.

Hopefully we’ll talk more about those Rodriguez brothers later in the week.

Meanwhile, if it all sounds a tad familiar, it’s because NASCAR’s Xfinity Series raced at the Mexico City track four straight years, from 2005-2008. The race winners were Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, and two dudes still very active today — Kyle Busch and, yes, Denny Hamlin.

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This effort poses a ton of logistical lifting for the Boys in Operations, who must navigate the distance and, more cumbersome, the chore of getting those packed haulers through customs at the border. What could go wrong?

Hopefully nothing.

Fourth Gear: Dodge racing back to NASCAR … in a Ram

“That thing got a Hemi?”

Man oh man, you could hardly go to a commercial break 20 years ago without hearing that phrase during an ad for Dodge Ram.

And now it’s coming back. About every half-generation, it seems, there’s a breakthrough in NASCAR’s manufacturer roll call. Dodge is the newest, announcing this past weekend that the Ram is returning to the Truck Series next season.

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Dodge was last in the Truck Series in 2013, and last raced the Cup Series in 2012. The Ram returns next February at Daytona. How long before the Charger makes its way to the Xfinity or Cup Series? No word yet, but you have to assume it’s part of the grand plan.

And yes, they’re also bringing back the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.

Hubba-hubba.

Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR: Denny Hamlin gives it the gas. Mexico next. Yep, it’s a Hemi



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Motorsports

Could SVG be even more favored?

Shane van Gisbergen has won the past two road-course races — last month in Mexico City and last week in Chicago, where he also won the Xfinity Series race. Naturally, no one questions his road dominance. He won a bunch of races and three championships racing big-bodied cars on road courses in Australia, and he […]

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Shane van Gisbergen has won the past two road-course races — last month in Mexico City and last week in Chicago, where he also won the Xfinity Series race.

Naturally, no one questions his road dominance. He won a bunch of races and three championships racing big-bodied cars on road courses in Australia, and he brought those skills with him to North America.

But here’s where the other racers are hanging their officially licensed caps this week: Mexico City was brand new to the longtime regulars, and Chicago still relatively new. They had no institutional knowledge to lean upon and use to their advantage over the newcomer.

Sonoma, however, is another animal — it’s been on the schedule since 1989 and most of the frontrunning Cup regulars know where every pothole sits (yes, figuratively speaking), and how to get in and out of every turn at max speed. SVG’s natural advantage will be reduced quite a bit, right?

Right?

Well …

Turns out, SVG has raced at Sonoma before. Just once, last year during his one full-time year in the Xfinity Series.

And guess what. He won. Led the first 21 laps and the last 11.

The Man to Beat when NASCAR visits Sonoma

+145: Shane van Gisbergen

We’ll say it again. This harkens back to Tiger Woods at his peak. To be this heavily favored in a big-group environment is a head-turner. Enough to give SVG his own category here.

The other Sonoma favorites, including Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott

+600: Kyle Larson

+1100: Michael McDowell

+1200: Ty Gibbs

+1400: Chase Elliott, Chris Buescher, Tyler Reddick

+1500: William Byron

+1600: Christopher Bell

It’s sort of refreshing to see McDowell getting this much respect. Finally. He’s a super road-course racer. It’s how he grew up racing. If the car stays clean, he’ll be in the chase at the end. And by the way, Gibbs has rather quickly become a quality roadster.

Denny Hamlin in a rare spot for him

+2000: AJ Allmendinger

+2500: Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain

+3000: Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe

+5000: Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez

+6000: Carson Hocevar, Denny Hamlin

Denny’s fourth-place in Chicago was a rarity — a good road-course finish for him. A few guys from this group are worth a look, especially AJ and … and … well, OK, mainly AJ.

No chance? Probably not for these NASCAR drivers

+7500: Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric

+15000: Brad Keselowski, Bubba Wallace

+20000: John Hunter Nemechek, Todd Gilliland

+25000: Zane Smith, Erik Jones, Cole Custer, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley

Kez never cared for road courses, even when he was winning races somewhat regularly. Give credit to Bubba, though. He’s worked on it. And it’ll be interesting to see what happens when he and Bowman inevitably get close to each other Sunday.

Long(est) shots, including Katherine Legge

+50000: Riley Herbst, Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Dillon

+100000: Katherine Legge, Cody Ware

Ware got some unfortunate TV air time last week when brake failure sent him very hard into a tire barrier just before the white-flag lap. You wonder how it’ll feel the first time he approaches a sharp turn at speed. Then again, these guys are built different.

Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com





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“All it takes is Kyle Busch leaving”: Kyle Busch’s exit could reshape the grid, says NASCAR veteran

It could take just one move to overturn the whole of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series lineup and Kyle Busch is the starting point of that move, according to veteran Corey LaJoie. Busch has extended his contract with Richard Childress Racing until 2026, however the future is not certain as it might appear. He’s in […]

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It could take just one move to overturn the whole of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series lineup and Kyle Busch is the starting point of that move, according to veteran Corey LaJoie.

Busch has extended his contract with Richard Childress Racing until 2026, however the future is not certain as it might appear. He’s in the middle of one of the longest winless streaks of his career, almost 70 races, with just two top-five finishes and six top-10s so far in 2025. He’s also outside the Playoff picture for this season.

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The Next Gen car has been a problem for Busch and he has cited before the lack of practice in NASCAR as contributing to it. RCR says Busch is staying, though, but things could still change. And according to NASCAR veteran Corey LaJoie, it wouldn’t take much to cause a major shift in the garage.

“Some big dominoes are going to fall,” LaJoie said on Stacking Pennies. “It just takes Kyle Busch leaving, plugging Suárez in.”

Also Read:: Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR team just scored a massive multi-year deal with $22billion retail giant

Could Kyle Busch’s exit be the domino that reshapes the grid?

Syndication: The Tennessean

Credit: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When Busch signed his extension, it quieted the exit rumors, at least temporarily. But as LaJoie pointed out, NASCAR contracts aren’t always set in stone. With the right legal moves, Busch could leave before 2026. That would open up the №8 Chevy and Suárez could be first in line for it.

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“He hasn’t exhibited that speed. But the truth of the matter is he hasn’t had the success over the last three or four years that we’re accustomed to seeing from Kyle Busch,” said NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, reflecting on Busch’s decline amid younger drivers passing him by.

And if that seat opens, Daniel Suárez makes a lot of sense. Even before Busch rumors picked up, Suárez’s place at Trackhouse was already looking uncertain. The team confirmed recently that he’ll be leaving after 2025.

Why the shift? It likely comes down to 18-year-old Connor Zilisch. He hasn’t officially been announced as the next driver of the №99, but he’s clearly the favorite. Zilisch already has wins in ARCA, Xfinity, and Truck, and he’s gotten Cup experience through Project91.

At 33, Suárez, former Xfinity champ, still has strong ties to Chevrolet and a valuable presence as a bilingual driver with a loyal fanbase. What he wants now is a solid, competitive ride, and Busch leaving could give him just that. And if Busch steps away, Suárez would be a natural fit for Richard Childress Racing.

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If Busch stays, Suárez’s options may be less ideal. He might have to look at mid-level Cup teams, consider a return to Xfinity, or wait for openings at places like Front Row or 23XI. But none of those routes carries the same upside as a Busch departure.

Everything could hinge on Kyle Busch’s next move. If he decides to walk, or RCR decides to cut ties early, it would open the door for Suárez, speed up Trackhouse’s youth movement, and kick off a much bigger shift across the Cup Series.

Also Read:: NASCAR gives its verdict: No Penalty for Ross Chastain after Joey Logano demands action

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Tyler Florence named grand marshal for Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway

The Food Network fixture will give the command to start engines at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. The Sonoma Raceway has named celebrity chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence as the grand marshal for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. The South Carolina native has been […]

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The Food Network fixture will give the command to start engines at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday.

The Sonoma Raceway has named celebrity chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence as the grand marshal for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

The South Carolina native has been a longtime fixture of the Bay Area culinary scene, with his flagship San Francisco restaurant Wayfare Tavern as well his steakhouse located at San Francisco’s Chase Center, Miller & Lux.

Sonoma Raceway highlighted Florence’s connection to Sonoma County in its Thursday announcement, citing Florence’s advocacy for the region’s farmers, winemakers and artisans often featured in his dishes and public appearances.

In his role this weekend as grand marshal, Florence will deliver the iconic command, “Drivers, start your engines,” ahead of Sunday’s main event at 12:30 p.m.

“Tyler’s infectious energy and deep-rooted connection to Sonoma County makes him a perfect fit to be a part of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and celebrate NASCAR’s return to wine country,” said Brian Flynn, executive vice president and general manager of Sonoma Raceway, in a news release.

As a television personality, Florence first gained fame in 2000 as the host of the Food Network program “Food 911,” where he traveled the country to help home cooks improve their dishes. He also hosted “Tyler’s Ultimate” in 2003, showcasing his take on classic dishes, and currently hosts “The Great Food Truck Race,” which debuts its 18th season next month. He has also appeared on “Worst Cooks in America” and “Iron Chef America.”

Another celebrity, ESPN personality Marty Smith will serve as grand marshal for Saturday’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the raceway announced earlier this week.

A longtime motor sports reporter, Smith co-hosts the popular ESPN radio show “Marty & McGee” and appears regularly to talk college football, basketball, golf and more on the network’s signature programs, including “SportsCenter” and “College GameDay.”

“Marty’s love for the sport and his authentic connection with fans make him the perfect person to kick off what promises to be an action-packed day at the track,” Flynn said in a Monday news release.

The jam-packed weekend also features live music, driver meet-and-greets and more in the Sonoma Raceway Fan Zone.

Get more information and tickets at sonomaraceway.com.



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ARCA West race ends in one of the wildest Sonoma finishes ever

Friday was supposed to be a rather tame day at the track as the Sonoma race weekend got underway. There was practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Shane van Gisbergen earning pole position, ending the day with an ARCA West race. Well, despite William Sawalich dominating most of the event, the race […]

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Friday was supposed to be a rather tame day at the track as the Sonoma race weekend got underway. There was practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Shane van Gisbergen earning pole position, ending the day with an ARCA West race.

Well, despite William Sawalich dominating most of the event, the race ended in one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen at the historic California road course.

When Kyle Keller stalled on the frontstretch, it pushed the race into overtime and set-up a one-lap dash to the checkered flag.

Sawalich was in control with Alon Day directly behind him. Day is an Israeli driver and a four-time champion of the NASCAR Euro Series, but this was just his second start in any ARCA event.

He shoved Sawalich off into the first corner, sending the race leader completely off the track. Day ended up following him into the dirt, skidding back across the track and slamming fenders with Christian Eckes.

Sawalich got back onto the pavement still in the lead, only to have both Day and Eckes split him, moving Eckes into the race lead. Day remained in hot pursuit for the rest of the lap, setting him up for what most thought was about to be a classic bump-and-run.

Instead, Day went to the outside as they approached the hairpin, drawing even with Eckes under braking. Sawalich, who had recovered from his off-track excursion at the start of the final lap, was right there with them. He got into the back of Eckes, pushing him wide and cutting under him as the trio exited the final corner in a contact-filled battle to the line.

Eckes and Sawalich slammed doors and both drivers got into the wall on opposite sides of the track. As they raced to the line, they fanned out in a thrilling three-wide photo finish for the ages.

Sawalich was ultimately victorious with Eckes second and Day finishing a very close third. 

Video of the finish

 

Sawalich, who competes full-time in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, now has four wins as an ARCA West driver. After the dramatic victory, he told Flo Racing: “That was definitely our race. It just sucks that it had to happen that way. We did what we could to to get our car into Victory Lane.”

When asked about the final lap, Sawalich added: “I don’t know what happened in (Turn) 1. I don’t know if I overshot it or — I’m pretty sure I got ran into. It is what it is. It was a good race.”

At the checkered flag, Sawalich was just 0.066s ahead of Eckes with Day within 0.156s of the win.

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Sonoma Starting Lineup: July 2025 (ARCA Menards Series)

ARCA Menards Series starting positions for Sonoma Raceway Later today, the ARCA Menards Series West takes the green flag in Sonoma, California. Now, the field rolls to the track for a round of qualifying to set the starting grid. View the Sonoma Starting lineup for the ARCA Menards Series below. Sonoma MenuARCA: Prac/Qual | RaceXfinity: Prac/Qual | RaceCup: Prac/Qual | […]

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ARCA Menards Series starting positions for Sonoma Raceway

Later today, the ARCA Menards Series West takes the green flag in Sonoma, California. Now, the field rolls to the track for a round of qualifying to set the starting grid.

View the Sonoma Starting lineup for the ARCA Menards Series below.

Sonoma Menu
ARCA: Prac/Qual | Race
Xfinity: Prac/Qual | Race
Cup: Prac/Qual | Race

Sonoma TV Schedule

Sonoma Raceway
Starting Lineup
July 11, 2025
ARCA Menards Series

Pos | Driver

1. William Sawalich
1:17.507

2. Alon Day
1:17.518

3. Corey Day
1:17.948

4. Tyler Reif
1:18.181

5. Christian Eckes
1:18.398

6. Jack Wood
1:18.507

7. Caleb Shrader
1:18.731

8. Trevor Huddleston
1:19.159

9. Eric Nascimento
1:19.168

10. Kyle Keller
1:19.197

11. Dale Quarterley
1:19.234

12. Will Rodgers
1:19.458

13. Tanner Reif
1:20.134

14. Robbie Kennealy
1:20.167

15. Eric Johnson Jr
1:20.901

16. Jeff Anton
1:21.278

17. Todd Souza
1:21.406

18. Ryan Philpott
1:22.299

19. Davey Magras
1:22.954

20. Kaylee Bryson
1:23.089

21. Rodd Kneeland
1:23.172

22. Blake Lothian
1:31.170

23. David Smith
1:31.924

24. Jonathan Reaume
1:35.411

25. Spencer Gallagher
No Time

Sonoma Raceway
Practice Results
July 11, 2025
ARCA Menards Series

Pos | Driver | Best Time

1. William Sawalich
1:17.5

2. Alon Day
1:18.2

3. Corey Day
1:18.2

4. Jack Wood
1:18.7

5. Tyler Reif
1:18.7

6. Will Rodgers
1:18.8

7. Dale Quarterly
1:19.0

8. Christian Eckes
1:19.0

9. Caleb Shrader
1:19.6

10. Kyle Keller
1:19.8

11. Eric Johnson Jr
1:20.0

12. Eric Nascimento
1:20.1

13. Todd Souza
1:20.4

14. Trevor Huddleston
1:20.5

15. Robbie Kennealy
1:20.6

16. Tanner Reif
1:20.6

17. Jeff Anton
1:21.6

18. Rodd Kneeland
1:23.3

19. Ryan Philpott
1:23.6

20. Kaylee Bryson
1:24.6

21. Davey Magras
1:25.7

22. Spencer Gallagher
1:26.4

23. Nick Joanides
1:27.2

24. Blake Lothian
1:30.4

25. David Smith
1:32.1

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Sonoma Raceway | NASCAR | ARCA Menards Series



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Cody Ware car and equipment ‘killed on impact’ in NASCAR Chicago crash

To no surprise, the head-on impact sustained by Cody Ware in the NASCAR Cup Series street course race in Chicago was the hardest in the history of this current generation racing platform. “Pretty much everything from the interior of the car, as well as my gear, was killed on that impact,” Ware told SiriusXM NASCAR […]

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To no surprise, the head-on impact sustained by Cody Ware in the NASCAR Cup Series street course race in Chicago was the hardest in the history of this current generation racing platform.

“Pretty much everything from the interior of the car, as well as my gear, was killed on that impact,” Ware told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “So, thankfully, getting a new helmet, a new HANS, you know, there was a crack in the EPS foam inside the helmet, the HANS device was cracked, steering wheel, you know, got bent up pretty good as well.

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“So, I think it’s just a testimony to all the safety people that are selling us helmets and HANS, as well as steering wheels from Max Papis. And then my interior guys and all the guys at RWR who are building these race cars and keeping them safe.”

One of the biggest safety development challenges of the NextGen car has concerned the rigidity of the front and rear clips that both needed softening after the 2022 season. One such crash was Ware at Texas in 2022.

You know, unfortunately, this isn’t my first time getting into a gnarly wreck in the NextGen car,” Ware said. “I look back at 2022, and that’s all I had in my mind for those five seconds, it felt like the longest five seconds of my life. You know, when I took that frontal impact in the NextGen car back in 2022 at Texas, that was before a lot of updates in the front clip had been made to make sure that the crush zones were more significant and the chassis would definitely deform a lot more on those impacts.

“So, I just think that’s a testimony to the work that was done between then and now. Because I was pretty worried that whole way to the wall that it was going to be another injury-inducing incident like I had where I broke my foot at Texas. So, I think the progress with the safety of the Next Gen cars has definitely come a long way. Obviously, I don’t want to be the test dummy for that, but thankful to see a dramatic difference in what I felt with the frontal impact at Texas versus what I felt on Sunday in Chicago.”

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On Sunday in Chicago, Ware lost a brake rotor and was unable to slow hos car down at over 90 miles per hour approaching a tire barrier. Race control waited over 30 seconds to call a caution and NASCAR later admitted that it was a mistake born from a less than adequate communication process at the Grant Park street circuit.



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