NASCAR winner honors the fallen at Arlington Cemetery
Christopher Bell, winner of last year’s Memorial Day weekend NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, visited Arlington National Cemetery and toured the Pentagon on Tuesday. At the cemetery, he visited several grave markers, including that of Medal of Honor recipient Army Maj. Audie Murphy, Army Col. Michael Binetti, chief […]
Christopher Bell, winner of last year’s Memorial Day weekend NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, visited Arlington National Cemetery and toured the Pentagon on Tuesday.
At the cemetery, he visited several grave markers, including that of Medal of Honor recipient Army Maj. Audie Murphy, Army Col. Michael Binetti, chief of staff of Arlington National Cemetery, told Bell about the valor that led to Murphy receiving the nation’s highest military decoration.
Bell and his wife, Morgan, also watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Bell then placed a wreath at the tomb. Afterward, Bell reflected on the experience.
“It was pretty surreal just being here at Arlington cemetery,” he said. “You really can’t put it into words. It makes you put things in perspective and makes you understand there are much bigger things in the world … seeing all the headstones, thinking about the freedoms that we have.”
He continued: “It just hits hard whenever you see how many are here, how many people have paid the price for us to live in the country that we live in and to have the things that we have, the freedoms we have. It’s the greatest nation in the world, and a reminder that freedom isn’t free.”
The visit is part of the speedway’s military appreciation program, known as Mission 600, which leads up to their flagship race, the Coca-Cola 600.
Every year, the speedway offers military-focused events during the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend, including a luncheon and program for Gold Star families, recruiting and community outreach booths from all military branches, band and drill performances and a keynote address by a military leader.
The event also features a special tribute called, “600 Miles of Remembrance,” in which all 40 race cars prominently display the name of a fallen service member. At the 200-mile mark, the race pauses for a moment of silence to honor those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families.
As part of Mission 600, in partnership with the services, NASCAR drivers visit military installations in the weeks leading up to the race to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of service members and give military personnel a chance to interact with the drivers.
Bell, 30, a Norman, Oklahoma, native, drives the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has 12 career Cup Series wins, most recently claiming victory in March 2025 at Phoenix Raceway.
The Phoenix win marked his third consecutive victory, making him the 29th driver in history to accomplish that feat. Bell earned his first career win in 2021 at the Daytona International Speedway road course in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In October 2022, he won at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia to clinch his first premier series Championship 4 appearance. Bell previously drove the No. 95 Toyota full time for Leavine Family Racing in 2020 during his rookie campaign.
He spent the previous two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing and now has 19 career Xfinity Series wins. Bell won the 2017 Craftsman Truck Series championship and has seven career Truck Series wins.
Bell said he plans to race in this year’s Coca-Cola 600.
NASCAR catches Kaulig Racing making unapproved adjustments, ejects car chief
While A.J. Allmendinger hoped to carry the momentum from a fourth-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 into Nashville, things are off to a difficult start for the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. While sitting on pit road in preparation for practice, NASCAR officials demanded the car be brought back to the garage. A crew member […]
While A.J. Allmendinger hoped to carry the momentum from a fourth-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 into Nashville, things are off to a difficult start for the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.
While sitting on pit road in preparation for practice, NASCAR officials demanded the car be brought back to the garage. A crew member messing with the splitter caught the eye of officials who saw something they did not like. Officials suspected that the team had made unapproved adjustments to the splitter after pre-qualifying inspection.
AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing ChevroletSean Gardner / Getty Images
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
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To make matters worse, the car failed on its first trip through the inspection after being brought back to the garage, confirming NASCAR’s suspicions. The team was scrambling to make the changes NASCAR wanted as practice rapidly approached.
They finally passed on the second attempt, but officials held the car for the first ten minutes of of the 25-minute Group B practice as a result.
In the hours that followed, NASCAR has announced that the team has lost pit stall selection for Sunday’s race and will be sent to the rear of the field. He had originally qualified in 17th on the 39-car grid. Car Chief Jaron Antley has also been ejected from the track for the remainder of the weekend and his hard card was confiscated by series officials.
And when the race begins, Allmendinger will be forced to perform a stop-and-go penalty under green flag conditions.
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“It’s just a part of NASCAR life,” Allmendinger told on NASCAR on Prime. “NASCAR saw something they didn’t like when we were sitting there, we had to go back, (and) my guys did a good job. We got back through there…only lost 10 or 12 minutes of practice, and the way these practices work, you almost run out of tire anyway so it’s not like you gotta be out there for 25 minutes.”
The veteran driver entered this race 18th in the championship standings, just 13 points below the cut-line. Kaulig is winless through the first 13 races of the 2025 season with their best showing coming just last weekend with Allmendinger’s top five finish in the 600.
Photos from Nashville – Practice & Qualifying
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing FordSean Gardner / Getty Images
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske FordJames Gilbert / Getty Images
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing FordJames Gilbert / Getty Images
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports FordJames Gilbert / Getty Images
James Gilbert / Getty Images
Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford
Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team FordSean Gardner / Getty Images
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing ToyotaSean Gardner / Getty Images
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports FordJames Gilbert / Getty Images
Denny Hamlin likely to miss the NASCAR race at Nashville Superspeedway
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has a reserve driver in place for Sunday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway This weekend, NASCAR is racing at Nashville Superspeedway. The NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled for tomorrow. Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 car and Jordan Fish have two children. A third child is on the way. The […]
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has a reserve driver in place for Sunday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway
This weekend, NASCAR is racing at Nashville Superspeedway. The NASCAR Cup Series race is scheduled for tomorrow.
Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 car and Jordan Fish have two children. A third child is on the way.
The two have been engaged since 2024.
Their third child is expected this weekend, specifically on Sunday. Hamlin stated this weekend that he will not race if the baby comes within the window of the race.
He expects to make that decision tomorrow, before the race. However, the deadline is not confirmed on when he will make that decision.
Ryan Truex is on standby and prepared to jump into the No. 11 as the reserve driver if Hamlin elects to skip tomorrow’s race.
With 2 race wins in 2025, Hamlin has already qualified for the 2025 playoffs.
However, in order to qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs, drivers are required to run every points race. NASCAR does hand out waivers for medical reasons.
In this case, Hamlin would be granted a waiver and remain eligible for the playoffs.
Acura Meyer Shank Racing finally ends Porsche Penske’s IMSA win streak in Detroit
Pole positions typically don’t mean much in endurance racing. And while IMSA’s Detroit Grand Prix race is considered a sprint by the series’ and by definition short in length, it doesn’t guarantee that whoever leads the front of the field at the start, will lead it to the checkered flag. Today, though, the action in […]
Pole positions typically don’t mean much in endurance racing. And while IMSA’s Detroit Grand Prix race is considered a sprint by the series’ and by definition short in length, it doesn’t guarantee that whoever leads the front of the field at the start, will lead it to the checkered flag. Today, though, the action in Detroit would serve up a fresh storyline.
It was an unexpectedly competitive field in Detroit Saturday as teams battled hard to gain those crucial podium and lead spots for both the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) classes. What felt to be even more unexpected, is that Friday’s pole winners, the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura (Nick Yelloly, Renger van der Zande) and #64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports (Sebastian Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller), would be leading at the beginning and end of the race. And both put in a decent fight to get there.
#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger Van Der Zande, Nick Yelloly
#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger Van Der Zande, Nick YellolyBrett Farmer / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
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Detroit’s narrow and bumpy course is not a welcoming place for passing, as was obvious within the first five minutes of Saturday’s race. The GTP and GTD Pro fields bumped and rubbed their way through the first narrow corners of the track, whether it was another manufacturer, or against their own teammates like the Paul Miller Racing BMWs.
Only, the #4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports car would be the one to suffer any real consequences harboring damage to the left rear from contact and losing a taillight. The result? The first full-course yellow, just three minutes in.
Meanwhile, the #81 DragonSpeed Ferrari found itself sidelined a couple of times and pitted for repairs, while the #4 Corvette was also in for taillight repairs.
Porsche teams battled all race
The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963 GTP with Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy
The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963 GTP with Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy Lumen Digital Agency
Lumen Digital Agency
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What’s missing from the top of both the GTP and GTD Pro headlines is Porsche. First, does pink induce anger, because the #77 AO Racing Porsche — Roxy for Detroit — found itself in a couple of tiffs through Saturday’s competition starting with the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus. The Lexus bumped the #77 into the corner for a little spin, and earned itself a drive through penalty. Later in the race, just after the field returned to green for the second full-course caution, the #77 with Laurin Heinrich at the helm executed a beautiful pass around the #14.
The #77’s fight didn’t end there, taking on the #4 Corvette for a spicy battle ending in the #4 hitting the #77, sending it for a spin. Heinrich, in the #77, responded with a hit to the #4 for its own spin before pulling away. Race control issued a warning to both cars, as well as drive-through penalties served post-race adding an additional 17 seconds to their finish times.
And it was a far from perfect weekend for Porsche Penske Motorsport. The new BOP issued for the Detroit race to help alleviate what turned into a caution-free Monterey race, along with the winning streaks we’ve seen with teams like Porsche. But the BOP didn’t appear to slow the Penske team down as ‘Mr. 24’ Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr managed to take the #7 car that started P6 Saturday to the front and hold tight for the majority of the mid race.
#64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3: Mike Rockenfeller, Sebastian Priaulx
#64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3: Mike Rockenfeller, Sebastian PriaulxJake Galstad / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
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That lead saw its demise when Ricky Taylor in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac nudged his way around the #7 for the lead with just 15 minutes to go. Ricky, a previous winner in Detroit, was poised to take the win home for WTR when the #93 Acura and van der Zande took advantage of the Cadillac competitor’s weakness, finding the opportune window to earn the lead — aiming to keep it and the looming Porsche GTP cars behind for the overall and GTP class win.
The #64 Ford survived its own battle against another major Detroit contender — the #3 Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette — slightly alleviated by the mixed GTP traffic, which helped it to earn its first-ever win in the series, the first win for Ford in the IMSA at (home in) Detroit, and the second win for Ford in the 2025 season.
Overall carnage was minimal as the race was never red-flagged, and only minor pieces were found scattered on the track for the two cautions over the 100-minute race. The list of penalties for cars going into the runoffs or simply bumping, a lot, might paint a different picture. But for a race where there wasn’t a lot of action expected, everyone — fans, teams, and drivers alike — came out on the other side pleasantly surprised.
Now, for something completely different: bring on Le Mans.
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Acura literally rubs its way into a front row lockout for IMSA’s Detroit GP start
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AJ Allmendinger’s team faces penalties after violation ahead of Cup practice at Nashville
LEBANON, Tenn. — AJ Allmendinger’s team was penalized after NASCAR officials discovered an unapproved adjustment to the No. 16 Kaulig Racing car before Saturday’s practice session at Nashville Superspeedway. All cars had to pass pre-race inspection ahead of Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Allmendinger’s car was on pit road when the team made an illegal […]
LEBANON, Tenn. — AJ Allmendinger’s team was penalized after NASCAR officials discovered an unapproved adjustment to the No. 16 Kaulig Racing car before Saturday’s practice session at Nashville Superspeedway.
All cars had to pass pre-race inspection ahead of Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions.
Allmendinger’s car was on pit road when the team made an illegal modification to the car’s splitter. The car was ordered back to the garage and NASCAR found that an unapproved adjustment had been made. The team was forced to undo that change and had to go back through inspection before being allowed to participate in practice. NASCAR then held the team for 10 minutes in the 25-minute session.
NASCAR also issued the following penalties Saturday night:
— Allmendinger will start at the rear of the field and must perform a stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag in Sunday’s race. — The team lost pit stall selection for Sunday’s race — Car chief Jaron Antley was ejected for the remainder of the weekend and his hard card credential also was confiscated.
Allmendinger is coming off a fourth-place finish in last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. That finished moved Allmendinger up eight spots in the season standings to 17th.
Sunday’s race at Nashville begins the second half of the regular season.
Rumored acquisition has Oregon’s wine country on edge
Such a deal could have significant ramifications for the industry, but most of the players directly involved are staying mum. MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — This story comes from the Portland Business Journal, a KGW news partner. The full story and other coverage can be found here. Oregon wine circles are buzzing with talk that the state’s […]
Such a deal could have significant ramifications for the industry, but most of the players directly involved are staying mum.
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — This story comes from the Portland Business Journal, a KGW news partner. The full story and other coverage can be found here.
Oregon wine circles are buzzing with talk that the state’s biggest vineyard management company is on the verge of being acquired by its chief rival.
Such a deal could have significant ramifications for the industry, but most of the players directly involved are staying mum. The only one to go on the record said “no change in ownership has taken place,” but did not elaborate.
Numerous industry sources, however, have told the Business Journal that Atlas Vineyard Management, a Napa, California-based company backed by Juggernaut Capital Partners, will acquire Results Partners, a McMinnville-based division of Orchard & Vineyard Supply, which is backed by Clearview Capital.
None of the industry sources work for the companies or private equity firms involved. Three, however, said they had been told directly by current employees that an acquisition was in the works, if not essentially completed.
Atlas is widely acknowledged as the No. 2 vineyard management company in the state, tending to perhaps 2,500 acres, while Results Partners manages in the neighborhood of 5,000 acres of vines, according to people familiar with their operations. That adds up to one in every six acres of Oregon vineyard, but the proportion is higher in the Willamette Valley, the state’s most prestigious growing region, where their work is concentrated.
Clearview Capital partner Mathias Rumilly, who told the Business Journal on Wednesday that no ownership change had taken place, did not respond to a follow-up question asking if a deal might be pending.
Pole positions typically don’t mean much in endurance racing. And while IMSA’s Detroit Grand Prix race is considered a sprint by the series’ and by definition short in length, it doesn’t guarantee that whoever leads the front of the field at the start, will lead it to the checkered flag. Today, though, the action in […]
Pole positions typically don’t mean much in endurance racing. And while IMSA’s Detroit Grand Prix race is considered a sprint by the series’ and by definition short in length, it doesn’t guarantee that whoever leads the front of the field at the start, will lead it to the checkered flag. Today, though, the action in Detroit would serve up a fresh storyline.
It was an unexpectedly competitive field in Detroit Saturday as teams battled hard to gain those crucial podium and lead spots for both the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD Pro) classes. What felt to be even more unexpected, is that Friday’s pole winners, the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura (Nick Yelloly, Renger van der Zande) and #64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports (Sebastian Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller), would be leading at the beginning and end of the race. And both put in a decent fight to get there.
#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Renger Van Der Zande, Nick Yelloly
Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
Detroit’s narrow and bumpy course is not a welcoming place for passing, as was obvious within the first five minutes of Saturday’s race. The GTP and GTD Pro fields bumped and rubbed their way through the first narrow corners of the track, whether it was another manufacturer, or against their own teammates like the Paul Miller Racing BMWs.
Only, the #4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports car would be the one to suffer any real consequences harboring damage to the left rear from contact and losing a taillight. The result? The first full-course yellow, just three minutes in.
Meanwhile, the #81 DragonSpeed Ferrari found itself sidelined a couple of times and pitted for repairs, while the #4 Corvette was also in for taillight repairs.
Porsche teams battled all race
The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963 GTP with Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy
Photo by: Lumen Digital Agency
What’s missing from the top of both the GTP and GTD Pro headlines is Porsche. First, does pink induce anger, because the #77 AO Racing Porsche — Roxy for Detroit — found itself in a couple of tiffs through Saturday’s competition starting with the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus. The Lexus bumped the #77 into the corner for a little spin, and earned itself a drive through penalty. Later in the race, just after the field returned to green for the second full-course caution, the #77 with Laurin Heinrich at the helm executed a beautiful pass around the #14.
The #77’s fight didn’t end there, taking on the #4 Corvette for a spicy battle ending in the #4 hitting the #77, sending it for a spin. Heinrich, in the #77, responded with a hit to the #4 for its own spin before pulling away. Race control issued a warning to both cars, as well as drive-through penalties served post-race adding an additional 17 seconds to their finish times.
And it was a far from perfect weekend for Porsche Penske Motorsport. The new BOP issued for the Detroit race to help alleviate what turned into a caution-free Monterey race, along with the winning streaks we’ve seen with teams like Porsche. But the BOP didn’t appear to slow the Penske team down as ‘Mr. 24’ Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr managed to take the #7 car that started P6 Saturday to the front and hold tight for the majority of the mid race.
#64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3: Mike Rockenfeller, Sebastian Priaulx
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
That lead saw its demise when Ricky Taylor in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac nudged his way around the #7 for the lead with just 15 minutes to go. Ricky, a previous winner in Detroit, was poised to take the win home for WTR when the #93 Acura and van der Zande took advantage of the Cadillac competitor’s weakness, finding the opportune window to earn the lead — aiming to keep it and the looming Porsche GTP cars behind for the overall and GTP class win.
The #64 Ford survived its own battle against another major Detroit contender — the #3 Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette — slightly alleviated by the mixed GTP traffic, which helped it to earn its first-ever win in the series, the first win for Ford in the IMSA at (home in) Detroit, and the second win for Ford in the 2025 season.
Overall carnage was minimal as the race was never red-flagged, and only minor pieces were found scattered on the track for the two cautions over the 100-minute race. The list of penalties for cars going into the runoffs or simply bumping, a lot, might paint a different picture. But for a race where there wasn’t a lot of action expected, everyone — fans, teams, and drivers alike — came out on the other side pleasantly surprised.
Now, for something completely different: bring on Le Mans.
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