By Noah Poser, Staff Writer

Is it more stressful to drive a racecar down the famous Michigan Ave. streets in downtown Chicago or throw out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs game in front of more than 36,000 fans?

If you ask Chase Briscoe, it’s not even close.

“Nothing I do on Sunday will get me on SportsCenter,” Briscoe said ahead of his Wrigley Field debut Thursday night. “I could win the race on Sunday and I still probably wouldn’t make it onto SportsCenter. But if I mess this pitch up, I’ll definitely be on TV tomorrow morning.”

With a singular goal of not joining the likes of 50 Cent and Carly Rae Jepsen in going down in first pitch infamy, it came as no surprise that Briscoe took a very calculated approach for his attempt.

“I’m going to throw it from the actual mound,” Briscoe said. “I have to try from there. I want to get the ball to home plate for starters and I think I should be able to throw a strike. I can throw at least 60 mph if I want to, but definitely not straight.”

Naturally, when the pressure was on, he hit his mark.

He had a nice and smooth approach alone on the mound and executed nearly to perfection. It’s the exact type of performance he’ll need when he takes the green flag Sunday on the Chicago streets if he wants a chance at wining his second race of the season.

He may need to be a little bit faster though.

Briscoe, a fan of the team since he was a kid growing up and watching the likes of Cubs legends Sammy Sosa and Derek Lee, said Thursday was his first time throwing the first pitch at an actual MLB ballpark for a regular season game, although he’s thrown a few first pitches during spring training games.

“If you woulda told me 20-25 years ago when I was having my mom and dad pitch to me so I could copy 15-20 different players’ batting stances that I’d be doing this I wouldn’t believe you,” Briscoe said in a post on X earlier this week. “Played a ton of baseball growing up so this is super cool.”

Even though he hung up the mitt many years ago himself, baseball has remained a major part of Briscoe’s life thanks to friends working in the league for the Cleveland Guardians. Coincidentally enough, the Guardians were the Cubs opponent Thursday and is another team Briscoe follows and roots for.

He’s also good friends with former Cincinnati Reds and Cubs catcher Tucker Barnhart, who retired earlier this week. You’d have to think Barnhart would approve of the pitch thrown by Briscoe, a former catcher himself.

Or you could just take Briscoe’s word for it, as he took to social media once more to review his feat of athleticism.

“First pitch at the Cubs game is a success,” Briscoe said. “I will not be on SportsCenter tonight unless they decide to randomly show a NASCAR driver throwing a strike.”

Now, Briscoe will once again trade in his baseball for a steering wheel and it’s on the streets of Chicago that he’ll be hoping his competition are the ones striking out in their attempts to win Sunday, leaving him all alone in victory lane after the checkered flag flies.

And perhaps he’ll even earn an appearance on SportsCenter.

There are drivers who show up to a NASCAR race quietly optimistic. And then there’s A.J. Allmendinger — the guy who shows up at the track looking like he’s ready to win or fight someone trying to stop him.

Or possibly both.

Heading into this weekend’s Grant Park 165 on the streets of Chicago, Allmendinger brings with him all the usual ingredients: a scrappy underdog mentality, a resume packed with road course success, and the kind of raw honesty that makes every interview feel like a confessional. Add to that a new layer of perspective thanks to fatherhood — and yes, a steady supply of CELSIUS energy drinks — and you’ve got one of the most intriguing storylines in the Cup Series garage.

A Season Of Progress — And Realism

“I think it’s a glass half full,” Allmendinger says, reflecting on his season so far with Kaulig Racing. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to have realistic expectations. We show up every week trying to win and make the playoffs and win the championship — that’s the pinnacle.

“But we also have an understanding of where we’re at right now as an organization, where the team was at, at this point last year and the gains that we’ve made.”

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Two blown motors, a couple of disappointing road course races — rare for a driver with his pedigree — and the usual grind of life in NASCAR’s top series have tested the team. But the bigger picture? There’s progress.

“We’ve made a lot of gains from where we were last year,” he adds. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel… and for once it doesn’t feel like it’s a train coming back at you.”

Fatherhood: The Ultimate Reset Button

As fierce as Allmendinger remains behind the wheel, life at home has added some welcome chaos — and maybe, just maybe, a little perspective; chaos thanks in part to his son Aero, who will be two in September.

“If you listen to my radio, I’m still as fiery as ever,” he laughs. “But I feel like I’m still getting better. That fire of proving it to myself every weekend is what keeps pushing me.”

The biggest change? What happens after a tough day at the office.

“My wife, Tara, is amazing — she’s basically taking care of two kids, me included,” Allmendinger jokes. “But you get home after a bad day, frustrated, sad, all of it… and Aero doesn’t care. He just wants to play and jump on you. That part of it makes the bad weekends a little easier.”

Street Circuits: A Different Animal

Given his three career Cup wins have all come on road courses, you’d expect Allmendinger to circle Chicago’s street race as a golden opportunity. But the 12-turn concrete jungle that snakes through Grant Park has been anything but predictable.

“The street course definitely changes my confidence level — Chicago hasn’t helped it at all,” he admits. “The first year, we completely missed it — the car bounced around like crazy. Last year, we were just lost in practice and qualifying, but with the weather, we drove through the field and had a shot.”

This year? Still a question mark.

“It’s a tricky track — rough, technical, you’ve got to balance mechanical grip and aero grip perfectly. I’ve done all the studying I can. Now we’ll see if I can be better when we unload.”

The Elusive Oval Win

For all the road course glory, that first Cup oval win remains on Allmendinger’s to-do list — a challenge he embraces, even if it comes with the usual NASCAR frustrations.

“It’s hard,” he says bluntly. “You’ve got to have a good car — doesn’t matter if it’s an oval or road course, but on ovals, it’s even more critical to hit everything right.”

Tracks like Dover or Las Vegas give him hope. Short tracks? A surprising struggle.

“It’s weird because I’ve always loved short tracks,” he says. “But with this car, we’ve struggled there. If we knew why, we’d fix it already.”

For now, it’s about maximizing every opportunity, one weekend at a time.

“There are ovals you circle on the calendar and say, ‘We can win here.’ Others? You run top 15 that’s a that’s almost a win.”

The CELSIUS Factor: More Than Just A Sponsor

In a sport where sponsor logos change as often as tires, having a partner like CELSIUS stick with him through the ups and downs is more than just a marketing win — it’s personal.

“When I first joined Kaulig Racing, there was a little fridge in the corner with CELSIUS in it,” Allmendinger recalls. “Honestly, I’d never even seen the stuff before.”

Fast forward seven years, and both the driver and the brand have grown together — with plenty of Victory Lane celebrations (and CELSIUS can tosses) along the way.

“It’s a product I actually use daily — training, hydration, energy, golf, you name it,” he says. “That’s what I love about it. With some sponsors, it’s a logo. With CELSIUS, it’s part of my life.”

The Bottom Line

A.J. Allmendinger may not fit the mold of the typical NASCAR Cup Series contender — and he’s just fine with that. Whether it’s battling the unforgiving streets of Chicago, chasing that first elusive oval win, or navigating the joys (and sleep deprivation) of fatherhood, one thing remains constant:

The fire’s still there. The CELSIUS fridge is still stocked. And if the cards fall right, don’t be surprised if Allmendinger is the one spiking another energy drink in Victory Lane.

July 3, 2025

• Tomy Drissi finished fourth in Saturday’s Trans Am race at Road America after a last-lap pass

• The result was the best of Drissi’s Trans Am career at Road America, as well as his fifth consecutive top five finish this season

• Drissi remains third in the championship, extending his advantage over fourth to 13 points

2009 Trans Am champion Tomy Drissi and the Drissi Motorsports team scored their fifth consecutive top-five finish and sixth of the 2025 Trans Am by Pirelli season at Road America on Saturday. In a thrilling three-way fight for fourth place on the last lap, Drissi and the #8 Trench Shoring Company/Motul/Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro came out on top, beating Brandon Jones to the line by just .130 seconds.

Drissi was involved in battles for position throughout the race, but none were more dramatic than the final few laps. He spent the time slashing the gap to fourth place while also facing pressure from a hard-charging Jones behind him. Using the slipstream on Road America’s long straightaways, he made the decisive pass in Turn 5 on the last lap before breaking Jones’ draft off the final corner to defend the spot across the line.

The fourth place run marked Drissi’s career best result at Road America. In 16 previous starts, he had scored multiple fifth place finishes, including in each of the past two years. The result also allowed Drissi to strengthen his hold on third in the TA championship standings, increasing his advantage to 13 points over fourth with five races remaining.

“That was an amazing finish at Road America!” said Drissi. “We definitely had the most exciting battle on track in the closing laps, and I hope the fans were excited with what they saw. We had a really good fight with Brandon Jones for fourth at the end! It was great to be able to score some decent points as we enter the second half of the season too. Thanks to the whole team for their efforts during this busy stretch of the year, all our sponsors, and the fans for their support. We’re going to recharge during the off weekend and come out swinging at Watkins Glen!”

After a well-deserved off weekend, Drissi Motorsports will wrap up the busiest stretch of the season on July 11-13 with a return to Watkins Glen International for Trans Am’s third event in four weeks. Last year, Drissi scored his fourth podium of the season with a third place finish at the historic New York circuit. Click here to buy tickets to watch Tomy race!

To keep up with Tomy Drissi, follow @tomydrissi on Instagram and Facebook, and visit www.tomydrissi.com.

About Tomy Drissi
Tomy Drissi is an American racing driver, multi-time winning IMSA driver, and 2009 Trans Am champion. His driver experience includes ALMS, Trans Am, and NASCAR. He has won many of the most iconic racing events in the world, from the Petit Le Mans to the Long Beach Grand Prix. Tomy leads Drissi Motorsports, one of Trans Am’s most successful race teams, as owner-driver.

Born December 9th in Hollywood, California, Tomy also owns a motion picture creative advertising agency. Drissi’s first racing experience in motorsports was street racing on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills.

Tomy is married to Lacy Livingston Drissi, with two beautiful children, Elin and Jagger.

Follow Tomy Drissi on Social Media:

·         Instagram: @tomydrissi

·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomydrissi/

·         Twitter: @tomydrissi

·         TikTok: @tomy_drissi

·         Website: https://tomydrissi.com/

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By Elaine Briseño ( July 2, 2025, 11:41 PM EDT) — The first half of 2025 saw the dispute between NASCAR and two of its teams become supercharged and a judge give final approval to the disputed settlement for the NCAA name, image and likeness antitrust litigation….

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The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity series head to the Great Lakes this weekend for a stop at the Chicago Street Course for the third time. Bookmark this page and come back often for your race-week essentials — from links to qualifying order, average practice speeds, results and more.

RELATED: Full weekend schedule

NASCAR Cup Series

Race day: Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on TNT Sports. The categories listed below will be filled out with links as the information becomes available.

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Tires: Six sets for the race (five race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying). Teams also have one set for practice, plus six total rain sets for the weekend, if needed.

Entry List
Qualifying Order
Practice Results
Practice Lap Averages
Practice Lap Times
Qualifying Results
Pit Stalls
Stage 1 Results
Stage 2 Results
Race Results

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Race day: Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The categories listed below will be filled out with links as the information becomes available.

Tires: Four sets for the race (three race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying). Teams also have two sets for practice, plus four total rain sets for the weekend, if needed.

Entry List
Qualifying Order
Practice Results
Practice Lap Averages
Practice Lap Times
Qualifying Results
Pit Stalls
Stage 1 Results
Stage 2 Results
Race Results