Carson Hocevar got into it with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during NASCAR’s trip to Mexico City in June. During an appearance on the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, the Spire Motorsports wheelman revealed his team was so confused about the incident that they thought he suffered a medical emergency.

The Portage, Michigan native accidentally lost focus and turned the former Daytona 500 winner. According to Hocevar, he went through some serious brain fog at the moment, and didn’t mean to hit Stenhouse Jr. at the time. Still, the Hyak Motorsports wheelman wasn’t hearing any of it.

“Remember when Riley [Herbst], like, hooked around and the No. 47 was really close, and then like he like, putted right? I almost hit him. I thought his car was dead. I thought he hit the No. 35, so he’s putting over. So, he turned left. I was like, ‘Oh f***,’ and I locked up the brakes. We run a bunch of laps, and I’m just trying to get comfortable. The straightaways are so long, our cars are kind of slow with the horsepower, with the elevation and everything, and I noticed he was catching the guys in front,” Hocevar explained.

“I was like, ‘I’m going to earn some back here. I’m going to push him down the straightaway,’ so I was kind of staying close and everything. Just the biggest brain-fade ever. I got in the corner, and I was just like, ‘Oh, there’s a corner here,’ so I went to the break. I locked up. I just got zoned out. I was just like, you know, banging gears. Now there’s like five to go, and I’m just like, ‘Caution’s not going to come out. Yep, yep, yep. This is normal.’ For a minute, my guys thought I like, passed out, because my car just goes straight.

“I am legitimately in there, just holding the wheel straight, either getting ready to turn right to go to the garage. Not actually, but I was just literally sitting there and I’m watching him and I don’t even turn the wheel. I just literally like stop, and I’m just watching him spin. I’m just like, ‘Please for the love of God, save this thing. Even if you lose a spot, just save it,’ and I just watch him spin around.

“I’m just like, ‘Okay, do I just wait for him to go? Do I just get wrecked now?’ So I just stay — my car just stayed there for a while. They thought I legitimately like, a medical emergency, like I passed out from the heat and whatever. But I was just like, no. I was just sitting there watching.”

At the least, it certainly adds an interesting layer to the incident between Hocevar and Stenhouse Jr. in Mexico City. Evidently, Stenhouse Jr. bought Hocevar’s explanation, as there haven’t been any problems between the two drivers since that moment.

Moving forward, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won’t give Carson Hocevar much grace on the track, but he’s put their scuffle in Mexico behind them, it seems. When these two are racing over the course of the summer, though, don’t expect any love, as they’re going to continue racing each other hard regardless.

Tom Blomqvist expects something from himself this weekend. He calls it “standard expectations for a professional racing driver,” but they carry more weight than usual.

He’s in a different car, in a different class, with a different team. One that’s leading the championship standings, by the way.

But Blomqvist is a key figure ahead of Sunday’s Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, as one of several fill-in drivers in Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) for IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship regulars.

Blomqvist will fill in for Paul Di Resta with United Autosports USA as Di Resta is one of a handful of IMSA drivers competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship race in Brazil this weekend.

Blomqvist Entrusted for United Encore

Blomqvist will join Daniel Goldburg in the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07. The No. 22 car enters the weekend leading the LMP2 standings by 94 points over Felipe Fraga and Gar Robinson in the No. 74 Riley ORECA.

The one-off duty is both an honor and a unique challenge, Blomqvist explained.

“They’ve entrusted me with this role to do the job,” said Blomqvist, who also drove for United in the 2023 FIA WEC season. “I’m fully aware of that. I expect myself to do well and to perform.

“I’m comfortable with the team, and I’ve worked with them before. I enjoy working with them. I know the car very well, and I’ve had great success at the track before, as well, which is obviously very helpful.”

It’s helpful to be on a roll, as well. Blomqvist and Colin Braun teamed to win the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on June 22 at Watkins Glen International overall and in Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) in the No. 60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06.

Blomqvist also has a winning relationship with CTMP, the track formerly known as Mosport. In 2023, he and Braun teamed to win in the Meyer Shank Acura on the 10-turn, 2.459-mile circuit. A year earlier, Blomqvist set the outright track record in a previous generation Daytona Prototype international (DPi) car, the Acura ARX-05.

“The track is a lot of fun – a ton of fun,” Blomqvist said. “It’s always one you want to drive, especially in LMP2 cars. It’s the perfect track for the class. I’ve obviously been in the right place at the right time when I’ve been there. I’d like to do the same with Daniel and the guys this year.”

Blomqvist can also speak to those GTP regulars playing in the LMP2 field this weekend.

“The P2 is a little bit of a different driving style – more of a natural driving style because of the lack of electronic aids,” Blomqvist said, comparing the LMP2 car to the GTP.

“They’re a bit lighter, and the engines are obviously completely different. Even the little things like seating position are a little different. But ultimately, it’s a race car, and in my case, I’m used to jumping between the two cars.”

MSR Teammates and Now Fun Rivals … Again

For the second time in two months in two series, one of Blomqvist’s Acura MSR teammates will be a rival in another LMP2 car.

Renger van der Zande, who races the sister No. 93 Acura MSR entry with Nick Yelloly, is another fill-in driver this weekend at CTMP.

Van der Zande will fill in for Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 8 Tower Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 this weekend with co-driver John Farano. Van der Zande and Bourdais won overall at CTMP in 2022 in a Chip Ganassi Racing-prepared Cadillac DPi-V.R.

Coincidentally, the Dutchman raced for United Autosports in the 24 Hours of Le Mans last month while Blomqvist, Yelloly and Colin Braun were in three other LMP2 cars. On Sunday, van der Zande will race against United and against his Meyer Shank teammate, Blomqvist.

“It’s going to be fun,” van der Zande laughed ahead of Le Mans before the first of his two LMP2 cameos. “I mean, if I suddenly get a free slipstream somewhere, I’m sure it’s (Blomqvist).

“You know we get along very well. … We have a good understanding, have the bigger goal, big picture in mind. It’s gonna be fun to be racing against each other.”

The occasional fill-in role allows drivers to experience the inner workings of other teams. Van der Zande encountered it at Le Mans, where he teamed with Pietro Fittipaldi and David Heinemeier Hansson to finish seventh in LMP2 in the No. 22 United Autosports entry.

“There’s a great organization behind it,” van der Zande said of United. “I was very happily surprised about the atmosphere. It’s a real group of real racers. … I felt home straight away, so it was a great opportunity to get to know another team.”

Now he’ll go up against his teammates from the recent past, against his teammate from the present, in a car they don’t always drive.

Recapping The CTMP Changes

It’s not uncommon for sports car drivers to freelance during the season, especially when scheduling conflicts arise. Beyond Blomqvist and van der Zande, five other LMP2 cars have revised lineups this race.

As Di Resta, Malthe Jakobsen and Mikkel Jensen race Peugeot 9X8 Hypercars at Sao Paulo, Alex Quinn (No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR) and Hunter McElrea (No. 11 TDS Racing) fill in for Jakobsen and Jensen, respectively.

Quinn, who raced alongside George Kurtz and Nicky Catsburg at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has made five IMSA starts and races alongside Kurtz. McElrea, who won the Michelin Endurance Cup as third driver with Jensen and Steven Thomas last year, is set for his IMSA sprint race debut.

Two new Canadians make their series debuts on home soil. Phil Fayer takes over for Nick Boulle, last year’s CTMP winner and LMP2 champion, in the No. 2 United Autosports USA ORECA alongside Ben Hanley. Travis Hill steps into the No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA alongside Ryan Dalziel, the major race-winning sports car veteran who is now also Era’s sporting director.

JDC-Miller MotorSports also makes its season debut in the class, with Gerry Kraut and Scott Andrews back in their No. 79 ORECA for the first time since Road America last season, where they finished second.

Fittipaldi races in one of the five unchanged full-season lineups competing this weekend in IMSA, with Chris Cumming in the No. 73 Pratt Miller Motorsports ORECA. Both “DHH” and Tobi Lutke’s commitments allow for Hill’s debut at Era.

The four other cars that are unchanged from Watkins Glen, save for dropping from three drivers to two, are the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition (Tom Dillmann and Jeremy Clarke), No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports (Mathias Beche and Rodrigo Sales), No. 74 Riley (Fraga and Robinson) and No. 99 AO Racing (Dane Cameron and PJ Hyett) ORECAs.

The evolved CTMP entry list creates a fascinating scenario as to whether the full-timers or the fill-ins will prevail both overall and in LMP2.

Live coverage of the Chevrolet Grand Prix can be seen Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network, YouTube and IMSA.tv.

IMSA Wire Service PR

Latest update for Forza Motorsport was just introduced by Turn 10 Studios and sponsored by Open Division Rivals, wherein competitors create a machine that has the best performance possible under an imposed PI limit for each PI category. Exciting, right? Response? I’d say it’s nothing worth a victory lap.

Replies to the announcement tweet flooded it: hype followed by frustration, confusion, and doomposting. And honestly, for a good reason: Microsoft laid off a good chunk of the staff of Turn 10 just recently, and gamers are not feeling positive about the future of this franchise.

What Format Is Open Division Rivals?

Open Division Rivals is a bit of a flex zone for car-builders. Take any production vehicle in the game, tweak it to a PI limit assigned to its class, then compete to set the fastest lap time. Being a permanent addition means this is not some limited-time event, so if you’ve got some min-maxing to do, this is your turf.

But this launch time is the worst time possible.

Layoffs & Uncertainty: The Elephant in the Room

Many replies neglected to pay attention to the new mode and just went for the throat: “Why bother when it’s cancelled?” another user asked in a very straight manner. One more commented, “Hard to feel confident in this game at all with how MS has cut back your team quite a bit.”

Ouch.

That skepticism is justified. The recent cuts hit Turn 10 hard, and while the studio hasn’t officially announced any cancellations, the deafening silence has prompted the questioning of the matter. Some even accused the devs of purposely avoiding the question when one frustrated fan shouted, “Answer questions about Forza Motorsport series future!”

Then, there was the whole side track about the “Is this even a real-person posting?” idea. One reply speculated that maybe the Forza account is generally automated now, just tweeting press releases at some timer, all the while the real team is… well, who-knows?

Mounting the Defenses

Not everything was doom and gloom, though. Few players kept up the good fight, calling Forza a “pioneer of simulation” and urged them to “keep it up.” Another wants just “more tracks Originals PLEASE.” And there was that wholesome Mustang fan dreaming of realizing the dream of owning a Ford IRL.

But let’s be honest; the overall atmosphere? Aside from dark gloominess, sprinkled with occasional ‘meh’ from the distracted.

What’s Next for Forza Motorsport?

Turns out that undertaking is stilled somewhere in a waiting game. Despite the arrival of the new mode, biggest would be concerning if Turn 10 could even sustain the game for the long term or for that matter would want to. Shaken in their regard for the confidence, despite no official word on the next thing, players are left dead between hoping for the best or expecting the worst.

In any case, regaining the community will require much more from Turn 10 than just putting out a new Rivals mode.

In the interim? If you’re still into Forza Motorsport, meanwhile, Open Division Rivals is having the time of its life. The big question is: does the game itself have a future?

Legacy Motor Club, co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, has announced a huge sponsorship extension with Dollar Tree. The $22.3 billion company will be a full-season partner through 2028, providing long-term support for the growing NASCAR team.

Dollar Tree joined Legacy at the start of the 2024 season and signed a multi-year deal to put its branding on the team’s Cup Series cars for all 38 races.

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With the extension, Dollar Tree will continue to sponsor John Hunter Nemechek’s #42 car and Erik Jones’ #43 car and be front and center at NASCAR weekends for years to come.

The renewed deal gives Jimmie Johnson’s team stability as it grows, and Dollar Tree exposure to one of the most loyal fanbases in sports. NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass first reported the news which was later confirmed by the team and the company.

“We’re excited to extend our partnership with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB through 2028,” said Rick McNeely, Chief Merchandising Officer, Dollar Tree.

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

Stability for Legacy Motor Club

Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club has been working on being more consistent in the Cup Series. They rebranded in 2023 and then switched manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2024. So the team has been adding pieces to the puzzle on and off track. The lucrative Dollar Tree extension is another step towards building something long-term.

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Team CEO Cal Wells III called Dollar Tree “a foundational partner” and said the continued support will allow Legacy to focus on performance and build towards its championship goals.

That’s important. Nemechek in his first full-time Cup ride with Legacy grabbed a top-five at Daytona earlier this season. Jones after an injury early in the year, has been working his way back into form. Both drivers are still on the bubble of playoff contention but showing signs of progress.

With Dollar Tree staying on board the team has more runway to keep improving. And for the retailer the NASCAR platform continues to offer massive reach, especially with fans that closely match its nationwide customer base. Dollar Tree will be on the car this weekend and for years to come.

Also Read:: NASCAR entry list Sonoma: Cup Series field for Sonoma Raceway, NASCAR odds this week

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No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Anthony Alfredo

Primary Partner(s): DUDE Wipes

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2025 Driver Points Position: 21st

2025 Owner Points Position: 23rd

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Notes of Interest:

● Year Two, Full Throttle: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced that NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran Anthony Alfredo would compete full-time for the team in its second year of Xfinity Series competition.

Alfredo is driving the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race schedule, which continues this Saturday afternoon with the Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

The 2025 season marks Young’s Motorsports’ sophomore campaign in the series, following a promising debut year with rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel.

● About Anthony: A popular driver, Alfredo, a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, joins Young’s Motorsports with an array of Motorsports experience, including starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, respectively.

The 2025 season will mark Alfredo’s fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, and he joins the Mooresville, N.C.-based team after spending the 2024 season with Our Motorsports.

The 25-year-old finished the 2024 Xfinity season 15th in the championship driver standings, collecting an Xfinity Dash 4 Cash win at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway and adding two more top-fives and seven top-10s to his impressive statistics in 136 career Xfinity Series starts.

● All-Aboard!: For the 19th of 33 Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes DUDE Wipes as the primary partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 79-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

DUDE Wipes is the flagship product of DUDE Products, a men’s hygiene company that was founded in 2012 by lifelong friends in Chicago.

The U.S.-based company introduced DUDE Wipes as the first flushable wipe for adults, marketed as a better hygiene solution to dry toilet paper.

The brand is available online and in 20,000 stores nationwide, including Walmart, Target and Amazon.

Sonoma marks the 10th race where DUDE Wipes has served as the anchor partner on the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet this season.

● Anthony Alfredo NASCAR Xfinity Series Sonoma Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 will mark Anthony Alfredo’s third trip to the Northern California road course.

In his previous two starts at the 1.99-mile road course, Alfredo has completed all but 37 of the laps between the 2023 and 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series seasons.

His best result came during the 2024 edition of the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250, where he earned a track-best 31st after starting 16th, while driving for Our Motorsports.

Overall, he holds an Xfinity Series average finish of 34.0 at the 10-turn California road course.

In addition to his two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Alfredo has also had a lone NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway in 2021, finishing 31st after starting 28th for Frow Row Motorsports in the 92-lap Toyota / Save Mart 350.

Eighteen races into the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season — with 15 events still to run — Anthony Alfredo and the Young’s Motorsports team remain locked in on one mission: making a late-summer surge toward the Playoffs.

A strong showing — or perhaps a breakthrough win — in Saturday afternoon’s race at Sonoma Raceway could mark a defining moment in their postseason push.

The Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 headlines a high-stakes doubleheader weekend in the heart of California wine country, where the familiar roar of stock cars is met with a twisting, technical and sometimes unforgiving road course.

Saturday’s 79-lap Xfinity Series battle is more than just a race — it’s a true test of precision and patience. Sonoma’s dramatic elevation changes, sharp switchbacks, and narrow racing grooves demand near-flawless execution from green to checkered.

Then on Sunday, July 13, the NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage with the Toyota / Save Mart 350. The marquee event not only showcases the sport’s premier talent but also continues the in-season $1 million challenge, serving as the seventh race in the second leg of the regular season.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Sonoma, Alfredo has 136 NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best third-place finish twice, most recently at Talladega Superspeedway after starting 11th in the 2024 edition of the Ag-Pro 300 for Our Motorsports.

Since 2020, he has earned one pole, five top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes and has an average finish of 19.8.

● Chicago Street Course | The Loop 110 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series made its third annual trip to the streets of downtown Chicago this past weekend, serving up a unique brand of street course action during a spectacular Independence Day weekend celebration.

For Young’s Motorsports, the weekend began with high hopes, particularly during practice, where the team aimed to dial in their No. 42 Dude Wipes Chevrolet Camaro. However, a mechanical issue during the 50-minute session kept the car sidelined in the garage for much of the allotted time.

Thanks to quick and determined work by the Young’s Motorsports crew, the problem was resolved just in time for Anthony Alfredo to get a handful of crucial laps in the final minutes of practice — valuable seat time on one of the most challenging layouts on the schedule.

Alfredo continued to build momentum in qualifying, clocking the 28th-fastest lap in a crowded field as he looked to move forward once the green flag dropped.

That’s exactly what he did.

From the drop of the green flag, Alfredo methodically worked his way through the field, and a well-executed strategy at the end of Stage 1 vaulted the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro into the top-10 — positioning the team for what appeared with some luck could be their second top-10 finish of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Unfortunately, despite showing top-10 pace, Alfredo’s promising run ended abruptly when engine issues struck midway through the race, sending him to the garage and dealing a blow to the team with a disappointing 36th-place finish.

Eighteen races into the 2025 campaign, Alfredo and the Young’s Motorsports crew remain determined to rebound and build momentum through the critical summer stretch, where rhythm, reliability and resilience will be key to staying in the Playoff hunt.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Alfredo as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 148th NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 147 races, he has four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.

The season’s 19th race will be his second tango at Sonoma Raceway as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Sonoma Raceway: This weekend’s Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 will mark Young’s Motorsports’ second NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance at the famed road-course nestled in Wine Country of Northern California.

Last summer, rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. finished 29th after starting 29th, completing all but one lap.

Overall, between road courses and street courses, Young’s Motorsports has participated in nine NASCAR Xfinity Series races, with a best effort of 16th last summer at Watkins Glen (N.Y.). International with driver Leland Honeyman Jr.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 51 starts and maintains an average starting position of 26.2 and an average finish of 23.4.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Anthony Alfredo, please visit AnthonyAlfredo.com, like him on Facebook (Anthony Alfredo Racing), follow him on Instagram (@anthonyalfredo) and X | Twitter (@anthonyalfredo).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Anthony Alfredo Pre-Race Quotes:

On Sonoma Raceway: “I’m excited to return to Sonoma Raceway this weekend because it’s one of my favorite road courses on the schedule.”

On Preparation for Sonoma Raceway: “Studying film has been valuable for the road course races, especially with some of the road course veterans that have been competing in these events the last few seasons.”

On Sonoma Raceway Layout: “Sonoma was repaved last year, so it has a lot more grip than some of the other ones we go to. It also has a lot of elevation change, which makes it really fun and adds a level of character that some of the tracks don’t have.”

On Keys to Success at Sonoma Raceway: “Scoring stage points would be big for us because of where we find ourselves in the standings currently.

“If we can do that and set ourselves up for a good finish, it will be a great weekend.”

On Racing in Cooler Weather at Sonoma Raceway: “Cooler conditions certainly make it a little easier on the drivers and help with some of the tire degradation.

“It will be interesting to see if the wear is less because of the cooler temperatures, as it might allow us to be aggressive on tire strategy, like staying out on older tires if needed.”

On Rebounding from the Chicago Street Course Finish: “It’s really important for us to continue bringing the speed we have had at the track, but we need to control the things that are in our control.

“If we do that and give our best effort every week, the chips will fall where they’re supposed to.”

On Goals for the Second Half of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season: “We have had a lot of ups and downs throughout the first half of the race season, but I’m confident we can recover by bringing fast cars to the track and executing well throughout this second half.

“We need more top-10s and a couple of top-fives before the end of the season. Ideally, winning just one race before the Playoffs is our ultimate goal because it would completely save our season.”

Race Information:

The Pit Boss / FoodMaxx 250 (79 laps | 156.95 miles) is the 19th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. A 50-minute practice will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, launching at 2:10 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, July 12, 2025, shortly after 1:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (PT).

Young’s Motorsports PR