Piastri flips script on Norris in title statement amid Red Bull revival
Oscar Piastri just had his first duel for victory with Max Verstappen, and Verstappen came off second best. They were always likely to come to blows starting alongside each other on the front row at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Both knew it was crucial to claim the apex and the lead to win the […]
Oscar Piastri just had his first duel for victory with Max Verstappen, and Verstappen came off second best.
They were always likely to come to blows starting alongside each other on the front row at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Both knew it was crucial to claim the apex and the lead to win the race.
But Piastri got the better start, held his nerve on the kerb and came out on to, even if Verstappen attempted to argue the point by cutting the chicane.
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Ballsy Piastri move that ‘won the race’ as Max, Red Bull fume
The flashpoint was brief but important for Piastri. The Australian is a clear title protagonist, and Verstappen is a perpetual frontrunner.
Lando Norris took too long last year to keep his elbows out and stand his ground in his battles with the uncompromising Dutchman.
Piastri laid down a small but important marker that he won’t be pushed around in pursuit of the title — a title he now leads.
PIASTRI TAKES THE TITLE LEAD IN BIG TICK FOR 2025 GAINS
For the first time in 5293 days an Australian leads the Formula 1 world championship, with Piastri holding a 10-point advantage over teammate Norris.
The last Australian to sit at the top the title standings was Mark Webber, Piastri’s now manager, on 24 October 2010. Webber took the lead in that year’s Italian grand prix and led through Singapore and Japan before losing top spot in Korea.
Piastri’s broken that 15-year drought with the first set of back-to-back victories by an Australian in more than a decade, dating back to Daniel Ricciardo’s wins at the Hungarian and Belgian grands prix on either side of the mid-season break in 2014.
‘WOW!’ Piastri stuns with Lewis overtake | 00:43
Three victories from four grands prix makes for the best run of form by an Australian since Alan Jones claimed a second place and three wins across the 1980 and 1981 seasons.
“I’m happy, but I think I’m more proud of the reasons I’m leading the championship rather than the fact I am leading the championship,” Piastri said. “It’s been a great start to the year.
“I worked on the things I wanted to work on from last season, and it’s paying off. That’s what’s given me the most satisfaction at the moment.
Norris CRASHES out in Saudi Q3 | 01:19
“Obviously winning races is fun too, but the fact that I feel like I’ve really taken a step up and scoring the most amount of points when we can is the biggest thing.
“It’s still super early in the championship — I want to be leading it after round 24, not round 5 — but it’s a good start.”
After five rounds Piastri has totally flipped the ledger against Norris, the only driver to whom he can be accurately compared. He’s ahead in the championship and has reversed his qualifying deficit into an advantage.
The fact this has come at the opening five rounds of the season is significant. Over the past two seasons his lowest points have come inevitably at the non-European races, held at tracks where his experience gap is largest because most junior formulae race almost exclusively in Europe.
But with two seasons of F1 under his belt, that experience deficit appears to have vanished.
And having been the highest scoring driver through the European leg of last season, to lead the way after the opening five flyaway rounds of this season makes Piastri look much closer to the finished article and like a formidable title contender.
MISERABLE MAX IN PENALTY PROTEST
It didn’t take Max Verstappen long to get the metaphorical bottom lip out after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“I’m going to keep it quite short,” he said when asked about his race in the pre-podium trackside interview. “I just want to say a big thankyou to the fans in Jeddah. It’s been a great weekend. I love the track.
“The rest is what it is. I’m looking forward to Miami, so I’ll see you there.”
He was hardly verbose speaking to F1 TV about the issue subsequently.
“I think it’s better we don’t talk about it, because we are anyway not allowed to express our opinions on that,” he said.
And to Sky Sports: “To be honest, I think any words towards that is just a waste of time for everyone … the only thing that’s in my interests is looking forward to going home.”
‘F**** lovely’ – Max FUMES after penalty | 01:41
You didn’t have to be an expert in body language to know Verstappen wasn’t happy.
The source of his frustration was the five-second penalty of passing Piastri off track at the first turn.
Pole in Jeddah is on the racing line — that is, on the outside line on the right-hand side heading into the left-hander that enters the chicane.
It means the driver starting second on the grid has a clear view of the apex if they can get a better start than the pole-getter.
That’s exactly what Piastri did, nosing ahead of Verstappen as they reached the first turn.
But then Verstappen pulled out an old trick of his, releasing the brakes to appear ahead as they reached the apex and then cutting the corner under the pretext of being pushed off the road.
It’s a technique that’s worked several times for the Dutchman, but after several run-ins last year, particularly with Norris, and after 19 of 20 drivers lobbied the FIA to reconsider how they policed racing, such a gaming of the rules is now effectively outlawed.
For what it’s worth, Piastri wasn’t particularly aggrieved to be on the receiving end of some Verstappen gamesmanship.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult fight given it’s Max, but I think I did everything I needed to,” he said. “If the shoe was on the other foot, it would have looked identical probably.
“It was good racing and I think it was the right call.”
Max silent in cooldown after Oscar’s win | 01:24
Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner unsurprisingly had a different view.
“We have this notion of ‘let them race’,” he said. “I don’t know where Max was supposed to go at that first corner.”
‘Let them race’ was an approach taken by race control circa 2021, when the sport allowed some borderline and occasionally outright objectionable racing in an attempt to improve the spectacle.
It’s been gradually wound back ever since in part because of the liberties taken by Verstappen.
But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the incident was that Red Bull Racing and Verstappen opted against taking up the opportunity to give the place back — notwithstanding they had only around half a lap before the safety car was called.
Had Verstappen let Piastri into the lead, then he would’ve had the chance to roll the dice on strategy rather than playing the unsuccessful defensive game that eventually left him locked into second.
“It probably would’ve been better for everyone if they’d swapped positions, but I’m not going to complain; we finished first and fourth,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown smiled to Sky Sports.
BUT RED BULL RACING HAS MADE GENUINE PROGRESS
The idea that Verstappen could have won with strategy isn’t so farfetched given how much closer Red Bull Racing looked to McLaren on race pace this weekend.
Verstappen obviously had the pace to take pole, but the Dutchman didn’t think much of his victory odds on Saturday night given the poor pace in race simulation during Friday relative to the MCL39.
But rather than the obliteration some had expected, the advantage swung from Piastri to Verstappen during the first stint, and in the second stint the gap remained steady at less than five seconds.
Piastri won the race, but there was no real knockout punch.
“I had to work for that one pretty hard,” Piastri said. “Essentially holding my ground [at the first corner] is what won me the race.
“Trying to stay in the dirty air was pretty much impossible today. I wouldn’t have had enough to go and overtake Max. I was struggling at the end of the medium stint.
“Once I had some clean air I could manage the gap a little bit, but I didn’t have too much more left. I certainly wasn’t trying to disappear up the road in case we had a safety car or something, but I couldn’t have just pulled out a bunch of lap time if I wanted.
“At the end of the first stint Max was quicker. That’s obviously not how we want things to look. I think we’ve got some things to work on after this weekend, because the competition is tight and I think they’re getting closer.”
Brown told Sky Sports that he expected competition to remain close.
“That was a very competitive race,” he said. “[Max] has been competitive all weekend. He’s won this year.
“I think this idea we were going to make it a bit boring — I don’t think we’ve really had a boring race yet.”
For Christian Horner it’s even clearer.
“We’ve lost the race by 2.6 seconds [after serving a five-second penalty],” he told Sky Sports. “I think the most positive thing for us was the pace was there — it was a very positive race.”
Verstappen wasn’t willing to buy into the idea that McLaren was truly within reach but did sound optimistic that the team had made some big gains in its understanding of the troubled RB21.
“The positives are that in the race I think we had quite good pace compared to Friday,” Verstappen said. “We improved a lot.”
“I do think we found a really good set-up on the car, but I think this track suits our car a bit better, plus the degradation is quite low.
“I think we know that we still have things to improve on the car. we just need to get a few updates the car to help that.
“I think what we need to try and work on is just being a little bit more consistent overall.”
NORRIS COMEBACK STIFLED BY FERRARI IN SINGLE HAMILTON BRIGHT SPOT
How you judge Norris’s comeback from 10th to fourth depends on your perspective.
You could argue he had the car in qualifying to start from the front row and probably pole. No comeback should have been required.
Alternatively you might put that he gained six places on an afternoon overtaking wasn’t easy.
“I think I’m pleased on the whole,” he told Sky Sports. “I just make life tough for myself, especially when it’s a race like that.
“It would’ve been much easier, a lot more chilled, to just drive up the front, so I’ve got to help myself out a little bit and have better Saturdays.”
But you could also say that a podium should have been comfortably within his reach in a car that was much faster than Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Instead he fell just over a second short of the Monegasque, having run out of laps to catch and challenge him for a trophy.
The reason for this marginal underperformance, his first non-podium finish of the year, was twofold.
The first was a superb race from Leclerc — who after a slightly shaky start to the season seems to be back in the groove he enjoyed for much of last year — and excellent execution from the team.
Leclerc ran long on a set of medium tyres — much longer than expected — to give himself a better hit at the hard tyres at the end.
It effectively neutralised Norris’s strategy — similar but switching from hard to medium — and gave him a fighting chance of keeping his nose ahead.
“I think we did the perfect race,” Leclerc said. “Today I don’t feel like there was anything more on the table.
“There were no mistakes. Strategy perfect. Pit stops again perfect.
“Overall it’s been the perfect race, and today I couldn’t do anymore more than P3.”
But Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari also played a role in preventing Norris from finishing higher than fourth — somewhat ironic given he was never in contention to get anywhere near the podium.
Hamilton’s big impact came between laps 12 and 15, when Norris was attempting to pass him in his gradual slog up the order before the pit stops.
The Ferrari driver defended relentlessly and cleverly, playing with the positioning of the DRS detection point before the final corner to let Norris through early only to blast back past him into the first turn with his rear wing open.
It took Norris three laps to understand the game and get through, costing him around four seconds.
He finished just one second behind Leclerc at the flag.
It was the single bright spot in Hamilton’s otherwise miserable weekend, the seven-time champion finishing 39 seconds off the lead and 31 seconds behind Leclerc.
“There wasn’t one second [when I felt comfortable in the car],” he told Sky Sports. “Clearly the car is capable of being P3. Charles did a great job today. I can’t blame the car.”
He was even more downcast speaking to F1 TV when asked whether the weekend off before the upcoming Miami Grand Prix would give him a chance to digest the lessons of his opening stanza of races and bounce back.
“If you want to look at it positively, yes, but I mean, honestly, I don’t’ think so,” he said. “It’s not going to make any difference.”
Reality is hitting hard in Hamilton’s Ferrari switch.
Cusick Motorsports Continues ‘B2B’ Model At Indy 500
Don Cusick, CEO and Founder of Cusick Motorsports IndyCar Photo by Joe Skibinski / @skibbyy Cusick Motorsports continues the tradition of the “Indy Only” operations that have competed in the Indianapolis 500. These are team owners that field teams for one race a year, instead of the full season, and that one race is the […]
Cusick Motorsports continues the tradition of the “Indy Only” operations that have competed in the Indianapolis 500. These are team owners that field teams for one race a year, instead of the full season, and that one race is the biggest race of the year.
Don Cusick is back at the Indianapolis 500 in 2025 and once again will partner with another Indy 500-only operation, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
Cusick Motorsports was founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Don Cusick. Its mission was to make the racing industry more accessible to all. Cusick Motorsports creates bespoke programs for its partners and creates experiences that help drive meaningful relationships and business in a true business-to-business model.
The threshold for getting into the industry has not been easy for most individuals and companies. As an entrepreneur in the Healthcare Industry for over 40 years, Cusick saw the opportunity to make the motorsports industry more accessible for all, and Cusick Motorsports was founded.
Key to this operation, as with any full-time IndyCar team, is sponsorship and partners.
On Tuesday, April 29, Cusick Motorsports announced Mach10 Automotive, MannKind Corporation, and Branded Bills as official partners for the team’s entries in the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, in partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
Mach10 Automotive, a new partner of Cusick Motorsports, brings its deep-rooted expertise in automotive mergers, acquisitions, and performance optimization to the team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mach 10 as a partner of Cusick Motorsports for the 2025 Indy 500,” Cusick said. “Their drive for growth and development in the auto industry perfectly aligns with the goals of our program. We are looking forward to working with George Pero and his team for the long term.”
Dreyer & Reinbold Cusick Motorsports has a two-car team in the 109th Indianapolis 500 featuring 2014 Indy 500 winner and 2012 NTT IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and veteran driver Jack Harvey.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, driver of the No. 23 DRR-CUSICK MOTORSPORTS, looks on during the Indy 500 Open … More Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 23, 2025. Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Getty Images
MannKind Corporation returns for a second year, continuing its support of Cusick Motorsports following a successful debut partnership in 2024.
Known for its innovative inhaled therapeutic products and commitment to improving quality of life for patients with serious health conditions.
“Having Mannkind join our team for a second year is a true testament to the value in partnership,” Cusick said. “Mannkind is a proven leader and innovator in the Healthcare space, and we continue to build a strong relationship with them and their partners.”
Branded Bills joins as the Cusick team’s exclusive headwear partner. It will provide premium custom gear to outfit the team throughout May.
With a focus on versatile, high-quality design, Branded Bills adds a stylish edge to the team’s look for race month.
“Branded Bills is a new partnership for Cusick Motorsports this year, and their dedication to quality is exactly what we need as a partner as we grow,” Cusick said. “We look forward to the start of a long-standing partnership supporting each brand’s growth.”
The Value Of The B2B Model
Billy Morgan is the Director of Cusick Motorsports and emphasized the importance of giving brands such as these an opportunity to compete in the world’s most famous at historic race – the Indianapolis 500.
“Our partners are truly what drives Cusick Motorsports, and they are the reason why we continue our growth each year,” Morgan said. “We do not view them as sponsors, but as partners, because without their support we cannot advance.
“Cusick Motorsports will always be centralized around accessibility to motorsports and B2B growth for our partners. We cannot wait for the Month of May to host them and support the goals of our team and partners.”
Mach10 Automotive
Mach10 is considered an industry-leader in Mergers & Acquisitions. Mach10 Automotive provides unprecedented, industry-exclusive buy-sell and advisory services customized for automotive dealership principals.
Mach10 is the only M&A firm in the industry that offers a comprehensive suite of performance optimization services designed to increase dealerships’ operational excellence and profitability. Its services are anchored in making a store or group as efficient and profitable as possible across the business, benefiting the seller pre-sale, or the buyer post-acquisition.
Applying experience and expertise, Mach10 helps unlock a dealership’s full potential through solutions that exceed industry standards.
MannKind
MannKind focuses on the development and commercialization of innovative inhaled therapeutic products and devices to address serious unmet medical needs for those living with endocrine and orphan lung diseases. The company is committed to using its formulation capabilities and device engineering prowess to lessen the burden of diseases such as diabetes and pulmonary fibrotic diseases.
Its signature technologies–dry-powder formulations and inhalation devices–offer rapid and convenient delivery of medicines to the deep lung where they can exert an effect locally or enter the systemic circulation, depending on the target indication.
Branded Bills
Branded Bills business is rooted in versatility – offering premium headwear and apparel, each with immense customization, direct to consumer, and business to business capabilities.
Practice for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge begins May 13, with live coverage of all sessions on FS1 and FS2, followed by Qualifying Weekend on May 17–18.
The green flag for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing drops at 12:30 PM ET on Sunday, May 25 on FOX.
The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26, 2024, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. … More (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Austin Green, Matt DiBenedetto’s Teams Incur L1-Level Penalties
Two NASCAR Xfinity Series teams were issued L1-level penalties for parts modifications found in inspection before the race at Talladega Superspeedway. Austin Green’s No. 87 Jordan Anderson Racing team and Matt DiBenedetto‘s No. 99 Viking Motorsports group were penalized for violating Sections 14.4.A: Body; 14.4.11.C&D in the NASCAR Rule Book. These sections pertain to the […]
Two NASCAR Xfinity Series teams were issued L1-level penalties for parts modifications found in inspection before the race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Austin Green’s No. 87 Jordan Anderson Racing team and Matt DiBenedetto‘s No. 99 Viking Motorsports group were penalized for violating Sections 14.4.A: Body; 14.4.11.C&D in the NASCAR Rule Book. These sections pertain to the rear bumper covers.
Both teams were fined $25,000 and lose 20 driver and owner points as well as five playoff points.
Green didn’t qualify for the race. DiBenedetto finished fifth in Saturday’s (April 26) event at Talladega.
DiBenedetto sits 24th in the points standings, while Green is last after previously sitting in 48th.
Joy joined Frontstretch in 2019 as a NASCAR DraftKings writer, expanding to news and iRacing coverage in 2020. She’s currently an assistant editor and involved with photos, social media and news editing. A California native, Joy was raised watching motorsports and started watching NASCAR extensively in 2001. She earned her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies at California State University Bakersfield in 2010.
AUTO RACING: NASCAR moves to Texas after Cindric captures photo-finish win in Talladega | Auto Racing
All Times Eastern NASCAR CUP SERIES Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY Site: Fort Worth, Texas. Schedule: Saturday, practice, 11:05 a.m., qualifying, 12:10 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (FS1). Track: Texas Motor Speedway. Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles. Last year: Denny Hamlin survived a late surge from Kyle Larson to take the checkered flag, […]
Last year: Sam Meyer inched ahead of Ryan Sieg a mere .002 seconds for a neck and neck win that was confirmed by photo review.
Last race: Connor Zilisch spun out and hit the wall on the last lap giving the lead to Austin Hill who crossed the line in three-way sprint to a photo finish.
Last year: Lando Norris earned his first-ever F1 win after capturing the lead from Verstappen and successfully defending his position.
Last race: Oscar Piastri takes his second win in a row and first ever lead in the standings after capitalizing on Verstappen’s five-second penalty in Jeddah.
Logano ‘Has Chipper Jones ever driven a race car?’
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Joey Logano wondered Tuesday if Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones had ever driven a race car at Talladega after the former Atlanta Braves slugger criticized the NASCAR champion in a series of social media posts. Jones was defending Austin Cindric, winner of Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway, after Team Penske […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Joey Logano wondered Tuesday if Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones had ever driven a race car at Talladega after the former Atlanta Braves slugger criticized the NASCAR champion in a series of social media posts.
Jones was defending Austin Cindric, winner of Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway, after Team Penske teammate Logano unleashed an expletive-laden rant about Cindric around the halfway mark of the race. Logano was furious that he did not receive the help he needed from Cindric, which allowed rival Toyota driver Bubba Wallace to win the second stage and earn valuable bonus points.
“Way to go Austin. Way to go. You dumb (expletive). Way to (expletive) go,” Logano said on his team radio. “What a stupid (expletive). He just gave it to him. Gave Toyota a stage win. Nice job. Way to go. What the (expletive).”
Jones was angered by Logano’s rant and in six social media posts congratulated Cindric, called Logano selfish and celebrated Logano being disqualified for failing postrace inspection.
“Good teammates are hard to come by, Boss! Remember that one of urs MFed u on national tv, when in all actuality, u did everything possible to keep from wrecking him,” Jones wrote. “Some people are ‘hooray for our team as long as I’m the star’ as every team has them. Hendrick, RCR, JGR, Penske, etc. Sometimes karma is glorious.”
When told of Jones’ comments on a Tuesday appearance of SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive,” Logano said he was unaware of them. Once he was told, Logano asked: “Has Chipper Jones ever driven a race car at Talladega? That would be my first question. I’m pretty certain he hasn’t.
“That’s like me saying something about baseball. I know nothing about baseball. That’s like me saying something that he did something in baseball that was wrong. That doesn’t matter.”
Logano continued by saying that as a former professional athlete, Jones should understand there was more to the situation than what he saw on television. Jones grew up outside Daytona International Speedway and was once the grand marshal for the Daytona 500.
“Chipper Jones, he seems like a cool dude, he’s done a lot, right? He’s a pretty popular, good baseball player, but he’s not a race car driver, and I know he wasn’t in the room with us when we set in place the way things are supposed to go,” Logano said. “You would think somebody that has been in professional sports and has been in meetings like that would probably take a step back and say, ‘Man, there’s probably more to the story here than what there is.’ I’m surprised it went that way. Maybe he was just bored. I don’t know what his situation is. I tell you I don’t care.”
Logano said he and Cindric cleared the air in Penske’s Monday meeting.
“Austin and I talked about it. We’ve got to move forward. That’s what it is,” he said. “I explained my side. He understood. We move on. There’s no sense in airing our dirty laundry and airing out what the actual rules are because that’s private information that doesn’t need to be out to everybody. But the facts are that what we set in place wasn’t happening and that’s why I got frustrated. Like I said, we talked about it and we moved on.”
Logano did acknowledge that he probably should not have hit the radio button and “spouted off so much.”
“Probably blew up into a little bigger situation than it needed to, but the conversation, either way, needed to happen. Just more people are talking about it now,” he added.
Logano, Garcia Join NC State Highway Patrol to Reveal New Ford Mustang Dark Horse Pace Cars – Speedway Digest
The stars are set to shine once again at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway as the 2025 NASCAR All-Star race returns May 15-18. With a newly condensed four-day schedule featuring zMAX CARS Tour racing, the Window World 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, live concerts, NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge and the fan-favorite NASCAR All-Star Race, the […]
The stars are set to shine once again at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway as the 2025 NASCAR All-Star race returns May 15-18. With a newly condensed four-day schedule featuring zMAX CARS Tour racing, the Window World 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, live concerts, NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge and the fan-favorite NASCAR All-Star Race, the excitement is building for the biggest weeks in short-track racing.
Among those eager to take on North Wilkesboro’s unique 0.625-mile challenge is 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and defending All-Star Race winner Joey Logano. Ahead of race week, Logano reflected on his triumphant run last year and shared his excitement for the historic venue’s next chapter, while providing track rides to media members.
“To see what you guys have done to tastefully improve the facility for the modern day, while keeping the nostalgia of what North Wilkesboro Speedway is, is really neat. This track has a lot of character, and it’s just been fun, even down to the special trophy,” said Logano. “It was fun to give rides to some of the media members. I thought that the main thing everyone said was that they couldn’t believe how much grip the track has when we’re going through the corners. I mean, you put me in a Mustang, what do you think is going to happen, we’re going to go fast.”
New for this year’s NASCAR All-Star Race, several key format changes—including 50 additional laps and a Promoter’s Caution—are set to elevate the intensity and excitement for fans. As the defending winner, Logano weighed in on the revamped format and how it could shape the battle for the $1 million prize.
“It’s definitely different with some change there, but that’s the thing about the All-Star Race, everyone is racing for a million bucks, and that’s it, nobody cares about finishing second or third or getting a top-5 in the All-Star Race. Nobody cares, it’s about winning the race,” said Logano. He also emphasized the unique challenge posed by qualifying: “The Pit Crew Challenge makes this one of the most enjoyable and challenging qualifying sessions of the year—probably the most, so you have a lot more crew chiefs and teams saying ‘Let’s go for it.’”
Rising NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series star, Jake Garcia, is heading back to North Wilkesboro with redemption on his mind after leading 40 laps at the historic short track last year. Set to compete in Saturday’s Window World 250, Garcia shared his enthusiasm about returning to the high-speed surface.
“I’m really excited to be back, especially after last year (where Garcia led a total of 40 laps). It’s an awesome facility, one I’ve heard about for a long time, so finally getting to see it up here the past couple of years in the (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN) Truck Series has been cool,” said Garcia. “It’ll be awesome to see this place with a packed crowd on Saturday for our race. This place is super fast for the size of the race track, with the new asphalt, it’s got a lot of grip, so track position is really big here, so we’ll have to go into it with a good strategy and have a truck fast enough to pass people to be able to win.”
Adding even more horsepower to All-Star Week, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Ford Motor Company announced an official new partnership, naming Ford the Official Car and Truck of North Wilkesboro Speedway. As part of the partnership, the powerful Ford Mustang Dark Horse will serve as the official pace car during All-Star Week.
In addition, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, which recently added 25 Ford Mustang GTs to its fleet, will have a specially marked patrol Mustang GT on-site throughout race week that will also help pace the field for the All-Star Race. Both vehicles were unveiled Tuesday, taking laps around the famed track and giving fans a first look at what will lead the pack this May.
“We have Mustangs dating back to 1983, and we’re really proud of that partnership and what that means,” said Public Information Officer, Sgt. Chris Knox. “We just want to say thank you to NASCAR, which is a longstanding partner of the Highway Patrol. We’ve worked with NASCAR for years and since the race has returned, that partnership has only gotten stronger, along with our partnership with North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Beyond the racing, North Wilkesboro continues to prioritize fan accessibility and safety. As part of those efforts, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has played a key role in infrastructure improvements, including a new 200-foot-long, 16-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over Highway 421 connecting speedway property to convenient parking. Set to open ahead of race week, the bridge is designed to enhance traffic flow and streamline fan entry for growing crowds.
With high-stakes racing and off-track entertainment all happening at one of the most historic venues of NASCAR, North Wilkesboro Speedway is primed to deliver one of the most memorable All-Star Race Weeks yet. From intense on-track battles to exciting new fan experiences, there is sure to be no shortage of momentum that fans won’t want to miss.
TICKETS:
Race week packages, single-day tickets and camping to all NASCAR All-Star Race Week events can be purchased online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com or by calling 336-844-4735.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race and all North Wilkesboro Speedway events by following on X and Instagram, or by becoming a Facebook fan.
M1 Concourse aims to be ‘preeminent motorsports venue’ with X Center
Pontiac — Pontiac’s auto manufacturing heyday is in the rearview mirror, but a host of new businesses are revving up development. Famed aviation engine manufacturer Williams Engineering has moved its headquarters to town along with the 6,500-plus workforce of Pontiac’s largest employer, United Shore, while Amazon’s Fulfillment Center is a beehive of activity on the […]
Pontiac — Pontiac’s auto manufacturing heyday is in the rearview mirror, but a host of new businesses are revving up development. Famed aviation engine manufacturer Williams Engineering has moved its headquarters to town along with the 6,500-plus workforce of Pontiac’s largest employer, United Shore, while Amazon’s Fulfillment Center is a beehive of activity on the former Silverdome site.
On Tuesday, Michigan’s premier motorsports club, M1 Concourse, added to the buzz when it broke ground on its $30 million, 22,000-square-foot M1 X Center that will bring family-focused KTO kart racing, simulators and dining to its sprawling 87-acre Woodward Avenue facility.
“Our purpose is to create the preeminent motorsports venue in the country,” said CEO Paul Zlotoff in an interview after plunging his shovel into the earth. “I am not originally from here, and we’ve had very little to see in the Motor City from a motoring perspective. One of my objectives was to create something so when people come to visit and ask — what is cool about the Motor City? — then you can say, I know just where to take you.”
M1 Concourse opened in 2016, rising from the ashes of a past General Motors facility that has been sold out of the General’s 2009 reorganization. The private auto club sports member garages — stuffed with exotic cars from Porsches to Ferraris to 1,400-horsepower GT1s — that border the 1.5-mile racetrack much like a golf club course. The track is available for members to exercise their toys.
But M1’s ambitions have always been much greater.
The facility has become a center of southeast Michigan car culture with an array of public events including Roadkill Nights and the Woodward Dream Show in August, American Speed Festival in October and multiple Cars ‘n’ Coffee events throughout the year.
“X Center is transformative because we’re going to have something that is open seven days a week, 12 months a year, where the public can come and have all kinds of different experiences,” said Zlotoff.
X Center will be at the southeast corner of M1’s campus at the intersection of Woodward and South Boulevard – just ½ mile north of Trinity Health Oakland Hospital and a mile east of United Wholesale Mortgage’s headquarters.
“To me this is the most exciting part of M1 and bringing it to fruition fulfills the initial promise of M1,” said Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel at the groundbreaking. “With its restaurant and go-kart center, this dynamic facility will be open to the public without a membership. It will bring people from all over the region to Pontiac.”
The new facility, due to open in the summer of 2026, is adjacent to M1’s Event Center, which opened in 2021 and hosts the venue’s major auto-paloozas as well as private events.
“Last year we had over 250 events and one of the first things that any event planner asks is: what can we do?” said Zlotoff. “Well, now, we’ve amped that up by a factor by 10. We can bring you over to the X Center and you can go simulator racing, to the slot-car track, and we can get you into the KTO racer. That is unlike anything else.”
A modern, aluminum-accented building will house three floors of activities with a $20 gate fee similar to, say, the Henry Ford Museum. Activities include an eight-station simulator track complete with Oculus Virtual Reality headsets (also similar to the Henry Ford’s “Driven to Win” display) so participants can compete on the world’s greatest race tracks. In addition to the race simulators, attendees will have access to golf and shooting simulators. Slot car enthusiasts will thrill to large tracks, and the Apex Grille will occupy the top floor.
The restaurant will be the creation of Roberta and Justin Dalenberg’s Grow Hospitality food company, which has developed multiple eateries in the state, including Grand River Brewery in Clawson, Brighton, Jackson, and Marshall; Irene’s in Grand Blanc, North Channel Brewery in Manistee and Doll n’ Burgers in Jackson and Tecumseh.
The restaurant will feature a balcony overlooking the X Center’s main attraction: the illuminated, multi-turn, 5.8-mile high-speed KTO Race Track complete with the X Center’s custom-built electric kart. With front and rear brakes, larger wheels, mature handling and 62 mph top speed, the KTO behaves more like a small race car than an amusement park kart and will require training to operate.
The KTO experience will be available to families with a $150 club membership. The track includes a pit area, driver’s lounge and classrooms. The KTOs will also be available to buy and store at the X Center’s garages.
“It’s a new paradigm; we don’t like to describe it as a go kart,” said Zlotoff of the racer developed by Auburn Hills-based Prefix, an auto industry prototype supplier. “It’s the first of its kind with a swappable battery.”
M1’s $230 million investment in Pontiac since its founding is part of a sports and entertainment expansion that includes the UWM Sports Complex, Wessen Indoor Tennis and an amphitheater planned for downtown. The amphitheater is part of a development that will house 600 county employees.
“The ‘X’ stands for experience — and that’s exactly what we’re creating,” said Zlotoff. “I’ve always said we have to build a valid economic model because there are many race tracks that are closing around this country. They are gone because they didn’t have — at their core — an economic foundation that worked.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.
