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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to race American flag-themed car for Hulk Hogan’s beer brand

Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com. The red, white and blue will be traveling 400 miles this weekend in Michigan, all thanks to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The Hyak Motorsports racer will be representing Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer on his No. 47 Chevrolet this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400, and his […]

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The red, white and blue will be traveling 400 miles this weekend in Michigan, all thanks to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

The Hyak Motorsports racer will be representing Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer on his No. 47 Chevrolet this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400, and his car will be American flag-themed.

“We didn’t get the result we were after in Nashville, and that’s frustrating for sure. But this team’s got heart. We’ve put in the work this week, and we’re heading to Michigan with a clean state and a fast Real American Beer Chevy,” Stenhouse said in a release.

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Real American Beer NASCAR car

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive an American flag-themed car this weekend, thanks to Real American Beer. (Real American Beer / Fox News)

“Brother, Michigan knows how to go full throttle, and so does Real American Beer,” Hogan said in a statement of his own. “We’re back on the track, back in the fight and there’s no better time to crack one open and let it rip.”

Real American Beer CEO Terri Francis added, “The partnership with Hyak Motorsports underscores Real American Beer’s commitment to the NASCAR community, especially in markets where beer drinkers are seeking alternatives with real identity and American-made values.”

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer hit the shelves at Walmart less than a year after launching. (Real American Beer / Fox News)

2025 NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS: KYLE LARSON, CHRISTOPHER BELL FAVORED

Jimmy Hart, aka “The Mouth of the South,” will be trackside bringing the heat and handing out the cold ones. He’ll be repping Real American Beer all weekend with a megaphone in hand. If you’re in the infield, you’ll hear him before you see him.

Hogan’s brand was founded in June 2024 and is available in 27 states, quickly becoming a fan favorite among beer drinkers who live for race days, tailgates and flag-flying weekends.

Stenhouse, a two-time Xfinity Series champ, was unable to finish the Cracker Barrel 400 in Nashville Sunday, and he continues to struggle. He has just two top 10 finishes and ranks 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings this year.

Real American Beer

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan is hoping to unite the country with the launch of Real American Beer, a premium American-made light lager. (Real American Beer)

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He’s hoping he can drink some Real American Beer in victory lane, a spot he landed after the 2023 Daytona 500.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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From Winner to Champion, Part 7: From Champion to Dynasty

Editor’s note: This is the seventh and final installment in a series celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR Cup Series championship and the first for Hendrick Motorsports in 1995. Join us each Thursday as we relive all the moments and talk to many of the players involved in one of the organization’s and the sport’s most unforgettable […]

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Editor’s note: This is the seventh and final installment in a series celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR Cup Series championship and the first for Hendrick Motorsports in 1995. Join us each Thursday as we relive all the moments and talk to many of the players involved in one of the organization’s and the sport’s most unforgettable and important seasons.  

For Jon.

CONCORD, N.C. – In holding off Dale Earnhardt down the stretch and claiming the 1995 NASCAR Cup Series championship, denying the Intimidator his eighth along the way, Jeff Gordon spoiled what was supposed to be a history-making year for one of the stalwarts of the sport. 

But as the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilled milk. Or spoiled milk. 

And speaking of which, what kind of milk was it? 

“I don’t know but it wasn’t almond milk, I’ll tell you that.”

Gordon deadpans the sentence while in his office on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports, now 30 years clear of producing one of the more memorable NASCAR postseason banquet memories of all time. 

RELATED: The 1995 NASCAR Cup Series season by the numbers

Jeff Gordon (left) raises a glass of milk to toast Dale Earnhardt at the 1995 NASCAR Cup Series awards banquet in New York City.

Gordon, a target of Earnhardt’s subtle media jabs and mental warfare, came on stage to accept the championship but before closing the book on the season, came up with a shot of his own … with a little help and some gentle nudging. 

Earnhardt had made reference to Gordon’s youth throughout the 1995 season and prior, including joking that Gordon drank milk after wins instead of alcohol. And with a hectic interview schedule and coming off a stressful and pressure-packed run to a title, Gordon admitted he was gassed by the time the banquet in New York City came around. 

“Obviously, it was my first experience being in New York and R.J. Reynolds being the season sponsor, I was just going off of their lead of how they crowned a champion. Them and NASCAR, they just made that week so special,” Gordon told HendrickMotorsports.com. “I was absolutely exhausted by the time the banquet came.”

But in the frenzy that surrounded him, he was offered an idea. 

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 6: Winning the War

So, as Gordon was opening his speech, he held up a champagne glass that was promptly filled, not with bubbly, but milk. He toasted to Earnhardt, who stood, grinned and raised his glass as well. 

“That week, after all that had happened and the group I was surrounded by doing all the media during the week, they heard me answering a lot of questions about Earnhardt throughout the year, really saying and doing things in the media and they were saying, ‘You’re the man now. You’re the champion. This is your opportunity. You’re going to be the last one to speak on that stage, let’s do something,'” Gordon recalled. “And I always wanted to be respectful. I had to be pushed to do it. I didn’t really want to do it; it wasn’t my style but looking back on it I’m glad I got talked into doing it and his reaction made it all worthwhile.”

Three decades later, the moment, forever etched in NASCAR lore, can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. First, it forever cemented the two and the friendly rivalry they shared. Second, in retrospect, it finalized a passing-of-the-torch season with Gordon set to embark on one of the most dominant eras in the history of the sport. 

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 5: Gordon vs. Earnhardt

A massive crowd looks on from the grandstands during a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1995.

And though the gesture was good-natured as far as the two parties involved were concerned, it only widened the chasm between both fan bases. As more and more fans continued to walk through the turnstiles each week and national interest further ascended to new heights, the Gordon-Earnhardt rivalry served as a primary catalyst. 

Glory days are always held in the highest regard by those who were there to live them. But biases aside, it was undeniably a special time in NASCAR and nearly all involved, many of whom were also in the sport in other eras, testified to that. 

“I’ve said it before and I really believe I was involved in the sport in some of its greatest years,” said Terry Labonte, who would win the 1996 championship while driving the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet. “You can look back at some of the old replays of races and look at the crowds and it really was unbelievable. It was crazy. The racing was good, it was tough and it was fun and I think people just had more fun back then than they do today. I’m just thankful I had an opportunity to drive for Hendrick Motorsports and had the opportunity to win another championship.”

A look at the infield during the 1995 DAYTONA 500.

“It was the golden era. It’s where all of it culminated, all of Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr.’s vision came all together,” Mark Martin concluded. “One of the things I’ll remember is how hard it was to get in and out of those race tracks. It was such a freakin’ challenge. If you were going to drive into a speedway on race day morning, you did it early. And that’s a testament to the fans and the turnout. It was just massive.” 

Even those in Earnhardt’s camp, who had come up short in the pursuit of passing Richard Petty for an eighth title, knew it too. That included Andy Petree, who sat atop the box for Earnhardt’s last two championships (1993 and 1994) as well as the 1995 season. 

“When you’re doing it, you don’t think about it. You’re supposed to go out and win, you’re supposed to do all of these things, and you don’t really sit back and think, ‘Man, that was cool,’” Petree said. “You sit back now and look at that stuff … At this point, I’m retired and I reflect and the 90s, really all of the 90s for me were a very special time. To see the sport growing at such an explosive rate really was special.” 

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 4: Execution, evolution and some radio magic

From Champion to Dynasty

For most bosses, a successful year at the office may warrant a small bonus. Perhaps even a company lunch. 

Rick Hendrick took his crew to New York City. 

All of them. At least anyone employed at Hendrick Motorsports in 1995 that wanted to go. 

Larry Zentmeyer was one of them. Zentmeyer started with the company in 1987 and has been with Hendrick Motorsports ever since, currently serving as a production supervisor. 

“I remember going. We all caught the plane and all the women were in their formal dresses and all the guys were in tuxedos when we boarded the plane,” Zentmeyer said. “They flew us straight to New York, shuttled us into the city and we stayed for as long as we could and then they shuttled us back and we flew back that night. It was a whirlwind.”

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 3: Championship Metal

Team owner Rick Hendrick (right) and wife Linda at the 1995 NASCAR Cup Series awards banquet in New York City.

In fact, that would be a good way to describe the 1995 season and that time period. The early portion of the 1990s was a slow build, the back half was an explosion and whether the company’s brethren knew it or not, the rocket ride had just begun. 

“I don’t remember Rick coming in and giving any motivational speeches or anything. It was just all an evolution and then Jeff came along,” Zentmeyer recalled. “He probably should’ve won a couple races in ’93 but he didn’t. Then he knocked the door down in ’94 and he was just lights out in ’95. He was just on it.

“The biggest thing was to prove that you could do it. Not that we didn’t have confidence but just being able to do it and then being able to do it four years in a row.” 

Indeed, as special as the 1995 season was, the success could’ve ended with that toasting of milk. After all, NASCAR is littered with one-hit wonders and after finishing the 1995 season strong, Earnhardt would be right back atop any list of contenders heading into 1996. 

But within the organization, most believed that Gordon’s first championship was the tip of the iceberg. Chad Knaus, who went on to win seven championships as a crew chief with Jimmie Johnson, served as a tire changer and fabricator on the No. 24 team in 1995. 

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 2: Championship Material

As good as the No. 24 team was in 1995, it was only the beginning. By 1998, Jeff Gordon had accumulated 40 NASCAR Cup Series victories and three championships in four seasons.

He knew the team’s approach to building cars and executing races set it apart from its contemporaries. And that uniqueness, he believed, was one of its greatest strengths. 

“We also just fundamentally were evolving our approach to race cars,” Knaus told HendrickMotorsports.com. “The way NASCAR cars were at that time, they were big, they were heavy, they were bulky and I was coming from late models in the Midwest, (crew chief) Ray (Evernham) was coming from modifieds in the northeast and a lot of the other guys were maybe not necessarily from what you would call a NASCAR norm. Our thought process was much lighter, much more nimble, much less, ‘OK build it and race it all year long’ to, ‘How can we get and extract performance out of these race cars and develop a weekly routine and maintenance schedule to make sure we don’t have problems.’ And that’s how we were going down the path.

“We were very fortunate to have a very lengthy rope from Mr. H and Ray was not at all afraid to push the rules and the boundaries or any of that and we did. We went out there and we were aggressive with it.”

Many of those same principles have continued to guide the organization through the years with unprecedented prosperity following right along with them. Gordon’s run to a championship in 1995 was far from a fluke or some kind of blip on the radar. 

It became the standard. 

FROM WINNER TO CHAMPION, PART 1: ‘One Hot Night’

Kyle Larson’s NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2021 marked Hendrick Motorsports’ 14th in a 27-season span starting with Gordon’s first in 1995.

Labonte followed with his second career championship in ’96 with Gordon scoring two more in 1997 and 1998 before winning a fourth in 2001. Then came Johnson, who ripped off an unheard-of five straight championships from 2006-2010 before tying Earnhardt and Richard Petty with his sixth (2013) and seventh (2016). Still, no other driver has ever won more than two titles in a row. 

Among the current crop of drivers, Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021) have kept the ball rolling with championships of their own and currently, heading into the Chicago Street Course just past the halfway mark of the 2025 season, Hendrick Motorsports drivers (William Byron, Elliott and Larson, respectively) hold the first, second and third spots in the regular season points standings. 

“There’s a lot of pride in what we’ve been able to do and continue to grow the company and business is what’s so nice,” said Brian Whitesell, an engineer on the 1995 No. 24 team who now serves as vice president of manufacturing at Hendrick Motorsports. “We just continue to grow this thing and really it’s been the same theme since we’ve all been here: constant growth and constant improvement. The names change but Mr. Hendrick’s push and consistency with his effort over all those years, that’s what kept me here.

“That pressure to win that first one, that was by far the most significant event, being able to go in there and close the deal and get the first one for Mr. H and Jeff and with how hard it was … I certainly take a lot of pride in that and what we were able to build through those years.”

While Gordon and the No. 24 team checked off a major box on Evernham’s checklist with its 1995 championship, the one that read, “From Winner to Champion,” there was still one left vacant. At the bottom of the board, the last step of the journey remained: “From Champion to Dynasty.” 

But the thing about sports dynasties, they’re difficult to define. Certainly, somewhere over the four-year period from 1995-1998, the No. 24 team cleared that final hurdle. With three championships (’95, ’97 and ’98), 40 wins, a Winston Million, along with the fame and attention that came with that, few if anyone would blink if the term “dynasty” was used to describe that run. 

As for Hendrick Motorsports, it’s a little more difficult to pinpoint. At the very least, the organization is the standard bearer in the NASCAR Cup Series, winning 14 titles in a 27-season span (1995-2021) and leading in nearly every major statistical category including wins (317), poles (258), top five finishes (1,305), top 10s (2,228) and laps led (84,225). With Byron’s victory in the 2025 DAYTONA 500, the organization is now the leader in victories in every crown jewel event as well with 10 in the Great American Race, 12 Coca-Cola 600s, 11 Brickyard 400s and 12 Southern 500s. 

RELATED: The 1995 NASCAR Cup Series season in images

By the time he retired from full-time racing at the end of 2014, Jeff Gordon had won a NASCAR Cup Series-record 17 crown jewel races including five Brickyard 400s. Along with Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick, Gordon is one of only four drivers to win all four modern crown jewel races (Brickyard 400, Southern 500, DAYTONA 500, Coca-Cola 600).

For his part, Gordon’s 17 crown jewel wins remain the most all time by four (Bobby Allison, 13) and that includes victories at Talladega prior to 1994, when the Brickyard 400 replaced it as the fourth grand slam event. In terms of modern crown jewel races, only Gordon, Johnson, Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick have won all four in their careers. 

As Gordon was quick to point out in interviews for this series, though Hendrick Motorsports hadn’t quite broken through for a championship prior to 1995, it had already experienced success. A Hendrick Motorsports driver went to victory lane 38 times prior to 1995 including at least once in all four crown jewel races. 

But without question, a switch flipped in 1995. In part, it was the maturation of the 24 team and Gordon as a driver. Being out in front of the competition with the new Chevy Monte Carlo was also quite the advantage. And of course, there’s something to be said about a decade’s worth of foundation building and tweaking by Hendrick and the organization’s leaders coming to a head as well. 

In reality, it was a combination of those factors, coinciding with Gordon’s sudden stardom and the peaking popularity of Earnhardt and NASCAR that forever painted images of that season onto the walls of memory for so many race fans. 

RELATED: Jeff Gordon reunited with 1995 NASCAR Cup Series trophies

William Byron leads the NASCAR Cup Series points standings entering this weekend’s race at the Chicago Street Course. Currently, Hendrick Motorsports drivers hold spots 1-3 (Chase Elliott is second, Kyle Larson third).

And while nostalgia prompts us all too often to look back, Hendrick Motorsports never has. 

At least not in its pursuit for more. 

“That was a season that established this company as a championship-caliber race team. Much like any other sports – football, baseball, basketball – you always look back and think, ‘That team has been a world champion at something,'” said Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports president and general manager. “To me, at the time, I think there would’ve been a lot of us satisfied to know, ‘Hey, I was part of a NASCAR Cup Series championship team.’ But boy, when you get one, then you get two, then you get three – and success brings sponsors and partners and attracts good people – all those things are things you have to have to build this place.

“You could say two things: It took some core pillars and obviously, Rick Hendrick and Randy Dorton, Ken Howes, Jeff Turner, those people were the foundation of this company. Those were the guys that said, ‘We’re going to build this as a championship-caliber organization, not just a race team.’ They made the difference to me.

“So, when that started bearing fruit, they were smart enough and had the foresight to say, ‘How do we get this across to all of our cars? How do we continue this for years and years?’ Because, if we hadn’t had that foundation laid the way they had it done in the early 90s and the late 80s, it would have been tough if not impossible to bring Ray Evernham and Jeff Gordon in here and have the success they had so quickly.” 



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NASCAR Power Rankings Special Edition: Ranking this season’s 12 race winners based on current form

By Noah Poser, Staff Writer This week marks the return of the Kickin’ the Tires NASCAR Power Rankings unlike you’ve ever seen them before. In the past, these rankings comprised of the top 11 drivers in NASCAR’s premier series in terms of overall performance, and more importantly, how they’ve been performing in recent weeks. In […]

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By Noah Poser, Staff Writer

This week marks the return of the Kickin’ the Tires NASCAR Power Rankings unlike you’ve ever seen them before.

In the past, these rankings comprised of the top 11 drivers in NASCAR’s premier series in terms of overall performance, and more importantly, how they’ve been performing in recent weeks.

In this latest edition, the criteria remains the same, but with the end of the regular season fast approaching and the playoffs looming, the focus will shift to only the drivers who have found victory lane this season.

With eight races remaining in the regular season, 12 drivers have already won a race to punch their ticket to the playoffs (assuming we see no more than four new winners in the next eight races).

Here’s how they stack up as things stand right now.

1. Denny Hamlin

Season Stats: 3 Wins, 8 Top 5s, 9 Top 10s, 487 Laps Led, 4 Stage Wins

In four starts in June (he missed Mexico after the birth of his son), Hamlin had finishes of third, first and second before a wreck relegated him to a 31st-place finish at Atlanta. Despite missing a race, he still sits fourth in the standings and remains tied with Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell for the series lead in wins. He’s the clear leader in the clubhouse right now.

2. Chase Elliott

Season Stats: 1 Win, 6 Top 5s, 10 Top 10s, 136 Laps Led

It may come as a surprise to some to see Elliott at No. 2 on this list, but after his win at Atlanta he’s currently riding a three-race streak of top five finishes. He finished third at Mexico, fifth at Pocono and then snapped a 44-race winless streak at his home track in Atlanta. He had no finishes worse than 15th in five June races and is second in the standings, having closed the gap between he and points leader William Byron to just 37 points.

3. Kyle Larson

Season Stats: 3 Wins, 9 Top 5s, 12 Top 10s, 851 Laps Led, 8 Stage Wins

Larson hasn’t been his usual dominant self as of late, but he does have three top 10 finishes in the last five races, which is better than most of the guys behind him in these rankings, and continues to lap the field when it comes to playoff points. As a bonus, he’s coming up on a stretch of tracks he’s had a lot of success at, including Sonoma and Indianapolis where he’s the defending race winner.

4. Ryan Blaney

Season Stats: 1 Win, 7 Top 5s, 8 Top 10s, 348 Laps Led, 3 Stage Wins

Blaney kicked off June with a win at Nashville and it’s been up and down since with a second top five finish but also two finishes of 32nd or worse in that stretch. Admittedly, these past five races summarize Blaney’s season really well in the sense that he’s been quick and finishing up front when he’s able to stay out of trouble, but unfortunately trouble has found him quite often this season. But one thing is certain, the No. 12 bunch has the speed to contend.

5. Christopher Bell

Season Stats: 3 Win, 7 Top 5s, 11 Top 10s, 153 Laps Led, 1 Stage Win

Finishing a distant second behind race winner Shane van Gisbergen at Mexico not withstanding, Bell hasn’t found himself in contention for victories very often lately. He hasn’t won a points-paying race since early March when he reached victory lane at Phoenix for what was his third win in a row at the time. He did win the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro in May, but he’s led just 11 laps in the six races since. Still, he’s performed worthy of a top five spot on this list and should be in contention on the upcoming road courses.

6. Chase Briscoe

Season Stats: 1 Win, 6 Top 5s, 8 Top 10s, 164 Laps Led, 1 Stage Win

Briscoe performed a fuel-saving masterclass at Pocono to join the ranks of winners this season, and while for many it appeared to come out of nowhere, it was only a matter of time before Briscoe parked it in victory lane following his move to Joe Gibbs Racing. In addition to his Pocono win, Briscoe finished seventh at Mexico and is another driver who should expect to do well during the stretch of road courses coming up.

7. William Byron

Season Stats: 1 Win, 7 Top 5s, 10 Top 10s, 769 Laps Led, 7 Stage Wins

It may not be time to panic for Byron and company just yet, as he continues to maintain the points lead he’s held for the vast majority of this season, but it’s been far from smooth-sailing for the No. 24 team lately. Sure, he had a couple top ten finishes in June, but he also had three finishes of 27th or worse. Byron has led a lot of laps this season and won plenty of stages, but still has just one win on the season. More importantly, his Hendrick teammates Elliott and Larson are closing in on him in the standings.

8. Ross Chastain

Season Stats: 1 Win, 3 Top 5s, 8 Top 10s, 58 Laps Led

Following his win in the Coca-Cola 600 to end the month of May, Chastain picked up where he had left off in June with a couple solid finishes inside the top 11 in the next two races. It’s been a bit of a struggle since with a trio of finishes outside the top 15, but when you compare this recent stretch to those below him in these rankings, it still feels like Chastain is in a pretty good spot all things considered.

9. Joey Logano

Season Stats: 1 Win, 2 Top 5s, 4 Top 10s, 358 Laps Led, 2 Stage Wins

Logano would be the first to tell you that outside his win at Texas in May, this season has not gone as he nor his team would have hoped. Since the win, Logano has just two top 10 finishes and he has just four such finishes in the first 18 races. While a healthy haul of stage points has kept him afloat in the standings, a summertime turnaround would be a truly welcome sight for the No. 22 team.

10. Shane van Gisbergen

Season Stats: 1 Win, 1 Top 5, 2 Top 10s, 85 Laps Led, 1 Stage Win

It was known that van Gisbergen was going to struggle on ovals this season, and so far that has been the case. The other expectation was that it likely wouldn’t matter in terms of hurting his chances to make the playoffs, as he was likely to win at least one road course race this season. He checked that box a few races ago with a dominating performance in Mexico and now heads to Chicago this weekend as a heavy favorite to go back to victory lane at the sight of his first career Cup Series win two years ago.

11. Austin Cindric

Season Stats: 1 Win, 1 Top 5, 4 Top 10s, 251 Laps Led, 3 Stage Wins

Cindric’s season has been eerily similar to his teammate Logano. Both have one win, have bagged at least a couple stage wins and led a fair bit of laps throughout the season. But consistency hasn’t come easy for Cindric, just as it hasn’t for Logano, too. He had one top 10 finish in June (a 10th-place finish at Pocono) and sits just 15th in the standings right now. Obviously the win should send him to the playoffs as of right now, but he’s not quite a contender for anything more at the moment.

12. Josh Berry

Season Stats: 1 Win, 2 Top 5s, 3 Top 10s, 169 Laps Led, 1 Stage Win

When Josh Berry scored his first career win at Las Vegas in March, it appeared at the time to be a sign of things to come. Instead, his season has gone in the complete opposite direction since. Berry has just one top 10 in 13 races since the win in Vegas and sits a middling 19th in the standings. In Berry’s defense, he’s suffered from a fair bit of bad luck over the course of this stretch, but he doesn’t appear to be a contended at this point of the season.



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2025 NASCAR Chicago qualifying: Order for Grant Park 165

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Link 0

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Team Chevy NASCAR Race Advance: Chicago Street Race – Speedway Digest

NASCAR will once again open up the month of July in the “Windy City” with the Cup and Xfinity Series hitting the city streets for the third rendition of the Chicago Street Race. The doubleheader will get underway with the Xfinity Series in Saturday’s The Loop 110, followed by the Cup Series in Sunday’s Grant […]

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NASCAR will once again open up the month of July in the “Windy City” with the Cup and Xfinity Series hitting the city streets for the third rendition of the Chicago Street Race.

The doubleheader will get underway with the Xfinity Series in Saturday’s The Loop 110, followed by the Cup Series in Sunday’s Grant Park 165. NASCAR’s short history of street racing has seen a commanding performance by the Chevrolet camp with the Bowtie brand entering the weekend as the only triumphant manufacturer in both divisions at the circuit.

UNDEFEATED IN THE “WINDY CITY”

Just two years ago, a history-making weekend turned into a career-defining moment for Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. Taking the green flag in the NASCAR Cup Series for the very first time, the Auckland, New Zealand, native became the first driver in 60 years to win in his debut start in the sport’s top division. The victory was accompanied by a Team Chevy top-five sweep earned by drivers representing four different Chevrolet organizations. One year ago, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman snapped an 80-race winless streak and put Chevrolet back in victory lane at the Chicago circuit for the second-consecutive season. Success has been shared across the Chevrolet camp at the circuit with five of its full-time organizations earning top-10 results in the two-race stint. Kyle Busch has piloted his Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet to top-10 results in each event, with Kaulig Racing earning a best finish of second in the inaugural event and Hyak Motorsports scoring a sixth-place finish in 2024.
 

BOWMAN ON BRINK OF FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is hungrier than ever to get back into victory lane, and the 32-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native is setting himself up for the opportunity to do just that this weekend. Bowman and the No. 48 Chevrolet team already have the momentum as the series’ defending winners in the Chicago Street Race. But on top of that, the Chevrolet driver is on a hot streak of top-five finishes in two of the past three races, which started on the left- and right-hand turns of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Also earning a ninth-place finish in the first road course race of the season at Circuit of The Americas, Bowman will enter the weekend with six top-10 finishes in the past 10 road races.
 

BACK WHERE IT ALL STARTED

The Chicago Street Course will forever hold a special place in Shane van Gisbergen’s racing career. The three-time Australian Supercars Champion made the crossover of a lifetime two seasons ago that ended in a history-making victory and catapulted the Chevrolet driver into a full-time NASCAR career. Now competing in his rookie campaign in NASCAR’s top division, Van Gisbergen already solidified his shot at the championship title thanks to his dominating triumph in Mexico City just a few weeks ago. Looking to become the series’ fourth repeat winner of the season, there’s no better opportunity than the streets of Chicago. Van Gisbergen is the only driver to have earned a victory in both divisions at the “Windy City” circuit, with the driver also taking a Kaulig Racing-prepared Chevrolet to victory lane in the Xfinity Series last season. All five of his NASCAR national series victories have been earned making left- and right-hand turns.
 

BROWN BACK STATESIDE

Yet another Supercars standout will make the crossover back into the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. Reigning Australian Supercars Champion, Will Brown, is set to make his second career start in NASCAR’s top division at the Chicago Street Course – this time behind the wheel of a third entry for Kaulig Racing. The 27-year-old Australian native made his Cup Series debut with Richard Childress Racing at Sonoma Raceway last season. The driver quickly found his footing behind the wheel of a Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Brown clocked-in third-fastest overall in practice, but battled an electrical issue throughout the remainder of the weekend. Looking to follow suit of fellow Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen, a win in Sunday’s event would make Brown the first-ever Australian-born driver to win in NASCAR’s top division.
 

TEAM CHEVY LEADS IN PLAYOFF BERTHS

After being a consistent contender throughout much of the season, Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team earned their spot back in victory lane at EchoPark Speedway last weekend. The win – his 20th all-time in his Cup Series career – added onto an already strong first-half of the 2025 season for the 29-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native. Elliott has been a steady fixture in the top-10 of the driver points standings throughout the season, with the Chevrolet driver making his way up into the second position following his win – now sitting just 37-points behind his teammate, William Byron.

With 18 points-paying races complete in NASCAR’s top division, Chevrolet sits at a series-best seven wins. As the playoff picture inches closer, the Bowtie brand also leads the series in early playoff berths with Elliott becoming the manufacturer’s fifth different driver to find victory lane this season.
 

SANCHEZ ADDS TO STELLAR XFINITY SERIES SEASON

2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender, Nick Sanchez, added onto an already stout list of season winners by picking up his first victory in just 25 career starts in the series at EchoPark Speedway. The victory marks Chevrolet’s 15th win in 17 Xfinity Series races, with the Bowtie brand heading to the “Windy City” looking to extend its win streak into the double-digits. Continuing to prove the strength across the Chevrolet camp, Big Machine Racing is now the fourth different organization under the Bowtie banner to earn a trip to victory lane this season. Sanchez is the ninth different Chevrolet driver to contribute to the manufacturer’s 2025 win count – six of which are full-time competitors that have also earned an early playoff berth.

Opportunity lies ahead for the Bowtie brigade to turn its season win streak into 10-straight this weekend. Returning to the circuit as the series’ defending winners, the manufacturer has also gone two-for-two making left- and right-hand turns this season courtesy of wins by Connor Zilisch (Circuit of The Americas) and Daniel Suarez (Mexico City).
 

ZILISCH AMONG LEADING ROAD COURSE WARRIORS

Among the sport’s road course warriors includes Team Chevy’s rising star, Connor Zilisch. Already proving to be diverse on each configuration on the circuit, the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender has found early success in his road racing roots. Zilisch found victory lane in his first career start at Watkins Glen International in Sept. 2024, becoming just the seventh driver in Xfinity Series history to win in his debut. Now competing in a full-time campaign in the series, Zilisch has tallied three victories in just 20 career starts behind the wheel of a Camaro SS, with his first of the season coming at Circuit of The Americas in March. On top of the victory, the 18-year old North Carolina native has swept the pole wins in both road course races this season, as well as tallied a top-five finish in Mexico City. Heading into his first start at the Chicago Street Course, Zilisch’s expertise on left- and right-hand turns is accompanied by a string of five-straight top-five finishes, dating back to a pair of runner-up results at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway.
 

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 18 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 7

Poles: 8

Laps Led: 2,293

Top-Fives: 37

Top-10s: 78

Stage Wins: 16

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:

Wins: 15

Poles: 10

Laps Led: 2,255

Top-Fives: 58

Top-10s: 111

Stage Wins: 26

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 15 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:

Wins: 6

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 854

Top-Fives: 35

Top-10s: 71

Stage Wins: 7

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· The pace car lineup for the NASCAR doubleheader weekend at the Chicago Street Course will feature all three NASCAR OEM partners, with the Chevrolet Blazer EV SS assisting in pacing the Cup Series in Sunday’s Grant Park 165 and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray assisting in pacing the Xfinity Series in Saturday’s The Loop 110.

· Together with NASCAR, ABB and the sports’ OEM partners, Chevrolet will be participating in an electric vehicle showcase during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend. The showcase on Sunday will feature live exhibition track laps by the Chevy, Ford and ABB electric vehicle prototypes, with the Chevrolet Blazer EV.R NASCAR Prototype being driven by Rajah Caruth.

· Chevrolet heads into the third annual Chicago Street Race undefeated in NASCAR’s top division:

July 2023 – Shane van Gisbergen

July 2024 – Alex Bowman

· Chevrolet drivers swept the top-five finishing positions in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Chicago Street Race – recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations. The feat marked the second time the Bowtie brand swept the top-five finishing results in the Next Gen era – also accomplishing the feat at another road course, Road America, in July 2022.

· Chevrolet has earned at least half of the top-10 finishing results in 10 of the 18 points-paying races thus far this season, including a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

· In 126 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 59 victories – a winning percentage of 46.8%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 873 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
 

TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Challenge Round 2 – Grant Park 165

Sunday, June 6, at 2 p.m. ET

(TNT, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

The Loop 110

Saturday, June 5, at 4:30 p.m. ET

(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
 

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Do you enjoy road racing?

“I’m ready to turn left and right again. I’ve really grown to like road course racing and it is something I’ve spent time improving on. The better I get at it, the more I like it. It’s fun to have Shane and Daniel as teammates because they’re both so good at road racing and I can learn from them and obviously Connor knows his way around road courses too. I need to have a clean race this weekend. Mexico City was going well until the spin, pit road and things like that. I’m really looking forward to Chicago this weekend.”

Chicago is a unique event… do you like racing in the city?

“Chicago is such a fun weekend. It’s unique in that we can just walk across the street to the track. We don’t have rental cars and can walk or take transportation everywhere. There is something for everyone – museums, parks, excellent food. It feels really familiar now that it’s going to be our third year.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

What are your thoughts on racing on the streets of Chicago?

“The Chicago Street Course is an awesome race to check out. There are tight corners that impact how you enter and exit the corners. You’ve got to be so precise. The walls are very tight, and it’s easy to make a mistake on the Chicago street course. The past couple of years, we’ve had to deal with the rain. Our Richard Childress Racing team will be ready for whatever comes our way.”

What’s it like driving the Chicago Street Course compared to a regular track—does it feel different behind the wheel?

“The Chicago Street Course is very different from the other courses we race on. We’re racing on the streets of downtown Chicago, and seeing the city skyline and the traffic lights definitely gives the race a different feeling. It’s a pretty cool sight to race around Buckingham Fountain and other historic monuments in the city. It’s going to be a great July Fourth holiday weekend. The fan support is huge, and NASCAR puts on a great race.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet

Larson on the Chicago Street Race:

“It’s a really fun event. I love it. I hope the weather is good, rain has kind of come out of no where the last couple of years. I hope it goes good. The fans deserve to see a good race there. I love being in the city and walking to the race track and good food, it’s fun.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What are your thoughts heading to Chicago?

“Chicago is one of my favorite races of the year. The atmosphere and crowd are incredible, so it’s always a special weekend. I’ve been looking forward to the Chicago Street Race all season. Our cars were fast at both road races this season, so I’m eager to see how we’ll do on the street course.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

There’s a whole lot of unique tracks coming up on the schedule, is there anything you can take from that?

“Each week we try to continue to focus on that week’s race and making sure that we know what to do to have good results. There’s a few road courses coming up, so honestly, some might say ‘hey, we screwed up road course points at Mexico, so now we’re not going to be very good on all the rest of the road courses.’ I wouldn’t say that’s true. You can either do really well and earn a lot of points at those races by staying out at the end of the stages and playing the strategy game, or you can have what happened to us in Mexico and have an incident where you get zero points. It’s up to our team to do everything we can to maximize the opportunities to earn points.”

Anytime you get to any of the road courses, you don’t want to have to deal with those road course ringers, right?

“The A.J. Allmendinger’s or the Shane van Gisbergen’s, those guys are really good, and recognized for their road course experience, although, last year Alex Bowman won the race and he does not come from a road course racing background. So, it’s anyone and everyone in the field that can go out there and get it done on at the road course races.”

Would you be okay with adding another street race to the schedule? If so, what would be a good location?

“Another street circuit would be a pretty good idea. If we’re going to do it, we should go to an area that we’re not currently racing in. I wouldn’t change racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to run on the streets of Las Vegas. Let’s go somewhere different.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Elliott on the performance of the team:

“We’ve just been doing this long enough to know it all kind of starts and ends with us. We have to make sure we’re doing our part and I’m doing my part. Just bringing everything I can possibly bring every single week. It’s the honest conversations that we have on Monday mornings that are either going to make us better or make us fail. All of the pieces of the puzzle are there. We’re working on the right things. I think I’m asking for the right things out of the car. I’m really proud of our team for just sticking together. I think there’s been so many times that we could have thrown in the towel and really kind of fractured from the inside. It’s a really important thing for me to have climbed that mountain and stood on top of it with AG (Alan Gustafson) and we’ve kind of fallen off that hill. Getting back to the top with him and with our group and doing it together, I think is a really important thing to do. We have so much respect for one another as a team that we’re going to continue to make each other better as we push forward.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“I love racing on the streets of Chicago, and I always think it’s a fun event overall. Racing on a street course is unique; it’s challenging in so many different ways. The weather has always been a factor there and that throws another kind of obstacle to figure out. The two years we’ve been there have been difficult in the way the race has played out. I need to be better with some of the mistakes I have made on track and we’re working hard to get a better result. Our focus this year is getting out there and having a good practice. That will set the tone for the weekend and that’s probably where we’ve lacked most in the past. I’m doing all my homework to try to be better for practice and moving on to put together a good race. We’ve had opportunities to have really good finishes, and it just hasn’t played out. We’re working to learn from those mistakes and be better this weekend.”

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Byron on the Chicago Street Race:

“Honestly, I’m just hoping we have good weather this weekend in Chicago. The last two years it has rained, and it really changed the dynamic of how the race goes and who is a factor. It would just be cool to see how the race plays out when that element isn’t involved. But even if it is, we have two years of experience with it. I just love the vibe the race brings, racing downtown through the city. It’s unlike the other venues we go to, and I think it brings an element that we need.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“I’m excited to light up the streets of Chicago and represent Rate in front of their hometown crowd.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Bowman on returning to the Chicago Street Race after winning last season :

“Going back to Chicago is pretty special. That win last year was huge for me and this 48 team it was one of those races where everything came together at the right time. The street course is such a unique challenge, and the atmosphere is unlike anything else we see all year. I’m excited to get back there, defend that win, and hopefully keep building momentum for the playoff push.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What are your thoughts heading back to a track where you have back-to-back top-10’s and how do you feel about NASCAR’s attempt at street racing?

“I am looking forward to Chicago, it is a fun track and hopefully we can get a smooth weekend with no rain. It is a place we have finished in the top five and top 10 a couple of times, and I feel confident going there. Our road course program is getting better each race and I really feel like we are building on something. We still have things to learn, but I feel like going into Chicago and Sonoma back-to-back gives us a couple of good opportunities to win, and get into the playoffs.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

How does a street course differ from the traditional road courses the Cup Series typically visits?

”The biggest difference, which is also the most obvious, is we’re racing on a surface that sees high traffic on a daily basis compared to a purpose-built track that holds events a few times a year. The City of Chicago and NASCAR do a great job making sure the course is prepared for us and we’ve seen improvement each year the series has gone back to Chicago. Because we’re racing on streets that are built for people to navigate through a city, the corners are usually a bit more narrow and that’s where we’ve seen a lot of incidents in the past. You run out of room quickly when everyone is fighting for the preferred line. Weather has been a factor the last two years so I guess we’ll see what comes of that, but that’s pretty normal for this time of year, anywhere we race. I’m really excited for this weekend’s race. There’s always a lot of action on track and a lot of fun things to do in the city.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Chicago has been really good to you. What does that city and street course mean to you?

“Ah, every time I come back, I get the memories of the first-ever race, coming and doing really well here. This city will always hold so many memories. I’m really looking forward to getting back on the streets of Chicago and hopefully getting a third win for the city and a second Chicago win for Trackhouse.”

How are you feeling about this weekend?

“We should be very strong this weekend. I know everyone is going to be better. Last year was a big step up on competition and I know this year will be, too. We just have to continue to focus on us. We’ve prepped very hard, spent last week’s simulator time on Chicago, so hopefully we get there this weekend and are solid.”

What is Chicago a track that fits your driving style so well? You have been very successful there…

“It’s just like the tracks I’ve grown up racing on. In Supercars there are a lot of street circuits on the schedule, so I’m comfortable with the walls. It’s similar to a few tracks that I raced in Australia, whereas most of these guys aren’t used to street circuits. Just something I’m comfortable with and have spent many years racing.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What are your thoughts on Chicago?

“I am very optimistic. We’ve been fast there both years. It was frustrating because we had a really good car and I thought we would be there at the end, but we ended up having too many issues. I know we are good enough to win this race on Sunday.”

What is the key to winning?

“You have to survive. Stay out of trouble. You do that by qualifying well, making good pit stops, good strategy and having a little bit of luck.”

How important is Chicago to NASCAR?

“I think Chicago is very important. We need as many new markets as possible, plus, it’s a fun place to visit.”

How important is having Jockey on your car this weekend?

“Jockey is a huge supporter of Trackhouse Racing and I know they spend a lot of time thinking about the paint schemes they bring to the track. Not only do they make us look good on the track, but we get a lot of Jockey apparel that helps us look good off the track.”

On parting ways with Trackhouse at the end of the 2025 season:

“I want to thank all the men and women at Trackhouse Racing for your love and support. I’ve had some of the best years of my Cup Series career at Trackhouse. We had great successes as a team and I gained some incredible friends. We took a team nobody had even heard of in 2021 and in just a couple of years we were winning races and running up front on a weekly basis. Just like the seasons in a year, sometimes things change and we have mutually agreed to each go in our own direction. I wish Trackhouse nothing but the best, this No. 99 team will always be special to me. And like I always say, the best is ahead!”

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NASCAR News: Denny Hamlin reacts to post-race taunt from Cup Series rival

Denny Hamlin has responded to a quip from a NASCAR Cup Series rival after last weekend’s race at Atlanta. The veteran racer was knocked out of the In-Season Challenge in the first round by the #32 seed Ty Dillon, who finished eighth in the race to Hamlin’s official 31st, his race ending after just […]

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July 3, 2025

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Denny Hamlin has responded to a quip from a NASCAR Cup Series rival after last weekend’s race at Atlanta.

The veteran racer was knocked out of the In-Season Challenge in the first round by the #32 seed Ty Dillon, who finished eighth in the race to Hamlin’s official 31st, his race ending after just 72 laps thanks to one of a number of wrecks in the race.

Dillon riffed on Hamlin’s infamous ‘I just beat your favorite driver’ taunt after the race, saying “For all you Denny fans out there, I just knocked your favorite driver out.”

The Kaulig Racing driver, whose eighth place at Atlanta was his best finish of the year, clarified later that he’d meant the comment in fun, insisting he’s ‘appreciated’ the Denny Hamlin vs the World gimmick and that he ‘loves’ Hamlin leaning into a heel role.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Cup Series star confirms team exit as commissioner hits back at lawsuit

Hamlin: Give Ty Dillon his moment

Speaking on his Actions Detrimental podcast this week, Hamlin himself said: “I see people giving Ty Dillon a lot of flak…give him his moment, people. He beat me.

“…He was ahead of me the whole f*cking race. I was 33rd until we crashed. Just let him have his moment. He texted me — he was like, ‘Hey, I was just playing around.’ I loved it.

“If you people think that you are going to hurt my feelings by coming in my mentions and saying, ‘Haha, Ty Dilon beat you,’ like, you’re never going to make fun of me more than I’m going to make fun of myself. You’re not going to offend me. I have really thick skin.

“You open yourself up and when you do that, the moments you fail, they’re going to give it to you. But you’ve got to be a big boy and take it. I am going to take it from Ty Dillon.”

READ MORE: NASCAR star Kyle Busch set for racing series switch as official announcement made

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Kurt Busch Reflects on a Sponsor Reprimand and How NASCAR Transformed as a Result of Corporate America

The characters that NASCAR drivers display today on and off the track are largely dictated by their sponsors. They are expected to walk in a straight line and not act in a way that would be detrimental to the public image of the companies that are backing them financially. But this wasn’t always the case. […]

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1 hour ago

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July 3, 2025

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The characters that NASCAR drivers display today on and off the track are largely dictated by their sponsors. They are expected to walk in a straight line and not act in a way that would be detrimental to the public image of the companies that are backing them financially. But this wasn’t always the case. The shift began during a specific period in the sport’s evolution.

In a recent interview with Shannon Spake on the Spake Up podcast, Kurt Busch narrated an incident from his career that showcased this changeover. During a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002, Busch was wrecked by Jimmy Spencer in a way that left him angry. He got out of his car and made a gesture that came off as obscene to the viewers watching the event live on television.

But what he’d intended to do was indicate to the officials to send Spencer to the back of the field for his move. He explained, “In short track racing, there’s a guy on the track that communicates with the flag man on who goes to the back of the pack after somebody wrecks somebody. So, it was pat the rear end. Send them to the rear. And that’s what I was trying to [say].”

The miscommunication landed Busch in trouble with one of his sponsors after his image appeared on the front page of USA Today. He continued, “I’m on the cover patting my rear end, and the CEO goes, ‘What’s all this about?’

“I went, ‘I’m sorry, sir. The emotions, the heat of the moment, the guy flat out wrecked me.’ He goes, ‘Well, we can’t have this imagery on the cover of USA Today. We’re going to send you to media training.’”

Busch wasn’t the calm person he is today back then. He was a young driver who’d just made his way into NASCAR and held a ton of ambition in his heart. And so, he spoke his mind back to the CEO and questioned why they didn’t have a similar conversation when he appeared on the front cover of USA Today after winning at Bristol earlier that year.

He admitted to Spake that it wasn’t the right thing to say. But that was one of the turning points of the sponsor-centric culture that is prevalent today. “That’s where corporate America and the big-time sponsors changed our sport,” he added. Actions like what Busch did would result in a much bigger penalty today.



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