By Teresa M. Walker

AP Sports Writer

NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. advises the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves to watch a couple of night races at Bristol Motor Speedway before the Speedway Classic. Once at the racetrack, he recommends a walk up the banked walls to truly appreciate the half-mile bullring.

MLB’s Speedway Classic on Aug. 2 means either the Reds or Braves will win at Bristol before Stenhouse reaches victory lane at his favorite track. He still plans to watch as they play an MLB game on a ballpark built inside the Bristol infield.

“Hopefully, if they get one over the wall, kind of see where that ball ends up landing,” Stenhouse said of the track where going over the wall usually means injuries and ambulances. “But, yeah, just a really cool venue and something that I’ll be looking forward to watching.”

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, now a Fox racing analyst, said search his 1990 crash where his car disintegrated after hitting a wall to learn how challenging Bristol can be.

He joined Stenhouse, former Braves centerfielder Andruw Jones, 2009 World Series champ Nick Swisher and three-time All-Star Reds first baseman and now MLB Network analyst Sean Casey in promoting the first MLB game in the state of Tennessee.

Waltrip said the banking of the track has to be seen to be believed and is a big part of its intensity.

“The banking is straight up,” Waltrip said. “You can barely climb up it, and it’s condensed down to a half-mile track. So you’re just constantly in the corners and speeds upwards of 150 miles an hour. It’s just crazy how precise and how technical you have to be to be successful there.”

Trying to hit a baseball might be a bit easier than stepping into a racecar at Bristol. At those speeds, Stenhouse said he forgot to breathe for 10 laps his first time there.

Bristol still has tickets available for an event that will feature a pregame concert with Tim McGraw and Pitbull. A fan zone outside the track will feature more music, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, a food truck row, pitching tunnels and batting cages and team mascots.

“It’s going to be one of those special nights that goes down in history,” said Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway. “People are going to want to be there and want to be a part of it or tune in on Fox and take in this event.”

Casey played in a March 2008 exhibition between the Red Sox and Dodgers at Los Angeles Coliseum that drew 115,300 for the largest crowd ever to see a baseball game. Casey said this crossover gives baseball fans a reason to check out Bristol and NASCAR fans the chance to see something different.

Players like Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will get an experience to remember.

“These guys that are going to be able to have that memory of playing at Bristol, it’s going to be a one of a kind thing,” Casey said.

Stenhouse said he played some wiffle ball during the last stop in Bristol. NASCAR will be in Iowa with a Cup race Aug. 3, but he hopes to sneak over from his North Carolina home for a chance to hit some hard balls over the fence at Bristol — or pitch off the mound.

“I hit a wiffle ball over the fence,” Stenhouse said. “Yeah, it would be cool to get there and take the field in all at the same time.”

Three-time Cup champion Joey Logano claimed a $1 million bonus for ranking first among Cup drivers in NASCAR’s new Driver Ambassador Program.

Sports Business Journal first reported the award.

Kyle Busch has finished in the top 10 in all five races at Atlanta with Richard Childress Racing.

The program rewards drivers for promoting the sport in multiple ways. Drivers are awarded points based on how much they promote the sport, such as in interviews and appearances. The quality of the appearances is a factor along with a driver’s standing in the sport. Former champions earn extra points.

The year is divided into two terms. The first term concluded last weekend at Pocono.

The second term goes beyond the end of the season. The top driver each term is paid $1 million. The driver in last in each term receives about $7,500, according to Sports Business Journal.

T.J. Puchyr, a former owner in Spire Motorsports, has entered an agreement to purchase the NASCAR team owned by Rick Ware.

NASCAR confirmed the top three drivers for the just-completed term was Logano, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney.

Sports Business Journal reported that the rest of the top 10 was Ross Chastain (fourth), Daniel Suarez (fifth), Chase Elliott (sixth), William Byron (seventh), Kyle Busch (eighth), Austin Dillon (ninth) and Chase Briscoe (10th).

The money for the drivers comes from the new media rights deal, Sports Business Journal reported.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has introduced the new GR Yaris Aero Performance grade which features aerodynamic dedicated updates derived directly through motorsports participation.

The GR Yaris is a high-performance hatchback genuinely born in motorsports, having been inspired by the winning combination of power, poise and precise control of the GR YARIS Rally1 competition car which competes in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Fittingly, the new GR Yaris Aero Performance grade makes its European public debut via a display at the Acropolis Rally in Greece, round seven of the 2025 WRC season on 26-29 June. It will also be present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 10-13 July, participating in the hill climb competition.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s commitment to making ever-better cars through motorsports, by analysing driving data, reviewing direct feedback from drivers and examining damaged parts in detail, has driven a constant enhancement of the GR Yaris since its 2020 launch.

The new Aero Performance grade is a result of that philosophy, and it features six performance aerodynamic parts that were developed through an uncompromising approach to achieving targeted performance by addressing every issue. Through competition driving, improvement areas were identified and fine-tuned with the contribution of professional drivers.

A new large cooling duct and grille on the aluminium bonnet shares its contoured shape with the carbon-fibre bonnet of the GRMN Yaris. During high-speed driving it improves cooling by discharging heat from the engine compartment. It was developed and proven in the Japanese Rally Championship.

Racing in Super Taikyu helped to achieve a higher level of aerodynamic balance using a front lip spoiler, which suppresses front lift to improve the vehicle’s overall lift balance and enhance grip. The spoiler was added to the GR Yaris Aero Performance after being developed with professional racer Kazuya Oshima, a race-winning driver who competes with Rookie Racing in Japan’s Super Formula, Super GT and Super Taikyu championships.  

A large, variable rear spoiler contributes to high-speed handling as well as braking stability. Its angle can be manually adjusted to suit different circumstances, for example prior to circuit driving, for an even more enjoyable experience.

A new floor undercover draws inspiration from the flat bottom of the fuel tank used in Super Taikyu to optimise underbody airflow and further improve aerodynamic performance.

New fender ducts, located between the front wheel and the door, release rearward air that accumulates in the front wheelhouse. This improves the steering feel under heavy braking and enhances handling stability at corner entry.

Ducts on each side of the rear bumper decrease the drag coefficient by allowing smoother airflow under the car. They were developed via the uniquely harsh environment of motorsports in response to a scenario encountered by a GR Yaris in Super Taikyu, when a rear bumper was detached by aerodynamic loads.

The GR Yaris Aero Performance grade is available to order in Europe in autumn 2025

NORWALK — Always a highlight of the season for every driver in the NHRA’s premier series, this weekend’s 19th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park represents a great opportunity for Top Fuel’s Josh Hart.

The standout has made solid improvements in his 12,000-horsepower R+L Carriers dragster and Hart would love nothing more than to pick up his first win of the season as the NHRA season hits the halfway point.

He’s had success in Norwalk, advancing to the final round in 2022, and with a massive R+L Carriers location directly across the street from Summit Motorsports Park, a win would mark a special moment for Hart and his team.

It’s also a busy weekend for the two-time Top Fuel event winner, as he’ll be racing in the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category. But Hart has embraced the double-duty and is ready for the Top Fuel team to make another big move this weekend in Norwalk.

“I would like to get back to the feeling we had in 2022 (in Norwalk) when we were on a roll and then a storm came through and flipped the track conditions,” Hart said. “That was a strong weekend for this team, and I think we can get back to that kind of performance. This sport is humbling but I also think it rewards hard work. This R+L Carriers team has been really working hard, and I am looking forward to seeing positive results in Norwalk.

“We have been coming off the trailer and making good runs on Friday, which is critical. If you can get ahead of the track on Friday it sets you up for success. This past weekend (in Richmond), the track chewed us up and spit us out on Saturday and Sunday. We are not going to hang our heads. We are getting back to work even though this is back-to-back races.”

In 2024, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won at a race that will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1 in 2025, including eliminations coverage beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday on FOX.

It is the 10th of 20 races during the NHRA season and the race in Norwalk is annually one of the premier stops on the NHRA tour. The packed weekend includes two rounds of qualifying at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, including a must-see night session and fireworks, two rounds of qualifying — and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge — on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.

This year’s event promises even more excitement, as the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals plays host to the Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout for the first time. This specialty event will feature eight Pro Stock drivers battling for top honors.

The Pro Stock NHRA All-Star Callout field features reigning six-time champion Greg Anderson, who will have the first pick of the eight-car field made up of Dallas Glenn, Matt Hartford, standout Aaron Stanfield, multi-time champions Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin, Eric Latino and Troy Coughlin Jr.

For Hart, the double-duty keeps him focused and he’s ready to thrive in Norwalk. He’s picked up round wins in Top Fuel at five of the past seven races, but advancing to the semifinals and beyond is the next goal. It’s never easy in the loaded Top Fuel ranks, a group that includes points leader and racing legend Tony Stewart, Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, reigning world champ Antron Brown, Brittany Force and Clay Millican.

But Hart is ready for that challenge, as well as the busy responsibility of driving in two separate classes in one weekend.

“When I have both cars on the track it makes for a busy and fun weekend,” said Hart, who is ninth in Top Fuel points. “I am blessed to be able to have this opportunity, and I want to thank everyone at R+L Carriers and Burnyzz Speed Shop for the support they provide both my teams. David Davies and his DHDR team keep us on track in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown so that is a big plus. These are the races that really make me feel fortunate.”