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Starting grid set by qualifying results

Daytona Motor Mouths: Kurt Busch to NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2026? Will the NASCAR Cup Series return to Rockingham in the near future? What about Kurt Busch and his 2026 Hall of Fame chances? Unless you’re part of some weird wagering pool for qualifying, please pay little to no attention to what you see […]

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Unless you’re part of some weird wagering pool for qualifying, please pay little to no attention to what you see below.

Read it, of course, but lordy, don’t you dare use it as any sort of barometer for what will happen Sunday in the Jack Link’s 500 at big and bad Talladega Superspeedway. And I know what you’re thinking.

“Well, if you’re so smart, why don’t you throw some of your fancy statistics at us.”

Don’t mind if I do. ‘Scuse me while I whip these out …

After eliminating pole qualifying in 2020 and ’21, NASCAR resumed the traditional speed runs in 2022, which is also when the Next Gen car cranked to life. So we have three years and six Talladega races as a sample size, and Junior, what a sample we have.

Average starting position for the six Talladega winners since 2022: 18.6. The best starting spot was 10th and the worst was 32nd (Ricky Stenhouse last October).

Want more? Sure you do.

Average finishing position for the six pole winners since 2022: 23.5. No pole winner has finished better than 17th, and the last two finished 37th and 31st. Yes, both were Michael McDowell.

In spite of all this, they went ahead with qualifying Saturday morning.

Ten fastest speeds during Talladega qualifying

These 10 drivers advanced from first-round qualifying, which included all cars, to a second-round of qualifying to determine the first five rows.

Zane Smith: 182.174

Kyle Busch: 181.718

Joey Logano: 181.708

Ryan Preece: 181.708

Austin Dillon: 181.584

Chris Buescher: 181.498

Austin Cindric: 181.432

Josh Berry: 191.381

Ryan Blaney: 181.250

Ty Gibbs: 180.846

NASCAR lineup for Talladega

Full lineup for Sunday’s race, with lap times from Saturday’s qualifying.

  1. Zane Smith, No. 38 52.565
  2. Kyle Busch, No. 8, 52.697
  3. Joey Logano, No. 22, 52.7
  4. Ryan Preece, No. 60, 52.7
  5. Austin Dillon, No. 3, 52.736
  6. Chris Buescher, No. 17, 52.761
  7. Austin Cindric, No. 2, 52.78
  8. Josh Berry, No. 21, 52.795
  9. Ryan Blaney, No. 12, 52.833
  10. Ty Gibbs, No. 54, 52.951
  11. Christopher Bell, No. 20, 52.927
  12. Cole Custer, No. 41, 52.941
  13. Denny Hamlin, No. 11, 52.983
  14. Michael McDowell, No. 71, 52.991
  15. Todd Gilliland, No. 34, 52.995
  16. William Byron, No. 24, 53.028
  17. Chase Briscoe, No. 19, 53.061
  18. Alex Bowman, No. 48, 53.083
  19. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16, 53.084
  20. Bubba Wallace, No. 23, 53.122
  21. Ty Dillon, No. 10, 53.123
  22. Brad Keselowski, No. 6, 53.139
  23. Riley Herbst, No. 35, 53.157
  24. Daniel Suarez, No. 99, 53.191
  25. Kyle Larson, No. 5, 53.211
  26. Tyler Reddick, No. 45, 53.222
  27. Noah Gragson, No. 4, 53.264
  28. Carson Hocevar, No. 77, 53.298
  29. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42, 53.337
  30. Chase Elliott, No. 9, 53.345
  31. Anthony Alfredo, No. 62, 53.381
  32. Ross Chastain, no. 1, 53.399
  33. Cody Ware, No. 51, 53.417
  34. Erik Jones, No. 43, 53.503
  35. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47, 53.534
  36. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88, 53.538
  37. Justin Haley, No. 7, 53.563
  38. BJ McLeod, No. 78, 54.103
  39. JJ Yeley, No. 44, 55.671

NASCAR at Talladega schedule, TV channel

SATURDAY

12:30 p.m.: ARCA Series, General Tire 200 (FS1).

4 p.m.: Xfinity Series, Ag-Pro 300 (CW).

SUNDAY

3 p.m.: Cup Series, Jack Link’s 500 (Fox).

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Chance Hymas Leads Red Riders With Sixth at Pittsburgh Supercross

Dean Wilson secures another top-10 result in 450SX Four Honda riders in the top 10 in 450SX division Round 15 of the AMA Supercross series took place in Pittsburgh, with Honda HRC Progressive’s Dean Wilson and Chance Hymas delivering respectable performances. Wilson posted another top-10 result in the 450SX class, while Hymas […]

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  • Dean Wilson secures another top-10 result in 450SX
  • Four Honda riders in the top 10 in 450SX division

Round 15 of the AMA Supercross series took place in Pittsburgh, with Honda HRC Progressive’s Dean Wilson and Chance Hymas delivering respectable performances. Wilson posted another top-10 result in the 450SX class, while Hymas led the Red Rider effort in the 250SX East action with a sixth-place result.

In the 250SX main event, Hymas got a solid jump aboard his factory CRF250RWE and settled into sixth place early on. He quickly advanced a spot and spent a good portion of the race in fifth before slipping back to sixth on lap 13 and finishing out the race there. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park continued his strong run with a seventh-place result, followed by Storm Lake Honda Buddy Brooks Racing’s Henry Miller in eighth. Storm Lake Honda’s Izaih Clark crossed the line in 11th, with Next Level Redline Oil Hammer Nutrition’s Justin Rodbell in 13th, TiLube Honda’s Trevor Colip in 14th, SPR’s Lance Kobusch in 16th, and Neese Racing’s Luke Neese completing the group in 22nd.

In the 450SX main event, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis led the way for the Red Riders, riding to a consistent seventh-place finish. Quad Lock Honda Racing teammates Joey Savatgy and Shane McElrath followed close behind in eighth and ninth, respectively. Wilson made it four Hondas in a row, bringing his factory CRF450RWE across the line in 10th. Valley Motorsports’s Jeremy Hand rounded out the Honda effort in 20th.

NOTES

  • Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas and Dean Wilson were scheduled to participate in Friday’s Media Day activities, but with rain in the forecast, the series organizers covered the track. As a result, no press riding took place, although Wilson still participated in select media interviews.
  • Although Jett and Hunter Lawrence remain sidelined from racing as they recover from surgeries, both are back on the bike training. The brothers attended the Pittsburgh event, where they signed autographs, engaged with fans and supported the team throughout the weekend. Additionally, Hunter stepped into the booth to call the 250SX main event.
  • Mosites Motorsports, a popular powersports dealer with two locations in Pennsylvania, set up a pop-up activation booth in the Honda HRC Progressive pits, where they displayed a Honda Ruckus and a CRF450RWE, and engaged with fans and customers.
  • Honda HRC Progressive was treated to a team dinner at Dee Jay’s BBQ Ribs & Grille – Collier, hosted by longtime friends of the team Jay and Kayla Irvine and John Winter. The restaurant owners have cooked for the team at select rounds over the years, and with Pittsburgh being a local event for them, they welcomed everyone for a special evening of food and hospitality.
  • Members of Honda’s senior-management team attended the Pittsburgh round, along with representatives from two local Honda dealerships. On Friday, the group hosted a roundtable discussion to review current and future business operations, and on Saturday they attended the race to cheer on Honda riders. Also joining the group was JD Beach, rider for the Real Steel Honda Racing team in the MotoAmerica road racing series.
  • In 250SX East qualifying, Storm Lake Honda Buddy Brooks Racing’s Henry Miller led the Red Riders with the seventh-best time, followed closely by Hymas in eighth. SPR’s Lance Kobusch was ninth, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park posted the 10th-fastest time and Next Level Redline Oil Hammer Nutrition’s Justin Rodbell was 12th. TiLube Honda’s Ryder Floyd and Neese Racing’s Luke Neese qualified 17th and 18th, respectively, with Storm Lake Honda Buddy Brooks Racing’s Izaih Clark in 21st, TiLube Honda’s Trevor Colip in 26th, and Lasting Impressions CG-backed Ronnie Orres securing the 37th position.
  • In 450SX qualifying, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis led the Red Rider effort with the eighth-fastest time, followed by Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Joey Savatgy in ninth and Wilson in 10th. Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Shane McElrath was 11th, with Valley Motorsports’ Jeremy Hand in 23rd. Next Level Redline Oil Hammer Nutrition’s Hunter Schlosser qualified 30th, RSR/Fusion Motorsports’ Zack Williams was 32nd, and Storm Lake Honda Buddy Brooks Racing’s Deegan Hepp rounded out the Honda qualifiers in 40th.
  • In 250SX East heat 1, Hymas grabbed a great start and rode to a strong second-place finish. Park crossed the line fifth, with Neese and Colip following in sixth and seventh, respectively. In heat 2, Kobusch secured a fourth-place finish, followed by teammates Miller and Clark in seventh and ninth—all earning direct transfers to the main event. In the LCQ, Rodbell secured the final transfer spot with a fourth-place finish.
  • In 450SX heat racing, Ferrandis finished third in heat 1, with Wilson on his heels riding to a solid fourth-place result. In heat 2, Savatgy and McElrath secured fourth- and fifth-place result, respectively, each earning a direct transfer to the night’s main event.
  • In the SMX Next main event, SLR Honda’s Leum Oehlhof led the Red Riders with a seventh-place finish, followed by Phoenix Racing Honda’s Tiger Wood in 10th and TiLube Honda’s Brock Walker in 18th.
  • Next, AMA Supercross heads to Denver for round 16. The event marks the return of 250SX West racing, with Jo Shimoda representing Honda HRC Progressive, while Dean Wilson will line up in the 450SX class. Known for its high elevation, the Denver round presents unique challenges for both riders and machines.

Dean Wilson
“Overall, tonight was definitely an improvement for me. The result was one spot worse than last week, but I was in a good position for most of the race. There was a rhythm section right after the start that gave me trouble all night, and that’s where I kept getting passed. It was frustrating because once I cleaned it up in the last 10 laps, I was right in the mix. The ball was in sight, and I fought hard the whole way. It was a step forward all around, but I’m not fully satisfied yet. My goal is to break into the top seven, so we’ll keep fighting for it.”

Chance Hymas
“It was round 15 here in Pittsburgh, and overall, it was a decent night for me. We did a lot of testing and took some big swings with the bike setup. I ended up sixth in the main, so it’s something to build on going into the final East round. The team and I are working hard to put all the pieces together, and I’m looking forward to finishing strong in Salt Lake City and heading into outdoors.”

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager
“Since it was the first time since the mid-’80s that we have had a supercross in Pittsburgh, it was new for basically all of us. I’m happy to say that I’m not old enough to have been involved at that time, but I was pleasantly surprised at how cool and beautiful the city was, especially when you drive out of the tunnel and get your first glimpse of it. Our results weren’t quite as beautiful, but they weren’t terrible either. For us, motocross has always been the goal for Chance this season, and I’m excited for that to begin. Dean had a really good day, riding smoother with fewer mistakes than the last two races. He made great passes in the beginning and was basically in a battle with someone for the entire race, and I was really stoked on him in the whoops, blitzing them the entire main event. It’s been a blast having him on the team, and we have probably never laughed harder in the truck then we have recently.”

Media contact:
Tati Ziemer // Jonnum Media // tati@jonnummedia.com // +1 (707) 888-9418
 
450SX Results

  1. Cooper Webb (Yam)
  2. Chase Sexton (KTM)
  3. Justin Cooper (Yam)
  4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
  5. Malcolm Stewart (Hus)
  6. Ken Roczen (Suz)
  7. Dylan Ferrandis (Hon)
  8. Joey Savatgy (Hon)
  9. Shane McElrath (Hon)
  10. Dean Wilson (Hon)


20. Jeremy Hand (Hon)

450SX Championship Points (after 15 of 17 rounds)

  1. Cooper Webb (325)
  2. Chase Sexton (313)
  3. Ken Roczen (271)
  4. Justin Cooper (241)
  5. Malcolm Stewart (237)
  6. Aaron Plessinger (222)
  7. Justin Barcia (185)
  8. Justin Hill (170)
  9. Dylan Ferrandis (167)
  10. Shane McElrath (163)


12. Joey Savatgy (122)
17. Jett Lawrence (71)
19. Hunter Lawrence (62)
24. Dean Wilson (30)
31. Vince Friese (14)
33. Jeremy Hand (10)
37. Ryan Breece (3)

250SX East Results

  1. Tom Vialle (KTM)
  2. Nate Thrasher (Yam)
  3. Maximus Vohland (Yam)
  4. R.J. Hampshire (Hus)
  5. Seth Hammaker (Kaw)
  6. Chance Hymas (Hon)
  7. Cullin Park (Hon)
  8. Henry Miller (Hon)
  9. Devin Simonson (Yam)
  10. Bryce Shelly (Yam)


11. Izaih Clark (Hon)
13. Justin Rodbell (Hon)
14. Trevor Colip (Hon)
16. Lance Kobusch (Hon)
22. Luke Neese (Hon)

250SX East Region Championship Points (after 9 of 10 rounds)

  1. Tom Vialle (160)
  2. Seth Hammaker (159)
  3. R.J. Hampshire (157)
  4. Nate Thrasher (128)
  5. Cullin Park (124)
  6. Chance Hymas (119)
  7. Maximus Vohland (110)
  8. Henry Miller (85)
  9. Max Anstie (78)
  10. Daxton Bennick (77)


12. Carson Mumford (51)
13. Trevor Colip (51)
16. Lance Kobusch (43)
19. Justin Rodbell (34)
20. Izaih Clark (29)
22. Luke Neese (25)
40. Nicholas Romano (3)

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Winners, losers from NASCAR Cup race at Talladega won by Austin Cindric

A look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway: WINNERS Austin Cindric — He snapped a 30-race winless streak with his victory Sunday at Talladega. He came close to winning the Daytona 500 and at Atlanta this year until late incidents. This time there were no issues and Cindric won to […]

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A look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway:

WINNERS

Austin Cindric — He snapped a 30-race winless streak with his victory Sunday at Talladega. He came close to winning the Daytona 500 and at Atlanta this year until late incidents. This time there were no issues and Cindric won to score his third career Cup win.

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Team Penske — The organization led 54.8% of the laps at Daytona and Atlanta but did not win either and had only one top-five finish in either of those races at the drafting tracks. While Team Penske only led 31 laps Sunday, it got the win — its first victory of the Cup season.

Hendrick Motorsports — Placed all four cars in the top 10, marking only the second time the team has done so at Talladega. Kyle Larson was second, William Byron third, Chase Elliott fifth and Alex Bowman seventh.

Noah Gragson — He finished a season-best fourth for his second top 10 of the year. It marks the 11th time in the last 12 races a Front Row Motorsports car has scored a top 10 at Talladega.

LOSERS

Ryan Preece — NASCAR took away his runner-up finish when his car failed post-race inspection Sunday night.

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Joey Logano — NASCAR took away his fifth-place finish when his car failed post-race inspection Sunday night.

NASCAR Xfinity: Ag-Pro 300

NASCAR Xfinity: Ag-Pro 300

Cars of Ryan Preece, Joey Logano disqualified after failing inspection at Talladega

NASCAR discovers issues with both cars in inspection after Sunday’s race.

Brad Keselowski — Eliminated in a crash when he and a few other cars were attempting to pit in the first stage. Keselowski finished 36th — the seventh time he’s finished 26th or worse in the first 10 races of the season. Keselowski fell to 32nd in the points.

Ryan Blaney — Couldn’t avoid Brad Keselowski and hit his car, ending his race. Blaney finished 37th. This is his fourth DNF of the season.

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Christopher Bell — A tap from teammate Denny Hamlin turned him while leading late in the frontstretch and sent him into Chris Buescher and the inside SAFER barrier on the backstretch. Bell finished a season-worst 35th.

Ty Dillon — Was running in the top 10, which would have been his best finish of the season, until he ran out of fuel on the last lap. He finished 23rd.



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Powersports Dealer Career Development Platform

The National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) has launched its EDGE educational platform, a major initiative for powersports dealer career development. This new platform allows dealership owners and staff to capitalize on education, development, growth and excellence. EDGE stands for: Education: Industry-leading training programs tailored for dealership roles Development: Career pathways that support dealership employee growth […]

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The National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) has launched its EDGE educational platform, a major initiative for powersports dealer career development. This new platform allows dealership owners and staff to capitalize on education, development, growth and excellence.

EDGE stands for:

  • Education: Industry-leading training programs tailored for dealership roles
  • Development: Career pathways that support dealership employee growth and retention
  • Growth: Knowledge that elevates dealership performance
  • Excellence: New standards for professionalism in powersports.

Giving Dealership Members an EDGE

“The NPDA was formed to give our dealer members an edge in profitability, so it’s exciting to get EDGE underway,” said Bob Kee, co-owner of Destination Cycle in Kerrville, Texas, and chairman of the NPDA board of directors. “Our goal is to provide dealership owners and staff with tools for sustainable profitability, and the EDGE curriculum is an important component.”

This month, the NPDA launched the EDGE platform with the first session of a year-long series of live webinars. Owners and staff at NPDA-member dealerships, along with NPDA partners, can join the webinars at no cost. Non-members can attend a webinar for a fee of $79.99.

The NPDA will promote the dealerships that generate the most attendees at each live webinar. The NPDA EDGE Leaderboard will highlight Dealerships with the highest number of webinar attendees. Sessions and topics will target a wide range of management and staff. Social media posts and NPDA.org will feature the EDGE Leaderboard in several public-facing locations.

A Platform Focused on Powersports Dealer Career Development

NPDA EDGE serves as the official education and career development platform of the NPDA. The platform equips dealership staff with the knowledge and skills they need to build lasting careers in powersports. It also helps dealerships thrive.

Participants in the NPDA EDGE program will earn a certificate of completion. These certificates recognize their engagement and commitment to professional development. Although these certificates currently do not form part of a formally accredited program, they act as a strong learning indicator. The NPDA continues to develop future EDGE offerings that will meet official certification standards.

What’s the excitement all about when it comes to the NPDA EDGE?

For starters, the EDGE is built to:

  • Strengthen dealership teams with high-impact training
  • Improve employee retention and job satisfaction
  • Provide clear, structured career pathways for staff
  • Help NPDA member dealers build high-performing teams

“The EDGE is more than an education program — it’s a competitive advantage for member dealerships and their employees,” said NPDA Executive Director Dave McMahon, who has created and hosted dealer-facing webinar classes and series for over a decade. “Our development tracks are delivered by our partners and approved by our highly successful board of directors, all of them dealership owners. We will be rolling out additional elements to EDGE, all aimed at providing our dealer members with an exceptional NPDA membership experience.”

Here’s the NPDA EDGE Top 15 Leaderboard after the April live webinars. The webinars delivered an “EDGE” in sales, digital leads and operations, and dealership financials:

  1. Destination Cycle — Texas (member since 2021)
  2. Cycle Country — Oregon (Member since 2021)
  3. Champion Harley-Davidson — New Mexico (Member since 2022)
  4. Ledgewood Powersports — New Jersey (Member since 2024)
  5. Antelope Valley Harley-Davidson — California (Member since 2023)
  6. Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson — Pennsylvania (Member since 2021)
  7. Sierra Steel Harley-Davidson — California (Member since 2022)
  8. Keystone Harley-Davidson — Pennsylvania (Member since 2021)
  9. Legacy Harley-Davidson — Illinois (Member since 2022)
  10. SF Moto — California (Member since 2023)
  11. Toms Snowmobile & Service — California (Member since 2024)
  12. Fred Cummings Motorsports — California (Member since 2023)
  13. Pony Powersports Westerville — Ohio (Member since 2024)
  14. Texas Motorsports — Texas (Member since 2021)
  15. Tim Surdyke’s Gold Star Harley-Davidson & Outdoors — Missouri (Member since 2024)

The May webinars will continue the EDGE program’s focus on advancing powersports dealer career development. These sessions will cover sales, pre-owned units and operations, and Strategy.





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Transcript: Austin Cindric – Frontstretch Interview – 04.27.25 – Speedway Digest

Q. Austin, you have been so close here at Talladega and Daytona since the Daytona 500 win. Now you finally get another one. AUSTIN CINDRIC: Just so proud of this team, from the cycles, to the fast cars, the fuel-only stops, Doug my spotter. I’ve been trying for probably three or four years to get […]

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Q. Austin, you have been so close here at Talladega and Daytona since the Daytona 500 win. Now you finally get another one.

AUSTIN CINDRIC: Just so proud of this team, from the cycles, to the fast cars, the fuel-only stops, Doug my spotter. I’ve been trying for probably three or four years to get a Cup win for Menards and John Menards.

That bright yellow car looks great up front. I’m thankful for everyone’s support. The Ford Performance, Roush-Yates engine packages at these type of racetracks are second to none.

We talk about in every single one of these meetings why we haven’t won one of these races. Just really proud of the effort and very thankful for Discount Tires, NAPA, Auto Trader, Roger Penske, everybody that makes this possible for me.

Q. You had the quickest pit stop on the last cycle that helped you get the lead. You have to hold all these guys coming to the start/finish line. What was going on as you were coming off of turn four?

AUSTIN CINDRIC: It definitely was not easy. I give a lot of credit, Kyle did a lot to take care of me, pushing me at the right times in the tri-oval. As mad as I was at him after Atlanta, I feel like we’re good now. That was great.

Having a photo finish at Talladega, to be able to do it, get in the Playoffs in front of this amazing crowd on a beautiful day in Alabama.

NASCAR PR



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Nitro Motorsports Wins and Podiums in Trans Am, Finishes Second in ARCA, and Earns Highest Finishing Female Award in Toyota GR Cup – Speedway Digest

With drivers competing nationwide, Nitro Motorsports had one of their best weekends to date in 2025. Earning the Trans Am Presented by Pirelli TA2 victory at the Sonoma Raceway with Brent Crews, Thad Moffit narrowly missed the win in the ARCA Menards Series at the Talladega Superspeedway. Paityn MaryJane earned the Highest Finishing Female award […]

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With drivers competing nationwide, Nitro Motorsports had one of their best weekends to date in 2025. Earning the Trans Am Presented by Pirelli TA2 victory at the Sonoma Raceway with Brent Crews, Thad Moffit narrowly missed the win in the ARCA Menards Series at the Talladega Superspeedway. Paityn MaryJane earned the Highest Finishing Female award twice at the Circuit of the Americas in the Toyota GR Cup Series as the 2025 season is in full swing.

“I wanted to be at all three events, but obviously that is not possible,” explained Nitro Motorsports’ Nick Tucker. “It’s cool to watch your drivers at one event live, while trying to find phone or internet signal to watch your team compete on the other side of the country. All in all, it was a good weekend, and we have a lot of positive momentum on our side. Already looking forward to next weekend!”

With three different series in competition across three different venues in North America, eight Nitro Motorsports drivers took on the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli and the Trans Am Series Western Championship at the famed Sonoma Raceway. With qualifying rained out, the grid was set by practice two times, and Brent Crews started from the inside of the front row. Showing speed from lap one, Crews dominated the wheel-to-wheel action, earning another TA2 win for Nitro Motorsports, their third win in as many races. Crews also earned the Omologato Fastest Lap of the Race award. Sam Corry and Julian DaCosta finished fifth and seventh, respectively, to put three Nitro Motorsports drivers inside the top-ten. Point leader and two-time race winner in 2025, Thomas Annunziata started the race third but finished well down the running order, while Gian Buffomante and Boris Said Jr. were classified tenth and 13th in the National class.

Finishing 11th on track but third in the Trans Am Series Western Championship results, Mia Lovell garnered a podium result for Nitro Motorsports and stood on the podium for the second consecutive Western Championship event. Seamus McKendree, competing in the same class as Lovell, started sixth in class and finished just behind Lovell in fourth, adding another top-five to his results resume.

In Alabama, it was the Nitro Motorsports ARCA Menards Series duo of Thad Moffitt and Amber Balcaen who battled the Talladega Superspeedway, and it ended positively for the team. After having both drivers taken out of the race due to incidents at the opening event at the Daytona International Speedway, and Thad Moffit earning Nitro Motorsports’ first career top-ten in Phoenix a few weeks later, Moffit reset the squad’s highest finish, crossing the line second in a hard-fought battle for the win. Amber Balcaen had a solid result after starting 27th on the grid and eventually was classified 16th on the results sheet.

In a one-lap shootout after a late race caution, Moffit was able to get off the line good, but with his competitor’s teammate behind him assisting in a push to the finish, the Nitro Motorsports driver crossed the line six one thousandths of a second behind the race winner.

“It sucks, but it’s good at the same time. I thought I won that race. I thought I got through the box better, I thought I got down to turn one better, but he just had his teammate behind him to give him a push-down into turn one,” explained a dejected Moffit. “Nitro Motorsports is going to win races this year. I got a good group. I’ve got a good team. Super thankful to be part of Toyota Gazooo Racing in the Toyota Development program. We will show people what we’re made of the rest of the year. I am just dejected right now, but we will take this result, and it will give us momentum moving forward. Right now, it just sucks.”

Back in Texas, it was the Nitro Motorsports Toyota GR Cup North America program that was on track at the famed Circuit of the Americas. Ethan Ayers led the four-driver squad on the results sheet throughout the weekend, finishing seventh on Saturday and 11th on Sunday, while Paityn MaryJane earned the Highest Finishing Female award both days, taking $10,000 home for her efforts. The Tovo Twins of Ethan and Jackson Tovo had a challenging day on Saturday but returned Sunday to cross the line 15th and 18th, rebounding from their previous day results.

With no rest for the wicked, the Nitro Motorsports Trans Am Presented by Pirelli team will be back on track this weekend at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

For more information on Nitro Motorsports, please visit them online or contact Nick Tucker via email HERE or visit them online at www.RaceNitro.com.

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NASCAR power rankings after Austin Cindric’s win at Talladega – NBC4 Washington

As it often does, Talladega Superspeedway produced another thrilling finish on Sunday. Austin Cindric ended up in victory lane by a narrow margin over Ryan Preece, who was later disqualified for failing post-race car inspection. Cindric’s victory still stood, as the Team Penske driver punched his ticket to the playoffs for the third time in […]

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As it often does, Talladega Superspeedway produced another thrilling finish on Sunday.

Austin Cindric ended up in victory lane by a narrow margin over Ryan Preece, who was later disqualified for failing post-race car inspection. Cindric’s victory still stood, as the Team Penske driver punched his ticket to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

It was Cindric’s third career victory, as he’s now won in three of his four Cup seasons.

Next up is a trip to the Lone Star State for a 400-mile race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. How does the field stack up after Talladega? Here’s our latest NASCAR power rankings:

1. Kyle Larson

Last week: 2

Nearly every trip to Alabama has been a nightmare for Larson since entering the Cup Series. In 20 starts before Sunday, he had two top-fives and six DNFs. That’s what made his second-place result, which included a stage win and 19 stage points, all the more impressive.

2. Denny Hamlin

Last week: 1

Hamlin and his Toyota teammates were on the verge of controlling the race before green-flag stops didn’t go their way. They all got stuck back in traffic for the closing laps, and Hamlin only finished 21st in a disappointing finish — snapping a streak of four straight top-five runs.

3. William Byron

Last week: 3

He’s leading the points standings, he won the Daytona 500 and he was third at Talladega. Byron is rolling through the early portion of the season, even if he doesn’t have as many victories to show for it (like Larson and Hamlin). It feels like the floodgates are going to open soon for the No. 24 team.

4. Christopher Bell

Last week: 4

Bell was leading late in Stage 1 when contact from his teammate Hamlin sent him spinning. He collected Chris Buescher and then slammed the inside wall, ending a once-promising day with a 35th-place finish. It was Bell’s second DNF of the season — he also crashed out of the Daytona 500.

5. Chase Elliott

Last week: 7

This team has a special ability to maximize every week. So, while the No. 9 hasn’t shown race-winning speed all season, Elliott continues to make the most out of it. He was fifth at Talladega, giving him a sixth top-10 and 10th top-20 in 10 races this season. He made it 19 straight races inside the top-20 to start last season, and he’s already more than halfway to doing it again. Oh, and Elliott’s last win came at Texas in 2024.

6. Ryan Blaney

Last week: 5

The driver with the worst luck in 2025 had another bad spell on Sunday. Blaney couldn’t avoid an accident involving Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, sending him to the garage for his fourth DNF of the season. It seems like Blaney should have several wins this season, and Talladega (his best track) was another missed opportunity.

7. Tyler Reddick

Last week: 6

The defending Talladega winner was oddly quiet in this year’s race, mustering a 14th-place finish with sixth stage points in a decent run. Reddick has just four top-10s this season, well off his pace from last year when he won the regular season title and made the Championship 4. Texas, where he won in 2022, could get him back on track.

8. Bubba Wallace

Last week: 8

Eighth-place finish and a stage win — those are the types of days that Wallace needs if he wants to make the playoffs again. Wallace has earned the fourth-most stage points this season, trailing only Byron, Larson and Blaney. That type of consistency will go a long way, even if Wallace is now going on three years without a win.

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace is one of the most recognized names in NASCAR. Here’s what you need to know.

9. Alex Bowman

Last week: First four out

Bowman posted his sixth top-10 of the year as he continued his quiet, steady season. He and Elliott have been overshadowed by their teammates Byron and Larson, but Hendrick Motorsports truly has four strong drivers. Bowman’s finish snapped a streak of three straight runs outside the top-25.

10. Joey Logano

Last week: 10

Logano’s car failed post-race inspection, which wiped away his fifth-place run — which would’ve been his first top-five of the year. The defending champion was instead credited with last place, dropping him to 11th in the points standings. Logano has just one top-10 in 10 races this season.

First four out: Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher



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