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Trackside to Online: How Sponsors Bridge Live Racing and Digital Play – Speedway Digest

Trackside banners and car hood badges are no longer the only ways to promote a race. By fusing the sound of an engine with the buzz of a smartphone, sponsors now seek to connect with fans both on the racetrack and on their screens. Companies are using digital technologies, such as social media, live streams, […]

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Trackside banners and car hood badges are no longer the only ways to promote a race. By fusing the sound of an engine with the buzz of a smartphone, sponsors now seek to connect with fans both on the racetrack and on their screens. Companies are using digital technologies, such as social media, live streams, mobile games, and apps, to provide a live racing digital experience that keeps spectators interested before, during, and after the checkered flag drops as they search for new ways to remain in touch.

Sponsors are changing the way motorsports fans engage with the sport through virtual events and mobile platforms. The boundaries between the real and virtual racing worlds are rapidly blurring, whether it is through esports competitions, AR-enhanced overlays, or real-time leaderboards.

From Trackside to Digital

Racing sponsorship has progressed well beyond billboards and decals. Brands today desire more intimate, engaging relationships with their fans. They now develop methods that follow fans home and reside in their phones, tablets, and smart TVs rather than depending only on visibility at the track. Technology is the driving force behind this transition from passive viewing to engagement, and the people funding these experiences are the sponsors.

We are witnessing how digital connections can enhance audience participation across all forms of entertainment. This trend began with exploring online casinos and other forms of betting, such as the best online casinos in Canada, for instance. It is a good example because Canada’s betting market has experienced significant growth after transitioning to the online world. This change has resulted in a wider variety of interactive platforms, tailored user experiences, and fresh chances for marketers to connect with customers in more interesting and dynamic ways. As innovation proceeds, we may anticipate the emergence of increasingly more immersive and socially integrated entertainment genres.

Fans can now follow their favourite drivers in real time while participating in surveys, quiz games, and branded challenges thanks to resources like dual-screen experiences and smartphone race apps.

Virtual Racing and eSports

Virtual racing fan engagement is increasing as well. In an attempt to target a younger, tech-savvy audience, sponsors are venturing into the world of motorsport esports sponsorship, from eNASCAR to the F1 eSports Series. Fans can watch (or perhaps participate in) these sim racing events from anywhere in the world. Additionally, they give sponsors a low-risk, high-reward setting in which to test out innovative initiatives.

These races are not only exciting and quick-paced, but they also generate excitement for actual races. Virtual events enhance live races rather than merely imitate them. Before delving into live racing, some fans get enamored with esports. In order to draw in and turn digital-only viewers into lifelong motorsport enthusiasts, sponsors are taking advantage of this crossover.

Fan Apps and Digital Platforms

Mobile apps are rapidly taking the place of traditional race-day companions. These sponsored  platforms provide fans with:

  • immediate access to race replays
  • driver telemetry
  • real-time statistics
  • fantasy challenges

These platforms have evolved into more than just tools; they are now the hubs for motorsport fan engagement technology. For sponsors, these apps serve as direct marketing avenues as well. They provide marketers with a more individualized touchpoint than traditional advertisements by offering discounts, exclusive items, or sweepstakes entries directly through the app.

Additionally, by using geolocation and user data, sponsors can adjust their offers according to user behavior, increasing the efficacy and engagement of their campaigns.

Social Media Integration

TikTok, Instagram, and X are among the channels where motorsport social media engagement is most prevalent. Quick, visually appealing, and shareable material has given sponsors new life. The possibilities are infinite, ranging from behind-the-scenes tales to driver-themed TikTok dance routines. The power of social media integration is evident in the fact that Lewis Hamilton gained 98,730 followers following the release of the latest Drive to Survive series – an increase that continued, with over 50,000 more joining on the day he was officially announced as a Ferrari driver.

Fans are encouraged to join in the action with interactive posts such as “Pick Your Winner” surveys or hashtag challenges during races. In addition to increasing brand recognition, these interactive motorsport fan experience initiatives transform spectators into active participants in the race day environment. Sponsors can also use social media as a feedback loop, monitoring which content resonates with fans and making adjustments in real time.

AR/VR Enhancements

Augmented and virtual reality are pushing motorsports into new dimensions – literally. In order to offer experiences such as 360-degree cockpit views, virtual pit visits, or overlaying lap statistics onto phone screens during live races, sponsors are using augmented reality in motorsport.

Fans can engage with branded effects or put themselves in the driver’s seat using AR filters on Instagram or Snapchat, which helps them feel a stronger emotional connection to the team and sponsor. These encounters are frequently gamified, which increases the exposure by motivating fans to finish tasks or post moments online.

To give spectators the impression that they are in the grandstand or even in the car without ever leaving their living room, virtual reality is also being tested for immersive race replays. These resources improve the accessibility, immersion, and memorability of the live racing digital experience.

Benefits for Fans and Sponsors

Each of these digital tactics benefits both parties. Sponsors are concerned with :

They can reach more people by going digital than they could with traditional trackside advertisements. Their investments are more intelligent and effective since they can track click-through rates, watch time, and conversions in real time.

Conversely, fans enjoy a more comprehensive experience. They live races, not just watch them. Fans are more connected to their favorite drivers, teams, and companies than ever before because of apps, social media, augmented reality, and esports. These tools facilitate timely, relevant, and frequently fruitful digital promotions in motorsport.

Conclusion

Motorsports is now more than simply a trackside experience; it’s a fusion of virtual and real-world excitement. In order to foster a new era of motorsport gaming sponsorship and also maximize interactive motorsport fan experience, modern sponsors are fusing cutting-edge technologies with standard branding. They will continue to lead the way in creating smooth, engaging, and immersive touchpoints across all digital platforms as fans seek more in-depth and practical ways to engage with their favorite sport.





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NASCAR announces conclusion time for Pocono Cup Series race

Today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was delayed about two hours due to rain. So, there is a possibility that the sun ends this race. NASCAR has set the time that the race will end tonight, if we haven’t run all of the laps by sunset. NASCAR has started to make these decisions […]

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Today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway was delayed about two hours due to rain. So, there is a possibility that the sun ends this race. NASCAR has set the time that the race will end tonight, if we haven’t run all of the laps by sunset.

NASCAR has started to make these decisions more public. It felt like this was an emphasis starting last year. Tonight, the time that NASCAR has listed for Pocono is 8:25 PM ET.

Dustin Long of NBC Sports shared the decision from NASCAR on X/Twitter. If the race hasn’t concluded by the listed time, the leader will cross the line, and from there, it will be a two-lap race to the finish.

Now, before you get too upset, this race has time to finish all 400 miles. Starting at 4:30 PM ET, the race is expected to take just over three hours. So, we’re looking at around 8:00 PM ET or sooner for the conclusion of this race? That’s barring any weather or extensive caution-related delays.

Pocono has had its fair share of rain in the past for both NASCAR and IndyCar races. It is known for being foggy at times, and today’s delay was nothing new. Good news, blue skies, and warm temperatures right now as the race is underway.

Denny Hamlin searching for eighth NASCAR win at Pocono

This weekend has been the Denny Hamlin show early. He comes back after taking last weekend off following the birth of his son, Jameson. While he probably got less sleep than the drivers who went to Mexico City, Hamlin seems refreshed.

For the fifth time in his career, Hamlin won the pole at Pocono. He is now tied for most poles in Cup Series history at Pocono. Of course, he has seven wins, the most all-time in Cup history. Hamlin wants to add another NASCAR win at Pocono, especially coming off his win at Michigan two weeks ago.

There has been a lot of talk about Denny Hamlin and entering the twilight years of his career. But lately, Hamlin has seemed to be at the top of his game. At this rate, how many more years does he have left? It feels like more than one or two, that’s for sure.

Pocono is where he is at his best. So, someone else is going to have to beat Hamlin today if they want to win this race.





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Daniel Wilkerson Wins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at Virginia NHRA Nationals

Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang team picked up their first Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season Saturday while qualifying for the American Rebel Light Beer Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park just outside of Richmond. Racing three-time world champion Ron Capps in the finals, Wilkerson handled the SCAG […]

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Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang team picked up their first Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season Saturday while qualifying for the American Rebel Light Beer Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park just outside of Richmond.

Racing three-time world champion Ron Capps in the finals, Wilkerson handled the SCAG Mustang to the quickest pass of the third qualifying session with a 4.038-second pass at 320.74 mph. Capps came up short with a clean pass at 4.063 and 315.12.

“I’m just so proud of this whole SCAG Ford team,” said Wilkerson who earns three bonus championship points as well as a cash prize. “I feel like I’ve hosed this a couple times, and my team has been working through it so well. I’m so blessed, I’m so lucky to get to work with SCAG Power Equipment, Summit, Ford. My family isn’t here; they were there in Bristol. I put them through a lot of crap doing this and I’m sad they aren’t here, but I guess it just means we have to win the thing again next week in Norwalk, Ohio.”

In the first round, Wilkerson, in a rematch of the semifinal from the Thunder Valley Nationals, took down Paul Lee. Wilkerson made his quickest pass of qualifying, 4.022 at 320.36, to defeat Lee, who had to shut off early, coasting to a 4.521 at 191.43.

Wilkerson is qualified No. 4 for race day and will race against teammate Dave Richards. Richards and the BlueBird Turf / Versatran team are qualified 13th after a 4.267 pass. In Top Fuel, the SCAG Toyota dragster of Justin Ashley is qualified No. 9 and will faceoff with Doug Foley first round.

Eliminations at the American Rebel Light Beer Virginia NHRA Nationals begin Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Fans can catch qualifying action on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET and eliminations coverage on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET. 

This story was originally published on June 22, 2025. Drag IllustratedDrag Illustrated





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Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes historic win on shock NASCAR debut at Pocono

Cup Series legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a brilliant winning debut in a new NASCAR role this weekend. The 50-year-old won 26 races in his Cup Series career, but it was the Xfinity Series – which he won twice in 1998 and 1999 – where he made his crew chief debut at NASCAR level […]

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Cup Series legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a brilliant winning debut in a new NASCAR role this weekend.

The 50-year-old won 26 races in his Cup Series career, but it was the Xfinity Series – which he won twice in 1998 and 1999 – where he made his crew chief debut at NASCAR level this weekend.

Earnhardt Jr. is the owner of JR Motorsports, team that runs four full-time entries in the series, including Connor Zilisch in the No. 88.

No. 88 crew chief Mardy Lindley was suspended this weekend for a loose lug-nut penalty at Nashville, which was deferred to this weekend’s race at Pocono. That left the team needing to fill that spot and Earnhardt Jr., who was already scheduled to be at the race for the Amazon Prime broadcast, stepped up.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Cup Series star eliminated despite win as team drop controversial crew member

Earnhardt Jr.: Zilisch is going to be a big deal

Zilisch won in a chaotic race which saw more cautions thrown than any other Xfinity Series race at Pocono, with Earnhardt Jr. saying after the chequered flag: “Yeah, it sure was [fun]. When we have an issue like this with somebody being suspended, and uh, Mardy and everybody, they know what to do. Just a great job, putting us in a position to succeed. And we had a lot of things go our way.

“A lot of good luck. Great strategy. Had a little help from Letarte up here. I wasn’t not gonna have Steve Letarte not get on this pit box after the races we won together in 2014. So, he was a big help. But Pat, everybody on this team, just amazing all weekend long. And what a great race car driver. Connor Zilisch is going to be a big deal in this sport for a long time. So, a lot of fun for me today!”

He added: “I missed the thrill of competition, you know. I love broadcasting, don’t get me wrong, but nothing compares to driving or just being kind of part of the team, and being an owner doesn’t really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun, thank you.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pocono Results Today




Pos Driver Car No Team
1 Connor Zilisch 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
2 Jesse Love 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
3 Christian Eckes 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
4 Chase Elliott 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
5 Ryan Sieg 39 RSS Racing Ford
6 Carson Kvapil 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
7 Sam Mayer 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
8 Sammy Smith 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
9 Taylor Gray 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
10 Justin Allgaier 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
11 Jeb Burton 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet
12 Jeremy Clements 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet
13 Anthony Alfredo 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet
14 Harrison Burton 25 AM Racing Ford
15 Josh Williams 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
16 Brennan Poole 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet
17 Dean Thompson 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota
18 Brandon Jones 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
19 Matt DiBenedetto 99 Viking Motorsports Chevrolet
20 Mason Massey 91 DGM Racing Chevrolet
21 William Sawalich 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
22 Parker Retzlaff 4 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet
23 Josh Bilicki 14 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet
24 Leland Honeyman 43 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet
25 Kyle Sieg 28 RSS Racing Ford
26 Garrett Smithley 6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet
27 Logan Bearden 36 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet
28 Nicholas Sanchez 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet
29 Blaine Perkins 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet
30 Patrick Emerling 53 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet
31 Daniel Dye 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
32 Ryan Ellis 71 DGM Racing Chevrolet
33 Dawson Cram 4X CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet
34 Carson Ware 74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet
35 Austin Hill 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
36 Sheldon Creed 00 Haas Factory Team Ford
37 Kris Wright 5 Our Motorsports Chevrolet
38 Justin Bonsignore 51X MBM Motorsports Toyota

NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pocono Stage 2 results



Pos Driver Car No Team
1 Connor Zilisch 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
2 Taylor Gray 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3 Nick Sanchez 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet
4 Jesse Love 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5 Christian Eckes 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
6 Ryan Sieg 39 RSS Racing Ford
7 Justin Allgaier 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
8 Sammy Smith 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
9 Carson Kvapil 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
10 Jeb Burton 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pocono Stage 1 results



Pos Driver Car No Team
1 Brandon Jones 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2 Nick Sanchez 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet
3 Connor Zilisch 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
4 Ryan Sieg 39 RSS Racing Ford
5 Christian Eckes 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
6 Sammy Smith 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
7 William Sawalich 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
8 Sheldon Creed 00 Haas Factory Team Ford
9 Jeremy Clements 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet
10 Austin Hill 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

READ MORE: NASCAR Qualifying Results: Cup Series legend shines on return as 23XI suffer disaster

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No. 6 Porsche leads Sahlen’s Six Hours at halfway

An eventful first half of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen run under a variety of weather conditions saw the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Matt Campbell at the head of the field at the halfway point. Streaming race coverage continues in the U.S. on Peacock and internationally via the […]

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An eventful first half of the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen run under a variety of weather conditions saw the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Matt Campbell at the head of the field at the halfway point. Streaming race coverage continues in the U.S. on Peacock and internationally via the IMSA YouTube channel through the checkered flag just past 6pm ET.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship commenced the third round of the 2025 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup season and the sixth race weekend of the full season at Watkins Glen International first under cloudy skies, before a deluge of rain a half hour into the race upended the proceedings and six full-course cautions disrupted the flow.

From GTP and overall pole, Renger van der Zande led the 55-car field to green in the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06 but he wasn’t up front for long. From 10th on the grid, Felipe Nasr delivered a remarkable start to the lead by lap 4 in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, completing the lead with a two-in-one on the outside of Turn 9 past Jack Aitken in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R and van der Zande, who’d fallen to second.

Nasr wasn’t the only big mover. From last on the 20-car GTD grid, Alessandro Pier Guidi leapt to fourth in the same timeframe in the No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.

When the skies opened a half hour into the race, several incidents followed, including a significant collision between the No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports and No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07 cars in LMP2 exiting Turn 9. As a GT car tipped the No. 52 car into a spin, the No. 11 car had nowhere to go and hit the No. 52 car square on. The incident popped the No. 11 car’s windshield out of the car. Both drivers, Rodrigo Sales and Steven Thomas, were evaluated and released from the infield care center.

The rain’s effect on the race necessitated most of the field switching from Michelin’s slick tires to wet-weather tires during the deluge, and back to slicks again as the humid conditions helped the track dry quite quickly.

In the third hour, most teams had completed their first driver change of the race – this race allows for teams to run either two or three drivers, depending on class – and shuffled the leaders.

By pitting in advance of a yellow flag for the GTD PRO Motul Pole Award-winning No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 stopped on course, Lamborghini’s GTP entry moved to the front of the field.

Romain Grosjean moved clear to the lead in the No. 63 Automobili Lamborghini Squadra Corse Lamborghini SC63 and led away from Kaku Ohta who’d taken over the No. 93 Acura from van der Zande. Daniil Kvyat (No. 63 Lamborghini) and Nick Yelloly (No. 93 Acura) just took over right at the three-hour marks under the sixth and most recent full-course caution.

With the caution, the orders changed and the unofficial leaders listed at the three-hour mark included:

  • GTP: No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963
  • LMP2: No. 43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA LMP2 07
  • GTD PRO: No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO
  • GTD: No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3

The top three scorers at the three-hour mark receive five, four and three points, respectively, per class for the Michelin Endurance Cup with all others receiving two.

The No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 shared by Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy continues to lead the Michelin Endurance Cup standings in the GTP class, with the No. 43 Inter Europol entry atop LMP2, the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW leads GTD PRO points, and the No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari moved into the GTD Michelin Endurance Cup lead.



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Ribeiro and Ambiado take FR Americas wins at Mid-Ohio

Bruno Ribeiro put on a dominating performance to claim the victory in Formula Regional Americas Championship’s (FR Americas) opening race of the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour weekend. Taking on the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) set the pace from lights to checkered in an all-green race. […]

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Bruno Ribeiro put on a dominating performance to claim the victory in Formula Regional Americas Championship’s (FR Americas) opening race of the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour weekend. Taking on the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) set the pace from lights to checkered in an all-green race.

Leading the field down the starting grid after securing his first-career pole in yesterday’s qualifying session, Ribeiro successfully held off his Kiwi Motorsport teammate Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), as well as third-place starter—and finisher—Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Rayne Nutrition / Ronald McDonald House Charities / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3). Unchallenged in his fight to the finish, Ribeiro easily claimed his first victory of the 2025 season, becoming the fifth driver to win this season in FR Americas.

Notes of Interest:

Bruno Ribeiro claimed his first win of the 2025 season, and second of his career, at Mid-Ohio on Saturday morning.

Ribeiro joined Sherlock (four wins), Ambiado (two wins), Golan (one win), and Bowling (one win) as 2025 race winners.

In nine races this season, Ribeiro has finished on the podium seven times, with today being his first win of the year. The victory allowed him to match Nicolas Ambiado in the point standings, with the two teammates now tied for the championship lead.

Ambiado earned his sixth podium of the 2025 season, while Titus Sherlock recorded his fifth podium of 2025.

Three nations were represented on today’s podium, with Brazilian Ribeiro winning the event, Ambiado hailing from Chile, and Sherlock, an American.

“I’m just super thankful I managed to get P1,” said Ribeiro. “On the last few laps, we were battling an issue with the tire. I don’t know what happened exactly, but I thought that maybe I wasn’t going to make it to the finish. It’s a pretty hot day today. I’m just super happy to give the guys the result they deserve today; I have no words.”

Nicolas Ambiado retakes points lead with win in Race 2 at Mid-Ohio

Nicolas Ambiado earned his third Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) win of the 2025 season in Race 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The victory gave him an edge in the battle for the title, allowing him to recapture the championship lead with a seven-point margin.

Starting the race from the second position, Ambiado took the lead from polesitter Bruno Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) racing into Turn 1 on the first lap and never looked back. After a car stalled on the starting grid to bring out the safety car, Ambiado overcame the challenge of an early restart to maintain the lead and race toward the checkered flag. The Chilean’s biggest challenge came with just over five minutes left on the clock when Ribeiro pulled wheel to wheel with Ambiado to challenge for the lead. With slight contact made between the two, Ambiado went from just a 0.352 lead to pulling away from the field.

Ambiado crossed the line first, with Ribeiro in second, while Jett Bowling (No. 22 Bullhorn / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) completed the pass on Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Rayne Nutrition / Ronald McDonald House Charities / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) during the closing laps to snag the third and final podium position.

Notes of Interest:

Nicolas Ambiado scored his third win of the 2025 season. With seven podiums in 10 rounds, the Chilean leads the points championship with a seven-point advantage.

Bruno Ribeiro earned his eighth podium of 2025. Earlier in the day, he scored his first-career race win, following it up with a second-place result in Race 2.

For the fifth time this season, Jett Bowling finished on the podium, taking home third place in Race 2.

Kiwi Motorsport swept the podium in Race 2. With four of the top-five finishers competing for the team, this was the fourth time this season Kiwi Motorsport has swept a race podium.

“That was a really hard race,” said Ambiado. “I had pressure from Bruno but I had a great start and then a good restart after the safety car. Physically, it was very hard. The sun was hot, but if you’re a driver, you need to be physically and mentally strong. That’s all in the training. I have to thank my team, Kiwi Motorsport, as well as my family and all my friends.”



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Connor Zilisch gives Dale Earnhardt Jr. his first NASCAR win as a crew chief

LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the role seriously. He attended meetings. He took notes. He was at a pit practice. When the Xfinity Series garage opened Friday afternoon at at Pocono Raceway, he was there. This was not a publicity stunt or a chance to add another line to his Hall of […]

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LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the role seriously. He attended meetings. He took notes. He was at a pit practice.

When the Xfinity Series garage opened Friday afternoon at at Pocono Raceway, he was there.

This was not a publicity stunt or a chance to add another line to his Hall of Fame resume. Earnhardt was committed to filling the role vacated by Mardy Lindley, who was serving a one-race suspension after Connor Zilisch’s car had multiple lug nuts not secure earlier this month at Nashville.

It was Lindley who suggested that Earnhardt, co-owner of the JR Motorsports car, take the role of crew chief for Saturday’s race. Earnhardt accepted, having never served in that role in a NASCAR national series race.

Zilisch took the lead with five laps to go to score his third career Xfinity win (first on an oval) and give Earnhardt the win as crew chief.

“Certainly more of an adrenaline rush than being an owner,” Earnhardt said after becoming one of the few in NASCAR to have a win as a driver, owner and crew chief. “I love owning race cars, and I love racking up statistics and championships, but it does not have the competitive sort of skin in the game, if you will, this specific day does.

“When you’re the crew chief, you’re under a ton of pressure. I understand that I did not come in here and handle all of the layers that Mardy usually handles or any given crew chief manages, They were certainly putting me in a position to do some light lifting. As the race went on, we got more comfortable and more aggressive and it was fun.

“Felt like I really had some involvement and input in the energy that the crew had … keeping them pumped up and keeping everybody executing, keeping Connor aware of what our goals were, what our expectations were on these restarts. He wanted to deliver on all those expectations. I felt like in that aspect it was a good day.”

The hardest part of the day for Earnhardt?

Climbing down the pit box to stand behind the pit wall and roll a tire to the carrier during a pit stop.

“I think the one thing I was most nervous about was actually setting that left front tire. … There’s a tenth (of a second) or two or even half a second between how far you can get it out there to (the tire carrier). You need that stripe up so he knows where the lugs are and to place the tire quickly. All these things are very minute, but they’re important that he grabs the tire from you in a certain way, and I didn’t want to mess that up.”

Jesse Love finished second and was followed by Christian Eckes, Chase Elliott and Ryan Sieg.

Stage 1 winner: Brandon Jones

Stage 2 winner: Connor Zilisch

Next: The series races at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, June 27 at Atlanta.





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