Motorsports
Zane Smith earns first NASCAR Cup pole with monster lap at Talladega
Front Row Motorsports isn’t unfamiliar with the front row at superspeedways, but it’s not a place we’ve ever seen Zane Smith before today. Driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang, he was the fastest man at Talladega in both rounds of qualifying, earning his first career pole in his 55th career start. Crew chief Ryan Bergenty was […]

Front Row Motorsports isn’t unfamiliar with the front row at superspeedways, but it’s not a place we’ve ever seen Zane Smith before today. Driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang, he was the fastest man at Talladega in both rounds of qualifying, earning his first career pole in his 55th career start. Crew chief Ryan Bergenty was ecstatic and actively celebrating on pit road as his car rocketed to the top of the time charts.
Smith’s previous best start in the Cup Series is only seventh, coming at Atlanta earlier this year. His lap time at Talladega was simply stunning, beating the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Kyle Busch by over a tenth (0.132s).
“I wish I could take a lot of the credit for it, but truthfully, just a really fast FRM Ford,” said Smith. So cool — a pole-sitter in the Cup Series. That’s awesome. Just a huge shoutout to all of these guys. They’ve been doing an awesome job this year. Long race tomorrow, but a great starting spot, so I’m super stoked for this.”
Busch on the front row
Busch was the highest-qualifying Chevrolet, earning his first front row start since winning pole position at Dover one year ago. “That feels pretty good,” said Busch. “Great job by these guys … great start for RCR and our Chevrolet. Austin [Dillon] is right up there too. Looking forward to it. Obviously, it’s good to start up front. Hopefully you can hold that position and keep it up front.
“All about trying to score some stage points and stay out of the melee. You never know where that comes from. Heck, it could even come from behind you and you can be in it. But a solid start to the weekend. Just again proves that the RCR guys, when it comes to the plate racing stuff, we’re on top of that. I feel good about coming to these places, so I appreciate all of the hard work.”
Where the rest of the contenders line up
Joey Logano qualified third, Ryan Preece Ford, and Austin Dillon fifth. Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, and Ty Gibbs filled out the remainder of the top ten.
Advancing into the final round of qualifying were seven Fords, two Chevrolets, and on Toyota. Gibbs was the lone representative for Toyota and also the last driver to advance, beating teammate Christopher Bell by 0.012s. Joe Gibbs Racing earned pole position in this year’s Daytona 500, but 500 pole-sitter Chase Briscoe was only 17th in Talladega qualifying.
Some other notable names starting deeper in the field include Bubba Wallace in 20th, Brad Keselowski 22nd, Kyle Larson 25th, Tyler Reddick 26th, Chase Elliott 30th, Ross Chastain 32nd, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — the most recent winner at Talladega — only reaching 35th on the grid. The good news for Stenhouse is that he also started outside the top-30 when he won that race last fall.
Single-car qualifying around the 2.66-mile superspeedway was completed without any mechanical issues or on-track incidents.
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Motorsports
DragChamp Top 10 List – 6/11/25 Edition
Kevin Brannon wins 18 straight rounds at the Sean Serra Memorial race to lead the DragChamp Top 10 List, presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance 06/11/25 – We’ve accumulated the best performers from the past week for the Top 10 List presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance. Read below to see how they ranked. Racecar insurance is more […]

Kevin Brannon wins 18 straight rounds at the Sean Serra Memorial race to lead the DragChamp Top 10 List, presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance
06/11/25 – We’ve accumulated the best performers from the past week for the Top 10 List presented by Laris Motorsports Insurance. Read below to see how they ranked.

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Want to check out previous Top 10 Lists, click here.

DragChamp Top 10 List
1 – Kevin Brannon

KB was doing KB things at the Sean Serra Memorial race this past weekend. Kevin turned on 18 straight win lights to sweep the weekend winning $20,000 on Saturday and $31,390 on Sunday! His unbelievable run over the weekend also earned him the MVP title.
2 – Spencer Lacy

Spencer Lacy enjoyed a big weekend at Norwalk which included two wins, a runner-up, and a semifinal finish. Lacy won the Box Gamblers race on Friday while also posting a semifinal finish in No Box. He added a runner-up in Super Pro on Saturday and finished the weekend with a victory in the Pro class.
3 – Mason Fix

Mason Fix sits in the #3 spot this week after an impressive weekend at the Line Up Triple 10K’s. His weekend included a Gambler runner-up, two No Box wins, and a Main Event runner-up and semi.
4 – Devin O’Brien

Devin O’Brien makes a Top 10 appearance after winning the Ultimate 64 Shootout main event.
5 – T.G. Paschal

T.G Paschal earned a Top 5 spot after cashing for $20,000 Friday night at the Sean Serra Memorial race.

6 – Darian Boesch

Darian Boesch makes another Top 10 appearance after driving to two final round appearances in Bristol. Running the rain-delayed Gatornationals, Darian made 11 rounds between his Top Dragster and Top Sportsman Camaro to find himself in both finals. While he came up short in the Top Dragster final, he still has another shot at a Wally when the Top Sportsman final is completed at a future event.
7 – Scott Dugdale

Scott Dugdale doubled up in the Stock/Super Stock Combo class winning 10 straight rounds at Brainerd International Raceway.
8 – Charlie Lockhart

Charlie Lockhart lands in the #8 spot after making three final round appearances in the last two weeks. A week ago Charlie won No Box and was runner-up to his brother Wesley in Super Pro at Gleason. This past weekend, Charlie won the No Box class at Beacon to lock in a Top 10 spot.
9 – Michael Pliska

Michael Pliska took home a $5,000 victory and the weekend MVP award at the Woodburn Dragway Summer Showdown. Pliska won the most rounds at the event while also posting the most dead-on laps. As a matter of fact, Pliska used the same 5.70 dial-in all three days of the event!
10 – Pat Debottis

Pat Debottis had a great day on Saturday at the Rockin Super Shootout at Mid Michigan. He made his way to both the Super Gas and Super Comp finals taking the win in Super Gas and a runner-up in Super Comp.

Let us know what you think about the DragChamp Top 10 List. We want to hear from you. Check us out on Facebook and share it with your friends.

And remember, look for our DragChamp Top 10 List nominations Facebook post every Monday evening. You can nominate your favorites in the comments of the post for consideration on the list.
DragChamp is your online source for sportsman drag race results, news, and updates.
Motorsports
No.6 Porsche disqualified from Le Mans qualifying for weight infraction
The No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 has been disqualified from Wednesday evening’s Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying session for failing to meet the minimum weight in post-qualifying technical inspection. As a consequence, defending FIA World Hypercar Endurance Champions Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, and co-driver Matt Campbell, will start from the rear of the […]

The No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 has been disqualified from Wednesday evening’s Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying session for failing to meet the minimum weight in post-qualifying technical inspection.
As a consequence, defending FIA World Hypercar Endurance Champions Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor, and co-driver Matt Campbell, will start from the rear of the Hypercar class grid on Saturday. Vanthoor is one of three Porsche Penske drivers attempting to win all three legs of the Triple Crown of Endurance Racing in the same year.
The Stewards’ decision reads: “After having examined the Technical Delegate report, the Stewards considered the minimum car weight did not comply with the relevant regulations.
“During the hearing, the Team Manager confirmed and accepted the procedure of the scrutineering and the measurements. Consequently, the Stewards decided to impose the disqualification of car 6 from the qualifying session. The car 6 will start at the back of the grid of his category according to the Article 10.2.2 of 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans supplementary regulations.
It also states: “As a result, the Stewards decided that the competitors classified behind car 6 at the end of the qualifying session will be moved up in the classification in accordance with article 12.19 of FIA Sporting Code.”
This confirms that the No. 009 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie, which had originally finished 16th in first Qualifying after being bumped outside the top 15 at the checkered flag, will move back into the top 15 and participate in Hyperpole 1.
With the addition of one Aston Martin, seven of the eight Hypercar manufacturers will have at least one car in the first Hyperpole session which begins at 9:05 PM CET.
Motorsports
Toyota goes the extra mile to help its drivers prepare for Mexico City altitude
NASCAR Cup Series teams and drivers are preparing for a number of different variables that come with racing in Mexico City this weekend, and that includes the altitude. The circuit, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, sits 7,500 feet above sea level. It will be the highest-elevation race the Cup Series has ever experienced. And high altitude means […]

NASCAR Cup Series teams and drivers are preparing for a number of different variables that come with racing in Mexico City this weekend, and that includes the altitude.
The circuit, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, sits 7,500 feet above sea level. It will be the highest-elevation race the Cup Series has ever experienced. And high altitude means thinner air.
Toyota wanted to make sure their drivers were prepared for any physical effects. At the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville, N.C., the company, through Caitlin Quinn, director of performance at TPC, created an environment for drivers to train. It focused on being in a hypoxic environment, which means it has low oxygen levels. Stephanie Fernandes, the sports dietitian at TPC, also played a large role.
“It started with a question from one of our Cup (Series) drivers saying, ‘Hey, are we getting ready for Mexico?’” Quinn said recently. “I was like, ‘What do you mean?’”
Quinn started digging into research and the numbers as far as elevation. Once it was realized how high above sea level the track sits, she acknowledged “that can have a significant impact on performance. … It could have a pretty serious effect on some of the drivers.”
The ill effects that some might feel in high altitude can include headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea. All of the Toyota drivers were given the same information and chance to train. While all of them heard Quinn out, some went all in like Tyler Reddick on the Cup Series side, and others chose what would work best for them or how far they wanted to take the training.
The training started about nine weeks ago. Quinn didn’t go into specifics – understandably not wanting to give the proprietary information TPC has developed – about the training or nutrition program but she explained that some of it involved exercises to deal with heat tolerance and Fernandes provided supplements to help with the training effects.
Some of the issues that drivers might have to deal with behind the wheel include cooling, dehydration and even some inner ear or central nervous function. In other words, as Quinn said, all the things drivers need to do their jobs well. And so, Quinn wanted to find a way to expose the drivers to a lower oxygen environment or have them exercise in such an environment.

Reddick, for example, wanted to balance both training and sleeping in the hypoxic environment. His wife Alexa supported his taking the measures needed to prepare but being late in her pregnancy with their second child, the sleeping away from home didn’t thrill her.
“I definitely noticed a difference from the start until where I’m at now,” Reddick said. “It was fun. It was a new challenge, as well. I’ve always enjoyed training but doing this has been fun. The setting, atmosphere is all different and you’re testing yourself in new ways. Pretty early on I was starting to notice the benefits.
“I was really thankful for all the work that (everyone) was putting in, the sport’s dietician … helping out with all things we might need in our body to go with it. I really enjoyed it, honestly. It is different sleeping in a hypoxic environment but it’s really cool to see the changes so far and I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like when I get to Mexico City.”
The investment at the TPC will not go to waste on one race. Quinn explained there are plans to implement it in the future for drivers to use as a tool for other races, and not just one at high altitude. She also understands that while some drivers might feel negative effects in Mexico City, there will be others who will be fine without doing anything special to prepare for it.
“Maybe these guys are going to feel awesome and not just fine,” she said of the Toyota competitors. “It’s an advantage, potentially. Not necessarily that everyone will be at a detriment when they go. I understand that. We knew that from day one.
“It was (about), can we gain a competitive advantage from feeling really good there as opposed to just fine.”
Motorsports
11-year-old who has overcome 19 surgeries designs car of hope and healing for Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott will again have his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet decorated by a child to bring attention to and help raise funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This marks the ninth edition of the “Desi9n to Drive” program through the Chase Elliott Foundation. “Desi9n to Drive” has raised nearly half a million dollars for Children’s […]

Chase Elliott will again have his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet decorated by a child to bring attention to and help raise funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
This marks the ninth edition of the “Desi9n to Drive” program through the Chase Elliott Foundation. “Desi9n to Drive” has raised nearly half a million dollars for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Elliott will run the special scheme on his Hendrick Motorsports car at EchoPark Speedway, the track formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“At first (the program) kind of started off with shoes and really NAPA’s involvement kind of took it to the next level, honestly,” Elliott said. “It’s been rewarding, but I think more than anything it’s had an impactful difference on people’s lives.”
Elliott’s car and uniform for the June 28 race will feature a design created by 11-year-old Rhealynn Mills, chosen among submissions from patients at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s.
She was diagnosed with Metastatic Osteosarcoma in October 2022. She had her right leg amputated, one of 19 surgeries she has undergone.

The car Chase Elliott will drive June, 28, 2025 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Ga. The car was designed by an 11-year-old as part of the “Desi9n to Drive” program through the Chase Elliott Foundation that benefits Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Photo: Hendrick Motorsports
Her design illustrates her desire to be a nurse and features symbols of hope and healing, including gold childhood cancer ribbons, stethoscopes, heart monitors and the words “Cure Cancer” and “healing kids like me” on the No. 9 car.
“For her to kind of exemplify and show the fight that she’s gone through and that attitude that she’s had throughout the process, I think, is really important,” Elliott said of Mills’ design. “Excited to have her and meet here and spend some time with her family, too. I’ve said this before, it’s not just her, the whole family and what they go through and deal with through the process, it’s a lot of weight on a lot of different people.”
Elliott said that having such interactions are special to him.
“I say this a lot, if you can help make 1% of somebody’s day a little better in that situation, I think it’s worth the time,” he said. “I think that’s always a good reminder. We obviously have a lot going on, too, and everybody has their things in their own lives. I think there’s a lot of lessons in all of that.
“I think one of the biggest ones I’ve taken is you just don’t really know what someone is going through when you walk past them on the street. I think that’s just a really important thing to remember. If people can take that away from some of this, you might see these people or family members or her and have no idea, right?
“Just showing them some respect and hopefully making their days better and giving them an experience they might not have, whether they’re race fans or not, I think, is a good thing. We’re just trying to help.”
Race fans can enter the online sweepstakes fundraiser at desi9ntodrive.org to win part of Elliott’s race-worn Atlanta uniform, or a VIP race day meet and greet experience with Elliott. The donations will benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s. The sweepstakes start June 12 and closes July 7.
Motorsports
NASCAR Legend Unleashes American Thunder Documentary Thrill Ride
Rev up your engines as NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon takes on Le Mans in an adrenaline-fueled journey like never before! Get ready to witness “American Thunder,” the documentary that will have you on the edge of your seat ahead of its debut on Prime Video. In this high-octane adventure, Gordon declares, “We’re representing America,” as […]

Rev up your engines as NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon takes on Le Mans in an adrenaline-fueled journey like never before! Get ready to witness “American Thunder,” the documentary that will have you on the edge of your seat ahead of its debut on Prime Video.
In this high-octane adventure, Gordon declares, “We’re representing America,” as he gears up for the ultimate test of skill and speed at Le Mans. The NASCAR icon gives fans a sneak peek into the heart-pounding action and intense competition that awaits in this thrilling documentary.
Join Gordon as he shifts into high gear and delves into the world of Le Mans, showcasing the grit, determination, and raw talent that define American racing. With behind-the-scenes access and exclusive interviews, “American Thunder” offers a front-row seat to the pulse-pounding excitement of one of the most prestigious races in the world.
Don’t miss out on the chance to experience the rush of NASCAR taking on Le Mans like never before. Buckle up and get ready for a white-knuckle ride as Jeff Gordon and his team rev up for glory in “American Thunder.”
Motorsports
Tributes Pour In For NASCAR Legend Travis Carter After Death at 75
In sad news ahead of the NASCAR Cup Mexico City, it has been confirmed that Travis Carter, NASCAR team owner and founder of Travis Carter Enterprises, has died at the age of 75. After staying in a hospice towards the end of his life, Carter died on June 10, 2025. NASCAR issued the following statement: […]

In sad news ahead of the NASCAR Cup Mexico City, it has been confirmed that Travis Carter, NASCAR team owner and founder of Travis Carter Enterprises, has died at the age of 75. After staying in a hospice towards the end of his life, Carter died on June 10, 2025.
NASCAR issued the following statement:
“From his early days atop the pit box to his years as a respected team owner, Travis Carter embodied the competitive spirit, integrity, and passion that define NASCAR. NASCAR extends its heartfelt condolences and prayers to his family and many friends.”
Carter became crew chief for Benny Parsons, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, and put a championship win under his belt with the team.

Robert Alexander/Getty Images
In 1990, the North Carolina native put his own car and team into a race.
A number of NASCAR personalities and stakeholders have shared their condolences.
Rick Mast posted to X: “In 1989 Travis Carter, while in a desperate situation trying to save his team, took a chance on an unproven, unpolished rookie race car driver at @DAYTONA. He was rewarded with running up front, leading, and a 6th place finish. (Could’ve won had we gambled on fuel like Darrell did). This race propelled me into the spotlight and reaffirmed Travis’s place in our sport. That man took a chance on me because he ‘saw something.’ Travis was a visionary and was hailed with the upmost [sic] respect in our industry. RIP dear friend. ‘It’s ah dupping'”
ESPN writer Ryan McGee posted: “Godspeed Travis Carter. He used to greet me with ‘Hey, Cousin McGee’ because I was from Rockingham, NC and he was from Ellerbe, NC and ‘that’s close enough.’ What a NASCAR legend and what a damn nice guy.”
Brett Griffin also added to the tributes: “RIP Travis Carter. Got to see him a lot over the last few years at basketball games. His son Matt coached Bode for several seasons. Great family. Glad I snagged this pic of him last year to send to a buddy of mine.”
Brian Keselowski said his goodbyes: “Just heard about Travis Carter passing away. If you didn’t know him, you missed out on a great guy. When we first moved to NC in 2010 we rented a shop from him. He was so happy for us when we made Daytona in 2011, I’ll never forget it. Rest easy my friend.”
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