NASCAR announced a new rules package for the summer Daytona race that’s aimed at improving passing and making cars less reliant on fuel saving as a strategy, but many fans are up in arms that it comes with a horsepower reduction. Current superspeedway spec engines produce 510 horsepower through a 0.89 inch tapered and that will now be reduced to 465 horsepower with the use of 0.84 inch tapered spacer.

It may seem counterintuitive at first glance to reduce power if you’re trying to help passing, but superspeedway racing has a unique set of components which are heavily reliant on each other. The reason why these cars currently have so much drag and downforce is because of the engine package choice. In previous generations of the NASCAR Cup car, there were engines with less horsepower that were designed specifically for superspeedway racing which allowed NASCAR to create aero packages with less downforce and drag. The advent of spec racing with the Next Gen car meant that there were less choices for engines and a lower power engine option was no longer available, so the only thing NASCAR could do to slow cars down enough in order to reduce the chance of flips was to add more downforce and drag in the form of a large spoiler and underbody aero.

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Reducing engine power by the use of a tapered spacer with smaller opening now allows NASCAR to attempt to replicate an aero package that is closer to what we saw in previous generations of car and should move in the direction of how the ever-popular O’Reilly Series cars race on Saturdays.

The fans who are disappointed with the 465 horsepower output of the Cup cars in this new package will likely change their mind when they learn that the O’Reilly cars produce around 410 horsepower in their current superspeedway configuration. Earlier engine packages for the 6th generation car were right in between those two at 450 horsepower.

Those engine and aero combinations are well known, and in 2021, we saw around a 9mph differential for a car in the pack versus one running by itself at Daytona. At the Daytona 500 this year, that difference was over 13mph. The changes for the Daytona summer race aim to bring that gap to around 10 or 11 miles per hour. That is likely to be aided by transaxle changes in addition to the engine and aero changes that have been announced.

Current transaxle drop gear ratios are not optimal for a car that leaves the pack because it will often rev high enough where it wall pass over the peak of the powerband of the engine. NASCAR aims to introduce a new drop gear ratio with the update for Daytona that will allow cars that go on a single car run outside of the pack to be able to stay in the peak of their powerband for a longer period of time in order to be able to complete passes.

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

The summary of changes that we can expect include:

-Spoiler reduction from 7 inches to 4 inches

-Underbody aero change to balance the spoiler reduction

-Engine power reduction from 510hp to 465hp

-Drop gear ratio change to optimize the power band

All of these changes can only happen in steps, so no single change can be implemented independently. In order to reduce the spoiler, you also have to change the splitter stuffers to balance the underbody aero with the overbody aero. In order to make those changes and still allow the cars to race safely, power must be reduced. The drop gear change is a nice bonus to help cars accelerate better once they leave the pack. All of these changes should entice competitors to attempt passes instead of saving fuel which should create excitement and passing similar to what we saw at Atlanta a few days ago.

NASCAR unveils new rules package for Daytona to improve racing, effective immediately

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The NASCAR Cup Series returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the Sunday’s Window World 450. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will also be in action with the Faith Fest 250.

The weekend begins Friday with Truck Series practice and qualifying before Saturday features the Truck race plus Cup Series practice and qualifying. Sunday’s schedule concludes with the Window World 450 under the lights.

Here’s the complete NASCAR schedule for the weekend.

Friday, July 17

Friday belongs to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as teams get their first on-track laps ahead of Saturday’s Faith Fest 250. Fans can also watch NASCAR’s Press Pass following qualifying.

Friday schedule (all times ET)

• 2 p.m. – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice
  TV: FS2
• 3:05 p.m. – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying
  TV: FS2
• Post-Qualifying – NASCAR Press Pass
  Streaming: NASCAR.com

Saturday, July 18

Saturday is the busiest day of the weekend with the Craftsman Truck Series race kicking off the afternoon before Cup Series teams take the track for practice and qualifying ahead of Sunday’s main event.

Saturday schedule (all times ET)

• 12:30 p.m. – Faith Fest 250 (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series)
  TV: FS1
  Radio: NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Post-Race – NASCAR Press Pass
  Streaming: NASCAR.com
• 5 p.m. – NASCAR Cup Series Practice
  TV: truTV
  Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• 6:10 p.m. – NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying
  TV: truTV
  Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, July 19

The weekend concludes Sunday night with the NASCAR Cup Series taking center stage for the Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Sunday schedule (all times ET)

• 7 p.m. – Window World 450 (NASCAR Cup Series)
  TV: TNT Sports, HBO Max
  Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Post-Race – NASCAR Press Pass
  Streaming: NASCAR.com

How to Watch NASCAR This Weekend

Fans can watch Truck Series practice and qualifying Friday on FS2 before Saturday’s Faith Fest 250 airs on FS1. Cup Series practice and qualifying will air Saturday evening on truTV, while Sunday’s Window World 450 will be broadcast nationally on TNT Sports and streamed on HBO Max.

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Formula 1 is back after a week off with a fan favourite in Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix.

This will be the 10th round of the 2026 campaign and the first as part of a double header before the Hungarian Grand Prix leads F1 into its annual summer break.

So, here are five things to look out for at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix.

Will driver fears over energy management at Spa come true?

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Those who exist purely to post “Formula Battery Management” under the YouTube highlights reels of F1 races might be granted an opportunity to copy-paste their comments underneath this year’s Spa-Francorchamps video. Many of the drivers have suggested that the Belgian Grand Prix might shape up in a similar way to Silverstone, in which energy management will once again play a factor through the lap.

Here’s the reason why. On the exit of La Source, we have the long acceleration zone through Eau Rouge, Raidillon, and the Kemmel Straight, with no let up until the cars reach Les Combes. There’s a small opportunity to recharge here, but it’s likely that we’ll see deployment through Pouhon, then a bit of respite, then more through Blanchimont. Given the medium-to-high speed nature of many of the corners, it’ll be hard to fully recharge through the lap, as was the case at Silverstone. They’ll have to wait for the chicane and for La Source to do any meaningful energy recuperation.

Gabriel Bortoleto: F1 hasn't lost its 'magic'; drivers need to "turn the page" on 2026 complaints

So, you’ll see drivers picking and choosing where they deploy and where they hold off. Expect most to save their energy for the Kemmel Straight and Blanchimont, which might make the rest of the lap seem a bit tame.

That’s the worst-case scenario, at least. If anything’s clear, it’s that the drivers like to paint the worst picture and be surprised that the energy levels weren’t all that bad.

Silverstone was largely fine and sure, a few cars did run aground with low battery, but it wasn't as heinous as it was made out to be. It won’t be easy for the drivers, granted, but I don’t think it’s going to be anywhere near as excessive as Fernando Alonso’s claim that F2 cars will be faster. But maybe they’ll be faster than the Aston Martin…

- Jake Boxall-Legge

Kimi Antonelli must bounce back where it all went wrong last year

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

A little over a month ago, Kimi Antonelli was on a high, claiming a fifth grand prix victory in a row at the Monaco Grand Prix and leading the world championship by 66 points. But over the last three rounds, Antonelli has scored fewer points than all seven other drivers in the top four teams.

Of course, this was largely down to misfortune, with mechanical faults at Barcelona and Silverstone, but the Italian’s advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell has nonetheless dwindled to 25 points.

Antonelli therefore needs to bounce back this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, a track where he collected so much success in junior formulae and yet experienced such a tough weekend in his rookie season.

One year ago in Belgium, the youngster failed to emerge from Q1 in both qualifying sessions, finishing the sprint 17th and the main race 16th. 2026-spec Antonelli, however, is a more confident, more complete product, so there is no reason why he couldn’t leave this unwanted memory behind.

- Ben Vinel

Another test for Red Bull at Max Verstappen's favourite F1 circuit

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Normally, the Belgian Grand Prix would be one of the races Max Verstappen looks forward to the most. The Nordschleife holds a special place for him, but of the current F1 calendar, Spa-Francorchamps sits right at the top of his ranking – just as it does for many other drivers.

This year, however, two things are different. Firstly, the Ardennes circuit is once again expected to prove a painful experience for the drivers in terms of energy management. Like Silverstone, Spa is what McLaren team principal Andrea Stella typically describes as an "energy-starved circuit".

As a result, Spa is set to feel different from previous years, while it also promises to be another stern test for Red Bull.

Team boss Laurent Mekies admitted at Silverstone that his team struggles whenever energy management becomes even more important than usual, and that will once again be the case in Belgium. Red Bull appears to be lacking on the electrical side of its power unit, but without an ADUO token there is nothing the team can do to address it.

Audi's Mattia Binotto calls for F1 ADUO rethink amid exploit fears

Finally, there is the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Red Bull's rotating rear wing. Both the team and the FIA are looking into the concept to ensure it fully complies with all safety requirements, something that will matter more than ever at a high-speed track such as Spa.

Spa has all the ingredients to become another frustrating weekend for Red Bull, which is exactly what the Milton Keynes-based team will want to avoid with Verstappen's future still far from certain.

- Ronald Vording

Can Ferrari prove its progress is real and challenge Mercedes?

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Ferrari may look at its recent results and point to the fact it has won two of the last three grands prix, but there is always more to consider than simply looking at the classification sheet.

Lewis Hamilton was a deserved winner in Barcelona, but just one race later he finished 26 seconds behind Russell in Austria, with Charles Leclerc a further 45s back. At Silverstone, the Scuderia bounced back, with Leclerc taking a well-earned victory. However, questions remain over what might have happened had Antonelli’s wheel shield not failed.

How British GP win might help Charles Leclerc “massively” in F1 2026

The encouraging sign for Ferrari is that Spa is arguably more similar to Silverstone than the Red Bull Ring, although it presents a very different challenge of its own. The key question will be whether Ferrari can once again find ways to offset its power deficit, with the Italian squad planning specific changes to the rear of its SF-26 for the Belgian Grand Prix.

On the other hand, while Toto Wolff has said he would rather have a fast but unreliable car than the opposite, Mercedes cannot afford to continue suffering from mechanical issues. It remains to be seen whether solving those problems comes at any cost to the performance of Antonelli and Russell.

After Silverstone, Wolff and Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur effectively passed the pressure back and forth when discussing Ferrari’s chances of regularly taking the fight to Mercedes in 2026. Spa should provide a much clearer indication of where the Scuderia truly stands.

- Federico Faturos

Racing Bulls seek confirmation as Alpine looks to bounce back

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Things can change quickly in F1. It was not long ago that Alpine appeared to have the upper hand in the midfield, with Franco Colapinto leading the fight behind the top teams in Miami and Canada, finishing 14 seconds ahead of Liam Lawson in the latter.

That was followed by Pierre Gasly’s brilliant – and opportunistic – podium in Monaco, one that remains under scrutiny, leaving Alpine with a 15-point cushion over Racing Bulls in fifth place in the constructors’ championship.

Three grands prix later, that advantage has been reduced to just a single point after a string of strong performances from the Faenza-based squad, whose upgrade package introduced in Montreal has delivered exactly the step forward it had hoped for.

By contrast, Alpine’s latest developments have failed to deliver. Silverstone was particularly concerning, with Colapinto describing the A526 as "just too slow" after the team even slipped behind Audi on outright pace, while Lawson noted that everything brought to the car "has been positive and working well".

With several of the leading teams still battling reliability concerns, being the best of the rest has become increasingly valuable. The question now is whether Racing Bulls can maintain that momentum at Spa, or if Alpine has an answer ready.

- Federico Faturos

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To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

When it comes to the penalty issued by NASCAR against Bubba Wallace on Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, team owner but rival competitor Denny Hamlin is staying out of the process but understands why everything happened.

Hamlin has two hats that he wears at this stage of his career -- driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 and team co-owner of 23XI Racing and they sometimes come in conflict. As a result, Hamlin says dealing with the immediate aftermath of the ‘out of bounds’ penalty was the responsibility of 23XI Performance Director Dave Rogers.

Bubba Wallace argues against costly penalty that stripped him of runner-up finish

Shane van Gisbergen says "nothing" in his career prepared him for NASCAR at Atlanta

With that said, Hamlin said on Monday night’s Actions Detrimental podcast that he understood why Wallace was immediately issued the penalty that dropped him from second to 29th.

“I mean, when I watched it, I was thinking that that's definitely going to be a penalty because I've been penalized for it before, so I know and understand the rule and that it's not that you gain a position but you can't put yourself into position to gain a position,” Hamlin said. “Does that make any sense?”

NASCAR Rule Book Section 8.3.2 states:

“If NASCAR determines that a vehicle goes beneath the double painted lines to improve its position it will be black-flagged. If NASCAR determines that a vehicle forces another vehicle beneath the double painted lines in an effort to advance its own position, the vehicle may be black-flagged.”

Hamlin is explaining that the word to is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the rule. It’s not about the result but the intent.

“It's not literal in the sense of advancing your position,” Hamlin said. “It's making a move to advance. There's a word in there that is very, very specific on the result doesn't matter. It's the intention. … You have to pretend that there's a wall there.

“That yellow line, that is a wall essentially, that is not concrete. … And the minute that you step your foot out of bounds, it doesn’t matter whether you gained an advantage or not; that’s what they call. So yeah, while the finishing position showed (at first) that he didn’t advance, if you look out of the middle of Turns 3 and 4, Bubba was the furthest out in front.”

In other words, Wallace intended to advance his position and did ever so briefly. Ultimately, it cost him 27 points towards his seeding in the Chase for the Championship.

“So he technically did gain, he gained the lead at some point of the move,” Hamlin said. “And that sucks because he lost a lot. He should have finished in the top three at least with the speed and everything. They came from the back again from the Ty Gibbs thing. They were fast, man. And listen, they were aggressive.”

Hamlin doesn’t even have a problem with his driver going for it in that fashion on the last lap.

“Man, going for a win, I think you have to go for it,” Wallace said. “But I mean, I need to remind you that inside the car, we can’t see the lines. When I’m going down the backstretch at Atlanta, the difference between the apron and the actual race track, there isn’t a lot of difference in the banking. …

“Bubba in his in-car, and he probably made it up in his mind, was that he was going three-wide somewhere. ‘Wherever the biggest hole is, that is where I am going.’ When you turn there, that’s the moment you first see the line, but he can’t see it when he’s behind (Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney).

“So you don't know where you're at on the track till you get there (and) it's almost too little too late.”

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Kyle Busch's wife Samantha is reflecting on her late husband's impact on the racing world.

In a July 12 Instagram post, Samantha Busch opened up about the difficulty of witnessing another race day come and go without her husband, who died unexpectedly on May 21 following a brief hospitalization.

"As another race day approaches I’m reminded again how much it hurts that we’re not there cheering on Kyle," she said in the post. "It still feels surreal watching from the couch and I still catch myself looking for his name on the leaderboard. At the same time, I’m filled with gratitude."

One of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history, Kyle Busch was survived by his wife of 15 years, and their 11-year-old son Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix. Following a difficult and public road to parenthood, the couple co-founded the Bundle of Joy Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial support to couples undergoing fertility treatments.

View this post on Instagram

In her Instagram post, Samantha Busch also extended her gratitude to loved ones and the entire NASCAR community, from the fans to the wives, for reminding her that "NASCAR isn’t just a sport, it truly is a family."

"Over the past weeks you’ve surrounded Brexton, Lennix and me in ways I will never be able to fully put into words," she said. "You have honored Kyle’s life and legacy, shared your memories, prayed for us, cried with us and reminded us just how deeply he was loved."

Kyle Busch was sick in weeks leading up to his death

Kyle Busch was battling pneumonia for "days to weeks" before he succumbed to the illness. According to previous USA TODAY reporting, his death was caused by bacterial pneumonia that turned into sepsis, a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection. 

Busch's sepsis caused disseminated intravascular coagulation, a rare blood-clotting disorder characterized by organ damage and uncontrollable bleeding, both of which occurred.

While racing at Watkins Glen International on May 10, Busch, who was battling a sinus cold, requested to meet with track doctor Bill Heisel on the team radio after the competition. Busch finished eighth that day, his best result of the season, and also won a Truck Series race at Dover the following weekend.  

Busch was one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation, winning Cup championships in 2015 and 2019 with Joe Gibbs Racing and is ninth in NASCAR history for Cup Series victories. He had 63.

He dominated NASCAR’s lower series throughout his career, winning Xfinity and Truck Series races by the dozens while regularly competing at all three levels simultaneously. 

He joined Richard Childress Racing ahead of the 2023 season and won in his first year with the team. Busch sat 24th in the standings prior to his death, with two top 10 finishes in 12 races and was in the final year of his contract.

After the news broke of Busch's death, tributes poured in from across the internet. Fellow NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski summed up everyone's thoughts when he said he was in "absolute shock."

Contributing: Kristie Ackert and Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Busch's widow: NASCAR race days remind her 'how much it hurts'

Shane van Gisbergen backed up his February showing at Atlanta with yet another sixth-place finish at the drafting track, leading the way for Trackhouse Racing.

Van Gisbergen now has four oval top tens in his Cup career, and three of those have been during the 2026 season. At Atlanta this past weekend, he was in contention for the win in overtime, and was three-wide for second with eventual race winner Ryan Blaney as the field raced towards the white flag.

While jockeying for position, he slipped back to sixth by the time the checkered flag flew, but it was still a very impressive day for the three-time Supercars champion.

Motorsport.com's Matt Weaver caught up with Van Gisbergen after the race, and while thrilled with the result, he was still dwelling on what he could differently in the battle for the win.

"It’s awesome, but my brain is going crazy for what I could have done better," admitted Van Gisbergen. "I was beside the No. 12 car [Blaney] coming off (Turn) 4, coming to the white (flag), but yeah, it was pretty fun. It’s awesome racing here."

Despite racing on no fewer than four different continents in his impressive career, Van Gisbergen declaratively said that "nothing" prepared him for this form of racing.

"It's so different, but this is one of my better tracks. For some reason, I’m always decent here, so I’ll take it."

And it's true, as Van Gisbergen now has a pair of sixth-place finishes in the Cup Series at Atlanta, but the track is also the site of his best-ever oval showing in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series. He finished third there in 2024, which was just his second-ever oval start in the O'Reilly Series at the time.

Watch: Blaney prevails with EchoPark win in wild OT

When asked if there was anything he could have done differently, Van Gisbergen had a few thoughts. Tyler Reddick also approached him after the race, discussing the finish as they both lost out on the final restart.

"Definitely the restart," noted Van Gisbergen on what he would handle differently. "I thought I could have attached to the #45 [Reddick] better. He came up, gave me some advice after – it’s just critical to do that, and I just missed that. We probably could have gotten a better restart. And then off (Turn) 2 on the last lap, Bell really came up. I don’t know if I could have shot down below him or whatever. We kind of touched a lot and that killed all my run."

Van Gisbergen also raced around longtime rival Austin Hill a bit during the race on Sunday, and there was no drama between the two following their sit down with officials in the NASCAR hauler.

Battle to make the Chase

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

The race was also a positive for Van Gisbergen's Chase hopes, as he lost no ground and actually gained a point on the cut-line even with those around him (Jones, Logano, Cindric) all having solid points days. He is now 31 points above the cut-line.

"I was thinking that on the green/white (overtime restart), I’m like there’s no one around me that I’m racing for points, so I really needed to consolidate where I was," added Van Gisbergen. "That didn’t change my approach, but good to get a P6."

There are six races left in the regular season, with another Sunday night race next weekend at North Wilkesboro.

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Maverick Vinales says he needs greater support from KTM and Tech3 as he continues to battle his way back from injury, but feels he is only getting criticised for his lack of speed.

The Spaniard hit a new low at the German Grand Prix last weekend, where he was reduced to being the slowest rider in the entire field. After ending up a distant 19th in qualifying, more than a second off the ultimate pace, he finished dead last in the sprint, more than eight seconds behind Johann Zarco’s stand-in Cal Crutchlow.

Sunday turned out to be equally dreadful and, after running at the very rear of the pack for much of the race, he pulled into the pits with four laps remaining, saying his lack of fitness made it impossible to finish the race.

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The Sachsenring weekend suggested that Vinales’ recovery isn’t linear, after previous weekends showed clear signs of progress from the collarbone fracture he sustained exactly a year ago in Germany.

Vinales admitted the current situation has been particularly difficult because he feels he is not getting the backing he needs from those around him.

“Right now, I need some support from the team, but all I get is criticism,” he said on Sunday. “It's really hard to keep going, because sometimes they're happy to see me, but other times it's like I'm a stranger.”

Maverick Vinales, Red Bull KTM Tech 3

Vinales went under the knife at the end of April, with doctors removing a screw that had become loose after being inserted during the operation on his shoulder following a crash he sustained last year. 

While he has shown flashes of pace since then, he has yet to prove to KTM that he can rediscover his old form and deserves another contract for 2027 and beyond. 

Vinales said the prolonged recovery process is becoming increasingly difficult for him, and he is eager to return to competitiveness after being blighted by injury woes over the last 12 months.

“I don’t have any strength on the bike; I couldn’t help but slide out at every turn,” he said.

“I don’t even know if it’s fixable. I’ve considered putting myself in the hands of Marc Marquez’s doctors.

“I expected to be doing much better, but it’s true that the doctor who operated on me told me I won’t be fully recovered until Indonesia. That’s no good for me. I don’t know what to do. I guess I’ll spend the summer in Austria (at Red Bull Performance Centre), training.”

KTM says Maverick Vinales rejected Tech3 option after factory plans changed

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To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Audi Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto says the German brand wants the series' future engine formula to remain "highly efficient" amid talk of ditching turbos.

F1 and its governing body the FIA are starting to lay down plans for the future power unit regulations for 2031. There is a broad consensus among the six power unit manufacturers over the principle to move to cheaper and simpler V8 engines with a smaller electric component, running on advanced sustainable fuels.

The stakeholders still have to sit down to discuss the finer details of the new engine configuration, with Audi known to be holding out for turbocharging to remain part of the new formula.

Audi uses turbocharging across a wide range of its road cars, with its recently revealed Audi Nuvolari concept car's twin-turbo V8 engine a hint of its vision for F1's future engine formula.

Audi unveils Nuvolari supercar that could underpin its next GT3 contender

Speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com, Audi F1 CEO Binotto says efficiency remains at the heart of what the German brand wants to see in F1.

"Audi has always supported the importance of efficiency," Binotto said. "The technology that allows for highly efficient engines is the same one that is then applied to road cars. When we talk about efficiency, we're talking about fuel consumption, emissions, and technology transfer between motorsport and series production.

"The real challenge will be understanding how to design a Formula 1 engine that remains highly efficient but, at the same time, is less complex, lighter, and affordable. This is what we will have to address."

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner with Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is keen to bring the new power unit rules forward by one year to 2030, and floated the idea of offering a white label third-party power unit to independent teams to end team independence concerns.

Having a Cosworth-like off-the-shelf option would also give F1 and the FIA more leverage as they deal with the whims of the car industry, which has led to a complex engine formula for 2026 that has gone through a difficult start.

The FIA could unilaterally decide to impose the new power unit formula, including a customer team ban, from 2031 if it wanted to. But it would run a huge risk of alienating and driving away the OEMs it has tried so hard to attract in recent years, so it will likely try and find a broader consensus.

From Audi's perspective, Binotto is hopeful the sport can find a solution that isn't just a compromise. "I think the FIA, as the regulatory body, is rightly called upon to lead this discussion," he added. "Formula 1 needs the manufacturers, just as the manufacturers need Formula 1.

"In the end, as has always been the case, we'll have to find a solution that isn't simply a compromise, but the best possible one for everyone."

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To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

In a race that did not finish until early hours of Monday morning, Ryan Blaney put on a dominating performance in the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway.

The driver of the No. 12 led a race-high 171 of 263 laps and outdueled Carson Hocevar on the final lap to win the Quaker State 400 at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. Blaney secured his second win of 2026, 19th career victory, and first triumph at Atlanta.

Christopher Bell finished second, followed by Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs in fourth, and Erik Jones wound out the top five.

Bubba Wallace initially finished the race runner-up, but was penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line down the backstretch on the final lap. Because of this, Wallace finished 29th. 

Blaney passes Hocevar on the final lap to win Atlanta

It all started with six laps remaining.   

A multi-car crash involving Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Austin Hill, and others set up an overtime restart.

Hocevar started up front for the restart and had his No. 77 machine in prime position to take the win as the field took the white flag.

The Spire Motorsports driver had built a gap on the rest of the field. However, a push from Wallace propelled Blaney past Hocevar. The two ran side-by-side, which then opened the door for Wallace to dive three-wide underneath.

With one final push from Bell up top, Blaney crossed the finish line first and scored the win.

The thrilling victory capped a dominant performance for the North Carolina native.

Rain delayed NASCAR’s finish by over three hours

Blaney started on the pole and led the field to the green flag. The 2023 Cup champion led all 60 laps of the opening stage en route to the victory. Tyler Reddick was second and Kyle Larson was third.

Blaney continued to lead for the bulk of the second stage, but swapped the lead with Kyle Larson. At the red flag on lap 108, Blaney was in command with Bubba Wallace second and Reddick third.

The rain delay lasted three hours and nine minutes as the cars did not get re-fired until just after 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. At 12:01 a.m. Eastern time, the race resumed on lap 123.

In the waning laps of the second stage, Blaney held off challenges from Wallace, Joey Logano, and Hocevar to complete the stage sweep. Reddick finished second in stage two, followed by Logano in third. 

Gibbs assumed the lead after a round of pit stops and was out front to start the final stage.

With just over 60 laps to go, A.J. Allmendinger’s single-car spin on the frontstretch brought out the fourth caution of the race.On the cycle of pit stops, Bell took over the lead, with Larson in second. 

The fifth caution came out with just under 30 laps remaining after Allmendinger slapped the outside retaining wall. 

With 23 laps to go, Wallace led the field back to green with Blaney alongside him. Blaney overtook Wallace and held the advantage with 19 laps remaining, when Larson spun through the infield grass and triggered the sixth caution.

With six races until The Chase, Denny Hamlin leads the points standings by 24 over Reddick.

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The post Ryan Blaney Pulls Off Thrilling NASCAR Cup Series Victory at Atlanta appeared first on HEAVY.

Upon crossing the finish line on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bubba Wallace thought he had secured a much-needed second-place towards his chances of making the Chase for the Championship.

Instead, NASCAR penalized him, sending the No. 23 to the tail-end of the lead lap (29th) for crossing below the 'out of bounds' line to improve his position. It's an infraction that he strongly disagreed with afterwards.

The move in question took place on the final lap when Wallace took leaders Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar three-wide down the backstretch. In the moments after the race, NASCAR issued the penalty.

“It says advancing your position, which I did not do,” Wallace said. “I stayed third, and I was all over the brakes to make sure I did not advance. As soon as I turned, I was like, ‘I’m going to wreck,’ and got on the brakes, kept it under me, and still ended up side-by-side. That move should have propelled me to the lead, and it didn’t because I knew it was wrong because my car did not like that move.

“We’ll see what we can do, but I did not advance my position. I stayed third from the entry of (Turn) 3 all until 50 yards away.”

Watch: Wallace questions penalty, addresses Gibbs run-in

Section 8.3.2 is the section of the NASCAR Rule Book in question.

“If NASCAR determines that a vehicle goes beneath the double painted lines to improve its position it will be black-flagged. If NASCAR determines that a vehicle forces another vehicle beneath the double painted lines in an effort to advance its own position, the vehicle may be black-flagged.”

There is a mechanism for Wallace and his 23XI Racing No. 23 team to have filed an immediate petition but that's different from an appeal. After the race, Cup Series managing director Brad Moran said it cannot be appealed and the rule book spelled out the infraction.

The penalty represented a 27-point swing for Wallace, whom entered the race 77 points up and leaves 55 points up. He would have been 82 points above the cutline without the penalty.

"That’s massive for us,” Wallace said. “Everybody behind us in points is like, ‘Oh, 23.’ They see that, and they’re licking their chops. The position that we’re in, we’re not safe. We need to figure out what we need to do moving forward because, again, I did not advance my position.”

Ryan Blaney wins dramatic Atlanta NASCAR Cup race as Bubba Wallace penalized

Complete NASCAR Cup points standings after Atlanta II 2026

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Ryan Blaney won a sensational overtime finish at EchoPark Speedway in a NASCAR Cup race that did not end until nearly 2am local time.

Blaney and Carson Hocevar were battling side-by-side for the race win, while Bubba Wallace threw it under them to make it three-wide in the fight for the checkered flag.

Exiting Turn 4, Blaney had the push from Christopher Bell and surged ahead of both Hocevar and Wallace at the finish line.

This is Blaney's second victory of the 2026 season, and the 19th of his Cup career. He also won the race from pole position.

Unfortunately for Wallace, he did not get to keep the runner-up spot. NASCAR penalised Wallace after ruling that he advanced his position by going below the yellow line during the three-wide fight for the win. As a result, he was dropped from second all the way down to 29th -- the final car on the lead lap.

Ryan Blaney secures a WILD win in OT at EchoPark 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5imwKn4zJg

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 13, 2026

Bell will be credited with second, Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs fourth, and Erik Jones fifth.

Shane van Gisbergen finished sixth in another impressive oval run for the three-time Supercars champion, with Austin Dillon seventh, Tyler Reddick eighth, Joey Logano ninth, and Chris Buescher tenth.

“It was definitely, honestly, a pretty awesome night," said Blaney, who earned Ford its 750th NASCAR Cup win. "I mean, having a really fast car and sitting on the pole, winning both stages and leading a ton of laps and just in a position to win the race. You never know how these things are gonna end, honestly. There are a couple of things I probably could have done better, but we were able to stick around and just how the last couple laps played out we were able to get the lead back and just barely hold on. It’s a pretty cool day when you have weekends like that. You can’t ask for a better weekend – sit on the pole, sweeps the stages, win the race. That’s a dream weekend right there. These guys are great. They brought a rocket ship and it was nice that we were able to close it out.”

Stage 1

At the start of the race, Keselowski brushed the wall and quickly fell through the field, eventually losing a lap.

The field got very spread out as cars struggled for grip, with the Penske trio firmly in control.

Reddick, Larson, and Hocevar all tried to break up the Penske party, and Larson eventually did as he took advantage of Reddick battling Cindric to pass them both.

He quickly dispatched Logano as well, and nearly cleared Blaney for the lead. Blaney held firm, and as the stage progressed, it was suddenly Reddick threatening him for the lead after starting way back in 31st.

In lapped traffic, Reddick made one last run at Blaney at the end of the stage, but the No. 12 remained in command.

Blaney won Stage 1 over Reddick, Larson, Logano, Cindric, Hocevar, A. Dillon, Briscoe, Elliott, and Wallace.

The free pass went to Preece, putting him back on the lead lap.

Stage 2

Reddick and Larson won the race off pit road over Blaney, and these three continued to battle for the lead once the green flag flew.

Drivers were getting far more aggressive, leading several to touch the wall. Hocevar, Larson, and Herbst were among those who had a close encounter with the outside wall early in the run.

Undeterred, Hocevar charged forward, and took over the race lead for a bit. However, Blaney prevailed on the longer run and reclaimed control of the race.

Unfortunately, storms arrived after 108 of 260 laps of racing, forcing an immediate red flag with lightning visible just outside the track. This yellow also put Chastain back on the lead lap via the free pass.

Lightning and rain stops NASCAR Cup Atlanta race just before halfway

The stoppage lasted over three hours, and the green flag did not wave again until midnight, local time. Drivers also opted to pit, with several different strategies unfolding. Blaney and Logano went fuel-only, while Wallace and Reddick led another group with two-tire calls, and then Jones leading the rest on four fresh tires from tenth on back.

There was constant action, but once again, Penske held onto the front of the field with Blaney and Logano.

Late in the stage, Hocevar abruptly slowed with an issue. On the final lap of the stage, Wallace was inside the top five when he spun off the nose of Gibbs right as the green-and-white checkered flag.

Blaney went on to win Stage 2, ahead of Reddick, Logano, Cindric, Suarez, Gibbs, Bell, Jones, Hamlin, and Van Gisbergen.

Keselowski got the free pass during the stage break.

Bubba Wallace spins out as Ryan Blaney takes Stage 2 at EchoPark 😬 pic.twitter.com/EpWj2Hd0nO

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 13, 2026

Stage 3

Gibbs and Cindric won the race off pit road, and suddenly it was a very different look to the front of the field as Blaney (and others) had to wait on fuel.

The JGR cars were suddenly the ones setting the pace now, with Gibbs leading Bell despite nonstop action right behind them.

Right on the edge of the fuel window, Allmendinger slid into the door of McDowell and spun sideways, causing a caution. Smith secured the free pass under this caution period.

AJ Allmendinger wasn't happy on the radio after his spinout 😳 pic.twitter.com/89FrzULMcZ

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 13, 2026

Bell then won the race off pit road with a two-tire call, restarting side-by-side with larson. Larson.

What followed was nonstop battling for the race lead. The main players were Wallace, Blaney, Larson, Reddick, and Bell. There were several sketchy moments throughout the pack, including when Chastain made a four-wide pass, and the cars above him narrowly held onto their twitching cars -- including his teammate, Van Gisbergen.

With 30 laps to go, Blaney actually got into the wall after Wallace blocked him in the battle for the race lead. At the same time, the caution flew for Allmendinger, who blew a tire and slammed the wall. Blaney was not happy and drove up alongside his friend in the No. 23 under caution to show his displeasure.

Chastain in eighth was one of the first to pit for tires, with a lot of cars behind him following him down into pit lane.

Blaney took the lead on the restart, despite complaining about a vibration. Hocevar moved up to second, as Larson spun sideways from inside the top 10 due to a stack-up ahead of him.

On the restart, it was more of the same as Hocevar, Blaney, and Wallace traded the lead constantly. 

With six laps to go, Larson squeezed up into Hamlin at the exit of Turn 2, sending Larson crashing into both the outside and inside walls. Briscoe spun in avoidance, crashing as well while collecting both Hill and Herbst. Bowman and T. Dillon got a small piece of it as well.

Chase Briscoe and Riley Herbst also pick up damage on another Kyle Larson crash 😳 pic.twitter.com/quqSgssfwl

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) July 13, 2026

Hocevar was in the lead for an overtime restart, and started reciting '(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight' by Cutting Crew over the radio ahead of the critical restart.

While Blaney initially got clear with a push from Wallace, Hocevar fought back, and had a decent lead at the white flag. Van Gisbergen made a late charge and was three-wide for second, but it was Blaney who had the momentum for the final 1.5 miles.

As Blaney and Hocevar raced side-by-side, Wallace made it three-wide on the bottom as Smith wrecked in the back.

Hocevar had zero drafting help exiting Turn 4, and got swallowed up as Blaney pulled ahead and took the win for Team Penske.

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For nearly two decades, Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned one of NASCAR’s most loyal fan followings behind the wheel. Retirement could have marked the end of that connection. Instead, it opened a new chapter.

Whether he’s calling races for NBC Sports or Prime Video, Earnhardt has become one of the sport’s most popular broadcasters. Fans regularly praise his ability to explain complex racing strategy without talking over casual viewers, his genuine excitement during big moments, and his willingness to sound like himself instead of a polished television personality.

Those qualities aren’t accidental. They’re part of the approach Earnhardt has embraced since stepping into the booth, and they’re the same traits television executives, fellow broadcasters, and Earnhardt himself say make his coverage different.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes every race tells a story

Earnhardt has never viewed broadcasting as simply describing what viewers are already watching.

Instead, he believes his job is helping fans understand why every race matters, even when the action isn’t obvious.

“I feel like as a broadcaster, that’s your main responsibility,” Earnhardt said. “You go into that booth to make the fan at home realize how great a race it is in person. Even when you’ve got to carry a race that’s not quite as exciting, you don’t say, ‘It is what it is.’ Your job is to make it something. Make it exciting, find something to talk about, find the battles, point the cameras there. There’s never a race that doesn’t have something compelling going on. So you’ve got to keep searching and looking and find it.”

That philosophy has become one of the defining characteristics of Earnhardt’s broadcasts. Rather than focusing only on the leader, he often draws attention to strategy battles deeper in the field, explains why drivers make certain decisions, or breaks down technical details that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The result is a broadcast that feels educational without becoming overwhelming.

NBC encouraged Dale Jr. to be himself

One of the biggest reasons Earnhardt connected so quickly with viewers is because NBC never asked him to become someone else.

Sam Flood, NBC Sports’ executive producer and president of production, said the network’s message from the beginning was simple.

“I said, ‘The only lesson you need to learn is to be Dale Jr. The minute you’re not Dale Jr., you become a broadcaster. We’re wasting our money. We shouldn’t hire you. We want you to be Dale Jr. We need to bring your authentic self to the TV in whatever you do. Yeah, we’ll teach you how to talk to the camera, when to talk to your coworkers, and how to get to commercial, and do the little things. But most importantly is never lose you.'”

Flood added that authenticity is what fans respond to most.

“Because that’s what the fans are in love with and you see things that are in a really unique way. And you describe things in a great way. So let’s let that happen.”

That approach has allowed Earnhardt’s personality to remain front and center. His enthusiasm, curiosity, and occasional humor feel natural instead of rehearsed, making viewers feel like they’re watching a race alongside another passionate fan.

He still thinks like a driver

Earnhardt also brings something few television analysts can replicate: an understanding of the modern race car.

Having retired from full-time Cup Series competition after the 2017 season, he transitioned into television with firsthand knowledge of NASCAR’s current rules, technology, and driving techniques. That perspective helps him explain everything from dirty air and tire management to fuel strategy and restart decisions in language that longtime fans and newcomers can both follow.

His ability to translate complicated concepts into everyday conversation has become one of the biggest reasons viewers trust his analysis.

Credibility matters more than hot takes

Earnhardt has also made it clear that he doesn’t believe every broadcaster needs an opinion on everything.

Long before his first race in the NBC booth, he explained that maintaining credibility would always come first.

“If I have any doubts of an opinion of mine, I am more than likely to withhold,” Earnhardt said. “Just because I don’t want to lose any credibility with the people listening that when they hear me say something they’re like, ‘Well, he’s been wrong before, should we believe this coming out of his mouth?'”

He later added, “You can’t just be spouting nonsense and think people aren’t going to see through it.”

That mindset has helped Earnhardt earn respect across the NASCAR garage as well as among viewers at home. Rather than trying to dominate every conversation, he often acknowledges when he needs more information before drawing conclusions.

His love for NASCAR still comes through every weekend

Perhaps the biggest reason fans enjoy listening to Earnhardt is the simplest one.

He genuinely loves being around the sport.

“It’s hard for me to explain how fun being a broadcaster is,” Earnhardt told Beyond the Flag. “It sounds pretty cliché, man, but I just love racing, and I love stock cars, and I love NASCAR racing, and I love obviously the history of the sport a lot. I see a lot of that history even in the present day, watching what I see on the race track, drivers’ personalities that remind me of guys from the past and moments on the race track that remind you of something you’d seen before.”

That passion has remained evident whether he’s reacting to a dramatic finish, breaking down a late-race strategy call, or simply appreciating the personalities that make NASCAR unique.

Years after climbing out of the driver’s seat, Earnhardt has found another way to contribute to the sport he loves. His authentic personality, technical knowledge, and genuine enthusiasm have made him far more than a former driver with a microphone. They’ve made him one of NASCAR’s defining voices, and one fans continue to look forward to hearing every race weekend.

Anyone who has watched NASCAR long enough has experienced it.

Dark clouds roll in, rain begins to fall, and moments later the cars are parked on pit road while fans wait for the track to dry.

Unlike many other forms of motorsports, NASCAR’s premier series races on slick tires at extremely high speeds. On oval tracks, even a small amount of standing water makes racing unsafe, meaning officials cannot resume competition until the racing surface is completely dry.

So how does NASCAR actually dry an entire speedway?

The answer involves an impressive fleet of specialized vehicles, powerful air systems and a coordinated effort that has dramatically reduced weather delays over the last decade.

Why NASCAR Can’t Race on a Wet Oval Track

NASCAR Cup Series cars use smooth racing slicks on oval tracks. Without grooves to channel water away from the tire, even a thin layer of moisture can cause the cars to lose grip and hydroplane.

Road course events are different. NASCAR can race in the rain on road and street courses because teams switch to specially designed wet-weather tires that feature deep tread patterns. Oval racing, however, remains too dangerous because of the sustained speeds, banking and close-quarters racing.

That means every oval track must be completely dry before the green flag can wave again.

What Is NASCAR’s Air Titan System?

The backbone of NASCAR’s track-drying operation is the Air Titan 2.0 system.

Rather than simply blowing hot air onto the pavement, Air Titan uses powerful truck-mounted compressors that force high-pressure air through long hoses connected to air knives mounted behind each pickup.

Those air knives act much like an oversized squeegee. Instead of scraping the surface, they push large amounts of water across the asphalt and toward the apron, where it can be removed more efficiently.

Multiple Air Titan trucks work together, allowing NASCAR to cover much of the racing groove simultaneously instead of drying one section at a time.

The Air Titan Isn’t Working Alone

The Air Titan trucks are only one part of the process.

As the compressed air pushes water off the racing surface, jet dryers follow behind. Those trucks use turbine engines to produce high-speed heated air that removes the remaining moisture trapped near the surface of the asphalt.

Sweepers and vacuum trucks then collect standing water along the apron and other low-lying areas, while additional equipment dries pit road before teams are allowed back to work in their pit stalls.

Officials also send safety vehicles around the track to inspect conditions, and NASCAR continuously monitors moisture levels before determining whether racing can resume.

How Long Does It Take NASCAR to Dry a Track?

There isn’t one answer.

The amount of time depends on several factors, including:

• How much rain has fallen
• Whether rain continues during the drying process
• Air temperature
• Humidity
• Wind
• Cloud cover
• The size of the racetrack

Under favorable conditions, NASCAR can sometimes dry an oval in around one to two hours after the rain stops. Following heavier storms, however, the process can take significantly longer.

Because the asphalt also retains moisture beneath the surface, NASCAR often continues drying even after the track appears dry to the naked eye.

Air Titan Changed NASCAR Weather Delays

Before Air Titan was introduced, NASCAR relied much more heavily on traditional jet dryers, making lengthy rain delays common.

The Air Titan system debuted in 2013 and dramatically improved the efficiency of track drying by combining compressed air, jet dryers and support vehicles into one coordinated operation.

While weather delays remain an unavoidable part of stock car racing, today’s technology allows NASCAR to return to green-flag racing much faster than was possible just a decade ago.

For fans waiting through a rain delay, the convoy of green Air Titan trucks circling the speedway has become a familiar sight. They’re the first sign that NASCAR is working to get the track back into racing condition as quickly, and safely, as possible.

Another NASCAR race day brought another wave of emotions for Samantha Busch.

Nearly two months after the death of her husband, two-time NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch, Samantha shared an emotional Instagram post Sunday reflecting on what race weekends now feel like for her family. While she admitted the pain of Kyle’s absence remains overwhelming, she also used the post to thank the NASCAR community, friends and fans who have surrounded her, son Brexton and daughter Lennix with support.

“As another race day approaches I’m reminded again how much it hurts that we’re not there cheering on Kyle,” Samantha wrote. “It still feels surreal watching from the couch and I still catch myself looking for his name on the leaderboard. At the same time, I’m filled with gratitude.”

She continued by thanking NASCAR fans for the countless ways they have honored Kyle’s memory.

“To the NASCAR community and every single fan, thank you,” she wrote. “Over the past weeks you’ve surrounded Brexton, Lennix and me in ways I will never be able to fully put into words. You have honored Kyle’s life and legacy, shared your memories, prayed for us, cried with us and reminded us just how deeply he was loved.”

Samantha Busch recalls emotional Coca-Cola 600 tribute

One of the moments that continues to stay with Samantha came during pre-race ceremonies at the Coca-Cola 600, where numerous NASCAR drivers honored Kyle by wearing his signature No. 8 gear during driver introductions.

“I’ll never forget sitting beside Brexton during intros at the Coke 600,” Samantha wrote. “As each driver walked onto that stage wearing Kyle gear, doing his signature bow, tears were streaming down my face to see how much Kyle is loved.”

She said watching Brexton’s reaction made the emotional tribute even more meaningful.

“Watching Brexton though every time a driver walked out in his tee he’d light up with a smile and look of awe. To see his heroes choose to wear his shirt in honor of his Dad made him feel so special. To see your child smile during such darkness is all a mom can ask for.”

The post also included several photos from the family’s life together, including race day moments with Kyle, images of Brexton and Lennix, and a photo of Kyle’s memorial at Chicagoland Speedway.

Samantha Busch says NASCAR became family when her family needed it most

Samantha also thanked the NASCAR wives, close friends and fans who stepped in to help her family through the most difficult weeks of their lives.

“The NASCAR wives, thank you for showing up with meals when I couldn’t think about cooking, for the texts that reminded me I wasn’t alone, for continuing to love on us in the midst of your busy lives,” she wrote. “You didn’t just love on me, you loved on our children.”

She added that close friends carried her through moments when she wasn’t sure how she would move forward.

“Behind the scenes, our family and closest friends carried me through moments I honestly don’t know how I would have survived,” she wrote. “They stepped in when I physically and emotionally couldn’t, sat with me in the silence, loved our children like their own, and reminded me over and over that I didn’t have to walk this road alone.”

Samantha closed the message with a reflection on what the NASCAR community has meant to her family over nearly two decades.

“And to the fans… thank you for loving us through every high and every low over the years. Your prayers, stories and unwavering support have always meant so much to us.”

“For nearly twenty years NASCAR has been our home and these past several weeks have reminded me that NASCAR isn’t just a sport, it truly is a family.”

Brad Keselowski’s hopes for a strong finish at EchoPark Speedway took an early hit Sunday after the RFK Racing driver brushed the outside wall during the opening laps of the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Keselowski, who started 10th after a strong qualifying effort, reported over the radio that his No. 6 Ford became tight before the right-rear tire appeared to lose grip.

The contact with the wall dropped him through the field, although the damage was not severe enough to require an immediate pit stop. Keselowski remained on the track but fell to the back of the running order as the race continued.

Early trouble creates another setback

The difficult start carries significant implications for Keselowski’s playoff hopes.

As the field settled into the opening stage, Keselowski was shown running 37th, a dramatic swing after beginning the afternoon inside the top 10. With the race unfolding, he also slipped to the provisional cutoff area in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings.

There is still plenty of racing remaining at EchoPark Speedway, giving Keselowski opportunities to recover positions through strategy, cautions and long-run speed.

However, an afternoon that began with promise quickly turned into another uphill battle after the early brush with the wall.

BMW recovered from a late error to pip Ferrari to victory in the World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Sao Paulo and boost its prospects in the Hypercar title fight.

Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor led much of the race in the #15 BMW M Hybrid, only losing the net lead in the penultimate hour when Vanthoor ran wide and handed the advantage to the #51 Ferrari 499P of James Calado.

But owing to having more fuel in the car, the #15 BMW was able to go longer and complete a shorter fuel stop in the final hour, allowing Vanthoor - who reported feeling sick on team radio - to circle back in the lead.

The Belgian eventually brought the car home just 2.2s clear of the #51 Ferrari after the rain that many had feared never materialised, helping BMW celebrate its second victory in three races following the #20 crew’s triumph at Imola in May.

At the start of the race, Will Stevens led the field from pole position in the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R, with Magnussen jumping to second ahead of the #38 Cadillac of Earl Bamber.

The BMW moved to the front after both factory Jota cars lost a heap of time at the first round of pitstops, a stuck wheel nut dropping the #12 Cadillac well down the order.

Meanwhile, the two Alpine A424s emerged as a potential threat to the #15 BMW, with a decision to short fuel the car, giving Ferdinand Habsburg and Frederic Makowiecki track position over Magnussen. The decision was prompted by Makowiecki dropping from sixth to outside the top 10 in the #35 car, with the #36 also effectively copying its offset strategy.

However, the #15 BMW continued to close the gap to the #35 Alpine over the next few hours, despite comfortably being in the net lead, with the #36 entry dropping out of the battle after a puncture.

In the fourth hour, Marciello rapidly caught up to the back of Habsburg’s team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa, allowing third-placed Alessandro Pier Guidi to also close the gap in the #51 Ferrari.

Marciello couldn’t pass da Costa on track and only moved ahead when the Alpine pitted, with Pier Guidi taking advantage of the battle to close within two seconds of him.

This would prove crucial at the next round of pitstops, when Vanthoor (BMW) and Calado (Ferrari) took over the cars from their respective team-mates. Calado had a major moment when he understeered at the exit of the pit lane and nudging the barrier, leaving a piece of advertising hoarding stuck to the front-left side of the Ferrari.

But he did not lose much time, and when Vanthoor ran off at Interlagos’ tricky inner section, Calado didn’t need a second edition to sweep past the BMW.

However, the #51 Ferrari came into the pits with exactly an hour to go in the pits, with the #15 BMW having more fuel to go almost 12 minutes further. 

This allowed Vanthoor to rejoin the field in the lead, comfortably clear of Calado’s Ferrari. Although Charles Milesi passed Vanthoor for position on the BMW’s out lap, the #35 Alpine either needed top-up fuel or be aggressive with fuel saving to make it to the finish. 

A slow puncture sealed the deal for the Alpine, with Vanthoor, Magnussen and Marciello going on to score their maiden Hypercar wins in the #15 BMW.

The #51 Ferrari shared by Calado, Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi had to settle for second place after an impressive recovery drive from 11th on the grid. Calado had to save fuel in the final stint, preventing him from taking the fight to Vanthoor for victory.

The final spot on the podium went to the polesitting #12 Cadillac crewed by Stevens and Norman Nato as a duo. Following the botched pit stop, the #12 car lost further time when Stevens picked up a five-second penalty for causing a collision with a GT car and Nato was spun around by the #83 Ferrari in the third hour.

The #38 Cadillac bounced back from its own troubles, including a five-second time penalty for contact, with Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais and Jack Aitken finishing fourth. Jota swapped the two cars with 15 minutes remaining to give Aitken a chance of challenging the Ferrari for third, but he dropped back to fourth after failing to close the gap to Calado.

Fifth place went to AF Corse’s satellite #83 Ferrari of Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson after Kubica took advantage of a collision between Robin Frijns and Antonio Fuoco at the exit of Senna S to pass both cars in one go.

Frijns, Sheldon van der Linde, Rene Rast and Robin Frijns finished sixth in #20 BMW, while the #50 Ferrari shared by Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen dropped to eighth after contact left Fuco facing the wrong direction. The incident is being investigated by the stewards.

With the #50 Ferrari losing ground, Tom Gamble claimed seventh in the best of the two Aston Martin Valkyries, the #007 car he shares with Harry Tincknell.

The top 10 was completed by the #009 Aston of Alex Riberas and Marco Sorensen and the #35 Alpine of Milesi, Habsburg and da Costa, with the FCY the French team had hoped for never arriving.

Less than a month after claiming its sixth win at Le Mans, Toyota failed to muster a single point at Sao Paulo. Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Nyck de Vries struggled to 12th in the #7 Toyota TR010 Hybrid with a lack of pace, with a pair of penalties for start and FCY infringements adding to their woes. The #8 Toyota shared by Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa propped up the Hypercar field in 17th after spending 12 laps in the pits for repairs. Hartley was involved in an accident with the #17 Genesis of Andre Lotterer in the second hour which left the #8 Toyota with significant suspension damage.

It was an eventual race for Hypecar newcomer Genesis, with Paul-Loup Chatin, Daniel Juncadella and Mathieu Jaminet finishing 13th in the best of the two GMR-001s after being hit with a drive-through penalty for an FCY infringement.

Corvette takes LMGT3 honours

TF Sport scored back-to-back class wins in the WEC following its triumph at Le Mans last month, but it was the #34 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Peter Dempsey, Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluc that took the top spot this time.

More to follow

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Full-time IndyCar driver Louis Foster decided to try something very different during an off-weekend, taking on NASCAR for the first time.

The 22-year-old British driver was piloting the No. 76 Freedom Racing Enterprises Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lime Rock Park.

Foster started 26th in his Truck debut, and drove all the way up to 12th before a pit road speeding violation. He then drove through the field again, nearly reaching the top ten when he had to make an unscheduled pit stop to clean grass from the radiator.

By the end of the chaotic race, he was as high as sixth and in perfect position to secure a top ten, only to get spun out with a couple of laps remaining. He crossed the finish line in 21st. Here's what Foster had to say after the race:

NASCAR BABYYY 🦅🇺🇸

Drove from P26 to P12. Got a pit speed violation. Then from P27 to P11. Got grass in my radiator & had to pit. Up from P25 to battling for P6 with 2 laps to go & got wrecked

I had SO much fun 😂

Super thankful to @DroplightHQ@SpencerBoyd & @FreedomRacing76pic.twitter.com/Ryb0gPtXSt

— Louis Foster (@_LouisFoster) July 12, 2026

Foster now heads back to IndyCar where the two-time Indy 500 starter drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. His next race is at Nashville Superspeedway on July 19, with the 2024 Indy NXT champion hoping to improve upon his career-best finish of seventh.

Thomas Annunziata hospitalized after NASCAR Truck fire

Grant Enfinger wins crash-filled NASCAR Truck race at Lime Rock Park

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HAMPTON, Ga. — NASCAR’s Cup Series returns to EchoPark Speedway for the second time this season on Sunday, July 12.

Since being repaved and reconfigured a bit, the race at the formerly named Atlanta Motor Speedway has risen up the rankings and become a favorite amongst fans that always seems to feature entertaining racing. In February, Tyler Reddick won a double-overtime race here.

It’s the third race to be broadcast by TNT Sports this season, and former crew chief turned color analyst Steve Letarte says Atlanta is “one of the must-find tickets of NASCAR.”

“The racing there is unbelievable," Letarte told USA TODAY Sports a few weeks ago. "There's a lot of things that can change when we go down to Atlanta. That new configuration — it looks like fighter jets in a punch bowl."

AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, says there’s nothing else like Atlanta on the schedule at the moment.

“It’s one of a kind,” Allmendinger told USA TODAY Sports on Saturday, June 11. “If I was sitting in the grandstand, I’d love it. Sitting in the race car, I absolutely hate it.”

Chase Briscoe, who won last weekend at Chicagoland in the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, explained that the tire wear and handling will be tougher to deal with on Sunday compared to the first Atlanta race of the season in February because of the hot temperatures.

“Handling seems to definitely just get worse every time we come here, just from a natural progression of the racetrack. The track just has so much less grip,” Briscoe said. “It'll definitely race different. This has a little bit different vibe. At this point of the season, everybody kind of knows what they need to do from a points standpoint. It's still going to be just as chaotic, I'm sure.”

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Denny Hamlin enters Sunday’s race atop the standings, ahead of Tyler Reddick by 44 points. Briscoe moved up three spots to eighth after his first victory of the season, while Allmendinger is in 19th, three spots below the cut line for the postseason Chase.

Despite Toyotas running extremely well this season — they had seven cars in the top 10 last weekend and the manufacturer has won 13 of 19 races this year — Sunday’s race will begin with a pair of Team Penske Fords on the front row. Ryan Blaney won the pole and Joey Logano is second, followed by Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and Daniel Suarez in Chevrolets.

Also on the line in Atlanta is NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge, where the winner of the bracket-style competition will take home $1 million. The remaining matchups are Alex Bowman vs. Todd Gilliland, Briscoe vs. Chase Elliott, Hamlin vs. Christopher Bell and Blaney vs. William Byron.

NASCAR is hopeful that it has cooled the flames on a pair of rivalries heading into Sunday’s race. On Sunday, officials held closed-door meetings with Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen, plus Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith.

Here's everything you need to know about the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta start?

The Quaker State 400 is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta on?

The Quaker State 400 will be broadcast on TNT and truTV. A pre-race show on TNT will begin at 6 p.m. ET, with a post-race show anchored by Marty Smith to follow after the race. Adam Alexander, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be on the call for live race action, while Jamie McMurray and Jeff Burton will join the pre- and post-race shows.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

Yes. The Quaker State 400 can be live streamed on HBO Max. The platform also features live streams for individual driver cameras.

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta?

The Quaker State 400 is 260 laps around the 1.54-mile oval for a total of 400.4 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 100 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta?

Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag at EchoPark Speedway in the Autotrader 400, the second race of the season on Feb. 22. To win his second consecutive race, Reddick rallied from a multicar wreck and won in double overtime. With a push from 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace, Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota finished 0.164 seconds ahead of Chase Briscoe. Reddick became just the sixth driver to open a NASCAR Cup Series season by winning the first two races. He went on to capture a third straight victory at Circuit of the Americas.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. is the all-time wins leader at Atlanta with nine Cup Series victories. William Byron, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano each have two wins at the track.

What is the lineup for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta?

(Car number in parentheses)

1. Ryan Blaney (12)
2. Joey Logano (22)
3. Kyle Larson (5)
4. Austin Dillon (3)
5. Daniel Suarez (7)
6. Alex Bowman (48)
7. Chase Elliott (9)
8. Austin Cindric (2)
9. Ross Chastain (1)
10. Brad Keselowski (6)
11.  Erik Jones (43)
12. Shane van Gisbergen (97)
13. Chris Buescher (17)
14. Carson Hocevar (77)
15. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47)
16. Ty Dillon (10)
17. Josh Berry (21)
18. Michael McDowell (71)
19. Ryan Preece (60)
20. Chase Briscoe (19)
21. Todd Gilliland (34)
22. Bubba Wallace (23)
23. Ty Gibbs (54)
24. John Hunter Nemechek (42)
25. Connor Zilisch (88)
26. William Byron (24)
27. AJ Allmendinger (16)
28. Denny Hamlin (11)
29. Riley Herbst (35)
30. Austin Hill (33)
31. Tyler Reddick (45)
32. Christopher Bell (20)
33. Cole Custer (41)
34. Zane Smith (38)
35. Cody Ware (51)
36. Noah Gragson (4)
37. BJ McLeod (78)
38. Chad Finchum (66)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASCAR at Atlanta: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Quaker State 400 race

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