Last week I noted that if you led 100 or more laps at Las Vegas, you had a pretty good shot at winning the race. Well Kyle Larson did just that, and more. He won both stages and led the most laps with 133 and the final 45. But it almost did not come to pass.
Las Vegas
Kyle Larson Wins At Las Vegas, Clinches Championship 4 Berth
LAS VEGAS – Kyle Larson earned this trophy the old-fashioned way. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver led the most laps and swept both stage wins but still had to hold off a hard-charging, equally motivated Christopher Bell at the start/finish line to claim a dramatic victory in Sunday’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (more…)
William Byron Scores Big At Las Vegas
Man, and some of you thought Fontana was a boring racetrack. Compared to what was on display at Las Vegas this weekend, NASCAR might want to think about razing that track instead of Fontana.
Kyle Busch Burns Down Fontana
With rain canceling qualifying and practice, Kyle Busch started 21st in the 36 car field. That was good for Ross Chastain; otherwise Busch might have led even more laps on his way to his first victory for RCR.
This was the final race on the current track layout at Fontana and it didn’t disappoint. Cars were racing all over the track but having the lead was important to keep clean air on the nose of the car.
At Vegas, Joey Logano Advances, Bubba Wallace Regresses
Joey Logano had a Top 5 car most of the race and a late race call for new tires had you wondering if he was going to be able to drive through the field while others around him did not pit. That call by crew chief Wolf was the game winning hand as Logano drove back through the field taking the lead from Ross Chastain with 3 laps remaining.
In Cup Series Must-Win Situation, Christopher (Rings The) Bell!
Christopher Bell was in a must win situation entering the Charlotte Roval and his team delivered with a fresh tire call that helped push him past leader Kevin Harvick.
That win plus an unfortunate smack of the wall eliminated reigning champ Kyle Larson.
Rally North America Breaks Half-Million Dollars Donated In Support Of Hope For The Warriors
SPRINGFIELD, Va. (July 26 2022) – With over 83 teams participating, Rally North America recently raised over $222,000 in direct donations through its 2022 Monument Rally, benefiting Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for veterans, service members and military families. In 12 years, Rally North America has raised over a half-million dollars to support programs through Hope For The Warriors. (more…)
Barrett-Jackson Revs Up for Las Vegas Auction with Collectible Ford Mustangs and Shelbys
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – June 14, 2022 – Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, will rev up this year’s Las Vegas Auction, June 30-July 2, at the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center with an impressive stable of Ford-powered pony cars and collectible Shelby vehicles. Included in this year’s Las Vegas docket is a highly desirable 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 (Lot #741) and an Acapulco Blue 1968 Shelby GT500KR (Lot #728), both selling with No Reserve. (more…)
Denny Hamlin Sets the Pace With Las Vegas Win
Denny Hamlin showed why he has to be considered a top threat to win it all at Las Vegas, leading a race high 137 laps and dominating the final portion of the race. (more…)
Heading To Darlington, AJ Allmendinger Primed For Another Oval Win
Armed with a paint scheme commemorating his first and only NASCAR Cup Series victory and a pole position starting spot, AJ Allmendinger hopes to add another oval-track victory to his resume in Saturday’s Steakhouse Elite 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.) (more…)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes – Darlington Raceway
The Triple Truck Challenge was introduced in 2019, as a three-race program that provides drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series an opportunity to win up to $500,000 in bonus money. (more…)
NASCAR Cup Series News & Notes – Kansas Speedway
After a wild race at the behemoth that is Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for this Sunday’s Buschy McBusch Race 400 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Kansas Speedway, its fourth event of the 2021 season on a 1.5-mile track. (more…)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes – Kansas Speedway
After the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series took last weekend off, the series jumps back into action this week at Kansas Speedway for the Wise Power 200 (Saturday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). (more…)
Racing on TV Listings for April 28-May 2
Here’s where to find the major racing action on TV and online this week:
Valvoline Expands Hendrick Motorsports Sponsorship to Larson and Byron
CONCORD, N.C. (April 27, 2021) – Valvoline has expanded its partnership with 13-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports by adding primary sponsorship of playoff-contending drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron for the next two seasons. (more…)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes – Off Weekend
While much of the focus in Victory Lane in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season has been on Kyle Busch Motorsports with their four consecutive wins in the most recent four races, what may be overlooked is that Toyota has actually started the season with six straight wins. (more…)
Bob Tasca III’s NHRA Victory in Vegas Shows Funny Car Class is Wide Open
After the Ford Motor Company pulled out of NHRA pro drag racing in late 2013, Cranston, RI’s Bob Tasca III warned it had made a mistake: “I truly believe they have underestimated the passion and loyalty of the NHRA fans” – and lobbied hard for a decision reversal.
Ford agreed to continue supporting his Funny Car program, but Tasca made a promise on his end, too. (more…)
Formula One announces 10-year deal for Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium
It’s official: Formula One racing is coming to South Florida.
F1 announced Sunday the Miami Grand Prix will be hosted at Hard Rock Stadium in a 10-year deal, which will begin in 2022. The 2022 race date will be announced later with hopes of it being held in the second quarter of next year (April-June).
By SAFID DEEN, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL
“It’s a great moment for Formula One and a great moment for Formula One fans in America,” said president and CEO Stefano Domenicali during a press conference in Imola, Italy.
“We’re very excited to bring the world’s greatest racing to the most dynamic city in the United States,” added Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium CEO Tom Garfinkel, the new managing partner of the race.
Sunday’s announcement ends a nearly three-year quest by Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium owner Steve Ross, now the chairman and owner of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, to bring F1 racing to South Florida.
For Ross and Garfinkel, the Miami Grand Prix is just another event that adds to the allure of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The venue has hosted 11 Super Bowls with Super Bowl 54 most recently in Feb. 2020, multiple college football national championship games, and will host games during the World Cup in 2026.
“We had a vision to create a global entertainment destination. The site exists to bring in the biggest events in the world,” Garfinkel told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
“With the Super Bowl, the [college football] national championship game, international soccer, Miami Open tennis, and really there’s no bigger event in the world than Formula One racing.”
Race organizers and the city of Miami Gardens recently announced an economic package that will include a $5 million commitment, including a STEM education program and race conditions that must be abided by to benefit the area despite significant resistance from local officials and residents in the area.
Ross initially hoped to have the F1 race in the downtown Miami, starting in 2019, until that proposal was also met with apprehension from residents with noise and pollution concerns.
“This is something we’ve worked on for a while,” Garfinkel told the Sun Sentinel. I think frankly, while it feels like it took a long time, when you look at the amount of diligence that goes into it, taking the time to listen to the community, and putting that diligence in during a global pandemic we’ve all been dealing with, it actually wasn’t a long time when you put it in perspective because what it takes to put one of these things on is pretty significant.”
The race circuit will be 3.36 miles, have 19 corners, 3 straights and potential for 3 DRS zones with an estimated top speed of 198.8 mph with the stadium at the heart of the action.
FI and Hard Rock Stadium officials will work together to build a track to provide high speed straights, multiple overtaking opportunities and exciting racing while meeting the highest safety standards, according to a press release.
Miami will be the 11th location Formula 1 has raced in the United States since the Championship series began in 1950. Since that time Formula 1 has raced at Riverside, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Circuit of the Americas in Austin.
The Miami Grand Prix will be the second U.S. race on the F1 circuit next year, joining Austin, Texas.
“There was never a time we didn’t want it to happen or didn’t think it was going to happen,” added Garfinkel. “I think sometimes you will things to happen when you have great partners to get that accomplished.”
NASCAR Cup Series News & Notes – Martinsville Speedway
The NASCAR Cup Series finds itself amid a short track swing on the 2021 season schedule, tasking the teams to find the best setups for the cars on three similar tracks in length (less than a mile) but for three vastly different competitive arenas. (more…)
NASCAR Xfinity Series News & Notes – Martinsville Speedway
After a two-week break, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action at Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 250 at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, April 9 on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. (more…)