By Crystal Clay SONOMA, Calif. — In a race shaped by precision, tire strategy and respect, Connor Zilisch held off Shane van Gisbergen in the closing laps at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday to score his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win. But the story wasn’t just about the victory. It was how Zilisch earned it, and who he beat to get there. Credit: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) “I knew I could do it all along,” Zilisch said. “It was just a matter of executing and doing my job. You have to be perfect to beat Shane. He’s really good.” Van Gisbergen, who swept both the Cup and Xfinity races in Chicago the week prior, entered Sonoma as the driver to beat. He won the pole in both series and showed his usual poise on road courses. But this time, Zilisch didn’t just keep up. He learned, adapted and closed the deal. Zilisch’s poise on road courses traces back to his early racing days in Europe. In 2020, he became the first American to win the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, a spec series that tests raw racecraft against international talent. That experience taught him patience and precision, both of which mattered as Sonoma’s long green-flag run unfolded. But Zilisch also credited van Gisbergen for helping him evolve. “I learned a lot about how he races in Chicago,” he said. “Where he pushes, how he saves his tires, how he sets the pace. I used that today.” The two drivers traded momentum throughout the race, carefully managing tire falloff early in each stint before ramping up the pace. With only two cautions, the final 34 laps ran green. Both drivers created a 13-second gap to the rest of the field. “We were kind of playing cat and mouse,” Zilisch said. “That last run was really tough. We were both pushing to the limit.” Zilisch and van Gisbergen raced hard but clean. One week earlier, van Gisbergen passed Zilisch late in Chicago with a physical move. After that race, the two shared an elevator ride and a laugh. “I said, ‘I’ll get you back next week,’” Zilisch recalled. This time, van Gisbergen got close — even bumped Zilisch in Turn 4 and threatened a crossover in Turn 7 — but backed off when it counted. “He knew he hit me in four, and that’s why he got the chance at seven,” Zilisch said. “I think he wanted to pass me fairly. That says a lot about the kind of driver and person he is.” Zilisch said the two exchanged hand signals under caution and shared a mutual respect that made the battle fun.  “I wouldn’t want to beat him the wrong way, and he wouldn’t want to beat me that way either,” he said. “I respect the hell out of the guy. He’s a good dude and a good friend.” Credit: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images While Zilisch took pride in the win, he said the biggest takeaway was the quality of the racing. And the learning continues. “It’s fun racing him,” Zilisch said. “Every restart, we’d pull up next to each other, flip each other off, give thumbs up. It’s just fun.” And then, with a smile, he added, “But it’s also really fun to beat him.” The rivalry will likely continue at Watkins Glen, where van Gisbergen has already proven capable. Zilisch is ready for more. “He’s already had a full career,” Zilisch said. “I’m just getting started. I’m going to enjoy racing against him while I can.” Credit: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Sonoma is Cup Series veteran AJ Allmendinger’s home track, and he knows it well. But even he says van Gisbergen’s impact is redefining what elite looks like on road courses. “When you do what he’s been doing, it overshadows everybody — rightfully so,” Allmendinger said. “He’s the elite on these tracks right now. We’re all chasing him.” Allmendinger has yet to win at Sonoma, despite earning the pole in 2015 and leading laps in 2014. Still, he said van Gisbergen’s dominance is something the entire garage can learn from. “You try to learn from it, but you can’t let it torment you,” he said. “There’s still styles I have that I think are good, and there are others I’ve got to keep improving.” Credit: SONOMA, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Even Jimmie Johnson, one of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, took note of what unfolded between van Gisbergen and Zilisch at Sonoma, and in Chicago the week prior. “Shane’s understanding of how to position the car, the way he manages the pedals, how he doesn’t oversaturate the front tires and uses them to rotate — it’s just really impressive,” Johnson said. “He makes it look effortless and carries more speed than anyone through the center of the corner.” But Johnson said what stood out even more was who was racing with him. “To watch he and Zilisch duke it out, not just here but in Chicago, was something special,” he said. “SVG is really impressive, but to see a young driver come along and go toe to toe with him at this level is quite impressive as well.”

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) By Logan Morris They say good things come to those who wait, and that’s exactly what the Columbus, Ohio area had to do for two decades. Sunday felt like the culmination of something bigger than just a race weekend, and for much of the day, that’s exactly what it was. Unfortunately, the fans at Darana Raceway will have to wait a little longer for the ultimate payoff. Due to an incredibly long weather delay earlier in the day and dew on the track, the IHRA finals were pushed to Sunday morning at 10am. Still, Saturday was a day to remember. Two-time IHRA Funny Car champion Dale Creasy Jr. squared off with the series’ most recent Funny Car champion, Terry Haddock, in the first round. Haddock took the win after Creasy Jr. and was forced to shut his machine off early. Jack Wyatt would defeat Todd Barker, and No. 1 Qualifier Mike McIntyre would go on to best Jody Austin. In the semi-finals, Mike McIntyre would run a 6.645 ET at 171.58 MPH and that would be good enough to best Jack Wyatt in a pedal-fest who ran a 7.340 ET at just 126.03 MPH. (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) In Top Fuel, No. 1 qualifier Scott Palmer beat Chuck Loftin, and Doug Foley would get the best of Cameron Ferre. Krista Baldwin beat Mitch King, and in the semi-finals, Baldwin would do a single run of 4.100 ET at 248.02 MPH after Lex Joon couldn’t get his machine started. Scott Palmer advanced to the finals after getting the best of Doug Foley with a run of 4.201 ET at 211.53 MPH, who ran a 5.202 ET at 156.59 MPH. In a weekend filled with nostalgia, it’s fitting that two familiar names will battle it out for the first Ironman trophy of the IHRA’s return.  Pro and Sportsman finals will resume Sunday morning, July 13th, at 10am EST.

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) By Logan Morris Krista Baldwin was born and bred into drag racing, being the granddaughter of “The Golden Greek” Chris Karamesines and the daughter of Bobby Baldwin. Naturally, any time she’s in a Top Fuel field, fans feel a rush of nostalgia for days gone by, so it was fitting that she took part in the IHRA’s return to national prominence over the weekend at Darana Raceway. I had a chance to talk to her before Friday’s qualifying sessions to get her thoughts on being part of such a historic event. Krista was feeling nostalgic herself. “I’m excited. I mean, the reemergence of a nostalgia, vibe, event for Top Fuel cars is awesome. It’s cool that every one of these Top Fuel cars on the grounds are all really good friends, so that is going to be awesome — racing with a few good friends. But anytime you get to burn nitro on a beautiful day is always a good time.” She’s thrilled to have another place to hone her craft, and hopes it creates another home for Top Fuel as a whole. “I think it’s great. The resurgence of another place where we can actually run Top Fuel cars is huge. It does get tough when there’s only one place we can do it, but with this, I think it’s going to broaden our horizons. Hopefully we’ll see other Top Fuel cars come out.” Krista is very much her own person. She serves as the General Manager for Paul Lee’s NHRA Funny Car team, but she still carries the lessons she learned from her father and grandfather. When I asked about the biggest lesson she carries from her late father, her response was simple but powerful: “The biggest lesson would be: don’t give up. One of the things I take to heart is that you don’t know how long you’re on this planet, so live it up while you can.” (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) I also asked her about the biggest racing lesson she’s learned from her grandfather. The third-generation driver gave a bubbly but blunt answer about how she uses him as motivation: “Don’t take no shit. It’s a wonder he was able to drive for 75 years, but it’s the pure fact that you have got to love it. So I strive to do that every time I wake up.” Her grandfather looms even larger for her at a place like Darana Raceway, the historic venue formerly known as National Trail Raceway, a track she hadn’t raced at before. “My grandpa used to race here many, many times. So, to come back to a facility where he’s had some success is always awesome. This is actually a brand new track to me, I’ve never been here, so I’m excited to make the stands rock.” When asked about her goal for the history-making weekend, Baldwin didn’t mince words. “To get that Ironman!” Baldwin will go to the final round to race against Scott Palmer on Sunday morning at 10am ET.

By Crystal Clay SONOMA, Calif. — As NASCAR teams rolled into wine country for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, another rivalry was heating up just 70 miles south: the Giants and Dodgers were facing off at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Naturally, the question made its way through the Cup garage: Giants or Dodgers? It’s Northern California, after all — there’s a right and a wrong answer. And most drivers knew exactly what to say. AJ Allmendinger, grinning, didn’t hesitate. “Giants! Like, we’re not in L.A., are we?” he said playfully. “You’re in the wrong place to ask that question and think people are gonna say Dodgers.”` Kyle Busch, who grew up in Las Vegas, leaned into the moment with a touch of nostalgia. “That’s a tough one,” Busch said. “I guess I played two years of Little League ball as a Giant, so I’d have to say the Giants.” Ross Chastain? He went his own way. “Rays,” he said, without missing a beat. The Florida native stayed loyal to Tampa Bay — a move as unexpected, and as on-brand, as his recent run-in with Joey Logano on the streets of Chicago. Ross Chastain smiling in his orange Kubota fire suit and black hat during media availability at Sonoma Raceway ahead of the 2025 Toyota/ Save Mart 350. Photo: Crystal Clay ⸻ Then came the real grind: Sonoma’s repave. While the baseball banter offered a fun break, the technical talk around the track’s first full resurfacing since 2001 carried real weight. The repave, completed ahead of last year’s event, changed the way teams approached race weekend. Lap times dropped by as much as five seconds. More grip. Deeper braking. Faster exits. But also more stress on both cars and drivers. Kyle Busch pointed to the early uncertainty. “There’s going to be some learning in the first little bit … some sections that are kind of redone. It’s not going to be the same as what it was.” Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 car, noted how the surface has already evolved. “This place was always really smooth before the repave, and now it’s funny — I think it’s a lot rougher than it ever was … There’s probably a mix more this year of tire saving, but also having a lot of compliance and drivability in your car.” Allmendinger, a veteran of road courses, added: “Morning to afternoon, the lap times are significantly different with the heat … The track will always keep changing.” To address the evolving surface, Goodyear brought a thicker-gauge tire compound to better mimic traditional wear. Still, tire falloff and setup strategy remained key — especially as rubber built up from ARCA and Xfinity races earlier in the weekend. ⸻ More than a repave Sonoma tested adaptability, patience and physical endurance. But it also reminded fans, in the form of a lighthearted baseball question, that NASCAR drivers still carry hometown pride, playful banter and a sense of timing. Some rivalries happen on the track. Others happen in the garage — with a grin, a shrug and just enough self-awareness to win over the crowd.

Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh By Logan Morris Friday at the IHRA’s Outlaw Nitro Series at Darana Raceway was historic in more ways than one. From the time the gates opened at 7:00am, there was a different vibe in the air. This was a history-making day. After all, IHRA brought Nitro racing back to the historic track formally known as National Trail Raceway. Friday also served as the IHRA’s official reentry into the national event scene. To make the festivities even bigger, drag racing royalty was on the property in the form of “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and “The First Lady of Drag Racing” Shirley Muldowney. It’s fitting that the two icons will be meeting fans all weekend, given their impact in IHRA’s history. Track Preparation Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh Friday’s first qualifying session for both Funny Car and Top Fuel was marred by issues in the hot and sticky conditions, but that didn’t dampen the importance of the moment. There were nostalgic feelings of days gone by, mixed with an excitement about something new. The Nitro scene for the IHRA went dormant in 2008. But, on July 11, 2025 you can say something was both reborn and reimagined. Names like Dale Creasy Jr., Jack Wyatt, and Terry Haddock made their official return to IHRA competition, while new names like Krista Baldwin, Jody Austin, and others made their IHRA debut. First Nitro Run in 19 Years Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh Session two under the lights lived up to the hype and was a special moment in the revival, it had the feel of what everyone on the property had been waiting for. Veteran racer Scott Palmer is the No. 1 qualifier in Top Fuel, he ran a 3.955 ET at over 267 MPH. Mike McIntyre was the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car with a 4.073 ET at over 309 MPH. Eliminations are set to begin Saturday afternoon, July 12th.

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) By Logan Morris Dale Creasy Jr. is already a two-time IHRA Funny Car Champion, and at this stage of the game he has nothing to prove, but he has no desire to slow down. After all it’s in his blood, the Illinois native learned from his father dating back to the 1970s. Drag racing is in his blood and he shows no signs of slowing down. I had a chance to talk to Dale Creasy Jr. before IHRA's inaugural return event for the Outlaw Nitro Series at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. I asked him about his emotions when it comes to returning to the IHRA and his excitement was clear “It’s been good, we’ve done well here. Our cars are better now than it was then, but then they were pretty good, so I’m hoping that we can keep going and move on. We’ve been struggling this year, we upgraded some parts and the car is a lot faster, and we have to learn how to make 4.0. We made two solid 4.0 runs, cutting it off early, so I think we’re in good shape. But every day is a new day, you know, every track is a new track, and if they do track prep like they told me they were going to do, we should all be okay. If the track is not good, [the cars] don’t go. I know that Larry Morgan [IHRA Vice President] initially decided to go this direction, and then when Doug Foley came, I was really happy because that’s two guys that know racing. I think that it’s going to be a good one.” Dale Creasy Jr. knows that winning a third IHRA Funny Car Championship would put him in rarefied air. He was well on his way to a third straight championship in 2008 when he suffered injuries during a crash at the Rocky Mountain Nationals. He was very clear that a third IHRA Funny Car Championship would mean a great deal but he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. “I think it would be an honor to be in that group because I don’t think there’s very many. I had talked to Paul Romine, after I won the second one, and he said, ‘Now you win three, you’ll catch up to me.’ But you can’t win three in a row unless you win the first two. I was leading the points and I got hurt. It was a shame. It wasn’t an injury that I could just scrub off if I could. If I go to a race, I don’t think farther ahead than that, because I tell my guys we’re here to qualify and it’s one round at a time on race day. I don’t even look at it much - I don’t want to know and I don’t need to know. I gotta get by this guy first, and then we’ll work from there. … but to me you got to keep your head down and do what you do. The reason we were successful is we didn’t try to go fast, we didn’t try to be the best. I wish I would have learned that twenty years ago. Here, we’re just working. We’re capable of running better than I think we’re gonna run the first time, but getting down the track the first time is a relief, because now, you’re safe. If we can go down the track and run somewhere in the 4.0 range here and there, then the night run will be the opportunity. I just don’t want to do anything to hurt anything, but I want to make sure that we’re going to be competing tomorrow.” That mentality really comes from lessons that he still carries from his father., Dale Creasy Sr., who passed away in 2020. Creasy Jr. makes sure not to get complacent and takes nothing for granted. “Just keep your head down and keep working. Some people come to the races to be seen. I did an interview over the phone and they were talking about, ‘you did this, you did that’ and I said, ‘It’s all great’ and I appreciate everybody talking about that, but I don’t think about it a lot. I don’t want to get to the point where I think about it, because in my mind, it’s like I’m already here, so I try to push out of that ‘fight for your life every time’ and I just work six days a week on the racecar, and I enjoy working on the racecar, so when I’m not working on it, I think I should be. You have to really, really love what you do and not just say you love what you’re doing and do it part-time, we do this 24/7. This is what we do. My guys have been with me for over ten years.” (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) He looks at the IHRA revival as a big opportunity and a place where he hopes he shows what he can really do. He also believes that it’s an opportunity drag racing needs. “It’s an opportunity that we need because I’m not close to running NHRA and we’re getting better at it, but to run against them guys, you have to have really good luck on your side because guys like [Jack] Beckman and Austin Prock. I mean, we can run with them, but we aren’t going to outrun them. Here, we have an opportunity to be as good as the other cars around us and every car here can run. There’s cars here that I don’t know, but I’m sure they can run well. I just like the idea that we are all on the same page with everybody else and that we all have the same opportunity.” Creasy Jr. and his 2018 Charger ran a 5.799 ET at 122.97 MPH after shaking the tires in Q1. In Q2 he ran a 4.654 ET at just over 189 MPH. Creasy Jr. will look to capture the first Funny Car Ironman of the season at Darana Raceway on Saturday afternoon, July 12th.

By Adam Carabine Happy Saturday everyone!  This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series travels to Sonoma, California for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.   Sonoma is a road course.  The track is 1.99 miles long, and features 12 turns and 160 feet of elevation change.  The track was built in 1968, though NASCAR didn’t start racing there until 1989.  Ricky Rudd won that first race at Sonoma.  Last year’s winner at this race was Kyle Larson.    Tomorrow’s race will be 110 laps long (for a total of 218.9 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 25 – 55 – 110.  Pit road speed is 40 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 45 mph.   This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 4,826 laps, for 7,042.34 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed every single lap, but Chase Elliott is one lap behind, and Tyler Reddick is five behind.   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Sonoma: Chase Elliott 11.13 over 8 races Ross Chastain 12.40 over 5 races Chris Buescher 12.75 over 8 races Kyle Larson 13.00 over 10 races (2 wins) Joey Logano 13.47 over 15 races   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Sonoma: Cody Ware 34.50 over 4 races Josh Berry 32.00 over 1 race JH Nemechek 29.00 over 1 race Ty Gibbs 27.50 over 2 races Ty Dillon 26.80 over 5 races   Sonoma is a Road Course   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Chase Elliott 7.61 over 38 races (7 wins) SVG 7.83 over 9 races (3 wins) Tyler Reddick 11.66 over 29 races (3 wins) Chris Buescher 12.73 over 40 races (1 win) Christopher Bell 13.45 over 29 races (3 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Austin Dillon 24.33 over 42 races Ryan Preece 24.33 over 26 races Noah Gragson 22.94 over 12 races JH Nemechek 22.92 over 10 races Justin Haley 22.77 over 27 races   Jeff Gordon is the winningest driver at Sonoma, with 5 victories there.  Martin Truex Jr. is 2 nd with 4 wins at the track.  As far as current drivers go, both Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch each have 2 wins.   Notable drivers who have not won at Sonoma: Denny Hamlin (has won at 19 other tracks) Joey Logano (has won at 19 other tracks) Brad Keselowski (has won at 17 other tracks) Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) Christopher Bell (has won at 10 other tracks)   Daniel Suarez earned his first Cup Series victory at Sonoma, it was his 195 th  career start.   Based on average finish, no drivers list Sonoma as their BEST track, but both Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick list it as their WORST.   Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2024 Tyler Reddick +655 pts Chris Buescher +573 pts Bubba Wallace +387 pts Chase Briscoe +369 pts Ryan Preece +338 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2024 Brad Keselowski -356 pts Todd Gilliland -306 pts Joey Logano -272 pts Ty Gibbs -257 pts Josh Berry -256 pts   Next, let’s look at who’s having their best and worst career year by Average Finish:   Best Career Year Chase Elliott 10.58 Christopher Bell 12.68 Chase Briscoe 15.32 Ryan Preece 17.26 JH Nemechek 18.89   Worst Career Year Cole Custer 24.42 Brad Keselowski 23.00 Carson Hocevar 22.53 Zane Smith 19.26   Rookie of the Year Battle SVG 308 (2 wins) Riley Herbst 226   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1 st , 35 for 2 nd , 34 for 3 rd , etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings Chevrolet 696 Toyota 676 Ford 640   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Hendrick 666 Joe Gibbs 652 Trackhouse 545 Penske 525 RFK 522 23XI 493 Legacy MC 458 Spire 454 Front Row 446 RCR 432 Kaulig 417 Hyak 334 Wood Bros 296 Haas Factory 239 Rick Ware 151   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders William Byron 179 Ryan Blaney 155 Tyler Reddick 144 Denny Hamlin 137 Kyle Larson 134 Chase Elliott 110 Bubba Wallace 107 Alex Bowman 106 Austin Cindric 99 Carson Hocevar 91   Milestone Watch Chase Briscoe Looking for his 20 th  Career Top 5 Joey Logano Looking for his 170 th  Career Top 5 Christopher Bell This will be his 200 th  Career Cup Series Start Joey Logano This will be his 600 th  Career Cup Series Start   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 160 races Cole Custer 116 races Bubba Wallace 98 races Erik Jones 98 races Kyle Busch 76 races Michael McDowell 67 races Daniel Suarez 53 races Brad Keselowski 42 races AJ Allmendinger 39 races Alex Bowman 35 races   The race begins Sunday, July 13 th  at 3:30 pm EST (12:30 pm PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images By Adam Carabine A look at the Top Ten in our weekly Power Rankings, plus the biggest movers! While finishing position is important, it’s not always indicative of the full picture.  StatChat rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs, with an emphasis placed on the most recent 5 races.   Ryan Preece – This week: 10 – Last week: 14 How about that P7 for Ryan Preece at the Chicago Street Course last weekend? While I’m not entirely sure where Preece is getting all of this speed from lately, he’s been deservedly bumped back into the Top 10 of the Power Rankings.  His average finish over the last five races is just over 10.  Impressive.   Ty Gibbs – This week: 9 – Last week: 15 Speaking of impressive, how about Ty Gibbs lately? His average finish over the last five races is 8.8 – yes that’s a smaller sample size than a full season, but that’s lower than anyone’s season-long total this year.  All five of his last races have been in the Top 15, and there are two Top 5s in there, including a runner-up finish at Chicago last weekend.    Erik Jones – This week: 8 – Last week: 8 Erik Jones manages to hold serve this week and stay in the Power Rankings Top 10, despite a P25 finish in Chicago.  Partially saved by some other drivers ahead of him doing worse, the other recent races have been stellar for the LMC driver.   AJ Allmendinger – This week: 7 – Last week: 12 Obviously with a road course-heavy section of the schedule in play recently, it’s not surprising to see Allmendinger rise up in the Power Rankings.  However, his oval performance has been getting better of late too, and he’s had some solid underlying numbers to help with his road course skills.   Kyle Larson – This week: 6 – Last week: 7 Once seemingly secured at the very top of the Power Rankings, Larson has had a few rough weeks, though things seem to be turning around.  He fell out of the Top 10 at one point, but has clawed his way back up.  A Top 15 finish in Chicago helped, and the others should watch out because next weekend’s Sonoma is one of his best tracks.   Chris Buescher – This week: 5 – Last week: 6 Buescher’s car had some issues in Chicago at times, but he managed to salvage a solid finish from the day.  While we’ve become accustomed to seeing Buescher compete at road courses lately (see Watkins Glen last year!), P18 in Chicago didn’t exactly wow us – but some bigger names up the list suffered and fell out, leaving room for Buescher to move up a spot.    Tyler Reddick – This week: 4 – Last week: 5 There were a few down weeks for Reddick but he is now the only driver in the Cup Series who hasn’t been out of the Top 10 a single week this season. With William Byron falling down to 13 th  this week, a few drivers made up some extra spots – but Reddick’s move up was well-deserved after a solid P3 at the Chicago Street Course.   Shane Van Gisbergen – This week: 3 – Last week: 10 Two wins in his last five races (in his rookie season, no less), and SVG has climbed up to the podium of our Power Rankings.  Watch out for him next week, as we travel to another road course.  He could quickly jump to the very top!   Denny Hamlin – This week: 2   – Last week: 1 The battle for the top spot was a very close one this week. Denny showed great poise having to start dead last in Chicago, and making his way up to a great P4 finish, it wasn’t quite enough to stay at the very top.  Missing Mexico City, and the DNF at Atlanta was a tough hill to climb.   Chase Elliott – This week: 1 – Last week: 2 Strangely, this is Chase Elliott’s first time in the top spot for the Power Rankings.  This year’s most consistent driver is having a career year in average finish, buoyed by an incredible Top 20 streak dating back to last year’s playoff race in Las Vegas.  While it hasn’t always been flashy, his consistency paired with a win the previous weekend in Atlanta was a winning combo to help him up to the top.   Biggest Movers   Carson Hocevar – This week: 29 – Last week: 13 Falls 16 places   Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – This week: 17 – Last week: 24 Gains 7 places   Alex Bowman – This week: 12 – Last week: 19 Gains 7 places   Shane Van Gisbergen – This week: 3 – Last week: 10 Gains 7 places   Rest of the List 11. Ryan Blaney LW: 4 -7 12. Alex Bowman LW: 19 +7 13. William Byron LW: 3 -10 14. Christopher Bell LW: 9 -5 15. Ross Chastain LW: 18 +3 16. Chase Briscoe LW: 17 +1 17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. LW: 24 +7 18. Kyle Busch LW: 22 +4 19. Bubba Wallace LW: 19 -3 20. Zane Smith LW: 20 -- 21. Brad Keselowski LW: 11 -10 22. Justin Haley LW: 26 +5 23. Joey Logano LW: 21 -2 24. JH Nemechek LW: 29 +5 25. Ty Dillon LW: 27 +2 26. Michael McDowell LW: 31 +5 27. Austin Cindric LW: 25 -2 28. Cody Ware LW: 33 +5 29. Carson Hocevar LW: 13 -16 30. Noah Gragson LW: 34 +4 31. Daniel Suarez LW: 30 -1 32. Todd Gilliland LW: 23 -9 33. Josh Berry LW: 28 -5 34. Austin Dillon LW: 32 -2 35. Riley Herbst LW: 36 +1 36. Cole Custer LW: 35 -1

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) By Logan Morris and Peyton Lohr Born to humble beginnings in Hackettstown, New Jersey, Terry Haddock knows what it’s like to win. He has won on some of the biggest stages, but has also come up just short on others. What is unique about Haddock is that not only is he a driver, but he is also a tuner. With this different skill-set, Haddock had found success in many different forms of drag racing. In the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), he has a career best ET of 3.958 at 317.87 MPH, and has won several round wins over some pretty prestigious legends, including John Force, Shawn Langdon, Gary Scelzi, and Tony Schumacher (two times). He has also mentored and helped several nitro racers in the field, which speaks volumes about his character. Haddock has also won back-to-back Stampede of Speed exhibition events at the Texas Invitational in 2023 and 2024. More recently, Haddock has been competing in FIA European Drag Racing. In April of this year, Haddock broke the European Funny Car record at Santa Pod Raceway Strip, with co-tuner and car owner Bob Jarrett, with an ET of 4.124 at 307.88 MPH, and powered on to the win that day. He is also currently the points leader in the Funny Car class. Most notably, Haddock won the 2008 International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Funny Car Championship, which was the last time the IHRA ran Funny Cars. The IHRA would go on to stop running national events in 2014. This year, IHRA was revived by Darryl Cuttell, a hands-on business man located in central Ohio. The series in 2025 is set to have six IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series events, with the first being at Darana Raceway, formerly known as National Trail Raceway. Haddock will don the No. 1 on his Funny Car, as he is technically the reigning champion. We had the chance to sit down with Terry Haddock he talked about what it means to him to finally be able to defend that title: “You know, it’s pretty cool. The last couple of days, people have been asking that. I don’t want to say that we had forgotten about it - but it’s been a long time and the IHRA stopped running Funny Cars the following year, so we never got to defend it. We’re very proud of the accomplishment, but a lot of things have happened since then. We were talking about it yesterday, how it’s amazing, and now we get to come back and actually defend it, and our program is much more refined, and we’re working harder all the time to make it better, and you know when I was tuning the car and driving it, I was so tuned into it myself, but I didn’t have the knowledge that I have now. The ability to make the car and the team better, so it’s kind of neat. You know, it’ll come full circle.” Haddock made it clear that he’s very happy returning to the IHRA because of the friendly atmosphere: “It’s really awesome because IHRA was always welcoming and kind to people, we raced for twenty-five years and it’s always felt like family around here. We showed up yesterday, we came through the gate and they said, ‘Hey, welcome, we’re happy to have you’, and they escorted you to your pit spot and made sure you were parked and it’s just different. It’s got a little bit of a personal touch to it.” (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) For Haddock having success in multiple series and sanctioning bodies is nothing new, he has recently found success in FIA European Drag Racing: “I think it’s been a blessing when I get to even do this, you know? When I was learning to do this, there wasn’t anyone there to teach you. You had to figure it out the hard way, and like with the European thing [FIA European Drag Racing]. Last year, I was hired to tune that car. I went over there and I tuned it and we set records. We did really well with it, and over the winter, the team came up for sale and one of my other buddies asked if he bought it, if I would be driving. It’s been a neat experience. I’ve made lots of friends over there, and I try to help those guys and pay it forward because there was no one to teach me.” Haddock has tried to be a mentor to the next generation because there weren’t many to learn from when he was coming up: “The most influential person in my career as a teacher was probably Paul Smith, and he was a hard man to work with, but he talked, and now he’s a great friend. I didn’t understand it back then, but what he was trying to instill in me is the details and that all that stuff matters. Him and Johnny West probably made the most influence on teaching me to tune, and it was more the details or what it matters to do a good job and be 100%. It’s just little things like that. When I say teach people over there, a simple thing of how a guy should be belted in a seven point harness. There’s no one out here who ever showed anybody that they just said, ‘okay the rules are you need a seven point harness, here, you have to have it.’ But when a guy starts to use that seat belt the right way, it makes him a better driver, and they don’t know that. Sometimes someone comes along and points something out. I've learned so many things walking around people’s shops and just going, ‘uh’, and connecting the dots and figuring out that that was the missing piece, so I just tried to help people like that, you know?” Despite all the years and accomplishments Terry Haddock shows no signs of slowing down and remains as passionate as ever about driving a Funny Car: “I always tell everybody I’m wired wrong. Everybody gets up and goes to their job, and they want to have their fancy house and fancy cars, their boat and pool. My whole life, Funny Car drives me to get up and go to work. I want to drive that Funny Car, but I don’t know why, it’s just what I want to do. It’s what I’ve always wanted, and I’m not done doing it. I want to get to the top. See, I believe if I had the resources , I could be as good or better than anyone else. I learned, I try, you know? We put a lot into it. Now my boys are following it.” Haddock looks at IHRA’s return as an opportunity, first and foremost, and he was open about some conflicting emotions about returning to IHRA “I'm a little bit torn, actually. I’m super excited to be here tonight. The fact that this gentleman bought this series, and he's putting so much effort into it. People forget, or maybe they’re getting complacent, maybe the right word, but drag racing needs a home, and it's like any other business should be successful. Drag racing needs to have competition because if we don't have competition they forget to take care of your customers and they feel like they don't have to, right? So to defend the championship is awesome. The excitement that just making something more than this, and maybe we'll have a place to race. It's exciting to me by being the last champion that gives us almost like a tool to try to attract a sponsor with because there's excitement around us, and maybe somebody will want to be part of that.” Terry Haddock will look to win the IHRA Funny Car Ironman at Darana Raceway, qualifying for the IHRA Nitro Outlaw Series begins at 3:00pm ET on Friday, July 11th.

(Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) By: Logan Morris The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) kicked off its 2025 campaign on Wednesday, July 9th, with Pro-Am qualifying events at Darana Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, approximately 30 miles East of Columbus. The drag strip, previously named National Trail Raceway, has played host to many historic moments in drag racing. 16-time Funny Car Champion John Force’s first U.S. win came here, and this track played host to the Spring Nationals for decades. The track first hosted racing in 1964, and a lot has changed since then, but what hasn’t changed is the passion for racing. There have been several big names that have made a mark just outside of Columbus, so it’s fitting that the IHRA would relaunch into the national event scene at such a historic track. Wednesday’s action had the feel of a calm before the storm. The day kicked off preparations for the IHRA’s Outlaw Nitro Series, which takes place Friday and Saturday. The culmination of a new era of IHRA led by new series owner Darryl Cuttell. (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) There was a notable buzz in the humid air as the anticipation built for this weekend. Fans will be treated to an appearance by “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, the undisputed Godfather of the sport, and Shirley Muldowney, the First Lady of Drag Racing. She’s no stranger to Darana Raceway. In 1976, she became the first woman to win in the Top Fuel category on the property. In 1982, she and Lucille Lee took part in the first all female final. So, given that history, it’s only fitting that she be here for IHRA’s revival. IHRA’s return is also notable because Terry Haddock is returning to defend his Funny Car championship. Haddock will be putting No. 1 on his car this weekend, as he was the series’ last Funny Car champion in 2008. Jack Wyatt and Dale Creasy Jr. are other two notable IHRA alums returning. (Photo Credit: Peyton Lohr/Racing Refresh) The day was marred when Marvin Blaney suffered an explosion during the second qualifying session of the day. Blaney appeared alert as he was stretched from the remains of his car and into an ambulance. There’s been no update on his condition at this time. The IHRA released an "Incident Statement" on social media following the explosion, stating, "During the second round of Top Sportsman qualifying at the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series on Wednesday at National Trail Raceway, Marvin Blaney’s Top Sportsman ’63 Corvette suffered an engine explosion after the burnout. Blaney was removed from the vehicle and transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation." IHRA’s return continues tomorrow with Pro-Am eliminations beginning right after a fourth and final qualifying run at 8:30am ET on Thursday, July 10th.

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images By Ryan Wu Well, this is a shocking way to start a Wednesday.  Red Bull announced today that they have parted ways with Team Principal Christian Horner, ending his 20-year tenure at the helm of the team. By Red Bull’s lofty standards, this has been a deeply disappointing season. The car has struggled significantly with tire management, and the team has effectively relied on just one competitive driver all year. Max Verstappen, the reigning World Champion, has managed only two race wins and currently trails Championship leader Oscar Piastri by 69 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull sits a staggering 288 points behind McLaren. Horner will be replaced by Laurent Mekies, who had been serving as Team Principal of Racing Bulls. What has gone wrong for Red Bull? For starters, Red Bull’s second driver situation has been making headlines for the past 18 months. It might feel like a distant memory now, but between 2021 and 2023, Sergio Pérez enjoyed considerable success alongside Max Verstappen—finishing 4th, 3rd, and 2nd in the Drivers’ Championship during that period. However, in 2024, his form declined dramatically, resulting in an 8th-place finish—an underperformance that arguably cost Red Bull a third consecutive Constructors’ title. Since Pérez’s departure, the second seat at Red Bull has been in turmoil. A mid-season driver swap saw Liam Lawson replace Yuki Tsunoda, but neither has managed to deliver consistent results. Many have speculated that the evolving design of the car has resulted in an extremely narrow operating window—one that only a driver of Verstappen’s caliber can fully exploit. Even so, Verstappen himself has expressed frustration with the car’s handling throughout the year, and rumors continue to swirl about his future, with Mercedes reportedly maintaining long-standing interest in securing his services. Adding to the uncertainty, Christian Horner was under investigation in early 2024 for inappropriate behavior toward a colleague. Although he was initially cleared in February, the case remains active. A former Red Bull employee has since filed a claim with the UK Employment Tribunal, with the initial hearing scheduled for January 2026—unless a settlement is reached beforehand. Currently, a Reporting Restriction Order in the UK prohibits British media from reporting on developments in the case, which has kept most details out of public view. Reports indicate that Red Bull, Horner, and the accuser have engaged in settlement discussions, but no agreement has been reached to date. As a result, the claim is proceeding to tribunal. Despite all of this, Horner’s departure still comes as a major shock. He had been the guiding force behind one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of the 21st century, and this exit was not something anyone had anticipated. History of Horner at Red Bull Christian Horner was appointed Team Principal in January 2005 after Red Bull purchased the Jaguar F1 team. At just 31 years old, he became the youngest Team Principal in Formula 1 history. One of his most influential early moves was convincing Adrian Newey to leave McLaren and join Red Bull as Chief Technical Officer. In Red Bull’s first four seasons under the energy drink brand, the team failed to secure a single race win and never finished higher than fifth in the Constructors' Championship. That changed dramatically in 2009, when the team claimed six victories and finished second in the standings. Beginning in 2010, Red Bull dominated the sport with four consecutive double championships—winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles from 2010 to 2013. Under Horner’s leadership, the team never finished below third in the Constructors' standings again. He also oversaw the development of two generational talents in Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, both of which became four-time World Champions with the team. During Horner’s tenure, Red Bull amassed 124 Grand Prix wins, 287 podiums, and 107 pole positions. The team has secured six Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ Championships. Their 124 wins rank fourth all-time, behind only Ferrari (248), McLaren (198), and Mercedes (130).

Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images By Adam Carabine & Logan Morris Logan Morris: Hey, Adam! We’re back after taking it to the streets in sweet home Chicago. SVG got his third career win and his second in Chicago. What did you think of the race? Adam Carabine: What a fun little race! I thought it was pretty fun despite some early carnage, and a fairly dominant performance by Shane Van Gisbergen.  Is he the new King of the Road?  I’m happy that we finally got a race at the Chicago Street Course with no rain - it only took three years!  The course itself is a lot of fun and I think the drivers enjoy the challenge.  What did you think? LM: I enjoyed it. Like you, I’m thankful the weather held out. At the tail end of the race, it looked like it might play a factor, but thankfully, it didn't.  Shane Van Gisbergen continues to prove he is the class of the field on road courses in this era. His prowess is something to marvel at. Could he make it back-to-back wins this weekend at Sonoma? How about the Wallace and Bowman drama? Bubba had a great day lined up, and then it all came crumbling.  AC: Not only did SVG dominate the Cup Series race, but he also ducked down to the Xfinity Series again and won down there.  Amazing stuff.  It’s fun to watch him make his way around the lefts and rights. By some magical happenstance, the in-season bracket lined up to have long-time rivals Bubba Wallace and Alex Bowman up against each other this week.  Whether that played a factor in their aggressive racing or not doesn’t really matter, but they were going hard.  It ended in some heartbreak for Wallace in the end, but boy what a fun battle it was. Also, can we take a moment to shout-out Bubba Wallace and his road course prowess lately?  He used to be hot garbage on these types of tracks, and he and his 23 team have come a long way.  It’s nice to see people be able to grow and get better. Speaking of the in-season tournament, we have a few big matchups to look forward to this upcoming weekend - anything catch your eye? LM: Wallace has come a long way on the left and rights, there’s no question about that. He’ll get even more reps this weekend in wine country. He’s still currently in the playoffs, but he needs a good showing. The in-season tournament has been a breath of fresh air. I was very skeptical of it at first. But, it’s giving drivers airtime and attention that typically don’t get much in that department. As far as this weekend, Preece vs Reddick should be must-see TV. Preece has had a breakout campaign, and Reddick feels like the flagship 23XI driver. I could see it going either way.     AC: Yeah, I think of the four matchups, that is the one to watch.  Reddick has shown he’s got a ton of talent on road courses, but Preece has somehow defied the odds (and expectations) and shown that he’s never to be counted out - at least recently.  I’d give Reddick the slight edge, but Sonoma is a big challenge.  You never know.  More on Sonoma later - back to Chicago! Did you catch any clips of that Cody Ware crash on the last lap? LM: I did, and that was flat nasty. NASCAR has to be in a better position to call that caution quicker. It’s inexcusable. They were way too slow a few times on Sunday. I don’t know why or what the explanation is, but it needs fixing in a hurry.  AC: From what I saw, NASCAR says they didn’t see the actual impact.  For those that might have missed it, Ware blew a brake rotor on the last lap and essentially had no brakes - he barrelled into the tire barrier at close to full speed - it was ugly.  The spotters that NASCAR uses to watch for these things only announce where the incident is, not exactly what happened.  They assumed he missed the corner and floated into the tires, and they waited to see if he could get it fired back up and get it going.   I understand that at road courses, they’re a little slower to call the cautions because often drivers can get things back rolling and it’s not worth a caution.  However, this was a mistake by NASCAR, and it’s completely insane that they waited as long as they did when Cody Ware could have been in real medical trouble.  He’s lucky to have walked away from that crash, and by all accounts it sounds like he’s okay, though a little sore. LM: I couldn’t agree with you more. If they can’t be somewhere in a position to see every possible angle of impact, that’s a serious safety risk.  AC: Speaking of accidents, how about Carson Hocevar off the start of this race? A fairly honest mistake results in a gigantic parking lot - so much so they had to throw the red flag just to get the cars out of the way. LM: That felt like something you’d see on a superspeedway. It was one of those head-scratching moments. It felt like a bumper car pile-up. Hocevar continues to make headlines one way or the other. That was one of the strangest sequences I’ve ever seen on a road course.  AC: What I don’t understand is why the cars just KEPT coming and piling on top of the stalled out group ahead of them.  I know they have a tougher time with spotters at road courses, because it’s hard to see everything everywhere, but it was borderline comical how they just kept smashing into each other!   LM: How about the caution to let the ambulance get across the track? Talk about strange.  AC: Oh right! I suppose that’s possible at some of the other tracks where there’s no tunnel to get to the infield, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.  Maybe next time they’re at North Wilkesboro, they’ll have to throw a caution to let Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out before he throws hands at Kyle Busch! LM: What an odd turn of events. What do you say we get to our weekly awards? AC: Let’s do it! Best Performer LM: My best performer has to be Denny Hamlin. He started dead last and finished fourth. That’s impressive at any track, but especially a road course. Credit to him.   AC: Absolutely solid shout.  I’m going to go with a different Joe Gibbs Racing driver - Ty Gibbs.  He started this year seemingly in a bit of a slump, but things have been getting better, and his P2 at the Chicago Street Course was gritty and impressive.  (This is, of course, my choice other than the obvious - SVG) Biggest Move of the Race LM: I’m going to go way outside the box here, Adam, and say the biggest move of the race was NASCAR not calling the caution for Cody Ware. Had they called it before SVG took the white flag, we could be talking about a different winner. Rain could have been a factor—lots of what-ifs.  AC: It certainly was a big moment, though I’m not sure anyone could really have challenged SVG in a two-lap Green, White, Checkered shootout.  Maybe Tyler Reddick on his newer tires?  But SVG was clearly the best of the best.   I’m going to actually go with the call from Reddick’s crew chief, Billy Scott, calling Reddick down to get fresh tires.  At the time it seemed like it might be a big risk to give up track position, but Reddick was able to drive his way back up to P3.  He probably would have passed Ty Gibbs for P2 if the race stayed green until the end too.  Gutsy call, and it worked out in the end. Biggest Disappointment LM: My biggest disappointment goes to last week’s winner, Chase Elliott. It wasn’t too long ago that he was the road course king. He has yet to truly master this next-gen car in the same fashion. He was an absolute non-factor a week after what should have been a momentum-building W.  AC: Honourable mention to William Byron for completing a single lap and just having to retire with major car troubles - but I was more upset for Michael McDowell.  He led the entire first stage, had a great looking car, and even out-dueled SVG on the initial start of the race to take the lead.  But a faulty cable in his throttle forced him out of the race.  McDowell’s chances of earning a playoff spot are disappearing faster and faster before his eyes.   What to Watch for Next Weekend LM: We’re heading to wine country! Sonoma is next, so you have to wonder if SVG can go back-to-back. But, Sonoma is a place where everyone has far more experience than SVG. Does someone dethrone him on Sunday? I say yes.  AC: Elevation change is the name of the game in Sonoma.  TV doesn’t do it justice - that place is basically built on a cliff face.  Okay, maybe not quite, but it’s really quite hilly.  Last year was the first year on a new surface, as Sonoma was repaved.  I’m interested to see how the surface has degraded over the last year, and how that impacts the drivers.  I’m high on SVG right now, I think he gets it done! LM: We shall see, as the classic song says - there is a season turn, turn, turn.

PRESS RELEASE | TRACKHOUSE RACING Trackhouse Racing and Daniel Suárez, driver of the No.99 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, have announced their mutual decision to conclude their partnership following the 2025 season. The move allows Suárez to pursue new opportunities in his racing career. Suárez, 33, who is an Xfinity Series Champion (2016), a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and the first Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race, has been with Trackhouse Racing since it began competition in 2021. Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks said now is the right time to allow Suárez to pursue what’s next in his racing career. “The role Daniel has played in the Trackhouse origin story and its first five years will remain a valued part of the company’s history forever. His commitment, work ethic and dedication to the effort is one of the most impressive things I personally have seen in my career,” Marks said. “We will forever be thankful and honored that Daniel chose to spend many incredible years with us. We are proud of his wins, his successes, the growth of his brand, and his emergence as a valuable athlete in America’s greatest motorsport. But, most of all, I’m proud of him as a friend. I’m truly excited to see what awaits him in the next chapter of his amazing career. We are grateful for the professionalism, effort and heart he’s brought to our organization.” Suárez will continue to compete for Trackhouse Racing for the rest of the 2025 season, as the team works to win more races and earn a playoff spot. “I want to thank all the men and women at Trackhouse Racing for your love and support.” said Suárez. “I’ve had some of the best years of my Cup Series career at Trackhouse. We had great successes as a team and I gained some incredible friends. We took a team nobody had even heard of in 2021 and in just a couple of years we were winning races and running up front on a weekly basis. “Just like the seasons in a year, sometimes things change and we have mutually agreed to each go in our own direction. I wish Trackhouse nothing but the best, this No. 99 team will always be special to me. And like I always say, the best is ahead!” Photo Courtesy Chris Graythen/Getty Images