Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: Featured Headline

Featured headlines from SpeedwayMedia.com

  • Austin Dillon to surpass 250 Cup starts following Michigan

    Austin Dillon to surpass 250 Cup starts following Michigan

    When Austin Dillon completes this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway, he will achieve a significant milestone of his racing career. By taking the green flag for the first Michigan race on Saturday, August 8, Dillon will reach 250 starts as a Cup competitor. He will then surpass his 250th start the following day on Sunday, August 9.

    A native of Welcome, North Carolina, and the eldest grandson of NASCAR championship owner and Hall of Famer Richard Childress, Dillon made his debut in NASCAR’s premier series at Kansas Speedway in October 2011, driving the No. 98 Curb Agajanian/Reagan Centennial/Camping World/Curb Records Chevrolet. By then, he was a full-time NASCAR Truck Series competitor for Richard Childress Racing and vying for the championship in the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado. He started and finished 26th in his Cup debut.

    The following season, Dillon made one Cup start at Michigan International Speedway in June. By then, he had achieved the 2011 Truck Series championship and was a rookie Xfinity Series competitor for RCR in the No. 3 Chevrolet Impala. Driving the No. 33 American Ethanol Chevrolet for RCR and led by veteran crew chief Gil Martin, Dillon started 22nd and finished 24th.

    In 2013, while entered as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor, Dillon made his first Daytona 500 career start in February. Driving the No. 33 Honey Nut Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet SS for RCR, Dillon started in eighth and finished 31st. Over the course of the season, he competed in four more Cup races in RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet and in four races in Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 Chevrolet. He also made two starts in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing as an interim competitor, filling in for the injured Tony Stewart. His best Cup result throughout the 2013 season was an 11th-place run at Michigan in June. At Talladega Superspeedway in October, while driving Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet, Dillon was running in third place on the final lap and was prepared to establish a race-winning move until he was involved in an accident on the final lap, where he was launched in the air after being hit by Casey Mears before he landed on the ground on all four tires. He ended his race in 26th place.

    In December 2013, a month after winning his first Xfinity Series championship, Dillon was named driver of the No. 3 Dow Chemicals/Cheerios/Bass Pro Shops/American Ethanol Chevrolet SS for the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series season led by Gil Martin. Dillon’s entrance as a rookie Cup candidate also marked the return of the No. 3 car in NASCAR’s premier series since the 2001 Daytona 500, where the sport’s icon Dale Earnhardt lost his life following an accident on the final lap and where Childress opted to retire the number following the race.

    Dillon’s first run in the No. 3 Chevrolet in the Cup Series started off on a high note by winning the pole position for the 2014 Daytona 500 with a pole-winning lap at 196.019 mph. Dillon’s accomplishment marked the first time the No. 3 car started on pole for the Daytona 500 since 1996 as he also became the 40th competitor to start on pole position for the 500, fourth to do so driving the No. 3 car. He also became the fifth rookie candidate to start on pole position for the Daytona 500 and the youngest pole winner of the 500 at age 23 years, nine months and 27 days old (a record that was supplanted in 2016 by Chase Elliott). During the main event, Dillon rallied from being involved in a late multi-car wreck to finish ninth. Throughout his rookie season, Dillon achieved one top-five result, four top-10 results, 10 laps led and an average result of 17.5. He concluded the season in 20th in the final standings and fell short of the Rookie-of-the-Year title to Kyle Larson.

    For the first 15 races of the 2015 season, Dillon achieved only one top-10 result and was situated in 23rd in the regular-season standings. The following race at Sonoma Raceway, veteran Richard “Slugger” Labbe replaced Gil Martin as Dillon’s crew chief. The following race at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon was involved in a harrowing accident on the final lap on the frontstretch, when he was launched into the air past the finish line and smashed into the catchfence before coming to rest on his roof and being hit by a spinning Brad Keselowski. Despite the accident that demolished the No. 3 Chevrolet, Dillon emerged with a bruised tailbone and forearm. Amazingly, he was able to finish in seventh place before the wreck. Finishing the year with Labbe, Dillon recorded a top-five result, four more top-10 results and an average result of 21.0. He concluded the season in 21st in the final standings.

    Dillon started off the 2016 on a strong note, finishing ninth in the Daytona 500 before achieving two back-to-back top-10 results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Phoenix. He went on to achieve his second Cup career pole at Auto Club Speedway in March before finishing fourth at Martinsville Speedway in April. By then, with four top-10 finishes under his belt, Dillon was ranked in seventh in the regular-season standings. Dillon went on to record six additional top-10 results and enough consistent results to make his first appearance in the Playoffs. By then, he also surpassed 100 Cup career starts. Dillon would conclude the season in 14th in the final standings, but he achieved a career-high four top-five results, a career-high 13 top-10 results, two poles and a best average result of 15.9.

    For the first 11 races of the 2017 Cup season, Dillon achieved only one top-five result and was situated in 22nd in the regular-season standings. For the upcoming race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Justin Alexander replaced Slugger Labbe as Dillon’s crew chief. In his first race with Alexander, Dillon survived on low fuel to achieve his elusive first Cup career win at his home track and in his 133rd series start. To August 2020, Dillon is one of 33 competitors to win across NASCAR’s three major division series. The victory marked the first since October 2000 where the No. 3 car won a Cup race and it guaranteed Dillon’s team a spot in the 2017 Playoffs. Finishing the year off with Alexander, Dillon achieved three top-five results, four top-10 results and an average result of 18.6 before concluding the season in a career-high 11th place.

    The 2018 season started off on a high note for Dillon, where he dodged a late carnage and took the lead on the final lap following an incident with Aric Almirola to win the 60th running of the Daytona 500. In addition to achieving his second Cup career win and becoming the 39th driver to win NASCAR’s prestigious event, Dillon’s first Daytona 500 triumph came on the 20th anniversary where the late Dale Earnhardt won his first and only Daytona 500 in 1998. The 500 win was also the first for RCR since 2007 and in the first Cup race for the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. For the remainder of the season, Dillon achieved another top-five result and seven more top-10 results along with an average result of 17.5 before he concluded the season in 13th in the final standings.

    In 2019, Dillon reunited with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr., whom he won the 2011 Truck and 2013 Xfinity titles with Dillon. Following the first seven races of the year, Dillon reached 200 Cup career starts at Texas Motor Speedway in March. Though he won three poles, he achieved six top-10 results and an average result of 19.5. Missing the 2019 Playoffs, Dillon concluded the season in 21st in the final standings.

    This season, reuniting with Alexander, Dillon has achieved two top-five results, five top-10 results and an average result of 16.7 through the first 20 Cup races. He has also recorded a win, third of his career, at Texas Motor Speedway in July and is one of 10 competitors to be guaranteed a spot for the 2020 Playoffs.

    Catch Dillon’s milestone start in the first Michigan International Speedway race on August 8, which will air at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Greg Ives to reach 200 Cup starts as crew chief following Michigan

    Greg Ives to reach 200 Cup starts as crew chief following Michigan

    A significant milestone is in the making this weekend for Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Alex Bowman in the NASCAR Cup Series. When the Cup Series completes its upcoming doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway, Ives will achieve 200 starts in NASCAR’s premier series as a crew chief.

    A native of Bark River, Michigan, Ives graduated from Michigan Technological University with an engineering degree in 2003 and joined Hendrick Motorsports as a mechanic for the No. 24 Chevrolet team driven by Jeff Gordon the following year. As a lead engineer for the No. 48 Chevrolet team driven by Jimmie Johnson and led by crew chief Chad Knaus, Ives was part of Johnson’s historic run of winning five consecutive Cup championships from 2006 to 2010.

    Following the 2012 season, Ives spent the next two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a crew chief for Regan Smith in 2013 and rookie Chase Elliott in 2014. In his two-year role as crew chief, Ives achieved his first five career wins, two poles, 23 top-five results and 44 top-10 results. In addition, he achieved his first NASCAR championship in 2014 with Elliott.

    In July 2014, Ives was named crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS team for the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series season following the departure of veteran Steve Letarte, who joined NBC Sports as an analyst. Nine races into his rookie season as a Cup crew chief, Ives notched his first career win with Earnhardt Jr. in May 2015 at Talladega Superspeedway, the same venue where he also achieved his first Xfinity career win in 2013 with Regan Smith. Throughout the 2015 season, the combo also won at Daytona International Speedway in July and at Phoenix Raceway in November while racking up 16 top-five results and 22 top-10 results. When the final checkered flag of the 2015 Cup season waved, they concluded the season in 12th in the final standings.

    The 2016 season was an eventful season for Ives and the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. For the first 18 races, Earnhardt Jr. drove the No. 88 car to five top-five results and six top-10 results, and they were situated in 13th place in the regular-season standings. The following race, however, Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined due to suffering concussion-like symptoms. When Earnhardt Jr. opted out of racing for the remainder of the 2016 season, Ives worked with Alex Bowman and Jeff Gordon for the final 18 races. With Gordon, the No. 88 team achieved two top-10 results and seven laps led. With Bowman, the team achieved a pole position at Phoenix in November along with three top-10 results and 200 laps led.

    In 2017, Ives reunited with Earnhardt Jr. with Earnhardt receiving medical clearance to return to racing. Following the first eight races of the season, where the combo only achieved one top-five result, Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from full-time NASCAR racing following the 2017 season. Three months later, Bowman was named as Earnhardt Jr.’s successor of the No. 88 Chevrolet with Ives to continue to lead the team. Throughout the 2017 season, though he was absent for two races, Ives achieved one top-five result, eight top-10 results and two poles with Earnhardt Jr. before concluding the season in 21st in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 Cup starts as a crew chief.

    In 2018, following Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement and with Bowman behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro, the combo started off on a high note by winning the pole position for the Daytona 500. Throughout the season, however, Bowman and Ives achieved three top-five results and 11 top-10 results. Though they made the Playoffs, they concluded the season in 16th in the final standings.

    The following season, it took until the first 16 races into the new season for Bowman to achieve his first Cup career win at Chicagoland Speedway in June. Bowman’s victory also snapped a three-year winless drought for Ives and the No. 88 team since their last victory in November 2015. Throughout the 2019 season, the two achieved seven top-five results and 12 top-10 results as they made the Playoffs again before concluding the season in 12th in the final standings, four spots higher than the previous season.

    Through the first 20 races of this season, Bowman and Ives have achieved one victory at Auto Club Speedway in March. They have also achieved two top-five results and six top-10 results, and they are one of 10 teams to be guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Cup Playoffs. Heading into this weekend’s doubleheader races at Michigan, Ives’ home track, the U.P. native has achieved five career wins, four poles, 34 top-five results and 70 top-10 results in his sixth year as a Cup crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports.

    Catch Greg Ives’ milestone at Michigan on August 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Phil Surgen named crew chief for Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 Cup team

    Phil Surgen named crew chief for Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 Cup team

    Chip Ganassi Racing released a statement, naming Phil Surgen as crew chief for the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team driven by Matt Kenseth for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway.

    Surgen, who works as a race engineer for CGR and has been part of the team since 2016, will also be atop the No. 42 pit box as crew chief for the 2003 Cup champion for the balance of this year’s Cup season, replacing veteran Chad Johnston, who has also been with the team since 2016 and won six races as the No. 42 crew chief from 2016 to 2019.

    Surgen served as an interim crew chief for the No. 42 team driven by former CGR driver Kyle Larson at Michigan in June 2016 when Johnston was suspended for one race and fined $20,000 following a post-race infraction the previous race at Pocono Raceway, where the No. 42 Chevrolet was discovered with a missing lug nut during the post-race inspection process. In Surgen’s one-race term as crew chief at Michigan, Larson finished in third place.

    The No. 42 team originally led by Johnston started this year with Larson behind the wheel. Through the first four races, the driver and the team notched three top-10 results, including a best result of fourth place at Phoenix Raceway in March. In April, during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, Larson was suspended by NASCAR and released from his ride with Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur during a live iRacing event. When the season resumed in May at Darlington Raceway, Kenseth was named as driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet for the remainder of the 2020 season. Through 16 races, Kenseth has recorded two top-10 results, a best result of second place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, five top-15 results and two DNFs. He has also led a total of 12 laps and has recorded an average result of 20.63. The driver and the team sit in 28th place in the regular-season standings and are 210 points below the top-16 cutline to qualify for the 2020 Cup Playoffs with six regular-season races remaining until the postseason field is determined.

    The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Michigan International Speedway will occur on August 8-9. The race on August 8 will occur at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the race on August 9 will occur at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Toyota Racing – Leavine Family Racing Quotes – 08.04.20

    Toyota Racing – Leavine Family Racing Quotes – 08.04.20

    Toyota Racing – Leavine Family Racing
    NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

    CONCORD, N.C. (August 4, 2020) – Leavine Family Racing owner Bob Leavine and president Jeremy Lange were made available to media via a teleconference on Tuesday morning.

    BOB LEAVINE, owner, Leavine Family Racing

    Can you explain what assets were sold?

    “No, no cars involved. Everything that we own – charter, building, inventory, we sold. Everything that we did not – were chassis, bodies, anything that came from JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) goes back to JGR.”

    How much did the pandemic contribute to this?

    “Percentage wise it’s probably really difficult to say. Our biggest sponsor over the last 10 years has been WRL, our construction firm. That obviously has been impacted and will continue to be impacted for the next several years. That was a big factor and the business model of NASCAR, sponsorship, obviously when the pandemic hit, we shut down. That in itself, we looked at our marketing people and we are going to be lucky to sell $50,000 worth for the rest of the year. Big companies are going bankrupt. They can’t invest in something that has no more return than what they are going to get – during a pandemic. The business model itself hurt. It was the perfect storm. With that coming, NASCAR shutting down and the business model, and our biggest sponsor – ourselves – so all of those things, combined. Matt (DiLiberto, co-owner), my partner, the largest real estate firm in New York, they were hit very hard. It was a perfect storm from the wrong direction.”

    What does this say about the NASCAR ownership model?

    “I think I’ve probably said enough. LFR has to race and wants to race for the rest of the year. Yes, over the years I have had my personal beliefs and thought we could overcome obstacles, obviously, we didn’t. The pandemic contributed to that. I probably ought to stop there.”

    What did it mean to have a charter as part of this deal?

    “Well, if we had been one of the recipients of a free charter, it would have probably been more impactful. But we were one of the ones who had to buy our charter. We definitely did not get out of our charter, what we put into our charter. So, from our standpoint, it is very difficult to say that it was a great investment. It just allowed us to run full time for the five years after we bought it. That’s the best thing I can say for the charter system.”

    Is it about the financial challenges for this year or next year?

    “We are putting in the same amount of money we had anticipated for this year. In fact, probably more so, because we anticipated selling the 11 races that we hadn’t with Christopher (Bell) before the pandemic hit. So, the reality, that assured us of what our downside was going to be. We haven’t really sold anything and probably won’t sell anything going forward this year. But we are committed. We are going to continue to run just the way we have been, but we had a whole lot of things banking on the Next Gen coming in. Our deal with JGR, our affiliation required us to do certain things. We were looking forward to being a standalone team with one or two cars. So, the pandemic, and sponsorship and how it affected WRL, our major sponsor, and then having to come back and buy all the cars again for next year, because we had planned on not needing cars next year. It was a snowball effect on multiple things. We saw no way out. We could not afford the affiliation, and what we did this year, next year. That’s what we banked on. Okay, we will do this one year, run good, get our charter value up, and we had a plan. That plan came tumbling down with the pandemic. Then you take a bad business model; it doesn’t work for us.”

    Can you give us a range on what you sold the charter for?

    “No, sir.”

    What are your emotions today?

    “When NASCAR came out and gave our marching orders going forward. I think that was in early May, before we started back racing. I had lobbied for a lot of things to change in NASCAR with a lot of owners and was very disappointed in what came out of that meeting. I knew that was probably going to be the straw that broke our back. I had to start looking for how best do we protect our team. How best do we keep people employed. A lot of things went into that decision. Knowing after we started getting into it, and I knew that I was coming up here today to talk to the team. It’s probably one of the most difficult things I’ve encountered and had to do because of our 10 years. I really gave it all I had for the 10 years and the last five primarily when we went full-time, and I committed, and I thought we could make a difference and be a good team. A responsible and respected team in NASCAR. To walk away and not have completed that, I’ve never had to do that before and give up on anything. But I could not let it destroy our business – a 41-year old business – in Texas during these times, so you have to protect something and that’s a profitable organization and I cannot rape, pillage and plunder. It’s like having two kids, and you have to decide which one lives, and which one doesn’t. It’s gut wrenching. Everybody here, from our partners, Matt, Sharon, Michael, the family, Jeremy’s family, everybody in here is family. To have to stand in front this morning and tell them what we were doing and how we want to go out – with our heads held high – that sounds real good and reads really good, but it’s difficult to do.”

    What are your frustrations with what happened, and you used the words, ‘bad business model,’ are you advising against buying into a NASCAR charter?

    “No sir, can’t say that. From us, my personal business that I have in Texas, is not a national B2B first so we really can’t use the race team for gathering partners. There are a lot of people and the people that are actually coming in here have great ties with large companies, B2B and so it can work for those folks. It just didn’t fit what I was able to bring, which was some money, but living off of that money just didn’t work. Mine and Matt’s (DiLiberto). Particularly when that side of the business falls considerably, we just can’t continue to put money in an operation and run. The secret is to run competitively and the way we want to run. We collectively made a decision. Can we run next year and just get on the track and do some things and prolong the agony? Yes, we could have. Did we want to do that? Total agreement from us, no, I didn’t get in here just to run. We wanted to be a competitor, competitive and I think we’ve done that pretty decently for essentially a five-year-old team. Things just came up that we can’t overcome. It works for some and it didn’t work for us.”

    Can you give us an idea of what you went to NASCAR to lobby for as a team owner?

    “No. I don’t think – being candid, I always have been. I don’t think throwing that out in NASCAR’s face essentially is a good thing for us to do. Politically correct – that seems to be the word for the year, politically correct. I don’t think for LFR and finishing out this year that it would be politically correct to do that.”

    How will you view your time with NASCAR when you step away?

    “Today, it’s a bad taste in my mouth to be perfectly candid and that’s the only thing I’ve ever told you all. It’s not something I’m used to of not being able to control what we do and what we spend. Right now, I’m happy for what we’ve done. Our growth in five years as a full-time team, the people we have here in our shop I would not swap for anyone, anywhere. I’m sorry for Michael (Leavine) that I can’t leave it for him and Jeremy (Lange) and Matt (DiLiberto, co-owner) will be back in the sport. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the family owned a big percentage of the team and we just couldn’t continue to commit to put money into it. I don’t see a whole lot of things that I’ve succeeded at. Today isn’t necessarily one of the happier days that I’ve ever had in this sport. Made a lot of really good acquaintances, but I’m not happy with our accomplishments.”

    What is the most gut-wrenching part of this decision and what does this say about the industry now? Will you ever be back in the sport?

    “Never is a long time. I don’t know if this says anything about anything other than I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to get done. I’m not sure throwing stones and those type of things are the thing to do now so it’s easier just to say that I wasn’t able to get it done. Didn’t have enough money and I’m not sure if I had all the money in the world, I could have gotten it done the way it’s setup right now and with the pandemic. Was it a waste of time in 10 years? No. I enjoyed the competition. I am a very competitive person, so I enjoyed that. Enjoyed it being our family and the families that we made that worked for us. Jeremy (Lange, president) worked for me for seven years and Michael (Leavine) since he got out of college and Matt (DiLiberto, co-owner) for the last five years, my partner. He’s the only partner I’ve ever had, well I had another one and I didn’t get along with him, so I never had one until Matt. I’m not saying I got along really well with Matt, just kidding, he’s sitting here listening. Matt is a great partner and I told him, he’s the only partner I’ve ever had that I really got along with and enjoyed. He will probably be back in the business, he’s younger than I am. Will I be back in it? Probably not. I like making decisions and I can live with them and accept them but having the way it’s setup with the sanctioning body just doesn’t necessarily fit with my personality.”

    JEREMY LANGE, president, Leavine Family Racing

    What can you tell us about who purchased the team?

    “At this time, we are not going to speak their news and we are going to let them make their announcement.”

    What does this say about the NASCAR ownership model?

    “Bob (Leavine) has mentioned on Twitter, and here in the past. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, the world, all industries and businesses alike. Teams and companies, all affiliated with the sport have been impacted by it, and we are no different than anyone else. It just comes down to, like Bob said, our biggest sponsorships can’t help us sustain what we have been doing, and we have had to make a decision to go another way.”

    # # #

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

    Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

  • FIA ABB Formula E Preview-Berlin

    FIA ABB Formula E Preview-Berlin

    158 days. That’s the last time Formula E teams and drivers were last on track for season six at the Marrakesh E-Prix back in February. 

    The season looked to be on track afterward and had originally planned to race at the Sanya E-Prix. However, COVID-19 changed those plans when the virus flared up in March all across the United States and internationally. COVID, unfortunately, caused numerous lockdown and stay at home orders, which canceled not only the Sanya E-Prix, Rome E-Prix, Paris E-Prix, Seoul E-Prix, New York E-Prix but the two championship doubleheaders at the London E-Prix. 

    With those races canceled, the schedule and season looked in doubt. The FIA ABB Formula E Series officials could have given up and moved on to season seven. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and officials started looking at ways to restart the season. Then, in July, officials made the announcement that Formula E would have six races in nine days at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Additionally, all six of those races will be doubleheader events with different track layouts.

    Courtesy of FIA ABB Formula E

    During the downtime with no racing, there was a slew of announcements from many different teams. For starters, Audi released former driver Daniel Abt, as he was fired from the team during the virtual races that took place through the summer. Abt had someone race for him in one of the races as part of what was supposed to be a joke. But, once Audi found out about the circumstances, the manufacturer/team let Abt go. 

    However, Abt was able to find a replacement ride with the NIO 333 Team for the final few races. This is due to NIO driver Ma Qing Hua being unable to travel to Berlin with travel restrictions in place. 

    Mahindra Racing made a few changes as well. On an Instagram post back in June, former team driver Pascal Wehrlein announced he was done with Mahindra immediately. As a result, Wehrlein will be sitting out the races since he does not have a ride lined up. British racing driver Alex Lynn and Mahindra announced that Lynn would replace Wehrlein after his departure. Lynn previously competed in a Formula E race two years ago for Panasonic Jaguar Racing. 

    Envision Virgin Racing also had some shocking news not too long ago. Longtime team driver Sam Bird announced his departure from the team at the end of the Berlin races. Bird had been with the team since the inception of Formula E back in 2014. The Englishman will instead drive for Panasonic Jaguar Racing starting next year. Replacing Bird for season seven is Nick Cassidy. Bird though will look to finish season six strong in the final remaining races. 

    The Envision Virgin team will look to resume winning when the season resumes Wednesday. Bird opened up the season by winning the first race at Riyadah. Since then, however, he’s had a mixed bag of results. He finished 22nd in the second Riyadh race after crashing and was unable to score any podiums before the long break. The highest Bird would finish was 10th at Santiago and the previous event at Marrakesh. At Berlin, Bird will have six chances to get momentum back on his side. He currently has zero wins in five races, but does have respectable finishes inside the top 10. The British driver commented on the 2019/20 season so far. 

    “I’ve had quite a mixed season so far but winning in Diriyah proved we’ve got the capabilities to fight at the top and I’m looking forward to getting back out in the car again,” Bird said. “I’ve continued to work hard on my fitness in the break and have spent a lot of time working with the team on the simulator and learning the new configurations. I think the final track could pose some different challenges, as it looks to be more technical, so I think they could be very interesting races to watch.”

    Bird’s teammate, Robin Frijns hasn’t had much success at the Tempelhofring circuit. He has three starts with an average finish of 16.0 and a best finish of 13th, nearly two years ago. Frijns notes the doubleheaders will be difficult but he is also optimistic that he can score major points. 

    “For sure, it’s definitely going to be challenging but I’m really excited to see what happens in Berlin,” Frijins said. “There are 180 points up for grabs across the six races, and we’ve seen time and time again that anyone can win in Formula E, so I think we’re going to see some really exciting racing! Competing behind closed doors will definitely add another element to the event but as a team, we’re doing all we can to continue to interact with our loyal fans at home.”

    Envision Virgin also will be running a ‘Thank You NHS’ slogan on both entries to say thanks to the important workers throughout the COVID pandemic. In addition, the team will be using a hashtag called #PositivelyCharged for the discrimination campaign. 

    The Mercedes-Benz EQ camp has been keeping busy through the pandemic. As the season looks to restart Wednesday, the rookie team will have a hashtag, #EndRacism.’ With the concept, two of their entries (Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries) will carry a black livery (i.e. paint scheme) with the hashtag appearing on the halo. Not only will the team have a different livery, but they also have a new technical director in the paddock area. 

    Nick Chester, who is 51-years-old comes in as the new technical director. Chester is from the United Kingdom and previously worked at Renault’s Formula 1. He will bring tons of experience after being in motorsports for three decades. 

    There are some changes for Mercedes-Benz EQ also as the team has promoted former rookie Daniel Juncadella as a Reserve driver after a successful test completion at the Marrakesh E-Prix. 

    Mercedes-Benz EQ McerSilver Arrow 01 – Berlin

    Though the focus will be on current drivers, Vandoorne and de Vries, who are looking to capture victories. Only Vandoorne has experience with one start coming two years ago (where he placed fifth after starting second). The German hopes to lean on those experiences in this year’s events.

    “First of all, I’m really looking forward to racing again,” Vandoorne said. “I almost can’t remember the last time out. It’s definitely been a good while and feels a bit weird that we can finally go racing again. It’s crazy to think that we’ll have completed six races in just less than two weeks and everything in the championship will be decided. It’s going to be a super intense time, but there’s everything left still to play for. I feel optimistic about the finale because we’ve been able to reset as a team and improve one or two details. Thanks to these bits of progress, I can feel confident about the upcoming races.

    “We achieved good results in Berlin last year. We qualified second and ended the race in P5, which gives us a good basis on which to build. Along with the progress made this year, we should hopefully be well placed to fight up front, but let’s wait and see. We have a week packed with emotion ahead of us, some positive and some maybe not quite as positive, but it will be the same for everyone, and we will all have to deal with these different scenarios. We’ll see very soon how things work out.”

    Out of the group, de Vries does not have prior experience to use to the best of his advantage. But, he hopes that staying focused and ready will help prepare him for the grueling schedule ahead. 

    “Of course, I’m really looking forward to racing again,” de Vries said. “It’s been a while since I last lined up for the team in Formula E, and I’m pleased that the people in charge have found a good compromise so that we can end our season. It’s going to be a very intense nine days with a lot of points to be scored. After all, we’ll be contesting more races in the next few days than we’ve had all season. I hope that we as a team are well prepared for it, but then probably, no one really can be a hundred percent, as we will be facing many challenges and everyone will experience some ups and downs during these nine days. That is why it is important to stay calm and take everything one step at a time. And then, hopefully, we can score a decent haul of points and end the season with a good outcome.”

    BMW i Andretti drivers Alexander Sims and Maximilian Günther hope to have strong outings, especially Günther as he will be headed to his home racetrack. 

    “After the long break, I’m very excited to get back to racing – particularly in such a short space of time now, with six races in nine days, Günther said. “In Berlin, unfortunately not in front of a home crowd, but at least driving in my home country to finish the second half of the season is really special. We are really motivated after the long break. We’re also aware that we had a good first half of the season with strong results, but everything is starting from zero again now. I think that, as previously, we will try to focus only on ourselves and getting the best out of the car and us as a team. There will be some huge challenges, but we’re very well positioned, we used the past few months wisely and now I am just really looking forward to things starting up again.”

    Sims is also ready to get back to racing. 

    “I’m really looking forward to getting back to racing in Formula E after such a long break. I think the track layout changes look exciting. They all look very different, so it certainly won’t feel like six races in the same place. Berlin was pretty good for us last year, so hopefully we will have a similar strong pace again and try to have some clean race days. Our main target has to be to score some good points and to fight for the title. I can’t wait.”

    Sims and Günther both have one start each coming in 2018, with Sims placing seventh and Günther 14th, in his former GEOX Dragon entry. 

    Both NIO 333 drivers Daniel Abt and Oliver Turvey have a solid chance of winning in the six races. Even though Abt previously had starts with the Audi team, the German scored one win in 2017 after earning pole position and leading all 45 laps. 

    “Going back to racing is making me extremely excited after all these months,” Abt said. “At the same time, doing six races in this short amount of period is a huge challenge, which I have never experienced in my career. I think the team and I have done good preparation, our aim is clear, and that is to perform at our best. If we can reach that target, good results will soon come. I hope my wishes will come true at my favorite circuit.”

    Oliver Turvey has four starts to his credit with a best finish of fifth in 2017. Overall, he has an average finish of 10.5, which makes him look forward to the upcoming races. 

    “I am really excited to go back racing. It is going to be intense competing in six races over nine days especially with three different layouts, but I feel well prepared and ready for the challenge having spent a lot of time training in the past months as well as preparing with the team in the simulator,” Turvey added. “I know the team has been working hard with the engineers making a number of updates since the beginning of the season so I can’t wait to get back out on track. I aim to maximize the potential in qualifying and to achieve the best result possible in the race so I will be giving my best to score points for the team.”

    As mentioned previously, Mahindra Racing will have a new look aboard one of their entries for Alex Lynn. He has two starts at Berlin with a best finish of 16th in 2017. Lynn notes he is excited about the new team, giving him hope for better finishes. 

    “Berlin is going to be totally different,” Lynn said. “It’s going to be heading into the unknown for all of us with a few different track changes that will spring up a few surprises. I think you’ve got to prepare knowing it’s going to be intense, there’s no other way around it. You want to build momentum, start on the right foot. These are all things that are easy to say sitting here but difficult to perform because everyone will be aiming to do the same thing. Without a doubt, no one is going to have been sitting still during this period but I’m definitely with a team that is putting in every effort to achieve results.

    His teammate Jerome D’Ambrosio loves the Berlin circuit and understandingly so. He picked up a win back in 2014 (7-years ago). After ‘14 however, D’Ambrosio’s results have not been kind to him, placing outside the top 10 four times. In the most recent outing for Mahindra, he started ninth but finished 17th. 

    “I feel great about going to Berlin, I love the track,” D’Ambrosio said. “Having said that, it’s going to be a challenge. We have three double-headers in nine days so it will be a mental and physical challenge for every member of the team. And that’s going to make a difference; the guys that can keep up the pace over the days are the guys that going to do well. Given the circumstances, it’s great that Formula E have put this together and we’re going to be able to finish the season. I want to be back in the top five, fighting regularly for those positions in every race. And look to get some podiums as well.”

    Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans and James Calado hope to gain several points through the six remaining races. 

    “This season we’ve tasted success and I am really proud of my performance, particularly in the last three races,” Mitch Evans said. “We achieved Super Pole and a Podium in Santiago, we won in Mexico City and we made history in Marrakesh by gaining 18 places and finishing P6 after starting from the back of the grid. Being second in the drivers’ championship puts me in a good position heading into Berlin but I know I can’t underestimate the challenge that we have ahead. Our Jaguar I-TYPE 4 is incredibly quick so I’m hoping to show everyone that we can be in the fight by 13 August.”

    “I’m looking forward to getting back into the Jaguar I-TYPE 4 at the Tempelhof circuit,” Caldo added. “I started in P10 in Marrakesh and felt like I had made some solid progress. I want to give my best performance in Berlin. My role is to support Mitch and the team and secure as many points as possible. I’m sure it will come with its challenges and this break has definitely added the pressure but I’m ready for the lights to go green and finish the season on a high.”

    The Audi team of Lucas di Grassi and Rene Rast are feeling optimistic and recharged after a five month shutdown. 

    “The break also had some positive aspects, because I had a lot of time with my son and my family,” di Grassi said. “I also did a lot of sports, ate a healthy diet and spent many days with the data of the first rounds of the season. But at some point, you’ve had your fill of it and finally want to race again,” says the Brazilian. Although di Grassi clinched just one podium in the first five races, he shows a fighting spirit.

    “We’re going to Berlin to claim the title. That’s clearly my goal.” 

    “I did everything I could. In addition to testing, I analyzed data for hours on end, watched videos and spent an enormous amount of time with the engineers,” says Rast. “It’s difficult to express expectations for my debut with Audi, but one thing is clear. I’d like to arrive in Berlin perfectly prepared and deliver a good result.”

    Other teams fielding entries are GEOX Dragon, Nissan e.dams, and RokiT Venturi Racing.

    In addition, the JAGUAR I-Pace eTrophy Series looks to wrap up what will be their final races in Formula E before closing down for good.

    Track facts regarding the different Berlin layouts.

    All photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz EQ

    Fans hoping to catch the remaining six races can click here for more info regarding start times in different countries.

  • 2020 Cup Playoff outlook after New Hampshire

    2020 Cup Playoff outlook after New Hampshire

    With August in its early stages of the year 2020, another race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule has been completed as the Playoffs near its initiating phase. With six regular-season races remaining, the battle for the final six Playoff spots continues to intensify with some big names either on the bubble or still on the outside and looking in.

    Following an intense battle between two veterans giving it their all, Brad Keselowski prevailed over Denny Hamlin for his third Cup victory of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on August 2 as he continues his pursuit for a second series title. Like Keselowski, Hamlin had a productive afternoon of racing as he recorded a strong runner-up finish behind Keselowski. With the strength of five victories throughout this season, including last week at Kansas Speedway, Hamlin and his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team continue their pursuit for a first Cup title. Keselowski and Hamlin also remain as two of 10 competitors to be guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs by virtue of a victory this season. Also locked in include Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, rookie Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.

    The top winless competitor who continues to occupy one of the transfer spots to the Playoffs is Aric Almirola. For Almirola, who started on pole for the third time this season by virtue of a random draw, Sunday’s race at New Hampshire did not result in a win for the Floridian. Nonetheless, a seventh-place result, which marked his 12th top-10 result of this season and ninth in a row in recent weeks, along with stage points in both stages were enough to keep Almirola and his No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford team 145 points above the top-16 cutline.

    Unlike Almirola, Sunday’s race at New Hampshire was not magical for the Busch brothers. For Kurt, he started the race in 10th place and finished in 17th place. While the finish snapped his three-race string of top-10 results, the 2004 Cup champion remains 112 points above the cutline. Kyle’s race, however, was cut short 15 laps into the event following a wreck into the Turn 3 outside wall caused by a blown right-front tire. The incident marked Kyle Busch’s third DNF of the season and his seventh result outside the top 20. With no victories recorded throughout the first 20 races, the reigning Cup champion is 94 points above the cutline.

    For Clint Bowyer, his run at New Hampshire was primed for a strong result after starting in sixth place and finishing in the top 10 in both stages as he collected a handful of stage points. When the checkered flag waved, however, Bowyer ended his run in 18th, which marked his fifth consecutive finish outside the top 10. Even worse, Bowyer’s crew chief, Johnny Klausmeier, faces a one-race suspension due to two loose lug nuts discovered on Bowyer’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang during post-race inspection process. The lone good news for Bowyer continues to be that he is 43 points above the cutline.

    Coming off a late accident at Kansas Speedway, Matt DiBenedetto rebounded with another strong performance at New Hampshire. A year after recording a solid fifth-place result at New Hampshire, DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford team posted a sixth-place result on Sunday. His sixth top-10 result of this season has DiBenedetto 40 points above the cutline and still in position of making his first Playoffs appearance.

    Lastly, William Byron had another strong run in the making with crew chief Chad Knaus back atop the pit box. After starting in 16th, Byron methodically worked his way towards the front and was able to collect a handful of stage points following a fifth-place result in the second stage. In the final laps, Byron was primed for a top-10 result before he crossed the line in 11th place and in between his fellow competitors and targets battling towards the Playoff cutline. With his 13th top-15 finish of this season, his third in a row at New Hampshire, the Charlotte native continues to hold sole possession of the 16th and final transfer spot by 15 points.

    The first competitor who is outside of the cutline continues to be rookie Tyler Reddick. For Reddick, Sunday’s race at New Hampshire produced another strong performance for the Californian after starting 13th and fighting for a top-10 spot, including battling against his fellow rookie contenders Cole Custer and Christopher Bell. In the final laps, Reddick was able to charge his way to post a 10th-place result. With Byron finishing a spot ahead of him and gaining a handful of stage points, however, Reddick did not gain additional ground towards the cutline. He, nonetheless, remains in contention of pointing his way into the Playoffs as he trails by 15 points.

    The good news for Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team is that Sunday’s race at New Hampshire produced a decent outcome for them as they rallied from an early spin to cross the line in 12th place, which marked their highest result since finishing 10th at Martinsville Speedway in June. The bad news for them is that with Reddick and teammate Byron finishing ahead of them, Johnson and his team continue to trail the cutline as the 2020 Playoffs near its establishing point. By being 25 points behind, the seven-time Cup champion continues to remain on the hunt to move himself inside the cutline and receive a final opportunity to pursue his record-setting eighth championship.

    Unlike Kansas, Erik Jones did not have a good run at New Hampshire. The Michigan native suffered an early pit road penalty for pitting outside his pit box and struggled on the track in keeping pace with the leaders. By finishing 24th, a lap down, Jones trails the cutline by 31 points in his quest to make his third consecutive appearance in the Playoffs.

    The remaining competitors who still remain eligible to make the Playoffs while trailing by 125 or more points include Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Bubba Wallace, rookie Christopher Bell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., rookie John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Ty Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Corey LaJoie and Ryan Preece. With his 26th-place finish at New Hampshire, Daniel Suarez is two points below the top-30 cutline in the regular-season standings. Should Suarez move himself back into the top 30 in the standings and record a win between next weekend at Michigan through the final regular-season race at Daytona International Speedway on August 29, he will receive an opportunity to be eligible for the Playoffs.

    The NASCAR Cup Series will compete at Michigan International Speedway in a doubleheader feature on August 8-9. The first Cup race at Michigan will occur on Saturday, August 8, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the second race will occur the following day, August 9, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Perez to miss British Grand Prix following positive COVID-19 test result

    Perez to miss British Grand Prix following positive COVID-19 test result

    Sergio Perez will not compete in the upcoming British Grand Prix, scheduled on August 2, after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms.

    Perez, a native from Guadalajara, Mexico, who currently races for the BWT Racing Point F1 team and is ranked sixth in the standings following the first three Formula One races of 2020, was confirmed to have tested positive for the virus after isolating from the circuit earlier on Thursday following an inconclusive test.

    This marks the first time where a Formula One driver has tested positive for the COVID-19 disease, a disease that delayed the start of this year’s F1 season from March to July and has postponed or cancelled multiple events scheduled for this season.

    A statement was issued by Formula One and the FIA following Perez’s test.

    “Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities. With assistance of the local organiser of the British Grand Prix, local health authorities and the FIA COVID-19 delegate, a full track and trace initiative has been undertaken and all close contacts have been quarantined.”

    Like many professional sports, Formula One is utilizing a strict COVID-19 testing regime towards the competitors and traveling team members prior to an event as part of the safety protocols put in place when the F1 season proceeded.

    Racing Point noted that Perez is in “good spirits and is physically well” and that a group of team members that were in contact with Perez were self-isolating and being re-tested as a precaution. The team intends to run two cars for this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit and the team will announce its full driver lineup for the event in the coming days.

  • Kaulig Racing’s Chastain and Haley battle for top-10 results at Kansas

    Kaulig Racing’s Chastain and Haley battle for top-10 results at Kansas

    It was another strong performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing’s Ross Chastain and Justin Haley as they traveled to the midwest and competed at Kansas Speedway. Throughout the race and through two overtime restarts, both Kaulig teammates battled one another competitively with Chastain scoring a top-five result while Haley settled in sixth.

    Chastain, who sported another new look to his No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro while featuring Dyna-Gro Seed as a primary sponsor, started seventh based on a random draw while Haley started 12th.

    When the green flag waved and the race started, Chastain showed that he had a car to contend for the win as he muscled his way into the top five. He was able to work his way up as high as third while trailing the top-two cars by two seconds. Haley, meanwhile, was back in 13th as he was fighting tight conditions to his No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet Camaro. Through the first 20 laps of the race and when the field reached the competition caution, Chastain was still scored in third while Haley gained a few spots to move up to 10th.

    Remaining on track under the competition caution, both Kaulig Racing competitors restarted in the top 10 when the racing resumed. During a 15-lap dash to the conclusion of the first stage, Chastain was able to move up to the runner-up spot, where he finished at the conclusion of the first stage on Lap 40 as he collected more valuable stage points towards the Xfinity Series Playoffs. Haley was also able to remain in the top 10 as he was scored in sixth while collecting a stage point for himself.

    Following pit stops under the stage break, where both Chastain and Haley noted tight conditions to their respective Chevrolets, they restarted inside the top 10 when the second stage commenced. At the start, Chastain, restarting on the bottom lane, jumped to an early lead. He led for two corners until he was overtaken in Turn 3 and placed in a three-wide battle for the runner-up spot the ensuing lap. By Lap 50, Chastain was back in fourth while Haley was in sixth. A few laps later, both Kaulig Chevrolets battled one another for the fifth spot with Haley prevailing and moving into the top five for the first time of the day. At Lap 65, both gained a spot to move up to fourth and fifth. For the final 15 laps of the second stage, Chastain worked his way back up to fourth while Haley settled in fifth as both garnered more stage points towards the postseason.

    Under the stage break, Chastain and Haley pitted for fresh tires, fuel, air pressure and a chassis adjustment for their respective Camaros. For the stage of the final stage, both battled one another again for position as Haley moved up to fifth while Chastain fell back to sixth. With the racing progressing and passing the 100-lap mark, Haley, who raced as high as fourth, was scored in sixth while Chastain fell back to seventh. Both met one another on track as they battled for position with Chastain passing Haley for sixth place. Six laps later, Chastain was back in the top five and working his way back towards the front while Haley lost another spot and was in eighth.

    With 45 laps remaining, Chastain moved up to third while Haley fell back to ninth. Five laps later, pit stops under green occurred with Haley pitting and Chastain stopping for service a lap later after leading a lap. When the pit stops under green cycled through with approximately 20 laps remaining, Chastain was back in third place while Haley was in 10th.

    Down to the final 10 laps, both Kaulig Racing competitors appeared to have top-10 results wrapped up. With four laps remaining, everything changed when a single-car wreck in Turn 3 drew a late caution and jumbled up the field for a late shootout to the checkers. Under caution, both pitted and Chastain was lined up in fourth place while Haley was in ninth for the first overtime restart. During the first overtime attempt, Chastain made a bid for the lead when the caution quickly returned for another single-car incident in Turn 1. For the second overtime attempt, Chastain restarted in third again and Haley restarted in 10th. At the start, Chastain made another bid for the lead on the bottom lane until he slid up entering Turn 2 and fell back to fifth while battling Haley and other competitors for position across the start/finish line for the start of the final lap. Entering Turn 2, Chastain narrowly avoided colliding into a car making contact with the outside wall as he battled dead even with Haley for position. At the finish line, with Brandon Jones winning the race at Kansas, Chastain was able to edge Haley by a nose to finish fifth as both Kaulig Racing competitors finished in the top 10 for the 11th time this season.

    With his seventh top-five result and his 15th top-10 result of this season, Chastain continues to be scored in fourth place in the regular-season standings, trailing points leader Austin Cindric by 60 points while being 320 points above the top-12 cutline in making the Playoffs. Haley earned his 12th top-10 result of this season as he is already guaranteed a spot in the Xfinity Series Playoffs by virtue of his win at Talladega Superspeedway in June.

    With the NASCAR Xfinity Series entering its first off week since May, Kaulig Racing will return as a three-car operation for the next scheduled race at Road America on August 8, with A.J. Allmendinger set to make his sixth series start of 2020 and race alongside Chastain and Haley. The race at Road America will air at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Bret Holmes achieves first ARCA win at Kansas

    Bret Holmes achieves first ARCA win at Kansas

    It took 69 starts, but Munford, Alabama native Bret Holmes notched his first career ARCA Menards Series victory Friday night at Kansas Speedway.

    Holmes started fourth based on owner’s points but didn’t waste any time getting to the front. He took the lead after the segment two restart on Lap 19 and led the rest of the race for a total of 82 laps. No one proved a match for his No. 23 machine as Holmes easily took the checkered flag by 14.458 seconds over Venturini Motorsports driver Ryan Repko.

    “We’ve been working so hard for this,” said Holmes. “I’ve been working my whole life for this. My team did this for me. It’s been a long tough road. I just thank my family and my friends. They believed in me when I didn’t.”

    There were three segment breaks that made up the Dawn 150. The first segment break was on Lap 30, the second was on Lap 60 with the race ending on Lap 100.

    The first segment was relatively caution free with just one incident slowing the field on Lap 13. Russ Lane in the No. 8 had a scary moment off Turn 2 when the Overland Park, Kansas native got loose and smashed the inside wall hard.

    Besides the incident involving Lane, there were a couple of other close moments during the second segment as Drew Dollar and Hailie Deegan almost wrecked in Turns 3 and 4. However, both of them somehow saved their vehicles without incident.

    The only driver that could battle for the lead was Corey Heim who was making his first ARCA Menards start of 2020. Helm ran in the second position, just two seconds back from Holmes. But, Holmes’ car was so dominant that he began to check out from the field and his lead continued to climb.

    The victory was a long time coming for Holmes, as he would claim the first checkered flag of his ARCA career.

    Holmes led 82 laps with Riley Herbst being the only other driver to lead laps with 18. There were three cautions for 10 laps. Two of those were for stage breaks and the other for the Russ Lane incident.

    With the victory, Holmes has decreased Michael Self’s points lead down to nine.

    Official Results following the Dawn 150 at Kansas Speedway.

    1. Bret Holmes, led 82 laps
    2. Ryan Repko
    3. Riley Herbst, led 18 laps
    4. Corey Heim
    5. Tanner Gray
    6. Michael Self
    7. Drew Dollar
    8. Derek Griffith
    9. Hailie Deegan
    10. Thad Moffitt, 1 lap down
    11. Jason Kitzmiller, 2 laps down
    12. Eric Caudell, 5 laps down
    13. Ryan Huff, OUT, Overheating
    14. Tyler Hill, 7 laps down
    15. Con Nicolopoulos, OUT
    16. Brad Smith, OUT
    17. Mike Basham, OUT
    18. Russ Lane, OUT, Crash

  • 2020 Formula One schedule update

    2020 Formula One schedule update

    With the 2020 Formula One season in its first off week following an eventful start to the sport’s 70th year of racing, a new wave of racing events have been added to this year’s schedule that has yet to confirm how many total Grand Prix races will occur this season.

    For the first time since 1996, Formula One will race in Portugal after it was confirmed on Friday, July 24, that the sport will race at Algarve International Circuit in Portimao for the Portuguese Grand Prix. This will also mark the first time where the F1 cars will race at Portimao, which will occur on October 25 and is scheduled to be the 12th Grand Prix race of this season.

    Other venues that have been confirmed to be installed for this season are Nurburgring and Imola. The Eifel Grand Prix at Nurburgring, Nurburg, Germany, will occur on October 11 while the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Bologna, will occur on November 1. Imola is scheduled to be a two-day event, with a practice session to occur along with qualifying and the main event. This will mark the first time since 2006 where Imola will host an F1 event and the first time since 2013 where Nurburgring will host a Formula One Grand Prix race.

    The races at Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola will occur following a one-week break that takes place after the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi scheduled on September 27. The races in Sochi, Nurburg, Portimao and Imola are part of a 13-race schedule currently implemented for this year’s Formula One season. Other countries that are scheduled to host Grand Prix races this season include Great Britain, Spain, Belgium and Italy, which will run two races on back-to-back weekends prior to Russia. The countries of Bahrain, Vietnam, China and the United Arab Emirates have not determined their 2020 F1 schedule for this season.

    Despite the new additions to the racing calendar, Formula One confirmed the cancellation of more events this season amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions while opting to keep the communities and colleagues of F1 safe. Among the new wave of cancelled races this season include the United States Grand Prix, the Canadian Grand Prix, the Mexico City Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix. The United States of America, Canada, Mexico and Brazil join a host of other countries that include Australia, Netherlands, Monaco, Azerbaijan, France, Singapore and Japan that have cancelled their scheduled F1 races of 2020. This will mark the first time since 2011 where the United States of America will not feature a Formula One Grand Prix race and the first time since 2009 where Canada will not host the F1 cars.

    All plans are to have the Grand Prix races from each respective country back for the 2021 season while the remainder of this year’s Formula One World Championship schedule will be released at a late date.

    This year’s F1 season was delayed from starting on March 15 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but the sport has completed its first three races of the season. It all started at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5 and the Styrian Grand Prix on July 12 also at Red Bull Racing followed by the Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring, Mogyorod, Hungary, on July 19.

    Through the first three F1 races of this season, Lewis Hamilton, the reigning six-time Formula One World champion and driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, leads the standings by five points over teammate Valtteri Bottas, both of whom have emerged victorious through the three races. Max Verstappen of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing is third in the title standings, trailing by 33 points, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Alexander Albon. The competitors who are situated in the top 10 in the standings are Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Sebastian Vettel. Rounding out the 20-car field, respectively, are Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Antonio Giovinazzi, Daniil Kvyat, Kevin Magnussen, Nicholas Latifi, Romain Grosjean and George Russell.

    In addition, Mercedes, the reigning six-time Constructors’ champions and eight-time drivers’ champions, lead this year’s Constructors’ standings by 66 points over Red Bull Racing-Honda, 80 over McLaren-Renault, 81 over Racing Point-BWT Mercedes and 94 over Ferrari. Trailing behind by 12 points or less are Renault, AlphaTauri-Honda, Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari, Haas-Ferrari and Williams-Mercedes.

    The 2020 Formula One World Championship season will resume on August 2 at Silverstone Circuit in Great Britain for the British Grand Prix followed by the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, which will also run at Silverstone on August 9.