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New York Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about NASCAR's 2026 schedule: Mexico City, Chicago and more
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is starting to come together. Bowman Gray Stadium will again host the 'Clash' exhibition season opener, the Daytona 500 will be held on Feb. 15, Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the championship, and the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500, two of the sport's crown-jewel races, will be on their respective traditional holiday weekends. Advertisement But what about some of the big unknowns that will go a long way to dictating what the 2026 schedule looks like? Here's the latest on how it's taking shape, based on conversations with a dozen league and team sources in the NASCAR industry. NASCAR wants to return, and Mexico City would like NASCAR back, but racing in 2026 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit is still uncertain, even after what most considered a successful weekend for the first Cup points race outside the continental United States since the 1950s. The problem, according to those industry sources, is finding room on both parties' calendars. In NASCAR's debrief after last month's race, teams made clear to the league the logistics needed to be smoother — preferably by scheduling an off week either before or after Mexico City. NASCAR acknowledges that it's best to have an off week around Mexico City. But how would this happen, considering NASCAR's 38-week schedule affords little room for a break? The best option, multiple sources said, would be to shift Mexico City to either the week before or after Easter — the lone weekend next year between Daytona and the Homestead finale that Cup isn't expected to be racing. Finding a spring date on NASCAR's schedule, however, is challenging, as several tracks traditionally hold races at that time of year. NASCAR also needs a solution that makes sense logistically, reducing the burden on hauler drivers who had to travel from outside Detroit, Michigan, to Mexico City in just a few days. Visiting Mexico City at another time of the year is difficult due to the 2026 sports schedule in Mexico's capital. Starting in June, the month in which NASCAR held its event this year, Mexico City is hosting the FIFA Men's World Cup soccer tournament, with five matches scheduled in the city from June 11 to July 5. This is not a head-to-head competition NASCAR wants to face. Then, in the fall, Formula One makes its annual stop, effectively eliminating this window. This leaves spring to make it work. While returning to Mexico City for 2026 is uncertain, both sides want to continue this relationship, according to industry sources. It's just a matter of finding the right time — and it's becoming likelier that it might have to be 2027. Would NASCAR like to race in downtown Chicago next year? Yes, provided the league can strike the right deal. Are both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago amenable to NASCAR coming back for a fourth consecutive year? Yes, provided they can strike the right deal for them. These caveats have left the future of the Chicago Street Course up in the air. Advertisement Staging a race around Grant Park is not easy for NASCAR or the city. It's expensive and requires shutting down several major roads. Is there a date other than the Fourth of July weekend that works better? And would NASCAR, after three successful years, be better served leaving, letting the anticipation for a return build, then coming back sometime in the future? The popularity of the race is a significant factor in the decision. NASCAR loves it, and so do league and team sponsors. Drivers have spoken glowingly about it too, including Kyle Larson. 'It's probably my favorite event in NASCAR each year,' he said. And, most importantly, local officials appear to have warmed up to it, too. This was made known to NASCAR in recent discussions regarding the race's future, according to sources involved with the talks. The support at the state and local levels has increased the likelihood of a fourth race in downtown Chicago. The Chicago Street Course is a big piece of the puzzle that will shape the 2026 schedule. Expect a resolution soon. With the uncertainty surrounding the Chicago Street Race, should NASCAR consider going back to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.? Many drivers would be in favor of that solution to stay in the market and return to the 1.5-mile track that hosted Cup and Xfinity Series races from 2001-2019. Swapping the Chicago Street Race for Chicagoland would allow NASCAR to maintain a presence in the third-largest media market in the U.S. and add another oval to the schedule that should produce high-quality racing. The capital improvements that NASCAR would need at the track — estimated around $4 million, according to industry sources — are not high, though NASCAR would pay the bill itself. A return to Chicagoland could happen in 2026, but it's no sure thing. Right now, the focus within NASCAR, those sources said, is to finalize the San Diego race and sort out the respective futures of Mexico City and the Chicago Street Race. Chicagoland, though, is an option if a spot opens up. Nothing has changed since The Athletic's report last month on NASCAR nearing a deal for a race in the San Diego area. Discussions are ongoing, industry sources said, and the expectation is that an agreement will be reached. An announcement is tentatively slated for later this month. A street course race in San Diego would accomplish NASCAR's goal of adding one new big event to its schedule each year, following in the footsteps of the Clash being held at both the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Bowman Gray Stadium, returning to North Wilkesboro Speedway after a nearly 30-year absence, the Chicago Street Course, Mexico City and several others. Advertisement After the All-Star Race bounced around for several years, the venerable short track in North Carolina's foothills has helped restore some of the importance. The All-Star Race feels special again. NASCAR recognizes this, and the 2026 All-Star Race is expected to return to North Wilkesboro Speedway for a fourth consecutive year, industry sources said, even as there's rising support to see the track host a Cup Series points race, which it last did in 1996. Circuit of the Americas and Speedway Motorsports — which effectively rents out the Austin, Texas, road course — have operated on a year-to-year basis for the past few years. This partnership is expected to continue in 2026, industry sources said, with NASCAR tentatively slated to race there in early March — a renewal coming after what was widely viewed as the best NASCAR race there.
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Amazon Prime Ends Its NASCAR Experiment With Plenty To Brag About
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 25: A detail view of a "NASCAR Prime" helmet on the on the Amazon ... More Prime Video set prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Not long ago, if you'd told someone from the older generation that one day NASCAR races would be watched on the internet—without a single cable or satellite dish in sight—they'd have laughed, then asked what channel the internet was on. We're talking about a generation that grew up fiddling with rabbit ears on top of a black-and-white television just to catch a fuzzy glimpse of the Daytona 500—and still expects the morning newspaper to land with a satisfying thump on the driveway at sunrise. And yet, here we are. The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway marked the start of something new: the first time a full NASCAR Cup Series race was streamed exclusively. No traditional broadcast. No cable. Just you, your internet connection, and a new era. Some skeptics braced for buffering, crashes, or missing the green flag while the app updated. But what actually happened was something else entirely: it worked. It turned out to be one of the most innovative, polished, and downright thrilling broadcasts NASCAR fans have seen in years. This wasn't a cautious toe-dip into the digital future. This was a cannonball off the high board—and in the end, Amazon and NASCAR stuck the landing. BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN - JUNE 08: (L-R) The NASCAR on Prime Video broadcast team Danielle Trotta, Carl ... More Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Corey LaJoie talk on set prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 08, 2025 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by) From the on-screen Burn Bar that showed fuel consumption in real time to pre-race packages that felt like NFL Films had invaded the infield, Amazon Prime's production team didn't just bring NASCAR into the streaming era—they took it to school. The camera work was sharp. The graphics were clean without being intrusive. The audio mix made it feel like you were in the pits with a headset on. And the pre- and post-race segments? Let's just say, if you're one of the traditional networks, you should be looking over your shoulder. A new bar has been set. So what gave Amazon—and NASCAR—the confidence to believe streaming would finally land with this audience? "To me, it's less about streaming than people might think," said Alex Strand, Senior Coordinating Producer at Prime Video, who was at the center of it all. "In the end, our goal is fan first. Whether that's Thursday Night Football, National Women's Soccer League, or NASCAR, we're really fan first.' Strand and his team didn't recycle an old playbook. They came at this with a blank slate—though not without lessons learned from Prime's Thursday Night Football broadcasts. Finding their identity was key. 'One big thing has been our postgame show. For TNF, Nightcap gave us a platform to go deep and be the first voice people hear," Strand said. "For NASCAR… you could really talk for three hours. You've got 36 teams and 36 storylines. It's one of the unique challenges—but the approach still fits." That approach resulted in pre- and post-race coverage that felt less like a broadcast and more like an immersive experience. Fans got emotion, analysis, and context without being rushed off the air. Part of that came from the chemistry between Corey LaJoie and Carl Edwards—the fan-favorite driver who returned to the sport and slipped into his new role with the same ease, and talent, he once showed climbing into a race car. Add in visual tools like the now-famous Burn Bar—which showed live fuel consumption data in a simple, intuitive graphic—and suddenly you're not just watching a race, you're understanding it in real time. LEBANON, TENNESSEE - JUNE 01: A general view of the NASCAR on Prime Video broadcast set after the ... More NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 01, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by) "We have the general belief at Amazon that fans can tolerate more data," Strand said. "Take things that are really advanced and present them in really simple ways. It's the same with our 'defensive alerts' in football—a little red circle might mean something different to a casual fan than it does to a strategist, but it works either way." The Burn Bar was developed in-house, using the same real-time NASCAR telemetry available to other networks. But the model powering it? Proprietary Amazon tech, with a little help from Amazon Web Services. So what was the mood the night before this high-speed baptism—Amazon's first green flag at Charlotte, no cable safety net, millions watching, and just enough time to wonder if they'd accidentally left the lens cap on while hoping the Burn Bar wouldn't spontaneously combust? "Excitement," Strand said. "Everybody in the crew was pumped…We'd been talking about this for 18 months. We knew the responsibility, and there was a lot of thought that went into how we got on air for the first time. But in Charlotte? The prevailing feeling was excitement." That excitement was contagious. Viewers and even industry insiders praised the coverage. And while traditional Nielsen ratings aren't the currency of streaming, Amazon saw exactly what NASCAR hoped for: a younger demographic tuning in. "Our belief is that by creating a great show, telling the story of a race or an NFL game... if we do that right, fans will come," Strand said. "We saw it in the UK with the Premier League. We've seen it with the NFL. Have fun while you're doing it, and the viewership will come. 'Certainly, a younger demographic is an exciting thing—but it's not our only goal. Our goal is to serve the entire fan base." The numbers, while not record-breaking, were right where Prime expected them to be for a first-year foray into a new platform—solid enough to build on, especially with younger audiences. "It's been really cool and encouraging to see these numbers come in in year one," Strand said. "It's something we're really happy about." DAYTONA BEACH - FEBRUARY 18: A cameraman holding a CBS camera at the Daytona 500 racing event, on ... More February 18, 1979, at Daytona Beach, FL. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) And for those fans who still miss the newspaper and swear their DVR is smarter than they are, Prime made the transition surprisingly seamless. Free trial offers, user-friendly interfaces, and a commitment to continuous improvement have made streaming feel less like a chore and more like an upgrade. "Our goal is always to make sports streaming as accessible as possible," Strand said. "At Amazon, we have a saying: it's always Day One. That means we keep looking for ways to do it better." As the five-race run concluded at Pocono, the energy didn't wane. "You spend a whole season on a tour, it becomes work. But with this five-race stretch? It's been pure joy," Strand said. "Everyone shows up smiling. Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie are genuinely excited to be watching races together.' Amazon isn't talking specifics about its future NASCAR involvement beyond the current deal just yet, but Strand confirmed that the debrief and development process will begin immediately. "Every week we've made changes and improved," he said. "That process begins right away for whatever comes next. We'll continue to watch the rest of the season just like we always have, and keep thinking about how we can make our coverage as good as it can be." So now what? The grand streaming experiment is over—for this season. NASCAR heads into the heat of summer and the heart of the championship push. Amazon hands off the baton, but it's clear that fans—and other broadcasters—have taken notice. Strand knows exactly what he wants fans to do: "Keep coming. We want people to be consuming the Cup Series year-round… If we've gained any new viewers, we hope they stick around. The more people around, the better it is for the sport.' And if that means Grandpa learns how to use a Fire Stick? Even better.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Live updates: Kyle Larson's attempt at Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 'Double'
The biggest day in racing features NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 for IndyCar (won by Alex Palou) and the Monaco Grand Prix in F1 (won by Lando Norris). Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson was attempting to race all 1,100 miles in the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), but his effort fell short after a crash on Lap 92 of the Indy 500. 9:18 p.m. ET: Larson is involved in a multicar wreck that does major damage to the right-rear suspension of the No. 5 Chevrolet. Daniel Suárez's No. 99 Chevrolet came down the track after wrecking and sideswiped Larson's vehicle as he was trying to slip past on the inside. Advertisement 8:38 p.m. ET: Larson finishes 26th in Stage 2 and gets the free pass after Kyle Busch spins. 7:33 p.m. ET: Larson finishes 32nd in Stage 1, which ends under caution because of an Alex Bowman spin. 6:52 p.m. ET: From the lead, Larson spins coming out of Turn 4 and slides through the infield grass to bring out a caution. 6:30 p.m. ET: Green flag and the Coca-Cola 600 is underway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson leads Lap 1. 6:17 p.m. ET: Engines are fired for the Coca-Cola 600. 6:13 p.m. ET: Television shows Larson in the cockpit of his car. 5:58 p.m. ET: Television shows Larson on the grid outside his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Advertisement 5:22 p.m. ET: Larson's helicopter lands at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 5:05 p.m. ET: Larson's plane touches down in Concord, North Carolina. 3:22 p.m. ET: Television shows Larson's helicopter leaving Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 3:08 p.m. ET: Larson was checked and released from the care center and was interviewed on television. Sounding disappointed, Larson said he would try to get over this quickly and get on to Charlotte. Larson was scored in 27th place after the wreck. 2:56 p.m. ET: Larson spins and wrecks the No. 17 Chevrolet on his 92nd lap, ending his day at the Indy 500 and chance to complete the 'Double.' Advertisement 2:38 p.m. ET: With 75 of 200 laps complete, Larson is in 20th place in the 33-car field. 2:06 p.m. ET: Green flag as the Indy 500 resumes after a 16-minute caution for weather. 2:03 p.m. ET: Larson comes out of pit stops in 31st place as we await the track to be ready for a restart. 1:50 p.m. ET: Caution for weather. 1:35 p.m. ET: Green flag and the 109th Indianapolis 500 is underway. 1:28 p.m. ET: Scott McLaughlin's No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet is shown wrecked after he hits the inside wall swerving while trying to warm his tires. McLaughlin exits the car, and his day is over — the race laps have begun counting, despite the green flag having not yet flown. Advertisement 1:22 p.m. ET: Roger Penske, chairman of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and owner of Team Penske in NASCAR, gives the command to start engines at the 109th Indianapolis 500. 12:55 p.m. ET: Television interviews Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner, who is on standby for the No. 17 Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports team should Larson need to leave the Indy 500 early to travel to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. Kanaan says Larson will need to leave by 4:07 p.m. ET to make it to Charlotte in time. 12:50 p.m. ET: Television reports the start of the Indy 500 has been delayed by rain. 12:38 p.m. ET: Larson is shown sitting in the cockpit of his car, the No. 17 Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Light rain sprinkles have been reported, holding up the command to start engines. Advertisement 12:35 p.m. ET: Grand Marshals Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez announce, 'Drivers, to your cars!' 12:17 p.m. ET: FOX Sports' Jamie Little and Rob Gronkowski attempt to talk to Larson on the grid, but he's absent. Little says Larson is in the bathroom. Gronkowski compares Larson's double attempt to Deion Sanders when he was playing two professional sports at the same time in the NFL and MLB. 11:51 a.m. ET: Kyle Larson is introduced to the crowd along with the other Row 7 drivers, rookie Louis Foster and Callum Ilott. The announcer says Larson was the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, who is making his second attempt at the 'Double.' The crowd gives a loud ovation. Larson qualified 19th in the No. 17 Arrow McLaren/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and will line up on the inside of Row 7.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Michigan delivers another heartbreaking finish for Carson Hocevar
BROOKLYN, Mich. —While other drivers climbed from their cars after Sunday's 400-mile race at Michigan International Speedway, Carson Hocevar sat in his vehicle on pit road. When he finally emerged from his No. 77 Chevrolet, Hocevar walked around the car and briefly looked off to the distance toward Denny Hamlin's victory celebration. It was another gut punch for the 22-year-old Michigan native. Advertisement The caution Hocevar needed to stretch fuel to the end of the race never came and a flat tire forced him to pit from the lead 19 laps from the finish. The result was a 29th-place finish that most will forget but not Hocevar. 'It's just like (reliving) the Truck days,' Hocevar said on pit road. 'But you're doing it in front of a big stage. The difference is I felt like I was throwing them away. Now, they're getting taken away … things out of our control.' NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Race at Michigan Denny Hamlin wins fuel-mileage battle at Michigan International Speedway The Joe Gibbs Racing star took the lead from William Byron on Lap 197 of 200. Advertisement While Hocevar seems poised to score his first Cup career win, heartbreak has hounded him this season. Sunday just added to a growing list. Consider: His engine blew while he ran second in the final stage of last month's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. At Texas last month, he pitted from sixth in the final stage. The caution came two laps later, putting him a lap down and forcing him to take a wave around to get back on the lead lap. If he had pitted a lap later, he likely would have been in a prime spot to win. Instead, he finished 24th. At Bristol in April, he was running third when his team had a 22-second pit stop, ending any chance at victory. Hocevar finished 11th. Advertisement That doesn't include last week's runner-up finish at Nashville that was clouded by his controversial contact that wrecked Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and led to the drivers and their crew chiefs having conversations during the week. Alex Bowman Michigan Alex Bowman on Michigan crash: 'That hurt a lot' Alex Bowman walked away from a vicious crash in Sunday's crash at Michigan. Sunday's pain was evident in Hocevar's downbeat voice on the radio after the race when he told the team in a soft voice: 'Good job everybody.' Crew chief Luke Lambert quickly added: 'Great work guys. I know that's heartbreaking. Great work. We're putting ourselves in position. We'll keep working. We'll get us there. We'll get us one soon.' Advertisement Lifting up the team becomes one of Lambert's key roles right now. 'It's hard on all of us,' Lambert said of the recent disappointments. 'We got to just step back a little bit and look at here we are … running constantly in the top three. That in it of itself is an accomplishment. If we keep doing that, our day is coming.' Hamlin agrees. NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 Denny Hamlin is back to being the villain, provoking Michigan crowd after win Denny Hamlin told fans he beat their favorite driver and did part of an Ohio State cheer in front a crowd that featured many University of Michigan fans. 'You can't run as fast as he's running, being up front as much as he's up front, without eventually winning,' Hamlin said. 'I know that panic sometimes can set in. It's like, 'God, we lost this opportunity.' Advertisement 'But he's with a team that is on the rise. He is on the rise. It's just a matter of time. None of us would be shocked if it's next week or a month from now or whenever it is. 'I certainly give him his fair share of (grief) on Mondays on my podcast, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect his talent. 'Absolutely just a superstar when it comes to actual raw talent. When he figures out how to harness that, pick and choose the moments where he is aggressive, he's going to put it all together and just be the next whoever. There's five to six elite drivers in this field. He can be one of those five or six very easily when he puts it all together.'
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
LaJoie Goes From Commentator To Contender In Spire Truck Playoff Push
LEBANON, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Corey LaJoie, driver of the #7 Garner Trucking Chevrolet, enters his ... More car during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by) Corey LaJoie is going back to where it all began—or close enough. The veteran NASCAR driver is set to return to Spire Motorsports to run nine of the final 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races of 2025, starting with this Saturday's DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway. LaJoie, who spent three full-time seasons driving Spire's No. 7 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, will now strap into the No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado as the team mounts a charge for a Truck Series owner's championship berth. He'll return again at Richmond on August 15, then take the wheel for the final seven races of the season—presumably with the intention of disrupting the playoff picture and reminding everyone he's not quite done chasing trophies. All of this while juggling a new role as one of the lead analysts on Amazon Prime's NASCAR coverage, which launched during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. LaJoie's easygoing personality and sharp insights have made him a natural fit for the broadcast booth, where he now moonlights as a media personality between race weekends. CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 25: NASCAR analyst Carl Edwards (L) and Corey LaJoie are seen on the ... More NASCAR on Amazon Prime Video set prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) 'I put in a lot of work in the early days to help shape Spire Motorsports,' said LaJoie. 'It'll be good to see some familiar faces and get back to chasing wins. These trucks have shown speed this year, and with some consistency, we can make a real push for the owner's playoffs.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder That push is more than wishful thinking. The No. 07 truck is already a race winner this season—thanks to Kyle Larson, who took it to Victory Lane at Homestead back in March. With six races left before the playoff field is locked, Spire currently sits among the top seven in the owner's standings. A win from LaJoie at Michigan or Richmond could seal their spot. LaJoie has kept a relatively light driving schedule in 2025, with a trio of Cup Series starts for Rick Ware Racing and a season-best finish of 22nd in the Daytona 500. But his time behind the wheel has never been the full story. LaJoie is one of those rare NASCAR personalities who can explain the sport in plain English while keeping things entertaining—a skill that's now being put to use on Amazon's five-race broadcast slate. As for his Truck Series experience, it's admittedly limited—just five starts, three with Spire. His best finish came over a decade ago at Bristol, and his most recent run ended in a last-lap wreck at Daytona this past February. Still, his reputation for getting the most out of underdog equipment makes him a compelling option for a team on the playoff bubble. Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson, never one for excess sentimentality, admitted the idea had been floating around for a while. 'When we were talking about what we needed to go chase this championship, we kept describing a guy who sounded exactly like Corey,' Dickerson said. 'So I just asked him. He's a big part of what we've built, and this gives us a shot to do something meaningful together again.' The DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 airs live on FOX Saturday, June 7 at noon ET. If things go right, LaJoie may find himself in the mix for a title—or at least with enough material for a great story on live television.
