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NBC Sports
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Kyle Larson states 'I don't have any desire' to do Indy 500/Coke 600 Double again
HAMPTON, Ga. — A month after becoming just the fifth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, Kyle Larson says his mind hasn't changed about doing the Double again. 'I feel like I've made it known that I wouldn't do the Double again,' Larson said Friday at EchoPark Speedway. 'I get asked about it all the time. It's just logistically too tough.' This year's Indianapolis 500 was scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. ET but was delayed about 45 minutes by rain. Larson crashed in the race or he might have been pulled late in the event to make it to Charlotte Motor Speedway to start the 600, which began at 6:30 p.m. ET He led 34 laps at Charlotte before crashing. Dustin Long, After exiting the infield care center, Larson said the 'window of time' between both races 'is too tight … So I don't really think it's worth it.' This year was the last year of a two-year deal between Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren. Larson admitted Friday that 'I will have FOMO from running the Indy 500. Hopefully, someday I can run that again, but I don't have any desire to do the Double again. It didn't go well the last two years.' Last year, Larson stayed in Indianapolis to compete in the 500 after a four-hour rain delay despite Hendrick Motorsports officials saying that the Coca-Cola 600 was their priority. He completed the Indy 500 and arrived well after the Coke 600 started. Larson was in his pit box ready to get into his car when rain ended that race early. NASCAR announced before this season that if a driver misses a race for anything other than injury or age restriction, the only way they can get a playoff waiver is to lose all their playoff points accumulated to that point and any playoff points they earn before the end of the regular season.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
How Prime won over the NASCAR world and raised the bar for future broadcasts
LONG POND, Pa. — A rare thing happened five weeks ago. As NASCAR's longest race unfolded, social media discourse about the sport — often overflowing with negativity and snark — instead exuded approval over what was playing out on Amazon Prime. Fans were witnessing a polished, professional broadcast that they felt was unlike anything they'd seen in recent years. And it wasn't just fans who took notice. Advertisement 'Everyone who has come up to me — friends or fans or whoever — and has watched the races over the last few weeks has had nothing but incredible things to say,' Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott said. 'And it seems like it's been really well done, at least that's kind of been the perception that's out there that I've heard.' Complaining about a race broadcast is like catnip for many NASCAR fans. Regardless of who is handling the coverage, a vocal contingent will make their criticisms known. It seemed certain Prime would be subject to such scrutiny when it began broadcasting its five-race package of Cup Series events as part of NASCAR's new seven-year media rights deal that split up the 38 Cup races among Fox Sports (14 races), NBC Sports (14), Prime (five) and Warner Bros. Discovery (five, on TNT). Prime's foray into NASCAR marks the first time the league's premier division had its races carried exclusively on a streaming service. Yet from Prime's first race on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and through the following four weeks, a NASCAR community known to be averse to change largely embraced Prime's presentation. 'They (Prime) do a good job of telling the stories and getting you excited about strategy and showing how one driver may catch another,' said Denny Hamlin, driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing co-owner, last week before Prime's last broadcast at Pocono Raceway. 'They are doing a great job so far.' How did Prime resonate with a fan base that's often skeptical about any outside entity coming into the sport and trying to be different? First, Prime recognized it knew what it didn't know. For Prime to produce a successful NASCAR broadcast, its leaders knew it was best to lean on experience. Utilizing a strategy similar to the one it employs for its NFL 'Thursday Night Football' broadcasts, Prime partnered with NBC Sports to bring on many of the same behind-the-scenes staffers who make that network's coverage top-notch. This gave Prime a strong start, only needing to fine-tune how it wanted the broadcasts to look. Advertisement To put its own spin on the broadcasts, Prime also introduced new technological elements. The most notable is the 'Burn Bar,' which measures a team's fuel consumption through the course of a race, then conveys the information to viewers in a digestible manner. 'How do we take really complex things and present them in a really simple way,' Prime Video senior coordinating producer Alex Strand said of the broadcast's goal. 'And that to me is the fun challenge of it. … I think most people would be pretty excited and surprised by how much opportunity there is to really get technical, but make it approachable.' Prime has one big advantage over NASCAR's other broadcast partners: It's not bound by the same constraints as linear television and doesn't have to adhere to strict broadcast windows. As a streaming service with no cap on when it needs to sign off, Prime has more freedom to go deeper in its post-race analysis. 'We, obviously, heard fans talking about it. We also just saw it ourselves,' Strand said. 'I want to hear analysts break down how that race ended. We just saw that as an opportunity. And it was already in our DNA, so it was a pretty easy decision to make.' To figure out how to fill that time, Strand looked at how Prime has covered the NFL, European soccer and other sports properties. Its NASCAR broadcasts featured an extended pre- and post-race show, so its hosts and analysts could first inform viewers on what was to come, then thoroughly recap the races. The run times varied depending on what happened in the race and how much there was to talk about. The thoroughness of the post-race show became Prime's calling card. Anchored by Danielle Trotta and with NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards and current driver Corey LaJoie as studio analysts — and sometimes joined by booth analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte — the group breaks down the just-completed race to a depth viewers don't typically get from a post-race show on a network facing time restrictions. Advertisement The numbers have reinforced Prime's decision to produce an elongated post-race show. Prime said the program retained an average of 43 percent of its audience from the race. 'I personally like the pre- and post-race show the most,' Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron said. 'Having a professional desk like that and having a chance to recap the race in a more relaxed setting just adds to the value and adds to the energy of the event. It just captures the sights and sounds.' The post-race show has afforded Edwards and LaJoie, both television newbies, a platform to shine. For LaJoie, who has hosted podcasts and radio shows, this was not a completely new endeavor. Edwards, though, had largely been away from the sport since retiring from racing after the 2016 season. But Edwards has used his time away as an asset. On the show, he takes an inquisitive approach as he re-acclimates to a sport that's changed considerably since he raced. This, in a way, makes him serve as a conduit for fans in getting to know drivers better and explaining ongoing storylines. 'You know how in filmmaking they always need a character that doesn't know anything so they can ask the questions?' Edwards said. 'I think this has been just this perfect timing and opportunity for me because I'm literally learning about the sport again. So much has changed.' NASCAR and Prime hoped that a strong broadcast aired over a streaming service would yield a younger demographic. And so far, it has. According to Prime, the median age for a viewer of its five races was 56.1, nearly seven years younger than audiences watching Cup Series races on linear networks in 2025 (62.8). And its five races represented the five youngest audiences of any Cup race this season. The five-race slate averaged 2.16 million viewers, on par with previous broadcasts on traditional cable networks. 'It was rewarding to see NASCAR's fan base shift over to a new platform,' said Brian Herbst, NASCAR executive vice president, chief media and revenue officer, 'not only achieving the viewership levels that NASCAR delivers on cable TV today, but bringing in younger demos and new fans to our sport.' Advertisement With NASCAR and fans responding favorably, what will Prime do for an encore next summer? Sitting inside Prime's production trailer on-site at Pocono Raceway last weekend, Strand shook his head and smiled at the question. The answer will come later. There's plenty of time to sort that out. 'We've had so much fun,' Strand said. 'I'm excited about what TNT will bring (beginning Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway). I'm excited about how NBC will finish the season. … Our hope is that this season of NASCAR really represents a growth in excitement around the sport that rolls into 2026.' (Top photo of Prime's NASCAR studio crew; from left, Danielle Trotta, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Corey LaJoie: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR penalizes Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team for Pocono violation
NASCAR has penalized the Hendrick Motorsports Xfinity team Chase Elliott drove for last weekend at Pocono for a violation. The team was fined $40,000 and docked 40 car owner points and 10 playoff points Wednesday. Crew chief Adam Wall has been suspended for the next three Xfinity events (through Sonoma) for the L1 violation. Advertisement The No. 17 team is not entered for Friday night's race at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The car is scheduled to compete next on July 12 at Sonoma with Corey Day as the driver. The team was cited for a violation related to main frame rail conical receivers. The No. 17 car was one of two taken to the NASCAR R&D Center for further evaluation after the Pocono race. Elliott finished fourth in that race. NASCAR cited Section 14.3.3.2.1.1.K of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: "Main frame rail conical receivers will not be permitted to be moved without having the chassis re-certified prior to the Event at which that chassis will compete." NASCAR also cited 14.3.3.2.1.1.L of the Xfinity Rule Book, which states: "Modifications to main frame rail conical receivers that were made to circumvent NASCAR inspection processes, measurement equipment, and/or gauges will not be permitted."
Fox News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin Back On Track, Back On Top
Denny Hamlin has three "podium" finishes in his last three starts. OK, so none of them actually had a real podium for a top-three finish. That only occurred at Mexico City, where Hamlin didn't race in the days following the birth of his son. But with a third-place finish, a win and a second in his past three starts, that's good enough to launch him at the top of this list. Here's how the latest rankings shake out as Cup Series drivers enter a three-week stretch of some wild-card-type tracks, with the first being Atlanta race this weekend — a high-banked 1.54-mile oval that now races like drafting tracks Daytona and Talladega. Dropped out: 9. Ross Chastain (Last Week: 9). On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick. Hamlin takes the top spot with three awesome finishes (third, first, second) in his last three starts. The JGR driver sits third in the standings despite having missed a race. Larson finished a respectable seventh after starting 24th at Pocono. The Hendrick driver has seven top 10s in his last nine starts. Byron might have had the fastest car at Pocono on Saturday until he wrecked it during qualifying. He went for the stage points (he still has a 54-point lead on Kyle Larson as far as the battle for the regular-season title) and then got mired in traffic, losing spots to avoid a wreck and finished 27th. Blaney rebounded from qualifying 20th to finishing third at Pocono. That's a good day for the Penske driver, making the most out of what could have been a bad day. Bell finished second a week earlier at Mexico City but never seemed to have the speed at Pocono. He qualified ninth and finished 17th, having been involved in a wreck in the second stage. A solid fifth-place finish for Elliott was his fifth top-five finish this year. The Hendrick driver knows running in the top five often enough will lead to him competing for a win relatively soon. Buescher placed fourth at Pocono for his third consecutive top-10 finish. The RFK Racing driver had the speed as he qualified on the front row. Briscoe's big victory at Pocono vaulted him into the playoffs and up a couple spots in these rankings. As a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, he should expect more wins and more weeks in these rankings. A brake rotor failure ruined Wallace's day Sunday at Pocono, and a starter issue stymied him in qualifying. But the 23XI driver had speed, as shown in the previous three races, where he had an average finish of 7.3. Preece finished eighth at Pocono for his fourth top-10 finish in the last six races. The RFK Racing driver continues to find his way to race among the leaders. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR results: Full finishing order of The Great American Getaway 400 race at Pocono
We're down to single digits and now we have 11 different winners. After Sunday's Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, only nine races remain in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. Chase Briscoe claimed his first win of the season Sunday, becoming the 11th racer to win a race this season. Advertisement Briscoe was thin on fuel during the final stage, but had enough gas and horsepower to hold off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in the final laps. Ryan Blaney was third as the top three all finished within a second of each other. Here's the full finishing order. Chase Briscoe. NASCAR standings: Results from Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway today Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Brennan Poole, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR today: Results, winner of Cup Series race at Pocono
