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Politico
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Battle of the Jessicas
Presented by Resorts World New York City With help from Amira McKee New York Minute: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's campaign teased 'a major announcement' this morning on 'Fox & Friends.' Most GOP officials Playbook spoke to Tuesday night suspect it's a long-anticipated decision on whether he will run for governor or seek reelection. Lawler's governor dreams have been complicated by Rep. Elise Stefanik's own ambitions. QUEENS QUEENS: State Sen. Jessica Ramos shocked the New York political world by endorsing her longtime foe Andrew Cuomo while running for mayor. He didn't endorse her back. But his rejuvenated mayoral campaign is quick to compliment her in the face of a fierce primary challenge from neighboring Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas. Ramos has 'a real record of delivering — not only for her constituents, but for working New Yorkers as a whole,' Cuomo campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told Playbook. 'She cares about the things that matter, and New York is all the stronger because of it. And I'm sure that's what her constituents are going to consider.' Of course, it's still not an endorsement. 'The cycle hasn't even begun to begin yet,' Azzopardi added. Meanwhile, González-Rojas is gathering star supporters for her state Senate campaign, which she officially launched Tuesday. 'Let's GO @votejgr! We got you,' Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X, adding a raised hands emoji. (Ramos and AOC don't talk and don't get along.) City Comptroller Brad Lander, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Council Members Shekar Krishnan, Tiffany Caban and Shahana Hanif — and many more electeds — joined JGR's Jackson Heights fundraiser Monday night. Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz remarked to attendees that she had been trying to get González-Rojas to challenge Ramos for years, one elected official present told Playbook. JGR's run against Ramos is personal and about unseating an elected official she's found difficult to work with. But it was Zohran Mamdani's mayoral primary win — against both Ramos and Cuomo, among others — that gave her the political push to do it. González-Rojas endorsed Mamdani, who won Ramos' senate district 60-40 over Cuomo in the mayoral primary. Ramos endorsed Cuomo in that race, after sparring with him in the Legislature for years, slamming him as a creep and questioning his mental acuity on the trail. She didn't respond to requests for comment. While she got 0.4 percent in the mayoral primary, she'll be in a much better position if she seeks reelection. She's an incumbent with union allies, thanks in part to her role chairing the Senate's powerful labor committee. She's in bad shape financially, though. Ramos reported just $10,492 in her state campaign account last week, after raising $70,000 and spending $68,000 in the previous six months. (Her biggest expense was $14,000 to polling firm Slingshot Strategies, as she continues to pay for a spring 2024 district survey showing opposition to a casino. The poll was initially covered by an anonymous donor, but Ramos reversed course and said her campaign would pay for it.) Ramos's city account is deeply in debt as well, reporting a negative balance of nearly $126,000. She's in a dispute with another vendor and may see her liabilities increase even more, two people familiar with her finances told Playbook. Mamdani boosters are eager to unseat electeds who backed Cuomo, and this could be a high-profile battle — even if the politics undergirding it are a bit muddled. Both Jessicas are to the left of moderate Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, and both won the Working Families Party's endorsement in 2024. González-Rojas opted not to respond to Playbook's questions about the key policy differences between the two, or if she plans to highlight Ramos' Cuomo flip-flop on the trail. 'I'm running for State Senate to bring bold, inclusive leadership that delivers real results for our community,' González-Rojas said in a statement. 'In this moment of national crisis, our neighbors deserve a fighter who shows up, listens, and works side by side with them to create lasting change. This campaign is about progress rooted in values — and building a future we all shape together.' — Jason Beeferman and Jeff Coltin IT'S WEDNESDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In New York City, Suffolk County and Erie County making a public safety announcement. WHERE'S ERIC? Schedule not available as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Are you going to lose more people than you gain by not attacking Trump, by trying to be too cute by half and say: 'I want people to get to know [me] better?' We know you, we know you were governor, we know why you resigned.' — Democratic strategist Basil Smikle on 'Cuomo 2.0's' shift away from Trump, via NBC News. ABOVE THE FOLD TRUMP TEAM SPLIT: Mayor Eric Adams was spared Donald Trump's wrath Tuesday after the president fielded a question on leaders of 'sanctuary' cities. But he didn't escape blame from Trump's deputies, who accused him and his fellow Democrats of fostering the circumstances that led to a federal customs officer being shot Saturday with two undocumented immigrants now in custody for the crime. The president was asked in the Oval Office: 'What is your message to any local leaders who continue to push 'sanctuary' city policies after this nearly tragic incident?' Trump responded without mentioning any New York leaders. He instead slammed advisers to President Joe Biden who allowed '21 million people, probably much more than that' to enter the country, including dangerous and violent offenders. Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security officials, including Secretary Kristi Noem and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, have condemned Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the City Council in the wake of the shooting. Adams, a Trump-friendly Democrat, has been critical of New York's policies limiting cooperation between federal immigration agents and local law enforcement officers, all while saying he would follow the laws as mayor. Trump border czar Tom Homan has frequently said he would 'flood the zone' in New York City with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The mayor has stressed the need for a good working relationship with the president and saw his federal fraud charges dismissed at the prompting of Trump's Justice Department. Adams has denied wrongdoing and a quid pro quo. 'People are trying to say what he did was because there was some deal,' the mayor said of himself in an episode of the New York Post Pod Force One released this morning. 'There was never a deal. There was never any conversation that he would do A and I would do B. That did not take place at all.' Adams, a former NYPD captain, visited the federal officer who was shot in the hospital over the weekend. The mayor, who is running for reelection as an independent, slammed 'violent migrant and asylum seekers who are bringing violence and really tarnish the reputation of those who come to this country to pursue the American dream.' — Emily Ngo CITY HALL: THE LATEST AFTER-SCHOOL PUSH AMID ELECTIONS: The city is launching 40 new after-school sites this fall as part of a push to offer elementary and middle schoolers after-school seats, including in areas Adams won during his 2021 mayoral campaign. Thirty seven traditional public schools, as well as three charters, are slated to receive 5,000 new seats for students this September at a cost of $21 million, the mayor announced Tuesday. Those include neighborhoods where Adams cruised in his 2021 mayoral bid, including Harlem, Westchester Square in the Bronx, East New York in Brooklyn and Baisley Park in Queens, per the Atlas election map. It comes as the mayor embarks on a long-shot reelection bid as a political independent. Adams' universal after-school push, which the mayor announced at the end of April, came after several candidates in the Democratic mayoral primary made expanding after-school access a priority. 'New York City can no longer afford to lose working class families who leave the city because of the issue of child care,' Adams said Tuesday. 'Two things we hear all the time when new employees come here: how good are the schools and how safe is the community? We're targeting both of those issues.' — Madina Touré and Amira McKee FINAL RESULTS: Some 1,071,730 New York City Democrats voted in the mayoral primary, according to the final certified Board of Elections results released Tuesday — the most in a mayoral primary since 1989, when 1.08 million Dems cast votes as David Dinkins prevailed. The 32 percent turnout was also the highest since 1989, when nearly half of registered Democrats at the time voted. Mamdani won 43.8 percent of the votes in the first round, and 56.4 percent in the final round of ranked-choice voting — a 12.8 point margin over Cuomo. — Jeff Coltin TALK, TALK, TALK: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called on Adams to resume his regular 'off-topic Tuesday' briefings with the news media. 'Does he understand that his moves against press freedom are just another way he mimics Donald Trump?' the mayoral foe said in a statement slamming Adams' management of the NYPD. 'The mayor has also already answered every single question Jumaane claims he should be addressing,' Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus responded. 'Jumaane should do his homework before putting out ridiculous statements that are nothing more than a sad attempt to cling to relevance.' — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Calls to strip Mamdani's citizenship have sparked alarm about Trump weaponizing denaturalization. (NBC News) — At least two dead voters had absentee ballots submitted under their names in a tightly contested GOP City Council primary in southern Brooklyn. (New York Post) — Brooklyn developer Tolib Mansurov, who was named last year as one of Adams' alleged straw donors, is planning a 99-unit building in Park Slope. (Crain's New York) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY EPSTEIN FALLOUT: Democrats are eager to tweak Republicans over the swirling Jeffrey Epstein saga that has engulfed the Trump White House, POLITICO reports. Struggling to find their footing during Trump 2.0, some Democrats believe the controversy surrounding the federal government's investigation of the disgraced financier can provide added fuel for next year's elections. 'Democrats need to take advantage of openings to chip away at the Trump coalition, and the Epstein files present one of the first major opportunities to do so,' Democratic state Sen. James Skoufis told Playbook. 'He's a con man of the highest order, and some of his most fervent supporters are finally beginning to see it.' There is an acknowledgement, though, that Trump's Epstein headache won't be a substitute for issues like Medicaid cuts. Hochul last week said the matter creates a 'trust gap' for Trump's base, but she expects the party will focus on crucial issues like slashed funding for services. Still, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal argued that applying pressure on Republicans over Epstein doesn't just turn the tables on the president, but has a shot of winning over Trump voters. 'MAGA thinks the system is rigged on behalf of the wealthy and the powerful,' he said. 'Perhaps this is the wedge that will begin to illuminate to many people in red states and elsewhere that Donald Trump does not have your best interests at heart.' Democratic consultant Morgan Hook cautioned that Democrats shouldn't overpromise — or indulge their base in the same kind of conspiracy theories the hard right has marinated in during the Trump era. 'If you want to use this to drive a wedge between Trump and his supporters, great,' Hook said. 'Don't go and lie to your supporters, too, and say this will take Trump down.' Republican consultant Vince Casale expects bigger issues — like affordability — will be at play, and the Epstein controversy won't be at the forefront of most voters' minds. 'If the Jeffrey Epstein files become an issue that starts to decide congressional races across the country, then the people in this country are a lot better off than they realize,' he said. — Nick Reisman A STORY ABOUT A BRIDGE: New York is scrambling to stop bridge strikes. The Hochul administration on Tuesday rolled out a public service announcement campaign meant to cut down on commercial trucks and large vehicles hitting low-slung spans. State Police will also ramp up enforcement to ensure tall vehicles aren't on roads with low bridges. There were 350 bridge strikes last year. The campaign runs through Saturday. Watch here. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Phone calls for people in New York prisons will soon be free. (New York Times) — State policymakers have a draft energy plan that includes reliance on fossil fuels. (POLITICO Pro) — The city of Buffalo is cracking down on illegal cannabis shops. (Buffalo News) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION GARBARINO'S NEW POST: The 9/11 terrorist attacks helped shape Rep. Andrew Garbarino's view on national security, he said Tuesday after being appointed a night earlier as the next chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. The Long Island Republican, a close ally of House Speaker Mike Johnson, focused his pitch for the post on his background in cybersecurity policy. 'As a lifelong New Yorker and representative of a district shaped by 9/11, I understand the stakes of this responsibility,' Garbarino said in a statement. ''Never forget' is more than a slogan.' Garbarino listed securing the border, confronting terrorism, strengthening cybersecurity and hardening national defenses as his top priorities. His predecessor, former Rep. Pete King, was a previous homeland security committee chair. His colleagues, including Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, commended the pick after two ballot votes as a 'win for New York.' — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries met to define their government funding demands, avoiding explicit ultimatums to their GOP counterparts. (POLITICO) — The House grinds to halt before a planned recess to avoid voting on the release of the Epstein files. (Washington Post) — House lawmakers are getting a boost to funds they can use for their own security, including at their homes. (POLITICO) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — The New York socialist mayor who came 100 years before Mamdani. (TIME) — Etan Patz, the missing boy whose case keeps coming back. (New York Times) — Columbia University disciplines 70 students for protesting as the school pleads with the Trump administration for funding. (Gothamist) SOCIAL DATA MAKING MOVES: Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) is staffing up: Hawa Bassett has joined as her district director after working at Tonio Burgos & Associates and the Town of North Hempstead … Travis Nelson is Gillen's new director of outreach and political adviser, previously working for the Assembly and as Long Island political director for the state Democratic party … and Jaden Jules is now Gillen's New York press secretary, after previously working at Dow Jones and Precision Strategies. … Sloane & Company appointed Zack Mukewa, former managing director at LLYC, as principal and head of capital markets and strategic advisory … and Jon Hammond, founder of Hammond Strategies, has joined as principal and head of media, sports, entertainment and technology. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: David Brock … former Rep. John Hall (D-N.Y.) … Newsmax's Jon Glasgow … FGS Global's Craig James and Josh Gross … Edelman's Courtney Gray Haupt … Reuters' Erin Banco … Monica Lewinsky … Lane Greene … Liza Pluto … Katherine Borgerding … Joey Rault … (WAS TUESDAY): David Shuster Missed Tuesday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
Fox Sports
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin At No. 1 Is Concrete After Dover Win
Denny Hamlin doesn't just have two wins in his last six starts, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five top-four finishes in his last seven starts. That type of consistency is hard to beat. And that has put him back atop these power rankings. The race at Dover featured many of these drivers jockeying for spots in the final laps and in overtime, making this list probably even more debatable than normal. As the Cup drivers head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, these are the 10 drivers that seem to have momentum: Dropped out: 9. Ryan Preece (Last Week: 9) On the verge: Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece 10. Ty Gibbs (Last Week: Not Ranked) A fifth for Gibbs at Dover was his third consecutive top-10 finish, with two of those being top-five runs. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is also in the championship for the in-season tournament against Ty Dillon. 9. Tyler Reddick (Last Week: 6) Reddick ran in the top 10 for much of the race at Dover but finished 12th after the two overtimes. That snapped a streak of three top-10 finishes for the 23XI Racing driver. 8. Ryan Blaney (Last Week: 7) Blaney placed eighth at Dover after starting 31st, thanks to the metric when qualifying was canceled. It was a solid day for the Penske driver at a track where it was hard to pass. 7. Alex Bowman (Last Week: 10) Bowman placed fifth in the first stage, second in the second stage and finished third. That's a great day for a driver who doesn't have a win and is fighting for a playoff spot on points. The Hendrick driver has three top-fives in his last six starts. 6. Christopher Bell (Last Week: 5) A couple of spins ruined Bell's day. Actually just the one when battling Hamlin for the lead with less than 10 laps to go. The JGR driver finished 18th. 5. William Byron (Last Week: 3) Byron was a victim of a crash after the late red flag for rain. The 31st-place finish wasn't indicative of the Hendrick driver's day, as he was fourth in the first stage and sixth in the second stage. 4. Kyle Larson (Last Week: 4) Larson finished top 10 in both stages and ended up fourth after having a shot to battle Hamlin for the win in overtime. It was the Hendrick driver's first top five since Michigan, as he may have stopped a slump where he had just one top 10 in the previous four races. 3. Chase Briscoe (Last Week: 8) Briscoe had a shot to win as he battled Hamlin in the second overtime and had fresher tires. But battling a teammate sometimes requires a little more give and a little less take, and Briscoe gave his JGR teammate Hamlin the room he needed and settled for second. 2. Chase Elliott (Last Week: 1) Elliott gave up track position when he pitted for tires after a caution for rain, a decision that ended up not working out as he finished sixth. It was a frustrating end to a race where the Hendrick driver led 238 of the 407 laps. 1. Denny Hamlin (Last Week: 2) Hamlin did a masterful job defending his lead over the final 67 laps, as he earned his fourth win of the season. The JGR driver made it the second consecutive year at Dover where he outdueled drivers in the waning laps. 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. recommended Item 1 of 2 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
Denny Hamlin survives rain delay, overtime to win fourth NASCAR Cup Series race of season
'Winning here at Dover is super special to me,' Hamlin said. 'This is a place that I've not been very good at the first half of my career. To go back-to-back here the last two years is amazing.' Advertisement Hamlin took the checkered flag days after he suffered a setback in court with his own 23XI Racing team's federal antitrust suit against NASCAR. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up On Thursday, a federal judge rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters while they battle NASCAR in court, meaning their six cars will race as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis, and perhaps longer than that in a move the teams say would put them at risk of going out of business. Hamlin vowed this weekend 'all will be exposed' if the case goes to its scheduled Dec. 1 trial date. The courtroom drama hasn't affected Hamlin's performance on the track. Hamlin held off JGR teammate Chase Briscoe for the victory. Hendrick Motorsports drivers took the next two spots, with Alex Bowman third and Kyle Larson fourth. Advertisement 'I thought I did everything I needed to,' Briscoe said. 'I thought I had him there for a second. I wish the Camry, the back, was about 3 inches shorter. I was so close to clearing him. I just couldn't do it. Obviously, racing a teammate, I wanted to make sure at least a JGR car won.' Hamlin held off Larson down the stretch last season to earn the second of his three career wins at the Monster Mile. The first July Cup race at Dover since 1969 started with steamy weather and drivers battled the conditions inside the car during a relatively clean race until rain fell late and red-flagged the race with 14 laps left. Hamlin said during the break he planned to change his firesuit — temperatures inside the car soared to 140 degrees. He also returned to the car after the 56-minute delay with old tires. Hamlin — who was the betting favorite to win, per BETMGM Sportsbook — had enough to win on cool tires at Dover and park the Toyota in victory lane. 'We've got a lot left,' Hamlin said. He became the 19th Cup driver to win three times at Dover and the 13th driver to win consecutive races on the mile concrete track. 'I just studied some of the greats here,' Hamlin said. 'I was very fortunate to have Martin Truex as a teammate. Jimmie Johnson, watching him win (11) times here. You learn from the greats and you change your game to match it, you have success like this.' Advertisement … It's Ty Gibbs vs. Ty Dillon next week at Indianapolis to decide the first winner in NASCAR's $1 million mid-season tournament. NASCAR seeded 32 drivers for the first In-season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament that mirrors the NCAA basketball tournaments. Both drivers are winless and Dillon made it as the No. 32 seed. Gibbs finished fifth Sunday for JGR. John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick were eliminated. … Joey Logano finished 14th for Team Penske in his 600th career start. Logano has made every start since the 2009, 597 straight, putting him within striking distance of Jeff Gordon's Cup record of 797 straight starts. Logano was 35 years, 1 month, 26 days old when he hit No. 600, making him the youngest driver to reach that milestone. He topped seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty by six months. Petty is the only driver to have won his 600th start.
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Kevin Harvick Points Out Main Problem in NASCAR Pit Crew Clash at Sonoma
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick has pointed out the main problem that triggered the pit crew dispute during the Cup Series race at Sonoma last weekend. A fight broke out between a pit crew member of RFK Racing and crew members of Joe Gibbs Racing after Ty Gibbs grazed a tire held by RFK tire changer Telvin McClurkin. This happened when Gibbs was passing through the RFK pit stall, which was next to the JGR stall. Following the incident, McClurkin confronted JGR crew members before they got physical. NASCAR officials eventually intervened and later concluded that Gibbs was not at fault, despite RFK providing video evidence. Watch: Unexpected Pit Crew Fight Breaks Out During NASCAR Cup Race at Sonoma Now, Harvick pointed out the core issue in the clash, explaining that the tire changer should have made way for the approaching car and described his act of confrontation as a "bad reaction." Speaking on his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick said: Former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kevin Harvick speaks at the Busch Light activation on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach,... Former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kevin Harvick speaks at the Busch Light activation on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. More"Ty didn't do anything wrong here. NASCAR said it as well. My advice to the guy carrying the tires is move the tires. If you don't want to get hit by the car, move the tires. That's your responsibility, not the driver's. They give you that luxury of not having to jump off the wall anymore, but when I was the driver and I felt like your tire carrier was swinging around too wide and it was affecting the way I get into the box, I would brush them. There's no doubt in my mind. "This one is simple. The tire carrier just needs to get out of the freaking way. He's standing in the pit stall with the two tires and so, he can be frustrated all he wants — I don't know why he wants to go over and blame it on the team guys. Just a bad reaction from the tire carrier and in my opinion, 100 percent his problem to deal with. Get out of the way of the car." Gibbs' entry into the pit stall slowed Keselowski, and Harvick said he has no problem with that. He explained: "In all honesty, the 6 and the 54 were racing. Anything I can do to mess up your pit stop, if I can cut it as close as possible to keep you from running around the car, I'm cutting it as close as possible. "If you're right there and you don't want to pull your tire back or take one step back to try to keep your timing right on your pit stop, I want you to make sure that the next time we come in, that you're one step back and your pit stop's not going to be as fast as mine because it's going to be way easier to pass you on pit road or you not pass me on pit road. Pit crew guys might not like to hear that, but I don't have a problem with anything that happened."
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
NASCAR's Trackhouse Racing Makes High Profile Joe Gibbs Racing Hire
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASCAR's Trackhouse Racing team has announced the hiring of Todd Meredith from Joe Gibbs Racing as president of racing operations. The newly created role means Meredith does not replace anyone at the team. According to LinkedIn, Meredith was the vice president of operations at JGR and has been serving the team since May 1992. The big announcement comes a day after Trackhouse's Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup Series race at Sonoma. Meredith began his new role on Monday, marking the start of a new chapter with Trackhouse and the end of his long partnership with JGR. Speaking about Meredith's arrival to the team, Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks said in a statement: "We're thrilled to welcome someone of Todd's caliber and experience to help guide Trackhouse from the top. His focus on culture, strategy, quick decision making and organization will be a massive shot in the arm for this company as we navigate a pivotal growth period in the history of Trackhouse Racing." Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025 in Sonoma, California. Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #88 Red Bull Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 13, 2025 in Sonoma, said: "I feel at home in NASCAR and wanted to return in some form. The more I talked with Justin, the more I was excited by his vision of Trackhouse Racing. The team is very talented and quite successful, as you have seen in the last few months, but we want even more." While Trackhouse's SVG stole the show at Sonoma, JGR made news for other reasons. The team found itself in the middle of a controversy after Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski pitted. JGR's pit stall was right next to RFK Racing. At the end of Stage 2, Gibbs came into the pit lane and grazed RFK's tire changer, Telvin McClurkin. Footage revealed later that Gibbs' car grazed a tire McClurkin was holding as he prepared to service Keselowski's car. The situation escalated after both drivers had pitted. McClurkin confronted the JGR crew before a fight erupted between them. NASCAR officials had to intervene to prevent further escalation. The sport decided not to penalize Gibbs for the incident, despite Keselowski's team presenting footage with an overhead view. Former driver Kyle Petty stated that crew members need to adjust and make space due to the smaller pit boxes. He said: "People get bumped, people get moved, people have to adjust. And I think it's just the timing. It's the perfect storm here. Ty had to be in his pit box, had to get in straight. "When you've got a short pit box, the only way to get in your pit box straight and close for fueling and give the tire guys room is to come in the back door, to come in that back line completely straight. And when you see Ty come in, he comes through the 6's box and into his box straight. "No, I don't have an issue with what Ty did. Now, I don't really have an issue with what the tire carrier did either because he's a little upset. He should have maybe kept his tire out of the way."
