Latest news with #NASCARChampionship
Washington Post
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Elliott is in position to contend for 2nd NASCAR title following 'surreal' last-lap win in Atlanta
HAMPTON, Ga. — Chase Elliott couldn't have picked a better setting for a drought-breaking win . Fans roared in approval after Elliott, the home-state favorite, passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap to end a 44-race drought by winning the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta on Saturday night. Elliott's 20th career victory pushed him to second place in the Cup Series points race, putting him in prime position to return to the top of the NASCAR world after winning his first championship in 2020.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR set for summer stretch March Madness style. Will new tournament end summer schedule malaise?
Chris Buescher walks to his car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodríguez race track in Mexico City, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Chris Buescher walks to his car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodríguez race track in Mexico City, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — It's time to bust out the brackets, pick an upset or two, and follow winners on the road — a journey over city streets, concrete and bricks — to the final four and beyond. Totally awesome, baby? Advertisement Forget all the upset specials in March. NASCAR will find out soon enough if its attempt to snap out of a mid-summer malaise with its first in-season tournament is a success with drivers and fans as it strives to boost engagement and build buzz in the staid regular season. The concept has already juiced enthusiasm in NASCAR to levels not seen since the halcyon days when Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough duked it out in the 1979 Daytona 500. 'To be really honest with you,' 2020 NASCAR champion Chase Elliott said, 'I have not paid any attention to it.' Maybe a look at the matchup will get NASCAR's most popular driver pumped! Advertisement Elliott is seeded fifth against No. 28 seed Austin Dillon in the first round of the head-to-head showdown in the race-within-the-race set for this weekend at the track better known as Atlanta Motor Speedway. Here's a refresher for Elliott and any other sports fan who missed out on the specifics of NASCAR joining the in-season tournament party, much like attempts in the NBA, NHL, and, of course, throughout the world in soccer. NASCAR is set to start the engines on a five-race, bracket-style tournament called the In-Season Challenge in the midst of the summer slate, which comes with a $1 million prize to the winner. The final 32-driver field was set by results of the last three races at Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono. The drivers are paired in head-to-head matchups based on seeding, with the winners advancing to the next round in a bracket format that mirrors the NCAA basketball tournaments. Advertisement Buoyed by a win at Michigan and a runner-up finish at Pocono, Denny Hamlin earned the top seed. He'll square off — race off? — against No. 32 seed Ty Dillon. Pocono winner Chase Briscoe is the No. 2 seed and is pitted against No. 31 seed Noah Gragson. Chris Buescher is third, Christopher Bell fourth and Elliott fifth, among notable names. The format is single elimination with the field cut to 16 at the street race in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four on the lone concrete track in the series at Dover and the final two over the yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Challenge is part of NASCAR's media rights deal that includes TNT, and the Atlanta-based cable network will broadcast all five races in the tournament, starting with the 400-miler in Atlanta. Advertisement Aside from a shrug from Elliott and a few others, drivers are intrigued by the idea of increasing the stakes in each race beyond a playoff berth, trophy and the winner's purse. 'I love it. I think it's great,' three-time Cup champion Joey Logano said. 'I think it's placed perfectly where it is in the season. This is kind of that moment where the newness is worn off. We're into the rhythm, we're racing every week. It's starting to start a little bit of, who's going to be in the playoffs, who's not, the cutoff line all those types of things. But it's not really the main story quite yet.' Stories are what sell, of course, and the sizzle in Pocono over the weekend had little to do with which drivers or teams are the ones to beat for the 2025 championship. Rather, it was whether two pedestrian drivers were going to fight, the end of Amazon Prime's run of wildly-popular telecasts and Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win in his first race as a crew chief. 'This really spices up the mid-part of the season,' Logano said. Advertisement So does placing a few bucks on No. 11 to win. But as of Monday afternoon, most sports gambling sites did not offer odds on specific matchups headed into Atlanta. NASCAR is offering $1 million to a winning fan with a perfect bracket in its fantasy game. There are some quirks to the bracket: Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup race in Mexico City and is not in the field while series points leader William Byron is only a No. 9 seed. The tournament boasts matchups in the first-round of past Cup champions (Kyle Busch-Brad Keselowski), former teammates (Briscoe-Gragson), and even best friends (Bubba Wallace-Daniel Suarez). The idea for the challenge was largely championed by Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 champion who floated the idea of a mid-season tournament on his 'Actions Detrimental" podcast. When NASCAR bought into the idea and announced the creation of the tournament last year, Hamlin called the tournament on social media 'such a win for our sport and drivers.' He jokingly added, 'I will collect my 1M royalty next season.' Advertisement Hamlin's on deck and clearly a favorite to win it all, with three wins this year for Joe Gibbs Racing and the top seed. (And let's not haggle over who gets credit in court.) 'I'm a sports guy, so I'm going to be engaged with it," Hamlin said. "I'll know who I will have to beat next week. I've told the team, we are going to try and do what we can. We are going to be up against it because we are going to tracks that aren't very favorable to me. But we are going to try to do our best to beat that one car for the next four to five weeks.' NASCAR will present the tournament winner at Indianapolis with a ring, jackets, trophy and — oh yeah, a million bucks. Advertisement That's enough cash to get anyone's attention — even Elliott's. 'I don't know what you get. You get anything,' Elliott asked. 'Oh, a million dollars to the winner? Then yeah, we want to win.' ___ AP auto racing:
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Can Ryan Blaney get back on track in Nashville after 5 failed-to-finish NASCAR races?
There is no panic button on the instrumental panel of a NASCAR race car. And even if there was, Ryan Blaney insists he would not push it. Not even after all the misfortune he has run into this season. The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion hopes to leave all the bad that has happened to the No. 12, Ford Penske Team in his dust on June 1 in the fifth annual Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway (6:30 p.m. CT, Amazon Prime Video) where Blaney has run well at times and not so well other times. Advertisement Because of various issues Blaney has failed to finish five of 13 races this season. Three of those races ― Phoenix, Las Vegas and Miami ― were run consecutively and the latest came last week at Charlotte when on Lap 245 Daniel Suarez spun into Blaney, forcing Blaney to hit the wall. HOW TO BUY CRACKER BARREL 400 TICKETS "When we have run all the races we've been really good, it's just a matter of trying to get some stuff going our way," Blaney said. "Hopefully, we're getting it all out of the way early. That's what I'm trying to tell myself. I don't feel panicked or down about anything. We're just trying to get it smoothed out." It's difficult to say if Nashville Superspeedway is a track where Blaney can count on doing well. The only pattern he's shown on the 1.33-mile concrete oval is that he runs really well one year and really poorly the next. Advertisement In 2021 he pitted with damage to his car before the green flag then hit the wall on turn 2 during the race after experiencing brake trouble and finished 37th. In 2022 Blaney finished third after leading during the second stage. In 2023 Blaney did not finish after losing control and hitting the inside wall on Lap 146 and in 2024 he was sixth after leading 26 laps. CRACKER BARREL 400 WEATHER FORECAST: NASCAR Nashville race weather forecast for Cracker Barrel 400 weekend JOSH BERRY DEALING WITH FAME: How Josh Berry's popularity has risen in second NASCAR Cup season "Two years ago I hit that inside wall real hard, the biggest hit of my life," Blaney said. "But I like this place. I enjoy coming here for multiple reasons. I think the track is great. The area is obviously really, really nice and we get a great turnout for the race. Hopefully, we can get a chance to get a guitar trophy. The trophy is pretty neat." Advertisement It has been a multitude of problems that have plagued Blaney's team this season and overshadowed his third place finishes at Texas and Kanas along with four other top 10s. "At least we're not having one issue happen over and over," Blaney said. "Whether it's motors or wrecks, it seems like it's something different every time. I've always just tried to look at it like, 'How are we doing as a 12 team as a whole? Are we doing everything we need to do well? Are we communicating well, are we operating well?' That's been really good, so I've been happy with that. Some of that other stuff, you can't really do much about so there's no use in getting too frustrated about it." Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ryan Blaney hopes to get back on track NASCAR in Nashville race
USA Today
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Alex the Great, a sports-loving therapy rabbit, makes waves again at MLB game: Watch
Alex the Great, a sports-loving therapy rabbit, makes waves again at MLB game: Watch Alex is the only certified therapy rabbit in the world, and he's been qualified by the San Francisco SPCA's Animal Assisted Therapy, his owner, Josh Row, said. Alex the Great is very friend-shaped 🐰 — MLB (@MLB) April 6, 2025 Alex the Great is back at the ballpark and making waves once again. The 4-year-old Flemish Giant Rabbit, who made a fan out of Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan after going viral multiple times since its memorable appearance in 2021, sent the internet into a tizzy yet again last Saturday as the San Francisco Giants opened their home schedule against the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park. The 28-pound bunny's owner, Josh Row, told USA TODAY that fans and the San Francisco Giants, which also happens to be Alex's favorite team, were thrilled to have him at the match. Those who know of Alex are super excited every time he is spotted at a game, he added. "(For them) it's (like) meeting a celebrity," Row said, adding that people who are just now finding out about him "want to know more." While rabbits are generally not allowed in stadiums, the craisins-loving bunny gets a special pass because Alex is the only certified therapy rabbit in the world, and he's been qualified by the San Francisco SPCA's Animal Assisted Therapy, according to Row. "That's how he was allowed in at first," Row said. "Now he is welcomed by the Giants to every home game." During Saturday's game, sportscaster and former Major League Baseball player Mike Krukow was heard saying: "Whoever discovered the beauty of the therapy animal is -- a special place in Heaven for. It is remarkable what animals can do to relieve anxiety and depression." Alex 'is the perfect crossbreed' between rabbit, dog Josh Row and his partner, Kathreen Kei Koc, who both live in San Francisco, rescued Alex from a meat farm in central California when he was just 3½ weeks old. A rabbit may appear as an odd choice for a pet, but for Row and Koc, the decision was an emotional one. Row said he previously owned a lionhead rabbit, who died in 2016 of old age at 16. Koc owned a Husky, but he retired to Spain with family so he had land he could play in. "Coming out of COVID, we both had lost a pet and (when) we got the opportunity to rescue Alex, the timing was perfect," Row said. "He is the perfect crossbreed (rabbit/dog)." NASCAR gets Alex's engine running While Alex is a staple at San Francisco Giants home games, baseball is not the only sport he enjoys, according to Row. The domestic hare loves watching several sports on TV, especially NASCAR. "To this day he comes running to his seat in front of the TV when he hears the cars," Row said. Alex even had the opportunity to watch NASCAR in person, and he even got to view the event from a private suite. During the last 10 laps of the NASCAR Championship last year, "Alex was ears up and following the cars on the track with his head moving with the cars," Row said, adding, "On the flip (side), the championship wasn't as exciting for us given it was a runaway win." Baseball games a 'much more suitable environment' for Alex Alex has watched NBA and NHL games, but Row said baseball games offer a "much more suitable environment for him to go in person" given those games are outdoors with calmer crowds and less noise compared to other sporting events. "Alex loves all sports," Row said. "If there is action, he is all about it." Attending games and being part of the crowds is fun, but according to Row, the most memorable experience for him with Alex was when they went to Super Zoo last year and received an overwhelmingly warm welcome. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alex the Great, a sports-loving therapy rabbit, makes waves again at MLB game: Watch
Alex the Great is back at the ballpark and making waves once again. The 4-year-old Flemish Giant Rabbit, who made a fan out of Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan after going viral multiple times since its memorable appearance in 2021, sent the internet into a tizzy yet again last Saturday as the San Francisco Giants opened their home schedule against the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park. Alex the Great is very friend-shaped 🐰 — MLB (@MLB) April 6, 2025 The 28-pound bunny's owner, Josh Row, told USA TODAY that fans and the San Francisco Giants, which also happens to be Alex's favorite team, were thrilled to have him at the match. Those who know of Alex are super excited every time he is spotted at a game, he added. "(For them) it's (like) meeting a celebrity," Row said, adding that people who are just now finding out about him "want to know more." While rabbits are generally not allowed in stadiums, the craisins-loving bunny gets a special pass because Alex is the only certified therapy rabbit in the world, and he's been qualified by the San Francisco SPCA's Animal Assisted Therapy, according to Row. "That's how he was allowed in at first," Row said. "Now he is welcomed by the Giants to every home game." During Saturday's game, sportscaster and former Major League Baseball player Mike Krukow was heard saying: "Whoever discovered the beauty of the therapy animal is -- a special place in Heaven for. It is remarkable what animals can do to relieve anxiety and depression." Josh Row and his partner, Kathreen Kei Koc, who both live in San Francisco, rescued Alex from a meat farm in central California when he was just 3½ weeks old. A rabbit may appear as an odd choice for a pet, but for Row and Koc, the decision was an emotional one. Row said he previously owned a lionhead rabbit, who died in 2016 of old age at 16. Koc owned a Husky, but he retired to Spain with family so he had land he could play in. "Coming out of COVID, we both had lost a pet and (when) we got the opportunity to rescue Alex, the timing was perfect," Row said. "He is the perfect crossbreed (rabbit/dog)." While Alex is a staple at San Francisco Giants home games, baseball is not the only sport he enjoys, according to Row. The domestic hare loves watching several sports on TV, especially NASCAR. "To this day he comes running to his seat in front of the TV when he hears the cars," Row said. Alex even had the opportunity to watch NASCAR in person, and he even got to view the event from a private suite. During the last 10 laps of the NASCAR Championship last year, "Alex was ears up and following the cars on the track with his head moving with the cars," Row said, adding, "On the flip (side), the championship wasn't as exciting for us given it was a runaway win." Alex has watched NBA and NHL games, but Row said baseball games offer a "much more suitable environment for him to go in person" given those games are outdoors with calmer crowds and less noise compared to other sporting events. "Alex loves all sports," Row said. "If there is action, he is all about it." Attending games and being part of the crowds is fun, but according to Row, the most memorable experience for him with Alex was when they went to Super Zoo last year and received an overwhelmingly warm welcome. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet Alex the Great, a sports-loving therapy bunny, MLB staple
