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3 days ago
- Automotive
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NASCAR: Winners, Losers from Denny Hamlin's Echopark Automotive 400 Win at Dover
The NASCAR Cup Series hit Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon, the 21st points race of the regular season. There are now only five races remaining on the NASCAR schedule before the playoffs begin and the 'Monster Mile' added to the intensity for Sunday's race in an overtime finish.. Let's dive into our winners and losers from Sunday's NASCAR race at Dover. Winner: Denny Hamlin NASCAR fans certainly wouldn't have been happy if Denny Hamlin had won Sunday's race because of rain. Fortunately, we got overtime. Hamlin faced challenges from Christopher Bell and later Chase Briscoe, but he held off both despite running on significantly older tires. He earned the victory with outstanding tire management and clean, competitive racing. It was a well-deserved fourth win of the season. Loser: Shane van Gisbergen After winning three road course races in the last five weeks, everyone knew that Shane van Gisbergen would struggle at Dover Motor Speedway. What hurt is what happened minutes into the race, when he reported an issue that required an early stop to pit lane. SVG's call to pit was the right one; he had a puncture in his right front tire, but it put him 4 laps down. He's still near the top of the playoff picture for the playoffs at 3 wins, but the No. 88 car didn't do him any favors after he started sixth (based on metric score), which could've been a golden opportunity for him to practice racing near the front of the field at Dover. Related: Winner: Kyle Larson Without having qualifying to place him near the start of the field, Kyle Larson started Sunday's race in 25th. He worked his way to 10th (1 point) at the end of Stage 1 and kept himself near the front of the field for the rest of the day. While Larson didn't come away with the victory, which would've solidified him in first place in the playoff picture, he did a great job climbing his way through the field to narrow the gap in the regular-season standings after a rough summer dropped him back. Loser: Chase Elliott's jackman and crew chief After earning the pole position for the EchoPark Automotive 400 based on the metric score, Chase Elliott was dominant through the first 170-plus laps on Sunday. With the advantage of clean air, he seemed perfectly positioned to go from pole to checkered flag at Dover, so long as disaster didn't strike on pit road. Unfortunately for Elliott, that's exactly what happened. The jack plate didn't get fully positioned under the jack post on the driver's side, causing it to slip out and cost valuable time. He came off pit road in sixth place after leading 171 laps during the first two stages. Fortunately for Elliott, his entire pit crew made up for it on the next pit stop and got him back on the front row. Then, crew chief Alan Gustafson made the baffling decision to bring him down pit road to take two tires and that took Elliott off the front row. Elliott did everything he needed to earn a win on Sunday, unfortunately, certain members of his team let him down. Winner: Alex Bowman Alex Bowman was easily one of, if not the, best drivers on Sunday. He quickly worked his way into the top 10 early, showing the best long-run speed on the track. Bowman converted that speed into 15 stage points—some much-needed breathing room in the playoff race, given the strong likelihood that we'll see at least one more new race winner in the next five weeks. It was a phenomenal day at the track for Bowman and the No. 48 team. Loser: A.J. Allmendinger's car lets him down A.J. Allmendinger looked good early on Sunday, working his way up from 17th to 10th with just a few laps to go in Stage 1. Unfortunately, his tire started to come undone and it dropped him to the middle of the pack. In Stage 2, he started to show that same speed again and then encountered brake problems that ended his day. What happened on Sunday certainly doesn't fall on Allmendinger; the car just let him down. Winner: Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports The two best teams in NASCAR showcased their dominance at Dover. Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, and Christopher Bell all led at least one lap, and each of them spent the majority of Sunday inside the top 10. JGR and Hendrick finished with the top six spots at the checkered flag, further strengthening their separation from the rest of the field in the team standings. Loser: Trackhouse Racing It was a day to forget for Trackhouse Racing. Beyond the issues that Shane van Gisbergen experienced, which kept him at the back of the field throughout Sunday's race, there were also problems with the No. 77 car. During Carson Hocevar's pit stop in Stage 2, the fuel tank was dropped and landed outside the pit stall, resulting in a penalty. It put Hocevar a lap down, and additional issues just minutes later forced him to have his car checked out. As for Daniel Suárez, his only notable moment was frustrating Chase Elliott for a few laps to avoid falling a lap down, but he eventually lost that battle. Read More: Loser: Joey Logano Already locked into the NASCAR Playoffs, Joey Logano and the No. 22 team cost themselves some valuable positioning for September. With rain on the horizon, instead of running long, the team brought Logano into pit lane. The gamble backfired, as Logano was penalized and dropped to 27th. Moments later, the caution came out for a brief rain delay. What could've been a promising points day for Logano turned into a major blunder in the final stage. Winner: Bubba Wallace Realistically, Bubba Wallace probably won't get the win necessary to make the NASCAR playoffs. He also doesn't have the strongest track record at Dover, which made Sunday's performance especially important. He finished seventh after starting outside the top 20, increasing his lead over Ryan Preece to +16 after entering the day at +3. There is still a strong likelihood he will need to overtake Chris Buescher, who is 28 points ahead of Wallace, but Sunday at least improved Wallace's playoff odds. Related Headlines NASCAR points leaders: Cup Series points leaders, NASCAR playoff picture after Dover NASCAR results today: EchoPark Automotive 400 winner, NASCAR Cup Series stage results today Donald Trump Threatens to Block Washington Commanders' New Stadium and Force Name Change Seattle Seahawks Release Former First-Round Pick
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR results: Full finishing order of AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 race at Dover
Back to business as usual in NASCAR. For the first time since June, Shane van Gisbergen, former Supercars star and current Cup Series rookie, did not win the Sunday race. That honor belonged to Denny Hamlin. Hamlin celebrated NASCAR's return to oval tracks after two straight road races — and three in five weeks — by triumphing in overtime during the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. He held off Chase Briscoe on old tires, leading a total of 67 laps. Briscoe and Alex Bowman rounded out the top three. Here's a look at the full finishing order. NASCAR standings: Results of Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Alex Bowman, No. 48 Kyle Larson, No. 5 Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Chase Elliott, No. 9 Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Chris Buescher, No. 17 Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Kyle Busch, No. 8 Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Michael McDowell, No. 71 Joey Logano, No. 22 Austin Dillon, No. 3 Austin Cindric, No. 2 Justin Haley, No. 7 Christopher Bell, No. 20 Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ty Dillon, No. 10 John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Zane Smith, No. 38 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Riley Herbst, No. 35 Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Erik Jones, No. 43 Josh Berry, No. 21 Cole Custer, No. 41 Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Noah Gragson, No. 4 William Byron, No. 24 Ross Chastain, No. 1 J.J. Yeley, No. 44 Carsom Hocevar, No. 77 Cody Ware, No. 51 AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 (This story was updated to add more information.) This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR today: Results, winner of Cup Series race at Dover
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR: Biggest Surprises and Disappointments of 2025 Season So Far
Only six races are remaining on the NASCAR schedule in the regular season, with the Cup Series quickly closing in on the playoffs. After 20 points-eligible races, there's more than enough data and evidence to highlight drivers who have exceeded expectations and those who have fallen short this year. Let's dive into some of the biggest surprises and disappointments from the 2025 season. Surprise: Shane van Gisbergen Everyone predicted that Shane van Gisbergen would win a road course race this year, at the very least earning himself a spot in the playoffs. Few saw this level of dominance coming. SVG won three of the four road course races this summer, including a commanding victory by 16.567 seconds in Mexico City. Most thought his lack of experience at Sonoma Raceway would even the playing field and end his road course streak. Instead, he decimated the competition with both a Stage 2 win and an outright victory, leading a race-record 97 laps at Sonoma. Related: With that performance, van Gisbergen now has three Cup Series victories this season, tying him for the series lead with several other top drivers. He earned 59 points at Sonoma, boosting his total playoff points and solidifying his place among the championship contenders. Van Gisbergen enters Dover tied for the most wins this year, with many now predicting he could reach the Round of 8 in the playoffs. Disappointment: Brad Keselowski In 2024, Brad Keselowski won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington (May 12) and recorded the 10th-most top-10 finishes (14), along with the 11th-most laps led (318) in the NASCAR Cup Series. The 2025 campaign, however, has been a major disappointment. Keselowski's average finishing position has plummeted from 15.6 to 22.4, and he has more DNFs (six) than top-10s (four) through 20 races. He has put himself in must-win territory for the playoffs, and since he's rarely leading races (just 81 laps led, 16th-most in the series), he appears destined for a winless season. Related: Surprise: Carson Hocevar While Carson Hocevar might not make the playoffs this season, the 22-year-old has already impressed in his second year in the NASCAR Cup Series. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, Hocevar has earned four top-10 finishes, including two top-5s and one pole, through 20 races this season. He has consistently proven to be one of the fastest drivers on ovals, regularly putting himself in the mix for wins. Road courses remain a major issue for him, but the flashes of talent Hocevar is showing this season are superstar-like. Related: Disappointment: Tyler Reddick Tyler Reddick will make the playoffs, and he's still statistically one of the best NASCAR drivers in 2025. However, this season still feels like a major disappointment for the No. 45 team. Reddick hasn't won a single race and ranks 13th in laps led (112), behind drivers like Josh Berry (169) and Austin Cindric (251). He's also tied for 10th in top-10 finishes (eight). Reddick's placement in the standings is largely a product of avoiding any DNFs this season, but the lack of victories is a major letdown. Related: Surprise: Ryan Preece While he doesn't have the support of one of the best NASCAR Cup Series teams, Ryan Preece is delivering consistent results this season. He had a bumpy start, then recorded three consecutive top-10 finishes from Las Vegas through Martinsville. Some DNFs resulted in a four-race lull, but Preece now boasts an average finishing position of 12.1 over the last 10 races, which even includes a 28th-place finish at Nashville. Preece might not be leading many races in 2025, but his seven top-10s in the last 15 races are tied with William Byron for the sixth-most. Disappointment: Daniel Suarez In a contract year, Daniel Suárez gave Trackhouse Racing enough reason to make a change next season. Suarez's stats have dropped across the board this season, ranging from his average finishing position (17.86 to 21.4) to the drop in top 10s (nine to three) and top fives (four to one). He didn't provide Trackhouse Racing with a reason to keep him, not with top prospect Connor Zilisch waiting in the wings. Maybe Suarez can find a full-time gig with a smaller team in 2026, but the Xfinity Series might be his best option to win races. Related: Surprise: Chase Briscoe Chase Briscoe has indeed benefited this season from stepping into the No. 19 car, replacing Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing. What makes Briscoe somewhat of a surprise, or more accurately a standout, is what he's done with the opportunity. As the driver of the No. 19, Briscoe has already delivered JGR more top-5 finishes (seven) and poles (four) than Truex did all of last season (five top-5s and two poles). Briscoe has been especially strong as of late, scoring a win at Pocono along with six top-10 finishes in the last 10 races. He's being slightly overlooked heading into the playoffs, but Briscoe's summer performance deserves recognition. Disappointment: Ty Gibbs There are always flashes from Ty Gibbs that suggest he's on the verge of his first NASCAR Cup Series win. He has shown improvement this summer, finishing inside the top 20 more frequently, and posted an average finish of 8.3 over a recent three-race stretch. Still, he is set to finish well below his totals from last season (12 top-10s and eight top-5s). To that point, his average starting position has slipped from 11.42 to 13.95 and his average finishing position has dipped from 17.42 to 17.65 in 2025. As of mid-July, Gibbs has just three top-10s and two top-5s with no wins or poles this season. Additionally, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates have combined for seven wins and 24 top-5 finishes this year, further highlighting that Gibbs hasn't been able to take full advantage of the equipment and opportunities available to him. Related Headlines 'Can't Just Trade Everybody': Phillies Owner John Middleton Opens Up About Deadline Approach 'All-Time Low': Pirates Reporter Reveals Why Bryan Reynolds Won't Be Traded at Deadline '1 Percent Chance': Pirates Reporter Shares Bleak Take on Paul Skenes Extension Prospects Yankees Expected 'To Get After It' Before Trade Deadline: 6 Blockbuster Trade Targets, Including Chris Sale
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Chicago street course will not return to NASCAR schedule in 2026
NASCAR will not return to the downtown Chicago street course in 2026, race organizers announced on social media on July 18. In a statement, race organizers stated a goal of returning to the NASCAR schedule in 2027 with a possible new race date and a more efficient way to build and tear down the course. "Following the success of the first three years, the Chicago Street Race will hit pause in 2026 to afford us the time necessary to work collaboratively with the City of Chicago to explore a new potential date and to develop a plan that further optimizes operational efficiencies, with a goal to return to the streets of Chicago in 2027," organizers said. The Chicago street race became the first street race in the Cup Series in 2023, with Shane van Gisbergen stunning the sport by winning in his first Cup start. SVG returned to victory lane earlier this month in the third edition of the event, sandwiching Alex Bowman's victory in 2024. NASCAR is in talks with the city of San Diego to race in the streets of the southern California city in 2026, according to multiple reports. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR won't hold Chicago street races in 2026
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Chicago winners, losers: Bubba Wallace throws points away with Alex Bowman spat, late spin
Shane van Gisbergen wasn't always in the front in the Grant Park 165 NASCAR Cup Series race on July 6 at the Chicago street course, but he was always the best car. SVG passed Chase Briscoe for the lead with 12 laps to go, then held off Ty Gibbs and AJ Allmendinger on two final restarts to earn his second win of the Cup Series season. SVG led only 26 of 75 laps, but that was due to pit strategy in the first two stages. It was an otherwise dominating performance in the second half of the race for the driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. SVG's dominance was only thwarted early by Michael McDowell, who led the first 31 laps before having to go to the garage with a throttle issue. Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Chicago street race on July 6: OUCH: Carson Hocevar crash forces early pileup in NASCAR Chicago street race, collects Brad Keselowski NASCAR Chicago winners and losers: SVG dominates again in the Chicago streets Winner: The SVG Cup Series experience Not enough credit has been given to Trackhouse for getting Shane van Gisbergen in a Cup car at this course two years ago, and moreso for progressing SVG from that Chicago win in 2023 to a full-time Cup driver with multiple wins in 2025. SVG will have every opportunity to make it out of the round of 16 in the playoffs with the amount of playoff points he has already earned, and with two more road courses left in the regular season. It's not inconceivable that SVG goes into the playoffs with the most (or tied for the most) wins from the regular season. In the era of playoff points and win-and-in, SVG has more value than any other driver outside the top 10 in the points standings. And looking ahead to the playoffs, the Charlotte Roval is at the end of the Round of 12. So if SVG advances from the first round of the playoffs, watch out. Winner: The playoff bubble SVG's victory was a reprieve for Chris Buescher and Alex Bowman after challenging weekends through the streets of Chicago. Bowman, the defending race champion, had to start at the rear of the field for unapproved adjustments, and twice had to drive into the top 10 on a differing pit strategy. After a tangle with Bubba Wallace late in the race, Bowman finished eighth and held onto a playoff spot just ahead of the cutline, 39 points to the good. Buescher started in the top five, had a power issue, lost a lap while repairing the issue, got back on the lead lap and finished 18th. Both drivers would have appreciated a stronger results day on Sunday, but sometimes it's the better results from bad circumstances that help on the playoff bubble. SVG holding off bubble busters Ty Gibbs and AJ Allmendinger for the win helped too. Loser: Bubba Wallace Wallace's challenging weekend nearly had a positive ending — until he got the worst end of a late-race duel with Alex Bowman. Wallace spun with six laps to go across the bumper of Bowman, ruining what had been quite the recovery for the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota. The veteran driver started at the rear of the field after unapproved adjustments, worked up into the top 20 by the middle of Stage 2, spun to put him back outside the top 30, then drove into the top 10 with the help of pit strategy on the final run. But as Bowman and Wallace wrestled for position in the top 10 (with contact being made multiple times), Wallace's spin had a direct impact on his race result. Wallace had to settle for a 28th-place finish, a blow to his standing near the playoff cutoff line. Wallace now sits two points ahead of Ryan Preece for the final playoff spot heading into Sonoma next weekend. Loser: Spire Motorsports Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar were the two big stories of the first 30 laps of the race, and neither driver had a satisfying ending to the day. Hocevar's day ended quickly, pinballing off of two separate walls before spinning across the field in Lap 3, collecting six other cars. Hocevar finished 35th, again finding the bad result out of a fast car after starting inside top 10. McDowell led the first 31 laps of the race (including a Stage 1 victory) before having to go behind the wall with a throttle issue. McDowell finished in 32nd, but he had the car to stay ahead of SVG through the first 40% of the race. My bet, presuming neither McDowell nor Hocevar win to get into the playoffs: One of the two Spire drivers will win a race during the playoffs without the pressure of a playoff berth looming over them. Spire Motorsports is fast enough to win. But can their equipment make it to the end of one of these races, and can their drivers get their cars there? This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Chicago winners, losers: Bubba Wallace throws points away
