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Defending Champion Lachlan Turner Returns to the Top of the Podium with Dominant WMX Victory at Unadilla

Turner Extends Points as Charli Cannon and Mayla Herrick Round Out Podium

NEW BERLIN, N.Y. (August 16, 2026) – After a midsummer break the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony (WMX) returned to action to begin the second half of its 2026 campaign from the hallowed grounds of Unadilla MX. The ELF Lubricants Unadilla National signified the fourth race of the six-round championship and set the stage for a pivotal run to the end of the season. It proved to be a return to dominance for Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha’s Lachlan Turner [#1], who captured her third overall win of the season with a 1-1 sweep of the motos, extending her lead in the championship standings.

Qualifying

  • Turner made the first statement of the weekend by posting the fastest lap in qualifying, with a time of 2:22.725 to place her more than a second ahead of her championship rival, Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon [#7] and her time of 2:23.855. SLR Honda’s Mayla Herrick [#23] followed well back in third [2:26.021].

Moto 1 [12 Minutes + 1 Lap]

  • The first moto was held on Friday, which kicked off the introduction of free live streaming coverage of Moto 1 for the final three rounds on SMX Friday Live Presented by Honda, available on the SuperMotocross YouTube channel.
  • As the field emerged from the gate and jockeyed for position through the first couple turns it was Herrick who led a Honda freight train with the holeshot ahead of her teammate Mikayla Nielsen [#51] and Cannon. Turner slotted into seventh but made an impressive climb through the field to bypass Cannon and Nielsen before eventually catching Herrick to seize control of the lead on the opening lap.
  • With a clear track ahead of her, Turner quickly opened a multi-second lead over the field that she would ultimately add to as the race wore on.
  • With Turner pulling away, the attention shifted to the battle for the remaining spots on the podium. Cannon was able to make the pass on Nielsen for third and methodically tracked down Herrick to take control of second.
  • After she moved into the runner-up spot Cannon tipped over, which handed the positions back to both Herrick and Nielsen as Cannon resumed in fourth. A short time later, Herrick went down, which moved Nielsen up to second and Cannon into third. Herrick lost several positions and eventually got back on track in sixth.
  • Cannon made a push to track down Nielsen in the late stages of the moto and fought her way back into second less than a minute before time ran out on the race clock. Nielsen then crashed out of third, which ended her race. That moved Dusty Rocks Yamaha’s Jordan Jarvis [#301] into third, just ahead of Herrick.
  • Out front, Turner’s lead grew to nearly 20 seconds following all the adversity her rivals encountered. She cruised to a dominant moto win by 15.6 seconds over Cannon. Jarvis fended off heavy pressure from Herrick on the final lap to finish third. It capped off an impressive podium charge for the veteran rider, who started outside the top 10. Built Hard Racing KTM’s Piper Bell [#167] was fifth.

Moto 2 [12 Minutes + 1 Lap]

  • Saturday’s second and deciding moto began with the Partzilla Blaster Power PRMX Kawasaki of Taylah McCutcheon [#10] out front with the holeshot ahead of Bell and FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Brandy Richards [#198]. Turner slotted into fourth with Herrick in fifth, Nielsen sixth, and Cannon seventh.
  • Turner put on a charge to claw her way up to second and looked to erase a three-second deficit to McCutcheon. Cannon, meanwhile, made a forward charge of her own to move up to fourth.
  • It didn’t take long for Turner to close onto the rear fender of the leading Kawasaki. She took charge of her first opening and seized control of the moto. Not long after, Cannon took third from Bell and quickly closed in on McCutcheon. Cannon made the move for second and looked to track down Turner, who sat nearly five seconds ahead.
  • As Turner added to her lead and stabilized it at six seconds, Herrick was the next rider to make a run. The rookie fought her way forward from fifth, with passes on Bell and McCutcheon to move into podium position.
  • Cannon was the faster rider late in the moto, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Turner completed the sweep of the motos by 1.5 seconds over Cannon, with Herrick more than 20 seconds back in third.

Overall

  • Turner’s third 1-1 effort of the season also resulted in her third overall win of the summer and helped her extend her lead in the championship.
  • Cannon’s 2-2 effort saw her keep pace with Turner with a consistent effort to record her third runner-up finish in the last four races.
  • In her second career start, Herrick captured her first overall podium result with 4-3 finishes, one week removed from winning the AMA National Championship in the Women’s class at Loretta Lynn’s.
  • Turner’s lead grew by six points and now she and Cannon are separated by 12 points with two rounds and four motos remaining.

Results & Standings

WMX Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Lachlan Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., Yamaha (1-1 // 50)
  2. Charli Cannon, Maroochy River, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-2 // 44)
  3. Mayla Herrick, Thornton, Colo., Honda (4-3 // 38)
  4. Jordan Jarvis, Leesburg, Fla., Yamaha (3-4 // 38)
  5. Taylah McCutcheon, Cornubia, Qld., Australia, Kawasaki (6-6 // 32)
  6. Piper Bell, Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., KTM (5-8 // 31)
  7. Nanami Honda, Osaka, Japan, Yamaha (7-9 // 28)
  8. Brandy Richards, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (11-7 / 26)
  9. Hannah Hodges, Pierson, Fla., Triumph (9-10 // 25)
  10. Isla Phillips, Saint George, Utah, Husqvarna (10-11 // 23)

WMX Championship Standings (Round 4 of 6)

  1. Lachlan Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., Yamaha – 192
  2. Charli Cannon, Maroochy River, Qld., Australia, Honda – 167
  3. Jordan Jarvis, Leesburg, Fla., Yamaha – 140
  4. Taylah McCutcheon, Cornubia, Qld., Australia, Kawasaki – 131
  5. Mikayla Nielsen, Riverside, Calif., Honda – 118
  6. Piper Bell, Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., KTM – 108
  7. Lilly-Ann Pettus, Hanceville, Ala., Triumph – 96
  8. Emma Milesevic, Lal Lal, Vic., Australia, Yamaha – 83
  9. Ava Silvestri, Tahoe City, Calif., Husqvarna – 78
  10. Lotte van Drunen, Gorinchem, The Netherlands, Yamaha – 74

Quotes

1st Place – Lachlan Turner | #1 Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha (1-1) 
“I was just trying to stay on my bike. It was gnarly out there, and my bike wasn’t properly set up for that. I was just trying to hold on and stick with the same exact lines. Back with a 1-1 baby!”
 
2nd Place – Charli Cannon | #7 Quad Lock Honda (2-2)
“I need to set myself up with a better start. I’ve got the speed; I just have a few things to work on. I’m going to be going for wins these next two rounds.”
 
3rd Place – Mayla Herrick | #23 SLR Honda (4-3)
“Before I even started my season I just wanted to get on the podium. [Then] after High Point [with the moto win] my expectations got bigger, so I’m happy with third, but I want to be higher.”

The 2026 Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony will continue next weekend, August 21-22, with the penultimate round of the season from Southern Maryland’s Budds Creek Motocross Park. The Yamaha Budds Creek National Presented by Carter CAT will feature two days of racing, with Moto 1 on Friday, August 21, followed by Moto 2 on Saturday, August 22. Free coverage of Friday’s moto will stream live, exclusively on SMX Friday Live Presented by Honda on the SuperMotocross YouTube channel. Live network coverage of the second moto will air on NBC, starting at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, the second moto will be featured as part of the comprehensive live coverage from Budds Creek on Peacock, beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Instagram: @supermotocross
Facebook: @supermotocross
X: @supermotocross
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TikTok: @supermotocross

About the Women’s Motocross Championship
The Women’s Motocross Championship (WMX), an AMA National Championship, features the world’s fastest female outdoor motocross racers. The 6-round series begins with the Hangtown Motocross Classic in June and concludes at the Ironman National in August. It includes stops at premier facilities across America, with events in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Indiana. These female racers compete in a two-moto format on machines ranging from 125cc to 250cc. The WMX series is managed by MX Sports Pro Racing, a West Virginia-based company and industry leader in power sports event production.
For more information, please visit RaceWMX.com.

About MX Sports Pro Racing
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, whose mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of racing athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling.
For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com/membership/join.

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship
The Monster Energy SMX World ChampionshipTM is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates in a season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Synchrony
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a leading consumer financing company at the heart of American commerce and opportunity. From health to home, auto to retail, our Synchrony products have been serving the needs of people and businesses for nearly 100 years. We provide responsible access to credit and banking products to support healthier financial lives for tens of millions of people, enabling them to access the things that matter to them. Additionally, through our innovative products and experiences, we support the growth and operations of some of the country’s most respected brands, as well as more than 400,000 small and midsize businesses and health and wellness providers that Americans rely on. Synchrony is proud to be ranked as the country’s #1 Best Company to Work For® by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work®.
For more information, visit www.synchrony.com.

Marcus Ericsson breaks three-year winless drought with late charge to win in Markham

Photo by by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com

Marcus Ericsson broke the drought.

With a late charge in the closing laps on the streets of Markham, Ontario, the driver of the No. 28 Andretti Global Honda overtook Romain Grosjean down Enterprise Boulevard with four laps to go to win the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham.

“Yeah, no, it was an eventful race, I think as we expected going into the race, seeing how yesterday played out.” Ericsson said.

“It’s a really fun track here, but it’s really challenging, especially with the pavement being very high grip in the racing line, but off line it’s quite slick. Expected to have a lot of things happening. There were a lot of curve balls thrown at us.

“I felt all the way through, especially in the race, that I had a really fast car. There were key decisions there where we decided to stay out. I was pushing really hard to stay out. I know it was not ideal because I needed a ton of pace to be able to pull out the gap needed to come out in a decent place. But I really felt like the car was just so fast that I wanted to try and stay out and use that to my advantage.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com

“It was fun, that middle stint when I was doing quallie laps, two, two and a half seconds faster than the rest of the field. That was a good time.

“It was still tough to make our way back to the lead coming back in seventh. Had to work for it today.”

It’s his fifth career victory in 123 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts and first since the 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 63 races ago.

While he lost the win with four to go, Grosjean stretched the fuel enough to bring his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda home to a runner-up finish.

“I don’t know what happened, it’s not that hard (laughter),” Grosjean said.

“What happened is that we started on the back foot, reverted to the setup on qualifying that we kind of knew better. I think in qualifying, I’m not going to go into details what happened, but the red flag really hurt us there. Then in the race, I felt straightaway we had some good pace.

“It was tough on the strategy to know what to do. It was very hard on the restart. Just couldn’t get much temperature on the tires. Did well every time. Managed to pass Siegel. Took the lead, opened up a gap.

“At the end of the race I knew we had to go 37-ish laps on the tires, on the fuel. That was going to be a challenge. When I saw the 28 pitting, Marcus, I thought there was no way he would catch us. The 10 was behind me, which is always a worry. Opened the gap. We should be safe. Next thing I knew, the 28 was coming.

“Honda did amazing with us. They worked so well, gave us the exact fuel number to cross the finish line with nothing left in the tank.

“Nothing much you could do to defend. Not meant to be today. Very happy for Dale Coyne Racing, Max. I am not going to name all the sponsors. I told my engineer Bill Pappas, it’s not that hard when everything goes well.”

After contact in Turn 5 and losing third to his teammate with nine laps to go, Will Power ran down and passed Alex Palou for the last podium spot.

“I don’t know how we ended up there,” Power said. “Actually we had a really good car on restarts. Definitely made a lot of positions there. Then it was about making good strategy calls.

“At the end there you had to make a lot of passes to move yourself forward, which we were able to do. My tires were pretty done at the end there. Just sort of holding on. But the others had to save fuel, so that helped get us up to third.

“Marcus was just very fast all day. I was going to let him go on the back straight, but he made his way there. There was a bit of miscommunication with the team.

“He’s coming.

“I’ll let him go on the back straight, not lose much to Palou, I’ll get through.

“It worked out well.”

Palou and Pato O’Ward rounded out the top-five.

Christian Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, Scott McLaughlin, Graham Rahal and Santino Ferrucci rounded out the top-10.

Marcus Ericsson breaks three-year winless drought with late charge to win in Markham

Race summary

Louis Foster led the field to green at 12:24 p.m. ET. The field settled into a green flag rhythm. Only five laps in, Felix Rosenqvist kicked off a cycle of green flag stops (for drivers on a three-stop plan). Caution flew for the first time on Lap 15, when Mick Schumacher, running eighth, drove into the Turn 4 wall. Christian Lundgaard pitted from second, during the caution.

Back to green on Lap 19, over the next two laps, Dennis Hauger went offline multiple times and dropped from third to 20th. On Lap 21, he made contact with both Christian Rasmussen and O’Ward in Turn 5. Caution flew on Lap 31, when Sting Ray Robb made contact with Marcus Armstrong in Turn 5 and Armstrong stalled on track, facing the wrong direction. During the caution, several drivers stalled in Turn 5, as Armstrong pulled in front of the field and caused a cascading backup entering the turn. For this, IndyCar handed him a 10-second stop and hold penalty. Foster pitted from the lead on Lap 33 and Nolan Siegel cycled to the front of the field.

Back to green on Lap 36, caution flew in Turn 4 on Lap 37, when Hauger turned Scott Dixon and collected Rasmussen. Dixon drove away, but Rasmussen climbed out of his car.

Back to green on Lap 41, Grosjean passed Siegel in Turn 5 for the lead. The next lap, Foster powered by Ericsson for third, but clipped the inside Turn 3 wall and pounded the outside wall.

Back to green on Lap 51, Grosjean pitted from the lead on Lap 54. Just like Foster on Lap 42, Kyle Kirkwood clipped the inside wall in Turn 3 and slammed the outside wall on Lap 54. Ericsson, along with eight other drivers, stayed out to take the lead.

Back to green on Lap 59, caution flew the same lap, when Siegel turned Josef Newgarden in Turn 5. For this, IndyCar handed Siegel a drive-through penalty.

Back to green with 28 laps to go, the field settled into a green flag run for a change. After building a 14-second lead, Ericsson pitted from the lead with 22 to go. Grosjean cycled to the lead, as a result. With 18 to go, Palou passed Scott McLaughlin for second. With 15 to go, he cut the gap to Grosjean down to 1.5 seconds. With 14 to go, he cut it to 1.1 seconds. Palou ran wide in Turn 6, however, and fell back to roughly three seconds. With 13 to go, he cut the gap by half. With 12 to go, however, he lost time to Grosjean. With 11 to go, Grosjean pulled the gap out to 2.1 seconds. With nine to go, Ericsson and Will Power, racing for third, touched in Turn 5. With seven to go, Ericsson made up the time to and overtook Palou in Turn 5 for second. With six to go, he cut the gap to 1.5 seconds. With five to go, he pulled to within half a second of Grosjean. With four to go, Ericsson powered by Grosjean down Enterprise Boulevard for the race lead and drove on to victory.

Marcus Ericsson breaks three-year winless drought with late charge to win in Markham

What else happened

Caio Collet made an unscheduled stop on Lap 1 for a flat tire.

On the Lap 41 restart, Foster powered by Palou on the outside in Turn 5 for sixth.

On the Lap 51 restart, Palou made contact with Alexander Rossi in Turn 5. The next lap, Rossi cut his right-front tire.

Marcus Ericsson breaks three-year winless drought with late charge to win in Markham

Nuts and bolts

The race lasted two hours, 16 minutes and 22 seconds, at an average speed of 83.156 mph. There were seven lead changes among seven different drivers, and six cautions for 25 laps.

Palou leaves Markham, Ontario, with a 133-point lead over Kirkwood.

The NTT INDYCAR Series returns to action, next Sunday, for the Freedom 250 on the streets of Washington.

Ericsson Undeniable in Markham to End 63-Race Drought

MARKHAM, Ontario (Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026) – Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson wasn’t to be denied victory in the new Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham even as it meant tormenting a longtime rival.

Ericsson charged through the field late in the 90-lap Canadian race to hunt down and pass Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean for a victory.

Ericsson scored his fifth career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory while denying Grosjean his first. Grosjean was trying to reach the top step of the podium only to come one step short for the sixth time. Coincidentally, Grosjean’s last win of any kind came in a GP2 series race in Hungary in 2011. Ericsson finished fifth in that race.

Ericsson’s victory here came 10 days after being confirmed to return to Andretti Global for a fourth season. It also ended his 63-race drought dating back to his 2023 season-opening victory in St. Petersburg.

“It’s been long enough,” Ericsson said. “It doesn’t come as much of a surprise. We’ve had such a good year. We’ve been working every weekend, getting stronger and stronger, qualifying up front every weekend. We might not have got the results we deserved every weekend, but I really felt we deserved (this).”

Ericsson’s voice cracked during the interview, which he blamed on screaming too much after taking the checkered flag. But he said it was a bold and aggressive drive over those challenging street-course laps.

“We were the fastest car all day, I thought,” he said. “Obviously, there were a lot of (cautions), so we had to stay out (longer on the final sequence). I wanted to show the pace and open a gap, so we gambled on staying out. I had the pace and we were lapping so quick (after coming out of the pits on Lap 69) seventh. It was a lot of work to get through the leaders.”

In that charge was contact in the Turn 5 hairpin with Andretti Global teammate Will Power for third place. Ericsson called the hard bump “unfortunate,” but Power said he understood.

Said Ericsson: “You never want that, but I had to get through. I knew I could win this race.”

Ericsson won another race like this. In 2021, he emerged as the winner of a trouble-filled first race on Nashville’s streets that included his car getting airborne vertically. The winner of the 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge now has four street course victories.

Grosjean settled for second place – his best since finishing second at Barber Motorsports Park in 2023. Power finished third with series points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing taking fourth and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward fifth.

“We did everything we could,” said Grosjean, who led 28 laps and scored his first top-five finish of 2026. “I wanted to (keep Palou in second place) – I knew (with that gap) it was safe. But then (Ericsson) came … unfortunately that (wasn’t our) day. But on to the next one.”

Several other drivers could say the same.

The race of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster had a tragic ending. He started from the pole for the second time in his career – the other was at Road America last year – and built a lead of nearly 3 seconds in leading the first 32 laps. But a caution spoiled that as all of the other frontrunners had pitted a couple of laps earlier, shuffling him to 12th place.

Foster wasn’t to be deterred, and he came charging back. He had moved up eight positions and was stalking Ericsson for third place when they approached Turn 3 on Lap 43. Foster went to the inside, but he clipped the left-side wall, contact which shot him straight into the concrete barrier on the right. The impact was virtually head-on, a major shunt. Fortunately, he was not injured.

That spot in the track similarly claimed Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who was running third behind his two teammates. His impact was just as fierce.

Kirkwood’s 21st-place finish allowed Palou to pull even farther ahead in pursuit of his fourth consecutive championship and fifth in six years despite starting outside the top 10 for the first time in 30 races (nearly two full seasons). Now, with four races to go, Palou leads Kirkwood by a nearly insurmountable 133 points with Team Penske’s David Malukas third, 137 points in arrears. Malukas finished this race a lap down in 17th place.

The new 12-turn, 2.1-mile street circuit seemed to offer the right balance of action and reaction, with a fair amount of race-turning calamity. The track produced 258 on-track passes with 242 of those for position – the most on-record in the event, which dates back to 1986 when the INDYCAR SERIES made its debut on the Streets of Toronto. As expected, the Turn 5 hairpin was a hot spot, with several instances of cars coming together.

One of the most significant contacts in that corner featured rookie Dennis Hauger of Dale Coyne Racing bumping Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen and then O’Ward. That was Lap 20, and it was part of Hauger’s fade through the field.

Last year’s INDY NXT by Firestone champion started the race from the fifth position and was still there when his two-lap slide began. It started with Palou passing him, but then Malukas did and before he knew it, he was 20th. Later, Hauger clipped the rear tire of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, who hit Rasmussen, drawing a caution.

Another of the contacts in Turn 5 saw Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel charge too deep into the braking zone, where he struck the car of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden. Siegel was penalized for avoidable contact.

It wasn’t a good day for first-year series drivers. AJ Foyt Racing’s Caio Collet had contact with Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian on Lap 1, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Mick Schumacher drew the race’s first caution on Lap 15 when he pounded the Turn 4 wall.

The turnaround is quick as the series sprints to season’s end. Next weekend, the 25 car-and-driver combinations make their anticipated appearance in the U.S. capital city with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. The pre-race show on FOX begins at 11:30 a.m. ET with the race shortly after 1 p.m.

Front Row Motorsports: Richmond Raceway NCS Race Report – Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith

cook out 400

Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Richmond Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race Report
Richmond Raceway 400
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Event: Race 26 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile)Length of Race: 400 laps over three hours, three minutes, two seconds

FRM Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 35th, Finished 18th / Running, completed 398 of 400 laps)

● Todd Gilliland (Started 27th, Finished 30th / Running, completed 396 of 400 laps)

● Zane Smith (Started 24th, Finished 36th / Running, completed 366 of 400 laps)

FRM Points Standings:

Todd Gilliland (23rd)
Zane Smith (24th)
Noah Gragson (31st)

Noah Gragson Key Takeaways

Stage One: 28th / Stage Two: 19th / Race Result: 18th

“Another solid day for us, finishing 18th,” said Gilliland. “Not where we want to be but making progress and steps in the right direction.”

Todd Gilliland Key Takeaways

Stage One: 31st / Stage Two: 28th / Race Result: 30th

“Not the result we came here for, but you’ll have days like that,” said Gilliland. “We kept searching for rear grip and just couldn’t get our car to a spot where we could make progress. We’ll head back to the shop and come back stronger for New Hampshire.”

Zane Smith Key Takeaways

Stage One: 32nd / Stage Two: 37th / Race Result: 36th

“Rough night,” said Smith. “Car was pretty ill-handling and we tried to stretch a tire run and I just lost it out of Turn 2 and knocked the toe out of it. I think we learned some late in the race, so we can take that hopefully and do something with it.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Front Row Motorsports: Richmond Raceway NCTS Race Report- Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith

Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith
Richmond Raceway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report
Richmond Raceway 250
Date: Saturday, August 14, 2026
Event: Race 17 of 25
Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Location: Richmond Raceway (0.75-mile)
Length of Race: 250 laps over two hours, 0 minutes, 46 seconds

FRM Finish:

Chandler Smith (Started 3rd, Finished 7th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)
Layne Riggs (Started 11th, Finished 15th / Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)

FRM Points Standings:

Layne Riggs (1st)
Chandler Smith (3rd)

Chandler Smith Key Takeaways

Stage One: 6th / Stage Two: 6th / Race Result: 7th

“Good points day, would have liked to contend for the win but sometimes the track just has other plans,” said Smith. “Spent a lot of the race tight and just trying to find grip like everyone else. But the fact we’re getting finishes like these on rough days, im feeling pretty confident heading towards The Chase.”

Layne Riggs Key Takeaways

Stage One: 5th / Stage Two: 2nd / Race Result: 15th

“An unfortunate result to a promising day,” said Riggs. “We had top-five speed all day, and I feel like we could’ve contended for the win if it wasn’t for the mistakes on pit road. It’s unfortunate, but we’ll just have to learn from it and be better prepared heading into New Hampshire.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Jett Lawrence Captures Unadilla Victory and Reclaims Control of Pro Motocross Championship

Cole Davies Storms to Fourth 250SMX Class Win to Tighten Title Fight

NEW BERLIN, N.Y. (August 14, 2026) – After the final break of the summer the stretch run of the 11-race Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, got underway from legendary Unadilla MX, with the ninth race of the campaign and Round 26 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Picture perfect weather conditions greeted riders at the ELF Lubricants Unadilla National, as did one of the largest crowds in the history of the event, which set the tone for an exciting and wild afternoon of racing that saw dramatic shifts in each title fight as Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence [#1] captured his fourth win of the season and reclaimed the 450SMX Class points lead along with it. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies also claimed his fourth win and moved within a single point of reclaiming the championship lead.

450SMX Class

Qualifying

  • It was all Jett Lawrence in morning qualifying as the reigning series champion paced both sessions, posting a rare identical lap time in each session at 2:12.122. That placed him four tenths ahead of his brother, teammate, and championship leader Hunter Lawrence [#96] and his time of 2:12.586. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado [#26] rounded out the top three [2:12.842], with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38] in fourth [2:12.973] to complete a top four within a second of one another.

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The premier class stormed out the starting gate for the first time with Deegan out front with the holeshot ahead of Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac [#3].
  • Hunter Lawrence got the edge and was able to move into the lead on the opening lap. Deegan fought back initially, but Lawrence asserted his hold of the top spot. Jett Lawrence then began his pursuit of Deegan. Behind the lead trio, Prado made the pass on Tomac for fourth.
  • As Jett looked to make a pass on Deegan the pair almost came together entering a corner, which forced Lawrence to dismount his Honda. He remounted quickly but dropped to fifth as Prado assumed third.
  • Jett made a quick pass around Tomac to claim fourth and looked to erase a double-digit deficit to Hunter Lawrence out front.
  • As Hunter Lawrence solidified a 3.5 second lead on the field Deegan and Prado began a battle for second. Prado bided his time and made the pass.
  • Just past the halfway point of the moto Jett Lawrence closed in on Deegan to begin another battle with the rookie. It was short lived as Lawrence made a quick and easy move to get back into podium position.
  • As time ran out on the race clock, lapped traffic allowed Jett Lawrence to close in on Prado and start a late fight for second. As they entered the track’s infamous and steep uphill-downhill section known as “The Wall,” Lawrence made a decisive move to take the position.
  • Back out front, Hunter Lawrence was in a class of his own and easily captured his 10th moto win of the season by 9.4 seconds over Jett, with Prado in third. Deegan followed in a distant fourth, with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Garrett Marchbanks [#36] in fifth.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The second moto began with the Lawrence brothers out front, with Hunter leading Jett to the holeshot with Prado in tow.
  • Hunter took advantage of the clear track to open a gap over his brother, as they inched away from Prado. Behind them, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Cornelius Tøndel [#417] and Deegan battled for fourth.
  • As the opening five minutes came to a close, Prado charged onto Jett’s rear fender to make it a three-rider fight up front. The Spaniard made the pass briefly, but Lawrence countered to reclaim the position. As a result of Prado’s pace, Jett looked to push the pace and pressure Hunter. 
  • The Lawrences then duked it out, as Prado sat patiently behind them. Jett waited for his opportunity and attacked with a quick strike to take the lead with a little more than 20 minutes left on the race clock. Moments later, Prado made the move around Hunter for second. Just a couple seconds back, Deegan started to close from fourth.
  • As the moto reached its halfway point, the top four sat within five seconds of one another, with Jett Lawrence managing a lead of just over a second over Prado.
  • With 14 minutes to go on the race clock Prado closed in on Jett to reignite a battle for the lead. As this unfolded Hunter Lawrence crashed while running third on the steep downhill portion of The Wall. After an extended period to get back on track the points leader eventually resumed but was unable to ride at pace, which caused him to drop down the running order.
  • Back up front, Jett Lawrence withstood the attack from Prado and pulled back out to a lead of nearly two seconds. Deegan, who moved up to third, lost touch and fell more than 10 seconds back.
  • As the moto entered its final five minutes Jett added to his lead and moved more than four seconds ahead of Prado. For Hunter Lawrence, his race officially came to an end as he rode his damaged Honda back to the pits.
  • Jett continued to build on his advantage and soon established a double-digit margin over Prado in the late stages of the moto. He rode to his eighth moto win of the season by 10.7 seconds over Prado, with Deegan nearly a half minute behind in third. Hunter Lawrence was credited with 39th.

Overall

  • Jett Lawrence ended a two-race winless drought, which equals the longest in the premier class, for the 28th overall victory of his career on the heels of a 2-1 performance that dramatically altered the championship.
  • Prado put forth one of his best efforts on American soil with a 3-2 effort that provided him with the third podium finish of the season and his career.
  • Deegan amassed his fourth consecutive podium finish in third following a 4-3 effort. It’s the sixth top three result of his rookie campaign.
  • Hunter Lawrence finished eighth overall (1-39) for his worst finish of the season. It marked the first time in the Pro Motocross premier class that he failed to finish inside the top five. 
  • As a result of Hunter’s misfortune, he lost control of the points lead as Jett moved back atop the standings with two rounds and four motos remaining. Ten points now separate the siblings.

Results & Standings

450SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-1 // 47)
  2. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM (3-2 // 42)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (4-3 // 38)
  4. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (5-4 // 35)
  5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (6-8 // 30)
  6. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati (9-6 // 29)
  7. Jed Beaton, Beulah, Tas., Australia, Yamaha (10-9 // 25)
  8. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-39 // 25)
  9. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (8-12 // 24)
  10. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Ducati (14-7 // 23)

450SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 9 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 402
  2. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 392
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 336
  4. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 311
  5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 282
  6. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 243
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 241
  8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 201
  9. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph – 189
  10. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Ducati – 174

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 26 of 28)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 738
  2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 516
  3. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 503
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 419
  5. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 402
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 388
  7. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki – 349
  8. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 347
  9. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM – 337
  10. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 336

Quotes

1st Place – Jett Lawrence | #1 Team Honda HRC Progressive (2-1)
“I’m bummed [that Hunter crashed]. I don’t want to [take the points lead] like this. He was right there. It sucks. It is what it is. I know he’s okay so that’s good, but not how I wanted the day to end up.”
 
2nd Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (3-2)
“We had three weeks to work on the bike, and we knew exactly what we had to do. I was convinced we were on the right path with my decisions and today proved it. This was my best performance of the year and now we’re headed in the right direction. Hopefully a win will come soon.”
 
3rd Place – Haiden Deegan | #38 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (4-3)
“Just keep working hard and it’ll pay off. I’ve kind of struggled with this track in the past, but we came away with a podium today. We’ll keep working and try to come back better next week.”

250SMX Class

Qualifying

  • With a tightening title fight Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen [#47] got his day off to a much-needed strong start with the fastest overall lap of 2:15.262, which came in the first session. He was followed by AEO Powersports KTM’s Caron Mumford [#71], who led the way in the second session with a time of 2:15.995. The top three was rounded out by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Drew Adams [#35] with a time of 2:16.360. 

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The first moto of the afternoon kicked off with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing machine of Casey Cochran [#59] out front with the holeshot ahead of Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas [#29] and Davies. Kitchen started a few positions back in seventh.
  • Cochran crashed out of the lead and the race on the opening lap, which forced Hymas to stop and avoid him and ultimately allowed Davies to move into the lead. Behind them, Quad Lock Honda’s Brodie Connolly [#144] moved into third, with Kitchen giving pursuit from fourth.
  • Hymas closed back in on Davies to initiate a battle for the lead. Kitchen, meanwhile, battled Connolly for third and made the pass. He faced a deficit of 5.3 seconds to the leader.
  • Over the next few laps Kitchen made inroads on the gap to Davies and Hymas as the fastest rider on the track. That pressure pushed Hymas back onto Davies, forming a three-rider battle at the front.
  • A small bobble by Hymas opened the door for Kitchen to make a quick move for second and set his sights on his championship rival. A few laps later, Kitchen took advantage of a bobble by Davies to capture the lead with a little more than 13 minutes to go. It marked the first time he sat at the front of the field since the third race of the season at Thunder Valley.
  • As Kitchen moved out to a lead of more than five seconds, Hymas challenged Davies for second and made the pass. However, he went down and gave up two positions, remounting in fourth. Davies moved back into second while Mumford slotted into third.
  • Kitchen managed his advantage the rest of the way and carried on to his third moto win of the season by 8.1 seconds over Davies, while Mumford equaled a career-best moto finish in third. Hymas was fourth, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34] in fifth.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The second moto started with Davies out front with the holeshot ahead of Hymas and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Kayden Minear [#99]. However, all attention was centered on Kitchen, who was forced off the track with several riders entering the first turn and was credited with a 37th-place start.
  • As Davies looked to take advantage of the clear track, Hymas applied heavy pressure. Behind them, DiFrancesco made the move around Minear for third. 
  • After one lap, Kitchen had fought his way to the cusp on the top 20 and looked to start collecting points with each pass made.
  • After the opening 10 minutes Davies had stabilized his lead over Hymas at around two seconds, while DiFrancesco pursued closely from third. Kitchen, meanwhile, fought up to 13th and was one of the fastest riders on the track despite being immersed in heavy traffic.
  • Halfway through the moto, Davies’ lead surpassed three seconds, as the lead duo started to inch away from DiFrancesco. Further back, Kitchen was on the verge of breaking into the top 10.
  • Davies strengthened his hold over the second half of the moto as Hymas easily settled into second. All the while, Kitchen was on a gritty charge well into the top 10. The points leader made a valiant charge into the top six, which paid dividends in both the overall standings and the championship, and made a pass for fifth on the final lap around Connolly.
  • Out front, Davies completed a wire-to-wire performance for his seventh moto win of the season by a margin of 5.3 seconds over Hymas. DiFrancesco fended off a last-lap charge by Mumford for third, while Kitchen was caught off guard in the final turn and conceded fifth to Connolly at the line.

Overall

  • Davies’ 2-1 effort gave him his class-leading fourth overall win of the season and his career.
  • Kitchen’s resilient effort in Moto 2 resulted in an improvement of 31 positions and was enough to land him in the runner-up spot with 1-6 finishes for his fifth podium result of the summer.
  • Hymas rode to a third consecutive overall podium finish in third (4-2) as his second half surge continued.
  • Kitchen’s performance allowed him to keep hold of the points lead and red plate, with just a single point now sitting between him and Davies with two rounds and four motos remaining.

Results & Standings

250SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (2-1 // 47)
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (1-6 // 41)
  3. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-2 // 40)
  4. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM (3-4 // 38)
  5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna (5-3 // 37)
  6. Brodie Connolly, Tauranga, New Zealand, Honda (8-5 // 31)
  7. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (7-9 // 28)
  8. Caden Dudney, Des Moines, Iowa, Yamaha (6-11 // 27)
  9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (10-12 // 22)
  10. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (9-13 // 22)

250SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 9 of 11)

  1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 334
  2. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 333
  3. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 290
  4. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 275
  5. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 270
  6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 240
  7. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 226
  8. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 194
  9. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 146
  10. Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna – 146
  11. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 146

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 26 of 28)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 564
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 511
  3. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 439
  4. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 314
  5. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 308
  6. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 296
  7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 294
  8. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 290
  9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 283
  10. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 267

Quotes

1st Place – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (2-1)
“This track was sketchy. I had to get in my flow and step it up. Everyone was riding good, so it was up to me to make it happen like I did. It’s a tight championship now, so we’ll race to the end and hopefully pull it off.”
 
2nd Place – Levi Kitchen | #47 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (1-6)
“I’ve had like 12 [come-from-behind] rides this year. It’s been tough, but I’m trying to stay positive. I’m riding great and that’s good. I’m glad I didn’t crash, because that was sketchy. I don’t know what the points are, but I know it’s close. We’ll regroup, try to come out swinging, and carry this momentum into Budds Creek.”
 
3rd Place – Chance Hymas | #29 Honda HRC Progressive (4-2)
“I definitely want to be there [atop the podium]. I’m getting glimpses of it and it’s getting frustrating, but I’m keeping my head down and going for it. This was one of the most technical tracks of the year and I’m feeling really good on the bike. [A win is] coming for sure, but I’m trying to be patient.”

The 2026 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, August 22, with the penultimate round of the SMX World Championship regular season from Southern Maryland’s Budds Creek Motocross Park. The Yamaha Budds Creek National Presented by Carter CAT will feature live network coverage on NBC, starting at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET. Comprehensive live coverage from Budds Creek will air on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, followed by coverage of the motos at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Instagram: @supermotocross
Facebook: @supermotocross
X: @supermotocross
YouTube: @supermotocross
TikTok: @supermotocross

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship:
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Pro Motocross Championship:
The Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the Pro Motocross Championship.
For more information, visit ProMotocross.com.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide.
For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.:
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

About Feld Motor Sports, Inc.:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

Foster’s New Track Record Earns First Markham Pole

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Markham

MARKHAM, Ontario (Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026) – Second-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Louis Foster shone brightest amid a setting sun as a long first day of the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham came to an end.

The driver of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 45 Desnuda Organic Tequilla Honda established a track record in qualifying to earn his second career NTT P1 Award. His lap time around the new 12-turn, 2.1-mile temporary street circuit was 1 minute, 13.2383 seconds, an advantage of four-tenths of a second over Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard (1:13.6352).

Foster won his first series pole last year at Road America, a permanent road course. He said he has been itching to earn a top starting position on a street circuit, and this one gives him the first look at Sunday’s green flag for a 90-lap race (noon ET, FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

For Foster, the qualifying effort capped a day in which he had the third-fastest lap time in the morning practice and then topped the afternoon practice.

“I knew if we pieced it all together we’d be there (for the pole), and when I was doing that (pole-winning) lap I was like, ‘Please don’t wreck.’

“This car feels great … so fast all (day). I’m super happy to get another gremlin off our back. Obviously, (won) pole last year, but we’ve been nowhere close this year.”

Foster’s previous best starting position this season was sixth on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in May. On a street circuit, his best starting position was ninth in the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Foster will have a golden opportunity to score his first series victory as he will have an additional set of the preferred (and faster) Firestone Firehawk alternate tires for what should be a two-stop race. Several others in the top six will have only one such set. Should Foster win, he will join team owner Bobby Rahal as a winner of a new Ontario event. Rahal won the first race at Toronto’s Exhibition Place in 1986.

Rounding out the first three rows for Sunday’s race will be Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (third), Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson (fourth), Dale Coyne Racing rookie Dennis Hauger (fifth) and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay (sixth).

Hauger’s only other Firestone Fast Six appearance was in St. Petersburg when he qualified third. VeeKay reached the final round for the third consecutive race.

The qualifying session featured a rare mistake by series points leader and reigning season champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. Late in the second of three rounds, Palou lost the rear of the car approaching Turn 10. After first hitting the wall on the right side, the car ricocheted to the left-side wall for another impact. The double hit ended his session – and more than that.

Palou had a streak of 30 consecutive top-10 starting positions dating to the final race of the 2024 season. He qualified 12th, though he still holds a commanding 110-point lead over Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, who will start 15th. Team Penske’s David Malukas, who is third in the standings, trails Palou by 118 points and will start this race from the seventh position.

Series rookie Mick Schumacher of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing delivered his best qualifying effort on a non-oval, finishing 11th. Schumacher’s previous best non-oval qualifying was 15th last month at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Two of the series’ double season champions caused red flags in the second group of the first round that proved costly. The Turn 4 spin of Andretti Global’s Will Power not only drew a red, which wiped away his fastest two laps, but Kirkwood was trailing him on a hot lap – he was forced to abandon the lap – and then Kirkwood couldn’t bump his way into the next round when INDYCAR permitted a one-lap final effort.

Kirkwood and Power qualified 16th and 24th, respectively. For Power, the incident was the second of the day after his car had to have its right side rebuilt slamming the Turn 10 wall in the second practice.

As the session was ending, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden pounded the Turn 10 wall, incurring heavy right-side damage. He will start at the tail of the 25-car field.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Richmond

cook out 400

Cook Out 400
Richmond, Virginia – August 15, 2026

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 23RD STAGE 1: 4TH STAGE 2: 4TH FINISH: 3RD POINTS: 15TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang Dark Horse team charged from 23rd to a third-place finish Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, earning their second top-five finish of the season in the Cook Out 400. Cindric wasted little time moving forward in Stage 1, reporting a solid balance early as the No. 2 Ford steadily climbed through the field. After making a scheduled green-flag stop for four tires and fuel, Cindric continued his march toward the front and gained nearly 20 positions from the start to finish the opening stage in fourth. He reported needing to get a little freer before the team made adjustments during the stage break. Cindric remained firmly inside the top five throughout Stage 2. A well-timed caution on Lap 125 came just as he was preparing to pit under green, and Cindric avoided committing to pit road before making his stop under caution. He restarted sixth and continued to show strong pace through the remainder of the stage, ultimately finishing fourth for the second consecutive segment. The No. 2 team continued to contend near the front throughout the final stretch as varying pit strategies unfolded. Running fifth when the caution came out on Lap 284, Cindric stayed on track to move into third for the restart with just over 100 laps remaining. Following two additional green-flag stops in the closing portion of the race, Cindric worked his way back into third and held the position through the checkered flag. The third-place result capped a 20-position gain from Cindric’s starting spot and marked his second top-five finish of the season after spending much of the night among the frontrunners.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: DID YOU HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THE TIRES ALL NIGHT? “Yeah, that’s kind of the name of the game here, especially since they introduced this right side here last year. I thought that was one of our strengths. We could fire off good enough, but I thought I was one of the best cars, especially after about 30 laps. We were a little too good too late in the runs, but, overall, like I said, it was a much needed run for our Quaker State/Menards Ford Mustang.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 BODYARMOR FLASH I.V. CAFFEINE FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 1ST STAGE 1: 1ST STAGE 2: 5TH FINISH: 13TH POINTS: 2ND

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Caffeine Ford Mustang Dark Horse continued their strong summer stretch Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, leading laps, capturing the Stage 1 victory and moving up to second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings despite finishing 13th in the 400-lap event. Starting from the pole for the second consecutive week, Blaney quickly established himself among the race leaders. A fast green-flag pit stop by the No. 12 team helped maintain track position as Blaney navigated lapped traffic on his way to the Stage 1 victory, adding to his series-leading stage win total in 2026. After running near the front throughout Stage 2, Blaney wrestled with changing track conditions as the handling shifted during longer runs. Despite the challenge, he reclaimed the lead during the early part of the stage and remained a fixture inside the top five, ultimately finishing fifth in Stage 2 as all three Team Penske entries spent much of the night among the front-runners. A strategic tire call helped move Blaney as high as third during the final Stage, but a later-timed green-flag stop ultimately put the No. 12 Ford Mustang one lap down to finish the closing laps do the 400-lap event. Blaney gained one position in the closing laps to take the checkered flag 13th and moved up one spot to second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with three races remaining before the Chase begins.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Overall, it was a strong night for our BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Caffeine Ford. We had good speed, led laps and won a stage. We didn’t quite get the finish we wanted, but there were a lot of positives to take from tonight.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE

START: 10TH STAGE 1: 3RD STAGE 2: 1ST FINISH: 1ST POINTS: 9TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse returned to Victory Lane Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, earning Logano’s second NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2026 season, his third career victory at Richmond, and his first at the track in nine years. The triumph was also the 39th win of Logano’s Cup Series career and the 37th with Ford, moving him into sole possession of third on Ford’s all-time wins list while delivering Team Penske’s 111th Cup Series victory with the manufacturer. After starting 10th, Logano steadily worked his way through the field and spent much of the 400-lap event inside the top five. The No. 22 team continued to improve the balance of the car throughout the night while a strong performance from Logano’s pit crew consistently gained track position, allowing him to remain in contention and eventually challenge Chase Briscoe for the lead. Logano capitalized by winning Stage 2 after tracking down and passing Briscoe during a lengthy green-flag run. The final stage featured a strategic battle between Logano and Briscoe, with the No. 22 team executing flawlessly on pit road through the closing green-flag pit cycle. After gaining positions throughout the night, the crew delivered again on the final round of stops, helping Logano beat Briscoe off pit road and take control once the field cycled through. From there, Logano drove away to secure the victory. With the win, Logano climbed from 13th to ninth in the points standings and continued his impressive Richmond record with a 13th top-seven finish in the last 17 races at the Virginia short track.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “My team did a great job. The pressure was on everybody to make the right calls, to execute the runs, to have a good pit stop there. We were door-to-door pretty much onto pit road. That tested everything we had. I thought we were gonna be in good shape because the run before that we were a lot faster than the 19 right at the end, but we weren’t able to be the same amount of good as we wanted to be. This is the first time I’ve had all of my kids here for a win, so this is a real special one for our family. I’m looking forward to enjoying it.”

With two races remaining in the regular season, the Cup Series now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Dollar Tree 301 on Sunday, August 23. Coverage of the 301-lap event begins at 3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

RFK Racing – Richmond Executive Summary

cook out 400

RFK RACING
RICHMOND RACEWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: August 15, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Richmond Raceway (.75 mile oval) – Richmond, VA
Format: 300 miles / 400 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 70, Stage 2: Ends at lap 230, Stage 3: Ends at lap 400

RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY:

With two cars starting inside the top ten Saturday night, Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing was among the strongest cars in the field when the green flag dropped at Richmond Raceway. As the night wore on though, the challenges mounted. Tire management was paramount with teams burning through rubber quickly throughout the 400 lap race. Ryan Preece proved up to the challenge, bringing home a 17th place finish. Long green-flag runs and the timing of cautions also repeatedly impacted the running order especially for Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. Both found themselves caught laps down after making green flag stops, which were followed shortly thereafter by caution periods. Ultimately Buescher finished 21st and Keselowski 26th.

DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS

Ryan Preece – No. 60 Castrol Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 17th
Start: 6th
Laps Led:
Stage Results: S1-11th, S2-14th
Headline takeaway: Preece had speed throughout the night, including an early run inside the top 10. Managing tire wear and overcoming changing track conditions, Preece recorded a solid 17th place finish.

Preece Quote: “It was a challenging day. Grip and tire wear was really the battle. Especially having to go 100 laps knowing I only had two sets left and was averaging 37 laps on stickers. Disappointing, especially after a P6 qualifying effort. But we were in the mix of it. I got better on the long runs, but the way the cautions fell with our strategy, it just didn’t pan out. Heading to New Hampshire though, my home track, so ready to strike there and just look ahead.”

Chris Buescher – No. 17 Kroger / Grab Kleenex Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 21st
Start: 19th
Laps Led:
Stage Results: S1-17th, S2-24th
Headline takeaway: Despite having speed and fighting through traffic much of the night, an ill-timed caution in the midst of a green flag cycle, caught Buescher a lap down. Clawing back from that, he finished 21st.

Buescher Quote: “We had a tough day. We were faster than we ended up there. A caution there (during green flag stops) when it hadn’t cycled through, kind of caught us and it pretty much snow balled from there. We got close at times but just couldn’t get back in contention.”

Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Buildsubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 26th
Start: 9th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-20th, S2–25th
Headline takeaway: A top ten qualifying performance and strong opening laps fueled early optimism. However, two cautions during green-flag pit cycles, trapped him laps down and left him fighting from behind for much of the night before finishing 26th.

Keselowski Quote: “We started out strong. Had a good qualifying effort and the car felt really good early. But we just couldn’t catch a break tonight. We pitted under green a couple times and then the yellow would come out and we’d be trapped. It’s frustrating to say the least. We’ll go back to work and be ready for New Hamshire next week.”

Point Standings:

Buescher: 10th
Preece: 17th
Keselowski: 19th

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is August 23 at New Hampshire, Speedway ( 1 Mile Oval Speedway – Loudon, NH). The race begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Network and the Performance Racing Network.

About RFK Racing 

RFK Racing, in its 39th season in 2026, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit https://www.rfkracing.com/ and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Wood Brothers Racing – Race Report: Richmond Raceway

cook out 400

Event: Cook Out 400
Location: Richmond Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
Date: Sunday, August 15, 2026
Start: 3rd
Finish: 8th

Despite a late-race skirmish that appeared to hinder the speed of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Josh Berry battled to an eighth-place finish in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, extending his streak of top-10 finishes to three consecutive races.

Berry, who entered Richmond following finishes of seventh at Indianapolis and fourth at Iowa, started a season-best third and showed strong pace from the outset. He ran inside the top five throughout the opening 70-lap Stage before finishing fifth to earn six Stage points.

Following a pit stop during the Stage break, Berry restarted the second Stage in seventh. He initially slipped to 10th before working his way back to fifth ahead of a round of green-flag pit stops. Berry made his stop, but the caution flag flew before the remainder of the field completed its stops, dropping the No. 21 to 16th and forcing the team to take the wave-around to rejoin the lead lap.

Once back under green, Berry steadily worked his way through the field, returning to the top 10 by Lap 192 and climbing to sixth by the end of Stage 2 to collect another five Stage points.

Berry was running fourth when the caution came out for the stalled car of Carson Hocevar on Lap 285 of 400. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane team elected to stay on track, preserving a set of fresh tires for later in the race.

On the ensuing restart, Berry found himself in the middle of an aggressive battle for position and was shuffled back to 10th following contact. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Dark Horse appeared to lose some speed as a result, but Berry remained inside the top 10 for most of the closing stretch and gained two positions over the final 10 laps to secure the eighth-place finish.

“It was a decent night,” Berry told reporters at the track. “I felt like we left a little bit out there… That one restart I got tight and got jammed up behind the 48, and we were one of the last cars that stayed out there.

“That one didn’t work out, but all in all, the car was pretty good. For getting trapped under yellow twice and waving around and all that, it was still a solid day with Stage points.

“We’ll just go to New Hampshire and try to do better.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads next to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301, where Berry will look to continue his recent momentum at a track that has been one of his strongest. He finished second at the one-mile oval last season.