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Kirkwood Dominates for Historic, Star-Spangled Victory in D.C.

By
Official Release
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WASHINGTON (Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026) – Kyle Kirkwood made history Sunday by winning the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., the first-ever motor race around the National Mall and the iconic monuments and buildings of the nation’s capital city.

And after a disastrous day for NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou, can Kirkwood make even more history by catching Palou in the final three races of the season for a championship?

Florida native Kirkwood drove his No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda to a 3.0906-second victory over the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet of Christian Lundgaard, leading three Andretti Global drivers in the top four. That margin of victory was deceptive due to a late caution that bunched the field for a restart on the seven-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street circuit, as Kirkwood led by upward of 16 seconds at some points during the 250-mile race.

“You can’t even put it into words – this is incredible,” Kirkwood said. “I’m almost in tears here. This is a big moment for us, a big moment for America here with the 250.”

Said Lundgaard: “I feel that it’s fitting that an American won, right? We gave it our best shot.”

Kirkwood earned his second victory of the season in crushing fashion, leading 128 of 147 laps after starting second. He also won the inaugural street race in March at Arlington, Texas, as six of his seven career victories have come on temporary circuits.

“It felt good to dominate out there; I’m not going to lie,” Kirkwood said. “That was a really good moment. What an incredible place to do it. If you can’t win the (Indianapolis) 500, this is definitely the place to win. I don’t know if we’re ever going to get a chance to do it again – I hope we do. This was awesome. What a dream come true.”

Andretti Global took the next two spots, with Will Power finishing third in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda and Marcus Ericsson fourth in the No. 28 Acura Honda in this race that was the capping event of the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

Kyffin Simpson rounded out the top five in the No. 8 Sunoco Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Kirkwood trailed Palou by 133 points entering this historic event, but the gap is down to 91 with three races remaining after Palou finished 20th in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

While Kirkwood was dreaming at the checkered flag, Palou endured a nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Palou, aiming for his record-tying fourth consecutive title and fifth overall, suffered through an uncommon string of mistakes ranging from hitting a rival’s tire during a pit stop and incurring a drive-through penalty, a slow pit stop due to a loose wheel and then a crash in Turn 4 on Lap 123 due to a broken toe link from earlier wall contact.

“It hurts, man,” Palou said. “I wanted to get that win. It kind of hurts a lot that we had this bad of a day. It’s OK; things happen.”

History still is very much on Palou’s side. Since the sport reunified in 2008, the largest gap any driver has overcome with four races left to win a title is 59 points by Dario Franchitti in 2010. Palou still could clinch his fifth Astor Challenge Cup in the doubleheader Aug. 29-30 at the Milwaukee Mile.

Kirkwood left no doubt about his intent and the strength of his car right from the waving of the green flag by President Donald J. Trump. He dueled with Palou through Turn 1 before taking the lead in Turn 2 on the opening lap of the second-longest temporary street race in INDYCAR SERIES history.

From there, Kirkwood only trailed during pit stop sequences. No alternate tire or fuel strategies from rivals could touch him on his day of days.

Kirkwood shed perhaps the only rival who could challenge him early in the race before a huge crowd – the two-day weekend attendance was 215,000 – when Palou hit the wheel laying in the pit box of the No. 47 Vanda Honda of Mick Schumacher on Lap 39 during his first pit stop. That violation resulted in a drive-through penalty that Palou served on Lap 43, dropping him to 20th place.

From that point, caution periods were the only thing that blunted Kirkwood’s charge toward history. He led by 16 seconds when he made his final pit stop at the end of Lap 112.

There were two restarts between Laps 128 and 134, bunching the field and offering hope to Kirkwood’s rivals.

Scott McLaughlin dove under Kirkwood in Turn 1 to take the lead for a split-second on Lap 129 after a restart, but he carried too much speed into the corner and was eliminated from the race when the right side of his No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet clipped a tire barrier.

Kirkwood left no doubt on the final restart of the race on Lap 134, rocketing away from the field. He cruised to the checkered flag waved by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and then celebrated in front of numerous government dignitaries in a suite above Turn 1, including President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Up next is a doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile, the last oval event of the season. The Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 is set for Saturday, Aug. 29 on the historic, 1-mile track, with the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season concludes with the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday, Sept. 6 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

Kyle Kirkwood keeps title hopes alive with dominant drive in Washington

By
Tucker White
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WASHINGTON - AUGUST 23: Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the #27 Andretti Global Honda, celebrates victory in the NTT IndyCar Series Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington. Photo: Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment

Kyle Kirkwood entered the Freedom 250 Grand Prix trailing Alex Palou by 133 points. Palou winning the pole bumped it up to 134. He needed the race of a lifetime to keep his title hopes alive.

Kirkwood took that as a challenge and delivered.

The driver of the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda led a race high 128 laps and fended off two challengers on late restarts to win on the streets of Washington.

“That was huge, right? After last weekend, my mistakes there, kind of flipped a switch where I was like these mistakes feel terrible,” Kirkwood said. “I hadn’t had one of those in a very long time.

“Sometimes those are actually good for me because all this week I feel like I’ve worked harder than I ever have in preparation for this event. I think those preparations paid off this weekend.

“Yeah, it was a great feeling to rebound after last weekend, to get here, to see all the fans, 100,000 people on both days is absolutely incredible. The whole place there’s people, rows of five in the pace laps, all the way around the track, 1.6 miles. Super cool to see.

“To be able to win in what will be considered probably my home race, right, being the Freedom 250 as an American, is something very special. I’ll cherish this moment for a very long time.”

It’s his seventh career win in 83 career NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts and second of the 2026 season. More importantly, he cut the gap to Palou down to 91 points, with three races left.

“I’m just going to go out there and try and win every single race and see where it goes from there,” he said. “It’s starting to pan out.

“I can’t control what Palou does. Maybe in very small circumstances you can. In the sense of where he finished today or where he was going to finish today, there is no controlling that because you’re in the lead. We just had a very fortunate day in the points championship.”

Christian Lundgaard made a run at Kirkwood in the closing laps. He even cut the gap to under a second. Then he hit the wall in Turn 7 with eight laps to go and didn’t make another challenge for the lead. As he brought his No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet home to a runner-up finish.

“Yeah, I feel like I had just a couple of laps where I was faster than him,” Lundgaard said, “and then I know the 12 laps where he was faster than me, so…

“Yeah, what an experience all weekend. The best background I’ve ever had on a racetrack obviously. Just being a part of it, seeing where the series is going, being a part of it.

“Obviously the race was long. I think we got a better result than we expected. We got three more races to go. I think I’m just happy to see Alex not win for once (smiling). I hear you all laughing, so you agree with me, which is great.”

Will Power rounded out the podium.

“Yeah, that first yellow kind of hurt us,” Power said. “Man, even at that point you have so many laps to go, you’re still over a hundred laps to go, we can certainly make a lot work from here. I saved a lot of fuel. I probably would have gone three laps longer than the guys around me.

“Yeah, a lot of on-track passes, to be honest, to move up. Good strategy. Good stops. It’s just becoming normal for us to do this. We’re starting to eliminate all the weaknesses and be strong everywhere and have a chance to win everywhere.

“Team’s made huge progression over this season, and you can see it now. It’s all coming online. I think the expectation now every weekend is to be on the podium, challenge for a win.

“I think next year we’ll be wanting to be all top five in the championship type stuff.”

Marcus Ericsson and Kyffin Simpson rounded out the top-five.

Nolan Siegel, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Caio Collet and Romain Grosjean rounded out the top-10.

Kyle Kirkwood keeps title hopes alive with dominant drive in Washington

Race summary

Palou led the field to green at 1:18 p.m. ET. Kirkwood pulled to Palou’s outside, out-braked him into Turn 2 and exited Turn 3 with the race lead. Caution flew on the first lap for debris in Turn 4, which came from contact between Marcus Armstrong and Christian Rasmussen. Graham Rahal was the only driver to hit pit lane under the caution.

Back to green on Lap 5, the race settled into a green flag rhythm. Caution flew on Lap 18 for debris in Turn 3. David Malukas pitted from seventh under the caution. As did Sting Ray Robb and Santino Ferrucci (who changed his steering wheel and dealt with electric issues).

Back to green on Lap 23, the field again settled into a green flag rhythm. Just laps away from a cycle of green flag stops, Malukas ran wide in Turn 7 and pounded the outside wall. Robb, with no time to evade, t-boned him. This brought out a caution on Lap 37. Rahal, along with Rinus VeeKay, Simpson and Grosjean, stayed out to take the race lead.

Back to green on Lap 44, Rahal hit the wall coming to the line. Armstrong braked hard into Turn 3 and turned Rasmussen, who collected VeeKay in the process. This brought out a caution and IndyCar handed Armstrong a stop and hold penalty for avoidable contact.

Back to green on Lap 51, Kirkwood drove from third to the race lead with an overtake of Rahal in Turn 3. A cycle of green flag stops kicked off on Lap 65. Kirkwood pitted from the lead on Lap 80, as did second-place Scott McLaughlin. Power pitted from the lead on Lap 82 and Kirkwood cycled back to the front of the field.

By Lap 87, Kirkwood, with an eight-second lead over McLaughlin, caught the tail-end of the field. After one lap, Kirkwood lost a full second of his gap to McLaughlin. He passed Rasmussen by Lap 89 and Pato O’Ward on Lap 90. By then, his lead shrank to 5.5 seconds. On Lap 92, Kirkwood cleared Louis Foster into Turn 2, and stretched his lead back out. Kirkwood stretched the lead to 7.7 seconds on Lap 96, as he reeled in points leader, Palou, the last car on the lead lap. Even as he backed off to not waste his remaining push-to-pass, he pulled out to a 14-second lead with 41 laps to go. Marcus Ericsson kicked off the last cycle of green flag stops with 37 to go. Kirkwood pitted from the lead with 36 to go. McLaughlin pitted from the lead with 33 to go. Power pitted from the lead with 31 to go and Kirkwood cycled back to the lead.

With 30 to go, Kirkwood held a 10.7 second advantage over McLaughlin. That gap vanished with 25 to go, when Palou clipped the inside wall of Turn 4, spun around and broke the front wing of his car against the outside wall.

Back to green with 19 to go, McLaughlin got the jump on Kirkwood and dive-bombed into Turn 1 for the lead, but pounded the wall on exit. Felix Rosenqvist went over a bump, got loose and spun out in the same area and caution flew.

Back to green with 13 laps to go, Kirkwood got the better restart and pulled out to a 1.5 second lead. With eight to go, however, Lundgaard cut the lead down to under a second, but lost ground to him when he got loose in Turn 7 and lost that ground he made up. With six to go, Kirkwood pulled out to a two-second lead and drove away to victory.

Kyle Kirkwood keeps title hopes alive with dominant drive in Washington

What else happened

Exiting his pit box, Palou struck a tire in Mick Schumacher’s pit box. For this, INDYCAR handed him a drive-through penalty.

Palou pitted from 17th on Lap 67, but stopped the car just as he pulled out for a loose left-front wheel and went a lap down.

On Lap 79, O’Ward carried too much speed into Turn 6, pulled into the runoff, spun his car around and rejoined the race.

Kyle Kirkwood keeps title hopes alive with dominant drive in Washington

Nuts and bolts

The race lasted two hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds, at an average speed of 93.295 mph. There were seven lead changes among four different drivers, and six cautions for 29 laps.

Palou leaves Washington with a 91-point lead over Kirkwood.

The NTT IndyCar Series returns to action, Saturday, with the Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250. The first race of a double-header weekend at the Milwaukee Mile.

ARCA Menards Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds: Calypso 100 Post-race Notes

By
Official Release
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ARCA Menards Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Calypso 100 Post-race Notes

  • Max Reaves (No. 18 Cook Out Toyota) scored his third ARCA Menards Series win of the season in Sunday afternoon’s Calypso 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Reaves started from the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole and led 98 of the race’s 100 laps to earn his first career win on dirt.
  • Reaves traded the lead with Isaac Kitzmiller (No. 79 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT Chevrolet) through lapped traffic, with Kitzmiller leading for a lap on lap xx before Reaves was able to return the favor in turn three the very next lap. Kiztmiller held on to finish second, his career best ARCA Menards Series finish.
  • Gavan Boschele (No. 25 American Land Toyota) was the third driver to lead, snatching the lead from Reaves at lap 97. Reaves made contact with the rear bumper of Boschele’s car entering turn one and Boschele slid out of control into the inside retaining wall, but his half spin did not draw a caution flag. Despite the damage, Boschele would hold on to finish fifth.
  • Thomas Annunziata (No. 70 JBL Toyota) finished third and unofficially chopped three points off Jake Bollman’s lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings. Bollman (No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) finished sixth; his unofficial lead is four points with five races remaining. It was the first career race of any kind on dirt for both drivers.
  • Taylor Reimer (No. 77 Buzzballz Chevrolet) ran as high as second but was penalized for a restart violation following the third caution flag of the day, necessitating a drive-thru penalty. After the race’s midway break, she restarted 13th and patiently worked her way through the field to finish fourth.
  • Springfield native Kelly Kovski (No. 16 Brandt Ag / Schluckebeir Farm Chevrolet) finished seventh in his 20th career start at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It was his 14th career top-ten finish at his home track, which accounts for half of his 28 career top-ten finishes.
  • Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota) raced in and among the top five throughout the first hald of the race, but two consecutive restarts in the outside lane cost her valuable track position over the second half of the race, leaving her eighth at the finish.
  • Tim Monroe (No. 10 Mark Rumbold Farms / Illinois Deer Hunters Ford) finished ninth, his third career top-ten result at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
  • Jason Kitzmiller (No. 97 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT Chevrolet) in tenth and Shawn Allen, Jr. (No. 91 Sandlan Iron & Metal / Maples Motorsports Chevrolet) in eleventh, in his ARCA Menards Series debut, were the final cars on the lead lap.
  • Nineteen of the race’s 24 starters were running at the finish.
  • There were four lead changes among three drivers.
  • There were five cautions for a total of 23 laps. The first caution was for a turn one crash involving Trenton Masters (No. 06 Jake’s Lettering Toyota) on lap 8; the second at lap 32 was for a crash on the front stretch involving Alex Clubb (No. 03 CRI0386.com Ford) and Brad Smith (No. 48 Hillman Family of Companies Ford); the third was for a turn four spin by Tony Cosentino (No. 11 Fast Track Racing / Universal Technical Institute Chevrolet) and the final caution for cause was at lap 82 for a turn two spin by Sean Corr (No. 8 Nesco Bus Sales / The Trans Group / It’s a Boy Chevrolet).
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series Atlas 200 at Madison International Speedway on Friday, August 28. The race, set to begin at 9 pm ET / 8 pm CT, will be televised live on FS1. ARCARacing.com will have live timing & scoring data throughout all on-track activity and live race audio. Follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.

About ARCA 
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
 
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

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

By
Official Release
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Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith
New Hampshire Motor Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 175
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Event: Race 18 of 25
Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058 mile)
Length of Race: 189 laps over two hours, 18 minutes, 59 seconds

FRM Finish:

Layne Riggs (Started 1st, Finished 1st / Running, completed 189 of 189 laps)
Chandler Smith (Started 12th, Finished 2nd / Running, completed 189 of 189 laps)

FRM Points Standings:

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

Layne Riggs Key Takeaways

Stage One: 2nd / Stage Two: 3rd / Race Result: 1st

Riggs enters The Chase for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in the first seed, and with a 25-point lead above TRICON Garage’s Kaden Honeycutt.

“Thank you to everybody that’s here. I love this racetrack,” said Riggs. “We had a good crowd today. I thought I was in trouble there for a little while. I got back to third or fourth-place and just really couldn’t do anything with the truck. I was just really, really tight, and we just couldn’t get the right adjustment, but that last adjustment that my crew chief and engineer made – Dylan Cappello and Jonathan Coates – was excellent all the way to the end. Thank you to Chandler Smith for running me really clean. It’s in the name – Front Row Motorsports – one-two. It’s really awesome to finish one-two with Chandler. They bring us great trucks. Thank you to Ford Racing for all their help. We’ve got Bare Knuckle Boxing on the truck. We got them another win. I think that’s three with them now, so I’m just super, super excited. This is awesome. I love this racetrack, love the fans here, the atmosphere. This is one I had circled on the calendar that I feel like I missed myself and we missed on setup last year. We came back swinging and no mercy.”

Chandler Smith Key Takeaways

Stage One: 4th / Stage Two: 2nd / Race Result: 2nd

Smith enters The Chase for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in the third seed, 35 points behind teammate Layne Riggs.

“Our No. 38 Pete Store Ford F-150 was good today,” said Smith. “It was really good, just that last stop it felt like we went the wrong direction on our change. Between me not executing on pit road and maybe not making the right adjustment just put us back in the swamp. It wasn’t in the Lord’s Will for us to win this one. We’ll learn from it and move on.”

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.

Adakonis Wins His Third Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Race in Round Nine at VIR

By
Official Release
-

Alton, Va. (Aug. 23, 2026) – The current Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin championship leader extended his point lead with a race victory on Saturday at VIRginia International Raceway. Justin Adakonis (No. 23 McCumbee McAleer Racing) held off Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) and Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing) to win his third race of the season.

Adakonis started from fourth on the grid, but was lucky enough to have his teammate, VIR ace Fletcher, starting in front of him. When the green flag waved, the pair worked together to move around polesitter William Wallis (No. 24 Advanced Autosports).

The MMR teammates couldn’t shake Wallis though, not until the restart from the first of three full-course cautions. That’s when Noah Harmon (No. 12 Hendricks Motorsports) started to fight with Wallis for the final podium position, which allowed Fletcher and Adakonis to build a little bit of breathing room.

The teammates played nice with each other up front, allowing each other to get clean air when they needed it. It was on the second restart from a full-course yellow when things got dicey.

Thomas had a great restart and was able to take away second place from Fletcher two laps later.

Adakonis was in Thomas’ crosshairs and just when it seemed like Thomas was about to take the lead, the final full-course caution came out. Thomas did complete the pass on track, but race officials ruled it happened after the full-course caution came out and instructed him to give the position back to Adakonis.

The race ended under yellow and Thomas never got a second chance to pass Adakonis.

“I was not told that there was a yellow coming out,” Adakonis said. “So, when I saw Jared [Thomas] pop for the move, I was like, ‘All right, he’s getting really aggressive, so I’m just trying to let him have it.’ I don’t want to get doored off the track, so I was trying to be smart with it. Then I saw the blinking yellow as soon as I went in the corner. I was like, ‘I think I might have been ahead of him.”

It is the third victory of the year for Adakonis, who scored his first win on the streets of St. Petersburg and his second at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“Heat always affects the car. This car likes to get hot, especially when you’re pushing for as long as I was pushing Jeremy [Fletcher]. And it gets pretty hot inside the cockpit. So just try to keep air on the radiator as much as I can. I ended up getting really hot at the end. That’s why I made that move on Jeremy.

“We (Adakonis and Fletcher) kind of know each other long enough to this point where I know what he’s going to do, and he knows what I’m going to do. I think he trusts me enough that when I pop out for air, I’m not trying to pass him. We were in a really well managed race. I think we could definitely do that in tomorrow’s race for sure.”

As a two-time series champion, Thomas knows what it takes to win sweltering races at VIR and he put that experience to good use.

“You have this big racetrack with these long straits, but with the heat, the cars get hot and you lose power and it makes it harder to pass,” Thomas said. “Overall, there’s just the combination of corners here and you can defend, so it just is a tough place to pass. If you want a spot, you’ve really got to get your elbows out.

“At the beginning of that race, I was just biding my time, trying not to tear up my stuff. Honestly, I was sitting further back than I wanted, and then we had that first caution. I’m like, ‘okay, now it’s time to go.’ With the heat, the track gets slick too, so you’re trying to save your tires there for the end, and it’s not the easiest thing to do. So definitely the cream rises to the top at the end of these races.”

He wasn’t able to win his fifth VIR race in-a-row, but Fletcher did score a podium, which was a welcome result after two frustrating races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“I think I just drive really well here- I like the flow of the track, and I like the way it races. You can really control everything from the front,” said Fletcher, who led the most laps. “I think we did pretty good today at that.

“At the end, we were three wide in the middle of Oaktree. If the caution would have come out 10 feet later, it would have been a different story. So close, but it’s another podium.”

Max Stallone (No. 3 Wheels America Racing) took home the Penske Shocking Performance Award by advancing an astounding 25 positions in the race. Stallone, the current MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship winner, had to start the race from last because he needed to change his engine after qualifying. He was 14th at the checkered flag.

Harmon, who was last year’s scholarship winner, finished the race in fourth. He was followed by Ethan Goulart (No. 29 Saito Motorsports Group), who is back in an MX-5 Cup car for the first time since St. Pete.

Christian Hodneland (No. 32 BSI Racing) collected the Takumi Award for drivers over the age of 40.

The highest finishing female award went to Ellie Gossett (No. 77 BSI Racing) who crossed the line in 23rd.

Sunday’s Round 10 race at VIR will go green at 3:30pm ET with live streaming on the IMSA and RACER YouTube channels.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Bitcoin Surges 20%: How Crypto Holders Are Exploring Cloud Mining Income in 2026

By
SM
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Bitcoin is back in the spotlight after one of its strongest rallies of 2026.

BTC has climbed roughly 20% this week, briefly moving above $79,000 and reaching its highest level in about three months. At the same time, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen renewed inflows, adding to expectations that bullish momentum could continue.

As Bitcoin recovers, many crypto holders are asking a different question: instead of simply waiting for BTC prices to rise, is there a way to put existing digital assets to work?

Cloud mining is one option gaining renewed attention.

Cloud Mining Returns to Focus

Traditional Bitcoin mining requires expensive ASIC hardware, electricity, cooling and ongoing maintenance. Cloud mining removes much of that complexity by allowing users to access computing power operated through remote data centers.

SHRMiner provides cloud mining contracts for users holding BTC, ETH, DOGE/LTC, ZEC, and other supported cryptocurrencies.

Users do not need to purchase mining machines or manage technical infrastructure. After selecting a contract, the platform allocates the corresponding cloud computing resources, while mining operations and maintenance are handled remotely.

Key features include:

  • No mining hardware required
  • Multiple supported cryptocurrencies
  • Automated cloud computing allocation
  • Enterprise-scale data-center infrastructure
  • 24-hour settlement according to contract terms
  • Mobile and desktop account access

For long-term crypto holders, the model provides an alternative to constantly trading market swings: allocating part of their assets toward computing-power contracts designed to generate periodic payouts.

How to Get Started

Getting started with SHRMiner involves four steps:

1. Create an account
Register with an email address. New users may qualify for a $15 promotional bonus.

2. Choose a mining contract
Select a contract based on budget, duration, and projected payout.

3. Activate cloud computing power
Once activated, the corresponding mining resources are allocated and operated through remote data centers.

4. Receive contract earnings
Eligible earnings are calculated and credited according to the selected contract’s settlement schedule.

No ASIC installation, electricity management or equipment maintenance is required from the user.

Exploring Cloud Mining Opportunities Above $27,700

SHRMiner offers contracts across different funding levels and durations.

Contract NamePriceProfitDaysPrincipal + Total Return
New User Experience Agreement$100$42$100+$8
Bitdeer Sealminer A2 Pro$500$6.255$500.00 + $31.25
Litecoin Miner L9$1000.00$13.0010$1000.00 + $130
Bitcoin Miner S21 XP Imm$5000.00$70.5025$5000.00 + $1762.5
Bitcoin Miner S21e XP Hyd$10000.00$151.0035$10000.00 + $5285
ANTSPACE HW5$50000.00$905.0045$50000.00 + $40725

Some higher-value contracts may show projected cumulative earnings above $27,700, depending on the selected plan and its terms.

For more cloud mining contracts and specific terms, please click here to view the product details.

Exploring Cloud Mining Opportunities

Why Crypto Holders Are Paying Attention

A Bitcoin bull market creates opportunities, but it also creates a dilemma. Selling BTC generates liquidity but reduces exposure if prices continue higher, while simply holding the asset does not generate recurring cash flow on its own.

Cloud mining offers another approach.

Instead of trying to predict every market move, crypto holders can explore using part of their assets to access remotely operated mining infrastructure and potential contract-based income.

As Bitcoin’s momentum strengthens again in 2026, the conversation is shifting from simply “How high can BTC go?” to “How can I make my crypto assets more productive?”

For investors exploring that question, SHRMiner provides one potential route into cloud mining without the cost and technical complexity of operating physical mining equipment.

5 Convenience Services Busy San Diego Professionals Should Know About

By
SM
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Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

Time is the one resource nobody can buy more of. For busy professionals juggling demanding jobs, commutes, and everything else on a calendar, outsourcing routine tasks has stopped being a luxury and started being a practical scheduling decision.

Nearly a third of working-age adults report feeling constantly busy, and that pressure shows up in how people spend their limited free hours. Increasingly, that means paying someone else to handle the tasks that used to eat into evenings and weekends.

Here are five services San Diego professionals are using to buy back real time.

Why This Shift Is Happening Now

A few things converged to make this possible at scale.

On-demand apps made booking nearly frictionless. Scheduling used to mean phone calls and fixed business hours. Now it means a few taps, whenever it’s convenient.

The math also just makes sense for a lot of people. Once you factor in your actual hourly value, whether that’s income potential or simply the worth of an evening back, paying someone else to handle a routine task often comes out ahead.

1. Mobile Car Detailing

Getting a car cleaned used to mean a dedicated errand: drive somewhere, wait around, then drive back. That model doesn’t fit well into a packed weekday.

Mobile detailing flips the process. A professional comes to your home or office parking lot with everything needed already on board, water, power, and equipment, so the car gets a full service without you losing any part of your day.

For San Diego professionals specifically, this solves a real local problem. What premium mobile detailing San Diego offers means a car can get properly cleaned during a workday, in a home driveway or office lot, while its owner is in back-to-back meetings rather than sitting in a waiting room somewhere across town.

2. Laundry Pickup & Delivery

Laundry is one of those tasks that quietly eats an entire evening or weekend morning. Sorting, washing, drying, folding, it adds up to hours most professionals would rather spend elsewhere.

Pickup and delivery laundry services remove nearly all of that. A driver collects dirty laundry, professionals handle the washing and folding at a facility, and clean clothes are delivered back, often within a day or two.

Many services now offer recurring scheduling, so laundry becomes something that just happens in the background rather than a task that has to be remembered and planned around each week.

3. Grocery & Household Delivery

Grocery shopping is another routine task that costs more time than most people realize once travel, parking, and checkout lines are added together.

Instant delivery platforms have made same-day or even same-hour grocery and household delivery normal rather than a novelty. Orders placed during a lunch break can arrive before the workday even ends.

The convenience fee attached to these services often looks steep at first glance. Factored against an hour of a professional’s actual time, though, the math frequently works out in favor of paying for delivery rather than making the trip in person.

4. On-Demand Home Cleaning

A clean home matters for most people’s sense of order and calm, but finding time to actually clean it consistently is a different story for anyone working long hours.

On-demand cleaning services let professionals book a single visit or a recurring schedule, choosing exactly what gets covered, kitchens, bathrooms, common areas, based on what actually needs attention that week.

Flexible scheduling is the real draw here. Many services now offer evening or weekend appointment windows specifically built around people who aren’t home during standard business hours.

5. Personal Assistant & Errand Services

Not every task fits neatly into a single category, and that’s exactly what this service type is built for.

Personal assistants and errand-running services handle the small, scattered tasks that don’t warrant a dedicated app of their own: picking up dry cleaning, waiting for a delivery, running to the pharmacy, or handling a handful of unrelated errands in one trip.

For professionals with a long list of small tasks rather than one big one, bundling everything into a single booked service often saves more time overall than trying to squeeze each errand in separately.

How to Decide Which One to Start With

Five options can feel like a lot to take on at once. Starting with just one is usually the better approach.

The simplest place to start is whichever task currently causes the most friction in your week. If laundry is the thing you dread every Sunday, start there. If your car hasn’t been properly cleaned in months because there’s never a good time, that’s the obvious first move.

For most professionals, car care is an easy starting point because it requires zero ongoing coordination. Booking car detailing near me in San Diego takes a few minutes, and once it’s scheduled, there’s nothing left to manage before the appointment itself.

Once one service is running smoothly and genuinely saving time, adding a second becomes an easier decision, since you’ll already have a clear sense of whether outsourcing actually delivers the time-back it promises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these services actually worth the cost for a typical professional? For most people juggling a demanding schedule, yes. The value comes from what the freed-up time is worth to you, whether that’s more focused work hours, family time, or simply rest.

How do I know which convenience service to try first? Start with whatever task currently causes the most stress or gets skipped most often in your routine. That’s usually the service that will feel like the biggest relief once it’s handled.

Is mobile detailing really faster than a regular car wash? In terms of your personal time, yes. A drive-in wash still requires travel and waiting, while a mobile detail happens wherever your car is already parked, so you’re not spending any time on the errand itself.

Can these services be scheduled around a demanding work calendar? Most are built specifically for that. Evening, weekend, and workday-flexible scheduling windows are standard across nearly all of these categories now, which is a big part of why they’ve grown so quickly.

Kris Wright’s NCTS New Hampshire Motor Speedway Recap

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Official Release
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Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race Results
Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
FINISH: 34th
Start: 28th
NCTS Point Standings Position: 24th

Wright Battles Adversity at The Magic Mile

Kris Wright finished 34th Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) after contact late in the race resulted in heavy damage to the No. 81 Warranty Solutions Chevrolet Silverado RST. Wright started 28th and initially moved forward after starting at the rear of the field due to a brake issue.

The Pittsburgh, Pa. native finished Stage 1 30th, one lap down, after running as high as 27th during the opening stage. The team continued working on the balance, with Wright reporting the truck was loose entering the corners and tight through the center. He posted the third fastest lap in the field on lap 64. Wright moved to 29th on the lap 82 restart to begin Stage 2. He eventually settled into 32nd and finished the stage two laps down as the team continued making tire pressure and trackbar adjustments.

Wright was running 31st on the restart to begin the final stage before being collected in an incident on lap 120. The contact caused heavy damage to the front of the truck, and Wright restarted 33rd, seven laps down. The team continued working on the Warranty Solutions Chevrolet throughout the closing laps. The No. 81 team made repairs and briefly returned Wright on track before retiring early with a 34th-place finish.

Kris Wright Quote:

“Really proud of this team for working on the truck and fixing the balance from practice yesterday. We just struggled to get the truck to roll in the center and turn four was a battle for us all day. I’d like to thank Warranty Solutions for supporting us this weekend and we’ll shift gears, take these three off-weeks to work on stuff, and come back ready to close out the final seven races.

Hunter Lawrence Dominates Budds Creek to Reclaim Points Lead, Set Up Winner-Take-All Championship Showdown with Brother Jett

By
Official Release
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Chance Hymas Becomes Seventh Different 250SMX Winner to Set New Record

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. (August 22, 2026) – For the first time all summer Mother Nature played a central role in the outcome of the action at the penultimate race of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, from Budds Creek Motocross Park. Heavy morning rains set the tone for a challenging afternoon that remained free from rainfall at Round 27 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship, where a wet and muddy track eventually transitioned into a competitive racing surface as the sun emerged at the Yamaha Racing Budds Creek National Presented by Carter CAT. In the premier 450SMX Class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence [#96] put forth a dominant performance to capture his sixth win of the season and reclaim control of the points lead, setting up a winner-take-all showdown at the season finale with his teammate and brother, Jett Lawrence [#1]. In the 250SMX Class, a day that saw a dramatic shift atop the point standings also welcomed the summer’s seventh different winner as Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas [#29] prevailed to set a new record of parity in the smaller displacement and give Honda a sweep of the day’s victories.

450SMX Class

Qualifying

  • The first session of the morning ultimately became the deciding factor in the combined time sheet as a heavy rain shower prior to the second session effectively forced every rider to forego logging any laps. As a result, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38] ended up atop the charts with a time of 1:54.734, which placed him a half second ahead of Jett Lawrence and his time of 1:55.266, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire [#24] followed in third [1:55.501]. Hunter Lawrence ended up fourth [1:55.541] after his fastest lap was disallowed for jumping on a red cross flag. He held the second-fastest lap prior to the penalty.

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The opening premier class moto kicked off with Deegan out front for the holeshot, with Hunter Lawrence and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac [#3] in tow. Jett Lawrence got a poor jump off the gate, made contact with another rider while navigating the first turn, and emerged deep inside the top 20 before eventually falling outside a points-paying position.
  • Hunter Lawrence showed patience on the opening lap and pulled the trigger on a pass that caught Deegan off guard and allowed the Honda rider to take control of the moto. Deegan responded to keep the battle engaged, but Lawrence soon pulled ahead by more than two seconds.
  • As the top three settled into their respective positions the focus shifted on Jett Lawrence’s climb through the field. He fought his way into the top 15 through the opening 10 minutes and held a pace that was on par with the leaders.
  • As the moto surpassed its halfway point, Jett broke into the top 10. Meanwhile, the gap between Hunter Lawrence and Deegan dwindled down to just over a second as the top two navigated heavy lapped traffic. Behind them, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado [#26] made the pass around his teammate Tomac for third.
  • Hunter Lawrence weathered the pressure from Deegan and reestablished a lead of more than three seconds inside the final five minutes. Further back, Jett Lawrence continued to move up the running order and on the cusp of the top five. As time ran out on the race clock, the championship leader made the pass for fifth.
  • Back out front, Hunter Lawrence finished strong with his biggest lead of the moto and took the checkered flag for the 11th time this summer by a margin of 5.6 seconds over Deegan. Prado finished more than 50 seconds back in third, with Tomac posting a season-best moto finish in fourth ahead of Jett Lawrence, who salvaged fifth.
  • Hunter Lawrence’s exceptional pace saw him lap up to 11th place in the 40-rider field.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The final moto of the afternoon provided the best conditions of the day and saw Hunter Lawrence wrestle his way into the lead with the holeshot over Prado and fellow Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Aaron Plessinger [#7]. Deegan and Jett Lawrence emerged deep in the top 10.
  • Hunter Lawrence looked to take full advantage of the clear track and laid down a blistering opening lap to establish a 3.4 second lead over Prado, as 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup [#31] moved into third.
  • As the lead trio settled in, Jett Lawrence was patiently moving his way forward and picked off several riders to make his way into fourth through the opening five minutes of the moto. Deegan sat a few positions back in seventh.
  • Out front, Prado made inroads on his deficit to Hunter Lawrence and held a faster pace as the first 10 minutes drew to a close. Jett Lawrence, meanwhile, attacked Haarup for third and made an impressive outside move to take the position.
  • Hunter Lawrence withstood the pressure from Prado and once again extended his lead, which soon reached nearly six seconds with less than 10 minutes to go. Further back, Jett Lawrence started to make gains on Prado. As time ran out on the race clock Jett closed in on Prado to initiate a two-lap battle for the position. On the final lap Jett forced the issue and used a lapped rider as a pick to make the pass on the Spaniard.
  • Back out front, a wire-to-wire performance in the final moto capped off another dominant outing for Hunter Lawrence, who made it a dozen moto wins on the season. He crossed the line 5.9 seconds ahead of his younger brother, with Prado third and Deegan fourth.

Overall

  • Hunter Lawrence’s sixth 1-1 performance and sixth victory of the summer is the seventh of his career, but more importantly, moved him back atop the championship standings with one race remaining.
  • Prado secured back-to-back runner-up finishes after a 3-3 afternoon.
  • Deegan captured his fifth consecutive overall podium result in third (2-4) and now has eight podiums in the first 10 races of his rookie season.
  • Jett Lawrence settled for fourth (5-2), which signified just his third-ever non-podium finish in 37 premier class starts and his first not impacted by a crash nor a penalty.
  • An 11-point swing moved Hunter Lawrence back atop the championship standings heading into the final round, with he and Jett separated by a single point. It signified the sixth time the points lead has changed hands between the siblings this summer.

Results & Standings

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

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM (3-3 // 40)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-4 // 40)
  4. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (5-2 // 39)
  5. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph (8-5 // 31)
  6. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (6-9 // 29)
  7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (10-7 // 27)
  8. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Ducati (7-10 // 27)
  9. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM (4-13 // 27)
  10. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (12-6 // 26)

450SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 10 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 442
  2. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 441
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 376
  4. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 351
  5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 308
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 265
  7. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 265
  8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 230
  9. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph – 220
  10. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Ducati – 201

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 27 of 28)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 788
  2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 545
  3. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 540
  4. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 441
  5. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 441
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 407
  7. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 376
  8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM – 364
  9. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki – 349
  10. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 347

Quotes

1st Place – Hunter Lawrence | #96 Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“Anything can happen, so I just focused on myself. I tried to get around the first turn the best I can and then just ride my own race. I haven’t felt great all week [physically], so it feels great to get this done.”
 
2nd Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (3-3)
“My start was good [and] my riding was good most of the time. In those last 10 minutes I struggle and have a hard time with the lappers. I need to be better at that. Hopefully we can get a moto win before the season ends.”
 
3rd Place – Haiden Deegan | #38 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (2-4)
“I was chasing BamBam [Barcia] for so long and overheated my bike. I’m still happy with the day. We’re making improvements each week and I just want to keep putting in the work. On to the next one.”
 
4th Place – Jett Lawrence | #1 Honda HRC Progressive (5-2)
“It’s going to be exciting [next weekend]. [Hunter and I] have been going back and forth with the red plate. Now it’s one point and winner-take-all at the next one. I need to get better on the starts; those have been terrible. If I can fix that I think we’ll be in good shape.”

250SMX Class

Qualifying

  • The first qualifying session proved to be faster for the smaller displacement as the final session was greeted with the early stages of a steady storm that ultimately altered the course of the day. For the second week in a row, points leader and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen [#47] paced the field with a time of 1:56.283, which placed him three tenths ahead of his championship rival, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies [#37] and his time of 1:56.596. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34] rounded out the top three [1:56.944].

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • The first moto of the afternoon saw Kitchen take advantage of his first gate pick with his first holeshot of the summer ahead of Davies and Hymas. The Honda rider went on the attack early and made a pass on Davies. Then, as he pressured Kitchen for the lead, the Kawasaki rider went down and reentered the race in 17th place.
  • Hymas took advantage of the opportunity to lead the field and assert his hold of first. However, Davies closed in and snuck through to seize control of the moto. After one lap, Davies’ lead sat at 3.5 seconds. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Landen Gordon [#180] moved into third.
  • As Davies started to pull away from the field, Kitchen was in the midst of a recovery effort, fighting his way back into the top 10 with 23 minutes remaining on the race clock. However, as the moto wore on, Kitchen’s vision was compromised as he ran out of tear-offs, which forced him to remove his goggles with 18 minutes to go. As a result, he slowly started to lose positions and dropped outside the top 10 with about 10 minutes to go.
  • The top three settled in through the heart of the moto, with enough distance between each of them to assert their hold on each position. On the final lap, Hymas was able to get Davies in his sights, but it was too little too late. Davies closed out his eighth moto win of the season by 2.2 seconds, with Gordon in third. AEO Powersports KTM’s Carson Mumford [#71] was fourth, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Kayden Minear [#99] fifth.
  • Kitchen made a late push and salvaged 10th but was ultimately penalized for going beyond the track limits as the field emerged from the starting gate. As a result, Kitchen was docked four positions and was credited with 14th place.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

  • With the sun shining and an improving racetrack, the second moto began with Hymas out front with the holeshot ahead of Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha’s Parker Ross [#40] and Davies, with Gordon in fourth. Kitchen slotted into sixth. Davies was able to make the move around Ross before the end of the opening lap.
  • Hymas established a lead of 2.4 seconds over Davies as Kitchen put in a charge to break into the top three. The Kawasaki rider closed in on Ross and made the pass, giving him 25 minutes to try and track down the top two.
  • As the moto reached its halfway point, Hymas’ lead grew to nearly four seconds over Davies, with Kitchen able to make small gains in his pursuit from third.
  • In response to Kitchen’s push, Davies also picked up the pace and started to close in on Hymas. As the fastest rider on the track, Kitchen moved within striking distance of Davies with a little more than 10 minutes remaining on the race clock. The Kawasaki rider continued to close in and was able to take advantage of a miscue by Davies to take control of second. Kitchen faced a 3.2 second deficit to Hyams with just under seven minutes to go.
  • Kitchen closed in on Hymas and got within striking distance of making a challenge for the lead, but Hymas kept him at bay over the final several laps to hold on for his second moto win of the season by 2.5 seconds over Kitchen, with Davies nearly a half minute behind in third.

Overall

  • Hymas’ 2-1 effort allowed him to break through for the third overall win of his career. With it, he became the seventh different rider to capture a 250SMX Class victory this summer, which set a new record for race winners in a single season.
  • Davies grabbed his third straight podium result in second (1-3) and now has seven top three finishes this summer, which has ultimately moved him in control of his own destiny in the championship.
  • The rookie Gordon captured the first overall podium result of his career in third (3-7), making him the eighth different rider to claim a maiden podium this summer.
  • Kitchen’s strong effort in the second moto helped him make the most out of a challenging afternoon in fifth overall (14-2).
  • A 15-point swing in the championship moves Davies back atop the point standings heading into the final round, where he’ll hold a 14-point lead over Kitchen for the last two motos of the season.

Results & Standings

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

  1. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (2-1 // 47)
  2. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (1-3 // 45)
  3. Landen Gordon, Atascadero, Calif., Yamaha (3-7 // 35)
  4. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (8-4 // 32)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (14-2 // 30)
  6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha (5-10 // 29)
  7. Lux Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., Yamaha (7-9 // 28)
  8. Caden Dudney, Des Moines, Iowa, Yamaha (10-8 // 26)
  9. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Husqvarna (9-11 // 24)
  10. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (17-5 // 22)

250SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 10 of 11)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 378
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 364
  3. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 322
  4. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 317
  5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 291
  6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 269
  7. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 244
  8. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 194
  9. Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna – 166
  10. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 162

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 27 of 28)

  1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 609
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 541
  3. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 455
  4. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 355
  5. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 322
  6. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 314
  7. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 314
  8. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 296
  9. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 294
  10. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 291

Quotes

1st Place – Chance Hymas | #29 Honda HRC Progressive (2-1)
“I feel like you get a flash of all the hard times. It feels amazing to get back to this point. I owe so much to my team for their support of me and everything they’ve done to get us here. Holeshot, wire-to-wire, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
 
2nd Place – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (1-3)
“It’s not over ’til it’s over. I just need to focus on getting two good starts next weekend and see how it plays out. Another good day and we’ll try to do it again next weekend.”
 
3rd Place – Landen Gordon | #180 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-7)
“I’ve been putting in good days during the week recently and was able to bring it into the weekend. I finally did it. This is unreal. Outdoors is tough, so I’m stoked.”
 
5th Place – Levi Kitchen | #47 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (14-2)
“I just need to treat this like any other weekend and put this behind me. It’s hard to do, but it is what it is. One mistake can have a massive impact, which is tough, but all I can do is give it everything I’ve got next weekend and see what happens.”

Budds Creek also hosted the penultimate round of the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony. It proved to be another dominant outing for reigning back-to-back champion and current points leader Lachlan Turner [#1], who piloted her Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha to dominant moto victories on Friday and Saturday. The fourth win of the season for Turner saw her outrun Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon [#7] and SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen [#51]. The victory allowed Turner to extend her lead in the championship to 21 points over Cannon with one round and two motos remaining.

The 2026 Pro Motocross Championship will culminate with a title heavy season finale next Saturday, August 29, where a trio of champions will be crowned for the first time at the final round of the SMX World Championship regular season from Indiana’s Ironman Raceway. The U.S. Army Ironman National Finals Presented by Tucker Freight Lines will be shown live in its entirety exclusively 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.

Tyler Ankrum’s NCTS New Hampshire Motor Speedway Recap

By
Official Release
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Team EJP 175 – Race Results
Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
FINISH: 16th
Start: 15th
Stage One: 16th
Stage Two: 28th
NCTS Point Standings Position: 10th

Ankrum’s Thrilling Loudon Performance Secures Final Spot in The Chase

Tyler Ankrum, driver of the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet battled a wide range of adversity at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) as he raced his way in to secure the final spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) playoffs. The young driver started his day mid-pack in the 15th position. The field spread in chaos early and Ankrum fought to stay in the top 15 until a quick caution arose and he expressed to the team that he was free to fire off but overall, the truck was starting to come to him. The No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet continued to build tight as the run continued and Ankrum settled for a 16th-place Stage One finish. Crew chief Mark Hillman threw a handful of adjustments at the No. 18 as they came down pit road under the stage break for four tires, fuel, a trackbar and packer adjustment.

Right off the restart of the second stage, Ankrum noticed a brake issue and reported to the team immediately. The young driver held on until a yellow flag fell on lap 77 and came down pit road to assess the issue. The crew took a quick look under the truck to make sure no fluid was leaking and sent the San Bernardino, Calif. native on his way to avoid going a lap down. Throughout the rest of the stage run, Ankrum worked with spotter Eddie D’Hondt to try and diagnose the problem inside the truck working on his rear brakes to check for leaks but was relegated to the 28th position to round out Stage Two. Under the stage break, the No. 18 crew worked to double check all lines under the hood and make sure there were zero leaks and everything was tight. After a few stops, four tires and fuel, the young driver was back on track and fighting to stay above the cutline.

The 25-year-old driver was fighting with all he had to gain as many spots as possible throughout the remainder of the final stage as he juggled the cutline with competitor Stewart Friesen. The pack was back to chaos as multiple cautions appeared with under 30 laps to go in the Team EJP 175. The green-white-checkered was in sight and Ankrum powered to the white flag as he crossed the line for the final time at just seven points above the playoff cutline. The young driver was able to fight to the finish and claw his way into the final spot in the NCTS 2026 playoff lineup. As the points reseed to begin The Chase, Ankrum will go into the first race of the playoffs at 70 points behind the leader.

Tyler Ankrum Quote:

“Man, I just wish for once we could have a boring day. It can never be easy. Obviously, happy to be in the playoffs but not happy with how today had gone. We had a lot of mechanical issues in the beginning of the year and I thought we were past that. I don’t like to be in these positions so we are going to take this three week break as a reset and come back to Bristol with momentum and consistency to start The Chase. Thank you to our track house pit crew for awesome stops today and keeping us in the game. Huge thank you to LIUNA and Chevrolet for the constant support and we will go get em’ in Bristol.”

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