Home Blog Page 52

Layne Riggs capitalizes for wild Truck victory at San Diego

By
Andrew Kim
-
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 19: Layne Riggs, driver of the #34 Mattermost Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Navy 250 at Naval Base Coronado on June 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images).

Layne Riggs made himself two-for-two on inaugural street courses in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division. His latest feat occurred in the inaugural Navy 250 at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado on Friday, June 19.

The 24-year-old Riggs from Bahama, North Carolina, led five times for a race-high 21 of 53 over-scheduled laps in an event where he started on the front row, led for the first time on the third lap and proceeded to win the first stage period on Lap 12. Despite sacrificing another round of stage points to pit under green on Lap 22 and before the second stage’s conclusion, Riggs’ pit service was a strategic move that would play a crucial factor throughout the final stage period.

Despite carving his way back towards the front and leading 10 laps in the closing stages, Riggs endured four caution periods amid on-track carnage and chaos while trying to stretch his fuel tank to the distance. With the event sent into overtime, Riggs seized an opportunity when teammate Chandler Smith and pole-sitter Kaden Honeycutt wrecked at the start of overtime. While battling Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reif for the lead, Riggs’ entry was slowly beginning to run out of fuel and stumble through every turn, but he managed to keep his entry running at full pace when the final lap started.

Then on the final lap, Riggs spent a majority of it trying to reel in Reif for the lead and victory. After getting close to his bumper with the finish in sight, Reif missed his mark and cut the course’s chicane. This allowed Riggs to duel, bump, and motor past Reif with two corners remaining. Despite stumbling on fuel throughout the final lap, Riggs had enough to cycle back to the finish line under full pace and claim the checkered flag for a thrilling victory in San Diego, California.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Kaden Honeycutt secured his third Truck pole position of the 2026 season with a pole-winning lap at 90.813 mph in 134.782 seconds. Layne Riggs started alongside Honeycutt on the front row and in second place with a lap at 90.535 mph in 135.196 seconds.

Prior to the event, a bevy of names that included Adam Andretti, Brenden Queen, Daniel Hemric, Brendan Gaughan, Giovanni Ruggiero, Landen Lewis, Jamie McMurray and Ben Rhodes dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments that were made to their respective entries. The following names, which included Justin Marks, Taner Gray, Christian Eckes and Stewart Friesen, also dropped to the rear of the field in backup trucks.

When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Kaden Honeycutt managed to motor ahead and clear Layne Riggs through the first turn and the track surface’s bumps as he assumed command entering the second turn. Through Turns 3 and 4, however, Riggs fought back and dueled alongside Honeycutt before the latter motored back ahead in between a short straightaway of Turns 5 and 6. As Jimmie Johnson navigated his way into third place over Chandler Smith, Honeycutt retained the lead through a series of tight left- and right-hand turns of Turns 6 through 12. As the field navigated through the final set of turns, including a tight chicane in between Turns 15 and 16, Honeycutt led the first lap over Riggs.

Honeycutt led the second lap until Riggs made a move beneath Honeycutt and dueled with the latter from the second turn. By the time the leaders navigated through the third turn, Riggs assumed command for the first time. When Riggs cycled back to the frontstretch to lead his first lap of the event (Lap 3), his advantage over Honeycutt stood at more than a second. Behind, Jimmie Johnson trailed by more than two seconds in third place while Chandler Smith and Ty Majeski were racing in the top five ahead of Grant Enfinger, Parker Kligerman, Andres Perez De Lara, Connor Mosack and Corey LaJoie, respectively.

On the third lap, the event’s first caution flew when Dawson Sutton, who spun with Nathan Nicholson in Turn 13 after Nicholson tapped Sutton, stalled on the course. During the event’s first caution period, some, including Christian Eckes, Giovanni Ruggiero, Tanner Gray, Kris Wright, Stewart Friesen, Cole Butcher, Brenden Queen and Nathan Nicholson, pitted while the rest, led by Riggs remained on the track.

The following restart on the sixth lap featured Riggs muscling his No. 34 Mattermost Ford F-150 entry ahead of Honeycutt to retain the lead through the first turn while Smith and Johnson battled for third place in front of Grant Enfinger and a stacked field. As Riggs retained the lead over Honeycutt, Johnson fended off Smith to assume third place. Amid their battle, Enfinger joined the battle while Majeski wheel-hopped, got sideways and barely saved his entry from spinning and colliding into the trio in Turn 6. While the field scrambled and jostled for spots through the remaining 16 turns across the Navy Coronado Base, Riggs led the following lap.

On the ninth lap, Parker Kligerman, Majeski, Connor Mosack, Adam Andretti, Mini Tyrrell and Cole Butcher opted to strategically pit under green flag conditions. During the following lap, Riggs, who had stabilized his advantage since the Lap 6 restart, was leading by more than two seconds over Honeycutt while Johnson, Smith and Enfinger occupied the top-five spots in front of Perez De Lara, Tyler Ankrum, Ben Rhodes, Landen Lewis and Tyler Reif, respectively.

When the first stage period concluded on Lap 12, Riggs cruised to his fifth Truck stage victory of the 2026 season. Honeycutt trailed in second place by five-and-a-half seconds while Johnson settled in third place. Smith, Enfinger, Ankrum, Ben Rhodes, Perez De Lara, Laden Lewis and Tyler Reif were scored in the top 10, respectively. Under the event’s first stage break period, Riggs led a group of competitors to pit road while the rest, led by teammates Honeycutt and Johnson, remained on the track.

The second stage period started on Lap 14 as Honeycutt and Johnson occupied the front row. At the start, Honeycutt launched his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry ahead and led Johnson and the field through the first two turns. As Honeycutt led the next two laps, trouble ignited through the chicane when Parker Kligerman bumped and sent Connor Mosack for a spin. As the field navigated past Mosack, he was hit by Corey LaJoie and LaJoie was the event’s first retiree.

Then on Lap 16, Honeycutt locked up his tires and overshot the second turn. This allowed Johnson to move his No. 1 Carvana Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry into the lead. While Honeycutt dropped to third place, Johnson proceeded to lead the next two laps over Chandler Smith.

On Lap 19, Johnson surrendered the lead to pit as Smith assumed the lead. Justin Haley and Justin Marks, the latter of whom sustained right-side damage after he hit the wall, also pitted with Johnson before the leader, Smith, Honeycutt, Hemric and Ruggiero all pitted under green during the next lap. Smith’s move cycled Kligerman to the lead. Kligerman, however, would be overtaken by Riggs as the latter returned atop the leaderboard by Lap 21. Meanwhile, more names like Landen Lewis, Kaz Grala, Stewart Friesen, Sutton and Butcher pitted under green before Riggs opted to strategically pit from the lead before the Lap 22 mark. With pit road becoming inaccessible to the field as the second stage period was nearing its conclusion, Kligerman reassumed the lead over Majeski.

When the second stage period concluded on Lap 24, Kligerman fended off Majeski to capture the stage victory. Enfinger trailed in third place by two seconds while Ankrum, Perez De Lara, Reif, Smith, Honeycutt, Johnson and Eckes were scored in the top 10, respectively, as 31 of 35 competitors were scored on the lead lap. Meanwhile, Jamie McMurray, who hit the Turn 16 wall hard and sustained heavy right-side damage two laps earlier while racing towards the rear of the field, retired from competition despite limping his wrecked entry for nearly a full lap. McMurray’s incident occurred after he had been dealing with braking issues.

During the event’s second stage break period, some led by Kligerman and including Majeski, Enfinger, Perez De Lara, Reif, Eckes, Tanner Gray, Ruggiero, Tyler Ankrum, Jackson Lee, Landen Lewis, Friesen, Gaughan, Queen, Butcher, Kris Wright, Garcia, Frankie Muniz and Nathan Nicholson pitted while the rest led by Chandler Smith remained on the track.

With 22 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Smith and Honeycutt, both of whom were among nine competitors who did not pit, occupied the front row. At the start, Honeycutt was quick to respond by dueling and overtaking Smith to lead through the first two turns. As Honeycutt led the field through the base’s 16 turns, Johnson reeled in from third place along with Hemric while Riggs quickly bolted his way into the top-five mark. Meanwhile, Kaulig Racing’s RAM competitors Haley and Tyrrell were racing in sixth and eighth along with Grala, Ruggiero and Sutton as Honeycutt led the next lap.

Then with 20 laps remaining, Honeycutt slipped entering the second turn for a second time. This time, he made contact with the tire barriers on the right side. This allowed Smith to reassume the lead while Honeycutt, who managed to continue without drawing a caution, was drawing up smoke while trying to retain the runner-up spot in his damaged entry over Johnson. Honeycutt then pitted for repairs, fresh tires and fuel during the next lap as both Johnson and Riggs, both of whom trailed the leader Smith by more than five seconds, moved up the leaderboard. Riggs then overtook Johnson for the runner-up spot as Frankie Muniz wrecked on the course, but managed to continue without drawing a caution.

With 18 laps remaining, the caution flew due to debris spotted on the course. The caution occurred a lap after Frankie Muniz had wrecked and limped his heavily damaged entry to his pit stall. During this caution period, Enfinger stalled his entry while trying to leave his pit stall following an earlier battery change, while Brendan Gaughan made an early pit stop to have a flat right-front tire changed. When the front-runners pitted, some, including the leader Smith, Johnson, Hemric, Grala, Lewis, Reif, Perez De Lara, Grala and Kligerman, pitted while the rest, led by Riggs, remained on the track.

During the next restart with 15 laps remaining, Riggs and Majeski, both of whom occupied the front row, led the field through the frontstretch, but Riggs wasted no time rocketing away from the field through the first turn. As the field navigated through the second turn, Riggs maintained a steady lead while Majeski retained second place in front of Ruggiero, Ankrum and Nathan Nicholson. Meanwhile, Honeycutt bolted his way up to sixth place while Johnson barely clipped the rear end of Queen while locking up his tires and nearly colliding into the side of Jackson Lee while trying to carve his way within the top-10 mark. As the field continued to scramble and jostle for late spots for a full cycle around the 16-turn course, Riggs led the next lap by more than two seconds.

Then with 11 laps remaining, the caution returned due to Jake Garcia stalling in Turn 5. At the time of caution, Riggs, who last pitted on Lap 22 and was unsure if he would have enough fuel to reach the event’s scheduled distance, was leading by more than five seconds over Majeski. Meanwhile, Smith and Honeycutt, both of whom have enough fuel to reach the event’s scheduled distance, occupied third and fourth ahead of Ankrum while Ruggiero, Eckes, Grala, Nicholson and Hemric were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Johnson, who spun after contact from Nicholson, was mired back in 18th place and he elected to pit during this caution period.

Down to the final eight laps, the event restarted as Riggs motored ahead of Majeski through the frontstretch and the first turn. Behind, teammate Chandler Smith motored his way into the runner-up spot as the field jumbled up through the first four turns. Amid the action within the pack, Riggs maintained a steady lead over Smith while Honeycutt bumped and overtook Majeski for third place. While Honeycutt tried to reel in the two Front Row Motorsports entries at the front, Smith reeled in and intimated his teammate Riggs for a full lap before he took advantage of Riggs briefly slipping to overtake him through the frontstretch and the first turn during the next lap.

With five laps remaining, Smith retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over Riggs while third-place Honeycutt trailed by nearly two seconds. Behind, Majeski and Ankrum trailed in the top five ahead of Hemric, Reif, Eckes, Grala and Lewis while Ben Rhodes, Ruggiero, Haley, Nicholson, Perez De Lara, Kligerman, Kris Wright, Queen, Tyrrell and Johnson, the latter of whom spun for a second time, his latest spin occurring in Turn 9 not long after the restart, were mired in the top 20, respectively.

A lap later, the caution returned when Ankrum, who was racing in fifth place and reeling in on Majeski for fourth place, wrecked hard against the wall in Turn 16 after he ran over a bump on the racing surface while approaching the frontstretch. The incident destroyed the right side of Ankrum’s No. 18 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado RST entry and the wall area in which Ankrum hit while the event was placed in a red flag period for eight minutes and 39 seconds.

When the red flag lifted and the event restarted with two laps remaining, Chandler Smith gained a strong launch from Riggs to motor ahead through the frontstetch and the first turn while Honeycutt, who briefly scuffed the wall through the first turn, battled with Riggs for the runner-up spot. As Smith led the field through the second turn, a stack-up ensued when Rhodes, who was battling within the top five, locked up his front tires and hit the tire barriers in the second turn. Rhodes’ incident ignited a chain reaction wreck that involved Nicholson, Kris Wright, Kligerman and Perez De Lara. The caution then returned, and the event was sent into overtime due to the carnage and debris left scattered just past the second turn.

The start of overtime featured Smith and Honeycutt briefly dueling entering the first turn before Honeycutt motored ahead. Then, as Smith was preparing to execute a crossover move on Honeycutt, the latter slipped and hit the wall on the left side. In the ensuing carnage, Smith hit Honeycutt’s damaged entry and spun towards the right-side wall. With both Smith and Honeycutt taken out of contention, Riggs and Daniel Hemric battled for the lead until Hemric assumed command through the fifth turn. Riggs, however, responded through Turn 6 and he reassumed the lead while Tyler Reif reeled in on the two leaders.

Then through Turns 8, 9 and 10, Riggs was drawn back into a side-by-side battle with Hemric for the lead. With the latter two refusing to lift off the throttle and dueling dead even for the lead, they then bumped and made contact through Turn 11. This allowed Reif to throw a three-wide move as both he and Hemric stormed past Riggs in Turn 12. Reif and Hemric then battled dead even until Reif muscled ahead just past Turn 13. Despite getting nearly turned by Hemric entering the chicane, Reif kept his No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST entry pointed straight and he led through and past the chicane while Riggs challenged Hemric for the runner-up spot.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Reif remained in the lead ahead of Hemric, Riggs, Landen Lewis and Kaz Grala, respectively. Riggs immediately wasted no time overtaking Hemric for the runner-up spot through the first turn and he spent the next 14 turns trying to reel in Reif for the lead. Through every turn and straightaway, Reif maintained his advantage and looked to establish a steady advantage until Riggs got close to Reif through Turn 12. Then in the chicane, Reif missed the chicane and cut the chicane’s first course turn. This allowed Riggs to draw even with Reif exiting the chicane, and they made contact before Reif was forced to serve a stop-and-go penalty for missing the chicane. With Reif out of contention, Riggs had enough fuel to navigate through the final two turns and cross the finish line to win by over a second.

No. 34
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 19: Layne Riggs, driver of the #34 Mattermost Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Navy 250 at Naval Base Coronado on June 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

With the victory, Riggs, who added 39 points to his points lead, notched his ninth career win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division, his fourth of the 2026 season and his third victory over the previous four races this season, including San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado. Riggs’ San Diego victory also made him two-for-two on street venues after he won the inaugural Truck event at the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, in mid-February. He also delivered the fifth victory of this season for both Front Row Motorsports and the Ford nameplate.

“Layne van Riggsbergen came to play today,” Riggs, who took a shot at Shane van Gisbergen’s road course dominance, said on the frontstretch on FS1. “I got my second street course win. We’re undefeated at street courses. Much respect, Shane. I wish I could be as good as you one day, man, but I’m gonna take all my glory here in the Truck Series.”

“I don’t even know what happened at the end,” Riggs added. “Sparks flying, people wrecking, staying in the throttle. I was running out of fuel the entire last lap. It was like St. Pete all over again. Great job with [Tyler] Reif there. He continued, saying, “I was gonna fake left to scare him, and he missed the corner. I wasn’t really gonna dive it in there, and it worked for me. I hate that Chandler got taken out there and [Honeycutt]/ They definitely had [the race] won. They beat us on strategy. We just didn’t have the tires. When we stayed out because we could make it to the end on fuel, the tires prevailed. What a crazy race today with the strategy and everything else…What a historic event. Hopefully, we put on a great race for all the fans that have never seen NASCAR Trucks before.”

Meanwhile, Tyler Reif, a two-time ARCA Menards Series West championship runner-up from Las Vegas, Nevada, who made his seventh Truck Series career start at San Diego, was left disappointed on pit road after having a first victory slip from his grasp following his tire lock-up and missing the chicane with the finish in sight. Despite coming to a brief stop after missing the chicane, Reif ended up in 19th place.

“Pushing 101%,” Reif said. “I was just way over the tire there. I heard one [truck length] back with Layne, and I just didn’t want him to have a chance to get to me. My mistake. It’s very unfortunate that I did that. I don’t know how many more chances I’ll have like this, but I’m sure there will be more. I’m gonna make sure to not make that mistake again.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Hemric fended off Kaz Grala and Landen Lewis to claim the runner-up spot despite hitting the Turn 16 wall with the finish in sight. Ty Majeski settled in fifth place while Justin Haley, Brenden Queen, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes and Giovanni Ruggiero finished in the top 10, respectively.

Notably, Chandler Smith, who led 13 laps, finished as the final competitor on the lead lap in 22nd place, while Kaden Honeycutt, who led 10 laps and was unable to finish, settled for 23rd. Brendan Gaughan came home in 16th place, Justin Marks ended up two laps down in 25th place, and Jimmie Johnson retired in 30th place due to an electrical issue.

There were 16 lead changes for six different leaders. The event featured seven cautions for 16 laps. In addition, 22 of 35 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the 13th event of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, Layne Riggs leads the standings by 65 points over Kaden Honeycutt, 128 over Chandler Smith, 152 over Giovanni Ruggiero and 154 over Christian Eckes.

Results:

  1. Layne Riggs, 21 laps led, Stage 1 winner
  2. Daniel Hemric
  3. Kaz Grala
  4. Landen Lewis
  5. Ty Majeski
  6. Justin Haley
  7. Brenden Queen
  8. Ben Rhodes
  9. Christian Eckes
  10. Giovanni Ruggiero
  11. Mini Tyrrell
  12. Tanner Gray
  13. Kris Wright
  14. Adam Andretti
  15. Cole Butcher
  16. Brendan Gaughan
  17. Austin Varco
  18. Parker Kligerman, six laps led, Stage 2 winner
  19. Tyler Reif, one lap led
  20. Frankie Muniz
  21. Andres Perez De Lara
  22. Chandler Smith, 13 laps led
  23. Kaden Honeycutt – OUT, Accident, 10 laps led
  24. Connor Mosack, one lap down
  25. Justin Marks, two laps down
  26. Dawson Sutton, two laps down
  27. Jackson Lee, three laps down
  28. Nathan Nicholson – OUT, Accident
  29. Grant Enfinger, five laps down
  30. Jimmie Johnson – OUT, Electrical, two laps led
  31. Tyler Ankrum – OUT, Accident
  32. Jake Garcia – OUT, Transmission
  33. Stewart Friesen – OUT, Power
  34. Jamie McMurray – OUT, Accident
  35. Corey LaJoie – OUT, Accident

Next on the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule is the series’ second annual LiUNA 150 at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. The event is scheduled to occur on July 11 and air at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes – Chris Buescher San Diego Media Availability

By
Official Release
-

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Anduril 250 Media Availability — Naval Base Coronado
Friday, June 19, 2026

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT PRACTICE SESSION WENT? “I don’t think it was too bad. Overall, it was a little different than the simulator, just from a couple tire bundle places, although we saw that on the track walk. The pit wall barrels kind of coming up head-on is not ideal there, but outside of that, it’s really not bad overall. It’s slick in some places and narrow in others and incredibly wide in others, so it’s a big challenge, which we knew it would be coming in.”

WHAT WAS MORE CHALLENGING, THIS PRACTICE OR DECIDING TO STAY AT RFK? “This was way more challenging. This is quite possibly the hardest thing we’ve done in a race car. It was very difficult to find your marks, figure out what’s doable and then you just really don’t have much room for error. We’ve seen probably six, seven, eight backup cars across the first two series to go out today and we certainly didn’t want to be in that grouping. We were just trying to build up to it and our last run was certainly our best. We got a lot better there, so I feel like we’re gonna be in a decent spot for qualifying. We’ve got to find some speed yet, but it will be hard to show up here off memory. We all have 12 or 15 laps around here now, off memory go put down your fast lap right from the get-go tomorrow, so it’s gonna be tricky like we knew it would. I’m glad to have a clean Body Guard Ford Mustang at the end of this thing. That makes us feel decent on that front, but we just have to keep hunting for some speed.”

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STAY AT RFK? “There are lots of reasons that I have that have been formed from 15 years ago and it’s simply the opportunity that was afforded me by Jack Roush and everybody at RFK. Through that time period all the way to now to be able to keep it going, I feel like from a performance standpoint we’re in a good spot, but we have to be able to better it yet. I think we can get there, I do. Right now, we’re going to a lot of these mile-and-a-halves or Michigans or Poconos or wherever they may be and it’s fresh in my mind right now and we’re somewhere between a fourth to seventh place contender. I think we were a little better than that at Pocono, but everyone’s favorite phrase – dirty air – but with that the potential is really close to being in the hunt to win week in and week out, and I believe that we can get there, and I believe we have a ton of really talented people. With a new Ford coming next year I’m looking forward to getting the Dark Horse SC on track and seeing what that feels like and where that can carry us, so, again, some of it is history and having that appreciation and feeling like you have a home and the other part of it is truly feeling like the competition level is right there at the cusp of truly being great.”

Kaden Honeycutt wins inaugural Truck pole at San Diego

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Kaden Honeycutt won the pole position for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ inaugural running of the Navy 250 at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado on Friday, June 19.

The event’s starting lineup was determined through a group qualifying session, where the field of 35 competitors were split into two qualifying groups. Each group was given 20 minutes to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest lap between the groups would be awarded the pole position.

Honeycutt was the fastest competitor during Friday’s wild practice session in San Diego. The session had numerous competitors encounter on-track issues and incidents. Honeycutt, however, clocked in his fastest lap at 90.813 mph in 134.782 seconds. The lap was enough for the 22-year-old Honeycutt from Willow Park, Texas, and his No. 11 Safelite/TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry team to claim the top-starting spot for Friday’s inaugural street course event around the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California.

With the pole, Honeycutt notched his third Craftsman Truck Series career pole for his 72nd start in the series and third of the 2026 season (Darlington Raceway & Bristol Motor Speedway in April). Honeycutt, who notched his first career victory at Watkins Glen International in early May, will attempt to achieve his second consecutive victory on a street/road course venue this season as he also strives to build more on-track momentum towards his championship hopes when the Chase commences in mid-September.

Honeycutt will share the front row at San Diego with Layne Riggs, the latter of whom clocked in the second-fastest lap at 90.535 mph in 135.196 seconds. Riggs, who won the series’ inaugural street course event at St. Petersburg, Florida, in mid-February, will attempt to double down on street course venues this season and extend his lead in the regular-season standings prior to his second championship bid during the Chase.

Chandler Smith, Riggs’ teammate at Front Row Motorsports, will start in third place with a qualifying lap at 89.847 mph in 136.231 seconds. Smith will share the second row with Jimmie Johnson, the latter of whom is making his second Truck career start in the No. 1 Carvana Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry for TRICON Garage. Johnson posted his best lap at 89.736 mph in 136.400 seconds. Grant Enfinger and Giovanni Ruggiero will occupy the third-starting row (fifth and sixth, respectively). Andres Perez De Lara, Ty Majeski, Landen Lewis and Parker Kligerman will start in the top 10, respectively.

Notably, Justin Marks, Daniel Hemric, Adam Andretti, Brenden Queen and Tanner Gray all did not post a qualifying lap due to damaging and/or wrecking their entries during Friday’s two practice sessions. The latter five rounded out the starting lineup from 31st to 35th, respectively.

Christian Eckes also did not post a qualifying lap. He hit the tire barriers in Turn 12 and will start in 30th place. Stewart Friesen, who managed to post the 22nd-fastest lap, endured a hard incident. He slid into the wall while trying to prevent his entry from spinning through a tight set of turns from Turns 14 and 15. Friesen’s incident occurred after Marks endured a similar incident in practice that left the latter’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST entry on fire and heavily damaged, with a backup truck needed.

Veteran Brendan Gaughan is piloting the No. 20 South Point Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. He will start in 28th place after smacking the wall in Turn 16, damaging the right side of his entry while qualifying. Jamie McMurray, who is piloting the No. 25 RAM 1500 entry for Kaulig Racing, will start in 21st place.

With 35 competitors vying for 35 starting spots, all made the main event.

San Diego – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:

  1. Kaden Honeycutt, 90.813 mph, 134.782 seconds
  2. Layne Riggs, 90.535 mph, 135.196 seconds
  3. Chandler Smith, 89.847 mph, 136.231 seconds
  4. Jimmie Johnson, 89.736 mph, 136.400 seconds
  5. Grant Enfinger, 89.634 mph, 136.555 seconds
  6. Giovanni Ruggiero, 89.592 mph, 136.620 seconds
  7. Andres Perez De Lara, 89.520 mph, 136.729 seconds
  8. Ty Majkesi, 89.518 mph, 136.732 seconds
  9. Landen Lewis, 89.301 mph, 137.065 seconds
  10. Parker Kligerman, 89.258 mph, 137.130 seconds
  11. Connor Mosack, 89.209 mph, 137.206 seconds
  12. Tyler Ankrum, 89.180 mph, 137.250 seconds
  13. Ben Rhodes, 89.120 mph, 137.343 seconds
  14. Tyler Reif, 89.081 mph, 137.403 seconds
  15. Corey LaJoie, 88.590 mph, 138.165 seconds
  16. Kaz Grala, 88.569 mph, 138.198 seconds
  17. Justin Haley, 88.342 mph, 138.552 seconds
  18. Dawson Sutton, 87.936 mph, 139.192 seconds
  19. Jake Garcia, 87.847 mph, 139.333 seconds
  20. Nathan Nicholson, 87.725 mph, 139.527 seconds
  21. Jamie McMurray, 87.537 mph, 139.827 seconds
  22. Stewart Friesen, 87.132 mph, 140.476 seconds
  23. Mini Tyrrell, 86.937 mph, 140.791 seconds
  24. Kris Wright, 86.738 mph, 141.115 seconds
  25. Cole Butcher, 86.566 mph, 141.395 seconds
  26. Jackson Lee, 85.977 mph, 142.363 seconds
  27. Frankie Muniz, 85.522 mph, 143.121 seconds
  28. Brendan Gaughan, 84.898 mph, 144.173 seconds
  29. Austin Varco, 84.813 mph, 144.318 seconds
  30. Christian Eckes, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
  31. Justin Marks, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
  32. Daniel Hemric, Owner Points
  33. Adam Andretti, Owner Points
  34. Brenden Queen, Owner Points
  35. Tanner Gray, Owner Points

The inaugural Navy 250 at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado is scheduled to occur on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

TOYOTA RACING – NCS San Diego Quotes – Tyler Reddick – 06.19.16

By
Official Release
-

TOYOTA RACING – Tyler Reddick
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

SAN DIEGO (June 19, 2026) – 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick was made available to the media on Friday prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 Pala Casino Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Tell us about your initial thoughts about being here at Naval Base Coronado

“It’s beautiful. Got to meet a lot of friendly people that are stationed here that are very excited to watch us race here on the base. It was earlier in the day at San Diego Zoo running into people over there that live here or are here on base. Just a lot of positivity. Excited to get on the race track and try and figure this out. So far, beautiful views and excited to be here.”

What is your initial reactions to what we’ve seen on track before you practice for the Cup Series?

“The approach was already going to be fairly conservative. You want to push the issues and learn, but I think it’s important to understand out there what areas you can push those issues without ending your practice early. I saw a number of trucks and O’Reilly cars catching the wall, and pretty much the end of your day. For those guys they may not have an opportunity to qualify later on. I would say the implications are big no matter the series. That’s going to be the biggest thing, it’s going to be super important to find the limits early. You have to go about it in a very smart and calculated way. There are a number of corners you don’t necessarily want to play around with, but it certainly seems like the surface in a number of areas is slick and grippy and some areas wore out, it will be very challenging in the race car what the limits are around the race track. Everyone is curious to see what the pace evolution is as we continue to rubber it in and how much it will pick up.”

How challenging will it be to be able to race Sunday without having the ideal line like during qualifying so you can navigate and make passes?

“I feel like a number of us who have had the opportunity to race at the Chicago Street Course have somewhat of an idea of that. I think that will be an ongoing process on Sunday. I would imagine the whole field will be careful to start and then more and more aggression will follow as we run. Just watching it seems like it’s easy to miss your marks and have a slip up as it is by yourself. That’s certainly been on my mind, what turn 1 and 2 is going to look like, even (turn) 3 side-by-side. That’s something I’ll be thinking about as we go through this practice, what all that would look like. I would imagine you will have to tip toe your way through there pretty carefully.”

With Denny (Hamlin) closing in on your in points and knowing you run well on road courses with two of those races in back-to-back weeks, what will be your approach for here and Sonoma?

“No matter the points day we had before now, we come into here setting ourselves up to try and win. Now we have to weigh those decisions, whether that’s when we get going in the race on Sunday or even make that decision tonight or depending on how qualifying goes. It’s something that we are going to be aware of. We have a car good enough and have the speed to continue to contend for the race win, we are going to do that. If we are not where we want to be, I think we can be honest with ourselves and change up our strategy for Sunday.”

What will it be like to drive past an aircraft carrier?

“That will be really cool. I would say the first lap we go out there and getting everything warmed up and feel the grip level before we start our first lap, I’ll probably be checking things out. But after that I will need to stay focused. That turn 3 braking zone is going to be difficult. Hopefully nobody gets distracted by the aircraft carrier during the race but it’s quite the sight in front of you, that’s for sure.”

Is there anything you would like to see NASCAR to change about the course from what you have seen so far?

“All I’ve done is really walk it. From my standpoint, I really haven’t had a chance to talk to any of the Truck or O’Reilly series drivers. I think just the nature of a street course, there’s only so much you can do. You move a little bit of this or a little bit of that. You’re probably going to have the same issue regardless. I will see if there’s anything after practice if there’s a spot or two that they might change it, but it’s hard to say at this point. Think we all understand that this is a street course, there’s not a lot of room for runoff. There are certain areas in the racetrack that has some room and others it’s just as much room as possible. It’s just the nature of it as a driver, you have to be smart and intentional with your risk versus reward.”

How much of your time in the SIM before this weekend be beneficial knowing the course wasn’t put together until this week?

“Certainly a benefit. I haven’t been able to watch timing and scoring from Trucks or O’Reilly, but I’ve heard some of the chatter that there’s a decent amount of falloff over the course of a tire right. Obviously Trucks and O’Reilly definitely have more than the Cup cars do. Definitely curious to see how it relates to our stuff. It’s part of it, when we would go to Chicago walls would be a little bit of a different place than we were expecting as well. It’s just something as a driver you understand coming into it, I certainly did, to tell myself the last couple of weeks getting ready for this event to just be ready for anything. You’re ready to change your mindset or your marks as the track speeds up and as things change during the weekend.”

Is it important to you to win a NASCAR race in your home state of California?

“It’s certainly important. Years ago, we would go to Fontana, that would really come to mind there. Unfortunately, we no longer get to race there. That’s one in particular that eats at me never getting the win there and not going back. Between here and in Sonoma with Sonoma being a bit closer, I would love to win in my home state. We got to figure out if we are going to have the speed to contend for the win or it’s going to be about getting points. That’s just the tricky thing about where we are at. Over the years we’ve gone to the Roval and would have loved to go for the race win, but have been in a spot where you have to go after points. We will see where land going into Sunday’s race and if we are close enough we will hopefully be racing for the race win.”

Will you have any extra friends and family attend Sonoma next week?

“Some members of my family on my dad’s side get a RV and hang out, so will get to see them, which is nice. Every time we go up there it’s beautiful, we get to see some people. These next two week being out here, we are going to soak it in the best we can.”

Is there some enjoyment about coming to races for the first time and doing something different?

“I certainly think so. Sometimes you get used to the routine. I think of a number of tracks we go to where you land and you go straight to the track whether you are with your family or not. There’s a number of tracks you go to where you take it for granted where you are at and what you are doing, so coming here for the first time and seeing everything that is San Diego and Coronado has been fun. You think, where do I start? What is there to do while we are here? I’m certainly enjoying that. I think leading into it with everyone there’s a little bit of stress about where to go and how we are going to get there, but now that we are here I’m just really enjoying it.”

How do you prepare for the whole front wheels coming off the ground in a spot here?

“Hold your breath, I don’t know. Maybe I will ask Riley (Herbst), he’s done some of that racing growing up. My dirt race growing up, it was never good to leave the ground so we’ll see. Hang on. I’m excited to see what that sensation is like. Hopefully our car does leave the ground at least once or twice”

What has it been like have Pala on your car this weekend?

“This is a big race for them, they are right down the road. It’s really an awesome opportunity to have them on the car and be working with them this weekend. I’ve seen the signage walking into the track and the displays they have in the fan zone. It’s a big weekend for them and I want to do everything I can do for them as a driver to bring them the best result possible. Got to go to the San Diego Zoo and spend some time down there and got to take the family there as well and see some cool animals and certain species that are endangered was a lot of fun. My son’s reactions to some of them and my youngest Rookie was a lot of fun.”

Are you planning on stopping at any of your old dirt tracks you raced out here in California before Sonoma weekend next week?

“That’s the tricky part, where we are in Sonoma as opposed to where I raced is a couple of hours further north. Will see how the weekend goes while we are there and if I have a day that ends up being free, but maybe we will take a road trip and check it all out. It is a bit difficult right now, it’s hard to expect Rookie to sit in the car for a couple of hours and not be upset. Maybe a few years down the road when he gets a bit older we will be able to take those long road trips.”

What is the role of spotters here?

“Me and Nick (Payne, spotter) got to see where some of the spotter locations were throughout the lap. It seems like the visibility in certain sections are going to be limited. We’ll essentially take it a lot at a time in practice and just kind of understand what the role of spotters are going to be. We’ll just take it one lap at a time and myself and Nick and the rest of the team will debrief about it afterwards.”

How challenging is it for a driver to not have as much help from spotters?

”It’s tricky to figure out sometimes. We’ll discuss how the weekend goes and the role might be just to see what’s up ahead, depending on what they have and what section they are in. It will be something we can figure out after we get through practice here.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes – Brad Keselowski San Diego Media Availability

By
Official Release
-

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Anduril 250 Media Availability — Naval Base Coronado
Friday, June 19, 2026

Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, held a press conference today at Naval Base Coronado before practice to talk about this weekend’s inaugural event.

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU GOT TO TAKE A TOUR OF A SUBMARINE YESTERDAY. WHAT DOES THAT SPONSORSHIP MEAN FOR THIS WEEKEND? “I’ve had a chance to work with the United States Navy off and on now for the last 18-19 years, and I got to come to this island in 2008 and went underway on the Asheville, which is a nuclear submarine. It’s a little bit full circle to be back here for a NASCAR race. It’s not something I would have had on my bingo card in 2008, but I’m still glad to be here for it. This year, our partnership isn’t directly with the Navy, but indirectly with Build Submarines, which is a huge initiative for the Navy to build the submarines that they need to keep up for the fighting force that’s required for tomorrow’s Navy. They gave me a chance to go on the Greeneville, which was great. I met the crew and the commanding officer and all those guys and had a chance to engage with them. Of course, they think it’s really neat that there’s a NASCAR race in their backyard, which is great. We think it’s really cool that they get to work on a nuclear submarine, so we’re trading some envies, but the weekend itself is just so unique. It means a lot to our military. I think what I see in this weekend is obviously a chance to race and do what we love to do, but also to celebrate our country and the military by being really integrated with them in ways that we’ve never, at least in my time in the sport, done before. So, a lot of opportunities this weekend to celebrate and to have a good time and do innovative things for our sport and for our military that hopefully leave a lasting impression for years to come.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY TO COMPETE ON A BASE LIKE THIS WHEN YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED? “I had some family that served. My cousin served and was based very close to here, so that was a neat story to talk to him about when they announced the race. A lot of respect for our military and what they do. I will tell you that all of them have told me if there’s a place to be stationed, this is one of the best, so there’s that going for it. But I was very fortunate to make a career in motorsports and to be where I’m at and do the things I’ve gotten to do. There was a time where I wasn’t sure that was possible, and I certainly had some thoughts of being able to do some things with the military never knowing what that would be. I’m thankful my life and career turned out where it is, but certainly have a lot of respect for those that have made the choice to serve and are willing to do those things that our country needs to provide our freedoms to do events like this. I always think about our sport and its founding from 1948 and a lot of World War II veterans, people who have served and how deep that runs in the blood of our sport, and how there will always be a connection. You hear the moonshine connection all the time and not that that’s not accurate. There’s certainly a lot of truth to that, but I think of the military connection as being one and the same with those who had served and came back from combat and World War II and decided to create our sport and to professionalize it. So I really respect that heritage of our sport and I respect the fact that this sport hasn’t lost that, that it keeps that legacy going and in some ways has even, at least in my time, heightened its connection to the military and kind of that legend.”

THE LAST THREE WEEKENDS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR YOUR TEAM. HOW DO YOU GO INTO THIS WEEKEND KNOWING IT’S GOING TO BE HARD FOR EVERYONE? “The last four weeks have been kind of hell for the 6 team, for sure. Nothing has gone right. We’ve caught a lot of bad breaks and made some of our own along the way, so we’re eager to correct that cycle. I’m fully expecting this to be a very, very high attrition race weekend for all three series. You’ve probably already seen that with the trucks practicing and qualifying. We’re not immune to that if we’re not careful. We can only control certain aspects, but we need to control them and be running at the end for sure.”

CHRIS BUESCHER SIGNED AND EXTENSION THIS WEEK. WHAT DOES HE BRING TO THIS ORGANIZATION? “Chris right now is obviously a cornerstone of our company. He’s delivered results. He puts us in a position to win and compete that I’m really proud of. He’s doing all the work he needs to do to be successful. He’s taken his lumps, paid a lot of dues, and we just want to give him the best car we can give him so he can win races. There was a lot of competition for Chris and a lot of teams in the garage area that wanted him. It was not a layup for us to re-sign him, but we feel fortunate that he felt our commitment was strong enough to want to stay with us.”

YOU HAVE BEEN COMPLIMENTARY OF PRIME AND ITS COVERAGE. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR NASCAR? “I think Amazon has come in with a fresh set of eyes and they’ve really brought something to our sport. Certainly, we can find any issues to pick them apart with, but I’m really proud of their flexibility and really proud of their professionalism and willingness to push our sport and the other broadcast partners to be better. I think they’ve been very good for our sport. I have a lot of empathy for them because I think when it was announced that NASCAR was gonna have a three-headed media rights deal between broadcast, cable and streaming, there were a number of people that came down on Amazon and there was a lot of negative sentiment, and I think they somewhat took that to heart and have made sure they delivered a product that was so fantastic that that sentiment has been quickly turned down and they deserve all the credit in the world for having that mentality and executing on it.”

DID YOU GO OUT TO BALLAST POINT YESTERDAY AND ACTUALLY GET ON THE GREENEVILLE? “I did, yes sir. I got on the Greeneville and did a nice little tour, which was fantastic. I met some of the crew members and learned more about nuclear submarines. There’s a lot to learn. I’ve done a few different trips with them and been on a few submarines and every time I learn something new and fresh. It’s just an amazing piece of machinery.”

THAT’S A TOUGHER BASE TO GET ON THAN THIS ONE. “The bases have their different levels. We were very fortunate to be able to do it.”

DO VETERANS HAVE AN ADVANTAGE COMING TO A TRACK FOR THE FIRST TIME LIKE THIS, OR DO ROAD COURSE DRIVERS HAVE AN EDGE? “You mean besides Shane? I think Shane’s background is the ideal background, which is V8 Supercars. This is kind of what they do. Similar cars. Similar types of tracks. That’s really what you look for is those experiences that gives them the best opportunity to be successful for sure. Short of that, I think Trans-Am experience is pretty good. That seems to be the go-to now for the younger drivers. We’re seeing a lot of success with that, but the experience being in Cup is good, but not as good as it is having time in either one of those two series.”

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HAS SURPRISED YOU SO FAR FROM WALKING THE TRACK OR WATCHING THE TRUCK SERIES PRACTICE AND QUALIFY? “I think all of us knew from our simulator time how the track was gonna play out, or had a great feel for it, I think. I’d say it’s very similar to that. Simulators are good, but they’re never perfect. I think that the biggest challenge as a whole with this track are the different surfaces and the grip levels that are associated with them. It appears that the tarmac area of the track has a lot less grip than we anticipated and some of the older asphalt areas probably have a little more grip than we anticipated, so that’s probably the only significant surprises for me. Like I said, we expect it to be high attrition and that seems to be playing out. I would be surprised if it’s low attrition Sunday afternoon when this race is over, but, for right now, not a lot of big surprises.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE WITH NASCAR AND THE BALANCE BETWEEN RISK VS. REWARD ON SOME OF THE TRACK DECISIONS THEY’VE MADE IN RECENT YEARS? “I think NASCAR, when I started racing in the Cup Series, was very schedule risk averse. They’d pick a set of tracks, we ran at them, maybe a date changed year to year, but basically they were all the same tracks. Occasionally, we’d add a track or two, and now it feels like the culture has just flipped 180 and we’re just major schedule innovations. I welcome that. I think it’s important for our fans, important for our industry to keep it fresh, but I also say there’s a caveat to that with certain events. I think we learned some lessons as a sport on where not to innovate. The Daytona 500 always needs to be where it is. The Southern 500 needing to be on Labor Day. Our crown jewel events feel very fixed, as they should, and our opportunities lie outside of those, and I think the sport is doing a good job of recognizing that to be the case. My bigger struggle as a whole is that when we tend to take on new venues it seems to always be road courses. I would like to see us take on new venues that are ovals and more in line with this sport’s success. There are a number of opportunities to do that, but, as a whole, I’m really on board with the idea of the sport innovating the schedule and doing so in such a way that fixes our legacy crown jewel events or cements them in while looking at the rest of the weekends as opportunities.”

YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OVALS OUT THERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE. WHAT REALISTICALLY IS OUT THERE ON THE OVAL SIDE THAT NASCAR CAN GO TO? “I think that the first answer that is underway or developing is clearly the Nashville Fairgrounds. There’s a lot of energy inside the industry to make that happen. There are some challenges with local governments to execute that. There are some other opportunities that, I have to be careful because I sit on the scheduling committee. There are some other opportunities that I think are really compelling and interesting, though, that are not public and probably don’t need to be at this time.”

IT SEEMS THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF OTHER EVENTS AROUND THIS WEEKEND. YOU CAN’T DO THIS KIND OF THING EVERY WEEK, BUT CAN YOU TAKE A TEMPLATE FROM THIS AN APPLY IT TO SOME OTHER RACES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN IT IS NOW? “The industry is just trying to find a balance. We could not do this every weekend. I think everybody knows that. It probably still needs to be stated, but as an industry if we had to pull off weekends like this all the time, we just couldn’t do it. The cost and the workload is extreme, which doesn’t mean we don’t like doing it, and I think there’s a lot of reasons to do events like this, we just have to be in balance and find that moderation to the tracks that we know are established, dates that we know are meaningful to our fans and the ones that give us some wiggle room. I always view that as a line that you walk and sometimes you get a little too far to the left and sometimes you get a little too far to the right. I think we’re walking it reasonably well right now, but we still need to be cognizant of it.”

LOOKING BIG PICTURE, YOU HAVE THIS RACE, YOU HAD CHICAGO AND MEXICO CITY. WHAT IS NEXT? “There’s other opportunities. Stay tuned. We’ll find them, but there will be more.”

FORD ANNOUNCED THE VETERANS DAY RACE. BEING PART OF THAT GROUP, HOW SPECIAL IS THAT AND IS THERE ANY PLANS FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENT? “Honestly, I don’t know that much about it. I read the same press release and that’s probably the extent of my knowledge at the moment, but it does seem interesting and compelling. I know Ford has some fun ideas that they’re putting out there and that one hasn’t materialized enough for me to speak articulately about, but I do respect the idea of the industry coming together to do things of that nature.”

Taylor Grabs Spotlight To Lead Andretti Global 1-2-3 at Road America

By
Official Release
-

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Friday, June 19, 2026) – With five points separating the top three drivers in INDY NXT by Firestone entering the doubleheader this weekend at Road America, Max Taylor sent a powerful message during practice Friday – don’t forget about me.

Taylor led the only practice for both races in the INDYCAR development series, turning a top lap of 1 minute, 53.1419 seconds in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen car as Andretti Global drivers took the first three spots in the 45-minute session. Taylor is fourth in the series standings, 27 points behind leader Nikita Johnson.

“It felt pretty good,” Taylor said. “First time on this track in an INDY NXT car but definitely not my first time here. There are a lot of things to get used to, a lot more than I thought, but I adapted pretty quickly, and the Andretti car was on rails. As you can see, we were 1-2-3, so a really good way to start a weekend.”

Andretti Global flexed with Lochie Hughes second at 1:53.2732 in the team’s No. 26 entry, with teammate Josh Pierson third at 1:53.3204 in the No. 29 Starchive Andretti machine.

Series leader Johnson was the quickest non-Andretti driver and top rookie, fourth at 1:53.3652 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR car. Johnson leads HMD Motorsports rookie teammates Enzo Fittipaldi and Tymek Kucharczyk by two and five points, respectively, in the standings entering this event.

Matteo Nannini rounded out the top five at 1:53.6558 in the No. 20 Enve Motorsports car as Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR filled the bottom two spots of the top five.

Myles Rowe celebrated his 26th birthday today by ending up sixth at 1:54.1355 in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy machine. Rowe won the most recent event, June 7 on the World Wide Technology Raceway oval, after starting 24th and last in the longest climb to victory in the series’ 40-year history.

Among the closest championship contenders to leader Johnson, Fittipaldi was 10th today at 1:54.4460 in the No. 67 HMD Motorsports car, with Kucharczyk 16th at 1:54.7796 in the team’s No. 71 machine.

Up next on the 14-turn, 4.014-mile road course is qualifying at 10 a.m. ET Saturday, which will set the starting grid for both races. Race 1 (20 laps) starts at 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday, with Race 2 (18 laps) set for noon ET Sunday. Live coverage of all sessions is available on FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

Hannah Bell, Performance Vehicle Works Racing Return to Tri-County Speedway with Momentum on Their Side

By
Official Release
-

GRANITE FALLS, N.C.: The change of scenery was exactly what the doctor ordered.

After a frustrating start to the season at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Hannah Bell and her Performance Vehicle Works Racing team elected to shake things up two weeks ago, hoping a trip to a different racetrack would provide a fresh start and spark the momentum they had been searching for.

It worked.

From the opening laps of practice through the checkered flag, Bell steadily regained her confidence, quickly reacclimated to the new surroundings, found speed, and made decisive passes that culminated in an encouraging eighth-place finish in the NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts competition.

In the immediate aftermath, there was plenty to celebrate. The team loaded a clean race car back into the trailer, the result was a step in the right direction and, perhaps most importantly, Bell climbed from the cockpit with a smile on her face.

But once the excitement faded, everyone’s attention quickly shifted to Saturday night’s next opportunity, determined to build on the momentum rather than simply be satisfied with it.

The challenge now is proving the recent performance wasn’t a one-off, but rather the beginning of a trend.

Armed with renewed confidence and a better understanding of what the team needs behind the wheel, Bell enters Saturday night’s event optimistic that another clean, competitive outing can continue moving the program in the right direction.

“The biggest thing for me was getting my confidence back,” Bell said.

“We made progress every time we were on the track, and by the end of the night I felt comfortable racing around other cars and making moves when the opportunities were there. It wasn’t exactly where we want to be yet, but it definitely felt like a big step in the right direction.”

While the finishing position was encouraging, the biggest takeaway from the previous race wasn’t necessarily the result itself. It was the noticeable progress throughout the night — improved communication, increased comfort in traffic and the ability to race aggressively while maintaining composure.

Those are the building blocks the team has been working toward since the opening race of the season, and they provide plenty of reason for optimism heading into the weekend.

Every lap behind the wheel is another opportunity to gain experience and continue developing as both a driver and a team. With momentum finally on their side, Bell and the Performance Vehicle Works Racing crew are eager to capitalize on it and continue delivering results that matter.

If the last race was the reset they needed, Saturday night presents the perfect opportunity to show that the progress is real — and that the best is still ahead.

“We’re not putting any extra pressure on ourselves,” added Bell. “We just want to keep improving every time we unload and keep taking those small steps forward. If we do that, I really believe the results will take care of themselves. I’m excited to get back out there and see what we can accomplish.”

Like she has proven throughout her return to Late Model racing, Bell is intent on earning the respect of her competitors through her actions on the racetrack, not her words.

But make no mistake — she’s there to compete. Armed with a fast No. 05 Performance Vehicle Works Racing Chevrolet, Bell expects to be in the mix and isn’t afraid to race with confidence, make decisive moves and seize every opportunity to continue building her reputation.

“I want people to know they can race me clean and I’ll race them clean,” Bell said. “But at the same time, I’m not out there just to make laps. I’m here to compete, keep improving and put this team where it belongs. Every time I get in the car, I want to earn the respect of the people I’m racing against.”

The goal is still to return to Hickory (N.C.) eventually. Motor Speedway, but after finding renewed confidence and a much-needed spark elsewhere, Bell and the Performance Vehicle Works Racing team are content to continue building on their recent progress one race at a time.

“We’ve never lost confidence in Hannah or what she’s capable of behind the wheel,” said Performance Vehicle Works Racing owner and team manager Timmy McKichan.

“Our goal has always been to help her develop and put her in situations where she can be successful. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what you need, and I think the last race proved that. The biggest thing we saw wasn’t necessarily the finish—it was the confidence she showed throughout the night.

“She was comfortable, she was making smart decisions and she was racing the way we know she can. We’ll get back to Hickory eventually, but right now it’s about continuing to build confidence, gain experience and keep moving forward.”

As Bell prepares for another opportunity behind the wheel, she remains appreciative of every chance she gets to compete.

No matter what Saturday night holds, she is thankful for the opportunity to continue making laps, gaining experience and doing what she loves alongside the Performance Vehicle Works Racing team.

“At the end of the day, I’m just thankful to be here,” Bell said. “There are so many people who would love the opportunity to race, and I never take for granted the chance to get behind the wheel and do what I love. Racing is what I’ve always been passionate about, so every lap is a blessing.

“Of course, we want good finishes and we want to win races, but I also try to keep things in perspective. We’ve had our share of challenges this year, but I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.

“I’m grateful for everyone who continues to believe in me, from my family and friends to our partners and the entire Performance Vehicle Works Racing team.

“They’ve all played a role in helping me chase this dream, and hopefully we can reward them with a strong run on Saturday night.”

Bell’s Limited Late Model schedule continues with support from her long-time partner, Alliance Packaging.

Racing begins at Tri-County Speedway on Saturday, June 20, 2026, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET with coverage available on FloRacing.com.

For more on Hannah Bell, please like her on Facebook, follow her on Instagram (@Hgbell) and TikTok (@HannahBell05).

DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS SET TO DELIVER EPIC WEEKEND AT SONOMA RACEWAY

By
Official Release
-

SONOMA, Calif. (June 19, 2026) – The Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge is one of the marquee events on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour and this year’s race, which takes place July 17-19 at Sonoma Raceway, will again deliver an incredible weekend to the passionate Northern California fans.

The picturesque track in the heart of scenic wine country is the perfect setting for the heart-pounding action of 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph nitro machines, providing fans with unforgettable memories and world-class drag racing for nearly 40 years.

Along with the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, the event also features the GETTRX NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout. Eight top riders in the category will compete in the unique bonus race on the Saturday of the race, with big money and bragging rights on the line.

Last season, six-time world champion Matt Smith defeated Richard Gadson, the reigning world champ, in the final round. This year, the eight riders will make two time trial runs on Friday before the thrilling one-day Saturday shootout.

That day also features the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Friday kicks off the show in a major way with two qualifying sessions, including a must-see night run that always showcases some of the biggest and most spectacular runs of the year.

The Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge is the 11th of 20 races during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season and will feature:

  • An appearance from legendary NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car world champion Gary Scelzi. Scelzi is one of only three drivers in NHRA history to claim world titles in both Top Fuel (1997, 1998, 2000) and Funny Car (2005). NHRA will honor Scelzi’s accomplishments at his home track, Sonoma Raceway.
  • Brittany Force appears on the special commemorative ticket for the event following her incredible 343.16-mph run from a season ago.
  • A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and more.

The 2025 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge featured wins by Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock). This year’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19.

Reigning Top Fuel world champion Kalitta is the winningest driver in class history at Sonoma Raceway with six wins. Kalitta won last season over five-time Sonoma winner Antron Brown. Kalitta and Brown both have wins in 2026, but it’s Kalitta’s teammate, Shawn Langdon, who has dominated this season with four wins and the points lead. Others to watch will be Epping winner Leah Pruett, Winternationals winner Tony Stewart, Gainesville Josh Hart and rookie standout Maddi Gordon.

Two-time reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock won for the first time in Sonoma last season, defeating 2025 Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde. This season, Prock joined Tasca Racing and has one win thus far. Three-time champ Ron Capps leads the points while four-time champion Matt Hagan sits second in a field that includes class newcomer Jordan Vandergriff, Chad Green, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman.

Last year’s Pro Stock final was a family affair, as Greg Stanfield defeated his son, Aaron, in the final round. Aaron won in Chicago, but KB Titan Racing has dominated most of the year, with points leader Greg Anderson and reigning world champ Dallas Glenn leading the way. Matt Hartford has three wins this year against a field that includes six-time champ Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

The event also features thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the popular Top the Cops exhibition race.

Sonoma race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the SealMaster Track Walk. After racing finishes on Sunday, fans are invited to congratulate and celebrate with event winners. Fans always get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet and can visit Manufacturers Midway, featuring displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. PT on Friday, July 17, and the final two rounds on Saturday, July 18 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 19.

The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout takes place at 11:15 a.m. PT on Saturday, with the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. and the finals at 3:40 p.m.

Television coverage includes Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET and the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout at 9 p.m. ET on FS1. Elimination coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About DENSO and PowerEdge

Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ team members across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, DENSO in North America generated $12.5 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and explore career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/. 

PowerEdge® is a value-driven line of high quality and durable aftermarket products, designed to deliver performance, and reliability. Backed by the sales, service, and logistics support of DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc.—DENSO’s North American aftermarket headquarters in Long Beach, California—PowerEdge brings trusted quality at a competitive price. For more information, visit https://www.poweredgeproducts.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

RCR Race Preview: Naval Base Coronado

By
Official Release
-

A New Endeavor For NASCAR… NASCAR is set to make history this weekend for its first-of-its-kind street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California. This weekend marks the first time NASCAR will compete on an active military base. Furthermore, Naval Base Coronado is the second street course to be run in NASCAR history, following the Chicago Street Course (2023-2025).

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Naval Base Coronado… Although the NASCAR Cup Series has yet to compete at Naval Base Coronado, Richard Childress Racing heads into the event weekend with a winning tradition in road/street course competition. RCR has racked up seven victories, 39 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes in road course competition in the Cup Series. Drivers who have earned road/street course victories for RCR include Tyler Reddick (Road America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, both in 2022), Kevin Harvick (Watkins Glen International in 2006), Robby Gordon (Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International, both in 2003), Dale Earnhardt (Sonoma Raceway in 1995), and Ricky Rudd (Riverside International Raceway in 1983).

Celebrating History… RCR’s first Cup Series victory came on the road course in Riverside, California, in 1983 with Ricky Rudd behind the wheel of the No. 3 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet. Rudd was just 26 years old and in his second full season for RCR, the eighth full season for the organization. Taking the checkered flag with a seven-second margin of victory over Bill Elliott, Rudd gave RCR the team’s first NASCAR premier series win in dominating fashion, leading 57 of the 95 laps. It was Childress’ first win in the Cup Series after 241 starts.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Naval Base Coronado… RCR has racked up five victories, 51 top-five and 92 top-10 finishes in road/street course competition in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Drivers tallying road/street course wins under the RCR banner include most recent Michael McDowell (Road America in 2016), Paul Menard (Road America in 2015), Brendan Gaughan (Road America in 2014) and Harvick (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Watkins Glen International, both in 2007).

United Rentals Driven to Serve… United Rentals is proud to serve as the title sponsor of Saturday’s United Rentals Driven to Save 250, as part of the inaugural NASCAR San Diego weekend. United Rentals didn’t just put their name on the race. They partnered with NASCAR to help build it, by providing 110 generators, 300 pieces of heavy equipment, 700 portable toilets, 25 executive restrooms, and 2,000 tons of cooling.

Catch Saturday’s Action… The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 will be televised live on Saturday, June 20 at 5 p.m. ET on The CW. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Friday’s practice session at 3:30 p.m. ET and Saturday qualifying session at 1 p.m. ET will be shown for free on The CW App.

Watch Us on Amazon Prime… The Cup Series’ Anduril 250 Race the Base at Naval Base Coronado will be televised live on Sunday, June 21, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, the fifth and final consecutive race this season that will air on the streaming service. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Friday’s practice session at 5 p.m. ET and Saturday’s qualifying session at 2:30 p.m. ET will both air on Amazon Prime. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet at Naval Base Coronado… This weekend marks the NASCAR Cup Series’ first appearance at Naval Base Coronado. Although Dillon has never raced at the track, he has spent several weeks preparing with his team by racing simulators. Dillon has 48 career road/street course starts to his credit in the Cup Series, including a pair of top-10 finishes at the Circuit of the Americas and the Charlotte ROVAL, both earned in 2022. This past May at Watkins Glen International, the 36-year-old captured a career-best road course finish of sixth.

About Boot Barn… Boot Barn is the largest western and workwear retailer in the nation. Founded in 1978, Boot Barn operates 530+ stores across 49 states, in addition to several e-commerce sites. Boot Barn says that their customers feed America, build America, and protect America. With an uncompromising desire to support the local communities they serve, Boot Barn proudly offers the broadest selection of cowboy boots, work boots, western wear, workwear, western-inspired fashion pieces, and outdoor gear to support the varying lifestyles of the people who make our country so great. For more information, visit www.bootbarn.com.

Welcome to Boot Barn… Dillon is scheduled to stop by Boot Barn’s Kearny Mesa store (4411 Mercury St. Ste 101A, San Diego, California 92111) on Friday, June 19 beginning at 6 p.m. for an autograph signing. Stop by to meet the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion and shop for Father’s Day gifts.

Tickets to the 2026 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… The Carolina Cowboys, a professional team in the PBR Teams Series, recently hosted a training camp for their roster of riders as they get set to defend their PBR Teams Series Championship ahead of the 2026 season. Dillon, who serves as general manager of the team, has been instrumental in all facets of the team, including training camp. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2026 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 18-20 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Meet Dillon… Fans will have two opportunities to see Dillon this weekend at Naval Base Coronado. On Saturday, June 20 at 10 a.m. Local Time, the six-time Cup Series winner is scheduled for a question-and-answer session at the Hangar Stage. On Sunday, June 21 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs alongside his RCR teammate Austin Hill at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in Fan Zone 1. Stop by and visit Dillon before the green flag waves.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

When you’ve done the sim for San Diego, what have you taken away from that, and what do you think the race quality’s going to be?

“It’s a really cool track. It’s hard to predict what the race quality is going to be. A lot of interesting corners, some things that remind me of the Chicago Street Course with how tight some of the corners are and just the grip level, so I’m really excited to see the grip level more than anything, than you can predict the race. But I think there is going to be a lot of potential with the track and people are going to be seconds apart of each other and that will be fun to close the gaps.”

Austin Hill and the No. 33 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen at Naval Base Coronado… Austin Hill will make his inaugural Cup Series start at Naval Base Coronado this Sunday. The Winston, Georgia native will turn his first laps at the military base during Friday’s practice. The 32-year-old has previously driven two road/street courses in his Cup Series career (Charlotte ROVAL in 2023, Chicago Street Course in 2025).

Seventh Cup Series Start of 2026… This weekend marks Hill’s seventh start of the 2026 Cup Series season. Last week, at Pocono Raceway, the veteran racer earned a season-best starting position of 14th and followed it up with a consistent afternoon to secure a season-best 18th-place finish.

Did You Know… Hill has one career Cup Series top-10 result which came in the 2025 edition of the Chicago Street Race, crossing the finish line in the ninth position. During the premier series event, the Hill made 55 green flag passes – the most of any driver in the field.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of homemade meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 28 states. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Meet Hill… Fans will have an opportunity to meet Hill this weekend at Naval Base Coronado. On Sunday, June 21 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time, the veteran racer is scheduled to sign autographs alongside his RCR teammate Dillon at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in Fan Zone 1.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What are your expectations for this weekend’s inaugural race at the Naval Base Coronado?

“I’m looking forward to racing at Naval Base Coronado. It’s going to be a new challenge for everyone in the field, and there are a lot of unknowns. Even with that though, we have put a lot of work and time into prep for this weekend. One of the biggest things will be deciding how good you want to be in the fast sections compared to the slow sections. You are not going to be good in both, so you’ll have to give up in high speed sections or give up in low speed sections. There may be different thoughts of what is most important throughout the field.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 DWC Chevrolet at Naval Base Coronado… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at Naval Base Coronado this Saturday. The Menlo Park, California native has never been to the San Diego street course, so Friday’s practice will mark his first laps on the street course. In preparation for this weekend, Love spent hours on the simulator preparing.

Road Courses in 2026… The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has had two road course events so far in the 2026 campaign, taking place at Circuit of The Americas in February and Watkins Glen International in May. Love finished fourth at COTA and nearly secured his first career win on a road course at Watkins Glen International, finishing runner-up.

Get to the Points… Love remains second in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship point standings, 250 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and 17 points ahead of third-place Corey Day.

Meet Love… On Friday, June 19 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to participate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Autograph Session in the Fan Zone Stage. Stop by and meet the young gun on Friday.

About DWC… Distributor Wire & Cable (DWC) is a master distributor of specialty electrical wire and cable products headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. Founded in 2008, DWC serves wholesale electrical distributors nationwide through its network of Cable Distribution Centers, delivering specialty wire and cable products with industry-leading turnaround times, competitive pricing, and no cut charges or reel minimums. The company’s FastQuote portal provides customers with rapid pricing and streamlined order management, reinforcing DWC’s commitment to making electrical distributors more competitive in their markets. For more information, visit www.distributorwire.com.

JESSE LOVE QUOTES:

What is your synopsis of your season so far?

“We’ve been so good this year at so many different venues. There are five or six races that we could have won but just had uncontrollable things take us out of it. For me, I have enough motivation to keep the speed that we have and execute those races. From there, I think we can win, and win multiple races, as long as we can execute.”

How crazy would it be to win over one of these next two weekends when you are in your home state, racing at the San Diego Street Course and Sonoma Raceway?

“I hope it goes well. Last year, I thought we were one of the cars to beat at Sonoma Raceway. I thought we were really competitive compared to Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen. We were running third at Sonoma and had an axle break. I just want nothing to go wrong at San Diego and Sonoma. And, if nothing goes wrong then we have a shot to win both of those races.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 1-800-PACK-RAT Chevrolet at Naval Base Coronado… Saturday’s race at Naval Base Coronado will be Austin Hill’s first race at the San Diego street course. The veteran racer hopes to achieve his first win on a road/street course.

Chasing a Road Course W… Hill continues the search for his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series road/street course victory – the only style of track that the veteran racer has not won at thus far into his series career. In seven road course events in 2025, Hill earned five top-five finishes. In two road course events in 2026, the 32-year-old finished runner-up at Circuit of the Americas in February and 11th at Watkins Glen International in May.

Get to the Points… Hill is tied sixth with Carson Kvapil in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship standings. The 15-time Series winner is 319 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and 24 points behind fifth-place Brandon Jones.

About 1-800-PACK-RAT, LLC… 1-800-PACK-RAT, LLC, is the portable storage and moving company that makes moving and storage simple. With numerous storage facilities across the USA and a growing network of containers and trucks, they can get you anywhere you need to go. 1-800-PACK-RAT has a strong history of growth year after year. Each year welcomes new market locations, increased assets, and new technologies to make storage and moving easier for their customers! The company also has several divisions, each with its own focus and expertise. For more information, visit www.1800packrat.com.

Meet Hill… On Friday, June 19 at 9:30 a.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to join his fellow competitors for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series autograph session at the Fan Zone Stage at Naval Base Coronado. Stop by to meet Hill before on-track activity begins.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What work have you done to prepare for this weekend’s inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado?

“A lot of time on the simulator. I’ve completed laps on the GM simulator in both the O’Reilly car and the Cup car, on our static sim at the shop, and on the iRacing rig. And same with all road courses, especially new ones, I have memorized the track layout so I can know what is coming next without thinking about it while in the car. We’ve put a lot of effort into this weekend and hopefully it pays off.”

Kyle Larson Revealed as Cover Driver for NASCAR 26 During Live USS Midway Event in San Diego

By
Official Release
-

SAN DIEGO, Cal. (June 19, 2026) — NASCAR and iRacing Studios unveiled NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson as the cover driver for NASCAR 26 during a live event Thursday evening aboard the historic USS Midway in downtown San Diego.

The event served as both the official cover reveal for NASCAR 26 and a media kickoff ahead of NASCAR San Diego Race Weekend at Naval Base Coronado.

Following remarks from NASCAR Vice President of Interactive & Emerging Platforms Nick Rend and iRacing Studios Vice President and Senior Producer Matt Lewis, attendees received new details about NASCAR 26, including confirmation that the Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado will be featured in the game.

The evening’s signature moment came when Larson made a surprise entrance aboard the USS Midway flight deck in the NASCAR 26 cover car, performing a series of burnouts before joining Lewis on stage for the official reveal of the game’s cover art.

During the program, Larson discussed being selected as the face of NASCAR 26, the role gaming plays in growing the sport, and the upcoming NASCAR San Diego Race Weekend.

The event concluded with NASCAR presenting a donation in support of Freedom Park and the USS Midway Museum, recognizing the organizations’ contributions to preserving the stories of military service and leadership in the San Diego community.

Developed by iRacing Studios, NASCAR 26 is scheduled to launch in September 2026.

Additional assets, including event photos and NASCAR 26 cover art, can be found here.

About iRacing
The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2003 by Dave Kaemmer, co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, and John Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world, including with NASCAR, INDYCAR, the FIA, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, and numerous other car manufacturers, tracks, and racing series. Alongside its PC simulation, iRacing also produces the official console games of NASCAR (beginning in 2025) and the World of Outlaws, as well as the fantasy off-road racing game ExoCross. Learn more at www.iracing.com.

1...515253...6,781Page 52 of 6,781