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Felix Rosenqvist settles with 4th-place qualifying effort for 2026 Indy 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Matt Fraver (Penske Entertainment).

Felix Rosenqvist was within striking distance of being the Cinderella Story during Sunday’s PPG Armed Forces Qualifying session for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 17.

The 34-year-old Rosenqvist from Värnamo, Sweden, entered Sunday’s qualifying session with high momentum after spending this past week’s four-day practice session (May 12-15) steadily climbing up the leaderboard and being one of the fastest competitors on the track. At the conclusion of the Fast Friday session on May 15, he was atop the leaderboard with a speed of 233.372 mph in 38.5650 seconds.

Rosenqvist commenced his qualifying session on Sunday. He was the 11th competitor to qualify based on a random qualifying draw that occurred on Friday. He was the lone competitor during the first session to post a four-lap average-qualifying run within the 232 mph range (232.599 mph, ultimately, through 2:34.7730).

After being one of 12 qualifiers to transfer to the second round, Rosenqvist backed up his strong qualifying start by notching another four-lap average-qualifying run in his No. 60 Morgan Wallen/SiriusXM/Meyer Shank Racing Dallara-Honda entry within the 232 mph range, with his latest being at 232.065 mph in 2:35.1289. The lap enabled the Swedish competitor, who was the last to qualify, to dethrone the defending Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou from the top of the charts momentarily and entering the Firestone Fast 6 round.

During the final Firestone 6 round, however, Rosenqvist, the last competitor to qualify for a second consecutive round, could not back up his two earlier runs. He primarily hovered around the 231 mph range and could not gain ground on Palou. And Palou ultimately achieved the pole position. When the checkered flag flew for Rosenqvist, he settled with the fourth-fastest average-qualifying run of 231.877 mph in 2:35.2549.

Following his final qualifying round, Rosenqvist was left disappointed over the speed he lost and could not regain. This was due to the high winds and warm temperatures throughout Indianapolis Motor Speedway towards the conclusion of qualifying.

“It was quite a big gap from Run 2 to Run 3, like 1.3 mph,” Rosenqvist said on FOX/. “It felt good. He continued, saying, “It just didn’t seem like it was that much in it. They just didn’t go as fast as they say.”

By notching the fourth-place starting spot for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, Rosenqvist achieved his fifth consecutive top-10 starting spot for the NTT IndyCar Series’ prestigious, crown-jewel event on the calendar. He also notched his third top-three start of the 2026 season. He is coming off a third-place starting spot from the Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last weekend and a pole from the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, California, in mid-April.

Ultimately, this year marks the third time in the previous four seasons that he transferred to the Firestone Fast 6 round as the fastest qualifier for an Indy 500 event. But then, fell short of achieving the pole position. His other two instances occurred in 2023 with Arrow McLaren, where he qualified a career-best third place. And then again, this past season with Meyer Shank Racing, where he ended up starting in fifth place.

“It’s kind of deja vu for me,” Rosenqvist said. “I had this three times now when we got into the last [qualifying] round and want to finish it off. It’s just kind of like a curse, but it is what it is. I’m super proud of the team, anyways. We’ll just focus on the race. If you don’t get the pole, [it’s] pretty easy to just switch back to race mode.”

With qualifications set for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, Rosenqvist will attempt to join Simon Pagenaud (2019) and Takuma Sato (2020) as the only competitors to win the Indy 500 during an eighth start in the prestigious event. Should he achieve his first triumph for next Sunday’s main event, he would join Kenny Bräck and Marcus Ericsson as the only Swedish competitors to achieve the feat and deliver both the second Indy 500 triumph and INDYCAR victory for Meyer Shank Racing, a team that has not won since the 2021 ‘500’ event with Helio Castroneves.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 for Felix Rosenqvist is scheduled to occur next Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Alexander Rossi ‘thrilled’ with front row qualifying effort for 2026 Indy 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Owens (Penske Entertainment).

In 2016, Alexander Rossi stunned the IndyCar community when he stretched his fuel tank to the maximum distance and achieved his first career victory in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Flash forward a decade and eight NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories later, Rossi nearly achieved another feat at Indianapoli. This time, it was on the qualifying aspect as he was within striking distance of notching his first pole position for the prestigious event until he settled in a runner-up starting spot for this year’s 110th running of the Indy 500.

The 2016 Indy 500 champion from Nevada City, California, entered Sunday’s PPG Armed Forces Qualifying session for this year’s Indy 500 with high momentum after steadily gaining fast pace through four practice sessions occurring this past week (May 12-15), before being the second-fastest competitor following the Fast Friday session (May 15) at 232.932 mph in 38.6379 seconds.

After having his name randomly drawn as the 20th competitor to qualify for Sunday’s session on Friday, Rossi posted a four-lap average-qualifying run at 231.58 mph in 2:35.4539. He was the sixth-fastest competitor following the first qualifying session. He then managed to secure the final transfer spot to the Firestone Fast 6 round by posting the sixth-best average-qualifying run at 231.005 mph in 2:35.8407 following the second round (Round of 12).

As the first competitor to qualify, Rossi capitalized on his final qualifying effort and set the early board while fighting through windy and warm conditions with a fast four-lap average-qualifying run at 231.99 mph in 2:35.1792. After the next trio of competitors that included Pato O’Ward, Santino Ferrucci and David Malukas were unable to leapfrog on the leaderboard, Rossi appeared to have his first career Indy 500 pole wrapped up. Ultimately, the reigning Indy 500 champion Alex Palou captured the final spotlight as he toppled Rossi’s run, which left the Californian and his No. 20 Java House/Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) Dallara-Chevrolet team to settle in the second-place starting spot for Sunday’s Indy 500.

Prior to 2026, Rossi’s previous-best qualifying for the Indy 500 was third, which occurred in 2017 with Andretti Global. He had started in the top 10 for the event six times, with his latest occurrence being a fourth-place start in 2024 with Arrow McLaren. For this season, he will start in the middle lane alongside pole-sitter Alex Palou and third-place qualifier David Malukas at the start of the 110th running of the Indy 500.

Rossi’s second-place qualifying effort marks the first time that an Ed Carpenter Racing entry will start on the front row for the Indy 500 since Rinus VeeKay started in the runner-up spot in 2021. Though disappointed at missing the pole position for the 2026 Indy 500, Rossi was satisfied with the result. Particularly so, after enduring a week where his No. 20 ECR team had to change engines on the Californian’s Chevrolet entry during the second day of practice.

“It was a huge team effort,” Rossi said on FOX following his qualifying run. “These conditions were really hard today. It was moving for every run and we didn’t do anything the same for each of the three [qualifying] runs. Our last run was the best. That’s a huge win for the No. 20 Java House guys and a big win for Chevy to be on the front row. You hope for pole, but the front row here is so cool and something I haven’t accomplished in a really long time. [I’m] Thrilled with today and how it went and can’t wait to get on track tomorrow (Practice 7) and continue to make [the car] better.”

Rossi’s next task at hand is attempting to etch his name and face on the historic Borg-Warner Trophy for a second time for Sunday’s Indy 500 event. Should he achieve this feat, he would become the 22nd competitor to repeat as an Indy 500 champion and the first American competitor to achieve this feat since Josef Newgarden won in back-to-back seasons (2023-24).

It would also be the first Indy 500 triumph for Ed Carpenter Racing, a team in its 14th season of INDYCAR competition and second with Rossi.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

IndyCar penalizes Nos. 4, 24 teams for post-qualifying inspection failures

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Owens (Penske Entertainment).IndyCar Qualifying and Penalties

Two NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams received penalties for post-qualifying infractions following the PPG Armed Forces Qualification session for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 17.

The teams that received penalties were the No. 4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara-Chevrolet team piloted by rookie Caio Collet. The No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara-Chevrolet team, driven by Jack Harvey, also received a penalty.

Both teams violated Rule 14.12.1.1. (EMS (Energy Management System) must be used as supplied by Dallara and approved by IndyCar) and Rule 14.12.1.6. (EMS covers may only be attached with the supplied hardware and Helicopter Tape) from the INDYCAR rulebook. During the post-qualifying inspection procedure, unapproved hardware and modifications were discovered on the Dallara-supplied EMS covers and cover-to-A-arm mounting points of both entries.

Photo by Chris Jones (Penske Entertainment).

As a result, both teams had their qualifying times from Sunday stripped. They will also have to forfeit their original pit selections. Before the penalty, Collet achieved the 12th-place starting spot after transferring to the second round in his first Indy 500 qualifying attempt. Harvey, who will make his ninth Indy 500 start this season, had qualified in 29th place. Now, both will start at the tail end of the 33-car field in 32nd and 33rd, respectively.

Alex Palou, however, rose to the occasion when it mattered most by storming to the NTT P1 Award for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 on-track festivities continue on May 18. It will feature a sixth practice session that will air at 1 p.m. ET on FS1 before a final practice on Carb Day (May 22) occurs at 11 a.m. on FS1.

The main event will occur on Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS RESULTS: AARON STANFIELD TAKES ELITE MOTORSPORTS TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE

By
Official Release
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JOLIET, Ill. (May 17, 2026) – Aaron Stanfield and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing team rallied to victory Sunday at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

After a streak of stellar reaction times through the first three rounds of racing (.008, .011, .004), Stanfield took the victory in the final round on the starting line when six-time world champion Greg Anderson went -.096 seconds red on the tree. It was Stanfield’s 15th win of his career, first since the U.S. Nationals in 2024 and was the first win in Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports since Erica Enders won the U.S. Nationals in 2025.

“Our team’s definitely been waiting on this moment for a pretty good while. It’s the best feeling you can get out here when you see that win light come on in the final round. We had a great weekend and a great day today, and kind of had some luck roll my way in that final round,” Stanfield sais. “We felt like we had something in South Georgia, but the racetrack was a little tricky, so we really didn’t get to see it there. I think we saw it this weekend with a combination of KB being a little off. I think these Elite Motorsports guys have been working really, really, really hard. I think we’re going in the right direction.

“I felt very focused today. When you see another driver driving really well, you’re going to try to get up on the wheel and try to cut a light. I do think it can affect you, but I just woke up like any other normal day and decided to drive well today,” said Stanfield in reference to his reaction times and the implications on his opponents. “It was one of hose days, everything lined up and you’ve got a clear mind and focus. I also saw an opportunity today. This is the closest we’ve been to KB, and I knew I really needed to take advantage of it, so that definitely had an effect.”

Stanfield started the day from the No. 7 qualifying position before taking down Matt Hartford in the first round. In the quarterfinals and semifinals he took down two Elite teammates: first was six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the yellow and black of JEGS and then his father, also a six-time world champion, Greg Stanfield in the Janac Brothers machine.

This was Stanfield’s fourth final round at Route 66 Raceway, he won in Super Stock over his father in 2017, was runner-up in 2018 in Top dragster and reached the finals in Pro Stock and Factory X in 2024, he lost to his dad in Factory X final.

The weekend was a sweep for Elite Motorsports in Pro Stock. Stanfield’s victory came after Erica Enders secured the No. 1 qualifying position and won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday.

Elite Motorsports heads to Maryland Internationals Raceway next for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS May 29-31. It’s stop seven of 20 on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series 2026 schedule and the second new track on the tour.

AARON STANFIELD, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car

Qualifying: No. 7

6.563 seconds at 209.82 mph

Q1: 6.563 at 209.82 mph

Q2: 6.569 at 208.49 mph

Q3: 6.593 at 208.65 mph

Q4: 6.567 at 208.42 mph

Race Results:

E1: 6.595 at 207.82 def. Matt Hartford 6.591 at 208.20

E2: 6.620 at 208.39 def. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 9.499 at 100.71

Semis: 6.639 at 207.18 def. Greg Stanfield 6.646 at 207.34

Finals: 6.595 at 208.59 def. Greg Anderson -.096 red

ERICA ENDERS, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers Pro Stock Car

Noteworthy:

*Earned her 42nd No. 1 qualifier of her career, first since St. Louis 2024.

*Won her first #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season.

*Won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Championship in 2024.

*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.

*First Pro Stock win came at Route 66 Raceway in 2012 over Greg Anderson

*Her matchup against Greg Anderson in the semifinals was the 62nd of their careers, they are now tied 31-31

Qualifying:

No. 1; 6.542 209.92

Q1: 8.266 at 116.41

Q2: 6.542 at 209.92

Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge

Q3: 6.580 at 210.28 def. Troy Coughlin Jr. 6.591 at 207.78

Q4: 6.563 at 208.75 def. 6.585 at 208.10

Bonus Qualifying Points: 5

Race Results:

E1: 6.576 at 208.52 def. Derrick Reese -.005 red

E2: 6.604 at 208.14 def Deric Kramer 6.622 at 206.26

Semis: 6.603 at 208.84 lost. Greg Anderson 6.597 at 206.99

GREG STANFIELD, Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car

Noteworthy:

*Last defeated Aaron Stanfield in the 2025 Sonoma Finals

*Five-time Super Stock world champion

*Former Factory X world champion

*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.

Qualifying:

No. 3

6.549 seconds at 210.11 mph

Q1: 6.549 at 210.11 mph

Q2: 6.575 at 209.65 mph

Q3: 6.600 at 208.01 mph

Q4: 6.585 at 208.10 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 2

Race Results:

E1: 6.629 at 207.50 def Kenny Delco 6.632 at 205.16

E2: 6.661 at 207.59 def. Dallas Glenn 13.489 at 64.18

Semis: 6.646 at 207.34 lost. Aaron Stanfield 6.639 at 207.18

JEG COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock

Qualifying: No. 2

6.543 seconds at 210.21 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 5

Race Results: Beat Joseph Wilczek; Lost to Aaron Stanfield

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TROY COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock

Qualifying: No. 6

6.558 seconds at 209.36 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 1

Race Results: Lost to Dallas Glenn

TONY STEWART, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster

Qualifying: No. 4

3.754 seconds, 327.82 mph

Race Results: Beat Tony Schumacher; Lost to Josh Hart

MASON WRIGHT, ProFlow Solutions / Elite Motorsports Pro Mod

Qualifying: No. 10

5.741 seconds at 251.25 mph

Race Results: Lost to Mike Stavrinos

ROYCE LEE FREEMAN, Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator

Qualifying: No. 7

6.887 seconds, -.633

Race Results: Beat David Billingsley; Lost to Bruno Massel

MIKE LOMAS, The Financial Guys / Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator

Qualifying: No. 15

8.486, -.484

Race Results: Lost to Scott Chamness

JACKIE FRICKE, Top Alcohol Dragster

Qualifying No. 11

5.312 seconds at 267.96 mph

Race Results: Lost to Jon Bradford

RFK Racing – All Star Race Summary

By
Official Release
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RFK RACING
DOVER MOTOR SPEEDWAY “ALL STAR RACE” – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: May 17, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Dover Motor Speedway (1-mile high banked oval) – Dover, DE

Format: Segment 1: full field for 75 Laps, Segment 2: Top 26 finishers from Segment 1 inverted for 75 Laps, Final Segment: consist of only 26 drivers that includes 2025 & 2026 race winners, the fan vote winner, past series champions, past All Star winners, and any remaining drivers based on their combined finishing order in Segments 1 & 2 – 200 Laps.

NOTES: (1) This was a non-points race exhibition event with a million dollar prize. (2) qualifying consisted of two laps including a pit-stop.

RFK Racing RACE SUMMARY: Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing had speed but faced adversity Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski led early and established himself as a contender, while Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece endured tough luck in the grueling first segment of the All Star event. Keselowski immediately showcased the strength of the No. 6 Ford Mustang by charging from the outside front row to the lead at the drop of the green flag. The first segment, however, was unkind to Buescher and Preece who were both involved in crashes and unable to advance further in the race. Keselowski sustained damage in Segment 2 but rebounded. After making repairs before the final segment, and with a fresh start due to the All Star format which forgave all lost laps in previous segments, he was able to race to a top10 finish.

DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS

Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 10th
Start: 2nd
Laps Led: — 16 (Segment 1)
Stage Results: S1-5th, S2-25th
Headline takeaway: From the drop of the green flag, Keselowski was fast. He swiped the lead immediately and led several laps in Segment 1. Segment two brought challenges with a spin and subsequent damage. The damage was repaired, and because he had a guaranteed starting spot in the final segment, by virtue of his 2012 Championship, he was able to start fresh. From the 15th starting position in the final segment he raced to a 10th place All Star finish.

Keselowski Quote: “I made a mistake there in the second segment, had some contact with the 1 car. Crashed myself. Crashed him. Had to dig out of a hole. The car was a little torn up and just fought to a tenth place finish from there.”

Chris Buescher – No. 17 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: Did not advance to the Final Segment
Start: 32nd
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-23rd, S2-N/A
Headline takeaway: Buescher showed early progress, charging from the 32nd starting position into the top 25 during the first segment. However, as the laps wound down in the opening stage, a multi-car crash in front of Buescher was unavoidable, The damage sustained was too sever to repair.

Buescher Quote: “Obviously not the day we wanted for this No. 17 team. We fought hard early and were able to make up a lot of track position, but once we got caught up in the crash, it just changed the whole rest of our race. It’s frustrating because I felt like we still had more in it, but that’s part of racing in an event like the All-Star Race where everybody is pushing hard. Proud of the effort from this RFK Racing group, and we’ll move on to the next one.”

Ryan Preece – No. 60 Mohawk Northeast, Inc. Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: Did not advance to the Final Segment
Start: 26th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-35th, S2-N/A
Headline takeaway: Ryan Preece’s race was cut short as he was involved a dramatic first lap, crash that abruptly ended his day.

Preece Quote: “I don’t know what happened there. I thought I was going to be able to clear open by the time we got to turn 1, and obviously I didn’t. That’s my fault and I’m sorry for whoever got caught up in that.”

Point Standings:

Buescher: 5th
Keselowski: 9th
Preece: 13th

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coca-Cola 600, Sunday, May 24th at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC). The race begins at 6:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by Amazon Prime and the Motor Racing Network.

MENHOLT TAKES POINTS LEAD WITH JBS EQUIPMENT NHRA PRO MOD WIN IN CHICAGO AT RACE POWERED BY PROFLOW PUMPING SOLUTIONS

By
Official Release
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CHICAGO (May 17, 2026) – Derek Menholt became the first two-time winner of the season in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports, driving past Jason Collins in the final round on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway as part of this weekend’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK.

It marked the fifth of 11 races during the 2026 season and this weekend’s event was powered by ProFlow Pumping Solutions.

Menholt was one of four drivers who had won already this season, but he is now the first to win twice, thanks to a run of 5.692-seconds at 250.23 mph in the championship round. Collins left first with an incredible .004 reaction time, but ran into trouble and Menholt, who posted a strong .012 time on the starting line, drove right past with his best run of eliminations.

It was a marquee matchup between the top two qualifiers in the category this weekend, with Menholt, who qualified No. 1 with a 5.667 at 250.92, going back into the points lead. He won the opener in Gainesville and is now back on top, though he knows it’s going to be a tight championship clash the rest of the season.

“It’s going to be a battle all the way to the end,” said Menholt, who now has three career NHRA Pro Mod wins. “Jason has made a big run in the past three races and there’s going to be a lot of guys coming for us, but this one feels good.”

To reach the final round, Menholt got past Alex Laughlin, reigning world champion J.R. Gray and Justin Bond, who is now second in points. Racing for just the third time in NHRA Pro Mod, Collins, who won the previous race in Valdosta, advanced to his second straight final round with victories against Kevin Rivenbark, Mike Stavrinos and Billy Banaka.

The JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports closes out its regular season on June 12-14 as part of the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.

JOLIET, Ill. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The race is the fifth of 11 events in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.

PRO MODIFIED:

  1. Derek Menholt; 2. Jason Collins; 3. Justin Bond; 4. Billy Banaka; 5. Lyle Barnett; 6. Mike Thielen; 7. Mike Stavrinos; 8. JR Gray; 9. Stan Shelton; 10. Mike Castellana; 11. Steve Jackson; 12. Chip King; 13. Alex Laughlin; 14. Kevin Rivenbark; 15. Mason Wright; 16. Adriano Kayayan.

JOLIET, Ill. — Sunday’s final results from the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The race is the fifth of 11 events in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.

Pro Modified — Derek Menholt, Chevy Corvette, 5.692, 250.23 def. Jason Collins, Chevy Camaro, 7.417, 121.75.

JOLIET, Ill. — Final round-by-round results from the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, the fifth of 11 events in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE — JR Gray, Chevy Camaro, 5.762, 247.43 def. Stan Shelton, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Mike Thielen, Mustang, 5.744, 247.11 def. Adriano Kayayan, Chevy Corvette, 6.084, 215.41; Derek Menholt, Corvette, 5.748, 248.07 def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 5.774, 247.43; Jason Collins, Camaro, 5.742, 249.58 def. Kevin Rivenbark, Mustang, 5.803, 247.70; Billy Banaka, Camaro, 5.715, 253.66 def. Steve Jackson, Camaro, 5.770, 246.53; Lyle Barnett, Camaro, 5.695, 252.33 def. Mike Castellana,

Camaro, 5.766, 249.39; Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.738, 250.97 def. Chip King, Dodge Charger, 5.772, 249.16; Mike Stavrinos, Camaro, 5.739, 249.07 def. Mason Wright, Camaro, 5.824, 247.93;

QUARTERFINALS — Menholt, 5.708, 250.23 def. Gray, 9.486, 94.57; Collins, 5.772, 248.07 def. Stavrinos, 6.026, 180.55; Bond, 5.730, 251.63 def. Barnett, 5.763, 250.55; Banaka, 5.741, 252.90 def. Thielen, 5.772, 246.17;

SEMIFINALS — Menholt, 5.730, 249.30 def. Bond, 5.769, 249.30; Collins, 5.748, 248.43 def. Banaka, Foul – Centerline;

FINAL — Menholt, 5.692, 250.23 def. Collins, 7.417, 121.75.

JOLIET, Ill. — Point standings (top 10) following the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, the fifth of 11 events in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports.

Pro Modified

  1. Derek Menholt, 397; 2. Justin Bond, 353; 3. Mike Stavrinos, 317; 4. Billy Banaka, 299; 5. Steve Jackson, 247; 6. Lyle Barnett, 243; 7. Mike Thielen, 242; 8. JR Gray, 228; 9. Stan Shelton, 213; 10. Sidnei Frigo, 211.

LANGDON, GREEN, STANFIELD & M. SMITH ROLL TO GERBER COLLISION & GLASS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS WINS

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Official Release
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  • Langdon goes back-to-back in TF
  • Green wins again in FC
  • Stanfield earns first PS win of 2026
  • Smith gets second straight PSM victory

CHICAGO (May 17, 2026) – Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon rolled to his second straight victory, defeating four-time world champion Antron Brown in the final round on Sunday to close out the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway.

Chad Green (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the sixth of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Langdon went 3.775-seconds at 335.90 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air dragster to get past Brown, who went up in smoke early in the run. It is the 25th career win for Langdon, who extended his points lead and knocked off Shawn Reed, teammate Doug Kalitta and Josh Hart to reach the final round.

The weekend started as a struggle for Langdon and his Kalitta Motorsports team, but they put together a solid run to close out Saturday and win the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. That momentum continued through four rounds on Sunday and it continues a remarkable first six races for the past world champion, who has already picked up three wins this season, qualified No. 1 twice and made the fastest run (345.00 mph) in NHRA history.

“We definitely had a big turnaround from qualifying,” Langdon said. “Brian (Husen, crew chief) realized that we had to tame some things down in the car. Having to run Doug second round wasn’t ideal, but at the end of the day, we had to get some information for our car and make a good run, and then from there, today was a little bit tricky.

“First round was really good and then just with the clouds coming in and out, there were just a lot of last-minute changes. Brian’s gotten really good lately, just off of his gut feeling, making those last-second little changes, but I could tell that they had two different game plans, and one was when the sun was out and one for when the cloud cover was there. They were able to adapt when they needed to and provided a great race car for four rounds.”

Brown reached his first final round of the season and 145th in his career thanks to round wins against T.J. Zizzo, rookie Maddi Gordon and Leah Pruett. Kalitta remained second in points, 54 behind his teammate Langdon.

Funny Car’s Chad Green continued to build his championship contender case on Sunday in Chicago, slipping past Alexis DeJoria in a thrilling final round duel with a run of 3.945 at 324.75 in his 12,000-horsepower Bond-Coat/bproauto Ford Mustang. It’s Green’s second win in the first six races of the 2026 campaign, putting the Texan fourth in points and right in the thick of the championship battle.

On Sunday, he was again consistent against a loaded field, defeating Valdosta winner Jordan Vandergriff, Ron Capps and back-to-back world champion Austin Prock to reach the final round.

Green and DeJoria put on a remarkable side-by-side show in the finals, but Green had enough for the slim wire-to-wire victory, joining Capps as the only two-time winners in the class thus far in 2026.

“The whole team aspect of this sport doesn’t get enough recognition. This is 100 percent a team sport, just like football, basketball and any of those other sports,” Green said. “The driver, they get a lot of the fame and glory, but to be honest, what these guys do is just incredible. To go out there and turn on four win lights on a Sunday is so difficult. These guys have to do everything perfectly every round, and we have to go out there and beat the best guys out there doing it. So, I can’t say enough about the team.

“(Alexis) is driving a John Force car, and that was a dang good race. I never saw her during the race. When the win light came on, I thought, ‘Oh, she probably had problems or something,’ but then I looked at the time slip, and man, she was right there with me.”

DeJoria continues to build on her solid season in a class filled with contenders, picking up her second runner-up of the year after round wins against Spencer Hyde, Dave Richards and four-time world champion Matt Hagan. She’s sixth in points, as Capps and J.R. Todd leave Chicago tied for the points lead, with Hagan nine points behind.

In Pro Stock, Aaron Stanfield snapped KB Titan Racing’s undefeated streak in 2026, picking up the first win of the season for Elite Motorsports when six-time world champion Greg Anderson went red in the final round. Stanfield went 6.595 at 208.46 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers Racing car, winning for the first time since 2024.

KB Titan Racing had won the previous 10 races dating back to last year, but the tide seemed to turn in Chicago this weekend. Erica Enders qualified No. 1 and won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, and Stanfield rolled to his 15th career win on Sunday.

He defeated Matt Hartford, teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. and then his father, Greg, to reach the final round and took advantage of Anderson leaving well early in the championship round. Stanfield now sits sixth in points as he hopes this keys a strong turnaround for his team and all of Elite Motorsports.

“Our team’s definitely been waiting on this moment for a pretty good while. It’s the best feeling you can get out here when you see that win light come on in the final round,” Stanfield said. “We had a great weekend and a great day today, and kind of had some luck roll my way in that final round. We felt like we had something in South Georgia, but the racetrack was a little tricky, so we really didn’t get to see it there.

“I think we saw it this weekend with a combination of KB being a little off. I think these guys have been working really, really, really hard. I think we’re going in the right direction and I felt very focused today.”

Anderson reached the final round for the third time this year and the 195th time in his career after taking down his son, Cody, Matt Latino and Enders on Sunday. Dallas Glenn stayed in the points lead, 29 ahead of Anderson.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith continued his hot streak on Sunday, but not in the way he wanted, defeating his wife, Angie, when her bike broke on the starting line. Matt cruised to the win with a run of 6.835 at 185.41 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell, as the six-time world champion won his second straight race.

To win for the 44th time in his career, Smith defeated Jianna Evaristo, Gaige Herrera, who was previously undefeated at Route 66 Raceway, and Brayden Davis to reach the final round. An exciting side-by-side race was he planned against his wife in the championship round, but her bike went silent when the light turned green, giving Matt the win and sending him to second in points.

“I wanted a fair race. I wanted a good race, just like when we ran each other for the 2Fast2Tasty Challenge,” Smith said. “She had the best bike this weekend, but it just wasn’t meant to be for some reason. She’ll get it in Maryland. I feel confident that we will get things under control for her bike and get it back because everybody here knows that she had the best bike.”

Angie, who qualified No. 1, was denied her first win in nearly four years. She advanced to her 12th career final round after knocking off Chase Van Sant and reigning world champion Richard Gadson, who remained the points leader.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 29-31 with the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville, Md.

JOLIET, Ill. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The race is the sixth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

  1. Shawn Langdon; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Josh Hart; 4. Leah Pruett; 5. Maddi Gordon; 6. Doug Kalitta; 7. Tony Stewart; 8. Will Smith; 9. Tony Schumacher; 10. Justin Ashley; 11. Billy Torrence; 12. T.J. Zizzo; 13. Clay Millican; 14. Shawn Reed; 15. Krista Baldwin.

FUNNY CAR:

  1. Chad Green; 2. Alexis DeJoria; 3. Austin Prock; 4. Matt Hagan; 5. J.R. Todd; 6. Ron Capps; 7. Jack Beckman; 8. Dave Richards; 9. Jordan Vandergriff; 10. Chris King; 11. Blake Alexander; 12. Bobby Bode; 13. Daniel Wilkerson; 14. Cruz Pedregon; 15. Jeff Arend; 16. Spencer Hyde.

PRO STOCK:

  1. Aaron Stanfield; 2. Greg Anderson; 3. Erica Enders; 4. Greg Stanfield; 5. Matt Latino; 6.

Deric Kramer; 7. Jeg Coughlin; 8. Dallas Glenn; 9. Matt Hartford; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11.

Cody Anderson; 12. Chris Vang; 13. Kenny Delco; 14. Eric Latino; 15. Derrick Reese; 16. Joe Wilczek.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

  1. Matt Smith; 2. Angie Smith; 3. Richard Gadson; 4. Brayden Davis; 5. Chase Van Sant; 6. John Hall; 7. Gaige Herrera; 8. Ryan Oehler; 9. Clayton Howey; 10. Jianna Evaristo; 11. Marc Ingwersen; 12. Geno Scali; 13. Kelly Clontz; 14. Steve Johnson; 15. Wesley Wells.

JOLIET, Ill. — Sunday’s final results from the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The race is the sixth of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Shawn Langdon, 3.775 seconds, 335.90 mph def. Antron Brown, 4.225 seconds, 206.48 mph.

Funny Car — Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 3.945, 324.75 def. Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 3.965, 328.86.

Pro Stock — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.595, 208.46 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Matt Smith, Buell, 6.835, 185.41 def. Angie Smith, Buell, Broke.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Jamie Noonan, 5.353, 269.03 def. Angelle Sampey, 5.404, 267.80.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.496, 264.86 def. Annie Whiteley, Camaro, 5.560, 264.49.

Competition Eliminator — Bruno Massel, Chevy Cobalt, 6.979, 197.08 def. Jeremy Bailey, Agan, 7.107, 178.00.

Super Stock — Dave Dupps Jr., Chevy Cobalt, 8.700, 149.96 def. Gene Mosbek, Plymouth Savoy, 10.167, 127.97.

Stock Eliminator — Jamey Picht,Buick Grand Sport, 10.995, 117.58 def. Brent Voges, ford Mustang, 12.534, 104.48.

Super Comp — Nathen Prose, Camaro, 8.915, 169.04 def. Chad Lamont, Dragster, 8.897, 172.83.

Super Gas — Rock Haas, Chevy Camaro, 9.937, 159.66 def. Chris Sullivan, FordMustang, 9.881, 160.86.

Top Sportsman — Larry Demers, Chevy Cobalt, 7.130, 192.77 def. Brian Brown, Chevy Camaro, Broke.

Top Dragster — Daniel Wood, Dragster, 6.670, 204.60 def. Mark Grame, Dragster, 6.821, 198.06.

Pro Modified — Derek Menholt, Chevy Corvette, 5.692, 250.23 def. Jason Collins, Chevy Camaro, 7.417, 121.75.

Factory Stock Showdown — Jonathan Allegrucci, Ford Mustang, 7.711, 178.68 def. Jason Dietsch, Mustang, 7.710, 178.12.

PEAK Street Car Shootout presented by Sick the Magazine — Nick Taylor, Camaro, 6.679, 215.89 def. Bryant Goldstone, Corvette, Foul – Red Light.

JOLIET, Ill. — Final round-by-round results from the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, the sixth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Antron Brown, 3.777, 329.18 def. T.J. Zizzo, 3.796, 329.99; Tony Stewart, 3.742, 334.48 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.785, 333.82; Josh Hart, 3.790, 338.26 def. Justin Ashley, 3.785, 322.11; Maddi Gordon, 3.813, 329.58 def. Krista Baldwin, 4.347, 192.96; Doug Kalitta, 3.736, 327.98 was unopposed; Will Smith, 3.776, 331.45 def. Billy Torrence, 3.795, 332.92; Leah Pruett, 3.739, 326.16 def. Clay Millican, 3.868, 272.61; Shawn Langdon, 3.739, 338.68 def. Shawn Reed, 3.886, 296.11;

QUARTERFINALS — Brown, 3.774, 332.18 def. Gordon, 3.804, 333.82; Hart, 3.782, 330.63 def. Stewart, 6.384, 95.98; Pruett, 4.201, 205.16 def. Smith, Broke; Langdon, 3.789, 333.49 def. Kalitta, 4.408, 220.84;

SEMIFINALS — Langdon, 3.790, 332.10 def. Hart, 3.823, 333.16; Brown, 3.809, 328.38 def. Pruett, 5.810, 119.90;

FINAL — Langdon, 3.775, 335.90 def. Brown, 4.225, 206.48.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Alexis DeJoria, Chevy Camaro, 3.947, 326.48 def. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 9.969, 80.24; Austin Prock, Mustang, 3.934, 330.31 def. Jeff Arend, Dodge Charger, 9.138, 95.34; Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.945, 325.53 def. Chris King, Charger, 4.233, 270.64; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.978, 301.47 def. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 4.659, 188.62; Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.001, 329.83 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 7.791, 82.81; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.957, 334.48 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.808, 166.54; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.943, 324.12 def. Jordan Vandergriff, Camaro, 3.952,

328.38; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.950, 326.40 def. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.562, 187.83;

QUARTERFINALS — Green, 6.102, 182.58 def. Capps, 7.351, 120.40; Hagan, 4.026, 324.75 def. Beckman, 12.291, 61.86; Prock, 4.255, 267.80 def. Todd, 6.141, 164.83; DeJoria, 4.005, 327.98 def. Richards, 12.329, 71.05;

SEMIFINALS — Green, 3.969, 323.66 def. Prock, 4.015, 323.43; DeJoria, 4.006, 326.56 def. Hagan, 4.061, 315.71;

FINAL — Green, 3.945, 324.75 def. DeJoria, 3.965, 328.86.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Deric Kramer, Chevy Camaro, 6.611, 206.57 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.633, 206.99; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.595, 207.82 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.591, 208.20; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.588, 207.69 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.592, 207.98; Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.583, 207.40 def. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.603, 206.67; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.575, 208.39 def. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.599, 206.86; Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.629, 207.50 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.632, 205.16; Erica

Enders, Camaro, 6.576, 208.52 def. Derrick Reese, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.584, 208.55 def. Joe Wilczek, Mustang, Broke;

QUARTERFINALS — G. Stanfield, 6.661, 207.59 def. Glenn, Foul – Red Light; A. Stanfield, 6.630, 208.39 def. Coughlin, 9.499, 100.71; Enders, 6.604, 208.14 def. Kramer, 6.622, 206.26; G. Anderson, 6.615, 206.89 def. M. Latino, Foul – Red Light;

SEMIFINALS — A. Stanfield, 6.639, 207.18 def. G. Stanfield, 6.646, 207.34; G. Anderson, 6.597, 206.99 def. Enders, 6.603, 208.84;

FINAL — A. Stanfield, 6.595, 208.46 def. G. Anderson, Foul – Red Light.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE — Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.838, 197.71 def. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.864, 196.67; Brayden Davis, Buell, 6.869, 197.59 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 8.755, 99.19; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.825, 200.26 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.931, 198.50; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 8.086, 116.24 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 10.263, 79.43; John Hall, 9.028, 98.74 def. Marc Ingwersen, Buell, Foul – Red Light; Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.804, 196.90 def. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.784,

200.23 was unopposed; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.790, 200.29 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light;

QUARTERFINALS — Gadson, 6.850, 197.13 def. Hall, 6.880, 196.93; A. Smith, 6.809, 198.76 def. Van Sant, 6.846, 197.16; Davis, 10.251, 80.46 def. Oehler, Foul – Red Light; M. Smith, 6.832, 197.57 def. Herrera, 8.170, 114.54;

SEMIFINALS — A. Smith, 6.774, 200.35 def. Gadson, 6.850, 195.93; M. Smith, 6.823, 199.58 def. Davis, Broke;

FINAL — M. Smith, 6.835, 185.41 def. A. Smith, Broke.

JOLIET, Ill. — Point standings (top 10) following the 26th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, the sixth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

  1. Shawn Langdon, 594; 2. Doug Kalitta, 540; 3. Leah Pruett, 429; 4. Tony Stewart, 388; 5. Josh Hart, 376; 6. Maddi Gordon, 358; 7. Antron Brown, 313; 8. Justin Ashley, 311; 9. Billy Torrence, 282; 10. Clay Millican, 252.

Funny Car

  1. (tie) Ron Capps, 468; J.R. Todd, 468; 3. Matt Hagan, 459; 4. Chad Green, 443; 5. Jordan Vandergriff, 416; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 389; 7. Spencer Hyde, 312; 8. Jack Beckman, 311; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 233; 10. Dave Richards, 222.

Pro Stock

  1. Dallas Glenn, 528; 2. Greg Anderson, 499; 3. Greg Stanfield, 399; 4. Matt Hartford, 376; 5. Erica Enders, 368; 6. Aaron Stanfield, 345; 7. Matt Latino, 344; 8. Cody Coughlin, 289; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 286; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr., 253.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

  1. Richard Gadson, 393; 2. Matt Smith, 349; 3. Gaige Herrera, 324; 4. Angie Smith, 301; 5. John Hall, 260; 6. Clayton Howey, 234; 7. Chase Van Sant, 230; 8. Ryan Oehler, 186; 9. Brayden Davis, 179; 10. (tie) Jianna Evaristo, 168. Steve Johnson, 168.

Reigning Winner Palou Beats Heat To Earn Second Career Indy 500 Pole

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 17, 2026) – Alex Palou will start the defense of his 2025 victory from the best spot possible in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge – the pole.

Four-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou earned his second career pole for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in a dramatic Firestone Fast Six session Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning the NTT P1 Award and a $100,000 bonus with his four-lap average speed of 232.248 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

“I have no words,” Palou said. “So, that was incredible. It just feels incredible. Great start to the Month of May.

“Did not expect it. You could see the celebration was really high (after winning the pole) because this morning when we woke up, we did not expect this speed.”

Palou, who also won the “500” pole in 2023, earned the 15th NTT P1 Award of his INDYCAR SERIES career. He became the first reigning “500” winner to claim the pole since Helio Castroneves in 2010.

The Spaniard will see a fellow Indianapolis 500 champion alongside him on the front row, as 2016 winner Alexander Rossi qualified second – his best qualifying performance among his 11 “500” starts – at 231.990 in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing.

Another driver earning his career-best Indy 500 start, Team Penske newcomer David Malukas, will start on the outside of the front row after qualifying third at 231.877 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Malukas’ previous-best start was seventh last year for AJ Foyt Racing.

Felix Rosenqvist qualified fourth at 231.375 in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian. It’s the second-best “500” start in Rosenqvist’s career, but the Swede couldn’t hide his disappointment after leading the opening round of qualifying (232.599) and the Fast 12 round (232.065), entering the Firestone Fast Six as the pole favorite.

“There was quite a big gap from run two to run three,” Rosenqvist said. “It felt good. It just didn’t seem like there was that much in it. It just didn’t go as fast.

“It’s a shame. It’s kind of déjà vu for me. I’ve had this three times now when I’ve gone into the last round and had to finish it off. It’s kind of like a curse. But it is what it is. We’ll just focus on the race.”

Santino Ferrucci qualified fifth at 230.846 in the No. 14 HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS Chevrolet of A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Pato O’Ward rounded out the Firestone Fast Six at 230.442 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Six different teams are represented in the first two rows of the starting grid for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 24.

Rain washed out PPG Armed Forces Qualifying on Saturday, creating a pressure-packed format of one qualifying attempt per driver per round under sunny skies and air temperatures that climbed into the mid-80s Sunday. All 33 drivers participated in the first round, with the 12 fastest advancing to the Top 12 second round, which whittled the pole contenders to the Firestone Fast Six.

Palou was at a disadvantage in the first round due to his wife, Esther, drawing the 31st position in the qualifying order in the blind draw Friday evening. His attempt took place two hours, 19 minutes after teammate Scott Dixon – who drew the first starting position – made his attempt in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Air and track temperatures were around 5 and 10 degrees higher, respectively, for Palou’s run, and he barely earned a transfer to the Top 12 after ending up 11th in the first round with a four-lap average of 231.155. But he climbed to second in the Top 12 at 231.665 behind Rosenqvist due to his Chip Ganassi Racing crew already accustomed to tuning the car for the peak heat of the day.

“I have to say being on the 31st – thanks to my wife, by the way for drawing that number – I think being there allowed us to work on those conditions,” Palou said. “It’s not easy to do everything the way this team is executing.”

Next up is practice from 1-3 p.m. ET Monday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Dover All-Star Race

By
Official Release
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NASCAR All-Star Race
Dover, Del. – May 17, 2026

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 FREIGHTLINER FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 10TH SEGMENT 1: 6TH SEGMENT 2: 12TH FINISH: 6TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse overcame early adversity to deliver a strong sixth-place finish in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. Just two laps into the race, Cindric sustained slight nose damage in a multi-car incident, but the team elected to stay out while several key competitors pitted, helping secure a sixth-place result in the opening segment. Due to the invert, Cindric restarted 16th in segment two and battled a lack of rear grip as the run progressed. A stop on lap 55 for right-side tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment aimed to improve the car’s balance. Starting sixth for the final stage, Cindric showed early promise before slipping back to 12th by lap 57. He managed his tires well and rallied to 10th prior to the All-Star caution, then restarted ninth for the closing run. As the balance came to him, Cindric charged forward—running as high as fourth by lap 170—before ultimately crossing the line in sixth after the final 30-lap run.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Definitely a wild day at Dover. Happy to stay out of a lot of the mess and have a fast enough Freightliner Ford Mustang along with good execution. We were able to get some good finishes in the first two segments to give us some track position in the final bit. We worked on the car all day and got it better by the end of the race. Not a whole lot more you can ask for. Wish the final run would’ve been a little more snug for me to go challenge the Toyotas for the lead. If it was a points race we would’ve had points in both stages. Top 10 effort, but that wasn’t the assignment today.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/WRANGLER FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 28TH SEGMENT 1: 32ND SEGMENT 2: 28TH FINISH: 13TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Wrangler Ford Mustang Dark Horse team faced an early setback in Sunday’s All-Star Race at Dover, but managed to come away with a 13th-place finish in the 200-lap main event. Blaney was collected in a nine-car incident on the second lap of the first 75-lap segment, sustaining heavy front end damage that prompted him to take it to the garage for repairs. The 12 team was able to complete its work just before the end of the second 75-lap segment as Blaney returned to the track with 13 laps remaining. As a result, Blaney lined up to start the 200-lap main event from 24th and made his way up to 16th by the time of the competition caution on lap 76. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler went to work on adjustments to keep up with the changing balance due to the prior damage as Blaney worked towards the top-10 during the following run. Blaney was forced to make an unscheduled stop with 63 laps to go due to an issue with the left rear wheel as the caution came out while he was on pit road. After taking the wave around to rejoin the lead lap, Blaney restarted 17th and made up a few spots over the sprint to the finish in a 13th-place result.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Really proud of this 12 group for putting in the work to get us back out on track and not having it be a complete loss of the day. Would’ve liked to see where we stacked up on pace over all three segments but glad we were able to get at least something out of the day.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 8TH SEGMENT 1: 8TH SEGMENT 2: 13TH FINISH: 25TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse team suffered a flat left rear tire with 62 laps remaining in Sunday’s All-Star Race at Dover, resulting in a 25th-place finish. After starting eighth in the first 75-lap segment, Logano struggled with the balance early on but maintained top-10 pace to come away with an eighth-place finish. After a round of adjustments between segments, Logano restarted 14th following the top-26 invert and struggled to make up ground due to a tight-handling condition in the corners, ultimately coming away with a 13th-place effort in the second segment. Logano began the 200-lap main event from eighth as the opening run stayed green all the way through to the competition caution on lap 76. Following a four tire stop, Logano continued to fight a tight-handling Shell-Pennzoil Ford before he experienced a flat left rear tire at the entrance to turn one, sending him for a spin into the outside wall and signaling an early end to the afternoon.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Definitely a tough way to end a pretty tough day overall. We had our struggles on the long run and, unfortunately, that led to giving up a bit of track position in the final segment that we weren’t able to make back up.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, for the Coca-Cola 600. Coverage of the begins at 6:00 p.m. ET on Prime, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Wood Brothers Racing – Race Report: Dover Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Event: NASCAR All-Star Race
Location: Dover Motor Speedway, Dover, Delaware
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Finish: 18th

Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Dark Horse avoided two multi-car crashes in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway before finishing 18th in the non-points event.

The exhibition race featured two 75-lap segments followed by a 200-lap main event.

The opening 75-lap segment began with a nine-car crash on Lap 2 that unfolded just behind Berry and eliminated several top contenders from competition.

Berry later fell a lap off the pace midway through the segment but rejoined the lead lap after receiving the free pass when the caution flag flew for Carson Hocevar.

That segment ultimately ended with another nine-car incident that erupted in front of Berry, who skillfully navigated through the spinning cars to finish 18th. The result placed him ninth for the start of the second segment following the field inversion.

In the second 75-lap segment, Berry again lost a lap before eventually returning to the lead lap via the free pass. He finished the segment in 17th, and his combined results positioned him 19th for the start of the final 200-lap feature.

The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Dark Horse climbed as high as 13th in the closing segment before ultimately taking the checkered flag in 18th place.

Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team now turn their attention to next Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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