Category: NASCAR

NASCAR News

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How to watch the Daytona 500 and what to watch for in 'The Great American Race'

William Byron will try to become the first driver in history to win the Daytona 500 three consecutive years when the 68th running of “The Great American Race” opens the NASCAR season on Sunday, Feb. 15.

Byron won last year’s event in overtime after race leader Denny Hamlin got spun on the final lap, igniting a multicar crash. Byron ended up passing eight cars on the last lap to return to victory lane.

Can he make it three in a row? Four others — Richard Petty in 1975, Cale Yarborough in 1985, Sterling Marlin in 1996 and Hamlin in 2021 — came up short in threepeat bids at NASCAR’s signature race.

The field includes seven other previous Daytona 500 winners, most notably three-time winner Hamlin and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin is trying to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss in the 2025 season finale and the December death of his father. Johnson, meanwhile, is again driving the No. 84 Toyota for his team, Legacy Motor Club.

This will be the first non-exhibition race since NASCAR and two teams — 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports — settled a federal antitrust lawsuit that threatened the series. The outcome guaranteed permanent charters for 36 teams.

The offseason also included the death of retired driver Greg Biffle, who was among seven people killed when his plane crashed in North Carolina just a week before Christmas.

How to watch the Daytona 500

The race will be aired on Fox. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick are in the booth. Larry McReynolds provides analysis. Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims cover pit road. Fox Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio also offer live broadcasts, and the race will be streamed on the Fox One and the Fox Sports app.

What time is the race?

The green flag drops shortly after 2:30 p.m. EST.

Who is trying to make the field?

Anthony Alfredo, Justin Allgaier, Corey Heim, Corey Lajoie, Casey Mears and Chandler Smith will try to earn a spot through either qualifying speed or their finish in a qualifying race. Allgaier is driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose famous father died 25 years ago following a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500.

Who is the favorite?

Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano are listed as co-favorites (plus-900) to win the race, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Byron and Austin Cindric are close behind at plus-1200.

The defending series champion is Kyle Larson. And keep an eye on 19-year-old driver Connor Zilisch, who won 10 races in the Xfinity Series last season and is considered a rising star.

Which celebrities are involved in the event

Comedian Nate Bargatze will serve as the grand marshal and give the command for drivers to start their engines. Actor Kurt Russell is the honorary pace car driver, and country music singer Miranda Lambert will perform a pre-race concert.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. shifts gears with his No. 8 logo to avoid potential conflict with Lamar Jackson

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is shifting gears with his No. 8 merchandising.

Earnhardt announced on social media Friday that he has secured the right to use a stylized version of No. 8 and will forgo the original No. 8 logo used by his NASCAR team, JR Motorsports. His decision came two days after Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson filed an opposition claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to stop Earnhardt from putting that JRM version of No. 8 on merchandise.

“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season,” Earnhardt wrote on social media.

Jackson, who has worn No. 8 since his college days at Louisville, previously registered the trademark “ERA 8 by Lamar Jackson.” His latest claim argued that Earnhardt’s attempt to trademark that particular version of No. 8 would create confusion among consumers.

Earnhardt avoided a trademark review with the rebranding. Had the U.S. Patent and Trademark appeal board denied Earnhardt, Jackson could have sued had Earnhardt used that No. 8 on any merchandise.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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Woody Pitkat, Danny Watts unite for eight NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races

Woody Pitkat, a four-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour winner, will return to the series to compete part-time with Danny Watts Racing in 2025. Driving the No. 82, Pitkat will run select events, including all three races at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, beginning with the Icebreaker on March 30. Additional Thompson events will take place on […]

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Ernest, Nate Smith to headline first two Summer Music Series concerts of 2025

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Calling all country music lovers: NASCAR, Speedway Motorsports and Anheuser-Busch announced today that two of the biggest artists of the genre -- Grammy-nominated top-selling singer-songwriter Ernest and award-winning vocal powerhouse Nate Smith -- will headline the first two Busch Light Summer Music Series events of the year at Texas Motor Speedway […]

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Prime Video adds Hall-of-Famer Edwards, rounds out 2025 announce team

NEW YORK — Prime Video unveiled the final pieces of a decorated announce team for its inaugural season of NASCAR Cup Series coverage, introducing newly minted Hall of Fame driver Carl Edwards, Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and experienced pit reporters Kim Coon and Marty Snider. The expanded lineup brings together a host of familiar […]

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Get up to speed as the Truck Series returns at Las Vegas

After two weeks off, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to action Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (9 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to kick off three consecutive weeks of on-track action. The opening two races provided no shortage of story lines, so let\\\"s get caught up before the […]

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2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series entry list for Las Vegas spring race

The NASCAR Xfinity Series travels to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the field looks to leave its mark in the LiUNA! on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). LAS VEGAS ENTRY LISTS: Cup Series | Craftsman Truck Series Here’s a look at the full entry list for Saturday’s event:

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2025 NASCAR Cup Series entry list for Las Vegas spring race

NASCAR heads to the Nevada desert for the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). LAS VEGAS ENTRY LISTS: Xfinity Series | Craftsman Truck Series See the full entry list for this weekend’s 267-lap event in Sin City: