Denny Hamlin is the self-proclaimed "king of irrational confidence," but after a dominant performance at Martinsville Speedway this past Sunday, it's hard to say that confidence is misplaced.

• At 44 years old, Hamlin is around the age where drivers tend to slow down. The trips to victory lane become few and far between, and top-10 runs become the new standard for success.

  For Hamlin, however, that doesn't appear to be the case.

  Hamlin brought a 31-race winless streak into Martinsville and left with a grandfather clock after leading 274 of 400 laps. It was a performance that showed Hamlin still has plenty of gas in the tank, and one that should inspire confidence in Hamlin as the season rolls on.

  According to those around him, Hamlin has had to ramp up his training and preparation as the years have stacked up.

  "He's probably in the simulator more than anyone," car owner Joe Gibbs said of Hamlin. "I think it says a lot about him. He works his rear end off."

  "I'm surprised at how hard he does work," crew chief Chris Gayle said. "Like (Gibbs) is talking about, we (Gayle and Hamlin) were texting last night; he was watching 2022 SMT data from here. He's had to ramp up the amount of work he's done where he may have gotten by earlier (in his career) without doing that. I think he still has a drive and determination to win."

  That drive comes from a part of Hamlin that is still goal-oriented. On Sunday, Hamlin tied 1989 Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time wins list with 55 Cup Series victories.

  "There are still goals left for him at this age," Gayle said. "I think it's no secret he wants to get 60 wins. It's one thing to talk about it, but I'm starting to see the amount of effort he puts in. He's with us in the simulator six or seven days a week. He does it to help the team. I think that speaks to where his head is at this age."

  As Hamlin climbed atop his Toyota to celebrate the win, his crew members handed him a flag that was given to the No. 11 team by a group of Hamlin's fans. Amidst a light-blue background were the words, "11 AGAINST THE WORLD."

  If you know anything about Hamlin, however, the flag was more than a funny slogan. It encapsulates an athlete that has embraced his role as one of NASCAR's most controversial drivers, and done so while still being near the top of his game.

  "Why not?" Hamlin said when asked why he held up the flag in front of the Martinsville crowd. "That's me. Go shoot hoops with me, go play pickleball with me, go play golf with me -- if I can't (trash)-talk, it takes my superpower away. It really does. I'm not nearly as good."

  Hamlin's methods of motivation and celebration have earned him plenty of detractors over the years, but it's that same mentality that has carried the future Hall of Famer to victory lane 55 times. After winning the 2023 Bristol night race, Hamlin quipped to the crowd that he had "just beat their favorite driver" -- a quote that earned a sequel after Hamlin won the Clash at the LA Coliseum in February 2024.

  The fiery, competitive side of Hamlin could be credited with keeping the 20-year veteran of NASCAR's top echelon motivated as he approaches the twilight of his career. And while his victory at Martinsville was important in the moment, it also paints a picture of a No. 11 team poised for another deep playoff run.

  While Hamlin hasn't made the Championship 4 since 2021, he hasn't missed the Round of 8 since 2018. He may not be in his prime anymore, but he is a perennial threat to make the penultimate round of the playoffs at the least -- and with NASCAR's current playoff format, anything is possible if you can make that far.

  In the short-term, upcoming races at Darlington (April 6) and Bristol (April 13) play right into Hamlin's strengths. Hamlin is the defending winner of the Bristol spring race, and has led 256 laps over six Next-Gen races at Darlington. There's no reason to think his performance at Martinsville was a fluky one-off, especially considering how many tracks there are on the schedule where he could be considered the odds-on favorite to win.

  Hamlin may not be at his statistical or physical peak anymore, but he's doing what many drivers before him failed to do as they aged -- consistently win races and be in championship contention, all while becoming more motivated with every passing year.

  --Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

Sergio Perez's absence from Formula 1 may not be a long one.

• Speaking to F1's official website on Tuesday, the former Red Bull driver and 14-year veteran of the circuit said he is talking to multiple teams about returning to racing in 2026 as he spends this year away from the circuit.

  "I've been approached by a few teams since Abu Dhabi," the 35-year-old told F1.com while speaking from home in Mexico. "Right now, the season has started so a few things will open up in the coming months.

  "We are talking to a few parties out there. Once I know all my options, I will make a decision. What is very clear to me is that I'm only coming back if the project makes sense, and it's something I can enjoy."

  After the season finale in Abu Dhabi in December, Perez and Red Bull announced they were cutting ties despite Perez having two more years left on his contract. After finishing second in the standings to teammate Max Verstappen in 2023, Perez struggled last season. He failed to win a race for the first time since 2019 and had only four podium finishes. (He had 20 over the two previous seasons.)

  In 281 career races, Perez has six wins, 39 podium finishes and four top-five finishes in the standings. A majority of that success (including three of the top-five finishes) came in his four seasons with Red Bull.

  "Everything happened really late in the season," Perez told F1.com. "I wasn't really expecting it to happen. It only became clearer once we were in Qatar, and we started to discuss and negotiate my exit of the team. It all happened very quickly."

  Among the teams rumored to be speaking with Perez is American manufacturer Cadillac, which will enter F1 competition next season.

  New Zealander Liam Lawson, Perez's replacement at Red Bull this season, has struggled enough that he was replaced after just two races. Yuki Tsunoda will take his place at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

  One commonality between Perez's struggles last season and Lawson's so far this season is the RB20 car designed by Red Bull and first used in competition by Perez last season.

  "Especially last year, I didn't get to show what I'm able to do as a driver," Perez said. "Now, all of a sudden, people realize how difficult the car is to drive."

  --Field Level Media

Steve Phelps was named NASCAR's first commissioner on Monday with a mission focused on "strategic growth and international expansion."

• Phelps, 62, had been serving as president of NASCAR since 2018. In the newly created role, he will oversee all aspects of the sport that include the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) and all 15 NASCAR-owned or operated tracks.

  Steve O'Donnell was promoted from chief operating officer to succeed Phelps as president. O'Donnell is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of all three NASCAR national series (Cup Series, Xfinity and Trucks) and all commercial, media and track operations as well as four international series and multiple properties.

  "We are thrilled to name Steve Phelps as NASCAR's first Commissioner," said NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France. "His leadership, professionalism and well-earned respect from across the sports industry speak to his unique value for the sport. With more than 50 years of expertise between them, both Steve Phelps and Steve O'Donnell bring tremendous expertise, stability and a commitment to the bold racing innovations that will continue to serve fans, teams and stakeholders for many years to come."

  Phelps originally joined NASCAR in 2005.

  "I'm honored to take this next step in helping to guide NASCAR, the sport I've loved since my father took me to my first race at 5 years old, continue to grow and welcome new fans, competitors and partners that together create some of the most extraordinary moments in sports," Phelps said. "I cannot thank the France family enough for their unwavering commitment to our fans, their steady leadership and, most importantly, their stewardship of stock-car racing since its inception nearly eight decades ago. This sport is truly one of the great American business stories and I'm privileged to continue as part of that legacy -- and especially its bright future."

  O'Donnell becomes the sixth president in the sport's 77-year history.

  "In my 30 years in NASCAR, I've been most inspired by the passion of race fans at tracks across the country. It has been a privilege to help bring our sport to those fans through incredible new venues and innovative engaging content that showcase the best racing in our storied history," O'Donnell said. "I believe we're the best in the world at creating 'Bucket List' events that merge sports and entertainment with tailgating, camping and the most immersive fan experience in sports. I'm honored to continue that mission and build upon the collaboration and innovation with our teams and partners to deliver the best racing to sports fans everywhere."

  --Field Level Media

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Christopher Bell put forth an early challenge at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday with a lap that stood up against all comers in qualifying for Sunday's Cook Out 400 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

• The 17th driver to make a run during time trials, Bell navigated the venerable 0.526-mile track in 19.718 seconds (96.034 mph) and waited as the 21 drivers who followed took their respective shots at the standard he set.

  No one was up to the task, and Bell had his first Busch Light pole award of the season in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota -- also his first at Martinsville and the 14th of his career.

  Chase Elliott came closest to matching Bell's lap. The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet covered the distance in 19.735 seconds (95.951 mph), just 0.003 seconds faster than teammate and third-place qualifier Alex Bowman (95.937 mph).

  Despite turning the second-fastest lap in Saturday afternoon's practice, Bell wasn't optimistic about his chances for the pole.

  "I was kind of down in the dumps after practice (because of the position in the qualifying order)," Bell said. "But that was definitely the best qualifying session I've ever felt out of my car at Martinsville. It was just easy.

  "I went out there and the car just had so much grip," Bell continued. "I'm really proud of this (No.) 20 team. They've been working hard on this Martinsville package. We'll see what happens (Sunday), but obviously, starting up front will be a big help."

  Kyle Larson, last Sunday's winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway, qualified fourth at 95.854 mph. Bell's teammate, five-time Martinsville winner Denny Hamlin, was fifth at 95.840 mph.

  Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick and defending race winner William Byron filled out the rest of the top 10 on the grid.

  Casey Mears, whose No. 66 Ford failed inspection twice before qualifying, will start 37th in his first Cup Series race since 2019.

  --By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

The NASCAR Cup Series will see the pack tightly bunched and organized Sunday when the seventh race of the 2025 season takes to the track at the famed "Paperclip" that is Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

• Martinsville has been on the NASCAR schedule since the first season of competition in 1948. The half-mile oval, known for its long straightaways and tight corners, is famous for pushing man and machine to their absolute limit over the course of an afternoon.

  A few drivers have made Martinsville their playground over the years. Richard Petty is atop Martinsville's all-time wins list with 15 victories, while those below him also are known as true Martinsville masters.

  Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each won nine grandfather clocks, given to the drivers that can keep time the best on the Cup Series' shortest track. Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace won at Martinsville 11 and seven times, respectively. Denny Hamlin is the active wins leader at Martinsville with five victories.

  Martinsville lends itself to those who toe the line between aggression and foolishness. It's a track where drivers have to keep both themselves and their car cool, as tempers and brake issues have been the focal point on a number of occasions.

  The tight confines favor only the best drivers in the sport -- you won't find fluke winners at Martinsville under normal circumstances. Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell -- four of the best drivers currently competing in the Cup Series -- are the four most recent Martinsville winners.

  Simply put, Martinsville is a track that favors the best.

  Ahead of the Cook Out 400, here are the drivers to watch during Sunday's race:

  Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford, Team Penske

  It's not a stretch to call Martinsville Blaney's best track. In 18 starts, Blaney has 12 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 8.3. He hasn't finished worse than 11th at the half-mile short track since October of 2018, and in the six races run at Martinsville with the Next-Gen car, Blaney hasn't finished worse than seventh. He's also won the last two fall races at Martinsville, and he'll be hungry for a win after a dominant performance at Homestead was negated by a blown engine.

  William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

  Byron is the defending winner of the Martinsville spring race and also won at Martinsville in the spring of 2022. He has eight top-10 finishes in 14 Martinsville starts, and has quickly turned into a consistent favorite whenever the Cup Series pays a visit to the asphalt straightaways and concrete turns. Byron has been one of the best drivers to start the 2025 season, and a win at Martinsville on Sunday would be a nice compliment to his season-opening win in the Daytona 500.

  Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

  Hamlin hasn't won at Martinsville since 2015, but he didn't win five races at his home track by accident. In 38 Martinsville starts, Hamlin has 20 top-five finishes and 26 top-10 efforts. The last time the Cup Series visited Martinsville, Hamlin started 37th and finished fifth in one of his best drives in recent memory. He hasn't won at Martinsville in a decade, but he has an excellent shot to break his 10-year Martinsville drought on Sunday.

  Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing

  For the first time in his young Cup Series career, Berry can't be called an underdog. After collecting his first career win at Las Vegas on Mar. 16, Berry enters Martinsville looking to add to his impressive short-track resume. His two Cup Series starts at the track yielded finishes of 25th and 16th, but he does have three top-five finishes at Martinsville in Xfinity Series competition. In his first Xfinity Series start at Martinsville, Berry collected the first win of his NASCAR career, which effectively turned him into a star overnight. Four years later, Berry returns looking for the second win of his Cup Series career, while trying to establish himself as a weekly contender.

  --Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

Liam Lawson posted an emotional message over social media in the wake of his demotion from Red Bull Racing.

• Red Bull announced Thursday that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix and going forward. The move to promote Tsunoda from its Racing Bulls team to partner with four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen comes after Lawson struggled during both the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix.

  "Being a (Red Bull Racing) driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it's what I've worked towards my whole life," Lawson wrote on Instagram, complete with photos from his school days.

  "It's tough, but I'm grateful for everything that's brought me to this point.

  "To every one of you who's stood by me, thank you for all the support, it means the world."

  Lawson, 23, was selected in December by Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner to replace Sergio Perez, who reached an agreement to part ways with the club after four years. Tsunoda was among those who also was in consideration for the seat, as was Isack Hadjar.

  However, the team ultimately decided to go with Lawson, who had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019 and took over Daniel Ricciardo's seat during last season.

  The New Zealander entered 2025 with 11 F1 starts to his credit but has been unable to keep pace to begin 2025 in the RB21 car. Lawson has yet to register a point for the team with a did not finish in Australia and a P12 finish in China. He was the slowest car on the grid during both the sprint and Grand Prix qualifying sessions in China.

  --Field Level Media

Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix and going forward, Red Bull confirmed Thursday.

• The move to promote Tsunoda from its Racing Bulls team to partner with four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen comes after Lawson struggled during both the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix.

  "It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch," Red Bull team principal and CEO Christian Horner said. "We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision.

  "We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21.

  "We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well."

  Lawson, 23, was selected in December by Horner to replace Sergio Perez, who reached an agreement to part ways with Red Bull after four years. Tsunoda was among those who was also in consideration for the seat, as was Isack Hadjar.

  However, the team ultimately decided to go with Lawson, who had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019 and took over Daniel Ricciardo's seat during last season.

  The New Zealander entered 2025 with 11 F1 starts to his credit but has been unable to keep pace to begin 2025 in the RB21 car. Lawson failed to get out of Q1 in Australia and China and has yet to register a point for the team with P15 and P12 finishes. He was the slowest car on the grid during both the spring and qualifying sessions in China.

  Honda has been a significant proponent of Tsunoda's, reportedly offering millions of dollars for the 24-year-old Japanese star to get an opportunity to race alongside Verstappen in his fifth F1 season.

  Red Bull finished third in the 2024 constructors' championship, and currently sits behind McLaren and Mercedes two races into 2025. That's with Verstappen contributing all 36 points to the team so far.

  The Racing Bulls are ninth, with Tsunoda contributing all three of the team's points while showing impressive pace.

  --Field Level Media

Red Bull is set to replace Liam Lawson just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season, according to multiple reports.

• Following an emergency meeting in Dubai, the F1 team has decided to promote Yuki Tsunoda from its Racing Bulls team to partner with four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen, according to Dutch outlet De Limburger.

  Lawson, 23, was selected in December by team principal Christian Horner to replace Sergio Perez, who reached an agreement to part ways with Red Bull after four years. Tsunoda was among those who was also in consideration for the seat, as was Isack Hadjar.

  However, the team ultimately decided to go with Lawson, who had been on the Red Bull junior team since 2019 and took over Daniel Ricciardo's seat during last season.

  The New Zealander entered 2025 with 11 F1 starts to his credit but has been unable to keep pace to begin 2025 in the RB21 car. Lawson failed to get out of Q1 in Australia and China and has yet to register a point for the team with P15 and P12 finishes. He was the slowest car on the grid during both the spring and qualifying sessions in China.

  Honda has been a significant proponent of Tsunoda's, reportedly offering millions of dollars for the 24-year-old Japanese star to get an opportunity to race alongside Verstappen in his fifth F1 season.

  Tsunodo is expected to take over Lawson's seat at his home circuit at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Lawson returning to team with Hadjar at Racing Bulls. According to the Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Verstappen "disagrees with management's decision to intervene so soon."

  Red Bull finished third in the 2024 constructors' championship, and currently sits behind McLaren and Mercedes two races into 2025. That's with Verstappen contributing all 36 points to the team so far.

  The Racing Bulls are ninth, with Tsunoda contributing all three of the team's points while showing impressive pace.

  --Field Level Media

Fernando Alonso acknowledged that he has been dealing with an injury after failing to finish his second consecutive race to begin the 2025 Formula 1 season.

• The 43-year-old Spaniard has yet to score a point and was forced to retire four laps into Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix. Alonso revealed afterward that he has been coping with a neck injury.

  "I was wearing some neck protection because I've had a pinched nerve or something these past few days," he told Spanish media, per the Mirror. "But in the end, it didn't help much because I didn't do many laps.

  "We had a brake issue. The rear brakes were very hot from the first lap and on the last one before retiring, I hit the brakes into turn one and the pedal went all the way down with no braking power.

  The two-time world champion has not won a race since 2013 and is still seeking an elusive 33rd career F1 victory. Currently, Alonso sits at the bottom of the driver standings with four others who have yet to register a point, and he is 10 points behind Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll.

  Alonso crashed out of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and said that he was "lucky" to have not taken out other cars when his car began to fail in Shanghai.

  The Aston Martin team has a few weeks to address issues with Alonso's car before the next race in Japan on April 5, which begins a stretch of three consecutive race weeks.

  "Now we need to understand what happened and next is a triple-header," Alonso said. "Hopefully, I can see the checkered flag for the first time this year and we can turn things around in Japan."

  --Field Level Media

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman provided a dramatic final few minutes of Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday afternoon -- claiming the pole position for Sunday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

• With only four cars remaining in the session, Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet set fast lap of 168.845 mph around the 1.5-mile track, knocking Front Frow Motorsports' Noah Gragson from the lead position that he had held for the majority of the qualifying session.

  Last week's Las Vegas race winner, Wood Brothers Racing's Josh Berry took the track immediately after and nearly equaled Bowman's lap -- instead his No. 21 Ford coming a mere .073-second off the pole-winning pace but earning a front row position alongside the Hendrick driver.

  This is Bowman's sixth career pole position and first at Homestead, a place the 32-year-old Arizona-native doesn't necessarily consider one of his historically better tracks. He has only a pair of top-10 finishes, but his best outcome -- seventh place -- came in the series most recent Homestead visit last October.

  "There were some cars not so great on the short run and really fast on the long run and we were kind of the opposite of that practice, we were really faster in the short run and not great on the long run stuff so I knew qualifying was going to be really important because of that and that we had some work to do for tomorrow," Bowman said, "But for me, I had a pretty clear cut plan for qualifying and I thought I was able to execute that pretty well and my race car gave me what I needed to do that."

  Gragson will start third, followed by Daytona 500 polesitter, Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe in the No. 19 Toyota and current NASCAR Cup Series championship leader William Byron in the No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet.

  "We're still really fast, but I've never gotten a pole in the Cup Series, but our Beef A Roo Mustang is pretty quick on the short run," said Gragson, driver of the No. 4 FRM Ford. "We just need to get a little better for the long run and we're up in the hunt, so that's good."

  Intermittent clouds cooled the 74-degree afternoon and as Bowman alluded to, several of the fastest cars in practice did not necessarily fare as well in actual qualifying.

  23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace set top pace in Group B practice, for example, but was only ninth quickest in qualifying. Fellow Toyota driver, Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones was second -- just behind Wallace -- in that practice session but ended up only 28th quickest on the starting grid.

  Conversely, Kaulig Racing's A.J. Allmendinger, who was 25th fastest in that Group 2 practice session will start the race from 10th position. Berry, still basking in his first career win last week at Las Vegas, was 31st in practice but will start from the front row.

  Defending race winner Tyler Reddick was 20th in qualifying. Kyle Larson, who is attempting to win in all three national series races this weekend will roll off 14th in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

  And the season's winningest driver, Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell was 16th in qualifying. A three-time winner already, he is trying to become only the third driver in NASCAR history -- joining Hall of Famers Bill Elliott (1992) and Dale Earnhardt (1987) as the only competitors in the modern era to win four of the opening six races.

  NOTEBOOK ITEMS:

  *BERRY INSISTS SUCCESS NOT A FLUKE

  *First-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Josh Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team come into Homestead race week still enjoying the legendary team's 101st victory at Las Vegas last Sunday -- a huge career achievement for Berry, personally, and only the second win for the team in the last nine years.

  Only five races into his tenure, Berry has already delivered an early-season Playoff berth for the team and by the looks of the strong showing may well win again in the months before the championship march starts. He was adamant that the Vegas win wasn't a "fluke' and is one of only four drivers with multiple top-five finishes on the year.

  "Without a doubt I feel like I had things to prove," said the 34-year-old Berry, who is beginning only his second fulltime season in the Cup ranks. "Obviously, coming off of last year and everything we went through, I think people were still looking at all four of us that were part of that program with a lot of question marks, so, to me, I wanted to go out and prove myself all over again in the Cup Series.

  "I felt like this was probably the opportunity for me. I think if I fail at this one, I don't think there's probably another one lined up for me, so most definitely there was pressure to go out and perform. During the offseason we just really buckled down and obviously getting to know and working with my new crew chief, Miles.

  "We put in a lot of work over the offseason to be prepared when the season started and I feel like that obviously paid off. Honestly, our results and performance has exceeded our expectations, so I'm super happy with that and winning a race in the Cup Series is a big deal."

  Berry's second place qualifying lap marks the fourth time in the past five races he's secured a top-10 start.

  *LARSON'S TRIPLE QUEST

  No driver is busier than Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson this weekend and the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is already batting a thousand in his quest to win trophies in all three national series races at Homestead.

  He earned his first trophy with a dramatic comeback victory in Friday's NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race making the pass for the lead with only two laps remaining. It adds to an already-impressive resume here for Larson, who is a former winner in both Saturday's Xfinity Series 300-miler (2015) and Sunday's NACAR Cup Series race (2022) at the South Florida 1.5-miler.

  He comes into Sunday's race ranked sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings, with three top-10s and a pair of third place finishes through the opening five races.

  "I felt like the Truck race was probably going to be the toughest to win, I don't have much experience in them and the runs are typically shorter," Larson said. "I feel better about Xfinity and Cup but the competition keeps getting tough and tougher as you get on with the weekend, but we'll see. Off to a good start."

  *HOMESTEAD A FINALE FAVORITE

  NASCAR just raced at the Homestead-Miami Speedway 1.5-miler during the October 2024 Playoff run and this weekend marks the first time it has been a Spring event since 2021.

  Ask the drivers where they'd like to see the former, longtime season finale venue on the schedule and the consensus is, they'd love to see it return as the championship race one day.

  "I certainly would like to see it play a bigger factor in our championship, whether it's in the Playoffs or part of the championship race round or whatever it might be," said the Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, whose three wins are most among active drivers. "I'd just like to see it a part of that because we just talked about how the driver makes a bigger difference at the is race track than the car."

  Team Penske's Ryan Blaney took it a step further.

  "All the above, really," Blaney responded with a grin when asked if he preferred the spring or fall Homestead placement on the calendar.

  "I'll be honest, it doesn't matter to me when we come here, spring all, in the playoffs, championship race, as long as we're coming here. I think if you asked, some guys would love to come here twice, once in the spring and once in the fall, where that race in the fall lays, I don't care. Do I think the championship race should rotate between a few tracks? Yeah. And this should be one of them. This place puts on a great show no matter what."

  *THE WINNING Bs

  The five NASCAR Cup Series races have all been won by drivers whose last names begin with the letter "B." Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron won the Daytona 500. Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell won the next three races -- at Atlanta, Circuit of The Americas and Phoenix -- and Berry picked up his first career win at Las Vegas last weekend.

  Saturday's Homestead pole winner? Alex Bowman.

  Several drivers conceded that B letter trend could likely continue this weekend at Homestead with 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champ Ryan Blaney considered a favorite. He started the season with a pair of top-10 finishes and won the pole position at Atlanta but has back-to-back showings of 28th and 35th in the two races heading to South Florida -- suffering an engine failure at Phoenix and crashing last weekend at Las Vegas.

  "I thought our car was really good last week until I wrecked all of us on the back stretch so just hope to keep that same pace but I feel good with where our program is at right now," said Blaney, who has finished runner-up in the last two Homestead races.

  "Just a matter of trying to get some stuff to go our way."

  *SEASON OF LEARNING

  One of the more heralded rookies this season is former Australian SuperCars champion Shane Van Gisbergen, who turned heads and earned high praise for his historic victory at the Chicago Street Course two years ago in his first ever NASCAR Cup Series start.

  With a strong background in road and street courses before coming to America as a fulltime NASCAR Competitor, the 34-year-old New Zealand-native said it has been a legitimate learning curve in the NASCAR Cup Series on the ovals.

  His lone top-10 result of the year in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet came at the Circuit of The Americas road course. He says it has been an education on the assortment of long and short ovals in this first full NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Twice -- in the last two races at Phoenix and Las Vegas -- he's been collected in crashes not of his own doing.

  "I feel like we've showed a lot of promise but we have nothing to show for it, really," Van Gisbergen said. "COTA was a good day, but on the ovals we've really struggled and we've had a lot of accidents and they haven't really been our fault.

  "It's really tough results-wise but I see a lot of potential and speed. Just got to put it together and get to the end of the races and things will start clicking for us, I think."

  "It has been hard because I'm not really known for crashing too much and not finishing, so it's been a bit of a pain really," Van Gisbergen added. "Just have to stay out of trouble and get through it. The first stage we're always going good and improving and thinking the rest of the race is going to be good then something seems to happen, so hopefully we stop that this weekend."

  --By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

When the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Homestead, Fla., for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, the Florida skies won't be bright and sunny for every driver in the field. Here are five drivers in desperate need of a solid showing in South Florida.

• Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

  Aside from a fourth-place finish in the Daytona 500, Briscoe's maiden voyage with Joe Gibbs Racing has not started off on the right foot. Briscoe sits 20th in points five races into the season, and is yet to put forth an eye-catching performance this year. A good run at Homestead would go a long way toward the No. 19 team getting back on track and performing to the expectations that were set for them before the season began.

  Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota, Legacy Motor Club

  While Jones' teammate John Hunter Nemechek consistently competes in the top 20 and sits 15th in points, Jones is 25th and hasn't finished better than 18th over the last four races. Jones has long been touted as one of the most underrated drivers in the Cup Series, but his start to the 2025 season hasn't exactly been indicative of that. Jones didn't have the same expectations of several other drivers on this list, but his slow start has been disappointing nonetheless. A top-15 performance on Sunday seems necessary for the No. 43 team to get back on track, especially if Nemechek once again runs well.

  Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota, 23XI Racing

  This isn't a knock on Herbst, who is still learning and adjusting in his first year at the Cup level. However, Herbst sits 27th in points after five races -- a far, far cry from teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who sit third and 11th, respectively. It's far too early to hit the panic button on a Cup Series rookie, but a good run in South Florida would do wonders for a young driver looking for momentum early in the season.

  Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford, RFK Racing

  Keselowski's 2025 season has been defined by bad luck. Decent finishes of 15th at COTA and 11th at Las Vegas were negated by finishes of 26th at Daytona, 39th at Atlanta and 33rd at Phoenix. The 2012 champion sits 30th in points after five races, and needs to start stringing together good finishes in order to claw his way towards the playoff cut line. Keselowski is still capable of winning races, but showing pace at Miami almost seems like a necessity if the No. 6 team wants to get the ball rolling.

  Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

  Five races into 2024, Gibbs was third in points and had scored four top-10 finishes. His widely publicized slump to end his sophomore season has carried over to the start of 2025. Five races into his third Cup Series season, Gibbs sits 34th in points with an average finish of 25.8. He's above only two other full-time drivers -- Cole Custer and Cody Ware -- in the standings. When he hasn't been involved in an incident this year, there's been little speed under the hood of the No. 54. Gibbs' third Cup Series campaign risks outing him as a prospect who is slowly flaming out. One race may not be enough to completely turn the narrative surrounding Gibbs' slow start, but a top-10 effort underneath the Florida sun could turn the tide for a young driver who needs to reaffirm that he's a threat on a weekly basis.

  --Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

Lewis Hamilton already is making strides in his new role with Ferrari, securing the pole for Saturday's 19-lap sprint race that is the prelude to the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai.

• Hamilton was a mere 0.018 seconds faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen, with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc set to start fourth. McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished third in sprint race qualifying.

  Hamilton moved to Ferrari this season after racing for Mercedes from 2013-2024 when he won six of his seven drivers' championships.

  "We made some great changes, the team did a fantastic job through the break to get the car ready," Hamilton said. "I'm a bit in shock. I can't believe we got a pole in the sprint."

  In his Ferrari debut this past weekend, Hamilton finished in 10th place during a rainy Australian Grand Prix.

  China is one of six locations that will have a shorter sprint race attached to the main event. Another round of qualifying will take place Saturday in advance of Sunday's 56-lap Chinese Grand Prix.

  --Field Level Media

NASCAR handed down suspensions Wednesday to members of the pit crews for Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe for detached wheels in last Sunday's Cup Series race in Las Vegas.

• The two-race suspensions were issued to members of Busch's No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team and Briscoe's No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team after wheels became unfastened during the Pennzoil 400.

  The suspensions will cover Sunday's race at Miami and the March 30 race at Martinsville for No. 8 crew members Dylan Moser (jack) and Shiloh Windsor (rear-tire changer) and No. 19 crew members Caleb Dirks (jack) and Daniel Smith (rear-tire changer).

  Briscoe finished 17th in the race won by Josh Berry in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford. Busch's day ended after 35 laps.

  --Field Level Media

The Australian Grand Prix was watched by more than 1.1 million viewers on ESPN, setting a record for Formula 1's season-opening event, according to the network.

• It beat the previous mark of 659,000 viewers in 2019, and was up 541,000 from last year's race broadcast on ESPN2. The 2025 race, which began at midnight Sunday ET, also averaged 560,000 viewers in the coveted 18-49 year-old demographic.

  The record viewership for the Australian GP comes amid reports that ESPN will not pursue the U.S. broadcast rights to F1 once the network's media deal expires after this season. However, F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said at last month's Liberty Media earnings call that discussions continue despite ESPN's exclusive negotiating period having passed.

  ESPN has aired F1 races since 2018 and is in the final year of a three-year extension that has the network paying about $90 million per season for media rights.

  NBC Sports and Netflix are potential replacements after both met with F1 last month, according to Front Office Sports.

  NBC Sports aired F1 from 2012 to 2017, while Netflix has helped boost F1's popularity in the U.S. with its "Drive to Survive" docuseries, which recently released its seventh season.

  The second race of the 2025 season is Sunday, with the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled to begin at 2:55 a.m. ET on ESPN. The F1 season includes United States stops in Miami (May 4), Austin, Texas (Oct. 19) and Las Vegas (Nov. 22).

  --Field Level Media

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc posted the fastest time during Friday's second practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, getting around the Albert Park circuit in 1:16.439.

• That was 0.124 seconds quicker than Oscar Piastri, who clocked the second quickest time ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Norris enters the season-opener as the early favorite to claim his first world championship.

  "But certainly not happy, like not confident with the car in terms of finding the best balance and being consistent enough, especially on low fuel," Norris told reporters.

  "High fuel, I felt good. Just low fuel was still similar to Bahrain, too many inconsistencies, too many problems, so a bit of a struggle."

  Yuki Tsunoda was fourth in the practice session. Then came seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was 0.42 seconds off the pace of his new Ferrari teammate.

  Hamilton, 40, is making his debut for the Italian team after 12 years at Mercedes, and acknowledged that he faces a steep learning curve ahead of Sunday's season-opener.

  "I'm just going to try and enjoy it. I've got some pace to find, I know where I'm going to find it. It's just about going out and doing it," Hamilton told reporters when asked if earning the pole during Saturday's qualifying session is possible.

  "I'm really still getting used to all the setup changes so it's like I don't have them on call like I used to have obviously at Mercedes."

  RB2's Isack Hadjar was sixth during FP2, followed by defending champion Max Verstappen. The four-time defending world champion was fifth and seventh during the two practice sessions, while Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson finished 17th after brushing the wall in the first session and needing to have work done on his car.

  "The problem is that it's not really like I have major balance problems, so I think it will be a bit hard to fix," Verstappen told reporters. "But it's also nothing that I didn't expect when I arrived here, so I'm not positively or negatively surprised with the pace that we are showing."

  George Russell was the fastest of the Mercedes cars, finishing 10th and struggling to keep pace over the course of a full lap. It was an improvement on the first practice session, when Russell spun off the track.

  That was still a far better day than rookie Oliver Bearman, who damaged his Haas after spinning across the track and sliding through the gravel. The 19-year-old took full responsibility for the spin.

  Carlos Sainz, who signed with Williams after losing his Ferrari seat to Hamilton, finished in 11th ahead of teammate Alex Albon.

  Another rookie, Mercedes' 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, finished 16th in FP2 after being 14th in the first session.

  --Field Level Media

Lewis Hamilton is only days away from his debut with Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix, but the seven-time world champion said the only pressure he feels is from within.

• Hamilton shocked the Formula 1 world when he signed with the iconic Italian team in February 2024 before closing out his historic 12-year run with Mercedes. While Mercedes struggled, Ferrari finished second in the constructors standings.

  Hamilton has now replaced Carlos Sainz, who moved on to Williams, and has teamed with Charles Leclerc to form one of the top driver tandems on the grid.

  With Ferrari coming off a second-place finish last year and adding arguably the sport's greatest ever driver, expectations are heightened for 2025. The 40-year-old Hamilton is seeking an elusive eighth title while Ferrari is looking for its first championship since 2008.

  "I don't feel the pressure," he told reporters on Thursday. "The outside pressure is non-existent for me. The pressure is from within and what I want to achieve.

  "I'm not here to prove anything to anybody. I don't feel I have to do anything. I've been here a long, long time and done it time and time again."

  Between McLaren and Mercedes, all of Hamilton's world championships have come while driving cars powered by Mercedes engines. The Briton also is transitioning from the United Kingdom-based Mercedes to the Italian outfit.

  "I'm under no assumptions that it will be easy. It is not," he said. "I'm back at square one.

  "I'm still learning this new car that's quite a lot different to what I've driven for all my previous career in the sense of Mercedes power. Coming into Ferrari power, it's something quite new -- different vibration, different feel, different way of working.

  "The whole team works completely differently. I was just sitting looking at the race trace from last year, and it's upside down compared to the previous one. You're looking at things from a different perspective, which makes it exciting and challenging."

  A two-time winner in Australia, Hamilton insisted he did not have any expectations entering the weekend other than joking that he hoped to finish in the points. He will get two practice sessions on Friday ahead of Saturday's qualifying.

  "This is the most exciting period of my life, and so I'm really just enjoying it," he said. "I'm so excited to get in the car tomorrow."

  --Field Level Media

After helping McLaren to a constructor's championship in 2024, Oscar Piastri was rewarded with a multi-year contract worth nearly $26 million per year, according to Racing News 365.

• The new deal replaces Piastri's contract that ran through 2026 and was set to pay him over $7 million per season.

  "It's a great feeling knowing that I'm part of McLaren's long-term vision," Piastri said in a release. "The team had the belief in me when we signed in 2022, and the journey we've gone on over the past two seasons to help return McLaren to the very top of the sport has been incredible.

  The 23-year-old Australia native won a pair of races in 2024 and finished fourth in the driver's standings with 292 points, while teammate Lando Norris was the runner-up with four wins and 374 points. Norris signed a long-term extension before the 2024 season.

  The McLaren constructor's title ended a two-year title run for Red Bull and gave the team its first championship since 1998.

  Piastri's deal comes just as F1 is set to open its 2025 season with the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday in his hometown of Melbourne.

  --Field Level Media

Christopher Bell has served emphatic notice that he is the early driver to beat in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, and the 30-year-old is primed for a run at an historic fourth consecutive win on a track where he will be looking to exact some revenge.

• With victories at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas and Phoenix, the Norman, Okla., native is the first driver to win three Cup races in a row since Kyle Larson did so in 2021. He is also the first driver to win three out of the first four since Kevin Harvick in 2018.

  Compared to Harvick's early-season thrashing of the field seven years ago, Bell hasn't been quite as dominant. That's not a knock on Bell, but rather an indication of how NASCAR's schedule has changed. The first four races of 2025 featured two superspeedways, a road course and a one-mile oval. The first four races of 2018 featured Daytona being followed by three conventional ovals in a pre-reconfiguration Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

  During his three-race win streak at the start of 2018, Harvick led 433 laps, compared to Bell's 114 over his three-race win streak. During his streak, Harvick scored a combined 149 laps, compared to Bell's 139 over his three-race streak.

  As Bell prepares to race for a fourth consecutive win at Las Vegas on Sunday, it's worth looking back at Harvick's attempt at a fourth straight win in 2018. Harvick was involved in an early crash at that year's Auto Club 400 and finished 35th. It was a race indicative of the nature of NASCAR: no matter how high you are, you can always be brought down. Bell hopes to avoid a similar fate at Las Vegas.

  Harvick's fourth win of 2018 came seven races after his third in the AAA 400 at Dover. While Harvick made the Championship 4 for the fourth time in five seasons, he and the rest of the 'Big Three; that included Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. saw their title hopes crushed by Joey Logano.

  When looking for the best start to a season in Cup Series history, Bill Elliott's 1992 season has to come to mind. After leaving Melling Racing at the conclusion of 1991, Elliott landed with Junior Johnson as the driver of the flagship No. 11 car. While his season would ultimately end in a heartbreaking championship defeat at the hands of journeyman Alan Kulwicki, nobody could touch Elliott over the first five races of 1992.

  A 27th-place finish at Daytona was disappointing for the two-time Daytona 500 winner, but over the next four weeks, Elliott was far and away the best driver in the field. Wins at Rockingham, Richmond, Atlanta and Darlington solidified him as a championship threat, though he remained behind fellow title contender Davey Allison in the points standings despite his tear.

  Different points systems and race lengths prohibit a cross-examination between Elliott and Bell's respective streaks, but it should be noted that Elliott led 747 of a possible 1,587 laps during his win streak.

  Unfortunately for Elliott, his dominance ran out in race six at Bristol, where he finished 20th -- 30 laps down. Following his four-race win streak, he would fail to find victory lane again until the infamous season-finale at Atlanta, where Elliott's fifth win of 1992 failed to deliver him a second Winston Cup title.

  Bell now shifts his attention to going for a fourth consecutive win, a feat accomplished by the aforementioned Elliott, Harry Gant -- AKA 'Mr. September' for winning four races in a row in September of 1991 -- and Richard Petty, who won 10 in a row in 1967, among others.

  The bad news for the field? Bell is due for a trip to Victory Lane in Sin City.

  In his past four starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bell has three top-five finishes and has led 216 laps. Of those 216, 155 of them came in a dominant performance at LVMS in October of 2024, where Bell saw Joey Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe steal a win that catapulted the No. 22 team to the Championship 4. That race wasn't just a heartbreaking loss on an otherwise dominant day for Bell, but also ended up being the difference in Bell missing the Championship 4.

  The spring race at Las Vegas hasn't been quite as kind to Bell as its fall counterpart, but with how fast Bell is at the moment, that might not matter. He'll undoubtedly be near the top of the list of race favorites this week and in the weeks following.

  A glance further down the Cup Series schedule shows tracks where Bell can continue his white-hot start. Should Bell win his fourth consecutive race at Las Vegas, the chance for a fifth at Homestead-Miami glimmers in the Florida sun.

  Bell has top-five finishes in the past two Homestead races, including a win that lifted him and the No. 20 team to the Championship 4 in 2023. The week after Homestead, the Cup Series travels to Martinsville, where Bell won in the fall of 2022 to advance to what was his first Championship 4.

  With Darlington and Bristol leading off the month of April, Talladega on April 27 may be Bell's biggest hurdle until the summer. Then again, superspeedway races likely seem less daunting to the No. 20 team following Bell's victory at Atlanta.

  Whether Bell's streak ends next week or continues at Las Vegas and beyond, his three-race win streak has been an historic and undeniably impressive run that has the opportunity to grow and place him alongside the sport's greats.

  If you still don't have Christopher Bell on your radar as a championship favorite, it's past time to declare him the biggest threat the Cup Series field as seen since Larson in 2021.

  --Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Daytona 500 winner William Byron climbed out of his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on Phoenix Raceway pit road with a huge smile after claiming his first pole position in nearly a year on Saturday -- and his was last car to turn a qualifying lap.

• The 27-year-old North Carolinian conceded he wasn't expecting his chart-topping lap of 133.680 mph (26.93 seconds) but is ready to seize the strong start for Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 (3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

  "I did not hit my marks, I was sideways and carried a ton of entry speed, missed the middle of the corner, and coming off the dogleg I was so loose," Byron said of his fast lap on the 1-mile Phoenix oval, the 14th pole of his career. "I was just going to try to commit to the exits and see how much I could get out, even though I missed the center (of the turn).

  "Just a fast car," said Byron, who leads the NASCAR Cup Series championship and has two top-two finishes in the season's first three races. "Thanks to my whole team. They've been bringing fast cars, and we've been doing a really good job of executing. So definitely want to go out there and have a great day tomorrow."

  Team Penske's Joey Logano will start alongside Byron, marking his third front-row start in four races this year. The three-time and reigning series champion turned a lap of 133.195 mph (27.028 seconds in his No. 22 Ford Mustang in Saturday's single-round NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session.

  "I don't like William Byron anymore," Logano said with a laugh. "Man, that stinks. I just got through telling (crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) that it would really suck if the last car beat us.

  "That was going to be Penske's 700th pole across all motorsports, so we'll have to go try and do that next week. But overall, proud of the effort."

  Spire Motorsports' Carson Hocevar will start his No. 77 Chevrolet third, leading an impressive weekend for the Spire team. For the first time ever, all three of its cars will start among the top eight on the grid. Michael McDowell (No. 71) and Justin Haley (No. 7) will start seventh and eighth, respectively.

  Wood Brothers Racing's Josh Berry was fourth quickest in the No. 21 Ford, followed by Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones in the No. 43 Toyota.

  Defending Phoenix spring race winner Christopher Bell, who brings a two-race winning streak into Phoenix, was 11th quickest.

  Katherine Legge, making her NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend, qualified last among the 37 cars. However, she improved her practice speed in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet by more than 2 mph in qualifying -- a strong sign of progress for the sports car and open-wheel driver.

  Logano, who won the last NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix in November, is the last driver to win a race from the pole at the desert 1-miler, claiming that win in fall 2022. Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson (2021) and Chase Elliott (2020) are the only other active drivers with a Phoenix victory from the pole.

  Hocevar was not only quick in qualifying but also fastest in Saturday afternoon's practice using Goodyear's "option" tires. His Spire Motorsports Chevrolet teammate McDowell was second-fastest, with 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick (Toyota), Team Penske's Austin Cindric (Ford), and Roush Fenway Keselowski's Chris Buescher (Ford) rounding out the top five.

  Teams tested the option tire in the 45-minute practice session to evaluate its impact in race trim. Race conditions are expected to differ, with temperatures forecasted to be at least 10 degrees warmer. Every team will have two sets of the option tire and six of the Goodyear primary sets.

  "I don't know, but it's definitely a much faster tire and pretty strong as well," Larson said of running practice laps on the option tire. "It's going to be interesting."

  --By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

Cadillac will join Formula One as the circuit's 11th team in 2026.

• Final approval was announced Friday by F1 and its governing body, FIA; an agreement in principle had been reached last fall. The Cadillac team has the backing of TWG Motorsports and General Motors.

  "As we said in November, the commitment by General Motors to bring a Cadillac team to Formula 1 was an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport," Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, said in a news release.

  "I want to thank GM and TWG Motorsports for their constructive engagement over many months and look forward to welcoming the team on the grid from 2026 for what will be another exciting year for Formula 1."

  The Athletic reported that 300 people have been at work on the F1 project in preparation for approval of a race team. Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, said that effort now will expand.

  "For the past year, we have worked hand in hand with GM to lay a robust foundation for an extraordinary Formula 1 entry," he said.

  "Now, with 2026 in our sights after today's final approval from the FIA and Formula One Management, we're accelerating our efforts -- expanding our facilities, refining cutting-edge technologies, and continuing to assemble top-tier talent."

  Ferrari initially will supply the Cadillac project with power units and gearboxes before General Motors takes over providing the equipment.

  --Field Level Media

It's a story as old as time.

• At some point in every athlete's life, they start to slow down. Their younger counterparts begin to take charge. The once venerable legends become vulnerable to the point that any success is no longer booed and ridiculed, but cheered and celebrated.

  That's where two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch finds himself following Sunday's race at Circuit of the Americas.

  Busch entered the third race of the 2025 season on a 59-race winless streak, but you wouldn't know it by the way he drove on Sunday.

  For the first time in nearly two years, Busch dominated a race. He looked every bit the 63-time Cup Series race winner who is well on his way to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

  That was until Christopher Bell, a newer star nine years Busch's junior, had something to say about it.

  With five laps to go in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Bell passed Busch for the race lead. With older tires and an ailing race car, Busch could only watch as Bell drove away.

  Busch crossed the line fifth on a day where he led 42 laps and was by far the fastest man in Texas.

  On the surface, Busch's heartbreaking defeat is just that: another race included on a career-worst drought for one of NASCAR's greatest drivers of all time. If you dig a little, however, it's an impending warning that Busch may soon find himself in the same position as other former greats.

  Richard Petty had won 200 NASCAR Cup Series races and seven championships by the end of the 1984 season. Over the next eight years, he would go winless and finish in the top-10 in points only once. In 1989 and 1992, Petty failed to finish a single race inside the top-10.

  The King's tumble from the top of the heap was anything but graceful, as the likes of Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace fought their own Revolutionary War to get NASCAR's once-sovereign ruler off his throne.

  Like Petty, Jimmie Johnson also found his way to the championship stage. Over 19 full-time seasons, Johnson won 83 races and put together one of the greatest dynasties in NASCAR history from 2006 to 2010, winning five consecutive titles.

  But Father Time doesn't care about rings or trophies. After winning at Dover in June 2017, Johnson went winless for the final three and a half years of his career. In 2019 and 2020, Johnson missed the playoffs entirely. It was a shocking regression for a driver that at one point seemed unbeatable.

  Nearly a decade after he won the first of his two Cup Series championships, Busch seems to be moving down the same path as Petty and Johnson. In 2024, he missed the playoffs and suffered the first winless season of his career.

  His performance at COTA on Sunday was a glimpse of the driver that used to be, but as little as five years ago, everyone would've expected Busch to hold off Bell for the win, even in adverse conditions. Such are the expectations placed on a generational talent such as Busch.

  COTA wasn't the first close call for Busch over the course of his winless streak. At Daytona in August 2024, Parker Retzlaff pushed Harrison Burton past Busch on the final lap, leaving Busch to settle for second. A week later, the Southern 500 at Darlington marked the end of the regular season. Busch was forced to settle for another runner-up finish as Chase Briscoe took the win.

  At Kansas in September, Busch was leading in Stage 3 when he spun with 33 laps to go. Once again, the stars didn't align.

  Sunday's race at COTA can easily be classified as Busch's best performance of the Next-Gen era. His average running position was a stellar 2.14. His pit crew was flawless, as were crew chief Randall Burnett's calls atop the pit box.

  Unfortunately for Busch, Bell was slightly better when it counted most. Bell's race-winning pass was one Joe Gibbs saw Busch make time after time when Busch drove Gibbs' No. 18. On Sunday, Gibbs was on the other side of the coin, rooting Bell on to victory.

  At 39 years old, Busch likely won't retire anytime in the next two to three years. He'll have plenty of chances to snag another win and break the longest drought of his career, but he must take advantage when the opportunities arise.

  Busch isn't the same driver he was five years ago, and NASCAR's young crop of talent is getting better by the day. On the surface, Sunday's race was a battle between a flashy young gun and a crafty veteran, but below the surface, it was a changing of the guard that proved Busch likely won't ever return to the heights he once reached.

  --Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

The dispute between NASCAR and a pair of racing teams is getting uglier, with NASCAR filing a countersuit against Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

• The teams sued NASCAR in October, accusing the governing body of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act in relation to charter agreements.

  Now, multiple outlets reported Wednesday that NASCAR is striking back.

  NASCAR's countersuit is against Front Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing and Curtis Polk, a Jordan adviser who co-owns the team. NASCAR claims in its lawsuit, as reported by The Athletic, that Polk orchestrated "a scheme to pressure NASCAR to accept their collusive terms, including by engaging in media campaigns, interfering with NASCAR's broadcast agreement negotiations, threatening boycotts of NASCAR events and engaging in a group boycott of a NASCAR Team Owner Council Meeting."

  NASCAR said the teams represent "an illegal cartel."

  Representatives for Polk and the race teams did not return requests for comment from The Athletic.

  The dispute stems from negotiations between NASCAR and 15 teams over extending the contract for the charter system, which gives teams specific financial guarantees and starting positions in every NASCAR Cup Series race.

  In the lawsuit, NASCAR said it made its final offer that would have given teams record money, but 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports did not sign. Still, the teams are competing in the Cup Series under a court order while the lawsuit is pending.

  In the countersuit, NASCAR is seeking damages and also asking for 23XI and Front Row Motorsports to lose their guaranteed starting positions while litigation proceeds.

  23XI Racing, also co-owned by Denny Hamlin, races Toyotas driven by Riley Herbst, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace.

  Front Row Motorsports, under owner Bob Jenkins, owns Fords piloted by Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson and Zane Smith.

  After three races in the season, Reddick is third and Wallace sixth in the driver points standings.

  --Field Level Media

Alex Palou took the checkered flag at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix on Sunday, while Fox Sports raked in a huge spike in television ratings.

• The broadcaster reported 1.4 million viewers tuned into IndyCar's 2025 season opener across Fox Sports and its streaming services, which represented a 45 percent increase over last year's St. Petersburg race. It also ranked as the circuit's most-watched race outside of the Indianapolis 500 on any network since 2011.

  Palou opened the defense of his third IndyCar title with a dramatic victory that included outdueling Josef Newgarden late in the race. Palou's Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Scott Dixon, ended up taking second ahead of Newgarden despite managing his way through the race without in-car communications due to a technical issue.

  Palou, 27, said he had been counting down the days since securing his second consecutive title in Nashville last fall.

  "It's been 138 days since Nashville, and I've been dreaming about this every single night," he said. "It's huge. It's huge. I'm super happy.

  "I've been working really hard. It's been a place that we've struggled a lot at in the past. Especially me, personally. So to start with a win in 2025 is amazing."

  --Field Level Media

Katherine Legge will make her NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Live Fast Motorsports announced Monday.

• Legge, 44, will drive the No. 78 Chevrolet in Sunday's Shriners Children's 500, becoming the first woman to compete in a Cup Series race since Danica Patrick at the 2018 Daytona 500.

  Legge, a native of England, has five career starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, most recently at Road America in 2023.

  She ran a partial schedule in the IndyCar Series in 2024 and has made four starts at the Indianapolis 500, where she set a record for fastest qualifying time by a woman in 2023.

  --Field Level Media

AUSTIN, Texas --Tyler Reddick led 23XI Racing to a front row lockout for Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

• Chased by teammate Bubba Wallace during the Group 2 session of time trials, Reddick turned a lap in 98.076 seconds (88.094 mph) in his No. 45 Toyota to top Wallace by 0.224 seconds for the top starting spot in the third NASCAR Cup Series race of the season.

  The Busch Light Pole Award was Reddick's second at COTA, his first of the season and the 10th of his career, four of which have come on road courses.

  "Going into (Turn) 1, I'm like, ‘Dang, I wish that (Wallace) would have gapped himself a little bit more,' because I felt like I was messing his lap up, for sure," said Reddick, who won the 2023 Cup Series race at COTA and has an average finish of 5.0 at the track.

  "Talking to him after the fact, his focus was to go out and follow me and kind of see what I was going to do and try to mimic it. Certainly, he's on the path to getting better at the road courses.

  "He's learning and if he keeps it up here soon, I'll be having to try to battle him head-to-head for these poles. It's been really nice to see his growth and him improve and embrace the way we have to do things..."

  Chase Elliott qualified third on his second lap at the 2.4-mile road course, which has been shortened this year, resulting in a race that will feature 95 laps instead of the 68 run last year.

  Carson Hocevar posted the fourth fastest lap, followed by fellow Chevrolet drivers Daniel Suarez, Shane van Gisbergen, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain. Todd Gilliland was 10th in the fastest Ford.

  Connor Zilisch, driving the No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, qualified 14th in anticipation of the 18-year-old's first NASCAR Cup Series start.

  --By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.