NASCAR's Ryan Preece Vows to Return after Flipping 10 Times in Scary Crash at Daytona
Aug 27, 2023
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 26: Ryan Preece, driver of the #41 RaceChoice.com Ford, flips after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 26, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Ryan Preece isn't going to allow one scary crash keep him off the track.
Preece vowed to return to the track after flipping his No. 41 Ford Mustang 10 times during Saturday's NASCAR Cup race at Daytona.
If you want to be a race car driver, you better be tough.
"NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece will remain overnight at Halifax Health Medical Center for continued observation," Stewart-Haas Racing said in a statement. "The driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing is awake, alert and mobile and has been communicating with family and friends. Preece will undergo another evaluation by medical personnel later this morning. An update will be provided in the afternoon."
Preece's car went airborne after being contacted by Erik Jones and then sliding into the grass. He was able to exit the car on his own power and was later transported to a local medical facility.
Preece joined Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2023 season, replacing Cole Custer in the No. 41 car. He's currently 26th in the Cup standings.
Kurt Busch Announces NASCAR Retirement amid Recovery From 2022 Concussion
Aug 26, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 15: NASCAR Cup Series and 23XI driver Kurt Busch announces he will not race again in 2022 and will not race full-time in 2023 during a press conference, on October 15, 2022, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/LVMS/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kurt Busch announced his retirement from competition as a NASCAR driver on Saturday at the age of 45.
Busch took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to post a heartfelt video in which he thanked those who made accomplishing his NASCAR dreams possible:
In July 2022, Busch suffered a concussion during qualifying for a Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.
Busch left open the possibility of running a part-time schedule this season, but he has not competed in any races, and he said Saturday that he and his doctors decided there are "too many obstacles" for him to overcome in his recovery to reach 100 percent and return to racing.
Busch made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2000 and became a full-time driver for Roush Racing in 2001, which was the team he spent his first six seasons with.
He would later race for Penske Racing, Phoenix Racing, Furniture Row Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and 23XI Racing over the course of a 23-year Cup Series career.
It didn't take Busch long to establish himself as one of the elite drivers in the sport, finishing third in the points standings in only his third season, and winning the points championship in 2004.
That would prove to be Busch's only title, but he finished 10th or better in the standings on nine occasions.
Busch is likely a surefire future NASCAR Hall of Famer, as he ranks 25th on the all-time Cup Series wins list with 34 and 12th in career Cup Series starts with 776.
He also has a Daytona 500 win to his credit, having won the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing in 2017.
Busch is the older brother of another NASCAR legend and future Hall of Famer in Kyle Busch, who is ninth on the all-time wins list with 63.
Several high-profile NASCAR superstars have announced their retirement from the sport in recent years, and Busch will soon be joined by Kevin Harvick, who previously announced he is stepping away after the 2023 season.
Daniel Ricciardo out of F1 Dutch Grand Prix with Hand Injury After Crash in Practice
Aug 25, 2023
ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 25: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Scuderia AlphaTauri during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 25, 2023 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
Daniel Ricciardo will not participate in Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.
Formula 1 announced Friday that the Alpha Tauri driver suffered an injury during practice and will be replaced by Liam Lawson for the race. Alpha Tauri then announced X-rays revealed he suffered a broken metacarpal on his left hand.
It's an unfortunate development for the veteran driver who had just made his way back into the grid.
Alpha Tauri announced on July 11 that he joined the team on loan from Red Bull, and he participated in the Hungarian Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix last month. He started and finished in 13th place in the Hungarian Grand Prix and moved into a 16th place finish following a 19th place start in the Belgian Grand Prix.
Nate Saunders of ESPN noted McLaren's Oscar Piastri spun out into a wall ahead of Ricciardo on Friday. While Ricciardo avoided hitting Piastri's car, he hit the barrier and told his team over the radio that he injured his hand. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Alpha Tauri is in last place in the constructor standings with just three points on the season. The addition of Ricciardo gave the struggling team a proven driver who has won eight times during his F1 career, but he will now be sidelined for the immediate future.
The team, as well as everyone else, is looking up at Red Bull in the standings this year.
Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez have won every Grand Prix throughout the 2023 campaign with the former, who is well in the lead in the driver's standings, entering Sunday's race on an eight-race winning streak.
NASCAR's Noah Gragson Suspended Indefinitely After Offensive Social Media Activity
Aug 5, 2023
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - JULY 29: Noah Gragson, driver of the #42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet, waits on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on July 29, 2023 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NASCAR announced Saturday that Legacy Motor Club suspended driver Noah Gragson indefinitely for violating NASCAR's member conduct.
NASCAR fully supports Legacy Motor Club’s decision to suspend Noah Gragson. Following his actions on social media, NASCAR has determined that Gragson has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and has placed him under indefinite suspension.
According to TMZ Sports, screenshots emerged Saturday showing Gragson liking an Instagram post that featured a meme mocking George Floyd, who was a Black man murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis in 2020.
Although NASCAR didn't say so explicitly, it is believed that liking the post was the catalyst for the suspension, as Gragson later apologized for his "lack of attention and actions on social media."
I am disappointed in myself for my lack of attention and actions on social media. I understand the severity of this situation. I love and appreciate everyone. I try to treat everyone equally no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple. https://t.co/PCX6iMJxRF
Legacy Motor Club announced that Gragson will be pulled from the No. 42 Chevrolet for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Josh Berry, who has competed in eight Cup Series races this season as a replacement driver for Hendrick Motorsports, will replace Gragson on Sunday.
Berry is an Xfinity Series regular who finished fourth in the points standings of NASCAR's No. 2 series last season, and is fifth so far this season.
Gragson, 25, is in the midst of his first full-time Cup Series season after running 18 Cup Series races last season.
This season, Gragson has competed in 21 Cup Series races with his best finish being 12th place at Atlanta in March. He is 33rd in the points standings.
Gragson's greatest success has come in the Xfinity Series where he has 13 career wins to his credit and finished eighth in points in 2019, fifth in 2020, third in 2021 and second in 2022.
Max Verstappen Wins 2023 Belgian F1 Grand Prix; Extends Historic Win Streak to 8
Jul 30, 2023
SPA, BELGIUM - JULY 30: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 30, 2023 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Another day and another Max Verstappen victory.
The Red Bull driver won his eighth consecutive F1 race with a first-place finish at Sunday's 2023 Belgian Grand Prix. He was joined by teammate Sergio Pérez (second) and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc (third) on the podium.
MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 🇧🇪🏆👏
A perfect Spa day for the Dutchman who finishes ahead of team mate Sergio Perez. Charles Leclerc takes the final podium place 👍#BelgianGP#F1pic.twitter.com/5jJI01BE07
The result was all the more notable for Verstappen because he became just the second driver in F1 history to win eight straight races. Only Sebastian Vettel has a longer streak throughout history, and that also happened with Red Bull.
Vettel won nine consecutive races in 2013, which propelled him to his fourth career World Drivers' Championship. Verstappen is well on his way to his third straight World Drivers' Championship and is now just one win away from tying Vettel's record.
This F1 season is well past the point where anything but a Verstappen victory would be a stunning surprise. In fact, the last time the points leader didn't win a race was when Red Bull teammate Pérez captured the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April.
Pérez, who also won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March, is the only other driver with a victory this season, underscoring Red Bull's dominance in the constructor standings.
Everyone else figured to battle behind Red Bull for much of the Belgian Grand Prix, but Leclerc at least had the advantage of pole position after Verstappen was dropped to sixth on the grid due to a penalty despite having the best time in qualifying.
Yet Leclerc sounded anything but confident he would parlay the pole position into a win when he told reporters, "I think they've got a much better race car than we have. I mean it's great to be starting first, and I think it gives us a great chance to have a great result.
"But to say that we'll target the win, I think this would be a bit too optimistic. If there's an opportunity for whatever reason, as always, I'll try and get it. But I believe it's going to be difficult to keep those guys behind."
Leclerc was exactly right.
Pérez passed him on the first lap, and Verstappen overtook him on the ninth. It didn't take long for Verstappen to move into a familiar first place, as he surpassed his teammate and seized the lead on the 17th lap.
Not even temporary rain in the middle of the race could change the inevitable, as Verstappen pulled away from Pérez and eliminated any drama regarding the result for the second half of the race.
The only real question was who would join the Red Bull drivers on the podium with Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton battling for third. Leclerc held off the seven-time world champion, securing a solid finish from his pole position.
The story of the F1 season remained the same, though, as Verstappen added yet another win to his resume and maintained his momentum heading into the summer break ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix on Aug. 27.
Max Verstappen Wins 2023 Hungarian F1 GP; Red Bull Sets Record with 12 Straight Wins
Jul 23, 2023
Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen unzips his overall after the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest on July 22, 2023, ahead of the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP) (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)
Max Verstappen helped Red Bull Racing make history with Sunday's victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród.
The reigning Formula One champion won for the seventh straight time, and the result extended Red Bull's winning streak to 12 races dating back to last season to set a new F1 record.
An air of inevitability hangs over every F1 event right now thanks to Verstappen's dominance. Some hoped Sunday might present a change of pace after Lewis Hamilton claimed the pole one day earlier. The moment was potentially the kind of thing that could kick-start Hamilton's season as well.
Verstappen wasted no time in reasserting what has been the status quo. He overtook Hamilton for first place on the first lap, with the seven-time champion quickly falling back to fourth.
From there, Verstappen did what he has done all year and built a nearly unassailable lead. The remaining drama stemmed largely from who would join him on the podium.
Lando Norris made it back-to-back second-place showings
Running in fourth, Hamilton continued to knock on the door in pursuit of a fourth podium finish in five races. He was unable to close the gap on Sergio Pérez, with Pérez adding to Red Bull's big day.
Red Bull's 1.9 second pit stop for Sergio Perez today is the fastest of the season so far ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/OFzNh076Z1
At the opposite end of the spectrum, nobody had a worse Sunday than Alpine.
Zhou Guanyu triggered a collision on the opening lap that caused Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon to hit one another. Neither driver was able to finish, which was the second consecutive double-DNF for Alpine.
Surely the team's fortunes will improve in the Belgian Grand Prix on July 30.
When it comes to Verstappen, his and Red Bull's streak will end sooner or later. They can't keep adding checkered flags forever. But this is a case of a team and driver firing on all cylinders.
In all likelihood the rest of the field will be racing for second at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in one week's time.
Daniel Ricciardo Replaces Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri for Remainder of 2023 F1 Season
Jul 11, 2023
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 16: Daniel Ricciardo looks on during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 16, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Paolo Pedicelli ATPImages/Getty Images)
Formula One announced Tuesday that Daniel Ricciardo is replacing Nyck de Vries in AlphaTauri's No. 1 car for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Per ESPN's Nate Saunders, the move comes after it was announced that Ricciardo would be taking part in a tyre test for Red Bull Racing on Tuesday at Silverstone Circuit, which is the home of the British Grand Prix.
Ricciardo had been Red Bull Racing's third driver this season behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, meaning he was essentially in a backup role.
Both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri are owned by Red Bull, and Ricciardo is now in line to team with fellow AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda for the rest of the campaign.
The 34-year-old Ricciardo broke into F1 in 2011, and he is perhaps best known for his time with Red Bull Racing from 2014 through 2018.
During that stint, the Aussie registered seven of his eight career race wins. He also finished a career-best third in the standings in both 2014 and 2016.
After departing Red Bull, Ricciardo raced two years for Renault and two years for McLaren, winning a total of one race over those four seasons.
Ricciardo finished eighth in the standings in 2021 and 11th last season, the latter of which was his worst overall finish since coming in 14th with Toro Rosso in 2013.
The 28-year-old de Vries had been in the midst of his first season as a full-time F1 driver, but the Dutchman has struggled mightily with no finish better than 12th over the course of 10 races.
Ricciardo gives AlphaTauri an accomplished veteran to lead the team, and he also gives Red Bull Racing a strong contingency plan.
As pointed out by Saunders, Perez's contract with Red Bull ends at the conclusion of the 2024 season, meaning Ricciardo could possibly take his spot beginning in 2025 if he races well for the remainder of this season and in 2024.
Ricciardo's first chance to impress at AlphaTauri will come on July 23 in the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring track in Mogyoród, Pest County, Hungary.
British F1 Grand Prix 2023 Results: Max Verstappen Wins; Lewis Hamilton Finishes 3rd
Jul 9, 2023
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 08: Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 08, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Max Verstappen may never lose another race.
The two-time reigning Formula One champion extended his winning streak to six races with Sunday's victory in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit.
Verstappen finished comfortably ahead of Lando Norris, with Lewis Hamilton joining them on the podium in third place.
— Lando Norris Fans (@Norrislandofans) July 9, 2023
Alas, the fun for Norris and his fellow Brits was short-lived. Verstappen climbed back into first on Lap 5, and the gap between the pair grew significantly in no time.
Verstappen's unrelenting march at the front continues with another new fastest lap that grows his lead to 5.5s over Norris. Remember that time Norris was leading the British GP? Feels like a while ago now.
Given the extent to which Verstappen is dominating the circuit, Norris will be happy with a runner-up showing. It's his first trip to the podium in 2023.
Hamilton will likewise be content with his final result. He started from the seventh position after posting a fastest lap time of 1:27.211 during qualifying, so moving up four spots to claim third was a strong performance.
Both Norris and Hamilton would've loved to snap Verstappen's winning streak on home soil, but "Mad Max" is simply irresistible at the moment.
Red Bull Racing as a team is on a different level. Their 11 consecutive checkered flags dating back to the end of last season ties the all-time record set by McLaren in 1988.
When it comes to both the drivers's and constructors's titles, the only drama is how early into the campaign Verstappen and Red Bull will have them sealed up.
Formula One will take a week off before the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 23.
Verstappen will look to defend his title at Hungaroring in Mogyoród. He crossed the finish line nearly eight seconds ahead of Hamilton last year, so it could be another anticlimactic affair.
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 25: Kyle Busch (#8 Richard Childress Racing Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet) waves to the fans during driver introductions prior to the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 on June 25, 2023 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Lebanon, TN. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One of NASCAR's biggest stars is ready to move on.
From his house that is.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch has decided to sell his $13 million lakefront mansion in Denver North Carolina after owning the property for over a decade, according to Front Office Sports.
Over 15,000 square feet, the mansion is located in a gated community and includes a number of amenities, such as a gym, game room, heated pool. boat dock and even a private beach for anyone that wants to get their tan on in solitude.
NASCAR legend Kyle Busch is selling his $13 million North Carolina lakefront mansion.
▪️ 15,000 sq. ft. ▪️ 7 bedrooms ▪️ Private beach ▪️ Gym, game room ▪️ Boat dock with lift ▪️ Heated pool with swim-up bar pic.twitter.com/lzce8dhGT1
Busch, 38, is a native of Las Vegas but has lived at the mansion along with his wife Samantha and their two children for a while,
"The owners are just ready to move elsewhere after living in the home for so long," Heather Gibbs of Corcoran HM Properties told the Charlotte Observer on Saturday.
Gibbs is representing the "East Denver Revocable Trust," which has been listed as the owner of the property, according to Yahoo Sports.
Busch bought the property for $7.5 million back in 2012. So, he's sure to make a pretty penny whenever the mansion gets taken off the market.
Austrian F1 Grand Prix 2023 Results: Max Verstappen Wins; Lewis Hamilton Finishes 8th
Jul 2, 2023
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the sprint shootout event, at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, July 1, 2023. The Formula One Austrian Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Max Verstappen made it five in a row Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The reigning Formula One champion notched his fifth straight victory and seventh of the 2023 season at Red Bull Ring.
Verstappen claimed the pole Friday, working his way back after having his first two lap times deleted. Sunday's race was smooth sailing by comparison.
It wasn't a wire-to-wire win for the 25-year-old. He headed for pit road on Lap 25, which allowed Charles Leclerc to overtake him for first place and Carlos Sainz to climb into second.
For the first time since May 7th in Miami, somebody other than Max Verstappen took the lead in a Grand Prix!
That effectively removed any drama about who would come out on top. For the remainder of the race, nobody could touch Verstappen as his dominance continued. He had far and away the fastest car and didn't encounter any self-inflicted errors that put his winning streak in serious jeopardy. His fastest lap came as he crossed the finish line.
Perez and Sainz did at least stage an exciting battle for the final spot on the podium inside the final 10 laps. Perez's aggression paid off as Sainz had no choice but to let him go by and move into third.
Getting onto the podium was an impressive finish for somebody who was 15th in the starting grid.
After getting onto the podium in each of the last two races, Lewis Hamilton settled for eighth place after a post-race penalty put him behind Mercedes teammate George Russell. The seven-time champion wasn't much of a factor, as it simply wasn't his day.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit on July 9 is the next stop on the Formula One circuit.
Hamilton will be the sentimental favorite and earned the checkered flag in seven of the last nine trips to the United Kingdom. Maybe that's where the legendary driver gets his first victory of the season and brings Verstappen's winning streak to an end.
