Roger Diez
A busy racing program last weekend, with Formula 1 in Spain, IndyCars and IMSA prototypes on the streets of Detroit, and NASCAR at Nashville Superspeedway.
•••
McLaren and Oscar Piastri continued their 2025 season domination in the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The team’s 1-2 finish further advanced their huge lead in the constructor point standings, 362 to closest competitor Ferrari’s 165. And Piastri’s fifth win of the season widened the gap to teammate Lando Norris by 10 points, 186 to 176. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has 136, Mercedes driver George Russell 111, and Ferrari pilot Charles Leclerc 94. In the race, Verstappen bought himself a 10-second penalty for deliberately running into Russell and somehow escaped another penalty for doing the same to Leclerc. It calls to mind the old joke, “Why does Max Verstappen never hit the wall? Because the wall doesn’t have a number on it.” The penalty dropped Verstappen’s finishing position from fifth to 10th. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda continues to struggle with the Red Bull, qualifying 20th and finishing 13th. Rumors have him being replaced by rookie Isack Hadjar soon. F1 returns to action next week in Canada.
•••
The rough and bumpy streets of downtown Detroit claimed their share of race cars on Sunday afternoon, with seven of the 24 starters failing to finish. Among them was points leader Alex Palou, who collected a barrier 28 laps short of the checker. Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood scored his second street course victory of the season, adding Detroit to his Long Beach win. Santino Ferrucci was second, his highest career finish and best of the season for A.J. Foyt Racing. Polesitter Colton Herta had to settle for third in his Andretti Global Dallara Honda. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Palou leads the points by 90, 311 to Pato O’Ward’s 221. Kirkwood’s win advances him to third with 209. Next up is the four-mile-long Road America natural road course next weekend.
•••
Last Sunday at Nashville. Ryan Blaney became the third Team Penske driver to take a win this season. He was the class of the field, leading 139 laps and seemingly able to pull away from his pursuers with ease. Spire Racing’s Carson Hocevar finished second, his highest career finish. The 39 points he scored moved him to 17th in the points standings, just two points behind the cut line. Denny Hamlin took third for Joe Gibbs Racing, Blaney’s teammate Joey Logano was fourth, followed by the Hendrick Camaro of William Byron. Kyle Larson had an adventurous race, hitting the wall, making seven pit stops and falling to the rear of the field, but managing an eighth-place finish. Just 25 of the 39 starters were on the lead lap at the checker, with three not running. Byron is now 48 points ahead of Larson in the standings, but Larson has the most laps led (851) and most playoff points (23).
•••
This weekend, the Craftsman Truck and Cup series are at Michigan International Speedway, a fast two-mile high-banked D-shaped oval. Tyler Reddick was the 2024 winner, his only win there. Larson and Logano have three wins each while Blaney, Hamlin, Chris Buescher, and Kyle Busch have one apiece. Opening odds for the Firekeepers Casino 400 favor Larson at 11-2. Reddick, Blaney and Hamlin are tied at 13-2, Byron is 15-2, Christopher Bell 9-1, Logano 16-1, and Brad Keselowski 18-1.
•••
Activities get an early start Saturday with Cup practice and qualifying at 6:30 a.m. on Prime followed by the D&Q Staffing and 250 for Craftsman Truck on FS2 at 9 a.m. Sunday’s Firekeepers 400 airs on Prime at 11 a.m.