Month: May 2026

The NASCAR All-Star Race was won by one of the favorites. But how it would unfold few could predict, as Denny Hamlin triumphed to capture the $1 million prize. From a fiery crash for Ryan Preece on the opening lap to a handful of wrecks that knocked some of the potential contenders out of the race before the main segment, the first All-Star Race at Dover had its moments. “Overall, this is a typical All-Star Race when that stuff happens,” Hamlin said in his FOX interview after the race. “I just knew the game changer for us was long runs and obviously the ability to pass when we were behind someone.” Here are my takeaways: 1. Hamlin Proves Triumphant Hamlin won the All-Star Race for the second time in his career and first in 11 years. He was dominant, withstanding a challenge by Joe Gbibs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe during the final stage. He led 103 of the 350 laps, including the final 30. It won’t count in his career victory total (he has 61 points wins), but it is another testament to Hamlin’s ability. “If we’re going to a track that turns left, I expect to win every single week,” Hamlin said in his post-race news conference. “This is just very unique, especially in the era where all the cars are so similar, and I’m racing guys that have all my information. They see my setups, things like that, and I still can get it done in the end.” 2. Preece’s Scary, Short Day Preece blamed himself for the wreck on the first lap, where he and Kyle Larson had contact. The rear of Preece’s car erupted in flames, and Preece calmly got out of his car. “I’m fine,” Preece said in his FOX interview after exiting the medical center. “If it was my fault, I’m sorry. A tough way not to finish a race on Lap 1.” 3. Format Will Get Scrutiny With the All-Star Race going to Dover, the concern for track officials was that their fans were used to seeing the stars run for 400 laps. So only giving them half of that didn’t sit well. So a format was devised where the event would be 350 laps broken into segments of 75, 75 and 200 with the field reduced from 36 to 26 after the first two segments. Race winners from 2025 and 2026 and past champions were guaranteed to be in the final segment. But then Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott didn’t even make it to the final segment as they were knocked out early. “First thing is let’s give Dover their points race back, and then let’s figure out where we’re going to go, and then figure out the format,” Hamlin said. 4. Big Run For Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones finished third. And while this was an exhibition event, it was a solid day for a driver who had to race his way into the final segment. “We’ve been pretty bad at Dover the last handful of years, so I know it is a little bit of a unique deal, but a great run,” Jones said after the race, according to a Toyota release. Jones is 25th in the series standings. 4 ½. What’s Next The longest race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule awaits as the traditional 600-mile race in Charlotte will cap the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. At least the All-Star Race got drivers ready for a long event but certainly a more straight-forward event. It is also one of the most important races because it has an additional stage. There will be four stages of 100 laps each on the 1.5-mile oval.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — Yes, again. Alex Palou, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time INDYCAR champion who seems to win all the big events these days in INDYCAR, captured the Indy 500 pole Sunday. No surprise there. Unless you’re Alex Palou. “Very surprised,” Palou said in his news conference after winning his second career Indy 500 pole. “We did not have the speed. Even on Fast Friday [practice two days ago], we tried and tried and tried to get more speed. It was OK.” It certainly was more than OK on Sunday when it counted most. Here are my takeaways: 1. Rosenqvist disappointment Felix Rosenqvist posted the fastest four-lap qualifying run of the day at 232.599 mph. But that came in the top-12 session that determined the six drivers who competed for the pole. Rosenqvist could only muster a four-lap average of 231.375 mph in the Fast Six round, while Palou posted a qualifying speed of 232.248 mph, followed by Alexander Rossi (231.990) and David Malukas (231.877). Rosenqvist had been fastest in early rounds in past years at Indy, and this one was just another disappointment for the Meyer Shank Racing driver. “I’ve been so close so many times so it’s kind of annoying that I am not able to do it,” Rosenqvist said told me after his run. “At least I did the run I could with what we had. There was not much more in it.” 2. Notable Qualifiers No one expected pole-winning runs from Mick Schumacher and Katherine Legge. But there were plenty of eyes on each of them in their qualifying runs. Schumacher, the former F1 driver and son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, will start 28th in his first Indy 500 as a rookie at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “Overall, it’s been great,” Schumacher told me and other reporters after his laps. “It’s been step by step, and that’s what you want you really want out here. You want to build the confidence. … Unfortunately, we didn’t quite hit the [fast] window here.” Legge will start 27th as she attempts to do the Indy 500-Coke 600 double next Sunday. “The team has done a phenomenal job getting me a car that is fast and comfortable in normal conditions,” Legge told me and other reporters after getting out of her HMD Motorsports car that is being fielded as part of a partnership with A.J. Foyt Racing. “I feel we’ll have a really solid race car.” 3. Rossi Quietly Confident When Alexander Rossi talks about his victory in the 2016 Indianapolis 500, he indicates that he plans that it won’t be his only win in the race. The ECR Racing driver will start second next Sunday, and has had a quiet confidence about him all week, even though he had an engine expire earlier in the week in practice. [INDY 500 HISTORY: Counting Down The 10 Best Finishes Ever] “This year has been a little bit of failed to meet expectations in some areas and exceeded in others, but internally we’re performing at a much higher level and doing a better job than we were last year,” Rossi said in his post-qualifying news conference. 4. No crashes? INDYCAR drivers made it through four days of practice and a full qualifying day without anyone having to go to the infield medical center because of a crash. It is rare to go a full week without having at least one car significantly damaged. “This whole grid is pretty damn good, man,” Santino Ferrucci told me after he qualified fifth for the Indy 500. “You’re seeing a lot of wheeling out there.” Rossi said it certainly isn’t because the cars are less than a handful. “It’s not easier, I can promise you that,” Rossi said. “That was one of the harder qualifying days I’ve had around here.” 4 ½. What’s Next? INDYCAR teams get two hours to practice Monday and then get a final two-hour practice Friday (Carb Day) before the race Sunday. The Friday slate includes a concert and the Wienie 500. Many of the drivers who were happy with their cars in practice in race trim will be glad to back to where they have speed. Teams get extra boost for qualifying, and that seemed to upset many of the cars, including that of two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who will start 24th. “I could tell from the beginning of the week [qualifying would not be good],” Newgarden told me and other reporters after his laps. “You know very early at this place. Race trim will be a different conversation.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports