PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

August 7, 2026

MotoGP honors Barry Sheene before British Grand Prix

Barry Sheene was inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at a special ceremony in central London ahead of the British Grand Prix, with his son Freddie accepting the medal on his behalf. Freddie Sheene called the honor one for the family and said MotoGP was still commemorating his father nearly 50 years after his 1976 world title. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta praised Sheene for both his results and his connection with fans, while riders Marco Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta, Ai Ogura, Diogo Moreira and Cal Crutchlow appeared on stage at the event.

Sheene’s legacy was built on back-to-back premier-class championships in 1976 and 1977, which made him the last British rider to win the top-level world title. He finished his career with 19 wins and 40 podiums across nine full seasons, with all but one of his 19 500cc Grand Prix victories coming on Suzuki motorcycles. His rise began with a podium in his first 125cc race in 1971, a MotoGP debut podium in 1974 and his first premier-class win at the 1975 Dutch TT.

His career also featured high-profile comebacks after serious injuries, including a practice crash at Silverstone in 1982 that ended his title challenge. He raced for two more seasons after that and took his final podium with third place in wet conditions at Kyalami in 1984. Sheene died in 2003 after a battle with cancer, and after racing he became a television personality and mentor in Australia.
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August 6, 2026

Tahiti Pro set for heavy swell at Teahupo’o opener

The Outerknown Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA 2026 is set to begin at Teahupo’o on Aug. 8, with the Championship Tour event running through Aug. 18. Forecasts already call for plenty of swell at the reef pass, setting up another test at one of surfing’s most demanding venues, known for its power, shallow reef and heavy barrels. The world’s best surfers are expected to test their commitment and skill in the lineup.

The opening heats include Kelly Slater against Eli Hanneman, with the winner due to face three-time world champion Gabriel Medina in round two. Tya Zebrowski is scheduled to meet Erin Brooks in a highlighted opening heat, and the winner will move on to Carissa Moore. Leo Fioravanti is set to face the winner of Ramzi Boukhiam vs. Oscar Berry.

Fioravanti arrives trying to protect his lead atop the rankings, while Sawyer Lindblad is currently third overall. Lindblad is likely to meet local favorite Vahine Fierro in another matchup, adding more intrigue to a field that will open its waiting period with some of the tour’s biggest names and toughest conditions.
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August 6, 2026

Liam Lawson lifts Racing Bulls to fifth at F1 midseason

Liam Lawson said he is in a good place after the best start to his Formula 1 career, a run that has helped lift Racing Bulls to fifth in the 2026 constructors’ standings at midseason. The team has scored points in 10 races, recorded five double-point finishes and sits on 66 points, five clear of Alpine. Lawson said Racing Bulls did not know how competitive it would be under the new regulations, but the team found performance quickly after a difficult start.

Lawson moved to ninth in the drivers’ standings after finishing eighth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Arvid Lindblad’s 10th place gave Racing Bulls another double-score weekend. Lawson has scored 43 points this year, more than Lindblad’s 23, and the pair are split across the qualifying battles, with Lawson leading 6-5 and Lindblad ahead 7-5 in Q3 appearances. Lawson said his points finish in China and Lindblad’s debut points in Melbourne helped confirm the team’s direction, and he pointed to strong weekends in Monaco, Austria and Silverstone.

Lawson said he is focused on maximizing each weekend rather than chasing a specific championship position, and he believes Racing Bulls can finish as the best midfield team. Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe said the team could finally score a podium this season, which would strengthen Lawson’s or Lindblad’s case for a Red Bull promotion.

Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer has denied rumors that Formula 2 leader Nikola Tsolov will replace Lawson next season, even as Tsolov is being considered for a Formula 1 promotion. Max Verstappen is now expected to stay at Red Bull. Guenther Steiner rated Lawson’s first 11 races a B-, placing him level with Lindblad, as Lawson has turned around a difficult 2025 season.
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August 6, 2026

F1 OIBDA sinks 61% on fewer Grands Prix

Formula 1 revenue fell sharply in the second quarter, with Liberty Media saying F1 revenue dropped 38% year over year to $764 million. Adjusted OIBDA fell 61% to $139 million, and profit declined to $73 million from $293 million a year earlier.

Liberty Media said the comparison was skewed because four fewer Grands Prix were held in the quarter than in the same period last year, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races were postponed because of unrest in the Middle East. The postponements cut payments to teams, hospitality sales and freight revenue. By the end of June, F1 had three fewer races on its calendar than in 2025.

Liberty Media said more calendar changes may be needed this season and that contingency plans were in place if the Qatar or Abu Dhabi Grands Prix are not held. Even with the revenue hit, CEO Derek Chang and F1 chief Stefano Domenicali said the company’s fundamentals remain solid. Domenicali said fan engagement remained strong. Liberty Media also said sponsorship, licensing and premium hospitality were the main near-term revenue opportunities. Total hours watched on Apple’s platform rose 13% year over year.
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August 6, 2026

NASCAR to use green-and-checkered finish after late cautions

NASCAR changed its stage-break procedure across its national series for the rest of the 2026 season, starting this weekend at Iowa Speedway, in a move aimed at reducing long caution periods and back-to-back yellows. Under the new rule, if a caution comes out with 10 laps or fewer remaining in Stage 1 or Stage 2, that stage will be declared official at the moment of the caution.

After that, the race leader will return to the start-finish line for a green-and-checkered finish under yellow, and the ensuing caution period will count as the stage break. Any remaining laps from that stage will be added to the next stage, and NASCAR said the top-10 finishing order and stage points will still be determined using all available timing and scoring resources.

NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said the change came after fan complaints about too many caution laps and not enough green-flag racing. NASCAR also said the update lets stage points be awarded right away and allows pit road to open as soon as it is safe.
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August 6, 2026

Bristol’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race returns to August slot

Bristol Motor Speedway’s 2027 NASCAR Cup Series schedule centers on two tripleheader weekends, including the return of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race to its traditional late-summer slot. The spring Food City 500 weekend is set for April 9-11, opening with the Tennessee Army National Guard 250 on Friday, the Suburban Propane 300 and qualifying on Saturday, and the Food City 500 on Sunday. The August weekend runs Aug. 12-14, opening with the UNOH 250 presented by Ohio Logistics on Thursday, followed by the Food City 300 and qualifying on Friday before the Night Race on Saturday night.

Bristol said the Night Race’s move back to August is a major calendar change, after 44 consecutive seasons in late summer before shifting in recent years. The race is returning after a seven-year run in the postseason, and Bristol officials said both weekends remain key traditions for fans. Tickets for the 2027 weekends are expected to go on sale soon.

The Bristol announcement comes as NASCAR also swaps Bristol and New Hampshire Motor Speedway on the 2027 schedule. New Hampshire will host a playoff weekend on Sept. 25-26, its 16th postseason race, and the track’s Cup event will be the third of 10 playoff races. The Truck Series playoff opener also will be held at New Hampshire on Sept. 25.
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August 6, 2026

Florida Freedom host first home event at PBR Team Series stop 3

PBR Teams Freedom Days presented by Breedlove Wound Care returns to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, this weekend for Stop No. 3 of the 2026 season, with all 10 teams in action. The Florida Freedom, third in the standings at 3-2, will host their only home stand of the regular season and stage their first home event of the year Aug. 7-9. Florida opens against the Missouri Thunder, who also enter the weekend at 3-2. Competition begins Friday at 7:45 p.m. ET on Paramount+, continues Saturday at 6:45 p.m. ET with a same-day tape delay on The CW at 10 p.m. ET, and wraps up Sunday at 1:45 p.m. ET on The CW. CBS’s Game of the Week on Sunday at noon ET will feature the New York Mavericks against the Florida Freedom.

Beyond the host-team spotlight, the weekend also carries several league storylines. Boudreaux Campbell is back in the mix, Nashville is closing in on the 1,000-point milestone, Texas will be without Claudio Montanha Jr., and Carolina is expected to add Derek Kolbaba and Ezekiel Mitchell. Arizona’s matchup with Carolina will also feature Keyshawn Whitehorse.
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August 6, 2026

NASCAR sets Iowa Speedway weekend schedule and qualifying

NASCAR’s national series heads to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, for a three-day weekend from Friday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 9, with ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Cup Series action on a 7/8-mile track. Friday’s card includes ARCA practice and qualifying, then the JR&CO 150 at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, FOX One and MRN, while Saturday brings O’Reilly practice and qualifying, Cup practice and qualifying, and the HyVee Perks 250 and Cup coverage across multiple networks and streaming platforms.

Cup Series practice is set for Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET on truTV, with single-car qualifying at 3:10 p.m. ET. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series has practice at 11:30 a.m. ET and single-car qualifying at 12:35 p.m. ET, with coverage listed on The CW, the CW app, ESPN Unlimited and the ESPN app. NASCAR also released the qualifying order, with Connor Zilisch first in the Cup lineup and Joey Gase first in the O’Reilly order. Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe were among the last Cup drivers listed, while Rajah Caruth, Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil were near the back of the O’Reilly list.

Sunday’s Cup race, the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol, is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on USA, HBO Max and MRN. The watch guide also mentioned Peacock. The Cup Series is making its third visit to Iowa Speedway, and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will run its 23rd race at the short track. Denny Hamlin entered the weekend first in the standings, with Tyler Reddick 84 points back and Ryan Blaney 120 points behind.
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August 6, 2026

Phoenix Raceway sets March 2027 NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader

Phoenix Raceway announced its 2027 schedule, and the centerpiece of the spring weekend is the return of the NTT IndyCar Series to the 1-mile short oval on March 13, 2027. The race will be part of a NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader weekend from March 12-14, with the spring program also including an ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, March 12 and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, March 14. IndyCar’s 2027 season is set to open with the same three tracks as 2026, St. Petersburg, Phoenix and Arlington, after the 2026 Phoenix weekend drew improved attendance and viewership and was viewed as a success.

Phoenix Raceway, which is owned by NASCAR, said the spring weekend will again pair NASCAR and IndyCar, with the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and IndyCar sharing the track on Saturday, March 13. The track said full 2027 schedules, broadcast details and race times will be announced later.

The fall portion of the schedule is set for Oct. 22-24 and will feature Chase races in all three national NASCAR series. The weekend opens with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series on Friday, Oct. 22, includes NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series West races on Saturday, Oct. 23, and ends with the Freeway Insurance 500 on Sunday, Oct. 24 as Cup Series championship positioning intensifies. Phoenix Raceway also said limited tickets remain for its 2026 Chase weekend, scheduled for Oct. 16-18.
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