PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

July 31, 2026

Danny Pens, midget racing star, dies at 65

Former midget racer Danny “The Kid” Pens of Coal City, Illinois, died July 30 at age 65. Pens was a second-generation driver whose career began in 1981 with the World of Outlaw Midgets, where he was named rookie of the year after finishing ninth in the points standings.

Pens earned his first feature win at Joliet Memorial Stadium in July 1981 and went on to collect 68 feature victories in his career. He won the World of Outlaw Midgets title in 1985, the ARCA Gulf Coast Midget Series championship in 1987 and the ARCA/World Wide Auto Racing crown in 1988.

He also won three straight United Midget Auto Racing Association titles from 1990 through 1992 and captured his lone USAC national midget race at Rosemont Horizon in 1988. Pens was elected to the Mazon Speed Bowl/Grundy County Speedway Hall of Fame in 2009, and some of his last starts came with the Illini Racing Series in 2017.
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July 31, 2026

Rachel Brookes says Sky F1 exit was planned for months

Rachel Brookes said her exit from Sky Sports F1 had been planned for months before she announced it in June, and she rejected speculation that Max Verstappen played any part in her departure. Brookes, who left after 14 years with Sky, said the move was not as sudden as it appeared and that the online abuse she received after interviewing Verstappen had already been resolved before she went. She said many people assumed her departure was linked to that interview about Verstappen’s incident with George Russell at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, but she said it was not the reason she left.

Brookes said she had time to say goodbye to colleagues, teams and drivers, and described the reaction inside the Formula 1 paddock as warm and supportive. In a TikTok video, she shared pictures of walking and talking with Lewis Hamilton before the two embraced, and said she had told him about her departure. Brookes said Hamilton gave her a massive hug and hoped to see her back in the paddock soon. She also said Charles Leclerc gave her the biggest hug in Canada, and other drivers sent video messages saying they would miss her.

Brookes said the paddock felt like a family and that she was overwhelmed by the response to leaving Sky. She said she still expected to be involved in Formula 1 and hinted that her career in the sport was not over. Brookes also praised Craig Slater as the person ready to step into her role at Sky.
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July 31, 2026

Thailand to open MotoGP’s 2027 season at Buriram

MotoGP has confirmed that Thailand will open the 2027 season at Buriram from March 5-7, giving the Chang International Circuit the first race of the new 850cc era and the first competitive outing under the sport’s 2027-2031 technical regulations. It will be the third straight year Thailand has hosted the championship opener, and the first confirmed race on the 2027 calendar.

The new rules will cut engine capacity from 1,000cc to 850cc and add 100% sustainable fuel. They will also tighten aerodynamic limits, ban ride-height devices and holeshot devices, and switch the championship from Michelin tires to Pirelli.

MotoGP said Buriram’s repeat selection reflected the strength of its partnership in Thailand and the circuit’s suitability for starting a new technical cycle. The 2026 Thai Grand Prix drew a record 228,228 fans over three days, with Pedro Acosta winning the sprint and Marco Bezzecchi taking the grand prix, and the announcement came amid speculation that Thailand could face competition from a potential Formula 1 bid.
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July 31, 2026

Aldeguer ruled out again as Lecuona gets Gresini call

Iker Lecuona will step in for Gresini Ducati at this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone after Fermin Aldeguer was ruled out again as he recovers from a fractured T7 vertebra. Gresini confirmed on Friday, July 31, that the 21-year-old Spaniard had not yet been cleared to resume training and would miss the race as a precaution. Aldeguer has been sidelined since his crash in Dutch Grand Prix practice at Assen in late June and has already missed the Dutch Grand Prix races and the German MotoGP.

Gresini said Aldeguer has been medically cleared to resume training on August 15, with a return for the Aragon round on August 28-30 now possible. Lecuona returns to the team after previously filling in for Alex Marquez in Hungary, where he finished seventh, and he had already made a MotoGP appearance earlier in 2026. The Ducati World Superbike rider also took his first WorldSBK win at Donington earlier this month.
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July 31, 2026

Steiner warns Williams must reverse slide under Vowles

James Vowles is under growing pressure at Williams after the team’s difficult start to the 2026 F1 season, with former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner saying the team is going backward and needs a solution by the end of the year. Vowles is not in immediate danger of losing his job, but Steiner said he could run out of time if the slump continues into the first five or six races of 2027, when leadership changes could follow.

Williams missed the first week of pre-season testing and began the 2026 rules era with an overweight, off-pace car, with weight and chassis problems holding back the FW48. The team has made little progress since then and sat ninth in the constructors’ championship with 11 points heading into the summer break after a difficult Hungarian Grand Prix. Steiner said Williams had promised progress but was moving in the wrong direction, and he did not expect the team to score many more points this year.

The poor form has also frustrated Carlos Sainz Jr. and Alex Albon, with Sainz understood to be considering his options if results do not improve. Williams has slipped behind Aston Martin’s upgraded Budapest package and is also fighting Audi for eighth place, leaving Vowles’ future linked to whether the team can reverse its slide before the end of 2026 and into the start of the FW49 project for 2027.
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July 30, 2026

Bryce Harper, Kelly Slater join Legacy Motor Club investors

Legacy Motor Club expanded its ownership ranks Thursday with a new strategic group of celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs and motorsports figures, part of Jimmie Johnson’s push to build a team that goes beyond a traditional NASCAR ownership model. The newly named investors included Bryce Harper, Chase Utley, Kelly Slater, Andy Roddick, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, Sam Byrne and Jen Rubio, joining previously announced investors Darius Rucker and Guy Fieri.

Johnson said the group was assembled to help Legacy become something different in motorsports and culture, with a focus on competition, leadership, innovation and long-term growth. Legacy said the investors will help the organization grow as a modern sports and entertainment brand through media, partnerships, hospitality and fan experience, while still prioritizing on-track success.

Johnson said Legacy’s ownership group includes 27 total investors, with 16 still unnamed. Legacy Motor Club is co-owned by Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, and fields full-time Cup Series cars for Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek, along with a third car for Johnson at select events.
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July 30, 2026

JGR Drops Claim Gabehart Led Spire Strategy in Lawsuit

Joe Gibbs Racing has narrowed its lawsuit against former competition director Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports by dropping a key allegation that Gabehart was running or heavily involved in Spire’s competition strategy. In a Wednesday filing, JGR said it did not have nonprivileged information sufficient to support the claim, which had asserted that a Spire employee told a JGR employee Gabehart was leading or significantly participating in Spire’s competition decision-making. The court granted JGR’s motion to strike the allegation.

The move did not end the dispute. JGR still accuses Gabehart of retaining confidential information, misappropriating trade secrets and violating his non-compete agreement after leaving JGR to become Spire’s chief motorsports officer. The team is seeking $8 million in damages. Gabehart and Spire have denied the allegations and filed counterclaims.

A federal judge has allowed Gabehart to remain in his Spire role during the litigation, but barred him from duties involving JGR while the case proceeds. The lawsuit is scheduled for a nine-day jury trial beginning Feb. 1, 2027, just before the Daytona 500.
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July 30, 2026

NASCAR 26 trailer drops as pre-orders open for Sept. 18 launch

NASCAR and iRacing Studios debuted the first gameplay trailer for NASCAR 26 on July 29 and opened pre-orders for the game ahead of its Sept. 18 launch. The title is set for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Steam, with a Standard Edition priced at $59.99 and a Gold Edition at $79.99. Gold Edition buyers will get three days of early access beginning Sept. 15, along with additional content and in-game bonuses.

Kyle Larson will appear on the cover of NASCAR 26, which will include all four NASCAR national series, the Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. The game also adds Dynamic Track technology, cross-platform multiplayer, an enhanced driving model, burnout celebrations, a standalone mode built around The Chase and a new Peak Performance training mode.

NASCAR 26 will also expand its Career Mode with facilities and team upgrades. The game will add Chicagoland Speedway, St. Petersburg and the Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado to its track list.
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July 30, 2026

PBR Teams Sets Wildcatters’ Lone 2026 Home Stand in Oklahoma City

Wildcatter Days brings PBR Teams to Paycom Center in Oklahoma City from July 31 through Aug. 2, giving the Oklahoma Wildcatters their only home stand of the 2026 regular season and the league’s first three-day homestand of the year. The event is the season’s second stop and will feature all 10 teams in five-on-five bull riding, with the Wildcatters making their first home event under coach Greg Rhodes after a 1-1 opening weekend in Fort Collins.

The weekend begins Thursday night with the Heroes & Legends inductee dinner at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, followed by Friday’s PBR Heroes and Legends Ceremony on PBR’s YouTube channel. Coverage starts Friday on Paramount+, continues Saturday and Sunday on The CW, and CBS will air Sunday’s Day 2 featured matchups at noon ET.

The Texas Rattlers enter Oklahoma City amid conflicting reports on their start, with one account listing them 6-for-10 and another calling them undefeated. The defending champion Carolina Cowboys are looking to rebound after an 0-for-5 finish in their final Fort Collins game, and Clay Guiton is set to return after a February wreck. Florida Freedom rider Austin Richardson also heads to Oklahoma City after a 2-for-2 opening weekend that included a 90-point ride.
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