PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

October 21, 2026

NASCAR’s Phoenix Chase race draws season-low 1.294 million viewers

NASCAR’s TV numbers have softened during The Chase, with the Oct. 18 race at Phoenix Raceway drawing a 0.72 rating and 1.294 million viewers, according to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal. The seventh of 10 Chase races was NASCAR’s season low for viewership in 2026 and drew about 20% fewer viewers than the first six Chase races, which averaged 1.62 million. There was no direct year-over-year comparison for Phoenix because the track hosted the championship race in 2025.

The decline came as Phoenix also fell below a comparable 2025 points race at Las Vegas, which drew a 0.84 rating and 1.7 million viewers. Across 33 Cup Series races this season, events are averaging 2.431 million viewers, down 1.4% from the same point in 2025. Broadcast races on Fox and NBC have drawn more viewers than cable races on FS1, TNT and USA, while the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway drew 1.48 million viewers on USA Network, down 15% from the 2025 Charlotte Roval race.

The Chase average also trailed Prime Video’s summer Cup Series package, which averaged 2.29 million viewers. The final three Chase races are scheduled to move to NBC and over-the-air television, a change expected to expand reach to more households. NASCAR COO Ben Kennedy said the sport may need to reconsider Sunday scheduling when it negotiates its next media rights deal in 2032, with the current contract running through 2031. NASCAR executives are also weighing whether future schedules should avoid going head-to-head with the NFL every Sunday.
More
October 21, 2026

MotoGP launches Academy program to expand Road to MotoGP

MotoGP announced MotoGP Academy on Oct. 21, 2026, a program meant to expand the Road to MotoGP initiative and make motorcycle racing more accessible in underserved regions. MotoGP said the academies are designed to develop young riders, serve as local ambassadors for the sport and build a global network of elite racing schools that act as local hubs for two-wheel racing.

The program will recognize racing schools and institutions that meet MotoGP’s standards for infrastructure, training methodology, technical execution and brand visibility. Approved academies will receive toolkits, activation support, branding and product discounts from MotoGP, while continuing to operate independently.

MotoGP said the academies will be named for their nation, region or continent, and the program may take different forms depending on the country. Some countries may have several academies, while others may use a single national hub. MotoGP expects the biggest impact in the United States, South America and Asia.
More
October 21, 2026

ASD Motorsports enters Modoc Speedway weekend sixth in World of Outlaws

John Henderson looked ahead to the World of Outlaws Late Model Series debut at Modoc Speedway, a track just north of his hometown of North Augusta, South Carolina. Henderson said dirt racing began for him at Modoc, and he called the rebuilt facility a major improvement over the old track.

Henderson, who owns ASD Motorsports, said the renovated speedway should produce good racing in the revived Modoc 100 on Oct. 23-24. He also raced at Modoc earlier in his career in Crate and FASTRAK events, including events with drivers such as Jonathan Davenport and Brandon Overton.

ASD Motorsports, with Ethan Dotson driving the No. 2X, entered the final five races of the season sixth in the World of Outlaws standings. Henderson said he hoped the team could finish the season strong at home while building toward 2027.
More
October 21, 2026

TRICON Garage extends Kaden Honeycutt, Gio Ruggiero for 2027

TRICON Garage announced contract extensions with Kaden Honeycutt and Gio Ruggiero for the 2027 NASCAR Truck Series season, locking in two of its top drivers for next year. Ruggiero is the first driver announced for TRICON Garage’s 2027 lineup, and Honeycutt will return to the No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro while Ruggiero will be back in the No. 17 Toyota Tundra.

Honeycutt enters the stretch run of the 2026 season as the Truck Series points leader, with a 39-point edge over Layne Riggs and three races left. He won at Watkins Glen, Richmond, Kansas and Phoenix this year and has 14 top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes.

Ruggiero will begin his third season with TRICON Garage in 2027 after earning his first career playoff berth in 2026. He has four top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes this season and is seventh in the standings with three races remaining. TRICON Garage said the two drivers give the team a strong foundation as it pursues more wins and another championship in 2027.
More
October 21, 2026

Mercedes adds blue accents for Austin MANUFAKTUR livery

Several teams unveiled special one-off liveries for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, with designs ranging from retro-inspired tributes to brand-focused updates. Aston Martin also produced a one-off design for Austin.

Haas ran a blue-heavy Godzilla Minus Zero design that put Godzilla on the engine cover, marking the team’s second Godzilla-themed livery of the season after a monster-film-inspired look at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Mercedes kept its base look but added blue accents to highlight its MANUFAKTUR customization program, and George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli wore new race suits.

Cadillac revealed a special Austin livery for its first race at Circuit of the Americas, using an American West-inspired look with stitched, embroidery-style patterns on its usual white and black color scheme. It was Cadillac’s third one-off livery of the season after special designs in Miami and Silverstone.
More
October 21, 2026

Lusail says final preparations are underway for Qatar Grand Prix doubleheader

Lusail International Circuit is preparing to host the MotoGP Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar from Nov. 6-8 and the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix from Nov. 27-29, with three weeks between the two events. The circuit said final preparations were underway across the grandstands, hospitality areas and infrastructure, and CEO Abdulaziz Ali Al-Muhannadi said the team is focused on delivering a strong fan experience. Entertainment, cultural activities and family attractions are planned alongside the racing, including rider appearances and fan zone activities for MotoGP spectators and the Fan Forum, live music, simulators and kids’ workshops for Formula 1 visitors.

The buildup has come amid escalating uncertainty tied to the Middle East conflict, but both championships said their races would proceed under the current advice from organizers and the government. Motorsport reported that teams had been told to prepare to race in Qatar, and also said riders were divided over whether to travel because of the conflict. MotoGP’s Qatar Grand Prix had been postponed from April.

The Formula 1 race is set to be the penultimate round of the 2026 season before the finale in Abu Dhabi. Formula 1 had a backup plan in Imola if its Middle East races were canceled, while MotoGP did not have a replacement venue ready if the Qatar race could not go ahead.
More
October 21, 2026

Ted Johnson dies at 72 after battling cancer

A motorsports history archival roundup revisited the death of World of Outlaws founder Ted Johnson, who created the series in 1978 and died Friday night in Texas at age 72 after a battle with cancer. The collection looked back on Johnson’s role in building one of racing’s best-known series.

The roundup also revisited the 2006 Lexmark Indy 300, where Nelson Philippe won by 0.728 seconds for his first Champ Car victory and Sebastien Bourdais clinched his third consecutive Champ Car championship. It also returned to the Golden State 100, where Mario Andretti secured his second straight national championship, while Dick Atkins won the race after J.C. Agajanian suffered a rollover accident near Reno.

Other entries in the archival report included Randy Lanier being charged with conspiring to import more than 100,000 pounds of marijuana into South Florida, plea cases involving Bill Whittington and Marty Hinze, and the planned departure of Neil Bonnett and Darrell Waltrip from Junior Johnson’s team.
More
October 21, 2026

United States Grand Prix set for Oct. 23-25 in Austin

Formula 1’s round 18 will be the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, scheduled for Oct. 23-25. The 56-lap race is set for 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, Oct. 25, which is 20:00 GMT. The UK will be on British Summer Time for Friday and Saturday sessions before switching back to GMT for race day.

Practice begins Friday with FP1 at 12:30 p.m. local time and FP2 at 4 p.m. Final practice is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by qualifying at 4 p.m. Fans can watch every session live on F1 TV Pro in selected countries or on F1 TV Premium, with live timing on F1.com and the F1 app. BBC coverage will be available on Radio 5 Live, 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

Early forecasts call for sunny, warm conditions, with highs of 30C on Friday and Saturday and 29C on Sunday, plus only a small chance of rain. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli could clinch his first Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship in Austin if he wins and results involving George Russell and Lewis Hamilton go his way. Max Verstappen arrives after sweeping the Singapore weekend with pole and wins in both the sprint and main race. Red Bull has won the last two races, McLaren is set to bring further upgrades to Austin, and Mercedes will use the weekend to better understand a recent package after struggling with it in the last two rounds.
More
October 21, 2026

Mike Perry says he is focused on MMA, not BKFC

Mike Perry said a bare-knuckle fight with Darren Till is not happening and that his focus has shifted to MMA rather than BKFC. Perry made the comments on The Ariel Helwani Show, saying bare-knuckle fighting felt like “a cheat code” because of the two-minute rounds and that he is “ready for another challenge” after building his name in BKFC.

Perry has not fought in BKFC since stopping Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 more than a year ago. Since then, he has gone 1-1 in MMA, beating Nate Diaz on Netflix before losing to Brandon Jenkins in August after an injury.

Perry said a return to BKFC could still happen if part-owner Conor McGregor eventually competes there.
More