PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

October 1, 2026

Michelin adds harder rear tire for resurfaced Motegi GP

Michelin expanded its tire allocation for the resurfaced Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, bringing three front choices and three rear choices to a circuit where it has no testing data from the new asphalt. Michelin said the main challenge is the fresh surface across the entire track, and Piero Taramasso said the stop-and-go layout, with heavy braking and acceleration zones, puts extra stress on the tires. The company plans to use simulations and Friday practice to assess grip, abrasion and temperature behavior, with cool conditions and possible rain adding to the uncertainty.

Michelin has also added a harder-construction rear tire to its Motegi allocation as a precaution because the new surface is expected to offer more grip. The rear hard tire uses a reinforced casing previously used at the Red Bull Ring, but only the hard rear compound carries that construction this weekend. The soft and medium rear tires remain on the standard casing.

Riders have played down the harder option. Yamaha’s Jack Miller said it is “not an option,” and Honda HRC’s Luca Marini said he would prefer the softer, standard-casing tire whenever possible. Both said they would only consider the harder rear if tire degradation became severe. Marc Marquez said Ducati had trouble with the stiffer tire in Thailand and Austria, and Michelin said teams will need to adapt quickly from Friday as the track evolves.
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October 1, 2026

Honda confirms final ADUO turbo upgrade after Spanish GP

Honda secretly used its second and final in-season ADUO upgrade on an updated turbocharger at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, a change that was later confirmed through public FIA documents and by Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara and Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe. Honda had previously said its “spec 2” power unit introduced at Zandvoort was its only 2026 ADUO upgrade, but the turbocharger change went first to Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin in Madrid and later to Fernando Alonso in Baku.

Watanabe said Honda had already brought its first ADUO package to the Netherlands, then followed it with the improved turbo in Spain because the two changes were developed in parallel rather than launched together. Honda said the turbocharger update was meant to improve boost response, drivability and energy management, and to reduce turbo lag linked to the spec 2 power unit. Orihara said the performance gains were small, and Watanabe said the first ADUO update in the Netherlands had caused drivability issues.

Honda said it has now used both of its allowed ADUO opportunities for the season. Watanabe said Honda and Aston Martin are not yet extracting the full potential of the power unit, and that the company will spend the rest of the year maximizing the current package and working on non-hardware development for the future. Stroll said Aston Martin was still losing roughly one to two seconds on engine performance depending on the track, and said Honda’s progress for 2027 remained an open question.
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October 1, 2026

Bagnaia Sets Top-Seven Target for Motegi Return

Pecco Bagnaia arrived at Motegi with cautious expectations and said a top-seven finish was his most realistic target for the Japanese Grand Prix. He said he did not expect to repeat last year’s double win in Japan, and that the key this weekend was understanding the track’s new asphalt and the tire differences while working through grip issues with Ducati. Bagnaia said Motegi’s braking-heavy layout could help manage those problems if he and the team adapted quickly and got off to a strong start.

Bagnaia said the circuit still brought back strong memories, calling last year’s ride a “fantastic feeling” when he was riding “at 100%” and, in his words, “my way, like Frank Sinatra.” He said he liked Motegi’s layout, the people and the culture, and added that remembering last year’s performance could help him this weekend. He also said recapturing that level had been difficult, with the team trying to reach it again for about two seasons while rival manufacturers have improved, including KTM since Aragon.

The Ducati rider heads to Japan after a difficult Austrian Grand Prix, though he still finished in the points. He enters Motegi still winless, ninth in the championship and without a MotoGP podium since Brno. Ducati has a strong record at Motegi, with wins there by Casey Stoner, Loris Capirossi, Jack Miller, Bagnaia and Marc Márquez.
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September 30, 2026

Hadjar hails Verstappen as his Red Bull benchmark

Isack Hadjar said he feels very, very lucky to have Max Verstappen as his Red Bull benchmark, describing the reigning champion as the prime of Formula 1 performance and a source of information no other driver can provide. Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Hadjar said Verstappen gives him so much to work with and that he is learning from the Dutch driver’s relentless consistency and ability to avoid mistakes as he tries to become a regular front-runner.

Hadjar also said driving alongside Verstappen is one of Formula 1’s toughest assignments, but one that gives him a major chance to develop. He said Verstappen has been very kind to him since he joined Red Bull and remained supportive before, during and after Liam Lawson’s troubled stint with the team.

The 22-year-old is in his second Formula 1 season after a breakthrough 2025 campaign that brought podiums at Zandvoort, Monaco and Azerbaijan. His Baku podium came after he missed three races with a wrist injury, and he said his next step is to put every part of a weekend together more consistently. Red Bull later confirmed Hadjar would remain with the team for 2027.
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September 30, 2026

Team Tedder-Husqvarna expands, adds Webb for 2027-28

Husqvarna Mobility announced a new partnership with Team Tedder that will begin with the 2027 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and run through the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The expanded effort will compete as Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – Monster Energy – Team Tedder – Husqvarna Racing Team, with Cooper Webb joining returning rider Justin Hill on the roster.

Webb will make his first start on the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition at the 2026 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernée, France, where he will race for Team USA for the fourth time. Webb said the deal gives him a chance to chase another 450SX title after finishing third in the standings this year.
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September 30, 2026

Larson’s Kansas surge meets Hamlin’s Vegas mastery

Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin took center stage in the Cup Series playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, with Larson carrying a 26-point lead into the South Point 400 after his dominant win at Kansas. Larson swept both stages there, won the race and collected the maximum 76 points, setting up a direct showdown between his momentum and Hamlin’s track-specific consistency.

Larson has been one of the strongest drivers at Las Vegas, with three career victories, 881 laps led and top-10 finishes in 15 of 20 starts. He has led laps in 10 of the last 11 races at the track and also held the best average finish at Las Vegas among drivers with more than four starts. Through 30 races this season, Larson has led more laps than Hamlin, 1,118 to 950, and he has the edge in top-five and top-10 finishes.

Hamlin entered the weekend with the best record on 1.5-mile tracks among Chase drivers in 2026, posting top-five finishes in all six such races. He won the last two Cup races at Las Vegas, swept both 2025 events there and had a chance to become only the second driver to win three straight Cup races at the track. Hamlin also had a stronger average finish than Larson through 30 races, 8.4 to 15.2, and held a better average finish on 1.5-mile tracks. Christopher Bell and Joey Logano also remained in the title mix, and eight of the last 10 Cup races at Las Vegas were decided by less than a second.
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September 30, 2026

Lex Ludlow returns to BKFC against Brock Walker on Oct. 9

Lex Ludlow is scheduled to return to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship action on Oct. 9 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he will face Brock “Alpha Dawg” Walker in the featured fight at Wind Creek Event Center. The card is being promoted as “BKFC Fight Night The Most Hated.”

Ludlow enters the matchup unbeaten in BKFC competition after opening his BKFC career with four straight wins. He said the bout falls on his 33rd birthday and joked that he expects Brian Soscia to sing to him in the ring.
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September 30, 2026

Brother-vs.-brother PBR duel tied 1-1 heads to Fort Worth

The Leather brothers are set to meet as rivals again in Game 3 at Rattler Days in Fort Worth, with Macaulie Leather and Boston Leather facing off in the Missouri Thunder vs. Kansas City Outlaws Show-Me State Showdown. Their brother-vs.-brother rivalry enters Sunday tied 1-1, and one more regular-season meeting is still scheduled later this year.

Macaulie Leather has emerged as one of Missouri’s top starters in 2026. He has posted four 90-point rides this season and delivered a career-high 93.35-point ride on King Tut. Earlier this year, he broke his jaw but still called for the bull.

Boston Leather, who was the 2024 Australian champion and Rookie of the Year, joined Kansas City in mid-September after a strong Challenger Series run. He has already delivered strong rides for the Outlaws, adding another layer to a matchup that pairs two brothers who both won back-to-back PBR Australia championships.
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September 30, 2026

Las Vegas weekend features single-car qualifying Saturday

NASCAR’s October weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is set for Oct. 3-4 on the 1.5-mile track, with Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying leading into a full slate of races. Both series will use single-car, single-lap qualifying on Saturday to set the starting lineups, and with 36 entries in each field, every driver will make the race. O’Reilly qualifying is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited, followed by Cup qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET on truTV.

The metric-based qualifying orders put Cody Ware first in the Cup Series and Kyle Larson last, with Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Cole Custer filling the next spots. In the O’Reilly Series, Dawson Cram is first and Sheldon Creed last, with Joey Gase and Lavar Scott among the early runners. Chase contenders are mixed throughout both lineups, and the Cup entry list also includes Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman and Shane van Gisbergen.

Saturday’s schedule also includes O’Reilly practice at 2 p.m. ET, Cup practice at 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV, the Focused Health 302 at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW, and Sunday’s South Point 400 at 5:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The O’Reilly race will also air on PRN and SiriusXM, while the Cup race will stream on HBO Max and air on PRN and SiriusXM. Friday’s action at The Bullring features the Kyle Busch Classic with CARS Tour West and ARCA Menards Series West drivers.
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