PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

August 17, 2026

Honda reshapes F1 program as spec two engine nears Zandvoort

Honda’s rebuilt Formula 1 project is taking shape around a very different personnel model from its Red Bull-era program, and the change left Aston Martin unaware until November 2025 how much the operation had been reshaped. Honda trackside manager Shintaro Orihara said the company now rotates staff between road-car work and F1, which brought in many newer employees from other projects and left the team short of Grand Prix-specific experience early in 2026. Orihara said Honda still had some staff with Red Bull-era F1 background and uses F1 as a way to develop talent for the wider organization.

After difficult winter testing, Honda brought back several employees from its Red Bull program to add expertise, and Orihara said the team has made strong progress since then. Honda says it is now better placed to improve its power unit and energy management, with its first ADUO upgrade of the year due at Zandvoort. The “spec two” engine is set to debut at the Dutch Grand Prix, and early testing data suggests it could give Aston Martin a major lift in the second half of the season. Honda leaders also believe the updated engine will help Adrian Newey’s AMR26 chassis, though they said more work is still needed to compete at the front.

Orihara said Honda’s goal is to return to Formula 1’s leading power-unit suppliers by late 2027 or early 2028, with further combustion-engine improvements planned for 2027. He said the company will keep focusing on combustion performance and wants bigger gains next year, while also treating chassis integration as another major priority. Orihara warned that the 2027 regulations, including slightly different fuel-flow rules, could bring back reliability problems similar to those Honda faced earlier this year.
More
August 17, 2026

Antonelli, Mercedes Lead F1 Titles Into Dutch GP

Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes went into the summer break on top of both Formula 1 championships, with Antonelli leading the drivers’ standings by 50 points after 11 rounds and Mercedes holding a 72-point advantage over Ferrari in the constructors’ race. Antonelli has been Mercedes’ standout in 2026, winning his first Formula 1 race and then four more in a row, while Mercedes’ W17 won the first six races of the season. George Russell’s title chances have faded after a more inconsistent run, and Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris remain among Antonelli’s closest challengers.

The fight has tightened since Monaco. Ferrari moved ahead on form over the next five-race stretch and outscored Mercedes by seven points, with Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Antonelli and Norris each taking one win in that run. Mercedes’ drop-off was linked to reliability problems, and Antonelli’s own campaign has included a penalty at Silverstone after he broke a wheel shield and an engine failure in Barcelona while he was fighting for second place.

The title picture remains open as the season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix. Upgrades under the new regulations, reliability, penalties, and how quickly the drivers adapt to the new cars could all shape the run-in, with experience and the remaining calendar also in play. Mercedes’ position is strong but not secure, as Ferrari and McLaren have both shown race pace. One forecast says Ferrari will edge Mercedes for the constructors’ championship at the final race, while another sees Antonelli finishing the year as drivers’ champion.
More
August 16, 2026

Nashville Ends Stampede Days With Walk-Off Win Over Oklahoma

Riquelmi Silva delivered a career-best 90.9-point ride on Big Mac in the bottom of the fifth Sunday to give the Nashville Stampede a walk-off win over the Oklahoma Wildcatters at Bridgestone Arena and close out Stampede Days on a high note. The victory improved Nashville to 9-2, gave the team its second walk-off win of the weekend after beating the Arizona Ridge Riders on Friday, and left the Stampede two games ahead in the PBR Teams standings after four events.

The Stampede’s surge came one day after Carolina blanked Nashville 88.1-0 on Saturday night, ending the Stampede’s eight-game winning streak. Keyshawn Whitehorse had Carolina’s only qualified ride, scoring 88.1 points on Hoobastank, and Nashville still remained in first place after the loss.

Around the rest of the league, Missouri defeated Oklahoma 352.4-87.25 behind Macaulie Leather’s 91-point ride. Arizona blanked New York 86.25-0 with Vitor Losnake’s walk-off ride, Texas beat Florida 178.7-90.7 on João Ricardo Vieira’s 88.5-point effort, and Kansas City topped Austin 346-179.6 in a rivalry matchup. Austin’s Jose Vitor Leme recorded his league-leading eighth ride of the season, and Callum Miller added a 90.4-point ride for Austin.
More
August 15, 2026

Lachlan Turner Sweeps WMX to Extend Points Lead

Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York, delivered major championship swings as Pro Motocross returned from the summer break under ideal weather and in front of one of the largest crowds in Unadilla National history. Jett Lawrence won the 450 overall to reclaim the red plate, Cole Davies won the 250 overall, and Lachlan Turner swept the WMX motos to extend her points lead.

In the 450 class, Jett Lawrence went 2-1 for his fourth win of the season and 28th career victory. After an early fall in Moto 1 left him second, he closed with the Moto 2 win. Hunter Lawrence had entered the day with the points lead after winning Moto 1, but a hard crash at the top of the Screw-U section in Moto 2 left him scoreless in that moto and eighth overall. Jorge Prado finished second overall, while Haiden Deegan was third for his fourth straight podium. Jett left Unadilla 10 points ahead of Hunter heading to Budds Creek.

The 250 class shifted again at the front when Cole Davies won the overall with a 2-1 score and Levi Kitchen finished second at 1-6. Kitchen was fastest in qualifying and won Moto 1 after charging from seventh, but a poor Moto 2 start dropped him to 37th before he recovered to sixth. Davies earned his fourth win of the season, and Kitchen held a one-point lead over Davies after Unadilla. Jason Thomas said the heavy start chaos played a major role in the title fight.

Turner dominated the WMX round with a 1-1 sweep for her third overall win of the 2026 season. She topped qualifying with a 2:22.725 lap, more than a second faster than Charli Cannon, then won Moto 1 by 15.6 seconds after moving from seventh to the lead on lap one. Cannon finished second in both motos, Jordan Jarvis was third in Moto 1, and Taylah McCutcheon grabbed the Moto 2 holeshot before Turner took over on lap two. Turner now leads Cannon by 15 points with four motos remaining. Aaron Plessinger returned from a tailbone injury but had mechanical problems in both motos and finished 40th overall, while Jed Beaton went 10-9 for seventh overall in only his second AMA Pro Motocross start.
More
August 15, 2026

Honeycutt leads 225 laps to win at Richmond

Kaden Honeycutt dominated the Black’s Tire 250 at Richmond Raceway, leading 225 of 250 laps and sweeping both stages in his No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota. He beat Corey Heim by 1.313 seconds, with Christian Eckes third, Shane van Gisbergen fourth and Grant Enfinger fifth. Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, Tristan McKee, Giovanni Ruggiero and Daniel Hemric completed the top 10, while Layne Riggs and several other contenders faded late.

Shane van Gisbergen earned the pole with a 23.168-second qualifying lap and spent much of the afternoon near the front before a stray wheel during the second round of pit stops sent him to the rear of the lead lap. A caution for Stewart Friesen’s crash with 35 laps remaining gave him track position, but a slow final stop dropped him from second to fifth before he rallied back to fourth. Honeycutt’s victory earned him the maximum 76 points and moved him to second in the standings, 61 points behind championship leader Layne Riggs.

The race was moved from Friday night to Saturday afternoon because of rain and lightning, and Christopher Bell was pulled from the field because of the schedule change. In qualifying behind van Gisbergen and Honeycutt were Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger and Nick Leitz. Elliott Sadler returned to NASCAR in the No. 25 Kaulig Racing truck and was set to start 32nd, while Kasey Kleyn, Caleb Costner and Justin Carroll failed to qualify.
More
August 15, 2026

USAC Midget Weekend Derailed, Saturday Race Stays On

Rain disrupted USAC’s NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship weekend in Illinois. Friday’s opener at Coles County Speedway in Mattoon was washed out. The Lake Land College King of Coles was postponed to Monday, Sept. 7, 2025, while Saturday’s Coles County program remained on schedule. Sunday’s Premiere at Jacksonville Speedway was canceled without a make-up date.

The weekend had been planned as three races in four nights at two first-time series venues. Coles County was scheduled to host races Friday and Saturday, with Friday’s event set for 35 laps and $5,000 to win and Saturday’s for 40 laps and $6,000 to win. Jacksonville Speedway was set to host The Premiere on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2025, in a 30-lap feature paying $6,000 to the winner. The weekend also marked the start of the second half of the USAC Midget season, with Jacob Denney turning a 21-point deficit into a 68-point lead in the standings.

USAC was next scheduled to return with three races in four nights, starting at Wayne County Speedway in Wayne City, Illinois, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2025, followed by Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2025, and Coles County Speedway on Monday, Sept. 7, 2025. USAC’s national racing season was then set to restart on Aug. 22, 2025, with the Bettenhausen 100 for the Silver Crown Championship at Springfield’s Illinois State Fairgrounds.
More
August 15, 2026

USAC Midget Weekend Derailed, Saturday Race Stays On

Rain disrupted USAC’s NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship weekend in Illinois. Friday’s opener at Coles County Speedway in Mattoon was washed out. The Lake Land College King of Coles was postponed to Monday, Sept. 7, 2025, while Saturday’s Coles County program remained on schedule. Sunday’s Premiere at Jacksonville Speedway was canceled without a make-up date.

The weekend had been planned as three races in four nights at two first-time series venues. Coles County was scheduled to host races Friday and Saturday, with Friday’s event set for 35 laps and $5,000 to win and Saturday’s for 40 laps and $6,000 to win. Jacksonville Speedway was set to host The Premiere on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2025, in a 30-lap feature paying $6,000 to the winner. The weekend also marked the start of the second half of the USAC Midget season, with Jacob Denney turning a 21-point deficit into a 68-point lead in the standings.

USAC was next scheduled to return with three races in four nights, starting at Wayne County Speedway in Wayne City, Illinois, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2025, followed by Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2025, and Coles County Speedway on Monday, Sept. 7, 2025. USAC’s national racing season was then set to restart on Aug. 22, 2025, with the Bettenhausen 100 for the Silver Crown Championship at Springfield’s Illinois State Fairgrounds.
More
August 15, 2026

Larson Leads All 50 Laps for $200,000 Knoxville Crown

Kyle Larson’s weekend at the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s turned into a rare Richmond-to-Knoxville double and another title run. After finishing sixth in Saturday night’s Cup race at Richmond Raceway, Larson flew straight to Knoxville, Iowa, and got there in time for the delayed championship feature. He started from the pole after winning Thursday night’s preliminary feature in his Paul Silva No. 57 sprint car, then led all 50 laps to win the $200,000 main event. The victory gave Larson his fourth Knoxville Nationals title in six years, his 16th career win at Knoxville Raceway and his 40th career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory. Sheldon Haudenschild finished second, followed by Kasey Kahne, James McFadden, Logan Schuchart and David Gravel among the top finishers.

The trip drew as much attention as the race itself. Larson left Virginia less than 30 minutes after the Richmond race ended, and his plane landed in Iowa at 11:55 p.m. CT. Flightradar24 said the flight became the world’s most tracked, with sources reporting 7,705 users and about 16,000 people following the trip. Knoxville Raceway displayed the live tracker on its big screen for fans. Larson had said before the travel scramble that he was at peace with missing the Knoxville main event because of the Richmond conflict, but a three-hour rain delay changed the picture and gave him a path to make it.

Larson credited Hendrick Motorsports and car owner Paul Silva for helping make the night possible. His week at Knoxville included the preliminary victory that earned him the pole and pushed his weekly earnings past $212,000 when bonus money was added. The rain that altered Larson’s plans also forced Friday’s Hard Knox program into Saturday’s schedule, creating a doubleheader for championship day. Donny Schatz won the revised Hard Knox feature to keep his Knoxville Nationals hopes alive, while the week’s earlier qualifying nights had been won by Sheldon Haudenschild and Larson.
More
August 15, 2026

McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin shape Verstappen’s options

Max Verstappen’s F1 future remains unsettled. Reports said he was in advanced talks with McLaren about a possible move for 2027, although later reports suggested he was expected to stay with Red Bull. Verstappen has not formally confirmed his plans beyond the current contract, which runs through 2028, and an exit clause could still allow him to leave earlier if the right opportunity comes along.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said Verstappen would only leave Red Bull for a team that is clearly better. He called McLaren the only realistic alternative on the current grid, but questioned whether it is truly an opening after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Steiner added that Ferrari’s seats are already full and Mercedes may no longer need to pursue Verstappen because it could already have “the next Max Verstappen” in Kimi Antonelli.

Verstappen’s options are complicated by the way the 2026 grid has already taken shape, with several front-running teams committed to their lineups. McLaren’s Mercedes engine is being described as the benchmark, and its chassis is said to be improving, but Oscar Piastri’s contract extension could make any move harder. Verstappen is also being linked with Aston Martin, where a 16-part upgrade package at Zandvoort, planned Honda power-unit gains, more updates for Monza and Baku, Adrian Newey’s arrival and the team’s factory facilities could all keep him interested. The article said Verstappen is enduring his least successful season with Red Bull, and that has kept his long-term future under scrutiny.
More