Author Archives: PressBox

May 18, 2026

Reutzel rallies from 5th, wins at Attica, wraps $50K week

Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas won the 40-lap John Bores 20th Anniversary Celebration at Attica, rallying from fifth to take the $20,000 winner’s check and complete a $50,000 week. Using the high side and working lapped traffic, he cleared Tanner Thorson with four laps remaining to take the lead. It was Reutzel’s third career win at Attica; he pledged $1,000 of his winnings to Texas Children’s Hospital, called the race a blast, and remained the High Limit point leader.

Aiden Price led the opening 19 laps, and Justin Peck led laps 20 and 21. Price and Tanner Thorson swapped the point midrace before Thorson and others ceded the lead late.

Thorson finished second, Logan Schuchart third, Tyler Courtney fourth and Price fifth.
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May 18, 2026

Toledo records 8.83 on Modern 2 swallowtail at Raglan

Filipe Toledo posted the day’s highest single-wave score at the Raglan Championship Tour stop, earning an 8.83 for a seven-turn ride on a wide, low-rocker swallowtail fitted with a two-plus-one fin arrangement known as a Modern 2.
Observers described the equipment choice as unconventional for the conditions at Raglan. Toledo said the Modern 2 setup held speed through Raglan’s shifting flat and steep sections and allowed him to concentrate on placing strong turns, and the unusual configuration drew public notice from 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, who compared it to past twin and quad experiments by surfers such as Dane Reynolds.
Toledo is scheduled to face rankings leader Gabriel Medina in Round 3, and it remains unclear whether he will stick with the same two-plus-one fin configuration for upcoming heats.
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May 18, 2026

Pedro Acosta leads Catalan practice; Bagnaia, Martín to Q1

Pedro Acosta topped Friday practice at the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, setting a 1:38.710 aboard his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 and taking a direct spot in Q2. He shaded Álex Márquez by 0.018 seconds to lead a tightly packed top order, with the top five split by 0.079 seconds and the top ten within 0.269 seconds, a parity many teams attributed in part to the spec Michelin tires used by the grid.

Francesco Bagnaia finished 12th, 0.350 seconds behind Acosta, saying he “couldn’t even think of getting into Q2,” and complaining of a lack of grip and setup issues. Team manager Davide Tardozzi reported Bagnaia had suffered unusual vibration and “no grip at all” on corner exit. Jorge Martín crashed twice on Friday, was assessed as slightly concussed and finished 17th, which will force him into Q1 on Saturday.

Brad Binder recovered from a small crash to sit third, with Raúl Fernández fourth and Johann Zarco fifth. Fabio di Giannantonio was the leading Ducati in sixth, and Marco Bezzecchi and Joan Mir also secured direct Q2 spots. Each manufacturer placed multiple riders into Q2 and eight teams booked at least one place. Acosta said the chassis was working well and his team would analyze data overnight, adding he planned to work more with a medium rear tire after running a soft rear last year. Binder said the Le Mans setup translated well to the low-grip Barcelona surface, “the bike felt more planted at the front and allowed more corner speed at the rear.” Friday’s times set the stage for an intense qualifying day, with Q1 offering the two remaining slots to Q2 and small improvements or mistakes able to reshuffle the front rows for Sunday’s race.
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May 18, 2026

Jason Somerville named Alpine deputy technical lead

Alpine announced the immediate appointment of Jason Somerville as deputy technical director. He will be based at the team’s Enstone facility and report directly to executive technical director David Sanchez. The move was agreed late last year following a six-month gardening leave after Somerville’s departure from the FIA.

Somerville returns to Enstone, where he worked in 2010–11, and will work alongside Alpine engineers, designers and aerodynamicists to strengthen the team’s aerodynamic leadership and accelerate performance in the current regulation cycle. The hire is part of a broader technical reshuffle intended to inject regulatory and aerodynamic expertise into the program.

His résumé includes spells at Williams, Toyota, Lotus and Formula One Management. He served as F1 head of aerodynamics from 2017 to 2022 and, at the FIA, helped develop the 2022 ground-effect rules and the current technical regulations, and he has played a central role since 2022 in shaping the 2026 rules. The appointment reunites Somerville with longtime Enstone figures such as Steve Nielsen and Flavio Briatore. Alpine finished bottom of the 2025 constructors’ standings and sits fifth in 2026 after four races with 23 points, scored by Pierre Gasly and rookie Franco Colapinto. Somerville said he was excited to return to “hunt milliseconds” and to push for points and trophies.
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May 18, 2026

Vietti tops both Moto2 sessions; Marquez leads MotoGP FP1

In Moto2, Celestino Vietti set the pace at the Catalan Grand Prix, topping both morning and afternoon practice sessions. He led FP1 with a 1:42.028 lap on the Beta Tools SpeedRS Team Boscoscuro and was fastest again in the afternoon with a 1:41.611, both runs on Pirelli control tires. Senna Agius finished second in FP1 with a 1:42.453 on the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex and was runner-up in the afternoon with a 1:41.625. Alex Escrig was third in FP1 with a 1:42.567, and Alonso Lopez moved into third in the afternoon with a 1:41.637.

Other Moto2 session highlights included Izan Guevara fourth in FP1 (1:42.608) and fifth in the afternoon (1:41.827), Manuel Gonzalez fifth in FP1 (1:42.706), and Daniel Holgado fourth in the afternoon (1:41.815). The two 27-rider sessions showcased Boscoscuro and Kalex machinery and produced early weekend benchmarks. American Joe Roberts was 20th in the morning (1:43.786) and 21st in the afternoon (1:42.742). Xabi Zurutuza was slowest in FP1, 27th on 1:44.936.

Alex Marquez topped the MotoGP FP1 timesheets at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a lap of 1:39.950. Jorge Martín had led for much of the session before finishing 0.349 seconds adrift in second and suffering a heavy crash at Turn 12 after earlier brushing his shoulder at Turn 5 and returning to the Aprilia garage. Pedro Acosta and Marco Bezzecchi completed the FP1 top five, 0.438 seconds and 0.472 seconds off the pace respectively. KTM rider Brad Binder also suffered a crash during FP1.

Reigning champion Marc Marquez was absent from the Catalan weekend after shoulder surgery to remove two damaged screws and a bone fragment that had compressed his radial nerve, and his Le Mans foot fracture was reported as stabilized. Tech3’s Maverick Viñales returned to action after missing three grands prix, and Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernández made a second MotoGP wildcard appearance at the Catalan round.
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May 18, 2026

FBI probes stolen Escalade carrying Bottas’ paddock pass

The FBI opened an investigation after a team-issued Cadillac Escalade belonging to Valtteri Bottas was stolen from the driveway of an Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale during the Miami Grand Prix weekend. The SUV contained Bottas’ Formula 1 paddock pass and a VIP parking pass, and local police asked federal authorities to get involved because the credentials could have allowed unauthorized access to restricted areas at Hard Rock Stadium. Agents investigated the potential security risk and access control vulnerabilities at the event.

Bottas told listeners on his What’s Next podcast that he had left the keys inside the house and discovered the Escalade missing on Saturday morning as he prepared to leave for the track. Cadillac supplied a replacement Escalade so he could get to the race. The original vehicle was later recovered damaged and dumped in a nearby high-crime area after its tracking system appeared to have been disabled, and extra security measures were posted at the property. Bottas said the thieves likely used the Escalade as a getaway car rather than targeting him specifically.

The incident created immediate logistical problems for Bottas and raised questions about credential security for drivers and teams during busy Grand Prix weekends. Bottas recounted the episode publicly on his podcast, authorities resolved the missing credentials, and the matter did not prevent him from continuing the race weekend; he finished the Miami Grand Prix in 18th place.
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May 18, 2026

Bolton goes 5-for-5, leads at Dickies as $50K rounds loom

Hudson Bolton extended a flawless start at the PBR World Finals, going 5-for-5 in Round 5 at Dickies Arena with a personal-best 91.30 on Lights Out. The Milan, Tennessee, native entered the event as No. 10 and improved to 11-for-13 all-time in World Finals competition. Bolton said he was “grateful” and that he was taking the event “one bull at a time.” The Round 5 ride solidified his hold on the event leaderboard and made him a leading contender as the finals progress.

The final five rounds moved to Dickies Arena for May 14–17 after four opening rounds at Cowtown Coliseum, where Bolton and Luciano De Castro had been perfect at 4-for-4. The season’s gold buckle, the Robinson Cup and a $1 million World Championship bonus will be decided at Dickies Arena; PBR is paying a record $3.3 million at the World Finals. Each remaining go-round winner at Dickies will earn $50,000, and the nine-round aggregate winner will collect 500 world points plus a large cash payout.

With five rides left and sizable monetary and points incentives on the line, the finals set the stage for a decisive finish. Tight bull standings and the presence of top-10 YETI Bucking Bull of the Year contenders increase pressure on riders, since bull performance can swing rounds and point totals. Round 6 is scheduled for Friday, May 15, with in-arena action beginning at 7:45 p.m. CT and live coverage on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. CT. Early event leaders contrasted with others who struggled: No. 1 John Crimber was shut out in the opening four rounds, while Nos. 2 and 3 Brady Fielder and Sage Kimzey produced sporadic results through the first four rounds.
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May 18, 2026

World of Outlaws, USAC Converge on Eldora for #LetsRaceTwo

Eldora Speedway will host the 10th #LetsRaceTwo Presented by LGMG doubleheader on May 15–16, pairing the USAC National Sprint Cars and the World of Outlaws at the half-mile dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio. Promoters bill the rare consecutive-night format as a unique draw, with each show paying $12,000 to the winner. USAC action will stream on FloRacing and World of Outlaws coverage will be available on DirtVision.

Several drivers plan cross-series double duty. Defending USAC #LetsRaceTwo winner Brady Bacon will drive the Chris Dyson No. 20 in USAC and the TKH Motorsports No. 21 for WoO. Logan Seavey will run the Abacus Racing No. 57 and the CB Industries–Spire Motorsports No. 87. Karter Sarff will make his WoO start in the Chase Briscoe No. 5B. Steven Snyder Jr. and Jakeb Boxell will make USAC debuts in the CB Industries–Spire No. 87 and the No. 54, owned by Matt Westfall, respectively. C.J. Leary brings a streak of 326 consecutive USAC feature starts in the Fox Brothers Racing No. 53, two starts shy of Justin Grant’s record of 328. Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports arrives off consecutive USAC wins and plans to enter two cars.

Kyle Cummins leads the USAC standings with 760 points and is seeking Eldora redemption after a 0.016-second loss in night one of #LetsRaceTwo 2024. On the WoO side, David Gravel leads the tour by 88 points; expected entries include Donny Schatz, Sheldon Haudenschild, Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney and Carson Macedo. Eldora has hosted World of Outlaws racing since April 16, 1978, and across 47 seasons the series has raced there 242 times, missing only 2020. The Speedway is one of three tracks with more than 200 WoO nights and currently trails Williams Grove by a single appearance. A total of 51 drivers have won WoO races at Eldora, and six drivers have reached double-digit WoO wins there: Steve Kinser (41), Sammy Swindell (30), Donny Schatz (18), Doug Wolfgang (15), Joey Saldana (13) and Dave Blaney (10). Donny Schatz holds the most WoO wins during #LetsRaceTwo weekends with six. The World of Outlaws will return to Eldora on July 17–18 for the 43rd Kings Royal, which carries a $200,000 winner’s purse.
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May 14, 2026

5.11 Becomes Triumph Title Sponsor at Fox Raceway

Apparel brand 5.11 has stepped up from associate sponsor to title sponsor of Triumph’s U.S. entry, which will race as 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing with a new livery. The rebrand will be formally unveiled at the AMA Pro Motocross season opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California on May 30. Outlets differ on the sponsorship term, with some reporting it runs for the remainder of the season and others calling it a multi-year deal.

Triumph confirmed a five-rider Pro Motocross roster. Jordon Smith and Mikkel Haarup will move up to the premier 450 class aboard the TF 450-X. Gage Linville, Austin Forkner and SMX Next champion Deacon Denno will campaign TF 250-X machines. Denno, who won at the Philadelphia Supercross in April, is scheduled to make his professional debut and will contest the full Pro Motocross season.

Jalek Swoll remains sidelined while recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in March, and his contract with the squad runs through the end of the season. Triumph said the 5.11-backed team will begin its third consecutive AMA Pro Motocross Championship campaign this season.

The title sponsorship builds on a partnership that began during the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, when 5.11 supplied teamwear and ran paddock activations, autograph signings, giveaways and a fan contest that awarded a TF 450-RC raced by Triumph ambassador Ricky Carmichael. Triumph Racing America general manager Jeremy Coker and 5.11 CEO Troy Brown said the deeper partnership reflects shared performance values and highlighted 5.11’s durable gear for varied weather as a key element of the collaboration.
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