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March 3, 2026

WSL removes Pipeline from Challenger Series after CT shifts

The World Surf League announced adjustments to its 2026–27 schedules, condensing the Challenger Series to five stops and establishing a four-stop Longboard Tour that will run from July through March. The WSL said the Longboard Tour will use a cumulative-points model to decide the 2026 world title, while the Challenger Series returns to a smaller itinerary modeled on past Championship Tour qualifier series.

The Challenger Series will feature five familiar stops but excludes Hawaii — including this year’s Lexus Pipe Challenger — after the WSL cited limited Pipe and Hawaii permits. WSL said those permitting constraints followed the Championship Tour’s decision to move its season start from Pipeline to Bells, which reduced available windows at Pipeline. Senior Tour Manager Travis Logie highlighted the depth of emerging talent on both the men’s and women’s sides and noted additional qualification pathways via QS 6,000 International events.

The Longboard Tour’s four stops are the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic (July 25–29), the Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic (Nov 25–29), the La Union Longboard Classic in the Philippines (Jan 20–24) — which replaces the previously scheduled Surf Abu Dhabi stop — and the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships in El Sunzal (Mar 13–21). The first three events will each field 24 surfers and award 10,000 points to each winner; the season-concluding El Salvador event will feature the top 12 men and top 12 women and award 15,000 points to winners. WSL Longboard Tour Director Will Hayden‑Smith said returning to a cumulative-points model while concentrating points at a smaller final-field championship is intended to reward season-long consistency and create a high-stakes finale.
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March 3, 2026

AMKUS to equip High Limit Racing with rescue gear

AMKUS Rescue Systems announced a partnership with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing to outfit the team’s safety crews with high-performance rescue and extrication equipment to improve on-track safety and operational readiness at sprint car events nationwide. Speed Sport/HLR reported the collaboration in a piece titled “High Limit Partners With AMKUS Rescue Systems.”

AMKUS President Emilie Maheu said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to protecting lives in high-risk environments and described High Limit Racing as representing the future of sprint car racing. AMKUS Sales Manager Kodi Smith said he identified and developed the collaboration through his connections in the racing community, and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing CEO Brad Sweet said the availability of AMKUS emergency-response tools will raise safety standards for drivers, venues and the series as the team expands its sprint car footprint.

Under the agreement, AMKUS will supply emergency-response and rescue equipment to High Limit Racing’s safety crews. AMKUS — which has more than 40 years of experience designing extrication tools — manufactures battery-powered and hydraulic rescue equipment in the United States from its base in Valparaiso, Indiana. High Limit Racing, founded by Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet, aims to grow the sprint car ecosystem nationwide, and both organizations presented the equipment partnership as a safety-first step to support that expansion.
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March 3, 2026

Yamaha link and Pramac deal set Toprak’s 2027 path

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, 29, is on a multi‑year transition from World Superbike to MotoGP, with his 2026–27 future shaped by overlapping agreements. He left WSBK after winning a third title and signed a two‑year MotoGP deal linked to Yamaha that begins in 2026, while remaining contracted to Pramac through the end of 2027. Sources say the presence of both a Yamaha‑linked factory arrangement and an existing Pramac seat creates the central overlap about where he will race in 2027.

The 2026 season is being presented as a transition year on and off track. Razgatlıoğlu made his MotoGP debut for Pramac at the Thailand Grand Prix, finishing 17th — third of four Yamahas and ahead only of teammate Jack Miller — in a weekend that featured strong Sprint pace but a last‑corner crash. Paddock observers said the Yamaha V4 package looked uncompetitive in that outing.

His manager, Kenan Sofuoğlu, told reporters there “could be interest” from factory Yamaha but he was “99% sure” Razgatlıoğlu would remain with Pramac in 2027; Pramac’s resistance to Honda’s attempt to sign him for 2026 has reinforced that position. Honda rider Luca Marini suggested Razgatlıoğlu may need until the 2027 season to be truly competitive and pointed to planned 2027 rule changes — 850cc engines, tighter aerodynamic limits and a ban on ride‑height devices — as factors that could affect adaptation. Those 2027 expectations are already affecting the rider market: Yamaha plans a largely new lineup for 2027 and has reportedly identified 2024 champion Jorge Martin as its preferred signing on a two‑year deal while it seeks his teammate. Reports say Yamaha views Razgatlıoğlu and Alex Rins as “far behind” in the race for a factory seat, even as Sofuoğlu and Yamaha describe an ongoing project aimed at improving the bike’s competitiveness for next year. With only one race contested so far this season, Razgatlıoğlu’s on‑track development and the team decisions that will shape his 2027 programme remain a developing story.
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March 3, 2026

Kevin Thomas Jr. sweeps USAC sprint features in Arizona

Kevin Thomas Jr. completed a two-race sweep of USAC Avanti Windows & Doors sprint car features in Arizona, winning at Mohave Valley Raceway and then at Central Arizona Raceway during the Sonoran Clash. The Cullman, Alabama driver started fifth in both features and swept the weekend for Bonneau Motorsports’ No. 78 in Mohave and for the USAC Avanti Windows & Doors Southwest Sprint Car field in Casa Grande.

At Mohave Valley Raceway Thomas—running a 360-cubic-inch engine against a field of 410-cubic-inch engines—started fifth, passed Eddie Tafoya Jr. on lap nine and, after multiple lead changes in the final three laps, retook the lead with the white flag and held it to the checkered. The victory was his ninth career USAC CRA feature win and moved him to 15th on the USAC CRA series all-time wins list; he earned $3,000 plus an additional $720 for the Rolls Scaffold 360 Challenge. Ricky Lewis charged from 10th to finish second and collected the Steve Lafond Photos Hard Charger award, Eddie Tafoya Jr. was third, Austin Williams fourth and Charles Davis Jr. fifth; R.J. Johnson posted fast time at 13.897 seconds and finished sixth. Heat winners included Braden Chiaramonte, A.J. Bender and Eddie Tafoya, and Chiaramonte flipped in his heat.

The win at Central Arizona Raceway completed the sweep. Connor Lundy briefly took the lead during an opening-lap scramble, but Thomas moved into the lead by lap two and paced the field for 24 of the 25 laps to secure the feature victory. Steve Sussex finished second, R.J. Johnson third, Bruce St. James fourth and Charles Davis Jr. fifth. Both events were staged under the USAC banner with Avanti Windows & Doors as a presenting sponsor.
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March 3, 2026

Anthony Macri wins Volusia Jamboree; 2 points behind Gravel

Anthony Macri’s victory in the Bike Week Jamboree at Volusia Speedway Park underscored an early-season surge: he became the first driver with two World of Outlaws wins in 2026 and, after five races, sits two points shy of points leader David Gravel.

Macri took the lead on Lap 14 and held off a late charge from 19-year-old Ashton Torgerson to claim the win; Torgerson finished second, marking one of Shark Racing’s three top-five results in five starts. David Gravel finished third, recording his fourth consecutive podium, while Carson Macedo and Daryn Pittman finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Macri, who races for Dillsburg, Pennsylvania-based Macri Motorsports, came to Volusia off a strong Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals showing — the team collected third- and fourth-place finishes and earned a $20,000 victory in the DIRTcar Nationals finale to capture the Big Gator. The Volusia triumph also made Macri the 13th driver to score multiple victories at the track; he credited his crew and a pacing strategy devised with Joe Mooney, saying the team “gave me a badass car” and that they worked to let others “wear their equipment” before making a decisive move.
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March 3, 2026

2026 F1 overhaul forces teams to rethink race strategy

The 2026 Formula 1 season begins under a wide technical and regulatory overhaul that will change race strategy and overtaking. New elements — roughly 50/50 hybrid power units, active front and rear wings, revised chassis dimensions, lighter minimum weights, and smaller Pirelli tyres — will force teams and drivers to relearn setup, driving techniques and energy management.

Several distinct technical shifts define the package. Cars are shorter, narrower and lighter with a return to a more raked aerodynamic platform; active aero, including moving rear wings, now reduces drag on straights and can be adjusted in different conditions. DRS has been removed and replaced by an electrical “overtake mode” (also called boost mode or straight‑mode drag reduction), which provides temporary additional power under predefined rules.

Power units are integrated engine-and-battery systems designed to run on fully sustainable fuels, and regulations expand energy-recovery and deployment options. Early testing has highlighted new engineering demands — changes such as revised compression ratios and altered energy-harvesting architectures have been discussed in the paddock — and teams face heavier energy-management workloads in race simulations.

Early running in Bahrain produced high-profile experiments during testing, notably Ferrari’s rotating “upside-down” rear wing, and paddock discussion flagged a contested Mercedes power‑unit issue rather than an established fact. Broadcasters and pundits warned the opening rounds could be unpredictable; Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle said “all bets are off,” predicting continual flip-flopping as upgrades arrive. Pre-season form is a useful but imperfect guide: Lando Norris enters the season as reigning champion, with McLaren hoping to remain competitive, while Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull appear to be credible threats. Eleven teams completed varying amounts of pre-season running, and the opener in Melbourne (March 6–8) — the first round of a 24-race calendar — will be a crucial test of how teams translate winter development into race pace, energy strategy and overtaking. Analysts say the season narrative will be driven less by a settled pecking order and more by how quickly teams master the new hybrid architecture, active aero and overtaking systems as upgrades and circuit characteristics reshuffle the championship picture.
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March 2, 2026

Drew Adams Breaks Thumb in Daytona Whoops, Fails to Finish

Drew Adams’ night at the second round of the 250SX East at Daytona ended when he crashed in the whoops and suffered a broken thumb, a team press release said. The injury forced the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider to fail to finish the Main Event, with the team statement cited as the primary source for the update.

Adams had been strong through the weekend, posting the fastest qualifying time and winning his heat. In the Main Event he got off the line well, moved from fifth to third by passing Pierce Brown and Nate Thrasher, then slipped to fourth after Cole Davies reeled him in before crashing in the whoops and being unable to continue. Adams said he was “super bummed,” that the speed had been there and that the result was not how he wanted the evening to end; he planned to have his thumb checked to determine next steps.

Further medical details and any potential effect on Adams’ season were pending additional evaluation. Team and media reports noted he maintained a strong pace throughout the day, underlining his potential as a contender going forward, and more updates on his condition and status were expected after medical evaluation.
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March 2, 2026

Race Direction docks Jalek Swoll two spots at Daytona

Race Direction announced that Jalek Swoll was docked two positions for grooming — stopping in front of the gate to perform a burn-out on the sighting lap — at the Daytona Supercross round. Citing Supercross rule 1.8.10, officials said an AMA representative observed the maneuver and confirmed it on replay, which moved the Triumph Factory Racing rider from eighth to 10th in the official 250SX East main-event results. The two-position penalty adjusted Swoll’s event result and points tally but carried no suspension or additional sanctions, Race Direction said.

Swoll recorded results of 21 and 10 in the first two rounds and, after the Daytona adjustment, sits 14th in the 250SX East standings. Daytona was his first completed main event since 2024 after missing the 2025 Supercross season recovering from a torn Achilles; he had crashed out of the Arlington opener.

Swoll described the day as “frustrating,” saying he had “struggled to get comfortable” but viewed the outing as progress in his comeback. After the race he wrote he had “stumbled a little trying to spin my rear on the way out for sight lap and got a penalty,” called the ruling “kinda crazy,” and said he was “confident that his team can improve” and would “get back to work.”

Race Direction also reviewed a 250 LCQ incident involving Bryton Carrol going off track and crashing in a battle with Marshal Weltin and imposed no penalty after review.
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March 2, 2026

Pedro Acosta’s Buriram haul puts KTM atop MotoGP standings

Pedro Acosta enjoyed a strong weekend in Buriram, winning the Saturday Sprint and finishing second in the Sunday Grand Prix after starting sixth on the grid on both days. His 32 points from the season opener put KTM seven points clear and made him the first KTM rider to lead the premier-class riders’ standings.

Acosta credited KTM’s off-season development and winter work — saying the team had recovered from a prior financial hit — and praised quicker garage decisions and a calmer approach fostered by crew chief Paul Trevathan’s video calls. The weekend underlined Acosta’s improved race execution: decisive overtakes, including one on Marc Márquez, better tire management and a more measured mindset. The Sprint win followed a controversial penalty for Márquez and broader steward interventions that left both Márquez and Acosta unhappy, while Marco Bezzecchi dominated Sunday’s main race to deny Acosta victory and extend Aprilia’s early momentum. Márquez suffered a late puncture or mechanical problem that cost him a top result, and Ducati (Borgo Panigale) endured mechanical and tire issues that ended its 88-race rostrum streak.

Acosta and KTM tempered expectations after the milestone weekend, stressing their priority is avoiding mistakes and aiming for consistency and regular top-five finishes rather than expecting every round to be equally strong. They warned the title fight remains wide open with Ducati and Aprilia competitive, and several reports cautioned a Sprint is not the same test as a full Grand Prix, so further confirmation will be needed as the season now heads to Brazil’s Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna.
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