PressBox Archives - Page 8 of 94

June 4, 2026

Larson’s 3.411s Red Cedar win is 4th-largest in series

Kyle Larson added a dominant feature win at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wisconsin, taking the 30-lap 410 sprint car main after starting on the front row beside Brent Marks and getting around pole sitter Marks at the start. Larson worked through lapped traffic beginning on Lap 4, extended his margin during a 19-lap green-flag stretch and had built roughly a 10-second lead with 13 laps remaining. Accounts differ on what erased that advantage: one reported a caution on Lap 24 that set up a six-lap dash, while another said a flat tire for Aaron Reutzel earlier in the running removed Larson’s cushion. Larson held off the late restart to win by 3.411 seconds — the fourth-largest margin in series history.

The Red Cedar victory was Larson’s second straight in the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series, his fourth High Limit Racing win of the season and the 13th High Limit Racing victory of his career. Brent Marks finished second for the third straight night, Justin Peck was third after a poor late restart, and Tyler Courtney and Giovanni Scelzi completed the top five. Earlier at Davenport Speedway, Larson recorded a similar dominant effort, celebrated in victory lane, paid tribute to Kyle Busch and fended off late challenges from Marks, Brady Bacon and Aaron Reutzel. The Davenport finish featured a four-wide parade lap with Larson, Marks, Bacon and Reutzel, and the event drew a deep field that included Rico Abreu, Giovanni Scelzi, Daison Pursley, Tyler Courtney and West Coast entrants Tanner Holmes and Joel Myers Jr.
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June 3, 2026

USAC, Midwest Thunder Co-Sanction Two-Night Run to Red Hill

The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship (USAC) Sprints will race at Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, Illinois, over two nights, June 5–6, promoted under the banner “Run to Red Hill!” The two-night event is the centerpiece of a new Illinois Sprint Car Championship and will be co-sanctioned by USAC and the Midwest Thunder 410 Sprints.

The initial announcement emphasized dates and location and did not include race times, ticketing or entries; a subsequent notice provided the program format, payouts and fan information. Promoters set a split-format program and payouts: Friday will follow the Midwest Thunder format with a $6,000-to-win purse, and Saturday will run the traditional USAC format with a $10,000-to-win purse. Pits will open at 3:00 p.m. Central both nights. Grandstand admission is $30 for ages 13 and up and pit passes are $40. Both nights will stream live on FloRacing, and Friday’s program will also be available on Amazon Prime.

Entering the weekend, Kyle Cummins leads the USAC standings with 1,195 points, followed by Justin Grant (1,107) and Mitchel Moles (1,068). Justin Grant won at Red Hill on April 3, and Mitchel Moles set the Red Hill one-lap USAC record of 14.327 seconds on the same date. Logan Seavey is a past Red Hill winner and holds the eight-lap record of 2:00.261. Expected entries include C.J. Leary in the Hunter Maddox Racing No. 24m and multi-time Red Hill winner Jadon Rogers. Robert Ballou, who led 16 laps in April, is seeking his first win this season. Rookie Cale Coons leads the rookie standings and tops the Parallax Group Passing Master list with 49 passes this season.
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June 3, 2026

BKFC 8th Anniversary: Henry vs. Lane Finalized at Hollywood Weigh-Ins

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is marking its eighth anniversary with BKFC Fight Night Hollywood at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, an event that will stream live worldwide on the BKFC App. The promotion held official weigh-ins Thursday ahead of the event, which finalized fighters’ eligibility and produced the official weights for the announced matchups.

The main event pairs undefeated Bryce “Baba Yaga” Henry, who has finished all six of his BKFC fights by stoppage, against former BKFC world champion Julian “Let Me Bang” Lane, who is pursuing his 10th professional bare-knuckle victory. At the official weigh-ins Henry came in at 161.4 pounds and Lane at 165.2 pounds. The co-main features former champion Gorjan “GoGo” Slaveski against Johnny “El Toro” Tello, each at 165.6 pounds.

A cruiserweight rankings matchup will see Stephen “Tomahawk” Townsel face Mike Jones, with Townsel weighing 206 pounds and Jones 205.2. Heavyweights Brandon Alfano and Alex Govea weighed 249 and 248 pounds respectively. Other fighters listed on the card include Ashton “No Chance” Caniglia, who weighed 153.4 pounds, Peter “D2G” Peraza, Mike “Mighty Mouse” Hansen at 142.2 pounds, Gee “The Cutman” Perez at 139.4 pounds, Julio “The Cuban Horse” Perez Rodriguez at 205.8 pounds, Lamont “KO King” Stafford at 205 pounds, Rohan “Headline Ro” Prado and James Rodriguez. Organizers noted the fight card is subject to change, and BKFC described the night as both a competitive fight card and a celebration of the promotion’s eight years in operation.
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June 3, 2026

Eli Tomac to miss AMA rounds after Fox Raceway neck injury, comeback timeline unclear

Eli Tomac will miss upcoming AMA Pro Motocross rounds after suffering neck injuries in a first-moto crash at the season opener at Fox Raceway, Red Bull KTM said. On the opening lap he collided with Garrett Marchbanks of Monster Energy Kawasaki; Tomac was stretchered from the track in a neck brace, removed on a medical cart and scored zero points in both motos.

Scans and follow-up evaluation showed a hyperextended anterior longitudinal ligament and a partial tear of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle. Team medical staff said surgery is not expected and advised rest and compliance with his doctor’s orders; he has not been given a firm timeline for a comeback.

Red Bull KTM described the move as a short-term, precautionary withdrawal in one release; in a separate statement the team said he would miss the remainder of the season. He sat 41st in 450MX points after Fox Raceway while remaining fifth in the combined SuperMotocross (SMX) standings.

Tomac said he was “really bummed” to be sidelined, intends to return aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION once fully fit, and Red Bull KTM said it will keep him on the roster while he recovers.
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June 3, 2026

Brady Bacon Chases Eastern Storm Title, Hockett Classic $6K

The Yokohama USAC Eastern Storm non-wing 410 sprint car tour will open at Grandview Speedway on Tuesday, June 16, as the six-night, week-long Eastern Storm presented by Levan Machine & Truck Equipment runs June 16–21. The announcement named Broken Arrow’s Brady Bacon as the headliner; Bacon leads all drivers with eight Eastern Storm feature wins, including four at Grandview. Defending Eastern Storm champion Justin Grant has seven series feature wins. Multiple past Eastern Storm winners listed include Chris Windom, Levi Jones, Bryan Clauson (six wins), Robert Ballou and Kevin Thomas Jr. The tour visits Bridgeport Speedway, Big Diamond Raceway, Williams Grove, Port Royal Speedway and closes at Action Track USA, under USAC sanction and backed by sponsors Yokohama and Levan Machine & Truck Equipment, and it was promoted for its concentrated schedule and substantial purse structure.

Alpine Building Supply will present the Levan Machine & Truck Equipment Thunder on the Hill Racing Series at Grandview on June 16, pairing the Yokohama Eastern Storm USAC Amsoil Non-Wing Sprint National Tour with a 358 Modified doubleheader. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and Will Call at 4:30 p.m., with heat qualifying set for 7:30 p.m. The 40-lap Jesse Hockett Classic at the event pays $6,000 to the winner, and Bacon will chase that race while competing for the Eastern Storm season title. Expected USAC sprint entries include Kyle Cummins, defending champion Justin Grant and Logan Seavey.

Eastern Storm carries a $12,000 championship prize for the season title, with payouts of $6,000 for second, $3,000 for third, $2,000 for fourth and $1,000 for fifth. Each feature awards a $6,000 top prize. The 30-lap 358 Modified feature pays $3,000 to the winner, and Alpine Building Supply is offering a $2,000 Alpine bonus for any first-time Thunder on the Hill modified winner, creating a potential $5,000 payday. Keystone Racing’s No. 126 with Dominick Buffalino is pre-entered in the 358 Modified field, with other contenders named as Eddie Strada, Logan Watt and Tim Buckwalter. Advance tickets are available by phone, and Alpine will sell commemorative shirts at the event with proceeds to benefit the Big Impact Group of Schuylkill County.
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June 3, 2026

Ahead of Monaco GP, Ferrari extends Charles Leclerc’s contract

Ferrari announced on the eve of Charles Leclerc’s home Monaco GP in 2025 that the 28-year-old has signed a multi-year contract extension that will keep him at Maranello “for the coming seasons.” The team framed the timing as a sporting and symbolic vote of confidence, and media reports, including PlanetF1, said the deal may run beyond 2030. Ferrari said the extension formally binds the eight-time Grand Prix winner, ends speculation over his future and removes a major element of uncertainty for its driver-roster decisions.

Leclerc joined Ferrari’s driver academy in 2016 and made his F1 debut in 2018 with Sauber (the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo team), earning promotion to Ferrari after one year on the grid. Since joining Ferrari full time he has won eight grands prix and finished in the top three in the drivers’ championship on three occasions. He is Ferrari’s second-most capped driver and ranks second for pole positions at the team behind Michael Schumacher. He sits third in the 2026 World Championship standings behind Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

Leclerc called Ferrari his “second family” and pledged to give “absolutely everything” to bring the World Championship back to Maranello for the tifosi. Team principal Fred Vasseur described the renewal as “very natural,” praising Leclerc’s talent, determination and fit with the team. Ferrari said the extension signals continuity in its driver lineup and underscores the team’s long-term commitment to Leclerc and its championship ambitions. The new deal follows a 2024 agreement that included an exit clause and a January 2025 arrangement that had been described as covering “several more seasons.”
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June 2, 2026

Abacus, Droplight launch select-race USAC Silver Crown campaign

Abacus Racing and Droplight announced they will co‑field a select‑race entry branded Abacus Racing Powered by Droplight, with Kaylee Bryson piloting the No. 11 car. The program is scheduled to debut June 7 at the OUTFRONT Route 66 Classic Presented by Welsch Heating & Cooling at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

Team officials called it a targeted, sponsor‑backed select‑race campaign rather than a full‑season program and said it will include both pavement and dirt events under the USAC Silver Crown banner. Desnuda Organic Tequila will serve as the primary sponsor for pavement events and Ichor Water will back the team on dirt. Additional financial and technical support comes from Postgame Ice, CG CPAs, Indy Custom Stone, Forecheck Marketing, Indy Powersports, Logical Systems Inc., and Design Service Solutions.

Team Principal Brent Cox and Droplight executives said the partnership grew from shared values around grassroots racing and brand development and fits Droplight’s broader motorsports strategy; the release framed the effort as both a competitive entry and a marketing alliance that differentiates sponsorship by surface.

The announcement named Bryson as the lead driver and highlighted her recent accomplishments: USAC National Most Improved Driver in 2022; racing in the 2022 Chili Bowl Saturday A‑Main; USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year in 2023; becoming the first woman to win a USAC national feature at Belleville High Banks in May 2024; and in 2025 becoming the first woman to win Trans‑Am championships in two classes.
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June 2, 2026

Gresini names Iker Lecuona as short-term replacement for Márquez

Gresini Racing confirmed that Iker Lecuona will replace Álex Márquez at the Hungarian Grand Prix at Balaton Park on June 5–7, the eighth round of the MotoGP season.

Márquez remains sidelined after a serious crash at the Catalan GP that left him with multiple injuries, including a fractured C7 vertebra. He missed Mugello and is ruled out of Balaton Park while he recovers.

Lecuona will race with number 27 aboard Gresini’s Ducati Desmosedici GP26. It will be his first MotoGP start since the 2023 Qatar GP and his first grand prix on a Ducati. A former Moto2 rider who stepped up to MotoGP with KTM before moving to WorldSBK in 2022, he has 37 premier-class starts and currently sits second in the WorldSBK standings after a run of P2 finishes.

Ducati test rider Michele Pirro filled in for Márquez at Mugello but was unavailable for Hungary because of a CIV commitment at Imola, so Gresini looked beyond its usual backup options. Gresini called the signing a short-term, pragmatic solution to ensure a prepared rider for the Balaton weekend while Márquez remains out.
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June 2, 2026

Larson wins Davenport sprint, pledges purse to Kyle Busch fund

After his Iowa Lottery Duel win at Davenport Speedway, Kyle Larson paid tribute to Kyle Busch — who had died 11 days earlier — and pledged a portion of his purse and Angel Donor funds to the Kyle & Samantha Busch Bundle of Joy Fund.

Larson had jumped into Paul Silva’s No. 57 sprint car after racing in the Cup Series at Nashville the previous night and won the 30-lap feature. He started third, executed a three-wide move around Brady Bacon and Brent Marks to reach second, then traded sliders with Aaron Reutzel to seize the lead on lap 7.

A late restart with 20 laps remaining allowed Larson to pull away; he won by 3.275 seconds and lapped competitors as far back as the top 10.

It was Larson’s third Whiskey Myers Victory Lane of the season, his 12th career CASM Safety Products Win Sticker in High Limit Racing competition, and his fifth Roto-Rooter Midweek Series win. Brent Marks finished second and Giovanni Scelzi finished third. Rico Abreu had eight Roto-Rooter Midweek Series victories — more than Larson’s five.

Larson is scheduled to continue the High Limit Racing swing at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wisconsin; Gondik Law Speedway in Superior, Wisconsin; and I-94 emr Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
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