Frontstretch Newsletter: Indianapolis Action Is Underway Now on FS1!

Published: Fri, 07/25/25

Frontstretch Newsletter: July 25, 2025
Volume XIX, Edition CXXV

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What to Watch: July 25-27

For information on the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 presented by PPG, see the Frontstretch Folio below.

- NASCAR Xfinity Series teams are also in Indianapolis this weekend. Practice is complete and a small recap can be found below.

Qualifying is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon. It will stream live on The CW App and their website. Some CW affiliates will also air the session live, but check your local listings to see if your affiliate is one of them.

Coverage of the Pennzoil 250 will start with NASCAR Countdown Live Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET on The CW. Race coverage will start at 4:30 p.m. ET with the green flag at 4:45 p.m. ET.

- The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns today after a long break at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Practice and qualifying were scratched (see below)

Coverage of the TSport 200 will start at 8 p.m. ET tonight on FS1. The green flag should fall around 8:20 p.m. ET.

- Joining the Trucks will be the ARCA Menards Series, which will compete in a combination race with ARCA Menards Series East for the second week in a row. They are racing right now on FS1.

- The NTT IndyCar Series makes their annual trip to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend. Practice No. 1 is on right now on FOX Sports 2.

Practice No. 2 will be at 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday on FS1. Qualifying is scheduled for 2:30 ET Saturday and will air live on FS1.

On Sunday, there is a scheduled warmup session that will air at Noon ET on FS1. Coverage of the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey will begin at 3 p.m. ET with the green flag at 3:22 p.m. ET.

- Formula 1 teams are at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. Practice and Sprint Qualifying is already complete. A brief recap can be found below.

Coverage of the Sprint Race will air live on ESPN at 5:55 a.m. ET Saturday morning. Later on, qualifying will air live on ESPN2 at 9:55 a.m. ET.

Coverage of the Grand Prix of Belgium on Sunday will start with Formula 1: Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET on ESPN. Race coverage will begin at 8:55 a.m. ET with the formation lap starting at 9 a.m. ET.

- World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series teams will spend the weekend at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Penn. for the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals. Coverage from Pennsylvania will be tonight and tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m. ET on DirtVision.

- World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series teams will be at Sharon Speedway for the Battle at the Border weekend (see below for Thursday night's results). Action from Ohio will stream on DirtVision tonight and tomorrow at 6:15 p.m. ET.

FOLLOW THE FRONTSTRETCH THIS WEEKEND THROUGH OUR COLLEAGUES:

INDIANAPOLIS:

Daniel McFadin (@DanielMcFadin)

Stephen Stumpf (@stephen_stumpf)

LUCAS OIL IRP:

Christopher DeHarde (@CdeHarde)

Mark Kristl (@MarkKristl)

LAGUNA SECA:

Bryan Nolen (@RealBryanNolen)

Danny Peters (@dannypeters)

ANDERSON:

Reid Scott (@reidscottmedia)

James Krause (@jkrausepro)

Also, don't forget to follow our Twitter page, @Frontstretch as well for updates on Indianapolis!

TV Schedule: Here

Today's Top News:

(Photo: NASCAR Media via Sean Gardner of Getty Images)

Denny Hamlin Signs Multi-Year Extension With Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Friday that Denny Hamlin will continue to drive the only Cup car he has ever known as part of a new multi-year contract extension.

IRP Truck Qualifying Canceled, Corey Heim On Pole

Qualifying for tonight's TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park has been cancelled due to rain. Corey Heim will start on pole.

(Photo: Kostas Lymperopoulos/ARCA Racing)

Brenden Queen on ARCA IRP Pole After Qualifying Cancelation

Qualifying for tonight's ARCA Menards Series/ARCA Menards Series East LiUNA! 150 presented by Dutch Boy was cancelled due to thunderstorms. Brenden Queen will start on pole.

Justin Grant Victorious in Sprint Week Debut at IMS Dirt Track

Thursday night saw Justin Grant win in the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship opener for Indiana Sprint Week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Dirt Track.

Photos are courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography, NASCAR Media via Sean Gardner of Getty Images, Kostas Lymperopoulos of ARCA Racing and our own Steve Koletar.

Have news for Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

Around the World in Motorsports: July 25

- NASCAR Cup Series practice for the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG was postponed due to rain. As a result, teams will take to the track for a short 25-minute practice session at 2 p.m. ET Saturday immediately after NASCAR Xfinity Series practice.

- Xfinity Series practice earlier today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports' Connor Zilisch was fastest with a lap at 166.627 mph. His lap was .489 seconds faster than teammate Carson Kvapil. Sam Mayer was third, then Justin Allgaier and Kyle Larson.

The 50-minute session had three red flags. One was due to Daniel Dye spinning and hitting the inside wall exiting turn 2. Later on, Taylor Gray hit the wall exiting turn 2 and spun. Finally, there was a brief delay due to rain.

- In Free Practice No. 1 in Spa this morning, McLaren's Oscar Piastri was fastest with a lap at 153.567 mph around the 4.352-mile road course. His lap was .404 seconds faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Piastri's teammate Lando Norris was third, then Mercedes' George Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

In Sprint Qualifying later in the afternoon, Piastri continued his strong form by taking the pole position for Saturday morning's Sprint Race. Piastri set a lap at 155.877 to beat Verstappen by .487 seconds. Norris will start third, then Leclerc and Haas F1's Esteban Ocon.

The session saw some surprises, most notably Lewis Hamilton failing to get out of SQ1. Hamilton will start 18th in the Sprint.

Frontstretch Videos:

Chase Elliott Shows Support of Full-Season Points System: "If Somebody Runs Away with It, So What?"

Denny Hamlin on If This Is His Final Contract Extension with JGR: "I Would Probably Say Most Likely"

Tyler Reddick on NASCAR Racing in San Diego in 2026, 23XI's Championship Goal

On a Scale of 1-10, How Much of a Redneck Are You? | Hear From Late Model Stock Drivers

Newsletter Exclusives:

Frontstretch Folio: Brickyard 400 presented by PPG
by Phil Allaway

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series makes their only trip of the year to the state of Indiana for the Brickyard 400, the first Cup race on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2020. Coverage begins Sunday with Countdown to Green at 2 p.m. ET on NBC. Race coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. ET. The green flag is scheduled to drop around 2:50 p.m. ET. The race can also be heard on IMS Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Last year's Brickyard 400 saw a litany of incidents in the final 30 laps that ultimately pushed the race into overtime. Kyle Larson was able to take the lead on the first overtime restart from Brad Keselowski. From there, he had to hold on through another restart to win the Brickyard 400. The race ended under yellow after a crash broke out on the final lap.

Tyler Reddick ended up second, followed by Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell. Bubba Wallace was fifth.

All-time, the winningest driver on the oval at IMS is Jeff Gordon, who snagged five wins. Jimmie Johnson had four wins, while Kevin Harvick had three.

Among active drivers, Johnson's four wins are the most. Of those entered this weekend, Kyle Busch is the only driver with multiple victories with two. Larson is the only other active driver with a win.

Track Facts
Track / Race Length: 2.5-mile oval, 160 laps (400 miles)
Banking: 9.2 degrees (9 degrees, 12 minutes)

Straightaways: 3,300 ft., flat

Chutes: 660 ft., flat

Grandstand Seating: 235,000
Pit Road Speed: 55 mph
Pace Car Speed: 70 mph
Opened: 1909, first Cup race in 1994

Remaining Pre-Race Session:

Qualifying: Saturday, July 26, 2:35 p.m. ET on TruTV/HBO Max

Say What?!

"I loved racing the road course. That was a lot of fun. The oval here, there’s a lot of history tied to it. What makes this place special, Kyle [Larson] even said it before, is just the history of this of this race track. How long it’s long it’s been here, all the big moments that have happened here. Yeah, for me it’s the history." - Tyler Reddick

"Indianapolis is such a special place, and anytime you get the chance to compete there, especially in a crown jewel event, it means a lot. The history and tradition that comes with racing at Indy is unmatched.

"It’s a big weekend for our team with PPG not only on the No. 21 Ford Mustang, but also serving as the title sponsor of the race. Hopefully we can put together a strong run and make it a weekend to remember." - Josh Berry

"I’m looking forward to racing in my home state this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s always great going back to Indianapolis. Track position is always at a premium at Indianapolis because it’s so tough to pass. We’ve got a really cool paint scheme so that’s another piece I’m looking forward to. It’s always fun when our partners do something unique and explore non-traditional ways to activate their sponsorships. Gainbridge and Group 1001 are always on the leading edge when it comes to thinking outside the box and innovating across multiple sports platforms. Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always special but, for a kid from Indiana, being able to represent Gainbridge and TEDSports Indianapolis is a big deal. Our entire team is looking forward to the weekend and eager for the opportunity to make everyone proud." - Justin Haley

Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Photo is courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography.

Today at Frontstretch:

Friday Faceoff: Which Cup Crew Chief Is on the Hot Seat?

by the Frontstretch Staff

Fire on Fridays: So How About Those Carson Kvapil-to-Penske Rumors?

by Michael Massie

4 Burning Questions: Is San Diego a Better Street Race Fit Than Chicago?

by Tanner Marlar

NASCAR 101: RCR Needs Racecars

by Samuel Stubbs

NASCAR TV Schedule This Weekend: Indianapolis, July 25 – 27

by Phil Allaway

NASCAR Weather Forecast: Indianapolis

by Phil Allaway

F1 Midweek: Fruitful Endeavor? Apple Primed To Win F1 Broadcast Rights

by Jeffrey Boswell

Short Track Weekly: The Abundant History of ASA’s Redbud 400

by Reid Scott

Bringing the Heat: Ty Dillon ‘Wouldn’t Change My Journey for Anything,’ Talks Tournament Run

with Caleb Barnes, Ty Dillon and Trenton Worsham

Tomorrow at Frontstretch.com:

We'll have recaps and breakdowns of all the action from Indianapolis, Laguna Seca and Spa.

Talk Back!

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