Frontstretch Newsletter: How Many Hendrick Motorsports Drivers Will Advance?

Published: Fri, 09/05/25

Frontstretch Newsletter: Sept. 5, 2025
Volume XIX, Edition CLV

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What to Watch: Sept. 5-7

For information on the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter, see the Frontstretch Folio below.

- NASCAR Xfinity Series teams are at World Wide Technology Raceway. Since they have not raced at the 1.25-mile oval since 2010, they will be getting a little extra practice.

Practice is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET today and will be streamed live on The CW App. Qualifying is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon on the app as well.

Some CW affiliates may choose to air practice and qualifying live Saturday afternoon. Check your local listings to see if your affiliate is choosing to do so.

Coverage of the Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog BBQ will begin with NASCAR Countdown Live at 7 p.m. ET on The CW. Race coverage will start at 7:30 p.m. ET with the green flag around 7:40 p.m. ET.

- Formula 1 teams are back with their 75th visit to Monza in the last 76 seasons. Friday's on-track action is already complete.

Saturday's on-track action will begin with Free Practice No. 3 at 6:25 a.m. ET on ESPN2. Qualifying will be at 9:55 a.m. ET.

Coverage of the Grand Prix of Italy Sunday morning will begin with Formula 1: Grand Prix Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2. Race coverage will begin at 8:55 a.m. ET with the formation lap starting at 9 a.m. ET.

- FIA World Endurance Championship teams are at Circuit of the Americas for the Lone Star Le Mans this weekend. Qualifying is scheduled for 3:50 p.m. ET Saturday on HBO Max.

Coverage of the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans will air live on Motor Trend and HBO Max starting at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday. The green flag is scheduled to fly at 2 p.m. ET and air flag-to-flag on both outlets.

- SRO America teams are at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend for their penultimate race weekend of the year. Pirelli GT4 America SprintX will make up their cancelled race from Road America this afternoon at 4:35 p.m. ET. Otherwise, today will be primarily practice.

Saturday will have Race No. 1 while Race No. 2 for the various series will be Sunday. All races will stream live on the GT World YouTube channel, while GT World Challenge America powered by AWS races will be simulcast on RACER Network.

- World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series teams are at Vado Speedway Park in Vado, N.M. for the Desert Shootout. Coverage from New Mexico will air tonight and Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. ET on DirtVision.

- Kubota High Limit Sprint Car Series teams are continuing the Tuscarora 50 weekend at Port Royal Speedway. Coverage will air live on FLORacing at 6:15 p.m. ET tonight and Saturday night.

FOLLOW THE FRONTSTRETCH THIS WEEKEND AT GATEWAY THROUGH OUR COLLEAGUES:

Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT)

Michael Massie (@m_massie22)

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

TV Schedule: Here

Today's Top News:

(Photo: NASCAR Media via Adam Glanzman of ARCA Racing)

Blake Lothian Back in Trucks With Reaume for New Hampshire

Reaume Brothers Racing announced Thursday that Blake Lothian will join the team for the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the No. 22 Ford.

Photo is courtesy of NASCAR Media via Adam Glanzman of ARCA Racing.

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: Sept. 5

- Bryan Herta Autosport announced Thursday that their entry into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's LMP2 class in 2026 will be in concert with PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports. The team will be known as Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports.

- In Free Practice No. 1 in Monza, the Tifosi came away quite pleased. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was fastest with a lap at 161.763 mph. He was .169 seconds faster than teammate Charles Leclerc. Williams' Carlos Sainz Jr. was third, then Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was fifth.

There was one red flag during the session after Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar dropped wheels in the Variante Ascari and covered the track with gravel. At the end of the session, Mercedes' George Russell had what he thought was a power issue and stalled just before the Variante Della'Roggia.

In Free Practice No. 2, McLaren's Lando Norris was fastest with a lap at 162.247 mph. He was .083 seconds faster than Leclerc. Sainz was third, then Oscar Piastri and Hamilton.

There was one red flag during the session. This was due to Antonelli spinning exiting Lesmo No. 2 and getting stuck in the gravel.

- Kubota High Limit Sprint Car Series teams were at Port Royal Speedway Thursday night to start the Tuscarora 50 weekend. Here, the hometown crowd went home happy as Anthony Macri led all 25 laps to take the victory.

Justin Whittall out of New Jersey was second, then Brenham Crouch. Danny Dietrich and Rico Abreu were fourth and fifth.

Photo is courtesy of our own Phil Allaway.

Frontstretch Video:

Bringing the Heat: Presley Sorah Mixing Motorsports and Education

Newsletter Exclusives:

Frontstretch Folio: Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter

by Phil Allaway

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series makes their fourth visit to World Wide Technology Raceway. Coverage of the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter starts with Countdown to Green at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Race coverage starts at 3 p.m. ET. The green flag flies around 3:05 p.m. ET. The race can be heard on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Records and facts

Last year's Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter came down to fuel mileage. Ryan Blaney was leading and looking good to win until the fuel cell ran dry coming to the white flag.

Teammate Austin Cindric was in position to pounce, taking the lead right before the white flag and holding on to win the race. He was 3.844 seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin at the finish. Brad Keselowski was third, then Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano.

There have been three NASCAR Cup Series races at World Wide Technology Raceway and they have been won by three different drivers (Cindric, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano).

Track Facts
Track / Race Length: 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval, 240 laps (300 miles)
Banking: 11 degrees in turns 1 and 2, nine degrees in turns 3 and 4
Frontstretch: 1,922 ft., flat

Backstretch: 1,976 ft., flat

Grandstand Seating: 57,000
Pit Road Speed: 40 mph
Pace Car Speed: 50 mph
Opened: 1997, first Cup race in 2022

Website: http://www.wwtraceway.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWTRaceway

Twitter: http://twitter.com/WWTRaceway

Pre-Race Schedule:

Practice: Saturday, Sept. 6, 4:30 - 5:25 p.m. ET on TruTV/HBO Max

Qualifying: Saturday, Sept. 6, 5:40 p.m. ET on TruTV/HBO Max

Say What?!

"The track is flat and tricky because both ends of the race track are so different. The challenge is what makes it different and interesting for me. Gateway has always been a good track for me, personally. I won my first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race there in 2018 and finished top 10 in the Cup Race last year so this is definitely one [that I've] circled on my calendar." - Justin Haley

"World Wide Technology Raceway has been a good racetrack for me. I’ve had success there in the Truck Series, and I’ve led a bunch of laps there in addition to running up front. Last year’s Cup Series race didn’t go so hot for us, but I’m looking forward to going back there this year with the new changes and improvements we’ve made to our cars over the 2025 season. I hope to build on the momentum coming off Daytona and Darlington. Metrics are going to be really important for Bristol, so there’s even more emphasis on having a good run this weekend." - John Hunter Nemechek

"World Wide Technology was fun last year — sitting on the pole, setting the track record and leading a bunch of laps. We weren’t great in the race, but we had a lot of speed leading up to that.

So we’ve got things to work on for sure, but I feel confident about St. Louis in general — the track and having good speed there. You always feel like when you’ve had success, you have something to build on, so I’m looking forward to getting back to St. Louis this weekend." - Michael McDowell

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: How Many Hendrick Drivers Will Make the Round of 12?

by the Frontstretch Staff

4 Burning Questions: Has IndyCar Proven NASCAR Doesn’t Need a Playoff System?

by Tanner Marlar

NASCAR 101: Can Gateway Be the Track Where Kyle Busch Ends His Drought?

by Samuel Stubbs

Dropping the Hammer: Avoiding a Buschwhacking Backslide

by Daniel McFadin

Why the Fastest Lap Award Should Remain the Way It Is

by Steven Taranto

Upon Further Review: Will Power & Colton Herta Got What They Wanted

by Christopher DeHarde

Bringing the Heat: Presley Sorah Mixing Motorsports & Education

with Caleb Barnes, Trey Lyle and Presley Sorah

Short Track Weekly: What Is The Future of the CARS Tour Schedule?

by Chase Folsom

Tomorrow at Frontstretch.com:

We'll have recaps and breakdowns of all the action from Gateway, Monza, Austin and Barber Park.

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