Ford has now announced the cars, the colors, the concert, the cable channel and the charity fund for its Veterans Day Classic at Daytona. What it hasn't announced, at least in the material it has published so far, is how long the race runs or how a winner gets picked. That gap is the story, and it's why the lineup tells you more than the poster does.
The event is set for Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Daytona International Speedway, three days after the Cup Series finale at Homestead (here's how that November calendar stacks up). Ford is running it in collaboration with NASCAR, Blue Star Families, IMSA and HSR, according to Ford's own announcement. Twelve Ford Racing drivers will split into six teams, one for each branch of the U.S. military, all in Mustang Dark Horse R race cars.
Think about what that means. In a normal NASCAR weekend, Ford's pitch to its fans is simple: beat Chevrolet and Toyota. Here there is **** ody to beat. Every driver, every car and every logo on the grid is Ford, so the manufacturer has to build the stakes from scratch. Its answer is the military branch as team identity, and Ford says the teams are racing for bragging rights.
That is a smart device and a fragile one. A one-make race can't borrow rivalry from the paddock. It has to earn it in two hours of television, which is why the details Ford hasn't filled in matter more than usual.
Ford's lineup pairs the drivers like this: Army gets Joey Hand and Brad Keselowski, the Marine Corps gets Ryan Blaney and Ben Hobson, the Navy gets Logan Sargeant and Ryan Preece, the Air Force gets Frankie Muniz and Austin Cindric, the **** e Force gets Noah Gragson and Layne Riggs, and the Coast Guard gets Joey Logano and Ty Majeski.

#every #joey #ryan

Dawson Sutton experienced an eventful afternoon in Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 19th after leading one lap and encountering tire problems. The Rackley W.A.R. driver started 26th and demonstrated competitive speed during the middle portion of the race.
Sutton advanced through the field as the opening stages featured shifting drafting lanes and changing pit strategies. His No. 26 Chevrolet became particularly competitive during Stage 2, when he finished seventh and collected four valuable points.
Sutton also benefited from an efficient pit stop following the stage, moving toward the front as competitors employed different tire strategies. However, his afternoon became more challenging when a tire problem caused him to slow during the final stage.
The issue contributed to a caution for debris, forcing Sutton to recover lost track position during the remaining portion of the race. Despite the setback, he continued competing and avoided the late accident that eliminated multiple drivers. Sutton ultimately completed 85 laps and finished 19th, one lap behind winner Sammy Smith.
The result earned him 23 points and helped him maintain 18th in the overall NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings with 366 points.

#tire

Clay Greenfield delivered a solid performance in Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 15th in his No. 95 Chevrolet. The GK Racing driver qualified 21st and gained six positions during an event featuring multiple major accidents and an overtime finish.
Greenfield entered the race hoping to capitalize on the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing. The opening stage featured intense drafting competition, with several drivers exchanging positions while attempting to maintain momentum. Greenfield remained competitive through the first segment and avoided the eight-truck accident that occurred on Lap 17.
The incident eliminated numerous drivers and temporarily interrupted the race, but Greenfield continued battling for track position. His Chevrolet remained in competition throughout the second stage as several other trucks encountered tire problems and mechanical issues.
The final stage featured another major accident on Lap 57, followed by a late caution that forced the event into overtime. Greenfield avoided the race-ending damage that affected several competitors and maintained his position on the lead lap. He ultimately finished 15th, completing all 86 laps and earning 22 points.
The performance represented a positive afternoon for Greenfield, who gained six positions from his qualifying effort and completed the entire race against a competitive Truck Series field.

#greenfield #positions #several #chevrolet

Landen Lewis produced one of the strongest recovery performances in Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing sixth after starting 30th. The Niece Motorsports driver overcame a difficult qualifying effort and advanced 24 positions during the chaotic 86-lap event.
Lewis initially faced the challenge of working through a competitive field while navigating the changing drafting lanes. However, his No. 45 Chevrolet demonstrated impressive speed during the middle stages, allowing him to move toward the front. Lewis finished sixth in Stage 2, earning five additional points while establishing himself among the contenders.
He continued running competitively during the final stage, briefly leading the outside drafting lane as Tanner Gray challenged from the inside. The race's changing circumstances provided opportunities to gain positions, and Lewis avoided the accidents that eliminated several other drivers.
When the event entered overtime, Lewis remained among the leading competitors and positioned himself to capitalize on the final-lap battle. He ultimately finished sixth, just 0.272 seconds behind winner Sammy Smith. The result earned Lewis 36 points and marked another impressive performance during his part-time Truck Series campaign.
His ability to advance from 30th to sixth demonstrated the strength of his Chevrolet and his ability to compete in superspeedway racing.

#lewis #changing #drafting

Sammy Smith delivered a memorable performance in Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, securing his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory in dramatic fashion. The Spire Motorsports driver started second, led a race-high 21 laps and emerged victorious following a chaotic overtime finish.
Smith established himself as a contender immediately, taking the lead for the first time on Lap 2. He remained competitive throughout the afternoon while battling several championship contenders and navigating multiple accidents.
The decisive moment came during overtime when Smith restarted on the inside of the front row alongside Layne Riggs. He received a strong push from Ty Majeski and remained near the front as the leaders battled for position. Smith ultimately gained the necessary momentum coming through the tri-oval and surged ahead of a four-wide battle for second place.
His No. 7 Chevrolet crossed the finish line just 0.091 seconds ahead of Tyler Ankrum, with teammate Austin Green finishing third. The victory came just hours after Smith announced plans to compete full time in the Truck Series in 2027.
It marked his first victory in 11 career Truck Series starts and provided an impressive preview of his upcoming full-time campaign.

#victory #time #second

Tyler Ankrum nearly captured his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2026 season during Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway. The McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver started seventh and finished second after an intense four-wide battle approaching the checkered flag.
Ankrum remained competitive throughout the afternoon, navigating the shifting drafting lanes while several championship contenders experienced significant problems. His No. 18 Chevrolet stayed among the leading group during the final stage, giving him an opportunity to challenge for the victory when the race entered overtime.
Ankrum restarted among the front-running trucks and maintained enough momentum to reach the finish line alongside Austin Green, Ty Majeski and Kaden Honeycutt. Although Sammy Smith secured the victory by 0.091 seconds, Ankrum narrowly defeated Green for second place by just 0.002 seconds.
The runner-up finish marked Ankrum's seventh top-10 result of the season and fourth career top-10 finish at Talladega. He also earned 35 points, providing an important boost to his championship total. Ankrum remains ninth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase standings with 2,157 points, trailing championship leader Honeycutt by 214 markers.
Although his championship chances have ended, Ankrum will look to build on his strong Talladega performance at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.

#ankrum #championship #victory #craftsman

Chris Buescher's Gateway weekend hit a snag before his No. 17 Ford ever reached the starting grid.
NASCAR ejected two car chiefs Saturday after a pair of Cup Series cars failed pre-race inspection twice at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Buescher's No. 17 RFK Racing Ford and Cody Ware's No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet each required three trips through inspection before being cleared. The two failures resulted in the ejection of No. 17 car chief Joshua Sisco and No. 51 car chief Dave Jones for the remainder of the race weekend.
Both teams also lost their pit-stall selection for Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300, leaving them with the final available stalls on pit road regardless of where their drivers qualified.
The consequences stop there, however. Both cars passed inspection on their third attempts, avoiding the additional penalties that would have come with another failure.

#racing #race #chris #nascar

Corey Day's rapid climb through NASCAR isn't slowing down.
Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday that it has signed Day to a long-term contract extension, keeping one of the sport's most closely watched young drivers in the organization for years to come. And Hendrick isn't simply bringing him back for another season in NASCAR's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Day is officially headed to the Cup Series.
The 20-year-old will return to Hendrick's No. 17 Chevrolet for a second full O'Reilly Series season in 2027 while also making his Cup debut with a limited schedule. Hendrick has not yet announced which Cup races Day will run or provided additional details about that program.
It's another major step for a driver who was still learning how to race stock cars on pavement just two years ago.

#hendrick #isn 't #corey

The NASCAR Cup Series circuit heads to the World Wide Technology Raceway, also known as Gateway, for the second race of the Cup Series Chase this weekend. Earlier this week, NASCAR released the full entry list for Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300 as 36 drivers and teams are entered for the race.
Absent from this week's entry list are Corey Heim and Chad Finchum, who both raced in last Sunday's Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Heim, the defending Craftsman Truck Series champion and two-time Cup winner in 2026, is on a part-time basis in the Cup Series for 23XI Racing in the No. 67 Toyota.
Finchum and the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford also competes on a part-time basis and did not enter Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300.
Here is a look at the full 36-car entry list for the Enjoy Illinois 300.
Ross Chastain — No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

#enjoy #entry

Spire Motorsports has been in the news all week for all the wrong reasons, especially for Daniel Suarez, who is in the NASCAR Chase.
Suarez, driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, has grown weary of hearing about his teammate Carson Hocevar spinning out Brad Keselowski at Darlington on Sept. 6 and the subsequent criticism aimed at Spire.
He is ready to shift gears and focus on the Sept. 12 NASCAR Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (2 p.m. C.T., USA).
DENNY HAMLIN BLASTS SPIRE MOTORSPORTS: What Carson Hocevar said about Brad Keselowski's threat and Denny Hamlin's podcast comments
"It's difficult because I think we're doing a lot of great things at Spire Motorsports," Suarez said. "Carson is going to have his personality, I am going to have my personality, Michael (McDowell) is going to have his personality, and that's Ok. We have to be authentic. But we don't want to affect the reputation or the integrity or create a distraction within the team. We already have enough distractions within the team."

#suarez #personality #brad

Natalie Decker is scheduled to return to the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 18, driving the No. 35 Chevrolet. Her own website lists Bristol as her next race.
And look, we're not going to pretend this is the second coming of Dale Earnhardt.
Decker has struggled to find consistent results throughout her NASCAR career. She has 16 career O'Reilly Series starts without a top-10 finish, according to available career records.
But that's exactly why Bristol is going to be interesting.
Because if there is one thing Decker has never lacked, it's willingness to keep coming back for another shot.

#o 'reilly #going

It was a tumultuous night for William Byron at the Darlington Raceway in the Cook Out Southern 500. The driver of the No. 24 was forced to exit the race prematurely in the final stage after his engine expired, resulting in a 37th-place finish.
Byron, who has failed to win in 2026, entered the NASCAR Cup Series Chase 13th in the standings. Following a tough result on Sunday night at Darlington, the Hendrick Motorsports driver finds himself at the bottom of the Chase in the 16th position.
Moments prior to Byron's motor blowing, the North Carolina native triggered a caution after spinning out due to a tire failure.
Byron was having a solid run at "The Track Too Tough to Tame" for most of the evening. The 28-year-old placed ninth in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2, aiming to put together a quality run to kick off the Chase. Yet, things were going well until they weren't.
Byron's tire failure happened during the final stage as his Valvoline Chevrolet went sliding through turns 3 and 4, which brought out the caution on Lap 315. On the subsequent restart, Byron suffered an engine failure, forcing him to take his HMS machine behind the wall.

#darlington #tough #night

The 18-race 2026 IndyCar season has officially come to an end. After Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou had already clinched his fifth championship before the Grand Prix of Monterey, Palou finished just eighth at Laguna Seca – the worst finish of his career at the track.
Instead, it was Scott McLaughlin claiming his first victory of the season to close things out. Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood finished second to clinch second in the championship, just 10 points ahead of Arrow McLaren's Christian Lundgaard.
With the season coming to an end, here are five thoughts to wrap up another year in IndyCar.
It had been 35 races since McLaughlin was in victory lane. After going through the longest drought of his career at any level, the 33-year-old went out on top in 2026.
This season has been about baby steps for McLaughlin and the crew on his No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. After the team shuffled the personnel around McLaughlin – mainly rehiring former Team Penske president Tim Cindric as strategist and making accomplished IMSA engineer Raul Prados the race engineer – the New Zealander had to adjust to new folks around him.

#palou #championship #Career

Daytona was roller coaster of a night for Shane van Gisbergen, and it ended in disappointment for the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.
He watched Ryan Preece, Chris Buescher, and Kyle Larson all crash in front of him early in the running, clearing the way for SVG to earn his first-ever oval stage win and secure ten points.
However, Preece pulled off a remarkable save and suffered minimal damage. Even while sliding, he crossed the line in eighth and scored three points. He added another nine in Stage 2, bringing his total to 12.
Van Gisbergen spent the final stint of the race knowing that he had a 29-point cushion, which meant that Preece would have to beat Van Gisbergen by at least 30 positions on track (as SVG would win the tiebreaker) to make the Chase ... unless he won the race.
In a situation where Preece -- who entered Saturday's race 0-248 in Cup wins -- captured the checkered flag, Van Gisbergen couldn't afford to finish any worse than 11th.

#race #points #chevrolet

Two leading automotive giants, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) and Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM), represent contrasting strategies in the U.S. auto market. Twenty years ago, GM sold twice as many vehicles in the U.S. as Toyota. Today, that gap has narrowed dramatically. Through July, GM's sales lead over Toyota dwindled to just over 100,000 vehicles, as reported on August 21. The shifting dynamic highlights two distinct operating models: GM prioritizing disciplined volume and profit margins, while Toyota aggressively expands its hybrid-heavy lineup to capture market share.
Toyota's push into electrified vehicles, predominantly gas-electric hybrids, is rapidly closing the volume gap. In Q2 2026, Toyota Motor North America reported U.S. sales of 673,971 vehicles, up 1.1% year-over-year. Driver demand was led by its electrified options, which jumped 19.5% to 383,091 units, representing 56.8% of Toyota's total Q2 volume.
Financially, Toyota's hybrid strategy gives it strong top-line momentum without forcing full reliance on pure electric vehicles. Its multi-pathway approach offers 33 electrified models across the Toyota and Lexus lineups, helping maintain high consumer interest while keeping incentive spending among the lowest among full-line automakers.
While Toyota closes the distance, GM retained its spot as America's #1 automaker by volume in Q2 2026, selling 714,896 vehicles. Total sales dipped 4.2% year-over-year due to inventory constraints, discontinued models, and a softer EV backdrop. However, GM intentionally chose not to chase lower-margin volume, focusing instead on high-margin trucks and SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Sierra.
GM's financial execution remains sharp. In Q2 2026, GM delivered an 8.6% North American EBIT-adjusted margin, up 2.5 percentage points year-over-year, and raised its full-year 2026 guidance for the second time. Reduced EV manufacturing losses and pricing stability have kept profitability resilient despite lower unit sales growth.

#full #NYSE

Ryan Preece won the race and won a spot for the Chase.
Preece won the NASCAR Daytona race, holding off Daniel Suarez as wrecks began to happen behind them on the last lap, bringing out the caution. It was Preece's first Cup win in 249 starts.
The top 16 drivers were finalized after the ****** e Zero Sugar 400.
1. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
2. Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

#ryan #suarez #race #daytona

Daytona International Speedway had been unusually quiet Saturday night. Then, with five laps remaining, everything changed.
Carson Hocevar lost control of his No. 77 Chevrolet late in the ****** e Zero Sugar 400, slamming the outside wall before collecting Erik Jones in a violent crash that brought out just the third caution of the night.
The wreck instantly changed the complexion of NASCAR's regular-season finale after the field had spent much of the race avoiding the kind of late-race chaos that has become synonymous with Daytona.
Hocevar was racing in the pack in the closing laps when his car suddenly broke loose and shot toward the outside wall.
The No. 77 Chevrolet made heavy contact, and Jones had virtually nowhere to escape as the incident unfolded directly in front of him. Jones' No. 43 Toyota was collected in the crash and also sustained a significant impact.

#daytona #chevrolet #outside #wall

Shane van Gisbergen won his first stage win on an oval of his NASCAR career.
But it didn't come without controversy.
The Trackhouse Racing driver ******* ped the back of Kyle Larson's Chevrolet as they approached the finish line to end Stage 1 of the ******* e Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on Aug. 29. Larson then ran into the back of race leader Chris Buescher to send both Larson and Buescher into the frontstretch grass. Larson finished sixth and Buescher went from the lead to 11th and didn't get any stage points.
Ryan Preece, Buescher's teammate, was collected in the wreck by Buescher and Larson when they went across the track to the grass. Preece entered the regular-season finale 17th in points, 31 points behind van Gisbergen for the final spot in the Chase.
Ty Gibbs finished second and Joey Logano finished third.

#larson #finished #points

Jeff Gordon wheeled the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet the entirety of his illustrious NASCAR Cup Series career. Gordon captured four Cup Series championships and 93 career wins, stamping him as one of the best the sport has ever seen.
Today, Gordon is focused on the business side of the sport as he is the current Vice Chairman of HMS. During an appearance on the "Business of Motorsports" podcast, hosted by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s older sister, Kelley, Gordon revealed a shocking detail about his driver contract.
In a world full of guarantees, Gordon had none in his driver contract with Hendrick Motorsports. If Gordon performed at a high level on the racetrack or had big-time sponsors, it was something he was a participant in.
"I think people would be shocked if they saw what my driver contract looked like. … There were no guarantees. We work in this world of guarantees, got to have this, got to have that — I had no guarantees. If the car did well on-track, if the car did well with sponsorship. … I participated in that," Gordon said.
If there was a guarantee, it is that Gordon was consistently a threat to win on the racetrack.

#series #Career #sport

D
Dale Earnhardt Jr. supports Richard Childress' decision to sign Austin Hill to a full-time NASCAR Cup Series deal in 2027. On Monday, it was announced that Hill will remain in the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet next year.
Following the sudden passing of two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch on May 21, RCR moved from the No. 8 to the No. 33 and put Hill behind the wheel. In the 13 races since, Hill has recorded two top-20 finishes with a best showing of 18th at Pocono.
Hill still competes full-time in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series behind the wheel of the No. 21 RCR Chevrolet. The 32-year-old has won two races in 2026 and sits seventh in the points standings.
On a recent episode of "The Dale Jr. Download," Earnhardt Jr. said there has been "wild" feedback in the wake of RCR's announcement.

#series #dale #earnhardt #full

With Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood winning the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, IndyCar's final street race in 2026, there was one common denominator in all six street races: They were won by a car with a Honda engine.
Honda went 6-of-6 on the street circuits (two Kirkwood wins, three Alex Palou wins and one from Marcus Ericsson) while Chevrolet, IndyCar's other engine manufacturer, didn't win any.
To sweep the streets, Honda never really had to scrape by in any race, as a Honda engine led 542 of the 597 (90.7%) of the laps on streets this year while claiming 15 of the 18 podium spots. The manufacturer has won 19 of the last 21 street races dating back to 2023, when it also swept the streets.
Honda has won 10 of the 15 races, including Felix Rosenqvist's win in the Indianapolis 500 for Meyer Shank Racing. After Chevrolet closed the gap with three straight wins in June and July, Honda has separated itself by winning four in a row.
"I think the fact that we won the 500 and we also turn around and we're doing it currently on street courses, it makes me proud for the team," Honda Racing Corporation USA vice president Kelvin Fu told IndyStar. "And a lot of it is, it's just not us, it's Andretti and it's (Chip Ganassi Racing), right? It's a combination of their ability to develop their car control and the drivers and surviving a 147-lap, ******* py street course."

#racing

In NASCAR's second-tier O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2019, Tyler Reddick's No. 2 Chevrolet was typically easy to find.
That's because it was often near the front of the field. In his final season racing full-time in what was the the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Richard Childress Racing, Reddick won six races and would secure his second consecutive championship.
But on April 6, 2019 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Reddick's ride was unmistakable. There was no other machine on the short track that looked like the No. 2 that weekend, as it was splashed with a pink-and-white paint scheme and featured the face of country music icon Dolly Parton on the hood.
Parton, the widely beloved singer, actress and philanthropist, died on Tuesday, Aug. 25. While her impact and influence reached the corners of many sports, that 2019 race in her native state of Tennessee marks the only time that she sponsored a ride in NASCAR, with her brands and face front and center on the car driven by the series' most successful driver at that time.
Reddick, who now races in the top-level Cup Series for 23XI Racing, leaned all the way into the Dolly experience at Bristol. Before hopping into his pink No. 2 Chevrolet, he wore a blonde wig in tribute to the country music megastar.

#series

Austin Hill has been knocking on the door of the NASCAR Cup Series for years. In 2027, Richard Childress Racing is finally handing him the keys.
RCR announced Monday that Hill will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet full time next season, giving the longtime organization driver his first full-time opportunity at NASCAR's highest level.
It's a promotion that has felt increasingly inevitable. Hill has become one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series while steadily adding Cup starts to his workload. Rather than rush him into the sport's top division, RCR has allowed the 32-year-old to build experience along the way.
Now the waiting is over.
"I'm extremely thankful to Richard and everyone at RCR for believing in me and giving me this opportunity," Hill said. "Every race car driver dreams of competing full time in the NASCAR Cup Series, and to have that opportunity with RCR is something I don't take for granted."

#full #austin

Daniel Suárez will have one of NASCAR's most recognizable brands riding with him when the Cup Series regular season reaches its conclusion at Daytona International Speedway.
Coca-Cola and Spire Motorsports announced that the beverage giant will serve as the primary sponsor of Suárez's No. 7 Chevrolet for the ****** e Zero Sugar 400 on Aug. 29.
The one-race primary sponsorship puts a new spotlight on a relationship that stretches back a decade. Suárez joined the Coca-Cola Racing Family in 2016, but the Daytona partnership will bring the brand onto his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for one of the biggest races remaining on NASCAR's 2026 calendar.
And the timing is particularly fitting.
Suárez will make his 18th career Cup Series start at Daytona when he returns for the regular-season finale.

#cola #spire #chevrolet #primary

Some celebrities are just as passionate about cars as they are about their careers. From rare vintage models to sleek modern classics, these stars have built impressive collections that often reflect their personal taste and years of dedication to the hobby. Musicians, actors, comedians and TV personalities have all spent time tracking down special vehicles and adding them to their garages. Here are the famous car enthusiasts whose collections may surprise you.
Image Press Agency / MEGA
Lady Gaga is celebrated for her boundary-pushing artistry, but her garage showcases a collection of classic American muscle that's just as bold. Her collection has included a 1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible, a 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS and a 1967 Ford Bronco, all emblematic of her flair for reinvention. Rather than chasing modern supercars, the singer has favored practical, road-worthy classics like her first-generation Mustang and Chevrolet El Camino, according to HotCars.
MAR / Capital Pictures / MEGA
Tim Allen's love affair with cars runs deep, mirrored in his selection of muscle cars and American classics. Whether hosting legendary sitcoms or working in his private garage, Allen curates an eclectic lineup of automotive icons, including a rare Ford RS200 rally special and a Shelby Cobra alongside vintage and modern Mustang GT350s, per ClassicCars Journal.

#modern #american #ford #vintage

General Motors Co (NYSE:GM) is abandoning one of the most storied American automobile brands in the world's largest auto market, and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) announced a different kind of pullback. Together, the two moves demonstrate how much American manufacturers have lost their foothold in China.
According to a report in German trade publication Automobilwoche, General Motors Co (NYSE:GM) plans to stop Chevrolet sales in China after nearly 21 years. The figures driving the decision are stark: Chevrolet sold over 767,000 vehicles in China in 2014, its peak year. Last year, that figure had fallen to less than 9,000 units, a 98.8% decrease in just over a decade. GM's answer has been to double down on its two surviving, more successful Chinese brands, focusing on Buick and Cadillac, with Buick specifically finding success with its new Electra electric vehicle series.
Chevrolet's decline is a symptom of a broader fundamental instability. Foreign automakers' overall share of China's auto market has plummeted, dropping from 53% to around 33% in just two years, while local Chinese companies led by BYD and Geely have taken control.
Ford's version of the retreat, announced on August 13, focuses on Lincoln, its luxury brand. Ford announced that beginning in 2030, it will stop producing Lincoln vehicles in China for the US market and instead expand Lincoln manufacturing domestically. The move notably targets the Lincoln Nautilus, the brand's best-selling model and the only car Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) currently makes in China for American buyers, manufactured at the Changan Ford joint venture in Hangzhou since 2024.
CEO Jim Farley described the move as a statement of identity as much as strategy, claiming that Lincoln is an American brand and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is America's automaker, telling Reuters that the decision was prompted by the Trump administration's trade policies. Those policies are doing the majority of the work here. The China-built Nautilus is subject to a significant 52.5% tariff in the US, a cost that has become difficult to justify. Despite the fact that the SUV has held up fairly well commercially, its US sales are down only 5.7% year-over-year through July, a smaller decrease than the Lincoln brand overall (down 12.6%).

#ford #american #motor #announced

KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Kyle Larson just had one of the most ridiculous nights in motorsports history.
Larson started 30th in Saturday night's NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway and drove an ill-handling Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet all the way to sixth, gaining 24 positions over 400 laps.
For most drivers, that would have been enough.
Larson wasn't most drivers.
Instead of heading home after Richmond, Larson embarked on a frantic cross-country sprint to Knoxville, Iowa, where he was scheduled to start on the pole for the 65th Knoxville Nationals. A three-hour rain delay at Knoxvilel and a fast jet gave him a chance to make the impossible happen.

#knoxville #nascar

Spire Motorsports enters Sunday afternoon's Iowa Corn 350 with plenty of work ahead after a difficult showing in practice and qualifying at Iowa Speedway. It certainly was no encore from the Brickyard for Spire.
The organization struggled to find consistent speed around Iowa's 7/8-mile layout on Saturday, with none of its three cars qualifying inside the top 10.
Michael McDowell led the way for Spire, qualifying 11th in the No. 71 Chevrolet. While McDowell narrowly missed the top 10, his starting position gives him the best opportunity of the three Spire drivers to move toward the front early.
Carson Hocevar will have more ground to make up after qualifying 18th in the No. 77 Chevrolet. Hocevar has shown plenty of speed throughout the 2026 season, but Iowa has not produced the same results so far. Starting in the middle of the field puts an added emphasis on gaining track position early without getting caught up in trouble.
The toughest challenge belongs to Daniel Suárez.

#qualifying

Christian Lundgaard will need to conjure another miraculous drive from the back of the grid after severe electrical issues derailed his qualifying effort for the Grand Prix of Portland.
The Arrow McLaren driver entered the race weekend sitting fourth in the championship standings, anchored by two victories this season—including a sensational last-to-first charge at Road America back in June. However, the 25-year-old Dane will have to replicate that monumental performance on Portland International Raceway's tight, 12-turn, 1.964-mile natural road course after mounting electrical problems left his # 7 Chevrolet severely down on power.
Trouble struck midway through the first round of qualifying (Q1). Lundgaard brought the car into the pit lane for a fresh set of tires, but the electronic issues quickly escalated.
"Quite disappointed in how our day ended up, considering we seemed to have made progress overnight with our pace," Lundgaard said. "My dash froze when we came in for the tire change midway through Q1, and when we fired up again, my hybrid didn't work after that."
Without the critical boost from the hybrid unit, Lundgaard was unable to generate the speed necessary to set a competitive lap time, leaving him trapped at the bottom of the speed charts for the remainder of the session.

#qualifying

Rumors have continued to swirl around the future of Haas Factory Team's NASCAR Cup operation as charter values climb and the organization settles into life as a single-car team.
On Saturday at Iowa Speedway, Haas chief operating officer Joe Custer made one thing abundantly clear: the organization has no intention of selling its charter or returning to a multi-car Cup program anytime soon.
Instead, Haas plans to keep building around Cole Custer while strengthening its technical relationship with Chevrolet and its industry partners.
Speaking Saturday at Iowa Speedway, Custer dismissed the idea that Haas could cash out as Cup Series charters continue to increase in value.
"We have unfinished business in the Cup Series, you know, as Haas Factory Team," Custer said. "So, no, we are dead committed. Gene Haas, you know, is an F1 owner and a NASCAR Cup owner and also an O'Reilly owner, and we intend to keep it that way."

#custer #speedway