In this week’s Motion Motorsport Report for InsideTrackNews.com, Dave Mathers talks F1 penalties and possible driver moves. He also looks at the NASCAR Cup Series’ race through the streets of Chicago, F1 at Silverstone and previews the busy upcoming weekend for the NASCAR Canada Series in Alberta, the APC Late Models at Flamboro Speedway, the IMSA Chevrolet GP at CTMP and more.
Rookie Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was handed a three-spot penalty at Silverstone. His crime? He punted Max Verstappen’s Red Bull off track when he overcooked a corner entry in Austria, taking both cars out of the race. It could have been a LOT tougher on the youngster.
And in additional Mercedes ‘news’ – is Verstappen going to jump ship and join Mercedes? And if he does, who does he replace? The rumour has it that the Mercedes board is being asked to approve the deal. LATE NEWS: Christian Horner, who has headed the Red Bull F1 team for two decades, was bounced from the operation on July 9! No explanation was immediately forthcoming. Stay tuned!!
Did anyone else notice that former F1 ‘Supremo’ Bernie Ecclestone got to present the ‘President’s Medal’ in Austria? Apparently, Ben Sulayem was unable to attend. Kind of cool.
A VERY capable American, Tim Mayer, has thrown his hat into the ring and is running for FIA President against current leader Mohammed Ben Sulayem. I guess the voters will have to decide if they want the FIA to be a democracy or a dictatorship. Where can I vote?
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CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK: The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for exotic prototype and GT cars makes its only stop north of the border July 11-13 as part of the Chevrolet Grand Prix. Canada’s biggest sports car event features a world-class field of drivers racing iconic performance brands (including Corvette, Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Mustang, and Porsche) on CTMP’s legendary Grand Prix circuit.
In addition to the WeatherTech series (with LMP2 prototypes, GTD PRO and GTD classes), the Michelin Pilot Challenge, VP Racing Sportscar Challenge, and the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin fill out the three-day weekend of racing. Click HERE for tickets and info. And click HERE for an interview with Canadian racer Parker Thompson, previewing the event.
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NASCAR Cup Series – Aussie Supercar star Shane van Gisbergen (Chevrolet) doubled up in Chicago for the street race qualifying, and he was on the pole for both the Cup and Xfinity races. Michael McDowell was second and Carson Hocevar was third (both in Chevrolets). Forty cars qualified, and Truck points leader Corey Heim was sent home as a DNQ. The field featured 17 Chevrolets, 13 Fords, and 10 Toyotas.
Good news: despite a 70% chance of rain, it was a dry track. Ten cars were sent to the rear for ‘unapproved adjustments,’ reportedly after hitting the wall on Saturday! Interesting. McDowell grabbed the lead right off the start, with SVG slotting into second. On lap 4, Hocevar spanked the wall in Turn 10, stopped, blocked the track, and collected about ten other cars for the first yellow. The red flag came out for the blocked track and a moved wall! McDowell went on to pick up the Stage One win. Lots of bumping going on. Kyle Larson spun Bubba Wallace on the restart, and on lap 30, Erik Jones did the exact same thing to Josh Berry in the same corner. On lap 34, Kyle Busch got tagged in the same corner and spun. Ryan Blaney won Stage Two. At the two-thirds mark of the race, there appeared to be a threat of rain. The caution came out on lap 61—reason unclear. On lap 64, Austin Cindric stopped at the side of the track, bringing out another caution.
With six to go, Bubba Wallace got overly aggressive and paid the price, ending up facing the wrong way. Cody Ware spun, bringing out the yellow, and—shockingly—the race ended under caution. See, it can be done.
At the flag, it was SVG completing the weekend double over Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick.
In the points, William Byron is still out front by only 13 over Chase Elliott and 19 over Kyle Larson. Three Hendrick teams at the top!
Next race – Sonoma, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on TSN 5.
NASCAR Xfinity Series – SVG also nabbed the pole for Saturday’s road race in Chicago over Austin Hill (both in Chevrolets) and Sam Mayer (Ford). Thirty-eight cars qualified, and two were sent home. The field included 27 Chevrolets, 7 Toyotas, and 4 Fords. Canadian Alex Labbé (Chevrolet) qualified a very impressive 14th.
It appears Rogers has wisely dropped the troubled CW Network (this channel is no longer available)! Possibly a mercy killing? Thankfully, USA Network still broadcasts the series races. Back-runner Ryan Sieg bounced off the wall on lap 3 but kept going. On lap 5, rookie Jack Perkins got bumped from behind and spun backward into the wall for the first yellow. He had been running in the top ten after starting fifth. On lap 14, Brad Perez hit the wall, bringing out the second yellow.
SVG picked up the Stage One win. On lap 24, the third caution came out for a tire carcass lying in the groove from Matt DiBenedetto’s car. Thirty-four cars were still on the lead lap, and Labbé was 15th. Great aerial shots of the circuit. SVG suffered a missed call by his crew chief and lost the lead, rejoining in 19th. Let the show begin! Josh Bilicki’s car caught fire on lap 27, bringing out another caution.
Sheldon Creed picked up the Stage Two win. As if SVG wasn’t having enough bad luck, his cool suit apparently gave up the ghost. Ouch. On lap 34, Thomas Annunziata spun into the tires, and then Taylor Gray got punted into him. Unfortunately, Annunziata left his rear bumper cover on the track, causing another caution. SVG was up to 7th. With ten to go, teenage sensation and road course master Connor Zilisch led, with SVG up to 3rd. With eight to go, SVG moved into 2nd. With six to go, Andre Castro went into the tires in Turn 6 for a yellow.
GREAT comment by Zilisch’s crew chief, Mardy Lindley, when asked about the final laps between Zilisch and SVG: “That’s what people paid their money for!” Love it—and SO true. SVG grabbed the lead on the restart and held on for the win over Zilisch, with Creed the ‘best of the rest.’ Labbé finished a STOUT 12th. SVG became the sixth different winner this year for JR Motorsports. If any driver needs to wear a hat in post-race interviews, it’s definitely SVG!! LOL. And a little whining from Zilisch? That final pass was textbook clean. SVG spent time in the care center after the race due to overheating with his cool suit out of commission.
In the points, Justin Allgaier leads, with Austin Hill and Sam Mayer tied for second, 49 points back.
Next race – Sonoma, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on CW and USA.
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CASC-OR: The Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs – Ontario Region (CASC-OR) sanctions the RaceOntario Championships, a series or race events run from April through October at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport), Shannonville Motorsports Park, and Calabogie Motorsport Park. The series includes a variety of individual race groups. Click HERE for more info about CASC-OR Road Racing. Their next event is the BARC Canadian Touring Trophy Races, July 26-27 at CTMP.
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NASCAR Craftsman Trucks – Next race: Indianapolis Raceway Park, Friday, July 25.
Formula One – Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) topped FP1 at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, Lando Norris (McLaren) was quickest in FP2, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) led FP3, and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) defied the pundits and won pole over Oscar Piastri and Norris (both McLarens). Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) qualified 18th.
The race started on a very damp track, and the drama began quickly. Liam Lawson (RB) got hit and spun off just after the start, bringing out a local yellow. A virtual safety car followed for debris (gravel?). On lap 4, Gabriel Bortoleto (Stake) spun into the gravel trap for another yellow. Rain returned around lap 14, prompting a full safety car. Racing resumed on lap 17, but just one lap later, Isack Hadjar (the other RB) beached his car in a big crash. The green came back out on lap 22. At halfway, it was the two McLarens of Piastri and Norris, with Canadian Stroll in 3rd! Then the stewards got involved—as usual—penalizing leader Piastri 10 seconds for a ‘safety car infringement’ (braking too hard?) on a wet track. Wow. In any other sport, the leader controls the pace—but apparently not in F1. Once again, the top racing series on the planet brings disrespect upon itself. When will it stop?
On lap 40, George Russell (Mercedes) spun into the gravel but continued—no yellow. And, as always, the messages kept popping up: “The stewards are reviewing \[insert vague incident here]. Noted.” Then, to add insult to injury, rain was joined by strong winds. Only in England, eh? LOL. On lap 44, a local yellow came out for Esteban Ocon (Haas), who went off track. Meanwhile, Verstappen, back in 6th, was whining about his ‘undriveable’ car—seemingly the only one with issues. Piastri had an off but recovered. Brutal track conditions due to the weather, but very exciting for fans. At the flag, it was Norris over Piastri and Nico Hülkenberg (Stake), who started—wait for it—19th! Stroll finished a strong 7th in abysmal conditions, two spots ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso.
In the Drivers’ Championship, Piastri saw his lead over Norris shrink to just 8 points, but he’s 69 ahead of Verstappen.
In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren stretches its lead to a massive 238 points over Ferrari and 250 over Mercedes—and we’re only halfway through the season! Wow. Who saw that coming?
Next race – Spa, Sunday, July 25.
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FLAMBORO SPEEDWAY: This Saturday (July 12), Flamboro Speedway plays host to the United Late Model Series. The headline event is the London Recreational Racing (LRR) 100 for the APC Pro Late Models. Also on the card are the United Racing Series Dayco Super Stocks and the Canadian Vintage Mods. Spectator gates open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00 p.m. Click HERE for additional info.
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IndyCar – Points leader Alex Palou just keeps putting the hammer down this year, grabbing the pole for Sunday’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Christian Lundgaard started second, ahead of Kyffin Simpson. Canadian Devlin DeFrancesco qualified 23rd.
Right off the start, Joseph Newgarden tangled with Will Power at
the end of the front stretch and spun into the sand trap. Yellow! The caution returned on lap 33 when Christian Rasmussen stopped on track—but IndyCar wouldn’t let his team retrieve the car. What was up with that? They let Power and Newgarden get theirs back. Hmm. Consistently inconsistent officiating? At halfway, it was points leader—nay, dominator—Alex Palou over Lundgaard and Colton Herta.
At the flag, it was Scott Dixon over Palou and Lundgaard. DeFrancesco finished 20th.
In the points, Palou leads Power by 48 and Pato O’Ward by 70.
Next race – Iowa, Saturday and Sunday.
IMSA – Next race: Mosport (CTMP), this weekend.
NHRA – Next race: July 20, Pacific Raceways.
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NASCAR CANADA SERIES AT EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: Canada’s national stock car series kicks off its annual trip to western Canada with the NAPA 300 at Wetaskiwin, Alberta’s Edmonton International Raceway on Saturday (July 12). The race is the highlight of a busy week of activity at EIR. Click HERE for tickets and info.
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APC Series – Next race – Flamboro, this Saturday.
Ontario Sportsman Series – Next race – Delaware, Friday.
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BROCKVILLE ONTARIO SPEEDWAY: This Saturday night (July 12) The BOS returns to action with a full card of racing. Headlining the event, the Ogilvie’s Triple Crown Series. The Modifieds will be on track for a 50-lap feature, while the Sportsman (40 laps), Novice Sportsman, Street Stocks and Surprenant Truck Shop Crate Sprints will also be in action at the eastern Ontario dirt oval. Click HERE for more info. A preview of the July 12 show is HERE.
And on July 5 at The BOS, Lucas Fuller headed to Victory Lane for the first time (following a Feature) when he held off Johnathon Ferguson to take the 30-lap DIRTcar 358 Modified main. Click HERE for a full report from July 5.
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Delaware Speedway – Forty-two Bone Stocks showed up to have some fun on the half-mile. Craig Cole won Heat 1, Ian Levac took Heat 2, and Michael Verberne won the fast heat. Twelve cars started the B-Main, with Justin Collver taking the win.
The Feature saw five cars get mixed up in Turn 1 on lap 12 for the only caution. Colin Willems just beat three-time winner Charlie Verhoeven, along with Adam Jeneroux, Donavin Clark, and Matt Langford.
In the 14-car V/8 Stocks, Lucas Orr won Heat 1, Kara Martin won Heat 2, and in the Breakout Feature, Jeremy Taggart finished fourth but saw the first three DQ’d for breaking out. Kara Martin was second, followed by Randy Martin, Chuck Menzie, and Kaden Patrick.
In the Late Models, Brady Smith won Heat 1, Marshal Schrenk won Heat 2, and Smith then claimed his first feature win since 2017 over Schrenk, Matt Robblee, Jesse Kennedy, and Jonny Aarts.
Next race – Ontario Sportsman Series, Bone Stocks, and King of the Hill.
Ohsweken Speedway – Next race – Summer Sprint Showcase, Friday.
Buxton Speedway – Next race – Dirt Madness Night, Saturday.
Full Throttle Motor Speedway – Next race – OSCAAR Night – Mods & Hot Rods, Saturday.
Sunset Speedway – Next race – Innisfil Ribfest and Bone Stock Nationals, Saturday.
Grand Bend Speedway – Next race – NASCAR Weekly Series, Saturday.
Grand Bend Motorplex – Next race – Summer Spectacular, this weekend.
St. Thomas Dragway – Next race – Mud Bog, this weekend.
Toronto Motorsports Park – Next race – Canada Heads Up, next weekend.
Can Am Stock/Super Stock – Next race – Grand Bend, this weekend.
Quick 32 Sportsman Series, Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) and 5.50 Super Series, next weekend, Empire Dragway.
660 Sportsman Nationals – Race date – Grand Bend, October 5.
John Scotti NHRA Canadian Championship Series – Next race – next weekend, Napierville.
Shannonville Drags – Next race – next weekend.
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or via Facebook Messenger.
