Kyle Larson and Josh Berry raced their way into The Clash by winning the crash-filled last chance qualifying race Sunday night at historic Bowman Gray Stadium. The 75-lap qualifying race was for all the drivers who failed to make the main event int he heat races Saturday. The “LCQ” advanced three drivers into NASCAR’s preseason exhibition main event, which marked the Cup Series’ first race at the “Mecca of Madhouse” since 1971. Ryan Blaney took the third and final spot based on points scored in 2024. NASCAR is racing at Bowman Gray for the first time since 1971.

Tim Cindric, president of Team Penske and Roger Penske’s longtime right-hand man on competition, will step back as the overall leader of the organization but remain president of the IndyCar program. Cindric joined the Penske organization in 1999 and oversaw the operations in NASCAR, IndyCar, and sports car racing in IMSA and the World Endurance Championship series. Team Penske is coming off a banner 2024 season in which it won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a second consecutive Indianapolis 500, its third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship, and the IMSA and WEC titles. The team last weekend won the Rolex 24 for the second consecutive year.

Hailie Deegan has left NASCAR behind for open-wheel racing this season and it could be for good. She’s been one of NASCAR’s most marketable drivers but hasn’t had the performance or funding to land a top ride and advance her career. Deegan doesn’t want to race in the Truck Series anymore and because any opportunities to advance required cash she doesn’t have, she’s taken another route. Deegan will drive this year for HMD Motorsports in Indy NXT, which is IndyCar’s top development series.

NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie will run a limited Cup Series schedule with Rick Ware Racing this year and also be an analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s portion of the Cup Series schedule. LaJoie will drive No. 01 Ford Mustang for Ware as he works to build his Stacking Pennies Performance Brand. RWR did not announce how many races LaJoie will enter but the 33-year-old will attempt to qualify for next month’s season-opening Daytona 500. LaJoie’s No. 01 does not have a charter so he will need to claim one of the four open spots in the Daytona 500 field by either time trials or his qualifying race.

A new-look Meyer Shank Racing team is back at the Rolex 24 after a one-year hiatus and it is just one of dozens of changes as IMSA heads into the most prestigious endurance race in North America. The Rolex 24 at Daytona begins Saturday and runs around the clock until Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. There are 61 cars entered. The entries account for 235 drivers representing 31 countries and includes Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric, Australian V8 Supercar champions Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen in an entry by NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing, Formula 1 veterans and IndyCar champions.

Colton Herta has been addressing Formula 1 questions for most of his IndyCar career. The 24-year-old from California needs an opportunity for him to ever make a decision. Until then, he'd rather focus on his full-time gig. Yes, Herta, seems content to put his long-term plans on hold for now while he pursues the two titles that have eluded him — Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar series champion.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves claimed one of the four open spots in the season-opening Daytona 500 as part of a slew of rule changes NASCAR announced Friday. Castroneves is guaranteed a spot in the field under a new provision that earmarks a starting position for what NASCAR called “world-class drivers” who enter a Cup Series race. Before the Friday change, Castroneves was going to either have to earn his spot in the 40-car field on speed in time trials or finishing position in a qualifying race. The tweak leaves just three open spots for drivers hoping to race in the Feb. 16 “Great American Race.” Castroneves will be driving for Trackhouse Racing in his NASCAR debut at age 49.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing. Castroneves is one of the most popular drivers in IndyCar history. He has been trying for two years to get a Daytona 500 seat and finally landed one Monday as part of Trackhouse’s “Project 91” designed to give renowned racers from outside of NASCAR a shot in a stock car. Castroneves will need to qualify for the Feb. 16 race with either a fast time in time trials, or, race his way in via a qualifying race. If Castroneves won the Daytona 500, he would join Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.