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IndyCar, Formula 1, NASCAR and WSBK Wrap-ups
- 18 minutes ago
- 2 min read
McLaughlin Wins at Laguna Seca, Antonelli Takes Italian Grand Prix, Bell Gets NASCAR Victory and Bulega Continues WSBK Domination at Magny-Cours
IndyCar
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin started on pole and led the most laps in ending a 36-race winless streak Sunday, beating Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood by 1.37 seconds in the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey. Finishing third was Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi, who earned his first podium since June 2024, with Felix Rosenqvist and David Malukas completing the top five. Champion Alex Palou finished eighth but still joined McLaughlin in doing celebratory donuts on the front straight at Laguna Seca.
Palou’s championship was his fifth overall and fourth in a row. Dennis Hauger won Rookie of the Year despite finishing last following an early incident. The race was Scott Dixon’s last as a driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, ending a relationship that lasted 25 years and produced six championships. Dixon joins Arrow McLaren in 2027, racing alongside Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist.
Next: Season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 5-7, 2027
Formula 1
Kimi Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix from 19th, starting in pit lane, after taking engine-related grid penalties. The 20-year-old passed Mercedes teammate George Russell late, becoming the first Italian driver to win at Monza since 1966. Russell finished second, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen third, McLaren’s Lando Norris fourth and Oscar Piastri fifth. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed heavily on Lap 2, triggering a lengthy red flag, but was cleared after a medical examination.
Antonelli now leads Russell by 66 points in the championship standings and is the clear favorite with 10 races to go.
Next: TAG Heuer Gran Premio De Espana at Madrid, Sept 11-13
NASCAR
Christopher Bell passed Hendricks Motorsports’ Kyle Larson with 13 laps remaining to win the Cook Out Southern 500 and open the Chase with his first victory of 2026 after seven runner-up finishes. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs, 23XI’s Tyler Reddick, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney and Larson completed the top five.
Top-seeded Denny Hamlin fell to 18th after a slow pit stop, contact and suspension damage. William Byron finished 37th following a spin and engine failure. Saturday practice and qualifying were canceled, and light rain produced an eight-minute red flag late Sunday.
Next: Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway, Sept. 12-13
WSBK
Ducati rider Nicolò Bulega swept Race 1, the Superpole Race and a red-flag-shortened Race 2 at Magny-Cours. Iker Lecuona finished second in all three. Sam Lowes completed Saturday’s podium but crashed from third on the final Superpole lap; Yari Montella inherited third and repeated it in Race 2. Bulega can clinch the championship at the next round.
Next: EICMA Italian Round at Cremona, Sept. 25-27
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