Auto Racing News: NASCAR Chase Drama, Antonelli’s Madrid Win and IMSA’s Indy Thriller
A two-week auto racing roundup: Larson and Logano reshape NASCAR’s Chase, Antonelli wins in Madrid, BMW strikes late at Indy, and Langdon sets an NHRA speed record.
News | Michael Patrick Day | September 22, 2026
Auto racing news, Sept. 8–22, 2026: NASCAR’s Chase turned sharply at Gateway and Bristol, Formula 1 opened a new chapter in Madrid, and close finishes shaped the IMSA and NHRA weekends. Here are the developments that matter across the major car-racing series.
NASCAR: Larson breaks through, then Logano steals Bristol
Kyle Larson ended a 51-race winless stretch on Sept. 13 at World Wide Technology Raceway. After surviving two overtime restarts, he won the Cup Series race at Gateway for his first victory since May 2025. As a result, the defending champion moved within nine points of Denny Hamlin after the second Chase race. NASCAR’s Gateway report details a chaotic afternoon that included crashes and brake trouble for several contenders.
Six days later, Joey Logano seized the Bristol Night Race with a pass through traffic on Lap 494 of 500. Ty Gibbs had led late. However, Logano capitalized when the race changed in the closing laps. Moreover, Logano’s third victory of the season lifted him to third in the Chase standings. Larson left Bristol as the points leader, with Hamlin one point behind and Logano 16 back. Read the Bristol race report and the updated Chase standings.
Bristol also produced a confrontation after contact between Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney. Consequently, Blaney finished 33rd and fell to sixth in the Chase, 52 points behind Larson. NASCAR’s account describes a postrace altercation between the drivers; the racing implications are clear even as any further disciplinary outcome would require a separate announcement. Meanwhile, Jake Garcia earned his first Truck Series win at Bristol, and Sheldon Creed won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. Truck report | O’Reilly series report.
Formula 1: Antonelli wins Madrid’s first Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli won the Sept. 13 Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, taking his eighth victory of the season. Max Verstappen finished second and Lando Norris third. Then a Virtual Safety Car arrived at the wrong time for Norris and helped Mercedes move Antonelli into the effective lead. Afterward, Norris lost more ground during a slow pit stop. Antonelli’s championship lead grew to 81 points, according to Formula 1’s race report.
The next F1 stop is Azerbaijan on Sept. 24–26. That race remains ahead as of this roundup; no Baku result is included. See the official calendar.
IMSA: BMW wins late at Indianapolis
Sheldon van der Linde made the decisive pass on Earl Bamber with about five and a half minutes left in the Sept. 20 Battle on the Bricks. He and Dries Vanthoor delivered BMW M Team WRT’s first IMSA victory in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8. This year, the Indianapolis race ran for two hours and 40 minutes. As a result, all four classes faced a sprint to the finish. IMSA’s race report has the GTP finish; its GTD PRO report covers Ford’s late fight with Chevrolet.
IMSA’s season finale is Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, Sept. 30–Oct. 3. Therefore, title contenders have little time to recover from Indianapolis or protect a slim lead. Official results and standings.
NHRA: Langdon sets a speed mark in Michigan
NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship opened in Michigan with Monday eliminations on Sept. 21. Shawn Langdon won Top Fuel, beating Spencer Massey in the final. In the semifinal, Langdon ran 346.95 mph, which NHRA identifies as the fastest pass in its history. Meanwhile, Jordan Vandergriff won Funny Car from the No. 16 qualifying position. Troy Coughlin Jr. took Pro Stock, while John Hall won Pro Stock Motorcycle. NHRA’s full winners report gives the run times and playoff context.
What comes next
NASCAR heads to Kansas on Sept. 27, Formula 1 to Azerbaijan on Sept. 24–26, and the FIA World Endurance Championship to Fuji on Sept. 25–27. For now, the WEC event is a preview. Itsentry list is available ahead of the race. Across the series, the next round will test whether Bristol and Indianapolis marked a lasting shift in their title fights.
Image: Illustrative auto-racing photograph, not from the races reported here. Photo by Casey Calhoun/Unsplash.
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