Austin Dillon erases last year's heartbreak at Richmond
By Holly Cain - NASCAR Wire Service
RICHMOND, Va. (August 16, 2025) – Austin Dillon claimed his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series race trophy, earned a 2025 Playoff bid and just as importantly, he enjoyed some sweet redemption in Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Dillon led 107 laps on the night, including the final 49 to claim the victory and automatic berth in the 16-driver Playoff field – vaulting from a 25th place position in the championship standings before the green flag to a championship berth at the checkered flag in a clutch effort from the 2018 Daytona 500 winner and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team.
It was the most laps Dillon had led all season and marks the third time he’s won a race in the closing weeks of the regular season.
It was a huge statement for Dillon, 35, who won this race last year, but was later ruled ineligible to participate in the playoffs after receiving a penalty from NASCAR for aggressive driving in the final laps at the historic three-quarter mile Richmond track.
“Man, that feels good, got to thank the good Lord above,” said Dillon, who finished a healthy 2.471-seconds ahead of playoff contender, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman. ““God has timing. His timing is the best timing. … It’s just so special.”
Bowman leaves Richmond now holding the last championship points position with one regular season race remaining next week at the always-unpredictable Daytona International Speedway.
A Team Penske Ford Mustang trio rounded out the top-five finishing positions. Ryan Blaney, the 2023 series champion was third in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford – the first time in his stellar career he’s had a top-five run at Richmond. His teammate, reigning series champion Joey Logano turned in an impressive fourth-place finish in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford after starting last (38th) in the field. And Austin Cindric completed the impressive team effort in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford Mustang.
If there is no new winner at Daytona next week, both 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Bowman stand to transfer into the Playoffs on points. Reddick, who won the opening stage and led 41 laps early finished 34th, four laps down after his car was hit in tight racing. He is 15th in the Playoff standings, with a 60-point edge above the Playoff cutoff line while Bowman is 16th - 29 points to the good.
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron formally clinched the Regular Season Championship with his 12th-place finish – a huge upward swing in momentum considering he was collected in the race’s only major incident, a 10-car crash on lap 199 of the 200-lap race.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to action next Saturday night, Aug. 23 under the lights at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Prock, Kalitta, Anderson roll to wins in Brainerd
From NHRA Media
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 17, 2025) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock rolled to his second straight win of the season at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round of the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and putting the reigning world champion on the verge of the regular-season championship.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also won the 13th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
In the championship round on Sunday, Prock went a blistering 3.907-seconds at 321.50 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS, easily dispatching Todd, who ran into tire smoke early in the run.
With a commanding 242-point advantage over John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman, Prock will clinch the first NHRA regular-season championship – and the $150,000 prize – during qualifying at the world’s biggest drag race, the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy.
It will mark yet another impressive honor for Prock, who now has six wins in 13 races this season and 14 since moving to the Funny Car ranks at the start of last year. On Sunday, Prock was stellar on the starting line, averaging a .047 reaction time during eliminations, including a brilliant .043 in the final round. He defeated Jim Campbell, Matt Hagan and Chad Green to reach the finals en route to his first career victory at Brainerd International Raceway.
“That was huge,” Prock said. “Last year, I got beat on a holeshot and that’s something you never want to do.”
In Top Fuel, Kalitta continued his own hot streak as well, winning his second straight race in 2025 after going 3.670 at 338.77 in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster to power past Clay Millican in the final round.
It was a milestone victory for the veteran as well, as it gave Kalitta Motorsports its 100th overall Top Fuel win – and the third straight in the category for the team in the process.
“This car has been a pleasure to drive,” said Kalitta, who won for the first time in Brainerd since 2005. “AJ [crew chief Alan Johnson] had it dialed in. It’s just a matter of putting it together the same way every time.”
Pro Stock’s Anderson enjoyed an absolutely flawless weekend and the reigning world champion finished it in style, defeating KB Titan Racing teammate and points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.551 at 206.86 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.
“It was flawless,” Anderson said. “Every time down the track, the car was low E.T. of the session or each round on race day,” Anderson said. “I can’t thank my guys enough. The car was a pleasure to drive. I am a lucky man.”
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Aug. 27-Sept. 1 with the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Aug. 27-Sept. 1 with the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Kleyn collects first 2025 win at Twin Falls
From NWSLM Media
Top-3 finishers at Twin Falls include runner-up Bryce Bezanson, winner Kasey Kleyn and Ryan Phipps who finished third. NWSLM photo
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (Aug. 16, 2025) — 2024 Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by Knottical Marine (NWSLMS) champion Kasey Kleyn entered the “Magic Valley Motorsports Hall of Fame 150” winless in the series in 2025.
Kleyn, however, put an end to that streak, taking home $5,000 for a day’s work on the 1/3-mile Magic Valley Speedway (ID), garnering his seventh career NWSLMS victory. It was Kleyn’s first visit to the facility located in Twin Falls, ID and came on the heels of multiple near victories this season. He was excited to finally grab a triumph in 2025.
“It feels really good”, Kleyn said. “We have had a bunch of runner-up finishes this year. There are a couple I wish I could have had back and things I could have done differently to get the win.”
Bryce Bezanson and Ryan Phipps rounded out the podium.
“This one felt really good, and it was a dominant win,” Kleyn added. “And that’s the best way to do it. Kleyn went on to explain, “I just went out there and saved my stuff the best that I could. The last 50 (laps) I just put it down, opened it up, and let it eat.”
Lap 104 was the final restart, as Kleyn battled Bezanson for the top spot for several laps before he was able to slowly pull away.
Bezanson was Kleyn’s biggest competition at the end of the event, but it took the Montana driver a pit stop and an adjustment to his driving line to get the car headed in the right direction.
“I gave it all I had that last restart, to keep up with Kasey, but there was just no keeping up this time,” Bezanson said. “We have the car in one piece, and are on the podium, so I’m happy.”
While his next NWSLM race is not for a month, Kleyn had an important race on Aug. 20 at Owosso Speedway in Michigan for the ASA National Tour event.
The Northwest Super Late Model Series will now head to the Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval, Sept. 20 for the next-to-last event on the 2025 schedule. The “Neal Newberry 125” is the longest running event for the series and has been held in all 13 seasons to date. Owen Riddle was the winner in 2024, holding off Jan Evans and Jason O’Neil. A minimum of $5,000 will await the winner in 2025.
Magic Valley Motorsports Hall of Fame 150 finish:
1. Kasey Kleyn, 2. Bryce Bezanson, 3. Ryan Phipps*, 4. Andrew Palmer, 5. Adam Crow, 6. Johvan Dillon*, 7. Andrew Riehl, 8. Zach Riehl, 9. Dan Lowther, 10. Chris Kalsch, 11. Shawn Lester, 12. Colin Anderson, 13. Ken Bonney
2025 NWSLMS schedule & race winners
Date/ Location/ Winner
April 6/ Tri-City Raceway/ Zach Riehl
April 26/ Wenatchee Valley/ Johvan Dillon
May 17/ State Line Speedway/ Haeden Plybon
July 19/ Evergreen Speedway/ Jace Hansen
Aug. 16/ Magic Valley Speedway/ Kasey Kleyn
Remaining Races
September 20
“Neal Newberry 125” – Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval
October 5
“Fall Classic 200” – Tri-City Raceway RMEC
