Nascar

The pros and cons of NASCAR's new championship format for 2026
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:05:17 +0000
NASCAR has a new championship format for 2026, and the overwhelming reaction has been positive. But what exactly has changed with this latest iteration and why is it such a good thing? Let's take a look:
Looking over the format, it is much better in regards to rewarding the best driver during each particular season. The eliminations and multiple rounds/resets are completely gone, replaced by a ...Keep reading

Cleetus McFarland considered quitting NASCAR after Greg Biffle's passing
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:10:37 +0000
Garett Mitchell, better known as the popular YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, began his stock car racing career last year in the ARCA Menard's Series. He did so under the guidance of NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, who became close friends with Mitchell over the past 1.5 years.
However, Biffle was among seven who lost their lives in December plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina. They were planning ...Keep reading

Tony Stewart to make surprise NASCAR return with first Truck start in 20 years
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:17:51 +0000
Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is back, at least for one race at the national level of NASCAR.
Stewart, who is now 54 years old but still actively racing, will pilot the 'free agent' truck for Kaulig Racing and Ram in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. 'Smoke' hasn't started a NASCAR race since retiring from the Cup Series at ...Keep reading

NASCAR drivers, legends say new format is about legitimacy
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:30:56 +0000
The return of The Chase for the Championship has immediately been pitched to NASCAR fans as a return to civility.
This of course doesn?t mean a loss of intensity or consequence but those who were part of the announcement on Monday at NASCAR Productions believe that points racing will result in a product that is a little more professional.
And in the process, everyone involved ultimately ...Keep reading

The evolution of NASCAR's championship format over the years
Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:56:16 +0000
NASCAR's championship format has just undergone its latest change, but it's far from the first time the Sanctioning Body has tweaked the way it crowns a champion.
Red Byron winning the inaugural season in 1949, The King earning his first crown in 1971, Dale Earnhardt winning his seventh in 1994, Jimmie Johnson's historic run of five in-a-row in 2010, and Kyle Larson's latest triumph in 2025 -- ...Keep reading

NASCAR reverts to the Chase for the Championship format in 2026
Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:01:45 +0000
Starting in 2026, NASCAR will revert to a variation of the Chase for the Championship format it used to crown its champions from 2004-to-2013.
In other words, no more win and you?re in and no more multiple elimination rounds. Most importantly, the sample size to determine the champion is no longer a single race but a 10-race points race.
However, unlike NASCAR?s first version of a ...Keep reading

Ranking NASCAR's rising stars to watch in 2026
Sat, 10 Jan 2026 16:52:55 +0000
The next Cup Series star in the making is already waiting in the wings, and in stock car racing, the final two steps before the big show on Sunday are the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS)
Last year, we named Connor Zilisch as our No. 1 prospect, and it should surprise no one that he went on to dominate the season as an Xfinity Series driver ...Keep reading

Front Row Motorsports shuffles personnel, names new crew chief for Gragson
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:49:53 +0000
On Friday, Front Row Motorsports announced some personnel changes to its organization. Of note, Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team will have a new crew chief this year.
Grant Hutchens will sit atop the pit box for Gragson this year, replacing Drew Blickensderfer, who moves into the role of Competition Director. Hutchens has worked as a Cup crew chief before, but only in a handful of races between ...Keep reading

Corey LaJoie to replace injured Brad Keselowski in Bowman Gray Clash
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 22:09:30 +0000
While Brad Keselowski continues his recovery, he will opt out of the pre-season exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Keselowski suffered a broken leg while skiing with his family on December 18th, and underwent successful surgery soon after. The 68th running of the Daytona 500 follows takes place on February 15th, but The Clash is a full two weeks earlier.
While the 41-year-old ...Keep reading


Windows Central

The Helldivers 2 stealth Warbond we've all been begging for is finally coming, and it looks amazing ? Redacted Regiment will be a literal game changer
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:23:02 +0000
At long last, Helldivers 2 is adding a stealth-themed Warbond to the game with Redacted Regiment, featuring silenced weapons, stealth armor, and more.

Larry Major Nelson Hryb laid off by Unity ? 18 month stint ends as Unity still finds itself in trouble
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:17:02 +0000
Larry Major Nelson Hryb has been laid off by Unity after an 18 month stint as Director of Community and Advocacy, as the company continues to face layoffs and reputational challenges.

Lead dev of one of 2025's best games goes on a wild ramble about pricing, but hold up, let him cook ? it actually makes perfect sense, and he's right
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:53:35 +0000
The co-creator of the hit co-op climbing game PEAK has a theory about how players think about the prices of games, and used it to choose the title's price.

Help shape the future of Windows Central with our audience survey
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:53:33 +0000
Your input will guide future coverage, features, and community initiatives.

"If a messaging app is going to use over 400MB of RAM ... I'd at least like to be able to use all of its features" ? WhatsApp has forced a bloated web app on Windows, while keeping its new capabilities mobile?first and out of reach for PC users
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:22:20 +0000
The new WhatsApp for Windows consumes more RAM than its native predecessor, yet new features like Member Tags and Text Stickers remain mobile-exclusive for now.

Google's parent company Alphabet hits $4 trillion ? Google?s AI deal with Apple pays off
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:36:50 +0000
Alphabet has reached a $4 trillion valuation after Apple selected Google?s Gemini to power parts of Siri, alongside strong cloud growth and continued strength in advertising revenue.

Battlefield 6 delays its Season 2 release date for "extra time" to address feedback as its player count falls ? it's making the right call, and I'm glad
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:57:40 +0000
After reviewing all the feedback from Season 1, Battlefield 6 developer Battlefield Studios is delaying the launch of Season 2 for a month.

Zorin OS 18 has reached 2 million downloads, with 1M+ Windows defections fueling one of Linux?s biggest growth stories in 2026
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:25:50 +0000
Zorin OS 18 has passed 2 million downloads in under three months, with around 75% coming from Windows users as Windows 10 reaches end of life and hardware limits push more people toward Linux.

Valve's Steam Deck suffers the same problem as the Xbox Ally, and the solution might be a modern manufacturing impossibility ? Sony nailed it 16 years ago
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:41 +0000
Handhelds are a modern marvel, but they're getting way too big. Is the PSP Go an example of what we should have done, or is that space filled by smartphones?

Clippy is the key to this Office 97 Easter egg that went unnoticed for decades
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:19:47 +0000
A tech sleuth has uncovered a hidden credits screen in Word 97 that requires a bizarrely specific sequence of toolbar movements and Clippy searches to trigger.

Storage might join RAM on your PC shortage wish list ? NVIDIA's new AI supercomputers will suck up millions of TB of SSDs to operate
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:27:39 +0000
NVIDIA's new Rubin AI supercomputers have arrived, and they're likely going to need millions of TB of NAND to scale out. Priced into the market or not, SSDs are likely about to become the next big short in 2026.

Microsoft Edge is killing off Collections ? and your data is caught in the crossfire
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:05:17 +0000
The clock is ticking for Microsoft Edge Collections. As retirement looms, users face a choice: lose their saved notes or move their data offline.

ARC Raiders passes a significant, and impressive milestone ? and all its players get rewarded to celebrate
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:12:23 +0000
ARC Raiders has passed 12.4 million players, reached 960,000 concurrent users across all platforms, and is rewarding players with a free Gilded Pickaxe to celebrate the milestone.

NVIDIA CEO says the AI "doomer narrative" blocks investments that could make it safer: "I appreciate that many of us grew up and enjoyed science fiction, but it's not helpful"
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:19:00 +0000
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says critics and the doomer narrative about AI is hurting society and causing a lot of damage.

Epic Games Store has grown massively, but it has trained users to never buy anything ? is Xbox PC going down the same path?
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:14:00 +0000
Free games helped Epic reach millions of players, but it also changed how they spend. Is Xbox doomed to make the same mistake on PC?


Fox News Headlines

Venezuela releases multiple American citizens from prison following military operation
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 03:55:31 GMT
At least four Americans detained under Nicolás Maduro?s regime were released by Venezuela?s interim government following a U.S. military operation that captured the longtime leader.

Passengers baffled and confused after screams burst from beneath taxiing Air Canada plane
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 03:03:13 GMT
Passengers aboard a taxiing Air Canada flight were left shaken after muffled screams and banging were suddenly heard from beneath the cabin.

Rand Paul says GOP colleagues 'don?t give a s??t about these people in the boats': They 'say they?re pro-life'
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:55:18 GMT
Sen. Rand Paul blasted GOP colleagues over the boat strikes near Venezuela, accusing them of not caring about the lives lost on the vessels.

LIV Golf stars commit to staying put after Brooks Koepka's departure, return to PGA Tour
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:52:47 GMT
Brooks Koepka?s PGA Tour comeback sparked headlines as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith stayed loyal to LIV Golf despite his high-profile return.

DOJ says 'no basis' for civil rights investigation into Minneapolis ICE officer killing
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:51:29 GMT
The DOJ declined a civil rights probe into an ICE officer's killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, breaking from past practices as the FBI investigation continues.

American bobsledder Kris Horn survives harrowing solo World Cup run after teammates miss sled
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:37:07 GMT
American bobsledder Kris Horn raced solo down a World Cup track in Switzerland after a loading mishap left him without teammates in the four-man sled.

GOP senator suggests Fed chair Powell resign now to dodge potential criminal indictment
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:34:54 GMT
Sen. Kevin Cramer suggests Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell should resign amid a DOJ criminal probe into Fed headquarters renovation project costs.

EXCLUSIVE: Franklin Graham?s daughter calls women?s sports fight a ?Genesis 1 issue? at Supreme Court
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:34:28 GMT
Cissie Graham Lynch of Samaritan's Purse calls Supreme Court women's sports case a 'Genesis 1 issue' rooted in biblical truth as justices hear women athletes' arguments.

Minneapolis mayor says 'unconstitutional' ICE conduct has been met with ?peaceful? protests
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:16:54 GMT
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey calls protests peaceful following fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agent, telling Fox News tens of thousands demonstrated in streets.

Nikki Glaser avoided political jokes while hosting Golden Globes because they?re ?not funny?
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:09:33 GMT
Nikki Glaser explains why she avoided political jokes while hosting the Golden Globes, saying politics "isn't funny" and describing the challenge of striking the right tone.

San Diego school district beefs up security, provide scripts to keep ICE away: report
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:00:03 GMT
The San Diego school district strengthened security after the Trump administration rescinded a policy protecting schools from ICE arrests.

US launches wave of strikes in Somalia targeting ISIS, al-Shabab terror threats
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:56:15 GMT
U.S. Africa Command General Michael E. Langley warns of jihadi threat to homeland as airstrikes against al-Shabab and ISIS-Somalia intensify under Trump administration.

White House says Trump gave ?appropriate? response after heckler confrontation caught on video at Ford plant
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:39:05 GMT
The White House called President Trump?s reaction ?appropriate" after video showed him responding to a heckler during a visit to a Michigan Ford plant.

Trump insists GOPers 'love' DOJ targeting Jerome Powell, says he 'can't help' it if it looks like retribution
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:32:56 GMT
In an interview with CBS News' Tony Dokoupil, President Donald Trump insisted prominent conservatives "love" the DOJ probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Brooks Nader slips on her bikini as she embraces natural look on Cabo getaway after dissolving lip fillers
Wed, 14 Jan 2026 01:26:44 GMT
Brooks Nader shows off her natural beauty during a Cabo vacation with sister Sarah Jane, revealing her filler-free lips and stunning bikini looks.


Indy Car Racing

Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon receives a knighthood from New Zealand
Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:22:56 GMT
?I?ve been called a lot of things, but I never thought that ?Sir? was going to be one of them," Dixon said.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan adds Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champ, to 2026 IndyCar lineup
Wed, 26 Nov 2025 19:13:24 GMT
Mick Schumacher is coming to America to jump-start his racing career.

Valentino Rossi passes on McLaren's Indy 500 seat, Ryan Hunter-Reay steps in
Sat, 22 Nov 2025 19:34:06 GMT
Rossi is considered one of the greatest motorcycle racers ever and is the only road racer to have competed in 400 or more Grands Prix.

Indy 500 winner Alex Palou has likeness unveiled on Borg-Warner Trophy
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:13:54 GMT
As he has for every winner of the "500" since 1990, renowned sculptor Will Behrends crafted Palou's image for the Borg-Warner Trophy.

Ryan Hunter-Reay joins Arrow McLaren for 2026 Indianapolis 500
Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:25:31 GMT
Hunter-Reay, the 2014 winner of the "500" and 2012 IndyCar Series champion, will drive the No. 31 Chevrolet.

AJ Foyt Racing signs Indy NXT runner-up Collet for full 2026 IndyCar campaign
Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:56:35 GMT
Caio Collet will drive the No. 4 Chevrolet with backing from Brazilian logistics company Combitrans Amazonia in all 17 IndyCar races.

McLaren vs. Palou: A $20.7M lawsuit over broken promises and disappearing messages
Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:18:07 GMT
Closing arguments have been presented in McLaren's lawsuit against IndyCar champion Alex Palou.

2026 Indy 500, Brickyard 400 tickets on sale now
Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:45:00 GMT
Tickets for 2026 marquee events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are now on sale online. Here's what you need to know.

Formula One driver Mick Schumacher returns to Indianapolis to turn laps on road course in an IndyCar
Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:10:02 GMT
Mick Schumacher got a glimpse of the Indianapolis 500 in May. Whether he makes this area his next racing home is still to be decided.

Officials explore bringing IndyCar race back to Cleveland
Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:30:16 GMT
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission confirmed it is exploring the potential opportunity to bring an IndyCar race to the streets of downtown Cleveland in 2028.

Andretti Global hires Ron Ruzewski as team principal, reuniting him with driver Will Power
Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:00:06 GMT
Ruzewski, a former Team Penske executive, will start in January. He replaces Rob Edwards, who will become chief performance officer for TWG Motorsports.

David Malukas joins Team Penske as new driver of No. 12 IndyCar entry
Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:53:44 GMT
Malukas replaces Will Power, who announced he had signed with Andretti Global to drive the No. 26 car for 2026.

IndyCar announces 2026 schedule with new races in Phoenix, Arlington
Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:56:05 GMT
Start times for the 2026 events will be announced at a later date, officials said.

IndyCar says no Mexico City race for 2026 due to World Cup impact
Sat, 13 Sep 2025 22:08:17 GMT
The news also comes less than a month after NASCAR announced it would be one-and-done in Mexico City.

Chip Ganassi Racing's 17th title: A record-breaking journey
Fri, 05 Sep 2025 01:41:22 GMT
Ganassi's 17 IndyCar Series titles ties him with Team Penske, but Ganassi did it in his 35th season while Penske has been racing for nearly two decades longer.

Will Power leaves Team Penske after 17 years to join Andretti Global
Wed, 03 Sep 2025 17:02:14 GMT
The two-time IndyCar champion and former Indianapolis 500 winner will drive the No. 26 Honda for Andretti.

Colton Herta's next big move: From IndyCar to Cadillac's Formula 1 team
Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:06:30 GMT
This move brings the first American driver to the program and transitions Herta from IndyCar to the global series.


ESPN Sports Headlines

Tomlin steps down; not expected to coach in '26
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Mike Tomlin has stepped down as Steelers coach, ending a 19-year run in Pittsburgh during which he never had a losing season.

Mavs' Davis won't have surgery; out six weeks
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
After a second opinion with a specialist, Mavericks star Anthony Davis will not require surgery to his injured hand and will be reevaluated in six weeks.

Sources: Mets offer Tucker in $50M AAV ballpark
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker has been offered a short-term deal by the Mets that is believed to be worth $50 million per season, sources told ESPN.

Bryson, Rahm, Smith pledge commitments to LIV
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
LIV Golf League captains Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm said Tuesday that they're not planning to follow Brooks Koepka back to the PGA Tour.

Sources: Oregon TE Sadiq to declare for NFL draft
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Mel Kiper's No. 1-ranked player at the position, will leave the program early to declare for the NFL draft, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Tuesday, after a season in which he caught 51 passes for 560 yards for the Ducks.

Sources: Freeman to stay at ND despite NFL jobs
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Marcus Freeman is expected to remain the head coach at Notre Dame in 2026 despite interest from several NFL teams, sources told ESPN.

Supreme Court takes up transgender athlete cases
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
The Supreme Court got complex arguments and passionate demonstrations as it considered two cases related to transgender athletes.

Ravens owner eyeing new deal for Lamar by March
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti told reporters Tuesday that he's told star quarterback Lamar Jackson he wants a new deal done by the start of free agency in March, one that would significantly lower the two-time NFL MVP's $74.5 million cap number.

? Best of bowl season: Mascots, mayhem, more
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:19:20 EST
Ryan McGee looks back at the wild antics, star turns and emotional times that make the postseason special.

Candidates on Steelers' radar, and what's next for Mike Tomlin: Answering key questions
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:26:43 EST
Who could replace Tomlin, how does this impact Aaron Rodgers and the QB position, and more questions.

Updated NBA mock draft: Projecting who lands at Nos. 1 through 30
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:54:39 EST
Which new names enter Jeremy Woo's updated 2026 NBA mock draft and who slid into the top 30 picks or out of the first round?

Clips to Thunder, Pels to Hawks and more NBA draft assets to watch at the trade deadline
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:54:39 EST
Bobby Marks examines the picks, swaps and protections to watch.

Nine open NFL coaching jobs, nine predicted hires: Who will land in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York?
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:56:27 EST
Could three coaches who were just fired immediately find new NFL teams? With interviews taking place this week, we projected candidates to fill open jobs.

The resurgence of Vance Joseph: How former Broncos head coach has keyed the defense
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:56:26 EST
Joseph's work as a D-coordinator has again made him a hot head coaching candidate.

TGL best moments: Fowler, New York beat Jupiter Links
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:15:40 EST
New York Golf Club pulled off an impressive comeback, beating Jupiter Links Golf Club.

How Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson emerged from nowhere
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:49 EST
The architect of the Hurricane offense began his career grinding for a job at Southeastern Louisiana.

CFP National Title first look: Previewing Miami-Indiana
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:49 EST
How either Miami or Indiana can win the title, plus X factors for both teams.

What would a Russian Olympic hockey team look like in 2026?
Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:40:04 EST
The Games will be missing one of the sport's top countries. Here's what the group could have looked like had it been competing.