On Sunday, we just watched the best short track race ever with the Next Gen car (with the possible exception of the chaotic spring Bristol race). Goodyear’s new, softer tire compound did the job it was supposed to do, which is good news looking ahead to the 2025 short track races.

But we’re not talking about the race. And we’re not talking about the brilliant drive that Ryan Blaney put together to race to the win late and claim a spot in the Final Four at Phoenix by claiming the checkered flag at the beloved paper-clip track.

Instead, we’re talking about shenanigans. Shenanigans of the sort that make the sport look downright foolish. The only thing worse than team orders is manufacturers' orders, and that’s what reared its ugly head in the extreme on Sunday.

For the third year in a row, Chevrolet has won the manufacturer’s title in the Indycar Series.

It’s the ninth time Chevrolet has captured the honor wince returning to the series in 2012.

“This is a proud moment for everyone at Chevrolet. The effort by GM Motorsports competition engineering and Propulsion engineers, along with our partners at Ilmor, to deliver power and reliability in the Chevy 2.2 liter V6 INDYCAR engine has been outstanding,” said Mark Reuss, GM President.

“This Championship is truly a combined effort and could not have been accomplished without the teamwork, preparation, and execution of the five Chevrolet teams: Team Penske, Arrow McLaren, Ed Carpenter Racing, AJ Foyt Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing. Congratulations to our teams and drivers, and thank you to INDYCAR for providing an incredibly competitive series.”

In the 13 seasons of the Chevrolet 2.2-liter V6 twin turbocharged INDYCAR engine, Team Chevy drivers have amassed 122 wins of the 215 races to date – an impressive 56.7%. Six of those wins have been in the Indianapolis 500.

Chevy teams contributing toward the title include: Team Penske (drivers Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin); Ed Carpenter Racing (drivers Rinus VeeKay, Christian Rasmussen and Ed Carpenter); Arrow McLaren (drivers Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, Callum Illot, Theo Pourchaire and Nolan Siegel); AJ Foyt Racing (drivers Santino Ferrucci and Sting Ray Robb); and Juncos Hollinger Racing (drivers Romain Grosjean, Agustin Canapino, and Conor Daly).

In addition to the nine Manufacturer Championships, Chevrolet has won seven driver championships with Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Power (2014 and 2022), Scott Dixon (2015), Simon Pagenaud (2016) and Newgarden (2017 and 2019).

The Chevrolet 2.2-liter V6 engine powered drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan (2013), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015) Will Power (2018), Simon Pagenaud (2019) and Josef Newgarden (2023 and 2024).

Previously, Chevrolet competed in Indy-style racing as a manufacturer of V8 engines from 1986-93 and 2002-05, powering 111 wins, one manufacturer championship in 2002, seven Indianapolis 500 wins and six driver championships.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. 

Many talk about it, but few give it. 

It’s the reality of racing today. Even those who preach respect often go and wreck people themselves (see: Denny Hamlin punting JJ Yeley at Richmond)

Kyle Busch says no one races with respect anymore, but he’s been known to punt his competition when necessary. Ditto for Kevin Harvick, another veteran.

The young drivers may be a big more brash than the veterans at times, but let’s be honest, nobody is innocent in this regard. It’s a byproduct of the way the sport is set up today.

For the first time since June 2000, the ARCA Menards Series platform will race at the tight, banked quarter-mile Flat Rock Speedway when the ARCA Menards Series East takes to the track on May 20, 2023. 

The ARCA Menards Series raced at the track, affectionately known as The Level Pebble, 56 times from 1953 through 2000. The track’s first races were a pair of 250-lap events, run on the same day, both won by JulianPetty, his only two series victories. Other winners at Flat Rock Speedway over the years include Bob Hunter, Bill Lutz, Les Snow, Iggy Katona, Bobby Watson, Andy Hampton, Ramo Stott, Ron Hutcherson, A. Arnold, Moose Myers, Bill Green, Bill Kimmel, Jim Cushman, Marvin Smith, Bob Dotter, Lee Raymond, Bobby Jacks, Bill Venturini, Ed Hage, Bob Keselowski, Tracy Leslie, Dave Weltmeyer, Grant Adcox, Bobby Bowsher, Harold Fair, Jeremy Mayfield, Gary Bradberry, Andy Hillenburg, Joe Ruttman, Tim Steele, Frank Kimmel, and Bill Baird. Kimmel won the final race in 2000. 

Brittany Force put a big Bowtie stamp on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season in the Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Force, driving the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, earned her second Top Fuel world championship in the season finale at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona to become the fourth female in NHRA professional ranks to win multiple titles. 

"I want people to remember this day here in Pomona with this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team -- David Grubnic, Mac Savage, every single one of my guys," said Force, who also joined three-time champion Shirley Muldowney as the only female multiple titleholders in Top Fuel. "We have been working all season long, we never gave up, and then we struggled in the Countdown and we recovered when we needed to in Vegas and win it here today in Pomona.

“I have to thank every single one of my guys and our sponsors. We wouldn't be here without them today, and I'm just so proud of everybody. It just seems surreal right now. I can't believe it ended up this way.”

Cadillac has revealed the Project GTP Hypercar that previews the luxury brand’s third-generation prototype race car.

In 2023, Cadillac will contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“The Project GTP Hypercar is a unique convergence of form and function and showcases Cadillac’s future performance aesthetic,” said Chris Mikalauskas, lead exterior creative designer, Cadillac. “We have plenty more to come, from the upcoming race car to amazing production vehicles.”

Since 2017, Cadillac has been competing at the forefront of American sports car racing in the IMSA manufacturers championship achieving numerous wins, podiums and championships in the Cadillac DPi-V.R. 

“Competing for the overall win at Le Mans with an iconic American brand like Cadillac is an honor,” said Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM sports car racing program manager. “The entire team is excited to continue building Cadillac’s racing legacy by competing against the very best internationally and in the world's toughest race.”