Motorsport weekly wrap: Belgium returns to F1 Sprint calendar; McLaughlin, Power secure wins in Iowa double-header

This weekend (July 13-14), Ryan Blaney secured his spot for the Cup series playoffs after winning at the Pocono Highway in Pennsylvania with all three Team Penske drivers locked in the 16-driver showdown. Scott McLaughlin and Will Power were victorious with a top-place finish each in the Iowa double-header. The Formula contingent had a weekend off after the triple header while F1 announced its 2025 sprint calendar.

NASCAR: Blaney qualifies for playoffs with win at Pocono Highway

Defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney finished atop the podium at the Pocono Highway in Pennsylvania to take his second win of the season. He held off Denny Hamlin, the most successful driver at this track with seven wins, by 1.312 seconds to move up to fifth place in the championship standings and qualify for the playoffs.

Blaney looked like he would struggle with fuel levels when he chose to take his final pit stop of the race before the last stage – on Lap 117 of 160. He came off the pit road second after the stop but got the lead when Kyle Larson – who was ahead – was among four drivers penalised for speeding. Three cautions in the final 40 laps meant Blaney could save plenty of fuel towards the ending stage.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wabash Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway at Pocono Raceway.
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With 15 laps remaining, Blaney fought off Alex Bowman who was eventually passed by second-place Hamlin to round up the top three. The 30-year-old is one of five drivers with multiple victories this season thanks to his first win of the year at Iowa Speedway. Team Penske has won the last seven races and all three of its drivers — Austin Cindric, Joey Logano and Blaney — have made it into the 16-driver playoff field.

IndyCar: McLaughlin, Power with a win each in Iowa double-header

Scott McLaughlin won a chaotic opening race of IndyCar’s double-header at Iowa Speedway after starting second on the grid. The Team Penske driver took advantage of a quick pitstop to jump into the lead and secure his second of the season and first-ever on an oval track. He held off Pato O’Ward by a meagre 0.4814 seconds to win at the 0.894-mile oval.

Will Power charged from behind the pack and made a spectacular comeback to finish first in Race 2. After starting 22nd in the Team Penske Chevrolet, Power benefitted from an overcut pit strategy and grabbed the lead on the second pit stop. He edged Alex Palou by merely two-tenths of a second for his 43rd career win. 

With his second victory of the season, Power moved into second in the championship, 35 points behind leader Palou with only a couple of races left in the calendar.  

F1: Sprint calendar announced for 2025 season; Belgium replaces Austria

Formula One announced the Sprint races for 2025, continuing with the format for the fifth season since its debut in 2021. For the third year in a row, the 24-event F1 schedule will feature six sprint events. 

The American sprint races – in Miami and Austin – will remain on the calendar. Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps track, which last hosted a sprint race in 2023, is set to join the 2025 venues, replacing Austria’s Spielberg. 

The other three races for 2025 will take place in Brazil, China, and Qatar. Changes, if any, made to the format are yet to be announced with the sprint races expected to continue on Saturdays, ahead of qualifying for the main race.