Talladega Superspeedway is the next stop for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series with the GEICO 500. From start to finish, the insanity and chaos in store during the race are textbook NASCAR stuff.
As the green flag waved, the action in 'Dega is on. Stage 1 saw BJ McLeod get into the wall from the lead and forced to pit by himself on Lap 40, followed by Denny Hamlin spinning on Lap 44, entering the pits with the other Toyota drivers. As Austin Cindric won Stage 1, Stage 2 saw some bold moves from Shane Van Gisbergen's oval race debut, and with Joey Logano winning Stage 2, the final stage saw chaos with Christopher Bell spinning at the stack-up on Lap 134, followed by Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, and Bubba Wallace got caught in a Lap 157 incident.
Screengrab from NASCAR
As Michael McDowell's final lap incident caused Josh Berry and Corey La Joie caught in a climactic multi-car crash, Tyler Reddick wins the GEICO 500 of the NASCAR Cup Series! A win for 23XI Racing and the new Toyota stock car!
The next race is at Dover Motor Speedway for the Würth 400 this April 28th.
Long Beach shifted into another race weekend frenzy with IndyCar and IMSA. With IMSA's Long Beach campaign done, it's now the turn of IndyCar to make some noise.
As the green flag waved, the IndyCar action in Long Beach was in full swing. However, in Lap 4, Alexander Rossi went to the pits too early due to a left rear issue, probably getting hit by Pato O'Ward. As O'Ward got a drive-through penalty in Lap 10, Lap 15 saw Christian Rasmussen crash, triggering a caution.
As the race restarts in Lap 20, Josef Newgarden's in the lead while Marcus Ericsson and Colton Herta are catching up. Lap 51 saw some pitstop drama for Graham Rahal due to refueling issues, costing his race. With 13 laps to go, as Scott Dixon leads, Newgarden and Herta are hounding on Dixon. With 8 laps to go, Colton Herta made contact with Josef Newgarden from behind.
Screengrab from IndyCar
The intense street racing action in Long Beach ends with Scott Dixon claiming his 57th career win in IndyCar, beating the likes of Colton Herta and Alex Palou.
After Long Beach, Newgarden leads with 87 points, 12 points ahead of Dixon, while Herta is in 3rd with 72 points.
The next race is the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park this April 28th.
Having completed the Asphalt Racers' mission, all Forza Horizon 5 players who took part in the Horizon Race-Off series update earned themselves the keys to the all-new seventh-generation Ford Mustang.
Before getting excited to drive the 7th-gen 'stang, let's get to know more about what's known to be the last true muscle car of the new normal.
The seventh-generation Ford Mustang continues the muscle car's legendary story while being peppered with modern touches to adapt to the "new normal".
Although similarly styled compared to its predecessor, the seventh-generation Mustang features two engine choices such as the 2.3L EcoBoost engine with Modular Power Cylinder, producing 315hp of power and 350lb-ft torque, and the fourth-generation 5.0L Coyote V8 engine that produces 486HP of horsepower and 418lb-ft of torque, not to mention the secret Remote Rev feature that allows you to rev the engine with your remote car key. All engines are mated to either a 10-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox.
While retaining the independent rear suspension and line lock from its predecessor, the seventh-generation Mustang features an updated MagneRide Damping System as well as selectable Electric Power-Assisted Steering with three settings. It even comes with the signature Drift Brake shaped like a conventional handbrake.
With its legendary performance, the seventh-generation Mustang is the last word in American performance. With its competitors gone extinct, this Mustang means forever even until the end of time itself.
The Mustang community has been demanding to have the seventh-generation Mustang featured in the game since it went on sale last year and now that it's here, just in time for the Mustang's 60th anniversary celebration, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the seventh generation Mustang's arrival in the world of Forza.
Although not the first, it's starting to feel at home in the game. It showed potential in Supercars, NASCAR, IMSA, and Formula Drift. Now, it plays a key role in FH5's Horizon Race-Off series update alongside the Ford F-150 Raptor R.
As I'm enjoying the all-new Mustang in the game, two uninvited guests are crashing the Mustang's party.
These uninvited guests are the 1967 Shelby GT500 from the game's Acceleration Car Pack, the classic muscle car popularized from the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds", while the other one is the prize car from the Horizon Race-Off Dry Season playlist, the 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, the one with the supercharged 4.6L Terminator V8 engine with 390hp of power. Both of these snake beaters have been highly demanded by Forza fanatics since the beginning of time.
The all-new Mustang is primed and ready to teach these "snake beaters" a lesson they will never forget in a one-lap time attack around festival grounds. Roll the tape.
And now, the results...
Shelby GT500 '67 - 1m30.073s
Mustang SVT '03 - 1m27.187s
Ford Mustang '24 - 1m19.730s
Looks like Kikay Matsing ate the twin snakes for tea. Snake Eater.
Built for norm-breakers breaking dullness, boredom, and cliche, the all-new seventh-generation Mustang is the wake-up call for those ready to get up and feel the freedom, full send.
With its aggressive, sleek, and chiseled design worthy to be called beautiful, as well as its sound that gets your heart racing, if you have the urge to drive before driving the car itself, it's easy to prove that you have Mustang in your blood. Just cause.
Now that the all-new seventh-generation Ford Mustang and the Ford F-150 Raptor R finally gathered, the real Horizon Race-Off begins. Which one stands tall? Find out soon.
Having proved that being Pro-Offroad is better than being Pro-Asphalt, all Forza Horizon 5 players who took part in the Horizon Race-Off series update earned themselves the keys to the scary fast off-roader, the brand-new Ford F-150 Raptor R.
Before riding shotgun with this scary fast off-roader, let's get to know more about the ultimate F-150.
The Ford F-150 Raptor R is the most powerful production off-road vehicle that Ford has ever manufactured. It has a supercharged 5.2L V8 engine that generates 700 horsepower and 640 foot-pounds of torque. The engine is coupled with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The F-150 Raptor R has a monstrous performance, but that is not all. It comes with 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires that were optional in the standard V6-powered Raptor. It also has Fox Live Valve shocks and recalibrated coil springs to handle the vehicle's monstrous performance.
The Ford F-150 Raptor R is the offroad equivalent of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing from several moments ago. You take something cool but dreary from the start and make it extreme enough to prove its worth. By jamming the cool but dreary F-150 Raptor with the V8 engine from the Mustang GT500, the R transformed the Raptor into an off-road muscle car, making every day like that bad guy from Mad Max said "a lovely day". WHAT A LOVELY DAY!
To prove the F-150 Raptor R's offroad dominance, it's time to take on its pasts in the middle of the Baja Circuit. The ideal scenario to demonstrate its scary-fast offroad capability that boldly goes where no off-roader has gone before.
With three generations of F-150 Raptor lined up and my dietary intake full of sweet and tangy desserts, my own Operation Desert Storm is underway. Let's see how much the F-150 Raptor has evolved from the SVT original to the scary-fast R. Roll the tape.
And now the results...
F-150 SVT Raptor - 1m38.482s
F-150 Raptor - 1m34.561s
F-150 Raptor R - 1m28.655s
Based on my experiment, it will take about ten seconds for the F-150 Raptor to evolve from the original SVT one based on the 12th generation model to the scary fast R based on the 14th generation model.
700 horsepower, 640ft-lb of torque, 37-inch tires, and Fox Live Valve shocks. This is the Ford F-150 Raptor R and it is SCARY FAST.
You're glad to experience something scary fast from the moment you got one for supporting the Offroad Racers' mission in the Horizon Race-Off.
Let's wait for the Asphalt Racers' choice, the all-new seventh-generation Mustang, to make its entrance in a few moments. When the time comes, the real Horizon Race-Off begins.
In the meantime, let's all enjoy Ford's SCARY FAST off-roader like we're in the middle of a Rated R movie.
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Texas Motor Speedway for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400. The ideal race to conclude the week-long Spring Break.
As the green flag waved, the Spring Break-ending NASCAR race is on. The first stage saw fire on the pit road going through Ty Gibbs' pit box, and Jimmie Johnson spinning in turn 4 on Lap 50.
As Kyle Larson won Stage 1, Stage 2 saw a Lap 101 disaster for Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman, and John Hunter Nemechek as they spun on track while Lap 114 saw Carson Hocevar spinning on track, followed by Josh Berry on Lap 121 and got banged to the wall on Lap 137. Michael McDowell spun and crashed in turn 4 on Lap 143.
With Ross Chastain winning Stage 2, the final stage is chaos. Lap 181 saw Nemechek get into the wall while Ryan Blaney spun into the wall, Nemechek into the wall on Lap 229, Reddick to the wall on Lap 246, and Larson wreck on the restart on Lap 260. Two overtimes were triggered.
Screengrab from NASCAR
As Ross Chastain wrecks after contact with Brad Keselowski on the backstretch, Chase Elliott wins the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series!
The next race is at Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500 this April 21st.
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400. A great way to kick off Spring Break with this one.
The Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway kicked off Spring Break racing action with a win by Kyle Larson in Stage 1. Stage 2 saw a loose wheel nut from Christopher Bell's car on Lap 110, which triggered a caution four laps later. Denny Hamlin won Stage 2, and the final stage saw Christopher Bell spin in turn 4, followed by a turn 3 crash by John Hunter Nemechek that triggered an overtime.
Screengrab from NASCAR
It's a full podium sweep for Hendrick Motorsports with Chase Elliott in 3rd, Kyle Larson in 2nd, and the Cook Out 400 winner, William Byron.
The next race is at Texas for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 this April 14.
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Richmond Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400 as drivers celebrate Easter Sunday with speed and a show of force.
As the green flag waved, NASCAR's Easter Sunday race is underway. Stage 1 saw the whole race in caution in Lap 30 as NASCAR deemed the track dry and teams changed to slick tires. After that, Josh Berry sent Daniel Suarez spinning in Lap 64. As Kyle Larson wins Stage 1 under caution, Stage 2 saw numerous drivers taking pit stops, and as Martin Truex Jr. wins Stage 2, the final stage saw an overtime-triggering spin by Kyle Larson.
Screengrab from NASCAR
Denny Hamlin won the Toyota Owners 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series while Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. contact after the finish after MTJ drove him hard on the final hard then bumped the back of Hamlin, unhappy that he ran him up the track on the final restart.
The next race is at Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400 this April 7th.
It's the first NASCAR road course racing of the season as they went to the Circuit of the Americas for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. With former Supercars champion Shane Van Gisbergen and WEC champion Kamui Kobayashi joining in the fun, it became a Palm Sunday race to remember.
As the green flag waved, the Palm Sunday racing action began with Stage 1 saw Harrison Burton spinning off the front of Josh Berry in turn 11 on Lap 2. As Christopher Bell wins Stage 1, Stage 2 saw Josh Berry spinning in turn 11 in Lap 21 followed by Kyle Larson after contact with Christopher Bell a lap later. Lap 24 saw Shane Van Gisbergen penalized for speeding at the pits while Kamui Kobayashi spun a lap later after contact from Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
As Denny Hamlin won Stage 2, the last stage saw Kyle Busch spinning in turn 1 on Lap 41 while Erik Jones got penalized for speeding to the pits on Lap 49, Kamui Kobayashi spun again in turn 11 on Lap 53, and Brad Keselowski on Lap 60. The final lap saw a one-on-one clash between William Byron and Christopher Bell for the win.
Screengrab from NASCAR
After an intense Palm Sunday riot in COTA, William Byron wins the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix of the NASCAR Cup Series!
The next race is at Richmond Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400 this Easter Sunday, March 31st.
This is IndyCar's equivalent of the NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE, the Thermal $1 Million Challenge. As the name implies, the winner gets half the prize while the other half will be donated to the driver's charity of choice.
As Felix Rosenqvist wins Heat 1 and Alex Palou wins Heat 2, the first non-points race in IndyCar history since 2008 has kicked off with 20 laps to decide who will win the $1 million challenge. With no single incident, this race became smooth sailing for Palou and he locked his eyes on the million-dollar prize.
Screengrab from IndyCar
Alex Palou wins the $1 Million Challenge in The Thermal Club. Half of his proceeds will go to the charity of his choice.
The next race is at Long Beach for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this April 21.
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Bristol, Tennessee for the Food City 500 as The Last Great Coliseum roars alive with drivers clashing before the flowers bloom for springtime.
As the green flag waved, the springtime action in Bristol is on. The first stage saw William Byron getting into the wall and breaking the toe link, causing debris and a yellow flag three laps later, not to mention Zane Smith losing a tire. As Ty Gibbs won Stage 1, Stage 2 saw Noah Gragson indicting a safety violation, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. colliding with each other, and a spin by Kyle Busch. With Ty Gibbs winning Stage 2, the final stage saw Noah Gragson tap to the wall, Ross Chastain bumping Ryan Blaney, a loose tire for Blaney, and a flat tire for Carson Hocevar.
Screengrab from NASCAR
Despite severe tire management issues, Denny Hamlin wins the Food City 500 of the NASCAR Cup Series!
The next race is at Circuit of the Americas for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix this Palm Sunday, March 24th.
As the world draws attention to the Oscars, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Phoenix Raceway for the Shriners Children's 500.
As the green flag waved, the action in Phoenix was on. The first stage saw Derek Kraus spinning and collecting Austin Cindric and Austin Dillon in the on-track mess. As Tyler Reddick wins Stage 1, Stage 2 goes to Christopher Bell, and the final stage saw Kyle Busch spinning on the backstretch, Ross Chastain hitting the wall at Turn 4, and a spin by Denny Hamlin to name a few.
Screengrab from NASCAR
Christopher Bell wins the Shriners Children's 500 of the NASCAR Cup Series as a first for the new Toyota stock car!
The next race is at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 this March 17th.
The 2024 NTT IndyCar Series has officially begun on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Josef Newgarden leads the grid as the green flag waved followed by some tight racing at the start until Lap 26 saw Marcus Armstrong crash to the tire wall and become the first to retire.
As the race resumed in Lap 30, Christian Lundgaard was leading while the others behind him were flexing their muscles, trying to outgun themselves.
With the race having 32 laps to go, a collision by Romain Grosjean cost Linus Lundqvist's race, and with 15 laps to go, pitstop issues kicked Grosjean out of the race.
Screengrab from IndyCar
After a thrilling season opener, Josef Newgarden wins the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Pato O'Ward finished 2nd and Scott McLaughlin finished 3rd.
The next race is the Thermal $1 Million Challenge this Palm Sunday, March 24th.
Let's face it. The world's gone mad these days and so has the motoring world, where three superpowers clash for supremacy. America, Europe, and Asia are all locked in for a motoring world war.
Like I said in the past, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Porsche 911, and the Nissan GT-R are the most dominant names in the world of sports cars because of their heritage, performance, and racing pedigree that made them the global superpowers feared and respected the world over.
Here in Forza Horizon 5, I am already familiar with the motoring superpowers in their current state; the C8 Corvette Z06, the GT-R NISMO, and the 992 911 GT3.
The 911 GT3, in its 992 spec, is known for its race-inspired aerodynamics, performance, and the naturally-aspirated 4.0L flat-six engine that begs to be revved. The C8 Corvette Z06, meanwhile, is the Republican's answer to the 911 GT3 because of its naturally aspirated V8 engine, C8.R-inspired dynamics, and sleek aerodynamics. Lastly, the GT-R NISMO is no doubt the king of GT-Rs. Enough said.
To unleash their true worth in performance and dynamics, the three motoring superpowers have been gathered for a summit, a Summit Assault to the top of the caldera. Let's find out which of them is the real superpower here. Roll the tape.
And now the results...
C8 Z06 - 3m.04.101s
GT-R NISMO - 3m06.386s
992 GT3 - 3m03.333s
So, the Germans have won the battle, but the war continues because the motoring superpowers will keep improving and fighting until the endgame. The more you know.
EPILOGUE
Having satisfied with the motoring superpower trio, it's time to reward themselves for all the hard work they've done.
Our 992 911 GT3 had its tensions MAXED with Little Miss Dorothy West plastered over it. I still had the old 911 992 GT3 with Sala in it but for my Dorothy-fied 911 GT3, I've tinkered it to be mated with a 6-speed gearbox. Did you know that the 992 911 GT3 is offered with the choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK?
For the C8 Z06, well, you can't go wrong with it with a dash of Red Flash and Sophy Hojo in it. Fast and sexy, just like the car itself.
The Nissan GT-R NISMO is no doubt one of the most formidable 4WD supercars in ages but for now, it's got Sion Todo's name all over in the spirit of Let's ¡Go! Get it? Let's i-Go! That's Sion's line.
With their respective makeovers done, the legendary trio is setting off to EventLab re-enactments of fictional racetracks from famous racing games in history. Let's roll the tapes.
What a WonderPri World, they said.
Global superpowers are forever known for changing world history with influence, be it for better or worse, and it's the same thing for the world's best sportscars. The Corvette, the 911, and the GT-R fought themselves for true world domination but in the end, it was a stalemate because other global superpowers were trying to prove their worth just like them.
Yes, the United Nations of speed and power ain't really united just like the United Nations itself, and as long as the sources of power remain, the clash for world domination will continue.
