Carl Bennett secured his first Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.) win in the season-opening race at NOLA Motorsports Park on Saturday afternoon. Kicking off his second season in F4 U.S., the result marked Bennett’s first-career podium finish in the series.  

“This is my first win with formula cars, and that was just amazing,” said Bennett from the podium. “That was quite the battle that I had on the last lap. I’m still a little breathless right now. Just an amazing day.”  

Michael Costello (No. 19 Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil / LHP Ligier JS F4) left the starting grid from the first position, but an incident on first lap relegated him to the seventh position by the time the field came back around to complete lap 1. Meanwhile, Daniel Cara (No. 10 Tenuta Foppa & AmbrosiLigier JS F4) rolled off from the seventh position, but he quickly climbed his way up to second with a strong start off the line. By lap 3, Cara took over the lead and paced the field for three laps before contact and a spin in Turn 2 took him out of contention. 

Through all of the chaos, Bennett drove a steady race in his No. 9 Gonella Racing Ligier JS F4. After starting third, the driver climbed to second by the third lap, before passing Frankie Mossman (No. 6 JHDD / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil / LHP Ligier JS F4) on a restart to overtake the lead on lap 9. With pressure from both Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) in second and Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) in third, Bennett continued to hit his marks to lead the trio across the finish line. 

READ MORE: Race 1 Official Results

F4 U.S. returns to the track tomorrow for Race 2 at 9:05 a.m. CT, followed by Race 3 at 1:50 p.m. CT. Follow the championship on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or use Race Monitor to follow live timing and scoring. This weekend’s races are streaming free at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV.

WATCH THE STREAM: F4 U.S. Race 1 at NOLA

Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) kicked off his 2023 Progressive American Flat Track championship campaign in near-perfect fashion, completing the second half of the season-opening double win with another sensational ride in Saturday night’s DAYTONA Short Track II presented by Daytona Dodge at the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Daniels was already a legitimate title contender as a rookie a year ago. Early indications suggest he’s that much stronger now with a year’s Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle experience under his belt.

The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace got away off the line in third, running in close quarters behind early leader Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), with Thursday runner-up Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) right in his tracks.

Robinson made an early exit from the fight for the win, getting into the airfence and losing several positions in the process. Daniels slipped up the inside of Mees a little less than three minutes into the ten-minute-plus-two-lap Main to take over second, just as Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) closed in to make it four-rider fight at the front again.

Daniels then spent the next four minutes stalking Vanderkooi, looking up the inside and around outside, while generally applying the sort of pressure that might just open a door straight through. He finally found the gap he was looking for with 3:30 minutes remaining on the clock, striking up the inside as the leaders encountered a wave of lapped riders.

Daniels met little resistance once into the lead, stretching out an advantage that finalized as a 2.069-second margin of victory in the end.

“It was tough – Jarod was running a really good race,” Daniels said. “He was being patient – he was really easy on the throttle and wasn’t making any mistakes. I had to search. I wanted to sit there for a little bit. After I got off the line, I was all right with where I was, and I was paying attention to everything. I wanted to stalk him for a while, but then it was time to go.

“A double at Daytona is crazy. It’s unbelievable. A big thanks to the whole Estenson Monster Energy Yamaha team. We had a great year last year, and to start off the year with two wins in Daytona is insane.”

Shortly after Daniels took over the lead, Fisher slashed his way past Mees to complete the “new guard” podium line-up in third, joining winner Daniels and second-placed Vanderkooi.

Reigning champ Mees came away with his second fourth of the double-opener – a marked upgrade over how his prospects may have looked earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), logged a second fifth.

Robinson recovered well enough from his early drama to finish in sixth, one spot ahead of Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke), who was forced to claw his way up to seventh from outside the top ten.

Four-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07), privateer Kayl Kolkman (No 98 B&L Plumbing/Rod Lake Yamaha MT-07), and Royal Enfield factory man Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) completed the top ten.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) doubled up in Daytona, delivering a second dose of domination on Saturday night.

Clearly in a class of his own at the venue, Kopp pulled off another sweep, repeating his Thursday trick of topping practice, qualifying, his Heat, the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge, and most importantly, the Main Event.

Kopp successfully weaved his way through the opening lap chaos to secure the lead three turns into the race. And while Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) did everything in his power to cling onto Kopp’s rear wheel, a little more than a minute in, the race for victory was effectively over.

Kopp ultimately worked his advantage up to over five seconds before taking a drama-free checkered flag.

“It’s just two for 18,” Kopp said. “We’ve got 16 more rounds, so there’s a lot more work to do. You can’t judge a season off two races at a track that really suits my style. I grew up riding a lot of indoors in the Pacific Northwest, and this was kinda like that. Thanks to my whole Red Bull KTM crew – this is a dream way to start the season for sure.”

After losing touch with the leader, Saathoff was gradually reeled in by ‘22 championship runner-up Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), who first had to fight his way past Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F) to slide into third.

Gauthier and Saathoff then swapped the second spot back and forth, squaring one another up in quick succession before the charging Gauthier finally stole the position away for good.

Saathoff held on for the final spot on the box by a scant 0.084 seconds despite having to fend off a late challenge from new Turner Honda teammate Lowe.

Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), battled past the impressive Jones to complete the top five.

Next Up:

The world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series makes its first-ever trip to Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, for the inaugural Yamaha Senoia Short Track on Saturday, March 25. Visit https://www.tixr.com/promoters/americanflattrack to secure your tickets today.

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.

FOX Sports coverage, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 from the DAYTONA Short Track I on March 18 at 10:30 a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. PT) and DAYTONA Short Track II on March 19 at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Motor racing great Emerson Fittipaldi gave his thoughts to VegasInsider on Nico Hulkenberg's return to F1, calling him an underestimated driver. He also talked about how Mick Schumacher can learn a lot as Mercedes' reserve driver.

• Nico Hulkenberg is a fast, aggresive and underestimated driver - good to see him back in F1
  
  

  “I met Nico in the first year of A1. He was in Team Germany. He was extremely fast, a very impressive driver. He had some opportunities in F1 and it's great to see him again."

  "He will be very fast. He's an aggressive driver, fast driver. I look forward to seeing Haas with Kevin (Magnussen) and Nico. Kevin is another very good driver."

  "In my opinion, Hulkenberg is a fast, aggressive and determined driver."

  "I also feel in the last 10 years, he's been an underestimated driver."

• It's a shame Haas did not replace Mick Schumacher with Pietro Fittipaldi but they needed someone with experience
  
  

  "It's a shame they didn't get Pietro. I was expecting Pietro to replace Mick."

  "But the team needed someone experienced."

• Mick Schumacher could be Mercedes' future if Hamilton leaves - anything can happen
  
  

  “Mick is going to be in one of the best teams. Anything can happen and I think he can perform, for sure.” 

  “They are looking for the future as well because no one knows how many years Lewis Hamilton will continue. Even he doesn’t know yet.”

  “But it's going to be good for him to be in that team.”

You can find the full interview here. The interview is in German.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix will be the most expensive GP to attend this season, a new study reveals.

The study, conducted by online casinos comparison service KingCasinoBonus.uk, analysed the average price of weekend tickets for each of the upcoming Grand Prix for the 2023 Championship, as well as the average cost of accommodation in the same area to discover how much it costs to attend each race and reveal the most expensive of them all.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which will take place from the 16^th to 18^th November 2023 ranks first, with a total average cost of £5,849 for the weekend.

Tickets range from £413 for a 3-day general admission to a whopping £9,922 for the “F1 Experiences Champions Club 3-Day Package” making the average cost for entrance £5,167.50. Similarly, the cheapest accommodation cost for a weekend in Las Vegas is £124 for a hostel bed, while the most expensive, a 4 or 5-star hotel for three nights, will cost £1,240, for an average of £682.  

Second on the list is the Miami Grand Prix from May 5^th to May 7^th, 2023, with a total average cost of £3,817.50 for the whole weekend. As general admission tickets for the event are around £488 while Champions Club 3-day packages are £5,786, the average entry will be around £3,317. Accommodation wise, a hostel bed in Miami is £124, while a 4-star hotel in Miami Beach is around £1,237, for an average of £680.50.

The United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which will take place from the 20^th to the 22^nd of October is third, with a total average cost of £3,064. This is the average cost for entry tickets which go from £392 to £4,546, for an average of £2,469, and the cost of accommodation in the city for the weekend, from ranges from £198 to £992, for an average of £595.

Further down on the list, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku comes in fourth with a total average cost of £3,064 for the weekend. The lowest ticket price available is £132, while the most expensive is around £4,878, for an average of £2,505. At the same time, average budget cost for accommodation is only £74, while a 4-star trackside hotel will cost £495 for three nights, for an average of £371.

The top five closes with the Saudi Arabian GP which will take place from the 17^th to the 19^th of March in Jeddah, with the average cost for the weekend amounting to £2,716.50. General entry tickets are £124, while the most expensive tickets are £4,567, for an average of £2,345.5. Moreover, the cheapest accommodation in Jeddah costs around £123, while the most expensive is around £619, for an average of £371.

A spokesperson for KingCasinoBonus.uk commented on the findings: “It is interesting to see how out of all 23 Grand Prixes that will take place this year, the top three most expensive ones are those set to be in the United States.”

“This might be due to the high concentration of VIP guests that every year attend these events, such as actors, musicians and athletes, as well as the popularity that the sport is increasingly obtaining in North America.”

As Extreme E Season 3 draws ever closer, the championship is delighted to reveal an exciting new racing format for 2023 – ultimately showcasing double the racing action with no additional carbon footprint.

Each X Prix will now be a doubleheader and play host to back-to-back rounds across the weekend. This means double the opportunity for wins, podiums and crucial points across the ten race calendar over the course of the campaign, crucially without adding any additional carbon footprint, in line with the series’ goals to keep carbon footprint to a minimum.

Likened to ‘Star Wars Pod Racing meets Dakar Rally’, the series devised an innovative format unlike any other for Seasons 1 and 2, delivering some breath-taking competition. Season 3 sees the championship take things even further, with an all-new format designed to bring even more wheel-to-wheel racing out on the course.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO at Extreme E, said: “Since launching Extreme E, we have worked hard to improve the level of racing out on course to ensure it is thrilling to watch with plenty of action.

“This new sporting format goes even further to deliver that, with now double the amount of racing action on some of the toughest courses in the world, leaving zero additional impact on the planet.

“To have a ten-race championship in Extreme E is a tantalising prospect for everyone on board and we believe the increased number of races will only enhance our series. We cannot wait for our opening races of the campaign in NEOM to get our biggest season yet underway for 2023.”

Season 3 will feature the pressure of five-car races in both Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2. Qualifying Round 1 and Qualifying Round 2 will now both consist of two heats, five cars each. This means four wheel-to-wheel races will determine who comes out on top in what promises to be a nail-biting contest.

Intermediate Classification Points are awarded for Q1 and Q2, with a single Championship point awarded to the winners of each Heat – something that could prove crucial in the closing stages of the season.

This will be followed by the Grand Final, starring the top five teams from Qualifying, with the winner taking the top step of the podium. The remaining five teams will battle it out in Redemption Race, where all important Championship points are still at stake.

The excitement doesn’t stop there, with the doubleheader element, the above format will take place on both Saturday and Sunday, meaning two winners will be crowned at each race weekend.

 James Taylor, Chief Championship Officer at Extreme E, added: “We’ve continuously improved the racing spectacle since launching Extreme E, but for Season 3 we wanted to create something spectacular and we feel this new sporting format achieves that.

“At each round, there will be double the opportunity for points and podiums - meaning a lot more to play for at each race weekend, while drivers and teams will have to navigate that racing tightrope of risk and reward to ensure they achieve the maximum result.

“Having a ten race championship should really close up those standings as the season progresses, meaning a thrilling Extreme E campaign should be in store for 2023 and we cannot wait for it to begin.”

Distances for each X Prix course and the number of laps will vary depending on the characteristics of the location, such as the terrain and the environmental conditions. What remains consistent is a driver changeover in the ‘Switch Zone’, taking place at the halfway point.

GridPlay will also be returning in Season 3, with grid positions for The Grand Final determined through the fan voting process. The teams that do not make it to The Grand Final must ‘gift’ their votes to their preferred team on The Grand Final grid. Grid position for the Redemption Race will be defined by the Intermediate Classification results, with the team that finished 6^th choosing grid position first, followed by the team that finished 7^th, and so on.

The Continental Traction Challenge will be returning in 2023 and will be crucial to the overall points total once again. The team that sets the fastest time, a combination of both the male and female drivers’ fastest times, through the allocated sector will win the Continental Traction Challenge and earn two championship points. This will run for each of the individual race days on Saturday and Sunday.

If any teams are tied in the Qualifying standings, their positioning will be determined by their time in the Continental Traction Challenge - the team with the quicker run through the allocated sector during Qualifying will receive the higher overall position.

An ‘ENOWA Hyperdrive’ boost will also be available to all drivers in the race. Activated when the driver presses a button on their steering wheel, they will enjoy an increase in power for a fixed amount of time – the timing for this will be a key decision.

With only weeks to go until the opening X Prix of the campaign, Extreme E Season 3 is all set to be another spectacular campaign.

To learn more about Extreme E, visit - www.Extreme-E.com

​

CrowdStrike Racing is preparing for another full calendar of competition in SRO Motorsports America with entries across multiple series throughout 2023.

The multi-faceted program is an extension of CrowdStrike’s commitment as a provider and sponsor for SRO America, a role the company has held since 2018. As the Official Internet Security and Cloud Security Provider, CrowdStrike is on the front line in protecting SRO’s global data and preventing breaches through the industry-leading, cloud-native CrowdStrike Falcon platform..

The relationship also allows CrowdStrike to showcase its industry-leading experiential programs for VIPs and guests at various SRO race events, including the 2023 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – the most prestigious GT race in the world for SRO competitors. The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is the first race of a multi-year partnership, highlighted by CrowdStrike taking over title sponsorship of the event.

The CrowdStrike at-track hospitality experience includes the unique CXO Summit, which provides guests the opportunity to hear from CrowdStrike leadership on important topics and significant trends within the cybersecurity industry. Trackside hospitality, race team meet-and-greets, garage visits, hot laps and chances to participate in opening and podium ceremonies are among the offerings to VIPs and guests.

In SRO America, the CrowdStrike Racing by Riley program will kick off on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, as George Kurtz returns to competition in GT America Powered by AWS. The defending GT America champion, Kurtz won 10 races in 2022 behind the wheel of the No. 04 CrowdStrike Mercedes AMG GT3 – including one of the two rounds at St. Petersburg – to take his first SRO America championship since 2017.

The combination of Kurtz, plus CrowdStrike Racing by Riley will contend again in a strong class that will feature nearly 30 entries – a mix of GT3, GT4 and GT2 machinery.

The event on the 11-turn, 1.8-mile St. Petersburg street circuit will serve as a precursor to the start of the season for Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS. Kurtz and Colin Braun will return to a stacked field of GT3 entries in their familiar No. 04 CrowdStrike/AWS Mercedes AMG – also fielded by CrowdStrike Racing by Riley.

“I’m looking forward to our team building on our strong 2022 performance,” Kurtz said. “We have great chemistry within CrowdStrike Racing by Riley that puts us in an optimal position for success. I am also thrilled to continue with Colin and Mercedes-AMG for another year and reach new milestones in our career together.”

The Kurtz/Braun pairing won three times in Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS during 2022 and were championship leaders for most of the season. The coming year will be their sixth year as a driving duo, who have eight wins together for all the Mercedes AMG GT3.

“It’s great to be back with CrowdStrike Racing by Riley for the 2023 SRO America season and driving alongside George once again,” Braun said. “People are recognizing George’s ability, but I have known this since our early days working together. To see his hard work and dedication culminate into a 2022 GT America championship was amazing. I’m looking forward to kicking off the season at Sonoma with the entire CrowdStrike team as we look to improve upon 2022 and contend for a championship.”

CrowdStrike Racing by Riley starts its season in SRO America with the first two rounds of the single-driver sprint series, GT America Powered by AWS taking place on March 3-4 from the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Street Circuit in Florida.

For more information, visit CrowdStrikeRacing.com. Follow #CrowdStrikeRacing on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for updates.

 McLaren Racing today announced a multi-year extension to its long-standing partnership with Lucas Oil, continuing as an Official Partner of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Lucas Oil is an Indianapolis-based manufacturer and distributor of high-performance automotive oils and additives. It has been a partner of the Arrow McLaren team for nearly 20 years, starting its relationship with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2004.

With the season opener, 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 3-5, Lucas Oil branding will continue to be represented on all three Arrow McLaren Chevrolets, and on the driver suits of Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and beyond.

Matt Dennington, Executive Director, Partnerships and Accelerator, McLaren Racing, said:

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Lucas Oil, a long-standing partner that has been with the team for nearly two decades. Through growth and changes, their support has been integral for our team. We look forward to continuing our journey as we scale up Arrow McLaren’s presence to a three-car entry into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”

Sam Schmidt, Team Owner, Arrow McLaren, said:

“Lucas Oil has been a champion of our team for nearly 20 years and through many team changes. The relationship with Lucas Oil has been incredibly important for the team; they've been an Indy 500 partner for us every year since 2004. A partnership of this length is certainly special, and to think back on how it’s evolved over the years is a testament to their support and the quality we place on the partnerships we have as a team.”

Brandon Bernstein, Director of Partnership Marketing, said:

“For nearly two decades, the Arrow McLaren team has relied on our products to perform at the very highest levels of INDYCAR racing, and it’s an honor to extend our partnership as they expand their operation with a third entry for the upcoming season. Lucas Oil’s commitment to supplying the very best oils and additives to its race teams is why our relationship with Arrow McLaren has been so successful, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to continue this for the 2023 season and beyond.”