Good morning! The holy grail of racing is finally here… Gear up for the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 for a grand total of over 1,200 miles of racing packed into one glorious day. Let's catch you up on all of the storylines as we head into this legendary weekend!

Motorsports Moneyline

Monaco Driver Odds (provided by BetMGM)

+125 Max Verstappen

+275 Sergio Perez

+400 Charles Leclerc

+600 Fernando Alonso

+2000 Lewis Hamilton

Charlotte Driver Odds (provided by BetMGM)

+400 Kyle Larson

+700 William Byron

+750 Denny Hamlin

+900 Martin Truex Jr.

+900 Chase Elliott

Trending Up 📈

Sergio Perez - Checo is currently second in the driver standings with 105 points, behind his teammate Verstappen. He has won one race this season, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and has finished on the podium four times. He also has a good record at Monaco and street circuits, having scored points in six of his nine appearances at the principality.

Kyle Busch - Busch already has one win this season and has been consistently running in the top 10. He also has a good record at Charlotte Motor Speedway and 1.5 mile tracks, with eight wins and 20 top fives in his career.

Trending Down 📉

Valtteri Bottas - He is currently 13th in the driver standings with only 4 points, after a disappointing start to the season with Alfa Romeo. He has not scored any points since the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he finished fifth. He has previously struggled at Monaco and street circuits, having retired from three of his eight races at Monaco.

Kevin Harvick -Harvick has not won a race since 2021 and has struggled to keep up with the competition in the Next Gen era. He also has a mediocre record at Charlotte and 1.5 mile tracks, with three wins and 11 top fives in his career.

eRacr's AI Generated Fantasy Lineup

Based on current trends and previous race statistics here is the ideal lineup for your NASCAR Fantasy team heading into Charlotte:

1. Kyle Larson

2. Denny Hamlin

3. Ryan Blaney

4. Chase Elliott

5. Brad Keselowski

Garage: Ross Chastain

F1

Aston Martin Says Hello to Honda

🏎️ Aston Martin and Honda are taking the pole position together, with a new works partnership commencing in the 2026 F1 season.

🔌 As the F1 circuit shifts towards sustainability, this pairing heralds a new era of racing. Honda CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, lays down the strategy: "With the new 2026 regulations, the key for winning will be a compact, lightweight, and high-power electric motor...as well as the energy management technology."

🔝 Honda's motorsport success is a legacy, and Aston Martin is ready to drive it forward. Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll declares: "Honda is a global titan and its success in motorsport is longstanding and incredibly impressive.”

🔀 All this means it's time to wave the checkered flag for Aston Martin's long-standing partnership with Mercedes. The transition period will continue until the end of 2025.

So, gear up, because Aston Martin and Honda are bringing a high-voltage future to the F1 track. 🏆

Caution Clarifications

Safety first 🏁 FIA has hit the brakes 🚦 on fast racing during double waved yellow flags at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. Following consultation with drivers and teams, the previously vague requirement to 'reduce speed significantly' now has a maximum speed limit🚀. This shift aims to protect trackside officials tending to incidents and increases race safety. Tim Goss, FIA Technical Director, clarified, "We want to provide drivers with a tool to help them during incidents...so we are introducing a dedicated reference speed limit." 🏎️ Further, drivers will receive audible alerts and dashboard messages when entering flagged zones. 🎧 Small step, but a significant stride in F1 safety.

More F1

🎨 McLaren to sport a special livery inspired by Monaco’s Triple Crown at the Grand Prix 

🌱 Mercedes aims to reduce emissions by using sustainable aviation fuel for European races 

NASCAR

Bowman’s Back

Alex Bowman is set to make a comeback at the Coke 600 in Charlotte, driving the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 🚗. He had been out of action for a month due to a compression fracture from a sprint car crash in Iowa 🤕. Bowman's recovery kept him out of three races and the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro. Team owner Rick Hendrick praised his team's performance and believes Bowman can continue his championship-worthy season 💪. During his absence, Josh Berry filled in admirably with solid finishes. Bowman's medical waiver keeps him eligible for the playoffs, sitting just outside the cutoff by five points 🎯.

What’s Next for North Wilkesboro?

🏁 Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina is back in action after hosting NASCAR races for the first time since 1996. With the reopening success, Speedway Motorsports president Marcus Smith believes the track has "a lot of potential" and is considering its place in the 2024 NASCAR schedule. The track's smooth logistics and electrifying atmosphere have raised expectations for its future. Kyle Larson, the weekend's winner, supports a return, stating, "I think NASCAR has a lot of roots here, so it deserves a spot on our schedule." The decisions about the track's future are crucial not just for NASCAR fans, but also for the local community and businesses. 🏎️💨

🌟 Reopening Triumph: After overcoming challenges and securing $18 million in government funds, North Wilkesboro Speedway successfully hosted NASCAR races for the first time in decades.

👀 The Next Move: Speedway Motorsports is already in talks with NASCAR for the 2024 schedules, indicating the urgency to capitalize on the track's potential.

🤔 A Special Place: Marcus Smith envisions North Wilkesboro as a vital venue for short track racing, with opportunities for both special and points events.

💡 The Verdict: The decision on North Wilkesboro's future is imminent, with stakeholders recognizing its importance to NASCAR and the local community.More NASCAR

More NASCAR

🆕 NASCAR teams get access to updated Next Gen car at Charlotte 

IndyCar

Rahal Rejoins the Grid

🏎️🔄 Graham Rahal has landed the driver's seat for Sunday's 107th Indy 500, replacing injured Stefan Wilson. Wilson, diagnosed with "a fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebrae" after a practice crash, has left Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) turning to Rahal for a late save. 🏥➡️🚦

Dennis Reinbold, DRR team owner, remarked, "Stefan put so much effort into this race that it is just heartbreaking... However, we are announcing that Graham Rahal will now drive the No. 24 car this Sunday." 🗣️🚗💨

Stepping up, Rahal, who has previously clinched 3rd place in 2011 and 2020, will start his 16th consecutive Indianapolis from 15th position. 🥉🔄🚥

Tony’s Last Ride

Tony Kanaan, veteran IndyCar driver, is gearing up for his 22nd and final Indy 500 with Arrow McLaren, and it's set to be quite a show. The 48-year-old is leaving no room for doubt – it's 🚀 "all or nothing" 🎯 for him this Sunday. He'll kick off the 107th Indy 500 in eighth place.

In the midst of the adrenaline rush, Kanaan had a playful wager with his engineers 🎲 – he would return to the garage in his Speedos if he made it to the second day of qualifying runs (Spoiler: he did, and he did). His parting words? 🗣️ "At the end of the day, if something bad happens, Zak [Brown, McLaren Racing boss] cannot fire me because I'm done anyways." So sit tight folks, it's gonna be a wild ride! 🍿🏁

More IndyCar

🏆 How Ericsson and his engineer Goldberg achieved their first Indy 500 victory with Ganassi 

GLOBAL MOTORSPORT

Take a trip to far away motorsport lands

🚗 GT Open gears up for a thrilling 3-hour race at Spa with a record-breaking grid 

🏁 Hyundai hires former Williams F1 technical director as new WRC boss

🦁 Sordo to tackle the iconic Safari Rally Kenya as part of his WRC programme

🏍️ Webb recovers from injury and returns to racing in Pala motocross round 1

🚘 Inside Mazda MX-5 Cup: How drivers find and seize opportunities on track

🇳🇿 Supercars receives positive feedback from Taupo circuit visit

The Money Lap Podcast

Episode 4 is out NOW! In this episode, they share their personal stories and opinions on everything from Parker’s failure to qualify at North Wilkesboro to Kyle Larson’s dominance at the All-Star Race. They also talk about the latest happenings in F1, Indycar, NASCAR, and more, such as Mercedes’ corporate village, Honda’s comeback to F1, and a revival of a motorsports series that mimics the World Cup. They also debate some controversial topics, such as the state of short track cup racing, the reality of NextGen car, and the short track fight between spotters and drivers at Hickory.

Watch and Listen Now

Watch on Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcast

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Standings

Memes

ONBOARD OF THE DAY

Jos Verstappen Monaco 2001 Onboard

Hop on board as we take you inside Jos Verstappen's Arrows-Asiatech during a practice session for the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix at the legendary Circuit de Monaco.

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