The weekend was set from Friday afternoon with tons of great racing around the world. Let’s look at my top five takeaways.

First, Corey Heim and Layne Riggs must be promoted after this season. Heim’s talent level is above that of his peers in the truck series. He’s Toyota’s future star. He has run well in his limited cup starts this season. I feel he needs to be in the Cup Series for 2026. Riggs has run well this season. Although he hasn’t matched Heim in wins, he’s proven to be Heim’s top competitor. Ford needs to bump Riggs up to the Xfinity Series and see what happens.

Second, it’s time for Max Verstappen to leave Red Bull. The team is going downhill fast. It’s rumored that Mercedes has a high interest in Verstappen; if true, I believe he should take the deal. Aston Martin is another option, as Verstappen’s GT team won its class in its debut at Spa, with the car being an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. Mercedes’ 2026 power unit paired with Verstappen would be a dominant force.

Third, NASCAR’s in-season bracket was a sham. They promoted $1,000,000 for anyone who predicted the perfect bracket. Zero perfect brackets remain after round one. If they want fans to care next season, they can’t put Atlanta as the first race. 

Fourth, thank goodness, a playoff-caliber driver won the chaotic Atlanta race. Nervousness set in once the big one happened. The stage was set for another wasted playoff spot. Chase Elliott won and erased those fears. The driver currently second in points snaps a long losing streak.

Fifth, Gabriel Bortoleto scored points in Austria. Every driver who’s run the full schedule has now scored points in F1 this season. This shows the talent level of the 2025 F1 grid.