NASCAR

Jewel sang the National Anthem at the Indy 500 this weekend, but there's no consensus for it online ... folks either thought it was the greatest thing ever or straight dog poo.

The singer was tapped as the talent to lead everyone while crooning the "Star Spangled Banner," which she did to kick off the festivities in Indianapolis ... except, she had a very unique take on the classic tune -- and it doesn't sound like everyone enjoyed it.

Check it out for yourself ... Jewel was strumming the guitar and pretty much rearranged the entire song, belting out a slower, more soulful take that had some country twang embedded.

Like we said, it was very ... different. You could argue it was in the same vein as Fergie -- or, on the flip side, maybe Marvin Gaye. Depending on how you interpret it will probably decide which camp you fall in -- as the reactions to Jewel's rendition were very love/hate.

One wrote, "Jewel butchered the national anthem at the Indy 500. People were trying to sing along but couldn't because of the way she sang it. What a shame." Another shared a similar sentiment ... "jewel’s national anthem for indy 500 might be the worst anthem rendition to date." There are tons of other responses like this ... likening it to Roseanne.

Of course, there were just as many who liked it ... with one person praising it mightily, writing ... "Jewel just did the best national anthem I’ve ever heard in my life I’m not exaggerating."

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Jewel's iteration definitely didn't follow the traditional structure of the Nat'l Anthem, but that's kinda what you want from these ... right? Anybody can come out and belt put the "SSB" right on cue, but that's been done a ton.

Bottom line ... Jewel took a risk and tried something new, and considering how much chatter it's spurred -- you could argue she succeeded. IndyCar Series wants eyeballs on their product, and it sounds like they achieved that with Jewel.

New England Patriots player Ty Montgomery is providing a life-changing opportunity to a group of former foster kids this summer ... sending them to Israel for what is being described as a "transformative experience."

TMZ Sports is told -- the wide receiver will send 11 foster care alumni to the Holy Land for a 10-day Jerusalem Encounter tour ... with the intent to give them some guidance right as they adjust to living on their own.

The trip will include a tour of Israel, reading the Bible, and getting a better understanding of the history behind their faith ... something Montgomery did back in 2022.

Of course, the cause means a lot to Montgomery ... whose mother, Lisa, raised foster kids throughout his childhood.

Montgomery spoke about his decision to help out ... saying, "I want to send these people to Israel because God has asked me to, and I believe this experience will transform their lives."

"Those who have been in the foster care system will always hold a special place in my heart. I know the love they need. I saw it firsthand as my mom raised 17 foster youth alongside me."

"What better way to impact the lives of those exiting foster care than providing this experience of a lifetime."

Montgomery is hoping to make the trip an annual thing through his charity My 10 Percent ... and has already gotten financial support from NASCAR stars Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace to help the cause.

A NASCAR race looked more like a boxing match on Sunday ... after star drivers Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson got into a wild fight on pit road.

The tiff happened following the AdventHealth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway ... after Chastain had put Gragson's car into the wall on the track, ending the driver's day early.

Gragson was clearly furious over the move -- especially after the two had a similar incident during a race earlier this year -- so he confronted Chastain about it when the race concluded.

You can see in video of their altercation -- the two traded words, before Gragson grabbed Chastain.

The guys then tussled a bit -- before Chastain fired off a huge right hand that connected flush with Gragson's cheek.

Gragson tried to fire back punches of his own -- but NASCAR security stepped in, preventing the fight from escalating further.

After the incident, Gragson told FOX he was "sick and tired" of the way Chastain has been racing -- and wanted to make sure the driver knew about it.

As for Chastain, he spoke generally about the beef, but noted, "We have a no-push policy here at Trackhouse."

NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra in a horrifying car accident at a sprint car race this week ... and now, he'll be sidelined for up to a month.

The scary incident took place in the opening heat of a race in the High Limit Sprint Car Series in West Burlington, Iowa. Bowman -- in the #55 car -- collided with Conner Morrell after hitting his rear tire -- resulting in both cars flying through the air.

Looking like a scene out of an action movie, both cars suffered significant damage. Somehow, both drivers got out of their vehicles and were able to walk away. But unfortunately for Bowman, he later discovered he had a fractured vertebra.

In a statement released via his Twitter, Bowman said he is feeling okay and is focused on healing and resting to ensure he can return to the race track ASAP.

"Being out of the car is never an update any driver wants to make," Bowman said. "I’ll be doing everything I can at home to help ensure my recovery is as quick as possible to get back in the 48 car soon."

Bowman -- whose first cup series came in 2014 at the Daytona 500 -- has won seven races in the series. He has also raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

No word on Conner Morrell's status following the crash ... but being able to walk away from a scary scene like this at least inspires confidence that Morrell will be good in the long run.

NASCAR driver Cody Ware was arrested on Monday ... following allegations he assaulted a female.

According to police records, the 27-year-old was booked into jail in Iredell County, N.C. at 7:38 AM on charges of assault by strangulation -- inflicting serious injury, and assault on a female.

The records show as of Monday afternoon, he was still in custody.

Specifics regarding the allegations against Ware have not yet been revealed ... though police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show the alleged incident initially happened on April 3 at a home in Mooresville, N.C.

NASCAR suspended the Cup Series driver indefinitely following his arrest.

Ware did not race in Sunday's NASCAR Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway ... with Rick Ware Racing announcing earlier in the weekend that Cody would sit out while dealing with "a personal matter."

Cody began racing in the Cup Series in 2017. His best career finish came last season, when he came in sixth place at Daytona International Speedway.

It certainly looks like things are gettin' serious between Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders -- 'cause the two had a sweet PDA moment on their date at the Daytona 500 ... and TMZ Sports has the pics of it!!!

The comedian and his "Bodies Bodies Bodies" costar enjoyed their Sunday at NASCAR's Super Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida -- and they were inseparable throughout the action while mobbin' around the famous racing event.

The couple toured the Daytona International Speedway track, and then, at one point, they got up into a box -- where they just couldn't keep their hands off each other.

They strapped on red earmuffs, wrapped their arms around one another, and locked lips -- all while cars whizzed by on the track just feet away.

Of course, this ain't the first time we've seen the two kissing ... just last month, they gave each other a big smooch during a date at Universal Studios Hollywood.

So as you can see, the relationship appears to be getting pretty serious.

Outside of the two lovebirds, a bunch of other celebs showed up for the race ... Tiffany Haddish, WWE's Charlotte Flair, NFL's Ian Thomas, and country singer Dierks Bentley were all there too.

Michael Jordan, who launched the 23XI Racing team in 2020 with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, was also in attendance ... taking advantage of the NBA All-Star break.

Frankie Muniz landed quite a bit higher than just the middle in his big race car driver debut ... nearly cracking the top 10 at a semi-pro series that was all gas, no brakes.

The actor-turned-driver raced in the ARCA Menards Series Saturday at the Daytona International Speedway down in Florida -- marking his first time revving up among other professionals. It was an 80-lap journey, with around 40 drivers going round and around.

Muniz placed 11th overall when it was all said and done ... and the final lap proved to be quite dramatic, with Frankie climbing back from 12th place. Even before that, though, he was doing incredibly well ... cracking the top 10 several times throughout the course.

Frankie himself detailed the ride, saying he was ecstatic and proud of himself for being able to rank as high as he did ... pointing out that at one point, he was 24th place.

He writes, "Holy moly!!! That was the most insane thing I've ever done. Got up into the top  3 before getting turned and causing damage. Went to the back and went from 24th to 11th in the final 2 laps. I'm so grateful to my team and @hairclub and sponsors for making my dream a reality!"

During the race, Frankie was getting props from the broadcasters for avoiding what could've been a major accident ... so, yeah, he was hanging tough with the best of them out there.

FM has been racing for years now, but it wasn't until recently that he decided to pursue it full-time ... forgoing his acting career, for now, and opting for the smell of burned rubber instead.

We actually talked to him last month about his foray into a whole new industry, and he made it clear to us that he was over the moon about the opportunity, and planned to take it seriously. Considering how well he's done for his first official outing, probably even more so.

IndyCar star Conor Daly will be repping Floyd Mayweather's Money Team Racing when he hits the NASCAR pavement later this month -- joining the boxing legend's squad in hopes of qualifying for the Daytona 500.

TMT Racing announced the big news Tuesday morning ... saying Daly will be behind the wheel for their #50 car when he competes for one of the four open spots in the race.

Floyd spoke about Conor's return to TMT ... saying, "The Money Team Racing shocked the world by making the Daytona 500 last year and I believe in this team and know we will prepare a great car for this year's race."

On top of Daytona, Daly will suit up for TMT in up to six more NASCAR events this year, while competing full-time in the IndyCar series.

"Like a fighter who's always ready to face the best, Conor has the courage to buckle into this beast without any practice and put that car into the field," Floyd continued. "Conor is like a hungry fighter and my kind of guy. I sure wouldn’t bet against him."

NASCAR star Kyle Busch says he was detained by authorities in Mexico last month ... after he says they found a handgun in his bag at an airport.

Busch said it all happened following the conclusion of his vacation with his wife, Samantha, in late January.

According to the 37-year-old driver, he was going through airport security screening ... when he realized he accidentally brought his firearm in his luggage.

Busch claims he has a valid concealed carry permit for it -- but its discovery still alarmed authorities, who detained him over it all.

"I was not aware of Mexican law and had no intention of bringing a handgun into Mexico," he said in a statement on his social media page Monday.

"When it was discovered, I fully cooperated with the authorities, accepted the penalties, and returned to North Carolina."

Prosecutors in Quintana Roo appeared to address the incident in a statement released over the weekend. Officials said the defendant, ID'ed only as "Kyle Thomas 'B'" from the state of Nevada, was detained following the discovery of a firearm on Jan. 27. They noted that following an investigation, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison as well as a fine.

Busch made no mention of a prison sentence in his statement Monday.

"I apologize for my mistake and appreciate the respect shown by all parties as we resolved the matter," Busch said. "My family and I consider this issue closed."

NASCAR star Ross Chastain says he's honored that his iconic wall-riding stunt is now banned in the rule book ... telling TMZ Sports, "I'm proud that I'll be the first and last guy to successfully do it.

Remember, the 30-year-old Trackhouse Racing driver went viral for his video game-inspired move at Martinsville Speedway last year ... when he shot from 10th place to 5th on the final lap to secure his spot in the Championship 4 by hitting the wall to reach insane speed to cross the finish line

While the move was considered legal at the time, NASCAR recently emphasized its rules to make sure the stunt isn't replicated in the future.

"I'm good with it," Chastain told Lucas Widman ahead of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. "I'm proud that I've got a rule named after me, right?"

Chastain explained his inspiration for the move after the race ... saying he "played a lot of NASCAR 2005 on the GameCube" when he was 8 years old.

The wall-ride is now explicitly stated as a big no-no in the rule book, and Chastain says it's a tip of the cap to his team ... and their ability to push his car to the limits.

"I take it as a badge of honor that I want my crew chief and my engineers and my mechanics pushing the limits of the car -- I don't want to break the rules, but I want them to have to write new rules and explain things more clearly where we might find a gray area on the car."

As for whether he'd ever try the move again ... and he makes it clear it was a one-time thing.

"I don't want to do it again," Chastain said. "I don't want to see guys doing it. And, I'm proud that I'll be the first and last guy to successfully do it."

NASCAR is in Los Angeles on Sunday for the race at the L.A. Coliseum ... and it's safe to say no one will be purposely slamming into the wall.

Frankie Muniz starred in a massively popular TV show, and has been nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes, and a bunch of other awards ... but the star actor says if he were to win an ARCA series race, it'd be the greatest professional achievement of his career!

"I don't know exactly how I'll react [to winning a race] but the way I feel right now with even the thought about it, it would rank 100% as the greatest accomplishment of ... Well okay, maybe having a wife, having my son. But, definitely number 3!" Muniz told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1).

37-year-old Muniz recently signed on to race full-time in the Rette Jones Racing #30 Ford Mustang car -- a NASCAR-owned ARCA team -- when the series kicks off in mid-February at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

Of course, Frankie starred as Malcolm in the hit TV show, "Malcolm In The Middle." He also starred in "Big Fat Liar" and "Agent Cody Banks," among many other films.

Frankie, whose first love is cars/racing, could barely contain his excitement at the prospect of racing, and even got emotional during the interview.

"I am on cloud 9. I've been very fortunate in my life to get to do a lot of cool things but this is something that I've wanted, literally, since I was five years old. I've reached in the past but I always knew I wanted to go Stock car racing. I wanted to race NASCAR so I'm thrilled to be in the ARCA Menards Series this year and finally get to announce it the other day. Felt really good 'cause it's something we've been talking about for a long time and here I am."

Muniz knows he has a lot to learn as the new guy on the circuit, but he's more than ready to go.

"I've got a lot to learn and I know that so I'm competitive, I want to win," Frankie said, while recognizing he'll be facing drivers with far more experience.

"I know I have to be a realist and know that this gonna be a pretty difficult year for me. I'm more motivated than ever, being older, you know, 37 years old which is fairly old to get started in the stock car world," Muniz said.

Bottom line for Muniz ... this is his chance to fulfill his dream, and he isn't going to let it go by without giving everything he's got.

"I have this opportunity in front of me right now and I'm gonna go for it 100%. I don't wanna look back at the end of the year and go 'man I wish I tried harder, I wish I trained harder, I wish I spent more time in the ship with the guys learning about the car figuring things out.'"

Frankie Muniz is going from "Malcolm in the Middle" to the middle of a racing pack ... revealing Wednesday he's set to drive full time in the NASCAR-owned ARCA Series this season!!!

The actor-turned-driver will be behind the wheel for Rette Jones Racing's #30 Ford Mustang ... starting next month, when the series hits Daytona International Speedway.

Muniz said this week he's pumped for the career change, revealing it's been a lifelong goal of his to eventually trade paint on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit.

"I look forward to not only demonstrating my ability on the track and just how serious how I am in progressing in my racing career," the 37-year-old said of the move to ARCA, "but also showing my son and family what it is to chase your dreams and re-invent yourself."

Muniz has been a lifelong fan of professional driving ... and has even posted pics and vids of him behind the wheel several times throughout the past few years.

Ford Performance Motorsports official Mark Rushbrook called Muniz "a skilled and enthusiastic racer" ... while Rette Jones Racing co-owner Terry Jones said he's thrilled to see Agent Cody Banks commanding one of his rides this year.

"Without a doubt, we believe in Frankie’s ability and commitment," Jones said, "and with Mark's leadership, we believe that he will quickly adapt on track and contend for a championship in his rookie season."

Brad Pitt might be making a movie about Formula 1 racing, but he sure doesn't respect the sport in real life -- at least that's what F1 Twitter's saying after snubbing one of their heroes.

The A-lister was on the ground these past few days down in Austin -- where the U.S. Grand Prix's been taking place all weekend -- but on Sunday ... the guy skirted out of an interview with Sky Sports' Martin Brundle ... a famed former race car driver turned pundit/journalist.

Brundle -- who's well-known these days for his grid walks, where he interviews celebs (sometimes awkwardly) impromptu -- got a bit of a cold shoulder from BP in person.

Now, in Brad's defense ... he didn't totally not respond to Brundle's questions -- ones about the movie, which he says can't answer since it's top secret -- but clearly didn't wanna chat. It would seem like a no harm, no foul sitch ... but some online are offended on MB's behalf.

Brundle himself seemed perturbed -- saying to the camera, "They're known at 'pit stops'" if they don't want you talking to Brad Pitt. Bird app users are mostly agreeing, arguing he should respect the culture and talk to Brundle, whose interviews are par for the course on the grid and who's an F1 staple. In other words, play ball when you're on our turf, Brad!

It's not the first time a celeb has brushed off Brundle -- Megan Thee Stallion famously did it last year -- but in this case, some are suggesting that since Brad is literally making a film about F1 ... he should be aware of the major players, Brundle included, and show reverence.

Outside of this salty interaction ... Brad has mostly been receiving the rock star treatment during his time in Texas, at one point posing for a pic with the Williams Racing team. He's still a golden boy in Hollywood -- and this won't change that.

NASCAR's Bubba Wallace is apologizing to Kyle Larson for forcefully shoving the former champ during an on-track altercation at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday -- saying he simply lost his cool.

The quarrel happened during the NASCAR Cup Series race -- after Wallace intentionally crashed his Toyota into Larson's No. 5 Camaro ZL1 as retaliation for brushing him into the wall when the two drivers were side by side.

Wallace's rage continued after the cars finally came to a stop off the track ... the 29-year-old driver went straight for Larson, and shoved him numerous times before walking away.

After taking a day to cool off, the 23Xi Racing driver realized he was wrong and issued an apology on Monday.

"I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday following the on-track incident with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 car," Wallace said on social media.

"I compete with immense passion, and with passion at times comes frustration."

Wallace added, "Upon reflecting, I should have represented our partners and core team values better than I did by letting my frustrations follow me outside of the car."

Wallace -- who signed with Michael Jordan's NASCAR team in 2020 -- says his actions do not reflect 23XI Racing or any of his partners ... and vows to do better.

"You live and learn," Wallace said, "and I intend to learn from this."

Nelly is the kind of guy who will give you the jacket off his back -- just ask young NASCAR superfan Jacob Lemke, who experienced just that ... after a very cool encounter with the diamond-selling rapper.

Jake was born with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a rare genetic order, and he and his good friend Nate Salisbury were recently VIP pit guests during the 2022 playoff cup race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ... where Nelly performed to kick off the event.

Nate tells us ... after the show and the driver introductions, Nelly was in the area posing for pics and conducting interviews when he spotted them and came right over.

You can see Jake's face light up as Nelly walks over ... complimenting his vest as he gifts him the custom Charlotte Motor Speedway jacket he was wearing for the performance.

Little did Nelly know, Jake was on hand to celebrate his 23rd birthday on a trip planned by Nate and his mother ... making the moment that much more special!!!

Nate says he used to be Jake's teacher and befriended him over 8 years ago.

Jake's father recently passed away but introduced Jake to the world of hip hop music and NASCAR before he died ... and it appears to be working!!!

Scary moment yesterday for Kyle Busch ... the 2-time NASCAR champion and his family were at the Mall of America in Minnesota when gunshots erupted, causing chaos, and sending people running for their lives.

37-year-old Busch had been enjoying a day at the country's largest mall with his son, Brexton, and his wife, Samantha, before things took a frightening turn.

In the video posted online, you see Busch, wearing a black and green shirt and white hat, holding hands with Brexton ... as everyone was trying to get to safety amid the chaos.

Soon after, Samantha sent an update to friends, family and fans, writing ... "If you are seeing the news about the @mallofamerica we got out and are safe."

"Praying others inside are too," she added.

"We are currently working an active incident inside Mall of America on the northwest side. Numerous officers are on scene. We will update when we have more information," the Bloomington Police Department's official Twitter account wrote.

Police later confirmed that gunshots were fired ... adding the suspect fled the MOA on foot and officers were investigating the isolated incident.

After some semblance of order was restored, Bloomington PD Chief Booker Hodges addressed the incident in a press conference ... saying his officers heard gunshots near the Nike store at the famous mall.

"After reviewing video, we observed two groups get into some type of altercation at the cash register in the Nike store," Hodges said.

"One of the groups left after the altercation, but instead of walking away, they decided to demonstrate a complete lack of respect for human life. They decided to fire multiple rounds into a store with people."