NASCAR's layered relationship with Donald Trump took a sharp turn Monday.

Kevin Harvick turned up the pressure on Denny Hamlin late in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and as the oval cooled, Hamlin's worn tires simply gave out.

The formerly frosty schism between the two biggest racing series in the United States has finally thawed, and the result is a blockbuster event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — even without fans.

As the Rev. Greg Drumwright watched members of his ministry crowd the fence at Talladega Superspeedway to cheer for Black driver Bubba Wallace, he realized his first NASCAR race was the start of his immersion into stock car racing.

Round 2 at Pocono Raceway went to Denny Hamlin, who again stepped into the spotlight at the Pennsyvania track — and not just in a figurative sense.

He is seen as a hero to some. To others, the 26-year-old NASCAR driver represents something else entirely, and he has seen plenty of haters out on social media over his career. It has intensified in recent days.

Kevin Harvick snapped an 0-for-38 drought at Pocono Raceway, taking the checkered flag Saturday at one of two tracks where victory had eluded him on stock car racing's top circuit.

The billboard at the entrance to Pocono Raceway has photos of Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott with "First-Ever NASCAR Doubleheader" written in bold letters.

NASCAR will eventually have to wrestle with whatever headaches are caused by the stubborn Confederate flag holdouts once the gates are again open to all fans.

Declaring "the noose was real," NASCAR officials have released a photo of the rope found last weekend in the Talladega Superspeedway garage stall of Bubba Wallace.

NASCAR has defended its reaction and insisted it would call the FBI again.

Track president Steve Page said a "piece of twine tied in what appeared to be a noose" was found hanging from a tree Saturday behind a former administrative office, news outlets reported.

Even in victory, Ryan Blaney thought about what happened to close friend Bubba Wallace over the weekend. And what happened afterward.

Bubba Wallace steered the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Chevrolet to the front of pit road Monday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway, with reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch pushing the famous car on one side and close friend Ryan Blaney pushing on the other.

NASCAR said it had launched an immediate investigation and will do everything possible to find out who was responsible and "eliminate them from the sport."

Thunderstorms forced NASCAR to postpone its Cup Series race Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway, where the presence of more fans was to be the next step in auto racing's return amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NASCAR's return tour has taken it to Talladega Superspeedway, and it will be anything but an average weekend at the Alabama track already known for moments of chaos during races.

The heat is on at Talladega Superspeedway, and not just for the drivers at the Alabama track known for high-speed chaos.

About 5,000 to 6,000 tickets will be available each night at the track that is just less than a mile long and has more than 25,000 permanent seats.

All Dale Earnhardt Jr. needed was a chance to prove he could win in stock cars.

Full disclosure: I've never been much of a NASCAR fan.

Denny Hamlin found the magic at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Again.

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace wore a protective face mask with an American flag on it, his hand over his heart as he stood for the national anthem. This time, fans joined him.