Michelle R. Martinelli

Journalist at USA Today

Writer at For The Win

@ForTheWin - @USATODAYsports | Alum: @NBCSWashington, @MedillSchool, @michiganstateu | mmartinelli at usatoday dot com

Featured in: Favicon

usatoday.com (+2) Favicon

msn.com

vice.com

yahoo.com (+7) Favicon

thestar.com Favicon

freep.com

flipboard.com Favicon

northwestern.edu Favicon

suntimes.com Favicon

jsonline.com + 105 more

Articles

Taylor Swift bought her masters for a staggering price tag (that's totally worth it)

6 days ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

After a years-long saga fighting for her music, Taylor Swift finally owns her master recordings after buying them back for a hefty price tag — but one that's surely very worth it to the pop star. Friday, Swift announced on social media that she purchased ownership of her masters from Shamrock Capital, which previously purchased them from nemesis Scooter Braun and his Ithaca Holdings almost five years ago.
Conor Daly revealed he drove the whole Indy 500 'sitting in my own pee'

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

On the surface, Conor Daly had an excellent Sunday at the 109th Indianapolis 500. After qualifying 11th, he led 13 laps in his No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet and ultimately earned an eight-place finish behind winner Alex Palou.
The College Football 26 cover had dropped. See which 2 stars earned the honor.

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

When EA Sports College Football 25 returned and put active college football players on the cover, fans were pumped — especially after the game's decade-long pause. Colorado's Travis Hunter, Texas' Quinn Ewers and Michigan's Donovan Edwards had the honor of gracing the first cover in the game's return to market. Now, it's Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Alabama's Ryan Williams turn, as the EA Sports dropped the cover for College Football 26 on Tuesday. The game will be available July 10.
9 photos of NASCAR driver Ross Chastain celebrating his Coca-Cola 600 win by smashing a watermelon

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

9 photos of NASCAR driver Ross Chastain celebrating his Coca-Cola 600 win by smashing a watermelonCONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 25: Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Jockey x Folds of Honor Chevrolet, celebrates by smashing a watermelon after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina.
Q&A: Indy 500 champ Alex Palou seized his moment and his milk strategy

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

Alex Palou made his winning move long before the 2025 Indianapolis 500 ended. Well, relatively long before. In recent years, the Indy 500 and its 200 laps around Indianapolis Motor Speedway often came down to super late or last-lap passes, but Palou saw his opportunity to steal the lead with 14 laps to go and took it. Behind the wheel of his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Palou darted out to the inside of then-leader Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, and quickly overtook him.
Indy 500 runner-up Marcus Ericsson describes 'painful' finish behind Alex Palou

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

With 13 laps to go in the 2025 Indianapolis 500, Alex Palou made his move, passing Marcus Ericsson for the lead amid traffic ahead of them and ultimately winning his first Indy 500. Ericsson — the 2022 Indy 500 winner who was among eight past Indy 500 champions in Sunday's 109th race — finished second by 0.6822 seconds.
Alex Palou exploded with emotions after winning his first Indy 500

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

Alex Palou is finally an Indianapolis 500 champion after taking the checkered flag on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and holding off hard-charging Marcus Ericsson and David Malukas trying to chase him down. But the 28-year-old Spanish driver and three-time IndyCar Series champ held on for his first Indy 500 victory — and the first Spaniard to do it. The Indy 500 is always a wild and exciting affair.
Kyle Larson was 'too eager' on Indy 500 restart that led to him crashing out

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

Barring any travel issues, Kyle Larson will get to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, but things still didn't turn out the way the NASCAR driver would have hoped. In his second attempt at the Indy 500 — and second try at the Memorial Day Double with IndyCar's biggest race, followed by NASCAR's longest race — Larson didn't make it to the halfway point of the 200-lap, 500-mile event.
Indy 500: Celebrities and athletes at the 2025 Indianapolis 500

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

Indy 500: Celebrities and athletes at the 2025 Indianapolis 500INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 25: Tom Brady attends during the NTT IndyCar Series109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Scott McLaughlin's Indy 500 heartbreakingly ended before the race even started

1 week ago | ftw.usatoday.com | Michelle R. Martinelli

Scott McLaughlin's Indianapolis 500 ended in absolute heartbreak — and before it technically started. As the 33-car Indy 500 field warmed up with pace laps on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet driver was doing what everyone else out there was: warming up his tires. He was lightly swerving on the track to push some heat into his cold tires on a cold track, following a rain-delayed race start.