We went into the European Finals race trailing Daniel Giles in his dragster by over 3 rounds worth of points, but a better qualifying position for us reduced the deficit slightly and then we really benefitted when he red lit in the 1^st round and eliminated himself.

With a full field of 32 cars in the eliminations, that means 5 rounds of knock-out racing to establish the winner. Due to rain on Sunday morning, and then prioritising the Pro cars (which need 90 minutes to turn-around) we didn’t get to run our 2^nd round until 5.30 in the afternoon!

We had another piece of luck in eliminations when one of our competitors had to withdraw due to some engine damage, giving us a bye run into the next round, and then as we advanced darkness was approaching fast.

The track is floodlit to enable night racing and we were fortunate that there was sufficient breeze to stop any dew forming.

With a 9pm curfew rapidly approaching, we had our final race at 8.50, and Scott did it!

The car performed flawlessly throughout the event and even set a new personal best of 7.27 seconds @ 183 mph set during a qualifying run.

So, we have now taken the lead in the points chase, with the final event this weekend. Obviously, we will do our utmost to win or at least stay in front and claim the championship. We’ve had a couple of years of near misses so we’re definitely up for it.

All-new Xbox-PlayStation title includes 35 real-life Midget drivers plus Millbridge, Micro Sprints

CONCORD, NC (Sept. 17, 2024) — The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota returns to the home console world of gaming for the second consecutive year with the official release of the all-new World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 title on Xbox and PlayStation.

Thirty-five authentic national Midget drivers are represented on the in-game Midget roster, included along with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series, Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, ASCS Elite Non-Wing 410 Sprint Cars, DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals and several other dirt track racing divisions.

The game is available for purchase today on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The full roster of drivers included with the initial release is listed below and includes all new paint schemes for 2024 with additional schemes for select drivers to be added in a future DLC pack.

Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series championship chasers Ryan Timms and Chase McDermand are included in the playable drivers and shared their anticipation to continue dirt racing’s reach beyond the racetrack.

“When I was younger, I’d play the World of Outlaws 2002 game on my PlayStation, and that’s how I learned who a lot of the older drivers were,” Timms said. “Now me, and I’m sure a lot of other people are getting kids coming up to you and saying they use your car in the video game. It’s just pretty cool to see.”

“It’s one thing to see kids at the racetrack and stuff, but to hear from the kids outside of that playing as me in a video game is pretty cool,” McDermand said. “I’ve actually gotten a lot of feedback and comments from various fans and just friends and their kids sending me pictures and stuff of my car on a videogame. It’s pretty cool.”

New for the 2024 edition of the game is the addition of Winged Micro Sprints, as seen in the weekly program of the birthplace of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series — Millbridge Speedway. Several present-day open-wheel stars began their careers in Micro Sprints as kids, racing both on the real track and in the virtual world, which will continue to draw in new racers into 2025 and beyond.

“Chances are, if a kid likes to play a certain type of car on a video game, they’re gonna be able to make that connection when they go to the racetrack,” McDermand said. “That’s the same thing that they can do with drivers themselves, and that’s how you build fans and build and fanbase.

“Just being able to connect more people to our sport in whatever way possible is something that’s super important to be able to continue the sport that we all love.”

Both the Midgets and Millbridge Speedway are available for download today with all of the other car types, tracks and new features — including Outlaw Challenge mode, improved graphics, streamlined career mode, variable track conditions and more.

For more information about World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24 or to purchase your copy of the game, visit WorldofOutlawsGame.com or your home console’s digital store today.

Xtreme Outlaw Midget drivers included:

Chase McDermand

Ryan Timms
Zach Daum
Cannon McIntosh
Jade Avedisian
Ashton Torgerson
Karter Sarff

Hayden Reinbold

Tyler Edwards

Gavin Miller

Luke Drotschie

Peter Smith

Trevor Cline

Brayton Lynch
Jayden Clay

Kale Drake

TJ Smith

Elijah Gile

Austin Torgerson

Thomas Meseraull

Kyle Beilman
Kyle Jones
Nick Hoffman

Ethan Mitchell

Jake Neuman

Mitchell Davis

Gunnar Setser

Taylor Reimer

Andrew Felker

Casey Shuman

Gary Taylor

Tyler Robbins
Corbin Rueschenberg

Branigan Roark

Sean Robbins

ARTICLE: https://xtremeoutlawseries.com/news/gamers-unite-midgets-ready-to-race-in-world-of-outlaws-dirt-racing-24/

EVENT INFO:
TRACK INFO: https://worldofoutlawsgame.com/
FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/ 

The World of Outlaws salute one of the sport’s most dedicated car owners with two huge nights of racingTULARE, CA (September 17, 2024) – The time has come for the biggest California race in World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car history.A three-week stay in the “Golden State” wraps up in a huge way this weekend (Sept. 20-21) at Tulare, CA’s Thunderbowl Raceway. The third annual Dennis Roth Classic is set to serve up a beefy $83,000 payday to the winner of the finale as a nod to Roth’s car number. His cars have become an iconic staple with many of the sport’s greats climbing behind the wheel of a Roth ride over the years.The pay won’t be the only prize on Saturday night as Roth is adding some other goods to the menu. The Simpson Quick Time and Toyota Dash winners will head home with 10 pounds of choice New York steaks. Each NOS Energy Drink Heat Race winner receives 20 pounds of choice tri-tip. The event winner gets 30 pounds of choice ribeye steaks while second and third collect 20 and 10 pounds. Danny Lasoski will also be making a special appearance as he reunites with his 1998 Knoxville Nationals winning Roth Motorsports ride. The team has kept the car maintained since that night, and Lasoski is heading to California to pace the field aboard the historic machine.All in all, it’s shaping up to be a memorable weekend saluting one of the most important figures in Sprint Car racing history.Tickets will be available at the gate, or fans can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:BRING HOME THE BEEF: The stars could be aligning for a storybook weekend for Michael “Buddy” Kofoid.He’s living out his dream in 2024 as he tackles his rookie World of Outlaws campaign thanks to none other than Dennis and Teresa Roth giving him the opportunity. The Californian grew up watching the California car, and now he has the honor of piloting the No. 83 alongside the nation’s best. Kofoid would love nothing more than to bring the Dennis Roth Classic trophy to Roth’s Fresno, CA shop.Kofoid rolls into the weekend as, arguably, the hottest driver on tour. Four of the last five races have belonged to the 22-year-old including a sweep of Bakersfield and Merced last weekend. He hasn’t finished worse than fourth in the last nine races.Thunderbowl has seen Kofoid visit its Victory Lane multiple times in the past. Back in 2016 he topped a Trophy Cupprelim at only 14 years old. He claimed another prelim in 2021 that helped lead him to a Trophy Cup title. It’s also where he made his World of Outlaws debut in 2018.CARSON IS CLOSING: With only 14 races remaining before the 2024 World of Outlaws champion is crowned, there may be a battle brewing for the title.Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing team have strung together eight podiums in the last 11 races, including five victories. A pair of third place finishes over the weekend helped Macedo trim David Gravel’s advantage down to 86 markers.Thunderbowl gives Macedo two more chances in home territory to make up some ground before the tour ventures back east. Macedo won a Kings of Thunder 360 Sprint Car race at the Tulare, CA oval in 2021, and his best World of Outlaws finish there is fifth (2018).ROTH’S WINNERS: A record 16 different drivers have steered Dennis and Teresa Roth’s race cars to World of Outlaws Victory Lane, and along with Kofoid two more of those names will be in the Thunderbowl pit area this weekend.Current Series point leader David Gravel got his first national touring opportunity when Roth put him in the seat during the 2014 World of Outlaws season. The pairing claimed four races that year including a crown jewel triumph at Williams Grove Speedway’s National Open. Through Gravel hasn’t won with Roth at the Thunderbowl, he has claimed a pair of events with CJB Motorsports. The richest Sprint Car driver in the country this season eyes $83,000 this weekend.The other is Roth’s second winningest driver with the World of Outlaws, Tim Kaeding. The San Jose, CA native collected 19 of his 21 career checkered flags behind the wheel of the No. 83, and a trio of those came at Thunderbowl. “TK” added one more Tulare triumph in the Kinser No. 11K (2007). Kaeding’s four Series victories at the 1/3 mile are tied with Joey Saldana for the most.TAMING TULARE: In addition to Gravel, two more current full-time World of Outlaws competitors have won with The Greatest Show on Dirt at Thunderbowl.Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz has topped three Tulare visits (2005, 2007, 2017). One more at the Dennis Roth Classic would equal him with Kaeding and Saldana for the most, and a weekend sweep in the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 would give him sole possession of the most.Giovanni Scelzi grew up less than an hour from Tulare, calling Fresno, CA home in his youth. Two years ago, Scelzi came out on top of a Thunderbowl thriller after trading sliders with Kyle Larson and David Gravel in the closing laps. “Hot Sauce” has also won there with both the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) and Sprint Car Challenge Tour (SCCT).CAN CALI CASH IN?: With such major money on the line, a big cast of local California talent is expected to join the field in search of an Outlaw upset.Rocklin, CA’s Shane Golobic has made it abundantly clear that he knows his way around Thunderbowl. He’s claimed a trio of the coveted Trophy Cup titles, and he’s won with a 410 under the hood in NARC action. Golobic is already a two-time Series winner with both scores coming in his home state at Antioch (2013) and Placerville (2019).Dominic Scelzi has been a force at Tulare to the tune of 12 career triumphs. Three of those have come in NARC action. The Fresno, CA native is still seeking his first World of Outlaws victory, and he led laps at the most recent Series visit in 2022. Cole Macedo was impressive this past weekend, posting finishes of sixth and fifth in the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 at Bakersfield and Merced. Before he joins the tour full-time next year, the Lemoore, CA native looks to win one as a California local this weekend at the Thunderbowl. He topped a 360 show last year at Tulare and finished fourth with NARC back in May this year.Hanford, CA’s D.J. Netto has been perhaps the most impressive “Golden State” local through the California swing with a pair of top five finishes at Kings Speedway and Merced Speedway. Netto is a four-time Thunderbowl winner including two last year.These three will be joined by many more including the likes of Justin Sanders (Aromas, CA), Caeden Steele (Fresno, CA), Kaleb Montgomery (Templeton, CA), and many more.THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCEWHEN AND WHERE Friday-Saturday, Sept 20-21 at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, CAON THE INTERNETWorld of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series X – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (55/69 Races):1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (7450 PTS) 2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-86 PTS) 3. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-132 PTS) 4. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing No. 18 (-226 PTS) 5. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-232 PTS) 6. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17 (-360 PTS) 7. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-362 PTS) 8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports No. 17B (-848 PTS) 9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing No. 3Z (-1184 PTS) 10. Landon Crawley – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-1438 PTS)NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (16 Drivers): 13 Wins – David Gravel 8 Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo 5 Wins – Michael Kofoid 4 Wins – Donny Schatz 3 Wins – Giovanni Scelzi, Kyle Larson 2 Wins – Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu 1 Win – Brad Sweet, Brent Marks, Brady Bacon, Corey Day, Logan Schuchart, James McFadden, T.J. StuttsFEATURE LAPS LED (25 Drivers):373 Laps – Carson Macedo 317 Laps – David Gravel 205 Laps – Giovanni Scelzi 177 Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild 132 Laps – Donny Schatz 119 Laps – Michael Kofoid 97 Laps – Kyle Larson 75 Laps – Rico Abreu 49 Laps – Logan Schuchart 44 Laps – James McFadden 36 Laps – Emerson Axsom 34 Laps – Brady Bacon 29 Laps – Chase Randall 25 Laps – Brad Sweet, T.J. Stutts 15 Laps – Ryan Timms, Tyler Courtney 14 Laps – Shane Golobic 13 Laps – Anthony Macri 11 Laps – Bill Balog 9 Laps – Parker Price-Miller, Corey Day 4 Laps – Hunter Schuerenberg 3 Laps – Brent Marks 1 Lap – Kalib HenrySIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (21 Drivers):10 Quick Times – Carson Macedo 9 Quick Times – David Gravel 7 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild 5 Quick Times – Michael Kofoid 4 Quick Times – Giovanni Scelzi 3 Quick Times – Brent Marks 2 Quick Times – Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz, Landon Crawley 1 Quick Time – Brian Brown, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss, Rico Abreu, Chase Dietz, Matt Juhl, Emerson Axsom, Shane Golobic, Bill Balog, Landon BrooksHEAT RACE WINNERS (52 Drivers): 27 Heat Wins – David Gravel, Carson Macedo 24 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild 19 Heat Wins – Giovanni Scelzi 18 Heat Wins – Michael Kofoid 9 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu, Logan Schuchart, Donny Schatz 7 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss 6 Heat Wins – Bill Balog5 Heat Wins – Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks 3 Heat Wins –Daryn Pittman, Garet Williamson, Kaleb Johnson 2 Heat Wins – Brian Brown, Landon Crawley,Corey Day, Kyle Larson, Anthony Macri, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Austin McCarl, Aaron Reutzel, Emerson Axsom, Scott Bogucki, Chase Randall 1 Heat Win – Justin Peck, Bill Rose, Ryan Timms, Danny Sams III, Tim Shaffer, Nick Omdahl, Brad Sweet, Spencer Bayston, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Chase Dietz, T.J. Stutts, Kelby Watt, Jamie Ball, Hunter Schuerenberg, Tasker Phillips, Ayrton Gennetten, Tanner Holmes, Kasey Kahne, Cole Macedo, Cale Thomas, Dusty Zomer, Andy Pake, Shane Golobic, Dylan Bloomfield, D.J. NettoTOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (69 Drivers):38 Dashes – Carson Macedo 37 Dashes – David Gravel 33 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild 32 Dashes – Giovanni Scelzi 27 Dashes – Michael Kofoid 20 Dashes – Donny Schatz 19 Dashes – Logan Schuchart 15 Dashes – Bill Balog 10 Dashes – Brock Zearfoss 9 Dashes – Rico Abreu 7 Dashes – Landon Crawley, Brent Marks 6 Dashes – Tyler Courtney, Emerson Axsom 5 Dashes – Corey Day, Aaron Reutzel, Garet Williamson 4 Dashes – Brian Brown, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri 3 Dashes – Brad Sweet, Daryn Pittman, Justin Peck, James McFadden 2 Dashes – Cole Duncan, Cole Macedo, Kalib Henry, Danny Sams III, Kyle Larson, Parker Price-Miller, Chase Dietz, Ayrton Gennetten, Scott Bogucki 1 Dash – Zeb Wise, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Bill Rose, Ryan Timms, Logan McCandless, Skylar Gee, Kody Hartlaub, Tim Shaffer, T.J. Michael, Craig Mintz, Brandon Spithaler, Sye Lynch, Cale Thomas, Kaleb Johnson, Nick Omdahl, Austin McCarl, Christopher Thram, Kraig Kinser, Troy Wagaman Jr., T.J. Stutts, Freddie Rahmer, Jacob Allen, Lance Dewease, Kelby Watt, Will Armitage, Dusty Zomer, Andy Pake, Shane Golobic, Justin Sanders, Kaleb Montgomery, Tanner Carrick, Tim Kaeding, Jock Goodyer, Landon Brooks, Dylan Bloomfield, Tim Kaeding, D.J. Netto, Jamie VealMICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (44 Drivers):3 LCS Wins – Bill Balog, Anthony Macri, Landon Crawley, Garet Williamson, Brock Zearfoss 2 LCS Wins – Logan McCandless 1 LCS Win – Austin McCarl, Corey Day, Kasey Kahne, Koty Adams, Jace Park, Kevin Newton, Brenham Crouch, Sheldon Haudenschild, Brandon Rahmer, David Gravel, Nate Dussel, Cole Macedo, Zeth Sabo, Brooke Tatnell, Donny Schatz, Brent Marks, Cory Eliason, Kerry Madsen, Creed Kemenah, Joel Myers Jr., Hunter Schuerenberg, Kody Hartlaub, Lucas Wolfe, Larry Wight, Kyle Larson, Jesse Attard, Dusty Zomer, Chris Windom, Ayrton Gennetten, Brad Sweet, Kelby Watt, Scott Bogucki, Mark Dobmeier, Scott Winters, Christopher Thram, Logan Schuchart, Caeden Steele, Kraig KinserKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (33 Drivers):8 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz 6 Hard Chargers – Logan Schuchart 3 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, Michael Kofoid, Garet Williamson 2 Hard Chargers – Aaron Reutzel, Cale Thomas, Danny Dietrich, Emerson Axsom, Tim Kaeding 1 Hard Charger –Jace Park, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Brock Zearfoss, Chase Randall, Chris Windom, Noah Gass, Austin McCarl, Giovanni Scelzi, Sheldon Haudenschild, Landon Crawley, Sye Lynch, Bill Balog, Scotty Neitzel, Brent Marks, Larry Wight, Anthony Macri, James McFadden, Parker Price-Miller, Corey Day, Tim Estenson, David Gravel, Ryan Bernal, Shane GolobicPODIUM FINISHES (28 Drivers):27 Podiums – David Gravel, Carson Macedo 20 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, Michael Kofoid 17 Podiums – Donny Schatz 9 Podiums – Giovanni Scelzi 6 Podiums – Kyle Larson 5 Podiums – Rico Abreu 3 Podiums – Brad Sweet, Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks, Bill Balog 2 Podiums – Aaron Reutzel, Logan Schuchart, Justin Peck, James McFadden, Corey Day, Emerson Axsom 1 Podium – Anthony Macri, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Parker Price-Miller, Ryan Timms, T.J. Stutts, Chase Randall, Shane Golobic, Justin Sanders, Tim KaedingTOP 10 FINISHES (81 Drivers): 49 Top 10s – David Gravel 47 Top 10s – Giovanni Scelzi 46 Top 10s – Donny Schatz 45 Top 10s – Michael Kofoid, Carson Macedo 42 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart 38 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild 28 Top 10s – Bill Balog 14 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss 10 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney  9 Top 10s – Rico Abreu, Garet Williamson 8 Top 10s – Brent Marks, Brad Sweet, James McFadden, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson 7 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel 6 Top 10s – Kyle Larson, Corey Day, Emerson Axsom, Cole Macedo 5 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Ryan Timms 4 Top 10s – Landon Crawley, Brady Bacon, Justin Peck, Chase Randall 3 Top 10s – Cole Duncan, Skylar Gee, Zeb Wise, Danny Dietrich, Jacob Allen, Scott Bogucki 2 Top 10s – Kraig Kinser, Cale Thomas, Parker Price-Miller, Cory Eliason, Chase Dietz, Troy Wagaman Jr., Daryn Pittman, Ayrton Gennetten, Kerry Madsen, Tim Kaeding, D.J. Netto, Justin Sanders 1 Top 10 – Kasey Kahne, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Chris Windom, Joe B. Miller, Scotty Milan, Brandon Spithaler, Kalib Henry, Tim Shaffer, Zane DeVault, Sye Lynch, Travis Philo, Trey Jacobs, Scotty Thiel, Mark Dobmeier, Kaleb Johnson, Austin McCarl, Christopher Thram, Landon Brooks, Greg Wilson, Spencer Bayston, Daison Pursley, Devon Borden, T.J. Stutts, Freddie Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Stewart Friesen, Jordan Poirier, Larry Wight, Andy Pake, Shane Golobic, Kaleb Montgomery, Dylan Bloomfield, Jamie Veal, Ryan Bernal, Jock Goodyer, Dominic Scelzi2024 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)1. Wed, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brad Sweet (1) 2. Thurs, Feb 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1) 3. Fri, Feb 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (1) 4. Sat, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1) 5. Mon, March 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1) 6. Fri, March 15 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Brent Marks (1) 7. Sat, March 16 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Giovanni Scelzi (1) 8. Sat, March 23 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / Carson Macedo (1) 9. Sat, March 30 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (1) 10. Fri, April 5 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / David Gravel (2) 11. Sat, April 6 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Sheldon Haudenschild (2) 12. Fri, April 12 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / David Gravel (3) 13. Sat, April 13 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Donny Schatz (2) 14. Fri, April 19 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY / Sheldon Haudenschild (3) 15. Sat, April 20 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1) 16. Wed, May 1 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / David Gravel (4) 17. Fri, May 3 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (4) 18. Sat, May 4 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / David Gravel (5) 19. Wed, May 8 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / David Gravel (6) 20. Fri, May 17 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Michael Kofoid (1) 21. Sat, May 18 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / David Gravel (7) 22. Fri, May 24 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / David Gravel (8) 23. Sat, May 25 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (5) 24. Mon, May 27 / Fremont Speedway / Fremont, OH / Carson Macedo (2) 25. Fri, May 31 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (6) 26. Fri, June 7 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Giovanni Scelzi (2) 27. Sat, June 8 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Sheldon Haudenschild (7) 28. Fri, June 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (9) 29. Sat, June 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Corey Day (1) 30. Wed, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Tyler Courtney (2) 31. Sat, June 29 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Logan Schuchart (1) 32. Wed, July 10 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Giovanni Scelzi (3) 33. Fri, July 12 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (3) 34. Sat, July 13 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Donny Schatz (3) 35. Tues, July 16 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / David Gravel (10) 36. Fri, July 19 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (2) 37. Sat, July 20 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / David Gravel (11) 38. Wed, July 24 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / James McFadden (1) 39. Fri, July 26 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / T.J. Stutts (1) 40. Sat, July 27 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (12) 41. Sun, July 28 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (13) 42. Fri, Aug 2 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (1) 43. Sat, Aug 3 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (2) 44. Sat, Aug 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (3) 45. Fri, Aug 16 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (4) 46. Sat, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Donny Schatz (4) 47. Fri, Aug 23 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Carson Macedo (5) 48. Sat, Aug 24 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Carson Macedo (6) 49. Fri, Aug 30 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Sheldon Haudenschild (8) 50. Sat, Aug 31 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Carson Macedo (7) 51. Sun, Sept 1 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (2) 52. Fri, Sept 6 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA / Michael Kofoid (3) 53. Sat, Sept 7 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Carson Macedo (8) 54. Fri, Sept 13 / Bakersfield Speedway / Bakersfield, CA / Michael Kofoid (4) 55. Sat, Sept 14 / Merced Speedway / Merced, CA / Michael Kofoid (5)For the remaining 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/what-to-watch-for-thunderbowls-dennis-roth-classic-ready-to-offer-83000-payday/EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/schedule/event-info/?event=6226 TRACK INFO: http://www.thunderbowlraceway.comFAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

BATAVIA, Ohio (September 17, 2024) – The 20th running of the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Your Life Iowa is set for this Thursday thru Saturday, September 19-21 at the famed Knoxville Raceway. It is the only annual late model event at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World,” bringing the nation’s elite dirt late model teams together on one of motorsports’ biggest stages. Over $290,000 in purse money will be paid out during three nights of racing on the historic black-dirt, half-mile oval at the Marion County Fairgrounds. The festivities on Thursday and Friday, September 19-20 will feature a complete program of Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and a 25-lap, $7,000-to-win main event. The DTRA Dirt Trucks will join the racing action on Thursday, while the Dirt Crown Stock Cars will compete on Friday. Saturday night’s program will include Dirt Draft Hot Laps, B-Mains, and the 75-lap, $50,000-to-win main event for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Malvern Bank Super Late Models will serve as a support division on Saturday, September 21. The unique format of the Knoxville Nationals makes every lap on the track important. Drivers score points for each performance, from time trials to heat races, to preliminary night feature events. The champion at the end of the week not only writes their name into the history books but earns the $50,000 winner’s check. Numerous off-track activities will take place surrounding the three-day event. The Hall of Fame Auction will take place at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, behind turn two, on Saturday at 11:30 AM. There will be a Dirt Racing Outreach service in the Main Show Barn outside turn four at 1:45 PM, with an autograph session to follow at 3:00 PM, on Saturday. This half-mile speed-plant is located within the Marion County Fairgrounds, in the heart of Knoxville, Iowa, just a short drive from Des Moines. Three-day ticket packages and single-night tickets are available at www.knoxvilleraceway.com or by calling the ticket office at 641-842-5431. Ricky Thornton Jr. is currently leading the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP. Jonathan Davenport holds the second position, followed by Devin Moran in third. Hudson O’Neal and Tim McCreadie continue to battle for the fourth position in the championship standings. The 20th Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Your Life Iowa will be the final bonus round in the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP. The Big River Steel Big Four drivers – who will battle the final seven events of the season to determine the 2024 National Championship – will be determined following Saturday’s main event at Knoxville Raceway. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:Thursday, September 19:B-Main Purses: 1. Transfer + $100, 2. Transfer + $100, 3. Transfer + $100, 4. $200, 5. $200, 6. $200, 7. $200, 8. $200, 9. $200, 10. $200, 11. $200, 12. $200, 13. $200, 14. $200, 15. $200, 16. $200, 17. $200, 18. $200, 19. $200, 20. $200, 21. $200, 22. $200, 23. $200, 24. $200 = Total $4,500 A-Main Purse: 1. $7,000, 2. $4,000, 3. $3,000, 4. $2,000, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,000, 7. $900, 8. $800, 9. $700, 10. $600, 11. $580, 12. $560, 13. $540, 14. $520, 15. $500, 16. $490, 17. $480, 18. $470, 19. $460, 20. $450, 21. $440, 22. $430, 23. $410, 24. $400 = Total $28,230 Friday, September 20:B-Main Purses: 1. Transfer + $100, 2. Transfer + $100, 3. Transfer + $100, 4. $200, 5. $200, 6. $200, 7. $200, 8. $200, 9. $200, 10. $200, 11. $200, 12. $200, 13. $200, 14. $200, 15. $200, 16. $200, 17. $200, 18. $200, 19. $200, 20. $200, 21. $200, 22. $200, 23. $200, 24. $200 = Total $4,500 A-Main Purse: 1. $7,000, 2. $4,000, 3. $3,000, 4. $2,000, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,000, 7. $900, 8. $800, 9. $700, 10. $600, 11. $580, 12. $560, 13. $540, 14. $520, 15. $500, 16. $490, 17. $480, 18. $470, 19. $460, 20. $450, 21. $440, 22. $430, 23. $410, 24. $400 = Total $28,230 Saturday, September 21:B-Main Purses: 1. Transfer + $200, 2. Transfer + $200, 3. Transfer + $200, 4. $500, 5. $500, 6. $500, 7. $500, 8. $500, 9. $500, 10. $500, 11. $500, 12. $400, 13. $400, 14. $400, 15. $400, 16. $400, 17. $400, 18. $400, 19. $400, 20. $400, 21. $400, 22. $400, 23. $400, 24. $400 = Total $9,800 A-Main Purse: 1. $50,000, 2. $25,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $8,750, 5. $7,500, 6. $7,000, 7. $6,500, 8. $6,000, 9. $5,500, 10. $5,000, 11. $4,500, 12. $4,000, 13. $3,500, 14. $3,400, 15. $3,300, 16. $3,200, 17. $3,100, 18. $3,000, 19. $3,000, 20. $3,000, 21. $3,000, 22. $3,000, 23. $2,700, 24. $2,700, 25. $2,500, 26. $2,500, 27. $2,500, 28. $2,500, 29. $2,500, 30. $2,500, 31. $2,500, 32. $2,500 = Total $196,650 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4 Previous Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals Winners:2023 – Ricky Thornton Jr.2022 – Jonathan Davenport2021 – Mike Marlar2019 – Jimmy Owens2018 – Jimmy Owens2017 – Mike Marlar2016 – Mike Marlar2015 – Jared Landers2014 – Brian Birkhofer2013 – Darrell Lanigan2012 – Steve Francis2011 – Don O’Neal2010 – Billy Moyer2009 – Scott Bloomquist2008 – Tim McCreadie2007 – Brady Smith2006 – Brian Shirley2005 – Scott Bloomquist2004 – Brian Birkhofer

Defending champion enters six-hour Indianapolis race second, third in standings

DETROIT (Sept. 17, 2024) – Cadillac Racing will seek to add another signature victory in program history when it returns to iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the penultimate race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. New for the second edition of the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks is extension of the September 22 race duration from 2 hours, 40 minutes to six hours on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. The event, featuring 11 Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) entries in the 56-car field across four classes, is the fourth in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup series. The 10-hour Petit Le Mans on October 12 closes out the calendar.

Cadillac Racing is the defending and five-time IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) Manufacturer champion, while the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing claimed the team and driver titles in 2023. Cadillac and the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R contingent are second in their respective categories entering the race that awards points at the three-hour mark and checkered flag. “It’s nice that the championship will now finish with two endurance races in a row, which can create a lot of interesting battles and different strategies around not only the overall championship but also the endurance championships,” said Pipo Derani, the 2023 GTP champion and endurance race champion who will share driving duties in both races with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist. The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande are a close third in the IMEC GTP standings. The duo, who tested on the road course earlier this summer, have qualified in the top three in all seven races including earning the pole at Laguna Seca.

Media resources* Event notes, bios, more* Cadillac ’24 IMSA stats* About the V8 engine* Driver photos* Endurance Cup standings

Bourdais, who co-drove to the overall victory in the inaugural NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race at Indianapolis in 2012 and is a 10-time INDYCAR starter on the road course, said driving in the congested field spread across the four classes is a “game of patience.” “In a six-hour race, I guess there will be more management because it will come down to what happens at the last safety car, so it might be a bit easier to manage frustration. In a 2-hour, 40-minute race, it’s trying to get track position the whole time,” said Bourdais, the four-time Indy car champion.Blomqvist made two starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May in INDYCAR competition: finishing 23rd on the road course and 31st in the Indianapolis 500. He co-drove to sixth place in the 2023 IMSA GTP race on the IMS road course with another manufacturer. “You’ve got to be patient and pick your moments carefully, especially when the track gets crowded. Having raced here last year in IMSA and this year in INDYCAR, I feel confident in knowing the nuances of the track, but it’s always evolving and, with managing traffic, balancing risk and reward will be a key factor in the race,” he said.

Peacock and IMSA.tv will stream qualifications at 3:35 p.m. ET Saturday. Peacock (in U.S.) and IMSA.tv (outside U.S.) will stream flag-to-flag action at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, with NBC telecasting the final three hours starting at 3 p.m.  IMSA Radio (imsa.com), RadioLeMans.comwill broadcast qualifications and be joined by SiriusXM (XM 206, Web/App 996) for the race. Cadillac Racing 2023 at Indianapolis (2-hour, 40-minute race):* Seventh (No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R) start fourth – Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande* Fourth (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start eighth – Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims

What they’re saying

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R

Sebastien Bourdais: “Physically, it’s hard. It’s a track that doesn’t give you much rest and it’s seriously difficult in traffic. There are a lot of sections on the track where you can’t pass. Once you get into turn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 you got to wait all the way until the backstraight and same thing when you get to 7, 8, 9, 10. If you don’t clear just before you get to the long right, the marbles build up and you can’t pass either. There are few places to clear traffic and it’s really a game of patience because if you try to force the issue it can go sour pretty fast. You have to be careful but at the same time you can’t be too careful. In a 2-hour, 40-minute race, you can’t take it that easy. In a six-hour race, I guess there will be more management because it will come down to what happens at the last safety car, so it might be a bit easier to manage frustration. In a 2-hour, 40-minute race, it’s trying to get track position the whole time. You’re fighting for a couple tenths and then you give up 5 seconds on a lap because you get stuck behind a GT or something for six corners. It’s a tough one.”

Renger van der Zande: “It’s one of those tracks where strategy and track position will play a big role. It’s a fun track on your own. It’s not a typical IMSA track either. I did the 8 hours of Indy as well; finished second. It’s not the most exciting track but it’s the home for a lot of race teams, including our team. It’s a home race for them, so it’s a home race for me. I’m looking forward to Indy. The tough part for us in this part of the season is the hard tire, which we focused on getting it better and found some setup stuff that worked.”

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Pipo Derani: “Indianapolis six hours will be a new challenge as it enters the endurance rounds of the championship. It’s also a very peculiar racetrack, one that can create a lot of marbles off track. It’s most likely going to create a very interesting endurance event, and I am looking forward to that. I also think it’s nice that the championship will now finish with two endurance races in a row, which can create a lot of interesting battles and different strategies around not only the overall championship but also the endurance championships. Last year we had a relatively strong race car apart from the Porsches who were on a league of their own and we weren’t so quick in qualifying. We will be looking to unlock some speed this year and hope that we can fight the Porsches during the race.”

Jack Aitken: “Indianapolis may be a new track for me, but it’s one I know from the simulator and having watched quite a few races there, so I’m not too concerned about getting up to speed. Going to a six hour this year will mean a bit more strategy playing out over the race, and as always traffic management will be a huge part of the game. Competing at such a historic venue will always be a cool outing, and Indy is a bit of a home away from home at this point, thanks to the Dallara simulator being just next to the Speedway.”Tom Blomqvist: “Racing at Indy is always a special experience, and the new six-hour format definitely changes things and adds a new challenge for everyone. The circuit is tight and technical, so traffic management will be crucial to a strong result. Overtaking can be challenging, but there are a few decent spots to make moves, particularly heading into Turn 1 and on the backstretch. You’ve got to be patient and pick your moments carefully, especially when the track gets crowded. Having raced here last year in IMSA and this year in INDYCAR, I feel confident in knowing the nuances of the track, but it’s always evolving and, with managing traffic, balancing risk and reward will be a key factor in the race. To be back working with the team, Pipo and Jack is fantastic and I’m optimistic about our chances. We’re currently second in the Endurance Cup standings, so the goal for the last two rounds is to maximize every opportunity for points and try to win the title.”

Sep 16, 2024 | Featured, Race Results

Maple Grove Raceway Continues to Challenge Team as Hunter Green and Matt Sackman Battle Adversity

Reading, PA (September 16, 2024) – Randy Meyer Racing faced their toughest weekend of the 2024 NHRA season at the Pep Boys Nationals in Reading, Pennsylvania, marking their biggest upset of the year. Despite entering the event with high hopes, the team struggled to find their groove on the Maple Grove Raceway track, a venue that continues to elude their victory list.

Driving for the team were Top Alcohol Dragster points leader Hunter Green and the returning Matt Sackman, an experienced driver who has been exploring other forms of drag racing. Both drivers encountered challenges early on, with their cars overpowering the track and smoking the tires in the first two qualifying sessions, leaving them at the bottom of the field.

In the third and final qualifying session, Sackman finally put together a solid pass, running a 5.272-second elapsed time at 271.35 mph to secure a spot into eliminations. Green launched hard on his final attempt and kept the car hooked up, but an unfortunate issue with the timing system meant his run did not get recorded, and he failed to qualify for the event. Despite this setback, Green remains the Top Alcohol Dragster points leader.

Sackman, eager to make the most of his return, faced Brandon Greco in the first round of eliminations. He delivered his quickest pass of the weekend with a 5.234 at 272.01 mph to Greco’s 5.268 at 272.45 mph, advancing to the second round. However, the team’s struggles continued Saturday night under the lights as Sackman left too early on the starting line in his second-round matchup against Jackie Fricke, going red and handing the win to Fricke.

Although it was a disappointing weekend for the team, Hunter Green’s strong performance throughout the season keeps him atop the points standings. Green earned 10 points for not qualifying, but due to NHRA rules, he will not count them toward his national championship total. The team has confirmed that Green will replace Gary Pritchett in the upcoming NHRA Carolina Nationals this weekend.

According to NHRA guidelines, each driver is eligible to earn points at their first five regional and first ten national events, with their best three regional and best seven national finishes contributing to their national championship points total. Randy Meyer Racing remains confident that Green will bounce back in Charlotte, a track they’ve had the most success at.

Joining the team for the NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte is defending event winner and reigning national champion Julie Nataas. This will be her final race at zMAX Dragway with Randy Meyer Racing, adding an extra layer of excitement as the team aims for redemption and a return to the winner’s circle.

BRISTOL, TN – September 16, 2024 – Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Chris Buescher won Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, completing a 4-in-a-row streak for Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines. This weekend’s win marked Buescher’s first win of the season, 143rd NASCAR Cup Series win for car owner Jack Roush, and sixth since the forming of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.

“Congratulations to Jack, Brad, Scott, Chris, and everyone at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on the race win at Watkins Glen,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “What an incredible drive and finish by Chris Buescher. The No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team worked their way to the front of the field for the win at the Glen.”

“That’s such a good BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang. This team is so great. Our long run speed was just phenomenal. I thought we lost it there on that last one and to stay right there with him. That was the spot he was better than us and he missed it, so I tried a crossover. He went to cut and just hard racing there. It’s just such an awesome finish. To be that good for so much at the end of the race, all race, to get a win is good.  We came here to be a spoiler and we’re gonna do that,” commented Buescher.

Sunday’s race marked the first time that Watkins Glen International has hosted a playoff race. Four Ford Performance drivers started from the top-10: Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P5, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P7, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Noah Gragson in P9, and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in P10.  The action-packed race started with a crash just past the bus stop on lap 1, involving multiple playoff drivers. Several cars pitted before the end of the first stage, shaking up the finishing order. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe finished the stage in P3 along with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P5. An accident on lap 38 of 40 in the second stage caused it to end under caution with four Ford Performance drivers finishing in the top-10: Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P3, Wood Brothers Racing’s Harrison Burton in P6, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece in P7 and P9.  The final stage of the race was filled with action. With under 20 laps remaining, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher passed Joey Logano after turn one to take the lead. Shortly after, the caution flag came out for debris left on the track following an incident. With 7 laps remaining, a crash in turn 4 brought out a caution. With three laps to go, another caution was thrown after two cars collided just before the esses, causing the race to go into overtime. During the overtime restart, Shane Van Gisbergen passed Chris Buescher for the lead but became loose on entry to the bus stop chicane allowing Chris Buescher to close in on him with his No. 17 RFK Racing Ford. The two drivers made contact in the carousel, but Buescher surged ahead to make the race-winning pass, crossing the finish line 0.979 seconds ahead of Van Gisbergen.

Five Ford Performance drivers finished in the top-10: Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P6, Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in P7, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece in P9, and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P10.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series also raced at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. Joey Logano, driving for AM Racing, finished in P9.  The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series both compete this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

39 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 470 WINS – 435 POLES

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September 15, 2024 — LEBANON, TN

• Late-race pass secures Colton Herta’s second victory of 2024 – and career first oval win – in the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES finale at Nashville Superspeedway
• Alex Palou repeats as Drivers’ Champion, his third title in the last four years
• Linus Lundqvist named 2024 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year

Colton Herta and Alex Palou saved their best for last, as Palou successfully defended his NTT INDYCAR SERIES Drivers’ Championship and Herta won today’s 2024 season finale at the Nashville Superspeedway.

Leading the championship by 33 points coming into today 17th and final race of the season, Palou’s 11th-place finish secured the Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s second consecutive INDYCAR title, and third in the last four years. It also is Honda’s 20th Drivers’ Championship in 31 seasons of INDYCAR competition.

But neither driver had an easy time of it. After running at or near the front all day in his Andretti Global Honda, Nashville resident Herta made a thrilling three-wide pass for the lead in the closing laps of today’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, then pulled away to score his second win of 2024, and his career-first oval victory.

For Palou, issues in qualifying and an engine-change penalty left him deep in the field – 24th – for the start of today’s 206-lap contest. But a strong early run saw Palou gain 10 positions in the opening stint, and his 11th-place finish was more than enough for the title; while Herta’s race win vaulted him from fourth to second in the final championship standings.

Palou’s teammate, Linus Lundqvist, also closed out the 2024 season in strong fashion with an eighth-place result after clinching series Rookie of the Year honors at the penultimate round in Milwaukee earlier this month. Lundqvist becomes the 23rd Honda driver to win IndyCar’s Rookie honors.

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Honda Race Results

1st Colton Herta	Andretti Global Honda
4th Kyle Kirkwood	Andretti Global Honda
7th Marcus Armstrong	Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
8th Linus Lundqvist-R	Chip Ganassi Racing Honda [Wins Rookie of the Year for 2024]
9th David Malukas	Meyer Shank Racing Honda
11th Alex Palou	Chip Ganassi Racing Honda [2024 INDYCAR Champion]
13th Jack Harvey	Dale Coyne Racing Honda
17th Scott Dixon	Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
19th Christian Lundgaard	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
21st Pietro Fittipaldi	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
22nd Kyffin Simpson-R	Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
23rd Graham Rahal	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
25th Marcus Ericsson	Andretti Global Honda [Did not finish – contact]
26th Katherine Legge	Dale Coyne Racing with RWR Honda [Did not finish – contact]
27th Felix Rosenqvist	Meyer Shank Racing Honda [Did not finish – contact]

R – Rookie

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Drivers’ Championship Standings (after 17 of 17 rounds)
1. Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing                            544 points (2 wins)
2. Colton Herta, Andretti Global                                  523 (2 wins) 
3. Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske                                505 (3 wins)

Quotes
Alex Palou (#10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) finished 11th, 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, second consecutive drivers’ title and third in last four years: “What an amazing year! We made it a bit more exciting than we wanted, obviously, with the issues we had in race 2 at Milwaukee. But, what an amazing year! We were able to win three races. One didn’t count at Thermal—but next year counts and that’s good. And we won the championship back-to-back! Amazing job by HRC, everybody on the #10 car, and DHL.”

Colton Herta (#26 Andretti Global Honda) Race winner, second win of 2024, INDYCAR career first oval track victory, second to fellow Honda Racer Alex Palou in the Drivers’ Championship: “The whole race, I was getting my passes done coming off the corners. I was able to drive off the middle to exit of the corners, and get the power down really well. We had a lapped car to play off of, and we had just enough room between us to go down low and get the pass [of race leader Pato O’Ward] done. I’m just so happy. The Gainbridge Group 1001 Honda has been so fast this whole weekend. We didn’t get to show it in qualifying, but we knew we had a hot rod in the race today. It’s been an amazing year. Second in the championship is awesome, but it gives us something to shoot for in 2025.”

Linus Lundqvist (#8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) finished 8th, wins 2024 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year honors: “Winning Rookie of the Year is obviously amazing. We’re very proud of that, to join that list of names who have done it before me. I mean, it’s a title you can only win once so happy and proud to have down that. I’ve made plenty of rookie mistakes, but I’ve also learned a lot. I think the second half of the season, we’ve really shown what we’re capable of. I’m leaving this season extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished and also very hopeful for the future.”

David Salters (President, Honda Racing Corporation USA) on this weekend’s season finale and the 2024 INDYCAR season: “In summary: Pole, Win, Drivers’ Championship. All down to the superb skill, efforts and teamwork of Honda Racing Corporation and our fantastic teams. Huge congratulations to Andretti Global on their race win today and of course to the folks at Chip Ganassi Racing on Alex’s third drivers’ title. Huge thank you to all the men and women at Honda Racing Corporation. We are incredibly proud to represent Honda in pinnacle racing in North America. Pure teamwork, hard work, and the results speak for themselves. Now, regroup—perhaps a cheeky beer—and let’s get on with the big fight for next year. We’re looking forward to the challenge. Bring it on.”

Next
This weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway concludes the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The 2025 season begins March 2 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida.

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Cornwell Tools Camaro Wins Pep Boys Nationals for Third Straight Year

READING, Pa. (Sept. 15, 2024) – After Jack Nicklaus won the 1965 Masters in dominating fashion, Hall of Fame golf great Bobby Jones famously observed that “he plays a game with which I’m not familiar.”  Funny Car rivals of young Austin Prock are beginning to share that sentiment after the 29-year-old drove the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to victory in Sunday’s 39th Pep Boys Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, beating teammate “Fast Jack” Beckman in an all-John Force Racing final round. Prock, who has started 11 of 15 races this season from the No. 1 qualifying position, won in 3.896 seconds at a finish line speed of 332.51 miles per hour. Beckman, driving the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Camaro in relief of Force, trailed in 3.951 seconds at 330.88 mph. For Prock, it was his sixth win in 15 races this season, his second in succession, and it enabled him to open a commanding 86-point lead after the first race in the Mission Foods Countdown to the Championship. He’ll be heavily favored when qualifying begins this Friday for the 16th NHRA Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, N.C. “It feels amazing,” Prock said of the win. “It’s great to rack up some points and build a bit of a gap over second place again, especially after losing about 300 points (in the points adjustment that precedes the playoffs) This is exactly how you want to start the Countdown. We were the No. 1 qualifier, picked up points almost every round (of qualifying) and the car was flying today. “To win (the championship) we just have to do what we’ve been doing all year long,” said the grandson of ‘70s era Funny Car driver Tom Prock. “We have to execute exactly how we have all season long. We’re racing ‘lights out’ right now and I feel like we’re consistently making the best runs we’re capable of making.” “You couldn’t script it any better,” said assistant crew chief Nate Hildahl of Sunday’s win. “We’re going to keep pushing and maybe we’ll even tie (or eclipse) John Force’s all-time record of pole starts (13).” Beckman, who had been out of the sport for more than three years and was working as an elevator repairman when Force crashed heavily at Richmond, Va., on June 23, quickly has acclimated himself to the cockpit of the aqua blue Chevy. He reached the quarterfinals in his first start, the semifinals in his second two weeks ago at Indianapolis, Ind., and advanced to the final on Sunday. Obviously, there’s only one more rung on that ladder. As Force’s surrogate, by NHRA rule Beckman can earn points on the 16-time champion’s behalf in a maximum of eight races. His performance Sunday moved him and Force from sixth to third in the driver standings behind only Prock and Reading semifinalist Bob Tasca III. “If we want to win the championship, Austin is the target,” Beckman said. “We can’t spot him (points) every race and expect to win it but they did everything right this weekend. That car was the class of the field. “Our PEAK Chevy went down the track top three every run in qualifying (but) we had two elimination rounds where it didn’t do what we asked it to,” said the 33-time pro tour winner, “but we got eight total runs (for the weekend) and the crew chiefs are smart enough to be able to look at that and figure out what the car is wanting.” The Prock-Beckman shootout marked the 54th time JFR teammates have opposed one another in the final round of an NHRA tour event. It was the second such occurrence this year, following on the heels of Force’s win over Prock in the final at the NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, N.H., on June 2. Prock’s Sunday victory came just two years after he won the same race at the wheel of a JFR Top Fuel dragster, but this win light was significantly more meaningful insomuch as he celebrated in the winners’ circle with a crew that includes dad Jimmy and brother Thomas. It was the third straight Maple Grove win for the Cornwell Camaro team following on the heels of 2022 and 2023 victories by three-time World Champion Robert Hight, who is sitting out the season for medical reasons. For Brittany Force and the Monster Energy Chevy dragster, it was one of those throwaway weekends when the required elements just weren’t in sync. Fortunately, the two-time World Champion won’t have long to ponder the “what ifs” insomuch as she and her veteran crew will be back on a racetrack this Friday for the start of qualifying for the 16th NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte.  “We came into Reading with a lot of confidence after some solid runs in qualifying but unfortunately, the Monster Energy team’s day ended earlier than we had hoped against (four-time series champion) Steve Torrence,” she said. “The car went up in smoke (losing traction) right at the hit (of the throttle),” she recounted. “I pedaled it a few times (trying to regain traction) but, on my last pedal I lost power and Steve drove around us. It’s tough, especially knowing how well we’ve done here in the past, but we’re not going to let this get us down. We’ve got a strong team and a lot of good data from the weekend to work with. We are staying positive. “Charlotte is up next and that’s always been one of my favorite places to races,” said the 16-time tour winner. “We’re going to regroup, bring everything we’ve got and aim for that win in our HendrickCars.com dragster.”

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY LEBANON, TENNESSEE TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet, capped off the 2024 season with Team Chevy finishing on the podium in second and third, respectively.The Bowtie brand finished the 206-lap, 267.8-mile season finale with five in the top-10, including O’Ward (second) and Newgarden (third), as well as Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (fifth), AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci (sixth), and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly (10th).Team Chevy combined for 107 of 206 laps led during Sunday’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, with Newgarden leading the most for the Bowtie brand with 54.The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to action on the Streets of St. Petersburg live on FOX Sunday, March 2, 2025.TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 RACE RESULT:Pos. Driver2nd  Pato O’Ward3rd   Josef Newgarden5th   Scott McLaughlin6th   Santino Ferrucci10th Conor Daly

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:“A really tough race today. I think the grid penalty hurt me more than I initially thought, but we fought really hard all day to keep the 14 Sexton Properties Chevy up front.The crew was awesome in the pits, incredible stops. We had a great strategy. Everything really kind of went our way to get another top five, and we just kind of fell short there right at the end. But overall, incredible day. We locked ninth in the drivers’ championship. Just really great execution these last few events, to do what we’ve done as a team. Really proud of our guys.” Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:“After yesterday‘s qualifying, we were very hopeful. We thought we had a really, really good race car. In qualifying, we would’ve been top-10, if we didn’t have the issue with the fuel pressure dropping out. So today was going to be a good day but food poisoning last night was a difficult thing to deal with so unfortunately, we were dealing with that today. I feel like we somewhat maximized the event but it wasn’t quite enough. Overall, I think we learned a lot this year. This team is definitely on the rise and I think that they’re gonna be one of the winners consistently next year.” Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“The team did an unbelievable job, and I was pushing. I was pushing, pushing. We really took these tires to the limit to what they’re capable of. I don’t know if we could’ve made two or three more laps. Bummer there we got stuck with traffic which gave Colton (Herta) a run. That one stings a little bit. Got taken from us pretty late. It was a fantastic race and a really good way to end the season. “It’s a great end to the season. The momentum will roll into the offseason, but we’ve got work to do. We’re going to put our heads down, make the cars go better, and challenge for the championship once again next year but hopefully we’ll be coming out on the top end.” Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We had an alright race today. We were on the back foot after missing most of Practice 1 and Qualifying yesterday. I spent the first stint getting comfortable, and ultimately by the end of the race I think that our pace was quite good. We just didn’t have track position because of the situation we were in yesterday. It’s kind of a bummer to finish the season like this, but the No. 6 NTT DATA crew did an incredible job this weekend and all year long. I’ve really, really enjoyed working with the Arrow McLaren team, and I am motivated for next year. It has been a year of growth, and I feel like every weekend, we have gotten better and gotten closer to fighting at the front. That is where we expect to be next year. There have been so many people that I have learned from, including Pato, Alex and, of course, Tony, so having teammates like that have really helped me grow. We’ll get to work and focus on a big 2025.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“This was a pretty disappointing outcome. We knew this was going to be hard work obviously, starting from the back. The race was going quite well up until the last 20 percent. I think there was some confusion as to who the actual leader of the race was and whether or not we needed to pit or not. Unfortunately, that took us from a top-six position to be a lap down finishing 15th. It’s a hard pill to swallow in my last event with the team. I’ll look back on the positive memories and not let this taint the bigger picture. It’s been great to be part of this organization, and now I’ll look toward my next step.” Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren:“I just want to say thanks to Alexander (Rossi) for his dedication and help over the last two years. We wanted to finish on a bit higher note than we did today, and frankly, I don’t think we were very happy on the timing stand with how we ran the race. It probably limited his ability to run a top-five race. Pato (O’Ward) did a great job to hang on with tire vibrations and could hardly see where he was going at the end there. That cost us the win today. We struggled on the softer alternate tires, so that is something to learn from. Nolan (Siegel) learned a lot today and just got better and better as the race went on. That’s the whole point for him, to finish all the laps. Overall, I think it was a season of highs and lows. We won three races, more than the team had done before, but consistency held us back from fighting for the championship. I’m pretty excited to take a break and then hit it hard to get ready for next year.” Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“I felt like today’s race for me was really up and down! Throughout a lot of the race, I really didn’t know where we were as the field was so mixed. Once we got kicked loose and I didn’t have to hit the fuel number anymore, we had a lot of pace. We basically put a lap on the car we needed to in a very short time. We were flying! That was super fun. There was one objective today – to make Leader’s Circle – and we did it! Good day! Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“We opted to start on the red tires and just get them out of the way, knowing they had more degradation. That took us off the leader’s strategy, which was unlucky, but then it felt like every time we pitted it went yellow! All the cautions worked against us, but we had a really, really good car. I would say if things went the right way, we could have beat anyone! It was an awesome car. Finishing 12th isn’t bad, but there was so much more available. Kind of sums up the season as a whole! We did so many things right, but so many things didn’t go our way. But the team never gave up and I thank them for all the work they did all year! Time for the offseason!” Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“The season is over and P16 today. I think we got a bit unlucky with the yellow, but that happens. Fantastic job by the team the whole season. Happy that they worked hard for some great races until the end. It was great to be here for the first podium for the team, so I’m excited for the team as a whole.” Conor Daly, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“The start was ok, but the red [tires] at the beginning were a challenge for us. We held station for a little bit and was happy to get off those tires, but then we got killed with the first yellow and that put us two laps down so it was really hard to come back from that. But we did – the car was good, and the team was good. We put ourselves back on the lead lap which was nice. I had to save a crazy amount of fuel to get to the end. It was difficult – I hadn’t done a race like that in a long time. Thankful to be in the top 10. It feels like we have been really competitive all weekend so that was really, really satisfying.” Ricardo Juncos, Co-Owner of Juncos Hollinger Racing:“Really happy with the results. The goal was to get both cars inside the Leaders Circle and we did that. P10 with Conor Daly with an amazing recovery so I want to thank him again, he drove an amazing race. Same with everyone on the team – the pits stops, the strategy – everyone did an amazing job, so I want to thank them for that. Romain Grosjean and the 77 as well. A big team effort the whole year, so I’m really pleased. I thank all of the team members, drivers, our sponsors and fans. We are looking forward to next year already and are focusing on continuing to grow as a team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.” Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:“I’m really happy. Obviously, Team Chevy got us the goods all season. It was a pretty fun race to finish it off. We got the Biggest Mover Award so that’s always a good thing, but we had a heck of a race there. Finished third in the championship, so that’s a great thing two years in a row.” Will Power, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:“On the lap belt, I’m like ‘man, that was weird.’ It felt kind of loose in the car. Came out of turn two and I’m feeling around, and I felt the end of the belt as it goes in. I thought ‘Man, my belt just fell off, we’re going to have to pit.’ It took five laps to… It could’ve happened a second time at the race. We learned how to do it quickly. If we’d known that… That’s a very abnormal thing. I just don’t know what went wrong. We’ll have to send it back to the manufacturer. Very strange failure. I do wonder if I hit the wall and if it did break, if I was going to have a real bad situation, but never have that before. You have (other issues). Disappointing, but big congrats to Alex (Palou). Tough guy to beat. Ganassi did a great job this year. Been fun racing those guys this year. We dropped back to fourth (in the championship) because of this day, but man, if you don’t win it doesn’t matter. But happy with the season. The whole team won about half of the races. We did well. I want to win that championship, so I’ll come back fighting next year. We did a great job (all season), winning the Indy 500, winning the most races of any team. Obviously, stoked to win three races this year. It’s a tough series. Very difficult to win. Have to thank Verizon and Chevy. Those guys have been fantastic. I only used four engines this year, so the reliability was great. We’ll come back fighting next year.”

PATO O’WARD, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, and JOSEF NEWGARDEN, driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet – Podium Press Conference:THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon. Wrapping up not only the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, but today’s race. Currently joined by Pato O’Ward. The second podium in the last three races, sixth podium of the season, 26th of his career. Josef Newgarden also joins us. Sixth podium of the season, 58th career podium. THE MODERATOR: Pato, obviously crazy finish at the end. What did you see out of your rearview mirror trying to hold off Colton? PATO O’WARD: Yeah, I wish I could have done it a little bit harder on him. Sting Ray facilitated that. A bit of a stinger to lose it that way. I would have liked to have at least fight him for a little bit more. No, it was a pretty hectic race for our 5 car, to be honest. I had no idea where I was the whole race till the end. Guys are starting to pit and you are leading. That’s great. I just tried to continue pushing. Oh, my God, those reds at the end, I couldn’t see straight with so much vibrations. Could barely talk to the team with just how much was going on in the car. Yeah, pretty gnarly in the end. Congrats, Colton. I think one more lap, Josef would have gotten me for sure. I was dying. THE MODERATOR: Josef, another podium for you to wrap up the season. Your thoughts on being back in Nashville and a chance to win today… JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, good to be back. I don’t know what we made up there in the last 25 laps, maybe 12 seconds or something. We’ll digest that next week. Going to be a tough pill to swallow, but one we’re going to have to swallow. Yeah, great to be here. I thought the race was incredible as far as ease-ability. It’s what we wanted, to put on a good show. I think it was very possible to do that today. Thankful to Nashville and the surrounding areas, Scott Borchetta, everybody that put this on. A big event. Congrats to Colton on a good win. Yeah, hard to not be pissed. Really got that wrong. THE MODERATOR: We’ll start with questions. Q. Josef, you’re another hometown driver. To have finished on the podium, considering the way the season went, how does it feel to get another podium finish?JOSEF NEWGARDEN: It seems fitting for this year, I would say, the way this one shaped up for us. I’m going to be happy to leave all this in 2024. We’re going to reset. Team did a great job today. They put a good car on the track, a great car. We’re going to come back next year and hopefully have a little different cadence would be nice. It’s great to be here at this facility. I just want to say again everything that Scott has done with Big Machine to make sure we maintain this event on the calendar I think was really, really important. We had an incredible crowd for making the shift year over year. Everybody’s efforts should be applauded. We should be super thankful for what everyone has done. It should be on the calendar. So happy we were here. If nothing else, great to end the finale in the Nashville area. Q. In 2018, last race of the year, you guys step up to INDYCAR the next year. Six years later, you guys have lived up to the Stars of the Future potential. What is it like to be here together?PATO O’WARD: I think it’s really cool. At one point I actually thought we were going to be together in Formula 1. That didn’t work out (smiling). We’re here. Well, we’ve got some work to do to catch up to the 10 car with Ganassi. I think they’ve really set the bar where they’ve been leaders in that in terms of consistency. Us as a team, we have a lot of work to do to be in the conversation, to be fairly honest. We’re going to work for that and try and just truly be there to fight until the end ’cause I think this year we fell a little bit short like we have the last couple years. I’d love to see that take a different place next year and really give them that fight. I’m sure Colton, Josef, you can never count out all the Penskes, Ganassis, hopefully a couple McLarens. Obviously Andrettis are going to be in the fight. Like 10 cars for the championship. THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA 2024 PEP BOYS NHRA NATIONALS MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY READING, PENNSYLVANIA TEAM CHEVY RACE REPORT | NOTES & STATS SEPT. 15, 2024 Chevrolet Races to Triple Wally Trophies in Reading with Prock’s Victory, Aaron Stanfield Winning in Pro Stock, and Scott Libersher in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown

Notes:Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing, defeated teammate Jack Beckman, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, in an exciting final round at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Penn.Prock’s lap of 3.896 seconds E.T. at 332.51 mph over Beckman’s 3.951 seconds E.T. at 330.88 mph was enough for the young gun to capture his 10th-career NHRA Wally trophy and sixth of 2024.Prock capped off a perfect weekend after going No. 1 both Friday and Saturday evening, racing to his ninth final round of the 2024 season as well as his 17th of his NHRA career. Prock leaves Reading maintaining the Countdown to the Championship points lead, 86 over second place Bob Tasca, III.Beckman, who is currently competing on behalf of team owner John Force, defeated Joe Morrison in Round 1, JR Todd in Round 2, and Alexis DeJoria in semifinals, to face teammate Prock and gain valuable points in the Funny Car Championship.After qualifying No. 5 at Reading, Brittany Force faced a pedal fest against Steve Torrence in Round 1, unfortunately being defeated early in the day.Prock captured his impressive 11th No. 1 qualifier of 2024 and first season in the Funny Car category, as well as his 14th career NHRA top qualifying spot, after his Q2 run Friday maintained the leading position through Saturday’s Q3 and Q4 rounds.Friday’s two sessions of qualifying saw Prock go provisional No. 1 early in the weekend once again, with his monster Q2 run of 3.849 seconds E.T. at 338.43 mph putting him in the top spot heading into Saturday.Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock, defeated teammate and six-time champion Erica Enders to claim the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Wally in the Pro Stock category and Chevrolet’s 396th in the category since 1970.Scott Libersher defeated fellow Chevrolet COPO Camaro competitor Stephen Bell in the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown, with Libersher running 7.755 seconds E.T. at 177.46 mph to Bell’s 7.797 seconds E.T. at 176.03 mph.

Quotes: AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:“I’ve done more in this one single season than my entire career, and it’s all kudos to these guys behind me. This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team is unbelievable and I’m sure having fun. Today’s a special day. It’s my grandfather’s 81st birthday and we got him a win at Indy and we’ve got another one coming home. Very special and proud of that. Just so happy to be a part of Cornwell Tools and Chevrolet. To give us an opportunity to come live our dream, thank you sincerely from my family.” JACK BECKMAN, DRIVER OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:  “If we want to win the championship, Austin (Prock) is the target everybody’s chasing right now. We can’t spot him a round every race, but they did everything right this weekend. That car was the class of the field. Our PEAK Chevy went down the track every run, and top three in qualifying. We had two elimination rounds where it didn’t do what we asked it to do, but we got eight total runs and the crew chiefs are smart enough to be able to look at that and figure out what the car is wanting. Every run we make, even though this is a brand-new car that had never been down the track before me, and let’s call me a brand-new driver—I’m not John Force—every driver’s driving style is different, every car’s fingerprint is different. The more runs we can get with me driving, the better Tim (Fabrisi), Danny (Hood), and Chris (Cunningham) are going to be at making those calls. It’s such a wonderful feeling to have that much confidence in the car every time we tow to the line. “Even with Schumacher, when you go up to the lanes, it’s every team for themselves, and rightfully so. When you get back to the pits, you help out whoever you can help, but once we go up to race, your goal is to beat the car in the other lane, so that part of it hasn’t changed. It’s just, in my wildest dreams, I didn’t think I’d ever get to drive for John Force Racing, and I still look at that blue PEAK Chevrolet, and it takes a second to set in that I’m driving John Force’s race car. I don’t know how you put that into words.” SCOTT LIBERSHER, DRIVE OF THE MAITA MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET COPO CAMARO IN FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN:“I had full confidence that I would do well this weekend. I was kind of the silent guy sneaking up from the back. No one mentioned me much. I was getting a little irritated. I said I’m going to turn it up a little bit, and here we are. I’ve been trying to be very consistent with everything I do, and that (reaction time) was me being a little amped up and just all the adrenaline sure. Stephen (Bell) is a good friend of mine. We’ve congratulated each other on our wins. He was excited at Brainerd for me. We were coming around the corner, and (crew chief) David Barton was ready with the computer since they didn’t prep the track because they’re running late. We put our B tune in, and it worked out great. I drove hard and David tuned it up great.” AUSTIN PROCK, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car – End of Day Press Conference Transcript: In Reading a few years ago in Top Fuel, you guys rolled in here buried in points and won this race. That propelled you all the way up to a third-place finish, a Countdown you said several times you thought could’ve won you a Championship if you guys just did your job in the regular season. This year, you did that, and had a two-round lead before firing up a car today while now leaving with almost a whole race lead. What does that say about this team?“It just speaks volumes for how great this team is. My dad (Jimmy Prock), Thomas (Prock) and Nate Hildahl, and every one of these Cornwell Tools Chevy team boys, they just do a great job. They just keep their heads down and keep picking away at it and trying to be better and better every time we bolt this thing together. It sure does feel nice to get a win and make a little bit more of a gap on the points. We had an 18-round lead after Indy, and it gets taken to about two rounds. Feels good to stretch that back out.” You won here in Top Fuel and now in Funny Car. Your dad’s tuning career started here with Joe Amato. Talk about racing in the state of Pennsylvania and winning at Reading…“It’s got to be one of my favorite racetracks. The fans are always outstanding here. We love coming and seeing them. This is a diehard racing state. I love me some winged sprint car races and I know they do too. We love coming here, and winning in Top Fuel and Funny Car, that’s pretty amazing. We doubled up with my dad in 2022; we won in Top Fuel and he won in Funny Car. We doubled up on the same team today.” Outstanding day for the John Force Racing Funny Cars. Talk about that…“Outstanding day, outstanding week for both teams. Really proud of that PEAK team (and Jack Beckman). That Chevy Camaro is flying, and Jack (Beckman) is driving lights out. He’s definitely no one you can take lightly, and I’m proud to see that. All those guys are my friends over there, and it’s pretty cool racing him in the final round.”

How to Watch:The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series heads next to zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, N.C. for the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals Sept. 20-22. Eliminations Sunday air at 3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage of qualifying and the race stream live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

NASCAR CUP SERIES WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL ROUND OF 16: RACE TWO TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT SEPT. 15, 2024

Van Gisbergen Leads Chevrolet with Runner-Up Finish at Watkins Glen

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10:  POS.   DRIVER2nd Shane van Gisbergen3rd Carson Hocevar4th Ross Chastain5th Zane Smith8th Corey LaJoieWITH 28 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES COMPLETE:Wins: 11Poles: 8Top-five finishes: 53Top-10 finishes: 110

UP NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend, with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race marking the elimination race for the Round of 16. Coverage of the 500-lap event can be found on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

·       In yet another overtime finish, road course ace, Shane van Gisbergen, came just .979-seconds from taking the checkered flag – ultimately leading Chevrolet to the finish with a runner-up result in his No. 16 WeatherTech Camaro ZL1. ·       It was a day plagued with problems throughout the playoff field, but all five of Chevrolet’s playoff contenders will head into the Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway above the cutline.  ·       NASCAR Cup Series ‘rookie of the year’ contender, Carson Hocevar, notched his career best finish at the 2.45-mile upstate New York circuit – driving his No. 77 Mattress Warehouse Camaro ZL1 to a third-place result.  ·       The NASCAR Cup Series ‘Go Bowling at The Glen’ commemorated a monumental milestone for the series’ Next Gen era, with today’s event marking the 100th points-paying race for the Next Gen car. Chevrolet leaves the 2.45-mile upstate New York circuit with a manufacturer-leading 48 victories in the Next Gen era.  ·       In the Next Gen era’s 100 points-paying race history:

Leading in Wins: In 100 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 48%. In its debut season (2022), the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 owned over half of the points-paying race wins, with nine drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations scoring a combined 19 victories. The manufacturer followed-up that effort with an 18-race win season in 2023. Thus far this season, six different drivers have contributed to a manufacturer-leading 11 victories.  Back-to-Back Manufacturer Championships: Chevrolet has swept the manufacturer championship titles in the Next Gen era, with the 2023 title marking the Bowtie brand’s series-leading 42nd all-time manufacturer championship title in NASCAR’s premier series. In its most recent title-earning season (2023), each Chevrolet organization that competed full-time that season contributed points that ultimately led to the championship.  First-Time Winners: The Next Gen era has produced seven first-time NASCAR Cup Series winners, with four of those drivers earning their milestone triumph behind the wheel of the Next Gen Camaro ZL1. Among that list includes: Ross Chastain (2022 at Circuit of The Americas), Daniel Suarez (2022 at Sonoma Raceway), Tyler Reddick (2022 at Road America), and Shane van Gisbergen (2023 at the Chicago Street Course).  Crown Jewel Victories: Four different drivers have earned a crown jewel victory with Chevrolet in the Next Gen era including: Erik Jones with Petty-GMS in the 2022 Southern 500; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with JTG Daugherty Racing in the 2023 Daytona 500; Kyle Larson with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2023 Southern 500 and the 2024 Brickyard 400; and William Byron with Hendrick Motorsports in the 2024 Daytona 500.  Double-Digits Records: The Next Gen era has produced 28 different winners, with Team Chevy’s William Byron and Kyle Larson standing as the only drivers with a double-digit win record with the Next Gen Car – each collecting 11 points-paying victories, to date, since the beginning of the 2022 season.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 BUSCH LIGHT CAMARO ZL1Finished: 4thWHAT WAS YOUR APPROACH TO THE FINAL RUN AND DID YOU HAVE ENOUGH?“No, once we had that caution at the end of Stage two, it took us out of control of the race, for Shane (Van Gisbergen) and I. I would have still been able to restart on the front row, and I messed up with passing the No. 6 with like 20 to go and let the No. 77 get by me. It was just a driver error, and I messed up. Once he was back by me, I didn’t have enough to go back and pass him again.  It was so much fun to take our Busch Light Chevy and put it on the pole, and race with Shane, who has taught me so much in the last year. To be able to pace with him, in front, behind and all around, for about three quarters of the race. Just fell off too much at the end, but we still had a shot. I saw Shane move the No. 17 on the last restart and I thought, maybe they all crash, but was just stuck behind them.”   KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1Finished: 12th“Our race was pretty wild. We started right in the middle of the field, and it was just never quite relaxing. I feel like our No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy was really good. We made great improvements on it overnight. I think studying some data helped on my end, as well. Happy with the improvement, but just wish we could restart the whole weekend over. I think it would go a lot better.” AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 13 GO BOWLING CAMARO ZL1Sidelined by a mechanical issue during Stage One. Finished: 36th It’s a bigger issue than initially thought. What exactly is going on with the race car? “It just felt like it just snapped the axle. It sounded like it pulled the axle out of the transaxle, but there’s more that went off in there. It was violent. I’m just happy that I did catch the race car in front of everybody.. that was going to be big. It’s disappointing. It’s hard to tell, but I thought the initial first lap there, it felt like it fired off really well. The No. 13 Go Bowling Chevy, we’ll never know. It was a good weekend. I’m disappointed just because Go Bowling put their belief in me and put their product on the race car. I felt like we were going to at least have a shot at running up front and maybe win this thing. It’s just one of those years.” SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 16 WEATHERTECH CAMARO ZL1Finished: 2ndDESCRIBE THE LAST LAP AND WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD HAVE DONE TO HOLD OFF CHRIS BUESCHER?“Yeah, not hit the wall. I don’t know, it was a hard one. I gave him a little bump to get the spot, and I knew it was going to come back. So, I was just pushing the entries and trying to get away and just made an error.  Pissed because these races are hard to win, and we have had a rough run in the Cup Series this year. The WeatherTech Camaro was really good, fastest car all day, and it just didn’t work out.”   WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1Finished: 34th HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE YOUR TEAM’S DAY HERE?“It was just chaos. We got it pretty good there in the second Stage. In the final stage, we made a long stop there and got pretty happy. Drove to around 11th on track, and then some of those guys still had to pit, so felt good about that. And then we came in and took tires and had to restart in the 20s, but it was going to work out I thought. And then those guys got connected together. I am not sure exactly what happened, but I was trying to get to the outside of the No. 22 and the No. 6 kind of hooked back to the left. Glad we got some points in Stage two, that was helpful. We just have to go to Bristol and have a good weekend. This was just kind of a nightmare weekend.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1Finished: 18th“We were obviously a really good car, just the strategy didn’t fall how we needed it. We had some issues on pit road. It wasn’t the result we were looking for, but still a really good points day for the No. 48 Ally Chevy team. I feel good about things. We had a really fast race car, but it just didn’t work out as far as the finishing position goes. But still a really good day.” ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1Finished: 5th You survived the chaos and three late-race restarts. Just talk about how you positioned yourself for a top-five finish today.“We started the late-race restarts around 11th, I want to say. We just had an incredibly fast No. 71 Focused Health Chevy all day. Spire Motorsports brought great race cars. Appreciate everyone at Focused Health and this whole No. 71 team. I’m mad at myself for my penalty. I was just under a tremendous amount of pressure and I was just trying to execute everything. We were able to keep getting positions on those restarts. Just got roughened up there at the end, but fortunately I was able to gain a few stops back.” CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 MATTRESS WAREHOUSE CAMARO ZL1Finished: 3rdWhat did you need differently there at the end to try and challenge those two for the win? “I just needed some more confidence into turn one. I did everything right, all the way until turn one, and then I just lifted a little too early. When I lost leverage, it was just game over from there, but I had a really good shot for the win. We were last in practice with a bunch of issues. I’m just super thankful that we were able to turn the weekend around for the No. 77 Mattress Warehouse Chevy team.” DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1Finished: 13th “We went through a lot today. The No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevy was pretty fast, especially on the long runs. I thought we were able to drive through the field once we had lost some track position, but it was very difficult to pass.. way more difficult than what I anticipated. And then we lost a wheel, and from that, we were just trying to recover. I’m very proud of this team for not giving up; doing a good job at executing and going to fight right off the bat. Finishing 13th after being stuck in the gravel isn’t a bad day.”

READING, PA (September 15, 2024) – The next to last Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown national event was filled with drama and incredible racing performances. For the second time in three races Scott Libersher raced to the winner’s circle, winning the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals today at Maple Grove Raceway. The veteran driver from Wilmington, Illinois won for the first time in his career at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, and today he took the victory from the No. 6 qualifier position.   “I had full confidence that I would do well this weekend,” said Libersher. “I was kind of the silent guy sneaking up from the back. No one mentioned me much. I was getting a little irritated. I said I’m going to turn it up a little bit, and here we are.”  Scott Libersher and team celebrate in Flexjet winner’ circle at Maple Grove Raceway, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary NastaseThe final round was an incredibly close race with Libersher grabbing a nearly psychic .001 reaction time to leave the starting line first and he held off a charging Stephen Bell. Bell was racing in his sixth final round of the season and was denied his fourth win by a mere .055 seconds. Libersher’s winning elapsed time of 7.755 seconds bested Bell’s 7.797 seconds.   “I’ve been trying to be very consistent with everything I do, and that (reaction time) was me being a little amped up and just all the adrenaline sure,” said Libersher. “Stephen is a good friend of mine. We’ve congratulated each other on our wins. He was excited at Brainerd for me. We were coming around the corner, and (crew chief) David Barton was ready with the computer since they didn’t prep the track because they’re running late. We put our B tune in, and it worked out great. I drove hard and David tuned it up great.”   In the first round Libersher defeated Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals winner Ricky Hord in a classis Camaro versus Camaro match-up. In the quarterfinals he outran the No. 2 driver in the point standings Mark Pawuk beating him on a hole shot using his starting line reaction time advantage to give his Camaro enough power to win at the finish line. The win helped Libersher close the gap on the top three Flexjet teams.   The semifinal round featured three of the top four drivers in the point standings looking to either hold onto their point leader or make a move up the standings. In one of the closest races of the day Bell and his red COPO Camaro outran point leader David Janac and his Ford Mustang. Bell’s 7.830 second run got to the finish line before Janac’s 7.844 second pass. Janac was first off the starting line with a reaction time of .024 to Bell’s .036 and the margin of victory for Bell who moved into second place in the Flexjet point standings with the win was .0021 seconds.  Two-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series winner Scott Liberhserr, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary NastaseIn the first round Anthony Troyer turned on his win light and collected the $1,000 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series bounty on a solo run when his opponent Jason Dietsch did not run. In an unusual turn of events Toyota U.S. Nationals winner Kevin Skinner and U.S. Nationals runner-up Raymond Nash were unable to compete this weekend so by rule the $1,000 bounty transferred to Indy No. 1 qualifier Dietsch. On Saturday night Troyer ran 11.640 at 94.24 mph to pick up the round win and advance to the quarterfinals against Janac.    Leaving Maple Grove Raceway, the top four drivers are separated by only 45 points. Following the Toyota U. S. Nationals the NHRA technical department issued point penalties against several competitors for violating the rules pertaining to the Factory Stock Showdown supercharger pulley during a routine technical inspection. The results of those penalties tightened up the points race for the final two Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series races.   “I wouldn’t do anything else the world,” said Libersher. “My wife and my family are with me. I’ve got my grandson with me this weekend. It’s a family thing. St Louis will be great and this championship run will be a lot of fun.”   The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series season will conclude, and the championship will be decided at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis, September 27-29.   Flexjet Bounty Program Gatornationals (Gainesville, Fla.) $1,000 bounty collected by Mark Pawuk, defeated Stephen Bell (Norwalk winner)   Winternationals (Pomona, Calif.) $1,000 bounty collected by David Davies II, defeated Mark Pawuk (Gatornationals winner)   Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals (Las Vegas, Nev.) $1,000 bounty collected by Mark Pawuk, defeated Stephen Bell (Winternationals winner)   Route 66 Nationals (Chicago, Ill.) $1,000 bounty collected by Lee Hartman, defeated Ricky Hord (Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals)   Thunder Valley Nationals (Bristol, Tenn.) $1,000 bounty collected by David Janac, defeated Stephen Bell (Route 66 Nationals)   Summit Racing Nationals (Norwalk, Ohio) $1,000 bounty collected by Stephen Bell, defeated David Janac (Thunder Valley Nationals)   Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals (Brainerd, Minn.)  $1,000 bounty collected by David Janac, defeated Stephen Bell (Summit Racing Nationals)   Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals (Indianapolis, Ind.) $1,000 bounty collected by Kevin Skinner, defeated Scott Libersher (Lucas Oil Nationals)   Pep Boys NHRA Nationals (Reading, Penn.) $1,000 bounty collected by Anthony Troyer, defeated Jason Dietsch (Toyota U.S. Nationals No. 1 qualifier)   2024 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Results Gainesville – Mark Pawuk, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up Pomona – Stephen Bell, winner; David Davies II, runner-up Las Vegas – Ricky Hord, winner; David Janac, runner-up Chicago – Stephen Bell, winner; Lee Hartman, runner-up Bristol – David Janac, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up Norwalk – Stephen Bell, winner; Mark Pawuk, runner-up Brainerd – Scott Libersher, winner; David Janac, runner-up Indianapolis – Kevin Skinner, winner; Raymond Nash, runner-up Reading – Scott Libersher, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up   Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Point Standings 1. David Janac                  698 2. Stephen Bell                  672 3. Mark Pawuk                  660 4. Scott Libersher              653 5. Ricky Hord                    488 6. Anthony Troyer             380 7. Tony Scott Jr.                351 8. Lee Hartman                 323 9. David Davies III             303 10. Raymond Nash            294

READING, PA (September 15, 2024) — Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team are looking to finish the six race NHRA Countdown to the Championship with a strong performance to build momentum for the 2025 season and chase the 2024 world championship. Today as the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals his 2024 championship hopes took a blow with an early exit at Maple Grove Raceway. Hart entered the playoffs in eleventh place looking to make an immediate move into the Top Ten. After two days of qualifying Hart was the No. 9 qualifier and faced off in the first round with veteran Clay Millican, the most recent event winner.
 
“We were matched up against Millican again, who we lost a close race two weeks ago at the U.S. Nationals in the second round,” said Hart, a two-time national event winner. “Clay went on to win that race. We wanted to get the Countdown started with some good momentum, but we have never really had much good fortune at Maple Grove Raceway. The track is amazing and the Koretsky’s did a great job with the facility, but we just could deliver on race day.”
 

Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers launched off the starting line at Maple Grove Raceway,
photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase 

Hart and Millican were the first pair of Top Fuel dragsters to hit the cool and smooth Maple Grove Raceway track. Their qualifying times were only .001 second apart with Millican getting lane choice thanks to his 3.762 second run in front of Hart’s 3.763 second pass from Friday night. It looked like the track was set up for similar conditions on race day.
 
Hart and Millican staged their 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster and unfortunately Hart hit the throttle too early, jumping the starting line Christmas Tree. The early start earned an immediate disqualification and handed Millican a free run to the quarterfinals. It was a tough loss for Hart who is known as an excellent driver off the starting line with the second-best average reaction time in the class.
 
“That was my mistake and is really out of character,” said Hart. “I wasn’t trying to cut an amazing light I was just doing my routine. I knew this R+L Carriers dragster could compete with anyone. I hate it for the team and all our sponsors. The good news is I am putting this race in the rearview mirror and focusing on Charlotte in five days. You have to have a short memory in drag racing.”
 
There are five national events remaining in the playoffs and Hart did not slip too far behind the drivers around him in the point standings. The drivers sitting in ninth and tenth also lost in the first round. He is within three rounds of seventh place. The businessman from Ocala, Florida, is focused on taking his championship chase one race at time.

 Josh Hart getting his game face on at Maple Grove Raceway, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

The team will be back on track at zMax Dragway starting Friday, September 20 with two qualifying sessions. Saturday, September 21 will feature two more sessions with the quickest 16 Top Fuel dragsters racing for the iconic Wally trophy on Sunday, September 22. The race will be televised nationally on FS1.
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 5.505 sec, 115.14 mph; Qual. 12
Q2: 3.763 sec, 328.78 mph; Qual. 8
Q3: 5.949 sec, 106.19 mph; Qual. 8
Q4: 4.000 sec, 239.10 mph; Qual. 9
Bonus Points: 0
 

Race Results

First Round

Clay Millican, Parts Plus dragster, (.071), 3.821 sec, 281.19 mph def. Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers dragster, (-.115), 4.843 sec, 150.18 mph

Mission Foods Drag Racing Top Fuel standings – Championship Points
1. Justin Ashley           2181
2. Antron Brown         2180
3. Shawn Langdon      2175
4. Doug Kalitta             2148
5. Steve Torrence       2123
6. Clay Millican           2102
7. Tony Stewart          2087
8. Tony Schumacher   2085
9. Brittany Force         2048
10. Billy Torrence        2031
11. Josh Hart              2024
12. Shawn Reed          1990
 

 

READING, PA (September 15, 2024) — The six race NHRA Countdown to the Championship kicked off today at Maple Grove Raceway with Funny Car rookie Buddy Hull in the mix for the NHRA Mission Foods Funny Car world championship. Hull and his Jim Dunn Racing Lescure Funny Car entered the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals looking to race into the Top Ten and finish the season on a high note. Two weeks ago, Hull raced to the quarterfinals at the Toyota U.S. Nationals, and he continued his positive momentum securing his best qualifying position of the season after two days of qualifying.
 
Hull drove the Lescure Funny Car that also debuted support from Sunshine Energy drink on the rear wing to the No. 12 position in the tight 16-car Funny Car field. Nearly 20 Funny Cars were racing to get into the field and Hull was thrilled to get a chance to race today.

 Buddy Hull has best qualifying effort at Maple Grove Raceway for Pep Boys Nationals, photo credit Krista Zivcic

“This was such a great weekend for this Jim Dunn Racing and Lescure Funny Car,” said Hull. “We qualified No. 12, which is our best effort this season and we had Sunshine Energy drink on the car. This team has been working so hard. We had an issue with our rear end Saturday morning, and everyone pulled together and got us ready for race day.”
 
Facing No. 5 qualifier Ron Capps, Hull was hoping for another upset in the first round. The Lescure Funny Car rolled up beside Capps’ Funny Car and both 12,000-horspower nitro powered racecars and both drivers knew they needed to be prepared for tricky track conditions. Throughout the first round of Top Fuel and Funny Car both lanes were littered with tire-smoke filled passes. When Hull it the throttle his Lescure Funny Car took off and almost immediately smoked the tires in the left lane.
 
“We had a tough first round match-up but there were some upsets in Top Fuel and we felt like we had some momentum from our win in Indy,” said Hull. “This class is crazy tough and we were racing another Countdown competitor. We wanted to start the Countdown with a round win, but things didn’t go our way. The good news is we are going to get right back at it in a few days in Charlotte.”

 Buddy Hull is strong NHRA Countdown contender for the first time, photo credit NHRA/National Dragster

Throughout the weekend Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team were surrounded by fan support. Saturday Maple Grove Raceway announced a sellout crowd and spectacular weather blessed the facility all three days. Fans spent time on the ropes at the Jim Dunn Racing pit area chatting with Hull as well as members of the Jim Dunn Racing team. The team also hosted several sponsors and some special guests including the friends and family of long-time supporter Rob DiPinto.
 
“I loved seeing all the fans all weekend,” said Hull. “They were everywhere, and I loved talking with them. The team also got to spend some time with Rob DiPinto’s friends and family to celebrate his life. He was a great supporter of our team and drag racing. The stands were packed on Saturday and today when I was pulling up to the starting line the pit side grandstands looked amazing. The Koretsky family has really done an awesome job with Maple Grove.”
 
The Countdown will continue from zMax Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, September 20-22, for the Carolina Nationals. Hull and the Lescure Funny Car will be back in action with two qualifying runs on Friday.
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 4.501 sec, 200.71 mph; Qual. 9
Q2: 4.033 sec, 303.16 mph; Qual. 11
Q3: 6.008 sec, 119.90 mph; Qual. 12
Q4: Did not run; Qual. 12
Bonus Points: 0
 
First Round
Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., NAPA Toyota Supra, (.074), 3.989, 332.34 mph def.  Buddy Hull, Dallas, Tex., Lescure Dodge Charger, (.154), 13.461, 65.66 mph
 
 
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series – Funny Car Championship Points
1. Austin Prock                        2250
2. Bob Tasca III                         2164
3. John Force/Jack Beckman   2151
4. J.R. Todd                             2123
5. Matt Hagan                         2113
6. Ron Capps                           2108
7. Alexis DeJoria                     2082
8. Blake Alexander                  2068
9. Chad Green                         2067
10. Dan Wilkerson                  2056
11. Cruz Pedregon                  2043
12. Buddy Hull                        2012

READING, PA (September 15, 2024) – In just his second career start in the nitro Funny Car class on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Joe Morrison qualified his Right2Breathe Dodge Funny Car and almost posted the upset of the race in the opening round. Through two days of qualifying Morrison continued to get experience manhandling his 11,000-horsepower Right2Breathe Funny Car that is owned and tuned by veteran Paul Smith. Through four rounds of qualifying Morrison entered race day as the No. 12 Funny Car on the property and a head-to-head matchup with two-time world champion and John Force replacement driver Jack Beckman.
 
“We were so excited to see this Right2Breathe Funny Car continue to make improvements on the track,” said Morrison, who has raced Top Fuel and fuel altered throughout his career. “I am getting more comfortable in the race car. These are not easy racecars to drive and with every run I learn something new. We came out and made some good runs on Friday and that gave the whole team confidence going into the weekend.”

Joe Morrison takes off the starting line at Maple Grove Raceway, photo credit Ron Lewis 

On race day Morrison knew he would have to be at his best if he was going to try and get the round win over Beckman. During the Top Fuel elimination round that preceded Funny Car there were several upsets and the track conditions proved to be tricky for all the crew chiefs. Beckman and Morrison launched and were charging towards the finish line side by side. Beckman began to haze his tires and Morrison was pulling away from the eventual Pep Boys runner-up when the Right2Breathe Funny Car began moving towards the center line. Morrison was furiously working to keep his Funny Car in his lane, but at the last second the nose of his Funny Car clipped a timing cone for a centerline disqualification.
 
“That was a tough loss,” said Morrison. “We were winning that race until we weren’t. I was turning that steering wheel as hard as I could. I stayed on the throttle as long as I could because I could hear Beckman beside me, so I knew he was close. Paul told me afterwards he was glad I stayed on the throttle, which means a lot. You want to have the fire and courage to win. It’s not easy. We didn’t hurt the car too bad, and we’ll learn from this.”
 
Throughout the weekend off the track Morrison was busy working with the Right2Breathe organization and two additional instrumental companies, the Temple Lung Center and Chiesi USA. All three groups will have a specific mission at Maple Grove Raceway with Morrison leading the charge as brand ambassador.
 
For Morrison, partnering with Right2Breathe has been a life-changing experience for him and for NHRA fans. One ongoing example of this partnership is the free onsite lung health evaluations Right2Breathe has provided fans giving them the chance to ‘Put Their Lungs on the Dyno.” As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Right2 Breathe is celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2024, and they have provided lung screenings and lung health education at the Reading NHRA Nationals five times since 2017. Their mission is to provide free lung screening for people at risk for lung disease as well as provide education and support for people already living with lung disease.

 The Right2Breathe display was busy all weekend with Joe Morrison on the scene, photo credit Ron Lewis

Joining Right2Breathe at Maple Grove Raceway were a several medical professionals from the Temple Lung Center who provided free lung screenings, lung health education, and promoted their “Temple Healthy Chest Initiative” to help provide early diagnosis of lung disease to save lives.
 
“The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative is dedicated to bringing essential chest health screenings and personalized care directly to the community,” said Melissa Liverpool, BSN, RN
Supervisor, Nurse Navigator, Temple Healthy Chest Initiative. “We’re excited to partner with Right2Breathe at Maple Grove Raceway, allowing us to bring these vital services directly to NHRA fans, where early detection can truly make a difference.”
 
One of the other key supporters at this event was Chiesi USA. The company’s primary focus is on improving quality of life for patients, their families, their communities, and society through innovating new medicines and returning value to the communities in which it operates.
 
“At Chiesi USA, we recognize achieving better health outcomes begins with raising awareness in the communities where patients are. We must meet patients in the community alongside organizations like Right2Breathe to help raise awareness about lung health and promote access to care for all,” said Richard Smith, Vice President and Business Unit Head, US AIR, Chiesi USA. “Today will be a success if our efforts help even one person in need to connect with respiratory care resources that could help him or her on their journey.”
 
While the on-track results won’t be reflected in the wins and losses column Morrison knows that the impact from Funny Car performance will carry over from Maple Grove Raceway. The veteran driver has not ruled out a return to the track in 2024 but he for sure will return in 2025 to continue to develop his Funny Car driving skills.
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: No Time; Qual. 16
Q2: 4.339 sec, 215.72 mph; Qual. 13
Q3: 4.257 sec, 230.96 mph; Qual. 14
Q4: No Time; Qual. 14
Bonus Points: 0
 
First Round
Jack Beckman, Yorba Linda, Calif., PEAK Chevrolet Camaro, (.083), No Time, def.  Joe Morrison, Flemington, NJ., Right2Breathe Dodge Charger, (.118), No Time, DNQ-Centerline

 
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series – Funny Car Championship Points
1. Austin Prock                        2250
2. Bob Tasca III                         2164
3. John Force/Jack Beckman   2151
4. J.R. Todd                             2123
5. Matt Hagan                         2113
6. Ron Capps                           2108
7. Alexis DeJoria                     2082
8. Blake Alexander                  2068
9. Chad Green                         2067
10. Dan Wilkerson                  2056
11. Cruz Pedregon                  2043
12. Buddy Hull                         2012
13. Dave Richards                   2001
 

Toyota earns 14th Top Fuel win in the last 16 races

MOHNTON, Pa. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Antron Brown had the perfect start to the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, capturing victory at Maple Grove Raceway on Sunday, propelling him to second in the Top Fuel points standings. The win is Brown’s fourth of the 2024 season and the 78th of his NHRA career, as well as Toyota’s 14th Top Fuel win in the last 16 races. Brown had to defeat Toyota teammate Shawn Langdon, who now takes over the Top Fuel points lead, in the final round Sunday afternoon to take home the Wally Trophy.

The finals appearances by Brown and Langdon mark 38 consecutive NHRA event final rounds now for Toyota in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

Justin Ashley, the Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier coming into Sunday, advanced to the semifinals, falling to Langdon. Steve Torrence was the other Toyota dragster to get past round one.

In Funny Car, Alexis DeJoria nearly missed making the final round Sunday afternoon, falling in a frantic semifinal after two great runs to begin the day. Her Team Toyota teammates, Ron Capps and J.R. Todd, both advanced to the second round, but went no further.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is right back in action next weekend at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte for the Carolina Nationals with eliminations next Sunday, September 22.

Toyota Post-Race Recap

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series

Maple Grove Raceway

Pep Boys NHRA Nationals

Race 15 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Winner	W (3.723) v. J. Salinas (4.338) W (3.881) v. T. Schumacher (4.711) W (4.268) v. D. Mercier (11.674) W (3.798) v. S. Langdon (3.803)
Shawn Langdon	Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Finalist	W (3.753 – holeshot) v. I. Zetterstrom (3.745) W (4.076) v. T. Stewart (4.351) W (3.813) v. J. Ashley (5.348) L (3.803) v. A. Brown (3.798)
Justin Ashley	SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Semi-finals	W (3.759) v. S. Smith (4.823) W (3.771) v. C. Millican (3.779) L (5.348) v. S. Langdon (3.813)
Steve Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	Second Round	W (5.987) v. B. Force (8.973) L (7.014) v. D. Mercier (5.291)
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (8.356) v. D. Mercier (3.931)
Billy Torrence	CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	First Round	L (6.302) v. T. Stewart (4.348)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

Name	Car	Final Result	Round-by-Round
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero CaféToyota GR Supra Funny Car	Semi-finals	W (3.940) v. J. Campbell (4.886) W (4.748) v. C. Pedregon (6.140) L (6.723) v. J. Beckman (6.652)
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Second Round	W (3.943 – holeshot) v. M. Hagan (3.934) L (3.947) v. J. Beckman (3.917)
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Care Army Tribute Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	Second Round	W (3.898) v. B. Hull (13.461) L (3.915 – red light) v. B. Tasca III (5.236)

*= Non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

ANTRON BROWN, Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, AB Motorsports

TF Final Result: Winner

How much of a boost does this win give your team to begin the Countdown?

“It’s a huge boost! Just making up the ground we needed to. This race is always monumental. Have to start off strong. Credit, (pause), our Matco Tools boys never gave up. We struggled a couple rounds in the middle, but the good Lord gets all the glory. We never stop and that’s what’s so potent about it. Here, to get two wins with (Angelle Sampey) and the Matco Tools car. Brian Corradi (co-crew chief), Mark (Oswald, co-crew chief), Brad (Mason, car chief), everybody, great job. And hey, here we come to Charlotte, baby! Thank you.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero CaféToyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Final Result: Semifinals

How would you describe the weekend and start to the Countdown?

“Yeah, this race just continued our progression from Indianapolis. We’re super stoked. Went up to seventh in the points. Qualified well, got second, which helps on race day and we went rounds. The last one (semifinal run), thought we had it and just at the very end, I saw Jack (Beckman) (win), so we gave it our all and go into the next race with our heads held high. Can’t wait to see what happens next.”

2022 Pep Boys Top Fuel Champ Tries to Add a Funny Car Title in Cornwell Camaro

READING, Pa. (Sept. 11, 2024) – Even if he hadn’t won the pre-season PRO Superstar Shootout; even if he hadn’t won the Mission Foods regular season championship in runaway fashion; even if he hadn’t qualified the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet No. 1 10 times in 14 events; and even if he hadn’t won the world’s biggest single drag race two weeks ago at Indianapolis, Ind., Austin Prock likely still would have been the Funny Car favorite in this week’s 39th Pep Boys Nationals. That’s because the team that manages the power on his blue-and-black Camaro is the same team that sent Robert Hight to the winners’ circle the last two years at Maple Grove Raceway. Furthermore, while Prock will be making his first Funny Car appearance in the Pep Boys Nationals, he already knows the way to the winners’ circle. Two years ago, he was the Top Fuel winner at Maple Grove, initiating an unprecedented Countdown run during which he improved his standing by a record-tying nine positions. This year, all he has to do is hold on to the spot from which he starts. “We’ve been hard at it in the race shop preparing for the Countdown,” said the 2019 Rookie-of-the-Year. “It’s been a great year so far and we’re looking to keep it up for this six-race dash. Our Cornwell Camaro has been hot all year long and (it) definitely feels good rolling into the playoffs off a win (in the Labor Day U.S. Nationals). “I really, truly enjoy drag racing,” gushed the 29-year-old who began racing in quarter midgets and sprint cars. “I loved running the Top Fuel car, but Funny Car is where I belong. I always dreamed of driving one like my grandpa (Tom Prock, a top tier 1970s Funny Car driver). “I love the challenge. I love sitting behind the engine; I love the body dropping (down) and, to top it off, I’m doing it with my family.” Prock’s dad, Jimmy, is crew chief and his brother, Thomas, is an assistant crew chief on the Chevy that carried him to a record six straight wins and the season championship in the Mission Foods 2Fast/2Tasty Challenge series within the series. “This is storybook stuff,” Prock said of his situation, made possible when Hight, the three-time former World Champ, took a leave of absence for medical reasons. “This is stuff they write for moves, but it’s actually happening in real life. It’s really special.” The challenge, now, is to stay on script.  “Our attention is ahead,” Prock said, “one moment at a time.”

COLCORD, OK (September 14, 2024) – Reigning American Sprint Car Series National Tour champion Jason Martin’s title defense has been nothing short of a nightmare – until Friday night at Arrowhead Speedway.

After a season that has included crashes, blown engines, mechanical gremlins and a missed race due to injury, Martin got back in Victory Lane for the first time in 2024 and pocketed $10,000 for his efforts in the Green Country Clash.

“You’ve just got to keep yourself motivated,” Martin said. “You’ve got people around you that support you and keep telling you that you can do it and giving you the confidence and faith that you can keep coming back. I’m probably the hardest on myself of anybody, but you just keep working at it.”

The Feature began with Seth Bergman and Brady Baker sharing the front row, with Baker grabbing the early lead after racing side-by-side with Bergman through the first two laps. Nearly the entire field migrated to the high side in the opening laps and ran single-file before Emilio Hoover and Danny Smith tangled in Turn 4 to bring out the first yellow flag of the race four laps in.

The top two went unchanged on the restart, but behind them Garrett Benson bounced up into the Turn 4 wall while running third, sending his car over and tumbling down the banking into the path of Roger Crockett and Matt Covington. Covington’s damage was light enough to continue without making repairs, but Benson and Crockett were done for the night.

Baker, Bergman and Covington made a beeline to the top once more to lock down the top three spots when the race resumed. Even after catching the rear of the field for the first time, Baker looked unaffected by the traffic as he continued to ride the cushion while maintaining a half-straightaway lead over Bergman.

Five-time Series champion Sam Hafertepe Jr. managed to wrestle the third spot away from Covington but only enjoyed it briefly, as on Lap 22 he jumped the cushion in Turn 4 and pounded the wall. The No. 15H team was able to fix the damage in the work area, but Hafertepe was only able to drive up to 13th by the checkers.

The ensuing restart was a mirror image of each prior one, as Baker instantly went to the cushion with Bergman in tow. But before he could build a gap, Brandon Anderson and Alex Sewell got together in Turns 3 and 4 to necessitate another red flag.

The final restart of the race was when Martin emerged as a contender for the victory. He had driven from 11th to fourth in the first 23 laps of the event and rode the bottom lane to clear Covington for third with six to go. The No. 36 remained on the low side in getting around Bergman two laps later, giving himself four laps to find a way around Baker.

After battling side-by-side for a lap with Baker on top and Martin hugging the tractor tires, Baker’s youth ended up being no match for Martin’s experience, as the Liberal, KS native drove away to the 14th National Tour win of his career.

Martin said he had already written off the 2024 season after all the misfortune he’s been through, but the five-figure payday makes him optimistic about his chances to close out the year in strong fashion and enter the 2025 season on a hot streak.

“Our season’s pretty much screwed,” Martin said. “We’ve had so much dumb stuff happen. I’m already preparing for next year, getting cars, parts and motors freshened and everything’s getting ready to go. We’re going to have an early start, so going to try and get healthy, stay mentally strong and just start 2025 on a different note.”

Although Baker didn’t have enough to hold off Martin in the final run to the finish, his ability to beat a driver of Bergman’s caliber time after time throughout the race solidified his status as a rising star in the Sprint Car universe.

“So many reds, the tires probably glazed over,” Baker said. “I’m proud of my guys, we showed a lot of speed here. My Mom, my Dad, Cash and Brandon, can’t thank them enough, they’ve been working their butts off.”

Bergman conceded that even if he found a way around Baker before the final restart, Martin’s late-race prowess would have likely still been too much to manage. Nevertheless, his third podium in as many nights this week further extended his advantage over Hafertepe to 111 markers with eight full-points events remaining in the season.

“I don’t know if anybody was really going to beat that,” Bergman said regarding Martin’s drive to victory in the closing laps. “I think maybe if I got around Baker, you never know, probably run second if Jason does that again. I tried the bottom early, it was still a little greasy and Baker drove around me, so I kind of abandoned the bottom thinking it was getting thin and slow.

“The run to the end there, Jason, he just found something, made it work, and he drove off and won the race.”

Hank Davis got around Covington late to finish fourth, while the No. 95 settled for fifth.

Andrew Deal started 22nd and passed 13 cars to end the night ninth and clinch the Hard Charger Award.

UP NEXT: The ASCS National Tour will join forces with the USCS for the two-night World Short Track Challenge at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR on Sept. 27-28. Can’t make it? Watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 36-Jason Martin[11]; 2. 71-Brady Baker[3]; 3. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 4. 2C-Hank Davis[8]; 5. 95-Matt Covington[4]; 6. 1-Sean McClelland[9]; 7. 14-Jordon Mallett[14]; 8. 10-Landon Britt[13]; 9. 15D-Andrew Deal[22]; 10. 16G-Austyn Gossel[12]; 11. 45X-Kyler Johnson[17]; 12. 20-Noah Harris[16]; 13. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[6]; 14. 2J-Zach Blurton[21]; 15. 88-Terry Easum[23]; 16. 938-Bradley Fezard[20]; 17. 8-Alex Sewell[18]; 18. 5S-Danny Smith[15]; 19. 2B-Garrett Benson[2]; 20. 11-Roger Crockett[7]; 21. 29-Emilio Hoover[10]; 22. 2W-Whit Gastineau[5]; 23. (DQ) 55B-Brandon Anderson[19]

Tire puncture, contact deny pole-sitting No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R shot at podium

FUJI, Japan (Sept. 15, 2024) – Cadillac Racing will take its small victory in the Six Hours of Fuji and build for a larger prize in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season finale. The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, which Alex Lynn drove to Cadillac Racing’s maiden Hypercar pole position Saturday for what he hailed as “quite a nice victory,” led the initial 1 hour, 9 minutes of the race Sunday on the 2.835-mile, 12-turn Fuji Speedway circuit with Earl Bamber at the wheel.

Bamber led 41 laps before pitting and giving way to Lynn for his initial stint. With fresh left-side tires on the hybrid racecar and running second in the 18-car order, Lynn’s charge was to stay in touch with the leader while closing the door on challengers – all of whom had taken four tires on their service stops – as the team engaged a strategy of saving new tires for a projected late-race battle for the victory. Lynn, who will mark his 31st birthday on Sept. 17, met the challenge and entered pit lane in second place after 1 hour, 19 minutes in the car covering 44 laps. But the race unraveled for the team 20 minutes into Bamber’s next stint when the No. 15 BMW M under pressure from Bamber made contact, puncturing the right-front tire of the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R. Bamber limped from Turn 1 to the pit box for the unscheduled tire change, which took the Cadillac Racing Hypercar entry out of podium contention but did not diminish the strong effort in the first half of the race.

The Chip Ganassi Racing-run team’s quick work in the pits kept the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R on the lead lap to recover and be running ninth and looking to score championship points with 30 minutes left before Bamber got caught out on the marbles, wiggled and nosed into the tire barrier. Bamber guided the damaged car back to the pit box, where it was retired. The No. 6 Porsche 963 won the 213-lap race. Pole position was the first for the program in 14 WEC races over two seasons and the 28th for Cadillac Racing in WEC/IMSA prototype competition since 2017. Cadillac is the fourth manufacturer this season to claim pole position in the seven races. The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R’s previous best qualifying spot this season was second at Spa-Francorchamps and for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Media resources: Cadillac Racing photo gallery | ’24 WEC statisticsCadillac has qualified in the top four in five consecutive WEC races and will seek to extend that streak and earn a podium spot Nov. 2 in the Eight Hours of Bahrain. In 2023, the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R qualified third on the 3.363-mile (5.412-kilometer) Bahrain International Circuit that opened in 2004.

Driver quotes

Earl Bamber (after starting race and driving 1-hour, 9-minute stint): “Good opening stint. Led the race, which was a great start and was pretty comfortable. Lost a bit of tire grip toward the end and was a little unlucky with traffic.” Alex Lynn (after his first stint): “It was OK. Unfortunately, we were jumped on the stops by the No. 6 and then spent the whole time behind the No. 6 Porsche and trying to keep the other cars that stopped for new tires under Safety Car behind, which we managed to do. With the temperature, everybody is struggling with tire deg.”