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Chevy racing–nhra–reading advance

CHEVROLET AT READING
What: Pep Boys NHRA NationalsWhen: Friday, Sept. 16-Sunday, Sept. 18Where: Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, PennsylvaniaTV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 18                                                                       Team Chevy looks to get jump in Countdown opening raceChevrolet Pro Stock driver Kyle Koretsky wearing multiple hats as track co-owner
DETROIT (Sept. 15, 2022) – When Kyle Koretsky isn’t competing in a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock national event weekend, you’ll find him at the racetrack. His family’s racetrack.
Maple Grove Raceway near Rading, Pennsylvania, will host the opening round of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship this weekend, and Koretsky is looking forward to welcoming racers, spectators and a national TV audience to the 457-acre facility that the Bucks County residents purchased in April.Chevrolet drivers Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) enter the first of six playoff races as the No. 1 seeds.
The Maple Grove concrete racing surface holds fond memories for Koretsky, who first competed in junior dragsters at age 14 and made his Pro Stock debut at the track. His father Kenny – a former Pro Stock racer – competed at the track. Now, along with Kenny Koretsky Jr., the family is looking to add to the racetrack’s legacy.
“That’s where we grew up racing; my dad raced there for many years. It’s our true hometown racetrack and our family thought it would be a good opportunity,” said Koretsky, who will weave driving the Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS in Pro Stock competition into his track responsibilities this weekend.
“It’s been there 60-plus years; how do you just let something like that go and made into a residential or commercial property? It took a lot of investment from our family to do it, a lot of commitment to do it and that just goes to show our commitment to the sport.
“I believe everyone will be pleased and the fans will get a good experience when they come to the track. My family, our team and I have been putting our hearts into it. And to continue not just for the national event but for local racers, events, we’re going to give it 110 percent every minute that we’re there. We just want to continue to enhance that experience for everyone.”		“It took a lot of investment from our family to do it, a lot of commitment to do it and that just goes to show our commitment to the sport. … We just want to continue to enhance that experience for everyone.“— Kyle Koretsky
Maple Grove Raceway has hosted drag racing since 1962 and an NHRA national event for nearly four decades. It holds the distinction of being the site of several historic NHRA performances:* Joe Amato and Shirley Muldowney making the first side-by-side 4-second Top Fuel pass (1989)* The first side-by-side Top Fuel race in which both drivers eclipsed 300 mph (Mike Dunn/Blaine Johnson)* The first Top Fuel driver in the 4.70s (Cory McClenathan)* The first Pro Stock driver in the 6.70s (Darrell Alderman)* The first Pro Stock Motorcycle rider in the 7.00s (Matt Hines)
Force, driving the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, holds the track Top Fuel elapsed time (3.623 seconds) and speed (335.57 mph) records. Force recorded the latter last September in driving to the top qualifier honor of the meet.
“Our biggest objective coming (into the U.S. Nationals) was leaving with the points lead, and we did just that. Everything resets in the Countdown, but we’re in the position we want to be in,” said Force, the top qualifier and runner-up two weeks ago at the U.S. Nationals.Hight, driver of the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, is a six-time winner already this season and is coming off a runner-up finish at the U.S. Nationals.
Sixteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force has won seven times at the track and was the 2021 race runner-up. He enters the Countdown as the No. 5 seed in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS.Koretsky has had a steady season driving the Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS and is the No. 4 seed in Pro Stock competition. Erica Enders, also a six-time winner this season, is the top seed in the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS.
Greg Anderson moved past Koretsky to third in the standings at the U.S. Nationals with his 100th Pro Stock victory, joining John Force (155) as the only drivers in NHRA professional categories with 100 wins.
Milestone victories for Anderson – all in a Chevrolet/GM car:No. 1: Bristol 2001No. 25: St. Louis 2004No. 50: Sonoma 2007No. 75: Gainesville 2015No. 100: Indianapolis 2022
Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is a three-time winner at Maple Grove, including 2021 when he defeated Enders in the final.
Resetting the points for the Countdown “this year will play into my favor; it will give me a chance,” Anderson said. “Of the top 10 cars, if eight of them aren’t favored to win I’ll eat my hat. I can’t pick a favorite. It’s great for Pro Stock.”
FOX will televise eliminations at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 18.CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPITTOP FUELBRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time winner this season; points leader; 2021 No. 1 qualifier at track): “We want to start strong, and we’re hoping to do it this weekend at Maple Grove. Our plan is to come out and dominate right off the bat. It’s an amazing racetrack. You can put great numbers on the board. To go back to a racetrack that you’ve had success at, it puts a positive energy in our team. It gives the whole team an extra bit of motivation and confidence.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona): “I’m feeling confident going into Reading with this Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist team. We have been making progress and I think it will show this weekend. We’re ready to put on an exciting show in this Countdown. If we get off to a strong start this weekend, we will be right in the mix of things to go for the gold.”
FUNNY CARJOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Charlotte four-wide winner; runner-up at Sonoma and Topeka; fifth in points; five-time winner at track; runner-up in 2021 at track): “Starting the Countdown, the points reset really is working in our favor. Robert Hight and the Auto Club team are up there but it’s within reach. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi they’ve made this PEAK Auto Chevy fast and we’ve found some consistency. These last six races are going to be exciting. Reading has been good to me in the past, be good to get some momentum going. We want to start with a good long weekend, keep ourselves in the conversation, a win this weekend would do just that.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (six-time winner this season; points leader): “We’re going into the Countdown in that No. 1 spot. Now, the real work starts, only ahead 20 points with the standings resetting for the Countdown, we just have to take it one weekend at a time, one run at a time. I’ve said it before, it’s going to take another two or three wins to get that championship, that’s what we’re looking for.”
PRO STOCKERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (six-time winner this season; points leader; ’21 runner-up at track): “We had a tremendous regular season. I’m so grateful for the six wins and eight final-round appearances. It stinks to have to give up such a substantial lead, but we are ready to battle it out. These six final races are what it’s all about. I have the greatest team in motorsports and I wouldn’t want to go into battle with anyone else. We are going to do our best, to show these guys what we can bring.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; third in standings; three-time winner at track, including 2021): “Everybody worries me, but the bigger news is we should be worrying them now. We were not a worry to them two months ago. We were not even an afterthought, a concern. It was Team Elite’s year and Erica’s year and deservedly so. They did a great job over the winter and they made big gains. I’m very proud of the recovery we’ve made and we’re resetting the points.” 
DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville; No. 1 qualifier at Epping; runner-up at Indianapolis; fifth in standings): “We’re headed into the Countdown and there’s still a lot of racing left on the table. The points reset has us only 2.5 rounds out of first and we plan on capitalizing on that. The runner-up finish at the biggest race of the year was a morale booster and there were some huge round wins along the way in Indy. For the Countdown, I think we have as good of a chance as anyone to go home at the end of this year with the championship. If we keep trending in the direction we have since Indy and if I can get my job done like I did in Indy, I think we can take this championship home with RAD Torque Systems.”
CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “I am excited to get to Maple Grove Raceway and start the Countdown. I want to race for the championship and I have a team that can compete. Jim Yates, my crew chief, has won the world championship before and I know this Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro is capable of winning rounds. I need to do my job in the car and that is what I have really been focusing on since Indy.”
KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville; fourth in standings; track co-owner): “I’m going to try to focus on racing. I’m going to race Super Comp as well. I’ll be all over. Our dad brought us up and workers and if that means I’m going to empty a trash can at 2 o’clock in the morning I’ll be out there. I’m there to do a job for KB Racing, Lucas Oil, Nitro Fish and Rob’s Automotive, so I will be focused on racing when it comes down to it. I’m fortunate that I’m just the driver; the team has everything under control.”