All posts by ARP Trish

Allen Johnson Racing

Allen Johnson Apt to Turn Challenges into Opportunities at NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

Allen Johnson Apt to Turn Challenges into Opportunities at NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

GREENEVILLE, T.N. (April 19, 2016) – Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson heads to the Sixth annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods for the fifth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The uniquely-formatted race held at zMAX Dragway is a favorite among NHRA fans and Johnson hopes to ink his name in the history books with a win at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Last year, Johnson reset his career best elapsed time (6.463-seconds) and mph (214.42) at this event. Since the switch to fuel injection, Johnson knows the likeliness of advancing his career best is unlikely but he still anticipates a fast weekend for the Pro Stock class overall.

“With the weather as it is right now, I think it’ll be fairly fast,” predicted Johnson. “With the new fuel injection, we may see a 6.55 [elapsed time] if the air allows for it.”

With two weeks off since the 17th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, Johnson was able to utilize the time off and go testing at zMAX Dragway to prepare for this weekend’s highly anticipated race.

“We had two good days of testing in Charlotte last week,” he attested. “The track was awesome and I think we made a little bit of progress. We’ve also been doing a lot of dyno work; we’re working our tails off to catch the front teams.”

World of Outlaws

World of Outlaws–Pittman Powers to NAPA Wildcat Shootout Win at USA Raceway

Pittman Powers to NAPA Wildcat Shootout Win at USA Raceway
Extends Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb dominance to three wins in-a-row

TUCSON, Ariz. – April 18, 2016 – Daryn Pittman pulled out to an early lead then held off challenges from both Joey Saldana and Donny Schatz to capture the NAPA Wildcat Shootout at USA Raceway, his second World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win in-a-row, and third this season.

Pittman’s win continues Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb’s hot-streak to three wins in-a-row after he captured the victory at Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday and teammate Brad Sweet won at Bakersfield Speedway on Friday. Continue reading World of Outlaws–Pittman Powers to NAPA Wildcat Shootout Win at USA Raceway →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing– 50th Anniversary Camaro SS to Pace Indianapolis 500

50th Anniversary Camaro SS to Pace Indianapolis 500
Racing legend Roger Penske will drive pace car for 100th running of classic race

The 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition will lead the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana next month, driven by motorsports legend Roger Penske, who is marking 50 years as a race team owner. (Photo by Bret Kelley/IMS for Chevrolet)
The 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition will lead the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana next month, driven by motorsports legend Roger Penske, who is marking 50 years as a race team owner. (Photo by Bret Kelley/IMS for Chevrolet)

INDIANAPOLIS – A unique version of the new, 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition will lead the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 next month, driven by motorsports legend Roger Penske, who is marking 50 years as a race team owner.

It’s the ninth time Camaro has served as the pace car and the 27th time for Chevrolet, dating back to 1948. Continue reading Chevy Racing– 50th Anniversary Camaro SS to Pace Indianapolis 500 →

Jegs Racing

Productive week at Vegas bracket race has Jeg Coughlin Jr. prepped for Four-Wides

Productive week at Vegas bracket race has Jeg Coughlin Jr. prepped for Four-Wides
CHARLOTTE (April 18) — The unique format of the seventh annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals presented by Lowes Foods presents the best drag racers in the world with a variety of challenges, all of which require extra intensity and laser-sharp attention to detail. Even the way drivers prepare for the one-of-a-kind event is different, and five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has taken his pre-race routine to a different level.

“We just left Las Vegas after four full days of high-pressure bracket racing at the K&N Filters Spring Fling,” Coughlin said. “I ran two cars, my JEGS.com Chevy II wagon and my JEGS.com dragster, and added up 41 rounds of racing from Wednesday through Saturday. It was intense but a fantastic experience. Continue reading Productive week at Vegas bracket race has Jeg Coughlin Jr. prepped for Four-Wides →

Gary Scelzi Motorsports

Giovanni Scelzi Scores Fourth-Place Finish during Sprint Car Debut

Giovanni Scelzi Scores Fourth-Place Finish during Sprint Car Debut

Inside Line Promotions – HANFORD, Calif. (April 18, 2016) – Giovanni Scelzi fulfilled a dream on Saturday at Keller Auto Speedway, where he made his winged sprint car debut.

“Todd Ventura really calmed me down,” he said. “He said, ‘It’s your first race and you have nothing to prove. Just get your feet wet and get into a rhythm.'”

Scelzi, who was driving for Roth Motorsports, did exactly that throughout the night. He qualified fourth quickest and finished where he started – third – in a heat race to lock into the dash.

Scelzi redrew the No. 2 during the random dash redraw and he ran second in the race to start the main event on the outside of the front row. Continue reading Giovanni Scelzi Scores Fourth-Place Finish during Sprint Car Debut →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Recap

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH (CALIFORNIA)
CHEVROLET POST RACE RECAP
APRIL 17, 2016

Simon Pagenaud Leads Chevy 1-2-3-4 on Streets of Long Beach

· Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves complete podium in Grand Prix of Long Beach
· One-two finish keeps Pagenaud and Dixon one-two in standings heading to Barber Motorsports Park
· Juan Pablo Montoya finished fourth to give Chevrolet 1-2-3-4 finish

LONG BEACH, Calif (April 17, 2016) – Simon Pagenaud put the No. 22 PPG Automotive Finishes Team Penske Chevrolet in the lead for the final time on lap 56 of the 80-lap Grand Prix of Long Beach, and went on to claim his fifth career Verizon IndyCar Series (VICS) victory. It was his first win on the Streets of Long Beach.

Starting third on the grid, Pagenaud was credited with leading twice for a total of 28 laps on his way to his first victory as a Team Chevy driver. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Recap →

Wood Brothers

Wood Brothers Racing–Bottom Lane Blues Leave Blaney 11th at Bristol

Bottom Lane Blues Leave Blaney 11th at Bristol

April 17, 2016

Ordinarily, running in fifth position with 10 laps to go in a Sprint Cup race would be a good thing. But for Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon, that odd-numbered position meant having to restart on the inside lane. It was a big disadvantage, leading to lost positions on two late-race restarts with Blaney finishing 11th on a day that otherwise was a strong one for his Motorcraft/Quick Lane team.

“It was good until the end,” Blaney said. “We should have run fifth, easy.”

He said Bristol’s bottom lane just isn’t the place to be. Continue reading Wood Brothers Racing–Bottom Lane Blues Leave Blaney 11th at Bristol →

Honda Racing

Sato Shines for Honda at Long Beach

Sato Shines for Honda at Long Beach
• Late-race charge nets fifth for Sato, Honda and A.J. Foyt Racing
• Hinchcliffe rebounds from early-season disappointment to run eighth
• Caution-free race leads to record event

A late-race charge from Takuma Sato netted Honda and the A.J. Foyt Racing veteran fifth place Sunday at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, as a caution-free race around the Southern California street circuit resulted in a record race pace and negatively affected the race strategies of several Honda teams.

The race would run caution-free for the first time since 1989 and only the fourth time in Long Beach history, resulting in a record race pace of just over 100 mph. It also was the first caution-free Indy car race anywhere since Mid-Ohio in 2013. Continue reading Sato Shines for Honda at Long Beach →

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Food City 500

Austin Dillon Finishes 26th at Bristol Motor Speedway after Sustaining Damage

“Today wasn’t our day, the Bass Pro Shops team worked hard during practice to get the handling right on our Chevrolet and we made a lot of gains. We started the race too tight. Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) made a great call on the first stop and fixed up our handling issues. We just couldn’t get track position on our side today. We got a speeding penalty mid-race that put us further behind, which led to damage and a tire rub from tight racing. We battled hard and just couldn’t luck on our side.”

– Austin Dillon

The No. 27 Tarkett/Menards Team Rallies Late to Finish 15th in Thunder Valley

“My guys fought hard all day to make good adjustments and have fast stops on pit road. We came back from what could have been a bad day. I’m proud of this team. We just couldn’t get the front end to turn for some reason, so we’ll go back and look at those notes on Monday.”

– Paul Menard

Ryan Newman and WIX Filters Team Earn Hard-Fought Ninth-Place Finish at Bristol Motor Speedway

“We overcame a lot today between getting a tire rub in one incident and front-nose damage in another. We stayed focused and dug deep. The biggest challenge for us were restarts on the inside line. It was such a disadvantage starting there. We were very fortunate to take the last two on the high side. I’m very happy all and all. We’re looking forward to going to one of my favorite tracks at Richmond.”
– Ryan Newman

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Post Race

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH (CALIFORNIA)
CHEVROLET DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES
APRIL 17, 2016

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 PPG AUTOMOTIVE REFINISH TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, broke through to capture his first victory behind the wheel of a Chevrolet IndyCar taking the checkered flag at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. It is his first win since joining Team Penske and his fifth career Verizon IndyCar Series (VICS) win.
Pagenaud led a Chevy sweep of the podium with defending VICS champion Scott Dixon, No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, finishing second and Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Auto Club of Southern Californi9a Team Penske Chevrolet filling out the podium with a third place finish. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Post Race →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race Press Conference

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 17, 2016

DALE EARNHARDT, JR. LEADS TEAM CHEVY WITH SECOND STRAIGHT TOP TWO FINISH
Six Chevy SS Drivers In Top 10

BRISTOL, Tenn. – (April 17, 2016) – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s second straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) runner-up effort in the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS was impressive, but didn’t come easy at Bristol Motor Speedway. Earnhardt suffered an issue with the ECU unit right after the start of the race and lost two laps to the leaders. But by lap 146, he had moved back to the lead lap in 27th position. “Junior” methodically made his way back to the front and had a shot at the win in the waning laps before finishing second. This was the fifth top 10 finish in eight races so far for Earnhardt and the No. 88 team. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race Press Conference →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol– Post Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
APRIL 17, 2016

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 2nd
YOU STARTED OUT WITH THE ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT YOU CAME BACK WITH A NICE 2ND PLACE FINISH
“We had a lot of luck on those last several restarts. You start on the outside and just gain some spots just being on the right lane. We didn’t have a good enough car to run in the top 5 today, but Greg (Ives, crew chief) and those guys did a great job getting our laps back. We had a dead battery at the start of the race; something bad like that, same thing I think happened to the No. 22 (Joey Logano). That cost us two laps early in the race and we worked real hard. Greg did a great job helping us get our laps back. The car was about a 15th or 10th place car. We were just lucky on those restarts as to where we lined up. And that really helped us.”

KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 HAAS AUTOMATION/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 3rd
YOU WERE A LOT BETTER THAN A TOP 10 CAR. BEST FINISH OF THE YEAR. WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOU TODAY?
“We just battled through it. Junior had trouble at the start and I was 40th when we started the race. One car at a time. One set of tires at a time. And then we were in great position around lap 350. We got the lead from (Carl) Edwards for a little bit. And we just kept working on it. And there’s nothing more that I could have gotten out of the car. I’m really happy with the way that everybody worked together. I shouldn’t be happy about finishing 3rd, but I’ll take it. It’s just a great effort. And the way that this team has come together is perfect. We just need to find that last little bit. Thanks to Haas Automation, Monster Energy, and Chevrolet. It’s just wonderful to have a good group of guys to go out there each week to have a shot at it. And, I still don’t think I’m supposed to be happy about finishing 3rd. But, Edwards ran a great race. Congratulations to him.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol– Post Race →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
APRIL 17, 2016

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 2nd
YOU STARTED OUT WITH THE ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BUT YOU CAME BACK WITH A NICE 2ND PLACE FINISH
“We had a lot of luck on those last several restarts. You start on the outside and just gain some spots just being on the right lane. We didn’t have a good enough car to run in the top 5 today, but Greg (Ives, crew chief) and those guys did a great job getting our laps back. We had a dead battery at the start of the race; something bad like that, same thing I think happened to the No. 22 (Joey Logano). That cost us two laps early in the race and we worked real hard. Greg did a great job helping us get our laps back. The car was about a 15th or 10th place car. We were just lucky on those restarts as to where we lined up. And that really helped us.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race →

Honda Racing

Honda Racing–Grand Prix at Long Beach

Honda Racing Report
Saturday, April 16, 2016

BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach
Circuit: Grand Prix of Long Beach (1.968-mile street circuit) Long Beach, CA
Weather: Sunny, warm, 83 degrees F

Honda, Michael Shank Racing Persevere at Long Beach
• Ozz Negri, John Pew pilot Ligier-Honda to seventh-place finish
• First street race of 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Michael Shank Racing, with drivers Ozz Negri and John Pew, brought its Ligier-Honda home to a seventh-place finish Saturday on the streets of Long Beach, California, in the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach, the first of two sprint format temporary street circuit events in the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Continue reading Honda Racing–Grand Prix at Long Beach →

World of Outlaws

World of Outlaws–Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win

Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win
Joey Saldana finishes third with pass on last turn of last lap

PERRIS, Calif. – April 16, 2016 – Daryn Pittman dominated Saturday night’s SoCal Showdown at Perris Auto Speedway to claim his second World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the season. The win came one night after a crash ended his night while he led at Bakersfield Speedway.

“Last night was dumb,” Pittman said of his Bakersfield Speedway run. “I ran over Joey [Saldana] and took ourselves out of contention for a win there and tore up a lot of equipment.”

Pittman, who claimed his first ever series win at Perris, said perseverance is the motto of his No. 9 Great Clips team. Continue reading World of Outlaws–Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win →

World of Outlaws

World of Outlaws–Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win

Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win
Joey Saldana finishes third with pass on last turn of last lap

PERRIS, Calif. – April 16, 2016 – Daryn Pittman dominated Saturday night’s SoCal Showdown at Perris Auto Speedway to claim his second World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the season. The win came one night after a crash ended his night while he led at Bakersfield Speedway.

“Last night was dumb,” Pittman said of his Bakersfield Speedway run. “I ran over Joey [Saldana] and took ourselves out of contention for a win there and tore up a lot of equipment.”

Pittman, who claimed his first ever series win at Perris, said perseverance is the motto of his No. 9 Great Clips team. Continue reading World of Outlaws–Daryn Pittman Perseveres to Score Perris Win →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Second Straight Overall Win for Wayne Taylor Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Second Straight Overall Win for Wayne Taylor Racing
Gavin, Milner second in GTLM despite late-race contact while leading

Gavin, Milner retain GTLM points lead with two wins and runner-up in 2016
Dekra Green Award for No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
First Corvette DP podium sweep since Sebring 2015

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 16, 2016) – Wayne Taylor Racing won its second straight race at Long Beach to lead an overall sweep for the Corvette Daytona Prototype program, and Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner extended their GT Le Mans (GTLM) championship lead with a runner-up finish in their No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R at Saturday’s Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix. Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Second Straight Overall Win for Wayne Taylor Racing →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Ricky and Jordan Taylor IMSA Prototype Quick Winner Quotes

JORDAN TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – RACE WINNER
FROM THE RESTART, IT LOOKED LIKE A COMPLETE DIFFERENT MACHINE
“Well, it wasn’t much different. I just think the two guys behind us were racing each other a little bit and the No. 5 (Barbosa Fittipaldi) wasn’t as near, so it kind of gave us some freedom to push. But, I think if it wasn’t for Ricky’s (Taylor) start, getting us into the lead, right up to the end, we wouldn’t have had a chance because track position was key. And the guys kept us up front with that pit stop. So, it was a tough day. But I’m glad to have Konica Minolta back in Victory Lane here in Long Beach.”

RICKY TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP
IN THAT DRIVER CHANGE, WHAT COULD YOU TELL YOUR BROTHER TO MAKE THE CAR BETTER? I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A BRAKE BIAS CHANGE
“Yeah, we were actually having some TC issues, so I would give the team suggestions, but I told them not to talk because he (Jordan Taylor) figures it out on his own anyway. But, it’s cool. This race, three years ago, when Konica Minolta started with us and we’ve had three second or first-place finishes. So, it’s just awesome. We couldn’t be happier.”

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300

Austin Dillon Powers Through the Tight Turns to Finish Fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway

“This was definitely a different race today. It was interesting to have the heat races. The No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet was really strong for the second heat race. Danny (Stockman, crew chief) and the guys had the handling dialed in for me. After the heat race, a lot of rubber was laid down and the handling for the main changed. I got pretty tight in the center of the corners but with only 200 laps, it’s hard to make adjustments. I’m proud of the No. 2 team. We have some things we’re going to try next week at Richmond (International Raceway) that I’m pretty excited about.”

– Austin Dillon

Racing For The #Dash4Cash, Ty Dillon Finishes Seventh at
Bristol Motor Speedway

“That was definitely a tough finish at the end. I’m disappointed the way it turned out. We had a lot faster car than a seventh-place finish. It was difficult to pass and make a move today, unless you could really race the bottom of the track. I enjoyed the heat racing today, but wish we were there at the end to have a chance to win the Dash4Cash. Thanks to RedKap and Khols.com for the support this weekend, and thanks to Comcast and XFINITY for putting on a great Dash4Cash program.”

– Ty Dillon

Brandon Jones Produces Solid 11th-Place Finish at
Bristol Motor Speedway

“Today was really about track position. The heat races were really fun. We raced in the first one and finished fifth. I really think that element is really cool and I liked that they introduced it to the NASCAR XFINITY Series. We had a lot of fun doing that. Once the race started it was follow the leader out there so again, it was all about track position. It was key. Mike (crew chief, Hillman Jr.) made some good changes on pit road. Unfortunately we didn’t have many times to come down pit road the whole day, so I think that it hurt us without having many chances to adjust on the Check Into Cash Chevrolet. Today it was about being at the right place at the right time.”

– Brandon Jones

Brendan Gaughan Perseveres Through Damage at
Bristol Motor Speedway to Finish 16th

“I’m just bummed. We are usually really good here. We had to start on the bottom all day, and just went back until we could get to the high line. Then we got some damage around lap 35 which complicated an already tight Chevy in the corners. It wasn’t a bad race car, it was just circumstantial. My guys made a great effort on pit road to fix the damage. I’m ready to move on to Richmond.”

– Brendan Gaughan

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Qualifying Recap

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH (CALIFORNIA)
DAY TWO – QUALIFICATIONS RECAP
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016

HELIO CASTRONEVES EARNS POLE FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE RACE

· Castroneves leads Chevrolet sweep of Firestone Fast Six in qualifications on street circuit
· Team Chevy drivers have won the first three Verizon P1 Awards of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Season
· Josef Newgarden qualified ninth to give Chevrolet seven of the top-nine in the final qualifying order

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 16, 2016) — Helio Castroneves recorded the quickest lap in the Firestone Fast Six session to earn the pole for the second consecutive year in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and lead a Chevrolet sweep of the top six positions in qualifying for the second Verizon IndyCar Series race in a row. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Qualifying Recap →