CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES

INDYCAR CONTENT DAYS MEDIA AVAILABILITY TRANSCRIPT

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

January 10, 2024

WILL POWER, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:

THE MODERATOR: Kicking off the afternoon session here day one of NTT INDYCAR Series content days at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis. We are led off by Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet; enters his 20th season in the NTT IndyCar Series, two-time series champion. Of course the 2018 winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, 41 career wins, and of course the series record 70 NTT P1 Awards, and I’m just glad that the neck injury you posted on social media —

WILL POWER: It’s feeling a lot better. It was just a brief injury.

THE MODERATOR: That’s good to hear.

WILL POWER: You should not try to squat 300. That’s big.

THE MODERATOR: How does 2024 look for you?

WILL POWER: Yeah, I think we’ve made improvements on the team front. Disappointed with 2023. Very determined to turn up in ’24 with simply better performances.

I would say going to ’23 was not a very good situation and the preparation wasn’t normal, and that kind of continued into the year a bit. Yeah, turning up ready to go.

Q. If you look ahead to 2024, strong out of the gates; consistency, obviously that was a big factor in your second championship, as well.

WILL POWER: Yeah, it does matter. It does. It really does. It puts you in that non-defensive mindset if you get the points early.

But it doesn’t necessarily have to play out like that, either. Every season has a different flow. Sometimes consistency matters, and sometimes you really have to win races to win a championship. You kind of get that feel as we take off.

The field is so tough and so strong and so close, yeah, you have to — it’s very hard to dominate. As we saw last year, someone did, like really dominated. That’s a tough level right there.

Q. When we talked after Laguna Seca you talked about reflecting on 2023 and how tough it was for you from a personal standpoint with everything going on in the background with Liz and her health. I don’t want to pry too much, but have things gone on this off-season that puts you in a better ability to be more focused on racing and not so much worried or anxious or focusing on things off track?

WILL POWER: Yeah, it does, yeah. Liz is doing a lot better. It’s actually about a year now since that happened. Yeah, she’s actually back, started working out a little bit. Way, way better from where she was.

Yeah, not having that stress, the constant thought in the back of your mind of what’s going on there frees up a bit of space. You can get back to the sort of normal routine of preparing for a season and working during the season.

Q. One of the toughest parts of that, was that just the mental load you were having to carry, where racing just couldn’t be your sole focus?

WILL POWER: Yeah, exactly, yeah. Those distractions really take away — you just cannot compete at a high level if you’re not 100 percent in on that thing, which is racing. If you’re not 100 percent in, you’re going to struggle in this field. It’s too tough. Depth is too strong.

You need to have everything going for you if you’re going to win in this series.

Q. We don’t know a debut date yet on the hybrid, but supposed to come at some point after the 500, so it’s probably somewhere around the halfway point in the series. As someone who’s put a lot of miles in the car testing that for the series and Chevy and Team Penske, how do you imagine that could factor into a championship hunt when you have some different rules and regulations splitting up this championship in 2024?

WILL POWER: It will be very interesting. There’s no question that it’s going to be a factor in the championship, how the car — obviously the weight distribution changes, the weight of the car goes up. You have this hybrid system that you have to use as efficiently as possible.

So there will be, yeah — people will be learning through those races on how to extract the most out of the system, which is a good thing. It’ll make for a very interesting championship. Very interesting.

Q. You were among the workhorses of the hybrid testing, so all those laps and all those miles that you did, how would you assess where it started and where it’s at right now?

WILL POWER: Yeah, I mean, I’ve done quite a few test days where you just run all day, two days, and no problems. No problems at all. I think it’s a bit of everything, a little bit of supply issue and so on.

To me, they’ve got to be able to — I think INDYCAR wants it to be absolutely bulletproof when it’s introduced, so I think they made the right decision there.

The testing has been good. The system has worked really well. I think the way it’s packaged and everything is really good. It just needs a little bit more time. That’s all. It just needs a little bit more time, and I think they want to introduce it with absolutely zero chance of problems, and that’s the smart way to do it.

Q. Now, one of the unintended benefits that comes with not having the hybrid is they lighten the car, so now you should be able to go faster because of the lighter car before the hybrid is put on. You always being a driver who loves speed, how important will that be for you?

WILL POWER: Oh, yeah, I love the fact that it’s lighter. It will make for a much nicer car. Well, a nicer car. Anytime you’re knocking weight out, it’s good.

Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be a big difference. It’s not like we’re knocking 100 pounds out of it. But it will be — it won’t be slower.

Q. But with the hybrid development, wasn’t there concern because of the added weight, even with the extra horsepower, it could be slower?

WILL POWER: It would depend on the track. Obviously track with long straights and all that, you’re going to get benefit from the horsepower.

Yeah, I think there’s a lot of potential in that hybrid. I reckon it’ll be started pretty conservatively, so if the lap times happen to be slower, that’s the reason. But eventually they’ll be faster because you don’t want to — you want to ease into it. I don’t think you just want to go, yeah, this thing will give 150 horsepower, bang, let’s go do it.

It’s still a hit, like it really — it jumps out of the corner when you’re using the hybrid. And you’re only using a third of what it’s capable of.

Q. Finally, a lot of people focus on race strategy, and Rick Mears told me the other day, the best race strategy is a fast race car. I guess in many ways is that your best strategy, the fastest car?

WILL POWER: Oh, it makes things so much easier. As you can see, if you’re just a little bit outside the window, you just struggle to even get in the top 10. Yeah, when you have that slight advantage, you just have a bit — you’re right in the window, just eases everything off of it.

You’re not making those little mistakes trying to make up for time. You’re just able to nail all your braking points and apexes and everything comes together nicely.

Q. Question with the hybrid engine. I know you’ve done a lot of testing, and you make it sound like it’s really easy. Do you feel that some of the younger drivers or the rookies are going to have a harder time adjusting to that change, or…

WILL POWER: I think it’s an easy — honestly, it’s hardly changed anything. The car pretty much behaves the same, and they’ve given you the ability just to push a button out of a corner and that’s it. I think it’s auto-regen, so you’re not holding the paddle or anything like that. It’s pretty straightforward.

I think it’ll be a pretty — it’ll be more about extracting the most out of the system, where you deploy it, all those strategies which kind of makes it a — it’s up to the teams to do the simulations and understand where to do that and where to regen, all that sort of stuff.

So yeah, I think it’s pretty straightforward. It’s not that complicated. Pretty straightforward.

Q. So it won’t take a couple races to get the hang of it?

WILL POWER: I mean, yeah, you’re just pressing a button. That’s the long and short of it. All the simulations will be saying out of this corner is where you should be hitting the button, and that’s what will happen.

Maybe in the races, slightly different strategies, maybe hitting a different spot to pass or something like that.

But yeah, I think it’ll be good.

Q. I’m curious your thoughts, you’ve been with Penske a while now. Do you feel since you’ve been there the morale at that team, with Team Penske, is as high as it’s ever been? I know you’ve got two straight Cup Series championships; you won the championship a few years ago; Josef just won the 500. Do you feel that yourself?

WILL POWER: Yeah, I do. It has changed quite a bit since I started there. Obviously the process has changed, the competition changes, and you evolve with it, and Penske is very good at being ahead of the curve on that stuff.

It’s a good tight-knit team. And I wouldn’t say as far as the number of people that work within the team, it’s not like a — it’s run lean but very efficiently, so everyone works very well together.

But yeah, winning two Cup championships back-to-back is very big. The 500 Championship last year, 500 this year in INDYCAR. So, yeah, the team certainly is firing on all cylinders. It’s pretty cool to be a part of it.

Q. It’s already ridiculously difficult to win an INDYCAR championship; when you introduce a hybrid and it creates that required adaptability mid-season that we’re going to get this year, how much more difficult or how much more weight does that put on maybe or how much does this championship stand out, or will the eventual champion stand out compared maybe to other years?

WILL POWER: Yeah, like I said, I think it certainly will be — it’s definitely going to be a factor in the championship. Like what engine does it — what manufacturer does it complement the most, is it the Chevy or the Honda, because it’s going to hit in a certain power range.

Yeah, it’s hard to say how that will all play out, because it’s not like you’re going back to the same tracks. It’s sort of — yeah, it will play a factor in the championship. I don’t know how. I think it’ll be about adapting because it’s difficult to say what the struggles will be until you’re in the situation.

Q. Once upon a time, anybody could get maybe one, possibly two bad finishes and be right there at the end for the title hunt. You’ve got Dixon only had one finish outside the top 10 last year; Palou didn’t have a single finish lower than eighth. Can you make a mistake in this championship?

WILL POWER: When someone doesn’t have a lower finishing place than eighth and wins, what, four or five? Five wins, nothing outside the top eight, man, that is — what was the average finishing position for him? My God, you’re just sitting at such a high level there.

That’s why I said, like that is — yeah, people say he wrapped it up with one to go or he was almost done with two to go. He probably could have — he was on his way to winning the last race. He had taken off the lead in that thing obviously with a lot of mayhem.

But that’s a championship to remember in this field. That is a very, very impressive run. Very strong.

I couldn’t see anyone beating that — there’s no one sitting back going, if I just finish this race — like everyone is just going, this dude just absolutely mopped the floor, like he nailed it. But very strong.

Q. Does that kind of reset how you attack a championship in the sense that you just can’t have mistakes when guys are on that kind of level?

WILL POWER: Yeah, it’s not having mistakes plus winning races, not just finishing — you can’t just be top 5 every time. You’ve got to win races. Yeah, that’s one tough team and competitor right there. It just resets the bar in this series, which is a very high bar already, which is pretty cool. Pretty cool to see.

Q. You had a very long off-season but also did a lot of the hybrid testing, as well. How important is it to be able to take a step back from driving and testing and all that kind of good stuff and be at home away from everything and just recharge away from the shop, away from personnel, texts, social media and everything and just be a dad and be Will Power?

WILL POWER: That is important, to completely just disconnect from everything because of all the connectivity we have now.

Yeah, that’s great for two or three weeks, but then you want to get back to the job at hand and go hard again. That’s what it requires anyway, to be competitive.

Q. What is the most valuable advice Roger Penske has given to you that has left you thinking deeply as a person or racer?

WILL POWER: He often says to me before the race, just finish. He never really says go out there and win. Which is good advice. Just go out there, just be careful on — yeah, there’s many things Roger has told me. But when he talks, you listen.

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIESINDYCAR CONTENT DAYS MEDIA AVAILABILITY TRANSCRIPTINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANAJanuary 10, 2024 ED CARPENTER, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:THE MODERATOR: Wrapping up this morning’s session here at the Content Day 2024 with Ed Carpenter, back in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, beginning his 22nd year in the NTT INDYCAR Series, another oval program as he splits time with the 2023 Indy NXT by Firestone champion and Christian Rasmussen. How is your Content Day going? ED CARPENTER: It seems quiet this year. It seems very quiet today. THE MODERATOR: Looking ahead to the year, how is the team right now? ED CARPENTER: It’s exciting, I think. Christian, it’s fun bringing a rookie along. There’s definitely challenges that come with it, but the excitement that you get out of a rookie driver getting his first opportunity is fun. He and Rinus have really bonded pretty quickly, which is good to see, and Rinus has taken his more veteran leadership role pretty seriously. But the two of them have really off the track bonded well. We haven’t had them on the track together yet, so I’m excited for that. But these off-seasons can be long, but as we get to this time of year everything can happen fast, but I think things are going very well. Q. Tell us about the new sponsorship. And I know obviously IMS is your favorite track, but if I’m not mistaken, Milwaukee is probably 2. Talk about going back to that track later in the fall for a double-header.ED CARPENTER: Yeah, I think Milwaukee has always been a great venue. Everyone was sad when it didn’t work out the last time, so it’s great to get another opportunity to make it a great event. I think we’ve learned a lot of things as a series and as teams since we last raced there that will hopefully make it a more successful event, so that’s great that it’s back. Sad to see Texas go, but that’s the way things go. Obviously, yeah, we’ve got some new colors that we’re showing here. There will be more announced later in detail, but GuyCare, just kind of a men-specific health clinic, they launched their flagship station in Utah this week. There will be a lot more happening around that and targeted around our schedule the rest of the year, so there will be more to come on that soon, but still within the RiskOn International, Todd Ault family of businesses that have supported us the past couple years, so thankful for that, and looking forward to more announcements with it. Q. This off-season, outside of bringing Christian into the fold, Rinus taking on more of a leadership role, can you tell us anything more about trying to build up that team around those guys that I know is going to be a big focus for you guys from engineering and other departments within —ED CARPENTER: Yeah, we haven’t had a ton of change. It’s hard right now to make drastic changes in our series. The personnel from mechanics to engineers, I’m proud of the fact that we’re able to keep people. I think we do a really good job with that. It’s hard to get people to move. Sometimes it’s restrictive. So there hasn’t been a ton of change. But last year was a challenging year without a doubt. We had our struggles. I did feel like as the year went on and we got into the end of the year, our direction and focus was better. We’ve been able to carry that on and kind of start over in a lot of the things where we felt like we were wrong. But again, you never know how good all those efforts are until we get on track. The nature of the off-season, we’ve had one track day since the season ended, so there’s been very little room for validation of the work other than that one day. So excited to be getting on track here later in the month. Q. That was the test with Christian shortly after Laguna?ED CARPENTER: Yeah, Christian and Oliver were both in the car. Q. Several of the drivers that have come in so far this morning, I think most of them were involved in some sort of a dinner last night with Penske Entertainment leadership talking about the future of the series. I don’t know if you were present at that dinner, but from that or other talks that you’ve had with folks in the last couple weeks and months during the off-season that I know has been a little up and down for the series, there seems to be a lot of positivity from drivers that we’ve spoken to so far despite some of the things that have gone on. What is your perspective on where the series is and where it’s headed over this next couple months.ED CARPENTER: It’s definitely been a different off-season. The cadence has been different. Obviously with a big change coming and being delayed from what was anticipated, I think that’s always a challenge, and it’s easy to be frustrated. But at the same time, you have to focus on where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. It’s definitely been a group effort from INDYCAR and Chevrolet and the manufacturers to the teams and a lot of the communication that’s gone on. I think within the challenges, I think it’s been getting better and better, working collectively for what those solutions are to make sure we’re putting on the best racing possible. I think we’re all excited to get to the hybrid era when that day comes, and coming up with the best way to get there so when it does come that it is what it’s supposed to be and not sacrificing the show for the fans and the teams. Q. Do you have any plans still to run a third car at Indianapolis?ED CARPENTER: Yeah, it’s announced we’re running three at Indy. Myself, Rinus, and Christian will all be at the Indy 500. Q. You just indicated that understandably you’re not satisfied with how last year turned out for ECR. Can you elaborate on what you guys have been working on over the winter to try and turn that situation around?ED CARPENTER: I mean, never going to get into total details of what we’ve been working on, but I think there’s always an evolution and progress with what you’re developing as a team and around the engineering. I would say some of the targets that we were aiming for last year weren’t necessarily on point, so just refocusing — I wouldn’t say we’ve totally reinvented anything, just improving the process of our simulation and everything else that gets us to a better spot. It’s easy to try to start over when things don’t go well, but my experience over my 22 years is, one, it’s never one big thing, and, two, it’s just getting all the details correct, and we didn’t do a good enough job with that, especially early last year. I do feel like we were turning a corner at the end of last year. Excited to carry that momentum and get started, and confident that we’re going to be in a stronger spot. Q. I remember after Rinus’s rookie race in Texas, you famously said he needed to work a little bit on his sponginess. Going back to Christian versus Rinus, can you compare them? How are they in the way they approach this? Are there any similarities?ED CARPENTER: I would say there’s a lot of similarities. They’re the same age now, so Christian’s rookie year, he’s older, so I would say — this isn’t a knock on Rinus whatsoever, but Christian is a little more mature than when we got Rinus just by nature of he’s the same age that Rinus currently is. But from what we’ve seen so far in the car and the simulator, their styles are very similar. I think they’ll be the most complementary duo that we’ve had or as a pairing to Rinus in his time with the team, so that’s exciting. Q. Just curious on a couple of things. You talked about Rinus’s leadership. I’m just curious where that maturity has grown into the fact — do you look at him taking that leadership role because of the way he maybe took a step forward with Ryan being his teammate the last half of the year? Is it a de facto? Is it experience?ED CARPENTER: I think it’s all of the above. He gets more and more of his own experience. I’m sure there definitely was an effect from Ryan, just learning from a great teammate, a veteran teammate, a champion, an Indy 500 winner, being around that, seeing how he approaches it, and just getting older. His married now. Your life changes as you get older. Your perspective changes. I think it’s all of those things. Q. With Ryan coming in last year to kind of validate a few things, how significant was that for you guys to get pointed in the right direction for this off-season?ED CARPENTER: It was helpful. I think he did everything that we asked him to do. And I never viewed it as a silver bullet or a quick fix, but Ryan is definitely someone that I trust and our team holds in high regard, and he came in and did a good job and definitely brought his experience to give us his opinion on where things were and continue evaluating that and getting back to where we want to be. Q. The last one is with the hybrid but also with the fact that — your team in particular, with your team trying to find itself to get back into a competitive nature at the front of the field again, also while trying to figure out ways to go through this hybrid development, what’s the challenge there for you? How much percentage do you put towards focusing on the hybrid versus also trying to focus on some of those details, and how difficult is it to work on those details when a new power plant could also change the way the car feels, balance, et cetera?ED CARPENTER: Yeah, you have to do both. We don’t have any first-hand experience yet with the hybrid system. We are able to test some of it in simulation, so we are getting some experience in being able to learn at least in the virtual world kind of what’s changing, but until we can fully get that on track, you don’t have anything to compare and validate your simulation to. You’re doing the best you can. Obviously we know the areas we need to focus from last year for things mostly being the same to start the year. Obviously there’s still a lot of new components that are going to be on the car in preparation for the hybrid, but we won’t fully know how that’s all going to change until we do get the hybrid on track. We get some information from Chevrolet and the series, from those that have been doing the testing, but that’s all secondhand at this point. Looking forward to getting firsthand knowledge to really dive into that and understand what the differences are and what we’re going to need to be trying to achieve. Q. What’s your take on the Million Dollar Challenge?ED CARPENTER: Are we talking Thermal? Q. The Thermal Club.ED CARPENTER: It’s interesting. To start with, I think everyone questioned what it was going to be like going there for the open test last year, and I think at the end of the day it exceeded our expectations. This is going to be a new type of format for us to try, so I think it’s important — INDYCAR racing has always been an innovative sport going back to the very beginning, and you look around other sports and leagues, and everyone is doing something all the time to try to be innovative and create new excitement. I think this is going to be a unique experiment, and it’s hard to really say what I think or how it’s going to go until we get into it, but I know it’s going to be a good experience from having been there last year. But it’s definitely going to be a little odd going to a race event that doesn’t have points, so I think it’ll change the approach or what you’re ultimately able to accomplish over that weekend. But I’m sure it’s going to be fun. Q. Is it odd that you have a no-points race after the season starts as opposed to an exhibition in preseason?ED CARPENTER: I mean, I think if — I don’t know that it matters all that much, to be honest. At the end of the day, early in the season, you’re less focused on points just naturally than you are as the season winds on, so I’m sure once we get there, it’s going to feel more like a race than an exhibition just because we’re all competitors, and at the end of the day there’s a lot on the line with the challenge. I do think it’s going to be important to go there and be strong quickly by the way the format is laid out. I don’t think it’ll be the easiest place to overtake. So speed and qualifying is going to be vastly important to give yourself a chance to be a factor in the final of the event. Q. You’ve been around 22 years now; who do you think is the face of the future of the series?ED CARPENTER: I mean, I think it’s hard to pick one. I think there’s a ton of amazing young talent. I think you look across the majority of the teams, and there’s a bright future. The competition in the series is so high across teams and drivers. But obviously I think Pato and Alex Palou are probably highest on the list. The Josefs of the world are pretty established now, but he’s going to be around for a long time to go, so I think the future is in great hands. Q. Maybe it’s a good thing we don’t just have one face?ED CARPENTER: Yeah, I think that’s always a great thing.

10 January 2024 – Sebastian Alvarez of Mexico will be the fourth driver of the DragonSpeed LMP2 entry for the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance classic on 27-28 January, opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 21-year-old European Le Mans Series rising star will fill the number 81 car’s silver-ranked slot alongside the team’s 2022 Rolex-winning Bronze pilot Eric Lux, 2023 Rolex LMP2 victor James Allen, and Allen’s ELMS co-champion – and Ganassi INDYCAR rookie – Kyffin Simpson.

Following his early open-wheel exploits in British F4 and GB3, Sebastian made the move to sportscars in 2022, impressing in European and Asian LMP3 competition. 2023 saw a strong debut in LMP2 which has been rewarded by a drive with the Le Mans LMP2 class-winning Inter Europol squad for the upcoming ELMS season. The Mexico City native is a member of the prestigious Escuderia Telmex driver development program and brings a combination of speed and experience to his second Rolex 24 outing.

“I am very happy to return to Daytona, this time in LMP2 with DragonSpeed,” said Alvarez. “Last year we were leading LMP3 when we retired with a mechanical issue, so I feel there is unfinished business for me here. The team is so experienced and has already won this special race three times, so I am confident that if we stay out of trouble, we can challenge for the win in the final hours. I am motivated and ready!”DragonSpeed team principal Elton Julian said, “Sebastian continues our team’s tradition of helping to put promising silver-ranked drivers on the map. He’s young and fast, but has also shown plenty of savvy and discipline in his ELMS career to date. He understands the job at hand, and rounds out a great driver lineup for our return to the Rolex.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 9, 2024) – GOMR (Grumpy Old Men Racing) is pleased to announce the signing of reigning Progressive American Flat Track Rookie of the Year Declan Bender to compete in the 2024 Mission SuperTwins championship aboard an Indian FTR750.  Bender turned pro in 2023 on the heels of a stellar amateur career that saw him earn 10 AMA Flat Track Grand Championships and more than 60 race victories among a host of other achievements. He then proved himself a frontrunner from the very start of his maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER season, qualifying seventh at the ‘23 Daytona opener.  Bender continued to improve as he gained experience throughout the season. The Cooksville, Illinois, native ended the year in outstanding form, securing a sixth and two sevenths over the season’s final four Main Events, which propelled him to Rookie of the Year honors.  GOMR will once again enjoy significant support from BriggsAuto.com as the team’s biggest sponsor with additional backing from Martin Trucking and Precision Body Works. Johnny and Sarah Goad will continue to helm the GOMR operation with Johnny serving as Crew Chief and Sarah in the role of Team Manager. Tom Draina and Buddy Pulliam are back to assist in turning the wrenches, while Miriam Pulliam and Dick Tibbits will provide additional support.  Sarah Goad said, “Family has always been an important aspect of our racing program and that tradition continues with our children and grandchildren (Caylee, Raylynn, Raye and Clara) present to lend a hand or just root us on. I also think this makes Declan a great fit, as he and his father, Mike, have accomplished so much working as a rider/dad team throughout Declan’s career. Declan is an exciting young rider. He has a huge future in the sport, and we believe he’ll be a contender for Mission SuperTwins Rookie of the Year honors in 2024.  “I also want to thank Russ and Ilene Briggs of BriggsAuto.com, CD Martin of Martin Trucking, and Buddy and Miriam Pulliam of Precision Body Works. It’s only through their support that we are able to continue competing in this sport we love.”  Bender said, “I am beyond excited for the opportunity that Russ Briggs and the Goads have given me this year. Their deep roots and knowledge in the sport are all I could ask for and more. I am ready to give it everything I’ve got this season and look forward to building on the success that I ended with in ‘23.”

Kofoid joins the list of legends who have wheeled Dennis and Teresa Roth’s Sprint Car with the World of OutlawsCONCORD, NC (January 9, 2024) – Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, one of Sprint Car racing’s top young talents, is set to compete full-time with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars in 2024.The 22-year-old will wheel the Roth Motorsports #83 powered by Toyota Racing engines for his first full run with The Greatest Show on Dirt. It’s a dream come true for the Penngrove, CA driver to pilot Dennis and Teresa Roth’s car on the tour.The California kid fell in love with the sport going to World of Outlaws races whenever they visited “The Golden State.” And Roth’s cars, out of Fresno, CA, have been a staple of both the World of Outlaws and west coast scene for three decades.“It means a lot to me,” Kofoid said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I started racing. Being a kid and going to Gold Cup, we used to go every year as a family. We’d do it every year. I became even more attached and grew more fond because you got to see the Outlaws so few times. I was like, ‘That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to be one day is an Outlaw.’“To do it with Dennis and Teresa Roth makes it even more special being from California and growing up watching that car and everyone that they had that made an impact on the sport. It’s an iconic car from California, but I always appreciate how iconic they are in Sprint Car racing in general.”“Buddy and Toyota have a long history of success together in multiple dirt racing disciplines, including multiple national midget championships,” said Jack Irving, Executive Commercial Director, TRD. “Buddy’s talent behind the wheel of a Sprint Car is clearly evident and everyone at TRD looks forward to supporting his full-season effort with Roth Motorsports. Their win last fall at Placerville showed what the team is capable of, and we are confident Buddy will celebrate many more victories this season under the Toyota umbrella.”Kofoid has assembled quite the résumé in his young career. He topped a Trophy Cup prelim at Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA) at 14 years old in 2016 – then won the event in 2021. He’s one of 12 competitors who’ve claimed back-to-back USAC National Midget championships (2021-2022). And his first World of Outlaws triumph came in only his 16th Feature start with the Series in 2022 at Huset’s Speedway. He joined Roth Motorsports midway through 2023 and hit the ground running, winning an All Star Circuit of Champions race at I-70 Motorsports Park in July. Then, Kofoid became the 16th different driver to usher Roth’s #83 to World of Outlaws Victory Lane with a win at Placerville Speedway in September. He’ll enter the new year with three World of Outlaws Feature wins already in his back pocket (Huset’s in 2022, Talladega Short Track in 2023 and Placerville in 2023).Dylan Buswell, Roth’s esteemed mechanic, helped lead “Buddy” to his early success with the team as the two found instant chemistry. He’ll continue to lead the way on the wrenches in 2024, giving Kofoid another level of confidence for his debut campaign.“That comfort came almost instantly, and it was a package that I was kind of used to and fond of,” Kofoid said. “But I think that’s kind of a testament to the team that Dennis, Teresa, Todd (Ventura), and everyone at Toyota provides for us. But then also I think it’s a testament to Dylan’s skill and his talent. I believe in Dylan a lot. I’ve always wanted to work with him and was super thankful that it worked out last year. But I had no idea it would lead into this. I think having the right people in your corner that believe in you and people that want to win just as bad as you is how you be successful.”The 2024 season will take Kofoid from coast to coast and to a handful of new and familiar tracks along the way. Among those they’ll have circled will undoubtedly be the $83,000-to-win Dennis Roth Classic at Thunderbowl Raceway (Sept. 20-21) – an event saluting their legendary owner at one of Kofoid’s favorite tracks.Over the course of the grind of the 86-night campaign, Kofoid plans to take a balanced approach. His USAC titles taught him blending the race by race focus with mindfulness of the year-long points outlook is vital for a successful season.“Obviously, I feel like you’ve got to take it race by race and focus on the task at hand,” Kofoid said. “I kind of set small goals. Work on that one and move to the next one and try to accomplish each small goal. But also, at the same time I feel like in a season like that for points it’s hard to not look ahead. I learned that with my USAC races racing for points and trying to compete for that. You’ve got to look ahead and work on your weaknesses but also try to improve your strengths at tracks that my lie ahead.”The 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season begins at Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) for the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 7-10. For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 8, 2024) – Dollar signs haunt Ryan Harrison’s mind. He has money into a new house, money into a new race car and money into motor work; on top of thousands needed for he and his family’s travels from England to America for a few weeks of Sprint Car racing.

“Financially it’s ridiculous,” said Harrison, of North Hampshire, UK. “If you actually stopped and thought about what it costs us, flights, accommodation, running the cars, all of us away, and everything else, if you added it up, you’d probably never do it again and think this is f@#king stupid.

“But you’re only here once.”

Harrison, a multi-time BriSCA F1 champion in England, has traveled to the United States to race Sprint Cars for the past seven years and raced Florida’s winter events since 2019. He earned his first Sprint Car win in 2022 with the United Sprint Car Series, which he considers his biggest career triumph. Last year was his first appearance at Volusia Speedway Park during the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals – two events he’ll return to this year.

His conscience told him to stay home this winter and save money, but his dad pushed him to race.

“My dad said he’s getting older, and we need to do it,” Harrison said.

Whether in England or the United States, Harrison, now 32 years old, has never raced without his parents. And unless extra sponsorship is found, Harrison admitted he’s not sure how many more winter Speedweeks he’ll be able to attend. So, despite having to borrow money to make the trip this year, Harrison wasn’t going to deny his dad – and himself – another shot at doing what they love.

“We’re just trying to go there to have some fun and go full on, just absolutely full on,” Harrison said. “I mean, we love it. We absolutely love it.”

He made some changes and upgrades to his Sprint Car program last year, moving all his equipment from a friend’s shop in Florida to Chad Kemenah’s shop in Ohio. The move allows Harrison to make the most of his U.S. visits by hitting multiple Ohio races in a weekend, while benefiting from the help of the six-time All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car champion.

“[Chad’s] doing heaps to help us,” Harrison said. “It’s unbelievable. We’re renting a bit of space from them to keep the race trailer and stuff. Use a bit of his workshop. I was just over there during Thanksgiving, working on the car and switching some things around. They’re so much fun. Good help for us.”

He’s also added a new car to his stable. Last year, Harrison ran a car he purchased from NASCAR star Alex Bowman. This year, he’s dedicating that car to his 360 Sprint Car races, while the new car he bought from Crouch Motorsports will be his new 410-powered #97UK.

Harrison hopes to make at least five trips to the U.S. this year, first for Florida Speedweeks and then for various Ohio race weekends at tracks like Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway.

The move to Ohio also means 2024 will see Harrison predominantly run 410 Sprint Car races for the first time. And while he’s having his motor freshened for the new adventure, Harrison said he knows it won’t be at the same level of the bigger teams.

But he’s not letting that deter his competitive curiosity.

“You know your arms are tied behind your back a little bit,” he said. “But all you do is see how close you can get to them. That’s our goal, see how close can you get? It’s not about beating them, it’s about how close you can get.”

In doing so, he still needs to keep the car in one piece. If he wrecks, he has to wait until he’s raised enough funds to fix the car before he can return. If he loads the car in the trailer at the end of the night with no issues, he’s planning his next trip before he’s on his flight home.

“What sometimes bothers me about the racing side is you’re racing against (many) guys who don’t pay for the cars,” he said. “They’re paid drivers, I guess. If they flip it, they just get out and get into the next one, where I’m thinking, ‘F@#k, I can’t afford to flip this or wreck this.’ You don’t go for some of the gaps and moves you should do, really. I said to my dad, ‘Maybe we need to be a little bit ruthless.’ But when we start being a little bit more ruthless it’s going to bit me.

“But in the same token, there’s no point in driving around like Miss F@#king Daisy and not going anywhere. You’re in between a rock and hard place sometimes.”

He said he’s excited to get back to Volusia, though, for the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout – boasting the biggest purse in USCS history, including a $10,000 to win finale – and to race with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series during DIRTcar Nationals. While Volusia is “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” Harrison said it almost fells slower than other tracks to him because of how wide it is.

If he makes the Features for both events, he’ll consider that a successful trip, he said, easing the weight of dollar signs on his conscience.

With his family by his side and sponsorship from friends in England – KBTS, Hambridge Transport and Bensons Products – Harrison said he knows no matter what happens, he’s still living a dream many will never get to see.

“I always say, I’m a little bloke from England, fat as f@#k, having a go,” he said.

For tickets to the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout (Jan. 25-27) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to Volusia Speedway Park, you can watch both events live on DIRTVision. 

Kankakee County Speedway is 2023 Track of the Year; Chris Sullivan honored as Promoter of the Year

SPRINGFIELD, IL (Jan. 6, 2024) – DIRTcar Racing celebrated its 40th season of weekly competition Saturday night at the annual awards banquet in Springfield, IL, recognizing each of the national and regional points champions along with the many special award winners.

Headlining the special award winners was longtime Midwest motorsports stalwart Tommy Scott, who was honored with one of DIRTcar’s most prestigious accolades – the Bob Memmer Award. Stock Car driver Don Hilleary was presented with the Lee J. Hall Memorial Sportsmanship Award, Kankakee County Speedway took home Track of the Year honors and COMP Cams Super Dirt Series promoter Chris Sullivan was recognized as Promoter of the Year.

Bob Memmer Award – Tommy Scott

Scott, a career Sprint Car racer from Springfield, was given the Bob Memmer Award for his unwavering dedication to and support of the many divisions that make up DIRTcar’s weekly racing scene. He is often seen in Victory Lane at several DIRTcar-sanctioned series events throughout the year in support of drivers that race with his product – Multi-Fire X Spark Plug Wires.

“It means a lot to me, and the people mean a lot to me – they’re basically my family,” Scott said after receiving the award. “I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”

Scott founded Multi-Fire during the 2017-18 seasons and has been a sponsor of DIRTcar and its events over the past several years. The brand has amassed a wide customer base throughout the Midwest on the back of the product’s performance and reliability, which Scott can be found at the track advertising with his Multi-Fire apparel, banners and signature white pit bike.

“My wire’s a little more expensive than anybody else’s, but I put more time in it,” Scott said. “It’s hard to make what I make.”

Despite his Sprint Car-centric background, Scott has focused his efforts to helping the local Late Model, Modified, Stock Car and other budget divisions. With his products, spontaneous cash bonuses to drivers and constant presence at the track, Scott’s efforts to help “the little guy” and keep weekly racing afloat reflect the professional values of UMP/DIRTcar founder Bob Memmer on which he established the organization over 40 years ago.

Lee J. Hall Memorial Sportsmanship Award – Don Hilleary

Veteran Illinois Stock Car racer Don Hilleary was presented with the Lee J. Hall Memorial Sportsmanship Award. The award, first presented to Hall’s son, was spawned at last year’s banquet in memory of the late Stock Car driver who was killed by a drunk driver in October 2022.

The Hall Award is presented to a Stock Car driver who best exemplifies the same respectfulness and gentlemanly conduct that Hall showed on and off the racetrack throughout his career. Hilleary – a personal friend, longtime competitor and former teammate of Hall – finished ninth in the national points standings with three Feature wins in 2023.

Track of the Year Award – Kankakee County Speedway

Each year, the Track of the Year Award is presented to a weekly DIRTcar-sanctioned track that demonstrates outstanding abilities to provide top-quality racing entertainment, elevates competitor participation and hosts special events that bring out the best in fan attendance. The 2023 honor went to one of DIRTcar’s most historic and longest-running weekly facilities in Illinois – Kankakee County Speedway.

Since taking over management of the Kankakee County Fairgrounds racetrack in 2022, promoter Bill Knippenberg has taken his experience as a racer and applied it directly to the weekly program. The 1/4-mile track hosted multiple special events in 2023, including races with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals and the MARS Late Model and Modified Championships, and was the Friday night home to national DIRTcar points champions Deece Schwartz, Jerrad Krick and Jimmy Dutlinger.

Promoter of the Year – Chris Sullivan

Similar to Track of the Year, the Promoter of the Year Award is annually presented to a DIRTcar-sanctioned track or series promoter that demonstrates exceptional commitment to the growth and improvement of the sport. COMP Cams Super Dirt Series promoter Chris Sullivan was honored as the recipient for 2023 – the series’ first year with DIRTcar sanctioning.

Chris, brother to champion Late Model racer Jack Sullivan, aligned the Deep South-centric Super Late Model tour with DIRTcar for the 2023 season, enabling the wide variety of Texarkana-area racers to compete for DIRTcar regional points and other DIRTcar-sanctioned events throughout the year. Billy Moyer Jr. was crowned champion of the Series and DIRTcar’s newly established COMP Cams Super Dirt Series regional title.

The COMP Cams Series will grow closer to DIRTcar in 2024, co-sanctioning a full week on the Summer Nationals Late Models schedule with multiple races in the Deep South region.

National Points Champions

Late Model – Jason Feger
UMP Modified – Tyler Nicely
Pro Late Model – Jose Parga
Pro Modified – Deece Schwartz
UMP Sportsman – Josh Litton
Stock Car – Jerrad Krick
Factory Stock – Trevor Isaak
Sport Compact – Jimmy Dutlinger
Mod Lite – Jimmy Smith

Other Special Awards
Late Model Engine Champion – Clements Racing Engines (45 Feature wins)
Modified Engine Champion – Mullins Race Engines (214 Feature wins)
Late Model Chassis Champion – Rocket Chassis (107 Feature wins)
Modified Chassis Champion – Elite Chassis (148 Feature wins)

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 5, 2024) – When the best teams in the country venture to the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, they’ll benefit from the event’s more than $970,000 overall purse, which now includes a Big Gator Championship points fund.

The massive two-week spectacle at Volusia Speedway Park will again feature the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars and the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds during the first week (Feb. 5-10), and then USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars, DIRTcar Late Models, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds during the second week (Feb. 12-17).

Drivers in each division will battle each week for the prestigious Big Gator Championship, and this year, along with the iconic gator trophy, checks will be handed out to the top-three in Big Gator points.

The Big Gator champions for the Sprint Cars and Late Models will each receive $3,000, while second gets $2,000 and third gets $1,000. For the Big Block drivers, the champion will get $2,000, second will get $1,000 and third gets $500. The DIRTcar UMP Modified Big Gator champion will get $1,000, while second gets $750 and third gets $500.

An increase in funds doesn’t stop there either for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and World of Outlaws Late Models. Both receive purse increases for their races leading up to the final day.

The first three days of World of Outlaws Sprint Car events will boast a $60,500 Feature purse ($66,325 overall, including the Last Chance Showdown and C-Main) with the Features paying $12,000 to win and $1,200 to start. Saturday’s finale (Feb. 10) will pay $20,000 to win and $1,500 to start. In total, it’s a $286,300 overall purse for the four days (Feb. 7-10).

RELATED: World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars Add Fourth Event at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals

For the World of Outlaws Late Models, their first two days will now pay $12,000 to win and $1,000 to start. And like the Sprint Cars, their Saturday finale will also pay $20,000 to win and $1,500 to start. For the three days (Feb. 15-17), it adds up to a $223,340 overall purse.

“DIRTcar Nationals is two of the biggest weeks of racing for fans and drivers alike, and we strive every year to offer a healthy purse for all competitors,” said Jeff Hachmann, DIRTcar Nationals Executive Director of Events. “With support from great partners and the best fans in motorsports, we’re able to accomplish that, such as establishing a points fund for the Big Gator Championship.”

DIRTcar UMP Modifieds will again have six Features each day, Monday through Friday, leading to Saturday’s $5,000-to-win Gator Championship Feature. The format will be the same as last year with Thursday’s Features being lined up based on points from the first three nights (highest to lowest with a 10 car invert) and Friday seeing the top-three in each Feature locked into Saturday’s Gator title race.

The second week of racing will open with USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars (Feb. 12-13) and DIRTcar Late Models (Feb. 12-14). The Non-Wing Sprint Cars will run for a $6,000 check and then a $10,000 payday. The DIRTcar Late Models will again run $7,000-to-win Features on Monday and Tuesday, and then three $5,000-to-win Features on Wednesday.

Then, the Super DIRTcar Series (Feb. 14-17) and World of Outlaws Late Models (Feb. 15-17) will help cap off the event. The Big Blocks will have three straight nights of $5,000-to-win Features, Wednesday through Friday, and then compete for a $7,500 check on Saturday.

Gates open at 4 p.m. (ET) each day. For the full schedule, visit DIRTcarNationals.com/schedule.

Tickets to the 53rd annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park are now on sale at DIRTcarNationals.com/Tickets. If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

Full Schedule & Feature Purses:

Monday, Feb. 5:
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Features 1-6: $600 to win | $21,900 overall purse) 

Tuesday, Feb. 6:
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Features 1-6: $700 to win | $23,100 overall purse)
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars (Practice) 

Wednesday, Feb. 7:
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars ($12,000 to win | $60,500 Feature purse)
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Features 1-6: $1,000 to win | $30,720 overall purse)

Thursday, Feb. 8:
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars ($12,000 to win | $60,500 Feature purse)
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Features 1-6: $600 to win | $21,900 overall purse) 

Friday, Feb. 9:
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars ($12,000 to win | $60,500 Feature purse)
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Features 1-6: $1,000 to win | $30,720 overall purse)

Saturday, Feb. 10:
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars ($20,000 to win | $81,500 Feature purse)
DIRTcar UMP Modified Gator Championship ($5,000 to win | $20,450 Feature purse)

Sunday, Feb. 11: No Racing 

Monday, Feb. 12:
DIRTcar Late Models ($7,000 to win | $27,200 Feature purse)
USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars ($6,000 to win | $25,825 Feature purse)

Tuesday, Feb. 13:
DIRTcar Late Models ($7,000 to win | $27,200 Feature purse)
USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars ($10,000 to win | $37,875 Feature purse) 

Wednesday, Feb. 14:
DIRTcar Late Models (Features 1-3: $5,000 to win | $22,800 purse per Feature)
Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds ($5,000 to win | $19,575 Feature purse)

Thursday, Feb. 15:
World of Outlaws CASE Late Models ($12,000 to win | $57,600 Feature purse)
Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds ($5,000 to win | $19,575 Feature purse)

Friday, Feb. 16:
World of Outlaws CASE Late Models ($12,000 to win | $57,600 Feature purse)
Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds ($5,000 to win | $19,575 Feature purse) 

Saturday, Feb. 17:
World of Outlaws CASE Late Models ($20,000 to win | $81,500 Feature purse)
Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds ($7,500 to win | $30,200 Feature purse)

The Decorah, IA driver finished third in points in 2021, earning Rookie of the Year

CONCORD, NC – January 5, 2024 – Tyler Bruening has one goal for his Skyline Motorsports team in 2024 – keep growing.

The next step in that growth is his return to the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series, searching for a win and a title.

Bruening, who won Rookie of the Year honors in 2021, said racing with the Series was the best challenge for his Skyline Motorsports #16 team in the upcoming season.

“We just felt like where we’re at with our program, we just need to challenge ourselves and our team to compete at the top level,” Bruening said. “Running with the tour is the best opportunity to grow with our team and our program. And if we want to be the best or be considered to be the best, that’s where we feel like we need to be. 

“We sat down and thought about it and weighed the pros and cons and felt like there are quite a few more pros than cons with the scheduling and how it looked for us geographically. And with our team with [Mike Marlar] and all that, we feel like we’re stronger than ever.”

In 2021, Bruening finished third in the standings behind four-time champion Brandon Sheppard and Chris Madden. At the time, it tied the highest finish for a rookie in Series history before Tanner English beat that accomplishment with his second-place finish in 2022.

But one milestone he hasn’t accomplished as the season starts at Volusia Speedway Park during Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 17-20, is his first World of Outlaws victory. And while it’s in his mind, he’s focused on improving.

“I’m just like any other kid that went with their dad to the races when they were young and wished to be hoisting up that trophy,” Bruening said. “Obviously, we’re in this sport to succeed and meet all of our goals and expectations. But sometimes, you also have to take a step back and realize you’re competing against the best in the world. 

“Where we came from with our program, literally from nothing to where we’re now, I think, says a lot about our dedication, commitment, and work ethic. Everyone wants to win, but it’s how your team responds to adversity. We had a good rookie year and a kind of up-and-down last couple of years. I know if everything goes our way and lady luck is on our side, (a win) will be there before we know it.”

His experience with the Series means he knows the importance of a good start. And even though he hasn’t won at Volusia, he’s shown consistency there over the past three seasons, scoring seven top 10s. 

That consistency in 2021 vaulted him to a third-place finish in points, a mark he hopes to beat as he aims for his first championship.

“You don’t even realize how important it really is to start out strong and consistent,” Bruening said. “It is a long season, and a lot of stuff can happen. But you can usually tell a lot by the first couple of weeks how someone’s season will go. Obviously, there’s ups and downs. But it’s really important. It’s almost as important to finish the year strong as it is to start the year strong. 

“So, a lot of emphasis has gone on the off-season for us. I feel like we’ve checked a lot of those big boxes and how we’re down to the fine-toothed-comb things that bring our program to the next level.”

Bruening officially makes his World of Outlaws CASE Late Models return when the season begins at Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 17-20. Joining the Series is the Crate Racin’ USA DIRTcar Pro Late Models and 602 Late Models, making it a true Late Model Palooza. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

Sent on behalf of A1R Racing DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 4, 2024) – A1R Racing is thrilled to announce an augmented program for the upcoming Progressive American Flat Track season featuring Aidan RoosEvansaboard Yamaha YZ450Fs in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class.  2024 marks an exciting opportunity for the team as it is set to grow significantly with support from Yamaha. The squad will carry a full complement of crew, including four mechanics and former racer and professional bodybuilder Joe RoosEvans on board as coach.  The additional support lays a strong foundation, which should allow Aidan to fully capitalize on his potential and establish himself a contender at the front of the highly competitive category.   A racer since the age of four, RoosEvans was a 14-time motorcycle dirt track amateur national champion before shifting his focus to auto racing, where he was named Warrior Region ASCR Rookie of the Year in 2018. Since returning to two wheels, the O’Fallon, Illinois, native has repeatedly proven himself against the best 450cc riders in the world, securing 13 top tens since 2020 while finishing ninth in the ‘22 championship standings. RoosEvans enjoyed the best Main Event result of his burgeoning Progressive AFT career a year ago, finishing in the top five at the Orange County Half-Mile.  Team Manager Derek Arnett said, “Our success in the upcoming season is not only reliant on skill and talent, but also a huge effort as a team dedicated to one goal. We’ve put in a ton of hard work testing and tuning, and we are totally confident in what we’ve accomplished over the offseason. We’re race ready now and excited to see the fruits of our labor.”  RoosEvans said, “I couldn’t be more excited to start the season. With backing from Yamaha and all of our other great partners, I feel like this can be my best year yet. Honestly, I struggled at times getting a rhythm in recent years, but when I hopped back on the Yamaha, I felt right back at home. It was like a homecoming when we tried one last fall, and I was instantly hooked on the idea of coming back to Yamaha. Everything fell into place, and I’m really excited about having Yamaha be a part of our team in 2024.”

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 3, 2024) – O’Reilly Auto Parts, one of the largest retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States is continuing their support of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year in 2024. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year will earn an industry high $20,000. In addition to their cash award, the Rookie of the Year will also receive product certificates from various product manufacturers – valued at over $10,000. Second and third place in the final Rookie of the Year standings will pay $5,000 and $2,500 respectively.  “Having O’Reilly Auto Parts return as the title sponsor of the Rookie of the Year Program solidifies our series in offering the largest cash and product awards program for any rookies that follow the series again in 2024. We are grateful for the continued partnership from O’Reilly Auto Parts and the credibility they bring to our series,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. Competitors gunning for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year title in 2024 will compete in 63 events at 28 unique venues across 16 states from January to October. In addition to the $20,000 top prize to the Rookie of the Year, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will pay a $100 cash bonus to the highest finishing rookie driver in each feature event – beginning at the first event after April 1, 2024. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season will launch with the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks from January 24 to February 10 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Ocala Speedway, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

The 2022 Series champion will try to rebound from his eighth-place finish in points last year

CONCORD, NC – January 2, 2024 – The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series’ depth of talent continues to grow in 2024 with 2022 Series champion Dennis Erb Jr. returning to chase another title.

Erb Jr. is back for his sixth World of Outlaws season after finishing eighth in points last year with a win, eight top fives, and 20 top 10s.

Despite not mimicking his 2022 championship campaign in 2023, the Carpentersville, IL, driver scored four wins in an overall 101-race schedule—three of those paying $ 20,000-to-win or more.

“It wasn’t a bad season,” Erb said. “But it wasn’t what I was expecting. I had a little bit more higher hopes than that. Some things just didn’t work out, and things happen that way. We’re just going to regroup here and start off 2024, and hopefully, we have a lot better season.”

While Erb didn’t have the finish he hoped for, he still had a consistent stretch that vaulted him into a battle for fourth in points at the end of the season. Between June 1 at Farmer City Raceway and Oct. 6 at Brownstown Speedway, Erb had 20 top 10s in a 23-race stretch.

That consistency has Erb looking ahead to a second championship in 2024.

“We got some things going toward the end of the year,” Erb said. “We had some good runs. But we definitely needed to be up closer. We were consistent, and I think that’s one of the main goals to win a championship. I think we’re where we need to be, but we need to keep that consistency rolling.”

One of the places he can get that consistency going is at Volusia Speedway Park when the season opens during Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 17-20. In six races at Volusia in 2022, he only finished outside the top 10 once. However, that was the opposite in 2023, as his best finish at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” was 11th in four races.

For Erb, it proved the importance of a fast start in Florida.

“You definitely need to get off to a good start,” Erb said. “Right off the bat, you have to be upfront. That definitely helps out. I think last year with us, we definitely started off bad. Right at the beginning, in the first few races, we had some bad finishes, and things weren’t going our way. And that really put us behind. To try and catch up with the way the points system is, it’s really hard, and I think we need to step it up to get in the top three spots more.”

Erb begins his quest for a second World of Outlaws CASE Late Models title when the season starts at Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 17-20, a Late Model Palooza which will also feature Crate Racin’ USA Late Models and DIRTcar 602 Late Models. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

• Release
• Photos

December 30, 2023 — SANTA CLARITA, CA

American Honda and Honda Racing Corporation USA extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends and many fans of Gil de Ferran, former Honda Indy car champion, world record holder, Indianapolis 500 winner and Acura sports car racing team owner, who passed away today in Florida.     

“All of us at Honda and HRC are deeply saddened by Gil de Ferran’s sudden passing,” said David Salters, president of HRC US. “Gil was a big part of the Honda racing family and CART heritage. He held a special place in all of our hearts.  His accomplishments, championships and race victories on the track are well known. Listening to him recount his closed-course record run at Fontana raised the hair on the back of my neck, and does so once again now. He was an extremely talented man and brilliant racer.  He also played multiple, vital roles off-track for Honda over the years.            

“But above all, he was a loving husband and father. Our thoughts now are with his wife Angela and children Luke and Anna; as well as the rest of his family, friends and many fans around the world.”

29 December 2023 – DragonSpeed will return to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January for the 62nd running of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship’s flagship enduro. After several seasons based in Europe, team principal Elton Julian brings the LMP2 class winners at Daytona in 2019, 2020, and 2022 back to America for 2024 to contest all five rounds of IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup, which also takes in Sebring, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis, and Petit Le Mans.

19-year-old Caymanian pilot Kyffin Simpson is the latest to join the driving squad for the number 81 DragonSpeed Oreca 07-Gibson at Daytona, alongside his 2023 European Le Mans Series co-champion – and 2023 Rolex 24 LMP2 victor – James Allen of Australia and 2022 LMP2 winning Bronze driver Eric Lux.

Following Simpson’s climb up the US open-wheel ladder and recent sportscar success, 2024 will also see his debut in INDYCAR with Chip Ganassi Racing. CGR Managing Director Mike Hull said, “For Kyffin to have an opportunity with a team at DragonSpeed’s level not only gives him a shot at winning, but is also an ideal warm-up for his INDYCAR season.” The final member of the DragonSpeed lineup will be announced in early January ahead of the ‘Roar Before the 24’ test weekend.

Kyffin Simpson: “I’m excited to join DragonSpeed for the Rolex 24. The team has such a great pedigree, and I’m sure we’ll hit the ground running. Sportscar racing has been a crucial component of my development as a driver and I’m glad to continue that with a winning team. It’s nice to be back with James for another race, and of course James, Eric, Elton, and the rest of team all know what it takes to win at Daytona.”

James Allen: “I’m delighted to continue with Kyffin as my teammate going into the Rolex 24 after our triumph in the ELMS this year, and it’s great to be back with DragonSpeed after our spell together in 2018-2019. With Elton’s grasp of Daytona’s demands and Eric on board as well, all the pieces are in place to challenge for another win at the Rolex.”

Eric Lux: “2024 will be my 14th Rolex 24, and my third Daytona outing with DragonSpeed. Elton always delivers a package capable of fighting for the win, and our racing partnership and friendship is stronger than ever. With Kyffin and James sharing the car, I’m confident we can challenge for the top step of the podium again. I can’t wait to get down to business with them and the team at the Roar and the race!”

Elton Julian: “With Kyffin’s addition, I believe our driver lineup will match anyone’s in LMP2 at the Rolex in 2024. We’re really looking forward to taking full advantage of his phenomenal growth as a driver over the last couple of years. Having Eric and James back in the fold just strengthens our chances of being in contention going into the final stages of this great event. I think we’re positioned for a strong homecoming to, and future in, IMSA, who really put out the welcome mat to make this program possible.”

The 46th season of racing produced many historic and memorable moments

CONCORD, NC (December 26, 2023) – The turn of the calendar to 2024 is near, and the new World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season will arrive in a mere six weeks. But before then, let’s look at the top moments of 2023 that helped get us there.

This year’s campaign delivered monumental milestones and unforgettable action that won’t soon be forgotten. From a legendary car owner reaching rare territory in Florida to a historic fifth straight championship in Charlotte, 2023 gave us moment after moment from beginning to end.

Roth Gets 100, Toyota Gets First

Few car owners have been as dedicated to Sprint Car racing as Dennis and Teresa Roth. That dedication led to Roth Motorsports earning a milestone of excellence and longevity at Volusia Speedway Park early in 2023.

The rain-postponed finale of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals was completed on March 5 at the Florida facility. James McFadden led every lap of the Feature on his way to victory, piloting the Roth #83. The win was Dennis and Teresa’s 100th with The Greatest Show on Dirt, making them the fifth car owners to reach triple digits. Only Karl Kinser, Tony Stewart, Steve Kinser, and Kasey Kahne are ahead. Fittingly Danny Lasoski – the first to put Roth Motorsports in World of Outlaws Victory Lane in 1998 – was in attendance for the historic happening.

The win was also a sign of new beginnings as it marked the first World of Outlaws victory for the Toyota Racing Development 410 engine. That tally grew to seven before the year ended, courtesy of five more from McFadden and one from Buddy Kofoid.

The Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals will kickoff the 2024 campaign at Volusia on Feb. 6-10.

150+ Winners

Thousands have entered World of Outlaws races since the first in 1978, but Victory Lane has been reserved for the sport’s elite. A milestone was hit early in 2023 when the list of total winners grew to 150. And then, beyond.

After coming close so many times, Brady Bacon finally broke through at Tri-State Speedway on April 29 to become the 150th different winner. “The Macho Man” wheeled the Kelly and Lora Hinck-owned TKH Motorsports #21H to a thrilling triumph at the Haubstadt, IN bullring. 

The number of winners rose to 152 by the time 2023 concluded. Corey Day topped the Gold Cup finale at Silver Dollar Speedway in September aboard the Jason Meyers Racing machine. A month later, Zeb Wise grabbed his first Series victory by besting the PA Posse at Port Royal Speedway with Rudeen Racing.

Huset’s Opens The Bank

The stage was set for the largest payday in World of Outlaws history in late June. The second running of the Huset’s High Bank Nationals brought the country’s top teams to Brandon, SD with hopes of cashing a $250,000 check. 

Three prelim nights each dished out $20,000 to the winner and positioned teams for the finale. Buddy Kofoid led the main event before mechanical woes with 11 laps to go left him heartbroken. His misfortune was David Gravel’s gain as he inherited the lead and held on for the quarter of a million dollars win.

It was a storybook night for Gravel due to multiple reasons. He had finally broken through after finishing second on two of the three prelims. The win came aboard the Tod Quiring-owned Big Game Motorsports #2 at the Tod Quiring-owned Huset’s Speedway with both Gravel and Quiring’s families at the track.

The 2024 Huset’s High Bank Nationals will again offer $250,000 to the winner, and the event has also added the $100,000-to-win Huset’s High Bank Hustle during the four-night week (June 19-22).

Schatz’s Sixth Crown

Donny Schatz is always one to watch when the lights are at their brightest. And he proved why yet again in July at Rossburg, OH’s Eldora Speedway. 

The 10-time Series champion dominated the 40th running of the Kings Royal, leading flag to flag on his way to a $175,000 payday at “The Big E.” The victory was his sixth at the crown jewel.

Upping his total to six crowns moved Schatz within one of tying Steve Kinser for the most. Schatz already owns the most National Open wins with six. And now he trails “The King” by only one for both the Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals and will have the chance to equal Kinser in 2024.

RELATED: Donny Schatz Set For 28th World of Outlaws Season in 2024

History at Knoxville

The 62nd chapter of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals was written in August and history was made. Kyle Larson led from green to checkered to claim his second triumph in “The Granddaddy of ‘Em All.” The Elk Grove, CA driver became only the eighth driver with multiple Knoxville Nationals victories. “Yung Money” also joined Donny Schatz as the only competitors to lead every lap of the finale since it was elevated to 50 laps in 2010.

The win for Larson was worth $185,000, and Knoxville has raised the stakes again in 2024. The 63rd running, set for Aug. 7-10, 2024, will award $190,000 to the winner.

Continuing to build the prestige of the event, the Knoxville Nationals was also voted to third on USA Today’s 2023 10Best Reader’s Choice list for Best Motorsports Race – behind only the Indianapolis 500 and Formula 1’s Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

Haud Line at Skagit

Sheldon Haudenschild is beloved among the fans for his abilities to bring them to their feet with his driving style. The Wooster, OH native is known for venturing to areas of the track no other driver is bold enough to try. This trait has perhaps never been on better display than on his birthday at Skagit Speedway this year.

While the entire field opted for the bottom and middle grooves in the Feature, Haudenschild braved the tricky topside. It paid off in remarkable fashion. He drove all the way from 16th to the win, sealing the deal with a last lap pass for the lead on the back straightaway.

The always exciting Haudenschild will take on his eighth World of Outlaws campaign in 2024.

RELATED: Sheldon Haudenschild Ready For Eighth World of Outlaws Season in 2024

Saying Goodbye to Devil’s Bowl

The World of Outlaws were born in 1978 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. And 45 years later the track being sold forced the Series to say goodbye to the historic half mile. The Greatest Show on Dirt invaded the Mesquite, TX oval in October to give Devil’s Bowl a proper sendoff. 

Carson Macedo claimed the first of two nights. And then Devil’s Bowl went out in style in the finale when David Gravel made a last lap pass on James McFadden coming to the checkered flag to win in a photo finish. 

In another storybook element to the finish, Riley Goodno, who was donning a tribute livery to the car that Jimmy Boyd won the first World of Outlaws race in, was right alongside the lead duo as they came to the finish line.

Even without Devil’s Bowl, Texas will still host the World of Outlaws for five nights of racing at three different tracks in 2024 – Kennedale Speedway Park (March 8-9), Cotton Bowl Speedway (March 15-16), and Big O Speedway (March 22).

Five in a Row

Brad Sweet and Kasey Kahne Racing continued to cement their legacy of excellence in 2023 with a fifth straight championship. “The Big Cat” held off David Gravel at the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte to wrap up the title.

It was a historic campaign for both Sweet and Kahne. Sweet matched the second longest streak of World of Outlaws championships in Series history. And Kahne’s sixth World of Outlaws championship as an owner equaled him with Steve Kinser for the third most in the record books.

The World of Outlaws World Finals in Charlotte will again determine the 2024 title battle with four nights of action (Nov. 6-9).

Looking Ahead

With 2023 in the books, the stage is set for an even better 2024. A new championship battle is upon us headlined by favorites David Gravel and Carson Macedo. But could the 10-time champ – Donny Schatz – return to championship form to grab another?

More heavyweights in the form of Logan Schuchart, Giovanni Scelzi, and Sheldon Haudenschild will be in the mix. Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, and Bill Rose have strides on their minds. Rookies Bill Balog and Landon Crawley look to make an immediate impact. And more are expected to join the cast of full-timers.

More moments will be made and chapters of history written when the 2024 season unfolds for The Greatest Show on Dirt.

For tickets to 2024 events, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can still watch every lap live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or on the DIRTVision App.

Drivers from around the country will venture to Volusia Speedway Park for the United Sprint Car Series Opener, Jan. 25-27

BARBERVILLE, FL (Dec. 26, 2023) – Among the list of marquee events hosted at Volusia Speedway Park this winter, one is the fastest growing 360 Sprint Car race in the country – the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout.

The event will again kick off the Winter Heat Series for the United Sprint Car Series (USCS), but this time as a three-day show (Jan. 25-27) with a more than $65,000 overall purse.

Boasting the biggest payday in USCS history, Saturday’s finale will pay $10,000 to win and $600 to start. Thursday and Friday’s Features will pay $2,500 to win. There will also be a $100 prize for overall Fast Time and a $100 Hard Charger Award each night.

A redraw will line up the first eight starting positions of the Feature every night, taking the four Heat Race winners and fastest qualifiers in a transfer position. In the redraw will be a Joker card. Whoever draws the Joker card will get to choose where they want to start in the Feature. If they choose to start from eighth and then win, that driver will get an extra $500.

Big names like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Timms and Tyler Clem came out for the inaugural race in 2023 and are projected to return in 2024, along with a long list of the best 360 Sprint Car drivers around. Even one from across the pond as Ryan Harrison, from Rothwell, England, plans to return.

By winning the 360 Sprint Car Battle in Barberville finale, Danny Martin Jr. is locked into Saturday’s $10,000-to-win event (But if he locks in without needing the guaranteed starting spot, it will go to the next driver from the Battle in Barberville race not locked in).

Joining the Sprint Cars every night will 3/4 Modifieds. They’ll race for a $400 payday on Thursday and Friday, and then a $800 grand prize on Saturday.

MORE INFO:
Tickets: CLICK HERE
Comp Notes: CLICK HERE

Track: 1/2-mile oval
360 Sprint Car Track Record: 14.160 set by Brenham Crouch on Jan. 27, 2023

Times (ET):
Pit Gates Open – 3p.m.
Grandstands Open – 5p.m.
Drivers Meeting – 5p.m.
Motor Heat – 5:30p.m.
Hot Laps – 6p.m.
-Racing to follow

Previous Winners:
2023 – Ryan Timms on Jan. 27, Tyler Clem on Jan. 28

Separate points fund established to reward top-five finishers CONCORD, NC (Dec. 22, 2023) – The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota and the POWRi National Midget League have renewed their partnership for the 2024 season to present a slate of 10 co-sanctioned races in the second iteration of the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series. The co-sanctioned series kicks off with the first event on Friday, April 12 at Farmer City Raceway and will again award a $2,500 check to the champion after the final event at Highland Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 14. New for 2024, the top-five finishers in the separately kept points standings will also be awarded cash prizes for their season-long efforts according to the scale below: 2024 Challenge Series points fund:1. $2,5002. $1,2503. $6004. $4005. $250 “The first edition of the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series was a great success, and we’re building on it in 2024 with this new points fund,” said Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series Director Tyler Bachman. “Over 75 different drivers came out to compete in at least one of the 10 co-sanctioned races we ran last year, and we want to reward that support both sanctioning bodies have received with more cash bonuses throughout the field.” The 2024 Challenge Series schedule includes races at seven different tracks across Illinois and Missouri, including three two-day events at Farmer City (April 12-13), Spoon River Speedway (July 19-20) and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for the marquee Ironman 55 event with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars (Aug. 2-3) – all three of which feature $5,000-to-win main events in the Saturday portion of the doubleheader specials. Zach Daum, of Pocahontas, IL, captured the inaugural Challenge Series championship in the final race of the 2023 season, clinching the $2,500 grand prize by 13 points over Jade Avedisian. “We’re excited to renew the partnership between POWRi and the Xtreme Outlaw Series for 2024, and we hope our drivers are just as eager to get the season started,” said POWRi National Midget League Director, Kenny Brown. “This lineup of racetracks is a tour of some of the best race places in Illinois and Missouri, which we know will put on a great show when the stars of both national tours collide.” Tickets for the Farmer City and I-55 Raceway events are on sale now at XtremeOutlawSeries.com, or by calling 844-DIRT-TIX. Tickets for all 10 events will also be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at your favorite track to watch in person, stream all 10 events live on DIRTVision. 2024 Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series schedule:Friday, April 12 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | $4,000-to-winSaturday, April 13 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | $5,000-to-winThursday, May 30 | Doe Run Raceway | Doe Run, MO | $4,000-to-winFriday, May 31 | Coles County Speedway | Mattoon, IL | $4,000-to-winFriday, July 19 | Spoon River Speedway | Lewistown, IL | $4,000-to-winSaturday, July 20 | Spoon River Speedway | Lewistown, IL | $5,000-to-winFriday, Aug. 2 | Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 | Pevely, MO | $4,000-to-winSaturday, Aug. 3 | Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 | Pevely, MO | $5,000-to-winFriday, Sept. 13 | Southern Illinois Raceway | Marion, IL | $4,000-to-winSaturday, Sept. 14 | Highland Speedway | Highland, IL | $4,000-to-win

The New Berlin, IL driver finished third in the 2023 standings with two victories

CONCORD, NC – December 22, 2023 – Brandon Sheppard’s quest for a fifth World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series championship continues in 2024. But with a different look than last year.

While he’ll still be driving the Sheppard Riggs Racing #B5, he’s joining forces with Longhorn Chassis as the Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Team.

It’s a venture Sheppard said he’s looking forward to, especially after his late-season success.

“This season, I feel like we’re very prepared,” Sheppard said. “Our testing schedule is intense, and I guess, like they say, championships are won in the off-season. It’s been awesome to have Randall (Edwards) back in our camp, and winning two of the last three races with the Dirt Track World Championship and the Dome shows our potential.  This sport is super competitive, and there isn’t any room to make a mistake with the caliber of drivers and teams we’re up against each night. 

“Right now, I’m focused on making sure that we hit Florida Speedweeks at 100 percent max effort to set the tone for 2024.”

Steve Arpin, the owner of Longhorn Chassis, shared Sheppard’s sentiment as Longhorn eyes a second consecutive World of Outlaws title – Bobby Pierce earned Longhorn’s first Series champion in 2023. He’s also looking ahead to how this venture will help every Longhorn driver on tour.

“We’re excited for the Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Team to race with the World of Outlaws in 2024,” Arpin said. “It’s amazing that we have two very successful, very competitive national race series to choose from that help give our sport maximum visibility. We can all agree that grassroots dirt racing is poised and ready to launch into its next phase, but it is imperative for teams like ourselves to develop and execute solid business models that help set the tone for how other programs can remain solvent and self-sufficient.  

“Identifying and establishing our value in 2024 is important, and we look forward to working with World Racing Group to ensure that our Longhorn customers who participate with the World of Outlaws have a roadmap for success.”

Sheppard’s drive for a fifth title comes after building his own team with Scott Riggs last season. While there were early struggles, he scored a win at Davenport Speedway and another at Mississippi Thunder Speedway before the end of the year, building his Series win total to 83 – more than any other driver. Those triumphs propelled him to third in the final standings behind reigning champion Pierce and Chris Madden.

Sheppard said he hopes battling the ups and downs last season will position him to for the title hunt in 2024.

“I’m excited to get back on tour with the Outlaws in 2024,” Sheppard said. “Obviously we didn’t have the success and results that we wanted to this past season, but every once in a while, you need some adversity to light a fire. Last year, we came out the gate behind the 8 ball and just could not seem to catch up.  

“We made a major chassis switch, changed our motor program, changed our shock program, not to mention going on the road with a fresh new crew that had its ups and downs all season. It took me a while to get a feel for what I needed out of the car to fit my driving style.”

Riggs also understood Sheppard would need time to acclimate with a new chassis, motor, and shock program. And after two straight seasons finishing in the top three in Series points as a car owner, he said he believes his team is ready to hoist the championship trophy in November. 

“This past season was definitely a building year for all of us that required patience and perseverance,” Riggs said. “Brandon is an elite driver, and I believe the way our team gelled towards the end of the season is exactly what we had hoped for. While 99 percent of race teams in the pit area would love to have a year where you had six wins paying $25,000 or more, and a 49 percent top five rate, we know we can improve our performance and consistency.  

“Sheppard Riggs Racing serving as the Super Late Model Factory Team for Longhorn is an awesome responsibility that we’re very honored to take on. The entire organization at Longhorn has been an amazing support system in making sure that we’re putting the right personnel and technical resources in place to win races and championships. We’re looking forward to seeing this team continue to grow to its full potential.”

Sheppard and the SRR Longhorn Factory Team will kick off the 2024 season with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models at Volusia Speedway Park during Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 17-20, a Late Model Palooza which will also feature Crate Racin’ USA Late Models and DIRTcar 602 Late Models. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

KKM Leaders Never Doubted Jade Avedisian’s Championship Potental
Former Keith Kunz Motorsports driver Christopher Bell praises Avedisian’s growth into championship winner

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 21, 2023) – Seventeen national Midget series championship trophies line the showroom of the Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) shop. But the 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota trophy may be one of the most unique in the collection.

The three-foot-high display is much more than another centerpiece greeting visitors in the lobby of the Columbus, IN facility. It’s a symbol of the unprecedented feat in motorsports history achieved in 2023 under American open-wheel dirt racing’s most decorated team owners – Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby.

Their hand-picked driver – 17-year-old Jade Avedisian from Clovis, CA – is the first female in motorsports history to win a national dirt racing series championship.

And that accolade isn’t lost on them.

“It’s pretty rewarding because we’ve been trying so long to get a girl to that level that is right up there with the best of them,” Kunz said. “Two or three years ago seeing Jade come up through, we knew that she was probably going to be that one exception that was gonna take it to the next level. And, of course, she has.”

In KKM’s 30 years of operation, it’s fielded cars for several female talents, dating back to the early 2000s when Sarah McCune raced alongside multi-time champion and present-day KKM team member Jay Drake. More recently, the team has seen success with former full-timers Holly Shelton and Kaylee Bryson in the seat, but Midget racing had yet to meet its first female breakthrough star.

Enter 15-year-old Avedisian, who sprung onto the national Midget scene for her first full campaign in 2022 after several years in the Micro Sprint ranks. She won two Xtreme Outlaw Series races that year for car owner Chad Boat before signing with KKM in February.

Endorsed by Toyota Racing, Avedisian was given a primary goal of winning the 2023 Series championship with KKM and did so on the back of five Feature wins, 16 top-fives and 26 top-10s in 29 races. Her efforts captivated the attention of the entire open-wheel racing world, and even some of the country’s most high-profile names in motorsports.

“Jade has been, I would say, one of the first [women] to [contend for wins] on a week-in and week-out basis,” said Christopher Bell, current NASCAR Cup Series star and former KKM graduate. “I think that she’s just going to continue to improve as she matures and learns how to harness that speed and know when is important to be pushing and when’s not important to be pushing. She’s done a great job and is certainly different than the girls we’ve seen in the past.”

Bell captured the 2013 USAC National Midget Series championship during his three-year tenure at KKM before ascending into the NASCAR ranks. He, like another of his fellow KKM graduates, drew some comparisons to Avedisian and her full-throttle, race-all-out, driving style.

“She definitely became more patient as the year went,” said Willoughby, who was a frequent team presence around the track in 2023. “I think when we got Jade, she was racing at 102 percent every lap.

“In that respect, she’s a lot like Kyle Larson. He was going for a new track record every lap he ran.”

Her breakneck tendencies and love for the top lane at any racetrack did get her into trouble a few times throughout the year – most notably her two-flip incident during the Feature at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway in August.

“She’s able to shake those off and get right back on the horse and go again; it doesn’t slow her down, and that’s the big thing,” Kunz said. “It’s easier to reign them in; it’s harder to get them to do that.”

However, building discipline inside the racecar was a focal point of Avedisian’s training in her first season with the team.

“We’ve kind of got her to back down, where she was running 110 percent every lap, and that’s just the natural racer,” Kunz said. “We’ve got her to back that down to make her understand that you’ve only gotta run 90 percent, and then turn it up when you’ve got to.

“In racing for a championship, also just making sure that you finish races. If you can win the race, that’s great. But you’ve gotta take your seconds, thirds, fourths, and accumulate points. You have to be there at the end of the race. I think she learned that more and more as the year went on.”

Avedisian was paired with top KKM crew chief Jarrett Martin at the beginning of the season, and the two began work on her skills immediately. Kunz said her willingness to learn from the team’s mentorship was key in her development as a driver throughout the year.

“She’s kind of a student of it,” Kunz said. “She wants to know what she did. She’s always wanting advice; she’s always watching videos to learn from what’s going on. And that’s good huge with the ones we always see coming up that are really good – they’re always trying to watch the videos.”

“She’s not one that comes in, gets out of the car and goes away. She’s constantly wanting to learn and figure out how to do something better.”

Since their partnership was forged in the late 1990s, Kunz and Willoughby have seen some of the sport’s brightest stars come through their program and be a student to their mentorship. They’ve broken numerous records and made several historic moments in Midget, Champ Car and Non-Wing Sprint Car racing, and their alumni know best – that success didn’t fall from the sky.

“I think they’ve just hit the perfect chemistry,” Bell said. “It takes multiple people to do it, and the way Keith and Pete have set up their system with Keith managing the car side of things and Pete managing the business side of things, they’re able to stay in their own lane and really get along well for a really long period of time now. You don’t see that in most teams.”

Avedisian recently took the next step for her career, signing a multi-year agreement with Toyota Racing to continue her progress in the Toyota Driver Development program. She’ll take on a variety of national Midget series events in 2024 for KKM while also dipping into road course racing, piloting the Toyota GR86 for Nitro Motorsports on the entire Toyota GR Cup schedule.

For Kunz and Willoughby, Avedisian will also hold a special spot in the team’s history. And the three-foot tall Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series championship trophy in their lobby will forever be a reminder of that.

“I’m like Toyota – I believe in her, and I think she will be the best female we’ve had yet,” Willoughby said. “When she’s out there racing, I don’t think of her as a girl. She’s just one of the guys.”

Sent on behalf of JPG Motorsports OMER, Mich. (December 21, 2023) – JPG Motorsports is excited to announce its all-new Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER effort managed by Bryan Bigelow and featuring Chase Saathoff aboard Honda CRF450Rs for the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season. Despite having only recently turned 18, Saathoff has already established himself as one of the most promising talents to hit the Progressive AFT scene in recent seasons. The Illinois native has racked up numerous accolades in his young career, including being named the 2021 Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award winner and 2022 Progressive AFT Rookie of the Year. Saathoff continued his rapid ascent in 2023, scoring nine podiums, including six runner-up finishes, en route to a fourth-place finish in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles championship standings. He’s well positioned to take the next step in ‘24 with race wins and title contention firmly in his sights.  Saathoff will continue his close association with Bigelow, who will serve as the new squad’s Team Manager after overseeing the young ace’s progress ever since he turned pro. A former premier-class racer himself, Bigelow is one of the most experienced and successful crew chiefs and team managers in the sport. JPG Motorsports is backed by title sponsor JPG Trucking, which originated as a small family-owned business in 2011. Its owner, Luke Guoan, has since grown the business into a successful fleet of twenty trucks dedicated to hauling raw lumber for local mills and pallet shops within Lower Michigan.  Guoan has been involved in racing since a young age, and, in particular, shares a common passion for ice racing on the frozen lakes of Michigan with Bigelow. Racing is a family affair for JPG Motorsports with Guoan’s children Jerod, Parker, and Graycin active ice racers themselves.

Team Manager Bryan Bigelow:  “2024 will be different as 100% of the focus will be on Chase. I think he’s proven that he is ready to win, and the maturity he has gained is what we at JPG Motorsports are most excited about. Over the last couple of months, we have created this team which is supported by many great partners who all share the same vision – giving Chase all the tools needed to showcase exactly what he is capable of. Long-time friends Dan Caulkins (DPC), Jim Farr (Iowa City Brake), and Dan Hodder (DHR) were all eager to jump on board as they too are excited to help elevate Chase’s career. With these tools and the guidance on race day reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees, JPG Motorsports can’t wait for Round 1 in Daytona!” Chase Saathoff #88: “My expectations are high going into next season, but most of all I’m hoping to have a lot of fun. I’ve spent the last year with Bryan as my crew chief, and we really work well together. Words can’t express how thankful I am for him, Luke, and all of our partners. Bring on 2024!”