2020 ushered in a world of changes and the Holley NMRA Ford Nationals wasn’t spared from those adjustments. One major change was moving the Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing presented by HPJ Performance to the St. Louis area. After 14 years in Joliet, the event moved to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in nearby Madison, Illinois, where a long-standing tradition of Ford racing continued with the 15th Annual Super Bowl event. And despite a persistently poor weather forecast, spectators enjoyed a safe and socially distanced event, while racers sped to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle. In the combined NMRA and NMCA VP Racing Madditives/Mickey Thompson Street Outlaw category, Dom DiDonato took the top spot in qualifying with a 4.32, and Tony Hobson was hot on his heels with a 4.36. The pair of Mustangs waded through the 13-car field and the number one and two qualifiers were the last men standing. With identical .087-second reaction times, both drivers left evenly, but Hobson encountered issues early in his run, leaving DiDonato to speed away with a winning elapsed time of 4.810. At this event, the NMRA Edelbrock Renegade and NMCA Xtreme Street classes are combined for a battle of brand supremacy. Be it NMRA or NMCA, Mustangs reigned supreme in this category, with Joel Greathouse and his Fox-Body Mustang facing Tim Knieriem and his SN95 Mustang in a turbo-vs.-nitrous confrontation. Knieriem took the starting-line advantage, but that and his 4.731 effort weren’t enough to finish ahead of Greathouse and his 4.690 run. Leading the points race going into the Super Bowl event, Bill Putnam wound up second in qualifying behind Samantha Moore, who dropped an 8.57 to take top honors on Saturday in JDM Engineering Limited Street. The two drivers went through three rounds of eliminations to meet each other for the finals and it was a stunner. Putnam posted a .062 reaction time to Moore’s .125, and the difference allowed his slower 8.63 to take the win over Moore’s quicker 8.62 run. Richmond Gear Factory Stock veteran John Leslie Jr. took the number-one qualifying spot on Saturday night, and he went through Bryan Gardner on his way to the final round where he squared off against Mark Anderson. When the lights came down, it was Anderson who was quicker on the tree and quicker at the stripe for a 10.24-to-10.37 win and a trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle. The high-flying, stick-shift antics that you see in G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock never disappoints, and Michigan’s Frank Paultanis is on a tear this year, holding a commanding lead over Nathan Stymiest in the points race. Just as in the previous race in Commerce, it was Paultanis vs. Stymiest in the final round, with Paultanis driving to a winning 10.21 over Stymiest’s 10.42. Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle is full of top-notch racers and there were 18 contestants at this year’s Super Bowl event. Jason Henson advanced his championship points lead after driving through five rounds of eliminations and defeating number two in points, Shane Williams, when Williams broke out in the final round. In FSC Ford Muscle competition, twelve racers faced off in the index/bracket category. The Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle awaited the driver who would be victorious in the final round, and Clyde Dunphy and his 1972 Mustang grabbed the win in the double-breakout round over Danny Towe. Looking to add another ROUSH Performance Super Stang championship to his list of accomplishments is Lexington, Illinois’ Marvin Knack. At the wheel of his 2011 Mustang, Knack fought his way to the final round of competition and proceeded to drill points leader Larry Firestone on the tree and forced him to break out to secure the Super Stang win.ARP Open Comp is one of the toughest NMRA classes to compete in, and racers often go deep in the rounds due to the number of competitors. In the final round of competition, Gordon Harlow collected the better reaction time, but Dennis Corn in his stick-shifted Ford Thunderbird pushed the Mustang driver deep at the stripe, with Harlow’s breakout turning the win light on in Corn’s lane. The tough Detroit Locker Truck & Lightning class is full of top-notch racers and the final round came down to the number one and two points place holders. Bob Dill, leading the championship currently, squared off against Keith Chobirko in the final round of competition, and the battle was over at the first strike as Chobirko turned on the red light, which provided Dill an easy path to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle. For 2020, the Eaton TVS Supercharger Throwdown moved to the Super Bowl in St. Louis and the competition was modified as well, with racers taking on a True Street-style competition on Saturday to set the 4-car, heads-up field for Sunday. Jason Wagoner took the win on Saturday with a 9.084 average, while Chad Walter took the runner-up honors at 10.065 seconds. Oscar Morin grabbed the 10-second award with a 10.076 average, and Kevin McKenna took home the 11-second win with a11.051 average. On Sunday, the Quick 4 was whittled down to Oscar Morin and Chad Walter in a Mustang vs. Camaro battle. Morin cut the down tree hard and charged to a 9.18 for the win over Walter’s 9.69. As the second combined event of the year, the Super Bowl pools together the both QA1 and TorqStorm Superchargers True Street racers and at World Wide Technology Raceway, competitors got to perform the class’ obligatory cruise around the 1.25-mile oval. After the racers made their three runs, QA1 True Street Veteran and frequent champion Randy Thomas took the overall with an 8.749 -second average. Mike Niehaus in his stick-shifted ’86 Mustang GT took runner up honors with a personal best 8.870 average, while Daniel Rosner picked up the 9-second win with a 9.097 average. Scott Oshinski drove to the 10-second win, Cody Poston grabbed the 11-second spot, and Bryan Newburn was awarded the 12-second prize. Paul Lewis went 13.034 to take home the 13-second win, Edwin Schoenfeld rode his SVT Lightning to the 14-second place, and ever the master of the 15-second category, Rodney Ward picked up the final prize in QA1 True Street with his Ford Fusion Sport. In the True Street Bracket, it was the 2019 Dodge Challenger of Alan Scanlan squaring off against the bad-in-black Buick Grand National of Bob Hoffman in the final round, with Scanlan drilling Hoffman to the Christmas tree and taking the win light at the top end.The Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing is always a great treat for fans and racers alike. Continuing with four straight wins and extending their overall lead to 11-4, the NMRA racers defeated the NMCA’s best, 7 races to 4. The NMRA Holley Drag Racing Series continues the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Force Engineering with the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, August 27-30, 2020.

August 2, 2020

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team recorded their sixth top-10 finish of 2020 with a strong sixth-place run in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The finish means DiBenedetto remains 15^th in the Playoff standings with six races remaining before the top 16 begin the 10-race, season-ending battle for the championship.

And the Motorcraft team now is within three points of being among the top 12 in the car owner points standings, which is important since those teams draw for the top 12 starting spots for the next race.

Sunday’s race on the one-mile oval in Loudon saw DiBenedetto start 19^th in a line-up set by a draw.

He quickly began a march forward and was in 13^th place when the competition caution flag flew at Lap 30. He moved up to sixth place for the restart due to the varying strategies employed by race teams and was inside the top five by Lap 40.

He was running fourth in the latter portions of Stage One, and set to collect Stage points, only to see the caution flag fly with 13 laps remaining.
 
After a trip to pit road he ended that 75-lap Stage in 15th place.
 
Throughout Stage Two, he worked his way forward again and ended that 110-lap segment in 10^th place, earning one Stage point.
 
In the final third of the race DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team worked their way into the top five and ran there until the final two laps, when Kevin Harvick, riding on fresher tires, relegated the No. 21 back to sixth place.
 
The race ended with an 83-lap green-flag run to the finish, which saw Ford drivers take six of the top eight finishing positions including the win by Brad Keselowski of Team Penske.
 
DiBenedetto said his crew chief Greg Erwin and the rest of the brain trust on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team made all the right calls and adjustments to allow him to move up from 19^th at the green flag to sixth at the finish of a relatively short race.
 
“From the start I knew we had a pretty good car,” DiBenedetto said. “It was a little loose at first but we tightened it up, which is a credit to Greg and the engineers. They did a good job on that.

 “Once we got up there where we belonged, everything went ok. We got a little tight at the end, which hurt a little, but Harvick was coming pretty hard on fresher tires, and I couldn’t quite hold him off.”
 
DiBenedetto said he feels good about the upcoming races on the schedule.
 
“Back through Pocono, we’ve had cars that can run in the top five, but we had some bad luck for a couple of races,” he said, adding that the handling package run at New Hampshire and at several upcoming tracks really suits his style.

 “The races with the 750-horsepower/low downforce rules are really fun to drive,” he said.

“And there are a lot of those races on the remainder of the schedule.”
 
DiBenedetto, who has a 40-point cushion on the Playoff bubble, said his goal for the next few weeks is to build up as many points as possible before the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 29.
 
“The thing that I worry about the most is I want as much cushion as humanly possible going to Daytona because that’s just a real crap shoot,” he said. “The more cushion we can have going to Daytona the better.”
 
Next up for DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft team is a double-header at Ford’s home track, Michigan International Speedway, on Saturday and Sunday.

NASCAR CUP SERIESFOXWOODS RESORT AND CASINO 301NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAYTEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES & QUOTESAUGUST 2, 2020
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER9th       Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE     10th     Tyler Reddick, No. 9 Feeding America Camaro ZL1 1LE11th     William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE12th     Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro Zl1 1LE13th     Austin Dillon, No. 3 Freightliner Camaro ZL1 1LETOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:POS.  DRIVER                                                                     1st       Brad Keselowski (Ford)2nd      Denny Hamlin (Toyota)3rd       Martin Truex Jr. (Toyota)4th       Joey Logano (Ford)5th       Kevin Harvick (Ford) TUNE-IN:The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next weekend at Michigan International Speedway with Races 21 and 22 on the revised schedule. NBCSN will telecast the FireKeepers Casino 400 live at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 8th and the Consumers Energy 400 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9th. Live coverage for both races can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
TEAM CHEVY NOTES AND QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 9th“We were hoping to have a better finish today. I felt like we were making some ground up there late in stage two and at the start of the final stage. Then those guys got ahead of us when we stayed out and they pitted. That got us back in traffic and our drive off wasn’t good enough to drive back through the field like some of those other guys. Definitely not where we want to be, so we’ll keep working and trying to get it better.”
TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 FEEDING AMERICA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 10th“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit for me, so to come out of here with a top-10 finish feels great. Our No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet was very tight for most of the day, which made it really hard to roll the center of the corners like I wanted to. We had some great speed though, we just had to adjust on our Chevrolet a little bit to get the handling to match it. Towards the start of Stage 3, the handling loosened up enough for me to really start rolling through the turns and picking up some positions. With the final caution coming out when it did, we had to focus on saving fuel for a long time in the final stage, but we managed it well enough to not only make it to the end, but also fight our way into a top-10 finish. This team never gives up and we’re fighting for every spot we can as we approach the cut-off to make the Playoffs. Overall, it was a good day for us at New Hampshire in the Feeding American Chevy. It was also great to be able to represent them on the track and all the good work they’re doing to help our country.” WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 11th“That was a hard fought one for us today. We worked hard throughout the race to get the handling right and in the middle stage of the race we were pretty good. We were able to drive up to third and I was happy with that. After that though the car just stopped turning and the handling went away towards the end. It was a typical New Hampshire race in the things you fight here handling-wise, which is good and bad, but we’ll take the solid finish and head to the Michigan doubleheader and have two really good races there.
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 FREIGHTLINER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 13th“We had a fast Freightliner Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and I’m proud of Justin Alexander and everyone at RCR and ECR for giving us everything we needed today. The only thing we were missing was track position. We had to start at the rear of the field but did a good job of working our way into the top-15 or so. In Stage 2 we took right-side tires during a pit stop, which positioned us in the lead for a restart with just a few laps remaining in the Stage. I just couldn’t get going on two tires and ended up losing the lead, but we were still able to maintain enough track position to earn some Stage points. We pitted for fuel-only during a caution in Stage 3 that put us in a great position at the end of the race to go for it while a lot of other teams were in fuel conservation mode. It was amazing how fast the Freightliner Chevrolet was during that long green flag run at the end. We just needed about 20 more laps at the end to be in contention. Overall, it was a solid day for this Freightliner team.” RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 14th“That was a really up and down race for us at New Hampshire Motor Speedway today. We knew we had speed in our Kroger Chevrolet but struggled with the handling for the beginning half of the race. Brian Pattie did a great job staying on top of the calls to keep us on the lead lap, and make adjustments that gave us a top-15 finish. We struggled in July, but that’s a solid start to our August to get back on the right momentum.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM/ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 15th“We had an up and down day today. We started off chattering the tires, which made the car difficult to drive. Greg (Ives) and the guys made some big changes on the stops and got our Chevrolet a little better. A big thanks to my team and everyone back at the shop for their hard work every week. We will move on to Michigan for the double header next week.” RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 16th“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is always a place I have marked on the schedule, but we really needed a strong run today. I’ve felt like the last few weeks, we’ve had the right adjustments and the right balance in our cars, just couldn’t get luck on our side to get the result we deserved. We ran out of fuel on the final lap that cost us a few positions; but being able to be competitive and get stage points today and still come away with a top-20 finish in our Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet is really positive. I’m proud of all of the hard work everyone has put in at JTG Daugherty Racing and to Trent Owens for making great adjustments all day and I’m looking forward to turning this season around.” KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 17th“There wasn’t much magic to be found for the Monster Energy team today at the “Magic Mile”. We really struggled with the car being loose on entry all day. The guys made some adjustments to help out, but we just couldn’t find the handling for the long runs. We are working hard to get better on the short tracks like this”. TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 22nd“Today was a long one for our GEICO team. My guys worked hard all day, but our Camaro ZL1 1LE was tight for the majority of the race. We would make a little gain and then the balance would get tight again. During the second stage, our left rear fender was flared out after contact and we lost track position on pit road to make repairs. We hoped some guys would run out of fuel there at the end, because we were one or two laps to the good, but the cards didn’t fall that way. On to the double in Michigan.” BUBBA WALLACE, JR., NO. 43 CASH APP CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 23rd“Not much to hit on today. Our Cash App Chevy was just okay. Nothing to be proud about. But we gave it our best effort. We were just way too tight. We’ve got to re-start from baseline when we come back to this place. We’ve always kind of fought that and never really had decent results. All in all, a minor setback to start the race, so we’ve got some clawing to do. We’ve got six races left to get a shot at the Playoffs, so we’ve got to get our Mojo back. It seems like we’ve been searching for it for the last couple of weeks and we’ll keep after it. So, on to Michigan.”

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Freightliner Chevrolet Team Excel on the Long Run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

13th   23rd  16th

“We had a fast Freighliner Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and I’m proud of Justin Alexander and everyone at RCR and ECR for giving us everything we needed today. The only thing we were missing was track position. We had to start at the rear of the field but did a good job of working our way into the top 15 or so in Stage 1. In Stage 2 we took right-side tires during a pit stop, which positioned us in the lead for a restart with just a few laps remaining in the Stage. I just couldn’t get going on two tires and ended up losing the lead, but we were still able to maintain enough track position to earn some Stage points. We pitted for fuel-only during a caution in Stage 3 that put us in a great position at the end of the race to go for it while a lot of other teams were in fuel conservation mode. It was amazing how fast the Freightliner Chevrolet was during that long green flag run at the end. We just needed about 20 more laps at the end to be in contention. Overall, it was a solid day for this Freightliner team.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick and No. 8 Feeding America Team Show Speed En Route to Top-10 Finish at the Magic Mile

10th    13th    15th

“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit for me, so to come out of here with a top-10 finish feels great. We had a great starting spot with our No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet but didn’t have the handling to keep the track position in the preferred line. Our car was very tight for most of the day, which made it really hard to roll the center of the corners like I wanted to, so we had our hands full for the start of the race. We had some great speed though, we just had to adjust on our Chevrolet a little bit to get the handling to match it. Towards the start of Stage 3, the handling loosened up enough for me to really start rolling through the turns on the bottom and pick up some positions. With the final caution coming out when it did, we had to focus on saving fuel for a long time in the final stage, but we managed it well enough to not only make it to the end, but also fight our way into a top-10 finish. This team never gives up and we’re fighting for every spot we can as we approach the cut-off to make the Playoffs. It’s a roller coaster of a race each week, and getting more intense every week, but we’re keeping after it. Overall, it was a good day for us at New Hampshire in the Feeding America Chevy. It was also great to be able to represent them on the track and all the good work they’re doing to help our country.” -Tyler Reddick

Acura Team Penske’s Ricky Taylor and Helio Castroneves win rain-affected contest
Mario Farnbacher, Matt McMurry survive late-race spin to claim second in GTD
Heavy rains interrupt endurance contest in final hour

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 2, 2020) – Helio Castroneves found traction with his Acura ARX-05 where others could not, as he and his Acura Team Penske co-driver Ricky Taylor prevailed in monsoon-like conditions in the final hour to win Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Road America.

In the GTD class, Mario Farnbacher survived an off-course excursion on the penultimate lap of the two hour, 40-minute contest to finish second with co-driver Matt McMurry in their Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo.

Acura Team Penske
In the premier Daytona Prototype International category, the Acura Team Penske duo of Taylor and Castroneves claimed their first victory of the 2020 season in come-from-behind fashion, as Castroneves passed Renger van der Zande’s Cadillac in the final 10 minutes of the race. Once in front, Castroneves quickly opened up a half-second lead, then held on as the heavy rains returned and the race ended under caution.

The fourth race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season started under partly cloudy skies and remained dry for the first 90 minutes. Starting from the pole, Taylor had an early race lead of just over three seconds, while Dane Cameron in the #6 Acura Team Penske ARX-05 battled the Mazda of Harry Tincknell for second.

Cameron and Tincknell continued to duel following the first round of pit stops, and eventually made contact, resulting in another stop for Cameron to repair damaged bodywork and a cut tire. The unscheduled stop and a drive-through penalty for contact effectively ended the victory hopes for the #6 Acura, with further damage sustained when co-driver Juan Pablo Montoya had late-race contact with an LMP2 entry in the rain, and had to stop again for repairs, leading to a disappointing eighth-place finish.

At the front of the field, Taylor continued to lead through the first hour before handing over to co-driver Castroneves. Briefly dropping to third following the driver change, Castroneves pulled off a clever inside/outside pass of both Mazda prototypes in the downhill run to Turn Five to regain the lead. With just under an hour remaining, a light rain turned into a downpour in the middle of scheduled pit stops, and officials halted the race for 21 minutes following a nearby lightning strike.

The race resumed with just under 30 minutes to go and Castroneves running second to van der Zande, both on wet-weather “rain” tires. When the latter ran wide exiting the final corner, Castroneves moved into the lead for the third and final time, as the rain returned and a multi-car GT crash resulted in the race ending under caution.

Acura NSX GT3 Evo Teams
In the always-competitive GTD category, the rains resulted in mixed fortunes for the Meyer Shank Racing and Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evos, highlighted by a second-place finish for the MSR duo of Matt McMurry and Mario Farnbacher.

Running eighth as the rain started to fall on parts of the 4.0-mile Road America circuit, Farnbacher was called to the pits for a well-timed stop that include fitting rain tires to the #86 NSX GT3 Evo. The sudden heavy shower that followed – initially on only part of the circuit – unfortunately caught out the #57 MSR Acura of teammate Alvaro Parente, as he crashed heavily in Turn One, fortunately without injury, but ending the day for Parente and co-driver Misha Goikhberg.

With roughly half the 12-car GTD field on rain tires at the restart, Farnbacher quickly carved his way towards the front on the wet circuit, making a daring pass for the lead on the outside of “Canada Corner” with less than five minutes remaining in the race. On the next lap, however, Farnbacher spun while avoiding a crashing GTLM-class Porsche at the “Kink”, and slipped back to his second-place finishing position.

In the #22 Gradient Racing NSX, Marc Miller was forced to enter a “closed” pit for rain tires, dropping the Acura he shared with co-driver Till Bechtolscheimer to an 11th-place finish.

Next
The 2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next heads to the eastern United States for the first of two GT class-only rounds on the schedule, the August 22 Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

Acura Motorsports social media content and video links from the IMSA Road Race Showcase at Road America will be available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).  Produced by the CoForce Digital Media, the YouTube videos can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.  

Quotes
Helio Castroneves (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) race winner: “Before the race, and knowing the forecast, we made sure our Acura was set up well for the wet. And we used the experience we gained at Daytona and other wet races we had before to learn. And this was the payoff! I was on it. When I lost the lead [to the #77 Mazda] the first time, I said ‘no way, we’ve worked too hard to let the leader go!’ so when I saw my chance [to regain the lead] I had to take it. This is fantastic!”
 
Ricky Taylor (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) race winner: “My teammate [Castroneves] is unbelievable, that was such an exciting finish. It’s been step-by-step to get this car to where it is today, and the last ‘check in the box’ was winning a race in the rain. Three laps to go and man, he did it.”
 
Mario Farnbacher (#86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3) finished second in GTD: “Matt [McMurry, co-driver] had a good stint, keeping the car clean. We’d gained a bit of understeer since practice, but we were able to manage it during the race. My first stint was mega, and the team had a great pit stop which allowed us to overtake our sister car [the #57 Acura NSX GT3 Evo] in the pits. I was able to push right away, but the car has some braking issues so I just tried to survive. We came in early for rain tires [at the final pit stop] and I think that was key, so thanks to [team owner] Mike [Shank] and the guys for putting me into the right strategy – that was the reason we finished on the podium. We should have won, but that’s racing sometimes. These are good [championship] points, so on to the next one.”

Richard Childress Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway …  In 128 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the ‘Magic Mile’,Richard Childress Racing has recorded four wins with drivers Robby Gordon (2001), Kevin Harvick (2006), and Clint Bowyer (2007 & 2010). The Welcome, N.C. organization has also secured 16 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes. COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection. A Tribute to Bob Bahre … Last Friday it was announced that founder of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bob Bahre, passed away at the age of 93. Bahre was the former owner of Oxford Plains Speedway and played a crucial role in bringing NASCAR Cup Series racing to New Hampshire. Bahre, who was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, will be commemorated on both RCR cars this weekend with a special decal. Catch the Action … The NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, August 2, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Freightliner Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Dillon has made 10 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, earning his best finish of eighth in July 2015. In six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, Dillon has earned four top-five and five top-10 finishes. Dillon is a former winner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Truck Series, winning the race from the pole position in 2015. Welcome, Freightliner … Freightliner Trucks designs and manufactures a wide range of commercial vehicles for nearly any application. Our commitment to innovation, advanced technology and responsive customer relations makes it easy to understand why Freightliner is the best-selling brand of heavy-duty Class 6-8 trucks in North America. Playoffs Bound … Dillon survived three late-race restarts at Texas Motor Speedway to earn the win in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/E-Z-GO/Tracker Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, securing a spot in the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs. His teammate, Tyler Reddick, finished a strong second to create a 1-2 finish for Richard Childress Racing. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:What are your thoughts on New Hampshire Motor Speedway?“New Hampshire Motor Speedway has always been a really fun track. I love going there. It’s a flat track. Entry is fun there. It’s different. It’s a different type of feel than what we have anywhere. You slide the left rear into the corner and you pick up the right front and the first person to get back to the gas is going to be good.” If you were to win Loudon the Lobster, the monster trophy that’s given out to drivers when they win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, what would you do with it?“Oh man. I’d probably get a fish tank and keep him in it. I’d give him a good home so that he could live out his days comfortably as a trophy.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at New Hampshire Motor Speedway …Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this Sunday. Reddick has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, with his best finish of fourth in 2019 under the direction of crew chief Randall Burnett. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender also has three NASCAR Truck Series starts and two top-10 finishes at the mile-long track. Welcome, Feeding America … Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, Feeding America provides meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people they serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. The Caterpillar Foundation Supports … The Caterpillar Foundation is proud to have partnered with Feeding America for the last eight years, and most recently, as part of our disaster response, supported their COVID-19 Response Fund with a $1M investment. Our philanthropic efforts will help provide millions of fresh meals and additional resources to individuals, families and seniors in need during the pandemic across the country, including those in Caterpillar communities. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Supports … Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen proudly supports Feeding America and the fight against hunger through annual contributions from the Darden Foundation. This year, the Foundation donated $2 million to benefit local food banks in the communities we serve. For every dollar donated, 10 meals are provided to people in need.    Watch the Race with Cheddar’s… Don’t miss out! Cheddar’s is offering 15% off all To Go orders with the offer code RACEDAY placed on 8/2 and every Cup Series race day for the remainder of the 2020 season! Whether you’re watching the race on a Sunday afternoon or on a weekday under the lights, watch with all your Cheddar’s favorites for 15% off. Terms & conditions apply, visit cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full offer details. TYLER REDDICK QUOTE: What are some of the challenges for you as you head to NHMS for the first time in the Cup Series?“I love the fans up at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and I love the scenery, but that track is one of the trickiest ones on the circuit for me. Back in my NASCAR Truck and Xfinity days, I relied a lot on practice to get comfortable there each year, so that is going to be a challenge for myself and my team to overcome on Sunday. I’ve started to get a little more comfortable over the years, but I still am not quite where I’d like to be with it. I definitely am leaning a lot on my crew chief, Randall Burnett, to prepare for the race. He always does a great job at these tracks were I’m not as comfortable and setting up our No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet to be as strong as possible off the truck. I’ll also lean on my teammate, Austin Dillon, a lot too this weekend. He likes going to New Hampshire, so I’m hoping he’ll have some good notes and feedback to share.”

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (July 31, 2020) – After four months of postponement and ever-changing scenarios, NHRA went forward with a revised Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule that restarted with two-consecutive races at the storied Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in Indiana. Sixteen-time Funny Car world champion and NHRA legend John Force sidelined his four-car team for the restart of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. The driver of the PEAK BlueDEF Chevrolet Camaro SS announced today that John Force Racing will remain parked for the 2020 season in order to come back at championship caliber.  “When I first got into racing, I always had a love for cars, I loved the comradery of the team, I loved the competition. As I evolved, I realized what it took to become a winner. It took money and that’s when I started chasing corporate America. I had no personal wealth, I had to find sponsors to get me the crew chiefs I needed to win,” said Force, owner and CEO of John Force Racing. “As the winning happened, I found a new love. The fans. The fans are what kept me motivated and made me never ever think anything would come to an end. Even in the hardest of times, I call them crossroads, I got through it with the help of the fans and my sponsors. I went from a one car team to a multi-car team, to having machine shops, chassis shops and paint shops and the technology to win.  “Suddenly, the virus hit, and it changed the world. Robert Hight, President of the company, and I got back from Gainesville and we started working on a plan, we had to reset John Force Racing. Everyone was having to adapt. We had to make cuts everywhere. We ran numbers over and over. In our contracts with sponsors we have guarantees. They get social media, certain number of races, certain number of race days, activation at races and other commitments. No matter how I looked at it I couldn’t deliver on those commitments. It just wasn’t fair to them,” continued Force. “The impact of not being able to deliver on these commitments makes sitting out the rest of the 2020 season the right thing to do. No matter how I looked at it, no matter how much I personally invested, I couldn’t make it. “At that point, I made the decision to ‘live to fight another day.’ We can’t fight now, we can’t race right now, but with what I have, with the help of my sponsors and my own personal money, I can maintain. I have to protect my family, my employees, my teams and my sponsors. What I built was a team that could win. All I have to do is get to next year. It will look different, but I have all my department leads and my sponsors, Auto Club, Chevrolet, PEAK, Monster, Frank Tiegs owner of Flav-R-Pac and Montana Brand, Cornwell Tools, Parker Store, Baldwin Filters, they’re all supportive,” said Force.  “What I’m saying is that I’m going to prepare to come back next year stronger than ever. Watching all the people that went racing, NHRA, the track, Safety Safari, TV, the media, all the winners, all the teams, thank you for racing and keeping the sport alive. I am really heartbroken I’m not out there. If I had stayed and raced, I couldn’t come back. If I step back now, I can. I want to be with all of you again and I want to be competitive. We will continue to support all our sponsors, doing their promotions as planned and stay relevant on social media for the fans; we are going to continue to build race cars, as we always have, build engines, mount bodies, parts and do everything we can because we are open for business in Indy and California,” concluded Force.

This Month Features an Abundance of Late Model Dirt Racing Along With Coverage of Pro Pulling and Lucas Oil Off Road Racing

As the summer days begin to wind down, Lucas Oil Racing TV (LORTV) has announced an action-packed August broadcast schedule loaded with LIVE coverage from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Pro Pulling League and Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Getting things started is the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League from Howard County Fairgrounds in Greentown, Indiana. LIVE coverage from Day 2 of the Watson Diesel Nationals airs August 1.  Less than two weeks later, the LIVE telecasts return with more racing from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series’ 34th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial on August 12, the Sunoco North/South Shootout on August 13, and the 38th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 on August 14 and 15. Coverage for all four late-model races comes from Florence Speedway and is available exclusively for yearly LORTV subscribers. Following a five-day hiatus, Lucas Oil Racing TV viewers are treated to three additional LIVE broadcasts from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. All of the action coming from the three-eighths-mile clay oval track at Batesville Motor Speedway for the 28th Annual Comp Cams Topless 100. Full coverage of all three race days is scheduled for August 20 and 21, with the final race broadcast on August 22 available only to yearly subscribers.   The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series also makes an appearance in this month’s broadcast schedule. After a successful opening weekend at Glen Helen, Jarrett Brooks, the defending Pro 2 champion, will use the momentum gained in the first stop of the Series into the tripleheader race weekend on August 21, 22 and 23 for the 4th Annual GEICO Off Road Shootout. LIVE telecasts of all three days from Lucas Oil Speedway are available to all subscribers.  And closing out August’s LIVE schedule is another three-day race weekend for the world’s best dirt track racers as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series heads to Port Royal Speedway for The Rumble By The River on August 27, 28 and 29. Please note, all three days of racing are available for LIVE viewing only for yearly Lucas Oil Racing TV subscribers.

In addition to this LIVE broadcasts, motorsport fans can choose from more than 5,400 shows across 90 different categories, all available 24/7 on-demand on the Lucas Oil Racing TV platform.

Both returning and new subscribers can log directly onto LucasOilRacing.TV and watch the action from the convenience of their browser. Additionally, Lucas Oil Racing TV is available on all the most popular streaming devices like ROKU, Apple iOS, Android devices, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Google Play, Xbox One, and more. A full list of supported devices can found HERE.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEFOXWOODS RESORT AND CASINO 301NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAYLOUDON, NEW HAMPSHIREAUGUST 2, 2020
RACE #20: NEW HAMPSHIRE:As part of the revised 2020 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) schedule, the original July 19th date for the Foxwoods Resort and Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) will now happen two weeks later on Sunday, August 2nd. For nearly three decades, the popular venue known as the ‘Magic Mile’ has hosted race fans across the northeast and around the world.
In keeping with social distancing requirements and additional health and safety protocols, the facility will again offer an in-person viewing experience for fans. Although the stands will not be as full as they typically are, the race will be the largest fan event held in New England since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BOWTIE BULLETS:Chevrolet leads all other manufacturers with 19 wins at the 1.058-mile oval. Other statistics of note for the Bowtie brand at Loudon are 100 top five’s, 190 top 10’s, and 6,037 laps led in its 48-race history. Chevrolet has sat on the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 18 times.
Thirteen different Chevrolet drivers have posted wins at NHMS.
Team Chevy had a six-race winning streak at the track from 2009-‘12. THREE FOR THREE:Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon recorded the brand’s first win in 1995 and collected two additional trophies in ‘97 and ’98.
Three active Team Chevy drivers have three wins apiece to-date at NHMS:·      Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally ZL1 1LE, has collected three trophies (two in ’03, & one in’10). ·      Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE was victorious with two wins in ’04, one in ’08.  ·      Matt Kenseth, No. 42 Clover Camaro ZL1 1LE, also has a trio of wins (2013, ’15, & ’16).
STARTING LINE-UP:In keeping with the current race format, the one-day show will have no practice and no qualifying. Owner points and a random draw have again set the starting line-up. Here are Chevy’s top-20 starters:
3rd       Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE8th       Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Camaro ZL1 1LE10th     Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE13th     Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Feeding America Camaro ZL1 1LE15th     Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Cash App Camaro ZL1 1LE16th     William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE20th     Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
TUNE-IN:The Foxwoods Resort and Casino 301 is scheduled to begin on Sunday, August 2nd at 3:00 pm, ET. Live coverage can be found on NBCSN, PRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGSELLIOTT ON IF SUCCESS WITH LOW DOWNFORCE PACKAGE THIS SEASON WILL AFFECT OUTLOOK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE:“I am not really sure why we have been better at the low downforce races this season. I kind of just think it is more happenstance with the racetrack more than it is the aero package. Loudon has been a really hit or miss place for us, it’s just a different track. It takes a different driving style, I feel like, than some of the other places. I look at London at being more of its own animal. We’ve had a couple solid runs there, but never a dominating performance. It hasn’t been my best place, I don’t feel like personally, but we have some decent ideas and some different approach options that hopefully will lend us a more consistent result.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGSBOWMAN ON RACING AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:“I am really hoping that we have a strong weekend in New Hampshire. Last year was just a weekend of not great circumstances, but this team really fought through and finished inside the top 15. We really need to have a good weekend and keep the car clean. New Hampshire is a very unique track we go to, so I know that it will be a challenge, but I’m confident in this team.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:“It’s a challenging track and has honestly become more of a challenge for me since they’ve put the PJ1 down. It was already a slick track, but with the traction compound it almost has more of a slick feeling. You’re also on the brakes hard at New Hampshire and there’s a lot of bumps under braking. Managing all those bumps and oscillations in the track is important as well. Some guys are really good at that and it shows in their ability to make speed. I think understanding what your car needs to be able to do to run well there is the key.” BYRON ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT A RACE:“New Hampshire is a really line sensitive track already, but the traction compound makes it even more so especially with the way the marbles accumulate outside the preferred groove. I think as a driver you try to keep your car within that line that is really fast but also try to give the best feedback you can on how to adjust. Thankfully you can manage the line more though as the race goes on. Typically, with our race cars, as soon as rubber gets laid down the groove starts to widen out and the room for error becomes greater. You can drive the car a little bit looser at that point. We just have to see how the track progresses and keep up with it.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 FEEDING AMERICA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 15th IN STANDINGS“I love the fans up at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and I love the scenery, but that track is one of the trickiest ones on the circuit for me. Back in my NASCAR Truck and Xfinity days, I relied a lot on practice to get comfortable there each year, so that is going to be a challenge for myself and my team to overcome on Sunday. I’ve started to get a little more comfortable over the years, but I still am not quite where I’d like to be with it. I am leaning a lot on my crew chief, Randall Burnett, to prepare for the race. He always does a great job at these tracks were I’m not as comfortable and setting up our No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet to be as strong as possible off the truck. I’ll also lean on my teammate, Austin Dillon, a lot too this weekend. He likes going to New Hampshire, so I’m hoping he’ll have some good notes and feedback to share.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 FREIGHTLINER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGSWHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY?“New Hampshire Motor Speedway has always been a really fun track. I love going there. It’s a flat track. Entry is fun there. It’s different. It’s a different type of feel than what we have anywhere. You slide the left rear into the corner, and you pick up the right front and the first person to get back to the gas is going to be good.” RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 25th IN STANDINGS“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a really fast one-mile track. There’s multiple grooves, and usually with practice you’re able to test those grooves but we obviously won’t have that this weekend. I’ve run decent at New Hampshire in the past, and I think the cars we have this year have been a positive change for my driving style than what I’ve had in my career. July wasn’t the month that we needed, but we’re not out of the fight and August is a new month with plenty of chances to get this No. 47 Kroger team in the Playoffs.” RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 31st IN STANDINGS“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is such a special place for me. It’s my home track, a track I’ve raced at my entire life in the Modified Series, and I always love coming home to New England. I’ve turned a lot of laps at New Hampshire in my career, so I think that helps with not having any practice during the weekend. If there’s any track that’s going to turn our luck around this year, I feel confident that New Hampshire is that track with our No. 37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet.”

The 2020 Scheid Diesel Extravaganza  August 28-29 NEW VENUE Wagler Motorsports Park in Lyons, IN Wagler Motorsports Park 4425 W 300 S Lyons, Indiana  Click here for Directions  COVID19 Update:  Currently the venue is open with recommendation of wearing a mask and social distancing but no capacity limitations being an outdoor venue.   Our new location has brought a lot of new logistics to sort out and planning is going well. We are bringing you premium competition with ODSS (Outlaw Diesel Super Series) Drag Racing and Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League for sled pulling! Pearce’s Diesel Doctor Dyno is scheduled to be the onsite dyno, there will also be a Show-N-Shine Competition and the Vendor Midway is filling up more everyday!!  We will be bringing in several sets of portable bleachers to add seating, have people movers to/from parking lots, a variety of food vendors & plenty of camping accommodations!! We look for camping to be a popular option, hotels are located approx 35 miles from the venue. There are two great options for camping, onsite camping spots that will be ideal for those that might be partaking of some spirits, as well as additional spots available at the Daviess County Fairgrounds about 10 miles away. For more information on accommodations or to make your hotel or camping reservations today click on any of these links:  On Site Camping  Camping at Daviess County Fairgrounds  Nearby Hotel & AccommodationsIf you are looking to rent a camper for the weekend check out www.rvshare.com or  www.outdoorsy.com To make sure you don’t miss any updates:Join Our Facebook Event Page Keep a look out for our emails All info and links can be found at www.ScheidDiesel.com We are excited to offer some new ticket options this year!Weekend Pass $75 online only ($80 at the gate)Friday $40 All Day Pass (online or at gate)Friday after 6pm only $25 (gate only)Saturday $40 All Day Pass (online or at gate)Saturday after 6pm only $25 (gate only)Kids 12 and under are FREE

August Features Extensive Coverage of Pro Motocross, ARCA Menards and MotoAmerica

As we welcome the third month of summer, MAVTV Motorsports Network has announced another month full of highly competitive race coverage starting with LIVE telecasts of the ARCA Menards Series doubleheader in Ohio. The race marks the first doubleheader to take place at Toledo Speedway since 1956 and the series’ first weekend doubleheader since 2003. LIVE telecasts from an exciting race weekend are scheduled for July 31 at 8:00 pm ET and August 1 at 6:00 pm ET. The ARCA Menards Series will also be part of a NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader at Michigan International Speedway on August 9 at 1:00 pm ET and then head to Daytona International Speedway for a weekend full of racing alongside the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Gander Trucks and NASCAR Xfinity Series. Racing enthusiasts can watch all the action LIVE from a memorable weekend at Daytona’s iconic road course on August 14 at 5:00 pm ET. The ARCA Menards Series will then close out its race schedule for the month on August 29. Coverage from Gateway Motorsports Park is set for 6:00 pm ET.

Round three of the MotoAmerica Series is also featured in this month’s MAVTV LIVE coverage schedule. Former AMA Superbike and World Superbike competitor Geoff May will make his 2020 MotoAmerica debut at the famous Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Watch the top road racers on two wheels go bar-to-bar LIVE from the world’s best road course on August 1 at 2:00 pm ET and August 2 at 1:00 pm ET. The Motorsport Network will also have LIVE telecasts of the MotoAmerica Superbike races at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex on August 8 at 3:00 pm ET and August 9 at 4:00 pm ET. Additionally, Superbike fans can catch a thrilling doubleheader from Ridge Motorsports Park, the Pacific Northwest’s premier motorsports complex, on August 29 at 4:00 pm ET and August 30 at 3:00 pm ET. After considerable efforts from race organizers, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Seriesannounced its 2020 season schedule. MAVTV will broadcast the first of three consecutive rounds of the late summer campaign LIVE starting August 15 at 2:00 pm ET from the famed Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. The following two rounds will take place at the well-known Washougal MX Park on August 22 at 4:00 pm ET and Ironman Raceway on August 29 at 1:00 pm ET.

MAVTV is now available to more viewers than ever before. With a total of 220 providers across cable, satellite, telco, and digital broadcast platforms, including AT&T U-verse, Charter/Spectrum, DIRECTV, Fios by Verizon, FuboTV, Google, Mediacom, and many more, the country’s premier motorsports network is seen in more than 30-million households.   Race fans who don’t have MAVTV should contact their local cable, satellite, or other subscription service provider to get details on how to add it to their channel lineup. A full list of providers, shows, and scheduled broadcasts can be found by visiting www.MAVTV.com.

MAVTV LIVE Broadcast Schedule:August 2020DateSeriesEvent / VenueTime (ET)July 31ARCA Menards Toledo Speedway8:00 p.m.August 1MotoAmericaMichelin Raceway Road Atlanta2:00 p.m. August 1ARCA MenardsToledo Speedway6:00 p.m.August 2MotoAmericaMichelin Raceway Road Atlanta1:00 p.m.August 8MotoAmericaPittsburgh International Race Complex3:00 p.m.August 9ARCA MenardsMichigan International Speedway1:00 p.m.August 9MotoAmericaPittsburgh International Race Complex4:00 p.m.August 14ARCA MenardsDaytona International Speedway5:00 p.m.August 15Pro MotocrossLoretta Lynn’s2:00 p.m.August 22Pro MotocrossWashougal4:00 p.m.August 29Pro MotocrossIronman1:00 p.m.August 29MotoAmericaRidge Motorsports Park4:00 p.m.August 29ARCA MenardsGateway Motorsports Park6:00 p.m.August 30MotoAmericaRidge Motorsports Park3:00 p.m.

Hunter Yeany looks to extend championship lead in massive points-scoring weekend

LEEDS, ALABAMA (June 30, 2020)- The Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda reaches its mid-point of the season, visiting Barber Motorsports Park July 31-August 2 for a maximum points-scoring weekend. (Stream the races on FanRacing.Live)

Fans will get a massive dose of single-seater action with F4 U.S. staging a four-race weekend in its first outing to the 880-acre Alabama circuit. Originally slated as a triple-header, an extra race was added to the schedule after inclement weather ended Round 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course prematurely.

The stout 31-car field, made up of 24 rookies, seven returning veterans representing 14 states and seven countries, will still participate in two official practices and a qualifying session before racing commences on Saturday. Each round will be 30-minutes, offering significant seat time for the development series drivers. (Entry List)

Even with the additional round, tire rules remain unchanged, allotting teams two sets of Hankook tires to manage throughout the weekend.  

“I’m very excited for our drivers this weekend to race on one of the most competitive and picturesque tracks in the country,” said F4 U.S. Race Director Scott Goodyear. “Barber Motorsports Park is challenging for drivers both mentally and physically because of the rolling terrain and the blind turns. With F4 drivers haveing an extra race this weekend, drivers will have to manage both their physical energy and their tires to make sure they have something left for Race 4.”

Velocity Racing Development rookie Hunter Yeany leads the championship with a 15-point advantage heading into the weekend. At Mid-Ohio, Yeany raced his way to podium finishes in both races, ending his debutant F4 U.S. event with first and second place results. Two weeks later, the 15-year-old standout topped his opening weekend with a pair of wins and a second-place finish at Virginia International Raceway. (Championship Points)

“I’m looking forward to racing at Barber and with the challenge of continuing my win streak,” Yeany said. “The track’s elevation changes make it a great driving experience and provides for some great racing. This is one of my favorite facilities in North America and an event I have been looking forward to for quite some time.”

Yeany’s winning momentum will be challenged by a field of competitors looking to spoil his championship campaign, especially by Dylan Tavella. Tavella upset Yeany’s chance at sweeping the weekend at VIR by casting a baiting move on Yeany in Race 2. Yeany took the bait, allowing Tavella to slide into lead and take the victory. (Watch the Move)

Driving for two-time team champions Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport, Tavella has amassed two victories and two podium finishes in the last five rounds, trailing Yeany in second in the season-long points battle. 

“We left Virginia second in the championship; it wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for, but we are standing strong with the focus on scoring as many points as possible at Barber,” said Tavella. “Since leaving VIR, I’ve been training 10 hours a day on the simulator, preparing for Barber and studying the circuit since I’ve never raced here before.”

Veteran F4 U.S. pilot Jose Blanco was a strong preseason favorite, but the Puerto Rican has faced a tumultuous start to his 2020 season. Blanco recovered from a set of unfortunate events that put him out of podium contention to claim two third-place finishes at VIR. The results landed the Crosslink/Kiwi driver third in the points table ahead of the weekend.

While, Yeany, Tavella and Blanco have been early standouts, rookie drivers Spike Kohlbecker (Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport), Cade McKee (Iron Rock Motorsports), Nicholas Rivers (Group-A Racing) and Josh Sarchet (DC Autosport) all found speed at VIR.

Kohlbecker was edged out of a pole-position start by .080-seconds by Yeany during qualifying at VIR. The Crosslink/Kiwi rookie followed up his qualifying performance with a second-place finish in the opening VIR round, but a race-ending wreck in Round 4 forced Kohlbecker to miss Round 5, forfeiting his chance at another podium finish. 

Rookie Rivers brought Group-A Racing back to the winners circle at VIR in Round 4, charging 11 positions to a second-place finish, followed by DC Autosport rookie Sarchet who finished third in the same race. 

McKee will be fighting for his first podium result of the season at Barber. The Iron Rock Motorsports rookie has improved every circuit, finishing each race with better results than the last. Driving for the only single-car team in the paddock, McKee has scored points in every round, slotting him fourth in the championship. McKee is the only driver in the top-five without a podium finish, and he hopes to change that at Barber.

The official F4 U.S. Championship weekend kicks off on Friday with a pair of practices before qualifying at 4:20 p.m. Saturday opens with the first of four races starting at 9:50 a.m. followed by Race 2 at 2:15 p.m. The weekend culminates with two additional races (9:50 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.). The four-race F4 event will be open to fans. Tickets are only available at the gate, $20 per day or $35 for the weekend, the event is cashless, only debit and credit cards will be accepted.

All feature races will be live streamed world-wide on FanRacing.Live. Fans can follow practice and qualifying times on the Race Monitor App or on F4USChampionship.com.

BATAVIA, OH (July 30, 2020) – MAVTV Motorsports Network showcases the third and final night of the GEICO East Bay Nationals – Presented by Brandon Ford, tonight at 10 PM EDT with a re-airing at 1 AM EDT. After a rough start to the A-Main with two multi-car cautions on the first lap, a three-car tussle in the closing laps, contact coming out of turn four on the white flag lap, and a winner that lead only the last lap, made for the perfect end to an exciting night of racing at East Bay Raceway Park. The winner had this to say, “When I got into third, I saw the top two racing each other so hard. I was trying to bide my time and I figured let them burn their stuff up and maybe I would come back to them. That strategy worked out in our favor, I got to move around a lot when I was behind them. That is what helped me win the race in three and four. That was a heck of a race.” The broadcast will include driver interviews, in-car cameras, and various technical segments. Owned and operated by Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV Motorsports Network is a television network deeply rooted in the automotive world. MAVTV is available to over 35 million homes on U-verse, DIRECTV (channel 214), Fios by Verizon, Vidgo, TIKILIVE, fuboTV, Spectrum, and other nationwide providers. MAVTV will broadcast 5 live events and 34 original tape-delayed airings. To find a full list of providers, visit: mavtv.com/get-mavtv/providers.

The entire 2020 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series TV schedule can be found on the series website at: www.lucasdirt.com/schedule/tv-schedule/.
GEICO – The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) is an American auto insurance company with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland is the second largest auto insurer in the United States. GEICO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that provides coverage for more than 24 million motor vehicles owned by more than 15 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For more information, go to www.geico.com.

Brandon Ford, located in Tampa, FL, has won Ford’s prestigious President’s Award 17 years in a row, saluting the top-performing Ford and Lincoln dealerships that pursue excellencein the highest levels of customer satisfaction in both sales and service. Brandon Ford has one of the largest inventories of new and pre-owned vehicles in the Nation. To learn more about Brandon Ford or if you are interested in purchasing a vehicle, visit: www.brandonford.com.
####

NASCAR CUP SERIESNEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAYFOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTJULY 30, 2020  RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference and discussed the challenges of racing during the COVID-19 pandemic, his aspirations for the rest of the season, the morale of the team, and more. Full Transcript: HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO GET UP TO NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS WEEK?“Oh, I’m definitely excited. New Hampshire is home, right? It’s a place that I would consider that I’ve had more laps than probably most that are in the field. And it’s a short track. So, I enjoy going there once a year and I’ve been racing at New Hampshire since 2007 with the Modifieds twice a year. So, it’s a place that I’m very comfortable with.” THIS YEAR HAS NOT BEEN KIND TO YOU. ARE YOU FRUSTRATED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU JUST WANT TO GO AND RACE MODIFIEDS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS?“Ha! No! I want to keep doing this. I don’t think that anybody who gets to this level wants to just pack their bag and go home. You know, that’s interesting. But no. Definitely not. I’m frustrated because….you know, I’ve always been somebody who has been pretty honest or really honest with some things, and a lot of the things, whenever I hear people talk about bad luck or that, I’ve always been a believer of making your own luck. But this has probably been the first time in my career that I really, wrong place wrong time, things that were out of my control happening. I’m not one to make excuses, but it’s been frustrating for sure. The thing that’s even more frustrating is Kansas. I really don’t know what else I could have done. I don’t think there was anything else I could have done.  But we had a fast race car right there, at that point in time when it needed to be and that’s kind of been the case. We’ve struggled at the beginning of the races and then gotten our car better as the Stages have gone on. The only thing you can do at this point is really go and gamble on things. I’ve got nothing else to lose. That’s all I have to say.” DID YOU HAVE ANY SORENESS OVER THE WEEKEND FROM THE KANSAS CRASH AND ARE YOU OKAY NOW?“I’m good. I was ready to go as soon as I got out of that race car.” SOME DRIVERS SAY WHEN THEY’VE HAD A ROUGH STRETCH IN THE CUP SERIES THAT RACING IN OTHER SERIES’ AND TO GET THAT WINNING EXPERIENCE JUST WHEN THINGS ARE KIND OF ROUGH. HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT OR PLANNING TO?“I think it’s hard right now with the way things are to do it and not know if you’re going to be forced into quarantine or whatever it may be. It’s something that I’d like to do. I love racing. I’m used to racing 60 to 80 times a year, but at the same time my focus is on the Cup series. And, as a racer, that winning feeling is what drives us all, right? It’s not something that I’ll ever forget. I wouldn’t say I need to get in a race car to want to remember what that feeling is. A thing that just popped-up in my timeline the other day was actually three years ago when I won Iowa with JGR, and I said that to my wife. You miss that feeling. You miss the feeling of winning because that’s why we do this. That’s why I do this anyway, is to win races. “So, I feel like this year has been a trying year in the sense of we had four races where we were able to practice. And this is my first year working with Trent (Owens, crew chief) and every race has been a practice sent for us, right? At Darlington we got Stage points. We were fast. At Talladega we were contending for the lead with five (laps) to go and had to pit. We’ve had things that have been out of our control for the most part that just take us out of those runs that we’ve had; where they have been good. But, the thing that I look forward to the rest of the season is whatever we found at Kansas, toward the middle of that race, that balance; that’s a balance that I can go contend for races, we can have speed, we can run up-front. Like I said earlier, I’m not somebody who will sit here and say things just to say things. I mean them. So, if we can show up at Michigan and have that speed that we had right there at Kansas, I feel like we could be a threat for a top 10 and just execute. That’s really it. So, I look forward to the rest of the year. That’s all you can do at this point is be positive and turn things around because sitting here and talking about 2020 and how this season has gone isn’t going to do anything for us.” YOU TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO RACE BUT DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE QUARANTINE SITUATION. SOME SPORTS HAVE GONE TO THE BUBBLE. NASCAR IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE LIKE FOR YOU AND HOW DO YOU TRY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE BUT ALSO BE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU’RE OUT OF THE SEAT IF YOU CATCH THE VIRUS? HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT AS THIS CONTINUES ON FOR MONTH AFTER MONTH?“You don’t put yourself in those situations, I guess. That’s really it, I guess, to a certain extent because I want to race. And that’s it.” IN THESE TIMES WHEN YOU’VE HAD A HARD RUN OF IT, AND YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST RACER TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN. AND THEY COME BACK AROUND. WHO HAS HELPED YOU? WHO TALKS TO YOU AND SAYS YOU’RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS?“Oh, my wife. That’s certainly somebody. She lives with me and so she has to deal with me every day of the week. But it’s funny. There was a point in time, probably four years ago, that I was in a similar rut. It was different but it was the same. And, it’s so easy to become negative and to just constantly get down. And then, I feel like life as you know it, just continues to follow that trend. I feel like I was starting to get into that negative place. I have a book that talks about positive thoughts and positive things and how when you have those positive thoughts, positive things are going to gravitate toward you. And I believe that. I was in that way in 2016 and I said you know what, I’m not going to live like this. I’m going to go home, and things changed in the snap of the fingers. I saw that book a few weeks ago or a month ago and it reminded me you know what? Things can turn around as quick as they can go bad. “So, you’ve just got to be positive. It’s easier to say than it is to do, but I feel like over the past few weeks of just constantly living that way, things have become easier. My life has become much happier. I’m probably a lot better to be around. And you just put in the hard work, that’s it. Just sitting there hoping things are going to turn around….it doesn’t work like that. Life doesn’t work like that. So, I’m just going to continue fighting and hopefully we can finish 2020 better than we have. Like I said, I am proud of JTG. I’m proud of everything we have done. We’ve had moments of greatness. On our side, we just haven’t been able to finish it. And I feel like the rest of the season, if we can just go and do what we’ve been doing and all the things that we’ve learned, we can be talking two months from now, at the end of October, saying man I wish things went differently early on because the past eight weeks have been fantastic.” THERE’S A BOOK CALLED ‘FAILING FORWARD’ AND IT SAYS THAT YOUR PARENTS TEACH YOU HOW TO SUCCEED BUT THEY DON’T TEACH YOU HOW TO FAIL. AND EVERY FAMOUS PERSON HAS FAILED BEFORE THEY GOT TO WHERE THEY’RE AT. IN RACING, YOU SAY NOW THAT YOU CAN TAKE CHANCES BUT YOU COULD LOOK AT IT TWO WAYS. YOU COULD TAKE THE CHANCES OR YOU COULD BE PRESSURED INTO HAVING EVEN MORE THINGS HAPPEN JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE FRETTING ABOUT IT. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT IN THE TIGHT SPOTS OF RACING?“Well, there are pit calls that we can make. We can choose to stay out when others do. Or, choose to pit. And the way that races have been this year, track position means so much, right? And, between that and just other situations. Myself, putting myself in certain situations or even forcing the issues. And the way I’ve look at it, because week in and week out, I’ve watch races after they’re over and before I go to a track. And I’ve noticed that the aggressor seems to be the one making out in these situations. And you guys (media) sees that, too. The one who usually pushes the issue has been the one that keeps racing. Where the guys that tend to be a little bit more timid or err on the side of hey, I don’t want to wreck my car right now, end up wrecking. So, I think every situation is different, for sure. But at the same time, I told this to Trent a few weeks ago. Back in 2007, I wrecked quite a few race cars early on in my career. And I remember sitting in the infield and watching the race finish. And having to sit there the entire time is the worst feeling in the world for a racer like myself. I don’t want to feel that feeling anymore. I want to finish these races and I want to run good. So, I think New Hampshire would be a great place to start that momentum, and then moving on toward Michigan. I look forward to this 2-mile race track. I look forward to this intermediate because of what we had at Kansas. The only thing you can do is keep moving forward.” YOU SAY YOU TRY TO REMAIN POSITIVE, BUT IT HASN’T BEEN OBVIOUSLY JUST SOME ROUGH MONTHS FOR YOU, BUT ALSO FOR (TEAMMATE) RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., TOO. WHAT IS THE TEAM MORALE LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW AT JTG?“I think it’s fine. You know, it is what it is, right? I think everybody is working hard and to sit there and really just talk about July, it’s one of those things where you’ve just got to pick up and move forward. I think at the end of the day, we’re all thinking positive. We’re all working toward the end goal and that’s all you can do. I think the major thing is to just remove any toxic things from your life, and just be happy.”

Jul 30, 2020 | Featured, Race Results, Rachel Meyer

The Kansas-based team, Randy Meyer Racing, competed at their home track in Topeka, Kansas for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Central Regional event last weekend, taking home a second-place finish with Rachel Meyer. Rachel was backed by two Kansas City-based companies, Aeromotive Fuel Systems and Taylor Cable Products, both are long-time partners of the family-owned team.

Rachel, the youngest daughter of Randy, struggled in qualifying and was positioned fifth out of eight with a 5.40 ET pass at 264 mph, while Megan, Randy’s oldest daughter, powered to the top spot with a 5.29 ET at 266 mph. Unfortunately, Megan had her second first-round exit of the 2020 year losing to Christine Chambless after discovering some bottom-end issues with the motor.

However, Rachel got the win in the opening round over James Stevens running a 5.36 ET at 265 mph, then she took down Christine running a consistent 5.37 ET at 268 mph. Rachel moved onto the final round to be defeated by Robin Samsel, the number two qualifier. Rachel had the starting line advantage, but the car slowed to a 5.43 ET with only 7 cylinders lit.

The Meyer Sisters extended their first and second place lead in points for the Central Region, and Rachel will get the chance to collect more points next weekend at the Indianapolis Summer Spectacle. Joining Rachel is teammate Julie Nataas, the girls will get one qualifying session on Friday, followed by two on Saturday before the start of eliminations. You can watch the action LIVE at Dragracer TV on YouTube.

The team was looking forward to competing at the NHRA Heartland Nationals in Topeka scheduled for August 21^st, but the race has now been postponed due to county restrictions for pandemic-related reasons. The new date is currently undetermined.

NASCAR CUP SERIESNEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAYFOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTJULY 30, 2020 

RANDALL BURNETT, CREW CHIEF OF THE RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING NO. 8 CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his outlook going into the New Hampshire race weekend, the impact the change in stage lengths for the weekend might affect decision-making within the race, working with Tyler Reddick, and more. Transcript:  HEADING INTO THIS WEEKEND AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY, HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO GET THERE? “I’m excited to getting back to doing some short track racing. We look forward to some of that. We’ve had some good runs this year. We ran really well at Phoenix – had an unfortunate tire failure late in the race. But competed up in the top-five all day long there. So, looking forward to getting to a track similar to that – Loudon, really flat one-mile track. We’ve been working hard on this one and we’ll see what happens.”
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE’VE GOTTEN SOME COOL INSIGHTS INTO THE RCR COMMAND CENTER, WHERE CALLS ARE MADE FOR THOSE STAPLE DECISIONS AT THE END OF THE KENTUCKY RACE. WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE WORKING WITH THOSE GUYS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN THROUGH THE MOST UNUSUAL NASCAR SEASON, IN TERMS OF TEAM COMMUNICATION?“I do think it’s helped a lot this year, for sure. Now that we have a limited roster and not near as many people at the track – we take less engineers, we take a lot less people to the race track in general – being able to have those guys at the shop, analyzing some of the data that we get from the SMT stuff, to our pit road calculations to help us with that. There’s so much information coming in. Having good guys and having people capable of being able to communicate with us what they’re seeing I feel like has certainly helped us, especially at the track when we’re limited on that and we don’t have as many people at the track looking at data as we’re used to.”
THE STAGE LENGTHS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR – IT’S ANOTHER 35 LAPS IN THAT SECOND STAGE. HOW DOES THAT CHANGE THINGS OR HOW MIGHT THAT IMPACT THE DECISION-MAKING?“It will definitely make it a little more interesting I think with the longer stage. You have tire wear, you’re going to have fuel mileage stuff to look at. It’s definitely going to change the strategy a little bit, which we’re going to have to stay on top of. You’re going to have a lap-30 competition caution, which should give you a good read on tires, as far as what kind of wear you’re going to be looking at throughout the race and the lap time fall off. So, I think that’s going to kind of dictate what you do in that second stage, for sure.”
ALSO, IT’S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TIRE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE FROM LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR’S RACE, WE SAW THE WINNER AND TWO OF THE TOP-THREE FINISHERS RUN THE LAST 74 LAPS ON A SET OF TIRES. DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BEING THE CASE? “This is the same tire that we ran at Phoenix earlier this year. We kind of saw a little bit of that, as well. The tires don’t wear as much as they have in the past there, especially if you look back at 2018 with the low downforce package that they ran at Loudon. The tires wore out quite a bit. Last year, even with the high downforce stuff, they didn’t wear out as much and now there’s a different tire this year. Looking back at the wear and stuff at Phoenix, I don’t imagine you’re going to see as much wear here as we have in the past. But with that being said, Loudon has always been a huge track position race. It’s really hard to pass here. They put the VHT down, which has seemed to make it racier here the past year or two that they’ve been doing that. But it’s really hard to pass and keep your momentum up, just because you have to slow down so much to get underneath somebody in the corner that they are able to keep the momentum off the corner when they’re on the outside. It’s going to be about timing your passes right, making sure you can get a guy cleared and not give up another spot or two as well while you’re battling with somebody.”
THE RANDOM DRAW FOR STARTING POSITIONS – HOW MUCH HAS THAT IMPACTED HOW YOU AND THE TEAM APPROACH THE FIRST PORTION OF THE RACE, JUST TRYING TO GET SOME TRACK POSITION VERSUS HOW YOU’RE CALLING THE REST OF THE RACE IF AND WHEN YOU GET THAT TRACK POSITION? HOW MUCH HAS THAT RANDOM DRAW REALLY KIND OF HINDERED SOME OF YOUR PERFORMANCES AND FINISHES?“I don’t know if you guys have noticed or not, but we’re really, really bad at qualifying in those random draws right now (laughs). We’ve been 23rd, 24th, 23rd, 24th. It certainly affects, I think more so the guys from 13th to 24th, when you’re in there and battling for the Playoff spots. We don’t have a win secured yet, so when it comes to getting stage points, that goes a long ways in that. The last couple of weeks, we’ve had to battle from 23rd and 24th place starting spots to even put ourselves in position to get some stage points. So, it certainly makes you call the race a little different. I’ve been a little more aggressive lately with some two-tire calls, staying out or whatever to try to put ourselves into position to get some stage points to help us. Yeah, I would definitely say it has a bigger affect, especially for the guys that are close to that cutoff line and the guys that are 13th to 24th in starting spots there in how they call the race.”
GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS, NASCAR HAS SAID THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE FORMAT ON HOW THE STARTING LINEUPS WILL BE DETERMINED. ANY IDEA WHAT THAT MIGHT BE OR HOW YOU WOULD PREFER IT TO BE DONE?“There’s been a lot of talk about that. I feel like the guys that are going to be in the top-16 or the top-12 should be up front obviously. How they go about lining those guys up from that aspect, I think there’s a lot of ideas out there, a lot of options to choose from. I know the guys at NASCAR are trying to work all that stuff out. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.”
YOU’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH TWO OF THE TOP DRIVERS TO COME OFF OF THE DIRT – KYLE LARSON AND TYLER REDDICK. WHAT ARE THE COMPARISONS, AS FAR AS CAR CONTROL AND SUCH, AND WHO’S THE BETTER OF THE TWO DRIVERS?“Well, it’s hard to tell. I think Tyler (Reddick) has an incredible amount of car control and talent. I think he knows how to push the car to the extreme limit of it and can manage to make speed with it when the car’s not balanced right. I’ve been really impressed with his demeanor on the radio, too, as far as how he approaches the race. We try to keep it light-hearted, we try to work well together. On the flip side, Kyle Larson, he’s obviously an incredible talent. To see what he’s been doing in the dirt races and stuff like that. Even when he first came into running NASCAR, I was his race engineer for a few years and he has an incredible talent too. I don’t know – I like my man Tyler. He’s got me a championship and several race wins. I’ve really enjoyed working with him, for sure.”
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS HIS POTENTIAL? I THINK HE SURPRISED PEOPLE IN THE XFINITY SERIES. HE WENT IN THERE AND WAS NOT THE FAVORITE, NECESSARILY, THE FIRST OR EVEN PERHAPS THE SECOND YEAR AND JUST STOLE THE CHAMPIONSHIP BOTH TIMES. “I wouldn’t say he necessarily stole it the second time. I feel like him, Christopher (Bell) and Cole (Custer) put on a great race there. Those three battled hard at the end of that race. The first year, I think Tyler – his first full-time year in the Xfinity Series – he’s come a long ways. If you watched the last couple of years, he’s come a long ways from when he first started in the Xfinity cars. He was always really fast, but sometimes he’d overstep his limits, tear up a lot of equipment and things like that. I think in the last year or two, you have kind of seen him grow out of that phase of his racing career and really focused on studying the races, understanding when to push the car and when not to. I think that’s one of the things that’s really helped him in the past year or two and I think you’re kind of seeing that roll over into the Cup Series this season.”

Second GT3 Academy session focused on set-up and electronics
Mixed track conditions provided experience with Acura NSX GT3 Evo vehicle systems, including traction control
NSX GT3 Champions Mario Farnbacher and Kyle Marcelli served as coaches
Lexington, OH (July 29, 2020) – The second of four planned 2020 HPD GT3 Driver Academy events took place last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with drivers Taylor Hagler, Jacob Abel, Dakota Dickerson and Karl Wittmer taking part in the two-day training session, utilizing the Acura NSX GT3 Evo. This second Academy event focused on understanding vehicle electronics, and interaction with team engineering personnel.
The Mid-Ohio location, near the Acura Performance Manufacturing Center that produces the NSX production car along with the frame and engine for the NSX GT3 Evo race car, offered a unique opportunity for the drivers to visit the PMC factory prior to commencing events on track. The NSX, designed with competition in mind, has proven to be a capable foundation for the championship winning NSX GT3 Evo, and its Ohio-built space frame chassis is nearly unmodified for the racing. Academy drivers could view the chassis being built and met the Acura associates that build (and repair) the racing cars.
“This past week was filled with activities and experiences that you rarely get as a race car driver,” noted JAbel. “Wednesday evening, we had the chance to pick the brains of some very experienced engineers in Ryan McCarthy and Jim Pattin. This was a very informative meeting as drivers typically do not have the opportunity to do this during the hustle and bustle of a race weekend or test.”
Once at the race track, the Academy drivers set sights on gaining knowledge and track time. The mixed wet and dry conditions over the two days offered ample opportunity to experience the NSX GT3 Evo’s traction control systems and wet weather handling. The four drivers all improved their times throughout the event.
Hagler noted that “the weather conditions at Mid-Ohio were fairly rainy, and it allowed me to see how well the Acura NSX GT3 Evo performed in those conditions. I also learned a lot about the relationship between engineer and driver; and the best way to effectively communicate about the car. Mario [Farnbacher] and Kyle [Marcelli] were very helpful and gave us great guidance throughout the two days.”
The Academy instructors for this event included two current NSX GT3 Evo drivers and series’ champions: Farnbacher, winner of the IMSA GTD title in 2019; and reigning SRO GT champion Marcelli. As with the first event at Road Atlanta, one instructor set baseline laps in the race car and assisted with video reviews, while the other provided insight into data analysis and the information it reveals.
In addition, Meyer Shank Racing Team Engineer Ryan McCarthy was on-hand to explain how proper communication and feedback assist the team in vehicle set up and race strategy.
“It felt great to get back into the Acura NSX GT3 Evo for the second event of the HPD Academy. We got a mix of wet, damp, and dry conditions around a challenging circuit; which was great to experience in such a short time frame, said Dickerson. “The off-track side of the program has also been invaluable. Working with the Racers Edge Motorsports and Acura Motorsports engineers has certainly added to my knowledge of the technical side of racing. I’m really excited to get to the next event to continue our progress!”
The two days went by quickly, focusing on a series of vehicle setup adjustments that allowed the drivers to feel what these changes do with the car, and understand how it can benefit in various track conditions and driving styles.
“Mid-Ohio was interesting in terms of the weather, and positive in terms of the progression made as both a team, and a driver. Rain was present throughout most of the testing, which forced us to react quickly while driving, and to really utilize the technology the Acura NSX GT3 EVO has to offer,” said Wittmer. “It’s incredible how advanced this car is at providing direct feedback to the driver, allowing us to adapt fast to the changing conditions. I learned a lot about the car, on and off track, especially in the Engineering and Communications Departments. It was a very positive test week, and I’m definitely looking forward to our next event!”
The successful GT3 Academy on-track sessions were conducted by the Racers Edge Motorsports team, who, with drivers Martin Barkey and Marcelli, captured the 2019 SRO World Challenge GT Pro/Am Drivers’ Championship in the Acura NSX GT3 Evo.
For more on the HPD GT3 Academy, go to: https://hpd.honda.com/Articles/Acura-Motorsports/HPD-Racing-Academy
About Acura Motorsports
Acura Motorsports programs have been integral to the Acura brand since its launch in 1986. The rich legacy of Acura sports car racing includes the 1991, 1992, and 1993 IMSA Camel Lights manufacturer/driver championships, and the 2009 American LeMans manufacturer, driver, and team championships in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Acura currently campaigns the ARX-05 DPi with Team Penske in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and won the team, manufacturer, and driver championships in 2019. The NSX GT3 Evo, available through HPD for North American customers, won multiple championships in 2019 in both the IMSA and SRO World Challenge series.

July 30, 2020

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway hoping to put some recent bad luck behind them in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301.

DiBenedetto and the No. 21 team ran in the top 10 – and often in the top five – throughout the month of July but the overall results of those four races don’t reflect that.

They did get a third-place finish at Kentucky Speedway but a wreck on the last lap at Indianapolis, contact with a driver trying to make a sudden move to pit road at Texas and being swept up in a multi-car crash at Kansas left DiBenedetto and the team thinking about what might have been had their luck been better.

DiBenedetto remains in contention to be one of the 16 drivers who start the Playoffs, which begin after seven more regular season races. That quest begins anew on Sunday at New Hampshire, where DiBenedetto finished fifth last year driving for his previous team.
 
Eddie Wood said he’s optimistic about the prospects for his family’s race team.
 
“We’ve had some unfortunate things happen the last couple of weeks,” he said. “We hope to turn that around beginning this weekend at Loudon.”
 
Wood said DiBenedetto and the team are in a good place when it comes to performance.
 
“They have speed, which is the most important thing,” he said. “Matt’s been doing a great job behind the wheel, especially on restarts where he really stands out.

 “Greg [Erwin] has been making good calls from the pit box, and the crew has been solid on pit road.
 
“We just need to get to the end of these races, and we’ll wind up where we need to be in points.”
 
DiBenedetto is 13^th in the points standings and 15^th in the Playoff standings heading into Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, which is set to get the green flag just after 3 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBCSN. 
 

###

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visitwww.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
 

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formedin 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Reigning Pro 2 Champion Jerett Brooks Begins Title Defense with Weekend Sweep

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (July 29, 2020) – It was long overdue, but the 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO is officially underway, and it was worth the wait. The opening weekend of the season kicked things off in the off road hotbed of Southern California, with a doubleheader from Glen Helen Raceway. The OPTIMA Batteries SoCal Shootout Presented by K&N Filters was limited to participants only, and while the presence of fans was certainly missed, the action on the track was as competitive as ever. As an added challenge for the weekend, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series made slight changes to the course layout from Saturday to Sunday, which made the racing even more exciting. All eight classes, from the Pro divisions to the UTVs and Juniors, saw exceptional battles all weekend long. After the dust settled on Sunday afternoon it was reigning Pro 2 Champion Jerett Brooks who left the opening weekend brimming with confidence on the heels of the best outing he could ask for to begin his title defense.

The premier Pro 2 class highlighted the opening round of the 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series from Glen Helen Raceway. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Pro 2Saturday All eyes were on the Pro 2 field when the trucks rolled onto the track for the first time in 2020, where reigning champion Jerett Brooks would begin his title defense. Brooks rolled off the line in fourth and would need to do some work to get around polesitter Ricky Gutierrez, former champion Brian Deegan, and perennial contender RJ Anderson. When the field roared to life at the drop of the green Gutierrez was able to maintain his position at the front of the field, leaving his rivals to duke it out for track position. Gutierrez had a comfortable gap in the early laps but a slight bobble allowed Deegan and Brooks to close in, from which Brooks snuck under Deegan to take over second. The champ’s persistence carried him to the rear fender of Gutierrez, where he fought his way into the lead a few laps before the halfway point. When they returned to action for the second half of the race, Brooks put the hammer down and quickly established a cushion over the field. He never looked back and carried on to take an emphatic opening round victory by nearly six seconds over Gutierrez, who captured his first podium result. Deegan completed the podium in third.   Results 1.     #77 Jerett Brooks 2.     #78 Ricky Gutierrez 3.     #38 Brian Deegan 4.     #51 Ryan Beat 5.     #81 Doug Mittag

Reigning Pro 2 champion Jerett Brooks (front) opened the season with an impressive win on Saturday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Sunday After a thrilling race on Saturday, the final race of the weekend on Sunday afternoon was destined to carry the same level of excitement as Brooks chased the weekend sweep. The champ’s ability to do so would be somewhat influenced by his starting spot, where he lined up alongside polesitter Ryan Beat on the front row. When the field charged down the front stretch at the wave of the green it was Beat who emerged with the lead, with Brooks in second. Beat, a Pro 2 rookie and two-time Pro Lite Champion, looked like the veteran that he is leading his first laps in the premier class, where he paced the field through to the halfway point. When racing resumed for the second half Beat came under fire from his fellow Pro Lite titleholder immediately. Brooks attempted to slide under Beat for the lead, but the rookie didn’t flinch. On the following lap Beat pushed wide in the final corner and dug into the cushion, which pushed his right rear tire off the rim. That gave Brooks the opening he needed to seize control of the lead, while Doug Mittag moved up to second. For the second straight day Brooks nailed the setup on his truck and ran away from the field in the closing laps to solidify the weekend sweep by more than four seconds over Mittag, while Beat managed to recover with his first podium result. The near perfect weekend for Brooks allowed him to already establish a double-digit lead in the Pro 2 standings, where he holds a 13-point lead over Beat after two rounds.   Results 1.     #77 Jerett Brooks 2.     #81 Doug Mittag 3.     #51 Ryan Beat 4.     #38 Brian Deegan 5.     #67 Erik Jacobus   Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #77 Jerett Brooks – 110 2.     #51 Ryan Beat – 97 3.     #38 Brian Deegan – 95 4.     #81 Doug Mittag – 93 5.     #78 Ricky Gutierrez – 88

Brooks capped off a dominant start to his title defense by sweeping the weekend doubleheader on Sunday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Pro Lite Saturday  With a vacant title up for grabs, the Pro Lite class is expected to be one of the most competitive divisions in Lucas Oil Off Road, and it lived up to that billing in Glen Helen. On Saturday, a fierce battle at the front of the field saw rookie Mason Prater go door to door with title hopefuls Christopher Polvoorde and Ronnie Anderson. Prater started from the pole and controlled the early laps, but soon both Polvoorde and Anderson applied heavy pressure for the top spot, with Polvoorde pushing his way to the front of the field just before the halfway point. When the second half of the race got underway, Polvoorde was able to put a firm grasp on his hold of the lead, while Prater suffered his first miscue while running second, causing both he and Brock Heger to drop to the tail end of the field. With the field slowed up, Polvoorde proceeded to check out behind the wheel of his new Ford backed truck, cruising to an easy opening round victory more than two seconds ahead of Anderson, while Madix Bailey rounded out the podium in his first start driving a Lucas Oil backed Pro Lite.    Results 1.     #94 Christopher Polvoorde 2.     #52 Ronnie Anderson 3.     #29 Madix Bailey 4.     #59 Jimmy Weitzel 5.     #35 Cole Mamer

Christopher Polvoorde (front) made the first statement of the Pro Lite season with a victory on Saturday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Sunday  With the Saturday victory under his belt, Christopher Polvoorde found himself in a position to sweep the weekend by starting from pole position on Sunday. However, as he attempted to assert himself as the leader on the opening lap Polvoorde over rotated in the second turn and lost valuable track position, which handed the lead over to Cole Mamer. Polvoorde would drop out of the race soon after. With a clear track Mamer was able to build a comfortable lead over the field, which he carried through to the halfway point. When racing resumed, Mamer looked to reestablish his advantage but a hard-charging Brock Heger applied pressure on the top spot. The lead duo stepped up the pace to pull away from the field and as the laps wore down Mamer gradually distanced himself further and further from Heger, eventually taking his first win of the season by three seconds. Madix Bailey capped off a stellar debut weekend in Pro Lite with back-to-back podium results. The win puts Mamer atop the championship standings after two rounds, where he holds an eight-point lead over Bailey.    Results 1.     #35 Cole Mamer 2.     #12 Brock Heger 3.     #29 Madix Bailey 4.     #59 Jimmy Weitzel 5.     #65 Dave Mason Jr. Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #35 Cole Mamer – 103 2.     #29 Madix Bailey – 95 3.     #12 Brock Heger – 93 4.     #94 Christopher Polvoorde – 89 5.     #59 Jimmy Weitzel – 88

Cole Mamer (35) held off all challengers to take his first win of the season on Sunday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Pro Buggy Saturday   After a wild end to the 2019 season, reigning Pro Buggy champion Eliott Watson came into Glen Helen with a target on his back as a lot of challengers were prepared to make a statement during the opening weekend. The first race of the year saw Matthew Brister start on pole alongside Darren Hardesty Jr., with Watson lining up fourth. When the race got underway, Brister was able to take advantage of his track position to grab hold of the early lead. As the field jockeyed for position behind him, Watson was forced to take evasive action and went off course, leaving the No. 1 to fight his way from the back. Out front, Brister continued to build on his lead through the halfway point of the race. When the second half of the race got underway, Brister continued to control the pace out front and went unchallenged through to the checkered flag. He took his first career Pro Buggy win just under a second ahead of Hardesty, who prevailed in an intense battle for the runner-up spot. Watson recovered well from his early excursion to follow in third.    Results 1.     #5 Matthew Brister 2.     #99 Darren Hardesty Jr.  3.     #1 Eliott Watson 4.     #15 Trey D. Gibbs 5.     #7 Dale Ebberts

Matthew Brister (front) broke through for his first career Pro Buggy win on Saturday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Sunday   Matthew Brister’s hope for a weekend sweep faced a stiff challenge from the get go on Sunday, when he lined up third on the grid behind polesitter Trey D. Gibbs and Darren Hardesty Jr. When the green flag waved, Gibbs quickly jumped out to a multi car length lead over Hardesty while Brister slotted into fourth. After making the pass on the No. 1 of Eliott Watson for third, Brister lost traction in the final corner and spun. Out front, Gibbs built a huge lead over the field, while Watson settled into a firm hold of second. Brister, meanwhile, was on a mission back to the front and worked his way up to fourth at the halfway point. When the field roared back to life for the second half of the race, Gibbs was forced to fend off pressure from Watson, while Brister faced even more adversity battling for third as contact with Dale Ebberts sent him off track. The battle for the lead in the closing laps was exceptional, as Gibbs and Watson were never separated by more than a car length. Despite the constant pressure, Gibbs never wavered and held on for his first career win. Brister’s strong start to the season has him atop the Pro Buggy standings over Watson after two rounds.    Results 1.     #15 Trey D. Gibbs 2.     #1 Eliott Watson 3.     #7 Dale Ebberts 4.     #5 Matthew Brister 5.     #74 Brady Whitlock

Trey D. Gibbs (front) made it back-to-back first-time winners in Pro Buggy with his win on Sunday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Turbo UTV & Production 1000 UTV Saturday   With back-to-back Turbo UTV titles under her belt, Corry Weller has been the standard bearer for the division and she found herself in a familiar spot to start the opening race of the season from pole position. As the green flagged dropped she put the pedal to the floor and opened up a comfortable lead over Ronnie Anderson in second, which Weller easily maintained through the halfway point. When the racing resumed, Anderson did well to keep his Polaris RZR on the rear fender of Weller’s Can-Am, which allowed the lead duo to pull away. While Anderson kept Weller honest, the champ was dialed in and she stormed to a Round 1 victory over 10 seconds ahead of Anderson. Chance Haugen finished in third. In Production 1000 UTV, defending champion Robert Stout was unable to compete in Glen Helen, which meant one of his many challengers would have the chance to make the first statement of the 2020 season. In Stout’s absence, Robby Hornsby put himself on pole alongside Myles Cheek. When racing got underway, Cheek jumped into the top spot to open a gap on the field in the early laps. He continued to build on that lead as the battle for second ensued behind him, and was in firm control as the race reached the halfway point. A series of cautions slowed the pace of the race over its second half, but Cheek successfully withstood heavy pressure from former champion Brock Heger on each restart, eventually holding on for a wire-to-wire victory over Heger in second and Hornsby in third. Turbo UTV Results 1.     #1 Corry Weller 2.     #752 Ronnie Anderson 3.     #718 Chance Haugen 4.     #703 Trevor Leighton 5.     #742 Keith Brooks Production 1000 UTV Results 1.     #957 Myles Cheek 2.     #912 Brock Heger 3.     #916 Robby Hornsby 4.     #927 Cody Hodgson 5.     #923 James Price

(Left to right) Corry Weller opened up her Turbo UTV title defense with a Saturday win, while Myles Cheek earned his first career Production 1000 UTV victory. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Sunday   The key to Corry Weller’s success in Turbo UTV has been her ability to start the season off strong. With a dominant win on Saturday she was once again in a position to capture a wave of momentum that she could carry throughout the season. After starting from pole position for Sunday’s race, Weller assumed her familiar spot out front with Ronnie Anderson in tow and cruised through the first half of the race. When they got back racing Anderson made sure to take advantage of the opportunity and made an impressive pass to take the lead. The Polaris RZR driver was able to pace the field for a couple laps, but Weller responded with a savvy pass of her own and checked out to secure a clean sweep of the weekend. She holds a six-point lead over Anderson in the Turbo UTV standings after two rounds. In Production 1000 UTV, Myles Cheek was going to have his work cut out for him in his attempt to take the win on both Saturday and Sunday. Cheek started Sunday’s race in sixth, behind a slew of tough challengers, led by Robby Hornsby on pole. From the moment the green flag waved the jockeying for track position ensued, with both Brock Heger and Cheek making moves forward to join the lead pack. Out front, Hornsby paced the field for a few laps before Heger powered his Yamaha into the front and led the field to the halfway point. When the racing resumed, Heger maintained his strong performance and brought home his first win of 2020 over Cheek. With his consistent weekend Cheek sits as the early Production 1000 UTV point leader, where he holds a slim three-point margin over Heger.   Turbo UTV Results 1.     #1 Corry Weller 2.     #752 Ronnie Anderson 3.     #764 Robert VanBeekum 4.     #703 Trevor Leighton 5.     #715 Jessica Gibbs   Turbo UTV Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #1 Corry Weller – 111 2.     #752 Ronnie Anderson – 105 3.     #718 Chance Haugen – 89 4.     #764 Robert VanBeekum – 89 5.     #703 Trevor Leighton – 88   Production 1000 UTV Results 1.     #957 Myles Cheek 2.     #912 Brock Heger 3.     #916 Robby Hornsby 4.     #974 Dallas Nord 5.     #923 James Price Production 1000 UTV Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #957 Myles Cheek – 104 2.     #912 Brock Heger – 101 3.     #916 Robby Hornsby – 96 4.     #923 James Price – 84 5.     #974 Bronsen Chiaramonte – 80

(Left to right) Corry Weller earned the weekend sweep in Turbo UTV while Brock Heger captured the Sunday win in Production 1000 UTV. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Mod Kart, JR2 Kart & RZR 170 Saturday As the stepping stone into full size vehicles, all eyes are usually on Mod Kart to find the sport’s future stars. Based on the performance put forth by Connor Barry at the opening round, there could be another bright career in the making. Barry had the perfect setup on his kart for the first race of the season and simply dominated Saturday’s race, leading every lap en route to his first win. JR2 Kart has also emerged as a proving ground for up-and-coming young drivers, and that was on full display during Saturday’s race. After starting from the pole, Dane Culver looked to be the driver to beat as he successfully maintained a hold on the top spot despite constant pressure from both Brodie Martin and Rhyan Denney. However, on the final lap Culver pushed wide in a corner and it gave his rivals the opening to pounce. Martin moved into the front late and led the only lap that matters to take the first checkered flag of the season.   After an exciting debut season one year ago, the RZR 170 class is already known for its incredibly tight and intense competition. Reigning champion George Llamosas came into Glen Helen in search of more success, but he got a stiff challenge from TJ Siewers in the opening round, where these two budding rivals duked it out over the entirety of the race. Llamosas found a way to rebound from some adversity in the closing laps to make a late pass on Siewers and capture the win.   Mod Kart Results 1.     #528 Connor Barry 2.     #590 Trey Eggleston 3.     #573 Braden Chiaramonte 4.     #514 Brody Eggleston 5.     #577 Ethan Ebert   JR2 Kart Results 1.     #413 Brodie Martin 2.     #460 Rhyan Denney 3.     #401 Dane Culver 4.     #411 Talan Martin 5.     #415 Chaden Zane Minder RZR 170 Results 1.     #188 George Llamosas 2.     #101 TJ Siewers 3.     #102 Ian Torfi 4.     #164 Ryder VanBeekum 5.     #161 Daxton Ruane

(Clockwise from left) Mod Kart’s Connor Barry, JR2 Kart’s Brodie Martin, and RZR 170’s George Llamosas emerged victorious after a highly competitive Saturday in the junior divisions. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Sunday Following his impressive drive on Saturday, Connor Barry had everyone’s attention going into Sunday’s Mod Kart action. Barry started on the front row, but found himself in a heated battle for position as Braden Chiaramonte stormed to the early lead. Barry looked to mount a charge to the front until a flip took him out of contention. That allowed Chiaramonte to continue his dominance out front, where he raced to victory over the Eggleston brothers. The win put Chiaramonte atop the Mod Kart standings, where he holds a seven point lead over Trey Eggleston. With an opening round win under his belt from Saturday, Brodie Martin entered Sunday’s JR2 Kart action with an eye on the sweep. He started the race in third and was able to jump into the lead early, but his time out front was short lived as Logan Leggitt moved out front and controlled the middle of the race. As the laps wound down, Rhyan Denney successfully battled her way into the lead, where she held on to take a big win. The victory moved Denney to the top of the JR2 Kart standings, where she sits 13 points ahead of Dane Culver. After letting a win slip away on Saturday, TJ Siewers entered Sunday’s RZR 170 race looking to rebound, and he did just that. After starting up front, Siewers had a perfect set up for Round 2, which allowed him to dominate the entirety of the race. The youngster led every lap and even held off some late pressure from Ian Torfi and Ryder VanBeekum to take his first win of the season, while George Llamosas quietly finished just off the podium in fourth. Siewers sits atop the RZR 170 point standings after two rounds, where he holds a nine point lead over Torfi.   Mod Kart Results 1.     #573 Braden Chiaramonte 2.     #514 Brody Eggleston 3.     #590 Trey Eggleston 4.     #577 Ethan Ebert 5.     #554 Luke Knupp   Mod Kart Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #573 Braden Chiaramonte – 106 2.     #590 Trey Eggleston – 99 3.     #528 Connor Barry – 98  4.     #514 Brody Eggleston – 93 5.     #577 Ethan Ebert – 91   JR2 Kart Results 1.     #460 Rhyan Denney 2.     #481 Logan Leggitt 3.     #415 Chaden Zane Minder 4.     #497 Jessie Owens 5.     #411 Talan Martin   JR2 Kart Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #460 Rhyan Denney – 108 2.     #401 Dane Culver – 95 3.     #415 Chaden Zane Minder – 90 4.     #481 Logan Leggitt – 89 5.     #411 Talan Martin – 86    RZR 170 Results 1.     #101 TJ Siewers 2.     #102 Ian Torfi 3.     #164 Ryder VanBeekum 4.     #188 George Llamosas 5.     #124 Zoe Easton   RZR 170 Points (Round 2 of 10) 1.     #101 TJ Siewers – 110 2.     #102 Ian Torfi – 101 3.     #188 George Llamosas – 98 4.     #164 Ryder VanBeekum – 94 5.     #161 Daxton Ruane – 87

(Clockwise from left) Mod Kart’s Braden Chiaramonte, JR2 Kart’s Rhyan Denney, and RZR 170’s TJ Siewers brought home the junior class victories on Sunday. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

The 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will return to action in late August with a historic weekend from Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. The anticipated return to the track for the first time since 2018 will feature the series’ first ever tripleheader with three afternoon showcases in the heart of the midwest. The first race of the weekend will take place on Friday, August 21, followed by back-to-back races over the weekend on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23. Tickets for Rounds 3, 4, & 5 are now available, while live streaming coverage of the weekend can be seen on Lucas Oil Racing TV.

Get ready for one of the biggest drag races of the year on SpeedVideo, the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing!  This event combines both the NMRA and NMCA into one event PLUS these sanctioning bodies square off at the end of the event to see which can win the Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing. SpeedVideo will bring all of the action to you LIVE from World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. Existing SpeedVideo subscribers can watch by logging in on SpeedVideo.com. Your account will soon transition to FLORacing. Click here for more info. If you’re not a subscriber, you can subscribe at FLORacing and watch the entire event LIVE this weekend! See below for more details.

The NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl is the biggest race of the season with the best from both organizations ready to square off. Combining the best of both series, NMCA and NMRA will compete head to head. This live stream is brought to you by ARP.

EVENT INFO: NMRA/NMCA SUPER BOWL

Starting on July 23, SpeedVideo and FloRacing will join forces. That’s right! All the best in drag racing you’ve come to know from SpeedVideo combined with incredible dirt track and grassroots motorsports from  FloRacing — LIVE & ON DEMAND. Current SpeedVideo subscribers will soon have complete access to thrilling motorsports action including programming from Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car tour as well as a full schedule of United States Auto Club (USAC), Interstate Racing Association (IRA) events and more! Over 800 racing events every year! If you are a current subscriber, you will continue to login and watch all SpeedVideo races for now. More information about your access to FloRacing is coming soon. If you are new to SpeedVideo and are considering a subscription, you can sign up at FloRacing for an annual membership starting today!

SUBSCRIBE TO FLORACING / SPEEDVIDEO