39-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

39-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
ALABAMA 500
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA
OCTOBER 23, 2016

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TREACHEROUS TALLADEGA NEXT STOP IN CHASE PLAYOFF
Chevrolet Only Manufacturer with Teams Locked into Round of 8 in the Chase

DETROIT – (October 19, 2016) – Treacherous, unpredictable, chaotic – all adjectives that drivers use to describe the bumper-to-bumper, door-to-door, edge-of-the-seat, heart-pounding action at Talladega Superspeedway, the sixth race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase playoff. Increasing the stakes substantially for the 12 drivers currently in championship contention is the most unpredictable race in the Chase which is also an elimination race that will whittle the Chase field down to eight drivers with a shot at the coveted championship trophy. Continue reading 39-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Red Horse Racing–Talladega Preview

Red Horse Racing: Notes & Quotes

Event: fred’s 250
Venue: Talladega Superspeedway
Date: October 22, 2016
Drop Shadow Accent Image
Red Horse Racing at Talladega Superspeedway… In 19 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Red Horse Racing has recorded three wins (Kligerman, 2012, Peters, 2014 and 2015), five top-five and seven top-10 finishes with an average starting position of 15.6 and an average finish of 17.4.

Red Horse Racing in NCWTS History… Since entering NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition in 2005, RHR has logged 512 starts, earning 16 wins, 108 top-five finishes, 225 top-10 finishes and 14 pole awards.

Tifft in the No. 11 at Talladega… Matt Tifft returns to the No. 11 BrainGear/Surface Sunscreen Toyota Tundra at Talladega Superspeedway. Tifft has five starts this season, with a best finish of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. Continue reading Red Horse Racing–Talladega Preview

Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Talladega Superspeedway

Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and leads team owners for the most all-time victories at the storied Alabama-based race track with 12 wins. Dale Earnhardt visited Victory Lane nine times, while Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer swept the 2010 events at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Bowyer added to the Welcome, N.C.-based organization’s total by claiming RCR’s 100th Sprint Cup Series win when NASCAR’s senior series visited the facility in October 2011. In 163 starts, RCR also has four pole awards, 41 top-five, 66 top-10 finishes and has led 1,836 laps of competition.
Continue reading Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Talladega Superspeedway

Giovanni Scelzi Earns Championship During First Year Racing Sprint Cars

Giovanni Scelzi Earns Championship During First Year Racing Sprint Cars

Inside Line Promotions – HANFORD, Calif. (Oct. 17, 2016) – Giovanni Scelzi is a champion in only his first season racing a sprint car.

Scelzi captured the King of Kings title, which served as the track championship at Keller Auto Speedway, following his 10th-place result last Friday.

“It was a goal we set and it feels great to accomplish it,” he said. “We started out the year way stronger than I was thinking and we carried momentum through the year. I felt like we were strong every night and I drove better every single night.” Continue reading Giovanni Scelzi Earns Championship During First Year Racing Sprint Cars

TEAM SUMMIT RACING STILL IN THE LEAD FOR THE NHRA PRO STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAM SUMMIT RACING STILL IN THE LEAD FOR THE
NHRA PRO STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

Ennis, TX (October 16, 2016) – With only two races remaining in the 2016 NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Team Summit Racing drivers Jason Line and Greg Anderson remain first and second respectively in Pro Stock points standings after this weekend’s AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals.

GREG ANDERSON Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS
Anderson qualified second with a 6.579 second, 210.11 MPH pass. He won the first round of eliminations after opponent Erica Enders-Stevens fouled with a -.001 second redlight. Anderson then defeated Allen Johnson in Round Two, 6.623/208.91 to 7.762/124.48. Continue reading TEAM SUMMIT RACING STILL IN THE LEAD FOR THE NHRA PRO STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

FORD GT WINS FUJI! | 1-2 FINISH!

FORD GT WINS FUJI! | 1-2 FINISH!

FUJI, JAPAN, October 17, 2016 – The No. 67 Ford GT, driven by Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell took the checkered flag for Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. Winning the FIA World Endurance Championship Series, 6 Hours of Fuji. The Priaulx / Tincknell duo achieved their first win of the WEC season in dramatic fashion at the Fuji Speedway in the seventh race of the season.

“Your first win for a manufacturer is always special but with everything we’ve been through this season it’s a massive relief,” added Harry Tincknell.

The No. 66 sister car driven by Olivier Pla and Stefan Mücke made it a 1-2 Ford finish. Continue reading FORD GT WINS FUJI! | 1-2 FINISH!

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Emphasizes The Positives Of 14th-Place Finish At Kansas

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Emphasizes The Positives Of 14th-Place Finish At Kansas

October 16, 2016

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion team came on strong at the finish of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway to claim a 14th-place finish. It was the team’s 15th finish of 14th or better in this their rookie season.

Blaney started 17th and ran in the top 15 for much of the race before moving forward as the laps wound down.

He was at his best at the very end, when he passed Tony Stewart then held off Denny Hamlin to take 14th. He was within striking distance of passing Kurt Busch when the checkered flag flew. Continue reading Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Emphasizes The Positives Of 14th-Place Finish At Kansas

Hagan Triumphs Over Capps in Mopar vs. Mopar Funny Car Final at Texas NHRA FallNationals

Hagan Triumphs Over Capps in Mopar vs. Mopar Funny Car Final at Texas NHRA FallNationals

· Pennzoil/Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car driver Matt Hagan defeats teammate Ron Capps in money round at Texas Motorplex near Dallas
· Hagan earns his fourth victory of year, 13th for a Mopar Dodge Funny Car
· NHRA FallNationals features third consecutive and ninth overall all-Mopar Funny Car final of season
· Mopar HEMI®-powered Funny Car driver Capps advances to 100th final round, extends points lead to 64 markers with two races left
· Four Mopar-powered Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Funny Car drivers hold 1-4 spots
· Make-A-Wish Dodge Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. exits early but remains second and very much in hunt for championship
· Jack Beckman in fourth points position after losing to Capps in quarterfinals
· Mopar Top Fuel dragster racer Leah Pritchett qualifies No. 2, falls in second round
· NHRA Sportsman racer James Caro takes Super Stock class win in 2010 Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Continue reading Hagan Triumphs Over Capps in Mopar vs. Mopar Funny Car Final at Texas NHRA FallNationals

NHRA–Dallas

Top Fuel — Antron Brown, 3.744 seconds, 321.12 mph def. Steve Torrence, 3.750 seconds, 323.12 mph.

Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.913, 327.03 def. Ron Capps, Charger, 3.906, 322.19.

Pro Stock — Drew Skillman, Chevy Camaro, 6.661, 209.36 ARP car def. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.708, 208.30.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.880, 196.36 def. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.856, 196.76.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Bradley Thompson, 5.299, 268.17 def. Shawn Cowie, Foul – Red Light.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.527, 236.84 def. John Lombardo Jr., Camaro, 10.104, 98.76.

Competition Eliminator — Keith Hall, Chevy Cavalier, 8.434, 154.83 def. Dick Maris, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.

Super Stock — James Caro, Dodge Challenger, 9.847, 133.33 def. Norvell Bowers, Pontiac Firebird, 10.673, 122.77.

Stock Eliminator — Rusty Hall, Ford Mustang, 10.218, 120.96 def. Bobby Brannon, Chevy Camaro, 10.406, 125.12.

Super Comp — Jeremy Demers, Dragster, 8.912, 176.44 def. Gary Stinnett, Dragster, 8.917, 177.39.

Super Gas — Christopher Best, Chevy Nova, 9.927, 155.54 def. Heidi Robison, Chevy Corvette, 9.939, 166.66.

Super Street — Chase Huffman, Chevy Camaro, 10.979, 120.41 def. Tom Phillips, Pontiac Firebird, 11.050, 140.11.

Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com — Scooter Hampton, Pontiac GTO, 7.178, 190.75 def. Roger Massey, Chevy Cavalier, Foul – Red Light.

Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com — Jeff Koron, Dragster, 6.398, 200.83 def. Danny Nelson, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.

Richard Childress Racing–Kansas

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Coating Materials Team Finish Sixth at Kansas Speedway as They Continue NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase Run

“We wanted a top-five finish today and we missed it by one position, so overall we have to be pleased by our performance in the Dow Coating Materials Chevrolet. We left Kansas Speedway tied for a cutoff position in the Round of Eight and with a chance of making it into the next round of The Chase. We were running that No. 18 car down pretty hard at the end of the race. I’m proud of my guys. They brought me a really good race car. Our plan is to go to Talladega Superspeedway next week, have a good run and we don’t have anything to worry about. We just have to have a good run there. It will be tight all the way down to the wire, but I’m just proud to have this position going into Talladega.”

– Austin Dillon

Paul Menard Battles in FVP / Menards Chevrolet at
Kansas Speedway to Top-20 Finish

“We struggled early on restarts. The pressure in the tires took too long to build on the FVP / Menards Chevrolet and we were on the splitter. Crew Chief Danny Stockman made the correct adjustments and got us firing off better on restarts. The car was good balance-wise on the long run and showed some speed. The guys worked hard on pit road to make the adjustments. However, we never had the track position to make the gains we needed. This just wasn’t the day we wanted here at Kansas Speedway. We will regroup and move on to Talladega Superspeedway.”

– Paul Menard

Ryan Newman Gains Ground In Closing Laps to Record 12th-Place Finish at Kansas Speedway

“We gave it everything we had and got all we could. We had an issue that we had to deal with throughout the race and we dealt with it the best we could. Good news is we think we know what it is. I’m not sure there is a lot we can do about it, but Luke (crew chief – Lambert) and the Caterpillar crew did a nice job for me today. The pit crew was on it and gained me spots on pit road so I cannot thank them enough. It’s good to see Austin up there in the top-10 and contending for a transfer spot in the Chase. Next week is Talladega and we all know, anything can happen there.”

– Ryan Newman

HIGHT RACES TO SEMIFINALS AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

HIGHT RACES TO SEMIFINALS AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

ENNIS, TX — The AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team and driver Robert Hight qualified No. 1 and continued a dominant day at the 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals racing to the semifinals before falling to eventual winner Matt Hagan. Hight made six consecutive 3.8 second runs including the quickest runs of the first two rounds of eliminations today. No driver has started a race with six consecutive elapsed times in the 3.8 range and his qualifying time was the third quickest Funny Car time in NHRA history.

In the opening session Hight rocketed past Brandon Welch with a stellar 3.866 second pass at an astounding 329.99 mph run. Welch went up in smoke on his pass of 5.451 seconds at 133.33 mph. It was the second time Hight had defeated Welch this season. Continue reading HIGHT RACES TO SEMIFINALS AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Race Report: AAA FallNationals

Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Race Report: AAA FallNationals

DALLAS, Tex. (October 16, 2016) – Allen Johnson drove his Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Dodge Dart to the second round of eliminations at the 31st annual AAA FallNationals this weekend at Texas Motorplex.

Starting from the No. 7 spot, Johnson had the opportunity to choose his lane against first round opponent Kenny Delco. Johnson took the Marathon Petroleum Dart to the finish line with a 6.648-second pass at 207.66 mph and turned on the win light over Delco’s 6.683, 207.08.

Second round, Johnson and Greg Anderson matched up head-to-head. As Johnson launched, his car hooked to the left. He tried to recover but when he got close to hitting the wall, he had no other choice other than aborting the run. Johnson clocked in with a 7.762, 124.46 and Anderson’s 6.623, 208.91 advanced to the next round.

“The car pulled hard to the left and I couldn’t get it back into the groove,” Johnson said. “She was about to crash so I lifted.”

“We just can’t seem to get the monkey off our backs,” he added. “We’ll spend the final two races testing for next year and trying to learn some stuff. Of course, we’ll go to the last two and plan on winning both but we’ve got a heck of a long ways to get there.”

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–Post Race

CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP
ROUND 5 OF 10
HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTS
OCTOBER 16, 2016

KEVIN HARVICK TAKES CHEVROLET TO VICTORY LANE AT KANSAS
Chevrolet Locks Second Driver into Round of 8 in the Chase for the Sprint Cup

KANSAS, CITY, Kan. (October 16, 2016) – Kevin Harvick led 74 laps in route to victory in the 267-lap Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. The win is Harvick’s fourth of the season, and second-career victory at Kansas.

By taking home the trophy from the 1.5-mile track, the 40-year old Bakersfield, California native secures his spot in the next bracket of Chase races advancing to the Round of 8. He joins fellow Team Chevy driver Jimmie Johnson as the only two competitors locked into a position in the next segment of the 10-race Chase playoff as the series heads for Talladega Superspeedway. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–Post Race

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Texas–Post Race

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
TEXAS MOTORPLEX AT ENNIS, TEXAS
OCT. 16, 2016

Chevrolet Marches On in Pro Stock with Win in Countdown Round 4

• Drew Skillman rises from No. 9 qualifier to win in Chevrolet Camaro SS
• Pro Stock points race tightens between KB Racing teammates
• Chevrolet teams match 2015 victory total with two races remaining in the season
• No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight leads John Force Racing Funny Car trio to semifinals

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 16, 2016) – Drew Skillman might make a fashion statement as he’ll proudly wear the custom-fitted cowboy hat awarded to the winner of the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals all across Indiana. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Texas–Post Race

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–Post Race

CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP
ROUND 5 OF 10
HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
OCTOBER 16, 2016

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 OUTBACK CHEVROLET SS – RACE WINNER
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE TEAM THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO THIS WHEN YOU BACKS ARE AGAINST THE WALL:
“Well the first thing I want to do is thank everybody on the No. 4 team. Everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing, Busch, Mobil 1, ditech, Outback, Chevrolet, Morton Buildings, Bad Boy Buggies, everybody at the Hendrick engine and chassis shops for everything that they do. These races are so hard to win, and these guys are so good at the details. You put their backs against the wall and they get better. Really proud of them.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–Post Race

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Texas–Post Race

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
AAA TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS
TEXAS MOTORPLEX AT ENNIS, TEXAS
POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
OCT. 16, 2016

An interview with Pro Stock winner Drew Skillman, Ray Skillman Racing, Ray Skillman Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS (No. 9 qualifier):

Q: HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS TO YOU?

DREW SKILLMAN: “This is huge for us. What a great day for our Ray Skillman Camaro. We’re just blessed. We were down in the points (eighth) and we rallied. We had a great race car this weekend and have a great team. Everyone at Ray Skillman pitched in to make this happen. It can’t thank enough people. It’s exciting.”

Q: YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT RUNNING DOWN LOW. IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHEVY CAMARO WAS ABLE TO RUN DOWN LOW TODAY?

DREW SKILLMAN: “It did struggle all day; we had one good 60-foot (start) all day. But our team fought and we ended up getting it done.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Texas–Post Race

Second cowboy hat will have to wait for five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Second cowboy hat will have to wait
for five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr.
DALLAS (Oct. 16) — A second cowboy hat for five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will have to wait as the former Dallas winner fell in Sunday’s first round of the 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals.

Each year, the professional class winners of this event are fitted with a custom cowboy hat, a gift that’s become quite coveted by the racers. Coughlin already has one hat in his collection, which he collected after his 2002 victory at Texas Motorplex.

“We gave it all we had,” Coughlin said. “Overnight the guys made some big changes with the motor and the set-up and it was definitely more lively that round. Unfortunately, we didn’t earn another cowboy hat but I did see those hat guys at driver intros and it brought back some great memories.

“Texas is a special state with great fans that appreciate what we do. We always have fun at the Dallas and Houston events. I just wish we could have performed a touch better, but we will not give up.”

On this day, Coughlin and his Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/JEGS.com Dodge Dart race team fell to Granbury, Texas resident Alex Laughlin. It was a decent race but at the top end Coughlin’s 6.658 at 207.21 mph was bettered by Laughlin’s 6.620 at 209.61 mph.

“I missed the tree a touch,” Coughlin said, referencing his .048-second light. “A better reaction time would have made it closer. It felt like I hit it pretty good but numbers don’t lie. Alex was .076 so we had a chance there but he got us at the top end, looked like by about two or three feet.

“The car moved around a little too, which cost us some ET. We’ll just pick up the pieces, go over the data and get ready for Vegas and Pomona. We want to finish strong.”

The NHRA tour takes a weekend off before the penultimate race of the 2016, the Toyota NHRA Nationals, Oct. 28-30, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

No home state luck for Texan Erica Enders as two-time champ ousted early

No home state luck for Texan Erica
Enders as two-time champ ousted early
DALLAS (Oct. 16) — Two-time and reigning Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders was hoping for a taste of home cooking Sunday at the 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals but instead the Spring, Texas native was eliminated early by title contender Greg Anderson at the Texas Motorplex.

The No. 15 qualifier out of 16 cars, Enders was hoping for a big upset of Anderson, a fellow multi-time champion ranked second in the world at the moment. Instead, Enders’ fouled out by a scant -.001 seconds, while Anderson took care of business, running 6.607 at 209.46 mph to Enders’ 6.682 at 207.08 mph.

“I figured I’d do all I could at the start and hope he was a little late and we could steal one away from him,” Enders said. “I was a thousandths of a second from perfect but ended up being on the wrong side of that red bulb.

“He obviously had us covered anyway but I ran the pass out just to get the data. There’s always Vegas and Pomona and we have designs on finishing as strong as possible.”

Enders and her Elite Motorsports teammates will enjoy a weekend off before the second-to-last race of 2016, the Toyota NHRA Nationals, which take place Oct. 28-30, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“Even though the results weren’t what we wanted, I still had a great time being here in Texas. I love this state and miss it when I’m not here. Thank you so much to all the fans that stopped by and encouraged us. We’ve had a tough year but I promise big things are straight ahead and we’ll be back better than ever in 2017.”

ROBERT HIGHT QUALIFIES No. 1 AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

ROBERT HIGHT QUALIFIES No. 1 AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

ENNIS, TX – Robert Hight and the AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team secured their 49th career No. 1 and 5th at AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals. This was the second No. 1 for Hight this season and also the second in the past three races. Hight’s quickest run of 3.839 seconds from Friday stood up throughout out the day. On Saturday Hight made two more runs in the 3.8s and will face Brandon Welch in the first round.

The team has been making strides since St. Louis and this weekend they once again picked up qualifying bonus points in three rounds and just missed having one of the quickest runs in the fourth and final round. Continue reading ROBERT HIGHT QUALIFIES No. 1 AT AAA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS

Marathon Petroleum’s Allen Johnson No. 7 at AAA FallNationals

Marathon Petroleum’s Allen Johnson No. 7 at AAA FallNationals

DALLAS, Tex. (October 15, 2016) – Allen Johnson and the Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Dodge Dart team jumped to the No.7 spot after four rounds of competitive qualifying at the 31st annual AAA FallNationals.

On Friday, Johnson opened up qualifying with a stout 6.610-second pass at 209.49 mph. The red, white and blue Marathon Petroleum Dart showed that consistency is the name of the game with a 6.613, 208.88 in Friday’s second session.

Johnson and the Adam Hornberger-led team clocked in with a 6.637, 208.17 in the first session on Saturday. Johnson came to the final session and crossed the finish line with a 6.637, 207.94.

“We ran a new motor configuration today and made a couple good runs to prepare and do a little testing for next year,” Johnson said. “We will probably put the first motor back in tomorrow try to prove a point with this motor. Both motors we ran this weekend at Texas Motorplex are good, we’re just here to find a little more horsepower.”

No. 7 Allen Johnson will pick his lane over No. 10 Kenny Delco tomorrow morning.

“For one, I need to do my job as a driver tomorrow,” he added. “Second, our Marathon Petroleum Dart needs to keep consistent and that’s how we’ll win tomorrow.”

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