DEJORIA TO RACE FORCE’S LEGENDARY NIGHT STALKER SCHEME AT U.S. NATIONALS

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Aug. 2, 2026) – Alexis DeJoria will have a cadre of friends and family cheering her on at the Sept. 4-7 Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals and she’s hoping the Night Stalker tribute paint scheme on her John Force Racing Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car will provide that little something extra to put her in the Indianapolis Raceway Park winner’s circle on Labor Day Monday.

It was 1973 when John Force attempted to make his Funny Car debut in a rear-engine chain-drive entry at Irwindale (Calif.) Raceway. Force named it Night Stalker and created the unique paint scheme based on the 1972 made-for-TV movie starring the late Darren McGavin. It was a less than successful venture but Force went on to win the 2009 Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, running a Night Stalker tribute paint scheme.

“We were at the shop one day and Alexis said the car her dad always loved the most was the Night Stalker,” said Force. “That was the rear-engined, chain-drive car with the driver out front that Jack Chrisman built and that I drove briefly in the early 1970s. The Night Stalker TV movie was big at the time so we painted ‘Night Stalker’ with a caped goblin on the side of it. Alexis loved the idea so that’s the paint scheme her Bandero Café Chevy will be running at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals.”

DeJoria is currently eighth in the point standings and only 34 points out of sixth place going into the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals, the final event of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season. Each round of eliminations will be worth 30 points instead of the standard 20 points.

The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 13 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 938; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 931; 3. Ron Capps, 926; 4. J.R. Todd, 916; 5. Jack Beckman, 864; 6. Austin Prock, 771; 7. Chad Green, 755; 8. Alexis DeJoria, 737; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 615; 10. Spencer Hyde, 610.

Quotes

How was the decision made for you to run the John Force Night Stalker paint scheme from back in the 1970s?

“I was really excited when I found out the other two John Force Racing Funny Cars were doing special liveries and wanted to be part of it. So, I asked if our team could do the Night Stalker paint scheme that was John Force’s very first nitro Funny Car back in the mid-1970s. The Bandero Café car is already black, but it’s just the fact that the Night Stalker is one of the coolest liveries I’ve seen from John Force’s camp. More than anything, I wanted to do it to show support for my new boss and my new team.”

What does it mean to be a Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals Funny Car Champion?

“If there’s one trophy above all that a team wants, it’s the one from the U.S. Nationals. My team and I won the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Nationals and that was special due to that fact that there will never be another 60th. The same can be said of this year’s 75^th.”

What are your memories of winning the 2014 U.S. Nationals?

“The 2014 season was a breakout year for us. Adding the Chevrolet Performance 60th Anniversary U.S. Nationals win was beyond belief, especially winning the final round against none other than the man himself, John Force. It was a daughter/father duo that day, from beating my friend and competitor at the time Courtney Force in the semifinals to beating John in the final. It was a very proud moment to beat the best in front of my family and friends on the biggest stage.”

What are your thoughts on participating in this year’s PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out?

“I’ve been in quite a few of these grudge matches and came close to sealing the deal in 2014. It’s something that’s eluded us but we have a great chance this year to put ourselves in a position to do so this year.”

Appearances

On Sat., Sept. 5, DeJoria will sign autographs at the Cornwell Tools display on the midway from 10-10:30 a.m.; at 11 a.m., she will participate in the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out selection show in the Top Eliminator Club. On Sun., Sept. 6, DeJoria will sign autographs at the Mission Foods display on the midway from 9:30-10 a.m.; at 11 a.m., she will be interviewed on the NHRA Midway Stage with Top Fuel driver Ida Zetterstrom.

Track Schedule

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 4, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 7.

The first round of the Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the semifinals at 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 3:40 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2012 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Jeff Arend	5^th	0-1
2013 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Ron Capps	12^th	0-2
2014 (FC)	Winner	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Blaze Alexander, Courtney Force, John Force	7^th	4-2
2015 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Courtney Force	6^th	4-3
2016 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Del Worsham	10^th	4-4
2017 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Ron Capps	9^th	4-5
2018	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2019	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2020 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Bob Bode	6^th	4-6
2021 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Blaze Alexander, Bob Tasca; lost to Ron Capps	7^th	6-7
2022 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Matt Hagan	10^th	6-8
2023 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Bobby Bode; lost to Cruz Pedregon	3^rd	7-9
2024 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Matt Hagan; lost to Austin Prock	9^th	8-10
2025 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Bobby Bode, Matt Hagan; lost to Jack Beckman	4^th	10-11

Wins: 1 (2014)

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 10-11

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	11	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Spencer Hyde, J.R. Todd; lost to Chad Green	3-1	2
Phoenix	12	Lost Jordan Vandergriff	3-2	6
Pomona1	7	Beat Dave Richards; lost to Ron Capps	4-3	7
Charlotte	5	Won 1^st Quad; lost 2^nd quad	5-4	6
Valdosta	10	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan; lost to J.R. Todd	7-5	6
Chicago	12	Beat Spencer Hyde, Dave Richards, Matt Hagan; lost to Chad Green	10-6	6
Maryland	7	Lost to Ron Capps	10-7	6
Epping	3	Beat Cruz Pedregon; lost to Ron Capps	11-8	7
Bristol	2	Lost to Jordan Vandergriff	11-9	7
Norwalk	2	Beat Blake Alexander, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps	13-10	7
Sonoma	7	Lost to Cruz Pedregon	13-11	7
Seattle	3	Lost to Dave Richards	13-12	8
Brainerd	8	Beat Dave Richards; lost to Jordan Vandergriff	14-13	8

DEJORIA TO RACE FORCE’S LEGENDARY NIGHT STALKER SCHEME AT U.S. NATIONALS

Quotes

How was the decision made for you to run the John Force Night Stalker paint scheme from back in the 1970s?

What does it mean to be a Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals Funny Car Champion?

What are your memories of winning the 2014 U.S. Nationals?

What are your thoughts on participating in this year’s PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out?

Appearances

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2012 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Jeff Arend	5^th	0-1
2013 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Ron Capps	12^th	0-2
2014 (FC)	Winner	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Blaze Alexander, Courtney Force, John Force	7^th	4-2
2015 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Courtney Force	6^th	4-3
2016 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Del Worsham	10^th	4-4
2017 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Ron Capps	9^th	4-5
2018	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2019	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2020 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Bob Bode	6^th	4-6
2021 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Blaze Alexander, Bob Tasca; lost to Ron Capps	7^th	6-7
2022 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Matt Hagan	10^th	6-8
2023 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Bobby Bode; lost to Cruz Pedregon	3^rd	7-9
2024 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Matt Hagan; lost to Austin Prock	9^th	8-10
2025 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Bobby Bode, Matt Hagan; lost to Jack Beckman	4^th	10-11

Wins: 1 (2014)

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 10-11

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	11	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Spencer Hyde, J.R. Todd; lost to Chad Green	3-1	2
Phoenix	12	Lost Jordan Vandergriff	3-2	6
Pomona1	7	Beat Dave Richards; lost to Ron Capps	4-3	7
Charlotte	5	Won 1^st Quad; lost 2^nd quad	5-4	6
Valdosta	10	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan; lost to J.R. Todd	7-5	6
Chicago	12	Beat Spencer Hyde, Dave Richards, Matt Hagan; lost to Chad Green	10-6	6
Maryland	7	Lost to Ron Capps	10-7	6
Epping	3	Beat Cruz Pedregon; lost to Ron Capps	11-8	7
Bristol	2	Lost to Jordan Vandergriff	11-9	7
Norwalk	2	Beat Blake Alexander, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps	13-10	7
Sonoma	7	Lost to Cruz Pedregon	13-11	7
Seattle	3	Lost to Dave Richards	13-12	8
Brainerd	8	Beat Dave Richards; lost to Jordan Vandergriff	14-13	8

###

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HART KNOWS BIG GO IS A MUST DO FOR SPEEDMASTER TEAM

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 2, 2026) – Josh Hart has made it a point in his professional and personal lives to make big dreams come true in big ways and a win for the Speedmaster Top Fuel team in the Sept. 4-7 Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, long known as the Big Go, would be a big way to conclude the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series regular season.

The win would also make a big statement heading into the upcoming six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Hart won back-to-back Top Alcohol Dragster titles at the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals in 2017 and 2018 while his best event finish in Top Fuel is a semifinal appearance in his rookie season of 2021. He sees this year as the opportunity to add his name to the list of Top Fuel winners and he’s been successful over the years in creating success from a strong belief in himself.

The Speedmaster team is seventh in the Top Fuel point standings, just 79 points out of fifth place. The Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals rewards 30 points for each round of eliminations instead of the standard 20 points so the gap to fifth is less than three rounds of competition instead of almost four.

The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after 13 of 20 races are: 1. Doug Kalitta, 1,232; 2. Shawn Langdon, 1,165; 3. Leah Pruett, 974; 4. Antron Brown, 808; 5. Maddi Gordon, 784; 6. Tony Stewart, 753; 7. Josh Hart, 705; 8. Billy Torrence, 655; 9. Justin Ashley, 609; 10. Clay Millican, 540.

Quotes

What are your thoughts on competing in the U.S. Nationals, in general, and more specifically about doing so in NHRA’s 75^th anniversary season?

“I think it’s probably a new plateau for anybody who wins the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals. It’s like a whole new level for their career. The fact that you’re going to be forever in the history books to win at Indy is cool, but to win Top Fuel at the Big Go on the 75^th anniversary is just something one person will ever be able to accomplish.”

What’s the Speedmaster team’s mindset going into the last race of the regular season less than three rounds out of fifth place and earning 1.5x points?

“We definitely need some things to fall in our favor. It’s been a tough season but I’m confident we’re going in the right direction. With the testing that we did in Brainerd, we’re more confident on a warmer track, which should be the case at Indy. We found some things that we needed to adjust and we made those adjustments so I think it will pay dividends going into this race. Being that close to fifth in the point standings and knowing that it’s one last push before it’s in our grasp, we’re definitely going to do everything we can to grab hold of it.”

Is there a common thread that motivates you both professionally and personally that’s allowed you to achieve the success you’ve had in your life and in your business dealings, both on the racetrack?

“When you come from extremely humble beginnings, there are lot of people who try to manage your expectations. People that tell you a dream is just a dream or a goal is just a goal. They can make you feel like it’s not possible. For example, my eighth grade music teacher said, ‘You’ll never be a drummer.’ I prided myself on being the best damn drummer I could possibly be. I told somebody in 2017 that I was going to drive a Top Fuel dragster, maybe even for John Force one day. I remember him just laughing hysterically at me. I sent my first time slip in a Top Fuel car to him in the mail. It’s now come full circle and I do drive for John Force in one of the fastest cars in the world. Anything is possible. I use that motivation in everything I do. I remember when I was starting Burnyzz and everybody just kind of laughed at me, even the family members. They tried to politically manage my expectations and hide behind the notion that they don’t want you to let yourself down. I think that’s complete BS. I think that if you really want it, I am proof that you truly can go out and get anything. Everything in your life is a product of someone else’s imagination. Why can’t it be yours?”

Weekend Appearances

Hart will be signing autographs Sat., Sept. 5, from 10-10:30 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools midway display.

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2021 (TF)	Semi-finals	Beat Buddy Hull, Leah Pruett; lost to Brittany Force	4^th	2-1
2022 (TF)	2^nd round	Beat Doug Foley; lost to Brittany Force	8^th	3-2
2023 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Shawn Langdon	8^th	3-3
2024 (TF)	2^nd round	Beat Tripp Tatum; lost to Clay Millican	12^th	4-4
2025 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Tripp Tatum	8^th	4-5

Wins: 0

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 4-5

***2017 and 2018 U.S. Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster Champion

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	1	Beat Dan Mercier, Tripp Tatum, Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta	4-0	1
Phoenix	10	Beat Justin Ashley; lost to Leah Pruett	5-1	2
Pomona1	2	Beat Cameron Ferre; lost to Tony Stewart	6-2	4
Charlotte	4	Lost in 1st quad	6-3	5
Valdosta	9	Lost to Leah Pruett	6-4	5
Chicago	4	Beat Justin Ashley, Tony Stewart; lost to Shawn Langdon	8-5	5
Maryland	7	Lost to Clay Millican	8-6	5
Epping	3	Beat Rit Pustari; lost to Billy Torrence	9-7	4
Bristol	6	Lost to Doug Kalitta	9-8	6
Norwalk	2	Beat Scott Farley; lost to Clay Millican	10-9	7
Sonoma	8	Lost to Jasmine Salinas	10-10	7
Seattle	1	Bye, beat Tony Stewart; lost to Leah Pruett	12-11	7
Brainerd	10	Lost to Tony Stewart	12-12	7

HART KNOWS BIG GO IS A MUST DO FOR SPEEDMASTER TEAM

The win would also make a big statement heading into the upcoming six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Quotes

What are your thoughts on competing in the U.S. Nationals, in general, and more specifically about doing so in NHRA’s 75^th anniversary season?

What’s the Speedmaster team’s mindset going into the last race of the regular season less than three rounds out of fifth place and earning 1.5x points?

Weekend Appearances

Hart will be signing autographs Sat., Sept. 5, from 10-10:30 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools midway display.

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2021 (TF)	Semi-finals	Beat Buddy Hull, Leah Pruett; lost to Brittany Force	4^th	2-1
2022 (TF)	2^nd round	Beat Doug Foley; lost to Brittany Force	8^th	3-2
2023 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Shawn Langdon	8^th	3-3
2024 (TF)	2^nd round	Beat Tripp Tatum; lost to Clay Millican	12^th	4-4
2025 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Tripp Tatum	8^th	4-5

Wins: 0

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 4-5

***2017 and 2018 U.S. Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster Champion

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	1	Beat Dan Mercier, Tripp Tatum, Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta	4-0	1
Phoenix	10	Beat Justin Ashley; lost to Leah Pruett	5-1	2
Pomona1	2	Beat Cameron Ferre; lost to Tony Stewart	6-2	4
Charlotte	4	Lost in 1st quad	6-3	5
Valdosta	9	Lost to Leah Pruett	6-4	5
Chicago	4	Beat Justin Ashley, Tony Stewart; lost to Shawn Langdon	8-5	5
Maryland	7	Lost to Clay Millican	8-6	5
Epping	3	Beat Rit Pustari; lost to Billy Torrence	9-7	4
Bristol	6	Lost to Doug Kalitta	9-8	6
Norwalk	2	Beat Scott Farley; lost to Clay Millican	10-9	7
Sonoma	8	Lost to Jasmine Salinas	10-10	7
Seattle	1	Bye, beat Tony Stewart; lost to Leah Pruett	12-11	7
Brainerd	10	Lost to Tony Stewart	12-12	7

###

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BECKMAN WANTS ANOTHER “PINCH ME” MOMENT AT U.S. NATS

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 2, 2026) – Last week Jack Beckman helped unveil the John Force 1996 championship tribute paint scheme the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car will carry during the Sept. 4-7 Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals and this week at Indianapolis Raceway Park his goal is to maintain the paint scheme’s perfect race record.

Force won the 1996 NHRA Finals with the now iconic black-and-white flame job scheme to cap the greatest season in modern NHRA Funny Car competition, accumulating 13 event wins, 16 final-round appearances, 13 No. 1 Qualifier spots and 65 round wins in eliminations. Beckman wants to add another win with the paint scheme to maintain its perfect 2-0 record.

Beckman earned NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car titles in 2015 and 2020 and four of the Funny Car special races (2007, 2013, 2015, 2017) currently named the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out.

The PEAK SQUAD is currently fifth in the Funny Car point standings heading into the regular season finale, 62 behind J.R. Todd in fourth and 84 to Matt Hagan in first. The Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals awards 30 points per eliminations round instead of the standard 20 point per round.

Quotes

What does it mean to you to be competing not only in the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, but during the NHRA’s 75th anniversary?

“When I was out from the end of 2020 through more than half of the 2024 season, it wasn’t lost on me that the NHRA 75th anniversary was coming up and I wasn’t going to be a part of it as a competitor. So, just to be a part of it is a huge deal for me. I still, even as an adult, have a lot of ‘pinch me’ moments. Standing in Monument Circle in Indy last week, rolling back the car cover with Brian Bohlander of PEAK to unveil the car that represents the most dominant season in modern Funny Car racing was one of them. We turned the time machine back 30 years to a car that was specifically painted to run one race to celebrate John Force’s sixth championship. Fast forward 30 years and PEAK has chosen this race to celebrate John’s history. The throwback scheme looks virtually identical to the 1996 car but this one says ‘John Force 16-time Champion’ down the side. To be standing next to John while the media is capturing this unveiling, that was a ‘pinch me’ moment. I’m going to roll out for Q1 while John’s standing behind the car watching me. I don’t think the term ‘pinch me’ even comes close to describing what that means to me.”

How special are your two Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car titles (2015, 2020)?

“In 2015, I had one of the best weekends you can ever have in Funny Car. I won the Shootout and I won the U.S. Nationals. It just doesn’t get any better than that. In 2020, I got my second U.S. Nationals win driving the Infinite Hero car, like a was in 2015, a program that changed a lot of injured veterans’ lives. John Force Racing wasn’t there because they sat out the latter part of the truncated 2020 season due to COVID. It was still a damn tough field of Funny Cars. And then I didn’t have a ride in 2021 and thought that was it. So, if we can close the deal this year and put that car back in its second winner’s circle in just the second time that scheme’s ever been run would be a fairy tale weekend.”

How have you had such great success in the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car special races, regardless of what they’re called?

“I’ve been super fortunate. I’ve won four of the shootout races in my career (2007, 2013, 2015, 2017). I’ve only been in six or seven of them but I’ve had really good success when I have. You could say we go in as the prohibitive favorite but really there are eight good cars competing. It’s going to be a little bit of strategy because two of the three rounds will be during qualifying. There are 23 Funny Cars showing up to qualify at Indy and we have got to get in the show. The perfect scenario is we’ll unload Friday night with probably the best track conditions we’ll have and put that PEAK tribute car on the pole. You can then cross off qualifying and focus on the Call Out. Our first goal is to win the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals and the first step for that is qualifying solid. Once we cross that off, our next goal is to win the Funny Car Call Out on Sunday.”

Weekend Appearances

On Sat., Sept. 5, Beckman will sign autographs from 10-10:30 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools midway display and, at 11 a.m., will participate in the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out event at the Top Eliminator Club. On Sun., Sept. 6, he will sign autographs from 9:30-10 a.m. at the Mission Foods midway display.

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2005 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Tony Schumacher	16^th	0-1
2006 (FC)	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2007 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Scott Kalitta; lost to Mike Ashley	3^rd	1-2
2008 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Ashely Force, Cruz Pedregon, Melanie Troxel; lost to Robert Hight	10^th	4-3
2009 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Mike Neff	14^th	4-4
2010 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Tim Wilkerson, Melanie Troxel; lost to Ashley Force Hood	7^th	6-5
2011 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Paul Lee; lost to Matt Hagan	5^th	7-6
2012 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Todd Lesenko	2^nd	7-7
2013 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Chad Head, Jeff Arend, Tim Wilkerson; lost to Robert Hight	8^th	10-8
2014 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Blake Alexander	2^nd	10-9
2015 (FC)	Winner	Beat Bob Bode, Ron Capps, Del Worsham, Robert Hight	1^st	14-9
2016 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Dave Richards	2^nd	14-10
2017 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Tommy Johnson Jr, Del Worsham; lost to R. Capps	5^th	16-11
2018 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Courtney Force	11^th	16-12
2019 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Justin Schriefer, Bob Tasca, J.R. Todd; lost to J. Force	1^st	19-13
2020 (FC)	Winner	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Ron Capps, Tim Wilkerson, J.R. Todd	7^th	23-13
2021	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2022	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2024 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Dale Creasy Jr., Cruz Pedregon; lost to Ron Capps	3^rd	25-14
2025 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Justin Schriefer, Paul Lee, Alexis Dejoria; lost to Austin Prock	1^st	28-15

Wins: 2 (2015 & 2020)

No. 1 Qualifiers: 3 (2015, 2019 & 2025)

Event Record: 28-15

2026 Results

BECKMAN WANTS ANOTHER “PINCH ME” MOMENT AT U.S. NATS

Beckman earned NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car titles in 2015 and 2020 and four of the Funny Car special races (2007, 2013, 2015, 2017) currently named the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Call Out.

Quotes

What does it mean to you to be competing not only in the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, but during the NHRA’s 75th anniversary?

How have you had such great success in the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car special races, regardless of what they’re called?

Weekend Appearances

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2005 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Tony Schumacher	16^th	0-1
2006 (FC)	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2007 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Scott Kalitta; lost to Mike Ashley	3^rd	1-2
2008 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Ashely Force, Cruz Pedregon, Melanie Troxel; lost to Robert Hight	10^th	4-3
2009 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Mike Neff	14^th	4-4
2010 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Tim Wilkerson, Melanie Troxel; lost to Ashley Force Hood	7^th	6-5
2011 (FC)	2^nd round	Beat Paul Lee; lost to Matt Hagan	5^th	7-6
2012 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Todd Lesenko	2^nd	7-7
2013 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Chad Head, Jeff Arend, Tim Wilkerson; lost to Robert Hight	8^th	10-8
2014 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Blake Alexander	2^nd	10-9
2015 (FC)	Winner	Beat Bob Bode, Ron Capps, Del Worsham, Robert Hight	1^st	14-9
2016 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Dave Richards	2^nd	14-10
2017 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Tommy Johnson Jr, Del Worsham; lost to R. Capps	5^th	16-11
2018 (FC)	1^st round	Lost to Courtney Force	11^th	16-12
2019 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Justin Schriefer, Bob Tasca, J.R. Todd; lost to J. Force	1^st	19-13
2020 (FC)	Winner	Beat Cruz Pedregon, Ron Capps, Tim Wilkerson, J.R. Todd	7^th	23-13
2021	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2022	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2024 (FC)	Semi-finals	Beat Dale Creasy Jr., Cruz Pedregon; lost to Ron Capps	3^rd	25-14
2025 (FC)	Runner-up	Beat Justin Schriefer, Paul Lee, Alexis Dejoria; lost to Austin Prock	1^st	28-15

Wins: 2 (2015 & 2020)

No. 1 Qualifiers: 3 (2015, 2019 & 2025)

Event Record: 28-15

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	9	Lost to Jordan Vandergriff	0-1	11
Phoenix	2	Lost to Daniel Wilkerson	0-2	10
Pomona1	8	Beat Jim Campbell; lost to J.R. Todd	1-3	10
Charlotte	6	Advanced Rounds 1 & 2; runner-up to Ron Capps	3-4	8
Valdosta	11	Lost to Matt Hagan	3-5	8
Chicago	1	Beat Chris King; lost to Matt Hagan	4-6	8
Maryland	1	Beat Joe Morrison, J.R. Todd, Jordan Vandergriff; lost to Austin Prock	7-7	7
Epping	2	Beat Phil Burkart Jr., Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, Jordán Vandergriff	11-7	5
Bristol	3	Beat Jeff Arend; lost to Daniel Wilkerson	12-8	5
Norwalk	4	Beat Spencer Hyde, Daniel Wilkerson, Austin Prock; lost to Ron Capps	15-9	4
Sonoma	2	Beat Jeff Arend, Cruz Pedregon; lost to Daniel Wilkerson	17-10	3
Seattle	2	Beat Tim Gibbons, Cruz Pedregon; lost to Austin Prock	19-11	2
Brainerd	6	Lost (DQ) to Chad Green	19-12	5

Uncategorized

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ON THE LINE FOR CORNWELL TOOLS TEAM

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 2, 2026) – The conclusion of last year’s Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals left Jordan Vandergriff wondering if he’d ever race again but this year finds the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car with every reason to believe he and his team can and will leave with the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car regular season championship.

The 2025 event was the second and final for Vandergriff who filled in for injured Top Fuel driver Shawn Reed. He qualified second but was eliminated in the first round by Kyle Wurtzel. He got out of the car at the top end wondering if he’d ever get back behind the wheel.

So far this season, the Cornwell Tools Chevy team has earned two wins (Valdosta, Sonoma), two runners-up (Epping, Brainerd) and three No. 1 Qualifier spots (Epping, Sonoma, Brainerd).

Vandergriff enters the Sept. 4-7 Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals just seven points back of leader Matt Hagan and where each round of eliminations will earn 30 championship points instead of the standard 20 points. Vandergriff finished runner-up to Hagan two weeks ago at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals.

Quotes

What’s your mindset with the regular season championship on the line?

“I think the mindset is that we control our own destiny. One of the Cornwell Tools crew guys, Tristan Norton, said ‘Listen, if we win, we win.’ The points show that whoever’s going to go the farthest is going to win this regular season championship so that’s where we want to be. We want to control our own destiny. If we can just focus on us and win the race, then all those other problems go away and we come away as a regular season champion.”

What are your thoughts now on the decisions you made in the final round at Brainerd that put you in the position you’re now in?

“I think we’re right where we want to be. We were the No. 1 qualifier and we made the final. I’d say those are pretty good stats. It was unfortunate that we didn’t come away with the win but it put us just seven points out of first, which is basically a dead heat. If we had won, we would have been 13 points up or something like that. It’s basically a dead heat between the top four cars. We’ve put ourselves in the conversation and showed we have a strong Cornwell Quality Tools Chevy race car that can compete for the championship. We’re right where we want to be and we’re in control of our own destiny.”

What were your thoughts when you got out of the car after last year’s first-round loss at Indy, which was the conclusion of your two-race opportunity with Shawn Reed Racing?

“Looking back on last year’s Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals, we qualified second but, unfortunately, went out in the first round. I remember getting out of the race car at the top end and putting my stuff in the Suburban and realizing, in that moment, that I didn’t know when the next time I’d be able to drive again. I kind of took a moment for myself, looked back at the race car, looked at the racetrack. I took it all in and said to myself this might be the last time and, if it is, what’s going to happen next? Fast forward a year and I’m so fortunate it wasn’t the last time. I was very fortunate to get the call from John Force to represent Cornwell Quality Tools at the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals and my life has become a good dream scenario.”

What does it mean to you to compete in the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals during the 75th anniversary season?

“As if the stakes couldn’t get any higher, it’s the 75th anniversary of NHRA. It is not only the U.S. Nationals but the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals. This is the granddaddy of them all, and every kid growing up wants to win the U.S. Nationals. People will always refer to you as the U.S. Nationals winner regardless of whatever else they do in their career. I was doing the ESPN announcing last year and Justin (Ashley) won and I said to him, ‘Now we will forever refer to you as the U.S. Nationals winner.’ And now I want to be referred to as a U.S. Nationals winner. It means everything. It’s our Super Bowl. It’s our Daytona 500. It’s the U.S. Nationals. It’s the Big Go! If people say it doesn’t mean more, they’re lying to you. It means more and I want it.”

Weekend Appearances

On Sat., Sept. 5, Vandergriff will be signing autographs at the following locations: 9:30-10 a.m. at the Mission Foods midway display; 10-10:30 at the Cornwell Tools midway display; and 11-11:30 with John Force at the John Force Racing merchandise trailer on the on the midway.

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2019 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Antron Brown	11^th	0-1
2020	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2021	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2022	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2024	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2025 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Kyle Wurtzel	2^nd	0-2

Wins: 0

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 0

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	8	Beat Jack Beckman, John Smith; lost to Chad Green	2-1	4
Phoenix	5	Beat Alexis DeJoria, lost to Matt Hagan	3-2	7
Pomona1	3	Beat Daniel Wilkerson, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps	5-3	5
Charlotte	2	Won 1st quad; lost in 2^nd quad	6-4	5
Valdosta	3	Beat Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde, Hunter Green, Ron Capps	10-4	4
Chicago	10	Lost to Chad Green	10-5	5
Maryland	4	Beat Dave Richards, Chad Green; lost to Jack Beckman	12-6	5
Epping	1	Beat Jeff Arend, Chad Green, J.R. Todd; lost to Jack Beckman	15-7	4
Bristol	13	Beat Alexis DeJoria; lost to Ron Capps	16-8	4
Norwalk	11	Lost to J.R. Todd	16-9	5
Sonoma	1	Beat Jason Rupert, Matt Hagan, Austin Prock, Daniel Wilkerson	20-9	2
Seattle	9	Beat Spencer Hyde; lost to J.R. Todd	21-10	4
Brainerd	1	Bye, beat Alexis DeJoria, J.R. Todd; lost to Matt Hagan	24-11	2

REGULAR SEASON TITLE ON THE LINE FOR CORNWELL TOOLS TEAM

So far this season, the Cornwell Tools Chevy team has earned two wins (Valdosta, Sonoma), two runners-up (Epping, Brainerd) and three No. 1 Qualifier spots (Epping, Sonoma, Brainerd).

Quotes

What’s your mindset with the regular season championship on the line?

What are your thoughts now on the decisions you made in the final round at Brainerd that put you in the position you’re now in?

What were your thoughts when you got out of the car after last year’s first-round loss at Indy, which was the conclusion of your two-race opportunity with Shawn Reed Racing?

What does it mean to you to compete in the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals during the 75th anniversary season?

Weekend Appearances

Track Schedule

TV Schedule

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 and 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

Race Results

Indianapolis	Race Result	Round by Round Results	Qualified	Event Record
2019 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Antron Brown	11^th	0-1
2020	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2021	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2022	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2024	Did Not Compete	N/A	N/A	N/A
2025 (TF)	1^st round	Lost to Kyle Wurtzel	2^nd	0-2

Wins: 0

No. 1 Qualifiers: 0

Event Record: 0

2026 Results

Event	Qualify	Round by Round	Round Record	Points Position
Gainesville	8	Beat Jack Beckman, John Smith; lost to Chad Green	2-1	4
Phoenix	5	Beat Alexis DeJoria, lost to Matt Hagan	3-2	7
Pomona1	3	Beat Daniel Wilkerson, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps	5-3	5
Charlotte	2	Won 1st quad; lost in 2^nd quad	6-4	5
Valdosta	3	Beat Jeff Arend, Spencer Hyde, Hunter Green, Ron Capps	10-4	4
Chicago	10	Lost to Chad Green	10-5	5
Maryland	4	Beat Dave Richards, Chad Green; lost to Jack Beckman	12-6	5
Epping	1	Beat Jeff Arend, Chad Green, J.R. Todd; lost to Jack Beckman	15-7	4
Bristol	13	Beat Alexis DeJoria; lost to Ron Capps	16-8	4
Norwalk	11	Lost to J.R. Todd	16-9	5
Sonoma	1	Beat Jason Rupert, Matt Hagan, Austin Prock, Daniel Wilkerson	20-9	2
Seattle	9	Beat Spencer Hyde; lost to J.R. Todd	21-10	4
Brainerd	1	Bye, beat Alexis DeJoria, J.R. Todd; lost to Matt Hagan	24-11	2

###

Uncategorized

Chevy racing–NASCAR–Darlington Advance

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Darlington RacewaySeptember 5-6, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet’s championship title-defending campaign in the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series begins this Labor Day weekend as the sport heads to the historic venue tapped as “The Track Too Tough To Tame” – Darlington Raceway. Saturday night’s Fleetio 200 will launch the nine-race O’Reilly Series postseason schedule, while Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 kicks off the Cup Series’ 10-race run towards the coveted Bill France Cup. After a Daytona finale that reshuffled both fields, Chevrolet rolls into Darlington with a heavy contingent of title contenders across both series.

FIVE TEAM CHEVY DRIVERS SET FOR CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLEWith the 16-driver field officially complete, Chevrolet will send five drivers into battle for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Among those includes a pair of past champions, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, with the duo leading the manufacturer into the postseason seeded in the seventh and eighth positions, respectively. Spire Motorsports, who is on the brink of their first-ever postseason appearance, will have two drivers in the title hunt with Daniel Suarez (11th) and Carson Hocevar (12th). Rounding out the Team Chevy lineup is the 13th seed, William Byron, who is set to embark on his eighth consecutive trip to the postseason.

CHEVROLET HITS DOUBLE-DIGITS IN THE O’REILLY CHASEA record season for Chevrolet in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is only just beginning as the manufacturer hit a near takeover of the postseason lineup. Ten of the 12 drivers who qualified for the nine-race Chase are Chevrolet-powered – headlined by JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, who enters as the No. 1 seed and a championship favorite after a career-high six-win regular season. His teammate, Carson Kvapil, enters second after wins at Indianapolis and Iowa. Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love and Austin Hill hold down the fourth and fifth seeds, while Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed – now fielding Chevrolet’s after the organization’s manufacturer switch this season – rounds out the top-three. The Hendrick-backed rookie Corey Day and JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith also transferred into the Chase prior to the regular season finale, entering their championship campaigns seeded seventh and eighth, respectively. Viking Motorsports’ Parker Retzlaff (ninth) and Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer (10th), who entered Daytona holding down provisional transfer spots, both raced their way into the field to give Chevrolet nine of the top-10 seeded positions. One Chevrolet driver in particular delivers on the promise of last week: Rajah Caruth. Trailing the Chase cutline by 15 points entering Daytona, the young Team Chevy driver went on to score his first career O’Reilly Series pole and positioned himself in winning contention through much of the race. Despite a late-race spin that cost him a shot at a big finish, a strong points effort in the first-two stages was enough to lift the rookie into the 12th and final Chase seed – capping a solid first full-time season split across two different Chevrolet organizations.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Darlington Raceway:     Kyle Larson – one win (2023 Southern 500)William Byron – one win (May 2023)

·        In 130 NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 44 victories. In nine events in the series’ Next Gen era, Chevrolet has earned three victories – recorded in consecutive events by Erik Jones (Sept. 2022), William Byron (May 2023) and Kyle Larson (Sept. 2023).

·        With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.

·        In 169 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 73 victories – a winning percentage of 43.2%.

·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.

·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 887 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup SeriesCook Out Southern 500Sunday, Sept. 6, at 5:00 p.m. ETUSA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesFleetio 200Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhere does Darlington rank on your list of tracks?“Darlington is my favorite track. I’m very honest about that. I just love it so much. It’s a very challenging track and you have to hit your marks every single time. I want to win there so, so bad. I got the win in the Truck Series in 2024 and that was very special, but man, I really want a Cup win.” How do you like having the longer practice sessions?“I think it’s great. I know as a driver, I love making laps. I still am a fan, but when I was a strictly a fan and not a driver in the series, I loved watching cars on track. So 12-year-old Ross would be pumped to see cars on the track more for practice. As a driver, I think it’s great for us and it’s really great for the younger guys who don’t have much experience in Cup. With testing so limited, these extra few minutes everyone is getting is huge for race preparation.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat is the most challenging part of Darlington Raceway? “Probably just taking care of your stuff, taking care of tires, not stepping over the edge, and then you have to be on the edge to be fast, so it’s like a knife edge. You got guys that are going to run right against the fence, you got guys who are on the bottom, but there’s pace on both of those at different times of the race. You got to be comfortable switching lanes.” What is the physical toll of racing at Darlington, and how demanding is it on you as a driver? “The precision that it takes, you’ll find yourself at times right up against the wall. Other times you’re underneath people in turn 4, which gets really tight. The bumps off of (turn) 4, you really have to stay on your game because one slip can knock you out of the race and put you in a bad position. You’re dancing the whole time on the edge of the intensity levels of what it takes to be good at Darlington.” Talk about racing at Darlington Raceway and how much emphasis you place on that race?“Darlington is a place that you’re constantly fighting the track. The track changes with temperature, and the Southern 500 is a race where you’ve just got to work at every lap. You try and work your way to the top, and at times you can come off of it and work different lanes. It gets really tight off of turn 4. But it’s a really cool race because it’s so long, and its grueling and everyone wants to win the Southern 500.” You’ve won two Crown Jewel races. What would it mean to you to win this one?“It would be really cool to win the Southern 500 with the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet. We’ve won a couple of big races – the Coke 600 and Daytona 500 – and the Southern 500 is kind of the three that you would really like to get. I would love to bring home that trophy and it would be an epic game changer for us this year.” How different is Darlington Raceway now compared to a couple of years ago when you finished second in the Southern 500?“It’s not much different. I think the car is the biggest thing. We’ve come a long way with the Next Gen car and it takes a little something different. So hopefully we hit on that with the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet and go have some fun.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow are you feeling heading into Darlington?“I’m really proud of my team and the work we’ve put in to get to this point. To start The Chase at Darlington, we have some good notes from the spring and a solid notebook to build from. The night race is always a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the track changes as the sun goes down. It’s supposed to be pretty hot, so I think the track is going to be tough on tires, which will make tire management a priority. Hopefully, we can take what we learned in the spring, make the right adjustments throughout the night, and put ourselves in a good position to start The Chase strong.” Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletWhat are your thoughts on Darlington?“Darlington is one of those tracks that is so much fun to drive, but the race is also one of the longest inside the car. I just love racing against the racetrack there—the Lady in Black. It’s so tough, it’s such a challenge, and you always feel like as a driver you can make an extra difference at that racetrack. And it’s been one of the tracks that [I’ve] had some good results at too.” What is racing at Darlington like?“Darlington is one of the top two tracks on my list with Bristol. I love going to Darlington and how you feel like you’ve gone back in time with the old school track and old school vibe. It’s nice to go back to a track for the second time. It’s one of our longest races, and conditioning, especially in this late summer heat, is going to be a lot. I’m looking forward to it and have a lot of high hopes and confidence going into this weekend.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing ChevroletThey call Darlington Raceway “The Lady in Black” and “The Track Too Tough to Tame” for a reason. What do you think about going back there with your crew chief Trent Owens?“We’re going back to my crew chief’s (Trent Owens) home track for the second time this season. I’m very lucky to have Trent as my crew chief for many reasons and I feel like we’ve become really good friends over the last year and a half. When Chris Rice and I were talking at the start of the Cup program, when Justin (Haley) was full-time, about who we should get, he said I had the chance to get Trent. I’d worked with Trent at the 47 (formerly JTG Daugherty Racing), especially when he was with (Chris) Buescher, and I got to work with him for the last 10 races when I was there. I just thought he was so good. We had a great run at Darlington last August and finished fifth, but we had a difficult time earlier this year. We’ll do our best this weekend to get out of there with a respectable finish.”

Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat are your thoughts entering your first Southern 500? “I have run a Cup race at Darlington before, but the package we are racing this weekend is completely different so I’m not sure there is much to transfer over. We have more horsepower and a smaller diffuser. It’s the package we’ve been running at tracks like Richmond, Iowa, and Nashville, so we have a base knowledge of what to expect. I think this package is going to play into my hands better though. You can still get tight in dirty air or get loose but it’s not as aggressive. It cuts it probably in half of how bad the dirty air is. If our Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet is good enough, we should be able to drive up through the field, especially with the tire fall-off. Even though the package is different, Darlington is still Darlington to me. How you approach the racetrack is going to be the same as the O’Reilly (Auto Parts Series) car, so that should be a positive. I’m pretty excited about it.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“We’re coming off a strong fifth-place finish at Daytona, so we want to carry that momentum into Darlington. It’s always a tough place, but we’re looking forward to the challenge and having Ram Self Storage back on the No. 47 Chevrolet. Hopefully we can put together another solid run.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing ChevroletDarlington is known as the track “Too Tough To Tame.” What makes it so tough?“You’ve got a very old racetrack, high banking, high commitment, just running up super close to the wall in both corners of the track. So to be able to qualify well there, you basically hold your breath for a lap and a half. During the race, when you’re side-by-side with low grip and high commitment, things just happen super quick, especially coming off of turn two. And then the tire degradation – even 10, 15 laps into a run, you feel like you’ve been out there for 100 laps. To stay committed and have the focus you need to hit your marks lap after lap at Darlington is hard. And especially with an extra 100 miles compared to the spring race, it makes for a very tough race.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow do you maximize the momentum from Daytona heading into The Chase as a driver who is not eligible for the title?“Daytona was a much-needed result for us. The last few weeks have been tough and we aren’t exactly where we want to be this season. Regardless, having two of our Spire Motorsports Chevrolets locked into The Chase is huge for us as an organization. Our No. 71 team wants to win, and that is still our goal while we keep building our notebook and focus on quality results that we can use as building blocks for next season. Darlington, especially the Southern 500, is such a fun race. Managing tires, running the wall, and watching the track transition from day to night makes for a great weekend all the way around. Hopefully, we can carry the momentum from last weekend into the final stretch of the season and finish 2026 strong.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWith The Chase officially under way, does your mindset shift, at all, heading to Darlington and the final 10 races of the season?“I don’t think anything changes for us. We just get to enjoy it. It is Spire Motorsports’ first time as a part of The Chase, and we’ve got two of us in it. Us and the over 200 employees at Spire get to enjoy, have fun on the journey, and get to go racing for a championship. We are approaching it as we would any other race. Luke (Lambert, crew chief) has a lot of experience in The Chase, and so does Matt McCall (Cup Series Competition Director). No one expected Ryan Newman to make it all the way to Homestead and have a chance in 2014, but they were there, they were competitive, and they did it all with consistency. In that time, the format didn’t reward consistency, and now it does. That’s how we are going to look at it, and we will see how the chips fall while playing the hands we are dealt each week.” Does the Southern 500 have an atmosphere comparable to the other crown jewel events?“For me it does. I enjoy it. First off, I love to rip the fence at Darlington. Then as the run goes on, you really struggle as the tires wear out and you are just trying to hang on. A lot of my friends go to that one just because of the eye candy of the track. You have the old school feel, but you add in the sunset throughout the opening portion of the race, then pure under-the-lights racing for the second half. I think the track suits the nighttime racing more than the daytime, and the place always gets packed out for this one.” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletHow big of a thrill ride is racing at Darlington?“Darlington is definitely high on the fun meter. It took me a little bit to figure it out last year in the O’Reilly series. It was one of the few tracks where I qualified outside the top-10. I remember last year in Stage 1 I was running 20th and I was like man, this is difficult, like just trying to put your car in the right spot as the tires wear and making sure that you’re maximizing what you have. We made one adjustment and the next thing I know we were one of the fastest cars on the racetrack and I was driving through the field. It’s certainly one of the toughest tracks that we go to, probably the toughest, as a driver, just being able to manage your tires. After 30 to 40 laps on a tire run, it’s a handful.” Does the history at Darlington resonate with you?“Darlington has obviously got a lot of history and it’s cool for a guy like me who’s really young to go there and take that all in. You walk across the asphalt and you can tell it’s been around for a while. I definitely enjoy the old school feeling that Darlington has.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletIf somebody had said to you at the start of the year you’d have a shot at making The Chase, what would your reaction have been?“I would have been pretty stoked (laughs). But obviously, you want the whole team to have the opportunity because that means the team is doing well. The reality is that we have struggled a bit, but I’m happy on the No. 97 side, personally, to have matched Ross (Chastain). We know how good he is on the ovals, and I think I’ve made a big jump this year to be able to match him most weeks. And obviously Connor (Zilisch), as well, is a huge talent, so to be comparable to those guys has been really cool for me this year. There’s a lot of hard work going on, but we definitely need to improve if we want to have that opportunity at making it (The Chase) next season.” Despite coming up short of making The Chase, how do you assess the season?“The season is not over yet, but I’m proud that I’m closer to my teammates on ovals. I’ve managed to have a pretty good year. Obviously, I want us to do better as a team, and as team we aren’t quite there yet. But we’ve made good improvement on the ovals, which is important.” What do the next 10 weeks look like for you and the No. 97 team?“I guess we can try things now, take a bit more risk and just have some fun, low stress. But also work to do the best we can and learn more about what we need out of the car at certain tracks and prepare for next season.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEDarlington RacewaySeptember 5-6, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007) 2026 STATISTICS: Wins: 6Poles: 6Laps Led: 1,859Top-Fives: 43Top-10s: 89Stage Wins: 18 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 887 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 772Laps led to date: 258,593Top-fives to date: 4,479Top-10s to date: 9,240 Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date: General Motors: 1,221 Chevrolet: 887 Pontiac: 154 Oldsmobile: 115 Buick: 65 Ford: 854 Ford: 754 Mercury: 96 Lincoln: 4 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467 Dodge: 217 Plymouth: 191 Chrysler: 59 Toyota: 217

Uncategorized

Chevy racing–NASCAR–Darlington–Carson Hocevar

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Team Chevy Driver Quotes September 2, 2026

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR Cup SeriesChase Media DayTeam Chevy Driver QuotesSeptember 2, 2026

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

On the extra noise/attention:“Whether we run good or bad, there always seems to be some sort of talking point. But I enjoy it, I think it’s funny a lot of times. Hopefully it’s entertaining for the fans and TV and everybody. I’d much rather talk about something than nothing.”

On whether he’s changed:“I haven’t really had to change much. I just always think it’s crazy that anybody would buy any merch. At Daytona, I decided I’d go get a Kona Ice and just take my golf cart, and the guys around me were freaking out that I was going to go by myself without security. It doesn’t click that there would be a crowd. I could probably get away with saying some answers now that I wouldn’t have been able to before, so it’s been fun.”

On the incident in the regular season finale race at Daytona: “Everybody I talked to said there’s a lot less downforce on the nose and a lot more lift behind people. Preece even went on podcasts saying it almost happened to him. I’d never gotten loose at a superspeedway in this car before, normally you’re always super stuck. My spotter was laughing, saying it looked like I blew a tire. These cars are super aero-sensitive, and once it got loose, it was over. I moved about 30 feet earlier in the corner, but I wasn’t all the way in the banking to put load on the front. I’d do it the same way all over again, knowing what I knew then, but I’d be a little more aware of it now.”

On the No. 77 team’s mentality heading into the Chase: “Our team moral or motto is we’re playing with house money. Luke (Lambert) and Matt McCall were on that 31 team in 2014, and that’s how they approached it, and they finished second. I’m not going to look at the points until the end. They’ll let me know when I walk up at the banquet where I finished.”

On the tracks in the Chase: “The faster tracks are better for us. Talladega is exciting. The most difficult one is going to be Martinsville for us, but all the other ones, we’ve run top-five or top-10. I feel good about them excitement-level wise.”

Inaudible…“I think it’s been healthy for all of them. They’ve been wanting to do that for a long time, and that’s been very good. There’s been a lot of turnaround on the 7 car, so it’s great for the 7 team that they are getting some positive reinforcement.”

On the Days of Thunder 2 Announcement: “That was actually the first time I met him (Tom Cruise). We were trying to line up with his team on when to meet him, and his security guard came and grabbed me and stood me right in front of him. I was talking to the sailors earlier, and they were fans of me. He was going down the line of sailors and kind of glanced over to see if there was another one. He looked back and realized it was me. They were telling me, “When he sees you, he’s going to recognize you. He loves you.” That’s super cool, that’s fun. It’s been super cool to put my input into the movie; give ideas and video clips from real-life moments from the last 20 years that haven’t known have existed.”

On racing for the fans: “I’m a fan myself, and we race for the fans. We appreciate them. I’m thankful my owner lets me do the fun things I do. He appreciates them (fans) just as much as I do. We get to race how I want to race, and that seems to be entertaining. I want to make this journey and Cup thing as fun as I want to make it. If I’m having fun, I think a lot of people enjoy watching me have fun.”

On starting the Chase at Darlington, where he’s had good results: “That helps. I’m excited for that because we started last at that race, too. Darlington has been a good for us. We finished ninth last year and spun out at one point because we were so bad. We made a lot of adjustments that day and I’m looking forward to Darlington because it’s a really fun one to race.”

On balancing the fun and competition:“The day before we won Talladega, we took three $500 cars and raced the hell out of them a dirt bike track. Mine blew up, so we put it at the top of the hill, put a rock on the gas pedal and sent it off a cliff just to see what happens, and we won the next day. (Sarcastically) I guess I was pretty distracted there too, but it worked out. Not everybody sees that side of things. From a racer’s perspective, there always has to be a reason for anything, whether you’re running good or bad, magically, “if you look at the data five more minutes, you’ll go faster.” I just enjoy it. It’s just common for me to have fun and perform well while doing it.”

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Darlington–Daniel Suarez

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Team Chevy Driver Quotes September 2, 2026

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR Cup SeriesChase Media DayTeam Chevy Driver QuotesSeptember 2, 2026

Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Inaudible… “I’m always looking forward to the next one. I think, overall at Spire Motorsports, we have shown a lot of speed in on the high downforce racetracks. We still have a little bit of work to do on the low downforce racetracks. I mean, with that being said, we also race very well in Darlington and that’s a low downforce track. Hopefully we can get our package a little bit better for low downforce tracks.” How do you feel about the performance of the No. 7 team during the regular season? “You know, I try not to think about it too much. I’m so focused on the next 10 races that, honestly, I haven’t really sat down and thought about how good of a job we did as a team in the regular season. The only reason why I’m thinking about it right now is because several people have asked me that today. I’m very proud of the effort. With that being said, I still don’t want to think about it too much because, in my mind, the job is not done yet. We still have a quarter of the season left and that’s the most important one. Hopefully we can continue to grow, continue to learn and continue to improve on this No. 7 team.” On his mindset heading into the postseason: “I think that the main thing is that you have to control what you can control. Sometimes, as a driver, we want to do too much and there’s only so much that is under our control. You know, the only car I can control out there is the No. 7 car and the No. 7 team. I don’t care about what the other guys are doing or not doing. We have to just control what we can control, and if we can focus on that and maximize that, I feel that we’re going to be in a pretty good spot.” On being on baby watch to start the Chase: “That’s an important question, man. Listen, obviously this is the first time that we’re going through this, right? But right now, Julia is extremely normal. It’s extremely normal. Yesterday, we had a meeting with our doula and I asked her — I said, hey, what are the chances that the baby comes this weekend? And she said, obviously you never know, but I think that’s pretty low, just because she’s not having a lot of issues yet. So, yes, we’re on baby watch, but I will be surprised if it happens in the next few days. I think for the next handful of days, I think we’re okay. And then after that, getting into Gateway, I think things are going to start getting a little more serious.” Inaudible…“Yeah, obviously every racetrack is quite different, right? Every racetrack is very unique. But like I said earlier, you know, it’s going to be very important just to maximize your potential. If you have an amazing start in Darlington, great, continue that momentum. But if you don’t, you have to flip the page. You know, I always tell people this all the time — regardless of what happens on Sunday in the race, on Monday, you have to start the journey all over again. It’s very important to recognize that because if you win or you lose, you have to start all over again. So it’s going to be very important to recognize that and work towards that for 10 weeks.” On his first season with Spire Motorsports: “Yeah, I mean, obviously we work very hard as a team to build fast racecars. We have a lot of men and women that work very, very hard at Spire Motorsports. I feel very privileged to be able to have fast cars. I know how important that is. Last year was difficult. And if you think about it, I’m the same driver, it’s just a different team, different people, different structure, different culture. And now, here we are in the Chase. We almost finished in the top-10 of the regular season, so it’s pretty remarkable. I’m very proud of that. I think I just told you how important it is to be in the right place with the right people around you. That’s with everything in life. Not just in racing, but with everything in life. You have to find the right people around you to be able to be successful. I feel very proud to be an important piece for Spire Motorsports.” On working with his teammates: “You know, Carson (Hocevar) is a very talented driver. He can make a lot of speed out of the cars. But he still has to learn that to be able to win races and championships, it’s not just about one lap. It’s not just about one pit stop. It’s not just about going fast. You have to be a good team leader. You have to be able to put the entire team together. That’s something that he’s learning with time. You know, this is only his third season, I think, in the Cup Series. He’s still learning all these things. I believe that he has tremendous potential, but he has to continue to be humble, continue to grow and continue to get better and better. I believe that’s something that — I don’t know if he sees these things this way, but I believe that the No. 7 team has made the No. 77 team way better this year because now he has another strong team that are pushing each other. The No. 77 team has obviously made the No. 71 team better, as well. That healthy competition is something that’s extremely important. Michael (McDowell), I believe that he’s a very, very good driver, and hopefully, we can bring Michael into this group, as well, so we can have three strong teams pushing each other every single week.” What do you credit towards Spire Motorsports recent success? “Honestly, I think the Hendrick Motorsports alliance is an important piece of this puzzle for Spire Motorsports to be successful, but that’s not everything. That’s one of the things that I have been the most impressed about Spire, how much speed is actually made in-house. You know, this team does a great job with that. I don’t think Spire actually sometimes gets enough credit with the kind of speed and people that we have in-house. I’m very proud of Spire Motorsports with the growth and how things are getting better. But we have to stay humble. We have to stay moving forward and stay hungry. You know, that’s very important. My goal is not to just make the Chase. My goal is to be strong in the Chase. I have made the postseason several times. I think that’s very cool, but we want to be real contenders. I would be lying to you if I told you that, right now, we’re the favorites to win the championship. But I think that we have to have that mentality to always continue to get better and better.”

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Chevy racing–NASCAR–Darlington–Kyle Larson

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Team Chevy Driver Quotes September 2, 2026

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR Cup SeriesChase Media DayTeam Chevy Driver QuotesSeptember 2, 2026

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Media Day Quotes

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Inaudible…“I don’t even know what the third track is, but yeah, I don’t know. It’s just important to get good runs in at every track. Obviously, if you can start the Chase off with some solid results, some solid points, you’ll just give yourself better hope throughout it. I mean, 10 weeks is a long time, but I think you can quickly feel like you’re out of it and you don’t want to do that.” On how he feels going into the postseason: “I don’t know, I’m not as confident as I’ve been, for sure, in other years. But I wasn’t, honestly, sitting here that confident last year, and we were able to win the championship. I know there’s a path to do it. We did it last year without winning a race in the final 10 races, and we weren’t even really all that consistent, from what I remember. I think if we can be ultra-consistent in these final 10 races, there’s no doubt that I could see ourselves winning the championship. I mean, I could also see ourselves winning four or five races in the Chase. You know, things have to go perfect, but we do have a lot of good tracks for us in these final 10. We just need to execute at a high level, and I think our team is definitely capable of that. We’ll try and do our best.” Inaudible…“Yeah, I mean, the good thing is we’ve gotten to live through 26 races of it. I know it’s not with the pressure of the final 10, but still, you get to realize how much consistency really matters. You know, there was a point before we started having our 30th-place finishes where it was like, man, we could get to third in points in the regular season. And then, come Daytona, we had an opportunity to finish 12th in the regular season points. So yeah, it can quickly kind of go either direction. We rattled off a good string of races with four top-fives in a row. We scored a lot more points than I think even Denny (Hamlin) had at that point. So yeah, we just have to work hard at it.” On the different tracks in the Chase: “Gateway would be a track that doesn’t really tend to suit our style of setup and stuff. But we were really good there last year. I actually thought that we were maybe the best car there last year, just the strategy got away from us. And then, I don’t know, Talladega could go great or go bad. Phoenix, we suck, so I’m glad that’s not the final race anymore (laughs). We were horrible there, so that’s maybe our worst track on the schedule.” Inaudible…“I don’t think it changes the way I think about a race or approach a race. You show up and do the best job you can every week. I mean, there’s no guarantee that I’m going win a dirt race when I show up either. So, it’s the same at a NASCAR race. I feel like I have a better opportunity sometimes, but this series is just really tough and the teams are good. There’s a team or two that are just way faster than everybody right now. So, we as a team, are working really hard to get back to that point to make wins a lot easier, like they once were. I mean, I think for me, again, you’re just trying to do the best job you can. You realize early on in the race kind of where you’re at for speed and stuff and you adjust your sort of expectations and goals mid-race to that. And then, you try to match it or do better. On racing at Gateway: “I mean, Gateway, I don’t look at Richmond as really mattering towards that. It’s a totally different surface, totally different track, everything. There’s nothing like it. I think, last year, we were actually really good at Gateway, so I look more at that. Do I think that we’ll be the best car going again this year? I don’t know…hopefully. We have a good baseline for that track. I think it’s pretty solid.” Inaudible… “Well, I mean, the ceiling is a championship. We’ve done it twice. I know it’s a previous format, but we would have done it in this format last year. There’s still a way to do it. So, absolutely, I think we can win the championship. It’s going to be tougher than most years, just with where we are at with the speed and deficit in points. But it’s absolutely doable.” On the change for the postseason format: “I think for the sport, I’m happy with the change, for sure. And then, also, I mean, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m going to show up and race whatever format they bring. But I think this format, so far, has proven to be really exciting still.” Inaudible… “Well, I mean, you can recognize it your whole career. I feel like, when I was back at Ganassi, there were a lot of weekends where I would go to the racetrack knowing I would have no shot to win. But you have other goals, you know? So, it’s all kind of the same. It’s just, where’s that bar leading into that weekend? But I think this year, I think it’s fair to lower your expectations a little bit some weekends, just based off where you’re at realistically. And I think that, a lot of times, that can help you execute better days, you know? You’re not reaching for something that’s not reachable. I think we’re in a really, really good spot as a team. We’re continuing to get our cars better. You know, we have gotten our cars better. I feel like from where we were in April, or even early May, we’re way better. I’m proud of our team for that, and we still have 10 weeks to get better. 10 weeks is a long time.” On the pressure heading into the Chase: “I don’t know how I feel, either way. You know, I’ve come into playoffs before as the number one seed, and I didn’t feel any more or less pressure then than I do now. It’s just about trying to execute on a high level and try to do a good job. I just enjoy this time of year. It’s fun for all of us to be a part of it. Do I feel like we’re flying under the radar? No. You just kind of go out there and focus on yourself and try to do the best you can.” On the announcement of Days of Thunder 2: “Oh, I don’t know. I mean, it’s whatever they want. I think it would be a cool opportunity, for sure, but I’m also not an actor, so I don’t want to make the film worse. It was awesome to get the opportunity to meet him (Tom Cruise). He’s a celebrity like I’ve never met before in my life. You could tell he was different than the rest of us, in a cool way, like really, really cool. We got to meet him in a prior meeting before the driver’s meeting, and it was just cool to hear him talk about us. He kind of already knows a little bit about us, so I thought that was neat. I look forward to kind of seeing the process of them making a movie and having, hopefully, us involved in some form or fashion of helping to build a storyline, be a part of the movie or whatever. I would love them (Hendrick Motorsports) to be involved, and I don’t think there’s another team in the sport that would do as much or as good of a job of helping build the best film possible than Hendrick Motorsports. They just go above and beyond on everything, and they have the experience of helping out with the last one. I haven’t heard if they’re a part of it or not. I hope they are. I think that’d be just really cool and awesome to see that kind of happening within the walls of Hendrick Motorsports. I hope they can do something to work it out to be a part of it because I think it would make the movie even better.” Is the pressure different in this format compared to the previous? “Yeah, it’s probably a different pressure, for sure. I mean, you wanted to be consistent in the previous format so you didn’t want to have to rely on wins. Thankfully, I don’t think I was ever in a must-win situation in my time of being in a competitive car in the playoffs, so I don’t really know what that pressure is like. But for me, I think it’s pretty straightforward. You want to maximize your days in any format, so we’re going to try and do that.”

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Labor Day Weekend Sends World of Outlaws to South Dakota for Huset’s Shootout

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BRANDON, SD (September 2, 2026) – The world’s best Sprint Car drivers are heading to Brandon, SD for a huge tripleheader this Labor Day weekend.

The L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout brings the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series back to Huset’s Speedway for three big nights, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-6. A pair of $15,000-to-win prelims will set the stage for a $25,000-to-win Sunday showdown at the 1/3 mile.

Fans can expect an interesting format for the tripleheader. The two prelims will utilize the standard World of Outlaws format, but they’ll set the stage for a unique finale with inverted Heat Races and passing points helping line up the Feature. For the complete format, CLICK HERE.

No days off for The Greatest Show on Dirt this Labor Day weekend. All eyes are on Huset’s.

BUY THREE-DAY HUSET’S TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE
BUY SUNDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

MONEYMEN

A pair of drivers have made some hefty deposits to their bank accounts over the last few years thanks to Huset’s Speedway.

The first is Michael “Buddy” Kofoid. A devastating mechanical issue while leading the 2023 Huset’s High Bank Nationals lit a fire under him and Roth Motorsports that keeps on burning. Since then, Huset’s has hosted five races offering a six-figure winner’s check, and Kofoid has claimed four of them. The big paydays are only a piece of the Penngrove, CA native’s overall success in Brandon, SD. Overall, he’s won seven of the last 11 World of Outlaws Features at Huset’s. The first of his career also came there in 2022.

The second is two-time and defending Series champion David Gravel. He and Big Game Motorsports kept Tod Quiring’s money in house when they cashed in for $250,000 at the 2023 High Bank Nationals. Then, they did it again when the winner’s share climbed to a record $300,000. Overall, Gravel boasts five Huset’s victories in the Big Game No. 2.

GUNS BLAZIN’

Kofoid and Gravel are far from the only World of Outlaws drivers capable of cleaning up at the Huset’s Shootout.

Donny Schatz has found success at nearly every track he’s ever visited, and Huset’s is no exception. The 1/3 mile is responsible for four of his 317 career wins. The CJB Motorsports No. 15 finished on the podium during the final two nights of this year’s High Bank Nationals.

Sheldon Haudenschild is a fellow four-time Huset’s victor. His first three came with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing before adding one with KCP Racing in June. Haudenschild heads to Huset’s third in the standings, trailing Kofoid by 40 markers.

He’s never won a World of Outlaws event there, but Garet Williamson topped a trio of local Huset’s races before joining The Greatest Show on Dirt. The Fischer Motorsports pilot is fresh off securing his first Series checkered flag at River Cities Speedway.

Carson Macedo’s résumé lists two Huset’s triumphs since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing (2022 and 2024). They’ll roll into South Dakota with the momentum of four podiums in the last five races.

Logan Schuchart and the Shark Racing No. 1S team snagged a High Bank Nationals prelim in 2023. They stumbled a bit over the weekend in North Dakota, but they’ve still been one of the hottest teams all summer with 14 top fives in the last 20 races.

Spencer Bayston took the CJB Motorsports No. 5 to Huset’s Victory Lane in 2022. The Lebanon, IN native wheeled the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 to a pair of top fives over the weekend in North Dakota.

It wasn’t in a Sprint Car, but Chris Windom grabbed a pair of Huset’s trophies in 2021 with the USAC National Midgets. He’ll chase another this weekend in the Sides Motorsports No. 7S.

TWENTY

A milestone of parity was hit over the weekend in North Dakota as 2026 continues to inch toward a record.

Garet Williamson’s popular first Series win made him the 20th different driver to visit Victory Lane this year with the World of Outlaws. That means 2026 is only the 10th time in 49 seasons of history that at least 20 competitors have topped a race. The record of 25 set in 2004 isn’t out of reach with more than 20 races left on the calendar.

Looking ahead to this weekend at Huset’s and who could be number 21, Bill Balog immediately stands out. Last year the “North Pole Nightmare” topped a High Bank Nationals prelim and followed it up with a runner-up in the finale. Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies leader Emerson Axsom could also add his name. He led laps and finished third at Huset’s in 2024. Cole Macedo is still hunting his first Series victory. His best Huset’s effort is fifth in June this year.

ROOKIE ON A ROLL

Every rookie World of Outlaws campaign is bound to bring some bumps along the way, but Emerson Axsom and Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports are starting to piece together a solid run.

Axsom’s current top-10 streak of five straight is by far his most consistent stretch of the season. The No. 27 has reeled off finishes of 10th at Ogilvie Raceway, fifth at Jackson Motorplex, sixth at River Cites Speedway, sixth at Fix It Forward Speedway, and eighth at Nodak Speedway. That’s an average result of seventh on the dot.

Axsom sits 12th in points as he cruises toward becoming the next Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies. Looking at the standings, Axsom climbing a few spots before the year is over isn’t unrealistic. Bill Balog is 11th and only 22 points in front, and then it’s Spencer Bayston in 10th (48 points ahead), Chris Windom in ninth (74 points ahead), and Cole Macedo in eighth (118 points ahead).

TIMMS’ TURF

There’s another driver with a strong chance to add his name to the list of 2026 winners this weekend, and his name is Ryan Timms.

The 20-year-old may be from Oklahoma City, OK, but Huset’s has become de facto home turf for him over the last couple of years. Timms linked with Liebig Motorsports, a team based in Rapid City, SD, and the pairing has become one of the country’s top combinations among those that follow a pick-and-choose schedule.

This year Timms has taken the No. 10 to 15 total victories, including a dozen in 410 competition. Timms’ 12 trails only Chase Dietz (18) and Aaron Reutzel (14). He’s fresh off locking up track championships at both Huset’s Speedway and Knoxville Raceway. It marked his second year in a row taking the Huset’s title.

Now, Timms and Shane Liebig’s crew aim to protect home turf with the best of the best coming to town. Timms is yet to top the World of Outlaws at Huset’s, but he’s come close with a pair of podiums, including a 2024 runner-up.

Timms will lead the charge of many Huset’s regulars in search of success on the big stage.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-6 at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, SD

AROUND THE TURN
Friday, Sept. 11 at Belleville High Banks in Belleville, KS (TICKETS)
Saturday, Sept. 12 at Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, KS (TICKETS)
Monday, Sept. 14 at El Paso County Raceway in Calhan, CO (TICKETS)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (57/81 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (7288 PTS)
2. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-170 PTS)
3. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-210 PTS)
4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-248 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-318 PTS)
6. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-536 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-580 PTS)
8. Cole Macedo – TwoC Racing No. 2C (-876 PTS)
9. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-920 PTS)
10. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-946 PTS)

NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (20 Drivers):
11 Wins – Michael Kofoid
10 Wins – David Gravel
8 Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Wins – Carson Macedo
3 Wins – Anthony Macri, Logan Schuchart
1 Win – Spencer Bayston, Donny Schatz, Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne, Rico Abreu, Aaron Reutzel, Brent Marks, Bryce Lucius, Corey Day, Chase Dietz, Chris Windom, Kyle Larson, Garet Williamson

FEATURE LAPS LED (30 Drivers):
345 Laps Led – David Gravel
303 Laps Led – Michael Kofoid
164 Laps Led – Logan Schuchart
141 Laps Led – Carson Macedo
110 Laps Led – Garet Williamson
107 Laps Led – Sheldon Haudenschild
59 Laps Led – Kyle Larson
58 Laps Led – Bill Balog
56 Laps Led – Anthony Macri
40 Laps Led – Aaron Reutzel, Chris Windom
37 Laps Led – Tyler Courtney
35 Laps Led – Donny Schatz
33 Laps Led – Brady Bacon, Rico Abreu
30 Laps Led – Corey Day, Chase Dietz
28 Laps Led – Ryan Timms
25 Laps Led – Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne
21 Laps Led – Kasey Jedrzejek
17 Laps Led – Spencer Bayston
16 Laps Led – Bryce Lucius
15 Laps Led – Christopher Thram
12 Laps Led – Cole Macedo
11 Laps Led – Giovanni Scelzi, Emerson Axsom
7 Laps Led – Brian Brown
6 Laps Led – Brock Zearfoss
3 Laps Led – Brent MarksPODIUM FINISHES (34 Drivers):
26 Podiums – David Gravel
24 Podiums – Michael Kofoid
22 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
17 Podiums – Carson Macedo
10 Podiums – Logan Schuchart
8 Podiums – Garet Williamson
6 Podiums – Donny Schatz
4 Podiums – Ryan Timms, Anthony Macri, Rico Abreu, Bill Balog
3 Podiums – Spencer Bayston, Aaron Reutzel
2 Podiums – Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Tyler Courtney, Giovanni Scelzi, Chase Dietz, Kasey Kahne
1 Podium – Ashton Torgerson, Scott Bogucki, Emerson Axsom, Brad Sweet, Justin Whittall, Troy Wagaman Jr., Kasey Jedrzejek, Brent Marks, Bryce Lucius, Corey Day, Daryn Pittman, Logan Rumsey, Chris Windom, Kelby Watt, Kyle Larson

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (21 Drivers):
21 Quick Times – David Gravel
5 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild
4 Quick Times – Bill Balog
3 Quick Times – Logan Schuchart, Michael Kofoid, Brady Bacon
2 Quick Times – Kasey Jedrzejek
1 Quick Time – Ashton Torgerson, Will Armitage, J.J. Hickle, Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Rico Abreu, Aaron Reutzel, Justin Henderson, Chase Dietz, Carson Macedo, Daryn Pittman, Logan Rumsey, Kasey Kahne, Tanner Thorson

HEAT RACE WINNERS (57 Drivers):
32 Heat Wins – David Gravel
23 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
17 Heat Wins – Bill Balog
16 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
12 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart
9 Heat Wins – Michael Kofoid, Garet Williamson
8 Heat Wins – Emerson Axsom
6 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston
4 Heat Wins – Cole Macedo, Rico Abreu, Brent Marks
3 Heat Wins – Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Aaron Reutzel, Giovanni Scelzi, Anthony Macri, Kerry Madsen, Ryan Timms, Christopher Thram
2 Heat Wins – Chase Dietz, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Jacob Hughes, Tyler Courtney, Justin Whittall, Daryn Pittman, Kelby Watt, Brock Zearfoss, Rees Moran, Steven Snyder Jr. Bryce Lucius, Chris Windom
1 Heat Win – Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Scotty Thiel, Will Armitage, Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Chad Trout, Joel Myers Jr., Andy Pake, Sam Henderson, Dayne Kingshott, Daison Pursley, Terry McCarl, Kyle Larson, Brady Bacon, Brent Shearer, Logan Rumsey, James McFadden, Danny Sams III, Riley Goodno, Chris Martin, Ayrton Gennetten, Carson McCarl

TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (68 Drivers):
39 Dashes – David Gravel
36 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
27 Dashes – Michael Kofoid
23 Dashes – Carson Macedo
21 Dashes – Bill Balog
19 Dashes – Garet Williamson
16 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
12 Dashes – Emerson Axsom
10 Dashes – Donny Schatz, Cole Macedo
8 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
7 Dashes – Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Chris Windom
6 Dashes – Aaron Reutzel
5 Dashes – Rico Abreu, Ryan Timms, Brent Marks, Chase Dietz
4 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Brady Bacon, Logan Rumsey, Kelby Watt
3 Dashes – Kerry Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Justin Henderson, Daryn Pittman, Bryce Lucius, Christopher Thram
2 Dashes – Scotty Thiel, Kasey Kahne, Troy Wagaman Jr., Will Armitage, J.J. Hickle, Austin McCarl, Joe B. Miller, Brenham Crouch, Conner Morrell, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson, Justin Whittall, Cory Eliason, Skylar Gee
1 Dash – Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, Brock Zearfoss, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Rees Moran, Bryce Norris, Brad Sweet, Danny Dietrich, Logan Rumsey, Kody Hartlaub, Freddie Rahmer, Chad Trout, Giovanni Scelzi, Joel Myers Jr., Andy Pake, Tanner Thorson, Corey Day, D.J. Christie, Ricky Peterson, Lance Dewease, Brent Shearer, Dylan Norris, Steven Snyder Jr., Gage Pulkrabek, Sam Henderson

MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (35 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Donny Schatz, Garet Williamson
3 LCS Wins – Spencer Bayston, Emerson Axsom
2 LCS Wins – Michael Kofoid, Chris Windom, Giovanni Scelzi, Cole Macedo, Skylar Gee, Logan Schuchart, Tyler Courtney
1 LCS Wins – Cameron Martin, Bill Balog, Blake Hahn, Landon Crawley, Bryce Norris, Doug Hammaker, Daryn Pittman, Kerry Madsen, Justin Henderson, Joel Myers Jr., Daison Pursley, Zane DeVault, Logan Julien, Jordan Poirier, Matt Farnham, Jordan Thomas, Dylan Norris, Justin Whittall, Brent Shearer, Danny Dietrich, Rico Abreu, Lynton Jeffrey, Kelby Watt, Jacob Peterson

KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (25 Drivers):
7 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, Michael Kofoid, Logan Schuchart
6 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Spencer Bayston
3 Hard Chargers – Chris Windom
2 Hard Chargers – Garet Williamson, Cole Macedo, Ashton Torgerson, Sheldon Haudenschild
1 Hard Charger – Giovanni Scelzi, Ryan Timms, Brady Bacon, Tyler Ross, Cameron Smith, David Gravel, Emerson Axsom, Logan Julien, Tyler Courtney, Kasey Jedrzejek, James McFadden, Danny Dietrich, Corey Day, J.J. Hickle, Tanner Holmes

ACME FASTEST LAP AWARDS (26 Drivers):
8 Fastest Laps – Michael Kofoid
7 Fastest Laps – David Gravel
6 Fastest Laps – Logan Schuchart
4 Fastest Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
3 Fastest Laps – Carson Macedo, Bill Balog
2 Fastest Laps – Brady Bacon, Aaron Reutzel, Kasey Jedrzejek, Garet Williamson, Anthony Macri, Kyle Larson
1 Fastest Lap – Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms, Brad Sweet, Kelby Watt, Kasey Kahne, Giovanni Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Christopher Thram, Bryce Lucius, Corey Day, Chase Dietz, Jace Park, Donny Schatz

RACE READY CLOTHING HOTTEST LAP OF THE NIGHT AWARDS (17 Drivers):
18 Hottest Laps – David Gravel
8 Hottest Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Hottest Laps – Carson Macedo, Michael Kofoid
3 Hottest Laps – Logan Schuchart, Garet Williamson
2 Hottest Laps – Ashton Torgerson, Daryn Pittman
1 Hottest Lap – Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Tyler Courtney, Ryan Timms, Giovanni Scelzi, Bryce Lucius, Nate Dussel, Logan Rumsey, Chris Windom

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner
Wed, Feb 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Spencer Bayston (1)
Fri, Feb 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Michael Kofoid (1)
Sat, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (1)
Sun, March 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
Mon, March 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (2)
Fri, March 6 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Donny Schatz (1)
Fri, March 13 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / David Gravel (1)
Fri, March 20 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / David Gravel (2)
Sat, March 21 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / David Gravel (3)
Fri, March 27 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Carson Macedo (1)
Sat, March 28 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Michael Kofoid (2)
Fri, April 10 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (3)
Sat, April 11 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (4)
Sun, April 19 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Tyler Courtney (1)
Fri, April 24 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brad Sweet (1)
Sat, April 25 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (4)
Tues, May 5 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Michael Kofoid (5)
Fri, May 8 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Kasey Kahne (1)
Sat, May 9 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (5)
Fri, May 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (1)
Sat, May 16 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
Tues, May 19 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / Carson Macedo (2)
Sat, May 23 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Aaron Reutzel (1)
Mon, May 25 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (6)
Fri, May 29 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Carson Macedo (3)
Sat, June 6 / Plymouth Dirt Track / Plymouth, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
Sun, June 7 / Angell Park Speedway / Sun Prairie, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
Fri, June 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brent Marks (1)
Wed, June 17 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (7)
Thurs, June 18 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (8)
Fri, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
Sat, June 20 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (6)
Fri, June 26 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (7)
Sat, June 27 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (4)
Thurs, July 9 / Hartford Speedway / Hartford, MI / Sheldon Haudenschild (5)
Fri, July 10 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Michael Kofoid (9)
Sat, July 11 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (6)
Tues, July 14 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Bryce Lucius (1)
Fri, July 17 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Corey Day (1)
Sat, July 18 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Anthony Macri (3)
Wed, July 22 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada / David Gravel (8)
Sat, July 25 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / Sheldon Haudenschild (7)
Sun, July 26 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (9)
Wed, July 29 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / Chase Dietz (1)
Fri, July 31 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Michael Kofoid (10)
Sat, Aug 1 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (10)
Fri, Aug 7 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Chris Windom (1)
Sat, Aug 8 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Logan Schuchart (2)
Wed, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Sheldon Haudenschild
Thurs, Aug 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Kyle Larson
Fri, Aug 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Donny Schatz
Sat, Aug 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (1)
Fri, Aug 21 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Sheldon Haudenschild (8)
Sat, Aug 22 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Logan Schuchart (3)
Fri, Aug 28 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Garet Williamson (1)
Sat, Aug 29 / Fix It Forward Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Carson Macedo (5)
Mon, Aug 31 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND / Michael Kofoid (11)
Fri, Sept 4 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, Sept 5 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sun, Sept 6 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, Sept 11 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Sat, Sept 12 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
Mon, Sept 14 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO
Fri, Sept 18 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Sat, Sept 19 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Tues, Sept 22 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA
Fri, Sept 25 / Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway / Bakersfield, CA
Sat, Sept 26 / Ventura Raceway / Ventura, CA
Fri, Oct 2 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Oct 3 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Thurs, Oct 8 / Millstream Speedway / Findlay, OH
Fri, Oct 9 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Sat, Oct 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Fri, Oct 16 / Lincoln Park Speedway / Putnamville, IN
Sat, Oct 17 / Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Speedway / Belleville, IL
Fri, Oct 23 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Sat, Oct 24 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Wed, Nov 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thurs, Nov 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Fri, Nov 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Sat, Nov 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

*denotes unofficial split-field prelim race.

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Labor Day Weekend Sends World of Outlaws to South Dakota for Huset’s Shootout

BRANDON, SD (September 2, 2026) – The world’s best Sprint Car drivers are heading to Brandon, SD for a huge tripleheader this Labor Day weekend.

No days off for The Greatest Show on Dirt this Labor Day weekend. All eyes are on Huset’s.

BUY THREE-DAY HUSET’S TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE
BUY SUNDAY HUSET’S TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

MONEYMEN

A pair of drivers have made some hefty deposits to their bank accounts over the last few years thanks to Huset’s Speedway.

GUNS BLAZIN’

Kofoid and Gravel are far from the only World of Outlaws drivers capable of cleaning up at the Huset’s Shootout.

It wasn’t in a Sprint Car, but Chris Windom grabbed a pair of Huset’s trophies in 2021 with the USAC National Midgets. He’ll chase another this weekend in the Sides Motorsports No. 7S.

TWENTY

A milestone of parity was hit over the weekend in North Dakota as 2026 continues to inch toward a record.

ROOKIE ON A ROLL

Every rookie World of Outlaws campaign is bound to bring some bumps along the way, but Emerson Axsom and Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports are starting to piece together a solid run.

TIMMS’ TURF

There’s another driver with a strong chance to add his name to the list of 2026 winners this weekend, and his name is Ryan Timms.

Timms will lead the charge of many Huset’s regulars in search of success on the big stage.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/top-five-storylines-labor-day-weekend-sends-world-of-outlaws-to-south-dakota-for-husets-shootout/

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wood Brothers racing–Darlington advance

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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ZIZZO RACING FOCUSED ON SUCCESS AT U.S. NATIONALS

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CHICAGO (September 2, 2026) — The most important drag race of the year, the 72nd NHRA U.S. Nationals contested outside Indianapolis, Indiana, is coming up for Zizzo Racing and Top Fuel racer TJ Zizzo. A win at “The Big Go,” as it is known in drag racing circles, solidifies every driver’s resume. for Zizzo Racing, the chance to stand in the winner’s circle on Labor Day Monday is a dream scenario. Piloting the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster in front of tens of thousands of fans in the stands and hundreds of thousands of fans watching on the FOX network makes all the hard work in the shop worth it for Zizzo Racing. This season is the 75th anniversary of the NHRA and Zizzo Racing has been a part of the series for nearly five decades.

“NHRA drag racing has been a part of Zizzo Racing and my family for longer than I have been alive,” said TJ Zizzo, a second generation drag racer. “Indy is a magical event and to be a part of the 75th anniversary season at the U.S. Nationals will be awesome. We have run well at this race, and we are looking forward to building on our momentum from the Chicago race earlier this season. This Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster will be ready to make some noise for sure.”
TJ Zizzo is thrilled to be back at the track for the NHRA U.S. Nationals, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary NastaseEarlier this season, Zizzo Racing participated in the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 Nationals outside of Zizzo’s hometown of Chicago. The Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster qualified No. 10 in a stacked Top Fuel field at Route 66 Raceway. In Sunday’s opening round, Zizzo squared off against four-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown in one of the most competitive matchups of the first round. Brown narrowly drove around him for the win at the finish line but for Zizzo, the weekend represented far more than just on-track performance. Racing in front of family, friends, sponsors and hometown fans made the Route 66 event a solid start for the Chicago-based driver. The U.S. Nationals will feature the largest field of competitors, 21 Top Fuel teams, vying for one of 16 qualifying positions.

“This is the biggest field of Top Fuel dragsters we have ever faced in qualifying in recent history,” said Zizzo. “Everyone wants to qualify and race for the U.S. Nationals Diamond Wally trophy. The 75th anniversary design is so cool I would love to be able to say Zizzo Racing won one of those trophies. It would be an awesome accomplishment. I know everyone on the Zizzo Racing team will be focused on that goal.”

Over the offseason, Crew Chief Mike Kern and the Zizzo Racing team spent over 2,000 hours working on every facet of the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster and the race program. Over the past two seasons, Zizzo and the Zizzo Racing team have turned heads scoring No. 1 qualifiers and posting excellent elapsed times. Their career highlight was a runner-up finish during the 2020 season that was delayed due to rain and completed at the historic U.S. Nationals.

“We have been steadily improving the past few years even though we haven’t won a race,” said Zizzo. “Thanks to the late Don Schumacher, we upgraded across the board in 2022 and the rest is history. You must have a passion to compete out here and you also need to take risks, in a good way. The U.S. Nationals coming up is an opportunity to really go for it and try and make some history.”

Throughout Zizzo’s career, drag racing has been a vehicle for him to celebrate the joy of competition and determination. He is recognized as one of the most popular drivers when he is at the racetrack drawing crowds to autograph sessions, on-stage appearances and even at the ropes in his pits. When Zizzo puts on his Rust-Oleum uniform shirt or firesuit, he knows he is representing all his sponsors to potentially brand-new consumers and fans. The fact that Rust-Oleum is a major part of his life off the track makes this a seamless transition for the professional auto body business owner.

“It is cool be to be a part of the Rust-Oleum family on and off the track,” said Zizzo. “Our body shop uses all sorts of Rust-Oleum products every day and our customers can see our Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster when they come to the body shop because it is also our race shop. The dragster is a great conversation starter, and we could not be more proud to have a company like Rust-Oleum on the side as well as all our other marketing partners.”

Qualifying for the NHRA U.S. Nationals will begin on Friday, September 15, with one session of the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, fans will be treated to two more qualifying sessions at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The final day of qualifying on Sunday will offer two final opportunities to make the field with runs at 12 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. The quickest 16 race cars, dragsters and motorcycles will race for the famed Diamond Wally trophy beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. The race will be broadcast nationally on FOX.

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Cruz Pedregon Racing Highlights Hailey’s Army for Children at U.S. Nationals

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BROWNSBURG, IN (September 2, 2026) — During the NHRA U.S. Nationals 2-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon will be joining a growing movement to support Hailey’s Army for Children, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Hailey’s Army for Children, Inc. exists to protect children and defend their future through relentless online safety advocacy and prevention training that reflect the realities of today’s digital world. Named in honor of Hailey Paige Buzbee, a 17-year-old from Fishers, Indiana, who went missing in January 2026 and was tragically found deceased. Through training, education, advocacy, and community engagement, Hailey’s Army for Children, Inc. works to give parents, children, and communities the knowledge and tools they need to keep kids safe. For three-time U.S. Nationals Funny Car winner the opportunity to support this cause was an easy decision.

“I’m truly honored and proud to be a part of Hailey’s Army for Children,” said Pedregon, a two-time Funny Car champion and father. “As a father myself, supporting a cause that helps children and families hits close to home. Anytime we can use our platform to make a difference and give back, it means a lot to me. I am proud to stand alongside Hailey’s Army and everyone working to make a difference in the lives of children.”

Leading up to the NHRA U.S. Nationals Hailey’s Army for Children will have a booth at the Cruz Pedregon Racing Open House on Thursday night, September 3, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. where they will be passing out pink wristbands and additional information on how to support Hailey’s Law. Throughout the race weekend Pedregon’s race team will run a special Hailey’s Army for Children decal on their 12,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car and other NHRA teams will also support the cause. Additionally, a specially designed motorcycle will be on display Sunday, September 6, beside the Cruz Pedregon Racing pit area.

“Our family continues to be incredibly grateful for Cruz Pedregon Racing and their continued support,” said Beau Buzbee, Hailey’s father. “Their team has been a tremendous source of encouragement as we honor our daughter Hailey and her kindness by protecting children and fighting to ensure they have the safe and happy childhoods they deserve. They understand the urgency of this mission and the speed at which we must move to better protect our children. They understand that we cannot afford to wait when it comes to their safety and their futures.
We are truly thankful to have Cruz Pedregon Racing standing alongside our family and Hailey’s Army for Children, Inc. as we work to make a real difference for children.”

Highlighting the cause at the biggest NHRA national event of the season during the 75^th anniversary season shows the team’s commitment to supporting an important cause. Family members and key representatives from Hailey’s Army for Children will be at the race as guests of Cruz Pedregon Racing on Sunday during the race. Cruz Pedregon Racing has been supporting Hailey’s Army for Children throughout the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

For more information on Hailey’s Army for Children visit www.haileysarmyforchildren.org. Find information about Cruz Pedregon Racing here and for tickets to the NHRA U.S. Nationals visit www.nhra.com.

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Drane Sets His Sights on History at Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Tom Drane (No. 1) leads Chase Saathoff (No. 88) during the 2026 DuQuoin Mile. [Photo: Tim Lester for AMA Pro Racing] Download high-resolution photo from AMA Pro’s Digital Asset Management system

Drane Sets His Sights on History at Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II

Tom Drane (No. 1) leads Chase Saathoff (No. 88) during the 2026 DuQuoin Mile. [Photo: Tim Lester for AMA Pro Racing] Download high-resolution photo from AMA Pro’s Digital Asset Management system

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 1, 2026) – Even with the 2026 championship already decided, there’s still much in play as the KICKER AFT Singles class closes out the Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, with the Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6. One Last (All) Time If this weekend proves to be his last in the class, Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) has already made a compelling case for the category’s G.O.A.T.  That’s not to say the Australian can’t add even more firepower to that claim this weekend. Already holding the class record for most victories all-time (27), and most Mile victories all-time (9), the Australian can break a three-way tie with Kody Kopp and Dallas Daniels and claim sole possession of most single-season wins all-time. One more would do it, upping his ‘26 tally to nine. And a double win would put it borderline out of reach at ten. What are the odds he pulls it off? History suggests they’re even better than you likely imagine. Drane comes into Springfield having won the series’ last six Miles. His Springfield-specific mastery is equally notable, where he’s taken the last five straight (make that seven if you separate out his clean sweep of last year’s Mission Triple Challenge). But that doesn’t mean it’s likely to come easily. Every single one of the aforementioned victories was measured by – at most – tenths and more often by hundredths and even thousandths of a second. Incidentally, Drane will be juggling his run at the record books with a glimpse into the future with a Mission AFT SuperTwins wild card entry. Parting Shots Outside of equaling Kopp’s back-to-back-to-back titles, there seems to be little left for Drane to accomplish before graduating to the premier-class ranks. And considering the performance of his immediate predecessors – reigning Grand National Champion Daniels and runaway Rookie of the Year Kopp – Drane is a likely candidate to move up a weight class. If that’s the case, this may be the last chance some old foes have at getting the better of Drane, at least on single-cylinder machinery. First among rivals is Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), who has been butting heads and trading paint with Drane pretty much from the start. Lost in Drane’s superlative season is another standout year for Saathoff. With two races yet to go, he’s already logged ten podiums, including a win and six top twos. But that hasn’t put him completely out of reach of a trio of riders who still have an outside shot of swiping second in the standings. Third-ranked Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), fourth-ranked Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Texas Utility Studies/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports/Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F) still all hold a mathematical opportunity to overtake Saathoff.  It’s unlikely to happen, especially in the case of Brunner, who would practically need to sweep out and have Saathoff sleep in to pull it off.  But all three could certainly factor in the fight for the wins. Each one took checkered flags within striking distance of Drane here last year, with Brunner walking away with a pair of seconds – one by 0.017 seconds and the other by 0.028. Year to Remember Regardless of what happens this weekend, 2026 will go down as breakthrough seasons for both Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F) and Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F), who joined the prestigious list of KICKER AFT Singles Main Event winners this year. But what better way to celebrate than via an exclamation point in Springfield? Even though Pfanders’ maiden win came in the opener, he’s riding consistently stronger than ever before at this stage of the season, racking up five top-five finishes in his last six outings. And while Kelleher’s first triumph came at a Super TT, you’d be wise to remember that he   initially burst onto the scene with a front-running ride at the ‘24 DuQuoin Mile. Beyond Santero While Santero continues to attempt to shed his place atop the list of riders most likely to get their first KICKER AFT Singles win, he’s not alone in growing impatient. Among the remainder of the field, Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) have flashed the speed needed to win most frequently, and they’ve got two last opportunities to get it done before heading into the offseason. Rookie of the Year Jack Brucks (No. 113 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) has already locked up KICKER AFT Singles Rookie of the Year honors. He’s done so on the strength of eight top tens, including three finishes of sixth or better with a fourth-place ride to his name. And despite coming close, yet he’s still seeking a rookie-season podium finish. Time is running short. Get Your Kicks on Route 66 Fans can make their way to the Springfield Mile on Saturday by participating in a special Route 66 Centennial certified ride created and organized by Mees Promotions in partnership with Harley-Davidson. The ride will depart from Conrad’s Harley-Davidson and travel to the Illinois State Fairgrounds via the historic Route 66. Participation is free with the purchase of a Springfield Mile event ticket. The first 75 to register will also receive an exclusive event t-shirt. Fans interested in participating in the September 5 ride can register HERE. The Race for Your Seats is Underway Bring the whole family and enjoy big-screen viewing, vendor displays, and a wide variety of food and beverage options Move fast and you can save $10 on all tickets purchased prior to Wednesday. Until then, you can still get Infield tickets for just $25 per day (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult), while Reserved Grandstand tickets start at $35 per day (all ages). A Pit Pass can be added to any ticket for an additional $40. For $150 per day, fans also have the opportunity to receive a Hospitality VIP Experience which provides an upgraded Reserved Grandstand ticket of their choice, food and beverage in the VIP area, and all-day access to the pits. And for $130 per day (all ages), H.O.G. members can enjoy the Harley-Davidson VIP Experience, which provides dedicated H.O.G. parking and an exclusive seating section, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo ops included, a meet-and-greet with the Harley-Davidson riders, and exclusive swag. Camping is also available through the Illinois State Fairgrounds campgrounds. For reservations or questions, please call 217-524-9894.  To purchase Caterpillar Springfield Mile I tickets, click HERE.    To purchase Caterpillar Springfield Mile II tickets, click HERE.   And for additional savings, purchase your Saturday and Sunday tickets together. To purchase two-day Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II, click HERE.  For more information or media inquiries, please contact Mees Promotions by phone 217-632-0277 or email: meespromotions@gmail.com.  Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT) both days, with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 2:40 p.m. ET (11:40 a.m. PT) on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) on Sunday. How to WatchFloRacing For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2025. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. FS1FOX Sports coverage of the Caterpillar Springfield Mile I, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, September 13, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT). The Caterpillar Springfield Mile II will air the following Sunday, September 20, at  11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT) For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

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FUNNY CAR’S CHRIS KING LOOKING FOR INDY MAGIC AT US NATIONALS WITH NEW LOOK HOT ROD

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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GlaD to be Gone: Aaron reutzel Follows Dreadful California Trip with Oregon Victory at Douglas County

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Ridge & Sons Racing Scores 10th Win of Season, Cutting Championship Deficit Down to 36-Points

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THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Kofoid Claims Thrilling World of Outlaws Return to Nodak

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Kofoid crosses over Macedo’s last corner slide job for his 11th win of the season

MINOT, ND (August 31, 2026) – Mother Nature had other plans twice, but the long-awaited return to Nodak Speedway proved to be well worth the wait.

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series completed the Gerdau Metals Recycling Magic City Showdownon Monday and gave the patient fans their money’s worth with a thrilling duel between two of the best.

A pair of “Golden State” stars in Michael “Buddy” Kofoid and Carson Macedo put on a show in the 30-lap main event. Macedo started on the pole and took early command in the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41, and the battle commenced on Lap 8 when traffic slowed Macedo and allowed Kofoid to clear a slide job in Turns 1 and 2. Macedo countered with a crossover, and the two made slight contact as Macedo moved back ahead. The lead changed hands for the third time in half a lap as the Roth Motorsports No. 83 dove under Macedo into Turn 3 and slid back ahead and closed the door.

Lapped cars help set the stage for a wild conclusion as Macedo motored back up to Kofoid’s tail tank in the closing laps. The white flag flew, and the door opened one last time for Macedo in the final set of corners. He fired a slider that cleared and brought the fans to their feet but couldn’t quite make it stick as Kofoid ducked back under exiting the turn and grabbed the checkered flag.

“When I slid him and he crossed me back under, things got a little hairy,” Kofoid explained. “I’m glad that we both were able to just keep going and still put on a good race. It was tricky obviously. I was still pounding the top, and I felt like I was kind of slipping a little bit more and more. I could see it was getting darker and darker, and I was like okay, I need to be down here. I think just those two cars coming together let him have a chance. I checked up for them and didn’t know where they were going to go. I kind of gave up on the top, and then after the checkered I ran the top again was like that was still good. I’m just glad to come home with another win.”

The win gave Kofoid sole possession of the most World of Outlaws victories in 2026 as he’s now up to 11 this year and 33 in his career. The 24-year-old has tallied 31 of those with Roth Motorsports, meaning he’s now just 10 away from equaling Danny Lasoski as Dennis and Teresa Roth’s winningest competitor with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

Macedo settled for the second spot, the fourth podium in the last five races for the Lemoore, CA native and the JJR crew.

Sheldon Haudenschild made a late charge to put the KCP Racing NOS Energy Drink No. 18 on the final step of the podium.

Garet Williamson and Spencer Bayston completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

Garet Williamson claimed the Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night.

David Gravel completed a sweep of all three Simpson Quick Time Awards over the weekend in North Dakota.

Heat Races belonged to David Gravel (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Carson Macedo (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Two), and Bill Balog (WIX Filters Heat Three).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Carson Macedo.

Macedo also topped the Toyota Dash.

Donny Schatz drove from 13th to 6th to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger.

David Gravel was the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.

A fifth straight top 10 made Emerson Axsom the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.

Buddy Kofoid clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars head to Brandon, SD’s Huset’s Speedway for the L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout over Labor Day weekend on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-6. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 83-Michael Kofoid[2]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[1]; 3. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[8]; 4. 23-Garet Williamson[4]; 5. 17-Spencer Bayston[6]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[13]; 7. 2-David Gravel[3]; 8. 27-Emerson Axsom[7]; 9. 7S-Chris Windom[10]; 10. 16C-Skylar Gee[9]; 11. 2C-Cole Macedo[12]; 12. 1S-Logan Schuchart[14]; 13. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 14. 28M-Conner Morrell[16]; 15. 6-Bryce Lucius[17]; 16. 15L-Laela Eisenschenk[18]; 17. 6N-Greg Nikitenko[21]; 18. 51-Steven Snyder Jr[11]; 19. G5-Gage Pulkrabek[15]; 20. 4-Colton Young[20]; 21. 17M-Todd Mickelson[22]; 22. 1-Amelia Eisenschenk[19]

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Kofoid Claims Thrilling World of Outlaws Return to Nodak

Kofoid crosses over Macedo’s last corner slide job for his 11th win of the season

MINOT, ND (August 31, 2026) – Mother Nature had other plans twice, but the long-awaited return to Nodak Speedway proved to be well worth the wait.

Macedo settled for the second spot, the fourth podium in the last five races for the Lemoore, CA native and the JJR crew.

Sheldon Haudenschild made a late charge to put the KCP Racing NOS Energy Drink No. 18 on the final step of the podium.

Garet Williamson and Spencer Bayston completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

Garet Williamson claimed the Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night.

David Gravel completed a sweep of all three Simpson Quick Time Awards over the weekend in North Dakota.

Heat Races belonged to David Gravel (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Carson Macedo (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Two), and Bill Balog (WIX Filters Heat Three).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Carson Macedo.

Macedo also topped the Toyota Dash.

Donny Schatz drove from 13th to 6th to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger.

David Gravel was the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.

A fifth straight top 10 made Emerson Axsom the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.

Buddy Kofoid clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

FEATURE RESULTS:

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/third-times-a-charm-kofoid-claims-thrilling-world-of-outlaws-return-to-nodak/

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Mitch Kalitta Scores First Top Alcohol Dragster Win at JEGS SportsNationals with Randy Meyer Racing

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Aug 31, 2026 | Race Results

Randy Meyer Racing overcame a challenging start to the weekend to deliver a storybook finish at the JEGS SportsNationals at Beech Bend Raceway Park, with rookie driver Mitch Kalitta claiming his first career Top Alcohol Dragster victory in just his second start in the class.

The win marked Randy Meyer Racing’s 131st drag racing victory, the team’s sixth win at Beech Bend Raceway Park and its third consecutive victory at the Bowling Green facility. Matt Cummings won at Beech Bend in 2025, while Zack Sackman took the victory in 2024.

However, the weekend did not begin as smoothly as the team had hoped.

Both of Randy’s Top Alcohol Dragsters struggled to make clean qualifying runs on Friday and Saturday. Kalitta, making only his second Top Alcohol Dragster start of the season as a rookie, recorded an 8.227-second pass at 266.32 mph as his best qualifying effort after missing Q1 due to work. The number on the scoreboard, however, did not reflect the performance of the car.

During the staging procedure, Kalitta accidentally double-staged the dragster. Rather than rushing through the post-pre-stage steps required to launch the car — turning the fuel fully on and releasing the clutch — he took the time to complete the process correctly. Because the elapsed-time clock begins when the green light is on, those additional seconds were included in the official elapsed time. The result was an 8.227-second recorded pass even though the dragster was actually traveling at a five-second pace once it was fully underway to the quarter-mile. It was a valuable rookie lesson for Kalitta.

Jennifer Wiens was facing an even bigger learning curve. The JEGS SportsNationals marked her first Top Alcohol Dragster event after completing her license upgrade from Top Dragster with the team on Monday following the NHRA Brainerd Nationals. Wiens also struggled to make a clean A-to-B qualifying pass, with her best qualifying effort coming in at 8.489 seconds.

Despite the difficult qualifying sessions, Randy Meyer Racing’s crew continued working through the issues and the two drivers ultimately qualified fourth and fifth, putting the Meyer dragsters on opposite sides of the elimination ladder. That gave the team the best possible opportunity to bring both cars to the final round, and Sunday proved to be a completely different story.

Wiens came out swinging in the opening round, delivering the quickest pass of the entire event by any car — a 5.23-second run at 277 mph — to defeat Jackie Fricke. With only five cars entered for the eight-car field, Wiens received a bye in the second round, securing her spot in the final round while the other side of the ladder played out where kalitta’s path to the final was anything but easy.

In the second round, Kalitta faced veteran Jared Dreher and put together a 5.34-second pass at 269 mph to defeat Dreher’s 5.52 at the same speed.

The semifinal matched Kalitta against No. 1 qualifier Melanie Johnson. Kalitta once again posted a 5.34-second run, while Johnson encountered shake and had to pedal her dragster, ultimately recording a 5.55, and Kalitta earned his place in the finals.

That set up an all-Meyer final round, with both Kalitta and Wiens lining up for their first-ever Top Alcohol Dragster finals. Both drivers delivered strong passes, but Kalitta saved his best run of the weekend for the moment that mattered most. Kalitta powered the Kalitta Air dragster to an impressive 5.26-second pass at 267 mph, defeating Wiens’ Hedinger’s Equipment/NGK Spark Plugs and Coils strong 5.32-second run at 272 mph, and securing his first career Top Alcohol Dragster victory.

“I had a great weekend here at Bowling Green, it’s a super cool facility with lots of history and character,” said Kalitta. “It was my first time there, which seems to be a rarity for me as our family has raced at so many different tracks. Qualifying did not go as planned, I had a rookie mistake on the second run, but it was good to get that one out of the way before heading to Indy. Randy, JJ, & the whole Randy Meyer team had my Kalitta Air car running smooth and strong on Sunday winning all three rounds. I’m super honored to get my first NHRA win with such great people, I could not do it without them and the support from my family. Now we are focused on Indy for the Big Go!”

For Wiens, the weekend represented an impressive debut in Top Alcohol Dragster competition. After only earning her upgraded license days earlier, she immediately found herself in her first final round and posted the quickest pass of the entire event along the way.

“Qualifying was a little rough, and we faced the number two qualifier first round and somehow ended up low E.T. for the weekend,” said Wiens. “I had a bye into the final, and in the final I think we still ran a great pass, but Mitch prevailed and it was a great weekend overall. I can’t wait to do it again.”

The result was a significant milestone not only for Kalitta, but for the entire Randy Meyer Racing organization. The victory was the team’s 131st overall and continued a unique streak at Beech Bend Raceway Park, where Randy Meyer Racing has now won three consecutive years with three different drivers.

Hedinger’s Equipment was also on board both Randy Meyer Racing dragsters throughout the JEGS SportsNationals weekend. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Hedinger’s Equipment is an authorized wrecker dealership for Miller, Century, Vulcan, Chevron and Landoll trailers, offering an extensive selection of new and pre-owned equipment backed by a strong focus on customer service. The company has partnered with Randy Meyer Racing to support the team and a shared commitment to performance and excellence in both the drag racing and towing industries.

The Hedinger’s Equipment branding will remain on the Randy Meyer Racing dragsters next weekend at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, where Kalitta will return to competition alongside TJ Tindle.

Mitch Kalitta Scores First Top Alcohol Dragster Win at JEGS SportsNationals with Randy Meyer Racing

Aug 31, 2026 | Race Results

However, the weekend did not begin as smoothly as the team had hoped.

In the second round, Kalitta faced veteran Jared Dreher and put together a 5.34-second pass at 269 mph to defeat Dreher’s 5.52 at the same speed.

The Hedinger’s Equipment branding will remain on the Randy Meyer Racing dragsters next weekend at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, where Kalitta will return to competition alongside TJ Tindle.

With a first career win now on his résumé and Wiens already showing championship-level potential in her Top Alcohol Dragster debut, the Randy Meyer Racing team leaves Bowling Green with plenty of momentum heading into the biggest race of the NHRA season.

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Ryan Preece Wins First NASCAR Cup Series Race At Daytona and Secures Final CHase Spot

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Daytona BEACH, FL. – August 31, 2026 – Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s Ryan Preece scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series points-paying victory Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, winning the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in overtime and securing the 16th and final spot in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase.

RYAN PREECE WINS FIRST NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE AT DAYTONA AND SECURES FINAL CHASE SPOTDAYTONA BEACH, FL. – August 31, 2026 – Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s Ryan Preece scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series points-paying victory Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, winning the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in overtime and securing the 16th and final spot in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase.

Preece entered the regular-season finale 31 points behind for the final Chase position. With his victory, Preece vaulted past Shane van Gisbergen by 17 points to earn his first career Cup Series win and a spot in the 10-race championship pursuit. The victory marked the 144th NASCAR Cup Series win for team owner Jack Roush and the seventh Cup Series victory under the Roush Fenway Keselowski banner. It was also Ford’s fifth Cup Series victory in the last seven races.

Five Ford Mustang drivers advanced to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase: Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher of RFK Racing, along with Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric of Team Penske.

“Congratulations to Jack, Brad, Chip, Derrick, Ryan and everyone at Roush Fenway Keselowski on the win at Daytona International Speedway,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Ryan battled through some challenges at the end of Stage 1 but drove through the field from 38th position in Stage 2 to earn his first points win. To win five of the last seven races is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the employees at Ford Racing, RFK Racing, Team Penske and Roush Yates Engines. We finished the regular season with tremendous momentum, and we’re looking forward to the Chase.”

“Unreal. The Northeast is gonna burn it down tonight because when we won the Clash all I heard was, ‘That was a non-points race.’ Well, now we’ve won a points race and now we’re in the playoffs. We came with our back against the wall and we fought. That was a heavyweight fight and we were never out. Thank you to OIKOS, Kroger, Fastenal, Mr. Jack Roush, everybody at RFK, Brad Keselowski, Tad Geschickter, all our friends and family, Ford for the awesome race car, Doug Yates for the awesome motor. I’m just super, super proud. I’m proud to be a Northeast guy,” commented Preece.

RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher qualified second, earning a front-row starting position, while Preece qualified fourth. Team Penske’s teammates Austin Cindric started eighth and Joey Logano ninth in Saturday’s race. Buescher and Preece raced at the front of the field late in Stage 1, but contact involving Buescher and Kyle Larson collected both RFK Racing Fords and sent all three cars through the infield grass. Preece rebounded from the incident and charged through the field in Stage 2, finishing second behind Ford teammate Ryan Blaney, who won the stage.

Race Teams leveraged various pit strategies during the final stage, while Preece stayed out and remained in contention at the front of the field. He took the lead in the closing laps while stretching fuel mileage and was running among the leaders when an incident on lap 155 brought out a caution and sent the race into overtime. Preece held his position during the overtime restart and took the lead in the closing laps. When another caution flew following a series of final-lap incidents, Preece was ahead of Daniel Suárez and was declared the winner.

Team Penske’s Austin Cindric finished sixth, while Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry finished ninth at Daytona.

The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, the opening race of the 10-race 2026 Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. The Chase begins Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. ET.

42 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 491 WINS – 454 POLES

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Corvette Racing at COTA: Triple Threat

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Triple Threat

TF Sport aiming for third straight win in Corvette’s home race DETROIT (August 31, 2026) – TF Sport is bringing its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs home to the U.S. as the FIA World Endurance Championship makes its lone American stop this weekend at Circuit of The Americas for Sunday’s six-hour Lone Star Le Mans. America’s sports car is on a two-race win streak in the highly competitive LMGT3 class with both the No. 33 TF Sport and No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvettes firmly entrenched in the championship standings as a result.
Texan Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar and Nicky Catsburg are the reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winners in the No. 33 Corvette. That result catapulted the No. 33 crew into the lead of the Teams points standings, and the top-three in the Drivers Championship are Edgar, Catsburg and Keating, in that order. Catsburg missed the previous race in Brazil due to his commitments in IMSA, and Keating sat out the first two rounds of the season due to an elbow injury. The trio of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey were winners at Sāo Paulo for their first victory of the season. The result moved the No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette to fourth in the Teams championship, and only the No. 33 sister car has scored more points the last three races than the red No. 34 entry. Of note, Eastwood and Yoluc were TF Sport teammates in a winning run in Austin at the 2020 COTA WEC race. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R already is a winner at Circuit of the Americas, having won in GT World Challenge America competition in 2024 and 2025. As a program, Corvette Racing has five victories in both IMSA and SRO competition. Three generations of Corvette – C6.R, C7.R and Z06 GT3.R – have won at the circuit. The six-hour Lone Star Le Mans race for the FIA World Endurance Championship is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 6. Live streaming coverage of the race, qualifying and Hyperpole, plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans also will provide live streaming audio coverage of all sessions as well.

ANDREA HIDALGO, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “We’re all very excited for Sunday’s race at Circuit of The Americas, especially with it being our home round of the WEC season. It’s a big deal for us, for everyone at TF Sport and the fans who will be watching. Obviously we couldn’t ask for better momentum coming into the event off wins for TF Sport at Le Mans and Brazil. Everything is clicking together nicely: the performance of the drivers, the engineering preparation and strategy as well as the execution and setup by the crew. This event will be a challenge, as it always is. The competition will be tough but so will the extreme heat both on and off the track. The way the team is able to manage that through the car, the tire degradation and themselves will go a long way toward finding success – and more points – this weekend.”

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The result in Brazil means I can’t win the championship anymore but I kind of knew that was going to be the situation. We saw that coming so for Jonny it was important to score some points. But the goal is always to win the championship. Even though it might be just Jonny, we’ve all done it together – with Nico’s help and also with Blake’s help. But the goal remains the same: we need to have good races and score as many points as possible. Brazil was very good for them. With the additional weight, the team did a great job to get points. I feel like COTA might be a little difficult again in terms of weight. It’s a home race for Ben so it’s cool to be there. I like the high-speed first sector, but what I dislike about it is that you can do track limits everywhere and it’s a very un-American track in that way. But it’s still a cool place to go to and it’s a track I haven’t been to in a very long time. I’m looking forward to it.”

JONNY EDGAR, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I really enjoyed driving at COTA last year, especially Sector One. It was a difficult race for us. We struggled for pace in the wet and had a lot of different things go wrong. It was one of those days but I’m looking forward to going back. I feel like this year going back to this track for the second time, I’m much more comfortable straight away. In general I feel much more comfortable in the car. Last year was my first full season in GT racing so I feel quite a big improvement in my own performance. I feel like everything comes easier now. I can jump in and drive naturally and not have to think quite as much. Hopefully it’s a similar improvement at COTA. It’s Corvette’s home race and Ben’s as well. We want to do well everywhere but obviously there is extra incentive to have a good race this weekend.”

BEN KEATING, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We come to my home race leading the championship and having won Le Mans. It will be tough because we are still carrying some success ballast and it’s such a long track. Having said all that, I’ve been very successful at COTA through the years. I think I won the first four races I did there including a 24-hour race overall. I’m also planning to have a lot of guests there. As I have my name on the side of the car from my Keating Chevrolet dealership, it would be great to win in Texas or be on the podium. We will see.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’re coming off finally breaking through with the win at Brazil. The team effort was amazing, and both Peter and Salih drove really well to put us in a position where I just needed to bring it home. Now we’re hoping to continue that at COTA, which is a completely different track but it’s one I really enjoy. It’s the home race for Corvette and Peter’s only chance to race in the U.S., so we want to give it all we can to make it two in a row. There is a lot of good momentum within TF Sport at the moment – our win, the great result at Le Mans and how things are going with the ELMS entry. Really looking forward to this weekend to see if we can keep it up.”

SALIH YOLUC, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It will be good to go back to COTA. We won there with TF the last time I raced there and I really like it there. It’s fast and flowing, especially the first sector. It has a little bit of everything. I don’t think you can really compare it to any other track on the calendar. That’s what makes it quite unique in its own way.”

PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s another new track for me. I tested a Radical there back when we had a Radical team but I never raced there. Obviously it’s Corvette’s home race and my home race at this point of my life. It will feel good to come in after the win in Brazil, and I think we are still on a high from it. The track in Austin is a tricky one. In a GT3 car it’s going to be all about track usage. You want to make sure you’re good in the brake zones but also use the track to maximize track limits. It’s very different to Interlagos, for example, where you don’t get away with much. It will be a new experience so I’m looking forward to it.”

2026 FIA World Endurance Championship PointsLMGT3 Drivers Standings1. Jonny Edgar – 762. Nicky Catsburg – 723. Ben Keating – 544. Riccardo Pera/Richard Lietz/Yasser Shahin – 495. Anthony McIntosh/Daniel Harper/Parker Thompson – 436. Charlie Eastwood/Peter Dempsey/Salih Yoluc – 43 LMGT3 Teams Standings1. No. 33 TF Sport – 762. No. 92 The Bend Manthey – 493. No. 69 Team WRT – 434. No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF – 435. No. 21 Vista AF Corse – 42 CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: By the Numbers• 2: Consecutive race wins for TF Sport in FIA WEC competition: 24 Hours of Le Mans (No. 33 Corvette) and Six Hours of Sāo Paulo (No. 34 Corvette)• 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at COTA since 2013 – Corvette C6.R (2013), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and the mid-engine Corvette C8.R – which raced at COTA for the first time in WEC competition in 2020 – and Z06 GT3.R, both of which are eighth-gen Corvettes• 5: Class wins at COTA for Corvette Racing entries in two championships: IMSA and GT World Challenge America. The latest came in 2025 from DXDT Racing in GT World Challenge America Pro-Am• 11: Wins this year for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R including two earlier this year at Circuit of The Americas• 15: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 35: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Chang International Circuit (Thailand), Daytona, Detroit, Fuji, Houston, Imola, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Lusail International Circuit (Qatar), Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sāo Paulo (Brazil), Sebring, Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), Sonoma, Spa-Francorchamps, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 44: Number of drivers to win races in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. The latest to join the list were TF Sport’s Peter Dempsey and Salih Yoluc at Sāo Paulo in WEC• 73: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 86: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Steller Motorsports’ Lenny Ried joined the list at the 24 Hours of Spa• 159: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 119 in IMSA, 10 at Le Mans, six in the FIA WEC, 13 in GT World Challenge America, three in GT World Challenge Asia, GT America and the European Le Mans Series, and one in IGTC/GT World Challenge Europe• 387: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 6,256.04: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 12 previous events at Circuit of The Americas• 511,683.39: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. The program went over the half-million mark at this year’s 24 Hours of Spa Corvette Racing at Circuit of The Americas (wins in bold)2013 IMSA – No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GTNo. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 11th in GT 2014 IMSA – No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 10th in GTLM 2014 FIA WEC – No. 65 Corvette C7.R: Tommy Milner/Jordan Taylor/Ricky Taylor – 7th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC entry) 2015 IMSA – No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 8th in GTLM 2016 IMSA – No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 3rd in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 5th in GTLM 2017 IMSA – No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 7th in GTLM 2020 FIA WEC – No. 63 Corvette C8.R: Jan Magnussen/Mike Rockenfeller: 6th in GTE Pro 2024 SRO America – No. 63 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Alec Udell – 1st, 1st in GTWC ProNo. 08 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Bryan Sellers/Scott Smithson – 6th, 11th in GTWC Pro-Am 2024 FIA WEC – No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 8th in LMGT3No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Daniel Juncadella/Sebastien Baud/Hiroshi Koizumi – 17th in LMGT3 (DNF) 2025 SRO America – No. 11 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Blake McDonald/Matt Bell – 1st, 3rd in GTWC Pro-AmNo. 50 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Ross Chouest/Aaron Povoledo – 8th, 11th in GTWC Pro-AmNo. 50 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Ross Chouest – 4th, 3rd in GT America SRO3 2025 FIA WEC – No. 33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Daniel Juncadella/Jonny Edgar/Ben Keating – 7th in LMGT3No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 2nd in LMGT3 2026 SRO America – No. 50 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Ross Chouest – 3rd, 5th in GT America SRO3

CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Triple ThreatTF Sport aiming for third straight win in Corvette’s home race DETROIT (August 31, 2026) – TF Sport is bringing its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs home to the U.S. as the FIA World Endurance Championship makes its lone American stop this weekend at Circuit of The Americas for Sunday’s six-hour Lone Star Le Mans. America’s sports car is on a two-race win streak in the highly competitive LMGT3 class with both the No. 33 TF Sport and No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvettes firmly entrenched in the championship standings as a result.
Texan Ben Keating, Jonny Edgar and Nicky Catsburg are the reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans winners in the No. 33 Corvette. That result catapulted the No. 33 crew into the lead of the Teams points standings, and the top-three in the Drivers Championship are Edgar, Catsburg and Keating, in that order. Catsburg missed the previous race in Brazil due to his commitments in IMSA, and Keating sat out the first two rounds of the season due to an elbow injury. The trio of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey were winners at Sāo Paulo for their first victory of the season. The result moved the No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette to fourth in the Teams championship, and only the No. 33 sister car has scored more points the last three races than the red No. 34 entry. Of note, Eastwood and Yoluc were TF Sport teammates in a winning run in Austin at the 2020 COTA WEC race. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R already is a winner at Circuit of the Americas, having won in GT World Challenge America competition in 2024 and 2025. As a program, Corvette Racing has five victories in both IMSA and SRO competition. Three generations of Corvette – C6.R, C7.R and Z06 GT3.R – have won at the circuit. The six-hour Lone Star Le Mans race for the FIA World Endurance Championship is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 6. Live streaming coverage of the race, qualifying and Hyperpole, plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans also will provide live streaming audio coverage of all sessions as well.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

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Jett Barnes Takes First ASCS National Tour Win in Sheridan Speedway Debut

September 2, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Jett Barnes Takes First ASCS National Tour Win in Sheridan Speedway Debut SHERIDAN, WY (August 30, 2026) — Jett Barnes did not have trouble finding Victory Lane with the American Sprint Car Series.

In his third career start with the National Tour, the 15-year-old wheeled the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14 around Wyoming’s Sheridan Speedway for the first time, earning a $4,000 score to close the opening weekend of Frontier Speedweek.

Starting from the front row of the 25-lap Feature with polesitter Matt Covington, Barnes used his position on the outside line to get the jump on Covington through the first set of corners on the opening lap for the lead.

As Barnes established his dominance on the cushion through the Feature’s first quarter, Covington and the field of 360 Sprint Cars followed in tow around the outside line as the Visalia, CA driver expanded to a one-second lead until the first wave of lap traffic helped Covington reel the teenager back in his sights.

While Barnes felt rising pressure from Covington for the lead, Garrett Benson joined the fight by reaching the back bumper of the No. 95 Sprint Car as the two began to exchange racing lines, attempting to power over the other for the position.

With Covington and Benson fighting for the runner-up position at the halfway point, it helped Barnes expand to a 4.9-second lead in clean air until the final wave of lapped cars arrived in the final eight laps.

After Covington held off Benson for second place, he charged back to Barnes, closing to within 2.5 seconds until the sole caution of the Feature flew on the final lap for Saturday podium finisher Cole Schroeder.

For the green-white-checkered run to the finish, Barnes kept his No. 14 glued to the cushion as Covington trailed in hot pursuit. Reaching a near two-second lead at the waving of the twin checkered flags, Barnes celebrated being the second-youngest Feature winner in National Tour history at 15 years, three months, and three days old.

“Tonight, I honestly didn’t expect this,” Barnes said. “It’s pretty big, and you really got to use your wing a lot to get around there. It was technical getting through lap traffic. I think these tracks are awesome, and I honestly enjoyed them a lot.”

Covington drove to a second-place finish as Benson took third. Sam Hafertepe Jr. finished in fourth, and Brogan Carder took the final place in the top five for his highest result of the 2026 season.

Leaving the opening weekend of Frontier Speedweek, the points at the top shifted once more as Covington retook the points lead by six markers over Hafertepe. 2024 Series champion Seth Bergman is 55 points back after finishing the Sunday battle in 10th place.

Recap Notes:

Quick Time Award: Jett Barnes (13.787 sec.)

Heat Race Winners: Matt Covington, Garrett Benson, Ryder Laplante

Last Chance Showdown Winner: Zach Blurton

Honest Abe Roofing Dash Winner: Matt Covington

Hard Charger Award: Zach Blurton (+7)

UP NEXT: The American Sprint Car Series will return to Montana for the final weekend of Frontier Speedweek with Gallatin Speedway on Friday, Sept. 4, then two nights of Montana Roundup at Electric City Speedway on Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 5-6.

GALLATIN INFO

ELECTRIC CITY INFO

RESULTS: Feature (25 Laps): 1. 14-Jett Barnes[2]; 2. 95-Matt Covington[1]; 3. 2B-Garrett Benson[3]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[7]; 5. 88C-Brogan Carder[4]; 6. 88R-Ryder Laplante[5]; 7. 45X-Kyler Johnson[6]; 8. 16G-Austyn Gossel[12]; 9. 2J-Zach Blurton[16]; 10. 23-Seth Bergman[11]; 11. 88-Terry Easum[9]; 12. 81-Kelly Miller[13]; 13. 8M-Kade Morton[14]; 14. 7F-Decklyn Fleming[15]; 15. 14B-Blayne Brink[20]; 16. 0J-Damon McCune[19]; 17. 17F-Paxton Fleming[17]; 18. 511-Josh Broadbent[21]; 19. 3-Cole Schroeder[8]; 20. 38B-Bryan Brown[22]; 21. 12H-Rich Bailey[18]; 22. 24M-Ian Myers[10]

Covington drove to a second-place finish as Benson took third. Sam Hafertepe Jr. finished in fourth, and Brogan Carder took the final place in the top five for his highest result of the 2026 season.

Recap Notes:

Quick Time Award: Jett Barnes (13.787 sec.)

Heat Race Winners: Matt Covington, Garrett Benson, Ryder Laplante

Last Chance Showdown Winner: Zach Blurton

Honest Abe Roofing Dash Winner: Matt Covington

Hard Charger Award: Zach Blurton (+7)

GALLATIN INFO

ELECTRIC CITY INFO

ARTICLE:https://ascsracing.com/recap/jett-barnes-takes-first-ascs-national-tour-win-in-sheridan-speedway-debut/

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