Monthly Archives: April 2016

Honda Racing

Honda Racing–Hinchcliffe Heads Honda Qualifiers at Long Beach

Hinchcliffe Heads Honda Qualifiers at Long Beach
• Sato, Munoz also post top-10 times
• Daly again leads rookie field

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe again led the Honda field in Verizon IndyCar Series action on Saturday on the streets of Long Beach, California, qualifying seventh for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Canadian Indy car veteran, now fully recovered from serious injuries sustained last May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is seeking his fifth career victory, and first at Long Beach.

Qualifying less than a tenth of a second slower, 2013 Long Beach winner Takuma Sato will start eighth, with 2015 Detroit victor Carlos Munoz leading the Andretti Autosport effort to round out the top-10 qualifiers. Munoz’s teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, will start 11th.

Luca Filippi capped a strong effort from Dale Coyne Racing to qualify 12th, while teammate Conor Daly again led the rookie field at Long Beach, and will start 13th. Sunday’s 80-lap race starts at 4 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “Today was a really good day. We rolled off the truck with a good car on Friday and I’m really proud of the Arrow Electronics guys for the prep that they did, because the car was a rocket right from the get-go. We’ve just been making little tweaks to it, trying to get into a position to be fighting for the Firestone Fast Six, and we did. We finished seventh. We kind of [lost out] a little bit with the way that the Timing and Scoring system failed, but it is what it is. We’re starting on the inside, which is great. It’s such a turnaround from the race in Phoenix two weeks ago. There are a lot of reasons to be happy today and I’m proud of the guys.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Pole Quote

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH (CALIFORNIA)
POLE WINNER QUICK QUOTE
APRIL 16, 2016
Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Auto Club of Southern California Team Penske Chevrolet, won the pole for the Grand Prix of Long Beach for the second consecutive year. It is the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner’s 47th career pole; his third pole at Long Beach and his second of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season. His first of the year came at Phoenix International Raceway on April 1, 2016.
HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET – Pole Winner:
IT’S SUNNY EVERY DAY IN YOUR WORLD. BUT, TODAY IS ANOTHER REASON TO SMILE
“I’m very happy, first of all, for the AAA car. We’ve been good all weekend long. We’ve been working together all weekend long. I would say Team Penske probably had the upper hand. They say it’s better to be lucky than good and we planned very well. Will (Power) was definitely in a league of his own and he seems to be putting out phenomenal laps, but in the end putting on red tires, you saw (Scott) Dixon up there, you saw (Tony) Kanaan up there and Juan Pablo (Montoya) and Simon (Pagenaud), so it was a mix. But, I’ll take it. Definitely thank AAA and the entire Chevy team. They did a phenomenal job. And hey, it’s the right spot to start, so let’s keep it.”

WHEN WE COME TO A STREET COURSE, YOU KNOW THE CIRCUIT BUT NOBODY IN THIS SERIES OR IN RACING HAS ANY CONTROL OF WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN TO CHANGE THE STREET FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RE-ACCLIMATE?
“That is a great question. It’s so difficult to predict things like that. To be honest, at the end of the day for us, sometimes it hurts us on the race in some stints, it depends on how it happens; but today but it just proves that plan works it out. The track did change this year. Some of the curbs, they took them out. And some of the curbs they added. So, it was a little bit different. But in the end, I don’t care (laughs). We are starting on the front row in the number one spot. Well, we put it on the pole.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Practice

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE NOTES AND QUOTES
APRIL 16, 2016

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 NATURE’S BAKERY CHEVROLET SS – Involved in an on-track incident with Denny Hamlin and sustained rear damage to the No. 10 Chevrolet

WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN YOU AND THE NO. 11?
“I had just come out on tires. They were cold and I wasn’t very good anyway, I was pretty loose. I came down the front straightaway and I put my finger out the window to point him by, but he hit my on entry. I don’t know if he… it looked like he came pretty close when he went to go to the inside too. Man, I love Denny (Hamlin), but he makes a lot of mistakes behind me. I don’t know if he misjudged it or I was going slower than he thought, but I put my finger out the window and pointed him by. I had no intention to race him. I was not fast enough. I don’t know, but the guys are going to try and fix it.”

World of Outlaws

World of Outlaws–Sweet Scores Five On Late Race Pass at Bakersfield

Sweet Scores Five On Late Race Pass at Bakersfield
Red flags and flared tempers color series return after 11-year absence

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – April 15, 2016 – Brad Sweet claimed his fifth World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the season through red flags and flared tempers at Bakersfield Speedway on Friday night.

Sweet, who passed Joey Saldana on a late restart in the Budweiser Bash feature, tied Donny Schatz for the most wins on the season. Continue reading World of Outlaws–Sweet Scores Five On Late Race Pass at Bakersfield →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Gavin, Magnussen Part of Tight GTLM Fight

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Gavin, Magnussen Part of Tight GTLM Fight
Fittipaldi nabs first Long Beach pole position for Action Express Racing; Ricky Taylor second

Corvette Racing going for 100th program victory
Gavin to start fourth, Magnussen in fifth
Second straight Long Beach overall pole for Corvette DP

DETROIT (April 15, 2016) – Corvette Racing will go for its 100th victory in program history Saturday from the second and third rows of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) grid as part of the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach. Oliver Gavin qualified fourth in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, and Jan Magnussen was right behind in the No. 3 Corvette.

In Prototype qualifying, Action Express Racing’s Christian Fittipaldi led a front-row sweep for the Corvette Daytona Prototype by beating out Ricky Taylor, last year’s pole winner for Wayne Taylor Racing. Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Gavin, Magnussen Part of Tight GTLM Fight →

Honda Racing

Hinchcliffe, Honda Run Second in Opening Day Practice at Long Beach

Hinchcliffe, Honda Run Second in Opening Day Practice at Long Beach
• Rahal debuts new colors with third-quickest time
• Hawksworth, Munoz post top-10 times
• Daly leads rookies

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe led the Honda field in Verizon IndyCar Series practice Friday for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, posting the second-fastest time, only two-tenths of a second behind defending race winner Will Power. Graham Rahal continued his run of impressive street circuit performances, giving Honda two of the top-three positions on the time sheets, finishing the day just six-hundredths of a second off Hinchcliffe.

A.J. Foyt Racing continued to show strong form at Long Beach, with Jack Hawksworth posting the ninth-fastest time, with teammate and 2013 race winner Takuma Sato, 11th. Conor Daly led the three rookie drivers in the field with the 15th fastest time, still less than a second behind Power.

Activities on the Southern California temporary street circuit continue tomorrow, with final practice and qualifying. Sunday’s 80-lap race starts at 4 p.m. EDT, with live network television coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

James Hinchcliffe (#5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “We’ve had a difficult start to the season, but not quite as difficult as the end to my last one [when a mechanical failure at Indianapolis resulting in serious leg injuries that ended his season]. So, it’s easy to sleep at night knowing that things could be worse. The car was quick off the truck [this morning], and we made very few changes over lunch, so it’s an encouraging start to our weekend. Long Beach has been nice to me in the past, so hopefully, we can have a solid weekend here and really kick off the season.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Practice

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH (CALIFORNIA)
DAY ONE – PRACTICE RECAP
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016

LONG BEACH, Calif – At the conclusion of the second round of practice for Sunday’s running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, Team Chevy’s Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, topped the combined speed charts with a fast lap of one minute, 07.5992 seconds/104.806 mph.

The 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series (VICS) champion led a Chevrolet contingent of six drivers in the top-eight of final time and speed order in preparation for round three of the 16-race season.

Team Penske drivers Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 PPG Automotive Refinish Chevrolet, and Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 2 Verizon Chevrolet, were fourth and fifth respectively. Their teammate Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet, finished practice in sixth position.

Josef Newgarden, No. 21 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, was seventh fastest with defending series champion Scott Dixon, No., 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, in eighth place. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Long Beach–Practice →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Qualifying

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
APRIL 15, 2016

JIMMIE JOHNSON LEADS TEAM CHEVY IN QUALIFYING AT BRISTOL
Three Chevy SS Drivers in Top 10

BRISTOL, Tenn. – (April 15, 2016) – Jimmie Johnson was fastest among the Chevrolet drivers qualifying for Sunday’s Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The six time NSCS champion posted the sixth fastest lap with a lap time of 15.173 secs and average lap speed of 127.997 in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS. Johnson leads all active drivers with 12 short track victories. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Qualifying →

Red Horse Racing

Red Horse Racing and Ben Kennedy Part Ways

Red Horse Racing and Ben Kennedy Part Ways

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 15, 2016) – Today, Red Horse Racing announced that, effective immediately, it will part ways with driver Ben Kennedy. Kennedy and the team had an agreement through the first three races of 2016, but he will not continue in the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for the remainder of the season.

“We wish Ben all the best in his career,” said team owner Tom DeLoach. “Red Horse Racing will continue to focus on pursuing the championship with Timothy Peters and the No. 17. We expect to field two teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and we will announce further plans as they are confirmed.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Dale Earnhardt Jr

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 15, 2016

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed having Peyton Manning as a guest at the track this weekend, his thoughts on loose wheels, the success of the banana and mayonnaise and many other topics. Full Transcript:

THROUGH YOUR DRIVEN TO GIVE PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL YOU HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM GOING ON THIS WEEKEND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT:
“We have eight-year-old Aiden on the passenger side of the car. He is going to be our champion child this race weekend that we are celebrating. Obviously, we are trying to raise money to fight autism this month with the Driven to Give gloves. We did the glove auctions throughout the season last year with a lot of success. We wanted to tweak that program a little bit this year to try to raise even more funds. We’ve been wearing these blue gloves all month. At the end of the month we are going to auction them off and raise money for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. I’ve had a chance to go up there and take a tour. We will be going again this year. It’s an amazing place doing a lot of great things. They have improved and learned so much over the last couple of decades to be able to make such a huge difference in the lives of these children they are treating. It’s awesome to be a part of that and be able to help. That is how we are doing it this year. I think we are going to have four months that we focus on this year where we will wear different colored gloves and have a champion child that we will have on the car at some of those events throughout the year raising money for different causes, different illnesses. We are excited. We have been wearing these blue gloves for a few races now. I’m looking forward to auctioning them things off and trying to raise some good money.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Dale Earnhardt Jr →

Uncategorized

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Austin & Ty Dillon

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 15, 2016

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS/RANGER BOATS CHEVROLET SS, AND HIS BROTHER, TY DILLON, NO. 14 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER BOATS CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Bristol Motor Speedway to talk about their promotion with Bass Pro Shops Bro VS Bro and discuss how much the brothers have competed against each other, their workout regimens and many other topics. Partial Transcript:

HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS COMPARE YOUR RESULTS AGAINST EACH OTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS?

TY DILLON:
“I think we both know about every week, where the other one finishes. We both want to do well and we both want to push each other to be the best. We want to compete against each other for wins because that is the ultimate goal. We are always paying attention and we are always talking to each other on the weekends to see what we can do to help each other. I have been learning a lot from Austin in these Cup races that I have been running. But again, the ultimate goal is to be racing for wins against each other and if it comes down to that we will both be happy.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Austin & Ty Dillon →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Chase Elliott

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 15, 2016

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 KELLEY BLUE BOOK CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) and discussed his season thus far, his earliest memories of coming to BMS, his fitness regimen and many other topics. Full Transcript:

YOU WILL BE MAKING YOUR FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES START AT BRISTOL THIS WEEKEND. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ANTICIPATION OF COMING HERE IN THE CUP CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME:
“I’m excited. What a cool place Bristol is. It is a track I’ve always enjoyed coming to to watch as a fan, and one that I certainly never wanted to miss watching at home. Very neat to be here and be here and be a part of the Cup Series race this weekend. We have had some good runs and some not so good runs on the Xfinity side. We ran a Truck race here and I think a Pro Cup race here. I’ve been fortunate enough to race here a handful of times over the past four or five years. Hopefully, we can take a little bit of that knowledge that we have gathered over those races and try to apply it this weekend.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Chase Elliott →

Kalin Benchev

Kalin Benchev is one of the most experienced rally drivers from neighbouring Bulgaria

Kalin Benchev is one of the most experienced rally drivers from neighbouring Bulgaria
04/11/2016

“Whenever I hear the word Sibiu, I think about Trasfăgărăşan”.
On how one of the best Bulgarian drivers that participates at Sibiu Rally sees Sibiu

At 30, Kalin Benchev is one of the most experienced rally drivers from neighbouring Bulgaria. With a record that boasts with stages and titles won in the Bulgarian National Championship, he is now preparing to rev up his engine for the Sibiu Rally on April 15 and 16, because this year Sibiu Rally is for the first time the first stage of the Bulgarian National Championship. The Bulgarian driver, who will be steering a Subaru Impreza, agreed to do a short interview for Turnul Sfatului where he tells about how he first entered the world of motorsport, how he sees Romania and what Sibiu fascinates him with. Continue reading Kalin Benchev is one of the most experienced rally drivers from neighbouring Bulgaria →

Chevrolet Racing

A Double Bowtie Experience For Chevrolet Racing Display Fans at Long Beach

A Double Bowtie Experience For Chevrolet Racing Display Fans at Long Beach
Combined Chevrolet display highlights Verizon IndyCar Series, IMSA

DETROIT (April 14, 2016) – Chevrolet Racing’s annual trip to the Grand Prix of Long Beach means track action for both Corvette Racing in the International Motor Sports Association’s (IMSA) GT Le Mans (GTLM) and Chevrolet teams in the Verizon IndyCar Series. It also means the best of both worlds with a combined Chevy Racing display for fans at the iconic southern California street race. Continue reading A Double Bowtie Experience For Chevrolet Racing Display Fans at Long Beach →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE DPs AT LONG BEACH: Wayne Taylor Racing Looking to Defend

CORVETTE DPs AT LONG BEACH: Wayne Taylor Racing Looking to Defend
Jordan, Ricky Taylor victors with Visit Florida Racing third in 2015 race

· Four Corvette Daytona Prototypes for third round of IMSA season

· Four podiums in two races for Corvette DPs

· Thirty victories for Corvette DP program since launch in 2012

DETROIT (April 13, 2016) – Following the two longest races of the season, the Corvette Daytona Prototype program and its four teams are readying for one of the shortest for 2016. The fabled Grand Prix of Long Beach is site of the next round of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season – the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach.

This will mark the third season Corvette Daytona Prototypes have appeared at Long Beach, and they have been contenders at each of their previous two visits with a victory and three Continue reading CORVETTE DPs AT LONG BEACH: Wayne Taylor Racing Looking to Defend →

Wood Brothers

Wood Brothers Racing–The Last 1-2 Finish For The Wood Brothers and The Pettys Came In The 2001 Food City 500 At Bristol

The Last 1-2 Finish For The Wood Brothers and The Pettys Came In The 2001 Food City 500 At Bristol

April 13, 2016

When it comes to iconic teams in NASCAR, few have as much history as the Wood Brothers from Stuart, Va., and the Pettys from Level Cross, N.C.

Although the members of the respective families have been friends for decades, they also have been rivals on the track, and that continues through today.

Over the years, the two teams and their drivers have played starring roles in some of the all-time historic finishes in NASCAR history. The two teams’ legendary drivers David Pearson and Richard Petty hold the all-time NASCAR record for 1-2 finishes with 63, with Pearson winning 33 races to Petty’s 30. Continue reading Wood Brothers Racing–The Last 1-2 Finish For The Wood Brothers and The Pettys Came In The 2001 Food City 500 At Bristol →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevrolet IndyCar Teams Aim to Continue Momentum on Streets of Long Beach

Chevrolet IndyCar Teams Aim to Continue Momentum on Streets of Long Beach

· Chevrolet drivers have scored victory in the first two races of the Verizon IndyCar Series season
ᴏ Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Dixon earn victories on street and oval tracks
· Bowtie Brand drivers have reset track lap records at St. Petersburg and Phoenix
ᴏ Will Power and Team Penske teammate Helio Castroneves lead way in qualifying
· Dixon, who won at Phoenix, seeks to repeat his 2015 Long Beach-winning performance
ᴏ Reigning champion earned the victory in his 10th start on the street circuit
· Simon Pagenaud holds leads four Chevy drivers in top five of championship standings

DETROIT (April 13, 2016) – With victories in the first two races of the Verizon IndyCar Series season, Chevrolet Racing this weekend seeks to add to its legacy in the tradition-rich Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Continue reading Chevrolet IndyCar Teams Aim to Continue Momentum on Streets of Long Beach →

Honda Racing

Honda Racing–RealTime Racing Acuras Carry Growing Momentum to Long Beach

RealTime Racing Acuras Carry Growing Momentum to Long Beach

• RTR Acura TLXs earned first top-10 results of 2016 at St. Petersburg
• Team returns to site of double top-10 finish in 2015
• RealTime Racing seeking first Long Beach win

TORRANCE, Calif, (April 13, 2016) – The RealTime Racing Acuras have a rare one-and-done weekend at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, as the Pirelli World Challenge series contests just a single race, instead of the normal two, at the nation’s most famous street circuit.

The single race gives the RTR squad just one chance to build on the momentum earned with a pair of top-10 runs in St. Petersburg last month, including a season-best sixth-place effort by Ryan Eversley. But if the team performs like it did a year ago, one race should be all the team needs to continue improving its results. Continue reading Honda Racing–RealTime Racing Acuras Carry Growing Momentum to Long Beach →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Race-Winning Momentum Heads West

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Race-Winning Momentum Heads West
A third straight IMSA victory would give Corvette Racing 100 wins in program history

Chance for Corvette Racing to add to another milestone to history books
Gavin, Milner arrive with Rolex, Sebring victories and GTLM points lead
Garcia, Magnussen look to recapture winning ways
Corvette Racing with five class victories at Long Beach

DETROIT (April 12, 2016) – Since its first race in 1999, Corvette Racing has accumulated one of sports car racing’s most enviable records. Now the sport’s leading GT team is on the verge of reaching another milestone as it heads west for the next two races of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season.

Corvette Racing’s next victory will be its 100th – a mark that no other North American professional sports car entrant can come close to matching. The first opportunity to claim No. 100 comes this weekend at the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix from the famed Long Beach street circuit. It will be Corvette Racing’s 10th appearance at Long Beach with five class wins already in-hand. Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Race-Winning Momentum Heads West →

World of Outlaws

World of Outlaws–Netto Heads Home after Heartbreak

At A Glance: Netto Heads Home after Heartbreak
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series travels to Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway on April 15, Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway on April 16 and USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz. on April 18

CONCORD, N.C. – April 12, 2016 – The last time Hanford, California’s DJ Netto competed in a World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series race he dominated the Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway on April 2, as he led 31 of the 40 laps, but ran out of fuel a handful of laps before the checkered flag fell. Continue reading World of Outlaws–Netto Heads Home after Heartbreak →