Chevy Racing–NHRA at Topeka–John Force

CHEVROLET AT TOPEKA

What:
28th NHRA Kansas Nationals
When:
Friday, May 20-Sunday, May 22
Where:
Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kansas
TV:
FS1: Qualifying – 11 p.m. ET Saturday (taped highlights)
FS1: Eliminations and finals – 2 p.m. ET Sunday (live)

JOHN FORCE POST QUALIFYING ROUND 2 QUOTE

TOPEKA, Kansas (May 20, 2016) – During second round qualifying for the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, John Force made contact with the left lane wall in his John Force Racing Peak/Chevrolet Camaro SS. Contact with the wall was significant enough to damage both the chassis and body beyond repair and the team is forced to go with a new backup car for the remainder of the weekend. The body on the damaged car was the first based on the sixth-generation Camaro SS and was making its debut this weekend at Topeka.

WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE AND CAN YOU GET THIS NEW CAMARO BODY BACK OUT THERE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND?

JOHN FORCE
“First of all I want to apologize to all the Chevrolet enthusiasts out there, everyone that worked on this car and helped design it. The first run that we made with the car…..there are two different kinds of shake. There is an aggressive shake and a weak shake and on those two types, you have to know which way to pedal it. If its weak, it’s got to be real quick snap of the pedal to get off and get back on to catch it. And that is what I did on the first run, it was weak. It still ran 4.10 and put me in the top 12 in the show and ran a 327 or 326 something. So it cut the air, steered perfect, and the view was awesome. Everything was good about it. So we went back to work and said we have to get after this thing because the conditions were getting better. (on the second run) It left hard, did the same thing. People had been running some big numbers and when it rattled again so I tried to catch it quicker thinking it was a weak shake. I was thinking I could step up and put myself higher in the show. Well, it was an aggressive shake which means I should have got out of it and waited. But I didn’t know. And right as I went back to hit it, you can see on the video that it was starting to turn and it’s just enough when you hit that throttle its sideways and it put me straight into the wall. It’s a shame because of all the hard work. We can’t fix it and it will have to go back, and go back in the mold. And that is all we can do right now.”

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES 100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DAY 5 PRACTICE RECAP
MAY 20, 2016

Indianapolis Motor Speedway was once again a flurry of activity as the fifth day of preparations for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 roared to life at noon today. . Chevrolet drivers and teams geared up for six more hours of practice with their Chevy 2.2 liter V6 IndyCar engines which had the kPa pressure increased from 130 to 140. A dreary overcast day brought a brief period of rain, but other than a few yellow flags for debris there were no on-track incidents that slowed the practice session. Continue reading CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES 100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 →

The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference Team Penske Racing

The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference
Team Penske Racing
Roger Penske, Tim Cindric, Helio Castroneves,
Juan Pablo Montoya, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power
Friday, May 20, 2016

Team Owner, Roger Penske, President of Competition, Tim Cindric, along with drivers: Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet and Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, met with members of the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Full Transcript:

MODERATOR: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Team Penske media availability for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Pengrade Motor Oil. For those of you who may not know, I’m Jerry Punch from ESPN and ABC, and I’m going to be the moderator this morning. Our program will involve me introducing each one of our special guests. I will ask each one of them a single question and then open it up to the floor for you to ask a question. I would ask you to you state your name, your affiliation and question, and I will repeat that for those listening around the Speedway in different locations so they will be able to hear the question and the answer. Continue reading The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference Team Penske Racing →

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Sprint All Star Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MAY 20, 2016

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 BUSCH LIGHT CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed the impact of the Driver Council, his contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing, new rules changes, future plans, and more. Full Transcript:
TALK ABOUT YOUR OUTLOOK FOR THIS WEEKEND
‘We’re obviously excited to be in the All-Star race. I think when you look at this particular weekend, there’s obviously a lot on the line, but there really isn’t. It’s really just a race to go out and try to perform well and try to win a race. It’s a lot of fun to see the changes in the format and the way that things have evolved and changed and I think we’re all excited to see how it pans out. I’m looking forward to hopefully being on the race track at some point, but I’m just excited about the weekend.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Sprint All Star Race →

100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference

100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Max Chilton, Mike Hull
Friday, May 20, 2016
Team Owner of Chip Ganassi Racing, Chip Ganassi, Managing Director, Mike Hull and drivers Scott Dixon, No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Chevrolet, Tony Kanaan, No. 10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, Charlie Kimball, No. 42 Tresiba Chip Ganassi Racing and Max Chilton, No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet met with members of the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Full Transcript: Continue reading 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Press Conference →

Schatz Captures Gettysburg Clash at Lincoln Speedway

Schatz Captures Gettysburg Clash at Lincoln Speedway
Outlaws land first blow in year-long war with Pennsylvania Posse

ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. – May 19, 2016 – Seven-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz managed to do something that only one other series driver has been able to do since 1997: out-muscle the Pennsylvania Posse on their home turf and claim the Gettysburg Clash at Lincoln Speedway.

Schatz’s victory, his sixth of the season, gives the Outlaw drivers the upper hand as the annual feud over sprint car supremacy has officially kicked-off. Continue reading Schatz Captures Gettysburg Clash at Lincoln Speedway →

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice
LAT-levitt-I500-13179
• Gabby Chaves, Dale Coyne Racing and Honda top Thursday speed chart
• Honda drivers claim top four positions, 12 of fastest 16, for the day
• Honda drivers, teams, have led all three practice days for the “500”

Called in as a replacement driver for Dale Coyne Racing only last Wednesday, Gabby Chaves went from the sidelines just one week ago to the top of the speed charts Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading the field for Honda as preparations continued for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29. Continue reading Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice →

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES–Indy 500 Practice

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DAY 4 PRACTICE RECAP
MAY 19, 2016

The month of May and activities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are in full swing around the 2.5-mile oval. Practice for the 100th running of the Indy 500 continued today with six more hours of track time for the Chevrolet Aero Kit race cars with 2.2 liter V6 Chevrolet engines.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Charlie Kimball led the charge for Team Chevy ranking fifth quick in the field of 33 cars that took to the track for practice, with a lap of 227.477 mph/39.564 seconds. He was followed by a parade of Chevrolet power in the top 10 which included previous Indy 500 winners Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves. Continue reading CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES–Indy 500 Practice →

Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in Phoenix

Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in PhoenixGRC Screenshot1
• Olsbergs MSE to field 2016 Honda Civic Coupes for Joni Wiman and Sebastien Eriksson
• Technical assistance provided by Honda Performance Development
• First and second rounds of the 2016 Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship

Phoenix, Ariz. – The Honda Civic, 2016 North American Car of the Year, will be making its Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship debut in the first and second rounds at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix, Arizona, May 20-22. Continue reading Honda To Make Red Bull GRC Debut in Phoenix →

Chevy Racing–NHRA–CHEVROLET AT TOPEKA

CHEVROLET AT TOPEKA

What:
28th NHRA Kansas Nationals
When:
Friday, May 20-Sunday, May 22
Where:
Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kansas
TV:
FS1: Qualifying – 11 p.m. ET Saturday (taped highlights)
FS1: Eliminations and finals – 2 p.m. ET Sunday (live)

Chevrolet Teams Aim to Add to Unrivaled Success in Eighth Race of Season
John Force to take initial runs in the new Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at Topeka Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–CHEVROLET AT TOPEKA →

Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins

Honda Continues To Pace Indianapolis 500 Practice
• Ryan Hunter-Reay tops speeds in second full day of practice
• Six Honda drivers, three Honda teams in top 10
• Alexander Rossi runs 15th, continues to lead rookie field

Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indianapolis 500 champion, led the way for Honda and his Andretti Autosport team Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as 33 drivers and teams completed the second full day of practice in preparation for the 100th running of the Memorial Day Classic. Continue reading Andretti Leads Honda 1-2-3-4 as Indianapolis 500 Practice Begins →

Pro Stock champ Erica Enders holds special memories of Topeka

Pro Stock champ Erica Enders holds special memories of Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (May 18) — Heartland Park Topeka has a special place in the heart of Elite Motorsports/Mopar Dodge driver Erica Enders, the two-time Pro Stock champion.

Heartland Park, site of this weekend’s NHRA Kansas Nationals, is where Enders became the first woman to earn a No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock, and it’s also the track where she scored a dominant victory in 2015, nine years after that first No. 1 qualifier. Continue reading Pro Stock champ Erica Enders holds special memories of Topeka →

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES 100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DAY 3 PRACTICE RECAP
MAY 18, 2016

Although it is day three of the march to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, it was only the second full-practice session for the 33 participants preparing for the May 29th race. Mother Nature took control of Tuesday’s events and forced cancelation of practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series. Continue reading CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES 100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 →

GREAT MEMORIES AWAIT FORCE AT HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA

GREAT MEMORIES AWAIT FORCE AT HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA

TOPEKA, KS (May 18, 2016) — This week Courtney Force is returning to one of the most memorable race tracks on the NHRA Mello Yello circuit for her and her Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team. The current Funny Car points leader rallied her way to a No. 1 qualifying effort at Heartland Park Topeka in 2014 along with her sister Brittany in Top Fuel. It was the first time two sisters sat atop their respective fields going into eliminations on Sunday. The youngest daughter of 16-time champion John Force then advanced four rounds to claim her fourth career victory and the 100th win for women in the professional NHRA ranks. Continue reading GREAT MEMORIES AWAIT FORCE AT HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA →

SUMMIT RACING TEAM GOING FOR 8TH CONSECUTIVE NHRA WIN IN KANSAS

SUMMIT RACING TEAM GOING FOR 8TH
CONSECUTIVE NHRA WIN IN KANSAS

Mooresville, NC (May 18, 2016)—With seven wins at seven races, Team Summit Racing continues to dominate the 2016 NHRA Race Series in Pro Stock. This weekend Jason Line and Greg Anderson go for win number eight in their KB Racing Chevrolet Camaros at the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Anderson is eager to get back behind the wheel and race in Topeka.

“I’m excited that we get to try it again in a few days. When you have a slight advantage like we have, you want to race every day,” said Anderson. “We look forward to Topeka and the chance to get another Wally.”

Heartland Park Topeka has been good to Anderson over the years. He’s won as a driver four times, and five times while working for Warren Johnson.

Line is looking for his first win at Heartland Park Topeka.

“I’m still working on my relationship with Topeka. It’s been a tough place for me,” said Line. “Hopefully this year I can finally fix that.”

Summit Racing Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson is also ready to win at Heartland Park Topeka. He has been in the final round twice in Topeka and wants a win at one of his favorite tracks.

“I’m always a fan of Topeka. It’s home for the Kansas City group from Levi, Ray & Shoup. We always get a lot of good people that come out and root for us,” said Wilkerson. “I’m excited to go there and hopefully rebound from the Atlanta race.”

Lots of chances to win this weekend for JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin, Troy Coughlin Jr.

Lots of chances to win this weekend for JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin, Troy Coughlin Jr.
NORWALK, Ohio (May 18) — Team JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin and Troy Coughlin Jr. love competing — and winning — in their home state of Ohio, and they will have a whopping six chances at securing a trophy at this weekend’s Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser in Northwest Ohio. Continue reading Lots of chances to win this weekend for JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin, Troy Coughlin Jr. →

Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge

Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge
• RealTime Racing Acuras have earned top-10 results in four of year’s seven races
• Ryan Eversley stands 10th in Pirelli World Challenge points

TORRANCE, Calif, (May 19, 2016) – The Acura TLX GT squad with RealTime Racing has had nearly a full month to shake off a rough weekend at Barber Motorsports Park, and as a result, heads north of the border this weekend with renewed confidence. Continue reading Acura TLX GT Racers Looking Forward to Canadian Challenge →

The Wood Brothers’ And Michael Waltrip’s All-Star Victory

The Wood Brothers’ And Michael Waltrip’s All-Star Victory

May 18, 2016

Through the years, NASCAR’s All-Star race has produced some of the sport’s most dramatic moments, and almost every “Top 10” list of best races includes the race that occurred 20 years ago this month. That’s when Michael Waltrip barely squeaked the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Ford into the starting field, then went on to score a dramatic victory over Dale Earnhardt, Terry Labonte and Rusty Wallace. Continue reading The Wood Brothers’ And Michael Waltrip’s All-Star Victory →

Team JEGS Pre-Race: Kansas

Team JEGS Pre-race Notes:
NHRA Kansas Nationals
Team JEGS Pre-race Notes
NHRA Kansas Nationals
Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kan. (May 20-22)

Six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will continue his pursuit of the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock championship at this weekend’s event at Heartland Park Topeka. He has returned to the Pro Stock class on a full-time basis in 2016 racing a Rick Jones Race Cars-built Dodge Dart as a member of the Elite Motorsports team. Continue reading Team JEGS Pre-Race: Kansas →

Allen Johnson Ready to Break Through in Topeka

Allen Johnson Ready to Break Through in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kans. (May 17, 2016) – After his third semifinal appearance this season just a few days ago at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Marathon Petroleum’s Allen Johnson is ready to break through all the way to the winner circle this weekend at the 28th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Johnson has seen a lot of triumphs at Heartland Park Topeka with five final round appearances and three wins to his name.

“When it’s a track that’s at altitude, we just seem to perform well there,” Johnson said as he knocked on a wood surface in his motorhome for good luck. “But, this is going to be totally different with the new fuel injection. We excelled there with carburetors so hopefully we can go to Topeka and pick up some magic.”

Qualifying at the 28th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals will begin on Friday, May 20 with two qualifying sessions at 4:30 and 7 p.m. (ET). Two more qualifying runs will be on Saturday, May 21 at 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. (ET). Eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (ET) starting with Top Fuel.