Monthly Archives: May 2017

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy500–Qualifying Day Recap

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POLE DAY QUALIFICATIONS RECAP
MAY 21, 2017

Ed Carpenter Puts Chevrolet on the Front Row for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS (May 21, 2017) – Ed Carpenter will start the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race from the front row for the third time in his 14 appearances in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Carpenter led 15 Chevrolet drivers who qualified for the 101st Indianapolis 500 by driving the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet to the second-place starting position with a four-lap average speed of 231.664 mph on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in the “Fast Nine Shootout.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy500–Qualifying Day Recap →

John Force Racing

Auto Club of Southern California driver Robert Hight joins 338 mph club, races to Topeka semifinals

Auto Club of Southern California driver Robert Hight
joins 338 mph club, races to Topeka semifinals

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) – Robert Hight and his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car keep getting faster and faster.

Hight raised his career-best speed at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals on Sunday at Heartland Park Topeka. But he fell short of the ultimate goal of winning the race after smoking the tires in the semifinals.

“We are going rounds, we are running so good,” Hight said. “Anything less than a final round, you feel like you failed. We are going rounds, (I’m) driving all right. This was kind of a different set of circumstances with the conditions we had this weekend, it was pretty amazing. We just gotta put four together.”

Hight has now been to the semifinals in three of the last four races, also advancing to the final round in Houston. But he’s looking for his first victory of the season and 38th of his career, even as crew chief Jimmy Prock and the Auto Club team get their Camaro quicker and quicker. Continue reading Auto Club of Southern California driver Robert Hight joins 338 mph club, races to Topeka semifinals →

John Force Racing

Career-best speed propels Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to Topeka second round

Career-best speed propels Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to Topeka second round

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) – Courtney Force, of course, wants to win more rounds and more races with her Advance Auto Parts Funny Car team.

But she also knows progress continues to be made, progress that will eventually lead to adding to her career win total.

Force raced to the second round of the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals on Sunday at Heartland Park Topeka, posting her career-best speed – and second all time – in the process. Continue reading Career-best speed propels Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to Topeka second round →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy 500–Post Qualifying Quotes

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
MAY 21, 2017

ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET (No. 2 qualifying position, four-lap average speed of 231.664 mph): “It actually was better than I thought it was going to be from watching some of the earlier runs. That’s all she had. Would it have been fun to win a third pole? Yes, but at the same time to be in the middle of the front row with two former ‘500’ champions, hopefully I can convert from the front row this time and earn a victory.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy 500–Post Qualifying Quotes →

John Force Racing

Brittany Force, Monster Energy team snap out of funk in Topeka, advance to Heartland Nationals second round

Brittany Force, Monster Energy team snap out of funk in Topeka, advance to Heartland Nationals second round

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) – Brittany Force set career-bests for time and speed and advanced to the quarterfinals of Sunday’s NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka before falling to Steve Torrence.

Force – the No. 4 qualifier of the Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster – bested No. 13 Luigi Novelli in the opening-round matchup with a pass of 3.698 seconds at 333.66 mph, a national Top Fuel speed record. That speed was more than a mile an hour faster than her previous best, set during the event’s third qualifying session Saturday, when she ran 332.43 mph. That third-round qualifying pass was also Force’s career-best elapsed time, 3.674 seconds.

“We’d been struggling the last few races, so we went to Indy and tested, and this is the result,” Force said. “This is the run we knew we could achieve, so I’m happy.” Continue reading Brittany Force, Monster Energy team snap out of funk in Topeka, advance to Heartland Nationals second round →

John Force Racing

PEAK driver John Force loses close first-round matchup in NHRA Heartland Nationals

PEAK driver John Force loses close first-round
matchup in NHRA Heartland Nationals

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) – John Force lost a close first-round matchup in Sunday’s NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, the eighth round of the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Force – driving the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS – was the No. 6 qualifier and matched up against No. 11 Bob Tasca III. With lane choice, Force took the left lane and ripped off a .054-second reaction time. However, Tasca – who admitted he guessed on the Christmas Tree – pulled off a reaction time of .028 seconds to get the early advantage.

That made all the difference. With both cars making near-flawless passes, Tasca never trailed, and at the finish took a holeshot victory by about 0.0037 seconds, or less than two feet. Force set the better pass on time – 3.907 seconds at 332.34 mph, while Tasca’s pass was 3.930 seconds at 317.49 mph. Continue reading PEAK driver John Force loses close first-round matchup in NHRA Heartland Nationals →

Kalitta Racing

Kalitta Racing–Heartland Park Topeka

Post-Race Report
Event 08: Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals
Heartland Park Topeka
Topeka, Kan.
May 19-21

Kalitta hits milestone in first round win
Race Recap: The Mac Tools team arrived in Heartland Park Topeka looking for a repeat in last year’s winning fortune.

Qualifying was uncharacteristically rough for the Mac Tools team and Doug Kalitta. They made one clean pass in the three available attempts after Friday evening’s session was cancelled due to weather. However, the one run was a good one as it earned Kalitta the seventh starting spot. Continue reading Kalitta Racing–Heartland Park Topeka →

Erica Enders

Shimmy, shimmy (tire) shake has Erica Enders dancing to an early exit from Topeka

Shimmy, shimmy (tire) shake has Erica Enders dancing to an early exit from Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) — Two-time world champion Erica Enders was hoping for more from the 29th annual Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties, but her usually reliable Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro encountered some severe tire shake just off the launch pad in her opening-round race against teammate Vincent Nobile, resulting in a loss. Continue reading Shimmy, shimmy (tire) shake has Erica Enders dancing to an early exit from Topeka →

Wood Brothers

Spirited Run In The Monster Energy Open Earns Blaney A Spot Among NASCAR’s All Stars

Spirited Run In The Monster Energy Open Earns Blaney A Spot Among NASCAR’s All Stars

May 21, 2017

It took a determined drive in Stage Two of the preliminary Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway to do it, but by winning that segment Ryan Blaney put his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team back in NASCAR’s All-Star race for the first time since 2012.

Blaney qualified second fastest for the Open, the last chance race for drivers not already assured of a berth in the All-Star race. He finished second in the first 20-lap segment then bolted into the lead on the start of the second 20-lapper and held the top spot through the finish to earn a starting spot in the All-Star race.

Once in the main event, Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were forced to try different strategies to overcome their starting position at the back of the pack. Continue reading Spirited Run In The Monster Energy Open Earns Blaney A Spot Among NASCAR’s All Stars →

Honda Racing

Sato Heads Honda Pole Contenders in First-Round Qualifying at Indianapolis

Sato Heads Honda Pole Contenders in First-Round Qualifying at Indianapolis
• Six Honda drivers to contend for “Fast Nine” pole shootout
• Dixon, Rossi, Alonso, Kanaan and Andretti also make “Fast Nine”
• Final qualifying Sunday to set 33-car field

SPEEDWAY, Ind., (May 20, 2017) – Led by Andretti Autoport’s Takuma Sato, six Honda drivers completed qualifying runs among the top nine drivers today in first-round qualifying at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will take part in Sunday’s “Fast Nine” shootout for the coveted pole position in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28.

The tight first-round qualifying battle Saturday – held under changing weather conditions after activities were delayed by rain for approximately five hours – saw the nine pole contenders separated by less than a half mile per hour over four laps around the historic 2.5-mile Brickyard. Continue reading Sato Heads Honda Pole Contenders in First-Round Qualifying at Indianapolis →

RCR, Richard Childress Racing

Ryan Newman Cuts Down Right-Front Tire Costing Caterpillar/Grainger Team a Transfer Spot in Final Stage of the All-Star Race

Ryan Newman Cuts Down Right-Front Tire Costing Caterpillar/Grainger Team a Transfer Spot in Final Stage of the All-Star Race

“It was a mixed bag for us tonight in the Caterpillar/Grainger Chevrolet. In the first stage, I was making my way up through the field when I messed up a lap and it cost us a few spots. We needed to start making a move to the front in Stage 2 to help our chances of making it into the final stage 10-car shootout. We were once again moving up in Stage 3 and I thought we’d have a chance to make it in when we cut down a right-front tire with just a few laps to go. It ended our night. I hate it for this Caterpillar/Grainger Chevrolet team. I think we learned a few things tonight so I hope it will help us next week in the Coca-Cola 600.”

– Ryan Newman

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–All-Star Race–Post Race

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
MONSTER ENERGY ALL-STAR RACE
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTS
MAY 20, 2017

KYLE LARSON LEADS TEAM CHEVY’S ALL-STAR EFFORT
Chevrolet SS Drivers Earn Three of Top Five Spots

CONCORD, NC. (May 20, 2017) – In his first All-Star appearance, Kyle Larson won two race segments in his No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS en route to a second-place finish in the 34th annual All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson won two of the four-race segments in the event, but got mired on the final restart and was unable to make it back to the top spot.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and the only multi-time All-Star race winner, Jimmie Johnson, won the third segment and transferred to the final 10-driver/10-lap segment of the 70-lap race to vie for the $1 million-dollar prize. Johnson did everything he could on the final restart to get out front and cruise to victory in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS, but it wasn’t meant to be for a record setting fifth All-Star Race win. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–All-Star Race–Post Race →

Uncategorized

Best pass of event not enough for two-time Pro Mod champ Troy Coughlin to advance

Best pass of event not enough for two-time
Pro Mod champ Troy Coughlin to advance
TOPEKA, Kan. (May 20) — Two-time Pro Mod champion Troy Coughlin posted his quickest pass of the weekend in the opening round of the 29th annual Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties, but the pass wasn’t enough to turn on his win light in the always-tough J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

“I said earlier in the year that I was super happy we added two races to the Pro Mod schedule this year because it would afford us a little bit of breathing room,” Coughlin said. “When you’re racing at this level you can run really well and still lose. That’s what happened today, so I’m glad we have extra time to make up for this loss. Continue reading Best pass of event not enough for two-time Pro Mod champ Troy Coughlin to advance →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy 500–Qualification Day 1

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFICATIONS DAY 1 RECAP
MAY 20, 2017

Two-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner Ed Carpenter took a big step to claiming the top spot for Chevrolet for the 101st edition of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” during the first of two days of time trials.

The Verizon IndyCar Series team owner/driver recorded a four-lap average speed of 230.468 mph on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet to top 31 entries that completed a qualifying attempt. Carpenter, an Indianapolis native who will seek to take the green flag for 14th consecutive year, started on pole in 2013 and ’14.
Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Indy 500–Qualification Day 1 →

John Force Racing

Auto Club driver Robert Hight speeds to No. 3 qualifying spot in Topeka

Auto Club driver Robert Hight speeds
to No. 3 qualifying spot in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 20) – Robert Hight now owns two of the fastest three speeds in NHRA history, as his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car snared the No. 3 qualifying spot for the NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals.

Hight made two spectacular passes in the three qualifying sessions – one of the four scheduled was canceled because of inclement weather – turning heads with his Chevrolet Camaro SS. His first pass, in Friday’s lone session, was 3.826 seconds at 337.66 mph. That temporarily put him in the No. 1 spot, and the speed was a national record.

Matt Hagan and John Force Racing teammate Courtney Force went even quicker on Saturday, though Hight and his team took a big swing with a pass of 3.834 seconds at 337.16 mph in the final session. Continue reading Auto Club driver Robert Hight speeds to No. 3 qualifying spot in Topeka →

John Force Racing

Courtney Force’s No. 1 qualifying streak ends, but Advance Auto Parts driver still No. 2 in Topeka

Courtney Force’s No. 1 qualifying streak ends,
but Advance Auto Parts driver still No. 2 in Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 20) – It took a national record to halt the No. 1 qualifying streak of Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car driver Courtney Force.
Force had earned the No. 1 qualifying spot in each of the last four races and temporarily held the top spot during the final qualifying session for the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals on Saturday at Heartland Park Topeka.
Force’s scintillating pass of 3.815 seconds at 335.23 mph lowered the national elapsed time record, but Matt Hagan went a tick quicker to steal the top spot and move Force back to No. 2. Continue reading Courtney Force’s No. 1 qualifying streak ends, but Advance Auto Parts driver still No. 2 in Topeka →

John Force Racing

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force sets career-best time, speed in qualifying No. 4 for Heartland Nationals

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force sets career-best time, speed in qualifying No. 4 for Heartland Nationals

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 20) – Brittany Force and her Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster team look to not only have solved an ongoing issue with her machine – they’ve put her back in contention for victory in almost an instant.

Force made a career-best pass of 3.674 seconds at 332.43 mph in her third and final qualifying attempt Saturday, which was good enough for the No. 4 qualifying position for Sunday’s NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

The run was two thousandths of a second quicker than her previous best – also set at Topeka last year – and almost a mile per hour faster than her previous best of 331.53 mph – set in 2015 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force sets career-best time, speed in qualifying No. 4 for Heartland Nationals →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–All-Star Race Post Race

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
MONSTER ENERGY ALL-STAR RACE
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES & QUOTES
MAY 20, 2017

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – Finished 2nd:
WAS THE RESTART THE DIFFERENCE AT THE FINISH?
“No, I think the difference. My pit crew has been awesome all year and I don’t want to take anything away from them. We came down pit road the leader and three people passed us, that was pretty much the difference there. But, in ten laps, track position is huge. We just didn’t have it there at the end. We had the best car out there, for sure. In traffic I thought it was really good. I thought we had it most of the race but that’s how racing goes. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. But I think we had a really fast car today. We’ll go onto the 600, that’s a long race, and try it again.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–All-Star Race Post Race →

Mopar Racing

Hagan Sets National Funny Car Records, Schumacher Takes No. 1 Spot in Top Fuel for Mopar Sweep in NHRA Topeka Qualifying

Hagan Sets National Funny Car Records, Schumacher Takes No. 1 Spot in Top Fuel for Mopar Sweep in NHRA Topeka Qualifying

Matt Hagan qualifies No. 1 for 29th annual NHRA Heartland Nationals in Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car; 28th top spot of his career and second this year
Hagan sets national E.T. and speed records with pass of 3.802 seconds at 338.85 mph
Mopar HEMI® power has set quick time in Funny Car qualifying on three occasions in 2017
Tony Schumacher gives Mopar fifth Top Fuel No. 1 qualifying position of the season with U.S. Army car, turns in a pass of 3.660 seconds at 327.90 mph Continue reading Hagan Sets National Funny Car Records, Schumacher Takes No. 1 Spot in Top Fuel for Mopar Sweep in NHRA Topeka Qualifying →

John Force Racing

PEAK driver John Force puts struggles behind, takes No. 6 qualifying spot for Heartland Nationals

PEAK driver John Force puts struggles behind,
takes No. 6 qualifying spot for Heartland Nationals

Photo credit: Gary Nastase / Auto Imagery
TOPEKA, Kan. (May 20) – When the adrenaline is pumping and a qualifying spot is on the line, you can count on John Force to put emotions aside and put his PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS in the field.
It took three tries, but the 16-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion drove straight down the drag strip at Heartland Park Topeka and into the No. 6 qualifying position for Sunday’s NHRA Menards Heartland Nationals.

His pass of 3.850 seconds at 332.59 mph in the final round of qualifying Saturday put him solidly in the field after being on the outside looking in at the start of the third round. Continue reading PEAK driver John Force puts struggles behind, takes No. 6 qualifying spot for Heartland Nationals →