Monthly Archives: January 2018

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Chris Buescher

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 24, 2018

CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the Charlotte media tour and discussed his outlook for the season, his success on the dirt and thoughts about road courses. Full transcript:

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR 2018?
“I’m going to focus on making the final four at Homestead. If we can win races, compete for wins every week and make the final four at Homestead, that’s a win for us. It’s the same goal I had going into last year, and really as long as you’re competitive and can capitalize on that and win some races, that sets you up for the year. That allows you to – if you win one race you’re in the Chase and if you win multiple races you can start building on those points – get to Homestead a lot easier.”

HAVE YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT ANY EXTRACURRICULAR NASCAR STUFF?
“With the Xfinity schedule, it’s going to be a lot tougher to run as many races as I did last year. Last year I got to race a lot, but I will still be able to race some. I probably won’t be making a dirt schedule, just because off-weekend see what’s racing where, what rides I could get. I won’t make a dirt schedule, but I’ll still be able to run some dirt races. Last year, I think I ran 35 to 40 races. I won’t do that many. I’ve already done Chili Bowl, Turkey Night, and will sprinkle in a few more during the year. I don’t think I’ll be doing any more dirt racing before Daytona. Once the season starts, we go pretty hard till the middle of March, which would be my next opportunity.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Chris Buescher →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–AJ Allmendinger

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 met with members of the media at the Charlotte Media Tour and discussed his outlook for 2018, having a teammate in Chris Buescher, running the Rolex 24, and more. Full Transcript:

(NO MICROPHONE) QUESTION REGARDING BUBBA WALLACE
“If those four or five races that Bubba ran last year are any sign of what he’s going to do, I think he’s going to be really strong. Obviously they’re making a switch to Chevrolet and the RCR alliance but I felt like Bubba probably exceeded a lot of people’s expectations. He was smart on the race track. He finished every lap. He ran strong. In Kentucky he was really fast. I don’t see, with more races, why that’s going to be different.”

WHAT AREAS DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE THIS YEAR?
“We got behind on the aero side of it last year and it was hard to catch up. But that’s what Tad and Jodi (Geschickter) and (crew chief) Ernie Cope have really focused on is to go out there and just give us everything that we need. The Hendrick Motorsports alliance, for sure, is going to be a huge help in the sim-side (simulated) of it with what they’re doing. We’ve been to the wind tunnel a lot this off-season, which is way more than we ever have. With what Kroger has done to step-up for our whole organization for myself and Chris (Buescher ). We’ve got a lot of great partners but to have Kroger on every race; I might be wrong, but I might be the only team that has that, right? The point being, they’ve been huge to kind of unite us as one team right now and make both of our race cars a lot faster. You want to be cautiously optimistic with what everything that’s been done in the off-season, I think we’re going to be a lot stronger.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–AJ Allmendinger →

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing Announces Multi-Driver Lineup for the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Shane Lee, Jeb Burton and Brendan Gaughan will share the seat in 2018

Richard Childress Racing Announces Multi-Driver Lineup for the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR XFINITY Series
Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Shane Lee, Jeb Burton and Brendan Gaughan will share the seat in 2018

WELCOME, N.C. (January 24, 2018) – Richard Childress Racing announced its No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro SS entry for the 2018 NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) will feature a talented multi-driver lineup. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) drivers Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon, ARCA Racing Series competitor Shane Lee, second-generation racer Jeb Burton and two-time NXS winner Brendan Gaughan will all share time behind the wheel of the Camaro SS throughout the season.

Austin and Ty Dillon will be in the rotation of drivers for the No. 3 Chevrolet for the 2018 season. Austin Dillon is no stranger to the XFINITY Series, earning the Series championship in 2013. The eldest Dillon brother has 17 career poles awards, eight wins, 62 top-five and 99 top-10 finishes in the Series throughout his racing career. Ty Dillon, also a Series veteran, has collected four poles, 32 top-five and 86 top-10 finishes. He won at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014. Continue reading Richard Childress Racing Announces Multi-Driver Lineup for the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Shane Lee, Jeb Burton and Brendan Gaughan will share the seat in 2018 →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Chase Elliott

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the Charlotte Media Tour and discussed his expectations for the 2018 season, and more. Full Transcript:

Q. (No microphone.)
CHASE ELLIOTT: There’s a lot of youth, for sure. Within that youth, there’s a lot of guys that have been doing it for a long time. I think the guys coming in will do just fine.

Q. (No microphone.)
CHASE ELLIOTT: He doesn’t drink, so… I might have beer while he has a water or something.
But, no, we have talked about it some. Actually there’s some similarities in how he got started. He finished second a lot before he won a race, too. Kind of weird. But I think I’ve run second almost as many times as he has before he won his first race. I think that’s probably the biggest similarity we’ve had so far. I’d have to start winning a lot and do really good before we can talk about any other similarities from this point forward.
Definitely a similar start, although he got started at an older age. That whole dynamic was different than how it is now. So yeah, a little bit. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Chase Elliott →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Jimmie Johnson

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CAMARO ZL1, met with media at the Charlotte Media Tour and discussed the debut and his expectations of the new Camaro ZL1, stage racing, younger teammates coupled with his desire to win, and more. Full Transcript:

Q. Already consulting with Fernando?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Yeah, I’ve been a huge Alonso fans for a lot of years. Just mentioned to him out there that the way he came and ran Indy, I mean, certainly did an amazing job in the car, but outside of the car. The friends that I have on the IndyCar circuit, just handled himself so well, did a great job. I think really brought a lot to the table when he raced here.
Worldwide exposure on motorsports is really good for us here stateside.

Q. (No microphone.)
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Okay, that’s a little bit better. So I guess I’m going to have to put him in timeout or something the way that’s going.
No, we’re definitely having a lot of fun together. It’s so wild. I went from the young gun. Every time I’d see my name written, it was Rookie Jimmie Johnson. Now I’m grandpa. It’s gone fast. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Jimmie Johnson →

Megan Meyer

WELD Racing Named Presenting Sponsor of Megan Meyer’s Drag Illustrated Driver Blog

WELD Racing Named Presenting Sponsor of Megan Meyer’s Drag Illustrated Driver Blog
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (Jan. 23, 2018) – Drag Illustrated magazine announced today that its popular Driver Blog series written by NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster star Megan Meyer will be presented by WELD Racing this season. Now in her fourth year as a Drag Illustrated Driver Blog contributor, Meyer will give readers a behind-the-scenes look at her experiences as a championship-contending driver and team manager at Randy Meyer Racing.

“Since becoming a brand ambassador for WELD last year, I have learned a tremendous amount about wheel specs for all different types of motorsports,” said Meyer, a two-time NHRA national event winner. “I would like to transfer that knowledge to other racers through the blogs, while also touch on other important aspects of racing. In my blogs for this year, I have a few creative ideas to cover, such as shop talk, fitness, outdoors lifestyle, how to get started in drag racing, sponsorships, and more. My goal is to create awareness of a driver’s lifestyle and how I can help fellow racers become well-rounded on and off the track through my personal experiences.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Alex Bowman

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at Charlotte Media Tour and discussed his adventures at the Chili Bowl, the pressure he is feeling going into 2018, keeping JR Nation happy and many more topics. Full Transcript:

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAR AT THE CHILI BOWL?
“So, we fought fuel system issues all day on Thursday and then Saturday we were going through alphabet soup there and somehow the shift linkage bracket on the chassis side bent and it wouldn’t stay in gear in the B-main. I don’t know if the in out box in rear-end broke or if the bracket bent first, but either way it wouldn’t stay in gear.”

ARE YOU FEELING ANY PRESSURE?
“Not really. I have a pretty strong desire to go win races and I’m really hungry for wins. I think that really matters more to me than any pressure anybody is going to put on me.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Alex Bowman →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Jamie McMurray

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 CESSNA/MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the Charlotte Media Tour and discussed the new race car, his first marathon, the age differences of drivers in the sport, and more. Full Transcript:

IS THERE ANYTHING FROM THE XFINITY CAMARO THAT WILL HELP YOU GUYS WITH THE CUP CAMARO ZL1?
“I don’t think so. I think it is different. I think the bodies are different. I don’t know to be honest with you. I am pretty sure they are different so I wouldn’t say that if there is anything to correlate between the two.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Jamie McMurray →

Gary Scelzi Motorsports

Dominic Scelzi Garners Top-10 Result During Kings Challenge

Dominic Scelzi Garners Top-10 Result During Kings Challenge

Inside Line Promotions – WARRNAMBOOL, Victoria, Australia (Jan. 23, 2018) – Dominic Scelzi highlighted last week’s action by recording a top-10 finish during the Kings Challenge.

Scelzi opened the busy weekend on Thursday at Borderline Speedway in Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia, where he qualified fourth quickest in his group before placing third in a heat race. That locked the Wormall Motorsport driver into the 14th starting position for the Kings Challenge A Main.

“The groove was around the wall so it was really tough to pass,” he said. “We took what we could get and maneuvered to a top-10 finish so that was a positive.” Continue reading Dominic Scelzi Garners Top-10 Result During Kings Challenge →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Alex Bowman

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at Charlotte Media Tour and discussed his adventures at the Chili Bowl, the pressure he is feeling going into 2018, keeping JR Nation happy and many more topics. Full Transcript:

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAR AT THE CHILI BOWL?
“So, we fought fuel system issues all day on Thursday and then Saturday we were going through alphabet soup there and somehow the shift linkage bracket on the chassis side bent and it wouldn’t stay in gear in the B-main. I don’t know if the in out box in rear-end broke or if the bracket bent first, but either way it wouldn’t stay in gear.”

ARE YOU FEELING ANY PRESSURE?
“Not really. I have a pretty strong desire to go win races and I’m really hungry for wins. I think that really matters more to me than any pressure anybody is going to put on me.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–Alex Bowman →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–William Byron

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY/AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the Charlotte media tour and discussed his outlook for his inaugural Cup season with Hendrick Motorsports, the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the challenges he faces. Full transcript:

WILL THIS YEAR BE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THE 24 CAR?
“It’s definitely going to be a big challenge. There are a lot of new things that I have to think about and approach differently, but I think this year is going to be a really good year for us. We have a great team, and I feel like everyone at Hendrick is ready to get to the racetrack. There’s a lot of excitement and new things that we’re approaching.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour–William Byron →

Honda Racing

Acura Team Penske, Acura NSX GT3 Teams Ready for Rolex 24

Acura Team Penske, Acura NSX GT3 Teams Ready for Rolex 24
• Two-car Penske effort marks Acura’s return to prototype competition
• Expanded Acura NSX GT3 program includes Michael Shank Racing, Honda of America Racing Team in GTD
• Twice-around-the-clock endurance classic opens the 2018 racing season on Saturday

TORRANCE, Calif. (January 22, 2018) – The return of Acura Motorsports to the prototype ranks and an expanded GTD effort highlight the company’s racing program as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season kicks off this weekend with the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

Acura Team Penske and the Honda of America Racing Team (HART) join the race-winning Michael Shank Racing organization as the combined Acura Motorsports effort takes on the challenge of endurance sports car racing, competing with manufacturers from around the globe. Continue reading Acura Team Penske, Acura NSX GT3 Teams Ready for Rolex 24 →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
PRE-SEASON MEDIA AVAILABILITY
CHARLOTTE MEDIA TOUR
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 23, 2018

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the Charlotte media tour and discussed his outlook for the season, the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and the two-car team at RCR. Full transcript:

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN THIS YEAR TO BUILD ON WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO LAST YEAR?
“I think you need to see us consistently running in the top five and top 10 more often. We hovered from about eighth to 14th all year long. I felt like we were able to win a race last year, but to be able to have shots to win races consistently we need to move that little group of cars forward. When you’re running from the fourth to the eighth position, you have a lot more opportunities to win. That top five area is key. So consistently would like to run further forward. You put yourself in that position enough, you get good at it and you’re comfortable running in it.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Charlotte Media Tour →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: By the Numbers

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: By the Numbers

DETROIT (Jan. 23, 2018) – Corvette Racing is preparing to embark on its 20th season of competition with the Rolex 24 At Daytona and start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this weekend. To mark the occasion, here are some facts and figures on the team’s history at both Daytona and as a whole.

0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish in GTLM at the 2016 Rolex 24. It is the closest finish in race history.
1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 20 years: Corvette Racing and Chevrolet.
2: Number of the overall winning Chevrolet Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kniefel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort.
3: Rolex 24 wins in seven tries for Corvette Racing: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe) and 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler). Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: By the Numbers →

Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: 20th Season, Title Defense Begin Now GTLM championship squad aiming for another Rolex 24 victory

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: 20th Season, Title Defense Begin Now
GTLM championship squad aiming for another Rolex 24 victory

Corvette Racing going for fourth Rolex 24 triumph
All six Corvette C7.R drivers with victories at Daytona
Team coming off solid showing after Roar weekend
Chevrolet most successful manufacturer at World Center of Racing
Fans can learn more about Chevy lineup at Corvette Racing Display, Chevrolet Injector, Chevrolet Experience Center Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: 20th Season, Title Defense Begin Now GTLM championship squad aiming for another Rolex 24 victory →

Wood Brothers

Wood Brothers Remember The Great Dan Gurney

Wood Brothers Remember The Great Dan Gurney
January 16, 2018

When Glen Wood looks back on his time racing at Riverside International Raceway with the great Dan Gurney, who died Jan. 14 at the age of 86, it’s not so much about the four wins in five starts or the 540 laps led.

Instead Wood recalls a tall, handsome man who was as friendly as he was talented. Continue reading Wood Brothers Remember The Great Dan Gurney →

Gary Scelzi Motorsports

Giovanni Scelzi Named Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year After Being Awarded 2017 North American 410 Sprint Car Rookie of the Year

Giovanni Scelzi Named Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year After Being Awarded 2017 North American 410 Sprint Car Rookie of the Year

Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 16, 2018) – Giovanni Scelzi had a breakout performance on one of the biggest stages in motor sports last week.

Scelzi, who was piloting a NOS Energy Drink sponsored midget for Clauson-Marshall Racing during the 32nd annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals inside the River Spirit Expo Center, earned the coveted Rookie of the Year Award as he advanced into the A Main – a feat only 24 out of nearly 350 competitors accomplished. Continue reading Giovanni Scelzi Named Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year After Being Awarded 2017 North American 410 Sprint Car Rookie of the Year →

Gary Scelzi Motorsports

Dominic Scelzi Scores Seventh-Place Finish During Scott Darley Challenge Prelim Night

Dominic Scelzi Scores Seventh-Place Finish During Scott Darley Challenge Prelim Night

Inside Line Promotions – CLYDE, New South Wales, Australia (Jan. 16, 2018) – Dominic Scelzi produced another strong weekend with Wormall Motorsport during the Scott Darley Challenge at Valvoline Raceway.

Scelzi kicked off the prestigious Ultimate Sprintcar Championship Series event, which featured several dozen drivers, last Friday by qualifying fifth quickest. He then advanced from third to second place to lock into the ninth starting position in the preliminary night A Main. Continue reading Dominic Scelzi Scores Seventh-Place Finish During Scott Darley Challenge Prelim Night →

Chevrolet Racing

CHEVY INDYCAR HARDING RACING TELECONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT: Brian Barnhart and Gabby Chaves

Harding Racing announced today that Gabby Chaves will be the driver of the No. 88 Harding Racing Chevrolet for the full 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule. Chaves and team president Brian Barnhart were guests on the Verizon IndyCar Series Teleconference today to discuss the pairing and the upcoming 2018 season. Full transcript:

IndyCar Media Conference
Friday, January 12, 2018
Brian Barnhart
Gabby Chaves

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone, to today’s IndyCar media teleconference. Our guests today are part of one of the Verizon IndyCar Series’ newest teams, Harding Racing, which confirmed today it will compete full-time in the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. We’re happy to be joined by the team president, Brian Barnhart, and the driver of the No. 88 Harding Racing Chevrolet, Gabby Chaves. Gentlemen, welcome to the call. Continue reading CHEVY INDYCAR HARDING RACING TELECONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT: Brian Barnhart and Gabby Chaves →

John Force Racing

PROUD JOHN FORCE ACCEPTS HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNOH

PROUD JOHN FORCE ACCEPTS HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNOH

LIMA, OH (January 10, 2018) – An emotional and proud John Force, legendary NHRA Funny Car driver, accepted an honorary doctorate today at the University of Northwestern Ohio in a special ceremony presided over by university president Dr. Jeffery Jarvis. The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his historic motorsports career and his dedication to racing safety.

“I never had this kind of opportunity. I learned on the race tracks and in the board rooms. I got an education at truck stops across the country,” Force told students and faculty during the special ceremony. “I am honored to receive this doctorate mainly because I saw the passion these UNOH students have for motorsports as well as their other programs. They are really turning their passions into careers here. I could not be more impressed with what I saw around campus and I am excited to be Dr. Force.” Continue reading PROUD JOHN FORCE ACCEPTS HONORARY DOCTORATE FROM UNOH →