NASCAR CUP SERIES COOK OUT SOUTHERN 500 DARLINGTON RACEWAY TEAM CHEVY PLAYOFFS MEDIA DAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – ROTATION TRANSCRIPT:
OTHER THAN YOURSELF, WHO DO YOU THINK IS A DARK HORSE TEAM OR A SUPRRISE TO MAKE A RUN THAT PEOPLE SHOULD WATCH IN THE PLAYOFFS?“That’s a good question. I think honestly, I’d say Aric Almirola. I just think they’re consistent, they’ve been consistently fast at a lot of these tracks. The only thing with that is I feel like a lot of the tracks are going to be much different in the Playoffs than the ones we ran in the summertime. Typically, summertime is a lot of 2-mile tracks and big, fast, open racetracks, and that’s not really the case in the playoffs. But I’d say they perform pretty well throughout.”
CONGRATS ON LAST WEEKEND – I KNOW THAT WAS BIG FOR YOU. YOU JUST DEALT WITH A STRESSFUL, PRESSURE-PACKED SITUATION IN TRYING TO ADVANCE INTO THE PLAYOFFS. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MINDSET NOW FOR YOUR TEAM GOING FORWARD. YOU’VE GOT THESE NEXT THREE WEEKS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU’D LOVE TO GET ANOTHER CHECKERED FLAG, BUT TAKE ME THROUGH THE MINDSET RIGHT NOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING THROUGH.“Honestly, for us, I think that now having that first win of the season and first win for me and this team, I feel like we’re more focused on just executing the details of each race. Obviously, our goal going into this year was to make it further than we did last year in the playoffs, which was the Round of 12 last year. So, if we can make it to the Round of 8 this year, it would be a success, for sure. We just have to take it one race at a time. A lot of these tracks are good for us. I think the first round is probably the weakest of the tracks for us, so we just have to try to focus on that, try to just compete in every race and hopefully get out of this first round with a great race at Darlington. Richmond is definitely our toughest of the three, so we’re going to have to really work hard at that race to have a good run.”
CONGRATS ON THE WIN AND THE NEW CONTRACT. HOW DID ALL OF THAT COME INTO PLAY AND WERE YOU ALREADY NEGOTIATING PRIOR TO THE WIN?“Honestly for us, we were already kind of negotiating that. I had one year left after this one, so it wasn’t super urgent to get it done or anything. But when Hendrick came to me and wanted to sign for a couple more years, I was thrilled and I think it’s worked out well for both of us. The fact that they have confidence in me is a great thing and I can just go out there and race as hard as I can and try to do the best that I can for them. They’ve made that known that they just want to focus on the race track and I’m going to try to do that throughout the playoffs, for sure.”
AS YOU LOOK AHEAD AT THIS FIRST ROUND, BRISTOL BEING THE CUTOFF RACE – DAYTONA WAS AN UNPREDICTABLE RACE, IT’S A SUPERSPEEDWAY. IS BRISTOL GOING TO BE THE SAME TYPE OF WILD CARD, WHERE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND A SURPRISE COULD POP UP OUT OF NOWHERE AS WELL?“I think the surprise will just be some of the guys that maybe have issues with their cars or get caught up in a wreck. But I think you’re going to have to run well and perform well to win that race. There’s really not a fluke, per say. For us, we’re just going to focus on running well at Bristol. It’s a track where things happen really fast. You can’t have mistakes on pit road and you can’t have mistakes on the track. So, that’s our focus – to just have a mistake-free race there. We had a fast car there in the first race of the year back in June. The All-Star race was OK for us – I think we finished somewhere in the top-10. We just have to try to improve and see what we can do.”
HOW IMPORTANT IS HAVING THAT STABILITY THROUGH 2022, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER A COMPANY CHANGES LEADERSHIP, THERE’S ALWAYS QUESTIONS ABOUT STABILITY OF THE SPONSORSHIPS. TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR A COUPLE MORE YEARS, HOW MUCH DOES THAT IMPACT YOU?“Well, it’s huge. I think for me, the confidence comes from knowing that Mr. Hendrick and Jeff (Gordon) have confidence in me no matter what sponsor or whoever is on my car. They’ve made that known since I’ve been there, is that my deal is separate from anything like that and I can go out there and compete hard, drive their car and they’re going to make sure that I can be on the race track each and every week. So, I think that’s where my confidence comes from – just knowing that I’m going to be in that car. Definitely with this deal, I can focus on the playoffs and focus on trying to win more races.”
YOU’RE IN A GREAT STARTING SPOT FOR THE UPCOMING RACE AT DARLINGTON. YOU’RE LINED UP RIGHT NEXT TO ALEX (BOWMAN). IS THERE ANY TALK ABOUT YOU GUYS MAYBE KIND OF GETTING A STRATEGY TOGETHER TO RACE TO THE FRONT OF THE PACK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?“I mean not really, just because Darlington is not like a speedway race or somewhere where you can really work together. But I think that for us all starting up towards the front, the three of us, I think that’s going to be great. It’s going to be an advantage to have three cars up there competing for stage wins and things of that nature. I think it’s all going to elevate our game and just gives us that advantage. Starting up front is just huge at any race track. Darlington is luckily a long race, so even if you start towards the back, you’ve got plenty of time to get towards the front. It’s going to help having a great pit stall selection – that’s what really comes to mind for me is having that great pit stall.”
YOU’RE ONLY THE SECOND DRIVER TO WIN BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE NO. 24 CAR – THE OTHER OF COURSE BEING JEFF GORDON. YOUR WIN LAST SATURDAY, YOU ACCOMPLISHED YOUR FIRST VICTORY AT A YOUNGER AGE THAN JEFF GORDON. I JUST WONDERED, WHAT WERE YOUR EMOTIONS FOLLOWING THE RACE TAKING THAT CHECKERED FLAG AND DID JEFF GORDON REACH OUT TO YOU AFTERWARDS?“Definitely. It was cool to talk to Jeff (Gordon) on Sunday, just get his thoughts on it and just the excitement there between the two of us. We’ve really worked well together in the past of just trying to understand how to get better and improve. He’s given me some nuggets and some things that I can improve on. It’s been great to talk to him about the team aspect and things that we can do to just continue to elevate our performance. It’s just been a great couple of days. I was super excited when we finished that race like we did – it was really fun.”
YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHAD KNAUS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WAS BROADCASTED OVER THE AIR WAVES – YOU KIND OF HAD A STRUGGLE THERE. BUT SINCE THEN, YOU GUYS HAVE REBOUNDED. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT GOING TO BE GOING INTO THE FIRST ROUND, WHERE YOU SAY YOU’VE STRUGGLED AT THE THREE RACE TRACKS COMING UP? HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH JIMMIE (JOHNSON) AND WINNING THE SEVEN CHAMPIONSHIPS, HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU GOING INTO THIS FIRST ROUND?“I think it helps a lot. I mean obviously, a couple weeks ago, we were struggling there at Dover. But we really turned it around. Since that second race, we’ve really been on it. I think honestly for us, we’ve gotten past those hurdles and we’ve been able to handle the pressure really well. So, just knowing that the two of us together can handle the pressure, go out there and do what we need to do – I have confidence in him and we know that we have the same goals. We both want to win and we’ll do whatever it takes to do that.”
WHAT IS IT ABOUT DARLINGTON THAT MAKES IT A CHALLENGING TRACK?“Gosh, everything. I think just the fact that it’s two lanes wide. The fact that you have to run against the wall to make speed. These cars are super sensitive to hitting the wall to begin with – you can’t even really touch the wall nowadays and get away with it. So, you have to factor all that stuff in when you go to race at Darlington. It’s a tough track. Restarts are tough there because there’s definitely a dominant lane on the outside. Having the choose cone in effect is going to make that a challenge, as well. You can kind of name everything – the playoffs, it’s not going to be easy.”
THIS IS YOUR SECOND-CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN THE PLAYOFFS. YOU’RE A YEAR OLDER, YOU’VE GOT A WIN UNDER YOUR BELT. HOW DOES YOUR APPROACH TO THE 2020 PLAYOFFS DIFFER FROM YEARS PAST?“I think honestly for me, just having that comfort in knowing what the playoffs are like. The first race last year in the playoffs was kind of action-packed and intense for me. I learned a lot through that and you have to handle adversity well. I feel like we’ve been through a lot of adversity this year. We’ve had a lot of tire issues, we’ve had some issues with just random things that have happened. So, now we’ve been through that stuff so we can go into the playoffs and know that we are able to handle that adversity well.” 
YOU MENTIONED RICHMOND AS BEING A CHALLENGING TRACK. ONE THING THAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS YEAR IS THAT THE SPRING RICHMOND RACE WASN’T HELD, SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME AT RICHMOND THIS YEAR. OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SOME OTHER TRACKS THAT CAN MAYBE CORRELATE. WHAT WILL THE CHALLENGE BE, ESPECIALLY WITH IT BEING A PLAYOFF RACE, FIRST TIME THIS SEASON FOR YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE?“That’s a good point – we haven’t raced there this year. It’s not one of my favorite tracks, but I think that for us, we’ll lean on our notes and information from New Hampshire. I think we had a good run there. We also finished OK at Phoenix, as well. I think we finished 11th at New Hampshire and 10th at Phoenix. So, right around the top-10, which is kind of our goal going into Richmond. I think if we can finish in the top-10, it’ll give us an opportunity to try and win at a couple other tracks. I think it’s one of those tracks where you kind of lower your expectations a little bit for us and try to just get out of there with a solid finish. One that we can kind of gather the points we need to going into the next couple.”
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHAD KNAUS – WE SAW THE TURNAROUND AT DOVER AND WHAT LED TO AT DAYTONA. CHAD’S BEEN VERY VOCAL IN SAYING THAT HE WANTED TO WIN WITH THE NO. 24 CAR. HAVE YOU GUYS TALKED AT ALL OR CAN YOU GIVE US ANY INSIGHT ON WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, IF YOU AND CHAD HAVE TALKED ABOUT NEXT YEAR OR WHAT HE’S DOING?“I don’t really handle all those talks and stuff with what’s going on there. But I love working with Chad (Knaus, crew chief). I think he’s been great for my career. He’s elevated me from where I was in my rookie year – where this team was in my rookie year, which was not something we were proud of – and elevated us into a playoff-contending team. A lot of that is thanks to him. It’s not just be as a driver – it’s our engineers, it’s our team, pit crew, mechanics, it’s everybody that he’s elevated their game for us to get into the playoffs two years in a row. I think it’s been a great thing for me and I look forward to what’s ahead in these next ten races with him.”
I KNOW JIMMIE JOHNSON HAS MEANT A LOT TO YOU EVER SINCE YOU JOINED THE HENDRICK SQUAD BACK IN 2017 I THINK IT WAS. THIS WEEKEND, WHAT’S IT GOING TO MEAN TO HONOR HIM THROWBACK STYLE IN HIS 2013 ALL-STAR SCHEME FOR THE 24?“It’s going to be really cool. Honestly for me, I’m excited about running that scheme and I feel like looking at his car on the race track, as well, is going to be really cool. I’m excited to see all those throwback schemes, particularly Jimmie’s and just look forward to seeing what that’s like. I think Darlington has a great tradition going there.”  

• Dodge HEMI^® Challenge set to take place during the 2020 NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Sept 3-4 
• Super Stock 1968 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas battle head-to-head for an iconic custom-made Dodge HEMI Challenge trophy and $15,000 winner’s prize 
• Legendary Mopar racer Herb “Mr. 4 Speed” McCandless will be the Dodge HEMI Challenge guest of honor and lead the parade of iconic muscle cars 
• Defending winner Jimmy Daniels looking to extend 18-0 round win streak while vying for a record fifth consecutive title 

Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Auburn Hills, Mich. – The 2020 edition of the upcoming Dodge HEMI^® Challenge looks to be a memorable one for all the right reasons; a special guest of honor and some record-setting achievements are revving up National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Sportsman class fans. 

More than 50 years after the iconic 1968 HEMI Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas first appeared on the drag strip, loyal racers and fans will once again be able to see the legendary cars race head-to-head in the ever-popular Dodge HEMI Challenge at the 66th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis, Indiana, on Labor Day weekend. 

The popular Sportsman class event, dedicated to showcasing Super Stock/A-HEMI (SSAH) competitors powered by the iconic 426 HEMI engine, was first launched in 2001 at “The Big GO” in Indy with support from FCA brands Mopar and Dodge. The 20th edition of the annual Dodge HEMI Challenge returns with qualifying scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3, and four rounds of eliminations competition to be contested on Friday, Sept. 4. 

The final shootout will take place Friday evening with the participants vying for the custom-built 42.6 lbs. Dodge HEMI Challenge trophy crafted with a 426 HEMI cylinder head, a $15,000 prize to the winner, $1,500 to the runner-up, and cash payouts for semifinal and quarterfinal finishers. All competitors will also receive the coveted Dodge HEMI Challenge participant decal and event hats. 

Acclaimed Mopar Super Stock and Pro Stock racer Herb “Mr. 4 Speed” McCandless will be the guest of honor for the 2020 edition of the Dodge HEMI Challenge. Prior to the first round of eliminations, McCandless will lead the parade of participating Darts and Barracudas down Indy’s fabled return road aboard his own original 1968 Super Stock HEMI Dart in celebration of the classic muscle cars that contributed to Mopar and Dodge brands’ legendary reputation and success at the drag strip.

The 77-year-old fan favorite was the recipient of the Mopar President’s Award in 2017, honoring him for his racing excellence, his service as a Mopar ambassador and his unwavering commitment to FCA brand and Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth vehicles. 

McCandless secured his place in drag racing history by driving his Sox & Martin HEMI-powered Plymouth Duster to a win against a field of 90 entries vying for 32 spots in the first Pro Stock competition held in 1970 at the prestigious U.S. Nationals. As part of this year’s 50th anniversary celebration of the NHRA Pro Stock category, an exact replica of McCandless’ 1970 Pro Stock HEMI Duster will be on display at the Mopar Road Show in the manufacturer’s midway throughout the race weekend. 

A strong field of “package” Mopar vehicles are expected to compete in the specialty event while showing off beautiful and vibrant paint schemes and wheelstands. Originally commissioned by Chrysler in 1968, a limited number of Super Stock HEMI Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas were built solely to compete on the drag strip just as the modern-day Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak is now. The Dodge HEMI Challenge is a tribute to those original muscle cars, now too valuable to race, and provides an opportunity to showcase today’s Super Stock versions as throwback clones of those historic vehicles. 

Among this year’s expected frontrunners is defending winner, 24-year old Jimmy Daniels, who has not lost a single round since first taking the wheel of his father Jim Daniels Sr.’s 1968 Dodge Dart in 2016. The younger Daniels comes into this year’s event looking to extend two unprecedented win streaks; an incredible 18-0 round win record and an unprecedented four consecutive Dodge HEMI Challenge title victories. 

The 2001 inaugural edition of the then Mopar HEMI Challenge was won by driver Bucky Hess. Other previous winners include Richard Beshore (2002), Jerry Jenkins (2003), and five-time NHRA Pro Stock champ, Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2004), Charlie Westcott Sr. (2009), Jim Daniels Sr. (2010) and Rick Houser (2007 and 2013). Charlie Westcott Jr. is the winningest HEMI Challenge driver with six titles (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2014) to his credit. 

Fans who can’t make it to the 2020 Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway to watch the Dodge HEMI Challenge in person can catch all the action online via NHRA.TV and its subscription-based, video-on-demand coverage of live racing action throughout the weekend. 

The final elimination round of the Dodge HEMI Challenge, as well as highlights from the parade of participating Darts and ‘Cudas, will air on FS1 during the qualifying broadcast on Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, with a repeat broadcast on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. on FS1. Fans can also look for HEMI Challenge highlights during the NHRA coverage on the FOX national broadcast network on Sunday, September 6 from 1 – 4 p.m. EDT. 

September 2, 2020

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to Darlington Raceway this weekend to begin their quest for the Cup Series championship and are recognizing the occasion with a most appropriate throwback paint scheme.

As part of Darlington’s throwback weekend theme, DiBenedetto’s Mustang will carry a paint scheme based on the 1963 Ford Galaxie that delivered the Wood Brothers the 1963 car owners championship. So far, it’s the only Cup title in the team’s 70-year history.

In 1963, Tiny Lund drove the car to victory in the Daytona 500.

The late team founder Glenn Wood wheeled it to his last win as a Cup driver, at Bowman Gray Stadium on July 13, 1963. Marvin Panch, who returned to the ’63 Galaxie after being severely burned in a sports car crash prior to the Daytona 500, also won in it, at North Wilkesboro on Sept. 29, 1963.

Altogether, the Wood Brothers, who did not run a full schedule in that era, took the owners championship with 23 starts, scoring three wins, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes. They used five different drivers – Wood, Lund, Panch, Dave MacDonald and Fred Lorenzen. 

Joe Weatherly, who drove for nine different owners, took the driving championship.

DiBenedetto said he excited to have his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang looking like a championship car. 

“The throwback to the championship-winning Wood Brothers car will be an honor to drive at Darlington,” he said. “I can’t wait to get it on track especially in the Playoffs!”
 
DiBenedetto, who already has raced twice at Darlington this year in the No. 21 Mustang, said he’s optimistic about the third – and biggest – Darlington start of 2020.
 
“I think we made some improvements in the second race,” he said, pointing out that he and crew chief Greg Erwin finished 14^th in the first Darlington race then upped that to ninth-place in the second. He said there’s room for more improvement in the Cook Out Southern 500, the first race of the 2020 Playoffs.
 
“There’s still a lot we can work on to be better this week,” he said.
 
While some drivers don’t particularly like racing on the tricky Lady in Black, DiBenedetto said he’s not among them.
 
“I love the slick, worn-out race tracks,” he said. “So that will be fun.”
  
There will be no practice or qualifying before the start of the Cook Out Southern 500, which is set for just after 6 p.m. on Sunday, with TV coverage on NBCSN.
 

• Corvette C8.R riding four-race GT Le Mans win streak• Garcia, Taylor winners of last two IMSA rounds• Chevrolet enters with expanded lead in Manufacturer’s Championship• Corvette Racing with 10 victories at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta• Six-hour endurance race is team’s first since WEC at Circuit of The Americas DETROIT (Sept. 2, 2020) – Corvette Racing returns to the endurance stage this weekend in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on a four-race win streak and an increased margin in the series’ GT Le Mans (GTLM) category.

The TireRack.com Grand Prix at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is the Corvette program’s sixth race of the year and fifth in the IMSA Championship. At six hours in duration, it also marks the first long-distance endurance race for the team since a February round of the World Endurance Championship and the first in IMSA since the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January – also the debut of the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Much has changed since the early days of 2020, to say the least. Racing is back since an extended shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and since that time no team has been on as big a roll as Corvette Racing. The team has reeled off four consecutive victories – three by GTLM Driver’s Championship leaders Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, including two weeks ago at VIR. Teammates Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R have reeled off a win and runner-up finish since Corvette Racing returned to action at Daytona in July. Those results have moved them up to third in the GTLM Championship, and the combined efforts of the two Corvettes have Chevrolet comfortably ahead in the class Manufacturer’s Championship. The four-race win run has been remarkable in the ways that the program has claimed victory. Rather than having outright power and pace of its competitors, Corvette Racing has relied on execution and minimizing mistakes while capitalizing on those of others. This weekend’s race takes the place of the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen, originally set for late June at Watkins Glen International. The move to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta means Corvette Racing – and the rest of the WeatherTech Championship – will compete in two long-distance events at the circuit in less than two months with Petit Le Mans scheduled for Oct. 15-17. The Corvette Racing program has won 10 times at Road Atlanta, eight of those in long-distance endurance rounds. Gavin is IMSA’s winningest active driver at the circuit with five wins, and Taylor is a past IMSA winner at the track, having won twice in a prototype. Road Atlanta is one of the tracks at which Corvette Racing tested the mid-engine C8.R during its development phase, albeit more than a year ago. It has been a good omen so far with victories at Daytona, Sebring, Road America and VIR – all places where the Corvette C8.R was tested in the past. Both the Corvette C8.R and the 2020 Corvette Stingray production car were developed simultaneously with a deeper level of technology transfer between the race car and a production Corvette than ever before, which helps contribute to many of its advancements. As a result, the C8.R shares the highest percentage of parts between the production and race car than any previous generation. The TireRack.com Grand Prix is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. ET on Saturday with live coverage on NBC Sports Network starting at 11:30 a.m. ET before continuing on Trackpass at 12:30 p.m. and returning to NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. IMSA Radio will stream Friday’s qualifying as well as the race on IMSA.com, which also will host live timing and scoring.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s true that we’ve won three of the last four races, but we cannot get complacent with a lot of races to go. In all of these races, our pace has been decent compared to the other GTLM cars. What has impressed me the most during this run is the attention to details and how Corvette Racing always seems to have us in position to capitalize on mistakes. That comes down some to strategy, how we maintain track position and yes some luck as well. But the results speak for themselves. Let’s see if that continues this weekend at Atlanta.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m looking forward to going back to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. It’s a month earlier than we had originally planned, but it’s always good to go there. I’ve enjoyed success there before in both Prototype and GT cars, and it would be great to add to it this weekend with the C8.R. The last two months have been pretty crazy not just with winning races but how we’ve done it. That’s the never-give-up attitude that Corvette Racing has shown for more than 20 years. We try and find a way to be in the best position to take advantage when breaks come our way.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s been an up-and-down season for us on the No. 4 Corvette, but we’re going to a track I really enjoy. There have been a lot of fantastic moments and race wins at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in both sprint and long-distance races. This six-hour race has a lot of potential for myself, Tommy and Corvette Racing. We were right there at VIR two weeks ago, and the two tracks share a handful of characteristics – a good mix of mid- to high-speed corners and significant elevation changes. I enjoyed driving the C8.R around Road Atlanta during our test program, and it should be that much better this time around.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It will be interesting to race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta twice in a short span. We have a lot of laps and data there, and fortunately some in the C8.R during our early testing program. The conditions for this weekend will be considerably warmer which should make the track greasier during the heat of the day Saturday. How we manage our tires and track position will go a long way to determining where we end up. We’ve learned a lot about tire life and how this new mid-engine Corvette changes and evolves during a race. We’ll put that to good practice this weekend.”

The JEGS Mail Order team will feature a healthy line-up for this week’s 66th annual Denso Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals. Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Troy Coughlin Jr. will be competing in Pro Stock, while Mike Coughlin is racing in Top Dragster. Troy Jr. also will be racing in Super Comp alongside fellow third-generation racers Paige Coughlin and Makenna Brown. This year, the U.S. Nationals will also be home to the prestigious JEGS Allstars race, which features 80 of NHRA’s best sportsman drag racers competing for individual and team honors and a part of a $150,000 purse.  Jeg Jr. has opened the 2020 season by winning two of the first four races and he’s the current points leader in the Pro Stock class as he chases a sixth NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock title (and seventh overall). Jeg Jr. is once again racing as a member of the Elite Motorsports team. His Chevy Camaro will carry the familiar yellow-and-black colors of JEGS Mail Order along with the special edition JEGS 60th anniversary logo this season.  After winning national events in Super Gas, Super Comp, and Top Alcohol Dragster, as well as successful stints in Top Fuel and Pro Mod, Troy Jr. will be making his third start in the NHRA Pro Stock class. He will be once again be driving a Mustang for the Elite Performance team. At the most recent event, the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals, Jeg Jr. and nephew Troy Jr. met in an historic all-JEGS final round. Jeg Jr. won his 65th Pro Stock race and 84th overall.  Last year, Jeg Jr. finished as the second-ranked driver in the Pro Stock class behind Elite teammate Erica Enders. It was the second-straight year that he’s been the championship runner-up. Jeg Jr. has now finished in the top 10 a total of 19 times in his professional career, which began in 1997. Jeg Jr. has announced 2020 as his last full-time season in professional drag racing. Jeg Jr.’s final campaign has been dubbed the “Breaking Barriers Tour,” in reference to his many racing accomplishments. To honor the 50th anniversary of the Pro Stock class, Jeg Jr.’s Chevy Camaro will carry a throwback paint scheme in Indy. It will bear a striking resemblance to the car in which he won his first title in 2000.  Earlier this season, Jeg Jr. won the $75,000 top prize in the Drag Illustrated World Doorslammer Nationals race in Orlando, Fla. Jeg Jr. defeated Greg Anderson in the final round of the inaugural event, which featured the sport’s best Pro Stock and Pro Mod cars. Jeg Jr. is once again racing as a teammate to three-time champion Erica Enders. The Elite Motorsports team also includes Troy Jr., Alex Laughlin, Bruno Massel, Aaron Stanfield and Marty Robertson. Jeg Jr.’s crew chief is Rickie Jones, who has extensive experience in the class as a driver, chassis builder, and tuner. The Elite team also features crew chiefs Rick Jones and Mark Ingersoll, who regularly share data.Jeg Coughlin Jr. Jeg Jr. has won at least one national event at 24 different facilities, including Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The only current stops on the current NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule where he has not won are the races in Norwalk, Ohio, and Epping, N.H. Jeg Jr. has three career Pro Stock victories at the U.S. Nationals, having won there in 2000, 2002 and 2009. Jeg Jr. defeated Ron Krisher in the 2000 final and stopped Jim Yates in 2002 and Greg Stanfield in 2009. Jeg Jr.’s most recent Pro Stock win at Indy last month was his fourth at Lucas Oil Raceway. In 21 career appearances at the U.S. Nationals, Jeg Jr. has a round-win record of 28-17 in Pro Stock competition, making it one of his most successful tracks. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the U.S. Nationals Super Gas title in 1992, beating Sherman Adcock Jr. in the final round. Jeg Jr. also won the prestigious Mopar Hemi Challenge at Indy in 2004, driving Michael Ogburn’s West Coast Hemi’s Barracuda to a final-round win over Rick Houser. In 20 career appearances at the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Jeg Jr. has a round win record of 27-16 in Pro Stock competition, making it one of his most successful tracks. Adding his totals from the recent Indy events, Jeg Jr.’s total round-win record at Lucas Oil Raceway is 34-17. Jeg Jr. is a five-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion. He earned season titles in 2000, 2002, 2007-2008 and 2013. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the NHRA Super Gas championship in 1992. Jeg Jr. is the only driver to win national event titles in seven different categories. He has won in Pro Stock, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Top Dragster. Jeg Jr. is the only professional racer in history to win a national event title from all 16 starting spots. During his Indy win in 2000, Jeg qualified No. 16. With 65 Pro Stock wins in his career, Jeg Jr. ranks fourth all-time among Pro Stock drivers. Only Warren Johnson (97), Greg Anderson (94) and the late Bob Glidden (85) and have more titles. In 451 career Pro Stock races, Jeg Jr. has reached the final round 114 times, recording 65 wins. Including his 19 sportsman victories, Jeg Jr. has won a total of 84 times. During his career, Jeg Jr. has appeared in 139 final rounds, 114 as a professional and 25 as a sportsman racer. Troy Coughlin Jr. During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 451 events and has a round-win record of 683-370. He has failed to qualify just 16 times. Jeg Jr. has been the low qualifier 34 times in Pro Stock including the first two events in Pomona and Phoenix this year. Troy Jr. is an eight-time NHRA national event winner and the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major event. Troy Jr. won the U.S. Nationals in Super Comp in 2010 and also won the Indy Super Gas title in 2014. His other wins have come in Las Vegas (2009), Gainesville (2013), Columbus (2014), Reading (2018), Norwalk (2019) and Reading (2019). Troy Jr. was crowned the 2018 North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion and the 2019 Eastern Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion. He was also crowned the 2013 NHRA North Central Division Super Gas champion. Last season, Troy Jr. appeared in 10 final rounds in Top Alcohol Dragster and earned five wins including national event titles in Norwalk and Reading. Troy Jr. has also earned victories at regional events at Atco Dragway, Beech Bend Raceway Park and Virginia Motorsports Park. During his career, the versatile Troy Jr. has raced in Top Fuel, Top Alcohol Dragster, Pro Mod, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Dragster, E.T. Brackets, and Jr. Dragsters. Earlier this season in Orlando, he made his debut in the Pro Stock class alongside his uncle, Jeg Jr. The JEGS Mail Order teammates raced in round two with Jeg Jr. taking a narrow victory. In his runner-up finish in Pro Stock at the most recent NHRA race, Troy Jr. qualified No. 13 and defeated Kyle Koretsky, Erica Enders and Jason Line to reach the final round. In addition to his success in NHRA events, Troy Jr. also is regarded as one of the sport’s best E.T. bracket racers. He has accumulated several major victories including a $25,000 payday at the Atco Dragway Superbucks event and a $10,000 win the Spring Buck Blast at South Georgia Motorsports Park. He also won a $20,000 race at the Powerball of Bracket Racing event in Darlington, S.C. Mike Coughlin is a two-time Division 3 champion in the Top Sportsman class (2007-2009) and the defending Division 3 Top Dragster champion. His crew chief is Tony Collier. Mike is a 14-time NHRA national event winner. He has won national event titles in Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. Mike Coughlin Mike also is a two-time U.S. Nationals winner. He won the Pro Stock Truck class in Indy in 1999 and 2001. Earlier this season at the JEGS SPORTSnationals at National Trail Raceway, Mike drove his JEGS.com dragster to the final round where he lost to world champion and current points leader Anthony Bertozzi. Mike began his career in the Super Gas and Super Comp classes in the 1980s and has extensive experience in the heads-up super classes. Paige Coughlin made her debut in the Super Comp class in 2017 and has raced part-time while continuing her education at Miami University of Ohio. Paige’s crew chief is Justin Beaver. Last year, Paige finished as the No. 2 ranked driver in the NHRA North Central Division Super Comp standings. She also earned a spot on the prestigious JEGS Allstars team for 2020. Before transitioning to the Super Comp class, Paige got her start in racing behind the wheel of a Jr. Dragster. Paige is the daughter of three-time NHRA Pro Mod series champion Troy Coughlin, and the younger sister of Troy Coughlin Jr. Makenna Brown got her start in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Series and recently made the transition to the Super Comp class. In her first full season in Super Comp, Makenna has raced in eight events and is currently ranked No. 37 out of more than 650 competitors. Overall, the Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. have combined for 128 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin’s have won in 11 different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Top Alcohol Dragster, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. Paige Coughlin The Coughlin family has enjoyed incredible success at NHRA’s biggest event with a total of nine victories. In addition to the four wins by Jeg Jr., two more by Troy Jr., and two by Mike, Troy Sr. also won the 1991 Super Gas title. Brother John Coughlin also won Indy as a car owner when Brad Plourd drove his JEGS.com dragster to the 2005 U.S. Nationals Super Comp title. TEAM JEGS – By the Numbers5: Team JEGS entries in competition at this weekend’s NHRA event.7: Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title (the only driver in history to do so)9: Indianapolis wins for Team JEGS. Four by Jeg Coughlin Jr., two by Troy Coughlin Jr., two by Mike Coughlin and one by Troy Coughlin Sr.11: Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory19: Top-10 finishes for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class since 1998127: Combined NHRA national event victories for the Coughlin family

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INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 1) -The best Sportsman racers that NHRA has to offer are headed for historic Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis this weekend to take part in the 36th annual JEGS Allstars, a special event held during the Denso Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago in June, but has been moved to Indy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 80 racers who have qualified for the special event, winning an individual title at the JEGS Allstars race is a tremendous achievement, but being a part of the winning overall team is an extra-special accomplishment, particularly on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Raceway, home of NHRA’s oldest and most revered event. Last year, the team from the South Central Division turned in a dominant performance to win their record-tying eighth overall team title. The Division 4 crew also won titles in 1987, 1992, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2018. Each season, the JEGS Allstars competition crowns individual champions in 10 separate eliminators, and an overall team champion. A highlight of each season for a third of a century, the JEGS Allstars event features a total purse of more than $150,000, making it one of the richest events of its kind.  Racers can only qualify for the prestigious event by earning points in their home divisions during year-long battles in the following NHRA Lucas Oil categories; Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. The Division 4 team comes into this year’s event as a favorite to win a ninth title with a strong line-up that includes world champions Craig Bourgeois and David Rampy, as well as defending U.S. Nationals Top Dragster champ Rusty Baxter and Darian Boesch, who will be a blocker in Top Dragster and a points-earner in Top Sportsman. Rampy and Bourgeois are just two of the 14 former or current NHRA national champions in the field. That list also includes reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion Megan Meyer and current Stock champ Allison Doll, two of eight women who have qualified for the JEGS Allstars. Meyer, along with her sister, Rachel, are among the favorites in Top Alcohol Dragster are along with their teammate, Norway’s Julie Nataas, who is coming off a victory in last weekend’s North Central Region event in Bowling Green, Ky. The Top Alcohol Funny Car class also delivers a stacked line-up, although the only driver in the field who has previously won a JEGS Allstars title is defending event winner Ray Drew from the Central Region team. The Top Alcohol categories compete for their own championship, separate from the eight other eliminators. In addition to Doug and Allison Doll, the Northeast Division team features world champions Frank Aragona Jr. and Lee Zane. The Division 1 crew are also seeking their first Allstars overall crown since 2010 when they won three of 10 classes. The Southeast Division team has enjoyed tremendous success at the Allstars with their most recent title coming in 2015. This year, their hopes are pinned on Jeff Strickland, who is pulling double-duty in Stock and Top Dragster, along with two-time Allstars champ Mike Crutchfield in Super Stock, and world champion David Tatum III, the Top Sportsman rep. The North Central squad will be looking to break the championship tie with the Division 4 team and garner their ninth win and they have all the weapons necessary to do it, including recent JEGS SPORTSnationals Comp champ Chad Voges, reigning Super Gas champ Jeremy Mason and past Allstars winner Lester Johnson in Top Sportsman. Another interesting part of the Division 3 team is Team JEGS driver Paige Coughlin, who is racing in Super Comp. The third-generation racer is hoping to join her uncle, Jeg Jr., who won JEGS Allstars titles in 1991 and 1997. The West Central Division team didn’t win their first overall title until 2014 but they added a second in 2016 and they could easily add a third thanks to a talented squad that includes Trevor Larson, the only driver to double-up in the JEGS Allstars and Comp racer Matt Harris, who is making his sixth appearance at the event. The Northwest Division team is looking for their first title since 2005 and has brought to Indy a line-up that includes Ryan Warter, the son of 1989 JEGS Allstars champ Jim Warter, and two-time Allstars winner Jeff Lane. Also a member of the Division 6 team is Mike Ferderer, a former Super Gas champ now racing in Top Sportsman. The gang from the Pacific Division, who last claimed the overall title in 2012, will be looking to regain the top spot and there is no reason to think they won’t be able to with a core group that includes five-time world champ Justin Lamb, in Stock and two-time national event winner Scott McClay in Comp. Any racer who can win Saturday’s JEGS Allstar title and then return on Sunday to win the Denso U.S. Nationals in the same class will be eligible for the JEGS double-up bonus.

Now celebrating its 36th year, the JEGS Allstars competition is one of the most highly anticipated events of the season for racers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Racers can only qualify for one of the coveted spots on the JEGS Allstars team by winning a year-long competition within each of NHRA’s seven geographic divisions. Individual racers in the JEGS Allstars event will be competing for a share of more than $150,000 in cash awards posted by JEGS Mail Order. There will also be an overall team championship earned, with the members of that division will split a $20,000 bonus. In addition, there is close to $50,000 in manufacturer posted contingency awards available to the finalists this year. Regional championship trophyAny driver who can win the JEGS Allstars on Saturday and then return to win the Denso U.S. Nationals title the following day will automatically be eligible for a “double-up” bonus from JEGS Mail Order.  Current NHRA pros Jeg Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield, Bruno Massel, and Shawn Langdon are all former winners of the JEGS Allstars race. Last year, the team from the NHRA South Central Division (Division 4) won its record-tying eighth team title in the JEGS Allstars. The Division 4 team was led by Jeff Lopez, Christopher Dodd, Cy Hill, and Darian Boesch.  The North Central Division (Division 3) also has eight overall JEGS Allstars titles, while the teams from the Northeast Division (Division 1), Southeast Division (Division 2), and South Central Division are tied with seven overall titles. Since 1985, the JEGS Allstars has been contested in four locations; Bowling Green, Ky., Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago. There are 14 former or current NHRA national champions racing in this year’s JEGS Allstars event. They are, Megan Meyer, Joey Severance, Frank Aragona Jr., Lee Zane, Craig Bourgeois, David Rampy, Doug Doll, Jeff Strickland, Justin Lamb, Jeff Lopez, Jeremy Mason, John Labbous Jr., David Tatum III, and Mike Ferderer. There are eight women in this year’s JEGS Allstars field. Sisters Megan and Rachel Meyer will compete in Top Alcohol Dragster, where they are joined by Jackie Fricke and Julie Natass. Annie Whiteley will race in Top Alcohol Funny Car as part of the Central Region team. Allison Doll will race in Stock for the Northeast Division team, Paige Coughlin is making her first appearance as a JEGS Allstar in Super Comp for the North Central Division and Victoria Johnson is racing in Top Dragster for the West Central Division. Divisional championship trophyThe only driver to double-up at a JEGS Allstars race is Trevor Larson, who won the Super Comp and Super Gas titles in 2015. Larson has returned in 2020 as the Division 5 Super Comp rep. Three drivers are competing in two classes and will have a chance to double-up. They are Jeff Strickland (Top Dragster/Stock), Vernon Rowland (Super Comp/Super Gas), and Darien Boesch (Top Dragster/Top Sportsman). Mary Ann Method was the first woman to win the JEGS Allstars with her Stock victory in 1995. Since then, three others have joined her including the late Shelly Howard (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2004), Lynn Hoosigian (Super Street, 2006), Brenda Grubbs (Stock, 2008). For the second-straight year, the husband-wife team of Doug and Allison Doll racing for the Northeast Division in Comp and Stock. The most successful driver in the history of the JEGS Allstars is Frank Manzo who has 10 wins in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. David Rampy, who retired last season after 104 national event wins, has returned to compete for the one title that has eluded him, the JEGS Allstars. He will race in Super Stock for the Division 4 team.  By The Numbers — JEGS Allstars Edition3 — Drivers with a chance to double-up, Jeff Strickland, Vernon Rowland, and Darien Boesch8 — Women in the JEGS Allstars field 8 — JEGS Allstars Team Championships for Division 3 and 410 — JEGS Allstars wins for Frank Manzo14 — World champions in this year’s field36 — Years for the JEGS Allstars competition

NHRA^® Team Report

NHRA U.S. Nationals – Indianapolis

Pre-Race Report

Three-time U.S. Nationals champion Cruz Pedregon and team are ready for the “Big Go” this weekend when it kicks off Friday at Lucas Oil Raceway. In their nearby shop in Brownsburg, the team has been prepping for a win, going over every inch of the Snap-on Dodge^® and Cruz, Nick (Casertano), and Eric (Lane) say it’s ready.

“Even though the world has been a little different this year, this is still the U.S. Nationals and a win here will define a season. It’s been too long since we’ve won it, and 2020 will be a whole lot better if we bring this Wally back home with us,” Cruz says. “We consider it our ‘home track,’ but for most drivers in all categories — as the U.S. Nationals go, so goes the season. We approach the Big Go with the respect it deserves.”

Cruz says the weather looks great for fans, but the car likes a hotter track. So, Nick, Eric and he will be making adjustments for what looks as though it will be one of the cooler races this season.

“Even though I’m a California guy, Indy is a great place to be and the city has been great to the sport. We appreciate the fans coming out and experiencing drag racing at the highest level. Even though the event is a day shorter this year, it will still be a show worth watching from the stands or live on FOX,” says Cruz. 

Cruz’s Dodge^® will again pay tribute to the Snap-on 100^th with its paint scheme and logo. Fans are encouraged throughout the season to post pictures of the car with the hashtag #Snapon100. 

Follow Cruz and Snap-on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

To see the latest Cruz news, like his Facebook page, where you can also check out his Vlog “Kickin’ It With The Cruzer.” Follow Cruz on Twitter and Instagram, and like the Snap-on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for all things tools, racing and Cruz.

Racer’s Edge Acura NSX GT3 Evo Sweeps Road America Weekend
Trent Hindman and Shelby Blackstock win both rounds of doubleheader weekend
Extends Acura NSX GT3 Evo win streak to three in a row in GT World Challenge America
Racers Edge Acura NSX GT3 Evo takes lead on opening laps in both victories

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (August 30, 2020) – The Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo continued its recent dominance of the SRO Motorsport World Challenge GT America series, as the Silver Class driver pairing of Trent Hindman and Shelby Blackstock again were the overall winners in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races at Road America.

Unlike the most recent Sonoma Raceway weekend – when the Acura duo won pole positions for both races – at Road America the Racers Edge Acura NSX started both events from the outside of the front row. But in each race, the twin-turbo NSX would claim the lead before the opening laps were half-over, and would remain in command for the remainder of the 45-minute runs.

Blackstock chased pole qualifier Indy Dontje to the starting line for Saturday’s race, and needed just three turns to wrest the lead from the Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 driver. When a pair Pro/Am cars crashed behind them, leading to a full-course caution, Blackstock made the move stick on the ensuing restart and held serve for the remainder of his stint. Smoothly executing the mid-race pit stop and driver change while holding a 15-second advantage, co-driver Hindman then widened it to nearly 40 seconds while romping to the win.

Sunday’s race followed a similar script, although this time it was starting driver Hindman outdragging rival and pole qualifier Ryan Dalziel down the long Road America startline straight and into the opening turn. This time Hindman handed Blackstock a 12.5-second lead at the pit stop and driver change, and Blackstock extended it to 21 seconds at the finish.

The win was the fifth of the season for the #93 Acura and the third in a row for Blackstock and Hindman dating back to Sonoma. The victory allowed the team to extend its lead in the Silver Class championship after eight races.

The Racer’s Edge team played one car short for the second straight weekend, as the defending series Pro/Am champion #80 Acura NSX GT3 Evo driven by Martin Barkey and Kyle Marcelli was again unable to compete at Road America, due to complications with travel restrictions for the Canadian pair, brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The wins this weekend are the fifth and sixth through eight GT World Challenge races for the Acura NSX GT3 Evo, which won team championships in both IMSA GTD and the SRO GT World Challenge series in 2019. The car, sold and supported by HPD in North America, runs in both Sprint and Endurance racing competition around the world.

Next
The SRO Motorsports GT World Challenge America teams will next head to Texas for the penultimate race weekend of the 2020 season, rounds 9 and 10 of the championship, September 17-20 at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin.

Social media content and video links from this weekend’s Acura Motorsports activity at Road America are available on HPD’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and on Twitter at (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD). 

Quotes
Shelby Blackstock (Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo) started 2nd, finished 1st both Saturday and Sunday: “It’s always really important in any race to get to the front and really take command of the race. Then you can gauge your pace from there instead of playing follow the leader,” said Blackstock of Saturday’s win.

Trent Hindman (Racers Edge Motorsports Acura NSX GT3 Evo) started 2nd, finished 1st both Saturday and Sunday: “Shelby had one heck of a start and a really good move around Dontje in turn three, was all about execution today.” [on Sunday’s race] “I definitely took advantage of the bottom end torque that this Acura NSX GT3 has. The big thing was just watching when the green flag came out. I saw the starter’s hand move a little bit quicker I think and just rolled the throttle from there.”

Nephew Troy Coughlin Jr. anxious to go one step further

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 31) — The victories continue to add up for Pro Stock points leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. and heading into this weekend’s 66th annual Denso Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals, the NHRA tour’s most recent winner simply hopes to return to the winner’s circle yet again. Coughlin has two wins and one runner-up showing in the four races contested this season, including the Dodge NHRA Nationals three weeks ago at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, where he beat nephew Troy Coughlin Jr. in the money round. Jeg Coughlin Jr.Jeg Jr. also is six-time winner of the U.S. Nationals, considered drag racing’s most prestigious event. He won the Pro Stock class in 2000, 2002 and 2009. He also claimed the 1992 Super Gas title and the 2004 Mopar Hemi Challenge.  “We’ve certainly had a wonderful run of late, including here in Indy,” said Jeg Jr., who plans to retire from full-time competition at the conclusion of this year. “It would be wonderful to close things out with another U.S. Nationals victory. I know everyone working on the JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro has that some opinion. “It’s been an unusual year to say the least but it has allowed us to race a few extra times at Indy, which is a track my family has enjoyed for decades, dating all the way back to when my father raced here. We were fortunate enough to win the last race here three weeks ago so we feel very optimistic about our chances going into the event. “Rickie (Jones, crew chief) has set a very aggressive course for our team dating back to last year’s playoff run and it’s been working. There’s no reason to change anything we’ve been doing, especially since there are more than a few unknowns as to what the rest of the 2020 season holds. We’re taking every round as if it’s our last.” Overall, Jeg Jr. has six world championships (five in Pro Stock) and 65 nationals event victories. He currently leads the Pro Stock championship standings by 44 points over Jason Line and 77 points over teammate and reigning series champion Erica Enders. Troy Coughlin Jr.Joining Jeg Jr. in the Elite Motorsports pit for the third time this year is Troy Jr., who bagged a runner-up finish in just his second start in the class. Troy Jr. switched to Pro Stock after winning back-to-back regional championships in Top Alcohol Dragster, one in the North Central region and the other in the Eastern region. “The NHRA is celebrating and highlighting 50 years of Pro Stock at this year’s U.S. Nationals so I’m really pumped up and honored to be a part of this race,” Troy Jr. said. “My continued thanks to (team owner) Richard Freeman and his entire crew. They are such a class group who are so fun to race with, especially the guys on my car — Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll, Eric Luzinski, Mike DePalma and Robert Freeman. “Additional thanks to the entire staff at JEGS for their support. Everyone was super excited about Uncle Jeg and me racing each other in the finals few weeks ago. I’m also very excited to watch my sister Paige (Coughlin) compete for the first time in the JEGS Allstars race. It’s going to be a big weekend, especially if we can figure out how to take my car one round further than last race.” Aside from his duties in Pro Stock, Troy Jr. will be competing for the Super Comp trophy alongside his sister Paige and his cousin Makenna Brown in the national event portion of the race. Troy Jr. has two U.S. Nationals win to his credit having won the “Big Go” in 2010 in Super Comp and 2014 in Super Gas. He’s also the first of the third-generation of Coughlins to win Indy. Jeg Jr.’s brother Mike Coughlin will round out Team JEGS this weekend with his entry in Top Dragster.

Condensed Schedule Will Now Consist of Back-to-Back Tripleheaders

CORONA, Calif. (August 31, 2020) – With half of the 2020 racing season complete, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO has announced an update to the current championship schedule that will ultimately condense the remaining events on the calendar into back-to-back tripleheaders to close out the year. Each of the next two events of the season, in September from Arizona’s Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Parkand in October from Southern California’s Glen Helen Raceway, will extend from weekend doubleheaders into three-day affairs. The expansion of these events means the originally scheduled November race at Wild Horse Pass will no longer occur.

Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Race Series

“There were several factors that went into this decision, but ultimately our goal was to provide the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series with as clear a path as possible to successfully completing the 2020 season,” said Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Director of Race Operations Ritchie Lewis. “With the coronavirus pandemic still presenting many unknowns, there was some uncertainty about having the schedule extend into November as we simply don’t know where things will stand at that point. Moreover, it also made sense from an operational standpoint to have one less logistical burden for both our staff and competitors to deal with. We felt like the expansion of Wild Horse Pass and Glen Helen was something that would benefit all parties involved.” With the updated schedule, the race at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park will now take place on Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20. The new season finale at Glen Helen Raceway will occur one week later than originally scheduled and will now commence on Friday, October 16, Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, with the final day serving as the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup, which annually brings each season to an exciting conclusion. In accordance with local health and safety guidelines related to COVID-19, each of these remaining races will be run as competitor only events, with no spectator access permitted. “In the continued efforts to help fight the spread of COVID-19 we have worked in close correspondence with officials at both the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona and San Bernardino County in California to develop a plan that will allow us to successfully host these races without fans in the grandstands,” continued Ritchie. Additionally, we will take added precautions to revise the race day schedule in an effort to minimize the impact of the high temperatures that could accompany each of these weekends.”