LAS VEGAS (March 30, 2022) – Heading into the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the fourth event of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, having broken into the top 10 in the points standings, John Force and his PEAK / BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SS team are ready to make-up more ground at the first of two four-wide events on the 2022 tour.  Force had pre-season success at testing at Wild Horse pass Motorsports Park in Arizona but stumbled at the season opening Winternationals. The PEAK / BlueDEF team turned things around back at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. They would qualify No. 3 and have a semifinals appearance. At a rain-soaked and abnormally cold NHRA Gatornationals, Force and the BlueDEF team would have a quarterfinal finish that, along with some surprising early exits, would jump them into fifth in the points standings. “It’s been a bit of a wild start to the season. But you, know, this BlueDEF team with Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, they’ve got a handle on this Chevrolet. We’ll fix it. That’s what it’s all about,” said Force. “We’ve got to get these cars making some noise and winning some rounds, and we will.” Since the debut of four-wide racing at Charlotte in 2010, no one has won more quads than Force; he has been first to the finish in 12, more than any other Funny Car driver. He also has two overall four-wide race wins. Only Steve Torrence in Top Fuel and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle have more. No one has won more Funny Car races at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, four times in the fall race (2002, 2010, 2013 and 2016) and twice in the spring before it transitioned to four-wide (2010, 2015). Force was also the No. 1 qualifier at the spring race in 2002 and 2011 and at the fall race when he won in 2013.  “Couldn’t get a better place to go four-wide racing. Bruton Smith and his son Marcus, they’ve really created a great show, first at Charlotte and then now at The Strip at Las Vegas,” Force said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the stands packed and getting back into my PEAK Chevy hot rod after these two weeks off. Ready to have some fun and win some rounds for all my sponsors.” Qualifying at the NHRA Four-Wide NHRA Nationals takes place Friday and Saturday with two sessions at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (PT) on each day. Eliminations are slated to begin at noon on Sunday. Racing action will be televised on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and begins with qualifying Friday at 7 p.m. ET and continues Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

LAS VEGAS (March 29, 2022) — Every driver’s rookie year is full of ups and downs. Every track presents challenges and opportunities. This weekend at the NHRA Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals Pro Stock rookie standout driver Camrie Caruso will have her hands full navigating a new racetrack and four-wide racing for the first time. So far in the early stages of her rookie campaign the 24-year-old driver from Denver, North Carolina, has risen to every challenge. She will be driving with new primary sponsors this weekend as her Titan Racing Engine powered Chevrolet Camaro will be adorned with colorful branding representing Air Flow Research (AFR) SCAT Crankshafts and Procar by SCAT.

“We have been talking with the team at Air Flow Research, SCAT Crankshafts and Procar by SCAT about getting involved with our program for a while,” said Caruso, who has qualified at all three NHRA national events in 2022 and advance to the quarterfinals the past two races. “They are the aftermarket go-to seat for Chevrolet Camaros so this relationship was literally a perfect fit. When you add in the backing of Air Flow Research and SCAT Crankshafts with their long history in Pro Stock, I could not be more excited to represent these companies.” 

After three national events Caruso has established herself and her Caruso Family Racing team as quality competitors with strong horsepower under the hood. The performance of her Titan Racing Engine power has qualified the rookie driver in the top half of the field every race. Her elapsed times have dropped at every race and with two weeks off to regroup the team is eager to get to the high-performance racing surface The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway offers.

“I can’t say enough about the team of guys I have behind me from Titan Racing Engines,” said Caruso. “I have a lot of confidence in this Chevrolet Camaro every time we pull it up to the starting line. As a young driver I am working on my performance every time we make a run. I want to get better as a driver because I know I have a race car that can win rounds if I do my job. That is a testament to Titan Racing Engines and my crew chief Jim Yates.”

Two weeks ago at the historic Gatornationals Caruso had to battle the elements like the rest of her professional competitors. With only one qualifying session the pressure was on everyone to make the most of their lone shot at the track. The team came right out of the trailer with a career best run of 6.516 seconds at 210.70 mph. In the opening round of eliminations on Sunday they stepped up even more with both ends of career best marks getting another win light on a run of 6.491 seconds at 213.10 mph. It took the lowest elapsed time of the second round to end Caruso’s day and have her turn her focus to the unique four-wide nationals.

“I am looking forward to the challenges of four-wide racing,” said Caruso, a third generation NHRA driver. “I know there will be a lot going on, but I am just going to stay calm and do my own thing. I like the fact you have a chance to advance even if you are not the first to the finish line. I plan on getting their first, but this style of racing is a little forgiving which makes it unique for us”

Since Caruso came onto the scene this season, she has been one of the busiest drivers and marketers on the NHRA circuit. To bring more awareness to her partners she has rotated several companies as primary sponsor on her Camaro Pro Stock race car. Last weekend she was in Ft. Worth, Texas, at the Keystone “Big” Show displaying the Air Flow Research (AFR) SCAT Crankshafts and Procar by SCAT Camaro and representing her sponsor VP Racing Lubricants.

“It’s so important to promote off track as well as at the track,” said Caruso. “We have so many amazing sponsors any chance I get to talk about their products or their initiatives I want to make sure I am available. The Big Show was a great experience and I was really glad we were able to show off this weekend’s race car as well.”

Qualifying for the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals will begin on Friday and Saturday with two sessions each day at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations will begin on Sunday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. with three quads of racing action.

About Camrie Caruso/Caruso Family Racing
Camrie Caruso is a third-generation driver with Caruso Family Racing. The 23-year-old Pro Stock rookie is following the career path of her father, former Pro Mod racer Marc Caruso and her grandfather, “Papa Joe” Caruso, who competed in Super Gas, Top Sportsman, and Pro Mod. Racing a Chevrolet Camaro with power provided by Titan Racing Engines Caruso will race the full NHRA Camping World Series schedule as she chases Rookie of the Year honors and her first world championship. She first got behind the wheel of a race car when she was eight years old competing in the NHRA Junior Dragster League. She has continued to move up through the NHRA competition classes for over a decade rising to Top Alcohol Dragster as well as Elite Top Dragster and Pro Outlaw 632 in the PDRA. Caruso has a Finance degree as well as a Marketing degree from SUNY Empire State College. In 2018 she was recognized by Drag Illustrated magazine as a 30 Under 30, drag racing personality. When she is not at the track, she is handling the marketing for Titan Racing Engines.

Mar 30, 2022 | Featured, Pre-Race Releases

Hunter Green, the son of NHRA Funny Car and Pro Mod driver Chad Green, will make his NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster debut this weekend at the 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It’s the first of two planned races driving one of Randy Meyer Racing’s nitro-injected A/Fuel dragsters to get seat time for an eventual move up to Top Fuel. 

Green earned his Top Alcohol Dragster license with Randy Meyer Racing during a preseason test session at Phoenix before upgrading his license in a Tim Wilkerson-tuned Top Fuel dragster. 

“Getting in that A/Fuel car really helped me out a lot and boosted my confidence to get back in the Top Fuel car,” said Green, 27, who made his first Top Fuel runs last fall. “I haven’t had a lot of track time. I went to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School and I jumped from Frank Hawley’s Top Dragster into the Top Fuel car. That was quite a difference. Making those runs in the A/Fuel car really helped me out a lot.”

Green started working with Meyer at the Phoenix test session after Wilkerson suggested he get some seat time in Meyer’s A/Fuel car. Green was all for it, as he’d previously considered the Top Alcohol Dragster path with Meyer. 

“There’s no one better to work with,” Green said. “He’s easy to work with, they have the fastest cars, and he’s a good teacher too. He taught me a lot about how to be relaxed in the car and how to get it down the track. That all transferred over when I made my runs in the Top Fuel car. He’s been a good coach and teacher, along with Tim. Both those guys have really helped me a lot on this journey.”

While Green doesn’t have any grade points from regional event competition, his Top Fuel license will allow him to make his debut at a national event. 

Green believes his experience in Phoenix has prepared him for his competition debut in Las Vegas. He’ll also have the added challenge of racing four-wide for the first time, but it’s a challenge that intrigues him. 

“My goal is to look like I know what I’m doing out there and to look like I’ve done it before, even though I haven’t,” said Green, who will race with support from the family business, Bond-Coat Inc. “I’m pretty confident. It should be no different from making runs in testing, but we’re not just going to have one car in the other lane, we’re going to have three cars in the other lanes. I know that can throw a lot of people off, but I’ve been around it a lot now with my dad in the Pro Mod and in the Funny Car. I don’t think it will be a problem. It’s going to be fun and exciting.”

Beyond this weekend, Green’s goal is to get enough seat time to be fully prepared when the time comes to move up to Top Fuel competition. After the 4-Wide Nationals, Green plans to run the NHRA SpringNationals, April 22-24 at Houston Raceway Park with RMR.

“Top Fuel is the ultimate goal,” said Green, who works on his father’s Funny Car team full-time, handling anything from marketing and social media to packing the ‘chutes. “I’d eventually like to do some races in Top Fuel, possibly as soon as later this year. But I definitely think it’s smarter to get some seat time in the A/Fuel car with Randy first. We have these two races planned, but I could end up doing more races.”

The Big Cat Earns Milestone 75th Career World of Outlaws Sprint Car Victory

VADO, NM – March 29, 2022 – They say that patience is a virtue, but Brad Sweet was tired of waiting.

While the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series made its long-awaited debut at New Mexico’s Vado Speedway Park on Tuesday night, The Big Cat went ahead and made his long-awaited return to victory lane with the Series.

Sweet led all 30 laps at the Vado 3/8-mile but had to fend off a fury of challenges from Sheldon Haudenschildthroughout lap traffic to win the inaugural race at the state-of-the-art facility.

Amazingly enough, it had been 26 races and seven months since the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 last won a World of Outlaws race at Skagit (WA) Speedway on September 4, 2021. That streak is now snapped and the Grass Valley, CA native hopes this is the momentum his team needs to really begin the run for a fourth consecutive Series championship.

“Yeah, it has felt like forever,” Sweet said on the length of his victory lane absence. “We just got stuck points racing last year and didn’t take those risks you need to win against these guys. As far as this year though, we’ve been fast all season and knocking on the door of getting this win. I’m happy for my guys. Eric [Prutzman], Joe [Mooney], and Andrew [Bowman] have been working hard, now we’re gonna get them the wins they deserve. This is the time to be getting better.”

The added significance in Tuesday’s triumph is that Sweet reached a milestone 75th career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win. He’s now only nine wins away from tying Stevie Smith (84) for a spot inside the coveted top-10 on the All-Time Win List.

After qualifying sixth and finishing second in his Heat, Sweet used a perfect DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash to put the #49 in prime position to capitalize come showtime. From there, he survived some brief hiccups in lap traffic to make Vado Speedway Park the 42nd track he’s won at, while New Mexico became the 21st state he’s won in.

“These are honestly some of the hardest ones to win,” Sweet added. “Track position is just so key and lap traffic is tough when the track gets like this. It was hard to time the runs, and there was one time when Sheldon came across but luckily enough I was ready. I really didn’t want to catch any lappers, I just wanted clean air to control my own mistakes. You have to use your mind as much as you possibly can out there.”

Sheldon Haudenschild briefly led for a split second on Lap 7, but never could control the top spot enough to wrangle it away from Sweet. The Wooster, OH native finished only 0.768-seconds behind with a second-place effort for the Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17.

“I definitely felt like we were a little quicker in open track,” Sheldon commented on the battle with Sweet. “I just didn’t have enough speed to clear the slider I needed with how the track was. California was a struggle for us, but [Kyle] Ripper, Stephen [Hamm-Reilly], and Jakob [Weaver] have been working hard to get us back on track. It’s amazing how much something as simple as qualifying good and getting in the Dash can help with that extra track time to figure out the car.”

For the first time since his season-opening win on February 10, Donny Schatz returned to the podium on Tuesday night. The 10-time Series champion finished up third in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Ford Performance, Carquest Auto Parts #15 after taking a few shots at Sheldon for the second spot.

“These short tracks have not been our strong suit, but we’ve changed so many things that we’re getting it figured out,” Schatz mentioned. “I felt better as the race went on and thought we were catching those guys but didn’t get there quick enough to be able to capitalize on their mistakes. It’s a positive result, though, we’ll keep working hard.”

Closing out the top-five at Vado Speedway Park was new track record holder James McFadden in fourth-place aboard the Roth Motorsports #83, and David Gravel with a fifth-place run that brings the Big Game Motorsports #2 back to second in the standings.

Rounding out the top-10 on Tuesday night was Spencer Bayston in the CJB Motorsports #5, Carson Macedo in the Jason Johnson Racing #41, Cory Eliason in the Rudeen Racing #26, Logan Schuchart in the Shark Racing #1S, and Giovanni Scelzi in the KCP Racing #18.

NOS NOTEBOOK (Vado Speedway Park, 3/29/22)

Tuesday’s Feature at Vado Speedway Park was only the second of 11 races this season that featured no lead changes.

Brad Sweet’s 75th career World of Outlaws win leaves him only nine away from tying Stevie Smith (84) for 10th on the All-Time Win List. Tuesday’s win snapped a 26-race dry spell for Sweet, his longest over the last four years.

James McFadden established a new track record by circling Vado’s 3/8-mile in 12.215 seconds aboard the Roth Motorsports #83. It’s the fourth career Slick Woodys QuickTime Award for the Alice Springs, NT, AUS native.

NOS Energy Drink Heat Race wins went to James McFadden (24th career), Donny Schatz (492nd career), and Cory Eliason (15th career). Brad Sweet topped the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash to earn his second pole position of the season.

Logan Calderwood (Goodyear, AZ), Lorne Wofford (Alamogordo, NM), Nick Parker (Tucson, AZ), and Brett Becker (Odessa, TX) all qualified for their first World of Outlaws Feature of the season on Tuesday night.

UP NEXT (Fri) – Another 10-hour haul will lead the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series to its only stop in Oklahoma this Friday, April 1 at Lawton Speedway. On Saturday, April 2, Devil’s Bowl Speedway offers a $20,000 payday in the DuraMAX/Drydene Texas Outlaw Nationals.

NOS Energy Drink Feature Results (30 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1][$10,000]; 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [2][$6,000]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [3][$3,500]; 4. 83-James McFadden [5][$2,800]; 5. 2-David Gravel [7][$2,500]; 6. 5-Spencer Bayston [8][$2,300]; 7. 41-Carson Macedo [9][$2,200]; 8. 26-Cory Eliason [6][$2,100]; 9. 1S-Logan Schuchart [14][$2,050]; 10. 18-Giovanni Scelzi [11][$2,000]; 11. 1A-Jacob Allen [4][$1,600]; 12. 11K-Kraig Kinser [10][$1,400]; 13. 19AZ-Tanner Thorson [19][$1,200]; 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [20][$1,100]; 15. 7S-Jason Sides [13][$1,050]; 16. 6C-Logan Calderwood [17][$1,000]; 17. 20G-Noah Gass [12][$1,000]; 18. 6-Bill Rose [16][$1,000]; 19. 7-Lorne Wofford [18][$1,000]; 20. 115-Nick Parker [15][$1,000]; 21. 2B-Brett Becker [21][$1,000]. Lap Leaders: Brad Sweet 1-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 19AZ-Tanner Thorson[+6]

NEW Championship Standings (After 11/85 Races): 1. Brad Sweet (1,550); 2. David Gravek (-32); 3. Carson Macedo (-34); 4. Sheldon Haudenschild (-50); 5. Donny Schatz (-106); 6. James McFadden (-106); 7. Giovanni Scelzi (-108); 8. Logan Schuchart (-122); 9. Cory Eliason (-122); 10. Spencer Bayston (-160).

NARC NEWSLINE – March 30, 2022 – By Jim Allen … In today’s racing world, the offseason seems to get shorter and shorter.  It goes something like this:  You wave the checkered at the final event, you stage an awards banquet, you wolf down some Turkey, negotiate a schedule, exchange some Christmas presents, set some New Year’s resolutions, buy some flowers for Valentines Day … and BAMM … it’s racing season again.  The turnaround barely allows enough time to dial in the details.  And that applies whether you are a sprint car team, a track promoter, a sponsor, or a racing organization like us.  But like almost every reality show, everybody seems to step up their game when there is a pressing deadline, like aNARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car season opener.  With that in mind, here is a hit list of topics you may want to know about as you dial in your travel details:

2022 NARC SCHEDULE:  For those of you perpetually stuck watching TikTok videos, there was a recent announcement regarding the 2022 Louie Vermeil Classic.  There was bad news and good news.  The bad news was that HMC Promotions announced that the awesome two-day event will not be run in 2022.  A Chico-sequel didn’t make financial sense andCalistoga Speedway hasn’t reopened yet.  The good news is that Tommy Hunt & Company are actively working to drive the process to get Calistoga Speedway open again with a full slate of events in 2023.  There is a SAVE CALISTOGA SPEEDWAY campaign that could use your help.  At this point, you race fans only have two choices:  Condos … or … the best half-mile race track in California.  I’ll take Calistoga Speedway for $500 Alex.  Log in to help HERE!

If you do the math the same way as I do, that means the official NARC campaign will consist of 25 racing events in 2022.  We will not be replacing the Labor Day dates with another venue.  When you add it all up, the NARC Sprint Cars will be racing for more than $800,000 in purse money, cash awards and product contingencies.  That’s a huge WIN!

BANG FOR THE BUCK:  The Fastest Four Days in Motorsports just got more interesting.  How interesting?  How about $40,000 interesting in the form of a potential bonus to any driver who can sweep all four of the events.  The Lloyd’s of London insurance policy is betting against the house on this one, figuring a lot that can happen at three different tracks in four consecutive days.  Let’s hope the stars line up for one of our drivers to do the “happy dance” in Grays Harbor Raceway’s victory lane on May 29^th.  There is also a possible step-down bonus.  If a driver picks off three of the four shows, they can pocket an extra $5000 from Mr. Lloyds of London.  (NOTE:  It’s one, or the other, not both.)  For those needing a refresher, the four races are at Southern Oregon Speedway on Thursday, May 26th, followed by a Friday show at Willamette Speedway, and the May 28th and 29th shows at Grays Harbor.   For win-list comparison purposes, the 2019 version of the FFDM produced four different winners.  The 2021 edition produced three.  As of right now, we have 15 California teams committed to this adventure, plus several locals.

Bob Montoya of Swift Metal Finishing has also kicked in an additional $500 to the team that can pass the most cars during those four races.  That is on top of the regularHardcharger Award that he sponsors to the tune of $150 per night.  Throw in travel money for California teams and some healthy purses and it should be a great Memorial Day weekend.

By the way, there will be a race car hauler “Salute to the Red, White & Blue Parade” down main street in Elma, WA between the two-day newly-labeled FFDM Timber Cup shows Grays Harbor.  For those of you who haven’t been there, Elma’s sort of a “one stop light” kind of town (pop, 3300 or so) where the population triples on race day.  The parade is Sunday.  All NARC teams will be herded out of the pits to a high noon staging area at the Elma High School parking lot.  It will dish up a nice dose of small-town Americana.

WHAT IF?: California continues to be the hotbed for great young open wheel talent.  Unfortunately for us, that talent gets recognized on a national level and with a blink of an eye, they are gone.  Just think what California 410 sprint car racing would be today if the likes of Buddy Kofoid, Gio Scelzi, Mitchell Moles, Cole Macedo were weekly warriors.  Can’t fault any of them, because they are “living the dream.”  Congrats to Giovanni on his two CA Outlaw wins.  Keep your eyes on 16-year-old’s Joel Myers Jr. and Max Mittry!

NARC STUFF:  Here is an unusual moment in California sprint car history:  Two of the biggest powerhouses in NARC motorsports … Roth Motorsports & Tarlton Motorsports are entering the 2022 campaign with drivers who have only three career NARC victories between them.  How is that even possible?  Don’t expect that to last very long though, because their drivers and equipment are really good.  To date, Mitchell Faccinto has parked it three times in NARC victory lane and Australian Kerry Madsen is basically making his first foray on the NARC campaign.  That is the same 50-year-old Kerry Madsen who has 28 World of Outlaw wins on his impressive resume’. The Roth cars are powered by Toyota-powerplants. If you are a betting man, take the ”over” at six wins this season for the Roth’s and Tarltons. … It’s going to be nice to see Justyn “Indiana” Cox a few more times this year with NARC.  His team is getting their two 410 motors back in May.  For those of you who might not remember, Indiana finished third in final King of the West standings in 2016 behind Kyle Hirst and Bud Kaeding. … Australian Jessie Attard will be rolling into California in May with his race car team.  He plans to race with us throughout the summer.  Nobody will dispute that he was extremely fast last season.  Just needs a break or two. …  The Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash Pit Crew Competition has been moved to June 10th atOcean Speedway.  $1000 is on the line for three teams; $500 to the winner!  The first entry is the Mike Phulps Motorsports team.

… Hoosier Racing Tires is working their tails off to manufacture tires, but don’t be surprised if there is a bump or two in the road (like everything these days.)  The Hoosier team is very proactive in the process because nobody wants tire availability to become an issue.  … Motors are another issue.  If you wanted to buy a 410 motor right now – or for that matter, a 360 block – it’s slim pickings right now. … Let’s hope that gas prices drop soon for everybody’s sake. … The NARC410.com website has undergone a nice facelift during the off season.  It’s also ADA compliant.  Use it as a resource for news on everything we do!  To day, the site has been accessed by 409,000+ unique users.  Now, if we can just get all of you to the race track! … Stockton Dirt Track promoter Tony Noceti is hard at work repositioning and realigning his track lighting.  He also added 10 new LED lights and has plans to add 10 more in the weeks to come!  On the PR side of things, Noceti also got his racing highlight show going on local Sacramento-Stockton station FOX40.  Its called “Racing with Lovotti,” and features highlights from the Dirt Track and Stockton 99 Speedway.  You can expect to see NARC highlights from our April 2nd show on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.  Make sure you tune in! …

NARC NOTES:  Dan Belton will be our Director of Competition this season.  Mike Andreetta, who suffered a health scare in September, has been moved into a new Race Coordinator position.  He will be driving safety compliance with competitors, conducting technical inspections and providing driver coaching. … We welcome Darryck Fairbanks to our team as our Pit Manager. … Brian and Alicia Garges will also be on the NARC staff when their schedule doesn’t conflict with other racing events. … Make sure you play in NARC’s fantasy league on MyRacePass.com this season. Log-in and pick your drivers before qualifying. We will be announcing prize packages shortly. … We’ve got a new look and a new logo this season.  Make sure you invest in some NARC apparel from Jim Gardner of Bullet Impressions at the season opener.  You can also shop online at onefasttee.com ... Thank you to all of the 28 sponsors who partnered with the NARC series this season.

BRADWAY MEMORIAL:  The ever-popular Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial race at Placerville Speedway is about seven weekends away – June 12^th to be exact.  As you are aware, the event-promotion torch was passed from Dave and Dianne Durica to Julie Bradway Tuccelli last season.  That transition was seamless so let’s make sure your support of this event is seamless as well.  If you would like to sponsor a lap in the 40-lap feature or B-Main ($100), please contact Julie at kaytee17@comcast.net or by phone: 916-749-0556.  You can also kick in money to the Hardcharger award, heat race winners, the semi-main, or whatever floats your boat, or opens your wallet. … By the way, this will be NARC’s only visit to Knoxville on the Hill this season and it’s a combo event with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360’s.  It promises to be a great show.

SEASON PREDICTIONS & STUFF TO GET YOU THINKING: Chase Johnson will win his first NARC race this season at a place not named Petaluma Speedway.  Both of his wins have come at the 3/8 mile oval. … Potential first-time winners on the NARC tour this season?  Definitely Kerry Madsen.  Let’s also add Michael Faccinto, Joel Myers Jr., Logan Forler, Tanner Holmes, and Tanner Carrick to the list. … With three victories, defending champion Dominic Scelzi would pass Tyler Walker for seventh place on the all-time list. …Tim Kaeding needs only 13 victories to tie Brent Kaeding on the same all-time NARC-King of the West win list.  How many years of racing do you think it will take? … Willie Croft is overdue for a NARC victory. The last time he scored a “W” was at the May 5, 2019 Dave Bradway Jr. race in Chico.  Croft plans to run the entire NARC schedule. … Brandon “Bud” Kaeding is also looking to end a NARC victory drought that dates back to August 2019.  When you have a last name of Kaeding, that is an eternity.  Let’s go Brandon! … Idaho’sLogan Forler is also planning to tackle the entire 2022 NARC campaign.  He last competed with the King of the West series in 2014.  He’s got over 30 feature wins to his credit, many with the ASCS. … Defending champ series champ Dominic Scelzi will have his hands full with multiple contenders this season.  Can he make it two championships in a row?  Crew chief Jimmy Carr thinks so! … Who will win their second NARC feature event first?  Sean Watts or Billy Aton? Place your bets! … Do you think that Corey Day can double his win total of last season? Based on his recent runner-up finish with the WoO, it’s an automatic. … Justin Sanders will win four NARC races in at least two different cars. …

So now it’s officially time to get geared up for NARC’s 2022 championship campaign.  We’ve got the Stockton Dirt Track NARC season opener on Saturday, April 2^nd.  There will be a $6000 winners payday on the line for the winner of the Third Annual Asparagus Cup.  We will back that up with a lucrative and always entertaining show in Hanford — the Anthony Simone Classic.  We cap off the month at Silver Dollar Speedway with the Tenth Annual David Tarter Memorial.  Don’t miss a single of them.  Make sure you bring a friend.

Coming to you live from Auburn, CA, see ya!

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 29, 2022) — For Top Fuel racer Josh Hart his second season on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series still has several first-time experiences. Racing on a part-time schedule last year Hart, whose homebase is in Ocala, Florida, won twice and raced to four additional semifinal finishes in just thirteen national events. The rookie driver established himself as one of the best drivers off the starting line and owner of a team that was a high-performance player. One of his semifinals was his first four-wide experience at the Charlotte national event so the return to the unique format will be familiar.

“Last year at our first four-wide race we made it to the final round of four dragsters,” said Hart. “I don’t mind the four-wide format and you just have to pay attention to what you are doing and not worry about anyone else. In that respect it is the same as a traditional drag race. I am looking forward to getting four runs on the track and then seeing what we can do on Sunday.”

R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, photo by Auto Imagery

At the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals Hart qualified No. 4 and then advanced by outrunning Billy Torrence and Kyle Wurtzel in the first quad and then moving to the final quad along with Brittany Force ahead of Doug Kalitta and Clay MIlican. In the final quad Hart was a semifinalist along with Antron Brown as Steve Torrence and Force were the first two to the finish line stripe.

“The final in Charlotte last year was a close race with all four Top Fuel dragsters making strong runs. Everyone was in the 3.7s and hit the finish line at over 325 mph. That kind of racing action is what the fans love about four-wide racing, I think. We will be looking to have more success in Las Vegas this weekend,” added Hart.

After three national events this season Hart and his R+L Carriers Top Fuel team are beginning to hit their stride with a brand new 11,000 horsepower dragster. A quarterfinal finish at the Winternationals coupled with a semifinal finish at the Arizona Nationals has Hart and his team solidly in the Top Ten in the standings. The learning curve of racing full-time has been something Hart is eager to get adjusted to.

“We have all the parts and equipment to make a strong run for the NHRA championship and things are starting to come together with every run,” said Hart. “I have a lot of confidence in my crew chief and team partner Ron Douglas. The four-wide races coming up will be a good test for us.”

Hart’s R+L Carriers marketing relationship is more than just branding on his 330 mph Top Fuel dragster. The young driver is an active recruiter for the company and takes their tagline of Pride in Our People. Pride in Our Performance, to heart. The company has been owned and operated by the same family for over 55 years, they strive to treat their customers and employees as an extension of the R+L family. You can see that welcoming spirit when fans engage Hart at the races or any appearances. 

“The goal of this program is to show people the awesome opportunities that are available with R+L Carriers. We are utilizing recruiters at trackside meet and greets at nearly all the NHRA events to speak to interested candidates about the career opportunities. How cool would it be for a fan to come enjoy a day at the races and also hear firsthand from employees about the R+L Carriers career advantages,” added Hart.

Qualifying for the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals will begin on Friday and Saturday with two sessions each day at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations will begin on Sunday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. with three quads of racing action.

Potential $39,000 champion’s check on the line for thirty-two race season

CONCORD, NC – March 29, 2022 – Two seasons in competition with a non-traditional Hell Tour format has brought the DIRTcar Summer Nationals back to the previous format for its 37th consecutive year. Thirty-two races over forty days comes with an increase in payouts and a new bonus program for drivers who choose to follow the tour.

New for 2022 – teams who make the summer-long commitment to compete in every race on the schedule are now eligible for the new tow-money program. Every 500 miles a driver and crew travel earns them a $500 bonus. The 2022 Summer Nationals schedule will have teams trucking over 5,500 miles total, which means teams who enter every event start-to-finish will collect $5,500 in tow money.

The progressive points fund scale introduced last season will again be in effect in 2022, offering a potential $39,000 championship check to the winner of the prestigious Late Model tour. For every event completed after the 25th, an extra $2,000 (up from $1,000 in 2021) will be added to added to the champion’s check which summates to $39,000 if all 32 events on the schedule are completed.

Each of the other spots inside the top-10 will follow suit, with different amounts being added to each position’s check as more races past 25 are completed. At its maximum, the runner-up in final points could take home over $15,000 with over $10,000 going to third-place. For 32 races complete, over $85,000 will be distributed between all 10 points fund check-eligible positions.

Weekly points fund checks will also be distributed at the end of each race week; $2,000 to the driver with the most points accumulated between all races contested in that week. Six-consecutive weeks of racing equates to $12,000 distributed in first-place money. This bonus also reaches every driver in the top-10 in points for that week; $5,000 total across all 10 positions.

The DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals sticks to its traditional championship format in 2022, counting each driver’s best 12 races of the 32 scheduled. A $5,000 check will be awarded to the points champion at season’s end, which returns to the familiar site of Fairbury Speedway as part of the 32nd annual Prairie Dirt Classic – July 29-30.

The championship chase begins with the first race at Kankakee County Speedway in Illinois on June 14. Catch all 32 races at the track or live from your home with a FAST PASS subscription to DIRTVision.

2022 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models Points Fund Chart

Points Position	25 Races	26 Races	27 Races	28 Races	29 Races	30 Races	31 Races	32 Races
1st	$25,000	$27,000	$29,000	$31,000	$33,000	$35,000	$37,000	$39,000
2nd	$10,000	$10,800	$11,600	$12,400	$13,200	$14,000	$14,800	$15,600
3rd	$7,000	$7,460	$7,920	$8,380	$8,840	$9,300	$9,760	$10,220
4th	$5,000	$5,400	$5,800	$6,200	$6,600	$7,000	$7,400	$7,800
5th	$3,000	$3,240	$3,480	$3,720	$3,960	$4,200	$4,440	$4,680
6th	$2,000	$2,160	$2,320	$2,480	$2,640	$2,800	$2,960	$3,120
7th	$1,000	$1,080	$1,160	$1,240	$1,320	$1,400	$1,480	$1,560
8th	$800	$864	$928	$992	$1,056	$1,120	$1,184	$1,248
9th	$700	$756	$812	$868	$924	$980	$1,036	$1,092
10th	$600	$650	$700	$750	$800	$850	$900	$950
Totals	$55,100	$59,410	$63,720	$68,030	$72,340	$76,650	$80,960	$85,270

In advance of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race April 9 on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit in Long Beach, California, Pipo Derani (No.31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) — who co-drove to the 2021 victory to lead a Cadillac sweep of the podium — and Richard Westbrook (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R), co-driver of the DPi championship points-leading team, met with the media March 29 via Zoom conference. Fast facts: Cadillac Racing Long Beach storylines, notes, statistics, driver bios and more2022 media guide: Cadillac Racing history, technology transfer, “why we race” and more Full transcript (by individual):

PIPO DERANI (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R): FOND MEMORIES OF LONG BEACH LAST YEAR. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REPEAT WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE TRISTAN NUNEZ?“Long Beach last year was definitely a key moment in our championship. It was a fantastic race because the year before we almost won the race; in the end we wound up losing the wheel after leading the race up to the last pit stop. To capitalize last year and make sure we win that one when it slipped away the year before was great. Long Beach is a great track to drive. The event is a fantastic together with INDYCAR to have a lot of fans around. A street track is always challenging to be so close to the walls. It’s going to be again a very challenging and a very tight field and difficult race to win as usual in IMSA. Our Cadillac DPi runs really well at that track. Looking forward to it with a new teammate Tristan (Nunez). He’s driven there before and hopefully he’ll hit the ground running with the Cadillac. After two races under his belt, he’s getting more used to the Cadillac DPi. I’m looking forward to heading west and having our two races there at Long Beach and then later at Monterrey.” YOU CAME BACK LAST YEAR TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER A ROUGH START. DO YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY ABOUT IT OR ARE YOU EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT?“I think last year was a little bit chaotic in the beginning for us. I’d like to think this year has started much smoother than last year. Last year, we had a gearbox problem at Daytona, a horrible Sebring and we made our lives very difficult toward the end of the season to win the championship the way we did. I think we won the championship by 11 points, so it was really tight and difficult to overcome the difficult beginning. This year, not ideal to finish fourth at Daytona, but getting our first podium at Sebring I think we are much closer to the championship leaders than we were last year. Of course, we would like to be further up. There’s no philosophy in starting slow and trying to finish strong. I think a championship is built not only on the second half of the season but trying to make sure you get the points early on as well. The championship is so strong; we had a really strong race at Daytona this year and came up short at the end when it counted. We didn’t quite have the pace in the last 30 minutes and there were three cars that were stronger than us that finished ahead of us. In a championship, we try to maximize points when we can. If we can’t win, then take second or third or even fourth. I think we’re within 30 or 40 points from the lead so better than last year. Hopefully, it’s a good beginning to be stronger toward the rest of the championship.” WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO HAVING THREE DIFFERENT SETUPS FOR THE FIRST THREE RACES?“It shows the diversity of the championship. You go from Daytona – very big track – to Sebring – very bumpy track – and then to a street track in California. I think it brings something to the championship and for the teams to adapt quickly to these changes. They are great tracks to drive; each have their own peculiarity. Daytona being the beginning of the season and so many long straights and then going to Sebring, a track that was so strong for Cadillac. You have a brand like Acura that dominated at Daytona and then Cadillac dominating at Sebring. And now going into Long Beach – a track that has been quite even between the two manufacturers over the last few years. We got pole position last year and won the race. It’s great to have such a great combination of tracks where you have to keep yourself and your team on your toes and do the best job possible to stay ahead.” WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING ON A STREET CIRCUIT WITH A SHORT RACE?“It’s a track that is hard to pass. Also, you can get a little bit lucky because you see others making mistakes, hitting the walls and eventually you can be a little bit lucky with a yellow, but you don’t want to count on that at all. In an hour, 40-minute race, I think you need to maximize your chances and that starts with qualifying. That’s the beauty of the sport; you have to put it together early and hope that the race stays green.” WHAT MAKES THE CADILLAC SUCH A GOOD CAR AT LONG BEACH?“I think Cadillac has shown to be very good when the track is bumpy. Not last year, but the year before Acura qualified on pole with a Penske car and I think they had the pace to win just like we did. Last year, it seemed like we had some advantage over the Wayne Taylor car and the Shank car, but they seemed to have stepped up this year in terms of performance, so I’m expecting a close fight. But the Cadillac is a fantastic car over the bumps. We saw that at Sebring. It’s a car that copes well with a bump track and normally street tracks tend to be a little bit more bumpy than a normal track. I think this is one of the strong points of our Cadillac DPi and hopefully we can use that to our advantage over the race weekend at Long Beach.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OF THE LONG BEACH TRACK AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GAINING FROM THAT SECTION?“A fun part of Long Beach is the roundabout where it’s quite tight, it’s interesting how you have to go around the roundabout but at the same time try to clip a little bit of the curb. You have nice pictures there; sometimes it looks as if the car is on top of the grass.” IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE IN TUNE WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE?“I think it’s been a learning curve after three years with Felipe (Nasr) when you get to learn and understand each other so well. Having Tristan (Nunez) come on board this year has been refreshing. It’s been two races where Tristan has allowed himself to adapt to the team. It’s always good to have Daytona and Sebring as the first two races of the season because you have so much track time and you have time to find all those details you need for a good relationship with your teammate. It’s not easy to just step into DPi with the car that just won the championship to perform at the highest level, but so far he’s doing a fantastic job. I think we’re heading into a different type of race of the championship that is much shorter and I’m sure he’s going to do really well. We’ll continue to develop this relationship and hopefully bring some wins to the team and bring another championship.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R): THE MUSTANG SAMPLING COLORS HAVE WON AT LONG BEACH, BUT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR FIRST WIN THERE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO BRING IT HOME FOR YOU AND TRISTAN VAUTIER?“It’s going to be incredibly tough, obviously. Going into the third round that starts off at Daytona, a completely different circuit, and then the polar opposite going to Sebring and then completely different yet again going to Long Beach. I feel like every time I’m going to a new track with this car – the track I know but it’s the first time in this car – it’s almost like I’ve never been there before because the car is so different than a GT and the last time I raced in prototype. It’s a massive learning curve, but there’s a lot you can take from Sebring to Long Beach setup-wise and we obviously had a good car there. I’m quietly confident and just really pleased to get the 36 hours of Florida out of the way because that was my target – to get through those two events and get some decent points on the board, learn as much as I can, try to fit into the team as best I can and get myself a platform for the short-race season. That’s what we’ve done. To come out of those two rounds with leading the championship, I sort of have to pinch myself. Obviously, it’s early days and lots of race to go, but we’ve given ourselves a good platform. I’m looking forward to Long Beach, but a completely different challenge.” WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING ON A STREET CIRCUIT WITH A SHORT RACE?“Street circuit qualifying is nuts. You have to sort of go to places that you don’t really want to go to in practice. You have to step out for sure and take the car past its limit in some way. I prefer to be finishing that race.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OF THE LONG BEACH TRACK AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GAINING FROM THAT SECTION?“I guess the last two corners because when you have sections of circuits where you can give up a little bit to have a good run through the last corners – where you can sacrifice a bit to gain something somewhere else. That whole last section where you’ve got the right and then the long left and then the final hairpin, you can go quicker in one but you’re going to have to sacrifice in the next. It’s sort of connecting the three and I like that sort of challenge in any circuit. We turn up for the first practice at 9 o’clock in the morning and it’s kind of a meaningless session because you’re just cleaning the circuit and the track just evolves, evolves and it’s a completely different circuit come race day. I remember that race day is normally quicker (lap times) than qualifying because the track just continues to evolve. You have to be ready for that. You sort of have to adapt yourself. You can’t go into each session with the mindset that ‘I need to improve in that corner, maybe I’ll try that.’ The track next session is completely different, so you have to be open-minded in how you set out to work. I’ve never won at Long Beach, so it’s about time I did.” IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE IN TUNE WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE?“When you get a new teammate, the first few races you’re sort of working out what does he like to eat, where are we going to have dinner tonight. It’s getting used to all that stuff. The chemistry with Tristan (Vautier) and Loic (Duval) has been really strong. We’re definitely working toward the same goal in terms of setup on the car; we like a similar setup. For me, it’s only going to get stronger. I can’t say enough about Tristan. I’ve been super pleased with how he performs, and his one-lap pace is incredible. Hopefully, he puts that to good use all year.”

Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club released a full list of sponsors committed to support the 2022 NARC Fujitsu General USA 410 Sprint Car campaign.  The busy schedule features 25-event at 13 different dirt tracks in three States and will crown a “King of the West” champion.

Total feature event prize money will exceed $770,000 this season, plus additional cash awards and product contingency certificates worth another $49,000.  Fujitsu General Heating & Air Conditioning and Hoosier Racing Tires are the series title sponsors, with additional marketing support provided by Floracing.com.  In total, 28 companies have lent their support to the NARC sprint cars this season.

While many purses are backfilled in the lower positions to support lower-budget teams ($500 minimum to start A-Main), there are many over-the-top winner shares.  Heading the prestigious list is the $50,000 to win Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway in June.  Others include the $10,000 to win Anthony Simone Classic on April 9th, the May 14th $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic; the $8300 to win Dennis Roth Classic on October 15th, the $6900 to win Howard Kaeding Classic in July, plus several others.  There is also a $40,000 bonus on the line for any team that can sweep the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports over the Memorial Day weekend.

In addition, the top 10 teams in the final standings will earn shares of a $63,000 year end point fund.  The “King of the West” championship team will pocket $12,500 for their efforts.  The rookie-of-the-year will earn $1500 from Johnstone Supply.  The championship celebration is scheduled for November 6th at the Brookside Country Club in Stockton.

The NARC series sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS), Dirt.Travel, Johnstone Supply, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, Roth Motorsports, Scelzi Enterprises, Starr Property Management, Swift Metal Finishing, and Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats.

The associate sponsors offering product contingency awards are Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS), FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Kaeding Performance, Maxim Racing, Pyrotect, Safecraft Safety Equipment, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, SCI – Sprint Car Innovation, System 1 Pro Ignition, Ultra-Lite Brakes, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Winters Performance.

Bullet Impressions is the official merchandising vendor of the Northern Auto Racing Club and provides numerous promotional benefits.

The 2022 campaign kicks off on Saturday, April 2nd with the Third Annual Asparagus Cup at the Stockton Dirt Track.  The winner of the feature event headliner will pocket a $6,000 payday.

For more information, go to www.NARC410.com