DIRTcar Sportsman Regional play has concluded, with four different winners finishing on the top of the leaderboard in each region, launching the division into its Championship Series.

Andrew Buff (Central Region), Nick Heywood (Eastern Region), Cody McPherson (Western Region), and David Rogers (Northern Region) took home the top prize in the points battle for their respective division.

Buff scored a win at Land of Legends in Canandaigua, NY, on June 24, after starting on the outside of row one before jumping out in front to lead all 30-laps. Four days later, he headed to Can-Am Speedway in La Fargeville, NY where he recorded a fifth-place finish. His two solid performances gave him a 10-point advantage over second place Tyler Corcoran, making him the Central Region champion.

“It’s definitely huge (winning the Region),” Buff said.  “You have to stay on top of it and try to not have bad nights and have consistent finishes.”

The Latham, NY driver has continued with that same winning consistency transitioning over into DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series competition. After a repeat win at Land of Legends on Aug. 16, and then another at his home track, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, four days later, Buff has built attention-grabbing momentum moving towards the end of the season.

“We’ve really been consistent over the past couple months here with a lot of these races coming up, it’s all about the Time Trials,” Buff said. “You have to start the night off well; get yourself in the redraw to put yourself in position in the Feature. It really just comes down to the consistency of doing that. And, staying on top of everything during the week and planning ahead.”

Veteran driver Nick Heywood was the winner in the Eastern Region, edging out Derrick McGrew Jr. by two points. His visits to Bear Ridge Speedway and Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, two tracks he had never previously visited, netted him a top-five finish and a top-10 finish.

“There was a lot of really good cars,” Heywood said. “Bear Ridge had their weekly contenders; those guys are tough. The Buff brothers, Derrick McGrew Jr., are all really good at Glen Ridge. To come in the first time and be an outsider and be able to keep up with those guys is a feat in its own, and we were fortunate enough to be able to do that.”

While he wasn’t able to commit to running every Championship Series race due to off-track commitments, Heywood will attempt to make every remaining race starting at Can-Am Speedway on Sept. 8.

Defending Super DIRT Week Chevy Performance 75 winner Cody McPherson had a near flawless run, notching three wins in four starts. He credits his continued cycle of winning with staying locked in in his approach to racing.

“I try not to think too much when I show up to a race and just do the same thing every time,” McPherson said. “It doesn’t matter where I am or what event it is, I just want to win. That’s the whole goal. There was a lot of good talent in the West Region. But we just try to show up and do the same thing every time and see what happens.”

McPherson scored a fifth-place finish during the Championship Series matchup at Ransomville Speedway on August 22 and will continue battling for wins in the upcoming matchups before heading back to Oswego Speedway, Oct. 2-8, to defend his title at Super DIRT Week 51.

Over in Northern Region Series action, La Fargeville, NY native David Rogers reigned supreme at at the conclusion of competition, using his home track advantage to come out on top of the points battle by 12 points over runner-up Tyler Corcoran.

“It just a good feeling to know that when the Series comes to town, you’re at the top of your game,” Rogers said.

Recently a new father for the second time, Rogers will be selective going forward about what races he puts on his schedule. He’ll battle again for another win when the Championship Series makes a visit at Can-Am Speedway, on Sept. 8, and will then go westbound to Weedsport Speedway for the Sept. 9 showcase.

He does have end of the year plans to make it to Oswego Speedway for Super DIRT Week 51, Oct. 2-8, and for the World Short Track Championships at the Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, North Carolina, Oct. 26-28.

Rogers scored a win on the opening night of the 2022 World Short Track event.

“Backing off my race schedule a little bit and being more prepared when I show up to the racetrack has helped,” Rogers said. “(Being successful) has just been because of being well prepared, I think, when those big shows do approach. And just kind of having fun with it.”

The Championship Series for the DIRTcar Sportsman started at Land of Legends Raceway on Aug. 16 and will run through the fall to the World Short Track Championship in October. Along the way, the Series will stop at Oswego Speedway for the Chevrolet Performance 75 during Super DIRT Week 51 on Sunday, Oct. 8.

The Sportsman Classic at Weedsport Speedway on Sept. 10, the Hurricane Harvey 75 at Brewerton Speedway on Oct. 4, Super DIRT Week and the World Short Track Championship will be available to watch live on DIRTVision.

MORE: Chevrolet Performance Adding More Incentives For Super DIRT Week DIRTcar Sportsman Drivers

UP NEXT: The next stop on the DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series schedule is Can-Am Speedway on Friday, Sept. 8, for a 30-lap, $2,000-to-win, spectacular.

Championship Series Full Schedule:
Wednesday, Aug. 16 / Land of Legends Raceway / SummerFAST
Sunday, Aug. 20 / Glen Ridge Motorsports Park
Tuesday, Aug. 22 / Ransomville Speedway / Summer Nationals
Friday, Sept. 8 / Can-Am Speedway / John Burr Memorial-Showdown in September
Sunday, Sept. 10 / Weedsport Speedway / Sportsman Classic
Friday, Sept. 22 / Albany-Saratoga Speedway / Malta Massive Weekend
Wednesday, Oct. 4 / Brewerton Speedway / Hurricane Harvey 75
Sunday, Oct. 8 / Oswego Speedway / Super DIRT Week 51
Saturday, Oct. 14 / Brockville Ontario Speedway / Fall Nationals
Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 26-28 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / World Short Track Championship

NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY COKE ZERO SUGAR 400 TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT AUGUST 25, 2023

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 BOOST BY KROGER / ENTENMANN’S CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway. Media Availability Quotes:  You’re locked into the playoffs with your win here in February, so you don’t have to race for your season like other guys do. It would be hard to not have a sense of confidence after that win, so with all that in mind, how hard do you plan on pushing it tomorrow night to try to do the Daytona sweep? “Yeah, I mean that’s what we’re here for is to be back in victory lane; get my second Summer race win here. For us, we’re looking at the playoff points that we could take to the playoffs – either by stage wins or obviously another five points winning the race. Those are the benefits that we can take out of Daytona and the things that we’re looking for. How we do that? I’m not sure yet. On one hand, this race generally is kind of crazy. Obviously last year was a little bit different with kind of one incident taking everybody out of the race, but not really anybody’s fault.  I don’t know.. I know the cars that have to win, have to make it to the end of the race, right? So they don’t really care about stage points. I mean there’s a couple that care about stage points, so hopefully that leaves us racing the ones that are already locked-in for maybe some stage wins or something. Just going to see how it plays out and kind of adjust our race lap-by-lap, stage-by-stage, and see where we shake out.” You won your two Xfinity Series Championships the old-school, season-long way. You’ve also been in a couple of these elimination-style format years. Now that we’ve done this for a decade or so, how do you kind of weigh the pros and cons of the way we used to do it versus the way we do it now? “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s exciting. I think it keeps the fans engaged the way we have it. But with that being said, it’d still be a great points battle right now going in with 11 races left. I think it would still be a really good championship battle. I’m watching the tour championship right now and looking at the way they eliminate guys and set themselves up for a golf tournament at the end of the season – it’s handicapped, but they have four guys that go for a championship at the end of the year.  I think every sport has done something to make it exciting.. make their playoffs a little more intense over the years. I enjoyed the Nationwide Series Championships. I loved that it was a season-long deal. But at the point I’m in now, I’m looking forward to the playoffs and the opportunity to race for a championship that way.  Yeah, I don’t know. I’ve not been leading going into the playoffs to really have a strong feeling one way or the other, I guess.” Five playoff points to win the race.. maybe two more for the two stage wins. Do you view this race as binary for you – it’s either put ourselves in the position to win the race and get the five points, or because people are trying to survive, it’s a chance to get the two points? “Yeah, we talked about that in our meeting this week at the shop. You look at the cautions in this race and you look at how many finish this race, and it’s not near as many as other speedway races, it seems like. But again, kind of like I said earlier, I feel like there’s a lot of guys that know that they have to make it to the end of the race to have an opportunity to make the playoffs. I’m hoping that gives us a way to kind of get some track position – stay upfront, battle for those stage wins. Seven points would go a long ways for us in the Round of 16 and so on.  For me, that’s really what we’re focused on and I hope that’s how it plays out – that it won’t be so chaotic at the end of those stages and we’re battling for those stage wins and ultimately the win at the end of the day.” You’re looking at the first two rounds and you’re saying – ‘I can definitely win at Bristol. I can definitely win at Talladega.’ And if the stars align, you move onto the Round of Eight. Do you think those are your two best shots?“Yeah, I think going into the first round, I really like all of the racetracks. I love Darlington, Kansas and Bristol. I still feel like we’ve been so close at Bristol, so many times, and I would love to get my first win there this year and then obviously move on.  For me, I’m focused on the first round. I did not know Talladega was in the second round, honestly. I have no idea what’s in the second round (laughs). But for us, just really kind of honed in on Darlington right now. I feel good about where our car is for Daytona. My guys have been kind of looking at Darlington this week and trying to prepare for that. We were good at Darlington earlier in the year. We had kind of a misfortune with a flat left-rear tire that we lost time under green pitting. I feel really good about where we are as a team. I don’t think we have to win in the first round to make it through by any means, so we’ll go do our jobs each and every week – try to be perfect and let others make mistakes to move on through that round.” Where do you feel like your team is now? Your team got your win so early in the season and now, all these months later and the playoffs starting, where do you feel like you guys are? “It’s going to be real in a week, right? Or I should say after tomorrow, it’s real. I feel like we’ve grown a lot as a team. We’ve gotten better in certain areas of our race team throughout the year and really things have stuck out where we need to be better, and I feel like we’ve corrected some of that. I still feel like we have some issues that we’re still working on and trying to clean up. Some of that is me as a racecar driver – getting to pit road, things on pit road, some race strategy calls that we’ve probably been a little bit off on. And then car speed.. we’ve struggled on that at some racetracks.  I like the information that we have and the things that we’ve learned lately, and I feel like that’ll put us in a good spot going forward. But I like where we are. It’s real now. We’ve made the playoffs. We have one more kind of relaxed, kind of freebee race, and then it’s gametime.” You’ve talked about having that relaxed attitude and this is really the last race for that. Have you guys started to kind of pivot and get ready to have that different kind of attitude and get that more serious, or is that going to be when you get to Darlington? “We’re serious every week. It’s just the reality is that next week is everything matters. Like when we have a bad Saturday, it matters. We’ve had some bad Saturday’s, as far as qualifying goes, and it set us back. It hasn’t been super detrimental. I think a bad Saturday in the playoffs is difficult to overcome. So I think for us, it’s we know there’s no mulligans once we start next week. We’re done with the driving range.. done goofing off (laughs). We’ll step-up on the first tee next week and make sure that we’re ready to go.” Obviously you want to go all the way, but realistically, how deep would you be satisfied to go or is that off the table – it’s all or nothing?“No, it’s not ‘all or nothing’. I think for me – say we were eliminated in the first round, we could still finish fifth in points, right? So there’s a ton left to race for, no matter what happens in the first round. I think for us, in 2017, we finished 11th in points. We had a really good shot at finishing ninth in points after getting eliminated in the third round, I believe. So for us, there’s a lot to race for no matter what happens in that first round.” This is the first time since February when you won the Daytona 500 that you’re coming back to Daytona. What are the emotions like? You’re back in the media center for the first time since that winning press conference? “It was a lot more fun coming back in here after that (laughs).  But yeah, it’s been special. Our pilot let us fly over the track – we did a circle around the track before we landed, so that was pretty cool. Going over to the museum and seeing the car in there, checking all the things out in there, was special. And then unveiling our Walk of Fame there out in front of the museum. This race is so big when you win the Daytona 500, and you do a lot of things throughout the season based off of winning this and it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed every second of it – being able to promote our team, promote our win, promote the sport. For me, it doesn’t get old.  It’s been nice to come in here and kind of take it all in – look around, walk through the garage. It was so chaotic after the race. You’re trying to celebrate. You’re trying to somewhat get some sleep knowing you have to get up the next morning early. So it’s been nice to kind of come in here, know that you’ve accomplished something great as a race team. Now that that’s over, we can try to get another one.” Obviously you have incentive to win this race and win the stages. You have points on the line, and also a rare sweep, which hasn’t been done all that many times. But can you allow yourself awareness of what’s going on around you and try not to effect who gets in the playoffs and who doesn’t?“Definitely something that you think about. You don’t want to be the reason somebody gets in over somebody else, right? Points-wise and other cars, you will definitely – or at least I will – be a little more cautious around some of those cars that are right there on the cutoff line for points. Some Chevy guys are racing for a win. You have buddies that are trying to make the playoffs and things like that. So you try to be respectful of those guys, but know that we still have a job to do and try to take some points away from other people, as well.” How did it feel putting your hands and feet in the concrete, and what does it mean to you, personally, to be part of that Walk of Fame at Daytona? “It was cool. Yeah, I mean I’ve never at any construction sites, I’ve never put my hands or feet in the concrete. I don’t think I’ve done that as a kid (laughs). But no, that was really cool. And then I’d say it gets more real every time something happens or you go into the museum and see your face on the wall there with all of the other winners of the Daytona 500 and knowing that’s going to stay there. Just like the Walk of Fame out there – to know that’s going to be there, I guess until they decide to tear it up (laughs), is really special. I feel like that’s what the Daytona 500 is, right? It’s something that sticks with you in your career for the longevity of it, and I think no other race does that, except for winning a championship in the sport. So that was one that we’re super proud of, but that’s also what makes it so important and so special to everybody. For me, I’m glad that we accomplished that already, and now coming back to Daytona, we’re more relaxed, but also more confident. That’s something nice to go along with it, as well.”

DAVENPORT, IA (Aug. 24, 2023) – One evening of practice in, and the stars of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota, in conjunction with the POWRi National Midget League, are ready to do battle at Davenport Speedway.

The Series is coming off a two-week pause in the action following Appalachian Midget Week – a miniseries points championship won by one of the hottest drivers on the Xtreme Outlaw roster as of late, Chase McDermand.

McDermand, 23, of Springfield, IL, continued the momentum flow from the two-win week in Pennsylvania by topping the overall speed chart in Thursday night’s practice sessions at Davenport with a best lap of 14.146 seconds around the 1/4-mile – .085 under the Midget track record of 14.229, set last year by Cannon McIntosh.

That same night of McIntosh’s track record establishment, McDermand went to Victory Lane with the Xtreme Outlaws for the first time in his career. He’ll get two chances to win Davenport again as the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking continues Friday and Saturday night (Aug. 25-26) alongside the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series.

“I think we definitely have a car capable of doing that,” McDermand said of his thoughts on winning Davenport again. “We’ve just gotta stay on top of the track with the Late Models. They tend to do a little bit different things to the track compared to the type of cars that we usually race with. We’ve just gotta focus on the track and make sure that we’re making changes for what the track is allowing.”

This weekend, several of Midget racing’s toughest competitors not regularly found on the Series roster are expected to race at Davenport, including Thomas Meseraull, Ryan Timms and Jacob Denney. Despite their skills, McDermand said he’s not fazed.

“We’ve been fast enough to where we’ve just gotta worry about ourselves and put ourselves in a good spot from the beginning of the night until the end,” McDermand said. “That’s all I’m worried about.”

Also taking part in practice was defending Series champion Zach Daum, who clocked in a ninth-quickest lap on the chart at 14.987. Riding high on the back of three Toyota Racing Feature wins this season, Daum said he and the Trifecta Motorsports team were experimenting with the Blackjack Express, Stanton/Spike #7U during practice.

“You don’t get to test very often, so we were just throwing something at it that we thought would work, just not under the circumstances,” Daum said. “It did what we thought it would do, given the circumstances we went out in.”

After a sound showing during Appalachian Midget Week – posting finishes of second, eighth and fourth in the three-race stretch – Daum and his new friends at Trifecta have shrunken their deficit in the championship standings down to 103 points; a far cry from where Daum once stood, 278 points behind leader McIntosh.

“We’ve just gotta keep fine tuning the package; that’s all we’re doing,” Daum said. “Realistically, we still haven’t raced that much together. We’re maybe 10-12 races into our tenure together. Luckily, I have a decent idea of what I want in a racecar and Bobby [Milliser, crew chief] has a good idea of a setup.”

The Series’ all-time winningest driver, Jade Avedisian, was second-quickest overall with a best lap of 14.162. She and the Keith Kunz Motorsports stable will work to close their seven-point gap in the standings to McIntosh this weekend.

McIntosh, the current Series points leader, turned in a third-best lap time of 14.254. He’s aiming for redemption at Davenport from last year, where a mechanical failure sidelined him Friday, and on Saturday, finished 10th in the Feature.

UP NEXT

The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets go racing with the POWRi National Midget League at Davenport Speedway Friday night, Aug. 25, in a $4,000-to-win program. Tickets are available at XtremeOutlawSeries.com/Schedule. If you can’t be there to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

PRACTICE RESULTS (of cars that took time)

1. Chase McDermand (14.146)
2. Jade Avedisian (14.162)
3. Cannon McIntosh (14.254)
4. Hayden Reinbold (14.307)
5. Taylor Reimer (14.354)
6. Gavin Miller (14.504)
7. Corbin Rueschenberg (14.681)
8. Thomas Meseraull (14.738)
9. Cooper Williams (14.812)
10. Zach Daum (14.987)
11. Elijah Gile (15.020)
12. Dakota Gay (15.036)
13. Nick Hoffman (15.804)

QUAD CITY OPERATOR: Bobby Pierce Opens Quad Cities 150 At Davenport With Ninth Victory of 2023

Former Series Champion’s Dennis Erb Jr., and Brandon Sheppard round out the podium

DAVENPORT, IA – August 24, 2023 – Bobby Pierce has tried and tried to score a win at the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking—finishing second five times in six starts. But on Thursday night at Davenport Speedway, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series points leader finally broke through. 

Pierce thundered around the outside of Dennis Erb Jr. and Shane Clanton on Lap 5 and led the final 30 laps to earn the $10,000 victory.

Erb led Lap 1 of the 35-lap affair before Clanton wrestled the lead away from him on Lap 2. But as the two former champions battled for the top spot, Pierce closed in.

On Lap 5, the Oakwood, IL driver moved to the outside. As the three drivers entered Turn 3, Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis found a burst of speed through the corner, passing Erb and Clanton to take the lead away at the start/finish line. The “Smooth Operator” led the final 30 laps to score his ninth World of Outlaws win of the season and third consecutive Series win in Iowa.

Despite his win, Pierce didn’t get off to the start he wanted to. However, he said what happened on the first lap showed him where he needed to be on the track.

“I was a little worried at the start,” Pierce said. “I don’t know if I missed Turn 1 or what. I didn’t want to jump up top that soon, but we did what we had to do. We got up on the wheel. It went caution-free. And got it done.”

Even though he led the final 30 laps, traffic was still challenging on Davenport’s bullring. He said his experience paid off, knowing what happened to him at the track in the past.

“You want to get by lap traffic as quick as you can, because here in the past it’s bit me,” Pierce said. “Tanner [English] snuck by me to get one last year, and that was somewhat to do with lap traffic. I was hammer-down all the time, and it stayed green. I didn’t have to worry about a restart, so it was a lot of fun.”

Along with the win, Pierce extended his Series points lead to 122 over Chris Madden, who finished seventh.

Erb crossed the line second, his 11th top-10 finish in his last 13 races. The Carpentersville, IL driver said he was happy with his Rocket Chassis despite coming up short.

“Shane and I were racing there, and he just got by us on the outside,” Erb said. “Once I got cleared of [Clanton] and I started rolling up through there, the car was really good. I thought one time we were going to get up underneath [Pierce], but lap traffic really played a factor.

“He’s been really good. His car’s been good all year, so we’re just happy with a second here, and we’ll try again tomorrow.”

Four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard finished third—his eighth podium of the season. The New Berlin, IL driver snuck past Nick Hoffman in traffic with 10 laps to go to take over third but ran out of laps to get to the front.

“We had a really good car,” Sheppard said. “We were very maneuverable. We could run top, middle, bottom, wherever we wanted to. In these short races, you have to get them where you can in lap traffic. I was really good on the bottom. I was definitely better than those guys on the bottom, but when everybody’s down there, you have to move out. We were able to get out to the middle and move around them guys. 

“Like I said, we had a really good car. Bobby’s just on it this year. He’s been really good.”

Germfree Labs Rookie of the Year contender Nick Hoffman finished fourth, and Kyle Bronson rounded out the top five.

Brian Shirley was Thursday’s Fox Factory Hard Charger, moving up 10 spots to finish sixth.

Clanton, who led four laps, finished 11th.

Pierce’s win on Thursday adds to his impressive World of Outlaws CASE Late Models season, scoring his seventh win in the last 12 Series races. He hopes to keep that consistency as long as he can.

“I’m just going to ride that wave,” Pierce said. “Ride that wave as long as possible.”

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models return to Davenport Speedway for night two of the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking along with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets presented by Toyota. Another $10,000 is on the line in a 35-lap Feature. FOR TICKETS: CLICK HERE.

CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Feature (35 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[1]; 3. B5-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 4. 9-Nick Hoffman[5]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[7]; 6. 3S-Brian Shirley[16]; 7. 44-Chris Madden[8]; 8. 97-Cade Dillard[4]; 9. 96V-Tanner English[12]; 10. B1-Brent Larson[9]; 11. 25-Shane Clanton[2]; 12. 19R-Ryan Gustin[23]; 13. 25F-Jason Feger[10]; 14. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[19]; 15. 25S-Chad Simpson[17]; 16. 18-Shannon Babb[14]; 17. 16-Tyler Bruening[18]; 18. 1ST-Johnny Scott[25]; 19. 30-Todd Cooney[13]; 20. 11-Gordy Gundaker[24]; 21. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[11]; 22. 49-Jake Timm[15]; 23. 98-Jason Rauen[21]; 24. 14G-Trevor Gundaker[22]; 25. 29-Spencer Diercks[20] FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGER: Brian Shirley [+10]

GEORGETOWN, DE (August 24, 2023) – Ricky Thornton Jr. rallied from sixth after a lap 35 restart – storming to the lead on lap 41 and leading the rest of the way to pick up his record-setting 16th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the 2023 season on Thursday at Georgetown Speedway. It was the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series’ first-ever visit to the 1/2-mile oval to honor the late Melvin L. Joseph who built the track in 1949. Thornton’s victory broke a tie with Scott Bloomquist, who had previously set the single season record for wins in 2016 with 15. Brandon Overton, who led laps 18 through 40 finished in second with Mike Marlar completing the Big River Steel Podium in third. Tyler Erb was fourth and early race leader Garrett Alberson rounded out the top five. Alberson had led the first 17 laps of the race. Thornton, who started fourth on the grid and ran outside the top five for several laps blasted through the field in the final 14 circuits to win the 49-lap race. “I really didn’t know how I did it. I started running the top down there in three and four and I felt like I could run with those guys in front of me. I didn’t know if I needed to restart on the top or the bottom. I was kind of glad I restarted on the bottom. I got a good start, and I was able to get by a couple of cars down in one and two and then we got to third. I didn’t know if those guys knew I was up there. I kind of just rolled around the outside of them and once I was out in front, I really didn’t know what to do. I ran as hard as I could.” Overton, who was looking for his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win since January almost completed the clean sweep for the night but came home in second. “Honestly it shouldn’t be, but it’s awesome to be up there. Obviously, we want to win, and our team is plenty capable of winning. We’ve got great car owners that get us everything we need; things just haven’t been going our way. We have been struggling here lately you know just everything going wrong.” Marlar, who was in the hunt the entire race came home in third. “It was a really fun racetrack. I would like to thank all of the fans for sticking it out during those rain delays. It was a long night for sure. I think it worked out for everybody. Congrats to Ricky, he is just so fast. I thought Overton and I were having a really good race until he [Thornton] came along. I almost got the lead there a couple of times and I felt like I was going to get it and those cautions came out. The cautions didn’t play in my favor, but that’s just how it goes sometimes.” The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns-owned, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Dyno One, Inc., West Side Tractor Sales Company, D&E Outside Services, Certified Inspection Service Company, inc., Midwest Sheet Metal, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Excel Floor Covering, and Murty Farms. Completing the top ten were Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie, Gregg Satterlee, Hudson O’Neal, and Jonathan Davenport. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary The Melvin L. Joseph MemorialThursday, August 24, 2023Georgetown Speedway – Georgetown, DE Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Brandon Overton | 17.117 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Garrett Alberson | 17.201 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 4. 1H-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 5. 49-Jonathan Davenport[4]; 6. 0-Rick Eckert[7]; 7. 11T-Trevor Collins[6]; 8. 41-Ross Chastain[8] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 111B-Max Blair[2]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 4. 66C-Matt Cosner[3]; 5. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[5]; 6. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 7. 15K-Cody Overton[6] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 22-Gregg Satterlee[2]; 3. 45-Kyle Hardy[4]; 4. 11-Spencer Hughes[3]; 5. 92-Nick Davis[6]; 6. 2-Dan Stone[5]; 7. KB-Kerry King[7]; 8. (DNS) 41M-Matt Sheppard AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 7T-Drake Troutman[3]; 4. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[5]; 5. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 6. 93-Cory Lawler[6]; 7. (DNS) 4S-Danny Snyder Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[3]; 3. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 4. 0-Rick Eckert[5]; 5. 11T-Trevor Collins[9]; 6. 2-Dan Stone[6]; 7. 15K-Cody Overton[11]; 8. 92-Nick Davis[2]; 9. 93-Cory Lawler[8]; 10. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 11. KB-Kerry King[10]; 12. 41M-Matt Sheppard[12] The Melvin L. Joseph Memorial Feature Finish (49 Laps):

Race Statistics  Entrants: 30Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Brandon OvertonLap Leaders: Garrett Alberson (Laps 1-17); Brandon Overton (Laps 18-40); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 41-49)Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 0.303 seconds Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Matt Cosner (Lap 10); Nick Davis (Lap 15); Drake Troutman (Lap 17); Earl Pearson, Jr. (Lap 26); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 35)Series Provisionals: Boom BriggsFast Time Provisional: Cody OvertonSeries Emergency Provisionals: n/aTrack Provisional: Nick DavisBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Overton, Mike MarlarPenske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Overton, Mike Marlar, Tyler Erb, Garrett AlbersonTodd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Cody Overton (Advanced 12 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tim McCreadieDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Max BlairEarnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Brandon Overton (23 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr. O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar (Lap 12 – 17.624 seconds) MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Hudson O’NealOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.) ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Race EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (17.226 seconds)Time of Race: 26 minutes 46 seconds  The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

After sudden transition to the proven team, Holmes is already proving he belongsLess than two weeks ago, Tanner Holmes was nearing the end of his Midwest swing and prepared to head home to the west coast. That same night, the immediate future of his racing career changed drastically.Holmes and his family-owned operation hauled their #18T Sprint Car out from Jacksonville, OR earlier this summer to gain more experience in the Midwest. The centerpiece of their stretch was the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals. And on the final night of The Granddaddy of ‘Em All, Holmes suddenly found himself no longer a regional racer who occasionally traveled, but a competitor on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour.Bobby Allen, owner of Shark Racing and one of the most legendary figures of the sport, cruised over on his scooter to Holmes’ pit to see if the 19-year-old had any cemented plans for the duration of the year. The two had never talked. But by the end of the night, they agreed Holmes would join Shark Racing to finish out the 2023 World of Outlaws tour in the #1a, vacated by Jacob Allen.“I’d never spoke with him before but said hello and introduced myself,” Holmes recalled. “Quickly, we started chatting, and he had mentioned that they were needing a driver to fulfill the seat of his car for the rest of the season. Of course, with that opportunity, I had to jump on it. My dad happened to be there as well, and we just quickly all kind of talked about it. I made sure [Bobby] knew how interested I was, but we just quickly needed to talk about it together as a team. I got back to him that night basically and shook his hand and said, ‘I’m in.’”For Allen, the talent of the rising racer was clear. “Scruffy” had a simple message upon hiring Holmes: drive to his own capabilities and don’t try too hard.“There’s no doubt about it. The kid is good. He’s got great potential,” Allen said. “I told him when he started. I said, ‘Let me tell you how I am. I don’t want someone ramming and crashing and all that. I want you to drive within your limits because I know everybody wants to win. And when you want to win and you feel good, you run as hard as you want to run.’ I said, ‘That’s how I like a driver. I don’t want somebody trying to impress me by going out there and driving over their head and crashing the car up. I want you to race.’”Holmes took Allen’s words to heart, and the reward was a statement debut in the Shark Racing #1T at last weekend’s Jackson Nationals.The three-night event began as strong as possible for Holmes who earned his first Simpson Quick Time on Thursday. He followed that up by landing on the podium at the conclusion of the 25-lap Feature. Over the next two nights, he tallied another pair of top 10s to complete the weekend at a track he’d never been to before. Holmes credits the team for being quick to adapt to his style.“Quickly, they’ve made me feel comfortable,” Holmes said. “Little things in the cockpit that you have to change to make the driver feel at home. After a couple nights, this just feels like I’m running my own car. Even though it’s different engines, different frame, different setup, and what not, it still feels really, really good. What these guys are doing is, I think, transferring also with my driving style.”The timing of Holmes joining the team was nearly perfect. After this weekend’s North Dakota doubleheader at River Cities Speedway and Red River Valley Speedway, Holmes gets to head to familiar territory. Next weekend brings Skagit Speedway’s Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals in Burlington, WA before a visit to Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA the following Monday. Following that will be two weekends in California to complete the west coast swing.The Oregon driver has turned plenty of laps at each track that’s a part of the left-coast tour, and he views the stretch as an opportunity to make some noise with his new team. Shark Racing won half of the six west coast races last September.“I think it’s little things even like rolling into the racetrack and you know where you’re at. You know how things might go. You know what you might see with the racetrack,” Holmes said of being at tracks he’s familiar with. “When they do things at Jackson, for example, I don’t know when they work the track what is going to happen. I’ve never seen it before… But maybe going to a place like Skagit or Chico, running many shows there you see tendencies that happen. You see what the racetrack does, what lines come into play. All of that comes from experience. That’s really big and I think could really help us.”After the swing close to home, it’s off to primarily new ground for Holmes as the Series ventures back east. There will undoubtedly be challenges as he takes on this new chapter of his career, but it’s clear he’s already fitting in and fully supported by his new team.“It seems like right now we’ve got a good team going with him,” Allen said. “The boys are happy with him. We’re happy with him. Jacob called him to congratulate him. We’re all happy with him.”To see Holmes in action this weekend in North Dakota or at any of the west coast wing races, CLICK HERE for tickets.If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.

1 MONTH ALERT: Eldora, Sharon Setup Exciting Ohio Doubleheader in September
The Greatest Show on Dirt returns to Eldora Speedway on Sept. 22, and then Sharon Speedway on Sept. 23

ROSSBURG, OH (Aug. 24, 2023) – For the final time in 2023, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will set course for Ohio, targeting two of the most exciting tracks on the schedule.

First, Eldora Speedway for the BeFour The Crowns Showdown, on Friday, Sept. 22, and then Sharon Speedway for the Federated Auto Parts Showdown on Saturday, Sept. 23.

It’ll be the Series’ fifth visit to Eldora – owned by Tony Stewart – this year and second to Sharon – owned by Dave Blaney. In the last race at both tracks, 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz was hoisting another trophy. At Eldora, he was crowned king for the sixth time in his career during the Kings Royal Victory Lane ceremony.

While different sizes, with Eldora sitting at .500 miles long and Sharon at .375 miles, both tracks have become fan-favorites, producing close racing and eye-widening passes. 

What you need to know:

ELDORA SPEEDWAY, Sept. 22 (BeFour The Crowns Showdown)
More Event Info

Track:
1/2 mile in Rossburg, OH
Track Record: 12.599 seconds by David Gravel on Sept. 23, 2020

Times (ET):
1:30 p.m. Pit Gates Open
2 p.m. Grandstand Gates Open
6 p.m. Hot Laps/Qualifying
-Racing to follow

Tickets: Available HERE

Last Year’s Race Recap Video (9/23/22):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1yxcDC-UYg

Previous Winners:
2023 – Logan Schuchart on May 5, Rico Abreu on May 6, Carson Macedo on July 14, Donny Schatz on July 15
2022 –David Gravel on July 13, Brent Marks on July 14, David Gravel on July 15 (Day), Brent Marks on July 15 (Night), Rico Abreu on Sept. 23
2021 – Brent Marks on May 8 (Day), Sheldon Haudenschild on May 8, Carson Macedo on July 14, Tyler Courtney on July 17 (Day), Kyle Larson on July 17, Carson Macedo on July 18, Logan Schuchart on Sept. 24
2019 – Donny Schatz on May 10, Donny Schatz on July 17, Brad Sweet on July 18, Donny Schatz on July 19, Brad Sweet on July 20, Logan Schuchart on Sept. 27
2018 – Donny Schatz on May 11, Donny Schatz on May 12, Shane Stewart on July 12, Donny Schatz on July 13, Donny Schatz on July 14, Brent Marks on Sept. 21, Christopher Bell on October 14
2017 – Logan Schuchart on May 12, Donny Schatz on May 13, Kerry Madsen on July 13, Christopher Bell on July 14, Donny Schatz on May 15, Tim Shaffer on Sept. 22
2016 – Kerry Madsen on May 6, Kerry Madsen on May 7, David Gravel on July 14, Daryn Pittman on July 15, Donny Schatz on July 16, Shane Stewart on Sept. 23
2015 – Donny Schatz on May 8, Donny Schatz on May 9, Shane Stewart on July 17, Shane Stewart on July 18, Greg Wilson on Sept. 25
2014 – Shane Stewart on May 2, David Gravel on May 3, Sammy Swindell on July 11, Kerry Madsen on July 12, Joey Saldana on Sept. 19
2013 – Kerry Madsen on May 3, Daryn Pittman on May 4, Kerry Madsen on July 12, Brad Sweet on July 13
2012 – Chad Kemenah on May 4, Sammy Swindell on May 5, Joey Saldana on July 13, Sammy Swindell on July 14
2011 – Joey Saldana on May 8, Tim Shaffer on July 15, Tyler Walker on July 16, Joey Saldana on Sept. 23
2010 – Joey Saldana on May 8, Paul McMahan on May 9, Joey Saldana on July 16, Steve Kinser on July 17, Jac Haudenschild on Sept. 24
2009 – Donny Schatz on May 9, Terry McCarl on July 17, Donny Schatz on July 18, Jason Sides on Sept. 25
2008 – Craig Dollansky on April 11, Donny Schatz on May 31, Joey Saldana on July 11, Daryn Pittman on July 13, Joey Saldana on Sept. 19
2007 – Jason Meyers on April 13, Paul McMahan on June 2, Steve Kinser on July 13, Donny Schatz on July 14, Joey Saldana on Sept. 21
2006 – Sammy Swindell on April 7, Sammy Swindell on April 8, Craig Dollansky on June 3, Craig Dollansky on July 14, Joey Saldana on July 15, Joey Saldana on Aug. 4
2005 – Sammy Swindell on April 8, Steve Kinser on April 9, Sammy Swindell on June 4, Steve Kinser on July 15, Steve Kinser on July 16, Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 5
2004 – Steve Kinser on April 9, Steve Kinser on April 10, Danny Lasoski on June 5, Dale Blaney on July 16, Jason Sides on July 17, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 6
2003 – Donny Schatz on April 18, Sammy Swindell on April 19, Steve Kinser on May 31, Steve Kinser on July 18, Steve Kinser on July 19, Jason Meyers on Aug. 8
2002 – Craig Dollansky on April 13, Steve Kinser on June 1, Daryn Pittman on July 19, Joey Saldana on July 20, Steve Kinser on Aug. 2
2001 – Stevie Smith on April 13, Mark Kinser on April 14, Andy Hillenburg on June 2, Andy Hillenburg on July 20, Mark Kinser on July 21, Steve Kinser on Aug. 3
2000 – Steve Kinser on April 22, Mark Kinser on June 3, Johnny Herrera on July 13, Sammy Swindell in July 14, Dale Blaney on July 15, Tim Shaffer on Aug. 4
1999 – Steve Kinser on April 2, Tim Shaffer on June 5, Mark Kinser on July 15, Greg Hodnett on July 16, Sammy Swindell on July 17, Stevie Smith on Aug. 6
1998 – Joey Saldana on April 10, Sammy Swindell on April 11, Sammy Swindell on June 13, Jac Haudenschild on July 17, Jac Haudenschild on July 18, Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 7
1997 – Sammy Swindell on April 4, Dave Blaney on June 14, Dave Blaney on July 18, Steve Kinser on July 19, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 8
1996 – Sammy Swindell on April 5, Steve Kinser on June 15, Mark Kinser on July 19, Johnny Herrera on July 20, Mark Kinser on Aug. 9
1995 – Dave Blaney on April 14, Jac Haudenschild on April 15, Steve Kinser on June 10, Dave Blaney on Aug. 11
1994 – Jeff Swindell on April 16, Kenny Jacobs on April 17, Kenny Jacobs on June 11, Dave Blaney on Aug. 12
1993 – Dave Blaney on Dave Blaney on April 17, April 18, Dave Blaney on June 11, Steve Kinser on June 12, Dave Blaney on Aug. 13
1992 – Sammy Swindell on April 12
1991 – Doug Wolfgang on April 20, Steve Kinser on June 7, Sammy Swindell on June 8
1990 – Steve Kinser on April 21, Steve Kinser on April 22, Rickey Hood on June 8, Steve Kinser on June 9
1989 – Lee Brewer on April 22, Jeff Swindell on April 23, Bobby Davis, Jr. on June 9, Doug Wolfgang on June 10, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 4, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 5
1988 – Sammy Swindell on April 9, Doug Wolfgang on April 10, Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 26, Steve Kinser on Aug. 27
1987 – Steve Kinser on April 12, Dave Blaney on Aug. 7, Steve Kinser on Aug. 8
1986 – Sammy Swindell on Aug. 7, Kenny Jacobs on Aug. 8, Bobby Allen on Aug. 9
1985 – Doug Wolfgang on April 13, Doug Wolfgang on April 14, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 8, Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 9, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 10
1984 – Sammy Swindell on April 7, Ron Shuman on April 8
1983 – Steve Kinser on May 21, Brad Doty on May 22
1982 – Danny Smith on May 8, Sammy Swindell on May 9, Doug Wolfgang on June 12, Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 4, Ronnie Daniels on Aug. 5, Rick Ferkel on Aug. 6, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 7, Steve Kinser on Oct. 17
1981 – Sammy Swindell on May 16, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 6, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 7, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 8, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 17, Steve Kinser on Oct. 18
1980 – Sammy Swindell on April 13, Steve Kinser on May 3, Steve Kinser on May 4, Steve Kinser on May 24, Steve Kinser on July 5, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 7, Sammy Swindell on Aug.8, Steve Kinser on Aug. 9, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 30, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 31, Steve Kinser on Oct. 19
1979 – Ron Shuman on April 15, Dub May on May 27, Steve Kinser on July 3, Sammy Swindell on July 14, Steve Kinser on Aug. 2, Steve Kinser on Aug. 3, Steve Kinser on Aug. 4, Doug Wolfgang on Sept. 1, Shane Carson on Oct. 21
1978 – Bobby Allen on April 16, Rick Ferkel on April 30, Steve Kinser on May 21, Rick Ferkel on July 3, Randy Ford on Aug. 3, Rick Ferkel on Aug. 4, Rick Ferkel on Aug. 5, Steve Kinser on Sept. 3, Shane Carson on Oct. 29

SHARON SPEEDWAY, Sept. 23 (Federated Auto Parts Showdown)
More Event Info

Track:
3/8 mile in Hartford, OH
Track Record: 12.704 seconds by Danny Holtgraver on 8/20/13

Times (ET):
2 p.m. Pit Gates Open
4 p.m. Grandstand Gates Open
6:30 p.m. Hot Laps/Qualifying
-Racing to follow

Tickets: Available HERE

Last Year’s Race Recap Video (9/24/22):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQZDs-Zbed0

Previous Winners:
2023 – Donny Schatz on May 20
2022 – Brad Sweet on Sept. 24
2021 – Dave Blaney on May 22
2007 –Steve Kinser on June 1
2006 – Jac Haudenschild on May 20
2005 – Jason Meyers on June 3
2004 –Danny Lasoski on June 4, Steve Kinser on July 28
2003 – Steve Kinser on July 30, Steve Kinser on July 30
2002 – Danny Lasoski on May 31, Joey Saldana on July 31

Inside Line Promotions – COOS BAY, Ore. (Aug. 24, 2023) – Dominic Scelzi pocketed a pair of wins and two second-place finishes during the last week, giving him six victories and eight podiums during his last nine starts.

“I think we’ve been really good all year,” he said. “We’ve had some stuff happen that led to some bad results, but I never felt we were in panic-mode. It’s nice to see all of the hard work paying off recently.”

Scelzi kicked off back-to-back nights at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., last Friday. He qualified eighth quickest and won a heat race before placing second in both the dash and the main event.

“We were really good and just caught lapped cars at the wrong time,” he said. “I took the lead on Lap 3 and led most of the race. I got caught behind a lapped car running the top. The kid behind me got a run and slid me. That messed me up enough to not stay on his bumper. I ran him back down and was on his bumper at the finish line. We just didn’t get through traffic as well as we needed to win.”

Scelzi rebounded at the bullring the following evening as he timed in second quickest in his group. A heat race win advanced him into the dash and a fifth-place outing in it lined Scelzi up on the inside of the third row in the Johnny Key Classic A Main.

“We had great speed again and the track was a lot slicker,” he said. “I fell back to seventh or eighth at one point. Restarts were a nightmare. It wasn’t very clean. Once I was able to get up the track we worked our way forward. We got to second on a restart. Being in that second spot it was easier to gauge what I needed to do. The leader got over the cushion in turn four and we were able to sneak by him with about eight laps to go. Then a couple laps later it started to lay rubber and we were in the right place.”

Scelzi’s victory was his 10 ^th of the season.

The team headed north to Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., for a Western Sprint Tour race on Monday. Scelzi continued his undefeated record at the track as he swept the night by setting quick time during qualifying before winning a heat race, the dash and the feature.

“We were really good all night,” he said. “We lost a u-joint in the dash and luckily limped it to the finish. We scrambled and barely got it changed to get it out there for the feature. The track was really slick and I was searching. Once the rubber came in we followed it down the track and did our best to save as much tire as we could. Luckily for us we were able to. It was really cool to win after what I thought was going to be the end of our night with the u-joint problem in the dash.”

Scelzi made his debut at Coos Bay Speedway on Tuesday. He was fifth quickest and rallied from fifth to second place in a heat race. A sixth-place finish in the dash started Scelzi on the outside of the third row in the main event.

“We went out late in qualifying and the track slowed down so we were fifth quick,” he said. “We went from fifth to second in the heat race running the top. In the dash we drew the No. 6 and I felt like I wanted to clean the top off so I committed myself to it to get it run in. That just didn’t work. In the main even the top got going pretty good. We worked our way to third and battled (Logan) Forler the last 10 laps for second and we were able to get it.”

Scelzi’s second-place showing was his 25 ^th top five of the season.

Next up for the team is a trip to Montana to race in the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial this Friday and Saturday at Big Sky Speedway in Billings with the ASCS Frontier Region. Scelzi last competed at the track in August 2018.

QUICK RESULTS –

Aug. 18 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 2 (2); Feature: 2 (2).

Aug. 19 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 5 (7); Feature: 1 (5).

Aug. 21 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (6); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (1).

Aug. 22 – Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay, Ore. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 2 (5); Dash: 6 (6); Feature: 2 (6).

SEASON STATS –

35 races, 11 wins, 25 top fives, 28 top 10s, 32 top 15s, 34 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday and Saturday at Big Sky Speedway in Billings, Mont., for the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial with the ASCS Frontier Region

Hoker has been a long-time supporter of Davenport Speedway and several drivers

DAVENPORT, IA (Aug. 24, 2023) – Jeff Hoker’s son brought him to his first dirt race about 10 years ago. The experience was an instant bonding moment between the two and the birth of a new venture.

Hoker, his family, and their Hoker Trucking business became long-time supporters of Davenport Speedway and several local and national drivers. For his contributions to the sport, Hoker is being honored as the grand marshal during the opening night of the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking at Davenport on Thursday.

“In my mind, Jeff is one of those guys that has, for lack of a better word, has put his money where his mouth is,” said Steve Francis, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series Director. “He’s helped tremendous, tremendous, amounts of racers and events in that area. Just look at the cars that have his name on them, from a Jason Feger, to a Chris Simpson, to a Bobby Pierce, to a Ricky Thornton.

“[Jeff and his wife Penny] work and want to help the racers. Their Toys for Tots event, all the things they’re involved in, even not racing oriented, just shows what a stand-up guy he is.”

The more Hoker and his son, Michael, went to races, the more his interest in the sport grew. Already life-long friends with the Kays that promote Davenport Speedway, Hoker dipped his toes into the sponsorship relm by supporting their son Justin Kay, who ran a Modified.

Then, his interest continued to grow. Hoker wanted to sponsor a Super Late Model.

His son already had a driver in mind – Bobby Pierce, now the current World of Outlaws points leader.

“We were talking about sponsoring a Super, and [my son] was like, ‘Listen, you’ve got to watch this kid, you’ve just got to watch him.’ That was the very first Super Late Model we sponsored was Bobby then,” Hoker said.

Now, Hoker’s name can be seen on multiple cars and as the presenting sponsor of the Quad Cities 150 (Aug. 24-26). For him, the initiative has been a success in terms of marketing to customers and attracting drivers. But the best part is the same reason why he fell in love with the sport: the connections.

“The bonus of it is, we enjoy doing it,” Hoker said. “I love going to races. I’ve gotten now to where I’m buried in it. We’ve gotten to meet so many great people, honestly. The guys we sponsor, it’s more than a close business deal, they’re all friends of ours really. It’s more than a business deal at that point.

“The bonus part to begin with was being able to spend time together with my son that wasn’t business related. It was just something we did. It was something him and I got to do on our own. It wasn’t business related. It wasn’t work related. It took all that work pressure, stress, at least for the weekend, it was gone. That’s how it started and then it… it kind of went from there.”

The three-day My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking will feature the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models and the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota. Fans can also participate in the Hoker’s Haul for Toys for Tots each day, enjoy a pre-race show in the midway (at 6 p.m CT on Thursday and 5 p.m. the rest of the weekend), and see a Semi-Truck Light Show following the races.

Hot Laps will begin at 7:30 p.m. (CT) on Thursday and then 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

For tickets to the event, CLICK HERE.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 17, 2023) – Jack Aitken, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R for this year’s four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races, will join Pipo Derani as a full-season driver for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Aitken will take over the seat of the hybrid Cadillac racecar from Alexander Sims, who will remain in the GM Motorsports family to drive the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in IMSA’s GTD PRO class.“Jack came to the top of all the categories late last year when we were researching the various drivers who would be available for our endurance role,” team manager Gary Nelson said of the former Williams F1 reserve driver. “He has proven to be fast on the track, a fast learner of the GTP car and an asset to the team. We see Jack being a great pairing with Pipo in his expanded role next season.” Aitken, teaming with Derani and Sims, brought the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R to Victory Circle following a pressure-packed final stint in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The trio finished second at Watkins Glen International in June and fifth in the debut of the Grand Touring Prototype class in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Aitken recorded the fastest lap among GTP entries in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R leads the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Team and Driver standings through three of the four races. Derani and Sims are a close second in the IMSA GTP Team and Driver Championship standings with two races remaining. Cadillac Racing paces the GTP Manufacturer standings for both the full-season and endurance championships. “Alex came in with Formula E experience and that was huge for us,” Nelson said. “He is a tremendous asset for the whole team understanding the hybrid unit. For us to learn those things early on was very beneficial. Alex and Pipo make a great pair, and Alex is a big part of our championship run.” Aitken, who turns 28 on Sept. 23, also teamed with Derani and Sims in the No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R for the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Recently competing in the DTM doubleheader at Nürburgring, Aitken drove in the European Le Mans Series in 2022 for TF Sport in LMP2 plus the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and ADAC GT Masters. He was the 2015 Formula Renault Eurocup champion. A driver for the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which grows to five races, will be announced at a later date.

Action Express Racing has earned the IMSA Team and Driver Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021 as well as securing the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 North American Endurance Championships titles.Whelen Engineering has been the primary sponsor of the No. 31 Cadillac prototype since 2016.

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team are hoping for a major turnaround in their season as they head to this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, a venue where Force has historically been dominant. In 15 final round appearances, Force’s 11 victories at Brainerd International Raceway (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2007) are the most by one driver in any one event at a single venue. The 16-time world champion most recently runnered-up at the event in 2012 and 2014 in addition to 2005 and 1987. He has won more racing rounds at the facility than at any other track, a total of 76. Force has started race day from the No. 1 qualifying position eight times, going onto the final round all but once while winning six times. “I love racing at Brainerd International Raceway, and, over the years, it’s liked me too. This PEAK Chevy is coming around. I know I have a fast race car, this team is capable of getting wins. We wouldn’t be out here if we didn’t think that,” Force said. “We made some adjustments, you do that when you’re trying to get better, it’s all coming together. We’ll get the job done.” Force will be looking for some of his past success to help him in this weekend’s event. With only two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Force is looking for his first win of the season. The PEAK team recently showed an uptick in performance when they qualified No. 1 at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle, but they’ll need to go rounds on race day to make a jump from their No. 9 points position. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

CHICAGO, IL (August 16, 2023) — Heading into the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Funny Car driver and team owner Chris King has several goals for his Howards Cams/Competition Products team. Racing at Brainerd International Raceway for the first time, King is eager to make positive strides after a tough race last weekend at the Menards NHRA Nationals in Topeka. The full-time Chicago fireman is building his team with sponsor support and the assistance of a part-time crew led by veteran tuner and racer Terry Totten.
 
“We hurt ourselves a little last weekend in Topeka but those are the hits you take sometimes as a young and developing team” said King, who has competed at three national events this season. “We are learning every time we work on the car and make a run. Our runs are getting quicker and faster and we are not hurting parts or oiling down the track. Those are all positives, but it is a frustratingly slow process. I love racing and I want to go as fast as possible but when you are building a quality racing program you have to take your time. The patience of the process is what is painful.”

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
The past two races, Denver and Topeka, have seen King make consecutive runs that are all quicker and faster than he has ever gone in the past. He started his professional career with a handful of races in 2021 and last year he rededicated himself to putting the right pieces together to make a positive run at success this season. The former Alcohol Funny Car racer has the support of many of his fellow competitors in the Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks, so he knows he is moving in the right direction.
 
“I have had a lot of other team owners and crew chiefs offer to help us which is awesome,” said King. “Dean Antonelli who is Ron Capps’ crew chief helped us figure some things out after Chicago. We were pitted beside Buddy Hull and his Top Fuel team in Topeka and we had some great conversations. There is so much that goes into not just driving these 11,000 horsepower racecars but also managing the team. It can get overwhelming and I just have to take a step back sometimes.”
 
This weekend King will get four qualifying runs to try and earn one of the 16 qualifying spots. The two runs on Friday and two runs on Saturday schedule is something that King and his Howards Cams/Competition Products team desperately needs. They need data and getting track time is the key to their improvement. The biggest take-away from Topeka was they got the chance to get more run data to add to what they had from positive passes in Denver.

Funny Car team owner and driver Chris King, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
“We are getting great information and improving on it. I am getting more comfortable in the car so back-to-back races like Topeka and now Brainerd will be huge for us,” said King. “This is a great track, and we can make some great runs here. I am really excited about our prospects for success. We have sponsors getting involved and I want to put on a good show for the fans.”
 
Throughout this whole process King has kept a positive attitude and is making the most of every opportunity at the track. When he is not working on his car, he is at the ropes signing autographs and talking with fans. He understands that at this point in his career it is about making a one-on-one connection with fans across the country and representing his sponsors to the best of his ability.
 
“I wouldn’t be out here without Howards Cams and Competition Products,” said King. “We have other people and companies that are helping us race to race but I am on the phone every chance I get talking to people and letting them know where we are going. The U.S. Nationals will be a big weekend for us. This weekend will also be huge. I want to make four more career best runs in qualifying and then just see what can happen on Sunday’s race day. This sport is so wild and so much fun, anything can happen.”
 
Funny Car and Top Fuel qualifying will begin on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and at 6:30 p.m. Saturday King and the rest of the Funny Car class will run at 2:00 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. and final eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. The race will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
 

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team are picking up momentum as they head into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the second to last event in the regular season before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins. Fresh off earning his 80th career No. 1 qualifying position at Heartland Motorsports Park last weekend, Hight comes into Brainerd International Raceway sitting third in points. Hight is returning to the site of his NHRA Funny Car national elapsed time record run of 3.793 seconds set in 2018. The three-time world champion won once at the facility in 2015 and secured No. 1 qualifying positions in 2017 and 2018. He also holds the track speed record set at 338.00 mph, also set in 2018. Last season, Hight qualified second and made a semifinal appearance. “We started to turn a corner in Topeka, I do believe that. The combination started to respond. Jimmy Prock and the Cornwell Tools guys, we’re pretty excited moving forward. We didn’t get the results we wanted last weekend so I’m glad we get to turn around right away and get back in the seat,” Hight said. “It’s not too late to get back into this points deal and even go into the Countdown to the Championship with the No. 1 spot. We qualified well and went a couple of rounds in Topeka, if we do well in Brainerd and then with points and a half at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, we are right back in the thick of things and that’s our mindset right now.” So far this season, Hight has three wins in his Cornwell Tools Chevy coming at the NHRA Arizona Nationals just outside of Phoenix, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte and the return of the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago. His No. 1 position from last weekend in Brainerd was his fourth of the season. With just two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Hight is only 113 points back from second. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

MOORESVILLE, NC (August 16, 2023) — As Pro Stock standout Camrie Caruso closes the book on her second regular season competing in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series she will be making her first appearance at Brainerd International Raceway this weekend. The 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year will be taking on one of the toughest Pro Stock fields in recent memory at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals starting this Friday. The winner of the NHRA Arizona Nationals earlier this season will be looking to pick up her second career win and take some momentum into the Dodge U.S. Nationals and the NHRA Countdown playoffs. Driving the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro with KB Titan Racing power and backing from DENSO, Big Jeff Audio, Powerbuilt Tools, and VP Lubricants Caruso is eager to race in Brainerd.

Camrie Caruso and Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
“I am looking forward to racing at Brainerd International Raceway,” said Caruso. “You hear a lot about how wild their fans are and about The Zoo campground, but I have also heard it is a great racing surface, so I am hoping to make some great runs in the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro. We have been running well and we just need to get some more win lights on Sunday.”
 
Since her breakthrough win at the Arizona Nationals Caruso has had a consistent race car and she grabbed the categories attention when she won the first NHRA Pro Stock Allstar Callout in Chicago. As the No. 8 qualifier she defeated Cristian Cuadra, Troy Coughlin Jr and Aaron Stanfield to take the top prize and establish herself as one of the Pro Stock Championship contending teams.
 
“The win at the Arizona Nationals was huge since it was our first Pro Stock National event but getting that Pro Stock Allstar Callout trophy was a big step for our team,” said Caruso, who is a third-generation drag racer. “We joined KB Titan Racing this year and I was the last KB Titan racer left after the first round so I had the whole team pulling for me. I love being over here with the KB Titan Racing guys and we have a really good group.”
 
Caruso has been holding her own as the regular season concludes with just two more races before the playoff fields are set. In three of the last four races Caruso has qualified in the top half and has raced to at least the quarterfinals. She raced to the semifinals at the final Mile High Nationals in Denver and competed last weekend in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as a reward for her efforts. She has competed in the specialty race twice and has secured one championship bonus point.
 
“You want to win every race but when you get to the semifinals you know you will be in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the next race. Our goals are simple for every race,” said Caruso. “We want to qualifying as high as we can and try to win the race. Winning gets you the Wally and guarantees you get a shot at the Mission Challenge. Those championship points could come in handy at the end of the season. We want to get into that race for the U.S. Nationals for sure and that starts this Friday in Brainerd.”
 
The Pro Stock class will have two qualifying runs on Friday at 2:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. They will be back in action on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations for Pro Stock will commence following the first round of Top Fuel and Funny car on Sunday. The quickest 16 Pro Stock competitors will be racing for the Iconic Wally trophy and a higher seed in the NHRA Countdown. Currently, Caruso sits No. 8 just a little over 80 points (four rounds) out of fifth place. With points and a half on the line at the U.S. Nationals a jump in the points is very doable for the second-year pro.

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team enters this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway looking to reset before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins in one month.  The third-generation drag racer is sixth in points only 11 back from the top five and 66 back from the top three in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Prock and his Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam tuned Montana Brand dragster have shown glimpses of the threat they can be on the championship with a runner-up finish at the Pomona, California Winternationals, a victory at the Charlotte Four-Wide event and a No. 1 qualifying position at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals. Prock is coming off an unsettling weekend at Heartland Motorsports Park where he qualified only 14th and had a quarterfinal exit. “I’m looking forward to getting back to Brainerd International Raceway. I’ve always loved going to this one. That crowd is always electric and I enjoy being with the fans,” Prock said. “Last weekend in Topeka was tough for this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team but we know we will redeem ourselves this weekend. Excited to get started.” After reaching the semifinals in his first start at Brainerd International Raceway in 2019, Prock lost in the first round last year. On both occasions, he qualified in the No. 8 position. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

OCALA, FL (August 16, 2023) — Josh Hart knows he has a race car and team that can win and the two-time Top Fuel national event winner is looking towards the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals as his next opportunity to prove his point. The driver and team owner from Ocala, Florida, opened the season with a big money win in the Pep Boys Top Fuel Allstar Callout and since then he has raced to one final round and three additional semifinals. The standout former Top Alcohol Dragster driver is ready to get some momentum going as the NHRA regular winds down.

Josh Hart and R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“I go into every race expecting and preparing to win. Everyone on this R+L Carriers team has that attitude, and we have the experience,” said Hart. “We haven’t been able to get all the piece to come together for a whole weekend. We have run well in qualifying and then we stub our toes on race day. We have had a great car on race day, but we get a bad match-up in the first or second round. I feel like we have lost to the eventual winner the past three or four races it seems like.”

For his efforts Hart has held his spot in the Top Ten. With two more regular season races left on the schedule, a strong showing at this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and then the Dodge U.S. Nationals with points and a half on the line will lock him into the NHRA Countdown. He is sitting in ninth place in the point standings but a move to fifth or better is not out of the question.

“There are a lot of teams packed in the middle to back of the Top Ten and we know we can get on a run and move up,” said Hart. “I want to get as high in the Top Ten points as possible and then make the most of the six races in the Countdown. I believe we can win from anywhere but going into the Countdown higher in the points would be ideal.”

Hart started his career racing a limited schedule and turned heads winning twice and consistently racing to the semifinals in his rookie season. Last year the entrepreneur invested heavily in his team with more parts and new trailers and took on the entire season for the first time. It was a Herculean effort for an independent team and now tackling his second full season Hart has a better understanding of what it takes to compete against the best teams in the world. There is no quit in his attitude and no one on the R+L Carriers team is discouraged.

“We have never been more focused than we are right now,” said Hart. “My crew chief Ron Douglas is putting everything into the tune-up and working with the guys on the crew. I have dedicated myself to improving my reaction times and I am seeing very positive results. We have a killer combination we just need to string together four win lights on a race day. I am so blessed to be able to come out almost every weekend and race and spend time with the fans. I am never going to take that for granted.”

During the rain delay last weekend Hart saw a handful of fans patiently waiting out the rain and he signed two rods and a blower belt for the young fans in the group. On Friday he joined NHRA announcer Jason Logan on the NHRA stage in the middle of the pits to engage fans in a light-hearted question and answer session. He participated in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge autograph session on Saturday thanks to his Sonoma Nationals semifinal finish. The continual fan interaction events have seen Hart’s popularity on the NHRA tour grow with every passing national event.

“I started out as a fan and a sportsman racer,” said Hart. “I worked my way up through the ranks and I have invested a lot of my own money and time into competing at the highest level. I know when I see fans waiting in the rain or watching us work on the car in 100 plus degree weather, I have to give them a little attention and I am happy to do it. We have some of the best fans in the world and I appreciate all the words of encouragement we have gotten all season.”

Hart will continue to listen to the cheers ramp up again this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway with two qualifying sessions on Friday followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The quickest 16 Top Fuel dragster will battle it out for the iconic Wally trophy on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. CT. The race will be televised on FOX nationally.

Lucrative purse, unique format awaits the World of Outlaws at Jackson MotorplexJACKSON, MN (August 16, 2023) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars’ Summer of Money keeps on rolling.For the next stop on the long, lucrative stretch of the season, The Greatest Show on Dirt will travel to Minnesota where Jackson Motorplex hosts the 45th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals powered by Fendt. The three-night (August 17-19) event is set to offer a pair of $10,000-to-win prelims on Thursday and Friday before Saturday’s $25,000-to-win, $2,000 to start finale. The total purse for Saturday’s Feature exceeds $100,000. Teams will tackle two nights of prelim action to help position themselves to fight on Saturday to etch their names in the history books as a Jackson Nationals champion.BUY SINGLE DAY TICKETSBUY THREE-DAY TICKET PACKAGELet’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:JACKSON JET: In recent years, Logan Schuchart and his Shark Racing #1S crew have become the team to beat whenever the World of Outlaws head to Jackson.The Hanover, PA native has won four of the last seven races contested at the Minnesota oval including the 2020 and 2021 Jackson Nationals finale. Jackson is tied as Schuchart’s winningest track in Series competition.Schuchart’s Jackson résumé also boasts consistency in addition to the wins. Over that same seven race stretch, he’s only missed the podium once and owns a 2.86 average finish.After his hopes of a Knoxville Nationals win were derailed by mechanical troubles, Schuchart hopes to rebound at one of his strongest tracks on tour.SHARK VS. BIG CAT: While Schuchart has been the man to beat recently, Brad Sweet is no slouch at Jackson.“The Big Cat” has also racked up four victories at the 4/10-mile including a 2017 Jackson Nationals title. That puts him equal with Schuchart’s total.Their four wins apiece are tied for the most in Series history at Jackson, and the duo have a trio of nights ahead to battle for superiority in the record books and Saturday’s $25,000 prize. BACK-TO-BACK: A recent trend of back-to-back winners is on the line when the Jackson Nationals begin on Thursday. Carson Macedo is the most recent victor with his 2022 Jackson Nationals title, and the eight races prior to his victory were all won in back-to-back fashion. Brad Sweet topped two straight in 2019 and 2020. Then it was Schuchart’s turn as he claimed the final two nights of the 2020 Jackson Nationals. Next up was Kerry Madsen as he opened the 2021 Jackson Nationals with two straight wins. Schuchart returned to the top after Madsen with a 2021 Jackson Nationals title and the 2022 opener. Now, Macedo has his chance at back-to-back as the 45th edition of the event begins on Thursday.800 CLUB: This past weekend David Gravel hit a notable milestone with the World of Outlaws. The 11-year veteran of the tour reached 800 career Series Feature starts with his 22nd to 2nd charge at the #NOSvilleNationals.Through his 800 starts, Gravel has notched 86 Wins (tied 9th all-time), 216 Podiums (16th all-time), 2,308 Laps Led, 106 QuickTimes, and 231 Heat Wins.The milestone comes amid Gravel’s pursuit of his first championship to add to the list of impressive numbers he’s racked up. He’s currently 14 points behind four-time and reigning champion – Brad Sweet – for the top spot.Jackson is one of few tracks Gravel has visited and hasn’t made a trip to Victory Lane, but he’s been remarkably close with five podiums including a pair of runner-ups (2019 & 2021).ROOKIE ROLL: A story that continues to evolve over the 2023 season is Giovanni Scelzi’s rookie campaign.The Fresno, CA native continues to be one of the most consistent forces on tour with only five finishes outside the top 10 in the last 26 races. Scelzi’s latest statement was a fourth place run on the sport’s grandest stage at the Knoxville Nationals. Thursday’s opener will mark Scelzi’s 200th career World of Outlaws start.He and KCP Racing’s consistency have led them to sitting fifth in points with over half of the season in the books. If Scelzi can maintain the speed they’ve shown and stay at least fifth in points, it would match the best Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finish since Stevie Smith in 1990. Advancing one more spot would equal him with Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) for the best rookie run ever.WELCOME TO THE TOUR: There’s a new name that will be following the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour for the remainder of the season beginning this weekend. Tanner Holmes has been tabbed as the pilot of the Shark Racing #1A for the duration of the 2023 campaign.The 19-year-old out of Jacksonville, OR has continued to make a name for himself over the past couple of years leading to a major opportunity on a national level in a proven ride. Last year, Jacob Allen wheeled the car to four World of Outlaws wins and a Knoxville Nationals prelim triumph.While Holmes has traveled to a certain extent over the past few years, this move marks a major shift for the driver accustomed to competing primarily along the west coast. The journey begins with his Jackson debut this weekend.If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCEWHEN AND WHEREThursday through Saturday, August 17-19 at Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, MNON THE INTERNETWorld of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (47/78 Races):1. 49 – Brad Sweet (6202PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-14PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-60PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-248PTS) 5. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-326PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-350PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-362PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-462PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-856PTS) 10. 1A – Jacob Allen (-933PTS)NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (13 Drivers):10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)6 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)5 wins – Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41)4 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24), Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S)2 wins –Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)1 win – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11), Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5)FEATURE LAPS LED (19 Drivers):219 laps – Brad Sweet193 laps – David Gravel187 laps – Carson Macedo174 laps – Rico Abreu133 laps – James McFadden97 laps – Kyle Larson96 laps – Donny Schatz93 laps – Buddy Kofoid81 laps – Logan Schuchart70 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild43 laps – Brent Marks40 laps – Spencer Bayston39 laps – Gio Scelzi24 laps – Brian Brown11 laps – Anthony Macri10 laps – Cory Eliason4 laps – Cole Macedo3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin1 lap – Austin McCarlSIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (16 Drivers):13 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo8 QuickTimes – David Gravel5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Rico Abreu, Bill Balog, Justin Peck1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, Buddy Kofoid, Gio Scelzi, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson, Brad SweetHEAT RACE WINNERS (34 Drivers):25 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo21 Heat Wins – David Gravel13 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet11 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz10 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scelzi9 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Logan Schuchart8 Heat Wins – James McFadden6 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Spencer Bayston4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks, Justin Peck3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Cory Eliason1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Tim Kaeding, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Robbie PriceTOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (37 Drivers):33 Dashes – Carson Macedo, David Gravel29 Dashes – Brad Sweet22 Dashes – Logan Schuchart20 Dashes – Gio Scelzi18 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild16 Dashes – Donny Schatz15 Dashes – Rico Abreu14 Dashes – James McFadden13 Dashes – Spencer Bayston9 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks7 Dashes – Brock Zearfoss, Cory Eliason5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Justin Peck4 Dashes – Brian Brown, Robbie Price3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Kasey Kahne, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo1 Dash – Freddie Rahmer, Devon Borden, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny VarinMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (29 Drivers):4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild3 LCS Wins – Spencer Bayston2 LCS Wins – Robbie Price, Parker Price-Miller, Noah Gass, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss1 LCS Win – Gio Scelzi, Hunter Schuerenberg, James McFadden, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Tim Estenson, Aaron Reutzel, Kerry Madsen, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Donny Schatz, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie VealKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (33 Drivers):4 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, James McFadden, Logan Schuchart2 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss, Donny Schatz, Danny Dietrich, Justin Peck, Rico Abreu, David Gravel1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Robbie Price, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Spencer Bayston, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Corey Day, Tasker Phillips, Brent MarksPODIUM FINISHES (23 Drivers):25 Podiums – David Gravel21 Podiums – Brad Sweet14 Podiums – Carson Macedo11 Podiums – Rico Abreu10 Podiums – Logan Schuchart9 Podiums – Donny Schatz7 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild6 Podiums – Buddy Kofoid, Kyle Larson5 Podiums – James McFadden, Brent Marks4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Gio Scelzi1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave BlaneyTOP 10 FINISHES (51 Drivers):42 Top 10s – David Gravel41 Top 10s – Carson Macedo, Brad Sweet34 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart32 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi31 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild29 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston26 Top 10s – James McFadden, Donny Schatz21 Top 10s – Rico Abreu18 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen11 Top 10s – Justin Peck, Brent Marks9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson7 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Kasey Kahne, Danny Dietrich5 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Zeb Wise, Freddie Rahmer, Cole Macedo1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Lance Dewease, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Tim Kaeding, Chase Randall, Shane Stewart, Dave Blaney, Larry Wight, Dale Blaney, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Corey Day, Kerry Madsen2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster team are having their patience put to the test as they head into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway looking for their first win of the season. Sitting third in points, the reigning world champions are ready to show they’ve finally turned a corner in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Force and the Monster Energy team are coming into Brainerd International Raceway off a promising runner-up finish at Heartland Motorsports Park. After qualifying eighth, Force and her Monster Energy team put on a show Sunday winning on a holeshot against four-time champion Steve Torrence and recording the second-quickest elapsed time of the weekend, falling just short in the finals. Already with four No. 1 qualifiers this season, Force is looking for her first win to solidify her team in the championship hunt. “Our Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team is ready to head to Brainerd International Raceway after a strong and eventful weekend in Topeka, Kansas. We really stepped it up on race day, ran killer all day long, went to the finals and I was strong on the tree. We didn’t get the win but we had a great weekend,” Force said. “Carrying that over to Brainerd, it just motivates you, it pumps you up. This Monster Energy team wants to win Brainerd. We’re inching closer and closer. We are so close to that first win of the season. It would be coming at the perfect time to get the win this weekend right before we head to the U.S. Nationals and these points reset for the Countdown to the Championship.” Through two days of qualifying, Force will be trying to extend to four the number of consecutive times she has qualified her Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac dragster No. 1 at Brainerd International Raceway. She’ll also be looking for her second win at the facility, her first came in 2016 after finishing runner-up in 2015. For the last two seasons, Force has made it to the semifinals and in 2021 she set the track speed record at 334.98 mph. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

NHRA^® Team Report

NHRA Nationals – Brainerd

Pre-Race Report

Cruz Pedregon and team are headed to Brainerd International Raceway with plans to use the heat-plagued conditions of the past two races as learnings for the weekend ahead in Minnesota. This track was a winner for Cruz in his early career and the place he’s twice been runner-up. So, the team and the Snap-on^® “Makers and Fixers” Dodge^® SRT^® Hellcat^® are ready to bring the heat rather than just endure it.

“We’re working hard to get it right with the challenges the heat has thrown at us,” Cruz says. “We’re going to be calling on the energy we have from four competitive runs at Night Under Fire a few weeks ago to fuel our hopes for a better performance this weekend.” 

Cruz fans will be seeing double this weekend if they travel through the Indianapolis airport. The team’s show car will be on display at the Indianapolis International Airport for the next three weeks.

For fans watching NHRA racing from stands and via the television and online broadcasts, they’ll see the name of Snap-on Nitro Franchisee Joey Roberston on the Snap-on Funny Car. Joey was an auto technician after leaving the Marine Corp, eventually becoming a Snap-on franchisee two years ago. He was even named franchise Rookie of the Year last year in his region and says he’s already been in the Top 100 franchises…something he attributes to his positive attitude. When he’s not calling on customers, you’ll likely find Joey autocross racing a car he owns, but this weekend he’ll be feeling the nitro with us here at the track. 

Along with Joey’s name, the paint scheme on Cruz’s car will honor all the “Makers & Fixers” among us and offer a call-to-action for them to share stories of their critical work at makersandfixers.com. 

NASCAR CUP SERIES INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY R.C.VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD TEAM CHEVY POLE WIN REPORT AUGUST 12, 2023 Suarez, Chevrolet Takes NASCAR Cup Series Pole at IndianapolisCamaro ZL1’s Eighth NCS Pole of 2023

·       Daniel Suarez posted a best lap of 87.968 seconds, at 99.814 mph, in the final round of qualifying to capture the pole position for tomorrow’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.   ·       The feat marks Suarez’s first NASCAR Cup Series pole win of the season; and his third career pole win in 239 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.    ·       This is Chevrolet’s eighth NASCAR Cup Series pole of the season; the manufacturer’s third NCS pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course; and its 742nd all-time pole in NASCAR’s premier series.  ·       Chevrolet drivers swept the pole wins across both of NASCAR’s top two series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with AJ Allmendinger (No. 10 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS) taking the pole for today’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 presented by Advance Auto Parts.

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP:  POS.   DRIVER1st      Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway.com Camaro ZL13rd      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL15th      Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL16th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL18th      Shane van Gisbergen, No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL19th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 TOP-FIVE UNOFFICIAL STARTING LINEUP:  POS.  DRIVER1.        Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet) 2.        Tyler Reddick (Toyota)3.        Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)4.        Michael McDowell (Ford)5.        Kyle Busch (Chevrolet)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 12, 2023) – For the third consecutive year, a Chevrolet will lead the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) field to the green flag at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Posting a best-lap of 87.968 seconds, at 99.814 mph, in the final round of qualifying; Daniel Suarez took his No. 99 Freeway.com Camaro ZL1 to the top of the speed chart to claim his first pole win of the season. The 31-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, native has proven his prowess in road course racing as a winner in NASCAR’s top series (Sonoma Raceway – June 2022), but the feat marks Suarez’s first career NCS pole win on a road course circuit.  “Today is a tribute to all the men and women at Trackhouse Racing,” said Suarez. “They gave me a rocket ship today and it feels really good to be at the front of the field. It’s good to be out front and hopefully we can stay there tomorrow.” Already with a storied history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has continued to build its legacy at the “racing capital of the world” – taking the win in the series’ two appearances on the venue’s road course. As the manufacturer looks to make it three-in-a-row at the circuit, six drivers from three different Chevrolet teams will lead the field to the green from the top-nine positions in the starting lineup. Suarez’s Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen (No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL1) will take the green flag for his second career NCS start from the eighth position. Three Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1’s posted a top-10 qualifying effort, led by Chase Elliott (No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1) in third, Kyle Larson (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1) in sixth and Alex Bowman (No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1) in ninth. Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL1) rounded out the top-five.

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Pole Win Media Availability Quotes

(NO MIC.)“I think the mentality of the No. 99 team hasn’t changed in the last couple of months. We have to continue to focus on one race at a time – try to maximize the potential of the race car and try to win a race. We had a couple of weeks that were pretty rough on us, and then we had Michigan (International Speedway) and I was pretty happy with that result, especially with the car that my team was able to bring to the track. I told my team last week – this was exactly what we needed. Just a little bit of momentum heading into road course season because we have two in a row, and here we are right now. The energy has been great. The guys have been working very hard. I’ve been working very hard and it shows. We have to continue to work and execute tomorrow.” (NO MIC.)“We spent a little bit of time in the simulator working together, but honestly, we didn’t spend as much time together working as we did for Chicago. But we did spend some time together in the simulator. It was good. I think that – between the No.1, 91 and the 99 teams – they work together to bring similar setups to the race track based on what we learn in the simulator. It was good, it was very helpful. For Shane (van Gisbergen), he’s new at this race track, so I feel like he’s been learning a lot. We’ve been here before, so he’s been learning a lot – understanding what he needs from his car to be able to go fast.” HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO WIN A POLE AT A PLACE LIKE HERE WHERE TRACK POSITION WILL BE KEY? “Yeah, you know I was rewatching the race again actually last night and track position was unbelievably important. So you have to get it anytime you can and try to keep it. I knew that Saturday was going to be extremely important for this race, and I’m glad we were able to show up with a good balanced race car and have good speed. I’m happy for that.  With that being said, we still have some work to do. I feel like our race pace actually was pretty good. I was pretty happy with the race pace. I have to meet with my team right after here and talk about what we’re going to adjust for tomorrow, but overall, I feel like the potential for our race car is pretty good. I’m happy for where we’re at and we just have to make sure we make the right adjustments and we execute tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be about execution.”  HOW DID TRACK CONDITIONS TODAY FAVOR YOUR SETUP – WERE THEY WHAT YOU EXPECTED? “Yeah know, I thought the race track was getting faster and faster. I noticed that in practice when I went out, the race track was actually getting a little bit better. But I wasn’t 100 percent sure because also the tires were getting some temperature and wear. And then the second group went a good amount faster than the first group; I was in the first group. And then at that point, I realized – you know what, maybe we’re at a little bit of a disadvantage because the race track is going to continue to get better and better.  And then we went to qualify in the first round – I put down what I thought was an OK lap. It wasn’t great, but it was good. And then in the second round, everyone was faster than that. The second round was so much faster, so I knew that the second group was just getting more speed for track positions. But then in the last round, once everyone went at the same time, I felt like that was an even field for everyone and I felt like at that point, we were able to show up in the same circumstances as everyone else and that benefited us a little bit.” TOMORROW, THE THREE GUYS THAT ARE RIGHT AROUND THE BUBBLE ARE ALL GOING TO BE STARTING IN THE TOP-10. ARE YOU GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE RACE? “I don’t care (laughs).. they have to worry about the No. 99.  I mean I say I don’t care, but in reality, I care like .5 percent (laughs), so I care very little. I knew that we were going to be good. (Michael) McDowell is a great road course driver. (Ty) Gibbs, I think he’s pretty good. He’s still learning, but he’s pretty good. I’m actually surprised AJ (Allmendinger) is not up there, as well. But no, in reality, once the race starts, I have to make sure I don’t care because I cannot control what they do or don’t do. I can only control one car, and that’s the No. 99 car. I have to put all my energy and focus into the No. 99 car, and everything else has to take care of itself. Obviously if I’m racing with them at one point in the race, I have to make sure I get them because I know one point can be a difference when we go to Daytona (International Speedway). But hopefully I can stay away from them.” YOU HAD A TREMENDOUSLY FAST CAR LAST WEEK. IT WAS FUN WATCHING YOU, AND YOU COULD DO REALLY AMAZING THINGS. JUST CURIOUS, HAS IT PULLED YOUR TEAM TOGETHER? HAS IT MADE YOU STRONGER BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN FACING ADVERSITY OF LATE TO KIND OF BATTLE THROUGH THIS AND GET TO THE OTHER SIDE SO YOU CAN GET BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE?“You know, I think that my racing has come through a lot of adversity this year. We have had a few mistakes on execution. I have made some mistakes. In the first quarter of the year, we were extremely fast, but we were making a lot of mistakes – in execution and myself. We were not having clean weekends. And then we started getting cleaner and then the speed wasn’t there anymore. You have to have everything together and it’s not easy. It’s not easy to put everything together. I can tell you in the last few weeks, it’s been tough at Trackhouse. I say that they’ve been tough because we’ve had long meetings – we’ve had difficult conversations to be better because we showed up a few weekends and we were not good at all. Pretty much after Nashville (Superspeedway), if you look at our results, they were not very good.. besides Atlanta (Motor Speedway) where we finished second. But overall, we needed more speed. We were lacking some speed, so we had to go to work and we had to get out of our comfortable zone. We had to get out of that box. I’m really proud of how we’ve been reacting to that and it’s definitely showing the last couple of weeks.” I EXPECT YOU TO BE FAST. YOU EXPECT TO BE FAST IN THE NEXT TWO RACES ON ROAD COURSES. YOU HAD A CAREER-BEST SEVENTH-PLACE FINISH AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY TO KICK-OFF THE SEASON. CAN YOU KIND OF REPEAT THAT TYPE OF PERFORMANCE, OR DO YOU THINK THAT RACE BEING THE CUT-OFF WILL BE SO CHAOTIC THAT IT’S GOING TO BE EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF?“Honestly, I’m not thinking that far ahead. But I think Daytona (International Speedway) is going to be a little bit more crazy than before because there’s so many good drivers, good teams, good cars that are on that bubble. I mean you have the No. 48 (Alex Bowman), the No. 9 (Chase Elliott), myself, the No. 54 (Ty Gibbs) – you just have too many. We talk a lot about manufacturers working together, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to work together. But if I can beat the No. 9 and the No. 48, that would be nice too because they’re right there in the fight. It’s one of those things where we’re going to have to wait and see. Hopefully, knock-on-wood, we execute tomorrow and we don’t have to worry about it. That would be the plan. I would love to kiss those bricks downstairs.” YOU LEAD THE FIELD TO THE GREEN ON THE FIRST START WITH THE NEW ZONE AND THE RULES OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE LANES AFTER YOU EXIT THE ZONES. DO YOU HAVE A GOOD FEELING OF WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, OR IS IT STILL A LITTLE BIT OF A MYSTERY? “I think I have an idea of what is going to happen, but the reality is that I’m really looking forward to watching the Xfinity Series race and see how that works. That’s going to give me a better idea of how things are going to work, even though the cars are very different. We’ll see.. we’ll see how things work. I can tell you that there’s one place to be to try to figure it out and it’s in the front, so I think I’m in a good position to be able to go out there and try to take advantage of things. Hopefully we can learn and adapt as quick as possible of that new restart zone.” THIS RACE OFTEN COMES DOWN TO THE RESTARTS AT THE END. HOW DO YOU REALLY GET PREPARED FOR THAT AND ALL THE CONTACT THAT USUALLY HAPPENS WITH THAT HARD RIGHT-HANDER INTO TURN ONE? “Yeah, I mean it’s difficult because I feel like in the past, in my opinion, we’ve done too much of that. I was rewatching the race last night and like I said, it was a little bit too much – too much contact, too much bumping cars, in my opinion. That’s why we had some good conversations with NASCAR, and we were able to together come up with the idea of moving the restart zone to provide better racing. The fans – they love action and they love excitement, but there is a line, too. I felt like last year, in the last couple of races, we crossed the line. It was a little bit too much.. it wasn’t real anymore. But I’m glad we did it and we’ll find out how things work out. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be much cleaner than what we’ve seen in the past. How much? We’re going to find out, but I think it’s going to be much cleaner.”