‘UNBELIEVABLE’: Jose Parga Headlines DIRTcar Fall Nationals After Near-Perfect, 19-Win Season

LINCOLN, IL (Sept. 22, 2023) – Can you imagine a 90 percent win record in a season? How about racing from April to October, on different track, against the best around, and only losing twice?

To most, those are video game-like numbers. For Jose Parga, it’s reality.

The 26-year-old DIRTcar Pro Late Model standout from New Berlin, IL, has won 19 of the 21 DIRTcar-sanctioned events he’s entered this year. When asked to how to describe this dream season, Parga paused… trying grasp its enormity.

“It’s unbelievable, really,” he said.

Now, the hunt for win #20 of the season continues during the 2023 DIRTcar Fall Nationals – Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 28-30 – where he’ll also wrap up his fourth career DIRTcar national points championship. Parga will take on the quarter-mile Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL, going for a season-milestone victory at a track he’s won four times at this year.

“I’m really hoping we can get that 20th win so we can get it out of the way and be done,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting there Thursday and trying a few things that we’ve been wanting to try all year in a little test session there.”

Parga had not lost a single race all season until two weeks ago when flat tires ruined his winning streak for two straight nights. Prior, he’d put together a streak of 19 victories in 19 starts – a division record, one the DIRTcar world may never see the likes of again.

“I’ve always been [taught] that if you work hard at something, you get what you want,” Parga said. “Obviously, you want to win every race, but it’s kind of crazy – I would have never thought I would have come close to winning as much races as I’ve raced.

“I’ve only lost twice this year. I would have never thought of that.”

Now 19-for-21 on the season, the big question remains – how did he do it?

“I’ve had a good car, and I feel like it’s a lot of me and the car [meshing] together – my driving style and how this car likes to be driven,” Parga said. “It works so good together, and we’re tough to beat right now.”

Over the winter, the team made a switch in chassis manufacturer. Parga’s cousin, Brandon Sheppard, had made the jump from Rocket to Longhorn Chassis, and Parga considered following suit. That was until Tennessee Super Late Model racer Cory Hedgecock – Parga’s Crate engine builder – offered him a deal on a frame from his new brand – BMF Race Cars.

Right out of the gate, the JLP Concrete, BMF/Eagle #6P was fast, notching five wins in five races in April. From there on out, the hours put in the shop carried them to an incredible win streak.

“We just made sure we were 100 percent ready each and every week,” Parga said. “We don’t half-ass our operation. If we’re not 100 percent ready and know that we’re ready and have no excuses, we just won’t go. That’s really kind of been the main thing – our preparation.”

Looking back, Parga and his team never once imagined this would be their reality. It’s a streak and season other drivers only dream about. And It’s not over yet. He still wants more.

“Sitting down at the beginning of the year, we had expectations to just win some races and see what we could do,” Parga said. “We didn’t know if we were going to struggle or not.

“To win like we’ve been doing is unbelievable.”

Catch Parga in the DIRTcar Pro Late Model division at the DIRTcar Fall Nationals at Lincoln Speedway next Thu-Sat night, Sept. 28-30. Tickets will be on sale at the gate. For more information, visit DIRTcar.com/Events/DIRTcar-Fall-Nationals.

July & August 2023

We are little behind on our updates. So bare with me while I catch you up.

We kicked July of with 3 events, a parade & and display. First stop was Lonesome Pine Speedway for a sold out night monster truck racing, 2 wheels and freestyle. RJ drove War Wizard in to the winners circle in racing and freestyle.

Next stop would be Site Worx Construction for customer appreciation day. With great hospitality, food, and great fans we signed autographs for better part of the day. This was a warm up to leading into the Warsaw Fair kick off parade. Sunday we loaded up and greeted all the wonderful town folks sitting on the side of the road as the parade to the fair started.

Once the parade was over we geared up for a night of fun at the fair with 7 of the baddest monsters in the industry. With true grace RJ drove

The ole Wizard into the winner circle yet again, and splitting the freestyle win with Overkill Evolution. We sent both trucks out for a dual freestyle making the fans the real winners of the event.

The final stop for July was Evansville, IN. Where we hand our hands full with 14 monster trucks to battle for the winners title. Out of 14 trucks we managed to land in the top 5 trucks in the competitions.

Next up August! First stop Little Valley, NY for 2 days of high energy monster truck action. Day one our team won racing and yet again split the freestyle win with Overkill Evolution. Day 2 was a little rougher but we managed to make all the fans happy with all the trucks putting on a great show. Next stop was a small town of Mannington, WV. Two days of exhibition freestyle for the community during the fair. Then we rounded out the month at the Appalachian Fair in Tennessee. Two fun filled nights of great family fun.

5006 General Stuart CT. Sharpsburg, MD 21782 Office: 407-314-6936 wwr@warwizardracing.com

Being the original hometown track for War Wizard, RJ was on a mission to win everything. He was nudge out of the 2 wheel skill by Overkill Evolution but brought home the wins in racing and freestyle both nights. It was a great way to round out the month.

5006 General Stuart CT. Sharpsburg, MD 21782 Office: 407-314-6936 wwr@warwizardracing.com

September 21, 2023

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed into this weekend’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway with an eye on the future.

Crew chief Jeremy Bullins said the DEX Imaging team plans to spend the remainder of the 2023 season putting themselves in position to dramatically improve their performance next year.
 
“For our team headed to Texas, we are just trying to learn and look ahead to next year as we continue to work with Harrison and understand what he’s looking for from our cars to find speed,” Bullins said. “Obviously, a year from now we want to be in the Playoffs, so we need to approach this week as an opportunity to learn as much as we can and have some good notes to work from.”
 
Bullins said that while the results don’t reflect it, he and Burton have made significant gains since Bullins returned to the Wood Brothers No. 21 team where he started his Cup Series career. 
 
Burton has qualified near the back all three weeks, but the team has found speed as the races unfolded, allowing him to work his way into the upper half of the field only to lose positions due to crashes and other issues before the conclusion of the races.
 
“Bristol was our third race working with Harrison, and while the starting positions or finishing positions won’t show it, we have made a ton of progress during the races,” he said. “We feel like some good finishes are right around the corner if we can get some momentum going before the season ends.”
 
Practice for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 is set for Saturday at 11:35 a.m. Central Daylight Time (12:35 Eastern) and will be followed immediately by qualifying.
 
Sunday’s 267-lap race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern) with TV coverage by USA Network.
 
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 80 and 160.

 

CHEVROLET IN NHRA 2023 BETWAY NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS zMAX DRAGWAY CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2023 CHEVROLET TEAMS CONTINUE COUNTDOWN CHASE AT ZMAX DRAGWAY NEAR CHARLOTTE DETROIT (September 21, 2023) – Racing into the second 2023 NHRA Countdown to the Championship event, the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, Chevrolet drivers and teams of Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock look to the wrap the weekend in the winner’s circle as the Bowtie brand marches toward a 28th Manufacturers Cup. Aaron Stanfield enters the event having his sights set on defending last year’s Pro Stock win while coming off of his FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown victory in Reading this past weekend. Additionally in the Pro Stock pits, Erica Enders looks to capture a back-to-back No. 1 qualifier at Charlotte after her 2022 qualifying run of 6.510 ET at 212.46 MPH. Seeking the winner’s circle at the end of the weekend, Enders additionally stands to achieve the major milestone of becoming the winningest woman in NHRA history near Charlotte. On the nitro side of the NHRA pits, John Force Racing team owner and Funny Car pilot John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, also enters the weekend defending a No. 1 qualifier from 2022’s event. Setting the field at the top of the leaderboard last year with a qualifying run of 3.854 ET at 330.47 MPH, With eyes set on Charlotte, Force said of this weekend’s race, “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.” Coming off a back-to-back victory most recently this week at Maple Grove Raceway, Force’s teammate Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, leads the Countdown to the Championship and looks to Charlotte to continue preservation of the points lead. “We’re on a good roll right now. But we have to stay humble,” said Hight. “Last weekend was great, but it could have easily gone another way. This Cornwell Tools Chevrolet team has to keep working hard. This is the toughest Funny Car has ever been and it’s going to take major, major work to win this championship. I said it before, but I think we’ll need three or four wins to win the championship. We have one down, and I’d give us an A+ for last weekend, but we’ve got five to go and we have to put last weekend behind us to get ready for Charlotte.” With an impressive 335.65 MPH run at 3.668 ET last year, Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster at John Force Racing, qualified No. 2 at zMAX Dragway. Also still seeking her first win of the season, it could be the momentum swing needed at a critical time with just five races left in the Countdown to the Championship. “This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte,” said B. Force. “We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that.” Currently idle, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown COPO Camaro competitors return to the track at World Wide Technology Raceway for the upcoming NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023. The 2023 betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. kicks off Friday with qualifying, airing Saturday, Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday’s qualifying broadcasts Sunday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1, with Eliminations following at 2 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend via NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte. We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do. We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that. Nothing has changed in our game plan, we need to qualify well, get some of those small bonus points and then go rounds on Sunday. A lot can change with one good weekend. Excited to see what this Flav-R-Pac team can do.” Austin Prock, driver of the Rocky Mountain Twist / Montana Brands Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“We’re ready to start our rebound this weekend at zMAX Dragway. I believe this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team has all the tools we need to succeed, we just need to put them to work. I’m hoping we put on just as good of a show as we did in the spring. Can’t wait to get started.” John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for John Force Racing:“I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there. We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”  Camrie Caruso, driver of the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stock car for KB Titan Racing:“I felt really good going into race day in Reading and I have a race car that can go rounds. This class is crazy competitive, but this Tequila Comisario Camaro make some great runs on Sunday and I think we can step it up in Charlotte. I love racing at zMax Dragway and I know we’ll have a ton of support in the stands. The all-star callout win was big for our team and KB Titan Racing. Going into the semifinals it was me and three Elite Motorsports Pro Stock cars. I knew I needed to step up for KB Titan Racing and was really glad to get that win. There is a great rivalry between these two teams and we want to do our part to keep turning on win lights for KB Titan Racing.” “I was bummed we didn’t get that second-round win in Reading. I was out in front most of the race and then I just started drifting to the centerline and when that happens you have to lift. At over 200-mph you have to check your ego sometimes and live to race another day. We will be ready for Charlotte and I can’t wait to get on the track on Friday night.”

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:1,437: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).617: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 624.377: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 258 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).158: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.81: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time).78: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.46: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.18: Number of Pro Stock championships.20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 925 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule. 624: Robert Hight achieved 617 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 624. 449: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record from 448 to 449 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA. 138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 122 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (Funny Car, 166) on the list. 274: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 274 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 283). 65: Robert Hight moved into the top-10 in 10th on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Reading with 64. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65. 47: Erica Enders has 46 career NHRA victories (45 Pro Stock, one Super Gas; all with Chevrolet). Her first win in Pro Stock came at Chicago, 2012, and her last win at Topeka, 2023 in Pro Stock. Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) and Enders are tied as the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.  18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 46) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead. 6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10. Enders currently holds five Pro Stock championships, the most of any female in NHRA. 3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, two championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, five) is the leader.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster team sit only 71 points back from the points lead as they head to the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway looking for a win to set them up for a run at their third Top Fuel championship. Force and the Flav-R-Pac team have reached the Carolina Nationals finals twice in 2018 and 2021 both times they were also the No 1 qualifiers for the event. The two-time championship team has qualified no worse than third in their last four starts at the fall event at zMAX and they also have three No. 1 starts at the Four-Wide spring event. Last year, as the No. 2 qualifiers for the Carolina Nationals, Force had a quarterfinal exit. “This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is looking forward to getting to Charlotte. We’ve been making progress and I know we’re all eager to keep it going. Having these three races back-to-back to start the Countdown allows you to build momentum and that’s exactly what we’re looking to do,” Force said. “We’ve had success at zMAX, a couple wins and setting the track record earlier this year, we’re hoping to add to that. Nothing has changed in our game plan, we need to qualify well, get some of those small bonus points and then go rounds on Sunday. A lot can change with one good weekend. Excited to see what this Flav-R-Pac team can do.” The Flav-R-Pac team is looking for their first win of the season despite not falling below seventh in the point standings and sitting as high as third for four weekends. The performance has been there for the reigning world champions with four No. 1 qualifying positions at Gainesville Raceway, both Four-Wide events in Las Vegas and Charlotte and Bandimere Speedway in Denver, a recent final-round appearance at the event in Topeka, Kansas and four semifinal finishes. They’ll look to capitalize on that performance this weekend for Force’s 17th career victory. Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Sep 14, 2023 | Featured, Megan Meyer, Special Announcements

Lucas Oil, a leading manufacturer of high-performance engine oils and lubricants, has partnered with two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Megan Meyer and Shop Squad to reward the next generation of auto repair technicians. Lucas Oil will contribute Slick Mist detailing kits that will join the list of prizes going to winners of Shop Squad’s monthly giveaway, which student technicians can enter now through December 2023. 

Shop Squad is a community created by NGK Spark Plugs to advance the auto repair industry through training, resources, dialogue, and more. The Shop Squad online portal offers on-demand educational materials, as well as live webinars, all at no cost.  

“We recognized the potential to reach the automotive technician student base and recognize them through Megan’s platform,” said Jacklyn Donahue, Group Marketing Manager, Niterra North America. “We are so excited for Lucas Oil, another brand powerhouse, to join us in this effort. We believe, undoubtedly that working together, all of the brands, including our NHRA world champion, Megan Meyer, will help us all achieve this common goal.”

One of the Shop Squad programs is this year’s Student Tech Appreciation Contest. Each month, Meyer selects a winning student technician to win a prize pack, which includes VIP tickets to Randy Meyer Racing’s races, a Shop Squad and NGK kit, a BOXO Tools 21-piece socket set, a set of GUNK degreasing wipes, and now a Lucas Oil Slick Mist detailing kit. 

“We’ve been able to reach multiple colleges nationwide this year to share the Shop Squad’s free platform and private community for tech students,” Meyer said, “but my favorite part is hearing the reaction of the winners I get to pick each month and then seeing them come out to the races. Most of our winners so far have never been to a drag race before, so it brings a new perspective to us who’ve been doing it for decades. We love sharing our world with them and we wouldn’t get that opportunity if it wasn’t for Shop Squad.”

Lucas Oil has been a longtime partner of Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team going back to the beginning of her racing career in the Jr. Dragster ranks. The brand supported her as she pursued multiple Top Alcohol Dragster world championships before stepping away from full-time competition to start a family. She’s back this season as the driver of the GUNK/Shop Squad A/Fuel dragster in the Nitro Chaos championship series. Lucas Oil is once again represented on the side of Meyer’s dragster, and the company was quick to get involved with the Shop Squad Student Tech Appreciation Contest. 

“Lucas Oil is proud to be a part of the Shop Squad student tech contest. We feel this program aligns with us and the future students in the industry,” said Brandon Bernstein, Director of Partnership Marketing at Lucas Oil.

The Student Tech Appreciation Contest has already awarded prize packages to students from Lincoln Tech (NADC) in Nashville, UNOH, Pittsburg State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, and more. Students can enter the giveaway by filling out the form on the Student Tech Appreciation Giveway landing page here >>> https://ngksparkplugs63323.ac-page.com/student-tech-contest 

Kevin Root watches as his son, Nicholas, follows in his racing footsteps of dirt Modified racing

OSWEGO, NY (SEPT. 21, 2023) – Kevin Root doesn’t have to search far for opportunities to spend time with his 15-year-old son Nicholas.

While Kevin is in the garage working on his Big Block Modified, Nicholas is a step away wrenching on his own Sportsman.

Kevin rose through the dirt Modified ranks, earning back-to-back DIRTcar Sportsman titles in 2018 and 2019, before making the jump to Big Block Modifieds. Now, he’s helping his son do the same.

The father-son duo, of Geneva, NY, compete weekly at Land of Legends Raceway, while also dappling in Series events. Kevin – a former full-time Super DIRTcar Series competitor – has made three starts with the premier Big Block Modified series this year and Nicholas has competed with the DIRTcar Sportsman Series. Both will also compete at Super DIRT Week 51 (Oct. 2-8).

Nicholas started his career in go-karts about five years ago, but it didn’t last long. The younger Root ultimately preferred to work on the cars, rather than drive them. However, that changed in 2021.

When Kevin brought his Sportsman to Paradise Speedway in Geneva, NY – down the road from their house – for practice laps, the younger Root asked if he could give it a try.

“Nicholas asked to jump in it and once he jumped in it, that was the end of it,” Kevin said. “He wanted to race.”

It almost felt like second nature to the high schooler.

“I’ve always been around it and I liked watching,” Nicholas said. “I didn’t really know how to drive a car. But after I got in it, I was feeling pretty confident, and I really wanted to do it. My father gave me the opportunity and put me in the car.”

Kevin decided to try his hand in a Big Block Modified on the Super DIRTcar Series tour in 2022, leaving his Sportsman open for use. Nicholas took the challenge to pilot his dad’s car and ran his first full season at Land of Legends Raceway the same season, finishing 11th in points.

This season, he showed significant improvement, finishing fourth in track points with one win, four top fives and 10 top 10s in 14 starts. He also scored a win at Brewerton Speedway.

“We definitely did good,” Nicholas said. “We got our first win (at Land of Legends), and another one at Brewerton. We had one DNF so that didn’t really help us in points, but we stayed in the top-five and that was our main goal this year.”

The success does not come without taking on a relentless schedule. Kevin works full-time as the manager of Scott Jeffrey’s Performance Store, and his son goes to school during the day followed by his part-time job after school. The two end their day by spending long nights in their shop, working on their respective vehicles.

“It’s long and tiring,” Kevin said. “We’re exhausted but we keep going and we don’t give up…We find a way to get everything done and get it done the right way. We go the extra mile if we have to. We’ll deal with being tired and get some sleep when we can.”

The father-son tandem is hoping their long nights in the shop will pay off when they make their trip north to Oswego Speedway for Super DIRT Week 51. Kevin will be back behind the wheel of his #34 Big Block, looking to make the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 for the third straight year. Nicholas qualified for the Chevrolet Performance 75 in his first attempt last year and finished 17th.

“Our goals, first of all, is to get in the shows,” Kevin said. “We would love to get a top 10 in the Big Block. As far as [Nicholas], I think he can win Oswego. With his capability, and the car, and him as a driver, I think he could win. My expectations for him are high. Not to put anything on his shoulders, but I think he knows that he has a good enough car that he could go out and win some races.”

For tickets to Super DIRT Week 51 at Oswego Speedway, CLICK HERE.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team enter this weekend’s betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway sitting eighth in the NHRA points standings, just 131 points back from the lead with five races left in the Countdown to the Championship. Prock and the Montana Brand team came up with the only Top Fuel win for JFR so far this season at zMAX Dragway in April, doubling up with teammate Robert Hight in Funny Car. After qualifying seventh, the Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam led Montana Brand team outran Leah Pruett, Josh Hart and Steve Torrence in the final quad. Last year at the Carolina Nationals, Prock qualified 10th but lost in the first round. The result didn’t stop the young team’s momentum, jumping from 12th in the points to finish the season third. “We’re ready to start our rebound this weekend at zMAX Dragway. I believe this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team has all the tools we need to succeed, we just need to put them to work,” Prock said. “I’m hoping we put on just as good of a show as we did in the spring. Can’t wait to get started.” In addition to their win at the Four-Wide event at zMAX in the spring, the Montana Brand team also made it to the finals of the Winternationals in Pomona, California and earned a No. 1 qualifying position at the Sonoma Nationals in July. Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Entering as the points leaders by three, Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team will look to carry over the momentum and consistency they’ve built into this weekend’s betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. Hight’s chances of building his points lead are favorable at zMAX Dragway. Hight has won at the facility a career-high seven times, four in the Carolina Nationals (2009, 2013, 2017, 2019), and three in the spring Four-Wide event. Despite his success at the Carolina Nationals, it is the only event in the series where he has not started race day from No. 1. He has started from No. 1 in the spring event three times, but his best starting position in the fall has been No. 2. After winning the Four-Wide in April this year, Hight will attempt to win both North Carolina races in the same season for the first time. Hight earned his three-point lead in the standings with a victory at last weekend’s event at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania where he knocked off heavy hitters Matt Hagan and Ron Capps. In addition to a victory at the opening event of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship and the Four-Wide at zMAX in the spring, Hight also has a win at the Arizona Nationals and a runner-up finish at Brainerd International Raceway. “We’re on a good roll right now. But we have to stay humble. Last weekend was great, but it could have easily gone another way,” Hight said. “This Cornwell Tools team has to keep working hard. This is the toughest Funny Car has ever been and it’s going to take major, major work to win this championship. I said it before, but I think we’ll need three or four wins to win the championship. We have one down, and I’d give us an A+ for last weekend, but we’ve got five to go and we have to put last weekend behind us to get ready for Charlotte.” Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

JOHN FORCE AND PEAK CHEVY LOOKING FORA TURNAROUND AT CAROLINA NATIONALS

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team are only 129 points out of the Funny Car points lead. With five races still left in the Countdown to the Championship, the gap could easily be closed with a solid weekend at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway just outside of Charlotte. Force will be competing on a track where he has had recent success, qualifying No. 1 in four of his last five starts including two straight No. 1s in the Carolina Nationals. In addition to his recent dominance in qualifying, he is the track record holder at 3.850 seconds (April 29, 2022) as well as the event record holder (3.854 on Sept. 23, 2022). Force won the Carolina Nationals in 2016 but he has won the companion event, the Four-Wide Nationals in the spring, three times (2010, 2021 and 2022). In 2022 at the Carolina Nationals, after qualifying No. 1, Force went on to a semifinal finish, losing to eventual race winner and reigning world champ Ron Capps. “I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there,” Force said. “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”   Force is looking for his first win of the season as he enters the weekend sitting No. 9 in the Countdown to the Championship. His best performances so far in 2023 were a No. 1 start at the Northwest Nationals near Seattle and a runner-up finish to Bob Tasca III in the New England Nationals, which began in Epping, New Hampshire but finished in Bristol, Tennessee. Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

September 21, 2023 — SAKURA, JAPAN & SANTA CLARITA, CA

• HPD becomes HRC US to play integral role in Honda’s global motorsports programs
• HRC Japan & US will collaborate to strengthen Honda’s global motorsports competitiveness

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in Sakura, Japan, and Honda Performance Development (HPD) in Santa Clarita, CA, jointly announced today that HPD will formally become Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) starting with the 2024 motorsports season. With this change, HRC US will play an integral role in Honda’s global motorsports activities, which includes contributing to the company’s Formula One (F1) program.

Collaborating as one global HRC entity, the two independent racing arms of Honda will combine their unique expertise and resources to strengthen Honda’s overall motorsports capabilities.

HRC was established in Japan in 1982 as Honda’s motorcycle racing arm, and is recognized for more than 40 years of championship racing heritage in pinnacle global racing categories such as WGP/MotoGP, Superbike, Motocross, World Trial and the Paris Dakar rally.  In 2022, HRC added auto racing including Honda’s F1 program to its responsibilities, with the Sakura Center dedicated for auto racing and Asaka Center focused on motorcycle racing.

HPD was established by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1993, as a separate racing arm to compete in the IndyCar series. For 30 years, HPD has competed in various racing series including IndyCar, IMSA, Baja Off-Road, Touring Cars, and Formula Regional America. Through HPD, Honda has 280 wins from 510 races in IndyCar competition, including 180 wins from 410 events with multi-manufacturer competitions. At the Indianapolis 500, Honda has won 15 times, nine with multi-manufacturer competition. Honda has won 13 Drivers’ Championships and 10 Manufacturers’ Championships in years with multi-manufacturer competition. HPD also has led the Acura brand to three consecutive wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and three IMSA Manufacturers’, Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships since 2018.

HRC’s auto racing development center in Japan currently supports Red Bull Powertrains for F1 power units and contribute to world championship victories. Starting in 2026, HRC will partner with the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 team as the official engine supplier. With three F1 races now in the U.S. (Austin, Miami, Las Vegas), the new HRC US will be involved in Formula One power unit development and race support starting in 2026.

“Our goal is to increase the HRC brand and sustain the success of our racing activities and we believe that uniting Honda motorsports globally as one racing organization will help achieve that,” said Koji Watanabe, the president of HRC Japan. “Our race engineers in the U.S. and Japan will be stronger together and I am so happy to welcome our U.S. associates to the HRC team.”

“Honda’s racing heritage is unparalleled and over the last 30 years and the talented men and women of HPD have contributed to that success in the U.S.,” said David Salters, president of HPD, who will become president of the new HRC US. “We are thrilled and very proud to join forces with our friends and colleagues in HRC Japan and represent Honda Racing as a global racing organization. We will continue to challenge ourselves in U.S. motorsports activities even as we develop our people and technology to compete on a rapidly changing global motorsports stage.”

The 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona, scheduled for January 27-28, will mark the inaugural race for the new HRC US, with the defending champion Acura ARX-06 prototypes to sport HRC logos on their racing liveries.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team are only 129 points out of the Funny Car points lead. With five races still left in the Countdown to the Championship, the gap could easily be closed with a solid weekend at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway just outside of Charlotte. Force will be competing on a track where he has had recent success, qualifying No. 1 in four of his last five starts including two straight No. 1s in the Carolina Nationals. In addition to his recent dominance in qualifying, he is the track record holder at 3.850 seconds (April 29, 2022) as well as the event record holder (3.854 on Sept. 23, 2022). Force won the Carolina Nationals in 2016 but he has won the companion event, the Four-Wide Nationals in the spring, three times (2010, 2021 and 2022). In 2022 at the Carolina Nationals, after qualifying No. 1, Force went on to a semifinal finish, losing to eventual race winner and reigning world champ Ron Capps. “I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there,” Force said. “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”   Force is looking for his first win of the season as he enters the weekend sitting No. 9 in the Countdown to the Championship. His best performances so far in 2023 were a No. 1 start at the Northwest Nationals near Seattle and a runner-up finish to Bob Tasca III in the New England Nationals, which began in Epping, New Hampshire but finished in Bristol, Tennessee. Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team are only 129 points out of the Funny Car points lead. With five races still left in the Countdown to the Championship, the gap could easily be closed with a solid weekend at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway just outside of Charlotte. Force will be competing on a track where he has had recent success, qualifying No. 1 in four of his last five starts including two straight No. 1s in the Carolina Nationals. In addition to his recent dominance in qualifying, he is the track record holder at 3.850 seconds (April 29, 2022) as well as the event record holder (3.854 on Sept. 23, 2022). Force won the Carolina Nationals in 2016 but he has won the companion event, the Four-Wide Nationals in the spring, three times (2010, 2021 and 2022). In 2022 at the Carolina Nationals, after qualifying No. 1, Force went on to a semifinal finish, losing to eventual race winner and reigning world champ Ron Capps. “I love coming to Charlotte, zMAX Dragway, the Bellagio of drag strips. It’s Bruton Smith’s legacy. Now his son, Marcus, is carrying it over. It’s something else getting to race there,” Force said. “We’re in the Countdown now. One race down. This weekend will be important. We all know it and we’re ready. It will be exciting. Exciting for the racers, teams, and sponsors but exciting for the fans who get to see it all happen, too.”   Force is looking for his first win of the season as he enters the weekend sitting No. 9 in the Countdown to the Championship. His best performances so far in 2023 were a No. 1 start at the Northwest Nationals near Seattle and a runner-up finish to Bob Tasca III in the New England Nationals, which began in Epping, New Hampshire but finished in Bristol, Tennessee. Competition at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will begin with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Eliminations will be run Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and include two qualifying shows on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations coverage will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.

MOORESVILLE, NC (September 21, 2023) — Camrie Caruso has made North Carolina her second home for several years since she started her professional drag racing career. The third generation drag racer from New York state will always call the northeast home, but she is becoming more and more comfortable at zMax Dragway with every passing national event. The 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year is also getting more comfortable behind the wheel of her Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro with KB Titan Racing power and this weekend at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals Caruso, will be looking to make more of a statement during the second race of the Countdown.

Camrie Caruso and Tequila Comisario Camaro execute burnout at Maple Grove Raceway, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts

 
“I felt really good going into race day in Reading and I have a race car that can go rounds,” said Caruso, who picked up her first Countdown round win last weekend. “This class is crazy competitive, but this Tequila Comisario Camaro make some great runs on Sunday and I think we can step it up in Charlotte. I love racing at zMax Dragway and I know we’ll have a ton of support in the stands.”
 
This weekend Caruso will also be representing a local company that is also bringing some female horsepower to the table. Genevieve Aesthetics will be branded on Caruso’s race car for the weekend. Company owner and founder Genny Sears specializes in nonsurgical aesthetics and rejuvenation.
 
“I have a passion for helping my patients feel like the most beautiful and confident versions of themselves. I love entrepreneurship and I love drag racing. I talked with Camrie and I saw how passionate she was and I wanted to get involved. I can’t wait to get to the track and see her race.”
 
Genevieve Aesthetics provides a more personalized, customized approach to facial aesthetics with a vision for a high-end, boutique, personalized, modern space where facial aesthetics is prioritized. There is also an emphasis on integrating a wellness approach and aesthetics.

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

 
This season has been a breakout year for Caruso who picked up her first career Pro Stock win at the Arizona Nationals and then a few weeks later turned head by winning the first Pro Stock Allstar Callout event during the Gerber Collision & Glass Rt. 66 Nationals in Chicago. In the eight-car all-star format Caruso was called out twice and took the victory for her Tequlia Comisario and KB Titan Racing team.
 
“The all-star callout win was big for our team and KB Titan Racing,” said Caruso. “Going into the semifinals it was me and three Elite Motorsports Pro Stock cars. I knew I needed to step up for KB Titan Racing and was really glad to get that win. There is a great rivalry between these two teams and we want to do our part to keep turning on win lights for KB Titan Racing.”
 
Last weekend at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Caruso battled through two tough days of qualifying to enter the race as the No. 12 qualifier. Caruso knew she needed to be at the top of her game and that her race car was coming around. She earned the upset win over No. 5 qualifier and fellow Countdown competitor Deric Kramer. In the second round she faced Matt Hartford. It was a close race that did not go Caruso’s way as Hartford would go on to win the event. Caruso was first off the line and was in great shape for the win before her car started drifting to the center line.
 
“I was bummed we didn’t get that second round win in Reading,” said Caruso. “I was out in front most of the race and then I just started drifting to the centerline and when that happens you have to lift. At over 200-mph you have to check your ego sometimes and live to race another day. We will be ready for Charlotte and I can’t wait to get on the track on Friday night.”
 
Caruso and the Tequila Comisario Camaro will get one qualifying run on Friday at 6 p.m. and then two qualifying runs on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET. On Sunday the quickest 16 door-slammer Pro Stock cars will start their eliminations at approximately noon ET. The race will be televised on FS1 nationally.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

Texas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, TexasSeptember 23-24, 2023

THE START OF THE ROUND OF 12Four Team Chevy drivers will continue in the race for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Championship with Texas Motor Speedway set to host the first stop in the Round of 12. The 1.5-mile oval sets up the most diverse trio of tracks in the series’ postseason with NASCAR’s longest oval of Talladega Superspeedway and the 2.28-mile, 17-turn Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course making up the Round of 12.  With the playoff standings reset, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron regained the top position in the standings with a 25-point cushion over the cutline. The 25-year-old Charlotte native heads to Texas Motor Speedway with added confidence – earning a win and three top-three finishes on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Byron’s teammate Kyle Larson sits fourth in the standings and 12-points above the cutline. Larson’s one win at Texas Motor Speedway came in 2021 – a victory that earned his spot into the Championship Four race that led to his first career title. Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch also enters the next round above the cutline in the sixth position. Despite a disappointing opening round, the Las Vegas native knows how to navigate his way around Texas Motor Speedway – leading the series’ active drivers with four wins at the track. While on the outside looking in, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain is currently only three-points outside of the playoff picture.

·       Larson Proves to be Championship Contender in Opening RoundLarson’s pursuit in becoming a repeat champion in NASCAR’s premier series started early in the postseason stretch – earning the first ticket into the Round of 12 with a win in the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway. The 31-year-old California native followed up the win with a championship-caliber performance in the next two races – finishing no lower than fourth and earning an average finish of 2.33 in the first three postseason races. With his runner-up finish at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend, the Team Chevy driver has recorded a series-leading 13 top-five finishes in 29 points-paying races – a percentage of 44.8%.

A look at Team Chevy’s playoff contenders heading into the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 at Texas Motor Speedway:

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings; 25-points above the cutlineVictories: 5 (series-leading)Top-Fives: 10Top-10s: 15Laps Led: 877 (series-leading)Average Finish: 12.5Stage Wins: 8 (series-leading) At Texas Motor Speedway: Top-Fives: 1Top-10s: 4Average Finish: 13.5 Of Note: ·       The 2023 season marks Byron’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs. ·       Bryon’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2022, finishing the season sixth in the final points standings.·       Among Byron’s nine career wins in NASCAR’s premier series, five have come at tracks in the playoffs, including each of the final four races.·       While he was eliminated in the Round of Eight last season, it’s projected to be his strongest trio of tracks in the post-season – having found victory lane at all three venues (Las Vegas Motor Speedway – March 2023; Homestead-Miami Speedway – Feb. 2021; Martinsville Speedway – April 2022).

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings; 12-points above the cutlineVictories: 3Top-Fives: 13 (series-leading)Top-10s: 15Laps Led: 798Average Finish: 14.6Stage Wins: 4 At Texas Motor Speedway: Wins: 1Top-Fives: 4Top-10s: 6Average Finish: 17.8 Of Note: ·       The 2023 season marks Larson’s seventh appearance in the NCS playoffs. ·       Larson has one NCS Regular Season Championship and one NCS Driver Championship title to his name – both coming in 2021. ·       The 31-year-old California native has made it to the Championship Four once – the season that delivered the Team Chevy driver his first championship title in NASCAR’s top series (2021). In his other playoff appearances, Larson reached the Round of Eight (2019), Round of 12 (2017, 2018 and 2022) and Round of 16 (2016).·       During the playoff era (2004-present), the 2021 season saw Larson earn a series-leading five post-season victories – tying the record set by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in 2011. ·       Larson has found victory lane in two of the three tracks in the Round of 12 – both coming in his title-winning season (Texas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course). ·       In the first three races of the 2023 NCS playoffs, Larson finished no worse than fourth – earning an average finish of 2.33.

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1 – 6th in Playoff Standings; eight-points above the cutlineVictories: 3Top-Fives: 8Top-10s: 15Laps Led: 233Average Finish: 14.0Stage Wins: 2 At Texas Motor Speedway: Wins: 4 (series-leading)Top-Fives: 14Top-10s: 18Poles: 1Average Finish: 11.656 Of Note: ·       In his debut season with Richard Childress Racing and his return to the Bowtie brigade, 2023 marks Busch’s 16th appearance in the NCS playoffs. ·       Busch is one of only two active drivers with multiple championships to his name – taking the title in 2015 and 2019. ·       In Busch’s 63 career wins in NASCAR’s top series, eight of those triumphs have come in the post-season. ·       The 38-year-old Nevada native has made it to the Championship Four on five different occasions – most recently in 2019 en route to his second title. ·       Busch is the series’ most recent winner at one track in the Round of 12, with one of his three wins on the season coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 9th in Playoff Standings; three-points below the cutlineVictories: 1Top-Fives: 7Top-10s: 10Laps Led: 482Average Finish: 15.2Stage Wins: 5 At Texas Motor Speedway: Average Finish: 225.167 Of Note: ·       The 2023 season marks Chastain’s second appearance in the NCS playoffs. ·       Chastain’s first time competing in the NCS playoffs came in 2022 – going on to advance to the Championship Four and ultimately leading Team Chevy with a runner-up finish in the final points standings.·       Chastain found his way to victory lane in one track in the Round of 12 – scoring his second win of the 2022 season in the series’ spring appearance at Talladega Superspeedway.

TO THE TOPOne year ago, Richard Childress Racing and Tyler Reddick took Chevrolet to its 16th NASCAR Cup Series win at Texas Motor Speedway – making the Bowtie brand the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR’s top series at the track. Hendrick Motorsports contributed to 10 of those victories, including Chevrolet’s first NCS win at the 1.5-mile oval with Terry Labonte (1999). Seven-time NCS champion Jimmie Johnson is attributed with seven NCS victories at Texas Motor Speedway – a series-leading record that still stands today.

ALLGAIER CLAIMS FIRST TICKET TO NXS ROUND OF EIGHTFor the second consecutive year, a Team Chevy driver has taken the victory in the opening race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs. Most recently, it was JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier that was able to accomplish the feat – leading a race-high 110 laps en route to the victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. The win – his third on the season – also delivered the Team Chevy driver the series’ first guaranteed ticket into the Round of Eight. The 37-year-old Illinois native is no stranger to the series’ postseason competition – holding the record as the only driver in series’ history to appear in all eight NXS playoffs since its inception to the series in 2016. Allgaier has made his way to the Championship Four a series-leading five times, most recently last season.

·       Where Team Chevy’s NXS playoff contenders stand with two-to-go: The NXS playoff opener brought mixed results for Team Chevy’s playoff contenders. Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric and Chandler Smith also collected a top-five finish at Bristol Motor Speedway – earning both drivers a spot above the cutline with a double-digit advantage over the cutline. Austin Hill’s race ended early after an incident in the final stage that resulted in a 33rd place finish, but a cushion of playoff points still kept the regular season champion above the cutline in the fourth position. With an 11th place finish, Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed sits in the eighth position to give the manufacturer five drivers above the cutline heading into race two of the Round of 12 at Texas Motor Speedway.

ECKES LEADS CHEVROLET IN NCTS ROUND OF EIGHT OPENER Coming off a win at Kansas Speedway one week prior, Team Chevy’s Christian Eckes was trending towards a repeat trip to victory lane at Bristol Motor Speedway. But while navigating through lap traffic in the race’s closing laps, Eckes lost the lead with only five laps remaining – ultimately taking the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Despite the disappointment of coming just short of a guaranteed spot into the Championship Four, the 22-year-old New York native had a strong points day in the opening race of the Round of Eight – sweeping both stages and leading a race-high 150 laps en route to his fourth-straight podium finish in the series’ postseason.  Eckes led a trio of Team Chevy’s NCTS playoff contenders to top-five finishes with GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger and Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar in the third and fourth-positions, respectively. Strong finishes at the Tennessee half-mile put all three drivers above the playoff cutline with Eckes in second (+29 points), Hocevar in third (+18) and Enfinger in fourth (+14). Nick Sanchez drove his No. 2 Rev Racing Silverado RST to a ninth-place finish, with the series’ rookie now sitting seventh and 22-points below the cutline in the playoff standings.  The NCTS will return to competition at Talladega Superspeedway on September 30, with the Love’s RV Stop 250 marking the second race in the series’ Round of Eight.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Camaro SS 1LE will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400. ·       Victories by active Chevrolet drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch – 4 wins (2020, 2018, 2016, 2013)Kyle Larson – 1 win (2021)Austin Dillon – 1 win (2020)  ·       Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading 16 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Texas Motor Speedway, two of which have come in the series’ past two appearances at the track (Tyler Reddick – 2022; Kyle Larson – 2021). ·       Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers were represented in the playoffs each season. ·       In 29 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (14), top-fives (62), top-10s (123), stage wins (20) and laps led (2,798). ·       Chevrolet leads the series in wins across all three NASCAR national series this season with 14 victories in 29 NASCAR Cup Series races, 14 victories in 27 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 12 wins in 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. ·       With Kyle Larson’s win in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports now sits at 299 all-time victories in NASCAR’s premier series – all recorded with Chevrolet. ·       Chevrolet’s series-leading 14 NASCAR Cup Series wins this season have been recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet teams: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing), William Byron and Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) and Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing). ·       Chevrolet drivers have recorded 20 of the 58 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (eight; series-leading), Ross Chastain (five), Kyle Larson (four), Kyle Busch (two) and Chase Elliott (one). ·       Chevrolet continues to sit atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 62 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 78 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 67 points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. ·       Chevrolet has swept the Manufacturer Championships across all three NASCAR national series in a single season four different times (2012, 2005, 1998, 1996). ·       With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 847 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:·       Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Texas Motor Speedway.·       Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Camaro 1LZ 1SE, Bolt EUV 2LZ, 2024 Equinox 1LZ, Silverado 1500 Crew High Country 3LZ, 2024 Silverado 2500 3LZ, Suburban High Country, Corvette 3LT, Colorado ZR2. ·       Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car.   Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:Saturday, September 23·       Daniel Hemric: 11:45 a.m. ·       Sam Mayer: 12 p.m. ·       Jeremy Clements: 12:15 p.m.  Sunday, September 24·       Erik Jones: 10 a.m. ·       AJ Allmendinger: 11:15 a.m. ·       Daniel Suarez: 11:30 a.m.  Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: ·       Saturday, September 23: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.  ·       Sunday, September 24: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

TUNE IN:NASCAR Cup Series: AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400Sunday, September 24, at 3:30 p.m. ET(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Xfinity Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300Saturday, September 23, at 3:30 p.m. ET(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1How do you approach Texas with it being the first race in Round 2 of the Playoffs?“It’s preservation at Texas. Don’t do anything to take ourselves out. Since the repave at Texas I’ve struggled at places like that. Super high grip tracks where you have all of this grip until you overstep. I’m pretty good at overstepping and catching it but at Texas it’s so tough to catch. So I just need to stay under my limit as to what I perceive is 100 percent effort.” Where do you rank Round 2 of the Playoffs to the other rounds?“Last year, I felt like Round 2 was our toughest round because of all of the different types of tracks and then we had an issue at the Charlotte Roval. Key to all of this is to not take ourselves out.” KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1Larson on racing at Texas Motor Speedway:“Looking ahead to Talladega (Super Speedway) it’s a little crazy and there is typically a lot of crashes. So, you put a lot of pressure on this race this weekend, or at least I do, to do a good job. I like Texas (Motor Speedway). Our HendrickCars.com Chevy team won there a couple years ago (2021). So, we hope to do that again and have another good day.” CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1Daniels on racing at Texas Motor Speedway: “Going into Texas (Motor Speedway) this weekend, we have some strong runs behind us from the last couple of weeks which is good to have that little bit of wind in our sail and momentum behind us. We’ve had this layout of the Texas (Motor Speedway) race track since 2017 and it is such a tough place for an intermediate (track). The two ends are so different with not a lot of banking and a tight radius in (turns) one and two and then a lot of banking and a bigger radius in (turns) three and four. So, it’s a tough place. Our mindset is to get a good solid car on the track and execute a good race to make sure we are there at the end.” KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1Last year the No. 8 team at Richard Childress Racing was eliminated from the Playoffs but rallied back to win one week later at Texas Motor Speedway. How impressive was that accomplishment?“I thought it was pretty cool how the 8 team was able to rally, rebound, have a really fast car and be able to win that race. It’d be cool if you’re eliminated and you win you could put yourself back in, but the rules are the rules. I’d say last year’s elimination in the first round for myself and my old team as well as the 8 car getting eliminated in the first round was quite disappointing. It’s a tough situation but then you got to move on and go into the next week. But just being able to score a win late in the year is always important because it lends itself to a strong finish to the season.” You have raced on a couple of different designs of the track at Texas. Do you like this configuration? How different is it from when you first started?“Texas went through a reconfiguration and a repave a few years ago. I would say this configuration is definitely the most challenging from a driver’s perspective and from a crew chief’s perspective on how to get both ends of the racetrack to feel similar or to feel good, so that makes it tough on all of us. When I first started, Texas had a lot of grip and was really fast and then right before the repave there it was kind of worn out and you’d slide around a little bit more. You could move around the racetrack, though, which was really cool. You could run low, you run middle, you could run high, and it was pretty fun how the place spread out. Now it seems like there’s one particular groove that you want to run in Turns 1 and 2 and one particular groove that you want to run in 3 and 4, so it’s really tough to make speed and make passes. The mile-and-a-half package has been really good this year and I’m excited about getting to Texas.”  AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1“Texas is one of the more challenging mile and a half race tracks that we go to with both ends of the race track being completely different. I had a lot of fun in the All-Star race there last year. It’s a tough racetrack, probably one of the fastest we go to. I think we can go there and build off the speed we’ve had at mile and a half tracks this year. It’ll be a fun, hot, slick race and I am looking forward to the challenge.” ERIK JONES, NO. 43 VSEVERYBODY.COM CAMARO ZL1“Texas has been good to me in a few different series. I’ve been able to win a whole bunch of races there through trucks and Xfinity, but I’ve never closed one out in the Cup Series. We have been close a couple of times. It’s a unique place since the repave; it’s become challenging to race, and there is a bit more groove on the bottom. You have to have track position and be upfront. It does have some of the same old Texas tendencies that the track had before the repave, so you can look back at some of those notes, but overall, it’s a pretty unique place.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2022): 41First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2023 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 14Poles: 8Laps Led: 2,798Top-five finishes: 62Top-10 finishes: 123Stage wins: 20·       Ross Chastain – 5 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2), (Dover), (Darlington)·       William Byron – 8 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover), (Charlotte), (Watkins Glen)·       Kyle Larson – 4 (Phoenix), (Bristol Dirt), (Pocono), (Kansas)·       Chase Elliott – 1 (Talladega)·       Kyle Busch – 2 (WWTR), (Sonoma)  CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 847 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 742Laps led to date: 248, 342Top-five finishes to date: 4,283Top-10 finishes to date: 8,835                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,181           Chevrolet: 847           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 826                                                                      Ford: 726           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 179

OCALA, FL (September 20, 2023) — Two years ago Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers team rolled into zMax Dragway and a relatively unknown quantity on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. They left the event as the national event winner, a team on the rise and with the attitude that they had something to prove. Since that win Hart has invested in his Top Fuel program with new equipment and built one of the most consistent teams on the tour that entered the 2023 Countdown as team to watch for the Top Fuel championship. An early exit at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals slowed their momentum but not their desire.

Josh Hart and R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, photo credit Auto Imagery

 
“This team has been battling for the past two years,” said Hart, a two-time Top Fuel national event winner. “I knew this was going to be tough, but we had a breakout rookie year on a partial schedule and since then we have been trying to capture some of that momentum. We are a much better team now and this R+L Carriers group has really pulled together. I remember getting that win at zMax Dragway and I would love to add a second Wally from here to my trophy case.”
 
When Hart took the win in 2021, he started race day as the No. 7 qualified Top Fuel dragster and he took out Alex Laughlin, Mike Salinas, Justin Ashley and finally Brittany Force. The first year driver was on the outside of the Countdown at the time and he ended the day of three championship contending teams.
 
“No one expected too much from us in 2021 and now we have expectations from the outside but more importantly we expect to win ourselves,” said Hart. “I am not putting any extra pressure on myself, but I want to win and I know we can win out here. The competition is tough, but we have the car and the team to compete. There are five races left and our plan is to start moving towards that Top Fuel championship this weekend.”
 
Hart has had success at zMax Dragway since he took that first win. Through three four-wide national event he has raced his way to the final quad every race and last year at the Betway Nationals Hart started No. 6 and raced to the quarterfinals, defeating eight-time Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher in the first round. In five races Hart has never qualified in the bottom half of the field with his best starting spot coming in 2021 when he was the No. 4 qualifier at the Betway Nationals.
 
“We have a lot of data and I think conditions will be pretty good,” said Hart. “The issue for everyone is getting a good run Friday night and then building on it. We will be one of the first cars on the track and we just need to set the tone and make the other teams try and press to be quicker than our R+L Carriers Top Fuel team.”
 
The final five races of the Countdown will be Hart’s chance to recapture some of the success he exhibited earlier this season. He opened the season with a win at the Pep Boyos Allstar Callout at Gainesville Raceway and then in May he raced to the final round of the Gerber Collision & Glass Rt. 66 Nationals in Chicago. At the end of the Western Swing he posted a strong semifinal finish losing to eventual winner Justin Ashley in one of the closest semifinal races of the season.
 
“We have been close a couple times this season and that Pep Boys win was a great way to start the year,” said Hart. “Now we want to close the season with some wins and move up in the Top Ten. We aren’t going to jump to No. 1 after this race, but my goal is to make steady progress every race of the Countdown and then see where we are going into Pomona with points and a half. Anything’s Possible.”
 
The R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be on the track for the first time Friday, September 22, at 7 p.m. and then they will have two more qualifying runs on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET. Final eliminations for the quickest 16 Top Fuel dragsters will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday and FS1 will broadcast the race nationally.

Inside Line Promotions – PLACERVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 20, 2023) – Dominic Scelzi earned a pair of podium results last weekend at Kings Speedway, including during the Tom Tarlton Classic featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

“I was thrilled,” he said. “We ran the 360 race on Thursday and the track was rough and hard to race on. We qualified fifth quickest, won a heat race and placed second in the dash to start the feature on the outside of the front row. We battled, got in the holes and ran third. I was concerned with how the track would be on Friday.”

Scelzi’s podium outing at the dirt oval in Hanford, Calif., on Thursday was followed by similar success at the track on Friday with the World of Outlaws.

“We were the last car out and were fifth quickest, which was our best qualifying performance of the month,” he said. “We ran second in the heat race to do what we needed to get in the dash. We drew the No. 3 to start third and ended up running fourth.” 

Scelzi lined up on the outside of the second row in the main event.

“We got to third right away and I paced myself,” he said. “We had a restart and I got pinched down a little, got into the berm and fell to fourth. I got back into third and ran first and second down. Around Lap 25 I started losing brakes and faded to about half a straightway back. The second-place car spun, which moved me to second for a restart with a few laps to go. I was thinking everything was playing into my favor, but I had boiled my brake fluid and my brakes didn’t cool down in time to come back to me. I had a really good pace and was able to maneuver the top of turns one and two, which Brad (Sweet) wasn’t running. I felt I had a clean lane and it just didn’t pan out. I couldn’t get myself slowed down to where I needed to be on the exit of the corners and David (Gravel) drove by me at the end so we ended third.

“It was the highlight of the trip. I’m thankful of the speed we had. Whenever you can run well like that at home it means a lot to your team and sponsors and fans.”

The World of Outlaws West Coast Swing finale was Saturday at Placerville Speedway, which hosted the World of Outlaws 49er Gold Rush Classic.

Scelzi timed in 18 ^th quickest in his heat race before he advanced from ninth to eighth place in a heat race and from 12 ^thto seventh place in the Last Chance Showdown.

“We missed it on the setup and my laps in qualifying,” he said. “We were a little tight and I got into the cushion pretty much both laps and didn’t qualify well. The track was one lane in the heats. We made progress in the Last Chance Showdown, but came up short of making the feature. It’s tough to climb out of a hole when you’re racing with the World of Outlaws.”

Scelzi will take this weekend off before he returns to action at Kings Speedway on Sept. 29-30 during the Cotton Classic and Morrie Williams Twin 20s Memorial with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series and Sprint Car Challenge Tour.

QUICK RESULTS –

Sept. 14 – Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 3 (2).

Sept. 15 – Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 2 (2); Dash: 4 (3); Feature: 3 (4).

Sept. 16 – Placerville Speedway in Placerville, Calif. – Qualifying: 18; Heat race: 8 (9); B Main: 7 (12).

SEASON STATS –

46 races, 11 wins, 31 top fives, 37 top 10s, 41 top 15s, 44 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Sept. 29-30 at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., for the Cotton Classic and Morrie Williams Twin 20s Memorial with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series and Sprint Car Challenge Tour

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scelzi41

BATAVIA, Ohio (September 20, 2023) – The stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will converge in Brownstown, Ind. this Friday, and Saturday for one of the biggest weekends in Brownstown Speedway’s storied history. The festivities will kick off on Friday, September 22 with the 2nd Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial – featuring a full program of Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win A-Main. On Saturday, September 23 another complete show of Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains is on tap. Saturday’s 44th Annual Jackson 100 will be highlighted by a 100-lap, $30,000-to-win finale for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. All gates will open at 12:00 PM (noon) each day with on track action set to begin at 6:00 PM both days. All times are Eastern Time. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is joined by the Indiana Pro Late Models on Friday; with Modifieds and Super Stocks on the card for Saturday. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.brownstownspeedway.com. Ricky Thornton Jr. continues to lead the Big River Steel Chases for the Championship – Presented by ARP. Hudson O’Neal is second followed by Jonathan Davenport and Brandon Overton. Completing the top eight are Tim McCreadie, Devin Moran, Daulton Wilson, and Tyler Erb. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:2nd Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial (Friday): 1. $10,000, 2. $5,500, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,700, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,000, 15. $950, 16. $925, 17. $900, 18. $875, 19. $850, 20. $825, 21. $800, 22. $800, 23. $800, 24. $800 = Total $48,575 44th Annual Jackson 100 (Saturday): 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $7,000, 4. $5,500, 5. $4,500, 6. $3,500, 7. $3,000, 8. $2,500, 9. $2,400, 10. $2,300, 11. $2,200, 12. $2,100, 13. $2,000, 14. $1,900, 15. $1,800, 16. $1,750, 17. $1,700, 18. $1,650, 19. $1,600, 20. $1,550, 21. $1,550, 22. $1,500, 23. $1,500, 24. $1,500 = Total $100,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials and Heat Races Previous Jackson 100 Winners:2022 – Tim McCreadie2021 – Jimmy Owens2020 – Tim McCreadie2019 – Hudson O’Neal2018 – Bobby Pierce2017 – Scott Bloomquist2016 – Scott Bloomquist2015 – Jonathan Davenport2014 – Scott Bloomquist2013 – Don O’Neal2012 – Jimmy Owens2011 – Scott Bloomquist2010 – Scott Bloomquist2009 – Earl Pearson Jr.2008 – Tim McCreadie2007 – Matt Miller2006 – Don O’Neal2005 – Billy Drake2004 – Don O’Neal2003 – Jim Curry2002 – Billy Drake2001 – Brian Brikhofer2000 – Don O’Neal1999 – Billy Moyer1998 – Jim Curry1997 – Rick Aukland1996 – John Gill1995 – Jack Boggs1994 – John Gill1993 – Davey Johnson1992 – Billy Moyer1991 – Scott Bloomquist1990 – Scott Bloomquist1989 – Jeff Purvis1988 – Jim Curry1987 – Billy Moyer1986 – Jack Boggs1985 – Kenny Brightbill1984 – Kenny Simpson1983 – Russ Petro1982 – Russ Petro1981 – Paul Crockett1980 – Charlie Swartz

PLAINVIEW, NY (September 20, 2023) — With five races remaining in the 2023 NHRA Countdown Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel team are in a tight battle for their first world championship. Throughout the season Ashley held either the No. 1 or No. 2 position in the Top Fuel point standings and heading into the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year, is just seven points off the lead. Three rounds of qualifying and a solid race day could propel Ashley back into the points lead and the fourth-year pro is focused on taking it one round at a time.

Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto imagery

 
“Our Phillips Connect Toyota team performed very well at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading last weekend,” said Ashley, who finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed. “We came up just short in a close race but gathered a lot of data and information that we can apply in Charlotte. We’re looking at each round in its own sphere and trying to regain our number one position in points as a result.” 
 
During the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series regular season Ashley raced to six Top Fuel wins and seven final rounds. He also picked up wins at six Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenges throughout the season. The number of win lights Ashley turned on in both events made him the category leader and gave the driver who has finished fourth in the Top Fuel point standings the previous two years’ experience and perspective coming into the playoffs in 2023.
 
“Our approach is going to stay the same throughout the entirety of the countdown regardless of the results,” said Ashley, who was the No. 1 qualifier at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. “We are in this position for a reason. We have a process and routine that works well for us. Mike Green, Tommy Delago and the team are focused and eager to get back to zMax Dragway.”
 
Ashley started his career in 2019 at the “Bellagio of Drag Strips” located just north of downtown Charlotte. In his first career start at the Betway Carolina Nationals four years ago Ashley raced to the semifinals turning heads and announcing he was going to be a serious contender. In 2021 he raced to another semifinal finish from the No. 6 spot and last year as the No. 1 qualifier he took three win lights before bowing out in the finals. He moved into the points lead at the time with that effort. Over his past three appearances, including two four-wide national events Ashley has qualified No.1, No. 1 and No. 2 so the opportunity to get off to a fast start is available this weekend.
 
“We have had a quick and fast race car at zMax Dragway the past two years and I feel confident that we can continue that trend,” said Ashley. “Everyone on this team works really well together and it shows on the racetrack. We are going to continue concentrating on ourselves and finding ways to improve.” 
 
This season has seen Ashley rise to the top of the Top Fuel category in both on-track race car performance and Ashley driving skill. Once again, he has led the class with strong reaction times and a deft touch behind the wheel of his 11,00-horsepower Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster. The young driver and team owner knows that seat time, consistency and patience are the three keys to success on race day.
 
“I try and do everything the same whether it is a qualifying run, a bye run or the first round of eliminations,” said Ashley. “You only get so many opportunities every weekend to hit the tree and I want to take advantage of every chance. We only have three qualifying runs this weekend in Charlotte so that Friday night session is critical. We want to be really high in the field so we can get aggressive on Saturday.”
 
In addition to the single round of qualifying on Friday Ashley will be rooting for his Toyota Top Fuel teammate Antron Brown in the Supra Showdown race. Throughout the season Toyota Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers have been battling it out in head-to-head races in high performance Toyota Supras. After 12 races the series is tied at six wins apiece and Brown will race Funny Car driver Ron Capps for all the marbles and serious donation to each category’s charity of choice. If the Top Fuel driver prevail Ashley’s donation will go to the Wyakin Foundation.
 
“This Supra Showdown has been a lot of fun and I will be up on the starting line pulling for Antron to bring the win home for all the Top Fuel drivers,” said Ashley. “There are a lot of deserving charities involved and I want to thank Toyota for putting this program together. It was a blast to race the Supras during the regular season.”
 
Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota team will open qualifying on Friday at 7 p.m. ET followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET. The 16 quickest Top Fuel dragsters will begin battling for championship points at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday with FS1 broadcasting the race that afternoon.
 

The Oakwood, IL driver has a 138-point lead over Brandon Sheppard and Chris Madden entering Atomic Speedway

CHILLICOTHE, OH – September 20, 2023 – Bobby Pierce is on the cusp of World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series history.

With nine races remaining in 2023, the Oakwood, IL driver is inching closer to a Series championship, which would make him the fifth driver to win the title in his first full-time season. If he holds on to his 138-point lead, he will join Billy Moyer, Scott Bloomquist, Mike Marlar, and Brandon Sheppard in that category.

But as Pierce prepares for the Outlaw Invasion at Atomic Speedway on Sept. 29-30, he has the same mindset he’s had all season.

“We’re excited to get there because every race is a new opportunity because we can get a win and gain some points,” Pierce said. “That’s how it’s been all year. We just look at every single race as a moment we can capitalize. Now, we’re just trying to stay steady and see what happens. 

“We’re getting to the point where we can kind of taste it. But we don’t count our chickens before they hatch.”

Five of the nine remaining races are red-clay tracks in the South, including the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte (Nov. 1-4). While those surfaces aren’t Pierce’s forte, he’s found success at them in 2023.

In two races on Southern red-clay tracks, Pierce finished seventh at 411 Motor Speedway and 21st at Talladega Short Track. However, his finish at Talladega is misleading. The “Smooth Operator” was leading the inaugural Alabama Gang 100 finale when he suffered a broken wheel and brake failure with 18 laps to go.

Those runs give him confidence heading into the season’s final stretch, especially with how well his Longhorn Chassis has run.

“We just do our best night-in and night-out to figure out,” Pierce said. “Especially at places we’ve never been before like Talladega. You just never know, though. Competition is tough to where if you miss it a little bit, you qualify bad, and who knows where you start in the Heat Race. That can determine your night. So, right off the bat, you want to learn as much as you can at those places and try to apply that to Qualifying.

“We’ve been fast no matter where we are, so hopefully we can keep that going and maybe win those races, too.”

While 2023 has been a dream season for Pierce, winning 30 times overall, so far, including 11 with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, his team had an uphill climb to start the year. Misfortune hit the team during Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, where he opened the year with a 17th and 25th.

It wasn’t long before he got back on the right foot, winning the DIRTcar Nationals opener at Volusia in February. That redemption began a run of 27 top 10s in 29 races—consistency that vaulted him to the top of the Series standings.

“It was tough,” Pierce said. “I was going to possibly list out the things that have happened. But there are a lot of things that haven’t happened, too. There’s some luck that needs to happen to get to 30 wins. But we faced a lot, and we have to keep digging like always. Every race is a new race. You never know what’s going to happen. And heck, we’ve raced a lot of races this year, too. We’ve had a lot of opportunities to get redemption on some of the nights we had bad luck. 

“Earlier in the year, when Volusia didn’t start out well, we came back and got that first win, and then a lot of wins started coming. Before we knew it, we had the point lead and had it stretched out. It’s pretty awesome how that can happen, and I have to give a huge thanks to my team for that. Everyone digging down deep and not giving up and trying their best, whether that’s working at the race shop or when we get to the track. It’s also been a big learning curve, so I’m pretty proud of my team.”

After that early season misfortune, he also dealt with adversity off the track. Many posts on social media included comments saying that Pierce would drop off the tour. Pierce chuckled when considering those early season comments, enjoying that he’s proved people wrong.

“It’s pretty nice, I’m not going to lie,” Pierce said. “At the moment, I didn’t think much about it because I didn’t go into the year with a lot of expectations. I set some goals but had no expectations on how it was going to go. We went in kind of blind and said let’s see what happens. I think everyone did assume that, and I was like, I want to run the Outlaws this year. And I want to travel to some of these places, and we’ve been there, done that. We’ve not only stuck it out but maybe getting a championship. 

“It feels pretty nice to prove them wrong, but I don’t really do it for what people think. I just do it for us, and that’s the way you have to do it. But it does feel nice to kind of get that last laugh.”

Pierce is nine races away from potentially etching his name in World of Outlaws CASE Late Models history as the next champion. And while he’s earned several accomplishments in his career, like the 2023 USA Nationals, he said he knows the importance of cementing his place in Series lore.

“(Winning) a national Series like this is one of the biggest things you can do in the sport,” Pierce said. “Especially in our first year trying for it. I’ve always thought very highly of the World of Outlaws, and it’s a Series for me that has a lot of nostalgia to it. To possibly go and win it means an awful lot. I’ve had a lot of big race wins throughout my career, but from a championship perspective, it’s by far the biggest. I don’t know how to put it in words, but it definitely holds a lot with me.”

Pierce and the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models continue the road to the World of Outlaws World Finals with the Outlaw Invasion at Atomic Speedway on Friday-Saturday, Sept. 29-30. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online on with the DIRTVision App.