NASCAR CUP SERIES SUPER START BATTERIES 400 KANSAS SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES JULY 23, 2020
 TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER8th      ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / NOCO CAMARO ZL1 1LE9th      KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE10th    WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE12th    CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE13th    TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 I AM SECOND CAMARO ZL1 1LE
TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: POS.  DRIVER1st      Denny Hamlin (Toyota)          2nd     Brad Keselowski (Ford)3rd      Martin Truex Jr. (Toyota)4th      Kevin Harvick (Ford)5th      Erik Jones (Toyota) The NASCAR Cup Series season continues at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, August 2nd, at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on NBCSN, NBC Sports Gold app, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
TEAM CHEVY NOTES AND QUOTES:ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / NOCO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 8th“Rough night. We threw about every adjustment at our Camaro that we possibly could. Thankfully, we were able to finally get it a little better there towards the end and go back towards the front a little bit. Hate that we lost a bunch of spots on that last restart – just wide open and some people drove around us. We’ve got some work to do, for sure, we know that. But getting a good, solid finish this week was good and a good momentum-builder back in the right direction. It’s been pretty painful here lately. We’re working hard to get our Chevrolet’s back up front.”  KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 9th“The car was a little tough at times throughout the race. We struggled on some of the restarts with tires on heat cycles, but thanks to my guys on this Monster Energy Chevy. We battled hard together and never gave up on working to make it better and try to find the sweetest spot to run. We just need to keep after it and turn these top-10’s into better results”.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 10th“It was a solid finish for us – we needed that for sure for the playoffs. We started the race way off. We were really loose – just really struggling. The guys, Keith (Rodden, filling in as Crew Chief) and everybody made a lot of great adjustments throughout the race. It really got us in a position where we could attack. As soon as we got probably 10 laps on our tires, the car felt pretty good. We just stayed out there on no tires, really ran there with the 2 (Brad Keselowski) and was able to pass him back for the lead. I thought we were looking really good. Unfortunately, the two tires didn’t really work out for us there at the end. I think we just had too many laps on the left side and struggled there. But overall, was really happy with probably 40 to go in the race. I thought we were in a really good position leading the race. We’ll take a top-10 with what we had there at the end and move forward to the next race. Looking forward to it.”  CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 12th“Man, that was a long night. I appreciate the effort of my NAPA team. We just need to clean it up and are going to move on to New Hampshire.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 I AM SECOND CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 13th“We had a fast No. 8 I Am Second Chevrolet on the long runs tonight at Kansas Speedway. We just needed a little more on the short runs tonight. It was a tale of two extremes almost, where we fired off extremely loose but about halfway through the race built way too tight. I was able to run the top during Stage 1 before anyone else really could, and that allowed us to climb well up into the top 10 to get some valuable stage points. As the night went on and our car got tighter, I wasn’t able to run up there as well and had to search around for speed to try to keep up with the changing track conditions. Luckily, we were able to avoid a handful of wrecks during Stage 3 and start to climb back up through the field once we were able to loosen our Chevrolet back up a little bit. In the end, we just needed a couple more longer runs to really be able to get back into the top 10 tonight. We’ll circle back at the shop on how to get better short run speed out of our cars over the course of the next few races and be ready to get back after it at New Hampshire next Sunday.”
TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 15th“My GEICO guys fought for it tonight. We had a rough start to the race, but we never stopped chipping away at it. Everyone on this Germain Racing team kept digging, Matt (Borland) made our Camaro ZL1 1LE better with adjustments and we brought home another top-15 finish. This is our third top-16 finish in four races and I’m proud of our team for working hard. We will look to keep this momentum rolling in Loudon.”  RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 BUSH’S BEANS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sideline due to accident on lap 181; Finished 34th WHAT A GREAT SIGHT TO SEE RYAN PREECE OUT OF THE CAR. RYAN, HOW ARE YOU FEELING FIRST OF ALL? AND WHAT DID YOU SEE DURING THAT WRECK THERE?“To be honest with you, we had a fast race car right there at the end. It’s frustrating for all of us at JTG Daugherty because we’ve been working really hard and probably had a top-10 car there at the end. I’m alright, just ready for this year to turn around. Thanks to Bush’s Beans, the No. 37 and JTG Daugherty – we’ll be back next week. 
BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident on lap 170; Finished 37th “It was a frustrating ending. I thought our Richard Petty Motorsports team could overcome our obstacles today at the Kansas Speedway. We were really free – I think we had a tire going down right before we spun. And then got it too tight, so we kind of went through the full end of the spectrum. Started to get our way back right and just got caught up in someone else’s mess with nowhere to go. Unfortunate day for our Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team, but we’ll go onto the New Hampshire Motor Speedway after this awesome off weekend.” RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined by mechanical failure on Lap 59; Finished 40thWHAT DID YOU SEE AND WHAT DID YOU SMELL IN THE CAR?“Man, at the start of the race our Kroger Camaro was really good. We’ve had some really bad weeks as far as results go and drove up into 14th there on the first start. We lost the balance there a little bit, but it felt like we were still pretty close and then I don’t know. A fire started in the cockpit. Something electrical under the dash. So, it’s a bummer to end the day like that for our Kroger team. I felt like we had a really good shot at a top 10 if we kept dialing our car in. I really like Kansas. I’m glad we’ve got kind of an off-week now before New Hampshire so we can regroup.” HOW UN-NERVING IT MUST BE TO BE IN THE COCKPIT WHEN YOU SMELL FIRE“Yeah, I could see the fire. It was right beside me and then all up under the dash and by my left foot. The fuel pressure quit at first and then the whole screen went black after that. I don’t know exactly what caused that or what can cause it, but a bummer of a day for sure.”

Fans Can Watch the Action Unfold on Facebook and  on Lucas Oil Racing TV

CORONA, Calif. (July 23, 2020) – As the days turn to hours before the anticipated start of the 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO, series organizers have announced that coverage of this weekend’s doubleheader from Glen Helen Raceway will be streamed live online. In the absence of spectators at the opening two rounds of the championship, fans across the country will be given the opportunity to watch the action unfold, as it happens for FREE via Facebook, as well as the Lucas Oil Racing TVsubscription service. “From the moment we knew our fans would have to miss out on the action at Glen Helen Raceway due to COVID-19, we began looking for a way in which we could still give our passionate audience the racing they deserve,” said Dave Wonser, Vice President of Brand Development. “These have been challenging times for everyone, but we’re doing all we can to get back on track and provide a sense of normalcy. In doing so we needed to make some sacrifices. Fortunately, that also meant there was an opportunity to facilitate some unique opportunities that serve the interest of the very people who support the sport of short course off road.”

Racing from Glen Helen will kick off at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET on both Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Fans can simply log onto the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series’ official Facebook page and follow the link to watch the FREE live stream. For subscribers of Lucas Oil Racing TV, simply sign in with the proper account login information, go to “Live Events” and click on the Glen Helen events to view the live stream. No matter which options fans tune in from, they’ll receive commentary from the talented Lucas Oil Racing TV broadcast team, which consists of host Brent Smith, analyst Jack Korpela, and pit reporter Derek Pernesiglio. This trio will guide fans through all the unpredictable action on the track from all eight classes of competition. The exciting junior divisions of RZR 170, JR 2 Kart, and Mod Kart will take to the track first before giving way to the highly competitive pro classes, beginning with the high intensity of Pro Lite and followed by Turbo UTV, Pro Buggy, and Production 1000 UTV. Each afternoon will come to a dramatic conclusion with a showcase of the power, speed, and precision of Pro 2.

Fans can watch the action of Pro 2 and all eight classes of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series from Glen Helen live, either FREE on Facebook or via Lucas Oil Racing TV. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

While viewers will be given the chance to watch all the action for FREE this weekend on Facebook, live coverage of the remaining rounds of the 2020 season will be exclusive to Lucas Oil Racing TV. For just $6.99 per month, or $99 for the entire year subscribers receive exclusive access to a wide array of live racing events, including the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, the annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series, the Lucas Oil WAR Sprint Car Series, and more. Additionally, subscribers have access to watch hundreds of motorsports focused programming of all kinds, fulfilling the needs of any gearhead.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

East Coast Diesel/Truck Nationals Review! DIESEL Motorsports 2020

What a great show during these turbulent times with a great turnout by young truck enthusiasts from many states on the East Coast. It was a hot day but many enjoyed watching some fantastic trucks racing, pulling, dyno and show-n-shine. People came out to enjoy the show but brought their popups, lawn chairs and coolers to honor social distancing. Both sides of the track over a 1/4 mile long were lined with fans and families watching the trucks race and pull.

The fans looked at over 40 plus trucks in the show-n-shine with SEMA quality vehicles for them to inspect and talk to the owners. The truck owners are putting a lot of pride into these trucks. I couldn’t believe the quality of fabrication and building of these trucks, it made it very hard to judge and properly picking the winners. Appreciate Greg Alberalla of WrenchWorkz for helping with the judging of the trucks, took us well over an hour to look at them all.

The dyno run by Ken’s Auto had trucks lined up all day long to test their performance additions to their trucks, they want to know how much horsepower and torque was added by their builds. They had over 45 trucks and worked well past the show ending

in order to get everyone in for the day. It was over 95 degrees so the 5 guys they had crawling under those trucks that day well earned their money for running the trucks.

Racing was exciting all day long with some great trucks running in four classes: ET Bracket, 12.0 Index, Heads-up and DIESEL Truck War class. ET Bracket always has a large number of vehicles because everyone wants to test their trucks to see how fast they can go but this class you really don’t have to go fast but estimate how consistent your truck can go down the 1/4 mile. 12.0 Index was very popular this year with everyone trying to get as close to 12.0 time in the 1/4 mile on every run down the track. DIESEL Motorsports added a new class that will run at most event this year, DIESEL Truck Wars! It will be 1/8th mile racing running two trucks against each other 2 out of 3 runs, then the same in the final, best 2 out of 3 runs. It makes for a fun test on can the driver consistently win at the lights and can their truck hold together for numbered runs down the track.

Pulling had some high quality trucks run the 300 feet in front of a big crowd. With extreme heat 90 degrees plus wind the track dried out quickly even though we had packed soaked it with 8,000 gallons of water. It had not rained on the mountain for a number of days and the ground soaked up the water quickly so the trucks had a hard surface to pull on for most of the day. Track improvements are already in the mix for next year along with possibly running in the evening in order to avoid the day’s heat. The trucks that came are favorites every year and it’s not about just the pulling but the entire event with so much to do for the fans and families. Some great distances were recorded on the pulls and the HOT Work Stock top 4 prequalified for the Keystone Nationals in early Spring 2021!

I want to thank the vendors and sponsors who came for the event along with Numidia track personnel and our great DM crew for working through such a hot day. We can not pay them enough and it has to be the love of the sport. Everyone was so thankful for us putting on the event, even though yes people get paid to come in it feels good as two owners to have people thank us for the hard work that goes in to these shows. It has been many years since people have thank Gene and I for putting on the show, we appreciate praises. Yes it took more than just us to make the show happen, insurance company, track owner, local people who help us setup the day before and many more in the community.

Appreciate the vendors who braved the heat all day in order to give the crowds things to look at and buy during down times.

Vendors
Street Diesel Performance
Reiff Diesel
Justgetdirty.com
Garofalo Enterprises
South Jersey Custom Metal Designs
WrenchWorkz

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE SUPER START BATTERIES 400 KANSAS SPEEDWAY KANSAS CITY, KANSASJULY 23, 2020
RACE #19: KANSASThe annual spring NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race at Kansas Speedway was re-scheduled due to the ongoing COVID-10 pandemic, and now gets underway on Thursday, July 23rd at 7:30 p.m. with the Super Start Batteries 400 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts. The 400-mile race on the Kansas 1.5-mile tri-oval now marks the 19th race on the 2020 tour.
Over the course of three days, Kansas Speedway will host five NASCAR races across four different series. While the NCS race kicks-off the summer event, the schedule includes a NASCAR Xfinity Series race (July 25), a pair of NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races (July 24 & 25), and an ARCA Menards Series race on July 24. Currently, all five races plan to run without fans in attendance.
PLAYOFF PICTURE:With Austin Dillon’s recent victory at Texas Motor Speedway on July 19th, along with Chase Elliott’s win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28th, and Alex Bowman’s victory at Auto Club Speedway on March 1st, three Team Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE drivers have now secured spots in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs that will determine the 2020 champion. 
With the start of the NCS Playoffs just eight races away, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Elliott and Bowman are currently ranked fifth and 11th, respectively; and Richard Childress driver, Dillon, is 14th in the point standings.
BOWTIE BULLETS:Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 12 wins and 11 pole awards in 28 races.
Victories by current Team Chevy drivers: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE has three wins (2008, ’11, ’15), Matt Kenseth, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1 1LE has two wins (2012, ’13), and Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE has one win (2018). 
Chase Elliott is the most recent winner at Kansas Speedway in 2018.
Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports sits atop the leaderboard in NCS wins by teams with seven victories at Kansas Speedway: Jeff Gordon (3), Jimmie Johnson (3), and Chase Elliott (1).
FLASHBACK:The groundbreaking for Kansas Speedway was held 21 years ago on May 25, 1999 and the first NASCAR Cup Series race made its Kansas City debut on September 30, 2001. Team Chevy driver Jeff Gordon was the inaugural winner and followed that with a second victory in 2002 and a third in 2014, all in Chevrolet race cars.
WINNING WEEKEND:The 1-2 finish by Richard Childress Racing drivers Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick at the NCS race at Texas Motor Speedway on July 19th capped a weekend of multiple wins for Chevy Racing in America’s premier racing series. In the Iowa INDYCAR 250S Doubleheader, Team Penske Chevrolet drivers Simon Pagenaud and Josef Newgarden swept the weekend with wins in Race 1 and Race 2, respectively. In both races two of the three podium positions were Chevy INDYCAR drivers. Rookie Oliver Askew finished third behind Pagenaud and Will Power finished behind Newgarden.  In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring, Corvette Racing captured a 1-2 GT Le Mans (GTLM) finish with Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner scoring the win in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, and Jordan Taylor and Antonio Garcia finishing second in the pole-winning No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Additionally, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPI.R team with drivers Felipe Nasr and Pepo Derani, won the July 18th running of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring DPI class and overall with the Konica Minolta Cadillac finishing second and the Mustang Sampling Cadillac coming in third to complete the podium sweep.
KANSAS STARTING LINEUPThe format for Thursday’s NCS event continues on as a one-day show with no practice and no qualifying. Owner points and a random draw have again set the starting lineup. Here are Team Chevy’s top-20 starters:  6th     Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Camaro ZL1 1LE 9th     Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE11th     Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE14th     Matt Kenseth, No. 42 McDelivery Camaro ZL1 1LE15th     William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE16th     Austin Dillon, No. 3 American Ethanol Camaro ZL1 1LE17th     Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Victory Junction Camaro ZL1 1LE20th     Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
TUNE-INNBCSN will telecast the 267-lap race live at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 23rd. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGS“To me, Kansas feels like such a small mile and half compared to some of the other ones we go to. I just feel like the corners are sharper than some other places and with it being progressively banked, the top side is going to continue to become dominant. I think in a way, it’s going to turn into Homestead in some situations and as time goes on. The way the corners are shaped, it’s kind of small and that top groove having more banking than the other ones as you move down the track is going to make it a top-dominant racetrack. Typically, those tracks put on good shows, so I expect it to age really well. I look forward to racing there this weekend. It is a fun track.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM/ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGS“I am definitely excited to get back to Kansas this week. That track was pretty good to us last year and I still think we should have gotten the win there in the spring. Kansas is pretty similar to Chicago, so I think it sort of fits my driving style. We have had some bad luck here lately and things just haven’t fallen into our hands. Hopefully we can turn that around on Thursday when we get to a track that I feel really does fit my driving style.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 AMERICAN ETHANOL CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGSTALK ABOUT THE MOMENTUM YOU HAVE HEADING INTO KANSAS SPEEDWAY FOLLOWING A BIG WIN AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY.“Texas Motor Speedway is another mile‑and‑a‑half. Our cars have competed well on mile‑and‑a‑half’s. My teammate, Tyler Reddick, had a pretty good run at Kansas Speedway last year when he made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at the track. My current crew chief, Justin Alexander, was Tyler’s crew chief for that race so we have some good data from that run that we can utilize on Thursday night. I definitely feel like we have momentum, and we can take some chances and try some things now that maybe we wouldn’t have tried if we weren’t locked into the Playoffs.” WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES?“You have to execute. We’re doing that much better this year than last year. I’ve studied other drivers, such as Brad Keselowski, who don’t always have the best car but make it happen when it counts. They are constantly battling for track position even if they don’t have the best car. We’re trying to do more of that and put ourselves in more situations to run up front so that we’re comfortable running up there and can make your own race at the end. You have to be aggressive in this sport to win races. I’ve noticed that a lot of the great guys are doing it. We were aggressive with our call at Texas Motor Speedway, maintained our position and won the race.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 16th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON KANSAS SPEEDWAY.“I think Kansas is closer in relation to Charlotte with the amount of grooves it has and the ability you have to make the outside lane work. I think that outside lane is the preferred groove as the race goes along there. In terms of the track surface though, it’s similar to Texas with how smooth it is. It’s starting to get some grain to it and some character though the more we race there. It’s a great track though honestly. I think it’s one of the best mile-and-a-half tracks we have on the schedule to race at.” BYRON ON MID-WEEK RACES. “I’m definitely getting used to us having races coming rapidly around the corner and I really like it. It keeps my brain active and really myself in general. It doesn’t leave me too many days to sit and harp on the previous race or get lax waiting for the next one. I think it’s great to always have another race right around the corner so quickly like we’ve had.” BYRON ON THE PLAYOFF BUBBLE:“Right now, it’s all about points for us. We have to have a good week every week in terms of stage points and finishes. We need to work on getting back on the other side of the bubble and building back a buffer now. In my mind you want at least 50 points sitting between you and the cutoff to feel more secure and be able to be more aggressive. We were close to that point a couple weeks ago but the tire issue at Indianapolis and the wreck in Texas really hurt.” CHAD KNAUS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LEKNAUS ON KEITH RODDEN FILLING IN.“The No. 24 car has been strong even when the results haven’t shown it. Every week we lay out a pretty in-depth plan of what we’re going to do before we even get to the racetrack, so Thursday will be no different. We have a lot of depth to pull from in this situation at Hendrick Motorsports and I know Keith (Rodden) is more than capable of getting the job done. Keith’s been working with the team the last few races in preparation of this situation and I have all the faith that it will be a solid race for him and the No. 24 team.” KEITH RODDEN, FILLING IN AS CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LERODDEN ON SUBBING FOR CHAD KNAUS AT KANSAS:“I’m super pumped to get to the track again and help out Chad, William, and the No. 24 team. Being present for the birth of your child is important, especially in the world we are in now, that’s a moment you don’t want to take for granted. Myself – and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports – support Chad and his family 100% in whatever they need. I’ve known Chad for years and our communication with each other is great. I’ve also been working with William and the No. 24 team the last couple weeks in anticipation of this moment. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to step in and represent Axalta and Hendrick Motorsports. I want to get the best possible result, but the ultimate goal is to show up to win and bring a trophy back for Chad and his family.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 I AM SECOND CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGS“I think you can take a little bit from Texas Motor Speedway to Kansas this weekend. Honestly, I haven’t thought much about Kansas Speedway yet, but I’m really excited for the race. We have a lot to be excited about at RCR heading into this weekend following that 1-2 finish. All the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LEs are running really well this year, and we have a lot more speed on the intermediate tracks, so I have a lot of hope heading into this race. Kansas Speedway is a place that has been good for both myself and my crew chief, Randall Burnett. I got my first NASCAR Cup Series top-10 finish there last year during my second Cup Series start, and then we finished second in the Xfinity race there later that year. I’m really looking forward to how the race shakes out and how much the lanes will move around. I think a lot of drivers will try to figure out how to run up high on Thursday night, but I’ll be curious how that affects the tire fall-off and maintaining your speed during a run.”
RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 23rd IN STANDINGS“We’re ready to head to Kansas Speedway this Thursday night. With the way the starting draw has gone, while 25th may not seem like a great starting spot, it’s the best we could have drawn for our bracket so I’m thankful for that. I feel like our cars this year are better than I’ve had on intermediate tracks in the past, and last year at the Kansas night race we were able to lead laps and almost get a top-10 finish. I think a track like Kansas is one of those tracks where we run all over the track and feel comfortable moving around early when we had practice, so being the first cars on track for the weekend doesn’t overly worry me. It’ll be one of those races where your car is going to change throughout the run while the track is changing, and then going from day to night. We just need to keep up with the changes and Brian (Pattie) is great at that, so I’m confident in having a good run tomorrow night in our Kroger Chevrolet.”
RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 BUSH’S BEANS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 30th IN STANDINGS“Kansas Speedway Thursday night is a new racetrack on our schedule, and a new way for us to turn our 2020 season around. We’re in a hole, but a few solid races can change that and with Kansas this week, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (one of my favorite tracks) next weekend, I think we have some good tracks ahead of us to put together some strong runs. After the race at Texas Motor Speedway, we’ve been looking at our notes and talking to Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) and Brian (Pattie) to get a good setup in place to gain as many spots as we can before the competition caution at Kansas and then continue adjusting and moving forward. Our BUSH’S Beans copper Chevrolet looks awesome under the lights and I’m looking forward to having a good race Thursday night.

Inside Line Promotions – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 22, 2020) – Dominic Scelzi captured a podium finish during an efficient weekend in the Midwest.

The action started last Friday when he made his debut at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, Ill., where Scelzi opened the Midwest Open Wheel Association event by maneuvering from sixth to second place in a heat race. That earned a spot into the feature redraw. Unfortunately, Scelzi pulled the biggest number – eight – to line up on the outside of the fourth row in the A Main.

“It was the first night out in our brand new car,” he said. “I felt great from the get-go. We moved up through the heat race and made the feature redraw. I wish we would have drawn better than eighth, but that was the card we were dealt.

“We got to the top four fairly fast in the feature. Then we got by Shane (Stewart) and then by Paul (Nienhiser). I felt like we were every bit as good as Rico (Abreu). He made a good move in traffic when I got close to him and that was the end of the race.”

Scelzi’s second-place showing was his 10^th top five of the season.

He then headed to Knoxville Raceway for a race on Saturday, qualifying 12  ^th quickest and gaining a spot in a heat race to place second. That ranked him 10^th in overall points to give Scelzi the 10  ^th starting spot for the feature.

“We unloaded and I felt pretty good, but we had the wrong gear in for qualifying,” he said. “We didn’t turn the RPMs we needed to and that hurt our lap time. I felt really good in the heat race and in the main event we tried some stuff that didn’t work. We were really tight. The last few laps our engine overheated and we lost some speed as well.”

Scelzi salvaged a ninth-place finish, which was his 15^th top 10 of the season and his best outing at Knoxville Raceway this season.

He plans to return to the half-mile oval this Saturday to compete in the 360ci sprint car division.

NASCAR CUP SERIES SUPER START BATTERIES 400 KANSAS SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT JULY 22, 2020
RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference and discussed the challenges of the year thus far, the strengths of the team, having to distance from his teammates during the pandemic, his expectations going forward, and more. Full Transcript: TALK ABOUT YOUR EXCITEMENT HEADING INTO KANSAS THIS WEEKEND“Obviously starting 25th, and losing a spot there, in points, was obviously the best we could start, so I’m thankful for that draw. We’ve got a lot of work to do as far as points go. Luckily, there are a lot that are close to us.  And, Kansas can be one of those race tracks where I feel like we can get some Stage points and get a good finish. I was actually a couple of minutes jumping on here (the call) because I was watching the Kansas race from earlier last year when we ran that night race. And, we were really good. We took the lead and I feel like our cars this year are probably better on the 1.5-miles than what I’ve had in the past, and so I feel like we can have good strong run at Kansas. We learned some things at Kentucky that I felt like translated over to Texas and we were much better at Texas than we were at Kentucky. I got caught in that wreck on the front straightaway, but I felt like our speed in our Kroger Camaro was really good. So, I’m looking forward to getting to Kansas and trying to crawl our way back up in the points.”
HOW IS THE MOOD AT JTG DAUGHERTY RACING SINCE OBVIOUSLY IT’S BEEN A PRETTY FRUSTRATING MONTH OR TWO?“Yeah, for sure. I was thinking back earlier today, Pocono was kind of uneventful for us and we were average. I felt like we learned things for Indy and then we never really got a shot to try that and see how our car was going to be at Indy with the pit road accident. Going to Kentucky, we were really loose and had our issues. And then at Texas I felt like we had a car capable of running around 10th to 12th. I think we were up to 14th and slowing getting our track position and then got caught in that wreck on the front straightaway; not to mention, both of us got caught in that wreck. At the Bristol All-Star race, we definitely weren’t as good as what we wanted to be, but looking back at the Bristol race earlier this year we were really good around the top of the race track, and that never really came in until very late into that All-Star race. I wasn’t there for the Open, but yeah, it’s been a little bit frustrating, but everybody is still working hard. I feel like we know what we’re capable of. We’ve just got to have things work out just a little bit better for us. I feel bad for Ryan (Preece) because this has kind of been his whole season of having good runs going and things happen. For us, we were both in that same wreck on pit road at Indy and then we were both in the wreck on the front straightaway at Texas. So, it’s pretty frustrating, but our speed is where we want it to be, and I’m looking forward to building on that speed at Kansas.”
THIS WEEKEND, CUP WILL BE THE FIRST CARS ON THE TRACK, SO YOU WON’T HAVE OTHER SERIES ON THERE TO CLEAN IT OFF. WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE IN THAT TYPE OF SITUATION AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THINGS EARLY IN A RACE?“I think in places like Kansas that we run all over the race track and feel pretty comfortable moving around early-on like if I think back to practices and things like that. We all move around and are capable of getting the track kind of cleaned off. I think a lot of the drivers, we were watching the Kentucky race and a lot of the drivers voiced their opinions to everyone at NASCAR to make sure that they got the track cleaner because we all felt it was pretty dirty for the Xfinity guys, especially out of the groove on the bottom of the race track for whatever reason. So, I know NASCAR is probably going to be working hard to make sure that the track is clean and good to go. But, Kansas is one of those race tracks where I don’t feel like you’re worried about being the first cars on the race track, but that being said, I feel like your car will change from the very first run of the race to the end of the race.”
WITH YOUR DIRT BACKGROUND, CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE’VE SEEN KYLE LARSON DOING? IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY NIGHT HE’S RACING, HE’S WINNING A RACE, WHETHER IT’S OUTLAWS OR MIDGETS OR WHAT HAVE YOU. WHAT HE HAS DONE THIS SUMMER IN VARIOUS CARS AND LEVELS OF COMPETITION?‘I think a lot of people look at it as oh, he’s going to a lower series and running and dominating. That’s not the case at all. These people, the teams and competitors that he’s racing against are the best of the best in those divisions. In the Midgets and USAC we battled hard and he came out on top. I look at watching him, he’s raced throughout Pennsylvania and raced against our Outlaw teams and what he’s doing is tough to do. It’s not only when you look at the feature wins. I’ve been racing Sprint Cars over the last few weeks and just thinking back to winning heat races, qualifying first, winning features, battling for wins; he ran second last night and had a really good shot to win. It’s impressive. And, I don’t think you’ll see many people be able to go do that in a USAC Midget, in Pennsylvania, with the Outlaws; there’s just so much that goes into Sprint Car racing and what him and Paul Silva have built together and the speed that they have is pretty fascinating to watch and kind of unreal.”
ARE THERE SURPRISES IN THIS SEASON? YOU HAD SUCH HIGH ASPIRATIONS BUT IT’S DEFINITELY BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR EVERYBODY. ALL THE DRIVERS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT. WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND?“I think for us, going to a new team and just getting that chemistry down; I still haven’t seen all my guys on my team on a consistent basis because we don’t send everybody to the race track. A lot of our guys are staying back at the shop. I’ll go to the shop and sit in my car, but only when the road crew guys are there that I see on the weekends. And so, that’s been kind of a struggle. At the beginning of the year, I was at the shop a lot and able to kind of be around everybody, but when you’re doing things with limited people, I think we saw some struggles at the beginning of getting back racing that cost us some points and some good finishes. But I felt like we’ve rebounded well and had some strong runs. There’s times that you struggle when you get to a race track like Kentucky, I felt like we struggled a little bit. We were a little too loose and never could really get a handle on the race car in the race. That’s something that like during practice, we could have gotten a hold of and made our cars better. But everybody else has that opportunity that if you practice, to do that same thing. So, I don’t really know if your position really changes a lot but everybody gets that opportunity. So, it’s been interesting to just show up to the race track and go racing, but it’s also been kind of enjoyable because I’ve been able to run some Sprint Car races with my dad and our friends back home that help us on our cars and that’s been fun, too. I haven’t gotten to race with my dad in a long time with him being the crew chief and me racing. So I’ve had a lot of fun doing that and it looks like I’ll be able to do that a little bit more throughout the season.”
ARE THERE DAYS WHEN YOU FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOUR CREW CHIEF, BRIAN PATTIE WITH YOU?  I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE GOING TO A NEW TEAM WITH ALL OF THIS IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE CONSISTENCY OF A CREW CHIEF THAT YOU KNOW.“Yeah, it’s been great having Brian. Obviously, he’s learning a new team and new cars as well. This time period that we’re in right now obviously would probably be a lot easier if we were still together at our former team just knowing the car over the last few years and kind of knowing all the ins and outs of it. Those are things that Brian, as a crew chief, had to learn kind of the hard way with a few things, and then myself also, having to learn some of those things. We know what balance trim that we like at these race tracks, but that was based off of our old race car. Now you’ve got a different one. Sometimes things don’t correlate and transition over as smoothly. But, I’m definitely glad to have him over in my corner. I think he’s one of the best out there and I know that the more time he has on the race cars, the better we’re going to be.”
YOU AND CHRIS BUESCHER HAVE HAD VERY SIMILAR SEASONS THUS FAR AT THE HALFWAY POINT REGARDING THE SEAT SWAP. WHAT ARE SOME NOTABLE DIFFERENCES YOU’VE SEEN DURING YOUR STAY AT JTG DAUGHERTY, AND WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR?“For me, I see a lot of opportunity to get more top 5’s and top 10’s, especially on these 1.5-mile race tracks. I feel like our cars are really good there. Looking back at getting back to Bristol, I feel like we still have a shot to win at Bristol, a better shot that probably I would have had before. I feel like that car that I had there, earlier in the year was one of my best. We still have room for improvement on landing the balance that we want at some of these race tracks, but I definitely see a lot of opportunity to run more consistent and further to the front than what we have so far this year. And, I’m excited for it. I believe in everybody at JTG Daugherty Racing. They’re working hard and they’re pumped-up and excited for the speed that we’ve had so far. People probably thought we’d kind of struggle for speed given all the circumstances and switching seats and teams and all that, but I feel like we probably on one hand, a few times this year have probably exceeded expectations and kind of surprised people. And then on the other hand, we’ve got to get more consistent with that. So, I’m looking forward to the second half of the year, for sure.”
IN THE OLD DAYS, NASCAR HELD TWO RACES A WEEK. DO DRIVERS LIKE TO SEE THAT?“I liked the doubleheader that we ran a Pocono. I’m looking forward to doing that at Michigan and Dover as well. I like racing as much as I can. And, any time you give an athlete, a team, an opportunity to go back to the race track the next day and do things different, that’s what we all wish we could do. And now you kind of get that opportunity to turn around. At Pocono, we weren’t great. We were average at both races. And we did things totally different at both races just trying to learn. I felt like we did learn. And we tried to take that to Indy because Indy was somewhat similar as far as long straightaways and the flat corners. So, we were able to learn those two races. And then you have two people battling it out both days. One came out on top one day and the other did the next day and that was pretty cool to see. I hope we keep that when we look forward on to different schedules and things of that nature.”
IT SOUNDS LIKE NASCAR IS EXPERIMENTING TO TAKE SOMETHING GOOD OUT OF THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC“Yeah, I think NASCAR has done a great job with trying different things. No practice. Showing up and racing. It shows that we don’t need all the practice and the full three days that we used to always get. And NASCAR has been kind of shrinking that anyway. But now, I think it shows that we’re capable of doing it without it. I think some of us would still like a little bit of practice and qualifying, but nothing that you couldn’t do in the same day. And then also the back-to-back races, the Wednesday race, as long as the fans keep tuning in, obviously they can’t show up like we would want them to or be able to, but if they keep tuning in, who knows what it will hold for our schedules in years to come.”
YOU REALLY HAVEN’T GOTTEN TO SEE MOST OF THE TEAM WITH THE PANDEMIC, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THIS TEAM IS CAPABLE OF, SO ITS KIND OF LIKE THE ODDS ARE STACKED AGAINST YOU GUYS WHEN YOU GO TO A NEW TEAM WITH EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENED THIS YEAR. DO YOU CHALK THIS UP AS JUST A BUILDING YEAR TO TRY TO GET TO WHERE YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE? OR, IS THERE STILL A PRIORITY IN FOCUS ON TRYING TO WIN RACES AND BE IN THE PLAYOFFS?“Yeah, we’re definitely building toward next year. When the news came out that we would still be running these cars, you’re still learning a lot and trying to make sure that going into next year you have your best foot forward since we’re not switching cars. So that, for one, we’re still learning and trying to get everything aligned for next year, but there’s still opportunities. When you look back at this weekend in Texas, I felt like we were a 10th or 12th place car. When my teammate and I got in that wreck, we landed; we flew back early, obviously, both out of the race; and we landed, and I heard the No. 3 team (Austin Dillon) won. And, I’m like dang. We out ran them all race. So, there’s opportunities. You’ve just got to keep fighting. You never know how these races are going to play out. You’ve just got to keep putting yourself in position. I feel like we have speed that we can run inside the top 10 at these 1.5-mile tracks. And if you’re inside the top 10, you never know what will happen (with) race strategies and different pit calls. We’ve still got Daytona there, looming in the future that it would be cool to win, and you’d put yourself in the Playoff there. So, we’re still working hard and looking for wins as well.”

BATAVIA, OH (July 22, 2020) – The Dirt Track Bank 50 and 10th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals take place this Thursday-Saturday at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE. Teams and fans alike will not want to miss out on three days of thrilling, side-by-side racing action, along with $65,000 in top prizes and over $250,000 in purse money.  On Thursday, July 23rd, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will take to the 4/10-mile oval for a complete program of Qualifying, Heat Races, B-Mains, and $12,000-to-win Dirt Track Bank 50. Also in contention will be the Dirt Track Bank BRLMs.   Friday night’s preliminary action is highlighted by two thrilling rounds of heat race action; Hoker Trucking Round One, and Strobel Mfg. Round Two – for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, and the USMTS Modifieds. Passing points from each round will determine the line-ups for Saturday night’s events. On Saturday night, B-Mains for Lucas Oil and USMTS will be held – plus the $3,000-to-win, $1,000 to start, S&S Showdown Non-Qualifiers race. The top-three finishers of the S&S Showdown have the choice of keeping their winnings, or forfeiting their earnings to start in the main event. The USMTS main event takes to the track before the 101 lap, $53,000-to-win Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals finale takes center stage.In 2019, there were nine lead changes during the A-Main event on Saturday. The hard charger of the event, Dale McDowell, came from 23rd to finish 5th, advancing 18 positions. Bobby Pierce lead the event three other times, before finally taking the lead on lap 66 and driving on to the biggest win of his career.  All three nights of racing from I-80 Speedway will be available live to anyone with a yearly subscription to LucasOilRa

Makenna Brown continues to gain experience in Super Comp TOPEKA, Kan. (July 21) — It’s going to be another busy weekend for Team JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin and Makenna Brown as they head to Heartland Motorsports Park for a double-header weekend of Division 5 action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.   Reigning Division 3 Top Dragster champion Mike Coughlin is fresh off an impressive runner-up result at the annual JEGS SPORTSnationals, which concluded Sunday at National Trail Raceway in Ohio. His team, led by crew chief Greg Cody, hope to help the boss go one step further in Kansas.   “That was our first race of the year and we really didn’t have any issues at all,” Coughlin said. “We got as close to a win as you can get without winning but when you run into a guy like Anthony Bertozzi you know you’re racing one of the top 2-3 racers in the world. Every once in a while, you need a little luck. It’s hard to win round after round at this level.   “The JEGS.com dragster is happy, I’m pleased with my driving, and the guys — Greg, Tony Collier, Dave Ruark and Ryan Micke — are working well together. We had an awesome start and I hope it continues. When you have a situation like this where everything is clicking it’s just so much fun to race.”   Mike Coughlin Making up for time lost to the COVID-19 shutdown, there will be two full events run during this extended weekend. The first will take place Thursday and Friday, with the second race covering Saturday and Sunday. This is the second weekend in a row where Coughlin is competing in a double-header situation.   “The more racing the better for me,” Coughlin said. “We’ll probably use Thursday to see if anything needs tweaking for the conditions we’ll face at this track, like the EFI or blower boost. That’s about all she needs.    “It’ll be fun racing with Makenna again. She’s doing really well and getting in as much seat time as she can, which is critical. I always enjoy racing with my nieces and nephews, and my brothers, when we can. We have a lot of fun together and that’s the No. 1 thing.”   Brown is attacking her transition from Junior Dragsters to Super Comp with multiple race appearances this summer. Like Coughlin, Brown is excited to have two chances at glory this weekend although she knows gaining experience in one of the most crowded classes in drag racing is of paramount importance.   Makenna Brown “The learning process is never-ending,” Brown said. “My cousin T.J. (Troy Coughlin Jr.) always tells me, drag racing is all about persistence. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by such great people who are helping me learn more about the car, how it runs, and how to build consistency.   “This year I’m trying to get as much seat time as possible. I like going up against the really skilled racers to see what they do. These big divisional races always bring out the top drivers.”   A big part of Brown’s learning process is racing with her family members, as she knows her uncles and cousins shared experiences make her a better driver.   “Uncle Mike has always been there to help me, listen to me, and give me his best advice,” she said. “During his final round appearance in Top Dragster this past weekend, I was able to watch his runs and see the skill he has. He has so much knowledge about the sport and always is open to sharing his thoughts with me.   “I’ve realized you have to learn every pass, even from the rounds you lose, to become a better racer. My grandpa (Jeg Coughlin Sr.) taught me to take a moment and reflect on every run, no matter the outcome, and appreciate the lessons you learn. I always take time to do that when I race.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (July 21) — It’s going to be another busy weekend for Team JEGS drag racers Mike Coughlin and Makenna Brown as they head to Heartland Motorsports Park for a double-header weekend of Division 5 action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Reigning Division 3 Top Dragster champion Mike Coughlin is fresh off an impressive runner-up result at the annual JEGS SPORTSnationals, which concluded Sunday at National Trail Raceway in Ohio. His team, led by crew chief Greg Cody, hope to help the boss go one step further in Kansas. “That was our first race of the year and we really didn’t have any issues at all,” Coughlin said. “We got as close to a win as you can get without winning but when you run into a guy like Anthony Bertozzi you know you’re racing one of the top 2-3 racers in the world. Every once in a while, you need a little luck. It’s hard to win round after round at this level. “The JEGS.com dragster is happy, I’m pleased with my driving, and the guys — Greg, Tony Collier, Dave Ruark and Ryan Micke — are working well together. We had an awesome start and I hope it continues. When you have a situation like this where everything is clicking it’s just so much fun to race.” Mike Coughlin Making up for time lost to the COVID-19 shutdown, there will be two full events run during this extended weekend. The first will take place Thursday and Friday, with the second race covering Saturday and Sunday. This is the second weekend in a row where Coughlin is competing in a double-header situation. “The more racing the better for me,” Coughlin said. “We’ll probably use Thursday to see if anything needs tweaking for the conditions we’ll face at this track, like the EFI or blower boost. That’s about all she needs.  “It’ll be fun racing with Makenna again. She’s doing really well and getting in as much seat time as she can, which is critical. I always enjoy racing with my nieces and nephews, and my brothers, when we can. We have a lot of fun together and that’s the No. 1 thing.” Brown is attacking her transition from Junior Dragsters to Super Comp with multiple race appearances this summer. Like Coughlin, Brown is excited to have two chances at glory this weekend although she knows gaining experience in one of the most crowded classes in drag racing is of paramount importance. Makenna Brown “The learning process is never-ending,” Brown said. “My cousin T.J. (Troy Coughlin Jr.) always tells me, drag racing is all about persistence. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by such great people who are helping me learn more about the car, how it runs, and how to build consistency. “This year I’m trying to get as much seat time as possible. I like going up against the really skilled racers to see what they do. These big divisional races always bring out the top drivers.” A big part of Brown’s learning process is racing with her family members, as she knows her uncles and cousins shared experiences make her a better driver. “Uncle Mike has always been there to help me, listen to me, and give me his best advice,” she said. “During his final round appearance in Top Dragster this past weekend, I was able to watch his runs and see the skill he has. He has so much knowledge about the sport and always is open to sharing his thoughts with me. “I’ve realized you have to learn every pass, even from the rounds you lose, to become a better racer. My grandpa (Jeg Coughlin Sr.) taught me to take a moment and reflect on every run, no matter the outcome, and appreciate the lessons you learn. I always take time to do that when I race.”

Teams and drivers beat blistering heat and high humidity in triple-race weekend at VIR

Finale Highlight- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7TMYrH6KU

Alton, Virginia (July 20, 2020)- Virginia International Raceway staged a sweltering third annual Andy Scriven Memorial Race Weekend for the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda June 17-19. Teams and drivers battled heat indexes well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels that topped 58 percent. Environment, tire management, engine temperature control and heat stamina quickly became part of teams and drivers’ weekend strategies.

But, the racing was just as hot as the asphalt with the FR Americas drivers delivering an action-packed triple round of wheel-to-wheel racing on Saturday and Sunday.

Linus Lundqvist remained perfect in his championship chase, scoring three wins, securing three pole positions, setting fastest lap in each race all while breaking two records along the way. The trio of victories marked the Global Racing Group rookies fifth-consecutive win of the championship.

“What an absolute dream weekend – again,” Lundqvist said.  “First of all, I have to thank my team at Global Racing Group. They did a great job all weekend, and it takes a whole lot of work to set up a race-winning car like that. Also massive thanks to Honda. I may be the one driving it, but there is an immense amount of teamwork behind every victory. It’s absolutely stellar and I’m so happy and proud about what we achieved this weekend.”

The F4 U.S. reigning champion Joshua Car also had a standout weekend. With a tough series debut at Mid-Ohio, the Australian Crosslink Competition pilot turned his luck around at VIR, finishing the weekend with three second-place finishes.

“The team had the car dialed in this weekend,” Car said. “(Linus) Lundqvist is really quick. There were some laps I was quicker, and some laps he was quicker. So the gaps stayed pretty stable. The team and I made so much progress this week that I know will have another go at the top step at Barber.”

Race 1

Lundqvist secured pole position for Race 1 after breaking the track qualifying record with a 1:43.477-seconds flyer. The previous lap record (1:43.486-seconds) was set in 2018 by Benjamin Pedersen. Newman Wachs Racing rookie Jordan Missng shared the front row, his best starting position so far this season. (Post Qualifying Interview)

Nicky Hays (Global Racing Group) and Danial Frost (Andretti Autosport) completed Row 2. In qualifying, the Car set the second-fastest time but was assessed a penalty for causing a red flag in the session which shuffled him back to starting fifth in Row 3 with Irishman James Roe Jr. (Global Racing Group)

Lundqvist was quick of the F1-style standing start, commanding more than a one-second lead by Lap 3. Car made up one position off the start and quickly challenged Hays for third. The pair diced back and forth for two laps before Car seized the position.

A full course caution on Lap 3 grouped the cars back together. After the restart, Missng dropped wheels of in Turn 12 opening the door just wide enough for Car to slot himself into second place, pushing Missng back to third before another full course caution called out the safety crews.

With eight minutes remaining the racing went back to green. Lundqvist continued to pad his lead while Car tried to chase down the Swedish rookie, but the 35-minute clock expired, and Car crossed the stripe in second. Missng finished the race in a lone third, while his Newman Wachs teammate Victor Franzoni and HMD Motorsports rookie David Malukas took their last-lap shootout down to the final straight. Franzoni, who started ninth, won the contest, finishing in fourth, Malukas completed the top five.

“It feels absolutely amazing to be able to get a podium in my third race as a rookie in this series,” Missng said. “The competition level is so high in this series and it makes getting a podium much more enjoyable. I want to thank my team manager Brian Halahan, Shaggy, Jason, Marco, Tom and everyone at Newman Wach Racing for giving me such a fast Missig Performance Group/Autobahn Country Club/Kart Circuit Autobahn Ligier JS F3.”

The Abel Motorsports duo of Jacob Abel and Blake Upton charged from 12^th and 14^th starting positions to finish sixth and seventh. Logan Cusson (Jensen Global Advisors) placed eighth. Velocity Racing Development pilot Mathias Soler-Obel crossed the finish line in seventh, but was assessed a post-race penalty for jumping the start that knocked him down to ninth with Hays recovering from a mid-race off track incident in Hog Pen to finish with points in 10th. (Race Highlights)

Race 2

Saturday opened with a full green 35-minute race from the 16-car FR Americas field. Starting from second, Car launched off the line to take an early lead from pole-starting Lundqvist, who played catch-up for the opening four laps. On the prowl, Lundqvist took the lead on the fifth circuit. Shaking Car, the No. 26 managed nearly a five-second gap, crossing the line uncontested in first.

Car finished in a lone second nearly 10 seconds ahead of third-place Malukas.

Malukas, starting sixth, inherited third-place around the 18-minute mark after Missng darted off track. Maintaining a three-second lead over the group of pumpkin orange GRG cars behind him, Malukas cruised toward the checkered for his first of two third-place finishes.  

Global Racing Group drivers Hays and Benjamin Pedersen rounded out the top five. Franzoni, Soler Obel, Roe Jr. and Abel finished in points position.

Race 3

The FR Americas Andy Scriven Memorial Race Weekend culminated at VIR on a sun-soaked oily 18-turn, 2.59-mile track.

Again, starting from the front row, Lundqvist and Car diced for the point the entire 35-minute race.

With six minutes remaining, a full course caution grouped the cars back together. Ludqvist and Car gapped the third-place Malukas instantly. In a two-lap shootout the two Ligier JS F3 cars sprinted around the technical Virginia International Raceway wheel-to-wheel, but Car was unable to get past the defending Swede as the battle went down to the checkered. Lundqvist, just edging out Car, set a new track record for the closest margin of victory, crossing the line just 0.256-seconds ahead of Car in second.

Malukas remained in his third-place starting position for the majority of the race, keeping front-runners Lundqvist and Car close. Malukas started experiencing heat-induced mechanical issues during the caution period. Franzoni got the jump on Malukas on the restart, but Malukas paid back the favor on the final lap, nursing an anguished car into a podium finish.

“It was a great weekend of learning,” Malukas said. “At a new track, with equipment that we are still beginning to learn and overcoming multiple obstacles, we still came out successful this weekend and secured two podium finishes.”

Franzoni went without visiting the steps and settled for a championship points-building weekend instead.

Frost charged from a 10^th-place start to finish the race in fifth, his best result of the weekend after the 18-year-old experienced mechanical issues throughout the event. Frost gained three of those five positions in the final two laps and was awarded the Omologato Perfectly Timed Move of the Race which includes a signature Omologato watch for his passing precision.

“Difficult weekend for the team and myself,” said Frost. ” We had the pace for podium, but unfortunately we were never able to convert our pace to our true position. The team did a great job fixing the car and getting me back on track during the races. We look forward to a better weekend at Barber.”

Pedersen was shuffled back from fighting for a podium position to a sixth-place finish after his car started to fade on the restart. Hay, Missig, Roe Jr., and Upton rounded out the top 10. (Sunday Highlights)

FR Americas Championship heads further south to Birmingham, Alabama, for the SCCA Pro Racing Barber Festival at Barber Motorsports Park July 31-August 2. 

Richard Childress Racing at Kansas Speedway …  In 85 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway,Richard Childress Racing has one win with Kevin Harvick in 2013. The Welcome, N.C. organization also picked up an Xfinity Series win in 2006 with Kevin Harvick. COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection. Momentum at RCR … Coming off a historic 1-2 finish last week at Texas Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing will look to carry that momentum into Kansas Speedway. Teams will have a quick turn around with racing on Thursday night this week.  Catch the Action … The NASCAR Cup Series Super Start Batteries 400 Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts at Kansas Speedway will be televised live Thursday, July 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  The NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 250 at Kansas Speedway will be televised live Saturday, July 25, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kansas Speedway … Dillon has made 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October 2016. He has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, earning one pole award (2013) and a best finish of second (2012). In three NASCAR Truck Series races, Dillon has earned one pole award (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2014). Delivering Performance On and Off the Racetrack … Austin Dillon races on Sunoco Green E15 fuel made with 15 percent American Ethanol. Ethanol is the most effective and least expensive source of octane available and it also burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline. All those factors mean that ethanol helps drive peak engine performance whether you’re in a racecar or on your way to the grocery store. And, ethanol helps keep our air cleaner and our environment healthier by reducing toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about why ethanol is the smart choice for your engine, your wallet and our environment at americanethanolracing.com. Playoffs Bound … On Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, Dillon survived three late-race restarts to earn the win in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/E-Z-GO/Tracker Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, securing a spot in the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs. His teammate, Tyler Reddick, finished a strong second to create a 1-2 finish for Richard Childress Racing. 1.5-Mile Prowess … Dillon holds the third-best average finish among all drivers on 1.5-mile tracks and has not finished outside of the top-15 on a 1.5-mile track this season. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:Talk about the momentum you have heading into Kansas Speedway following a big win at Texas Motor Speedway?“Kansas Speedway is another mile-and-a-half. Our cars have competed well on mile-and-a-half’s. My teammate, Tyler Reddick, had a pretty good run at Kansas Speedway last year when he made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at the track. My current crew chief, Justin Alexander, was Tyler’s crew chief for that race so we have some good data from that run that we can utilize on Thursday night. I definitely feel like we have momentum, and we can take some chances and try some things now that maybe we wouldn’t have tried if we weren’t locked into the Playoffs.” What does it take to win in the NASCAR Cup Series?“You have to execute. We’re doing that much better this year than last year. I’ve studied other drivers, such as Brad Keselowski, who don’t always have the best car but make it happen when it counts. They are constantly battling for track position even if they don’t have the best car. We’re trying to do more of that and put ourselves in more situations to run up front so that we’re comfortable running up there and can make our own race at the end. You have to be aggressive in this sport to win races. I’ve noticed that a lot of the great guys are doing it. We were aggressive with our call at Texas Motor Speedway, maintained our position and won the race.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 I Am Second Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Kansas Speedway …Tyler Reddick has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway, finishing ninth in the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 last year for RCR. The finish was Reddick’s first Cup Series top-10 finish in just two series starts. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway and has not started or finished outside the top-10 in the series. Reddick picked up the pole award in the Xfinity Series in 2017 and has a best finish of second (October 2017 and October 2019). Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts at Kansas Speedway. About I Am Second … I Am Second is a non-profit that ignites hope and inspires people to live for something greater than themselves. Launched in 2008, the iamsecond.com website features more than 100 powerful short films of athletes, actors, models, musicians, cultural influencers and everyday people who have found hope through a relationship with Jesus. Watch their stories and find out more at  iamsecond.com. Watch the Race with Cheddar’s… Don’t miss out! Cheddar’s is offering 15% off all To Go orders with the offer code RACEDAY placed on 7/23 and every Cup Series race day for the remainder of the 2020 season! Whether you’re watching the race on a Sunday afternoon or on a weekday under the lights, watch with all your Cheddar’s favorites for 15% off. Terms & conditions apply, visit cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full offer details. TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: Heading into Kansas Speedway this week, another 1.5-mile speedway, is there anything you can take from the strong run you had at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend?“I think you can take a little bit from Texas Motor Speedway to Kansas this weekend. Honestly, I haven’t thought much about Kansas Speedway yet, but I’m really excited for the race. We have a lot to be excited about at RCR heading into this weekend following that 1-2 finish. All the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LEs are running really well this year, and we have a lot more speed on the intermediate tracks, so I have a lot of hope heading into this race. Kansas Speedway is a place that has been good for both myself and my crew chief, Randall Burnett. I got my first NASCAR Cup Series top-10 finish there last year during my second Cup Series start, and then we finished second in the Xfinity race there later that year. I’m really looking forward to how the race shakes out and how much the lanes will move around. I think a lot of drivers will try to figure out how to run up high on Thursday night, but I’ll be curious how that affects the tire fall-off and maintaining your speed during a run.”

This Week’s No. 21 Ruedebusch Development & Construction Chevrolet Camaro at Kansas Speedway … Kaz Grala will make his 2020 season debut in the No. 21 Ruedebusch Development & Construction Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing. This weekend will mark the 21-year-old’s first career Kansas Speedway start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Grala has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway, earning an eighth-place finish in 2017.  Welcome Back Kaz … Grala will step back into the seat of the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing for the first time in 2020. In 2019, Grala made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for RCR. He recorded his best finish of fifth at Road America in August last year.  Welcome Ruedebusch Development & Construction … At Ruedebusch, we have the ability to combine commercial real estate development, design-build construction, commercial real estate brokerage, and commercial real estate consulting services or contract them individually. Ruedebusch has knowledge and experience in all aspects of the commercial real estate field. From locating new rental space for your business, to finding the perfect piece of land for your new corporate headquarters; from the turn-key facility, to the architectural and interior design that will best reflect your company’s culture, Ruedebusch is with you every step of the way. Let Ruedebusch assist you with your project; we handle the details so you can concentrate on your business. For more information visit ruedebusch.com. KAZ GRALA QUOTES:It’s been almost a whole year since you’ve been behind the wheel of a racecar. How good does it feel to finally be back this weekend, especially with a team like Richard Childress Racing?“It does feel like forever since I’ve raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Luckily, I’ve been able to stay warm by coaching in super late models and doing some iRacing. It has been a lot of fun watching the No. 21 crew this year contend up front with some impressive speed. I couldn’t be more excited to finally get my first shot behind the wheel of the No. 21 Rudebusch Development & Construction Chevrolet in Kansas this weekend.” What kind of unique challenges does a place like Kansas Speedway present to you and your team this weekend?“Kansas is a fun track with a lot of different grooves you can use depending on how your car is handling. For me personally, the challenge I’ll be tackling is the fact that I’ve only raced on one 1.5-mile track in the past two years. On top of that, I’ve only ever raced at Kansas once, and that was in a Truck over three years ago. I’ll certainly be using the first half of the race to get acclimated and comfortable out there, but I’m confident that my Richard Childress Racing team and I will be ready to attack and claim a great finish when it comes time.”

Jul 22, 2020 | Featured, Julie Nataas, Megan Meyer, Pre-Race Releases, Race Results

The Randy Meyer Racing Team won for the second year in a row at National Trail Raceway for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional Event alongside the JEGS SportsNationals. This is the team’s third win in only four events of the 2020 season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the NGK Spark Plugs Power Under Control nitro-injected dragster, Megan drove to the top qualifying spot in the first session with a 5.22 ET for the quickest pass of the event. Julie Nataas was second with a 5.30 ET at 278 mph, but slipped to the number five spot at the end of qualifying as both girls didn’t improve their times. Megan took down Jared Dreher in the first round of eliminations running a 5.28 ET at 273 mph, while Julie lost by .04 to Jackie Fricke running a 5.35 ET to her 5.28 ET.

Moving onto Sunday, Megan then took down Jackie running a 5.25 ET at 276 mph to Jackie’s slow 5.46 ET before moving onto the final round against Mike Bucher. Mike had a red light start, but didn’t matter as Megan still crossed the finish line first running a consistent 5.26 ET at 273 mph to become the event winner.

“This was my first time racing here in Columbus, and I will never forget it,” said Megan. “My team worked hard for this win through the heat and humidity and they deserve this so much. Thank you to the staff at National Trail Raceway for treating us so good and having a great track, and to NGK Spark Plugs for coming to celebrate our win with us. We are looking forward to racing again this weekend with my sister behind the wheel as we battle it out for points again!”

At the team’s home track, Heartland Motorsports Park, the Meyer sisters will try their best to extend their points lead over the Central region of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The team has had great success at this race, winning it in 2017 with Megan, 2018 with Rachel, and again in 2019 with Megan. The Randy Meyer Racing Team will be supporting a new livery on Rachel’s Top Alcohol Dragster with Aeromotive Fuel Pumps and Taylor Cable, two local companies that have been long-time partners with the Meyer family.

Qualifying kicks off at 8pm on Thursday for Top Alcohol classes, followed by two session on Friday at 5:30 pm and 8pm. All eliminations will be held on Saturday starting at 5pm. Tickets are $20 per person and are available 50% off at any O’Reilly Auto Parts store in the area, children under 12 get in free.

Glen Helen Raceway Hosts Opening Weekend Doubleheader, Without Fans

CORONA, Calif. (July 22, 2020) – The time has finally come. After months of waiting patiently, enduring through the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of the world’s best short course off road racers are set to converge on the sport’s hotbed of Southern California to kick off the 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO from one of the region’s most renowned venues, San Bernardino’s Glen Helen Raceway. The first two rounds of the season will be brought to you by OPTIMA Batteries and Presented by K&N Filters, with a weekend doubleheader that will be conducted exclusively for competitors on Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Due to concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19 and restrictions on public gatherings for both the state of California and San Bernardino County, fans will not be permitted to attend. “While our incredibly passionate fan base serves as the lifeblood of short course off road, the health and safety of our competitors, our sponsors, our staff, and those who cheer us on is of the utmost importance as we look to get the 2020 season underway,” said Ritchie Lewis, Director of Race Operations. “In working alongside local officials in San Bernardino, we have successfully developed the framework to host an event that will be limited to just our racers and event staff. Given how much things continue to evolve with the pandemic this is the best case scenario for all parties, and it will allow us to officially return to the track where we can begin the journey to crown a champion across our eight classes.”

Jerett Brooks (77) will begin defense of his Pro 2 title this weekend at Glen Helen. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

With the extended off season, many drivers have had the opportunity to make continued improvements to their respective programs and are more prepared than ever to duke it out on the track. As a result, the buzz coming into Glen Helen is electric, as five of the eight class champions from the 2019 season will return to defend their titles, setting the tone for another season filled with the captivating yet unpredictable action that sets the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series apart from any other form of motorsport. Leading the way for the roster of current titleholders is reigning Pro 2 Champion Jerett Brooks, who will be forced to contend with an even deeper field of exceptionally talented drivers for the new season. Brooks has emerged as one of short course off road’s most promising young racers, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him trying to once again fend off the likes of Rob MacCachren, Brain Deegan, RJ Anderson, Rodrigo Ampudia, and others for another season. Over in Pro Lite, last year’s champion, Ryan Beat, has made the move into Pro 2, and his vacancy has opened the door for what is destined to be a wide open championship battle featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series’ most spirited racers. In a division brimming with young talent, the opportunity to become a first-time champion is huge, and the racing will certainly be indicative of that.

A wide open battle for the Pro Lite title will get underway this weekend. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

In Pro Buggy, reigning title holder Eliott Watson will have a target on his back as he makes his anticipated return to the track, mere months after being named a factory driver for Honda’s Talon Factory Racing team. More often than not, Pro Buggy features some of the highest parity of any division and also produces some of the best racing, which means Watson will have his hands full against a group of hungry challengers. In Turbo UTV, back-to-back champion Corry Weller will look to maintain her undefeated record in the division in pursuit of a third straight title. Weller has broken barriers every step of the way in her career, and she’s poised to remain the standard bearer of the UTV class. Over in Production 1000 UTV, Robert Stout’s ascension to the upper echelon of short course off road in just two seasons has been impressive. The reigning champion has all the tools to successfully defend his title, but it’s going to take another season of near perfect consistency to outlast his hungry, more experienced rivals for a second time.

Pro Buggy will feature some of the most competitive action of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Even though fans won’t be in attendance this weekend, there’s still an opportunity to watch all the action unfold LIVE, as Lucas Oil Racing TV has it covered. The platform will kick off a full season of coverage of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series with back-to-back live streams of the opening weekend of action, beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET on both Saturday and Sunday. Action on the track for both days will begin with the RZR 170, JR 2 Kart, and Mod Kart junior classes, before the pro classes take center stage with Pro Lite, Turbo UTV, Pro Buggy, Production 1000 UTV, and Pro 2, which will bring each day to a dramatic and exciting conclusion. Event Info Rounds 1 & 2: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series July 25 & 26, 2020 Glen Helen Raceway 18585 Verdemont Ranch Road San Bernardino, CA 92407 Saturday & Sunday Event Schedule (all times Pacific):10:30 a.m. Qualifying1:30 p.m. Junior ClassesRZR 170JR 2 KartMod Kart3:30 p.m. Pro ClassesPro LiteTurbo UTVPro BuggyProduction 1000 UTVPro 2

July 21, 2020

After strong back-to-back runs on intermediate-length tracks at Kentucky and Texas, Matt DiBenedetto and the Menards/Dutch Boy team are headed to another mile-and-a-half track looking to capitalize again on the speed of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Mustang.

DiBenedetto finished third at Kentucky and was poised for another top-five finish at Texas only to be collected in a late-race incident. Next up is Thursday night’s Super Start Batteries 400 at Kansas Speedway.
 
“I like Kansas better than the other intermediate tracks,” DiBenedetto said. “You can move around more. There’s not really a preferred lane, even though the top can be better at times.
 
“You can go to any groove, and that makes the racing better.”
 
DiBenedetto said the pavement at Kansas has aged well since it was redone in 2012.
 
“That pavement makes the racing better,” he said. “The surface is a little slicker, and the lap times fall off during a run, which makes it more enjoyable.”
 
Still, he said, it’s important to be up front as much as possible, to capitalize on the aerodynamic advantage that comes with racing in clean air.
 
With just eight races remaining before the start of the Cup Series playoffs, DiBenedetto and the Menards/Dutch Boy team are currently in 12^th place in points and among the 16 teams that will start the 10-race, season-ending run to the championship.
 
But recent events have made a Playoff berth more of a challenge.
 
Two drivers who were below DiBenedetto in the Playoff standings, Cole Custer and Austin Dillon, won the past two races and took two of the guaranteed berths.
 
“Those guys winning bumped us back and put us in a little more uncomfortable position,” he said. “But our Menards/ Dutch Boy team deserves to be in the Playoffs. We’ve had fast cars consistently run in the top five and top 10.
 
“If we can keep than up the rest will take care of itself.”
 
There will be no practice or qualifying for Thursday night’s 400-mile race, which is set to get the green flag just after 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBCSN.
 

Three-year race and championship-winning partnership will conclude at the end of this season
Acura Team Penske focused on defending 2019 titles
ARX–05 has added to the long line of championship-winning Acura Sports Cars & Touring Cars earning Acura’s Precision Crafted Performance tagline on the track

TORRANCE, CA (July 21, 2020) – Acura Motorsports today announced it has come to a mutual agreement with Team Penske to end its successful partnership at the conclusion of the current IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
The championship-winning program originated in 2017 in preparation for Acura’s debut in the premier class of IMSA competition at the start of the 2018 season. Acura Team Penske scored its first Daytona Prototype International (DPi) victory – at the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio – in 2018; and captured three more victories en route to sweeping the Manufacturer, Team and Drivers titles last year.
“On behalf of everyone at Acura and HPD, we’d like to thank Team Penske for their incredible efforts and impressive results racing the ARX-05,” said Ted Klaus, president of Honda Performance Development, the competition arm for Acura Motorsports. “The success we’ve achieved together during the first two-plus years of the program makes us even more determined to score more victories, defend our championships, and conclude our partnership on the highest of notes.”
In addition to sweeping the major IMSA DPi championships in 2019, the Acura ARX-05 scored four race wins, 14 additional podium finishes and nine poles from 22 races since its debut in 2018 racing against Cadillac, Mazda and Nissan.
The Acura ARX-05 [Acura Racing eXperimental, generation 5] is the latest in a line of endurance prototypes to be fielded by the company dating back to 1991, just five years after the 1986 launch of the Acura brand. Together with our partner ORECA, and based on the ORECA 07 chassis, HPD led the design and development of the ARX-05; featuring Acura-specific bodywork and powered by Acura’s production-based AR35TT twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, which shares over 400 mass production components with Acura’s road going V6 products
The Acura ARX-05 has added to a rich legacy of Acura sports car racing campaigns and championships, including the 1991-93 IMSA Camel Lights manufacturer and driver championships; 53 IMSA and American Le Mans Series class or overall race victories; and the 2009 American Le Mans Series manufacturer, driver and team championships in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Racing and competition are cornerstones of Acura’s existence, and these on track achievements continue to epitomize Acura’s tagline of Precision Crafted Performance
Acura Motorsports also campaigns the Acura NSX GT3 Evo in the IMSA GTD category with defending GTD champion Meyer Shank Racing and the Gradient Racing organizations.
Previously, HPD was affiliated with Team Penske in Championship Auto Racing Teams Competition (CART) in 2000 and 2001. The partnership resulted in 10 race wins, two drivers’ championships (both for Gil de Ferran), and the 2001 CART Manufacturers’ Championship. More recently, during the single-supplier era in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition, Penske and HPD combined for two Indianapolis 500 victories (Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006 and Helio Castroneves in 2009), plus the drivers’ title for Hornish in 2006.
“Roger Penske has long been an important part of the Acura family as one of our great Acura dealers, and it has been a privilege to have him as part of the Acura Motorsports family as well,” said Jon Ikeda, Acura vice president and brand officer. “We’ve also had a very spirited competition with Team Penske during our previous ALMS Acura prototype programs. We will always be thankful for the contributions made by Team Penske over the three-year course of our DPi program”

CBS, CBS Sports Network, MAVTV, and Lucas Oil Racing TV  Combine for More than 100 Hours of Total Air Time

CORONA, Calif. (July 20, 2020) – As the days continue to count down until the long awaited start of the 2020 season, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO has announced an extensive broadcast package for this year’s championship. Thanks to a multi-network partnership between CBS, CBS Sports Network, MAVTV Motorsports Network, and Lucas Oil Racing TV, fans of short course off road will be presented with more than 100 total hours of coverage for the 2020 season.  One of the most notable additions to the 2020 broadcast package will be exclusive LIVE streaming coverage of every round on Lucas Oil Racing TV. Beginning with the first event of the 2020 season from Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California, subscribers will have the chance to watch the action unfold in real time at every event, including the unpredictable and highly competitive action of the RZR 170, JR2 Kart, and Mod Kart youth classes. Given that the opening weekend of 2020 will unfortunately not be open to fans, Lucas Oil Racing TV will provide the only opportunity to see all eight classes take to the track for the first time this season and witness who prevails triumphant on July 25 and July 26. Complementing the streaming package is an impressive broadcast schedule across CBS, CBS Sports Network, and MAVTV Motorsports Network. CBS will highlight the network coverage by bringing the high octane action of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series’ captivating truck classes of Pro Lite and Pro 2 into millions of homes across the country with eight one hour network telecasts over the course of the season. Each broadcast will showcase the competitiveness of these premier divisions from every stop on the schedule, in addition to the season ending Lucas Oil Challenge Cup. The compelling action from all five pro classes will be featured on CBS Sports Network and MAVTV Motorsports Network, as both will highlight the battle for victory in each class from every round, dedicating multiple episodes from each race weekend into a series of hour long telecasts. Collectively, these two networks will make up the heart of the 2020 broadcast package with a combined total of 54 individual hours of on-air coverage.

The 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will feature an extensive broadcast schedule with coverage on CBS, CBS Sports Network, MAVTV Motorsports Network, and Lucas Oil Racing TV. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

“This is an impressively dynamic broadcast package for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, and we’re thrilled to have so many opportunities to bring this truly incredible sport to our fans all across the country,” said Tom Fredrickson, COO of Lucas Oil Products, Inc. “In the midst of so much uncertainty surrounding the ongoing pandemic, we are incredibly fortunate to have a loyal team of networks and a seamless partnership amongst all of them that will allow us to reach the largest audience possible. Whether it’s on your phone, your computer, or on your television screen, it’s going to be hard to miss the spectacular action of short course off road during the 2020 season.” Narrating the action on the track with play-by-play calls, in-depth analysis, and trackside reporting is an experienced broadcast team featuring some of the most well known names in the off road racing industry. A three member lineup will spearhead the efforts for CBS, CBS Sports Network, and MAVTV Motorsports Network, featuring Ken Stout, Rob Klepper, and Derek Pernesiglio. Stout is one of the most recognizable names and voices in the world of motorsports and has become the proverbial voice of off road racing thanks to nearly 20 years as a fixture on the short course scene. Stout’s passion for off road has also passed on to his son, Robert, who enters the 2020 season as the reigning Production 1000 UTV Champion. In the booth, Ken will serve as the host for each network broadcast, where his immense experience and racing expertise will provide a welcoming environment for the viewers that allows them to feel like they’re a part of the action.  Flanking Stout in the broadcast booth will be Klepper, who brings an equally diverse range of experience into the fold as analyst. While he’s a decorated skeet shooter away from the race track, growing up in California allowed Klepper to spend most of his time around virtually every form of racing, where he started as a crew chief before eventually transitioning into announcing and broadcasting. With on-air experience across a wide range of disciplines, Klepper knows the ins and outs of competing on the track and serves as the perfect complement to Stout as they capture the excitement and explain the nuance of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series to millions of viewers across the country.  Rounding out the team as pit reporter is Pernesiglio, who will join Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series team for the first time. While he may be a new face to off road, the New York native has deep roots in the world of racing, both as a driver and an announcer. For nearly 20 years he has climbed the broadcast ranks, where he shares an equal love for both pavement and dirt. Thanks to his extensive racing pedigree, Pernesiglio will bring a truly unique perspective to viewers from his trackside position and will prove to be a perfect complement to his network counterparts.

All the door-banging action of the 2020 season will be brought into millions of homes by an exceptionally talented group of on-air personalities. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Announcing duties for the live streams on Lucas Oil Racing TV, in addition to the public address system at Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series events, will be handled by the duo of Brent Smith and Jack Korpela. Smith is a former racer who brings behind-the-wheel experience into the fold as host. The Michigan native spent many years honing his talents on the short courses of the midwest, and while he still keeps his racing skills sharp behind the wheel, he’s enjoyed a successful transition into the broadcast and announcing world, where his racing experience will help serve as the perfect complement to the action out on the track. For his second season of Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series competition Korpela will make the move into the booth alongside Smith. Uniquely enough, Korpela has some broadcast roots from the world of professional wrestling, but as a motorcycle drag racer himself, it was only a matter of time until he joined the motorsports world full time. His on-camera presence has allowed him to make a natural transition into off road, where he’ll take advantage of all the knowledge he gained last season to provide added color commentary with his new partner.

Acura Team Penske runs sixth overall with Dane Cameron, Juan Pablo Montoya
Helio Castroneves, Ricky Taylor recover from early-race issue to finish seventh
Marc Miller, Till Bechtolsheimer bring Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT-3 Evo came home seventh in GTD

SEBRING, Fla. (July 18, 2020) – A pair of late-race pit stops dropped the Acura Team Penske ARX-05s to sixth and seventh at the end of Saturday night’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship two-hour, 40-minute event at Sebring International Raceway, while Gradient Racing demonstrated steady improvement with a seventh-place result in GTD.

Acura Team Penske
In the premier Daytona Prototype International category, Juan Pablo Montoya qualified second, just two-tenths of a second off the pole time in his #6 Acura ARX-05, while teammate Helio Castroneves started his ARX-05 from sixth.

However, both Acura Team Penske entries required four stops for fuel during the two-hour, 40-minute contest, one more pit stop than most of their competitors. After running fourth in the early laps, then moving up to third, Montoya handed over the #6 Acura to co-driver Dane Cameron mid-race, who soldiered on to a sixth-place finish.

As the race approached the 30-minute mark, Castoneves was forced to pit his #7 ARX-04 when a turbocharger fitting worked loose on the notoriously bumpy Sebring circuit, but was able to regain the lead lap due to a timely full-course caution. Ricky Taylor took over the driving duties with just over an hour remaining, and brought his car home seventh.

Acura NSX GT3 Evo Teams
In the always-competitive GTD category, the Gradient Racing duo of Marc Miller and Till Bechtolscheimer demonstrated continued improvement with their Acura NSX GT3 Evo, combining for a seventh-place finish at Sebring, after running 10th in the team’s 2020 debut two weeks earlier at Daytona.

Starting eight in class, IMSA rookie Bechtolsheimer gained a position during the opening lap and ran as high as fifth in a consistent first stint. Veteran Miller took over the driving duties at the first pit stop, resuming in eighth place, then gaining one position for a seventh-place finish.

This weekend’s race at Sebring is part of the Sprint Cup Championship, for shorter races on the 2020 schedule, and is not part of the overall WeatherTech SpotsCar Championship. As a result, the two-car Meyer Shank team of Acura NSX GT3 Evo’s were not present, but both will return for the next round at Road America.

Next
The resumed 2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next moves north, to historic and scenic Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on August 2.

Acura Motorsports social media content and video links from Sebring International Raceway will be available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).  Produced by the CoForce Digital Media, the YouTube videos can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.  

Quotes
Juan Pablo Montoya (#6 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) finished sixth: “We knew it was going to be a difficult weekend. We had very nice pace in qualifying, and I was really happy with the lap I put down in the session. Based on the last few races, with where we were with our fuel capacity, we knew it was going to be a tough night in having to save fuel, and that is exactly what it was. Now we will just have to see what comes out of this race before we get to Road America, but Acura Team Penske is building fast racecars. When you have to make an extra pit stop versus the other competitors there isn’t much you can do.” 

Helio Castroneves (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) finished seventh: “Obviously, we started well, but had an issue with the [turbo charger] boost and power on the No. 7 Acura. I was going through the gears and could feel the car just wasn’t pulling. The guys did a phenomenal job in fixing it [repairing a loose connection], and we were able to get our lap back. It was frustrating because we did everything we could to keep up but the others were too strong tonight. Hopefully the series can see what we are up against and we will be more competitive at Road America. It was still a great job by everyone at Acura Team Penske.”

Graham Rahal charges from 19th to third in Saturday night closer at Iowa Speedway
Scott Dixon protects championship lead with impressive fifth-place finish
Honda continues to lead Manufacturers’ title chase after run of five races in 15 days

NEWTON, Iowa (July 19, 2020) – Graham Rahal led the way for Honda in Saturday’s second consecutive night of Indy car racing, scoring his second podium finish of the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with a third-place run on the tight Iowa Speedway oval.

Starting 19th for the second 250-lap race in a doubleheader weekend on the 0.9-mile Iowa oval, Rahal ran a long opening stint prior to his first pit stop, leading for the first time on Lap 61, then made up ground on fresh tires to lead two more times later in the race. His third-place result tonight in his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda is Rahal’s second podium finish of the season, following a second-place result at the GMR Grand Prix in Indianapolis last month. The finish moves Rahal to sixth in the championship points standings after six races.

Much as he did in Friday night’s opening Iowa race, Scott Dixon also turned a starting position deep in the field into a strong finish, finishing fifth tonight in his effort to record a sixth Indy car championship. Combined with his trio of wins to start the season and a second-place finish last night, Dixon holds a 49-point lead in the points standings over rival Simon Pagenaud. With four wins from six races this season Honda holds a 39-point lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship 496-457, over rival Chevrolet.

Demonstrating continuing improvement on oval tracks, Jack Harvey finished seventh for the second consecutive night on Saturday in his Meyer Shank Racing Honda; while Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi combined an eighth-place finish tonight with sixth on Friday to break into the top 10 in the championship standings. Dixon’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Marcus Ericsson, finished ninth on both nights; with Marco Andretti coming home 10th for Honda and Andretti Autosport.

Next
Tonight’s race was the fifth in the last 15 days for the drivers and teams of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend at Iowa Speedway. The series now takes two weeks off, then resumes August 8-9 with the Honda Indy 200 at the scenic Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Honda Racing social media content and videos from this weekend’s pair of races at Iowa Speedway will be available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and on Twitter at (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).  Produced by the CoForce Digital Media, YouTube video packages can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.  

Quotes
Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) Started 19th, finished third: “Tonight’s finish was the result of some good, hard work. It was a great showing for [new team sponsor] HyVee and it was great for us to come away with a good result. We needed it. It’s a good rebound for us after coming up a little bit short [12th in Friday’s race]. We’re super proud to be powered by Honda, I thought the engine tonight was phenomenal. We had everything we needed for the other guys. Next up is Mid-Ohio, that’s a big race for me. I love going home. We’ve had great success there, and I think we found some good stuff the last few times we’ve been on road courses, so I expect our team to be really good there. It’s an important race for Honda, too, with all the facilities in the area. I’m excited to go home. We’re a [championship] contender this year. We’ve improved, we’ve come a long way, and this car was great tonight.”

Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) Started 18th, finished fifth, continues to lead the Drivers’ Championship by 49 points after six races: “I think we knew this weekend was going to be one of our biggest challenges in terms of race weekends. We haven’t been as strong at Iowa as we’ve been at other tracks. We worked on it and tried some things and learned a lot and we were able to work our way up and get a good result for the PNC Bank car. The crew did a great job, especially in the pit stops. We came out of here with a decent [championship] points lead [49], so we’re looking forward to going to Mid-Ohio and hopefully extending that lead a little bit more. It’s great to be racing again. I feel very lucky, very privileged to be back racing. The car’s been very good this year, Honda has been working very hard, we’re always proud to be powered by Honda and HPD. Hopefully we can put the car in victory circle for a seventh time at Mid-Ohio. That’d be pretty cool.”

Wayne Gross (Race Team Manager, Honda Performance Development) on Saturday’s Iowa 250: “
“This was a much more ‘straightforward’ short track race tonight, with almost everyone on more-or-less the same pit strategy, but Indy car races on these short ovals are always a challenge. Everything is so tight that even the smallest mistake can have big consequences. Both Graham Rahal and Scott Dixon had flawless runs tonight, and Jack Harvey again demonstrated that he is now a contender on both ovals and road courses. Now we’re all looking forward to returning to our Midwestern ‘home’ track, Mid-Ohio, in a couple of weeks for the Honda Indy 200.”

Scott Dixon, Honda cap hectic final 50-lap run to finish second at Iowa Speedway
Alexander Rossi nets sixth-place finish for Andretti Autosport
Second round of doubleheader weekend runs Saturday night

NEWTON, Iowa (July 17, 2020) – Taking advantage of an extended caution on Lap 144 to make the second of his three scheduled pit stops, Scott Dixon took used fresh tires and strong Honda fuel mileage to work his way to the front of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field, finishing second in Friday night’s opening race of a doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway.

Starting 17th after a difficult qualifying run, Dixon’s Chip Ganasi Racing crew made setup changes at each of his three pit stops to improve the handling of his Honda-powered chassis. Combined with the long third stint, Dixon clawed his way to second, battling with eventual Simon Pagenaud throughout the last 50 laps of the 250-lap contest before finishing second, less than a half second behind Pagenaud at the checkers.

The tight, nine-tenths of a mile Iowa Speedway short oval is traditionally hard on tires, and tonight’s race was no exception, as drivers and teams experimented with various strategies to be able to run traffic-free laps on new tires.

One of the first drivers to go for the “undercut” by pitting early, Takuma Sato then made up ground running quickly in clean air as his competitors pitted. The strategy appeared to be paying off, as Sato led 49 laps mid-race. But a caution on Lap 144 ended those chances as Sato, teammate Graham Rahal and Ryan Hunter-Reay all went a lap down to the leaders who were able to pit prior to the yellow flag.

The caution, called initially for a single-car crash by Will Power, was then followed by a spectacular crash involving Colton Herta and Rinus VeeKay on an attempted Lap 156 restart. All drivers were uninjured in the incidents.

One of the quicker cars on fresh tires, Alexander Rossi ran as high as fourth early in several stints, but faded to a sixth-place finish in the closing laps. Running only his second oval race outside of Indianapolis, Jack Harvey finished an encouraging seventh for Meyer Shank Racing. Marcus Ericsson had another strong run in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to take the checkers in ninth, while Sato rounded out the top 10 for Honda, the first car one lap down.

Next
Tonight’s race was the opening round of a doubleheader NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend at Iowa Speedway. Tomorrow’s 250-lap finale starts at 8:30 p.m. EDT, with live coverage on the NBC Sports Network.

Honda Racing social media content and videos from Iowa Speedway will be available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and on Twitter at (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).  Produced by the CoForce Digital Media, YouTube videos can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.  

Quotes
Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) Started 17th, finished second; continues to lead NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship by 50 points after five races: “Proud to powered by Honda and HPD, they do a tremendous job. I think our fuel mileage is really what enabled us to stay out and jump a couple of cars. I think those cautions obviously did help us. We had a pretty dreadful car in qualifying and – with the ‘parc ferme’ rules in place between qualifying and the race – you can’t change anything on the car after qualifying. So it took us a little while [making chassis adjustments at each pit stop] to get going. But a huge credit to the NTT Bank crew, they did a hell of a job tonight. You’ve got to take these nights and make the most of them.”

Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport Honda) Started eighth, finished sixth: “For us, there were two parts to the race tonight. The AutoNation Andretti Honda was one of the stronger cars out there, but we struggled with tire life. Ultimately, I think we were on the right strategy to win the race, but we just didn’t have the car to do it. It’s a bit unfortunate. Had that yellow not come out and we could’ve run the race we planned, we probably would have ended a couple of spots higher, but I don’t think we would’ve won the race. But we have a pretty good car, and we’ve had two decent finishes now [third at Road America last Sunday and sixth tonight in Iowa], we just need to make the car a bit better in the practice session tomorrow.”

Allen Miller (Race Team Principal, Honda Performance Development) on Friday’s Iowa 250: “Tonight’s race demonstrated why short ovals are so challenging for the teams, and exciting for the fans to watch. Everything changed dramatically in the final 50 laps, it made for another exciting finish here. Congratulations to Scott [Dixon] and Alexander [Rossi], who were both tenacious in the final 50 laps and well-earned their results. Special thanks to all the great fans who were able to come out here this weekend. Now we’re looking forward to doing it again tomorrow night, with hopefully just a slightly better result!”

Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra finish tenth in the Advent Health 120
More tire woes for Eversley and substitute co-driver Dakota Dickerson

SEBRING, FL (July 17, 2020) –The LA Honda World Racing team scored a top-ten finish Friday at Sebring International Raceway, the first IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge race since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 season after the opening round at Daytona in January.

Starting twelfth, Mat Pombo and Mike LaMarra brought their LA Honda World Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR car across the line in tenth place in the weather-shortened Advent Health 120. LaMarra qualified the car and started the race, moving up three spots on the opening lap before a 75-minute red flag due to lightning in the area paused the action.

Though the clock continued to run at the start of the red flag, it was eventually stopped and the race was resumed with one hour and 10 minutes still to run. The trio of Honda Civic Type R TCR cars continued to run in the top 10 as pit stops started, with the No. 77, being driven by Dakota Dickerson, substituting for Taylor Hagler, working its way through the field and climbing to second position before diving in the pits for their stop.

Despite the strong showing before the pit stop, Dickerson’s co-driver Ryan Eversley saw shades of Daytona struggles again as the No. 77 suffered a punctured tire that dropped him and Dickerson back to a 12th place finish.

The No. 37 of Chris Miller and Shelby Blackstock struggled during the weekend following a heavy accident in Thursday practice. The LA Honda World Racing team worked hard to repair the car, but eventually power steering issue took them out of the race. The team is investigating the issue to determine if it was related to Thursday’s incident.

LaMarra and Pombo clinched the best result for the Honda TCR squad, crossing the line under yet another weather-induced yellow flag in their Honda Civic Type R TCR machine tenth.

HPD has three ready-to-race Civic models for touring car competition. The line starts with the affordable and reliable Civic Si TCA race car, then leads to the Civic Type R TC racer that puts legendary Type R performance on track, and culminates with the no-compromise, championship-winning Civic Type R TCR race car. Our unparalleled trackside support at every level from HPD engineers is a unique benefit that no other manufacturer can offer. Find out more about these cars and our touring programs at: https://hpd.honda.com/Motorsports/Touring

Honda Racing social media content and videos from Sebring International Raceway are available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and on Twitter at (https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).  Produced by CoForce Digital Media, YouTube video packages can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/HondaRacingHPDTV.  

Next
The MICHELIN Pilot Challenge travels to the scenic Road America circuit in Wisconsin for the August 1st Road America 120. The race can be streamed live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

Quotes
Mat Pombo (#73 LA Honda World Honda Civic Type R TCR), finished 10th: “We had a trying weekend with the balance of performance it seems. The LAP Motorsports LA Honda World Civic Type R TCR cars were on rails and the crew executed our plan flawlessly. We controlled everything we could today and came away 10th. I want to thank Mike LaMarra for driving a great opening stint, Luis and Rob for the great car, any my LAP Motorsports team for being the best in the paddock. We will forget this weekend and get after them in two weeks at Road America.”

Ryan Eversley (#77 LA Honda World Honda Civic Type R TCR), finished 12th: “Well, that’s Sebring. We struggled for ultimate pace all weekend and were clearly out-gunned. But the L.A. Honda World guys gave us the best car they could. Dakota [Dickerson, substituting for regular co-driver Taylor Hagler] did a great job at the start to work our way up to sixth before handing over to me. After the pit stop we were running seventh and the car was handling really well before a puncture caused us to pit and lose a lap. It’s an unfortunate result, but it was really great to be back in a race car and on track. I’m looking forward to paring back up with Taylor we we come back for Road America in a few weeks.”

Mike LaMarra (#73 LA Honda World Honda Civic Type R TCR), finished 10th: “It was amazing to be back in the LA Honda World Civic Type R TCR, doing what we love to do. While the event was a little different than we are used to having, it felt good to be back with our LAP Motorsports team and the IMSA community. We just didn’t have the overall pace that we needed today. Thanks to LA Honda World Racing, LAP Motorsports, HPD and Mat [Pombo] for their support and effort.”

FORD FINISHES 1-2 IN TEXAS XFINITY RACE FORT WORTH, TX – July 20, 2020 – Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe brought home a 1-2 finish from Texas Motor Speedway. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang went to victory lane for the third time in three races and marked the fifth straight win for Ford Performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“Congratulations to Austin, Brian and the No. 22 crew,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Austin and Brian worked hard all day to put the No. 22 Ford Mustang in position to compete for the win and three wins in a row is impressive.”

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, My Bariatric Solutions 300, Kyle Busch finished P1 with the Ford Performance teammates of Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe finishing P2 and P3, respectively.  Busch’s car then failed post-race inspection, and the win was officially awarded to Cindric and Briscoe was moved up to P2.

“I just got out of the hauler from getting changed back into my street clothes and saw the 54 and everyone and their brother surrounding the scales, that’s never a good sign for those guys,” said Cindric, when asked about how he found out about the win ruling. “I know they race hard and word hard. I want to win it on the track. I felt like we had a shot to do that today and maybe didn’t execute as well as we should have and that’s what kept us out, but fast race cars and being in position that’s where it counts.”   Ford leads all manufacturers with eight total wins and Briscoe with Stewart-Haas Racing leads the driver and owners’ points standings with Cindric and Team Penske in P2.

The Ford Mustangs showed a lot of speed on Sunday during the NASCAR Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, leading a race high 275 laps out of the 334-lap race. Ryan Blaney led 150 laps and won Stage 1 and 2.

Five of the Fords finished in the top-10 Joey Logano finished P3, Kevin Harvick P5, Blaney P7, Brad Keselowski P9 and Aric Almirola P10.   Ford leads all manufacturers with 10 race wins, while Stewart-Haas and Kevin Harvick continue to lead the owner and driver points standings.

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge was back in action for the first time since January. In the Grand Sport (GS) class of 35 entries at Sebring International Raceway, the No. 22 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 with co-drivers Seb Priaulx and Scott Maxwell finished P8 and No. 40 PF Racing’s James Pesek and Chad McCumbee finished P11.   NASCAR will head to Kansas to run the Cup race this Thursday night and Xfinity race on Saturday evening at Kansas Speedway. In addition, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series will race next in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin at Road America on August 1st.  27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 397 WINS – 357 POLES!