NASCAR CUP SERIES DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES FEBRUARY 12, 2025

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

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Is the drive to win the Daytona 500 the same motivation, same desire now that you already have one?“Yeah, I do. I have more joy coming down here than I did before. I have more passion and excitement for this race than I did before. I feel like having experienced it the way it was last year really changed my perspective on the race as a whole in a good way, obviously. I feel that’s created some more motivation to get another one. This race, it’s a lifetime achievement. It’s something people reference everywhere you go. It’s something that the first time in my career I’ve had something like that. It makes it cool, it makes it more special, because you can tell people care about the race.” What are the things at Daytona as a driver you can control?“I think there is so many aspects. The way that you position yourself at the end of the race. It starts tonight. You can get yourself on the front row, and that gives you a great opportunity to not have to stress about the Duels. And then if you’re not locked in on the front row, you have to race the Duels and understand what your car has and try to keep it in one piece. It’s a process throughout the week, then obviously, Sunday is about positioning yourself as the stages go along and really like the last 20 laps of the race essentially. It’s just a process. You really can’t think too far ahead. I’m not thinking about Sunday at all yet. Just trying to get through tonight and check the boxes that I need to to have a good qualifying lap.” As the track surface gets older, has handling become more of a premium since you started at the Cup level?“Yes and no. This car has a lot of drag, so with that comes lower speeds and more downforce. This car doesn’t really require as much handling, but it’s still going to matter. If we were back on the old surface or with the old Gen 6 car, yeah, we’d be slipping around quite a bit. This car is pretty stuck to the track here. It’s all relative, though. I think that the cars are going to get more and more trimmed out as the teams get smarter, so we’re probably going to have something a bit more unique here than we’ve seen in years past with the way it handles.” How does the lack of practice here affect you?“It doesn’t affect us at all. Practice here is like such a façade, really. You’re not around enough cars There’s not enough energy in the pack to really know what the car is going to do. The Duels are your best practice. That’s when everyone is at ten-tenths. The thing about practice at a speedway is like, especially if you’re going out drafting, guys are pulling on and off the track, so the energy is changing every lap. That’s not really conducive to what the race is like. The Duels are our best chance to learn, and then really like maybe some laps on Friday, you might learn here or there. But you’re going to learn mostly in the Duels and obviously, in the race on Sunday.” Is it kind of cool to race against a four-time Indy 500 champion (in Helio Castroneves)?“It is sweet. The funniest thing about that is I look over next to my bus right when I got back from practice, and it’s Helio’s bus. I didn’t even realize that when I got here, but that’s pretty neat to have an Indy 500 champion like that next to you in the bus lot, and then obviously, racing on the racetrack. Yeah, it’s awesome.” Talk about the entry list and the wide variety of drivers…“Yeah, it shows kind of the momentum of the sport really. We went through a dip where we didn’t really have a lot of open drivers or people trying to make the race, and now we’re back to having a few more. It’s awesome. It’s good that it’s quality cars, and I’ll be excited to look and see what’s going on. I’ve got to understand the system and how it all works, because apparently one guy is locked in but I’ve got to understand who is on the bubble to watch that race when I’m not racing myself.” Depending on where you qualifying, how much will you be aware of other open cars trying to qualify?“I don’t have any awareness of that. For me, if I’m on the racetrack, I’m just going to try and win. If they’re racing in the other Duel or if I get out of the car, I’ll look at it.” Having such a marathon week to start the season, does that help with the suddenness of the grueling schedule?“It does. I honestly look forward to this week. It’s kind of like a little bit of a Spring Break. You’re down here forever, and you have obviously a lot of obligations, but I enjoy it because it’s a nice lead in versus The Clash. It’s so sudden, and you’re in such a different environment. You don’t have the garages or your hauler. This race gives you a chance to kind of settle in, get all of your stuff acclimated, and then you hit the road after that.” Is there anything cool you get now rather than before you won the Daytona 500?“I think just the trophy itself is probably the coolest thing. The side effect I always thought about was all the media you had to do and what that would feel like, but it’s honestly been great. It’s not bad, but just the trophy itself is such a historic trophy and it’s unlike any other one I’ve had.” Is there anything you can learn from this race and take to Atlanta?“I don’t know. I don’t feel like the answer for me is no because I feel like here, you really have to… it’s a totally different positioning race. Atlanta has that hybrid effect where you have a little bit of drafting but you also have lifting, and it’s kind of that five-fifty style mile-and-a-half race.” Does your confidence go up on speedways after winning this race?“Not exactly, no. I feel like for me, it was honestly the success we had after that throughout the year on drafting tracks where I felt like we were constantly up to the front. It wasn’t instant, perse, but as soon as we continued to have a good year on drafting tracks, I felt like that built some confidence.” Talk about the case of NASCAR athletes being athletes…“That’s a great question. I think with the way tech is now, like having my Whoop band on when I’m in the racecar, it’s one of the hardest workouts that I do throughout my week. Your heartrate is elevated, you’re in this kind of iso-position, which nowadays with yoga and everything people are doing, they understand how difficult that is to kind of fight the g-forces and hold yourself in that position. You’re making micro-adjustments all the time. I think that ten years ago, it was ‘Oh, drivers aren’t athletes,’ but if you’re not an athlete nowadays, you’re going to have a tough time. It’s just the nature of these cars and how rigid they’ve got, and how close the racing gets.” What does it feel like coming back here after August?“I feel like in the summer, it’s just kind of weird because you’re so in the middle of your season, you’re focused on that. Coming back here, being back for the (Daytona) 500 definitely feels special. Just have that excitement and genuine joy for the race. I think I’m just excited for the week.” How much has the racing changed in the last three years here at Daytona?“The racing has just got really tight and competitive, and everybody is sort of in a really tight gridlock. So it’s really hard to make moves. Three-wide is tough to make. I feel like you’ve got to be up towards the front. Track position is really important, and you have to be towards the front side coming down to the end. I think in the past, that was the case, but you could see a guy win from 10th on the last lap. I just don’t think that’ll happen in this package anymore.” How do you approach the “Big One?”“It’s just the nature of the race. I think, for me, I don’t really focus on that aspect. It’s just the nature of the event and I feel like it makes it exciting.” With being close to the championship the past few years, how big of a deal is it to you to get started off right?“It’s not a huge deal. I think that this season is really long. I would like for us to continue to improve. I think that’s the biggest thing. Yeah, you want to get a win in early. It takes some pressure off from the outside, but really you continue to strive for more. Sometimes you don’t see the champion get really hot until the second half of the year. Not saying that’s the right formula, but I’m just saying you’ve got to be consistent throughout the year and try to win every week. That’s our goal. We’re not really thinking about trying to make a statement or anything like that, it’s just trying to go out there and execute every week.” How much does a really good paint scheme affect you walking up to your car? Does it affect your psyche?“It does. You know when you’re stepping into a really nice looking racecar and something that you’re proud of. Also, the attention and the craft with my guys and how much effort they put into the racecar. It does. For me personally, it affects how I feel getting into the racecar. Obviously, once I put the helmet on, it is what it is, but I think having a good-looking racecar, having a car that your guys have put a lot of effort into, that means a lot.” Have you thought about what a back-to-back Daytona 500 would mean to you?“No, I don’t really think about the history. There are so many things, so many boxes to check as this week goes. Obviously, that’d be a great footnote after the race is over, but right now, there are so many things to get to that point. It’s just thinking about all of my processes to get to the end on Sunday.” One more win gives Hendrick Motorsports the most all time. You’re known to win some big races. Where would that factor in if winning another one?“Hendrick Motorsports has so much history as it is, and I feel like they just add in another win would be more to that. I’m excited for the week. I’m really ready to get going. I feel like all of our teams are really prepared and we’re just ready to go.”

BARBERVILLE, FL – What a difference three weeks makes.

Ricky Thornton Jr. got his 2025 season rolling with a DNQ and a 19th-place run at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, and looked lost in the woods after winning 26 Late Model races a year ago.

But when the calendar turned to February and the Koehler Motorsports No. 20RT team returned to Barberville for Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, “RTJ” once again looked like one of the top dirt Late Model drivers in the nation. Following a runner-up to open the week on Monday, Thornton put on a masterclass in Tuesday’s DIRTcar Late Model Feature.

“I feel like we’ve been really good,” Thornton said. “We changed our program up a lot after we were here earlier this year and I feel like we’ve gotten a lot better. My boys aren’t going to shy away from work, we’ve destroyed two race cars and they put them back together and we’ve been just as good.”

Thornton won Heat 1 earlier in the night to claim the pole for the main event alongside reigning DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Tyler Erb. “Terbo” was able to rip the cushion around Turns 1 and 2 to take the early lead and force Thornton to settle into second.

While Erb worked to build a gap, Thornton came under fire from fourth-place starter Bobby Pierce, who threw a slider on Thornton to steal second before a slowing Brenden Smith brought out the caution with four laps complete.

That gave Thornton the chance to get the second spot back on the restart, and from there he set his sights on the leader. With 11 laps down in the 25-lap affair, Thornton dove to Erb’s inside entering Turn 3, raced side-by-side with the No. 1 down the frontstretch and cleared Erb in the next set of corners to take command of the race.

“Really, [Erb] lasted way longer than I thought he was going to,” Thornton said regarding Erb’s decision to opt for a softer tire for the Feature. “I started moving around, Bobby got by but the yellow came out, lucklily. I knew the top was going to get a better restart and luckily Bobby picked the bottom for me. Got a good start, got back to second, tried to keep pace with Terbo so whenever he did slow down, I was able to capitalize on it.”

From that point forward, Thornton was off like a rocket. The gap to Erb was already over a second two laps after Thornton completed the pass and grew as large as 3.5 seconds before Thornton caught thick lap traffic. The slower cars didn’t deter him though, as Thornton went unchallenged for the remainder of the race on his drive to victory.

Thornton said he still isn’t entirely comfortable racing around Volusia despite the fact that Tuesday’s win netted him his third Gator in the past four years. However, his speed so far this week has him feeling optimistic about his progress.

“I just struggle here as a driver,” Thornton said. “I feel like we finally got the package that we need. I can qualify well, and that puts you so much further ahead later in the night. Had a couple good Heat Races, winning both of them put us up front for the Feature. I just feel like our overall balance is getting better and better every time we come here.”

After falling back to third on the only restart of the night, Pierce spent most of the race riding behind Thornton and Erb until the final circuit, when he snuck by Erb to take the runner-up spot.

“I wasn’t wanting to settle for third, I was either going to jump the cushion or we were going to get second,” Pierce said. “It ended up turning good, I didn’t really lift much and I got around him. I wish I could have figured it out a little earlier, but my air kind of got spoiled a couple times. All in all, a great night for us.”

While Erb was frustrated to fall back to third in the waning moments of the race, his fourth podium of the season had him excited about the speed his Best Performance Motorsports machine has shown so far in 2025.

“Got nipped on the last lap there by Bobby,” Erb said. “Nothing to hang our heads about. Got a lot of speed, actually am enjoying racing here at Volusia. We had good runs at Sunshine Nationals and to get a third here tonight is pretty good. Excited for the rest of the week.”

Jonathan Davenport finished fourth to stay perfect in Volusia top fives on the year between Sunshine Nationals and DIRTcar Nationals, while Brandon Overton picked up his first top five at Volusia this season in fifth.

Thanks to his back-to-back top-two finishes, Thornton now leads the Late Model Big Gator standings by 20 points over Davenport with four more nights of racing to go.

RACE NOTES:

Tyler Bruening set the overall fastest lap in Hot Laps.

Ryan Gustin laid down the quickest lap of the night in Qualifying.

The six Heat Race wins went to Ricky Thornton Jr., Tyler Erb, Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Overton and Cade Dillard.

Brandon Sheppard, Chase Junghans and Ashton Winger won the three Last Chance Showdowns.

Brian Shirley drove from 16th to sixth in the Feature to claim the Hard Charger Award.

UP NEXT: The DIRTcar Late Model portion of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals wraps up on Wednesday with a trio of 20-lap Features. Get your tickets by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

BARBERVILLE, FL – Many drivers who make the trek south to Barberville, FL each February dream of hoisting just one Gator Trophy.

And then there’s Nick Hoffman, who snagged the reptilian award for the 25th time in his career in Monday’s DIRTcar Late Model Feature at Volusia Speedway Park.

“It’s awesome, especially to start the week this way,” Hoffman said. “It’s so tough to come down here, this is one of the toughest fields we see all year. To stand on the top step of the podium is pretty cool.”

Hoffman started the race on the outside of polesitter Cade Dillard and fell in line behind the No. 97 for the opening circuits.

As the race progressed, the bottom of the track became the preferred groove, with Dillard and most of the field opting to hug the inside wall around the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.” That opened the door for Hoffman to ride the cushion and get side-by-side with Dillard for the top spot.

“I let Cade get out front there and control the pace for a little bit,” Hoffman said. “Once we got close to lap traffic, it was time for me to go. Felt like our car was really good, very maneuverable where I could kind of go anywhere and make speed.”

After taking the crossed flags in the 25-lap affair, Hoffman cleared Dillard entering Turn 1 and never let go of the top spot. The win was his second Late Model win during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in as many years to go along with 23 DIRTcar UMP Modified victories in the event, expanding his Gator collection that was already the largest of any driver in any division.

“I feel like I just know what to expect out of my car here,” Hoffman said regarding the reasons behind his Volusia success. “I know what it should feel like to be good, and I feel like that’s translated from the Modified to the Late Model. Knowing what I need to do to make raw speed, I’m just good at big, sweeping ½-miles. It’s something that I’ve always been good at. Finally got this thing where it steers and I can maneuver wherever I want, I feel like that’s the most important thing about this place.”

“The Thrill From Mooresville” didn’t go unchallenged in the late stages of the race though, as Ricky Thornton Jr. got within a car length of the No. 9 but was unable to make the pass in traffic. His runner-up effort was still a stark contrast from his Sunshine Nationals results, as Thornton missed the Feature on Friday night before finishing 19th on Saturday.

“I feel like there’s a little bit of an area where we can be a little bit better, but I feel like we’ve gained a lot of speed since we were here last month,” Thornton said. “I thought I had a shot for a minute in traffic, I kind of figured whoever got past the two lap cars and got out was just going to take off, and I couldn’t even see him at the checkers.”

Coming home in third was Jonathan Davenport, who is now three-for-three in Volusia podiums in 2025 after finishing second on both nights of Sunshine Nationals.

“We got to second one time, and as soon as we got to second, I pushed out of the bottom there and let two more back by me,” Davenport said. “We were definitely going back and forth through the lap cars there. Every time I’d get a good run, I’d run up right behind a lap car and have to maneuver around them. But I’m sure that’s what everyone else was doing too.”

Max Blair drove from ninth to fourth to collect the Hard Charger Award, while Ryan Gustin completed the top five.

RACE NOTES:

Austin Smith laid down the overall fastest lap in Hot Laps.

Cade Dillard collected the Quick Time Award for going fastest overall in Qualifying.

Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman, Mike Marlar, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport and Ryan Gustin won the six Heat Races.

Three Last Chance Showdowns were won by Brent Larson, Mark Whitener and Tyler Erb.

UP NEXT: Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals continues on Tuesday night with another full program for the DIRTcar Late Models. Get your tickets by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 49D-Jonathan Davenport[5]; 4. 111-Max Blair[9]; 5. 19R-Ryan Gustin[6]; 6. 76-Brandon Overton[10]; 7. 97-Cade Dillard[1]; 8. 1-Brandon Sheppard[8]; 9. 32-Bobby Pierce[11]; 10. 157-Mike Marlar[3]; 11. 99-Devin Moran[16]; 12. 16-Tyler Bruening[12]; 13. 58-Garrett Alberson[14]; 14. 96-Tanner English[13]; 15. 44-Chris Madden[18]; 16. 40B-Kyle Bronson[7]; 17. 18-Chase Junghans[17]; 18. 1T-Tyler Erb[21]; 19. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[15]; 20. 12-Ashton Winger[24]; 21. 49-Jake Timm[23]; 22. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[22]; 23. 5-Mark Whitener[20]; 24. B1-Brent Larson[19]

Tennessee racer begins championship chase April 12 at Salina Highbanks Speedway

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2025) — Since the turn of the decade, Landon Britt has turned Sprint Car racing into his primary passion. He’s staying dedicated in 2025 with his commitment to a fourth season chasing the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour championship.

The former rugby player from Memphis, TN, rekindled his own racing roots in the late 2010s, racing Sprint Cars regionally before embarking on his first campaign with the Tour in 2022. Britt broke through for his first career Tour victory in 2023 and garnered a seventh-place finish in the championship standings last year.

“In the 360 scene, if you want upper-caliber racing, the National Tour is just the way to go,” Britt said.

The 27-year-old totaled five top-fives last season, compared to the eight he had in 2023, but posted more top 10s — 19 of them. That was the result of some experimentation he hopes will benefit him in the new year.

“We spent a lot of 2024 kinda changing some things around and getting out of our comfort zone a little bit more,” Britt said. “I think 2024 was a really good testing season for us, and I think what we’ve learned along the way will greatly benefit us in 2025.”

Not only did he learn more about his LB Motorsports, Moss Racing Engines-powered J&J Chassis No. 10, he’s set new goals for the new year in his efforts to become a more regular contender for Feature wins.

“I’d like to see myself get more aggressive in traffic,” Britt said. “I think last year, I could have made better positioning just being more aggressive to lapped cars and hitting those tight holes that would get me by them, but it’s a higher risk factor. So, I guess just taking the more higher-risk moves and pushing myself as a driver to the edge of it.”

Like several of the veteran ASCS rivals he competes against, Britt has been around to see the transition of the National Tour as it continues to evolve into 2025, and he takes pride in his allegiance to the brand.

“I think it’s great that we’re being looked out more for than just letting it die out,” Britt said. “I think it will take time to get back to what ASCS used to be. It all just takes time, it takes support of World Racing Group, the support of racers, fans — pretty much anything anyone can do to get it out there just builds it bigger.”

Britt begins his fourth season on the ASCS National Tour full-time roster at the next event — Saturday, April 12 at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, OK.

Tickets for this event will be sold at the track on race day. If you can’t be there to watch, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 10, 2025) – With two weeks of Sprint Car and DIRTcar UMP Modified action in the books, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will thunder back into Volusia Speedway Park to put a bow on the 54th annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

The week will open with three nights of DIRTcar Late Model competition Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 10-12, before the World of Outlaws Late Models take over for the final three nights of the event, Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 13-15. Thursday and Friday’s programs will both wrap up with 35-lap, $12,000-to-win Features, while the weekend culminates with a 50-lap, $20,000-to-win main event and the crowning of a Big Gator champion on Saturday night.

Drivers will collect points from all DIRTcar and World of Outlaws Features for the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator championship, awarded at the end of the week. Wednesday’s DIRTcar Late Model event will see the field split into three Features for the night.

The Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds will join the Outlaws on all three nights to make for a high-horsepower doubleheader at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

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Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:

FIRST PITCH HOMER: Out of all the new driver-crew chief combinations in the pits this season, none have gelled quicker than Ryan Gustin and Cody Mallory.

Less than three weeks after Mallory officially joined the Todd Cooney Racing squad, he guided Gustin to his first World of Outlaws win at Volusia on the first night of the new season at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

“The Reaper” may have been unable to replicate that performance on Saturday with an 18th-place finish, but he still finds himself fourth in the standings entering DIRTcar Nationals, eight points behind leader Cody Overton. And since a competitor’s three best finishes between Sunshine Nationals and DIRTcar Nationals are the only ones that count toward the season-long points, some strong runs this week could allow Gustin to discard his Saturday finish and further improve his position in the championship chase.

SOPHOMORE STAR: Following a 13th-place points finish in his rookie season with the Outlaws, Cody Overton expected to make major improvements in his second year on tour. What he didn’t expect, though, was to be leading the points after two races.

The Thomson, GA driver had his picture taken on the podium for the first time after finishing third on Friday before barely missing the top 10 on Saturday in 11th, enough to claim the top spot among all signed World of Outlaws drivers.

However, it wasn’t the first time Volusia was kind to Overton, as he won a Crate Late Model Feature during Sunshine Nationals in 2020, his first of five top 10s in the event prior to making the jump to the Super Late Model division.

Overton has kept his hot streak going in the weeks since, as he piloted the Big Frog Motorsports Crate Late Model to Victory Lane at All-Tech Raceway on Feb. 1 before scoring his first Super Late Model win in three years at Screven Motor Speedway last weekend against many of the same drivers he’ll face again this week at Volusia.

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME?: If there was anyone at Sunshine Nationals who had race-winning speed on both nights but walked away with little to show for it, it would be Nick Hoffman.

The Tye Twarog Motorsports gasser picked up a Heat Race win on Friday and drew the pole for the main event, setting up a fierce battle with Gustin for the top spot. But just past halfway, Hoffman got loose on Gustin’s inside entering Turn 1 and his car snapped around. After going to the tail of the field for the restart, Hoffman made his way back up to ninth by the checkers.

When Saturday rolled around, Hoffman’s speed early in the night was still there as he claimed the Simpson Quick Time Award in Qualifying and led every lap of his Heat Race. Misfortune struck once again in the Feature though, as Hoffman’s right-rear tire gave out while running fourth, forcing him to come from the back for the second night in a row. Hoffman climbed up to 10th at the end of 50 laps, leaving him fifth in the standings with two nights in the books.

“The Thrill From Mooresville” may not have strapped a helmet on since the Sunshine Nationals finale, but he’s stayed plenty busy in the Volusia pits assisting his Elite Chassis customers during nine nights of DIRTcar UMP Modified competition. There’s a reason so many competitors turn to Hoffman for advice at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile,” as his incredible resume at the track includes seven-straight Big Gator championships between 2016 and 2022, two Reutimann Memorials and more than a dozen other Feature wins.

The most recent of those came last year when Hoffman picked up his first World of Outlaws trophy from Volusia, and he’ll look to further expand his Gator collection this week.

BOUNCING BACK: When Brian Shirley’s engine expired while he was running fifth with four laps to go in the Saturday Feature at Sunshine Nationals, he was hopeful that would be the end of his bad luck during Speedweeks. As it turned out, it was only the beginning.

While leading his Heat Race in a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series event at Needmore Speedway, Shirley’s powerplant once again began to smoke. Once he brought the car to a stop, the smoke turned to fire and the No. 3S became completely engulfed in flames. Thankfully, Shirley emerged from the car uninjured.

The two weeks since the incident have brought even more attrition, as Shirley has battled through more engine problems, tire failures, crashes and more. Multiple trips have been made up Interstate 95 to Longhorn Chassis and Durham Racing Engines in North Carolina to keep Shirley’s trailer stocked. With a return to World of Outlaws competition on the horizon, Shirley would love nothing more than an uneventful DIRTcar Nationals to get his season back on track.

GATOR HUNTERS: While plenty of teams are rolling into DIRTcar Nationals looking for a turnaround, several others are ready to let the good times keep rolling in the “Sunshine State.”

Eleven years removed from his World of Outlaws debut at I-30 Speedway in 2014, Garrett Alberson finally won with the Series for the first time three weeks ago. It was his second win of the season after getting his first in New Mexico at the Wild West Shootout, placing him alongside Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran and Jonathan Davenport as the only drivers with multiple Super Late Model wins in 2025.

All five drivers are expected to be in attendance this week aiming to add to their totals. Pierce leads the way with four wins so far this year, but he failed to crack the top five in two attempts at Volusia. The record books show that those runs were the exception rather than the norm, as the 2023 Series champion is a four-time Feature winner at Volusia between World of Outlaws and DIRTcar competition.

For Moran, Sunshine Nationals was a tale of two nights, as he missed the Feature on Friday before finishing fourth on Saturday. “The Mailman” has won five times with the Outlaws at Volusia since 2021, more than any other driver in that span.

Thornton’s first trip to Volusia last month was nothing short of a nightmare, as he was a DNQ on Friday and finished 19th on Saturday. However, his Koehler Motorsports teammate Jimmy Owens led the first 41 laps of Saturday’s Sunshine Nationals Feature.

Davenport will return to Volusia this week after doing everything but win a race at Sunshine Nationals. Not only did he pick up a pair of runner-ups in his first trip to the event, he was the only member of the field to finish in the top five on both nights. “Superman” finally found the top step of the podium at Ocala Speedway twice last week after four second-place finishes on the year, and he’s looking to carry that momentum into DIRTcar Nationals as he chases his first Volusia win since 2018.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 13-15 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL

CURRENT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Cody Overton (572 points)
2. Ethan Dotson (-4)
3. Brandon Sheppard (-4)
4. Ryan Gustin (-8)
5. Nick Hoffman (-10)
6. Bobby Pierce (-12)
7. Drake Troutman (-14)
8. Kyle Bronson (-20)
9. Cade Dillard (-20)
10. Max Blair (-24)

FEATURE WINNERS (2):
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 1

HEAT RACE WINNERS (10):
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 2
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 1
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 1
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 1
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 1
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 1

LANDA PRESSURE WASHERS LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (5):
Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 2
Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – 1
Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 1
Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 1
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 1

PODIUM FINISHERS (5):
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 2
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 1
Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 1

FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGERS (2):
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1

SIMPSON RACING PRODUCTS QUICK TIMES (2):
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 1

BILSTEIN POLE AWARD (2):
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 1
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 1

FEATURE LAP LEADERS (4):
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 41
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 19
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 16
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 9

2025 WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODELS SCHEDULE & WINNERS
Friday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Ryan Gustin (1)
Saturday, Jan. 25 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Garrett Alberson (1)
Thursday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, Feb. 15 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, Mar. 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN
Saturday, Mar. 15 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN
Friday, Mar. 21 / Swainsboro Raceway / Swainsboro, GA
Saturday, Mar. 22 / Swainsboro Raceway / Swainsboro, GA
Friday, Apr. 4 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH
Saturday, Apr. 5 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH
Thursday, Apr. 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL (Practice)
Friday, Apr. 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Saturday, Apr. 12 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Friday, Apr. 25 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Saturday, Apr. 26 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Thursday, May 1 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Friday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Saturday, May 3 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Thursday, May 15 / Raceway 7 / Conneaut, OH
Friday, May 16 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Saturday, May 17 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Sunday, May 18 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA
Friday, June 20 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO
Saturday, June 21 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO
Monday, June 23 / Independence Motor Speedway / Independence, IA
Thursday, June 26 / I-94 EMR Speedway / Fergus Falls, MN
Friday, June 27 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Saturday, June 28 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN
Sunday, June 29 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Thursday, July 3 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 4 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Saturday, July 5 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Saturday, July 12 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Friday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Saturday, July 26 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Monday, July 28 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Thursday, July 31 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Friday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Saturday, Aug. 2 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Wednesday, Aug. 13 / Highland Speedway / Highland, IL
Thursday, Aug. 14 / Spoon River Speedway / Lewistown, IL
Friday, Aug. 15 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Saturday, Aug. 16 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Friday, Aug. 22 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Saturday, Aug. 23 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Friday, Sept. 12 / Needmore Speedway / Norman Park, GA
Saturday, Sept. 13 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA
Friday, Sept. 26 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL
Saturday, Sept. 27 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL
Friday, Oct. 3 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS
Saturday, Oct. 4 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS
Friday, Oct. 10 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Saturday, Oct. 11 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Wednesday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thursday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Friday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Saturday, Nov. 8 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

DETROIT – The 2025 Blazer EV SS – the quickest SS model Chevrolet has ever produced1 – will pace the 67th DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) on Sunday, February 16, 2025. The Blazer EV SS, set to go on sale later this quarter, is equipped with Wide Open Watts (WOW), which propels the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds2, and produces 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft torque. The pace car set for the DAYTONA 500 is a production vehicle with no performance upgrades and features custom graphics and embedded strobe lighting.“Chevrolet has a long history with racing – it’s in our DNA – and the Blazer EV SS is a testament to that,” said Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. “We’re excited for customers to watch the Blazer EV SS — the quickest SS we’ve ever produced — pace such an iconic race this weekend.” The Blazer EV SS also features front Brembo brakes, a sport-tuned chassis, a best-in-class317.7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen4, standard Super Cruise driver assistance technology5 and offers an EPA-estimated 303 miles of range.6“We’re honored to have Chevrolet as a founding partner of Daytona International Speedway, and that the iconic brand chose to feature the all-new Blazer EV SS at the DAYTONA 500,” said DIS track president Frank Kelleher. “The Blazer EV SS is surely going to set the pace for another exciting race.” This marks the first time a Blazer has paced “The Great American Race,” the first time an EV has paced the race and the 16th time Chevrolet has led the DAYTONA 500 field to green. Another Electrifying Surprise Planned for Daytona

Chevrolet will also debut its Blazer EV.R NASCAR Prototype ahead of the DAYTONA 500. The prototype represents a joint effort between NASCAR and OEM partners, with the intent of exploring new and emerging automotive technologies.  “Our Chevrolet V8 engines continue to be an important part of NASCAR. Racing has always been an important platform for Chevrolet to test, learn and explore new technologies,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president – GM Performance & Motorsports.  Chevrolet will also pace the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck races at DIS that weekend. Corvette Stingray will be the pace car for the Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 on Saturday, February 15.Chevrolet Silverado RST will be the pace vehicle for the Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 on Friday, February 14.  “Chevrolet is extremely proud to be a part of NASCAR’s season openers by pacing all of the events this year at the famed World Center of Racing,” said Campbell. “We are privileged to continue our relationship with Daytona International Speedway again in 2025.” Race fans can get a close-up look at all four models – Blazer EV SS, Blazer EV.R, Corvette Stingray and Silverado RST – at various Chevrolet display properties at DIS. Chevrolet swept all three NASCAR Manufacturers’ Championships in 2024 for the second year in a row. Across the three NASCAR series, Chevrolet has 102 wins at Daytona International Speedway including winning the DAYTONA 500 26 times – more than any other manufacturer.  William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, is the defending DAYTONA 500 champion.

After struggling at Volusia in the past, the Californian conquered the Florida half mile this week

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 8, 2025) – Volusia Speedway Park can elude Kyle Larson and Paul Silva no more.

The potent pairing rolled into Federated DIRTcar Nationals week with no trips to Volusia Victory Lane. Larson had tried and tried and come close but fallen short. He’d been on the podium but not the top step. In a couple short days, “Yung Money” completely changed his narrative at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

After a third and second on Wednesday and Thursday, Larson finally broke through on Friday to wave his first Volusia checkered flag. But he wasn’t done there.

Larson and the Silva Motorsports crew returned just as strong for Saturday. They entered the night needing to finish third or better to secure the coveted Big Gator. They opted for the better option to get the job done. Winning.

The Elk Grove, CA native was unstoppable in the event finale. David Gravel got the initial jump and took the lead from the second starting spot, but it only took Larson five laps to wheel his way from fourth to the top spot. He ripped the cushion around Gravel to claim the lead and drive. Logan Schuchart looked to challenge him late but ultimately couldn’t make the move. Larson grabbed the win, a $20,000 payday, and the Big Gator.

“This has just been a track that’s historically and statistically been probably our weakest,” Larson admitted. “It’s been great to come here and have speed every time we hit the track, and to cap off the week with a Big Gator is something I’ve honestly dreamt about for a long time just because of how bad we’ve been here. Great to get the win there.”

All it took for Larson to get the advantage was Gravel leaving the door open once. When Gravel chose not to use the top in the early laps, Larson knew he couldn’t be stopped. Once he got the lead, it was simply a matter of taking care of business in lapped traffic.

“I don’t know if he could hear me or maybe thought I was down there, but he peeled down and I was like, ‘You’re done,’” Larson said. “Then I felt like I did a decent job in traffic there. But it got so single file, and the air becomes so bad and your tires are getting hot and losing grip. It’s just tough.”

Larson upped his total to 37 career victories with the World of Outlaws. A day after he added Volusia to his list, he made it the eighth track in which he’s won at multiple times with The Greatest Show on Dirt. He’s also the 12^th driver to top at least two World of Outlaws Feature at Volusia. Larson is just the sixth competitor to claim two straight at Volusia, joining Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser, Brad Sweet, Daryn Pittman, and David Gravel.

After passing Gravel late, Logan Schuchart brought the Shark Racing No. 1S home second. He continues an encouraging start to 2025 after a discouraging 2024. The Hanover, PA native leaves Volusia with finishes of fourth, third, eighth, and second. He had only three podiums last season, and he’s already up to a pair with only four races in the books. Schuchart thought he might’ve been the one standing in Victory Lane if not for a late caution.

“I kind of wanted to push the issue there at the end,” Schuchart said. “I was kind of hoping the caution wouldn’t come out because I felt like we were really closing. Kyle was still kind of searching around a little bit, and I felt like maybe I could capitalize. But after the restart, I just wanted to play the tire game. I knew it was important to finish the race. Right there at the end he tried to go around a lapped car on the outside, and I thought I might be able to stick my nose in there, but I wasn’t quite close enough to make that happen.”

Rounding out the podium was David Gravel as he and Big Game Motorsports continue the strong start to their title defense. The Watertown, CT native finished no worse than fourth all week in Florida. He’ll leave as the de facto points leader. While he found himself wishing he could’ve found a way to win once, Gravel left the week happy with his team’s consistency.

“Being the leader there under the red Cody (Jacobs) told me he was kind of running below me and I was running the middle,” Gravel explained. “And on that restart, Kyle started pounding the top and drove around me. Sometimes it’s better running second. I’m kind of disappointed I lost second place there to Logan. I didn’t really have a shot to win the race after that. We had the track position tonight and couldn’t capitalize. Sometimes that’s the way racing goes, but I’m very proud of the week we had.”

Carson Macedo and Tyler Courtney completed the top five.

Ryan Timms claimed his second KSE Racing Hard Charger of the week with a drive from 19^th to sixth.

Logan Schuchart claimed his 37^th career Simpson Quick Time in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Two, and Four belonged to Logan Schuchart, Kyle Larson, and Bill Balog. WIX Filters Heat Three went to David Gravel.

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Tyler Courtney.

Courtney also topped the Toyota Racing Dash.

Garet Williamson won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars take three weeks off before returning to Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park for the Bike Week Jamboree on March 2-3. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch every lap all season long on DIRTVision.

For the entire 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[4]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[5]; 3. 2-David Gravel[2]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo[10]; 5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[1]; 6. 10-Ryan Timms[19]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz[12]; 8. 83-Michael Kofoid[6]; 9. 71-Parker Price Miller[8]; 10. 26-Justin Peck[11]; 11. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[9]; 12. 24D-Danny Sams III[16]; 13. 48-Danny Dietrich[20]; 14. 49-Brad Sweet[14]; 15. 21-Brian Brown[7]; 16. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[25]; 17. 1A-Jacob Allen[17]; 18. 88-Austin McCarl[24]; 19. 5-Brenham Crouch[15]; 20. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[18]; 21. 7S-Chris Windom[23]; 22. 6-Zach Hampton[26]; 23. 23-Garet Williamson[21]; 24. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[27]; 25. 39M-Anthony Macri[13]; 26. 28-Conner Morrell[22]; 27. 17B-Bill Balog[3]

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

OCALA, FL (February 8, 2025) – Devin Moran outdueled Jonathan Davenport to claim victory in the 50-lap Wieland Winter Nationals finale on Saturday night at Ocala Speedway after starting from the inside of the fourth row. This event marked the largest payout in track history, with Moran taking home $25,000 for his third series win of the season. Davenport crossed the line in second, followed by Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Overton, and Garrett Alberson. Davenport seemed to control the race until Moran went to the top side of turns one and two, successfully tracking down Davenport to take the race lead for good with about 12 laps remaining after the two had exchanged the lead several times. Moran had claimed the second position from Thornton following a caution at the halfway point and then aggressively pursued Davenport after the last caution occurred with 20 laps left. Moran, in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 18th time in his career, came from the seventh starting spot to claim the win. It was Moran’s third career win at Ocala. “I just gassed on it. This is why we come to Florida for Speedweeks. Everybody has been talking about this or that, and obviously, we aren’t at East Bay. We all love East Bay, but this is my favorite time of year. We just put on one hell of a show for the crowd here and everyone watching home,” said the Dresden, Ohio native. “My the biggest problem was that I just couldn’t restart well all week; however, I finally found the track that could help me restart better. I went wherever they were, and JD was turning down just enough for me to get a run. That last one was really good, but I needed the long runs. We kept having caution after caution, and I was worried about Ricky underneath me. I didn’t expect to finish seventh to win tonight. Last night had the best track conditions, but they still needed to work on it a little, and they did that. They provided us with an amazing experience racetrack.” Davenport, who led the most laps during the race, came home with his third runner-up finish during Speedweeks. “We I went with a soft tire there, and I think we were the only car in the field to do so. I don’t know if that played a role, but I probably wouldn’t have gotten the lead without the soft tire. Devin did a great job; I knew it was going to be moving around. I just got slower and slower on the bottom, and I was kind of stuck there with that tire, so I couldn’t really move around a lot. Once I moved all the way to the top, I was okay, but it was a long way around and pretty treacherous. What a cool racetrack to be that wide! It actually raced a lot better than I thought it would there.” Thornton, the defending series champion, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “The the racetrack was awesome! Bubba told us he was going to get us to where we were running the wall, and I literally think I was on the wall. It was probably the best racetrack we had all week. In the end, I think I made the wrong tire call; we went hard, and the track didn’t slow down as much as I needed it to. Congrats to Devin and JD; they each drove a great race. I almost wish I had in-car camera because it was pretty fun watching those two race it out out.” The winner’s Double Down Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Lazyday’s RV, C&W Trucking, Bomag, Millwood Plumbing, Refuel Wellness, Phillips CPA, Bilstein Shocks, Red Oak Pub, Pee Wee’s Wrecker Service,CarSourceAuto.com, McHugh Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, Haulin’ Haskell’s, Phillips CPA, Eibach Springs, Smoky Mountain Speedway, and Anthony’s Pizza. Completing the top ten were Drake Troutman, Hudson O’Neal, Max Blair, Mark Whitener, and Tanner English. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Wieland Winter Nationals | Night 5Saturday, February 8, 2025Ocala Speedway – Ocala, FL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Garrett Alberson | 14.398 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 14.497 seconds  Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 4. 5-Mark Whitener[4]; 5. 96-Tanner English[3]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 7. 15K-Wil Herrington[9]; 8. 8-Dillon McCowan[8]; 9. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 10. 81J-Jack Riggs[10]; 11. 81-Jason Riggs[11]; 12. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[12] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 3. 17SS-Brenden Smith[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 5. 111-Max Blair[5]; 6. 19R-Ryan Gustin[7]; 7. 32-Bobby Pierce[8]; 8. 16-Tyler Bruening[9]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[6]; 10. 57-Matt Tifft[11]; 11. 09-Michael Leach[10]; 12. (DNS) 000-Matt Nailor Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[6]; 3. 9-Tim McCreadie[5]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[9]; 5. 79-Donald McIntosh[7]; 6. 24-Tyler Wyant[10]; 7. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 8. C4-Freddie Carpenter[8]; 9. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 10. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[4]; 11. (DNS) 11-Austin Smith; 12. (DNS) 18-Chase Junghans Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 22*-Drake Troutman[1]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[9]; 7. 19M-Spencer Hughes[7]; 8. 28B-Carson Brown[10]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[8]; 10. 43-Derrick Stewart[6]; 11. (DNS) 32J-Jason Jack Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 96-Tanner English[1]; 2. 111-Max Blair[2]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[3]; 4. 15K-Wil Herrington[5]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[9]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[8]; 7. 19R-Ryan Gustin[4]; 8. 57-Matt Tifft[12]; 9. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[15]; 10. 99B-Boom Briggs[10]; 11. (DNS) 32-Bobby Pierce; 12. (DNS) 8-Dillon McCowan; 13. (DNS) 81J-Jack Riggs; 14. (DNS) 81-Jason Riggs; 15. (DNS) 09-Michael Leach; 16. (DNS) 000-Matt Nailor UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[4]; 2. 79-Donald McIntosh[1]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[2]; 4. 28B-Carson Brown[8]; 5. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 6. 19M-Spencer Hughes[6]; 7. 24-Tyler Wyant[3]; 8. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[11]; 9. 43-Derrick Stewart[12]; 10. 7-Ross Robinson[5]; 11. (DNS) C4-Freddie Carpenter; 12. (DNS) 3S-Brian Shirley; 13. (DNS) 11-Austin Smith; 14. (DNS) 32J-Jason Jack; 15. (DNS) 18-Chase Junghans Wieland Winter Nationals | Night 5 Feature Finish (50 Laps): Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings1 – 7 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $26,0002 – 2 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $11,2003 – 1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $7,0004 – 6 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $4,0005 – 5 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $4,2006 – 4 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $3,4007 – 12 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $3,3008 – 19 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $3,0009 – 13 – 5 – Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL – $2,20010 – 17 – 96 – Tanner English – Benton, KY – $2,10011 – 23 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – $2,70012 – 16 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $1,90013 – 14 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $1,80014 – 21 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $2,40015 – 9 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $1,60016 – 15 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $2,20017 – 3 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $2,20018 – 11 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $2,20019 – 18 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $1,50020 – 20 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $1,50021 – 25 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – $10022 – 22 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $2,30023 – 10 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – $2,60024 – 8 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $2,20025 – 24 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – $2,200 Race Statistics  Entrants: 47Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.MD3 Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-37); Devin Moran (Laps 38-50)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Jonathan DavenportWieland Feature Winner: Devin MoranColtman Farms Racing Cautions: Carson Ferguson (Lap 16); Brandon Sheppard (Lap 17); Daniel Hilsabeck (Lap 25); Dan Ebert (Lap 27); Tyler Erb (Lap 29); Tim McCreadie (Lap 30)Series Provisionals: Ross Robinson; Boom BriggsFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisional: Spencer HughesTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Overton, Garrett AlbersonPEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon OvertonDMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Garrett AlbersonWilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Hudson O’NealWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Ross RobinsonDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Dennis Erb, Jr.MD3 24th Place Feature: Carson FergusonHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Ross Robinson (Advanced 12 Positions) MD3 Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (37 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Lap 16 | 15.434 seconds)Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Devin MoranHard Luck Award: Brandon SheppardOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck KimbleARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Tim McCreadie (14.526 seconds)Time of Race: 35 minutes 27 seconds Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 1165 – $51,4002 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1160 – $64,5003 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 1150 – $48,3004 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 1055 – $24,3505 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 1020 – $22,4756 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 980 – $18,4507 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 970 – $17,9008 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 965 – $21,2259 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 965 – $20,95010 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 965 – $16,70011 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 900 – $12,00012 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 895 – $20,00013 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – 875 – $9,80014 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 850 – $16,75015 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 820 – $12,80016 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 805 – $12,37517 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 800 – $16,15018 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – 785 – $6,40019 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 780 – $6,70020 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – 765 – $11,10021 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 740 – $8,82522 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 685 – $6,35023 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 680 – $5,72524 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 680 – $3,80025 – 76N – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – 670 – $4,27526 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 660 – $4,05027 – 5 – Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL – 635 – $5,92528 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 635 – $3,97529 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 615 – $5,60030 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – 540 – $4,800

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

PROCK FALLS IN FINAL ROUND AT PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUTBeckman, Brittany Reach Semifinals in Pre-Season Event at Bradenton

BRADENTON, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2025) – Ron Capps spoiled Austin Prock’s otherwise perfect week Saturday, beating the reigning NHRA Funny Car Champion and his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS in the final round of the second annual PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Despite the final round outcome, it was a solid preparatory week for all three of the teams representing John Force Racing in the 20-race NHRA Mission Foods Series that begins March 7-9 with the 56th Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. In addition to Prock’s performance, which included a best-in-history 3.791 second run in the final qualifying session, Jack Beckman reached the semifinals from a No. 2 start in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy, and after failing to make the eight-car feature a year ago, Brittany Force put up impressive numbers in the Monster Energy dragster before she, too, exited one round before the big money. It also was a big week for the team’s founder and CEO, 16-time series champion John Force, who was a welcome presence in the JFR compound even though he still is receiving treatment for the Traumatic Brain Injury he suffered in a crash last June at Richmond, Va. “My wife, Laurie, told me I needed to get back in the game,” said the 157-time NHRA tour winner. “And being here in Bradenton was just good for my heart. Watching everybody work, watching the cars and the teams and seeing old friends like Capps, it was just special. “We didn’t win, but I was excited just to be where I need to be,” he said. “Running my teams and supporting Cornwell, PEAK, Monster, HendrickCars.com and all our other partners. I can’t wait to get to Gainesville. To tell you the truth, this is the first time since Richmond I really felt alive again.”  After posting the best number during testing (3.805) and after making the quickest run in each of the four qualifying sessions (3.861, 3.882, 3.860 and the aforementioned 3.791), Prock’s Chevy wasn’t the quickest car in any round on Saturday including the final in which it experienced clutch issues and slowed to 4.003 while Capps powered through to a time of 3.870 at 330.47 mph. “Another great start to the year,” Prock said. “We made it to the final round and ran some pretty competitive ETs throughout the day (3.876 and 3.883 in the first two rounds). The thing left hard. It was marching but by the time I got past the Christmas Tree, the clutch broke and it was essentially running in neutral all the way down there. “Tough way to lose,” he said. “But I guess better here than at the NHRA event in a few weeks. Really proud of this Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS team. They did an outstanding job all weekend. We have four people who are in new positions on this team and one of them is totally new to Funny Car racing and they all did a great job.  “Really proud of my crew chiefs, my dad, brother (Thomas) and Nate (Hildahl). This thing was on kill all weekend. To lay down the quickest pass in Funny Car history and to have the fastest one as well, maybe one day we’ll get those two numbers paired up.  But great start. We’ve got a lot of work to do in this next month to get ready for Gainesville and I’m chomping at the bit.” The last Funny Car driver to break 3.80 seconds was Matt Hagan, who ran 3.799 to qualify No. 1 for the Labor Day U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in 2017. The official NHRA record remains 3.793, the time recorded by Prock’s predecessor, JFR President Robert Hight, on Aug. 18, 2017, at Brainerd, Minn. Last November, Prock equaled the fastest speed in Funny Car history when he accelerated to 341.68 mph at the In-N-Out Burger Finals at Pomona, Calif., setting the official NHRA record in the process. The only other driver to break the 340 barrier is Bob Tasca III, who did so at last year’s PRO Shootout.   Coincidentally, Prock and Tasca were paired in Saturday’s first round through the unique chip draw system the Shootout uses to determine who races whom. Prock powered away in that one, beating Tasca at the start (.056 to .069) and at the finish (3.876. 330.71 mph to 3.917, 324.67 mph). After qualifying in the No. 3 position, Brittany delivered big in her first round of racing in the Shootout, beating 2023 World Champion Doug Kalitta to the finish, 3.736, 332.08 mph, to 3.768, 325.37 mph. Unfortunately, she ran afoul of Shawn Reed’s .054 reaction time in round two despite a slightly quicker 3.752 track time. “After this weekend, this Monster Energy, David Grubnic-run team is in a very good place,” said the two-time Top Fuel World Champion who, at Gainesville, will be racing on the track on which she won her very first race in 2016. “We are way ahead of ourselves from where we were last season.  “We were here for five days; we tested all week long and made some killer and consistent passes,” she said. “We qualified third for this PRO Superstar Shootout and made a semifinal appearance.  “We had one of the top-running cars (and) should have turned the win light on in the semifinals, but I was slow off the light,” she said. “That’s something I’ve struggled with, but that’s something I can fix and will figure out going into this season. I’m pumped with this new group and excited to see what we can accomplish.” Beckman, who was the color commentator at last year’s Superstar Shootout, may not have been as quick this week as his Funny Car teammate and may not have made it to the final round, but he was no less enthusiastic about his race car and the upcoming season, the first in five years in which he will race the entire NHRA schedule in pursuit of a championship he last won in 2012. “Remember, coming out here was for pre-season testing,” he said. “We brought out a brand-new race car that had never been down the racetrack. We tested superchargers, we tested clutches, we tested some more spare parts. And we get to cross all of that off the list. That’s done; that’s ready to go race.  “We lost a close race against Capps, but we were only a hundredth behind them (3.860, 336.07 mph to 3.871, 330.55 mph) and we didn’t have lane choice,” he said. “Nobody is going to leave here with their head hung low.   “In fact, maybe it gives us a little more extra incentive in four weeks in Gainesville. So, I think this PEAK Chevy SS looked good this weekend. We have one new crew member and he got a chance to get up to speed in race conditions; everything we tested works and now we get to start the season and race for points.”

BRADENTON, FLA. (February 8, 2025) — Josh Hart entered the 2nd annual SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout looking to build momentum for a 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championship chase. After three days of testing and three days of racing the team owner of the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster is encouraged by what his team accomplished even though they came up just short of a victory against Shawn Reed.

“I can’t really put it into words. The team did 14 or 15 passes, and that’s more than I’ve ever done in my career in one session,” said Hart. “The fact that nobody complained, and everybody kept working. We were up at seven, we were going to bed at midnight, and essentially, we never really got a break to get much sleep. It was constant. To see the car go from a 3.79 to a 3.75 to 3.74, 3.73, 3.72, we’re right there. We knew when it got cool out, we needed to bring it. And we’re working on that, that’s what I’m trying to tell everybody. We’re very, very happy with where we’re at.”

Josh Hart takes off in final round of PRO Superstar Shootout, photo courtesy of Auto Imagery

In the first round Hart dispatched NASCAR Hall of Famer turned drag racer Tony Stewart. Hart, a two-time Top Fuel national event winner was first off the line with a .061 reaction time and he never trailed in the race. His winning elapsed time of 3.726 seconds was quickest of the session and gave him lane choice over Justin Ashley in the semifinals.

Racing fellow championship contender Ashley, he was again at the top of his game off the starting line leaving with Ashley, .054 to .051 seconds and taking the lead by 100 feet. Hart continued to pull away with a winning elapsed time of 3.721 seconds, his quickest run of the week in the warmest conditions, to advance to the final round. Hart would face Shawn Reed in a battle of independent team owners.

Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster runner-up at PRO Superstar Shootout, courtesy of Auto Imagery

The final round was a race that the fans in attendance at Bradenton Motorsports Park will be talking about for years. Both dragsters left the starting line together and as they powered down the track the lead was changing as the finish line rushed to greet the 11,000-horsepowered Top Fuel dragsters. At the finish line stripe, it was Reed getting the nose of his dragster to the line first winning for the first time in his career. The final numbers had Reed posting the only run in the 3.60s, a strong 3.699 second run beside Hart’s 3.724 second run. It was another strong run for Hart whose goal for the weekend was consistency and team building. 

“We didn’t hurt a bunch of stuff, other than a rear end breaking,” said Hart. “It’s a great group of guys, the morale is different. The vibe is different. It was a lot more fun. As a team owner, I’m hoping that it just went full circle, and now we’re riding the wave up.”

Hart will be back on track in Florida at the historic Gatornationals, an event he won in 2021, March 6-9, 2025 at Gainesville Raceway.

Race Results

First Round

Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, (.061), 3.726 sec, 319.67 mph def, Tony Stewart, Mobil 1 Top Fuel dragster, Brownsburg, Ind., (.074), 4.974 sec, 142.40 mph

Semifinals
Josh Hart, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, (.054), 3.721 sec, 318.77 mph def. Justin Ashley, SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel dragster, (.051), 3.767 sec, 327.59 mph

Finals
Shawn Reed, Reed Trucking and Excavation Top Fuel dragster, (.065), 3.699 sec, 330.39 mph def. Josh Hart, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, (.067), 3.724 sec, 321.27 mph

Top Fuel
First Round
Brittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., (.086), 3.736 sec, 33.08 mph (W) 
Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., (.064), 3.768 sec, 325.37 mph

Josh Hart, Ocala, Fla., (.061), 3.726 sec, 319.67 mph (W)
Tony Stewart, Brownsburg, Ind., (.074), 4.974 sec, 142.40 mph

Shawn Reed, Seattle, Wash., (.076), 3.785 sec, 326.24 mph (W)
Antron Brown, Brownsburg, Ind., (.073), 4.769 sec, 155.58 mph

Justin Ashley, Plainview, NY, (.033), 3.943 sec, 279.679 mph (W)
Shawn Langdon, Avon, Ind., (.050), 8.088 sec, 85.70 mph

Semifinals
Shawn Reed, (.054), 3.768 sec, 320.66 mph (W)
Brittany Force, (.096), 3.752 sec, 327.51 mph

Josh Hart, (.054), 3.721 sec, 318.77 mph (W)
Justin Ashley, (.051), 3.767 sec, 327.59 mph

Finals
Shawn Reed, (.065), 3.699 sec, 330.39 mph (W)
Josh Hart, (.067), 3,724 sec, 321.27 mph

Funny Car
First Round
Chad Green, Midland Texas., (.057), 3.991 sec, 323.43 mph (W)
Bobby Bode, Villa Park, Calif., (.083), 4.074 sec, 269.89 mph

Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., (.087), 3.863 sec, 333.41 mph (W)
Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., (.087), 3.892 sec, 315.34

Jack Beckman, Yorba Linda, Calif., (.085), 3.875 sec, 331.04 mph (W)
Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., (.065), 3.938 sec, 325.14 mph

Austin Prock, Brownsburg, Ind., (.056), 3.876 sec, 330.72 mph (W)
Bob Tasca III, Hope, R.I., (.069), 3.917 sec, 324.67 mph
 
Semifinals
Ron Capps, (.073), 3.860 sec, 336.07 mph (W)
Jack Beckman (.085), 3.871 sec, 330.55 mph

Austin Prock (.065), 3.883 sec, 332.02 mph (W)
Chad Green (.003),, 4.035 sec, 323.04 mph
 
Finals
Ron Capps (.066), 3.870 sec, 330.47 mph (W)
Austin Prock (.040), 4.003 sec, 316.60 mph

Pro Stock 
First Round 
David Cuadra, McAllen, Texas, (.043), 10.270 sec, 130.39 mph (W) 
Matt Latino, Port Perry, Ontario, (.044), 13.528 sec, 73.39 mph 

Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, (.006), 6.578 sec, 209.82 mph (W) 
Dallas Glenn, Mooresville, N.C., (.009), 9.575 sec, 97.29 mph 

Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., (.014), 6.533 sec, 210.57 mph (W)
Erica Enders, Houston, Texas, (.021), 6.559 sec, 210.18 mph 

Aaron Stanfield, Bossier City, La., (.039), 6.559 sec, 210.18 mph (W) 
Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, (.037), 6.616 sec, 209.59 mph 

Cristian Cuadra, Edinburg, Texas, (.014), 6.564 sec, 209.10 mph (W)
Fernando Cuadra Jr., Leon, Texas, (-.006), 6.569 sec, 206.26 mph 

Troy Coughlin Jr., Columbus, Ohio, (.023), 6.555 sec, 209.23 mph (W) 
Bo Butner, Sanibel Island, Fla., (.054), 6.607 sec, 208.68 mph 

Cory Reed, Kannapolis, N.C., (.017), 6.545 sec, 209.52 mph (W) 
Mason McGaha, Odessa, Texas, (.044), 6.597 sec, 206.48 mph 

Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., (.026), 6.595 sec, 209.59 mph (W) 
Deric Kramer, Sterling, Colo., (.022), 7.325 sec, 158.93 mph
 
Second Round 
Troy Coughlin Jr., (.041), 6.609 sec, 209.23 mph (W) 
Greg Anderson, (.034), 6.619 sec, 205.69 mph 

Cory Reed, (.019), 6.567 sec, 209.23 mph (W) 
Jeg Coughlin Jr., (.028), 18.705 sec, 38.15 mph 

Greg Stanfield, (.018), 6.592 sec, 209.01 mph (W) 
Aaron Stanfield, (.039), 6.588 sec, 208.62 mph 

David Cuadra, (.036), 6.602 sec, 208.65 mph (W) 
Cristian Cuadra, (-.003), 6.590 sec, 207.78 mph 
 
Semifinals 
Cory Reed, (.021), 6.563 sec, 209.43 mph (W) 
Greg Stanfield, (.036), 6.582 sec, 208.68 mph 

Troy Coughlin Jr., (.064), 6.571 sec, 208.97 mph (W) 
David Cuadra, (.039), 6.598 sec, 207.50 mph 
 
Finals 
Troy Coughlin Jr., (.034), 11.859 sec, 121.67 mph (W) 
Cory Reed, (-.017), 12.897 sec, 67.15 mph 
 

 

BRADENTON, FLA. (February 8, 2025) — The 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout concluded tonight with Shawn Reed capturing his first professional Top Fuel career win, Ron Capps defeating Austin Prock in an epic Funny Car final and Troy Coughlin Jr., winning Pro Stock over No. 1 qualifier Cory Reed. A near capacity crowd at Bradenton Motorsports Park was treated to a full day of elimination rounds and a free concert from Andy Ross, the American Rebel, at the conclusion of the three-day mega racing event.

SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout winner (l to r) Pro Stock, Troy Coughlin, Jr.; Funny Car, Ron Capps; Top Fuel Shawn Reed, photo courtesy of Krista Zivcic

In the Top Fuel final Reed was facing Floridian and multi-time Top Fuel national event winner Josh Hart. Hart had posted the two quickest elapsed times in the first and second round of race day. Both 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters jumped off the starting line together and it was Reed getting to the finish line first with a strong 3.699 second run at 330.39 mph just in front of Hart’s equally impressive 3.724 second run at 321.27 mph. Reed’s pass was the quickest of the day in Top Fuel as cooler temperatures created optimal racing conditions.

“This is flat out incredible right now,” said an exuberant Reed at the top end. “It’s impossible to think ahead because you haven’t done anything. I have to thank Red Line Oil, Matco Tools, All American Automotive. Thanks to all the fans. Man, it’s been great with all these people out here. I’m more than blessed right now, and I’m probably happy as I’ve been in a long, long time.”

Top Fuel winner Shawn Reed, photo courtesy of Krista Zivcic

“I’m so happy for my crew guys. They put up with a lot last year. I lost a lot of races for them,” said Reed. “We won a race, and they can’t take that back from us. And this is a pretty big race, too, by the way, it’s the eight best, guys in the NHRA.”

Three-time Funny Car world champion Capps was looking to stop the Funny Car driver with the most momentum heading into the final in Austin Prock. As the defending event winner and reigning Funny Car champion Prock was looking to go back-to-back in Bradenton, but Capps and crew chief Dean “Guido” Antonelli took the win in a spectacular final round. Capps turned on the win light with a 3.870 second run at 330.47 mph to get to the stripe first in front of Prock’s 4.003 second, 316.60 mph pass. 

Funny Car winner Ron Capps thrilled with win at PRO Superstar Shootout, photo courtesy of Krista Zivcic

At the top end Capps was overjoyed and surprised to realize he had stopped one of the hottest drivers in the category. Nice new-look NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra started the season with three win lights and a trip to the PRO Superstar Shootout winner’s circle.

“This event is special. It’s the second year we’ve done anything like this, but you have an all-star cast,” said Capps. “Back in the day, as a kid, you know, I read about the Orange County races and all the stuff, where everybody showed up. This SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout is what it’s all about. A lot of our sponsors are big supporters of this event, so thank you, SCAG, for putting all that money up. We’re gonna love it, but our NAPA guys, (crew chief) Guido. I cannot say enough about how hard he’s worked, and this is the fruit of our team’s labor.”

The professional final rounds started with Pro Stock showcasing the young talent of Cory Reed, driving for KB Titan Racing and Troy Coughlin Jr. representing Elite Motorsports. Reed, a second year Pro Stock driver, was looking for his first career win after a dominating performance on the track over the past two days. Coughlin Jr. secured the win immediately when Reed jumped the starting system, forcing a red-light disqualification. His winning time was a pedestrian 11.859 seconds at 121.67 mph after his yellow JEGS Chevrolet Camaro overpowered the track just as he was passing the Christmas Tree. 

Troy Coughlin Jr. celebrates Pro Stock PRO Superstar Shootout win with family and Elite Motorsports team,
photo courtesy of Auto Imagery

“You know winning this race is so surreal,” said Coughlin Jr. “I haven’t even really let it sink in yet. We’re gonna enjoy this. Thank you to the PRO group, and all the sponsors involved especially SCAG. This was a huge win and it’s a great way to start the season. Cory is a great guy and a tough competitor, and this class is awesome.”

The SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout was a showcase event from PRO Promotions. Over three days race fans were treated to autograph sessions, driver Q&As, pit access and a free concert tonight. For more results and information visit www.prosuperstarshootout.com.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 8, 2025) – Federated Auto Parts’ iconic blue and orange branding will continue to don DIRTcar Nationals as the company has signed a new multi-year agreement to be the title sponsor of the prestigious Florida event.

The company will also continue its support of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series and Sprint Car racing in 2025 with its Federated Car Care brand sponsoring the Work Zone at every race and by sponsoring several marquee events throughout the year like DIRTcar Nationals and the Ironman 55.

“Federated Auto Parts is excited to continue our partnership with DIRTcar Nationals and the World of Outlaws,” said J.R. Bishop, director of event marketing and member services for Federated Auto Parts. “Dirt racing is all about passion, and we love being part of an event that brings so much energy to the fans and competitors alike. With our Federated Car Care brand backing the Work Zone and our continued involvement in marquee events, we’re looking forward to another thrilling season ahead.”

Federated Auto Parts – celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – first partnered with DIRTcar Nationals and the World of Outlaws in 2023. This year, the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park brought fans an extra week of racing as the event added the American Sprint Car Series at the end of January to help kick off the event.

Fans still have another week of racing to enjoy at Volusia (Feb. 10-15) with the DIRTcar Late Models, USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Super DIRTcar Series and World of Outlaws Late Models.

All will return for the 2026 edition of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Jan. 29-Feb. 14, which fans can now renew their tickets for either online, by calling 844-DIRT-TIX or at the track.

“Federated Auto Parts has been the perfect partner for DIRTcar Nationals and the World of Outlaws as they share our same values of providing for the race fans and supporting race teams,” said Brian Carter, World Racing Group CEO. “We’re thrilled to continue working with Federated Auto Parts for several more years and have their brand attached to marquee World of Outlaws events.”

Tickets to Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals and World of Outlaws events can be purchased at the DIRTcar Nationals and World of Outlaws websites.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

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BARBERVILLE, FL (February 7, 2025) – Of the 106 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds that made the trek to Volusia Speedway Park for the 54th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, 18 have clinched a spot in Saturday night’s Big Gator Championship Feature.

While Friday did not produce a first-time winner with the Modifieds on Friday night, it did see the return of George Dixon to Volusia Victory Lane for the first time since 2023. Other drivers adding another Gator trophy to the record books included Trevor Neville, Will Krup, Curt Spalding, Kyle Strickler, and David Stremme.

FEATURE #1 

Betting odds would’ve favored Cole Falloway in the first DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature of the night as he’s won five races in his first eight starts at Volusia Speedway Park and started on the pole. However, Trevor Neville didn’t care about the odds. 

Starting outside Falloway, Neville darted ahead of the No. 66 when the green flag flew and pulled away by five car lengths after the first lap. 

From there, Neville entered a league of his own. Three cautions slowed the program, bringing the field back to Neville, but he was again untouchable each time the race resumed. 

While he pulled away, Falloway – who entered as the Big Gator points leader – struggled. Todd Neiheiser passed him for second on Lap 10 and then Kenny Wallace passed him for third on Lap Lap 19, placing Falloway in fourth at the finish – one spot out of the transfer into tomorrow’s Gator Championship Feature. 

Neville, Neiheiser, and Wallace are locked into to compete for the $5,000 top prize and the Big Gator trophy. 

“It feels good,” Neville said about putting himself in contention for the Big Gator title and Gator Championship win. “I don’t know how the points are going to fall, but we get a redraw and I’ll probably get to redraw somewhere in the back. That’s kind of my luck this week. But we’re having fun and that’s all that matters.” 

RESULTS: 

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 777-Trevor Neville[2]; 2. 72-Todd Neiheiser[4]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[3]; 4. 66-Cole Falloway[1]; 5. 88-Matt Crafton[5]; 6. 0K-Damian Kiefer[14]; 7. 43A-Mark Anderson[16]; 8. 6-Ryan Fowler[15]; 9. 21-Scott Ladner[10]; 10. 114K-Evan Koehler[8]; 11. 07K-Curtis King[11]; 12. T9-Zack Tate[12]; 13. 01-Brayden Weller[9]; 14. 35A-Michael Altobelli[6]; 15. 25-Greg Belyea[7] 

FEATURE #2 

The second DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature of the night was all about Will Krup. 

The five-time Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals winner won everything he could in the Feature. He started on the pole, led all 20, won the race and took the Big Gator points lead. 

“High confidence here, especially to get a win before the big race,” Krup said. “The car is pretty good. We just got to see what this redraw has in store for us. Hopefully get a good redraw and start up front and hopefully be there at the end.” 

While he stole the show out front, Ryan Thomas and Cole Czarneski – both fighting to hold a podium spot to lock into Saturday’ Feature – had the battle of the race. Czarneski passed Thomas for second at the start of the Feature, but Thomas never let him get away. 

Thomas’ best shot to reclaim the runner-up shot came on Lap 11 when a caution brought them back together. 

Czarneski pulled ahead of the No. 9T on the restart, but not far enough. Chipping away at the gap each lap, Thomas found the grip he needed and passed Czarneski to take back second and hold on to the spot until the end. 

Krup will compete for his first Big Gator title and Gator Championship Feature win, along with Thomas and Czarneski. 

RESULTS: 

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. K9-Will Krup[1]; 2. 9T-Ryan Thomas[2]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[3]; 4. 15X-Justin Stone[4]; 5. 60-Shannon Fisk[7]; 6. 7D-Brad Deyoung[5]; 7. 114B-Clayton Bryant[6]; 8. Z1-Zac Oedewaldt[18]; 9. 21B-Hunter Breland[11]; 10. 155-Gavin Shaw[12]; 11. 3S-Josh Sanford[10]; 12. 3F-Rob Fuqua[14]; 13. 18-Miles Beaulieu[8]; 14. 321-Denny Schwartz[13]; 15. 10X-Billy Uptegraff[16] 

FEATURE #3 

Celebrating the seventh anniversary of the day Curt Spalding and Chris Terry started their dirt racing venture together, the Watervliet, MI driver honored it with another Golden Gator trophy – his third win in eight races. 

To do so, Spalding put on another dominating performance, leading all 20 laps of the Feature. 

“This is pretty surreal with all of this stuff happening,” Spalding said. “Obviously, we have a good hot rod, right? I can pretty much drive… I was messing around there, trying some stuff and kind of got in trouble and I said, ‘Hey, just get back to what you know and get this thing won.’ 

“We can still lose in the redraw tomorrow. You start 12th, that’s a tough hill to climb with this crowd. It doesn’t matter. We’re singing and this thing is cooking along.” 

Behind him, Charlie Mefford and Colton Profitt argued for the runner-up spot, not wanting to be the vulnerable driver in third that could fall out of a transfer spot. 

The two spent more time side by side during the 20-lap event than they did single file. Profitt ran low while Mefford ran high. Then they’d trade lanes once, twice, three times throughout the race until Mefford won the battle in the second half of the race. 

Once in second, Mefford started to gain ground on Spalding as he was “messing around” with different lines. But once Spalding got back in his groove, he expanded his gap to Mefford and grabbed the victory. 

Spalding, Mefford, and Profitt joined the list of drivers looking for their first Gator Championship win and Big Gator title. 

RESULTS: 

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 5CS-Curt Spalding[1]; 2. 13-Charlie Mefford[2]; 3. 56-Colton Profitt[3]; 4. 19-Dustin Sorensen[6]; 5. 45-Chase Holland[4]; 6. 17C-Coleman Evans[7]; 7. 9R-JP Roberts Jr[11]; 8. 70H-Jim Britt[15]; 9. 60M-Jim Manka[9]; 10. 23B-Ethan Boomsma[13]; 11. 11N-Gene Nicholas[8]; 12. 7-Evan Taylor[5]; 13. 81K-Kyle Cole[17]; 14. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[14] 

FEATURE #4

Kyle Strickler’s plan for DIRTcar Nationals was to put himself in position for Saturday’s Big Gator Championship Feature.

He executed the plan to perfection with a flawless performance, commanding the 20-lap Feature for his 17th Gator trophy – his third of 2025.

“When you’re running all these days in a row, you wanna make sure your stuff’s there,” Strickler said. “Especially for the Big Gator tomorrow, that’s kinda my cup of tea. I’ve always planned all week to win the Big Gator come Saturday, so we put ourselves in position, and the guys are all doing a great job working on this thing and having a lot of fun down here in Florida. We got us a lock-in redraw spot, so we’ll see how it plays out.”

From the drop of the green flag, the Mooresville, NC outran Thursday night winner Lucas Lee through the first two turns, then used the remaining laps of the race to find his rhythm and separate himself from the field by over two seconds for the Friday night win.

“It took me a little bit to get my momentum going,” Strickler said. “Later on in the week, we were getting the car better and keep on tuning on it. The motor was running a little hot last night, but tonight we changed stuff around and got it to where the temperature came down.”

The podium of Strickler, Gregory Moore, and Lee are set in stone to race in the Gator Championship on Saturday. 

RESULTS: 

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[1]; 2. 8W-Gregory Moore[4]; 3. 12L-Lucas Lee[2]; 4. 77-Ray Bollinger[5]; 5. 97-Mitch Thomas[10]; 6. 90K-Ray Kable[8]; 7. 5-Jonathan Taylor[18]; 8. 49-Brian Ruhlman[3]; 9. 0-Glenn Styres[6]; 10. 11-Aidan Hinds[9]; 11. 99-Jimmy Wagner[11]; 12. 77C-Jason Cox[16]; 13. 463-Daniel Sanchez[7]; 14. (DNS) 2J-Troy Johnson; 15. (DNS) S8-Jordan Stotts; 16. (DNS) 41-Brad Goff; 17. (DNS) 8-Dave Pinkerton; 18. (DNS) 26-Adam Ogle

FEATURE #5

David Stremme felt mixed emotions about his performance throughout the running of DIRTcar Nationals.

Though he hasn’t finished outside of the top five once throughout the previous seven nights of racing, Stremme knew there was room for improvement behind the wheel of his No.35 Lethal Chassis.

Not letting an opportunity for a Gator slip by him once more, Stremme went to work by beating reigning Summit Modified Nationals champ Mike McKinney to the jump on the start, then extending his early gap to three seconds while McKinney and Jordan Koehler dueled for second place.

Koehler got the best of McKinney by taking second until the caution waved on the fifth lap. The ensuing restart saw McKinney retake the position but lose touch with Stremme by a one-second gap.

In the remaining laps, McKinney cut the distance down to half a second on Stremme, however, it was too late for the No.96M to make a move on Stremme as he took the checkered flag for his eighth career DIRTcar Nationals Feature win.

“It was better resolved because the last two nights I’ve sucked,” Stremme said. “I felt like I haven’t been able to capitalize and the balance of the car was loose to where we weren’t stuck. Tomorrow’s gonna be a whole different deal. It always is, so we’re in the redraw. Curt (Spalding) did well, we’ll see if (George Dixon) gets it, but I’m pretty proud of all our efforts. We’ll just see how lady luck deals us tomorrow.”

McKinney and Koehler’s second and third-place finishes joined Stremme in claiming a spot to Saturday night’s finale.

RESULTS: 

Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 35-David Stremme[1]; 2. 96M-Mike McKinney[2]; 3. 114-Jordan Koehler[4]; 4. 24-Zeke McKenzie[6]; 5. 65-Matt Miller[13]; 6. 2K-Taylor Kuehl[9]; 7. 23T-Ryan Toole[18]; 8. 29C-Joey Cotterman[15]; 9. 99W-Wade Olmsted[16]; 10. 5B-Bobby Bagley[10]; 11. 10Y-Trent Young[3]; 12. 23Z-Austin Self[5]; 13. 11J-Jesse Rupe[7]; 14. 11L-Jimmy Lennex Jr[8]; 15. 45H-Kyle Hammer[12]; 16. 11D-Brian Diveley[14]

FEATURE #6

Despite four top-fives, six top-10s, and two podiums scored, George Dixon was still looking for the Golden Gator to catch in 2025.

That wait ended on Friday night for the Shirleysburg, PA driver as he picked up a second career DIRTcar Nationals Feature win.

Dixon got the jump on Wednesday night Gator winner Michael Long on the initial start and immediately broke away from the pack.

Long had to deal with a tough set of competition as fourth-place starter Austin Holcombe took third place on the opening lap, then chased down the No.18L for the second position.

Halfway through the Feature, Long, and Holcombe battled for the spot, with Holcombe’s No.8A sliding down the bottom of Turns 3 and 4 to clear Long.

Their battle hurt their chances of catching Dixon, who extended the lead to over 1.3 seconds and crossed the twin checkered flags for victory.

“I’m super happy,” Dixon said. “We unloaded fast on Thursday and we had a lot of speed then, and it didn’t work out. But you wonder if that’s gonna be the only night you get a chance, but luckily, we hung on in all week long, some seconds, thirds, fourths, and then tonight ended up working out and we pulled it off.”

Dixon, Holcombe, and Long’s finishes in the final Feature gave them the reward of a guaranteed place in the Gator Championship.

RESULTS: 

Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. 77D-George Dixon[1]; 2. 8A-Austin Holcombe[4]; 3. 18L-Michael Long[2]; 4. 05-David Wietholder[9]; 5. 7J-Justin Allgaier[5]; 6. 27G-Jason Garver[11]; 7. 1H-Ben Harmon[8]; 8. 17-Chris Wilson[13]; 9. 51-Dalton Lanich[6]; 10. 81C-Christopher Cole[16]; 11. 57-Charlie Sandercock[3]; 12. 27-Michael Turner[7]; 13. 72S-Eric Shepherd Jr[12]; 14. 32-Chad Roush[14]; 15. 28C-Jeff Cotterman[15]; 16. (DNS) 16-Shawn Deering; 17. (DNS) 90-Jason Beaulieu

Up Next: The final night of DIRTcar UMP Modified racing at the 54th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals will see the determination of a UMP Modified Speedweeks and Big Gator champion on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets are available here:

DIRTCAR NATIONALS TICKETS

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

After third and second place runs on Wednesday and Thursday, Kyle Larson would not be denied on Friday night

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 8, 2025) – A Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals gator was one of few pieces missing from Kyle Larson’s résumé. But there’d be no stopping him from filling that line on Friday night at Volusia Speedway Park.

He was third on Wednesday. He climbed to second on Thursday. The hunger grew and grew. And finally on Friday in his 19^thattempt, Larson caught himself a gator.

“Yung Money” started on the pole of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Feature and never looked back. Lapped traffic appeared as if it may make things interesting with Christopher Bell stalking in second, but a timely yellow gave Larson open track. He refused to watch Bell celebrate two nights in a row. They’re friends but also fierce competitors.

Larson survived a handful of late restarts and parked the Silva Motorsports No. 57 in Victory Lane at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” for the first time.

“It’s (Volusia) a place that I feel like I’ve raced well,” Larson said. “I just always start so far back. I haven’t felt like that gator has been close enough. We’ve been getting the night started off pretty well, and my car feels really good throughout the night. I felt really good there again.

“It’s cool to win here at Volusia. It’s cool to have a lot of our supporters here this weekend and great to see a packed house too.”

It was roles reversed from the previous night when Bell narrowly fended off Larson. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion lined up on the pole and took off right away. Danny Sams III took the second spot from Bell early on, but the Norman, OK native rallied to reclaim it on Lap 13. He closed in on Larson in traffic, but some late cautions put Larson in clean air, and he drove the Silva Motorsports No. 57 to victory.

“It got kind of a little easy to run the top, so the lappers were just as fast as I was,” Larson said. “I felt like Bell would be closing on me, but I was able to make a couple good moves. I think the cautions probably came out at the right time for me, and I was able to have clean air to the end there.”

Larson’s 36^th career win with The Greatest Show on Dirt equaled him with his former driver, Shane Stewart, for 22^nd all-time. Volusia is the 18^th different track where he’s topped a World of Outlaws race. Larson will also enter Saturday’s finale with an eight-point lead in the Big Gator standings with a strong chance to capture the reptilian championship trophy.

Bell came up just one spot short of back-to-back Volusia victories. The current NASCAR competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing now has podiums in four of his last five races at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.” While Bell thought he was outmatched on Friday, he found himself wishing the race would’ve went caution-free to give him a shot.

“I definitely wanted it to stay green,” Bell said. “But ultimately, he got away from me even before the yellow came out. Ultimately, on the start me not being able to fall into second and follow behind him cost me a shot at it. But the car felt really good.”

Rounding out the podium was David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports No. 2. The defending champion continued his strong start to 2025 with his third consecutive finish of fourth or better. He’s closest to Larson in the DIRTcar Nationalsstandings and looking to claim a record fourth Big Gator on Saturday.

“When it got congested there, we were really good,” Gravel said. “I think our car was the best right there in the middle of the race and was able to use the bottom here in (Turns) 3 and 4 to pass those guys. I think we passed two in one corner. Another good race car just a little too late. You put Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell on the front row it’s going to be tough to beat them.”

Brad Sweet and Ryan Timms completed the top five.

Logan Schuchart drove from 19^th to eighth to earn the KSE Racing Hard Charger.

Danny Sams III claimed his first career Simpson Quick Time in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Two, and Four went to Carson Macedo, Brian Brown and Christopher Bell. WIX Filters Heat Three belonged to Kyle Larson.

Bell got the SPA Technique #1 Redraw for the second night in a row.

Kyle Larson topped the Toyota Racing Dash.

Giovanni Scelzi won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Anthony Macri.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car portion of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals closes out with a $20,000-to-win/$1,500-to-start finale on Saturday, Feb. 8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch every lap all season long on DIRTVision.

For the entire 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[1]; 2. 69K-Christopher Bell[2]; 3. 2-David Gravel[5]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet[4]; 5. 10-Ryan Timms[7]; 6. 41-Carson Macedo[6]; 7. 17B-Bill Balog[13]; 8. 1S-Logan Schuchart[19]; 9. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 10. 24D-Danny Sams III[3]; 11. 21-Brian Brown[8]; 12. 88-Austin McCarl[11]; 13. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[16]; 14. 83-Michael Kofoid[22]; 15. 27-Emerson Axsom[10]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen[14]; 17. 15-Donny Schatz[25]; 18. 26-Justin Peck[17]; 19. 9-Kasey Kahne[15]; 20. 5-Brenham Crouch[23]; 21. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[21]; 22. 23-Garet Williamson[18]; 23. 99-Skylar Gee[20]; 24. 6-Zach Hampton[27]; 25. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[24]; 26. 39M-Anthony Macri[12]; 27. 7S-Chris Windom[26]

For complete results, CLICK HERE.

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

PROCK SCORCHES BRADENTON WITH A 3.791 QUALIFIER  Beckman, Brittany Also Turn in Solid Efforts at PRO Superstar Shootout

BRADENTON, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2025) – Led by defending Funny Car champion Austin Prock’s record-setting turn in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, John Force Racing advanced all three of its drivers to the elimination phase of the second PRO Superstar Shootout concluding Saturday at Bradenton Motorsports Park.  Prock, who won last year’s Shootout in his first race in a nitro Funny Car, made the quickest run in history during Friday’s final qualifying session, stopping the timers in 3.791 seconds at a speed of 331.53 miles per hour. That barrier-buster was the climax to a dominant week for the 29-year-old phenom who was quickest in testing (3.805 seconds) and quickest in all four qualifying sessions (3.861, 3.882, 3.860 and 3.791).  Now, all that stands between him and a second straight Shootout title are three elimination rounds on Saturday. “That thing was trucking down there,” Prock said of his historic 3.791 that is two ticks quicker than the official NHRA record of 3.793 set by his predecessor in the Cornwell Chevy, Robert Hight.  “I had my hands full. I got really close to the centerline and that might have scrubbed off that three-thousandths we needed to go (3).78.  But I’m really proud of this team.  “It’s been eight years since someone has run (3).79,” he continued.  “The race cars and rules were much different (then), so to get back to that number says a lot about this team, says a lot about my dad (crew chief Jimmy Prock), Thomas (Prock) and Nate (Hildahl).  They do a really good job and it sure is fun.” While Prock was dominating, JFR teammates Jack Beckman and Brittany Force also interjected themselves solidly into the Saturday conversation with stellar qualifying efforts. Beckman was second quickest to Prock on Friday at 3.825 seconds in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy SS and, after failing to make the starting field a year ago, Brittany was third best in Top Fuel qualifying in a Monster Energy Chevrolet in which she posted a time of 3.664 seconds at 335.73 mph in the last session. That run delivered the two-time World Champion to the finish line just ahead of Doug Kalitta, significant because those two will square off in a monster first round showdown Saturday, the result of the unique chip draw system used to determine opponents.  “Solid day of qualifying for this Monster Energy team,” Brittany said.  “We ran a 3.66 in the final session. We were aiming to run a little quicker than that but overall, looking at testing, looking at qualifying, we’re in a pretty good position. “We’ll be ready tomorrow.  (Kalitta) is one of the toughest out here but nothing this team hasn’t handled before.  We’re excited.  This is a fun event and we want to go some rounds, turn some win lights on and end up in the winners’ circle.” Beckman, who was the color commentator at last year’s Superstar Shootout, may not have been as quick this week as his teammate but he’s no less enthusiastic about his race car and the upcoming season, the first in five years in which he will race the full NHRA schedule and chase a championship he last won in 2012  “So, a lot of times drivers will say, ‘well that car pulled hard’ or ‘I never felt it pull that hard before,’” he said of his closing 3.825.  “Well, we just got done with the crew chiefs looking at our G-meter and, from 200 to 500 feet, we averaged five-and-a-half Gs. It was absolutely unbelievable. I have never sat in a racecar that pulled that hard before. “We’re still safe the first 300 feet of the track, (so) we’re literally leaving a couple hundreds on the table and still running with the top cars,” he said.  “I cannot wait for the national anthem tomorrow. “There’s no slouches here,” said the former Super Comp World Champion (2003).  “What I didn’t want was to be paired with Austin Prock (in the first round).  Obviously, you can’t look past anyone out here.  It’s going to be a titanic first round clash (with four-time world champion Matt Hagan), But our PEAK car is just thumping.” While Beckman-Hagan and Force-Kalitta are awesome first round match-ups, the pairing most people were talking about after the chip draw was Prock versus Bob Tasca III in a battle between the only cars and drivers that have broken the 340 mph barrier.  Tasca did so at this race a year ago before Prock set the official NHRA speed record when he crossed the finish line at 341.68 mph during last November’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif. “Everyone on the internet is going to think it was staged,” Prock said of that match-up.  “It’s exciting.  It’s going to be great for the fans.  We love racing Tasca.  He was one of the guys with a winning record against us last year.  We know how tough that team is and we enjoy racing them.   “He’s a good leaver and Todd Okuhara and Aaron Brooks can turn those knobs, right? So, it should be an exciting first round.  I’m looking forward to it.  It’s the first race day of the year and there’s nothing better than those first round jitters.”

OCALA, FL (February 7, 2025) – The reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Ricky Thornton Jr. led from start to finish on Friday night at the Wieland Winter Nationals held at Ocala Speedway, earning $12,000 for his 45th career series victory. Hudson O’Neal took the second spot on lap 17 from Devin Moran and held it for the rest of the race, securing his best tour finish of the year. Moran rounded out the Big River Steel podium in third, with Bobby Pierce finishing fourth and Jonathan Davenport completing the top five. Thornton moved for the lead on the opening lap, passing Moran for the top spot. Thornton and Moran then ran 1-2 until Brian Shirley, who started third, moved into the runner-up spot on lap five. A flat right rear tire on lap 16 ended his hopes for his first career series win. Moran had moved into second place, ahead of Shirley before his flat tire. On lap 17, Moran saw O’Neal pass him to take the second position. O’Neal, Moran, and Bobby Pierce battled fiercely for the next several laps while Thornton maintained a healthy lead over that trio, crossing the finish line in first by 2.503 seconds. In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the third time this season in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, and for the fourth in his career at Ocala, Thornton commented: “I I was more frustrated that I lapped Jimmy (Owens) during that lap when I was approaching the caution. I really didn’t want to see the yellow; I felt like I had a great pace going, and after that, it was like I needed to drive hard for a bit. I mean, it really highlights how good this Longhorn/Bilstein car is. I feel like we are picking up right where we left off last year. So hopefully, we can maintain this speed and have a solid run tomorrow.” “I I was trying to get myself clear of the lapped cars,” Thornton added. “I felt like I could enter one and slide across to really get a good run off of two. I think I got to the 79 car, but he was actually better than I was off the bottom, so I moved down and watched Jimmy pass about four cars off turn two on the wall. I thought I’d better get back up there. The car’s been really good. I felt like we needed this one; we’ve been close since we put this new one in together.” O’Neal was on the Big River Steel Podium for the first time in 2025 with the tour and had a hard battle with Moran and Pierce for much of the race. “It’s It’s great to have this run. Like I said earlier, I felt like we’ve had some speed, but we just haven’t really been able to do anything with it. We don’t qualify very well, and it makes it really tough. I especially felt that if we ever got in the position to start up front, we would run up front, and we did tonight. Ricky was a little better than us. It was a good first night to be here on the podium, so we’ll go back and work on it to see if we can improve a bit for tomorrow night.”  Moran continued his consistent performance this season by taking the third spot at the finish. “I we need to restart better. I felt like we had a really good car. I don’t know if we could have kept up with Ricky and the others every single restart; I would have to work to pass them. Hudson was good enough that I couldn’t get by him again. You can’t complain about a third-place finish, especially with these guys. It seems like there are different winners almost every night, and someone goes on a streak. We need to work on it a little bit. We picked up our qualifying game tonight, and we just have to keep working on it restarts.” The winner’s Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Ultimate Towing and Recovery, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms Racing, Elite Ready Mix, Capital Waste, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, EMD Wraps, and Certified Inspection Services.  Completing the top ten were Kyle Bronson, Dake Troutman, Daulton Wilson, Bradon Sheppard, and Max Blair. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Wieland Winter Nationals | Night 4Friday, February 7, 2025Ocala Speedway – Ocala, FL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport | 14.246 secondsFast Time Group B: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | 14.181 seconds (overall) Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[5]; 3. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 22*-Drake Troutman[4]; 5. 17SS-Brenden Smith[6]; 6. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[8]; 7. 19R-Ryan Gustin[7]; 8. 60-Dan Ebert[9]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 10. 9-Tim McCreadie[3]; 11. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[11] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[3]; 2. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[1]; 3. 111-Max Blair[4]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 5. 5-Mark Whitener[9]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 7. 43-Derrick Stewart[6]; 8. 11-Austin Smith[7]; 9. 57-Matt Tifft[8]; 10. 000-Matt Nailor[11]; 11. 96-Tanner English[10] Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 4. 18-Chase Junghans[6]; 5. 15K-Wil Herrington[9]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[5]; 7. 09-Michael Leach[8]; 8. 19M-Spencer Hughes[10]; 9. 79-Donald McIntosh[7]; 10. 24-Tyler Wyant[11]; 11. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 3. 93-Carson Ferguson[5]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[4]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[8]; 6. 99B-Boom Briggs[2]; 7. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 8. C4-Freddie Carpenter[9]; 9. 18D-Daulton Wilson[6]; 10. 32J-Jason Jack[10] Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 2. 43-Derrick Stewart[6]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 4. 19R-Ryan Gustin[5]; 5. 60-Dan Ebert[7]; 6. 11-Austin Smith[8]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[1]; 8. 93L-Cory Lawler[9]; 9. 57-Matt Tifft[10]; 10. 000-Matt Nailor[12]; 11. 5-Mark Whitener[2]; 12. 96-Tanner English[14]; 13. 9-Tim McCreadie[11]; 14. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[13] UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 2. 15K-Wil Herrington[1]; 3. 99B-Boom Briggs[4]; 4. 16-Tyler Bruening[3]; 5. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 6. 09-Michael Leach[5]; 7. 19M-Spencer Hughes[7]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[9]; 9. C4-Freddie Carpenter[8]; 10. 24-Tyler Wyant[11]; 11. 32J-Jason Jack[12]; 12. 18D-Daulton Wilson[10]; 13. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[13] Wieland Winter Nationals | Night 4 Feature Finish (50 Laps): Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings1 – 2 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $12,0002 – 4 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $6,0003 – 1 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $3,5004 – 6 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $2,8005 – 10 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $2,5006 – 5 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $2,3007 – 13 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $2,2008 – 24 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $2,1009 – 9 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $2,05010 – 11 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $2,00011 – 15 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $1,60012 – 18 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $1,40013 – 12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $1,20014 – 8 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $1,10015 – 16 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $1,05016 – 27 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $10017 – 23 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – $1,00018 – 17 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $1,00019 – 25 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – $10020 – 3 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $1,00021 – 21 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $1,00022 – 20 – 15K – Wil Herrington – Hawkinsville, GA – $1,00023 – 7 – 76N – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – $1,00024 – 22 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – $1,00025 – 14 – 18 – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – $1,00026 – 26 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – $10027 – 19 – 43 – Derrick Stewart – Ainsworth, IA – $1,000 Race Statistics  Entrants: 43Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Devin MoranMD3 Lap Leaders: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 1-50)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Margin of Victory: 2.503 secondsColtman Farms Racing Cautions: Tyler Bruening (Lap 4); Blair Nothdurft (Lap 6); Brian Shirley (Lap 16); Garrett Alberson (Lap 43)Series Provisionals: Tim McCreadie; Daulton WilsonFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisional: Ross Robinson; Tyler Bruening; Donald McIntoshTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Devin MoranPenske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Devin Moran, Bobby Pierce, Jonathan DavenportPEM 4th Place Feature: Bobby PierceDMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Jonathan DavenportWilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Drake TroutmanWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Garrett AlbersonDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Carson FergusonMD3 24th Place Feature: Boom BriggsHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Daulton Wilson (Advanced 16 Positions) MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (50 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Devin Moran Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 5 | 15.325 seconds)Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Hard Luck Award: Garrett AlbersonOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Nathan SlettoARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport (14.1228 seconds)Time of Race: 24 minutes 07 seconds Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 1125 – $40,1002 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1115 – $38,3003 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 1075 – $41,2004 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 1020 – $20,2755 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 1005 – $20,3506 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 970 – $16,3007 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 965 – $14,5008 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 945 – $17,9509 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 905 – $14,25010 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 900 – $11,90011 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 895 – $19,20012 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 895 – $17,92513 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – 870 – $9,70014 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 820 – $10,50015 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 805 – $10,17516 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 800 – $13,55017 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – 780 – $4,90018 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 775 – $13,35019 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – 715 – $8,40020 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 710 – $4,80021 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 705 – $6,42522 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 680 – $5,72523 – 76N – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – 670 – $4,17524 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 630 – $2,55025 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 620 – $4,55026 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 620 – $3,17527 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 580 – $3,40028 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 575 – $3,70029 – 9 – Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – 530 – $1,70030 – 5 – Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL – 500 – $3,72531 – 388 – Jackson Hise – Ocala, FL – 465 – $1,50032 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – 465 – $2,600

 

BRADENTON, FL (February 7, 2025) — Stellar conditions and aggressive crew chiefs combined to produce one of the quickest fields across Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories in recent memory today at the 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout. Multi-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown ran to the top of a stacked field of eight with a career quickest 3.644 second, 322.11 mph run. Funny Car world champion and defending SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout winner Austin Prock held onto the No. 1 spot with one of the quickest runs in Funny Car history, 3.791 seconds at 331.53 mph. Pro Stock rising star Cory Reed drove his KB Titan Racing powered Chevrolet Camaro to the No. 1 spot in Pro Stock with a career quickest 6.494 second run at 209.62 mph.

Brown waited until the final session to wow the near capacity crowd at Bradenton Motorsports Park with his No. 1 qualifier pass. The three-time world champion knew he needed to drop a big number at the superstar event.

“This is the PRO Shootout. What that means is, everybody’s gonna come here and you 
have nothing to lose,” said Brown. “This is one of those races you come out and you want to show out. When you see other teams running low 3.60s you just want to be part of that gang. You know, this year, the field will be so tight. At the SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout everybody’s going to bring the best out that they got.”

Antron Brown blasts to the top in the Matco Top Fuel dragster. photo credit Auto Imagery

Following the final round of qualifying the eight quickest Top Fuel drivers drew chips to find out who their first-round opponent would be. The unique format is one of the special twists at the PRO Superstar Shootout. Brown and Shawn Reed will square off in the first round. 

Other key first round matchups will be Doug Kalitta, the provisional No. 1 qualifier against Brittany Force and two of the best drivers off the starting line, Justin Ashley versus Shawn Langdon. The final pair of the quick eight will feature Josh Hart versus NASCAR Hall of Famer turned drag racer Tony Stewart. 

Brown ran to the top spot in his championship winning dragster after he had a tire issue on the third qualifying session. It was the first run on the Top Fuel dragster since it had a significant chassis adjustment over the off-season. 

“This was our car from last year that we won the championship with,” said Brown. (Crew chief) Brian (Corradi) told me if it feels good, just drive it all the way. He wants to see the number come up on the board. I saw the 3.644 come up and I was like, ‘Lord have mercy.’ It gives us a little bit of confidence, because we’ve been trying to get our new combination to go there.”

Defending Funny Car event winner Prock dominated qualifying at the second annual SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout. The reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion had the quickest elapsed time during each of the four qualifying sessions.
 
Handling the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for his second season, Prock came out of the gates with a 3.816-second pass at 332.84 mph to earn the provisional No. 1 qualifying position on Thursday night. His teammate, Jack Beckman, who was making his first appearance at the specialty pre-season event, followed behind him with a 3.836 at 329.99.

Austin Prock will be looking for back-to-back SCAG PRO Superstar Shoout wins, photo credit Auto Imagery

“Man, this thing was trucking down there, and I had my hands full. I got really close to the center line down there,” said Prock, following his final qualifying run. “Really proud of this team. We’ve been working at this for so long, and, you know, it’s been, I think, eight years now, since someone’s run 3.79 in Funny Car. The race cars, limitations and rules were much different then. To get back to that number, it says a lot about this team.”

Prock would keep the momentum during Friday afternoon, laying down a solid 3.882 second run at 326.56 mph during the warmest part of the day followed by a 3.860 at 332.10.
 
The final qualifying session would mix things up in the Funny Car field. Matt Hagan in the American Rebel Dodge Charger SRT would jump from fourth to second after a stout 3.82-second pass at 328.22 mph. Not to be outdone, Prock and his Cornwell Tools team gave the fans a show with their No. 1 qualifier run of 3.791 seconds at 331.84 mph side-by-side with Beckman going 3.825 at 334.32, the top speed of the event so far.
 
In the chip draw, it would be Bob Tasca III, driving the PPG Ford Mustang that broke the 340-mph barrier at last year’s event with a 341.68 mph run, that would matchup with No. 1 qualifier Prock. When all was said and done, Hagan, the No. 2 qualifier, matched with No. 3 qualifier Beckman.

“Everyone on the internet is going to think it was staged, but that’s the funny thing about coincidences, right?,” said Prock “It’s going to be great for the fans. We love racing Bob Tasca. He was one of the drivers that had a winning record against us last year. We know how tough that team is, and we enjoy racing them. “

The Pro Stock class saw nearly half a dozen drivers race into the low 6.50 second range before Reed broke through with an eye-popping 6.494 second run in the final qualifying session under the lights. His teammate Greg Anderson joined him at the top of the field with a 6.498 second run but it was Reed’s night to celebrate his first career No. 1 qualifier as a professional driver.

Cory Reed secured his first career No. 1 today at Bradenton  Motorsports Park, photo credit Auto Imagery

“It just felt fast,” said Reed, who is entering his second season as a Pro Stock driver after competing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks. “I didn’t expect it to go 6.49 seconds. We were hoping for sure. I totally thought that (reigning world champion) Greg Anderson was gonna blow me out of the freaking water.”

“It’s a lot of fun, no matter, even the bad runs are fun,” said Reed. “Drifting a Pro Stock car, across the starting line and doing burnouts is cool. Then the chip draw is a little bit of wild card. It doesn’t matter in this class, to be honest, if you don’t go up there and have a 0.30 reaction time or better, you’re probably gonna lose. 

“The energy here, it’s awesome,” said Reed. “The people have been great. The fan turnout looks good. I was looking at the stands and it was pretty packed.”

Gates will open at 8 a.m. at Bradenton Motorsports Park and the first round of eliminations for the pros will begin at 12:30 p.m. with Pro Stock rookie Matt Latino taking on David Cuadra. For more information visit www.prosuperstarshootout.com.


First Round Match-ups

Pro Stock
 
Matt Latino (7) vs. David Cuadra (9)
Dallas Glenn (3) vs. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6)
Greg Anderson (2) vs. Erica Enders (5)
Aaron Stanfield (4) vs. Chris McGaha (16)
Fernando Cuadra Jr. (11) vs. Cristian Cuadra (12)
Deric Kramer (8) vs. Greg Stanfield (13)
 
Funny Car
 
Chad Green (7) vs. Bobby Bode (8)
Ron Capps (4) vs. Daniel Wilkerson (5)
Matt Hagan (2) vs. Jack Beckman (3)
Austin Prock (1) vs. Bob Tasca III (6)
 
Top Fuel
 
Doug Kalitta (2) vs. Brittany Force (3)
Josh Hart (7) vs. Tony Stewart (8)
Antron Brown (1) vs. Shawn Reed (6)
Justin Ashley (4) vs. Shawn Langdon (5)