BIGFOOT Legend Jim Kramer
Heads Towards Retirement
May 31, 2016 (Pacific, MO) – Jim Kramer is not only a BIGFOOT® Legend, but a legend and pioneer for the whole sport of Monster Trucks. Bob Chandler often gets credited with starting the industry, but Jim Kramer was instrumental in moving the sport into what you see today – fast, high-flying, racing fun! And now an ERA is coming to an end – Jim is officially semi-retired. Continue reading BIGFOOT Legend Jim Kramer Heads Towards Retirement
Team JEGS racers Mike Coughlin, Troy Coughlin Jr. looking for wins in Windy City
JOLIET, Ill. (June 1) — Team JEGS Sportsman stars Mike Coughlin and Troy Coughlin Jr. are headed to Route 66 Raceway for this weekend’s Burndown at Sundown with winning on their minds. Both men are past Division 3 champions and are right at home in Chicago, the site of the third D3 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event of the season.
Troy Coughlin Jr.
“It’s June, so we are getting into the summer months, which only puts a bigger premium on all these races, especially the ones in our division,” Troy Jr. said. “The first two D3 races were big for me, at least in my JEGS.com Super Comp dragster. I went to the final round in one race and the semifinals in the other, so we’ve already put some good points in the bank. But you can give them back in a hurry, too, if you let your guard down, so we need to be prepared for this weekend.”
Troy Jr. will be competing in both Super Comp, where he’s ranked fourth overall with just two races on his ledger, and Super Gas. He won the Division 3 Super Gas championship in 2013.
“Both cars are running great,” Troy Jr. said. “We’ve just had some tough luck in Super Gas so far, but that can change fast. On the other side of the coin, we’ve been very fortunate with the dragster, so things have a way of balancing out.
“Uncle Mike and I have the best guys in the business helping us and we have a lot of fun together, all of us. I know he’s as appreciative as I am with the efforts of Justin Beaver, Tony Collier, Greg Cody, Dave Raurk, and Rick Rossiter. They give us great race cars every weekend without fail.”
Mike Coughlin
Mike, the Division 3 Top Sportsman champion in 2007 and 2009, made the switch to Top Dragster this year and has yet to show the full potential of his extremely quick new rail. He’s hoping the good vibes of Route 66, where he has won three times in the past (in 2005, 2007, and 2011), will be the elixir he needs to get things rolling.
“We’ve changed a few things up for this weekend that we think will help, but for the most part we’re already really happy with this dragster,” Mike said. “It’s so fast. I love driving it. We are very close to making it as consistent as we need it to be to turn on multiple win lights on race day.
“Fuel injection isn’t new to us but the supercharger is, and as much as this thing likes boost, you have to find that perfect spot where everything is happy. When you make your own air you have to keep an eye on things, especially if conditions deteriorate like we get in the hot summer months. We are having a blast, though, for sure.”
Scelzi Picks Up Top Five at Atomic Speedway to Start Summer Trip on Strong Note
Inside Line Promotions – LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (May 31, 2016) – Dominic Scelzi is pleased with the opening weekend of his summer trip to the East.
Scelzi earned a fourth-place finish on Saturday during his debut at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio, and he was in contention for a great night on Monday at Lawrenceburg Speedway with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series before being involved in a crash. Continue reading Scelzi Picks Up Top Five at Atomic Speedway to Start Summer Trip on Strong Note
39-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
AXALTA “WE PAINT WINNERS” 400
POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA
JUNE 5, 2016
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CHEVROLET PREPARING TO POUNCE ON POCONO
Most Successful Manufacturer at the 2.5-Mile Track Ready to Collect Win Number 32
DETROIT – (May 31, 2016) – After competing in the longest race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the stars of the circuit head to the perplexing three-turn, 2.5-mile, ‘roval’ in the picturesque Pocono Mountains. Continue reading Chevy Racing–Pocono Advance
Team JEGS Pre-race Notes:
NHRA New England Nationals
Team JEGS Pre-race Notes
NHRA New England Nationals
New England Dragway, Epping, N.H. (June 3-5)
After a weekend off to honor American veterans on Memorial Day, six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will continue his pursuit of the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock title at this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals. He will be driving a Rick Jones Race Cars-built Dodge Dart as a member of the Elite Motorsports team. Continue reading Team JEGS Pre-race Notes: NHRA New England Nationals
COURTNEY FORCE EXCITED TO BE RETURNING TO NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS
EPPING, NH (May 31, 2016) — The 4th Annual NHRA New England Nationals may be one of the most exciting and anticipated events for Courtney Force this season. The 27-year-old NHRA Funny Car points leader won the inaugural New England Nationals at New England Dragway in 2013 by dismissing her father John Force in a thrilling final round match-up. It was the 2012 Auto Club Rookie of the Year’s seventh final round of her Funny Car career and third victory of her career. Continue reading COURTNEY FORCE EXCITED TO BE RETURNING TO NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS
Ryan Eversley Finishes Fourth and Sixth For Acura at Lime Rock Park
• RealTime Racing, forced into a single-car effort by last week’s crash, earns top-six runs
• Ryan Eversley earns Hard Charger Award for Friday’s race results
• Results propel Eversley back into the top 10 of the series standings
LAKEVILLE, Connecticut – (May 28, 2016) – The outside of a corner is usually regarded as the long way through a turn, but RealTime Racing’s Ryan Eversley found the outside line of Turn One at Lime Rock Park to be the pathway to the sharp end of the field. Continue reading Ryan Eversley Finishes Fourth and Sixth For Acura at Lime Rock Park
Jay Blake’s Permatex/Follow A Dream Top Alcohol Funny Car team continued to strengthen its overall game in this past weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Racing Series Division 3 meet at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
Driver Phil Burkart, who joined the Follow A Dream team earlier this year, drove the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro to the semifinals of the Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser. Three weeks ago, Burkhart took the team to the finals at Virginia Motorsports Park. Continue reading Follow A Dream–Summit Motorsports Park
New England Dragway win on five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s wish list
EPPING, N.H. (May 31) — Five-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has amassed a stunning 58 national event victories in his illustrious career, winning at 24 different dragstrips around the country. The only places on the current NHRA schedule where he hasn’t yet tasted success are Epping and Norwalk, two of the most recent additions to the NHRA roster, and ones that are very much in Coughlin’s sights. Continue reading New England Dragway win on five-time champ Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s wish list
Stewart Slides to Victory at Lawrenceburg Speedway
Holds off challenges from David Gravel and Rico Abreu in Memorial Day thriller
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. – May 30, 2016 – After dominating on Friday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte and coming up one spot short of the win, Shane Stewart managed to overcome the heartache to score his third World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the 2016 season on Monday night in a Memorial Day thriller at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway. Continue reading Stewart Slides to Victory at Lawrenceburg Speedway
Giovanni Scelzi Faces Obstacles during Debut at Port City Raceway
Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (May 30, 2016) – Giovanni Scelzi showcased some bright moments during his first trip to compete outdoors in the Midwest.
Scelzi piloted a micro sprint for Kyle Anderson last weekend at Port City Raceway during a doubleheader that began with mechanical problems on Friday night. Continue reading Giovanni Scelzi Faces Obstacles during Debut at Port City Raceway
Pit Road Woes Relegate Blaney To a 20th-Place Finish in Coca-Cola 600
May 30, 2016
Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team started strong in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but a series of misfortunes led to a 20th-place finish.
Blaney started 18th and drove his way into the top 15 in the opening laps, only to have to go to the rear of the pack after being nabbed for speeding on pit road. Back on the attack again, Blaney rallied back to 16th before more troubles on pit road sent him back to the rear on two more occasions, once because of a loose wheel. Continue reading Pit Road Woes Relegate Blaney To a 20th-Place Finish in Coca-Cola 600
Austin Dillon Capitalizes on Long Green-Flag Runs to Finish 12th in Coca-Cola 600
“We fired off a little tight, but Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) made some good adjustments during the competition caution. I think around the halfway point, my balance got neutral and we picked up a few spots. Once the track temperatures cooled down, we really searched the track for the best lane. I found some good speed along the white line on the bottom of the track at the end of the race. The Cheerios team battled hard after starting back in the field, I’m proud of them. They did a good job tonight.”
– Austin Dillon
Paul Menard Finishes 17th at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 27 Knauf / Menards Chevrolet SS
“It’s always good to be in Charlotte for two weeks. We learned a little bit last week during the Showdown and carried that into this week’s practice sessions. We found speed before qualifying and got a decent starting spot for the race. This is the longest race of year, but it’s not something we notice from the driver’s seat. The biggest thing before a late race is just staying focused and relaxed during the day leading up to the start. Luckily the weather held off for us and we were able to get on track. Our Knauf/Menards Chevy definitely changed a lot throughout the day. We were too loose and too tight, just an overall lack of grip it seemed like. Justin (Alexander, crew chief) and the guys made good changes during pit stops, but we just weren’t good on the long run. I have to say it was an honor to have SPC Shannon’s name on the car and his family in the pits tonight. It’s a reminder for what Memorial Day is really about.”
– Paul Menard
Ryan Newman Overcomes Pit Road Speeding Penalty to Record Fourth Top-10 Finish in Coca-Cola 600
“We had a solid Chevy SS for most of the day today. Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and this No. 31 team threw a ton at this car throughout the race, but we just couldn’t seem to find that perfect balance to drive to the front. I messed up and sped on pit road and it sent us back, although I don’t know that it cost us a whole lot. I’m just proud of everybody on this Whelen Chevrolet team. We ended up with a top-10 finish and we’re continuing to work our way up in points. We will look forward to Pocono.”
– Ryan Newman
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
MAY 29, 2016
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 JIMMY JOHN’S CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 2nd
IT SEEMED LIKE THE LAST 150 LAPS YOUR CAR REALLY CAME TO LIFE, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?
“Yeah, we struggled tonight. Our Jimmy John’s Chevrolet was not very good in the first; I would say 450 miles of this particular race. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and everybody on our team did a great job to do whatever they did with the air pressure and just told me it was a really big adjustment. The last couple of runs I got tight. The one run when we had the first air pressure adjustment we were really good. The last two runs I was a little bit tighter once I got up behind those guys, right behind them, I just couldn’t go anywhere. Just really proud of the effort to turn the car around. We had a 10th place car and they turned it into a car capable of racing for the win. That is pretty awesome.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Coca Cola 600
Rookie Rossi, Honda Win 100th Indianapolis 500
• Alexander Rossi extends final fuel run for 36 laps to claim historic victory
• Record-extending 11th Indy triumph for Honda
• Carlos Munoz completes 1-2 finish for Honda, Andretti Autosport
Hondas have always been known for their exceptional fuel economy. Sunday, Indy rookie Alexander Rossi stretched his final tank of fuel for 36 laps to the checkers – four more laps than any other competitor – to win the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. On a similar strategy, Carlos Munoz ran an impressive 32 laps after his final fill-up to make it a 1-2 finish for Honda and the Andretti Autosport team. Continue reading Rookie Rossi, Honda Win 100th Indianapolis 500
CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
100th RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE RECAP
MAY 29, 2016
Josef Newgarden Podium Finish Paces Team Chevy in Indy 500
Newgarden Finishes Third; Eight Chevy Drivers in Top 11
INDIANAPOLIS (May 29, 2016) – Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 21 Preferred Freezer Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, finished in third place in the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 to lead eight Team Chevy drivers in the top 11. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Post Race
CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
100th RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES
MAY 29., 2016
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 21 PREFERRED FREEZER ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET, FINISHED 3RD: WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND AS A GROUP IN WHETHER TO GO FOR IT OR SAVE FUEL? “Yeah it was a tough day. I think we were trying to trim out towards the end to see if we could win the thing. I really think we had a shot. First and foremost I am just thankful to my team owner and all the other owners and everyone at ECR that puts me in a car. We have amazing supporters in Fuzzy’s Vodka and Preferred Freezer and I think we had a car that could win today and J.R. did too, it just didn’t fall our way. Ed would have been there with us I think. It’s a tough pill to swallow but I just want to thank everyone who is here today to support us. It is a big deal to be here but we just didn’t have enough at the end, tried to trim like I said, but it just didn’t fall our way with all the fuel.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Driver Quotes
Austin Dillon Powers Through Hardship at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Finish Second
“We were definitely a fourth- or fifth-place car today. We fired off tight and had decent track position, but after the second caution we had to start pretty deep in the field. I’m not sure what happen there. That forced Danny (Stockman, crew chief) to call for two tires on the next few stops so we could gain our spots back. I think if we would have had a little extra luck on our side on the final restart, we could have won. Overall, it was a good day for this Rheem team. We have a few things to figure out, but we’ll get there.”
– Austin Dillon
Ty Dillon Scores Seventh Top-10 Finish of the Season with Eighth-Place Result
“The Bass Pro Shops Chevy started the race a little off; we were super tight for whatever reason, so we weren’t able to make the moves we needed to start off. Luckily, we had a string of cautions in a row to give us a few opportunities to fix the car. Nick (Harrison, crew chief) took a big swing at the adjustments and they worked out well for us. I was able to race inside the top 10 for a majority of the day. Our car was fast, but I felt like we could have been a little better. The racing at the end for the checkered flag in overtime was fun. We’ll take this finish and move on to Pocono next weekend, a racetrack I’m really looking forward to visiting in the XFINITY Series.”
– Ty Dillon
Brandon Jones Overcomes Adversity to Earn Fifth Top-10 Finish of the 2016 Season
“That was a crazy, crazy race right there. I was having problems every time I came into the pit stall. The car felt like it was going to die and I could watch the RPMs fall from the fuel getting out of the catch there. It was a long race. Pretty hot out all day, really slick and greasy. We were just fighting tight conditions all day, and crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. made great calls. We made some pretty big swings at it and got it where we needed to be there at the end to try and make a run at this. All-in-all, I think a seventh-place finish with all that happened with the pit stops there was good. I can’t thank this Menards / Barrett-Jackson team enough for a fast car. I can’t wait to get back here for the Chase.”
– Brandon Jones
Gaughan Perseveres Through Pit Road Miscues and Finishes 10th
“It was just an up-and-down day. We got a bad set of tires on the second pit stop. It just happens sometimes, you get a set that doesn’t cure right. It makes for an interesting day. We had a couple of miscues on pit road today, but my guys kept fighting. It was an exciting day. It was slick and we were sliding around which is fun. In the end to battle back to a top-10 finish, we’ll take it.”
– Brendan Gaughan
Wilson Wins Wild Race at The Dirt Track at Charlotte
Captures Circle K/NOS Energy Drink Outlaw Showdown for second career series win
CONCORD, N.C. – May 27, 2016 – A caution with six-laps remaining helped propel 2016 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contender Greg Wilson to his second career World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory in the Circle K/NOS Energy Drink Outlaw Showdown at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Friday night.
Wilson, who won his first World of Outlaws race at the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway in 2015, led just one lap of the 30-lap feature, after he passed race leader Shane Stewart on the final lap to capture the checkered flag.
“I’ve never dreamt in my wildest dreams that I would ever get this opportunity,” Wilson said. “I have been blessed to run with the World of Outlaws this year. To do this in Charlotte, in front of all these fans, this is badass and that’s all there is to it!”
Stewart, who led a race-high 25 laps, settled for a runner-up finish after he easily controlled the top spot for much of the feature.
“Greg [Wilson] is new to the Outlaw deal and it’s always cool to see someone get their first Outlaw win – I’m not sure if he’s won an Outlaw race before or not,” Stewart said. “We hated to lose a race like that, but hats off to Greg.”
Munoz Leads Honda Effort at Indy 500 “Carb Day”
• Carlos Munoz posts second-fastest speed in last practice prior to the Indianapolis 500
• Honda drivers post 10 of top 16 speeds
• 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 29
Former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Carlos Munoz led the way for Honda Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, posting the second-fastest speed in final “Carb Day” practice in preparation for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500. Munoz finished second to his Andretti Autosport teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, in his 2014 “500” debut.
For his part, Hunter-Reay ended the day fifth overall, with another Andretti Honda, rookie Alex Rossi, sixth fastest. Oriol Servia led the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports effort for Honda, eighth fastest, with teammates Mikhai Aleshin and James Hinchcliffe 11th and 12th, respectively.
Hinchcliffe will start from the pole for Sunday’s 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, with live television coverage on ABC starting at 11 a.m. EDT.