As the NASCAR community looks back on 20 years of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, many in the sport say their most memorable experiences are from the inaugural event.
That’s true for Eddie and Len Wood, co-owners of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion. NASCAR’s first trip to the famous Brickyard was their first trip too. Continue reading Wood Brothers Racing–The Brickyard’s A Special Place For The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team
PERMATEX/FOLLOW A DREAM TEAM REACHES THE SEMI’S AT NEW ENGLAND DRAGWAY
Marstons Mills, MA -July 23, 2014-With a semifinal appearance at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at the team’s home track, New England Dragway, Jay Blake’s Permatex/Follow A Dream team moved into a tie for second place in the East Region Top Alcohol Funny Car standings. Driver Todd Veney got around No. 1 qualifier Fred Tigges in the first round before falling to eventual runner-up Matt Gill in the semifinals in another matchup of Massachusetts-based teams.
Veney qualified 8th in the field with a backpedaling 6.02 at 250 mph and won the first round when Tigges invalidated a track-record 5.55 with a red-light start. In the semi’s, he backpedaled when the car headed toward the wall and eventually shut off to a 7.30.
“There’s not much you can do when the front end’s in the air like that,” Veney said. “We probably would have won if the car was going straight because it left hard with the wheels up, but it’s a pretty helpless feeling when you can’t steer.”
“The car ran great in testing, but it was a different track when qualifying began,” said Blake. Veney coasted to a 5.94 at 173 mph on the first test run, a planned half-track shutoff that would have been a 5.62 or 5.63. The second run was a 5.60-flat at more than 258 mph, close to both ends of the New England Dragway track record.
The Follow A Dream team’s next race is the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series East Regional Aug. 1-2 at Atco Dragway, where the team won in 2007 and 2010.
HIGHT RETURNS TO EVENT WHERE HIS DREAM CAREER BEGAN
SONOMA, CA (July 22, 2014) — Before Robert Hight was a five-time winner in 2014 and the 2009 Funny Car champion on the NHRA Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series tour, before he was the go-to clutch man for 16-time Funny Car champion John Force he was simply a fan watching the Sonoma NHRA Nationals from the ropes like tens of thousands of fans will do this weekend. Hight has witnessed every running of the 27th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals from just about every perspective.
“This is my favorite time of the year. I am a West Coast guy. Sonoma is where I first saw fuel cars run at a national event. I have been to every single NHRA national event they have had either as a fan, a crew guy or a driver. I’ve won here so that makes it special. I’d like to win that race again and get second third of the Western Swing,” said an excited Hight moments after winning the Mile-High Nationals.
Continue reading John Force Racing Looks Toward Sonoma
Holland, Mich. (July 22, 2014) – The second visit to Bark River International Off-Road Raceway saw Ross Hoek battle his way to another podium finish with the #10 Nitto Tire/TR Beadlock/Shop-Vac PRO-4×4. Despite some adversity throughout the weekend, the Ross Hoek Motorsports team stayed focused and kept their driver on the track and running strong during both rounds of racing.
The 1.4 mile long natural terrain track had one change since their first visit in June as a tabletop jump replaced a double jump along the County Road straightaway. During the Friday evening practice session, Hoek adapted to the track change well and at the same time found a few issues with truck, most notably inconsistent brake pedal pressure.
Continue reading Ross Hoek Motorsports–Another Podium for Ross Hoek @ TORC Bark River Part 2
ESM HPDs make Indianapolis debut
STUART, Fla. – July 22, 2014 – The Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) makes its Indianapolis debut this week as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship heads to the hallowed ground of Midwest motorsports – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). More than 100 years of motorsports history echoes through the track at 16th and Georgetown, and ESM looks to make its mark during Friday’s Brickyard Grand Prix.
Scott Sharp, ESM owner/driver, has 14 Indianapolis 500 starts on his résumé including a pole position in 2001 and five top-10 finishes. In his last four appearances (2005-2007, 2009), Sharp ran a Honda-powered machine. The 2007 season was the first time Sharp drove a Tequila Patrón-sponsored Honda race car. Continue reading Extreme Speed Motorsports–ESM Patrón Ready for First Kiss of Indy Bricks
CAMARO Z/28.R AT INDIANAPOLIS: Racing with Momentum
Two straight GS victories in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
· Three wins on season has Chevrolet leading class manufacturer championship
· Stevenson Motorsports on two-race win streak
· CKS Autosport winner of inaugural Indy race in 2012
Continue reading Chevy Racing–CAMARO Z/28.R AT INDIANAPOLIS: Racing with Momentum
Mile High Nationals Stock Eliminator Champion!
It may be school vacation time for most of Matt McMurry’s high-school classmates back in Phoenix, but for the 16-year-old Dyson Racing Junior Development Program driver summer school continues, most recently this past weekend with the running of the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring. McMurry, who last month became the youngest driver ever to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans, racked up more valuable seat time as he and his teammates, Tom Kimber-Smith and Mark Patterson took their Greaves Motorsports Caterham Zytek Z11SN – Nissan LMP2 entry to a sixth-place overall finish.
“This was a really hard-fought race for us and for just all the teams,” McMurry said, following a final-hour battle to the checker between two-time Le Mans winner Kimber-Smith and ex-F1 driver Christian Klien in the Newblood by Morand Racing Morgan Judd, with Kimber-Smith coming up less than two seconds shy.
Continue reading Dyson Racing–McMurry’s Summer School Class in Close Combat
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET SS, WAS THE GUEST OF THIS WEEK’S NASCAR TELECONFERENCE.
BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPT:
THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. We’re joined today by Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Stewart‑Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and owner of Eldora Speedway. Tony, thank you for joining us.
TONY STEWART: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: You have a busy week ahead starting with Wednesday’s Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora. A few interesting notes, fans are coming from 45 different states and as far as Canada, Australia, Great Britain and Sweden to attend the second annual Mudsummer Classic. Talk about the popularity of the event and what it’s like for you to see it all coming together and watching from the owner’s seat?
Continue reading Chevy Racing–Nascar Tuesday Teleconference–Tony Stewart
• Takuma Sato charges from 22nd to fifth for Honda
• Justin Wilson, Josef Newgarden lead race on rain tire gamble that comes up short
Continue reading Honda Racing–Changing Conditions Hamper Honda Efforts in Toronto Nightcap
Gravel scores fourth World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win of the season
WEST LEBANON, N.Y. – July 20, 2014 -David Gravel scored his fourth World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win of the season Sunday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway – but if not for a little luck, the result could have been very different.
Gravel took the lead in his Roth Motorsports car on a restart following a caution on lap five. He jumped past Kerry Madsen and held the position until another yellow flew on lap 13.
Continue reading World of Outlaws–With Luck on His Side, David Gravel Gets Win at Lebanon Valley Speedway
Anderson Encouraged as a Corner is Turned in Denver
DENVER, Colo., July 20, 2014 – Greg Anderson had a weekend to remember at Denver’s Bandimere Speedway at the 35th annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Anderson didn’t walk away with the win at the picturesque facility, but the 74-time NHRA national event victor did leave the event with a fresh infusion of optimism following a collection of runs that marked his best performance of the season to date. He also gained more valuable points towards breaking into the top 10 in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings.
Continue reading Summit Racing–Anderson Encouraged as a Corner is Turned in Denver
Mopar Also Announces Three-Year Extension of Mile-High Nationals Sponsorship
· Allen Johnson defeats teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the third-consecutive all-Mopar Pro Stock final at Bandimere Speedway
· “Magneti Marelli Quality Auto Parts Offered by Mopar” Dodge Dart driver Johnson earns his fourth Wally trophy of the season
· Johnson and Coughlin meet in the final for the second time this season, a year that marks the 50th anniversary of the 426 HEMI and 100 years of the Dodge brand
· Coughlin drives to his fourth final-round appearance of the season
· Johnson’s victory is the sixth win of the season for Mopar in Pro Stock competition
· Ron Capps runs to the semifinals to pace the four-driver Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Funny Car squad at Thunder Mountain
· Hagan takes his 426 Race HEMI 50th Anniversary Tribute Mopar Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car to the quarterfinals
Continue reading Mopar Racing–Johnson Rules at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Seizes Third-Straight Win and Sixth in Eight Years at Bandimere
Line Elevated by Overall Performance at Mile-High Nationals
DENVER, Colo., July 20, 2014 – The 35th annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals moved to the top of favored races this weekend for Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line. The Mooresville, N.C.-based driver was in command of a very powerful car as he put his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro on the pole and then blasted through eliminations en route to a semifinals finish. The ending to the weekend was a bit earlier than he had hoped, but Line could hardly hang his head over the powerful performance at one of the most challenging racetracks on NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour.
Continue reading Summit Racing–Line Elevated by Overall Performance at Mile-High Nationals
ROBERT HIGHT’S WIN CAPS DOMINANT WEEKEND FOR JFR
DENVER, CO — John Force Racing had three chances to win the Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals today. For the first time since debuting the Castrol EDGE Top Fuel dragster in 2013 JFR had two Funny Cars in the final round and Brittany Force in the Top Fuel final. Funny Car No. 2 qualifier Robert Hight outran a tire smoking No. 1 qualifier John Force in the Funny Car final, 4.166 seconds to 5.953 seconds, setting the stage for a JFR double-up win. Unfortunately the third time was not the charm and Brittany Force was bested by JR Todd in the Top Fuel final.
Continue reading John Force Racing–ROBERT HIGHT’S WIN CAPS DOMINANT WEEKEND FOR JFR
CHEVROLET RACING
VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO – 2 IN T.O.
STREETS OF TORONTO – EXHIBITION PLACE
TEAM CHEVY RACE TWO RECAP
JULY 20, 2014
Mike Conway Wins Race Two in Toronto to Give Chevy Doubleheader Victories
Tony Kanaan and Will Power Give Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Second Podium Sweep of Day
TORONTO (July 20, 2014) – Mike Conway along with team owner Ed Carpenter made the strategy call of Race Two on the Streets of Toronto for the Verizon IndyCar Series that took Conway and the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet team to Victory Lane. It was the second win of the season for Conway, the third win of the year for the team, the second win of the Toronto Doubleheader weekend for Chevrolet and the eighth IndyCar win of the season for the Bowtie brand.
• Recovers from first-lap contact
• Strong drive, pit-stop strategy maintain championship challenge
A storming recovery effort from Simon Pagenaud and his Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports team, following first-lap contact, resulted in a fourth-place finish Sunday to lead the Honda-powered field in the opening race of a same-day Verizon IndyCar Series doubleheader Sunday at the Honda Indy Toronto.
Continue reading Honda Racing–Pagenaud Finishes Fourth for Honda in Toronto Race 1
CHEVROLET RACING
VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO – 2 IN T.O.
STREETS OF TORONTO – EXHIBITION PLACE
TEAM CHEVY RACE TWO DRIVER QUOTES
JULY 20, 2014
MIKE CONWAY, NO. 20 FUZZY’S ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING, RACE WINNER: MIKE, AFTER THE STRUGGLES THE LAST FEW RACES AND EARLIER THIS WEEKEND, HOW MUCH REDEMPTION DO YOU GET FROM THIS? “It feels so good. It was really difficult conditions in the wet and we were kind of struggling for a bit but as soon as I saw the path and a dry line, I knew it was time to come it. It was a great call and the guys were up for it. I wasn’t sure what they were going to say. It was great from there and we just kind of took off and just controlled the race. I was getting nervous there when the red flag came out but I knew with Justin behind me I knew I would be able to cover it. So it was good fun out there.”
Continue reading Chevy Racing–IndyCar–Honda Indy Toronto 2
TORONTO, ONT – It was a competitive race for Butch Leitzinger in the #08 Bentley Continental GT3 today in the Pirelli World Challenge double header in the streets of Toronto. At the end of the thirty-seven minute race, Leitzinger had moved from thirteen to ninth and set a time three tenths off the fastest race lap. It was a weekend of positive progression as the team dialed in the car and found increased speed in each session.
Continue reading Dyson Racing–New and Improved
CHEVROLET RACING
VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO – 2 IN T.O.
STREETS OF TORONTO – EXHIBITION PLACE
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES
JULY 20, 2014
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 11 TEAM HYDROXYCUT KVSH RACING CHEVROLET, RACE WINNER: ITS BEEN A WHILE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING RIGHT NOW? “So many things. I am a bit speechless to be honest because it’s the kind of race you do not want to lose kind of thing. It just went perfect from green to checkered flag and these guys, Hydroxycut gave us great support this weekend. Lone Star and Circle K and having a celebration with these guys.”
Continue reading Chevy Racing–IndyCar–Honda Indy Toronto