In 84 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing boasts 12 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes. In 2023, Kyle Busch led RCR with a third-place finish in the fall event at the Nevada oval. Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… RCR has five wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, most recently by Austin Hill in March 2023. Other drivers to win in Xfinity Series competition for the Welcome, N.C., based organization include Kevin Harvick (2004), Jeff Burton (2007), Austin Dillon (2015) and Tyler Reddick (2019). RCR has racked up four poles in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with drivers Kevin Harvick (2007), Ty Dillon (2014), A. Dillon (2015) and Myatt Snider (2020). BIG POWER to Start 2024… ECR Engines has enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 NASCAR season. The company powered Daniel Suarez to victory one week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. ECR has dominated the start to the Xfinity Series season winning both races, both poles and leading 76.81% of the total possible laps.  Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series The LiUNA! at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, March 2, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  Follow Sunday’s Action at Las Vegas… The NASCAR Cup Series Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, March 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Austin Dillon has two top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a best performance of fourth in 2020. Dillon has completed 99.6% of all the laps run at the 1.5-mile oval.  Former Winner… Dillon is a two-time winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion went to Victory Lane in Xfinity Series competition at the track in March 2015, leading 183 of the scheduled 200 laps. Dillon also has a NASCAR Truck Series win at the track in September 2010.   About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market-leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Group, BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands, including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino, and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. Always Bet Responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Meet Dillon… On Saturday, March 2 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. local time, Dillon and his RCR teammate Kyle Busch are scheduled to participate in an autograph session on behalf of BetMGM at the Mandalay Bay Sportsbook.  AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:What are your thoughts on Las Vegas Motor Speedway?“I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It’s one of my favorite racetracks. It’s big, fast, bumpy, and it has a lot of lines that you can choose. It’s going to be a great race weekend for everyone coming to check us out. We’re on a mission on the No. 3 team to turn our luck around and Las Vegas is the perfect place to do that.”  How has racing on 1.5-mile tracks with the Next Gen car changed and how do you think it’s improved? “I think the racing on the 1.5-mile tracks is probably the best racing we have now with this new car. It seems to put on a good show, and you find certain times and tracks that race really competitively. The restarts are really pretty wild.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway…  Kyle Busch made his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 7, 2004, and since then, he has gone on to achieve much success at his home track. In 2009, Busch won from the pole position, the only driver in track history to accomplish the feat. The Las Vegas native has racked up 12 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, including five top-five results in the last six Las Vegas races (dating back to 2021). Busch also has secured two pole positions (2008 and 2009) at the 1.5-mile track. An Impressive Track Record… Busch owns numerous Cup Series records at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.He is the youngest race winner (23 years, 9 months, and 27 days) and owns the most top-five (12) and top-10 finishes (15). He is also tied for most poles (two) among active drivers entering this weekend’s race. Leading the Points… Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings by one point ahead of second-place William Byron. This is the first time the driver of the BetMGM Chevrolet has led the standings since winning the Cup championship at Homestead in 2019 (145 races).  Just how close was the finish in Atlanta? Busch finished third in a thrilling three-wide photo finish battle for the win one week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a scant .007 seconds behind the race winner, marking the closest final margin between first and third in NASCAR Cup Series history.  About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market-leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Group, BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands, including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino, and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. Always Bet Responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Meet The Drivers… Busch and teammate Austin Dillon are scheduled to meet with fans at the Mandalay Bay Sportsbook on behalf of BetMGM on Saturday, March 2. The appearance will be from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. local time and is limited to the first 100 fans who receive a wristband. KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:What do you see as the role of sports betting in sports?“It’s huge. I think there’s a huge market for it. I grew up in Las Vegas, obviously, and a lot of betting and gambling happens there. It feels like I’m the natural fit for that. Thanks to BetMGM for being associated with a Vegas cat like me. It’s a huge market. A lot more states are coming up with releasing the regulations and allowing sports betting to happen in their states. I feel like that’s only a good thing for the industry, just having that chance.” What’s your responsibility as an athlete in all that?“Well, I mean, obviously, I feel like for us, keeping the integrity of the sport. You’re not going to do anything that hurts the things that you’re supposed to do behind the wheel and also just making sure you deliver the message of safe betting as well.”  What do you remember of your first NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2009 and what did that victory in front of the home crowd mean to you? “It was huge and such a cool deal. That to me felt like my Daytona 500. I’ve had some big wins. I’ve won Indy. I’ve won the Southern 500. I’ve won the Coke 600, All-Star Race, all that stuff. But the Vegas win, it was just such a relief and such a monumental win for me because I remember I grew up right down the street watching that place be built.”  Is there less pressure when you go back to Las Vegas Motor Speedway?“Because I’ve won there, yes, there’s less pressure, but I’ve never backed it up. You still want to win there every time you go, being the hometown. I think I have four or five third-place finishes there in the last six or seven races. We’re right there, we just don’t get it.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Saturday. The 19-year-old has attended races at the 1.5-mile oval in person, but Friday’s practice will mark his first laps on the Nevada surface.  Two for Two… With securing pole positions at both Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Love is the first driver in NASCAR Xfinity Series history to win consecutive poles in their first two starts in the series.  Did You Know? Continuing to add to his resume, Love is the first driver to win Stage One in each of the first two races in a Xfinity Series season.  Lap Leader… Love has led over 60% of laps competed through the first two Xfinity Series races. The Menlo Park, California native has paced the field for a total of 191 laps – 34 at Daytona International Speedway and 157 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Love is also the first driver of 2024 to surpass 100 laps led across NASCAR’s top-three series.  About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce. JESSE LOVE QUOTE:What are your thoughts heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway and your first mile-and-a-half race in the Xfinity Series? “I feel like I know more of what to do and what not to do on an intermediate track than I did on a superspeedway. I have confidence heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the fact that I personally have laps at a mile-and-a-half track in an ARCA car and our Whelen Chevrolet should be fast once again. There is a little bit of an unknown in going to a mile-and-a-half for the first time specifically in a Xfinity car, but that’s a more positive than negative unknown. Our No. 2 team has come out of the gate strong and while we wanted the win last week in Atlanta, we can take that strong run and build off of it.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has made five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning one win and three top-10 finishes. In eight NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Nevada speedway, Hill has led a total of 80 laps and captured two wins (fall 2019, fall 2020), four top-five, and six top-10 results. Undefeated in 2024… With back-to-back wins at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hill remains undefeated in 2024 and holds the lead in the driver championship point standings.   Did You Know? Hill is the fourth driver in Xfinity Series history to win the first two races of season, joining Dale Earnhardt (1986), Chad Little (1995), and Tony Stewart (2008). If Hill is able to capture the checkered flag on Saturday, the 29-year-old will become the first driver in Xfinity Series history to win the first three races of a season.  Defending Race Winner… Hill enters Saturday’s race as the defending Xfinity Series race winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last March, the Winston, Georgia native started from the ninth position and drove forward to claim the Stage 2 victory. Running in second place with 10 laps to go, Hill consistently chased then leader Chandler Smith to make a late-race pass and secure the victory. This marked Hill’s second win in the first three races of the 2023 season.  About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com. Meet Hill… On Saturday, March 2 at 11:00 a.m. local time, Hill is scheduled to visit the South Point Casino booth in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fan Zone to sign autographs and greet fans. Immediately following, on Saturday, March 2 at 11:20 a.m. local time, Hill will sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Fan Zone at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the eight-time Xfinity Series winner and purchase new gear. AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:Talk about returning to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the defending race winner. “I’ve always had good fortune at and have loved going to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I had success there during my Truck Series career and now I’ve won a Xfinity Series race as well. Statistically, I have run well there throughout my career. I expect big things when we hit the track. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet should be capable of running up front and the No. 21 team hopefully will have a shot at the win. These first three races to start this season are our cup of tea. We won all three last season, have two already this year, and our goal is to keep the momentum going.”

Sent on behalf of JMC Motorsports DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 29, 2024) – JMC Motorsports is excited to announce the return of Jarod Vanderkooi as pilot and Fairway Ford Ohio as title sponsor to battle for the Mission SuperTwins championship aboard an Indian FTR750 during the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season. ‘24 marks the fourth consecutive season Vanderkooi and team owner Jay Maloney have worked in unison, starting as rider and crew chief 2021. During that span, the duo has secured a total of ten premier-class podium finishes, including nine top twos, highlighted by Vanderkooi’s maiden victory and Progressive Triple Crown triumph at the end of the ‘22 season. Canfield Ohio-based Fairway Ford Ohio came aboard as title sponsor in Maloney’s return to team owner a year ago. The team came out swinging in 2023, scoring a runner-up result during the season-opening doubleheader, before ultimately securing 15 top tens en route to a seventh-place Grand National Championship ranking. Building on that experience, the ambition is to achieve even greater success in ‘24. Jay Maloney, Team Owner: “JMC Motorsports is looking to significantly up our results from last year. We had a few results that showed where we belong, but it felt like the majority of the year we battled through bad luck and flat-out bad results, and we plan to put behind us. Back with Jarod and the Fairway Ford family, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be fighting for the top step of the podium with regularity this season. “We had an outpouring of support from the Progressive AFT community to support our 2024 efforts. Floyd Tapp, a long-time supporter of Jarod, helped tremendously in pushing those efforts forward. For that, we’re very appreciative, and plan to take full advantage of the opportunity before us.” Jarod Vanderkooi, #20: “Going into the 2024 season honestly the best word to use is, grateful. This will be my fourth year working with Jay. Last year we branched out under our own tent, and we learned so much that will set us up to be that much stronger and hungrier than ever before.  “I can’t thank Bob and Robbie Davis at Fairway Ford enough for coming back on board in a big way, and I’d also like to say a big thank you to Floyd Tapp Racing and everyone from the racing community that chipped in to support our effort. The people in my corner never quit, and for that I’m thankful. Their generosity and support are the only reason we’re able to do what we love. I feel like I have a lot to prove this year, and I’m ready to get it going.” Bob and Robbie Davis, Owners of Fairway Ford Ohio: “We are thrilled to once again stand behind Jarod Vanderkooi and JMC Motorsports as their title sponsor for a second consecutive season. Jarod is not only an incredibly talented racer, but also a local Ohioan, making our support for him and his team even more special. We have been supporting Jarod since his early days in racing and watching his growth and success has been truly inspiring. “Jarod has exceptional skill and unwavering determination. We’re proud to support such a talented and dedicated rider.” In addition to Fairway Ford Ohio, JMC Motorsports is supported by Floyd Tapp Racing, Ben Evans Racing, Arai, 4SR, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Avila Racing, Level 10 Transmissions, Vortex, Rekluse Clutches, Motion Pro, Goon Glass, and Lowery Racing.

The exciting driver credits his childhood on dirt bikes for shaping him as a driver

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 29, 2024) – Not often do dirt bike roots lead to Sprint Car stardom. But Sheldon Haudenschild is accustomed to reaching uncommon feats.

Before he became one of the most thrilling gassers in a Sprint Car, Haudenschild embraced a different dirt discipline – dirt bike racing. He first hopped in a go kart to begin his racing experience, but the nearby dirt bikes caught his eye.

“I actually started racing go karts when I was real young, probably four or five years old,” Haudenschild recalled. “The go kart track was right beside the dirt bike track when I was a kid, and I kind of just found myself always going over to watch the dirt bikes. Pretty much from then on, I had a dirt bike. I started racing those when I was five. It’s pretty much all I did from five to 16 years old. We raced dirt bikes my whole childhood and pretty much every single weekend.”

Haudenschild has the opportunity to blend the past with the present this weekend. Before the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars invade Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) on March 3-4, AMA Supercross makes a trip to Daytona International Speedway on March 2.

The Wooster, OH native enjoys the chance to revisit his roots by taking in the sport’s top level as a fan. Dirt bikes shaped him as a driver. They’re a big part of the reason why Haudenschild has gained his reputation as fearless behind the wheel of a Sprint Car.

“For me I think a dirt bike teaches you way more than what go kart racing, or even Micro or Midget racing would,” Haudenschild explained. “And a lot converts over. A dirt bike track is like no other. I don’t think people quite realize how rough they are, how many lines there are, and how long the tracks really are. I think, for me, it gives me a whole different mentality when racing a Sprint Car than what a lot of these other guys have. A dirt bike is just gnarly. Nothing really compares to it.”

Not only did dirt bikes build Haudenschild as a driver, but they also equipped him with a sense of financial responsibility. With his dad – Jac Haudenschild – still building his own historic Sprint Car career during Sheldon’s younger years, Jac couldn’t always be at the dirt bike track with him. So, Jac would supply him a budget. These lessons proved to be vital later when Sheldon began his own Sprint Car operation.

“Racing dirt bikes probably taught me more of money management and things like that,” Haudenschild said. “My dad would send me racing on the weekends with buddies and hand me $500 bucks as a 14-year-old and make me manage that money and figure out how to make it last over the weekend. I think that’s a lot of what people don’t realize that kind of converted over to me being able to start a team when I was young and manage that at a young age and get into the sport a little different way.”

Skills provided through dirt bike racing, combined with lessons learned from his Hall of Fame father, paved the path for a smooth transition to Sprint Cars when the time came. Haudenschild might’ve focused on racing dirt bikes as a kid, but he still watched and learned plenty from Jac.

“Still to this day I’d say I’ve watched more Sprint Car races than I’ve raced,” Haudenschild said. “Kind of being able to grow up watching Sprint Cars and also grow up racing dirt bikes was kind of a perfect combination. I don’t think the transition was easy by any means. I just think a dirt bike toughens you up in different ways than growing up racing with a cage… Just growing up racing gnarly racetracks as a little kid and never complaining about it. It could be pouring down rain, mud races, it didn’t matter.”

Haudenschild’s Sprint Car career is a testament to his dirt bike talents translating when he made the switch. He’s always been known for being unafraid to venture anywhere on the racetrack no matter how on edge or rough. It’s led to him supplying some of the sport’s most mind-blowing moments including a charge from 16th to the win last year at Skagit. And most recently a thrilling victory at Volusia in early February to cap DIRTcar Nationals – making him the most recent winner heading into the World of Outlaws Bike Week Jamboree.

But before he gets back to competing with the nation’s best Sprint Car drivers, he’ll return to his two-wheel roots on Saturday at Daytona. 

“These last couple years when we’ve paired up with Bike Week is awesome,” Haudenschild said. “I’ve still got some buddies that will be racing at Daytona and working on bikes, mechanics and what not. So that’s pretty cool for me to get to go there, see a couple friends, and hang out a little bit. It’s kind of cool. Right now, I’m 30 years old, and there’s a couple dudes out there that I grew up racing with every weekend that are still racing and making them 450 main events every week. It’s cool to see them be able to do it for a living and then getting there this weekend and watching them.”

For tickets to the Bike Week Jamboree, CLICK HERE.

Every April fans across the world celebrate the birthday of Ford’s original pony car on Global Mustang Day. This year, that milestone 60th birthday falls on a Wednesday, so NMRA’s kicking off the celebration early with Mustang Day Presented by NC Stangs and Speedology at the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals held at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC, on Saturday, April 13th. While Mustang Day is specifically on Saturday the entire NMRA/NMCA event runs April 11-14, 2024. NMRA racers join forces with their NMCA counterparts in mid-April at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC, for the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Presented by Sipple’s Speed & Performance, where the Mustang Day celebration will take place atop the famed Top of the Rock above the drag strip and around the facility. In addition to joining the UPR Products Car Show celebrating Mustang Day, enthusiasts are welcome to join in on the racing action in Mustang True Street presented by Circle D Specialties or other classes that might fit their cars. The first 500 Mustang Day participants (show or race) will each receive a collectible Mustang 60 Years license plate, lanyard and credential. Additionally, attendees can enjoy the Top of the Rock Fan Party, flame-throwing jet dragsters, the world’s largest BIGFOOT monster truck, and more.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCELas Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada March 1-3, 2024

CHEVROLET CARRIES UNDEFEATED RECORD OUT WESTChevrolet continues to live up to its title as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history with a record-setting start to the 2024 season. The Bowtie brand has been the only manufacturer to earn a trip to victory lane across NASCAR’s three national series with back-to-back weekend sweeps at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Courtesy of wins by William Byron, Austin Hill and Nick Sanchez – Chevrolet swept the season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway for the second time in history. The Bowtie brand first accomplished that feat in 2018, with this season’s sweep making Chevrolet the only manufacturer to sweep the series’ season-opening weekend more than once. Chevrolet backed that performance up with yet another sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway – marking the first time in NASCAR history that a sweep streak by a manufacturer has lasted through the second weekend of the season.  The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will make the trek out west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend for the third-straight tripleheader of the season. Looking to remain undefeated, Chevrolet has fared well at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval in recent years – returning to the track with wins in all three series last season: ·       NCS: William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023)·       NXS: Austin Hill (March 2023)·       NCTS: Kyle Busch (March 2023)

…AND THE STREAK CARRIES ONVictories by Team Chevy’s AJ Allmendinger and Sam Mayer at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in October 2023 ultimately marked the start of an impressive run for the Bowtie brand in the NASCAR national ranks. Dating back to the ROVAL race weekend last season, Chevrolet has since recorded at least one victory in NASCAR’s three national series each points-paying race weekend – further demonstrating the strength in the Chevrolet camp across the NASCAR national ranks. Those victories include:

Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (Oct. 7-8, 2023): AJ Allmendinger (NCS) and Sam Mayer (NXS)Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 15, 2023): Kyle Larson (NCS)Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 21, 2023): Sam Mayer (NXS) and Carson Hocevar (NCTS)Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 28, 2023): Justin Allgaier (NXS)Phoenix Raceway (Nov. 3-5, 2023): Ross Chastain (NCS) and Christian Eckes (NCTS)Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 16-19, 2024): William Byron (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS), Nick Sanchez (NCTS) Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 24-25, 2024): Daniel Suarez (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS), Kyle Busch (NCTS)

NEXT GEN IN NEVADANASCAR’s premier series made its first appearance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 1998, with Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube marking the series’ 33rd appearance at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon delivered the Bowtie brand its first NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2001, and the manufacturer has since collected 12 all-time victories at the track.   Since the Next Gen vehicles were introduced to the series at the beginning of the 2022 season, the Camaro ZL1 has earned victories in three of the series’ four events – recorded by Alex Bowman (March 2022), William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023). Two of those victories were supported by a podium sweep by the Bowtie brand – with Bowman leading fellow Team Chevy drivers Larson (second) and Ross Chastain (third) in March 2022; and Byron leading his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Larson (second) and Bowman (third) in March 2023.

Alex BowmanNo. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 March 6, 2022

William ByronNo. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 March 5, 2023

Kyle Larson No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 October 15, 2023

CHEVROLET IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT LAS VEGASIn the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ 33-race history at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Chevrolet leads the series with a winning percentage over 50 percent – heading into the weekend with 17 victories at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval.  The NXS’ debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 1997 saw Chevrolet atop the leaderboard in both qualifying and the race – both courtesy of Jeff Green in the No. 8 Chevrolet for team owner Gary Bechtel. In recent years, drivers from three different Chevrolet teams have recorded a combined four wins in the series’ past six races at the track – most recently one year ago by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill and the No. 21 Camaro SS team.

HILL AIMS FOR RECORD WEEKENDTeam Chevy’s Austin Hill is off to dominant start in 2024 – making back-to-back trips to victory lane in the series’ first two races of the season. The 29-year-old Winston, Georgia, native will have the opportunity to make history in the series this weekend. A victory in Saturday’s ‘The LiUNA!’ race at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval would make Hill the first driver in series’ history to win the first three races in a season. Hill is no stranger to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the Team Chevy driver returning as the series’ defending winner of the track’s spring event. Hill also owns two victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – recorded in Sept. 2019 and Sept. 2020.

CHEVROLET IN THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES AT LAS VEGASThe Truck Series was the first of NASCAR’s three national series to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with Jack Sprague driving the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Silverado to the win in the series’ inaugural event (Nov. 1996). In the series’ last appearance at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval (March 2023), Kyle Busch took Chevrolet to a double-digit win count at the track – driving his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Silverado RST to the manufacturer’s 10th NCTS victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

REIGNING ROWDYBorn and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas Motor Speedway holds a special place in Kyle Busch’s storied NASCAR career. The “hometown hero” made his first career NASCAR Cup Series start at his home track in March 2004 while competing in select races with Hendrick Motorsports that season. Busch has since made 25 NCS starts at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval – collecting one win (2009), two poles and a series-leading 12 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.  The 38-year-old Nevada native has recorded victories in all three NASCAR national series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition to his one win in NASCAR’s top division at the Nevada oval, Busch has also tallied two NASCAR Xfinity Series wins (2016 and 2019) and four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins (2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) at the track.  Busch’s most recent trip to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway came one year ago in the NCTS – leading a race-high 84 laps and pulling away to a nearly five-second lead to take the checkered-flag. The victory came in Busch’s first start with KBM following the organization’s manufacturer switch to Chevrolet at the beginning of the 2023 season. The Team Chevy driver is heading to his home track as the series’ most recent winner this season after capturing his series-leading 65th NCTS victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to win across all three NASCAR national series this season – the first time in NASCAR history that a sweep streak by a manufacturer has lasted through the second weekend of the season. ·       Chevrolet has the opportunity to extend its sweep record even further this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – returning to the track with wins in all three series last season: NASCAR Cup Series: William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023)NASCAR Xfinity Series: Austin Hill (March 2023)NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Kyle Busch (March 2023) ·       Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:  Kyle Larson – two wins (March 2021, Oct. 2023)William Byron – one win (March 2023) Alex Bowman – one win (March 2022)Kyle Busch – one win (March 2009) ·       In 32 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 12 victories. Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at the track with nine, recorded among five drivers: Jeff Gordon (2001), Jimmie Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010), Kyle Larson (2021, 2023), Alex Bowman (2022), William Byron (2023).  ·       Since the debut of the Next Gen vehicles in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, Chevrolet has won three of the series’ four races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – recorded by Alex Bowman (March 2022), William Byron (March 2023) and Kyle Larson (Oct. 2023).  ·       With its victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend, Chevrolet continues the streak of earning at least one win in the NASCAR national ranks each race weekend since the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course events in October 2023. ·       With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 853 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 80 Toyota: 66 (-14)Ford: 63 (-17)

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 80Toyota: 70 (-10)Ford: 53 (-27)

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 80Toyota: 69 (-11)Ford: 65 (-15)

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy LubeSunday, March 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Xfinity SeriesThe LiUNA! Saturday, March 2, at 5 p.m. ET(FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesVictoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate ResortsFriday, March 1, at 9 p.m. ET(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1How much are you looking forward to racing at Las Vegas?“We’ve obviously had strong cars for the first two races of the season and Daniel has too. Trackhouse as a whole has had good start to the season with Daniel’s win last week at Atlanta. This weekend is the first mile-and-a-half we’re going to, so we’ll get to see how much our off-season work is going to pay off for us. I enjoy racing at Vegas, and we’ve had some strong runs there in the Cup car with Trackhouse and obviously I’ve won there in the Xfinity Series.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BETMGM CAMARO ZL1What are your thoughts on Las Vegas Motor Speedway?“I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It’s one of my favorite racetracks. It’s big, fast, bumpy, and it has a lot of lines that you can choose. It’s going to be a great race weekend for everyone coming to check us out. We’re on a mission on the No. 3 team to turn our luck around and Las Vegas is the perfect place to do that.” How has racing on 1.5-mile tracks with the Next Gen car changed and how do you think it’s improved?“I think the racing on the 1.5-mile tracks is probably the best racing we have now with this new car. It really seems to put on a good show, and you find certain times and tracks that race really competitively. The restarts are really pretty wild.” COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 USANA CAMARO ZL1LaJoie on the start of the 2024 season: “I think it’s super-important to start the year out strong, especially to get through the west-coast swing in as good of a points position as possible. Jeff Dickerson’s favorite thing to say is ‘get out ahead of it early.’ We want to try and build ourselves a little bit of a points cushion between our team and the guys who might catch you throughout the course of the year. If you start the year strong, like we have, and we continue that, it’s going to be tough for some of those guys to catch us. I’m always excited to go to Las Vegas. I’ve had some really good runs there the last couple years. That’s going to be a true barometer of where we stack up as a team with downforce and horsepower. I think we have a lot of the tools we need to bring a really good USANA Chevrolet Camaro to the race track this weekend. I’m excited to go out there and see how we stack up at the first true intermediate track of the season.”  Are you relieved to get Daytona and Atlanta out of the way? Those two tracks are variables and now you can focus on the bulk of the season.“You’re much less in control of your own destiny at those places. You are, but you aren’t. Someone else’s mistake can take you out of the race. No different than Vegas, with the crazy restarts, but I feel like you’re in control of your destiny a little bit more at Vegas than the first two. The angst is the same no matter what racetrack you go to. You want to perform and you want to do the best you can for your partners, team and fans. I don’t know if I’m excited or happy to get those two out of the way, I just know there are 34 more race where we need to try and make a notch in the win column.” Are you a fan of mile-and-a-half racing?“Those tracks have become one of the strengths of our team, which is a little surprising because I’m more of a short-track guy at heart. We’ve had some really good runs at Vegas and Charlotte and some other places like that. Ryan Sparks has a pretty good knack for setting a car up at mile-and-a-halves so hopefully we’ll see that this weekend, as well.” KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 BETMGM CAMARO ZL1What do you remember of your first Cup win at Las Vegas in 2009 and what did that victory mean to you? Being in front of the home crowd, what did that mean to you?“It was huge and such a cool deal. That to me felt like my Daytona 500. I’ve had some big wins. I’ve won Indy. I’ve won the Southern 500. I’ve won the Coke 600, All-Star Race, all that stuff. But the Vegas win, it was just like such a relief, such a monumental win for me because I remember I grew up right down the street watching that place be built.” Is there less pressure when you go back to Vegas?“Because I’ve won there, yes, there’s less pressure, but I’ve never backed it up. You still want to win there every time you go, being the hometown. I think I have four or five third-place finishes there in the last six or seven races, whatever the hell it is. We’re right there, we just don’t get it.” DEREK KRAUS, NO. 16 WESTERN STATES FLOORING CAMARO ZL1“I’m really excited to make my first Cup Series start with Kaulig Racing, the team that I also made my Xfinity Series debut with! I’m thankful to Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice for believing in me, as well as Western States Flooring, a partner that has supported me throughout my career. I can’t wait to get to work with Travis Mack’s group and see what we can do in Las Vegas.” DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 SOUTH POINT HOTEL AND CASINO CAMARO ZL1“I’ve said for many years that Las Vegas feels like a second home now. It’s really special to have South Point Hotel Casino and Spa back on the Cup car after a five-year hiatus in the series. They have done so much for me in my career since 2017, so returning to the top level of racing with them feels like having family at the racetrack. Las Vegas is a track that has always been a good one for me. I think this No. 31 team is excited for our first, true mile-and-a-half event to show the work that we’ve put in throughout the off-season. I’m looking forward to seeing where we shake out once we unload and hopefully having a solid weekend. ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1Bowman on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:“I’m excited for this weekend at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). I went to the simulator this morning trying to get dialed in. There are places we are starting to get pretty consistently good at and (Las) Vegas (Motor Speedway) is one of them. We scored a podium finish last spring (2023) and then I did crash there last fall (2023), but hopefully I won’t do that again. It would be awesome to get the No. 48 team and Ally another win there (Las Vegas Motor Speedway). I look forward to going back and to get back to where we should be running. Getting back to victory lane, winning races, making the playoffs and going to contend for a Championship is really this year’s goal.” BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1Harris on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: “We had a couple really fast cars there (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) last year. Obviously being a part of the Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3 finish in the spring (2023) was great. We had a fast car again in the fall and got ourselves in the top-10 before we wrecked. I expect to go back there (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) with speed. It’s a good track historically for Hendrick Motorsports and we hope to kick-off our intermediates the right way.” ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1Are you excited to get back and race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?“I’m very eager to get back to Las Vegas and race there. I classify Las Vegas as my home track so it is always a special weekend. Especially because this will be my first start in the Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, so it is bittersweet. I always dreamed of racing in the Cup Series at that track.” How did you feel leaving Atlanta and what are you looking to capitalize on this weekend in Las Vegas?“I was disappointed with how our race ended on Sunday at Atlanta. My City of Refuge Chevy Camaro was super-fast and unfortunately, I made some contact with the wall. This No. 71 Spire Motorsports team is special and I know we will have another fast Focused Health Chevy Camaro this weekend in Las Vegas. I’m looking forward to getting on the track and seeing what this team can accomplish together.” CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 PREMIER SECURITY CAMARO ZL1“I feel good heading to Vegas, excited to start working on our mile 1/2 package in our No. 77 Premier Security Chevy. I’m even more excited to see where we stack up with all our off season work and preparation and have a solid smooth day after what happened at Daytona and then Atlanta. Wrong place wrong time sometimes but hey that’s racing, and we have another chance this next week to finish better!” DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1What does the Atlanta victory mean to you?“We have done a lot of work on this race team to make it better and to keep moving forward. This is just the beginning of something amazing that we are going to go through together. I am so happy for all my Amigos at Freeway Insurance who have been with us for so long. That victory was a group effort. Our partners at Chevrolet, all of our sponsors and all of the people at Trackhouse Racing.” Are you ready to relax now that you have a victory and likely secured a playoff spot?“No way. Atlanta will be the first of many victories. This makes us want to keep working and win more. I have always said I don’t want to just get in the playoffs. We want to win and advance in the playoffs.” What are your thoughts on Las Vegas?“I hope practice and qualifying go better than last year. We had an issue and crashed, but on race day our backup car was pretty quick. I was very proud of my guys. That wreck Saturday put us back and we had to get the backup car ready with no laps of practice. They stayed late Saturday night and came in early on race day. The car didn’t feel like a backup and if we had another 100 miles we would have finished even better than 16th. We passed many cars coming from the back a few times.” What did you do in the offseason to make Daniel Suarez stronger?“Well, I did a lot of work with my crew chief Matt Swiderski and the rest of the engineers in the simulator and analyzing myself what can I be better at. This is not just ‘we changed the crew chief’ that’s the solution. No, it has to be way more than that and I think we all need to change a few things here and there. Myself, crew chief, engineering department, pit crew department. With these changes, I believe we’ll be in a different place this year.” What will it take for Trackhouse to break through?“There are a lot of young teams like Trackhouse that are getting stronger every year. I truly believe that this year Trackhouse is really going to be stronger than last year. I can’t wait to see that reflected on track and hopefully we can give them a run for the money.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2023): 42First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2024 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 2Poles: 0Laps Led: 117Top-five finishes: 5Top-10 finishes: 8Stage wins: 1·       Chase Elliott: 1 (Daytona)  CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 853 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 743Laps led to date: 249,292Top-five finishes to date: 4,303Top-10 finishes to date: 8,869                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,187           Chevrolet: 853           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 828                                                                      Ford: 728           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 180

ominic Scelzi Set for Season Opener in Family Car This Weekend in Texas With ASCS Elite Outlaw Sprints

Inside Line Promotions – WAYNESVILLE, Ga. (Feb. 28, 2024) – Dominic Scelzi is opening the season in his family-owned No. 41 sprint car this weekend in Texas.

Scelzi will venture to Hunt County Raceway in Greenville on Friday and to Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale on Saturday with the ASCS Elite Outlaw Sprints. It will mark his debut at both dirt tracks.

“We’re really excited to head to a couple of new tracks and return to the Midwest,” he said. “I always enjoy racing in that part of the country. It’s been a while so it’ll be great to see some familiar faces from that region as we compete in the Midwest throughout the next couple of months.”

Scelzi last competed in The Lone Star State in 2020 when he raced at four different tracks in May and June. He picked up a podium, two top fives and three top-six outings during the four races.

“We were last there during COVID when everything was shut down in California,” he said. “I remember we had some good runs at the different tracks in Texas. I think it was our first time visiting most tracks so hopefully we can have similar success this weekend.”

Scelzi drove for Roth Motorsports last weekend during a High Limit Racing event hosted by Golden Isles Speedway. He kicked off the Deuces Wild show on Thursday when he qualified 20 ^th quickest, advanced from seventh to sixth in a heat race and maneuvered from 17 ^th to 13 ^th in the A Main. The four positions gained were the third most.

The weekend concluded on Saturday with Scelzi improving his qualifying run, going 12 ^th quickest. He again picked up a position in a heat race, this time finishing fourth. The night wrapped up with a 14^th-place result in the main event.

“Qualifying is so crucial and it set us behind each night,” he said. “We were able to make some progress in the heat race both nights as well as the in the feature on Thursday, but the overall results of the weekend weren’t what we hoped for. It was definitely a learning weekend at a new track. Thanks to Dennis and Teresa Roth, Todd and Brent Ventura, and Toyota for having me run the first four High Limit shows with Roth Motorsports.”

QUICK RESULTS –

Feb. 22 – Golden Isles Speedway in Waynesville, Ga. – Qualifying: 20; Heat race: 6 (7); Feature: 13 (17).

Feb. 24 – Golden Isles Speedway in Waynesville, Ga. – Qualifying: 12; Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 14 (13).

SEASON STATS –

4 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 4 top 15s, 4 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday at Hunt County Raceway in Greenville, Texas, and Saturday at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas, with the ASCS Elite Outlaw Sprints

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 28, 2024) – A full national midget series has been absent from Brayton Lynch’s schedule for almost six years. But 2024 is his comeback season, and he’s bringing his grandfather, famed Midget crew chief and car owner Rusty Kunz, with him on the trail of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.

Lynch, 24, of Springfield, IL, will pilot the Rexroad Racing, Bullet/Toyota No. 1K at all 30 Series events in 2024 with help on the wrenches from Kunz – the multi-time Chili Bowl Nationals winning crew chief and brother of Keith Kunz Motorsports co-owner, Keith Kunz.

The two have been away from full-time national Midget series competition since 2018. So, what brings them back?

“I’m coming back because Brayton wants to race,” Rusty said. “He’s a young guy and doesn’t get many opportunities.

“He’s got the opportunity, and I figured if he gets the opportunity, I might as well come and do it with him.”

Lynch made his Series debut last year, recording two top-10 finishes in four starts with a best finish of seventh at Red Hill Raceway, where he won a Heat Race during the program. He’s also been a Chili Bowl Nationals entrant every year from his rookie debut in 2017, keeping his grandfather’s legacy going every January.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself just to keep his reputation upheld, even though I probably don’t even have to,” Lynch said. “It’s special. It was different growing up with him as my mechanic and everybody wishing they were in my car.”

Since the 1970s, Rusty has been carving his own legacy as both a car owner and crew chief, collecting a long list of accomplishments in the national Midget ranks that includes wins with Page Jones, Kevin Doty, Johnny Parsons, Jason Leffler, Jerry Coons Jr. and, most recently, the late Bryan Clauson.

Lynch spent many years around the racetrack watching Rusty manage his cars and drivers, learning the intricacies of the sport with which he continues to shape his own career.

“You just kinda learn from them, and I’ve watched and helped out when I was younger and growing up, so I was able to kinda visualize and see what [Rusty] does, what they do, [hear] their feedback and stuff,” Lynch said. “Just learning how to give [Rusty] feedback, really.”

In his first year back on the road, the 73-year-old Kunz has some goals set with his grandson as they enter their 10th season of racing together – all in the name of improving. While Lynch still hunts for his first Feature win on the national circuit, Rusty said it’s the fundamentals they’re looking for – qualifying for every Feature, completing every lap, and posting top-five and top-10 finishes.

“I’d like to see him advance,” Rusty said. “The better he gets, who knows what happens. But he can’t get any better if we don’t go racing.”

Lynch and Kunz kick off their 2024 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota campaign with the season opener inside the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, IL – Friday-Saturday, March 15-16.

Tickets for the two-day event will be on sale at the gate. If you can’t be there to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

(2/27/24 – Ben Deatherage) … With a brand new season for the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series is right around the corner, it’s incredible to think of all the potential drivers that could win the King of the West title, let alone a feature event during the 2024 campaign. With 26 nights of exciting action taking place at so many different racetracks along the Pacific Coast, things are definitely up for grabs. Below is a look at where success and some upsets could come from with the regulars and frequent visitors to the NARC tour.

THE REGULARS

The first category we will explore is the drivers slated to compete regularly with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Seriesin 2024. Justin Sanders, from Aromas, hit the jackpot on the final night of the Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup, at Alger, Washington’s Skagit Speedway, by winning over $80,000 for Mittry Motorsports #2X last June, as well as winning the overall Morrie Williams Memorial at Kings Speedway in mid-October. Undoubtedly, all the success he achieved in Australia the previous winter, coupled with several trips to the Midwest, made him a force to reckon with in 2023 and this coming season.  To date, he has scored 15 NARC wins.

Returning behind the wheel of the Bates-Hamilton Racing #42X, Justyn Cox from Roseville will also be a front-runner in the championship battle. Cox scored a massive triumph at Tulare’s Dennis Roth Classic with $18,000+ in winnings in April and eventually was crowned the Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 title winner. Undoubtedly, he’s looking to add a NARC 410 Sprint Car Series crown to his trophy case come the Tribute To Gary Patterson at Stockton in November.

Campbell’s Bud Kaeding knows what it takes to achieve a championship with the NARC Series. The 2017 title winner once again finished in the top five in the final standings, and nearly collected a win at Petaluma Speedway during the May visit. It seems all it will take for Kaeding is to win once, and then the victory machine will be hitting on all eight-cylinders again.  He has 21 NARC wins to his credit.

Speaking of Petaluma, race fans are still talking about the amazing Salute To Baylands victory that Chase Johnson scored in July. The Penngrove pilot may have only won once last year with NARC, but he managed to accumulate some wins with and without the wing and in both 360 and 410 powerplants. Johnson no doubt will have a diverse 2024 schedule, which also includes Midgets on the calendar.

Once more driving the Dave and Debbie Vertullo #83V, Dylan Bloomfield proved he can hang with the NARC ranks for an entire season. The Oakley driver managed a pair of Top 5 feature finishes and finally had a breakthrough victory in 360 competition on the preliminary night of the Fall Nationals at Silver Dollar Speedway. Could that translate into a David Tarter Memorial or Mini Gold Cup win this season when the tour visits Chico?  Don’t bet against it.

Billy Aton will be another familiar face to see when the NARC group hits the road. Aton is excited about NARC’s return to Santa Maria Speedway in 2024. What makes that track special is that it is the site of his lone NARC triumph in 2021. The Benicia driver and his team are a great group to have around with their infectious smiles and “no quit” attitude despite 2023 starting so rough for them in the spring.

After being named the NARC Rookie of the Year at last year’s championship celebration, Nick Parker is looking to build on that accolade. The Tucson, Arizona native, now residing in Chico, has a full year of NARC racing under his belt, making the rounds of the multiple tracks on the NARC campaign.  That experience has culminated in a detailed notebook of improvements and nuances needed for success. That should spell improved performance for his team that should result in top finishes.

Jarrett Soares will return to the NARC 410 Series when the engines fire up on March 9th. Returning to full-time series competition for the first time since 2016, the Gilroy gasser will be a delightful addition to the cast of characters tearing up the clay. Last year, Soares scored a pair of Non-Wing 360 Sprint victories at Antioch Speedway and traveled across the state of California as well as into the Pacific Northwest.

THE ROOKS

We’ve talked about some of the regulars, but a unique twist to the NARC 2024 campaign will be the youth movement by drivers who are still cutting their teeth in Sprint Cars and some with just a handful of starts in a 410. The battle for the Rookie of the Year award will be a barnburner from March to November.

Dominic Gorden got some 410 racing under his belt late last year. Under the tutelage of crew chief Richard Brown, the Clovis teenager scored a trio of 360 triumphs, twice at Ocean and once at Marysville, as well as collecting the Western Sprint Tour title. Gorden didn’t have much of a quiet offseason as he won six Caged Clone races at the Chowchilla Barn Burner and got the big payday at Nevada’s Reno Livestock Events Center in February during the High Desert Hustle.  He promises to be a top ten fixture.

Lemoore driver Gauge Garcia spent last year splitting driving duties between the Tarlton Motorsports #21X and the Keller Motorsports #2K. Garcia had a pair of 360 wins in 2023, including the Cotton Classic in October at Kings and a thriller of a win at Tulare in May.  His best NARC finish was a third at the Morrie Williams Memorial race.  Garcia plans to chase the rookie title aboard the Keller Motorsports ride.

Fresno’s Caeden Steele is another individual to watch closely. Steele had some great battles with Bud Kaeding at Ocean Speedway on Friday nights in the Ocean Sprints 360 ranks, including posting a win in late August. Something noteworthy is in late July, he was able to record a sixth-place result at Skagit Speedway against a stacked field of 410 competitors with a 360 in between the frame rails.

Another addition to the series will be Chico-based team of Michael Ing.  The 22-year driver has five-years of experience in both 360’s and a limited amount of time in 410’s and will be driving a family owned and operated team with David Ing on the wrenches.

THE SPOILERS

The last topic to cover is the many potential spoilers that will enter the battle during the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series. What makes NARC such an incredibly tough series is that anyone can win on any given night.

Despite not running full-time with NARC in 2024, Dominic Scelzi will still be a force to reckon with. The two-time series champion has already logged many laps, filling in for James McFadden with the High Limit Series. This move reunited him with the Roth Motorsports team. Whether it’s in Washington, Oregon, or California, the Fresno driver is sure to be upfront.  He will be racing around the country and plans to return to California in May for the balance of the NARC season.  Scelzi has 22 NARC victories on his resume’.

2023 saw one of the biggest comeback stories in Sprint Car racing. After shattering his collarbone at the Trophy Cup in October 2022, D.J. Netto returned and won. In his first race in March of 2023, he bested the ASCS-Southwest Region competition at Central Arizona Raceway. The Hanford pilot finally returned to NARC victory lane when he scored his seventh career NARC victory at the Morrie Williams Memorial at the end of the second Twin-20 main event.

Carson Macedo won the NARC title in 2015, but one thing he did not do is something his younger brother Cole Macedo managed to accomplish in June, win a NARC feature. The younger Macedo took care of business at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Oregon, and was the only driver to beat eventual tour champion Corey Day during the Fastest Four Days Of Motorsports. Macedo also has spent some time in Florida and Georgia racing the Kevin Newton #16TH with the High Limit Series.  He is a threat to win on any given night.

With two trips to Silver Dollar Speedway, the 2022 SDS track champion Shane Golobic is one driver to not discount. The Matt Wood Racing #17W team has got Chico ¼-mile on lock and has won eight races in the last two seasons. Finishing sixth on the final night of the Gold Cup Race of Champions, the Fremont native wowed the crowd at Ocean Speedway when he finally won the Howard Kaeding Classic at Watsonville in July. He had ten victories between 410, 360, and Midget competition.  He has 15 career NARC wins.

Whether it was in the Larry Antaya #16A or the Jim and Annette Van Lare #5V, Colby Copeland was always a contender for a victory. The Roseville racer won with the Van Lare’s at Placerville Speedway at the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial mere days after his car owner lost his father.  This made for a very powerful post race interview in victory lane. Copeland would back that up with another emotional victory lane visit at the Van Lare’s home track at Petaluma when they bested the SCCT on the adobe 3/8-mile oval.

Making a healthy number of NARC starts last year was Tanner Carrick. From Lincoln, Carrick won the first Sprint Car race in California in 2023 when he won the Sherm and Loree Toller Memorial at Marysville. He would get additional 360 wins at Ocean and Placerville. Carrick is notable for already achieving a win in 2024 by winning the Monday prelim at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on January 8^th, which makes him the first Midget feature winner in the United States for this year.  He is looking for his first career NARC win.

2005 NARC champion Sean Becker can be expected to make some appearances throughout the upcoming season. Now calling Roseville home, Becker had his best run with NARC on July 8th when he finished fourth at Petaluma. He closed the year out with an electric 360 win at Marysville with a win on Paul Hawes Memorial Sprint Spooktacular in late October.

Last year, Andy Forsberg would collect his 200th career victory when he won the Tribute to Al Hinds at Placerville on April 15th. Three more additional wins, all at Marysville in 360 action, would add to the Auburn veterans total. Come the Mini Gold Cup and the David Tarter Memorial at Chico, he should be fun to watch. He was fourth on May 28th, his lone 410 top five of the campaign, and five total top tens at Chico for the four-time Silver Dollar Speedway track champ.

Even though he spent much of the summer helping his son Cole in Kage Karts, Willie Croft was still fun to watch in his limited appearances with the NARC 410 Series. Croft, who resides in Colfax, posted two top-five finishes in eight 410 starts.  This included a pair of runner-up finishes, getting one on May 28th at Silver Dollar and another at Skagit on July 22nd.

Whether in California or his native Pacific Northwest, Trey Starks is always on the prowl for a win. Nearly capturing the prelude to the Dennis Roth Classic while racing for Scelzi Motorsports in April, he was also a contender at Grays Harbor Raceway’s Timber Cup and the Dirt Cup. The two-time and defending Skagit Speedway track titlist from Puyallup, Washington, is looking to be the first Washington native to win the prestigious Dirt Cup since Seth Bergman did it in 2018.

Tanner Holmes will be a fun driver to watch as he comes off a stint with the Shark Racing #1T after the Knoxville Nationals.  This earned him a significant cram session in the final few months of 2023. Undoubtedly, he gained some valuable experience taking on the World Of Outlaws, expanding his knowledge of some new tracks and fierce competition that bettered his driving abilities. The Jacksonville, Oregon racer enjoyed a great Dirt Cup last year and posted several strong showings with the NARC series in the springtime.

One of the Cinderella stories of 2023 was Michael Faccinto during the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial at Placerville. Faccinto, from Hanford, set quick time, collected a large amount of money with all the bonuses and contingencies, and almost pulled off a massive upset finishing second.  The team which he drove for, which claimed the Placerville 360 championship, was the Friends & Family #X1 owned by Alan Bradway, Dave’s brother, and Steve Tuccelli.

Those are just a few of the interesting scenarios and stories taking place on the NARC tour this season.  When you mix it all together, it promises to be a very entertaining season of open wheel racing on the left coast.  So pick your favorite driver and team and we will see you at the NARC races.

Successful Prologue for No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R leads into WEC season opener

LUSAIL, Qatar (Feb. 27, 2024) – Following a promising Prologue, Cadillac Racing enters its second season of FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar competition looking to consistently challenge for victories. The Prologue on Monday and Tuesday supplied additional motivation and confirmation for the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R team in the season-opening Qatar Airways Qatar 1812 Km on March 2 at Lusail International Circuit.

In the driver’s seatWatch the race from the view of the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R’s in-car camera. Media resources* Driver CVs* Driver headshots* About Cadillac Racing* 2023 WEC statistics* Le Mans invitation* Cadillac Racing wins

Test sessions totaling 11 hours and 249 laps provided drivers Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Sebastien Bourdais and the team insights about the circuit and racecar that features the purpose-built 5.5-liter DOHC V8 engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing propulsion team paired with the spec hybrid system.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R recorded the second-best lap time (1 minute, 40.458 seconds) and was the only Hypercar entry to place in the top five based on lap time in each of the three sessions. The team will continue to acquire knowledge and data about the 5.148-kilometer (3.37-mile), 16-turn road course that is new to the WEC calendar during three free practice sessions Thursday and Friday leading into qualifications for the 19-car Hypercar field.

Also new for the full season is two-stage qualifying for the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes – an initial 12 minutes of on-track running followed by a 10-minute Hyperpole for the top 10 qualifiers. Previously, each class featured a 15-minute qualifying, with the Hyperpole format reserved for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “We’ll have a competitive package,” team manager Stephen Mitas said. “We made some adjustments to strengthen some areas. We have a new strategy engineer (Elise Moury) that comes to the team with a lot of experience. The core of the team is the same and for good reason because the team did a fantastic job last year. That continuity helps. The more you learn each other the easier it is to operate together.” Highlighting Cadillac Racing’s inaugural WEC season was the third-place finish in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Bamber, Lynn and Richard Westbrook, started the season with top-five finishes at Sebring, Portimão and Spa-Francorchamps. Bourdais, co-driver of the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, adds another layer of experience to the program for the season-opening round. Bourdais, a four-time CART champion among other motorsport accolades, co-drove the No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R to fourth place overall in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he’ll return in June with teammates Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon. Mostly recently, Bourdais qualified second for the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona that secured a front row lockout for Cadillac Racing. Working through delaysThe No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R was among several racecars and equipment delayed more than 72 hours from arriving at Lusail International Circuit. A dedicated ship transport was diverted to the Port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia because of the closure of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait due to the geopolitical situation in the region. After clearing customs, trucks carrying the containers made the 16-hour drive to the racecourse and the preparation begun in earnest. No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R race team principalsTeam manager: Stephen Mitas         Strategy engineer: Elise MouryRace engineer: Carlo Vermuelen     Chief engineer: Jonathan MouryChief mechanic: Dane Beamsley    Systems engineer: Marco GuerraCar controller: Freddy de Boer         Tire technician: Olivier MassonFueler: Bianca Janas                       Front wheel gun: Pascal PetterRear wheel gun: Alex Fuller                Front wheel feed: Ben AncilDriver assist: Stefan Hahn What the drivers are saying

Earl Bamber: “I think we’re definitely getting better operationally and procedurally, and it seems like we’re already more competitive than we were last year. Right in the mix, so hopefully we transfer that to race week. Here I’m just getting back in a rhythm because I haven’t driven the car since early December. (about starting season at new track) “It’s difficult to start the season off, but I think on the team side and Cadillac side we’re well prepared. The guys have done some good work through Sebring test and Daytona test and race that we’re using from our sister cars. A lot of our competition has already tested here many times so we’re playing catch-up. But it’s good to have these Prologue days to find our footing and get toward the front.”Alex Lynn: “On a whole, we’re pretty happy with how we’ve done in the Prologue. The car is working really well here in Qatar and I think in both (day and night) conditions we seem to be there. Obviously, there’s a big difference between night and day. But whatever the conditions we seem to be really strong. I think the car is in a really nice place at the moment. The car has had a great start to its life; Daytona in January was a strong showing as well. There is a bit more competition this year, but in general we’re pretty happy and look forward to the race weekend.”

Sebastien Bourdais: “Difference between driving at night and day) “With all the lights they have, it’s like daylight. Usually, you feel a bit of a speed perception difference, but here it’s completely the same night and day. The difference is the grip – slightly higher at night with cooler track temps. I think we have decent grip. We’ve done some long runs and got some good wear measures. Now we can confidently start pushing on getting a bit more aggressive with the setup and see if it yields results. (difference between the GTP car and Hypercar) “The setups have evolved to something significantly different because the tracks are quite different, and you have to double stint a lot more. Overall, what Cadillac and the Ganassi team has done in the offseason and what has been shared from (IMSA) testing and the 24-hour Daytona race I think we’re in a good place.”

TTF Sport completes FIA WEC testing ahead of Qatar opener for Z06 GT3.R LUSAIL, Qatar (Feb. 27, 2024) – TF Sport and Corvette Racing put the wraps on two days of testing Tuesday at Lusail International Circuit ahead of this weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship opener in Qatar.  The three test sessions served as a dress rehearsal for the debut of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the globe-trotting championship, starting with Saturday’s Qatar Airways Qatar 1812 Km. Daniel Juncadella set the best time for the two-car TF Sport team in the No. 82 Corvette that he will share throughout the season with Hiroshi Koizumi and Sébastien Baud. The Corvette factory driver’s top lap was a 1:54.691 (105.695 mph) effort that put the No. 82 Z06 GT3.R fifth in the new LMGT3 category.

Across the garage, fellow Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood set the pace in the No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a best lap of 1:55.369 (105.074 mph) to put both TF Sport Corvettes well within a second of the fastest Prologue time in class. Eastwood is teaming with Tom Van Rompuy and Rui Andrade for the full year. The TF Sport effort is the first customer program in FIA WEC for Corvette Racing, which has four wins in the series to its credit – including last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans – in addition to the 2023 GTE Am Drivers and Teams titles with the Corvette C8.R. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a completely new car from the ground up and is Chevrolet’s first car built to global GT3 regulations. It’s based on the production Corvette Z06 supercar with the two sharing a significant amount of DNA.  The racecar is built on the same production aluminum chassis frame – from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green (Ky.) Assembly plant – as the road-going Z06. Similar carbon-fiber splitters for front downforce, and the surface area from the top of the windshield to the rear of the Z06 remained intact on the Z06 GT3.R. That includes side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes. The similarities carry over to the hand-built 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine in the Z06 GT3.R. Both originate from the Bowling Green factory with the racing version sharing 80 percent of the production content from the Z06, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors. The Qatar Airways Qatar 1812 Km is scheduled for 11 a.m. Arabian Standard Time / 3 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, March 2.  MotorTrend will provide both live television coverage in the U.S. Streaming coverage of the race and Friday’s qualifying will be available on MAX, MotorTrend Plus and the FIA WEC TV app.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Qatar Airways Qatar 1812 Km.  Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We got a lot of laps in. There were just so many unknowns going into this week. We had one test day as a team with the Z06 GT3.R, which went very well at Dubai. But now we are at a brand new track and one that’s very different than Dubai. But from the very first session, we were pleasantly surprised to be in a very good window. From then, we ran through all the drivers, and both Rui and Tom have been building up. There are still so many unknowns. But as a team and car crew, I feel we are looking quite strong.”

DANIEL JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Honestly this was very good and very positive. We had three trouble-free sessions with a lot of mileage on our Corvette. It might have been the most mileage of all the LMGT3 cars. That’s really encouraging for everyone here. All three drivers had enough laps and we’re all happy to have gone through the program. I’m very happy with how things feel. Seb was very fast and likes the car a lot. Hiroshi is a very positive surprise. He is very consistent with no mistakes and very few track limits. He is doing it the right way. It’s very good and we will take that into the weekend.”

TOM VAN ROMPUY, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “These test days were quite positive. We have a strong car and a strong package. With traffic management, we have to pay attention to other cars but I think we are strong there too. On tire degradation, I think we have one of the better cars in LMGT3. So yes, I’m very positive as we look ahead to the race weekend.”

RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The delays left everyone in a little bit of anticipation, but the car feels great. It already felt great in Dubai. The balance is strong, I think. The combination of TF Sport and Pratt Miller is doing a great job at the moment. They gave us a good car right at the start, which is always important so you don’t feel lost from the get-go. We had some solid running yesterday. We had an issue when I accidently set off the fire extinguisher so we lost some laps! It’s a new car for me and these things happen. Today we went through the run plan with no issues and got lots of laps with good feedback on the car. We had some cool running Monday late afternoon into the night and it was very warm this morning. So getting a read on the car in these conditions is really important. In traffic and with the Hypercars, there is a big speed delta so they have to get through the GT traffic as fast as possible, which means we are bullied a little bit. For us, we have to focus on our driving and also focus on our mirrors and rear-view camera. Whoever does that best will be fastest. But I feel good. We are getting better and have a good base. We feel strong but will see where we are on Saturday.”

HIROSHI KOIMUZI, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Monday was a good feeling. Today was a little better feeling. There was more traffic in the last two sessions but I still had a good feeling. The Corvette is a very good car. I am happy with my teammates. Dani is a very fast driver as our No. 1 and Sébastien is fast. I’m very lucky to have them!”

SÉBASTIEN BAUD, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I am very happy. It was my first Prologue, my first with the team, my first weekend with Corvette and my first time at this track. The car is really great. The work between myself, Dani and Hiro was very good. We had no issues and now we can try some different setups and strategies for qualifying and the race. It’s very comfortable in this Z06 GT3.R. The driving is very different than previous cars I have driven. Confidence for the race and qualifying is high because Hiro was very good during his qualifying sim. This is all very good for the race. There is a lot of confidence and consistency in this car, and there are still things we can work on and try. No issues and everything looks fine for the race weekend.”

CHRISTIE BAGNE, CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R PROGRAM MANAGER: “Everyone at TF Sport and Corvette Customer Support should be proud of the efforts during the Prologue. Both Corvettes completed a high number of laps, which led to a lot of productive running on track. The feedback from the drivers is positive. Operationally, things went well as the team continues to learn more about the Z06 GT3.R heading into practice and qualifying. All in all, we all are happy with the last two days.”

By Andrew Wolf February 23, 2024

Automotive Racing Products (ARP), an industry leader in fastener technology, has partnered with the NHRA to sponsor of the new “ARP Six-Second Club” for the Holley EFI NHRA Factory X category.

The exciting new category, reserved for 2019 and newer manufactured automobiles, will run its first full season in 2024, running eight national events, starting with the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 12-14 and ending at the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas on Oct. 31-Nov. 3.

The “ARP Six-Second Club” will award the first eight drivers in Holly EFI NHRA Factory X who make six-second runs in competition. The first driver to make the historic six-second run will be awarded $10,000, with the second driver earning $5,000. The six additional drivers will also earn a cash payout for reaching the six-second mark and along with the cash prize, each of the first eight drivers to make a six-second run will receive a trophy and an “ARP Six-Second Club” jacket.

“We’re very excited to put this ‘ARP Six-Second Club’ together. This is a very creative class, there’s a lot of very smart people in the category and I think it’s going to attract a lot of people,” said Chris Raschke, ARP Director of Sales and Marketing. “Everyone at ARP is about supporting the racers. That’s our bread and butter and we all think this class is the start of something big. It’s a very cool class. ARP is looking forward to supporting this class and these racers, and we’re proud to be involved. The teams in this class are going to put together some really exciting things and we’re happy to be part of it.”

A worldwide leader in fastener technology, ARP has been a longtime partner for NHRA teams at all levels of racing and will now be actively involved in the new Holley EFI NHRA Factory X category. Cars in the class have a minimum weight limit of 2,650 pounds, which is nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than a Factory Stock Showdown car, and a manual transmission is mandatory. The COPO Camaros race with a 630-hp Magnuson 2.65-L supercharger, and the DragPak Challengers utilize a 630-hp, 3.0-L Whipple. The Cobra Jet 327 Mustang’s engine combination is a 610-hp, 3.0-L Whipple unit.

Each body must be OEM dimensional, meaning there can be no alterations to the bodies. Cars must also race on tires that are 33 inches tall and 10.5 inches wide, which are wider than FSS cars.

With the potential to showcase big-performance numbers and standout runs, a six-second pass could be on the horizon during the 2024 campaign in Holley EFI NHRA Factory X. The lightweight, modified class impressed when it debuted during the tail end of the 2023 NHRA season, with standouts making several low seven-second runs.

“We’re thrilled to introduce this program from a great partner like ARP, which adds even more excitement to the new Holley EFI NHRA Factory X category,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “ARP sees the potential in this class, and it’s quickly become a very innovative category. There’s a lot of interest in Factory X and a bonus like this for the first six-second run adds even more incentive for our race teams and also gives fans something very cool to look forward to this year.”

2024 Holley EFI NHRA Factory X Schedule

• April 12-14: 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
• April 26-28: 14th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte
• May 17-19: 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago
• June 27-30: 18th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
• Aug. 28-Sept. 2: 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis
• Sept. 27-29: 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis
• Oct. 10-13: 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas
• Oct. 31-Nov. 3: 24th annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

Posted By: Mary Lendzion Feb 25, 2024

Written by Mary LendzionPhotos by Steve Turner and Evan Smith   The 30th Annual NMRA Spring Break Shootout and Saturday Thrill Festival was an extraordinary extravaganza with excitement in every corner from February 22-25, 2024 at Gainesville Raceway in Florida. The Holley NMRA Ford Nationals event attracted record-breaking attendance and offered outstanding action for all ages. Setting it in motion was a Cars, Coffee, and Cruise at National Parts Depot, and it spooled up with the CJ Pony Parts Ford Drift Invitational, RTR Pro Drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Chelsea DeNofa, the world’s largest BIGFOOT monster truck, Larsen Motorsports Jet Dragsters, FMX Freestyle Motocross stunts, TV personality and DJ Clarence Barnes, UPR Products All-Ford Car Show and more.   This was the first time the historic Gainesville Raceway hosted an NMRA event at its big and beautiful facility. It served as a perfect setting for the drag racing, festival, and the start of a season-long celebration of 60 years of the Mustang.   “Our whole team was enthusiastic coming into this event at Gainesville Raceway. When we saw how excited our racers and race fans were, too, it just added to the adrenaline and set the tone for the weekend,” said Steve Wolcott, president and CEO of NMRA and NMCA. “The fan experience was exceptional, and there was so much for them to see and do. It was a great show, and we look forward to building upon this.”   Among the categories captivating the audience all weekend long was VP Racing Lubricants Renegade, where Kelly Shotwell stopped the clocks at 4.68 in his Mustang to set the pace in qualifying. The Ohioan was strong in the first and second rounds of eliminations but was forced to lift in the final round of eliminations, sending NMRA legend Robert Cook to the win with a 5.04.   Reigning Vengeance Clutch Coyote Stock champion Ed Bennett shot to a 9.62 in his Mustang to lead qualifying, and he picked up to a whopping 9.58 while racing through the eliminations. Bennett belted in against Charlie Booze Jr. for the final round of eliminations, and while fans shared their guesses on who would gun to the win in the clash of Coyote Stock titans, Booze Jr. was victorious with a 9.63 to Bennett’s close 9.62.   

  Mike Bowen is one to watch in his wheel-standing Maverick in Richmond Gear Factory Stock as he chases another championship, and the Pennsylvanian let everyone know that at this first NMRA event of the year. He led qualifying with a 9.93 before going to the NMRA Winner’s Circle with another 9.93, this time against Damien Stephens, with made the trip from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and drove to a 10.10, in the final round of eliminations.   SunCoast Performance 8.60 Street Race saw nearly 20 competitors roll in for a chance to race to the NMRA Winner’s Circle. Houston McClain laid down a close-to-the-index 8.61 in his Mustang to lead qualifying in the great and growing class, but it was Gavin Black and Paul Sienkiewicz advancing to the final round of eliminations. Black got the win with an 8.65 when Sienkiewicz turned it red.   Whatever It Takes Transmission Parts Street Bandit 10.10, a class for 9- and 10-second race street-legal cars that are not built specifically for an existing class, debuted at the final NMRA race of 2023, and was on the track at this event. Nearly 20 racers battled for the top spot in qualifying, but David Smith made it happen with a 10.01 in his Mustang. Racing through the rounds was tight, but Mike Winters and Gary Parker and their cars were up to the task, Winters went to the NMRA Winner’s Circle with an incredibly dialed-in 10.10 on a 10.10 while Parker dipped under just slightly.   The former Truck & Lightning class is now the Truck & SUV class and is poised to welcome even more racers. Mike Roup, who traveled all the way from Texas to begin the chase to the championship, led qualifying with a .004 reaction time in his Ranchero. He met Gregory Collins and his Ranger in the final round of eliminations. Roup, who turned on the red light, watched as Collins sailed to the win with a lifting 11.65 on an 11.34 dial.    Dana Tebay was lightning-quick on the tree in ARP Open Comp, and the .000 was good for the top spot in qualifying. Six hard-fought rounds later, Taylor Dietsch went to the NMRA Winner’s Circle with an 8.93 on an 8.92 after hardcore racer Paul Svinicki went after the tree and turned on the red light.   


              Dean Snow went .005 on the tree to take the lead spot in qualifying in Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle, but the final round belonged to Charlie McCulloch and Shane Williams. McCulloch was slightly quicker off the starting line and ran right on his 10.45 dial to defeat Williams, who broke out.             Longtime HP Tuners Super Stang standout Chris Parisi put a .002 reaction time on the board to lead qualifying. He remained focused through the final round of eliminations. With fans wondering who would win, Parisi and Andrew Szubelak set course for the finish line, and Parish earned the trip to the NMRA Winner’s Circle with an 11.83 on an 11.80 to Szubelak’s 13.56 on a 13.43.   In CJ Pony Parts Ford Muscle, Bill Worstell and David Mormann recorded close .042 and .044 reaction times respectively, and Worstell wrapped up the win with a 14.08 on a 14.00, while Mormann dove under his 10.75 dial.   An array of amazing Fords competed in Circle D Specialties True Street, and their drivers gave everyone a glimpse of what they are capable of during a 30-mile cruise on the streets before returning for three back-to-back passes down-track. Chris Welch captured the overall win with an 8.85 average, while Willie Lujan collected the runner-up honors with an 8.88 average. Other winners were Adam Kuffel (9-second), Hector Navarro (10-second), John Muldowney (11-second), Damien Henley (12-second), Gerry Davis (13-second), Mary Ann Mammen (14-second) and Ken Mason (15-second).

  Drawing the eight quickest vehicles from True Street competition, the BBK Performance Spring Break Shootout saw Willie Lujan conquer four rounds to land the win with an 8.58 over fellow Floridian Adam Kuffel, who turned in an 8.77. Lujan, of Miami and Kuffel, of Orlando put on a good show in their final-round matchup.   VMP Performance’s Rebecca Starkey knows her way around a race car, especially a quick Mustang. She recently piloted her 2024+ Mustang to an S650-first 9-second pass, carving her name in the history books. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Starkey earned a win in the BMR Suspension S650 Mustang Stampede after she raced to a 10.34 this weekend in her car packing a Gen 4 Coyote and VMP Performance/Whipple supercharger system and calibration.   TREMEC All-Female True Street, contested at the NMRA races in Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky this year, welcomed nearly 20 racers at this event. Among them were Deneen Segura, who earned the overall win with a 9.59 average, and Kimberly Wood who earned the runner-up finish with a 9.66 average. Other winners were Kimberly Walter (10-second), Elaine Moistner (14-second winner), and Lou-Ann Walker (15-second).

  The final round of the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout, which drew the quickest H-pattern-manual shifted machines from True Street, paired Jeff Smith and Karl Goin, and several shifted gears later, Smith secured the win with a 9.41 to Goin’s 10.46.   Kyle Cox and Pedro Porte pulled into the beams for the final round of eliminations in 2020+ GT500 Shootout presented by Coastal Dyno, TREMEC, VMP Performance, and ZPE GripTec, and Cox collected the win in the Unlimited class with a 10.03 on a 9.00 dial against Porte’s 10.83 on a 9.00. Meanwhile, Dylan Royer and Russell Haskins faced each other in the final round of eliminations in the Street class. Royer raced to a 10.00 on a 10.00 to take the win over Haskins, who had a better reaction time but wasn’t as tight on the top end with a 10.14 on a 10.00.   Brackets 1-3 added another entertaining element to this event. In Bracket 1, Brendon Gregory defeated Shane Rushling, who broke out. In Bracket 2, Chris Graff upset Dan Ryntz and in Bracket 3, David Mormann pulled off the win over John Harrell Jr.   “The NMRA has some of the best racers in the country,” said Rollie Miller, General Manager and National Event Director for NMRA and NMCA. “To witness our first event of the year and see how passionate they are about their cars and competition is what makes them stand out in the world of motorsports. Their performances at this event demonstrate their dedication and their desire to win.”   A double dose of fun and fast cars is next on the calendar when the NMRA joins its sister series, NMCA, for the 16th Annual NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by Sipple’s Speed & Performance, April 11-14, 2024 at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina.   For stories, photos, results, and more content throughout the year, check out NMRAdigital.com. Updated season championship points from this race are already available on the website as well at this link.

Sent on behalf of OTBR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 26, 2024) – On The Box Racing (OTBR) is proud to announce the signing of Mission SuperTwins rider Brandon Price (BP92) for the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season. The newly formed team will provide a fresh stable of Yamaha MT-07s for Price to showcase his talents over the entire Progressive AFT schedule.  Based out of Baltimore, Maryland, OTBR is backed by a diverse ownership group consisting of Team Manager Wayne Sody, Rider Coach Eric Rausch, and Technical Director Scott Saunders. A chance encounter between Saunders and Price at the local Graul’s Market’s Mission Foods shelf provided the team with its initial spark. Subsequent conversations involving Saunders, Sody, and Rausch resulted in the trio – each of whom had individually provided rider sponsorship over the past decade – realizing that by joining forces, they could build a first-class effort around Price’s talents.  Widely recognized as one of the nation’s brightest stars as an amateur and during his climb up the professional ranks, Price stepped up to the premier class in 2019 and was promptly named Progressive American Flat Track Rookie of the Year. Since graduating to the pinnacle of the sport, Price has earned three Main Event runner-up finishes, and OTBR is committed to providing him with the equipment and technical support needed to capture his maiden Mission SuperTwins victory.  Fellow Marylander Brian Eckhart will maintain the equipment and provide trackside support.  Brandon Price #92:“This is the first time I’ve been with a team that is based out of my home state of Maryland, so that is pretty awesome! Even better, I’ve known everyone on the team for many years. That familiarity will go a long way toward getting things figured out quickly. My racing career path might be different from everyone else’s, but my eyes are still set on the prize. Bring it on, 2024!”  Wayne Sody – Owner/Team Manager:“My motorcycle passion began with motocross where I eventually turned pro in 1979. Over the last 20 years, I began to engage more in dirt track through leading roles in the Baltimore County Trail Riders Association.  The excitement of the sport captured my interest to where I became a strong supporter of Dan Bromley in recent years. That experience led me to truly appreciate the riders in Progressive AFT racing for their skill and professionalism. Now we are beginning the most exciting step of creating our own team. We will be providing the best Yamaha-based equipment possible for Brandon to get back to winning form where he belongs! I’m excited to give back to the sport and look forward to the day when we achieve our first podium for On The Box Racing.”  Eric Rausch – Owner/Rider Coach:“I’m extremely happy to have the opportunity to work with a rider as talented as Brandon. I am also doing my part to ensure he has the equipment needed to get out front.  We will definitely have fun this year!”  Scott Saunders – Owner/Technical Director: “That coincidental meeting with Brandon at the grocery store caught my attention because it was obvious he still had the competitive fire in his eyes to be racing full-time. His handshake alone told me he was confident he could be a winner. A call to Wayne and Eric quickly translated into the formation of OTBR, and shortly thereafter Brandon was signed for the season.  “Everyone on the team is passionate about racing in Progressive American Flat Track. With our strong sponsorship package and an experienced technical team contributing to the engines and chassis, I am very excited to put in the work needed to ensure our team improves consistently throughout the season. I have no doubt we will deliver a few exciting surprises for our sponsors and fans this year.”  On The Box Racing Partners:We are very proud to represent superstar manufacturers MEMPHIS SHADES & CORBIN for 2024. Additional primary support is provided by SODY ENTERPRISES (Institutional Food Services), RAUSCH FUEL OIL (58 Years servicing Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania), and ASTec Metalworks, Inc. (Aerospace & Defense manufacturing).   Special thanks also to Zippers Performance Products, Michael Sponseller, Roof Systems, Yamaha bLU cRU, Vortex Brewing Company, DPC Racing, Hudson Roofing, Earlbeck Gases & Technologies, Northeast Fireplace & Design, Lisa 9R, Arctic Circle, Fredericktown Yamaha, J & M Frames, Lowery Racing, R-Nyne Designs, Arai Helmet, Barnett Clutches & Cables, and Dunlop Motorcycle Tires.

February 26, 2024

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team turned in an impressive performance on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, overcoming early adversity and dodging numerous incidents on track en route to an 11^th-place finish in the Ambetter Health 400.

Burton started the race from 16^th place and was swept up in a 16-car crash on Lap 2. He managed to avoid significant damage to his Mustang Dark Horse and after a quick pit stop returned to the track and began working his way forward.

That scenario was repeated numerous times in a race that saw eight caution periods for on-track incidents and only a handful of drivers not involved in wrecks.

Burton, who ran in the top 10 for most of the race – and in the top five at times, saw most of the race’s incidents unfold just ahead of him. But each time he steered clear of trouble.

He cracked the top 10 for the first time in the closing laps of Stage One, but made a pit stop just prior to the end of the Stage and ended that 60-lap segment in 17^th place.

The pit strategy allowed Burton to keep the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang on the track when those ahead of him made pit stops during the Stage break, and he restarted Stage Two from seventh place.

He immediately moved into the top five and ran in the top 10 – and often the top five – for most of the second Stage. He steered clear of a wreck on the last lap of the Stage to finish eighth and earn three Stage points.
 
In the third and final Stage of the race, Burton and the No. 21 crew again ran among the top 10 while narrowly avoiding crashes by drivers including Kaz Grala, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Corey LaJoie and others.
  
With 20 laps left to run, Burton spun avoiding a crash by Chase Briscoe, but lost track position and fell from 11^th place to 23^rd.
 
He had worked his way back to 16^th place when the race was restarted with five laps remaining.
 
He gained five spots over the final laps to post his best finish of the young season. 
 
Eddie Wood said he liked what he saw from the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew in a challenging race.
 
“The team chemistry is really good right now,” Wood said. “Harrison did a great job behind the wheel, missing all those wrecks and running in the top 10 for most of the race.
 
“Jeremy Bullins and the team had a great race car, the pit crew was flawless and our spotter Jason Jarrett did a great job as well. 
 
“I am really proud of them all.”
 
Burton and the No. 21 team now head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 on March 3.

Austin Dillon and The No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Team Salvage Decent Finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway After Early Incident

22nd

10th

35th

“Once again, I don’t know what to say. We never got to show what our BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevy had today at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The right side of the diffuser broke off in a wreck not of our doing on lap two. Everyone on the No. 3 team worked hard to get it back, but we couldn’t overcome the lack of downforce. We tried really hard to race again, but without the right side of the diffuser to lean on we slapped the wall in Stage 3. We salvaged a finish today, but can’t wait to get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to try and turn our luck around.” -Austin Dillon

Spectacular Late-Race Move Earns Kyle Busch and The No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Third-Place Finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway

3rd

3rd

1st

“Our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet was one of the top-five cars today at Atlanta Motor Speedway and had a good shot at the win. The No. 12 car was deservingly one of the faster cars, and with all the carnage, it took out some other guys early.  Towards the end of the race, you don’t have that many alliances. All of my friends disintegrated and went away throughout the day. Bubba Wallace came to the rescue, and he was a huge part of our success at the end of the race coming off Turn Two and down the backstretch to get a run. On that last restart, I just got a little too far ahead of the No. 99 car and he got a good side draft through the corner. I didn’t think the outside would prevail, but with the run down the frontstretch and the side draft, that is what hurt us. Typically, whoever is behind getting into Turn Three prevails at the start-finish line with the side draft and everything. I think I was running in second place to the No. 12 car at that point, and the No. 99 car was the furthest back. He used the side draft to make the ground back up and win the race. There was nothing I could have done differently. It’s good to see Daniel Suarez get a win because as Chevy team partners we were helping each other and working together there. It shows that when you do have friends and you can make alliances that strategy does seem to work. That was a good part of today to see that come to fruition. I was hoping to win myself because I know everybody wanted a free No. 8 special on Monday from Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. We’ll have to try again. Overall, I’m just really proud of everybody at RCR, ECR and Chevy. Our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro was fast.”  -Kyle Busch

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY AMBETTER HEALTH 400 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Suarez Caps off Chevrolet’s Second Consecutive Weekend Sweep of the 2024 NASCAR Season at Atlanta

·       For the second consecutive weekend, Chevrolet had swept the wins across all three NASCAR national series, with Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 team’s win in the NASCAR Cup Series, Austin Hill and the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Camaro SS team’s win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Kyle Busch’s win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. ·       The victory marks Suarez’s first NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2024 season; his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway; and his second career win in NASCAR’s top division.  ·       With its second consecutive weekend sweep, Chevrolet extended its series-leading wins record across all three NASCAR national series at Atlanta Motor Speedway – now sitting at 45 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and 11 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at the 1.54-mile Georgia venue.  ·       Since the debut of the Next Gen cars in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, Chevrolet has now won 10 of the 14 superspeedway-style races – recorded by six drivers from five different Chevrolet teams. ·       Suarez delivered Chevrolet its 853th all-time victory in the NASCAR Cup Series, extending the manufacturer’s record as the winningest manufacturer in series’ history.  ·       With this weekend’s victories by Suarez, Hill and Busch – Chevrolet continues the streak of winning at least one race in the NASCAR national ranks since the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race weekend in October 2023.  ·       The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, March 3, at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 POS.  DRIVER1st Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL13rd Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro ZL16th Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Blue Buffalo Camaro ZL17th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1Finished: 1stYOU JUST WON IN ATLANTA IN ONE OF THE CLOSEST THREE-WIDE FINISHES WE HAVE EVER SEEN. WHAT ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?“It’s an amazing feeling. This team did an amazing job all race long. We wrecked on lap two. The guys fixed the car and we were able to make it good again, make it fast again. It took some tweaking, but unbelievable. Freeway Insurance, Trackhouse, Chevrolet, and all the people that believed in us from day one – it’s unbelievable to do this in this fashion.” TAKE US THROUGH THOSE CLOSING LAPS AND WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE IT“Yeah, those four Penske’s were pretty strong. We knew that it was going to take something special today to beat them. But at the start/finish line, Kyle Busch was doing a hell of a job pushing me and when it mattered, he tried to go for the win. I felt like if Kyle wasn’t going to go for the win, I wasn’t going to win it. That really helped me to go three-wide and to the top, so it was amazing. You have no idea how happy I am right now.” WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU, TRACKHOUSE AND THE NO. 99 TEAM. “We have done a lot of work on this race team to make it better and to keep moving forward. This is just the beginning of something amazing that we are going to go through together.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro ZL1Finished: 3rdTHAT WAS ONE HECK OF A RUN AND YOU JUST MISSED BY A COUPLE OF INCHES“Yeah, it’s frustrating. I mean I hate it because I felt like we were one of the top-five cars today and had a good shot. The 12 was deservingly one of the faster cars, and with all the carnage, it took out some other guys early.   I just got a little too far ahead of the 99 and he got a good side draft through the corner. I didn’t think the outside would prevail, but with the run down the frontstretch and the side draft, that is what hurt us. I was looking at the 12 and I swore I was ahead of the 12 at the line, but obviously my eyes are bad. Need more powerful glasses, I guess.” YOU OVERCAME A LOT. DOES THAT BECOME A SATISFYING DAY AT SOME LEVEL?“Yeah, it definitely does. There towards the end, you don’t have that many alliances. All my friends kind of disintegrated and went away throughout the day. Bubba (Wallace) came to the rescue, and he was a huge part of our success there off of (turn) two and down the backstretch and getting a run. Getting alongside Blaney was a tight fit, but being able to make that move – if I didn’t make that move, then I push Blaney out too far through three and four and he wins. So, glad to see a Chevy in victory lane.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Blue Buffalo Camaro ZL1Finished: 6th “It was a wild race, but a fun race. I think the track is kind of coming into itself a little bit. Obviously we sped on pit road and we had to claw our way back up through there. But our No. 47 Kroger / Blue Buffalo Camaro handled really well. I think that was an advantage. I was able to put my Chevy in spots that I think others weren’t comfortable with. It was a really good effort by our team, and a good rebound from last weekend. We got some stage points and a solid top-10 finish there.  Man, just happy to get out of here with missing a few of those wrecks. They were right in front of us. But it was a lot of fun. Obviously three-wide there at the end coming to the line. I wish we were a few spots better, but all-in-all, it was a super cool race. I think the fans got their money’s worth.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Finished: 32ndLarson on the incident that ended the race early for the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team: “Brad (Keselowski) just got sideways. I don’t know if he got tight, got into clean air and just got sideways – but there wasn’t anything I could do from my seat. I just tried to check-up as much as I could. It was just a chain reaction and I kind of got pushed into the wreck. Just a bummer to end the race early again here at Atlanta (Motor Speedway). We had a really good No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy. I actually had a lot of fun today. It was super intense and it’s been a great race. It’s been the opposite from last weekend with no fuel saving and guys going at it, so it’s been fun.”  Did you feel like it was more intense than Daytona? “Yeah, for sure. It seemed super intense from my seat. Handling was getting a little bit better right now, so it was making passing a little bit more difficult again. But early in the race, the handling wasn’t great – runs would kind of checkup and there were gaps so you could get in, so a lot of people were really aggressive. Now, it’s cooling down so there’s a lot of grip and it’s a little easier for people to stay close to one another. It was just getting hard to pass, but still really aggressive.” JOSH WILLIAMS, NO. 16 ALLOY EMPLOYER SERVICES CAMARO ZL1Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in Stage One. Finished: 37th “It’s just insane. I had guys passing me when we were still wrecking. It’s just unfortunate for this No. 16 Alloy Employer Services Chevy team. I just have some bad luck and I need to figure out how to get rid of it.”  Is there anything more you could have done? “No, not at all. You just wait until someone runs into you.”  With Daytona and Atlanta back-to-back, how unfortunate is it to start the year like this with how big of a year it is for you? “Yeah, it sucks, but there’s a race next weekend. This Kaulig Racing team will get back to work and head to Las Vegas (Motor Speedway).”

WAYNESVILLE, Ga. (February 24, 2024) – Mike Marlar picked up his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Saturday night at Golden Isles Speedway. Marlar earned $20,000 out of the $80,000 feature purse to become the ninth different winner in the 13 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events of 2024. Marlar led 48 of the 50 laps to earn his 22nd career win with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The only other drivers to lead laps during the main event were Brandon Sheppard and Chris Madden who finished second and third to round out the Big River Steel Podium. Brandon Overton was fourth with Jonathan Davenport rounding out the top five drivers.  “It was no walk in the park, there was a whole lot more to it than that. These guys are really tough, Shep [Sheppard] about had me passed at one end I guess, and I was lucky to get back by him. These are some of the best racers I feel like with the stiffest competition there are down here. I am happy to win against them that’s for sure,” said the Winfield, Tennessee native.  There was track prep work done before the feature after a caution-free High Limit Sprint Car feature won by Jacob Allen. Marlar was asked about how it changed his strategy for the feature. “It will mess with you a little bit you know, you made your changes, and you really don’t know what the track will do. I am glad they worked on it because it really needed it. I was just confident in my set-up. I kind of stayed where I planned on being before the track prep and it worked out really good. Winning a race at this level is basically a night of all good decisions on the track and off the track.” Sheppard, who won his first heat race during Speedweeks earlier in the night battled with Marlar as the two went back-and-forth just past the halfway mark as Sheppard was credited with leading lap 28 before Marlar seized control of the top spot a lap later. “It was a really fun race,” said the defending Dirt Track World Championship winner afterwards. “It’s been an up-and-down Speedweeks for us for sure. We haven’t been able to race towards the front a whole race like that you know we’ve had to pass a bunch of cars during Speedweeks because we haven’t qualified good. Tonight, I feel like we turned that around. We won our first heat race of Speedweeks, so that’s really good. We qualified good and I think we ended Speedweeks on a really good note. We really wanted to win this one really bad, this place has been good to me over the years, but I have never got a win here.”  Madden, who ran second to Ricky Thornton Jr. in one of the two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events at Golden Isles back in January took home the spot after leading the opening lap of the feature before yielding to Marlar on lap two. “Mikey’s [Marlar] raced a lot on this type of surface and Brandon’s [Sheppard] been in the South a lot since he’s been on the road starting back in the day when he raced for Mark Richards. He’s raced here as much as I have. All-in-all we had a good night, we were just way too tight in the first 10 or 15 laps or so. I think we fell back to like fifth and then we come back up through there. We were just extremely tight to start with and we just couldn’t get it done there the first few laps.”  The winner’s Greg Bruening, Skyline Motorsports-owned, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Truck Country, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olson Explosives, Capital Signs, Bilstein Shocks, Petroff Towing, Bruening Rock Products, Brown’s Heavy Equipment, and Can Am Auto Salvage. Completing the top ten were Garrett Alberson, Hudson O’Neal, Daulton Wilson, Kyle Larson, and Wil Herrington. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Deuces WildSaturday, February 24, 2024Golden Isles Speedway – Brunswick, GA Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Chris Madden | 14.953 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Mike Marlar | 15.010 seconds  Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 44-Chris Madden[1]; 2. 14X-Wil Herrington[5]; 3. 55H-Benji Hicks[11]; 4. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[2]; 6. 111-Max Blair[7]; 7. 93-Cory Lawler[9]; 8. 9-Nick Hoffman[8]; 9. 51-Chad Tuten[12]; 10. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[4]; 11. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 12. 4G-Bob Gardner[10] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[5]; 4. 32P-Bobby Pierce[1]; 5. 8-Dillon McCowan[4]; 6. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 7. 214-Haiden Cowan[9]; 8. 19R-Ryan Gustin[6]; 9. 15-Ethan Wilson[8]; 10. 3-Brennon Willard[11]; 11. 11-Austin Smith[10] Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 3. 1-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 4. 6K-Kyle Larson[4]; 5. 10-Garrett Smith[3]; 6. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[7]; 7. 1T-Tyler Erb[6]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[10]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[9]; 10. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[8]; 11. 15M-Mitch Fulford[11] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. B5-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[3]; 4. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 5. 7T-Drake Troutman[4]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 7. 5-Mark Whitener[8]; 8. 97-Cody Overton[9]; 9. 75-Daniel Adam[6]; 10. 388-Jackson Hise[10]; 11. (DNS) 00-Russell Brown Jr Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 111-Max Blair[3]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 3. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 4. 99B-Boom Briggs[4]; 5. 9-Nick Hoffman[7]; 6. 93-Cory Lawler[5]; 7. 51-Chad Tuten[9]; 8. 214-Haiden Cowan[6]; 9. 19R-Ryan Gustin[8]; 10. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[11]; 11. 4G-Bob Gardner[15]; 12. 3-Brennon Willard[12]; 13. 15-Ethan Wilson[10]; 14. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[13]; 15. (DNS) 11-Austin Smith UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 10-Garrett Smith[1]; 2. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[3]; 3. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 5. 7T-Drake Troutman[2]; 6. 5-Mark Whitener[6]; 7. 97-Cody Overton[8]; 8. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[9]; 10. 388-Jackson Hise[12]; 11. 75-Daniel Adam[10]; 12. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[11]; 13. 15M-Mitch Fulford[13]; 14. (DNS) 00-Russell Brown Jr. Deuces Wild Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics  Entrants: 45Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Chris MaddenLap Leaders: Chris Madden (Lap 1); Mike Marlar (Laps 2-27); Brandon Sheppard (Lap 28); Mike Marlar (Laps 29-50)Wieland Feature Winner: Mike MarlarArizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 1.001 seconds Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Drake Troutman (Lap 8)Series Provisionals: Ricky Thornton, Jr.; Mike MarlarFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: Boom Briggs; Drake Troutman; Bob Gardner; Brenden SmithTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Mike Marlar, Brandon Sheppard, Chris MaddenPenske Shocks Top 5: Mike Marlar, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Madden, Brandon Overton, Jonathan DavenportTodd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Tyler Erb (Advanced 7 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Hudson O’NealDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Bobby PierceMD3 Most Laps Led: Mike Marlar (48 Laps) Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Garrett AlbersonMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar (Lap 11 – 15.601seconds) Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Brandon SheppardMiller Welders Hard Luck Award: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Josh Davis (Mike Marlar)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Brandon Overton (15.0105 seconds)Time of Race: 16 minutes 52 seconds  Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

Rookie Driver Wins Pole, Two Stage Wins and Leads 157 Laps Before Late-Race Caution Relegates Team to 12th-Place Finish

12th

1st

5th

“Congratulations to Austin Hill and the No. 21 bunch. We had a great run today in the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. We just ran out of fuel at the end of the race. I’m not going to question reality on why the caution was so long at the end of the race and if we could have made it if that didn’t happen, or if I could have saved a little bit more fuel while leading the race. I was trying hard to save fuel throughout the final stage, but I did not want to get taken advantage of with 16 laps to go when I wasn’t expecting it. I tried to stay aggressive and, obviously, there was no way we were going to pit at the end of the race. On the restart, once I got to third gear the engine died, and then I got it to go again and then it died again. It’s frustrating, but we had a really fast Whelen Camaro. I want to thank everybody at RCR and ECR for bringing really fast cars. It was a short week and my guys worked their guts out. We are going to be very motivated this week.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Earn Back-to-Back NASCAR Xfinity Series Wins with Dramatic Late-Race Win at Atlanta Motor Speedway Hill Leads NASCAR Xfinity Series Point Standings

1st

2nd

1st

“I was thinking that we were down and out. I was thinking that the No. 2 Chevrolet would win and I thought ‘hey, if I can’t win, let my teammate win, that’s great for RCR.’. We were riding there in fourth or fifth position and I was saving fuel. My crew chief, Andy Street, and my spotter, Derek Kneeland, were talking on the radio about how much fuel to save. We came to the restart and I was sloshing it around. We got through the gears and when I went to shift from third to fourth gear, I actually stumbled and the No. 81 car hit me really hard and woke it back up. I had enough fuel to complete the lap. My teammate ran an awesome race. To be a rookie and lead that many laps – he should be sitting here in Victory Lane right now. He just ran out of fuel. When you’re leading the line you can’t save as much fuel as I could, and that’s ultimately what did him in. It’s so awesome to win here at my home track again. It’s our third win here, and it’s the 50th Anniversary of Bennett Transportation & Logistics. I can’t thank Bennett enough. It’s their home track too – their headquarters are only 15 minutes down the road. Man, what a race. Thank you to all of my guys on the No. 21 team, everyone at RCR and ECR and Chevrolet. It feels good to be in Victory Lane.” -Austin Hill

February 24, 2024

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Dark Horse are set to start 16^th in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Burton earned that spot with a lap at 176.577 miles per hour around Atlanta’ 1.54-mile quad-oval on Saturday.

There was no practice prior to or after qualifying this weekend, other than a brief session to allow drivers to familiarize themselves with the pit road entrance.

Sunday’s race will be Burton’s fifth at Atlanta in a Cup car. His Wood Brothers team will be making its 114^th start at Atlanta. Twelve of those starts resulted in victories, which places the team second on the all-time win list at Atlanta.  

The 260-lap, 400-mile race is expected to get the green flag just after 3 p.m. Eastern Time, with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 160.
 

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY AMBETTER HEALTH 400 TEAM CHEVY MEDIA AVAILABILITY QUOTES FEBRUARY 24, 2024

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series’ qualifying session at Atlanta Motor Speedway – Media Availability Quotes From the time you come off of turn two, could you go through the process of how that all works? “Yeah, so we’ll likely have two pages – one for under green and one for under yellow that we’ll use for different lights and what we’ll look for in the gearing, RPM ranges and whatnot. If you’re under green and you’re coming off of turn two, you have to make sure you’re on page two – whatever page it is – and then you’ll slow down as quickly as you can, as late as you can, in order to make it to the 90 mph speed zone by the first line. Carry that around the corner and then you’ll slow down through your lights and then run your pit road lights. There’s different colors – you’ve got three different sets of colors that you can go through, so there’s a pretty wide range. You’ll probably run all reds.. actually you’ll run probably four blues through the corner, and then you’ll run all reds on pit road. That’s typically what we do.” When you were scouting talent for up-and-coming drivers, what were the factors you were looking for besides just wins? “For us, the skill level and the background of where they come from. Racing in the super late model ranks was kind of where I got my best sense of racing against some of those younger guys and got to pick up on some of those guys. Brian Ickler was one of our early guys at KBM, and then we obviously got Erik Jones from when he beat me in super late model race down in Pensacola. You look at those characteristics. I don’t know if we ever necessarily looked at their persona, or relied on that a whole lot, or their media training and anything like that. We’d just kind of help them through some of that stuff once they got to us. Toyota, TRD and their workforce of what they all did was a huge part of all of that, as well, too. I had a couple of guys that I really liked that I picked and sold them on, and we were able to bring them in. And then they had a bunch of guys that they wanted and basically said – hey, we’re going to run these guys and we all kind of agreed and worked together on.” You have a new jackman this week. I don’t know how involved you get in those decision, if at all, but the fact they wanted to try something different after struggle the first week – did it surprise you at all because teams tend to kind of work with the same people, at least for a little bit before trying something different?“Well the jackman we had was the same jackman we had all of last year. We were trying to redo a few different positions over the offseason, and some of the talent we were scouting, talking to and giving offers to, they declined them and went somewhere else. We kind of just had what we had, and we’ve been working through that. It’s tough out there. It’s really hard to recruit and get guys. Especially with where RCR is based and where they’re at, it’s a long drive to get up to Welcome to pit stop practice sometimes three and four times a week, whatever it might be. I know that Ray and all the guys there in the pit crew department are working super hard. Trust me, they’ve heard it – not from me, but from Richard week in and week out. Their ears are bleeding, but I know they’re trying and I know they’re working hard. Trust me, there were plenty of offers over the offseason to try and get different talent up there, and we just weren’t able to secure it.” There’s a lot of talk since the fuel saving last weekend. Obviously it’s always been an important part, but how much it’s grown even more so the last couple of years. What can be done, if anything, in terms of taking emphasis off of that and allowing you guys to do a little bit more and race a little bit more, as opposed to riding around more?“Yeah, good question. We kind of talked about it in our Chevy meeting last weekend among the other drivers, and there was really no solution that came to the forefront. The only one that I really had was to reduce the fuel cell size to create more opportunities of coming to pit road to just break it up more. But then you put your pit crew and the guys on pit road in more danger.. you put twice as much emphasis on doing all of that. When you come to pit road, it kind of breaks up the field for a little while.. like you take about 10 laps to kind of get it sorted back in and get going again. We go like 30 to 33 laps on fuel. If you go 15 or 16, and it takes 10 to bunch everybody back up – well now you’re getting ready to pit again. So you’re not going to sit there and save. You’re going to be going all out as much as you can, and making sure that you’re not fuel saving in order to do the leap frog strategy. A couple of guys said – no, you’d still do the same thing, but I don’t know that you would.” Is it a problem, or is problem the right word?“I believe it is. I believe it’s a problem. The start of the race last weekend for the Daytona 500 – we’re all sitting around there running half-throttle; not passing and just riding in a line. I felt disgraceful, myself, being a race car driver – wanting to go fast, lead laps and win the Daytona 500, and that was our strategy that we had to employ at the start of the race because everybody was doing it. When you’re running wide open and you’re in the draft, your pace is probably a 46.30. We were running 49.80’s.. almost 50 second lap times. It was pathetic.. I was like, how slow are we going to go? I felt bad for the fans. This is not good for them. It’s not what I want to be doing. But when you kind of get in that situation, I don’t know what you do. The third lane could have developed. It was so early in the race; nobody wants to develop a third lane. We’re riding – it’s a 500 mile race, don’t blow everything up in the first stage, right? But somebody could have just pulled out into the outside lane and literally just ran to the front and done whatever they wanted to do. So I was surprised nobody did that.” When you say disgraceful.. there were a lot of races where it’s a 500 mile race and you can’t lose it immediately; you have to take your time to kind of buildup… “But there’s no passing.. people want to see passing. The fans are all about – hey, we want to see racing. That’s not racing.. that’s riding. Yeah, back in the days – sure, you had 500 or 600 mile races where you needed to ride for a while. The Coca-Cola 600, for instance – it’s a long race, but you’re at least still trying to pass the guy in front of you and get in position as the day goes on. You’re not just riding 15th for the first 100 laps and being like – yeah, cool, I’m good with riding 15th right now. No.. you want to get further up the ladder and run with speed, your talent, your car’s ability and everything else. Doing what we did last week, you might as well pull the cars out of the parking lot and run rental cars around.” Was there any conversations among your team about how to approach these first two races? You’re down a car from Daytona. You’re in Atlanta and you could very easily be down a car, so how do you approach that? “Yeah, our Atlanta car was the car that we raced in the Daytona 500. So everything kind of got pushed up a week. The Daytona 500 car that we crashed – it went back to the shop and I think we’re on a five-week cycle, so whatever the fifth race is, it’ll probably be where that one goes. But yeah, this week’s car was slated to be our Las Vegas car, so it just kind of moves everything up. The cars are all the same, so there’s not really much differences that you have. You’re talking maybe a small part on a body part that you can maybe push or pull or whatever that you can get through the hawkeye, but it’s not a lot.” Going back to last weekend, you had the issue on the pit stop. Richard Childress comes on the radio and tells everyone to get their heads out of their butts. When you have a car owner like that, one that’s really involved, what’s that like? “Well that’s kind of what I answered early, was Richard is very involved and wants any situation to get better. If we’re not winning every single race out of the year, then how did we lose that one race? What can we do to make it better? That’s a racer’s mentality.. that’s what we all try to strive for and try to be better at. It’s tough sometimes when you have the human element. We all make mistakes.. I made tons of them last year and my crew stuck behind me – was passionate that I was their driver and wanted to go to the next week and figure out how to win the next one. I know where Richard is coming from, and I appreciate that – the emphasis he puts on greatness and wanting to be better. It’s what we all strive for.” With two years on this new configuration, are the ‘warm and fuzzies’ all gone? What has been gained, and what has been lost? “Yeah, any form of restrictor plate, pack-style racing is not high on my list. I would say – obviously as much as the surface deteriorated, there comes a point where something has to be done and they went through it. I just don’t understand or appreciate why we added the banking and the stuff that they did here in the reconfiguration.. although it’s the same outside wall spacing. Would I have much rather seen them just repave what we had? Probably because you would know then that, at least when it deteriorates some, it can get back to the old Atlanta ways. This deteriorates here, I mean it’s going to be fast.. it’s going to be damn fast sliding around, like 10 mph faster through the corners sliding around than what the old track would have been. We’re racers, though. As I’ve said before, we all want to go fast and do what we can to be the fastest ones out there. It’s not that you’re scared of that, it’s just that the hits are harder.” Later today, you’re going to make your first drafting track start in the Truck Series since 2015. What was behind the decision to run the Truck race here? “Well watching the Truck race here last year, it doesn’t necessarily fall in line or orchestrate itself as a Daytona or Talladega-style race. It is different. So I kind of took that into consideration, that you can make some moves by yourself. Yes, you’re in a line, you’re drafting, you’re trying to hold onto the draft and all that sort of stuff. But it did seem like there were some times in which handling kind of came into play.. making some moves kind of came into play and whatnot. It’s definitely not like a Kansas, where you can be the leader, run away and go hide.  It wasn’t my first choice. Definitely wouldn’t have been at all my choice, but I’m thankful for the opportunity that Spire Motorsports and Group 1001 gave to me to be able to come out here and run the five truck races that I’m allowed to do. This was the fifth one that was available on the list that I could do. I didn’t have much pick. It’s tough of a pick with all of the regulations and things that I have with NASCAR and all that sort of stuff, which the triple-truck challenge races, the playoff races. I don’t do speedway races, so my pick of the litter was I think literally eight or nine races that I could do. It gets small.” What is your thought on the current state of the Truck Series? “You know, you could talk about the current state of NASCAR. I feel like the current state of NASCAR is healthy and strong. You look at the Cup Series – having all of the things that are kind of happening behind the scenes, with big team owners coming in and being a part of all of that, and it just trickles down. Being able to get a new TV deal and all that sort of stuff, with NASCAR and the TV networks – we’re all grateful and thankful for that, and the hard work that was put in behind-the-scenes. It trickles down into the Xfinity Series and it trickles down into the Truck Series. Would I say that there are 500 ‘Fortune 500’ companies that are all out here participating in our sport? No, there’s not. So the sponsorship landscape is absolutely the toughest landscape in our sport, but I don’t know that’s any different than what it was in the high time.. in the mid-90s to the mid-2000s. I think you still saw cars that were in the back of the field that were under funded or had a struggling time being able to find big name sponsors to be able to get them to the track or to get them a better footing within the series to withstand and have some strength to their company.”