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INDIANAPOLIS (December 23, 2024) — Every Top Fuel and Funny Car team racing at the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout will be pushing their 12,000-horsepower engines to the max and the Pro Stock competitors will also be maxing out the power on their door-slammers. Every Crew chief will be dialing up the tune ups chasing record low elapsed times and high speeds throughout the three-day specialty race, February 6-8, 2025. The Professional Racers and Owners (PRO) Organization announced today that Jesel, the driving force behind groundbreaking advancements in valvetrain technology, will join the event as a Premier Sponsor. Jesel will have signage at the event, held for the second year in a row at Bradenton Motorsports Park, and will be included in a variety of social media campaigns and utilize the VIP hospitality.
Run Schedule Released for SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout
INDIANAPOLIS (December 19, 2024) — The Professional Racers and Owners (PRO) Organization today announced the run schedule for the 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout, February 6-8, 2025, at Bradenton Motorsports Park. The specialty race will feature some of the biggest names in drag racing from the Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock ranks vying for bragging rights and momentum headed into the 2025 NHRA season. For the second year in a row the three-day event will feature two days of qualifying on Thursday and Friday followed by a jam-packed day of elimination rounds and exhibition runs on Saturday. Every professional team will run the four qualifying rounds and the top eight qualifiers in Top Fuel and Funny Car square off in three rounds of eliminations on Saturday. The Top Fuel and Funny Cars teams on the outside of the top eight will run head-to-head in exhibition runs between rounds on Saturday while the top 16 Pro Stock competitors will run four rounds of eliminations.
“Our goal with the schedule of runs is to provide fast paced on track action with a positive pit experience for our fans,” said Chad Head, PRO Vice President. “Thursday night qualifying is a great way to lead into three rounds of qualifying on Friday and an exciting day of racing on Saturday. We wanted to maximize the runs the fans can see as well as give them time to meet the drivers and visit our sponsor displays in the pits. We will keep the action moving all three days.”
The event will once again feature the unpredictable and unique chip draw before every round of eliminations in all the classes. Following qualifying the No. 1 qualifier will pick a chip and be randomly assigned a first round opponent. The process will then move to the next highest qualified driver to pick his or her opponent. Following the first round of eliminations the process will repeat itself with the quickest winner selecting their opponent first. The selection process for the Top Fuel versus Funny Car exhibition match-ups will be announced later.
“I love the SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout because it is unpredictable and gives the fans a different format to see us getting after it on the track,” said Matt Hagan, driver of the TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car. “Everyone wants to be in the quick eight so you can race for the trophy but if you aren’t one of those guys you get to race in a Top Fuel Dragster versus Funny Car exhibition which the fans love to see. I can’t wait to get to Florida and get after it.”
In addition to Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock three sportsman classes will also participate in the SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout. Bo and Randi Lyn Butner along with Royce Freeman will oversee sportsman racing from Stock, Super Stock and Top Sportsman all three days. These classes will also qualify and run their eliminations rounds with the chip draw system. The SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout has also partnered with Sick the Mag to highlight their drag and drive competitors in exhibition runs throughout the event as well.
The event will feature autograph sessions, driver Q&A’s and additional fan-friendly entertainment elements. The PRO Superstar Shootout will once again be broadcast on FloRacing all three days. Tickets can be purchased here.
ABOUT THE PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT
On February 6-8, 2025, the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) in collaboration with Bradenton Motorsports Park, will host the 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout. The 2024 inaugural event took the motorsports world by storm with incredible side-by-side racing, a unique chip draw elimination format, record-setting speeds and a fan-friendly atmosphere.
ABOUT PRO
The Professional Racers and Owners Organization (PRO) acts as the liaison for NHRA Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock teams with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and other motorsports entities. Composed of professional drivers and team owners representing a broad spectrum of competitors, PRO acts as the unified voice to protect the interest of their members with regards to safety, rules, competition, sponsorship and specialty events.
2025 SCAG POWER EQUIPMENT PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT SCHEDULE
Thursday: February 6, 2025 – (SUNSET 6:16 PM)
8 AM GATES OPEN
9 AM – 1PM PRO TESTING
1:30 PM SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #1 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
2:15 PM TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #1
SICK SHOOTOUT TIME TRIAL #1
3 PM SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #2 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
3:45 PM TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #2
4:30 PM SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #3 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
6:30 PM PRO STOCK QUALIFYING #1
7:30 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING #1
8:30 PM SECURE TRACK
Friday: February 7, 2025 – (SUNSET 6:16 PM)
8 AM GATES OPEN
10 AM SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #4 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
10:45 AM TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #3
SICK SHOOTOUT TIME TRIAL #2
11:30 AM PRO STOCK QUALIFYING #2
12:30 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING #2
1 PM STOCK AND SUPER STOCK ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
1:30 PM TOP SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING #4
SICK SHOOTOUT TIME TRIAL #3
3 PM PRO STOCK QUALIFYING #3
4 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING #3
5 PM STOCK AND SUPER STOCK ELIMINATIONS ROUND #2
5:30 PM TOP SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
SICK SHOOTOUT TIME TRIAL #4
6:30 PM PRO STOCK QUALIFYING #4
7:30 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING #4
8:30 PM SECURE TRACK
Saturday: February 8, 2025 – (SUNSET 6:17 PM)
8 AM GATES OPEN
11:30 AM SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #3 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
11:45 AM TOP SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #2
12:15 PM PRERACE CEREMONY
12:30 PM PRO STOCK ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
1:45 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
2:15 PM FUNNY CAR vs TOP FUEL ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
3 PM PRO STOCK ELIMINATIONS ROUND #2
3:15 PM SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #4 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
TOP SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #3
SICK SHOOTOUT ELIMINATIONS ROUND #1
4 PM TOP FUEL & FUNNY CAR ELIMINATIONS ROUND #2
4:30 PM SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #5 (STOCK, SUPER STOCK)
TOP SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS ROUND #4
SICK SHOOTOUT ELIMINATIONS ROUND #2
5 PM PRO STOCK ELIMINATIONS ROUND #3
6 PM SPORTSMAN ELIMINATIONS FINAL ROUNDS
(STOCK, SUPER STOCK, TOP SPORTSMAN, SICK SHOOTOUT)
6:30 PM PRO STOCK FINAL ROUND
7 PM FUNNY CAR vs TOP FUEL FINAL ROUND
FUNNY CAR FINAL ROUND
TOP FUEL FINAL ROUND
7:30 PM WINNERS CIRCLE CELEBRATION
8:30 PM SECURE TRACK
Wood Brothers Racing to Celebrate Diamond Anniversary in 2025
Historic team to commemorate 75th anniversary with multiple initiatives |
| STUART, Va. (December 13, 2024) – Wood Brothers Racing, the oldest active team in NASCAR and one of the winningest organizations in league history, will celebrate a diamond anniversary in 2025 as it enters its 75th season in competition with multiple fan-focused initiatives planned. The season-long celebration will include a fan day at the team’s museum in Stuart, Virginia, special paint schemes, merchandise, digital content, an exhibit in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, and more as the team honors its heritage and the fans who have been loyal supporters over the years. “As we prepare for 2025, we’re reflecting on the moments that have shaped our team over the past 75 years while also looking to the future,” said Jon Wood, president, Wood Brothers Racing. “We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with our fans, partners, and those in the NASCAR community who have contributed to our story over the years.” Wood Brothers Racing was founded in 1950 by Glenn Wood, whose humble beginnings were marked by determination and resilience. Glenn, along with his brothers Leonard, Delano, Clay, and Ray Lee, worked on their race cars under a giant beech tree on the family homestead in Buffalo Ridge, Virginia. The Woods are widely credited for their development of the modern pit stop as their efficient, choreographed routines dramatically reduced the time it took to service a car on pit road, giving the team a competitive edge that changed the sport forever. As a result, Ford Motor Company brought in the Wood Brothers crew for the 1965 Indianapolis 500, where their techniques helped Jim Clark’s Ford-powered Lotus win open-wheel racing’s signature event. Since those early days, the team has amassed 100 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series (eighth on the all-time wins list), including an impressive five triumphs in the prestigious DAYTONA 500, as well as victories in other marquee events. Many of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers have raced under the Wood Brothers banner, with several being enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame along with team patriarchs Glenn (2012) and Leonard (2013). “The Wood Brothers Racing story is one of passion and perseverance. We’ve seen NASCAR evolve through the decades, and we’re proud to have played a role in shaping its history,” said Leonard Wood. “Celebrating 75 years gives us a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come and to thank the fans who have supported us every step of the way.” Wood Brothers Racing remains a predominantly family-run operation, with the second and third generations proudly carrying on the family tradition. The team continues to focus on racing, business, and fan engagement, honoring its storied past while maintaining a forward-looking vision for the future. More details regarding 75th-anniversary celebrations will be announced in the near future. |
SPORTSMAN CLASSES ANNOUNCED FOR PRO SUPERSTAR SHOOTOUT, FTI PERFORMANCE CONVERTERS TO SPONSOR TOP SPORTSMAN
INDIANAPOLIS (December 12, 2024) — In addition to the top professional drag racers and teams headlining the 2nd annual SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout, February 6-8, 2025, at Bradenton Motorsports Park, three of the toughest sportsman classes will also be on the roster. Today the Professional Racers and Owners Organization (PRO) announced Top Sportsman, Stock and Super Stock classes will compete during the star-studded event. FTI Performance Converters, owned by Funny Car driver and team owner Paul Lee, will sponsor the Top Sportsman classes. “FTI Performance Converters, a long-time supporter and sponsor of sportsman drag racers, is once again excited to sponsor and support our Top Sportsman customers for this special invitation-only race,” said Paul Lee. “FTI Performance, based in nearby DeLand Florida, has a long history of promoting Top Sportsman drag racing, especially in the southeastern part of the United States. As a participant myself in the 2025 SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout, I’m looking forward to a fun week of drag racing with my fellow drag racers”.  The three classes will be filled with some of the top racers from across the country who will be invited to attend the race. World champion driver, team owner and sportsman racer Bo Butner along with his wife Randi Lyn, who is also an accomplished sportsman racer and made her Mountain Motor Pro Stock debut at the inaugural PRO Superstar Shootout, will act as liaisons for the Stock and Super Stock classes. Royce Freeman will also be equally as involved in coordinating the classes with the Butners to ensure these classes as seamlessly integrated into the program.“After the awesome experience we had last year, we’re very much looking forward to being part of the SCAG PRO Superstar Shootout, and Randi Lyn and I are proud to lead up organizing the Stock and Super Stock portion of the program,” said Butner. “Sportsman racing has always been close to our hearts, and being able to bring such a fun race to these guys and girls that pour so much into the sport is really a cool deal. When I say this race is fun, it’s an absolute understatement. We can’t wait to see it all unfold.” The Top Sportsman presented by FTI Performance Converters, Stock and Super Stock teams will receive three qualifying runs and will also participate in the unique chip draw to establish their opponents every round of eliminations. More sponsor announcements for this program are in the works leading up the event in February. The Sportsman classes will be on track throughout the three-day event. The event will feature autograph sessions, driver Q&A’s and additional fan-friendly entertainment elements. The PRO Superstar Shootout will once again be broadcast on FloRacing all three days. Additional announcements including sponsors and schedule of events, including open testing on Thursday, February 6, will be announced shortly at www.prosuperstarshootout.com. Tickets can be purchased here. |
CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Gearing Up for the Rolex
| Five Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs from four teams set to open 2025 IMSA season DETROIT (December 12, 2024) – Corvette Racing’s influence in the Rolex 24 At Daytona continues to grow with the release of the entry list for next month’s season-opening race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Five Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are taking part in the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 on the road course at Daytona International Speedway – the largest number of production-based racing Corvettes in the race since 2007. A total of 18 drivers – seven of them Corvette factory pilots – will drive the Z06 GT3.R, which is starting its second season of global competition. · Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella(No. 3 Corvette); Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone (No. 4 Corvette)· AWA – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Martin Kirchhoeffer (No. 13 Corvette)· DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell, Salih Yoluc, Pipo Derani (No. 36 Corvette)· Trackhouse by TF Sport – GTD PRO: Ben Keating, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch (No. 91 Corvette)(Factory drivers in bold) Each of the collection of Corvettes will participate in the three-day Roar Before the 24 the week before the Rolex. |
| The 2024 season was one of success and learning for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and its teams. Among the highlights were 11 race victories in North America – one of which came from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – the Bob Akin Award (and an entry for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans) for AWA’s Fidani and the GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. In addition, DXDT Racing scored 10 victories in GT World Challenge America with the Corvette – including the Z06 GT3.R’s first global win – and TF Sport claimed a double-podium to close the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. The Corvette brand has a deep history at the Rolex 24 and includes four GT class victories – one of those an overall win in 2000. Corvette Racing performance and powertrain engineers made significant improvements to the Z06 GT3.R throughout its first season of competition. Much of the work focused on optimizing performance and enhancing the Corvette’s reliability. The outright pace of the Corvette GT3 is evident with 12 pole positions across three series in 2024, and the reliability took huge steps forward in the second half of the year. The Roar Before the 24 is set for January 17-19 with seven sessions scheduled across the three days. The Rolex 24 goes green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 25 with qualifying on Thursday, January 23. |
Automotive Racing Products Returns as Official Performance Fastener of Progressive AFT
| DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 12, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is proud to announce that Automotive Racing Products (ARP) will continue as the series’ Official Performance Fastener for the next three seasons (2025-2027). ARP is the world leader in fastener technology with a product line of thousands that includes virtually every fastener found in an engine and driveline and throughout the suspension and frame. Designed and constructed with cutting-edge techniques and materials, ARP’s bolts, nuts, and other fasteners offer maximum performance as proven by its overwhelming success in motorsports, from Progressive AFT to Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR, and NHRA, as well as in marine and aerospace applications. Founded over a half century ago by racing enthusiast Gary Holzapfel, who identified a need after witnessing repeated fastener failures, Automotive Racing Products has grown from a backyard garage workshop to seven operational entities in Southern California with a combined area in excess of 200,000 square feet – even including a unique racing-themed restaurant open to the public at its main Santa Paula facility called “Hozy’s Grill.” Progressive American Flat Track will kick off the 2025 season with the DAYTONA Short Track I & II doubleheader season opener on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7, at Daytona International Speedway. Visithttps://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-i-and-ii-118862 to secure your tickets today. For more information on Automotive Racing Products, visit https://arp-bolts.com/. For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com. |
NARC SPRINT CARS ANNOUNCE 2025 SCHEDULE
(12/9/24 – Jim Allen) Auburn, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) has released a compelling 29-race 410 sprint car schedule for the 2025 season that is loaded with special events and prize money.The traveling west coast series, which crowns a King of the West sprint car champion, will invade 16 different dirt oval tracks in California, Oregon, and Washington, beginning with a March 8th season opener at the Stockton Dirt Track. Overall, the 66th annual NARC campaign will award more than $850,000 in prize money and awards, plus a championship point fund and product awards.The centerpiece of the season takes place in June with the Fastest Five Days in Motorsports, which will invade Southern Oregon Speedway, the Douglas County Dirtrack, Cottage Grove Speedway, Willamette Speedway, and Grays Harbor Raceway on consecutive nights beginning on June 11th. The “Road to the Dirt Cup” continues the following weekend with the June 19-21st Jim Raper Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway. The winner of that Saturday finale will earn a stout $62,000 payday.Another energizing highlight on the calendar is the return of Calistoga Speedway and the ever-popular Louis Vermeil Classic on August 30-31st. The historic half-mile oval, located in the heart of Napa Valley’s wine-country, has been dormant since 2019 due to political log jam on a sale of the facility. HMC Promotions is currently collaborating with local contractors to renovate the facility before racing action returns.The month of April features the first of five nights of NARC racing at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, CA, starting with the Spring Fling on Friday, April 4th, followed by a return trip to the Stockton Dirt Track for the Asparagus Cup in Stockton (April 5th). The following Saturday (April 12th) Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico will provide the stage for the $10,000 to win Mini-Gold Cup. Chico also showcases the NARC sprint cars on June 7th for the David Tarter Memorial. The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway wraps up the month with the April 26th Chris & Brian Faria Memorial on their one-third mile track.Antioch Speedway hosts the first of two events on May 10th, which leads into an action-packed Ocean Speedway/Thunderbowl Raceway doubleheader weekend on May 16-17th. The Tulare show is the lucrative Morrie Williams Memorial Twin-20 show, an event that was relocated from Kings Speedway in Hanford. Kings Speedway is still searching for a track promoter and is not on the 2025 schedule.Placerville Speedway is on the schedule twice in 2025, beginning with the popular Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial on May 31st. The series returns to the quarter-mile bullring on September 6th between the High Limit and World of Outlaw swings into the Golden State.Four July events sidestep the summer heat in California with premium coastal events within 15-miles of the Pacific Ocean. The “cooler weather” tour kicks off with the July 12th $5200 to win David Lindt Memorial at Petaluma Speedway.Race fans will also be excited to hear that the popular Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway will now be a two-day 410 show on July 18-19th. Among Saturday’s highlights is the HK Luncheon, which raises money for the NARC Benevolent Fund, and a $6900 to win, $1000+ to start feature event.The NARC sprint cars will make their only appearance of the season at the revitalized Santa Maria Speedway on July 26th.New to the schedule will be the return of the Johnny Key Classic as a 410-sprint car event on the NARC schedule. The 65th annual event, which has been a 360 race for the past couple of decades, takes place on August 2nd at Ocean Speedway.The season winds down in the Fall with Open Wheel Octoberfest at Antioch Speedway on October 11th and the October 25th October Classic at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.Once again, the Stockton Dirt Track will be the home of the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series season finale, featuring the 42nd annual Tribute to Gary Patterson on November 1st.The posh Brookside Country Club in Stockton will host the NARC Champions Celebration the following day.All NARC series’ events are live streamed on Floracing.com.About the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series
The Northern Auto Racing Club was founded in 1960 by Louie Vermeil, with a goal of promoting exciting and entertaining open wheel racing on the West Coast. The series has evolved throughout the years taking on the Golden State Challenge and King of the West brand names, but are now just rolled in under the NARC label. Many NARC champions and competitors are national household names in the motorsport’s community, proving that California is a hotbed for developing premium open wheel racing talent. The series is currently operated by long time series Business Manager Jim Allen and 13-time NARC champion Brent Kaeding, with the assistance of a member-based advisory board.About FloSports
FloSports is a subscription video streaming service dedicated to sports, offering live and on-demand access to thousands of events across 25+ vertical sport categories in the US and abroad. FloSports’ vision is to provide underserved sports with the love they deserve. With a growing library of more than 300,000 hours of premium content including news, expert commentary, films, documentaries and more, FloSports has established itself as an innovator and leader in sports streaming. For more information, please visit flosports.tv.2025 NARC 410 SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULEMarch 8 – Stockton Dirt Track – Salute to Leroy Van Conett
April 4 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) – Spring Fling
April 5 – Stockton Dirt Track – Asparagus Cup
April 12 – Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico) – Mini Gold Cup – $10,000 to win
April 26 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) – Chris & Brian Faria MemorialMay 10 – Antioch Speedway – Contra Costa County Clash w/BCRA
May 16 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) – Sprint Car Tsunami
May 17 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) – Morrie Williams Memorial Twin 20’s
May 31 – Placerville Speedway – 34th Annual Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial RaceJune 7 – Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico) – David Tarter Memorial
Fastest Five Days in Motorsports
June 11 – (Wed) Southern Oregon Speedway (Central Point, OR) – Wild Wednesday
June 12 – (Thurs) The Douglas County Dirtrack (Roseburg, OR) – Thursday Night Thunder
June 13 – (Fri) Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR) – Friday Night Frenzy
June 14 – (Sat) Willamette Speedway (Lebanon, OR) – Sprint Car Invasion
June 15 – (Sun) Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA) – Father’s Day Timber CupJune 19 – Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Super Dirt Cup – Night One w/NW Focus Midgets
June 20 – Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Super Dirt Cup – Night Two w/NW Focus Midgets
June 21 – Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – $62,000 to win Super Dirt Cup w/NW Focus MidgetsJuly 12 – Petaluma Speedway – David Lindt Memorial – $5,200 to win
July 18 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) – 15th Annual Howard Kaeding Classic
July 19 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) – $6,900 to win Howard Kaeding Classic
July 26 – Santa Maria Speedway – The Showdown at Santa MariaAugust 2 – Ocean Speedway (Watsonville) – $5,000 to win 65th Annual Johnny Key Classic
August 30 – Calistoga Speedway – Louie Vermeil Classic – Night One
August 31 – Calistoga Speedway – Louie Vermeil Classic – Night TwoSeptember 6 – Placerville Speedway – Pay Dirt ShowdownOctober 11 – Antioch Speedway – Open Wheel Octoberfest w/BCRA
October 25 – Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – October ClassicNovember 1 – Stockton Dirt Track – 42nd Annual Tribute to Gary Patterson w/BCRANovember 2 – Championship Celebration – Brookside Country Club (Stockton)
Championship Awards Banquet Celebrates 2024 Season
All full-time competitors were honored along with the distribution of many special awards
CONCORD, NC (November 12, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars wrapped up a nine-month tour across the country Saturday night, and then celebrated the year’s accomplishment during the Championship Awards Banquet on Sunday.
A new champion was crowned, and every team that completed the full season with The Greatest Show on Dirt was honored for their efforts and received their point fund check for the year with the top eight drivers all banking more than $100,000. A number of special awards were also distributed to highlight impactful presences in the sport of Sprint Car racing.
CHAMPION: Before the 2024 season, only 10 individuals could call themselves a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion. This year that number grew to 11.
David Gravel finally got the elusive title. After four third-place finishes in the points and a trio of runner-ups the last three years, Gravel summited the mountaintop in 2024 with Tod Quiring’s Big Game Motorsports. Gravel’s season included 15 wins, 33 podiums, 60 top 10s, and a 4.88 average finish.
“It’s been a long, fun ride,” Gravel said. “I was Rookie of the Year in 2013. It’s a grueling deal. Donny (Schatz) has kicked our butt so long. I started out with the All-Stars, and Dale Blaney and Tim Shaffer kicked my butt every week, and you try to mold yourself around those guys and learn from those veteran guys how to win a championship. I’ve run third since 2015 and then second a couple years in a row. It was like, ‘Man, can I do this?’ You just never know. When you can finally put it all together, it’s really, really special.”
It was also Quiring’s first title as a car owner. In May, Big Game Motorsports became only the sixth team with at least 100 World of Outlaws wins, and then Quiring added his name as the 10th different owner with a championship.
Gravel and the team earned a hefty $350,000 payday for their efforts, and they’ve already announced their intentions to defend the title in 2025.
NOS ENERGY DRINK ELOY GUTIERREZ SPIRIT AWARD: The Human Horsepower Award received a new name as it fittingly became the NOS Energy Drink Eloy Gutierrez Spirit Award. It now honors the man who was instrumental to electronic timing and scoring being implemented in dirt track racing and a man whose kindness knew no bounds.
Marketing Director for NOS Energy Drink, Lauren Albano, presented a pair of the awards with one going to Donny Schatz and the other to Kraig Kinser. Both have committed a majority of their lives to the sport and exhibited a similar dedication to Sprint Car racing as Gutierrez.
KEVIN GOBRECHT ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: History was made in 2024 as Michael “Buddy” Kofoid put together the best statistical debut season of all-time on his way to earning the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.
“I just want to thank Dylan (Buswell), Nate (Knotts), and Gage (Tyra) and Dennis and Teresa Roth for the opportunity to drive such an iconic car,” Kofoid said. “Todd Ventura, the team manager, keeps us all in line. Andy Graves at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) gives us everything we need to do this. And of course, Mobil 1 and Toyota. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I took a couple years off Sprint Car racing to run Midgets and didn’t know if I’d ever have the chance to do this. I feel like this was definitely the right opportunity and the best opportunity I’ve ever had to drive any Sprint Car and probably any race car period.”
The Penngrove, CA native racked up seven wins, 27 podiums, and 53 top 10s aboard the Roth Motorsports No. 83. Those numbers led him to equaling the record for the best Rookie of the Year points finish ever of fourth, equaling Jeff Swindell (1981), Brad Doty (1982), and Giovanni Scelzi (2023).
CREW CHIEF OF THE YEAR: For the second time in his career, Cody Jacobs took home the Crew Chief of the Year honors.
The Ohio native turns the wrenches on the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 for Gravel and picked up his first Series championship along with his driver. Gravel’s win at World Finals last week was Jacobs’ 50th World of Outlaws victory as a crew chief.
He adds the 2024 Award to the one he received in 2021, which was his first year leading the Big Game crew.
TED JOHNSON MEMORIAL AWARD: Every year the World of Outlaws recognize an individual for their outstanding contributions to Sprint Car racing, and the 2024 honors went to a deserving Tony Stewart.
The Columbus, IN resident was a force behind the wheel of a Sprint Car, assembled one of the most successful organizations of all-time with Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing, has continued the legacy of Earl Baltes by taking Eldora Speedway to new heights, and done much more to grow the sport he’ll always love.
“Sprint Car racing is my passion,” Stewart said. “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing or what Series I’ve ran in the past or what I’m doing now, my heart’s always been with Sprint Car racing, and it’s always going to be there. I had a unique friendship with him (Ted), and we miss him every day. Very appreciative of the foundation he’s laid and what World Racing Group has done since they’ve taken this over and taken it to heights that it’s never seen before. Everybody has done their part. I’m just really proud to be a part of it, especially with Ted’s name on this. It really means a lot to me personally.”
JASON JOHNSON SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Jason Johnson brought a warm and welcoming presence to the World of Outlaws pit area, and the Jason Johnson Sportsmanship Award acknowledges those who offer a similar commitment to positivity. Jimmy Fitzwater of Sides Motorsports was the 2024 recipient as he perfectly embodies this spirit with his constant hard work and refusal to have a bad day.
FAN FAVORITE: Sheldon Haudenschild’s reign on the Fan Favorite Driver Award continued in 2024 as he was voted as the favorite again.
It’s no surprise that the Wooster, OH native continues to be beloved by fans across the nation. His all-out style follows in the footsteps of his legendary father Jac Haudenschild. He does everything he can to win every single night. Haudenschild bagged eight wins in 2024, matching the second highest total in his World of Outlaws career. He established a career-high for podiums in a season with 24.
“Thank you to all the fans,” Haudenschild said. “That’s why we do it, right? We’re entertainers, and we want to put on a show.”
FEDERATED CAR CARE WORK ZONE TEAMWORK COUNTS AWARD: For their efforts helping Logan Schuchart get back out on track at Knoxville Raceway earlier this season, the Shark Racing team was presented the Federated Car Care Work Zone Teamwork Counts Award.
SOCIAL AMBASSADOR: David Gravel also collected 2024 Social Ambassador honors with his championship trophy. The 32-year-old has prioritized social media, being sure to stay on top of keeping his fans informed of his life each and every week with the World of Outlaws.
KSE HARD CHARGER: Donny Schatz took home the KSE Hard Charger of the year by collecting a total of 12 Hard Chargers in 2024, including sweeping all three during World Finals week. Schatz was constantly on the move this year in the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15, passing more than 300 cars over the course of the season.
ENGINE BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Engines are the heartbeat of the beasts that are 410 Sprint Cars, and Brian Morrison was recognized as this year’s Engine Builder of the Year. Morrison Racing Engines power many of the sport’s elite organizations including the championship winning Big Game Motorsports No. 2.
CHASSIS BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Maxim Chassis have long been the choice for many of the sport’s top teams, and as a result they took home another Chassis Builder of the Year Award from the World of Outlaws.
Below is the list of the 12 full-time World of Outlaws competitors in 2024, where they finished in the standings, and the point fund check amount they received at the Awards Banquet:
1. David Gravel ($350,000)
2. Carson Macedo ($210,000)
3. Donny Schatz ($140,000)
4. Michael Kofoid ($122,500)
5. Sheldon Haudenschild ($113,750)
6. Giovanni Scelzi ($109,375)
7. Logan Schuchart ($105,000)
8. Bill Balog ($100,625)
9. Brock Zearfoss ($96,250)
10. Landon Crawley ($87,500)
11. Kraig Kinser ($70,000)
12. Bill Rose ($52,500)
The 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season gets rolling on Feb. 5-8 at Volusia Speedway Park’s (Barberville, FL) Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, every lap of the 2025 season will be live on DIRTVision.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: National Tour Wrapping Up 2024 at Tulsa, Creek Count
TULSA, OK (November 12, 2024) – The 2024 American Sprint Car Series National Tour season has taken the best 360 Sprint Car teams in the nation from Louisiana to Montana and everywhere in between, but the 34-race journey comes to an end this weekend in Oklahoma.
Action starts Thursday night at Tulsa Speedway with a pair of Features – the $6,000-to-win Dirt Down in T-Town main event that was postponed due to weather in June, as well as a separate $4,000-to-win full program.
Teams will then make the drive across Tulsa to Creek County Speedway for Fuzzy’s Fall Fling. A $4,000-to-win Feature on Friday night will set the stage for the season finale on Saturday night, where the race winner will take home $10,000 and the all-new ASCS Emmett Hahn Championship Trophy will be awarded.
The Sprint Cars will be joined on the card by Factory Stocks, Tuners and Dwarf Cars at Tulsa and NOW600 Dwarf Cars at Creek County.
Tickets will be available at the track on all three nights. Can’t make it? Watch every lap live on DIRTVision.
Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:
ON THE VERGE: Seth Bergman has already had his best season ever on the National Tour, and with a 156-point lead in the standings, he’s in position to put a bow on it this weekend with his maiden Series championship.
His six wins and 20 top fives in 2024 are the highest totals of his career in both categories with four more chances left to add to them.
And while Snohomish, WA will always be home, Bergman has resided in the Tulsa area since 2018, which means he’ll have the opportunity to clinch the title and commence the celebration in front of his hometown fans.
If the stat sheet is anything to go by, the No. 23 team has a good chance of ending the season on a high note. Bergman finished fifth at Tulsa earlier this season in his second appearance at the track, while his visits to Creek County this year have netted him a Sooner Region win in March and a runner-up with the National Tour in June.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: The closest title fight entering the weekend is on the Owners side, as TwoC Racing leads Hill’s Racing Team by 50 markers.
For TwoC driver Hank Davis, it’s his chance to earn one more trophy for Todd Carlile and Wayne Johnson in his final weekend with the team. It also marks his return to the 360 after spending last week in Charlotte making his World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car debut with Michael Dutcher Motorsports at the World of Outlaws World Finals.
As a native of nearby Sand Springs, OK, Davis is no stranger to either track on this weekend’s schedule. He made several 305 Sprint Car starts at both Tulsa and Creek County early on in his Sprint Car career and translated that experience into finishes of second at Tulsa and third at Creek County in the 360 earlier this year.
However, Sam Hafertepe Jr. and the No. 15H team are well within striking distance heading to two tracks they have had plenty of success at in the past. Hafertepe enters the weekend with momentum on his side after winning the most recent race on tour at RPM Speedway, and he went to Victory Lane with the Series at both Tulsa and Creek County in June.
The Tulsa win came in his first start at the track, while his National Tour victory at Creek County was one of three wins there this year alongside a local win in May and a POWRi triumph in September.
LAST CHANCE: For everyone not on the list of 13 names who have won a National Tour race in 2024, this weekend is their last opportunity to take the checkers before putting the race cars away for the winter.
The highest driver in the standings without a win is Matt Covington, who is looking to snap a 37-race winless streak dating back to August 25, 2023 at Lakeside Speedway. Two of Covington’s 15 National Tour top fives this year came at Tulsa and Creek County, so he isn’t far off from having a race-winning combination at either track.
Others searching for their first win of the year and of their National Tour careers include Andrew Deal, who sits 20 points behind Jason Martin in the battle for the last spot in the top five, as well as Zach Blurton, who will be looking to end the season with the same speed that garnered him a pair of podiums in August at Lincoln County Raceway and Big Sky Speedway.
SOONER SENDOFF: The 2024 season for the ASCS Sooner Region will also come to an end this weekend, with a first-time Series champion set to be crowned.
Casey Wills took on the full Sooner tour in 2024 for the first time, and the decision has paid off with a commanding lead atop the points entering the weekend. Wills is still searching for his first win of the year, but considering his season-best finish of third came at Creek County in August, he could be a threat to end the season in Victory Lane and keep the Fuzzy’s Fall Fling trophy in the Sooner State.
Other regional names to keep an eye on include Sean McClelland, who won that August Sooner Region show, as well as Alex Sewell, who has finished second at Creek County three times this season between the Sooner Region and the Oil Capital Racing Series.
OUTSIDE INVADERS: With the season drawing to a close and few options on the table for where to race, plenty of non-regulars are expected to take on the National Tour in Oklahoma.
Two drivers on that list who won’t have to travel far are Sapulpa, OK’s Blake Hahn and Broken Arrow, OK’s Roger Crockett. Hahn nearly scored his first Series win of the year last time out at RPM, where he led early in the Feature before Hafertepe slipped by. Crockett has also impressed in his limited appearances on the National Tour, winning at Arrowhead Speedway and finishing third at 81 Speedway.
Brady Baker has also announced his intentions to make the trip west from his Alexander, AR home in search of his maiden Series triumph. He’s been knocking on the door throughout the year, with podiums at Super Bee Speedway, Arrowhead and RPM highlighting his 13 National Tour appearances so far.
Knoxville Raceway will be well represented in Oklahoma, as Tasker Phillips, JJ Hickle, Riley Goodno and Zach Hampton are all expected to make the seven-hour drive south to compete.
Other drivers to keep an eye on include 14-year-old Brogan Carder, who is looking to make his first Feature start with the Series after four attempts at Riverside and RPM, as well as local favorite Emilio Hoover, who recently picked up his first National Tour top 10 at Arrowhead.
WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday, Nov. 14 at Tulsa Speedway in Tulsa, OK
Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15-16 at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK
CURRENT POINT STANDINGS (TOP 10):
- Seth Bergman (3668 points)
- Sam Hafertepe Jr. (-156)
- Matt Covington (-279)
- Hank Davis (-333)
- Jason Martin (-551)
- Andrew Deal (-571)
- Landon Britt (-636)
- Zach Blurton (-689)
- Kyler Johnson (-754)
- Terry Easum (-857)
FEATURE WINNERS:
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 10
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 6
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 3
Derek Hagar – Marion, AR – 2
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 1
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 1
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
QUICK TIME AWARDS:
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 12
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 2
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 1
Josh McCord – Bossier City, LA – 1
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 1
Tyler Groenendyk – Oskaloosa, IA – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Lance Moss – Cherryville, NC – 1
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 1
HEAT RACE WINS:
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 9
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 8
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 8
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 7
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 6
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 4
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 4
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 3
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 3
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 3
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 3
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 3
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 2
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 2
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Matt Juhl – Tea, SD – 1
Garet Williamson – Columbia, MO – 1
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 1
Hunter Schuerenberg – Sikeston, MO – 1
Tanner Holmes – Jacksonville, OR – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Tyler Groenendyk – Oskaloosa, IA – 1
Parker Price-Miller – Kokomo, IN – 1
Colton Hardy – Phoenix, AZ – 1
Tanner Thorson – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Brian Brown – Hugginsville, MO – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Joe Perry – Billings, MT – 1
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Garrett Benson – Concordia, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
Tucker Boulton – Brighton, TN – 1
Derek Hagar – Marion, AR – 1
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 1
Ayden Gatewood – Caruthersville, MO – 1
Marshall Skinner – Marion, AR – 1
Carson Bolden – Quinlan, TX – 1
Colby Stubblefield – Seagoville, TX – 1
Brenham Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
DASH APPEARANCES:
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 23
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 22
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 15
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 13
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 9
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 6
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 6
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 6
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 5
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 4
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 4
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 4
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 4
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 3
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 2
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Garrett Benson – Concordia, MO – 2
Riley Goodno – Knoxville, IA – 2
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 2
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Elijah Gile – Phoenix, AZ – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Harli White – Lindsay, OK – 1
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 1
DJ Brink – Rapid City, SD – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Joe Perry – Billings, MT – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 1
Derek Hagar – Marion, AR – 1
Carson Bolden – Quinlan, TX – 1
Colby Stubblefield – Seagoville, TX – 1
Brenham Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS:
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 2
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 2
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 1
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chase Porter – St. Joseph, MO – 1
Kerry Madsen – Knoxville, IA – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Rich Bailey – Helena, MT – 1
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 1
Brandon Anderson – Glenpool, OK – 1
Noah Harris – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 1
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 1
Ayden Gatewood – Caruthersville, MO – 1
Marshall Skinner – Marion, AR – 1
Colby Stubblefield – Seagoville, TX – 1
PODIUM FINISHERS:
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 18
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 17
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 11
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 7
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 3
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 2
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 2
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 2
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Derek Hagar – Marion, AR – 2
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Kade Higday – Knoxville, IA – 1
Cory Eliason – Visalia, CA – 1
Brian Brown – Higginsville, MO – 1
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 1
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 1
Kyle Jones – Kennedale, TX – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
TOP 10 FINISHERS:
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 24
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 24
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 21
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 19
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 19
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 17
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 15
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 9
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 10
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 9
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 8
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 6
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 4
Brandon Anderson – Glenpool, OK – 4
Harli White – Lindsay, OK – 4
Kelly Miller – Stirling, AB – 4
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 4
Riley Goodno – Knoxville, IA – 4
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 4
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 3
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 3
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 3
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Terry McCarl – Altoona, IA – 3
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 3
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 2
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 2
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 2
Brian Brown – Higginsville, MO – 2
Cory Eliason – Visalia, CA – 2
Tasker Phillips – Pleasantville, IA – 2
Jamie Ball – Knoxville, IA – 2
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 2
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 2
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 2
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 2
Derek Hagar – Marion, AR – 2
Kyle Jones – Kennedale, TX – 2
Brenham Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 2
Channin Tankersley – Arlington, TX – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Huish – Jetmore, KS – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Fred Mattox – Drumright, OK – 1
Brad Bowden – Hernando, MS – 1
Michael Day – Farmersville, TX – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Kade Higday – Knoxville, IA – 1
Justin Peck – Monrovia, IN – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
Miles Paulus – Marshall, MO – 1
Kasey Kahne – Enumclaw, WA – 1
Ryan Giles – Grimes, IA – 1
Kerry Madsen – Knoxville, IA – 1
Alex Hill – Six Nations, ON – 1
Cole Macedo – Lemoore, CA – 1
DJ Brink – Rapid City, SD – 1
Blayne Brink – Gillette, WY – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Emilio Hoover – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 1
Anton Hernandez – Arlington, TX – 1
Howard Moore – Memphis, TN – 1
Morgan Turpen Havener – Gallatin, TN – 1
Marshall Skinner – Marion, AR – 1
Colby Stubblefield – Seagoville, TX – 1
Casey Wills – Sperry, OK – 1
2024 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Friday, Apr. 19 / Super Bee Speedway / Chatham, LA / Seth Bergman (1)
Friday, May 10 / Red Dirt Raceway / Meeker, OK / Terry Easum (1)
Friday, May 31 / Rush County Speedway / La Crosse, KS / Seth Bergman (2)
Saturday, June 1 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1)
Tuesday, June 11 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
Thursday, June 13 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
Friday, June 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Seth Bergman (3)
Saturday, June 15 / Tri-State Speedway / Pocola, OK / Seth Bergman (4)
Saturday, June 22 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Jordon Mallett (1)
Friday, June 28 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4)
Friday, July 19 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5)
Saturday, July 20 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (6)
Thursday, Aug. 1 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kaleb Johnson (1)
Friday, Aug. 2 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (7)
Saturday, Aug. 3 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Tyler Courtney (1)
Friday, Aug. 16 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (8)
Saturday, Aug. 17 / Lincoln County Raceway / North Platte, NE / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (9)
Friday, Aug. 23 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Seth Bergman (5)
Saturday, Aug. 24 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Jake Bubak (1)
Friday, Aug. 30 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT / Hank Davis (1)
Saturday, Aug. 31 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT / Hank Davis (2)
Tuesday, Sept. 10 / Clay County Fair Speedway / Spencer, IA / Aaron Reutzel (1)
Friday, Sept. 13 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Roger Crockett (1)
Saturday, Sept. 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Jason Martin (1)
Friday, Oct. 11 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Joe B. Miller (1)
Saturday, Oct. 12 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY / Hank Davis (3)
Friday, Oct. 18 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR / Derek Hagar (1)
Saturday, Oct. 19 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR / Derek Hagar (2)
Friday, Oct. 25 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX / Seth Bergman (6)
Saturday, Oct. 26 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (10)
Thursday, Nov. 14 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Friday, Nov. 15 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
Saturday, Nov. 16 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
EVENT INFO: Tulsa Speedway (Nov. 14), Creek County Speedway (Nov. 15-16)
TRACK INFO: Tulsa Speedway, Creek County Speedway
FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
HULL EYES DOWN FINAL RACE OF ROOKIE FUNNY CAR SEASON
LONG BEACH, CA (November 12, 2024) — There are few things as iconic or legendary as the Jim Dunn Racing Mooneyes Funny Car. Rookie Funny Car driver for Jim Dunn Racing, Buddy Hull, will be a part of that legacy for the second time this season, with the return of the Mooneyes body at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Nov. 14-17.
“One of my favorite memories as a kid was watching Big Jim and Kenji Okazaki win the Big Bud Shootout with the Mooneyes Nitro Funny Car,” said Hull. “And now not just once, but now twice, I will be the driver piloting this car that’s literally a part of motorsports history. These are the kind of experiences that I’ve had this year that have given me chills.”
Moon Equipment Company is a California-based manufacturer of nostalgic hot rod products such as Moon tanks, discs and valve covers. Jim Dunn Racing and Mooneyes have a relationship dating back over thirty years, and the classic yellow Mooneyes car design is practically synonymous with the team.
“The Winternationals was the first time I raced the Mooneyes car, and in between now and then I’ve gotten to represent some other incredible sponsors,” said Hull. “But there’s just something about returning to this body now at this race, that makes me really excited to show everyone how far I have come this year. Particularly when this race is also the Dunn family’s home track, and I’ll be forever grateful to them for this opportunity.”
With the way the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule shakes out, the second race of the year is contested at Pomona, as well as the last. This allows the drivers, teams and fans to witness a full evolution of a season from beginning to end at the same track. For drivers like Buddy Hull, who are experiencing a rookie season in their class, this forces an extra level of reflection upon the year.
“I am one of the most blessed men in the world to be doing what I am doing, driving for an icon like Jim Dunn,” said Hull. “I’ve worked my hardest this year trying to make them and our sponsors proud. I’ve hit career bests this season on every metric from speed, to elapsed time, to reaction time. And I know with the support of the team around me, I will continue to get even better – both at this final race of the year and looking ahead to 2025.”
In addition to Mooneyes, Hull will continue to represent his season-long sponsors, Vertex Roofers and General Contractors, Lescure Mechanical Services, Solid Start/True Brand Products, Blaze Exhaust Probes, Kindness General Contractors, Crow Safety Gear, Koppl Pipeline Services, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Powerbuilt Tools and Wiley X.
“This is the final race of the year, and I’m ready to hit it hard,” said Hull. “We’re going to throw everything at the wall, so we can end this season on the highest note we possibly can. I’m ready to get to Pomona and show everyone what this Mooneyes car is made of, and to give Jim and the rest of the Dunn family the biggest thank you.”
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will make two qualifying runs on Friday, November 15 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, November 16 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in qualifying will contend in the final day of competition on Sunday, November 17. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. PDT. Fans can watch the finals on FS1. For tickets or more information on the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals visit nhra.com.
Next chapter begins at Daytona test days
| Expanded Cadillac Racing GTP program kicks off 2025 prep with new, familiar faces |
| DETROIT (Nov. 12, 2024) – Five weeks after securing the pole and victory to close out the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, Cadillac Racing begins a new chapter where 2024 Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) competition started. Cadillac Racing returns this week to Daytona International Speedway with an expanded three-car lineup for IMSA-sanctioned test days that will introduce seven drivers to the racecar powered by the purpose-built 5.5-liter V8 engine and lay groundwork for the 2025 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. |
| Scheduled to participate Friday and Saturday on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course:Cadillac Wayne Taylor RacingNo. 10 – Ricky Taylor, Filip Albuquerque, Will StevensNo. 40 – Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Alex LynnCadillac WhelenNo. 31 – Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti Brendon Hartley and Kamui Kobayashi, who will drive in the 63rd twice-around-the-clock race in January, are not available to join their teammates this week. Wayne Taylor Racing returns under the GM umbrella with the goal of renewing the successful pairing that includes an unprecedented five-race IMSA winning streak in 2017 to start Cadillac Racing’s prototype era. “It’s fantastic to return to driving for GM/Cadillac,” Albuquerque said. “Since I started racing in America in overall class, it was with the Chevy DP in 2016, then I did another four years with Cadillac DPi and now to be back is amazing. | Media resources* Event notes* No. 10 driver CVs* No. 31 driver CVs* No. 40 driver CVs* Drivers by the numbers* 2024 IMSA statistics Driver availability 1-1:20 p.m.both days at transporters |
| “In the first two seasons of GTP class, I had many fights with Cadillac and saw how consistently strong they were. I just can’t wait to drive the car for the first time and feel what the car can do.” |
| Added Deletraz: “I can’t wait to start working together. I look forward to understanding how they work and make such fast cars. Since I joined IMSA, Cadillac Racing has always been extremely competitive and hard to beat. I can’t wait to drive the car for the first time and see what made Cadillac so strong.” Bamber and Lynn, who last drove for Cadillac Racing full time in IMSA in 2022, bring insights of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Cadillac Racing Hypercar to the respective championship-winning teams. “I’m looking forward to getting down to Daytona and starting the work to start the new year off on the right foot,” Bamber said. The 2024 season started well for Cadillac Racing as Bamber’s new team, fielded by Action Express Racing, earned the pole with a track-record lap time and finished a close second in the race. The team concluded the nine-race campaign with a track-record, pole-winning lap and fifth-place finish in the Motul Petit Le Mans. Overall, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R scored four of Cadillac Racing’s GTP class-high six poles. |
FORD PERFORMANCE AND ROUSH YATES ENGINES WIN THIRD NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP IN A ROW
AVONDALE, AZ – November 11, 2024 – Team Penske’s Joey Logano won Sunday’s Championship race at Phoenix Raceway, marking his 36th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, fourth of the year, and his fourth at Phoenix. This win also marks the first time Ford has won the NASCAR Cup Series title three years in a row (Logano in 2022, Blaney in 2023, and Logano in 2024) and the first time that has been achieved by Team Penske. Logano is the first Ford driver to win at least three Cup Series championships and the 10th driver in NASCAR history, joining fellow three-time winners Tony Stewart, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson and Lee Petty; four-time champion Jeff Gordon; and seven-time champions Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. |
| “Congratulations to Roger, Tim, Paul, Joey, and everyone at Team Penske on a 1-2 finish at Phoenix and the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship!,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Both of the Team Penske cars were fast throughout the race and Joey did an amazing job on that last restart. We’re proud to have powered three NASCAR Cup Series Championships in a row, and it’s an honor to stand alongside such a talented and hardworking team.” |
| “I love the playoffs. I love it, man. What a race. What a Team Penske battle there at the end. I had a good restart and was able to get in front of the 12. He had a lot of long run speed there and that was all I had there to hold him off. We have three of them. That’s really special. What a team to fight through today. We went through a little bit of adversity in throughout the race. I can’t thank Ford enough and Shell and Pennzoil and Hunt Brother’s Pizza. Paul Wolfe, what a crew chief I have. I’ve got the best team. I don’t know if I’m the best driver, but I’ve got the best team and together we’re very well-rounded and can show up when it matters the most. We’ve got a mentally tough team that can make things happen when it matters,” commented Logano. |
| Team Penske’s Joey Logano started Sunday’s race for the championship in P2 with teammate and fellow championship contender Ryan Blaney in P17. On lap 10, Logano took the lead and held on to win Stage 1. Following pit stops during the caution, Logano fell to fifth with teammate Ryan Blaney just ahead. Blaney passed Christopher Bell for the lead on lap 178 to win Stage 2. The race only had two cautions for incidents, the first on lap 2 and the second on lap 250. The yellow flag for the second caution waved with only seven cars on the lead lap – three of which were Championship 4 contenders – Blaney, Logano and Reddick. Byron stayed out during the caution period to restart from the lead with fresh tires. Logano took the lead for the final time after gaining four spots in two laps on the final restart with 52 laps remaining, passing teammate Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell. Logano was able to hold off Blaney in the closing laps and won by 0.330 seconds for a 1-2 finish for Team Penske. Since NASCAR introduced the elimination style playoffs, Logano is the only three-time champion (2018, 2022, and 2024). Team owner Roger Penske’s organization scored its third consecutive Cup championship, having won all three titles since NASCAR introduced the Next Gen car in 2022. |
| A total of three Ford Performance drivers finished in the top-10: Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P1, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P2, and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher in P9. |
| The Xfinity Series also raced for the Championship at Phoenix on Saturday, with Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer in contention. Teammate Riley Herbst started the race from P3 and Custer started in P7. After taking the lead on lap 10, Herbst won Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the race. After 2 overtime restarts, Herbst passed Justin Allgaier for the race win, while Justin Allgaier won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship and Cole Custer finished second. |
| “I knew we were going to have a fast race car. These guys have been working on this Phoenix car as if we were in the playoffs. I knew we were going to be really fast. It has been a really tough week this past week at the shop and a lot of really emotional people. This place has been home for a lot of people for a long time, including myself and it has built me into who I am the last four years. I am grateful to every man and woman at Stewart-Haas Racing. They gave me a really fast car today and we capitalized on it. I can’t thank Monster Energy enough and everyone on the 98 team. They deserve to win. That is a championship caliber team and crew chief. I wish we could have cleaned some stuff up over the last summer but I am proud of these guys and we will see what next year has,” commented Riley Herbst. |
| 41 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 475 WINS – 436 POLES |
MELANIE JOHNSON MAKES TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER DEBUT AT LAS VEGAS REGIONAL
LAS VEGAS (November 11, 2024) – Melanie Johnson, daughter of 13-time Top Fuel world champion tuner Alan Johnson, made her competitive debut in the Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) category at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend.
Johnson qualified fifth in the 8-car field during the second qualifying session, running a 5.291-second pass at 274.11 mph among 15 competitors. In the first round, she faced 5-time TAD world champion Joey Severance, gaining a starting line advantage but losing traction just past the 60-foot mark. She ultimately had to shut off as Severance pulled ahead with a 5.309-second run at 273.44 mph.
Melanie Johnson made a TAD strong debut at Las Vegas, photo credit Johnson Digital Media
Reflecting on the weekend, Johnson said, “I’m still wrapping my head around achieving my goals of licensing and racing a Top Alcohol Dragster this year. Huge thanks to Rich McPhillips Sr. and Rich McPhillips Jr. for giving me the chance to drive their ‘green car’ and guiding me through the driving procedures. I couldn’t ask for a better group of racers to work with and learn from. Although I would have loved to go more rounds, I’m proud of how I handled the car and all the seat time, learning something from each run.”
Ahead of the event, Johnson completed two test runs on Thursday, experiencing severe tire shake on both. However, she managed to step off the gas quickly and maintain control. In Friday’s first qualifying round, the car, set up aggressively, ran a 0.919 sixty-foot time—one of the event’s quickest—but drifted out of the groove, leading her to coast to a 6.759-second pass at 132.99 mph. The second and third qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday allowed Johnson to make smooth passes down the quarter mile, clocking a 5.291 in Q2 and a 5.335 in Q3, securing her the fifth qualifying position.
“Overall, it was a solid weekend. Melanie got test laps, qualifying runs, and an elimination round in a tough field. She competed against other A/Fuel and blown alcohol cars and experienced a lot of different conditions,” commented Rich McPhillips Jr. “She was unfazed, stayed focused, and did her job. Unfortunately, we didn’t give her the best car this weekend, with the severe tire shake, but she handled it well.”
Melanie Johnson looking to race full 2025 TAD schedule next season, photo credit Johnson Digital Media
Johnson dedicated this year to competing in Super Comp, working with Tom Bayer Racing to hone her driving fundamentals and reaction times, participating in six events to date. She had been in discussions with McPhillips Racing for over a year about earning her TAD license, which she achieved in a Monday test session in August following the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. She completed three successful passes in the McPhillips Racing dragster, including a half-track pass of 5.739 seconds at 182.53 mph, followed by full-length passes of 5.289 at 267.53 mph and 5.317 at 269.89 mph, demonstrating her potential as a driver.
Johnson’s father has been supportive of her journey into the TAD ranks. “As I watched Melanie license earlier this year in Brainerd, I was impressed by her track awareness and how well she adapted to the increased acceleration of an A/Fuel dragster,” Alan Johnson shared proudly. “In Las Vegas this weekend, Mel seemed to take the added pressure of competing in her first TAD event in stride as she displayed excellent track awareness, starting line patience, and excellent reaction times. I believe she will develop into a very competitive driver in the TAD class moving forward.”
Johnson has a bright future in TAD racing and is determined to run a full season in 2025. She is currently pursuing sponsorship opportunities and coordinating with McPhillips Racing for additional seat time. Her ultimate goal is to become a Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion, following in the footsteps of her father and her late uncle, Blaine Johnson, who together won four consecutive TAD titles from 1991 to 1994. She is eager to continue the Johnson family legacy in NHRA drag racing.
Burton Finishes 16th In Season Finale At Phoenix
November 10, 2024
Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team finished 16th in Sunday’s Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway as their Ford teammates Joey Logano and his No. 22 crew won the season title in their Team Penske Mustang.
Burton started Sunday’s season finale from ninth place and had a steady drive all day to post his seventh finish of 16th or better this season. Burton and the Wood Brothers also secured 16th place in the final points standings, thanks to a win at Daytona in August that put them in the Playoffs.
On Sunday, Burton dropped back a few spots on the initial start and ended the first 80-lap Stage in 14th place.
In the second Stage, Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team continued to race mostly inside the top 20 before ending that segment in 19th place.
In the third and final portion of the 312-lap race, Burton worked his way forward, taking 18th place on Lap 264, 17th by Lap 274 and 16th with 24 laps remaining.
Sunday’s race marked Burton’s final drive in the No. 21 Mustang. Next season will see Josh Berry take the wheel with Miles Stanley as crew chief.
Eddie Wood offered his congratulations to Team Penske and to Ford Motor Company for their championship and added his thanks for those who supported his team in 2024.
“We congratulate Roger Penske and his organization and everyone at Ford on a hard-fought championship,” Wood said. “They were most deserving.
“And as we close out the season I’d like to thank Harrison and all the members of our 21 team, as well as all of our sponsors and fans for all they do for us.
“We wish all of you a happy and safe offseason, and we are all working hard and looking forward to a successful 2025 season.”
The No. 21 team will return to the track on Feb. 2 for the Busch Light Clash at a familiar venue for the Wood Brothers – Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Byron Drives to Third-Place Finish in 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
| NASCAR CUP SERIES PHOENIX RACEWAY CHAMPIONSHIP RACE TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT NOV. 10, 2024 |
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TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10: POS. DRIVER3rd – William Byron4th – Kyle Larson8th – Chase Elliott10th – Daniel Suarez WITH 36 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES COMPLETE:Wins: 15 Poles: 10 Top-Five Finishes: 71 Top-10 Finishes: 147 Stage Wins: 23 |
| The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track at Bowman Gray Stadium with the Busch Light Clash at Bowman Gray on February 2, 2025. |
| · In his second career Championship Four appearance, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team drove to a third-place finish in the 312-lap season finale race – ultimately ending the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season third in the final points standings. · The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native closes out the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season with three trips to victory lane – highlighted by his first crown jewel triumph in the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Byron went on to prove his title potential early in the season, adding two more victories within the first eight points-paying races of the season (Circuit of The Americas – March; Martinsville Speedway – April). In addition to his three victories, the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team tallied 13 top-fives and 21 top-10s at the conclusion of the 36-race season. · Closing out the third season of competition for the Next Gen cars, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 15 victories – recorded by eight drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations. Among those triumphs included two crown jewel victories, including the Daytona 500 with Byron and the Brickyard 400 with Kyle Larson. This marks the third-consecutive season that the Bowtie brand has earned the highest win count on the season, with the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 also recording 18 wins in 2023 and 19 wins in 2022. · With 93 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 48.4% with 45 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 18 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 12 wins). · In 108 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 48.1%. · With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history. |
| TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 Finished: 3rdIt was a different pit strategy call from crew chief Rudy Fugle. How would you describe that run to the end? Did you feel like you, maybe with a late yellow, you could have had something for Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney? “I don’t know. I know that our No. 24 Axalta Chevy team worked really hard all day, and I feel like we maximized the most part of what we had. We just didn’t quite have enough. Those guys were just faster than us. We would have a short, little surge there in the middle part of the run, and then they would start to drive away on the short and long runs. We just didn’t have enough, but I’m really, really proud of our team. We fought hard. It was a great strategy there in the final stage to do something different, but we just didn’t have enough.” Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1Finished: 10th “I’m happy with our day. Just like at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I feel like we maximized the potential of our No. 99 Worldwide Express Chevy, so that’s good. We had a 10th-place car, or so, and that’s exactly where we finished. I’m really proud of this team. We had a good year, and it’s definitely something good to build off of for the future.” Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1Finished: 23rd “We clawed all day and made the No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet much better there the last few runs. Trent [Owens] made great adjustments as always. I’m proud of the hard work everyone on this team has put in this season. Today was bittersweet, but I can’t thank Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, and everyone at Kaulig Racing for these past few years.” |
2024 WORLD CHAMPIONS: Gravel, Sheppard, Williamson Claim Championships at World of Outlaws World Finals
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 10, 2024) – All dreams, all hopes, all anxieties, all wonders, and all dirt roads led to three drivers being crowned champions at the World of Outlaws World Finals Saturday night.
David Gravel, of Watertown, CT, Brandon Sheppard, of New Berlin, IL and Mat Williamson, of St. Catharines, ON, conquered all paths en route to the 2024 title with their respective series.
Gravel and his Big Game Motorsports team – consisting of Cody Jacobs, Stephen Hamm-Reilly and Zach Patterson – earned their first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championship. He became the 11th different Series champion and first new champion since 2019. Also, his car owner, Tod Quiring, became the first new team owner to win a title since 2013.
“It’s a dream come true,” Gravel said. “We’ve been working at this for a long time. To do this with Big Game (Motorsports) in our fourth year together feels really really good.”
Sheppard made history by becoming the winningest World of Outlaws Late Model champion in Series history by claiming his fifth Series championship – breaking the tie with Josh Richards. However, this was his first with the Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Team.
“It’s crazy to think about now,” Sheppard said. “These things are not easy to win, and we did it the absolute hardest way possible, that’s for sure. Longhorn and the whole Riggs family gave me everything I needed to get the job done. It’s been a trying year with a ton of ups and downs. We’ve showed a lot of speed but haven’t had the wins that we needed. It was a battle of attrition to keep the thing up front and just be consistent…
“The stars lined up, man. I’ve battled for this a lot of years now. I know how to do it, it’s just a matter of putting together the package to be consistent and be OK when you’re not going to win that night.”
Williamson earned his second Super DIRTcar Series championship – first since 2019 – becoming the eighth driver in Super DIRTcar Series history to win multiple titles.
“It’s unbelievable,” Williamson said about winning the championship. “The second one was way harder than the first one. We worked really hard. The guys do such a good job of getting this thing prepared. I really have to thank them for everything they do. It’s really cool to be sitting here on the front straightaway (at The Dirt Track at Charlotte) celebrating something like this.”
Sheppard and Williamson had to endure the stress of waiting until the final lap of the weekend to be crowned the champion, while Gravel was able to lock up his title on Friday. His championship rival, Carson Macedo, won Friday night’s race, but Gravel’s fourth-place finish gave him enough points to lock up the title – ending the season with 15 wins, 44 top five finishes and 60 top 10s.
Gravel’s championship season started with him winning the second race of the year at Volusia Speedway Park and then taking home his third Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator title. He and the Big Game Motorsports team were then masters of consistency, finishing outside the top 12 only two times in the first half of the season. And in that time, Gravel also picked up his first Kings Royal title and a Summer Nationals win at Williams Grove Speedway.
Their win count dropped in the second half of the year, picking up only two wins in that time span, but only had two finishes outside the top 10 with the worse being 13th.
“We started off really good, but when I started to build a big lead (in points) I crashed and it got close again and then stretched it out a little bit,” Gravel said. “We went through a little bit of a slump. Once we got away from the West Coast, I thought we battled back and ran really good to close off the year. It feels good to get the job done, finally.”
Sheppard’s championship season was tame in the win column, grabbing three Series wins on the year – compared to his other four championship years, which saw him earn 18 wins with his first and second titles, 14 wins with this third title and eight with his fourth. However, he too was a master of consistency. He only had eight finishes worse than eighth in 41 starts – and only one outside the top 20.
Although, one of those finishes outside the top 10 came during the first World Finals Feature of the week, putting Nick Hoffman within 26 points of him. And then Bobby Pierce won Friday night’s Feature, while Hoffman suffered a mechanical failure, moving Pierce to second in points – 22 points behind Sheppard.
The drama continued on the final night as Pierce battled for the lead, while Sheppard fought to stay within the top 10 to hold on to his points lead. But Pierce suffered a flat tire near the halfway point and could only recover to a 17th-place finish. Sheppard finished ninth and clinched the title by 38 points.
“It was a crazy year,” Sheppard said. “We’re super happy and thankful for all the sponsors that have stuck behind us. My dad and my grandpa. The whole Riggs family. The whole Longhorn family. Just everybody that’s involved with this team. It’s wild to think about standing here right now. I know the Riggs family has been trying to get one of these for a while.”
The Super DIRTcar Series had the closest points battle of the three Series entering the World of Outlaws World Finals with Williamson trailing 10-time Series champion Matt Sheppard by 15 points. That points lead evaporated for Sheppard and transferred to Williamson after Sheppard’s engine overheated during the first Feature of the weekend. Williamson then went on to win Friday night’s Feature and finish third on Saturday – securing the championship by 33 points over Sheppard.
“In our first year (as a team with Buzz Chew Racing) we came down to Charlotte and won the championship and it was like, ‘Wow, we did it. Good job guys.’ And then the next year you expect it and the year after you expect it and the year after, and so on and so forth,” Williamson said. “To get the second one finally done is unbelievably cool.”
Williamson ended the season with eight Series wins, 14 top five finishes and 17 top 10s. He also earned his second straight DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator title in February.
The 2025 season for the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series will commence at Volusia Speedway Park for the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 22-25. Then, the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park will start the new year for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series (Feb. 5-8) and Super DIRTcar Series (Feb. 12-15). For tickets, CLICK HERE.
SUNSHINE IN CHARLOTTE: Tyler Courtney Holds Off Gravel to Top World of Outlaws Season Finale
“Sunshine” pockets $25,000 at the site of his Series debut to close World Finals
CONCORD, NC (November 9, 2024) – In a week defined by uncharacteristically nice November weather, it’s only fitting that “Sunshine” found a way to Victory Lane.
Tyler Courtney was quietly consistent through the first three nights of the World of Outlaws World Finals. Sea Foam Qualifying Night led to him clocking in seventh and 11th in the pair of flights. Then he grabbed finishes of 10th and sixth on Thursday and Friday which set him up on the front row of a Saturday Heat Race.
Then came the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season finale, and Courtney locked himself in the Toyota Dash. Good fortune in the redraw put him P1, and he capitalized.
Courtney won the Dash to set himself up on the pole for the 25-lapper, and he never looked back once the green flag flew at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The Indianapolis, IN native led every lap of the Feature, surviving a brief challenge from Series champion David Gravel to get the win and bank $25,000.
“To end the year on a win like this gives us a little bit of momentum going into 2025,” Courtney said. “Just can’t say enough about all of my guys. Jake, Ron, Bobby, they bust their tails. We struggled a little bit the second half of the season but started to find our footing here in the last month or so. I heard them talking about my debut here with Danny Smith. I think I was racing Jacob Allen for the D-main that year. So 11 years later to come here and get a victory is great.”
It’s Courtney’s third win of 2024 with The Greatest Show on Dirt and his 12th overall this year in a 410 Sprint Car, tied for the third most in the country. It was a full circle night as Courtney got his first checkered flag from the site of his World of Outlaws debut back in 2013.
When the green flag dropped Courtney quickly pulled ahead of outside polesitter Brian Brown. Courtney had the Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC on cruise control as he stretched the advantage early.
David Gravel surged from seventh to the runner-up spot by Lap 13 and appeared primed to give Courtney a challenge when a caution came out a lap later erasing his more than five-second lead.
But Courtney refused to let it slip away even as Gravel pressured him on the restart. Courtney kept his NOS Energy Drink ride glued to the bottom as Gravel braved the top. Gravel got the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 wound up and closed in for about a lap, but ultimately Courtney prevailed as he rolled away and took the checkered flag with more than a two-second gap between himself and Gravel.
“I think we proved to not only ourselves but a lot of other people too that we belong on the national tour and that we can compete too,” Courtney said of he and his team’s season. “I haven’t won as many Outlaw races in a year as I did this year, so to go out and do that is really accomplishing for myself and our team and just awesome.”
Gravel’s runner-up gave him a strong punctuation to his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship. He and Big Game Motorsports pieced together 15 wins, 33 podiums, 44 top fives, and 60 top 10s on their way to a title. Gravel became the 11th different driver to earn a championship with The Greatest Show on Dirt while Quiring became the 10th different owner.
While they might’ve come up one spot short, the race exemplified why Gravel and the Tod Quiring-owned crew came out on top in 2024. They’ve got a fast race car with one of the most talented Sprint Car drivers in the country who does what he needs to do without taking unnecessary risks. The Big Game No. 2 came home P2 to close out the season.
“The beginning of the race really went my way,” Gravel explained. “A couple of guys missed the bottom, and I was able to get underneath them. “Brownie” (Brian Brown) got messed up on the cushion there, and I was able to get by him. Then a caution came out and kind of had a clean slate. Then we had that run, and he started getting into traffic, I felt like that was a little bit of my chance there. Then we had the caution or the red with five to go. He was really, really good in clean track.”
Rounding out the final podium of the season was Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing team. The Californian got the top going late in the running to work his way into third.
“I think late in the race there it transitioned back to the top,” Macedo said. “These guys (Courtney and Gravel) were actually running the middle which surprised me. But Brownie went to the bottom there on that restart and I think just spun a little bit, and I was able to get a run and get around him. It was a hard-fought race. It changed a lot just like I feel it has the last couple of nights with the way the track prep is. Man, hats off to this team. They’re doing a great job. They’re delivering, Philip Dietz, Adam Zimmerman, and Robby McQuinn.”
Ryan Timms and Brian Brown completed the top five.
Donny Schatz completed a clean sweep of the World Finals KSE Racing Hard Charger Awards by taking the Tony Stewart Racing No. 15 from 18th to ninth for his third in a row.
NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Three, and Four belonged to Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, and Justin Peck. Milton Hershey School Heat Two went to Buddy Kofoid.
Tyler Courtney topped the Toyota Racing Dash.
Bill Balog won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Giovanni Scelzi.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars begin the 2025 season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 5-8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
FEATURE RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[1]; 2. 2-David Gravel[7]; 3. 41-Carson Macedo[5]; 4. 10-Ryan Timms[9]; 5. 21-Brian Brown[2]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[3]; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart[4]; 8. 23-Garet Williamson[11]; 9. 15-Donny Schatz[18]; 10. 1A-Jacob Allen[12]; 11. 26-Justin Peck[8]; 12. 2KS-Cory Eliason[16]; 13. 39M-Anthony Macri[19]; 14. 9-Kasey Kahne[10]; 15. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[14]; 16. 14-Spencer Bayston[15]; 17. 27-Emerson Axsom[17]; 18. 17B-Bill Balog[21]; 19. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[23]; 20. 70-Kraig Kinser[27]; 21. 69K-Logan Wagner[24]; 22. 24D-Danny Sams III[22]; 23. 88-Austin McCarl[20]; 24. 83-Michael Kofoid[6]; 25. 7S-Landon Crawley[26]; 26. 13-Daison Pursley[13]; 27. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[25]
ALLGAIER, CHEVROLET CAPTURE 2024 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
| Allgaier’s First Career Series Title |
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| AVONDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 9, 2024) – As the checkered flag flew for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, a long-awaited dream came to reality for JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier. Driving his No. 7 Camaro SS to a runner-up finish – the best among the Championship Four drivers – in the series’ season finale race at Phoenix Raceway, Allgaier earned the title as the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion. “We’re so proud that Justin Allgaier, one of our longest members of Team Chevy, is now a first-time champion,” said Dr. Eric Warren, Executive Director, Global Motorsports Competition, for General Motors. “Congratulations to Justin, Jim Pohlman, Mike Bumgarner and the entire No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team for winning this championship. They worked hard all season long and delivered another strong performance when it mattered the most. What a great way to finish the NASCAR Xfinity Series season for Chevrolet.” The title is the fourth in the series for JR Motorsports’ co-owners Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., all of which have been recorded under the Chevrolet banner. The feat also celebrates Chevrolet’s 22nd NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Championship since the inception of the series in 1982. “Also, congratulations to Kelley Earnhardt Miller, LW Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on winning their fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series championship,” added Dr. Warren. “We’re proud that they have earned each of their championships in partnership with Chevrolet.” |
 During the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native piloted his No. 7 Camaro SS to two wins (Darlington Raceway and Michigan International Speedway) en route to his series-leading ninth playoff campaign. Despite a tumultuous opening round, Allgaier once again proved his true championship potential – earning three top-eight finishes in the Round of Eight to point his way into his seventh Championship Four appearance. “This team never gave up,” said Allgaier. “Jim Pohlman (crew chief) – his leadership skills are second to none. He told me all weekend that we were going to have a chance.” Allgaier joins 16 other Chevrolet drivers to earn the NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Championship title. Others on that elite list include Tyler Reddick (2018 & ’19), William Byron (2017), Chase Elliott (2014), Austin Dillon (2013), Clint Bowyer (2008), Martin Truex, Jr. (2004, ‘05), Brian Vickers (2003), Kevin Harvick (2001, ‘06), Jeff Green (2000), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (1998, ‘99), Randy LaJoie (1996, ‘97), Johnny Benson (1995), David Green (1994), Steve Grissom (1993), Joe Nemechek (1992) and Larry Pearson (1987). “Dale (Earnhardt) Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller, L.W. Miller, everybody at JR Motorsports, all the men and women, all five of our race teams – just the effort that we’ve put in, I’m at a loss for words,” added Allgaier. “We’re going to celebrate this one for sure. It’s unbelievable.” Chevrolet also led the series with 18 wins this season, with 10 drivers from four different Chevrolet teams taking the Camaro SS to victory lane. The Bowtie brand returns to competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15, 2025. |
Burton Qualifies Ninth at Phoenix
November 9, 2024
Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will close out the 2024 season with two-straight top-10 starts as Burton has secured the ninth starting spot for Sunday’s Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.
That follows a sixth-place start last week at Martinsville Speedway. It’s Burton’s and the team’s third top-10 start of the season, the other coming at Talladega Superspeedway in October.
Like last week at Martinsville, Burton and the team had a strong practice session on Friday at Phoenix. Burton was 12th on the speed chart with a best lap at 131.637 miles per hour. That came on the fourth of 61 laps he ran in the session. Among drivers who ran 10 consecutive green-flag laps he was 14th fastest, averaging 129.962 mph from the 23rd to the 32nd laps he ran.
In qualifying on Saturday, he was fifth fastest in Group B with a lap at 134.645 mph. Then in the final round he was ninth fastest with a speed of 132.188 mph.
“It was a really good day,” Burton told reporters at the track. “Obviously you get in the top 10 and 12th in practice. The last two weeks have just been really good, and Vegas before that was really good for us.
“Homestead, we kind of missed it a little bit, but I just can’t express enough what it means for my race team to bring me fast cars even when I’m on my way out.
“It sucks because we know we can do it. We’ve done it the last two weeks, showing that we’re fast enough.
“Obviously a mechanical failure last weekend took us out, but this is a good enough team to be a winning Cup team, so it’s bittersweet and really sad to be leaving but really proud of the effort and how we keep fighting. It’s really special.”
Burton said he’s hoping for a strong run on Sunday in his final ride in the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse.
“I think we are going to have a good race car,” he said. “We were a little bit tight, and I think that bodes well for long runs in the race.
“I want to run as good as I can, hopefully up front, and try to win this thing.”
Sunday’s 312-lap, 312-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 1 p.m. (3 p.m. Eastern) with NBC carrying the TV broadcast.
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 185.
Four Chevrolet Drivers Earn Top-10 Starting Positions for NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
| NASCAR CUP SERIES PHOENIX RACEWAY CHAMPIONSHIP RACE TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING REPORT NOV. 9, 2024 |
| TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP POS. DRIVER3rd – Ross Chastain4th – Kyle Larson5th – Chase Elliott8th – William ByronIN 35 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES Wins: 15Poles: 10Top-Five Finishes: 69Top-10 Finishes: 143Stage Wins: 23 |
| · Four Chevrolet drivers posted top-10 qualifying results for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. The defending winner of the series’ season finale race, Ross Chastain, drove his No. 1 Busch Light Camaro ZL1 to a best-lap of 26.812 seconds, at 134.268 mph, in the second round of qualifying to secure a third-place starting position for tomorrow’s 312-lap event. · Joining Chastain in the top-10 includes a trio of Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1’s, including Kyle Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team in fourth; Chase Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 team in fifth; and Championship Four contender, William Byron and the No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 team, in eighth. · Each of Chevrolet’s top-10 qualifiers are past winners in NASCAR’s top division at Phoenix Raceway, with William Byron and Ross Chastain sweeping the 2023 races, and Kyle Larson (2021) and Chase Elliott (2020) each earning a victory in their title-winning seasons. |
| William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1: Post-Qualifying Quotes Q. William, do you feel like you have enough in your car this weekend to contend for the championship tomorrow? WILLIAM BYRON: Yeah, I do. Just didn’t quite get the second lap I wanted to there in the second round, so bummed about that. But I feel really good about our race car. Get first pit pick, which is huge. So excited for all those things. We just need to put together a good start to the race, but really it’s such a long race. It’s just going to be about trying to get to the finish and have what you need there. Q. How much does it matter having two non playoff drivers in the front row to start things off like this? WILLIAM BYRON: Yeah, I don’t think it really matters. I think it’s a race just like any other week. You’re going to have to deal with those things. So, yeah, I don’t put too much focus on that, really. Just trying to get the most out of my car and try to just get the most out of the day. Q. How much does the first pit stall assuming you’re picking the first pit stall with the No. 1 pick, how much does it matter? WILLIAM BYRON: We’ll see. The rules have changed a little bit on the lines, so we’ll see. I think I just have to do a good job throughout the day rolling time, and I have the best pit crew out there. So it’s going to be a good advantage for us just doing our jobs. The pit stall hopefully is clean for us and just work from there. Q. Did you watch the truck race last night at all? They penalized 100 people it seemed like for not starting in the or changing lanes before start/finish line. Will that impact anything that you do or were planning to do tomorrow? WILLIAM BYRON: Yeah. I think it was a little bit different than it’s been in the past, just in the way that the restarts were going and the available space on the bottom. I’ll just adjust as needed. But yeah, I feel like I’ve understood the way it is for a while, so I don’t really worry about it too much. Q. Just speed wise alone, where do you think you guys are at this weekend? WILLIAM BYRON: I think we’re plenty capable. I feel like we had some things to improve after practice, and I feel like we did those things. So big credit to everyone – not only on our team, but back at the shop and Hendrick Motorsports as a whole. I feel good about it. I feel like we’re in a ball game. So just have to put together a good first couple of stages; try to get towards the front, and then go from there. Q. Nerves wise, is this just a normal weekend to you? Are you unfazed? WILLIAM BYRON: Yeah, qualifying is probably the biggest nerves. I think just trying to get through those laps and put good laps together. But, yeah, once I get in the car, I feel like my nerves are pretty normal. Yeah, I get nervous just like everybody else, but I feel like I’m able to manage it pretty well. |