BATAVIA, Ohio (January 21, 2024) – Brandon Ford returns as the “Official Pace Truck” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and title sponsor of the Brandon Ford TV Race Challenge in 2024. The Brandon Ford TV Race Challenge is a mini-series within the 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series schedule that will award points to drivers at the thirteen (13) tape-delayed events airing on the MAVTV Motorsports Network. The driver that earns the most Brandon Ford TV Race points and maintains perfect attendance on the tour will receive a $15,000 cash award at the year-end awards banquet. Second place will earn $5,000 and third place will receive $2,000. “Having Brandon Ford return as a partner and provide the Official Pace Truck for the series and sponsor the TV Race Challenge is tremendous for the series and the racers that follow the tour. Having additional money for the racers to shoot for adds to the excitement of our TV package and puts the series and drivers in front of new fans when our events air on the MAVTV Network. The drivers always want to perform at their best when the TV cameras are on, but having the added cash incentives to compete for during TV races makes every position count,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales, and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season will launch with the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks from January 24 to February 10 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Ocala Speedway, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park.

Derani resets track record in earning pole; Bourdais close behind in second

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2024) – The winning atmosphere surrounding Cadillac Racing’s championship in the inaugural Grand Touring Prototype season carried over to a chilly January weekend as Cadillac swept the front row with a record-shattering qualifying for the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. Reigning IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP champion Pipo Derani toured the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course iin the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R in 1 minute, 32.656 seconds during the 15-minute session to earn his 10th IMSA pole overall and Cadillac’s fourth since the first season of DPi competition in 2017.

Sebastien Bourdais, driving the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, was close behind at 1:32.727 to complete the front-row lockout. The previous track record was 1:33.695, set in 2019. Also, for comparison: 2023 pole-winning lap time in first race of GTP era – 1:34.031. 2022 pole-winning lap time in final year of DPi era – 1:34.034. “I’m so proud of everyone involved in the program. The work has never stopped since we started designing the car to the development, to testing to the races to whatever they consider the offseason,” GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser said. “It shows the amount of hard work and effort put in that we came ready and will continue to push and be ready to chase the win.” Cadillac entries paced the 10-car GTP field on the time chart in four of the six test sessions leading into qualifications at the Roar Before The 24. Cadillac prototype entries have won the Rolex 24 four times since 2017.

“With the help of a great team and a great car beneath me, obviously the Cadillac was flying out there today. It’s a privilege and pleasure to drive such a car. It was really well-balance today,” said Derani, who will co-drive the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist. “I think we’re working in the right direction. Obviously, last year we were close to pole position, but we were not quite there. I think in the end, everyone is really tight.” Blomqvist will aim for his third successive victory in the North American endurance classic.

Bourdais is co-driving the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R with Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon and Alex Palou – a stout roster that represents seven Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victories and 12 INDYCAR championships. “It was obviously a great day for Cadillac; you always want to go P1-P2,” said Bourdais, who 10 years ago co-drove a Chevrolet Corvette DP for Action Express Racing and earned the first of his two overall wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the inaugural IMSA WeatherTech race following the merger. “For us, it was a solid effort, but we just didn’t quite get everything the way we wanted for that perfect run. But we have a really solid racecar and now we will just try to adjust things over the next week to get it the best we can for the race. We’ll try to execute as a team, with the drivers, and hope that we can come out of this with a watch.” Cadillac Racing Rolex 24 At Daytona poles2023 — Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R (Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Tom Blomqvist)2021 — Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (Tristan Vautier, Sebastien Bourdais, Loic Duval)2018 — Spirit of Daytona Racing Cadillac DPi-V.r (Matt McMurry, Tristan Vautier, Eddie Cheever III)2017 — Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R (Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque* No overall wins when starting from pole. Overall wins2020 (Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Kamui Kobayashi)2019 (Renger van der Zande, Fernando Alonso; Jordan Taylor, Kamui Kobayashi)2018 (Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa)2017 (Jeff Gordon, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli)An interview with Pipo Derani, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.RSetting an overall track record of 01:32.656-seconds, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series R. Your 10th career pole, with all nine cars in the class qualifying under the old track record. Congratulations. How’d you do?“With the help of a great team and a great car beneath me, obviously the Cadillac was flying out there today. It’s a privilege and pleasure to drive such a car. It was really well-balance today. I think we did a qualifying simulation before and were missing a couple of tenths to P1, and I think we worked exactly on what we needed to for qualifying in this gap that we had from practice to qualifying. Great teamwork there not to turn things around but improve what was needed to qualifying. Today, the car felt on rails and it was nice to enjoy and feel the full potential of the GTP.” Cadillac went 1-2 in qualifying. What does that say about the program?“I think we’re working in the right direction. Obviously, last year we were close to pole position but we were not quite there. I think in the end, everyone is really tight. I think Porsche was almost within a tenth from pole, if I’m not wrong. I think it’s details. At the end of the day, it’s fining those little details to find the little extra time, and we were able to do just that today.” Did you think a 01:32.6-second run was possible going into this session?“Well, to be honest, we weren’t really talking about what was possible. We were just trying to maximize the tools we had. We knew that we were pretty much there when we did the simulation in practice, but quite honestly, I was quite surprised we were almost a second quicker than the previous practice. I think the conditions were perfect for that as well. I think the cold, and the tires working well, obviously in qualifying you are lower on fuel and so on. I’d say we were a bit more surprised than not for a lap time.” Cadillacs were quickest in most of the sessions this weekend. Do you think the other manufacturers are showing their true hand right now?“I do the best that I can with what I have. If they are showing or not, we will see during the race. We certainly are doing the best we can with what we have, and it showed today with pole position. If it wasn’t enough, or if it was much, much quicker than anybody else, it’s completely out of my control. I’m just trying to do the best I can with what I have.” Both you and Ben (Keating) talked about the ideal conditions for qualifying today. How much of that extra time from a year ago falls under that, and how much is having that much more knowledge of that car and getting software better, what you can control better, etc.?“To be honest, I think a lot of it is just understanding the car. I think, obviously, the conditions help, but as usual, this time of year it’s quite cold at Daytona. More or less, the perfect condition for qualifying, but I think everyone else is just so much more integrated with their tools and how to extract lap times from such a difficult car. I would say, at least on our side, we are a much better team with the electronics and the complexities with the hybrid race car than we were 12 months back.”

Garcia to start third in GTD PRO; Varrone paces AWA in debut of Corvette Z06 GT3.R DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2024) – The new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R will make its first race start from inside the top-10 of an extremely deep GT field in Saturday’s Rolex 24 At Daytona to kick off the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Antonio Garcia led the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports effort in Sunday’s 15-minute qualifying session to wrap up the Roar Before the 24 weekend. He set a lap of 1:44.786 (122.306 mph) in the No. 3 Oshkosh/Mobil 1 Corvette Z06 GT3.R during a red-flag interrupted run that saw the field get just eight minutes of green-flag running. Teammate Tommy Milner, in the sister No. 4 Oshkosh/Mobil 1 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, wasn’t far behind at 1:45.215 (121.807 mph). The depth of the class was evident in qualifying with the first 10 GTD PRO cars within a second. Further illustrating that, 23 GT cars were within the same margin. Two of those belonged to new Corvette team AWA in the GTD class. First-year Corvette factory pilot Nico Varrone qualified ninth in class with the No. 17 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. He set a best time of 1:44.959 (122.105 mph) – one year after winning the Rolex 24 in with AWA in the LMP3 class. Teammate Matt Bell was 14th in class in the No. 13 Corvette at 1:45.206 (121.818 mph). The official competition debut of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R comes almost 15 months from the first time the initial test car turned its wheels for the first time on a track. Since that time, continued testing and development has come at circuits around the United States and at Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop (DIL) simulator. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet’s first car built to global GT3 regulations. It’s based on the production Corvette Z06 supercar with the two sharing a significant amount of DNA.  The racecar is built on the same production aluminum chassis frame – from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green (Ky.) Assembly plant – as the road-going Z06. Similar carbon-fiber splitters for front downforce, and the surface area from the top of the windshield to the rear of the Z06 remained intact on the Z06 GT3.R. That includes side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes. The similarities carry over to the hand-built 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine in the Z06 GT3.R. Both original from the Bowling Green factory with the racing version sharing 80 percent of the production content from the Z06, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors. Corvette’s latest racing challenger benefits from a legacy of previous race- and championship-winning racecars. Three previous generations of Corvette – C5-R, C7.R and C8.R – have visited Victory Lane at Daytona with the program claiming four previous class victories. The goal for this year’s Rolex is to claim Victory No. 5… and No. 6. The Rolex 24 At Daytona is scheduled to go green at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 27 with the race broadcast beginning on NBC. USA Network and Peacock also will air coverage throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Photo: Richard Prince

Photo: Eric Klauser

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Roar Before the 24 as well as next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED THIRD IN GTD PRO: “It was a bit stressful, but luckily I was in the right spot. Basically, I had nobody in front of me or everybody was pushing in front of me so I had nobody behind me. I could actually gauge that. We only had two good laps once the tire temps were up, so it was difficult to really nail both laps. But in a way, I think it was a decent qualifying considering it’s a 24-hour race. We have a lot of GTDs in the mix with us. But it’s still the start of a long week. I’m happy with where we are, and we just need to go from there. It’s going to be a tight race.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED SEVENTH IN GTD PRO: “We race hard no matter what, that’s for sure. It was definitely a weird little qualifying session there with the long red flag and then really having only two timed laps to really go for it. The good thing is the Michelin tire peaks early on, so realistically that is the best that the tire and car will be. Still I’m happy with our Corvette, happy with the balance. Qualifying position isn’t crazy important for a 24-hour race, so I’m very pleased with our car balance and race car that we think we have going forward. I’m excited to go racing.”

AWA QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

NICO VARRONE, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED NINTH IN GTD: “It was very nice actually to be the first one to have the honor of qualifying the new Corvette. It was a super cool experience for us. About 30 seconds after we were on track, we had a red flag so that complicated some things and shortened it quite a bit. It was a bit tough to get everything working and in our range – tire pressures, temperature, etc. In the end, I think we did a good job. I’m happy with how we did. We improved from practice where we were struggling setup-wise. We still have to work on some things to get it ready for this race. But I would say with the new Z06 GT3.R, and also to the team and a new class, everything is working great. I’m looking forward to the 24. We’ll have some days off and the guys have to work some on the car to get everything for Thursday practice, but I think we’re looking good.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. Up until last year’s LMP2 finish, it was the closest finish in race history• 1: Rolex 24 class win for AWA; the team won in LMP3 in 2023. Current team drivers Nico Varrone, Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill were part of that lineup• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort• 4: Number of Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 Rolex 24 – two from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO) and two from AWA (GTD)• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing as an entrant: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)• 9: Corvette/General Motors factory drivers piloting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this year’s race: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller) plus Charlie Eastwood, Nico Varrone and Alex Lynn (AWA). Bamber and Lynn also are Cadillac Racing factory drivers in FIA WEC• 14: IMSA Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC• 284: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 99,600: Total number of racing laps completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Barring any issues, the program will go over the 100,00-lap mark at the Rolex 24 of Daytona• 361,990.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles Corvette Racing at Daytona (wins in bold)1999No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS 2001No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS 2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole) 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM 2020 (Rolex 24 – January)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM 2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRONo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO 2023No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTD PRO

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 20, 2023) – Lining up second on a restart with six laps to go, Matt Henderson knew he had one chance left for the lead and a big win at a historic venue.

He mashed the throttle out of Turn 4 and raced down Volusia Speedway Park’s long front-stretch with a burst of speed into Turn 1. When leader Caleb Gay slipped off the bottom through the corner, Henderson shot the gap, took the lead out of Turn 2 and drove off with his first career Sunshine Nationals Feature win Saturday night – worth $10,000 in the DIRTcar Pro / Crate Racin’ USA (CRUSA) 604 Late Model division.

With the way he surged into the lead at exactly the right moment, it looked as if he’d been a Volusia regular for years and knew exactly when and where to pounce. But it was only one day earlier that he’d taken his first-ever laps around the half-mile oval.

“I’ve watched this place for years and always wanted to come,” Henderson said. “I just like big tracks, making air and good moves count. It’s always seemed like a place I’d really like, and so far, I have.

“Coming to a place, it’s my first weekend here, and winning – that, to me, when I see other guys do it – that’s more impressive to me that they’re able to adapt to something they don’t know.”

Henderson started from sixth on the grid and stayed patient through the first half of the 30-lap main event, gradually moving up through the top-five while the lead changed hands out front.

Outside polesitter Dustin Carter led the first eight laps but couldn’t avoid the wrath of polesitter Caleb Gay from behind him and soon gave up the lead in Turns 1-2.

“[Carter] was pushing across the corner and I knew I’d probably get him pretty quick,” Gay said.

Gay showed the way around through the next caution-littered 16 laps, while Henderson kept advancing his position, finally getting by Will Roland to take second right before the final caution flag flew with 24 laps complete.

In the pits before the field was called to staging, Henderson and his crew made the call to put on a harder compound of tire, intended to give him an advantage in the later stages of the race. Several caution periods through the middle of the race made it difficult for him to heat-up the harder tires, but once they got to optimal temperature, Henderson was able to fire-off on restarts like the one that gave him the lead on Lap 25.

“I just needed some consistent, green-flag laps and I wasn’t getting it,” Henderson said. “We had a short caution there at the end, so I was able to keep more heat in [my tires]. And then, the leader just pushed out and I was able to get by him, and then I had clean air and it was over.”

Gay indicated that he had chosen to go with a softer compound of tire than Henderson, which may have contributed to him being unable to hold the lead on the final restart.

“I thought I had it; it was close, I really thought I had it,” Gay said. “If the caution wouldn’t have come out, I think we would’ve got it, but I was just so tight on the restart. I couldn’t get turned down there; I was using the brakes. I just got pushed up in the crumbs and made a mistake.

“I thought I was okay, and then I had to turn it so hard with the brakes and then I got up in the slick. I really just made a mistake. I probably could’ve done a bit better.”

Trynt Lloyd came from eighth on the starting grid to round-out the podium while Clay Harris crossed in fourth and Will Roland completed the top-five. Tyler Millwood earned the Hard Charger honors, gaining 21 spots of position in his drive from 27th to finish sixth.

RESULTS

Sunshine Nationals Feature (30 Laps): 1. 22-Matt Henderson[6]; 2. 16-Caleb Gay[1]; 3. 2L-Trynt Lloyd[8]; 4. 18I-Clay Harris[10]; 5. 22R-Will Roland[4]; 6. 31M-Tyler Millwood[27]; 7. 555-Brock Pinkerous[12]; 8. 07B-Baily Cardwell[26]; 9. 86-Cole Exum[14]; 10. 18B-Mark Fleischer[13]; 11. 20-Owen Osteen[15]; 12. 54T-Tuck Trentham[29]; 13. 6-Dillon Brown[9]; 14. 39W-Brandon Wells[18]; 15. 721-Ivedent Lloyd[16]; 16. 21-Mario Gresham[24]; 17. 7-Corey Neil Jr[23]; 18. 31-Lincoln Smith[22]; 19. 127-Austin Yarbrough[19]; 20. 131-Matt Herlong[20]; 21. 66-Jody Knowles[28]; 22. 4-Rye Faulk[5]; 23. 74-Jason Garver[25]; 24. 00-Richie Stephens[21]; 25. 17G-Nevin Gainey[11]; 26. 5-Dustin Carter[2]; 27. 111-Demetrios Drellos[3]; 28. 08-Joey Love[7]; 29. 23-Cory Hedgecock; 30. 42-Steven Stratton Sr[30]

Pierce McCarter Scores Thrilling Sunshine Nationals Win in 602 Late Models

The Pigeon Forge, TN driver passed Bubba Roling on a Lap 19 restart for the win

With two laps to go in Saturday’s 602 Late Model Feature, Pierce McCarter hoped he made the right decision putting on a harder right rear tire.

The decision paid off for him, going from third to first on a final restart to win the Sunshine Nationals Finale at Volusia Speedway Park.

Roling, the pole sitter, led the field to the green in the 20-lap Feature, distancing himself from the rest of the field. But just as the Clay Hill, FL driver looked destined to earn a home-state triumph, a caution with two laps to go changed his fortune.

When the race resumed, Roling went to the bottom of the track, hoping to take the checkered flag. But he left the top open for McCarter, who thundered past Mario Gresham for second in Turn 2 and carried his momentum around Roling in Turns 3 and 4, taking the lead as the white flag flew over his #71.

From there, McCarter separated himself from the #515, holding on to win the 602 Late Model Feature and the overall Sunshine Nationals championship.

The Pigeon Forge, TN driver said he had a harder tire than everyone else up front and knew it would be the difference in scoring the $3,000 prize.

“I watched Michael Courtney run the top a couple of times, and I had a harder right rear tire than everybody else,” McCarter said. “I knew once that got heated, I knew I could stick right there in the middle of that black. And I said, hell, might as well try it. Then it stuck right through there, and it was great.”

Along with the tire, McCarter said he felt the yellow flags finally broke his way after losing the lead in Friday’s Qualifying Feature in a similar fashion.

“I feel like cautions cost me [Friday],” McCarter said. “And earlier on in my Heat Race, they cost me. But we’ll take it tonight.”

Roling settled for second after leading the first 18 laps of the Feature. However, unlike McCarter, Roling said his tire started fading toward the end of the race.

“I felt like my right rear tire was going away,” Roling said. “Restarts really killed me. I felt like if it had stayed green, it would’ve been alright. We had a pretty big gap. But yeah, my right rear tire. I felt it sliding, and I couldn’t get through the corner as straight as I wanted to.”

Gresham crossed the line third, Chase Blackwell finished fourth, and Chaz Haskins rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: Volusia Speedway Park is back in action next weekend for the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, Jan. 25-27, including the $10,000-to-win finale for the 360 Sprint Cars on Saturday. 3/4 Modifieds will also be in action throughout the weekend. For Tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

602 Late Model Feature (20 Laps): 1. 71-Pierce McCarter[7]; 2. 515-Bubba Roling[2]; 3. 21-Mario Gresham[1]; 4. 6-Chase Blackwell[8]; 5. 107Z-Chaz Haskins[13]; 6. 28L-Austin Leamon[12]; 7. 53-Brandon Yates[5]; 8. 131-Matt Herlong[11]; 9. 5-Curtis Thomas[10]; 10. 8-Zack Owens[23]; 11. 27-Tim Ryan[9]; 12. 109-Nick Johnson[3]; 13. 31-Donnie Birdwell[24]; 14. C4-Devin Whatley[21]; 15. 1J-Jason Papp[22]; 16. 11S-Quentin Steedley[27]; 17. 71C-Davy Cline[25]; 18. 17SR-Brody Smith[17]; 19. 12C-Chase Giddens[26]; 20. 9-Dalton Peavy[16]; 21. 2B-Robert Brynteson[28]; 22. 19-Michael Courtney[4]; 23. 3K-Kale VanSickle[18]; 24. 14S-Brian Scott[19]; 25. 66-Taylor Cole[14]; 26. 15-Nevin Gainey[6]; 27. 611-Koulten Herbert[15]; 28. 27G-Matt Grable[20]

O’Neal claims second career World of Outlaws Feature win, Moran wins his first Surfboard trophy 

BARBERVILLE, FL – January 20, 2024 –

In the span of 365 days, Hudson O’Neal has seen the highs and lows of racing with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models at Volusia Speedway Park.

On Saturday night, the Martinsville, IN driver commanded the field and held off the top dirt Late Model drivers to win his first Sunshine Nationals Feature – one year to the day that he missed the same Feature in 2023.

O’Neal’s space in Victory Lane was shared with Dresden, OH’s Devin Moran, who won the Sunshine Nationals Championship after a third-place finish in Saturday’s Feature.

Moran and O’Neal led the field to the green flag of the 40-lap, $15,000-to-win Feature, racing side-by-side before O’Neal drove away with the lead on the high line.

With lap traffic to manage, “The New Deal” utilized the top and bottom lanes to escape Moran and the leaders that closed in.

That was until Moran passed O’Neal on lap 15 for the race lead. The two battled intensely with each driver using both lanes to maneuver lap traffic and pass each other.

O’Neal gained the lead on lap 20 until a bad turn saw Moran take back the lead from O’Neal two laps later.

On lap 28, O’Neal claimed the lead once more from Moran by using the bottom lane through the first two turns.

Multiple cautions in the final 7 laps of the Feature gave opportunities for drivers to have a chance at catching O’Neal and Moran, including Kyle Bronson, reigning Series champion Bobby Pierce, and four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard.

On the final restart of the Feature with four laps to go, O’Neal got the start he needed from his Rocket1 Racing Late Model to blast away and win the Feature.

O’Neal finds irony in the win, with the triumph coming one year to the day of his worst performance at Sunshine Nationals.

“It’s ironic,” O’Neal said. “If anybody remembers my first outing with Rocket1 and how bad it was at Sunshine Nationals one year ago. Then, to turn around and come back and have a good showing like we did (tonight). I think we had a critical test session here last year, came back and got to make a lot of laps and it helped a lot. I don’t know, I think I’ve found something that I’m comfortable with and something that this place likes. We’re just happy to be in contention and we are so far ahead of where we started last year and hopefully we can go to Speedweeks and win a few more.”

Bronson finished second in his new Longhorn Chassis #40B. The Brandon. FL native said he believes building a notebook is important to his success at February’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

“It felt pretty good,” Bronson said. “It was really cool when I was catching (the leaders). I felt like I was gonna drive right by them. I got into their dirty air. It changed a little bit and I felt my car get a little looser there at the end because I was getting tighter entering the corner. Overall, our car was pretty good. We gained a lot from yesterday and I’m looking forward to coming back for DIRTcar Nationals.”

Moran – who won the Simpson Quick Time Award – came home in third place, clinching the Sunshine Nationals overall championship after winning Friday’s Feature race.

“It’s really cool,” Moran said. “It was a bummer I couldn’t get a caution when I was out in the lead. I felt like I could’ve maintained the race a little better, I just wasn’t good enough in traffic like (O’Neal) was and he did a good job. All in all, a good weekend and we’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”

Ricky Thornton Jr. earned the Fox Factory Hard Charger Award after climbing up 19 positions in the Feature to finish in fourth place.

“I really put myself behind after qualifying,” Thornton said. “I was just trying to be too cute with it and it cost me. There wasn’t much passing in the Heat and made it through the Last Chance Showdown. I was really good in the Feature because I could go wherever I wanted to. Overall, going from 23rd to finish fourth is pretty awesome so hopefully we’re just as good in two weeks.”

New Berlin, IL’s Brandon Sheppard bookended Saturday’s top five finishers after racing inside the top 10 for the duration of the Feature.

He leaves Sunshine Nationals as the current points leader, holding a six-point lead over Bobby Pierce in second. Cade Dillard is third (-18), Chris Madden is fourth (-24) and Nick Hoffman rounds out the top five (-28).

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will return to Volusia Speedway Park  for the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, February 15-17. For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch every World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model race live on DIRTVision.

CASE Late Model Feature (40 Laps): 1. 1-Hudson O’Neal[2]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[7]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 4. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[23]; 5. B5-Brandon Sheppard[9]; 6. 32-Bobby Pierce[10]; 7. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[19]; 8. 97-Cade Dillard[4]; 9. 44-Chris Madden[5]; 10. 9-Nick Hoffman[15]; 11. 12W-Ashton Winger[14]; 12. 10-Garrett Smith[6]; 13. 16-Tyler Bruening[22]; 14. 19R-Ryan Gustin[26]; 15. 39-Tim McCreadie[12]; 16. 96V-Tanner English[17]; 17. 18D-Daulton Wilson[8]; 18. 7-Drake Troutman[24]; 19. 97C-Cody Overton[25]; 20. 111-Max Blair[21]; 21. 174-Ethan Dotson[13]; 22. 3S-Brian Shirley[18]; 23. B1-Brent Larson[27]; 24. 14W-Dustin Walker[29]; 25. 20-Jimmy Owens[20]; 26. 30-Todd Cooney[28]; 27. 19-Dustin Sorensen[30]; 28. 157-Mike Marlar[11]; 29. 17M-Dale McDowell[3]; 30. 54-David Breazeale[16]

Final day of Roar weekend features qualifying shootout to set Rolex 24 grid DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 17, 2024) – The four first-year Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will roll into Sunday’s qualifying session for the Rolex 24 At Daytona following three test sessions Saturday as part of the Roar Before the 24 weekend on Daytona International Speedway’s road course.

Through two days and five sessions, Corvette Racing factory driver Tommy Milner has the best time in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO class for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in the No. 4 Oshkosh/Mobil 1 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The 2016 Rolex 24 GTLM class-winner and lead development driver for the Z06 GT3.R set a best lap of 1:45.844 (121.084 mph) in a tight and crowded field; 11 GTD PRO cars were within a second after Saturday. Milner set his best lap in Saturday morning’s session. On the opposite end of the spectrum, new factory teammate Daniel Juncadella was the quickest driver in the No. 3 Z06 GT3.R with a 1:46.387 (120.466 mph) effort in night practice that was good enough to put the No. 3 sixth in class. Both GTD PRO entries spent time in the garage during the day to address an intermittent electrical issue. The pair of Corvettes returned to record laps in Saturday’s night session.

In GTD, customer team AWA steadily continued its progress during its first event weekend with the Corvette brand. The No. 13 Z06 GT3.R, in the hands of Alex Lynn, was the 12th fastest car in class after five sessions with a lap of 1:46.314 (120.548 mph) during the night-time running. First-year factory driver Charlie Eastwood was 17th in GTD after two days of Roar testing in the No. 17 Corvette. Eastwood’s best time was a 1:46.383 (120.470 mph) during Saturday morning’s session. Despite the running order, Eastwood was still within 0.644 seconds of the class leader – a testament to the depth of the 23-car field, which is the largest of the four WeatherTech Championship classes.  The Roar Before the 24 concludes with Sunday’s GTD PRO and GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:55 p.m. ET. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Roar Before the 24 as well as next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS SATURDAY DRIVER QUOTES

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Overall I’m pretty happy with how the Corvette Z06 GT3.R has been in both days of practice so far. Every time I’ve been in, it has felt very good and I’m happy with the balance. Realistically at this point we’re still trying some things to find some speed in a couple of the high-speed sections like the Bus Stop, so there is still work to do. All things considered, from where we were during testing in December to what things feel like now, we’re very happy.”

DANIEL JUNCADELLA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m loving it so far. It’s great to be in a new environment. Everything that I have seen so far is very exciting. On the car side, the Corvette feels very good. There are still some miles to go and things we need to go through, but the first feeling is very good. We seem to be competitive as well. On the team side and with our personnel, it feels great. This is a great environment. I feel very much at home so far. I don’t want to get my expectations too high because it’s a long race, it’s still a long way away and many things need to go in your direction to have a chance. But so far so good.”

AWA SATURDAY DRIVER QUOTES

ALEX LYNN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “So far, so good to be honest. I think we’ve had a really productive first couple of days at AWA. It’s the first time we’ve really run the Corvette hard in anger. We’ve had a lot of help from Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller, which has been great. The team is finding its feet really well with this car. We’re ticking boxes. We feel like we have a really great car under us and are just working through our stuff. It’s going to be a big fight next weekend. You can feel the intensity ramping up. There are a lot of great cars and a lot of great teams that are up for this one. I’m excited to get going.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Yesterday was a steep learning curve for everybody. We did a test in December, but once you go into the pressure of a race weekend it all ramps up. I think we were all just finding our feet early. The transformation from yesterday afternoon to this morning – in terms of car feel, performance and everything the team was putting together – was incredible. To be fair, in both the sessions today we looked quite strong. It’s looking very positive but we are continuing to go through all the normal procedures… for example the guys have never changed a set of brakes, we’ve never done an oil dump. Getting all these contingencies and what-ifs are things we continue to try to get through. That list of stuff that we needed to run through felt like it was endless, but we’ve gone through so much and I feel like within in the team we are confident in our own ability. To go through that in basically two race event days is pretty promising.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. Up until last year’s LMP2 finish, it was the closest finish in race history• 1: Rolex 24 class win for AWA; the team won in LMP3 in 2023. Current team drivers Nico Varrone, Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill were part of that lineup• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort• 4: Number of Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 Rolex 24 – two from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO) and two from AWA (GTD)• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing as an entrant: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)• 9: Corvette/General Motors factory drivers piloting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this year’s race: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller) plus Charlie Eastwood, Nico Varrone and Alex Lynn (AWA). Bamber and Lynn also are Cadillac Racing factory drivers in FIA WEC• 14: IMSA Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC• 284: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 99,600: Total number of racing laps completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Barring any issues, the program will go over the 100,00-lap mark at the Rolex 24 of Daytona• 361,990.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles Corvette Racing at Daytona (wins in bold)1999No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS 2001No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS 2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole) 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM 2020 (Rolex 24 – January)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM 2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRONo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO 2023No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTD PRO

Reigning GTP champion paces field in three of five sessions heading into quals

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2024) – Consistency was a key takeaway in three sessions totaling 4.5 hours Saturday as Cadillac Racing continued preparations for Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) qualifications for the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. Lap times were uniform among drivers of the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R through changeable track and ambient temperature conditions.

Cadillac Racing entries paced the 10-car GTP field in three of the five test sessions and placed in the top five of the other two. Qualifying will be streamed on Peacock and IMSA.com beginning at 1:55 p.m. ET Sunday. Reigning IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP champion. Pipo Derani, who set the quickest lap time on the first day of the Roar Before The 24 at 1 minute, 35.217 seconds, also topped the time chart in the Saturday late morning session at 1:35.372 on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course. Scott Dixon drove the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R the entire session with a best lap of 1:35.848.

Sebastien Bourdais recorded a best lap of 1:35.488 in the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in the one-hour afternoon practice that will most closely resemble track and ambient conditions for the 15-minute qualifying. Tom Blomqvist posted a best lap of 1:35.506 as the winner of the Rolex 24 the past two years completed all 29 laps in the session in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. Reigning INDYCAR champion Alex Palou closed out the day with the quickest lap of the field in the evening session at 1:35.705 as the ambient temperature dipped to 46 degrees. Jack Aitken drove the No.. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R for the duration, with a best lap of 1:36.251. The Cadillac V-Series.R racecars combined for 335 laps over the two days of on-track activity. Cadillac has won the overall Rolex 24 title four times since the inception of the DPi era.

Sebastien Bourdais, No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R: “We’re all just kind of chasing track conditions a bit and working to figure out what we might need. Today felt great with it being my first time back in the car in 2024. We’ll continue to work toward qualifying tomorrow, working through our programs, and getting everybody up to speed as we get ready for the big one, the Rolex 24 At Daytona.” Scott Dixon, No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R: “These days are interesting because you’re obviously trying to look ahead for the race next week and work with tire allocation. But it’s a lot of fun. We worked through a lot more traffic of course than when we were here in December for the test, but the car was very good. I think it will be pretty good over the long run. The prep has gone well for everybody and we’re just trying to tune in a little bit better as we go.” Tom Blomqvist, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: “Today was kind of an outlier when you look at the forecast what’s in store for us for the race, so with the temperature the car changes. We went through our paces, the normal progression of preparations and not really chasing anything. Qualifying is important and the car is in a good spot, it’s working well. I believe we’re in position to fight for the pole. That is the mini target for now until we get to the main prize next week.”

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 20, 2024) – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials are thrilled to announce a new long-term contract with Sunoco Race Fuels, an industry powerhouse for high-performance racing fuels. Sunoco will continue their exclusive partnership as the “Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, through 2026. As the “Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Sunoco will continue to offer several incentives for racers that follow the national tour – including the Sunoco Road to Wheatland loyalty program. The Sunoco Road to Wheatland program will award a cash bonus to the top 15 drivers in the championship point standings, with perfect attendance, at the Show-Me 100 in May. Sunoco will once again reward drivers that use Sunoco Race Fuels, exclusively, under the “Race for Gas” program. Any driver utilizing Sunoco Race Fuels exclusively will be eligible for cash awards at the year-end awards banquet. The driver that finishes the highest in the Championship points standings using Sunoco Race Fuels exclusively will be crowned the Sunoco Race for Gas Champion and receive a $3,000 cash bonus. Second-place in the Sunoco Race for Gas standings will earn a $2,000 cash bonus, while third place receives $1,000. Sunoco Race Fuels also remains the title sponsor of the North/South 100 weekend, held annually in August, at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky. The event has grown into one of the must attend crown-jewel events of the year, for drivers and fans alike. The Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 pays a whopping $75,000 to win and will have an increase in the total purse of more than $30,000 in 2024.  “Sunoco Race Fuels is proud to extend for another 3 years and our 19th year in partnership with Lucas Oil and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Lucas Oil’s professionalism and innovation has led the way in support of participating drivers and providing our fans with the most competitive and entertaining Late Model racing in the country,” stated Ritchie Lewis, Partnership Sales Manager for Sunoco Race Fuels.  Sunoco Race Fuels has also led the way with our recently introduced DXP fuel providing power and durability over a long season of racing. DXP has been put to the test and fueled the 2023 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Hudson O’Neal. Take the Lead with Sunoco DXP and check it out at https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuels/fuel/dxp. “Sunoco Race Fuels is one of the longest partnerships we have going with the series,19 years. We are very grateful for their continued partnership and their friendship. We look forward to continuing their Official Fuel partnership,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales, and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season will launch with the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks from January 24 to February 10 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Ocala Speedway, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

The Dresden, OH driver scores his 12th career Series win, third straight at Sunshine Nationals

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 20, 2024) – Devin Moran has made Volusia Speedway Park his January home to package Feature wins with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series. 

“The Mailman” delivered for the second year Friday night at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” winning the Series’ season opener and picking up his third straight Sunshine Nationals Feature victory between 2023 and 2024. 

Polesitter Ethan Dotson, defending Series champion Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr. and Moran traded positions in the top five through the first 12 laps of the 35-lap Feature race.  

When the race restarted after the Feature’s only caution flag, Dotson slid back to fifth place while Moran, Thornton, and Pierce kept battling for the lead.  

And while they battled, four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard neared and knocked. The New Berlin, IL driver was on a mission, charging his way through the field from 16th, eager to bring his Longhorn Factory Team car to victory.  

After Moran claimed the lead with 10 laps to go in the Feature, Sheppard began to close in on the Dresden, OH driver, who was driving as hard as he could through the lap traffic in front. 

With that determination, Moran never relinquished the lead and crossed the line to win his first race of 2023.  

“I had to drive really hard,” Moran said. “I was really determined to win tonight. My guys worked really really hard all winter on making our car run really fast and we came out of the box proving it. It was a lot of fun and we zigged where we needed to and zagged when we had to, and life was good.” 

Sheppard came home second in his Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Team #B5 – earning the Fox Factory Hard Charger Award – with a car able to drive well on any lane of the half-mile surface. 

“(The Feature) was crazy honestly,” Sheppard said. “Right off the get-go, I knew I was pretty good as I pulled out alongside of the guys and I was able to roll around them. Throughout the race, I could enter high, exit low and enter low and exit high. I could run the middle, bottom, top wherever I needed to. So, the guys did a phenomenal job for giving me a really good race car there and we could put it where we wanted to.” 

Despite his own mistake of not applying enough helmet tear-offs for the Feature, Thornton was able to hang on for a spot on the podium. 

“I felt like we had a car capable of winning,” Thornton said. “The driver screwed up by not putting enough tear-offs on. I couldn’t see the second half of the race, but it is what it is. My own fault. The car was really good, the track turned out better than I thought than I think a lot of us thought it was going to. Hopefully (Volusia) will be racey again tomorrow and see what we got.” 

Oakwood, IL’s Pierce – who started the night by winning the Simpson Quick Time Award and broke the Volusia Speedway Park track record with a lap time of 15.100 seconds – finished fourth after getting caught behind lap traffic – eliminating his chances for a podium. Last year’s DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion Tim McCreadie rounded out the night’s top five finishers. 

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models go at one last time on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the fifth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals. The Feature will be 40 laps, and $15,000-to-win. For tickets to Saturday, CLICK HERE. 

If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch every World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model race live on DIRTVision. 

CASE Late Model Feature (35 Laps): 1. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[16]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 4. 32-Bobby Pierce[2]; 5. 39-Tim McCreadie[12]; 6. 174-Ethan Dotson[1]; 7. 17M-Dale McDowell[4]; 8. 97-Cade Dillard[11]; 9. 111-Max Blair[8]; 10. 44-Chris Madden[10]; 11. 9-Nick Hoffman[15]; 12. 16-Tyler Bruening[14]; 13. 1-Hudson O’Neal[19]; 14. 19R-Ryan Gustin[13]; 15. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[26]; 16. 10-Garrett Smith[17]; 17. 18D-Daulton Wilson[7]; 18. 99B-Boom Briggs[20]; 19. 5-Mark Whitener[24]; 20. 40B-Kyle Bronson[25]; 21. 89-Mike Spatola[9]; 22. 19-Dustin Sorensen[21]; 23. 97C-Cody Overton[27]; 24. B1-Brent Larson[28]; 25. 30-Todd Cooney[29]; 26. 20-Jimmy Owens[22]; 27. 14W-Dustin Walker[30]; 28. 7-Drake Troutman[23]; 29. 157-Mike Marlar[3]; 30. 3S-Brian Shirley[18] 

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 19, 2024) – The DIRTcar Pro / Crate Racin’ USA (CRUSA) 604 Late Model division packed the Volusia Speedway Park pits with nearly 70 Chevrolet Performance Crate engine-powered machines Friday night and put on four entertaining Qualifying Features as part of the fifth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

In the end, Dillon Brown, Richie Stephens, Austin Yarbrough and Brock Pinkerous emerged victorious and will head into Saturday’s finale with momentum as they chase the $10,000 grand prize in the 30-lap Feature.

Qualifying Feature #1 – Dillon Brown

A multi-time World Short Track Championship winner in Charlotte. A multi-time Crate Racin’ USA Feature winner. And now, Dillon Brown is a DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals Feature winner.

Brown, 31, of Gaffney, SC, made the trip to Volusia for the inaugural running of Sunshine Nationals in 2020 but did not get the results he was looking for. He returned to the half-mile oval this week and immediately got what he was looking for, leading all 20 laps of the first Pro Late Model Qualifying Feature.

While he controlled the race from start to finish, Brown’s lead of over 3.5 seconds nearly evaporated in the closing stages after he caught lapped traffic.

“When I caught those guys, the car that I was gonna lap – he pulled to the bottom down the front straightaway like he was going to give me the top,” Brown said. “But when I arrived at the corner, he wanted the top again. It’s the dirty air running so fast here.

“The racetrack was just so narrow that when he moved across me, the air just moved my nose and up the racetrack I went, and I really thought I was in trouble. If I didn’t have that lead, I would’ve been in trouble.”

Fortunately, Brown had the racer’s instinct and devised a plan to stay out front, even with the traffic in front of him.

“I was in control of the race and I decided to stay in control of my pace,” Brown said. “Just do a really good job of pacing myself from the lapped car [in front of me] to those guys [behind me]. When my sticks would get two car [lengths], I’d catch the lapped car two cars. When my sticks got four cars, I’d catch back up to those guys. So, I just kept pacing myself.”

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 6-Dillon Brown[1]; 2. 18-David Showers Jr[4]; 3. 4-Rye Faulk[2]; 4. 16-Caleb Gay[3]; 5. 17-Rob Pitcher[7]; 6. 119-Joe Belkey[8]; 7. 23-Cory Hedgecock[9]; 8. 35-Christian Augspurger[11]; 9. 18B-Mark Fleischer[16]; 10. 47E-Thomas Earl III[10]; 11. 9-Nick Johnson[13]; 12. 87C-Jarrod Carey[14]; 13. 39-Jake Rainey[17]; 14. 26-Derrick McGrew Jr[18]; 15. 11-Daniel Dial[15]; 16. (DNF) 7-Corey Neil Jr[5]; 17. (DNF) 1G-Ross Bailes[12]; 18. (DNF) 5R-Lucas Ruark[6]

Qualifying Feature #2 – Richie Stephens

As a past Sunshine Nationals entrant, Richie Stephens has made laps around Volusia before, and made his best ones Friday night en route to his first career Sunshine Nationals win at the half-mile oval.

The 41-year-old from Phenix City, AL, started on the pole and took over the top spot after Lap 1 leader Mark Whitener suffered mechanical failure only eight laps in. From there, Stephens held on, fending off pressure from Cole Exum and Matt Henderson in the final green-flag stretch to secure the win.

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 00-Richie Stephens[1]; 2. 86-Cole Exum[4]; 3. 22-Matt Henderson[8]; 4. 18I-Clay Harris[7]; 5. 74-Jason Garver[12]; 6. 5-Dustin Carter[9]; 7. 39W-Brandon Wells[11]; 8. 515-Bubba Roling[5]; 9. 42-Steven Stratton Sr[15]; 10. 21X-Ryan French[16]; 11. 30-Steven Stratton JR[10]; 12. 31B-Brad Seagle[17]; 13. 5W-Mark Whitener[2]; 14. 31M-Tyler Millwood[3]; 15. 14-AJ Miller[13]; 16. C4-Freddie Carpenter[6]; 17. (DNS) 29S-Cameron Saunders

Qualifying Feature #3 – Austin Yarbrough

One year ago, Austin Yarbrough scored his first career Feature win in a Pro Late Model at the Sunshine Nationals. Fast forward to Friday night, and he does it again – this time, in thrilling fashion.

New track record holder Nevin Gainey appeared to have the field covered through the first half of the 20-lap event, maintaining a strong gap over Yarbrough, until a caution was thrown with 13 laps complete. Before the ensuing restart, that’s when Yarbrough devised his plan to go for the lead.

“The long caution really helped me get the top packed-in, and that was my only shot to beat [Gainey] – for him to get tight on the bottom and me pass him on the outside,” Yarbrough said. “That caution really played into our favor. He didn’t know that the top was going to be better.”

Yarbrough pinned the throttle at the drop of the green and took the high side into Turns 3-4 while Gainey stuck to the bottom. Charged with the high-side momentum, Yarbrough zoomed past Gainey to his outside and took the lead down the front-stretch. From there, Yarbrough held the field off for his second career victory at Volusia.

“I felt like my car was really good on long runs; [Gainey’s] would just fire-off really good,” Yarbrough said. “Honestly, I didn’t think the outside was gonna work. I tried it just because it was so packed-in. I tried and we were able to get out of here with a win.”

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 127-Austin Yarbrough[2]; 2. 17G-Nevin Gainey[1]; 3. 08-Joey Love[3]; 4. 111-Demetrios Drellos[4]; 5. 2-Zack Carley[7]; 6. 21-Mario Gresham[12]; 7. 12-Johnny Collins[8]; 8. 20-Owen Osteen[6]; 9. 54T-Tuck Trentham[9]; 10. 66-Jody Knowles[16]; 11. 47-Dean Abbey[10]; 12. K7-Keaton Smith[14]; 13. 38-Nick Love[15]; 14. 71C-Davy Cline[13]; 15. (DNF) 80-Ben Scott[11]; 16. (DNF) 07B-Bailey Cardwell[5]; 17. (DNF) 1A-Ricky Haugen[17]

Qualifying Feature #4 – Brock Pinkerous

At only 13 years of age, Brock Pinkerous has already made his first mark on Volusia Speedway Park history, winning the fourth and final Pro Late Model Feature.

The teenage racer traveled from his home in Ellenville, NY, to get a taste of the sunshine and found it in his first Feature event, leading all 20 laps en route to his first CRUSA Feature win.

He took the lead at the drop of the green from third on the starting grid after polesitter Will Roland jumped to the high side in Turn 1, opening the door for Pinkerous to shoot into the lead underneath him.

From there, Pinkerous played defense, holding off big pressure from Roland and fellow Southeast Crate Late Model standout Riley Hickman the rest of the distance to secure the win.

“I knew they were back there, and I knew I was pulling away,” Pinkerous said. “When I caught the grip, I could hear them getting close. Other than that, yeah, they were on me a bit, but I wasn’t too worried.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous[3]; 2. 22R-Will Roland[1]; 3. 17H-Riley Hickman[5]; 4. 2L-Trynt Lloyd[10]; 5. 31-Lincoln Smith[6]; 6. 17J-John Winge[4]; 7. 131-Matt Herlong[9]; 8. 721-Ivedent Lloyd[11]; 9. K37-Drew Kennedy[12]; 10. 9C-Ches Chester[8]; 11. C10-Carl Currin[13]; 12. 73-Larry Fitzsimmons[16]; 13. 89-Von Casey[14]; 14. (DNF) 96-Josh Vinyard[15]; 15. (DNF) 44P-Kole Platt[7]; 16. (DNF) KB1-Kerry King[2]; 17. (DNF) 7S-Brian Smith[17]

UP NEXT

The Pro/604 Late Models return to Volusia for the Sunshine Nationals finale on Saturday, Jan. 20, with a $10,000 grand prize on the line for the winner of the 30-lap main event.

Tickets for this event are on sale at WorldofOutlaws.com and will be on sale at the gate on race day. Can’t be at the track? Stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

Nevin Gainey, Chaz Haskins Earn DIRTcar 602 Late Model Qualifying Feature Wins at Sunshine Nationals

Twenty drivers are locked into Saturday’s $3,000-to-win Finale

Chaz Haskins and Nevin Gainey gained valuable momentum during Friday’s portion of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, earning wins in the two 602 Late Model Qualifying Features.

Each earned $1,000 for their victories and can raise another trophy on Saturday night.

Here’s what happened in Friday’s Features:

602 Late Model Qualifying Feature 1

After four years of trying, Chaz Haskins finally punched his ticket into Sunshine Nationals Victory Lane.

The Gray, GA driver saw an opportunity on a Lap 6 restart, diving under Pierce McCarter in Turns 3 and 4 and taking the lead on the front stretch to score his first Volusia Speedway Park win.

McCarter led the field to the green flag, pulling away from Chase Giddens on Lap 1. Meanwhile, Haskins climbed toward the front, moving into third on Lap 2.

After two cautions slowed the field, Haskins saw his opportunity on a Lap 6 restart. He followed McCarter into Turn 3, and when the #71 slid up the racetrack, Haskins dove under McCarter—the two making contact as they exited Turn 4.

Haskins pulled ahead down the front stretch, taking the lead as they reached Turn 1. McCarter tried to reclaim the position but lost second to Mario Gresham as they drove down the backstretch.

Gresham couldn’t get any closer to Haskins, who held on to score the $1,000 prize.

Haskins said he knew he had to strike when the opportunity presented itself.

“That was my only chance,” Haskins said. “My car was better (on the bottom); I couldn’t really turn down there in the slick. I moved down there earlier in the race and figured out that’s where I had to run.

“My car was pretty good, and he left the door open on that start, and I got in there, and luckily, we gave each other room, and I was able to hold him off.”

Gresham, who had never raced at Volusia before Friday’s Feature, finished second. Like Haskins, he saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.

“They were racing pretty hard for the lead,” Gresham said. “I wasn’t sure which way they were going, and for a minute there, I thought they were going to wreck. But they gathered it up, stayed clean, and held on.”

McCarter settled for third, holding off a late race challenge from Nick Johnson for the final podium spot. The Pigeon Forge, TN driver said his car bottomed out, leading to handling issues while he was leading.

“I’ve never really raced here except for one other time,” McCarter said. “On that restart, my car bottomed out, and it bent the skid plate and folded it underneath. So, I started getting tight in the center and had to move up to where I could turn the car, rotate it, and finish on the bottom.

“On the restart, I went in too low, got a little shove, and left him too much room. It was racing. I made a mistake and didn’t stay on the bottom, but I won’t make that mistake [Saturday].”

Johnson finished fourth, while Koulten Herbert rounded out the top five.

602 Late Model Qualifying Feature 2

Nevin Gainey took advantage of his pole position, leading every lap to win the second 602 Late Model Qualifying Feature.

The Ft. White, FL driver led the field to the green in the 15-lap event, gaining a 1/4-straightaway advantage over Joshua Byrd as the field thundered down the backstretch. That was all he needed as even with three yellow flags slowing the race, he went unchallenged to earn the $1,000 prize.

But while dominating the race, he wasn’t set up for Volusia’s slick conditions at the night’s end.

“This Kryptonite by Club 17 is pretty badass, man,” Gainey said. “We were set up for the hammer-down grip type of situation. At the end, it was starting to blow off some, and I was getting tighter. But we were able to overcome it, keep it hooked on the bottom, and pull out a win.”

Taylor Cole crossed the line second, after starting fourth. The Cartersville, GA driver fell back to third before retaking the spot from Chase Blackwell on a Lap 11 restart.

“I was pretty happy that it got slick,” Cole said. “In Qualifying, it was pretty fast, and I’m usually not the best at that. But it blew off, and all the guys up front raced me clean. That’s hard to ask for sometimes.

“The car was good. A little bit free. But it was the first time I’ve ever raced here so I’m not going to complain about second.”

Blackwell finished third, after climbing as high as second midway through the race. He said he made a mistake but hoped to learn from it before Saturday’s finale.

“This is only our second time here, and first time in this car,” Blackwell said. “I felt like I had second, but the driver slipped up a little bit. Maybe we can work on it a little bit and get it ready for Saturday.”

Bubba Roling finished fourth after starting 12th, and Michael Courtney rounded out the top five.

The DIRTcar 602 Late Models return to Volusia Speedway Park on Saturday, Jan. 20, for the Sunshine Nationals finale. Drivers will battle in a 20-lap, $3,000-to-win Feature. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 107Z-Chaz Haskins[6]; 2. 21-Mario Gresham[4]; 3. 71-Pierce McCarter[1]; 4. 109-Nick Johnson[11]; 5. 611-Koulten Herbert[9]; 6. 53-Brandon Yates[7]; 7. 8-Zack Owens[10]; 8. 12C-Chase Giddens[2]; 9. 131-Matt Herlong[19]; 10. 11S-Quentin Steedley[13]; 11. 27-Tim Ryan[8]; 12. 71C-Davy Cline[21]; 13. 14S-Brian Scott[17]; 14. 6C-Brian Carter[18]; 15. (DNF) 118-David Showers Jr[12]; 16. (DNF) 25-Chason Beasley[5]; 17. (DNF) 17SR-Brody Smith[3]; 18. (DNF) C4-Devin Whatley[15]; 19. (DNF) 51H-Harley Hughes[20]; 20. (DNF) 94-Holden Allen[14]; 21. (DNS) 11-JR Gray

Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 15-Nevin Gainey[1]; 2. 66-Taylor Cole[4]; 3. 6-Chase Blackwell[3]; 4. 515-Bubba Roling[12]; 5. 19-Michael Courtney[6]; 6. 17-Zach Blackwell[9]; 7. 28L-Austin Leamon[11]; 8. 5-Curtis Thomas[10]; 9. 9-Dalton Peavy[5]; 10. 27G-Matt Grable[13]; 11. 31-Donnie Birdwell[16]; 12. 3K-Kale VanSickle[18]; 13. 17F-Johnny Faucett[15]; 14. 59E-Allen Edwards[7]; 15. 44-Billy Rodriguez[20]; 16. 1J-Jason Papp[8]; 17. 2B-Robert Brynteson[19]; 18. 3C-Cale Gilbert[21]; 19. (DNF) 42-Joshua Byrd[2]; 20. (DNF) 01-Josh Lanford[14]; 21. (DNF) 1T-Tanner Thomas[17]

Following first official on-track action for Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Roar Before the 24 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 19, 2024) – The full complement of four Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecars hit the track together for the first time Friday – the opening day of the annual Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway. The three-day Roar is a lead-in to next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona and the start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. A pair of Friday sessions and another three Saturday will lead into Sunday’s 15-minute qualifying session for the two classes in the GT categories – GTD (GT Daytona) PRO and GTD. Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD PRO and new Corvette team AWA in GTD are running the Z06 GT3.Rs full-time in IMSA with the Rolex 24 serving as the new Corvette’s worldwide competition debut.

Factory driver Nico Varrone was the quickest Z06 GT3.R driver Friday in the AWA No. 17 Corvette at 1:46.925 (119.859 mph) to rank fourth on the day among the 23 cars in GTD. The 2023 GTE Am champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Corvette Racing, Varrone also won the Rolex 24 a year ago in the LMP3 class with current teammates Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill. They’re joined this year by Charlie Eastwood. Varrone’s best time came in Friday morning’s session. AWA teammate Matt Bell was ninth in class in the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R and only 0.157 seconds off the sister car with a lap of 1:47.082 (119.684 mph) in the afternoon session.

In GTD PRO, Alexander Sims was fifth quickest in GTD PRO on Friday for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports. His best lap of 1:46.971 (119.808 mph) in the No. 3 Oshkosh/Mobil 1 Corvette Z06 GT3.R during the second session put him less than a half-second off the quickest time in class. Nicky Catsburg was only 0.037 seconds behind his teammate in the No. 4 Oshkosh/Mobil 1 Z06 GT3.R. His best lap was a 1:47.008 (119.776 mph), also from the afternoon. The Roar Before the 24 continues Saturday with Sunday’s GTD PRO and GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:55 ET p.m. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Roar Before the 24 as well as next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS FRIDAY DRIVER QUOTES

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “This was a useful day. It’s been pretty smooth running where we’ve been able to make quite a few changes and get a good read on them. For me personally, each time I’ve gotten into the car it’s taken a little bit of time to adjust to the ABS again. But it’s nice to get a couple of runs into that zone. We’re working with the team, working through changes. The base setup feels pretty nice and predictable. It’s not killing the tires, and degradation seems OK at the moment. It drives like a Corvette!”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It honestly was a nice day. We started at a certain baseline point and worked our way up to a better feeling car. Honestly, I feel like we still need some additional time, but it already feels like a good starting position. Today was nice. It was kind of nice to get some laps in and get ready for the race. I feel like we now need to work on some of the basics – driver changes, pulling away, stuff like that. But overall I was quite pleased.”

AWA FRIDAY DRIVER QUOTE

NICO VARRONE, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I feel like it was a nice day. First day of the Roar, first official practice. It was really nice to see all the Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs on track all together. In Practice 1, I think I nailed a good lap and that’s why we were near the top. There are still some things we need to work on, and we are working for tomorrow and for sure for the race. Over the lap it was quick, but you never know until it’s race day or at race time. In my opinion, there is a lot to work on. We still need to find traction. That was our biggest issue, and on a long run we were struggling quite a bit. All in all, it was good to get in the car and good to get some feeling back again. I’m looking forward to more practice tomorrow and be ready to keep improving.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. Up until last year’s LMP2 finish, it was the closest finish in race history• 1: Rolex 24 class win for AWA; the team won in LMP3 in 2023. Current team drivers Nico Varrone, Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill were part of that lineup• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort• 4: Number of Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 Rolex 24 – two from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO) and two from AWA (GTD)• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing as an entrant: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)• 9: Corvette/General Motors factory drivers piloting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this year’s race: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller) plus Charlie Eastwood, Nico Varrone and Alex Lynn (AWA). Bamber and Lynn also are Cadillac Racing factory drivers in FIA WEC• 14: IMSA Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC• 284: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 99,600: Total number of racing laps completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Barring any issues, the program will go over the 100,00-lap mark at the Rolex 24 of Daytona• 361,990.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles Corvette Racing at Daytona (wins in bold)1999No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS 2001No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS 2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole) 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM 2020 (Rolex 24 – January)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM 2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRONo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO 2023No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTD PRO

Reigning GTP champion sets the pace on first day of the Roar Before the 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 19, 2024) – A productive opening day of the Roar Before the 24 for Cadillac Racing was punctuated by the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R recording the best lap time of the two sessions on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway. Reigning IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) champion Pipo Derani set the pace at 1 minute, 35.217 seconds with 12:30 left in the 90-minute session.

Teammates Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist also saw significant seat time in the hybrid racecar. “It’s getting back into the rhythm,” Derani said “You’ve got to be on your toes. It was a good day, but still you’ve got to keep digging. It’s great to be back. I think the three of us are running fairly similar and want the same thing from the car. We still have our program to go through, and we are ticking those boxes, and hopefully we’ll be as ready as we can for the race week.”  The prelude to the Jan. 27-28 season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona includes three sessions Saturday and a warmup Sunday before the 15-minute GTP qualifying that will set the field for the twice-around-the-clock test.  Ten hybrid GTP racecars are entered in the 62nd edition of the endurance classic.

Media resources* Notes, factoids and more* Rolex 24 driver bios* About the Cadillac V-Series.R* Full results since 2017* Cadillac 2023 results Overall wins since 20172020 (Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Kamui Kobayashi)2019 (Renger van der Zande, Fernando Alonso; Jordan Taylor, Kamui Kobayashi)2018 (Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa)2017 (Jeff Gordon, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli)

The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon and Alex Palou was sixth quick in the second session at 1:36.160 as Palou – the reigning INDYCAR champion – took the lion’s share of the laps. He rejoins the stellar lineup after co-driving for the Chip Ganassi Racing-run team in 2022 at the Rolex 24. The roster features drivers who have combined for 12 INDYCAR championships.

“First time with the GTP and it was a really good day. It was a ton of fun,” Palou said. “I had to learn all of the controls and learn how the car drives with the differences between GTP, DPi and also INDYCAR. We ran a lot of laps and found a few things that can help with the race. We did a long run in the afternoon and also worked on running in traffic. It’s going to be a great weekend.” Cadillac has won the overall Rolex 24 title four times since the inception of the DPi era. Van der Zande is a two-time winner (2019, 2020) with Cadillac Racing, while third-year teammate Bourdais is also a double winner (2014, 2017). Blomqvist, endurance driver for the championship-winning No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, has won the Rolex 24 the past two years. Qualifying Jan. 21 will be streamed on Peacock and IMSA.com beginning at 1:55 p.m. ET.

Cadillac Racing Roar Before The Rolex 24 roster

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R: Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon, Alex PalouVan der Zande and Bourdais are in their third season as teammates for the full IMSA Grand Touring Prototype season. They won the IMSA GTP race at Laguna Seca in May 2023 and teamed with six-time INDYCAR champion Dixon to place third in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and runner-up in the season-concluding Petit Le Mans. The trio also finished fourth overall in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. … Bourdais, van der Zande and Dixon are Cadillac Racing teammates for the Rolex 24 for the third consecutive year. … In 2022, van der Zande and Bourdais co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to three victories — at Long Beach, at Belle Isle and at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park — starting from the pole in the former two. … Laguna Seca 2023 was the 19th IMSA victory for van der Zande and 11th for Bourdais. … Bourdais is a four-time INDYCAR champion. … van der Zande is in his 11th season of IMSA competition. … Palou is the reigning and two-time INDYCAR champion. He teamed with the stellar trio in 2022 for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In total, the lineup represents 12 IndyCar championships.No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R: Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Tom BlomqvistDerani is reigning and two-time IMSA Driver champion. He teamed with Aitken and Alexander Sims to win the 2023 Michelin IMSA Endurance Championship. … The trio co-drove to victory March 18 in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. The No. 31 Cadillac started from the pole. Also earned pole at Road America. … They also placed 10th in the Hypercar class in the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans. … Derani is in his sixth season with Action Express and Cadillac Racing. … Derani, who has four overall wins at Sebring, has 12 IMSA wins and eight poles. … Aitken, a Williams F1 reserve driver in 2020-22, moves to full-season driver in 2024. … Blomqvist, the 2022 IMSA DPi Driver champion, won the 2023 and 2022 overall Rolex 24 titles and drove to 2023 pole start. … He will compete in endurance races for the team in addition to a full-time INDYCAR schedule. … Action Express Racing has earned IMSA Team and Driver Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023 as well as securing the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023 Endurance Championships titles.

Schuchart set to help Elijah Gile before beginning World of Outlaws title huntBARBERVILLE, FL (January 19, 2024) – Most know Logan Schuchart for his talents behind the wheel with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars. But the Shark Racing driver is trading the steering wheel for the wrenches next week.Before his 11th season with The Greatest Show on Dirt gets rolling, Schuchart has linked with Elijah Gile to offer guidance and setup help for the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout. The three-night event is slated for Jan. 25-27 at Volusia Speedway Park and boasts the largest purse in United Sprint Car Series (USCS) history.The opportunity comes via Elijah’s father – Dennis Gile – and his newly launched Racecraft brand that allows aspiring drivers to learn from professionals through a variety of avenues. Dennis is a former NFL quarterback that has coached some of football’s top talents and aims to bring a similar method of training to his first love – dirt track racing.“I’m going to go down and help maybe guide them and point them in the right direction,” Schuchart explained. “If they want some help or an opinion on certain things, hopefully I can help or lend a hand. I got to watch Chili Bowl a good bit, and I got to watch Elijah there. With what Dennis is trying to do with Racecraft, I think it’s a really cool thing and a way that myself and other drivers can kind of give back and help the next upcoming generation.”With Schuchart acting as mentor, it’s a chance for Dennis to just be “dad” and watch Elijah learn from a professional in the sport.“That’s going to be pretty awesome to kind of step back as a dad,” Dennis Gile said. “To be able to sit back and watch someone like [Schuchart] with that much, not only ability of how to drive a race car, but knowledge of how to set it up, where to run on the track, how to set people up to pass them. He’s kind of the complete package when you talk about a complete athlete. He doesn’t only have the athleticism; he has the mindset and the knowledge as well.“Learning from someone like Logan, like Elijah has, gives him some sort of comfort that when he tells him to do it that he can go out there and do it because he’s seen that guy do that before.”The experience won’t be entirely new for Schuchart. The 41-time Feature winner with World of Outlaws often calls the shots on his Drydene/Duramax #1S. His mechanical inclination stemmed from his grandfather – the legendary Bobby Allen – and now Schuchart finds himself as a respected veteran with an opportunity to help the next generation.“Part of it’s kind of weird to me because I feel still fairly young and that I haven’t been around that long, but at the same time I know that I have. I’ve been around the sport for a bit,” Schuchart said. “I still feel like I’m learning every day. I feel like I learn something every time I go to the racetrack and continue to get better. But it’s also very rewarding and feels very good that certain people, especially up and coming racers, can look at me and feel like they can use my guidance as a way to help them improve.”It’s never too early to start thinking about the future. And that’s another motivating factor in Schuchart offering help to Gile. The 31-year-old is many years away from hanging up the driver’s suit, but that doesn’t mean he can’t begin the earliest preparations for life after the steering wheel. He’s a competitor. And he expects that competitive drive to always follow him. Right now, that drive has him focused on becoming a World of Outlaws champion in 2024 and will continue to fuel him as a driver for the foreseeable future. And that quest begins two weeks after the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout when The Greatest Show on Dirt heads to Volusia for the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 7-10).“It’s something I’ve thought about. At some point in time, I’m not going to be racing anymore, so I’ve thought about what I’m going to be doing after racing,” Schuchart said. “It’s definitely something I could see myself doing. It’s still competing in a way, just maybe not from the driver’s seat. And it’s not something I plan on doing for a long, long time. But at some point in time, maybe that opportunity is there and will work itself out.”For tickets to watch Schuchart help Gile at the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, CLICK HERE. For tickets to the World of Outlaws season-opener at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap of both events live on DIRTVision.

CONCORD, NC (Jan. 19, 2024) – After several seasons cutting his teeth in the Micro Sprint ranks, Ashton Torgerson is taking the next step in his career, joining the chase for the 2024 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota championship.

The 17-year-old from Glendale, AZ, has partnered with team owners Jay Mounce and Gavin Stout of Mounce/Stout Motorsports to pilot the Eibach Springs, Safety-Kleen, Spike/Stanton #02 in his first national Midget series season.

“I’ve been watching all the races and always see [Mounce/Stout] cars up front,” Torgerson said. “I’ve got no reason not to win with these guys behind me and the equipment that I have. I’m super pumped to have them.”

Torgerson brings a wealth of open-wheel racing experience to the table as a former full-time Micro Sprint racer, claiming multiple track championships on the ovals of California in both the Winged and Non-Wing divisions. Last year, he dipped into Winged 360 Sprint Car racing, making over 35 starts at tracks in Washington, Oregon and California, and scored two Feature wins in the Torgerson Racing #02 – one at Southern Oregon Speedway and another at Placerville Speedway.

His biggest career accomplishment came nearly three weeks ago when he scored the win in the Restricted ‘A’ Class division at the Tulsa Shootout, bringing his name into the spotlight of Micro Sprint racing as he prepared for his second Chili Bowl Nationals appearance two weeks later.

Torgerson suited up for Mounce/Stout for the first time inside the SageNet Center and garnered his best results in the marquee Midget event, finishing 11th in his Prelim Feature Thursday night before falling shy of a transfer spot in a C-Main on Saturday. Still, he ranked in the top half of the 350-plus car field and showed great potential to compete with the best in the sport.

“I feel like Midgets are the most fun thing I’ve driven so far,” Torgerson said. “I feel like if I can get good in these, maybe it’ll help me out everywhere else.”

Torgerson’s also made two previous starts with the Xtreme Outlaw Series. He teamed with former Chili Bowl Nationals champion Tanner Thorson for two races last year in Kansas and saw success right from the start, leading the first 21 laps of the Toyota Racing Feature at Humboldt Speedway before recording his first podium finish with a third-place finish.

“I just hopped in with Thorson last year and we were running up front pretty much both nights,” Torgerson said. “I know me and Jay can be up front every night, we’ve just gotta be smart and have luck go our way.”

Torgerson and Mounce/Stout will make their national Midget series debut together in the 2024 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota season opener inside the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, IL, as part of a two-day program – Friday-Saturday, March 15-16.

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

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 18, 2024) – Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural Silver Dollar Short Track, Round 5 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The world’s elite dirt track motorcycle racers will make their first-ever appearance at the historic Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, on Saturday, May 4. The high-banked, 1/4-mile clay oval is no stranger to big names and big-time events, however. In fact, the six-decade old venue made such an impression on auto racing superstars Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet in their formative years, that the Northern California natives joined forces to become the track’s co-promoters in 2021. The duo, along with business partner Colby Copeland (together SLC Promotions), will also serve as co-promoters of the series’ maiden race alongside Progressive American Flat Track. The Progressive AFT round is destined to stand tall alongside the track’s history with the Grand National Championship arriving in full swing. The stop at Silver Dollar Speedway will mark the fourth close-quarters Short Track showdown in the season’s opening five races, virtually guaranteeing an intense night of racing as Mission SuperTwins aces Jared Mees, Dallas Daniels, Briar Bauman, Davis Fisher, Brandon Robinson, and the remainder of the stacked premier-class field due battle in tight confines. It’ll be a similar story – albeit with arguably even more potential winners – in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class. Reigning champion Kody Kopp will look to repeat his early-season ST heroics of a year ago, but the likes of Tom Drane, Chase Saathoff, and Trent Lowe will do everything in their power to prevent three-peat on Kopp’s part. There will be plenty to keep fans entertained off the track as well, including numerous vendors, a wide selection of food & beverage options, music via DJ, and designated motorcycle parking. “SLC promotions is extremely excited to add AFT Motorcycles to our schedule,” said Brad Sweet, Partner at SLC Promotions. “It will be great to experience a completely new fan base and showcase Silver Dollar Speedway on such a huge stage.”  General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free), while Reserved Grandstand tickets are $40 (all ages), Trackside Box tickets are $60 (all ages), and Pit Grandstand tickets offer premium viewing experiences for $70 (all ages). Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/silver-dollar-short-track-89147 to reserve your seats today.

The three-day event will see the World of Outlaws part of a massive weekend with fireworks and a live concert, July 4-6

SPRING VALLEY, MN (Jan. 18, 2024) – Looking to elevate the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway into a destination event during July Fourth weekend, fans will be treated to a live concert from country music artist Dylan Scott after Friday’s races.

The three-day event, boasting a $248,000 overall Feature purse, will showcase the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series all three nights (July 4-6), along with fireworks Thursday night (for July Fourth) and the Dylan Scott concert Friday night. The weekend will conclude with Saturday’s massive $50,000-to-win World of Outlaws Feature.

“Mike (Sorensen, co-owner of Deer Creek) and I were talking and trying to figure out with the Fourth of July weekend, how to make this a destination event for the holiday weekend,” said Cole Queensland, who co-owns Deer Creek with Sorensen. “How do we build this thing, grow this thing? Just do something different in the racing world. At the end of the day, we got looking at it, seeing the possibilities out there, we see this as an opportunity of making it that destination, making it an event everyone wants to go to year-in, year-out, with fireworks on a Thursday night, a large concert on Friday night and the $50,000 to win finale Saturday night.”

Scott, who has more than 6.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, is also an avid dirt racing fan, having helped promote various races. With his passion for the sport and experience in the concert industry, Queensland said it’s created a perfect partnership.

“He was the first one that popped up (when looking for an artist) and he thought it was a great idea himself,” Queensland said. “He’s somebody we could bounce [ideas] off, ‘Hey, Dylan, what do you think of this idea?’ He thought it was great too, and how we can cross promote it with the racing world and the country music world, bringing both markets together on one night could be really unique. We feel very beneficial with Dylan, being the big race fan that he is, and a concert is new to us. We can learn a lot from Dylan in that aspect as well.”

For Queensland, he wants the concert to lay a foundation and set the standard for mixing concerts with racing. The stage will be preassembled before the night and the band will sound check in the afternoon. Once the final checkered flag drops Friday night, Scott’s team will get to work with readying the equipment and Queensland said the concert should be able to start minutes after Victory Lane ceremonies are complete.

And to further benefit fans, Friday night’s ticket lets you see the race and the concert.

“We think that’s the unique thing too, being able to get new people, get a new market out to the speedway, you know, some of the younger generation and some different demographics and promote to them the racing product,” Queensland added. “The ticket is one ticket. Your race ticket is your concert ticket, and your concert ticket is your race ticket. We want this to be some affordable fun.”

The World of Outlaws returned to Deer Creek Speedway for the first time since 2019 last year for a one-day event – won by 2023 Series champion Bobby Pierce. This year, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet return for three nights during the mid-point of the year-long championship battle to compete in the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 – co-promoted by the Blooming Prairie Lions.

Thursday and Friday’s Features will pay $7,000 to win, and Saturday’s finale will pay $50,000 to the victor – the first $50,000 check of the season.

“The Gopher 50 has always been a prestigious Late Model event, and what Cole and Mike are doing with it this year by having the fireworks show on Thursday, bringing in Dylan Scott and presenting a substantial purse will not only take it to the next level, but also help elevate Late Model racing,” said Steve Francis, Word of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series Director. “I’m excited to bring the World of Outlaws back to the event and help build the Gopher 50 into a new destination for all race fans.”

With the addition of the concert, Deer Creek will follow a trend that national, and global, racing series like Formula 1, INDYCAR and NASCAR have turned to, to reach a wider audience. It’s also a trend Queensland said he hopes continues.

“I do see this as hopefully a future trend in the sport a little bit,” he said. “As we look, what’s the next big thing? Or what can we do to grow the event, take it to the next level? That’s a hard question to ask. You see all these big races come and go. You see more money being put into the purse. You see less money. At the end of the day, we try to look outside the box. You know, what can we do that is completely different, and that we haven’t really seen be done to build and grow this event, and ultimately make it a destination event.”

Tickets to the Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway, July 4-6, are now on sale at DeerCreekSpeedway.com. General admission will be $40 Thursday and Friday, and $45 on Saturday. For reserved seats, tickets will be $45 on Thursday and Friday and $50 on Saturday.

For more information about the event, CLICK HERE.

An All-Star field of 19 Outlaws begin to chase destiny at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 18-20, 2024 

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 18, 2024 –

The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series is set to enter 2024 at Volusia Speedway Park’s Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 18-20, with a stout roster of 19 drivers. 

Joining the World of Outlaws this season includes the likes of returning champions, the winningest driver in Series history, seasoned veterans, and six talented rookies.

Here’s a look at who currently make up the 2024 roster:

Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL

A successful first full-time season in the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models has Kyle Bronson returning to the Series with changes to look forward to. 

In Bronson’s first full year with the World of Outlaws in 2023, he scored a win at Tri-City Speedway, and earned 11 top fives and 24 top 10s, en route to a fourth-place finish in the standings.

The Florida native enters Volusia looking for his fourth Series win behind the wheel of his new Longhorn Chassis #40B.

Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA

Poised for a comeback to the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, Tyler Bruening and his Skyline Motorsports #16 will chase a championship in 2024.

The 2021 Rookie of the Year earned a career-high third place in the final standings that year, the highest finish for a rookie before Tanner English finished second in points in 2022.

Driving the Skyline Motorsports #16, Bruening hopes to gain his first career Series win and a championship beginning at Volusia.

Tristan Chamberlain | Richmond, IN

Tristan Chamberlain, 16, begins his dream of racing with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models this year, driving Holly and Wayne Gibson’s #20TC Longhorn Chassis powered by Spec Racing Engines. 

The Richmond, IN driver will have his family’s support, with his father, Duane, as crew chief, and his mother and sister selling the team’s merchandise.

He’s had experience racing against the best drivers in dirt Late Model racing, placing 18th in the World 100 at Eldora last year and winning the event’s Rookie of the Year award.

Todd Cooney | Des Moines, IA

Todd Cooney begins his sophomore season with the World of Outlaws with a new look, as his team expands to two cars with Ryan Gustin joining as his teammate.

With 2024 expected to be the end of Cooney’s career as a driver, the competitive fire has not withered away from the driver of the #30.

Along with Gustin joining his team, the Des Moines, IA driver is looking to enjoy the ride while building for the future.

Cade Dillard | Robeline, LA

Primed for year-five, Cade Dillard returns for the 2024 World of Outlaws CASE Late Models to chase new heights with his #97 Longhorn Chassis.

In 2023, Dillard finished ninth in the standings, along with two top fives and 17 top 10s. 

To begin 2024, the Robeline, LA driver won the first Feature of the Wild West Shootout, giving “The Thriller” newfound momentum as he heads toward the Sunshine State.

Dennis Erb Jr. | 2022 Series Champion | Carpentersville, IL

Racing for a sixth season with the Series, Dennis Erb Jr is ready for a chance at a second championship in 2024.

Last year saw Erb earn a Feature win at 81 Speedway, eight top fives, and 20 top 10s, finishing eighth in the final standings.

Erb, and crew chief Heather Lyne, will be on the hunt to find the same consistency that earned them the 2022 Series championship with their #28 machine.

Ryan Gustin | Marshalltown, IA

After a career-best year in 2023, Ryan Gustin returns for his fourth consecutive season with the Series, but this year with a new team. Gustin has joined Todd Cooney Racing to drive the Longhorn Chassis #19R.

“The Reaper” earned a career-high three wins, 12 top fives, and 22 top 10s in 2023, earning him seventh in the finale standings.

Gustin began 2024 by bringing his new team to Victory Lane in their first race together during the Ice Bowl at the Talladega Short Track.

Daniel Hilsabeck | Earlham, IA

Daniel Hilsabeck is writing a new chapter in his racing career, racing his first full-time season with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models.

The Iowan moves up from the regional ranks to race for the coveted Rookie of the Year award while gaining experience at new tracks in 2024.

Hilsabeck made 17 starts with the Series previously, earning a best finish of eighth at Jackson Motorplex in 2021.

Nick Hoffman | 2023 Rookie of the Year | Mooresville, NC

In the wake of a memorable rookie season with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, Nick Hoffman is eager for his second season with the Series in 2024.

A consistent season of 13 top fives and 24 top 10s also saw the Mooresville, NC native nab his first career Series win at Stateline Speedway – finishing fifth in the final points standings. Hoffman’s performance earned him the 2023 Rookie of the Year award.

Continuing to drive the Tye Twarog Racing #9 in 2024, Hoffman, the five-time DIRTcar Summit Equipment Modified Nationals champion, will look to use his built-up notebook to chase his first World of Outlaws championship.

Brent Larson | Lake Elmo, MN

Brent Larson returns to the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models in 2024 with new objectives and excitement.

Last season saw Larson pick up a top-five finish at Atomic Speedway and eight top 10s.

The five-time Cedar Lake Speedway track champion is ready for the new venues the Series will visit, increasing his chances of scoring his first career win.

Chris Madden | Gray Court, SC

Back in the battle for his first World of Outlaws CASE Late Models title, Chris Madden will look to finish one spot better in his new #44 CMR Longhorn Chassis.

The Gray Court scored three wins, 22 top fives, and 33 top 10s en route to a second-place finish in the 2023 points standings.

“Smokey” brings a heat wave to Florida, having won the Blue-Gray 100 and National 100 at the end of 2023.

Parker Martin | Milledgeville, GA

Embarking on a new chapter with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, Parker Martin will live his dream with his family-owned #6JR Super Late Model in 2024.

Martin will chase the Rookie of the Year award, hoping to gain experience from racing with the World of Outlaws and improve from where he begins at Volusia Speedway Park.

The Milledgeville, GA native looks to build his notebook from past experiences at Series tracks including Talladega Short Track, Ponderosa Speedway, and Farmer City Raceway.

Max McLaughlin | Mooresville, NC

With a variety of experiences in both dirt and pavement racing, Max McLaughlin will join the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models in 2024, driving for GR Smith.

After multiple years behind the wheel of a Big Block Modified with the Super DIRTcar Series, McLaughlin joins a stout field of six rookies chasing the Rookie of the Year honors in the #22 Mohawk Northeast Inc. Longhorn Chassis.

“Mad Max” scored four wins with the Super DIRTcar Series, including a Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator championship in 2021.

Cody Overton | Evans, GA

Ready for his first full-time season with the World of Outlaws in 2024, Cody Overton joins the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models with Dave Steine in the #97C Tri Star Promotions Rocket Chassis.

The 26-year-old driver begins his campaign for the Rookie of the Year Award at Sunshine Nationals, where he scored a Feature win in the inaugural Sunshine Nationals with the 602 Late Models.

The Georgian looks to deliver added confidence after scoring the Turkey 100 in November in a race against his older brother, Brandon Overton.

Bobby Pierce | 2023 Series Champion | Oakwood, IL

After dominating 2023 through wins and consistency, Bobby Pierce is back to defend his World of Outlaws CASE Late Models crown in 2024.

In 2023, Pierce scored 14 wins, 25 top-fives, and 32 top-10s en route to his first career Series title. He’ll look to keep the championship in his home state of Illinois, where six of the last seven champions have resided.

The “Smooth Operator” surfs into Volusia with a big tide, winning four consecutive Feature races at the Wild West Shootout and the event’s championship.

Brandon Sheppard | 4X Series Champion | New Berlin, IL

Brandon Sheppard enters 2024 with a continued drive towards a fifth World of Outlaws CASE Late Models championship. However, this time with a slight change as Sheppard Riggs Racing becomes the new Longhorn Chassis Factory Team.

Sheppard will pilot the #B5 after a 2023 season that saw him capture Feature wins at Davenport Speedway and Mississippi Thunder Speedway – extending his win tally to 83 (most all-time) and catapulting the driver to third in standings. 

A fifth Series championship will break a tie Sheppard shares with Josh Richards for most all-time. 

Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL

Returning to chase his first World of Outlaws CASE Late Models title, Brian Shirley is looking for more as he chases those aspirations in 2024.

The previous year saw the “Squirrel” pick up a Feature win, nine top fives and 24 top 10s. 

The four-time DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion will hope to use the new venues on the calendar to his advantage, having won at Spoon River Speedway with the Hell Tour in 2019.

Dustin Sorensen | Rochester, MN

Dustin Sorensen joins the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models in 2024 for a chance at becoming Rookie of the Year.

The 2022 USMTS champion will race his family-owned #19, visiting familiar tracks the Iowan has seen previous success at, including Mississippi Thunder Speedway and Deer Creek Speedway, where he earned his first career Series podium.

Sorensen earned five top 10s at the Wild West Shootout and looks to keep the consistency rolling at Volusia.

Dustin Walker | Polk, MO

Completing his rookie season with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, Dustin Walker looks to build upon what he has started and continue improving steadily.

His objective in 2023 was to finish races and complete the full season. Walker looks to add improved numbers with higher results.

Returning as crew chief for Walker is his 18-year-old daughter, Lacey, who received the 2023 Racing With Jesus Ministries Sportsman of the Year Award for her work ethic and positivity.

The 2024 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series season begins during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 18-20. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

BARBERVILLE, FL – January 17, 2024 – After years of racing regionally near his Iowa home, Daniel Hilsabeck is taking a step forward, joining the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series.

The Earlham, IA campaigner adds his name to a stout 2024 Rookie Class, including Max McLaughlin, Dustin Sorensen, Parker Martin, Tristan Chamberlain, and Cody Overton.

While a national tour is new to Hilsabeck, he said he’s excited for what’s to come and that it fits his race team’s goals.

“I needed to get out of the Midwest and race,” Hilsabeck said. “Obviously, there are two tours. And you just try to figure out which one works the best and what other things come with it. The Outlaws seemed like it’s a good fit this year, so that’s what we’re doing.”

Hilsabeck is no stranger to the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, making 17 starts—his best finish an eighth at Jackson Motorplex in 2021. Despite his experience, he said he knows what he’s up against, racing against names like reigning champion Bobby Pierce and four-time champion Brandon Sheppard every night.

“There’s always tough guys,” Hilsabeck said. “I don’t want to say I’m intimidated, but I know what I’m up against. I feel very capable. You just have to know that you might not win every night, and you have to be ok with that to have good, consistent runs and get better and better. 

“Obviously, you want to win all the time, but realistically, that doesn’t always happen.”

Hilsabeck believes his commitment to progress can lead him to win the Rookie of the Year award.

“I think it’s a tough rookie class,” Hilsabeck said. “I feel like I’m capable of it, though. Otherwise, I wouldn’t do it. But there’s quite a few good guys signed up for [Rookie of the Year.]

Hilsabeck and the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models title when the season starts at Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 17-20, a Late Model Palooza which will also feature Crate Racin’ USA Late Models and DIRTcar 602 Late Models. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all our events live on DIRTVision – available either online or through the DIRTVision App.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 17, 2024) – The biggest dirt Late Model bash in the State of Florida is ready to kick off the season with the fifth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 18-20.

The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series headlines the event for the fourth year-in-a-row, running three standard-format programs over the three-day stretch and competing for grand prizes of $10,000 on Thursday, $12,000 on Friday and $15,000 on Saturday to open the 2024 season.

The DIRTcar Pro / Crate Racin’ USA (CRUSA) 604 Late Model division and the local 602 Late Model division will each follow a separate format, focusing on the accrual of points over a series of Qualifying Features on Thursday and Friday which are lined up by Hot Lap/Qualifying times on each night. Those points totals will lock the top-20 drivers into the Championship Feature on Saturday and take an additional number of drivers in from the Last Chance Showdowns.

Saturday concludes with a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win, Feature for the Pro/604 Late Models and a 20-lap, $3,000-to-win 602 Late Model Feature. A DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals points championship trophy will then be awarded to the driver with the most Feature points accumulated in each division.

Tickets are on sale now at WorldofOutlaws.com and will be available at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at the track, stream every lap live on your device with a subscription to DIRTVision.

World of Outlaws CASE Late Models

HELLO, OPERATOR – Defending Series champion Bobby Pierce hoisted championship gold in November but has some work to do at Volusia in January. The multi-time national DIRTcar Late Model points champion from Oakwood, IL, posted finishes of 19th and 23rd at Sunshine Nationals last year and will be out to better those results this time around.

Pierce will be coming in with more momentum than any of his opponents after winning four-straight Features at Vado Speedway Park in New Mexico last week.

HORNS UP – Former DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Brandon Sheppard has found his place back on the World of Outlaws trail in 2024, now part of the Longhorn Chassis Factory Team.

Sheppard, 30, of New Berlin, IL, has not won a Feature of any kind at Volusia since his last DIRTcar Nationals triumph in 2020, but has historically been solid at the half-mile oval with eight career Feature wins and is set to start this chase for a fifth World of Outlaws championship this weekend.

STOMPING GROUNDS – Few have won as many Features at Volusia as Nick Hoffman. The one-and-only seven-time DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion of the UMP Modified division returns to the track he’s dominated over the past decade in search of his first Late Model triumph.

Hoffman, the multi-time national DIRTcar points champion from Mooresville, NC is set to return to the World of Outlaws in 2024 in his sophomore campaign for Ohio car owner Tye Twarog, one year after collecting Germfree Rookie of the Year honors.

His last venture out to the half-mile ended in Victory Lane at the marquee UMP Modified event – the 10th annual Emil & Dale Reutimann Memorial – last November.

DIRTcar Pro / CRUSA 604 Late Models

POINTS LEADER – A new face to the 604 Late Model division at Sunshine Nationals, 21-year-old Will Roland comes into the event with a leg up on his Crate-engine competitors as victor of the 33rd annual Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track two weeks ago.

Roland, of Jasper, GA, drove the Roland Tire, Capital/Vic Hill-powered #22 to the win from the pole and led every lap, bagging the $4,000 grand prize and taking the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series points lead. He held off strong challenges from defending event winner Cory Hedgecock and Tyler Millwood among several other drivers he’ll compete against this weekend at Volusia.

FLORIDA’S FINEST – Standing as one of Florida’s best Late Model drivers, Mark Whitener had a career year in 2023, clinching both the CRUSA Dirt Late Model Series championship and the CRUSA $100,000 Challenge Series title.

Whitener, 43, of Middleburg, FL, has been solid at Volusia in the Crate ranks, winning a Sunshine Nationals preliminary Feature in 2022. Outside of the half-mile, he’s been a force as well, collecting six wins last year en route to the CRUSA touring series championship.

ONE BMF – Cory Hedgecock has established himself as one of the nation’s top Crate Late Model racers. A renown chassis and engine builder, Hedgecock has won several marquee Crate Late Model events across the Southeast, but never the Sunshine Nationals.

Hedgecock, the two-time CRUSA Dirt Late Model Series champion from Loudon, TN, finished eighth in the Saturday finale in 2020, followed by back-to-back third-place results in 2021 and 2022. Last year, he ran second again on both preliminary nights behind Kyle Bronson and Randy Weaver.

This weekend, he’s gunning for his first Sunshine Nationals win, piloting his newest creation as proprietor of BMF Race Cars – a rising brand of dirt Late Model chassis.

602 Late Models

JACK OF ALL DIVISIONS – David Showers Jr. has made early-season Late Model racing at Volusia a breeze. Three Sunshine Nationals Feature wins spread across two different divisions since the event’s inception in 2020 has put him second on the all-time wins list, and he’s coming for more this weekend.

Showers, 40, of St. Augustine, FL, won back-to-back Features in the Florida Late Model division in 2020, and last year found Victory Lane again in the 602 division. This weekend, he’s adding in another challenge, taking on both the 602 and Pro/604 divisions, effectively doubling his chances to score a fourth Sunshine Nationals Feature win and tie fellow Floridian Kyle Bronson for most event wins.

HOME TURF – Austin Leamon comes into Sunshine Nationals as defending track champion of the 602 Late Models, still on the hunt for his first Volusia Feature win.

Leamon, of Lithia, FL, clinched the 2023 track points championship on the back of four top-fives and top-10 finishes in all six starts he made. He ran fifth in Thursday night’s program last year and will now try to better that result against one of the deepest 602 Late Model fields he’ll see all season.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, AWA to debut Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Fixes driver quotes) DETROIT (Jan. 16, 2024) – A new season of racing marks a new start to the Corvette Racing program. The three-day Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway is the annual preview ahead of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, which will look very different for familiar with the Corvette brand. Instead of one or two Corvette GT cars running around the 3.56-mile infield road course as has been tradition for the 25 years, a quartet of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecars are set for the Roar – one week before the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. The quartet of Corvettes will be spread out in two classes of the WeatherTech Championship: Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD (GT Daytona) PRO and AWA in GTD. Nine GM factory drivers dot the roster of four cars.   · Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella (No. 3 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette); Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (No. 4 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette) · AWA: Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern, Alex Lynn (No. 13 Corvette); Anthony Mantella, Nico Varrone, Thomas Merrill, Charlie Eastwood

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Roar Before the 24 as well as next week’s Rolex 24 At Daytona for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Materials include Corvette Racing event advance and quotes, Corvette Racing stats and figures, Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar comparisons, Corvette Racing Fast Facts, driver biographies and Corvette Racing photography, among other items.

The official competition debut of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R comes almost 15 months from the first time the initial test car turned its wheels for the first time on a track. Since that time, continued testing and development has come at circuits around the United States and at Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop (DIL) simulator. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevrolet’s first car built to global GT3 regulations. It’s based on the production Corvette Z06 supercar with the two sharing a significant amount of DNA.  The racecar is built on the same production aluminum chassis frame – from Chevrolet’s Bowling Green (Ky.) Assembly plant – as the road-going Z06. Similar carbon-fiber splitters for front downforce, and the surface area from the top of the windshield to the rear of the Z06 remained intact on the Z06 GT3.R. That includes side air ducts behind the doors — directly inspired by Z06 production road car — that help to cool the engine, transaxle and rear brakes. The similarities carry over to the hand-built 5.5L, flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine in the Z06 GT3.R. Both original from the Bowling Green factory with the racing version sharing 80 percent of the production content from the Z06, including the crankshaft, connecting rods, cylinder heads, fuel injectors, coils, gaskets and a variety of other sensors. Corvette’s latest racing challenger benefits from a legacy of previous race- and championship-winning racecars. Three previous generations of Corvette – C5-R, C7.R and C8.R – have visited Victory Lane at Daytona with the program claiming four previous class victories. The goal for this year’s Rolex is to claim Victory No. 5… and No. 6. The Roar Before the 24 is set for Friday-Sunday with GTD PRO and GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:55 ET p.m. on Sunday. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

Photo: Pratt Miller Motorsports

Photo: AWA

Photo: AWA

Photo: Pratt Miller Motorsports

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’ve raced the Rolex 24 many times but I think I’m looking forward to this year more than almost any previous ones. Obviously we have the new Corvette to debut in a race for the first time, and that is exciting for all of us. It’s a new chapter for us as drivers and everyone at Corvette and Pratt Miller. The Z06 GT3.R has a lot of potential as we’ve seen in testing so let’s see how things play out first at the Roar. Sharing the No. 3 car with Alexander and Dani also is something new for me, and I’m very happy about it. Of course Alex has a good history with this team, and Dani is a very tough and fast competitor as he has proven against us in the past. I’m happy to race with him and not against him!”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’ll be great to do some more laps in the new Corvette and get a better feeling for it following the testing we’ve already had. We keep improving things, which is what you want. There are some things that I’m still trying to get my head around like the ABS, so having some more laps is always a good thing. It’s cool and exciting to get the season kicked off. The Roar is a nice, soft start to the year with three days at Daytona. Hopefully the weather is friendly for us. It should be nice. Overall I’m looking forward to getting everything kicked off with Antonio, Dani and the team. I’ve never worked directly with Antonio, Dani or Andy Ramsey, our engineer. So it will be nice to start working together in a more competitive environment as the season progresses. So far it seems like it is a recipe for good things to come.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It’s a very special week coming up for me. It’s a new challenge and new beginning in my career to join one of the biggest brands in the racing world. Being part of this lineup in the No. 3 Corvette and all the legacy behind being a Corvette factory driver and joining such an experienced and successful team like Pratt Miller Motorsports is very special and very unique. I’m massively excited for everything. The year starts with a big highlight because you could say this is our biggest race of the year. That makes it even more exciting on top of it. Also with the Z06 GT3.R… when you add all these things together, I really have to come into these weeks controlling my expectations and motivations. It’s like when you’re young and back for the first day at school. I have to control this excitement and focus and go day by day. I’ve enjoyed this process and working with this group that I got to know in December. I feel very good within the team. I’m excited and looking forward to jumping on track and seeing how things are at this Roar.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m ready to go racing. With 2023 being a little bit different year for me with more testing and less racing, coming to Daytona I’m even more anxious and geared up to go racing full-time. There has been a lot of simulator testing – just about a year before the car first hit the track – which is similar to what we did with C8.R. The level of anxiousness for me is a little higher because I’ve not raced full-time for more than a year. This should be a fun year racing with Nicky and adding Earl at the longer races. This team operates as one team and there’s always been collaboration between both cars. It’s a great atmosphere within the team, and I’m happy that’s continuing with the guys we have this year.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m looking forward a lot to starting my first full season in America and with Corvette in IMSA. It’s a big challenge starting with Daytona and such a big race. It will be extra-tough for us because we are coming with a new car built to the GT3 regulations. We will use every single minute at the Roar that we can to improve the cars for the Rolex 24. I’m massively looking forward to working again with the Corvette team, with Tommy and Earl. I also can’t wait to see the GTD PRO class to see where we stand in that field to see if we will be competitive.”

EARL BAMBER, NO. 4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to the Roar and of course the Rolex 24. This is a big moment for Corvette in debuting the Z06 GT3.R. I was really lucky to be a tiny part of the development, and from what I’ve experienced so far the entire group has done a fantastic job. I’m keen and eager to get on the track and work with the team at Pratt Miller. There were many years where I battled and fought them throughout GTLM. In joining them, I can see why they put up such a tough challenge. It’s a great organization. Joining my good friend Nicky, with whom I won the Nurburgring 24 Hours so there’s a lot of great vibes there. And having Tommy with all his experience with this car through the test and development program is great as well. It’s eyes forward into Daytona, and we’ll give it our best shot.”

AWA PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ALEX LYNN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to the Roar and the Rolex 24. Of course it’s the racing debut of the new Corvette, and there has been a ton of work put in by Corvette, Pratt Miller and GM. It’s a thrill to play a small part of it and get the enjoyable job of driving. It’s a fantastic car, and we’re excited to start off 2024 with one of the biggest races in the world. It’s a huge honor. Every time you drive in a Corvette, you fight for the win. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going there with the dream of coming home with a new watch. Going into the Roar, there is still a lot to learn and see and size up the competition. The emotions are a lot of excitement of getting Stateside and getting going.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m super excited to go back to the Roar – this time with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R. It’s the first time for us in official sessions, and it will be awesome to see the results of the work of a lot of people over the last couple of years. As a team, AWA we haven’t had as much running as we would have wanted, but the car is well-developed with a lot of running and testing. For us, both the Roar and Rolex will be races against the clock to find out what the car likes and doesn’t like in terms of setup, electronics and other things we need to work on and catch up in order to be a contender. But this will be an exciting challenge and super fun. I like our lineup. so everything goes well, we should have a good couple of weeks.”

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “For both AWA and myself, we’re still relatively new to the Z06 GT3.R. We still have plenty to run through. Ultimately the Roar is an event in its own right, but really it is a test item for the big one the next week for the Rolex 24. We have plenty of testing items to go through, all the drivers need more time in the car, but already things are in a fantastic place from the test we did before December. I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and into my first event and race weekend as a Corvette factory driver. It should be a good one.”

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. Up until last year’s LMP2 finish, it was the closest finish in race history• 1: Rolex 24 class win for AWA; the team won in LMP3 in 2023. Current team drivers Nico Varrone, Anthony Mantella and Thomas Merrill were part of that lineup• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort• 4: Number of Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries for the 2024 Rolex 24 – two from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO) and two from AWA (GTD)• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing as an entrant: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)• 9: Corvette/General Motors factory drivers piloting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in this year’s race: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Dani Juncadella, Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Earl Bamber (Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller) plus Charlie Eastwood, Nico Varrone and Alex Lynn (AWA). Bamber and Lynn also are Cadillac Racing factory drivers in FIA WEC• 14: IMSA Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999• 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 127: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans and three in the FIA WEC• 284: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 99,600: Total number of racing laps completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Barring any issues, the program will go over the 100,00-lap mark at the Rolex 24 of Daytona• 361,990.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles Corvette Racing at Daytona (wins in bold)1999No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS 2001No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS 2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole) 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM 2020 (Rolex 24 – January)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM 2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRONo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO 2023No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTD PRO