DU QUOIN, IL (March 15, 2024) – When it comes to racing around the dirt oval inside the Southern Illinois Center, few have mastered its narrow, 1/6-mile confines like Thomas Meseraull.

Friday night, the 43-year-old open-wheel racing veteran from San Jose, CA, put on another display of indoor excellence in the season opener for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota, taking the lead five laps into the race and holding off the field the rest of the way to capture the $4,000 grand prize and the fourth Midget win of his career in the building.

The win also came as Meseraull’s first with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series – a sudden surprise to him when DIRTVision reporter Peyton Williams informed him of the achievement in Victory Lane.

“When I heard that, I actually thought he lied,” Meseraull said. “I’m like, ‘Pffft, I’ve won an Xtreme race… maybe that was a Sprint Car race, maybe I haven’t won an Xtreme [Midget] race.’

“It’s always nice to like, etch your name in the history books, you know what I mean? ‘Cause nobody remembers who was second.”

From the outside pole on the starting grid, Meseraull immediately put pressure on polesitter Tyler Edwards – making his national Midget series debut for Mounce/Stout Motorsports. Edwards led the first four circuits of the 30-lap main event, but Meseraull was right behind the entire time, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

“We had a yellow and he ended up at the front and I thought, ‘Okay Thomas, you really need to calm down, there’s no need to be doing sliders on Lap 1 and 2. Let’s just try to work the bottom and see if he makes a mistake,’” Meseraull said. “I was able to kinda sneak by him.”

Meseraull was strong on the bottom and took advantage of the shortest line around, throwing a slide job on Edwards to take the lead away on Lap 5. From there on out, it was smooth sailing for the Tim Engler-owned No. 7x as he controlled the race the rest of the way.

“We started up front and it just worked out,” Meseraull said.  “Track position is so important in indoor racing. I’ve been, I feel like, one of the fastest cars here several nights and ended up just in a traffic jam.”

Behind him, a battle for position raged on between several racers in the top five. After starting third on the grid and dropping back to fifth, Gavin Miller found speed on the top side of the track and used it to power around Ethan Mitchell, Tyler Edwards and later Shane Cottle on Lap 18 to take over second.

“I just had to play my cards right – pick the bottom here, pick the bottom there,” Miller said. “Just play your cards right and stay out of trouble.”

Throughout the final 12 laps, Miller searched for a way around leader Meseraull but was met with brute resistance.

“I tried getting to the top before he did so I could get to it faster and cut across and possibly pass him,” Miller said. “He was just as even as us, and he would have been really hard to pass without getting into, and I’m not going to ruin my shot to… we’ve got a whole season ahead of us and a lot more races, so I’m not gonna pull anything stupid or wreck him or wreck myself for the win.”

Even on the final restart, in green-white-checkered fashion, Meseraull held strong out front as Miller fought to keep his own spot in second as Zach Daum gave him a challenge on the final lap.

“Luckily for [Meseraull], he didn’t really make any many mistakes for me to get and advantage and pass him,” Miller said. “He did a good job, congrats to him, and we’ll try again tomorrow.”

Daum poked his nose to the inside of Miller after taking the white flag and appeared to have the advantage coming out of Turn 2, but Miller made use of the top-side momentum to retain second as Daum crossed behind him in third.

UP NEXT

The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota is back in action Saturday night, March 16, at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, IL, for a 40-lap, $5,000-to-win program.

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

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 7X-Thomas Meseraull[2]; 2. 97-Gavin Miller[3]; 3. 7U-Zach Daum[7]; 4. 86-Shane Cottle[6]; 5. 71K-Cannon McIntosh[13]; 6. 51B-Joe B Miller[10]; 7. 83-Will Armitage[18]; 8. 21K-Karter Sarff[11]; 9. 56D-Mitchell Davis[22]; 10. 40-Chase McDermand[19]; 11. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[20]; 12. 67-Ryan Timms[8]; 13. 88A-Austin Torgerson[17]; 14. 71-Jade Avedisian[21]; 15. 56-Tyler Edwards[1]; 16. 43-Gunnar Setser[16]; 17. 25K-Taylor Reimer[15]; 18. 5U-Peter Smith[14]; 19. 14S-Tyler Smith[9]; 20. 35-Tyler Robbins[12]; 21. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[4]; 22. 55-Trevor Cline[5]

SEBRING, Fla. (March 15, 2024) – The 50th anniversary Mobil 1-liveried No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports will lead a group of four Corvettes to the start of Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac. Alexander Sims – part of Cadillac Racing’s overall race-winning lineup a year ago – set a lap of 1:59.508 (112.661 mph) in Friday’s 15-minute qualifying session for GT Daytona (GTD) PRO and GTD entries. It was enough for fourth in GTD PRO and eighth overall in the combined GTD PRO/GTD category and put the No. 3 that he shares with Antonio Garcia and Daniel Juncadella 0.8 seconds off the class pole-winning time.

Teammate Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R qualified eighth in class and a little more than 0.2 seconds off Sims’ time – another indication of the high level of competition in the production-based classes. In GTD, Orey Fidani paced AWA’s qualifying efforts in the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R at 2:05.079 (107.643 mph) – a scant one-tenth of a second quicker than teammate Anthony Mantella in the No. 17 Corvette. The rough-and-tumble Sebring International Raceway in central Florida is steeped in Corvette Racing lore with countless tests plus 29 races during a quarter-century of Corvette competition. That should bode well for the fortunes of the four Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries entered for this America’s oldest sports car race.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac. 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.

The goal for each team is to put Corvette back on the top step of the podium – a place Corvette Racing has stood 14 times leading into this year’s running. The current Corvette/PMM team tested the Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Sebring in November in order to gather valuable data on the first-year car ahead of the season’s most grueling race across the bumps and concrete of the 3.74-mile, 17-turn Sebring circuit.  To mark the 50th anniversary of Corvette technical partner Mobil 1, both the No. 3 and No. 4 Corvettes from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports will contest Sebring with special Mobil 1-inspired liveries. Both cars – plus the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in GTP – will feature celebratory Mobil 1 gold along with the Mobil 1 Pegasus, which throughout its history has symbolized speed and power within the brand. The Mobil 1 brand and its partners will be highlighting the brand’s legacy and future at Sebring, as well as off the track through the rest of this monumental anniversary year.

For more than 25 years, the Mobil 1 brand has been an integral part of the Corvette Racing program. It was the only lubricant used by the factory racing effort dating back to the first on-track tests of the Corvette C5-R in 1997. The Mobil 1 brand continues as a primary sponsor of the Pratt Miller-run Corvette Z06 GT3.R team, and since 1993 has been the factory fill for all new production Corvettes. The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 16. The race will air on USA Network from 4-10 p.m. ET with full streaming coverage on Peacock at 9:30 a.m. ET. IMSA Radio will air the race in full at IMSA.com along with Sirius 216, XM 207, SiriusXM Online 992 and 100.9 FM at the circuit.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “For the race, the conditions we qualified in aren’t so relevant because the race is about the evening and the night. Nevertheless, we have to start the race in as good a position as we can and I think we’ve done a reasonable job of that today. The other guys were too fast for us in qualifying. For the Corvette that we have, I feel like we optimized it pretty nicely. We had some struggles in practice and some settings weren’t quite as we planned. Once we sat the car down in the evening, we hit the reset button a little bit and I’m glad those issues seem to have been largely resolved. I think we have a little bit of work to do in order to improve the car for the race pace. It’s all gone well. It was nice for me personally to qualify here; you have to go back to 2018 for me in GT cars. It’s cool here with a nice bit of grip and low fuel. It causes the Corvette to come alive that little bit more, which is good fun for me as a driver. It’s all good. The team is working well and we’re doing a good job working toward the race.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Obviously we didn’t qualifying where we wanted to and where we’ve been pace-wise in practice. But at the end of the day, I think we are happy with things generally. In normal race situations, it seems like pace is good. We made a change for qualifying to compensate for what we thought would happen and went a little too far. With the heat like this, you only really get one opportunity to do it. My lap was OK but was slightly uncomfortable with the car. From that you lose just a little bit, and a little bit is a lot of spots in IMSA. I’m not happy with starting eighth in class, but I’m not unhappy with how our weekend has been so far the progress we’ve made so far. I’m excited for the Corvette we have in the race.”

AWA QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Being at Sebring is always a great experience. The fans are amazing, the weather is nice and the competition is stellar. To race on such a prestigious track onboard an iconic car like the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a privilege. I am very happy with the handling of the car. Unfortunately, we qualified in the back tier of the field, but I am confident that Lars, Matt and I will make our way towards the pointier end of the grid in no time.”

ANTHONY MANTELLA, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Everybody says respect the bumps when they are at Sebring. That’s the track motto, but the Corvette is handling so well that we barely notice the bumps. Our engineers have got it dialed in and the car’s really easy to drive really fast. Full credit goes to the engineering staff at Pratt Miller and Corvette Racing for overcoming some teething problems and getting us to a competitive level at Sebring. We are looking forward to being on the podium at the end of the 12 hours.”

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R grabs pole at Sebring; No. 01 Cadillac second

SEBRING, Fla. (March 15, 2024) – For the second consecutive race and the second year in a row at Sebring International Raceway, Cadillac Racing secured the front-row staring spots. Cadillac Racing earned its 25th pole award in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototype competition since 2017 as Pipo Derani topped Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) qualifying for the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac. That total includes five at Sebring International Raceway. Derani, the reigning IMSA GTP champion, toured the demanding 3.741-mile, 17-turn course in 1 minute, 48.152 seconds to pace the 10-car field. The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Sebastien Bourdais, qualified second with a best lap of 1:48.299 during the scheduled 15-minute afternoon session that was interrupted by a red flag. The field had 4:04 after the stoppage to put in their best laps.

“Congratulations to the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R on securing pole position in qualifying for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac,” said John Roth, global vice president of Cadillac. “We are excited to get back on the track and compete for the overall win this weekend.” Derani was also the pole sitter for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in late January and Bourdais was close behind in second. It is also the same order as the 2023 race. “It is a good start for the race, but it’s a long race,” said Derani, who will share driving duties with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist.

Notables* Cadillac has won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring the past three years and five times since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017.* Derani is a four-time winner of the race.* The race will mark the 100th IMSA start for Renger van der Zande, co-driver of the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R with Scott Dixon and Bourdais. He has at least one victory in each of his 10 IMSA seasons.* The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R leads the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup standings after the Rolex 24 At Daytona.* Bourdais holds the Sebring circuit lap record of 1:45.166 (128.025 mph) set on March 18, 2022, in the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R during qualifications.

Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming coverage beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, March 16. USA Network’s telecast is from 4-10 p.m. IMSA Radio’s race broadcast begins at 9:30 a.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com along with Sirius channel 211, XM 207, Web/App 996, at the track at 100.9 FM, and Sebring station 99.1 FM).An interview with Pipo Derani (drove No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R in qualifying; best lap of 1:48.152; starts first) Tell us about qualifying. How is it shaping up for tomorrow?“It was a difficult qualifying session. It’s never easy when you have a red flag situation and you have to put the lap in. I was told over the radio that I could potentially have a second flying lap if I pushed. So, I obviously pushed but I was way too close for comfort to the No. 40 Acura. I was able to put the lap in but was a little bit disrupted because it wasn’t such a clean lap because he made a few mistakes in front of me, so I lost a little bit of time trying to control that distance to make sure I guaranteed a lap in case I didn’t have a second one. For sure, there’s more from the lap time. It wasn’t a perfect lap because of those things I said. Nevertheless, it was enough to be on pole. It’s never the nicest way to get a pole – for the grid – when you know that no one was able to achieve the full potential of their cars. Nevertheless, it’s still the same for everyone. You still have to put a lap in. You make no mistakes in such a pressure situation. I was able to extract to a certain extent enough out of the car that was good enough for pole. Very hot conditions, which makes it even more interesting how you operate the tires. It’s a tricky situation.” Where to you think the Cadillac is best around the track?“I don’t think there’s a place where it’s stronger. If you look at the DPi era, I think the car was better throughout the race. I think in GTP the Cadillac seems to be, at least here in Sebring, very positive on the heat of the day compared to the others. We tend to lose a little bit that advantage at night, I believe. Last year we saw Acura and Porsche very strong at the end. We restarted first and we lost some of that edge that we had throughout the day. We led a bunch of the race last year, but at the end we weren’t as competitive as in the beginning. It’s an area that as a team we’ve been working on from last year to try and improve. Obviously also last year at the very beginning of the race I had a contact with a P3 car that spun right in front of me, which damaged the floor of the car. We as a team are not sure how much of that damage influenced the end of the race. I think my honest opinion is that it’s not a matter of having a part of the track that it’s better for us, it’s more a matter of how the tire is reacting to the temperature. It still remains to be seen if a good car without any damage, if we are as strong as we were during the day, at night. Obviously the 01 didn’t get to the end of the race last year. It’s a bit of a question mark on that point. I would say it’s more temperature related as to a specific part of the track itself.” How difficult is it to put in a flying lap in a short session?“Well, the reality is that it’s the same for everyone. It’s not like there was someone who had put a lap in and then all the others were just basically waiting. In the end of the day, when you think of it this way, you just got to go and do the best you can. I honestly don’t feel much pressure in those situations. I feel like I handle it quite well. At the end of the day sometimes it’s better to be a bit on the conservative side and put a lap in than try a little bit over and make a mistake. In our car, I went out with a set of tires, had a red flag. I asked the team to change the tires and go with another new set, which was a risk because we didn’t know how much time the red flag was still going to be on. As you guys saw, as we went out, the 40 car, I think he kept the warm tires from the previous run, so he overtook me on cold tires. That’s the only situation where in that situation you don’t really know whether you’re going to have enough time to get the tire ready to do the lap. I think what helped us is it’s really hot out there and it helped us to bring the tires in a different way on the out-lap so that they were ready. That’s not always the case. It could in a much cooler condition be disruptive to one team or another because you might make the wrong choice whether you keep or not the tires, then you don’t have enough time to have them in the right window for a lap. I like pressure situations like that. I was happy to be able to put the lap in.” Did you use three sets of tires?“No, I went out on one, then as we came into the pit for the red flag, I asked them to change.” What are track conditions like?“I think the whole weekend the track is not as quick as last year. At Sebring, it’s quite usual to see that happen. Sometimes even during the day there’s periods of the day where you’re much quicker than others. Especially compared to when we were here a month ago during private testing, we were quicker than we are now. It’s just the condition that we have right now I think is a track condition and not cars. I would say, let’s say, if I had a perfect lap, it’s hard to say, but you could possibly be 4/10ths quicker than what I was, which would still be, if I’m not wrong, far from the pole position last year.”Sebastien Bourdais (drove the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in qualifying; best lap of 1:48.299; starts second): “It was a bit of a longshot (for pole) with the pit position we had. Couldn’t really put any heat in the tires on the second attempt (after red flag) and started the lap in the tail of the 10 (car). There really wasn’t any gap for me and the Lambo started to check up before the last corner and I knew I had to do the last corner somewhat quick and I ended up really close to the 10, but there was nowhere else to go. Just a shame that they put the red flag on us just before I could complete the first timed lap. That would have been enough for pole. We’ll take out second and go from there.”Celebrating 50 years The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R has a special gold Mobil 1 livery for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac, celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary. ·Mobil 1 is the factory fill for all Cadillac CTV-5 Blackwing production cars, and has been available to customers in GM dealerships since 1986. Media resources* Event guide: Cadillac storylines, bios, stats and more * Wins: Cadillac Racing results 2023-2017 at Sebring. * 2024 so far: Cadillac IMSA GTP statistics. * On-track photos: The Sebring race weekend  Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cadillac V-Series

In addition to being the presenting sponsor of the main event, Cadillac is the Official Luxury Vehicle of Sebring International Raceway and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its V-Series sub-brand that was unveiled during the Twelve Hours of Sebring.  Spectators have the opportunity to see the exciting roster of Cadillac vehicles, including the award-winning CT5-V Blackwing and Cadillac Escalade, at the Cadillac display in the Fan Zone Saturday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R grabs pole at Sebring; No. 01 Cadillac second

SEBRING, Fla. (March 15, 2024) – For the second consecutive race, Cadillac Racing claimed the front-row staring spots. Cadillac Racing earned its 25th pole award in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototype competition since 2017 as Pipo Derani topped Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) qualifying for the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac. That total includes five at Sebring International Raceway. Derani toured the demanding 3.741-mile, 17-turn course in 1 minute, 48.152 seconds to pace the 10-car field. The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Sebastien Bourdais, qualified second with a best lap of 1:48.299 during the scheduled 15-minute afternoon session that was truncated by a red flag.

“Congratulations to the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R on securing pole position in qualifying for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac,” said John Roth, global vice president of Cadillac. “We are excited to get back on the track and compete for the overall win this weekend.” Derani was also the pole sitter for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in late January and Bourdais was close behind in second. “It is a good start for the race,” said Derani, the defending and four-time winner of the race. * Cadillac has won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring the past three years and five times since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017. * The race will mark the 100th IMSA start for Renger van der Zande, driver of the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R. He has at least one victory in each of his 10 IMSA seasons.

Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming coverage beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, March 16. USA Network’s telecast is from 4-10 p.m. IMSA Radio’s race broadcast begins at 9:30 a.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com along with Sirius channel 211, XM 207, Web/App 996, at the track at 100.9 FM, and Sebring station 99.1 FM).Celebrating 50 years The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R has a special gold Mobil 1 livery for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac, celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary. ·Mobil 1 is the factory fill for all Cadillac CTV-5 Blackwing production cars, and has been available to customers in GM dealerships since 1986. Media resources* Event guide: Cadillac storylines, bios, stats and more * Wins: Cadillac Racing results 2023-2017 at Sebring. * 2024 so far: Cadillac IMSA GTP statistics. * All-time: Cadillac Racing numbers in all series  Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cadillac V-Series

In addition to being the presenting sponsor of the main event, Cadillac is the Official Luxury Vehicle of Sebring International Raceway and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its V-Series sub-brand that was unveiled during the Twelve Hours of Sebring.  Spectators have the opportunity to see the exciting roster of Cadillac vehicles, including the award-winning CT5-V Blackwing and Cadillac Escalade, at the Cadillac display in the Fan Zone Saturday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Mar 15, 2024 | Featured, Race Results

After kicking off the 2024 racing season, the Randy Meyer Racing Team has seen a semi final finish at the first 3 events; but they have their eyes set on claiming their first win.

The team started off the year at Belle Rose, LA where 2023 World Champion Julie Nataas qualified 2nd and finished in the semis. The following weekend was the first of two NHRA drag racing events held in Gainesville, FL with teammate Hunter Green returning to join Julie. Julie clinched the second qualifying spot again with her best time of 5.233 ET at 270 mph, but had issues getting traction and took the loss in first round. Hunter qualified right behind her with his best time of 5.236 ET at 278 mph and got the win in first round over Dan Dietrich.

Rain delayed the conclusion of eliminations and pushed them back to finish during the Gatornationals the following weekend. Hunter got the starting line advantage but shook and lost traction and clicked it off to get a semi final finish. Moving onto the first national event of 2024, Hunter qualified 5th running a 5.270 ET at 272 mph while Julie sat 4th with a 5.262 ET at 270 mph.

Both drivers got the win in first round; Hunter defeated Megan Smith running the quickest time of the class with a 5.212 ET at 275 mph. Julie knocked out Mike Coughlin while also improving to a 5.248 ET at 270 mph. However, the pair of Randy Meyer-owned nitro dragsters had to go head-to-head in round 2. Hunter again got the holeshot advantage but had issues down track to let Julie pass by running a 5.359 ET to her 5.231 ET.

“It’s nice to be back in the driver’s seat after a four month layoff,” said Hunter. “The car is performing great. We ran the second fastest run of the weekend in Gainesville. Pomona holds a special place in my heart after winning and doubling up with my father there last November. It will be difficult to top that and do it again, but we have the right people and the same car to do it and nothing is impossible.”

Moving onto the semi finals, Julie drag raced against Jeff Veale. She got the advantage off the line this time, but the tires go up in smoke and she has to let off the throttle finishing her day at the Gatornationals.

“Car is fast and consistent,” said Julie. “We just had an unlucky semifinal loss as we smoked the tires at the hit. We are ready to find our way back to the winners circle. Hopefully Pomona will be a first win for the season, and first win for me at this track!”

The team is thrilled to be heading to race no. 4 of 2024; the NHRA Winternationals at Pomona Drag Strip next weekend where we finished off the 2023 season in the winner’s circle.

The connection between The Greatest Show on Dirt and Texas continues to grow over the next four races.PAIGE, TX (March 14, 2024) – Texas is known for many things – country music, superb BBQ, rodeos, and being big in every way. All things the “Lone Star State” residents are proud to represent. And while it might not be as widely known as some other staples of the southern state, Sprint Car racing has helped pump the heartbeat of Texas for decades.The state was the birthplace of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and has hosted the Series 208 times, which ranks fifth most and trails only the Sprint Car hotbeds of Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, and Iowa. There have been only three years (2006, 2008, 2012) in 46 seasons of history in which Texas didn’t host an event.And it’ll host the Series for two more consecutive weekends this year. First up is the Texas Two-Step at Cotton Bowl Speedway (Paige, TX) on March 15-16. Then it’s north to the Dallas-Fort Worth region where Big O Speedway (Ennis, TX) and Kennedale Speedway Park await on March 22-23. The World of Outlaws’ connection to Texas dates back to March 18, 1978 when the final night of Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s Spring Nationals became the first night of Ted Johnson’s famous vision. The Texas transplant brought a $2,000-to-win race to the Mesquite facility, taking the first step in establishing his World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. The race was won by California’s Jimmy Boyd, driving Kenny Woodruff’s #21.Then, the Series’ sophomore year saw an early season stop at Big H Speedway (Houston) – claimed by Steve Kinser. Devil’s Bowl and Big H became mainstays of the Series’ early years. Both hosted at least one race in every season from 1979 through 1988.It wasn’t until 1984 before a third track welcomed Johnson’s band of travelers. Kilgore’s Lone Star Speedway hosted a trio of races that season, and Sammy Swindell topped all three aboard Texas native Raymond Beadle’s machine. Two years later Swindell bagged another three straight at Lone Star on the heels of a Big H win. Four days later, Swindell crossed the finish line first at the Battleground Speedway (Highlands, TX) debut for five straight Texas victories. Swindell’s streak grew to nine before Steve Kinser ended it in 1987. The run of nine in a row remains the longest stretch of consecutive Texas triumphs.The next new facility came in 1990 when North Texas Motor Speedway (Royse City) appeared on the schedule. Mark Kinser swept both Features of the two-night show. Move ahead to 1993, and it was Mark’s cousin – Steve – sweeping the first two nights at Hub City Speedway (Lubbock). The following year, Steve took both Lubbock nights again and still stands as the only Series winner at the track.The year 1993 also marked a major moment for Texas pride as Hooks, TX pilot Gary Wright became the first native of the state to win a World of Outlaws race on home soil. Wright came out on top at Devil’s Bowl and went on to win five races at the historic facility. Wright’s first Devil’s Bowl win came during the 93rd World of Outlaws race contested in Texas.The turn of the century introduced a pair of new facilities. A little north of Fort Worth Greg Hodnett topped the debut at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track in 2000. The following weekend Stevie Smith won the first Series race at Houston Raceway Park.The 2010s saw three new tracks added to the schedule. The far western corner of the state saw the tour come to town in 2013 when El Paso Speedway Park first hosted an event. Steve Kinser added it to his long list of tracks that he’s won at with the debut triumph.Three years later Brad Sweet took the first World of Outlaws checkered flag handed out at this weekend’s destination – Cotton Bowl Speedway. The following season David Gravel bested the field at Gator Motorplex before the track shuttered later that year.Last October, perhaps the most important chapter in the World of Outlaws and Texas connection came to a close. The birthplace of the Series – Devil’s Bowl Speedway – hosted its final race. Fittingly, the World of Outlaws were there to send the track off. David Gravel beat James McFadden in a thriller to wear the final Devil’s Bowl cowboy hat.But even though Devil’s Bowl was a painful door to close, new ones have opened as the longstanding tradition of The Greatest Show on Dirt in Texas continues to expand. Cotton Bowl’s young relationship with the World of Outlaws will grow this weekend as it continues its status as a springtime staple since debuting in 2016. Next weekend, Big O and Kennedale become tracks number 12 and 13 in the state to host the Series.And just like when Ted Johnson unleashed the World of Outlaws at Devil’s Bowl in 1978, the tradition of the country’s best Sprint Car drivers battling for glory will continue as new chapters of the sport are written.For tickets to Cotton Bowl, Big O, or Kennedale, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.TEXAS WORLD OF OUTLAWS WINNERS48 wins – Steve Kinser 37 wins – Sammy Swindell 13 wins – Mark Kinser 9 wins – Danny Lasoski, Doug Wolfgang 7 wins – Bobby Davis Jr., Donny Schatz 6 wins – Joey Saldana 5 wins – Daryn Pittman, Gary Wright, Jeff Swindell 4 wins – Bobby Allen, Brad Sweet, Dave Blaney 3 wins – Andy Hillenburg, David Gravel, Logan Schuchart, Stevie Smith 2 wins – Brad Furr, Carson Macedo, Craig Dollansky, Danny Smith, Greg Hodnett, Jason Johnson, Joe Gaerte, Ron Shuman, Shane Stewart, Sheldon Haudenschild, Tim Green, Tim Shaffer 1 win – Brad Doty, Brent Kaeding, Brent Marks, Brian Paulus, James McFadden, Jason Sides, Jimmy Boyd, Kerry Madsen, Tyler Walker

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, Tennessee March 16-17, 2024

BRISTOL DOUBLEHEADERAfter a three-year stint on dirt, Bristol Motor Speedway will return to its traditional concrete surface for the track’s spring event as the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will hit the track’s famed half-mile high banks for a doubleheader race weekend. This weekend will mark the first of two appearances for both series at Bristol Motor Speedway, with all three NASCAR national series returning to “The Last Great Colosseum” for the annual night race tripleheader in September.

Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway: Sunday’s Food City 500 will mark the NCS’ 124th appearance on Bristol Motor Speedway’s concrete configuration. Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 37.4 percent in NASCAR’s top division at the Tennessee half-mile with a series-leading 46 victories. Charlie Glotzbach recorded Chevrolet’s first win at Bristol – and the first for the Monte Carlo – in July 1971, which started a run of seven consecutive victories at the track for the Bowtie brand. Kyle Larson is credited with Chevrolet’s most recent NCS triumph at the track (Sept. 2021) – a victory that took the Team Chevy driver one step closer to his first career championship title.  The NCTS made its debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in June 1995, with Saturday’s Weather Guard Truck Race marking the series’ 27th race at the Tennessee half-mile. Rick Carelli drove Chevrolet to its first NCTS victory at the track in June 1996, with Team Chevy’s Sam Mayer earning the manufacturer its 10th – and most recent – NCTS triumph in September 2020.

LARSON’S STRETCH OF SHORT-TRACK SUCCESSTeam Chevy’s Kyle Larson is undoubtedly a favorite heading into the Bristol Motor Speedway race weekend. The former series champion put on a stellar performance on the series’ short-tracks last season. In six points-paying races on tracks measuring less than one-mile, Larson finished no worse than sixth in four of those events – including two victories (Richmond and Martinsville) and a runner-up finish at the Bristol night race. In addition, the 31-year-old California native posted a near dominate weekend in NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway – collecting the victories in both the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event.

Larson’s one career NCS win at Bristol Motor Speedway came in September 2021. The victory was the start of an impressive stretch of success for the Hendrick Motorsports driver at the Tennessee half-mile, with Larson becoming the only driver to tally a top-five result in each of the series’ last three events on the track’s concrete configuration.

REMEMBERING A MILESTONEOn March 25, 2007, Kyle Busch drove Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports to a history-making victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. In a side-by-side overtime finish, Busch edged out Jeff Burton at the line by a mere 0.064-seconds to take the win – a record that still stands as the closest margin of victory in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol. The win was a milestone feat for both Chevrolet and car owner Rick Hendrick – marking the manufacturer’s 600th all-time NCS win and 200th overall win for Hendrick.  Making it even more special, the victory came in the competition debut of NASCAR’s fifth-generation race car – also known as the “Car of Tomorrow”. The new-generation race car marked the return of the Impala SS to NASCAR competition, with the legendary nameplate previously competing in the series from 1959 to 1964. Throughout its time on the track in NASCAR’s top division, the Impala/Impala SS collected 152 victories before retiring from competition following the 2012 season.

BUSCH BY THE NUMBERS AT BRISTOL Kyle Busch’s storied NASCAR career has seen much success at Bristol Motor Speedway. In 34 NCS starts at the Tennessee half-mile, Busch has tallied a series-leading eight victories – more than double the next active driver, Brad Keselowski, with three. The 38-year-old Nevada native also leads the series’ active drivers in runner-up finishes (four), top-fives (14), top-10s (19) and laps led (2,593).  One of his most notable achievements in the NASCAR national ranks also came at “The Last Great Colosseum”. To date, Busch is the only driver in NASCAR history to win all three national series races in a single weekend – a feat he accomplished on two separate occasions at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2010 and 2017.  Busch will also be making his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway – returning to the seat of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST. The winningest driver in series’ history, Busch has recorded five of his 65 all-time NCTS victories at the Tennessee short-track.

NCTS BACK ON-TRACK; SILVERADO RST REMAINS UNDEFEATEDAs the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns from its first off-weekend of the season, Chevrolet’s drivers and teams will look to power the manufacturer to its fourth-straight victory in Saturday’s Weather Guard Truck Race. The Silverado RST has been unbeatable thus far this season – courtesy of victories by Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez, Kyle Busch and Rajah Caruth.

The Bowtie brand also remains steady at the top of both the NCTS’ driver and manufacturer points standings. Coming off a runner-up finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum maintained the lead in the driver points standings by five-markers over second-place. Six drivers from five different Chevrolet organizations have earned a top-10 position in the points standings, with Ankrum leading 2024 race winners Rajah Caruth (fourth) and Nick Sanchez (fifth); and fellow Team Chevy drivers Bret Holmes, Christian Eckes and Grant Enfinger in the eighth through 10th positions, respectively.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Chevrolet will pace the field in the doubleheader race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Silverado RST will lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s Weather Guard Truck Race; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Food City 500. ·       Chevrolet has recorded wins in eight of the 11 points-paying races in NASCAR’s three national series this season – remaining undefeated in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. ·       Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway:   Kyle Busch: series-leading eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)Kyle Larson: one win (2021) ·       In 123 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 46 victories – a winning percentage of 37.4 percent.  ·       Within the first three points-paying races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, each Chevrolet organization had already recorded at least one top-10 finish.  ·       Within the season’s first three tripleheader race weekends for NASCAR’s three national series, four graduates of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program have earned victories in their respective series this season – all of which come from the Chevrolet camp (Nick Sanchez, Daniel Suarez, Rajah Caruth, Kyle Larson).  ·       With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 854 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.   FOR THE FANS:·       Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Bristol Motor Speedway. ·       Activation Hours: Saturday, March 16: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday, March 17: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 151Toyota: 141 (-10)Ford: 132 (-19)

Manufacturer Points Standings Toyota: 150 Chevrolet: 148 (-2)Ford: 120 (-30)

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 120Toyota: 103 (-17)Ford: 95 (-25)

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500Sunday, March 17, at 3:30 p.m. ET(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Weather Guard Truck RaceSaturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1“Looking forward for the opportunity to rebound at Bristol with the Gainbridge Camaro. We’ve had decent speed there the last couple of races, so we need to execute a solid day and try to walk away with a top-10.” AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 MOUNTAIN DEW / CHEETOS CAMARO ZL1“I’m looking forward to getting back in the Cup car at Bristol. Bristol is a racetrack we’ve had success at in 2022 so hopefully we can learn from the things we have done well. Last year we had speed in practice but had an incident early in the race. I’m excited to see what we can make happen.” DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1“I’ve always loved Bristol. The timing of the race is going to be fun seeing how the track changes and evolves from the beginning of the weekend and throughout the mid parts of the race. You go through such a big swing, so we’re going to build some versatility within our car. Hopefully we can give ourselves an opportunity to contend as the laps wind down. It’s a long event, but it’s one of the most fun ones we run.” RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 BALL PARK BUNS & ROLLS CAMARO ZL1Are you looking forward to being back on concrete at Bristol even though you had success on the dirt surface?“Yeah, we had two top-fives and felt like we had a really good shot of winning the first race on the dirt, but I feel like our cars are just not made for dirt racing. Bristol is by far my favorite race track so I’m really excited to go back to the concrete race track, the red and white painted walls are sick and I can’t wait to get there and rub up close to the wall with those things. I think Bristol puts on one of the best races that we have throughout the season and I’m looking forward to being on concrete for both races this season.” What would a win at Bristol mean to you?“We finished second quite a few times in Cup and in the Xfinity Series. Bristol is kind of that next one that I want to check off the list. Obviously, the Bristol night race is probably at the top of everybody’s Bristol races, but at this point I would take any Bristol win. Man, it would be huge and it would be a big boost for our season. We’ve been strong at times and I feel like Bristol we can maybe put everything together that we’ve been working on this offseason and looking forward to getting there this weekend.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1Bowman on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway: “I think this weekend may play out similar to the fall race- even though it’s not a playoff race. It’s going to be exciting; Bristol (Motor Speedway) always is that. I’m looking forward to it. It would be an awesome place to win and hopefully we can make that happen.” BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1Harris on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway: “The fall race at Bristol (Motor Speedway) was pretty strong for the No. 48 Ally team. We had a top-10 run going and sat I think in the sixth to eighth position most of the day. (We) didn’t have the speed to get in the top five. Track position is super important, so we need to go qualify well and then I think we have pretty good baselines. A couple teammates ran really well in that race as well and we were just outside the top five ourselves so with a few tweaks off of our notes, I feel good about where we are going.” ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1Bristol is the first short track of the season, how are you feeling going into Sunday’s race?“Our goal is to keep getting better each weekend. Bristol is definitely its own animal, but a fun track to race. The fans always provide a great atmosphere there and I am looking forward to being able to race on both Saturday and Sunday. It’s going to be a busy weekend but a lot of fun.” CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 GAINBRIDGE CAL RIPKEN SR. FDN. CAMARO ZL1You’ve secured two consecutive top-15 finishes to kick off your rookie year. How are you staying focused and motivated to maintain this momentum and build on your impressive start? “I feel like we’ve been able to capitalize on a couple challenging races and finish in the top 15. Both races ended up being solid days for points. It all builds together. So, to keep momentum, we keep bringing fast race cars and capitalize, adapt and overcome any challenges that are thrown our way. That way you know when we have those good days, we’ll really let the results show.” Last year, your best NCS finish was an 11th at Bristol, where you even reached fifth by the end of stage two. What strategies can you use to replicate that success and potentially achieve an even better result at Bristol this time around?“You know, we got to fifth and had to hold on with a loose wheel and finished in 11th which really showed the strength of our racecar that week, to be able to hold on like that for 130 laps. So, I think Luke and I, having that notebook of confidence walking into this place with the help of our pit crew, we should be able to have a better finish than what we got in the fall.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2023): 42First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2024 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 3Poles: 0Laps Led: 354Top-five finishes: 7Top-10 finishes: 12Stage wins: 3·       Chase Elliott: 1 ·       Kyle Larson: 2   CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 854 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 743Laps led to date: 249,529Top-five finishes to date: 4,305Top-10 finishes to date: 8,873                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,188           Chevrolet: 854           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 828                                                                      Ford: 728           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 181

CONCORD, NC (March 14, 2024) – The American Sprint Car Series has taken another step forward in solidifying and enhancing its future with Oklahoma natives Lonnie Wheatley and Cody Cordell hired for key leadership roles.

Wheatley will serve as Series Director, while Cordell will be the Series’ Competition Director – along with helming the ASCS Sooner Region.

“Finding the right Series Director and Competition Director to help lead the ASCS was a primary focus after acquiring the Series, and we couldn’t be happier to have Lonnie Wheatley and Cody Cordell fill those important roles,” said Brian Dunlap, who has led the integration of the ASCS into World Racing Group. “Cordell and Wheatley have already established themselves in the region and within the Sprint Car community, garnering respect from officials and drivers alike. We’re confident the ASCS is in good hands and will only grow with them leading the way.”

For both Sooners, it’s a dream opportunity to have a hand in building up the Series they’ve followed since its inception.

“I’m really excited about it,” said Wheatley, who previously spent a decade as the ASCS media director. “I don’t know when I’ve been this excited about something. It’s a series that means a lot to me. It’s pretty near and dear to me, really going back to its inception.

“I was racing a [Super Modified] around that time when it started. That was kind of a goal to get there. I never quite got there. Ten years later, I started working with ASCS. I worked with them for 10 years and I think the 10 years I was there we built it into a really prominent series. And now I’m excited about the opportunity to get back in there under the umbrella of [World Racing Group] and their resources and their infrastructure. I think we can do a lot of positive things, not only for ASCS but for Sprint Car racing in general.”

Cordell spent the last four years working with Sprint Car driver Noah Gass, serving as crew chief and team leader. That tenure also included two full years on the road with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

While it was difficult for him to leave the team, which had become like a second family, Cordell’s passion for ASCS and his vision of where it can go made for an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I’m just excited about the opportunity,” he said. “It is kind of a career change for me as far as coming off the road as a crew chief. Kind of going on the official side of it, something I’ve always wanted to do. I have done it before in the past. I figured I’d get back to it eventually, I just didn’t figure it would be right now… I’m looking forward to getting going.

“I think it is an exciting time. I think it is an exciting thing to move to the future. It’s a big career move for me. I think I’ll get the respect of everyone pretty quick. I want to be known as a fair guy. I want to be known as the guy that treated everyone equal.”

Wheatley and Cordell will enter the season already having an established rapport. Both grew up around the Oklahoma racing scene, and crossed paths on various occasions, such as during Cordell’s time as Race Director with POWRi and while both worked the Chili Bowl Nationals.

Wheatley has worked the Tulsa Shootout and Chili Bowl Nationals for more than 20 years, helping with media needs, and more recently developing the formats, covering the passing points and managing the efficiency of the shows. He’s also worked at Dodge City Raceway Park for nine years, severing multiple duties, including media lead, and worked the Short Track Nationals for more than 20 years.

Now, at the helm of the American Sprint Car Series, Wheatley is eager to bring his experience and knowledge to his new role with a mission to again establish the ASCS as a prominent Sprint Car series.

“The best thing that could have happened to ASCS at this point is the acquisition by WRG, because they have the resources available for us to go in there and take a real strong look at the things we need to do and can do to sustain the Series and build it up,” Wheatley said. “Not only on the national levels, but on the regional levels as well. I see it as a great opportunity for the series and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Up next for ASCS is the doubleheader weekend for the ASCS Sooner Region with racing at Thunderbird Speedway, March 22, and at Creek County Speedway, March 23.

The ASCS National Tour will kick off its 2024 season at Super Bee Speedway in Chatham, LA, April 19-20.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every ASCS National Series race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or through the DIRTVision App.

FARMER CITY, IL (March 13, 2024) – Illinois will welcome the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models for the two-day marquee Illini 100, April 12-13.

It’ll be the Series’ first stop in the Prairie State this year, featuring a nearly $150,000 overall purse with Friday’s race paying $10,000 to win and Saturday’s main event paying $20,000 to win.

Of the 18 World of Outlaws events ran at the 1/4-mile track, 10 have been won by Illinois natives, including the last seven World of Outlaws races at Farmer City.

The World of Outlaws will be joined by the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota both nights. Led by 2022 Series champion Zach Daum, of Pocahontas, IL, the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets will also have a stout field of talent for the Series’ debut at the track.

EVENT INFO:
Date – Friday-Saturday, April 12-13 (Thursday, April 11 is a practice night)
Location – Farmer City, IL
Track – 1/4-mile oval
Track Record – 11.750 sec. by Brandon Sheppard on April 5, 2019

Times (CT) –
12pm Pit Gates Open
1pm Grandstands Open

Tickets ($5 off with advanced purchase) – WorldofOutlaws.com/tix
How to Watch – Every lap live on DIRTVision

Previous World of Outlaws Late Model Winners –
2023- Bobby Pierce on June 1
2021- Mike Spatola on April 2; Bobby Pierce on April 3
2019 – Brian Shirley on April 5; Brandon Sheppard on April 6
2017 – Brandon Sheppard on March 31; Brian Shirley on April 1
2016 – Josh Richards on April 2, 3
2015 – Scott Bloomquist on April 17; Brandon Sheppard on April 18
2014 – Shannon Babb on April 26
2013 – Billy Moyer on April 6
2012 – Jimmy Mars on March 31
2010 – Billy Moyer on April 10
2009 – Shane Clanton on April 4
2008 – Billy Moyer on April 5
2007 – Shannon Babb on April 27
2006 – Billy Moyer on Aug. 14

March 14, 2024

NASCAR’s experiment with racing on a dirt surface at Bristol Motor Speedway seems to have run its course, and even some of the most ardent dirt-racing aficionados are happy to see this weekend’s Food City 500 contested on concrete.

“As much of a fan of dirt racing as I am, I have to say I’m excited to be back on the concrete at Bristol,” said Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang Dark Horse driven by Harrison Burton.

Even when the spring races at Bristol were run on dirt in the past three seasons, the clay was removed for the night race later in the fall. Bullins plans to use his notes from last fall’s race to prepare for Sunday’s 500-lapper on the high-banked concrete short track.
 
“We found some speed in the middle portion of the race last fall before some steering issues caused us to have a poor finish,” he said. “I’m confident that we can build off what we learned in the fall and go have a competitive weekend with our DEX Imaging Ford.”
 
Practice for the Food City 500 is set for Saturday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time to be followed by qualifying at 5:50. FOX Sports 1 will carry the TV broadcast.
 
Sunday’s 500-lap, 266.5-mile race is expected to get the green flag just after 3:30 p.m., with TV coverage switching to FOX.
 
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 125 and 250.

Corvette GT3 program looking to add to brand’s rich history of 12 Hours success DETROIT (March 13, 2024) – The new-look Corvette Racing program is headed to one of the toughest and most extreme tests in all of motorsports – the 72nd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac. The rough-and-tumble Sebring International Raceway in central Florida is steeped in Corvette Racing lore with countless tests plus 29 races during a quarter-century of Corvette competition. That should bode well for the fortunes of the four Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries entered for this America’s oldest sports car race.                                                                                                                                                                           Two of the Corvette GT3 cars are entered in each of the GT classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – a pair for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in GTD PRO and an additional two for AWA in GTD.

The goal for each team is to put Corvette back on the top step of the podium – a place Corvette Racing has stood 14 times leading into this year’s running. Operated by Pratt Miller Engineering, the Corvette factory team has tasted victory each of the last two years – 2022 in GTD PRO and 2023 in the GTE Am class of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

CORVETTE RACING MEDIA INFORMATION Corvette Racing media information is updated and available ahead of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac. 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.

The current Corvette/PMM team tested the Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Sebring in November in order to gather valuable data on the first-year car ahead of the season’s most grueling race across the bumps and concrete of the 3.74-mile, 17-turn Sebring circuit. The lineups remain the same from the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona: Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims and Daniel Juncadella in the No. 3 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette with Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg and Earl Bamber sharing the No. 4 Oshkosh / Mobil 1 Corvette. The six Corvette factory drivers have a combined 11 victories at Sebring. In GTD, the AWA team will make its second start with the Corvette brand after debuting at Daytona. The squad enjoyed a solid Sebring 12 Hours a year ago in LMP3 with the No. 13 trio of Orey Fidani, Matt Bell and Lars Kern finishing second in class.  They will team again in this year’s race while 2023 fourth-place LMP3 finishers Anthony Mantella and Nico Varrone – a winner last year for Corvette Racing in the FIA WEC’s 1,000 Miles of Sebring – are set to drive with Rolex 24 teammate Thomas Merrill. 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.

Celebrating Mobil 1’s 50th AnniversaryTo mark the 50th anniversary of Corvette technical partner Mobil 1, both the No. 3 and No. 4 Corvettes from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports will contest Sebring with special Mobil 1-inspired liveries. Both cars – plus the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in GTP – will feature celebratory Mobil 1 gold along with the Mobil 1 Pegasus, which throughout its history has symbolized speed and power within the brand. The Mobil 1 brand and its partners will be highlighting the brand’s legacy and future at Sebring, as well as off the track through the rest of this monumental anniversary year. For more than 25 years, the Mobil 1 brand has been an integral part of the Corvette Racing program. It was the only lubricant used by the factory racing effort dating back to the first on-track tests of the Corvette C5-R in 1997. The Mobil 1 brand continues as a primary sponsor of the Pratt Miller-run Corvette Z06 GT3.R team, and since 1993 has been the factory fill for all new production Corvettes.

Chevrolet Motorsports Display, Ride and Drive Return to SebringIn addition to the many happenings on the racetrack at Sebring, fans will have plenty to see and experience from Chevrolet. That’s because two locations at the circuit – Chevrolet’s Motorsports Display and the Chevrolet Ride and Drive – will be full of Chevy vehicles that spectators can learn more about throughout the weekend. The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 9 a.m. Thursday and Friday plus 8 a.m. Saturday in the Sebring Midway. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include: • The Corvette Z06 GT3.R showcar along with the 2023 Corvette Z06 coupe• Corvette Stingray convertible• Additional Chevrolet products such as Traverse Z71, Blazer EV RS, Silverado 1500, Colorado ZR2, Tahoe RST, Silverado 2500HD• An example of the LT6.R engine in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R• An opportunity to receive a 2024 Chevrolet Motorsports t-shirt  Also beginning Thursday, fans visiting the Sebring Skidpad outside of Turn 17 can sample a Chevrolet vehicle for themselves at the Ride and Drive event. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, spectators have the chance to test a wide variety of Chevrolets including Blazer RS, Tahoe High Country, Silverado 1500, TrailBlazer Active and Trax Active. The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Cadillac is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 16. The race will air on USA Network from 4-10 p.m. ET with full streaming coverage on Peacock at 9:30 a.m. ET. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions beginning at IMSA.com along with Sirius 216, XM 207, SiriusXM Online 992 and 100.9 FM at the circuit.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “After coming to Sebring for more than 15 years, the race still amazes me. It really is unlike any other event we do with the combination of the track, the bumps and the fans that turn out every year. I’m fortunate to have won many races at Sebring in different categories and generations of the Corvette and I hope that continues with the Z06 GT3.R. Already we have some notes and data from testing over the bumps late last year so that should help us arrive with a good baseline. We were fast at Daytona and immediately competitive, so let’s see if all that together will mean more success for Corvette at Sebring.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m looking forward to Sebring a heck of a lot. The way last year’s race worked out still perplexes me! So now it will be cool to go there and try to get my first Sebring GT win, after coming home second a few seasons ago. Having driven the car there in testing, it felt good. It was probably the most challenging track I’ve been on so far in trying to get used to the ABS with the bumps throughout. We’ve made gains with the car since the test but difficult to know what those are like and how relevant they are to the Sebring track and the surface. As we gain general understanding of the car and the tires, things are going in a positive direction.”

DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Sebring is an event that starts in the day and ends at night, which is very unique. The track is very cool with a lot of history behind it. It’s definitely one of the highlight races in IMSA. I’ve always heard that the Corvette is a very good car around Sebring, and that’s exciting as well. I’ve raced two times there and came second and third. Hopefully if we are on the podium, we will be on that missing step.“This is no secret or mystery – winning at Sebring is more exciting than winning at a lot of other places. It’s a race where a lot of things happen over the 12 hours. There is so much history behind it. It’s a very cool event. I’ve only raced there twice but already feel like I know the track very well. I feel like I have raced there a lot more, but I have done a lot of laps on simulators over the years. That makes it easier to get to grips.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m always excited to go to Sebring. It gives us a chance to see how the Z06 GT3.R will be in a configuration that will carry on through the rest of the year. We’ve done a lot of testing at Sebring, including with this car. Historically the Corvette racecars have always been very strong over the bumps, and this car seems no different than previous generations. So we’re anticipating a good race from our side. As always, Sebring is famously rough on equipment and drivers! I’m confident we’ve addressed the issues that we experienced in testing and at Daytona. I’m super happy with how driving with Earl and Nicky ended up. They both did a fantastic job, as expected. I’m going into the weekend with high hopes and expectations. But it’s still a new car and a new season. We’ll see how things go once we get on track for practice.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The last couple of years at Sebring have been good for me personally, winning there and dominating in WEC and then the year before with Antonio and Jordan we won in IMSA. So it’s been quite good and I look forward to continuing that streak. I do have high hopes. Yes, Daytona was difficult but the car already showed some good pace. I do not believe we were too slow to fight for a podium. Maybe we could not have fought for a win, but there some small technical issues which we should struggle with less going forward. We have had more time to discover the time, and a 24-hour race is not the easiest race to start with. The team continues to progress and we have improved the car from where it was weak in Daytona. So we should be strong there. The team knows how to set up the car really well at Sebring, and I believe they know exactly what to do so we can extract the most speed out of it. I like the car, we have a great team and great teammates. I cannot wait for Sebring to come so we can fight for a victory.”

EARL BAMBER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The debut of the Corvette at Daytona was exciting. We showed that we had good form to run at the front. When we tested at Sebring, the car also was really strong. Of all the GT3 cars recently that I’ve driven, the Corvette is one of the stronger packages, and at Sebring it was really good too. The Pratt Miller guys have been working hard to rectify the small teething things we had at Daytona, and I think we’ll come out swinging at Sebring. It’s a track that has suited Corvette for a long time. Doing my first race with them, I can see why they beat us and won so many championships when you look at the side of the truck. I’m looking forward to getting down there and giving it a good shot at another endurance racing classics.”

AWA PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A great deal of commitment and focus is required in order to be able to succeed at Sebring, but it’s an exhilarating race from start to finish. We’ve meticulously prepared for this event and have spent a lot of time trying to fine-tune our No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, so I’m feeling confident that our hard work will pay off. Even though the first race of the year didn’t go our way, we’re here to embrace the challenge and push ourselves until we get the results we know we’re capable of.”

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’ve done very well at Sebring in the past and we’ll be doing everything we can to have another strong result here again. I’m ready to get back in the car and showcase all of our efforts. We know we have it in us to compete at the front of the pack and contend with the best in the field, now it’s just a matter of putting all the pieces together. It’s a long race, and anything can happen, but I believe in our ability to rise to the occasion.”

LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to what is my favorite race on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar. Even though it’s a 12-hour race, there’s no holding back from the first lap onwards. Sebring always has an amazing atmosphere, it’s such an incredible event with some of the most passionate fans out there. We completed a good test last week and I can’t wait to hop back into our Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Although our experience at Daytona stung, we feel well prepared to tackle these bumps next weekend and come back stronger.”

NICO VARRONE, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The Sebring 12 Hours is always one of top IMSA events. I’m really looking forward to it, especially having won there last year in WEC with Corvette. Even if Daytona this year wasn’t kind to us and we had some issues with our Corvette, everyone at Corvette Racing and AWA did a lot of work to sort things. We feel ready for Sebring. I feel like we have a strong package and a strong lineup, so we will give our all. Sebring is a tough track and a tough race with the legendary bumps. With the race starting in the daytime and finishing at night, the car balance changes a lot so you have to be on point in order to have a good car to finish the race, so that’s the main goal. We will work hard throughout the week and see where we end up.”

ANTHONY MANTELLA, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Sebring is the ultimate test of skill and endurance, and it’s a race we all collectively greatly look forward to. The intensity and physicality are part of what makes this event so unique, and we’re very determined to do well here and show that our No. 17 Agritainer Corvette Z06 GT3.R has the competitive edge to fight at the front of the GTD Class. Following a difficult opening round at Daytona, we’ve all contributed a great deal of time and energy into making sure we have a strong understanding of the car, and we are fully focused and committed to moving forward and concentrating on the next task.”

THOMAS MERRILL, NO. 17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:  “I can’t wait to get back into the No. 17 Agritainer Corvette Z06 GT3.R. We’ve spent some time with the car following Daytona to work out some of the kinks, so I’m confident we’ll be returning stronger at Sebring. Historically, the Corvette has always been strong over the bumps, so I’m optimistic that we will be able to put on a strong performance as well. Still, this is probably the most competitive GTD field we’ve seen, so it won’t come easy, but we’re ready to rise to the occasion and show what we’re capable of. Can’t wait to get started!”

2024 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship PointsGTD PRO Drivers Standings1. Alessandro Pier Guidi/Daniel Serra/Davide Rigon/James Calado – 3762. Laurin Heinrich/Michael Christensen/Seb Priaulx – 3553. Bryan Sellers/Madison Snow/Sheldon van der Linde/Neil Verhagen – 3194. Alex Riberas/Mario Farnbacher/Ross Gunn – 3005. Alexander Sims/Antonio Garcia/Daniel Juncadella – 2908. Nicky Catsburg/Tommy Milner/Earl Bamber – 254 GTD PRO Teams Standings1. No. 62 Risi Competizione – 3762. No. 77 AO Racing – 3553. No. 1 Paul Miller Racing – 3194. No. 23 Heart of Racing – 3005. No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 2908. No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 254 GTD PRO Manufacturers Standings1. Porsche – 3552. Aston Martin – 3023. Chevrolet – 2904. Ford – 2745. Lamborghini – 268 GTD Drivers Standings1. Daniel Morad/Indy Dontje/Philip Ellis/Russell Ward – 3642. Francois Heriau/Kei Cozzolino/Miguel Molina/Simon Mann – 3403. Albert Costa Balboa/Alessandro Balzan/Cedric Sbirrozzuoil/Manny Franco – 3254. Alessio Rovera/Charles Scardina/Onofrio Triarsi/Riccardo Agostini – 3035. Maximilian Goetz/Mikael Grenier/Mike Skeen – 27318. Anthony Mantella/Charlie Eastwood/Nico Varrone/Thomas Merrill – 15221. Alex Lynn/Lars Kern/Matthew Bell/Orey Fidani – 117 GTD Teams Standings1. No. 57 Windward Racing – 3642. No. 21 AF Corse – 3403. No. 34 Conquest Racing – 3254. No. 023 Triarsi Competizione – 3035. No. 32 KorthoffPreston Motorsport – 27318. No. 17 AWA – 15221. No. 13 AWA – 117 GTD Manufacturers Standings1. Mercedes-AMG – 3712. Lamborghini – 3283. Porsche – 3124. McLaren – 2845. Lexus – 2756. Chevrolet – 255

CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: By the Numbers• 1: As in one manufacturer and one model of car for the 26th year at Sebring: Chevrolet and the Corvette• 3: Tracks where Corvette Racing has competed in each of its previous 25 years: Sebring, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.• 4: Sebring race wins for Antonio Garcia – second-most among drivers entered in this year’s 12 Hours• 4: GT class pole positions at Sebring for Oliver Gavin and newly elected Sebring Hall of Fame member Ron Fellows, tied for most in event history• 8: Sebring victories – a race record – for Johnny O’Connell, a Sebring Hall of Famer who drove for Corvette Racing from 2001-10. It includes one overall and seven class wins• 14: Number of Sebring victories for Corvette Racing – the most of any venue in program history. Twelve of those have come in the 12 Hours, including 2022 in GTD PRO• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 41: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Dani Juncadella, Earl Bamber, Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern, Alex Lynn. Anthony Mantella, Thomas Merrill and Charlie Eastwood joined the list at Daytona• 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• 286: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 55,591.52: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries at Sebring since 1999. That’s more than two full trips around the Earth at its equator (approx. 24,900 miles).• 371,612.71: 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 Sebring International Raceway1999No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 4th in GTS (Fellows pole)No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 7th in GTS (Pilgrim fastest race lap)  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 6th in GTS (Fellows pole)No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 5th in GTS 2001No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 2nd in GTS 2002No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GTS (Fellows pole)No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 4th in GTS 2003No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Franck Freon – 1st in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins/Andy Pilgrim – 3rd in GTS (Gavin pole) 2004No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 1st in GTS (Fellows pole)No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 6th in GTS (Gavin fastest race lap) 2005No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 2nd in GT1No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT1 2006No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 4th in GT1No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1 2007No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 1st in GT1 2008No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 2nd in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap) 2009No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GT1No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Marcel Fässler – 2nd in GT1 (Gavin pole, fastest race lap) 2010No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell/Antonio Garcia – 8th in GT2No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Emmanuel Collard – 9th in GT2 2011No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTNo. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen/Richard Westbrook – 4th in GT 2012No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GT (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 3rd in GT 2013No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 11th in GTNo. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 1st in GT2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 8th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 6th in GTLM (Gavin fastest race lap) 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Daytona/Sebring double)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 9th in GTLM 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 9th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (10th Sebring team win) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 1st in GTLM (3rd straight Sebring team win)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 10th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 8th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 6th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLMNo. 63 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 8th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC) 2020*No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM (Taylor pole)No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM 2020No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 5th in GTLM (Garcia pole, Catsburg fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 6th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLM (Taylor pole, Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 5th in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTD PRO (IMSA)No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 2nd in GTE PRO (FIA WEC) 2023No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTD PRO (IMSA)No. 33 Corvette C8.R: Nicky Catsburg/Ben Keating/Nico Varrone – 1st in GTE Am (FIA WEC)

Wossner Pistons, a leading manufacturer of high-performance pistons with a rich history spanning over 40 years, is thrilled to announce its new partnership with Santa Pod Raceway, the renowned home of European drag racing.   With its roots deeply embedded in motorsport and engineering excellence, Wossner Pistons has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation to deliver cutting-edge solutions for automotive enthusiasts and racing professionals alike. From its humble beginnings to its current position as a trusted industry leader, Wossner has remained committed to delivering top-quality products and unparalleled performance.   As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the motorsport community, Wossner Pistons is proud to join forces with Santa Pod Raceway, a cornerstone of the European racing scene and a hub for adrenalin-fuelled action. With its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class events, Santa Pod provides the perfect platform for Wossner Pistons to showcase its products and engage with the vibrant racing community.   Wossner Pistons is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 4-cylinder class at the 2024 Doorslammers Drag Racing event (17-19 May). This sponsorship further solidifies Wossner’s commitment to supporting the motorsport community and providing opportunities for racers to showcase their skills on the track. As a leading manufacturer of high-performance pistons, Wossner is excited to see how its products will enhance the performance of competitors in the 4-cylinder class and looks forward to witnessing the thrilling action unfold at this prestigious event.   This partnership represents an exciting opportunity for both Wossner Pistons and Santa Pod Raceway to collaborate and drive innovation in the ever-evolving world of motorsport. By combining Wossner’s expertise in piston technology with Santa Pod’s passion for performance, the two organisations are poised to make a significant impact on the racing landscape.   “We are thrilled to partner with Santa Pod Raceway and support the growth of the racing market,” said David Wheeler, Director at Wossner Pistons. “As a company with a long-standing tradition of excellence, we are able to align ourselves with Santa Pod’s commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences for racing enthusiasts. Together, we look forward to pushing the boundaries of performance and taking motorsport to new heights.”   Santa Pod Raceway shares Wossner Pistons’ enthusiasm for the partnership and looks forward to collaborating on exciting initiatives that will benefit both racing fans and participants. With Wossner Pistons on board as a sponsor, Santa Pod Raceway is well-positioned to continue its legacy as Europe’s premier destination for drag racing and high-octane entertainment.   For more information about Wossner Pistons, please visit www.wossnerpistons.co.uk. For details about upcoming events at Santa Pod Raceway, visit www.santapod.co.uk.  

CONCORD, NC (March 12, 2023) – The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyotabegins its second full-length national Midget schedule this weekend with the season opening events inside the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, IL.

For the second-straight year, the Series opens competition with back-to-back nights of racing on the temporary 1/6-mile oval constructed on the concrete floor of the Center, located on the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Both Friday and Saturday programs will be conducted nearly identically, with Group Qualifying and Heat Races (both with passing points), Last Chance Showdowns and a Feature. Friday’s 30-lap Feature is $4,000-to-win, while Saturday’s 40-lap Feature will pay $5,000 to the winner.

The 2024 championship chase also features an upgrade in points fund money, now awarding $30,000 to the Series champion at season’s end, $15,000 to the runner-up and $10,000 to third-place, while the rest of the top-10 in points will collect a check for their season-long efforts as well.

Tickets for this weekend’s events in Du Quoin will be available at the door on race day – $25 for General Admission; kids 12-and-under are free. Friday Hot Laps set for 5pm; Saturday Hot Laps at 4:30pm. If you can’t be there in person, DIRTVision has live coverage throughout the weekend and at all 30 Series events in 2024.

Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:

THE CHAMP IS HERE – Jade Avedisian returns to Xtreme Outlaw Series competition for the first time since October when she clinched the 2023 Series championship, piloting the Mobil 1, LynK/Toyota No. 71 for the start of her second season with Keith Kunz Motorsports.

While she’ll be fulfilling commitments to the GR Cup schedule with Toyota Racing this year, the 17-year-old from Clovis, CA, is slated to compete in approximately 25 of the 30 Series events. The first two of which comes in Du Quoin, where she was victorious on Saturday night of the Xtreme season opener last year – a race that featured a wild ending with veteran racer Thomas Meseraull.

Since wrapping up her first national championship five months ago, Avedisian has signed on as an official athlete of the Toyota Driver Development program, tested in multiple different car classes – including Legend Cars and her GR Cup car on ice – and most recently took home a silver medal in the 82nd Australian Speedcar Championship at Perth Motorplex in Perth, Western Australia, piloting a Midget for California-based Dyson Motorsports alongside teammate Justin Grant.

MICRO SPRINT MADNESS – Micro Sprint talents from across the country have been filling Midget seats over the past several years, and the Xtreme Outlaw Series is taking on several new faces from its national and regional ranks.

Mounce/Stout Motorsports (MSM) will house four Micro Sprint racers, all of whom are rookies on the national Midget scene this year. The Tulsa, OK-based team housed only Chase McDermand as a full-time racer in 2023 but expands in 2024 with the addition of multi-time California Micro champion TJ Smith, Oklahomans Tyler Edwards and Jayden Clay, and the newest member from Glendale, AZ, Austin Torgerson.

Outside of MSM, Oklahoma Micro racer Peter Smith has joined Trifecta Motorsports as a teammate to 2022 Series champion Zach Daum for the season. Two-time Millbridge Speedway Micro Sprint champion Trevor Cline will take his family-owned operation on the road this year, as well as 14-year-old Arizonan Elijah Gile.

PACKED HOUSE – In addition to Avedisian, the Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) stable will feature six additional teammates for a total of seven cars on the team for this weekend’s events. Keith, along with longtime team co-owner Pete Willoughby, led the team to the Xtreme Outlaw Series championship last year and will return with four drivers scheduled to compete in all 30 races in 2024 – Ryan Timms, Gavin Miller, Ashton Torgerson and Luke Drotschie.

• Ryan Timms, of Oklahoma City, OK, begins his march toward an Xtreme Outlaw Series championship this weekend in his second full season with KKM. The 17-year-old racer broke through for his first career Series win last year at Port City Raceway but has not been to Victory Lane in Du Quoin, posting a best finish of seventh at the Junior Knepper 55 event with POWRi in December.

• Gavin Miller, of Allentown, PA, begins his sophomore season on the national Midget circuit, returning to the seat of the Eibach Springs, LynK/Toyota No. 97 following a full-time run last year that ended with a third-place finish in the final points standings and two Feature wins. The 17-year-old finished eighth and ninth in the Du Quoin races one year ago.

• Ashton Torgerson, of Glendale, AZ, is newest addition to the KKM squad, announcing last Thursday he’s signed with the team to contest the entire Xtreme schedule this year. It’s a quick switch for the 17-year-old, who in January confirmed that he’d agreed to join Mounce/Stout Motorsports camp. His older brother, Austin Torgerson, has since filled that spot at MSM, and will take his wealth of Micro Sprint experience out on the road competing against his brother in their rookie national Midget campaigns.

• Luke Drotschie, of Cape Town, WC, South Africa, makes his KKM debut and first career Midget start in the U.S. this weekend. The 20-year-old made scattered Micro Sprint starts in the States last year and brings indoor racing experience from the 2023 Tulsa Shootout with him as he begins his rookie campaign on the national Midget circuit.

• Taylor Reimer, of Tulsa, OK, will make only scattered starts for KKM this year – piloting her signature pink, BuzzBallz-sponsored LynK/Toyota No. 25K – as she begins a full-time transition to the asphalt world. The 24-year-old placed 17th and ninth in Du Quoin last year en route to a sixth-place finish in the 2023 points standings.

• Cannon McIntosh, of Bixby, OK, has rejoined the 17-time national Midget championship-winning team and will race under the KKM banner at the national level for the first time since 2020 (excluding the 2021 Chili Bowl Nationals) this weekend. Last year, the 21-year-old racer went to Victory Lane in the season opener in Du Quoin – his second career Feature win in the Center, four years after his first with USAC in the 2019 Shamrock Classic.

BACK FOR MORE – Three Xtreme Outlaw Series championship chasers from last year have returned to the full-time roster in 2024, each sporting their familiar colors for the opening race of the new season.

Inaugural Series champion Zach Daum is back behind the wheel of the Trifecta Motorsports No. 7U for his second season with the team after a runner-up finish in the points standings last year. The 32-year-old from Pocahontas, IL, has made several Midget starts at the Center in his career but has yet to reach Victory Lane. He ran fifth in the opening night of action at the Center one year ago.

Fellow Illinoisan Chase McDermand is slated to pilot his own McDermand Plumbing, Spike/Stanton No. 40 for the start of the season – a change from his original plans to contest the Series with Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports. He missed the Feature on opening night last year but bounced back on Saturday, driving from 12th on the starting grid up to a second-place finish.

Twenty-year-old Hayden Reinbold saddles up with the Series for the second-straight year, following his first career national Midget Feature win in the season finale last October. The Arizona racer drove the Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports No. 19AZ to finishes of 12th and 14th in the Center one year ago.

LOCAL FLAVOR – Brayton Lynch, of Springfield, IL, is set to return to Du Quoin for his first Midget start in the Center since 2021. Armed with the knowledge of his grandfather – famed crew chief Rusty Kunz – Lynch aims to better his best career finish in the building of 10th, garnered in a 2021 USAC regional event.

CONCORD, NC (March 12, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is shifting its event on March 23 from Lawton Speedway to Kennedale Speedway Park, creating a huge two-day weekend in the Dallas-Fort Worth region with Big “O” Speedway.The event at Lawton was canceled because a recent fire at the track resulted in the loss of the facility’s press box and more than 60 reserved seats, along with smoke damage to the concessions. Working with track and series officials, the event was able to shift to Kennedale.Lawton track personnel worked diligently in the fire’s aftermath to prepare the facility but determined the damage to be too extensive and severe to have it ready by race day.The new doubleheader weekend in Texas kicks off Friday, March 22, at Big “O” Speedway in Ennis before heading an hour northwest to the Saturday night Cowtown Roundup at Kennedale. Both events will pay $12,000 to win.If you purchased a ticket in advance for the Lawton Speedway event, you will receive a face-value credit to your MyDirtTickets.com account – good for two years – to be used toward any World of Outlaws event available at WorldofOutlaws.com/tix. If a credit to your account does not work for you, then you have until April 12 to request a refund.Tickets for the new Kennedale race will go on sale Thursday, March 14. Fans who had purchased tickets to the previously canceled Kennedale weekend can use the credit on their account to buy tickets for the new March 23 race. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series was meant to make its debut at Kennedale Speedway Park earlier this month before weather hindered those plans. Now, Texas fans get another chance to see The Greatest Show on Dirt during the one-day Cowtown Roundup.If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

The World of Outlaws return to the Paige, TX oval after a one-year absence.

PAIGE, TX (March 12, 2024) – Time to put on the cowboy boots. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are ready to go Texas Two-Steppin’. 

The Lonestar Sooner Stampede rolls into Cotton Bowl Speedway this weekend (March 15-16) for two nights of Texas-sized action. The Paige, TX facility returns to The Greatest Show on Dirt’s calendar after a year break. The Series first visited Cotton Bowl in 2016 and has made six overall appearances at the 3/8-mile.

The stars of the World of Outlaws tour are expected to be joined by a healthy contingent of locals along with a cast of invaders from various states to create a star-studded field ready to dance for a Texas Two-Step triumph.

BUY TWO-DAY COTTON BOWL TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY COTTON BOWL TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY COTTON BOWL TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

TWO-TIME TWO-STEPPER: Only one current full-time Series competitor has tamed Cotton Bowl twice through the six World of Outlaws visits to date – Sheldon Haudenschild.

The Wooster, OH native drove the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 to victories on opening night of the Texas Two-Step in 2021 and 2022. In typical Haudenschild fashion, both wins were filled with excitement as he charged from sixth in 2021 and seventh the next year. 

Haudenschild enters the weekend riding the momentum of consecutive top two finishes. He closed out Volusia’s DIRTcar Nationals with a $20,000 victory last month then came home runner-up during Bike Week at the Florida oval. A win this weekend would make Cotton Bowl the fifth facility where he’s topped at least a trio of races.

ONE COWBOY BOOT: Haudenschild may the only current World of Outlaws driver with a pair of Cotton Bowl wins, but two more on the roster have made a Victory Lane visit.

Six years ago, David Gravel led flag to flag for his one Cotton Bowl triumph. That was aboard the CJB Motorsports #5, and this weekend he’ll look to replicate the feat but behind the wheel of the Big Game Motorsports #2. The Watertown, CT driver is always strong at Cotton Bowl with a 4.83 average finish in six tries. The point lead currently belongs to Gravel.

It was Carson Macedo most recently claiming a Cotton Bowl checkered flag. The Jason Johnson Racing pilot wheeled the #41 to a win during the Series’ most recent trip in 2022. The victory was a major improvement for Macedo whose previous best Cotton Bowl result was 11th. The Lemoore, CA native is coming off his first podium of the season at Volusia.

COTTON BOWL CONSISTENCY: While only three of the 2024 World of Outlaws roster have won at Cotton Bowl, plenty of others have been consistent and shown they’re plenty capable of breaking through for a win.

Donny Schatz has been in attendance for all six Cotton Bowl races, and he’s yet to finish outside the top 10. The 10-time champion has put the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 in the top five during three of those tries and owns a 6.5 average finish. 

Like Schatz, Logan Schuchart hasn’t missed the top 10 in six Cotton Bowl tries but is still seeking Victory Lane. The Shark Racing driver owns a best finish of fourth at the facility, which he achieved twice at the most recent Texas Two-Step in 2022.

Giovanni Scelzi has taken on Cotton Bowl on four occasions. Each start has been with his current team – KCP Racing – and he’s put the orange #18 in the top 10 three times and peaked at sixth twice. Scelzi enters the weekend as one of only three drivers that haven’t missed the top 10 in 2024.

Cotton Bowl has also been kind to Jonestown, PA’s Brock Zearfoss. The 3/8-mile is home to a trio of his 60 career World of Outlaws top 10 finishes. He’ll look to crack the top 10 for the first time this season with the trip to Cotton Bowl.

ONE STEP SHORT: Twice Cotton Bowl has nearly been the site of what would’ve been popular home state victories. 

In 2021 it was Aaron Reutzel who came up one step short of the podium’s top step. The Clute, TX driver led a dozen laps aboard the Roth Motorsports #83 before Sheldon Haudenschild prevailed. 

Then, during the most recent Cotton Bowl race, Sam Hafertepe Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX) had victory pried from his grasp as the race wound down. Hafertepe Jr. led the opening 26 circuits before Carson Macedo drove by and forced him to settle for second.

To date, Gary Wright is the only Texas native to win a World of Outlaws race within the borders of the “Lone Star State.” The Hooks, TX pilot mastered Mesquite’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway to the tune of five wins. Of the two above, Reutzel will return wheeling the Ridge & Sons Racing #87 looking to finish the job, but Hafertepe has RPM Speedway’s American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) action on his itinerary. 

TEXAS TALENT: Reutzel won’t be the only Texan looking to make the home state fans proud.

Waco’s Chase Randall is set for battle behind the wheel of the TKS Motorsports machine. The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the sport’s top rising talents and looks to build that reputation even more with a strong showing this weekend.

Another Texas competitor in the realm of Sprint Car racing’s blooming stars is Brenham Crouch. He’s already impressed in 2024 by making three of the four DIRTcar Nationals Features at Volusia against one of the toughest fields the sport sees all year.

More locals expected to fill the pits include Brett Becker (Odessa, TX), John Ricketts (Burleson, TX), Marcus Thomas (Corsicana, TX), Blaine Baxter (Liberty Hill, TX), Dalton Stevens (Scurry, TX), and more.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 

Friday-Saturday, March 15-16 at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, TX

Inside Line Promotions – FRESNO, Calif. (March 12, 2024) – Mother Nature postponed Dominic Scelzi’s season debut with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

Wet weather washed out last weekend’s World of Outlaws Cowtown Classic at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas. Scelzi will return to ‘The Lone Star State’ this weekend for the World of Outlaws Texas Two-Step hosted by Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige.

“Unfortunately, rain ended up cancelling both nights at Kennedale,” he said. “That’s part of the risk of racing this time of the year. Hopefully we’ll get in both nights this weekend.”

The races this Friday and Saturday will mark Scelzi’s debut at Cotton Bowl Speedway.

“I’m excited to get some laps at Cotton Bowl,” he said. “We’ve raced at a handful of different tracks in Texas, but I don’t think we’ve raced at Cotton Bowl. As with any race, the most important thing is to get dialed in quickly and to put down a great qualifying lap.”

Scelzi is coming off a pair of top-five performances during his first two nights behind the wheel of his family-owned sprint car two weekends ago.

“We had good speed so that gives us something to build upon,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep that up and just fine-tune it each race.”

SEASON STATS –

6 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 2 top 10s, 6 top 15s, 6 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday and Saturday at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas, for the World of Outlaws Texas Two-Step with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series

Cadillac Racing prototypes have won the past three races, five since 2017

DETROIT (March 12, 2024) – Cadillac Racing will seek to translate the positive vibes from its strong showing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener into a fourth consecutive victory and sixth since 2017 in the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac this weekend. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, which earned the pole with a track-record lap time and finished a close second in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, is the defending Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) champion of the race at Sebring International Raceway, which initially was the site of a World War II training base and hosted its first automobile event in 1950.

“I think Sebring is just one of the greats in our sport – a great event, great track and great environment,” said Pipo Derani, who drove to the pole start in 2023 and followed with his fourth victory in the race. “There is so much heritage and so much character as well. Every driver that goes through the race for the first time is amazed at how much the race throws back at you.”

Cadillac, presenting sponsor of the race, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the V-Series lineup of vehicles. More Media resources* Event guide: Cadillac storylines, bios, stats and more* Preview: Pipo Derani media Zoom call transcript* Wins: Cadillac Racing results 2023-2017 at Sebring* 2024 so far: Cadillac IMSA GTP statistics* All-time: Cadillac Racing numbers in all series

Derani will team with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist in attempting to repeat their 2023 fortunes and increase their advantage in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup standings. Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon return to drive the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, which started second in the 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway and qualified on the front row at Sebring in ’23. Both teams participated in a two-day test on the 3.741-mile, 17-turn course in February that included laps under the lights. “Your car has to be good at the end of the race. We were able to test at night, and that was where we focused making the car good in the dark when the track temps drop,” said Mike O’Gara, director of operations for the Chip Ganassi Racing-run No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R that will carry a special livery celebrating Mobill 1’s 50th anniversary. Added Derani, referring to the start of the second season of the hybrid GTP racecar: “We have a lot more understanding of what we need and the route we need to follow to achieve better results. And that’s the beauty of the sport because it’s always evolving but it still seems like everyone is right with you, so you have to keep yourself on your toes all the time to find an edge. “In our type of racing it’s not only about one-lap speed, but it’s a lot more about the team, a lot more about having a good car for different phases of a race. That’s when you start seeing details matter and pay dividends. I think we’re in a phase where we understand more what we need from the car, which gives us hope that we’ll improve on things that we want to improve upon from previous years. We’ll continue to work hard.” Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming coverage beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET Saturday, March 16. USA Network’s telecast is from 4-10 p.m. IMSA Radio’s race broadcast begins at 9:30 a.m. on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com along with Sirius channel 211, XM 207, Web/App 996, at the track at 100.9 FM, and Sebring station 99.1 FM). Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cadillac V-Series

In addition to being the presenting sponsor of the main event, Cadillac is the Official Luxury Vehicle of Sebring International Raceway and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its V-Series sub-brand that was unveiled during the Twelve Hours of Sebring. The 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, which was the Official Safety Car of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, is the official Safety Car of the Michelin Pilot Challenge race. Spectators have the opportunity to see the exciting roster of Cadillac vehicles, including the award-winning CT5-V Blackwing and Cadillac Escalade, at the Cadillac display in the Fan Zone. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. What the Cadillac Racing drivers are saying No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.RSebastien Bourdais: “It seems to be a bit of feast or famine at Sebring, so I hope it’s feast this time. It’s a track that I really enjoy and have been plenty competitive. I’ve had the honor and pleasure to win it twice. It’s a grueling race that is rewarding if you get it right. I feel like we’ve been the class of the field the last two years, and it would be really good if we could put one of the board for Cadillac and that’s what we’re shooting for. With how strong the competition is, we are good in any conditions. We’re going to prepare to react the best we can whatever comes our way.”

Renger van der Zande: “Sebring is my favorite race weekend of the year and it’s more special this year with the 100 starts. It’s a proud moment. It’s a track that suits me very well and it also suits my teammates. We’ve always been fast there. It’s one of the roughest, toughest races to win. I’ve never been able to win it, but I’ve been close so many times. We have a really strong lineup for the endurance races, and it’s also good to see the momentum on the WEC side with the car finishing really well at Qatar.”Scott Dixon: “I love that race. We’ve led many times but never have gotten the finish that we would have liked. Last year, the Cadillac had tremendous speed. I think at some point we had over a 50-second lead, so hopefully we can keep some of the performance we had last year and what we all would like is grab a win there. It would be special for me. Can’t wait to get going.”

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Pipo Derani: “After our second place in the Rolex 24, we’re confident going into Sebring. (Second year of GTP) “We have a lot more understanding of what we need and the route we need to follow to achieve better results. And that’s the beauty of the sport because it’s always evolving but it still seems like everyone is right with you, so you have to keep yourself on your toes all the time to find an edge. In our type of racing, it’s not only about one-lap speed, but it’s a lot more about the team, a lot more about having a good car for different phases of a race. That’s when you start seeing details matter and pay dividends. I think we’re in a phase where we understand more what we need from the car, which gives us hope that we’ll improve on things that we want to improve upon from previous years. We’ll continue to work hard.”Jack Aitken: (2023 win at Sebring, driving the final stint to take the checkered flag) “If you cross the line first, then you deserve to win. It was quite an exciting finish. We were keeping its fairly cool and calm and doing the best job we could with the package that we had, and the fact that it came to us is kind of payback for the times that it didn’t go our way. (2024 as full-season driver) “I’ll be seeing some tracks for the first time and have the amazing Pipo Derani as my teammate full time. Grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to helping the team repeat, which is the hardest thing to do.”

Tom Blomqvist: “Unlike my new teammates, I haven’t been fortunate enough to win that race or even been on the podium. It is a big bucket list sort of race that I would love to add to the CV and I have a great opportunity this year to do it with this team. They have proven time and time again that they are super competitive there, always fighting for the victory. I’m really excited to go to that race because it is one of the big ones. A lot of history of that race. The circuit is unique and the fans are all crazy. When we go there we’ll be fighting for the victory. Hopefully we can be at the right spot at the right time. It’s a goal.”

Coil was part of 15 of Force’s 16 Funny Car championships and over 130 wins

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 11, 2024) – Legendary crew chief Austin Coil, who tuned John Force to 15 of a record 16 NHRA Funny Car championships and over 130 national event wins, will be among 10 individuals to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Class of 2024 on Tuesday night in Daytona Beach, Fla. After leading Frank Hawley to two NHRA Funny Car championships in the “Chi-Town Hustler” in 1982 and 1983, Coil joined forces with the up-and-coming Force. And for more than three decades, they became the most dominant driver-crew chief combination in drag racing history. “It’s a real honor,” Coil said of his induction. “I really was surprised when I came to find out that I had gotten this award and I’m just tickled pink.” But Coil isn’t accepting his induction solely for himself. There was a huge family at JFR that helped him and Force achieve the success they attained over the decades.“You know, it takes a lot of people to make a car win a lot,” Coil said. “The driver is important and the crew chief is important, but everybody is important. “My co-crew chief throughout most of these wins was Bernie Fedderly and he seems to get so little credit. It’s a terrible shame because I guarantee if it wasn’t for Bernie’s help, a lot of those win lights wouldn’t have come on. … And there also was our car chief through most of those wins, Dean Antonelli.” While it was Force’s talent behind the wheel that led to the team’s wins and titles, it was Coil’s talent under the hood that laid the foundation for Force’s success. “He taught me so much not just about driving a car, but also about business,” Force said of Coil. “He rode in the truck with me in the early days. There were times when I couldn’t make payroll, he didn’t have any money either. But he’d help me make payroll to keep the team going. He was a special individual.” Unfortunately, the now 78-year-old Coil will be unable to attend the induction in-person (he has sent along a taped interview that will be played), but Force will humbly accept the honor on behalf of his longtime friend. “You know, they talk about the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Coil is the real GOAT to me, and that’s what I’m going to say when I get up there,” Force said. “If anyone deserves to be called GOAT, it ain’t me, it’s him. He made John Force. I was there all along, I get all the credit, but it was his magic. “Coil was someone who made me believe. You only build that with trust in time. They may try to call me the GOAT, but if that’s true, Austin Coil is the guy that created the GOAT.” Along with Coil, nine other luminaries from the world of motorsports will also be inducted: six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon (Open Wheel); seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (Stock Cars); late actor, IndyCar team co-owner and amateur racer Paul Newman (At Large); Jim Downing and Dr. Robert Hubbard (Technology); Bud Ekins (Motorcycles); John Surtees (Sports Cars); and Earl B. Gilmore and Phil Walters (aka “Ted Tappett”), both in the Historic category.

March 10, 2024

Harrison Burton and the Draiver-sponsored No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse finished 27^th in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

Burton started the 500-kilometer, 312-lap race on the one-mile oval from 24^th place. He surged into the top 20 in the opening laps and was running 21^st when the race’s first caution flag flew at Lap Six.

The remainder of the first Stage ran without additional yellow flags, and Burton ended that 60-lap segment in 29^th place.

After a pit stop during the caution period for the end of the Stage, he returned to the track in 27^th place but struggled in the early portion of the second Stage and fell a lap down at Lap 109.

Burton made a green-flag pit stop at Lap 113 and ran better in the remaining laps of the second Stage, finishing that segment in 28^th place.

The third and final segment of the race saw several caution periods for incidents on the track, and Burton steered the Draiver Mustang Dark Horse around them to salvage a 27^th-place finish. 

Burton and the Wood Brothers team now turn their attention to next Sunday’s 500-lapper on the high-banked concrete, half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.

 

(3/11/24 – Ben Deatherage) Chico, CA … The NARC 410 Sprint Car Series is excited to lift the lid on its 65th competitive season on Saturday, March 16th, at Silver Dollar Speedway! The historic Chico ¼-mile clay oval hosts the opening leg of the 2024 campaign and will have $10,000 on the line to the driver that bests the field of the Mini Gold Cup main event.

After last weekend’s rainout at Hanford, this marks the first of 25 premier racing events that will invade 17-different dirt oval tracks in California, Oregon, and Washington.

“This is going to be such a great event at this place, and it’s great to have NARC back to Chico,” commented Silver Dollar Speedway General Manager and Announcer Troy Hennig. “We’ve done some really wonderful things here over the offseason, and I think fans and drivers are going to like it, especially the brand-new catch fence.”

With defending champion Corey Day moving to the national touring High Limit Series and two-time champ Dominic Scelzi touring around the country this Spring, the battle for the prestigious NARC championship is expected to be a wide open and highly-contested affair.  The addition of several new up and coming drivers and teams promise to make it even more interesting.

Who to Watch

Justin Sanders, from Aromas, has amassed two of his series triumphs at Silver Dollar, achieved in 2019 and 2021. The Mittry Motorsports #2X pilot was runner-up at the April 30th show in 2022.  Both Chico events were rained out last season. Sanders, a 15-time winner on the NARC circuit, is expected to be a top contender for the NARC championship this season.

Justyn Cox made it to Silver Dollar Speedway just a handful of times in 2023 but did manage to put the Bates-Hamilton Racing #42X in the main events during the Gold Cup Race of Champions.  Cox posted 15 top ten NARC finishes last year including a huge victory at Tulare and will be a nightly force to be reckoned with.

Lemoore’s Cole Macedo and Bud Kaeding of Campbell are also expected to be battling for the title this season. Both have ample experience to make that happen. Macedo, who has won several races around the country, captured his first NARC feature event last season and Kaeding was the 2017 NARC series champion.  Kaeding has 21 series wins to his credit.

There’s no doubt that the biggest target on anyone’s back is Shane Golobic. The Fremont chauffeur, piloting the Matt Wood Racing #17W, is the most recent non-sanctioned 410 feature winner at SDS when he won the fair race on May 28th. The last time the facility was in action, he scored the victory on the final night of the 360 Fall Nationals last October.

Many young Central Valley competitors are expected to be in the field, including Lemoore’s Gauge Garcia, Dominic Gordon from Clovis, 2019 NARC champion D.J. Netto from Hanford, and Caeden Steele of Fresno.

Other competitors include Penngrove driver Chase Johnson, Oakley pilot Dylan Bloomfield, Jarrett Soares of Gilroy, Benicia’s Billy Aton, reigning Rookie of the Year Nick Parker from Tucson, Tim Kaeding of San Jose, Chico’s Michael Ing, Ashlyn Rodriguez of Wilton, Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick, Kaleb Montgomery of Templeton, Auburn’s Andy Forsberg, and many more.

Fan & Competitor Info

Silver Dollar Speedway is located at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2357 Fair Street in Chico, California. Tickets can be purchased online at silverdollar.ticketspice.com. Tickets are $30.00 for Adults, Juniors (13-17)/Seniors (65+)/Military $25, and Kids (12 and Under) are FREE.

Pit gates open at 2:00 p.m.  Front gates open at 4:00 p.m., qualifying at 5:30 p.m. and racing by 6:30 p.m.

Additional information can be found at www.silverdollarspeedway.com.

The NARC racing format includes qualifying, four eight-lap heat races, an exciting six-lap trophy dash, a 12-lap last chance race, and a 30-lap main event.  The lone companion division for the evening is the Hobby Stock division in what is expected to be a fast paced show.

The NARC 410 Sprint Series presented by Hoosier Tires, is the leading 410 Sprint Car tour west of the Rocky Mountains. Since 1960, they have enthralled countless thousands of fans from tracks up and down the Pacific Coast. For more information, visit their website at www.narc410.com or social media pages.

The event at Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway can be viewed live on Floracing.com, along with every NARC 410 Sprint Car Series race.

ED NOTE:  Silver Dollar Speedway will host a 410 open show on Friday night, March 15th.

The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Diversified Machine Inc., Jim Allen Promotions, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Enterprises, Lifeline LLC, Maxim Racing Products, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Scelzi Enterprises, SCI Racing Products, Starr Property Management, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Williams Roofing, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.

Mini Gold Cup Former Winners:

1987- Jac Haudenschild
1988- Jimmy Sills
1989- Jac Haudenschild
1990- Bobby Davis Jr.
1991- Brent Kaeding
1992- Steve Kinser
1993- Brent Kaeding
1994- Jimmy Sills
1995- Steve Kent
1996- Brent Kaeding
1997- Randy Tiner
1998- Paul McMahan
1999- Jason Meyers
2000- Eric Rossi
2001- Brent Kaeding
2002- Roger Crockett
2003- Tim Shaffer
2004- Willie Croft
2005- Tim Kaeding
2007- Tim Kaeding
2008- Jason Meyers
2009- Jason Meyers
2011- Craig Dollansky
2012- Donny Schatz
2013- Paul McMahan
2015- Donny Schatz
2016- Donny Schatz
2019- Carson Macedo

UPCOMING EVENTS:
March 23 – Merced Speedway – March Madness Sprint Car Show
April 6 – Stockton Dirt Track – Asparagus Cup with SCCT
April 13 – Kings Speedway (Hanford) – $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic
April 27 – Stockton Dirt Track – Salute to NARC champ Leroy Van Conett
May 4 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) – Chris & Brian Faria Memorial
May 11 – Antioch Speedway – Contra Costa County Clash