LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2023) — Veteran Top Fuel driver TJ Zizzo wrapped up his return to the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season with a strong showing at the NHRA Nevada Nationals even if it did not culminate with a trip to the winner’s circle. Making his seventh trip to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster team kept his streak alive of qualifying every time he has entered the NHRA national event. After two days of qualifying Zizzo wound up No. 13 and faced championship contender Doug Kalitta in the first round. Zizzo knew he would have his hands full but based on all the changes the team made this season he was up to the challenge.   “We have a completely new operation which is brand new from tip to tail,” said Zizzo. “Being able to go out to our first event earlier this year, after testing, and go to the semifinal round was huge. We stumbled a little and we were humbled at our next event. We kept working on every race and we are ending on a super high note here in Las Vegas.  These are things I am proud of that we persevere. We don’t quit. We keep our heads down and keep on working. I just wish we could go to Pomona in two weeks.”   After four qualifying runs Zizzo and his Mike Kern tuned 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster made their best run of qualifying on Saturday night, a 3.800 second pass at 326.00 mph which moved him up to No. 13 going into race day. Facing Kalitta the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team was ready to build on their Saturday night success. The team knew they were behind the eight ball but felt that could make an improved run in the first round.   “This weekend we came here with brand new cylinder heads from Don Schumacher Racing,” said Zizzo. “Why would we do that? We do it because we’re confident in the parts. The only thing that was a negative this weekend is that we have a little bit of new car blues. We’re still working through some things and we’ve only made two dozen runs plus on this car. Now little things are creeping up on us like power wires. Once again as a team, we worked really hard we figured the problems out. We made our Q2 pass during E1.”   Kalitta was first off the line but Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum were right with the Mac Tools team heading down the track. At the finish line Kalitta made the quickest runs of the session for the win posting a 3.683 second pass at 334.73 mph in front of a much-improved time by Zizzo, 3.719 seconds at 318.99 mph.   “We’re not going to change much over the winter,” said Zizzo. “We have made great strides and we will be ready for next season. This is a great team and being able to spend time with my family is a blessing. I got to drive with my dad out to the races. That’s over 2,000 miles together and it was awesome. The on track performance is important but so are the special moments off the track.”   Following this weekend’s race Zizzo will be showing off a Rust-Oleum Wipe New Top Fuel dragster at the SEMA show this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center.   Qualifying Results Q1: 3.910 sec; 262.33 mph; Qual. 7 Q2: 19.996 sec; 38.23 mph; Qual. 14 Q3: 10.322 sec; 79.20 mph; Qual. 15 Q4: 3.800 sec, 326.00 mph; Qual. 13   Race Results   First Round Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools dragster, (.060), 3.683, 334.73 mph def. TJ Zizzo, Rust-Oleum dragster, (0.119), 3.719, 318.99 mph

LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2023) —- With one more race on the schedule, second year Pro Stock driver Camrie Caruso is looking to make her first Top Ten finish exiting the NHRA Nevada Nationals. The third generation drag racer has worked her way up the NHRA ranks from Junior Dragster to the most competitive door-slammer class in the world, NHRA Pro Stock.          Driving the Powerbuilt Tequila Comisario Day of the Dead Chevrolet Camaro Caruso made four solid qualifying runs on Friday and Saturday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On Saturday Caruso made her quickest run in qualifying a solid 6.632 second pass at 205.63 mph which moved her up to No. 10 before she settled into the No. 12 position coming into race day.

 Camrie Caruso and Powerbuilt Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, photo by Innovative Creation Experts

“We were consistent in qualifying, but we just couldn’t break through to get into the top half,” said Caruso, who won the first Pro Stock Allstar Callout specialty race. “This class is so tight when it comes to performance and our KB Titan Racing cars have been doing really well. We didn’t make great runs on Saturday, but we stepped up on Saturday.”
 
In the opening round today the Powerbuilt Tequila Comisario Day of the Dead Chevrolet Camaro pulled up beside a KB Titan Racing powered Camaro driven by championship contender Matt Hartford. Caruso was looking to move up higher in the top ten and Hartford was racing to keep his championship hopes alive. Both Camaros jumped off the line together but as Caruso accelerated down track the car made a move to the middle and on a cool windy track her race car began sashaying in the left lane. In a veteran move Caruso kept her car on all four Goodyears but had to lift as Hartford drove away.
 
“I had my hands full for sure and I really wanted to stay with it, but I didn’t think it was a good idea,” said Caruso. “That was the closest I have come to getting upside down. This Powerbuilt Tequila Comisario Day of the Dead Chevrolet Camaro is too beautiful to destroy for a win light. I had a good weekend but we just need to find a little more power earlier in the weekend so we can run up front with the top cars.”

 
Going into the final race of the season Caruso will be looking to pick up her second win of the season and cap and solid second year on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. With two weeks off Caruso will be back at the KB Titan Racing shop following a busy week at the SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
 
“I will be spending a couple days at the SEMA show for sponsor appearances and some media opportunities then my focus is going to shift to winning the last race of the season,” said Caruso, who picked up her first Pro Stock win this season at the Arizona Nationals. “We have some big plans for the off-season and this Countdown was an improved effort over last year. I have big goals and I want to finish 2023 strong and carry some momentum into 2024.”   
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 6.646 sec, 205.66 mph; Qual. 10
Q2: 6.647 sec, 205.66 mph; Qual. 12
Q3: 6.632 sec, 205.63 mph; Qual. 10
Q4: 6.643 sec, 205.91 mph; Qual. 12
Bonus Points: 0
 
Race Results
 
First Round
Matt Hartford, Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro, (.059), 6.584, 208.07 mph def. Camrie Caruso, Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, (.054), 7.370, 142.10 mph def. 
 
Pro Stock Camping World Top Ten
1. Erica Enders             2576
2. Greg Anderson       2462
3. Matt Hartford         2421
4. Dallas Glenn           2397
5. Aaron Stanfield      2363
6. Troy Coughlin Jr      2362
7. Deric Kramer           2283
8. Kyle Koretsky          2288
9. Cristian Cuadra       2245
10. Camrie Caruso      2237
 

NASCAR CUP SERIESMARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAYXFINITY 500TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORTOCTOBER 29, 2023 Larson, Byron Set to Represent Chevrolet in NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four

·       After a hard-fought race, William Byron and the No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1 team took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway in the 13th position – clinching the team’s spot in the series’ Championship Four.  ·       In his fifth consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, this season will mark William Byron’s first career berth into the series’ Championship Four.  ·       Already clinching a spot into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four with his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson will join his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate William Byron in the championship-deciding race at Phoenix Raceway.  ·       Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to have two drivers represented in the Championship Four across all three NASCAR national series: o  NASCAR Cup Series: Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and William Byrono  NASCAR Xfinity Series: JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer and Justin Allgaier o  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger ·       Chevrolet clinched three manufacturer championship titles before entering the season finale race weekend at Phoenix Raceway – claiming its 42nd NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship; its 25th Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series; and its 11th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Manufacturer Championship.  ·       This marks Chevrolet’s fifth time sweeping the manufacturer championship titles across all three NASCAR national series – also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2005, 1998 and 1996. TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20 RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER6th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL113th    William Byron, No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL114th    Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL117th    Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL119th    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Reese’s Camaro ZL1  The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season will conclude at Phoenix Raceway with the series’ Championship Race on Sunday, November 5, at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1Finished: 14th“Well, it was a lot less exciting finish for me than it was a year ago in the Moose Fraternity Chevrolet, that’s for sure. We fought the handling a little bit today but ended up with a 14th-place finish which wasn’t bad considering we had something mechanical going wrong there towards the end of the race. Good news is we still have one more next weekend at Phoenix.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Finished: 6thTake us through your day. You already had advanced on, but was there a part of you that thought – what a dog fight, I’m glad I’m not fighting for the position today? “I was glad we weren’t fighting for points, just because our car wasn’t that good so that would have been difficult to advance. But our No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy team did the best we could out of the day. My team made some good strategy calls there in the final stage to get some track position and come away with the best finish possible.” How were you on fuel? A lot of the drivers were worried about that. “We were on the same plan as the guys in front of us. I had a gap early on in that run, so I tried to save as much as I could. It sounded like we were going to make it, so from then on, I pushed and we made it. Just tried to do what I could early on while the grip was in the tires and I had a gap behind me. But all-in-all, it was a great day for our No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy team, as a whole, with the strategy, pit stops and all that. Excited to get to Phoenix (Raceway).” Are you looking forward to getting to Phoenix Raceway? “Yeah, I’m excited to get there. I know it’s going to be a tough battle. Ryan (Blaney), whatever their team has found over the last two-and-a-half months, they’ve done a really good job and they’ve been probably the best team here lately. They will be really tough to beat, as well as Christopher (Bell) and William (Byron). So yeah, it’s going to be fun.” William Byron, No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1 Finished: 13th; Advanced to Championship FourFirst of all, how are you feeling? That was a drive to put yourself into the Championship Four, and I know it took every ounce of energy behind the wheel.“Yeah man, I feel terrible, but it doesn’t really matter. All that matters is the result. My crew chief (Rudy Fugle) knew what buttons to push. Our car was so hot from, honestly, around lap 30. I’ve never been that hot. The helmet fan – it really wasn’t pushing enough clean air to me. I would have to shut it off, turn it back on and it would recycle. But overall, our No. 24 PODS Chevy was not great honestly, but we dug deep. I’m just proud of my whole team. They stuck behind me and they gave me adjustments that I needed, and I’m just really proud of them. I wanted to make the Championship Four for them. Just drove the hell out of it for the last 30 laps. We were sliding all around, but that’s what it took.” How aware were you of the points battle, especially inside 150 laps to go? “My team was keeping me pretty aware. I wish I had information every lap because I needed some kind of carrot to keep me motivated. I should have learned from the first race here; I was the same way. Just need to get better at that and make improvements. But overall, really proud of this No. 24 PODS Chevy team. We work really hard and they deserve this.” Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Camaro ZL1Finished: 31st“Just a tough day. We were about one adjustment or two behind all day and couldn’t really catch up. Once we got trapped a couple of laps down it’s nearly impossible to regroup and get a reset, and we just never got that today. So it was a tough one, every now and again you’ll just miss it and today it felt like we missed it. Thanks to Sunseeker Resort, Maury (Gallagher) and Jimmie (Johnson) for allowing me to drive their car. We’ll move onto Phoenix!” Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Always Rewards Camaro ZL1Finished: 21st“It was an up-and-down day for the No. 43 Allegiant Always Rewards Chevy team. It was probably going to turn out a little bit better than we deserved, but strategy just didn’t quite play out. Martinsville (Speedway) has been tough for us. Hopefully we learned a little bit for next year – come back, take something we learned and just make it that much better.”

TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES: STAGE ONE:  ·       At the green flag in the Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet clinched the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship. This marks the third consecutive year, and 42nd time overall, that Chevrolet has won the prestigious title in NASCAR’s premier series.·       Already clinching this season’s manufacturer championship titles in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, this marks Chevrolet’s fifth time sweeping the manufacturer championship titles across all three NASCAR national series – also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2005, 1998 and 1996.·       Martinsville Speedway’s most recent NASCAR Cup Series winner, Kyle Larson, led Chevrolet to the green flag in the 500-lap event from the fifth position. Larson settled his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 into the fifth position during the race’s opening laps but fell to the eighth position by the 50-lap maker as the driver progressively found a rhythm around the .526-mile South Virginia short-track.·       Rolling off in the 16th position, Team Chevy playoff driver William Byron gained a couple of positions at the start – going on to settle into the 14th position as the field clicked-off laps in the long green flag opening run. At the midway point of Stage One, Byron reported that the handling conditions of his No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1 was a “little tight” and he was struggling to roll the center. ·       Still sitting in the eighth position 100-laps into the race, Larson was progressively closing the gap to the frontrunners when the first caution flew. On horizon of the first round of pit stops, crew chief Cliff Daniels went to work on adjustments to help the center-turn and rear-air for the drive of Larson’s Camaro ZL1. Hitting pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment, Larson lined up in the ninth position for the restart with 19 laps to go in the stage. ·       On the restart, the lead pack quickly fell into single-file conditions with the Hendrick Motorsports’ trio of Larson, Byron and Chase Elliott leading the Bowtie brand to the end of Stage One in the 11th through 13th positions, respectively.  STAGE TWO: ·       Among the varying pit strategies under the stage break, crew chief Fugle called Byron down pit road for a pair of right-side tires and a chassis adjustment on the No. 24 PODS Camaro ZL1. Opting for the low lane at the choose cone, Byron took the 18th position for the start of Stage Two.·       At the green flag for the start of the stage, a mid-pack stack up forced Byron to lift after being put in a three-wide situation – ultimately losing a handful of positions. The Team Chevy driver hovered between the 21st – 22nd positions as the race neared the halfway point of the stage. ·       Sitting in the 22nd position when the second caution flag flew, Fugle called Byron down pit road for four tires, fuel and a major chassis and air pressure adjustment. Despite the longer stop for adjustments, Byron maintained his track position and lined up in the 22nd position for the restart with 35 laps to go in the stage. ·       Picking up a couple more positions, Byron reported that the changes made in the last pit stop gave him “a little more security”, but he was still struggling with rear-tire chatter as he settled with a 20th-place finish in Stage Two.  FINAL STAGE: ·       Following a 17th-place finish in Stage Two, crew chief Daniels opted with a pit strategy for track position – calling for Larson to stay out during the stage break to take the sixth position for the start of the final stage. ·       Aggressive racing quickly ensued at the drop of the green flag for the final stage, leading to the third caution of the race at lap 272. Still sitting in the sixth position, Larson reported that his biggest struggle was being too tight in the center. Not pitting under caution, Larson remained in the sixth position for the restart. ·       Under caution with just under 200 circuits remaining, the leaders opted to forgo pit road while ninth place running Larson was the first car to hit pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Meanwhile, teammate Byron reported that the last stop resulted in a “really powerful adjustment” – giving the Team Chevy playoff contender the ability to progressively work his way up the field to the 16th position leading up to the caution. Indicating the importance of track position, Fugle called for the No. 24 Chevrolet team to not pit under the caution – taking the 15th position for the restart. ·       Running in the 19th position at the time of the race’s seventh caution period, the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 team led by crew chief Alan Gustafson decided to stay out in favor of track position to take over the race lead under caution. Elliott quickly opened his lead up to nearly a one-second margin as the Team Chevy driver approached lap traffic with 100 laps to go. ·       Reporting that he was battling wear on his right-rear tire, Elliott fell to the third position before coming to pit road for a necessary fuel stop – ultimately taking the checkered-flag in the 17th position. ·       Running in the 16th position in the closing laps, Byron picked up three positions before crossing the start-finish line in the 13th position to solidify his spot in the Championship Four.

Chevrolet’s Fifth Title Sweep Across NASCAR National Ranks

DETROIT (Oct. 29, 2023) – At the green flag in the Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, Chevrolet clinched the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship. This marks the third consecutive year, and 42nd time overall, that Chevrolet has won the prestigious title in NASCAR’s premier series.  Chevrolet won its first manufacturer championship in the NASCAR Cup Series in 1958, later recording a streak of 13 consecutive titles between 2003 – 2015. In addition to its 42 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, Chevrolet has also amassed 850 victories and 33 driver championships in NASCAR’s premier series – continuing Chevrolet’s legacy as the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR.  The accolade caps off a title sweep for Chevrolet across the NASCAR national ranks, with the manufacturer already clinching its 11th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Manufacturer Championship and 25th Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway last weekend. This marks Chevrolet’s fifth time sweeping the manufacturer championship titles across all three NASCAR national series – also accomplishing the feat in 2012, 2005, 1998 and 1996. “Chevrolet is honored to win the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championship for the third consecutive year and the 42nd time overall,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “This title is the result of great teamwork by the Chevrolet drivers, crew chiefs and teams working tirelessly throughout the season.” The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season began with four consecutive trips to victory lane for the Camaro ZL1, marking the first time since 2001 that a manufacturer swept the first four races in a single season in the series. To date, seven drivers from five different Chevrolet teams have earned a combined 17 wins in 34 races including William Byron (six wins; series-leading); Kyle Larson (four wins); Kyle Busch (three wins); and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ross Chastain, AJ Allmendinger and Shane van Gisbergen (one win each). Corey LaJoie, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, and Erik Jones also contributed to the points total that led to the championship title.    “Winning the Manufacturer Championship in the NASCAR Cup Series is a remarkable achievement,” said Megan Brobeck, GM Racing Program Manager for the NASCAR Cup Series. “We are very proud of the dedication and cooperation among Chevrolet’s teams and engineers, and their efforts all season long paid off with this special honor. Congratulations to all who contributed to the championship for this much-deserved accomplishment.” Two Chevrolet drivers made their way to the Round of Eight including former series champion Kyle Larson, who already clinched a berth into the Championship Four with his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron also remains in title contention, heading into Martinsville Speedway with a 30-point advantage over the playoff cutline.   Phoenix Raceway will be the final stop of the season, where the one-mile Arizona tri-oval will crown the champion across all three NASCAR national series.

(10/28/23 – By Ben Deatherage) Bakersfield, California … Corey Day made a little bit of history at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park by winning his ninth NARC 410 Sprint Car Series, presented by NAPA Auto Parts, of 2023 and solidifying his championship ambitions in the Jason Meyers Racing/Meyers Constructors/Four C’s Construction #14 Maxim.  The victory ties Tyler Walker’s modern day mark (post 2000) of nine wins in his 2009 championship campaign. 

Day rocketed to the race lead on the third lap to collect his first career KCRP triumph and his 15th career NARC, putting him tenth on that illustrious all-time win list.

“We were really good tonight; I got to give hats off to Shane (Bowers, crew chief) and my whole crew,” said Day after winning his first NARC show since June 23rd at Skagit Speedway’s Dirt Cup Friday night prelim. “I think we ran second here last year to Shane (Golobic). We’ve been so close and had been fast every time we came here, so it’s cool to put a whole night together.”

Cole Macedo started the 30-lap feature as the trailblazer in the Tarlton & Son Frame To Finish/Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions #21T Maxim. Day managed to keep an even stride with Macedo and began to challenge as the green flag run developed. On the third circuit, Day successfully obtained the top-place position to become the new race leader the following lap past the flag stand.

Once out front, Day took off from the rest of the pack, but had to deal with slower traffic after completing the first ten circuits.

The back end of the field created some critical thinking for making overtakes for the leader. At one point, the Toyota Racing Development/Roth Enterprises #83JR Maxim, piloted by Buddy Kofoid, started to give chase. But, a lap 21 caution period gave the leader an open track and clean air that allowed Day to stay in front the rest of the way.

Kofoid settled for second, while Chase Johnson charged hard from ninth in his Toyota of Marin, Walnut Creek, and Sunnyvale/Price Family Dealerships #24 Maxim to third. Macedo wound up fourth, while the Kaeding Performance/Alviso Rock #69 Maxim, driven by Bud Kaeding, rounding out the top five.

“I didn’t need that yellow,” stated Kofoid. “I felt really good in dirty air, and when we got that yellow, it changed the track, so having everyone run wherever made my car really good.”

“I wish we could have started to the front, but ninth to third is great, and for us to be on the podium is great to close out the season,” commented Johnson. “It’s been a great season, and it’s great coming to Kern and see all these great fans.”

 Teenagers Dylan Bloomfield and Dominic Gorden were sixth and seventh.  Kaleb Montgomery beat out Justin Sanders for eighth. Ryan Bernal completed the top ten.  

 Sanders set a quick time in ARP Qualifying, while heat winners were Ryan Timms, Kofoid, and Macedo. Macedo got the job done in the Sunnyvalley Bacon Trophy Dash.

NAPA AUTO PART A-FEATURE (30 Laps): 1. 14-Corey Day [2]; 2. 83JR-Buddy Kofoid [4]; 3. 24-Chase Johnson [9]; 4. 21T-Cole Macedo [1]; 5. 69-Bud Kaeding [6]; 6. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [8]; 7. 10X-Dominic Gorden [7]; 8. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [11]; 9. 2X-Justin Sanders [5]; 10. 22-Ryan Bernal [10]; 11. 88A-Joey Ancona [12]; 12. 42X-Justyn Cox [14]; 13. 41-Dominic Scelzi [18]; 14. 26-Billy Aton [17]; 15. 2K-Gauge Garcia [16]; 16. 10-Mauro Simone [19]; 17. 5T-Ryan Timms [3];18. 17W-Shane Golobic [13]; 19. 115-Nick Parker [15]; 20. 09S-Geoffrey Strole [20]

METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Cole Macedo 1-2; Corey Day 3-30

WILLIAMS ROOFING HARD CHARGER: Chase Johnson +6

ARP QUALIFYING QUICK TIME: Justin Sanders, 12.000 (20 Cars) 

BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 Laps): 1. 5T-Ryan Timms [1]; 2. 69-Bud Kaeding [2]; 3. 22-Ryan Bernal [5]; 4. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [3]; 5. 2X-Justin Sanders [4]; 6. 2K-Gauge Garcia [6]; 7. 10-Mauro Simone [7]

KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 Laps): 1. 83JR-Buddy Kofoid [4]; 2. 10X-Dominic Gorden [2]; 3. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [1]; 4. 88A-Joey Ancona [3]; 5. 42X-Justyn Cox [5]; 6. 26-Billy Aton [6]; 7. 09S-Geoffrey Strole [7]

BEACON WEALTH STRATEGIES & RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL HEAT THREE (8 Laps):  1. 21T-Cole Macedo [2]; 2. 14-Corey Day [4]; 3. 24-Chase Johnson [1]; 4. 17W-Shane Golobic [3]; 115-Nick Parker [5]; 6. 41-Dominic Scelzi [6]

SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 Laps): 1. 21T-Cole Macedo; 2. 14-Corey Day; 3. 5T-Ryan Timms; 4. 83JR-Buddy Kofoid; 5. 2X-Justin Sanders

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 29, 2023) – The eighth annual World Short Track Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte concluded with its largest fan attendance, its largest car count – over 500 cars – its youngest ever winner and a Saturday of endless excitement from 10 divisions of race cars.

Here’s how each Feature played out:

Chevrolet Mid-East 602 Late Models: Eleven Year Old Beckham Malone Scores 602 Late Model Win At World Short Track Championship

Before this weekend’s World Short Track Championship, 11-year-old Beckham Malone had never driven a dirt Late Model.

But on Saturday night, he drove with the skills of a veteran, leading the final 23 laps to earn the Chevrolet Mid-East 602 Late Model Feature win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Steven Thompkins, the pole-sitter, won the race off Turn 2 to take the lead in the 25-lap Feature. However, it was short-lived after a Lap 2 yellow flag for Craig Overby and Carl Currin in Turn 3.

On the next restart, Dylan Beaver got the advantage over Thompkins while Malone dove underneath Thompkins to wrestle second away. Another caution came out on Lap 3, pivotal in the race’s outcome.

When the green came back out, Malone nosed ahead of Beaver in Turn 2, taking the lead as the field thundered down the backstretch. Behind Malone, Dalton Jacobs moved into second on Lap 10, hoping to steal the win away as the race neared its halfway point.

Jacobs had his best shot on a restart with 15 laps remaining, pulling even with Malone in Turns 1 and 2 before Malone pulled away.

From there, Malone held on to score his first World Short Track Championship victory.

After the race, many family and friends stormed Victory Lane to celebrate with Malone, who described his triumph with one word.

“It was insane,” Malone said. “It proves you don’t have to even be 14 to run here. If you’re good enough to race really good, you can come out here and be on the podium just like I did.

“It was all just focus and what I should do at the right timing. I don’t even know what to say right now.”

Fox Factory Pro Late Models: Trent Ivey Edges Dennis Franklin On Final Lap for Second Consecutive Pro Late Model Victory

Trent Ivey cut his teeth on red clay tracks in the Southeast. And that experience paid off Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

After chasing Dennis Franklin for nine laps, Ivey snuck by Franklin in the final corner to win his second consecutive Fox Factory Pro Late Model Feature at the World Short Track Championship.

Franklin grabbed the early lead off Turn 2, pacing the opening two circuits before the yellow came out on Lap 3.

“Rambo” continued to stay out front in the race’s first half, holding off a three-wide challenge between himself, John Ruggiero and Benji Hicks on Lap 13.

As Franklin stayed in command at the front, Ivey was in fifth, needing a caution to break his way for a chance at victory. That break came on Lap 20, as Franklin held off another three-wide challenge. But this time, Ivey passed both Ruggiero and Steele to take over second.

Ivey chased Franklin’s #2 car for nine laps as both cars hugged the bottom of the track’s red-clay surface. But in Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap, Franklin went into Turn 4 too high, allowing Ivey to slide sneak underneath him with the checkered flag in sight. It was all Ivey needed to win, earning back-to-back victories at the World Short Track Championship.

He joins Michael Brown as the only other driver to win the event twice.

“Everybody here has given me the best race car in the country right now,” Ivey said. “Special thanks to Gary, Wyatt, my family, Randall, my fiancé, my mom and dad, and Noah. I’m just happy to be back here.”

Hoosier Racing Tire Mid-East Pro Modifieds: Holcombe Dominates Pro Modifieds, Wins Second Career World Short Track Championship

For the second time in his career, Austin Holcombe is a World Short Track Champion.

The Elm City, NC-racer had climbed out of his open-engine DIRTcar UMP Modified – following a third-place run in the Feature – only minutes before buckling into his Chevrolet Performance Crate-engine Pro Modified in preparation to take to The Dirt Track at Charlotte once more from fifth on the starting grid.

After an incident on the initial start, Holcombe moved up to third for the ensuing restart and made the most of it, zooming past Austin Self and Garrett Killman on the bottom to take the lead on the opening lap.

From there, Holcombe reigned supreme. Multiple restarts gave his opponents their shot at the lead, but none were able to get close enough for a serious challenge.

In the end, Holcombe led all 25 laps on his way to a second career victory in the Hoosier Racing Tire Mid-East Pro/Crate Modified division – his first since 2021.

“To even have it up here once; To win at Charlotte – it doesn’t matter if you’re in a four-cylinder or a Late Model, it’s just nice to win here,” Holcombe said.

Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modifieds: Taylor Cook Conserves Tires, Wins Second-Straight UMP Modified World Short Track Championship

The flagman showed the one-to-go signal. Coming back to a green-white-checkered finish, leading one of the biggest DIRTcar UMP Modified races of the year, Taylor Cook was worried.

Worried about the pack of drivers still behind him. Worried about getting the jump on the restart. But mostly worried about the unknown with his tires as his competition had issues in the laps before.

“I was worried I was gonna be the next one,” he said.

But his rubber still had some tread to spare – enough for him to hold off the field behind him two more times around The Dirt Track at Charlotte and bring the Scott Rod Fabricators, Elite Chassis #21 to the checkers and collect his second-straight World Short Track Championship title in the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modified division.

“It’s awesome because all of our family is here,” Cook said. “It’s always more special when you work for it, and it’s always more special when there’s family and friends around to enjoy it with you.”

MSD DIRTcar Pro Stocks: Pete Stefanski scores again with DIRTcar Pro Stock Feature win at World Short Track Championship

The MSD Performance DIRTcar Pro Stocks rolled out onto the Dirt Track at Charlotte Saturday night for their second and final Feature of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship.

The competition level was high with several accomplished veterans competing for the $3,000 payday in the 25-lap showcase – reigning DIRTcar Sportsman Series champion and night one Feature winner Luke Horning, 2022 World Short Track Championship All-Star Feature winner Pete Stefanski, and 2022 DIRTcar Pro Stock Series champion Bruno Richard.

The racing was immediately hampered with challenges, with pole sitter Kim Duell being forced to exit on Lap 4 after a multi-car collision around Turn 4 that drew a red flag. The momentum of the race continued to be staggered as a steady flow of cautions followed in the 31-car field.

Upon Duell’s exit, outside pole-sitter Stefanski assumed the lead with Denis Gauvreau joining him on the front row. The Wheatfield, NY driver navigated the 4/10-mile oval, finding his stride as best he could in the middle of a steady stream of cautions.

He remained as steadfast as he could, avoiding contact with other competitors in lapped traffic to not jeopardize his position. Due to the events’ time constraints for each division, the checkered flag was waved at Lap 12 with Stefanski still at the helm. It was his second career Feature win at the event.

“It’s amazing,” Stefanski said. “We were hoping for a top-five…we knew draw was important here so in the beginning, when the yellows started coming out, I knew I had to get out front for the time frame in the race. After (Duell) left, it was just hitting our marks every corner and just making sure we weren’t spinning out on our own… we’ve had a shock problem all year, but the guys down at the shock trailer helped me out yesterday… we just put the good shocks on that they got for us and the car was just absolutely perfect.”

VP Racing Fuels DIRTcar Sportsman: Canadian Cedric Gauvreau captures first DIRTcar Sportsman win at World Short Track Championship

The VP Racing Fuels DIRTcar Sportsmans took to the Dirt Track at Charlotte Saturday night for the second Feature of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship. The divisions’ heavy hitters battled it out in the 30-lap, $4,000-to-win, showcase for a trip to Victory Lane.

DIRTcar Sportsman Series and Hoosier Tire champion Andrew Buff started the evening on the pole, joined by Salisbury, NC driver David Richer to his outside.  Michael Wright and Chelsea, QC driver Cedric Gauvreau followed behind.

Buff took the lead at the drop of the green flag, with Richer following close behind. The Latham, NY driver stayed steady out in front, navigating the clear air as he has many times before. He approached lapped traffic on Lap 10, creating the need for some quick decision making in the 32-car field.

He wisely used all sides of the track to maneuver his way through the heavy traffic, once passing through the middle in between two cars. After eight laps of withstanding the obstacles, Buff’s luck ran out on Lap 18. His #92 machine collided with another car, bringing him to a full stop. Buff’s car sustained enough damage to force him to the sideline.

Richer moved into the lead position upon Buff’s exit with just 12 laps remaining, with Gauvreau joining him on the front row. Richer shot out in front on the following restart, inching closer and closer to his first event win.

But the bad luck was not to be relegated just to Buff. With five laps left, Richer came speeding down the backstretch, only to have his #318 machine come to almost a complete stop around Turn 3 with a blown motor. He exited the track with assistance, leaving the door open for another leader.

Gauvreau found himself in the hot seat of the lead, with two-time World Short Track Championship Feature winner Kevin Ridley in second, with a handful of laps between him and his first win. He fired hard on the restart, creating space between him and his competitors. He raced the final laps error free and cruised to his first World Short Track Championship win.

“(In the last several laps), I said I’m going to give my best to get to first,” Gauvreau said. “But (Richer) blew his motor…I was keeping some power for the end, but I was closing the gap. Unfortunately, he blew his motor. But it feels amazing (to win). We finally got a win at (The Dirt Track at) Charlotte and I think it’s the biggest win of our career. I’m really proud of it.”

COMP Cams Monster Mini Stocks: Cooper Cruises to World Short Track Championship Victory with Monster Mini Stocks

One year ago, Kevin Cooper made a statement with the COMP Cams Monster Mini Stocks. He drove all the way from 23rd to fourth for his career best finish in the division at the World Short Track Championship.

A year later and equipped with a much better starting position, there would be no denying Cooper. The Travelers Rest, SC native started on the pole of Saturday’s 25-lap finale and held off multiple challengers on his way to a $2,000 payday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

A win in his Friday Heat Race helped earn Cooper the front row starting spot. And he quickly took advantage of owning the best view in the house when the green flag waved as he darted ahead.

In the early stages, Cooper was forced to face a bevy of restarts as multiple incidents interrupted the flow of the race by bringing out the caution flag. The jockeying behind him was heated as Travis Mosley and 2022 Mini Stock winner – Matt Gilbert – battled for runner-up. On the fifth circuit, Gilbert snuck around Mosley to take over the second spot.

Gilbert couldn’t manage to close in on Cooper and found himself having to battle a hard-charging Daniel Coffey who had driven into the top three from 14th. As the clock neared the race’s time limit, Coffey passed Gilbert for second on Lap 13 before Gilbert returned the favor the next lap.

On the 16th circuit, Coffey roared back around Gilbert and set his sights on Cooper as the white flag waved. Coffey got a strong run exiting the final corner but couldn’t find enough momentum to move ahead as Cooper took the checkered flag with less than two tenths of a second between himself and Coffey.

“This feels great,” Cooper said. “Man, what a weekend. We’ve been good all weekend. We’ve been fast all weekend. I’ve just got to think the good Lord up above for letting us do what we do. And thanks to Charlotte for having us here and the Monster Mini Series for the great Series we run. We did it, baby.”

RaceQuip Mid-East Street Stocks: Ricky Greene Wins First World Short Track Championship Feature With Mid-East Street Stocks

After quietly having a fast weekend with the RaceQuip Mid-East Street Stocks, Ricky Greene had his pace on full display as the winner during the eighth annual World Short Track Championship.

Greene, of Newton, NC, grabbed the lead early after a massive 13-car pileup on lap one gave him great track position on the restart – making his way up to the lead by lap six.

With clean air and a smooth racing line, Greene had nothing to pressure him, winning the Feature by over two seconds.

For Greene, he let the competition come to him, with the slick track surface being the ideal conditions for him to score the Feature win.

“Yeah, I knew they were coming but I knew I had to wait,” Greene said. “I had to be patient to use the bottom line and then get by for the lead. I had to go where they weren’t because I knew the track was super slick and that favors me a lot. I knew I had to get down to the bottom, get the grip, keep my car straight and we were gonna be good.”

SRI Performance Monster Thunder Bombers: Luke Doggett Wins First World Short Track Feature With Monster Thunder Bombers

As the temperatures began to drop at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Luke Doggett only began to heat up in the SRI Performance Monster Thunder Bombers Feature race.

After a competitive 20-lap Feature, the Forest City, NC driver scored his first career World Short Track Championship Feature win in his #97 machine.

Doggett began the Feature in sixth place – but quickly climbed up the field to the leaders by the third lap.

Doggett had to earn the lead, racing side-by-side with Boiling Springs, NC’s Luke Clements for the top spot. Using the high lane to his advantage, Doggett cleared the #51 to claim the lead.

Doggett never relinquished the lead but had to fend off a field of fast Thunder Bombers – including last year’s champion Rod Tucker. Though Tucker got close, he could never outpace the fast car the Doggett had to wheel.

For Doggett, this is what he explains is the biggest and best win he has had in his racing career.

“This is a pretty crazy (win)”, Doggett said. “I’ve won some big races as far as these cars are concerned, but this is the best win I’ve ever had. Me and (Luke) were racing pretty hard there and I tried to run him as clean as I could. I got into him a couple of times trying to cut underneath him, but I think (he and I) will be alright. Me, Rod, Luke, and Tyler all raced pretty clean and I don’t know how to explain the feelings of winning at Charlotte.”

DIRTVision Hornets: Benson, Slone Repeat While Bennett Scores First World Short Track Win on Final Night

The final night of DIRTVision Hornet racing at the eighth annual World Short Track Championship Saturday night continued the theme of wild action, first time winners, big thrills and emotional celebrations.

Dan Benson and Zachary Slone swept the weekend, both winning their Friday and Saturday Features – extending their World Short Track title count to three – while Dale Bennett picked up his first win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte after a 15-lap brawl.

With more than 60 cars returning for the weekend finale, the field was again split into three 15-lap Features.

FEATURE #1: After finishing 11th on during the first night of DIRTVision Hornet action, Dale Bennett was given a chance for redemption Saturday night by drawing the pole for the 15-lap Feature.

He made the most of that chance on the start, launching ahead of the 20-car field. He held a comfortable lead over second-place Kylee Laws before a caution came out on Lap 2. When the race resumed, Willie Fowler had a video game like start, rocketing from seventh to the lead by Turn 2.

Fowler and Bennett made contact on the exit of the turn, allowing Laws to sneak under them both and make a three-wide pass for the lead. But before she could try and pull away, another caution slowed the race.

When the race resumed, Bennett would not let her get away. He lurked and lurked, lap after lap. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting to make the right move. Then, on Lap 7, he powered ahead of Laws to reclaim the lead. She tried to cross back underneath him, but Bennett was too strong up top.

While he held control of the race after that, Daniel Wright tried to make him worry toward the end. The #4 had charged his way up through the field from 12th, making his way to second on Lap 9. He closed within a couple tenths of Bennett with three laps to go, close enough to send the high pitch of his motor through Bennett’s eardrums.

But Bennett didn’t falter. Maintaining his line around the 4/10-mile track, the Taylors, SC driver cruised to his first World Short Track Championship triumph.

“It means a lot,” Bennett said about his win. “Tonight, the track was smooth. We were able to keep the tire on the rim tonight. I learned a lot from yesterday. It means a lot to me.”

FEATURE #2: When the green flag dropped for the second 15-lap DIRTVision Hornet Feature of the night, you would have thought Kevin Weaver had 50 more horsepower than the rest of the field. Timing his start perfect, the #21 car was like a stealth fighter against crop dusters, flying around the outside of the track to go from sixth to first by the exit of Turn 2.

Friday’s winner Zachary Slone, of Fort Mill, SC, was on the same flight path, going from 12th to second on the first lap. While Weaver had a heroes start, Slone had no interest in letting him wear the cap for long.

Hovering behind Weaver for the first few laps, Slone saw a chance to strike on Lap 3 and returned to where he left off on Friday.

While he led, second became hotly contested, going to Travis Lankford for a bit before being handed back to Weaver. Then, with five laps to go, Steve Herring moved his way into the runner-up spot after having started 19th.

Herring was on the hunt to not finished second two nights in a row and try to score his first World Short Track victory. However. Slone was too strong and pulled away with his third World Short Track win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

“The track was a little different than last night,” Slone said. “We had to throw the kitchen sink at it to try and make it turn. We ended up making it work. I was happy to pull it off and win again.”

FEATURE #3: Dan Benson was Mr. World Short Track Championship this week. He was the fastest car in practice Thursday night. He won Friday night’s Feature. And then capped off the weekend by also dominating Saturday nights Feature – his third straight World Short Track Championship win.

“It feels great,” Benson said about his impressive weekend. “I’ve been coming here for four or five years now. I went from finishing fifth, which was my first time here and I was hooked ever since, and when I came back, I did another fifth, a third, a third. Then, a first, a first, and a first. Coming here, studying it, knowing the track and knowing how it is going to end up at the end of the night, it is always super smooth and perfect. But it is slick, and it pushes. Being set up for that is a big key to keep your speed, especially through the corners here.”

Benson, of Lancaster, SC, started on the outside pole but took the lead on the first lap and never looked back.

Behind him, Seth Smith made a quick march forward, going from 16th to fourth in the first lap and then jumped to second on Lap 3. However, his hopes of moving up another spot stopped there. Benson maintained a second lead on him the whole race.

At the end of the 15-lap adventure, Benson crossed the line 1.1 seconds ahead of Smith in second. Tyler Hopkins finished third, Reggie Twing was fourth and Andrew Rich rounded out the top five.

For full results of each division, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE: LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team will start race day at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the No. 1 position for the sixth time this season, 83rd time of his career. Originally No. 2, Hight took over the No. 1 spot after Bob Tasca III’s Saturday night run was disqualified. After Tasca’s run was disqualified, Hight would officially claim a total of 12 bonus qualifying points for being the quickest of each session. He earns the No. 1 qualifying position off his Friday evening 3.851-second pass. “Whether we’re No. 1, No. 2, or No. 16, the job doesn’t change. This team is dialed in. We need four win lights on Sunday to keep ourselves in this championship fight,” said Hight after hearing he would start from No. 1. “The bonus points help. We know all too well how the little points can make or break you at the end. We’re looking forward to a long, hard-fought race day tomorrow.” ************ LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team improved each qualifying session to ultimately land the No. 2 spot Saturday at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Austin Prock with the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster team earned the No. 3 qualifying spot while John Force in the PEAK Chevy Camaro SS are sitting No. 5 and Brittany Force in the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team are No. 10.  Starting the day as the No. 1 qualifiers, Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools Chevy team laid down the only Funny Car pass in the 3.80-second range with a 3.879-second run at 330.31 mph to earn an additional three-bonus points. Hight once again improved in the final session with a 3.875 at 327.19 but came up short of being the quickest of all four sessions collecting two bonus points for the second-quickest pass. Hight and the Cornwell Tools team would close out qualifying in the No. 2 spot. “It’s competitive out here. These cars are chasing a few hundredths here and there, you’re really splitting hairs. It’s close racing out there but we just have to do our job, the car has to be good, the driver has to be on it,” said Hight who will take on Steven Densham in the first round. “Picking up those bonus points was important but we want to have four win lights on Sunday. Hats off to the whole Cornwell Tools team. It’s just perfection right now. We have to keep it up.” Austin Prock and the Montana Brand team stayed consistent on Saturday starting with a 3.707-second pass at 325.22 mph that earned the team two bonus points for being the second quickest of the session. Prock and his Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam tuned dragster stepped up their performance in the final session with a blistering 3.692 at 328.86 to earn another bonus points as the third quickest in the session. Prock will start race day from the No. 3 spot to face Kelly Harper in the first round. “It’s been such an outstanding string of runs we’ve put together here in Las Vegas at The Strip. We’ve achieved picking up bonus points in the last three sessions of qualifying to land us in the third spot,” Prock said. “I’m excited to go to battle tomorrow morning with my Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist boys.” John Force and the black and gold PEAK Chevy had issues off the starting line on Saturday. In their first qualifying attempt, the PEAK Camaro would smoke the tires immediately to coast to 13.514 seconds at 68.73 mph. In the final session, Force wouldn’t get much further before going up in tire smoke for only a 9.902 at 79.10. Force will start race day from the No. 5 spot on Sunday with a matchup against Blake Alexander. “Well, bit of a mixed qualifying try here. This PEAK team ran pretty well yesterday, thankfully, so we’re in the show, that’s what matters. Struggled a bit today,” Force said. “We’ll get it together tomorrow. I have faith in my team, Danny Hood, Tim Fabrisi my crew chiefs, and all my guys, we want to get the job done for PEAK, celebrating the 50th anniversary. We’ve got the throwback look and the gold car, so we want to celebrate in the winners circle.” Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac team had another quality run Saturday afternoon with a 3.734-second pass at 335.82 mph. The Flav-R-Pac team would run into some trouble in the final session with an engine explosion down track causing Force to slow to a 3.750 pass at 315.27. Force will start race day from the No. 10 position off of the efforts of the Flav-R-Pac team’s Friday run of 3.732. “Qualified for the Nevada Nationals in a difficult No 10 position. The field was tight this weekend and even with consistent runs, we will have to face Antron Brown in the first round of eliminations,” said Force. “Our Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is going to put everything we have into that car tomorrow to go some rounds and chase down a win.” Competition at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continues eliminations Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will continue Sunday on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with a second qualifying show at 3 p.m. ET and an eliminations show at 5 p.m. ET. -30-

AUSTIN PROCK, 28, Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragsterQualifying:3rd; 3.692-seconds; 328.86 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+5 (2nd quickest Q2, Q3; 3rd quickest Q4)BRITTANY FORCE, 37, Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac dragsterQualifying:10th; 3.732-seconds; 333.48 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+3 (quickest Q1)JOHN FORCE, 74, PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:4th; 3.887-seconds; 322.34 mphBonus Qualifying Points: 0 ROBERT HIGHT, 54, AAA / Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:1st; 3.851-seconds; 327.51 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+12 (quickest Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

October 28, 2023

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang are set to start 28th in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Burton toured the paper-clip-shaped, half-mile oval at 92.828 miles per hour in qualifying Saturday afternoon.

In a practice session prior to qualifying Burton had a best speed of 92.533 mph, which put him 19th on the speed chart. His best lap was his sixth of the 35 he ran. Among drivers who ran 10 consecutive laps, he was 17th best, with an average speed of 91.882 mph from his third lap through his 12th.

Sunday’s 500-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2 p.m., with TV coverage on NBC.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 130 and 260.

FINAL PASS NAILBITER SECURES TOP SPOT

Event: Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Scrappers Racing Results:

·      Top Fuel – Mike Salinas – No. 1 Qualifier – 3.680, 331.77 mph

·      Pro Stock Motorcycle – Jianna Evaristo – No. 6 Qualifier – 6.923, 195.39 mph

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2023) – For the fourth time this season, the Scrappers Racing team and Mike Salinas claimed the number one qualifier position in NHRA Top Fuel competition. Salinas watched the two cars lined up in front of him in Saturday night’s final qualifying session at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway run times faster than what he had set in Friday night’s session to claim the provisional number one position (3.699). 

Crew chiefs Rob Flynn and Aaron Cave made a last-minute adjustment before firing up and Salinas was able to rocket back to the number one position. Salinas also claimed the number one qualifier position at Chicago, Seattle and Charlotte where he made history on his pass becoming the first driver in NHRA history to go 300 mph in the 1/8^th mile.

The first round of eliminations from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins at 11:00 AM PT/2:00 PM ET. Coverage of the finals will air on Fox Sports 1 at 3:00 PM ET.

QUOTES – MIKE SALINAS:

Were you expecting to be able to go back up to number one after seeing Steve Torrence and Doug Kalitta beat your provisional time right before you made your pass?

“Yeah, basically we’re trying to run a 3.67. Rob (Flynn, crew chief) backed it down a little bit. We were trying to run a 3.67 with a five, that’s the number he picked. So I can say that was pretty close, you know, so but it wasn’t bad. But I did see him back it down. He just felt something that wasn’t right. So he did a great job.”

There is a lot of talk of other drivers and team for the championship, but your team and car are running well. Should you not be counted out yet?

“You know, one out at a time. I’ll tell you in Pomona if we’re sitting in the qualifying number one, but here’s the coolest thing. You got Brittany (Force) and she is amazing out there. Okay. Don’t underestimate anybody in this class. Steve Torrence is good. Everybody is good. There is no give me. You have to be on your A game, you have to do good. I’m expecting Alan Johnson. Look, the weather’s going to be cool over there. We’ve got a night run over there. So 64, 65 is going to be number one over there. And I would say the top seven to nine cars are going to be in that class right there. And then hopefully I’m at the top, hopefully,”

What can you say about the improvements with the team in recent months?

“Yeah, basically the car has been around. I’ve been distracted as a driver. This weekend I fixed that. Just we have a lot on her plate, took care of it and just, you know, departmentalizing everything and with the right people around us, and we’ll be just fine. And think about this case. Here’s the coolest part. If all these cars are running this good at the end of the year, can you imagine what next year is going to be like, oh my God, it’s going to be great. I mean, it’s going to be fun. I can’t wait to run with my daughter (Jasmine Salinas) and race.”

What are you going to do here at the track on Monday?

“Okay. My brother (Carl Salinas) and I got this bright idea. My brother and I got this bright idea. We do everything together. So, we’re going to go try Pro Stock bikes. We have bikes coming. We want to race bikes; we’ve been riding motorcycles our whole life. So where else can you do stuff together with your family? I mean, I want to beat him and my daughter (Jianna Evaristo). We’re going to go practice Monday morning, test session, burnouts, launches, and see where we go with it. And our goal is to go run Pro Stock bikes as a family, you know, and just have a great time with it, we just live our best life. Families around me, we have a great time it just honestly, we don’t care about much. Other than having a great time and enjoying all of this with great people.”

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2023) – Stephen Bell and his Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro picked up their first Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 qualifying position of the season Saturday at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
With his 7.786-second pass at 175.96 on Friday night, Bell held off the field of Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Mustang Cobra Jets and Dodge Mopar Challenger Drag Paks to earn his second career No. 1 qualifying position. Bell opened qualifying with a 7.844 at 176.35 before improving to his 7.786. He closed out qualifying with a modest 8.113 at 143.58 after lifting early.

 No. 1 qualifier Stephen Bell in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown at Nevada Nationals, photo credit Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“Being No. 1 is really a compliment to the Stanfield team and Dean and Dylan. They just do a great job,” Bell said. “It’s the first time in four or five races that we didn’t have a big weather change between Friday and Saturday. We kind of had the same conditions both days so we made a great run last night and we were on the way to make a pretty good run in that last session. It just got up a little too high, so I lifted because it wasn’t race day. No reason to push it just in qualifying.
 
“This car has been a really good car. It’s really the first new body style car so we’ve had it since 2016. We have a great handle on it,” Bell continued. “My car and Aaron (Stanfield’s) car are very similar. We’re fortunate and if I do my job in the car, hopefully we will have a great weekend.”

Stephen Bell, picks up second career Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 

Bell, who picked up his first No.1. qualifying position in 2020 at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas, will matchup with David Davies and his DH Davies Racing Dodge Drag Pak in the first round of eliminations.
 
The No. 2 qualifier, Del Holbrook and his COPO will face off with Jesse Alexandra and Lee Hartman in his Drag Pak, who were quickest of the third qualifying session with a 7.797-second pass at 174.80 mph to jump from No. 5 to No. 3, will take on AJ Berge and his Dodge Drag Pak.
 
Eliminations for the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown class at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will begin Saturday with round one at 5:10 p.m.
 
First Round Matchups
 
No. 1 Stephen Bell vs. No. 16 David Davies II
No. 2 Del Holbrook vs. No. 15 Jesse Alexandra
No. 3 Lee Hartman vs. No. 14 AJ Berge
No. 4 David Barton vs. No. 13 Mark Pawuk
No. 5 Ricky Hord vs. No. 12 Lenny Lottig
No. 6 David Janac vs. No. 11 Anthony Troyer
No. 7 Kevin Skinner vs. No. 10 Doug Hamp
No. 8 Scott Libersher vs. No. 9 Aaron Stanfield
 

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1, met with the media at the Chevrolet Racing Display at Martinsville Speedway where the real No. 1 Moose Fraternity Camaro ZL1 responsible for the “Hail Melon” is on display throughout the race weekend.

Photo Credit: Barr VisualsChastain Media Availability Quotes:  You got a piece of the wall back in the spring.. where is it now? “Mr. (Clay) Campbell still has it here. We don’t have a place for it yet. We haven’t figured it out yet. There are a lot of options for what to do, we’ve just honestly been busy racing.. busy with life. This thing has been sitting kind of in the back corner of the shop. We moved it up near the front lobby recently where fans could see it. It’s front and center this weekend with help from Team Chevy.  So I don’t know, we’ll see. No idea what we’re going to do with it. I want the car and the wall to be together, somewhere publicly and easily accessible. We just have to find that spot.” Inaudible.. “Yeah, absolutely. It’s over.. can’t do it. This car will never be raced again. The piece of wall we got will never be ran into again. There’s so many things about it that are done.” The fact that NASCAR made a ‘Ross Chastain Rule’, you have to feel a little proud about the fact that you have a rule made after you. “Well it’s not the first one.. it wasn’t even the first one last year after Indianapolis (Motor Speedway Road Course). After last weekend at Homestead (Miami Speedway).. with pit road and the timing lines of the start-finish line versus the end of pit road, I think we’ll get some clarification on that rule. So yeah, I did ask them after Indianapolis to implement the access road rule as like.. put a ‘RC’ in there somewhere. Now we’re just keeping track and we’re racking up rules (laughs).” Chastain on how it feels watching back on the “Hail Melon” one year later: “Just disbelief. I can’t believe what I’m watching, still, when I see it. To be able to stand by the car; touch the car and know everything that went into last year to get us to Martinsville (Speedway). And then to be out and then get back in to go fight for a championship – the move was one thing, but what it meant and the ripple effect it made for Trackhouse Racing to go fight for a championship was bigger than anything.. what that means for so many of us inside the team and our plans for the future. Touching this car, leaning up against it right now. Having the helmet for one race – I’ve never worn a helmet for one weekend and then been done with it. I’ve always used them over and over again. This one will just be used this weekend and then go on the shelf – something I can actually put in my house because I can’t put a car up on the wall.” How often have you seen this car since last year? “It’s been in the shop, kind of tucked away for a while. We finally got the suspension and the wheels, the actual wheels, back on it. I guess most of the suspension stayed, it was just kind of hanging there. The right-front upper is broken and a lot of stuff is bent – the front and rear clip are bent, the best we can tell. But yeah, it’s been there and then it finally got moved up to the front of the lobby recently. Yeah, it’s been there.. you see it.” What about the piece of wall?“We haven’t taken ownership of that, yet. We have to find a big enough space for it.. that thing was massive (laughs). I don’t have room for it right now in North Carolina. Whether or not Justin (Marks) gives us some space in the shop to put it, I’m not sure that’s in the plans either. I want them to be together though and I want people to be able to come and see it.” One year later, is it still surreal? “Unbelievable.. truly unbelievable. When I see a clip of it, video of it or the data on it, it doesn’t seem real. Looking at the car, it’s pretty wild to think what we accomplished in doing that.” When you look at the car, what comes to mind? “When I hit the wall into turn three, I actually hit it at more of an angle than I wanted to. I wanted to blend into it on the straightaway and never have a hard impact. The wall actually kicks-out to the right a few inches. But yeah, I didn’t know that – I hit it way too hard into turn three I thought and somehow it didn’t slow down. I think it was a combination of the body panels not being metal, not caving in on the tires and cutting them down. The tires still hold air – the same tires, same wheels.. they hold the same amount of air that they did before and for just as long. Everything about this car played into it, and leaning up against it right now, it brings back a lot of memories.” When this “Hail Melon” went viral, how have you felt now that fans view you differently over the last year? “It felt like a third win last year, really. The attention we got internally, and it’s really something that I just struggled to keep up with at the time. Same thing as COTA (Circuit of The Americas) and Talladega (Superspeedway), and then Nashville (Superspeedway) this year – so much gets thrown at you when you win in the Cup Series. It’s awesome.. it’s everything that I ever dreamed about and more, and the “Hail Melon” was another one of those. And then it went further than NASCAR – it went to places all around the world, and I got to do some really cool interviews and be on some platforms that I never would have gotten to with a win.” How long did it process the “Hail Melon” being forever because months after the fact, NASCAR was using it to promote its 75th Anniversary. Does that add an extra element of, ‘I can’t believe that happened’?“That night, I walked up to turn three – had some friends up there in a motorhome. We were walking back over to our cars in the grass there outside of (turns) three and four. We stopped and looked from up on the hill down into three and four and just couldn’t believe it. My family was there, my mom and dad. And then we got out of here and we were riding down the road, we decided to stop at Waffle House. We were sitting there about two hours after by the time we got done with all the media – we got out of here, got down there and we were just laughing. Nobody in there knew who we were or what was going on. I grasped it there that it’s going to be forever. I’m going to get asked about this forever. I woke up the next day and just told myself – it’s OK.. it’s going to be forever. Win again, win some more, and then I’ll be able to deal with it. I didn’t want this to be my last thing. We come out strong and win.. we did the “Hail Melon” and then you never hear from Ross again. So to come back this year and win – I struggle to put into words how big that was. A lot of people thought – oh yeah, it was big. He only has one win this year.. not as fast as last year. The speed we had this year to stay relevant; win and pass the guys we passed in Nashville.. (inaudible).”

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 28, 2023) – The DIRTVision Hornets brought everything to The Dirt Track at Charlotte Friday night. Joy. Heartbreak. Surprise. Healing.

With over 60 cars entered for the eighth annual World Short Track Championship, the division took center stage with three 15-lap Features at the end of the night.

The first saw joy with Dan Benson claiming his second straight World Short Track victory. The second saw surprise with Zachary Slone driving from 15th to the win. And the third saw healing with Wayne Taylor scoring an emotional win in memory of his stepson with a last lap pass.

Here’s how each Feature played out:

FEATURE #1: After winning the final World Short Track DIRTVision Hornet Feature in 2022 – his first – Benson picked up where he left off for the 2023 edition.

The Lancaster, SC driver was the fastest car in Hot Laps Thursday night and then dominated the first Feature of the night, leading all 15 laps.

By the luck of the draw, he started on the pole for the first race. So, when the green flag flew, he took off running. While the drivers behind him argued over positions second through fifth, Benson gapped them by about half a second every lap.

Lap cars gave him a few scares, nearly running him into the wall, but Benson kept his foot in the throttle and powered by each unscathed.

“We studied,” Benson said about his prep for World Short Track. “I’ve got a great crew. Great sponsors… This is by far my favorite track. We don’t get to do a whole lot of racing. We get the pill draw and our mains. Really, that’s good enough for me coming here. Just the scale of it all. From your weekly racetracks to Charlotte, they just put on a phenomenal show here. I love coming every year.”

Mitchell Coggins finished second after starting fourth and Carl Cole made the charge from 11th to third.

Jonathan Sarratt was the hard charger of the race, going from 15th to fifth. Just behind him with nine spots gained were Kylee Lewis, who went from 16th seventh, and Kenneth Colf, who went from 19th to 10th.

RESULTS (15 laps):
Feature #1 (15 Laps): 1. 21C-Dan Benson[1]; 2. 212-Mitchell Coggins[4]; 3. 12X-Carl Cole[11]; 4. 1H-Justin Harris[2]; 5. 11S-Jonathan Sarratt[15]; 6. 21W-Marc White[3]; 7. 2-Kylee Laws[16]; 8. 66-Mike Crickmore[6]; 9. 2D-Daniel Tate[14]; 10. 15-Kenneth Colf[19]; 11. 27-Chris Jaret[9]; 12. 19-Willie Fowler[8]; 13. 513-Charles Jones[12]; 14. D2-Danny Tate[7]; 15. T3JR-Riley Hill[17]; 16. 11V-Tyler Vaughan[18]; 17. 38-Rodney Grant[13]; 18. 22-Trent Blackwell[5]; 19. 1X-Hunter Wallace[10]; 20. 21A-Adam Warr[20]

FEATURE #2: Zachary Slone already knew how to fight his way through a field to win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, having raced from ninth to score his first World Short Track Championship victory in 2022. But this year, he had to fighter from even deeper.

Slone started 15th in the second Feature of the night and made the most of every second he had to charge forward.

In a wild first lap, Ricky Weaver went from fifth to the lead in the first corner and Slone went from 15th to sixth by the end of the first lap.

Weaver held the lead for the first half of the race, while Steven Herring and Andrew Rich dueled for second close behind.

After a restart with seven laps to go, Herring challenged Weaver for the lead and Dale Bennett decided to sneak in on the fun with a huge run to make a three-wide battle for the lead. Herring prevailed, leaving Weaver and Bennett to fight for second.

However, their argument ended with Weaver fading back and Bennett having an issue that forced him to retire from the race.

With six laps to go, a caution brought the field back together, putting Andrew Rich on Herring’s bumper. However, when the race resumed, both quickly found themselves having to fend off Slone, who had charged from fifth to third in a lap.

Ripping around the high side of the 4/10-mile track, Slone powered his way by both drivers and led the final four laps of the Feature.

“I dropped to the bottom on the restart and about passed them all, but the clutch was slipping,” Slone said. “I knew I had to start bumping a little bit because I wasn’t going to be able to pass anyone on the bottom. Tried to keep it clean. Wasn’t trying to take anyone out or anything. It worked out for us.”

Herring threw one more Hail Mary on the final lap, getting to Slone’s bumper in the final corner but didn’t have enough to catch him before the finish line.

“Zach got by with a couple to go and I could get him on entry, but I didn’t have as much horsepower as he had,” Herring said. “It was fun. I had a run on him coming to the checkers and leaned on him a little bit to slow him down, but it didn’t work. I’m happy with a second.”

RESULTS (15 laps):
1. 91Z-Zachary Slone[15]; 2. 78-Steven Herring[7]; 3. 0-Shawn Peche[16]; 4. 4-Daniel Wright[17]; 5. 21-Ricky Weaver[5]; 6. 5-Reggie Twing[9]; 7. 359-Michael Lambert[3]; 8. 328-Christopher Gardner[11]; 9. 47-Michael Gelhausen[1]; 10. 11J-Jaycob Johnson[10]; 11. B1-Dale Bennett[18]; 12. A53-Austin Haskin[14]; 13. M81-Mason Stancil[12]; 14. 17-Yem Sanlaeid[13]; 15. 58-Ronnie Hall[6]; 16. 5B-Chris Baker[19]; 17. 13X-Ben Messer[4]; 18. 8-Charles Johnson[8]; 19. (DQ) A00-Andrew Rich[2]

FEATURE #3: Wayne Taylor’s stepson told him he had to race at the World Short Track Championship.

He’d raced there himself and told Taylor how special of an experience it would be. But after Taylor’s stepson passed away, it became special in a different way.

Taylor started on the pole for the third DIRTVision Hornet Feature of the night and jumped out to the early lead on the start. He held command out front before an early caution brought the field back together.

On the restart, Jonathan Sarratt, driving his second car, got a strong start and launched ahead of Taylor for the lead. Shortly after, Travis Lankford also got by him and moved into second.

Taylor wasn’t ready to give up though. Running high, he pulled back to Lankford’s rear bumper as the two caught Sarratt by the halfway point.

With seven laps to go, Taylor squeezed between Lankford and the wall to move back into second. Next, Sarratt.

Taylor closed to about half a second back from the leader with five laps to go. But then, he faded a couple tenths the next lap. And a couple more the next.

He still wasn’t ready to give up. He wanted that win.

Continuing to run the top lane, he closed back to a half a second with two laps to go. Then, he could about reach out and touch Sarratt’s bumper on the final lap.

Entering Turn 3, with the flagger watching and waiting to wave the checkered flag, Taylor threw his #14 car into the turn around the outside of Sarratt. Holding the throttle with confidence, he powered past Sarratt down the front stretch and earned his first World Short Track Championship victory.

“It was rough at the beginning,” Taylor said. “I was making a driver boo-boo, letting the crew down. But, got my mind back right. Found the perfect time to make my move. I knew where I was better than he was. I was hoping I had room to slide in front of him. It all worked out.

“My stepson, he run up here years ago, and he’s no longer with us, and it is very emotional for us. He always told me, if I ever started racing, you got to go to Charlotte, it’ll be an experience. I finished third and then second. Finally broke the ice.”

Sarratt was disqualified after the race, moving up the rest of the field behind him. David McManus finished second and Brad McManus ended up rounding out the podium.

RESULTS (15 laps):
1. 14-Wayne Taylor[2]; 2. 25X-David McManus[16]; 3. 3B-Brad McManus[12]; 4. F1-Travis Lankford[9]; 5. 91-Shawn Payne[14]; 6. 5R-Rusty E Catoe[19]; 7. 00W-Michael Wallace[4]; 8. 25J-Josh Whitfield[18]; 9. 18-Josh Paschal[3]; 10. 17P-Rocco Procaccini[11]; 11. 27M-Keitha Martin[7]; 12. 18E-William Estep[6]; 13. 1B-Kayli Wallace[8]; 14. 4T-Tyler Smith[1]; 15. 78F-Ethan Fowler[17]; 16. 243-Seth Smith[10]; 17. 888-Tyler Hopkins[5]; 18. A2-Carson Venable[13]; 19. 41G-Parker Griffin[15]; 20. (DQ) 00-Jonathan Sarratt

UP NEXT: The DIRTVision Hornets return for three more Features during the final night of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Saturday, Oct. 28. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

CONCORD, NC – October 27, 2023 – Friday’s portion of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte is complete, with nine divisions running 45 Heat Races.

Those 45 drivers gained valuable momentum as they prepare to battle for World Short Track Championship Glory in Saturday’s Championship Features.

Chevrolet Performance 602 Late Models

Dylan Beaver, Steven Thompkins, Luke Cooper, and Beckham Malone each earned a Heat Race win on Friday afternoon as they prepare for Saturday’s Championship Feature.

HEAT 1

Dylan Beaver, who set fast time in Thursday’s Qualifying Session, wasted no time proving that wasn’t a fluke, leading every lap of his six-lap Heat Race.

The Murphy, NC driver broke away from the field as his competitors battled three-wide behind them. That was enough to take the checkered flag and lock himself into Saturday’s Feature.

Dalton Jacobs took advantage of that three-wide battle to finish second. Preston Blaylock finished third, and Justin Taylor finished fourth.

HEAT 2

Like Beaver, Steven Thompkins pulled away from the field on the first lap—one including 2007 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series champion Steve Francis.

The Grays Creek, NC driver thundered ahead of Francis’ #6c car in Turn 1 to take the lead he wouldn’t relinquish, earning the win in Heat Race 2.

Francis held on for second after a heated battle between the “Kentucky Colonel” and Nathan Walker for the spot. Walker settled for third, while the final transfer spot went to Brad Rachels.

HEAT 3

Unlike the first two Chevrolet Performance 602 Late Model Heat Races, pole-sitter Jameson McBride had a battle for the top spot entering Turn 1. He was side by side with Luke Cooper as the two cars hit the back straightaway, with Cooper grabbing the advantage as they waged war heading into Turn 3.

That was the opportunity Cooper, from Woodruff, SC, needed as he grabbed the win in Heat Race 3.

McBride finished second, Preston Dimsdale crossed the line third, and Colton Avery Dimsdale rounded out the top four.

HEAT 4 

Beckham Malone got the jump he needed in Heat Race 4, taking the lead as the field drove into Turn 1. Behind him, Jake Jackson, who started third, dove underneath Daniel Parker to take second on the race’s opening lap.

From there, the 11-year-old Malone drove away from Jackson to win his six-lap Heat Race. Jackson settled for second, while Parker and Jacob Brown rounded out the top four.

See Full Results Here.

FOX Factory Pro Late Models

John Ruggiero Jr., the 2020 Fox Factory Pro Late Model Champion, took a significant step toward a second championship Feature victory by winning Heat Race 1. However, it wasn’t in dominating fashion.

Those drivers earned an upper hand in trying to win Saturday’s $4,000 prize.

Here’s what happened in the six Heat Races:

HEAT RACE 1

John Ruggiero Jr., the 2020 Fox Factory Pro Late Model Champion, took a significant stride toward a second championship Feature victory by winning Heat Race 1. However, it wasn’t in dominating fashion.

As Ruggiero led the field, Trent Ivey quickly worked his way from fourth to second in just two corners. Ivey, from Union, SC, switched lanes in Turns 1 and 2 from the outside to the inside, driving past John Price to grab the position.

Ivey charged toward Ruggiero for the lead, pulling even with two laps to go, but couldn’t make the pass.

Ruggiero earned the win, while Ivey finished in second. John Price finished third, grabbing the final transfer spot.

HEAT RACE 2

Dillon Brown picked up where he left off after winning Thursday’s All-Star Invitational Feature by leading wire-to-wire to win Heat Race 2.

With Brown out front, drivers fought for positions behind the Gaffney, SC driver.

Ricky Greene kept the momentum going after a top-five in Thursday’s Feature by finishing second, locking him into Saturday’s finale.

Derrick McGrew Jr. crossed the line third after starting fifth.

HEAT RACE 3

In the first two Fox Factory Pro Late Model Heat Races, the winner came from the front row. That was a narrative Benji Hicks changed in Heat Race 3.

The Mount Airy, NC driver started eighth on the grid, quickly moving to fourth by Lap 2 and second by Lap 4. Hicks needed three more laps to challenge Ben Faircloth for the lead, passing him on the inside lane as they took the white flag.

That was all Hicks needed, moving seven spots to take the checkered flag. Faircloth crossed the line second, and Travis Steele rounded out the top three.

HEAT RACE 4

To win Heat Race 4, Brent Trimble had the task of passing Derek Dent, the fastest in Thursday’s Group B Qualifying. But as the field hit the backstretch on Lap 1, Trimble was the quicker car, thundering around Dent to take the lead.

One restart slowed the race, a green flag that Matt Long exploited to reach the second spot. However, as the top two solidified their spots, all eyes were on the battle for third.

Brock Pinkerous had taken over the spot, but Colton Trouille tried to wrestle it away. On Lap 7, Trouille got the break he needed, sliding Pinkerous in Turn 1 to take the third spot away.

Trimble went on to win Heat Race 4, while Long and Trouille held onto the final two transfer positions.

HEAT RACE 5

Jeremy Steele, the pole-sitter, quickly drove to the lead to kick off Heat Race 5, hoping to grab momentum toward Saturday’s Feature.

The excellent start was all the York, SC, driver needed as he cruised to win the fifth Fox Factory Pro Late Model Heat Race.

Jody Knowles snuck by Stephen Pedulla on the bottom of Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 1 to finish in second, while Pedulla finished third.

HEAT RACE 6

A side-by-side battle was the highlight of Heat Race 6, as Dennis Franklin and Logan Roberson battled wheel-to-wheel on the race’s opening lap.

The two waged war down the backstretch, neither giving an inch. But as Franklin and Roberson powered off Turn 4, Franklin grabbed the advantage as they crossed the start-finish line.

Once Franklin cleared Roberson, the Gaffney, SC driver held on to score the Heat Race victory. Roberson finished in second, and Mark Greene grabbed the final transfer spot.

VP Racing Fuels DIRTcar Sportsman

The VP Racing Fuels DIRTcar Sportsman battled it out in four Heat Races to help set the field for Saturday’s Feature. The top four finishers locked themselves into starting positions.

HEAT RACE 1

In the first Heat Race, Canadian Cedric Gauvreau stayed consistent from night one, showing his speed for all eight laps. After starting on the pole, he never looked back, speeding to the finish line for the win largely uncontested.

“The car felt really good,” Gauvreau said. “We made some minor changes to the car from last night. The car was better, but I think we have a good chance for tomorrow’s Feature.”

Outside pole sitter David Richer finished second, Gordon Smith finished third, Jessica Power finished fourth.

HEAT RACE 2

Pole sitter Michael Wright was joined by Carter Crooker to his outside to start the matchup. Crooker fired hard at the drop of the green flag and edged his way around Wright for the lead on Lap 1. The Campbell, NY driver held a steady hand for the remaining seven laps, and drove his way to victory to become the evening’s second winner.

Wright held on to finish second, Ayden Cipriano finished third, and Cameron Tuttle finished fourth.

HEAT RACE 3

Thursday night’s Quick Time winner Kevin Ridley was put to the test in Heat Race 3. The pole sitter jockeyed back and forth with Kreg Crooker for the lead, with the lead changing hands three times in eight laps. Ridley ultimately came out on top, making the final pass on Lap 7 before going on to post the win.

“I was on (Crooker’s) bumper there in (Turn) 3 and (Turn 4) until he started getting to loose, and I was able to get underneath him,” Ridley said. “On the restart, I was able to get underneath him and then got him down the backstretch.”

Crooker came in second, Nelson Mason finished third, and Chelsie Kriegisch finished fourth.

HEAT RACE 4

In the final Heat Race of the evening, DIRTcar Sportsman Series and Hoosier Tire champion Andrew Buff battled from the pole position to fend off two-time World Short Track Championship Feature winner David Rogers. Rogers passed Buff on Lap 3 for the lead, but it was short lived.

Buff came charging back on Lap 4 to take the lead at the half-way mark. Rogers kept close to his bumper, but it wasn’t enough to grab the win. Buff notched the victory while Rogers finished in second.

“That was seriously fun racing,” Buff said. “We both wanted to win…if anything comes out of that Heat Race tomorrow, it’s going to be pretty exciting.”

Derrick McGrew finished third and Ray Hall Jr. finished fourth.

MSD Performance DIRTcar Pro Stocks

The MSD Performance DIRTcar Pro Stocks took to the track for three Heat Races to lock in starting positions for Saturday’s Feature Race. The top six finishers transferred.

HEAT RACE 1

Thursday night Feature winner Luke Horning continued his winning ways, taking the win in Heat Race #1 after leading from green to checkers.

“The track was starting to slick off,” Horning said. “We were able to roll the middle real well. We just had to hold off for a couple yellows and we were good.”

Pete Stefanski finished behind him in second place, followed by Jaxson Ryan, Kenny Martin, Johnathan Lemay, and Ken Griffin.

HEAT RACE 2

Denis Gauvreau performed similarly in Heat Race 2, leading all six laps. Kim Duell charged hard through the field, finishing in second place after starting 10th. Zachary Sorrentino finished in third, followed by Guy Viens, Shane Henderson, and Ian Bressette.

HEAT RACE 3

The third and final Heat Race saw Marc Lalonde notch the win, leading the way after passing pole-sitter Eric Jean-Louis on Lap 1. Johnny Rivers Jr. finished runner-up to Lalonde, followed by Jean-Louis, Bruno Cyr, Bruno Richard, and Johnathan Levesque.

Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

Drake Troutman, Kyle Strickler, Evan Taylor, David Stremme

Four of the top drivers in UMP Modified racing made their presence felt during Friday’s Heat Races. Drake Troutman, Kyle Strickler, Evan Taylor and David Stremme all made the most of their front-row starting spots, taking the lead at the drop of the green and leading every lap unchallenged en route to the Heat wins. Troutman, Strickler and Taylor all won from the pole, while Stremme was the only driver to win from the outside pole.

Other notable Heat Race runs included runner-up finishes for Taylor Cook, Mason Zeigler and Michael Leach. Cook, the defending UMP Modified World Short Track Champion from Stanley, NC, started fifth on the grid in Heat 1, got a great jump on the start and passed for the runner-up spot on Lap 2.

Zeigler, the Super Late Model regular from Chalk Hill, PA, also got a great jump on the initial start of Heat 2, advancing from fourth on the grid up to second in only three laps in his first World Short Track Championship appearance.

Nineteen-year-old Michael Leach, of Sun River, MT, was runner-up in his World Short Track debut last year, piloting a Crate-engine Pro Modified. He’s moved up to the full-size engine UMP Modified division for 2023 and impressed in Heat 4, starting fifth on the grid and passing for second in the final three laps to secure a runner-up finish and a spot in Saturday’s 30-lap, $4,000-to-win main event.

Hoosier Racing Tire Pro/Crate Modifieds

Austin Holcombe, Austin Self, Grayson Wells, Buck Stevens, Case Daniels, Russell Baker

Two past World Short Track Champions of the Pro Modified division and four first-time championship hopefuls scored the Heat Race wins Friday night, setting themselves up for a chance at a main event win on Saturday.

The first of six Heats saw the most action of all. Morgan Widener started on the pole and led the first five laps, but coming to the white flag, Austin Holcombe – the 2021 division winner from Elm City, NC – took to the middle lane in Turn 1 around the outside of Widener and drove on by for the lead out of Turn 2. Widener held strong on the bottom through Turns 3-4 but could not catch Holcombe as he drove off with the win out of Turn 4.

The next five Heats were dominated by the front row, as Self, Wells, Stevens (2016 Pro Modified champion), Daniels and Baker took off on the first lap and led every lap unchallenged on the way to the checkered flag.

COMP CAMS Monster Mini Stocks

HEAT RACE 1

The always exciting COMP Cams Monster Mini Stocks lived up to their reputation right out of the gate in the first Heat Race. Second starting Dylan Warden got the jump to take the early lead and pace the opening three circuits of the six-lap tilt. But on the fourth lap, it was pole-sitter Harley Holden surging into the top spot.

Holden raced to the white flag with the lead but a charging Tyler Riddle was close behind. Down the back straightaway, Riddle continued to cut into the gap with half a lap remaining. Exiting Turn 4, Riddle got a run and looked low with the checkered flag in sight, but Holden had just enough to hold on and lock up the opening Monster Mini Stock Heat Race. Riddle and Dylan Warden finished second and third to lock up the other two transfers into Saturday’s main event.

HEAT RACE 2 

The second COMP Cams Monster Mini Stock Heat Race didn’t deliver any late race drama. But what it did offer was the defending division champion making a statement. Only one driver – Brayden Pruitt – has ever won consecutive Mini Stock titles at the World Short Track Championship (2019-2020). But Matt Gilbert fully intends to become the second.

Gilbert started on the pole and cruised to a commanding victory. The South Carolina native padded his lead each and every circuit until finally crossing the line with a nearly two-second advantage as the checkered flag flew. Behind him, Landon Housely grabbed the runner-up spot, and Greg Brew drove from sixth to third to snag the final transfer.

HEAT RACE 3 

The third COMP Cams Monster Mini Stock Heat Race brought another strong performance from the pole-sitter. Kevin Cooper started P1 and got the jump as the field took the green flag. Cooper ran a steady race and a smooth line throughout all six laps and ended up taking the checkered flag with nearly a one second lead.

Behind Cooper, Michael Webb held the runner-up spot early in the race but slipped back to third on the second circuit. Two laps later, Webb managed to rally and reclaim the second spot and finished behind Cooper. Dustin Bolin was the competitor who took over runner-up early on, but after Webb got back by, Bolin settled for the third and final transfer.

HEAT RACE 4 

The excitement featured in the first Heat was brought back for the fourth COMP Cams Monster Mini Stock Heat Race. On an early restart, Cody Keith, Daniel Coffey, and Jessie Richardson Jr. went three-wide for second into Turn 1. Keith fended off the pair of challengers to maintain the spot.

Up ahead, Travis Mosley led the way but Keith closed in. With the white flag in sight, Keith looked to Mosley’s outside, and the two seemed set for a side-by-side final lap, but a caution spoiled the last lap drama. On the ensuing restart, Mosley pulled away for the win. Keith and Daniel Coffey grabbed the other transfers.

HEAT RACE 5

In the penultimate COMP Cams Monster Mini Stock Heat Race, it was all about Logan Richey. Starting on the pole, Richey grabbed the lead when the green flag flew and never looked back. By the third lap, he had extended his lead to slightly above a second, and the gap stayed around that margin throughout the remainder of the race as Richey grabbed the win.

Marcus Hughes and Nick Fulcher held the second and third spots for the duration of the six-lap Heat Race to claim the other available transfers.

HEAT RACE 6

In the sixth and final COMP Cams Monster Mini Stock Heat Race, Dustin ONeal flexed his muscle with perhaps the most dominant performance of the class. From the pole, ONeal led every lap and claimed the victory with more than a three-second lead.

The battle behind ONeal was eventful for the final two transfers. Josh Bryan grabbed the second spot early before falling back a spot and then clawing into runner-up again. But Bryant slipped up another time and allowed Brent Couch back by who went on to finish second. Pete Brew grabbed the final transfer spot on the last lap.

RACEQUIP Mid-East Street Stocks

After six RaceQuip Mid-East Street Stocks Heat Races, 18 drivers have locked themselves into Saturday night’s World Short Track Championship Feature.

Banjo Duke, Steve Greene, Bailey Loftin, Devon Morgan, Dalton Peavy and Andy Stewart won each of their respective Heat races and enter Saturday’s Feature with the best chance to win.

The first driver to solidify his spot in the Championship Feature was Manning, SC’s Banjo Duke. Thursday night’s fastest Street Stock driver made Heat Race 1 look easy, leading flag-to-flag en route to the win. Flat Rock, NC’s Tanner Fortune finished second to Duke, and Rock Hill, SC driver Kade Langley rounded the locked-in finishers.

Heat 2 saw Bostic, NC’s Steve Greene pick up the win after starting in second place on the start. The driver of the #39 got by polesitter Austin Brown to take the Heat Race win. Brown ended up finishing second to Greene, and Taylors, SC’s Johnny Westmoreland completed the Heat Race’s top three finishers.

Similar to Greene, Mt. Holly, NC driver Bailey Loftin took a dominating Heat Race 3 win after starting second on the outside to Seth, WV’s Nick Evans. Loftin used the high lane to get by Evans and never relinquished the lead. Evans came up short to Loftin, finishing second. However, the focus was all on Lyman, SC’s Blake Bentley, who charged up six places to finish inside the podium spot, securing his place into Saturday night.

Heat Race 4 showed shades of 2022, with defending champion Devon Morgan winning with no pressure felt after starting from the pole. Finishing behind Greene was Newton, NC’s Ricky Greene. Completing the race’s top three finishers was Chester, SC’s Ronnie Mosley after having to fend off multiple cars that challenged the #9M.

Running a clean race was all that the #24 of Dalton Peavy needed to do to grab his guaranteed spot in Saturday’s Feature, leading flag-to-flag to win Heat Race 5 after starting from the pole. Belmont, NC’s Calob McLaughlin improved from his starting spot, finishing second to Peavy in the six-lap Heat. Earning his place into Saturday night after fending off hard-charging Street Stocks was Inman, SC’s Cody Ussery.

Heat Race 6 bookended the Street Stocks action for the day in a shocking fashion. After coming up light at the scales, Gastonia, NC’s Patrick Lyon was disqualified and stripped of what would have been a Heat race win. Instead, the win now goes to Andy Stewart of Evans, GA. Rock Hill, SC’s Dalton Pannell, and Gastonia, NC’s Brandon Dockery fought closely with each other, and all three drivers will have a chance to race for a big Feature win on Saturday night.

SRI Performance Thunderbombers

Back for a second year at World Short Track Championship, the SRI Performance Monster Thunder Bombers provided the kick that fans anticipated to see.

After six Heat races – Tyler Guice, Rod Tucker, Stetson Todd, Benji Knight, Luke Clements, and Luke Doggett bagged the Heat race wins, going into Saturday with the best chance they have to win.

Six laps felt too short with how exciting Heat Race 1 was for the Thunder Bombers. Flat Rock, NC’s Tyler Guice and Tyron, NC’s Mattison Hoots raced each other side-by-side, with Guice besting Hoots in a photo finish by 0.037 seconds. Union, SC’s Nathaniel Jackson moved his way up three positions to grab the final transfer spot into Saturday’s Feature race.

Defending champ Rod Tucker helped his chances of going back-to-back in 2023 by leading flag-to-flag en route to the Heat Race 2 win. Joining Tucker in transferring to Saturday’s Feature includes Taylors, SC’s Jason Edmonds, and Kings Mountain, NC’s Justin Watts.

Like Tucker, Spartanburg, SC Stetsen Todd put a cap on his Heat race by leading every lap of Heat Race 3 to lock himself into Saturday’s Feature. Tyron, NC’s Bailey Hipp moved up one spot from where he started to finish in second, and Connelly Springs, NC’s Benny Peeler joined the two drivers to secure his place.

After going fastest in Monster Thunder Bombers Group B Qualifying on Thursday, Heath Springs, SC’s Benji Knight displayed that same pace by winning Heat Race 4. Laurens, SC’s Travis Jamieson jumped up three positions from his original starting spot to finish second, and Grant Parr of Boiling Springs, SC earned a top-three result to make the Feature.

Heat Race 5 saw another Boiling Springs, SC native earn a spot in Saturday’s Feature. This time, it was Luke Clements who was able to conquer his Heat race. Rock Hill, SC’s Hunter Funderburke kept his job easy, finishing second in the Heat to claim his spot for Saturday. Jesse Wall of Chesnee, SC picked up two spots from his original starting spot to finish third.

In Heat Race 6, Forest City, NC’s Luke Doggett fended off the field of Thunder Bombers to seal his place in the Feature with a win. Cowpens, SC’s Randy Cantrell finished runner-up to Doggett with a second-place result, and Lexington, SC’s Tyler Smith claimed the final spot to conclude the Heat Races.

For Full Results of Friday’s World Short Track Championship action, Click Here. 

UP NEXT: These nine divisions will return to The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Saturday, Oct. 28 for the final day of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship.

Last Chance Showdowns will set the final spots in Saturday’s Championship Features as drivers battle for World Short Track Championship glory.

For tickets to the World Short Track Championship, CLICK HERE.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevy Camaro SS team hold the provisional No. 1 qualifying position Friday at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Austin Prock and the Montana Brand. Rocky Mountain Twist team are No. 2 while John Force in his 50th anniversary PEAK Chevy Camaro SS are in the No. 4 spot and Brittany Force in the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team are No. 10. Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools team wasted no time coming out of the trailer with a 3.881-second pass at 328.46 mph that would earn them three bonus qualifying points in the first session. After being bumped to the third position, Hight would improve to a 3.851 at 327.51 collecting another three bonus points and the provisional No. 1 qualifying position. “After Dallas and the first-round loss, this Cornwell Tools team knew what we were up against. We dug ourselves a hole and the only way out is to race aggressively, try to get all of the points you can get, and get a win. This is definitely a must-win race for us,” Hight said. “The way those other cars are running that we are fighting against you’re going to half to be the winner or get to the semi-finals to even have a chance. We might have to win both here and Pomona and that still might not be enough. You see it out there, we just got Bob Tasca by two-thousandths of a second. There’s going to be a lot more of that all weekend. You have to make big moves here in Vegas, kind of like Denver. I predict that if we don’t step up here tomorrow, I won’t be in this No. 1 spot tomorrow night.” After they hazed the tires and had to shut off early in the first qualifying session for only a 4.911-second pass at 143.75 mph, Austin Prock and the Montana Brand team came out swinging in the second session of the day. Blasting to a 3.701 pass at 329.99 to jump from No. 12 to No. 2. John Force, in the black and gold PEAK Chevy celebrating the 50th anniversary of Old World Industries, started qualifying with a 3.916-second pass at 328.46 mph, the sixth quickest of the session. Force and the PEAK car, tuned by Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, would improve Friday evening with a 3.887 pass at 322.34 to end the night in the No. 4 spot. Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac team let it rip in the first session of qualifying laying down an impressive 3.732-second pass at 335.48 mph for two bonus qualifying points. In the second session, Force would have a more modest 3.771 pass at 321.04 putting her in the No. 10 spot with two sessions left on Saturday. Competition at the Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continues with qualifying Saturday at 1 and 4 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with two qualifying shows on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 3 p.m. ET and an eliminations show on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. -30-

AUSTIN PROCK, 28, Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragsterQualifying:2nd; 3.701-seconds; 329.99 mphBonus Qualifying Points:0BRITTANY FORCE, 37, Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac dragsterQualifying:10th; 3.732-seconds; 333.48 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+3 (quickest Q1)JOHN FORCE, 74, PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:4th; 3.887-seconds; 322.34 mphBonus Qualifying Points: 0 ROBERT HIGHT, 54, AAA / Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:1st; 3.851-seconds; 327.51 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+6 (quickest Q1 & Q2)

LAS VEGAS (October 27, 2023) — Following his first qualifying pass at the NHRA Nevada Nationals Aaron Stanfield and his Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro, clinched his third Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world championship today at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Two weeks ago, the 28-year-old from Bossier City, Louisiana, defeated his closest competitor Stephen Bell in the first round and then outran No. 1 qualifier Lenny Lottig in the second round to accumulate enough points to essentially eliminate his closest competitors. Stanfield simply needed to make one pass to clinch the championship.

 
“It’s pretty cool to be able to do it here in Las Vegas,” said Stanfield, an 11-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown national event winner. “I love this racetrack. It’s good to be able to do it, we’re happy to get it done quick this weekend. All the championships are special and they all have their own story. There’s no such thing as a bad championship so I’m very thankful, very blessed. Thank you to all the all the guys that work on my hot rod.”
 
In 2021 Stanfield won the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis and clinched the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown World Championship. That day he defeated Kim Shirley, David Janac, John Cerbone and Lenny Lottig for the win and championship. The drivers chasing Stanfield in 2021 David Barton and Jesse Alexandra each lost in the first round, opening the door for Stanfield to secure the championship.
 
“Collectively between Pro Stock and Flexjet Factory Stock there’s a lot of guys that play a big hand in me being able to do all of this,” said Stanfield. “I’m just very thankful for individually each one of them. I’m so glad to get it done and I want to thank Flexjet and the NHRA.”

 
This season Stanfield led the points throughout the year and his quarterfinal performance at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals was enough to position him as the 2023 champion. During the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown season his Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro posted runner-up finishes at the season opening Gatornationals and the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals. He won for the first time in 2023 at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., and his second win came at the Pep Boys Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania.
 
 
2023 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Results
Gainesville – Joe Welch, winner; Aaron Stanfield, runner-up
Charlotte – Lenny Lottig, winner; Aaron Stanfield, runner-up
Chicago – Lenny Lottig, winner; Doug Hamp, runner-up
Bristol – Aaron Stanfield, winner; Del Holbrook, runner-up
Norwalk – Stephen Bell, winner; Lee Hartman, runner-up
Indianapolis – Jesse Alexandra, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up
Reading – Aaron Stanfield, winner; Del Holbrook, runner-up
St. Louis – Mark Pawuk, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up
Dallas – Lenny Lottig, winner; Doug Hamp, runner-up
 

LAS VEGAS (October 27, 2023) — Heading into the NHRA Nevada Nationals Justin Ashley driver and team owner of the Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster powered by Phillips Connect will also feature additional horsepower from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 357 (IBEW) and the Southern Nevada Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) your Las Vegas Power Professionals. By joining forces with the eleven-time national event winning team the IBEW 357 and SNV NECA Las Vegas Power Professionals are looking to highlight their impact on the greater Las Vegas community which has provided tens of thousands of electrical industry careers for Southern Nevada families since 1931.   “We are grateful for the opportunity to work so closely with IBEW 357 and SNV NECA Las Vegas Power Professionals this weekend at the Nevada Nationals,” said Ashley, who is in the middle of an NHRA Top Fuel championship run. “When looking at the landscape around Las Vegas both on and off The Strip, I can’t help but think about the contributions from these two groups that helped to make it all happen. Millions of people enjoy their Las Vegas experience thanks to the hard work and expertise of the IBEW 357 workforce and SNV NECA contractors. I can’t wait to further introduce their teams to ours and the NHRA Drag Racing community.”    Working together as the Las Vegas Power Professionals, IBEW Local 357 and Southern Nevada NECA, operate as an impartial liaison between labor and management which strives to enhance the image and success of its members, promote fair labor practices, and develop employment opportunities in the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. They create and inspire a collaborative and impartial environment in which labor and management identify challenges and resolve conflicts in a fair manner, and endeavor to elevate and promote their members and the electrical industry in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.   “Our experienced signatory electrical contractors and skilled craftsmen and women work together to provide quality electrical products and services timely, safely, effectively and efficiently. Our Union Electrical Construction Industry is a trusted advisor to all our customers and committed to serving our Southern Nevada community,” shared Leslie Mujica, Executive Director and Chief Marketing Officer of Las Vegas Power Professionals.   Ashley will be on track with the IBEW 357 and SNV NECA Las Vegas Power Professionals on his Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster for two qualifying runs on Friday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. PT followed by two more qualifying sessions on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. PT. The final eliminations will begin at 11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday for the quickest 16 Top Fuel teams. The race will be broadcasted nationally on FS1 on Sunday night.

By Jordan DeLucia

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 26, 2023) – Kyle Strickler is looking to make a bit of history at the eighth annual World Short Track Championship.

Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte was a solid first step as he dominated the Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified All-Star Invitational Feature.

In his quest to become only the fourth driver to win four World Short Track titles, Strickler – the UMP Modified veteran from Mooresville, NC – started the weekend with a strong performance in the 15-lap All-Star event, leading every lap from the pole and crossing the finish line almost five seconds ahead of his competition.

Despite his excellence in the Invitational and a second-best lap in Qualifying, Strickler said he did not always feel as comfortable in the car as he would have preferred, until the Feature, where he felt a world of difference.

“It was definitely a lot better,” Strickler said. “Didn’t feel great in Hot Laps, didn’t feel great in Qualifying. Then, we made wholesale changes, and it was a lot better. I still think we can get a little bit better.”

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT DIRTCAR UMP MODIFIED RESULTS:

All-Star Invitational Feature (15 Laps): 1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[1]; 2. 99H-Justin Haley[3]; 3. 7-Evan Taylor[2]; 4. 5T-Drake Troutman[6]; 5. 00-Mike McKinney[7]; 6. 8-Austin Holcombe[11]; 7. 21-Taylor Cook[8]; 8. 35-David Stremme[12]; 9. 13-Charlie Mefford[9]; 10. 2T-Ty Norder[10]; 11. 12L-Lucas Lee[20]; 12. 5CS-Curt Spalding[16]; 13. 51-Dalton Lanich[13]; 14. 90-Ray Kable[14]; 15. 5-Jonathan Taylor[15]; 16. 77-George Dixon[18]; 17. 97-Mitch Thomas[19]; 18. 5B-Bobby Bagley[17]; 19. 04-Kaleb Toole[4]; 20. 99W-Chris Arnold[5]

Dillon Brown Opens Eighth Annual World Short Track Championship With Pro Late Model All-Star Invitational Feature Win

By Mike Warren

CONCORD, NC – Dillon Brown planned on using the opening night of the eighth annual World Short Track Championship as a test run for Saturday’s finale.

He earned an A-plus, leading all 15 laps to win Thursday’s Fox Factory Pro Late Model All-Star Invitational Feature at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Jody Knowles, the pole-sitter, led the 20-car field to the green. But that didn’t last long as Brown saw his opportunity to pounce in Turn 1. The Gaffney, SC driver snuck past both Knowles and Justin Hudspeth to take the lead away on the opening lap.

As Brown pulled away from Hudspeth, defending Fox Factory Pro Late Model Championship winner Trent Ivey moved toward the front. He snuck by Hudspeth for second in Turn 1 on Lap 9. Then, the Union, SC competitor, chased Brown in the race’s final stages, getting as close as three car lengths with two laps remaining.

However, it wasn’t enough as Brown held off the #G4 to earn his second Fox Factory Pro Late Model All-Star Invitational Feature win—and third World Short Track Championship win.

“(At the start) we were just trying to position ourselves to second,” Brown said. “But when we came down the front straightaway, I was like, I ain’t letting off; let’s just see where this goes. We got to the lead, but we need to get a lot, lot better.

“We have something to work with. We have a really good piece. But we changed four or five shocks and springs before that race. I wanted to try something you don’t usually get to here in race trim, so I just kind of looked at that race as a test session.”

FOX FACTORY PRO LATE MODEL RESULTS:

All-Star Feature (15 Laps): 1. 6-Dillon Brown[3]; 2. G4-Trent Ivey[4]; 3. 27H-Justin Hudspeth[2]; 4. 18-Ricky Greene[8]; 5. 22-Jeremy Steele[12]; 6. 55-Matt Long[5]; 7. 66-Jody Knowles[1]; 8. 55H-Benji Hicks[13]; 9. 615-Colton Trouille[6]; 10. 18DD-Derek Dent[11]; 11. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[10]; 12. 1-Brent Trimble[15]; 13. 215-Jamison McBride[18]; 14. 78B-Matthew Brocato[7]; 15. 5-Travis Steele[20]; 16. 42-Mark Greene[9]; 17. P4-John Price[16]; 18. 34-Logan Roberson[17]; 19. 7J-Dalton Jacobs[14]; 20. 00R-John Ruggiero Jr[19]

Nelson Mason captures DIRTcar Sportsman win at World Short Track Championship

By Michelina Friss

CONCORD, NC – Nelson Mason will have a difficult time forgetting how his first visit to the World Short Track Championships felt on opening night as the Niagara Falls, ON driver won the All-Star Invitational.

After competing at the track as a child in a Go-Kart, Mason and his father made the eight-hour trek down to the Concord, NC oval to try his luck in a DIRTcar Sportsman. He made every mile count, as he took home his first career victory Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in the 15-lap, DIRTcar VP Racing Fuels Sportsman Feature.

Starting on the pole, Mason found himself accompanied by Derrick McGrew to his outside on the front row to start. He took full advantage of his starting position, shooting out in front. Kevin Ridley, who earlier had posted the night’s Quick Time, aggressively made a move simultaneously, jumping up to second place from fourth on Lap 1. The two frontrunners immediately started their heated battle towards the finish line, with Ridley close behind.

Ridley was able to close the gap significantly on the last lap going into Turn 3 and Turn 4, relentlessly battling until the checkered flag fell. But the #35 was too strong for Ridley and the rest of the field, as he crossed the finish line first to send himself to Victory Lane.

“It’s huge (to get the win here),” Mason said. “I genuinely have been looking forward to (The Dirt Track at Charlotte) the whole year, and honestly the last two years. I wanted to come here knowing we had everything right and in the best position possible. Since I switched to dirt racing last year (from Formula open-wheel car racing), this was the goal. Now we have one win and want to close it out with the big one on Saturday, but I’m super stoked.”

VP RACING FUELS DIRTCAR SPORTSMAN RESULTS:
All-Star Feature (15 Laps): 1. 35-Nelson Mason[1]; 2. 20X-Kevin Ridley[4]; 3. 44-David Rogers[6]; 4. 0-Michael Wright[3]; 5. 49M-Derrick McGrew[2]; 6. 22C-Cedric Gauvreau[15]; 7. 318-Dave Richer[7]; 8. 92-Andrew Buff[14]; 9. 35T-Cameron Tuttle[12]; 10. 23-David Dickey[5]; 11. 10-Chelsie Kriegisch[8]; 12. 51-Kreg Crooker[17]; 13. 32C-Carter Crooker[18]; 14. 03-Joshua Jock[10]; 15. 52-Jessica Power[13]; 16. 44S-Gordon Smith[9]; 17. 49-Chris Jakubiak[19]; 18. 5C-Ayden Cipriano[20]; 19. 72-Ray Hall Jr[11]; 20. 813-Jason Quenneville[16]

Luke Horning Adds to Dream Season With First World Short Track All-Star Invitational Win

By Nick Graziano
CONCORD, NC – Two weeks after Luke Horning won his first Super DIRT Week Pro Stock title, he found himself back in Victory Lane for another marquee win.

“Cousin Luke” scored his first World Short Track Championship All-Star Invitational Feature win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Thursday night – also his second World Short Track win overall and 21st Feature win of the season.

“Winning here is huge,” Horning said. “All the competitive guys are here. Nobody came here thinking they don’t have a chance to win this. To win the [All-Star Invitational], it’s one we haven’t gotten before. This is awesome.”

At Super DIRT Week, Horning had to come from seventh to win. Thursday night, he did the same during the 15-lap MSD Performance DIRTcar Pro Stock race.

John Fitzgerald started on the pole with Ken Griffin to his outside. When the green flag dropped for the first time Fitzgerald maintained the lead for the first couple laps while Griffin faded early. Behind him, Horning was on a march.

Hugging the low line, as close as he could to the infield tires, Horning was powering by cars two at a time each corner. By Lap 2, he was second. Lap 3, he was the leader.

“I had a plan,” Horning said. “I was watching the progression of the track. Everyone was migrating to the bottom, migrating to the bottom. Being up here (up on the hill)… we got to watch a little more racing than the guys down there (in the lower pit area). I was watching guys moving down, so I said, ‘Starting back there, maybe the first couple laps we can run tight to the bottom and maybe those guys won’t run tight to the bottom,’ and sure enough they kept giving me room and giving me room.”

MSD PERFORMANCE DIRTCAR PRO STOCK RESULTS:
All-Star Feature (15 Laps): 1. 2H-Luke Horning[7]; 2. 8-Marc Lalonde[6]; 3. 72G-Denis Gauvreau[8]; 4. 04-Jaxson Ryan[14]; 5. 44X-Bruno Richard[19]; 6. 54S-Zachary Sorrentino[10]; 7. 2-Pete Stefanski[17]; 8. 15-Guy Viens[5]; 9. 9J-Eric Jean Louis[15]; 10. 5-Ian Bressette[18]; 11. 56-John Fitzgerald[1]; 12. 35-Jonathan Lemay[3]; 13. 14J-Johnny Rivers Jr[9]; 14. 28-Philip DeFiglio[16]; 15. 25Y-Ken Griffin[2]; 16. 09J-Shawn Perez Jr[12]; 17. 33-Bruno Cyr[20]; 18. 8C-Sean Corr[11]; 19. 9-Shane Henderson[13]; 20. 6C-Brian Carter[4]

UP NEXT: The eighth annual World Short Track Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte continues Friday, Oct. 27, with Heat Races for nine divisions and Features for the Hornets. Then, Saturday, Oct. 28, will see Features for all divisions.

For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2023) – Coming off their best performance of the 2023 Camping World Drag Racing Series season, John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team jumped from ninth to fifth in the points standings as they continue the pursuit of their first win of the season. They’ll be looking for a win at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway while honoring their primary sponsor, Old World Industries, PEAK’s parent company. Racing in a specialty gold and black scheme on the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet to celebrate OWI’s 50th anniversary, Force and his crew led by chiefs Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, will be paying tribute to OWI’s first motorsports sponsorship with the PEAK brand of Kyle Petty. The team’s uniforms will replicate the uniforms Petty’s crew initially wore. “Old World Industries’ 50th anniversary is November 8th so this weekend is the perfect event leading into the AAPEX show to celebrate the company’s golden anniversary,” said Brian Bohlander, Director of Marketing – Sports & Partnership. “In 1986, Old World acquired the PEAK brand and shortly thereafter entered into its first motorsports sponsorship with Kyle Petty. The crew uniforms replicate the ones that Petty’s crew wore in the late 1980s. John and Kyle Petty will also be together at the AAPEX show next Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the company’s anniversary along with Michael Waltrip and even Danica Patrick will be coming back to celebrate the 50th anniversary with us.” Before heading to AAPEX to celebrate OWI with other racing legends, Force will look for his fifth Nevada Nationals victory. He previously won in 2002, 2010, 2013 and 2016. He was also the No. 1 qualifier in 2013 when he beat daughter Courtney Force in the finals to help him earn the most recent of his 16 championships. Last year, Force was the No. 5 qualifier but came up short in the quarterfinals. During his runner-up performance in Dallas at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, Force laid down a career-best 3.823-second pass in qualifying. “This PEAK Chevy team is right in the middle of the fight in this Countdown and we still got a shot, but it is a long shot. We are excited because Vegas is a great racetrack and we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Old World Industries. I’m very proud to be a part of this,” Force said. “Tom Hurvis gave me an opportunity years ago to drive the PEAK and BlueDEF Chevrolet, I will always be grateful for that. I’m looking forward to this weekend, we have a lot going on but more importantly, we have a car that got fast. The PEAK Chevy has progressively gotten faster all year. We are going to go into Las Vegas and get us a win.” Competition at the Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins with four qualifying runs Friday and Saturday both at 1 and 4 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with two qualifying shows on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 3 p.m. ET and an eliminations show on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.

ROBERT HIGHT AND CORNWELL TOOLS FOCUSED ONWINNING BIG AT THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team are still in contention for their fourth championship as they head into the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway sitting third in the Camping World points standings. With only two events left in the season, Hight and the Cornwell Tools team will look to make a dent in their 69-point deficit with their fourth victory of the season. Hight picked up his 15th career Countdown to the Championship win at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, tying the most in the Funny Car class. More recently, Hight landed a runner-up finish at the Carolina Nationals in Charlotte. In the regular season, Hight won in Phoenix and the Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte in the spring. “It’s been a challenging season; the competition has been tougher than ever. I have to give it up to my guys, this Cornwell Tools / AAA/ Flav-R-Pac team has kept their heads down and stuck to the plan and it’s been paying off lately. A bit of a hiccup in Dallas but we’re still in this,” Hight said. “We know it’s going to take a lot of hard work. We’ll bounce back. I have faith in this team, in Jimmy and Thomas Prock, Nate Hildahl, and all the crew. I think we’re all anxious to get back at it in Las Vegas.” A year ago at The Strip, Hight, as the No. 1 qualifier, had a runner-up finish. Hight has won the NHRA Nevada Nationals in both 2009 and 2015 while securing No. 1 starts in 2006, 2007, and 2008 in addition to 2022. He’s also won the spring event at The Strip three times in 2007, 2011, and 2012. Competition at the Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins with four qualifying runs Friday and Saturday both at 1 and 4 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will air on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with two qualifying shows on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 3 p.m. ET and an eliminations show on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA2023 NHRA NEVADA NATIONALS THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAYLAS VEGAS, NEVADA TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE OCTOBER 27-29, 2023 CHEVROLET LOOKS TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS AT THE PENULTIMATE RACE OF THE 2023 NHRA SEASON AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY DETROIT (October 26, 2023) – The Countdown to the Championship is on and heating up in NHRA, with The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosting Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown Team Chevy teams in the penultimate 2023 NHRA Nevada Nationals Oct. 27-29, 2023. The most recent victor in the Pro Stock ranks for the Bowtie brand, Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Chevrolet Camaro SS machine, comes off of her home-state win at Dallas, but also becoming the winningest female in NHRA by surpassing Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster). Additionally, Enders is the defending winner of both events at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022 and is the location where she secured her 2022 and 2015 World Championships. With five World Championships altogether, Enders holds more championships than any woman in NHRA history ahead of Angelle Sampey and Shirley Muldowney’s three titles and Brittany Force’s two. In FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown, Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro, as well as pulling double-duty and competing in Pro Stock as he has all season, leads the category points by 79 over fellow Chevrolet competitors Steven Bell (second with 720 points), and Lenny Lottig (third with 639 points). While the Factory Stock Showdown series did not compete at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022, Stanfield enters the weekend as the defending winner of the most recent Fall event at the track in 2021. “We have had good luck at Las Vegas and this race will be special because we will have the championship in the bag and can race without any pressure,” said Stanfield. “I want to carry positive momentum into the off-season and getting one more win at the Nevada Nationals would be a perfect way to wrap up 2023.” Wrapping up their 2023 season with two events to go, the foursome of John Force Racing – Robert Hight, driver of the AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, and Brittany Force, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, look to end their season on high notes in both Las Vegas and Pomona after facing a tough season. B. Force enters the weekend as defending winner of both 2022 events and looks to capture her first win of the 2023 season and her 17th with Chevrolet. Known for setting and resetting speed and elapsed time (E.T.) records in her career, Force additionally comes to Las Vegas defending her 2022 No. 1 Qualifiers during the Fall two-wide event. “This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team has had quite a year,” said B. Force. “We went from our strongest season in 2022, to our hardest season this year. I believe it’s in the hard times where you see your team’s true strength. We have stayed pushing forward and motivated to close the season out strong.” Force’s teammate Hight enters this weekend looking to retake the Countdown the Championship points lead leaving Las Vegas while also looking to recover from the Texas NHRA FallNationals race at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. Looking for his fourth win of the 2023 season, and 69 points out from Matt Hagan in first, and 36 behind Bob Tasca, III, a win in Las Vegas would aid Hight on his hunt for a fourth Funny Car championship. “It’s been a challenging season; the competition has been tougher than ever. I have to give it up to my guys, this Cornwell Tools / AAA/ Flav-R-Pac team has kept their heads down and stuck to the plan and it’s been paying off lately. A bit of a hiccup in Dallas but we’re still in this,” Hight said. “We know it’s going to take a lot of hard work. We’ll bounce back. I have faith in this team, in Jimmy and Thomas Prock, Nate Hildahl, and all the crew. I think we’re all anxious to get back at it in Las Vegas.” Finally, with the hard work and dedication Chevrolet’s Funny Car, Pro Stock, Factory Stock Showdown, Super Stock, and Stock Eliminator classes, a 28th Manufacturers Cup is on the horizon for the Bowtie brand, the seventh consecutive award as well as ninth in the past 11 seasons. Champions will be crowned at NHRA’s annual Camping World Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. The 2023 NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway kicks off Friday, Oct. 27 near Las Vegas, with qualifying airing that evening at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday’s qualifying session airs Sunday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. ET, with eliminations will follow, also airing on FS1, at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“Heading into the final two events of this 2023 NHRA season this weekend in Las Vegas. I drove out early to do some local media which always gets me back in race mode after a weekend off. This Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team has had quite a year. We went from our strongest season in 2022, to our hardest season this year. I believe it’s in the hard times where you see your team’s true strength. “We have stayed pushing forward and motivated to close the season out strong.” Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team is excited to get back to Vegas. We made some progress in Dallas at the Stampede of Speed FallNationals and I think that progress will show on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I’m ready to strap back in after a long off weekend and if we can have a little Lady Luck in Las Vegas.” John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:“This PEAK Chevy team is right in the middle of the fight in this Countdown and we still got a shot, but it is a long shot. We are excited because Vegas is a great racetrack and we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Old World Industries. I’m very proud to be a part of this,” Force said. “Tom Hurvis gave me an opportunity years ago to drive the PEAK and BlueDEF Chevrolet, I will always be grateful for that. I’m looking forward to this weekend, we have a lot going on but more importantly, we have a car that got fast. The PEAK Chevy has progressively gotten faster all year. We are going to go into Las Vegas and get us a win.” Camrie Caruso, driver of the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for KB Titan Racing:“Our Powerbuilt Tools/Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro has been running really well during the Countdown there are just a ton of great cars in this category. We just need everything to come together on race day and we could see four win lights for sure. I love that we get four qualifying runs and that will give us some great data. This KB Titan Racing team is looking to have a long day on Sunday. “Last year coming into Las Vegas we were definitely battling to keep everything together. It was the end of our rookie season which was the longest season of my career. I don’t really remember too much about those last few Countdown races last year because so much was going on and we were just trying to do our best. This season has been awesome with KB Titan Racing, Powerbuilt Tools and Tequila Comisario. All our partners have stepped up and we are working on 2024 now so we will be even stronger next season. “I couldn’t be out here without my family support. My dad and Papa are at almost every race and that is a huge help. My teammates at KB Titan Racing have been super helpful and we all want to try and take out as many competitors to Greg (Anderson) since he has the best shot for the championship from the KB Titan Racing team. Greg, Dallas (Glenn) and Kyle (Koretsky) have been so supportive had helpful this season we want to finish as strong as possible.” Aaron Stanfield, driver of the Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown:On chasing his third title in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown…“We have had good luck at Las Vegas and this race will be special because we will have the championship in the bag and can race without any pressure. I want to carry positive momentum into the off-season and getting one more win at the Nevada Nationals would be a perfect way to wrap up 2023.” Stephen Bell, driver of the Stanfield Racing Chevrolet COPO Camaro in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown:“Aaron (Stanfield) and I are best friends. I gauge every season on a couple things, if I get a win and if we are competitive at most races. We’ve had a good year this season. We were chasing that first championship and we came close. I am appreciative of Greg and Aaron Stanfield for giving a customer like me a car that can compete for the championship.” Lenny Lottig, driver of the ITI Trailers & Truck Bodies COPO Camaro in FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown:On winning the FlexJet bounty earlier this year…“I love the Flexjet bounty program. I would love to see it carry over into 2024 if we win this weekend. We won two races in a row earlier this season with Charlotte and Chicago so Lee Hartman got a $2,000 payday in Bristol. I want that money to keep growing because that will mean I am still winning.”

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:1,441: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).621: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 625.380: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 261 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).158: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.82: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) is fifth with 88.78: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.46: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.18: Number of Pro Stock championships.20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 934 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule. 624: Robert Hight achieved 621 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 625. 452: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record from 451 to 452 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA. 138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 122 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (Funny Car, 166) on the list. 278: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 278 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 286). 65: Robert Hight moved into the top-10 in 10th on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Reading with 64. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65. 47: Erica Enders has 46 career NHRA victories (45 Pro Stock, one Super Gas; all with Chevrolet). Her first win in Pro Stock came at Chicago, 2012, and her last win at Topeka, 2023 in Pro Stock. Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster) and Enders are tied as the all-time NHRA female leader with 46.  18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 46) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead. 6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10. Enders currently holds five Pro Stock championships, the most of any female in NHRA. 3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, two championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, five) is the leader.

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.