BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 24, 2024) – Since winning the inaugural Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout finale last January, Tyler Clem has climbed backed behind the wheel of his #14 Sprint Car about only a dozen times.

Two of those races were during Volusia Speedway Park’s Battle in Barberville 360 Sprint Car event in December. And they’re two races he hopes give him enough of an advantage over the full-time national competitors he’ll be up against during the second annual Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, Jan. 25-27.

“It’s tough. I don’t race much with those guys either,” Clem said. “They race every weekend. I’m lucky to race once or twice a month in this thing. They’re the best in the world for a reason, obviously. They’ve won Outlaw races. They’ve won big races like that. Obviously, the confidence that we got from winning the race [last January] and having the speed that we do here, obviously, it helps us. I think we’ll be fine when that time comes and do what we do this year.”

While his overall track time in a Sprint Car might not match drivers like Austin McCarl, Justin Peck or Ryan Timms, Clem – a Florida native from St. Petersburg – considers Volusia a home track. He has five wins at the half-mile, three coming last year – his Southern Sprint Car Shootout win, a Top Gun Sprint Car Series win and a 604 Late Model victory.

Home-field advantage played a part in Clem’s Sprint Car Shootout win last year, but he acknowledged a bit of luck did too. After drawing the pole for the 30-lap race, he launched ahead of the field at the start and never looked back.

Because of that, he benefited from clean air all race, never having to struggled with the aerodynamics of having to pass another car. However, that experience came during December’s Battle in Barberville. Clem finished third the first night and then second the next, having to race his way from sixth both nights.

“You’re at a half-mile here, so it is very aero dependent,” he said. “Once you get racing with guys, you’re not in clean air and the car handles different.

“You’re going to get the best guys in the world coming for [the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout], kind of like there was this year. Definitely getting laps [during the Battle in Barberville] can build your notebook for that weekend.”

To Clem, his Southern Sprint Car Shootout victory ranks atop all other accomplishments. “The biggest win of his career,” he called it in Victory Lane. And now, with nearly 50 cars set to tackle the 2024 edition of the event, which features three days of racing and the biggest purse in United Sprint Car Series history – boasting a $10,000-to-win finale – he’s eager to put his notebook to work for another big night.

“Everybody is excited for that race,” he said. “It’s probably the biggest 360 race you’ll have around this area. I feel like the quality of cars that come here for this race in January are better than [what’s at East Bay]. You have like Ryan Timms and [Ricky Stenhouse Jr.] and all these guys are going to show up for that race, guys that run 410s. The quality of the field is going to be really good and we’ll just try to do what we did [in 2023].”

For tickets to the second annual Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, CLICK HERE.

CONCORD, NC (Jan. 24, 2024) – After a strong ending to his first season on the national Midget scene, Hayden Reinbold is ready to take the next step in his career.

“We just want to try and win the championship,” Reinbold said. “I’m super excited to come back and I’m ready to battle for the championship.”

The 19-year-old driver from Chandler, AZ, will return to the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota in 2024 to chase the points title, riding a wave of confidence after breaking through for his first career Series victory in the season finale last October.

That win was more than just a new face in Victory Lane. It was concrete evidence of the progress he’d made behind the wheel throughout the season.

“Last year, I struggled to make Features,” Reinbold said. “I wasn’t even worried about the points; I was just trying to get races under my belt. Now that I have some good finishes and have been running pretty good as of late, I’m super excited to go back out. My confidence is a lot higher than it was a year ago.”

Read Also – ARIZONA SUN RISING: Hayden Reinbold’s I-44 Win Shines Light On 2023 Progress

He clinched a seventh-place finish in the 2023 championship standings on the back of one win, four top-fives and 12 top-10s. Each of those four top-fives came in the second half of the season, contributing to an average finish of 7.6 – a massive turnaround from his average finish through the first half of the season (14.6).

“This time last year we were struggling to make Features, let alone win a race or go top 10,” Reinbold said. “Now, we have a bunch of top 10s, top fives and even a win.”

Reinbold will also take his next step up outside the Midget world in 2024. Father and team co-owner, Andy Reinbold, will put Hayden at the controls of a Winged Sprint Car this season with plans to run a variety of events throughout the Midwest.

“My whole racing career was just Midgets. I never raced anything else,” Hayden said. “I’m super excited to get into another type of racecar. Winged cars look super fascinating to me.”

Though he’s breaking new ground with a potential career in Sprint Cars, he’s not letting that create any pressure. He’s just going to enjoy every lap he gets.

“I don’t feel any pressure or anything, I’m just super excited to go out and race Midgets more,” Reinbold said.

Reinbold and the Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports team begin their chase for the 2024 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota championship at the season opener inside the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, IL – Friday-Saturday, March 15-16.

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

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 24, 2024) – Sunoco Race Fuels, the Official Fuel of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will reward drivers that maintain perfect attendance at all Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned events through May 25th.  The Sunoco Road to Wheatland program has been a long-standing incentive that pays cash bonuses to the top 15 drivers in the series point standings at the Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in May. The series point leader will receive a $2,500 cash bonus at the Show-Me 100 with 2nd through 15th in series point standings receiving a cash award as well. Today, Sunoco Race Fuels has expanded the reach of its racing fuels line around the world to include all types of professional motor sports and other activities where premium race fuels like DXP 116 make the difference. With its unsurpassed innovations and years of experience, it’s easy to understand why more and more engine builders, racers, tracks, and sanctioning bodies choose Sunoco Race Fuels over all other racing gasoline combined. As the largest manufacturer of racing gasolines in the world, Sunoco has a 40-year track record of winning performances. To learn more about DXP 116 visit https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuels/fuel/dxp.” “We can’t thank Sunoco Race Fuels enough for their continued support of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the Road to Wheatland program. Following the series full time takes a lot of resources and a huge commitment from drivers and teams. Sunoco’s Road to Wheatland program rewards those drivers that make that commitment. We commend Sunoco for stepping up and giving generously to the racers that support the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season will launch with the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks from January 24 to February 10 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Ocala Speedway, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

Following front row sweep, Cadillac V-Series.R entries look strong for Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2024) – Following a fast start that netted a front row sweep for the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, reigning Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) champion Cadillac Racing will aim to also finish 1-2 this weekend. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, with two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship champion Pipo Derani behind the wheel, secured the pole for the twice-around-the-clock test with a track-record lap of 1 minute, 32.656 seconds on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway course.

The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R, piloted by Sebastien Bourdais, was less than a tenth of a second behind and completed the front row lockout. Cadillac has four pole starts for the Rolex 24 and four victories – all since 2017. Derani’s track-record lap during the 15-minute qualifying session Jan. 21 was nearly 2 seconds quicker than the 2023 pole-winning lap time of 1:34.031 – the first race of the GTP era. “The change in the past year is massive. The development has been tremendous. The job that was done throughout the year was amazing,” said Derani, who scored his series debut victory in the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Derani will share driving duties with Jack Aitken and Tom Blomqvist, who won the race the past two years. Bourdais will co-drive the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R with Renger van der Zande, Scott Dixon and Alex Palou.  The Rolex 24 At Daytona is also the first of five races in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.

Media resources Event guide: Race notes, driver bios, history and moreSay cheese: High-res driver headshotsRoar photos: On-track action Overall victories2020 (Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Kamui Kobayashi)2019 (Renger van der Zande, Fernando Alonso; Jordan Taylor, Kamui Kobayashi)2018 (Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa)2017 (Jeff Gordon, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli)

NBC and its network will provide flag-to-flag coverage of the race (all times ET):Saturday – NBC 1:30-2:30 p.m.; USA 2:30-8 p.m.; Peacock 8-10 p.m.; USA 10 p.m.-12 a.m.Sunday – Peacock 12-6 a.m.; USA 6 a.m.-12 p.m.; NBC 12-2 p.m.Full race also streamed on Peacock app. Additionally, radio coverage is available at imsa.com, the IMSA app, XM 207, Sirius 211, SiriusXM Online 996, 107.9 FM local at track; 93.5 FM and 1150 AM in Daytona. Cadillac Racing Rolex 24 At Daytona poles2023 — Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R (Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Tom Blomqvist)2021 — Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (Tristan Vautier, Sebastien Bourdais, Loic Duval)2018 — Spirit of Daytona Racing Cadillac DPi-V.r (Matt McMurry, Tristan Vautier, Eddie Cheever III)2017 — Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R (Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque* No overall wins when starting from pole. Overall wins2020 (Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Kamui Kobayashi)2019 (Renger van der Zande, Fernando Alonso; Jordan Taylor, Kamui Kobayashi)2018 (Christian Fittipaldi, Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa)2017 (Jeff Gordon, Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli)

Exciting lineup of Cadillac vehicles on display Spectators can see the award-winning lineup of Cadillac vehicles, including the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing that is the Official Safety Car of the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, at the Cadillac display in the midway. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-midnight Saturday and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.Drivers preview the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.RSebastien Bourdais: “I am really excited to get 2024 going. I think the traditional start of the season with Daytona is always a fun one. It gathers a ton of drivers that you might not see the rest of the season, so it is a bit of an international event and gathering with a great atmosphere. Everybody wants to leave with a watch on their wrist. We finished third last year, but we felt like we were in it to win it. I feel like Cadillac has given us a very good car and we have a good understanding of the system. We feel even more prepared and with the team that we can lean on, I think we have all the necessary ingredients to go for the win.”

Renger van der Zande: “We have been developing this car for a year now and lately we have found a lot of set-up options that work for us. Reliability is the most important thing and that is certainly what Chip Ganassi Racing and Cadillac Racing bring. Anything can happen at Daytona, but we feel prepared with a nice blend of drivers to win this race. It’s the biggest race of the season, the one you want to win and a big part of a championship. We’re there to win.”

Scott Dixon: “I always look forward to Daytona; it’s a great way to kick off the season. I feel like we had a really good shot last year and the car speed was really good. The team has done a good job in the offseason to make things a little bit smoother and better.”The key is always to stay out of trouble and make sure you finish the 24 hours first and then hopefully have a good shot at trying to get a win.”

Alex Palou: “I’m very excited to return to Daytona after competing with the team in the DPi era in 2022. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the new Hybrid and it will be a great way to start the year early with such a great team and with such great teammates. “I’ve had the privilege of racing with Scott, Sebastien and Renger and I’m sure with all the preparation and knowledge that the team has, we’ll be able to fight for a win and maybe bring home some new watches at the end of January.”No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Jack Aitken: “We’ve been talking about it over the winter and doing a (GTP championship) repeat is one of the hardest things you can do in sports. Coming in as the reigning champion for Pipo and the team is a high bar, but I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it again. I’ll bring extra motivation to get my first championship. It all starts with the Rolex 24. We’re starting in a good position to hopefully stay out of danger on the start heading into Turn 1. That’s always an issue. And we’ll go from there.”Tom Blomqvist: “It means a lot to me to win this race again and with a different team. I think that speaks volumes in itself from a personal side – to be able to jump across and fight for a victory. That’s hugely motivating and rewarding if we win. I play a different role this year, coming in to assist and I’ll put in all my effort to help the team win because I want to win.”

Pipo Derani: “There’s really nothing different to do than what you’ve already done and those things have worked because we’ve won races and championships. That also helps you calm down and focus on the important things. Come race day and come Sunday afternoon, you hope everything fell into place and you have the shot at victory in this event. With 59 cars this year, all of us will be in survival mode. At Daytona, it’s only in the last six hours when the puzzle of the race starts coming together, and you start to work out what piece you are, and the game of on-track chess begins.”

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 23, 2024) – The quest for the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship- presented by ARP begins at Golden Isles Speedway, Thursday January 25. The massive fund of over one million dollars will continue in 2024 with a slight twist to the format. The year-long format will continue to award teams cash prizes at four different intervals throughout the season. However, bonus points will not be awarded after each round. Drivers can still move up in points after each bonus round and be eligible for additional bonuses as the season winds down. The Big River Steel Big Four will now be determined at the 20th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals on September 21. From there, the four championship contenders will battle for the 20th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship at the remaining seven races of the season. The modified title format is already driving up purses for the new season. Sept. 28’s Jackson 100 at Brownstown Speedway and Oct. 5’s Pittsburgher now pay $50,000-to-win, both up from $30,000-to-win in 2023, simply because those crucial events are now part of the seven-race chase for the title. “It’s seven points events to determine the Series Championship among those four drivers. With a unique set of race-tracks no one driver will have an advantage. Huge Thanks goes to Big River Steel, ARP, Sunoco Race Fuels, Summit, and UNOH for their support of this format and the bonus money they all are putting into the points fund. We look forward to another exciting battle for the Championship at Eldora Speedway again this year,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports.  The Four Bonus Rounds and Payouts Based on Point Standings after each round: Sunoco Road to Wheatland: May 25 at Lucas Oil Speedway; 32nd Annual Show-Me 100: 1. $2,500, 2. $1,500, 3. $1,500, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,000, 7. $1,000, 8. $1,000, 9. $1,000, 10. $1,000, 11. $500, 12. $500, 13. $500, 14. $500, 15. $500 = $16,000 Summit Racing Equipment Super Twelve: July 13 at Lucas Oil Speedway: 18th Annual Diamond Nationals: 1. $5,000, 2. $1,000, 3. $1,000, 4. $1,000, 5. $1,000, 6. $1,000, 7. $1,000, 8. $1,000, 9. $1,000, 10. $1,000, 11. $1,000, 12. $1,000 = $16,000 UNOH Great Eight: August 24 at Port Royal Speedway; The Rumble by the River: 1. $7,500, 2. $1,500, 3. $1,500, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,500, 6. $1,500, 7. $1,500, 8. $1,500 = $18,000 Big River Steel Big Four: September 21 at Knoxville Raceway; Late Model Knoxville Nationals: 1. $10,000, 2. $2,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $2,000 = $16,000 Big River Steel Big Four Championship Events:Date – Venue – Event – To WinSept. 27 – Brownstown Speedway – 3rd Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial – $10,000Sept. 28 – Brownstown Speedway – 45th Annual Jackson 100 – $50,000Oct. 1 – Atomic Speedway – The Night the Stars Come Out – $20,000Oct. 4 – Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway – 36th Annual Pittsburgher – $10,000Oct. 5 – Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway – 36th Annual Pittsburgher – $50,000Oct. 10 – East Bay Raceway Park – The Grand Finale (Prelim; Non-Points) – $5,000Oct. 11 – East Bay Raceway Park – The Grand Finale (Prelim; Non-Points) – $5,000Oct. 12 – East Bay Raceway Park – The Grand Finale – $50,000Oct. 18 – Eldora Speedway – 44th Annual Dirt Track World Championship (Prelim; Non-Points)Oct. 19 – Eldora Speedway – 44th Annual Dirt Track World Championship – $100,000 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Point Fund:1. $200,0002. $150,0003. $125,0004. $100,0005. $75,0006. $60,0007. $50,0008. $45,0009. $40,00010. $35,00011. $30,00012. $25,000   Chase Bonuses: $66,000   Point Fund: $935,000   Total: $1,001,000 For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

MOORESVILLE, NC (January 23, 2024) — Aqua Prop, a leading provider of wet sand solutions, catering to the needs of the oil and natural gas industry, will be the primary sponsor for Pro Stock standout Camrie Caruso during the inaugural Scag Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout, February 8-10, at Bradenton Motorsports Park.  Caruso, a multi-time Pro Stock winner and 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year will be vying for the record-setting $125,000 Pro Stock winner-take-all purse to start the 2024 racing season.

 
“I am thrilled to get the season started with the Scag Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout and the Aqua Prop Chevrolet Camaro,” said Caruso, who won her first NHRA national event in 2023 at the Arizona Nationals. “When Brandon Foster reached out about his new company, Aqua Prop, we thought this was the perfect event to get involved with. We will have several of our existing marketing partners involved as well but getting the word out about Aqua Prop and supporting his customers and employees will be a big deal for us.”
 
In addition to Aqua Prop Caruso will be powered by two Florida-based powerhouse companies True Brand and Big Jeff Audio. Both companies were new to Caruso and her KB Titan Racing team last year and they are looking forward to being involved with a major event in their respective backyards. Aqua Prop offers cost-effective and efficient solutions that enhance the performance of proppants, contributing to the success of frac operations and will be prominently displayed on Caruso’s Camaro Pro Stock race car.
 
“We are excited to be involved with Camrie and the PRO Superstar Shootout,” said Brandon Foster, owner of Aqua Prop. “We have had a great relationship with Camrie and Caruso Family Racing going back to her rookie season. This will be a very popular event for fans all over the country and we wanted to get our name out there. Camrie has shown she can race with the best of the best and we are looking forward to seeing her in the winner’s circle to start the season.”
 
The Scag Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout will feature testing and one Pro Stock qualifying session at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 8. On Friday, February 9, Caruso and the Pro Stock field will get three qualifying runs to try and secure one of the 16 spots in the field. Raceday will begin with the first round of Pro Stock eliminations at noon followed by second round at 2:30 p.m., semifinals at 4:15 p.m. and the winner-take-all final round for $125,000 at 6:00 p.m.

Inside Line Promotions – FRESNO, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2024) – Dominic Scelzi is kicking off his 2024 campaign by spending the first two months of his season competing in the Midwest.

Scelzi, who has focused on racing along the West Coast for the last three years, will start the year the opening weekend in March with ASCS Elite Outlaw Sprints shows at Hunt County Raceway in Greenville, Texas (March 1), and at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas (March 2).

The team will spend the next five weekends racing with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Scelzi will compete in a handful of races with High Limit Racing in Arkansas and Oklahoma before returning to his home state of California toward the end of April.

“We’ve been working hard to return some Midwest racing into our schedule and we are very excited to be able to do that this year,” he said. “Some of the tracks will be new, but many are ones we’ve been to in past years so it’ll be great to see those fans again.”

Scelzi will spend most of the remainder of the year racing along the West Coast, tackling various NARC 410 Sprint Car Series and Sprint Car Challenge Tour events – including speedweeks with both series – as well as all of the World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing shows in California, Oregon and Washington.

“We’ve put together a busy schedule competing in a lot of big events against the best competition,” he said. “During the last three years, we’ve won a lot of races and been contenders in a lot of the top events on the West Coast. I’m looking forward to continuing our consistency.”

Scelzi is riding a streak of three straight seasons with double-digit victories.

“We have built a great foundation for this team with many amazing supporters,” he said. “Jimmy (Carr) is back as the crew chief and I think our program will continue to take steps forward in 2024. I can’t wait to get to the Midwest in a few weeks to get the season underway.”

UP NEXT –

March 1 at Hunt County Raceway in Greenville, Texas, and March 2 at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas, with the ASCS Elite Outlaw Sprints

A healthy field of 360 Sprint Cars is expected to fill the Volusia pit area for three nights of racing

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 23, 2024) – Sprint Cars are ready to invade Volusia Speedway Park for the first time in 2024 with the second annual Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout.

The 360 Sprint Car event will bring a strong field of drivers to the Barberville, FL oval this week to compete for the largest purse in United Sprint Car Series (USCS) history. Teams will battle three nights (Jan. 25-27) for their share of the more than $65,000 purse, capped by a $10,000-to-win finale. The race will give several drivers a tune up for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car portion of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 7-10).

Competitors from across the country are expected to invade the “Sunshine State,” featuring some of Sprint Car racing’s best young talent, a Daytona 500 winner, legends of the sport, and more.

The USCS Sprint Cars will be accompanied by 3/4 Modifieds all three nights.

Here are the top storylines to follow:

DAYTONA 500 CHAMP RETURNS: Before claiming the 2023 Daytona 500, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. claimed two podium finishes at the Southern Sprint Car Shootout. This year, the NASCAR Cup Series star is back for more before trying to defend his 500 title. 

The Olive Branch, MS native finished third both nights in 2023 with his dad on the wrenches. This time around he’ll have a trio of opportunities to take the NOS Energy Drink #17 to Victory Lane.

DEFENDING WINNERS: Last year’s inaugural Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout featured two nights of action with wins belonging to Ryan Timms and Tyler Clem. Both are planning to return this week with hopes to defend their triumphs.

Timms’ victory in 2023 was also his debut at the Florida half-mile. The Oklahoma City, OK native engineered an excellent drive, taking the checkered flag with more than a seven-second lead.

Clem on the other hand has plenty of laps around Volusia and is a favorite to defend his crown and take home the ultimate $10,000 prize. The St. Petersburg, FL native hasn’t finished worse than third in his last four Volusia Sprint Car starts.

LOCKED IN: The pressure to lock into the $10,000-to-win finale is off the shoulders of one driver. Danny Martin Jr. topped December’s Battle in Barberville at Volusia to punch an automatic ticket should he need it. In fact, Martin Jr. swept both nights of last month’s event.

The local powerhouse from Sarasota, FL carries plenty of momentum into the week with those two wins in his back pocket. Martin Jr. will look to top his best effort of 12th from last year’s Southern Sprint Car Shootout.

STAR-STUDDED: Along with NASCAR stars and Sprint Car champions, the prospective entry list includes more than 40 all-star names that represent 14 states and three countries.

Justin Peck, of Monrovia, IN, will trade his normal ride – the Buch Motorsports #13 – for the Sean Michael #20. Peck owns plenty of 410 laps around Volusia highlighted by top five runs with both the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars and All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC).

World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year contender Landon Crawley will make his Volusia debut. He’ll pilot the Sides Motorsports #7S, the same car he’ll wheel during his inaugural World of Outlaws campaign. The 15-year-old Crawley is already a USCS winner, courtesy of topping a race at Magnolia Motor Speedway last year.

15-time and defending USCS champion – Terry Gray – plans to make the trip to Florida to kickoff 2024. The Bartlett, TN driver has accumulated dozens of USCS wins in his historic career including one at Volusia back in 2004.

The Southern Sprint Car Shootout will also welcome of pair of McCarls. Father and son duo Terry and Austin are expected to make the tow. Austin’s Volusia experience is somewhat limited, but Terry has won at the half-mile with the World of Outlaws, ASCoC, and USCS.

FROM FAR AND WIDE: Not only will the Southern Sprint Car Shootout invite plenty of talent, but the field will also be incredibly diverse with drivers coming from all regions of the country to compete.

Fourteen different states will be represented along with two Canadian provinces and the United Kingdom. Glenn Styres, Jacob Dykstra, and Tyeller Powless plan to represent Canada, while Ryan Harrison will represent the UK.

Teams will be journeying from as far west as Arizona with Brandon Sampson and Elijah Gile carrying the flag for AZ. Other distant states such as Iowa (Riley Goodno and Chris Martin), Pennsylvania (Mark Smith and Josh Weller), and Nebraska (Ryan Roberts) will also be represented. 

For tickets to the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, CLICK HERE.

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 22, 2024) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will kick off the 2024 season with the General Tire Super Bowl of Racing at Golden Isles Speedway in Waynesville, Ga. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday January 25-27 with an open practice on Wednesday, January 24. On Wednesday, January 24, the pit gates will open at 2:00PM followed by open practice from 6:00PM to 9:00PM.  A complete program is on the docket each night for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, with Thursday’s 40-lap A-Main event paying $10,000-to-win, Friday’s 50-lap A-Main paying $12,000-to-win, and Saturday’s 60-lap finale boasting $25,000 to the winner. Additionally, the 602 and 604 Late Models, Mini Late Models, and Enduros will be part of the racing card. The remainder of the weekend, the pit gates will open at 2:00PM each day, followed by general admission gates at 3:00PM. The on-track excitement is slated for 5:30PM each day with Hot Laps. All times are Eastern Time. Golden Isles Speedway is a 4/10-mile red clay oval located off U.S. Hwy. 82 in Waynesville, Ga. just 14 miles west of I-95. To purchase tickets or find more information about Golden Isles Speedway, please visit www.gisdirt.com. The General Tire Super Bowl of Racing begins the next evolution of the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship – Presented by ARP. The nation’s top dirt late model drivers will battle all season for their share of the over $1,000,000 point fund. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion will take home an industry leading $200,000. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. General Tire Super Bowl of Racing Purses:Thursday, Jan. 25 – 1. $10,000, 2. $5,500, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,700, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,000, 15. $950, 16. $925, 17. $900, 18. $875, 19. $850, 20. $825, 21. $800, 22. $800, 23. $800, 24. $800 = $48,575 Friday, Jan. 26 – 1. $12,000, 2. $6,000, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,800, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,100, 15. $1,050, 16. $1,000, 17. $1,000, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000 = $52,800 Saturday, Jan. 27 – 1. $25,000, 2. $10,000, 3. $6,000, 4. $4,000, 5. $3,500, 6. $2,700, 7. $2,500, 8. $2,300, 9. $2,200, 10. $2,100, 11. $2,000, 12. $1,900, 13. $1,800, 14. $1,700, 15. $1,600, 16. $1,500, 17. $1,500,18. $1,500, 19. $1,500, 20. $1,500, 21. $1,500, 22. $1,500, 23. $1,500, 24. $1,500 = $82,800 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:Left Front – Any (90) Hoosier TireRight Front/Left Rear – Hoosier (90) NLMT2Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT2, (92) NLMT3

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 22, 2024) – Ryan Timms made history at the inaugural Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout and returns this year for a piece of the event’s historic purse.

At 16 years old, the Oklahoma-born driver won the first Southern Sprint Car Shootout race in his first start at Volusia Speedway Park in 2023. This year, knowing his winning potential at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile,” Timms, now 17, hopes to capitalize on the event’s increased payout.

“It’s always good to start a year off with a win,” Timms said. “Last year was cool. There were some pretty good guys there. (Ricky) Stenhouse was there. Guys like that. It felt really good to pick up a win early. I’m looking to do the same this year. It’s one night extra, three nights, instead of two, and it’s paying a lot more this year.”

The second annual Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, Jan. 25-27, will see nearly 50 of the best 360 Sprint Car drivers compete for three straight nights with the United Sprint Car Series at Volusia, boasting a more than $65,000 overall purse – the biggest in USCS history. Thursday and Friday’s Features will pay $2,500 to win, before Saturday’s massive $10,000 payday.

Entering the Southern Sprint Car Shootout last year, Timms said he didn’t expect to win, or even be fast. Along with it being his first trip to the Florida facility, his experience on half-mile tracks was limited. But now, he expects nothing less than another win.

“We had a ton of speed the last time we were there,” Timms said. “I didn’t expect to be that fast there. Now, going into it this year, knowing how fast I was last year, I know I should be even faster this year. The big deal is just putting a full night together. You got to qualify good, you got to run a good Heat Race. That’s how every night is. That’s another struggle. I’ll have one night where I can’t be beaten and another night where I don’t qualify so good and it kind of messes up the rest of your night. I just need to work on putting full nights together. The better we do that, we can get some pretty good results.”

After winning the first night of the 2023 event by more than seven seconds, Timms went on to finish fifth the second night. However, he charged from 17th to do so. Between those two days, Timms said he learned a lot about racing at Volusia and what it’s going to take to stay up front all three nights this year.

“It’s just about putting yourself in the right position,” Timms explained. “On those half miles, there’s a lot of dirty air. Volusia kind of has a weird shape to it. For whatever reason, to me, dirty air there is a lot more extreme than at other places. There’s a couple things to learn there.

“Going into it this year, we have a new set of guys with us. I’m going into it feeling really good about it. I love running the 360 stuff. It’s what I started running and it feels really natural. I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully we can improve on what we weren’t so good at last year.”

The Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout will also be a good test session before he returns to the 410 Sprint Car ranks with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 7-10, and begins his quest for a national Midget championship with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.

RELATED: Ryan Timms Chasing 2024 Xtreme Outlaw Series Championship With Keith Kunz Motorsports

“As long as you’re getting laps at all, no matter what car it is in, or what track you’re at, just in anything, it’s going to help you more than sitting at home doing nothing,” Timms said. “Any time you can get laps, the more racing you can do the better. I know not everyone can race as often as they want.

“I think a lot of guys aren’t starting their season up that early. To go there and run one of the first races of the year puts you that much further ahead of everyone else.”

For tickets to the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, Jan. 25-27, CLICK HERE.

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 22, 2024) – Nutrien Ag Solutions, the retail division of Nutrien® Ltd., the world’s largest crop inputs company, has expanded their partnership with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2024. In 2024, the “Nutrien Ag Solutions Start Zone” will highlight the pulse-pounding action when drivers smash the pedal on their 900+ horsepower engines at the start of every Heat Race, B-Main, and A-Main. The Nutrien Ag Solutions Start Zone will be approximately 2-3 car lengths in distance, with the driver on the pole setting the pace and starting the race within the designated start zone. If the driver on the pole has not accelerated by the end of the start zone, the second place (outside front row) driver may start the race. “We are proud to sponsor the Start/ Restart Zone with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2024.We believe strongly in supporting grass roots dirt racing along with the National Touring Series. Nutrien Ag Solutions looks forward to a great partnership with the tour,” stated spokesperson Steve Martin. “We are very excited to have Nutrien Ag Solutions and Steve Martin expand their partnership with the tour in 2024. Their company is a great fit for the start zone category as the field comes to the green flag. Many racers and fans are connected to the agricultural industry making the Nutrien Ag Solutions brand a great fit while increasing their brand recognition. We look forward to working with Steve Martin and the Nutrien Ag Solutions company,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season will launch with the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks from January 24 to February 10 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Ocala Speedway, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 22, 2024) – MD3 is giving Rookie of the Year contenders with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models and DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models multiple incentives to be the highest finishing rookie all season.

The company, which provides top-of-the-line race car bodies for dirt racers around the world, will sponsor the Rookie of the Year program for the World of Outlaws in 2024 and provide product certificates to the top rookies with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals. MD3 will also award certificates to the top three finishers in each of DIRTcar’s national divisions.

“MD3 provides the best body panels on the market for the best drivers in the country, and our partnership with the World of Outlaws and DIRTcar will allow us to enhance and grow those relationships through supporting the sport’s rising stars,” said Dan Robinson, MD3 product manager. “We’re excited to sponsor the World of Outlaws’ Rookie of the Year program and have MD3 represented at every World of Outlaws and DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model event.”

With the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year sponsorship, MD3 will present a $10,000 prize fund. Also, MD3 will award a $100 product certificate to the highest finishing rookie at every World of Outlaws Late Model event.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model rookies will see a similar benefit with MD3 awarding the top-three highest finishing rookies at the end of the 2024 season with a product certificate. The highest finishing rookie will get a $1,000 certificate, the second highest will get a $500 certificate and third will get $250 certificate.

When it comes to DIRTcar’s national championship series, MD3 will again provide the top three in each division at the end of the year with a product certificate. First will get a $250 certificate, second will get a $150 certificate and third will get a $100 certificate.

MD3’s products are available through Five Star Bodies, Performance Bodies and their network dealers. For more information about MD3, visit MD3Race.com.

The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series 2024 season continues at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 15-17. A stout field of six World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year contenders will battle for the new prizes, including Tristan Chamberlain, Daniel Hilsabeck, Parker Martin, Max McLaughlin, Cody Overton and Dustin Sorensen. The top three rookies in Series points will be rewarded at the end of the year – $10,000 to first, $3,000 to second and $2,000 to third. For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models 2024 season begins on Wednesday, June 12, at Peoria Speedway. For the full Summer Nationals schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Richard Prince

Photo: Eric Klauser

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

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

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

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

AWA QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RESULTS

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

Pierce McCarter Scores Thrilling Sunshine Nationals Win in 602 Late Models

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BARBERVILLE, FL – January 20, 2024 –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS SATURDAY DRIVER QUOTES

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

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

AWA SATURDAY DRIVER QUOTES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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