NASCAR CUP SERIES

WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

ENJOY ILLINOIS 300

TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT

JUNE 3, 2022

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice session at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Press Conference Transcript: 

KYLE, YOU HAVEN’T RACED HERE HAVE YOU? YOU’VE RACED CLOSE BY, BUT NOT AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY. CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU’VE PREPARED FOR THIS? ARE YOU EXCITED AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?

“Yeah, I haven’t raced here. I’ve raced at Tri-City (Speedway), which is 15 minutes from here. Pevely (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55), which is probably 35 minutes; and then at the Dome. So, I’ve raced all around it, but never here. 

I’m excited. I haven’t had too much time at all to prepare. I hadn’t gotten to run any laps here to test or nothing on a simulator. So, we’ll get the hang of it hopefully quickly here later on today. I’m excited about the opportunity. I’ve always wanted to race here, so it’s nice that we have Cup weekend here now.”

DID YOU WANT TO DO THE SIM AND JUST COULDN’T GET IN; OR DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE JUST SO USED TO COMING TO TRACKS AND LEARNING THEM THAT YOU DIDN’T NEED TO? 

“No – my schedule is just pretty busy and by the time I realized it was Gateway week, I realized I was racing every day this week. So, just didn’t have time. I wasn’t at home at all. But I think it will be fine. I go to more new race tracks than anybody does on our circuit, so I feel like I adapt pretty quickly. Usually we have a really good track record at tracks we go to the first time and hopefully this weekend is no different.”

WHAT IS THE KEY TO GETTING UP TO SPEED AT A NEW TRACK? CAN YOU GO ALL-OUT THE FIRST COUPLE OF LAPS? DO YOU HAVE TO WORK UP TO IT?

“Usually I think you work up to it just a little bit. All of us have a lot of experience in racing stock cars and going to new tracks that I feel like you’re kind of close to those limits even right off the bat and then you can find them pretty quickly. I don’t think you’re going to see anybody struggling or anybody way better than the next person. I think we’re all really good drivers and we will all figure it out quickly. I’ll definitely probably try and brake sooner than what I think is the potential and then kind of creep up to it.”

SHIFTING ON OVALS HAS OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED MORE THIS YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE. DRIVERS HAVE SAID IT MAKES IT HARDER TO PASS AND IT DOESN’T MAKE THE RACING GOOD ON OVALS. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT? DOES IT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT?

“Yes – I think it makes it tougher to pass because it keeps your pace up it seems. If the lap times start to slow down, you start downshifting to go faster. I think we’ve all learned that you need pace falloff to pass. Now with shifting, the pace doesn’t fall off quite as much, so it makes things a little tougher. These cars and the aerodynamics makes things a little tougher, as well. 

We’ll see. I don’t know how this place will be this weekend. I definitely think it will be hard to pass, whether we would be shifting or not. I think it’s just a pretty flat, looks like high grip, style race track. Those are typically hard to pass on, so with shifting, who knows. Regardless, I think it will be difficult to pass anyways.”

TWO WEEKS AGO, WE RAN THE ALL-STAR RACE AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF RUNNING IT AT CHARLOTTE; AND THEN AT BRISTOL AND TEXAS AGAIN. AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSCH CLASH, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE ALL-STAR RACE NOW? 

“I don’t know – It’s kind of, I feel like, in Marcus Smith’s hands. Whatever they want to do, I think we’re all OK with. Maybe not OK with, but we’re going to be there. 

I’m not really sure. I don’t think Texas (Motor Speedway) – I hate to be another one of the guys to bash it – but it’s not a good track at all. It just doesn’t produce good racing and it’s tough to have an exhibition-style race there when the track isn’t very racy at all. 

I think we’d all like to see it move around probably. You look at other sports, all-star games and stuff – they move from city to city each year. I think maybe the cities and the arenas are taking bids on it, I’m not sure. But I think that would be a fun thing to do; move the All-Star Race around. I think it would add some excitement to the event.”

I’M CURIOUS ABOUT ADDING THE CHUTE AT SONOMA (RACEWAY). SINCE YOU WON THERE LAST YEAR, HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL CHANGE THE DYNAMIC?

“I don’t know. They raced there forever with I think the layout they were going to now. I’m sure it will be a lot like those races, I would guess.”

DO YOU THINK HAVING THE DIRT TRACK GOING FULL BLOWN RIGHT NOW DURING GATEWAY WEEK THAT IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE TRACK TO THE OTHER AND BUILD THE FAN BASE BETWEEN THE TWO SERIES?

“Yeah, I hope so. The crowd was really big last night. I wish it would have been a day later and I wish we could have raced there tomorrow night at Tri-City (Speedway) because I think Saturday night would be extremely big. But I think tonight with the World of Outlaws Late Models and sprint cars with myself running a late model; I think (Alex) Bowman and (Chase) Briscoe are running sprint cars. I’m not sure if (Christopher) Bell is running or not. But yeah, it should be an even bigger crowd I would imagine. 

It’s exciting. The crossover is always good.”

IT WAS ANNOUCED THIS WEEK THAT PHOENIX (RACEWAY) WILL HOST THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AGAIN NEXT SEASON. WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT A FOURTH YEAR OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE BEING HELD AT PHOENIX?

“I think Phoenix is a great area to host the championship weekend. It’s got a great amount of grandstands that always seem to sell out, which is good. It adds to the atmosphere. And two, again like going to the All-Star Race, I would say ‘oh it should move from city to city’. But November in some states is difficult to put a race on, so you have to think about that. There are only a handful of tracks that could really host the championship weekend and not be concerned with the weather forecast. I think that’s why it was in Florida for a long time and then they moved it to Arizona. Phoenix (Raceway) is a difficult track to pass on, but I feel like there are moments where it can be more exciting than an intermediate-style track if you get a late race caution and things like that. 

I’m not sure if that answers your question, but I think it’s OK. In the future, yeah I would like to see it move around, as well. But I think there is just a small group of tracks that it could really move to.”

THERE HAS BEEN SOME BETTER RACING AT INTERMEDIATE TRACKS. THIS CAR SEEMS TO WORK AT BIGGER TRACKS. INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS A BEAST IN ITSELF, BUT WITH SOME OF THE SUCCESS ON INTERMEDIATE TRACKS, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY HOPE THAT THESE CARS COULD RUN BETTER ON THE OVAL THAN WHAT THEY HAVE? 

“Well, I think Indy (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) is just a difficult track. You can look at even the IndyCar race this year – it wasn’t that exciting and those cars build really big runs. So, I still think it would be not very good racing for us. And it seems like with these cars and the way the air runs off the back, I think it could have the potential of being even worse than normal, just because it’s a flat track. 

As a driver, I would love to win on the oval there. But the road course is, to me, more exciting racing. I’m not sure if more people tune into the race because it’s on the road course or more people show up because it’s on the road course. But I know, excitement-wise, it’s probably a little bit better on the road course. Prestige-wise, I think we would all love it on the oval.”

ARE YOU PLANNING TO RUN THE KNOXVILLE TRUCK RACE? 

“No – Never running a dirt truck race again (laughs).”

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE OFF WEEK? 

“Nothing – just taking it off.”

I KNOW YOU HAVEN’T BEEN HERE, BUT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IT TO BE SORT OF LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE OR PHOENIX? HOW WILL THIS TRACK RACE COMPARED TO OTHERS?

“I watched a little bit of onboard from somebody who was here testing in the Chevy – I think it was (Justin) Allgaier). It kind of reminded me of a blend of New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) and Phoenix (Raceway). I don’t know until I get out there, but that’s kind of where my brain is at right now. I don’t think there’s another race track that we run that you could compare it to. I think those two are good comparisons. I feel like the pavement grip level would probably be similar to Phoenix. I think that end kind of looks more like (turns) one and two of Phoenix; and then I think this end is probably a tighter New Hampshire maybe.”

We were able to get another TOP 16 while competing in Orlando. Orlando was an eventful round for the sereis with hard down poor to a tornado warning but the most enthusiastic and dedicated fans! RAD DAN competed on a wet track in TOP 32 against Japanese driver, Masuyama. Dan had the perfect balance of composure and aggressiveness on the wet track advancing him into TOP 16 where he met the 3 time champion again, Chris Forsberg. It was a close battle but Dan had a few mistakes that gave Chris the win. Overall, Orlando was a very successful round and we are in a good position headed into Round 4 in New Jersey next week! Thank you for your ongoing support to keep our race program progressing. We are very excited for what is ahead the rest of the season for all of us!

Former national champion making his final laps this season

BUFFALO, IL – June 2, 2022 – Jeff Leka’s never been one to brag. He won’t tell you about his 40-plus years of racing around the Midwest, or his collection of over 350 Feature wins and a DIRTcar national championship, but he will embrace a well-deserved victory lap before calling it a career at the end of this season.

“From where I started to where I ended up … there aren’t too many people that could do what I did,” said Leka, a multi-time champion from Buffalo, IL, at several of DIRTcar’s most historic venues. “And I don’t brag on anything, but man, we did good. And now I’ll always have something I can look back on.”

In the meantime, he’s enjoying the new perks of the legacy he’s leaving behind with race fans across the nation.

“If you Google my name, it’s a big deal,” Leka said. “I just went to a place last weekend looking for a new camper and the guy Googled my name and said, ‘I can’t believe it, you’re Jeff Leka!’”

“It’s kinda neat.”

THE DECISION

The 2008 DIRTcar UMP Modified national champion has seen a recent boom in business at Leka Tree Service, and at 55 years of age, he’s devoting more time away from work to family, friends and helping the next generation of dirt track stars.

“I started a small business that turned into a big business, and we just don’t have the time anymore,” Leka said. “I’ve raced all my life. It’s just time to call it quits.

“Next year, I just want to help a few people and just enjoy the races every night from the garage.”

His decision didn’t come easy, though it had been on his mind for some time. Winning races and track titles was a fuel source that kept his competitive flame burning, even when the end seemed near.

“When I turned 40, I said I was going to quit racing. Well, when I turned 40 and I was winning races I was like, ‘Well, I ain’t gonna quit now,’” Leka said. “Then when I turned 50, I said I was gonna quit racing … I turned 50 and I’m still winning races and said ‘Well, I ain’t gonna quit now.’

“It doesn’t matter what you do, it always comes to an end. When you’re winning 20 Features a year and on top of the world, you don’t look at that. You don’t look down the road and think, ‘This is going to come to an end one of these days.’ You just keep racing.”

THE RACING

Jeff, nephew to 1989 DIRTcar Late Model national champion Jim Leka, learned from a young age the value of hard work in the garage, wrenching on and racing a UMP Sportsman with his father in the early 1980s. He’s applied that discipline to each of the different rides he’s piloted since then, but also recognizes the increasing amount of time and effort that requires to uphold that same success in 2022.

“Now, I haven’t been winning races because, like everybody says is true – you win races in your shop,” Leka said. “You have to work hard in your shop to be ahead of everybody else. When you don’t do that, you don’t win races, and the fun’s not there.”

“I don’t have the time like I used to. When I had an 8-5 job, I had time.”

Leka ate plenty from the fruits of his shop labor early on in his career, first strapping into the seat of a Charlie Hartung-owned UMP Modified in 1992. Just three years into his Modified venture, he was crowned both Modified and Late Model track champion at Macon Speedway in 1994 before repeating as dual champ in 1997 – the first and only driver in track history to accomplish the feat.

He later capped off the stretch of dominance with one of his biggest career accolades, clinching the 1999 NASCAR Winston Racing Series national title in his Modified, worth $150,000 in prize money.

By the early 2000s, Leka had gone all-in on UMP Modified racing to chase a trophy he did not yet have. He posted five-straight top-10 finishes in DIRTcar national points from 2003-2007, including two runners-up, and was getting tired of coming so close.

Leka and longtime rival Denny Schwartz battled neck-and-neck for the points lead throughout 2007, culminating with an exciting finish in the season-ending DIRTcar Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway. Coming into the Feature, Leka needed a victory and Schwartz to finish outside the top-three to overcome the two-point deficit he faced. They both finished on the podium, and Leka was again left with the sting of a bridesmaid finish against the best in the nation.

“I was joking with my wife one time and was like, ‘I’m gonna be like Mark Martin; I’m never gonna win this. I’m always second,’” Leka said. “And then boom, I win it.”

Leka came back with vengeance the following year, winning a grand total of 30 Features, handily winning the 2008 DIRTcar UMP Modified national championship by a whopping 159 points.

“Back then, it was more of the driver and who had the smoothest foot and could feel the car,” Leka said. “In ’08, the car was just perfect. It didn’t matter where we went – Granite City, Fairbury – we were on fire.”

THE PEOPLE

Week-in and week-out, Leka and the #3L team took down DIRTcar’s best racers. He recalls the battles he had with the greats in the region – Chad Kinder, Dan Hamstra, Mike Harrison, Gary Cook Jr. – but is most fond of the time he spent on track with Denny Schwartz.

“He was the guy to beat,” Leka said. “I started racing Farmer City and he’d come up there and we’d battle back-and-forth. He’d lead one lap, I’d lead one lap. The next night, we’d go somewhere else and we’d battle back-and-forth again.”

Leka most cherishes the mutual respect they shared as competitors, especially in times of need. He vividly recalls his 2008 Fall Nationals weekend at Eldora where he blew an engine in Friday Hot Laps, while Schwartz broke a rear-end component later on. Schwartz offered up his backup car to Leka to finish out the weekend and took the rear-end that Leka offered from his car to get through the weekend.

“Him and I being like we were and knowing the kind of friendship we had meant a lot,” said Leka, trailing off into deep reflection. “Everybody that’s helped me in my whole career – I’ve got to say thanks to them. If it wouldn’t have been for the help and the sponsors, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.

“From my Late Model days to my Modified days … I’ve just got to say thanks to everybody.”

And after 40-plus years of racing, more than 350 wins and a national championship, that’s no bragging.

$100,000/Win Huset’s High Bank Nationals Only Three Weeks Away Nearly Half-Million Dollar Purse to be Paid at Inaugural Race on June 23-25 BRANDON, SD – June 2, 2022 – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will compete for four, six-figure paydays across the 2022 season, and the first one is only three weeks away. A brand new event crafted by the always-innovative Tod Quiring, the inaugural High Bank Nationals will debut at Huset’s Speedway on Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25. Nearly a half-million dollars will be paid out over three nights at the Brandon, SD facility and it’s all capped off by a $100,000-to-win, $3,000-to-start main event. More money will be spread all throughout the Feature with the top-five finishers in the finale each cashing five-figure checks – second at $30,000, third at $20,000, fourth at $15,000, fifth at $10,000. Both preliminary fields include boosted purses as well with the opener paying $15,000-to-win, and night two offering $20,000-to-win, and $1,500-to-start. The unique format for the three-day event is currently being finalized by track officials and will be released once completed. 3-DAY TICKET PACKAGE (June 23-25) Prior to the three-day spectacular, The Greatest Show on Dirt will tune-up for the race with a one-night stop at the 1/3-mile oval coming this Sunday, June 5. Weekly winners at the track this season already include Parker Price-Miller, Lynton Jeffrey, Giovanni Scelzi, and Ryan Timms. Through 50 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car races at the track since 1983, a total of 19 different drivers have won with the Series at Huset’s. The trio of Sammy Swindell (10), Mark Kinser (9) & Steve Kinser (7) stand out above the rest, but when it comes to active drivers Donny Schatz (4) and David Gravel (2) lead the way. Others like Brad Sweet, Sheldon Haudenschild, and Aaron Reutzel have one win apiece. Reutzel enters as the winner of last year’s Huset’s 50, a different two-day variation of this event with $30,000 on the line. That was in the Roth Motorsports #83 – now piloted by James McFadden – and now Reutzel wheels the Ridge & Sons Racing #8 in pursuit of another big payday in South Dakota. For David Gravel, the Watertown, CT native is hoping to capitalize on recent success at Huset’s, the track owned by his car owner Tod Quiring and the name that dons his #2 Big Game Motorsports entry. He was twice a World of Outlaws winner at the track last year, and now looks to add the $100,000 High Banks Nationals to his list of Crown Jewel wins like the Knoxville Nationals, National Open, and Bristol Bash. The most successful of all these drivers is the 10-time champion and 303-time winner, Donny Schatz. The Fargo native hails from North Dakota, but still owns the most active wins at the South Dakota oval with four triumphs and his last coming in 2016. The Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanain Racing #15 has a knack for stepping up and shining during the biggest moments, and he’ll get his first chance this season in three weeks at Huset’s. Defending Series champion and current championship leader Brad Sweet has always said his season centers around the Crown Jewel races, and that begins with the High Bank Nationals. The Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 won a 2016 event at the track, but to make the big bucks in three weeks, they’ll need to snap a winless spell that runs back to late March since The Big Cat’s first and only win of 2022. Young guns Sheldon Haudenschild and Carson Macedo are the two winningest drivers with the World of Outlaws in 2022 ahead of the $100,000-to-win race. Haudenschild owns five wins in the Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing #17, while Macedo is up to four wins with the Jason Johnson Racing #41. The duo has finished 1-2 before at Huset’s with Sheldon getting the edge over Carson in 2020. Also in the mix is the Shark Racing duo of Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen. The Hanover, PA team has put the #1A in victory lane twice already and the #1S is consistently on the podium these days battling for the championship lead. Both Jacob (3rd) and Logan (7th) set their Huset’s Speedway career-best finishes last year. Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contenders Spencer Bayston (CJB #5), Kasey Kahne (KKR #9), and Noah Gass(#20G) will race their first Crown Jewel as full-time World of Outlaws drivers at the High Bank Nationals. If you can’t attend the inaugural $100,000-to-win event in person, you can watch every lap LIVE on DIRTVision. HUSET’S SPEEDWAY WINNERS (50 Races):  10 wins – Sammy Swindell 9 wins – Mark Kinser 7 wins – Steve Kinser 4 wins – Donny Schatz 3 wins – Doug Wolfgang 2 wins – Craig Dollansky, David Gravel, Mark Dobmeier 1 win – Aaron Reutzel, Sheldon Haudenschild, Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet, Tim Kaeding, Brooke Tatnell, Terry McCarl, Brian Paulus, Stevie Smith, Dave Blaney, Bobby Davis Jr.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

ENJOY ILLINOIS 300 PRESENTED BY TICKETSMARTER

WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

MADISON, ILLINOIS

JUNE 5, 2022

RACE #15 – WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

In a season full of new with the competition debut of the Next Gen car, this weekend adds another unknown element for teams of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) to face. For the first time in the series’ history, World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) will be the host of NASCAR’s premier series for the Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter. The inaugural trip to the 1.25-mile oval located just east of St. Louis, Missouri, marks the only new points-paying venue on the NCS schedule for 2022. Last season, four new venues made their debut on the NCS schedule, all of which were won by Chevrolet drivers:

·       Circuit of The Americas: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

·       Nashville Superspeedway: Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

·       Road America: Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

·       Indianapolis Road Course: AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Joining the NASCAR Cup Series for a trip to the Midwest is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with the Toyota 200; the series’ 11th race of the 2022 season. While World Wide Technology Raceway may be new to the NCS, it’s familiar territory for the NCWTS. The series debuted at WWTR in 1998, competing through 2010, and later returned to the schedule in 2014. Within that timeframe, WWTR has hosted 21 NCWTS races. Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading 11 victories, including the inaugural event when Rick Carelli drove his Chevrolet-powered machine to victory lane. On that list of wins includes a streak of the last five, the most recent by Sheldon Creed when he drove the No. 2 GMS Racing Silverado to the win of the NCWTS Playoff Opener that was held at the track in 2021. 

NXS HEADS TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST

The NASCAR Cup Series isn’t the only series to face the challenges of a new track this weekend. For the first time in NASCAR Xfinity Series history, teams will make the venture to the Pacific Northwest to Portland International Raceway (PIR) for the Pacific Office Automation 147 on Saturday, June 4. The 1.97-mile, 12-turn road course will mark just the second road course race for the series thus far in 2022. 

Earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas, notable road course master, AJ Allmendinger, drove his No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS to his 11th-career NASCAR Xfinity Series win; and his first of the 2022 season to secure a Playoff berth. In the last 10 road course events in the NXS, AJ Allmendinger leads all drivers with four wins, nine top-five’s and 116 laps led. 

While it’s a new track to the series, Allmendinger already has success at the Oregon road course circuit, where he won the 2006 ChampCar race held at the venue. This weekend’s trip to PIR will be Allmendinger’s first time back to the track since that triumph. Following Saturday’s NXS race at PIR, Allmendinger will head back east to join the NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, pulling double duty for Kaulig Racing. 

GOING FOR SIX-IN-A-ROW AT PORTLAND

In another dominant day for Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Camaro SS captured its fifth-consecutive victory when Josh Berry powered the JR Motorsports No. 8 Camaro SS to victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was a special win for the Chevrolet team as it marked the organization’s first-ever win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the hometown track for JR Motorsports. Berry took the Stage One win, going on to lead a race-high 89 laps en route to his second win of 2022 by an impressive 18.039 seconds over the runner-up finisher. 

Berry’s win was celebrated by a strong day posted by all of his JR Motorsports teammates. Of the five drivers that led laps in last Saturday’s event, four of them came from JR Motorsports, totaling 190 laps led of the 200-lap race. Joining Berry in the stage win category, Justin Allgaier picked up the Stage Two win to give JR Motorsports its 10th-consecutive stage victory; a feat that extended the series record the Chevrolet team accomplished at Kansas Speedway. 

Chevrolet had seven drivers finish inside the top-10, including three of the top-five positions. JR Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Jordan Anderson Racing were all represented in the top-10 at the conclusion of the 200-lap event. Now sitting at eight wins in 13 races, Chevrolet has posted double the win count of its manufacturer competitors.  

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger maintains the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver points lead by 33-points over fellow Chevrolet driver, Noah Gragson. Four Chevrolet drivers make up the top-five in the standings, with seven rounding out the top-10. Chevrolet also remains in the lead of the NXS manufacturer standings by 57-points over second. 

SILVERADO RST LOOKING TO GO BACK-TO-BACK

In a thrilling overtime victory, Ross Chastain drove Chevrolet to its second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of the season. Chastain took the victory after fellow Chevrolet driver, Grant Enfinger, pushed Chastain past John Hunter Nemechek on a final lap run to take the checkered flag by 0.102 seconds over Enfinger to give Chevrolet a 1-2 finish. The win marked Chastain’s fourth-career NCWTS win and his first at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval. 

Chastain’s Niece Motorsports teammate, Carson Hocevar, was a key storyline driver of the night. The 19-year-old driver’s first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win has been on the horizon in recent weeks and Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway looked to be his night. Hocevar had led a race-high 57-laps ahead of the first attempt at an overtime finish. Battling to keep the lead following the restart, contact with the second-place truck took Hocevar out of contention, resulting in a 16th-place finish. 

Heading into the World Wide Technology Raceway weekend, Hocevar leads Chevrolet in the eighth position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver points standings. Grant Enfinger, who drove his No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST to his third top-five finish in the last four races, sits in the ninth spot in the driver standings to round out the Team Chevy top-10. 

NEW TO THE SERIES, FAMILIAR TO SOME DRIVERS

World Wide Technology Raceway may be a new track to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, but some drivers won’t be getting on-track for the first time. With The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series having history at the track, a variety of drivers in NASCAR’s premier series already have wins at the Illinois venue on their resume. Of that elite list includes Chevrolet’s Ross Chastain and Justin Haley. 

In the year that Ross Chastain came home runner-up in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings (2019), Chastain drove his Niece Motorsports Silverado to victory lane at World Wide Technology Raceway that June, marking his second-career win in the series. WWTR also holds a special spot in Justin Haley’s career, where Haley scored his first-career NCWTS win at the track in June 2018. 

STANDINGS CHECK

Already tapped as the longest race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, last Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 made the record books as the longest race in NASCAR’s history; with two overtime finishes pushing the race to 413-laps/619.5 miles. In a race that saw 18 cautions and 31 lead changes, the final running order saw four Camaro ZL1’s battle to top-10 finishes, with Tyler Reddick leading the charge for Chevrolet in sixth-place. 

Of the 13 drivers who led laps in the crown jewel event, six of which were Chevrolet drivers, totaling 346 laps led for the Camaro ZL1. The top-four drivers with the most laps led came from the bowtie brigade, with Ross Chastain topping the charts with a race-high 153-laps led in his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1. 

Chevrolet drivers also performed a sweep in stage wins – (Chase Elliott; Stage One winner); (Daniel Suarez; Stage Two winner); and (Ross Chastain; Stage Three winner) – bringing Chevrolet to a manufacturer-leading 15 stage wins in 2022 thus far. Each of the race’s 100-mile markers also saw a Camaro ZL1 out front: Chase Elliott (100 mile; 200 mile); Daniel Suarez (300 mile); Ross Chastain (400 mile; 500 mile); and Kyle Larson (600 mile).

With 14 NASCAR Cup Series events in the books, here’s a look at the points standings:

·       For the 10th-consecutive week, Chase Elliott remains in the top spot of the NCS driver standings, with a 34-point lead over fellow Chevrolet driver, Ross Chastain.

·       Chevrolet drivers make up five of the top-10 in the NCS driver standings, with Elliott leading Ross Chastain (2nd), William Byron (7th), Alex Bowman (8th) and Kyle Larson (9th).

·       All five of those drivers have recorded wins already this season to take a spot in the 16-driver NCS playoff field.

·       Chevrolet continues to lead in the NCS manufacturer standings, with a 26-point lead over second. 

BOWTIE BULLETS

·       Of the active NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have previously won at World Wide Technology Raceway in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, two of which are Chevrolet drivers: 

Justin Haley, GMS Racing Silverado in the NCWTS (2018)

Ross Chastain, Niece Motorsports Silverado in the NCWTS (2019)

·       With 14 NASCAR Cup Series races complete in the 2022 season, Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in NCS wins (7), top-five’s (36), top-10’s (67), laps led (2,230) and stage wins (15). 

·       Chevrolet led 346 of the 413 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend, with Ross Chastain leading a race-high 153 of those laps. This marks the most laps that Chastain has led in a single event in his six year NASCAR Cup Series career. 

·       Ricky Stenhouse Jr. posted a seventh-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600, extending his top-10 streak to four-consecutive races. This feat marks not only the longest streak of Stenhouse’s NASCAR Cup Series career, but the most for JTG Daugherty since they entered NCS competition in 2009. 

·       Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 15 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins: Tyler Reddick 2 – (Fontanax2)

Alex Bowman 1 – (Las Vegas)

Ross Chastain 3 – (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte)

William Byron 3 – (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)

Daniel Suarez 2 – (COTA), (Charlotte)

Chase Elliott 3 – (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte)

Kyle Larson 1 – (Bristol)

·       Of the three NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have recorded multiple wins this season, two come from the Chevrolet camp: (Ross Chastain – COTA, Talladega), (William Byron – Atlanta, Martinsville). 

·       Chevrolet leads the driver points standing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chase Elliott remains in the top position in the NCS standings with a 34-point advantage over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the NXS standings by 33-points. Chevrolet also remains atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings. 

·       With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships; 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships; and 821 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR. 

TUNE IN

FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 5. FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200 at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 4. Live coverage of both events can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pacific Office Automation 147 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 4. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 

QUOTABLE QUOTES

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR DRIVERS AT GATEWAY?     

“The heat of course. No matter what time of day, it will be hot and couple that together with heavy braking. I think of that track a lot like a yo-yo. You build up speed through turns 3 and 4. It’s flat but it is a wider turn so you have a lot of speed off turn 4. You get down to turn 1, you really have to slow the car down and that creates a lot of heat in the brakes, and causes the tires to slide. Creating the momentum in 3 and 4, to make a pass in turn 1, out brake somebody and slide up in front of them, downshift, and all of that work coupled with the heat and humidity that we’ll have there. You’re going to have to be on it to make it through a whole Cup race there. I was worn out after the truck race and that’s a lot shorter.”

TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE RACING AT GATEWAY:                

“I’ve raced twice at Gateway. Start and parked a truck in 2018. I went back in 2019 and won the race which is unheard of. I’m looking to build off of the base I have there and with this current car, we will be shifting. We were shifting with the trucks so we will be with the car. The weather, it’s summertime, the chances for a late afternoon storm and a green track to race on and the challenges that presents.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 GET BIOETHANOL CAMARO ZL1

YOU’VE COMPETED AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY IN THE NASCAR TRUCK SERIES, BUT IT’S BEEN A FEW YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WEEKEND? 

“Like everyone else, I’m not sure what to expect. It’s been a long time since I’ve raced at Gateway in the NASCAR Truck Series. I remember we did okay in the race, but a lot can change about a track in 12 years. I do think our Richard Childress Racing team has performed well this season, and a mile-long track like World Wide Technology Raceway will play into our strengths. I’ve been spending time on the simulator to prepare for the race, and I feel ready and excited to get there.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 

LARSON ON PREPARING FOR THE INAUGURAL WWTR RACE: 

“I’ll watch some (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series races on YouTube – probably the most recent truck races and maybe some old Xfinity races. It looks like a cool track and I’m sure Cliff (Daniels, crew chief of No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1) and the team have been using every tool and resource possible to ensure we have a good package when we unload there.”

CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 

DANIELS ON PREPARING FOR THE FIRST RACE AT THE MADISON, ILLINOIS, TRACK: 

“The trucks just raced there last year or the year before, and I have been watching that race today. We also have data from a wheel-force tire test a few weeks ago, so we have data and in-car cameras from that – all OEM’s do. That data is super valuable just to help understand our simulation tools and how those match up to what we saw on the track data. Then we try to understand the nuance of the track and compare it to similar tracks we’ve been to with a Next Gen car, which would probably be Phoenix (Raceway). Fortunately, we do have the 50-minute practice on Friday to really tune on the car. It’s not a lot of time, but it’s enough to get a good feel for things.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CAMARO ZL1 

“There are a lot of unknowns this weekend at Gateway for sure. This is the first Cup race there with the Next Gen car. We’ve spent a lot of time in the SIM preparing for this race but I’m sure once we get on the track there will be other things we’ll need to work on. This practice on Friday afternoon is extremely important to get our 3CHI Chevrolet driving good. I’m excited for this new challenge.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1 

ELLIOTT ON HEADING TO THE 1.25-MILE OVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME:

“I think anytime you head to a new track it’s tough. You can do everything to try to prepare, but you’re not really going to know until you make those first laps in practice. We’re getting a little more track time than we do at most tracks so that will help give us an opportunity to try to figure some things out ahead of Sunday. There are a lot of unknowns, but I’m looking forward to heading there and seeing what we can do.”

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 HOOTERS CAMARO ZL1

GUSTAFSON ON RACING AT THE ST. LOUIS-AREA TRACK: 

“We’re just going to have to be prepared to adapt. We’ve been looking at our notes from Phoenix (Raceway) and Richmond (Raceway) and trying to put them together as we’ve been anticipating what to expect. I don’t really think anybody is going to be able to hit it right off the truck, so that’s where you’re going to have to be able to adapt and adjust. Whoever does a good job of that is going to be fast. Chase always does great at providing feedback and telling us what he needs out of the car, so hopefully we’ll be in a good position heading into Sunday.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1 

BYRON ON HIS THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEKEND: 

“I don’t know what to expect this weekend really. I think Gateway will race similar to how Phoenix (Raceway) does. We had some speed there earlier this year so I think we have a good starting point, plus we have a full 50-minute practice this Friday to really feel things out. It’s been a few years since I’ve raced there, and when I did, we had a good race going and led a bunch of laps. The last few weeks we haven’t gotten the results we’ve wanted despite leading laps and running up front. This weekend is a good chance for us to turn that around heading into the summer stretch of the season.”

RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1 

FUGLE ON WHAT HE THINKS IT WILL TAKE TO WIN ON SUNDAY: 

“Gateway may be a mile-and-a-quarter long but it races more like a short track with long straightaways. So far this season with the Next Gen car, we have been fast on those style tracks so that gives us confidence heading into this weekend. It’s a unique track that’s tough to figure out and those are the challenges I enjoy as a crew chief. I think it’s safe to say that track position is going to be a major factor this weekend and that pit stops are going to be a major key to that. We’ve really improved on pit road the last few weeks, so that gives me confidence as well. You always go to the race track wanting to win, but with this being the first Cup Series race there, everyone wants to be able to say that they were the winner of an inaugural event.”

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP CAMARO ZL1 

YOU’VE BEEN TO WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY BEFORE, BUT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE CUP SERIES HAS RACED AT THE TRACK. TALK ABOUT THE TRACK AND WHAT YOU EXPECT THIS WEEKEND. 

“I’m looking forward to getting there. World Wide Technology Raceway is a fun track. I’ve been there a few times in Trucks. It’s always a great crowd, so that’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s kind of a, I always think of it as a big Martinsville, but it does race a little different from that. Turns one and two are pretty tight and turns three and four are pretty big sweeping corners. I know they’ve paved it since the last time I was there, so that will be quite a bit different. It will be fun to get there with the new car, new venue. I always enjoy switching it up in the Cup Series and going to new tracks with these cars. Obviously, I think World Wide Technology Raceway is going to be a good one for us. It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be a tough weekend. I know it’ll be warm there. I’m excited to get there and see what these cars do there.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 SUNNYD CAMARO ZL1 

“It will be interesting this weekend because you can downshift so easy. Shifting wise, there are two different corners like Phoenix Raceway. We’ve been working hard and hope we have improved our short track program. We’ll continue learning and working on it throughout the race weekend. We want to keep our good runs going and have a solid performance for SunnyD and Kroger in our Camaro on Sunday.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 

BOWMAN ON HIS CONSISTENCY THIS SEASON: 

“I am happy that we have been able to finish in the top-10 as much as we have, but I think we are capable of more. Our goal was to be more consistent this year and we are achieving that – now we need to stay consistent and move our aim to higher finishes. We have been close to the front at the end of races and have been able to make a few passes when it counts. Just need to find a way to be in the front of the pack and contend for more wins. I am proud of the effort every week from our guys, and we will continue to work hard and try to knock off a few more wins this year.”

GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 

IVES ON HOW HE IS PREPARING FOR THE RACE AT THE ILLINOIS-BASED TRACK: 

“Our short track package is pretty good – we have run well at Richmond (Raceway) and Martinsville (Speedway). We will lean on our notes from those tracks and what I have learned from conversations with Rudy (Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1). He has run there in the (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series and though they aren’t Cup cars, it helps us with how the track will progress through the race and what to expect the racing to look like as the day goes on.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE CAMARO ZL1

CAN YOU TAKE MOMENTUM FROM SUNDAY NIGHT TO ST. LOUIS?            

“I know we can. Trackhouse Racing is building rocket ships for Ross and I. We didn’t get the finishes we wanted in Charlotte, but we are learning and I believe they will come soon. This weekend is a different type of track, but I am very confident we’ll have good cars there.”

GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST

“I am heading into this weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway with a lot of confidence. Charles and all of GMS Racing team have been putting in so much effort, and I feel like it’s starting to pay off. Gateway is a track that falls right in my wheelhouse, and knowing the team’s successful history here, I am ready to capitalize on a great race. We have been showing some signs of great improvement over the past few weeks, and I feel that we should be able to contend for the win this weekend.”

JACK WOOD, NO. 24 TWO FRIENDS GOLF SILVERADO RST

“I’m really looking forward to going back to Gateway, I earned my first top-10 finish there last year, so there’s definitely some high hopes to go back there and have a solid run. It’s going to be nice to go back to somewhat a short track, which is similar to what I grew up racing on. We are still waiting to find that race to turn our season around, but there is a lot of confidence in this No. 24 team, so we are going to put our heads down and give it all we’ve got with our Two Friends Golf Chevy.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 40

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)               

2022 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    

Wins: 7

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 2,230

Top-five finishes: 36

Top-10 finishes: 67

Stage wins: 15

• Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)
• Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)
• Ross Chastain (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte)
• William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)
• Daniel Suarez (COTA), (Charlotte)
• Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte)
• Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 821 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 725

Laps led to date: 243,566

Top-five finishes to date: 4,174

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,622

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

           General Motors: 1,155

           Chevrolet: 821

           Pontiac: 154

           Oldsmobile: 115

           Buick: 65

           Ford: 814                                                         

           Ford: 714

           Mercury: 96

           Lincoln: 4

           Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

           Dodge: 217

           Plymouth: 191

           Chrysler: 59

           Toyota: 166

Will final race on Belle Isle be win No. 100 for Chevrolet V6 engine? DETROIT (June 2, 2022) – Chevrolet will race on home ground this weekend as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on Detroit’s Belle Isle for the final time in Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. It’s the seventh round of this year’s championship with Team Chevy continuing its push for a landmark victory in the series. The next win for Chevrolet will mark its 100th since it returned to INDYCAR in 2012 with its 2.2-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine. There might be no better place to do it with the GM Renaissance Center overlooking the racetrack and Chevy’s history at the venue.

Chevrolet has won two of the past four races on Belle Isle and seven times since 2012. This year’s race marks the first time for a single INDYCAR race on Belle Isle after doubleheaders for the last nine years – except for the 2020 event that was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With four wins on the season, Chevrolet leads the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer championship, as it has since claiming victory in the season’s first race at St. Petersburg. This weekend’s race will be the final one on Belle Isle as the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix will move to a new 10-turn, 1.7-mile layout through the streets of downtown Detroit. “Racing in Detroit is important for everyone at Chevrolet and General Motors,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet Program Manager for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “There are so many employees in Detroit who touch this program in some way that never get a chance to see the end result of all their hard work. So it’s great to race in front of them and give them a good show. It’s great from that perspective, but also to continue the long tradition of open-wheel racing in the Motor City. We’re looking to rebound from Indianapolis in a strong way, and getting our 100th win with the 2.2-liter V6 would do the trick.” Eleven Chevrolet-powered IndyCars are set to tackle Belle Isle this weekend – including Santino Ferrucci filling in for Callum Ilott in Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Chevrolet-powered IndyCar. One of the leading contenders will be Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 McLaren Chevrolet from Arrow McLaren SP. He won the second of two races on Belle Isle a year ago and is coming off a runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 to go along with a win earlier this year at Barber Motorsports Park. Team Penske teammates Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Shell Chevrolet) and Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet) already have claimed street circuit victories this year – McLaughlin at St. Petersburg and Newgarden at Long Beach.  He and Team Penske’s Will Power, in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet, are among the other previous Belle Isle winners for Team Chevy. Newgarden was victorious in 2019 and Power won in 2014 and 2016. While on Belle Isle, Team Chevy fans can enjoy all that the Chevrolet display, located in the heart of the Meijer Fan Zone inside the circuit, has to offer. Included in the display activities will be six Q&A sessions with some of the star Chevrolet drivers and personalities. Friday• Noon: Chevrolet Women in Racing Forum• 1:00 p.m.: Arrow McLaren SP – Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist• 2:00 p.m.: Ed Carpenter Racing – Rinus VeeKay, Conor Daly• 2:30 p.m.: Team Penske – Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Will Power Saturday• 2:15-2:30 p.m.: Juncos Hollinger Racing – Santino Ferrucci and Callum Ilott Sunday• 1:00 p.m.:  A.J. Foyt Racing – Dalton Kellett, Tatiana Calderon, Kyle Kirkwood The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 8 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include: • 2023 Corvette Z06 Coupe and Convertible• Corvette Stingray R concept• Corvette Stingray 70th Anniversary Edition• Chevrolet electrical models Bolt EV, Bolt EUV and Silverado EV• Additional Chevrolet models such as Bolt EUV Premier, Blazer RS, Silverado 2500 HD, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Trailblazer ACTIV, Silverado 1500 MCM RST, Traverse High Country Redline, Tahoe Z71, Camaro ZL1, Camaro SS, Equinox RS and Colorado Bison ZR2• A cutaway chassis of the 2023 Corvette Z06• An opportunity to receive a 2022 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix t-shirt Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 5 from the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The race will air live on USA, the Peacock streaming service and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160) beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

TEAM CHEVY QUOTESCONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “Detroit is still one of the best street courses on our schedule. It’s a classic venue and the home of Chevrolet as well! Having scored a podium there in the past, the goal is to do that again. We’re on a great streak of momentum right now and I don’t see any reason why we won’t be able to continue that. I’m very excited with the good points we’ve gotten recently and our movement up in the championship standings and ready to get going again!” RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN RACING TEAM WITH BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING: “I am very excited to go to Detroit! We had a really good year there last year, finished second in the first race and qualifying third for Race 2. I think we can do that again, or even be one step higher on the podium! We have a very good car and I believe we put the Month of May behind us. We’ll work hard on the next few races, which are very important. I am also looking forward to trying some Coney dogs.” SANTINO FERRUCCI, NO. 77 DYNAMIC EDGE CHEVROLET, JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING: “Although I am happy to be back in the car, it’s unfortunate for Callum under the circumstances. I hope his hand heals really quickly and he is back on track soon. I’m just here to help with the team and see if we can get them a really good result and bring in some different knowledge from my experience in Detroit. I am looking forward to having some fun and carrying the momentum I have from Indy. I can’t thank the guys over at Juncos Hollinger enough with in trusting me this weekend and hopefully it goes really smoothly.”BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after six races· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing· 3: Team Chevy drivers in this year’s race who have won on Belle Isle: Will Power (2014 and 2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Pato O’Ward (2021)· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating back to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012· 7: Wins on Belle Isle for Chevrolet-powered teams since 2012· 9: Wins from pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver· 13: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 10 with Chevrolet· 18: Wins by Roger Penske-owned entries in the Indy 500 since 1972· 25: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer· 39: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver· 99: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012· 108: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012· 171: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

NHRA^® Team Report

NHRA New England Nationals 

Pre-Race Report

Fifth in points and consistently qualifying in the NHRA Nitro Funny Car Top Five has Cruz Pedregon and team right where they want to be as they head to the New England Dragway. The team has been getting the Snap-on^®“Makers and Fixers” Dodge^® SRT^® Hellcat^® ready to go for the weekend Cruz says they’re all looking forward to.

“The great thing about this team is that we’re working together so well and we’re continuing to see these top qualifying performances out of the Snap-on Makers and Fixers Dodge,” says Cruz. “That’s been a tough thing to accomplish in today’s Funny Car competition with so many cars running so close. We’re going to hang our hat on that and keep digging to be ready for the next race.”

Cruz says “Epping is a good race” where the team will use what they learned from ignition system issues in Virginia and “being aggressive” in the changing weather conditions.

Prior to the race, Cruz will ride along with Nitro Franchisee Chris Bartholomew who has been on board with Snap-on for 17 years. According to Chris, his customers really appreciate interacting with Cruz when he stops by their shops during these ride-alongs. Chris has managed hospitality events in Cruz’s pits on both sides of the country after making a move from California to New Hampshire. He enjoys it so much here at the races, he has 30 clients coming with him to the track both Saturday and Sunday. These makers and fixers will get to see Chris’s name on the side of Cruz’s car and maybe take some pictures with the equipment to post to Snap-on’s makersandfixers.com.

What: NHRA New England NationalsWhen: Friday, June 3-Sunday, June 5Where: New England Dragway in Epping, New HampshireTV: FS1 will telecast eliminations at 7 p.m. ET June 5                                                                       Chevrolet teams seek to continue successful first half of seasonPro Stock rejoins the schedule; John Force Racing building momentum

DETROIT (June 1, 2022) – Following her “Wow!” weekend in Houston, Camrie Caruso immediately wanted to get behind the wheel of the Sand Haulers of America Chevrolet Camaro SS. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock schedule curbed those plans – but not her desire to succeed – for six long weeks.Caruso’s coming out party April 24, highlighted by her inaugural No. 1 qualifier honor and fender-close runner-up finish to four-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in a similar Camaro SS, garnered nationwide attention and further fueled the 24-year-old, third-generation driver’s aspirations in the technically challenging and ultra-competitive class. “I want to be racing every weekend possible. But we have a simulator at the shop that I’ve been in and we have been out testing, so we try to stay on top of things and stay on top of the progress that we have made to make sure that we are going into Epping with our full potential and we leave nothing on the table,” she said. “We are pleased with testing and excited to see what Epping brings. “Houston was an amazing race, but we want more success.” Though the NHRA New England Nationals this weekend in Epping, New Hampshire, will be Caruso’s sixth Pro Stock event, her talent and fierce persona behind the wheel are partly drawn from years of competition experience in junior dragster, Super Comp, Top Dragster, Top Alcohol Dragster and even Pro Outlaw 632.

Augmenting the pursuit of her dream has been Caruso’s family, which has expanded this year with Jim Yates coming on board as her crew chief. “The family support is awesome; I wouldn’t be able to do it without it and I wouldn’t really want to either to be honest. It’s always been a family thing, and Tony (Wilson) and Jim have made themselves part of the family as well. We’re lucky to have them and have the team that we do all around.” Entering the NHRA New England Nationals seventh in the Pro Stock standings, Caruso has short- and long-term goals. “I’m excited to go back; we’ve always had good luck at Epping so we’ll see how it goes,” Caruso said. “We have to make sure we’re on our A game every single run, make sure you’re not making any mistakes.” As for the remainder of the season: “We are going after the championship. That is our main goal. We want to get wins and have more No. 1 qualifiers – we want all of that, but a championship is what we want to accomplish, and I don’t see why we wouldn’t be able to.” The John Force Racing contingent, which has recorded seven victories across Top Fuel (Brittany Force with three) and Funny Car (Robert Hight with three and John Force with one), is looking to continue its consistency of solid runs. Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, and Hight, who drives the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, both visited the winner’s stage at the last stop on tour. Force paces the Top Fuel standings, while Hight is second in Funny Car points. John Force, who turned the top qualifier honor in the four-wide event at Charlotte into victory in the PEAK BlueDEF Platinum Camaro SS, is fourth in the standings. He won at Epping in 2021. Austin Prock, a semifinalist at Virginia two weeks ago in the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, is fifth in the Top Fuel standings. Hight’s win May 15 at Virginia was the 150th for Chevrolet in Funny Car competition. CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPITTOP FUELBRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY/FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (three-time winner this season; first in points; won the 2017 New England Nationals): “Our Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team heads to Epping coming off a win in Virginia. We’re ahead of ourselves this season with three wins under our belt already. We’re hoping for another New England win,” Force said. “We’re all on the same page and really pulling together as a team and it’s showing on the race track. Our momentum is good, our energy is in the right place, and we’re pumped to get to the track this weekend.” AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener): “I’m excited to get this weekend kicked off. The two-week break has seemed like an eternity. New England Dragway has a lot of history so I’m amped up to be back in the seat of my Montana Brand / RMT dragster and working with my guys. We’re really starting to hit our strides. I think our package will have a good shot at winning the New England Nationals. Last year I went to the final as a crew guy, so maybe we can better that by one as a driver.” FUNNY CARJOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and Charlotte four-wide winner; 2021 winner at Epping): “Love being in New Hampshire. It’s a great place to race. Epping has been good to me in the past. Winning there last year in front of those great fans, they really do come from all over to see us, it was a great feeling. I’m excited to be going back to New England Dragway, to be back in the seat of my PEAK Chevy. Two weeks off has been painful, time to go to work and get this BlueDEF Camaro in another winner’s circle.” ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; second in points; holds both ends of the track Funny Car records, set in 2017): “It’s been a long two weeks since winning in Virginia. I’m glad we got to spend the time celebrating but I’m ready to get back into my AAA Chevy. When you’re on a roll, you want to carry that momentum over and just keep going. I’m hoping we can do that heading to Epping. I’ve never won there so I’d like to check that off my list. With two weeks away from a race track, I know this AAA team is ready to get back to it.” PRO STOCKDALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville): “To say I’m ready to get back on track would be the understatement of the year so far for our Rad Torque Systems / KB Racing Chevrolet Camaro team. That five-week hiatus from the NHRA schedule allowed me to bracket race, which keeps me sharp, but I miss being behind the wheel of my Pro Stocker. After two races with weird bad luck things happening with our car, I’m ready for a big rebound in Epping this weekend.” GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; seeking to become second pro driver with 100 wins): “It’s been a long break; it almost feels like a second offseason, but I think that was good for us. We needed time to work on our stuff, and we feel we’ve used our time wisely. We’ll be a better race team when we show up at Epping.” KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville): “I am super excited to get back in the Pro Stocker. It’s been the longest five weeks of my life. We’re ready. The team did a bunch of improvements engine-wise. I’m ready to go race.” TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (runner-up at Phoenix): “It was a long break but we put it to good use. We switched to this new RJ Race Cars Chevrolet earlier in the season and it just takes time to get all the parts and pieces to work together. These cars are all handmade one at a time and they each have their own personalities. Obviously, the more runs you can make, the more data you gain. We mostly focused on the clutch system and matching it to the power the guys in the engine shop have been building for us. Pro Stock is so competitive so every thousandth of a second you find is huge.” CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, SAND HAULERS OF AMERICA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “Houston was a great weekend for the Sand Haulers of America team and I was really going for that win light in the final. Our whole team has a lot of confidence and our Titan Racing Engines have shown we can race with anyone. My crew chief Jim Yates has been very helpful and the support I get from my family is a big help too.”

River Cities & Huset’s Host First of Multiple Visits in 2022 GRAND FORKS, ND – June 1, 2022 – A thrilling Memorial Day Weekend is in the books, and now the summer slate begins for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The nine-race schedule in June starts this weekend with a doubleheader taking The Greatest Show on Dirt to North Dakota and South Dakota for one night each.10-time Series champion Donny Schatz leads the charge to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND on Friday, June 3, where he’ll look to continue his otherworldly dominance with a potential 13th win in 28 tries at his home track. Among the top contenders to stop him is reigning River Cities master and defending Series champion Brad Sweet, who like Schatz, eyes his second win of the season this week.A rest day on Saturday leads into Sunday, June 5 when Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, SD takes center stage for the first time since a severe storm damaged the facility earlier this week. Workers have quickly been cleaning and preparing the facility with David Gravel, a two-time winner at the track last year, looking to deliver another W on home turf for his car owner, Tod Quiring.They’ll all have to deal with Sheldon Haudenschild, who enters as the hottest driver on tour with three wins in the last four races aboard his Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17. Beyond the full-time stars, there’s a heap of local and regional drivers aiming to take down the greatest Sprint Car drivers in the world this weekend.BUY RIVER CITIES TICKETS (Friday) BUY HUSET’S TICKETS (Saturday)Let’s look at what to watch for this weekend on DIRTVision.com:NOT BACKING DOWN: The racing world woke up to some heartbreaking images from Huset’s Speedway on Monday morning when a severe storm wreaked havoc on the state-of-the-art facility in Brandon, SD. Extreme winds ripped apart the suites and scoring tower, but thankfully nobody was injured in the storm. Track owner Tod Quiring insisted in less than 12 hours that Huset’s would be ready to host the World of Outlaws this Sunday night, and a group of 20+ workers immediately went to work on cleaning up and repairing the damage.@BESTDIRTTRACK: It’s @RiverCitiesND on Twitter nowadays, but the diehard fans remember when the Grand Forks, ND oval went by the handle of @BestDirtTrack. It was a name rightfully earned as one of the most thrilling venues in all of Sprint Car racing, in fact, it’s Johnny Gibson’s #1 all-time favorite dirt track. The track has consistently produced sensational shows over the years including Donny Schatz vs. Steve Kinser in 2011, Kyle Larson vs. Logan Schuchart in 2020, and Brad Sweet vs. Sheldon Haudenschild in 2021.HOT-ENSCHILD: There’s no denying that Sheldon Haudenschild and Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing is the hottest team on tour right now. Over the last five races, the NOS Energy Drink #17 has won at Bridgeport, Atomic & Lawrenceburg, averaging a 1.8 finish with their worst result being a fourth-place run at Attica. In that same span, the Wooster, OH native has risen from fourth in points (-92) all the way up to second (-34) as Sweet’s closest championship contender.The 28-year-old son of “The Wild Child” has ample opportunity to keep the streak alive this weekend at River Cities and Huset’s. He rides four-straight top-10 results at the Grand Forks, ND track with a career-best of second coming last year, while he’s also a former winner at the Brandon, SD oval on tap for Sunday night.HUSET’S HOME GAME: Welcoming the World of Outlaws to Huset’s Speedway means welcoming home his own Big Game Motorsports team for track owner Tod Quiring. Last year was proof that David Gravel and crew chief Cody Jacobs thrive with the pressure turned on as Gravel scored each of his three career Huset’s Speedway wins in 2021, two of them coming with The Greatest Show on Dirt.Entering the weekend, the Watertown, CT native sits third in the championship standings (-46 PTS) with two victories and 19 top-10 finishes to his credit. Sunday’s showdown at the Brandon, SD facility is extra special as the track bounces back from a severe storm and hosts the only tune-up for the inaugural $100,000-to-win High Bank Nationals on June 23-25.DEFENDING THE DAKOTAS: When it comes to defending their home turf, nobody does it quite like 10-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz does in his native North Dakota. On Friday, the Series makes the first of two visits at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, where Schatz has dominated since the Outlaws debuted at the 1/4-mile bullring in 2007.In 27 starts over 15 seasons, the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing superstar has produced some out-of-this-world numbers at his home track. He owns 12 victories (44% winning percentage) and his only finish outside the top-five was a seventh-place run, resulting in an astounding 2.4 average finish. He’ll head to River Cities this Friday night chasing his second win of the 2022 World of Outlaws season and an improvement on his sixth-place mark in the championship standings.CHANGE OF PACE: It’s been eight long races back to late April since Brad Sweet last finished on the podium at a World of Outlaws race, his longest such streak since missing the top three over nine-straight races to end the 2021 season. The Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 hasn’t been bad by any means, rather consistently good, but not the great we’re used to seeing from the blue beast.The three-time and defending Series champion still holds the current championship lead in pursuit of a fourth title, but The Big Cat has only managed one trip to victory lane through 23 starts this year, whereas last year he recorded nine wins at this point. The Grass Valley, CA native is a former winner at both River Cities and Huset’s, where he can break the streak and return to the podium, let alone victory lane, this weekend.WAITING TO BITE: Since building a new Triple-X Chassis prior to the Bristol Bash at the end of April, Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing have completely turned their season around. With nine top-five results and a 4.4 average finish over the last 11 races, the Hanover, PA native has returned to the championship-contending status fans remember from the #1S from 2020.As great as the podium visits and strong runs are, nothing quite compares to the jubilation of victory lane. The DuraMAX Oil, Team Drydene entry has contended for three straight wins at Attica, Atomic & Lawrenceburg, but fallen short each time and leaving Bobby Allen’s boys hungry for that checkered flag. That return could finally come this Friday night at River Cities, a place Schuchart has shined at in recent years.TO THE HALL: With a rare Saturday night off, several World of Outlaws affiliated members will be heading to Knoxville, Iowa for a special occasion as the 2022 class of inductees will be enshrined into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.Series announcer John Gibson, who has called more than 2,000 consecutive World of Outlaws races since grabbing the mic in the mid ’90s, will be joined by legendary car owners Tony Stewart & Dennis Roth, along with noteworthy drivers including 12-time winner Tim Green and five-time winner Gary Wright.THIS WEEK AT A GLANCEFriday, June 3 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND Sunday, June 5 at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, SDOn the Internet World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (23/77 Nights): 1. 49-Brad Sweet (3,148 PTS); 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (-34 PTS); 3. 2-David Gravel (-46 PTS); 4. 41-Carson Macedo (-66 PTS); 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart (-80 PTS); 6. 15-Donny Schatz (-146 PTS); 7. 5-Spencer Bayston (-166 PTS); 8. 83-James McFadden (-168 PTS); 9. 1A-Jacob Allen (-222 PTS); 10. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss (-374 PTS).NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (11 Drivers): 5 wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing #17 4 wins – Carson Macedo, Jason Johnson Racing #41 2 wins – David Gravel, Big Game Motorsports #2 2 wins – Jacob Allen, Shark Racing #1A 2 wins – Kyle Larson, Kevin Kozlowski/Paul Silva #57 2 wins – Brent Marks, Murray-Marks Motorsports #19 2 wins – Giovanni Scelzi, KCP Racing #18 1 win – Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne Racing #49 1 win – Logan Schuchart, Shark Racing #1S 1 win – Spencer Bayston, CJB Motorsports #5 1 win – Donny Schatz, Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #15FEATURE LAPS LED (22 Drivers): 82 laps – Carson Macedo 81 laps – Brad Sweet 79 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild 71 laps – David Gravel 64 laps – Jacob Allen 61 laps – Kyle Larson 55 laps – Giovanni Scelzi 49 laps – Spencer Bayston 31 laps – Logan Schuchart 29 laps – Brent Marks 26 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 25 laps – Donny Schatz 15 laps – Justin Peck 13 laps – Cory Eliason 9 laps – Dominic Scelzi, Brady Bacon 8 laps – James McFadden, Anthony Macri 3 laps – Brock Zearfoss, Brian Brown 1 lap – Corey Day, Aaron ReutzelSLICK WOODY’S QUICKTIME AWARDS (15 Drivers): 4 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo 3 QuickTimes – David Gravel 2 QuickTimes – Jacob Allen, Rico Abreu, Giovanni Scelzi* 1 QuickTime – Brad Sweet, Sheldon Haudenschild, Logan Schuchart, Spencer Bayston, James McFadden, Aaron Reutzel, Cory Eliason, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Justin Peck, Buddy Kofoid * Denotes New Track RecordHEAT RACE WINNERS (25 Drivers): 10 Heat Wins – David Gravel 8 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Brad Sweet 7 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo 6 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild 5 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, James McFadden, Rico Abreu 4 Heat Wins – Giovanni Scelzi 3 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, Aaron Reutzel 2 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston, Brock Zearfoss, Kraig Kinser, Tyler Courtney, Cory Eliason, Kerry Madsen 1 Heat Win – Sam Hafertepe Jr, Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day, Justin Peck, Anthony Macri, Justin Whittall, Ian Madsen, Parker Price-MillerDIRTVISION FAST PASS DASH APPEARANCES (35 Drivers): 16 Dashes – David Gravel 14 Dashes – Brad Sweet, Spencer Bayston, Jacob Allen 13 Dashes – Carson Macedo 10 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Logan Schuchart 8 Dashes – James McFadden 7 Dashes – Donny Schatz, Rico Abreu 5 Dashes – Kraig Kinser, Kyle Larson, Cory Eliason, Giovanni Scelzi 4 Dashes – Aaron Reutzel 3 Dashes – Brock Zearfoss, Brent Marks, Tyler Courtney, Kerry Madsen 2 Dashes – Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day, Anthony Macri 1 Dash – Kasey Kahne, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Colby Copeland, Tanner Carrick, DJ Netto, Brian Brown, Brady Bacon, Justin Peck, Matt Campbell, Justin Whittall, Ian Madsen, Cole Duncan, Parker Price-MillerMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (14 Drivers): 3 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden 2 LCS Wins – Logan Schuchart, Ayrton Gennetten 1 LCS Win – Spencer Bayston, Donny Schatz, Brock Zearfoss, Anthony Macri, Mitchell Faccinto, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Kerry Madsen, Brent Marks, DJ Foos, Christopher BellKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (10 Drivers): 4 Hard Chargers – Logan Schuchart 3 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild 2 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, James McFadden, 1 Hard Chargers – David Gravel, Donny Schatz, Brock Zearfoss, Jason Sides, Rico Abreu, Tanner Thorson, Alan Krimes, Devon Borden, Anthony Macri, Greg Wilson, Travis Philo, Kyle LarsonPODIUM FINISHES (20 Drivers): 8 Podiums – Brad Sweet, Sheldon Haudenschild 7 Podiums – Carson Macedo, Kyle Larson 6 Podiums – David Gravel 5 Podiums – Logan Schuchart 4 Podiums – Donny Schatz 3 Podiums – James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Giovanni Scelzi, Brent Marks 2 Podiums – Spencer Bayston, Aaron Reutzel, Corey Day 1 Podium – Kraig Kinser, Cory Eliason, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Brian Brown, Justin Peck, Rico AbreuTOP 10 FINISHES (37 Drivers): 20 Top 10s – Brad Sweet 19 Top 10s – David Gravel 18 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild 17 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart 16 Top 10s – Carson Macedo 15 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston 13 Top 10s – James McFadden, Jacob Allen 12 Top 10s – Giovanni Scelzi 10 Top 10s – Rico Abreu 8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson 7 Top 10s – Cory Eliason 5 Top 10s – Brent Marks 4 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss, Aaron Reutzel, Tyler Courtney, Anthony Macri 3 Top 10s – Kerry Madsen 2 Top 10s – Kraig Kinser, Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day, Justin Peck, Sam Hafertepe Jr. 1 Top 10 – Kasey Kahne, Shane Golobic, DJ Netto, Brian Brown, Hunter Schuerenberg, Carson Short, Tanner Thorson, Danny Dietrich, Lance Dewease, Greg Wilson, Cole Duncan, Cale Thomas, Cole Macedo2022 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS: No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins) 1. Thur, Feb. 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1) 2. Fri, Feb. 11 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1) 3. Sat, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1) 4. Fri, March 4 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Sheldon Haudenschild (2) 5. Sat, March 5 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Carson Macedo (1) 6. Fri, March 11 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / Giovanni Scelzi (1) 7. Sat, March 12 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / Kyle Larson (1) 8. Fri, March 18 / Merced Speedway / Merced, CA / Carson Macedo (2) 9. Fri, March 25 / Bakersfield Speedway / Bakersfield, CA / Giovanni Scelzi (2) 10. Sat, March 26 / Perris Auto Speedway / Perris, CA / David Gravel (2) 11. Tues, March 29 / Vado Speedway Park / Vado, NM / Brad Sweet (1) 12. Sat, April 2 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brent Marks (1) 13. Sat, April 9 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Jacob Allen (1) 14. Fri, April 15 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Carson Macedo (3) 15. Sat, April 23 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Carson Macedo (4) 16. Fri, April 29 / Bristol Motor Speedway / Bristol, TN / Logan Schuchart (1) 17. Sat, April 30 / Bristol Motor Speedway / Bristol, TN / Spencer Bayston (1) 18. Wed, May 11 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Jacob Allen (2) 19. Sat, May 14 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (2) 20. Tues, May 17 / Bridgeport Motorsports Park / Swedesboro, NJ / Sheldon Haudenschild (3) 21. Fri, May 20 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2) 22. Sat, May 28 / Atomic Speedway / Waverly, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (4) 23. Mon, May 30 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / Sheldon Haudenschild (5)

Lakeville, CONNECTICUT – June 1, 2022 – “Great weekend, I loved it,” exclaimed Franklin Road Team Principal and TA Class Driver Ken Thwaits from the award podium as the Tennessee pilot scored his fourth podium finish of the season. Ken was understandably delighted with P3 driving the Franklin Road Chevrolet Camaro TA1. It was a perfect warm spring afternoon at Lime Rock Park that produced a clean fast race for Round 6 of the 2022 Trans Am presented by Pirelli TA Class Championship. Ken was in typically ebullient mood as he stepped up to collect his Master’s Award, “Hey, I’m the first old guy across the line. That’s awesome. I still got it, baby!” Ken went on to describe his weekend, “I spun the car on the pace lap. Everything you could do wrong, I did it.” But behind Ken’s jovial repartee there is a very talented driver who, we should remember, is still in his first full season in the 850BHP TA Class. “I was in a hurry and when I realized I was going to catch everyone on the first lap, I decided to settle down.” The Franklin Road Apparel team have made huge strides this season, and for the first time in his career in the TA Class, Ken was on the front row of the grid, albeit helped by Tomy Drissi rendering his own car undriveable following a crash.  “I’d like to thank my crew so much,” said Ken. “We had a great ECR engine in the car. We hadn’t been here for a year, and we put it third on the grid, but I wish Tomy was out here. Thank you all for coming out. I love this track. There are so many great fans.” Warm weather made for a dry and sticky track, meaning times were fast and Ken registered a best lap in the race of 52.303 to go with his 50.678 in qualifying and that qualifying time looks to have proved all important in the Drivers’ Championship as provisionally Ken has leapfrogged former TA Champion Amy Ruman and is now tied at 135 points with Tomy Drissi, currently in second place. So, all in all, it was a very satisfactory weekend both for Ken and for the Franklin Road team, with podium finishes in both the TA and TA2 races. Highlights of today’s race can be seen on the CBS Sports Network 2022 Trans Am presented by Franklin Road Apparel at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 5. Check details and confirm with your local listings. Fans can find the Franklin Road Apparel Trans Am clothing here: https://www.franklinroad.com/search/trans+am/ Visit the team’s website for Showtime Motorsports showtimemotorsports.net. Learn more about the Showtime Motorsports team partner, Road Apparel, at franklinroad.com and keep up to date with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at gotransam.com. #GoTransAm Check out the Showtime Motorsports Facebook page: facebook.com/showtimemotorsp/ and @ShowtimeMotorsp on Instagram.

June 1, 2022

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Ford/Disabled American Veterans team are headed this weekend to a new venue for NASCAR’s Cup Series, but one that Burton and his crew chief Brian Wilson are familiar with.

Burton has raced in both NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, the 1.25-mile track located in the St. Louis suburb of Madison, Ill.
 
And crew chief Brian Wilson competed there back in 2010 as a race engineer for Brad Keselowski in the series now known as Xfinity. That team came away a winner in the fall race at Gateway that year.
 
Wilson said he’s looking forward to this weekend’s inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway.
 
“It’s really exciting to be going to the St. Louis market this weekend,” Wilson said. “Personally I always enjoy the challenge of going to a new track for the Cup series. 
 
“This weekend I’m especially interested in the extended practice format that we’ll have. We get extra time and will be able to make more changes to the setup than on a normal weekend.”
 
Wilson said he, Burton and the No. 21 Ford/DAV team are hoping to continue down the technological path they’ve taken at recent races. 
 
“The past few weeks we’ve been working on a new direction that showed some potential at Charlotte in qualifying,” he said. “We’ll continue on that path and try to utilize the extra practice time to maximize the potential.”
 
And Wilson said his No. 21 team showed Sunday in a marathon Coca-Cola 600 that even when things looked discouraging in the early laps, each member continued to put forth a maximum effort. 
 
“I feel like last week’s race shows the fight in this team, which resulted in a great 11^th-place finish,” he said. “With that fighting mentality we’ll continue to push to learn and improve on our speed.”
 
For this weekend’s race, the No. 21 Mustang will carry a special paint scheme celebrating the 100-year relationship between Ford and the Disabled American Veterans.
 
That relationship began in 1922 when Ford provided 50 Model Ts for veterans of the first World War to attend the second national DAV convention.  In the years since, Ford has worked to ensure that veterans have access to reliable transportation to reach their healthcare and medical appointments.
 
Ford’s efforts on behalf of veterans are also evident in the company’s employment of approximately 6,000 veterans.  Since 2019, the Ford-Lincoln Veteran Careers Program has been a part of New Ford Tech, a program that hires and trains Ford service technicians.
 
A 50-minute practice session at Gateway is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. (5:05 Eastern Time) Friday, and qualifying is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. (11 Eastern).
 
Sunday’s 240-lap, 300-mile race is planned for 2:30 p.m. (3:30 Eastern Time) with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.

Stage breaks are set for Laps 45 and 140.  
 

EPPING, N.H. (June 01, 2022) – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac dragster team have started the 2022 season making quite the statement. They’ll enter this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway with the Camping World Drag Racing Series points lead, a solid 81 ahead of second place.  Force and her Monster Energy team are off to the best start of her career with three wins in the first seven events and a 15-4 individual record. The 2017 world champion raced to a dominant victory at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and then had a close to flawless performance at Houston Raceway Park for a win that would give the David Grubnic and Mac Savage led team the Camping World Series points lead. That lead was solidified with a stellar performance at the return of the Virginia NHRA Nationals just two weeks ago. “Our Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team heads to Epping coming off a win in Virginia. We’re ahead of ourselves this season with three wins under our belt already. We’re hoping for another New England win,” Force said. “We’re all on the same page and really pulling together as a team and it’s showing on the race track. Our momentum is good, our energy is in the right place, and we’re pumped to get to the track this weekend.” Force won the New England Nationals in 2017 from the No. 2 starting position. The event is one of only four races in which Force has yet to start from the No. 1 qualifying position (the others are St. Louis, Seattle and Las Vegas1). New England Dragway is also one of four tracks currently hosting Camping World tour events on which Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team has not set the current track record for either ET or speed. Currently, Force is the ET record holder at 11 of the 17 and the speed record holder at nine. Race action at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals begins Friday with a single qualifying session at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) starting with qualifying shows Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

EPPING, N.H. (June 02, 2022) – Robert Hight and the AAA New England Chevrolet Camaro SS team are headed to the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway with the sweet smell of victory still strong after winning two weeks ago at the Virginia NHRA Nationals. The three-time championship team is hungry for more as they chase down their first win at the New Hampshire facility.     The current national record holder for Funny Car time (3.793 in 2017 at Brainerd, Minn.) and speed (339.87 mph in 2017 at Sonoma, Calif.), Hight is also the track record holder at New England Dragway where he stopped the timers in 3.822-seconds at 336.74 mph on June 3, 2017, on the way to one of his two No. 1 starts (the other came in 2014). The New England Nationals is one of only two events in the series in which Hight has yet to hoist the winner’s trophy, the upcoming Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio is the other. Hight had his best career result last season when he was runner-up to teammate John Force in a classic final.    “It’s been a long two weeks since winning in Virginia. I’m glad we got to spend the time celebrating but I’m ready to get back into my AAA Chevy,” Hight said. “When you’re on a roll, you want to carry that momentum over and just keep going. I’m hoping we can do that heading to Epping. I’ve never won there so I’d like to check that off my list. With two weeks away from a race track, I know this AAA team is ready to get back to it.”   With a win in New England, Hight could take over the Camping World points lead, he enters the New England Nationals in second place just 15 points behind Matt Hagan after winning three of the season’s first seven events. His victories included two consecutive wins to open the season at the Winternationals and Arizona Nationals as well as the most recent event, the Virginia NHRA Nationals, just two weeks ago.   Race action at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals begins Friday with a single qualifying session at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) starting with qualifying shows Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

EPPING, N.H. (June 02, 2022) – Robert Hight and the AAA New England Chevrolet Camaro SS team are headed to the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway with the sweet smell of victory still strong after winning two weeks ago at the Virginia NHRA Nationals. The three-time championship team is hungry for more as they chase down their first win at the New Hampshire facility.   The current national record holder for Funny Car time (3.793 in 2017 at Brainerd, Minn.) and speed (339.87 mph in 2017 at Sonoma, Calif.), Hight is also the track record holder at New England Dragway where he stopped the timers in 3.822-seconds at 336.74 mph on June 3, 2017, on the way to one of his two No. 1 starts (the other came in 2014). The New England Nationals is one of only two events in the series in which Hight has yet to hoist the winner’s trophy, the upcoming Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio is the other. Hight had his best career result last season when he was runner-up to teammate John Force in a classic final.  “It’s been a long two weeks since winning in Virginia. I’m glad we got to spend the time celebrating but I’m ready to get back into my AAA Chevy,” Hight said. “When you’re on a roll, you want to carry that momentum over and just keep going. I’m hoping we can do that heading to Epping. I’ve never won there so I’d like to check that off my list. With two weeks away from a race track, I know this AAA team is ready to get back to it.” With a win in New England, Hight could take over the Camping World points lead, he enters the New England Nationals in second place just 15 points behind Matt Hagan after winning three of the season’s first seven events. His victories included two consecutive wins to open the season at the Winternationals and Arizona Nationals as well as the most recent event, the Virginia NHRA Nationals, just two weeks ago. Race action at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals begins Friday with a single qualifying session at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) starting with qualifying shows Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

EPPING, N.H. (June 01, 2022) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster team head to New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals filled with confidence coming off one of their strongest performances of the 2022 Camping World Series season at the NHRA Virginia Nationals that included a career best elapsed time. Making just his second driver appearance in the NHRA New England Nationals, Austin Prock had a stout performance at the Virginia NHRA Nationals at Richmond in which he qualified No. 2 behind teammate Brittany Force and posted the quickest time of his Top Fuel career (3.672 seconds) before exiting in the semifinals. Prock had a first-round exit to multi-time reigning champion Steve Torrence in his rookie 2019 season but, in 2021, Prock would make it to the finals as a crew member of Robert Hight’s AAA Northern New England Chevy team, led by his father crew chief Jimmy Prock.   “I’m excited to get this weekend kicked off. The two-week break has seemed like an eternity,” Prock said. “New England Dragway has a lot of history so I’m amped up to be back in the seat of my Montana Brand / RMT dragster and working with my guys. We’re really starting to hit our strides. I think our package will have a good shot at winning the New England Nationals. Last year I went to the final as a crew guy, so maybe we can better that by one as a driver.” The Montana Brand / RMT dragster, prepared by crew chiefs Joe Barlam and Rahn Tobler has been edging up the points standings. Prock is sitting fifth in points having jumped from seventh after his performance at Virginia Motorsports Park. Prock is bidding for his second career victory (he won at Seattle in 2019 alongside boss John Force) and his second trip to the final round this season, he had a runner-up finish at the season opening Winternationals. Race action at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals begins Friday with a single qualifying session at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) starting with qualifying shows Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

EPPING, N.H. (June 01, 2022) – John Force and the PEAK / BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SS team enter this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway as the defending event champions. Already with a win in the 2022 season, Force and company will be looking to repeat their success while solidifying their spot amongst the top five in the Camping World Series points standings. In 2021, John Force handled his PEAK / BlueDEF Chevy to victory over teammate Robert Hight’s AAA Camaro. Much like this year, the win would come after collecting the Wally at the Charlotte Four-Wide. Force has also won the NHRA New England Nationals in 2015 and his lone No. 1 start in the Northeast’s premier event came in the inaugural race in 2013, where he finished runner-up to daughter Courtney Force. “Love being in New Hampshire. It’s a great place to race. Epping has been good to me in the past. Winning there last year in front of those great fans, they really do come from all over to see us, it was a great feeling,” Force said. “I’m excited to be going back to New England Dragway, to be back in the seat of my PEAK Chevy. Two weeks off has been painful, time to go to work and get this BlueDEF Camaro in another winners circle.” Coming off a victory just two weeks ago in Charlotte that extended to 34 the number of seasons in which he has won at least one NHRA tour event, Force is trying to win multiple events for the 27th season in hs career. Coming into the NHRA New England Nationals, the 16-time Funny Car champion sits fourth in the points standings behind multi-time champions Ron Capps, Robert Hight, and leader Matt Hagan. Race action at New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals begins Friday with a single qualifying session at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eliminations will take place Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) starting with qualifying shows Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

DENVER, NC (June 1, 2022) — After a breakout weekend at the SpringNationals in Houston, Texas, rookie of the year standout Camrie Caruso has had to wait almost six weeks to get back behind the wheel of her Sand Haulers of America Chevrolet Camaro. The wait has been hard for the third-generation driver who raced to her first career No. 1 qualifier quicker than any other Pro Stock driver in history except for last year’s rookie of the year Dallas Glenn, who also achieved that feat in just five races. To make her performance even more impressive Caruso raced to the final round and was center stage for the first all-female Pro Stock final and elimination round in the class’s history.

“Houston was a great weekend for the Sand Haulers of America team and I was really going for that win light in the final,” said Caruso, who recently announced Sand Hauler of America would add additional races as primary sponsor including this weekend’s New England Nationals. “Our whole team has a lot of confidence and our Titan Racing Engines have shown we can race with anyone. My crew chief Jim Yates has been very helpful and the support I get from my family is a big help too.”

Camrie Caruso and Sand Haulers of America Chevrolet Camaro, photo by Auto Imagery

In addition to her on-track success Caruso has been incredibly active with sponsors showcasing the benefits of racing in the NHRA and with the Caruso Family Racing operation. At the beginning of the season GESI, Right Trailers, PowerBuilt Tools, NGK Spark Plugs and VP Racing Lubricants all jumped on board with the rookie team. All these relationships and sponsorships were brokered by Caruso herself who is hands on with all business matters when it comes to her Pro Stock race car.

“I want to be involved from top to bottom with this team,” said Caruso. “I get a lot of help from my dad and papa but at the end of the day I want to be the one writing the check and then delivering on the racetrack. I have great sponsors that I want to have for many, many seasons. The best way to do that is to show them how we can grow their business through the NHRA and Caruso Family Racing. I want to do as many appearances and interviews as I can to make this program successful. I know that turning on win lights helps, and we have aggressive goals for this season.”

Since her debut national event in Pomona at the NHRA Winternationals Caruso has been grabbing attention and not letting the bright lights or tough competition distract from her pre-season goals. She has qualified in the top half of the field at every national event except for the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals where she checked in at No. 9. In her second career Pro Stock race she collected her first win light in eliminations racing to the quarterfinals at the Arizona Nationals. She duplicated that feat at the history Gatornationals after just one qualifying run again racing to the quarterfinals in Florida.

Six weeks ago she took a major leap forward when she raced to the No. 1 provisional qualifier on Friday night at Houston Raceway Park and then held off a host of tough competitors to earn her first official No.1 qualifier in arguably one of the most competitive classes on the Camping World Drag Racing Series. On race day she took out Fernando Cuadra and former world champion Bo Butner in the first two rounds. In the semifinals she beat reigning Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson on a hole shot and in the final round racing against four-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders she came up a few hundredths of a second short even though she didn’t have fifth gear.

“We lost fifth gear on the burnout so I knew I was in trouble but there was no way I was giving up,” said Caruso. “I got a great jump off the starting line, and I was doing everything I could in the car to get that win. It was a great race weekend and I am looking forward to getting to more finals and getting that first win.”

Caruso will get her first pass at New England Dragway on Friday night followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. Pro Stock final eliminations will begin on Sunday at approximately noon ET. Caruso sits seventh in points just seven points out of sixth place and less than a round from fifth.

Nearly Half-Million Dollar Purse to be Paid at Inaugural Race on June 23-25BRANDON, SD – June 2, 2022 – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will compete for four, six-figure paydays across the 2022 season, and the first one is only three weeks away.A brand new event crafted by the always-innovative Tod Quiring, the inaugural High Bank Nationals will debut at Huset’s Speedway on Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25. Nearly a half-million dollars will be paid out over three nights at the Brandon, SD facility and it’s all capped off by a $100,000-to-win, $3,000-to-start main event.More money will be spread all throughout the Feature with the top-five finishers in the finale each cashing five-figure checks – second at $30,000, third at $20,000, fourth at $15,000, fifth at $10,000. Both preliminary fields include boosted purses as well with the opener paying $15,000-to-win, and night two offering $20,000-to-win, and $1,500-to-start.The unique format for the three-day event is currently being finalized by track officials and will be released once completed.3-DAY TICKET PACKAGE (June 23-25)Prior to the three-day spectacular, The Greatest Show on Dirt will tune-up for the race with a one-night stop at the 1/3-mile oval coming this Sunday, June 5. Weekly winners at the track this season already include Parker Price-Miller, Lynton Jeffrey, Giovanni Scelzi, and Ryan Timms.Through 50 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car races at the track since 1983, a total of 19 different drivers have won with the Series at Huset’s. The trio of Sammy Swindell (10), Mark Kinser (9) & Steve Kinser (7) stand out above the rest, but when it comes to active drivers Donny Schatz (4) and David Gravel (2) lead the way. Others like Brad Sweet, Sheldon Haudenschild, and Aaron Reutzel have one win apiece.Reutzel enters as the winner of last year’s Huset’s 50, a different two-day variation of this event with $30,000 on the line. That was in the Roth Motorsports #83 – now piloted by James McFadden – and now Reutzel wheels the Ridge & Sons Racing #8 in pursuit of another big payday in South Dakota.For David Gravel, the Watertown, CT native is hoping to capitalize on recent success at Huset’s, the track owned by his car owner Tod Quiring and the name that dons his #2 Big Game Motorsports entry. He was twice a World of Outlaws winner at the track last year, and now looks to add the $100,000 High Banks Nationals to his list of Crown Jewel wins like the Knoxville Nationals, National Open, and Bristol Bash.The most successful of all these drivers is the 10-time champion and 303-time winner, Donny Schatz. The Fargo native hails from North Dakota, but still owns the most active wins at the South Dakota oval with four triumphs and his last coming in 2016. The Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanain Racing #15 has a knack for stepping up and shining during the biggest moments, and he’ll get his first chance this season in three weeks at Huset’s.Defending Series champion and current championship leader Brad Sweet has always said his season centers around the Crown Jewel races, and that begins with the High Bank Nationals. The Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 won a 2016 event at the track, but to make the big bucks in three weeks, they’ll need to snap a winless spell that runs back to late March since The Big Cat’s first and only win of 2022.Young guns Sheldon Haudenschild and Carson Macedo are the two winningest drivers with the World of Outlaws in 2022 ahead of the $100,000-to-win race. Haudenschild owns five wins in the Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing #17, while Macedo is up to four wins with the Jason Johnson Racing #41. The duo has finished 1-2 before at Huset’s with Sheldon getting the edge over Carson in 2020.Also in the mix is the Shark Racing duo of Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen. The Hanover, PA team has put the #1A in victory lane twice already and the #1S is consistently on the podium these days battling for the championship lead. Both Jacob (3rd) and Logan (7th) set their Huset’s Speedway career-best finishes last year.Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contenders Spencer Bayston (CJB #5), Kasey Kahne (KKR #9), and Noah Gass(#20G) will race their first Crown Jewel as full-time World of Outlaws drivers at the High Bank Nationals.If you can’t attend the inaugural $100,000-to-win event in person, you can watch every lap LIVE on DIRTVision.HUSET’S SPEEDWAY WINNERS (50 Races): 10 wins – Sammy Swindell 9 wins – Mark Kinser 7 wins – Steve Kinser 4 wins – Donny Schatz 3 wins – Doug Wolfgang 2 wins – Craig Dollansky, David Gravel, Mark Dobmeier 1 win – Aaron Reutzel, Sheldon Haudenschild, Kyle Larson, Brad Sweet, Tim Kaeding, Brooke Tatnell, Terry McCarl, Brian Paulus, Stevie Smith, Dave Blaney, Bobby Davis Jr.

OCALA, FL (June 1, 2022) — For the third time this season Josh Hart and his R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be making a debut appearance at a new stop on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. To date the second year Top Fuel team owner and driver has stepped up to the challenge advancing to at least the quarterfinals at the conclusion of his first races at both the Arizona Nationals and then two weeks ago at the Virginia Nationals where he qualified 13^th and grabbed an upset win over Clay Millican before dropping the quarterfinal race to Mike Salinas.

“I love the challenge of every race but getting to race this R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster in front of a whole new group of fans is pretty exciting,” said Hart, who is sitting 7^th in the Top Fuel point standings. “Our goal with this team is to win races and introduce R+L Carriers and their exciting career opportunities to people across the country. Getting to meet fans this weekend at New England Dragway will be a wonderful experience for everyone.”

R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, photo by Auto Imagery

The start to his sophomore Top Fuel season has been a challenge for the multi-class winner. A variety of new car shakedown gremlins have popped up at inopportune times for Hart and his team. They are heading into the eighth race with a brand new 11,000 Top Fuel dragster that crew chief Ron Douglas has been making positive strides with all season. Highlights have included a semifinal finish at the Arizona Nationals and an appearance in the final quad of the Carolina Four-Wide Nationals that netted another semifinal points finish. 

“We have been taking two steps forward and then hitting a little hiccup, but I really feel like two weeks ago we turned a corner in Richmond,” said Hart. “We had to battle the weather with all the other teams and luckily got two qualifying runs. We didn’t put up great numbers in qualifying, but we came out strong on race day and got a round win and then had an issue in the quarterfinals that we can correct moving forward. We were right in that race and I know big things are coming up for this R+L Carriers team.”

Hart has built his Top Fuel operation from the ground up with the idea and belief that “Anything is Possible.” Last season in only 13 races he won twice, recorded four more semifinal finishes and was one of the top contenders for NHRA rookie of the year even though he only attended just over half the races on the season. In a three-race streak to start the Countdown Hart won Charlotte and recorded two semifinal finishes at St. Louis and Dallas when the stakes were the highest for the entire Top Fuel class.

Josh Hart, photo by Auto Imagery

“I truly believe we have a team that can win every time we roll our R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster to the starting line,” said Hart. “I have an awesome team behind me and the support of so many great sponsors and companies that love racing but also love making a difference. I will be talking with people all weekend about career opportunities and how amazing it is to be able to follow your dreams and make them a reality.”

Through his marketing relationship with R+L Carriers Hart and his marketing team host potential employees at every NHRA national event as well as offer information about career opportunities in a variety of areas for R+L Carriers. For over 55 years, they have been owned and operated by the same family with a core belief to treat customers and employees as an extension of the R+L family. Customer satisfaction is a top priority and they take pride in the quality service extended to each individual. Hart is excited to be potentially making a difference in the lives of his fans as well as entertaining them on the track.

“We will get a night time qualifying run on Friday which is always exciting,” said Hart. “Then on Saturday we get two more shots at the track. Sunday will be race day and we’ll have this R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster ready to rock and roll.”

Cadillac DPi-V.R teams and drivers aiming for second street circuit win of 2022 season

DETROIT (June 1, 2022) – Cadillac Racing teams and drivers will aim to close out the Belle Isle era of motorsports with a victory June 4 in the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic – the sixth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. Cadillac Racing media resource guide for Belle Isle: Storylines, stats, notes and moreCadillac Racing 2022 media guide: Historical information, technology transfer and moreWhat the 2021 winner has to say: Renger van der Zande’s May 31  Zoom media conference

A Cadillac DPi has won three of the four races at Belle Isle since the inception of the class in 2017. No race was held in 2020 because of the COVD-19 pandemic. Last year, Renger van der Zande teamed with Kevin Magnussen to drive the pole-winning No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to lead 64 of 66 laps and go on to a refreshing splash in the James Scott Memorial Fountain. Van der Zande returns to co-drive the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R with first-year teammate Sebastien Bourdais, who is a two-time INDYCAR winner at Belle Isle. The duo won in April at Long Beach — the other 100-minute race on a street circuit — from the pole. The 100-minute race on the 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit presents numerous challenges to drivers — from hard braking zones with concrete barriers on both sides to speedy straights to tire degradation on the bumpy surface. Plus, execution is key during the sprint race. “It’s high intensity and concentration,” said van der Zande, who also has IMSA Prototype Challenge wins in 2015 and ’16 at Belle Isle. “It’s an interesting track – and street tracks are interesting by themselves. Little mistakes are big mistakes. So, it’s a whole different philosophy on how you drive the car around. Driving wall to wall is the way to go fast, and the closer you get to the wall the more lap time comes out, so that’s the tricky part. “That track has a lot of bumps and a lot of tarmac changes, which with the Cadillac it suits it very well. You need to be very creative and adaptive. Street tracks evolve quickly in terms of grips, so every lap of every session the whole field is going over it and it becomes quicker, which again you have to be creative to get that little bit of extra grip and take it. “It is one of those intense street tracks where you don’t have any time to rest. There is a bit of backstraight, but it never stops. I am happy it is a short race there this weekend.”

Added Tristan Vautier, driver of the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R: “It is one of the most challenging tracks of the year. As a driver, I really enjoy racing there because you have to be very precise with your line as well as getting around traffic. The 100-minute format makes it tricky. There is zero opportunity to make up for mistakes on the track or in the pits. You really have to go for it, maybe take some chances. When you have a passing opportunity, you have to take it as it maybe your only one.” The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, which has finished third the past two races, has been runner-up the past two visits at Belle Isle. Reigning IMSA DPi champion Pipo Derani will share the seat with Olivier Pla, who will be making his debut in the Cadillac. “I’ve been racing against them for many years, and I know how good they are on the track,” said Pla, who will also be a teammate of Derani at Le Mans this month. “What they’ve achieved by winning so many races and championships speaks for itself. It will be a big challenge to arrive mid-season but I’m ready to take on this challenge. The Cadillac DPi-V.R is a fantastic car and I can’t wait to race it. And of course, extremely happy and proud to join such a great driver and friend Pipo Derani.” IMSA has increased the weight of the four Cadillac DPi entries by 15 kg to 960 kg – the heaviest they have been this season – under the Balance of Performance (BoP) table. The two Acura entries remain at 920 kg. Two practice sessions June 3 precede early evening qualifications, with the race scheduled to take the green flag at 3:10 p.m. ET June 4. USA Network will telecast the race live at 3 p.m., while IMSA Radio will broadcast all sessions at IMSA.com along with XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992. A Corvette C8 Stingray will lead the field to the green flag. See the Cadillac lineup Spectators have the opportunity to view an array of Cadillac vehicles, including the exciting CT5-V Blackwing, CT4-V Blackwing and the 2023 Escalade-V, at the Cadillac display near the main entrance to the racetrack. Hours are 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The 2023 Escalade-V — the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV that goes on sale late this summer – expands the V-Series lineup. Now in its fourth generation, Cadillac’s V-Series represents ultimate performance, the epitome of Cadillac’s engineering capability, with unrivaled sophistication and comfort for everyday driving. In adding Escalade-V to the lineup, the V-Series family continues to expand, while consistently combining power, luxury, thoughtful technology and athletic refinement for the discerning enthusiast. Cadillac DPi roster for Chevrolet Sports Car ClassicNo. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R (Cadillac Racing)Renger van der Zande, Sebastien BourdaisVan der Zande and Bourdais co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to the victory on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting from the pole. … It was the 16th IMSA victory for van der Zande and eighth for Bourdais. … Bourdais set the qualifying lap record time in the event. He set the lap record time in earning the pole for the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring. … Bourdais earned the pole for the May 15 Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. … van der Zande, in addition to claiming the 2021 overall victory at Detroit, co-drove to Prototype Challenge class wins in 2015 and ’16 at Belle Isle. … … Bourdais is a four-time INDYCAR champion and two-time winner at Belle Isle in INDYCAR competition. … Bourdais and van der Zande are on the entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month.Car chief-Phil BinksLead engineer-John HennekRace strategist-Peter BaronNo. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R (Cadillac Racing)Earl Bamber, Alex LynnFirst-year entry in expanded Cadillac Racing DPi program. … Bamber and Lynn co-drove to a runner-up finish on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting second. … They, along with Neel Jani, co-drove to victory March 19 in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. … Bamber salutes his home country with a silver fern design on the sides of his helmet — a quasi-national emblem used for various official New Zealand symbols. … Lynn is on the entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month.Car chief-Jamie CoatesLead engineer-Danielle ShephardRace strategist-Michael Harvey

No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)Pipo Derani, Olivier PlaPla will make his debut in the No. 31 Cadillac at Detroit. … Derani and Felipe Nasr were runners-up in 2021 and 2019 at Detroit. … Derani and Tristan Nunez co-drove to third place on the Laguna Seca road course after starting sixth. They followed with a third-place finish May 15 at Mid-Ohio. … Derani and Nunez, joined by Mike Conway, started second and finished third in the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring. … The three-driver team started seventh and finished fourth in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season. … Derani and Felipe Nasr were the 2021 IMSA DPi Driver Champions and Whelen Engineering/Action Express Racing was the Team Champion. … Derani and Pla are teammates for the second consecutive year for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month.Car chief-Bill KeulerTechnical director/lead engineer-Iain WattRace strategist-Tim KeeneNo. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (JDC-Miller MotorSports)Tristan Vautier, Richard WestbrookVautier and Westbrook co-drove to third place on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting fifth. Vautier and Westbrook, joined by Loic Duval, drove to second place in the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring and opened the ’22 season by starting second and finishing third at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. … Westbrook is a London-trained chef. … Vautier and Westbrook are on the entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month.Car chief-Josh KerriganLead engineer-Rick CameronRace strategist-John Church

Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R Belle Isle results 2021-2017 2021: First (No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen         Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third — Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr         Fifth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval2020: No race2019: Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr        Fourth (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Stephen Simpson, Simon Trummer        Fifth (No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Tristan Vautier, Misha Goikhberg              Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa       Eighth (No. 50 Juncos Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Kyle Kaiser, Will Owen       Ninth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor2018: First (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran        Fifth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor        Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth — Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa2017: First (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 12th – Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor        Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Dane Cameron, Eric Curran        Fourth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Christian Fittipladi, Joao Barbosa

EPPING, N.H. (May 31) – Drag racer Troy Coughlin Jr. doesn’t need to look far to find motivation for a big performance at this weekend’s ninth annual NHRA Nationals, where he’ll try to drive his JEGS.com Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro to the winner’s circle of New England Dragway. “Just look at the fans in the pits and up in the stands,” Coughlin said. “That’s all it takes. They are completely out of their minds with excitement that we’re racing there. It’s like they’re stunned all these big-time professional teams have made the trip to this local track in Epping, New Hampshire, to do our thing.  “I feed off of that vibe because I’m still a big fan at heart. I always say I’m the luckiest kid in the pits and I believe that more and more each year. I really want our team to put its best foot forward and perform at the highest level to put on the best show possible for these fans because they deserve it.”

Troy Coughlin Jr.

To that end, Coughlin and the rest of his teammates at Elite Motorsports used the 40-day break since the last Pro Stock race to do some testing in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  “It was a long break but we put it to good use,” Coughlin said. “We switched to this new RJ Race Cars Chevrolet earlier in the season and it just takes time to get all the parts and pieces to work together. These cars are all handmade one at a time and they each have their own personalities. Obviously, the more runs you can make, the more data you gain. “We mostly focused on the clutch system and matching it to the power the guys in the engine shop have been building for us. Pro Stock is so competitive so every thousandth of a second you find is huge. Mark (Ingersoll, crew chief) and the rest of the guys, Kyle Bates, Ricky Calloway and Kelly Murphy, seem very pleased with the progress they’ve made.”

Troy Coughlin Jr.’s JEGS.com Pro Stock Chevrolet

For someone from Ohio, the test days is steamy Oklahoma also served as a preview of what’s soon to become the norm as the NHRA schedule shifts to summertime conditions. “Epping looks like it will probably be the last race with decent weather,” he said. “Once the dog days of summer arrive, it’ll be a completely different story. When you have to start de-tuning the car to get it down the track that’s when the experience of the crew really shows, which I believe works to our favor. But for one more race we’ll get to pour all the power we can into the set-up. As I said, it should be a big weekend in Epping.” Elsewhere on the schedule, Troy Jr.’s uncle Mike Coughlin and Mike’s son Clay will be competing at the Division 3 drag race in Norwalk, Ohio, the always-popular Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser.

Mike Coughlin’s JEGS.com Top Alcohol Dragster

Currently second in the North Central Region points and seventh in the national rankings, Mike brings the JEGS.com Top Alcohol Dragster to the event with a victory already in hand, having won the season-opener in Pomona, Calif. His son Clay is just breaking into the Super Stock class and is hoping for a fast start to a summer full of racing in his home state. Meanwhile, Cody Coughlin will be representing the family business at the $10,000-to- Win CRA Laural Highlands 150 in the ARCA/CRA Super Series powered by JEGS. Cody is the 2016 series champion and enters the fourth event of the year in second place, just 22 points behind leader Eddie Van Meter.