Dirt Late Model NewsOhioEldora Speedway

Published on October 17, 2023 By jdearing https://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=https://stlracing.com/2023/10/17/lucas-oil-late-model-dirt-series-primed-for-championship-weekend-at-eldora/&layout=button_count&show_faces=false&width=105&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21

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BATAVIA, Ohio (October 17, 2023) – The most illustrious season in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series history wraps up with the 43rd Annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by ARP at Eldora Speedway, October 19-21.

The weekend will get underway on Thursday, October 19 with preliminary events for the Modified division. Additionally, a full program is on tap for the Eldora Stock Cars, paying $1,000-to-win.

On Friday, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will take center stage with Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, and Heats Races. The Steel Block Late Model Series will compete in their preliminary events, while the Modified division will contest their 30-lap, $5,000-to-win A-Main.

Saturday’s festivities will kick off with a Dirt Racing Outreach Service at 1:30PM, followed by a Drivers Autograph Session at 3:00PM. The on-track action will begin with Hot Laps for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at 6:00PM, followed by the crowning of the 2023 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year. Then, B-Mains for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be contested, followed by the Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifiers Race, and the 100-lap, $100,000-to-win, 43rd Annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by ARP.

Following Saturday’s main event, the Lucas Oil Late Model Series will crown the 2023 National Champion. The Steel Block Late Model Series will cap off the weekend with their 25-lap, $5,000-to-win A-Main.

The Turn 3 Pit Gate will open at 11:00AM on Thursday, 10:00AM on Friday, and 12:00PM (Noon) on Saturday. The General Admission Gates will open at 2:00PM each day. All times are Eastern Time.

Eldora Speedway is a half-mile facility located at 13929 State Route 118 in New Weston, Ohio. The ‘Big E’ is owned by three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Tony Stewart. The Indiana native purchased Eldora from legendary promotor Earl Baltes in 2004. Baltes built Eldora in 1954 and had been the sole owner of the facility from day number one. Eldora plays host to some of the largest dirt racing events in the country, including the Dirt Late Model Dream, Kings Royal, and World 100. To learn more about Eldora Speedway, or to purchase tickets in advance, please visit www.eldoraspeedway.com.

The top four drivers in the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship – Presented by ARP – Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, and Devin Moran – will enter the season finale will their points consolidated, each with an equal opportunity at the title of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion. The series champion will receive $200,000, with the top four drivers in the final series standings earning a minimum of $100,000.

For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.

About Carl Short’s Dirt Track World Championship:

Founded in 1981 by Hall of Fame event promoter Carl Short, the Dirt Track World Championship set the foundation for high paying crown jewel dirt late model events. Jim Dunn claimed the first Dirt Track World Champion crown which boasted $30,000, double the winner’s share of any other major event that year. Over the past 40 years, dirt late model veterans and rising young stars alike have etched their name in the Dirt Track World Championship history book.

About General Tire:

General Tire for over 100 years has offered a complete quality line of ultra-high performance, passenger, light truck, off-road, and commercial tires to meet all your needs. To learn more about General Tire, visit: www.generaltire.com.

About Automotive Racing Products:

ARP is the world leader in fastener technology, proudly made in the USA. Located in Ventura, CA, ARP’s product line contains thousands of part numbers, and has expanded to include virtually every fastener found in an engine and driveline and throughout the suspension and frame. These range from quality high performance OEM replacement parts to exotic specialty hardware for all forms of motorsports and marine applications.

To learn more about ARP visit their website at www.arp-bolts.com.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:

Dirt Track World Championship A-Main (100 Laps): 1. $100,000, 2. $20,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $8,000, 5. $7,500, 6. $7,000, 7. $6,000, 8. $5,000, 9. $4,500, 10. $4,000, 11. $3,500, 12. $3,250, 13. $3,000, 14. $2,750, 15. $2,700, 16. $2,650, 17. $2,600, 18. $2,575, 19. $2,550, 20. $2,525, 21. $2,500, 22. $2,500, 23. $2,500, 24. $2,500, 25. $2,500, 26. $2,500 = Total $215,100

Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifier (25 Laps): 1. $3,000, 2. $2,000, 3. $1,500, 4. $1,250, 5. $1,200, 6. $1,150, 7. $1,100, 8. $1,075, 9. $1,050, 10. $1,025, 11. $1,000, 12. $900, 13. $800, 14. $700, 15. $600, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500, 25. $500, 26. $500 = Total $23,850

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:

Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3

Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT2, (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4

*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials and Heat Races on Friday.

Previous Dirt Track World Champions:

2022 – Garrett Smith

2021 – Ricky Thornton Jr.

2020 – Brandon Sheppard

2019 – Brandon Sheppard

2018 – Josh Richards

2017 – Josh Richards

2016 – Brandon Sheppard

2015 – Scott Bloomquist

2014 – Scott Bloomquist

2013 – Brandon Sheppard

2012 – Jimmy Owens

2011 – Don O’Neal

2010 – Earl Pearson Jr.

2009 – Jimmy Mars

2008 – Brian Birkhofer

2007 – Chub Frank

2006 – Shannon Babb

2005 – Scott Bloomquist

2004 – Rick Eckert

2003 – Darrell Lanigan

2002 – Shannon Babb

2001 – Bart Hartman

2000 – Wendell Wallace

1999 – Steve Francis

1998 – Freddy Smith

1997 – Marshall Green

1996 – Billy Moyer

1995 – Jack Boggs

1994 – Ronnie Johnson

1993 – Freddy Smith

1992 – Ronnie Johnson

1991 – Freddy Smith

1990 – Jack Boggs

1989 – John Mason

1988 – Donnie Moran

1987 – Larry Moore

1986 – Billy Moyer

1985 – Freddy Smith

1984 – Jack Boggs

1983 – Freddy Smith

1982 – Charlie Swartz

1981 – Jim Dunn

Inside Line Promotions – TULARE, Calif. (Oct. 17, 2023) – Dominic Scelzi captured his 12 ^th triumph of the season last Saturday during the Trophy Cup tune-up at Thunderbowl Raceway.

Scelzi was second quickest in his qualifying group and he won a heat race to advance into the feature redraw.

“We timed in pretty good and won our heat race,” he said. “They didn’t have a dash and we were lucky enough to redraw the No. 1 for the feature. We ran the majority of the race unchallenged. Traffic was the hardest thing. It was all over the place. I had to make some aggressive moves. That left the door open one time for Corey (Day) and we were side by side down the frontstretch with about four laps to go. I took the top going into the corner and it made him stuck behind two lapped cars and I was able to pull away.”

The win came on the heels of a frustrating outing the previous night at Kings Speedway, where Scelzi qualified fifth quickest overall to kick off the Morrie Williams Memorial featuring the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series.

“We were really good and I felt like we did everything we needed,” he said. “We qualified well and ran strong to finish second in the heat race, but all night I struggled with feeling like something was not right. I didn’t feel the engine was running as it should have, but it was hard to argue with it when we had good speed. In the heat race I got significantly slower and slower. We assumed we had something wrong with the engine so we swapped engines. We started on the pole of the dash and won it. The car felt great, but I didn’t have stellar speed.”

Scelzi lined up on the pole for the main event and he led the opening handful of laps at the dirt oval in Hanford, Calif.

“I knew from Lap 1 we had an issue,” he said. “The car seemed to go slower and slower with every lap. Unfortunately, we had a power steering pump go bad. At the end of the day it was a fluke deal. I’ve never had a pump go bad in all of my years racing. We had a good shot to win the race. It was unfortunate we had a part failure cost us, but that’s part of racing. Fortunately, we rebounded on Saturday and were able to win.”

Scelzi will return to Thunderbowl Raceway this Thursday through Saturday for the 29 ^th annual Abreu Vineyards Trophy Cup presented by Rudeen Racing.

“I’ve been so happy with our race car all season long and we’ve had good speed,” he said. “You never know with Trophy Cup. I’ve had years I’ve been struggling and we roll in there and everything unfolds how you dream and it goes great. And I’ve had times going in there with momentum and we struggled. I don’t know what to expect, but I feel as confident as ever.”

QUICK RESULTS –

Oct. 13 – Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 2 (2); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 16 (1).

Oct. 14 – Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (1).

SEASON STATS –

48 races, 12 wins, 32 top fives, 38 top 10s, 42 top 15s, 46 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Thursday through Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., for the 29 ^th annual Abreu Vineyards Trophy Cup presented by Rudeen Racing

BATAVIA, Ohio (October 17, 2023) – The most illustrious season in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series history wraps up with the 43rd Annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by ARP at Eldora Speedway, October 19-21. The weekend will get underway on Thursday, October 19 with preliminary events for the Modified division. Additionally, a full program is on tap for the Eldora Stock Cars, paying $1,000-to-win. On Friday, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will take center stage with Dirt Draft Hot Laps, Allstar Performance Time Trials, and Heats Races. The Steel Block Late Model Series will compete in their preliminary events, while the Modified division will contest their 30-lap, $5,000-to-win A-Main. Saturday’s festivities will kick off with a Dirt Racing Outreach Service at 1:30PM, followed by a Drivers Autograph Session at 3:00PM. The on-track action will begin with Hot Laps for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at 6:00PM, followed by the crowning of the 2023 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year. Then, B-Mains for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be contested, followed by the Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifiers Race, and the 100-lap, $100,000-to-win, 43rd Annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by ARP. Following Saturday’s main event, the Lucas Oil Late Model Series will crown the 2023 National Champion. The Steel Block Late Model Series will cap off the weekend with their 25-lap, $5,000-to-win A-Main. The Turn 3 Pit Gate will open at 11:00AM on Thursday, 10:00AM on Friday, and 12:00PM (Noon) on Saturday. The General Admission Gates will open at 2:00PM each day. All times are Eastern Time. Eldora Speedway is a half-mile facility located at 13929 State Route 118 in New Weston, Ohio. The ‘Big E’ is owned by three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Tony Stewart. The Indiana native purchased Eldora from legendary promotor Earl Baltes in 2004. Baltes built Eldora in 1954 and had been the sole owner of the facility from day number one. Eldora plays host to some of the largest dirt racing events in the country, including the Dirt Late Model Dream, Kings Royal, and World 100. To learn more about Eldora Speedway, or to purchase tickets in advance, please visit www.eldoraspeedway.com.  The top four drivers in the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship – Presented by ARP – Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, and Devin Moran – will enter the season finale will their points consolidated, each with an equal opportunity at the title of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion. The series champion will receive $200,000, with the top four drivers in the final series standings earning a minimum of $100,000. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. About Carl Short’s Dirt Track World Championship:Founded in 1981 by Hall of Fame event promoter Carl Short, the Dirt Track World Championship set the foundation for high paying crown jewel dirt late model events. Jim Dunn claimed the first Dirt Track World Champion crown which boasted $30,000, double the winner’s share of any other major event that year. Over the past 40 years, dirt late model veterans and rising young stars alike have etched their name in the Dirt Track World Championship history book. About General Tire:General Tire for over 100 years has offered a complete quality line of ultra-high performance, passenger, light truck, off-road, and commercial tires to meet all your needs. To learn more about General Tire, visit: www.generaltire.com. About Automotive Racing Products:ARP is the world leader in fastener technology, proudly made in the USA. Located in Ventura, CA, ARP’s product line contains thousands of part numbers, and has expanded to include virtually every fastener found in an engine and driveline and throughout the suspension and frame. These range from quality high performance OEM replacement parts to exotic specialty hardware for all forms of motorsports and marine applications. To learn more about ARP visit their website at www.arp-bolts.com. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:Dirt Track World Championship A-Main (100 Laps): 1. $100,000, 2. $20,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $8,000, 5. $7,500, 6. $7,000, 7. $6,000, 8. $5,000, 9. $4,500, 10. $4,000, 11. $3,500, 12. $3,250, 13. $3,000, 14. $2,750, 15. $2,700, 16. $2,650, 17. $2,600, 18. $2,575, 19. $2,550, 20. $2,525, 21. $2,500, 22. $2,500, 23. $2,500, 24. $2,500, 25. $2,500, 26. $2,500 = Total $215,100 Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifier (25 Laps): 1. $3,000, 2. $2,000, 3. $1,500, 4. $1,250, 5. $1,200, 6. $1,150, 7. $1,100, 8. $1,075, 9. $1,050, 10. $1,025, 11. $1,000, 12. $900, 13. $800, 14. $700, 15. $600, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500, 25. $500, 26. $500 = Total $23,850 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT2, (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials and Heat Races on Friday. Previous Dirt Track World Champions:2022 – Garrett Smith2021 – Ricky Thornton Jr.2020 – Brandon Sheppard2019 – Brandon Sheppard2018 – Josh Richards2017 – Josh Richards2016 – Brandon Sheppard2015 – Scott Bloomquist2014 – Scott Bloomquist2013 – Brandon Sheppard2012 – Jimmy Owens2011 – Don O’Neal2010 – Earl Pearson Jr.2009 – Jimmy Mars2008 – Brian Birkhofer2007 – Chub Frank2006 – Shannon Babb2005 – Scott Bloomquist2004 – Rick Eckert2003 – Darrell Lanigan2002 – Shannon Babb2001 – Bart Hartman2000 – Wendell Wallace1999 – Steve Francis1998 – Freddy Smith1997 – Marshall Green1996 – Billy Moyer1995 – Jack Boggs1994 – Ronnie Johnson1993 – Freddy Smith1992 – Ronnie Johnson1991 – Freddy Smith1990 – Jack Boggs1989 – John Mason1988 – Donnie Moran1987 – Larry Moore1986 – Billy Moyer1985 – Freddy Smith1984 – Jack Boggs1983 – Freddy Smith1982 – Charlie Swartz1981 – Jim Dunn

About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesFounded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2023, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 56 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap.  The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via MAVTV on FloRacing, with select broadcasts on MAVTV Motorsports Network.   The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.

The two-day event will boast a $12,000 payday on Friday and a $20,023 payout on SaturdayMESQUITE, TX (Oct. 16, 2023) – To help give Devil’s Bowl Speedway a proper send off, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series has increased the purse by more than $30,000 for the track’s final weekend.The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede will now see drivers contend for a $12,000 payday on Friday, Oct. 20, and in honor of the first and final years the World of Outlaws raced at Devil’s Bowl, Saturday’s purse will pay $20,023 to the winner and $1,978 to start.With the increases, the weekend’s overall purse is now at nearly $140,000 for the two-day weekend.Devil’s Bowl Speedway promoter Lanny Ross Edwards announced on Friday that the facility will close after the World of Outlaws doubleheader this weekend due to the sale of the property.The track became the birthplace of the World of Outlaws, hosting the Series’ inaugural event on March 18, 1978 – won by Jimmy Boyd. Since then, it has been a marquee stop on the tour and seen 88 World of Outlaws Sprint Car events in total.Three-time World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell holds the record for most Series wins at the track with 18. Twenty-time Series champion Steve Kinser is second with 14. Of active competitors, 10-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart are tied with three wins at the track.Four-time and reigning Series champion Brad Sweet and James McFadden scored wins at Devil’s Bowl in April.Adding to the significance of the event, the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede is also the final stop on the 2023 tour before the championship deciding World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 1-4.For tickets to Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s final two races, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

Reigning Five-Time World Champion Achieves New Milestone At Texas Motorplex

ENNIS, Texas (October 16, 2023) – Five-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders made history yesterday as she became the Winningest Woman In Motorsports. The fan-favorite driver earned her 47th career national event win today at the Texas NHRA FallNationals to reach this milestone accomplishment in front of a home-state crowd at Texas Motorplex behind the wheel of her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Camaro. “This one means a lot,” said Enders. “As a little girl that was eight years old with big dreams to be a professional driver one day, in my Jr. Dragster then making my way through the Lucas Oil series, and now being here (in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series) for 20 years, this Wally will sit proudly among a few other special ones. I give God all the glory. This has been quite the journey for us. It’s not been easy. There have been way more valleys than peaks. I give the Lord the credit and my team. Richard Freeman gave me an opportunity 10 years ago and we’ve never looked back. For JHG, Melling, SCAG, Gallagher, Peoplease, and all of our supporters, we got it done today!” Enders competes for Elite Motorsports, the largest professional team in drag racing, and her victory was hard-earned as she competed in one of the quickest Pro Stock fields in the history of the sport. Coming from the No. 3 qualifying spot, she had to defeat Eric Latino, her Elite Motorsports teammates Cristian Cuadra and Troy Coughlin Jr., before facing Dallas Glenn in the final round. The standout driver has 46 wins in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock category and one win in Super Gas from the beginning of her illustrious career.  Enders already holds the distinction of having more world championships to her credit than any other professional female drag racer. Her illustrious career is studded with landmark achievements in the sport including being the first woman to win a national event in the extraordinarily competitive NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock category. She currently holds both ends of the Pro Stock performance record and she is the only woman ever to win a Pro Stock world championship, a feat she’s managed to attain five times thus far. Enders has been making a splash in the world of motorsports for over twenty years. At just eight years old, she sat behind the wheel of her first Jr. Dragster. In the early 2000s, Disney produced a Disney Channel Original Movie about Erica and her sister Courtney which starred Beverly Mitchell and Brie Larson.  “I love proving people wrong when they underestimate me,” said Enders. “To get to do this job is an actual dream come true.” Prior to Enders’ win yesterday, Angelle Sampey held the record for most national event wins by a female driver. Sampey competed in Top Alcohol Dragster for the first time this weekend, showing that she can drive anything on four wheels just as well as two. The significance of her contribution to the sport, as well as that of legend Shirley Muldowney, is not lost on Enders.  “As a little kid, growing up, Angelle was one of my heroes,” said Enders. “We had her t-shirts and her autograph. When we made our professional debut, I only had one national event Wally in Super Gas. And the first seven seasons of my career went winless. I remember like it was yesterday, tying Shirley’s win record with 18 wins when we won the U.S. Nationals in 2015. Now here we are. And for this to be not just for NHRA, but for all professional motorsports worldwide, it’s substantial. But we’re not done yet. It just goes to show you, that if you don’t ever give up, great things can happen.” ***

Photos

Erica Enders was crowned the Winningest Woman In Motorsports at yesterday’s Texas NHRA FallNationals. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Erica Enders and her sister Courtney celebrate her 47th career win with Oliver the Watusi. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

The entire Elite Motorsports team celebrates Erica Enders becoming the Winningest Woman in Motorsports. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

RILEY HERBST SCORES FIRST XFINITY WIN AT LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS, NV – October 16, 2023 – Stewart-Haas Racing’s #98 Riley Herbst won Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, marking his first win in the Xfinity Series. The win also marked Stewart-Haas Racing’s 24th Xfinity Series victory and 100th win overall.

“Congratulations to Tony, Gene, Davin, Riley, and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing on the race win at Las Vegas,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Both Stewart-Haas cars were fast throughout the day. Riley raced his way from the back of the field and dominated at his hometown track for the win.”

“Oh my goodness. I love this town. I love this team. Davin Restivo believes in me, but I have to give a big shout out to Richard Boswell because I wouldn’t be the person I am or the race car driver without him. I can’t thank Monster Energy enough, Mitch Covington, Dave Gowan. Everybody said I couldn’t do it and those two people stuck behind my my whole career. You don’t even know what this means and what this takes off my chest. I can’t believe it. I love you Las Vegas. Let’s go,” commented Herbst.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer started Saturday’s race from P2 while Riley Herbst qualified in P8 but started the race at the rear of the field. With 10 of 45 laps remaining in Stage 1, Custer passed Chandler Smith to take the lead and win the stage by 0.392 seconds. A multi-car wreck at the beginning of the second stage red-flagged the race for nearly nine minutes to clean up the debris. Custer maintained the lead throughout the second stage until Riley Herbst made a last lap pass to win Stage 2. During the break before the final stage, all the cars on the lead lap pitted and Herbst won the race off pit road. With 75 laps remaining, Herbst held a 4-second lead over teammate Cole Custer. After a final round of green flag pit stops for new tires and fuel, Herbst cycled back to the lead with 56 laps to go and didn’t look back. Herbst took the checkered flag with a margin of 14.959 seconds over second place John Hunter Nemechek, leaving only 10 cars on the lead lap.

Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Cole Custer finished in P3.

The NASCAR Cup Series also raced at Las Vegas on Sunday. RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher finished in P4 and P10, Team Penske’s Joey Logano finished in P11, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick finished in P13 and P15. Both the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series head to Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida this weekend.

35 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 456 WINS – 420 POLES

DALLAS (October 15, 2023) —- Racing for the second time at the Texas Motorplex and the NHRA Texas Fall National 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year Camrie Caruso made progress this year advancing to the quarterfinals. Driving a pink Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro that was drawing attention to the National Breast Cancer Foundation on behalf of a marketing program coordinated by Solid Start/True Brand. Leading up to and throughout the race Caruso talked about the importance of early detection and the important work the NBCF was doing across the country.

 Camrie Caruso and Tequila Comisario/National Breast Cancer Foundation Chevrolet Camaro,
photo by Creative Innovation Experts

When qualifying started on Friday and Saturday Caruso was focused on holding onto her position in the top ten and advancing up the point standings. In a tough Pro Stock field Caruso drove her Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro with KB Titan Racing power to the No. 13 spot in the field of 23 race cars. Her quickest time of 6.506 seconds came during the third qualifying session to start the day on Saturday.
 
“I felt really good going into the first round,” said Caruso, who took a win earlier this year at the Arizona Nationals. “I am just very comfortable in this Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro and my team has been working really well together. Everyone at KB Titan Racing has been focused on putting all our teams in a position to win. I was really happy to get that first round win because it just meant more air time for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.”
 
This morning pulling up beside No. 4 qualifier Jerry Tucker Caruso was confident in her team’s adjustments as well as the primo conditions on the racetrack. As Caruso and Tucker rolled into the beams to stage, they both flickered the bulbs and Tucker jumped the tree handing Caruso an easy first round win. She drove her Camaro straight down her lane with winning time of 6.526 seconds at 210.65 mph
 
In the second round Caruso once again ran up against KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. Both of these drivers have enjoyed time in the winner’s circle this season. The evenly matched cars and drivers both knew they would need to bring their A Game to the starting line. Caruso left right with Glenn and she was beside him the whole way down the track. At the finish line Glenn was able to get the nose of his Camaro out in front of Caruso’s Tequila Comisario machine for the win. At the top end it was Glenn’s 6.515 second pass outdistancing Caruso’s 6.536 second run.
 
“Today was another good race day even though we didn’t get a win,” said Caruso, who also won the first Pro Stock Allstar Callout in Chicago. “We are making progress, but this is a tough, tough class. I know we are going to turn the corner any race now. I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas. There are lots more win lights out there for our Tequila Comisario team.”
 
Heading into the Nevada Nationals in two weeks Caruso is solidly in the top ten and will be poised for her best finish in the Pro Stock class with solid performances over the final two races. The Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro will be on track on Friday, October 27 for the first two qualifying sessions.
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 6.582 sec, 209.41 mph; Qual. 15
Q2: 6.520 sec, 210.27 mph; Qual. 13
Q3: 6.506 sec, 211.14 mph; Qual. 13
Q4: 6.517 sec, 211.79 mph; Qual. 13
Bonus Points: 0
 
Race Results
First Round
Camrie Caruso, Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, (.039), 6.526, 210.65 mph def. Jerry Tucker, Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, DQ – Red Light
 
Second Round
Dallas Glenn, Rad Torque Chevrolet Camaro, (.024), 6.515, 209.29 mph def. Camrie Caruso, Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, (.036), 6.536, 211.03 mph

Pro Stock Camping World Top Ten
1. Erica Enders             2454
2. Greg Anderson       2369
3. Dallas Glenn           2361
4. Matt Hartford         2346
5. Aaron Stanfield      2331
6. Troy Coughlin Jr      2309
7. Deric Kramer           2252
8. Kyle Koretsky          2219
9. Camrie Caruso        2205
10. Cristian Cuadra     2188
 
About Camrie Caruso
Camrie Caruso is a third-generation driver with Caruso Family Racing. The 25-year-old Pro Stock rookie is following the career path of her father, former Pro Mod racer Marc Caruso and her grandfather, “Papa Joe” Caruso, who competed in Super Gas, Top Sportsman, and Pro Mod. Racing a Chevrolet Camaro with KB Titan Racing Caruso, the reigning Rookie of the Year, will be chasing her first world championship in 2023. She first got behind the wheel of a race car when she was eight years old competing in the NHRA Junior Dragster League. She has continued to move up through the NHRA competition classes for over a decade rising to Top Alcohol Dragster as well as Elite Top Dragster and Pro Outlaw 632 in the PDRA. Caruso has a Finance degree as well as a Marketing degree from SUNY Empire State College. In 2018 she was recognized by Drag Illustrated magazine as a 30 Under 30, drag racing personality. For more information on Camrie visit www.camriecaruso.com and follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

NASCAR CUP SERIES LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SOUTH POINT 400 TEAM CHEVY RACE WIN RECAP OCTOBER 15, 2023 Larson, Byron Sit One-Two in Playoff Standings

·       Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson claimed the first spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four – driving his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 to a sweep of the stage wins and leading a race-high 133 laps en route to the victory in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ·       The win in the Round of Eight opening race marked Larson’s fourth NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, and his 23rd career win in 328 starts in NASCAR’s premier series. ·       Hendrick Motorsports swept the NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this season, with Larson’s victory extending the Chevrolet organization’s win record to nine trips to victory lane at the track.·       The victory marks Larson’s second time taking the win in the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight – last accomplished in his championship season (2021). ·       With 33 NASCAR Cup Series races complete, Chevrolet continues to led the series with 17 wins this season – more than its manufacturer competitors combined. ·       With his series-leading 19th top-10 finish this season, William Byron and the No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1 will enter the second race of the Round of Eight in the second position in the playoff standings. ·       With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 850 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER1st      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL13rd      Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL15th      Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL17th      William Byron, No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Oct. 15, 2023) – Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson will have the opportunity to become a repeat champion in NASCAR’s top division after driving his No. 5 HendrickCars.comCamaro ZL1 to the win in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Round of Eight opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The victory – his fourth of the season and 23rd all-time in the series – also came with the first guaranteed ticket into the Championship Four. This season will mark Larson’s second appearance in the title race at Phoenix Raceway, with his first coming in 2021 – a race that took the Team Chevy driver to his first career championship in the series.  “What a job done by my team,” said Larson. “Just a great race car. I almost gave it away there in one and two; getting sideways, hitting the wall. Had to fight back there with our balance. They got it much closer there in the lead.” The 31-year-old California native took the green-flag at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval from a front-row starting position after posting a runner-up qualifying result in his Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet. Larson took the lead on lap three, but struggled with loose-handling conditions in his Camaro ZL1 during the opening stage. Crew Chief Cliff Daniels quickly went to work on a plan for adjustments, and as the first round of green-flag pit stops cycled through, Larson regained the lead en route to the Stage One win.  Utilizing the stage break for another round of adjustments to help improve the handling of his car, Larson lined up in the seventh position for the start of Stage Two, but quickly found his way back into the top-five less than 15 laps into the stage. Nearing the halfway point of the stage, Larson was running steady in the second position and making ground on then-race leader Brad Keselowski when he made contact with the wall. Losing just a handful of positions, pit strategy from atop the No. 5 pit box called for a four-tire stop while the leaders opted for two in the closing laps of the stage. Fresh rubber gave Larson the opportunity to make quick work up the leaderboard – reclaiming the lead with 11 laps to go to sweep the stage wins.   Lining up in the third position for the start of the final stage, Larson settled into position until a caution came out on lap 210. Executing yet another fast stop, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 pit crew gained Larson two positions on pit road to put the team back in command with 52 laps to go in the race. Continuing to pace the field, playoff contender Christopher Bell made a late-race charge for the lead. Despite closing the gap in the remaining few laps, Larson was able to edge out Bell at the line to take the win by just a 0.082-second margin to deliver Chevrolet its 17th win in NASCAR’s premier series this season – a win record more than its manufacturer competitors combined. “Thanks to Chevrolet, HendrickCars.com, Valvoline, everybody involved in this deal,” continued Larson. “This is really cool to get to race in the championship in a few weeks. Glad we don’t need to stress in the last two races.”

Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron also drove to a strong points day at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. The 25-year-old Charlotte native qualified third in his No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1. Despite also struggling with a loose-handling race car for much of the race, Byron was able to collect top-10 finishes in both stages en route to the team’s series-leading 19th top-10 finish of the season. The result put Byron in the second position in the playoff standings with an 11-point advantage over the cutline heading into the second race of the Round of Eight at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  “We definitely need to just work on our build and how we build loose, but our No. 24 Relay Payments Chevrolet was solid,” said Byron. “The points are a lot tighter than we would want them to be, so we just have to have two good weeks, and hopefully go to Homestead (Miami Speedway) and have a little bit better long run speed.” Three drivers from three different Chevrolet teams collected top-five finishes in the 267-lap event with Larson leading Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch in the third position, while Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain rounded out the top-five.   The second race of the NCS Round of Eight will get underway at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 on Sunday, October 22, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Race Win Press Conference Transcript THE MODERATOR: Kyle, you punched your ticket to the Championship 4 in Phoenix with an incredible run out there. Walk us through your race from your perspective. KYLE LARSON: It was a really good race for us and our team. We were able to get the lead early. Kind of struggling with my balance out on the lead early in the race. I was really loose. Made some big adjustments, got our balance to a better spot. Still wasn’t quite perfect.Had some cautions work out in the first stage to get the first stage win. Then the second stage, I got really loose and about crashed off of two. Then the caution came out shortly after that. Kind of got to rerack ’em, put new tires on, go win that stage.Just a lot of cautions fell at the right time throughout the race. Same thing in the third stage. The pit crew did a great job on that final stop to get us control of the race. Kind of stretch out enough to where I knew they were going to be coming at the end. Just was going to hope that I had enough time to hold on, which thankfully we did. THE MODERATOR: We’ll open the floor for questions. Q. The finish with Bell on your tail, were you confident that you were going to be able to hold him off?KYLE LARSON: No, I wasn’t confident. The 43 let us go, which I was very thankful for. Then I was like, the whole way down the back, I was hoping the 38 was going to run the middle or the top. I wanted that clean air for the bottom. When he pulled down to the bottom, I knew I couldn’t follow him because it was going to choke me down too much.I didn’t really know what to do at that point. I thought my best bet or an opportunity for me to at least hold on to the lead offer of four was to go to the middle and hope I had enough grip. I hadn’t been there that whole run.I peeled to the middle and was really loose, knew that Christopher was going to be able to get a run. Thankfully he wasn’t able to get to my outside before the exit. Kind of looked in my mirror and had to zig and zag a little bit.He hit me square in the back bumper, kind of closed off the win for me.Yeah, got much closer than I wanted it to. Thankfully we were able to edge out a win. Thankfully Christopher ran us really clean there off of four. Q. You gave him that thumbs up. What’s the respect level between the two of you?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, that was just me kind of showing respect and saying thanks in a way for having us race it out.Obviously I’m happy because I won, but he’s always been a really fair, clean racer. We’ve had numbers and numbers of battles in stockcars, but mostly in dirt track. I’m typically the one that is the aggressor or the aggressive one in our battles. Probably push the limit of being dirty sometimes.For him to continue to race me clean, I definitely have a ton of respect for him. Always have. In my opinion, he’s one of the best race car drivers in the world, and could do everything that I get to do outside of NASCAR if his team would let him.It’s just fun to get to battle with a guy like that. I knew his car was going to be good the whole race. I got to lead right off the bat, then he was better than me there the first run. I knew he was going to be the guy to beat probably all race.Yeah, a lot of fun. Glad we were able to come out the winner. Q. The shared background that you have, the Chili Bowl battles, midgets, any significance to take that and duel here on a bigger spotlight?KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know how fans view it. I really enjoy getting to race a guy in the Cup Series that when we were starting out racing with each other, either of us weren’t in the Cup Series.I think his story and all of that, me being with Toyota, then not, moving forward with them, them kind of pushing him along after they felt like they lost an opportunity on me, I feel like I take pride a little bit in that, that he is in the Cup Series maybe partly because of me.But then, too, I mean, he kicked my ass for a few years straight, like every race. I don’t know if I ever beat him. Yeah, he made me work really hard to get better as a driver, especially on the dirt track stuff.Yeah, we’ve had our run-ins along the way, just tight racing for wins and stuff. Then now I feel like we actually get along and we talk quite a bit, then get to race with a lot of respect on Sundays on TV in front of millions of race fans.Yeah, it’s cool. Just need to get to race with a guy like that. I’m sure he’ll be one of the guys to beat at Phoenix, too, when he’s in the Final 4. Q. Can you walk me through your week. You won the Sprint car championship, the Indy rookie orientation. What has this week been like for you?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, it’s been a memorable week. A little bit maybe crazier than normal. But my weeks stay pretty crazy. It felt pretty normal in a way.It was awesome obviously to close out the High Limit Championship on Tuesday at Lincoln Park. From there, get focused on driving an INDYCAR for the first time. That all went really smooth and was an awesome experience getting to do something I’ve dreamt of for a long time, that’s just make laps in an INDYCAR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Yeah, the ROP went great. Came here to Vegas knowing we were going to have a car capable of winning and was able to get the job done with a lot of luck along the way. Just a cool week and one that I’ll definitely never forget. Q. What was going through your mind when you were sliding off of turn two?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, I was getting really loose at that point. It’s so bumpy in one and two that when you are loose, it makes it even worse going across those bumps.I got a little out of shape, had a moment, thought I had it saved. Usually when you do that, it just aggravates things. It stepped out really quick.Honestly, I was thinking I was just going to spin, then hit the inside wall. About that time I clipped the outside wall, got lucky. Was just thinking that I was going to do it again because now my right rear tire was scorched. I was so loose for the next however many laps before the caution came out.Thankfully that caution came out, kind of got to take a deep breath and really forget about that, try to forget about that moment as quick as possible, get refocused on the race ahead. Q. How do you think the racing on intermediates has evolved with the Gen 7 car over the last year?KYLE LARSON: So, yeah, I mean, I think the intermediate stuff, I don’t know how it looked on TV, but from my vantage point, I thought this was a great race. As big as a lead as the leader got to as much as I did that last run, they were able to still catch me at the end, we have a photo finish basically.Whatever it is about the Next Gen car, I’m sure it was an accident when they built it, I don’t mean that negatively, but I don’t think anybody can draw a car up to where you’re almost at a disadvantage while leading.With the Next Gen car, the leader, I don’t know what it is, but like you have so much more load with the clean air on your car that you wear out the right rear tire so much faster. That’s why the leader always gets loose. That’s why Bell was really loose in front of us the run before the last one. There were five, six, seven of us all close to him.Every run, the leader, he has the most of a balance shift throughout the run. Yeah, just makes the racing really tight because the leader has his hands full after 15, 20 laps and can’t really get away.That’s what I was fighting with at the end. Yeah, it’s cool because on TV it keeps us all really close and the finishes seem to be really exciting because of it. Q. Yesterday you came in here and said you like this track, this round. Now you’re locked into the championship. What is your plan? Do you trophy hunt now?KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, obviously it’s nice to win and lock in, you can focus on Phoenix. At the same point you really can’t look too far ahead of yourself. There’s still two other races before then.I put a lot of pressure on myself going to Homestead. I want to have a great run there. I want to dominate honestly. I want to win both stages by 15 seconds and win the race by 30 (smiling). That’s my goal.I’m not thinking really ahead of Homestead yet. Martinsville, as well. I want to go there and have another good run like we had earlier this year, go into Phoenix with a lot of confidence and momentum.I think if tomorrow I start worrying about Phoenix, then had two bad runs at Homestead and Martinsville, I think that would kill our momentum and confidence for Phoenix.Just put a lot of pressure on myself and our team to not get complacent, and treat every race like it means something. Q. In 2021 when you went into the Championship 4, you never had been there before, all new. Even as you focus on Homestead and Martinsville, how will this feel different having that experience knowing what’s ahead, not having to go in eyes wide open?KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I mean, it’s tough saying. I don’t really know anything about when I was in the Final 4 at Phoenix last time surprised me. I mean, although I hadn’t been in the Final 4 before, you’re still part of the race. It’s still another race. I think on that aspect it didn’t change anything then.Maybe I guess seeing how the media week is going to be different this year versus then. COVID a little bit then. I don’t know. I mean, I think more than anything, I’m glad I won and locked in, but I like that now I can go to Homestead, Martinsville and just race. You’re not really focused on points.You can be a little more aggressive now, trying to, yeah, just win really is the goal. At the same point, you don’t want to piss anybody off before we get to Phoenix, so that’s also a goal, is to race everybody fairly and not be a part of the story really the next couple weeks, other than winning would be great.Yeah, I don’t know. Just try not to get too far ahead of ourselves really. Q. Does winning this race now give you the edge over William?KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. William still had a really good day. Car speed-wise was probably off of what they’re used to having here it seems like this year.Again, I mean, he took what he had and made the most of it today. I haven’t seen the points. I still don’t take my eyes off of William at all. Him and his team, they’ve done the best job overall from start of the weekend to the end of the weekend every weekend. Whether they win or not, they seem to maximize their days.Yeah, but there’s a lot of tough competitors, too. I think Ryan Blaney, honestly he surprised me today. I felt like this wasn’t going to be a great round for him, or at least start of a round. I thought he did a great job today.Every one of the teams in the Round of 8, I think we’re up there kind of battling. Yeah, it will be interesting as we go into these next two. Thankfully we’ve got the win and don’t have to worry about points. Q. Phoenix in the spring was a great race for you. Led the most laps. Couple wild restarts at the end spoiled it. What stands out when you look back at that day? What can you take from that day?KYLE LARSON: Honestly, what I take from it is just a missed opportunity to win on my part. The team did everything on their end to get us in position to win. Again, William just executed a better restart than me, was able to get that win.It sucks to not win, but there’s so much to be learned from that final restart, just really the way the whole race played out.Yeah, I mean, I’ll study that a lot in case I’m in that position again and try to do a better job going forward. But, yes, Phoenix is a great track for us. Short tracks in general have been our strong suit this year. We’d love to go to Phoenix and have a great car again.As you saw today, versus the spring, William and I were way better than the field in the spring here, and look at the field. Everybody got a lot better coming back. It’s going to be the same thing at Phoenix when we get there in a few weeks. Everybody is going to be a lot better than they were in the spring.Just got to work really hard and study and try to execute a good weekend. Q. You won the championship two years ago. How does this year feel different as a group?KYLE LARSON: Honestly, it feels very similar. I mean, I know in the win column it doesn’t show that, but sheer speed and stuff, I feel like we’ve been very similar to where we were in 2021. We’ve probably contended for as many wins as we did then. It’ll just tougher. These Next Gen races are tougher to win than back then is all.In a lot of ways it feels similar. I’ve said that all along, since the beginning of the year, this feels very similar to 2021. Thankfully we’re in position like we were in 2021. Hopefully we can cap it off like we did then, too. Q. We’ve seen your team be lights out on pit road. What does that do for you in the race car? Does that pump you up?KYLE LARSON: I love cautions and I love pit stops (smiling). I do. I look forward to coming down pit road. I have got a ton of confidence in my guys. They showed today why they’re one of the best on pit road.Hendrick Motorsports as a whole really, all four teams, even the development teams, all do a great job. That’s a huge thank you to the coaching staff and everybody there in the pit department.Yeah, they’ve had to work on it for sure. Last year we were on ranked great on pit road, where this year we’ve been in the top two or three all season long.I definitely look forward to coming down pit road right now because I know my guys can get me out in front. THE MODERATOR: Kyle, congratulations on the victory. Good luck next week in Homestead. We’ll see you in the Championship 4.

CHEVROLET IN NHRA2023 TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS STAMPEDE OF SPEED TEXAS MOTORPLEX ENNIS, TEXAS TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE OCTOBER 15, 2023 ERICA ENDERS RACES TO THE DALLAS WIN AND BECOMES THE WINNINGEST FEMALE IN NHRA HISTORY WHILE EARNING CHEVROLET THEIR 380TH VICTORY IN PRO STOCK

In her 350th NHRA start, Erica Enders captured her 47th drag racing victory to further solidify herself in the history books and become the winningest female in NHRA history.Enders’ 47 NHRA wins came from behind the wheel of a Chevrolet, with 46 in Pro Stock and one in Super Gas.Enders’ Dallas win Sunday captured Chevrolet their 380th Pro Stock win and 261st in the Camaro for the Bowtie brand.Enders leaves the Texas NHRA FallNationals event the Pro Stock points leaders with two races, Las Vegas and Pomona, left in the Countdown to the Championship.16-time champion and veteran driver John Force raced to the final round to finish runner-up after defeating Jeff Diehl in Round 1, Cruz Pedregon in Round 2, and JR Todd in the semifinals.Veteran driver Lottig, driver of the ITI Trailers and Truck Bodies Chevrolet COPO Camaro, captured his second career FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 Qualifier Friday after three rounds of qualifying.Chevrolet also captured victories in both Stock Eliminator and Super Stock, with Jerry Emmons and Tyler Wudarczyk racing to their respective national event win for the Bowtie brand.Greg Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock, captured his second No. 1 Qualifier of the season and five bonus points toward the Countdown to the Championship with his run of 6.480 ET at 211.76 MPH.Deric Kramer raced his way to a $7,500 payday bonus after his career-best Friday night pass of 6.486 ET as part of Texas Motorplex’s Friday Night Live program. The driver with the fastest ET of the evening in each category wins prize money as well as a pair of custom Corral Boots.

ENNIS, Texas (October 15, 2023) – Capturing her 47th NHRA victory, her 46th in Pro Stock and one in Super Gas, Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock further solidified herself in the drag racing history books to become the winningest female in NHRA history. Defeating KB Titan Racing’s Dallas Glenn in her 79th career final round with her pass of 6.469 ET at 211.55 MPH to Glenn’s 6.493 ET at 210.40 MPH, the native Texan leveraged her 350th race to capture her third win of the season and continue her strong march to a potential sixth championship. With her 47 NHRA victories coming from behind the wheel of a Chevrolet, Enders said of her Wally trophies and wins, “We have a lot that mean an awful lot to us, but this one does a lot for self-confidence and for my team. As a little girl that eight years old with big dreams to be a professional driver one day in a junior dragster and working my way through the Lucas Oil Series, and now being here for 20 years, this one will sit proudly alongside some other ones. This has been quite the journey for us; it has not been easy. Way more valleys than peaks, but my team, man. Richard Freeman gave the opportunity ten years ago, and we’ve never looked back. This is quite the exciting weekend for us.” “Congratulations to Erica Enders on becoming the winningest woman in NHRA history, said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President for Performance and Motorsports. “Erica’s preparation, hard work, determination and focus on teamwork has been instrumental to her success. We are proud that Erica’s 47 wins and five championships have been in a Chevrolet.” John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, carried the Chevrolet nitro teams to the final round, defeating Jeff Diehl in Round 1, Cruz Pedregon in Round 2, and JR Todd in explosive fashion in semifinals, with the car facing a “blow up” towards the finish line and splitting the body. While Force walked away and readied for the final round, his John Force Racing team readied his Chevrolet to face Matt Hagan. While Force smoked the tires early in the run, and Hagan was able to capture the victory, it was still a strong day for the 16-time champion and drag racing legend. “I had a race car this weekend that was back in the hunt,” said Force. “(Crew chiefs) Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi and Mac Savage and the whole team ran this hot rod into 3.80s every run. Then it got in trouble in the semifinals when we had that explosion after it spun the tires. We got it back together thanks to all the teams joining in to help. I was in my moment because that’s how I lived and grew up in racing and I love being a part of it. It gets my energy up! I just couldn’t get the job done with Hagan. We wanted to help Robert (Hight) and cut a few points but he’s still only three rounds behind with two to go.” Facing a tough day at a critical time, the Top Fuel pairing of Brittany Force, driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, and Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, along with teammate Robert Hight, driver of the AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, saw their race days end prematurely in Round 1 after being defeated by their competitors. After securing his second career FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown No.1. Qualifier, Lenny Lottig faced off in his ITI Trailers and Truck Bodies Chevrolet COPO Camaro against Doug Hamp in the finals, with Hamp getting lane choice in the finals. Seeing an all-Chevrolet semifinal and final round, Lottig nabbed the win for the Bowtie brand in the category at the FallNationals after Hamp lost traction at the start and Lottig running of 7.628 ET at 172.42 MPH. With Aaron Stanfield leaving Dallas still leading the points and also representing Chevrolet, the Bowtie brand occupies the top two spots in the Championship with Stanfield leading and Stephen Bell in second.   In Stock Eliminator, Jerry Emmons raced to the FallNationals win in his Chevrolet SS 396, defeating Jimmy Hildago with his run of 10.514 ET at 113.36 MPH to Hildago’s 10.892 ET at 107.05 MPH. Additionally, in Super Stock, Tyler Wudarczyk picked up his sixth national event win in his Camaro, defeating Victor Penrod for the Wally trophy. With two races to go in the 2023 NHRA Countdown to the Championship, the penultimate event sees Team Chevy drivers and teams heading to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NHRA Nevada Nationals October 26-29, 2023. In competition and representing the Bowtie brand, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown take to the track that weekend to battle it out. Broadcast of Sunday’s eliminations air at 5 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“It was a tough Sunday for this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team. We qualified well. We had three killer runs and went into the show from the number four position and got beat first round. It’s hard to pack up and leave on that note (but) we head to Vegas next and we are looking to surprise everyone and come out and win it. This team can win! We’ve done it before, and we have two more races to get it accomplished this year.” Austin Prock, driver of the Rocky Mountain Twist/Montana Brand Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:“Not the way we wanted to end our weekend. We had a strong race car all weekend and just missed the set-up first round. The track was technical and got the best of us, but we will come out swinging again in Las Vegas, a win there would be a dream come true.” Robert Hight, driver of the AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:“Not the weekend that we hoped for. “This would have been a great opportunity to gain some points (but) this championship is far from over and the AAA/Cornwell team will bounce back in Vegas!” Greg Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for KB Titan Racing:“Every matchup is tough out here. These guys are bad to the bone, and I said that before. Anybody can beat anybody right now. Obviously, (Aaron Stanfield) did a better job. So, my hat is off to him. It’s an absolute dog fight out here. There are so many cars that can win, so many drivers that can go low or double-o lights on you. The price of poker right now is so high. Just disappointed I didn’t get it done. It’s been a good run lately, but I didn’t get it done there and that’s going to cost. Now, I need a miracle.” Troy Coughlin, Jr., driver of the JEGS.com Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports:“It’s racing. You sign the waiver at the gate, and it’s a danger. That’s just part of the game. It’s definitely unfortunate for everybody at Elite Motorsports, for all of our sponsors – JEGS.com, White Castle, really everybody on the car. I can tell you that everybody at Elite Motorsports is going to work extremely hard. We’re going to get it together for Vegas. The effort that goes into getting these things ready is second to none – the best. Everybody bands together and works so hard, so it’s really exciting. It’s definitely my driving force to becoming a better driver. Really, I could’ve done a better job keeping it off the wall. I knew (Erica Enders) was probably around me where the motor started to expire. I probably should’ve steered a little bit more to the inside. Things happen so fast and in the moment. The cockpit was full of smoke, my helmet full of smoke. You’re struggling to breathe, you’re not breathing your normal air. A lot of things aren’t like they are. You get into a routine. A lot of things are so different, but we’ll be back in Vegas. Have you had a chance to assess (the car)? Obviously, the motor expired and there’s some body damage, but do you have a lot of work to do?“I would say there’s going to be some hours involved. I would say I’ll be getting a couple of pizzas and a few things for the fellas.”

ERICA ENDERS, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports – Texas NHRA FallNationals Winner’s Press Conference: YOUR FIRST RACE AT TEXAS MOTORPLEX WAS IN A JUNIOR DRAGSTER, AND NOW YOU’RE LEAVING BOTH A PRO STOCK WINNER AND THE WINNINGEST FEMALE IN NHRA HISTORY. YOU ALSO HAVE THE POINT LEAD. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU BEING IN TEXAS…“We definitely came in here on a mission. Greg (Anderson) was just a little bit over around behind me, Matt (Hartford) was on his heels. It’s just such a tight field, and then you see everybody qualify on Friday and Saturday, and the top half is separated by just a few thousandths of a second. It’s absolutely crazy, cutthroat competition. I love racing at the Motorplex. Great day. I’m super stoked. My guys are amazing. We didn’t feel like we performed super well in qualifying. Yes, we ran in the top of the pack and qualified No. 3, but we were just missing it. I’m really grateful.” DID YOU EVER IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS IMAGINE DOING WHAT YOU JUST DID TODAY (RACING FROM JUNIOR DRAGSTERS TO BECOMING THE WINNINGEST FEMALE IN NHRA HISTORY)?“I don’t think so, but I say this a lot – ‘The magic of being a kid is actually believing what you think to happen will happen,’ and it did just that. As little kids, my sister and I grew up watching our dad race in the Sportsman series, and we just wanted to follow in his footsteps. NHRA came out with the Junior Drag Racing League when I was eight years old, and I drove those cars for nine years. I raced in the Lucas Oil Series for five, and now I’ve been racing Pro Stock for 20. I kind of have to pinch myself, and check myself when I get mad about things that happen when they do because I’m so blessed to do what I get to do for a living with the people that matter the most to me.” YOU BROKE A TIE TODAY WITH ANGELLE (SAMPEY). YOU ARE THE WINNINGEST FEMALE IN NHRA HISTORY WITH 47 NATIONAL EVENT TROPHIES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?“That’s pretty cool, and in all of motorsports. I’m pretty stoked for that. When I first started racing Pro Stock, Shirley Muldowney had 18 wins, and Angelle (Sampey) had so many. It just seemed so far away and I felt I’m never going to race that long to be able to accomplish that many wins. To have Angelle (Sampey) here this weekend while we do it is pretty awesome. She had a great showing in her first outing in Top Alcohol Dragster, so I’m really proud of her.” WHAT A RACE DAY YOU HAD. IT’S TREMENDOUS. WALK US THROUGH YOUR RACE DAY…“It was an awesome day. Epic, really. In qualifying, we felt like we missed it a little bit. Even though we were running at the top of the field, we just weren’t hitting on what we wanted to and felt like there was so much more out of that car. Going up for first round, of course there’s those Sunday nerves, but it’s also the Countdown. Greg (Anderson) and Matt (Hartford) were right behind me. There’s just so much on the line, it’s hard to control your emotions up there. We went out there and went a 46 first round. The guys were excited that everything looked great on the graph when we got back, and we knew that we had a racecar. Then it was my turn to dig myself out of a ditch and get my reaction times back to normal. Progressively all day long, I got better. We had a tremendous racecar. My guys worked really hard. “Again, when our backs are against a wall, we perform. When Aaron (Stanfield) beat Greg (Anderson), and (Troy Coughlin, Jr.) beat Matt (Hartford), I was the third pair behind them, and I was just so excited in the car just because of how everything was going. To have three Elite (Motorsports) cars in the final four is pretty substantial. Just thrilled for our entire performance today, and we parked it in the winner’s circle.” YOU STARTED A LONG WAY BEHIND ANGELLE (SAMPEY), AND TO BECOME THE WINNINGEST FEMALE IN NHRA, YOU HAD A BIT OF CATCH UP THERE. TELL US ABOUT THAT JOURNEY…“I guess I didn’t really realize how close we were until (NHRA) called me in the middle of the summer and said this is approaching, and these are the things we want to do when it happens. Jokingly, I was like ‘Man, I don’t want to talk about it because when we started talking about Greg’s (Anderson) 100th win, it took him a while to get there. Don’t talk about it. I don’t want jinx it. I just want it to come naturally.’ “As a little kid growing up, Angelle (Sampey) was one of my idols, one of my heroes. We had her t-shirts and her autographs and whatnot. For it to come full circle, and when we turned pro in 2004, making our pro debut in ’05, I only had one national event Wally, which was Super Gas. The first seven seasons of my pro career went winless. So, it took us a long time. I remember like it was yesterday tying Shirley Muldowney with 18 (wins), when we won the U.S. Nationals in 2015. Here we are at 47. It’s pretty crazy. To not have it for just drag racing, but for motorsports worldwide is, it’s pretty substantial. While, yes, I just want to be viewed as a driver, it is totally badass and I’m super thankful for the opportunity. “I always thought, ‘I’m not going to race that long, to get that many wins.’ Here we are, and we’re not done yet. It’s been a long journey but it’s been really fun. It goes to show you, if you don’t ever give up, great things can happen.” DALLAS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD LOSE A CHAMPIONSHIP, NOT WIN IT, BUT LOSE IT. HEADING TO VEGAS NEXT WHERE YOU ARE KNOWN TO DO WELL, HOW IMPORTANT WAS THIS?“To have things go right well here for us is huge. To spread the lead just a little (in the Countdown to the Championship), and as you mentioned going to Vegas, we’ve won nine or 10 nationals there. It’s no secret it’s my favorite place to race because it’s just so good to us. Coming off of a win here, and obviously we hope to carry the momentum through to Las Vegas, but then you have Pomona that’s points and a half, and it can throw a wrench in your spoke. You just have to put your head down and go to work. Again, I love racing here (in Dallas). They closed Houston, which was my home track, so this is my new home. I’ve raced here since the early ‘90’s with my family, so another huge thank you to the Meyer family for what they do for our sport, for loving it as much as we do, and making this so fun to win here.” LAST YEAR WAS A BIT OF A DIFFERENT STORY THIS TIME THEN, AND YOU HAVE QUITE HAD THE SEASON LIKE THAT THIS YEAR…“Lots of valleys and the start of the season was really not great at all. I don’t think we won a round for six races, which was just terrible and really painful, but it also makes me value my team that much more. We don’t get mad, we don’t have any less fun. Losing sucks, but winning is great. They put their heads down, and they went to work, and we figured out our problem even though week after week after week we were having the same issues. Being in June we were 15th in points, and we’re sitting here in the lead in points is absolutely unbelievable to me. Thankful for that, and yes, three semifinals in our first three Countdown races, and while we were slightly discouraged, my team owner was just like ‘We’ve got to semi out.’ Don’t lose before the (semifinals) and we’ll count it as a good day. So we keep our heads up and we keep going, and then we finally parked it in the winner’s circle here. But, it’s not over. It’s going to be a dog fight. I know that. These guys are really tough. We’re just going to do our best.”

Round 1 Recap:Top Fuel:No. 8 Austin Prock fell to No. 9 Antron Brown after losing traction on the start to Brown’s 3.682 ET at 329.0 MPH.No. 4 Brittany Force fell to No. 13 Spencer Massey after she lost traction mid-track to Massey’s run of 3.719 ET at 327.58 MPH. Funny Car:No. 2 John Force defeated No. 15 Jeff Diehl on a blistering run of 3.839 ET at 331.74 MPH to Diehl losing traction mid-track.No. 3 Robert Hight fell to No. 14 Terry Haddock after losing traction mid-track to Haddock’s 4.266 ET at 298.73 MPH. Pro Stock:No. 1 Greg Anderson defeated No. 16 Chris McGaha with Anderson running 6.481 ET at 211.83 MPH to McGaha’s 6.533 ET at 211.53 MPH.No. 8 Kyle Koretsky falls to No. 9 Aaron Stanfield after smoking the tires mid-track as Stanfield ran 6.503 ET at 210.72 MPH. No. 4 Jerry Tucker fell to No. 13 Camrie Caruso after Caruso ran 6.526 ET at 210.65 MPH to Tucker red-lighting on the start.No. 5 Dallas Glenn defeated No. 12 Bo Butner, III after Butner took off to the left at the start of his run to Glenn getting a solid, straight run at 6.492 ET at 210.84 MPH.No. 2 Troy Coughlin, Jr. defeated No. 15 Mason McGaha with his run of 6.476 ET at 212.56 MPH to McGaha’s 6.530 ET at 210.85 MPH.No. 7 Matt Hartford defeated No. 10 Fernando Cuadra, Jr. with his 6.509 ET pass at 212.11 MPH to Cuadra, Jr.’s 6.518 ET at 211.56 MPH.No. 3 Erica Enders defeated No. 14 Eric Latino in a close race with Enders running 6.467 ET at 212.23 MPH to Latino’s 6.530 ET at 210.95 MPH.No. 6 Deric Kramer fell to No. 11 Christian Cuadra after Cuadra ran 6.508 ET at 211.34 MPH to Kramer smoking the tires and facing issues on the run. Round 2:Funny Car:Force defeated Pedregon with a 3.845 ET at 327.68 MPH to Pedregon’s 3.889 ET at 328.59 MPH. Pro Stock:Anderson fell to Stanfield with his run of 6.488 ET at 210.69 MPH to Stanfield’s 6.498 ET at 210.50 MPH.Caruso fell to Glenn with her run of 6.536 ET at 211.03 MPH to Glenn’s 6.515 ET at 209.29 MPH.Coughlin, Jr. defeated Hartford with his run of 6.501 ET at 211.84 MPH to Hartford’s 6.509 ET at 210.74 MPH.Enders defeated Cuadra with her run of 6.473 ET at 211.74 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.511 ET at 211.33 MPH. Semifinals:Funny Car:Force defeated JR Todd, with Todd smoking the tires mid-track and Force facing an explosion and body split towards the end of the run. With Force okay and getting to the finish line first, he moves on the final round. Force took the winlight with a run of Pro Stock:Stanfield fell to Glenn after facing issues on the starting line, with Glenn running 6.500 ET at 210.40 MPH.Enders defeated Coughlin, Jr. with her run of 6.476 ET at 211.88 MPH to Coughlin, Jr.’s 6.843 ET at 164.08 MPH. Finals:Pro Stock:Enders defeated Glenn with her pass of 6.469 ET at 211.55 MPH to Glenn’s 6.493 ET at 210.40 MPH.

October 15, 2023

After struggling through practice, qualifying and the first two thirds of Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team found some speed in the closing stages of the race and came away with a 20th-place finish.

It was the team’s 11th top 20 of the season and the second in the past four races.

Burton started Sunday’s 400-miler on the 1.5-mile track from 33rd place. He ran outside the top 25 in the early going and fell a lap down by the 47th of 267 circuits.

The DEX Imaging team elected to take the wave-around during the next caution flag, at Lap 67, and held on to the lead lap through the end of the first Stage. Burton was scored in 25th place at the end of that 80-lap segment.

The DEX Imaging team ended the second Stage in 27th place, on the lead lap.

In the third and final segment of the race, Burton and the team found some of the speed they’d been lacking and were running 24th when they made their final pit stop of the race during a caution period at Lap 211. 

Restarting 24th, Burton started working his way forward and moved into the top 20 at Lap 234. He moved into 18th place on Lap 242 and held that spot for 12 laps before losing two spots with 12 laps to go. He remained in the top 20 for the remainder of the race.

Burton and the No. 21 team now turn their focus to another intermediate-length track, Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosts the Dixie Vodka 400 next Sunday.

 

NHRA Pro Stock Points Leader Triumphs in Texas

ENNIS, Texas (October 15, 2023) – Elite Motorsports Pro Stock star Erica Enders became the Winningest Woman In Motorsports today when she picked up the 47th national event win of her career at the NHRA Texas FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The Elite Motorsports driver has 46 wins in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock category and one win in Super Gas from the beginning of her illustrious career.  “We definitely came in here on a mission,” said Enders. “It’s such a tight field. The top half was separated by only a few thousandths of a second. It’s absolutely crazy, cutthroat competition. I love racing at the Texas Motorplex. I’m so thankful to the Meyer family for what they do for our sport. We’re so blessed to race in Texas with a family who loves our sport as much as we do. I’m super stoked. My guys are amazing. I’m really grateful.” From qualifying to the final round, the entire Elite Motorsports Pro Stock team shattered a number of personal bests in both speed and elapsed times this weekend at the Stampede of Speed.  Jerry Tucker made a career-best run during qualifying with a pass of 6.486 seconds at a blistering pace of 213.09 mph, laying down the best speed of any Pro Stock driver this season. That impressive run behind the wheel of his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer Camaro landed him in the No. 4 position on the ladder in one of the quickest fields in Pro Stock history. His Elite Motorsports teammates Troy Coughlin Jr. and Enders were ahead of him on the qualifying sheet in the No. 2 and 3 spots, respectively.   Fernando Cuadra Jr. achieved a new personal best E.T. and speed when he went 6.500 at 210.59 during qualifying. Not to be outdone, his brother Cristian Cuadra matched him with an identical career-best elapsed time with his pass of 6.500 at 210.20.  In the first round of eliminations at Texas Motorplex, Aaron Stanfield’s Janac Bros. / JC3 Energy Services / Melling Engine Parts Camaro defeated Kyle Koretsky after Koretsky shook the tires coming off the starting line. While F. Cuadra Jr. made an early exit against Matt Hartford, C. Cuadra piloted his Corral Boots Mustang to turn on the win light against Deric Kramer. In the next pair, Bo Butner left the clutch out and his car immediately veered left. He got back into the groove but it was not enough to take down Dallas Glenn. Tucker experienced a similar fate when he left the starting line a tick too early against Camrie Caruso.  Five-time reigning world champion Enders managed to outdo herself in the first round when she set the low E.T. of the event against Eric Latino with a savage pass of 6.467 at 212.23. Her teammate Coughlin was quick to follow suit. While he had already reached a new personal best in his qualifying effort, that wasn’t good enough for Coughlin. In the first round of race day, he charged to the stripe against Mason McGaha with a vicious pass of 6.476 at 212.56 to achieve the best speed and elapsed time of his burgeoning career.  The Elite Motorsports team kept that positive momentum going into the second round of eliminations. Stanfield earned a holeshot win against Greg Anderson thanks to a stellar reaction time of .029 seconds. Coughlin and Matt Hartford were wire-to-wire in their quarterfinal race. Coughlin’s JEGS.com Camaro managed to stay ahead of Hartford to advance to the semifinals. Elite Motorsports teammates Enders and C. Cuadra rounded out the quarterfinal pairings. Enders got the starting line advantage and took it all the way to the stripe with yet another ferocious pass clocking a 6.473 at 211.74. In the semifinals, Stanfield’s car lunged through the beams during staging against his opponent Glenn who made a clean pass to advance into the finals. And in yet another all-Elite pairing, Enders and Coughlin faced off against one another for the 15th time in their careers. Enders outpaced Coughlin at the hit with a fantastic reaction time of .012 seconds. Her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Camaro held for the win as Coughlin went up in smoke just past half-track. He managed to pull the car over to the wall and safely exit the car despite the cockpit being full of smoke.  All eyes were on Texas native Enders as she pulled into the water box opposite Glenn. The fan-favorite driver launched first and raced to her third victory of the season running a 6.469 at 211.55, extending her championship points lead in the process.  Today’s triumph landed Enders in the record books as she earned the distinction of being the winningest woman not only in NHRA history but in all professional motorsports. In the Right Trailers Top Sportsman category, David Cuadra went to his second final round of the season and the fifth of his career to earn a runner-up finish. Corral Boots, owned by the Cuadra family, debuted a new addition to the NHRA midway this weekend. The Corral Boots pop-up store built by Competition Trailers is the first of its kind. The unique retail offering garnered a lot of excitement from fans, customers, crews and sponsors as everyone wanted to see the dynamic display.  While it was a great event for all of the members of the Elite Motorsports team, the real MVP was Aubrey Coughlin, the precocious daughter of Troy Jr. and Brenna Coughlin. She outpaced the competition in this season’s final Red Line Oil toddler race emerging victorious with a standout performance by any estimation. Competition in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will continue on October 26-29 at the penultimate event of the season, the NHRA Nevada Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  ***

Unofficial Pro Stock Points Standings For The Countdown To The Championship

1. Erica Enders 2,454 2. Greg Anderson 2,369 3. Dallas Glenn 2,361 4. Matt Hartford 2,346  5. Aaron Stanfield 2,331 6. Troy Coughlin Jr. 2,309 7. Deric Kramer 2,252  8. Kyle Koretsky 2,219 9. Camrie Caruso 2,20510. Cristian Cuadra 2,188 11. Bo Butner 2,18412. Fernando Cuadra Jr. 2,13013. Jerry Tucker 2,10014. Chris McGaha 2,09415. Mason McGaha 2,08316. Fernando Cuadra Sr. 1,980

Photos

Erica Enders gives fans a smokey burnout in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Aaron Stanfield takes to the track in his Janac Brothers / JC3 Energy / Melling Engine Parts Camaro at Texas Motorplex. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Troy Coughlin Jr. launches his JEGS.com / White Castle Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Bo Butner powers onto the track in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Fernando Cuadra Jr. in his Corral Boots Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Jerry Tucker warms up the tires of his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer Camaro. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Cristian Cuadra in his Corral Boots / Cuadra Mustang. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Fernando Cuadra Sr. in his Corral Boots / Cuadra Mustang. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

David Cuadra raced to a runner-up finish in Texas. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Aubrey Coughlin smoked the competition in the Red Line Oil Toddle bike race. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

 

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 15, 2023) – For the third time in 2023 Lenny Lottig took the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown title, today winning the 38th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Lottig and the ITI Trailers & Truck Bodies COPO Camaro grabbed the No. 1 qualifier and defeated David Barton, point leader Aaron Stanfield, Ricky Hord before taking out Doug Hamp to move to No. 3 in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown point standings.

 Lenny Lottig, Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Texas Fall Nationals winner, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“It’s great to be here you know and this is a great, great place to win,” said Lottig moments after the win. “The fans are awesome. This has been the tightest field we’ve ever raced at and so everybody had to be at their best. We have a good team and you know we have an awesome Barton engine. Life is pretty good right now. It’s been a blessing to be able to go and compete at this level.”
 
In the semifinals it was Lottig taking the win with a .007 reaction time after Richard Hord redlit. Lottig continued to post great elapsed times running 7.650 seconds at 179.70 mph. His final round opponent Doug Hamp dispatched Scott Libersher after Libersher was distracted on the starting line and succumbed in the semifinals with a .398 second reaction time.
 
Coming into eliminations as the No. 1 qualifier, Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Equipment Dodge Drag Pak team picked up their first Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown victory of his career Sunday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
 
On his way to victory, Pawuk, who was the No. 1 qualifier, set the national elapsed time record at 7.583 seconds and won $1,000 in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Bounty Program by defeating the previous event winner, Aaron Stanfield.
 
Point leader Stanfield raced his Stanfield Racing Engines Chevrolet COPO Camaro to the quarterfinals before he lost a close race to No. 1 qualifier Lenny Lottig. A win would have clinched Stanfield’s third Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world championship title but the 28-year-old from Bossier City, Louisiana, will have to wait for his coronation as champion until the NHRA Nevada Nationals.
 
“It’s an honor and then to be able to compete and win against Aaron. Beating him is almost as good as winning the race. He is an amazing competitor and great racer,” added Lottig.

 No. 1 qualifier and Texas Fall Nationals race winner in Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown,
photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

In the first round David Janac drove his Janac Brothers Ford Mustang to victory over St. Louis Midwest Nationals winner Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Equipment Dodge Drag Pak to collect the $1,000 Flexjet bounty. Pawuk earned the bounty with a dominant performance in St. Louis where he was No. 1 qualifier and victor for the first time in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown series.
 
Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown series will conclude with the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 26-29.
 
Flexjet Bounty Program
Gatornationals (Gainesville, FL)
$1,000 bounty collected by Joe Welch, defeated Aaron Stanfield, Dallas winner
Four-Wide Nationals (Charlotte, N.C.)
$1,000 bounty collected by Lenny Lottig, defeated Joe Welch, Gainesville winner
Route 66 Nationals (Chicago)
Bounty not collected
Thunder Valley Nationals (Bristol)
$2,000 bounty collected by Lee Hartman, defeated Lenny Lottig, Charlotte and Chicago
winner
Summit Racing Equipment Nationals (Norwalk, Ohio)
$1,000 bounty collected by Stephen Bell, defeated Aaron Stanfield, Bristol winner
U.S. Nationals (Indianapolis)
$1,000 bounty collected by Jesse Alexandra, defeated Stephen Bell, Norwalk winner
Pep Boys NHRA Nationals (Reading)
$1,000 bounty collected by David Davies, defeated Jesse Alexandra, Indianapolis
Winner
Midwest Nationals (St. Louis)
$1,000 bounty collected by Mark Pawuk, defeated Aaron Stanfield, Reading winner
Texas Fall Nationals (Ennis, TX)
$1,000 bounty collected by David Janac defeated Mark Pawuk, St. Louis winner
2023 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Results
Gainesville – Joe Welch, winner; Aaron Stanfield, runner-up
Charlotte – Lenny Lottig, winner; Aaron Stanfield, runner-up
Chicago – Lenny Lottig, winner; Doug Hamp, runner-up
Bristol – Aaron Stanfield, winner; Del Holbrook, runner-up
Norwalk – Stephen Bell, winner; Lee Hartman, runner-up
Indianapolis – Jesse Alexandra, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up
Reading – Aaron Stanfield, winner; Del Holbrook, runner-up
St. Louis – Mark Pawuk, winner; Stephen Bell, runner-up
Ennis – Lenny Lottig, winner; Doug Hamp, runner-up
 
Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Top Ten Points Standings
1. Aaron Stanfield              851
2. Stephen Bell                  720
3. Lenny Lottig                  639
4. Mark Pawuk                  583
5. Jesse Alexandra            559
6. Doug Hamp                   492
7. Del Holbrook                 484
8. David Janac                  478
9. Lee Hartman                 458
10. David Davies II            444
 
Ab

Manufacturer, drivers and team recognized at IMSA event for season achievements

DETROIT (Oct. 15, 2023) – Cadillac swept top honors for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, earning its fourth Manufacturer Championship and fifth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title in the prototype classification since 2017. Participants were recognized and trophies presented Sunday during the IMSA WeatherTech Night of Champions at the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, Georgia.

Competing in the first-year Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) classification, Cadillac Racing registered two victories, six podiums overall and two pole starts in the nine-race season to clinch the GTP Manufacturer Championship. Cadillac also won Manufacturer Championships in 2017, 2018 and 2021 in the IMSA DPi era. Cadillac added to its IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championship total as the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R topped the standings in the four-race series that was capped Saturday in the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Cadillac previously won in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. “It’s been an incredible season,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “On behalf of everyone at Cadillac, I’d like to thank IMSA for the incredible work they’ve done to usher in the first year of hybrid sports car racing. It’s a great honor to win the inaugural IMSA GTP Manufacturer and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.”Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims, drivers of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R fielded by Action Express Racing, earned the GTP Driver and Team Championship. Derani received his second Bishop-France Trophy in the past three years with Cadillac Racing. Derani, Sims and Jack Aitken also secured the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Driver and Team Championship. They won at Sebring International Raceway and were runner-up at Watkins Glen International. Cadillac has used two decades of racing to develop the foundations of performance driving, most notably under its V-Series portfolio that is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The track-capable CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing, CT5-V, CT4-V and Escalade-V seamlessly incorporate learnings from the track to the road.

The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season kicks off with the traditional Roar Before the 24 on Jan. 19-21 at Daytona International Speedway, followed Jan. 27-28 by the 62nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. A fifth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup event – in September at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – and a June date on the streets of Detroit also highlight the season. Cadillac Racing by the numbers Cadillac Manufacturer Championships in all series: 9   IMSA GTP (2023)   IMSA DPi (2021, 2018, 2017)   Pirelli World Challenge GT (2014, 2013, 2012)   SPEED World Challenge GT (2007, 2005)IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championships: 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017IMSA GTP/DPi Driver Championships: 2023, 2021, 2018, 2017IMSA GTP/DPi Team Championships: 2023, 2021, 2018, 2017IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Driver Championships: 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Team Championships: 2023, 2018, 2017

JOHN FORCE RUNNER-UP AT TEXAS FALL NATIONALS; HIGHT STILL IN BATTLE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 15, 2023) – John Force and a resurgent PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team put up career best performance numbers in qualifying and powered their way into the final round of Sunday’s 38th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex before losing to new points leader, Matt Hagan. Meanwhile, the path to a fourth world championship became a little more challenging for Robert Hight and the AAA / Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS team after they were upended in the first round along with Top Fuel teammates Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team and Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team. After qualifying second with a career-best time of 3.823 seconds, Force drove his PEAK Chevy past Jeff Diehl in an upset-filled round one and beat Cruz Pedregon in their 122nd career meeting before dispatching J.R. Todd in an engine-destroying semifinal.  In the final, the 16-time series champ got a slight advantage at the start before his Chevy lost traction and slowed to just 94.02 mph at the end of a 6.818-second run. It was Force’s 266th final round appearance and it enabled him to leapfrog four rivals and move into fifth place in points as the tour moves in two weeks to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NHRA Nevada Nationals. “I had a race car this weekend that was back in the hunt,” said a re-energized Force. “(Crew chiefs) Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi and Mac Savage and the whole team ran this hot rod into 3.80s every run. Then it got in trouble in the semifinals when we had that explosion after it spun the tires.  We got it back together thanks to all the teams joining in to help.  I was in my moment because that’s how I lived and grew up in racing and I love being a part of it.  It gets my energy up! “I just couldn’t get the job done with Hagan,” lamented the 155-time tour winner.  “We wanted to help Robert and cut a few points but he’s still only three rounds behind with two to go.” After improving by four positions in Saturday’s final qualifying session (to 3.832 seconds), Hight and his team were victimized by changing track conditions on race day.  When No. 1 qualifier Bob Tasca III lost traction in the left lane as one of the first two Funny Cars down the track, crew chief Jimmy Prock responded by making changes to the set-up on the AAA Camaro.  However, those adjustments weren’t quite enough to keep Hight’s car from suffering a similar fate as it lost traction and slowed to 4.273 seconds in a narrow .005 of a second loss to Terry Haddock.  Fortunately, Tim Wilkerson helped minimize the damage by taking out Tasca in round two, opening the door for Hagan to assume the points lead with just two races remaining. When Nevada Nationals qualifying begins on Oct. 27, Hight will trail Hagan by 69 points and Tasca by 32 as he tries to become just the fourth driver to win as many as four NHRA series championships. “Not the weekend that we hoped for,” said the 62-time tour winner.  “This would have been a great opportunity to gain some points (but) this championship is far from over and the AAA/Cornwell team will bounce back in Vegas!” Brittany Force and her Flav-R-Pac team qualified solidly in the No. 4 position but, like Hight, suffered a loss of traction in a challenging first round that allowed Spencer Massey to drive around for an upset win.  After qualifying at 3.657 seconds, the two-time and reigning Top Fuel champ slowed to only 4.676 seconds at a pedestrian 156.30 mph in the opening stanza. “It was a tough Sunday for this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team,” said the two-time and reigning World Champion.  “We qualified well.  We had three killer runs and went into the show from the number four position and got beat first round.  It’s hard to pack up and leave on that note (but) we head to Vegas next and we are looking to surprise everyone and come out and win it.  This team can win!  We’ve done it before, and we have two more races to get it accomplished this year.” A year after earning runner-up honors at the Motorplex in a Countdown run that propelled him from 12th to third in the 2022 point standings, Austin Prock couldn’t advance beyond a first round meeting with three-time former World Champion Antron Brown on Sunday.  Like teammates Hight and Force, Prock was undone by a loss of traction, his Montana Brand entry slowing to 5.861 seconds at only 132.99 mph after qualifying at 3.669 seconds at 33.23 mph. “Not the way we wanted to end our weekend,” Prock said.  “We had a strong race car all weekend and just missed the set-up first round.  The track was technical and got the best of us, but we will come out swinging again in Las Vegas, a win there would be a dream come true.” -30-

AUSTIN PROCK, 28, Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragsterQualifying:8th; 3.669-seconds; 327.89 mphBonus Qualifying Points:0Race Results: Lost to Antron BrownBRITTANY FORCE, 37, Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy dragsterQualifying:4th; 3.657-seconds; 335.72 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+4 (2nd quickest in Q3 and Q4)Race Results:Lost to Spencer MasseyJOHN FORCE, 74, PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying: 2nd; 3.823-seconds; 328.56 mphBonus Qualifying Points: +6 (3rd quickest Q1, 2nd quickest in Q3, Quickest in Q4) Race Results:Beat Jeff Diehl, Cruz Pedregon, JR Todd; Lost to Matt HaganROBERT HIGHT, 54, AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:3rd; 3.832-seconds; 327.75 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+4 (2nd quickest Q1 and Q4)Race Results: Lost to Terry Haddock

Photo Credit: Gary Nastase, Auto Imagery

Unofficial NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Championship Points Standings(After four of six races in the Countdown to the Championship) TOP FUEL – 1. Leah Pruett, 2414; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2410; 3. Steve Torrence, 2401; 4. Justin Ashley, 2306; 5. Antron Brown, 2304; 6. Mike Salinas, 2283; 7. Clay Millican, 2270; 8. Brittany Force, Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac dragster, 2249; 9. Tie, Austin Prock, Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster, and Tony Schumacher, 2195 each; 11. Shawn Langdon, 2166; 12. Josh Hart, 2129. FUNNY CAR – 1. Matt Hagan, 2461; 2. Bob Tasca III, 2425; 3. Robert Hight, AAA/Cornwell Tools Chevy Camaro SS, 2392; 4. Ron Capps, 2362; 5. John Force, PEAK Coolant and Antifreeze Chevy Camaro SS, 2263; 6. J.R. Todd, 2249; 7. Chad Green, 2240; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2236; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 2196; 10. Alex Laughlin, 2194; 11. Cruz Pedregon, 2149.

ENNIS, TX (October 15, 2023) — To figure out what works, you sometimes first have to go through what doesn’t. For Top Fuel driver and team owner, Josh Hart and his R+L Carriers team, they are still working on that process of elimination as they begin to wrap up the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag racing Series race season at the 38th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex.

 Josh Hart and Brakes for Breasts Top Fuel dragster, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“This was a great event and I just wish we could have performed a little better,” said Hart. “The crowds were amazing and we just got behind and couldn’t catch up. The Stampede of Speed is always one of the most fun events of the season. These conditions were perfect for our Brakes for Breasts Top Fuel dragster and we just have to do a little better job capitalizing on them. I know everyone is working their tails off and we need to keep a positive attitude. There are two races left and I want to go rounds to close out the Countdown.”
 
Hart went into qualifying energized, making two incredibly solid qualifying passes on Friday and Saturday. His best run of the weekend came in the third round of qualifying, when he made a 3.738 second, 326.87 mph pass.
 
“I am living my dream out here, but this sport gives you highs and lows,” said Hart. “We are not going to let these stumbles distract us from our ultimate goal of racing against and beating the best teams out here. The competition is tough but know we can battle with the best of the best.”
 
The weekend came to an early end when Hart fell to Doug Kalitta, who is currently No. 2 in points, in the first round on Sunday. But fortunately it was still a memorable event for the Florida-based entrepreneur, who chose to race in pink for the third year in a row, raising money and support for the Brakes for Breasts organization.
 
“I want to thank all the fans that came by the pits and thanked us for the Brakes for Breasts race car,” said Hart. “We are making an impact with raising money to breast cancer research. That is a big deal that is hopefully changing people’s lives. We will be in the Brakes for Breasts car in Las Vegas and hopefully we can get her into the Winner’s Circle.”
 
Hart will finish out the 2023 Camping World Drag Racing Series season by competing in the last two races of the Countdown at the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas and the NHRA Finals in Pomona, CA. You can purchase a special-edition Brakes for Breasts t-shirt here.
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.746 sec, 326.44 mph; Qual. 11
Q2: 4.941 sec, 146.09 mph; Qual. 14
Q3: 3.738 sec, 326.87 mph; Qual. 15
Q4: 4.876 sec, 148.05 mph; Qual. 15
Bonus Points: 0
 
Race Results  
First Round

Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools dragster, (.052), 3.689, 329.74 mph def. Josh Hart, Brakes for Breasts dragster, (.050), 9.918, 58.18 mph

Top Fuel Top Ten

1. Leah Pruett             2414
2. Doug Kalitta             2410
3. Steve Torrence       2401
4. Justin Ashley           2306
5. Antron Brown         2304
6. Mike Salinas           2283
7. Clay Millican           2270
8. Brittany Force         2249
9. Tony Schumacher   2195
9. Austin Prock            2195
11. Shawn Langdon    2166
12. Josh Hart              2129

 

ENNIS, TX (October 15, 2023) — NHRA top end announcer Jason Galvin said it best, when he called Top Fuel driver and team owner, Buddy Hull, the “happiest first round loser he’s ever seen.” Hull, a Dallas-based business owner, claimed it’s impossible to not be thrilled when you make your career-quickest and fastest run ever, going against eventual race runner-up and longtime friend, Steve Torrence, at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals today.

 Buddy Hull and Down Syndrome Foundation of North Texas Top Fuel dragster, photo by Ron Lewis

“I’m just so excited to be out here, competing in the 38th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals,” said Hull. “Dallas is my home track, because it’s a city that has poured into me as much as I have into it. On top of that, the Stampede of Speed hosted by the Texas Motorplex is just about as much fun as you can ever have.”
 
In his 17^th career start, Hull qualified in the No. 16 spot, after making a strong 3.780 second, 321.11 mph pass in the first round of qualifying. At the time, it was the quickest pass of his career.
 
“Round one of qualifying on Friday really fired me up,” said Hull. “It was exactly what we needed to kick off the weekend and show the Top Fuel field that we are here to compete. And then we had three more rounds of qualifying to help us figure some tuning stuff out. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The races with four rounds of qualifying are the best for teams like ours, because that extra qualifying pass makes all the difference when you aren’t racing every weekend.”
 
It then got even better on Sunday during race day, when Hull made a 3.739 second, 324.42 mph pass, the quickest and fastest run of his career. In a strong side-by-side race, Hull just barely fell to Torrence, who made a 3.664 second, 333.21 mph pass.
 
“I love racing Steve Torrence,” said Hull. “He and I always joke around, because I’ve raced him more than anyone else out here. For us to come out here and run a 3.73… Steve and I left at practically the same exact time, and a career-best run for me. All I said to Steve when I got out of the car was “dude that was awesome, we had a lot of fun, now finish this thing off!””
 
On top of a career best, Hull had a blast during the Fall Nationals, being one of the most involved drivers during the Stampede of Speed. Hull opened the 10-day motorsports and music extravaganza competing in the inaugural Texas Invitational match race last Saturday and Sunday. He was then able to interact with fans by signing autographs at the annual Fan Fest event.
 
“The Stampede of Speed is a world-class event that I look forward to every year,” said Hull. “This year’s event was the best yet, and I think the fans could tell. There’s a different energy in the air when fans can get more in on the action, with all of the events and close-up time with us drivers. It’s what really sets this sport apart, and one of the many reasons why I love it so much.”
 
Hull took the excitement of the Fall Nationals even further by debuting a new lime green and teal paint scheme, raising awareness and money for the Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas. Leading up to and during the race weekend, fans could donate to the Buddy Hull Racing Fundraising page, supporting their goal of supporting individuals with Down syndrome, their families and caregivers in achieving the universally desired goals of self-fulfillment, pride in one’s achievements, inclusion in the community and reaching one’s fullest potential through social and educational activities.
 
“I absolutely love being able to support incredible organizations like DSPNT,” said Hull. “I’m working really hard with my team to compete at even more races next season, and to be able to shed a light on some really great causes. This year was all about building to where we want to be in 2024, and I am confident that we will be even better next season.”
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.780 sec; 321.11 mph; Qual. 13
Q2: 9.668 sec; 90.14 mph; Qual. 15
Q3: No Time; Qual. 17
Q4: 9.331 sec, 84.39; Qual. 16
 
Race Results
 
First Round
Steve Torrence, Capco Contractors dragster def. (.062), 3.664, 333.21 mph Buddy Hull, Down Syndrome Foundation of North Texas dragster (.082), 3.739, 324.42 mph

ENNIS, TX (October 15, 2023) — Looking to become the first Top Fuel driver to win three NHRA Texas Fall Nationals titles in a row Justin Ashley brought the Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster powered by Phillips Connect into eliminations with high hopes. As the No. 6 qualifier on the strength of his 3.661 second, 336.20 mph run Ashley matched up with veteran Clay Millican in a tough first round match-up between Countdown championship contenders. The team owner and driver was bringing momentum from a strong final round of qualifying pass that saw him earn a qualifying bonus point as one of the three quickest Top Fuel dragsters of the final session.

 Justin Ashley and the Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster powered by Phillips Connect,
photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

The Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster rolled up for the first round against Millican as the final pair of Top Fuel dragsters to open race day. In a wild first round several top contenders dropped races on a cool and quick Texas Motorplex all-concrete racetrack. Ashley continued his domination on the starting line getting a great start with a .037 second reaction time as his 11,000-horsepower race car launched off the line. As he accelerated his Goodyear slicks briefly overpowered the track while Millican was on a smooth run beside him. The momentary loss of traction robbed Ashley of critical momentum and allowed Millican to move in front. At the finish line stripe Millican earned the win light and Ashley turned his attention to getting ready for the Nevada Nationals in two weeks.
 
“We just missed it a little on that first run,” said Ashley, a six-time Top Fuel winner in 2023. “We are going to learn from this weekend and get ready for Las Vegas. Our Leatherwood Distillery Top Fuel dragster powered by Phillips Connect did some really good things in Dallas that we can take with us and apply moving forward. We’re excited to get back to work.” 
 
At the end of the day Ashley, who entered the Countdown as the No. 1 seed will move to the fifth race of the playoffs sitting in fourth place 108 points out of first with two races left in the season.
 
“We are not out of this championship hunt. The best thing we can do right now is win these last two races and let the points take care of themselves. It’s a tall task but there’s no quit in this team. Thank you to everyone from Leatherwood Distillery, Phillips Connect, Toyota and all of our partners that support us. We’re going to finish the season strong.”
 
Ashley will be on track again in two weeks at the NHRA Nevada Nationals from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
 
Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.741 sec, 330.96 mph; Qual. 9
Q2: 3.670 sec; 338.40 mph Qual. 4
Q3: 4.484 sec, 147.27 mph; Qual. 5
Q4: 3.661 sec, 336.20 mph; Qual. 6
Bonus Points: +1 (Third quickest of Q4)
 
Race Results
 
First Round

Clay Millican, Parts-Plus dragster, (.059), 3.789, 269.53 mph def. Justin Ashley, Leatherwood Distillery dragster powered by Phillips Connect, (.037), 4.356, 197.29 mph

Top Fuel Top Ten

1. Leah Pruett             2414
2. Doug Kalitta             2410
3. Steve Torrence       2401
4. Justin Ashley          2306
5. Antron Brown         2304
6. Mike Salinas           2283
7. Clay Millican           2270
8. Brittany Force         2249
9. Tony Schumacher   2195
9. Austin Prock            2195

NASCAR CUP SERIES LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SOUTH POINT 400 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT OCTOBER 15, 2023

·       Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson claimed the first spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four – driving his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 to a sweep of the stage wins and leading a race-high 133 laps en route to the victory in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ·       The win in the Round of Eight opening race marked Larson’s fourth NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, and his 23rd career win in 328 starts in NASCAR’s premier series. ·       Hendrick Motorsports swept the NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this season, with Larson’s victory extending the Chevrolet organization’s win record to nine trips to victory lane at the track.·       The victory marks Larson’s second time taking the win in the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight – last accomplished in his championship season (2021). ·       With 33 NASCAR Cup Series races complete, Chevrolet continues to led the series with 17 wins this season – more than its manufacturer competitors combined. ·       With his series-leading 19th top-10 finish this season, William Byron and the No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1 will enter the second race of the Round of Eight in the second position in the playoff standings. ·       With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 850 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER1st      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL13rd      Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL15th      Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL17th      William Byron, No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1

Race two of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of Eight will get underway at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 on Sunday, October 22, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES: Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 – Race WinnerKyle, it was a flawless, no-mistake day for the 5 team. A heck of a battle with Christopher Bell at the end of the race. Did the 20 surprise you there? Did you know he was coming that quickly?“I could see him coming in my mirror, for sure. Was hoping those lappers were going to give me the bottom. The 38 peeled off to the bottom. I knew I couldn’t follow him. I just didn’t want to go all the way to the top, leave the middle open. Thankfully, Christopher (Bell) always races extremely clean. Could have got crazier than it did coming to the start/finish line. Thank you to him for racing with respect there. What a job done by my team, too. Just a great race car. I almost gave it away there in one and two, getting sideways, hitting into the wall. Had to fight back there with our balance. They got it much closer there in the lead. I was happy to pull away as much as we did. Was hoping that was going to be enough to maintain, which it was. I thought they weren’t going to be able to get as close as they did there at the end. Nerve-wracking. Thanks to Chevrolet, HendrickCars.com, Valvoline, everybody involved in this deal. This is really cool to get to race in the championship in a few weeks. Glad we don’t need to stress in the last two races.” Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1Finished: 5th“It feels good to be competitive – just be able to drive by cars. We were just a couple of adjustments away and we got it there late in Stage Two. We drove from 12th to second, and from there, just both sides of the balance – too loose for our No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevy, and then too tight there at the end. If we nailed it, balance-wise, I think we had a shot. We had a failure of some sort with something in the driveline or in the gear box. My restarts were definitely down on power in second and third gear, not sure. Once I would get to fourth and fifth (gear), I’d be OK, but you had to get there and I was getting swallowed up on some of those restarts.  It was a heck of a fight. We had speed early and come back to finish fifth.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1 Finished: 3rd“It was a really good day, a solid day, for the No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevy team. Really appreciate Randall (Burnett, crew chief) and all the guys giving me a great piece when we unloaded here. We qualified up front and ran top-10 all day. Our weak spots are just restarts. I just get into bad spots and lose spots at times and can’t get my way forward, like a couple of other guys can do a better job at doing that. But overall, just really pleased with the day. We made adjustments all day long. We rallied forward all day and there at the end, we were really good.” William Byron, No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1Finished: 7th“We definitely need to just work on our build and how we build loose, but our No. 24 Relay Payments Chevrolet was solid. The points are a lot tighter than we would want them to be, so we just have to have two good weeks, and hopefully go to Homestead (Miami Speedway) and have a little bit better long run speed. But overall, happy with our execution. We kind of made the most out of what we had. I think at the beginning of the race, we were hovering around sixth to eighth, and we were able to finish there. Wish we could have gotten a little more stage points, but we’ll take it.” Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Camaro ZL1Sidelined by damage sustained from contact with the wall following a tire failure.Finished: 36thAnother tire goes down.. was it a hard hit?“It really wasn’t that hard, at least from the inside, but maybe it looked hard. Honestly, I thought I could have kept going, if anything, but it was a little more killed than I thought. It was a tough day. For as fast as we were, we got up to 14th at the end of the stage. I probably should have known something was going on. It was vibrating a little bit, but just thought I picked up some rubber. It’s part of it. I’m looking forward to Martinsville (Speedway) with this No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Chevy team. Hopefully we’ll have a good run there. Both of our cars were fast, it’s just unfortunate.” With all the struggles yesterday with tires, was there any concern that this would be an issue today?“I mean there was a little bit. Just tough to come down pit road when you’re not 100 percent sure. I wish I just did, but it’s part of it.” Did you have any indication before it happened?“I wasn’t going forward. I kind of had a small vibration, but it was just a tough spot to come down pit road there and lose a lap or two. Wish maybe I would have taken the risk a little bit more, but our car was really fast and that’s all we can say.” Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1Finished: 28th“We just blew a tire early and didn’t really have much after that for the No. 43 Allegiant Chevy. Not really sure what we had, but we just did some damage there with the blown tire and we were just off the pace after that. We tried to get it better, but just never really found anything. We’ll go to Homestead-Miami Speedway and hopefully put it together.”  Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in Stage Two. Finished: 35thWas the car getting tight, or was it a tire going down? “I don’t really know one way or another for sure. We were really tight before that, so I want to say it was a slow leak on the tire or something two laps prior to that. And then all of a sudden, it swung a little loose, and when I entered the corner, I didn’t even have a chance to save it. I hate that for everybody at Hendrick Motorsports and the whole No. 48 Ally team. We had a really fast Chevy Camaro and our teammates have been really fast, as well.  I don’t know.. I’m not really a guy that spins out by himself, but maybe it just got away from me. It’s hard to say without looking at the car yet. It’s a bummer. The steering was also broke, so I’m glad nobody hit me. I was trying to go straight down the front straightaway with a wrecked race car that didn’t want to go straight. I hate it for all the guys, but it’s the way it goes sometimes.”

TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES: STAGE ONE: ·       Team Chevy playoff driver Kyle Larson posted a top-two qualifying effort in his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – leading the NASCAR Cup Series to the green-flag from a front-row starting position to start the Round of Eight. ·       Larson quickly made a pass for the lead on lap three, pulling away to a half-second lead over playoff contender Christopher Bell. Midway through the first run of Stage One, Larson reported to the No. 5 Chevrolet team that he was happy with the ride quality of his Camaro ZL1, but struggling with loose driving conditions. Continuing under green-flag conditions, Larson asked the team for a big adjustment as the field approached the race’s first round of pit stops. ·       Losing the lead on lap 29, Larson made just a handful of laps before crew chief Cliff Daniels called Larson to pit road to open the green-flag pit cycle – taking four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. As the field cycled through the first round of pit stops, Larson reclaimed the top position on lap 42. ·       Looking for feedback following the first round of adjustments, Larson reported that he was still on the loose side in clean air, but he was able to use his front tires more. Navigating his way through traffic, Larson built a 2.5-second lead over runner-up Bell when the caution came out on lap 65. ·       Assuring Larson that more adjusts were on the way to help combat the loose handling of his Camaro ZL1, Daniels opted to pit under the caution – calling for four tires, fuel and another round of adjustments. With Bell utilizing a two-tire pit strategy, Larson was the second car off pit road to take a front-row position for the restart with nine laps to go in the stage. ·       Taking the green-flag, it was a drag race with Bell for the lead, but Larson was able to capitalize on four fresh tires to reclaim the top position with eight laps to go in the stage. Larson drove away to a 0.525 second lead before taking the green-white checkered flag to end Stage One – recording his sixth stage win of the season. ·       Team Chevy Stage One: Top-101st      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL17th      Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL19th      William Byron, No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL1 STAGE TWO:·       Under the stage break, Larson brought his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 to pit road. Utilizing the stop for another round of adjustments to help improve the handling of his car, Larson was the seventh car off pit road for the start of Stage Two.  ·       Less than 15 laps into the stage, Larson re-entered the top-five of the running order. As the leaders approached traffic, the Team Chevy driver had made his way into the third position – progressively closing the gap to the leaders when a caution came out on lap 111. ·       The majority of the field came to pit road for another round of pit stops under the caution. Pitting from the third position, the No. 5 Chevrolet team pit crew powered off a quick four-tire and fuel stop – picking up one position in the race off pit road to take a front-row position for the restart. ·       Choosing the top lane for the restart, Larson raced side-by-side with Brad Keselowski before settling into the second position nearing the halfway point of Stage Two. While closing in on the race leader, Larson made contact with the wall in turn two, but was reassured by Daniels that the car sustained minimal damage. ·       Under caution on lap 146, the field hit pit road for another round of pit stops. While all competitors in front of Larson utilized a two-tire strategy, Daniels opted to make a four-tire stop on the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 – taking the sixth position for the restart with 16 laps to go in the stage. ·       With a fresh set of tires, Larson was able to quickly maneuver to the front of the pack – ultimately taking the lead with 11 laps to go in the stage en route to a sweep of the stage wins by the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team. Larson lead Chevrolet to four top-10 finishes in Stage Two: 1st      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL12nd      Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL16th      William Byron, No. 24 Relay Payments Camaro ZL17th      Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1 FINAL STAGE / POST-RACE NOTES: ·       Looking to tighten up Larson’s Camaro ZL1 following contact with the wall in Stage Two, Daniel’s called for four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments under the stage break. The No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 lined up in the third position as the green-flag waved for the final stage. ·       Larson settled into the third position in the opening laps of the final stage when another caution flew on lap 210. Under the caution period, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 pit crew executed a strong four-tire and fuel stop – gaining Larson two positions on pit road to put the team back to the top position with 52 laps to go in the race. ·       Larson continued to pace the field for the remainder of race – taking the checkered flag for the team’s fourth win of the season and a ticket into the Championship Four. 

The car that started it all for Corvette Racing’s quarter-century of success BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 15, 2023) – A quarter-century after it first hit the racetrack for its competition debut, the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R has been honored as part of the inaugural class of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame. The enshrinement was made official at IMSA’s annual Night of Champions banquet near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and site of the season-ending Petit Le Mans race.

Herb Fishel, former Executive Director of GM Racing, was on-hand to mark the C5-R’s induction as one of the first racecar in the IMSA Hall of Fame. Fishel led the team at General Motors that laid the groundwork for Corvette Racing and Chevrolet’s goal of returning to top-level sports car racing at the factory level in the mid-1990s. The C5-R was born to race, according to Fishel, and was the result of collaboration between many groups within General Motors to create a long-term, factory-level road racing program for Chevrolet. The goal was to position Corvette as competitor to the world’s best sports car manufacturers on the racetrack and in the showroom. So even before the fifth-generation Corvette rolled into dealerships, plans were well underway to return Chevrolet to professional endurance racing. What has developed from C5-R is an on-going Corvette Racing program where increasing synergies between racing and production engineering have become the norm – the latest examples being the eighth-generation, mid-engine Corvette production vehicles and the C8.R and the Z06 GT3.R that will make its competitive debut in 2024. “This was a very collaborative effort that established Corvette Racing as one of the premier sports car programs in the world,” Fishel said. “It started with GM and involved various groups from both production – including vehicle engineering, design and powertrain – and racing partners like Pratt Miller and Katech working hand-in-hand. Out of the efforts from each of these groups came the first factory-produced Corvette race car in almost 40 years, and one that changed the landscape of not just Corvette but sports car racing as a whole.”

The Corvette C5-R debuted in 1999 with a class podium finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and was a fixture of global GT racing for the next five years. From 1999-2004, Corvette Racing and the C5-R set the standard for racing success with 31 victories in the American Le Mans Series, along with an overall victory at the Rolex 24 in 2001.  Success wasn’t limited to North America. The C5-R scored the first of its three GTS victories at Le Mans in 2001, following with wins in 2002 and 2004. ALMS team and manufacturer championships came in 2001-04. Of Corvette Racing’s 127 victories, nearly 25 percent came with the C5-R. The C5-R also helped instill Corvette drivers such as Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell as faces of the team and the ALMS. Fellows won 21 ALMS races in the C5-R and captured the GTS drivers’ championship three times, including twice with O’Connell. It also helped launch the sports car careers for future stars like Oliver Gavin.  “It is a tremendous honor to see the Corvette C5-R go into the IMSA Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. Campbell was part of the leadership team that helped guide the C5-R to its racing debut at Daytona in 1999. “It also is an honor to have Herb Fishel here to represent the team that brought the C5-R to the track. When you look at what Corvette Racing represents – the synergy between motorsports and the showroom – it all began with the C5-R,” Campbell added. “The fans loved it. Our Corvette owners loved it. It helped set the standard for 25 years of Corvette Racing.”

BATAVIA, Ohio (October 15, 2023) – Jonathan Davenport, a three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, leads the current Deatherage Opticians Most Popular Driver Contest. Davenport holds a 99-vote advantage over newcomer to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2023, Max Blair. Ricky Thornton Jr. is currently third, with Tyler Erb and Tim McCreadie rounding out the top five. The winner of the Deatherage Opticians Most Popular Driver award will be announced during the annual Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Awards Banquet on December 8, 2023. The Most Popular Driver will receive a $500 cash bonus and product certificate from Deatherage Opticians. Voting will continue through December 1, 2023. Fans can vote for their favorite driver by visiting https://www.lucasdirt.com/most-popular-driver. To be eligible for the 2023 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – Deatherage Opticians Most Popular Driver Award, a driver must maintain 100% attendance on the tour. Fans may vote for one (1) eligible Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series driver per ballot submission. Voting is limited to one (1) vote per person. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.