MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 17, 2023) – Jack Aitken, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R for this year’s four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races, will join Pipo Derani as a full-season driver for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Aitken will take over the seat of the hybrid Cadillac racecar from Alexander Sims, who will remain in the GM Motorsports family to drive the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in IMSA’s GTD PRO class.“Jack came to the top of all the categories late last year when we were researching the various drivers who would be available for our endurance role,” team manager Gary Nelson said of the former Williams F1 reserve driver. “He has proven to be fast on the track, a fast learner of the GTP car and an asset to the team. We see Jack being a great pairing with Pipo in his expanded role next season.” Aitken, teaming with Derani and Sims, brought the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R to Victory Circle following a pressure-packed final stint in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The trio finished second at Watkins Glen International in June and fifth in the debut of the Grand Touring Prototype class in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Aitken recorded the fastest lap among GTP entries in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R leads the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Team and Driver standings through three of the four races. Derani and Sims are a close second in the IMSA GTP Team and Driver Championship standings with two races remaining. Cadillac Racing paces the GTP Manufacturer standings for both the full-season and endurance championships. “Alex came in with Formula E experience and that was huge for us,” Nelson said. “He is a tremendous asset for the whole team understanding the hybrid unit. For us to learn those things early on was very beneficial. Alex and Pipo make a great pair, and Alex is a big part of our championship run.” Aitken, who turns 28 on Sept. 23, also teamed with Derani and Sims in the No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R for the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Recently competing in the DTM doubleheader at Nürburgring, Aitken drove in the European Le Mans Series in 2022 for TF Sport in LMP2 plus the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and ADAC GT Masters. He was the 2015 Formula Renault Eurocup champion. A driver for the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which grows to five races, will be announced at a later date.

Action Express Racing has earned the IMSA Team and Driver Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021 as well as securing the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 North American Endurance Championships titles.Whelen Engineering has been the primary sponsor of the No. 31 Cadillac prototype since 2016.

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team are hoping for a major turnaround in their season as they head to this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, a venue where Force has historically been dominant. In 15 final round appearances, Force’s 11 victories at Brainerd International Raceway (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2007) are the most by one driver in any one event at a single venue. The 16-time world champion most recently runnered-up at the event in 2012 and 2014 in addition to 2005 and 1987. He has won more racing rounds at the facility than at any other track, a total of 76. Force has started race day from the No. 1 qualifying position eight times, going onto the final round all but once while winning six times. “I love racing at Brainerd International Raceway, and, over the years, it’s liked me too. This PEAK Chevy is coming around. I know I have a fast race car, this team is capable of getting wins. We wouldn’t be out here if we didn’t think that,” Force said. “We made some adjustments, you do that when you’re trying to get better, it’s all coming together. We’ll get the job done.” Force will be looking for some of his past success to help him in this weekend’s event. With only two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Force is looking for his first win of the season. The PEAK team recently showed an uptick in performance when they qualified No. 1 at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle, but they’ll need to go rounds on race day to make a jump from their No. 9 points position. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

CHICAGO, IL (August 16, 2023) — Heading into the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Funny Car driver and team owner Chris King has several goals for his Howards Cams/Competition Products team. Racing at Brainerd International Raceway for the first time, King is eager to make positive strides after a tough race last weekend at the Menards NHRA Nationals in Topeka. The full-time Chicago fireman is building his team with sponsor support and the assistance of a part-time crew led by veteran tuner and racer Terry Totten.
 
“We hurt ourselves a little last weekend in Topeka but those are the hits you take sometimes as a young and developing team” said King, who has competed at three national events this season. “We are learning every time we work on the car and make a run. Our runs are getting quicker and faster and we are not hurting parts or oiling down the track. Those are all positives, but it is a frustratingly slow process. I love racing and I want to go as fast as possible but when you are building a quality racing program you have to take your time. The patience of the process is what is painful.”

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
The past two races, Denver and Topeka, have seen King make consecutive runs that are all quicker and faster than he has ever gone in the past. He started his professional career with a handful of races in 2021 and last year he rededicated himself to putting the right pieces together to make a positive run at success this season. The former Alcohol Funny Car racer has the support of many of his fellow competitors in the Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks, so he knows he is moving in the right direction.
 
“I have had a lot of other team owners and crew chiefs offer to help us which is awesome,” said King. “Dean Antonelli who is Ron Capps’ crew chief helped us figure some things out after Chicago. We were pitted beside Buddy Hull and his Top Fuel team in Topeka and we had some great conversations. There is so much that goes into not just driving these 11,000 horsepower racecars but also managing the team. It can get overwhelming and I just have to take a step back sometimes.”
 
This weekend King will get four qualifying runs to try and earn one of the 16 qualifying spots. The two runs on Friday and two runs on Saturday schedule is something that King and his Howards Cams/Competition Products team desperately needs. They need data and getting track time is the key to their improvement. The biggest take-away from Topeka was they got the chance to get more run data to add to what they had from positive passes in Denver.

Funny Car team owner and driver Chris King, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
“We are getting great information and improving on it. I am getting more comfortable in the car so back-to-back races like Topeka and now Brainerd will be huge for us,” said King. “This is a great track, and we can make some great runs here. I am really excited about our prospects for success. We have sponsors getting involved and I want to put on a good show for the fans.”
 
Throughout this whole process King has kept a positive attitude and is making the most of every opportunity at the track. When he is not working on his car, he is at the ropes signing autographs and talking with fans. He understands that at this point in his career it is about making a one-on-one connection with fans across the country and representing his sponsors to the best of his ability.
 
“I wouldn’t be out here without Howards Cams and Competition Products,” said King. “We have other people and companies that are helping us race to race but I am on the phone every chance I get talking to people and letting them know where we are going. The U.S. Nationals will be a big weekend for us. This weekend will also be huge. I want to make four more career best runs in qualifying and then just see what can happen on Sunday’s race day. This sport is so wild and so much fun, anything can happen.”
 
Funny Car and Top Fuel qualifying will begin on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and at 6:30 p.m. Saturday King and the rest of the Funny Car class will run at 2:00 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. and final eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. The race will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
 

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS team are picking up momentum as they head into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the second to last event in the regular season before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins. Fresh off earning his 80th career No. 1 qualifying position at Heartland Motorsports Park last weekend, Hight comes into Brainerd International Raceway sitting third in points. Hight is returning to the site of his NHRA Funny Car national elapsed time record run of 3.793 seconds set in 2018. The three-time world champion won once at the facility in 2015 and secured No. 1 qualifying positions in 2017 and 2018. He also holds the track speed record set at 338.00 mph, also set in 2018. Last season, Hight qualified second and made a semifinal appearance. “We started to turn a corner in Topeka, I do believe that. The combination started to respond. Jimmy Prock and the Cornwell Tools guys, we’re pretty excited moving forward. We didn’t get the results we wanted last weekend so I’m glad we get to turn around right away and get back in the seat,” Hight said. “It’s not too late to get back into this points deal and even go into the Countdown to the Championship with the No. 1 spot. We qualified well and went a couple of rounds in Topeka, if we do well in Brainerd and then with points and a half at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, we are right back in the thick of things and that’s our mindset right now.” So far this season, Hight has three wins in his Cornwell Tools Chevy coming at the NHRA Arizona Nationals just outside of Phoenix, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte and the return of the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago. His No. 1 position from last weekend in Brainerd was his fourth of the season. With just two races left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Hight is only 113 points back from second. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

MOORESVILLE, NC (August 16, 2023) — As Pro Stock standout Camrie Caruso closes the book on her second regular season competing in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series she will be making her first appearance at Brainerd International Raceway this weekend. The 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year will be taking on one of the toughest Pro Stock fields in recent memory at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals starting this Friday. The winner of the NHRA Arizona Nationals earlier this season will be looking to pick up her second career win and take some momentum into the Dodge U.S. Nationals and the NHRA Countdown playoffs. Driving the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro with KB Titan Racing power and backing from DENSO, Big Jeff Audio, Powerbuilt Tools, and VP Lubricants Caruso is eager to race in Brainerd.

Camrie Caruso and Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, photo by Innovation Creative Experts

 
“I am looking forward to racing at Brainerd International Raceway,” said Caruso. “You hear a lot about how wild their fans are and about The Zoo campground, but I have also heard it is a great racing surface, so I am hoping to make some great runs in the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro. We have been running well and we just need to get some more win lights on Sunday.”
 
Since her breakthrough win at the Arizona Nationals Caruso has had a consistent race car and she grabbed the categories attention when she won the first NHRA Pro Stock Allstar Callout in Chicago. As the No. 8 qualifier she defeated Cristian Cuadra, Troy Coughlin Jr and Aaron Stanfield to take the top prize and establish herself as one of the Pro Stock Championship contending teams.
 
“The win at the Arizona Nationals was huge since it was our first Pro Stock National event but getting that Pro Stock Allstar Callout trophy was a big step for our team,” said Caruso, who is a third-generation drag racer. “We joined KB Titan Racing this year and I was the last KB Titan racer left after the first round so I had the whole team pulling for me. I love being over here with the KB Titan Racing guys and we have a really good group.”
 
Caruso has been holding her own as the regular season concludes with just two more races before the playoff fields are set. In three of the last four races Caruso has qualified in the top half and has raced to at least the quarterfinals. She raced to the semifinals at the final Mile High Nationals in Denver and competed last weekend in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as a reward for her efforts. She has competed in the specialty race twice and has secured one championship bonus point.
 
“You want to win every race but when you get to the semifinals you know you will be in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the next race. Our goals are simple for every race,” said Caruso. “We want to qualifying as high as we can and try to win the race. Winning gets you the Wally and guarantees you get a shot at the Mission Challenge. Those championship points could come in handy at the end of the season. We want to get into that race for the U.S. Nationals for sure and that starts this Friday in Brainerd.”
 
The Pro Stock class will have two qualifying runs on Friday at 2:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. They will be back in action on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations for Pro Stock will commence following the first round of Top Fuel and Funny car on Sunday. The quickest 16 Pro Stock competitors will be racing for the Iconic Wally trophy and a higher seed in the NHRA Countdown. Currently, Caruso sits No. 8 just a little over 80 points (four rounds) out of fifth place. With points and a half on the line at the U.S. Nationals a jump in the points is very doable for the second-year pro.

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team enters this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway looking to reset before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins in one month.  The third-generation drag racer is sixth in points only 11 back from the top five and 66 back from the top three in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Prock and his Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam tuned Montana Brand dragster have shown glimpses of the threat they can be on the championship with a runner-up finish at the Pomona, California Winternationals, a victory at the Charlotte Four-Wide event and a No. 1 qualifying position at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals. Prock is coming off an unsettling weekend at Heartland Motorsports Park where he qualified only 14th and had a quarterfinal exit. “I’m looking forward to getting back to Brainerd International Raceway. I’ve always loved going to this one. That crowd is always electric and I enjoy being with the fans,” Prock said. “Last weekend in Topeka was tough for this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team but we know we will redeem ourselves this weekend. Excited to get started.” After reaching the semifinals in his first start at Brainerd International Raceway in 2019, Prock lost in the first round last year. On both occasions, he qualified in the No. 8 position. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

OCALA, FL (August 16, 2023) — Josh Hart knows he has a race car and team that can win and the two-time Top Fuel national event winner is looking towards the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals as his next opportunity to prove his point. The driver and team owner from Ocala, Florida, opened the season with a big money win in the Pep Boys Top Fuel Allstar Callout and since then he has raced to one final round and three additional semifinals. The standout former Top Alcohol Dragster driver is ready to get some momentum going as the NHRA regular winds down.

Josh Hart and R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“I go into every race expecting and preparing to win. Everyone on this R+L Carriers team has that attitude, and we have the experience,” said Hart. “We haven’t been able to get all the piece to come together for a whole weekend. We have run well in qualifying and then we stub our toes on race day. We have had a great car on race day, but we get a bad match-up in the first or second round. I feel like we have lost to the eventual winner the past three or four races it seems like.”

For his efforts Hart has held his spot in the Top Ten. With two more regular season races left on the schedule, a strong showing at this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and then the Dodge U.S. Nationals with points and a half on the line will lock him into the NHRA Countdown. He is sitting in ninth place in the point standings but a move to fifth or better is not out of the question.

“There are a lot of teams packed in the middle to back of the Top Ten and we know we can get on a run and move up,” said Hart. “I want to get as high in the Top Ten points as possible and then make the most of the six races in the Countdown. I believe we can win from anywhere but going into the Countdown higher in the points would be ideal.”

Hart started his career racing a limited schedule and turned heads winning twice and consistently racing to the semifinals in his rookie season. Last year the entrepreneur invested heavily in his team with more parts and new trailers and took on the entire season for the first time. It was a Herculean effort for an independent team and now tackling his second full season Hart has a better understanding of what it takes to compete against the best teams in the world. There is no quit in his attitude and no one on the R+L Carriers team is discouraged.

“We have never been more focused than we are right now,” said Hart. “My crew chief Ron Douglas is putting everything into the tune-up and working with the guys on the crew. I have dedicated myself to improving my reaction times and I am seeing very positive results. We have a killer combination we just need to string together four win lights on a race day. I am so blessed to be able to come out almost every weekend and race and spend time with the fans. I am never going to take that for granted.”

During the rain delay last weekend Hart saw a handful of fans patiently waiting out the rain and he signed two rods and a blower belt for the young fans in the group. On Friday he joined NHRA announcer Jason Logan on the NHRA stage in the middle of the pits to engage fans in a light-hearted question and answer session. He participated in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge autograph session on Saturday thanks to his Sonoma Nationals semifinal finish. The continual fan interaction events have seen Hart’s popularity on the NHRA tour grow with every passing national event.

“I started out as a fan and a sportsman racer,” said Hart. “I worked my way up through the ranks and I have invested a lot of my own money and time into competing at the highest level. I know when I see fans waiting in the rain or watching us work on the car in 100 plus degree weather, I have to give them a little attention and I am happy to do it. We have some of the best fans in the world and I appreciate all the words of encouragement we have gotten all season.”

Hart will continue to listen to the cheers ramp up again this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway with two qualifying sessions on Friday followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The quickest 16 Top Fuel dragster will battle it out for the iconic Wally trophy on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. CT. The race will be televised on FOX nationally.

Lucrative purse, unique format awaits the World of Outlaws at Jackson MotorplexJACKSON, MN (August 16, 2023) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars’ Summer of Money keeps on rolling.For the next stop on the long, lucrative stretch of the season, The Greatest Show on Dirt will travel to Minnesota where Jackson Motorplex hosts the 45th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals powered by Fendt. The three-night (August 17-19) event is set to offer a pair of $10,000-to-win prelims on Thursday and Friday before Saturday’s $25,000-to-win, $2,000 to start finale. The total purse for Saturday’s Feature exceeds $100,000. Teams will tackle two nights of prelim action to help position themselves to fight on Saturday to etch their names in the history books as a Jackson Nationals champion.BUY SINGLE DAY TICKETSBUY THREE-DAY TICKET PACKAGELet’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:JACKSON JET: In recent years, Logan Schuchart and his Shark Racing #1S crew have become the team to beat whenever the World of Outlaws head to Jackson.The Hanover, PA native has won four of the last seven races contested at the Minnesota oval including the 2020 and 2021 Jackson Nationals finale. Jackson is tied as Schuchart’s winningest track in Series competition.Schuchart’s Jackson résumé also boasts consistency in addition to the wins. Over that same seven race stretch, he’s only missed the podium once and owns a 2.86 average finish.After his hopes of a Knoxville Nationals win were derailed by mechanical troubles, Schuchart hopes to rebound at one of his strongest tracks on tour.SHARK VS. BIG CAT: While Schuchart has been the man to beat recently, Brad Sweet is no slouch at Jackson.“The Big Cat” has also racked up four victories at the 4/10-mile including a 2017 Jackson Nationals title. That puts him equal with Schuchart’s total.Their four wins apiece are tied for the most in Series history at Jackson, and the duo have a trio of nights ahead to battle for superiority in the record books and Saturday’s $25,000 prize. BACK-TO-BACK: A recent trend of back-to-back winners is on the line when the Jackson Nationals begin on Thursday. Carson Macedo is the most recent victor with his 2022 Jackson Nationals title, and the eight races prior to his victory were all won in back-to-back fashion. Brad Sweet topped two straight in 2019 and 2020. Then it was Schuchart’s turn as he claimed the final two nights of the 2020 Jackson Nationals. Next up was Kerry Madsen as he opened the 2021 Jackson Nationals with two straight wins. Schuchart returned to the top after Madsen with a 2021 Jackson Nationals title and the 2022 opener. Now, Macedo has his chance at back-to-back as the 45th edition of the event begins on Thursday.800 CLUB: This past weekend David Gravel hit a notable milestone with the World of Outlaws. The 11-year veteran of the tour reached 800 career Series Feature starts with his 22nd to 2nd charge at the #NOSvilleNationals.Through his 800 starts, Gravel has notched 86 Wins (tied 9th all-time), 216 Podiums (16th all-time), 2,308 Laps Led, 106 QuickTimes, and 231 Heat Wins.The milestone comes amid Gravel’s pursuit of his first championship to add to the list of impressive numbers he’s racked up. He’s currently 14 points behind four-time and reigning champion – Brad Sweet – for the top spot.Jackson is one of few tracks Gravel has visited and hasn’t made a trip to Victory Lane, but he’s been remarkably close with five podiums including a pair of runner-ups (2019 & 2021).ROOKIE ROLL: A story that continues to evolve over the 2023 season is Giovanni Scelzi’s rookie campaign.The Fresno, CA native continues to be one of the most consistent forces on tour with only five finishes outside the top 10 in the last 26 races. Scelzi’s latest statement was a fourth place run on the sport’s grandest stage at the Knoxville Nationals. Thursday’s opener will mark Scelzi’s 200th career World of Outlaws start.He and KCP Racing’s consistency have led them to sitting fifth in points with over half of the season in the books. If Scelzi can maintain the speed they’ve shown and stay at least fifth in points, it would match the best Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finish since Stevie Smith in 1990. Advancing one more spot would equal him with Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) for the best rookie run ever.WELCOME TO THE TOUR: There’s a new name that will be following the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour for the remainder of the season beginning this weekend. Tanner Holmes has been tabbed as the pilot of the Shark Racing #1A for the duration of the 2023 campaign.The 19-year-old out of Jacksonville, OR has continued to make a name for himself over the past couple of years leading to a major opportunity on a national level in a proven ride. Last year, Jacob Allen wheeled the car to four World of Outlaws wins and a Knoxville Nationals prelim triumph.While Holmes has traveled to a certain extent over the past few years, this move marks a major shift for the driver accustomed to competing primarily along the west coast. The journey begins with his Jackson debut this weekend.If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCEWHEN AND WHEREThursday through Saturday, August 17-19 at Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, MNON THE INTERNETWorld of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (47/78 Races):1. 49 – Brad Sweet (6202PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-14PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-60PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-248PTS) 5. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-326PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-350PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-362PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-462PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-856PTS) 10. 1A – Jacob Allen (-933PTS)NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (13 Drivers):10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)6 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)5 wins – Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41)4 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24), Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S)2 wins –Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)1 win – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11), Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5)FEATURE LAPS LED (19 Drivers):219 laps – Brad Sweet193 laps – David Gravel187 laps – Carson Macedo174 laps – Rico Abreu133 laps – James McFadden97 laps – Kyle Larson96 laps – Donny Schatz93 laps – Buddy Kofoid81 laps – Logan Schuchart70 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild43 laps – Brent Marks40 laps – Spencer Bayston39 laps – Gio Scelzi24 laps – Brian Brown11 laps – Anthony Macri10 laps – Cory Eliason4 laps – Cole Macedo3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin1 lap – Austin McCarlSIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (16 Drivers):13 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo8 QuickTimes – David Gravel5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Rico Abreu, Bill Balog, Justin Peck1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, Buddy Kofoid, Gio Scelzi, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson, Brad SweetHEAT RACE WINNERS (34 Drivers):25 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo21 Heat Wins – David Gravel13 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet11 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz10 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scelzi9 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Logan Schuchart8 Heat Wins – James McFadden6 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Spencer Bayston4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks, Justin Peck3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Cory Eliason1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Tim Kaeding, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Robbie PriceTOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (37 Drivers):33 Dashes – Carson Macedo, David Gravel29 Dashes – Brad Sweet22 Dashes – Logan Schuchart20 Dashes – Gio Scelzi18 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild16 Dashes – Donny Schatz15 Dashes – Rico Abreu14 Dashes – James McFadden13 Dashes – Spencer Bayston9 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks7 Dashes – Brock Zearfoss, Cory Eliason5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Justin Peck4 Dashes – Brian Brown, Robbie Price3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Kasey Kahne, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo1 Dash – Freddie Rahmer, Devon Borden, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny VarinMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (29 Drivers):4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild3 LCS Wins – Spencer Bayston2 LCS Wins – Robbie Price, Parker Price-Miller, Noah Gass, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss1 LCS Win – Gio Scelzi, Hunter Schuerenberg, James McFadden, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Tim Estenson, Aaron Reutzel, Kerry Madsen, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Donny Schatz, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie VealKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (33 Drivers):4 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, James McFadden, Logan Schuchart2 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss, Donny Schatz, Danny Dietrich, Justin Peck, Rico Abreu, David Gravel1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Robbie Price, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Spencer Bayston, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Corey Day, Tasker Phillips, Brent MarksPODIUM FINISHES (23 Drivers):25 Podiums – David Gravel21 Podiums – Brad Sweet14 Podiums – Carson Macedo11 Podiums – Rico Abreu10 Podiums – Logan Schuchart9 Podiums – Donny Schatz7 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild6 Podiums – Buddy Kofoid, Kyle Larson5 Podiums – James McFadden, Brent Marks4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Gio Scelzi1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave BlaneyTOP 10 FINISHES (51 Drivers):42 Top 10s – David Gravel41 Top 10s – Carson Macedo, Brad Sweet34 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart32 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi31 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild29 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston26 Top 10s – James McFadden, Donny Schatz21 Top 10s – Rico Abreu18 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen11 Top 10s – Justin Peck, Brent Marks9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson7 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Kasey Kahne, Danny Dietrich5 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Zeb Wise, Freddie Rahmer, Cole Macedo1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Lance Dewease, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Tim Kaeding, Chase Randall, Shane Stewart, Dave Blaney, Larry Wight, Dale Blaney, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Corey Day, Kerry Madsen2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster team are having their patience put to the test as they head into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway looking for their first win of the season. Sitting third in points, the reigning world champions are ready to show they’ve finally turned a corner in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Force and the Monster Energy team are coming into Brainerd International Raceway off a promising runner-up finish at Heartland Motorsports Park. After qualifying eighth, Force and her Monster Energy team put on a show Sunday winning on a holeshot against four-time champion Steve Torrence and recording the second-quickest elapsed time of the weekend, falling just short in the finals. Already with four No. 1 qualifiers this season, Force is looking for her first win to solidify her team in the championship hunt. “Our Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team is ready to head to Brainerd International Raceway after a strong and eventful weekend in Topeka, Kansas. We really stepped it up on race day, ran killer all day long, went to the finals and I was strong on the tree. We didn’t get the win but we had a great weekend,” Force said. “Carrying that over to Brainerd, it just motivates you, it pumps you up. This Monster Energy team wants to win Brainerd. We’re inching closer and closer. We are so close to that first win of the season. It would be coming at the perfect time to get the win this weekend right before we head to the U.S. Nationals and these points reset for the Countdown to the Championship.” Through two days of qualifying, Force will be trying to extend to four the number of consecutive times she has qualified her Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac dragster No. 1 at Brainerd International Raceway. She’ll also be looking for her second win at the facility, her first came in 2016 after finishing runner-up in 2015. For the last two seasons, Force has made it to the semifinals and in 2021 she set the track speed record at 334.98 mph. Competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

NHRA^® Team Report

NHRA Nationals – Brainerd

Pre-Race Report

Cruz Pedregon and team are headed to Brainerd International Raceway with plans to use the heat-plagued conditions of the past two races as learnings for the weekend ahead in Minnesota. This track was a winner for Cruz in his early career and the place he’s twice been runner-up. So, the team and the Snap-on^® “Makers and Fixers” Dodge^® SRT^® Hellcat^® are ready to bring the heat rather than just endure it.

“We’re working hard to get it right with the challenges the heat has thrown at us,” Cruz says. “We’re going to be calling on the energy we have from four competitive runs at Night Under Fire a few weeks ago to fuel our hopes for a better performance this weekend.” 

Cruz fans will be seeing double this weekend if they travel through the Indianapolis airport. The team’s show car will be on display at the Indianapolis International Airport for the next three weeks.

For fans watching NHRA racing from stands and via the television and online broadcasts, they’ll see the name of Snap-on Nitro Franchisee Joey Roberston on the Snap-on Funny Car. Joey was an auto technician after leaving the Marine Corp, eventually becoming a Snap-on franchisee two years ago. He was even named franchise Rookie of the Year last year in his region and says he’s already been in the Top 100 franchises…something he attributes to his positive attitude. When he’s not calling on customers, you’ll likely find Joey autocross racing a car he owns, but this weekend he’ll be feeling the nitro with us here at the track. 

Along with Joey’s name, the paint scheme on Cruz’s car will honor all the “Makers & Fixers” among us and offer a call-to-action for them to share stories of their critical work at makersandfixers.com. 

NASCAR CUP SERIES INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY R.C.VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD TEAM CHEVY POLE WIN REPORT AUGUST 12, 2023 Suarez, Chevrolet Takes NASCAR Cup Series Pole at IndianapolisCamaro ZL1’s Eighth NCS Pole of 2023

·       Daniel Suarez posted a best lap of 87.968 seconds, at 99.814 mph, in the final round of qualifying to capture the pole position for tomorrow’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.   ·       The feat marks Suarez’s first NASCAR Cup Series pole win of the season; and his third career pole win in 239 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.    ·       This is Chevrolet’s eighth NASCAR Cup Series pole of the season; the manufacturer’s third NCS pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course; and its 742nd all-time pole in NASCAR’s premier series.  ·       Chevrolet drivers swept the pole wins across both of NASCAR’s top two series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with AJ Allmendinger (No. 10 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS) taking the pole for today’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 presented by Advance Auto Parts.

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP:  POS.   DRIVER1st      Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway.com Camaro ZL13rd      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL15th      Kyle Busch, No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL16th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL18th      Shane van Gisbergen, No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL19th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 TOP-FIVE UNOFFICIAL STARTING LINEUP:  POS.  DRIVER1.        Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet) 2.        Tyler Reddick (Toyota)3.        Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)4.        Michael McDowell (Ford)5.        Kyle Busch (Chevrolet)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 12, 2023) – For the third consecutive year, a Chevrolet will lead the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) field to the green flag at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Posting a best-lap of 87.968 seconds, at 99.814 mph, in the final round of qualifying; Daniel Suarez took his No. 99 Freeway.com Camaro ZL1 to the top of the speed chart to claim his first pole win of the season. The 31-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, native has proven his prowess in road course racing as a winner in NASCAR’s top series (Sonoma Raceway – June 2022), but the feat marks Suarez’s first career NCS pole win on a road course circuit.  “Today is a tribute to all the men and women at Trackhouse Racing,” said Suarez. “They gave me a rocket ship today and it feels really good to be at the front of the field. It’s good to be out front and hopefully we can stay there tomorrow.” Already with a storied history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has continued to build its legacy at the “racing capital of the world” – taking the win in the series’ two appearances on the venue’s road course. As the manufacturer looks to make it three-in-a-row at the circuit, six drivers from three different Chevrolet teams will lead the field to the green from the top-nine positions in the starting lineup. Suarez’s Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen (No. 91 Enhance Health Camaro ZL1) will take the green flag for his second career NCS start from the eighth position. Three Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1’s posted a top-10 qualifying effort, led by Chase Elliott (No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1) in third, Kyle Larson (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1) in sixth and Alex Bowman (No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1) in ninth. Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch (No. 8 3CHI Camaro ZL1) rounded out the top-five.

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Pole Win Media Availability Quotes

(NO MIC.)“I think the mentality of the No. 99 team hasn’t changed in the last couple of months. We have to continue to focus on one race at a time – try to maximize the potential of the race car and try to win a race. We had a couple of weeks that were pretty rough on us, and then we had Michigan (International Speedway) and I was pretty happy with that result, especially with the car that my team was able to bring to the track. I told my team last week – this was exactly what we needed. Just a little bit of momentum heading into road course season because we have two in a row, and here we are right now. The energy has been great. The guys have been working very hard. I’ve been working very hard and it shows. We have to continue to work and execute tomorrow.” (NO MIC.)“We spent a little bit of time in the simulator working together, but honestly, we didn’t spend as much time together working as we did for Chicago. But we did spend some time together in the simulator. It was good. I think that – between the No.1, 91 and the 99 teams – they work together to bring similar setups to the race track based on what we learn in the simulator. It was good, it was very helpful. For Shane (van Gisbergen), he’s new at this race track, so I feel like he’s been learning a lot. We’ve been here before, so he’s been learning a lot – understanding what he needs from his car to be able to go fast.” HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO WIN A POLE AT A PLACE LIKE HERE WHERE TRACK POSITION WILL BE KEY? “Yeah, you know I was rewatching the race again actually last night and track position was unbelievably important. So you have to get it anytime you can and try to keep it. I knew that Saturday was going to be extremely important for this race, and I’m glad we were able to show up with a good balanced race car and have good speed. I’m happy for that.  With that being said, we still have some work to do. I feel like our race pace actually was pretty good. I was pretty happy with the race pace. I have to meet with my team right after here and talk about what we’re going to adjust for tomorrow, but overall, I feel like the potential for our race car is pretty good. I’m happy for where we’re at and we just have to make sure we make the right adjustments and we execute tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be about execution.”  HOW DID TRACK CONDITIONS TODAY FAVOR YOUR SETUP – WERE THEY WHAT YOU EXPECTED? “Yeah know, I thought the race track was getting faster and faster. I noticed that in practice when I went out, the race track was actually getting a little bit better. But I wasn’t 100 percent sure because also the tires were getting some temperature and wear. And then the second group went a good amount faster than the first group; I was in the first group. And then at that point, I realized – you know what, maybe we’re at a little bit of a disadvantage because the race track is going to continue to get better and better.  And then we went to qualify in the first round – I put down what I thought was an OK lap. It wasn’t great, but it was good. And then in the second round, everyone was faster than that. The second round was so much faster, so I knew that the second group was just getting more speed for track positions. But then in the last round, once everyone went at the same time, I felt like that was an even field for everyone and I felt like at that point, we were able to show up in the same circumstances as everyone else and that benefited us a little bit.” TOMORROW, THE THREE GUYS THAT ARE RIGHT AROUND THE BUBBLE ARE ALL GOING TO BE STARTING IN THE TOP-10. ARE YOU GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE RACE? “I don’t care (laughs).. they have to worry about the No. 99.  I mean I say I don’t care, but in reality, I care like .5 percent (laughs), so I care very little. I knew that we were going to be good. (Michael) McDowell is a great road course driver. (Ty) Gibbs, I think he’s pretty good. He’s still learning, but he’s pretty good. I’m actually surprised AJ (Allmendinger) is not up there, as well. But no, in reality, once the race starts, I have to make sure I don’t care because I cannot control what they do or don’t do. I can only control one car, and that’s the No. 99 car. I have to put all my energy and focus into the No. 99 car, and everything else has to take care of itself. Obviously if I’m racing with them at one point in the race, I have to make sure I get them because I know one point can be a difference when we go to Daytona (International Speedway). But hopefully I can stay away from them.” YOU HAD A TREMENDOUSLY FAST CAR LAST WEEK. IT WAS FUN WATCHING YOU, AND YOU COULD DO REALLY AMAZING THINGS. JUST CURIOUS, HAS IT PULLED YOUR TEAM TOGETHER? HAS IT MADE YOU STRONGER BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN FACING ADVERSITY OF LATE TO KIND OF BATTLE THROUGH THIS AND GET TO THE OTHER SIDE SO YOU CAN GET BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE?“You know, I think that my racing has come through a lot of adversity this year. We have had a few mistakes on execution. I have made some mistakes. In the first quarter of the year, we were extremely fast, but we were making a lot of mistakes – in execution and myself. We were not having clean weekends. And then we started getting cleaner and then the speed wasn’t there anymore. You have to have everything together and it’s not easy. It’s not easy to put everything together. I can tell you in the last few weeks, it’s been tough at Trackhouse. I say that they’ve been tough because we’ve had long meetings – we’ve had difficult conversations to be better because we showed up a few weekends and we were not good at all. Pretty much after Nashville (Superspeedway), if you look at our results, they were not very good.. besides Atlanta (Motor Speedway) where we finished second. But overall, we needed more speed. We were lacking some speed, so we had to go to work and we had to get out of our comfortable zone. We had to get out of that box. I’m really proud of how we’ve been reacting to that and it’s definitely showing the last couple of weeks.” I EXPECT YOU TO BE FAST. YOU EXPECT TO BE FAST IN THE NEXT TWO RACES ON ROAD COURSES. YOU HAD A CAREER-BEST SEVENTH-PLACE FINISH AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY TO KICK-OFF THE SEASON. CAN YOU KIND OF REPEAT THAT TYPE OF PERFORMANCE, OR DO YOU THINK THAT RACE BEING THE CUT-OFF WILL BE SO CHAOTIC THAT IT’S GOING TO BE EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF?“Honestly, I’m not thinking that far ahead. But I think Daytona (International Speedway) is going to be a little bit more crazy than before because there’s so many good drivers, good teams, good cars that are on that bubble. I mean you have the No. 48 (Alex Bowman), the No. 9 (Chase Elliott), myself, the No. 54 (Ty Gibbs) – you just have too many. We talk a lot about manufacturers working together, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to work together. But if I can beat the No. 9 and the No. 48, that would be nice too because they’re right there in the fight. It’s one of those things where we’re going to have to wait and see. Hopefully, knock-on-wood, we execute tomorrow and we don’t have to worry about it. That would be the plan. I would love to kiss those bricks downstairs.” YOU LEAD THE FIELD TO THE GREEN ON THE FIRST START WITH THE NEW ZONE AND THE RULES OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN CHANGE LANES AFTER YOU EXIT THE ZONES. DO YOU HAVE A GOOD FEELING OF WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, OR IS IT STILL A LITTLE BIT OF A MYSTERY? “I think I have an idea of what is going to happen, but the reality is that I’m really looking forward to watching the Xfinity Series race and see how that works. That’s going to give me a better idea of how things are going to work, even though the cars are very different. We’ll see.. we’ll see how things work. I can tell you that there’s one place to be to try to figure it out and it’s in the front, so I think I’m in a good position to be able to go out there and try to take advantage of things. Hopefully we can learn and adapt as quick as possible of that new restart zone.” THIS RACE OFTEN COMES DOWN TO THE RESTARTS AT THE END. HOW DO YOU REALLY GET PREPARED FOR THAT AND ALL THE CONTACT THAT USUALLY HAPPENS WITH THAT HARD RIGHT-HANDER INTO TURN ONE? “Yeah, I mean it’s difficult because I feel like in the past, in my opinion, we’ve done too much of that. I was rewatching the race last night and like I said, it was a little bit too much – too much contact, too much bumping cars, in my opinion. That’s why we had some good conversations with NASCAR, and we were able to together come up with the idea of moving the restart zone to provide better racing. The fans – they love action and they love excitement, but there is a line, too. I felt like last year, in the last couple of races, we crossed the line. It was a little bit too much.. it wasn’t real anymore. But I’m glad we did it and we’ll find out how things work out. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be much cleaner than what we’ve seen in the past. How much? We’re going to find out, but I think it’s going to be much cleaner.”

August 12, 2023

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang are set to start 24th in Sunday’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.

Burton took that spot on Saturday with a lap at 98.661 miles per hour around the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

His qualifying speed represented an improvement from practice earlier in the day when he was 28th on the speed chart with a best lap at 97.309 mph. That came on the eighth of 10 laps he ran in the session.

Sunday’s 82-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBC. Stage breaks are planned for Lap 15 and 35.

NASCAR CUP SERIES INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY R.C.VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT AUGUST 12, 2023

BRODIE KOSTECKI, NO. 33 MOBILE X CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Media Availability Quotes:  Tell us a little bit about this week, what it’s been like getting ready for the Indianapolis Road Course?“It’s been a real experienced for myself. I landed here on Friday, and been working closely with everyone from Richard Childress Racing and also with everyone at Chevy as well. I’ve been at the GM Tech Center quite a bit. I’ve done around 13 to 14 hours in their simulator there, and just trying to be a sponge and get up to speed as quickly as possible in the short amount of time I have.” What are your early impressions of the Next Gen car so far?“I didn’t get the pleasure of doing an on-track test. I’ve only done time in the simulator at the GM Tech Center. Honestly, there are a lot of similarities between the Camaro I’m racing today and what I race back home in Australia. First time on track will be on track in practice, so I’ll let you know after that.”  What did you think of the simulator? What did you gain from it?“It’s something that we don’t do back home at all, so obviously, GM built the Tech Center 11, 12 months ago. I was pretty amazed by the amount of technology that’s in there. It really helped my learning curve trying to understand the car, the track as well. I’ve also been working closely with the team on setups as well. I’m looking forward to jumping in the car and seeing the correlation.”  There’s a lot of talk about the physicality of these races and how it’s full-contact racing. Coming in, are you ready for that?“Yeah, I think what we do back home I quite similar in a way. There’s probably a little bit more rules around our racing back home, but it is pretty similar in a way. I’ll do what I do best and drive the car and see what happens.”  Have you watched tapes of the races from here from the first two years, and what did you think of the carnage?“I was actually pretty scared after I found out I was doing this race. I went back through the last two years to study pretty quickly on how the race played out and what it was like in Turn 1. Obviously, this weekend, there have been changes to the restart zone. It was a bit interesting going back through and watching how the races played out. I honestly think it will be quite a bit different this weekend with the restart zone.” Talk about when you wanted to be a racecar driver, was NASCAR something you considered when you were younger?“I spent around four to five years in America. I came over in 2012, I believe, and raced NASCAR late models, raced in the K&N East series, so it’s funny how the world works, and it’s come around full circle. I went back home and competed in Austrailian Supercars Championship, and leading up to this moment. To get this opportunity with everyone at RCR, and Richard (Childress), to get my Cup debut. I guess it’s sort of done full circle which is pretty cool.”  Talk about your preparation for practice. It’s very short. What are your thoughts on qualifying?“The procedure and format here is a lot different than back home. We’re still similar to how NASCAR was prior to COVID. Not much time to get accustomed to everything. Being able to spend 30 to 40 hours at the GM Tech Center in the simulator has been pretty crucial in how practice is going play out. We’ve only got 20 minutes in practice then it’s straight into qualifying. So, we’ll just have to make sure I hit my marks early. I’ve been given all the tools and everything around me to be able to perform well. I’m pretty confident going into practice that as long as what happens with the weather, we’ll see what happens.”  With (Shane Van Gisbergen) winning, did it bring more attention to your doing this?“No. We’ve been working on this for about two years now with everyone at RCR. We sort of looked at the calendar, and my options for doing a race were quite limited on the fact that back home we race as well. So, there were only a few races that weren’t conflicting. One was Chicago and the other one was Indy. With how RCR performed here last year, we circled that on the calendar quite a while ago. Obviously, what Shane (Van Gisbergen) did at Chicago was quite amazing, but I think it’s very different circumstances here this weekend.”  When SVG won in Chicago, there was a lot of focus on his heel-toe right-foot braking. Are you a heel-toe guy?“Yeah. Pretty much 90 percent of everyone back home in Australia right-foot brakes. It’s something we have to do back home with our cars. It’s sort of been the fastest way we get our Supercars around, so if you don’t do it back home, you don’t really make it.”  Do you think it’ll be an advantage tomorrow? Was it something of focus back home?“It’s quite amazing. Each sport is different in their own way. Tomorrow, I don’t know if it’s going to help me or may hinder me. I won’t know until I drive it in practice. We’ll just sort of have to see. It seems it’s pretty cool that it’s different over here to right-foot brake and heel-toe. It was pretty cool to see the onboard (camera) of Shane.”  Shane set the bar pretty high. For road course ringers coming in and winning races, it had been a long time since anyone had been competitive. Do you anticipate that going into Sunday’s race, not just to run laps but to also be competitive? “I think there’s no secret there have been ringers in before. I’ve been fast at times but I haven’t won races. Then Shane came over, first time on a street circuit and the weather and whatnot. That’s sort of our bread and butter back home, racing on a street circuit. It’s something that you can’t actually go and practice on. It was pretty cool to see. Honestly, with how many road courses that are on the NASCAR schedule now, a lot of drivers have put in the effort into their road course program. It’s definitely not going to be easy and these guys are really good at what they do.”  It’s one step at a time, but you talk about taking this two years in the making to get this done, is this something you want to do more of?“I just want to see how this weekend sort of plays out. Just see what opportunities come up, if they do after this weekend. I sort of live one day at a time, so yeah, we’ll see what happens.”  Scott McLaughlin has had a lot of good things to say about you. How much have you spoken to him and, when did you first become aware of Indianapolis Motor Speedway?“I’ve known about Indianapolis since I was quite young. I’ve always watched the Indy 500, and I was able to come over last year and watch Scotty (McLaughlin) do his thing in IndyCar which was really cool. He’s someone I’ve leaned on quite a bit when I made my debut back home for the Supercars Championship. I haven’t asked him too much about the NASCAR side of things, coming over and doing this. It seems like two different worlds in a way.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY R.C.VERIZON 200 AT THE BRICKYARD TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT AUGUST 12, 2023

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Media Availability Quotes:  THE LAST THREE YEARS, INDYCAR AND NASCAR HAVE BEEN AT THE SAME TRACK RACING AT THE SAME TIME. ARE YOU A FAN OF THAT WEEKEND.. HAVE YOU ENJOYED IT? “Yeah, I would say so. I think it’s pretty cool – kind of unique. But you know, if I’m being selfish, I think many of us drivers, crews and everything else, we’d rather be coming here and racing around the oval with the prestige and the history of what the oval is. Even though we’re at Indy, it just doesn’t really feel like it’s the same thing going the wrong way.” LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR, YOU GUYS ARE MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE ON THE OVAL AND THIS WEEKEND IS PROBABLY GOING AWAY, AT LEAST HERE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE INCORPORATED ELSEWHERE, WHATEVER TRACK THAT IS? IS IT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONTINUED GOING FORWARD, EVEN IF IT CAN’T BE HERE?“Well that’s for way smarter people in higher powers than me to make that decision. If it works for INDYCAR and it works for NASCAR, then I would say sure.. why not. There’s plenty of places that we can do it – we can do it together, stuff like that. You could even do it at Watkins Glen (International) together if you wanted to – where all you have to do is move some cones and the INDYCAR guys can run the boot and we can run our normal course, but you can be on the same essential track during the weekend. So there’s definitely plenty of opportunities to continue the comradery between the paddocks and garage area to have an INDYCAR / NASCAR double.” YOU’VE BEEN VERY OUTSPOKEN IN THE PAST ABOUT RESTARTS ON ROAD COURSES, INTO TURN ONE PARTICULARLY, WHETHER IT’S HERE OR COTA. WITH THE RESTART ZONE BEING BACKED UP BETWEEN (TURNS) 13 AND 14 THIS WEEKEND, IS THERE ANY OPTIMISM THAT WILL HELP AT ALL FOR TURN ONE? “Possibly a little bit. I think the only other way to help it even more would just call it right now and just go single file, and make it single file starts going down the frontstretch into turn one. You have to separate these guys and give them some separation because they have absolutely no respect and they just drive over each other. We see it every week. We see it on ovals. (Ryan) Blaney wanted to be mad last week, and yet he crashed me and he almost crashed the No. 7 (Corey LaJoie) and he’s mad, so it makes no sense. The fact of the matter is – yeah, everybody goes down into turn one, they know you have to be on the inside and you just pile-drive through from the inside and push people off.” ON THE SINGLE FILE RESTARTS, ELTON SAWYER HAD SAID ON SIRIUSXM RADIO EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT IS SOMETHING THEY WILL KEEP IN THEIR BACK POCKET FOR THIS WEEKEND – NOT JUST FOR WEATHER. SO YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO CONSIDER THAT MORE, MAYBE ON THESE ROAD COURSES IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S GETTING OUT OF CONTROL TO KIND OF SAVE YOU GUYS FROM YOURSELVES?“1,000 percent, no question. Yep, got to make the call. Don’t be afraid to make the call.” TO ADD ONTO THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE ROAD COURSES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH A WIDE TURN ONE, ANY LATE-RACE CAUTION CAN OFTEN LEAD TO SOME PRETTY CHAOTIC RESULTS. YOU MENTIONED BEING IN SUPPORT OF SINGLE-FILE RESTARTS. IN THAT CASE, WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTIVE OF SINGLE-FILE RESTARTS REALLY UNDER 10 LAPS TO GO AT ANY RACE?“No, no I don’t think so. Obviously, yes – it would be easier if you’re the leader, but it would probably diminish the show. We’re in an entertainment business, I’m learning. We want to be able to put on, whether it’s a good show or a bad show, it’s debatable between opinions, right? But we want to be able to put on the best possible show for the fans that we can. I think that would be a deterrent to many of the races that we go to, but like Kelly said, save us from ourselves to just now allow calamity to ensue.”  WHEN SVG WON AT CHICAGO, THERE WAS A LOT OF FOCUS ON HIS RIGHT FOOT, HEEL-TOE BRAKING TECHNIQUE. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO HEEL-TOE? “No, not successfully. I know how to do it and I can do it, but it’s very clunky. I am not a smooth operator when it comes to having to do the heel-toe. I did it years ago when I first kind of came in – like I was learning from Boris Said, Ron Fellows and a couple of those guys, just talking with them. Wheel-hop issues with the old car, it would really kind of help subside that. But then we just went to work on the car, the braking and everything else. To me, every time I’m able to just maximize my left foot for brake, I’m way better off, so I’ve kind of gotten away from it.” SO IT WOULDN’T EVEN REALLY BE WORTH THE TRADE OFF OF TRYING TO DO IT OR TRYING TO LEARN IT? “Right, yeah. For me, no. The Chevy guys – thanks to Chevy for letting us come over here – we ran some street Camaro’s around here and I tried it. Like I tried to do the right foot over, brake, use the clutch, do the downshifts and stuff like that. I was like a half-second slower than just using the brake and matching the RPM’s for the downshifts.”

After bad luck struck in the prelim, both Reutzel and Gravel rebound for top two spots with Bogucki and Heskin joining themKNOXVILLE, IA (August 11, 2023) – Misfortune is bound to strike a contender or two during their prelim at the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store. There are too many variables in racing to allow all of them to get through smoothly. And FVP Parts Hard Knox Night is about allowing those World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car heavyweights a chance to regroup and potentially lock in to the Knoxville Nationals finale.And that’s exactly what happened Friday night at Knoxville Raceway.Bad luck bit a pair of favorites in Aaron Reutzel and David Gravel on Wednesday night, leaving them forced to compete on Hard Knox Night. And the two did exactly what they’re supposed to do. Reutzel wheeled the Ridge & Sons Racing #8 to the victory while Gravel finished a close second. Their finishes secured them spots 21st and 22nd in the lineup for the $185,000-to-win, $15,000-to-start finale.It was a comfortable drive for Reutzel as he led the field to green and never looked back. The result looked slightly in doubt coming to the checkered as Gravel got a run off the final corner but Reutzel held on. The Clute, TX native entered the night confident that if he did his job, they should have no issue locking in.“It’s fourth or nothing here,” Reutzel said. “I don’t know where fifth lines you up here, but I know it ain’t good. I had tough luck. Same with David, tough luck… I just kind of put myself in a bad spot (on Wednesday) and got caught up in a wreck, but my guys did a great job getting the car back together. We had a fast race car. We knew we just needed to come into tonight and get a good (Qualifying) time, get through our heat where it started us up front and do what we did.”For Gravel, Wednesday’s troubles left him a little weary entering the Feature, especially with having to start seventh. But the Big Game Motorsports driver did what he needed to do to lock into his 11th Knoxville Nationals finale.“I’m just happy to get in the show,” Gravel said. “We’ve been fast. We had a plenty fast enough car to lock in on a prelim night, but that’s racing sometimes. Happy to bounce back with a different car, different engine. We just threw these body panels on there and were fast. I was bummed to start seventh in that Feature. I knew we’d be good enough to get up there, but again you just never know. It’s racing.”There’s another element to Hard Knox Night. It’s not only about giving the titans of Sprint Car racing a second chance. It’s also an opportunity for some speedy underdogs to potentially sneak in. And Friday at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World” delivered on that storyline as well. After battling some recent adversity, Scott Bogucki drove an excellent 25 laps aboard the Liebig #10 to finish third, earning a spot in The Granddaddy of “Em All for the first time in his career in his seventh attempt.“I really don’t have the words,” Bogucki said of his emotion. “It’s pretty emotional. I came over here 10 years ago as a crew guy, and this was always the dream. We missed it by one car two or three times now. Same thing Wednesday night. We qualified good and missed the Heat transfer by one. After last week and all of the disasters that have gone on, it’s so nice to rebound. I can’t thank Shane enough and all of the guys with the #10 for believing in me.”Behind Bogucki came another feel-good story. Davey Heskin started 10th and spent the race moving forward and took over the final transfer in the closing laps. The St. Michael, MN driver locked into the sport’s biggest race for the first time in 11 years. The moment left Heskin full of emotion.“Honestly, it’s just unreal,” Heskin said. “It’s a blessing to have everything we have. On Wednesday I was pretty down but we came back. I think tonight was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been for a Heat Race. I think that kind of showed the last few laps. It’s just unreal to lock in. Everybody here knows how much time and effort is put into these things. Just to do it with your family and friends is something unreal.”The spots are secured for the four individuals who emerged from Hard Knox Night. Now, they can rest easy and focus on all that remains for them – the 62nd Knoxville Nationals finale on Saturday.Parker Price-Miller owned the misfortune of finishing fifth to complete the top five. While it was a strong outing, it left the Kokomo, IN native without a guaranteed position in the Knoxville Nationals finale. The difference between finishing fourth and fifth in the Hard Knox Feature is starting 24th in the Saturday finale or 11th in Saturday’s Last Chance Showdown.On top of winning the NOS Energy Drink Feature, Reutzel also claimed the Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award for the first time this year and the eighth time of his career.Brent Marks was the KSE Racing Hard Charger by virtue of his run from 19th to 6th in the main event.CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to David Gravel (231st Heat Race win of career). Your Life Iowa Heats Two through Six were claimed by Parker Price-Miller (22nd of career), Cory Eliason (20th of career), Chris Windom (first of career), and Tim Kaeding (77th of career).UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars take on the $185,000-to-win, $15,000-to-start finale of the 62nd NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals on Saturday, August 12. For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to Knoxville, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.RESULTS:A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 8-Aaron Reutzel[1]; 2. 2-David Gravel[7]; 3. 10-Scott Bogucki[2]; 4. 2M-Davey Heskin[10]; 5. 9P-Parker Price Miller[9]; 6. 19-Brent Marks[19]; 7. 7TW-Brandon Wimmer[3]; 8. 5T-Ryan Timms[5]; 9. 1-Justin Henderson[8]; 10. 11-Cory Eliason[17]; 11. 26-Zeb Wise[22]; 12. 22K-Kaleb Johnson[15]; 13. 21H-Brady Bacon[21]; 14. 4W-Jamie Ball[4]; 15. 3-Tim Kaeding[14]; 16. 39M-Justin Sanders[16]; 17. 49X-Tim Shaffer[11]; 18. 2K-Lynton Jeffrey[18]; 19. 4CW-Chris Windom[12]; 20. 5C-Dylan Cisney[13]; 21. 7S-Robbie Price[24]; 22. 17W-Shane Golobic[23]; 23. 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 24. 42-Sye Lynch[20]

Avedisian seven points back of McIntosh after runner-up finish, McDermand takes third at -74

SPRING RUN, PA (Aug. 11, 2023) – For the first time in his young career, Daison Pursley is a Feature winner with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.

Pursley, the 18-year-old open-wheel standout from Locust Grove, OK, wheeled the Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports #19 to victory Friday night at Path Valley Speedway Park, holding off a fierce challenge from Jade Avedisian in the closing laps to score the win in the Appalachian Midget Week finale.

“Ever since they started coming out last year that they were going to create a new series, I knew I wanted to put my name in the record books of winning a Feature,” Pursley said. “Pretty cool to get that job done with Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports. It shows how good their cars are and how hard they work week-in and week-out.”

Right behind Pursley in third place came Chase McDermand, who wrapped up the Appalachian Midget Week championship by 51 points over Zach Daum with his third-straight podium finish. For never having raced in the State of Pennsylvania before the week began, McDermand made his sudden impact felt with back-to-back victories Tuesday and Wednesday before the endcap on Friday to secure the $2,500 champion’s check.

“It feels really good, especially just to know that we have our speed back,” McDermand, 22, of Springfield, IL, said. “It feels really good for me, and I know it feels really good for Jay [Mounce] and Gavin [Stout] to know that their program is back on track.”

While both drivers started and finished inside the podium, both faced heavy resistance to keep their spots up front.

Pursley started outside the front row and took off in the first half of the race, setting a quick pace around the 1/4-mile. He defended on restarts and cut through lapped traffic without much issue in the first half, then came his biggest challenge of the race.

Avedisian, the 16-year-old Keith Kunz Motorsports standout from Clovis, CA, was riding second on a Lap 31 restart and got a great run on Pursley down the backstretch. Though she couldn’t make the slide job work in Turns 3-4, she set it up again in Turn 3 the next time by and held it briefly out of Turn 4 as Pursley crossed her over to regain control. The two traded sliders and crossovers a few more times before the caution was displayed with four-to-go.

“Thankfully, the yellow came out because I made a wrong decision trying to block her,” Pursley said. “I thought I was a little ahead of her, but I wasn’t ahead of her enough. She actually slid me and was probably gonna take the spot.”

The next restart, Pursley grabbed hold of the line Avedisian was running in Turns 1-2, counteracting her advantage through those corners and leading the field back around to the checkers to score the win.

“I kinda thought he was gonna figure out what I was doing in Turn 1-2,” Avedisian said. “Once he did that, I kinda had no shot; we were about the same speed.”

Avedisian crossed the start/finish line in second, wrapping up what was a tough week for her and her KKM crew. Two flips in the Feature on Tuesday and a 10th-place run Wednesday slipped her back in the Series points championship. But after Friday’s finish, she’s closed the gap to leader Cannon McIntosh back up to only seven points with 12 races left.

“We haven’t had the best week, especially after Tuesday night, flipping twice and then [the KKM crew] having to work all morning just to get me back out on Wednesday,” Avedisian said. “Can’t say enough about how good this team is.”

McDermand rounded out the podium and a great first venture into the Keystone State. He broke out of a multi-week slump that began before the summer break and is now only 74 points out of first place in the Series standings, displaying the grit and integrity of he and the Mounce/Stout Motorsports team.

“It’s a lot between Mounce/Stout and their crew – traveling from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania is probably about an 18-20-hour drive,” McDermand said. “Between that and me and my mom driving out here, it’s pretty tiring racing and then driving to the next one.

“I’m fortunate enough this year to have Jay and the crew to take a little bit of a load off me, so I don’t have to do as much on the car in terms of the maintenance stuff so I can get a little rest and be more of a driver.”

UP NEXT

The Series now takes a two-week break before returning to action Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 24-26, at Davenport Speedway (Davenport, IA) as part of the World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series’ marquee Quad Cities 150 event.

Tickets for the three-day event are on sale now at XtremeOutlawSeries.com. If you can’t be there in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 19-Daison Pursley[2]; 2. 71-Jade Avedisian[3]; 3. 40-Chase McDermand[1]; 4. 7U-Zach Daum[5]; 5. 97-Gavin Miller[16]; 6. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[4]; 7. 98-Briggs Danner[8]; 8. 25K-Taylor Reimer[9]; 9. 60X-Kyle Jones[22]; 10. 08-Cannon McIntosh[10]; 11. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[13]; 12. 55-Trevor Cline[7]; 13. 23-Preston Lattomus[18]; 14. 25-Derek Sheaffer[17]; 15. 11-Eric Heydenreich[19]; 16. 75-Michael Markey[20]; 17. 0W-Kevin Woody Jr[14]; 18. 76-Michael Smith[12]; 19. 17B-Austin Barnhill[6]; 20. 46-Kenney Johnson[11]; 21. 44-Adam Andretti[21]; 22. 4-Ayden Hare[15]

The 11-time NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals champ survives a fierce battle with Chase Randall for opening night win

KNOXVILLE, IA (August 9, 2023) – Plenty of eyes were on Donny Schatz entering this week’s 62nd NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store. Even more eyes than normal. Schatz has an opportunity to tie Steve Kinser’s record of 12 Knoxville Nationals titles. Wednesday’s prelim showed no signs of him feeling any pressure. 

The 10-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion drove an excellent 25-lap main event on the opening prelim night at Knoxville Raceway. On the day before his 46th birthday, Schatz rolled from seventh on the grid to the front and sealed the deal by besting Chase Randall in a late battle. The win marked his first in a Knoxville Nationals prelim in 20 years.

Not only did Schatz come out on top of the NOS Energy Drink Feature, but his point total of 479 also placed him atop the Knoxville Nationals points. There’s still another prelim to be run, but Schatz has set himself up nicely to have a shot at “The King’s” record on Saturday.

“I remember when I first came here, we were really good on the prelim nights but couldn’t ever put it together on Saturday to get the win, and we took a little bit of that emphasis off,” Schatz said. “I don’t think you can leave anything on the table anymore. We qualified 10th. I think being in that fifth Heat was really key to get through there. The longer you run the more the track widens out, and the track was great all night. Man, my race team, these guys. We didn’t run that good when we were here in June, and we tried a few things. We’re always trying things. Kind of went back to square one, and that’s what you saw. The car feels really good. I can still move around some power, so hopefully we can be in a good spot Saturday.”

While it was Schatz who surged ahead late, the early story of the Feature became about two drivers new to the Nationals. In only his second attempt at The Granddaddy of ‘Em All, Blake Hahn earned the pole of the prelim. Lining up directly behind him in third aboard the TKS Motorsports machine was JETCO Rookie of the Year contender – Chase Randall.

When the green flag dropped, Hahn pulled ahead with the lead while Randall quickly worked his way into second on the second circuit.

Early on Hahn gapped Randall with clean air. While the lead duo had space between, the battles were plentiful inside the top 10 as drivers jockeyed for spots. Schatz began to come to life as the race approached lap 10. After moving into sixth at the initial start, Schatz cracked the top five on the ninth lap. One circle later and he was into fourth. Schatz looked like his peak self as he searched for grip in various lines and often found it.

A red flag on lap 17 for a flipping Justin Peck set up an eight-lap shootout to the finish. Randall took the opportunity to flex his muscle as the Waco, TX native slid by Hahn in Turns 3 and 4 to take over the top spot.

Behind that battle, Schatz quickly moved into third on the opening lap of the restart and then into second a lap later. Schatz began to close on the 18-year-old and pulled the trigger on a slide job on Lap 21 only to have Randall cross him over down the back straightaway and return the favor in the next set of corners.

“I didn’t really have any rhythm going when I got to him and got past him. I kind of went for it and really thought he’d look at me like a senior citizen and give me a pass, but he didn’t,” Schatz said with a laugh. “He went right back on by. That’s cool to see. That’s why we’re here. This is the Knoxville Nationals.”

On the next lap, Randall slid himself in Turns 1 and 2 allowing Schatz to get a run heading into Turn 3. This time, Schatz executed a slider that Randall couldn’t find the momentum to counter.

With the lead secured, Schatz went on to roll to a comfortable victory on the opening qualifier night. When the checkered flag flew, Schatz led Randall by roughly a second and a half to cement a statement win. Now, the focus shifts to Saturday’s finale for the pilot of the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15.

“I just wanted to get locked in the show,” Schatz said. “That’s kind of the goal. Once you get yourself in a position where you get qualified, you can kind of move that goal post.”

Randall’s runner-up was the latest testament to his continued strides. The Texas talent went wheel to wheel with a living legend for a win on the sport’s grandest stage. Being that close to a win could’ve left a slightly bitter taste for the Knoxville Nationals rookie, but the overall feeling was primarily prideful.

“I feel pretty good about it,” Randall said. “It’s hard to be mad about it, finishing second like that after coming so close. I’m really proud of it and how we did and how the team made the right decisions throughout the night to set us up and put ourselves in position to be that close. And it kind of shows how much hard work they’ve been putting in to get better each and every week. Running here we’ve had really good speed here this whole year, and to be running up front in our prelim night at the Knoxville Nationals is pretty cool.”

Charging from 12th to third to complete the podium was Sheldon Haudenschild aboard the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #17. The Wooster, OH native even moved around eventual winner, Schatz, early on but couldn’t keep him behind him to contend for the victory.

“I knew once I got by Donny early that I needed to keep him back there,” Haudenschild said. “I kind of got hung up on the #39 a little bit, and Donny was able to get by and gap us. All in all it was a good night… I feel pretty good. This is the best I’ve felt in my car in a long time. Getting on the podium was a great night.”

Kerry Madsen and Blake Hahn rounded out the top five.

Tasker Phillips claimed the KSE Racing Hard Charger with a run from 24th to 11th.

The night’s Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award went to David Gravel for the ninth time this season and the 106th of his career.

CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One was claimed by Brady Bacon (fourth Heat Race win of career). Your Life Iowa Heats Two through Five were topped by Sheldon Haudenschild (94th of career), Justin Henderson (33rd of career), Sye Lynch (third of career), and Carson McCarl (second of career).

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are back at Knoxville Raceway on Thursday, August 10 for the second and final prelim night to finalize the top 16 starters for Saturday’s finale. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to Knoxville, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.

RESULTS:

A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 15-Donny Schatz[7]; 2. 2KS-Chase Randall[3]; 3. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[12]; 4. 55-Kerry Madsen[4]; 5. 52-Blake Hahn[1]; 6. 42-Sye Lynch[9]; 7. 39-Hunter Schuerenberg[6]; 8. 7W-Dustin Selvage[2]; 9. 7TW-Brandon Wimmer[14]; 10. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[21]; 11. 7TAZ-Tasker Phillips[24]; 12. 21H-Brady Bacon[16]; 13. 9-Kasey Kahne[5]; 14. 14-Corey Day[22]; 15. 83-James McFadden[23]; 16. 21T-Cole Macedo[13]; 17. 1-Justin Henderson[18]; 18. 22-Riley Goodno[10]; 19. 1X-Jake Bubak[11]; 20. 1M-Don Droud Jr[19]; 21. 7S-Robbie Price[17]; 22. 27-Carson McCarl[20]; 23. 83T-Tanner Carrick[15]; 24. 13-Justin Pe

KUTZTOWN, PA (Aug. 9, 2023) – Before the start of Appalachian Midget Week, Chase McDermand had never once competed in the State of Pennsylvania. Two races in, and he’s got two Feature wins.

With a swift move in traffic around the bottom of Action Track USA, McDermand took the lead from polesitter Kyle Jones before the halfway point and held the field off the rest of the way to secure his second win in two nights with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.

“I’d be lying if I told you I expected to win the first two,” he said.

A win in similar fashion Tuesday night at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway started McDermand and the Mounce/Stout Motorsports team off on the right foot, taking the lead in the first half of the race and holding on for the win. He began Wednesday night’s main event almost identically, starting from outside Row 2 and quickly advancing inside the top two spots in the first 15 laps.

Once McDermand made the move to take second three laps in, he was a second-and-a-half behind Jones. As Jones dipped into lapped traffic, McDermand began to rapidly close the gap.

“I was really trying to watch the lapped traffic probably even more than I was watching [Jones], just to figure out where they were gonna go,” McDermand said. “The lapped traffic was having their own race, too, switching lines up, so I was mainly just trying to stay out of trouble and figure out how to get a run on [Jones] at the same time.”

By Lap 10, McDermand had closed all the way in on Jones. Coming across the stripe to complete the lap, Jones reached a cluster of slower cars all racing for position. McDermand drove it in hard on the bottom and Jones slid up slightly, opening the door for a pass for the lead.

“We were dicing in lapped traffic, and I saw him get underneath me, and I was trying to pass a lapped car at the same time,” Jones said. “It was getting pretty hairy, but it was all clean. Can’t ask for a cleaner racecar driver than Chase.”

McDermand got a great run out of Turn 2 and down the backstretch, taking the spot away for good on Lap 11. Now in control of the race, McDermand hit the nitrous and scampered away from the field, opening up a three-second advantage on Jones before the first break in the action came with a red flag on Lap 20.

Before the red, McDermand was turning some of the fastest laps on the track.

“I was just trying to find a smooth line, trying to avoid all the holes, trying to upset the car as little as possible, and we were able to do that,” McDermand said. “The car had good drive in it to where I could really switch up my lines, and it was pretty much good everywhere.”

McDermand was forced to survive multiple restarts in the final 10 laps, defending the top spot from several challengers behind him. One of which was Keith Kunz Motorsports entrant Taylor Reimer, who was hot on Jones’ trail for second in the final laps.

“I saw on the board that Reimer was in second, so I was trying to play offense just as much as I was defense those last few laps,” McDermand said. “Try to play it smart and not be vulnerable to her sliding me on those last couple laps.”

Reimer, 23, of Tulsa, OK, was busy in the final 10 laps fending off Series points leader Cannon McIntosh behind her, as well as looking for a way by Jones to take second.

“Once I was able to get going and I got Cannon behind me, I was able to enter high in Turns 1-2 and diamond it off a little bit,” Reimer said. “That’s where [Jones] slid-up into 2.

“I got a run off of 2 and slid him into 3, hit a rough patch, but I didn’t see him after that.”

Reimer crossed the stripe in second, tying her best Xtreme Outlaw finish of the season. The run marked her eighth-straight top-five finish, and though she’s happy with the results, she still hungers for her first national Midget series win in proper fashion, crossing the finish line first.

“I’m getting tired of seeing everyone get the confetti and just watching them,” Reimer said. “My goal was to be more consistent, and to win. But in order to win, you have to be consistent, running up in the top. Super proud of my team, they’ve done a great job all year, and I finally feel like our results are showing.”

Jones was able to hang onto third in the end in the John Levecque-owned #60x. The 29-year-old Texan linked up with the North Carolina-based team specifically for Appalachian Midget Week, and despite some concerns in the closing laps, Jones still bagged his second podium of the season with the Xtreme Outlaws.

“At the end there, I think we were a little low on fuel,” Jones said. “It started sputtering, and that’s how Taylor got by me. Chase was just in a league of his own; he was gone as soon as he got by us.”

UP NEXT

Appalachian Midget Week continues Thursday, Aug. 10 with a visit to Linda’s Speedway in Jonestown, PA. Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate. If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 40-Chase McDermand[4]; 2. 25K-Taylor Reimer[2]; 3. 60X-Kyle Jones[1]; 4. 97-Gavin Miller[3]; 5. 08-Cannon McIntosh[8]; 6. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[10]; 7. 19-Daison Pursley[6]; 8. 7U-Zach Daum[7]; 9. 29-Tim Buckwalter[13]; 10. 71-Jade Avedisian[5]; 11. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[9]; 12. 23-Preston Lattomus[11]; 13. 25-Steve Buckwalter[21]; 14. 76-Michael Smith[12]; 15. 17B-Austin Barnhill[14]; 16. 75-Michael Markey[17]; 17. 55-Trevor Cline[16]; 18. 98-Briggs Danner[18]; 19. 0W-Kevin Woody Jr[15]; 20. 50-Mark Sokol[20]; 21. 4-Ayden Hare[19]

TOPEKA, Kans. (Aug. 09, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster team sit third in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series points standings as they head to the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park still looking for their first win of the season. Force sits 199 points behind the lead, 167 behind second place on the efforts of four No. 1 qualifying positions including the final event at Bandimere Speedway, the Mile High Nationals, where she set her 14th NHRA track speed record. “Headed to the final national event at Heartland Motorsports Park. I’m really sad to see it go away. That’s a racetrack I raced A-Fuel in the sportsman divisions and I had my first ever double up with my dad in 2021 there. It’s a very special track with a lot of memories,” Force said. “Our game plan going in with this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is to go out on a strong note. We want to qualify top five and go some rounds on race day.” Force picked up her first victory at Heartland Motorsports Park in 2021 when she doubled up with her father, John Force, for the first parent-child victory in the professional categories. She qualified No. 1 in three of her nine appearances at Heartland Motorsports Park, in 2014, 2016 and 2021. In 2014 she and her sister Courtney Force shared No. 1 qualifying status with Courtney taking the Funny Car top spot. Last year, Brittany Force qualified sixth but had a first-round exit. The Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park begins with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 5:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be air Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

TOPEKA, Kans. (Aug. 09, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team are on the path to success as they head to the next stop on the Camping World Drag Racing Series tour, the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park. Off the efforts of a win at the Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte, a runner-up finish at the Winternationals at Pomona, California and the second No. 1 qualifying position of his career in Sonoma, California, Prock will start at Heartland Motorsports Park in sixth place in Camping World points but only 22 points out of third. Despite early exits during the famed Western Swing, Prock’s Montana Brand dragster has purely been victim to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. At both Seattle and Sonoma, Prock had the second-best passes of the rounds, unfortunately, he faced the drivers with the best runs. “I’m excited to get back in the seat of my Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster. We’ve had a great car the last few weekends and are looking to prove that to everyone this weekend,” Prock said. “John Force Racing has had a history of wins in Topeka and I would like to add our Montana Brand team to that list for the last stand at Heartland Motorsports Park. My team and crew chiefs are confident and so am I. Excited to see how the cards fall.” In his first start at Heartland Motorsports Park, Prock reached the semifinals after qualifying No. 3. Last year, after qualifying 14th, he lost to Josh Hart in the opening round. The Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park begins with three rounds of qualifying Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 5:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be air Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.