Notebook: New prototype makes competition debutValidating complex system components, beginning car set-up among objectives

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2023) — For starters, it was a productive day. Cadillac Racing’s three new hybrid prototype race cars made their IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition debut in two practice sessions on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course on the first day of preparation for the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona. Resources: Cadillac Racing media info for Roar and Rolex 24 At Daytona | Livery reveal video Validating the complex operating system components and beginning work on car set-up for performance while running for the first time in traffic were among objectives for the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh co-driven by Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken, the No. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh co-driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon, and the No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh co-driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook.

Cadillac cars totaled 142 laps, with the No. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh leading the charge with a best lap of 1 minute, 35.585 seconds. The No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh recorded a best lap of 1:36.013 and the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh posted a best lap of 1:37.128. “All in all, a pretty positive day for Cadillac Racing,” Bamber said. “It’s a new era so there’s a lot of excitement around the paddock and great to see so many fans out already. We have two new cars, so we’re getting everything ironed out as we go along and learning constantly like throughout the development phase we’re still learning. I think pace was good today and we’ll keep going faster.” Van der Zande agreed: “The second session we ran all the way and made some nice improvements on the cars and the systems that are on the car. That’s what you need to do at the Roar is chip away and make things better.” Said Aitken, who is making his first start in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and saw the bulk of the laps in the afternoon session: “It was busy out there and good to get a feel for how it is going to be in the race. We were not necessarily looking for clean laps because we’ll have to deal with the traffic in the race. It was finding a rhythm, getting past people and doing it without taking too much risk. The car was solid. We have a good baseline from the test in December and the track is still rubbering in so it has low grip at the moment. It’s going to get better and better as the week goes on.”

In the opening session, teams essentially went through a shakedown of the new cars. “Both cars are virtually new so it’s a lot of in and out laps, checking sensors, checking calibrations. This car depends a lot more on the data that it is generating itself to run itself,” Chip Ganassi Racing global director of operations Mike O’Gara. “Things like tire pressures, brake pressures, brake temperatures — things that were important before – are mission critical. So we have to make sure all those basic things work before all the other systems like the hybrid system, the electronic brake bias work properly. We were making sure all those things worked right before we start pushing om the rest of the systems.” Three sessions totaling 270 minutes are scheduled for Jan. 21, with the 20-minute qualifying session at 2:40 p.m. ET Jan. 22. Peacock will provide streaming coverage of qualifying starting at 1:25 p.m. The Cadillac prototype features an all-new Cadillac 5.5-liter DOHC V8 engine developed by GM’s Performance and Racing propulsion team based in Pontiac, Michigan, with a seven-speed sequential gearbox. IMSA has specified the power output at 670 horsepower, including the hybrid system; weight at 1,030kg without fuel and driver; and a maximum of 8,800 RPM.Cadillac, the only LMDh manufacturer with a naturally aspirated engine for the new prototype in the GTP class, will seek to build on its legacy of success in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona with its fifth overall victory 2017.

Conditioning for endurance race and seasonLeading into the nine-race GTP calendar has been the off-season work outside the race car that prepares the Cadillac Racing drivers for the physicality and rigors of racing.  With a heavier and more powerful car with less downforce, longer stints than previous years and unknown factors of the new race car, “You need to keep your fitness up particularly because our first race is a 24-hour race, which is quite unique in motorsports, so you have to be ready from the word go,” according to Richard Westbrook. Added Sebastien Bourdais: “The years of experience helps you to know exactly where you need to be physically to not to have any issues inside the car, which is all you really care about unless you want to prepare for an ironman. The biggest thing that is hard to quantify and hard to prepare for because every physiology is different is the heat inside the car. That can demolish your physical abilities really rapidly once you overheat. That’s the one unknown with the new car because they tend to be very hot with the batteries inside the cockpit. It’s one extra factor.” Cycling, rowing, running and weight training are all parts of conditioning regimens. “I think the physicality of endurance racing is right up there with any form of motorsports, because these cars are seriously fast with a lot of G forces and we have to stay in there and give our absolute maximum for two to three hours at a time, which is a lot. I do a lot of work in the gym and also on the bike to get an all-around fitness because you have to be strong enough to muscle the car but also have the stamina to last for hours at a time,” Alex Lynn said. Said Pipo Derani: “I try to mix all of that – some days doing weights and cardio together then other days doing longer periods of cardio to make sure my heart is good. That’s the balance I find works for me. The more cardio I do the easier it is in terms of brain capacity later into the run. You see easily after you’ve been in the car very long that your brain can start taking some time to make decisions, and that’s really because there’s not enough oxygen. Once you train your cardiovascular condition to be bigger and better, you delay that feeling to later into the run. It’s different when you train in a gym with the air conditioning, you don’t quite put yourself into an extreme situation.”Jack Aitken, endurance race driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh, added rock climbing to his regimen. “Grip strength is very important for us, and it also involves decision-making under physical pressure — something that is valuable in the car too,” he said. “The bike always proves to be a great head-clearer, as you can head out for a proper adventure for hours and hours.” Decade of competing in the U.S.Renger van der Zande’s helmet design for 2023 commemorates his 10th year of racing in the U.S. He is a two-time winner of the Rolex 24 At Daytona (2019, 2020) both with Cadillac Racing. … Teammate Scott Dixon is competing in his 20th Rolex 24 At Daytona. He is a four-time winner. … GTP teams have 33 sets of Michelin tires (12 soft “low temperature” and 21 soft “high temperature”) at their disposal for this weekend and the sessions leading into the twice-around-the-clock race. They will have 21 sets total for the race.

CONCORD, NC (Jan. 20, 2023) – Giovanni Scelzi, one of the most prominent rising stars in Sprint Car racing, is set to join the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series full-time in 2023.The Fresno, CA driver, son of drag racing legend Gary Scelzi, will run his first full World of Outlaws tour this year with KCP Racing, which is making its first full-time return since 2019.“The only way that you get to the next level and win more Outlaw shows is by racing with those guys every weekend,” Scelzi said. “There’s a lot of aspects of it but I think it is a no brainer to point toward doing the full Outlaw thing. You think about it over and over and eventually it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s do this.’At 21 years old, Scelzi has already amassed a stout career. He won the 2021 360 Knoxville Nationals with KCP and backed that up with a fourth-place finish in the 2021 Knoxville Nationals. He won an ARCA West Series race in 2020. And in 152 starts with the World of Outlaws, Scelzi has already picked up five victories, 29 top five finishes and 81 top 10s.Each victory has been as impressive as the next. His first World of Outlaws win came in 2018 during a National Open preliminary night when he was 16 years old ­– becoming the youngest Series winner. His second came at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, besting Kyle Larson in the closing laps.Scelzi picked up two victories with the World of Outlaws in 2022 during the Spring West Coast Swing, leading to a top-five spot in the early points standings before going to a pick-and-choose schedule for the year. As the season progressed, Scelzi realized he was ready to follow his dream in 2023.“We just started talking about it, looking at the pay structures and [Scelzi] said, ‘Let’s do it,” said Matt Barbara, co-owner of KCP Racing. “I said, ‘Are you ready?’ He said, ‘I’m ready. Now is the time.’“For our team, we’re spending the same amount of money whether we’re racing here or everywhere. Why not race with the best in the business every single night?”Scelzi joined KCP Racing in the latter half of 2020 – a relationship that was initially meant to be short-term. But with his heart in Sprint Car racing and an instant bond with the team, he found a group that could help him accomplish his dreams. And he could help accomplish theirs.“He and his dad Gary walked into the shop and the minute they walked in it was like, well, this is a done deal,” Barbara said about hiring Scelzi in 2020. “He’s really real. Him and I seemed to hit it off right away. We’re really good friends now. We do a lot together. Right then and there you can always tell; this is going to be sweet. He’s been ultra-honest with me and been loyal to our team. The minute he and Gary walked in I felt like I already knew him. It was a really easy decision. It never felt like it should be anyone else.”KCP Racing, which was formed in 2013 by Barbara and Bret Nehring, ran full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2018 and 2019 and has earned seven Series victories (four with Ian Madsen and three with Scelzi). This year, Barbara said he believes they’re coming in more prepared for the full tour.“I think this is going to be a different experience,” he said. “I think when we did it for the two and a half years with Ian our team was in maybe a different spot.”While being a World of Outlaws champion is always the ultimate goal, Scelzi and the team are taking their goals one race at a time for 2023.“You know, realistically, competing night to night, I’ve never run for a points series, a professional points series,” Scelzi said. “Definitely will change my view point a little bit. But you always want to say, ‘Hey, don’t let the points bother you.’ I think, realistically, you run every race and make every show. I think the guys we have in place right now, if we can run top five in points, that will be an incredible accomplishment for us.”Adam Clark returns as Scelzi’s crew chief, along with crew members Jett Carney and Aaron Beiler.The team will use Morrison Racing Engines and Maxim Racing chassis, and will be supported by Aspen Aire, Logan Contractors, Bring Fuel, Hawkeye Truck Equipment, Teds Body Shop, Iowa Contracting, Royal Flooring, Bobcat, Team Excavating, Precision Underground Utilities, Cox Design & Metal Fabrication, Carman Trucking, JMT Trucking, Concrete Supply, Armor Electric, BerganKDV, Hanifen Towing, A+ Lawncare & Landscape, Schoenfeld, Bell and Sparco.To watch Scelzi and the KCP Racing team all year, get tickets HERE or watch every race live on DIRTVision.

Five-Time Champion Owner Chasing First World of Outlaws Win as Driver of #9

MOORESVILLE, NC – January 20, 2023 – Kasey Kahne’s legacy with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will continue growing in 2023 as he returns to full-time competition with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

Signing on for his second season with the Series, the 42-year-old superstar from Enumclaw, WA will again pilot the Kasey Kahne Racing, Karavan Trailers, FuelMe #9 this year. With 80+ races planned from February to November, the coast-to-coast World of Outlaws tour will take Kahne from the Florida sunshine to the Pennsylvania Pigeon Hills to his native home in Washington, and everywhere in between.

After a trying attempt at the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award in 2022, Kahne is hopeful for a simpler sophomore showing with the goal being more triumphs than tribulations in 2023.

“I feel really, really good,” Kahne admitted. “I’m excited to go full-time Sprint Car Racing again this year and I feel like personally, I got a lot better last year going this route. We definitely had a lot of ups and downs during 2022, so I’m hoping for a much smoother and more successful season this year. 

The ups of last year were certainly great – leading laps and recording his first-career podium at Huset’s Speedway – but the downs did leave their mark. Hard crashes at tracks like Volusia Speedway Park, Eldora Speedway, and Jackson Motorplex – all at the ‘wrong place, wrong time’ – unfortunately forced Kahne onto the sidelines for a combined 27 events through the spring and summer.

Undoubtedly, though, the speed was there; and Kahne is feeling more confident than ever after running his largest dirt racing schedule in almost two decades. The goal now for 2023 is quite simple – win, win, and win.

“Getting that first [World of Outlaws] win is obviously at the top of our bucket list, and it would be huge,” Kahne added. “We’ve been fortunate enough to win so many races with so many drivers at KKR, but I want to be on that list too. It feels incredibly rewarding to win as an owner considering all I’ve put into the sport and continue to put into it, but purely as a race car driver, I want to win myself. It’s been a while since I felt that and that feeling is why we do it, it’s why we love racing.”

Kahne’s quest for his first-career World of Outlaws win begins with the season-opening Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park on February 9-11. Through 26 appearances at The World’s Fastest Half-Mile, Kahne most notably scored a 2002 All Star Circuit of Champions win and established his World of Outlaws career-best at the track with a ninth-place finish in 2021.

Justin Adams will return as Kahne’s crew chief in 2023, along with crew members Brad Tunny and Payton Gries.

The team will use Cappetta Engines and Maxim Chassis, and will be supported by Karavan Trailers, FuelMe, Curb Records, ASE Certifications, Kahne Screen Print, Aerodine, AL Driveline, ATL, Brown and Miller, Cometic Gaskets, C & R Racing, Debeer Paint, Durst, Donovan Engines, Engler Machine, FK Rod Ends, FK Shocks, Godfrey Engines, HMS Motorsports, Kaedings Performance, KSE Racing Products, K1, NAPA Auto Parts, Racing Optics, RPM Chassis, Shadow Graphics, Schoenfeld Headers, Smith Titanium, Weld Wheels, Wing Dynamics, Winters Performance, and WIX Filters.

To watch Kahne and the rest of the Outlaws all year long, get tickets HERE or watch every race live on DIRTVision.

Winners receive 75 points in event standings toward Saturday lock-in totals

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 19, 2023 – A stacked field of 67 DIRTcar Pro Late Models packed the Volusia Speedway Park pit area Thursday night, and out came the veteran Super Late Model talent to reap the rewards.

Race night #1 of the fourth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals was dominated mostly by a host of Super Late Model invaders, piloting their Chevy Performance 604 Crate-engine car counterparts in pursuit of Saturday’s $10,000 grand prize.

In the end, Ross Bailes, Kyle Bronson, Michael Page and first-time winner Rye Faulk emerged victorious in the division’s four Qualifying Features, each earning $1,500 checks and a maximum 75 points in the event standings. After Friday’s program, run identical to Thursday’s, is complete, the top-20 in points will be locked into Saturday’s Feature and go 30 laps for a shot at the big check.

Qualifying Feature #1 – Ross Bailes

For not having raced a Crate-engine car in nearly four years, Ross Bailes showed zero signs of rustiness Thursday night, leading all 20 laps of Qualifying Feature #1 to bag his first career Sunshine Nationals victory.

Bailes, the Super Late Model ringer from Clover, SC, entered a one-race deal with Mt. Airy, NC-based team Koehler Motorsports for the weekend, and has made it count thus far. He set the fastest overall time in Qualifying earlier in the evening before going on to the wire-to-wire victory without much challenge from behind.

“It was really good in Qualifying,” Bailes said. “I thought the track would slow down a bit, so we tightened it up, and we made the wrong adjustments. Probably should’ve just left it alone, and I think it would’ve been even better.”

Jason Welshan, the reigning Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series champion, climbed from sixth to finish second, while Virginian standout Tyler Bare piloted his No. B8 machine to a third-place finish.

Local UMP Modified star Garret Stewart clawed back from a blown engine in practice on Wednesday, borrowing a spare power plant from fellow Floridian racer Jason Garver and driving from 12th to finish the night in seventh.

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 114-Ross Bailes[1]; 2. 29-Jason Welshan[6]; 3. B8-Tyler Bare[2]; 4. 66J-Jake Knowles[11]; 5. 17F-Richard Ferry[4]; 6. 97-Cody Overton[8]; 7. 67-Garret Stewart[12]; 8. 86-Chase Collins[10]; 9. 20-Owen Osteen[9]; 10. 131-Matt Herlong[15]; 11. 38-Nick Love[13]; 12. 5-Mark Whitener[16]; 13. 57-Keaton Smith[17]; 14. 27-Derrick Shaw[14]; 15. 73-Trevor Sise[5]; 16. 15-Nevin Gainey[3]; 17. 80-Ben Scott[7]

Qualifying Feature #2 – Kyle Bronson

The inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals champion hadn’t seen Volusia Victory Lane since 2021, but Kyle Bronson made his triumphant return Thursday night.

Starting third on the grid, the Brandon, FL-driver stayed patient in the 20-lapper, picking off second on Lap 6 before the yellow was thrown three laps later. This restacked the field and put Bronson on the tail of fellow Late Model ringer Cory Hedgecock for the restart.

Bronson stayed with Hedgecock on the ensuing restart, and finally pulled the trigger on a slide job pass for the lead in Turn 4 on Lap 12.

“I was watching [Hedgecock], and he kinda missed the bottom there on a couple laps while protecting,” Bronson said. “It makes it a lot easier running second, sometimes, than it is leading the race. Cory’s a real good racer, and I’m pretty sure he’s gonna be good all week here.”

Bronson never relinquished the top spot and drove it back to the checkered to collect a record sixth career Sunshine Nationals Feature win.

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 2. 23-Cory Hedgecock[1]; 3. 26JR-Jimmy Sharpe Jr[9]; 4. 14JR-Trey Mills[4]; 5. 18-Joshua Bishop[2]; 6. 74-Jason Garver[6]; 7. C4-Freddie Carpenter[13]; 8. 51-Mack McCarter[5]; 9. 7A-Corey Almond[15]; 10. 72-Trevor Collins[17]; 11. 16-Brandon Dewitt[11]; 12. 24-Mason Diaz[16]; 13. 28P-Jeff Provinzino[14]; 14. 54-Tuck Trentham[10]; 15. 20G-Chub Gunter[7]; 16. 50-David Markham Jr[12]; 17. 42T-Jake Traylor[8]

Qualifying Feature #3 – Michael Page

After a dull result in Qualifying early in the night, Michael Page rebounded into Victory Lane by night’s end, driving from 14th on the starting grid to the lead in less than 10 laps.

Page, the 2021 Sunshine Nationals Feature winner from Douglasville, GA, surprised the entire field, including himself, with the poor result in Qualifying, which set him so far back on the starting grid. But at the drop of the green in the Feature, all seemed to have been fixed.

“I tried something that I thought I was doing right, and it was completely awful, worst thing I ever did,” Page said about his car in Qualifying. “So, I just went back to what I had on it, but changed some stuff to make it better. And it was really good.

“I know how to go around here; I know how to do it. I’ve been pretty good here before, but I was just so bad in Qualifying, it couldn’t get any worse. Bad. Really bad.”

Page advanced six spots on the first lap and was riding fourth on Lap 5. A yellow flag was displayed on Lap 9, which restacked the field and put him on the top side for the next restart, now only two cars ahead of him.

Page passed for second on the restart, and then Demetrios Drellos for the lead one lap later. Now at the head of the field, Page ran away and hid, collecting his second career Sunshine Nationals Feature win and the $1,500 check.

Tennessee Super Late Model veteran Randy Weaver made a large climb through the field in the Hatcher’s Auto Sales team #6, going from 16th on the grid to a top-five before the checkered flag.

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 18X-Michael Page[14]; 2. 111-Demetrios Drellos[2]; 3. 25-Donnie Chappell[1]; 4. 18E-Ethan Wilson[6]; 5. 6-Randy Weaver[16]; 6. 05-David Whitener[11]; 7. 87-Walker Arthur[5]; 8. J8-Jadon Frame[8]; 9. 40-Kaden Honeycutt[3]; 10. 32-Curtis Glover[9]; 11. 17-Zach Blackwell[10]; 12. 28-Tyler Dettor[13]; 13. 10-Dalton Hood[17]; 14. 555-Brock Pinkerous[7]; 15. 515-Bubba Roling[4]; 16. T2-Tanner Hauger[15]; 17. 18B-Mark Fleischer[12]

Qualifying Feature #4 – Rye Faulk

There’s a first time for everything, and young Georgian Rye Faulk got a big first-time win Thursday night, leading wire-to-wire for the first-ever Feature win in his dirt racing career.

Faulk, the 21-year-old Late Model rookie from Dublin, GA, had less than 30 starts in the car coming into this weekend. However, his lack of seat time did not stop him from dominating the final Qualifying Feature, as he held off Floridians Clay Harris and David Showers Jr. the entire distance to bag the $1,500 victory.

“It feels awesome,” Faulk said. “All my life, I’ve watched on TV and these Late Model guys get it done around this place. I’ve always dreamed of being here in this place, and here we are today with a Feature win.

“I could not enjoy it more.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 4-Rye Faulk[1]; 2. 6H-Clay Harris[3]; 3. 118-David Showers Jr[5]; 4. 27M-Donald McIntosh[12]; 5. 89-Jeff Choquette[9]; 6. 127-Austin Yarbrough[2]; 7. 388-Jackson Hise[6]; 8. 66-Jody Knowles[7]; 9. 42-Steven Stratton Sr[10]; 10. 117-Phillip Anderson[4]; 11. 29S-Cameron Saunders[11]; 12. 30-Steven Stratton JR[15]; 13. KB-Kerry King[14]; 14. 314-Michael Daugherty[16]; 15. 08-Ray Love Jr[8]; 16. 721-Joe Kump[13]

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Pro Late Model action continues at Volusia Friday night with a program mirroring Thursday night’s format, where more points will be awarded to the field before Saturday’s lock-in.

Tickets will be available at the gate. If you can’t be at the track, watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

Winners receive 75 points in event standings toward Saturday lock-in totals

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 19, 2023 – A stacked field of 67 DIRTcar Pro Late Models packed the Volusia Speedway Park pit area Thursday night, and out came the veteran Super Late Model talent to reap the rewards.

Race night #1 of the fourth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals was dominated mostly by a host of Super Late Model invaders, piloting their Chevy Performance 604 Crate-engine car counterparts in pursuit of Saturday’s $10,000 grand prize.

In the end, Ross Bailes, Kyle Bronson, Michael Page and first-time winner Rye Faulk emerged victorious in the division’s four Qualifying Features, each earning $1,500 checks and a maximum 75 points in the event standings. After Friday’s program, run identical to Thursday’s, is complete, the top-20 in points will be locked into Saturday’s Feature and go 30 laps for a shot at the big check.

Qualifying Feature #1 – Ross Bailes

For not having raced a Crate-engine car in nearly four years, Ross Bailes showed zero signs of rustiness Thursday night, leading all 20 laps of Qualifying Feature #1 to bag his first career Sunshine Nationals victory.

Bailes, the Super Late Model ringer from Clover, SC, entered a one-race deal with Mt. Airy, NC-based team Koehler Motorsports for the weekend, and has made it count thus far. He set the fastest overall time in Qualifying earlier in the evening before going on to the wire-to-wire victory without much challenge from behind.

“It was really good in Qualifying,” Bailes said. “I thought the track would slow down a bit, so we tightened it up, and we made the wrong adjustments. Probably should’ve just left it alone, and I think it would’ve been even better.”

Jason Welshan, the reigning Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series champion, climbed from sixth to finish second, while Virginian standout Tyler Bare piloted his No. B8 machine to a third-place finish.

Local UMP Modified star Garret Stewart clawed back from a blown engine in practice on Wednesday, borrowing a spare power plant from fellow Floridian racer Jason Garver and driving from 12th to finish the night in seventh.

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 114-Ross Bailes[1]; 2. 29-Jason Welshan[6]; 3. B8-Tyler Bare[2]; 4. 66J-Jake Knowles[11]; 5. 17F-Richard Ferry[4]; 6. 97-Cody Overton[8]; 7. 67-Garret Stewart[12]; 8. 86-Chase Collins[10]; 9. 20-Owen Osteen[9]; 10. 131-Matt Herlong[15]; 11. 38-Nick Love[13]; 12. 5-Mark Whitener[16]; 13. 57-Keaton Smith[17]; 14. 27-Derrick Shaw[14]; 15. 73-Trevor Sise[5]; 16. 15-Nevin Gainey[3]; 17. 80-Ben Scott[7]

Qualifying Feature #2 – Kyle Bronson

The inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals champion hadn’t seen Volusia Victory Lane since 2021, but Kyle Bronson made his triumphant return Thursday night.

Starting third on the grid, the Brandon, FL-driver stayed patient in the 20-lapper, picking off second on Lap 6 before the yellow was thrown three laps later. This restacked the field and put Bronson on the tail of fellow Late Model ringer Cory Hedgecock for the restart.

Bronson stayed with Hedgecock on the ensuing restart, and finally pulled the trigger on a slide job pass for the lead in Turn 4 on Lap 12.

“I was watching [Hedgecock], and he kinda missed the bottom there on a couple laps while protecting,” Bronson said. “It makes it a lot easier running second, sometimes, than it is leading the race. Cory’s a real good racer, and I’m pretty sure he’s gonna be good all week here.”

Bronson never relinquished the top spot and drove it back to the checkered to collect a record sixth career Sunshine Nationals Feature win.

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 2. 23-Cory Hedgecock[1]; 3. 26JR-Jimmy Sharpe Jr[9]; 4. 14JR-Trey Mills[4]; 5. 18-Joshua Bishop[2]; 6. 74-Jason Garver[6]; 7. C4-Freddie Carpenter[13]; 8. 51-Mack McCarter[5]; 9. 7A-Corey Almond[15]; 10. 72-Trevor Collins[17]; 11. 16-Brandon Dewitt[11]; 12. 24-Mason Diaz[16]; 13. 28P-Jeff Provinzino[14]; 14. 54-Tuck Trentham[10]; 15. 20G-Chub Gunter[7]; 16. 50-David Markham Jr[12]; 17. 42T-Jake Traylor[8]

Qualifying Feature #3 – Michael Page

After a dull result in Qualifying early in the night, Michael Page rebounded into Victory Lane by night’s end, driving from 14th on the starting grid to the lead in less than 10 laps.

Page, the 2021 Sunshine Nationals Feature winner from Douglasville, GA, surprised the entire field, including himself, with the poor result in Qualifying, which set him so far back on the starting grid. But at the drop of the green in the Feature, all seemed to have been fixed.

“I tried something that I thought I was doing right, and it was completely awful, worst thing I ever did,” Page said about his car in Qualifying. “So, I just went back to what I had on it, but changed some stuff to make it better. And it was really good.

“I know how to go around here; I know how to do it. I’ve been pretty good here before, but I was just so bad in Qualifying, it couldn’t get any worse. Bad. Really bad.”

Page advanced six spots on the first lap and was riding fourth on Lap 5. A yellow flag was displayed on Lap 9, which restacked the field and put him on the top side for the next restart, now only two cars ahead of him.

Page passed for second on the restart, and then Demetrios Drellos for the lead one lap later. Now at the head of the field, Page ran away and hid, collecting his second career Sunshine Nationals Feature win and the $1,500 check.

Tennessee Super Late Model veteran Randy Weaver made a large climb through the field in the Hatcher’s Auto Sales team #6, going from 16th on the grid to a top-five before the checkered flag.

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 18X-Michael Page[14]; 2. 111-Demetrios Drellos[2]; 3. 25-Donnie Chappell[1]; 4. 18E-Ethan Wilson[6]; 5. 6-Randy Weaver[16]; 6. 05-David Whitener[11]; 7. 87-Walker Arthur[5]; 8. J8-Jadon Frame[8]; 9. 40-Kaden Honeycutt[3]; 10. 32-Curtis Glover[9]; 11. 17-Zach Blackwell[10]; 12. 28-Tyler Dettor[13]; 13. 10-Dalton Hood[17]; 14. 555-Brock Pinkerous[7]; 15. 515-Bubba Roling[4]; 16. T2-Tanner Hauger[15]; 17. 18B-Mark Fleischer[12]

Qualifying Feature #4 – Rye Faulk

There’s a first time for everything, and young Georgian Rye Faulk got a big first-time win Thursday night, leading wire-to-wire for the first-ever Feature win in his dirt racing career.

Faulk, the 21-year-old Late Model rookie from Dublin, GA, had less than 30 starts in the car coming into this weekend. However, his lack of seat time did not stop him from dominating the final Qualifying Feature, as he held off Floridians Clay Harris and David Showers Jr. the entire distance to bag the $1,500 victory.

“It feels awesome,” Faulk said. “All my life, I’ve watched on TV and these Late Model guys get it done around this place. I’ve always dreamed of being here in this place, and here we are today with a Feature win.

“I could not enjoy it more.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 4-Rye Faulk[1]; 2. 6H-Clay Harris[3]; 3. 118-David Showers Jr[5]; 4. 27M-Donald McIntosh[12]; 5. 89-Jeff Choquette[9]; 6. 127-Austin Yarbrough[2]; 7. 388-Jackson Hise[6]; 8. 66-Jody Knowles[7]; 9. 42-Steven Stratton Sr[10]; 10. 117-Phillip Anderson[4]; 11. 29S-Cameron Saunders[11]; 12. 30-Steven Stratton JR[15]; 13. KB-Kerry King[14]; 14. 314-Michael Daugherty[16]; 15. 08-Ray Love Jr[8]; 16. 721-Joe Kump[13]

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Pro Late Model action continues at Volusia Friday night with a program mirroring Thursday night’s format, where more points will be awarded to the field before Saturday’s lock-in.

Tickets will be available at the gate. If you can’t be at the track, watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

The Dresden, OH driver earned his 10th career Series triumph and second at Volusia Speedway Park

BARBERVILLE, FL– January 20, 2023 – Devin Moran wasted no time proving his new venture with Double Down Motorsports would be a winning combination.

In his first race driving for car-owner Roger Sellers, the Dresden, OH driver thundered to the lead past Tim McCreadie on Lap 20 and held on to win the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Season opener Thursday night at Volusia Speedway Park.

However, Sunshine Nationals wasn’t only the debut of Moran’s new team but also his return to the #99—a number his dad drove throughout his Late Model career.

“All smiles tonight,” Moran said. “The 99 is back. I really hope this is going to be a long-term thing with me and Roger.”

McCreadie stormed to the lead when the 25-lap CASE Construction Equipment Feature began, quickly pulling away from outside pole-sitter Chris Madden.

The Watertown, NY driver built up more than a half-straightaway lead before the caution flew for Jordan Koehler on Lap 9. 

That’s when Moran’s climb to the lead began, as he powered past Nick Hoffman and Madden to pull into second on Lap 10, setting his sights on McCreadie.

As “T-Mac” worked through slower traffic, he got loose in Turn 4 on Lap 19, allowing Moran to close within inches of his spoiler.

From there, Moran’s momentum propelled his Longhorn Chassis underneath McCreadie in Turn 1, as he slid in front of McCreadie’s nose to take the lead for good in Turn 2 on Lap 20. 

Moran held on for the final six laps to score his 10th career World of Outlaws triumph—one worth $8,000.

“This track was just really tricky tonight,” Moran said. “I just went in there and did what I thought I could do to get by [McCreadie]. I felt like I was pretty clear. I don’t know if I was or not. 

“But Timmy is a really good racer, and I drove hard when I got by him because I was sure he was on my heels.”

McCreadie crossed the line second after leading the first 19 laps. He said tire choice played a factor in the handling of his car later in the race.

“We just got super tight in,” McCreadie said. “We had different tire combos than those guys ran. I kind of thought that was maybe the direction to go, but I thought, man, we should be OK. We ran the same right rear as we did in the Heat Race, but as the track kind of got a little shinier and broke open, I just got super tight.”

Chris Madden finished third—his second straight podium at Volusia Speedway Park. 

Like McCreadie, the Gray Court, SC driver’s Rocket Chassis tightened up due to his tire choice.

“We tightened up a little bit too much tonight,” Madden said. “Just learning these tires here, I’d have done a little different tire combination, I think. I feel like we had a good long-run race car, but for a short 20 laps, we weren’t where we needed to be, and those guys were just a tick better.”

Ryan Gustin, from Marshalltown, IA, crossed the line fourth after starting 10th. An exciting three-wide pass on Lap 10 highlighted “The Reaper’s” rise to the front.

Gustin’s Rocket Chassis loosened in Turn 2, allowing Hudson O’Neal and Brian Shirley to pull even with him. That’s when he regained his momentum on the backstretch, setting his right rear on the cushion in Turns 3 and 4, moving past both drivers and Hoffman by the time they reached the flag stand.

The Iowa competitor said he had a good car but needed to be better during Qualifying.

“The car was really good all night,” Gustin said. “We were just a little bit too tight there in Qualifying, and after that, I think we raced really good. We’ll get our Qualifying deal fixed tomorrow, and I think we’ll have a shot.”

Ricky Thornton Jr. rounded out the top five.

Four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard finished 10th, earning Thursday’s Fox Factory Hard Charger after taking a provisional and starting 23rd.

Devin Moran only needed one race to find the winning combination for him and Roger Sellers at Double Down Motorsports. It’s a combination he hopes continues for a long time as the partnership thrives in its early stages.

“This is the perfect way to get it started,” Moran said.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models return to action on Friday, Jan. 20, for night two of Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. For Tickets: CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online on with the DIRTVision App.

CASE Construction Equipment Feature (25 Laps): 1. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[1]; 3. 44-Chris Madden[2]; 4. 19R-Ryan Gustin[10]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[13]; 6. 8-Brian Shirley[9]; 7. 40B-Kyle Bronson[19]; 8. 9-Nick Hoffman[4]; 9. 1-Hudson O’Neal[7]; 10. B5-Brandon Sheppard[23]; 11. 111-Max Blair[8]; 12. 22*-Payton Freeman[20]; 13. 96V-Tanner English[24]; 14. 5-Mark Whitener[17]; 15. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[5]; 16. 97-Cade Dillard[22]; 17. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[16]; 18. B1-Brent Larson[15]; 19. 20-Jimmy Owens[18]; 20. 1ST-Johnny Scott[21]; 21. 99B-Boom Briggs[25]; 22. 25-Shane Clanton[12]; 23. 11-Gordy Gundaker[26]; 24. 22-Will Roland[14]; 25. 32-Bobby Pierce[6]; 26. 114-Jordan Koehler[11] FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGER:Brandon Sheppard [+13]

(1/20/23) Sacramento, CA … The Northern Auto Racing Club rolled out its 2023 sprint car rulebook which features safety, equipment and format changes.

On the safety side of the racing business, fire suppression systems are required on every car by May 1st, and rock screens are required beginning at the NARC season opener on March 18th at Silver Dollar Speedway.  The fire suppression rule is being mirrored by all sanctioning bodies and local tracks on the left coast.

Dish wings are no longer allowed.  In addition, NARC will begin migrating to Hoosier’s newly-designed asymmetrical rear drive tires as the season progresses.  This includes the D15A and Medium right rear and the D12A left rear.)  Front tire specs will not change.  Hoosier HTW’s can no longer be run.

The traveling sanctioning body, which will visit 15 different tracks this season to crown a “King of the West” champion, also announced a race format change.  It is similar to what some other regional associations around the country currently are utilizing (AllStars).  Heat races will be lined up straight up by time, except the fastest qualifier in each heat, which will invert to the fourth starting position.  The heat race winner and the fastest qualifier from each heat will transfer to the dash, which determines the first three or four rows of the feature event (depending on number of heat races).  Full details are spelled out in the 2023 rulebook.

The NARC General and Technical rule books, along with the 2023 membership forms can be downloaded at:https://wp.me/P8HUv9-iG.

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Georgia’s Will Roland tops speed charts out of 43 cars, 10 drivers unofficially break Volusia Speedway Park track record

BARBERVILLE, FL – January 18, 2023 – After a night of World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series practice at Volusia Speedway Park, an unexpected name found himself at the top of the speed charts.

Will Roland had never raced at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile” before Sunshine Nationals practice Wednesday night. Despite his inexperience, he was quickest out of 43 cars with a 15.322 second lap—unofficially breaking Tim McCreadie’s track record of 15.645 set in February of 2018. 

Roland was one of 10 drivers to beat the 2006 World of Outlaws Late Models champion’s time.

However, it doesn’t officially go into the record books as a new track record. Official times are only taken during Low-E Insulation Qualifying.

The Jasper, GA, driver said he’s more confident about the weekend but knows a good practice time only takes him so far.

“It’ll definitely boost our confidence for [Thursday],” Roland said. “The car was great. Too bad it don’t pay nothing. But, if we just work on it a little bit more tomorrow and stay up front, my goal is just to come out and make a name for myself.”

Two-time Volusia Speedway Park winner Kyle Strickler was second fastest with a 15.453 second lap. 

Like Roland, he’s also built confidence for the weekend.

“I love coming to this place,” Strickler said. “We’ve been working really hard this offseason and built a brand new car. It always feels good to unload good on the first day of the season on practice night and to be quick.”

Chris Madden, who found Victory Lane the last time the Series raced at Volusia during DIRTcar Nationals, was third fastest overall.

The Gray Court, SC competitor, who ran a 15.466 second lap, said he’s looking forward to the weekend as he aims for his third overall Volusia victory.

“We were extremely good tonight,” Madden said. “We got to play around with a few things, and I think we’re really good, and we’re looking forward to the weekend here.”

Jordan Koehler was fourth quick with a 15.525 second lap, and Brian Shirley rounded out the top five with a 15.602 second lap.

World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Rookie of the Year contender Todd Cooney was the sixth fastest overall.

Cooney, from Des Moines, IA, clocked in a 15.607 second lap—one he’s excited about 

“It feels really, really good for sure,” Cooney said. “We ran a couple of times last year, and we were pretty horrible. This year it was much different. We have cars by Eric Wells, and he has them dialed in for me.”

World of Outlaws Late Models Practice- Top 10

1. Will Roland – 15.322
2. Kyle Strickler – 15.453
3. Chris Madden – 15.466
4. Jordan Koehler – 15.525
5. Brian Shirley – 15.602
6. Todd Cooney – 15.607
7. Tanner English – 15.611
8. Hudson O’Neal – 15.620
9. Bobby Pierce – 15.635
10. Johnny Scott – 15.637

The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models officially kick off the 2023 season Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Late Model Palooza known as Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. They’ll be joined by the DIRTcar Pro Late Models and the 602 Late Models. For Tickets: CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online on with the DIRTVision App.

NARC NEWSLINE – January 19, 2023 – By Jim Allen … There are so many things going on in motorsports that missing a single day on social media can put you in a time warp. Everything seems to happen so fast; some of it good and some of it not so good.  Among the headlines during the past couple of months were life-threatening RV crashes, million-dollar to win sprint car races, a shootout in Tulsa that resembled a WWE event, high-limit races, and even some proverbial head-butting between some of the big names in sprint car racing.  There is a ton going on locally also, so buckle up and take notes:

STATE OF THE UNION:  I attended a pair of promoter’s workshops this offseason.  The first was the WARPA meeting in Portland in mid-November, followed by the December RPM Promoters Workshop in Reno. The way I heard it and read the room the messages were completely different. In the Pacific Northwest, where most of the tracks lost the first third of the schedule to an ungodly number of rainouts, promoters were basically doing the happy dance. Attendance was up and growing car counts complimented the great racing. By comparison, the promoters in Portland seemed a lot less stressed than their California counterparts in Reno.

While sprint car racing was pretty darn entertaining in ’22, every promoter in California is actively digging to entice an additional 500-600 fans into their grandstands each week. It’s the difference between good and great, but with the highest operating costs in the nation, California racetrack promoters are having to work extremely hard just to make ends meet.  All are doing their best to support racers, but they also have to buy groceries – and that’s a fine line to walk.  Either way, everybody seems very optimistic regarding the future of 410 sprint car racing on the left coast.

HOOSIER TIRES:  Most in dirt track racing assumed that a pop of a champagne cork on New Year’s was going to signal the end to our tire problems of ’22. Better slam on the brakes on those impure thoughts because Hoosier and other tire manufacturers took to the podium to spell out the situation at the workshops.  When pressed on how much of an improvement we could expect to experience (enjoy) this year, Hoosier was hard-pressed to answer just five percent. Trust me when I say this, but they are not proud of that figure, but are diligently working on improving the crisis. By the way, the sheer demand for racing tires nationally (all classes) is off the charts. This cuts both ways. It shows that motorsports and grass roots racing is growing – but it is also complicating the problem by driving demand above what can be supplied.

Like most other businesses in the post-Covid world, Hoosier needs people who actually want to work, and they need an influx of raw materials.  They have been forced to make dramatic increases in labor rates to recruit talent, and it is working … slowly.  Speaking of raw materials, just three years ago it cost about $2000 to get an entire shipping container of raw rubber from Indonesia to Indiana. For your rubber fact of the week, four countries in Southeast Asia grow 70% of the world’s rubber supply and there is a shortage which was caused in 2020 when replacement trees were not planted. Today, that exact same container of raw rubber can be yours for right around $32,000.  Yes, that is a real number! You can’t make that stuff up! As a result, there are more price increases coming in the near future and the ticket price of a Hoosier Right Rear racing tire is fast approaching $400 a pop. For all of the politicians who say inflation is running at six-to-eight percent, I call B.S.

Hoosier also announced improvements to their manufacturing process, by reducing the number of tire SKU’s from over 1300 to less than 400.  Less SKU’s means they can build more tires because they don’t need to constantly change tire molds and tooling. In hindsight, it’s seeming like something that needed to happen years ago, especially in stock car racing where some associations allow 20+ different tire configurations/compounds.  Another improvement was announced a couple of weeks ago stating that dirt track racing is quickly evolving to a new national Hoosier tire. It utilizes a symmetrical tread pattern that allows sprint car teams to rotate tires to extend the life cycle.  This tire will be run by anybody running a sprint car on dirt from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The new D15A rolls out in February and will replace all other Hoosier right rears in existence once they fill the pipeline.

So where is all this leading? To be honest with you, I’m not really sure.  Is there a possibility of events being cancelled? It could happen! Will things get better? Yes, but it will take time. All I really do know is that one of the toughest jobs in motorsports right now is your local Hoosier tire distributor rep. Nobody ever calls to find out if they’re having a wonderful day.

And to close out this topic, here is a little flashback to 1995. At the time, the NARC sprint cars were running a McCreary MC-3right rear club tire. The cost … wait for it … a whopping $135 each.  Even at that price, most car owners thought the price was outlandish. You can imagine what they are thinking now.  We need a time machine.

2023 NARC SCHEDULE:  Yes, it’s aggressive, featuring twenty-four races at 15 different tracks.  Among those shows are new additions at Antioch Speedway (April 29^th) and Brian Crockett’s Douglas County Dirtrack in Roseburg, Oregon. This is the same Douglas County track that was best known for stock cars on a paved 3/8 mile.  I guess if you can “pave” a dirt track, you can “dirt” a paved track.  That’s exactly what Crockett managed to pull off.  Test runs have been impressive and now it’s the second stop on the Fastest Four Days in Motorsports. That blast of racing will be a lead up to an exciting stretch of seven NARC events in ten days. It looks something like this:

• Thursday, June 15^th – Southern Oregon Speedway (Central Point, OR) – Thursday Night Thunder
• Friday, June 16^th – Douglas County Dirtrack (Roseburg, OR) – Friday Night Frenzy
• Saturday, June 17^th – Willamette Speedway (Lebanon, OR) – Sprint Car Invasion
• Sunday, June 18^th – Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA) – Timber Cup
• Monday, June 19^th – Sleep in, golf, and head to Skagit!
• Tuesday, June 20^th – (NON-NARC POINTS RACE) Skagit Speedway – 410 Open Show
• Wednesday, June 21^st – Participate in a variety of fan-friendly, non-racing activities at Skagit. Alcohol will probably be involved.
• Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24^th – Skagit Speedway – $50,000 to win Super Dirt Cup (Burlington, WA)

There will be a boatload of money and some serious egos to feed during those ten days and I promise the adventure is worth the trip. Hopefully, if everything works out as planned and California crowds go from good to great this season, the Speedweekconcept can return locally to the 2024 schedule..

Another NARC schedule change pertains to the Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway.  It was originally rolled out as a two-day 410 show. It’s back to Taco Bravo 360’s on Friday and NARC 410’s on Saturday.

NARC NOTES:  Both nights of the May 12-13^th Peter Murphy Classic will take place at Keller Auto Speedway.  In the past, the event was split between the Hanford track and Thunderbowl Raceway, with the tracks swapping the $11,000 to win Saturday headliner. With Peter Murphy firmly entrenched as the promoter at Keller, it only makes sense for the same track doubleheader.  It will allow race fans to settle in and enjoy the entire weekend in one campground. … Tulare will now showcase the Dennis Roth Classic as a two-day show on April 14-15^th, with the winner taking home $8300 on Saturday night.  Look for a possible announcement in the near future about a substantial bump to that amount. …

Fire Suppression Systems are mandatory on all left coast tracks by May 1^st.  This includes 360 and 410’s. Rock screens are now mandatory beginning at the season opener. … Dish wings are no longer allowed on the West Coast. …  …Thank you to former NARC HammerDown! Rookie of the year Jim Taves for sponsoring our second heat race in 2023.  The winner of theKimo’s Tropical Car Wash heat will pocket 100 bucks. …  Calistoga Speedway has a heartbeat!  All that needs to happen is for the locals to vote on a bond measure in March which will fund the maintenance of the facility. Tommy Hunt is optimistic. Fingers crossed. … 2023 rule books and membership forms can be downloaded at NARC410.com.

NARC DRIVER NOTES:  Bud Kaeding will be strapping into Mike Martin’s champ car this season for a handful of races in the Midwest. It’s been a decade since Bud wheeled the big cars. … Congratulations to Kalib Henry who will living the dream on more of a national stage this year. The up and comer landed a ride with Shane Liebig to run for a title at Huset Speedway in North Dakota and other big profile events including the Knoxville Nationals.  Yes, California lost another great young driver, but we will still see him at some big events on occasion in the McColloch Motorsports sprint car. … Congrats to Justin Sanders and Joel Myers Jr. for representing the US with some great “down under” victories. … As per Alex Nieten’s NARC Pit Personality story, Justyn Cox is the new shoe in the Bates-Hamilton Racing #42X.  Look for this team to make a victory lane appearance at a track near you. …  Here is something new out of the Tarlton Motorsports camp. The team is NOT planning to run a permanent driver during the 2023 season. Crew chief Drew Warner stated the team will utilize a “best driver available”approach.  They will be chasing the NARC car owner championship.

OTHER STUFF:  Watched a WWE event and a midget race broke out.  Yup, that’s the best way to describe the Tulsa Shootoutwhere more than 100 flips were matched with an equal number of punches. …  It sure is good for our California egos by how well our drivers collectively performed at the Chili Bowl. At least there is some positive to come out of this state. … There is a new scoring tower/announcers booth/business center being constructed at Skagit Speedway.  The original 1970-vintage tower was torn down as the improvements continue at the facility. … It’s hard not to get excited about the first ever $1 million to winsprint car show at Eldora.  Fans went nuts on social media when they heard the news.  Unfortunately, many thought this payout was going to happen with the standard $50 World of Outlaw ticket price.  You can’t pay that much money without securing a sizeable increase at the front gate. It’s business economics 101. Tickets are expected to be in the $150+ range. … Glad to see that the World of Outlaws and Kyle Larson’s High Limit Series worked out their differences. By the way, the High Limit race at Tulare was moved to March 21^st. …  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill Andreetta of Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats, our trophy dash sponsor. Bill was recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment in Arizona. … There will be plenty of opportunities to race 410 sprint cars on the West Coast.  In addition to our schedule, Keller Auto Speedway has three 410 stand-alone shows – with a 360 twist! Peter Murphy has been actively envisioning some unique twist and turns for these 20-car main events, where 360’s will be given the opportunity to start up front.  It will feature a standard NARC payoff. I don’t have all of the details yet, but a press release will roll out soon. …

And finally … It’s scary how one’s life can change in a split-second. Our thoughts and prayers are still with the Bloomfield family. Their RV was crushed by an intoxicated driver as they were returning home from a 360 race in Merced before Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, Shannon Bloomfield took the full force of accident, resulting in an extensive list of broken bones and other injuries that seem impossible to comprehend. She is lucky to be alive. Dustin’s heartfelt posts on Facebook during the ordeal were enough to make grown men cry. Shannon faces a substantial recovery process – one I’m sure she will conquer – and it will be an honor to see her at a NARC event in the near future. Amen! …

We’ve only got a couple of months until the 2023 Mini-Gold Cup NARC season opener in Chico.  In the meantime, you can find everything NARC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok and NARC410.com.  Don’t miss a single day!

Coming to you live from Auburn, CA. See ya!

CONCORD, NC (Jan. 18, 2023) – The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series’ 2023 season continues to build into one of the most exciting yet with the addition of Bobby Pierce to the tour.

“The Smooth Operator,” of Oakwood, IL, will run his first full season with the Series, bringing the 2023 roster to 16 drivers competing for the Series title – worth $175,000 between the points purse and Winner Circle program.

“It’s just exciting to be a part of it,” Pierce said. “It’s something I haven’t done very much of in my career. I kind of just bounce around a lot, but we’re looking forward to it. We’re going to see how it goes and take every race with a grain of salt as the races come and go and hopefully, we can knock off a lot of wins.”

Pierce has made 89 starts with the World of Outlaws and captured four wins – two in 2021 and 2022.

He’s a veteran of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model Hell Tour, holding a record of 47 wins on the circuit and five championships (2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2022).

Between the Hell Tour, which runs from June through July in the Midwest, and growing up in the region with his National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame father, Bob Pierce, the 26-year-old has molded himself into a master of Midwest tracks.

Two facilities he already has highlighted on his 2023 World of Outlaws schedule are Farmer City Raceway and Fairbury Speedway in Illinois. He won his first World of Outlaws race at Farmer City in 2021, and while he has multiple wins at Fairbury, he’s still searching for his first Prairie Dirt Classic triumph – a race his father has won five times.

Like the Hell Tour events, his father will continue to be by his side throughout the entire 53-race World of Outlaws schedule. Bob Pierce has been Bobby’s crew chief for each of this 47 Summer Nationals victories and Bobby gives his father most of the credit for the success they’ve had.

“I couldn’t do it without my dad, starting me at an early age and really building my talent,” Bobby Pierce said after winning his fifth Hell Tour title.

He’ll start his 2023 venture with the World of Outlaws at Volusia Speedway Park for the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 18-21. Pierce has made six previous starts with the Series at Volusia, claiming a career best finish of second at the track in 2021.

While this will be only his second time running 50-plus races with a national touring series, he’s excited for the challenge.

“I know this year is going to be, heading into it, a learning curve for us, since we have new Longhorns,” Pierce said. “But we started off good in Vado (winning at Vado Speedway Park). We’re going to carry momentum into Volusia and just see how it goes for us. I know it is a long year, a lot of traveling, but we do that all the time anyways, so, we’ll just see how it goes.”

To watch Pierce, compete on the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Series tour, follow the Series schedule and get tickets, HERE.

HARTFORD, OH (Jan. 18, 2023) – Fans will have a new reason to be excited about DIRTVision’s premier lineup of live weekly racing this year with the addition of Sharon Speedway.

The historic Ohio track, owned by 1995 World of Outlaws Sprint Car champion Dave Blaney, will have its weekly events from May to September streamed live on DIRTVision, highlighted by World of Outlaws events, Western PA Speedweeks with 410 Sprint Cars, Pro Stock Nationals and the Applefest Nationals, featuring 410 Sprint Cars, Big Block Modifieds and several other divisions.

“Sharon Speedway is a bucket list track everyone talks about, due to its consistency of exciting racing for more than 90 years,” said Jim Chiappelli, DIRTVision general manager. “We’re excited to now be able to bring fans weekly racing from the speedway in addition to the World of Outlaws events already scheduled.”

Sharon will host two visits for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars (May 20 and Sept. 23) and a three-day weekend for the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models (May 25-27).

The two-day Pro Stock Nationals is the richest Pro Stock event in the region, last year paying $10,000 to the winner. The biggest names in the division will return to try and write their name in the history books, July 21-22, with UMP Modifieds as the support class.

Two Wednesday night 410 Sprint Car shows will also be on the schedule (June 28 and Aug. 30), giving fans a chance to see more weekday Sprint Car racing throughout the year. The show in June will have Rush Sprint Cars as a support class and the show in August will have Big Block Modifieds as a support class.

The full schedule of events can be found HERE.

To watch every racing live from Sharon Speedway, sign up for an annual Platinum FAST PASS with DIRTVision and experience every event either online or through the DIRTVision App.

Sharon Speedway joins DIRTVision’s growing list of premier tracks like Attica Raceway Park, Huset’s Speedway, Jacksonville Speedway, Jackson Motorplex, Knoxville Raceway, Millbridge Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway and Volusia Speedway Park. Fans with a FAST PASS subscription can also access every race for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series, Super DIRTcar Series, Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota and DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 18, 2023) – Progressive American Flat Track is thrilled to announce a multi-year renewal with KICKER Performance Audio to continue as both the presenting sponsor of the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class as well as the Official Performance Audio of Progressive AFT. Known for “Livin’ Loud” attitude, KICKER sets the standard across powersports, auto, marine, home, and personal audio, boasting an extensive line of amplifiers, loudspeakers, subwoofers, Bluetooth® speaker systems, high-performance headphones, and noise-isolating in-ear headsets. Founded nearly a half-century ago as a two-man operation run out of a one-car garage, Stillwater, Oklahoma-based KICKER has since developed into a global power that designs and ships its high-performance audio products from its 280,000-square-foot facility. “All of us at KICKER Performance Audio are pumped that we’re continuing our support of AFT in ’23!,” said Roger Demaree, Director of Marketing/Events/Partnerships/Multi-Media/Install of KICKER. “This sport is a perfect example of “Livin’ Loud” with its combination of speed, intensity and passion of the riders and crowd.” KICKER products will once again be awarded to the podium finishers at each Progressive AFT event, and the 2023 Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion will be awarded a full custom installation of new KICKER high-performance products in a vehicle of their choice. Progressive AFT fans will directly benefit from the renewed partnership as well. KICKER is set to expand its custom PA presence at the racetrack, adding a second custom mobile sound system to ensure a spectacular aural experience across the Mission Paddock Hospitality, Victory Lane, and the Progressive AFT Marketplace. The Marketplace is also where fans will be able to purchase KICKER products themselves. “KICKER’s products set the benchmark in performance and quality,” said Gene Crouch, COO of AMA Pro Racing. “Their Noise-Canceling Headphones and Earbuds have been a gamechanger for our operations team, and the installation of their custom PA systems have been just as transformative for the fan experience. KICKER’s participation and support has truly made the sport better for the competitors, spectators, and series’ staff alike.” KICKER will be on site to demonstrate its products at multiple rounds in 2023, buoyed by increased participation from its extensive dealer network. For more information on KICKER visit https://www.kicker.com/. The 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season will launch with the hugely anticipated return of the DAYTONA Short Track I & II at Daytona International Speedway on March 9-10. For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com. How to Watch: FOX Sports and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. FansChoice.tv provides livestreaming coverage of every Progressive AFT round at http://www.FansChoice.tv.

Whitener, Hedgecock, Bronson and more will compete for $10,000 grand prize Saturday night

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 17, 2023 – The biggest Crate Late Model bash of the winter racing season is here. The fourth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals hits Volusia Speedway Park this Wednesday to Saturday, Jan. 18-21, with a jam-packed field of talent expected in the DIRTcar Pro Late Model division.

It’s an all-new format for the Pro Late Models this year, racing alongside the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series and the local 602 Late Models. The new format focuses on the accrual of points over a series of Qualifying Features on Thursday and Friday, lined up by Hot Lap/Qualifying times on each night. Those points totals will lock the top-20 drivers into the Championship Feature on Saturday and take an additional number of drivers in from the Last Chance Showdowns.

Saturday concludes with a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win Feature and the crowning of a DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals points champion, awarded to the driver with the most Feature points accumulated over the weekend.

Tickets are on sale now at WorldofOutlaws.com and will be available at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at the track, stream every lap live on your device with a subscription to DIRTVision.

Here are the top storylines going into the fourth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals:

WRECKERS TO CHECKERS – It was one year ago this Friday when Mark Whitener pulled off the biggest comeback win in Sunshine Nationals history.

Whitener, the veteran Super and Crate Late Model racer from Middleburg, FL, rolled his Super Late Model into the Turn 1 wall during World of Outlaws Late Model competition on Thursday night of last year’s event. Less than 24 hours later, he was driving his DIRTcar Pro Late Model into Sunshine Nationals Victory Lane for the first time in his career, overcoming brake issues in the closing laps of the Feature to hold on for the win and complete the turnaround.

He’ll be back on both rosters again this weekend as one of the only owner/drivers pulling double duty in his black/orange Baker Farms #5. Armed with years of 604 Chevy Performance Crate engine and open-engine Late Model experience, Whitener currently holds the best chance he’s ever had at the $10,000 grand prize on Saturday night, coming off a 10-win season in 604 Late Model competition.

THE CHAMP RETURNS – He’s been away since 2021, but this weekend, inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals Pro Late Model champion Kyle Bronson is back on the DIRTcar Pro Late Model roster.

The 32-year-old Super Late Model veteran from Brandon, FL, will pull double duty in both the Pro Late Model and World of Outlaws Late Model divisions, chasing his second career event points title. Bronson put on a display of dominance in 2020, sweeping all three Pro Late Model Features before coming back in 2021 and winning the $10,000 finale.

Bronson’s track record at Volusia is favorable, posting multiple Super Late Model, Crate Late Model and UMP Modified wins at the venue in his many years behind the wheel.

ICE BOWLER – Jason Welshan is taking his 2023 Ice Bowl championship with him to the shores of eastern Florida for a shot at Sunshine Nationals glory.

A big win on the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series at Talladega Short Track two weekends ago brings Welshan, the 43-year-old racer/fabricator from Maryville, TN, into Volusia with a big swing of momentum after topping the 41-car field on Jan. 7.

As the owner and founder of his own Late Model chassis brand, Savage Chassis in Rockford, TN, Welshan has refined the technical makeup of his cars and maximized its potential, capturing the 2022 Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series championship with four Feature wins over the course of the season.

ANOTHER SHOT – Defending CRUSA Winter Challenge Series champion Cory Hedgecock has come to Volusia for every edition of the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals but has been shut out of Victory Lane each time. This year, he’s come to avenge his past defeats at the hands of his biggest foes.

Hedgecock, the two-time CRUSA Dirt Late Model Series champion from Loudon, TN, finished eighth in the Saturday finale in 2020, followed by back-to-back third-place results in 2021 and 2022.

Last year, the 30-year-old driver mounted a late-race charge in Thursday’s Feature, reeling-in leaders Mark Whitener and Shan Smith from sixth on the starting grid, but fell just short, settling for yet another podium finish.

MACK DADDY – The DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals Pro Late Model champion from two years ago returns to Volusia this weekend to reclaim what was once his throne.

Twenty-nine-year-old Mack McCarter, of Gatlinburg, TN, put on a passing clinic in 2021, advancing 35 total spots of position between the two contested Features (19th-to-second on Thursday, 20th-to-second on Saturday) to clinch the overall event points championship by five points over inaugural Sunshine Nationals champion Kyle Bronson.

Though McCarter missed the 2022 event, he went on to compete in Super Late Model action throughout the year, recording a Feature win at Boyd’s Speedway in May. Those laps will help his Crate racing efforts and give him a strong shot at another Sunshine Nationals championship this weekend.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Jan. 17, 2023) – Ryan Harrison and his family have made a tradition of venturing from their North Hampshire home in England to Volusia Speedway Park in Florida for Speedweeks the last few years.

This year, he’ll be a part of it, racing with the United Sprint Car Series during the inaugural Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout, Jan. 26-28.

The Englishman has made the trip across the pond to race Sprint Cars for the past five years, but this season will mark his first opportunity to race at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.” And to make sure he’s coming with the best equipment possible; he’s purchased a car from NASCAR driver Alex Bowman, which was built by iconic Sprint Car mechanic and engine builder Joe Gaerte.

It’s not a cheap venture, though. Roundtrip tickets from England to Orlando – where is car and trailer are stored – can cost more than $1,500. There are a few hundred dollars in tires and fuel. Then, the purchase of the car and motor is a five-digit number alone.

But the thrill of the journey and passion he’s built for the sport has made it all worth it each time.

“The whole involvement of the whole thing,” he said. “The car prep. Working on it. The people involved with it. The organizations. The way it’s run. It’s very professional. The speed. I love everything about it. As soon as you turn up to the track, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”

Harrison has been racing for 15 years, mostly BriSCA F1 Stock Cars in the UK. By random occurrence a few years back, Bob Hackel, who races Northeast modifieds in the America, saw a picture of Harrison’s BriSCA F1 on Facebook and messaged him to say, “Cool car.” Harrison thought the same of Hackel’s modified and return the favor, a simple conversation that led to a new adventure.

“Within a week of speaking to him on Facebook messenger, he offered me a ride in his Sportsman,” Harrison said. “He said, ‘What you have to do is come over, put fuel in the car, pay for the damage and pay for the tires.’ Within a week, I was booked, I was in a plane. I went to a four-day event.

“I had a load of fun. He said, ‘Why don’t you buy one and keep it here?’ I said, if I was to do anything I’d really like a Sprint Car. He said, ‘Well, buy a Sprint Car then and keep it here.’ It sounds crazy, but within a week or two, my dad was on a plane, he was going to New York and we bought a Sprint Car from someone in New York.”

Harrison ran 11 races with the Empire Super Sprint Series in the Northeast between 2018 and 2019. Then, a family friend of Hackel, who lived in Orlando, let Harrison keep his car and trailer at his place so he could race in Florida during Speedweeks.

He’s been able to build his Sprint Car program each year. He went from trying to make a show to searching for top-10 finishes, then top-five finishes and now wins. He picked up his first Sprint Car victory last year with the United Sprint Car Series at Travelers Rest Speedway in South Carolina.

This year, with the car he’s purchasing from Bowman – which was driven by the NASCAR driver a few times in 2022 – Harrison will have a two-car program. One will be his main car, the other will be his backup.

While he has that safety net, he still emphasized he can’t afford to flip or wreck his equipment. That could be the difference between a successful trip or a short one.

“We obviously don’t have endless amounts of money,” Harrison said. “It’s costing us a small fortune being over there. Plus being away from work. Kind of a double whammy. So, we’re putting a lot of time and effort into doing it. I can’t afford to wreck it. I have to be really smart with driving. I can’t afford to be upside down. If that happens, the trips are going to be less and less. We never book a trip until we finish the first one. Once we finish, as long as everything is intact, we’ll plan the next one before we leave.”

Harrison has several sponsors that support him, all from the UK. Many of which will travel to the U.S. with him to watch him race.

He initially told himself he would only do the traveling back and forth for three years. But he can’t get enough of it, he said. All he wants is more.

“I’m like foaming at the mouth,” Harrison said about coming back this year. “I’m ready for it. Come on let’s go. You enjoy the whole trip. You enjoy being on the road, looking around the country. Big [semitrucks] doing 75 mph, and you’re like, ‘This is crazy.’ We’re living the dream. That’s all we can say, we’re living the dream. As long as we can live it, we will.”

The Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout will feature the United Sprint Car Series’ first time back at Volusia Speedway Park in 18 years. To watch Harrison and the rest of the Sprint Car stars in the show, tickets will be available at the gate.

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

Hybrid race car ready for its competition debut at prelude to Rolex 24 at Daytona

DETROIT (Jan. 17, 2023) — Before the aggressive and distinctively Cadillac V-LMDh rounds into view, the unmistakable throaty sound is its calling card. Authentic American V8. Cadillac, the only LMDh manufacturer with a naturally aspirated engine, will seek to build on its legacy of success in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona — the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season and introduction of the hybrid race cars in the Grand Touring Prototype class. Resources: Cadillac Racing media info for Roar and Rolex 24 At Daytona | Livery reveal video Three Cadillac V-LMDh race cars will make their debut this week at the Roar Before the Rolex 24. Cadillac will seek its fifth overall victory in the race 2017.

The twice-around-the-clock race is Jan. 28-29 at Daytona International Speedway. The prelude Roar commences with the first of five on-track practice sessions at 11 a.m. ET Jan. 20. The starting grid will be determined by the qualifying format used at other IMSA races – a 20-minute session — on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course. Peacock will provide streaming coverage of qualifying starting at 1:20 p.m. Jan. 22.

“Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing.”— Earl Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh

“Two years of planning, preparation and perseverance have brought Cadillac Racing to this place and time – the start of a new and exciting era for the brand, IMSA and the WEC,” GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser said. “We’re thankful for the cooperation and consideration of dozens of GM personnel, our teams, partners, suppliers, the sanctioning bodies and the other OEMs to get to this point.  “This has been an intense process, but an extremely rewarding one. Our development process has been like running the Rolex 24 at least five times in a row. It felt like almost every test we were running a 24-hour race with the hours we were at the track and how hard everyone was working. We’re now looking forward to seeing the Cadillac V-LMDh cars on the racetrack in competition and, of course, in the winner’s circle.” Since its shakedown in early July 2022, the Cadillac V-LMDh has completed more than 12,000 miles of on-track development in addition to numerous hours of development of the 5.5-liter DOHC V8 on dynamometers at the GM Performance and Racing propulsion facility in Pontiac, Michigan. “Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing,” said Earl Bamber, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh. Since 2017, Cadillac has been competing at the forefront of American sports car racing in the IMSA prototype class. In the 2017-2022 DPi era, Cadillac Racing achieved 27 wins (most of any manufacturer), 84 podium finishes, plus:* Winning the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship three times: 2021, 2018 and 2017* Winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona four times in a row: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017* Winning the Michelin North American Endurance Cup four times: 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017* Winning three Team and Driver Championships Prior to competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Cadillac competed in the World Challenge Championship, earning five Manufacturer Championships (2014, 2013, 2012, 2007, 2005) and five Driver Championships (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2005).

What Cadillac Racing drivers are sayingNo. 01 Cadillac V-LMDh Resource: Driver bios Sebastien Bourdais: “For us, it’s still early days. Everything is new and yet the race is just around the corner. Usually, you spend a lot more time trying to refine the set-ups and everything going into a race, especially being the biggest race of the year. But we’ll have a couple of days during the Roar and then we’ll go racing. We want to see Cadillac win it and we’d love to be the car to win it. I fully expect the one who wins will be the one with the fewest amount of problems, so we’ll keep it clean, go fast and make sure we don’t run into troubles.” Renger van der Zande: “The test days at Daytona were a time to get reliable you’re your car and get that bit of speed out of the car by working on set-ups. We’ll continue that during the practice days at the Roar. The mental aspect is to focus on your job and trust the others to do well. The only thing you can focus on is that little piece that you’re contributing to the whole team. You’re relying on your teammates, you’re relying on the strategy, you’re relying on the mechanical side of your car. To get everything right is not easy. I’m with an amazing group of drivers and amazing group of people I work with who are to be trusted.” Scott Dixon: “I’m looking forward to the Roar. Being part of the program a good amount in the off-season, I’ve seen a lot of great development with the car. It’s going to be good to have two cars running at the same time. I’m ready to kick off he season strong. On the Cadillac front I think all the driver lineups are fantastic, the car has been fast, they look like winning cars. All the manufacturers coming in have brought a new intensity to IMSA, which is great for the race itself and the long term.”No. 02 Cadillac V-LMDh Resource: Driver bios Alex Lynn: “As a crew, we’re ready to perform. It’s the biggest race on the American calendar, so from that side all three of us have experience and we know what it takes to get it done. We need to stay calm with a brand-new car and make sure we arrive on race day with the best possible chance of winning.” Earl Bamber: “I think having a regular qualifying session instead of a race this year is good for all the GTP class cars. Everyone wishes they had an extra month or two and it’s just the way of the new formula. I guess the best way to do it is to rip the band aid off and get racing. This first Daytona race is going to be a real endurance race of who car finish the race cleanly without any mechanical failures. The guys at GM, Cadillac and Chip Ganassi Racing have put a huge amount of work and effort into where we are and I think everyone is excited to get the car on track and see what we’ve produced in the last year and a half.” Richard Westbook: “It’s been a race against time with the development of the Cadillac V-LMDh. It’s a whole new class, whole new formula and everyone was wishing they had more time. But it is the way the American season works in sports car racing; the first round is a 24-hour race and that’s brutal. We have to be ready and I think round one is going to all be about reliability. We had a very successful 24-hour test and a good test at Daytona in December, so that puts us in good stead.”No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-LMDh Resource:  Driver bios Pipo Derani: “I think there’s always a big excitement coming into a new season, especially with the first event so big. After you do this for a few years, you learn how to control your emotions. Everything just falls into place. You just do what you have to do. Once you focus on that and know you have that support from the team, then you’re also more relaxed. There’s really nothing different to do than what you’ve already done and those things have worked because we’ve won races and championships. That also helps you calm down and focus on the important things. Come race day and come Sunday afternoon, you hope everything fell into place and you have the shot at victory in this event.”   Alexander Sims: “A lot of preparation has gone into the car and it’s getting down to crunch time. It’s a huge challenge ahead of us firstly just to complete the race with a brand-new car, brand-new set of technology in the car that everybody is learning about and haven’t been raced in anger up and down the paddock by anyone before and then to try to be fast and competitive at the same time. We’re fully up for it. It seems like we’re in a good spot. I remain cautiously optimistic.” Jack Aitken: “I’m super excited. I’m comfortable in the car. For everyone, it’s a massive challenge and seeing the way everybody has been fighting to get ready for the race is pretty cool. I think we’re in a good spot. It’s just ironing out those little niggles you get with a new car. I don’t think we’ll get that feeling that we’re 100 percent ready, but I don’t think anybody really is. If we can get there 99 percent ready, I’d say we’ve done a good job.”

No. 3 Corvette C8.R begins another full-season championship challenge in GTD PRO DETROIT (Jan. 17, 2023) – Corvette Racing is back where it all started a quarter-century ago as the team returns to Daytona International Speedway for its two-week, season-opening event in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. First up is the Roar Before the 24 – three days of official testing that culminates in qualifying for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Roar runs from Friday through Sunday with practice starting for the Rolex 24 on Thursday, January 26.

This season marks the second for Corvette Racing in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category. This year’s lineup features the two-time IMSA championship-winning pair of Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor – challenging for another full-season title – and fellow Corvette Racing veteran Tommy Milner in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. While this is the first race together for the trio, one has shared the cockpit of a Corvette with the other on multiple occasions. While Garcia and Taylor are full-season teammates, Milner was a full-time Corvette driver in 2011 with Garcia as his long-distance teammate. Coincidently, they went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year. Fast-forward to 2015 and Taylor was the third driver at Le Mans with Milner and Oliver Gavin as the trio won their class in a storybook ending for Corvette Racing. Daytona was the site of Corvette Racing’s first event in 1999. In its 12 Rolex starts since then, the program has won the race four times – the most recent coming in 2021 when Garcia, Taylor and Nicky Catsburg led a 1-2 Corvette Racing finish in the final Rolex 24 for the GT Le Mans (GTLM) category. There are eight entries from seven manufacturers in GTD PRO for this year’s Rolex 24. Combined with the regular GTD field, Corvette Racing will be in a fight among 23 production-based cars around the 3.56-mile, eight-turn circuit that combines Daytona’s super-speedway oval with its infield road course.  The Roar Before the 24 is set for Friday-Sunday with GTD qualifying for the Rolex 24 scheduled for 1:25 p.m. on Sunday. The session will stream live around the world on IMSA.com.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Going for the second time in GTD PRO at Daytona will be a little bit different. We have a year of experience now. A year ago, it was hard for us and hard for IMSA to know what to expect from the performance of our car. I hope we are in a better position this time around, especially at Daytona. We were lacking a ton of performance and we were not competitive and couldn’t fight for wins. I hope things change. The team has one year of experience in this category. We know our weaknesses and where we are strong. I hope we have a chance to win.”“For Corvette Racing, Daytona is a key part of our season. We’ve been lucky enough to win it a few times. Last year wasn’t a great year for us but I hope we have a chance to be up there, work for it and maybe win the Rolex again.”“It’s great to have Tommy back. I was still a third driver when he joined the team and I was able to be in the car with him for a year. We won Le Mans together, so I think it’s a good moment to get together again and win all the other big races we can win. I haven’t won Daytona or Sebring with him, so this is a good chance to try for that.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Heading into the season, the motivation is win as much as we can. That starts with the Rolex 24. Last year we had a tough race in our first event in GTD. Getting an understanding about what the car needs and what the drivers need is a lot to learn. Having done the whole season a year ago, we can take what we learned into practice and hopefully we can hit the ground running strong at Daytona.”“With the GTD PRO class growing as much as it has, Daytona will be such an important event for us. We’ve got so many manufacturers from around the world, and it’s a big deal to represent Corvette and Chevrolet on our home turf. We won the race in 2021 and hopefully we can come back with a strong car in GTD after learning what we did a year ago. We’re definitely hoping for another watch this year.”“It was kind of sad not having Tommy in the IMSA field last year. He’s been a staple in this sport for so many years. I know he enjoyed WEC and exploring the different tracks. For us, it’s nice to have him back home. The last time we drove the same car, we won Le Mans back in 2015 so we have a lot of good history and good memories. We had a good battle back in 2021 around Daytona. He’s one guy you’d rather have in your car than racing against. Hopefully we can go win some more races together.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “The team had a pretty tough year last year. They won at Sebring and were competitive at some places, but for the most part the first year bringing a GTLM car down to GTD was challenging, for sure. I would say expectations for Daytona, we go there to win. That’s why we race. Last year was a big challenge for us. We were very slow in a straight line, hopefully that will be better. The goal is to win the race and winning a championship.“Daytona itself is a huge part of the IMSA championship and endurance racing around the world. It kicks off the racing season around the world. The track itself is not crazy difficult, but the race itself is challenging. You have to have a car that is good in all kinds of conditions. It can get pretty hot in the daytime and also super cold at night. The oval itself poses its own challenges. It’s one car from each manufacturer and great driver lineups with great teams. So it’s a challenge for all of us as drivers and a team to compare ourselves to some of the best in the world. It’s a challenge that Corvette Racing is always up for. No matter what hand we’re dealt, we’ll work our magic to get our Corvette up front.”“I enjoyed my time last year in WEC to go all around the world and represent Corvette Racing. To go around the world and show off this Corvette to a lot of fans who have never seen the car before was special. As an American kid, being at home is quite nice and the chance to race the three major races in the IMSA championship is fantastic.”

Photos: Richard Prince, Chevrolet Racing

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS AT DAYTONA• 0.034: As in seconds – the winning margin of victory in Corvette Racing’s 1-2 finish at the 2016 Rolex 24. It is the closest finish in race history.• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car going on 25 years: Corvette Racing and Chevrolet.• 2: Number of the overall winning Corvette C5-R in the 2001 Rolex 24. Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon completed 656 laps for 2335.36 miles in the winning effort.• 4: Rolex 24 wins for Corvette Racing: 2001 overall, 2015 GTLM (Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Ryan Briscoe), 2016 GTLM (Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler) and 2021 GTLM (Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg)• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.• 24: Drivers who have driven for Corvette Racing at Daytona – Justin Bell, Ryan Briscoe, Nicky Catsburg, Kelly Collins, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marcel Fässler, Ron Fellows, Franck Freon, Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Robin Liddell, Jan Magnussen, Tommy Milner, Simon Pagenaud, John Paul Jr., Andy Pilgrim, Mike Rockenfeller, Scott Sharp, Alexander Sims, Marco Sorensen, Nick Tandy and Jordan Taylor.• 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Fuji Speedway, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999.• 70: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year.• 122: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America, eight at Le Mans and one in the FIA WEC• 266: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 54,436.60: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing at Daytona. That’s more than two full trips around the Earth at its equator (approx. 24,900 miles).• 348,756.01: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. Corvette Racing at Daytona1999No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 3rd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 12th in GTS  2000No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 2nd in GTSNo. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 10th in GTS 2001No. 2 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Chris Kneifel/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (overall win)No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2nd in GTS 2014No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 10th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 5th in GTLM 2015No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin pole) 2016No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia fastest race lap)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (Winner by 0.034 second) 2017No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 9th in GTLM 2018No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM (Magnussen pole)No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM 2019No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 6th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM 2020 (Rolex 24 – January)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM 2020 (WeatherTech 240 – July)No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM 2021No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTLMNo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 2nd in GTLM 2022No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 6th in GTD PRONo. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Marco Sorensen – 10th in GTD PRO

O’Reilly Auto Parts Returns as Title Sponsor ofRookie of the Year Program, Increased Payout

BATAVIA, Ohio (January 16, 2023) – O’Reilly Auto Parts returns as the title sponsor of the Rookie of the Year program on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2023. With their renewed partnership, the 2023 O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year will earn a record $20,000. In addition to their cash award, the Rookie of the Year will also receive product certificates from various product manufacturers – valued at an additional $10,000. Second and third place in the final Rookie of the Year standings will pay $5,000 and $2,500 respectively.  “We are thrilled to have O’Reilly Auto Parts return as title sponsor of the Rookie of the Year program in 2023. With their partnership we are able to increase the cash awards to the rookie competitors. O’Reilly Auto Parts is a great company and brings increased publicity to our series and drivers that compete with us during the year. We look forward to another great year and a talented group of rookie drivers competing for the prestigious title,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. Competitors gunning for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year title in 2023 will compete in 56 events at 32 unique venues across 16 states from January to October. In addition to the increased awards to the Rookie of the Year, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will pay a $100 cash bonus to the highest finishing rookie driver in each feature event – beginning at the first event after April 1, 2023. The 2023 season kicks off with a busy Georgia-Florida Speedweeks – featuring 13 events and three practice nights, at four unique venues, over the course of 17 days. The 2023 Georgia-Florida Speedweeks will run from January 25 through February 11 with visits to Golden Isles Speedway, Bubba Raceway Park, All-Tech Raceway, and East Bay Raceway Park. To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit www.lucasdirt.com. About O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. was founded in 1957 by the O’Reilly family and is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional service provider markets. Visit the Company’s website at www.OReillyAuto.com for additional information about O’Reilly, including access to online shopping and current promotions, store locations, hours and services, employment opportunities and other programs. As of September 30, 2022, the Company operated 5,910 stores in 47 U.S. states and 28 stores in Mexico. To learn more about O’Reilly Auto Parts and find a store near you visit www.oreillyauto.com.

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

Dennis Erb Jr. begins title defense at Volusia Speedway Park on Jan. 18-21, joined by stout 2023 class

BARBERVILLE, FL – January 16, 2023– A blast of sunshine and one of the best driver rosters in Series history await the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models as they kick off their 2023 season at Volusia Speedway Park.

Fifteen drivers will begin their quest for the World of Outlaws championship when the season opens at Sunshine Nationals on Jan. 18-21.

After a night of practice on Wednesday, Jan. 18, the season officially commences with a pair of 25-lap, $8,000-to-win Features on Thursday, Jan. 19, and Friday, Jan. 20.

The weekend finishes in style on Saturday, Jan. 21, as drivers battle for $20,000 in a 50-lap finale.

A total of $160,000 in Feature purse money will be distributed throughout the weekend.

Championship contending drivers will get to drop their worst finish among the three races and not have it count toward their points – as long as all three races are completed.

Joining the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” are the DIRTcar Pro Late Models and 602 Late Models—making the event a true Late Model Palooza.

TICKETS: bit.ly/3t4XdJZ

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

Here are the key storylines to watch at Sunshine Nationals:

Title Defense: Dennis Erb Jr. enters the 2023 season with a new title—defending World of Outlaws CASE Late Models champion. 

The Carpentersville, IL driver, flanked by two-time Series Crew Chief of the Year Heather Lyne (2021,2022), returns to the track where last year’s title run began. 

Erb started 2022 with a podium finish in the season opener and backed it up with a win at Volusia at DIRTcar Nationals.

He’s searching for his first Sunshine Nationals victory and has a top-five, and two top-10s in four starts at the event.

Back for More: Erb isn’t the only driver back in 2023 with their eyes on the title, as six other drivers return from the 2022 campaign.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Tanner English leads the charge of drivers searching for their first championship with a change of scenery this season.

The three-time World of Outlaws winner now pilots the #96V Viper Motorsports entry owned by Shawn and Lisa Martin – a ride recently vacated by Max Blair, who also has a new ride this season.

Blair has teamed up with Boom Briggs to drive a second Briggs Transport car in 2023 as the two Pennsylvania drivers aim for their first title – and Briggs continues to battle for his first World of Outlaws win.

READ MORE: World of Outlaws set to Showcase Exciting New Roster

Gordy Gundaker, Ryan Gustin, and Brent Larson are also back with the Series this season and hope to get an excellent start to the season at Sunshine Nationals.

Gustin is the only driver out of this group with a win at Volusia, when he scored a DIRTcar Late Model victory during the 2022 DIRTcar Nationals.

The Drive For 5: Brandon Sheppard has announced his return to the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models in 2022 and has the chance to add another piece of history to his resume.

The four-time champion already has the most wins in Series history (81) and begins his journey for most titles all-time at Sunshine Nationals—hoping to break the tie with Josh Richards (4).

However, this attempt at a championship will look different as it’s the first time Sheppard won’t be driving for Rocket1 Racing. The New Berlin, IL driver has teamed up with Scott Riggs in 2023 to start Sheppard-Riggs Racing and will pilot a Longhorn Chassis after several years in a Rocket.

So, this year he’ll be searching for his fifth Series title in his own #B5 Late Model.

Despite scoring eight wins at Volusia, he’s yet to finish in the top five at Sunshine Nationals. His best finish is seventh place on two occasions.

Smokey’s Return: Sheppard’s closest championship rival from 2021, Chris Madden, has also thrown his name into the hat for the 2023 title.

The Gray Court, SC driver found success at Volusia last season, scoring two top-five finishes during Sunshine Nationals and backing it up with a win and three top-fives during DIRTcar Nationals.

“Smokey” enters the weekend with 33 career Series triumphs. However, like Sheppard, he’s searching for his first Sunshine Nationals win.

After finishing his season with a win at Cherokee Speedway last November, he’s also looking for back-to-back victories.

Rookie Class: A vital part of the exciting 2023 roster are the drivers racing for Rookie of the Year honors.

Nick Hoffman, Johnny Scott, Logan Martin, Payton Freeman, Todd Cooney, and Dustin Walker will battle to be the top rookie this season—all of them searching for their first career Series victory.

Hoffman, from Mooresville, NC, is the only driver who’s scored a win at Volusia in his career, winning 22 times in a DIRTcar Modified.

Scott is the only driver out of the six who’s won a national touring event—both coming in 2022.

Will the Streak Continue: This year’s Sunshine Nationals is the third annual event at Volusia Speedway Park. However, in the four Features contested, there have been no repeat winners.

Florida’s own Kyle Bronson opened the season with a win in 2021 before Kyle Strickler held off Scott Bloomquist for his first career Series triumph.

In 2022, a pair of Georgia drivers, Dale McDowell and Ashton Winger, found Victory Lane for their first Sunshine Nationals wins.

All four drivers are expected to be at the event and try to stake their claim as the first multi-time winner.

WHEN AND WHERE

Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL
TICKETS:  bit.ly/3t4XdJZ

ABOUT THE TRACK

Volusia Speedway Park is a 1/2-mile dirt oval

Nico Varrone joins Keating, Catsburg for seven-round GTE Am championship DETROIT (Jan. 13, 2023) – Corvette Racing is completing its lineup for the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship with young Argentinian driver Nico Varrone joining Ben Keating and factory driver Nicky Catsburg. The trio will team together in the No. 33 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R in the GTE Am category.It’s the second straight full-season program in the FIA WEC for Corvette Racing, which celebrate its 25th season of competition in 2023. The campaign will be the first for the Corvette program in GTE Am, where the sporting rules require at least one Bronze-level driver, as rated by the FIA. One professional-level driver is allowed along with a second Bronze or Silver-rated driver. The combination of Catsburg, Keating and Varrone will contest the full seven-race WEC calendar including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The season begins with the 1,000 Miles of Sebring on Friday, March 17. Although he’s new to Corvette Racing, the silver-rated Varrone got an early taste of the mid-engine Corvette C8.R during testing following the 2022 WEC finale at Bahrain and in a private test at Sebring in December. Although his early racing focused on karting and single-seaters, Varrone’s most recent success has come in sports cars with victories in both prototype and GT cars. Among them are wins in the GTE Am category of this year’s European Le Mans Series along with a victory in the 24H Series’ round in Barcelona earlier this season. This is the second consecutive year that Corvette Racing will compete in multiple GT championships around the world. Its campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship begins in two weeks with the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

NICO VARRONE, NO. 33 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m really, really happy and over the moon for this opportunity. It always was my dream to be at this level and be on a team with a magnificent brand like Corvette Racing. To be paired with two legendary drivers like Ben and Nicky also is very special. I have to say a big thank to you to Jeroen Bleekmolen for recommending me. He is close to both Ben and Nicky so it’s quite a nice feeling. I can’t wait for us to start with this program.”“It’s really special at Corvette Racing. I’ve never been inside a factory team, and I was expecting things to be kind of quiet and different. But it’s such a nice feeling because Corvette Racing is a big family. You have fun with the crew guys, the engineers and the drivers. They are so open to talking about things that it’s really special. Nicky and Ben also are guys who have always watched on TV. To share a car with them is something I never could have imagined.”“I’ve driven other GT cars but the Corvette is one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in a racecar. It’s a natural and proper racecar, for sure. The confidence it gives in the high-speed corners, the traction and the braking of the car is amazing. It fits me just right. I felt comfortable almost right away. I was expecting it to be like other GT cars I’ve driven, but to me it’s more similar to a prototype. It’s a mega sensation for the drivers. I enjoyed every lap I’ve done so far. I can’t wait for more.”