Brock Zearfoss returned to Victory Lane with the World of Outlaws after a five-year gapBy Nick GrazianoWEST BURLINGTON, IA (July 7, 2022) – In times of doubt, Brock Zearfoss told himself he needed to pull off the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series tour. The hardships of failure along the 80-plus race tour across the country were taking a toll. But when he laid down at night and his mind eased, his heart then did the talking and convinced him he was where he wanted to be.So, every day, he woke up and worked harder than the last. And on July 2 at Cedar Lake Speedway his commitment finally paid off.Fighting to hold in emotions melting his doubts into joyful tears, Zearfoss stood in Victory Lane for the first time as a full-time World of Outlaws driver – his second Series win overall and first in five years.“Five years is a long time,” said Zearfoss, of Jonestown, PA. “The first one was special just because it was our first win but this one is special too. Just a little different feeling, being a full-time Series competitor instead of racing at your home track and beating them. It’s a little different. Both are very special.”His first Series victory came at Williams Grove Speedway, in 2017, when he was still a PA Posse member, running weekly at tracks in Pennsylvania. After years of success in his home state, including a track championship at Port Royal Speedway, Zearfoss went full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2021.The move came with its challenges, not earning a top-five finish until the final race in 2021 and missing races due to a concussion. His struggle to find consistency continued into this season but no matter how steep the frustrations built up, he took them each in stride and used them as a learning experience for the next race, slowly building momentum.“Obviously, when you drive up and down the road and get your ass kicked every night, you know, it just really beats you up,” Zearfoss said. “We had success at home and then we left to go on the road and then start getting our butts kicked. It’s definitely an eye opener. Just have to be humble about everything. Take the licks on the chin and understand that it doesn’t happen overnight when you’re on the tour.“You have to put your time in and pay your dues on the road. It’s so cutthroat and everybody is so equal that just that little bit of extra experience carries them farther than you would. You just take every night as a lesson and keep it in the bank for the next time you go up there.”While there are drivers on the tour he can lean on for questions about life as a full-time Outlaw, Zearfoss knows he may not always get the full answer. They’re all trying to make a living being full-time race car drivers and in the end it all comes down to winning.“If you win, it all becomes easier,” Zearfoss said. “Finding how to do that, you have to find out on your own really. It’s not easy. But, racing with the best drivers in the world in Sprint Cars is going to make you a better driver overall. If you want to be the best, you have to go up against the best.“You might be able to win some races at home at the local level, but it is not anything like racing with the World of Outlaws. The tempo and pace are so much more than it would be on the local level. Just how everybody races. You become such a smarter driver racing with the World of Outlaws. That’s what makes them so good. They’re so smart with making decisions. They’re good at keeping pace up with their cars even when they shouldn’t be. So, it just teaches you how to do that and makes you better in the long run.”That experience and his no-quit attitude led to Zearfoss besting three-time and defending World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet on a restart at Cedar Lake – a track Sweet won five of the last six races at – and then holding off he and David Gravel for the Independence Day Spectacular win in his family-owned Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3Z car.“I knew if I could stay on the bottom on that restart I would have a chance to beat him to the corner and we did,” Zearfoss said. “It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t a ‘gimme’ there by any means. We still had to stay in front of everybody. I wasn’t sure what to expect on the restart, but I knew if I could nail it that we would definitely have a chance.”Zearfoss and his team, consisting of Shane Bowers (crew chief), Matt Frisbie (car chief) and Mike Danner (tire specialist), have fought week-in and week-out to keep their morale up every race. This week, it’ll be a little easier for the next stops at 34 Raceway (Friday, July 8) and Wilmot Raceway (Saturday, July 9).“We’re heading on the right path, the right direction,” Zearfoss said. “If we continue with what we’re doing, with getting the win, it’s a huge morale booster for everybody. Everyone is more confident in each other. It’s just going to help everything and mesh together more than what it’s been doing now. Kind of keep the flow going with how we’ve been and hopefully continue the success.”If you can’t make it to the track this week, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: NOS Energy Drink (Official Energy Product), Case Construction Equipment (Official Construction Equipment), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include ACME Trading, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), Micro-Lite LLC, MSD, My Place Hotels; manufacturer sponsors include Dirt Car Lift, FIREBULL, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics, and Sea Foam.Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.

July 7, 2022

With half of the 36-race Cup Series season in the books the elite NASCAR circuit heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend to start a second trip around the circuit.

For many years in the past, the first return trip of the season was to the superspeedway in Daytona Beach, but with the schedule changes that distinction now goes to the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta.

With the offseason changes at Atlanta, the second stop will share some characteristics with the old days. The reconfigured and repaved 1.5-mile quad-oval at Atlanta, with its higher banking and narrower track in places, now sees pack racing and other similarities to events at Daytona and Talladega. 

Brian Wilson, crew chief of the No. 21 Freightliner Mustang, is among those ready to get to Atlanta and kick off the second half of the season.

“Atlanta offers a unique challenge that everyone on the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 car is excited about as we start the second half of the season,” Wilson said. “The recently reconfigured race track is a blend of superspeedway racing like Daytona and Talladega, but also has some handling aspects similar to other intermediates.”

Wilson said he and his rookie driver, Harrison Burton, are glad to be going back to Atlanta and some other familiar places.

“Personally I look forward to returning to tracks a second time this year as we’ll have more depth in our notebook,” he said. “Recently at intermediate tracks we’ve made gains in giving Harrison the handling that he’s looking for.
 
“We’ll apply some of that knowledge this weekend.”

Wilson said having laps on the tracks in a Cup car earlier this season will help Burton going forward.
 
“Harrison also has a deeper notebook this time around,” he said. “He can have confidence in what he’s asking from the car and what to expect in the race.”
 
There will be no pre-race practice this weekend at Atlanta.
 
Qualifying is set for Saturday at 11:35 a.m. Eastern Time, and the Quaker State 400 is scheduled to get the green flag just after 3 p.m. Sunday. Stage breaks are set for Laps 60 and 160. 
 
USA Network will carry the TV coverage this weekend.
 

Davenport, IA (July 6, 2022) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series made its first appearance in 17 years on Wednesday night at the Davenport Speedway and it did not disappoint. Hudson O’Neal scored what will be a contender for race of the year as he barely held off Brandon Overton for his first series win of 2022. O’Neal took the lead for good on lap 34 and beat Overton by just .589 seconds at the stripe to become the 16th different winner on the series tour this year. Mike Marlar, like O’Neal and Overton, led during the race but finished in third followed by Jimmy Owens and Spencer Hughes. O’Neal in only his second ever appearance at Davenport is now two-for-two at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds track as he also went to victory lane last July 27 over Overton. O’Neal jumped to the lead at the start of the 40-lap event, but his lead was short-lived as Overton, who started from the pole took over the lead. Overton held the top spot until the high side running Marlar grabbed the lead on the 13th lap.  Marlar extended his lead over O’Neal and Overton as traffic came into play. O’Neal would take the low route in passing Marlar with six laps to go. Overton followed suit dropping Marlar to third in the closing laps. In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 14th time in his career O’Neal, who finished second in last year’s championship points race continues to make strides with his team. “I am feeling a lot of emotions right now. My team has kept digging and digging. I have an awesome support system behind me. It’s nice to finally show what we can do. I am just so excited to get to July and get our first win. It’s tested our patience a lot; we just never give up.” “We all raced right there the whole race; it was awesome. I just kept trying to pay attention to my signals. I heard them outside of me a couple of times. I tried the top there for one or two laps and it wasn’t any good. I just moved down to the bottom, and I knew if I didn’t miss that bottom, I was going to be ok. I wish they had 10 more races here,” said the 21-year-old Indiana native. Overton picked up the runner slot just missing a clean sweep for the night. “This is an awesome racetrack. It’s hard to go anywhere and race like this. Thanks to the Kays for bringing Lucas Oil back. Man, it’s a really fun place and its refreshing for sure. Congrats to Hudson, he was patient. I moved down through the middle, but he was way down there.” Marlar, who returned to the state of Iowa for the first time since winning his third Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals last September, finished in third. “It was an awesome race. I want to thank the Kay family they have done an awesome job with this racetrack. This dirt has a little more grip in it than Knoxville. It’s a little different, but still an awesome track. I used to enjoy racing on the big track as well. We were three-wide on lap 20 and three wide with three to go. My car didn’t run the bottom good; it just kind of skates up the track. The racetrack was just unbelievable.” The winner’s Roger Sellers owned Double Down Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Lazyday’s RV, O’Neal’s Salvage and Recycling, Lucas Oil Products, Smoky Mountain Speedway, WR1 Sim Chassis, Dynamic Drivelines and Integra Racing Shocks. Completing the top ten were Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton Jr., Ryan Gustin, Brandon Sheppard, and Daulton Wilson. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Wednesday, July 6th, 2022Davenport Speedway – Davenport, IA Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Brandon Overton / 13.617 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Mike Marlar / 13.626 seconds Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 8-Kyle Strickler[2]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[5]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[6]; 5. 7W-Ricky Weiss[4]; 6. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 7. 43-Derrick Stewart[10]; 8. 51-Matt Furman[9]; 9. 10J-Jeff Tharp[7]; 10. 15-Justin Duty[8] Summit Racing Equipment Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 2. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[3]; 3. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 4. 18-Shannon Babb[4]; 5. 19R-Ryan Gustin[5]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 7. 15K-Justin Kay[9]; 8. 40C-Joel Callahan[7]; 9. 22-Charlie McKenna[8] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 11-Spencer Hughes[2]; 3. 32S-Chris Simpson[5]; 4. 18H-Nick Hoffman[4]; 5. 25-Chad Simpson[3]; 6. 1ST-Johnny Scott[7]; 7. 21B-Rich Bell[8]; 8. 29D-Spencer Diercks[6]; 9. T22-Tegan Evans[9] Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[1]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[5]; 3. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 5. 97-Cade Dillard[4]; 6. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[7]; 7. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 8. 29-Larry Grube[8]; 9. (DNS) 42-Johnathan Huston Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[2]; 2. 7W-Ricky Weiss[1]; 3. 16-Tyler Bruening[4]; 4. 15K-Justin Kay[6]; 5. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 6. 51-Matt Furman[7]; 7. 15-Justin Duty[11]; 8. 43-Derrick Stewart[5]; 9. 22-Charlie McKenna[10]; 10. 40C-Joel Callahan[8]; 11. 10J-Jeff Tharp[9] UNOH B-Main #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 25-Chad Simpson[1]; 2. 97-Cade Dillard[2]; 3. 1ST-Johnny Scott[3]; 4. 21B-Rich Bell[5]; 5. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 6. 29D-Spencer Diercks[7]; 7. 29-Larry Grube[8]; 8. T22-Tegan Evans[9]; 9. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 10. (DNS) 42-Johnathan Huston Davenport Speedway Feature Finish (40 Laps):

Race StatisticsEntrants: 37Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 1); Brandon Overton (Laps 2-12); Mike Marlar (Laps 13-33); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 34-40)Wrisco Feature Winner: Hudson O’NealArizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 0.589 secondsStop-Tech Cautions: Ross Robinson (Lap 16); Tyler Erb (Lap 19)Series Provisionals: Ricky Thornton, Jr.; Daulton WilsonFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: n/aTrack Provisionals: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Mike MarlarPenske Shocks Top 5: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Owens, Spencer HughesOptima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Advanced 16 Positions)Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon SheppardHot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Mike Marlar (21 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy OwensO’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Spencer HughesDirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar (Lap 4 – 14.278 seconds)Feature DirtonDirt.com Tough Break of the Race: Tyler ErbOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Trevor Crittenden (Hudson O’Neal)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis        Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing EnginesDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Mike Marlar (14.0297 seconds)Time of Race: 15 minutes 14 seconds

The Greatest Show on Dirt Prepares for “The Month of Money”WEST BURLINGTON, IA – July 6, 2022 – The busiest month of the season rumbles on this weekend as the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series visits 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA on Friday and Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, WI on Saturday.It’s the final tune-up for teams and drivers before the fabled “Month of Money” begins next week in Ohio with the Brad Doty Classic at Attica Raceway Park on Tuesday leading into the Historical Big One and Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway from Wednesday-Saturday.Brad Sweet continues to firmly grasp control of the championship while his closest contenders including Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, David Gravel, and Logan Schuchart jockey for position behind him. Those five, plus the likes of Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Brock Zearfoss, Kraig Kinser, and Kasey Kahne, all enter with chances at victory this weekend.BUY 34 TICKETS (Fri) BUY WILMOT TICKETS (Sat)Let’s look at what to watch for this weekend on DIRTVision.com:MILESTONES AHEAD: Amid his 26th full-time season of racing with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, Donny Schatz is on the verge of three major milestones with the Series. If all goes planned…He’ll start his 2,000th career Feature on Wednesday, July 20 at Port Royal (PA) Speedway. The 10-time Series champion currently sits at 1,992 starts and will join Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell as the only three drivers to join the 2K club.He could reach his 1,000th top-five finish by next Thursday, July 14 at Eldora (OH) Speedway. Again, the Fargo, ND native would put himself in a club with only Kinser and Swindell by achieving the feat.He also has a chance to hit 500 Heat wins this Saturday, July 9 at Wilmot (WI) Raceway. Over the time span since he joined full-time in 1997, Schatz has almost 200 more Heat wins than his next closest competitor, Joey Saldana (302).RETURN TO FORM: After struggling through the past two weeks as the points lead dwindled with zero top-five finishes in six starts, Brad Sweet and Kasey Kahne Racing returned to form last weekend at arguably The Big Cat’s best track – Cedar Lake Speedway. The Grass Valley, CA native was a winning contender both nights in New Richmond, WI, ending up second on Friday and third on Saturday following a pair of bids for the race lead that fell short.His points advantage soared from +12 over Carson Macedo to +38 over Sheldon Haudenschild as he continues pursuit of a fourth consecutive championship this season. The NAPA Auto Parts #49 hopes to build that gap this weekend at 34 and Wilmot, where Sweet will enter as the defending winner at both tracks and looking to end a 23-race drought from Victory Lane.BATTLING ADVERSITY: While Sweet enjoyed a peaceful podium performance last weekend, his championship counterparts had a much more trying outing at Cedar Lake. All four of the other top-five teams in the standings suffered some sort of mishap, resulting in either a DNF or work area trip, which only allowed the #49 to pad the points.Carson Macedo entered the weekend second in points, but slipped from the lead to finish fifth on Friday, and then went for a big flip down the backstretch on Saturday which ended his night with a cracked frame.Sheldon Haudenschild was stellar on Friday with a seventh-to-third effort, but his ninth-place effort on Saturday was limited due to a work area trip for a flat right rear tire on Lap 31 of 35.David Gravel went backwards from eighth-to-ninth on Friday, and rallied for a big result on Saturday after dropping from third-to-16th thanks to a flat right rear tire on Lap 19. He quickly rebounded and drove from 16th-to-sixth in six laps and ended his night with a last-lap pass for second-place on Sweet.Like Gravel, Logan Schuchart fell behind from fourth-to-10th on Friday and had to take the #1S to the work area while running fourth in Saturday’s finale. He went tailback and followed Gravel through the field to finish fourth in the 35-lap Feature.LOCAL LEGENDS: Each venue on the docket this weekend has seen a fair share of local stars loading up and taking it to The Greatest Show on Dirt. Among the most notables performances of drivers expected to be racing are Josh Schneiderman and Scotty Thiel.Schneiderman, who lives within walking distance to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA, enjoyed one of the finest debuts in World of Outlaws history in 2008. The driver of the #49J finished third behind Tony Bruce Jr. and Steve Kinser to become one of only 286 drivers to record a podium finish against the Series. He’ll try to replicate that performance this Friday night on home turf.Thiel, who hails under two hours away from Wilmot in Sheboygan, WI, previously earned his World of Outlaws career-best at the track last year with an eighth-place performance. That mark was broken last week when the #73 pilot pulled off a sixth-place run at Cedar Lake, giving him momentum to aim for his first-career top-five with the Series this week.WILMOT WARRIOR: When it comes to Wisconsin’s Wilmot Raceway, David Gravel holds the keys to the kingdom. Before last year – a daunting night which saw the #2 flip twice – he had yet to finish outside the top-five in six starts at the 1/3-mile oval. In fact, the Watertown, CT native held a whopping 1.6 average finish with four victories to his credit.Gravel has won at Wilmot in the Roth Motorsports #83, CJB Motorsports #5, and Jason Johnson Racing #41, and now looks to add the Big Game Motorsports #2 to that list. The 30-year-old star will be extra hungry to snap a 23-race winless streak, his longest drought in more than three years.FEEL-GOOD WINNERS: Entering as the most recent winners in World of Outlaws competition this weekend is two of the most likable stars on tour. Jacob Allen of Hanover, PA recorded his third win of the season last Friday at Cedar Lake, extending his remarkable 2022 campaign aboard the Shark Racing, Pells Tire Service #1A. Amazingly enough, only Sheldon Haudenschild (8) and Carson Macedo (6) have won more races than Allen this year.After Allen, Brock Zearfoss of Jonestown, PA finally enjoyed his long-awaited moment in the spotlight on Saturday. He drove by champion Brad Sweet and off into the sunset at Cedar Lake, scoring his first World of Outlaws win since 2017 and his first as a full-time driver with the Series.PARITY AT THE FRONT: The World of Outlaws have enjoyed a phenomenal stretch recently with six different winners highlighted by a trio of different leaders in those six consecutive races. Dial up DIRTVision this weekend to see if the impressive streak of outstanding racing at the front can continue.Huset’s – Kahne / Gravel / Bayston Huset’s – Zearfoss / Kofoid / McFadden Huset’s – Goodno / Brown / Macedo Huset’s – Macedo / McFadden / Haudenschild Cedar Lake – Macedo / Schatz / Allen Cedar Lake – Scelzi / Sweet / ZearfossTHIS WEEK AT A GLANCEFriday, July 8 at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA Saturday, July 9 at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, WION THE INTERNET World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (34/77 Races): 1. 49-Brad Sweet (4,646 PTS); 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (-38 PTS); 3. 41-Carson Macedo (-56 PTS); 4. 2-David Gravel (-58 PTS); 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart (-72 PTS); 6. 15-Donny Schatz (-160 PTS); 7. 5-Spencer Bayston (-190 PTS); 8. 83-James McFadden (-242 PTS); 9. 1A-Jacob Allen (-354 PTS); 10. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss (-498 PTS).NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (14 Drivers): 8 wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing #17 6 wins – Carson Macedo, Jason Johnson Racing #41 3 wins – Jacob Allen, Shark Racing #1A 3 wins – Brent Marks, Murray-Marks Motorsports #19 2 wins – David Gravel, Big Game Motorsports #2 2 wins – Spencer Bayston, CJB Motorsports #5 2 wins – Kyle Larson, Kevin Kozlowski/Paul Silva #57 2 wins – Giovanni Scelzi, KCP Racing #18 1 win – Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne Racing #49 1 win – Logan Schuchart, Shark Racing #1S, 1 win – Donny Schatz, Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #15 1 win – Brock Zearfoss, Zearfoss Racing #3Z 1 win – Brian Brown, Brian Brown Racing #21 1 win – Buddy Kofoid, Crouch Motorsports #11FEATURE LAPS LED (25 Drivers): 146 laps – Carson Macedo 144 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild 108 laps – Brad Sweet 78 laps – Jacob Allen 73 laps – David Gravel 66 laps – Spencer Bayston 61 laps – Kyle Larson, Giovanni Scelzi 54 laps – Brent Marks 44 laps – Donny Schatz 41 laps – Logan Schuchart 38 laps – Brian Brown 31 laps – Buddy Kofoid 26 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 23 laps – Kasey Kahne 22 laps – Brock Zearfoss 15 laps – Justin Peck 14 laps – James McFadden 13 laps – Cory Eliason 9 laps – Dominic Scelzi, Brady Bacon 8 laps – Anthony Macri, Riley Goodno 1 lap – Corey Day, Aaron ReutzelQUICKTIME AWARDS (16 Drivers): 7 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo 4 QuickTimes – David Gravel 3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild* 2 QuickTimes – Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Spencer Bayston, Jacob Allen, Rico Abreu, Giovanni Scelzi* 1 QuickTime – James McFadden, Aaron Reutzel, Cory Eliason, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Justin Peck, Buddy Kofoid, Brent Marks * Denotes New Track RecordHEAT RACE WINNERS (40 Drivers): 13 Heat Wins – David Gravel 11 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo 9 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet, Jacob Allen 8 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart 7 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild 6 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz 5 Heat Wins – James McFadden, Rico Abreu, Giovanni Scelzi 4 Heat Wins – Kraig Kinser, Aaron Reutzel 3 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston, Brock Zearfoss 2 Heat Wins – Kasey Kahne, Tyler Courtney, Cory Eliason, Kerry Madsen, Brian Brown, Austin McCarl 1 Heat Win – Sam Hafertepe Jr, Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day, Justin Peck, Anthony Macri, Justin Whittall, Ian Madsen, Parker Price-Miller, Brent Marks, Buddy Kofoid, Mark Dobmeier, Hunter Schuerenberg, Mitchel Moles, Brooke Tatnell, Riley Goodno, Matt Juhl, Jack Croaker, Paige Polyak, Carson McCarl, Marcus DumensyDIRTVISION FAST PASS DASH APPEARANCES (38 Drivers): 21 Dashes – David Gravel 18 Dashes – Brad Sweet, Carson Macedo, Spencer Bayston 17 Dashes – Logan Schuchart 16 Dashes – Jacob Allen 14 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild 12 Dashes – Donny Schatz 9 Dashes – James McFadden, Rico Abreu 8 Dashes – Giovanni Scelzi 7 Dashes – Kraig Kinser 5 Dashes – Brock Zearfoss, Kyle Larson, Cory Eliason, Aaron Reutzel 4 Dashes – Brent Marks 3 Dashes – Kasey Kahne, Tyler Courtney, Kerry Madsen, Anthony Macri, Brian Brown 2 Dashes – Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day 1 Dash – Sam Hafertepe Jr, Colby Copeland, Tanner Carrick, DJ Netto, Brady Bacon, Justin Peck, Matt Campbell, Justin Whittall, Ian Madsen, Cole Duncan, Parker Price-Miller, Austin McCarl, Matt Juhl, Buddy KofoidMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (22 Drivers): 3 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden, Ayrton Gennetten 2 LCS Wins – Logan Schuchart, Spencer Bayston, Kerry Madsen 1 LCS Win – Donny Schatz, Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Anthony Macri, Mitchell Faccinto, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Brent Marks, DJ Foos, Christopher Bell, Austin Pierce, Jake Blackhurst, Robbie Price, Giovanni Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Scotty Thiel, Josh SchneidermanKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (22 Drivers): 6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild 4 Hard Chargers – Logan Schuchart 2 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, David Gravel, Donny Schatz, James McFadden 1 Hard Charger – Spencer Bayston, Brock Zearfoss, Kraig Kinser, Noah Gass, Jason Sides, Rico Abreu, Tanner Thorson, Alan Krimes, Devon Borden, Anthony Macri, Greg Wilson, Travis Philo, Kyle Larson, Russell Borland, Aaron Reutzel, Scotty ThielPODIUM FINISHES (25 Drivers): 12 Podiums – Brad Sweet, Sheldon Haudenschild 11 Podiums – Carson Macedo 8 Podiums – David Gravel 7 Podiums – Logan Schuchart, Kyle Larson 6 Podiums – Donny Schatz 5 Podiums – James McFadden 4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston, Jacob Allen, Brent Marks, Brian Brown 3 Podiums – Giovanni Scelzi 2 Podiums – Aaron Reutzel, Corey Day, Buddy Kofoid 1 Podium – Brock Zearfoss, Kraig Kinser, Kasey Kahne, Cory Eliason, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Justin Peck, Rico Abreu, Parker Price-Miller, Riley GoodnoTOP 10 FINISHES (43 Drivers): 29 Top 10s – Brad Sweet, David Gravel 27 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild, Logan Schuchart 26 Top 10s – Carson Macedo 24 Top 10s – Donny Schatz 22 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston 19 Top 10s – James McFadden, Giovanni Scelzi 17 Top 10s – Jacob Allen 12 Top 10s – Rico Abreu 9 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss 8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson 7 Top 10s – Cory Eliason, Aaron Reutzel 6 Top 10s – Brent Marks 5 Top 10s – Anthony Macri 4 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown 3 Top 10s – Kraig Kinser, Kasey Kahne, Kerry Madsen, Hunter Schuerenberg, Buddy Kofoid 2 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Corey Day, Justin Peck, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Scotty Thiel 1 Top 10 – Noah Gass, Shane Golobic, DJ Netto, Carson Short, Tanner Thorson, Danny Dietrich, Lance Dewease, Greg Wilson, Cole Duncan, Cale Thomas, Cole Macedo, Mark Dobmeier, Parker Price-Miller, Riley Goodno2022 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS: No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins) 1. Thur, Feb. 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1) 2. Fri, Feb. 11 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1) 3. Sat, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1) 4. Fri, March 4 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Sheldon Haudenschild (2) 5. Sat, March 5 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Carson Macedo (1) 6. Fri, March 11 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / Giovanni Scelzi (1) 7. Sat, March 12 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / Kyle Larson (1) 8. Fri, March 18 / Merced Speedway / Merced, CA / Carson Macedo (2) 9. Fri, March 25 / Bakersfield Speedway / Bakersfield, CA / Giovanni Scelzi (2) 10. Sat, March 26 / Perris Auto Speedway / Perris, CA / David Gravel (2) 11. Tues, March 29 / Vado Speedway Park / Vado, NM / Brad Sweet (1) 12. Sat, April 2 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brent Marks (1) 13. Sat, April 9 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Jacob Allen (1) 14. Fri, April 15 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Carson Macedo (3) 15. Sat, April 23 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Carson Macedo (4) 16. Fri, April 29 / Bristol Motor Speedway / Bristol, TN / Logan Schuchart (1) 17. Sat, April 30 / Bristol Motor Speedway / Bristol, TN / Spencer Bayston (1) 18. Wed, May 11 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Jacob Allen (2) 19. Sat, May 14 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (2) 20. Tues, May 17 / Bridgeport Motorsports Park / Swedesboro, NJ / Sheldon Haudenschild (3) 21. Fri, May 20 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2) 22. Sat, May 28 / Atomic Speedway / Waverly, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (4) 23. Mon, May 30 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / Sheldon Haudenschild (5) 24. Fri, June 3 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Carson Macedo (5) 25. Fri, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brent Marks (3) 26. Sat, June 11 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1) 27. Fri, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (6) 28. Sat, June 18 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (7) 29. Wed, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Spencer Bayston (2) 30. Thur, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Buddy Kofoid (1) 31. Fri, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Carson Macedo (6) 32. Sat, June 25 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Sheldon Haudenschild (8) 33. Fri, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Jacob Allen (3) 34. Sat, July 2 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brock Zearfoss (1)

MACON, IL – July 6, 2022 – Halfway down, halfway to go. The 37th DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour has reached the midway point of the season with three weeks in the books and three more to go.

Illinois-Indiana Week schedule

Thursday, July 7 – Macon Speedway (Macon, IL)
Friday, July 8 – Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, IL)
Saturday, July 9 – Highland Speedway (Highland, IL)
Sunday, July 10 – Tri-State Speedway (Haubstadt, IN)

Tickets for each event will be available at the gates on race day. If you can’t make it to your favorite track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision – online at DIRTVision.com or with the DIRTVision mobile app.

NEW RICHMOND, WI– July 6, 2022 – The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet return to Cedar Lake Speedway Aug. 4-6 for the 35th annual USA Nationals. 

The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models will battle for three nights at the iconic 3/8-mile track, fighting for the historic eagle trophy. 

It’s not just the trophy that’s up for grabs, as one driver has the chance to walk away with a potential $56,000 if they can sweep both Features at Cedar Lake.  

Last season, Eldora Million winner Jonathan Davenport scored the $50,000 prize—his second triumph in the Late Model Crown Jewel. 

TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3yL2idT

35th USA Nationals– Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 4-6
Track: Cedar Lake Speedway
To Win: $6,000 (on Thursday)/ $50,000 (on Saturday)
Location: New Richmond, WI
Track Record: 12.972 sec. set by Jason Rauen on June 17, 2011
2021 Winners: Jonathan Davenport (Saturday), Ashton Winger (Thursday)

Notables:Davenport only begins the list of drivers who have found Victory Lane at the iconic event. They include two-time event winner and four-time Series champion Josh Richards, reigning Series champion Brandon Sheppard, five-time winner Scott Bloomquist, and Wisconsin star Jimmy Mars, who’s won the event twice. 

“Superman” already has a win on a 3/8-mile track in Wisconsin with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models this season, grabbing a preliminary win during the Dairyland Showdown at Mississippi Thunder Speedway. 

World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Rookie of the Year contender Max Blair has also found success on 3/8-mile tracks this season, as both of his wins have come on tracks the same size as Cedar Lake (Cherokee and Bloomsburg.) Bobby Pierce also has two wins at 3/8-mile facilities

(Mississippi Thunder, Tri-City).

Ryan Gustin, Sheppard, Tyler Erb, Michael Brown, and Mike Marlar have also won on tracks like Cedar Lake this season, including the Winfield, TN driver’s $50,000 triumph at Mississippi Thunder.

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

Batavia, OH (July 6, 2022) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Association (MLRA) head to Spring Valley, MN for a co-sanctioned event with over $200,000 in prize money on the line. The NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 this weekend has increased prize money and increased excitement over three days. Deer Creek Speedway is a 3/8-mile track that has been family owned and operated since 2001. Thursday and Friday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/ Lucas Oil MLRA action will be a complete program of Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and a $5,000-to-win main event each night, along with the USRA Modifieds paying $1,000-to-win. Saturday’s program at Deer Creek Speedway features B-Mains and a $50,000-to-win main event for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/ Lucas Oil MLRA which will be lined up based on cumulative points from Thursday and Friday. The USRA Modifieds will race for $5,000-to-win on Saturday. Any Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/ Lucas Oil MLRA driver competing on Thursday and Friday will receive a minimum pay of $1,000 on Saturday provided they compete in at least a B-Main event. In addition to the purse money at Deer Creek Speedway, the Arnie Ranta Motorsports Tough Break Award will honor Arnie Ranta for his support of Dirt Late Model Racing by awarding $1,000 to a driver that suffers bad luck each of the three nights. Each day, the pit gates will open at 2:30PM CT, followed by general admission at 3:00PM CT. A driver’s meeting will take place at 6:00PM CT, followed by hot laps at 6:30PM CT. Tickets can be purchased in advance at: https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/15830/deer-creek-speedway The NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 is a charity race co-promoted by the Blooming Prairie Lions, with a 43-year history. The race was held at Chateau in Lansing, MN the first two years (1980, 1981). From 1982 to 2004 the event was held at the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatonna, MN. In 2005 the event moved to its current home, Deer Creek Speedway. There have been 23 different winners in the first 40 years of the event. Join in the fun after the races on Thursday and Friday nights with a DJ and live band at Deer Creek Speedway. On Saturday there will be a bean bag tournament starting at 11:00AM CT and a driver’s autograph session at 4:00PM CT. Track Information:Deer Creek SpeedwayPhone Number: 1-877-DCS-Race or 507-754-6107Event Promoter: Cole QueenslandLocation: 25262 Highway 63, Spring Valley, MN 55975Directions: I-90 Exit 209A, south on US-63 for approx. 11 ½ miles, entrance is on the left.Website: www.deercreekspeedway.com Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rules:Deer Creek Speedway – July 7thLeft Front – Hoosier (90) LM20 or harderRight Front/Left Rear – Hoosier (90) LM30s, (90) W30sRight Rear – Hoosier (92) LM30s, (92) W30s*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and A-Main.*Flat tire must be replaced with a used tire of the same compound and construction to retain starting position. Deer Creek Speedway – July 8thLeft Front – Hoosier (90) LM20 or harderRight Front/Left Rear – Hoosier (90) LM30s, (90) W30sRight Rear – Hoosier (92) LM30s, (92) W30s*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and A-Main.*Flat tire must be replaced with a used tire of the same compound and construction to retain starting position. Deer Creek Speedway – July 9thLeft Front – Hoosier (90) LM20 or harderRight Front/Left Rear – Hoosier (90) LM30s, (90) W30sRight Rear – Hoosier (92) LM30s, (92) W30s, (92) LM40*For the B-Mains, competitors may use 4 new tires.*For the A-Main, competitors may use 4 new tires.*Flat tire must be replaced with a used tire of the same compound and construction to retain starting position. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Event Purses:Deer Creek Speedway Thursday and Friday: 1. $5,000, 2. $3,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,250, 6. $1,000, 7. $950, 8. $900, 9. $850, 10. $800, 11. $700, 12. $600, 13. $600, 14. $600, 15. $600, 16. $600, 17. $550, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500 = $25,000 Deer Creek Saturday: 1. $50,000, 2. $20,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $8,000, 5. $7,000, 6. $6,000, 7. $4,500, 8. $4,000, 9. $3,800, 10. $3,600, 11. $3,400, 12. $3,200, 13. $3,000, 14. $2,500, 15. $2,400, 16. $2,300, 17. $2,200, 18. $2,100, 19. $2,000, 20. $2,000, 21. $2,000, 22. $2,000, 23. $2,000, 24. $2,000, 25. $2,000, 26. $2,000 = $154,000

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES

HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

LEXINGTON, OHIO

TEAM CHEVY POST RACE RECAP

JULY 3, 2022

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN WINS AT MID-OHIO TO GIVE CHEVROLET 2.2 LITER V6 SEVEN WINS ON THE SEASON

MCLAUGHLIN AND TEAM PENSKE TEAMMATE WILL POWER GIVE TEAM CHEVY TWO ON PODIUM FOR HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO

LEXINGTON, OHIO  – Since capturing his first career NTT INDYCAR Series race victory at the season opening race on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Scott McLaughlin and his crew he nicknamed the “Thirsty Threes” have worked to find the path back to victory lane.  Today on the legendary Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, all the hard work paid off as McLaughlin drove the No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet into the storied Victory Lane. 

“”It’s amazing,” said an elated McLaughlin from Victory Lane.  “I really wanted to get a win here even more with my mom and dad here. And our first time we have had Odyssey Battery on the car and you know it was it was awesome as well to have them on board but that mom and dad is very special on America’s weekend.

“Last night I was dressed up as a bald eagle, so maybe I need to do that every year, July 4^th weekend.”

Leading a race-high 46 of the 80-lap race, McLaughlin collected his second career NTT INDYCAR Series victory and moved up to seventh in the standings with eight races remaining in the 2022 season.

Chevrolet has won seven of the nine races run to date and leads the Manufacturer Championship points entering the second half of the 2022 NTT INDYCAR Series season. Chevrolet now sits at 102 INDYCAR wins for the 2.2 liter twin turbocharged direct injected V6 engine.

Will Power started at the back of the field in 21st and drove his No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske to third giving Chevrolet two drivers on the podium. With strategy, cautions falling perfectly and precision driving by the former Series; champion and Indianapolis 500 winner moved Power through the field to land on the podium. He now sits second in the standings

Team Chevy drivers captured four of the top-seven finishers. Rinus Veekay, No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered By BitNile Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, finished fourth and Josef Newgarden, No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, finished in seventh position and remains third in he point standings. 

Alex Palou finished second and remains the points leader.. 

The next race on the schedule for Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR Serues is the Honda Indy Toronto, July 17 on the Streets of Toronto, Canada and will be streamed on Peacock Premium, 3 p.m. ET.

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN

PRESS CONFERENCE

THE MODERATOR: We’re joined by the driver of the Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet, Scott McLaughlin comes home with the second win of the season, led 45 of the 80 laps, second win of the season, second of his career obviously. 288 now for Team Penske in the INDYCAR Series. This is also their record 12th win here at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. You started towards the front, stayed up front. Tell us about your day.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, amazing day. Obviously the plan was just to slot into P2 if we could. Best case was to get ahead of Pato but worse case was to slot in behind him and get into it. I felt pretty good, felt pretty strong straight away and then I think we lost the balance towards the end of the race a little bit. Just the car wasn’t as nice those last few stints even though we were leading, but thankfully had enough to hold off Alex there.

Yeah, some pretty tense restarts and defending and doing bits and pieces, but really proud of everyone. The car has been awesome. We’ve had promise of top 5s in bits and pieces but we just haven’t put it together, and to finally put together after two good races, had Road America P7 and today winning the race, it’s a really proud moment for us all.

THE MODERATOR: You had to deal with a couple of restarts. Obviously that was an ideal time for others to make a pass or try to move towards the front; how nerve-racking was that for you?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was nerve-racking, but at the same time I’ve been working for this. I’ve been studying this trying to get better and better on restarts. My cold tire pace is a lot better than it used to be, feel a lot more comfortable with the car and being able to maximize the car and cold out laps, cold restarts. It was difficult when Alex was on red tires behind me, but thankfully held on there, and then we were able to build a gap similar to what we did on the black tires.

I feel really, really proud. We’re learning — I’m still building, still soaking everything up like a sponge, but really proud of where we’re at right now in my development.

Q. I got to see Wayne and Diane out there. Wayne said he had to keep it calm because he noticed a camera on him, but he said they were thrilled to see you win. How does it feel to all be together?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It’s awesome. It’s not just to be together but just to win with them here. That’s the coolest thing. Even in Australia, I didn’t really win with them a lot in Australia. It’s been a while since they’ve been — I think the last win I had was the Bathurst 1000 in 2019 with them in town.

Really excited to have them here, and it just means so much. They’re the people that shaped me as a person, and to have them here with me and my wife and Charlotte and just hanging out, it’s been a cool couple months. We’re definitely — I’m probably giving them a few more gray hairs, but that’s part of the development of everything, and I’m really proud to win in front of them, win in front of mom, and yeah, I just wish Carly was here. Carly is not here. She said, should I not come anymore? And I said no, you come, because you were here at St. Pete, so she’ll be all right.

Q. One, were you surprised he was able to stay calm because he’s normally —

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I try and zone him out. He’s like a butterfly. He might fly, he might not. He just chills out and does his thing. That was probably the worst analogy for my old man, but look, he’s just who he is. I’m very proud of him to be my dad.

Q. He said that — I know it means a lot for all of you to win, but he said that you guys hadn’t talked about it because he didn’t want to put that pressure on you to do that.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, but every time I roll out to qualify he goes, pole is acceptable. He can say that all he wants, but there’s always a bit of pressure with mom and dad. No, they ask a lot of me, not only as an athlete but as a person. I put down a lot to how I’ve been brought up because of them and how hard they were on me, and to accept defeat, to accept adversity, to accept victory in the right ways, I’m really just — it’s just amazing just this journey doing it together.

Q. Scott, the restart there where Alex got up next to you and all of a sudden there’s a yellow, as you look back on it now, was that the moment in the race when he made his move, it didn’t work, and really never made another one?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, you know, one thing, each restart I learned something, and I knew where he was strong, where he wasn’t, where I was strong, where I wasn’t. It just sort of made me figure out a few spots. That was definitely a restart that he wasn’t ideal for me, but I would have been surprised if Alex had got past me at that corner. I was driving him pretty deep, and he was on my outside.

Yeah, but thankfully I was able to learn and continue to build, and that’s all part of it.

Q. The other thing I was talking with Tim Cindric down there on pit road afterwards and bringing you up and the way you came up and the Bathurst 1000 — you cut your teeth down there, and this is just a matter of you becoming more and more at one with your race car here. That’s his sense of it. Can you put that into words how many more comfortable you feel in that car at moments like that than you did a year ago?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Oh, it’s night and day. Even my experience in terms of what I want from the car, what I’m asking from the team, what I want from the car in a pit stop, wing changes, whatever. I’m a lot more assertive now with what I want.

I’m a lot more assertive with where I’m going to go. I’m not second-guessing what I’m doing. I’m just, this is what it’s going to be, and so be it.

Yeah, I’m super proud with where we’re going and my development, like I said, and I think we can continue to push, and I think it’s been building. At the end of the day I feel like since we had Barber and then we went to Indy and we were basically leading that race and then obviously slick tires didn’t work in the wet, and basically every race since then I’ve been there or thereabouts. Indy, crashed when I was in a good spot; not going to win the race but a good spot for points. Every race since then we’ve been in a spot to be top 5 or top 8. We’ve converted it the last two races, and that’s what we’ve got to continue to do if we want to get back into this fight.

Q. Scott, what was most difficult part of keeping Alex behind you like that?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think when he was on red tires and I was on basically fresh black tires, had no temp in them, and that was really difficult. If anything I was thankful for the second yellow that we got when I was on the black tire because actually I was able to almost build pressure a little bit there and then get a feel for what it was going to be like, and then it was just a matter of just putting it together the next couple restarts, and like I said, learning from my mistakes.

But yeah, I was a little bit nervous probably the last restart potentially because red tires behind both me and Alex. I was hoping that they would keep him behind because it gave us a bit of a buffer, and thankfully that happened.

Q. This is also — you said before you’re your own biggest critic, but do you think you maybe need to lay off on yourself now that you’ve won again?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: No, no. I’ll just keep — I’m very competitive. I hate losing to my teammates. I hate making mistakes. But that makes me competitive. That makes me work hard and make myself better.

Yeah, so I think if I lose any competitiveness or aggression to myself, I’m not going to be as good as I want to be. I’ve got two teammates that are pushing me to no end, and if I do the right job on the day, I can certainly beat them like we’ve seen.

Q. If this wasn’t a perfect drive, what would have made it a perfect drive?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It was a pretty good day, yeah. I think I should ask for a little bit less front wing. That’s about it.

Q. What would be a perfect race?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Pole, lead every lap. But yeah, I don’t know. There’s always going to be bits and pieces — I might not be able to tell you now whether it was a perfect race or not, but I think I’ll debrief hard with Ben and we’ll figure it out. There’s going to be points during the weekend that I could have done — you know what, no. What was preventing it was my first restart behind Alex leading the race. It was a terrible restart and I went too early and I shouldn’t have done that. Looking back on it now, I shouldn’t have done that, and that’s what stops it from being a perfect day.

Q. I love how hard you are on yourself, but to think back to a year ago, things weren’t going exactly the way you’d want to in your rookie year, and your development has been something pretty special I would say.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, look, I think it’s just all about just belief, believing in what you can do, going back to the basics and just trusting your feel, trusting what got me here was what I should just go back to and just trust. That’s certainly what I’ve done the last six months, last eight months.

You know, I’m just super pumped.

Q. You mentioned that you tend to be more self-critical. Did having your family here cause you to be like harder on yourself, or was that just an additional source of motivation?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s probably more so just an additional source. I think I get my competitiveness, I get my — I guess your harshness on myself from my old man and mom. Mom was pretty strict with me, as well, with schoolwork and then dad was pretty strict with me just with work ethic and making sure that I was working hard on everything.

But having them here, they know when to give me space, when not to. It’s just been nice to be able to just hang out and watch a movie with mom and dad. I haven’t been able to do that for a while, so it’s been awesome.

Q. PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge continues, even though your teammate won the grand prize at Road America $10,000. I forget your charity.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Oh, Memorial Sloan Kettering. Very close to my wife’s family’s heart especially, so excited to add another 10 grand to them, and if we can restart the 1 million, that would be pretty cool.

Q. If Texas had maybe gone a little differently —

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I know, I know. Probably wouldn’t have won that today. That’s what’s making it not a perfect day. I screwed up Texas.

Q. You’re the second person to win multiple races this season. It’s just you and Josef who have won more than one race this season. I just wondered if you’ve thought about allowing yourself to sort of enjoy this experience. Have you actually settled down and thought about and had pride in what you’ve been able to achieve based on taking those two wins and your development of where you are now?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, look, absolutely. I’m privileged to be able to compete against Will and Josef as teammates and see their data and it allows me to develop better. They’re absolutely at the top of their game. They’ve been at the top of their game for a long time, and I’m able to rebound off them.

Just yesterday before qualifying Josef was really the one that said, hey, you should maybe go back to your old setup because you looked stronger on that and whatever, and we actually ended up doing that, and that’s what happened. We qualified really well, and it worked out good. We’ve got a really good relationship between the three of us. We want to beat each other more than anything, but it’s solid, it’s a partnership that I think is going to push Team Penske more and more forward in the future, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

Yeah, really proud of where I’m at, where my development has gone, and I think I’m just enjoying it more. I’m having a ball. It’s just so much fun here, living in the States and just having a lot of fun.

Q. Where does today put you in the championship do you think from your perspective? Are you thinking that the championship is still winnable from this point and that’s a target for you? Where are you at mentally with that?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I just never give up, but in INDYCAR things can change in a heartbeat. I’ve just got to keep building — every race I’ve got to keep making the most of the situation that I’ve got, and that’s something that I probably didn’t do the last sort of month.

I’m excited for what’s ahead. A win is a big thing for us, moved us forward a little bit. I don’t know where it’s put us in the standings, but if we keep building, I fell like Toronto is going to be a track that’s going to suit me. I haven’t been there but I’m excited for it, and then Iowa I felt really strong at the test and it’s two races there. If we can have a solid next three races, who knows where it puts us.

Q. You came here after some tough runs; what was that different thing you did today to reach a win compared to those tough runs?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Look, I think I just — heading into today — I don’t think I had the win at Road America; I think we did pretty well to finish top 7. It wasn’t a smooth sailing weekend for us. But qualifying P2 yesterday, we had a chance to win the race today, and it was all about capitalizing on that. I would have been frustrated if we sort of last this race because where we were position-wise, how many laps we led, it’s similar to Texas in some ways. You’ve got to maximize where you’re at. So yeah, I was feeling obviously pretty good.

The other days when things are going bad, I just probably was trying to overachieve — I was trying to win the race from a position where it was just wasn’t going to happen unless something fell our way tremendously.

Yeah, I’ve just got to settle down in some situations, take the races as they come and just let INDYCAR be INDYCAR and hopefully it falls my way.

Q. I want to ask you about that last stint against Alex. It was like he was chasing you, but then on those final two laps, you were quicker than him. Did you feel you had the race in control in that last stint?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I think I pulled away from him a little bit with sort of 10 to go, and then I sort of felt like he was going to be looking out for his tires, so I backed off a little bit more, just to look after mine. But the best thing about my race was I had some Push-to-Pass up my sleeve, so I was able to sort of use that as a defense tool, as well.

Yeah, that was certainly a help towards the end there, and yeah, it was just a bit of a cat-and-mouse game from that point. Alex would come at me a little bit, and I would heat his tires up, and then I’d pull away and he’d back off, and it would sort of go that way. Really the only thing that was going to be a little bit of drama for us was if I made a mistake or there was a restart, and thankfully the race went green until the end.

Q. It’s a double-header for the Kiwis today, Hunter McElrea taking out the Indy Lights race, you taking out this race. People say we live so far away and we’re off the radar but I’m sure you feel very proud and I know Wayne will be after speaking to him when I was at Indy. This is a big thing for Kiwi motorsport, isn’t it.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I think Scotty has flown the flag for so long here in the U.S., and to now have some support for him, I guess, and Hunter, I would be very surprised if he’s not an INDYCAR driver one day. He’s killing it. He’s a young bloke with a lot of confidence, a lot of feeling with the car, and he’s in a great team at Andretti. I think we’ll see him in the near future in an INDYCAR. Awesome for him to get a race win.

For me, I’m constantly trying to sort of shape myself. If I’m somewhere near where Scotty has been, he’s a six-time champ and someone that’s just a legend of motorsport over here that we probably don’t give enough respect to down under. I think he’s someone that you can really use as a role model, and if I can have half the success he’s had, I’m going to have a pretty good career.

Q. Looking ahead to Toronto, it’s been a long time since the series has been there. We all know the reasons why. I think it’s the first time the aeroscreen will have been raced there, as well. Alex hasn’t been there. How much of a level playing field does that make that for you being a first timer at Toronto?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s going to be interesting, I guess. Yeah, absolutely we haven’t been there like with the aeroscreen and a few things, and Team Penske is always pretty good there. But yeah, I’ve really got a nice sort of street race sort of race package. I feel like our car handles really good for car 3, and I’m confident to head there and learn the track pretty quickly and just get on with it.

It’s going to be a tough weekend, probably tougher than most street tracks because I haven’t been there before, but for sure there’s going to be a level playing field in some ways within a number of people that are out in front in the championship, so yeah, we’ll see where we’re at.

Q. From afar, watching Scott Dixon do what he’s done in INDYCAR and now coming here, did that change your appreciation for how difficult it is in this series and for what Scott’s done?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I think my appreciation of what he’s done and what he’s achieved is just — he’s a legend of the sport and someone that I’m very privileged to race against in his era. Him, Helio, I think those couple of guys, even Tony Kanaan, guys like that have been around here for a long time and being able to race them is a very cool thing. I’ve got a little highlight in my timing screen of Scotty because I want to try and beat him. If I’m at the front, if I’m in front of the car 9, I know I’m going to be there or thereabouts in time.

But that’s not a — I have to beat Scott or whatever. It’s just a yardstick, and I feel like he’s one of the best to have a yardstick on along with my two teammates, Josef and Will, the peak of the powers.

Q. (No microphone.)

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, actually we did.

Q. What do you remember about it?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, Steve was a huge supporter of me in Supercars, and I actually raced him when he went back and started a team in New Zealand, in New Zealand touring cars down under. Yeah, great guy, someone that he worked with Supercars quite closely, and obviously he’s very well-known here in the INDYCAR paddock and gave the starts to careers of guys like Helio and Tony and all that sort of stuff.

Yeah, Steve is a really nice guy, really quietly spoken, but you can sort of see him, he’s tweeting me and doing bits and pieces. He’s always sort of keeping an eye on a few things, so it’s very cool to have that interaction with him.

Q. (No microphone.)

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I text Gary all the time. I actually texted him last night. He’s always texting me going, just have fun, keep working. I think he still thinks he’s my boss. But it’s a good thing.

We’ve always got along, and it’s always been a full respect thing. Even when I told him I was coming to drive for Penske, he was very — he was sad, but at the same time he knew how big an opportunity this was going to be for me in the future, and I think he really enjoys the ride that I’m on right now.

Q. You three were getting along in here because of course your days went better than some others, but do you have to try and keep track of who out there doesn’t like who so you can talk to the right people? Even for dinner plans, right now you can’t go with anybody that’s an Andretti guy with one of their teammates?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Really? I don’t know what happened and I don’t care.

Q. We had a lot of Andretti-on-Andretti violence out there.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Oh, was there? I mean, that’s been building all year.

Q. I’d avoid them.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Look, I always race all the Andretti guys very well. I think out of all the paddocks I’ve been in the world, I think this is a very — a paddock that has a lot of camaraderie and it’s a good thing, but you’re going to have disagreements, you’re going to have bits and pieces where people don’t get along. That’s part of it. That’s the theater. That’s what we need.

We get along right now, but for sure I’ve had — Will spun me out last year and he’s my teammate. Alex, he’s a pretty nice guy. There’s nothing I can say bad about him. But for the most part everyone is pretty good. You’re competitive, you race each other hard, but that’s just what it is.

Q. It is the 4th of July weekend. You’ve spent considerable time in the United States now. To win on a holiday weekend like this, any significance for you?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Well, I wore a blowup eagle outfit last night, so I think I’m going to do that every Saturday night for our race at Mid-Ohio. It’s a significant day for America. It’s a significant day for me. Eventually one day I’ll be a U.S. citizen, and I’m proud to be here.

My wife is actually having a massive party right now. I was talking to her before; she was — a couple of drinks under her belt, but she was having a good time.

But we’re very proud to be back here in America and very proud to be able to just race on a pretty awesome weekend.

THE MODERATOR: It’s funny, the Bus Bros photo you guys took —

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: How American was that?

Q. And ironically enough you two are the only multiple winners this year, so there you go.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: We both dressed up like dickheads. I’m going to send that into the U.S. customs as evidence for my U.S. citizenship. Just going to say, I’m fully American.

Q. That should do it.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Land of the free, baby.

WILL POWER

PRESS CONFERENCE

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone, both in person and joining us virtually. Welcome to the media center at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, wrapping up the 2022 the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the all new 2023 Civic Type R. Today’s champion, Scott McLaughlin, will join us here in a matter of moments but we’re currently joined by third place finisher Will Power in the Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, plus 18 today. Started 21st — maybe even further back than that after the off early on. Will Power, spinning third. He’ll take it. Fourth podium of the season, 89th for his career, which makes him eighth place all time all alone, getting passed, Bobby Rahal and Al Jr. in that category. But fourth podium of the season, 89th for his career, now just 20 points behind Marcus Ericsson for the overall points lead.

 THE MODERATOR: Will Power coming home third, 18 on-track passes for you. Just tell us about your day, maybe the spin early on and how you came back from that.

WILL POWER: Yeah, the spin, I went up the inside. Everyone was very choked up and just got someone’s back wheel, trying not to take them out. Spun, kept it running, kept going, and had passed a few cars then and then pitted again, went to the back, and then yeah, just started passing cars. Good pit stop sequence. The yellows hurt us actually for the sequences, but it helped us for restarts. We had some good restarts, definitely gained positions because of restarts.

Yeah, solid — another great day, good strategy, and yeah, keeping ourselves right in the points game.

Q. Do you play that what-if game, what if you had a better starting position? Obviously your car was outstanding all weekend.

WILL POWER: Yeah, I definitely feel like we had the fastest car because in the second practice I had left three tenths on the table. I was up three tenths and the throttle broke, and then obviously in qualifying we had our issue. We had the fastest car and it really hurts to give up a chance at a pole or potentially a win, but to get back to third, you’re not looking back on those days saying that’s why we lost a championship, definitely.

Q. Will, what would the old Will Power have done in a situation like that? Would you have been able to have kept your cool and raced your way back or would you have thought about it and obsessed about it for a while?

WILL POWER: I don’t think — it’s not that different. I’m not doing anything crazy different. I’m just not having strange things happen like spark plugs and brakes not working and just weird things happen to me. I think we had just a great year all around because we haven’t had any mechanicals or anything like this, and yes, my — I did make a slight change in the off-season after watching him (nodding toward Palou), and it’s kind of — yeah, I’ll tell you after I’m finished what it was that actually I’ve caught on to that’s helped me a lot, after I’m done, and you’ll understand — I probably could tell you because you do it anyway. But yeah, it — yeah, it’s good.

Q. A lot of times in championships, it comes in years where something like today happens and you’re able to battle back and score good points.

WILL POWER: Yeah, I think the lesson is that even if you don’t pass any cars today, you’re still making positions. If you don’t make any mistakes, just to start with, and then you have a fast car on top of that and you make smart moves, you’re going to make positions.

You can’t get too desperate — like the first lap, that little — that was just being in the wrong spot sort of where I spun. But yeah, these races are so unpredictable, as you’ve seen all year. If you just hang in there, you’re going to end up in a good spot.

Q. Will, when something happens to you like the first lap in speed and you put your head down, in some ways is that fun from then on because you’re just going charging, just put me in your head a little bit there from the standpoint of did you have a little bit of fun today, I guess?

WILL POWER: Yeah, you certainly find it fun after the race, but you’re so focused during the race, you just — I mean, that’s the enjoyment of a skill is executing it the best you possibly can. Yes, I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy qualifying, putting it all together a whole race weekend. But yeah, when you have a day like that, makes you want to keep going for a long time.

Q. Are you watching McLaughlin mature before your eyes here in the series? What are you seeing that impresses you?

WILL POWER: Yeah, he’s just a fast driver. He’s doing all the work he needs to do. No surprise to me that he’s winning this year and running up front. Obviously it’s only his second year in this series, but he’s gained a lot of experience at a very high level. He dominated down in Australia, and that isn’t an easy series, either.

I think what was good for him was he had the maturity of a professional driver. He didn’t have to learn like a rookie and make all these silly mistakes and a lot of trial and error. But doing a great job, great job. I mean, to come from sedans to open wheels and be competitive is impressive.

Q. On the points standings, you’re within –I think you’re 20 back. Is there anyplace the rest of the season where you feel like, that’s my spot to make up a bunch of points or is it something you’ve got to worry about or I’ve got to take it easy and just get through that weekend? Any opportunities you’re looking forward to?

WILL POWER: Yeah, I do actually — having been around so long, I understand the tracks that I’m good at and what I’m — Toronto is always one that I struggle in qualifying for whatever reason. Usually good in the race.

After that they’re all — you’ve got to be good at all of them, and some that you think you’ll be really good at you may have a bad day, so you’ve got to make the most of everything. But there are some tracks your car is better, you’re stronger at, some click with you very well. That’s a path that you’ve got to keep working on, so be strong everywhere.

Q. Will, as a guy who knows what it’s like to win when your family is not here and then when they are here and how that feels, his parents were able to finally able to see him win a race, what that must mean to him.

WILL POWER: Oh, man, winning a race with your family there is amazing. I’ve never won an INDYCAR race with my parents here, only my brother, Damo. When I won the championship, yeah, but not a race. They just never come. They don’t really care. (Laughter.) I’ve tried to make them come, they just don’t like it. They just go on with their lives, like you realize you’ve got — I’m not superstitious, I’d love them to come, but they just don’t care for what I do really. They watch the races at home but it’s a long trip to come and hang out here.

Q. What must that feel like for Scott?

WILL POWER: It’s great. If I was him I’d be hanging out and staying here tonight with your parents, enjoying it with all the people camping and all that. He’s going to fly back, but yeah, having your parents, family there to win a race, yeah, great feeling. I’ve had it twice, with my brother when I won the Indy 500 and when I won Detroit recently. Yeah, it’s good that they can see what you actually do.

My parents still think I’m an accountant. (Laughter.)

Q. What do your parents care for, Will?

WILL POWER: Well, my dad races. He does like it. My mom was a nun for seven years. She was in a convent, and she left because she had such anxiety because of the community work you had to do with kids and such. She’s a very gentle, arty person. My dad is nuts. Like he’s a race car driver and he’s just crazy. I don’t know how they ever ended up together, but they produced this, which is kind of weird.

Q. I don’t know if your brother is too far off that, either.

WILL POWER: Yeah, they produced a bunch of funny, weird kids.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Congratulations, Will Power.

July 3, 2022

Race strategy was the name of the game for Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team in Sunday’s Kwik Trip 250 at Road America.  

On three separate occasions, crew chief Brian Wilson elected to stay on the track longer than many of his competitors. His strategy worked twice and had great potential a third time had there been any caution periods in the final 32-lap segment of the race.
 
As it was, Burton finished 22^nd and earned nine Stage points, giving him 24 points for the day.
 
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang took the green flag from 23^rd place. In the first 15-lap Stage on the high-speed, 4.048-mile road course, Wilson left Burton on the track as many others made pit stops prior to the end of the Stage. Burton moved up to sixth place at Stage end, earning five Stage points.
 
His stop during the ensuing caution flag dropped him to 27^th for the start of the second Stage. Wilson employed the same strategy again, and Burton moved up to seventh place at the end of that segment, earning four more Stage points.
 
In the final segment of the race, the team elected to run long again. Burton cycled into the race lead for one lap and had dropped to fourth place before making his final stop under the green flag with 13 laps remaining.
 
He rejoined the race in 27^th place and began working his way forward. The team’s thinking at that point was that if the yellow flag did fly before the checkered flag, numerous drivers ahead of Burton would make pit stops, cycling him forward once again.
 
Had that happened, Burton would have stayed on the track for the remainder of the race, as his tires were relatively fresh at that point.
 
But as fate would have it, the race was completed with no caution flags for incidents on the track.
 
Still he gained five spots to finish 22^nd.
  
Burton and the No. 21 team will return to the track next Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Freightliner as the primary sponsor.
 

Garcia, Taylor take runner-up GTD PRO finish in return to Canada BOWMANVILLE, Ontario (July 3, 2022) – Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor made their way back onto the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO podium Sunday as the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R placed second at the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

It’s the first podium for the Corvette duo since April’s race at Long Beach for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The result boosted Garcia and Taylor back into second place in the GTD PRO Drivers Championship, with Chevrolet moving to second in the Manufacturers Championship with four races left in the season. The No. 3 Corvette finished 1.115 seconds behind the winning No. 9 Porsche, which led all but nine of 111 laps. A couple of early-race caution periods Sunday forced Corvette Racing engineers to alter the team’s pre-race plan. Starting fourth, Taylor drove a double-stint and moved up a spot at the start when one of the front-row GTD cars went around at the first corner. The No. 3 Corvette was on the inside line and got through the incident unscathed. For the next hour and 40 minutes, Taylor was part of a three-car train of GTD PRO leaders that rarely were separated by more than one second. Taylor expertly saved fuel and his Michelin tires while at the same time maximizing the performance of the C8.R to remain with the leaders. His persistence paid off when he made a lunge on the far end of the circuit to take second with 75 minutes  to go. The No. 3 Corvette stopped for the second time with 64 minutes left as Garcia took over with full fuel and four fresh Michelin tires. Two more yellows interrupted Garcia’s charge, which hampered what Corvette Racing hoped was an advantage on long runs. But every time Garcia got close to the Porsche, it would pull away again to about a lead of one second to the end of the race.  Corvette Racing’s next event in IMSA is the Northeast Grand Prix on July 15-16 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTD PRO: “We gave it our all. It was a perfect race for us. We finished second, and that’s all we had. We pushed the winning car, but it wasn’t enough. Next race, we’ll try to go a little faster and do something different. This is what it also takes to win championships. So we need to stay in contact, and I’m sure the wins will come.”Dealing with traffic: “It wasn’t easy. With the prototype traffic being so much faster than us, it was difficult to really get a chance to get close to the Porsche. Whenever the prototypes would pass, they would go and there would be another one pretty soon. Maybe with more LMP3s there would have been more of a chance to do something different. With the DPis being so much faster than us – especially with their cornering – it wasn’t ideal to try to work traffic in your favor. Now that we are in the slowest category instead of GTLM, you don’t have those opportunities to use traffic. All the traffic you’re in is going by. It’s difficult to use that in your favor.”The last 20 minutes: “I think it felt like the Porsche was showing what they had to show. Whenever we would stop saving fuel or tires, it felt like they had some in reserve. We thought that without those two yellows and a more consistent stint, maybe we would have had a chance. Up until the last yellow I was saving the tires, but on the last yellow we knew it would be a race to the end. We both went 100 percent. They just had more. Every second I lost in traffic, it took five or six laps to get that back. It was difficult but in general we did a perfect race. We started fifth and finished second, so we gained a lot today.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTD PRO:“It was action-packed! The start was hectic. I got a bad start, actually, but there were some cars in front of me that saved my start. I thankfully was on the right line to cycle through up to third. Once we went to green and settled in, we were saving fuel. I could see the Aston Martin was struggling but it was going to be so hard to pass him without traffic. So I was saving as much as I could, and every time we go traffic I would try to stay close and make something happen. Once I got in clean air our car seemed to come alive a little bit. It had surprising pace, and I was quite happy with it. The Porsche was struggling a little bit toward the end of their stint. Hopefully it stays green. Tire degradation seems to be to our advantage so a long stint is what we are hoping for.”Dealing with the traffic: “You just kind of hope and pray that they get the same bad luck every now and then. I think every P3 car that passed me was into Turn Eight; I had only one pass me into Turn One. I would see the other guys get held up every now and then. It comes and goes. We had a bunch of bad ones but we got some good ones, too.”Overall thoughts: “It was a great day back at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and at the Chevrolet Grand Prix. We maximized what we could today. It’s not great for the overall points, but considering where we started the day we can be pretty happy with where we ended up. We’ll move on to Lime Rock and hopefully be a little more competitive there and move up in the championship as well.”

xVan der Zande, Bourdais rise to the top for third time; Derani, Pla fight for third place

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario (July 3, 2022) – There are slices of the 2.459-mile, 10-turn Canadian Tire Motorsports Park that can either slow you down or provide overtaking opportunities, Renger van der Zande noted in the days leading up to the Chevrolet Grand Prix

The co-driver of the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R saw such a scenario develop with about 10 minutes remaining in the 2-hour, 40-minute race, which he quickly determined was an opportunity – possibly his only one – to move to the front of the field. With his intended target approaching traffic in Turn 2, van der Zande threaded the No. 01 Cadillac Racing entry past the pole-winning No. 60 Acura and an LMP3 pack and into clean air and the eventual victory by 3.569 seconds. He set up the opportunity on a restart with 18 minutes left by overtaking the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R for second. “So proud of Cadillac, Chip Ganassi Racing and everyone involved,” said van der Zande, who earned the 18th win in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition.It was the second victory in the past three races and third overall on the season for van der Zande and teammate Sebastien Bourdais. Bourdais, who qualified sixth and drove the first stint, enveloped his physically spent teammate in Victory Circle. “I going to go back to the gym. This was hard work,” said van der Zande, who was runner-up in the 2018 race at CTMP in a Cadillac DPi. “The power steering was a big issue all race long. Seb came in and was like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure we’re going to make it.’ You need these fast corners and the power steering kept cutting (out). “At the end, it got better and I was like, man if I can have a normal car with normal power steering, I might have a chance for a move. And then I was all in now. I went from first back to last, back to wherever. Then I thought, this is my day, I’m going to go for it. It was a great win.” Van der Zande led 23 laps, including the final 10 after the decisive pass. With the victory, the No. 01 Cadillac Racing entry is third in the DPi standings with two races left. “We had the speech today. I quoted the good old Kennedy speech about ‘we go to the moon not because it is easy but because it is hard.’ And we knew that coming in here today and Renger killed it. Sebastien hung in there. We were fighting a power steering issue the whole time. And it was awesome. These guys deserve it,” said Peter Baron, race strategist for the No. 01 Cadillac. The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, co-driven by reigning DPi champion Pipo Derani and Olivier Pla, earned its fourth podium finish of the season. Derani finished just .732 of a second behind the second-place Acura. Earl Bamber in the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R overcame a drive-thru penalty with 33 minutes left to finish fourth with co-driver Alex Lynn. They combined to lead 13 laps. The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, which Tristan Vautier drove to the third qualifying position, was in the hunt in the final 10 minutes with Richard Westbrook behind the wheel but was overtaken by the charging Derani and Bamber. They led 25 laps early in the race employing an alternate fuel strategy.

Cadillac Racing teams next head to Road America in Wisconsin for the 2-hour, 40-minute race on the 4-mile, 14-turn road course Aug. 7, where the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R is the defending winner. Reigning IMSA DPi champion Pipo Derani will be back behind the wheel of the No. 31 Action Express Racing entry along with co-driver Olivier Pla.

Cadillac Racing from the cockpit No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R (first place)Sebastien Bourdais: “I didn’t know what to expect; I had never been here. I really honestly struggled this weekend. It’s all on Renger. From the back to the front a couple of times, he was just impressive in traffic and made it work. Hats off.” Renger van der Zande: “We are very happy with the win today and with the speed we displayed on-track. I knew getting through traffic cleanly would be key. We were able to pass in traffic there at the end and the team kept me informed on when it was coming. I’m very proud of the team at Chip Ganassi Racing. Big thanks to Chip, Mike Hull, Mike O’Gara, Cadillac and everyone involved. This is why we go racing.” No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (third place)Pipo Derani: “I think considering the last few races we did a job to get ourselves back onto the podium. It’s very competitive out there and we needed a good result, we needed to be back on the podium. So happy for the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac group and hopefully we can improve from here.” Olivier Pla: “It was a crazy race. I lost position at the start and thought I could make it up in traffic again. I had a good car and then handing it off to Pipo to fight for position I thought we would be position for a podium finish. It’s good to start like that and I’m sure we’ll win more.” No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R (fourth place)Alex Lynn: “Another P4 for the No. 02 Cadillac. Quite a bit more dramatic this time around. I think we had the fastest car and the fastest crew to win, but we didn’t and that’s racing.”Earl Bamber: “Tough day for us finishing fourth. I think we definitely had a car to win, but the penalty set us back. Good job by the No. 01; it’s great to see Cadillac back in front. Now, we will keep fighting at Road America.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES

ROAD AMERICA

KWIK TRIP 250

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES

JULY 3, 2022

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:

POS.   DRIVER

1st      TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1

2nd     CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

3rd      KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

4th      ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 ADVENT HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

5th      DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY CAMARO ZL1 

9th      AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 GOLD FISH CASINO SLOTS CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: 

POS.  DRIVER

1st      Tyler Reddick (Chevrolet)

2nd     Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)

3rd      Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)

4th      Ross Chastain (Chevrolet)

5th      Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet)

The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next Sunday, July 10, at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on USA Network, the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1 – Race Winner

The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is now a Cup Series winner. So cool to see all these drivers coming back to congratulate him, including Brad Keselowski, who used to be his boss. What were you thinking as you were racing Chase Elliott there for the lead and eventually what wound up being the win?

“Well, I definitely knew he (Chase Elliott) was fast, but we could stay with him on the long run. That told me if we cycled through that last pit sequence, we’d be close or get around him, and we’d have a great shot. Didn’t quite get around him.. we were within reach. Thankfully we just waited for the right opportunity and was able to take advantage of it in Turn 6.

I thought he was going to run me back down. I started to make some mistakes and started to take care of the brakes; apparently I didn’t need to. Yeah, very good shape there. What a day.”

I want to know the significance for you personally. We talked earlier this week, you said we’ve got to put together the last 10 percent of a race. You did that today. Did you sense the playoff pressure, that hey, our season is on the line, we’ve got to get it done today?

“We had to. What better place than Road America? I love the fans. I love this racetrack. Being here on 4th of July weekend is just so special. And just a huge shout out to 3Chi and the special paint scheme we had this weekend. Love that they’re coming on board this year and taking a chance on a young guy like me and we got it done. We won a race.”

Not only is it the first win for you, Randall Burnett; and now RCR is in the playoffs, as well. 

“Randall (Burnett, Crew Chief) has been working at this for a very long time and he’s always believed in me. Everyone on this team at Richard Childress Racing has believed in me. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way; but man, this year has been one step, one mistake away from greatness all year long, and we finally did it today. It feels good.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 2nd

Chase Elliott led 36 laps for most of the race, but in that final stage Tyler Reddick got up there and got past you. What more did you need to hold him off or even get back at him?

“Just do a better job. First off, congrats to him. I know he’s been super close to that first win, and I’ve been down that road and it can be a rocky one. I’m happy for those guys. They deserve it.

For us, just proud of our NAPA team. I didn’t do a very good job there. I just let him stay close enough to pressure me there while we had decent tires and never could get enough of a gap. Made a couple mistakes. I was gaining a gap there a couple times and made a couple mistakes and let him get back close enough to get me out of sync. After that, just started struggling.

Obviously it was super difficult to get to somebody to pass them. It was impressive he was able to get up there and capitalize on my mistakes. Happy for those guys. Appreciate the effort out of our team. Wish I could have done a better job there. I felt like we probably needed a little bit, but I think we were good enough to win, so those always hurt.”

You and I are sitting down right here, it’s a hot day. We saw you pushing. We saw you going deep into every braking zone. How tough is it to try and make a pass and why was it so impressive the pass he made on you when you weren’t able to get back by him?

“These cars are very aero sensitive and even more so nowadays.. even more than last year’s car. As the season goes on and everybody’s car has become more of the same and as we learn what everybody needs in their vehicles, every car is going to become the same manufacturer to manufacturer. And as that becomes the case, track position is going to become more and more of a premium. That’s just motorsports nowadays. Aero is huge, and you can’t unlearn, so that’s the road we’re on.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 3rd

Not a win, but top-five all day and a good finish. How would you summarize your afternoon? 

“Yeah, it was really smooth. I knew the 8 (Tyler Reddick) was really good; and obviously the 9 (Chase Elliott) was really good. I felt like we were third best and we finished third best. 

A nice, smooth day and our pit crew was great the few times we came down pit road. Our car was good enough to run where we did. So, overall happy and congrats to Tyler Reddick. That is really cool. I grew up racing with him in Outlaw cars in California, so it’s really awesome to see him win. I know everybody from northern California is really proud.”

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 ADVENT HEALTH CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 4th

The streak ends for Trackhouse Racing, but how would you describe how hard you have to drive this car at Road America?

“Trackhouse still had two in the top-five. Daniel (Suarez) and I were just talking and there were little bits and pieces we were off today and we still had top-five speed. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. Our Advent Health Chevy was fast enough, we were just lacking mainly rear grip on throttle and in the rights (turns) especially. Got really slick there at the end and those guys didn’t slow down in the end as much as we did. A fourth-place car was where we ran most of the day.”

You had to be a little aggressive out there too.  

“Absolutely, its NASCAR Cup Series racing and that is what it’s all about.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 5th

Where do you assess your afternoon the way you had to drive through the field? 

“I thought it was fine. For the car that we had, I thought that we maximized everything that we got. Proud of my team and my pit crew today, everyone did a great job. I felt like we had a top-seven car and we finished in the top-five, so I felt like we did a good job with that. 

With that being said, it’s not a win. We have to continue to work and continue to get better.”

TEAM CHEVY QUICK NOTES

·       The win is Tyler Reddick’s first career victory in 92 NASCAR Cup Series starts. 

·       It also marks the 110th NASCAR Cup Series triumph for Richard Childress Racing. 

·       Reddick’s victory marks Chevrolet’s ninth-consecutive NASCAR Cup Series road course win.. a streak that started at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021.  

·       Reddick is now the 13th different NASCAR Cup Series winner thus far this season, seven of which are Chevrolet drivers. 

·       Chevrolet drivers swept the top-five finishing positions, led by Reddick, Chase Elliott (2nd), Kyle Larson (3rd), Ross Chastain (4th) and Daniel Suarez (5th). 

·       The victory moved Chevrolet to double-digit wins on the season, marking the Camaro ZL1’s 10th NASCAR Cup Series win of 2022. 

·       The winningest brand in NASCAR, Chevrolet now has 824 all-time NASCAR Cup Series victories. 

NASCAR CUP SERIES

ROAD AMERICA

KWIK TRIP 250

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES

JULY 3, 2022

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:

POS.   DRIVER

1st      TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1

2nd     CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1

3rd      KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

4th      ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 ADVENT HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

5th      DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY CAMARO ZL1 

9th      AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 GOLD FISH CASINO SLOTS CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: 

POS.  DRIVER

1st      Tyler Reddick (Chevrolet)

2nd     Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)

3rd      Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)

4th      Ross Chastain (Chevrolet)

5th      Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet)

The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next Sunday, July 10, at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on USA Network, the NBCSports Gold App, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1 – Race Winner

The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is now a Cup Series winner. So cool to see all these drivers coming back to congratulate him, including Brad Keselowski, who used to be his boss. What were you thinking as you were racing Chase Elliott there for the lead and eventually what wound up being the win?

“Well, I definitely knew he (Chase Elliott) was fast, but we could stay with him on the long run. That told me if we cycled through that last pit sequence, we’d be close or get around him, and we’d have a great shot. Didn’t quite get around him.. we were within reach. Thankfully we just waited for the right opportunity and was able to take advantage of it in Turn 6.

I thought he was going to run me back down. I started to make some mistakes and started to take care of the brakes; apparently I didn’t need to. Yeah, very good shape there. What a day.”

I want to know the significance for you personally. We talked earlier this week, you said we’ve got to put together the last 10 percent of a race. You did that today. Did you sense the playoff pressure, that hey, our season is on the line, we’ve got to get it done today?

“We had to. What better place than Road America? I love the fans. I love this racetrack. Being here on 4th of July weekend is just so special. And just a huge shout out to 3Chi and the special paint scheme we had this weekend. Love that they’re coming on board this year and taking a chance on a young guy like me and we got it done. We won a race.”

Not only is it the first win for you, Randall Burnett; and now RCR is in the playoffs, as well. 

“Randall (Burnett, Crew Chief) has been working at this for a very long time and he’s always believed in me. Everyone on this team at Richard Childress Racing has believed in me. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way; but man, this year has been one step, one mistake away from greatness all year long, and we finally did it today. It feels good.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 2nd

Chase Elliott led 36 laps for most of the race, but in that final stage Tyler Reddick got up there and got past you. What more did you need to hold him off or even get back at him?

“Just do a better job. First off, congrats to him. I know he’s been super close to that first win, and I’ve been down that road and it can be a rocky one. I’m happy for those guys. They deserve it.

For us, just proud of our NAPA team. I didn’t do a very good job there. I just let him stay close enough to pressure me there while we had decent tires and never could get enough of a gap. Made a couple mistakes. I was gaining a gap there a couple times and made a couple mistakes and let him get back close enough to get me out of sync. After that, just started struggling.

Obviously it was super difficult to get to somebody to pass them. It was impressive he was able to get up there and capitalize on my mistakes. Happy for those guys. Appreciate the effort out of our team. Wish I could have done a better job there. I felt like we probably needed a little bit, but I think we were good enough to win, so those always hurt.”

You and I are sitting down right here, it’s a hot day. We saw you pushing. We saw you going deep into every braking zone. How tough is it to try and make a pass and why was it so impressive the pass he made on you when you weren’t able to get back by him?

“These cars are very aero sensitive and even more so nowadays.. even more than last year’s car. As the season goes on and everybody’s car has become more of the same and as we learn what everybody needs in their vehicles, every car is going to become the same manufacturer to manufacturer. And as that becomes the case, track position is going to become more and more of a premium. That’s just motorsports nowadays. Aero is huge, and you can’t unlearn, so that’s the road we’re on.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 3rd

Not a win, but top-five all day and a good finish. How would you summarize your afternoon? 

“Yeah, it was really smooth. I knew the 8 (Tyler Reddick) was really good; and obviously the 9 (Chase Elliott) was really good. I felt like we were third best and we finished third best. 

A nice, smooth day and our pit crew was great the few times we came down pit road. Our car was good enough to run where we did. So, overall happy and congrats to Tyler Reddick. That is really cool. I grew up racing with him in Outlaw cars in California, so it’s really awesome to see him win. I know everybody from northern California is really proud.”

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 ADVENT HEALTH CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 4th

The streak ends for Trackhouse Racing, but how would you describe how hard you have to drive this car at Road America?

“Trackhouse still had two in the top-five. Daniel (Suarez) and I were just talking and there were little bits and pieces we were off today and we still had top-five speed. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. Our Advent Health Chevy was fast enough, we were just lacking mainly rear grip on throttle and in the rights (turns) especially. Got really slick there at the end and those guys didn’t slow down in the end as much as we did. A fourth-place car was where we ran most of the day.”

You had to be a little aggressive out there too.  

“Absolutely, its NASCAR Cup Series racing and that is what it’s all about.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 5th

Where do you assess your afternoon the way you had to drive through the field? 

“I thought it was fine. For the car that we had, I thought that we maximized everything that we got. Proud of my team and my pit crew today, everyone did a great job. I felt like we had a top-seven car and we finished in the top-five, so I felt like we did a good job with that. 

With that being said, it’s not a win. We have to continue to work and continue to get better.”

TEAM CHEVY QUICK NOTES

·       The win is Tyler Reddick’s first career victory in 92 NASCAR Cup Series starts. 

·       It also marks the 110th NASCAR Cup Series triumph for Richard Childress Racing. 

·       Reddick’s victory marks Chevrolet’s ninth-consecutive NASCAR Cup Series road course win.. a streak that started at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021.  

·       Reddick is now the 13th different NASCAR Cup Series winner thus far this season, seven of which are Chevrolet drivers. 

·       Chevrolet drivers swept the top-five finishing positions, led by Reddick, Chase Elliott (2nd), Kyle Larson (3rd), Ross Chastain (4th) and Daniel Suarez (5th). 

·       The victory moved Chevrolet to double-digit wins on the season, marking the Camaro ZL1’s 10th NASCAR Cup Series win of 2022. 

·       The winningest brand in NASCAR, Chevrolet now has 824 all-time NASCAR Cup Series victories. 

NASCAR CUP SERIES ROAD AMERICA KWIK TRIP 250 TEAM CHEVY RACE WINNER QUOTE & NOTES JULY 3, 2022    TYLER REDDICK GETS FIRST CAREER NASCAR CUP SERIES WIN AT ROAD AMERICAChevrolet’s 10th NCS Win of 2022; Ninth-Consecutive Road Course Win ·       The win is Tyler Reddick’s first career victory in 92 NASCAR Cup Series starts. ·       It also marks the 110th NASCAR Cup Series triumph for Richard Childress Racing. ·       Reddick’s victory marks Chevrolet’s ninth-consecutive NASCAR Cup Series road course win.. a streak that started at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021.  ·       Reddick is now the 13th different NASCAR Cup Series winner thus far this season, seven of which are Chevrolet drivers. ·       Chevrolet drivers swept the top-five finishing positions, led by Reddick, Chase Elliott (2nd), Kyle Larson (3rd), Ross Chastain (4th) and Daniel Suarez (5th). ·       The victory moved Chevrolet to double-digit wins on the season, marking the Camaro ZL1’s 10th NASCAR Cup Series win of 2022. ·       The winningest brand in NASCAR, Chevrolet now has 824 all-time NASCAR Cup Series victories.  TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 3CHI CAMARO ZL1, Race Winner Quick Quote: Q. The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is now a Cup Series winner. So cool to see all these drivers coming back to congratulate him, including Brad Keselowski, who used to be his boss. What were you thinking as you were racing Chase Elliott there for the lead and eventually what wound up being the win?“Well, I definitely knew he (Chase Elliott) was fast, but we could stay with him on the long run. That told me if we cycled through that last pit sequence, we’d be close or get around him, and we’d have a great shot. Didn’t quite get around him.. we were within reach. Thankfully we just waited for the right opportunity and was able to take advantage of it in Turn 6. I thought he was going to run me back down. I started to make some mistakes and started to take care of the brakes; apparently I didn’t need to. Yeah, very good shape there. What a day. Q. I want to know the significance for you personally. We talked earlier this week, you said we’ve got to put together the last 10 percent of a race. You did that today. Did you sense the playoff pressure, that hey, our season is on the line, we’ve got to get it done today?“We had to. What better place than Road America? I love the fans. I love this racetrack. Being here on 4th of July weekend is just so special. And just a huge shout out to 3Chi and the special paint scheme we had this weekend. Love that they’re coming on board this year and taking a chance on a young guy like me and we got it done. We won a race.” Q. Not only is it the first win for you, Randall Burnett; and now RCR is in the playoffs, as well. “Randall (Burnett, Crew Chief) has been working at this for a very long time and he’s always believed in me. Everyone on this team at Richard Childress Racing has believed in me. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way; but man, this year has been one step, one mistake away from greatness all year long, and we finally did it today. It feels good.”

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (July 3, 2022) – Defending series and race champion Chris Dyson emerged from this weekend’s Road America round of the Trans Am by Pirelli series with a third-place finish and an expanded lead in this year’s title chase. But a podium finish wasn’t the result the defending race champion sought. After being judged to have jumped the start from his qualifying position on the outside of the front row (polesitter and eventual race winner Kaz Grala easily won the drag race to the first turn) Dyson served a drive-through penalty, departing the pits in his #20 ALTWELL Ford Mustang 30 seconds off the lead. Once clear of slower mid-field traffic Dyson vaulted all the rear of the field and fought back into second place. Then, during a bit of uncertainty about a full-course yellow, NASCAR veteran and 2022 Charlotte Trans Am winner Paul Menard slipped by Dyson with three laps remaining. Heavy rain falling on the four-mile circuit slowed lap times by 20 seconds and essentially froze the field in place as drivers tiptoed to the checkered flag. “The car was flying – it was absolutely brilliant to drive, especially as the runs went on,” Dyson said following the race. “We set the fastest lap, caught back up, and we got another shot at the win with the yellows. I think things would have been a little different without the penalty and the weather conditions. I think we would have been right up there with Kaz fighting until the end. Congratulations to Paul and Kaz; we had a great battle throughout.” Strong Run by Merrill Brings Fourth-Place For CD Racing TA2 standout Thomas Merrill finished a strong fourth for CD Racing, subbing for Humaid Masaood in the #21 allgram Ford Mustang. Hounding Grala and Menard early in the race, Merrill set his fastest lap, less than three-tenths of a second slower than Dyson’s race-best standard. “Thomas did a really solid job,” Dyson said. “There weren’t many laps for him in practice due to an unfortunate engine change. But he managed a quick lap in qualifying, and Thomas just got faster and faster as the race went on. He did that fastest lap just before the rain came.” Dyson said that despite his disappointment with his third-place finish in what he viewed as a winnable race, the team enters the season’s two-month mid-summer hiatus with a healthy points lead headed for September’s race at Watkins Glen International. “We’re going to work hard during this break to make sure that we carry that momentum with us to Watkins Glen.” NASCAR XFINITY Race Dyson also contested the NASCAR Xfinity Henry 180, driving Emerling-Gase Motorsports’ #35 Concord American Flagpole entry, his second-ever start in the series and first since 2019. Dyson’s 29th-place qualifying effort put him ahead of 14 other cars. In the race Dyson ran as high as 13th place before a brake problem at Canada Corner during the race’s final Stage led to a crash and a 28th-place finish. “It was too bad,” Dyson said during the one-hour interlude between the end of the Xfinity race and the green flag for the Trans Am sprint. “I think we had a top-20 car this afternoon if we hadn’t had that issue. I was really in a good rhythm with the car and just running my pace consistently when that happened without any warning. But overall it was a good experience and I thank the team for putting me in their car. And I look forward to future opportunities in the Xfinity series.” Modern Wellness with ALTWELL ALTWELL provides purposefully curated and flavored products to help improve your overall wellness, sleep, relaxation and balance. We know that can be a different experience for everyone, so we prioritize being able to serve the unique needs of our customers. We’re committed to helping you live each day with comfort and calm. That’s why all ALTWELL products are crafted with product quality and consumer satisfaction in mind. GYM WEED FEEL GOOD.  WORK OUT.  GYM WEED by ALTWELL. The hemp infused sports nutrition products to help take your workouts to a higher level.  Gym Weed is paired with the power of Hemp Extract and additional functional ingredients to enhance performance and support recovery.  GYM WEED products are third party lab tested and THC FREE to ensure safe, high-quality ingredients at the right dose. allgram Your Data is Yours! allgram is the next generation decentralized Peer to Peer secure communication platform hosted on the blockchain and developed with cyber and information security as the core elements of the solution. Leveraging Digital IDs you can communicate securely via chat, voice, video, & social media knowing that nobody is accessing your data. DIGITAL ID – Digital IDs are authenticated through the blockchain for true identity verification. CHAT – Peer to Peer communication via text, voice and video with no central servers. SCHEDULE CALLS – Send meeting invites using allgram calendar for business or personal use.  SOCIAL MEDIA – Create private or public clubs and share posts securely with no targeted advertisements.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES

HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

LEXINGTON, OHIO

TEAM CHEVY POST RACE DRIVER QUOTES

JULY 3, 2022

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES:

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 ODYSSEY BATTERY CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE – RACE WINNER

“It’s amazing. I really wanted to get a win here with mom and dad here. And our first time we have had Odyssey Battery on the car and you know it was it was awesome as well to have them on board but that mom and dad is very special on America’s weekend.

“Last night I was dressed up as a bald eagle, so maybe I need to do that every year, July 4 weekend.

“It was tough. You know, you’re thinking about fuel but thankfully obviously Chevy gave us the great fuel mileage and driveability off the restarts that allowed me to get a little bit of a gap from Palou and the Honda there so I’m really really proud of the guys for the car they gave me even though it was a little hard to drive towards the end. I would love to make it a little bit easier for myself but I’m super proud. Everyone did great pitstops from this car three, the thirsty threes, baby we’re going to the moon.

“Yeah, it was, it was tough, because, you know, my car sort of went away a little bit towards the end of the race, you know, it was good at the start. I think once a tire that the track changed a little bit and got a little bit dirty and bits and pieces, they got hard to sort of put the power down, which was making it hard to defend, but it is what it is we’ll learn and move on. But I think we’ve made some changes that certainly helped us today. And thankfully we did them.

“Yeah, look, it’s great momentum for us at the end of day this isINDYCAR you know, things can happen all the time. And I think we’ve had great pace to be in the top five, you know, I’ve made mistakes. There’s been certain things that haven’t gone our way strategy wise that have made us sort of fall back a little bit but we’ve always had the pace and it was all about having the belief and the belief and the guys we’ve got a great group here on the car three you know it’s we’re all mates you know, we’re just having fun with a go racing and have fun. So really proud to do it. And yeah, I’m excited.”

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – FINISHED 3^RD: 

“Amazing day, amazing day for the Verizon 5G Chevy. Yeah. I said in a strategy meeting, which I have a few times this year, we’ve qualified bad and a top-10 would be great. Yellow when we were 12th, I thought, OK, we can be in the top-10 here. Good restarts, good exchanges, good pit stops, good strategy. Great job by the team. Over the moon, loving it man. Starting at the back is more entertaining than leading at the front! We’ve got to get on top of the qualifying. It wasn’t a pace issue at all. I can’t thank Verizon and Chevy enough. We’re having such a great year.

“You just have to keep your head in these races. As you see every week, so much happens. If you don’t make any mistakes, you’ll make up positions. This is IndyCar; you can never predict what’ll happen. I’m loving it. I hope the fans are too.”

RINUS VEEKAY, NO. 21 BITCOIN WITH BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING –FINISHED 4^TH:

“We had a great race. Did not expect a top-four really before the race. Really before the race, I said top-eight I’d be happy with. Racing with Will… was nice, but he didn’t leave me enough space on entry in Turn 4. He put me in the grass.I think you have to leave enough space. But he didn’t get a penalty. But he did a great race. I didn’t expect to see him in my mirrors at the restart! The team, the 21 BitNile car did a great job at the pit stops. I’m happy to be back in the top-four, top-five. That’s needed at the moment. It was the perfect race.” 

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 PPG CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE – FINISHED 7^TH: 

“It’s not a great day not a not a bad day either. We ended up seven we had a good start I think we got up to 11 at the start first pit pit exchanges really good we I think worked up to seven or six and then you know marching forward and then a couple of cautions came out. 

“Then the final pit exchange where we were looking to make something happen again on new reds a yellow came out right after we picked it basically and give it there normally sometimes helps you because it closes the pits but they waited for everybody else to pit. So we we lost out to the blend line and so I ended up losing three spots in that exchange, which which put us back to P seven and then just kind of finished out the race from there so not not a great day. You know, just kind of bad luck all day with the way the yellows are working out. They weren’t really favoring our strategy. But it’s good day for scot free after that and you know, we’ll go to the next one.”

CONOR DALY, NO. 20 BITNILE CHEVROLET, ED CARPENTER RACING – FINISHED 13^TH: 

I think we had a really incredible first stent. The car was super racy. I mean, we were passing people left and right. And just a real shame to see the yellow not get called. When there was a car off and a driver standing up and we’re still under green. I’m in a pretty dangerous corner. And now that was a real shame because it kind of worked against us. And some of the guys that we passed early on in the race ended up in front of us and tough to pass towards the end, but we were going forward really the whole time. So you know, to move up from 22nd hurts today. Getting to 13 is a good day for us. You know, I messed up in qualifying, so you know, gotta be perfect on these weekends and another solid race for us. We just got to get back into the top 10 When we go out next time

SIMONA de SILVESTRO, NO. 16 CHEVROLET, PARETTA AUTOSPORT – FINISHED 18^TH:

“I felt like I was strong again, doing things I used to do and moving forward. We were passing cars, we were moving forward and that encourages us a lot. There’s always things to iron out and get better but I think the results will come. I look forward to Nashville because I feel like we are getting to where we need to be.”

DALTON KELLETT, NO. 4 K-LINE CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – FINISHED 22^ND: 

“It’s been an eventful race for the team I guess. Overall it was not the best day for the AJ Foyt Racing crew. On my end, I felt like we had a pretty hooked up car in the first stent. In warm up we tried something close to Kyle’s setup from qualifying and it wasn’t quite working for me which kind of goes to show you got to sort of figure out your own thing for your own driving style. So, we went back to our qualifying car and on the new reds, the car felt pretty good. It felt like it was really connected through the corner, and I was able to push through the sections from four to nine. We were running decently well and then got turned around by the 45 car which was unfortunate. On a restart everyone’s battling but not great when you get turned from behind but you’re not really in the mix for a pass for their battle right? So, a mistake on their part and that put us two laps down because it took them a while to get me going again. Losing two laps — that’s the hard part. On an oval you can make that back but on a short road course like this, you have to get supremely lucky and that didn’t happen. On the blacks and the scrubbed red set we were lacking a bit of mechanical grip through the rhythm section. But overall a tough day, hoping for something better at the home race in Toronto.”

CALLUM ILOTT, NO. 77 DYNAMIC EDGE CHEVROLET, JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING –FINISHED 23^RD:

“Had a bit of a disappointing end to that one and unfortunately ended with a bit of flames of behind us. Just coming to the final restart, I think it was p 11 and it just went on me, unfortunately. But you know, we’ll come back stronger to fight another day is a shame because we had great pace, especially on the blacks as well as reds. We struggled with a bit I had to get the balance back in the window at the first stop.  But yeah, hopefully the guys can be happy with the performance up to that point. Next one’s Toronto street circuit. Yeah. That’s why I’m so excited.”

PATO O’WARD, 5 ARROW McLAREN CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN SP – FINISHED 24^TH: “Today was a bummer. Apparently, the issue was something fuel delivery-wise, and it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. Then it just failed. It is a bummer and frustrating as we have thrown away, I think, an easy podium for us here. We had a lot of pace, and we’ve had a lot of pace throughout the weekend. The No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet was really well put together for qualifying and I tried to do my job the best I could.”

TATIANA CALDERON, NO. 11 ROKiT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – FINISHED 25^TH: 

We had a good base for the race with the strategy as well we decided to go with the red tires for the start and then for the first stop, so I was feeling like we were in the group fighting with good pace. Suddenly I started to lose a little bit on the downshifts and then got stuck in here. Unfortunately, I think they guys did a fantastic job all weekend. So sad way to end this this race but hopefully, with all your help, we’ll be back in a couple of races more this year. Thanks for this opportunity.”

KYLE KIRKWOOD, NO. 14 ROKiT CHEVROLET, AJ FOYT RACING – FINISHED 26^TH: “I’m not really sure.  I’m gonna go back through the data, but wasn’t the same as Detroit, and figured the pressures were good felt like it was there and just couldn’t  turn and bottomed out right in the middle of the corner and set the car sailing and the nature of the track is kind of increasing radius to that section. So, unfortunately for the 14 AJ Foyt crew, we didn’t get to get the finish that that we thought we deserved. We were doing solid this weekend. So we’re right there in the top 10 Fighting for seven eight nines really. Just unfortunate. Felt good this morning.”

FELIX ROSEQVIST, NO. 7 VUSE CHEVROLET, ARROW McLAREN SP – FINISHED 27^TH’:

It’s just unfortunate. I had a really, really, really good run. I feel for the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP guys who worked so hard this weekend. I think we had a mega weekend going as were off strategy with the black tires and holding our position. We actually managed to move up from fourth to third, so yeah, it’s a big loss for the team.

“I just felt like we were sailing out there. I think we showed again we are up there and fighting for podium positions. We just have to come back and do better in Toronto.”

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES

HONDA INDY 200 AT MID-OHIO

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE

LEXINGTON, OHIO

TEAM CHEVY SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN QUICK QUOTE

JULY 3, 2022

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN WINS AT MID-OHIO; SCORES SEVENTH WIN OF 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON FOR CHEVROLET

Second Win of the Season for McLaughlin and his Thirsty 3s Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet, won today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course taking home the trophy for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

It Is the second win of the season for McLaughlin and the seventh of the nine races run for Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR Series. 

Quick quote:

“It’s amazing. I really wanted to get a win here with mom and dad here. And our first time we have had Odyssey Battery on the car and you know it was it was awesome as well to have them on board but that mom and dad is  very special on America’s weekend.

“Last night I was dressed up as a bald eagle, so maybe I need to do that every year, July 4 weekend. 

“It was tough. You know, you’re thinking about fuel but thankfully obviously Chevy gave us the great fuel mileage and driveability off the restarts that allowed me to get a little bit of a gap from Palou and the Honda there so I’m really really proud of the guys for the car they gave me even though it was a little hard to drive towards the end. I would love to make it a little bit easier for myself but I’m super proud. Everyone did great pitstops from this car three, the thirsty threes, baby we’re going to the moon.

“Yeah, it was, it was tough, because, you know, my car sort of went away a little bit towards the end of the race, you know, it was good at the start. I think once a tire that the track changed a little bit and got a little bit dirty and bits and pieces, they got hard to sort of put the power down, which was making it hard to defend, but it is what it is we’ll learn and move on. But I think we’ve made some changes that certainly helped us today. And thankfully we did them.

“Yeah, look, it’s great momentum for us at the end of day this isINDYCAR you know, things can happen all the time. And I think we’ve had great pace to be in the top five, you know, I’ve made mistakes. There’s been certain things that haven’t gone our way strategy wise that have made us sort of fall back a little bit but we’ve always had the pace and it was all about having the belief and the belief and the guys we’ve got a great group here on the car three you know it’s we’re all mates you know, we’re just having fun with a go racing and have fun. So really proud to do it. And yeah, I’m excited.”

Elkhart Lake, WISCONSIN – July 3, 2022 – Round 8 of the 2022 Trans Am presented by Pirelli Championship season saw probably the most competitive field of the season assemble at Road America and the race itself didn’t disappoint. Franklin Road’s Paul Menard scored a terrific P2 in the all-new livery No. 5 Showtime Motorsports Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro while Showtime principal Ken Thwaits held on to his second position in the Drivers’ Championship after a P8 finish. Ken looked booked for P6, the position he held comfortably for most of the race, but rain on the last couple of laps cost him two places. All in all, it was a good day for the Franklin Road team who are now firmly established among the top tier of Trans Am teams. “I have to say I’m happy with the day overall, stated Ken. “I took it easy when the rain came as I was on slicks and wanted to come home in one piece. I gather I’m still in P2 in the Championship with three rounds to go and that’ll do for me.”  About Paul Menard’s return in the Chevrolet Camaro Ken added, “There were two NASCAR drivers plus reigning Champion Chris Dyson battling it out at the front of the race so that gives you an idea of the level of competition. The car performed really well in Paul’s hands and naturally from a team perspective I’m glad we got the runner up spot. If it wasn’t for the rain, it would have been a perfect day but I’ll take it.” Ken picked up 18 Championship points for finishing in P8 giving him a provisional total of 176, one point ahead of third placed Tomy Drissi.  Paul Menard was having his third drive of the season for Franklin Road after winning at Charlotte the last day he raced. Having qualified in P3 with a best time of 2:04:220 he outgunned Championship leader Chris Dyson to claim P2 on the podium after an epic duel over the closing laps that was everything Trans Am fans love to see. One of the best races of the season, the highlights can be seen at the following times: TA/XGT/SGT/GT – Jul 09, 2:00p.m. ET on CBS Sports NetworkTA/XGT/SGT/GT (Encore Presentation) – Jul 10, 10:00p.m. ET on CBS Sports NetworkTA2 – Jul 10, 2:30p.m. ET on CBS Sports NetworkTA2 (Encore Presentation) – Jul 11, 12:00 a.m. ET on CBS Sports Network  The TA Class series now takes its traditional midsummer break before resuming at the legendary Watkins Glen September 7 to 11. Meanwhile TA2 continues at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville August 5 and 6. Fans can find the Franklin Road Apparel Trans Am clothing here: https://www.franklinroad.com/search/trans+am/ Visit the team’s website for Showtime Motorsports showtimemotorsports.net. Learn more about the Showtime Motorsports team partner, Road Apparel, at franklinroad.com and keep up to date with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at gotransam.com. #GoTransAm Check out the Showtime Motorsports Facebook page: facebook.com/showtimemotorsp/ and @ShowtimeMotorsp on Instagram.

Sophomore Star Beats Champion Brad Sweet for First Win Since 2017

NEW RICHMOND, WI – July 2, 2022 – It was five years ago this month when Brock Zearfoss scored one for the PA Posse at the 2017 Summer Nationals, recording his first-career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win at one of his home tracks, Williams Grove Speedway.

Since then, 1,807 days had passed and 169 races had come and gone with zero wins against The Greatest Show on Dirt. On Saturday night, that streak was finally snapped. The Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3Z made a triumphant visit to Victory Lane at Wisconsin’s Cedar Lake Speedway, beating reigning champ Brad Sweet and earning one of the sweetest wins of his career.

It’s no secret that the process has been grueling for the Jonestown, PA native since joining the Series full-time in 2021. There were nights when Zearfoss wanted to throw in the towel and head back home, but when you love it this much, he knew deep down that was never an option.

Ask any established superstar on the World of Outlaws trail – Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet, David Gravel, etc. – winning vs. the greatest Sprint Car drivers on the planet isn’t some overnight transition. They’ve all gone through those character-building moments of getting kicked in the dirt and losing night-in and night-out before the wins come consistently. But they all stuck with it and it paid off, a sensational joy that Zearfoss experienced himself on Saturday night.

Don’t be mistaken, either, this was no right time, right place, fluke-ish victory by The Jonestown Jet. The 31-year-old sophomore runner went wheel-to-wheel with Brad Sweet’s Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 on a racey 3/8-mile surface, and straight up outran the three-time and defending World of Outlaws champion.

“I’m speechless,” an emotional Zearfoss said in Victory Lane. “Nobody really knows how hard this team has worked. They’ve never given up on me, even on the nights that I think they should’ve. It’s not easy out here at all. I’ve been in this sport a long time, but racing at all these new tracks with this Series is so damn challenging. You get your butt kicked every single night against the Outlaws. This shows how far our team has come. We’ve been getting a lot better, and I hope this is only the start.

“I’ve told myself plenty of times that I should be coming off the road and that I can’t do this anymore, but deep in my heart I know this is where I need to be. We’ve all worked so hard to get to this level, we belong here and I want to prove that. It’s been a long time coming for sure. This is amazing.”

Offering three different leaders for the sixth consecutive race, the fourth-starting Zearfoss never assumed command until after halfway when a chaotic caution stripped second-running Giovanni Scelzi, third-running David Gravel, and fourth-running Logan Schuchart of position all at once.

The Lap 19 restart proved to be the ultimate game changer as Zearfoss fired off next to Sweet and executed a pitch-perfect run into turn one to steal the lead away. Sweet gave it all he had over the final 16 laps and found his way to Zearfoss’ rear bumper on several occasions, but a timely caution halted his shot at the #3Z each time.

“I knew I needed to nail that restart,” Zearfoss said on battling Sweet. “I knew my car was great in clean air, but I figured Brad would be the man to beat if I had to get too deep into lap traffic. I just needed to be consistent, but let me tell you that’s not east with the #49 breathing down your neck.”

Stretching out a 3.182-second margin of victory at the line, Zearfoss rode off into the sunset as a last-lap blunder by Sweet allowed David Gravel to complete a miraculous effort in his Big Game Motorsports #2. The Watertown, CT native went to the work area with a flat right rear tire on Lap 19, then drove from 16th-to-sixth in a quick six laps, and finished his charge with a stellar late-race rally to run it up to P2.

“I just can’t win a race here lately,” Gravel noted after his seventh runner-up result at Cedar Lake. “We didn’t give up, though, and I knew it would be a fight when my guys got the new tire on and sent me back out. We’ve been struggling a bit in the A-Main, but that changed tonight. I have to say congratulations to Brock. It can be depressing out here getting your butt kicked every night, but moments like that for him are why you work so hard.”

Current championship leader Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, CA continued his otherworldly career at Cedar Lake with an 11th podium finish in his last 12 starts at the track. As disaster struck other title contenders, The Big Cat enjoyed a big night in the points and pulled away to +38 margin through 34/77 events.

“I made a huge mistake choosing the top on that restart,” Sweet said afterward. “It’s funny because I complained last night when Donny [Schatz] was in the same situation, and I did it the same way tonight. Once I lost the lead we just never got back to lap traffic and I needed that. We’ll turn our focus to these big money races coming up next.”

The Shark Racing duo of Logan Schuchart (fourth) and Jacob Allen (fifth) rounded out the top-five at Cedar Lake Speedway, the only track where both the #1A and #1S have scored World of Outlaws wins.

Scotty Thiel of Sheboygan, WI drove forward from 13th-to-sixth in his family-owned #73, setting a new career-best finish against The Greatest Show on Dirt. Donny Schatz brought the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Ford Performance, Carquest #15 home in seventh, while Spencer Bayston advanced from 14th-to-eighth in his CJB Motorsports, TrueTimber Camo, Signing Day Sports #5.

Sheldon Haudenschild survived a late-race rush to the work area with a ninth-place effort in the Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17. Closing out the top-10 and claiming KSE Hard Charger honors was Kraig Kinser with a 20th-to-1oth bid in his #11K machine.

NOS NOTEBOOK (CEDAR LAKE SPEEDWAY, 7/2/22)

Brock Zearfoss’ second-career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory makes him the 97th driver with multiple wins in Series history. He most notably joins active drivers Greg Wilson, Shane Golobic, Cory Eliason, and Parker Price-Miller in a tie for 81st on the All-Time Win List.

A win for Zearfoss brings the count to 14 different winners through 34 World of Outlaws Features this season. The exciting battles continued as Saturday made it six-straight races with a trio of different leaders at the front of the field.

Some sort of trouble hampered second, third, fourth, and fifth in the championship points as Sweet enjoyed a peaceful night battling for the win and extending his lead. Carson Macedo flipped down the backstretch and failed to finish the race in 22nd, while Haudenschild, Gravel & Schuchart all visited the work area but rallied for top-10 efforts.

Brad Sweet (11.707) opened the night by topping My Place Hotels Qualifying, earning his second QuickTime of the year and the 62nd of his World of Outlaws career. Scoring NOS Energy Drink Heat Race wins was David Gravel (195th career), Donny Schatz (498th career), and Brock Zearfoss (10th career).

Giovanni Scelzi won the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash and led the opening six laps of the Feature, but cut a tire and went into the fence while running second on Lap 19 of the 35-lapper.

UP NEXT (Fri-Sat) – The Greatest Show on Dirt now heads to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA on Friday, July 8 and Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, WI on Saturday, July 9. Fans can BUY TICKETS HERE, or watch every lap LIVE on DIRTVision.

NOS Energy Drink Feature Results (35 Laps) – 1. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [4][$10,000]; 2. 2-David Gravel [5][$6,000]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [2][$3,500]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [3][$2,800]; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen [9][$2,500]; 6. 73-Scotty Thiel [13][$2,300]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz [6][$2,200]; 8. 5-Spencer Bayston [14][$2,100]; 9. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [11][$2,050]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [20][$2,000]; 11. 7S-Robbie Price [10][$1,600]; 12. 83-James McFadden [8][$1,400]; 13. 34DD-Brooke Tatnell [17][$1,200]; 14. 24T-Christopher Thram [12][$1,100]; 15. 23-Russel Borland [21][$1,050]; 16. 97-Alan Gilbertson [22][$1,000]; 17. 49J-Josh Schneiderman [19][$1,000]; 18. 6-Bill Rose [23][$1,000]; 19. 84-Scott Bogucki [18][$1,000]; 20. 9-Kasey Kahne [16][$1,000]; 21. 1AU-Marcus Dumesny [7][$1,000]; 22. 41-Carson Macedo [15][$1,000]; 23. 18-Giovanni Scelzi [1][$1,000]; 24. 199-Ryan Bowers [24][$1,000]. Lap Leaders: Giovanni Scelzi 1-6, Brad Sweet 7-19, Brock Zearfoss 20-35. KSE Hard Charger Award: 11K-Kraig Kinser[+10]

NEW Championship Standings (After 34/77 Races) – 1. Brad Sweet (4,646); 2. Sheldon Haudenschild (-38); 3. Carson Macedo (-56); 4. David Gravel (-58); 5. Logan Schuchart (-72); 6. Donny Schatz (-160); 7. Spencer Bayston (-190); 8. James McFadden (-242); 9. Jacob Allen (-354); 10. Brock Zearfoss (-498).

Freeman leads 33 of 40 laps en route to best career Hell Tour finish

CLARKSVILLE, TN – July 2, 2022 – Leading since the green dropped with a fast car on the top and a full-second lead. Payton Freeman was seven laps away from his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature win.

And then, a similar scenario reared its ugly head again.

After losing the lead in traffic after starting on the pole at Sycamore Speedway two weeks ago, Freeman was staring down lapped traffic again with Brian Shirley hot on his tail Saturday night at Clarksville Speedway. Determined to get by and hold onto the lead, Freeman stuck his nose to the inside, but the #38 of Thomas Hunziker did not yield.

The very next corner, Freeman got off the top again and hung it to the inside of Hunziker through Turns 1-2. But again, he could not make the pass. Behind him, Shirley had closed the gap completely and had no plans of waiting.

“I showed [Hunziker] that I was there two or three times,” Freeman said. “I figured he would move out of the way. I guess he didn’t get the point.”

Down the backstretch Shirley poked his nose to Freeman’s inside in a strong bid for the lead and made it stick in Turns 3-4 with a big slide job to get by both Freeman and Hunziker.

“[Freeman] whoa-ed up getting into Turn 1 behind [Hunziker] and didn’t get a good run,” Shirley said. “I went to the bottom and got a really good run.”

As Freeman cleared Hunziker behind him, Shirley took the lead and bolted down the front straightaway, opening up an advantage that Freeman could not overcome by the checkered. Shirley had swiped the lead, the win, and the $10,000 check out of the Hell Tour rookie’s grasp and cruised across the finish line for his third Summer Nationals win of the season.

“I got all the way to [Freeman] to where I knew I was gonna bump him a little bit, but not enough to take him out of the race or anything stupid,” Shirley said of his move for the lead. “Just one of those things where timing worked out for us and we were able to get the job done.”

Back in the pits, Freeman was understandably downcast, still digesting the events that cost him the biggest win of his career.

“I try to race everybody with respect, regardless of if we’re lapping or passing for position,” Freeman said on his approach to getting by slower cars. “But there’s no use going out there and tearing up a bunch of stuff and taking yourself out to win the race.”

Freeman took the green right to Shirley’s inside on Lap 1 and got the jump, which enabled him to lead the first 33 laps around the red clay quarter-mile. Turns out, that may have been part of Shirley’s plan the whole time.

“On the start, I wasn’t super worried even if [Freeman] got me because lapped traffic here is so hectic,” Shirley said. “I knew that, so I was like, ‘Even if he gets you on the start, just get in behind him and try and make sure you can be there to capitalize on something like that.’

“I’ve been to quite a few races here, and I’m sure you can also see that lapped traffic always comes into [play].”

Though it may have been one of the most bitter runner-up finishes of his young career, Freeman did something few other Summer Nationals rookies have in their first attempts at this grueling summer stretch. He knows it, and is going to build on it as the second half of the tour begins next week.

“As frustrating as it is, we’ve got speed,” Freeman said. “We’re getting better and we’re getting closer. We’re gonna keep our heads up and keep going and we’re gonna win one of these races before it’s over with.”

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models are back in action Sunday night, July 3, at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL, to cap-off Multi-State Week. If you can’t be at the track, watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature 50 Laps | 00:47:52.244

1. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 2. F1-Payton Freeman[1]; 3. 212-Josh Putnam[7]; 4. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 5. 15-Christian Hanger[4]; 6. 25-Jason Feger[8]; 7. 14G-Joe Godsey[5]; 8. 81E-Tanner English[9]; 9. 18-David Seibers[11]; 10. 30-Mark Voigt[17]; 11. 14R-Jeff Roth[16]; 12. 31AUS-Paul Stubber[15]; 13. 38-Thomas Hunziker[14]; 14. J8-Jadon Frame[6]; 15. 26M-Brent McKinnon[13]; 16. 27-Joe Denby[12]; 17. 18C-Matt Cooper[18]; 18. 16-Brandon Tibaldi[21]; 19. 15F-Richard Frost[20]; 20. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[10]; 21. 4D-Doug Tye[19]; 22. 23NZ-Mick Quin[22]

TUCKASSEE TUSSLE: Lee Gets Redemption, Outduels Young at Clarksville

Lucas Lee knew he let one get away from him Friday night in Paducah. But Saturday night at Clarksville Speedway, he was not going to let rival Trent Young deny him a trip to DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Victory Lane again.

In a near mirror image of Friday, Young started on the pole with Lee right behind him. The green dropped and Young took off, but his jumps were dampened by two quick cautions.

On the next restart, Lee chose one lane higher than Young, moving up to his outside in a strong bid for the lead on Lap 3. Lee nearly pulled even with Young as they crossed the stripe the next time by and used the high-side momentum to float around Young’s outside to take the lead as they raced out of Turn 2.

“As soon as I got that outside cleared, I knew I was going to be set sailing,” Lee said. “I knew if I could get a run off of Turn 2, I was gonna be alright.”

Lee poured it on over the next 15 laps, stretching his lead over 1.5 seconds at one point, until Young spotted an opportunity in the closing laps.

As Lee approached traffic with less than five-to-go, Young closed the gap rapidly.

“My sticks were getting smaller, so I knew I had to go,” Lee said. “Trent’s good here. Trent’s hard to beat here. He got me last night.”

Try as he may, however, Young was unable to get close enough to make the move, and Lee crossed the stripe for his second Summit Modified win of the season.

“This is [Young’s] track, he runs here all the time, he’s got tons of laps here and so do I,” Lee said. “I felt like what’s what it was going to come down to anyways – me and him.”

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Summit Modifieds are back in action Sunday night, July 3, at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL, to cap-off Multi-State Week. If you can’t be at the track, watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature 20 Laps | 00:17:18.440

1. 12L-Lucas Lee[3]; 2. 10Y-Trent Young[1]; 3. 188-Jeremy Sneed[5]; 4. 121-Caleb Slaughter[2]; 5. 7D-Pete Sabatino[4]; 6. 96-Curtis Rodenhaber[6]; 7. 8-Jake Scogin[9]; 8. 98-Zac Harris[7]; 9. 91-Carl Thomas[8]; 10. 12W-Hunter Willbanks[11]; 11. 45-Troy Collings[10]; 12. 11-Brian Ashby[12]