Jack Beckman Earns No. 1 Qualifier in NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals Aboard Mopar-powered Dodge//SRT Charger Hellcat Funny Car

· Jack Beckman tops Funny Car field to earn second No. 1 qualifier of 2019 and first at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.
· Matt Hagan qualifies his Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Funny Car third
· Three Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers earn top-five starting positions in NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals Funny Car field
· Leah Pritchett races Mopar Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster to No. 2 position in Top Fuel ladder
· NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals is third of six races in NHRA Countdown to the Championship
· DodgeGarage.com, a digital content hub for muscle car and race enthusiasts, features highlights from NHRA season
· New @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel features Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers in NHRA action

October 12, 2019, Concord, North Carolina – Dodge//SRT Mopar driver Jack Beckman drove the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car of Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) to the top spot in Sunday’s elimination ladder for the 12th annual NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals with his qualifying run Friday night at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina.

Beckman earned his 26th career No. 1 qualifier position and first at zMAX Dragway with his run of 3.873 seconds at a track-record speed of 334.07 mph, marking the second time in the last four races the 2012 Funny Car champion has set the pace in qualifying. Beckman looks to become the first two-time 2019 Countdown winner after scoring the victory at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals to open the six-race championship playoffs last month. He begins his chase for career win number 30 facing off against No. 16 Dale Creasy. Continue reading Jack Beckman Earns No. 1 Qualifier in NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals Aboard Mopar-powered Dodge//SRT Charger Hellcat Funny Car →

For second straight race, Jeg Coughlin
Jr. starts race day in second position
CHARLOTTE (Oct. 12) — Jeg Coughlin Jr. has earned the No. 2 qualifying position for the second playoff race in a row and once again he finds himself just behind his Elite Motorsports teammate Erica Enders. The multi-time world champions are racing at the 12th annual NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Coughlin posted a 6.524 at 210.37 mph under the lights Friday night when conditions were the best. He also was second quickest in the heat of Saturday’s final round. Enders also posted her best pass Friday night. Continue reading For second straight race, Jeg Coughlin Jr. starts race day in second position →

CHASE ELLIOTT PUTS CAMARO ZL1 ON POLE AT TALLADEGA
Hendrick Team Chevy Drivers Sweep 1-2-3-4

LINCOLN, AL (October 12, 2019) – Chase Elliott led a Hendrick Motorsports sweep of the top four spots in qualifying for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Talladega Superspeedway in his No. 9 NAPA Night Vision Camaro ZL1 to capture his fourth pole of the 2019 season. Elliott’s speed of 192.707 mph around the 2.66-mile oval was plenty fast enough to collect his eighth career MENSC career pole and second at Talladega.

The feat also marked the 14th MENSC pole of the year thus far for the Camaro ZL1, the 37th for Chevrolet at Talladega, and the 713th for the brand in NASCAR’s premier racing division.

Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates were close behind in the qualifying runs with Alex Bowman, No. 88 Nationwide/Amazon Echo Auto Camaro ZL1 second quick, William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 in third, and Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 qualifying third.

Kyle Larson, fresh off a win at Dover last weekend, was the fifth fastest Chevrolet in his No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1.

Rounding out the Top 5 in the order was Aric Almirola in a Ford.

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY POST-QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
OCTOBER 12, 2019

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA NIGHT VISION CAMARO ZL1
2nd ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE/AMAZON ECHO AUTO CAMARO ZL1
3rd WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1
4th JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1
12th KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st CHASE ELLIOTT (Chevrolet)
2nd ALEX BOWMAN (Chevrolet)
3rd WILLIAM BYRON, (Chevrolet)
4th JIMMIE JOHNSON (Chevrolet)
5th ARIC ALMIROLA (Ford) Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Post Qualifying →

ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB POWER TO NO. 2 SPOT FRIDAY AT THE NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 11, 2019) — Two-time Funny Car world champion Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team handled their way to the provisional No. 2 qualifying spot Friday night at the NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway. Teammate and mentor, John Force is in the No. 4 position with the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil / BlueDEF team, and in Top Fuel, Brittany Force and Advance Auto Parts are ninth and Austin Prock with his Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster are 14th. Continue reading ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB POWER TO NO. 2 SPOT FRIDAY AT THE NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS →

CORVETTE RACING AT PETIT LE MANS: Full Speed Ahead in Final C7.R Race
BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 11, 2019) – Corvette Racing will try to race its way through the field Saturday and close the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R era with a GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory in the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Antonio Garcia qualified the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R second Friday in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s top production based class Friday. He set a time of 1:15.702 (120.789 mph) in the car that he shares with full-season teammate Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller. However, the No. 3 Corvette was found to be out of compliance in post-qualifying inspection and will be moved to the back of the GTLM field.

Teammate Oliver Gavin, in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R, set a time of 1:16.048 (120.239 mph) Friday and will start seventh in GTLM. In a display of the competitiveness of GTLM, Gavin was only 0.409 seconds from pole and less than two-tenths from the second row. He will drive with Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler – the trio having placed second at Road Atlanta in GTLM a year ago. Continue reading CORVETTE RACING AT PETIT LE MANS: Full Speed Ahead in Final C7.R Race →

Acura Team Penske Takes Front Row Spot in Petit Le Mans Qualifying
• Ricky Taylor qualifies second for Saturday’s season-ending race
• Dane Cameron qualifies fourth as Acura Team Penske closes in on championship
• Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evos will start fourth and fifth in their GTD title chase

BRASELTON, GA (Oct. 11, 2019) – Closing in on the three major 2019 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titles, Acura Team Penske will start its pair of ARX-05 prototypes from second and fourth in Saturday’s season-ending Petit Le Mans, following qualifying action today at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Chasing the GTD Drivers’, Team and Manufacturers’ championships, the Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evos will start fourth and fifth in tomorrow’s 10-hour endurance contest.

Acura Team Penske ARX-05
Ricky Taylor, partnered with co-drivers Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud, will start from the outside of the front row, second, and by taking the green flag will secure Acura’s first Manufacturers’ Championship since entering DPi competition last year. Continue reading Acura Team Penske Takes Front Row Spot in Petit Le Mans Qualifying →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 LIBERTY NATIONAL / RCR 50th CAMARO ZL1, Media Breakout Session Highlights:

BASICALLY, HOW HAS THE SEASON GONE SINCE YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING BACK TO RCR AND WHAT’S YOUR GAME PLAN BEEN SINCE?
“The game plan, from a professional side, has still been the same. The goals you set out to accomplish in February, and really dating back three years ago with RCR, those all stay the same. Just knowing that the things that have changed is knowing the outcome is going to be what it is come Homestead. I’ve got to figure out another path. Personally, you’ve had to kind of grind it out and spend what would typically be your off-days away from the race track doing just that and trying to position yourself and align yourself in a situation where you can continue on and more forward past Homestead as things go down the way they’re going to go down. But the race track stuff hasn’t really changed a whole lot. We still try to go to the race track and do our jobs.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Daniel Hemric →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1, Media Breakout Session Highlights:

YOU HAVE A STRONG SUPERSPEEDWAY PROGRAM. TALK ABOUT YOUR OVERALL THOUGHTS COMING IN HERE?
“Yeah, we’re kind of in a points position where we have 48 or so points to the one in front of us and 80 or so behind us. So, we can kind of do what we want to do in a sense. But you look back at our races, we’ve really ran well at superspeedways and our average finishes are good here. That’s all been with the same mindset; not an overly-aggressive mindset, but finishing the race. We have a really fast car that I’m really happy with. Our GEICO Camaro was doing everything I could ask for, and a little more, in practice. I’m pumped for that. I never have a plan for these places, I just kind of go off of my feel and instinct. I’m very much of an instinctive driver, so I just kind of let it go how it goes on Sunday.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–TALLADEGA–Ty Dillon →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1, Media Breakout Session Highlights:

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO TAKE FOR YOU TO WIN HERE AT TALLADEGA?
“Survival. No crashes. Not for us, anyway. A good start. We are trying to figure out how to put both of us Buescher and Ryan Preece) in the best position at the end of the race. I think in the spring, we were in a really good spot. We were pushing Ryan and we got turned and it ruined our day but he was able to go up there and finish third, I think. So, we were in the right situation, just unfortunately you get turned around by someone. If you get rid of that part of it and put ourselves in that same position we presumably could have had a shot to win by having teammates there and they would have pushed when it came down to the end.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Chris Buescher →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE / AMAZON ECHO AUTO CAMARO ZL1, Media Breakout Session Highlights:

HOW DID YOU FEEL IN PRACTICE?
“Yeah, we were OK in practice. We didn’t get off of pit road very well there when we were out with our Chevy teammates, we were just a little slow getting up to speed. We worked on our height a little more after that and I think we got some speed dialed into the car. So, I think we should be pretty good.”

HOW MUCH DID THE CHEVY’S WORK TOGETHER AND DID THEY HAVE THE ‘COME TO CHEVY’ MEETING?
“I haven’t been a part of any meetings yet, but I know obviously there has been a lot of talk and everyone is communicating well. We’ll try to get a bow tie in victory lane.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Alex Bowman →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA NIGHT VISION CAMARO ZL1, met with media to discuss the past success of manufacturers working together, how he handles the pressure of the Playoffs, the importance of stage points for the overall Playoff picture, and more. Full Transcript:

WHEN WE WERE HERE IN THE SPRING, YOU HAD LED A CHEVY CONTIGENT THAT REALLY TEAMED UP AND WORKED WITH THE MANUFACTURER ALLEGIENCE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR YOU GUYS. SAME GAME PLAN IN EFFECT THIS WEEKEND? IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT WITH THE PLAYOFFS BEING ON THE LINE THIS WEEKEND?
“Yeah, I think it will be really similar from all fronts and I’m sure all manufacturers will be kind of doing the same thing. The Playoff picture is obviously important to some of the guys in each respective group, I suppose. The manufacturers are going to see it as they want the manufacturer to do well and they see that being better than anything else. I think you’re going to see more of those games being played this weekend. I thought we did equally as good of a job at Daytona as we did here in the spring, we just had some things go our way here in the spring and they didn’t in Daytona. So, it goes to show that even though we worked well together and that we all did a nice job, it’s not always going to work. No guarantees, for sure.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Chase Elliott →

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWDAY
1000BULBS.COM 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 11, 2019

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 MCDONALD’S CAMARO ZL1, met with media and discussed his expectations for Sunday’s race at Talladega and the benefits of teamwork, the challenges of racing at Martinsville, his impressions of the 2021 car test at Richmond by Austin Dillon, and more. Full Transcript:

WHAT CAN YOU AND THE TEAM DO AT MARTINSVILLE TO GET BETTER? WHERE DO YOU STRUGGLE? IS IT SIMULATOR TIME OR WHAT EXACTLY CAN YOU DO TO RAMP IT UP?
“Honestly, I’ve tried the simulator before and for me, it just messes me up more than anything; for that place, just because the brakes don’t feel as similar as they do to my real car. So, I don’t know what else to do to get better. I look at more data leading up to that race than I do for any other track. At track, I try really hard to be better and I haven’t gotten any better. So, I don’t know. I’m sure each time we go there with a different set-up, hopefully this time we’ll hit on something.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega–Kyle Larson →

Former Champ Jeremy “Showtime” McGrath Steals the Show at Rockstar Energy Golden State
Off Road Nationals from Glen Helen
Championship Battles Tighten Up Even More Heading into Season Finale
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (October 11, 2019) – On the heels of a brief summer break from competition, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO, made its anticipated return to action to kick off the stretch run of the 2019 season. Just two events and three rounds of racing remained as the world’s most talented off-road racers made their second visit to famed Glen Helen Raceway, where a doubleheader was on deck at the Rockstar Energy Golden State Off Road Nationals, presented by General Tire. Continue reading Former Champ Jeremy “Showtime” McGrath Steals the Show at Rockstar Energy Golden State Off Road Nationals from Glen Helen →

NHRA® Team Report
NHRA Carolina Nationals – Charlotte
Pre-Race Report

Cruz Pedregon and team are headed to Charlotte with clean runs and a top five qualifying spot in mind. The Snap-on Dodge® El Incursor body will be decked out in The Pink Fund® paint scheme for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the reaction to the car has already been very positive. “We have doing well in Charlotte top-of-mind, but representing the work our Snap-on sponsor is doing in supporting The Pink Fund makes every race in October special for us,” says Cruz, who revealed at the Midwest Nationals that his sister Dora is now two years out from a breast cancer diagnosis. “We very much embrace the pink paint scheme to bring greater awareness to the work of The Pink Fund in paying the non-medical expenses of breast cancer patients during treatment.

“We really enjoy being in Charlotte and want to thrill the great NHRA audience with racing at its best…fast passes on the track and doing good things for those in need off-track.”

Before heading out from the shop in Brownsburg, the team took time to celebrate Hospitality Director Jeff “Gypsy” Mohr’s 60th birthday. Many among the NHRA know Gypsy as a seasoned veteran of the sport having worked with teams dating back to his start with Don “The Snake” Prudhomme in 2003.

On the side of Cruz’s car this week, you’ll see the name of area Nitro Franchisee Gabe Cestaro. Gabe has been on a Snap-on route for the past nine years and just took up his own franchise two weeks ago. He was a luxury car tech for 13 years before working with Snap-on and says he very much enjoys working for himself. When he’s not calling on Snap-on customers, you’ll find Gabe riding motorcycles all around the country. He and his wife Jenna will be here at the track with some of those customers this weekend.

Chevrolet Debuts Mid-Engine C8.R for Next Racing Season
Corvette race car shows off its new colors and clean sheet design built on enhanced technology transfer

BRASELTON, Ga. — Chevrolet begins a new chapter in its storied racing legacy with the introduction of the new mid-engine Corvette race car, known as the C8.R. The C8.R will be Chevrolet’s first mid-engine race car to compete in IMSA’s GTLM class and the first clean sheet race car design since the C5.R debuted in 1999. It will make its racing debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25, 2020.

The C8.R is based on the strong foundation of the 2020 Corvette Stingray. There is a deeper level of technology transfer between the race car and production Corvette than ever before, which helps contribute to many of its advancements. As a result, the C8.R shares the highest percentage of parts between the production and race car than any previous generation.

“It was important for us to develop the new race car alongside the production car, so that each product could properly take advantage of the new architecture,” said Ed Piatek, Corvette chief engineer. “The benefits of this mid-engine supercar, including its incredible balance and connected-to-the-road feel, will be obvious on the street and the track.”
Continue reading Chevrolet Debuts Mid-Engine C8.R for Next Racing Season →

Richard Childress Racing’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and is in a tie for the most all-time car owner victories at the storied Alabama-based race track with 12 wins. Dale Earnhardt visited Victory Lane nine times, while Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer swept the 2010 events at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Bowyer added to the Welcome, N.C.-based organization’s total by claiming RCR’s 100th Cup Series win when NASCAR’s senior series visited the facility in October 2011. In 178 starts, RCR also has 5 pole awards, 43 top-five, 71 top-10 finishes and has led 1,843 laps of competition
Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Talladega Advance →

CHEVROLET AT CHARLOTTE

What: NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals
When: Friday, Oct. 11-Sunday, Oct. 13
Where: zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations and finals live at 2 p.m. ET October 13

Chevrolet drivers seek to stretch points advantages at Charlotte
Midpoint of the Countdown to the Championship vital to title hopes

DETROIT (October 9, 2019) – Chevrolet drivers are 1-2 in Funny Car and Pro Stock standings entering the third of six rounds of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Countdown to the Championship.

Scoring maximum points in the NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals this weekend at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, is vital for Team Chevy teams/drivers to remain championship contenders in Funny Car, Pro Stock and Top Fuel. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Charlotte Advance →

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
1000BULBS.COM 500
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
LINCOLN, ALABAMA
OCTOBER 13, 2019

BOWTIE BULLETS:
CATCHING UP WIITH CHEVROLET CONTENDERS
Four Chevrolet drivers are among the 12 that remain in contention for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship after four of 10 playoff races. Heading into Round 5, here is a look at their start/finish in the last race – on the 1-mile Dover International Speedway oval – the April 2019 and October 2018 Playoff race at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway oval:

* Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
At Dover: Start 5, Finish 38 At Talladega (April 28): qualified 11, finish 1
At Talladega (2018): qualified 5, finish 31
* Kyle Larson, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1
At Dover: Start 2, Finish 1 At Talladega (April 28): qualified 10, finish 24
At Talladega (2018): qualified 34, finish 11
* Alex Bowman, No. 88 Nationwide/Amazon Echo Auto Camaro ZL1
At Dover: Start 12, Finish 3 At Talladega (April 28): qualified 9, finish 2
At Talladega (2018): qualified 7, finish 33
* William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1
At Dover: Start 6, Finish 13 At Talladega (April 28): qualified 25, finish 21
At Talladega (2018): qualified 8, finish 20 Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega Bowtie Bullets →

POINTS LEADER ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB NOT BACKING DOWN AT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 9, 2019) — Fueled by their recent performance, Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team are making their way to the NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals looking to continue their stronghold over the Funny Car class as they fight their way to the winner’s circle for the sixth time this year.

From taking home the first Wally of the season at the season opening Winternationals, to leading the Funny Car class through 18 consecutive events and clinching the regular season championship, Hight is on the threshold of a career best season. And as he heads to the third playoff race in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship back in the points lead with his Auto Club Chevy, he’ll continue his hunt for a third Funny Car championship title. Continue reading POINTS LEADER ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB NOT BACKING DOWN AT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS →