NASCAR CUP SERIES

POCONO RACEWAY

HIGHPOINT.COM 400

TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT

JULY 21, 2023

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LENOVO CAMARO ZL1, met with the media on Friday afternoon at Pocono Raceway. Media availability quotes: 

WHERE WERE YOU AND HOW DID YOU FIND OUT LAST YEAR THAT YOU HAD BEEN DQ’D?

“Driving back to the airport after the race.”

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THAT?

“Yeah, it was a surprise that it happened for sure.  Having no idea of anything about that, would come as a surprise – getting a second-place finish taken away from you, but it wasn’t as bad as a win.”

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR ANY OF YOUR TRUCK SERIES DRIVERS TO SCORE KBM’S 100^TH WIN TONIGHT?

“Yeah, it would certainly be nice. We have been talking about it for way too long.  That would be good.  Again, just having too many opportunities slip away for sure over the last three years, and to not have gotten to 100 by now.  Only winning one race last year, only winning one race this year….you know, its been pretty lackluster.  So, it would be nice to come out here and have a good, strong run with our Zariz Transport Silverado and get back in victory circle.”

HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU COMING TO A TRACK WHERE YOU HAVE WON FOUR TIMES SINCE 2017?

“Yeah, I wouldn’t say the hunger diminishes in any week more so than the next.  Missed opportunity last week. I couldn’t carry it. I tried like hell to carry it, just couldn’t do it.  You know, so, that hurt us last week in not finishing and at least score some points.  Short track package has been our nemesis and still is.  So many ideas have been thrown around and we have tried different ideas and concepts and none of them have hit it yet.  Obviously, we haven’t found the golden ticket.”

REGARDING THE SECRET TO RECENT SUCCESS AT POCONO

“It was a lot of things. Definitely having a better understanding of how to attack the track and having a better set up that would allow me to be able to run the grooves and everything that I needed to run.  When the repave happened here – I am terrible on repaves for a few years. Its finally getting to the point, the last five or six years, that the track has gotten some age on it and some character to it and stuff like that. Spraying the PJ1 allows you to widen it out and run different grooves. You don’t have to follow in the guy behind yours’ wake, because that’s the fastest way around.  Not having that here this weekend will be interesting to see if we are back to square one with single groove or what happens in that.  All-in-all, in 2014 we started to hit on something with Dave Rodgers and then right after that in 2015 with Adam (Stevens). It felt just super easy and just clicked. We have been fast here ever since that, so hoping that Randall (Burnett) and the boys have a good Lenovo Camaro for me to race this time around and to have some good success again being at RCR.”

AFTER SEVERAL RACES IN THE BOOKS WITH THE SHORT TRACK PACKAGE, HOW BIG OF A CONCERN IS THAT FOR YOU?

“It’s a big concern. You know, again, we are just trying to figure it out. How many things we have tried, I can’t even comprehend to tell you.  Obviously, we haven’t hit on it yet.  We have Richmond coming up next week, so we have to find something that is going to work for us there. Definitely some conceptual ideas that are going around again, on what to do.  We will just have to play it out and see how it goes.”

WHAT EXACTLY WAS WRONG LAST WEEK? BECAUSE THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS

“It was the same thing every time. Just loose, no grip.  I can’t feel the rear or back of the car getting into the corners, on entry, especially getting into the turn. Just tiptoeing and just trying to hold the steering wheel straight and not give it wheel.  And anytime you give it wheel and ask for it to pull the car through the corner, the rear just steps out and the rear can’t hold it. So, that was our biggest issue.  That has been our biggest issue on all short tracks.”

ARE YOU FLABBERGASTED ABOUT LAST WEEK OR DO YOU NEED WEEKS LIKE THAT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SHORT TRACK PACKAGE?

“Well, I would say that…..how many short track races have we had? Six? Five? Okay, enough is enough. I don’t think we need any more bad ones to prove that we are bad at them. We need to find what the answer is to be good at them.  I know we are all working as hard as we can and I am at the simulator six hours a week, every week, trying to figure it out.  We are doing different things and this week we tried some more stuff this week that kind of hit on what our issues were. We were trying to recreate the issues that we had at the track, in the sim. So we feel like we had a little bit of the right direction on that this time around.  Again, we will see if that is the case in what we found, but it would certainly be nice if it was just as easy as copy and paste. Like if you could just copy the 5 or the 24, but the 24 ran terrible last week too.  Both of those cars were arguably the fastest cars at Richmond the last time around.  So, I don’t think it just comes that easy so we have to find out exactly what the right levers and buttons are to push and pull.”

WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF HOW SHANE VAN GISBERGEN IS GOING TO BE AT INDIANAPOLIS ON THE ROAD COURSE?

“I would say he is the favorite going in.  For sure. I would say that the gap will be closer from Chicago to the rest of the field that he had.  He had us all beat by six to eight tenths of a second a lap. I would say going into Indy we should all be within two to three tenths, but he will still be the best guy.”

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO RACE WITH BRODIE KOSTECKI AND HAVE YOU GIVEN HIM ANY ADVICE?

“Yeah, we tested together our V8 Supercar that we have at RCR earlier this year.  So, he was there when we first went out and I think he had me covered by about two seconds a lap and then as the day kind of progressed, and by the end of the day, we actually ran times that were real comparable and right on top of his.  It just took me a while to get used to those cars and what they are and how you can really attack corners. Just various driving techniques that those cars take, but I think those guys are all very good at what they do, and they really understand the heavy stock car feel and basis for these road courses. So, I would assume that he will be strong as well.  Hopefully I can lean on him and learn a lot from him and have some time in the sim and stuff like that with him that will allow us to be better off when we get there as well and better prepared.”

HAS THERE BEEN ANY NOTICIBLE DIFFERENCE IN SWITCHING MANUFACTURERS IN YOUR TRUCK TEAM AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE?

“I would have said right after Vegas that it was seamless and we are actually better off, you know? We won Vegas in dominating fashion earlier this year and all of us qualified 1-2-3. It was really, really good and gave us high optimism for the year, but since then it just hasn’t quite gone that way.  Kansas was a struggle for us and we were just super off on balance.  We did not have a very good feel there for what we needed from sim.  So for Pocono, I didn’t do any sim stuff for here. I just told them to rely on past notes because we have always been really, really fast here.  Just look at what balances we need and go from there and we will see what happens again, with no PJ1 being sprayed down.  I would like to think that our stuff is just fine and its just as good as it should be. Unfortunately, William (Byron) didn’t get any wins in his races that he was with us either. So that was another head scratcher and a bit unfortunate.  We know we have to get better and there are some things that we are lacking on.  I have tried to voice that, so hopefully we can remedy.”

WHAT HAVE YOU TOLD YOUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T HAVE THE GEAR ISSUE AGAIN?

“Just make sure the clutch is bled and works good. And that is about it. No, that was kind of an ironic situation the way that all worked out. The clutch went out and I was stuck in high gear and the way that the fuel mileage race was, it was perfect fuel mileage for the end of the race and me being able to kind of save and conserve fuel.  The rest of the pack was on a different fuel strategy so they had to pit or stop and that gave us the opportunity to get the lead.”

HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF TRYING TO WIN A TRUCK SERIES TITLE WHEN YOUR TIME IS DONE IN CUP?

“Yeah, I mean I kind of tried that back in the day.  2008, 2009, somewhere in there where I ran as many races as I possibly could.  There were some races where it gets expensive trying to fly back and forth and the only way to do that is private air travel obviously.  Then the rules all came about where you can’t run that and so whatever.  Obviously, it’s kind of been an idea of mine you know and not necessarily why KBM is still going, but obviously we give back to the sport a lot by doing that and all the drivers that have come through there over the years.  I would like to give back to me a little bit, or take from it, as I get closer to hanging it up.  And then obviously turning it over the Brexton.”

WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS IN RUNNING DOUBLE DUTY HERE AT POCONO RATHER THAN ANY OTHER TRACK?

“You want the truth? I am only allowed so many races to choose from on the truck side, so this was about one of the only ones that was left that I could choose.  With all the limitations on the Cup drivers in being able to race in the lower divisions, I was out of options. So, that is just kind of why it was. I enjoy coming to Pocono, I don’t mind racing here, I have won a couple of times in the trucks. But it is nice to just get back out there and see what we have and work on our program at KBM and evaluate.  So, it will be nice to kind of get my final shakedown of that for this year and a brand-new truck. I look forward to learning the most we can.”

DO YOU THINK DRIVERS SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED OR DO YOU THINK THE WIN SHOULD STAND?

“I think we have had this debate for years.  To me it depends on the severity of it, right? Like the piece of tape that was there, last year, for that infraction, I felt like it was a bit over the top.  Obviously, it was a blatant thing that shouldn’t have been there, but honestly if it was something missed, then that is the price we have to pay as a team. We win and we lose together. So the cars have to be right, and more right now than ever because the rules and the infractions are just so stiff.”

The My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 is set to boast a $214,000 purse for the World of Outlaws

DAVENPORT, IA (July 21, 2023) – My Place Hotels of America is joining the Quad Cities 150 as title sponsor, further elevating the event’s marquee status during the World of Outlaws’ Summer of Money.

Fans and drivers will get three straight days of the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking at Davenport Speedway, in Davenport, IA, Aug. 24-26; again featuring the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models and Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.

The Quad Cities is currently home to one My Place hotel in Davenport, IA, and will soon welcome a new My Place hotel in East Moline, IL.

“We are excited to join forces with the dynamic World of Outlaws community,” said Ryan Rivett, co-founder and CEO of My Place Hotels. “As title sponsor of the Quad Cities 150, we are not just promoting our brand, but championing a sport that resonates deeply with many guests and franchisees. This event is a testament to our ongoing commitment to community engagement and fostering memorable experiences, both on and off the track.”

Taking place during the Summer of Money for the World of Outlaws, the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 will boast a substantial $214,000 overall purse for the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models, paying $10,000 to win Thursday and Friday before awarding a $30,000 top prize during Saturday’s finale.

Tanner English swept the final two nights of the event last year and brought fans to their feet with one of the closest finishes in Series history. He’ll be back to try and reclaim his thrown, but will be up against the likes of defending Series champion Dennis Erb Jr., four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard, 2015 Series champion Shane Clanton, leading Germfree Rookie of the Year contender Nick Hoffman and more.

The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets, featuring rising stars like Jade Avedisian, Gavin Miller, Cannon McIntosh and more, will practice on Thursday, Aug. 24, and then contend for a $4,000 payday on Friday and a $5,000 payday on Saturday.

Fans attending the event will not only enjoy the racing action but also various engaging activities and opportunities to meet the drivers.

For tickets to the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking, CLICK HERE.

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

July 21, 2023 — DETROIT, Mich.

• Fujisawa joins Honda founder Soichiro Honda in the Automotive Hall of Fame
• Six other inductees were honored at the awards celebration in Detroit

Flanked on stage by three iconic products that helped to establish Honda as one of the most innovative companies in America – the Honda 50 motorcycle (Super Cub), the Honda Civic CVCC and the HondaJet – Honda co-founder Takeo Fujisawa was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame at the awards ceremony last night at The Fillmore Detroit.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd, Chairman Seiji Kuraishi accepted the honor on behalf of Fujisawa’s family, and Honda associates around the world.

“The spirit and vision of Takeo Fujisawa continues to guide Honda,” said Kuraishi. “Our business in America may have started with the Super Cub motorcycle, but due to his vision it continues with new types of mobility, including the HondaJet.”

Fujisawa joins Honda founder Soichiro Honda, who was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1989, the first Japanese automotive executive so honored.

Born on November 10, 1910, Fujisawa originally aspired to become a teacher, but instead worked as a salesman for a steel products company and then for a lumber company when he met Soichiro Honda in August 1949, about one year after the founding of Honda Motor Co., a small local venture in Hamamatsu, Japan. It was right after the launch of the Dream D-Type, considered to be Honda’s first full-fledged motorcycle product.  While the two men were equipped with different personalities and skill sets, Honda and Fujisawa hit it off almost immediately and began deep discussions about their approach to business and dreams for the future. 

Quickly developing a trusting relationship, they established a shared vision for the future of the company with Fujisawa joining Honda Motor in October 1949.  As a president of the company, Honda retained responsibility for product design and technology development and manufacturing operations, inventing many innovative vehicles including Super Cub, the world’s best-selling mobility product. Fujisawa backed him up as his right hand with responsibility for the business side of the company, including sales, finance and marketing. 

Fujisawa’s marketing savvy, strong business sense, and keen ability to chart unique paths to growth proved the perfect match to Soichiro Honda’s engineering acumen and vision for mobility. The partnership lasted 25 years, until March 1973 when Messrs. Honda and Fujisawa retired together. From the beginning, Fujisawa had an enormous impact on Honda’s business globally and in the U.S., where he played the key role in the approach to the American market. 

Fujisawa made several lasting and impactful business decisions that are still relevant today:

Starting Honda Business in the U.S.
In 1959, and by then the senior managing director of Honda, Fujisawa made the challenging decision to establish American Honda as Honda’s first subsidiary outside Japan.  At the time, the entire U.S. motorcycle industry sold no more than 60,000 units annually — mostly larger bikes.  One member of the team recommended expansion in Asia, where small motorcycles from Europe, like those made by Honda, were already in use.  He suggested that America, the “land of the automobile,” was too difficult a target for Honda.  Fujisawa had another idea.  “On second thought, let’s do America,” he said. “To succeed in the U.S. is to succeed worldwide. To take up the challenge of the American market may be the most difficult thing to do, but it’s a critical step in expanding the export of our products.” Without Fujisawa’s leadership, Honda would not be the success story in the United States that it is today.

Creating Independent U.S. Dealer Network
Fujisawa adopted many innovative sales and marketing strategies in Japan and the U.S. This included the decision to start motorcycle sales by establishing Honda’s own dealer network. Despite suggestions that Honda should follow the approach of other Japanese companies and rely on a trading company to launch U.S. sales, Honda forged relationships with many smaller dealers, even those with no history in the motorcycle industry, and successfully expanded business from the West Coast across America.  By the mid-1960s, Honda was the best-selling motorcycle brand in America.

Establishing Separate R&D Company
In 1960, based on Fujisawa’s initiative, Honda R&D Co., Ltd. was created as a separate company.  Fujisawa conceived the idea with two objectives: to give Honda engineers the freedom to create new value without being constrained by the ups and downs of daily business and to protect Honda’s ability to sustain this innovation in the future when they could no longer rely on the genius of Soichiro Honda.   The new R&D company ushered in an era of incredible technological and product innovation and entering new business areas including the automobile and aviation industries. Honda R&D’s focus on research and creating new value in mobility continues to this day. 

The corporate culture Mr. Fujisawa helped foster is alive and well today and will continue as a driving force for Honda in business.  The commitment to act as a good corporate citizen is as important now as it has always been as Honda continue to pursue The Power of Dreams and use technology to help move people and society forward.

BRANDON, SD (July 20, 2023) – Ricky Thornton Jr. came from his sixth starting spot to grab the lead from Jonathan Davenport on lap 19 to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Go 50 on Thursday night at Huset’s Speedway. Thornton, the current Big River Steel Chase for the Championship – presented by ARP points leader picked up his 13th series win of the season as he crossed the finish line ahead of Bobby Pierce, Davenport, Chad Simpson, and Tim McCreadie. Thornton who now has collected over $300,000 in winnings and bonuses so far this season in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series held steady on the bottom over the last half of the race to score his 18th career series win. “Man, that was wild there. I don’t know I was really good right through the middle of one and two. It wasn’t clean, but there was just enough traction where you could really get through it. I feel like this is a really big sprint car place and it’s really cool to win here. Bobby’s [Pierce] been really good probably the last two or three months. I know JD [Davenport] has been really good lately too. I think I started 12th here last year and got to the lead. I knew I had to get a really good start and not get mired back in the pack.” Pierce, making his first appearance with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series since winning the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek came in second to Thornton. “Yeah, I know I got a pretty slow run there through one and two on the bottom and at that time our car wasn’t as good as his [Thornton]. He got that middle going there and after that I knew it would be hard to pass him back. It was a fun race though you know being the first time here and these guys have a race up on me here so we’ve got kind of a notebook now heading into the big race on Saturday we’ll see what we can do.”  Davenport rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third as his two-race Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win streak was snapped. “I don’t think it was a disadvantage to lead early on tonight. I was just too tight there and I was just having to get too bent there. I gave my guys a little bit of body work to do. I think they need a little practice. I guess Ricky [Thornton] was just a little better and he could move around. I heard Bobby [Pierce] on the inside of me and so I didn’t want to chop him and wreck us both getting into turn number one.”    The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns-owned, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Dyno One Inc., West Side Tractor Sales, D&E Outside Services, Excel Floor Covering, Certified Inspection Services, Sunoco, Bilstein Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal, and Murty Farms. The rest of the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Garrett Alberson, Daulton Wilson, Brandon Overton, Kyle Bronson. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Go 50Thursday, July 20, 2023Huset’s Speedway – Brandon, SD Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 12.905 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Ricky Thornton, Jr. / 13.046 seconds  Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[2]; 4. 14M-Morgan Bagley[7]; 5. 66C-Matt Cosner[4]; 6. 199-Jesse Sobbing[6]; 7. 53-Andrew Kosiski[8]; 8. 07-Ben Sukup[5]; 9. 10W-Junior Coover[9] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 25-Chad Simpson[1]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 3. 11-Spencer Hughes[5]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 49T-Jake Timm[6]; 6. 1H-Hudson O’Neal[9]; 7. 24-Bill Leighton[7]; 8. 14J-Jake Neal[8]; 9. 99-Devin Moran[2] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr [1]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 5. 18-Chase Junghans[7]; 6. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[6]; 7. 25C-Shane Clanton[5]; 8. 111B-Max Blair[9]; 9. 16-Tyler Bruening[8] AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 3. B5-Brandon Sheppard[5]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar[6]; 6. 8-Dillon McCowan[3]; 7. 76B-Blair Nothdurft[7]; 8. 04-Tad Pospisil[8]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[9] Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1H-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 2. 66C-Matt Cosner[1]; 3. 199-Jesse Sobbing[3]; 4. 49T-Jake Timm[2]; 5. 53-Andrew Kosiski[5]; 6. 24-Bill Leighton[6]; 7. 14J-Jake Neal[8]; 8. 07-Ben Sukup[7]; 9. 10W-Junior Coover[9]; 10. 99-Devin Moran[10] UNOH B-Main Race #2 (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 2. 18-Chase Junghans[1]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 4. 25C-Shane Clanton[5]; 5. 8-Dillon McCowan[4]; 6. 111B-Max Blair[7]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[9]; 8. 76B-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[10]; 10. 04-Tad Pospisil[8] Go 50 Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics Entrants: 36Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Jonathan DavenportLap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-18); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 19-50)Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/aBrandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/aMargin of Victory: 0.579 secondsGorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: n/aSeries Provisionals: Devin Moran; Max BlairFast Time Provisional: n/aSeries Emergency Provisionals: Tyler BrueningTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Jonathan DavenportPenske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, Chad Simpson, Tim McCreadieTodd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Advanced 6 Positions)Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Garrett AlbersonDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Ross RobinsonEarnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: (Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max BlairEtchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1 – 14.560 seconds)MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Devin Moran Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Daulton Wilson (12.917 seconds)Time of Race: 12 minutes 56 seconds The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

The point leader bests Brad Sweet in first World of Outlaws race at BAPS in more than three decadesYORK HAVEN, PA (July 20, 2023) – A long time had passed since the last World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car race at BAPS Motor Speedway. So much time, in fact, that current Series point leader – David Gravel – was only 40 days old at the time.Fast forward 31 years, and Gravel arose victorious as The Greatest Show on Dirt returned to the York Haven, PA racetrack. Gravel came out on top of a fierce duel with his closest championship competitor – Brad Sweet – to make the trip to Victory Lane. A back-and-forth battle between two of Sprint Car racing’s best proved the long awaited return to BAPS was worth every bit of the wait. The Watertown, CT native climbed atop the wing with his son Levi in a celebration for the World of Outlaws over the PA Posse.The victory moved Gravel up to a Series-best nine in 2023 aboard the Big Game Motorsports machine. His 85th career win elevated him into a tie with none other than Brad Sweet for 10th on the all-time Series win list. And in the grand scheme of the season, Gravel added four more points on his championship lead over Sweet.“Hats off to Kolten (Gouse), Scott (Gobrecht), and everybody here at this racetrack. They gave us a really good racetrack,” Gravel said. “Cody (Jacobs), Scott (Vogelsong), and Zach (Patterson) gave me an unbelievable car tonight. We didn’t qualify that great. But from the Heat Race I knew we had a really good race car. It feels good to be on the second row of the Heat Race and get in the Dash and win one.”The path to the front was by no means an easy one for Gravel. He began the race behind the wheel of the Huset’s Speedway #2 from inside the second row with a front row consisting of Sweet and Logan Schuchart ahead. On the opening circuit Gravel immediately went to work on attacking Schuchart for second as Sweet pulled ahead. Gravel slid by the Shark Racing #1S in Turn 2, but Schuchart crossed him over down the back straightaway. In Turns 3 and 4 Gravel pounded the cushion around Schuchart to secure the runner-up spot.Up front Sweet comfortably paced the field until traffic become a factor and Gravel began to close in. With a racing surface that offered a nearly equal top and bottom, the battle became about mastering both lines in order to navigate traffic. Gravel shifted toward the bottom while Sweet stayed high leaving Gravel a window and he pounced, rolling by on Lap 14 for the lead.But on the next lap, Gravel got caught behind a lapped car on the top, allowing Sweet the lane to sneak back around. Only five circuits later on Lap 20, Sweet found himself trapped by traffic, and Gravel ripped the cushion to regain the top spot.“Man, I think they (track grooves) were about equal,” Gravel explained. “Wherever the lapped car wasn’t that’s where I had to go. Brad was pretty good. I was behind Freddie (Rahmer), and that one lap he went to the top in front of me and gave Brad the lead back. Just happy to have a good enough car. He definitely started spinning (his tires) down the backstretch pretty bad. I was better than him at that point.”Gravel’s move on the 20th circuit proved to be the winning one as Sweet wasn’t unable to catch him to challenge again. Sweet stayed close but not quite close enough as Gravel took the checkered flag with a 1.240 second advantage.“It was a great racetrack,” Gravel said. “I’m glad a lot of fans came out today. Now we’ve got a little mini-speedweek with three days in a row. Hope we’ll see everybody at Williams Grove this weekend and battle it out.”Brad Sweet’s second place effort marked his 18th World of Outlaws podium of the season as he continues the hunt for a fifth consecutive title. The driver of the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 felt like he had a strong car but was missing a touch of speed needed to stay ahead of Gravel and potentially pick up the win.“I was pretty good early,” Sweet recalled. “I really struggled in lapped traffic. It didn’t surprise me when David got me. But the racetrack was great, two lanes. I got him back. I just didn’t have a good enough car I don’t think. Like he said, I was spinning down the backstretch. I just couldn’t find a great spot for my car. At the end I kind of paced him and felt like we were pretty equal. I was trying hard, and I was too far behind. We’ll take a second tonight and try to get better for the next two nights.”Rounding out the podium was Logan Schuchart. The Shark Racing pilot kept the C&D Rigging machine toward the front of the entire race after starting outside the front row to earn his eighth podium of the season. Like Sweet, Schuchart found himself missing a little something to have the speed necessary to best Gravel. Overall, the night proved to be an encouraging one on home turf for the Hanover, PA native.“It’s really cool to have the run that we did and be here at BAPS Motor Speedway,” Schuchart said. “Anytime we can race in front of these PA fans, we love it. Happy to be here. I’ve never won here in my career. We come here at the end of the year, and we’re always on the podium but never win. Looking forward to coming back. I think we have a great car to come back with. Every time I’d get to them it seemed like a lapped car would be in my way on the top and I’d have to move to the bottom. I just didn’t feel as comfortable as I needed to.”Carson Macedo and Brent Marks completed the top five.Gravel’s win grew his point lead to six over Sweet while Macedo stayed close as he now sits 32 markers behind Gravel.A 19th to eighth run gave Danny Dietrich the KSE Racing Hard Charger Award.The Smith Titanium Brake Systems “Break of the Race” went to Cory Eliason after a late flat tire ended a likely top 10 run.Justin Peck topped Low-E Insulation Qualifying for his second consecutive Simpson Performance Products QuickTime.CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Justin Peck (seventh Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were claimed by Brad Sweet (226th of career), Carson Macedo (107th of career), and Logan Schuchart (113th of career).Sam Hafertepe Jr. won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars tackle two more nights against the PA Posse at Mechanicsburg, PA’s Williams Grove Speedway for the Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals (July 21-22). For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action on DIRTVision.RESULTS:NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 2-David Gravel[3]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[2]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo[5]; 5. 19-Brent Marks[12]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[7]; 8. 48-Danny Dietrich[19]; 9. 83-James McFadden[10]; 10. 13-Justin Peck[8]; 11. 44-Dylan Norris[11]; 12. 15-Donny Schatz[17]; 13. 23-Devon Borden[23]; 14. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[13]; 15. 9-Kasey Kahne[9]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen[14]; 17. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[15]; 18. 99M-Kyle Moody[20]; 19. 7S-Robbie Price[22]; 20. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[18]; 21. 5-Spencer Bayston[16]; 22. (DNF) 11-Cory Eliason[4]; 23. (DNF) 8-Freddie Rahmer[24]; 24. (DNF) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[21]

The point leader bests Brad Sweet in first World of Outlaws race at BAPS in more than three decadesYORK HAVEN, PA (July 20, 2023) – A long time had passed since the last World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car race at BAPS Motor Speedway. So much time, in fact, that current Series point leader – David Gravel – was only 40 days old at the time.Fast forward 31 years, and Gravel arose victorious as The Greatest Show on Dirt returned to the York Haven, PA racetrack. Gravel came out on top of a fierce duel with his closest championship competitor – Brad Sweet – to make the trip to Victory Lane. A back-and-forth battle between two of Sprint Car racing’s best proved the long awaited return to BAPS was worth every bit of the wait. The Watertown, CT native climbed atop the wing with his son Levi in a celebration for the World of Outlaws over the PA Posse.The victory moved Gravel up to a Series-best nine in 2023 aboard the Big Game Motorsports machine. His 85th career win elevated him into a tie with none other than Brad Sweet for 10th on the all-time Series win list. And in the grand scheme of the season, Gravel added four more points on his championship lead over Sweet.“Hats off to Kolten (Gouse), Scott (Gobrecht), and everybody here at this racetrack. They gave us a really good racetrack,” Gravel said. “Cody (Jacobs), Scott (Vogelsong), and Zach (Patterson) gave me an unbelievable car tonight. We didn’t qualify that great. But from the Heat Race I knew we had a really good race car. It feels good to be on the second row of the Heat Race and get in the Dash and win one.”The path to the front was by no means an easy one for Gravel. He began the race behind the wheel of the Huset’s Speedway #2 from inside the second row with a front row consisting of Sweet and Logan Schuchart ahead. On the opening circuit Gravel immediately went to work on attacking Schuchart for second as Sweet pulled ahead. Gravel slid by the Shark Racing #1S in Turn 2, but Schuchart crossed him over down the back straightaway. In Turns 3 and 4 Gravel pounded the cushion around Schuchart to secure the runner-up spot.Up front Sweet comfortably paced the field until traffic become a factor and Gravel began to close in. With a racing surface that offered a nearly equal top and bottom, the battle became about mastering both lines in order to navigate traffic. Gravel shifted toward the bottom while Sweet stayed high leaving Gravel a window and he pounced, rolling by on Lap 14 for the lead.But on the next lap, Gravel got caught behind a lapped car on the top, allowing Sweet the lane to sneak back around. Only five circuits later on Lap 20, Sweet found himself trapped by traffic, and Gravel ripped the cushion to regain the top spot.“Man, I think they (track grooves) were about equal,” Gravel explained. “Wherever the lapped car wasn’t that’s where I had to go. Brad was pretty good. I was behind Freddie (Rahmer), and that one lap he went to the top in front of me and gave Brad the lead back. Just happy to have a good enough car. He definitely started spinning (his tires) down the backstretch pretty bad. I was better than him at that point.”Gravel’s move on the 20th circuit proved to be the winning one as Sweet wasn’t unable to catch him to challenge again. Sweet stayed close but not quite close enough as Gravel took the checkered flag with a 1.240 second advantage.“It was a great racetrack,” Gravel said. “I’m glad a lot of fans came out today. Now we’ve got a little mini-speedweek with three days in a row. Hope we’ll see everybody at Williams Grove this weekend and battle it out.”Brad Sweet’s second place effort marked his 18th World of Outlaws podium of the season as he continues the hunt for a fifth consecutive title. The driver of the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 felt like he had a strong car but was missing a touch of speed needed to stay ahead of Gravel and potentially pick up the win.“I was pretty good early,” Sweet recalled. “I really struggled in lapped traffic. It didn’t surprise me when David got me. But the racetrack was great, two lanes. I got him back. I just didn’t have a good enough car I don’t think. Like he said, I was spinning down the backstretch. I just couldn’t find a great spot for my car. At the end I kind of paced him and felt like we were pretty equal. I was trying hard, and I was too far behind. We’ll take a second tonight and try to get better for the next two nights.”Rounding out the podium was Logan Schuchart. The Shark Racing pilot kept the C&D Rigging machine toward the front of the entire race after starting outside the front row to earn his eighth podium of the season. Like Sweet, Schuchart found himself missing a little something to have the speed necessary to best Gravel. Overall, the night proved to be an encouraging one on home turf for the Hanover, PA native.“It’s really cool to have the run that we did and be here at BAPS Motor Speedway,” Schuchart said. “Anytime we can race in front of these PA fans, we love it. Happy to be here. I’ve never won here in my career. We come here at the end of the year, and we’re always on the podium but never win. Looking forward to coming back. I think we have a great car to come back with. Every time I’d get to them it seemed like a lapped car would be in my way on the top and I’d have to move to the bottom. I just didn’t feel as comfortable as I needed to.”Carson Macedo and Brent Marks completed the top five.Gravel’s win grew his point lead to six over Sweet while Macedo stayed close as he now sits 32 markers behind Gravel.A 19th to eighth run gave Danny Dietrich the KSE Racing Hard Charger Award.The Smith Titanium Brake Systems “Break of the Race” went to Cory Eliason after a late flat tire ended a likely top 10 run.Justin Peck topped Low-E Insulation Qualifying for his second consecutive Simpson Performance Products QuickTime.CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Justin Peck (seventh Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were claimed by Brad Sweet (226th of career), Carson Macedo (107th of career), and Logan Schuchart (113th of career).Sam Hafertepe Jr. won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars tackle two more nights against the PA Posse at Mechanicsburg, PA’s Williams Grove Speedway for the Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals (July 21-22). For tickets, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action on DIRTVision.RESULTS:NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 2-David Gravel[3]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[2]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo[5]; 5. 19-Brent Marks[12]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[7]; 8. 48-Danny Dietrich[19]; 9. 83-James McFadden[10]; 10. 13-Justin Peck[8]; 11. 44-Dylan Norris[11]; 12. 15-Donny Schatz[17]; 13. 23-Devon Borden[23]; 14. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[13]; 15. 9-Kasey Kahne[9]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen[14]; 17. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[15]; 18. 99M-Kyle Moody[20]; 19. 7S-Robbie Price[22]; 20. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[18]; 21. 5-Spencer Bayston[16]; 22. (DNF) 11-Cory Eliason[4]; 23. (DNF) 8-Freddie Rahmer[24]; 24. (DNF) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[21]

DOE RUN, MO (July 20, 2023) – Summer break is over, and racing is back in session. The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota returns to action this weekend, bringing national Midget racing back to a pair of tiny Midwest ovals.

Never in the 29-year history of Doe Run Raceway have Midgets raced within its 1/6-mile confines; that is until Friday night, when the Xtreme Outlaws make their Series debut, competing for a $4,000 grand prize.

Southern Illinois Raceway welcomes the return of Midgets to its 1/8-mile course for the first time in four years. The POWRi National Midget League held the last Midget event there in 2019 and teams up with the Xtreme Outlaw Series for a $4,000-to-win show to cap the weekend Saturday night.

Both shows will be run in conjunction with POWRi as part of the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series, which pays the points champion $2,500 at season’s end.

Tickets for both events will be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t make it to your favorite track, stream every lap live with a FAST PASS subscription to DIRTVision.

Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:

MR. CONSISTENT – Up by 121 points in the Xtreme Outlaw standings, Cannon McIntosh has been nothing but consistent through the first third of the 2023 schedule.

Through the first 10 races, the 20-year-old Oklahoman has podium finishes in every event except for two; one of which he took a DNF after an early incident while running inside the top-five. With four wins and no finishes outside the top-six in Xtreme competition thus far, McIntosh is inching closer toward his first career national Midget championship.

He’s currently riding a wave of momentum from a dominant display through POWRi’s Illinois SPEEDweek, where he won three of the four scheduled races and finished second in the lone race he did not win en route to his third-straight miniseries championship.

McIntosh leads the field into Doe Run on Friday, aiming to become the track’s first-ever Midget Feature winner. He’s also started two previous Midget races at Southern Illinois with POWRi – one in 2018 (17th-place) and the other in 2019, when he took a DNF after starting third.

MOST IMPROVED – After coming so close to his first career national Midget Feature win with the Xtreme Outlaws on multiple occasions before the summer break, Gavin Miller finally cashed-in – twice – and is one of the nation’s most rapidly improving Midget drivers.

The 16-year-old from Allentown, PA, nearly won the Xtreme Outlaw Showdown at Wayne County Speedway, leading by a lengthy margin in the final laps before getting into the outside wall and surrendering the top spot to eventual winner Zach Daum. Three nights later in USAC action, he took a hard tumble after leading 12 laps at Circle City Raceway.

On June 9, Miller finally broke through to Victory Lane, beating a stout USAC Indiana Midget Week field to score the win at Bloomington Speedway. Most recently, Miller cashed-in with POWRi, winning the latest national event at Lake Ozark Speedway in Missouri.

With podium finishes in three of his last four Xtreme Outlaw starts, Miller now sits 121 points behind McIntosh in the championship standings.

7-UP – Since joining the Trifecta Motorsports team days before the most recent Xtreme Outlaw race weekend in June, Zach Daum dramatically turned a slow start to the season around.

Daum, the 32-year-old open-wheel veteran from Pocahontas, IL, was sitting ninth in Series points after a tough weekend at Millbridge Speedway, getting involved in a wreck that destroyed his new King Chassis that he put together before the start of the season. He soon received a call from car owner Steve Carbone about filling the open seat in the team’s flagship #7U and grabbed his equipment with renewed ambition.

In their first Xtreme race together at Tri-City, Daum drove from 10th on the starting grid up to fifth before sweeping both races Friday-Saturday at Wayne County Speedway. Daum’s first two victories of the season surged him all the way up to fifth in the standings, where he currently sits 270 points back of leader McIntosh.

Daum has two previous starts with POWRi at Southern Illinois, finishing 12th in 2018 and eighth in 2019. He’s back in the Trifecta #7U this weekend in search of his fourth career Series victory.

REBOUND RUN – After surviving a wave of tough luck in the last Xtreme Outlaw race weekend, things are starting to look up again for Jade Avedisian.

A blown tire while running inside the top-five at Tri-City and a pass attempt for the lead gone awry on the first night at Wayne County ruined the 16-year-old Californian’s would’ve-been podium finishes last month. She’s since dropped to fourth in the Series standings, 180 points out of the lead.

However, a fourth-place result in USAC Indiana Midget Week points and three-straight top-five finishes to cap POWRi Illinois SPEEDweek indicate the three-time Xtreme Outlaw winner’s rebound behind the wheel of the Keith Kunz Motorsports, Bullet/Toyota #71 as she prepares to take on Doe Run and Southern Illinois for the first time this weekend.

POWRed-UP – The second and third Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series events on the 2023 schedule will commence this weekend.

The 11-race schedule, now shortened to eight races due to weather cancelations, tabs points across each Xtreme Outlaw & POWRi co-sanctioned race this season, awarding a $2,500 champion’s check to the driver with the most points after the Xtreme Outlaw season finale at I-44 Riverside Speedway in October. Cannon McIntosh (231) leads the current standings after one race by 10 points over Zach Daum (221) and 15 over third-place Kyle Jones (216).

The Xtreme Outlaw stars will take on POWRi’s best in both events this weekend, led by POWRi National Midget League points leader Corbin Rueschenberg, Sweet Springs (MO) winner Karter Sarff (third in points), and Keith Kunz Motorsports’ newest team member Cooper Williams, who sits fourth in points.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

When and where
Friday, July 21 at Doe Run Raceway in Doe Run, MO
Saturday, July 22 at Southern Illinois Raceway in Marion, IL

On the internet
Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota
Twitter – @Xtreme_Outlaw
Instagram – @XtremeOutlaw
Facebook – @XtremeOutlawSeries.WRG

Live broadcast
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com. Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month.

Current championship points standings (view full standings)
1. Cannon McIntosh (2173pts); 2. Gavin Miller 2052pts (-121); 3. Chase McDermand 1995pts (-178); 4. Jade Avedisian 1993pts (-180); 5. Zach Daum 1903pts (-270); 6. Chance Crum 1847pts (-326); 7. Taylor Reimer 1837pts (-336); 8. Landon Brooks 1734pts (-439); 9. Hayden Reinbold 1629pts (-544); 10. Ethan Mitchell 1579pts (-594).

Toyota Feature winners (5 drivers)
4 wins – Cannon McIntosh (Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports)
2 wins – Chase McDermand (Mounce/Stout Motorsports); Zach Daum (Trifecta Motorsports)
1 win – Jade Avedisian (Keith Kunz Motorsports); Jesse Love (Chad Boat Industries)

Toyota Feature laps led (13 drivers)
78 laps – Cannon McIntosh
44 laps – Zach Daum
28 laps – Ryan Timms
26 laps – Thomas Meseraull
24 laps – Jade Avedisian, Chase McDermand
23 laps – Gavin Miller
22 laps – Shane Cottle
21 laps – Ashton Torgerson
11 laps – Hayden Reinbold
6 laps – Karter Sarff
4 laps – Jesse Love
1 lap – Nick Drake

Whitz RC Racing Products Quick Time Awards (6 drivers)
3 awards – Cannon McIntosh
2 awards – Ethan Mitchell
1 award – Gavin Miller, Daniel Whitley, Hayden Reinbold, Jesse Love, Kevin Thomas Jr.

Heat Race winners (17 drivers)
5 wins – Jade Avedisian
4 wins – Cannon McIntosh
3 wins – Zach Daum
2 wins – Chance Crum, Nick Drake, Chase McDermand, Ethan Mitchell, Hayden Reinbold, Gavin Miller
1 win – Austin Barnhill, Shane Cottle, Thomas Meseraull, Corbin Rueschenberg, Kyle Jones, Rico Abreu, Briggs Danner, Daison Pursley

High-points honors (9 drivers)
2 honors – Cannon McIntosh
1 honor – Gavin Miller, Chance Crum, Rico Abreu, Daniel Whitley, Landon Brooks, Briggs Danner, Hayden Reinbold, Jade Avedisian

Last Chance Showdown wins (10 drivers)
2 wins – Kyle Jones
1 win – Landon Brooks, Karter Sarff, Howard Moore, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer, Henry Chambers, Chance Crum, Chase Briscoe, Mitchell Davis

DIRTVision Hard Charger Awards (10 drivers)
1 award – Mitchel Moles, Chase Johnson, Ryan Timms, Chance Crum, Zach Daum, Gavan Boschele, Taylor Reimer, Chase McDermand, Shane Cottle, Cooper Williams

Podium finishes (13 drivers)
7 podiums – Cannon McIntosh
6 podiums – Chase McDermand
4 podiums – Gavin Miller
3 podiums – Zach Daum
2 podiums – Shane Cottle
1 podium – Thomas Meseraull, Jade Avedisian, Kyle Jones, Ryan Timms, Ashton Torgerson, Taylor Reimer, Landon Brooks, Jesse Love

Top-10 finishes (35 drivers)
9 top-10s – Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller
8 top-10s – Jade Avedisian, Chase McDermand
7 top-10s – Zach Daum
6 top-10s – Chance Crum
5 top-10s – Landon Brooks
4 top-10s – Kyle Jones, Ethan Mitchell, Taylor Reimer, Gavan Boschele
3 top-10s – Thomas Meseraull, Ryan Timms
2 top-10s – Corbin Rueschenberg, Briggs Danner, Shane Cottle, Chase Briscoe, Kevin Thomas Jr.
1 top-10 – Mitchel Moles, Chase Johnson, Austin Barnhill, Daniel Adler, Sam Johnson, Rico Abreu, Ashton Torgerson, Daniel Whitley, Don Droud Jr., Mariah Ede, Nick Drake, Hayden Reinbold, Karter Sarff, Branigan Roark, Cooper Williams, Jesse Love

2023 Schedule & Winners – Race No. Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, March 10 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Cannon McIntosh (1)
2. Sat, March 11 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Jade Avedisian (1)
3. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Cannon McIntosh (2)
4. Fri, May 5 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS / Chase McDermand (1)
5. Sat, May 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Chase McDermand (2)
6. Tue, May 22 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (3)
7. Wed, May 23 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (4)
8. Thu, June 1 / Tri-City Speedway / Pontoon Beach, IL / Jesse Love (1)
9. Fri, June 2 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (1)
10. Sat, June 3 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (2)

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

Pocono RacewayLong Pond, Pennsylvania July 22-23, 2023

TRIPLE AT THE “TRICKY TRIANGLE”All three NASCAR national series will join together this weekend to take on one of the most unique tracks on the circuit – the 2.5-mile, three-turn Pocono Raceway. The Pennsylvania oval famously known as the “Tricky Triangle” has been a piece of NASCAR’s history for over 50 years with Sunday’s HighPoint.com400 marking the NASCAR Cup Series’ (NCS) 90th appearance at the circuit. Saturday’s on-track action will feature back-to-back races for two of NASCAR’s top series – kicking off with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ (NCTS) CRC Brakleen 150, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ (NXS) Explore The Pocono Mountains 225.  This weekend is the first time that NASCAR’s three national series will compete at the same track since Nashville Superspeedway one month ago – a tripleheader that saw Chevrolet sweep the weekend’s wins. A feat that only the Bowtie brand has accomplished this season, the manufacturer is heading to Pocono Raceway seeking its fifth NASCAR tripleheader weekend sweep of the season.

A WINNING HISTORYChevrolet has a history of success at Pocono Raceway – leading the series with 34 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins at the “Tricky Triangle”. Benny Parsons gave Chevrolet its first win in NASCAR’s premier series at the Pennsylvania venue in 1977. Of those series-leading triumphs includes a streak of six consecutive trips to victory lane – a run that started with NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon’s final NCS win at the track in August 2012. While looking for his ticket to claim a playoff berth, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott delivered Chevrolet the victory in the series’ most recent appearance at the track one year ago.  Hendrick Motorsports also leads the series in wins at Pocono Raceway with eight different drivers giving the organization a combined 18 victories. Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon contributed to six of those triumphs – a series-leading win record that still stands today.

FIRST-TIME WINNERS Chevrolet etched its name in the history books as the inaugural winners in two of NASCAR’s national series at Pocono Raceway. The NASCAR Xfinity Series has a short history at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania oval – first competing at the track in June 2016 with Kyle Larson driving the Bowtie brand to the victory. Since then, the series has made seven appearances at Pocono Raceway with Noah Gragson driving the No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro SS to the win one year ago.

Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing ChevroletPocono RacewayNXS – June 4, 2016Noah Gragson, No. 9 JRM ChevroletPocono RacewayNXS – July 23, 2023

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series made its debut at the “Tricky Triangle” in July 2010 – a race that saw Elliott Sadler drive a Chevrolet Silverado for team owner Kevin Harvick to the win. Five different drivers have taken Chevrolet to victory lane in the series’ 13 race history at Pocono Raceway – most recently by Team Chevy NCS regular Ross Chastain behind the wheel of a Niece Motorsports Silverado (July 2019).

Ross Chastain, No. 45 Niece Motorsports ChevroletPocono RacewayNCTS – July 27, 2019

POCONO MARKS TWO-TO-GO FOR NCTS’ REGULAR SEASONOnly two chances remain for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers to keep their championship title hopes alive – with four spots remaining to either win or point their way into the 10-driver playoff field. Of the six drivers that have already claimed a playoff berth by virtue of a win, three come from Chevrolet camp including GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes and Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar – all of which have reached victory lane twice this season. Two more Chevrolet drivers will enter the race weekend above the playoff cutline with Rackley WAR’s Matt DiBenedetto in eighth (+5 points) and Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez in ninth (+2 points).

DOUBLING UP Four of Chevrolet’s NASCAR Cup Series regulars will get double the seat time this weekend with Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon joining the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain taking on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

·       Chase Elliott will make his return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the first time in nearly two years – taking his turn behind the wheel of the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS. This will mark the third start for the team’s No. 17 entry – with Elliott’s teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson both recording podium finishes earlier this season. The 27-year-old Georgia native has a strong resume in the series – collecting five victories and a championship title (2014) with Hendrick Motorsports affiliate team JR Motorsports.

·       Daniel Suarez will take over the driving duties for the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS this weekend to make his second NXS start of the season. Suarez has three career NXS wins on his resume – all off of which came in 2016 en route to the championship title. He will be the ninth different Team Chevy driver to get behind the wheel of Kaulig Racing’s “All-Star” NXS entry this season, joining fellow Team Chevy drivers Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Derek Kraus, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Haley, Kyle Larson, Jordan Taylor and car owner Justin Marks. The No. 10 Camaro SS has been no stranger to victory lane this season with Allmendinger and Larson earning a combined three triumphs for the team.

·       Ty Dillon will return to the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) NXS stable to make his second start of the season behind the wheel of the No. 3 Camaro SS. The 31-year-old North Carolina native has 135 career NXS starts in the RCR entry – collecting 84 top-10 finishes. The No. 3 RCR Camaro SS made its series’ debut at Daytona International Speedway in 2002 and the entry has since seen an elite group of drivers behind the wheel including the Dillon brothers (Ty and Austin), Mike Porter, Jeff Green, Ron Hornaday Jr., Steve Park and Shane Lee.

·       Kyle Busch will make his final NCTS start of the season this weekend – getting back behind the wheel of his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Silverado RST. In three of his four NCTS starts of the season, the Team Chevy driver has finished no worse than second-place, including a win at his hometown track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 2023). Busch has recorded 63 career NCTS wins – claiming the title as the winningest driver in the series’ history.

·       Ross Chastain will return to the seat of the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Silverado RST this weekend for his seventh NCTS start of the season. The 30-year-old Florida native has powered the team to a pole win (COTA) and two top-five finishes (COTA and Kansas) in the series this season. Chastain has four career NCTS wins to his name – all recorded behind the wheel of a Niece Motorsports Chevrolet-powered machine.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Chevrolet will pace the field in the tripleheader race weekend at Pocono Raceway. The Silverado RST lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150; the Camaro SS 1LE will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Explore The Pocono Mountains 225; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400.  ·       Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to record a sweep of the weekend’s wins when all three NASCAR national series are in competition on the same weekend. The feat was most recently accomplished at Nashville Superspeedway – marking the manufacturer’s fourth tripleheader sweep of the season.  ·       NASCAR Cup Series victories by active Chevrolet drivers at Pocono Raceway:   Kyle Busch – four wins (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017)Chase Elliott – one win (2022)Alex Bowman – one win (2021)  ·       In 89 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Pocono Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded 34 victories and 34 poles – both of which are series-best feats.   ·       Only four drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series are repeat winners this season – three of which come from Team Chevy: William Byron: series-leading four wins (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Darlington & Atlanta 2)Kyle Busch: three wins (Auto Club, Talladega, WWTR)Kyle Larson: two wins (Richmond & Martinsville) ·       In 20 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race this season, Chevrolet continues to lead the series in wins (12), top-fives (48), top-10s (88), stage wins (17) and laps led (2,255). ·       Chevrolet leads the series in wins across all three NASCAR national series this season with 12 victories in 20 NASCAR Cup Series races, nine victories in 18 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and eight wins in 14 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races – all with a win percentage of at least 50%.  ·       With William Byron’s win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports now sits at 297 all-time NASCAR Cup Series victories – all recorded with Chevrolet.  ·       Chevrolet’s series-leading 12 NASCAR Cup Series wins this season have been recorded by drivers from four different Chevrolet teams: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing), William Byron and Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) and Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing).  ·       Chevrolet drivers have recorded 17 of the 40 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: William Byron (seven; series-leading), Ross Chastain (five), Kyle Larson (two), Kyle Busch (two) and Chase Elliott (one).  ·       Chevrolet continues to sit atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 67 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, 45 points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 37 points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. ·       With Grant Enfinger’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at World Wide Technology Raceway, GMS Racing is now the winningest Chevrolet organization in NCTS’ history with 44 all-time wins in the series. ·       With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 845 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:·       Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Pocono Raceway.  ·       Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at the Team Chevy Racing Display including: Corvette Stingray Convertible, Camaro ZL1 Coupe, Equinox RS, Blazer RS, Tahoe High Country, Silverado ZR2, Silverado 1500 Crew ZR2 4WD.  ·       Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car, as well as a custom military appreciation airbrushed Silverado.  Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:Friday, July 21·       Andrés Pérez de Lara: 1:45 p.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22·       Stefan Parsons: 9 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. ·       Grant Enfinger & Rajah Caruth: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. ·       Nick Sanchez: 9:45 a.m. – 10 a.m. ·       Carson Hocevar & Lawless Alan: 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. ·       AJ Allmendinger: 12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m. ·       Daniel Hemric: 2:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday, July 23·       Erik Jones: 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. ·       Austin Dillon: 11:30 a.m. – 11: 45 a.m. ·       William Byron: 11:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. ·       BJ McLeod: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.  Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: ·       Friday, July 21: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. ·       Saturday, July 22: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ·       Sunday, July 23: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

TUNE IN: ·       NASCAR Cup Series: HighPoint.com 400Sunday, July 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET(USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) ·       NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pocono 225Saturday, July 22, at 5:30 p.m. ET(USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) ·       NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: CRC Brakleen 150Saturday, July 22, at 12 p.m. ET(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1It seems you have a busy week of racing this week, can you talk about that?“I’m headed to the northeast a little bit early to do some dirt racing on Thursday night at Utica-Rome Speedway in New York. I don’t have a lot of experience on dirt so I just go out there with the mindset to learn something every lap. Then I’ll drive over to Pocono to get in the No. 41 truck for Niece Motorsports to get some extra track time. We had a pretty good car at Pocono last year towards the end of the race so I’m hoping we can get a strong finish for Worldwide Express.” With the Playoffs coming up here in a few weeks, how do you approach those? “For me personally, I prepare the same every week whether it’s a regular season or playoff race. Preparation is key for me. It’s not just simulator work, it’s physical fitness, eating correctly, getting the proper amount of rest, all of those things. To really put your best foot forward I feel you need look at it as a whole. Not just put a bunch of extra time and effort into one thing but try to be well-rounded. At some point there’s only so much you can do though. But I want to control what I can control and the rest is just going to happen.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BREZTRI CAMARO ZL1What has been the biggest challenge for you at Pocono Raceway?“Pocono Raceway is very technical. The tunnel turn is my biggest challenge. It’s a high speed turn and over the years it’s gotten rough with the track tunnel underneath it. The bumps going over the tunnel turn are noticeable, and you need your car balanced well through that turn. I love the other end of the track. You have the flat end in turn three and turn a lot through that corner. Going into turn one there’s a lot of banking there, you’re drafting down the front straight so you’re carrying a lot of speed into turn 1 so you have to set yourself up to drive into turn 1 and get to the bottom and drive off to head to the tunnel turn.” Last year you finished 10th at Pocono Raceway. What are your expectations this weekend?“I think we should cut last year’s finish in half or try and win. Right now, we’re in a situation where we have to win to make the playoffs. In 2022 we had a good car and my team stayed on top of track conditions. This allowed us to adjust our Chevrolet’s balance to pass cars at the end of the race and finish 10th. At the 2-mile tracks, I feel we made good progress last year. We’ll have to be aggressive on fuel strategy and have a clean day on pit road. I think we have a shot at a win or a top 5 finish.” Are there any special challenges to track that have three turns and not 4 turns?“There are three different corners in the tricky triangle, making it difficult to solve. You know you’ll have to give up some on one end to be better at the other. To have a car that handles average in all three turns is key. I think there is one end that is more important than the other when looking at the data. Sometimes it changes when you race. When we thought we would be okay in turn three and actually our most important turn was the first. It’s interesting how those subtle changes happen from race to race.” KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1Larson on his recent results at Pocono Raceway: “The No. 5 HendrickCars.com team almost got a win there (at Pocono Raceway) in 2021 and we got a top-five finish there last year. Hopefully, we can get a win there this year.” CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1Daniels on the team’s approach at Pocono: “We are looking forward to going to Pocono (Raceway). It’s been a pretty good track for us. We had a tough finish there in 2021 when we were on a streak of wins and then it kind of slipped away from us. We certainly know how tricky the track can be – no pun intended there for what its nickname is. It’s usually a challenge there in all three corners, very unique and different. Kyle (Larson) has a knack for unique tracks and can pretty much adapt anywhere. We have just got to give him a good car, make sure we execute a good race and hopefully we will be in good shape.” KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 LENOVO CAMARO ZL1Your first win at Pocono didn’t come until 2017, but then you ripped off three wins in four races. Did something just click for you?“Around the 2014 timeframe Pocono really started to click and we really started to get our program straightened out and better there for what I like and for what I need to be able to be fast. That was with Dave Rogers and then we went into 2015 with Adam Stevens and kind of evolved on what we were doing and how our setup was and things just clicked. We probably should have won four more races from 2015 all the way through last year. We’ve had some really, really strong runs at Pocono. I’ve come to enjoy the track and be fast there and that always makes things fun.” Do you think there is one area of the track that’s most important at Pocono? “Everything is important at Pocono. There’s just so much time there that can be gained because the track is so big that if you mess up in Turn 1 that can be a huge hit all the way down the back straightaway or if you mess up in Turn 3, that can be costly with the length of how long the front straightway is. You definitely want to be good everywhere and make the most of your day.”  How important is it to manage the restarts because cars can go three and four-wide into Turn 1?“Restarts are tough at Pocono just because it’s so hard for the spotters to see and the cars are pretty equal. Guys pulling out of line and getting runs on you or laying back on the restart zone in order to be able to manipulate it to make a run at you to get alongside of you before getting to Turn 1. That’s always difficult. You’re always trying to play protector and kind of block the guys behind you making those moves. You’ve always got to be looking out front trying to make the moves yourself, but then also looking out back and trying to watch those moves being made on you. You’ve got to stay on top of all that. Restarts are kind of tricky and it doesn’t just relate to down the front straightaway and Turn 1. It’s also off Turn 2 and into Turn 3. I feel like that’s where a lot of action kind of happens, too, because it really narrows up in Turn 2 and the track is really rough over there. You really don’t want to be going through there side-by-side and take a chance to being next to someone.” CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1Elliott on what it would mean to be the driver to put the No. 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series entry in victory lane with everything that number means to the Hendrick family: “I think that’s the big thing. It is special to not only Rick (Hendrick), but Linda (Hendrick) too. Driving for them and knowing how much it means to them to have that car on track would be great. I know they’ve been super close (to winning) and probably should have a couple by now, so hopefully we can start racking them up for them.” ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1Gustafson on Elliott racing double duty this weekend and the team’s outlook for Pocono: “The cars are so different now. I think before the Next Gen, the two series were much closer to be able to take some things setup wise and information wise, and certainly line wise for Chase (Elliott). That said, anytime you’re racing something it is still beneficial. He can certainly learn something and going through the experience is good. I think they’ll have an opportunity to win the race, so I think that’s good. Certainly, a capable bunch and the car has run so well. They just have had tough circumstances, so hopefully he can win. For us on this No. 9 team, we’re focused on trying to get our car dialed in and driving well. We want to have as much pace as we can and execute a good race on Sunday.” AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 ACTION INDUSTRIES CAMARO ZL1“Pocono is definitely one of the most unique, tougher racetracks that we go to with all three corners being completely different. I think this is a track that track position is key, but because of how long the track is, strategy is really important. I’m looking forward to the challenge of it. Our speed at bigger racetracks has been good this year and Pocono is a track that if we get right, we can get some good points at. Hopefully we unload solid and have speed to put together a good race and rebound from last week.” WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1Byron on rebounding at Pocono: “While we didn’t have our strongest race last weekend at New Hampshire (Motor Speedway), I’m confident in my team that we’ll rebound at Pocono (Raceway). We’ve always had fast cars there not only as a team but as an organization as well. Rudy (Fugle) and I have a win there in trucks and we came close in 2021 to getting two wins in the doubleheader weekend. Heading to a track that we’ve been traditionally really good at helps to bring that momentum back for everyone after a tough weekend. I’m just excited to get on track and put New Hampshire behind us.” RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 RAPTORTOUGH.COM CAMARO ZL1Fugle on what is the most challenging aspect about racing at Pocono: “I’ve always enjoyed racing at Pocono Raceway and I know William (Byron) has as well. While the track has three different corners with their own characteristics, we traditionally have always thought that you had to ‘give up’ handling in one corner to really get the other two right. I don’t think that’s as much of the case anymore. You can get turns one and three pretty similar in handling – it’s turn two that’s the hardest and what really sets you up for the rest of the lap. The whole track is rough but turn two is the most treacherous, so you have to worry a lot about the ride quality of the car and any bump contact.” JUSTIN HALEY, NO. 31 LEAFFILTER GUTTER PROTECTION CAMARO ZL1“I always love going to Pocono. The speed in our cars at the bigger tracks right now is really good, so I’m happy to get on track and keep working toward great finishes. Pocono is a challenging track and so unique it makes it that much more enjoyable to drive.” NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 42 SUNSEEKER RESORTS CAMARO ZL1“I really like racing at Pocono. Last year when we won in Xfinity, it was probably the hardest I’ve ever driven. We put on a heck of a show. It was such a good race at the end, that win meant so much to us. I like going up there and am hoping for a good weekend.” ERIK JONES, NO. 43 U.S. AIR FORCE CAMARO ZL1“Pocono has been a good track, I have been there just as much, if not more, than any other track that I have been to in my career. I have been racing there since 2013 in ARCA cars and then up through the Truck, Xfinity, now Cup series, and I have enjoyed going every time. I feel like it has been a good track for me, and I feel like I got around there pretty well. Last year I felt like we had a good car there with a lot of speed in it, and I am hoping to have the same this year. I always like going up there, I love the track itself and the racing is fun with the way that it plays out with stages, you can mix it up with taking tires and fuel before the stage or not, taking two or four, and seeing how the fuel plays out at the end of the race is always pretty fun. I am hoping we have a good car with some speed to continue our good runs up at Pocono.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1Bowman on how his past at Pocono will help him this weekend: “Having won there (at Pocono Raceway) in 2021 and knowing what it takes to win helps a lot. Blake (Harris, crew chief) and I have been looking at past notes, leaned on our teammates’ notes to try and get the car in a good spot for practice and make adjustments from there. I’ve said it before, but this No. 48 team is really strong and there is no reason we can’t go win any given weekend. We have to keep staying focused on each race and be ready to perform when the time comes. Right now, we are focused on trying to win at Pocono (Raceway).” BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY BEST FRIENDS CAMARO ZL1Harris on the next few races: “We have six races left in the regular season and Alex (Bowman) has wins at two of them, which is great for us in terms of confidence. Our team is plenty capable of contending every week but having a few tracks where Alex has found success is reassuring. Obviously, we have to take it one race at a time, stay focused on the small tasks and make sure we aren’t complacent on the easy tasks. It takes a team to win a race and our group is firing on all cylinders to punch our ticket into the top 16. Hopefully, we go get it done this Sunday at Pocono (Raceway). DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 JOCKEY CAMARO ZL1What are your thoughts going into the next six races with a playoff spot on the line?“I’m optimistic. We have had good speed at most of the races recently. Sometimes we struggle a little bit with execution, but we are in a good spot right now. We know what we have to do and I’m confident we will do it.” Is there pressure?“This isn’t our first time being in this position. It’s fine and it’s part of racing. We can control only what we can control. We can’t control the points situation, we can only control one race at a time. There is always pressure in racing. That’s what makes it fun and why we do it.” Do you have any races in the next six races circled as one you are most looking forward to?“The next one. It’s always the next one.” What are your thoughts on a busy week ahead?“I like it. I haven’t run SRX yet so it’s going to be a new experience. I haven’t been to Stafford Speedway either. I have heard a lot about it, but this will be my first time. Xfinity is going to be fun as well. The Kaulig Chevrolet is really good and we are going to Pocono with high hopes.” GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RSTEnfinger’s thoughts on returning to Pocono Raceway:“Pocono is one of the most unique tracks that we have on the schedule with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and it’s definitely one of the shortest races of the year. We’ve only got 60 laps to get it done here, so qualifying up front is going to be key with how short the stage lengths are. I like racing here and had a few good runs in the ARCA days, but for some reason it’s been tough on us in the Truck Series. Jeff and the rest of the No. 23 team have been doing a bunch of homework to make some big improvements on where we were last year, and I know the chassis is one of our best that we have in our rotation, so hopefully we can right the ship and put a good run together for everyone that supports us with Champion Power Equipment, Chevrolet, and all the guys back at the shop.” RAJAH CARUTH, NO. 24 WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION SILVERADO RSTCaruth’s thoughts on racing at Pocono Raceway:“I’m pretty excited to go to Pocono this weekend with my experience from last year. I was passing for third in the ARCA race before it got cut short due to weather, and unfortunately had an early end to the Xfinity race the following day. I’ve got a lot of laps there from testing and the two races, so I’m feeling pretty good about it. Looking forward to getting back to another big track; I think those types of places give us a good shot at going for the win and locking ourselves into the playoffs. The men and women on our No. 24 truck, along with our partners at The Wendell Scott Foundation and Chevrolet, and Maury Gallagher, Mike Beam, Ron Booth, as well as the guys at GMS Fabrication deserve it. I think we have a good shot this weekend.”  DANIEL DYE, NO. 43 CHAMPION CONTAINER CORPORATION SILVERADO RSTDye’s thoughts on racing at Pocono Raceway:“I’m really looking forward to heading to Pocono this weekend; it’s close to the Champion Container home base and we will have a bunch of their employees that’ll be joining us at the track. Pocono is a place that I’ve raced at before and I enjoy racing at quite a bit, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Blake and the rest of our No. 43 team can bring to the racetrack. We’ll fight hard all day and make good changes and hopefully put on a good show for our partners and give them a run they can be proud of.” KYLE BUSCH, NO. 51 ZARIZ TRANSPORT SILVERADO RSTKBM has been very good at Pocono in recent years. How has your team been able to be so successful there?“Pocono is a track that we put a lot of emphasis on in our early days. When the Craftsman Truck Series first started going there, we got our butt kicked by KHI the first couple years — really, really bad — and I wasn’t too thrilled about it. So, after that, we put a lot of emphasis on getting better there and focusing on that place. We went and tested there in 2015 when Rudy (Fugle) was the crew chief with Erik Jones, and I was able to go to the test and be there as well and ever since then we’ve been really good. We went back for the race a month later and I was able to bring home the win and I think we’ve won at Pocono every year except one year since then — even had a couple of KBM 1-2 finishes along the way. This will be our first time showing up with Team Chevy, so I’m looking forward to our Silverado’s being fast out there and of course me being behind the wheel of the Zariz Transport Silverado hoping that we can get another win for them to cap off their first year as sponsor in NASCAR on a high note. If we can do that, it’ll be KBM’s 100th — it’s been talked about way too long that we’ve been trying to bring home that monumental win, so hopefully we can knock that out of the way Saturday.” CHASE PURDY, NO. 4 BAMA BUGGIES SILVERADO RSTWhat is the trickiest part of “The Tricky Triangle?“I would definitely say the tunnel turn. It’s rough and I think every time that you go through it guys just kind of hold their breath because it’s hard to keep your truck stable — it gets really light through there.” How does having such short stage lengths affect how the race plays out at Pocono?“I think it puts a bigger emphasis on qualifying. It’s important to put down a good lap because you don’t want to get behind the eight ball before the race even starts. You don’t want to have to play strategy to get yourself track position and try to contend; you want to be able to contend from the drop of the green flag. In a situation like we are in, we need to go out there and run up front, lead laps and try everything that we can to put ourselves in a position to win the race.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2022): 41First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2023 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 12Poles: 6Laps Led: 2,255Top-five finishes: 48Top-10 finishes: 88Stage wins: 17·       Ross Chastain – 5 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2), (Dover), (Darlington)·       William Byron – 7 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix), (COTA), (Richmond), (Dover), (Charlotte)·       Kyle Larson – 2 (Phoenix), (Bristol Dirt)·       Chase Elliott – 1 (Talladega)·       Kyle Busch – 2 (WWTR), (Sonoma)  CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 845 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 740Laps led to date: 247,799Top-five finishes to date: 4,269Top-10 finishes to date: 8,800                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,179           Chevrolet: 845           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 822                                                                      Ford: 722           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 176

NHRA^® Team Report

NHRA Northwest Nationals

Pre-Race Report

It will be back to traditional tuning this weekend for Cruz Pedregon’s Snap-on^® Dodge^® SRT^® Hellcat^® after leaving the mile-high conditions in Denver. Seattle is a track with great memories for Cruz dating back to 1991 when he made it to his very first semi-finals as a professional driver in a Top Fuel Dragster.

“I’d been around racing all my life, so to best the legendary Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme in a Top Fuel Round 1 that year in Seattle is something I’ll think of every time we head to the Pacific Northwest,” Cruz says. “We get to be here a week earlier this year with the change in the NHRA schedule, and we’re really looking forward to seeing all the fans in the stands and those who stop by our pit every year.”

Cruz’s Funny Car will once again sport the Snap-on franchise tribute paint scheme to honor the many franchisees of the team’s primary sponsor. Before races, Cruz rides along with franchisees in NHRA cities to visit shops and professionals talking tools and racing. The ‘Own It’ paint scheme is a reminder that the Snap-on franchise opportunity is a way to own your own business, and it’s a ‘thank you’ to current and future Snap-on franchisees.

The weekend the Snap-on Nitro Franchisee featured on the side of Cruz’s car is Shawn Sinclair. He’s had his Snap-on franchise in the Spokane area for 34 years. In his early career, Shawn was an automotive technician who says he found out “he enjoyed the tools more than working on the cars.” Shawn met Cruz and his brother NHRA’s Tony Pedregon while in the pit here three years ago. When he’s not working or at a race event, Shawn is a former motocross guy who now gets his need for speed while jet skiing. 

CHEVROLET IN NHRA

2023 FLAV-R-PAC NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

PACIFIC RACEWAYS

KENT, WASHINGTON

JULY 21-23, 2023

DETROIT (JULY 20, 2023) – Hosting the second stop of NHRA’s Western Swing, the Chevrolet-backed drivers and teams of John Force Racing head next to Pacific Raceways this weekend for the 2023 Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals near Seattle, Wash. While the Pro Stock teams sit idle until the upcoming Menards NHRA Nationals Presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park near Topeka, Brittany Force, Austin Prock, John Force, and Robert Hight all have their sights set on the Top Fuel or Funny Car Winner’s Circle, respectively.

The defending winner of 2022’s event in Seattle for Funny Car, Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS machine, looks to the weekend with anticipation after exiting Denver’s race day early at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Hoping to go back-to-back in the Pacific Northwest, Hight said, “I’m looking forward to racing in Seattle. The Cornwell Tools team didn’t have the best showing in Denver so it’s nice that we get to turn right around and get back at it just a couple of days later. We have some work to do but we’ll just have to take it one run at a time.”

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, aims to not only repeat her No. 1 qualifier from 2022, but also to see herself and her team in the Winner’s Circle at the end of Sunday. She noted, “Most importantly this weekend, we need to turn out luck around. We struggled a little bit in Denver on race day. We went out early in the first round. So we’ll be looking for some good qualifying runs and going rounds on race day.”

Despite not competing this weekend, Chevrolet stood strong in 2022, capturing two achievements at Pacific Raceways in Pro Stock, with Greg Anderson setting the ladder as No. 1 qualifier and Troy Coughlin, Jr. racing his Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock to the Winner’s Circle last year. The Chevy drivers and teams of Pro Stock will be back in action in Topeka, Aug. 11-13, 2023.

Additionally sitting idle, the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown Chevrolet teams return for the biggest event of the season soon, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Sept. 1-4, 2023. 

The 2023 Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals from Pacific Raceway near Seattle, Washington airs first with Friday’s qualifying on Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Saturday’s qualifying airs Sunday, July 23 at 1:30 p.m. ET, with Sunday’s Finals following on FOX at 4 p.m. ET. Coverage streaming live throughout the weekend can be found through NHRA.tv, available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

Austin Prock, driver of the Rocky Mountain Twist / Montana Brands Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“Excited to be back at sea level this week in Seattle. I foresee a great weekend for this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team. We have had success there in the past, Pacific Raceways is where I got my first win so I know we can get the job done and the weather conditions look like they will suit us well. It would be amazing to get a win at Frank Tiegs’ race.”

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“Seattle is next on the list for the Western Swing and this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is excited to get there with Flav-R-Pac being the title sponsor of the event. Our boss Frank Tiegs is going to be there along with a bunch of Flav-R-Pac employees and family are going to be there so we’re looking forward to it. I’m getting to go in a little early on Thursday and do some media around Seattle and really get to talk up this race to hopefully get as many fans out to the track as possible. I’m also really looking forward to getting to meet some of the Seattle Storm WNBA players. I’ll be going to their game on Thursday, and they’ll be out at the track on Friday.”

John Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals, I’m ready for them. Looking forward to taking care of Frank Tiegs and all his Flav-R-Pac employees. Seattle has always been good to me. Pacific Raceways, tucked into the trees. Love the fans, we’ll be doing a show in Auburn, a FanFest, to say hi and kick off the event. We had a decent performance in Denver but it didn’t go our way on race day. Ready to turn that around and see what happens.”

Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“I’m looking forward to racing in Seattle. The Cornwell Tools team didn’t have the best showing in Denver so it’s nice that we get to turn right around and get back at it just a couple of days later. We have some work to do but we’ll just have to take it one run at a time. We’re looking forward to putting on a good show for the fans in Washington and hopefully get Frank Tiegs (of Flav-R-Pac) another Winner’s Circle celebration at his title race. He’s been a great partner to John Force Racing so it would mean a lot to get the job done for him and his companies.”

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:

1,433: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).

605: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 620.

375: Number of wins in Pro Stock since 1970; 255 won in the Chevrolet Camaro body.

165: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).

157: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.

79: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time).

77: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro body.

47: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.

27: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.

24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.

18: Number of Pro Stock championships.

20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.

16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.

7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.

2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

UPCOMING NHRA MILESTONES:

950: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) is second all-time with 921 elimination round wins. He could reach 950 round wins with a decent run in the 18-race schedule.

605: Robert Hight achieved 605 Funny Car elimination wins in Chicago to rank 13th on the all-time NHRA list; Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car) sits 12th with 620.

445: By qualifying for his next race, Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) will extend his NHRA record to 445 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2002 at Pomona 2, and he holds the longest career qualifying streak in NHRA.

138: Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) ranks third on the NHRA all-time list with 121 No. 1 qualifiers. He will tie Warren Johnson (Pro Stock, 138) for second to John Force (165) on the list.

269: By qualifying for his next race, Robert Hight will extend his NHRA record to 269 consecutive race day appearances. His first appearance came in 2010 at Pomona 2, and he currently sits seventh in career qualifying streaks in NHRA (Doug Kalitta is sixth at 275).

65: Robert Hight moved into the top 10 on the all-time NHRA victory list with his win in Pomona 1 with 63. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock, retired) is next ninth on list with 65.

46: Erica Enders has 44 career Pro Stock victories (all with Chevrolet, first win coming at Chicago, 2012 and last win at Las Vegas 2, 2022). Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) is the all-time NHRA female leader with 46. 

18: Brittany Force (16 Top Fuel career wins) will move past Shirley Muldowney (18 wins) into third on the NHRA all-time victory list for females. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 44) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle, 46) are ahead.

6: Erica Enders (Pro Stock) could tie Warren Johnson (6 Pro Stock championships) for second on the class list. The same holds for Greg Anderson. Bob Glidden is the leader with 10.

3: Brittany Force (Top Fuel, 2 championships) would tie Shirley Muldowney (Top Fuel) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) for second on the NHRA all-time championship list by females with another title in 2023. Erica Enders (Pro Stock, 5) is the leader.

Jul 19, 2023 | Featured, Megan Meyer, Race Results, Rachel Meyer

Nitro Chaos helped commemorate Mo-Kan Dragway’s 61st anniversary with an unforgettable two-day event of nitro-fueled excitement in southeast Missouri. The third stop on the tour brought together drag racers and fans from far and wide, who witnessed an adrenaline-charged showcase of skill, speed and some record-breaking performances. Randy Meyer Racing emerged as the winner of both the McKinney Motorsports ‘A’ Field and the CP-Carillo ‘B’ Field with two of their three nitro-injected entries.

Driver of the “Nitro Queen Bee” dragster sponsored by GUNK Tough & Trusted and Shop Squad, Megan Meyer, who won the 2022 Nitro Chaos at Mo-Kan Dragway, claimed the second qualifying position with her best time of 3.59 ET at 223 mph to the 1/8th mile. Megan faced off against James Gilliland in his altered and got the immediate win first round after he had an early red-light start, but slowed to a 3.77 at 213 mph to lose in the semi-finals.

Rachel, driver of the “We Like It Dirty” Gunk and Boxo USA Tools sponsored dragster qualified third with her best time of 3.61 ET at 221 mph in the 1/8th. She defeated Donnie Massey in first round who also had an early red-light start, while Rachel ran the quickest and fastest pass of the opening round of eliminations with a 3.58 ET at 222 mph. Rachel slowed to a 3.66 ET in the semifinals against Megan, but emerged as the winner in the final round, outperforming Todd “The Bull” Bruce to secure a well-deserved victory improving to a 3.51 ET at 227 mph in the heat, running the best pass of the entire Nitro Chaos competition.

“I never thought I’d be able to run the top alcohol car at this track, and I finally did this weekend and got the win,” said hometown hero, Rachel. “Going into this weekend I was just hoping we could make some good clean A to B passes, especially since it’s the track I race at almost every weekend so I wanted to have a good outing. I had hoped to win but knew it was going to be tough, and thankfully my dad had the car figured out and we were able to run a stout 3.51 at 227 in the finals. I almost made the 3.40 club and maybe next year I will. Thanks so much to Gunk, JJ, Rich, and my mom and dad for getting this car down the track. Big thanks to DMP Awnings for sponsoring the series, and for all the guys who gave us a great track this weekend.”

Meanwhile, Matt Sackman, also representing Randy Meyer Racing, dominated the CP-Carillo ‘B’ Field and claimed the win with a solid performance in the OTG dragster. Matt qualified 10th overall, the second position of the ‘B’ Field, and defeated Tod Barker, Aaron Morrow in eliminations, and automatically earned the win as Joseph Gallegos was unable to run in the finals.

“It was a bummer we got a bye in the final, that’s not how I like to get a win but it is what it is,” said Matt. “It is cool to add a chaos trophy to the trophy collection and to get another win for Randy and the team. There’s a lot of effort put into his program.”

You can catch the live replays of all Nitro Chaos and Funny Car Chaos races only on FloRacing. The fourth and final event will be held in Lufkin, TX at Pine Valley Raceway for the championship-deciding drag race of the inaugural Nitro Chaos series. Megan Meyer is currently first place in points with a chance to secure the 2023 championship, but 2-5th places also have a chance to take her down. Rachel is currently 6th and Matt is now 7th, but neither will be able to compete at the event due to the RMR team competing elsewhere with their two dragsters.

KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2023) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team enter the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways looking for a win to act as a catalyst to set the tone for the remainder of the 2023 season.  Force has collected nine wins at the Northwest Nationals (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2014, and 2019) the second most he’s won at a single event, the first being in Brainerd, Minnesota where he’s won 11 times. His most recent win in 2019 was a milestone, his 150th career victory. A moment he shared with, at the time, rookie Austin Prock as he had his first career victory. Force has also qualified No. 1 for the Northwest Nationals six times (1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2014). “Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals, I’m ready for them. Looking forward to taking care of Frank Tiegs and all his Flav-R-Pac employees. Seattle has always been good to me. Pacific Raceways, tucked into the trees. Love the fans, we’ll be doing a show in Auburn, a FanFest, to say hi and kick off the event,” said Force, mentioning the NHRA FanFest taking place at Dave and Busters (1101 Outlet Collection Way, Auburn, WA 98001). “We had a decent performance in Denver but it didn’t go our way on race day. Ready to turn that around and see what happens.” Currently eighth in the NHRA points standings, Force is seeking his first win of the 2023 Camping World season as he attempts to win at least one tour event for the 35th time in his career. Already the 16-time champion has raced to the semifinals three times. Out the top five in points by only 87 points, a win this weekend could be just the boost the PEAK team needs heading into the back half of the 2023 season. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be aired Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES HY-VEE HOMEFRONT 250 & HY-VEE ONE STEP 250 DOUBLE HEADER NEWTON, IOWA TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE JULY 21-23, 2023 CHEVROLET LOOKS TO SHIFT MOMENTUM AT IOWA DOUBLEHEADER WEEKEND WITH REPEAT VICTORYWith a Strong History at Iowa Speedway, Team Chevy Aims to Sweep the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 and Hy-Vee One Step 250 DETROIT (July 19, 2023) – Shifting sights to the third oval of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR Series season, Chevrolet has eyes on not only shifting momentum, but racing to Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway where the Bowtie brand has excelled in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo injected era. Since 2012, Team Chevy boasts nine wins and 11 earned pole awards since 2012. Additionally, Chevrolet holds 26 podiums that include five sweeps since 2012, and an astounding 3,144 laps led. With both races seeing 250 laps, or 223.5 miles, on Saturday and Sunday of the doubleheader, the Bowtie brand brings a strong history to the 0.894-mile tri-oval. Winning at Iowa Speedway in 2013, Ryan Hunter-Reay, driver of the No. 20 BITNILE.COMChevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, looks to return to his winning ways in the series. “Iowa Speedway has always been one of my favorite races on the schedule, I just love short track racing,” said Hunter-Reay. “We had a very productive test here a few weeks ago. With that said, this track is very challenging and can be extremely difficult to nail a balanced setup over a long run on tires. It seems its always changing year to year.” Joining Arrow McLaren INDYCAR this season, Alexander Rossi, driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet, noted of the short oval program the team has built, while the success it has seen in past at Iowa Speedway saying, “Iowa is one of the most challenging tracks that we go to, but the team has some amazing pedigree there and I can’t wait to drive our short oval package for the first time. On top of that, the support of Hy-Vee is incredible and the energy of the fans fuels us. We’ll be pushing hard to put on a great show for them.” Climbing in and back behind the wheel this weekend in Iowa, Ed Carpenter, Team Owner and driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing noted excitement heading to the track this weekend for the event. “I always get excited to race at Iowa Speedway. I actually enjoy the doubleheader format and Hy-Vee has done a great job with the whole event. We have been strong at Iowa in the past and had a good test there recently. It is an important event for us as a team to create strong results for all three BITNILE.COM Chevrolets.” “The NTT INDYCAR Series doubleheader at Iowa Speedway is a favorite for our Chevy teams and drivers,” said General Motors’ IndyCar Program Manager Rob Buckner. “Things happen very quickly on this traditional short oval. With the mix of traditional road courses and street circuits the last few weeks, Iowa offers new and unique challenges for our engineers working with the teams and drivers. But our past success gives us a toolbox to work from, and we are looking forward to good results as the push for the championship continues.” The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway kicks off with practice Friday, July 21 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Qualifications start Saturday’s Hy-Vee Homefront 250 race day at 9:30 a.m. ET, with the first 250 lap event starting at 3 p.m. ET, live on NBC. The Hy-Vee One Step 250 wraps up the weekend on Sunday, July 23, with green flag live at 2 p.m. ET on NBC. All practice and qualifying will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:“We’re going back to the cornfields. It’s a track with some of the best racing you’ll ever see. More than that, it’s a very unique place we race at and very different than any other track on the calendar. I always look forward to going to Iowa.” Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:”Iowa is becoming a highlight of the season. As a team, we have many reasons to look forward to it after having a very successful weekend here last year. It will be one of the most important weekends of the year as it’s a doubleheader, so we are very focused on maximizing our performance.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:”As we gear up for the doubleheader at Iowa, I feel both excited and focused. It’s always great to get back to the track immediately after a rough weekend. Iowa is one of the most challenging tracks that we go to, but the team has some amazing pedigree there and I can’t wait to drive our short oval package for the first time. On top of that, the support of Hy-Vee is incredible and the energy of the fans fuels us. We’ll be pushing hard to put on a great show for them. I can’t wait to get there and get started and maybe see some cool concerts along the way.” Gavin Ward, Race Director at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:“Iowa has been a successful stomping ground for our team in recent years, and our oval package has been strong all year. So this weekend is about doing the basics right, not overthinking it, and enjoying being a part of the best short oval racing in the world.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:“Two races this weekend! That’s going to be very exciting. I’ve done well at Iowa Speedway in the past and had a pretty nice race there last year, 4th place. We can do very well, this is one of those tracks that will provide a lot of opportunities for us. The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend is always so fun with the concerts and everything else going on in addition to our races, it’s going to be a nice couple of days!” Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:“Really looking for to Iowa. I think it’s one of the best dynamic racing tracks we go to. Most passes, most strategy, multiple lines, you can really run wherever you want however you’d like to. It just kind of depends on your car and your balance and your strategy. It’s very fun. We did learn a lot from our test earlier there this year – we know where we’re struggling and we know why we’re struggling. So assuming we’ve done our homework correctly we should be okay.” Benjamin Pedersen, No. 55 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:“I am really looking forward to Iowa Speedway, I love the track and I am a big fan of ovals in general. We have had some great success on ovals so far this season, so I am ready to get back to them and see what we can do. It’s a very bumpy track, so getting the car in the right window and getting the dampers to work well is extremely important to being successful there. It’s a double-header event, so there is a lot to offer within the weekend in terms of results, so I am looking forward to what we can accomplish in the No. 55 Sexton Properties Chevrolet.” CHEVROLET AT IOWA (since 2012):Wins at Iowa: 92012: Ryan Hunter-Reay2013: James Hinchcliff2016: Josef Newgarden2017: Helio Castroneves2019: Josef Newgarden2020: Simon Pagenaud (Race 1)2020: Josef Newgarden (Race 2)2022: Josef Newgarden (Race 1)2022: Pato O’Ward (Race 2) Pole Awards at Iowa: 112013: Helio Castroneves2014: Scott Dixon2015 Helio Castroneves2016: Simon Pagenaud2017: Will Power2018: Will Power2019 Simon Pagenaud2020: Conor Daly (Race 1)2020: Josef Newgarden (Race 2)2022: Will Power (Race 1)2022: Will Power (Race 2) Podiums at Iowa by Team Chevy since 2012: 26**Chevrolet has swept the podium five times in the 2012 V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era at Iowa, including in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2022’s Race 1 and Race 2.  Laps Led at Iowa by Team Chevy since 2012: 3,144 2023 CHEVROLET BY THE NUMBERS:192: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR.  109: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012.  121: Earned poles since 2012.  7: Manufacturer Championships since 2012.  7: Driver/entrant champions since 2012.  12: Indianapolis 500 victories by Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 5: Indianapolis 500 wins by Chevrolet since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era. 26: Wins by Will Power since 2012 – all with Chevrolet power – most of any driver with the same manufacturer.  14: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including the past 11 with Chevrolet power.  9: Wins from the pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver.  44: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver.*Will Power’s career total of 68 poles makes him the all-time pole winner in INDYCAR.

PLAINVIEW, NY (July 19, 2023) — At the halfway point of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel powered by Okuma team have experienced the best of times and the worst of times. There has been almost zero middle ground for the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year. Through ten races the team has five final round appearances and four first round losses. In those five final round Ashley has collected four Top Fuel wins, already a season career high, and he has competed in five Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenges and is undefeated collecting $50,000 and 15 championship points for the effort. He has the Top Fuel point lead and is looking to bounce back from a tough first round loss in Denver this weekend at Pacific Raceways.

Justin Ashley and Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Okuma, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“This season has been a rollercoaster for sure. It has been a little bit of feast or famine,” said Ashley. “But the ups and downs are to be expected with a Top Fuel field that’s so competitive. The most important thing is that we remain singularly focused on becoming the best team that we can be. All things considered, we’ve had a lot of success and that’s a tremendous testament to the teamwork, dedication and commitment from each one of our guys.”

During the first ten races of the season Ashley’s skill behind the wheel contributed to several critical wins with his reaction time prowess turning on win lights for the Phillips Connect Toyota powered by Okuma team. Ashley leads the Top Fuel category with best reaction time and also it is a rare occasion when the young driver is not first off the starting line.

“Reaction times are a reflection of different variables,” said Ashley. “It’s a combination of things including how well the car moves off the starting line. If we don’t perform well the reaction times are irrelevant anyway. So just like everything in drag racing it’s a team effort. All I do is the best that I can to help put ourselves in a position to win.”       
During qualifying this process has paid huge dividends with the team’s success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Ashley has a 10-0 record and he has locked up 15 championship points that will be added to his Countdown point total following the U.S. Nationals. Championships have been won or lost by less than five points in recent seasons so the cushion Ashley has earned by outdueling his opponents on Saturdays could be a major advantage in the playoffs.

“I love the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge,” said Ashley. “What I really like about it is that it gives the fans something more to engage with on Saturday during qualifying. It’s added more meaningful competition with valuable championship points on the line. Those are going to be critical when the playoffs start.”  

In addition to the success on the track Ashley has been making moves off the track with the formation of Maynard Ashley Racing and continued to focus on building the strength of Phillips Connect through business-to-business relationships across the country. Before most races Ashley will visit a Phillips Connect customer or marketing partner to talk with their leadership team or management group about Phillips Connect. The team also hosts guests in their pit side hospitality providing the opportunity for guests to meet other decision-makers from companies that range from KATO Fastening Systems, to strutmasters.com, to Okuma, to Toyota and Lucas Oil.
 
“It’s our job to provide a platform for our partners to generate business. Performance off the racetrack is equally, if not more important than performance on the racetrack,” said Ashley. “Our goal with MAR is to create a world-class environment where businesses can leverage the race program to increase their bottom line. That includes visits to customers located in the areas in which we race and the use of our hospitality area for networking, growth and relationship building.”   

Last year at the Northwest Nationals Ashley raced the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the semifinals from the No. 7 qualifier position. He defeated Austin Prock and Steve Torrence before being ousted by eventual event winner Tony Schumacher. Qualifying for this year’s race will begin on Friday afternoon with one session followed by two rounds of qualifying on Saturday. The race will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday morning with FOX broadcasting the racing action live nationally.
 

Event: 

Northwest Nationals

            Pacific Raceways; Kent, Washington

Scrappers Racing Competitors:

            Mike Salinas, Top Fuel

            Jianna Evaristo, Pro Stock Motorcycle

KENT, Washington (July 19, 2023) – The NHRA Drag Racing Series continues into week two of the Western Swing this weekend at Pacific Raceways in Washington. And while the results from the first weekend at Bandimere Speedway might not have been what the Salinas family was hoping for, they enjoyed another week of family time on their motorcycles as they made the trek from Colorado to Washington.

In Top Fuel competition, Mike Salinas qualified fourth in Denver and fell to eventual race-winner, Clay Millican in round two. Jianna Evaristo qualified 11th in Pro Stock Motorcycle and due to a mechanical issue, her bike wouldn’t start when the team got to the starting line for round one on Sunday morning.

But this week marks a fresh start, especially for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class as the riders will make their inaugural start at the Northwest track. 

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge to learn a brand-new track as an entire class as we’re all starting with a clean slate,” said Evaristo. “After making the semi-final round in Norwalk, we really had high hopes for Denver and we were making solid passes during the qualifying runs. But having the mechanical issue in round one was certainly disappointing, so I’m even more amped up for Seattle to get back on track and redeem ourselves.”

Before Evaristo can take to the Pacific Raceways track, she and the Salinas family first had to make their way there from the Denver area. That means the second leg of their family road trip continued and this time with an added family member, Mom Monica. Monica joined the group in Denver and tagged along for the ride to Seattle on the back of Mike’s motorcycle. Following the race weekend at Pacific Raceways, the ride will continue as the family ultimately makes their way to Sonoma 

The 1300-mile ride took the family from Colorado, through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and then into Washington state. This week’s excitement for the group includes beautiful scenery, even more bugs acquired on their helmets and bikes and for Evaristo, a hotel fire alarm experience to end a long day on the road!

“This second stint of our road trip definitely meant continued consumption of caffeine and sugar,” said Evaristo. “We’ve really seen some beautiful sites as we crossed into Montana – so green, so many trees and a mist hanging over the valley. Then of course there was the hotel fire alarm – tried to take a nice hot shower after a long day of riding and apparently, I had the room with the sensitive smoke detector, which decided to set off the hotel fire alarm. After having my room inspected by the fire department, I had to enjoy a lukewarm shower rather than the hot one I was hoping for, life on the road means there’s never a dull moment.”

NHRA will take to the Pacific Raceways track for one qualifying session on Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM local time. Following this weekend’s event in Washington, the NHRA and the Salinas family road trip will make their way to Sonoma Raceway in Northern California for the final race of this year’s Western Swing. 

KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2023) – Robert Hight and the Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team enter this weekend’s Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway a s the defending event champions and are looking to repeat their performance for their third win of the season. Hight started last year’s Northwest Nationals from the No. 5 spot before beating J.R. Todd in the final, it would be his sixth win of eight in the 2022 season. In 2017, Hight also won the Flav-R-Pac Nationals en route to his second championship. In addition to his two wins at Pacific Raceways, he was runner-up in his debut appearance in 2005, losing the title to the late Eric Medlen, his JFR teammate. Hight has also started from the No. 1 position five times in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2017.  “I’m looking forward to racing in Seattle. The Cornwell Tools team didn’t have the best showing in Denver so it’s nice that we get to turn right around and get back at it just a couple of days later. We have some work to do but we’ll just have to take it one run at a time,” Hight said. “We’re looking forward to putting on a good show for the fans in Washington and hopefully get Frank Tiegs another winners circle celebration at his title race. He’s been a great partner to John Force Racing so it would mean a lot to get the job done for him and his companies.” Already with two victories this season at the final running of the Arizona Nationals and a JFR nitro sweep with Austin Prock at the Four-Wide in Charlotte, Hight enters the Northwest Nationals sitting fourth in the points standings, just 11 out from third and 87 back from second. A win this weekend could put the Cornwell Tools team in a prime position with just four events left before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be aired Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team are entering this weekend’s Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways hoping to repeat results from their debut season. Prock and the Montana Brand team, now led by crew chiefs Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam, are returning to the site of their first tour victory. Prock qualified only 12th but went on to win the 2019 Flav-R-Pac Nationals by beating four-time world champ Steve Torrence in the final round, a victory that powered him to Rookie-of-the-Year honors. The win was more meaningful in that he shared the winners’ circle with boss and teammate John Force for the legend’s 150th tour victory. “Excited to be back at sea level this week in Seattle. I foresee a great weekend for this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team,” Prock said. “We have had success there in the past, Pacific Raceways is where I got my first win so I know we can get the job done and the weather conditions look like they will suit us well. It would be amazing to get a win at Frank Tiegs’ race.” The Montana Brand team enters this year’s Northwest Nationals sitting fifth in points with two final round appearances that include a runner-up finish at the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif and a victory at the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte along with two semifinal exits. Prock will look for his fifth career victory for a boost in the points and to solidify his stakes in the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel championship hunt. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be aired Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

OCALA, FL (July 19, 2023) — It has been too long in Josh Hart’s opinion since his team parked the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster in the winner’s circle. The third-year pro from Ocala, Florida, started the season winning the biggest payday of the year taking home the Pep Boys Top Fuel Allstar Callout, top prize at the Gatornationals across the country from Pacific Raceway. Since that weekend Hart has raced to a runner-up finish at the Gerber Collision & Glass Rt. 66 Nationals in Chicago. This weekend Hart and his team are looking to connect the figurative dots, winning at the furthest point from his home base.

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

“This Western Swing is a monster and getting our team to the Northwest Nationals is no easy task,” said Hart, who has two Top Fuel national event wins to his credit. “I have a great team led by crew chief Ron Douglas and assistant crew chief Dave Gaterell. Those two guys have a plan for the Western Swing and we made some strides in Denver and I think we will make another move in Seattle. This three-race stretch is a great proving ground for the Countdown.”

Last year in his first Northwest Nationals Hart powered the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster to the No. 8 spot on the qualifying sheet and then raced to the quarterfinals. He beat the most recent winner Clay Millican in the first round and then dropped a close race to eventual 2022 world champion Brittany Force in the second round. Last weekend Hart bowed out in the quarterfinals at the Mile High Nationals starting from the No. 10 spot. He upset Leah Pruett in the first round with a stellar reaction time sealing the win and then he lost a coin-flip race to Doug Kalitta in the second round.

“There are no easy rounds anymore,” said Hart. “You have to be at the very top of your game when you pull up to the starting line. I have been working on my reaction times and my starting line procedure. Every little thing you do in the car affects the elapsed time. If you don’t pull up to the water box with a winning attitude you might as well hand the win to your opponent. Every single team that will be racing in Seattle has a legitimate shot at winning the race.”

This season has seen some of the closest Top Fuel racing action and toughest competition in recent memory. Since Hart made the jump from a successful Top Alcohol Dragster career to Top Fuel the level of performance from the teams and drivers has made a dramatic leap forward. Young drivers have stepped up their game and returning champions have continued to put pressure on everyone. The influx of quality part-time competitors has also made earning round wins a tough business for all the teams. Hart has completely rebuilt his operation since his rookie season of part-time competition thanks to his partnership with Chris Armstrong.

“Adding Chris to the mix has given us some buying power we didn’t have during my rookies season,” said Hart. “We are still an independent team, but we have the financial foundation thanks to our R+L Carriers and TechNet sponsorships and Chris’ support to compete at the highest level. We are keeping an eye on our budget but when we need to get parts or add pieces, we can do that. These race cars chew up money almost as fast as they go through nitromethane fuel.”

Hart will open the race weekend as one of the featured stars at the Northwest Nationals FanFest on Thursday night, July 20, at Dave & Busters in Auburn, Washington. The track is hosting a free fan event with Hart and a handful of NHRA competitors meeting fans and signing autographs at the free event from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

“I love participating in the FanFests before a race,” said Hart. “Our fans are very passionate and as a young team I think they like to see new faces. We host a huge car show and driver autograph session at Burnyzz Speed Shop, my main business, before the Gatornationals and it is a blast. I am looking forward to meeting the fans, taking some pictures, and signing autographs. On Friday we will get down to business.”

The Northwest Nationals will get underway with one qualifying session on Friday, July 21, followed by two sessions on Saturday, July 22. Final eliminations will begin at 10:30 a.m. PT with the race being broadcast nationally on FOX.
 

BRITTANY FORCE LOOKING TO TAKE FLAV-R-PAC TOWINNERS CIRCLE AT NORTHWEST NATIONALS

KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2023) – Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster team are looking for their first victory of the 2023 season at this weekend’s Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals. Still fourth in points, victory at Pacific Raceways would solidify their championship defense as well as be the icing on the cake for their sponsor’s title event. In 2022 Force started race at the Northwest Nationals from the No. 1 qualifying position and set a track speed record of 332.43 mph on the way to a runner-up finish. It was her best performance at Pacific Raceways where previously she had qualified No. 2 and had three quarterfinal finishes. The two-time and reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion is trying to become the seventh different John Force Racing driver to hoist the winner’s trophy at Pacific Raceways.  “Seattle is next on the list for the Western Swing and this Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team is excited to get there with Flav-R-Pac being the title sponsor of the event. Our boss Frank Tiegs is going to be there along with a bunch of Flav-R-Pac employees and family are going to be there so we’re looking forward to it,” Force said. “I’m getting to go in a little early on Thursday and do some media around Seattle and really get to talk up this race to hopefully get as many fans out to the track as possible. I’m also really looking forward to getting to meet some of the Seattle Storm WNBA players. I’ll be going to their game on Thursday, and they’ll be out at the track on Friday. “Most importantly this weekend, we need to turn out luck around,” Force continued. “We struggled a little bit in Denver on race day. We went out early in the first round. So we’ll be looking for some good qualifying runs and going rounds on race day.” Thanks to four semifinal appearances and four No. 1 qualifiers, including at the most recent event, the final running of the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, Force is only 21 points outside of the top three and 126 points away from the top spot with four regular season races left until the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs. The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will be aired Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcasting Network.

July 19, 2023

As Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team head to Pocono Raceway for Sunday’s HighPoint.com400, they are hoping history repeats itself.

The Wood Brothers have three Cup wins on the 2.5-mile Tricky Triangle, including their most recent victory, with Ryan Blaney at the wheel of their iconic Ford in 2017. And crew chief Brian Wilson has two Cup wins as an engineer – with Kurt Busch in 2007 and Brad Keselowski in 2011- and another as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series with driver Austin Cindric in 2021. (All of Wilson’s Pocono victories came with cars and drivers from Team Penske, which shares an alliance with the Wood Brothers.)

Burton also has previous success at Pocono having won an ARCA race there in 2018.

Wilson said he’s optimistic headed into this weekend after Burton and the No. 21 team showed some decent speed in Monday’s rain-delayed race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Last weekend in Loudon was a step forward for our short-track program,” Wilson said. “The previous races with the low-downforce aero package have been a challenge for us. Our Ford post-race reports showed several stints with average lap times in the top 20 and 15.   “We also set a season high on quality passes for this track type.”
 
Wilson is further heartened by the DEX Imaging team’s performance at Pocono in 2022.
 
“We look back on last year’s performance when we were able to lead a few laps during the race,” he said. “We’ll continue to build on recent Intermediate-style races where we’ve been able to connect the corner better for Harrison and produce competitive performances. 

 “I’m confident the DEX Ford will have a great weekend.”

Wilson added that the tire combination will be another factor in the team’s preparation for and strategy during the race.
 
“Goodyear will bring the same right-side tire as last season’s race, but have a new and more durable left side,” he said. “This combination will also reduce the stagger measurement for the race. Rebalancing this will be a focus, but one we’ve dealt with often this season.”
  
Wilson said that in addition to the decisions teams must make related to tires, the races at Pocono always bring unique strategy options. 
 
“I expect that this year’s tire and aero will allow for the same,” he said. “I’ve always been excited to see how the race unfolds at Pocono.” 
 
Practice for the HighPoint.com 400 is set for Saturday at 2:35 p.m. Eastern Time and will be followed immediately by qualifying.
 
Sunday’s 160-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m. with TV coverage on USA Network.
 
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 30 and 95.