chevy racing–indycar–brickyard advance

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Indianapolis, Indiana July 31, 2022

NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE #22 – INDIANAPOLIS ROAD COURSEThe NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will share the stage with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this weekend, where the two sanctioning bodies will head to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for a rare tripleheader race weekend. Chevrolet teams across all three series will take on the left- and right-hand turns of the 2.436-mile, 14-turn IMS road course.  While IMS has been a staple stop on the NASCAR schedule since 1994, the trip to the Speedway, Indiana, venue will be just the second appearance by NASCAR’s premier series on the road course circuit. In the series’ debut on the circuit in 2021, road course ringer AJ Allmendinger was able to kiss the iconic bricks after he powered the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to the victory for his second career NCS win. The monumental triumph gave Kaulig Racing its first victory in just its sixth start in NASCAR’s premier series.. a team who now fields two full-time Camaro ZL1’s in the series.  The bowtie brand is heading into the highly anticipated IMS tripleheader riding the momentum of last weekend’s sweep of wins in the three series. Chevrolet’s Chase Elliott and Noah Gragson nabbed the NCS and NXS victories at Pocono Raceway, while Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward took the wins in the INDYCAR doubleheader at Iowa Speedway.  LOOKING FOR DOUBLE DIGITS ON ROAD COURSESWhen the NASCAR Cup Series hits a road course circuit, one thing you see in common is a bowtie on the top of the leaderboard. Chevrolet is heading into the Indianapolis race weekend on a streak of nine-consecutive NCS road course victories. Dating back to Chase Elliott’s victory at Circuit of The Americas in March 2021, six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams have notched a road course win through that string of triumphs.  The most recent winner on that list is Tyler Reddick, who scored his first career win in NASCAR’s premier series at Road America earlier this month. The 26-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver became the fifth first time NCS winner of 2022. On that elite first time winners list also includes fellow Chevrolet drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez, both of which captured their first on a road course circuit (Chastain – Road America; Suarez – Sonoma Raceway). 
MAKE THAT 12 FOR THE BOWTIEChase Elliott’s victory at Pocono Raceway marked a manufacturer-leading 12th for Chevrolet in 21 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races. The Hendrick Motorsports driver now has a series-leading four wins to his name, while also extending his streak of top-two finishes to five. Elliott led Chevrolet to four top-five finishes – including a sweep of the top three positions – and six of the top-10. The final running order saw four different Chevrolet teams represented in the top-10.. making it the eighth time that Chevrolet has accomplished that feat in 2022.
Heading into the final five race run in the series’ regular season, the 2020 NCS Champion now has a triple-digit lead in the driver standings, sitting at 105 points ahead of second-place Ross Chastain. Also extending the lead in the NCS manufacturer points standings, Chevrolet will head into the Indianapolis race weekend 74 points over its manufacturer competitors. 
13 AND COUNTING FOR CAMARO SSIn a battle right to the checkered flag, Noah Gragson and the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team edged out Ty Gibbs at the line by .281-seconds to record a manufacturer-leading 13th NASCAR Xfinity Series win for Chevrolet this season. The bowtie brand looked to be the ones to beat from the start of the day at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania venue. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier captured the 10th pole win this season for Chevrolet, going on to lead the first 23 laps to record his sixth stage win of 2022. Following a top-10 finish in stage one, Gragson took the lead after a round of pit stops that put him in the top position at the end of stage two.. giving Chevrolet a sweep of the stage wins on the day.  Gragson’s win was his third trip to victory lane this season.. marking a personal best for the young Chevrolet driver in his NXS career. The feat also gave JR Motorsports its seventh win in the last 11 races in the series.  Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has been a familiar face at the top of the NXS driver points standings. Following an eighth top-five finish for the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team, Allmendinger maintained the lead in the standings with a 16 point advantage over second-place Justin Allgaier. A dominate day by Chevrolet drivers also built onto the bowtie brand’s lead in the NXS manufacturer standings, with Chevrolet now sitting at an 83 point lead over its manufacturer competitors heading into Saturday’s Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard.
DOUBLE DUTY IN INDYA handful of Chevrolet drivers will be getting double the seat time this weekend, taking on the 2.436-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series:  ·       In Hendrick Motorsports’ three-race return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Alex Bowman will take his turn behind the wheel of the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Camaro SS. The 29-year-old Arizona native has made 53 career starts in the series, with his last dating back to Michigan in 2018. Of those starts, Bowman has recorded one win (Charlotte Motor Speedway; 2017), six top-fives and 15 top-10s in the series. Bowman looks to take the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Camaro SS one spot better than its competition debut, where his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate, Kyle Larson, took the Chevrolet-powered machine to a runner up finish at Road America earlier this month.  ·       Austin Dillon will take over the No. 68 Brandonbilt Motorsports Camaro SS for the weekend, marking the Chevrolet driver’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season. In Dillon’s 151 career NXS starts, he has recorded nine wins, 65 top-fives and 106 top-10s. The 32-year-old North Carolina native also has a NXS championship title under his belt, claiming that feat with Richard Childress Racing in 2013. 
·       Ty Dillon will be making his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start of 2022 this weekend, returning to the seat of the No. 6 JD Motorsports Camaro SS. Dillon has one NXS win to his name, which came from behind the wheel of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in 2014. The 30-year-old North Carolina native will be making his 160th career NXS start this weekend. In his tenure in the series, Dillon has also scored 34 top-fives and 92 top-10s. 
·       For the second time this season, Ross Chastain will pilot the No. 92 DGM Racing Camaro SS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chastain’s return to the series came with the team back at Circuit of The Americas in March 2022. The 29-year-old Florida native scored a 17th-place finish for the team, going on to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series race the following day. In 193 career NXS starts, Chastain has notched two wins, 21 top-fives and 47 top-10s. 
·       Back behind the wheel of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1, AJ Allmendinger will look to defend his NASCAR Cup Series win title at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course this weekend. Allmendinger has two career NCS wins to his resume, both of which were captured on road course circuits (Watkins Glen – 2014; IMS Road Course – 2021). In 10 NCS starts this season, Allmendinger has recorded two top-10 finishes, with his most recent at Road America when he drove the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro ZL1 to a ninth-place finish. Also driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS in the NXS, Allmendinger will look for his third road course win of the season in the series.  THE NCWTS PLAYOFFS ARE ONThe 10-driver playoff field is set and the run to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) championship title is on. Of that elite field includes two Chevrolet drivers: Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger.
·       Hocevar, who led Chevrolet to the finish at Pocono Raceway in fifth, secured his playoff berth by points in the series’ race at Mid-Ohio earlier this month. This will mark the 19-year-old Michigan native’s second appearance in the NCWTS playoffs. Through 16 NCWTS races this season, Hocevar has piloted his No. 42 Niece Motorsports Silverado RST to six top-fives and nine top-10s.
·       Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST team left the ‘Tricky Triangle’ with one of the two open spots in the 2022 NCWTS playoff field. The 37-year-old Alabama native returned to GMS Racing at the beginning of the season and has record three top-fives and seven top-10s with the team in 16 races. The 2022 season will mark Enfinger’s fourth appearances in the NCWTS playoffs.
The NCWTS Playoffs Round of 10 kicks off this weekend, where the series will make its return to the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) for the first time in 11 years. Sitting approximately 10 miles outside of downtown Indianapolis, the 0.686-mile short track will host the series under the lights in Friday’s TSport 200. In the series’ 17 races held at IRP, Chevrolet has recorded a manufacturer-leading nine of those victories. Of those wins includes a sweep of the series’ first four races held at the track, starting with Mike Skinner’s win in the debut event in 1995 when he drove the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the victory.  BOWTIE BULLETS·       Chevrolet’s AJ Allmendinger is the defending winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course after driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to the win in the NASCAR Cup Series debut at the circuit in 2021. The victory was the first for Kaulig Racing in just six starts in NASCAR’s premier series.  ·       A road course favorite, Chase Elliott has recorded seven road course victories in his NASCAR Cup Series career; the most of all active NCS drivers. Elliott ranks third on the NCS all-time road course wins list behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (nine wins) and Tony Stewart (eight wins). Elliott’s victories have been recorded at five different road courses, a record in series’ history. ·       Chevrolet has won nine consecutive NASCAR Cup Series road course races, dating back to Chase Elliott’s win at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021. In that timespan, six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams have contributed to those wins. 
·       Of the five first time NASCAR Cup Series winners in 2022, three have come from the bowtie brigade. The most recent is Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who drove his No. 8 Camaro ZL1 to the win at Road America. Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez also captured their first career win in NASCAR’s premier series this season, both of which were recorded on road course circuits (Chastain – COTA; Suarez – Sonoma). 
·       At Road America – the NASCAR Cup Series’ most recent road course race – Tyler Reddick led Chevrolet to six top-10 finishes, including a sweep of the top-five. Four different Chevrolet teams were represented in the top-10: Richard Childress Racing: Tyler Reddick (Race Winner)Hendrick Motorsports: Chase Elliott (2nd) and Kyle Larson (3rd)Trackhouse Racing: Ross Chastain (4th) and Daniel Suarez (5th)Kaulig Racing: AJ Allmendinger (9th)
·       Chase Elliott’s win at Pocono Raceway was his series-leading fourth of 2022. It also marked his fifth consecutive top-two finish, with three of his four wins being recorded within that timespan (Nashville Superspeedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway).
·       Chevrolet heads into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course race weekend with a manufacturer-leading 12 NASCAR Cup Series wins in 21 points-paying races. The bowtie brand also continues to lead its manufacturer competitors in NCS top-fives (53), top-10s (97), laps led (2,698) and stage wins (20).
·       Seven Team Chevy drivers have combined 20 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins: Tyler Reddick 2 – Fontana x2Alex Bowman 1 – Las VegasRoss Chastain 4 – Las Vegas, Darlington, Charlotte, PoconoWilliam Byron 3 – Phoenix, Atlanta, TalladegaDaniel Suarez 2 – COTA, CharlotteChase Elliott 3 – Martinsville x2, Charlotte, Atlanta x2 Kyle Larson 3 – Bristol, Sonoma, Pocono ·       Chevrolet leads the driver points standing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Chase Elliott remains in the top position in the NCS standings with a 105-point lead over second; and AJ Allmendinger continues to lead the NXS standings by 16 points. Chevrolet also remains atop both the NCS and NXS manufacturer points standings.  ·       With its 40 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 826 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR.  FOR THE FANS·       Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.·       Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: Silverado 2500 High Country, Tahoe Z71 Premier, Traverse High Country, Blazer RS, Colorado Bison ZR2, Trailblazer ACTIV, Camaro ZL1, Bolt EUV, Silverado ZR2, Bolt EV 2LT, Silverado EV, Corvette Z06. ·       At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 show car and an IndyCar show car.  TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:Friday, July 29·       Scott McLaughlin and Will Power: 2:30 p.m.·       Callum Ilott: 3:00 p.m.·       Dalton Kellett and Kyle Kirkwood: 3:15 p.m.·       Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist: 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 30·       Rinus VeeKay and Conor Daly: 10:00 a.m.·       Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill: 11:30 a.m.·       Justin Allgaier and Miguel Paludo: 12:00 p.m.·       Josh Berry and Sam Mayer: 1:00 p.m.·       Noah Gragson: 1:30 p.m.·       Chris Rice, President of Kaulig Racing: 1:45 p.m. Sunday, July 31·       Daniel Suarez: 11:30 a.m. ·       Tyler Reddick: 11:45 a.m. ·       Alex Bowman: 11:55 a.m. ·       AJ Allmendinger and Justin Haley: 12:10 p.m.  Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:  Friday, July 29: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, July 30: 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, July 31: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.  TUNE INNBC will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 31. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  NBC will broadcast the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 30. Live coverage can also be found on the NBCSports Gold App and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. FS1 will broadcast the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series TSport 200 at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, July 29. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  QUOTABLE QUOTESROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO INDY?“I am looking forward to the Indy road course. Several years ago I wasn’t very good at road courses, but now I’ve learned so much about how to drive road courses that I look forward to them. I’ll be running the Xfinity car on Saturday which will be good to get some reps in before the big race on Sunday. My teammate Daniel Suárez is really good at road courses so if all goes well, it should be a good weekend for Trackhouse.”
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A RACE? “I eat a lot of watermelon (laughs). I don’t eat what I used to eat, and I don’t always eat what I want to eat, but it’s to prepare for Sunday.
I sit in the car for three plus hours and I want to be as sharp on lap 200 as I am on lap 2. For long, humid races I might take a snack in the car. I plan my life around 38 Sundays a year.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BETMGM CAMARO ZL1DOES YOUR MINDSET CHANGE GOING INTO THIS RACE GIVEN THE POINTS SITUATION YOU ARE IN? “You just have to be aggressive. With the number of winners this season, we’re going to have to win to make it into the NASCAR Playoffs. This Richard Childress Racing team is strong, and I know we can get the job done. Things have to line up and we have to have a perfect day in order to get to Victory Lane. That means I have to do my job, the pit crew has to do their job and the strategy has to play out. In the SIM, I’ve been pretty good at the Indianapolis Road Course, and we were strong at this race last year, but it was just so crazy at the end. I’d like to surprise some people at a road course.”
OF ALL OF THE ROAD COURSES YOU’VE RUN, WHICH IS THE MOST COMPARABLE TO INDY?“Wow, it’s so flat. We’ve got elevation change at every track that we’ve gone to. I’d say Daytona has a little less elevation change. So for me, I really don’t know because the asphalt at Indy is so different the way the grooves are cut in it and it’s using a lot of lateral grip there. Sonoma, I think braking force-wise, is probably pretty similar; the amount of brake force and stuff like that because it seems like the track falls off a little bit. So, I’m thinking maybe Sonoma and Daytona, in between there.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1LARSON ON RACING AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROAD COURSE:“From what I remember of Indy (Motor Speedway Road Course) from last year, the restarts were really intense because turn one is a really wide and deep braking zone, so you can get four or five-wide before it narrows down in the corner. You have to find the confidence to brake deep so you don’t get bombed and that is difficult. It’s nice that it doesn’t have any elevation. It’s a fast-paced, ‘flowy’ type road course.”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1DANIELS ON RACING FOR STAGE POINTS AT ROAD COURSES OR PITTING BEFORE STAGE ENDS: “At Sonoma (Raceway), we started on the pole and built a lead. We stayed out (instead of short pitting) to win the stage and I thought we could have the ability to get through traffic – we had the entire race left to get back to the front. We had our (wheel) issue so we didn’t see how it would ultimately play out. We may not have gotten back to a winning position but we probably could have gotten back to a top-five position. Now, with that data point, we raced a few weeks later at Road America where we had to ‘flip’ the stages (short pit) to maintain track position to have a shot to win. We stayed in the top four and finished third – sort of with a shot to win. That is the general landscape for road course strategy moving forward.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1ELLIOTT ON RACING ON THE INDIANAPOLIS ROAD COURSE:“I feel like that’s probably been one of my worst road courses, personally. Never really felt like I got a hold of the track last year. I ended up kind of by happenstance running the Xfinity Series race last year as a sub in. It was unfortunate circumstances there, but I was grateful to have run that race because I was really bad on the Cup side until I got some extra reps, so I think that was helpful. So going back, I need to do some homework this week on how to be better up there because I do not feel very good about that track and just never got in a good groove there last year at all and was never really on offense. I felt like I was on defense more than I was making moves and moving forward. That’s not a place you want to be, especially at those tracks or anywhere for that matter. It’s certainly something I want to improve at and I want to put some effort into this week to try to do that.”
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1GUSTAFSON ON WHAT MAKES THE INDIANAPOLIS ROAD COURSE UNIQUE: “It’s super flat and there aren’t really any elevation changes at all. Probably the biggest thing that stands out, there’s a big brake zone, especially into turn one. To really set the corner up, you’d obviously have to be wider, but you can really shortcut somebody and there’s not a big exit that follows so that makes restarts and entry into that turn super hectic. All the road courses are unique, but I think Indy (Motor Speedway Road Course), with it being super flat with flat corners and the high-speed brake zone into one is what kind of sets it apart.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 ACRONIS CAMARO ZL1BYRON ON THE TEAM’S PREPARATION FOR ROAD COURSE RACES THIS SEASON: “I feel like to start this season with the Next Gen car we really struggled at road courses, especially compared to the year before. We were able to test at Watkins Glen (International), though, and I think that really helped us start to turn the page on our road course program. We’ve been able to build that notebook with each road course so far this year. I think we have really made strides to make that package better and put all the pieces together like we need to. The first focus for the weekend is qualifying and making sure we set ourselves up with a good run to get good track position and just work from there. Our focus for not only this weekend, but races moving forward, is to really execute every aspect of a race weekend from start to finish in preparation for the playoffs.”
RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 ACRONIS CAMARO ZL1FUGLE ON WHAT CHALLENGES THE INDIANAPOLIS ROAD COURSE BRINGS COMPARED TO OTHER ROAD COURSES: “I think this weekend’s road course race at Indianapolis (Motor Speedway) will be a little bit more about survival than other road course races. There’s a lot more run off areas there and they have changed the curbing in some places around the track to try avoid what happened last year. With the Next Gen car, it’s going to be critical to minimize running over those to keep the underwing intact and not tear up the diffuser. The other big thing will be managing the transition areas of the track from the road course sections onto the oval – similar to how the (Charlotte Motor Speedway) ROVAL is set up. We haven’t run a course like that this year with this car or this tire. I think that if you can keep your car in one piece throughout the weekend, and can manage your usual pit strategy and track position on a road course, you’ll be in a good position. You have to be around at the end, though, to be able to capitalize on that.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 BOWMAN ON RACING IN THE NASCAR XFINITY AND CUP SERIES AT THE INDIANAPOLIS ROAD COURSE: “We have been lucky to get the opportunity to make extra laps this weekend which just helps come time for the Cup race on Sunday. COTA (Circuit of The Americas) was a great example of how it can help us – running the Spire (Motorsports) truck and taking notes on the track helped in our efforts on Sunday so I am eager to get out there and get some practice in. Our team is doing everything we can to get better and this is another opportunity for us to maximize our weekend.”
GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1IVES ON THE STRENGTH OF THE ROAD COURSE CARS AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS: “Hendrick Motorsports has done a great job of making sure we have the best equipment every weekend and it has shown at road courses. Going back to COTA (Circuit of The Americas), we had a great car and had tons of speed, just got caught up in someone else’s mess. Road America was another place where we had a ton of speed and capitalized on points so I think this Sunday at Indy (Motor Speedway Road Course) will be more of the same. We will do everything we can to get the car ready, Alex (Bowman) is going to drive in the Xfinity race to get extra practice. I feel confident we will have a solid weekend and build some momentum as we head towards the playoffs.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR TEAM’S RECENT SUCCESS?          “I am proud of my team and everyone at Trackhouse Racing. We have been running very well of late. But we can be better. I thought we had a winning car at the start of Sunday’s race, but we were just a little bit off. Third place is a good finish, but we aren’t going to be happy until we are in first place.”
ARE YOU CONFIDENT ON THE ROAD COURSES? “Yes, we are very confident. We know we have a good road course package. We have been in contention for the win at every road course this season.”
WOULD YOU RATHER RACE THE OVAL OR THE ROAD COURSE AT INDIANAPOLIS? “I think Indianapolis is a big enough deal for everyone in racing that maybe we should race there twice. (smiling) Once on the oval and once on the road course!”
GRANT ENFINGER, NO. 23 CHAMPION POWER EQUIPMENT SILVERADO RST“Finally, we’ve made it to the start of the playoffs. Our regular season really didn’t go to plan for us on the No. 23 team, but the playoffs give us a great opportunity to completely flip our season. I’m looking forward to getting the Round of 10 started by visiting two short tracks back to back. Personally, I feel like the trucks should have never left racing at IRP, so I’m excited to get back there. Tire wear is going to be huge, so that’s going to give us an opportunity to have some comers and goers. I love racing at tracks that have a lot of fall off, where we’re able to fight for grip, so hopefully that will play to our advantage on Friday night.”
JACK WOOD, NO. 24 CHEVROLET MILITARY APPRECIATION SILVERADO RST“I’m looking forward to racing at IRP for the first time and focusing on the short tracks for the next few weeks. The past three races have definitely been a struggle with our No. 24 team that we did not see coming, but there’s not another group that I would rather have behind my back than the guys that I have on our team. It’s a bummer that we weren’t able to make the playoffs this year, but having the support of everyone at Chevrolet and GMS Racing has been great, and we still have a handful of races left to run this year to end the season on a high note. I want to congratulate Grant and the No. 23 team for making the playoffs; I know they are going to go out there and put up a great fight for the organization. Our number one goal for the rest of the season is to go out there and put together the best seven races that we possibly can, and that all starts with this weekend in Indy.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 40First 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 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)                2022 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 12Poles: 4Laps Led: 2,698Top-five finishes: 53Top-10 finishes: 97Stage wins: 20Tyler Reddick (Fontanax2)Alex Bowman (Las Vegas)Ross Chastain (Las Vegas), (Darlington), (Charlotte), (Pocono)William Byron (Phoenix), (Atlanta), (Talladega)Daniel Suarez (COTA), (Charlotte)Chase Elliott (Martinsvillex2), (Charlotte), (Atlantax2)Kyle Larson (Bristol Dirt), (Sonoma), (Pocono) CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 826 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 727Laps led to date: 244,034Top-five finishes to date: 4,191Top-10 finishes to date: 8,652                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,160           Chevrolet: 826           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 815                                                                    Ford: 715           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 167 

EYE ON THE PRIZE: Tanner English aims for Prairie Dirt Classic win, Rookie of the Year Award

The Benton, KY driver is eight points behind Max Blair in the Rookie of the Year battle

FAIRBURY, IL – JULY 28, 2022– It’s not often a rookie contender has a leg up on his competition. 

However, Tanner English has accomplished a feat that no other World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series driver has in 2022—win at Fairbury Speedway. 

As The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet travel to Fairbury, IL for the Prairie Dirt Classic, July-29-30, the Benton, KY driver has his eye on Saturday’s $50,000 prize, now that he knows what it takes to get to Victory Lane. 

“Not only just having a win, I have a lot of laps around [Fairbury],” English said. “I really like that place, and it’s close to home, and it sits on dirt that I’m familiar with, and I really know what it takes to get around that black dirt, and it just helps me be prepared and everything.”

Many drivers circle the Prairie Dirt Classic as one they want to add their name to the history books.

English stated he knows how massive a victory it would be for his career if he won the $50,000 prize. 

“Just having my name on that list, with a bunch of my idols and people that I grew up racing with and stuff, it’d be a big deal,” English said. “Just doing it in front of that crowd, they’re a really special crowd, and they know what’s up. They follow dirt Late Model racing, and they know when you’ve really done something, and I feel like if you win there, you’ve accomplished something really big.”

As English eyes another win at Fairbury, he’s also looking toward accomplishing a season-long goal—becoming World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Rookie of the Year. 

He’s only eight points behind Max Blair entering the Prairie Dirt Classic, thanks to his consistency in the last two months of competition. In his previous 13 World of Outlaws CASE Late Model starts, he’s finished in the top 10 on 11 occasions. 

He stated one of the reasons for his consistency is his familiarity with tires and how he’s turned his Qualifying program around.

“I’m really familiar with [LM Tires] and know what they’re going to do,” English said. “I felt like we’ve learned a lot this year, so maybe we’ll be alright when we go back out to [Blair’s] territory in a couple of weeks or so. 

“That and I also feel like we’ve gotten better. We’ve gotten our Qualifying program better, and that helps out a lot. At least now I ain’t got to pass 20 cars. We’ve been trying to stay consistent and just finish races.”

While English’s consistency is something he’s proud of, his Riggs Motorsports team is looking at another goal—his first World of Outlaws CASE Late Models triumph. 

It’s something he feels isn’t far away. 

“Really, I felt like it was coming at River Cities (Speedway), and I felt like we just made a wrong tire choice and made a few bad adjustments on the car,” English said. “I had the car to win there. I just felt like I second-guessed myself and put ourselves behind the eight-ball. 

“The last few races, we’ve started on the front row, so that’s a big confidence booster, and hopefully, we keep that up and just keep finishing up front.”

English and the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models visit Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, IL for the 32nd Running of the Prairie Dirt Classic, July 29-30. 

Chevrolet aiming to add to Western Swing victory total

Dallas Glenn looking forward to racing at home; Team Chevy drivers atop standings
DETROIT (July 28, 2022) – Dallas Glenn is looking forward to returning home this weekend.
The 2021 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Camping World Drag Racing Series rookie of the year will drive the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro SS at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington – 20 miles as the crow flies from his boyhood home – for the first time in Pro Stock competition.
It will be the NHRA’s first visit to the venue since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and close out the three-race Western Swing that has seen Chevrolet drivers post four victories.“Coming to race Pro Stock for the first time at my old home track is kind of surreal,” said Glenn, who defeated KB Racing teammate Kyle Koretsky earlier this season at Gainesville. “I grew up at this track and Pacific Raceways is a big part of my family. I actually grew up the exit down from the racetrack so if I wasn’t at home, you could find me there.
“Racing professionally in front of all the friends and family there will be an experience. We’ve had some early exits the last two races in just some real close races, but I still think we’ve got a winning car this year. I think Seattle would be the perfect race to score our second Wally of the season.”
Chevrolet drivers are atop the standings in three professional categories – Brittany Force in Top Fuel, Robert Hight in Funny Car and Erica Enders in Pro Stock.
Through 12 of the 22 scheduled nitro events, Team Chevy drivers have recorded 10 victories. Chevrolet drivers have swept all 10 Pro Stock wins, with Enders pacing the pack with six victories.Force earned her fourth win of the season and first at Sonoma Raceway last week, driving the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster. Along the way, she reset her own track Top Fuel speed record three times with a best of 337.75 mph.
“We’re coming out of Sonoma strong, and we want to do the same thing in Seattle,” she said.
    Team Chevy   points leaders
Top Fuel – Brittany Force (4 wins; 4 top qualifiers)
Funny Car – Robert Hight (5 wins; 2 runner-up finishes; 3 top qualifiers)
Pro Stock – Erica Enders (6 wins; 1 runner-up finish; 3 top qualifiers)
Hight, driving the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, increased his Funny Car points lead with a semifinal appearance at Sonoma, where he had won the previous three times. He’s won a class-high five races. Hight won at Pacific Raceways in 2017 on the way to the Funny Car championship and is a four-time No. 1 qualifier at the track.
John Force, runner-up at Sonoma in the PEAK/BluDEF Platinum Camaro SS, remained fourth in the Funny Car standings as he seeks a record-extending 17th title. Force has won nine times at Pacific Raceways, including 2019 when he corralled his 150th career victory.
Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, earned his maiden Top Fuel victory at the track in 2019.
No. 1 qualifier Enders, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro SS, .upped her Pro Stock points lead with a victory at Sonoma Raceway and denied Greg Anderson of his 100th career Pro Stock win in the process. In 2012, Enders shared the winner’s circle at Pacific Raceways with Courtney Force – the first time two women won at the same event.
“Going to Seattle, it was my second win ever and the first time two pro girls won, me and Courtney Force, so that stands out in my mind as well as we head there. Just an amazing day,” Enders said.
Anderson, the five-time and reigning Pro Stock champion driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is seeking to join Force (155) as the only drivers in pro categories with 100 wins. In 2019, after winning the first two rounds of the Western Swing, Anderson was runner-up to Matt Hartford at Pacific Raceways.CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPITTOP FUELBRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time winner this season; points leader): “I’m excited to go back to Seattle, it’s been a while. t’s another track I’ve grown up on and has a lot of memories for John Force Racing. Austin got his first win there the same time my dad won his 150th and then this year it’s the Flav-R-Pac race, my sponsor. I’m excited to see Flav-R-Pac colors painted all up and down the track and proud to stand by such an incredible company. Our team is looking forward to getting back to work and begin qualifying. We’re coming out of Sonoma strong, and we want to do the same thing in Seattle.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (runner-up at Pomona opener; 2019 winner at track): “I’m happy to be back in Seattle. It’s been a few years since we’ve been here and when I left it was definitely on a high note. It would be really special to keep the reigning champ title for another year. I think we are on the right track to make a statement this weekend. Hopefully that turns into four win lights on Sunday and I can be on the wing celebrating again.”
FUNNY CARJOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK/BLUEDEF PLATINUM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier and Charlotte four-wide winner; runner-up at Sonoma; nine-time winner at the track): “Back in Seattle after three years, it’s going to feel good to be back. We’ve missed those fans, I hope they’ve missed us too. It’s the Flav-R-Pac race, Frank Tiegs, he’s waited just as long as us to get this race back. His car is running great over there with Brittany and hopefully we can get a couple more winner’s circle photos with him this weekend. We’re in a good spot. This PEAK team, we have a fast car, it was right there in Sonoma. We’ll see how this weekend goes.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (five-time winner this season; points leader): “We are off to a great season so far. This Auto Club team is really working hard, and we need to keep it up. This last half of the season is what’s really important, four races and then we hit the NHRA Countdown. We are going to try and be perfect, come out every run and get down the track, be consistent and try not to make any mistakes. This Chevy is responding to what Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham are doing and we are only getting better.”
PRO STOCKERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (six-time winner this season; points leader): “Coming into race day, I know I have the car to beat right now. It’s just it’s the way the cookie crumbles and that will change. I guarantee it. But right now, all I have to do is go up there and do my job and not mess up.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; seeking to become second pro driver with 100 wins; runner-up at Sonoma; fourth in standings): “The positive is that KB Racing won (at Denver with Matt Hartford) and we were in the final (at Sonoma) with the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet. We’re coming back. I feel good about it, and we have another chance to finish the Western Swing with a win. I’m going to keep digging and build on this momentum.”
CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, TEQUILA COMISARIO CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston): “We have been working really hard with this Tequila Comisario Chevrolet team and we have just had some tough draws on race day. We are a team that has been consistently qualifying in the top half and that makes a difference on Sunday. I know we have the power thanks to Titan Racing Engines and my crew led by crew chief Jim Yates is really good. I am excited to get to a new track and have some new results on the swing.”
KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier at Phoenix; runner-up at Gainesville; third in standings): “Different weather, different atmosphere and my first time racing there as well. I’m looking forward to the third and final race of the Western Swing. We made the semifinals in Sonoma and were looking good but had a mechanical issue about a third of the way down the track, so I’m definitely looking to go rounds this weekend. My goal is not to have Dallas (Glenn) beat me at Seattle.”
DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (winner at Gainesville; No. 1 qualifier at Epping; fifth in standings): “Racing professionally in front of all the friends and family there will be an experience. We’ve had some early exits the last two races in just some real close races, but I still think we’ve got a winning car this year. I think Seattle would be the perfect race to score our second Wally of the season.”
MASON MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (semifinalist in four of the 10 races): “The last two races we were pretty killer on the tree in the first round and then we eased up in the second round. We just need four consistent runs with good reaction times and elapsed times. That is what we are looking to do in Seattle this weekend. This will be my first time racing in Seattle but I feel pretty good. You want to make the most of qualifying and then just keep it rolling on race day. I am just going to go up there and do my thing. We are sixth in the points we aren’t too far back, but we would like to have a good weekend in Seattle and try to close that gap. We want to win that first race for sure.”
CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (owns both ends of the track record, set in 2015 on the way to victory): “I am looking forward to Seattle. I switched cars and I am back to my old car and I am going faster. I have lost some mojo but I am going to get it back. I am going to forget the past and focus on this next race. The conditions in Seattle can be really good for our class. It can go either way but we are looking for a good weekend. Racing with Mason is the best. I am looking forward to seeing him get his first win and then I think we will both be in a great spot.”

Chevrolet INDYCAR Teams: Back Again… in Indiana

Second race of 2022 on IMS Road Course can build more momentum in title chase

DETROIT (July 27, 2022) – For the third time this season and second on the road course, Chevrolet teams in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES are headed to Indianapolis Motor Speedway – this time for the Gallagher Grand Prix and the 13th round of this year’s 17-race schedule.

There hasn’t been much to slow down the Chevrolet IndyCar train with nine wins so far and the lead in the Engine Manufacturer Championship. The only thing missing this year for Team Chevy is a win at Indianapolis, which the 10-car contingent of Bowtie-powered teams hope to rectify once the race goes green at noon ET on Saturday (NBC, Peacock, IndyCar Radio).

“It’s always good to go back to Indianapolis,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet program manager for INDYCAR. “Although this is our second time this season on the IMS road course, there are a number of obvious differences. It’s a different time of year so the track and air temperature will influence tire performance. We’ll also have different brands of tire rubber on the track throughout the weekend with NASCAR sharing the weekend. 

“None of this is new to us,” he added. “We’ve been able to adapt all year to different track conditions and situations, and this is a big reason we are leading the Engine Manufacturer Championship heading into the home stretch. Our teams have performed well and we’ll all continue working together to maximize any opportunities that come up this weekend.”

That has happened more often than not at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indy road course. Three different active Chevrolet drivers – Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Rinus VeeKay – have won nine times on that configuration since 2015. Team Penske’s Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, leads all drivers with five Indy road course wins.

On the way to the green flag, the field for the Gallagher Grand Prix will follow a red Corvette Stingray, which will serve as Official Pace Car.

And while on the grounds at IMS, Team Chevy fans can enjoy all that the Chevrolet display, located near Pagoda Plaza, has to offer. Included in the display activities will be a series of Q&A sessions with some of the star Chevrolet drivers.

Friday

· 2:30 p.m.: Team Penske – Scott McLaughlin, Will Power

· 3:00 p.m.: Juncos Hollinger Racing – Callum IIott

· 3:15 p.m.: AJ Foyt Racing – Dalton Kellett, Kyle Kirkwood

· 4:30 p.m.: Arrow McLaren SP – Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist

Saturday

· 10:00 a.m.: Ed Carpenter Racing – Rinus VeeKay and Conor Daly

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 9 a.m. Friday, 7 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles will be on display – including the 2023 Corvette Z06 and Silverado RV – and fans can register to receive a 2022 Chevrolet Racing T-shirt.

Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season with a return to the Indianapolis road course for the Gallagher Grand Prix at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 30. The race will air live starting at noon ET on NBC, the Peacock streaming service, IndyCar Radio Network affiliates and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160). Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR

· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after 12 races

· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing

· 3: Active Team Chevy drivers to win on the Indianapolis road course: Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Rinus VeeKay

· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP

· 5: Victories at the Indianapolis road course for Penske’s Will Power (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)

· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg

· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012

· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012

· 14: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 11 with Chevrolet. He won at Belle Isle in 2022

· 26: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer

· 41: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver

· 104: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012

· 112: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012

· 177: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

JOHN FORCE AND PEAK CHEVY LOOK TO DEFEND NHRA NORTH WEST NATIONALS TITLE

KENT, Wash. (July 27, 2022) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS will be looking for their second win of the season as they head to the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the final event on the famed Western Swing and a facility that played host to a historic victory for the 16-time champion. Other than the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, Minn., a race he’s won 11 times, John Force has won most often at Seattle where he’s claimed the Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals Funny Car title on nine occasions: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2019. He comes in as the defending champion alongside Top Fuel teammate Austin Prock with whom he shared the 2019 podium with. The victory marked Force’s 150th of his career, a milestone that will be hard pressed to ever be met again. “Back in Seattle after three years, it’s going to feel good to be back. We’ve missed those fans, I hope they’ve missed us too,” Force said. “It’s the Flav-R-Pac race, Frank Tiegs, he’s waited just as long as us to get this race back. His car is running great over there with Brittany and hopefully we can get a couple more winner’s circle photos with him this weekend. We’re in a good spot. This PEAK team, we have a fast car, it was right there in Sonoma. We’ll see how this weekend goes.” Winner of a record 155 NHRA tour events, Force currently is fourth in Camping World points, well positioned to make a run at his 17th series championship once the points are adjusted for the Countdown. In his 47th season on the NHRA pro tour, he is the drag racing record holder in almost every imaginable professional category including championships (16), consecutive championships (10), final rounds (263), race wins (155), round wins (1405) and No. 1 qualifying performances (164).  NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated for a 10:30 a.m. start on Sunday. Television coverage of the event begins on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be aired on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

ASHLEY EAGER TO FINISH WESTERN SWING WITH VICTORY

PLAINVIEW, NY (July 27, 2022) — Two races into the Western Swing Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Energy are battling with the elite Top Fuel teams at the top of the point standings. A semifinal finish in Denver and a quarterfinal finish in Sonoma have Ashley sitting in third place with just four races left in the regular season. The team will make their first start at the NHRA Northwest Nationals from Pacific Raceway this weekend.

“The Western Swing is a new experience,” said Ashley, the 2020 Rookie of the Year. “Three races in a row all on the west coast. It’s been about finding a routine that works the best. Between Denver and Sonoma I flew home to spend time with my family and now I am going to stay out on the road with my team until Seattle. I am enjoying the opportunity to race three events in a row at facilities that seem to be more beautiful than the next. I am soaking it all in and learning as much as I can from our great Phillips Connect team.” 

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Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Energy, photo by Ron Lewis

Ashley has raced to four final rounds so far this season picking up wins at the season opening Winternationals and the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire. The consistency of performance has kept the second-year driver and team owner in the top tier of Top Fuel teams. Currently, Ashley is 140 points out of the points lead but with four races remaining including the U.S. Nationals which features points and a half, heading to the top spot is not out of the question. 

“Seattle is like any other race,” said Ashley. “But we are in the final stretch of the regular season so we have to be on our A Game and continue to collect points. We want to close out the swing strong and put ourselves into a good position going into the countdown.”

Prior to the Sonoma Nationals Ashley along with Davis Motorsports and Phillips Connect hosted a golf tournament and dinner to honor Oakdale, California native Eric Medlen. Both events raised $50,000 which was donated to Speedway Children’s Charities of Sonoma in honor of the NHRA rising star and 2006 Sonoma Nationals Funny Car winner who was killed in a testing accident in 2007.

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Sonoma Speedway Children’s Charity check presentation, photo by Ron Lewis

“It was amazing to make such a great donation to the Sonoma chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities and it wouldn’t have happened without the support of Phillips Connect and Nordby Signature Homes,” said Ashley. “The Davis Motorsports, Antron Brown Motorsports and Justin Ashley Racing teams all pulled together and did a great thing. We are excited to bring that event back and host it again in 2023.”

This weekend Ashley will fly the familiar colors of Phillips Connect and Vita C Energy along with his associate sponsors Lucas Oil, Toyota, KATO Fastening Systems and a new one race partnership with Ashton Paving from Salem, Oregon. Friday’s Northwest Nationals will begin with one qualifying session under the lights followed by two more sessions on Saturday. The race will begin on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. PT with FOX broadcasting the race nationals beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

AUSTIN PROCK AND MONTANA BRAND / RMT LOOKING FOR REPEAT WIN AT FLAV-R-PAC NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

KENT, Wash. (July 27, 2022) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team return to Pacific Raceway as the defending champions of the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals. With a win in the 2022 Camping World Drag Racing Series season evading him, Prock is hoping Seattle will be his turning point. Prock upset reigning World Champion Steve Torrence in the final round the last time the Northwest Nationals was contested in 2019. He shared that winners’ circle with boss and teammate John Force, who was the Funny Car winner. Prock’s 2019 win, his first, helped propel the third generation drag racer to NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year honors before the COVID-19 pandemic briefly sidetracked his pro career.  “I’m happy to be back in Seattle. It’s been a few years since we’ve been here and when I left it was definitely on a high note,” Prock said. “It would be really special to keep the reigning champ title for another year. I think we are on the right track to make a statement this weekend. Hopefully that turns into four win lights on Sunday and I can be on the wing celebrating again.” Prock won that 2019 race from a very unassuming No. 12 starting position, beating tour regulars Leah Pruett, Clay Millican and Mike Salinas before stopping Torrence. He enters the final race in the grueling Western Swing in ninth place in Camping World points with just four races remaining before points are adjusted for the six-race Countdown to the Championship.  NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated for a 10:30 a.m. start on Sunday. Television coverage of the event begins on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be aired on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

ROBERT HIGHT AND AUTO CLUB CHEVY LOOK TO MATCH CAREER HIGH SIXTH WIN AT NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

KENT, Wash. (July 27, 2022) – Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team continue to impress fans and competitors alike as they chase the best season of Hight’s career. The Auto Club team hope to next put on a show and end up in the winners circle at this weekend’s Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Hight won the Northwest Nationals on the way to the championship in 2017 and has been the No. 1 qualifier four times (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010). The last time the race was contested in 2019, he qualified his Auto Club Chevy Camaro SS No. 5 but lost to teammate and eventual event winner, John Force, in round two.
“We are off to a great season so far. This Auto Club team is really working hard, and we need to keep it up,” Hight said. “This last half of the season is what’s really important, four races and then we hit the NHRA Countdown. We are going to try and be perfect, come out every run and get down the track, be consistent and try not to make any mistakes. This Chevy is responding to what Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham are doing and we are only getting better.”
Robert Hight and the Auto Club Chevy are the Funny Car points leader on the strength of five wins in 12 events this year and are on par to match, or better, a career best six wins in a single season. Hight is chasing his fourth Funny Car world championship while also looking to hit a milestone 60 career victories, he currently has 58, with 10 events left on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule.
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated for a 10:30 a.m. start on Sunday. Television coverage of the event begins on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be aired on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Randy Meyer Adds Fiona Crisp to Driver Line Up

Jul 25, 2022 |

Fiona Crisp will drive Randy Meyer Racing Team’s second championship-winning Top Alcohol Dragster to make her NHRA debuts this weekend, July 28-30, at the Heartland Motorsports Park Lucas Oil Regional race. Crisp who is based out of Sydney, Australia has never competed in the NHRA and recently licensed with Meyer earlier this year.

“I’m really excited to be able to work with the Randy Meyer team to make this happen,” said Crisp. “I know it’s a cliche but it really is a dream come true to compete in the NHRA in Top Alcohol. I am feeling a lot of different emotions leading into the weekend but I just want to have fun, stay calm and take it all in. Special thanks to my sponsors, Guarded Group, GT Skips and Vinyl Wraps and Graphics.”

Crisp and teammate Julie Nataas will begin qualifying Thursday, July 28 and will follow on Friday. Eliminations are scheduled for Saturday. (Click here to watch for FREE from NHRA.tv!)

Burton, DEX Imaging Team Looking To Score Points at Indy


July 27, 2022


Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are headed to the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, an 82-lap, 200-mile race on the infield road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hoping to build on their successes at the road-course races so far this season. 

In the earlier races at Circuit of the America, Sonoma Raceway and Road America, Burton and the No. 21 team earned points in both Stages and came away with good points totals for the day’s efforts.
 
Indy’s 14-turn, 2.44-mile road course, like most others, has its own distinct characteristics, but Brian Wilson, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX Imaging team, has found success there in the past, including leading Austin Cindric to victory last year in the Xfinity Series.
 
“Indianapolis has a lot of great memories for me personally, both during my time on Team Penske cars racing the oval, as well as our win on the road course last year in the Xfinity series,” Wilson said. “I look forward to the strategy of the road course and intend to continue our streak of solid points days that we’ve had at all road courses this year.”

Wilson said that the rookie Burton is adapting to racing Cup cars while turning left and right on road courses.
 
“Harrison has done an excellent job managing the various strategies in addition to the normal challenges that road courses throw your way,” he said. “The road course at Indianapolis has a unique mix of corners. Historically we’ve had to focus on the braking zones as well as having a stable platform in the car for the sweeping switchbacks. 
 
“I look forward to seeing what challenge we have with this year’s car this weekend.”
 
At Indy, the No. 21 Mustang will carry a special decal honoring the memory of long-time Wood Brothers crew member Mike Hartman, who passed away Monday, July 25th, at the age of 84.
 
Mr. Hartman worked on the team for 25 years before retiring in 2014.
 
Eddie Wood said it’s fitting that the No. 21 will carry Mr. Hartman’s decal at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since he was a season ticket holder at the Speedway for many years before he joined the race team.
 
Practice for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is set for Saturday at 9:35 a.m. followed immediately by qualifying.
 
Sunday’s race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. with TV coverage on NBC.
 
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 15 and 35. 

BRITTANY FORCE LOOKING TO LAND FLAV-R-PAC CHEVY DRAGSTER IN WINNERS CIRCLE AT NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS

KENT, Wash. (July 27, 2022) – With just four races remaining before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster have regained the Top Fuel points lead heading into this weekend’s Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle. They look to widen their lead with a win at their primary sponsor’s title race.
Heading to Washington for the first time in three years, Force will be trying to win for the fifth time this season, which would be a personal best for the 2017 World Champion. She is coming off a record-setting performance at last week’s NHRA Sonoma Nationals in which she drove her David Grubnic and Mac Savage-prepared dragster to track records of 3.662-seconds and 337.75 mph. She now owns the six fastest speeds in Top Fuel history and nine of the top 10.  
“I’m excited to go back to Seattle, it’s been a while,” Force said. “It’s another track I’ve grown up on and has a lot of memories for John Force Racing. Austin got his first win there the same time my dad won his 150th and then this year it’s the Flav-R-Pac race, my sponsor. I’m excited to see Flav-R-Pac colors painted all up and down the track and proud to stand by such an incredible company. Our team is looking forward to getting back to work and begin qualifying. We’re coming out of Sonoma strong, and we want to do the same thing in Seattle.”
Surprisingly, Pacific Raceways is one of the very few tracks on which Force has not reached the semifinals since moving up to Top Fuel (she lost to sister Courtney in the Top Alcohol Dragster semis in 2009), has not started from the No. 1 qualifying position and does not own either of the track records. The last time the race was contested in 2019, she qualified second and had a quarterfinal exit. 
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways begins with qualifying Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 4:45 p.m. Eliminations are slated for a 10:30 a.m. start on Sunday. Television coverage of the event begins on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Eliminations will be aired on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

cruz pedregon–seattle advance

NHRA® Team Report

NHRA Northwest Nationals 

Pre-Race Report

Holding steady in sixth place in the NHRA Funny Car standings, Cruz Pedregon and team are heading to Seattle with an eye on the prize of a Northwest Nationals win in the Snap-on® Dodge® SRT® Hellcat®.

“This is a race I’ve had my eye on winning for years, dating back all the way to my alcohol car days back in the late 80s,” says Cruz. “Through the years, we’ve brought some really good cars to the Seattle race but haven’t been able to quite punch it through. So, this year, we’re going to look forward to getting the Snap-on Dodge into the winners’ circle.”

Cheering on Cruz this weekend is local Snap-on franchisee Don Legge, whose name is on the side of the Snap-on Franchise car for the Seattle event. He’ll be joined at the track by family and several loyal customers. Cruz got to meet some of them Thursday when he rode along with Don on his route to meet these makers and fixers where they work. If your profession involves making and fixing in these types of essential businesses, such as keeping vehicles on the road

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: 32nd Prairie Dirt Classic Awaits World of Outlaws Late Models

A potential $100,000 is on the line at Fairbury SpeedwayFAIRBURY, IL – July 27, 2022 – All eyes are on Central Illinois this weekend for one of the highly anticipated events on the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model schedule. The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet return to Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, IL, for the 32nd running of the Prairie Dirt Classic, July 29-30. For the second straight season, the 100-lap event will pay $50,000-to-win. However, each lap also pays $500, meaning if a driver leads every lap, they’ll walk away with $100,000 from the 1/4-mile bullring.  The event kicks off on Friday, July 29, with My Place Hotels Qualifying, followed by four 25-lap, $3,000-to-win Prairie Dirt Showdowns to help set Saturday’s field.  On Saturday, July 30, drivers who haven’t transferred to the 100-lap finale will run in three Last Chance Showdowns.  Drivers who don’t transfer from those Last Chance Showdowns have one more chance in the 25-lap Prairie Dirt Shootout, where the winner can take home $2,500 or start the Prairie Dirt Classic.  The 100-lap, $50,000-to-win finale will cap off the night as drivers hope to etch their name into Fairbury Speedway’s history.  Joining the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models for the weekend are the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals, who will finish their summer tour with a 40-lap, $5,000-to-win Feature.  If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online or through the DIRTVision AppHere are the top storylines this weekend:  ERB’S TIME TO SHINE: Dennis Erb Jr. is having one of the best seasons of his career. He’s reached Victory Lane five times in World of Outlaws CASE Late Models competition, along with 14 top-fives and 21 top-10s in 26 races.  The Carpentersville, IL driver has previously found success in the Prairie Dirt Classic, winning the event in 2004. He’s also found success on bullrings in 2022. Erb won at Marion Center Speedway with the World of Outlaws and at Spoon River Raceway, another Illinois bullring in May. Erb enters the weekend with a 186-point lead over second-place Max Blair in the chase for the World of Outlaws championship.  ENGLISH LESSON: World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year contender Tanner English may have a leg up on his competition heading into the Prairie Dirt Classic.  The Benton, KY driver already found Victory Lane at Fairbury this season, winning the Pappy and Bob Allen Memorial at the 1/4-mile bullring in June. If he can find Victory Lane again at the Illinois facility, it would be a career-defining moment for the Bluegrass State competitor.  He’s also closing the gap on Max Blair in the battle for Rookie of the Year—only eight points behind the Centerville, PA driver entering the weekend.  OPERATING FOR VICTORY: Bobby Pierce has won some of dirt Late Model racing’s most notable events. However, one event has eluded the Oakwood, IL driver — the Prairie Dirt Classic.  The “Smooth Operator” has knocked on the door to Victory Lane twice in the previous two events, finishing second to Kyle Larson last year, and finishing third after a thrilling battle with Brandon Sheppard for the win in 2019.  A Prairie Dirt Classic win would also be the sixth win for the Pierce family, as his dad Bob has won the event five times.  If Pierce wins at Fairbury this weekend, it’ll be his third World of Outlaws win of the season — his last coming on June 3 at Tri-City Speedway (IL).  THE STARS OF FAIRBURY: When the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models head to the Prairie Dirt Classic, they’re battling some of the best drivers Late Model racing has to offer and also a stout field of Fairbury track regulars. Ryan Unzicker, from El Paso, IL, currently leads the track’s points standings entering the weekend and already has a World of Outlaws top five this season (Tri-City). Unzicker has three wins at Fairbury in 2022 so far. A couple of drivers battling Unzicker who have also won at Fairbury in 2022 are hometown driver McKay Wenger, and Manhattan, IL driver Mike Spatola, who scored a World of Outlaws victory last season at Farmer City Raceway.  Along with those three names is veteran campaigner Kevin Weaver in his patented #B12 car. The Gibson City, IL driver won the Prairie Dirt Classic in 1991.  BEWARE OF ILLINOIS: While Fairbury Speedway boasts a stout field of drivers, that’s not all Illinois has to offer. An Illinois driver has won 16 of the 31 Prairie Dirt Classics, most recently Brandon Sheppard in 2019.  Out of the Prairie State drivers projected to run this weekend’s event, Shannon Babb has more wins than any other driver, with three. Sheppard, who makes his return to World of Outlaws CASE Late Models competition with Rocket1 Racing this weekend, has won the event twice.  Jason Feger, from Bloomington, IL, has also won the event, finding Victory Lane in 2012.  DAVENPORT’S DOMINANCE: Perhaps no driver enters the Prairie Dirt Classic with more momentum than Jonathan Davenport.  The Eldora Million winner has already won $73,000 this week, including his $20,000 Hawkeye 50 triumph at Boone Speedway.  “Superman” has also found success at Fairbury, winning the Prairie Dirt Classic in 2015. A win on Saturday would be his fourth World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Feature win of the season.  WHEN AND WHEREFriday-Saturday July 29-30 at Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, IL ABOUT THE TRACKFairbury Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked dirt ovalONLINE –
Fairbury Speedway: www.fairburyspeedway.com   PREVIOUS WINNERS2021 – Kyle Larson on July 31
2019 – Brandon Sheppard on July 27
2018 – Devin Moran on July 28
2017 – Brandon Sheppard on July 29
2016 – Josh Richards on July 30
2015 – Jonathan Davenport on July 25
2014 – Tim McCreadie on July 26
2013 – Shannon Babb on July 27 TRACK RECORD12.143 set by Kyle Strickler on 9/15/20On the Internet
World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Series
Twitter – Twitter.com/WoOLateModels – @WoOLateModels
Instagram – Instagram.com/WoOLateModels – @woolatemodels
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month

Around the Turn: The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet travel to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI for the 35th Annual USA Nationals August 4-6.  Feature Winners: (15 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsDennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-4Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-3Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA- 2
Max Blair, Centerville, PA-2
Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-2
Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-2
Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-2Ashton Winger, Hampton, GA-1
Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-1
Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC-1
Michael Brown, Lancaster, SC-1
Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX-1
Ricky Weiss, Headingley, MB-1
Jared Miley, Pittsburgh, PA-1
Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-1
Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-1Heat Race Winners (44 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsBrandon Sheppard- New Berlin, IL-8
Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-8Chris Madden-Gray Court, SC-7
Brandon Sheppard- New Berlin, IL-7
Max Blair, Centerville, PA-7Dale McDowell-Chickamauga, GA-6
Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-6
Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-6Devin Moran-Dresden, OH-4
Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-4Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX-3
Gordy Gundaker, St. Charles, MO-3
Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-3Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY-2
Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-2
Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, AZ-2
Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, NC-2
Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL-2
Ricky Weiss, Headingly, MB-2
Rick Eckert, York, PA-2
Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-2
Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL-2
Tanner English, Benton, KY-2Ashton Winger, Hampton, GA-1
Ross Robinson, Georgetown, DE-1
Mark Whitener, Middleburg, FL-1
Frank Heckenast, Jr., Frankfort, IL-1
Michael Brown, Lancaster, SC-1
Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, NC-1
Ross Bailes, Clover, SC-1
Josh Rice, Verona, KY-1
Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, IN-1
Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, NM-1
Chad Simpson, Mt. Vernon, IA-1
Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA-1
Spencer Hughes, Meridian, MS-1
Jeff Rine, Danville, PA-1
Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, PA-1
Rick Eckert, York, PA-1
Josh Richards, Houston, OH-1
Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL-1
Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL-1
Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR-1
Daryn Klein, Trenton, IL-1
Logan Martin, West Plains, MO-1
Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL-1
Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-1Last Chance Showdown Winners (38 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsMax Blair, Centerville, PA-3Cade Dillard-Robeline, LA-2
Devin Moran, Dresden, OH-2
Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, PA-2
Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL-2
Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN-2
Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-2
Jake Timm, Winona, MN-2
Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV-2
Tanner English, Benton, KY-2Hudson O’Neal- Martinsville, IN-1
Logan Martin, Plains, MO-1
Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-1
Chris Simpson, Oxford, IA-1
Spencer Hughes, Meridian, MS-1
Mike Norris, Sarver, PA-1
Chase Osterhoff, Kankakee, IL-1
Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX-1
Anthony Sanders, Spartanburg, SC-1
Banjo Duke, Sumter, SC-1
Steve Casebolt, Richmond, IN-1
Austyn Mills, Cincinnati, OH-1
Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, IL-1
Andy Bond, Coolville, OH-1
Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, NM-1
Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS-1
Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL-1
Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-1
Shaun Jones, Shermansdale, PA-1
Ryan Montgomery, Fairmont, WV-1
Chad Myers, Hempstead, MD-1
Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, PA-1
John Garvin, Sarver, PA-1
Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, NM-1
Trevor Gundaker, St. Charles, MO-1
Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, NM-1
Brad Seng, Grand Forks, ND-1
Chad Mahder, Bloomer, WI-1Podium Finishes (32 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – PodiumsDennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-10Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-6Max Blair, Centerville, PA-5Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA-4
Josh Richards, Houston, OH-4
Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-4
Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-4
Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-4
Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-4Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC-3
Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-3
Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX-3
Ricky Weiss, Headingly, MB-3Devin Moran, Dresden, OH-2
Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY-2
Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL-2Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA-1
Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-1
Ashton Winger, Hampton, GA-1
Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS-1
Michael Brown, Lancaster, SC-1
Ross Bailes, Clover, SC-1
Daulton Wilson, Fayetteville, NC-1
Josh Rice, Verona, KY-1
Tanner English, Benton, KY-1
Stormy Scott-Las Cruces, NM-1
Jared Miley, Pittsburgh, PA-1
Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, PA-1
Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR-1
Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, IL-1
Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL-1
Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL-1Fox Factory Hard Charger (19 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.Tanner English, Benton, KY-5Gordy Gundaker, St. Charles, MO-3Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN-2Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, IN-1
Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-1
Max Blair, Centerville, PA-1
Devin Moran, Dresden, OH-1
Carson Ferguson, Concord, NC-1
Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-1
Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN-1
Ross Bailes, Clover, SC-1
Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, NM-1
Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS-1
Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV-1
Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL-1
Jordan Bauer, St. Jacob, IL-1
Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL-1
Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-1
Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, WI-1Quick Times (16 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTsShane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-4Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC-2
Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-2
Ricky Weiss, Headingly, MB-2
Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-2
Max Blair, Centerville, PA-2Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL-1
Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA-1
Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-1
Trent Ivey, Union, SC-1
Josh Rice, Verona, KY-1
Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-1
Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-1
Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-1
Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA-1
Logan Martin, West Plains, MO-1
Tanner English, Benton, KY-1
Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-1CASE Feature Lap Leaders (26 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps LedMax Blair, Centerville, PA-123Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-119Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX-99Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-80Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA-66Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA-65Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-61Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-60Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-59Ricky Weiss, Headingley, MB-54Ashton Winger, Hampton, GA-39Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC-31Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR-28Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL-27Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL-27Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-25Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL-24Michael Brown, Lancaster, SC-22Jared Miley, Pittsburgh, PA-20
Rick Eckert, York, PA-20Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA-16Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, NC-15Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-14Devin Moran, Dresden, OH-11Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA-10Spencer Hughes, Meridian, MS-12022 World of Outlaws Late Model Schedule & WinnersNo./ Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Thursday, Jan. 20 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Dale McDowell (1)
2. Friday, Jan. 21/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Ashton Winger (1)
3. Wednesday, Feb. 16/Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, FL/Brandon Overton (1)
4. Thursday, Feb. 17/Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, FL/Dale McDowell (2)
5. Friday, Feb. 18/Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, FL/Dennis Erb Jr. (1)
6. Saturday, Feb. 19/Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, FL/Chris Madden (1)
7. Friday, March 25/Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney, SC/Michael Brown (1)
8. Saturday, March 26/Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney, SC/Max Blair (1)
9. Friday, April 22/Atomic Speedway, Waverly, OH/Tyler Erb (1)
10. x, April 23/Atomic Speedway, Waverly, OH/ Brandon Sheppard (1)
11. Friday, April 29/ Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN/Jonathan Davenport (1)
12. Saturday, April 30/Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN/Ricky Weiss (1)
13. Thursday, May 5/Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI/Bobby Pierce (1)
14. Friday, May 6/Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI/Jonathan Davenport (2)
15. Saturday, May 7/Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI/Mike Marlar(1)
16. Thursday, May 19/Bloomsburg Fair Raceway/Bloomsburg, PA/Max Blair (2)
17. Friday, May 20/Marion Center Raceway/Marion Center, PA/Dennis Erb Jr. (2)
18. Saturday, May 21/Port Royal Speedway/Port Royal, PA/Jared Miley (1)
19. Saturday, May 29/Sharon Speedway, Hartford, OH/Ryan Gustin (1)
20. Friday, June 3/Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, IL/Bobby Pierce (2)
21. Friday, June 24/Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, Pevely, MO/ Dennis Erb Jr. (3)
22. Saturday, June 25/Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, Pevely, MO/Dennis Erb Jr. (4)
23. Sunday, June 26/Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL/Brandon Sheppard (2)
24. Friday, July 15/River Cities Speedway/ Grand Forks, ND/ Shane Clanton (1)
25. Sunday, July 16/Red Cedar Speedway/ Menomonie, WI/Mike Marlar(2)
26. Monday, July 25/Boone Speedway/Boone, IA/Jonathan Davenport(3)
The World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Case Construction Equipment (Official Construction Equipment), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Fox Factory (Hard Charger Award), MSD, My Place Hotels, Penske Racing Shocks, Quarter Master, Swift Springs, and Wrisco–Wieland Metal Services (Exclusive Racing Aluminum); along with manufacturer sponsors, including Dirt Car Lift, Capital Race Cars, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, FIREBULL, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics, Reliable Painting, Rocket Chassis, and Sea Foam.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Stacked Summit Modified Field Takes on 32nd Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury

Nick Hoffman, Mike Harrison, Tyler Nicely, Michael Ledford and more part of 65-car entry list

FAIRBURY, IL – July 26, 2022 – The biggest event on the DIRTcar Summit Racing EquipmentModified Nationals calendar caps off its 12th season in operation this Friday-Saturday, July 29-30 in the 32nd annual Prairie Dirt Classic.

Fairbury Speedway hosts the Summit Modifieds with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series for the seventh time in event history, dating back to 2015, when the Modifieds contested only a 30-lap Feature each night. The format was reshaped in 2017 to its current state, which includes Hot Lap/Qualifying and four $500-to-win Showdown Features on Friday night, transferring the top-four finishers to Saturday’s Feature.

Saturday consists of Hot Laps and two Last Chance Showdown races for any driver not yet qualified, taking the top-two finishers from each into the Feature. Four provisional starters will be added to fill the final four spots before the field rolls to the track for the 40-lap, $5,000-to-win Summit Modified Prairie Dirt Classic finale.

Sixty-five of the best DIRTcar UMP Modified drivers in the nation are scheduled to compete in the Fairbury crown jewel event. See below for the complete driver roster.

Current Summit Modified points leader Nick Hoffman has officially clinched his fifth tour championship with 12 wins in 15 starts this season. He’ll join DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model champion Bobby Pierce in a special championship crowning during opening ceremonies on Friday night, honoring both drivers’ accomplishments on the Hell Tour this year as they hoist their fifth career championship trophies.

Tickets are available for purchase online at FairburySpeedway.com or at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

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

THREE-PEAT? – Two-time and defending Summit Modified Prairie Dirt Classic champion Nick Hoffman returns to the seat of his NOS Energy Drink/Elite Chassis #2, seeking his third-straight win in the event finale.

Hoffman, the now five-time Summit Modified champion from Mooresville, NC, has the most PDC Modified wins total with five between all Showdown (2017, 2019, 2021) and finale Features (2019, 2021), and will be among the favorites to win again this weekend after a regular-season Summit Modified victory at Fairbury in June.

Like last year, Hoffman is also scheduled to have an entry in the World of Outlaws CASE Late Model portion of the PDC, this year piloting the Allstar Concrete/Barry Wright Race Cars #2 house ride for the team from Cowpens, SC.

RECLAIM THE THRONE – For two years, Mike Harrison reigned supreme over the Summit Modifieds in the PDC. For the last two, he’s watched another hoist the big money check from the pits. This weekend, the one and only six-time Summit Modified champion returns to Fairbury to reclaim what was once rightfully his.

Harrison, the seven-time DIRTcar UMP Modified national champion from Highland, IL, won the 2017 finale in a thriller over Mike McKinney and Nick Hoffman to claim his first Modified PDC title. He returned to Victory Lane the following year, coming from seventh to clinch back-to-back event titles and the 2018 Summit Modified points championship. Since then, he’s suffered two DNFs in the event, while Hoffman has walked away with both $5,000 checks.

Harrison has taken on Hoffman three times this season in Summit Modified competition, all which Hoffman got the upper hand. But Harrison’s record speaks for itself. With 12 total wins in DIRTcar competition this season and a No. 6 ranking in the nation, this is set to be one of the most anticipated UMP Modified matchups of the year.

OWENSBORO’S VERY OWN – Fairbury Speedway during Prairie Dirt Classic time has, overall, been good to Tyler Nicely, but not good enough to admit him to Victory Lane when big money is on the line. That could change this weekend.

Since his victory in the 2015 Saturday night finale, Nicely, of Owensboro, KY, is tied with Allen Weisser for the most top-five finishes without a win in the 40-lapper at three and has finished third in the last two PDC finales.

He’s currently the No. 2-ranked driver in the nation with seven wins on the season and will be among the favorites to win his first $5,000 check this weekend.

YOUTH IS KING – 2020 FALS Cup champion Michael Ledford comes into the Prairie Dirt Classic as the current track points leader with three Feature wins – most of any driver.

The 17-year-old wheelman from Pontiac, IL, was forced to take a provisional in last year’s event after missing the transfer cutoff in a Last Chance Showdown. But as the No. 14-ranked driver in the nation this year, he’s been tested several times and pulled-out a win to stay on top at Fairbury Speedway.

VETERAN PRESENCE – For the first time in his star-studded career, multi-time national touring Dirt Modified champion Jason Hughes will strap into a DIRTcar UMP Modified and attempt to qualify for Fairbury’s most prestigious Modified event.

Hughes, of Watts, OK, is slated to pilot a Josh Carroll-owned #24J Hughes Racing Chassis in the event. Carroll also owns Harrison’s #24H, built by Hughes, which could make for a lethal combination on the track come Saturday.

SO CLOSE – If there’s one driver in the field that Fairbury owes a win in the PDC, it’s Allen Weisser.

He’s been runner-up to Nick Hoffman in each of the last two Summit Modified PDC finales and came home fourth in 2018 after starting on the pole. He came all the way out of a Last Chance Showdown last year to finish second, falling short once again.

Weisser, of Peoria, IL, is currently the No. 15-ranked driver in the nation with seven total victories this year, including one at Fairbury on May 28.

CARUSO SET TO WRAP UP FIRST WESTERN SWING IN SEATTLE

DENVER, NC (July 26, 2022) — After two back-to-back NHRA national events on the west coast Pro Stock rookie Camrie Caruso understands the tough demands a driver must endure to compete at the highest level of drag racing. The 24-year-old who resides in Denver, North Carolina, has battled the mountains of Colorado and the challenging racing surface of Sonoma as she heads to the final stop of the historic Western Swing, the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway, outside of Seattle. Racing the Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro with enhanced support from NGK backed Shop Squad, Caruso will be looking for a strong finish on the swing to match her hot start to the season. 

“We have been working really hard with this Tequila Comisario Chevrolet team and we have just had some tough draws on race day,” said Caruso, who raced to the No. 1 qualifier spot at Houston. “We are a team that has been consistently qualifying in the top half and that makes a difference on Sunday. I know we have the power thanks to Titan Racing Engines and my crew led by crew chief Jim Yates is really good. I am excited to get to a new track and have some new results on the swing.”

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Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro, photo by Auto Imagery

Throughout the season Caruso has been steadily improving in all facets of her driving. Before the season started the team worked extensively on a consistent burnout and staging routine. As they moved into the season Caruso has made a concentrated effort to improve on her reaction times.  Last weekend in the first round she unloaded a .023 reaction time in the first round which combined with her quickest run of the weekend was the kind of combination that will win the Tequila Comisario team rounds the rest of the season. Overall Caruso has taken the approach of highlighting the positives and moving on to the next challenge.

“We did everything right in the first round at Sonoma we just had a tough opponent in Dallas Glenn,” said Caruso, runner-up at the SpringNationals in Houston. “If we would have been in the top half of the field, I think we could have gone some rounds. This class is very tough, but I have a lot of confidence in my abilities and my team. I have never raced at Pacific Raceway so I am looking forward to a new track and seeing what we can do.”

In her rookie season as not just a driver but also a team owner Caruso has balanced the on-track and off-track responsibilities like a seasoned veteran. She has brought on new marketing partners throughout the season and most recently announced a five-race program with Tequila Comisario and NGK’s Shop Squad that started at the Mile-High Nationals and will continue through the U.S. Nationals. Both companies are prominent on her race car and being hosted in the Caruso Family Racing pit area. They join an impressive list of supporters that includes GESI, Powerbuilt Tools, VP Racing Lubricants, and Sand Haulers of America 

Additionally, throughout Shop Squad’s five-race run as major associate marketing partner automotive professionals can visit:  www.shopsquadonline.com to register for this unique program. Using code RACE22 pros can sign up for a chance to win a Solo Stove with NGK conducting one drawing per month. Through ten races Caruso has started from the top half of the field seven times. The combination of a quick race car as well as a steadily improving driver has made the Caruso Family Racing operation a tough team to beat in 2022.

“Camrie has been improving with every race and that is very impressive,” said Yates, Tequila Comisario crew chief and two-time Pro Stock world champion. “She has absorbed a ton of information and every race there is new information and experiences to work into our program. We are ten races into the season and right in the middle of a tough battle for the championship. I could not be more proud of her accomplishments so far and I know we have more great things ahead of us.”

With only three races left before the Countdown begins Caruso is focused on making the most of every Friday and Saturday qualifying sessions and elimination rounds on Sunday. She currently sits in eighth place only two points out of seventh and most importantly less than three rounds from sixth place. When the playoffs begin and the points are reset Caruso will be in a prime position to race for her first Pro Stock world championship.

Caruso and the rest of the Pro Stock class will have one qualifying run on Friday followed by two more sessions on Saturday to start the Northwest Nationals. The final eliminations will begin at 10:30 a.m. local time with the race broadcast on FOX starting at 4 p.m. ET.

SEATTLE LAST FRONTIER FOR JOSH HART ON FIRST WESTERN SWING

OCALA, FL (July 26, 2022) — There are nearly 3,000 miles between Top Fuel championship contender Josh Hart’s homebase in Ocala, Florida and Pacific Raceway in Kent, Washington. To be precise the distance is 2,995 miles, which if Hart was driving his 11,000 horsepower R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster it would take him a lifetime of runs but only a little over 12 hours of 3.7 second passes. This weekend at the NHRA Northwest Nationals Hart will be looking to make three clean qualifying runs and four strong passes on Sunday to collect his first win on the Western Swing. Through the first two races Hart has collected a semifinal finish in Denver and a quarterfinal finish last weekend in Sonoma. The new experiences have been a welcome challenge to the second year Top Fuel professional.

“The Western Swing has been a beautiful experience just seeing these tracks. I feel very blessed. I am glad to be going rounds for sure. This is our first full season on the NHRA tour and we are making the most of it,” said Hart, a two-time Top Fuel winner in 2021. “We didn’t race every event last season and this year I decided to make a commitment to racing for the championship. I have a great team led by crew chief Ron Douglas and our marketing partners R+L Carriers and Technet provide us the opportunity to be as competitive as anyone out here. Our goal is to represent them to the highest level and perform on the track.”

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R+L Carrier Top Fuel dragster, photo by Auto Imagery

This season started slower than Hart would have liked but he was impressed with how his team pulled together and worked through some new car growing pains. The past five races have seen a combination of strong qualifying efforts and race day performances. Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster raced to the final round of the Norwalk Nationals and the semifinals of the Mile-High Nationals, two dramatically different races that challenge crew chiefs and teams. Last weekend a quarterfinal finish kept Hart in the thick of the Top Fuel Top Ten sitting in fifth place.

“The regular season is about winning races and positioning your team for the Countdown,” said Hart. “We are still working towards the wins but sitting in fifth place is a good spot with four more races left before the Countdown starts. We can have a good race in Seattle then Topeka and Brainerd. There are points and half in Indy so we can move up with some good races. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

The new venues of the Western Swing have afforded Hart the chance to race at some new tracks but also spend time with new fans. The Mile-High Nationals and Sonoma Nationals were well attended races that were incredibly close to sell-out NHRA events. The new fans meant a new chance for Hart and his R+L Carriers team to talk about career opportunities with guests and spectators which is one of the team’s major missions with their racing program.

“Every race we talk with guests and fans about the different careers R+L Carriers offers,” said Hart. “We aren’t just looking for over the road truck drivers. There are all sorts of jobs all over the country that are great opportunities for people to start life changing careers. We promote the website careers.rlcarriers.com on the side of my Top Fuel dragster and people can head to that website and change their lives with a great job with R+L Carriers.”

The battle for the Top Fuel championship will be a test of wills and Hart is looking forward to proving himself in the toughest drag racing arena in the world. He has steadily moved up the drag racing ranks through the sportsman classes, winning multiple times in Top Alcohol Dragster before making the move last year to Top Fuel. The rookie season campaign of 12 races was a success and now Hart is ready to see his name alongside of previous champions.

“You always want to see if you stack up against the competition and I am a very competitive person. Ron gives me the confidence I need. He told me a while back that I don’t get to worry until he worries and even then I can’t worry. You take your race car up there and you try and make the most of every run,” said Hart. “My time in Top Fuel has had its challenges and we are learning every race. I have a great team around me and I think we are moving in the right direction. Seattle will be a good test for us and we are up to the challenge. I have to thank R+L Carriers, Technet and all our marketing partners for putting me in a position to chase this dream.”     

The Northwest Nationals will begin on Friday with one round of qualifying followed by two sessions on Saturday. The R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be working to be as high as possible on the qualifying sheet for Sunday’s elimination rounds which will begin at 10:30 p.m. PT. The NHRA national event will be broadcast nationally on FOX beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

1 MONTH ALERT: World of Outlaws Late Models, Xtreme Outlaw Midgets paired for epic Quad Cities 150 at Davenport

DAVENPORT, IA (July 26, 2022) – Davenport Speedway will hold a historic event this August when the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models are paired with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets presented by Toyota for the Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking.

The Late Models will race three straight nights (Thursday to Saturday, Aug. 25-27) around the 1/4-mile track with Saturday’s finale paying $30,000 to win, while the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets – in conjunction with POWRi – will join them Friday and Saturday.

This will be the seventh year the World of Outlaws CASE Late Model visit the Iowa track, and the debut of the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Series at the track – along with POWRi. In total the event will boast a more than $200,000 purse.

TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3BfC1Gx

QUAD CITIES 150 LATE MODELS – Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 25-27
Track: Davenport Speedway (1/4-mile)
Location: Davenport, IA
Latest Winner: Devin Moran

Notables: The last time the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models visited Davenport Speedway, Devin Moran traded wins with four-time and defending Series champion Brandon Sheppard during the triple header event. Moran won the first, then Sheppard the second. During the finale, Moran came back in epic proportions to claim the $30,000 prize.

Iowa-native Ryan Gustin, who picked up his first career World of Outlaws victory this season, will be on the hunt to write his name in the history books as a Quad Cities 150 winner and bring home a home state win.

Dennis Erb Jr. will look to be strong all three nights to hold on to his points lead in his quest for his first World of Outlaws title, while two Rookie of the Year contenders try to reel him in. However, those rookies, Max Blair and Tanner English, are in their own battle for the Rookie of the Year title. While Blair started to run away with the title, English has closed the gap, excelling on quarter-mile tracks this year.

QUAD CITIES 150 XTREME OUTLAW – Friday-Saturday, Aug. 26-27
Track: Davenport Speedway (1/4-mile)
Location: Davenport, IA
Latest Winner: TBD

Notables: The Xtreme Outlaws Midget Series presented by Toyota, with POWRi, will be the first national Midget series to race at Davenport Speedway since 1984.

To this point, the Series has run three events – two at Millbridge Speedway and one at Jacksonville Speedway. History was made in its last two events with Taylor Reimer and Jade Avedisian winning their first national Midget races and becoming the first back-to-back female winners in a national dirt racing series.

Gavan Boschele became the inaugural winner of the series and Zach Daum is the current Series points leader – 44 points ahead of Bryant Wiedeman.

Two more winners will be crowned before Davenport at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 during the Ironman 55 weekend, Aug. 5-6. Then the Quad Cities 150 will kick off the second half of the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets’ inaugural season.

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

Wiles Returns to Battle Stacked Field for 75th Peoria TT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 26, 2022) – While the opening nine rounds of the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track seasonplayed out on oval dirt tracks of all sizes, the second half will kick off on Saturday, July 30, with the first TT. And it’s not just any TT, it’s the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Country Saloon. Set in the Peoria Motorcycle Club’s scenic natural amphitheater inPeoria, Illinois, and boasting history and tradition that’s nearly unrivaled across two-wheeled sport, the Peoria TT easily ranks among the most prestigious races on the Progressive AFT slate. Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) has accomplished almost every possible goal in his Hall-of-Fame-worthy career, but victory at the Peoria TT has proven just outside his grasp. While Mees has finished as the race’s runner-up on multiple occasions, he’ll enter this year’s 75th edition of the fabled race as the underdog. Despite his vast skill and past success, Mees will be faced with perhaps the most stacked premier-class Peoria TT field in recent memory. His three closest championship rivals all carry high hopes into Peoria. Second-ranked Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) won the race in 2019 and enters the weekend riding high after two consecutive victories. Third-ranked Dallas Daniels(No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) is the home track hero who scored his first career professional win at the venue in dominant fashion. And fourth-ranked JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) won last year’s Peoria TT by more than three seconds to claim his fourth win of the series’ most recent five TTs. If the opposition didn’t look formidable enough already, “King” Henry Wiles (No. 17 Willy Built Kawasaki Ninja 650) is set to make his Progressive AFT return this weekend. Wiles is the most successful rider in the race’s history, assembling an incredible 14-race win streak from 2004-2018. Other riders who could have say include ‘19 race runner-up Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) and last year’s fourth-place finisher, Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), not to mention the Mission Production Twins Challenge entrants, who have the potential to prove particularly potent in Peoria. Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines Chief among the aforementioned group is Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines title leader Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R). Janisch’s three-prior undercard Peoria TT victories is what earned him his shot on the Vance & Hines XG750R initially with the team in need of an injury replacement as it headed to the venue a year ago. Janisch has since shed his reputation as a TT specialist with the sort of all-around excellence required to build a title lead in a season thus far absent of TTs, but that discipline-specific expertise remains. A year ago, Janisch finished third in his first-ever ride on the bike. He’s much more at home aboard it now and should only prove that much more formidable. And he’ll need to be in order to overcome last year’s winner and second-place finishers, Dan Bromley (No. 62 Vinson Construction/Viper Air Yamaha MT-07) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07). With Janisch expecting to make hay, the weekend will be of equal importance to defending champion Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), who currently sits on point out of first. Others who could make his life difficult include the returning Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Cole Zabala (No. 51 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07), who have each previously demonstrated impressive TT chops. Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER The Peoria TT will be the ultimate test of Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE)’s recent Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER invincibility. Kopp certainly has the skill to extend his four-race win streak in Peoria, flashing front-running pace a year ago before ultimately finishing down in ninth position. The 17-year-old has taken his game to another level in ‘22, and as such, he’s expected to be a serious player. However, he’ll be contending with a field anxious to bring his run of unmitigated success to a halt, led by the likes of last year’s Peoria TT winner Max Whale(No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) and 2017 DAYTONA TT winner Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R). The race also traditionally presents an opportunity for some riders ranked outside the top ten to work their way into the mix, including teammates Ferran Cardús (No. 377 Roof Systems of Dallas/Bullet Strong Racing Honda CRF450R), who finished on the podium a year ago, and Jacob Lehmann (No. 14 Roof Systems of Dallas/Bullet Strong Racing), who was triumphant here back in 2014. Visit https://store.americanflattrack.com/ebooking/ticket/view/id/3695 to reserve your tickets today. General Admission tickets are just $35 with kids 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult. There’s also the VIP Admission ticket that includes access to theTurn 1 VIP Lounge available for $125 (all ages). Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT ahead of the day’s race program.You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FansChoice.tvFansChoice.tv provides free-to-view livestreaming of Practice and Qualifying. FansChoice.tv subscribers will then be able to watch the drama unfold from Opening Ceremonies through the Semis, Main Events, and podium celebrations. FansChoice.tv offers two subscription options, granting unlimited access to premium AFT content. Monthly subscriptions start at just $7.99, while a six-month subscription is available for $44.99.

CLASSIC SUPERMAN: Davenport soars to Hawkeye 50 victory at Boone Speedway

Series points leader Dennis Erb Jr. extends lead with runner-up finish

BOONE, IA – July 25, 2022 – The term “faster than a speeding bullet” has been used to describe Superman since the 1940s. It’s only fitting that Jonathan Davenport lived up to that tagline Monday night at Boone Speedway. 

“Superman” wasted no time getting to the front, blasting off from his fourth-place starting position to take the lead from Tyler Bruening on Lap 3. From there, he cruised through the final 47 laps to win the Hawkeye 50—his third World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series win of 2022. 

The Blairsville, GA, driver stated he had a good feel of the track right before he took the green in the $20,000-to-win Feature. 

“The car was really, really good from where we unloaded off the trailer,” Davenport said. “We just made some good, educated guesses since we couldn’t put the finger on what this place reminded us of. We were just going back and forth to three or four different tracks and trying to put everything together.

“I just was feeling the track before we took the green and that there was a little more grip up in the crumbs. There wasn’t quite a cushion, but there were some crumbs up top and some grip there.”

Davenport was surprised how quick the surface changed in just a few laps—a change leading to his pass for the lead. 

“It slicked off in like one lap; it was crazy,” Davenport said. “We just happened to turn to the bottom, and [Bruening] went right through that slick and about looped it.

“We were fortunate to get by him, and we just kind of cruised from there.”

The victory is Davenport’s 13th World of Outlaws CASE Late Models win of his career. 

However, while “Superman” flew away from the field, several drivers contended for the runner-up spot. 

Several crossovers and slide jobs highlighted the battle, eventually won by current Series points leader Dennis Erb Jr.  

The Carpentersville, IL driver powered on the inside lane to grab second and started reeling in Davenport in traffic before a caution with 10 laps to go.

Erb wasn’t sure how the track would react to his Rocket Chassis at the start of the race. 

“I was worried for a little bit, but then it kept getting a little bit better,” Erb said. “The car worked good down there, so we just kind of stayed down in there and just needed to get it a little bit better on entry to make the car stick a little bit better. 

“I was just happy to start eighth and get to second.”

Erb extended his points lead to 186 points over second-place Max Blair, who finished 10th. 

Mike Marlar, the 2018 Series champion, crossed the line third. He passed Bruening in the closing laps to grab his fourth straight World of Outlaws podium. 

The Winfield, TN driver was pleased with how racy the Boone Speedway surface was. 

“The racetrack was great tonight,” Marlar said. “We got to race all over, top, bottom, middle, everywhere. I couldn’t ask for a better race surface.

“I was able to pack it in with the crumbs up there, and actually it stayed pretty clean up there. So, I kept rolling it out there, and probably my best shot of the race was late. I was catching up with Dennis toward the end, so definitely, the outside was working.”

Bruening, the 2021 World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Rookie of the Year, finished fourth—his second top five in a row with the Series. 

The Decorah, IA driver stated he was happy for a good run in his home state against a stout field of Late Model competitors. 

“People just don’t realize how good these guys are until you see them in person and race against them,” Bruening said. “I’m honored to race against them and compete against them and be competitive enough to put our car up there in the top five and be battling for a potential win there.

“I didn’t need either of those cautions, to be honest with you. I was in a good rhythm; I was hitting my marks really good, and I was kind of working my way back to [the front].”

Bobby Pierce, who won at Boone in 2021, rounded out the top five. 

The Oakwood, IL driver made a late charge on the final restart to leave Iowa with a strong finish.  

“The track kind of transitioned to, you know, how you had to run the bottom a certain way,” Pierce said. “I was really good down there if I ran it just perfectly, but I just didn’t have much traction anywhere else.”

Davenport’s efficiency Monday night a Boone made him look as though he was “faster than a speeding bullet.” That speed showed no matter when he unloads at a World of Outlaws CASE Late Models event his competitors need to be at the top of their game to become his kryptonite.

UP NEXT: The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet head to Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, IL, for the 32nd Running of the Prairie Dirt Classic, paying $50,000-to-win.  

RCR Event Preview – Pocono

Richard Childress Racing at Pocono Raceway … In 173 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has earned two wins, both by Dale Earnhardt. In 1987, Earnhardt rallied from a 16th-place starting position to win, one of 11 victories he would claim during the season. Earnhardt won again in 1993, edging Rusty Wallace for the victory. RCR and Earnhardt won the Cup Series championship in both seasons where the team won at Pocono. The Welcome, N.C., based team has 16 top-five and 57 top-ten finishes at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’  RCR In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Pocono … Since the NASCAR Xfinity Series began competing at Pocono Raceway in 2016, RCR has made 15 starts at the 2.5-mile track. Tyler Reddick owns the best finish by an RCR entry, a second-place finish in 2019. RCR has had at least one driver claim a top-10 finish in all six races at Pocono. The team has racked up four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes entering Saturday’s race.  Introducing the Carolina Cowboys … Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the PBR Team Series, an elite new league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games beginning in July 2022. The team is operated by Richard Childress Racing with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys inaugural “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 9-11 at Wake Forest’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster. Catch the Action … The Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, July 23 beginning at 5 p.m. ET on USA and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  Follow Sunday’s Action at Pocono … The M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway will be televised live on Sunday, July 24 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on USA and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 
       
This Week’s BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Pocono Raceway … Austin Dillon has 16 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway. He has one NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Pocono, a 10th-place effort in 2019. He has made four Truck Series starts at the 2.5-mile speedway, scoring a top-10 finish in each race. Dillon won the Truck Series race at Pocono in 2014, leading the most laps (23 of 64).  BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Sponsors the No. 3 at Pocono … BREZTRI is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Pocono Raceway with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:Talk about Pocono Raceway. It’s an interestingly shaped track with just three turns.“Pocono is a fun, fast track, and I’m excited to get there in a Next Gen Chevrolet. We’re going to do everything we can to win and lock ourselves into the NASCAR Playoffs. At Pocono Raceway, speed is definitely carried through Turn 2 and through Turn 3 to the start-finish line. I think those are the most important corners. Of course, every corner is important, but Turns 2 and 3 are a little bit more important because it’s the flat end of the track.”
This Week’s Sheetz Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Pocono Raceway … Tyler Reddick will be making his fifth NASCAR Cup Series start at Pocono Raceway this weekend. Reddick has one top-10 finish in four previous races at the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania speedway, a ninth-place effort in 2021. He scored two top-10 finishes in two previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Pocono, highlighted by a second-place effort in 2019. Reddick has three Truck Series starts at Pocono, highlighted by a third-place finish in 2015. With his victory at Road America Reddick has qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the second consecutive season.  Why The Sheetz Not? … Sheetz will be the primary sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Reddick this weekend at Pocono. This is the first time the Altoona, Pennsylvania, based company has partnered with a NASCAR team.  About Sheetz, Inc. … Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Inc. is one of America’s fastest-growing family-owned and operated convenience store chains with more than 23,500 employees. The company operates over 640 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. Sheetz provides an award-winning menu of M•T•O® sandwiches and salads, which are ordered through unique touch-screen order point terminals. All Sheetz convenience stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Sheetz is committed to offering employees sustainable careers built on an inspiring culture and community engagement. For more information, visit www.sheetz.com or follow us on Twitter (@sheetz), Facebook (www.facebook.com/sheetz) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sheetz)TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:What are your expectations for how the Next Gen car will perform at Pocono?“Man, there are a lot of unknowns. I’ve talked with a lot of drivers about how the testing went. The Tunnel Turn is probably faster than it’s ever been, driving even faster than you ever have into Turn 1, there’s a lot of things that have just upped the stakes at the Tricky Triangle. It’s going to be an eye-opening weekend. We’re going to have to learn really fast. It’s another one of those tracks where we’re only going to get so much practice and very similar to how road courses have been with the length of the lap that we run at Pocono we’re only going to get a few number of laps to get familiar with the car that you have and then try to make some good adjustments on our Sheetz Chevrolet going into qualifying. It’s going to happen quick for us on qualifying and practice day.” What has been the biggest challenge for you at Pocono?“More than anything is kind of what has been haunting us most of this season which is trying to close out the entire race. With this Next Gen car all the little details matter more and more, whether it’s pit road or restarts, it’s all very critical. This Next Gen car has brought the entire garage closer together. The competition is closer than it’s ever been. You just have to go out there and manage your race. You’ve got to give it 100 percent but you can’t cross that line and so for me it’s something that we’ve been fighting and trying to get better all year long. It’s great to go to Road America and win like we did because we know we can have a perfect day. That’s what it will take to win Pocono and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”  
This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Pocono Raceway … Sheldon Creed will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Pocono Raceway this weekend. During his time in the NASCAR Truck Series, Creed made three starts at Pocono and accumulated two top fives and two top-10 finishes. 
Whelen Celebrates 70 Years … From a small garage workshop in Connecticut in 1952 to a worldwide leader in emergency warning equipment today, Whelen Engineering continues to push the boundaries of innovation. As we mark our 70th anniversary, we’re proud to continue our founder’s mission of making it safer for those who serve and protect. Whelen has been manufacturing in America for 70 years—we never left, and we’re here to stay.
About Whelen … Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce. SHELDON CREED QUOTE:Are you excited to make your debut at Pocono Raceway this weekend?“I’m very excited for the race at Pocono this weekend. I’ve had some good results there in a truck and finished third in my last two starts and I also led some laps. I also have solid results at Pocono in the ARCA Menards Series. I never finished outside the top 10 in four races and finished runner-up in the last two ARCA races I ran. We had a strong weekend at New Hampshire last weekend and I hope we can keep building on our speed this weekend.”
This Week’s Global Industrial Chevrolet Camaro SS at Pocono Raceway … Austin Hill will make his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Pocono Raceway on Saturday. In his first and only Xfinity Series start at the track, he started 15th and finished 25th. During his time in the Truck Series, Hill made six starts at Pocono and tallied two top-five and two top-10 finishes.  About Global Industrial Company … Global Industrial Company (NYSE:GIC), through its operating subsidiaries, is a value-added industrial distributor. For more than 70 years, Global Industrial has gone the extra mile for its customers and offers more than a million industrial and MRO products, including its own Global Industrial exclusive brands. With extensive product knowledge and a solutions-based approach, Global Industrial helps customers solve problems and be more successful. At Global Industrial, “We can supply that®.”
Double Duty at The Tricky Triangle … In addition to competing in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Hill is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Truck Series race on Friday night. He will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports. You can watch the Truck Series race on Friday, July 23 on FOX. AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:Are you excited for this weekend’s race at Pocono and how are you preparing?“I’ve had some success at Pocono Raceway before and I had a chance at a win in the Truck Series a few times so I’m really excited to get back there this weekend. I have laps around Pocono in an Xfinity car from last year and that does mean something, especially when you’re a rookie. Being able to go to a place where I have been in an Xfinity car before is always beneficial because it’s seat time. My team and I have been putting a lot of work into the simulator recently and we’re looking forward to getting to the track and putting it all to the test. We’ve been trying to find some speed that we’ve been missing the last few races and at bigger tracks and I think we’ve got the strategy down. I’m looking forward to the race!”

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