JOHN FORCE RACING: IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK HOME AGAIN IN POMONA

John Force: “I want No. 17 (Funny Car championships). I may not yell and scream it, I’ve won so many, but I want to keep winning.”
POMONA, Calif. (March 19, 2024) – If John Force Racing ever needed a perfect song theme for this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, it might be one of the late John Denver’s biggest hits: “(It’s Good To Be) Back Home Again!”
No location on the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series means more to team patriarch John Force – as well as fellow drivers Brittany Force and Austin Prock – as the dragstrip on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Fairplex.
“Pomona is personal to me,” said Force, the winningest driver in drag racing history with 16 NHRA Funny Car championships and 155 national event wins. “My love for Pomona goes back to the ‘60s, when I was driving a truck. I went out and looked through the fence to watch the starting line and watch the people racing.
“Then in 1974-75, I started running the local tracks. But Pomona was the big ball field. That was our Dodger Stadium, that’s where we wanted to be. And now here I am. So coming home to it, there’s a lot of memories, I won a lot of races and won championships. You walked away from some bad crashes, but it’s just personal. I’m looking for another win and I’m going to try to get it done here. Every race counts, but I’m excited to be back home and be racing with family.”
Ironically, Pomona initially wasn’t very welcoming to Force: he failed to qualify in three of his first five races at the famed quarter-mile in the late ‘70s. But once he figured out the tricky track, Force would become its winningest driver there, with 16 overall victories (7 in the Winternationals, 8 in the World Finals and one in the NHRA 50th Anniversary Nationals in 2001).
Collectively, JFR has an outstanding winning record in the Winternationals (all in Funny Car): John Force (7 wins), Robert Hight (5), Tony Pedregon (2) and Courtney Force (1).
Extrapolated even more, JFR drivers have won 30 races at Pomona between the winter and fall events, with 29 coming in either Top Fuel or Funny Car. The only non-nitro win there came from JFR vice president Ashley Force Hood, driving a Top Alcohol Dragster in 2004.
The Winternationals is the second race on the 20-race NHRA national event schedule. JFR got off to a promising start in the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., two weeks ago when Prock was No. 1 qualifier and finished runner-up in Funny Car, defeating John Force along the way in the quarterfinals.
And while Brittany Force lost in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations, she took some consolation in finishing runner-up in the Pep Boys Top Fuel NHRA All-Star Callout exhibition event on Saturday, March 9.
As for their respective liveries this weekend, fans will see John Force in the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Brittany Force will pilot the Mark Christopher Auto Center Chevrolet/Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster, and Austin Prock will drive the Auto Club of Southern California/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car.
Here’s a preview of all three JFR drivers heading into Pomona:
**********************************
Austin Prock comes into Pomona with the greatest momentum of the three JFR drivers after the season opener. In addition to being No. 1 qualifier and finishing runner-up at Gainesville, Prock also won a special exhibition race in Bradenton, Fla., last month in his first-ever start in a Funny Car.
Sitting a close No. 2 in the Funny Car standings, the Lansing, Mich., native almost has to pinch himself to make sure he’s not dreaming.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Prock said. “It’s one of those deals where things are just happening and so much is coming at me at once right now. I feel like I’m just kind of holding on to the wheel, but I’m definitely enjoying it.”
Prock is filling in for three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight, who is on a temporary leave of absence from racing for personal medical reasons.
Prock has a strong supporting cast that led Hight to a runner-up finish in Funny Car last season, including his father Jimmy Prock (Hight’s long-time crew chief), and brother Thomas Prock (Hight’s assistant crew chief).
“It still feels surreal, being able to drive this Funny Car and race with my family,” Prock said. “I’m looking forward to Pomona. I’ve always loved that racetrack. It’s always been my favorite one to hit on the map.”
In seven career appearances at Pomona (all in a dragster), Prock has reached the final round of the Winternationals three times (2020, 2022 and 2023) and also won the 2022 season-ending World Finals race.
“We’ve had some success there,” Prock said. “So hopefully that can carry over to Funny Car and maybe we’ll roll out of there with my first Funny Car Wally (trophy).”
Prock’s car has an outstanding legacy: Hight still holds both ends of the NHRA Funny Car records for elapsed time (3.793 seconds on 8/18/2017 at Brainerd, Minn.) and speed (339.87 mph on 7/29/2017 at Sonoma, Calif.).
Prock knows he has some big shoes to fill.
“Any time I get in a race car, I just want to do the absolute best job I can,” he said. “And more or less, it’s not about proving myself to everyone else, it’s proving myself to myself. I want to be able to get in the car and know I can do a good job and get the result I want.”
Prock will also be taking part in Saturday’s race-within-a-race, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. Introduced last season, it pits semifinalists from the previous race against each other in a rematch during Saturday’s two qualifying sessions. Prock qualified because he finished runner-up in the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals two weeks ago in Gainesville, Fla. Points are awarded that are then added to a driver’s points total heading into the NHRA’s six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
**********************************John Force has been a dynamo in the Winternationals. In 45 previous starts, Force has seven wins, has been No. 1 qualifier 10 times and owns a career Winternationals round-by-round record of 66-36.
Overall, between the Winternationals and World Finals, Force has won a record 140 rounds of racing at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. To put that in perspective, Prock has won 73 rounds in all the events he’s run in his entireNHRA pro career to date.
And yet the soon-to-be 75-year-old Force is bound and determined to win more races en route to a 17th Funny Car championship.
“We’re in the championship run for the title and I want No. 17,” Force said. “I may not yell and scream it, I’ve won so many, but I want to keep winning.”
Force comes into Pomona ranked seventh in the NHRA Funny Car standings after Gainesville.
“I want to win with (crew chief) Daniel Hood and with my team,” Force said. “(Pomona is) just the place to be. We’ll kick off the second race of the season and we’ll come back the end of the year. And hopefully, if not me, one of us will run for the title, Brittany or Prock. That’s what we do.”
**********************************
Brittany Force hopes a return to one of her favorite tracks will help power her and her dragster into the winner’s circle.
“There’s nothing like Pomona,” the younger Force said. “Not only is it my home track, the support that comes when racing at Pomona is like no other event we have. You’re surrounded by family and friends and the support system that pours in makes the weekend very special.
“In the past I’ve had teachers show up that I haven’t seen since high school, or just random people that I haven’t seen in a long time, who knew the drag races were in town, came out and then found me signing autographs at the ropes and said ‘hi.’ Being reunited with people from my past is awesome.”
Currently 14th in the Top Fuel standings after a tough first round loss at Gainesville, Force is determined to bounce back in a big way.
“We need to see better results on race day, and in order to do that we need to make more consistent runs, we need to qualify top five and go some rounds on race day,” Force said. “We’d like to win this thing. It’s Pomona and I’ve won there in the past. This David Grubnic (crew chief) team set the national mph record back in 2022 at 338.94 mph. So we have been successful on this track. We just need to kind of regroup and get back on track.”
Force remains the national record holder in NHRA Top Fuel competition in both elapsed time (3.623 seconds set on 9/14/2019 in Reading, Pa.) and speed (338.94, set on 11/11/2022 in Pomona).
“I’ve raced Super Comp there, A Fuel, Top Fuel, won two Top Fuel championships there,” Force said of Pomona. “There’s so many memories built around there during my career and then before my career as a kid. It just has this very home comfort feeling that I love about it.”
**********************************
The 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals runs from March 21-24 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.
FS1 will televise Qualifying Show No. 1 on Saturday, March 23, from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Qualifying Show No. 2 is Sunday, March 24, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET, and the Finals will also air on Sunday, March 24, from 7 to 10 p.m. ET.
#2024ORCE

Sunoco Road to Wheatland Continues with Atomic and Brownstown

Batavia, OH (March 19, 2024) – The Sunoco Road to Wheatland program continues with Atomic Speedway and Brownstown Speedway on March 22 and March 23.  The Sunoco Road to Wheatland has been a long-standing incentive program that rewards drivers following the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Sunoco Road to Wheatland program will pay bonuses to the top 15 drivers in the championship standings with perfect attendance at the Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in May. The championship point leader will receive $2,500, with 2nd through 15th in the standings also receiving a bonus. Today, Sunoco Race Fuels has expanded the reach of its racing fuels line around the world to include all types of professional motor sports and other activities where premium race fuels like DXP 116 make the difference. With its unsurpassed innovations and years of experience, it is easy to understand why more and more engine builders, racers, tracks, and sanctioning bodies choose Sunoco Race Fuels over all other racing gasoline combined. As the largest manufacturer of racing gasoline in the world, Sunoco has a 40-year track record of winning performances. To learn more about DXP 116 visit https://www.sunocoracefuels.com/fuels/fuel/dxp. “We are very grateful for what Sunoco Race Fuels does to support the series and giving generously to the racers that follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.
About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesFounded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2024, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 63 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap.  The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via FloRacing, with select broadcasts on MAVTV Motorsports Network.   The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.2024 Official Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Marketing Partners

1 MONTH ALERT: World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Make Highly Anticipated Return to Paducah, April 19

PADUCAH, KY (March 19, 2024) – The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models will return to Paducah International Raceway for the first time since 2012 on Friday, April 19.

It’ll also be the Series’ lone stop to the Bluegrass State in 2024, making for a can’t-miss night with The Greatest Show on Dirt.Of all active drivers on tour, none have won at the Kentucy track yet. And in seven previous visits to the 3/8-mile facility, there have been seven different winners. Joey Saldana won the last World of Outlaws event there in 2012.EVENT INFO
Date – Friday, April 19
Location – Paducah, KY
Track Record – 12.825 sec. by Joey Saldana on April 17, 2009

Times – 
Pit Gates Open 2pm
Grandstands Open 5pm
Hot Laps/Qualifying 6:30pm
-Racing to Follow

Tickets – WorldofOutlaws.com/tix
How to Watch – Every lap live on DIRTVision

Previous World of Outlaws Winners at Paducah –
2012 – Joey Saldana on April 13
2010 – Jac Haudenschild on April 16
2009 – Jason Meyers on April 17
2008 – Craig Dollansky on July 28
2007 – Danny Lasoski on April 6
2001 – Andy Hillenburg on June 12
1998 – Jeff Swindell on April 17

cruz pedregon–pomona advance

Cruz Pedregon

NHRA® Winternationals – Pomona, CA

Pre-Race Report

News of note: 

ICYM first race news: Fresh paint scheme for the Snap-on® “Makers and Fixers” Dodge® SRT® Hellcat® and haulers. The Snap-on car and Cruz are paying tribute to the Makers and Fixers among us to continue to recognize the value of their work. As Cruz’s primary sponsor, Snap-on is asking NHRA fans to follow @MakersandFixers on Instagram and invitingMakers and Fixers to submit their stories to makersandfixers.com.

Images here: 

CruzPedregonSnap-onDodge2024_1.jpg

CruzPedregonSnap-onDodge2024_2.jpg

Quotes – Cruz Pedregon, two-time Funny Car World Champion

Looking forward to the second race of the 2024 season. Pomona is a great track. We’ve won some big races there in the past. 

I’m also looking forward to having the fans check out the new look on the Snap-on Dodge Hellcat. It’s got the flat black, and it’s looking good. 

We had some good runs at Gainesville, so we’re looking forward to improving our position there and going some rounds…always with the goal to win another race. 

Pomona is definitely a place I look forward to every year. It has a Southern California feel. It has all the cool places to go eat…namely In-N-Out Burger. And I’m glad to see them sponsoring the track. 

Favorite memories of Winternationals

I always look forward to this event. We grew up down the street in Chino, so, you know, it’s definitely a home game for us.

I remember winning the ‘89 Winternationals in an Alcohol Dragster, then came back the very next year and won the 1990 Winternationals in an Alcohol Funny Car. I’ve also competed in Top Fuel there, so it’s one of the few tracks I’ve competed in all four different categories.

Name on the side of Cruz’s car – Snap-on Nitro Franchisee: Garrett Maxon

·        Garrett Maxon’s been a part of the Snap-on team since 2018 and has owned his own franchise for a couple of years now.

·        He’s been to the Winternationals before, but this will be his first time meeting Cruz, and the team has something special planned for Garrett and the customers he’s bringing out to the track Friday evening. 

·        They’re having dinner in Cruz’s pit. It’s decked out with lots of new features to show off the car to the franchisees, Makers and Fixers, and fans who visit the pit area during the upcoming season.

·        When he’s not at the track or busy running a business on his Snap-on truck, you’ll likely find Garrett playing golf or at a concert. 

Follow Cruz and Snap-on on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

To see the latest Cruz news, like his Facebook page, on Twitter, and Instagram.

Hart Family Gives Back with “Race to Fill the Food Pantry” Campaign in Huntington

Hart Family Gives Back with “Race to Fill the Food Pantry” Campaign in Huntington HUNTINGTON, IN (March 19, 2024) — Huntington native Brittanie Hart, wife of professional NHRA Top Fuel racer, Josh Hart, also a Huntington native, is giving back to the community this month in a big way, through the “Race to Fill the Food Pantry” campaign. Donations made to the United with Love food pantry during the month of March will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000. Already donations have come in from races, fans and members of the Huntington community.
 Josh and Brittanie Hart at the recent Burnyzz Speed Shop NHRA Gatornationals FanFest, photo courtesy of Josh Hart Racing
“We are so grateful to the Hart family, Brittanie, Josh, and their children for supporting our pantry in nourishing our neighbors. In 2023 we had over 8,950 individual visits to our food pantry and we cannot do this alone. This matching donation is critical at this time of the year when donations are down, but the need is unchanged,” said Erin Didion, Executive Director, United with Love of Huntington County.
 
Every dollar donated will make a difference. Donations can be made by cash or check at the food pantry, mailed to 715 Byron Street, Huntington, IN 46750 or online at https://www.osvhub.com/…/race-to-fill-the-food-pantry . United With Love partners with neighbors to address the barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Their longstanding goal is to lovingly serve all their Huntington and surrounding community neighbors in need and provide stability through Christ-centered services that meet individual needs.
 
“There was a time when we needed help and we know that places like United with Love and people like Erin and their volunteers are making a difference in people’s lives every day,” said Brittanie Hart. “The Race to Fill the Food Pantry is something we can do this month, but they need assistance and support every month and we want to encourage everyone to get involved if they are able.”
 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Big O, Kennedale Welcome World of Outlaws for the First Time

The Texas trip concludes with two new tracks for The Greatest Show on Dirt.ENNIS, TX (March 19, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are heading from one Texas weekend to another.After a thrilling two nights at Cotton Bowl Speedway, a pair of new tracks await The Greatest Show on Dirt. A Big O Speedway (Ennis, TX) visit is slated for Friday, March 22, and Kennedale Speedway Park (Kennedale, TX) takes center stage on Saturday, March 23. The two will become the 12th and 13th Texas tracks visited by The Greatest Show on Dirt as the rich Sprint Car Racing tradition of the “Lone Star State” grows.This weekend will mark the first time since March of 2021 that the World of Outlaws have checked off two new facilities on the same weekend when Sheldon Haudenschild topped the first trip to Magnolia Motor Speedway and David Gravel triumphed at Dirt on the Rev.Big O and Kennedale will also be the final Texas appearances of 2024 for the World of Outlaws before the Series begins to invade the Midwest. BUY BIG O TICKETS HERE
BUY KENNEDALE TICKETS HEREWATCH LIVE ON DIRTVisionLet’s look at the top stories to watch:LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE: A new driver arose atop the standings after Cotton Bowl, and his name is Giovanni Scelzi. The Fresno, CA native continued his early season hot streak with KCP Racing by posting a third and a victory. He entered the weekend 12 markers behind Gravel for the top spot and left 16 markers ahead. It’s the first time in his career that the 22-year-old has led the Series standings. Scelzi has made every Toyota Racing Dash this season, finished seventh or better in every race, and owns an average finish of fourth. He and Donny Schatz are the only drivers with top 10s in all seven races to this point.Like many others in the field, Scelzi will be getting his first look at Big O and Kennedale this weekend. He’ll look for solid debuts at both Texas tracks to maintain his early points lead. BACK ON TRACK: After some struggles to start 2024, Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing crew are beginning to resemble the powerhouse team that they established themselves as upon partnering in 2021.They kicked off the campaign with four straight finishes of 12th or worse. Since then it’s been an entirely different story. The last three races have seen the JJR #41 finish third, second, and eighth along with leading 20 Feature laps on the night Macedo finished second. The team continues to be led by owner/crew chief Philip Dietz and added Robby McQuinn and Adam Zimmerman to fill voids left by Clyde Knipp and Nate Repetz. And the new nucleus looks to be gelling.Macedo will make his first laps at both Big O and Kennedale this weekend. The Lemoore, CA driver is the most recent to top a World of Outlaws debut at a new track. He claimed the Series inaugural visit to Minnesota’s Ogilvie Raceway last June. 7 RACES, 7 WINNERS: The early season parity pattern continued over the weekend at Cotton Bowl. Brent Marks and Gio Scelzi gave us seven different winners in the first seven races of 2024. The stretch has put the World of Outlaws on the brink of history. This year is only the second time the season has started with seven different winners, and the record to begin the season is eight in 2015. It’s a mark that could be reached this weekend and even potentially passed. Two drivers that stand out as favorites to continue the trend are Logan Schuchart and Carson Macedo. The two have combined for 76 career World of Outlaws wins but each is still in search of their first of 2024.Other full-time Series drivers that are former winners with the Series – Buddy Kofoid, Brock Zearfoss, Bill Balog, and Kraig Kinser – are still seeking their first wins of the season, too. And with a strong crop of locals and invaders expected this weekend, many competitors on the roster could add their name to the list of 2024 winners.ROOKIE ROLL: It hasn’t taken long for Bill Balog to get comfortable on the World of Outlaws tour. The “North Pole Nightmare” started the year with a top 10 before experiencing engine troubles at DIRTcar Nationals but has since started to piece together a solid stretch.Balog heads to Big O and Kennedale carrying the momentum of three consecutive top 10 finishes. Two weeks ago he came home 10th at Volusia. At Cotton Bowl, qualifying toward the front led to Dash births both nights resulting in finishes of eighth and seventh. It’s the first time in Balog’s career he’s strung together three straight top-10s with The Greatest Show on Dirt.Big O and Kennedale are set to be the second and third new tracks that Balog will visit with the World of Outlaws this year. He’s already proven he can quickly adapt to new facilities. This past weekend was his first time laying eyes on Cotton Bowl.TEXAN TIME?: The last 2024 weekend in Texas for the World of Outlaws means the last opportunity for the “Lone Star State” contingent to top The Greatest Show on Dirt. Like last weekend, the locals will be led by Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Aaron Reutzel.Hafertepe has already been to Kennedale Victory Lane in 2024, topping an American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) Elite Outlaw 410 race in early March. He showed speed on night one at Cotton Bowl last Friday, but a crash ended his weekend early.Reutzel looked as if he may contend for Friday’s victory at Cotton Bowl after setting Simpson Quick Time, but a troublesome Heat Race derailed his night. Even with the problematic Heat, the Clute, TX native still rallied with a 22nd to fifth drive in the Feature. Reutzel doesn’t have any Big O laps, but he’s competed at Kennedale with ASCS.They’re expected to be joined by plenty more Texas talents including Brenham Crouch (Lubbock, TX), Chase Randall (Waco, TX), John Ricketts (Burleson, TX), Blaine Baxter (Liberty Hill, TX), and more.THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCEWHEN AND WHERE Friday, March 22 at Big O Speedway in Ennis, TX
Saturday, March 23 at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, TXON THE INTERNETWorld of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
X – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (7/84 Races):1. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (996 PTS)
2. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (-16 PTS)
3. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-18 PTS)
4. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-34 PTS)
5. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing #41 (-84 PTS)
6. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 (-94 PTS)
7. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports #83 (-126 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports #17B (-140 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing #3Z (-168 PTS)
10. Brent Marks – Murray Marks Motorsports #19 (-176 PTS)NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (7 Drivers): 1 Win – Brad Sweet, David Gravel, Tyler Courtney, Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, Brent Marks, Giovanni Scelzi FEATURE LAPS LED (11 Drivers):40 Laps – Giovanni Scelzi
25 Laps – Brad Sweet, David Gravel
24 Laps – Rico Abreu
20 Laps – Carson Macedo
14 Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
13 Laps – Anthony Macri, Michael Kofoid
12 Laps – Donny Schatz
3 Laps – Brent Marks
1 Lap – Tyler Courtney SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (6 Drivers):2 Quick Times – Brent Marks
1 Quick Time – Landon Crawley, Brian Brown, Michael Kofoid, Aaron Reutzel, Giovanni Scelzi HEAT RACE WINNERS (14 Drivers): 3 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu, Sheldon Haudenschild, Brent Marks
2 Heat Wins – Giovanni Scelzi, Tyler Courtney, David Gravel, Michael Kofoid
1 Heat Win – Corey Day, Justin Peck, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Brock Zearfoss, Logan SchuchartTOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (20 Drivers):7 Dashes – Giovanni Scelzi
4 Dashes – David Gravel, Rico Abreu, Brent Marks
3 Dashes – Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown, Landon Crawley, Sheldon Haudenschild
2 Dashes – Brad Sweet, Buddy Kofoid, Bill Balog, Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart
1 Dash – Anthony Macri, Justin Peck, Zeb Wise, Corey Day, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Brock ZearfossMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (4 Drivers):1 LCS – Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Corey Day, Kasey Kahne KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (5 Drivers):2 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart
1 Hard Charger – Donny Schatz, Aaron Reutzel, Jace ParkPODIUM FINISHES (11 Drivers):3 Podiums – Brad Sweet
2 Podiums – David Gravel, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo, Giovanni Scelzi, Brent Marks
1 Podium – Justin Peck, Anthony MacriTOP 10 FINISHES (24 Drivers): 7 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Gio Scelzi
6 Top 10s – David Gravel, Logan Schuchart
4 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Bill Balog, Brent Marks, Buddy Kofoid, Sheldon Haudenschild
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Brad Sweet, Rico Abreu, Carson Macedo
2 Top 10s – Brian Brown
1 Top 10 – Justin Peck, Kasey Kahne, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Zeb Wise, Corey Day, Cory Eliason, Landon Crawley, Aaron Reutzel, Brock Zearfoss, Jacob Allen2024 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)1. Wed, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brad Sweet (1)
2. Thurs, Feb 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
3. Fri, Feb 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (1)
4. Sat, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
5. Mon, March 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1)
6. Fri, March 15 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Brent Marks (1)
7. Sat, March 16 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Giovanni Scelzi (1)For the full 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.

2024 Progressive AFT Season Resumes with Yamaha Senoia Short Track

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, returns to action with the second-ever Yamaha Senoia Short Track at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia on Saturday, March 23. Last year’s inaugural visit proved to be a stunner, and this year’s rematch promises to be yet another as the stage is set with the series’ major players arranged in similar positions. A year ago, reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) rebounded in Senoia following a podium-less double opener in Daytona with a virtuoso performance to defeat points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) at the stripe by 0.174 seconds. That kickstarted a season-long duel between the two, ultimately won by Mees who used the Senoia triumph as a springboard to his nine–win, 15-podium season that culminated in a historic ninth Grand National Championship. Now Mees finds himself equally in need of a bounce back after opening his quest for an unprecedented tenth premier-class crown with sixth- and fifth-place finishes in Daytona. By contrast, Daniels grabbed a share of the points lead with a double-podium opener, highlighted by a victory in the season’s first Main Event. Mees and Daniels are far from the full story, however, as there is genuine hope that this year’s title fight will not only match last year’s incredible showdown but surpass it with the inclusion of additional contenders. Chief among the prospective championship hopefuls are two-time Mission SuperTwins king Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) and co-points leader Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750). Bauman is in his second season aboard the Rick Ware Racing KTM 790 Duke, although he’s working with a new crew and operating a racebike was heavily overhauled during the offseason. That said, even with those changes, he showed impressive speed in the opener and has the skills to fight up front in any and every given outing. Robinson, meanwhile, enjoyed a welcome return to form after going winless and finishing outside the championship top five for the first time since 2018 on both counts. His DAYTONA ST win provided clear evidence that he’s primed for a huge year in ‘24. At least six brands of motorcycles have a legitimate shot to be in the mix for the top five this weekend considering their respective rider/team representation, which include the likes of Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Red Super Twins/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp), along with rookies Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R). Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Preseason Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title favorites Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) opened their ‘24 campaigns with one win apiece. Double defending champion Kopp holds down the familiar position of points leader by backing up his win with a third, while Drane finds himself with some work to do after crashing on the final lap of the opener and being credited with 15th prior to his victorious rebound the following night. While the two will have another opportunity to square off in Senoia, neither enjoyed their finest evening in last year’s inaugural stop at the circuit. Kopp finished fifth despite his usual Short Track supremacy, while Drane could only manage 13th – albeit it’s worth noting the result came before the Australian truly got up to speed and demonstrated his true caliber over the season’s final two-thirds. While last year’s winner, Max Whale, has since graduated to Mission SuperTwins duty, ‘23 Senoia ST podium finishers James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450) and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) are back and desperate to finish atop the box this time around. The class traditionally offers up a bevy of potential race winners. This year is no exception in that respect with Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) only but a few of the entrants with the skill and determination to factor up front. There will be plenty to keep fans entertained off the track as well, starting with a family-oriented pre-race party in the Fan Zone from 2:00 p.m. ET (11.00 a.m. PT) – 6:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. PT) the day of the race. Other features include numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options, the Kids Zone, music, extensive motorcycle parking, and fireworks display at the end of the evening. General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under $5), and Reserved Grandstand tickets start at $50 (all ages) with an option to add a Pit Pass at a reduced rate. The Pit Pass grants access to the General Admission areas and the Pit area for $60. Reserved Trackside Parking and Multi-Day Camping Passes are also available to purchase. New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($150 all ages). This ticket option provides reserved seating with pit pass access, a guided tour of, and photo opportunities at, the infield podium and start/finish line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the heat races, and a track talk and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.  Visit https://www.americanflattrack.com/events/2024/view/senoia-short-track-2024 to reserve your seats today. Gates will open for fans at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. FOX Sports coverage of the Yamaha Senoia Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 31, at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT). For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

BUDDY HULL TO DEBUT MOONEYES FUNNY CAR AT WINTERNATIONALS

LONG BEACH, CA (March 19, 2024) — After an exciting Funny Car debut at the Gatornationals, driver Buddy Hull is ready to take on the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on March 21-24. Hull, a driver for Jim Dunn Racing, will be showcasing an iconic Jim Dunn Mooneyes Funny Car body for the first time this year.

 
“I am over the moon to be competing at the Winternationals again,” said Hull. “This weekend we’re switching the body on the car to have a retro Mooneyes look. We’re super happy about it and can’t wait for the world to see it. It’s a cool race car, and to debut it in California, which is the homeland of drag racing, will just be an incredible experience. Mooneyes has been a sponsor for Jim Dunn Racing for a long time, and to show off this iconic car and represent Big Jim is a big deal to me.”
 
Moon Equipment Company, a California-based manufacturer of nostalgic hot rod products such as Moon tanks, discs and valve covers, will wrap its classic yellow Mooneyes graphics on the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car for this year’s Winternationals. Jim Dunn Racing and Mooneyes have a relationship dating back over thirty years, and Hull is excited to share in this legacy.
 
“Relationships in this sport are everything,” said Hull. “The fact that Mooneyes has been a part  of the Jim Dunn Racing team for so long shows the talent and integrity of what the Jim Dunn name stands for. And I’ve always loved having really cool car bodies, like my Hull’k Top Fuel dragster that I debuted at the U.S. Nationals last year. It’s a great way to engage with fans and demonstrate one of the many reasons why drag racing is so much fun.”
 
Southern California has been the home of Jim Dunn Racing since 1949, so the Winternationals means a lot to the team as a whole. On Friday, Hull, Jim Dunn, and Jon Dunn will be part of Funny Car 101 at the Nitro Alley Stage at 1:30 p.m. PST. And on Sunday morning, Hull and the Dunns will lead the Sealmaster Track Walk before the start of eliminations.
 
“The Winternationals is one of the most iconic events in drag racing,” said Hull. “I’ve always loved racing here and have enjoyed some of my best success at this race. So now that I am part of the Jim Dunn Racing team, it’s incredible to have an even greater reason to want to succeed and make Big Jim proud. I know we will continue to get better and better over the course of the weekend.”
 
After making three qualifying runs in the Funny Car in Gainesville and one elimination round, in addition to testing done during the off-season, Hull is getting more and more confident in the car and himself as a driver, going into the Winternationals.
 
“Every run in the car you learn more, and the car teaches you something,” said Hull. “I’ve now made enough runs and been in the car enough time, that I’m not having to think about where anything is at. I’m just focusing on doing my job as the race car driver. The first three, four or five runs in a race car you have to think about ‘the lever is here’ and ‘this is how the pedal feels,’ but that’s over with, at this point. It’s simply just getting in there and doing my part as a good race car driver.”
 
One of many positive outcomes from the Gatornationals was the outpouring of support that Hull received from the Funny Car class about his transition from the Top Fuel field into Funny Car.
 
“It was great to get a warm welcome from the Funny Car guys at Gainesville,” said Hull. “They really welcomed me into the Funny Car class. It’s been so cool to make the crossover from Top Fuel to Funny Car and from part-time to full-time. I was able to spend some time talking to Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III and John Force during the Gatornationals, and they’ve all welcomed me in with open arms. They’re allowing me to fit in, in my own way. I can’t wait to see the impact I have on the field over the course of this year.”
 
In addition to Mooneyes, this weekend Hull will be representing sponsors Vertex Roofers and General Contractors, Solid Start/True Brand Products, Lescure Mechanical Services, Crow Safety, Blaze Exhaust Probes, Koppl  Pipeline Services, Good Vibrations Motorsports, KGC Construction, Powerbuilt Tools and Wiley X.
 
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be making one qualifying run on Friday, March 22 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, March 23 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in the field will have a chance to compete for a Winternationals Wally on Sunday, March 24. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. PST. Fans can watch the finals live on FS1. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Winternationals visit nhra.com.

1 MONTH ALERT: World of Outlaws Late Models Bringing High-Octane Show Back to Talladega, April 19-20

EASTABOGA, AL (March 21, 2024) – After a successful debut at the Talladega Short Track last year, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models return to the Alabama track for the two-day Alabama Gang 100.

Located across the road from the Talladega Superspeedway – which will be hosting the NASCAR Cup Series the same weekend – the Talladega Short Track will host the best Late Model drivers in the country for $4,000-to-win split shows on Friday, setting up the $35,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

Brandon Overton, Tanner English and Kyle Bronson opened the show last year with wins during the split Feature action. That set the stage for a thrilling 60-lap Saturday Feature, which saw multiple lead changes, close quarters racing, and Overton walking away with the grand prize.

The United Sprint Car Series will join the World of Outlaws Late Models again both nights. Last year’s USCS races were won by 2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

EVENT INFO:
Date – Friday-Saturday, April 19-20
Location – Eastaboga, AL
Track Record – 12.420 sec. by Jason Hiett on March 28, 2019

Times – 
12pm: Pit Gates open Fri. & Sat.
4pm: GA Gates Open Friday
3pm: GA Gates Open Saturday

Tickets – WorldofOutlaws.com/tix
How to Watch – If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.

Previous World of Outlaws Winners at Talladega –
2023 – Brandon Overton on April 22

Last Race Video Highlight (Talladega, April 22, 2023)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2ucBRvo7Yk

chevy racing–indycar–thermal CA advance

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES THERMAL $1 MILLION CHALLENGE THERMAL, CALIFORNIA TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE MARCH 22-24, 2024 CHEVROLET CARRIES MOMENTUM INTO THE THERMAL CLUBFOR NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ $1 MILLION CHALLENGE ALL-STAR EVENT
DETROIT (March 21, 2024) – In a historically unique event for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Team Chevy heads west to The Thermal Club for the non-points-paying second round of the 2024 season.
The Thermal $1 Million Challenge is the first race on the 3.067-mile, 19-turn Twin Palms layout for INDYCAR. Despite a weekend with no points on the line, this still is an important event for Team Chevy.
The manufacturer is carrying momentum from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg into the $1 Million Challenge, having swept first through fourth in the season-opening event. The Bowtie Brigade also showcased strength through hard work and collaboration in the offseason. With a strong run and solid finish in the first round of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, Santino Ferrucci, driver of the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing, discusses the upcoming unique weekend, with testing prior to the heat-race formatted event. “I think testing is really important for us, especially with our new [technical] partnership, so having more of a two-day test followed up by sprint race weekend, I think, is really nice,” said Ferrucci. “It’s a little bit more fun. We get a couple more days in California. So I’m quite happy with the idea of the series to move forward with what they’re doing. I think that with the gains that we saw in St. Pete with the Chevy engine, it’s going to be quite good moving into Thermal.” With prior heat-racing experience in his career, Ferrucci notes that while the format may be similar, the $1 Million Challenge will be different. “I feel like it’s going to race like a qualifying weekend. Basically, as if you made qualifying the racing. It’s very comparable to what we have now for qualifying procedure. Just instead of qualifying for lap time, you’re now racing.” During the two 10-lap (or 20-minute) heat races, pit stops are only allowed for emergency service and teams are allotted one new set of Firestone Firehawks. The top-six finishers from the heat races will then transfer to a 12-car, 20-lap main event Sunday that will see a total purse of $1.756 million, the largest in NTT INDYCAR SERIES history outside of the Indianapolis 500. The $1 Million Challenge race weekend at The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, Calif. kicks off with open testing from noon p.m. to 2 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET on Friday. Saturday sees two additional open testing sessions from 12 p.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET, followed by qualifications at 8 p.m. ET. Heat events and the 20-lap all-star race air starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday on NBC. All test sessions and qualifications will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYINGPato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren:“I’m ready to go to The Thermal Club, where we’re racing for some cash. It’s going to be a cool event, I’m sure. The facility is world class and I think there are a lot of people that are excited to see the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing here. I’m looking forward to this new event and making it a good weekend for our team.” Callum Ilott, No. 6 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren:“I’m looking forward to Thermal quite a lot. It’s going to be an interesting weekend that not a lot of us are used to, but it’s an exciting, new challenge that we have. Obviously, we all tested there at the beginning of last year, and it’s quite a fun race track. I’m not sure how it’s going to be on the racing side, but by the way the heat races and final race are set up, it’s more like sprint racing anyway, so qualifying is going to be quite important. It’s going to be good fun, for sure. I’m looking forward to getting to work with Arrow McLaren again in the No. 6 NTT DATA Chevrolet.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren:“Going back to The Thermal Club is something that I think everyone has been really excited about. It’s rare that you get a completely new format in motorsports, especially when there is $1 million on the line. It’s going to be a cool event and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve.” Gavin Ward, Team Principal at Arrow McLaren:“After testing at The Thermal Club last year, I’m excited that we’re going back this year for a really different and cool event. I don’t think anyone in the series has ever been part of something like this before, and I have to give props to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for trying something new. We’ll all get the opportunity to get a lot of testing in, which I think we need if we’re going to race here. Even though this race isn’t for points, it’s a great chance for us to build off the foundation we laid in St. Pete and bring home some cash while we’re at it.” Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:“I’m looking forward to going to The Thermal Club! I have only heard great things about the facility and can’t wait to experience it myself. Also with one full race weekend under my belt, a lot of the ‘firsts’ are out of the way which should benefit us.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:“Any day we can get in the racecar is great and the $1 Million Challenge makes it even more fun! It’s an entirely different kind of weekend than anything I have been a part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. I love The Thermal Club, the track is great and the whole scene is pretty cool. We were pretty quick off the truck at Thermal last year during testing, so hopefully that continues this year and we can fight for a part of the million dollars!” Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:“Thermal offers a unique track format in the NTT INDYCAR Series schedule in which Chevy strengths could be highlighted. It will be interesting to see the progression through the weekend with several on-track sessions. Looking forward to that shootout action behind the wheel of the Chevy powered 41.” Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:“Thermal will be a really good. (It’s an) opportunity for us to work on our road course set up. We had a very strong start of the season and I’m looking forward to unlock more speed and race a very unique race in Thermal.” Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:“We are going to Thermal for the weekend with a double mindset. First, to take advantage of the large number of (test) sessions to follow our evolution and at the same time, try to be as fast as possible to fight for the prize. It is a very challenging, fast and technical circuit, so it will be a very interesting weekend.”
2024 CHEVROLET BY THE NUMBERS:199: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR.  112: Wins in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012.  128: Earned poles since 2012. Chevrolet holds 133 pole awards in total, with five recorded based on points for weather. 8: Manufacturer Championships since 2012.  7: Driver/entrant champions since 2012.  12: Indianapolis 500 victories by Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 5: Indianapolis 500 wins by Chevrolet since 2012 in the V6 2.2-liter twin turbo direct injected era. 26: Wins by Will Power since 2012 – all with Chevrolet power – most of any driver with the same manufacturer. 
9: Wins from the pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver.  46: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver.*Will Power’s career total of 70 poles makes him the all-time pole winner in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

1 MONTH ALERT: World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Return to Tri-State Speedway, April 20

HAUBSTADT, IN (March 21, 2024) – The winged warriors of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series are bringing their high-octane show back to Tri-State Speedway on Saturday, April 20.

The high-banked 1/4-mile track is a fan-favorite every year as its small scale and tight corners have produced some of the most thrilling Sprint Car races in Series history.Series stars Carson Macedo and Sheldon Haudenschild put on an electrifying show last year, trading slide jobs corner after corner. However, Non-Wing Sprint Car star Brady Bacon stole the spotlight by charging up through the field to steal the win – his first with the Series.

Bacon was the third first-time Series winner at Tri-State Speedway since 2017 (Parker Price-Miller in 2017, Carson Short in 2020, and Bacon in 2023).

EVENT INFO:
Date – Saturday, April 20
Location – Haubstadt, IN
Track Record – 11.110 sec. by Sammy Swindell on Oct. 8, 2004

Times (CT) –
Pit Gates Open 2pm
Grandstands Open 5pm
Hot Laps/Qualifying 6:30pm
-Racing to Follow

Tickets – Available at the track
How to Watch – If you can’t be at the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.Previous World of Outlaws Winners at Tri-State –
2023 – Brady Bacon on April 29
2022 – Carson Macedo on April 23
2021 – Carson Macedo on April 10
2020 – Carson Short on June 19, Carson Macedo on June 20
2019 – Christopher Bell on Oct. 13
2018 – David Gravel on May 13
2017 – Parker Price-Miller on May 14
2016 – David Gravel on May 14
2015 – Paul McMahan on May 3
2014 – Paul McMahan on May 10
2013 – Tim Kaeding on April 20
2012 – Craig Dollansky on April 21
2011 – Sammy Swindell on May 30
2010 – Craig Dollansky on Oct. 16
2009 – Steve Kinser on June 25
2008 – Craig Dollansky on July 6
2007 – Steve Kinser on April 21
2006 – Craig Dollansky on April 15
2005 – Steve Kinser on April 16
2004 – Tim Kaeding on Oct. 8
1999 – Mark Kinser on May 16
1998 – Mark Kinser on May 10, Sammy Swindell on June 21
1997 – Steve Kinser on May 11, Sammy Swindell on June 22
1996 – Mark Kinser on May 12
1995 – Stevie Smith on May 14, Steve Kinser on July 16
1994 – Andy Hillenburg on May 15, Dave Blaney on July 17
1993 – Dave Blaney on May 16, Andy Hillenburg on July 18
1992 – Gary Wright on May 10, Sammy Swindell on July 26
1991 – Doug Wolfgang on May 12, Steve Kinser on July 14
1990 – Doug Wolfgang on May 13
1989 – Steve Kinser on May 14
1988 – Bobby Davis, Jr. and Sammy Swindell on May 15 (co-winners)
1980 – Steve Kinser on May 11
1979 – Lee James on May 13, Larry Gates on Aug. 19

Last World of Outlaws Tri-State race video highlight –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLm4yx-ogRE

THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO SPONSOR AUSTIN PROCK IN NHRA WINTERNATIONALS

Partnership with John Force Racing now nearly a quarter-century strong.
POMONA, Calif. (March 21, 2024) – Austin Prock will pilot The Automobile Club of Southern California/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car in this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
Commonly known as “Auto Club,” the organization is celebrating the start of nearly a quarter century partnership with John Force Racing that dates back to 2001. The association is the longest tenured sponsor of JFR.
“I am very excited to debut our Auto Club Camaro in Pomona,” Prock said. “I’ve cheered on this car a majority of my life. It’s surreal that I will be strapping in it in a few days. Auto Club has been a long time partner of John Force Racing and I’m looking forward to representing their brand and all they offer. I’ve got two goals this weekend: get fans to engage with the Auto Club booth in the midway and win the race!”
In addition to this weekend, Auto Club will also sponsor the car in the season-ending In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals (Nov. 14-17), also at Pomona Dragstrip.
“We’re very excited to have John Force Racing and the Auto Club Nitro Funny Car again racing in California,” said Jeff Zacek, Automobile Club of Southern California Vice President of Marketing, Member Research & Publications. “Austin Prock has been doing a phenomenal job subbing for our regular driver, Robert Hight, and we look forward to a great event this weekend.”
A three-time NHRA Funny Car champion, Hight is on a temporary leave of absence from racing for personal medical reasons. His replacement knows he has big shoes to fill, but is up for the challenge.
Prock is off to a great start to the season. In addition to being No. 1 qualifier and finishing runner-up piloting the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car in the NHRA season-opening Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., two weeks ago. Prock also won a special exhibition race in Bradenton, Fla., last month in his first-ever start in a Funny Car, also with Cornwell Tools on his livery.
“Any time I get in a race car, I just want to do the absolute best job I can,” Prock said. “And more or less, it’s not about proving myself to everyone else, it’s proving myself to myself. I want to be able to get in the car and know I can do a good job and get the result I want.”
The Lansing, Mich., native sits a close second in the NHRA Funny Car standings coming into this weekend’s event.
“I’m looking forward to Pomona,” Prock said. “I’ve always loved that racetrack. It’s always been my favorite one to hit on the map.”
Founded in 1900, the Automobile Club of Southern California serves over seven million members in several California counties including Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.
It continues to expand and enhance its wide range of services, including membership benefits, insurance, travel services, discounts, financial services, and comprehensive automotive services.
Auto Club is the Southern California affiliate of the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation of motor clubs. AAA will sponsor Prock’s Funny Car in Epping, N.H. (May 31-June 2); Norwalk, Ohio (June 28-30); St. Louis (Sept. 27-29) and Dallas (Oct. 11-13).**********************************
The 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals runs from March 21-24 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.
FS1 will televise Qualifying Show No. 1 on Saturday, March 23, from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Qualifying Show No. 2 is Sunday, March 24, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET, and the Finals will also air on Sunday, March 24, from 7 to 10 p.m. ET.
#2024ORCE

MARK CHRISTOPHER CHEVROLET TO SPONSOR BRITTANY FORCE’S TOP FUEL DRAGSTER IN POMONA

POMONA, Calif. (March 19, 2024) – Brittany Force will drive the Mark Christopher Auto Center Chevrolet/Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster in this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to support and be part of John Force Racing,” said Mark Christopher Auto Center Chevrolet president Chris Leggio, a longtime JFR friend and supporter. “And we’re especially excited to be more involved with Brittany and her dynamic team of professionals.”
While Brittany Force lost in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations of the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., two weeks ago, she took some consolation that her Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster managed to finish runner-up in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel NHRA All-Star Callout exhibition event on Saturday, March 9. 
With Pomona Dragstrip being her home track, the daughter of team patriarch John Force is looking for a big rebound this weekend.
“Going into Pomona, we need to see better results on race day, and in order to do that we need to make more consistent runs, we need to qualify top five and go some rounds on race day,” Brittany Force said. “We’d like to win this thing.
“It’s Pomona and I’ve won there in the past. This David Grubnic (crew chief) team set the national mph record there back in 2022 at 338.94 mph. So we have been successful on this track. We just need to kind of regroup and get back on track.”
Force will get a lot of support from Mark Christopher Auto Center Chevrolet, which is based in Ontario, Calif. The dealership was originally started by Charles and Shirley Leggio, who purchased it in 1975 and named it after their sons, Mark and Christopher.
Since then, the family-owned and operated car dealership has been serving Southern California drivers from communities such as Ontario, Riverside, Pomona, Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona and others for nearly 50 years.
Mark Christopher Auto Center – which is a winner of the prestigious Edmunds Five Star Car Dealer Award – is proud to be one of the largest and most trusted auto dealerships in California. 
Much like the John Force family, Mark Christopher Auto Center is also very family-oriented. With a strong belief in giving back to the community that has supported it for so many years, the dealership has helped raise more than $2 million for local charities, nonprofits and other organizations.
Mark Christopher Chevrolet and the Mark Christopher Auto Center are located at 2131 Convention Center Way, Ontario, Calif. The phone number is 888-964-5407.

#2024ORCE

NARC 410 SPRINT CAR SERIES SET TO INVADE MERCED SPEEDWAY ON SATURDAY


(6/18/24 – Ben Deatherage) Merced, California … The Central Valley is about to hear the roar of the 900+ horsepower powerplants of the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series on Saturday, March 23rd, when the tour returns to Merced Speedway! The high-banked ¼-mile clay oval will host the cars and stars of the NARC organization for the first time since August of 2021 and will be the lone visit to the facility in 2024.

This marks the second stop on NARC’s 65th Anniversary 25-race campaign, which is slated to visit 17-different dirt oval tracks in California, Oregon, and Washington.

“I’m super excited to get to Merced,” said Lemoore driver Cole Macedo, hot off a big win at the Mini-Gold Cup in the Tarlton Motorsports #21 sprint car. “I know (promoter) Doug Lockwood has put in a lot of effort to make that place what it is today.  I think Drew Warner (crew chief) will give me a fast race car, and if I do my job, we should come out with a good finish.”

Macedo is the current NARC championship point leader after scoring his second NARC feature win of his career in Chico.

Many of the NARC sprint cars stars will be competing on the action-packed bullring for the first time, including a strong class of rookie drivers.  This year’s rookie field includes Lemoore’s Caeden Steele, who finished third in Chico, Fresno’s Gauge Garcia, Dominic Gorden from Clovis, Chico’s Michael Ing and Wilton’s Ashlyn Rodriguez.

Who to Watch

Aromas’ Justin Sanders, expected to be a strong challenger for the 2024 NARC title, will be looking to rebound after a crash took him out of contention in Chico. Sanders hit pay dirt in the series’ last visit to the track in August 2021 and knows that a victory gets him right back into the title hunt.

Shane Golobic, who finished second in the NARC season opener in Chico, is looking to put the Matt Wood Racing #17W car in NARC victory lane for the first time at Merced Speedway.  Golobic placed fifth in 2021 and was 16th when the World Of Outlaws visited in March 2022.

Bud Kaeding, who claimed the series title in 2017, still doesn’t have a Merced victory on this impressive resume.  He came across the line in sixth when NARC was in Merced last time. With a retro look for the #29 team, the Campbell racer is looking to check off Merced on his win list.

Tim Kaeding, from San Jose, will no doubt wow the crowd in the famed Williams Motorsports #0 entry. The “Governor of Good Times” was fourth in the last NARC trip to Merced. Kaeding is hitting the NARC trail heavy this spring and the 2002 and 2011 series champion is hungry to revisit victory lane.  He has 72 NARC victories to his credit.

Chase Johnson of Penngrove has a lot of laps and wins at Merced in many different types of cars, but the pilot of the #24 has yet to win in the 410 ranks. Johnson was third in a USAC-CRA race in September of 2019 and is in search of his fourth career NARC win.

Other NARC 410 Series stars expected to compete include Justyn Cox from Clarksburg, Oakley’s Dylan Bloomfield, Billy Aton of Benicia, Gilroy ‘s Jarrett Soares, Kaleb Montgomery of Templeton, Michael Faccinto and DJ Netto from Hanford and many more!

Fan & Competitor Info

The companion divisions for the evening include the Hobby Stocks, Mini Late Models, and IMCA Northern SportMods.

Merced Speedway is located at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced, California. Tickets are $25.00 for Adults, Juniors (11-17) $10.00, Kids (6-10) $5.00, and 5 and Under are FREE.

Pit Gates will open at 2:00 PM and the Front Gates at 5:00.  Hot Laps are expected to begin around 6:00, with racing kicking off at 7:00.  Additional information can be found at www.mercedspeedway.net.

The NARC racing format includes qualifying, four eight-lap heat races, an exciting six-lap trophy dash, a 12-lap last chance race, and a 30-lap main event.

The NARC 410 Sprint Series is the leading 410 Sprint Car tour west of the Rocky Mountains. Since 1960, they have enthralled countless thousands of fans from tracks up and down the Pacific Coast. For more information, visit their website at www.narc410.com or social media pages.

The event at Merced Speedway can be viewed live on Floracing.com, along with every NARC 410 Sprint Car Series race.

The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Diversified Machine Inc., Jim Allen Promotions, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Enterprises, Lifeline LLC, Maxim Racing Products, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Scelzi Enterprises, SCI Racing Products, Starr Property Management, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Williams Roofing, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.

NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
(AFTER ONE EVENT IN 25-RACE SERIES)

  1. Cole Macedo, Lemoore – 142
  2. Shane Golobic, Fremont – 139
  3. Caeden Steele, Fresno (R) – 138
  4. Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 137
  5. Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 136
  6. Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 135
  7. Sean Becker, Roseville – 134
  8. Nick Parker, Chico – 133
  9. Justyn Cox, Clarksburg – 132
  10. Gauge Garcia, Lemoore (R) – 131
  11. Ryan Robinson, Roseville – 130
  12. Chase Johnson, Penngrove – 129
  13. Justin Sanders, Aromas – 128
  14. DJ Netto, Hanford – 127
  15. Andy Forsberg, Auburn – 127
  16. Jayson Bright, Antioch (R) – 125
  17. Kalib Henry, Sacramento – 125
  18. Michael Faccinto, Hanford – 123
  19. Robbie Price, Cobble Hill, B.C. – 122
  20. Max Mittry, Redding – 121

UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 6 – Stockton Dirt Track – Asparagus Cup with SCCT
April 13 – Kings Speedway (Hanford) – $11,000 to win Peter Murphy Classic
April 27 – Stockton Dirt Track – Salute to NARC champ Leroy Van Conett
May 4 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) – Chris & Brian Faria Memorial
May 11 – Antioch Speedway – Contra Costa County Clash
May 18 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare) – KRC Night at the Races
June 1 – Placerville Speedway – Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial

Atomic and Brownstown on Deck for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

BATAVIA, Ohio (March 18, 2024) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is back in action this week – Friday, March 22 at Atomic Speedway and Saturday, March 23 at Brownstown Speedway. Drivers will contend for a $12,000 top prize in Friday’s Buckeye Spring 50 at Atomic Speedway. The pit gate will open at 2:00PM, followed by general admission gates at 4:00PM. Dirt Draft Hot Laps are slated to begin at 5:00PM followed by Allstar Performance Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the 50-lap Buckeye Spring 50 finale. Also on the card will be the 305 Sprint Cars and Sport Modifieds.  Atomic Speedway is located at 2535 Blain Highway in Waverly, Ohio – just off S.R. 23 six miles south of Chillicothe. For more information about Atomic Speedway, including how to purchase discounted tickets in advance, please visit www.atomicspeedway.net Teams will travel west on Saturday to the historic Brownstown Speedway. A complete program is on deck for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – highlighted by the $15,000-to-win, 50-lap, 27th Annual John Jones Auto Group Indiana Icebreaker. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be joined by the Pure Stocks and Super Stocks.  All gates at Brownstown Speedway will open at 12:00PM, with on-track action set to begin at 6:00PM with Dirt Draft Hot Laps. Brownstown Speedway is located one mile southeast of Brownstown, Ind. on S.R. 250 at the Jackson County Fairground. To purchase tickets in advance or find more information about Brownstown Speedway, visit the track’s website at www.brownstownspeedway.com. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has seen nine different winners in the first 13 events of the 2024 season. Among those victors are the top three in the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship – presented by ARP standings – Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, and Jonathan Davenport. Daulton Wilson and Brandon Sheppard round out the top five in championship standings. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. Track Information:Atomic SpeedwayPhone Number: (740) 703-9749Location: 2535 Blain Hwy, Waverly, OH 45690Website: www.atomicspeedway.net Brownstown SpeedwayPhone Number: (812) 358-5332Location: 476 East CR 100, Brownstown, IN 47220Website: www.brownstownspeedway.com Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tire Rule:March 22 – Atomic SpeedwayLeft Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT2, (92) NLMT3 March 23 – Brownstown SpeedwayLeft Rear/Fronts – Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3Right Rear – Hoosier (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Purses:Buckeye Spring 50: 1. $12,000, 2. $6,000, 3. $3,500, 4. $2,800, 5. $2,500, 6. $2,300, 7. $2,200, 8. $2,100, 9. $2,050, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,600, 12. $1,400, 13. $1,200, 14. $1,100, 15. $1,050, 16. $1,000, 17. $1,000, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000 = Total $52,800 Indiana Icebreaker: 1. $15,000, 2. $7,000, 3. $5,000, 4. $4,000, 5. $3,000, 6. $2,500, 7. $2,400, 8. $2,300, 9. $2,200, 10. $2,100, 11. $2,000, 12. $1,800, 13. $1,600, 14. $1,500, 15. $1,400, 16. $1,300, 17. $1,200, 18. $1,100, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000, 21. $1,000, 22. $1,000, 23. $1,000, 24. $1,000, = Total $63,400

Tire Issues Leave Burton 32nd at Bristol


March 17, 2024


A promising start to Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway for Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team took a disappointing turn just 67 laps into the 500-lapper as Burton made an unscheduled green-flag stop for fresh rubber. Although he and the team managed to work their way back onto the lead lap, the tire issues continued to plague them and they wound up 32nd at the finish.

Burton started the race from 13th place and drove into the top 10 by Lap 44. He was running just outside the top 15 at Lap 60 when tire issues surfaced, necessitating a green-flag stop that left him two laps in arrears.

Burton and the DEX Imaging team worked their way into the free pass position and rejoined the lead lap when the caution flag was displayed at Lap 175 for a multi-car crash.

He was back among the top 20 in the latter portions of the second Stage, and ended that segment in 19th place.

The DEX Imaging crew called for a two-tire stop at the end of the Stage and moved back into the top 15 only to experience another tire issue and another unscheduled green-flag stop at Lap 306 that cost them three laps. 
 
With few strategy options at the team’s disposal, Burton was unable to advance. 
 
Burton and the No. 21 team return to the track next week for a road-course race at Circuit of the Americas. 

Bowman, Larson Lead Chevrolet with Top-Five Finishes at Bristol

NASCAR CUP SERIES BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOOD CITY 500 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT MARCH 17, 2024

·       Alex Bowman led Chevrolet to the checkered-flag in the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway – driving his No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 to a fourth-place finish. 
·       Three Camaro ZL1’s earned top-10 results at the Tennessee short-track, with Bowman leading his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1, in fifth; and Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1, in eighth. 
·       With his second top-five finish of the season, Larson took over the top position in the NASCAR Cup Series driver points standings. 
·       The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Circuit of The Americas with the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday, March 24, at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20:  POS.   DRIVER4th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL15th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL18th      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL115th    Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Fishing Camaro ZL118th    Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Outdoors by Luke Byran Camaro ZL1
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Finished: 4thBowman on his fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway: “We just made our left-front tire last a little longer than some others there. I think it was a good, solid day for the No. 48 Ally Chevy team. I feel like we had a pretty good Chevy, but we just had to go roll around half-speed and try to make it last. It kind of reminded me of Greenville Pickens (Speedway), short-track racing in the East Series, or something like that. Just had to be really, really, really patient. Obviously that long green-flag run where we all pitted, I think our right-front probably lasted the longest. It got us some track position and we ended up with a fourth-place finish. I don’t really know where my race car could have ended up, straight-up, because we were never able to run hard, but it was pretty good.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Finished: 5thHow difficult was it to get into a rhythm in today’s race? “Yeah, it was tough.. tough to get a rhythm. I felt like I was kind of in a rhythm when I could run around fourth to sixth behind the Gibbs cars and kind of pace myself. I felt like I was doing a good job of managing my stuff, we just never got a long run. And then the one time we get a long run is when we had the penalty and we had to go to the back, and abuse my tire to get back to the top-five.  
It all just kind of weirdly worked out. I still don’t really know how we ended fifth, but we will take it and move on. 
You’ll take a fifth. You don’t care how you got there, as long as you get to fifth, right? “Yeah, for sure. Obviously, I would have loved to not get that penalty because I felt like I could pace the 11 (Denny Hamlin) well, and I thought I could manage my tires good. He would have been hard to beat, but we could have ended up a little bit better and we could have ended up worse. So, yeah, I think I will take the fifth and be happy with it.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1Finished: 8thFor short-tracks, is this a good thing? “It’s a better race than we’ve had here. It was pretty fun from my seat.”
What made this race challenging? “Normally, you could just bury the car into the corner so far and you don’t ever really get beat by guys with tires that bad. But you could just fall off a cliff there with the way that was. It was like racing at a really old, worn out short-track. It was a lot of fun. I think there was probably a little better balance somewhere up there, but I had a good time.” 

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Mountain Dew/Doritos Camaro ZL1Finished: 23rd“We initially struggled to find balance in our No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Chevy. Combined with the tire issues the field faced, we had our hands full. I’m proud of our team and Travis [Mack] on the pit box. The way our day started, it wasn’t looking good, but we refocused as a team and made the most out of our day.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Camaro ZL1Finished: 24th “We fought hard with the No. 3 BREZTRI Chevy. It didn’t matter what we did, we just kept losing tires. We were kind of in a box there trying to save and trying to go. Man, it was a weird race. Hate it that we couldn’t hold on because that would have been good run if we would have gotten ourselves into a better position. It was a good fight. We’ll go get a little bit more next week at COTA.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1Finished: 28th“Lots of highs and lows during this long race. We had a solid second stage, but after making some contact with the wall, we just fought a really tight-handling No. 31 Cirkul Chevy. The right front would wear quickly, and the rear would start going away not long after. Hopefully we can come back in the fall for some redemption.”

RCR NCS Race Recap: Bristol Motor Speedway

Hard Fight By Austin Dillon and The No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Team at Bristol Motor Speedway
24th31st30th
“We fought hard today in the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway. No matter what we did, we kept losing tires. It put us in a box with managing when to save tires and when to race hard. It was a very different race than what we’ve had in the past here. I hate that we couldn’t hold on there at the end. We had ourselves in a better position late in the race and I feel we could have had a really good finish. It was a good fight. We’ll go get a little bit more next week at Circuit of the Americas.”

-Austin Dillon
Kyle Busch Leads Laps, Overcomes Many Hurdles in FICO Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway
25th14th16th
“Today was one of those days where you just try to survive and get the best finish you can. Our FICO Chevrolet was good at the beginning of the race and we were able to work our way into the lead. The right-side tire wear was a huge factor and unfortunately led to me spinning out a couple of times. We were able to make up that lost time by taking the wave around during a caution just past halfway and catching a yellow flag about 50 laps later that put us back on the lead lap. Crew chief Randall Burnett and the guys worked hard on the car all day but the balance was just too tight. At the end of the race, we stretched out tire wear as far as we could go before pitting but unfortunately had to stop under green. It was a tough day overall but we’ll rebound next week at the Circuit of the Americas.”  
 -Kyle Busch
       

chevy Racing–Bowman, Larson Lead Chevrolet with Top-Five Finishes at Bristol

NASCAR CUP SERIES BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOOD CITY 500 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT MARCH 17, 2024

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20:  POS.   DRIVER4th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL15th      Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL18th      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL115th    Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Fishing Camaro ZL118th    Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Outdoors by Luke Byran Camaro ZL1
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Finished: 4thBowman on his fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway: “We just made our left-front tire last a little longer than some others there. I think it was a good, solid day for the No. 48 Ally Chevy team. I feel like we had a pretty good Chevy, but we just had to go roll around half-speed and try to make it last. It kind of reminded me of Greenville Pickens (Speedway), short-track racing in the East Series, or something like that. Just had to be really, really, really patient. Obviously that long green-flag run where we all pitted, I think our right-front probably lasted the longest. It got us some track position and we ended up with a fourth-place finish. I don’t really know where my race car could have ended up, straight-up, because we were never able to run hard, but it was pretty good.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Finished: 5thHow difficult was it to get into a rhythm in today’s race? “Yeah, it was tough.. tough to get a rhythm. I felt like I was kind of in a rhythm when I could run around fourth to sixth behind the Gibbs cars and kind of pace myself. I felt like I was doing a good job of managing my stuff, we just never got a long run. And then the one time we get a long run is when we had the penalty and we had to go to the back, and abuse my tire to get back to the top-five.  
It all just kind of weirdly worked out. I still don’t really know how we ended fifth, but we will take it and move on. 
You’ll take a fifth. You don’t care how you got there, as long as you get to fifth, right? “Yeah, for sure. Obviously, I would have loved to not get that penalty because I felt like I could pace the 11 (Denny Hamlin) well, and I thought I could manage my tires good. He would have been hard to beat, but we could have ended up a little bit better and we could have ended up worse. So, yeah, I think I will take the fifth and be happy with it.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Mountain Dew/Doritos Camaro ZL1Finished: 23rd“We initially struggled to find balance in our No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Chevy. Combined with the tire issues the field faced, we had our hands full. I’m proud of our team and Travis [Mack] on the pit box. The way our day started, it wasn’t looking good, but we refocused as a team and made the most out of our day.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Camaro ZL1Finished: 24th “We fought hard with the No. 3 BREZTRI Chevy. It didn’t matter what we did, we just kept losing tires. We were kind of in a box there trying to save and trying to go. Man, it was a weird race. Hate it that we couldn’t hold on because that would have been good run if we would have gotten ourselves into a better position. It was a good fight. We’ll go get a little bit more next week at COTA.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1Finished: 28th“Lots of highs and lows during this long race. We had a solid second stage, but after making some contact with the wall, we just fought a really tight-handling No. 31 Cirkul Chevy. The right front would wear quickly, and the rear would start going away not long after. Hopefully we can come back in the fall for some redemption.”

Slicker Graphics Offering Cash Awards for Slickest Moves of the Year

BATAVIA, Ohio (March 17, 2024) – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials are excited to announce Slicker Graphics has signed on to sponsor the Slickest Move of the Race for each event. As part of the agreement, Slicker Graphics will pay out cash awards at the series’ year-end awards banquet. The driver that earns the most Slickest Move of the Race points during the year will receive a $2,000 cash award at the championship awards banquet. The 2nd place driver will earn $1,000. Slicker Graphics located in Cincinnati, OH is fast becoming one of the most well-known graphics companies in the country. They specialize in wraps and graphics for Dirt Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Go-karts. Owned by Michael LeFevers, Slicker Graphics supplies all the victory lane checks for the series and has been a long-time partner of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. To contact Slicker Graphics, visit https://theslickerthebetter.com.  “We’re excited to add this new category to our lengthy list of incentives for drivers that follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Slickest Move of the Year award exemplifies the excitement the series brings to the industry and shines light on the stars that follow the series. We appreciate what Michael does for the series and now this new category will be great for the racers,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports.
The 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season continues March 22-23 with trips to Atomic Speedway and Brownstown Speedway. For the latest news, results, championship standings and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please visit www.lucasdirt.com.
About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesFounded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2024, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 63 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap.  The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via FloRacing, with select broadcasts on MAVTV Motorsports Network.   The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.

Racer News and Results