The weeklong event brings a large crowd and boost of business to the city of Oswego OSWEGO, NY – Aug. 20, 2021 – The city of Oswego has a population of 17,000. That number will more than double for a week in October, bringing a welcomed and needed boost to local businesses.Racing’s Biggest Party – the 49th NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week – returns to Oswego Speedway Oct. 6-10, with campers arriving Sunday, Oct. 3, for the city’s most significant event and New York’s biggest motorsports experience.The premier dirt racing event moved from the Syracuse Mile to Oswego Speedway in 2016 and has brought a positive benefit to small businesses in the county, according to Dave Turner, the director of community development tourism and planning for the county of Oswego.“Typically, there are drivers and visitors from 17 or so states, and some international participation as well… over the course of the entire event they draw thousands of fans and competitors,” Turner said. “It’s a pretty active week throughout the county.“I think the city of Oswego really feels the boost. It’s pretty significant when you think of food and housing.”Garafolo’s, on East Bridge Street – four minutes from the speedway – is a small family-owned meat store and sandwich shop that’s been a staple of the Oswego community for years. NAPA Super DIRT Week has been a huge boost for not only them but the city, according to Joe Garafolo. Without the event last year, things were “slow and boring,” he said.“It’s a huge boost to the economy of our city here,” Garafolo said. “Any time you can bring any people to the city it is a good thing. For us, we’re kind of on the main drag here, so people see us coming in and out. They know we’re here. Beer sales go up. There’s a lot of grilling. The first few years they brought their own stuff, but they also went exploring and now they know we’re here. Now, we get a lot of those people in here as customers.”He couldn’t pin an exact number of how much his sales increase, but said it is almost double what they usually do. Especially for October. Grilling season usually ends in September in the city, he said, leaving October and on as a slower time until it starts again. Super DIRT Week helped bring a boost when they normally wouldn’t anticipate one.He’ll usually increase his inventory for the week – especially on beer – but said even if he were to run out, other vendors are happy to help as businesses work together that week knowing they’re all aiming for the same goal.“We’ve got places we can get stuff if need be,” Garafolo said. “Some of the local vendors are doing the same thing and they’ll work with us throughout the weekend. We can call them up and get things. We’re pretty tight nit with that. Everybody helps everyone at this time because we all need the money.”Amy Lear, owner of Man in the Moon Candies, located on West 1st Street in the heart of the city, echoed Garafolo’s sentiment about the boost in business.“I think anything that goes on in town is beneficial to all businesses,” she said. “People always explore what is going on. I’d imagine we’ll do additional business.”She plans on making special chocolate race cars just for the week.Race fans will be spread throughout the city for the week, with many camping on-site and others staying in hotels. However, with two months still to go until the event, both options are almost full in the area.Mark Dorsey, the interim general manager of the Home2 Suites – located directly in front of the speedway – said he has all 89 rooms about booked for the week.“Everyone is excited to get back to the races and get back to normalcy,” he said. “We’ve been getting calls left and right about people wanting to get in here for Super DIRT Week. Fifty percent of my rooms look at the track, so it’s like being by the Pacific Ocean.”To help accommodate those still looking to camp near the area, Super DIRT Week has added a new camping site at Fulton Speedway for Friday, Oct. 8, to Monday morning on Oct. 11, further extending the event’s financial impact on the county. For more information on the site, call 844-DIRT-TIX.Since NAPA Super DIRT Week came to Oswego in 2016, Bob Hoefer, owner of Lighthouse Lanes bowling alley – located in front of the speedway – said there’s been an adjustment period for fans. They were used to being self-sufficient at the Syracuse Fairgrounds but then had to learn a new area when it switched to Oswego. As they’ve learned what amenities are around, business in the city picked up each year.”They’ve now realized there are amenities all over town they can take advantage of,” Hoefer said. “I think over the course of the years, they’ve realized there are other opportunities out there and are taking advantage of them. We’ve definitely seen the results of that.”He cited the event brings a positive “significant impact” to the bowling alley, especially during the main events on the weekend.Along with Oswego’s Harborfest concert festival – which was canceled this year – NAPA Super DIRT Week is the city’s biggest event. However, Super DIRT Week brings something Harborfest doesn’t.“Harbor Fest is free. A lot of people go because it is free and they don’t spend a ton of money,” Garafolo said. “The people for the races, they have no problem spending money. They’re here to spend money. They buy their food, buy their drinks and have a good time. It just helps us all tremendously. It gets your name out there and hopefully, people will come back when there’s not racing going on.”DIRTcar Day – on Wednesday, Oct. 6 – will see a parade of NAPA Super DIRT Week cars make their way around the city, shutting down streets for the celebration. And while it may be an inconvenience for some, Turner said there are never any complaints.“We think that is because people understand the economic value of having an event that size in their community,” he said.For the full 49th NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week schedule and tickets, CLICK HERE.

NAPA Super DIRT Week is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: NAPA Auto Parts, DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux, Chevrolet Performance and SIS Insurance. Other Super DIRT Week sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), A-Verdi, Area Auto Racing News, ASI Race Wear, Bart Contracting Inc, Best Western Plus-Oswego, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, City of Oswego, C&S Companies, CNY Golf Carts, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams,  Drydene, Fast Shafts, FireAde, Fox Factory, Gypsum Express, Hoosier Racing Tire, Integra Racing Shocks, Intercomp, iRacing, MSD, Penske Shocks, Quality Inn-Oswego, Racing Electronics, Tracey Road Equipment, VP Racing Fuels, and Wrisco Aluminum.The Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Chevy Performance Parts, iRacing (Official Online Racing Game) and NAPA Auto Parts. Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Drydene, Fox Factory, MSD, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: FireAde, Intercomp, and Racing Electronics.

BRAINERD, MN (August 20, 2021) — Alexis DeJoria will return this weekend to Brainerd International Raceway, the site of her most recent Funny Car victory, a 2017 triumph over veteran driver Tommy Johnson Jr. It was her fifth career Funny Car national event win and she took out four competitors including Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon, John Force and eventually the No. 5 qualifier Johnson Jr., from the No. 10 qualifying position to take the Wally. This weekend DeJoria will bring her Bandero Premium Tequila/ROKiT Toyota Camry to the NHRA Brainerd Nationals with an eye on making this event a repeat winner for the racer from Austin, Texas.

“That win was a big one for us and we want to add to that total,” said DeJoria. “We have a great race car and we have been close to getting a win this season. We have all the pieces in place and we just need to get everything to come together on race day.”

This season the Bandero Tequila/ROKiT Toyota Camry has been all-conquering in qualifying posting seven top three qualifiers including two No. 2 qualifiers in the 3.89 range during the last three races. In Topeka DeJoria was narrowly edged out of the top spot by Toyota teammate J.R. Todd. Only one other driver has more 3.8 second runs in qualifying and that consistency has been the key to the nine-time career Funny Car finalist’s success.

“I have an awesome team behind me and they give me a bad ass race car every event,” said DeJoria. “The conditions this weekend should give us another opportunity to put up some low numbers and we will see what we can do on race day. I like going to tracks where I have had success.”

This season DeJoria raced to the final round of the Mile-High Nationals and she has three additional semifinal finishes. Throughout the season the team has worked together to eliminate tune-up issues and create opportunities for DeJoria to outrun the opposition. With two races left in the regular season a Countdown playoff berth should be clinched this weekend with another solid performance. 

“Our goal from the beginning of the season was to race for the Camping World Funny Car world championship and you have to be in the Countdown to have a shot,” said DeJoria. “We can secure our spot this weekend and then we can focus on winning the race.”

DeJoria has had success during this stretch of the season with her 2017 win in Brainerd and in 2014 she picked up her historic win at the U.S Nationals. The fact that her team which returned to competition last season now has over 20 national events together gives DeJoria even more confidence. 

“We figured a lot of things out last year and we were running really well at the end of 2020,” said DeJoria. “This season I think we are working together even better and you are seeing that in the numbers we are running in qualifying and on race day. If I do my job on the starting line we have a tremendous 1-2 punch. I can’t wait to get to Brainerd and get into the fight.”

Qualifying will begin on Friday, August 20, with an afternoon qualifying session. Two sessions will follow on Saturday with final eliminations beginning Sunday morning at 11 a.m. local time. The race will be broadcast on Fox from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Moran Dominates I-96 for Third Career VictoryEnglish rebounds from Wednesday to finish second, Pierce DNF after late engine issues LAKE ODESSA, MI – Aug. 19, 2021 – Seven starts, two wins. Devin Moran has made his 2021 DIRTcar Summer Nationals campaign a short one, but a very sweet one. After grabbing his first checkered flag on tour back in Week #1 at Kankakee County Speedway, The Mailman cashed-in again Thursday night at I-96 Speedway, leading all 40 laps en route to his third career Hell Tour victory. “I felt like we were gonna be good as long as I didn’t make a big mistake, and that’s kinda what happened. We kept pace and it all worked out,” said Moran, of Dresden, OH. A win in the opening Heat Race set Moran up for a Feature starting spot on the outside front row, where he jumped out to the early lead at the drop of the green. He took that jump and extended it out to a five-plus-second lead before the first caution erased it on Lap 18. Moran held the top spot through another restart before jetting out to a solid lead again, and soon reached slower traffic with points leader Bobby Pierce, of Oakwood, IL, right on his tail. Pierce closed the small gap quickly and looked to make a move on Moran, now impeded by traffic. With a little patience and some great car control, Moran was able to maneuver through the pack. Pierce got caught-up in the jam, allowing Moran to pull away. “They were side-by-side, and I was set up a little bit free so I could run the top, so I couldn’t just blast-off down in there,” Moran said of the lapped traffic. “I just kinda had to wait and find the right moment to when my car was going to be able to pass them, and we took advantage of it.” Continuing to rip the top side like he had been all night, Moran kept it steady on the wall-less 3/8-mile and appeared to have it in the bag when the caution flew one final time with two laps left. Bobby Pierce had been showing smoke for the previous 4-5 laps and took his Pierce Platinum #32 pit-side and would not return, fearing engine issues. Travis Stemler, of Ionia, MI, also gave up his spot inside the top-10 and headed pit-side after running on the podium earlier on. Moran dropped the hammer on the green-white checkered finish and led the field back around to the checkers unscathed, collecting his second $5,000 check of the season. “I watched some videos on the place, and it kinda seemed like the top was the place to be,” Moran said. “It got kinda sketchy though – the cushion got almost all the way off the end of it, so I had to be tip-toeing there at the end.” UP NEXT The Summer Nationals Late Models return to the unique Tri-City Motor Speedway on Friday, Aug. 20, for the next-to-last race of Champions Week and the 2021 campaign. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene. ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results) Feature (40 Laps) 1. 9-Devin Moran[2]; 2. 81E-Tanner English[10]; 3. 12-Ashton Winger[7]; 4. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[6]; 5. 6M-Dona Marcoullier[12]; 6. 74-Mitch McGrath[9]; 7. 42-Chad Finley[11]; 8. 4-Travis Stemler[1]; 9. 91-Rusty Schlenk[4]; 10. M14- Brandon Thirlby[8]; 11. 21N-Logan Nickerson[13]; 12. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 13. 14G-Joe Godsey[14]; 14. 38-Thomas Hunziker[17]; 15. 20-Chad White[18]; 16. 14R-Jeff Roth[19]; 17. 248-Brandon Lance[22]; 18. 23V-Ryan Vanderveen[16]; 19. 41-Mike Vandermark Jr[15]; 20. 55-Jeep Van Wormer[5]; 21. 16-Garrett Wiles[21]; 22. 44S-Colin Shipley[20] GOSSUM SAUCE: Teenage UMP Modified Sensation Wins Third of Career at I-96 The young gasser from Mayfield, KY, has done it again. Sixteen-year-old Hunt Gossum parked it in I-96 Speedway Victory Lane Thursday night after a dominating performance in the 25-lap Feature. Using the low side of the fast 3/8-mile, Gossum seemed as though he was on rails, rapidly pulling away from his competition en route to his second DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Feature win this season. “After the Late Model race, I knew they were all up top,” Gossum said. “I thought [the Modifieds] were all gonna be up top, so I went down low in Turn 1 on the start and there was a lot of grip down there.” Jeffery Erickson took the lead in the opening laps as Gossum mounted his charge from behind. By Lap 3, he had taken second from his fifth-place starting spot and made a bee line for the leader. With Erickson riding the low-middle groove, Gossum was able to hug the ultra-bottom lane and pick up the plentiful speed to make the pass on Lap 6. From that point, there was no stopping the Elite Chassis #99. Each lap, he padded his lead a little more, even with sections of slower traffic in his path. Even a few rapid-fire cautions in the final laps could not shake his concentration as he cruised to the $1,500 payday. “Stick guy right here – he gave me a big enough lead, so I figured I’d just stay on the bottom and ride around until the checkered flag,” Gossum said. UP NEXT The Summit Modifieds return to the unique Tri-City Motor Speedway on Friday, Aug. 20, for the next-to-last race of Champions Week and the 2021 campaign. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene. ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results) Feature (25 Laps) 1. 99-Hunt Gossum[5]; 2. 1E-Jeffery Erickson[1]; 3. K19-Will Krup[4]; 4. 242-Brandon Bollinger[9]; 5. 36-Kenny Wallace[7]; 6. 65-Todd Sherman[11]; 7. 5CS-Curt Spalding[6]; 8. 80-Rich Dawson[8]; 9. 117-Kevin Reeve[14]; 10. 19B-Chad Bauer[17]; 11. 8C-Corey Bevard[13]; 12. 3W-Dylan Woodling[2]; 13. 9-Garrett Rons[19]; 14. 81-Rick Swartout[20]; 15. 29- Steve Shellenberger[22]; 16. 96-Richard Swan[21]; 17. 25-Josh Lolmaugh[18]; 18. 82-Jacob Poel[3]; 19. 42-Bob Baldwin[12]; 20. 9H-John Demoss[10]; 21. 23-Luke Hubbell[15]; 22. 12M-John McClure[16]

DIRTcar Summer Nationals is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Chevy Performance, DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), FireAde, Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Indiana Decal Company, Intercomp, iRacing, Racing Electronics, SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Summit Racing Equipment, and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Beyea Custom Headers, COMP Cams, Drydene, Fox Factory, Hoosier Racing Tire, MSD, Quarter Master, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing Fuels, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum).Summit Modified Nationals is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including : Summit Racing Equipment, Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Chevy Performance, DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), FireAde, Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Indiana Decal Company, Intercomp, iRacing, Racing Electronics, SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Bassett Racing Wheel, Bell Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, COMP Cams, Drydene, Fast Shafts, Fox Factory, Hoosier Racing Tire, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, K1 Race Gear, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Mulit FireX, Schoenfeld Headers, Summit Racing Equipment, Velocita USA, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum), and Xceldyne.

Sheppard inches Blair for fifth win of the season at Orange CountyIt’s the New Berlin, IL driver’s 74th career World of Outlaws Victory, tying him for second all-timeMIDDLETOWN, NY – August 20, 2021 – A few inches and a bit of luck separated three-time and defending World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model champion Brandon Sheppard from another step in Series history Thursday night at Orange County Speedway.The New Berlin, IL driver and Centerville, PA’s Max Blair waged an epic battle in the closing laps, resulting in the two exiting Turn 4 for the final time side-by-side. Blair had thrown his Viper Motorsports car underneath Sheppard in the final corner to pull even with him, but the blue Rocket1 Racing machine had the better momentum up top, propelling him ahead of Blair at the finish line by inches. The victory was Sheppard’s fifth of the season and 74th Series win of his career – tying him with Darrell Lanigan for second on the all-time wins list. It’s also a victory that wouldn’t have happened if the race went any longer.   “The last couple of laps, I started laying over more, and I kept getting looser and looser, and I didn’t know why,” Sheppard said. “I took the checkered flag and getting into [Turn 1], my right rear tire went down. “We got lucky there for sure; if it had been 41 laps or another caution, we wouldn’t have won that race.”  Another factor in the race was Sheppard’s tire choice. He picked a different compound than some of his challengers, putting him at a disadvantage on shorter runs.  “I felt like I was better on the longer runs, which I should’ve been because I was on a little bit harder of a tire than what [Blair] was,” Sheppard said. “He was softer than me, and I couldn’t run on the bottom of the track like I wanted to.”  Sheppard is now only four wins away from matching Josh Richards at the top of the win list (78).  He also extended his points lead to 128 over Chris Madden, who finished 13th. The Gray Court, SC driver was running third when he lost oil pressure, sidelining him for the last two laps.  Even though Blair settled for second, he still wore a smile. He stated he was happy to run up front with some of the top drivers on tour.   “I think I had a really good racecar, but Brandon Sheppard’s a really, really good racecar driver,” Blair said. “On that last lap, I thought I had him getting into [Turn 3], and he just carried so much momentum off [Turn 4] that I just couldn’t quite beat him back to the line. “You don’t get too many opportunities to run against [Chris Madden] and [Brandon Sheppard] like that, so I’ll take that all day long; that was fun.”  After switching to a backup car before the Feature, Tyler Bruening, the top rookie, finished third. The Decorah, IA driver had motor trouble at the end of his Drydene Heat Race, forcing him to battle from the back of the field to reach the podium.  “The car was dynamite tonight,” Bruening said. “I like these big racetracks; it just suits my driving style a little more, and they’re a lot of fun for me.”  “You got to have a good race car to come from dead last to run third with these guys.” NASCAR Truck and Super DIRTcar Series regular Stewart Friesen crossed the line fourth in his second appearance with the World of Outlaws Late Models. The Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver thought he may have used up his stuff trying to get to the front.  “I think I just burned the tires up trying to get there, and then toward the end, I was just kind of skating,” Friesen said. “A good run for us. We’re still learning these cars. There’s just so much to them. I still don’t think it’s where it needs to be, but it’s pretty cool to run with these guys and be out here.”  Pennsylvania’s Dan Stone finished fifth, his second top-five with the Series in 2021.  A little luck doesn’t hurt when you’re trying to reach Victory Lane, even if you’ve been there as often as Brandon Sheppard. Thursday’s win isn’t something the “Rocket Shepp” is taking for granted.  “The good Lord was watching after us [Thursday],” Sheppard said.  UP NEXT: The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet head to Pennsylvania for a stop at the iconic Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, Aug. 20. If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either online or through the DIRTVision App. Morton Buildings Feature (40 Laps)-1. 1-Brandon Sheppard [1][$10,000]; 2. 111V-Max Blair [5][$6,000]; 3. 16-Tyler Bruening [13][$3,500]; 4. 44F-Stewart Friesen [9][$2,800]; 5. 2-Dan Stone [14][$2,500]; 6. 8-Kyle Strickler [4][$2,300]; 7. B1-Brent Larson [11][$2,200]; 8. 99M-Max McLaughlin [19][$2,100]; 9. 24Y-Dylan Yoder [18][$2,050]; 10. 119B-Bryan Bernheisel [10][$2,000]; 11. 28-Dennis Erb Jr [6][$1,600]; 12. 171-Jimmy Bernheisel [12][$1,400]; 13. 44-Chris Madden [3][$1,200]; 14. 99B-Boom Briggs [8][$1,100]; 15. 7-Ricky Weiss [7][$1,050]; 16. 7R-Ross Robinson [16][$1,000]; 17. 93-Pancho Lawler [22][$1,000]; 18. 4S-Danny Snyder [17][$1,000]; 19. 0-Rick Eckert [2][$1,000]; 20. 24-Jon Rohacevich [15][$1,000]; 21. 7A-Amanda Robinson [21][$1,000]; 22. 19R-Ryan Gustin [20][$1,000] Hard Charger:99M-Max McLaughlin[+11] Qualifying –1. 119B-Bryan Bernheisel, 20.072; 2. 19R-Ryan Gustin, 20.16; 3. 8-Kyle Strickler, 20.299; 4. 44-Chris Madden, 20.437; 5. 0-Rick Eckert, 20.447; 6. 7A-Amanda Robinson, 20.46; 7. 1-Brandon Sheppard, 20.466; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs, 20.476; 9. 44F-Stewart Friesen, 20.529; 10. 7R-Ross Robinson, 20.55; 11. 111V-Max Blair, 20.698; 12. 28-Dennis Erb Jr, 20.813; 13. 7-Ricky Weiss, 20.835; 14. B1-Brent Larson, 20.901; 15. 171-Jimmy Bernheisel, 21.053; 16. 99M-Max McLaughlin, 21.081; 17. 2-Dan Stone, 21.11; 18. 24Y-Dylan Yoder, 21.171; 19. 93-Pancho Lawler, 21.35; 20. 4S-Danny Snyder, 22.258; 21. 24-Jon Rohacevich, 22.33; 22. 16-Tyler Bruening, NT

The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings® Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Drydene (Official Motor Oil), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Morton Buildings (Official Building), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, MSD, Penske Racing Shocks, Quarter Master, Slick Woody’s (Quick Time Award), and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Capital Race Cars, FireAde, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics, Reliable Painting, and Rocket Chassis.Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS® Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings® Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.

Final on-track practice sessions ahead of Saturday-Sunday endurance classic

LE MANS, France (Aug. 19, 2021) – Nick Tandy set the third-fastest time in Hyperpole qualifying Thursday to put Corvette Racing’s No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R on the second row of the GTE Pro grid for this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tandy, who drives with Tommy Milner and Alexander Sims, posted a best lap of 3:47.093 (134.216 mph) in the 30-minute session. The day before in the first round of qualifying, Tandy turned a 3:47.074 (134.217 mph) – the fastest lap for any Corvette Racing entry in its 21 years at Le Mans. Thursday also featured the final two official practice sessions for the full field of 61 cars – including eight in GTE Pro. The two Corvettes continued to focus on race pace with a number of adjustments and changes to many of the C8.R’s systems including suspension and aerodynamics. Antonio Garcia set the best combined practice time for the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R – a 3:49.603 (132.725 mph) effort in the fourth and final practice session of the week. He will team with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg as the No. 63 C8.R starts eighth Saturday. A 15-minute warmup is set for 11:30 a.m. CET/5:30 a.m. ET. The green flag for the 24 Hours of Le Mans falls at 4 p.m. CET and 10 a.m. ET. MotorTrend TV will air the race live with the MotorTrend App adding coverage of official practices and qualifying on Aug. 18 and 19. Live audio coverage will be available from Radio Le Mans starting with Sunday’s Test Day. Chevrolet’s YouTube page will stream the on-board feed from the No. 63 Corvette C8.R for the entire race.

NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – THIRD IN GTE PRO QUALIFYING: “At the start of the week, I absolutely would have taken a P3 start at Le Mans in the first race here for this car. We are getting experience every time we run the C8.R on this circuit in this aero kit when we don’t normally run on low fuel in qualifying trim. So to get that peak performance out of the car is amazing. It’s such a good job of how we’ve developed, since the qualifying session in Hyperpole, the car and made it better. Of course, we are driving for Corvette Racing and expect to follow tradition and be strong at Le Mans. That’s why come here and why we go racing. So we are pleased but we don’t underestimate our competition. There are a lot of strong cars here with strong teams. All we can do is look after ourselves, and at the moment I’m very happy with how the week is progressing.”IS THERE ONE AREA WHERE YOU’VE BEEN MOST PLEASED WITH HOW THE CORVETTE HAS PROGRESSED SINCE SUNDAY? “I think honestly it’s how good the car has been since we rolled it out of the container. It validates all the development that went into the program before we got here. But it’s also how the car reacts to the setup changes that we are making to it. That means you can tune it to track conditions and however the circuit is. This is always a good thing and shows that the car is in a good working window.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “For Nick, that was a really good run in both the qualifying session and Hyperpole. I think he got everything out of the car he could. It was certainly fun to watch. Lap times are mega-quick and it’s cool to see for that. Nick seemed super happy with the C8.R. Balance-wise, everything looks pretty good. For me, the best indication was the last practice session before Hyperpole. Car balance has been relatively pretty good almost the entire week of practice here. We definitely made some changes from the Test Day, and we could see the benefits of that in the first practice. Overall for us in the 64 Corvette, we’re all pretty happy. We’ve spent a lot of time tweaking and trying things to improve in some areas where we still need to improve. I think we’re in a pretty good spot. We really won’t know where we’re at probably until the first hour of the race Saturday.”THE DAYS AND HOURS PREPARING FOR LE MANS: “For me personally, I’ve probably spent 20 days at the simulator, something like that. That doesn’t touch the hours and hours spent by the engineers working on aero kits for this thing for the last four or five years. It’s gotten us to where we are now to fine-tuning little bits and pieces here and there. Twenty days doesn’t sound like a lot considering this has been a four- or five-year project. Starting third for the race Saturday is a great place. It’s a lot of validation from a lot of hard work by a lot of people for a long time that we have brought a really, really good Corvette C8.R to Le Mans.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Today was eventful. I think our whole week has been eventful. It was good to get more laps on the car obviously. As I said yesterday, it’s still our first weekend here with the C8.R, so every lap counts for each of us – the drivers as well as the engineers and the crew – working on slow zones, pitstops and all the little details that we don’t get to work on in America. Today we did a big setup swing; we have a lot more confidence now going into the race. We know what we want to do with the car, whereas yesterday we had a lot of big questions. I’m glad we got through today as well as we did. Now we can prepare for the big one.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Today was not bad at all. It seems we improved the balance a little bit. We were trying to figure out whether we can double-stint the tires, yes or no. It feels good. Compared to yesterday, today was definitely better. I think we made good steps tonight, so I’m positive.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN AUGUST 22, 2021 RACE #25 – MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAYFollowing two consecutive victories on road courses, Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) drivers turn their attention to two ovals to close the regular season, starting with the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 22. Chevrolet, which leads the NCS Manufacturer Standings, has posted 13 wins and secured five spots in the Playoffs heading into the 200-lap race on the 2-mile, D-shaped oval in Brooklyn, Michigan. 
Chevrolet has recorded 26 wins at MIS; the first by Cale Yarborough in the 200-lap race on June 19, 1977, in the No. 11 Chevelle Laguna/Laguna S-3 from the fourth starting position for team owner Junior Johnson. It will be the first time since 1973 that Michigan International Speedway has hosted only one race during an NCS season.
NASCAR Cup Series points leader Kyle Larson, driving the No. 5 Cincinnati Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend, has scored three victories at MIS in the past five years, including his first-career NCS win on August 28, 2016. He also won from the pole in June 2017 and from the ninth starting position in the August 2017, all behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.  
Larson, who will start from the pole for the fifth time this season, has recorded three of his field-high five wins in non-restrictor plate races on superspeedways. Hendrick Motorsports teammate and reigning NCS champion Chase Elliott will join Larson on the front row in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE.
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) drivers will also race at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) opens its Playoffs at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois.
Chevrolet has won 17 of the 29 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at MIS, including the last three. NCS regular Tyler Reddick, who won the last NXS race at Michigan in 2019, is entered in the No. 23 Our Motorsports Camaro SS for the 125-lap New Holland 250. Seven drivers of the Chevrolet Camaro SS placed in the top-10 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, led by runner-up AJ Allmendinger. He is second in the standings and Justin Allgaier is third with five races left in the regular season.
Three drivers of the Chevrolet Silverado, including 2020 NCWTS Champion Sheldon Creed, qualified for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series elimination-style Playoffs that kicks off Friday, August 20, at the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
CHEVROLET, LARSON ATOP STANDINGSChevrolet increased its lead in the Manufacturer Standings in the run to its 40th NASCAR Cup Series title with AJ Allmendinger’s victory and six drivers finishing in the top-10 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. 
Kyle Larson took the outright lead in the Driver Standings with a third-place finish in the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 1LE and is positioned to grab the regular-season champion’s prize of 15 Playoff bonus points. Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron is fourth and Chase Elliott is fifth in the standings.
TEAM CHEVY ROAD COURSE DOMINANCE CONTINUESTeam Chevy drivers have won five of the six NASCAR Cup Series road course races this season. AJ Allmendinger’s first NCS win since 2014 – on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit – complements victories by reigning champion Chase Elliott (Circuit of the Americas and Road America) and Kyle Larson (Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International). One road course race, on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in September, is part of the NCS Playoffs.
ON THE WAY TO THE GREENWith no practice or qualifying for the 200-lap race, the starting lineup is determined by NASCAR’s metrics system that was introduced to the series last year and incorporates results from both individual races and season-long results. Team Chevy’s Top-20 starters:1st      Kyle Larson, No. 5 Cincinnati Camaro ZL1 1LE2nd     Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE6th      Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE10th    Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE12th    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger/Maxwell House Camaro ZL1 1LE13th    Erik Jones, No. 43 Medallion Bank Camaro ZL1 1LE14th    Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Chevrolet Accessories Camaro ZL1 1LE17th    Justin Haley, No. 77 General Formulations/Mutoh Camaro ZL1 1LE18th    William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE 
BOWTIE BULLETS·       Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 13 victories in 24 NCS races thus far this season. ·       Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 108 top-10 finishes and 2,524 laps led of 5,661 total this season.·       In addition to its 26 wins, Chevrolet has amassed 180 top-five and 373 top-10 finishes at Michigan International Speedway.·       Kyle Larson paces all drivers with 1,496 laps led.·       Austin Dillon is second among drivers with 99.79% of laps completed (5,649 of 5,661) and Tyler Reddick is third (99.43%) with 5,629.·       Reddick holds a 28-point lead over Richard Childress Racing teammate Dillon for the final Playoff berth. ·       Chase Elliott leads active drivers with an average finish of 7.7 n 10 races at MIS.·       Kurt Busch is tied for most starts at MIS among active drivers with 40. He has three wins among 16 top-10 finishes.·       Five Team Chevy drivers have combined for 22 stage wins: Chase Elliott (Daytona RC); William Byron (Homestead, Pocono2, Road America); Tyler Reddick (Road America, Indianapolis Road Course x2); Kurt Busch (Nashville Superspeedway, Pocono1, Atlanta2); Kyle Larson (Las Vegas, Atlanta x2, Kansas, Dover x2, Charlotte x3, Sonoma x2, Nashville).
FOR THE FANS:

• Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Michigan International Speedway.  
• Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2021 Silverado 1500 Trailboss, 2021 Corvette Convertible 3LT, 2021 Camaro SS 3LT Convertible, 2021 Silverado 2500 4WD LTZ Crew, 2022 Trailblazer, Blazer Premier. 
• At the Chevrolet Display, fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 1LE show car. 

TEAM CHEVY QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS AT THE DISPLAY:Sunday, August 22

• Ross Chastain: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. 
• Alex Bowman: 11:55 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. 

 Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: 

• Friday, August 20: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, August 21: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• Sunday, August 22: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

TUNE INNBCSN will telecast the 200-lap NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 22. Live coverage is also on the MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NBCSN will telecast the 125-lap NASCAR Xfinity Series New Holland 250 at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 21. FS1 will telecast the 160-lap NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200 presented by CK Power at 9 p.m. ET Friday, Aug. 20.
QUOTABLE QUOTESKYLE LARSON, NO. 5 CINCINNATI CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 1st IN STANDINGSLARSON ON HIS STRATEGY AT MICHIGAN: “It’s a totally different package; aero, engine, all that compared to when I used to win there but Hendrick Motorsports has been strong there and we have been good on all the bigger ovals this year. The draft plays a big role there, so you have to be really patient when you are making moves. As long as we keep executing and being smart like we have been doing all year long, we should have ourselves in position to challenge for another win.”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 CINCINNATI CAMARO ZL1 1LEDANIELS ON CHALLENGES OF MICHIGAN BEING THE ONLY RACE ON A 2-MILE TRACK THIS SEASON:“Massive challenges. Michigan is a tough place to know where to set the trim of your car for drag and downforce. A lot of the mile-and-a-half’s are more similar in that regard. At Michigan, you really have to have speed in your car. Of course, you have to have the right amount of handling to get through the corners, but the straightaways are long and the track is smooth. If you have handling on your side – which hopefully we do – then you must be able to go fast in a straight line.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 4th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON THE HIGH SPEEDS AT MICHIGAN: “I think with the 550 horsepower package we run, the mid-corner section of the track feels more high speed than anything. Even though we’re going slower down the straightaways than we were a couple years ago, I feel like the mid-corner now feels almost sketchy. It’s fully on edge and you’re close to always chattering the tires. It’s a fast track that makes you feel like you’re always running on a fine line. It’s just a different sensation of speed with this package.”
BYRON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING AT MICHIGAN: “Michigan is such an important racetrack, not only for teams but for manufacturers – Chevrolet, most importantly. It’s a fun race that’s all about bragging rights for them on who had the most power, the most downforce, and things like that. I feel like we are heading into this race with a really good shot to get it done for Chevy. We have really fast cars on the 1.5-mile and 2-mile tracks. So, I’m excited to see how things play out for us and hopefully we can be the ones to give the bragging rights to Chevy at the end of the day.”
RUDY FUGLE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE FUGLE ON THE FINAL RACES BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS: “Since the two-week break, we wanted to make sure we came back with high intensity. We obviously bring it every week, but we wanted to ensure that everyone understands that we want to treat this like a 14-week playoff. With the last two races we ran and the next two coming up, we want to make sure that we are executing at the highest level possible. It’s about the cars you bring to the track, the execution level and going through every detail. That is what we’re trying to hit on to make sure we are ready to go for the playoffs. We don’t want to wait until the playoffs start to be like, ‘Okay, it’s time to step it up.’ It’s a fight every week, so we’re trying to make sure that we’re bringing it at all times.”
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGSELLIOTT ON MAKING A PLAYOFF RUN THIS SEASON: “We just have to peak at the right time. That was really what we did best last year. We just really peaked at the right time and kind of got hot for a stretch of races. It was perfect timing. Unfortunately, you can’t always draw that up. That’s not just something you can snap your fingers and make happen. It’s a lot of hard work, it’s a lot of effort and it comes from everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, everyone on the road, myself, our off-track help. Everything has to really be clicking at the right time. Our playoffs are 10 weeks, which is a long time. Just that stretch of races, it’s tough to be at your peak for 10 weeks. We just hope we can peak at the right time again, that’s key. We want to perform when it matters most.”
ELLIOTT ON THIS YEAR’S ‘DESI9N TO DRIVE’ PROGRAM: “With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Chase Elliott Foundation, NAPA AUTO PARTS and Hendrick Motorsports have decided to give the No. 9 Chevrolet an entirely new look for the Darlington race. To me, the main player is obviously NAPA and how they are allowing Children’s to be a part of it. To take ‘DESI9N TO DRIVE’, an event that was just shoe designs, and turn it into being on the car, on the suit, on the helmet. I think all of that is extremely special, so I am grateful for NAPA being open, willing and excited about it enough to partner up and make it happen.”
TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CHEVROLET ACCESSORIES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGSTHE NASCAR PLAYOFFS BATTLE IS REALLY HEATING UP. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS FOLLOWING INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY WITH TWO MORE RACES REMAINING IN THE REGULAR SEASON? “It’s an interesting place to be, with myself and my teammate, Austin Dillon, fighting for points and in that cutline situation. Looking back on it, I think Indy was tough. If we could have both just agreed not to go after stage points, I think we both could have had really strong chances at top-10s and good finishes, and maybe even going for the win. With the way the race played out and seeing all of the carnage that took place, I think we would have had a different strategy going in if we would have known. It was nice to get the stage points. Those Playoff points will be good to have if we can survive the next two weeks.”
FAST, TWO-MILE TRACK AT MICHIGAN. YOUR THOUGHTS HEADING INTO THE RACE?  “I don’t know, honestly. I’ve been really focused on these road course races. Trying to get up to speed on what we’re going to have for a racing surface. The last time the sport did anything surface-wise to a track was at Nashville Superspeedway when we put the resin down, so I am curious to see if the track is getting left alone or if anything is going to be applied. The resin seemed to work really well when we raced at Nashville Superspeedway on that concrete oval.” YOU’RE A FORMER WINNER AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY… “Yeah, it was really fun the last time we ran a NASCAR Xfinity Series car there. We were able to find Victory Lane with RCR, so I’m excited to be heading back to Michigan. I’ll be in both the NASCAR Cup Series car and I’m racing a Xfinity Series car for Our Motorsports. I’m excited to get back to Michigan and get some laps in both cars. Running the Xfinity Series race will hopefully be an advantage for Sunday and provide a way for me to get some insight into the characteristics of this tire with whatever application they decide to put on the track. I’m just excited to get back to Michigan. I forget that I haven’t run a Xfinity Series car there since I won in 2019. It’s just a neat place. A lot of power, and fighting dirty air is wild. It should be a fun trip.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 12th IN STANDINGS“Definitely excited to go to Michigan. Last year we were fast, so this year I think we know our program for that style racetrack is really strong and think we could be really good. Excited to go there and hopefully contend for a win. It’s really cool to go to Ally’s backyard, Chevrolet’s backyard and really everyone’s backyards. Everyone has a little bit of added pressure to try to win there and hopefully we can get it done.”
GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE“I am really looking forward to getting to Michigan. Obviously, it’s my home state and one of the first tracks that I went to as a fan in the stands. That gave me the passion for wanting to do this every day. We are looking to continue our great runs on 550 tracks this weekend. Ally’s presence there and Chevrolet’s, having success at Michigan is super important for us on Sunday.” “There is never a bad time to have three wins in the hopper. The big thing is that you want to cap off these races at Michigan and Daytona with momentum. After Watkins Glen we were down a little bit, but I think we are getting back to where we need to be. We need that momentum to go into the start of the playoffs. That is our focus right now. We don’t want to plan to far ahead of us, because you have to take each race and keep building on it.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BREZTRI CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 13th IN STANDINGSWHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY? “We had a strong Chevy at Michigan International Speedway last year, and I expect the same this year. I’m really looking forward to the race. Michigan is a place we’ve run well at in the past, and it’s a place we’ve circled to try and win and lock ourselves into the NASCAR Playoffs.” FANS HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO SEE A RACE AT MICHIGAN IN PERSON IN TWO YEARS. TALK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF RACING THERE AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? “Michigan has been a fun race for us on the No. 3 team the last couple of years, so we always circle it. We are really focused on this one and the points situation we’re in, we like going to places where we’ve had success in the past. Everybody at RCR has put a lot of focus on our car for that weekend, knowing it’s a good place for us. We’d like to go there and show out for our partners at Dow and Chevrolet since they are based in Michigan. Chevrolet is in Detroit and Dow is based out of Midland, so it’s always good to put on a show for everyone that helps us get to the track each and every weekend. We’re also looking forward to spending time with our friends at AstraZeneca since this is a big race for BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol. YOU’VE BEEN HITTING THE GYM PRETTY HARD. WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR YOUR MENTALITY IN A HIGH-PRESSURE SITUATION? “Hopefully, in any situation in the car, you feel good. You don’t want to have a point where you don’t feel strong enough to be the same driver every lap. Anytime you can put yourself in a better situation with your heart rate and everything, health-wise, I think it’s better. You are more clear, mentally. I’ve been back at the gym with our trainer and it’s a little more based on what I do in the car and staying more mobile and keeping my body right, so I’m stretched out and feel good when I get in the race car. Healthy is a good thing.” DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COMMSCOPE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 24th IN STANDINGSWHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON GOING TO THE PITBULL CONCERT AND THE MICHIGAN RACE IN THE SAME WEEKEND? “I think this is going to be very, very cool especially since we can do it as part of our race weekend. It’s not going to be just a concert; it’s going to be everything around it and the race at Michigan. I’m really looking forward to seeing him do his thing.
HAVE YOU ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW PITBULL THIS YEAR? “It’s been a lot of fun. I was very fortunate to meet him in the past, but I didn’t get to know him to this level as I do now. He is a role model, man. He is the perfect example of somebody who works very, very hard and is successful. He came from nothing to something great. I really admire the way he represents himself.”
DESCRIBE WHAT IT TAKES FOR SUCCESS AT MICHIGAN?“Michigan is the kind of racetrack where you have to have a lot of straightaway speed and try to be as good as possible in the corners. You have to have a good downforce car in combination with drag to be able to go fast in the straightaways.”
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MICHIGAN MEMORY? “Michigan is where I got my first Xfinity win, so it’s special to me. You don’t forget moments like that.”
ERIK JONES, NO. 43 MEDALLION BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 25th IN STANDINGSTHOUGHTS HEADING INTO YOUR HOMETOWN TRACK OF MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY? “I always get pumped up to go to Michigan (International Speedway). For me, growing up about an hour away from there, the fan support I have there is unmatched. Not only that, but getting to go home and see friends and family, spend the week up there, and getting to do some cool stuff. There is a lot of neat events going on during that week in Flint and the surrounding areas with the Back to The Bricks and the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. I have a lot of events going on and for me, having all that happening and getting to be a part of some of it is usually pretty cool.”

Richard Childress Racing at Michigan International Speedway…  In 177 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the two-mile speedway, Richard Childress Racing has recorded three wins with drivers Dale Earnhardt (1987 & 1990) and Kevin Harvick (2010), 25 top-five and 59 top-10 finishes.  In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Welcome, N.C. organization is the defending race winner with Tyler Reddick (2019), while also capturing three additional victories with Kevin Harvick (2003), Paul Menard (2014), and Austin Dillon (2018), 13 top-five and 28 top-10 results in a total of 49 starts.  Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Michigan 250 at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live Saturday, August 21, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Motor Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  The NASCAR Cup Series’ Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live Sunday, August 22, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Motor Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway… In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Dillon boasts two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He is a former winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Sponsors the No. 3 at Atlanta… BREZTRI is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway 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 QUOTES:What are your thoughts on Michigan International Speedway?“We had a strong Chevy at Michigan International Speedway last year, and I expect the same this year. I’m really looking forward to the race. Michigan is a place we’ve run well at in the past, and it’s a place we’ve circled to try and win and lock ourselves into the NASCAR Playoffs.  Fans haven’t been able to see a race at Michigan in person in two years. Talk about the experience of racing there and what you are looking forward to?“Michigan has been a fun race for us on the No. 3 team the last couple of years, so we always circle it. We are really focused on this one and the points situation we’re in, we like going to places where we’ve had success in the past. Everybody at RCR has put a lot of focus on our car for that weekend, knowing it’s a good place for us. We’d like to go there and show out for our partners at Dow and Chevrolet since they are based in Michigan. Chevrolet is in Detroit and Dow is based out of Midland, so it’s always good to put on a show for everyone that helps us get to the track each and every weekend. We’re also looking forward to spending time with our friends at AstraZeneca since this is a big race for BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol.” You’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard. What does that do for your mentality in a high-pressure situation?“Hopefully, in any situation in the car, you feel good. You don’t want to have a point where you don’t feel strong enough to be the same driver every lap. Anytime you can put yourself in a better situation with your heart rate and everything, health-wise, I think it’s better. You are more clear, mentally. I’ve been back at the gym with our trainer and it’s a little more based on what I do in the car and staying more mobile and keeping my body right, so I’m stretched out and feel good when I get in the race car. Healthy is a good thing.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway… In two previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Reddick’s best finish is 18th in August 2020. The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion is a former winner at Michigan in the Xfinity Series (2019). He has also made a pair of NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track. About Chevrolet… Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at chevrolet.com.TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: The NASCAR Playoffs battle is really heating up. What are your thoughts following Indianapolis Motor Speedway with two more races remaining in the regular season?“It’s an interesting place to be, with myself and my teammate, Austin Dillon, fighting for points and in that cutline situation. Looking back on it, I think Indy was tough. If we could have both just agreed not to go after stage points, I think we both could have had really strong chances at top-10s and good finishes, and maybe even going for the win. With the way the race played out and seeing all of the carnage that took place, I think we would have had a different strategy going in if we would have known. It was nice to get the stage points. Those Playoff points will be good to have if we can survive the next two weeks.” Fast, two-mile track at Michigan. Your thoughts heading into the race?“I don’t know, honestly. I’ve been really focused on these road course races. Trying to get up to speed on what we’re going to have for a racing surface. The last time the sport did anything surface-wise to a track was at Nashville Superspeedway when we put the resin down, so I am curious to see if the track is getting left alone or if anything is going to be applied. The resin seemed to work really well when we raced at Nashville Superspeedway on that concrete oval.” You’re a former winner at Michigan International Speedway…“Yeah, it was really fun the last time we ran a NASCAR Xfinity Series car there. We were able to find Victory Lane with RCR, so I’m excited to be heading back to Michigan. I’ll be in both the NASCAR Cup Series car and I’m racing an Xfinity Series car for Our Motorsports. I’m excited to get back to Michigan and get some laps in both cars. Running the Xfinity Series race will hopefully be an advantage for Sunday and provide a way for me to get some insight into the characteristics of this tire with whatever application they decide to put on the track. I’m just excited to get back to Michigan. I forget that I haven’t run a Xfinity Series car there since I won in 2019. It’s just a neat place. A lot of power, and fighting dirty air is wild. It should be a fun trip.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 Superior Essex Chevrolet Camaro at Michigan International Speedway… While Snider will make his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Michigan International Speedway this Saturday, the 26-year-old driver has competed in one NASCAR Truck Series and two ARCA Menards Series events at the Irish Hills track. About Superior Essex… Superior Essex is the parent brand of Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire, Superior Essex Communications, and Essex Brownell. It has over 3,000 employees in 11 countries, on three continents. Superior Essex is the leading, global provider of magnet wire and is on the forefront of communications fiber application as well as Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology. It is instrumental in creating disruptive technological advancements in the electrification of the automotive, energy, and industrial sectors. Superior Essex is committed to pioneering smart building technology while also setting the pace on sustainability. Superior Essex is Everywhere You Live and Work®. Additional information is available at superioressex.com. MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:In the last half dozen races, you have captured three top-10 finishes. What does that say about you and your team right now? “We absolutely are starting to gain momentum right now. I think that’s what the Olympic break helped me realize – that I needed to build some momentum and make sure we are establishing a good order of things going into the playoffs. I think we did that this past weekend in Indianapolis, while showcasing the speed our No. 2 team has on road courses. I’m really proud of Andy Street and everyone at Richard Childress Racing for bringing great Chevrolet Camaros to the track each week. We have been jiving as a team, I’ve been more focused, and have also been working with Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon to help me learn things I may not know. Those relationships have been invaluable to my progression as a driver and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of our Superior Essex Chevrolet this Saturday in Michigan.”

Richard Childress Racing at Michigan International Speedway…  In 177 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the two-mile speedway, Richard Childress Racing has recorded three wins with drivers Dale Earnhardt (1987 & 1990) and Kevin Harvick (2010), 25 top-five and 59 top-10 finishes.  In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Welcome, N.C. organization is the defending race winner with Tyler Reddick (2019), while also capturing three additional victories with Kevin Harvick (2003), Paul Menard (2014), and Austin Dillon (2018), 13 top-five and 28 top-10 results in a total of 49 starts.  Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Michigan 250 at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live Saturday, August 21, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Motor Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  The NASCAR Cup Series’ Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live Sunday, August 22, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Motor Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway… In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Dillon boasts two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He is a former winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. BREZTRI AEROSPHERE™ (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Sponsors the No. 3 at Atlanta… BREZTRI is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway 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 QUOTES:What are your thoughts on Michigan International Speedway?“We had a strong Chevy at Michigan International Speedway last year, and I expect the same this year. I’m really looking forward to the race. Michigan is a place we’ve run well at in the past, and it’s a place we’ve circled to try and win and lock ourselves into the NASCAR Playoffs.  Fans haven’t been able to see a race at Michigan in person in two years. Talk about the experience of racing there and what you are looking forward to?“Michigan has been a fun race for us on the No. 3 team the last couple of years, so we always circle it. We are really focused on this one and the points situation we’re in, we like going to places where we’ve had success in the past. Everybody at RCR has put a lot of focus on our car for that weekend, knowing it’s a good place for us. We’d like to go there and show out for our partners at Dow and Chevrolet since they are based in Michigan. Chevrolet is in Detroit and Dow is based out of Midland, so it’s always good to put on a show for everyone that helps us get to the track each and every weekend. We’re also looking forward to spending time with our friends at AstraZeneca since this is a big race for BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol.” You’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard. What does that do for your mentality in a high-pressure situation?“Hopefully, in any situation in the car, you feel good. You don’t want to have a point where you don’t feel strong enough to be the same driver every lap. Anytime you can put yourself in a better situation with your heart rate and everything, health-wise, I think it’s better. You are more clear, mentally. I’ve been back at the gym with our trainer and it’s a little more based on what I do in the car and staying more mobile and keeping my body right, so I’m stretched out and feel good when I get in the race car. Healthy is a good thing.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Michigan International Speedway… In two previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Reddick’s best finish is 18th in August 2020. The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion is a former winner at Michigan in the Xfinity Series (2019). He has also made a pair of NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track. About Chevrolet… Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at chevrolet.com.TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: The NASCAR Playoffs battle is really heating up. What are your thoughts following Indianapolis Motor Speedway with two more races remaining in the regular season?“It’s an interesting place to be, with myself and my teammate, Austin Dillon, fighting for points and in that cutline situation. Looking back on it, I think Indy was tough. If we could have both just agreed not to go after stage points, I think we both could have had really strong chances at top-10s and good finishes, and maybe even going for the win. With the way the race played out and seeing all of the carnage that took place, I think we would have had a different strategy going in if we would have known. It was nice to get the stage points. Those Playoff points will be good to have if we can survive the next two weeks.” Fast, two-mile track at Michigan. Your thoughts heading into the race?“I don’t know, honestly. I’ve been really focused on these road course races. Trying to get up to speed on what we’re going to have for a racing surface. The last time the sport did anything surface-wise to a track was at Nashville Superspeedway when we put the resin down, so I am curious to see if the track is getting left alone or if anything is going to be applied. The resin seemed to work really well when we raced at Nashville Superspeedway on that concrete oval.” You’re a former winner at Michigan International Speedway…“Yeah, it was really fun the last time we ran a NASCAR Xfinity Series car there. We were able to find Victory Lane with RCR, so I’m excited to be heading back to Michigan. I’ll be in both the NASCAR Cup Series car and I’m racing an Xfinity Series car for Our Motorsports. I’m excited to get back to Michigan and get some laps in both cars. Running the Xfinity Series race will hopefully be an advantage for Sunday and provide a way for me to get some insight into the characteristics of this tire with whatever application they decide to put on the track. I’m just excited to get back to Michigan. I forget that I haven’t run a Xfinity Series car there since I won in 2019. It’s just a neat place. A lot of power, and fighting dirty air is wild. It should be a fun trip.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 Superior Essex Chevrolet Camaro at Michigan International Speedway… While Snider will make his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Michigan International Speedway this Saturday, the 26-year-old driver has competed in one NASCAR Truck Series and two ARCA Menards Series events at the Irish Hills track. About Superior Essex… Superior Essex is the parent brand of Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire, Superior Essex Communications, and Essex Brownell. It has over 3,000 employees in 11 countries, on three continents. Superior Essex is the leading, global provider of magnet wire and is on the forefront of communications fiber application as well as Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology. It is instrumental in creating disruptive technological advancements in the electrification of the automotive, energy, and industrial sectors. Superior Essex is committed to pioneering smart building technology while also setting the pace on sustainability. Superior Essex is Everywhere You Live and Work®. Additional information is available at superioressex.com. MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:In the last half dozen races, you have captured three top-10 finishes. What does that say about you and your team right now? “We absolutely are starting to gain momentum right now. I think that’s what the Olympic break helped me realize – that I needed to build some momentum and make sure we are establishing a good order of things going into the playoffs. I think we did that this past weekend in Indianapolis, while showcasing the speed our No. 2 team has on road courses. I’m really proud of Andy Street and everyone at Richard Childress Racing for bringing great Chevrolet Camaros to the track each week. We have been jiving as a team, I’ve been more focused, and have also been working with Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon to help me learn things I may not know. Those relationships have been invaluable to my progression as a driver and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of our Superior Essex Chevrolet this Saturday in Michigan.”

Locust Grove, AR (August 19, 2021) – Tonight’s portion of the 29th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 – Presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions has been rained out. Friday’s preliminary finishes will set the lineup for Saturday’s $40,000-to-win crown jewel event at Batesville Motor Speedway that is co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series. The Topless 100 preliminary night will now feature a complete program of Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains and a 30 lap, $5,000-to-win main event on Friday night. Drivers will earn points that will determine the lineups for Saturday night’s finale. The top 16 in points will be locked into the A-Main, while everyone else will go to a B-Main. Modifieds will also compete in a full program on Friday night. The pit gate will open at 3:00 PM CT, main gate at 4:00 PM CT, with a driver’s meeting slated for 7:00 PM CT and hot laps to begin 30 minutes later. Track officials have asked teams to not arrive to the track until 2:00 PM CT Friday. Saturday’s festivities will kick off with hot laps at 8:00 PM CT, followed by consolation events for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The 100-lap, $40,000-to-win Topless 100 will cap off the weekend action. The Modifieds will once again compete in a full program on Saturday night. The pit gate will open at 3:00 PM CT, main gate at 4:00 PM CT. There will be a driver’s meeting at 7:30 PM CT. Tire Rule for Friday, August 20th:Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier Rib (28.5) 1350Right Rear – Hoosier (29.0) White Dot 1600 NRM, (29.0) White Dot 1600 NRMW*Must use the same set of 4 tires for Time Trials, Heat Races, and B-Mains.*For the A-Main, competitors may use 2 new rear tires.*Flat tire must be replaced with a used tire of the same compound and construction to retain starting position. Tire Rule for Saturday, August 21st:Left Front – Hoosier Rib (28.5) 1350Left Rear/Right Front – Hoosier Rib (28.5) 1350, (28.5) White Dot 1600Right Rear – Hoosier (29.0) White Dot 1600 NRM, (29.0) White Dot 1600 NRMW*For the B-Mains, competitors may use 4 new tires.*For the A-Main, competitors may use 4 new tires. Friday Event Purse: 1. $5,000, 2. $3,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,250, 6. $1,000, 7. $950, 8. $900, 9. $850, 10. $800, 11. $700, 12. $600, 13. $600, 14. $600, 15. $600, 16. $600, 17. $550, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500 = $25,000 29th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 – Presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions Purse: 1. $40,000, 2. $20,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $5,000, 5. $4,000, 6. $3,750, 7. $3,500, 8. $3,000, 9. $2,800, 10. $2,700, 11. $2,500, 12. $2,400, 13. $2,350, 14. $2,300, 15. $2,250, 16. $2,200, 17. $2,150, 18. $2,125, 19. $2,100, 20. $2,075, 21. $2,050, 22. $2,025, 23. $2,000, 24. $2,000, 25. $2,000, 26. $2,000 = $129,275

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 2021, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 59 events across 18 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 filmed, produced and edited by Lucas Oil Production Studios. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events will broadcast on four networks including CBS, NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network and the 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.

An all-star lineup of drivers will try to take home $50,000 in total during the new three-day event

DAVENPORT, IA – August 19, 2021 – When the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models bring their high-octane show to Davenport Speedway, Aug. 26-28, fans will be treated to a full itinerary of can’t-miss action.

Along with edge-of-your-seat seat racing from The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet – waging a war of slide jobs throughout the tripleheader weekend to try and collect a $50,000 payday in total – the Quad Cities 150 presented by Hoker Trucking will give fans the opportunity to participate in an assortment of activities. 

They’ll have the chance to give back on Thursday, Aug. 26, and Friday, Aug. 27, by participating in the Hoker’s Haul Toys for Tots drive. Fans are encouraged to bring a toy to help fill up the semi-truck parked on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.

For those eager to meet their favorite driver, an autograph session will be held on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 4:30pm(CT), featuring the superstars of the sport like three-time and defending champion Brandon Sheppard, two-time Xtreme DIRTcar Series champion Chris Madden, Iowa-natives Ryan Gustin and Tyler Bruening and many more.

There will be live music for fans to enjoy each night after the checkered flag flies. The bands on tap include, Dirt Road Rockers, Just Cuz and Bad Hair.

Other events to keep an eye out for throughout the weekend include:

• The 4-City Cornhole Tournament.
• Slot car racing.
• A virtual racing experience.
• The QC Gearheads Drive-In Car Show. 

Food trucks will also be parked on the fairgrounds, giving anyone hungry the chance to enjoy different kinds of treats. Drivers racing at the event will also have a sponsored lunch on Friday, Aug. 26, at the Speedway’s Pavilion. 

The Quad Cities 150 is the first multi-day show with fans for the Davenport Speedway-K Promotions team since taking over the facility in June 2019. 

When it comes to the racing action, Sheppard will look to keep his winning streak at Davenport Speedway alive. The New Berlin, IL driver, swept all three events the Series ran at the track in 2020. 

To do so, he’ll have to contend with drivers like championship rival, Madden, the Iowa-standouts Bruening and Gustin, Ricky Weiss, Dennis Erb, Jr. and more. 

Joining the World of Outlaws throughout the weekend are the IMCA Modifieds and Sport Mods. 

NASCAR CUP SERIES FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT AUGUST 19, 2021 ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 42 MOOSE FRATERNITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript Highlights: LOOKING AHEAD TO DAYTONA, HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE DESPERATION OF WANTING TO MAKE IT INTO THE PLAYOFFS VERSUS NOT WANTING TO CAUSE SOMETHING CRAZY THERE?“That’s the biggest thing. I don’t want to cause a big wreck. I’ve done that. I’m trying to learn from it. I used to get really freaked out and worried and stressed about superspeedway races, but I’ve just realized over my ten years in the sport; and really, I learned it from Johnny Sauter, he said one day something that resonated with me like we’re all going to crash. We’re all going to get backwards in the grass at 200 mph at some point. You make it. Go home. So, yeah. No desperation. I just want to win and compete in this series. So whatever happens there, happens.” DO YOU TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE WAY THE XFINITY RACE ENDED WITH YOUR TEAMMATES AS FAR AS THE LEARNING PROCESS AND WHAT TO DO AT THE END OF THOSE RACES?“Yeah, for sure. I still hate that I made that move on the last lap and I just could have done so much better there and just been a better person about it. And I wasn’t. And I didn’t do that. So yeah, I learned from that, I think.” SUPERSPEEDWAY RACES ARE CRAZY ANYWAY. BUT WHEN YOU’VE GOT THIS WITH A DOZEN OR SO GUYS AND THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN GET IN IS TO WIN. AND THE LOCKED-IN GUYS ARE LIKELY GOING TO BE LOOKING TO BUILD UP SOME PLAYOFF POINTS. IT PUTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENDAS ON THE TABLE AT ONCE. WITH ALL THAT, HOW CRAZY DO YOU EXPECT IT TO BE?“I have not been a part of a boring Superspeedway race in my career. Whether it’s February or Spring Talladega or Fall Talladega, I don’t see there being a difference. It’s going to come down to a handful of cars that still have all their fenders and body panels intact. And from there, you race it out. Just making it to that is probably the biggest thing. The same guys cycle up there. And the same guys restart the green-white-checkered in the front three rows four out of five times. And so, that’s where I’m just trying to watch and learn from those guys. I haven’t been a part of a boring one yet and I don’t expect this Daytona to be any different.” WHEN YOU ARE WATCHING THOSE GUYS AND LOOKING BACK, IS THERE ANY COMMON THREAD THAT JUMPS OUT AT YOU BESIDES LUCK? IS THERE SOMETHING THEY DO TO GET UP THERE ALL THE TIME?“It’s not luck. I used to think it was, but it’s not. They put themselves in the best position and the right position to be up there. If it is luck, they make their own luck. And they make the luck so they can be up there at the end.” THERE IS A LOT OF MEDIA ATTENTION AROUND YOUR TRACKHOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT, WHICH WILL BE WITH TEAM CHEVY. JUST ABOUT ALL OF YOUR MAJOR SUCCESS HAS BEEN WITH CHEVROLET. TALK ABOUT THE SPEED CHEVY HAS HAD THIS SEASON AND MAYBE HOW THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU LEADING INTO THE PLAYOFFS.“Yeah, it’s a good time to strap on a Bowtie and I’m proud and happy, just genuinely, that my success has come with them like you said. And it wasn’t on purpose, I’ll be honest. It was just the way that the different teams I’ve driven for worked out. But once that success started happening, then Chevrolet, GM, Pratt & Miller, that’s when the resources started coming my way to help me be the best race car driver I can be. I was not in a pipeline. I was not in a development program or anything. And so, to get there and then get their attention for them to help me, that’s kind of made our relationship special I think, where it wasn’t pre-planned. And now, they knew me before and I knew them before and now we work together. Yeah, it’s a good time to drive a Chevy in the Cup series. We’ve had incredible power this year and I’m not saying every week we have the most, but there are not many that beat us, and you see it across the board. All that stuff goes in cycles though, so I know it’s going to come back around and we’re going to be in a Chevy for the foreseeable future and I’ve built a lot of friendships and relationships now and just how can I help? How can I help the Bowtie? How can I help Chevrolet get more out of this than just race cars, right? What can we do during the week and what can we do off the track? I want to be the best race car driver I can be, but there’s just so many opportunities. I’m still trying to figure out kind of my role in all that.” IT WAS NOT THE FINISH YOU WANTED AT INDIANAPOLIS, BUT IT WAS ENTERTAINING. IN THE END, THE CURB CHAOS HAPPENED. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND THE GENERAL MOOD FROM THE GARAGE AFTER THE RACE AND THOSE FINAL FEW LAPS?“I think aside from the curb breaking and coming apart, everything was fine. The road course, you’ve got strategy, you’ve got guys cycling up, you’ve got guys pitting for flat tires because they run into each other. It’s normal. It’s the same curb we’ve ran there for four or five years. Like nobody knew that thing was going to break. We hit it in the Xfinity cars all weekend last year and it was fine. We hit it at practice and Xfinity ran on it. It just broke. Something broke. You don’t know it’s going to break until it breaks. I think there are opportunities to run other parts of the track right there, or just let us run. The curbing didn’t slow us down. I heard them say they couldn’t pull out the other curb behind the one they removed because they didn’t want us just going flat-out through there when we already are. They know that. They see our data. And so, just take that out and let us have more opportunity for double file down into (Turn) 7. Hindsight is perfect vision. But it’s a fine track. It’s got all the right qualities. And so yeah, I do think they adapted pretty well. It’s got to be a pretty tough decision to say we’re going to remove this whole piece of curbing and track that we’ve had here for five years because we can’t get it to stay together. Like everybody had to learn on the fly. Little did I know I had already destroyed my car at that point. I thought I could keep going, but ultimately couldn’t.” FOR MICHIGAN, HOW DO YOU THINK THE RESIN WILL WORK ON THE 2-MILE ASPHALT TRACK? DO YOU EXPECT A WIDER GROOVE TO WORK WITH?“I hope so. But I don’t know. I’ve never raced on resin on asphalt. And definitely not resin on PJ1 on asphalt, which I guess PJ1 is the former the way I understand it. I don’t truly grasp what the concoctions are. But it sounds like everywhere the PJ1 was last year, which I did not get to run. We’ll just figure it out, right? We’ll just go up there and kind of poke at it and feel it, whatever we have to in dirty air, and if it’s got grip, you’ll see a lot of us up there. If it doesn’t have grip, you’ll see us all below it. We’ll only take what we can take out of it. It does seem to be more forgiving than PJ1 where that other substance has to be like activated and warmed to run it. They want the best race. They want to give us options. And I think we’ve got a shot. I don’t think the rain up there this week is helping their track prep stuff, but they’re going to do what they can. They don’t want to make it too slick or too gripped-up. They’re just trying to find a happy medium. And if they get it in the box where we can race in it, then we’ll have a lot more options for racing.”

CHEVROLET AT BRAINERD What: Lucas Oil NHRA NationalsWhen: Friday, Aug. 20-Sunday, Aug. 22Where: Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MinnesotaTV: FOX will telecast eliminations live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 22                                                                                    Team Chevy seeking to build on winning weekendJohn Force Racing hitting its stride, aims for 50th win with Chevrolet
DETROIT (Aug. 19, 2021) – John Force downplayed the move to the top of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car standings following his victory Aug. 15 in Topeka, Kansas.
The 16-time Funny Car champion holds the points lead heading to Brainerd International Raceway this weekend for the first time since Oct. 5, 2014 – 135 races ago. Still, says Force, it’s too early in the season to assign anything of significance to the move.
“That will jump around; it is what it is,” the driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS said after posting his third victory of the season and 154th of his illustrious career. “I don’t talk about it because when you do you get lost why you came, and you start focusing on that. No, what you do is you drive your car.”
Force, who has been atop the standings in 22 different seasons, has been doing an exceptional job of consistently getting the Camaro SS down the track. And with crew chiefs Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi making key adjustments, Force will be a favorite to win the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals for the 12th time.
“Where we are in points, we need to keep it going. The Countdown is almost here, and it’s tough out there, but we’re hanging in there,” Force said.
Daughter Brittany Force, who shared the winner’s stage with her father at Heartland Motorsports Park for a first in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history, also has the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster coming around. Force’s first Top Fuel victory of the season, which boosted her to second in the standings, was preceded by her fourth consecutive No. 1 qualifier and sixth in 11 races this season.
“Now these John Force Racing teams all head to Brainerd. This Monster Energy team will be on the hunt for another win,” Force said. “With the Countdown so close, we have to keep on this upward momentum. Our goal is to repeat what we did last weekend because we’re chasing down that points lead.”
Robert Hight, who has two Funny Car wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in the Automobile Club of Southern California Camaro SS, is also a favorite this weekend with two races remaining before the seven-race Countdown to the Championship.
“I’m looking forward to Brainerd. I’ve done well here in the past so I’m hoping to build on that,” said Hight, who 3.793-seconds pass in August 2017 at Brainerd still stands as the NHRA Funny Car national record.. “The Countdown to the Championship is coming up quick so it’s time to really get in gear and get this Auto Club Chevy back into the winner’s circle.”
Since rejoining Chevrolet for the 2015 season, the John Force Racing lineup has produced 49 total wins: Robert Hight (19 Funny Car), John Force (13 Funny Car), Brittany Force (11 Top Fuel), Courtney Force (5 Funny Car), Austin Prock (1 Top Fuel) in addition to championships by Hight (2017, ’19) and Brittany Force (2017). 
FOX will telecast eliminations live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 22. 
Chevrolet Pro Stock drivers rejoin the schedule at the U.S. Nationals on Sept. 3-5 in Indianapolis. KB Racing’s Greg Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, is the points leader as he seeks to tie Warren Johnson’s class record of 97 wins. Five different drivers of the Camaro SS have won at least once through the 10 races.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (six-time No. 1 qualifier; winner in most recent race; runner-up in Charlotte and Norwalk; second in points): “I’m still on a high after winning alongside my dad in Topeka this last weekend. Doubling up with my dad has been a goal of mine since the start of my career. Year after year I realized just how tough lining that up would be. It’s not easy going four rounds on race day and trying to do that in two separate fields seemed impossible. But Sunday in Topeka we both had the best cars and teams on the track. Celebrating in the winner’s circle with the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team and my dad’s PEAK Chevy team is something I’ll never forget.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner this season; No. 1 qualifier in Charlotte four-wide; points leader; 11-time winner at track):“It’s important to me to remember that I’m where I am because of the support I have. Support from my sponsors, my team and the fans. The fans are important, the fans are why we do what we do, we couldn’t do this without them. I’m looking forward to Brainerd, looking forward to seeing the crowds, the grandstands full. We are here to compete, to win races but also to entertain. It’s the best part of the job, it is the job. This PEAK team, we’re putting on a show.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner and two-time runner-up; No. 1 qualifier in Las Vegas four-wide; fifth in points): “I’ve said it before, I think this Funny Car field is one of the most competitive we’ve ever had. I don’t think it’s ever been this close, the top six all within 70 points of the lead, it goes to show you how hard you have to work and how consistent you have to be. We were a little off last weekend, but Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham are known for turning things around in a hurry.”

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19, 2021) – John Force and the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS team lead the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Funny Car points standings for the first time in 144 races. They enter the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway this weekend with one goal in mind, maintaining their position. Force and his Daniel Hood and Tim Fabrisi led PEAK Antifreeze team put their name in as championship contenders early in the 2021 season. At the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the third race of the season, Force and his PEAK Chevy would make their 257th final round appearance. Force earned his 161st No. 1 qualifying position before continuing his dominance into race day at the NHRA Four Wide-Nationals at zMAX Dragway and coming out with his 152nd national event victory. Force then tallied his second win of the season, 153rd of his career, at the NHRA New England Nationals. Following a semifinal finish at his hometown racetrack, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Force made history at the Menards NHRA Nationals when he shared the winner’s circle with daughter Brittany Force. It was the first time in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history a father and child duo shared the winner’s circle. John and daughter Ashley Force-Hood, who married his now crew chief Danny Hood, doubled up at the Auto Club Finals in Pomona when she raced Top Alcohol in 2004. It is the fifth time John Force Racing has had a Funny Car / Top Fuel double-up. Brittany Force first did it with Robert Hight at the Gatornationals in 2016 for the first win of her career then Dallas 2017 and again in Houston 2019 before John Force and Austin Prock won together for John’s 150th in Seattle 2019. “It’s important to me to remember that I’m where I am because of the support I have. Support from my sponsors, my team and the fans,” Force said. “The fans are important, the fans are why we do what we do, we couldn’t do this without them. I’m looking forward to Brainerd, looking forward to seeing the crowds, the grandstands full. We are here to compete, to win races but also to entertain. It’s the best part of the job, it is the job. This PEAK team, we’re putting on a show. Robert and Auto Club, Brittany with Monster Energy and Flav-R-Pac, we’re here along with all our competitors to put on a show and fight for a championship. The Countdown is right around the corner.” Force has won a record 11 times at Brainerd International Raceway, most recently in 2007 but raced to runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014. Along with his 11 wins, Force also has eight No.1 qualifiers at the facility. Qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Brainerd International Raceway begins with a session at 6 p.m. CT on Friday and continues Saturday with sessions at 2 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage will begin Friday with live qualifying on FOX Sports 1 (Fs1) at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT. A second qualifying show will air on FS1 Sunday at Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT. Eliminations will be on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 500 WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY, MADISON, ILLINOIS TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE AUG. 21 RACE 13 OF 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON Chevrolet heads to final oval race of season with momentumTeam Chevy drivers look to score maximum points under the lightsDETROIT (Aug. 19, 2021) – Minutes after securing a hard-fought fifth-place finish Aug. 14 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Pato O’Ward was already looking forward to the next race. The second-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver’s confidence is brimming heading into the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, is 21 points out of first place in the Driver Standings with four races left in the championship hunt. “We gained a lot of ground in the championship. I think this is the start of the momentum we wanted. I think (the oval race) will be great for us,” said O’Ward, whose NTT P1 Award last week gave the 21-year-old a field-high three for the season. “We are ready for these last four races.” Practice, qualifications and the green flag for the 260-lap on the 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval in Madison, Illinois, occur in less than an eight-hour span Saturday, Aug. 21. O’Ward placed second and third in the doubleheader last August at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. He picked up his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory May 2 on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval and has added two other top-five finishes on ovals, including fourth in the Indianapolis 500. Team Chevy drivers have registered seven top-five finishes in the three oval races. “Pato winning the pole and finishing fifth on the Indy road course in a tight race boosted his confidence along with his chances of winning the championship,” Chevrolet INDYCAR program manager Rob Buckner said. “He’s had success this season in the oval races, and was certainly impressive in his rookie season of 2020 at World Wide Technology Raceway. “Our focus is to see that every Team Chevy driver has the best opportunity to win the remaining four races, starting with the final oval race of the season.” Two-time Series champion Josef Newgarden, who is 21 points out of third place in the standings, is a two-time winner at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in his Chevrolet-powered Team Penske machine since the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned to the facility in 2017 after a 13-year absence. He won the second race of the August 2020 doubleheader, leading a Chevrolet sweep of the top four positions. Teammate Will Power, who drove to his 40th career victory last week on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet, won at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2018. Four Team Chevy drivers, including Rookie of the Year leader Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet, tested July 27 at the track. Team owner/driver Ed Carpenter returns to the seat of the No. 20 US Air Force Chevrolet for the first time since placing fifth in the Indianapolis 500 on May 30. Conor Daly, who drives the No. 20 Chevrolet on road/street courses, moves to the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet for this race in place of Max Chilton. NBCSN will telecast the 260-lap Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 21. Same-day practice and qualifications will stream on Peacock Premium. The race, qualifications and practice will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.Team Chevy will be represented by:A.J. Foyt EnterprisesDalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt RacingSebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt RacingArrow McLaren SPPato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SPFelix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SPCarlinConor Daly, No. 59 Gallagher CarlinEd Carpenter RacingEd Carpenter, No. 20 U.S. Air ForceRinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/AutogeekTeam PenskeJosef Newgarden, No. 2 Sonsio Team PenskeScott McLaughlin, No. 3 DEX Imaging Team PenskeWill Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team PenskeSimon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team PenskeChevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results since 20122021 ­– 5 wins, 6 poles in 12 racesWins – Pato O’Ward (Texas2, Detroit2); Rinus VeeKay (Indy RC1); Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio); Will Power (Indy RC2). Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Detroit1, Indy RC2); Josef Newgarden (Detroit2, Road America, Mid-Ohio).2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 racesWins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 racesDriver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 racesIndianapolis 500 win (Will Power)2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 20122014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 racesEngine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)Total – 94 wins, 105 earned poles in 161 races

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19, 2021) – Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS team are currently tied for fifth, just 68 points back from the Funny Car points lead. With two races before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s seven race playoffs, Hight knows the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway are an important step to gaining momentum in the points battle. Already with two victories at the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston and Sonoma Raceway’s NHRA Sonoma Nationals marking the 53rd win of his career, two runner-up finishes at the season opening Gatornationals and the New England Nationals and a No. 1 qualifier at the Las Vegas Four-Wide event, Hight and the Auto Club team have proven themselves to be contenders for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championship. The Funny Car field is competitive though, making every point matter. “I’ve said it before, I think this Funny Car field is one of the most competitive we’ve ever had,” Hight said. “I don’t think it’s ever been this close, the top six all within 70 points of the lead, it goes to show you how hard you have to work and how consistent you have to be. We were a little off last weekend, but Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham are known for turning things around in a hurry.” Luckily, the Auto Club team doesn’t have to wait long between races to get their momentum back. After qualifying 14th and making a quarterfinal finish, Hight and the Auto Club Chevy boys appreciate the back-to-back races. Heading to Brainerd International Raceway as the track record holder in both elapsed time, 3.793-seconds from 2015, and speed, 338.00 mph in 2017, Hight is hoping to earn his second win at the facility. Along the way he’ll contest for his third No. 1 qualifier and all the bonus qualifying points he can get. “I’m looking forward to Brainerd. Getting back in the seat, gaining some consistency trying to build some momentum,” Hight said. “I’ve done well here in the past so I’m hoping to build on that. The Countdown to the Championship is coming up quick so it’s time to really get in gear and get this Auto Club Chevy back into the winner’s circle.” Qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Brainerd International Raceway begins with a session at 6 p.m. CT on Friday and continues Saturday with sessions at 2 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage will begin Friday with live qualifying on FOX Sports 1 (Fs1) at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT. A second qualifying show will air on FS1 Sunday at Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT. Eliminations will be on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT.

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19, 2021) – Brittany Force and the Monster Energy team finally turned their qualifying dominance into race day dominance with their first win of the season. Now that they’ve proven they have the ingredients to win races, they’re ready for more as they head to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team has collected six of the 11 No. 1 qualifying positions this season and is currently on a streak of four consecutive. The 2017 world champion earned No. 1 positions at both Four-Wide events in Las Vegas and Charlotte and swept the top spots at the three-race Western Swing before earning the 26th No. 1 of her career at the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan. Force capped off the weekend with a double-up win with her father, 16-time world champion John Force. It was the first time in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history a father and child duo shared the winner’s circle. It is the fifth time John Force Racing has had a Funny Car / Top Fuel double-up. Brittany first did it with Robert Hight at the Gatornationals in 2016 for the first win of her career then Dallas 2017 and again in Houston 2019 before John Force and Austin Prock won together for John’s 150th in Seattle 2019. “I’m still on a high after winning alongside my dad in Topeka this last weekend. Doubling up with my dad has been a goal of mine since the start of my career,” Force said. “Year after year I realized just how tough lining that up would be. It’s not easy going four rounds on race day and trying to do that in two separate fields seemed impossible. But Sunday in Topeka we both had the best cars and teams on the track. Celebrating in the winners circle with the Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team and my dad’s PEAK Chevy team is something I’ll never forget.” While the David Grubnic and Mac Savage led crew had two final round appearances (Charlotte Four-Wide and Norwalk, Ohio) before the historic victory in Topeka, their first win couldn’t have come at a more prime time. Now sitting No.2 in the points standings, the Monster Energy dragster will have two races to maintain that spot and head into the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s seven race playoffs, in the best position possible to take down points leader, defending and three-time world champion Steve Torrence. “Now these John Force Racing teams all head to Brainerd. This Monster Energy team will be on the hunt for another win,” Force said. “With the Countdown so close, we have to keep on this upward momentum. Our goal is to repeat what we did last weekend because we’re chasing down that points lead.”  Brittany has qualified No. 1 at four straight races, the first Top Fuel driver to do that since 2009 (Larry Dixon). Force was the No. 1 qualifier at Brainerd International Raceway in 2019, the last time the event was contested. She also is the track speed record holder at 333.16 mph, a mark she set in 2017. With the exception of Steve Torrence, no one has won more Top Fuel races the last five years than Brittany. She and competitor Leah Pruett both have won eight times during that span. Force will be trying to win back-to-back events on the pro tour for the first time in her career. Qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and Brainerd International Raceway begins with a session at 6 p.m. CT on Friday and continues Saturday with sessions at 2 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage will begin Friday with live qualifying on FOX Sports 1 (Fs1) at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT. A second qualifying show will air on FS1 Sunday at Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT. Eliminations will be on FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT.

No. 63 Corvette C8.R streaming on-board,MotorTrend U.S. coverage highlights team’s Le Mans return

LE MANS, France (Aug. 19, 2021) – Corvette Racing’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this time with the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, is a landmark moment in program history. It also will be made available to viewers and listeners in the United States and around the world on multiple platforms. MotorTrend Network will full coverage of Le Mans on Saturday and Sunday through its MotorTrend app for viewers inside the U.S. Content from free practice and the Hyperpole session Thursday, plus various on-board cameras, also will stream on the MotorTrend channel. One of those will be the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg. For those viewers without MotorTrend, Chevrolet’s YouTube channel will stream the on-board camera for the full race. Live coverage isn’t limited to video. Mobil 1 Radio Le Mans will broadcast every on-track session for the 24 Hours of Le Mans with many of the voices that Corvette Racing fans will recognize from previous Le Mans events along with IMSA Radio. MotorTrend’s Le Mans U.S. Video Coverage Schedule (all times ET)Thursday· Free Practice 3: 4:45 a.m.· Hyperpole: 12:45 p.m.· Free Practice 4: 9:45 a.m. Saturday-Sunday· Warmup: 2:10 a.m.· Pre-Race and race: 6:15 a.m. (Eurosport feed); 6:30 a.m. (World feed)· No. 63 Corvette on-board: 7 a.m.

Winger bags another podium, English takes DNF and points standings hit

QUINCY, MI – Aug. 18, 2021 – Since his days as a rookie teenager, Bobby Pierce has been winning races and winning over fans all throughout the Midwest. Now 24 years old and well on his way to becoming a four-time DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, Pierce crossed even further into elite territory with his 40th career victory Wednesday night at Butler Motor Speedway.

His 13th triumph of the season in 25 starts brings him to the big 4-0 as part of the winningest Hell Tourseason of his career, now taking sole possession of third on the all-time Feature wins list from 2004 champion Don O’Neal.

“I’ve been running these races for a long time, and really cut my teeth on all these racetracks,” Pierce, of Oakwood, IL, said. “The experience that I’ve gotten through the years, it adds up. And here we are.”

“It takes a big, big team to get to where we’re at right now in such a hurry. So, shoutuout to everyone that’s gotten me here.”

His drive to victory was certainly no waltz, having to hold off four-time winner this season Ashton Winger and Devin Moran for 40 laps around the fast 3/8-mile. Several caution flags were scattered throughout the race, meaning Pierce had to be on his game for the restarts.

“I didn’t really like to see the cautions because you never really know… you go flying into that first corner again, and you wanna make sure the car sticks, but you don’t wanna under-drive it too much and it pushes up the racetrack,” Pierce said.

While Pierce’s takeoffs were on-point, Winger and Moran were strong behind him, as well. They swapped the second and third spots a few times before Winger took back it permanently after a restart on Lap 10.

Through lapped traffic Winger chased Pierce, closing the gap to just a few car-lengths at one point, but he was unable to get close enough to make a move. Pierce crossed the line untouched for the $5,500 victory – $500 of which came from a bonus put up by nearby Galesburg Speedway.

Tanner English, who came into the night second in points, got caught up in a wreck on the first lap and was forced to retire early due to excessive damage. This left him with a season-worst 21st-place finish, putting him even further behind Pierce in the chase for the championship. He’ll make the repairs and look for a rebound on Thursday at I-96 Speedway.

UP NEXT

The Summer Nationals rolls into I-96 Speedway for the ninth time in tour history Thursday night, Aug. 19, for another $5,000-to-win showdown in Race #2 of Champions Week. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

Feature (40 Laps) 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[2]; 2. 12-Ashton Winger[3]; 3. 9-Devin Moran[1]; 4. 74-Mitch McGrath[5]; 5. 91-Rusty Schlenk[4]; 6. 14G-Joe Godsey[7]; 7. 16-Garrett Wiles[15]; 8. 9LT-Jacob VanDeVoorde[14]; 9. 19M-Carter Murday[16]; 10. 20-Jim Plotts[22]; 11. 14R-Jeff Roth[13]; 12. T18-Jeff Geis[21]; 13. 248-Brandon Lance[19]; 14. 44S-Colin Shipley[17]; 15. 15G- Jamie Grochowski[20]; 16. 48-Tim Lance[18]; 17. 06-Jake Rendel[10]; 18. 38-Thomas Hunziker[6]; 19. 27-Eric Spangler[8]; 20. B4-Rich Ruff[9]; 21. 81E-Tanner English[11]; 22. 53-Hillard Miller[12]

DEFENDER: Krup Wins First of Season, Back-to-Back Years at Butler

He led every lap in the inaugural visit to Butler Motor Speedway last year, and now he’s back. Will Krup has made his return to DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Victory Lane.

After a heartbreaking loss on the final restart last Saturday night at I-55, Krup rebounded and made sure the same thing wasn’t going to happen Wednesday night. After leading all but the first lap since the drop of the green, Krup found himself one lap away from victory when the caution flag flew, setting up a green/white-then-checkered finish.

“We were leading there at [I-55] and kinda gave it away with about four-to-go,” Krup said. “So, it was kinda nerve-wracking with a single-lap shootout. But, the car was good and it all worked out.”

Indeed it did work out, as Krup held off the ringers behind him including Hunt Gossum, Dillon Nusbaum and Chad Bauer to bag the $1,500 victory.

Also in attendance was the 2012 Summit Modified champion Kenny Wallace, who had a great comeback from 17th to finish eighth after a wild start to his night in the Heat Race. Fellow former NASCAR star David Stremme was making his first appearance of the season with the Summit Modifieds Wednesday night and soon found himself in an interesting situation with Wallace after four laps in Heat #2.

Stremme made contact with Wallace in Turn 3, sending Wallace around in a spin. Both drivers were sent to the rear by rule, which forced them to try and regain their transfer spots in just four laps. Stremme succeeded, but Wallace did not, and had to come from his Last Chance Showdown to start the Feature. Wallace bagged his eighth top-10 of the season, while Stremme retired after 11 laps.

UP NEXT

The Summit Modifieds roll into I-96 Speedway Thursday night, Aug. 19, for another $1,500-to-win showdown in Race #2 of Champions Week. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene.

Plus continuing work on preparations for GTE Pro at 24 Hours of Le Mans

LE MANS, France (Aug. 18, 2021) – Corvette Racing’s Nick Tandy put the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R into the Hyperpole round of qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tandy set a best lap Wednesday of 3:47.074 (134.216 mph) in the mid-engine Corvette that he is sharing this week with Tommy Milner and Alexander Sims. The Thursday night Hyperpole session includes the six fastest cars from Wednesday’s preliminary qualifying session for all classes.  Antonio Garcia, driving the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg, posted a best lap of 3:49.643 (132.725 mph). Wednesday’s two free practice sessions and qualifying allowed Corvette Racing to continue fine-tuning both Corvettes for the weekend’s race – the first time at Le Mans for the C8.R. A stringent simulation program combined with on-track testing and a race in the FIA World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps helped the program arrive at Le Mans with a strong baseline for the C8.R. In addition to the Hyperpole session at 9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, Corvette Racing and other competitors at Le Mans will take part in two additional practice sessions – at 2 p.m. CET/8 a.m. ET and 10 p.m. CET/4 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing will contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Aug. 21-22 with the green flag set for 4 p.m. CET and 10 a.m. ET. MotorTrend TV will air the race live with the MotorTrend App adding coverage of official practices Aug. 19. Live audio coverage will be available from Radio Le Mans.

NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FOURTH IN GTE PRO QUALIFYING:“Whenever you drive a racing car on low fuel and fresh tires at Le Mans, it’s your lucky day. There isn’t much greater experience in motorsport from what I’ve seen. This is always great. The C8.R felt really good. We kind of went into an unknown area because this is the first time the car has run like this with low fuel. We tried a semi-qualifying simulation in practice but it wasn’t as light as we could make the car. So I’m happy with how the performance was. The balance was very good. We tuned during the session. The engineers and the crew did a great job in getting the car turned around and improving the pace in it. We’re very happy to go through into the Hyperpole round and try for a spot as high up the grid as we can.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – EIGHTH IN GTE PRO QUALIFYING: “During the Test Day we only did very few laps (because of the electrical issues) and this afternoon in the first free practice session, I jumped in after Jordan and Nicky had had enough seat time. With the new (one-hour) qualifying format it wasn’t easy with all the full-course yellows and slow zones. During my first attempt I got caught by a slow zone maybe five seconds before the finish line. That lap time would not have put me in the top-six, but it would have helped to better understand the car. We then tried again and I again had traffic and yellows.“We only wanted to use two sets of tires in qualifying and the first was already thrown away because of the full-course yellows. The same thing then happened on the second set: traffic and more yellows, so in the end we just stayed on the same set, refueled the car and I did as many laps as we could, working toward the race setup. Luckily this race is not about pole position so from now on we will just keep focusing and working towards the race.“Last Sunday, Jordan and Nicky had done most of the driving before I had the issue which sidelined us for most of the afternoon. The last hour or so we still had after the engine change, we decided to give them the extra five or six laps, which of course didn’t help me to get up to speed today. But the other car is right up there, so there is no reason to think we shouldn’t set similar times as well. We’ll be ready for the race.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FIRST LAPS IN THE C8.R AT LE MANS: “If you weren’t looking at lap times, then it would be really good fun out there. The competitor in me would like to be a  bit faster. I don’t feel 100 percent comfortable with the car quite yet. In the daytime, things start to make a bit of sense but you start to lose some of your cues at night. You just have to rely on fewer senses and you don’t want to make mistakes while building it up. There is still more to come, for sure.”I’m just lacking a bit of confidence on the brakes. The biggest thing is that I don’t know how much it is in me and how much could be helped by the car. It’ll be good to look at some data and have another go tomorrow. Overall it’s been really nice to be back in the C8.R. It’s been five or six months since Sebring. And it’s cool be out here at Le Mans. I’ve been here before but that was three years ago. Getting back into the rhythm again is nice.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400 MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT AUGUST 18, 2021
TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript Highlights: HOW CRAZY AND WILD DO YOU THINK DAYTONA WILL BE WITH DRIVERS. HAVING THEIR LAST SHOT TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS?“I played a big part in that excitement in the last Daytona cutoff race. I think you’ll expect to see drivers that were as desperate as I was in that race to try and get up front and get control of the race and win for their team and all their partners. It’s just going to be a matter of trying to have an understanding in the back of your head or have a point that you kind of have within yourself. Like okay, this is my fun meter. If we can stay within, we’re good. If we go over here, etc. We’re trying to make the Playoffs, right? But we’re also trying to get tenth and get that extra point if we can, too. So, there are a lot of things around. We’re going to try and control what we can. Someone going in and winning that race in Daytona is something that we can’t really control unless we win that race. But it’s a tough spot to be in.”
LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR, WOULD YOU DO THE SAME THING AGAIN? KNOWING WHAT’ ON THE LINE, IS THERE REALLY ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE?“Well, the situation is a little bit different for us at the moment. I think we were 60 points behind the cutline at Daytona last year for that race. As of right now, going to Michigan, I think we’re up 23 points. So, the situation is a little bit different. We’re 11th in points. We’re looking at potentially, if we have a good two-race span, we might be able to get to tenth and get a Playoff point there, too. But in doing that, we could also maybe not even make the Playoffs all at the same time. Again, we’re just trying to control the things that we can. It is different because we are above the cutline, at the moment. If someone new wins at Michigan, yeah, then it’s all back to all of this stuff that we’ve been working for kind of goes out the window and then we need to come up with a new plan that we will bring and then have at Daytona for that race. At the moment, we’re just not really changing anything. At the moment, we’re just going to keep doing what we’ve done all year long. Once we get to Daytona after Michigan is in the rear-view mirror and seeing where we stack up in points, okay maybe we change our strategy if somebody new wins. Maybe not. We’ll just have to see after this weekend.”
IF YOU CAN THINK BACK TO A YEAR AGO, HOW NERVE-WRACKING WAS IT AND WAS IT LESS OR MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED?“It was in its own way, but different than how it would be where we’re at looking at it now, in this position. Last year we kind of fell off of the end of that regular season stretch and just we were in a place where we had to just basically win Daytona and nothing else mattered. So, desperation, yeah, it sinks in and you’re trying everything you can at the end of that race. I think there are 15, 16, or 17 other drivers that are in the same boat as you behind you even further back in points. Yeah, it is stressful because it is something that is somewhat out of your hands. You can only control what you can. For us that’s our cars, our team, and how we perform over the next two weeks. We can’t even really control or predict or even waste the energy predicting how other teams are going to go into Daytona and how they’re going to run.”
WHAT DOES GETTING INTO THE PLAYOFFS MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM? WHAT IS ON THE LINE? HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?“It’s extremely important as any driver I think would say. For me, last year it was a goal for our team. We had the trends, and the positives were there for us to get there. But some of the mistakes in that rookie season really took us just far enough behind that it was really difficult to overcome. Other drivers were surging late in the season, and it was a difficult time to make up points and we were losing them. This year, it’s even more important considering we were one of the first drivers to miss the Playoffs last year. And then also, for us, we’re sitting 11th in points and have a shot at getting to 10th. We’ve had a really good turnaround from five or six races in at Atlanta, I think it was, earlier this year. So, we’ve overcome a lot in points deficit. We’ve passed a lot of other teams and drivers in points. And furthermore, we’re ran really well for many months now in the season. Making the Playoffs is important for sure. When I think about it, the guys we’ll be racing around in these Playoffs I think we can outrun; where we are right now, we can out-perform and probably advance past some of these drivers. I think we’re running good enough to make it through the first round and have a really good shot at making it through the second round to round three, honestly. We’re right in that window. So that’s really important to make it into the Playoffs because we are going to have some Playoff points from the Stage wins if things go right, we’ll get some more from where we’re at in the regular season standings. So, a lot is on the line for us in that regard because it’s not a matter of just making the Playoffs. I think where we’re running right now and where our RCR team is going, and Austin (Dillon) as well. We are good enough to make it go deeper into the Playoffs than just make it a one and done.”
YOU’VE HAD SOME GOOD RUNS ON THE 550HP TRACKS LIKE ATLANTA AND POCONO. DOES MICHIGAN BECOME ANY MORE IMPORTANT? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DRAWN FROM ATLANTA AND POCONO OR ARE THEY SO DIFFERENT IT WON’T HELP YOU LATER AT LAS VEGAS IN THE PLAYOFFS?“They’re similar, but they’re not. There’s something you can draw from, but I think the important thing is that a lot of these races you show up, you unload, you go through tech, and you hit the race track without ever really getting a chance to adjust on what you bring and what you think is going to be the best piece for that race that weekend. The one thing that does remain the same is you’re working lots of hours on the car and where you’re going to start with the balance and all that, all beforehand, and have that set in a pretty close box where you want it to be before you go to the race track. So, as we go from places like Michigan and Pocono and Atlanta, when we go to Vegas and some of these other one, it’s going to be the same type of deal. It’s going to be really important to have our homework done the right way. It’s very different to make big adjustments. So that aspect of it, yes, it’s going to be important to be able to take this car to Michigan and run good.”
WHAT MAKES THE SEASON A SUCCESS FOR YOU? IS IT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS OR WINNING A RACE OR SOMETHING MORE THAN THAT?“There was definitely one point in time, even last year, we make the Playoffs in my rookie year would have been a success. We didn’t do that. It was very easy to kind of get down in the dumps. The goal that we had, we didn’t obtain it. And we kind of started the year off the same way. And as the year as gone on, still have that same thought and drive is we’ve got to make the Playoffs. But there are other ways to look at it too, I think. What would make the season a success is to continue to just improve like we have been for months and months now. We’re kind of in a spot where if Michigan and Daytona go smooth, we’re going to be in a great place. But we could get to Daytona. We could run fifth, get Stage points and have a great day. Somebody wins that’s behind the cutline, knock us out, and that’s kind of out of our control at that point. But, for us it’s just about that rate of improvement and continue to improve all year long and not losing that drive to improve. So even if the unthinkable happens and some crazy upset winner happens at Daytona, the season isn’t over. It’s not a bust. The drive and the motivation we have would probably only just increase as we try to really work on making everything better within our team and that aspect and how we do better as a team once we get thrown into a brand new car for next year. But we’ve been pushing really hard. Unfortunately, the one thing we needed to do to really take care of a lot of our problems was win a race. And we’ve had those opportunities. We just didn’t capitalize on them.”
WHAT HAS THE MOOD BEEN LIKE WITH YOU AND AUSTIN DILLON? IT’S LOOKING LIKE A BATTLE BETWEEN YOU TWO FOR THE FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT.“It’s been really good. It’s just as good as it’s ever been. We’ve been working really hard. The last four weeks were really good because we had those two off-weekends and both of us worked really hard on the cars and the set-ups, which were really close together, that we took to those road courses. Things are really good for us. We’re really on the same page. As much as it seems like the doors would shut at this point in time when it’s the No. 3 and the No. 8 fighting for 16th and 17th, the doors have never been more open. There’s lots of sharing going on. We both know that if we want to do well in the Playoffs or make the Playoffs, we each need to keep pushing the other along the way. And we’ve been doing a great job of that this year. Going into Michigan, the same thing. It’s happening this week, too.”