NASCAR CUP SERIES MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF 500 TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT APRIL 9, 2021 WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Press Conference Transcript:  ON SHORT TRACKS, YOU’RE EITHER TOP-10 OR OUTSIDE THE TOP-20. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO?“That’s a good question. We’ve had some really good short track races, but yeah, then we’ve had some issues with brakes and mechanical things. Trying to make sure that we make all that stuff last and make it to the end of the race is really important. So, I think that’s a big emphasis for us. I feel like some of that is how your car is driving, but also just technique and making sure that I’m taking care of my stuff throughout the early part of the race so I can have something good at the end. I think that’s all it is. When we’ve had good handling stuff, then we’ve done well. But you can’t try to crutch it too much with brakes and stuff if you’re not handling well.”  SOME CHATTER NOW THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING VACCINATED, WHEN WOULD NASCAR ALLOW POTENTIALLY MORE PEOPLE IN THE GARAGE; WOULD DRIVERS START DOING MEET-AND-GREETS AGAIN. DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF STANDARD FOR WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OR DO YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD TO DO?“Yeah, I’ll just roll with whatever is comfortable with how we approach it. I feel fairly comfortable as is right now. I think the protocols and things are working well. Yeah, I think it’s going to be a gradual thing. But I think you see all sports right now getting more and more fans around; having them in masks, but being able to have them around. So, I’m good with it if people have masks on. I think it’s working towards the right direction.” SPECIFIC TO MARTINSVILLE, LAST YEAR YOU WERE 8TH IN THE SPRING AND 35TH IN THE FALL. WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE TWO RACES FOR YOU?“The fall, there was a lot of stuff going on. We had a mechanical issue there at the end that cost us finishing that race. But I thought we were OK; I thought we were honestly that eighth to tenth range. I don’t think we were going to run in the top-five. But the spring, I thought we could run the top-five, but we had to go to the back three or four times for issues. I think, honestly, the spring I was pretty happy about. I know we’ve got a little bit of a different setup this time. I feel like we’re going to be really fast, so it’s just a matter of making it to the end of the race with a shot at it.” IF YOU HAD TO PIN-POINT ONE THING THAT MAKES MARTINSVILLE UNIQUE AND DIFFICULT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?“Just the rhythm. You have to adapt to kind of how the rubber lays down. It’s just a very difficult rhythm place. A little bit off is a lot; you can go a lap down pretty easily. It’s just kind of a rhythm place. You have to find that. It makes it easy if you have a decent car and you can find that rhythm.” BACK IN DECEMBER, YOU TALKED ABOUT WANTING THE NO. 24 TEAM TO BECOME A CONSISTENT THREAT WHERE EACH TRACK WASN’T A WEAKNESS FOR YOU AND YOU WEREN’T JUST A ONE-TIME WINNER EACH YEAR. WITH THE PERFORMANCE YOU’VE HAD THROUGH SEVEN RACES, HOW CLOSE DO YOU FEEL YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE TO BEING AT THAT LEVEL?“I think it’s going according to plan. I think honestly, we started the year and things were off to a really bad start; we had some bad luck and it really forced us to hone in on just executing a clean race. We did that and we won. And then honestly from there, we just tried to execute really clean races and try to get this team executing on a high level to where we can start to push some of the details, like pit road, restarts and things like that that we can start to be aggressive with. We put together a really good five races in a row here and yeah, I feel like we are in that category now of being able to contend every week. We just have to make the next step to lead some more laps. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve done that, so that’s important to us.” DRIVERS HAVE SAID MARTINSVILLE IS BOTH FUN AND QUITE DIFFICULT TO RACE THERE. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS RACE TRACK STAND OUT TO YOU THE MOST?“I think just the way you have to run the curb. Obviously, you try to be as low to it as you can without touching it too much. It’s tricky – you have to get in the corner a certain way. Running the curb is hard and it’s tough to get drive off, too. It’s really kind of one of those standard short tracks, but I like the rhythm of it. It’s one of my favorites because it’s got good grip, but it’s a challenge. And you can pass; usually it’s not a huge issue to pass, you just have to set guys up the right way. I like it. Somebody mentioned how a lot of champions win at Martinsville – I think it’s just because it’s an experience place. It’s a really tough place.” BEING NO WORSE THAN EIGHTH SINCE YOU WON AT HOMESTEAD, HOW HAS YOUR MENTALITY OR CONFIDENCE CHANGED IN HOW YOU APPROACH GOING TO THE RACETRACK EACH WEEKEND?“I think we approach it the same, but I think there’s definitely a little more confidence that we can think outside the box a little bit. We’re not just trying to string together one good run to kind of get back on track. Yeah, I think for us, it’s kind of that slow climb of trying to go from I feel like we’re that top-seven to eight team right now, but try to make that next step to be a top-five team. It’s kind of an evolution, but I think we’re getting there. It’s awesome to run as well as we have every week and have specific things to work on; not have to worry about big stuff, we can just worry about small stuff to try and get better. I think we’re on the right track.” IN THE WEEKEND RELEASE FROM HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GRASS THAT’S BEEN TAKEN OUT AT MARTINSVILLE. HOW BIG OF A THING IS THAT FOR DRIVERS? IS THAT ACTUALLY NOTICABLE AND SOMETHING YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST TO?“Yeah, I mean I think in turns three and four, for sure. One and two, I’ve never really noticed the grass; but three and four, there was a separation between the grass and when the concrete started. So now, it’s not there and that was kind of a reference for where the center of the corner was. I think honestly, that’s going to be different. I’m interested to see how that is on the pace laps. But yeah, I think you’ll adapt and find new marks. It does kind of change things.”

Arnold sets overall fast time, Stremme second in practice sessions BRISTOL, TN – April 8, 2021 – The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds have officially taken their first look at the dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway in preparation for this weekend’s inaugural World of Outlaws Bristol Bash. Chris Arnold, of Matoaca, VA, recorded the fastest lap of 17.154 in Thursday night’s practice session, logging 18 laps in total. Arnold turned that lap in the third session, besting David Stremme who ranked second quick at 17.176. Ryan Ayers, of Concord, NC, clocked in third quick at 17.198; Nick Hoffman, of Mooresville, NC, was fourth overall at 17.409; and Taylor Cook, of Stanley, NC, rounded out the top-five at 17.439. The UMP Modifieds will compete this Friday and Saturday night, April 9-10, alongside the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series, with complete racing programs and a 20-lap Feature on both nights. $5,000 goes to Friday night’s winner while the big $10,000 grand prize goes home with the Feature winner on Saturday. Tickets are available online at BristolMotorSpeedway.com; DIRTVision presented by Drydene will have live race coverage throughout the weekend. Hoffman, the two-time and defending DIRTcar UMP Modified national points champion, made his first laps around the half-mile and was amazed at the feeling in the seat, combining the straightaway speeds and high degree of banking. “The straightaways are pretty long. I feel like you can take a drink and do whatever down the straightaways, and then you get to the corner and it’s elbows up,” Hoffman said. Hoffman was one of nine drivers to log at least 20 laps over each of the six sessions. Overall, he considered it a solid night, but knows where he needs to make improvements for his first competitive night on Friday. “The racecar’s really good; I’ve got a ton of grip. But I think I have too much grip for this place. I’m just too tight, gotta get better as far as steering,” Hoffman said. For this special event, Hoffman has put together an equally special package for the racetrack. As the owner and founder of Elite Chassis, Hoffman restored the very first Elite frame he assembled during the 2012 season, strapped in a Chevrolet SB2 engine and brought it to Bristol. So far, so good. “I felt like the car drove great from the beginning. No bugs, didn’t have anything stupid happen, motor ran great. No real issues, just gotta get it to turn a little bit better,” Hoffman said. As a two-time national champion of the division, Hoffman has won at numerous tracks across the country, but only a select few compare in size and speed to Bristol. One track that immediately comes to Hoffman’s mind is the half-mile of Eldora Speedway, where he won back in 2012 on the very first night out driving his new Elite Chassis brand. “Eldora’s pretty round and sweeping. It’s decently banked, but it isn’t like this. It’s pretty round and forgiving. Here, you’re going straight at such high speed and just running into that banking. That’s the biggest thing that’s so much different,” Hoffman said. With those differences in speed and banking comes a big physical challenge in the cockpit – one which Hoffman doesn’t normally see during the regular season. “Right now, it’s everything you can get,” he said. “I feel like I’m in pretty decent shape, I’m not going to fall out of the seat I don’t think, but it’s way more physically demanding than anywhere else we’ve gone.” Hoffman says the keys to victory will be laying down a good lap in qualifying and getting out in clean air to control the race. He’s done exactly that many times before, and he’s confident he can do it again. Don’t miss the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in action at the Bristol Motor Speedway for the inaugural Bristol Bash this Friday at Saturday night, April 9-10. If you can’t make it to the track, catch every bit of racing live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene. DIRTcar UMP Modified Bristol Bash Practice Night Leaderboard1. Chris Arnold (Matoaca, VA) – 17.154 2. David Stremme (Mooresville, NC) – 17.176 3. Ryan Ayers (Concord, NC) – 17.198 4. Nick Hoffman (Mooresville, NC) – 17.409 5. Taylor Cook (Stanley, NC) – 17.439 6. Dylan Woodling (Warsaw, IN) – 17.441 7. Michael Altobelli (Saxton, PA) – 17.448 8. Nick Allen (Wheatfield, IN) – 17.485 9. Kyle Hammer (Clinton, IL) – 17.488 10. Jonathan Taylor (Saltsburg, PA) – 17.504 11. Garret Stewart (Leesburg, FL) – 17.509 12. Mitch Thomas (Oakland, MD) – 17.627 13. Austin Holcombe (Elm City, NC) – 17.632 14. Evan Taylor (Saltsburg, PA) – 17.649 15. Jordan Wever (Bloomington, IN) – 17.722 16. Trent Young (Crofton, KY) – 17.726 17. Jake Leitzman (Paragon, IN) – 17.758 18. David Reutimann (Sherrills Ford, NC) – 17.784 19. Hunt Gossum (Mayfield, KY) – 17.868 20. Todd Neiheiser (Panama City, FL) – 17.890 21. Dave Wietholder (Liberty, IL) – 17.894 22. Kyle Steffens (St. Charles, MO) – 17.913 23. Brian Shaw (Robinson, IL) – 17.999 24. Troy Loomis (Sherrills Ford, NC) – 18.004 25. Bill Griffith (Van Buren, OH) – 18.156 26. Dillon Nusbaum (Columbia City, IN) – 18.183 27. Lance Grady Jr. (Doswell, VA) – 19.160 28. Jason Sage (Glen Allen, VA) – 20.793

DIRTcar Racing 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), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, and NAPA Auto Parts (SDS). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear (SDS), Bassett, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux (SDS), Cometic Gasket (SDS), COMP Cams, Drydene, Fast Shafts, Fox Factory (SDS), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Quarter Master, Schoenfeld Headers, Summit Racing Equipment, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum) (SDS); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics and Velocita USA.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF 500 MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY RIDGEWAY, VIRGINIA APRIL 10, 2021

RACE #8 – MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAYThe challenging Martinsville Speedway, which has hosted two NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races per season since 1950, is the site this week for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Cook Out 250.
Chase Elliott won the last NASCAR Cup Series race on .526-mile paperclip on November 1, 2020, on the way to wrapping up his first NCS Driver Championship. Starting eighth based on metric qualifying in his No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, Elliott led 236 of the 500 laps. Elliott, who made his NCS debut at Martinsville Speedway in the sixth race of the 2015 season, has four top-five and six top-10 finishes in 11 races at the track.
Career Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson is the last driver to win from the pole or No. 1 starting position — in April 2013, the eighth of his nine victories at the track. Kurt Busch leads active drivers with 41 starts and 19,883 laps completed. Busch, No. 1 GEARWRENCH Camaro ZL1 1LE, has won at the track in 2014 and 2002 (from the 36th starting position) and has 10 short track victories in his NCS career.
Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Walmart Fight Hunger Camaro SS, will lead the Chevrolet contingent to the green flag in the Cook Out 250 from the outside of the front row. Allgaier, who won at Atlanta two weeks ago, was runner-up in the October 2020 race at Martinsville. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Ellsworth Advisors Camaro SS, who won the NXC race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and is fourth in the Driver Standings, will start third.
FS1 will telecast the NASCAR Cup Series’ 500-lap/263-mile Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 at 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 10. 
57 WINS AND COUNTINGChevrolet leads all manufacturers with 57 victories at Martinsville Speedway, including 25 by Hendrick Motorsports – Jeff Gordon and Johnson with nine; Darrell Waltrip with four; and Geoff Bodine, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Elliott with one each. Chevrolet has 797 NASCAR Cup Series wins to lead all manufacturers.
FOUR IN THE TOP-10Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Camaro ZL1 1LE, is fourth in the NCS Driver Standings. William Byron, No. 24 Camaro ZL1 LE, is sixth and Chase Elliott, No. 9 Camaro ZL1 1LE, is ninth. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Camaro ZL1 1LE, is tied for 10th.
Larson and Byron have secured their spots in the 10-race Playoff run after winning already this season. Byron, who has scored five top-eight finishes in a row, was runner-up in the October 2019 race at Martinsville.
ON THE WAY TO THE GREENWith no practice or qualifying for the 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. Here are Team Chevy’s Top-20 starters: 3rd      William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE5th      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE6th      Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger/Crest Camaro ZL1 1LE11th    Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Camping World Camaro ZL1 1LE13th    Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Childress Vineyards Camaro ZL1 1LE17th    Ryan Preece, No. 37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Camaro ZL1 1LE18th    Austin Dillon, No. 3 American Ethanol Camaro ZL1 1LE19th    Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 1LE20th    Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
BOWTIE BULLETS·       Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 698 laps led – 197 more than its closest competitor.
·       Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 32 top-10 finishes – 10 more than its closest competitor.
·       In addition to its 57 NCS wins at Martinsville, Chevrolet has amassed 264 top-five and 503 top-10 finishes. Chevrolet drivers have led 27,656 laps.
·       Justin Haley will pull double duty this weekend, driving the No. 7 Camaro SS in the NXS race and the No. 77 Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NCS race. Haley made his NXS debut at Martinsville Speedway in 2020.
·       Kyle Larson paces all drivers with 379 laps led in the seven races. He’s also the leader in fastest laps (237) and quality passes (446).
·       Kyle Larson (9.5) and Willian Byron (10.7) are in the top-five of average running position.
·       Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon is the all-time leader with 38 top-10 finishes in 47 races at Martinsville.
·       Austin Dillon, No. 3 Camaro ZL1 1LE, has completed all but two of the 1,694 laps.
·       Chase Elliott (Daytona Road Course), William Byron (Homestead-Miami Speedway) and Kyle Larson (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway 2) have stage wins.
TUNE INFS1 will telecast the NASCAR Cup Series 500-lap/263-mile Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 live at 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 10. FS1 will telecast the NASCAR Xfinity Series 250-lap/131.5-mile Cook Out 250 at 8 p.m. EDT Friday, April 9. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
QUOTABLE QUOTES KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 4th IN STANDINGSLARSON ON MARTINSVILLE’S CHALLENGES: “Martinsville is probably one of my worst tracks – it’s been the toughest for me to figure out since there are so many challenges there. It’s a different style than what I grew up racing. You’re hard on the brakes and you need to be consistent with that while hitting your marks lap after lap. It’s such a challenge to do all that and keep up with the changing lines throughout the race. Hopefully, someday I can win a Martinsville clock.”
CLIFF DANIELS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1 1LEDANIELS ON WORKING WITH LARSON AT MARTINSVILLE’S WET WEATHER TIRE TEST LAST WEEK: “Testing was cool, and it’s always good to have more time with Kyle. It helps our team continue the rhythm we’re in – just being able to cut laps around the place with him in one of our cars is always helpful. NASCAR has some good rain tire options if they choose to use them in the future.”
DANIELS ON FINISHING TENTH WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON IN 2020: “We led a lot of laps early but didn’t keep up with the track as well as we should have. We were just an adjustment behind. We got up front, we led laps, and we knew the car was fast, but we didn’t want to over-adjust so we made small adjustments. After looking back at our notes, the track really tightened up throughout the race. Our teammates got aggressive with their changes and we were just a step behind.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 6th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON THE CHALLENGES OF RACING AT MARTINSVILLE:“Martinsville Speedway is always difficult no matter how many times you’ve raced there. You have to balance the entry of the corner to how you turn in the middle, all while not allowing the guy behind you to get underneath you on the exit of the corner. You want to be aggressive enough to make up ground but also not overly aggressive that you lose track position early on. It’s a track that requires patience and the knowledge of when to push it and when to save. It’s a challenge for sure but I enjoy it. It makes it tough on the drivers to get around there.”  BYRON ON ADJUSTING TO THE REMOVAL OF THE INFIELD GRASS AT MARTINSVILLE:“I’m interested to see what it’s like with the grass removed but I don’t think it will change much on the racetrack. The only thing I think that will be different is your visual cues. You’ll have to get use to looking at the concrete at the start of the race and set new marks for yourself in the corners. That’s always critical there. It will make the first couple laps interesting but once you figure those marks out, it will get easier as the race goes.”  CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 9th IN STANDINGS“Last year’s win at Martinsville was huge for us. It’s great to know that we’ve had some good runs at there, but you always have to keep in mind that your past success doesn’t equal success in the future. It never has and I don’t think it ever will – that’s just racing. So, I think for us, we will have some good information from last year and I look forward to getting to Martinsville this weekend and seeing what we can do.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 AMERICAN ETHANOL CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGS“I really like Martinsville Speedway. It is one of those places where you go through so many emotions during the course the race. Someone might bump you and that give-and-take can get frustrating. It’s a short little paper clip, with hard-braking corners. We’ve had some solid runs there, and I think that we can go back and do it again. We’d love to have a good run at Martinsville Speedway.”
RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/CREST CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGS“I think short track racing at Martinsville Speedway with the lights is going to be awesome. NASCAR Cup Series cars, an especially our No. 47 Kroger/Crest Chevrolet, look better under the lights and we know fans love seeing the sparks fly. Martinsville always has a lot of contact and beating and banging so going into it expecting that I think is half the battle. Martinsville is not typically my favorite track, but we’re on a really strong momentum swing right now with strong runs at Bristol and Atlanta so I’m looking forward to racing after a week off and keeping that going.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 16th IN STANDINGSBOWMAN ON GETTING BACK ON TRACK AFTER THE WEEKEND OFF: “It was nice to have a weekend off last week. A week off is nice, but I am ready to get to Martinsville this weekend. We had two top-10 finishes at the track last season and I think we have a good notebook to lean on for Saturday night’s race. Hendrick Motorsports has been strong at Martinsville in the past and I feel like our teams can lean on each other a bit for this weekend’s race.”
GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE“Anytime you have night races, you prepare a little bit differently depending on the track grip. There were times when you would start the race during the day and then it would end at night, but this is a true night race. Now we just have to worry about if the track is going to rubber up or not. I think it is generally going to be a clean track and hopefully we can get another groove in there. You might see some fender banging to make the pass. You might have some tempers flare, but it’s just short track racing.”
RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 18th IN STANDINGS“I’m looking forward to racing at Martinsville Speedway under the lights this Saturday night. We’ve got a new look on our No. 37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet, and I’m lucky enough to be running the Modified race on Thursday night and get plenty of laps in before the NASCAR Cup Series hits the track on Saturday. Martinsville is one of my favorite tracks, we’ve had some strong runs there in the Cup Series and I’ve been fortunate enough to get a win in the Modified Series there so I feel good about it, and feel like we are heading the right direction to come out with a strong run.”
DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 CAMPING WORLD CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 20th IN STANDINGS“I love going to Martinsville. It’s just a different atmosphere and they have things so unique to them – the trophy, the style of track, etc. Martinsville is cool because it’s one of the old-school tracks that we go to. I drive back and forth from home and it’s a unique place. It reminds me kind of like a Late Model race, where it’s just a different environment from the big tracks we usually go to.” 
ERIK JONES, NO. 43 PETTY’S GARAGE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 22nd in STANDINGSWHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A NIGHT RACE AT MARTINSVILLE?“I think the Martinsville Speedway is going to be good for our Richard Petty Motorsports team. I look at last year and how we ran there in the fall race, which ended at night, and when the sun went down was when the team was at its best. Between that race, and the way Richard Petty Motorsports has run the last few years at Martinsville (Speedway), I feel good about going into the weekend.
“It is going to be a cool race. It is the first true night race at the Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Cup Series, which is going to be fun. I think we are all looking forward to the race, and what it is going to look like. I am excited to get there.”
TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CHILDRESS VINEYARDS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 25th IN STANDINGSLAST YEAR WAS YOUR FIRST TIME RACING AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY SINCE 2016. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU LEARNED THAT WILL BE HELPFUL FOR THIS WEEKEND? “One thing I think that really stood out not just to me, but a lot of the drivers was how hot that June Martinsville race was. Everyone is so used to it being cold at Martinsville that the heat really took everyone by surprise. So, I’m definitely taking my hydration seriously this week to avoid being overheated this time around. We also saw the track change a lot during both races, and we needed to do a better job of keeping up with it. That’ll be a major focus this time for us. This track is one of my crew chief’s favorites so I’m confident we’ll have a good plan for our No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE on Saturday night.”
COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 ARK.IO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 29th IN STANDINGS“Really looking forward to getting to Martinsville this weekend. Statistically, it’s turned into one of my better tracks, but also one of my favorites to drive. It’s awesome to have Travis and Ark.io back on the Chevy Camaro this weekend as he continues to support my racing career. This race is the first true short track race of the year, so I’m excited to see what Ryan Sparks and my team at Spire Motorsports can accomplish at the paper clip this weekend!”

Richard Childress Racing at Martinsville Speedway… In 177 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011). RCR Chevrolet teams have earned 30 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the team’s first start there on April 10, 1972. Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed four of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.  With the NASCAR Xfinity Series returning to Martinsville Speedway in 2020 after a 14-year hiatus from the Virginia short track, the Welcome N.C. organization has only three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile paperclip. In 2006, Kevin Harvick scored the victory, followed by a runner-up finish from Clint Bowyer. Collectively, Harvick and Bowyer combined to lead 207 out of the 250 laps en route to a 1-2 finish for RCR. Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Cook Out 250 will be televised live Friday, April 9, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.  The NASCAR Cup Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 will be televised live Saturday, April 10, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Martinsville Speedway… In 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Dillon earned his best finish of fourth in April 2016 at the half-mile short track after starting deep in the field from the 29th spot. He also has a fifth-place finish at the track (April 2017). He has made four appearances at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series, earning his best finish of third in October 2011. Delivering Performance on and Off the Racetrack… Dillon races on Sunoco Green E15 fuel made with 15 percent American Ethanol. Ethanol is the most effective and least expensive source of octane available and it also burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline. All those factors mean that ethanol helps drive peak engine performance whether you’re in a racecar or on your way to the grocery store. And, ethanol helps keep our air cleaner and our environment healthier by reducing toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about why ethanol is the smart choice for your engine, your wallet and our environment at americanethanolracing.com. TV Time… Dillon is scheduled to serve as a guest analyst for FOX Sports 1’s coverage of this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. Tune in beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, April 9 on FS1. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:How do you feel about short tracks like Martinsville Speedway?“I really like Martinsville Speedway. It is one of those places where you go through so many emotions during the course the race. Someone might bump you and that give-and-take can get frustrating. It’s a short little paper clip, with hard-braking corners. We’ve had some solid runs there, and I think that we can go back and do it again. We’d love to have a good run at Martinsville Speedway.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Martinsville Speedway… Tyler Reddick has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, with his best finish of 16th coming during last year’s spring event. Reddick also has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track in which he collected two top-five and three top-10 finishes. About Childress Vineyards… Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, North Carolina. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards produces award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro. Information about Childress Vineyards can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/childresswines/, on Twitter at @ChildressWines and on Instagram at Instagram.com/childresswines. TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: Last year was your first time racing at Martinsville Speedway since 2016. What are some things you learned that will be helpful for this weekend?“One thing I think that really stood out not just to me, but a lot of the drivers was how hot that June Martinsville race was. Everyone is so used to it being cold at Martinsville that the heat really took everyone by surprise. So I’m definitely taking my hydration seriously this week to avoid being overheated this time around. We also saw the track change a lot during both races, and we needed to do a better job of keeping up with it. That’ll be a major focus this time for us. This track is one of my crew chief’s favorites so I’m confident we’ll have a good plan for our No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE on Saturday night.” We just wrapped up the only off-weekend for about four months. What do you and the No. 8 team need to do over the next stretch of races to get in a better spot to contend for a Playoff position?“Well, we can really take two ways to get there. We can win and lock ourselves in that way or we need to run top five and top 10 from here on out. That’s a tall ask for sure, but I have faith in my team. You have to be relevant to win races, and for us that means finding ways to get track position early in the race and get some stage points and a good finish. We also need to work on minimizing mistakes that took us out of Playoff contention last year and put solid races together from start to finish. Unfortunately, without qualifying it gets a little tougher since we start farther back than we maybe would if we had a chance to qualify. It’s hard to then know what we have at these tracks until we get up near some decent cars and by then it’s normally late in the race. Hopefully, we’ll turn a corner this week at Martinsville and put together a good race to kick of this big stretch of races with.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Martinsville Speedway… Snider has one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Martinsville Speedway, which came at the end of the 2020 season. The Charlotte, N.C. native has also competed in three NASCAR Truck Series race at the paperclip half-mile, earning a third-place result in the 2018 fall race and a pair of sixth-place efforts in the 2018 and 2019 spring races respectively. About TaxSlayer… TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million federal and state e-filed tax returns in 2020 and processed $15 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com. MYATT SNIDER QUOTES:You’ve raced quite a few times at Martinsville Speedway throughout your career. Do you enjoy going to the Virginia short track? “Racing at Martinsville is always a personal one for me. I’ve competed in a bunch of late model races there, got really close to a couple Truck Series wins there and it’s a track that has a lot of importance to me. I’ve run so many races there before that it semi feels like a home race for me personally. It’s important to me to get the clock this Friday night.”  What is your game plan heading into Martinsville Speedway?“Martinsville is quite the crazy race, because you never are that far away from another car. You can get out and build a good lead, but that’s really difficult to do since everyone is so close together. It can be a frustrating place for drivers, since you can’t get away and focus on what you are doing. There is always someone there to bump you out of the way or mess you up. That is what I think makes Martinsville one of the best tracks though. It forces you to be on your toes all the time and think as a driver which is what makes the racing product so good.”

Who is Back and Who is New?The Super DIRTcar Series is back underway with 17 drivers fighting for a $123,000 point fundWEEDSPORT, NY – Big Blocks are being tuned to perfection across the Northeast. The first whiffs of VP Racing Fuel are hitting noses and brand new Hoosier Racing Tires are getting loaded up in preparation for the Super DIRTcar Series tour to begin this Saturday, April 10, at Can-Am Speedway. Seventeen elite drivers are going full-time championship points chasing in 2021. Twenty-seven races stand between the best of the best in Northeast dirt modified racing with races in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Tennessee, North Carolina, Quebec, and Ontario. These 17 drivers will fight over a $123,000 point fund with $40,000 going to the champion. Mat Williamson, the longest-term defending champion [no champion in 2020] on record, finally begins his title defense. Despite the delay, the Canadian-born driver and his #88 Buzz Chew team are primed for the points opener at Can-Am Speedway. Williamson has separated himself as driver by not only winning big-money signature races like the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at NAPA Super DIRT Week, but he’s also a champion. He knows how to play the long game in both races and seasons. Matt Sheppard is a seven-time Super DIRTcar Series champion. He wins. He podiums. And, most importantly, he finishes. Sheppard, from Waterloo, NY, is a ferocious competitor, who demands the best from himself, his equipment, and his peers at every race. He is keen on claiming this his eighth Super DIRTcar Series championship in the #9S this year. While the DIRTcar Nationals in February was an up-and-down affair for Sheppard, it’s difficult to draw a bead on the season based on his performance there. Especially when the #9S team likes to try new ideas at Volusia – a non-points event for the Series.While Anthony Perrego took the win at Can-Am last year during DIRTcar OktoberFAST presented by DIRTVision, Sheppard has the last Thunder in the Thousand Islands 100 win at the La Fargeville, NY track when he opened 2019 in Victory Lane two years ago. With two huge points opportunities coming up back-to-back at Bristol, Sheppard knows it’s important to go there full throttle. Billy Decker defines speed and confidence on track. He’s won three Series championships but remains hungry for a fourth. His Gypsum Racing #91 Big Block is always at the top of the boards. Decker was held winless at this year’s DIRTcar Nationals but he piled on the podiums nonetheless to be second on points behind Max Mclaughlin. He’ll be after career Series win number 71 at Can-Am this Saturday to start his quest for a fourth championship.This year is another busy year for the HBR pilot Jimmy Phelps as he once again tackles the Series full-time while promoting Weedsport Speedway. Phelps’ #98H had a strong 2020, which included an OktoberFAST win at Fulton Speedway. Phelps, The Baldwinsville Bandit, is currently tied for sixteenth on the all-time wins list alongside Kenny Brightbill and Gary Tomkins. Phoenix, NY’s Larry Wight, also known as Lightning, is tied with Dave Lape on the all-time wins list with eleven, including a coveted $50,000 win at Oswego Speedway’s NAPA Super DIRT Week in 2018. The crimson #99L can often be found pushing the envelope of the high side at most tracks, thrilling fans, and passing drivers. Wight has accomplished a lot in his young career but a Super DIRTcar Series championship still eludes him. Pride of Ransomville, NY, Erick Rudolph, nearly won the Series championship in 2018, giving Matt Sheppard the biggest run for his money in a few years as the points came down to the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. With eight career Series wins to his name, he wants to push that number to double digits in 2021. Rudolph showcases his skills weekly at Ransomville Speedway in his DIRTcar 358 Modified where he meets the likes of Mat Williamson and Pete Bicknell every Friday. The third-generation driver is not only adding to his family’s legacy but building his own storied career. He had three top-10s in four starts at the DIRTcar Nationals, a slow start by his standards. But there’s a good chance the calm, cool, and collected driver of the #25R will find his way to the front at Can-Am.Mike Mahaney and his #35 Huttig-owned Big Block Modified have become a great match over the last couple years. Mahaney was contending at every single DIRTcar OktoberFAST event last October. His momentum coming into 2021 is stronger than ever. Although Mahaney has weekly Feature wins and track championships under his belt, he’s still chasing that first career Super DIRTcar Series win. The #111 of Demetrios Drellos has become a well-known threat on the Super DIRTcar Series. Drellos, from Queensbury, NY, is not only a Super DIRTcar Series Feature winner but he’s now coming into the championship conversation. With a continued focus on speed in Time Trials, Drellos has the makings of a serious contender. Jack Lehner, from Saratoga Springs, NY, is working hard to build his race team from the ground up. Lehner, a regular front runner at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, is looking to take the next step with his #2H Big Block in the Series. In 34 starts, Lehner has picked up three top-10s and one top-five. The blue #2H first entered race fans’ radars when he won the Last Chance Showdown at Oswego Speedway to make the 2018 Billy Whittaker Cars 200. Peter Britten, the driver of the #21A, gained a lot of momentum for the 2021 season after a recent chassis manufacturer switch. Britten now has a Bicknell beneath him for the first time in his career. The veteran driver will hit a milestone 200 Super DIRTcar Series starts in 2021.The Queensland, Australia driver cuts his teeth weekly at Lebanon Valley Speedway and Albany-Saratoga where the fields include many other Series stars. He’s poised for a strong 2021 season. The Hile Driver, Chris Hile, had to postpone his rookie season on the tour last year – due to the pandemic, but he is looking forward to putting his team to the test in 2021. Hile has always been a high-level competitor when entering one-off events. Race fans should be excited to see how the #5H handles a full-season with the stats he’s collected, so far.Hile has hammered down two top-five finishes, 14 top-10’s, and over 50 starts in Series racing.  Dave Rauscher, known as The Big Show, has become a fan favorite to root for with his hard-working attitude every race day and gleaming smile. He’ll be aiming to turn the show of passion into results this year and park his #48too in Victory Lane.Kevin Root has proven himself to be one of the top rookies to watch in 2021. Root, a multiple-time DIRTcar Sportsman Modified champion, will take on the Super DIRTcar Series full-time in the famed #4*. Some of the best drivers, like Tim McCreadie and Brett Hearn, have been behind the wheel of Vinney Salerno’s Big Blocks. Root is ready to take the spotlight in his rookie year and keep the #4*’s winning ways alive.Marcus Dinkins is back in 2021 for another full-time effort in the Series. Dinkins, from Watkins Glen, NY, showed promise in Volusia at the DIRTcar Nationals with strong qualifying efforts and competing in every feature lap. The #17 is looking to continue improving in the new season. Long-time racer and builder of the original Bridgeport Speedway Rusty Smith is back on the tour after taking most of 2020 off during the pandemic. With some new chassis lined up, Smith is looking for his first top-10 in Series competition. The 2017 Rookie of the Year Brandon Walters, from Sydney, NY, returns to the Series in 2021 and is also looking to crack the top-10 for the first time. He has 28 Series starts. Brandon has been itching to get back on the Series, especially with, newly DIRTcar sanctioned, Thunder Mountain Speedway – which he calls his home – one of the 27 events on the 2021 Super DIRTcar Series schedule (Tuesday, Aug. 3).Olden Dwyer will be a new face on the full-time circuit this year. The Shaftsbury, VT driver has two Super DIRTcar Series starts and has earned one top-10, which came at his hometrack, Lebanon Valley Speedway, in 2015. He’ll take on the stars of the Series behind the wheel of his #88JR Big Block.For the full 2021 Super DIRTcar Series schedule, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.PHOTO: Joe Grabianowski

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.

KILLED IT, AGAIN: Kilgore Dominates Street Stock League at Eldora for Second Career Win April 7, 2021 – The Extreme Savage Racing pilot has done it again. Carl Kilgore took hold of the Chevy Performance Street Stock League field Wednesday night and flat-out dominated it, winning his Heat Race and leading all 20 laps of the Feature to score his second career DIRTcar eSports victory and first of the season. “It’s a blast around this joint because I love bangin’ the boards,” Kilgore said. And “bang the boards” he did, as Kilgore, of Greenville, MS, stuck to the high line throughout the Feature and held off some very tough customers behind him in last week’s winner (and teammate) Keith Hackney and Jesse Wall. The high pressure from the competition behind him reached a fever pitch in the home stretch, as two attempts at a green-white-checkered finish were presented to the field. Wall and Hackney gave it all they had, but in the end, Kilgore prevailed. “We made a mistake on that first one, but luckily we had a caution and was able to re-rack ‘em,” Kilgore said. “We hit our marks for the last two laps and that was all she wrote.” The Chevy Performance Street Stock League is back in action next Wednesday night, April 14, at the Fairbury Speedway – catch all the action live on DIRTVision. Feature (25 Laps) (2 Green-White-Checkered finishes) – 1. 021 – Carl Kilgore [1]; 2. 069 – Keith Hackney [3];  3. 026 – Blade Kearns [4]; 4. 2 – Jesse Wall [2]; 5. 8 – Tyler Jackson [7]; 6. 53 – Aidan Skraha [12]; 7. 077 – Holden English [8]; 8. 546 – Randy Axner [6]; 9. 39 – Jim Reavis [16]; 10. 30 – Justin Henson [21]; 11. 17 – Brett Rowles [10]; 12. 48 – Grant Parr [22]; 13. 18 – Chase Gilreath [9]; 14. 71 – Daniel Stiffler [17]; 15. 44 – Cody McElreath [20]; 16. 121 – Edward Farness [13]; 17. 6 – Mitch Erickson [24]; 18. 717 – Bobby Rafferty [15]; 19. 23 – Brayden McMahan [14]; 20. 46 – Jonathan Nause [23]; 21. 13 – Payton Gries [18]; 22. 93 – Steve Miskolczi [5]; 23. 260 – Sage Luther [11]; 24. 04 – Josh Dennison [19] BIG BLOCK KING: Seay Nets Fifth Career Tour Victory, Second with Big Blocks in Marathon at Williams Grove With his fifth career Feature victory Wednesday night, Evan Seay is now the all-time winningest driver in DIRTcar eSports Tour history. Seay, of Chesnee, SC, took the lead on Lap 1 of the Feature and never looked back, leading all 50 laps en route to his second Tour win in-a-row – this time, with the VP Racing Fuels Big Block Modifieds. “Coming out on top will definitely help us gain back some of those points we lost with that okay finish at Weedsport,” Seay said. “Hopefully, we can make all the races and get this points title.” Indeed, Seay had an “okay” 8th-place finish in the season opener with the Big Blocks at Weedsport Speedway on March 24 after an early-race incident knocked him to the back of the field. But he completed the charge back to the top-10 and salvaged the evening before losing too many points in the standings. The next week, he put it all together and won from the second row in the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modified Feature at Bristol Motor Speedway. This week, in a similar fashion, Seay held off all chargers from behind to win yet another $250 top prize. Several caution flags turned the race into quite the marathon event, running just a few minutes shy of the time limit by checkered fall. This forced Seay to be on top of his restart game. DIRTcar eSports Tour Season 2 champion Kendal Tucker, of Mt. Airy, NC, ran up front throughout the race and was able to slip underneath Dylan Houser, of Ocala, FL, on the final restart in the closing laps to claim another runner-up finish. While they aren’t chasing points titles in Season 3, both drivers looked hungrier than ever for good points finishes with their relentless chase of each other in the back half of the race. The DIRTcar eSports Tour resumes racing next Wednesday night, April 14, with a stop at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, racing the Drydene Pro Late Models – catch all the action live on DIRTVision. Feature (50 Laps) – 1. 33 – Evan Seay [1]; 2. 00 – Kendal Tucker [4]; 3. 2 – Dylan Houser [5]; 4. 033 – Richard Murtaugh Jr. [12]; 5. 115 – Boddie Parker [14]; 6. 48 – Dylan Yeager [6]; 7. 12 – Alex Bergeron [3]; 8. 32 – Tyler Schell [9]; 9. 000 – Kevin Dedmon [7]; 10. 85 – Hunter Heck [16]; 11. 17 – Brett Rowles [15]; 12. 717 – Bobby Rafferty [18]; 13. 30 – Keith Hackney [22]; 14. 28 – Jamie Massey [17]; 15. 41 – Logan Rumsey [8]; 16. 35 – Thomas Brandon [24]; 17 – Randall Carter [11]; 18. 29 – Billy Richardson [21]; 331 – Dustin Hall [10]; 20. 127 – Blake Matjoulis [2]; 21. 114 – Joe Garcia [20]; 22. 69 – Mason Hammel [19]; 23. 1 – Jesse Enterkin [13]; 24. 82 – Eric Schroeter [23]

DIRTcar Racing 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), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, and NAPA Auto Parts (SDS). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear (SDS), Bassett, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux (SDS), Cometic Gasket (SDS), COMP Cams, Drydene, Fast Shafts, Fox Factory (SDS), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Quarter Master, Schoenfeld Headers, Summit Racing Equipment, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum) (SDS); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics and Velocita USA.

NASCAR CUP SERIES MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY BLUE EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF 500 TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT APRIL 7, 2021
RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference transcript: YOU’VE GOT A LOT GOING ON THIS WEEKEND WITH RUNNING DOUBLE-DUTY WITH BOTH THE NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR AND THE NASCAR CUP RACE AT MARTINSVILLE. WE JUST CAME BACK FROM A DIRT RACE AT BRISTOL AND NOW TALKING LOOSELY ABOUT A STREET COURSE RACE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT STREET COURSE RACING FOR NASCAR?“I’m for whatever we need to do, I guess. At the end of the day, we’re all doing pretty much what we’re supposed to do and that’s competing. I’m a huge fan of short track. And I did go to South Boston this weekend. I thought that place, it would be cool to see if they can hold a Cup race because there are two pit roads there. But as far as street courses go, I like road racing. It’s not something that I come from. It’s not my background but I think it would be interesting for sure.”
A WIN THE OTHER NIGHT, AND IF YOU WIN TOMORROW NIGHT, DOES IT MATTER A WHOLE LOT FOR SATURDAY? ARE YOU MORE EXCITED AND A BETTER PERSON TO BE AROUND? OR NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS THURSDAY, ARE YOU IN THE SAME MENTAL STATE FOR SATURDAY?“I think winning is always a good boost for morale, right? I think my wife would tell you I’m a happier person to be around when I do win. I just said that the other day. Even after South Boston you’re just happier, right? You won. I mean it’s just seat time is seat time, whether it’s in a truck or Xfinity or a Modified, a Sprint Car, a Midget, whatever it is, when you keep racing and you’re running good; it just kind of gets you in that mindset and keeps things rolling, so to speak. So, I guess to answer your question, I’m going to attack Saturday like I would attack tomorrow. And as the race plays out, and what you have that day, you kind of have to manage whatever you have going on. But every race, I always have my expectations.”
IT’S CERTAINLY A TALE OF TWO SEASONS LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR. DO YOU DRIVE DIFFERENTLY BEING 18th IN POINTS AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR BEING 30th IN POINTS AND IN MORE OF A LEVEL OF DESPERATION?“Well, and it’s crazy to think, we’ve had two runs this year that I felt like probably could have been another two Top 10’s or Top 5’s that kind of slipped away from us. But I feel like we could even be higher in points. But as far as driving differently, I don’t drive any different. I didn’t wake up this year and say man, I’m going to hustle this thing. Me, as a racer, no matter what car it is, I get in it and attack it the same. So, I feel like communication has gotten better. I’m not a believer in good luck or bad luck. I’ve always believed that you kind of make your own luck, until last year. There were just a lot of things that were out of my control, out of our control which, I’m not putting blame on anything. It’s just this year, certainly, we started on the right foot. And it’s kind of helped us really stay where we are. And I feel like there are some tracks; I know statistically, Martinsville isn’t as exciting, or Richmond, as I would like it to be as a short track racer; but I feel like optimistic with what we’ve got going, that we can go to Martinsville and have a strong run and then go to Richmond and improve on what we’ve done there. And then obviously Talladega is a superspeedway and those can go either way, but I feel like everything is going well for us right now and hopefully we can keep it going that way.”
YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS HAD TIE-INS WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS. HOW MUCH DOES THAT HELP OR HOW MUCH DOES THAT IMPACT THINGS ON YOUR SIDE?“I want to say we use their engines, but we do build our own cars. So, I can’t honestly tell you how much we use from them because JTG in itself, they do a lot of their own research. Wind tunnel time, everything, is strictly through our organization. So, for really, for what everybody over there at JTG Daugherty does, for what we have…..Ricky (Stenhouse, Jr.) has put together some really good runs these past four weeks and last week. We brought two really solid cars for that dirt race. Unfortunately, we overheated, and something happened with the motor at lap 25 or 30, but we had a really good race car there. But yeah, as far as Hendrick and that affiliation, I mean, we get great horsepower and I know we use their SIM tools, so it’s been good.”
YOU’VE HAD A VERY STRONG START TO THE YEAR. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN COMPETITIVE. HAS THAT CHANGED ANYTHING WITH YOUR SECURITY WITH THE TEAM FOR THE DURATION OF THE SEASON ON SPONSORSHIP OR ANYTHING?“I attack every week like it’s my last, I guess. Me, as a race car driver, I’m just showing up at every single race giving it 150 percent and let it kind of be what it’s going to be.”
THIS IS YOUR SECOND YEAR WORKING WITH RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. WHAT HAS THAT RELATIONSHIP BEEN LIKE AND HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY LESSONS FROM HIM ON THE TRACK?“I like he and Brian Pattie (crew chief) work really well together. How long have they been working together, period? Last year was my first working with Trent (Owens, crew chief) and I felt like we had a lot of good runs that unfortunately, statistically, when you look on a piece of paper, weren’t as good. But if you actually look back at those races, we had our shining moments. So, I feel like had those shining moments again. Two of those races, Las Vegas, I felt like we could have ended up with a Top 10 but we just had a slow stop that last green flag run and it cost us some spots; and then Bristol, with our overheating issues, those were two really good days that were in the making and unfortunately, we didn’t have anything to show it. So, I do feel like Ricky and Brian had brought a little bit of speed over for those superspeedways and the 1.5-mile program. So, everybody over at the team has been doing a great job and really, you’ve got to have flawless races. You can’t have any loose ends. If everybody does their job, we can have those good days.”
HOW VITAL HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU AND THE NO. 37 TEAM BECAUSE YOUR STARTING POSITION IS UP FROM LIKE 25th, TO 15th AND YOU’LL START IN ROW 9 THIS WEEKEND. HOW IMPORTANT IS A STARTING POSITION FOR YOU?“Track position is huge. It’s so hard to pass. Ricky’s got some great position to start this race. We’re starting 17th. For me, that’s 10 to 12 spots further ahead than I was last year. So, I feel really optimistic about Martinsville with the short track package we’re bringing. Hopefully we can fire off the race and move forward and then keep that track position all day. But it definitely plays a huge role in how your day is going to work.”
YOU’VE HAD SOME GREAT STARTS TO THE SEASON. WHAT HAS BEEN THE THING THAT’S HELPED YOU GET THOSE GOOD RESULTS IN THE FIRST SEVEN RACES?“It’s a combination of things. The Daytona 500 finish was a good jump-start for us. It got us track position for the Road Course at Daytona, which plays another huge part; and just showing up closer. When you show-up close and you don’t have start sticking wrenches in it, it just allows you to have good pit stops and allow everything to flow. And that’s what it comes down to. So, at the end of the day, everything is just kind of been going our way and we’ve just got to keep it going that way and keep putting good runs together.”
AS A MODIFIED GUY BEING INVOLVED IN THE SERIES FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE BOTH THE TOUR AND NASCAR AT MARTINSVILLE THIS WEEKEND?“It’s cool. Modifieds have a lot of roots and have big roots at Martinsville. So, having them there, I know it’s a really great racing track. I think it’s going to be two grooves for the Modifieds. It’ll probably widen out there, some. And, sharing that stage kind of being that first start to the weekend for all the racing there, is awesome. And being under the lights in all three series will be cool also.” YOU GOT TO TEST THERE NOT TOO LONG AGO. WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU THE MOST?“We went there to shake things down. I didn’t really need to test. It’s more of just a new chassis that we’re running this year in the Modifieds. And I kind of wanted to be one step ahead instead of one step behind. So, I feel really confident with the package we’re bringing and hopefully like I said earlier, we can go there and win the race and bring home a clock.”
WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT EXPERIENCE AND TRACK TIME AND LAP IN CARS BEING KEY. WITH ALL THE LIMITED PRACTICE TIME IN THE SERIES, HOW MUCH HAS THAT IMPACTED DRIVERS? OR, HAS SIMULATIONAND IRACING LEVELED THE PLAYING FIELD TO WHERE TRACK TIME DOESN’T MATTER?“I don’t get SIM time, to be honest with you. I don’t get to go in a simulator like some of these other teams do. We don’t have that luxury at the end of the day. When we say SIMs and SIM tools, it’s what teams are setting the race cars up off of. So, without testing I think there is a gap, for sure, from guys in the early or mid 2000’s, where if you weren’t racing, you were off somewhere testing and putting those laps in. My generation from whatever year testing was banned, we don’t do that. We jump in a race car and we go. So, learning what that feel that you want or having the ability to go test and try different things and find that balance that you like, you’re doing that at the races now. You’re just kind of showing up with something and hoping it sticks and hoping it’s in the right direction. And then, you just kind of follow that. So, it’s a lot more difficult than it used to be. But that’s kind of what we’re all dealing with. Everybody is in the same boat and some can find those feels quicker than others. So, it’s a process. I feel like it’s a process that Trent and I have definitely been working at and getting closer to where I feel like we need to be. I feel like there are places where I do shine, which happens to be the 750 hp tracks where we’ll run good; at road courses or the one-miles or places like that. But the 1.5-miles is where it’s strictly momentum-based and being in the throttle and really not having much room for error when it comes to being loose or tight, we’ve just got to be a little bit closer and that’s something we work at each and every week.”

April 7, 2021

After a week off for the annual Easter break, Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to the Wood Brothers’ home track, Martinsville Speedway, for Saturday night’s Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.

It will be the team’s 120^th Cup Series start at Martinsville and the third there since DiBenedetto took the wheel of the No. 21 Mustang.

Last year, DiBenedetto finished seventh in the spring at Martinsville and 10^th in the fall, and he’s looking to continue that success in this year’s race under the lights on the half-mile oval.

“Short-track racing is my favorite, and it’s even cooler that it will be a Saturday-night race,” DiBenedetto said. “We finished top 10 both races last year, so obviously this is one we look forward to a little extra.”

Saturday’s race will be the first since the passing of the team’s matriarch Bernece Wood on March 30. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang will carry a special decal in memory of Mrs. Wood, who spent many a Sunday afternoon back in the day in the infield of the track.

“It was one of her favorite tracks,” Eddie Wood said. “She liked the short tracks like Martinsville, Bowman Gray Stadium and Starkey Speedway, which were tracks my Dad liked as well. They were kind of his specialty.”

Wood remembers his mom, and other drivers’ wives, bringing picnic dinners to Martinsville. “There would be plenty of food for us and for everybody around us,” he said.

DiBenedetto said he also will be thinking about Mrs. Wood as he returns to Martinsville Saturday night. 
 
“Our hearts will be heavy this race with the passing of Bernece,” he said. “I really want to get that 100th win for her and the whole family, but the first goal is to go there and have a good clean night and execute.”

There will no practice or qualifying before Saturday’s race. DiBenedetto will start 22^nd in a line-up set by NASCAR using statistics from prior races. The 500-lap race will have Stage breaks at 130 and 260 laps.
 
The green flag is set to fly just after 7:30 p.m., with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.
 

One driver could walk away with $30,000 at the Dairyland Showdown, May 7-8FOUNTAIN CITY, WI– APRIL 7, 2021 – The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models Series will make its highly anticipated debut at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, WI, May 7-8.The Dairyland Showdown doubleheader at the high-banked 3/8-mile track is the first of five trips to the Badger State for the Late Models in 2021.Speedway officials are making sure it’s an inaugural event to remember. One driver could take home $30,000 if they reach Victory Lane both nights – continuing the Series’ stretch of big paying races.Friday night’s show (May 7) will pay $10,000 to the winner and $1,000 to start in the 40-lap Feature. Then, Saturday night’s (May 8) 60-lap main event will award $20,000 to the winning.Saturday’s Feature also pays big money throughout the top-10, including $10,000 for second, $7,000 for third, $5,000 for fifth, and $2,500 for tenth. Drivers who start Saturday’s Feature will get $1,250.The best Late Model drivers in the country will gather at the Wisconsin track both nights to try and claim the big purses. The event will be another chance for three-time defending champion Brandon Sheppard to close in on history as he looks to tied four-time Series champion Josh Richards for the most championships and surpass him for the most Series wins (77).However, he’ll have to compete against the likes of Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Strickler – who has led the points throughout the early stage of the year – his 2020 championship rival Ricky Weiss, fellow three-time champion Darrell Lanigan – who is also chasing the same feats as Sheppard – and several regional standouts.The USRA Modifieds will also join the card on both nights.For tickets to the Dairyland Showdown, May 7-8, CLICK HERE.If you’re unable to make it to the track can watch all of the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.

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.

Phelps senses excitement among Northeast tracks and fans, and talks about the impact of the 2020 pandemic on Weedsport SpeedwayBy Nick GrazianoThis is the second part in a two-part feature on Jimmy Phelps, the driver and promoter (Click here for Part I)WEEDSPORT, NY – APRIL 7, 2021 – Jimmy Phelps became accustomed to wearing two hats for the past eight years. One as a driver. The other, a promoter. Last year’s blip in racing didn’t allow him to wear either for the majority of 2020.The pandemic put a hold on his season behind the wheel of the Heinke Baldwin Racing #98 Big Block with the Super DIRTcar Series and put a hold on a full schedule of racing planned at Weedsport Speedway, which Phelps has been the promoter of since 2013.“When you do this for so long you still kind of need to do it. That was the racing side,” Phelps said. “On the track side, it was hard pulling into the [Weedsport Speedway] and seeing it sitting there ready to go and really not knowing when we’re going to allow people to come back in.“That was the hard part because everyone has worked really hard to turn Weedsport into an attraction and the reward you get from that is watching people have a good time there. For that not being able to happen was a really hard time. That was probably as hard of a hurdle we knew we were going to face, whether it be financially or what have you. Just knowing that the people weren’t going to be there enjoying the place was tough to swallow.”With restrictions in New York easing at the moment and fans allowed to return to race tracks, Phelps is eager to get people back in the stands and host big events, such as the Super DIRTcar Series (May 30, July 25, and Sept. 11-12) and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series (July 31).He’s obviously not the only promoter excited to see fans back in the stands, too. The Super DIRTcar Series is set to kick off its 2021 season Saturday, April 10, at Can-Am Speedway in La Fargeville, NY with limited fans – which Phelps will be competing in as he chases the Series championship. In general, tracks are more confident about the year, Phelps said, but they’re also ready for any possible negative turn.“When the meat and potatoes of the season start getting to that point in time, I think everyone is pretty confident that we’re going to start seeing regulations and things relax where we can proceed as normal,” Phelps said. “When we were heading in another direction last year, everyone was worried about getting themselves out too far and we might continue to shut down further. We’re full speed ahead now, knowing we might still face some adversity in the first month or two. I think when we get into the summer we’ll be in good shape.”While the pandemic’s full impact on Weedsport Speedway has yet to be seen, there was definitely a big hit, according to Phelps.“The grass keeps growing. The paint keeps fading. So, the work still needs to be done,” he said. “There’re costs there and when you can’t open the gates there’s no way to recoup. The biggest thing is getting the staff back into a rhythm and have our team back in place.“From a property standpoint, we’re still in really good shape. The place remained intact. It’s as beautiful as ever. Then, through the off-season we were able to secure, for the most part, the partnerships we had for marketing and sponsors. It could’ve been worse. We’re hoping the fans really come out. I think everyone is hungry for some racing. I’m expecting that when things do get to a point where things open up, I think we’re going to see a lot of happy race fans.”Coping with the loss of a full race season, as a driver and promoter, was tough. However, Phelps managed to deal with it better than he would’ve 20 years ago, he said.It wasn’t all bad.“I’ve got a lot of other things going on in my life I didn’t have 10 years ago,” he said. “There was some good that came from it. I was able to spend some time with family and get caught up on things around the home and focus on some other stuff for a short period of time.”Weedsport Speedway did still manage to get national attention during the year, too. The track launched on iRacing during the racing simulation’s surge in popularity throughout the pandemic. It instantly became a fan favorite upon its release, giving race fans around the world the chance to virtually take laps around the unique D-shaped speedway.What that means for the real track, Phelps admitted he’s not sure. But it couldn’t hurt.“It was pretty neat to see those handfuls of years in the making and finally see it released,” Phelps said. “The cool part was that it got released in the midst of this huge boom for iRacing. iRacing became such a household name that it wasn’t pre-COVID. For it to hit then when it had a lot of eyes on it was even better. It was worth the wait type of deal.”The track was also able to be a part of the Super DIRTcar Series’ weeklong OktoberFAST event last year. Fans weren’t allowed at the 3/8-mile speedway, but they were able to watch the race from home on DIRTVision – a preview of every Super DIRTcar Series race being broadcast live on DIRTVision starting this year.That helped take the edge off before winter, Phelps said. It gave race teams and race tracks something to be excited about going into the end of the year.That excitement has led to him dusting off his two hats and putting them back on for 2021. The driver will be going after his first Super DIRTcar Series championship. The promoter will be getting Weedsport Speedway ready for a successful 2021. Both hats, equally stressful to wear, according to Phelps. But also equally rewarding.“The promoter, there’s so many unknowns and so many things out of your control and so many moving pieces,” Phelps said. “With the race car, you have a core group of guys and you travel up and down the road. You get to a point where everyone knows their job. If you go out and execute and do everything correctly, you’re going to have a successful night. With the track, there’s just a lot of things going on. We’ve got a great team, so it’s not a personnel thing. But there’s a lot of things going on. We’ve got weather, got different circumstances.“In our situation, we’re in the heart of Syracuse, NY. There’s just a lot to do. There’s a lot for fans to spend their entertainment dollar on. So, you really really have to work hard for a long period of time, preparing for each event, making sure you get the most out of it from a participation standpoint, then hope everything falls your way when it comes to weather, and so on and so forth. You have to hope the track stays good. There’s a lot of things that are out of your control. A little more stress on that front and a little more anxiety. But at the same time, it’s still pretty rewarding. There’s a feeling that you get winning a race that could never be replaced. There’s also a certain adrenaline rush you also get from looking up in the grandstands seeing a ton of people who are super excited to be there. I think that’s what ultimately keeps you doing both.”For the full 2021 Super DIRTcar Series schedule, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.

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.

Phelps, the driver, is aiming for his first Super DIRTcar Series championship in 2021 BY Nick GrazianoLA FARGEVILLE, NY – APRIL 6, 2021 – Jimmy Phelps had his Heinke Baldwin Racing team revamped with new Bicknell Chassis at the end of 2019, ready to go after the Super DIRTcar Series championship in 2020. Then, a pandemic hit.Instead of a full year cleaning dirt off his #98H Big Block, it sat idly under the roof of the team’s shop in Weedsport, NY – just outside Weedsport Speedway, which Phelps also promotes.Now, with restrictions on fans attending events in New York lifting and the April 10 Super DIRTcar Series season-opening event at Can-Am Speedway ahead, Phelps is anxious to pick up where he left off at the beginning of 2020 and go after his first Series championship.“This year we’re excited about our package and our equipment,” said Phelps, of Baldwinsville, NY. “We’ve got a great group of guys who have been together for quite a while. We know we’re capable. We just need to get it all to fall in line. It’s a tough deal. There’s a tone of guys now running at that level. We’re hoping we’re one of them and we can put it all together.”In 15 years of full-time racing with the Super DIRTcar Series, Phelps has finished second in points three times – most recently in 2012 – and has collected 21 victories. His most recent win came at Fulton Speedway during OktoberFAST last year.While no fans were allowed at racetracks in New York throughout the year, the Super DIRTcar Series managed to put together the six-race OktoberFAST event. No fans were allowed in the stands, but they could watch all the action on DIRTVision – an early preview of every Super DIRTcar Series race being broadcast on the streaming service in 2021. The event not only helped give some life to the Series again but helped drivers like Phelps find some normalcy again.“That helped us get back into a rhythm,” Phelps said about OktoberFAST. “Helped get our brains back into race season. We were able to race enough at the end of the year that it seemed almost normal. That got us going again. Then, going to Florida (in February for the 50th DIRTcar Nationals) and just being able to race and get everybody working together and moving ahead.”With the switch to Bicknell Chassis at the end of 2019, Phelps said the team has already gone through its “changing phase.” The few races he ran last year allowed him to get comfortable in the new car and the addition of coil-over shocks; a part he said they were late to the game with utilizing. The extra downtime allowed the team to organize the trailer, the shop and get things in place to be more efficient. It also gave them a bit more time with family, Phelps added.All of that has made him and the team hungry to get the season going. They got an early start during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in February, claiming two top-10 finishes in the four-race non-points event. It was enough of a tease to light his competitive spark and put his efforts into conquering the more than 30-race Super DIRTcar Series 2021 schedule.“We’ve done this now for a long, long time,” Phelps said. “We’ve had years where we’re close and we’ve had years where we were struggling. But we’ve never been able to win the championship. Obviously, that’s goal number one. To do that, you’ve got to win some races. Finish consistently toward the front. You have to eliminate failures. We know we have to focus on that as a goal to try and achieve that end goal. That’s the plan, as it is every year.”With a return to normalcy this year, Phelps will get to open the throttle of his Big Block and open the gates to Weedsport Speedway all season long. He talks about the challenges last year presented for the track and himself as a promoter in Part II.For the full 2021 Super DIRTcar Series season schedule and tickets to the events, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.

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.

Brad Sweet’s Road to the Record Books Runs Through the Hoosier State NextKOKOMO, IN – April 5, 2021 – March Madness is over, now Indiana welcomes The Greatest Show on Dirt.This weekend, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series makes its first appearance of the season in the Hoosier State with trips to Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, IN on Friday, April 9 and Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN on Saturday, April 10.KOKOMO TICKETS (4/9) TRI-STATE TICKETS (4/10)Known for the unpredictability and intense racing, these Midwest bullrings offer some of the most exciting and memorable moments on tour. Last year, Sheldon Haudenschild beat Donny Schatz in an instant classic at Kokomo, while Carson Short and Carson Macedo split Tri-State triumphs.Fans who can’t make it to the track can catch all of the action on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.Let’s get you caught up on what to watch for ahead of this weekend’s doubleheader:HISTORY IN THE MAKING: With a weekend sweep at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, CA became the ninth driver in World of Outlaws history to record a four-race win streak. He joins an iconic list of legends to achieve said feat including Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang, Mark Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Jason Meyers, Donny Schatz, and Daryn Pittman.Only Steve, Sammy, Jason & Donny have won five-straight, which Brad could do on Friday night at Kokomo. A sixth-straight win at Tri-State would put him in a club with the three winningest drivers in Series history: Steve, Sammy & Donny. The all-time record Sweet is chasing is an absurd nine consecutive win streak set by Steve Kinser in June of 1981.WELCOME TO SPRINT CARS: Alex Bowman Racing will make its World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series debut this weekend with 2019 USAC National Sprint Car champion C.J. Leary behind the wheel of the #55. A two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, Bowman himself has never competed in the Winged Sprint Car ranks, but has turned a few practice laps and is scheduled to run his first race this summer.As for now, the #55 program is built around Greenfield, IN native C.J. Leary driving and Joe Gaerte as crew chief. Gaerte’s career included 1989 Rookie of the Year honors and 10 World of Outlaws wins before he became a renowned engine builder and mechanic, most recently serving at Kyle Larson Racing. Along with Kokomo and Tri-State, ABR is currently scheduled to compete at Attica’s Brad Doty Classic on July 13, Eldora’s King’s Royal on July 14-17, Eldora’s Four-Crown Nationals on September 24, and Charlotte’s World Finals on November 4-6.ALL STARS VS. OUTLAWS: With the All Star Circuit of Champions on a bye week, several of their top drivers will make the trip to compete against the World of Outlaws at Kokomo and Tri-State. Leading the charge is Monrovia, IN native Justin Peck, who outside of Brad Sweet is arguably the hottest sprint car driver in the country. Aboard the Tom Buch owned #13, Peck has topped weekly action at Port Royal Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway, and won the All Stars opener at Attica Raceway Park last weekend.Cory Eliason and Rudeen Racing picked up six top-tens through the first nine World of Outlaws races and they’ll be back this weekend. Tyler Courtney of Indianapolis, IN, who finished ninth at Volusia in February, races at two familiar tracks this weekend in the Clauson-Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #7BC. Also expected to compete is Zeb Wise of Angola, IN in the Wise-Priddy Racing #10, Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, MO in the Vermeer Motorsports #55, and Ian Madsen of St. Mary’s, NSW, AUS in the McGhee #11.HOOSIERS AT HOME: For Kraig Kinser of Bloomington, IN and Parker Price-Miller of Kokomo, IN, this weekend represents the first two of four Indiana dates on the World of Outlaws calendar. It’s a chance for them to not only race close to home and cut back on their windshield time, but its a golden opportunity to defend their home turf with friends and family in attendance.Ironically enough, PPM, has been strong at Tri-State and struggled at his home track in Kokomo; whereas Kinser has been excellent at Kokomo and faced challenges at Tri-State. The Haubstadt 1/4-mile is home to Price-Miller’s first career World of Outlaws win in 2017, and the Kokomo 1/4-mile is where Kinser found victory lane in both 2005 and 2012.NON-WING TERRITORY: In a world full of Outlaws, Indiana is still largely ruled by the non-wing contingent. Each year at Kokomo and primarily Tri-State, those wingless warriors cover up their cockpit and go to battle with The Greatest Show on Dirt. The perfect example came just last year when Carson Short of Marion, IL stunned the Outlaws by leading all 30 laps and beating Haudenschild, Gravel, Macedo and Sweet. In comparison to Short’s 114 career USAC National Sprint Car Series starts, he won at Haubstadt in only his 11th try with the Outlaws.Other non-wing runners expected to come play with wings this weekend are Clinton Boyles of Greenwood, MO, a former POWRi WAR Champion; Robert Ballou of Rocklin, CA, the 2015 USAC National Sprint Car champion; Paul Nienhiser of Chapin, IL, who has four Outlaw top tens, but is now full-time USAC; Jadon Rogers of Worthington, IN, the reigning USAC Rookie of the Year; and of course C.J. Leary, a former USAC National champion driving for Alex Bowman.STEADY DOES IT: If it weren’t for the otherworldly dominance of Brad Sweet, his fellow Outlaws behind him would be sitting in a much better position. Nonetheless, their consistency to kickstart the 2021 campaign will be vital as the Series heads the down stretch of a grueling and unpredictable 83-race schedule.Logan Schuchart and the Shark Racing, Drydene Performance Products #1S have finished top-ten in all 11 races, a career-best which has propelled the Hanover, PA native to second in the standings. Meanwhile, Sheldon Haudenschild is on his own record run of seven straight top-five finishes in the Stenhouse Jr. Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17, and he enters as the defending winner at Kokomo. David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 and Aaron Reutzel in the Roth Motorsports #83 each have 10 top-ten finishes this season.This Week at a Glance – When and WhereFriday, April 9 at Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, IN Saturday, April 10 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, INOn the Internet World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models Series Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthAround the Turn: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series visits Lawton Speedway (OK) on Friday, April 16, before heading south to Devil’s Bowl Speedway (TX) on Saturday, April 17.NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (6 Drivers): 4 wins – Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne Racing w/ Mike Curb #9 2 wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Stenhouse Jr. Marshall Racing #17 1 win – Logan Schuchart, Shark Racing #1S 1 win – Carson Macedo, Jason Johnson Racing #41 1 win – Aaron Reutzel, Roth Motorsports #83 1 win – David Gravel, Big Game Motorsports #2FEATURE LAPS LED (11 Drivers): 156 laps – Brad Sweet 47 laps – Aaron Reutzel 45 laps – Donny Schatz 27 laps – David Gravel 26 laps – Logan Schuchart 25 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 17 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild 10 laps – Jacob Allen 5 laps – Carson Macedo 1 lap – Kasey Kahne & Kraig KinserSLICK WOODY’S QUICKTIME AWARDS (9 Drivers): 2 QuickTimes – David Gravel & Brad Sweet 1 QuickTimes – James McFadden, Aaron Reutzel, Logan Schuchart, Cory Eliason, Sheldon Haudenschild, Danny Dietrich, Sam Hafertepe Jr.DRYDENE HEAT RACE WINNERS (16 Drivers) 4 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart & Aaron Reutzel 3 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo, Sheldon Haudenschild, David Gravel 2 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, Jacob Allen, Brock Zearfoss, Kasey Kahne, James McFadden, Kraig Kinser, Sam Hafertepe Jr. 1 Heat Win –  Brad Sweet, Gio Scelzi, Jason Sides, Danny DietrichPODIUM FINISHES (14 Drivers): 9 Podiums – Brad Sweet 4 Podiums – Logan Schuchart & Sheldon Haudenschild 2 Podiums – Carson Macedo, Donny Schatz, Aaron Reutzel, Cory Eliason, Gio Scelzi 1 Podium – Kraig Kinser, James McFadden, Brent Marks, David Gravel, Danny Dietrich, Sam Hafertepe Jr.2021 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Schedule & WinnersNo. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins) 1. Fri, Feb. 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brad Sweet (1) 2. Sun, Feb. 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Logan Schuchart (1) 3. Fri, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1) 4. Sat, March 6 / East Bay Raceway Park / Tampa, FL / Aaron Reutzel (1) 5. Fri, March 12 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Sheldon Haudenschild (1) 6. Sat, March 13 / The Rev / Monroe, LA / David Gravel (1) 7. Fri, March 19 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Sheldon Haudenschild (2) 8. Sat, March 20 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Brad Sweet (2) 9. Sat, March 27 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Brad Sweet (3) 10. Fri, April 2 / I-55 Raceway / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (4) 11. Sat, April 3 / I-55 Raceway / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (5)Photo – Trent Gower

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car 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), NOS Energy (Official Energy Product), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), MSD and Slick Woody’s (Quick Time Award); manufacturer sponsors include FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, and Racing Electronics.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 all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.

SHEPPARD, STRICKLER, BLOOMQUIST AND MORE TAKE ON THE “LAST GREAT COLOSSEUM”BRISTOL, TN– April 5, 2021 – Since the release of the 2021 World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models schedule, the Bristol Bash, April 8-10, has been one of the most anticipated events on the calendar.It’s the first time in history “The Most Powerful Late Models on The Planet” take on the famed half-mile, known as the “Last Great Colosseum.”Friday, April 9, the Series will run a 40-lap Feature, paying $10,000 to win. Then, they’ll run another 40 laps on Saturday, April 10, with the winner collecting $25,000.Teams will also have a practice session on Thursday April 8.The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds will accompany the World of Outlaws Late Models on all three nights.Kyle Strickler enters Bristol top of the point standings, leading three-time defending champion Brandon Sheppard by 24 points. He remains the only repeat winner after the first nine races of the season.If you can’t make it either night, watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS Subscription for $39/month.Fans can also watch a special pre-race show Thursday night FREE on DIRTVision from 6pm to 9pm (ET). It’ll also be free on Facebook Live and Youtube Live.The show will be hosted by Matt Yocum and Ashley Stremme with pit reporting from Georgia Henneberry.Here are the top stories to follow this weekend:Cutting The Deficit: Entering the Illini 100 last weekend, Kyle Strickler had a 66-point lead over three-time defending champion Brandon Sheppard. Now it’s down to 24 points after Sheppard’s two top-five runs, and a 13th- and 16th-place finish by Strickler.While Strickler has more wins (2), Sheppard enters Bristol with the most top-10 finishes of all drivers in the first nine races (6).The last time Strickler, of Sinking Spring, PA, had a top-10 finish, was in February during the DIRTcar Nationals. If that trend continues, there could be a new points leader by the end of the weekend.Waiting For Lift Off: Despite the two top-five finishes at Farmer City Raceway, Brandon Sheppard is still struggling to get his first World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Feature win of the season. This is the longest he’s gone without a win to start the season in his career. His longest streak previous was four races during his rookie season in 2017.While he did win at Cherokee Speedway this season, that was a special event and didn’t count as an official Series victory.The New Berlin, IL will look to win big at Bristol this weekend. Along with breaking his winless streak and earning him a historic win at the iconic track, he would also claim his 70th career World of Outlaws victory – then putting him only seven wins behind the all-time win record.He and his Rocket1 Racing team should have a good idea of what it takes to get around the half-mile track after making 156 laps during a test session in March. He was second fastest overall behind Ricky Weiss. Both of them ran laps in the 15.2 second bracket – four seconds faster than the NASCAR Cup cars– with an average speed of 125mph.The Need For Speed: The bad news for Ricky Weiss is that he’s been struggling of late with his Sniper chassis. The good news is he knows he has a fast car at Bristol Motor Speedway.During the March test, the Headly, MB driver was fastest overall with a 15.266 second lap.Weiss is fifth in the standings, 96 points back of Strickler. A couple of good finishes this weekend could put him within striking distance of the top spot.The Quest for a Second Win: Friday and Saturday won’t be the first Late Model races on Bristol’s dirt surface this year.The speedway held two races during Bristol Dirt Nationals last month, won by Chris Ferguson and Jonathan Davenport.Davenport will look to capture that glory again this weekend and take home the iconic gladiator sword trophy with the Outlaws. He has one top-five finish with the Series this season, finishing third at the “Tennessee Tip-off” at Smoky Mountain Speedway in March.Southern Comfort Zone: It’s a home state weekend for 2004 Series champion Scott Bloomquist, of Moorseburg, TN, and Jimmy Owens, of Newport, TN.“Black Sunshine” already has two wins at the track. They both happened the last time dirt was on the speedway in 2001.Owens hopes to keep his momentum rolling with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models. He won a twin 25-lap Feature last month at Cherokee Speedway, as part of the Rock Gault Memorial. However, like Sheppard’s win, it didn’t count as an official World of Outlaws victory. He and Bloomquist will be on the hunt for their first official Series win of 2021.This Week at a GlanceWhen and WhereApril 8-10, Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TNAbout the Track Bristol Motor Speedway is a 1/2 mile high-banked oval. Online: https://www.bristolmotorspeedway.comOn the Internet World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models Series Twitter – Twitter.com/WoOLateModels – @WoOLateModels Instagram – Instagram.com/WoOLateModels – @woolatemodels Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthAround the Turn: The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series on Friday, April 23, will visit Richmond Raceway, before moving east to Brushcreek Motorsports Complex April 24.Visit www.richmond-raceway.net or www.brushcreekmotorsports.com to buy tickets for either event.Feature Winners: (7 Drivers) Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsKyle Strickler, Sinking Springs, PA-2Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL-1 Devin Moran, Dresden, OH-1 Brandon Overton, Evans, GA-1 Chris Madden, Grey Court, SC-1 Mike Spatola, Manhattan, IL-1 Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-1DRYDENE HEAT RACE WINNERS (25 Drivers) Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsChris Madden, Grey Court, SC-3 Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL-3 Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY-3 Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-3Kyle Strickler, Sinking Spring, PA-2 Devin Moran, Dresden, OH- 2 Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA-2Dale Mcdowell, Chickamauga, GA- 1 Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA-1 Darell Lanigan, Union, KY-1 Parker Martin, Milledgeville, GA-1 Ross Bailes, Clover, SC- 1 Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga-1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN-1 Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-1 Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, IN-1 Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, AZ-1 Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-1 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN-1 Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL-1 Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL-1 Taylor Scheffler, Waukesha, WI- 1 Mike Spatola, Manhattan, IL-1 Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL- 1 Kevin Weaver, Gibson City, IL-1Last Chance Showdown Winners (15 drivers) Rank- Driver- Hometown-WinsRicky Weiss, Headingly, MB -2 Dale Mcdowell, Chickamauga, GA-2 Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-2Ross Robinson, Clover, SC- 1 Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, PA-1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN-1 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN-1 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS-1 Brandon Overton, Evans, GA- 1 Dennis Erb, Jr., Carpentersville, IL-1 Mike Norris, Sarver, PA- 1 Stacy Boles, Clinton, TN-1 Kyle Strickler, Silver Springs, PA-1 Rick Eckert, York, PA-1 Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL-1PODIUM FINISHES (17 drivers) Rank – Driver, Hometown – PodiumsKyle Strickler, Sinking Spring, PA – 3 Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL-3Devin Moran, Dresden, OH – 2 Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL – 2 Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA – 2 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN – 1 Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY – 1 Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, IN – 1 Ricky Thornton, Jr., Chandler, AZ – 1 Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA – 1 Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 1 Chris Madden, Grey Court, SC-1 Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN-1 Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA-1 Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL-1 Mike Spatola, Manhattan, IL-1 Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL-1HARD CHARGER (4 drivers) Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 3Ricky Weiss, Headingly, MB – 2 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 2Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, PA – 1SLICK WOODY’S QUICK TIME Award (8 drivers) Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTsKyle Bronson, Brandon, FL – 1 Kyle Strickler, Sinking Spring, PA – 1 Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 1 Devin Moran, Dresden, OH – 1 Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL – 1 Donald McIntosh, Dawsonville, GA- 1 Taylor Scheffler, Waukesha, WI- 1 Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL-12021 World of Outlaws Late Model Schedule & WinnersNo./ Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins) 1. Thursday, Jan. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Kyle Bronson (1) 2. Saturday, Jan. 16 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Kyle Strickler (1) 3. Wednesday, Feb. 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Kyle Strickler (2) 4. Thursday, Feb. 11 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Devin Moran (1) 5. Friday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Overton (1) 6. Saturday, March 6/ Smoky Mountain Speedway/ Maryville, TN/ Chris Madden (1). 7. Friday, March 26 / Cherokee Speedway / Gaffney, SC / Jimmy Owens/Brandon Sheppard 8. Friday, April 2/Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL/ Mike Spatola(1) 9.Saturday April 3/ Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL/Bobby Pierce(1)

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.

Saturday, April 10, at Can-Am Speedway set for Super DIRTcar Series season-opener LA FARGEVILLE, NY – April 5, 2021 – The Super DIRTcar Series is set for a triumphant return in 2021 and fans can watch the entire 30-plus race season, which includes the Series’ debut at Bristol Motor Speedway and Super DIRT Week, live on DIRTVision.After COVID put a halt on racing in the Northeast and Canada for a year, the ground-pounding, Earth-shaking, window-rattling Beasts of the Northeast will kick off their 2021 season Saturday, April 10, at Can-Am Speedway.Race fans can watch the event and every Super DIRTcar Series race throughout the year with either DIRTVision’s annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month – which both include the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models, Summer Nationals, weekly racing from iconic tracks and more.The Super DIRTcar Series on DIRTVision will be a viewing experience like never before. Fans will be treated to the same level of high-quality broadcast they come to expect from the World of Outlaws, with a pit reporter, news ticker, enhanced graphics and multiple cameras – including a drone – for a wide range of coverage. Fans will also recognize The Voice Shane Andrews in the booth, calling the races.The new partnership has Series drivers excited to showcase the sport on a bigger stage.“I think it’s great for the division as a whole,” defending Super DIRTcar Series champion Mat Williamson said. “It will be available nationally and we can showcase what we do to everyone around the world.”Not only will DIRTVision put the Series in a new light, but it’ll also be a beneficial tool for drivers, according to Williamson.“We definitely have tried to use it to our advantage having the race live on TV in the trailer when you go to certain places that you can’t see the track from the pits,” he said. “That’s huge being able to keep up with changing track conditions and without skipping out on working on the car to walk up and see what the track is doing.”Williamson is one of 17 elite drivers running the full tour in 2021, which also includes seven-time champion Matt Sheppard and three-time champion Billy Decker.After Saturday’s $7,500-to-win Thunder in the 1000 Islands at Can-Am Speedway, the Super DIRTcar Series will make its highly anticipated debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, April 22-24, for the World of Outlaws Bristol Throwdown. The best Big Block drivers in the world will gather at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile for three days of action. There will be a special three-hour DIRTVision broadcast on Thursday, April 22, during the practice night (6pm to 9pm ET) and Friday and Saturday, April 23-24, will each feature a $10,000-to-win event.The Series will then journey throughout the Northeast for the remainder of the year – venturing to tracks like Bridgeport Motorsports Park, Weedsport Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway and more – before landing in Oswego, NY for the prestigious NAPA Auto Parts 49th Super DIRT Week, Oct. 6-10. For the full Super DIRTcar Series schedule, CLICK HERE.If you can’t make it to the track, get your DIRTVision subscription today by CLICKING HERE.

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.

The Big Cat Sweeps I-55 for Fourth Consecutive WinSweet Survives Scelzi & Haudenschild to Lead All 40 Laps at PevelyPEVELY, MO – April 3, 2021 – Brad Sweetsaid “winning gives you more confidence.” With that theory, you’d think he has every ounce of confidence in the world. Because he just doesn’t lose of late.On Saturday, he led all 40 laps at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 to sweep the weekend and extend his career-best winning streak to four consecutive features with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. It’s his fifth win of the year through 11 races aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49.The two-time and defending Series champion still has an underdog-like mentality and it’s driving him to victory lane on a nightly basis.”I feel like everyone still kind of thinks of us as the underdog, so maybe they’ll give us some credit now,” Sweet said with a smirk. “We feel really good right now. Winning give you more confidence. I’m in a good place as a race car driver, the car is handling great, and this crew is doing an amazing job. We came from ninth last night and did it from the pole tonight, so we’ve won from both spectrums.”Earning the pole position following his win in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash, the odds were already stacked against Sweet, as no pole-sitter had won all year with the World of Outlaws. He and the KKR #49 crew were motivated to snap that streak and extend their own, though.The Grass Valley, CA native led the opening lap and never relinquished command, extending another streak to 62 consecutive feature laps led. His Saturday night sweep wasn’t without challenge, though, as Gio Scelzi and Sheldon Haudenschild both kept him honest.Scelzi had a shot through the opening stages and got close on Lap nine with the aid of lap traffic, but the savviness of Sweet’s finesse though the back-markers was too much to bare. When Scelzi faltered, Haudenschild rose to second and came within six-tenths of Sweet’s #49, but again his moves in traffic separated himself from the rest.A Lap 25 red flag for Tucker Klaasmeyer was the only stoppage of the race and set up a double-file restart, but it could do no harm in slowing Sweet’s roll.He cruised around the cushion just inches off the wall and then dipped low, slid through the middle, and made all the right moves through the last 15 laps to run off with a victory by 1.937-seconds. It was the 63rd of his World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series career.”We were off at the end last night, but tonight we made a small change and it was much better,” Sweet noted on his setup. “I felt like I had more grip and could move around in traffic with more ease. That’s the key to winning these; even when you win, you have to come back better the next night. It’s been through 11 races, but it’s an 83-race schedule. We want to enjoy these, but our heads are down and we’re looking to win a lot more of these.”Extending his own record streak, Sheldon Haudenschild finished second to earn a career-best seventh-straight top five finish in his Stenhouse Jr. Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17.”Brad was just on top of this weekend,” Haudenschild spoke on challenging Sweet. “They’re the guys to beat right now and we’re chasing them as hard we can. The car was really good, but we’ll keep working on it to try and get better. We’ve got some good tracks coming up, so I’m looking forward to that.”Rounding out the podium with his second top-three finish of the year was Gio Scelzi in the KCP Racing #18. After going second-quick, they recovered from an engine change to deliver another strong finish.”I ran as hard as I could for 40 laps,” Scelzi said on chasing Sweet. “He just makes such good moves through traffic, he’s hard to keep up with. We were a third-place car and a third-place driver tonight. It’s honestly relieving though. We were good in qualifying, good in the heat, and good in the feature. Feels like forever since Ive been here on the podium at Volusia.”Logan Schuchart scored his 11th top-ten finish in 11 races by virtue of a fourth-place run for his Shark Racing, Drydene Performance Products #1S. Following him was James McFadden with his second top-five of the year in the Kasey Kahne Racing, Karavan Trailers #9.Closing out the top ten at I-55 was Slick Woody’s QuickTime qualifier David Gravel, Kraig Kinser continuing his hot start, Carson Macedo with another consistent finish, Aaron Reutzel racking up another top-ten, and Jason Sides with his first top-ten of the season.UP NEXT – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars will face an Indiana doubleheader next weekend. The Greatest Show on Dirt heads to Kokomo Speedway on Friday, April 9 and then Tri-State Speedway on Saturday, April 10.NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps) – 1. 49-Brad Sweet (1); 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (4); 3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi (2); 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart (7); 5. 9-James McFadden (15); 6. 2-David Gravel (5); 7. 11K-Kraig Kinser (8); 8. 41-Carson Macedo (10); 9. 83-Aaron Reutzel (3); 10. 7S-Jason Sides (6); 11. 15-Donny Schatz (17); 12. 19-Parker Price-Miller (18); 13. 24-Rico Abreu (13); 14. 21-Brian Brown (14); 15. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. (9); 16. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss (24); 17. 73-Scotty Thiel (11); 18. 1A-Jacob Allen (12); 19. 35-Zach Hampton (16); 20. 21S-Carson Short (23); 21. 33M-Mason Daniel (22); 22. 2C-Wayne Johnson (20); 23. 3-Ayrton Gennetten (19); 24. 27-Tucker Klaasmeyer (21).NEW Championship Standings (11/83 Races): 1. Brad Sweet (-); 2. Logan Schuchart (-46); 3. Sheldon Haudenschild (-72); 4. David Gravel (-80); 5. Carson Macedo (-116); 6. Donny Schatz (-122); 7. Aaron Reutzel (-122); 8. Kraig Kinser (-198); 9. Giovanni Scelzi (-216); 10. Brock Zearfoss (-262).Photo – Trent Gower

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car 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), NOS Energy (Official Energy Product), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), MSD and Slick Woody’s (Quick Time Award); manufacturer sponsors include FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, and Racing Electronics.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 all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.

Five first-time national points champions from 2020 speak on success, 2021 plans CONCORD, NC – April 3, 2021 – Five brand-new DIRTcar national points champions have had the winter to savor their big checks and trophies. As the 2021 regular season kicks off this weekend for several weekly tracks across the nation, the new title holders are eager to return to their home tracks in search of more championship gold. First-time defending DIRTcar national points champions• Dallas Strauch (East Peoria, IL) – Sport Compact• Billy Knebel Jr. (Pocahontas, IL) – Pro Modified• Torin Mettille (Cullom, IL) – Pro Late Model• Bryce Shidler (Crawfordsville, IN) – UMP Sportsman• Lance Evans (Westville, IL) – Stock Car New ObstaclesA host of new challenges were presented to motorsports competitors across the globe in 2020 with the onset of the pandemic. With the ever-changing schedule for local dirt tracks, some drivers were forced to travel farther than usual to race. Sport Compact champion Dallas Strauch took that challenge head-on for the first time in his career and made the most out of it. Cleaning up at his home track of Peoria Speedway with four Feature wins, Strauch also parked it in Lincoln (IL) Speedway, Tri-City Speedway, Spoon River Speedway and I-55 Raceway Victory Lane – several new venues to he and his team. “It was definitely out of our ordinary because normally, we’d just run local,” Strauch said.  “We were going almost two-and-a-half to three hours out of our way to go run places. It was quite a wear-and-tear on us and the car, so it was definitely a relaxing, yet rewarding achievement.” Pro Late Model champion Torin Mettille was fortunate enough to be racing right around his usual tracks last year, but with a brand-new Rocket Chassis XR1. One which he adapted to very quickly, racking up 11 total Feature wins en route to a dominant 82-point win over second place for the national title. “We updated to a newer racecar. The program we had put together last year was just incredible. Very dominant at Farmer City, compared to what we were used to,” Mettille said. UMP Sportsman champion Bryce Shidler faced an internal obstacle last year – one so many drivers have hurdled on their way up to the top – improving his performances enough to move up a couple more spots in the standings. “We’ve never really set out to win the national championship until last year,” Shidler said. “Three years ago, we finished fourth and the year after that we finished second, so we moved up both times and weren’t really going for it. So, we put all of our efforts into winning it last year and it just kinda worked out.” Team PlayersWhile most don’t have the big corporate sponsors and professionally trained pit crews, it’s their friends and family that show up to the track every week and help out where they can that make the difference. The financial contributions they get from local sponsors helps pay the bills, which also can make a big difference at season’s end. One of the more unique pit crew-driver combos is found in the pit area of Pro Modified champion Billy Knebel Jr. With son Cole Knebel on the wrenches, this family duo found Macon Speedway Victory Lane eight times in 2020 to clinch the division’s track championship. “It always feels good to win a championship, but the biggest thing was my crew chief, my 17-year-old son, he did all the work to the car,” Knebel Jr. said. “So, being able to put it in Victory Lane, winning 11 Features… that’s something to say. “That boy worked that car inside and out. Dad was just able to jump in and drive it to victory. So, that made it pretty special for us.” A stellar group of Pro Late Models from both the East and West regions gave Mettille a great run for the national title, but in the end, nobody was able to match the 11 Feature wins Mettille captured at three different tracks in 2020. For each of those wins, he credits his crew chief and father-in-law, Don Mashing. Mettille describes Mashing’s work ethic as one of the most determined and persistent of anyone in the pit area. From working a regular day job to his late-night hours in the garage, Mettille said Mashing has been the biggest asset to his program. “If it’s off an eighth of an inch… no, that’s not good enough. We are trying to be perfect. And that is him,” Mettile said. Stock Car champion Lance Evans had two very big sponsors contributing to his success in one of the closest national championship finishes in DIRTcar Racing history. “I’ve got to thank Cody Roberts at Bullet Chassis; he comes with me and helps me with anything I need. HP Machine – they built me one heck of a motor this year,” Evans told Racing Performance Media after clinching the title by a single point in the final race of the year at Charleston Speedway. What’s NextWhile the DIRTcar regular season kicks off this weekend, most of the defending champs are making their plans to repeat. Except one. Strauch will be turning in his racing shoes for set of wrenches in 2021 as he plans to crew chief close friend Kenny Butterfield to a Sport Compact championship run of his own this season. “Goals for 2021… really, just to help [Butterfield] get a championship as well. [We’re looking] to go back-to-back, a ‘Team 24’ championship,” Strauch said. Shidler, a runner-up in UMP Sportsman points at his home track of Lincoln Park Speedway last year, plans to hit the road a bit more this year. “The goal for this year is to try new places,” Shidler said. “We’ve won a couple track championships and we’ve won the national championship, so now we’re just going to have fun with it.” For the father-son Knebel duo, they each share the same mentality with a lot of their competition – win more Pro Modified races. Their 2021 plans consist of nothing but. “We just had fun. Unless you’re gonna go big-time, that’s what racing’s all about. So, that’s the goal – go back out, have some fun racing and hopefully win as many as we did last year,” Knebel said. Catch each of DIRTcar’s newest defending national champions in a pit area near you this summer! The regular season begins this weekend, counting each race towards national point totals.

DIRTcar Racing 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), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, and NAPA Auto Parts (SDS). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear (SDS), Bassett, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux (SDS), Cometic Gasket (SDS), COMP Cams, Drydene, Fast Shafts, Fox Factory (SDS), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Quarter Master, Schoenfeld Headers, Summit Racing Equipment, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum) (SDS); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics and Velocita USA.

Ahead of Home WeekendFive Top-Tens in 11 Starts is Kraig’s Best Start Since 2013BLOOMINGTON, IN – April 6, 2021 – The Kinser’s are synonymous with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.There was Bob, Karl, Steve, Mark, Kelly, Sheldon, Randy, and now Kraig Kinser is doing his fair share of keeping arguably the most iconic name in sprint car racing still relevant today in 2021 – 90 years after his grandfather Bob was born in 1931.At 36-years-old, Kraig himself has earned a laundry list of accomplishments ranging from 2004 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, 2005 Knoxville Nationals champion, 17 total World of Outlaws victories, and he even won an ARCA race before starting 31 NASCAR Truck Series races in 2006-07.However, since re-joining the World of Outlaws full-time in 2017, Kinser has struggled to find the success he enjoyed in yesteryears. Across 278 events over four seasons, the Bloomington, IN native recorded 78 top-ten finishes, 18 top-five results, and his most recent win at Deer Creek (MN) Speedway in July 2017.Looking at the 2021 season alone, Kinser is a rejuvenated racer plugging away at his best work in almost a decade. Through the first 11 races of the year, Kraig has five top-ten runs and more than anything, he’s competing for victories again. Just last weekend at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, Kinser was only one-second away from beating reigning champion Brad Sweet.”We’re always working on our program,” Kinser noted on his recent success. “Little things have changed here and there, but our baseline is all the same as it was at the end of last year. I think it’s just the little things like getting off to this good start. Once we hit those 3/8-mile and 1/4-mile tracks we started qualifying better and the finishes came with that. Hopefully we just keep it up and ride the momentum as long as we can.”Kinser himself pointed out the biggest difference for him this season, and that’s the tracks. In three appearances on the 1/2-mile at Volusia, he finished 18th-19th-15th. In eight races since then, he’s improved vastly with a 9.1 average finish as the Series swept through mid-size venues and bullrings at East Bay, Magnolia, The Rev, Cotton Bowl, Lake Ozark, and I-55.Last weekend at Pevely’s 1/3-mile offered his biggest boost yet. Aboard his Mesilla Valley Transportation #11K, Kinser timed in fifth-quick, won his heat race, ran third in the dash, and was a frontrunner for all 40 laps of the feature. He never slipped worse than 4th, at one point led his first lap of the season around halfway, and rose back to second in the closing stages to challenge Brad Sweet for the victory.”It’s definitely a confidence boost,” Kinser said on his runner-up finish. “You try and take any positive momentum you can and go forward with it. You always try to be your best cheerleader for the whole team. If you can latch onto anything positive and forget the negative you just feel better. You take your lessons from every night, but gotta keep your head down and stay focused.”Turning to this weekend, Kinser carries his hot start back to his home state of Indiana.The Bloomington native will compete on Friday, April 9 at Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, IN and Saturday, April 10 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN.Kraig has two previous World of Outlaws wins at the Kokomo 1/4-mile. His first came in an instant classic over his legendary dad Steve and two-time champion Jason Meyers in 2005, followed by a near wire-to-wire route in 2012 over Craig Dollansky and Joey Saldana.He’s yet to score a win at Tri-State’s 1/4-mile, but has been solid with seven top-ten efforts through 15 starts.”It’s always nice to get back home in Indiana to race in front of family and friends,” Kinser mentioned. “Makes for a fun weekend every time.”Kinser, along with Kokomo, IN native Parker Price-Miller, leads the charge to the Hoosier State this weekend. Brad Sweet’s pursuit of a fifth-straight win, Donny Schatz’s continued chase for his first victory of the season, and the consistency of Sheldon Haudenschild, Logan Schuchart, David Gravel, Carson Macedo and Aaron Reutzel, are among the leading storylines entering the weekend.KOKOMO TICKETS (4/9) TRI-STATE TICKETS (4/10)Fans who can’t make it to the track can catch all of the action on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS subscription for $39/month.Photo – Trent Gower

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car 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), NOS Energy (Official Energy Product), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), MSD and Slick Woody’s (Quick Time Award); manufacturer sponsors include FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, and Racing Electronics.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 all World of Outla

“BLACK SUNSHINE” LOOKS FOR THIRD WIN AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAYBRISTOL, TN– APRIL 6,2021 – Fans have seen sunshine on the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway since its birth in 1960. They’ve even seen the rarest of shines, the “Black Sunshine.” However, it hasn’t graced the high-banked half-mile in 20 years.That changes this weekend when the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models make their debut at “The Last Great Colosseum,” April 8-10, and 2004 World of Outlaws champion Scott Bloomquist, aka “Black Sunshine,” returns to the speedway.Bristol has held six Super Late Model races since 2000. Bloomquist, of Mooresburg, TN, is the only driver with multiple victories, taking the checkered flag twice in 2001.“It was big, it’s a special place,” Bloomquist said. “Just going into [Bristol] is kind of breathtaking, there’s probably not a finer place you could race in the world.”In the 20 years since “Black Sunshine’s” two wins at Bristol, so much has changed in the sport.“The cars are definitely faster, and we have quite a bit more horsepower,” Bloomquist said.Despite those two wins in 2001, Bloomquist knows walking away with win number three, and possibly four, between Friday and Saturday’s Features, will be a challenge.He’s racing against some of the best Late Model drivers on the planet.“It’s going to be tough; all of these guys are tough everywhere. But at Bristol, I think we might have an edge,” Bloomquist said.That edge is knowing how to get the job done, when it matters most. In Bloomquist’s first win, he made the winning pass on the last lap to find Victory Lane.While he’s optimistic about this weekend at Bristol, he’s had a tough start to the season.Bloomquist has two top-five finishes in 2021, so far. He finished second at Volusia Speedway Park during Sunshine Nationals, and fourth at Cherokee Speedway. However, the Cherokee Speedway finish was during a special event that split the field into two Features and doesn’t count as an official Series finish.While this weekend’s races are a first for the Series and many of its drivers, the veteran’s experience could be what he needs to find himself back in Victory Lane.Bloomquist and the stars of the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models will race for Bristol glory Friday and Saturday April 9-10. Friday is a 40-lap Feature, paying $10,000-to-win. On Saturday, $25,000 is on the line in another 40-lap showdown.Teams will also get a practice session on Thursday April 8.During that practice session, fans can watch a special pre-race show FREE on DIRTVision from 6pm to 9pm(ET). It’s also free on Facebook Live and Youtube Live.Matt Yocum and Ashley Stremme will host the show, along with pit reporting from Georgia Henneberry.For tickets to the World of Outlaws Bristol Bash, go to BristolMotorSpeedway.com.If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action live on DIRTVision with the annual Platinum FAST PASS subscription for $299/year or the monthly FAST PASS Subscription for $39/month.

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.

Inside Line Promotions – FRESNO, Calif. (April 6, 2021) – Confidence and momentum are both on Dominic Scelzi’s side as he ventures to Keller Auto Speedway this weekend for a Kings of Thunder 410ci winged sprint car show.

Scelzi has won a feature at the dirt oval in Hanford, Calif., during each of the last four years, including one last month.

“I think in the last two years we’ve raced there more than ever and we’ve won some races,” he said. “I’m excited to run a 410 around there again. I think it’ll be a pretty stout group of cars this weekend. We’ve done well recently in 360 competition so hopefully we can have similar success with our 410.”

Scelzi’s win at Keller Auto Speedway on March 13 gave him two top fives in three starts at the track this year. He also produced one win, three top fives and five top 10s in six races at the oval last season. The 2019 campaign was highlighted by a win and six top fives and Scelzi posted a triumph at Keller Auto Speedway in 2018.

“I think it’s because we’ve raced there so much, probably more than any other track in California,” he said. “We’ve been able to see the track a lot. Peter (Murphy) has done a lot to get the surface right and the shape right. It reminds me of racing in the Midwest. It’s slick and doesn’t build a monstrous cushion. There’s a familiarity with racing in the Midwest that I enjoy.”

Scelzi also enters this weekend riding a two-race winning streak after sweeping the most recent two-day Kings of Thunder event at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., on March 26-27. He has won four of his last seven starts.

“I really feel like Jimmy (Carr) and I are on the same page,” he said. “We’ve been really strong. For us to run the 410 races and do well is important because we haven’t run a lot of 410 stuff this year. We’ve been good at the couple of 410 races. Over the last few weeks we’ve been the guy to beat in the 360s, which is a great feeling to have. I hope we can continue that in the 410.”

SEASON STATS –

11 races, 4 wins, 7 top fives, 10 top 10s, 10 top 15s, 10 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Saturday at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford, Calif.

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scelzi41

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Whipple Superchargers 

Based in Fresno, Calif., Whipple Superchargers manufactures superchargers for all types of cars. Whipple’s dedication to innovative thinking, hard work, attention to detail and outstanding product performance has led to a better, American made product for the performance industry. For more information, visit http://www.WhippleSuperchargers.com .

“Whipple Superchargers are known worldwide for their business,” Scelzi said. “My dad and Art Whipple are really good friends. He loves racing and when we decided to go sprint car racing he was a huge, huge factor in helping us get going.”

Scelzi would like to thank Red Rose Transportation, Inc., Scelzi Enterprises, Red Line Oil, Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., Roth Motorsports, FK Rod Ends, NAPA Auto Parts, Todd Jorgensen, Schoenfeld Headers, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Auto Meter, K&N Filters, Sparco, Allstar Performance, Meridian Steel, Kenny’s Components and Worldwide Bearings for their continued support.

Hoffman rebuilds first car, Strickler goes for third win while Arpin preps for another trip to Thunder ValleyBRISTOL, TN – April 6, 2021 – The DIRTcar UMP Modified stars are some of the most talented innovators, fabricators and wheelmen in weekly dirt racing, and they’re headed for the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. The UMP Modifieds are set to join the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series at Bristol’s dirt-covered high-banks Thursday to Saturday, April 8-10, in the inaugural Bristol Bash. An evening of practice will kick off the on-track activity Thursday night from 6-9pm (ET). Those not in attendance can watch the special pre-race presentation, FREE to all account holders on DIRTVision, also broadcasted on Facebook Live and YouTube Live. The UMP Modifieds will run two complete racing programs with a 20-lap Feature on both nights – $5,000-to-win on Friday and $10,000-to-win on Saturday. Stream the action live all weekend on DIRTVision presented by Drydene with a FAST PASS subscription of $39/month or a Platinum FAST PASS for $299/year. Bristol Bash DIRTcar UMP Modified Prospective Roster00D – David Reutimann (Sherrills Ford, NC) 00EH – Steve Arpin (Fort Frances, ON) 05 – Dave Wietholder (Liberty, IL) 1s – Brian Shaw (Robinson, IL) 2 – Nick Hoffman (Mooresville, NC) 2ND – Jake Leitzman (Paragon, IN) 3w – Dylan Woodling (Warsaw, IN) 4G – Bill Griffith (Van Buren, OH) 5 – Curt Spalding (Watervilet, MI) 5 – Jonathan Taylor (Saltsburg, PA) 6 – Ryan Ayers (Concord, NC) 7 – Evan Taylor (Saltsburg, PA) 8 – Kyle Strickler (Troutman, NC) 8 – Kyle Steffens (St. Charles, MO) 8a – Austin Holcombe (Elm City, NC) 9 – Ken Schrader (Fenton, MO) 10y – Trent Young (Crofton, KY) 11 – Troy Loomis (Sherrills Ford, NC) 17N – Dillon Nusbaum (Columbia City, IN) 17x – Rich Michael Jr. (Ischua, NY) K19 – Will Krup (Mount Carmel, IL) 21 – Taylor Cook (Stanley, NC) 21A – Nick Allen (Wheatfield, IN) 25 – Tyler Nicely (Owensboro, KY) 29J – Jordan Wever (Bloomington, IN) 35 – David Stremme (Mooresville, NC) 44 – KC Burdette (Parkersburg, WV) 45 – Will Long (Zebulon, NC) 45 – Kyle Hammer (Clinton, IL) 45 – Nick Stroupe (Charlotte, NC) 46 – Tim Rivers (Salem, IN) 48 – Lance Grady Jr. (Doswell, VA) D48 – Derek Groomer (Bloomington, IN) 51 – Brandon Green (Walton, KY) 55 – Jason Sage (Glen Allen, VA) 67 – Garret Stewart (Leesburg, FL) 72 – Todd Neiheiser (Panama City, FL) 84 – Ryan Toole (Henrico, NC) 88 – Matt Crafton (Tulare, CA) 95 – Michael Altobelli Jr. (Saxton, PA) 96M – Mike McKinney (Plainfield, IL) 97 – Mitch Thomas (Oakland, MD) 99 – Hunt Gossum (Mayfield, KY) 99w – Chris Arnold (Matoaca, VA) Here are the top UMP Modified storylines to follow at Bristol this weekend… BLAST FROM THE PAST: Two-time and defending DIRTcar UMP Modified national points champion Nick Hoffman, proprietor of Elite Chassis, will unveil his latest technical assembly this weekend – a restored and race-ready version of Elite Chassis #001, powered by a Chevrolet SB2 engine. Upon the foundation of Elite Chassis in 2012, Hoffman took his first-ever creation from the tubing rack to the hallowed grounds of Eldora Speedway in just 17 days. A grand total of 137 UMP Modifieds entered the 18th annual DIRTcar Fall Nationals, and Hoffman beat every single one of them en route to his first-ever victory in his first career Feature start at Eldora. Up until then, Hoffman had never even qualified for a Feature event at the Western Ohio half-mile. That weekend, he set Quick Time, won his Heat Race and the Feature. “After that, my chassis company exploded really fast,” Hoffman said. Over the next several years, an estimated 120-plus races were run on the chassis, mostly by Hoffman himself. Close friend and current Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modified star Max McLaughlin also won his first career race on dirt piloting Elite #001. Hoffman brought the bare frame out from storage a few years ago and has since been hard at work with its restoration and assembly for the Bristol Bash. Its body panels will also don the car’s original color/design scheme from 2012 – big shooting-star ‘E’ logo and all. “I always wanted to restore this thing exactly how I ran it at Eldora in 2012,” Hoffman said. “Just to put it back together and put it back in my shop one day. It’s something to talk about and be cool in there.” For the big half-mile of Bristol, Hoffman’s strapping in an engine those high banks know all too well – the Chevrolet SB2. The SB2 was a NASCAR Cup Series standard for several years in the 2000s, and when Hoffman acquired one several years after it was replaced in the Cup Series, he knew he’d only break it out at a place worthy of such horsepower. “I never run it, just because it’s not ideal for most places that we go,” Hoffman said. “It makes too much power, and it doesn’t make any low-end power. With Bristol, we’re not gonna have that issue.” DOUBLE DUTY: Kyle Strickler, the current World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series point leader, will also be behind the wheel of his Longhorn by Loenbro UMP Modified this weekend, chasing his third Feature win in a Modified at the facility. Strickler reached Victory Lane twice in the Bristol Dirt Nationals three weeks ago, winning both his preliminary night Feature and the finale on Saturday night. His trip to Victory Lane on Saturday was a wild journey, having to fly from racing his Late Model in Brownstown, IN, back to Bristol all in one night just to make it in time. Loenbro Motorsports proprietors Jon and Paul Leach had taken their private plane out to Bristol to watch their longtime driver Steve Arpin compete in his own Modified. When Strickler’s Late Model race was canceled mid-program Saturday night, their plan to get Strickler back to Bristol was already in place and ready to go. “The plane was there, and Steve suggested that if I was in Brownstown and something happened where we thought we could make it, they could send the plane out to pick me up and get me to come back. It all worked out,” Strickler said. Strickler landed at a nearby airport and arrived at the track within minutes of his Modified Feature, still in the racing suit he wore driving the Late Model. When the green flag dropped, Strickler took off from the pole and led every lap, sweeping the weekend in Modified action. “Once we got to the racetrack, we just made two small adjustments and the car was really good. It was the best it was all week, actually,” Strickler said. Although he had previously tested at the Eastern Tennessee facility with his Late Model, Strickler had yet to turn laps in his own Modified prior to that race week. Now, he’ll take on both vehicle styles in a single weekend with the potential to capture $15,000 with the Modified and $35,000 with the Late Model. BACK FOR MORE: Not many drivers in the pit area this weekend can say they’ve competed on both the asphalt and dirt in the same course at Bristol Motor Speedway. Steve Arpin can. In 2013, Arpin competed in a Rallycross event at the facility on a makeshift course that included both dirt sections, asphalt sections and even a tabletop jump. While the Bristol Bash will be significantly different from that kind of race, Arpin said his previous experience driving at speed on the banking has accelerated the learning curve for him a bit. Arpin also spent some time in the NASCAR ranks before starting his Rallycross career, and while he never made an appearance with NASCAR at Bristol, he said he was able to take one big thing away from his starts on other NASCAR tracks that will apply when he hits the dirt again. “I think one of the things that caught a lot of people off-guard – and this is something that the NASCAR experience helped me transition to relatively quick – it’s how narrow those tracks are,” Arpin said. “NASCAR tracks on TV look like one thing, but when you get up to speed on them, they’re extremely narrow compared to a dirt track.” This isn’t Arpin’s first rodeo on the new Bristol dirt, either. He was part of the initial test session after the dirt was first laid down several weeks ago and also competed with several other Bristol Bash roster drivers in the Bristol Dirt Nationals. It was an up-and-down kind of weekend for him, with more ups than downs. After finishing second in his preliminary Feature on Tuesday, Arpin took to the track on Wednesday for a race and was battling for the lead when he hit one of the dirt mounds on the apron, sending him around and into the wall, heavily damaging the rear-end of the car. “The cool part about Bristol is you just get to go so darn fast. The bad part about Bristol is you’re going so dang fast that when something does happen, it typically happens in a big way,” Arpin said. Arpin and the team immediately loaded-up and headed back to the Loenbro shop in China Grove, NC, to repair the damage. They got the car turned around in approximately 30 hours and headed back to Bristol with one shot at making the finale ahead of them. Arpin started 17th in his last-chance event and put on an incredible display of speed and car control as he zoomed all the way up to second before the checkered flag, qualifying him for the main event, where he placed 9th on Saturday night. For his abilities in the seat, Arpin gives even more credit to his Loenbro Motorsports team for the quick turnaround on the car in the shop. “It really got to showcase how talented a group of guys I have working on my team,” Arpin said. “Not that that’s the way I wanted them to get publicity, but for them to be able to showcase their talents and what they’re capable of was a pretty cool thing.” ASPHALT ARMY: A strong host of former and present NASCAR talent is gearing up to hit the dirt with the UMP Modifieds this weekend as well. – Steve Arpin has made starts with NASCAR and ARCA, now intermittently competing with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds – David Reutimann is a former Cup Series regular with a best Bristol finish of 2nd in 2010; owner of Dirt Modified fabrication company Beak Built Chassis – David Stremme, the 2003 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year, has several Bristol starts with Xfinity and in the Cup Series; proprietor of Dirt Modified fabrication brand Lethal Chassis – Ken Schrader raced 22 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has numerous starts at Bristol; two-time DIRTcar Nationals champion of the UMP Modifieds at Volusia Speedway Park – Matt Crafton is a three-time NASCAR Truck Series champion who also competes at special DIRTcar UMP Modified events Catch all 44 of DIRTcar’s brightest UMP Modified stars in-action this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. If you can’t make it to the track, catch all the action live on DIRTVision.

DIRTcar Racing 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), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, and NAPA Auto Parts (SDS). Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), ASI Race Wear (SDS), Bassett, Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux (SDS), Cometic Gasket (SDS), COMP Cams, Drydene, Fast Shafts, Fox Factory (SDS), Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Quarter Master, Schoenfeld Headers, Summit Racing Equipment, and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum) (SDS); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, Racing Electronics and Velocita USA.