John Force Racing

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force maintains third in points after St. Louis quarterfinal finish

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force maintains
third in points after St. Louis quarterfinal finish

MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 1) – Courtney Force maintained third in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car points standings after a quarterfinal finish in Sunday’s AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Force, driving the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS, made two strong passes in the 3.88-second range, winning her first-round matchup against No. 10 J.R. Todd before falling to her father, No. 2 John Force, in the second round.

Her 3.884-second pass at 334.32 mph was her second-best pass of the weekend, just seven thousandths of a second off her best qualifying run of 3.877 seconds. She ran right down the middle of the track, while Todd smoked the tires early and finished without a challenge. That paired her up against John Force, who advanced to the second round despite smoking his tires midway down the track.
Continue reading Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force maintains third in points after St. Louis quarterfinal finish →

Erica Enders

For second race in a row, points leader Bo Butner sends Erica Enders home

For second race in a row, points leader
Bo Butner sends Erica Enders home
ST. LOUIS (Oct. 1) — They may be good friends off the track, but two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders is getting tired of meeting up with current points leader Bo Butner on race day.

For the second playoff race in a row, Butner eliminated Enders in the quarterfinal round of competition. This time it was at the sixth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway
Motorsports Park.

“We encountered an all-too-familiar issue against Bo — tire shake,” Enders said. “I did my best to drive through it but got it a little out there on the edge. I guess the positive out of it is I still have a racecar that’s not waded up.”

The race against Butner started equally but Enders’ Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro soon got wildly out of shape, forcing her to push in the clutch and surrender the run. Butner stayed under power and crossed with a 6.561 at 211.66 mph, well ahead of Enders’ 8.408 at
117.33 mph. Continue reading For second race in a row, points leader Bo Butner sends Erica Enders home →

John Force Racing

Brittany Force puts up a Monster run at Gateway, holds on to third in Top Fuel points standings

Brittany Force puts up a Monster run at Gateway,
holds on to third in Top Fuel points standings

MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 1) – A career-best run propelled Monster Energy Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force to the second round of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sunday at Gateway Motorsports Park.

She stumbled in the second round, though, failing to advance to the semifinals of a 2017 Countdown to the Championship race for the first time.

“Unfortunately, we went out early,” Force said. “Right now, we’re still hanging third in points and we’re hoping to keep that through the rest of the day. We’ll just battle it out at the next one.”

Force remains third in the Top Fuel standings after three of the six Countdown races. She reached the semifinals in Charlotte before winning in Reading last weekend to jump into the mix of championship contenders. Continue reading Brittany Force puts up a Monster run at Gateway, holds on to third in Top Fuel points standings →

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Dover 400

Austin Dillon and the AAA Team Fight Hard All Day at Dover International Speedway But Miss Round of 12 by 4 Points

“We finished 16th and missed the Round of 12 by just four points. Truthfully, I put it back on myself in Chicago. I got a speeding penalty there where we were going to get stage points and a top 10 run and that just kind of crushed our points situation. Today was more luck than anything when the No. 33 spun out and put us two laps down. I had to take the wave around and we fought out of that hole to get back on to the lead lap. The No. 17 (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.) played the strategy right and got the stage points. We were racing him pretty much the rest of the day. So, we tried some more strategy stuff by staying out there at the end on older tires and we didn’t get the caution. Congratulations to the No. 17 team for moving on to the next round. Our AAA team will just keep working hard and see if we can’t get a win by the end of the year and come back stronger next year. I’m proud of my guys. They fought hard. I would have liked to battle down to the end with the No. 31. But, that first caution kind of killed our day right there.”

– Austin Dillon Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Dover 400 →

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–NHRA– Chevrolet Continues Pro Stock Mastery in Third Race of the Countdown

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
GATEWAY MOTORSPORTS PARK IN MADISON, ILLINOIS
SUNDAY, OCT. 1, 2017

Chevrolet Continues Pro Stock Mastery in Third Race of the Countdown
· Greg Anderson beats KB Racing teammate Jason Line in Pro Stock final
· Nos. 1 and 2 qualifier Robert Hight, John Force reach Funny Car semifinals
· Brittany Force posts career-best Top Fuel run, third-fastest in history
· Peter Gasko Jr. wins SAM Tech Showdown in Chevrolet COPO Camaro

MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 1, 2017) – For one weekend at least, KB Racing drivers relived their domination of the 2016 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock season.
Greg Anderson, driving the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS, defeated KB Racing teammate and reigning Pro Stock champion Jason Line on a holeshot by three-thousandths of a second — about 12 inches after cutting a .030-of-a-second light — in the final of the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA– Chevrolet Continues Pro Stock Mastery in Third Race of the Countdown →

Jegs Racing

Troy Coughlin takes giant step towards third Pro Mod title with crucial St. Louis win

Troy Coughlin takes giant step towards third Pro Mod title with crucial St. Louis win
ST. LOUIS (Oct. 1) — Troy Coughlin ran a gauntlet of top professionals in his twin-turbo JEGS.com Chevrolet Corvette C7 and won the sixth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Sunday at Gateway Motorsports Park to surge into the J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series points lead with one race remaining on the 2017 schedule.
Continue reading Troy Coughlin takes giant step towards third Pro Mod title with crucial St. Louis win →

Chevrolet Racing

CHASE ELLIOTT EARNS RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR CHEVY AT DOVER Five Chevrolet SS Drivers Finish in top 10

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 400
RICHMOND RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTS
SEPTEMBER 9, 2017

CHASE ELLIOTT EARNS RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR CHEVY AT DOVER
Five Chevrolet SS Drivers Finish in top 10

DOVER, Del. (October 1, 2017) – Chase Elliott looked to be on his way to his first career victory in the waning laps of the Apache Warrior 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Dover International Speedway, but a hard charging Kyle Busch (Toyota) eclipsed the young Chevy driver on the final lap to deny him his first MENCS victory. Elliott led three different times in his No. 24 NAPA Chevrolet SS for 138 laps, the most of any driver during the event. This marks Elliott’s fifth career runner-up finish in 70 Cup Series starts. The runner-up effort was his best finish in four races at the ‘Monster Mile.’ Continue reading CHASE ELLIOTT EARNS RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR CHEVY AT DOVER Five Chevrolet SS Drivers Finish in top 10 →

John Force Racing

AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight reaches semifinals at Gateway, maintains second in Funny Car standings

AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight reaches semifinals at Gateway, maintains second in Funny Car standings

MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 1) – Robert Hight took the AAA Missouri Chevrolet to the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals semifinals Sunday at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Hight ran into some misfortune in the semis, as he fell in a close race to eventual race runner-up Jonnie Lindberg.

Hight maintained second place in the Funny Car points standings, remaining in the thick of the title hunt as the Countdown to the Championship reached its halfway point. Continue reading AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight reaches semifinals at Gateway, maintains second in Funny Car standings →

Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP

Cap Henry takes the SOD COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic

MARNE, MI (October 1, 2017) – Cap Henry drove his Lane Racing, Kister-powered J&J to victory in the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic before a huge, enthusiastic crowd at Berlin Raceway Saturday night.

Henry started 4th and wasted little time getting to the front, taking the lead on lap 3. Henry drove to victory over the Ryan Ruhl and Jordan Ryan. While Henry looked untouchable, Ruhl was closing in on the leader quickly at the end, but ran out of laps. Ruhl dropped to seventh from his fifth place starting position, but came to life late in the 30 lap feature and finished just 0.6 seconds behind Henry. The only caution came out on lap 11 for a Thomas Schinderle flat tire; he rejoined the field after changing the tire. 2017 SOD Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Andrew Scheid finished 7th to win the KSE Hard Charger Award for advancing 7 positions.

Heat races were rough. Veteran Marl Aldrich caught the front straightaway wall in the 1st heat and did a series a hard flips to put an end to his night. Jared Horstman clipped a turn 3 tire marker in the 2nd heat and flipped, bringing his night to an end. In the 3rd heat, Brett Mann made hard contact with a tire marker in turn 2, destroying his #19. All drivers were okay.

The well-prepared temporary Berlin Raceway dirt surface held up extremely well under the pressure of a big program of 28 SOD sprints, 28 AELMT late models, and 30 AEMODT modifieds.

The CCGLSCC closes an exciting 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP season. Next on tap is the 2017 awards banquet that will be held Saturday, November 11 at the Battle creek Holiday Inn, Battle creek, Michigan.

Jegs Racing

Search for speed continues for six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Search for speed continues for six-time
world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.
ST. LOUIS (Oct. 1) — After struggling with a car that refused to leave the starting line in a normal fashion in three of four qualifying sessions, Jeg Coughlin Jr. knew he needed a near-perfect run to beat first-round opponent Chris McGaha Sunday at the sixth annual AAA Insurance NHRA
Midwest Nationals.

Unfortunately, although Coughlin and his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro race team gave their best effort, they didn’t quite have enough to win the race, with McGaha running a 6.542 at 211.93 mph to Coughlin’s 6.576 at 210.64 mph. Continue reading Search for speed continues for six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. →

John Force Racing

Monster Energy’s Brittany Force continues championship drive from No. 5 spot

Monster Energy’s Brittany Force continues
championship drive from No. 5 spot

MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 30) – The battle for the NHRA Top Fuel championship continues Sunday in the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park, and Monster Energy driver Brittany Force intends to be in the thick of the battle.

Force qualified No. 5 and will be gunning for her second consecutive victory in the Countdown to the Championship. She won last week in Reading, Pa. – following a semifinal finish in Concord, N.C. – and is third in the Top Fuel standings.

“I’m feeling good going in to tomorrow,” Force said. “I have a strong team behind me with (tuning consultant) Alan Johnson, (crew chief) Brian Husen and the entire Monster Energy team. Continue reading Monster Energy’s Brittany Force continues championship drive from No. 5 spot →

John Force Racing

AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight snares 56th career No. 1, joins exclusive company

AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight snares
56th career No. 1, joins exclusive company

MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 30) – AAA Missouri Chevrolet Camaro driver Robert Hight joined some exclusive NHRA company at Gateway Motorsports Park on Saturday by snaring the No. 1 qualifying spot for the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals.

The No. 1 was Hight’s 56th of his brilliant career, and he moved into a tie for ninth with Joe Amato and Mike Edwards on NHRA’s list of all-time No. 1 qualifiers.

He also tied John Force Racing teammate Courtney Force for most No. 1s this season, seven, in Funny Car.

But Hight was also surprised he hung on to the No. 1 spot. Continue reading AAA Missouri driver Robert Hight snares 56th career No. 1, joins exclusive company →

John Force Racing

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to start No. 7 in Sunday’s NHRA Funny Car race at Gateway

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to start
No. 7 in Sunday’s NHRA Funny Car race at Gateway

MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 30) – Courtney Force proved last weekend’s race in Reading she could race to the finals of an NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car finals from the No. 8 qualifying position.

In Sunday’s race, the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park, Force will again try to come from mid-pack, as the driver of the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS starts one position better – No. 7. Continue reading Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force to start No. 7 in Sunday’s NHRA Funny Car race at Gateway →

John Force Racing

PEAK driver John Force turns in career-best ET, will start No. 2 in Sunday’s race at Gateway

PEAK driver John Force turns in career-best ET,
will start No. 2 in Sunday’s race at Gateway

MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 30) – John Force’s career-best elapsed time in Friday’s second round of qualifying netted him the No. 2 qualifying position in Sunday’s AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Force, chasing a 17th NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, recorded a pass of 3.832 seconds at 334.65 mph. That pass set a track record for a few moments, as Force’s teammate Robert Hight topped him shortly after by just two thousandths of a second. Continue reading PEAK driver John Force turns in career-best ET, will start No. 2 in Sunday’s race at Gateway →

Mopar Racing

Pritchett Claims No. 2 Qualifying Spot in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Midwest Nationals

Pritchett Claims No. 2 Qualifying Spot in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Midwest Nationals

Leah Pritchett qualifies No. 2 in HEMI®-powered Top Fuel dragster from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) to lead Mopar at Gateway Motorsports Park
Mopar-powered Tony Schumacher is third in Top Fuel
Ron Capps is best of Mopar Dodge Funny Car drivers from DSR with third-place qualifying effort
Six Mopar Dodge Funny Cars will compete in 16-car field
Pritchett drives Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak in Factory Stock Showdown after qualifying fourth
September 30, 2017, Madison, Ill. – On a gorgeous fall weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park near downtown St. Louis, Leah Pritchett led all Mopar HEMI®-powered drivers in qualifying for the sixth annual NHRA Midwest Nationals with a second-place effort in Top Fuel. Continue reading Pritchett Claims No. 2 Qualifying Spot in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Midwest Nationals →

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200

Dover International Speedway Lives up to Its “Monster Mile” Moniker for Austin Dillon and the Rheem Team in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Race

“Usually, when you unload from the truck fast it sets up your entire weekend for success. We didn’t unload fast this weekend and it showed. This race was an all-around struggle. We never got control of the handling and ended up getting off-sequence on pit strategy to try and stay on the lead lap. It didn’t work, unfortunately. We’ll regroup and try to get a win for this Rheem team next week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a track I’ve had a lot of success at.”

– Austin Dillon Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200 →

Erica Enders

Upset-minded two-time world champ Erica Enders ready to wreak havoc

Upset-minded two-time world champ
Erica Enders ready to wreak havoc
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 30) — Currently sixth in the Championship to the Countdown playoff standings, two-time Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders knows a third career victory at Gateway Motorsports Park would propel her up the rankings at the midway point of this year’s title chase. She also knows knocking off a few of the drivers ahead of her would throw a huge wrench in the fight for the sport’s top prize.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Enders said. “With just four Sundays left in the Countdown, we’ve got a lot of work to do to see if we can move up in the points. Part of that is knocking off the drivers ahead of us in the points so I say line ’em up and let’s go. We’ve worked our way to the top of the mountain twice before so we know what it takes. The plan is to keep chasing it until it’s over.” Continue reading Upset-minded two-time world champ Erica Enders ready to wreak havoc →

Allen Johnson Racing

Team Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying Report

Team Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying Report

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (September 30, 2017) – Allen Johnson drove the Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Dodge Dart to the No. 10 seed at the Sixth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.

On Friday, Johnson found a solid baseline when he powered his red, white, and blue Dodge Dart to a 6.575-seconds pass at 209.39 mph. In the evening session, Johnson drifted towards the centerline and hit a timing block at the finish line and his 6.578, 207.82 was disallowed. Continue reading Team Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying Report →

Jegs Racing

Five-time St. Louis champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. braced for elimination fight

Five-time St. Louis champ Jeg
Coughlin Jr. braced for elimination fight
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 30) — Feeling he has nothing to lose, six-time drag racing world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. will go all-out to win his sixth St. Louis trophy Sunday when action at the sixth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals turns to sudden-death eliminations.

Coughlin qualified his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro in the No. 12 position after a best pass of 6.579 at 209.98 mph during four rounds of time trials. Continue reading Five-time St. Louis champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. braced for elimination fight →

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