Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Pocono Post Race

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
ABC SUPPLY 500
POCONO RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES
AUGUST 20, 2017

DRIVER QUOTES:

WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, RACE WINNER: “We had to add a lot of downforce because we went to the back and went a lap down, so you had to try to get good in traffic. Oh, man. What a day. I’ve got to thank Verizon and Chevrolet, obviously; the engine is very, very quick. It was a seriously dramatic day. It was a lot of fun. Continue reading Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Pocono Post Race

Chevy Racing–NHRA–Brainerd

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY AT BRAINERD, MINNESOTA
SUNDAY, AUG. 20, 2017

Chevrolet Continues Winning Streak, Record-Setting Funny Car Runs

• Rookie Tanner Gray earns fourth Pro Stock win of season
• Bo Butner is runner-up for fifth time, retains Pro Stock points lead
• Robert Hight sets Funny Car national record in Chevy Camaro
• Hight, John Force advance to the Funny Car semifinal round Continue reading Chevy Racing–NHRA–Brainerd

Jeg Coughlin Jr. drops close race to Elite Motorsports teammate by .004 seconds

Jeg Coughlin Jr. drops close race to Elite Motorsports teammate by .004 seconds
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 20) — Jeg Coughlin Jr. ran his best quarter-mile pass of the weekend in the opening round of the 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. He also left the starting line with a stellar .009-second reaction time. Unfortunately, neither feat was enough to give his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro team the victory against stablemate Erica Enders, who also had her best pass of the weekend and recorded an even better .003-second launch.

“We made a lot of changes on both cars overnight and tried very hard to make them as similar as possible today, being team cars and all, “Coughlin said. “I wanted to be somewhere between .004 and .012 on the Tree and had a .009, but I still left second and crossed the finish line second. It just didn’t pan out for us by four-thousandths of a second. Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr. drops close race to Elite Motorsports teammate by .004 seconds

Blaney Finishes 10th in Night Race At Bristol

Blaney Finishes 10th in Night Race At Bristol

August 20, 2017
Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team came away from the Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway with a 10th-place finish and some growing momentum heading into an off week followed by the final two races of the regular season.

Saturday night’s finish was Blaney’s ninth top 10 of the season and his second in the past three races. In between he had a 15th-place finish at Michigan, and he and the team head into the off week 12th in the championship standings. Continue reading Blaney Finishes 10th in Night Race At Bristol

Richard Childress Racing–Bass Pro NRA Night Race

Cut Tire Ends Austin Dillon’s Race Early in the Dow Energy and Water Chevrolet

“From my perspective, we were running really good and all of the sudden the left-rear tire went flat. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if we had contact on the restart or if our track bar broke. My car chief was standing in Turn 3 and he said the letters on the Goodyear tire were rubbed off and about two laps later we were done for the night. It’s really disappointing because I was moving forward. I passed about four cars and then busted a tire. It never works out that you break when you are running bad. It always happens when you are running really well. I really love this track and was having a blast tonight. It sucks to end this way. We had a lot of people here from the Dow Energy and Water family, and we had a good car all night. I just wish we could have finished.”

– Austin Dillon

Paul Menard Fights to 16th-Place Finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in Knauf/Menards Chevrolet

“Tonight was a battle for everyone on this Knauf/Menards Chevrolet. We got the free pass a couple of times, Matt Borland and the guys kept adjusting on the car throughout the night. We used pit strategy to get inside the top 10 late in Stage 2. I was able to hold off a lot of those guys with fresher tires to pick up some stage points, which was big for this team. We took the wave around in the final stage and the car really came to life. The car worked well on the bottom on the last run, but it just got too tight at the end.”

– Paul Menard

Ryan Newman Earns Caterpillar Racing Its Ninth Top-10 of the Season at Bristol Motor Speedway

“Overall, I’m proud of our team effort. I was too fast on pit road, which cost us, but the guys did a good job in the pits which was a great help. We fought hard and kind of got lucky there with tires. I don’t know that we had a sixth-place car, but we did tonight. It was a lot of fun out there and I think we are all looking forward to the last off weekend of the season.”

– Ryan Newman

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race

TOP TEAM CHEVY FINISHERS:
POS. DRIVER
7TH RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVY SS
9TH KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 HUGGIES LITTLE MOVERS CHEVY SS
11TH JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVY SS
12TH JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S/CESSNA CHEVY SS

TOP FIVE FINISHERS:
POS. DRIVER
1ST Kyle Busch (Toyota)
2nd Erik Jones (Toyota
3rd Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
4th Matt Kenseth (Toyota)
5th Kurt Busch (Ford)

The next stop on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is at Darlington Raceway for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 3rd.

POST RACE QUOTES:
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET SS – Finished 6th
“I got too fast on pit road, which cost us, but guys did a good job in the pits which is a nice change. Overall, I’m proud of the team effort. Fought hard and kind of got lucky there with the tires. I don’t know that we had a sixth-place car, but we did tonight.” Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol–Post Race

Record-setting run powers Auto Club Chevy driver Robert Hight to third No. 1 in a row

Record-setting run powers Auto Club Chevy
driver Robert Hight to third No. 1 in a row

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – A day after making history with the first sub-3.8-second pass in Funny Car history, Auto Club of Southern California driver Robert Hight secured his third consecutive No. 1 qualifier by taking the top spot in the NHRA Nationals on Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway.

But Hight was still all smiles over his record-setting run of 3.793 seconds at 338.00 mph -even if there was a bit of disbelief. Continue reading Record-setting run powers Auto Club Chevy driver Robert Hight to third No. 1 in a row

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force looking to repeat in Brainerd

Monster Energy driver Brittany Force
looking to repeat in Brainerd

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – Monster Energy driver Brittany Force hopes history repeats itself in the NHRA Nationals this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway.

Force qualified No. 3 in the Top Fuel class for this race a year ago and ended up in the winner’s circle. She’s qualified No. 2 for the 2017 and hopes to go back-to-back. Continue reading Monster Energy driver Brittany Force looking to repeat in Brainerd

PEAK driver John Force seeks 12th NHRA victory at Brainerd from No. 3 qualifying spot

PEAK driver John Force seeks 12th NHRA
victory at Brainerd from No. 3 qualifying spot

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – John Force delivered the strongest pass in 31 career race weekends at Brainerd International Raceway on Friday and earned the No. 3 qualifying position for Sunday’s NHRA Nationals.

Force took the PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car down the drag strip at 3.852 seconds at 334.15 mph in Friday’s second session. That pass resulted in the fifth quickest elapsed time and third fastest speed of the 16-time Funny Car champion’s career. Overall, Force was the only driver of the 17 Funny Car drivers entered whom qualified under four seconds every run. Continue reading PEAK driver John Force seeks 12th NHRA victory at Brainerd from No. 3 qualifying spot

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force claims No. 4 spot for Brainerd

Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force
claims No. 4 spot for Brainerd

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) – Courtney Force claimed the No. 4 qualifying position for the third consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car race, the NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

Force, seeking her first victory of the 2017 season and first at Brainerd, turned in a best qualifying pass of 3.863 seconds at 335.98 mph in Friday’s first session. The speed was temporarily the fastest in track history and the second-fastest of her career.
Continue reading Advance Auto Parts driver Courtney Force claims No. 4 spot for Brainerd

Pritchett Qualifies No. 1 with National Record in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Brainerd

Pritchett Qualifies No. 1 with National Record in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Brainerd

Leah Pritchett qualifies No. 1 with national record in Mopar-powered Top Fuel dragster during 36th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway
Pritchett’s lap of 3.640 seconds at 330.63 mph resets own elapsed-time record
Top Fuel dragsters featuring Mopar HEMI® power from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) have qualified No. 1 nine times in 2017
Mopar Nitro teams from DSR have set low E.T. 13 times overall this year
Pritchett’s No. 1 qualifying effort is sixth of season, seventh of career
Matt Hagan qualifies No. 2 to lead Mopar-powered Funny Cars
Six Mopar Dodge Funny Cars qualify for 16-car field Continue reading Pritchett Qualifies No. 1 with National Record in Mopar Top Fuel Dragster at NHRA Brainerd

Consistent Erica Enders still asking for more from Melling Performance/Elite Camaro

Consistent Erica Enders still asking for more from Melling Performance/Elite Camaro
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) — Fresh off a runner-up finish at the NHRA tour’s last stop in Seattle, two-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders has proven her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is very consistent this weekend at the 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Enders qualified mid-pack in the No. 8 position in the elimination field, running a best of 6.665 at 206.42 mph to go with a 6.679, a 6.682 and a 6.695. While the car is repeating well, Enders says an issue getting out of the starting blocks is holding them back. Continue reading Consistent Erica Enders still asking for more from Melling Performance/Elite Camaro

Allen Johnson Captures Attention in Qualifying, Starts No. 3 at Brainerd NHRA Nationals

Allen Johnson Captures Attention in Qualifying, Starts No. 3 at Brainerd NHRA Nationals

BRAINERD, Minn. (August 19, 2017) – After four rounds of competitive qualifying, Allen Johnson catapulted the Marathon Petroleum/J&J Racing Dodge Dart to a season-high No. 3 qualifying position at the 36th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

In the first qualifying session, Johnson started out with a solid 6.658-second pass at 206.46 mph landing him in the No. 5 spot. The 2012 Pro Stock World Champion came back in the Friday evening session and crossed the finish line at Brainerd International Raceway with an impressive 6.622, 206.86; that run awarded him one bonus point and his second bonus point for the 2017 season. Continue reading Allen Johnson Captures Attention in Qualifying, Starts No. 3 at Brainerd NHRA Nationals

Jeg Coughlin Jr. has found speed, but search for early acceleration continues in Brainerd

Jeg Coughlin Jr. has found speed, but search
for early acceleration continues in Brainerd
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 19) — A complete going-over of Jeg Coughlin Jr.’s JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro by the Elite Motorsports race team has produced some great signs of horsepower. But to advance in the elimination rounds of Sunday’s 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Coughlin says they need to figure out how to get up to speed a little quicker.

“Coming into this race my car had a 100-percent makeover,” Coughlin said. “We’d been struggling at the big end. It would run decent the first three or four gears and then really slow down through fourth and fifth gear. Continue reading Jeg Coughlin Jr. has found speed, but search for early acceleration continues in Brainerd

Sato, Honda Claim Pocono Pole

Sato, Honda Claim Pocono Pole
• Seventh career pole for Sato, second pole of 2017
• Honda drivers take seven of top 10 starting positions
• Second 500-mile race of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series

LONG POND, Pa. (Aug. 19, 2017) – Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato completed a dramatic day of Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying Saturday at Pocono Raceway, claiming the pole for Honda in the final run of the afternoon, and just minutes after teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay crashed heavily in Turn 3. Continue reading Sato, Honda Claim Pocono Pole

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol Fast Facts

CHEVY FAST FACTS
BASS PRO SHOPS NRA NIGHT RACE
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
August 19, 2017

A total of 18 Team Chevy drivers will start the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 500-lap/266.5-mile contest around the half mile venue is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., ET. Live coverage will be available on NBC, PRN Radio, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com. Continue reading Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Bristol Fast Facts

Chevy Racing– INDYCAR–Pocono–Helio Castroneves

CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
ABC SUPPLY 500
POCONO RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER-CATCHING UP WITH HELIO CASTRONEVES
AUGUST 19, 2017

Helio Castroneves clung to the frontstretch fencing at Iowa Speedway a few seconds longer than his grip advised, committing to memory the smiling faces of fans who flocked to the impromptu celebration of his 30th career Indy car victory.

The moment instantly rekindled thoughts of his first win on June 18, 2000, at Belle Isle.

“It still had the same feeling looking at everybody’s face through the fence and everybody is excited for me. That’s a feeling that nobody can take away from you, and that’s what motivates me more to come back now and do what I just did,” Castroneves said after the 1-2 Chevrolet finish July 9 on the .894-mile, variably-banked oval. Continue reading Chevy Racing– INDYCAR–Pocono–Helio Castroneves

Richard Childress Racing–Rheem 300

Defending Bristol Motor Speedway Race Winner Austin Dillon Earns Top-10 Finish in Rheem Chevrolet

“We were a little slow to take off but once we got going, the Rheem Chevrolet was really fast tonight. We fell behind a little bit with a loose wheel and didn’t have a set of tires at the end of the race. It’s just racing. That happens. We’ll be back strong in the Cup car tomorrow.”

– Austin Dillon
Continue reading Richard Childress Racing–Rheem 300

Another new Hight: Auto Club driver Robert Hight first into 3.70s in Funny Car

Another new Hight: Auto Club driver
Robert Hight first into 3.70s in Funny Car

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 18) – Auto Club of Southern California driver Robert Hight is getting pretty good at making history.

Two races ago, the Chevrolet Camaro SS driver set the national speed record of 339.87 mph at Sonoma, Calif.

On Friday at Brainerd International Raceway, Hight again went to new heights. The John Force Racing driver became the first in Funny Car to run under the 3.8-second mark, making a pass of 3.793 seconds at 338.00 mph to earn the provisional No. 1 spot for the NHRA Nationals on Friday night.

“It’s something you dream about,” Hight said. “There are so many things that have to happen, and so many people that have to work together for it to happen. It’s just not that easy. We’ve been on runs before that you think that, if it’d finished, it would have run in the .70s. Continue reading Another new Hight: Auto Club driver Robert Hight first into 3.70s in Funny Car

Blaney Qualifies 10th For Bristol Night Race; Team To Honor Late Crewman Butch Moricle

Blaney Qualifies 10th For Bristol Night Race; Team To Honor Late Crewman Butch Moricle

August 18, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team unloaded another fast Ford Fusion at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday. They set the pace in final practice for the second-straight week and earned the 10th starting spot for Saturday’s Night Race.

It was the 16th time in 24 races this season that Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team have qualified in the top 10.

Blaney was fourth fastest in the opening practice session with a lap at 128.917 miles per hour. Then, for the second-straight week he set the pace in final practice, this time turning a lap at 128.554 mph. Continue reading Blaney Qualifies 10th For Bristol Night Race; Team To Honor Late Crewman Butch Moricle

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