July 1, 2024 — SANTA CLARITA, CA

• The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is going hybrid with the introduction of the Energy Recovery System, or ERS
• Honda Racing Corporation USA to supply Energy Storage Systems for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field
• The INDYCAR ERS will debut in competition at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid on July 7th

INDYCAR is following on the heels of the Honda Civic, Accord and CR-V, and going hybrid. The introduction of the new Energy Recovery System, or ERS—a collaborative effort between Honda Racing Corporation USA and other suppliers—at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid ushers in a new era of NTT INDYCAR SERIES electrified hybrid racing.

The new INDYCAR ERS hybrid will be combined with the existing 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engine and produce up to an additional 60 horsepower. The hybrid unit will be located within the bell housing area of the car, between the engine and transmission, allowing it to fit within the existing chassis and engine footprint.

About the ERS

The ERS system will be made up of four major components.

• The Energy Storage System – ESS
  • Produced by Honda Racing Corporation USA, the ESS is a series of 20 supercapacitors—designed by Skeleton—that store the energy harvested by the MGU until its deployment by the drivers. HRC US opted to use a supercapacitor rather than a battery because of its ability to both capture and deploy energy faster. The ESS can fully charge and deploy in approximately 4.5 seconds.
• The Motor Generator Unit – MGU Model Name: EMPEL 180
  • Produced by EMPEL in collaboration with Ilmor, the Motor Generator Unit, or MGU captures spent energy produced under braking, turning it into electricity to be stored by the Energy Storage System. The MGU is also linked to the driveshaft of the existing Indy car engine—allowing the driver to deploy the harvested energy as additional power.
• DC / DC converter
  • Produced by BrightLoop Converters, the DC / DC converter on the IndyCar ERS ensures that the energy from the ESS or generated by the MGU is output at the correct voltage for the existing powertrain, 12 volts.
• Voltage Control Device
  • Essentially an oversized fuse, the Voltage Control Device is a safety component that ensures the entirety of the system never exceeds 60 volts.

These components will interface with the existing McLaren Applied-provided TAG-400i ECU or Engine Control Unit. Additional software will be used to ensure the correct synchronicity between the ERS and the Honda—or any other manufacturer—provided engines.

How the ERS works on track

The ERS captures what would otherwise be wasted energy generated under braking and uses it to charge up the supercapacitors within the unit. The ‘regen’ process can be moderated by technology or controlled manually by the driver. When deployed, the ESS sends the energy to the MGU, which is linked to the driveshaft of the existing Indy car engine, adding up to 60 horsepower at the drivers’ disposal.

In the automatic ‘regen’ process, software dictates a set level of regeneration that will occur as the driver is racing. In the manual ‘regen’ process, drivers have more control over the degree of energy harvesting. A button on the steering wheel activates energy harvesting at a set rate, while pulling a paddle on the rear of the steering wheel changes the amount of regeneration.

The process is the same for oval racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Despite not often lifting or braking on ovals in qualifying situations, it is common to lift on the ovals when drafting or lining up to execute a pass in race-day scenarios. Therefore, regen will occur often during a race as drivers are setting up their passes. Then, energy can be deployed when they are making the pass.

Deployment of the energy stored in the ERS is activated manually by the driver via a button on the steering wheel.

An additional benefit to going hybrid is the ability for the ERS to start or restart the car without the need for the current external starter. With stalling being a common cause for full-course cautions, the ERS will provide enough power that a driver can restart the car without outside assistance. This will not only reduce the number of yellow and red flag periods, but also the risk safety workers face while attending to a stalled race car on course. The system will always keep some energy in reserve to allow for multiple engine restarts should a driver need it.

ERS Stats

• With additional weight-saving measures within the car, the ERS system adds 42.5 kilograms of weight.
• The ERS system can be charged from a 12 volt source. It can be charged in the shop or on pit lane easily. It can also be charged by the engine itself under idle.
• The ERS in its current form generates approximately 60 additional horsepower, but there is room for upward development if needed.
• The ERS generates 45 Newton-meters of torque.
• Much like the current Indy car engine, the MGU operates at a maximum of 12,000 RPM.
• The amount of energy stored per lap varies by track length and type.
• The ESS has a maximum operating voltage of 60 Volts and 2,000 Amps.
• The ESS can be fully charged or discharged by the driver in approximately 4.5 seconds.
• The driver has control of the ‘State of Charge’ or SOC of the ERS, between 60 Volts and 30 Volts. Even if the driver ’empties’ the ESS of charge, 30 Volts will remain in order to restart the car in case of an off or stall.

The first race with the new Energy Recovery System in place will be the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid, July 7th at 1:30 PM ET on NBC.

For more information on the INDYCAR Energy Recovery System, see the HRC US YouTube channel: The INDYCAR Hybrid Tech Series, Episode 1: Getting to Know the INDYCAR Hybrid System (youtube.com)

About Honda Racing Corporation USA
Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since its founding in 1993 as Honda Performance Development. From pinnacle racing in INDYCAR and IMSA Sports Cars to commercial racing programs, HRC US powers the dreams of professional and amateur racers from age 4 to 40+. HRC US is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and leads all of Honda and Acura’s high-performance racing programs in North America.

HRC US specializes in the design and development of powertrain, chassis, electronics, and performance parts, as well as technical and race support. The company also offers parts and race support to Honda and Acura amateur and professional motorsports racers; and is continually expanding its palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and Quarter Midgets to the highest levels of professional racing. The HRC US title replaced Honda Performance Development on January 1, 2024, to reflect the new role of the company in Honda’s global racing efforts.

June 26, 2024

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are hoping to continue a string of improving finishes as they compete in this weekend’s 400-miler on the 1.33-mile concrete Nashville Superspeedway.

Burton and the team followed up finishes of 25^th at Sonoma and 20^th at Iowa Speedway with a 14^th last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Burton was poised to finish even better at New Hampshire but lost spots on a two-lap Overtime run to the checkered flag.

“It’s always a good thing when you’re disappointed with 14th, but I really felt like we easily should have been top 10 or top five if the final restart goes our way at Loudon,” crew chief Jeremy Bullins said. “It finally feels like we have a little momentum building our way, and our goal is to keep that going this week with our DEX Mustang at Nashville.”

Bullins said his goal for the remainder of the season is for the DEX Imaging team to continue to get better and move up in the points standings.

“Hopefully we can put some good finishes together through this summer stretch and score as many points as we can,” he said.

Practice for the Ally 400 at Nashville is set for Saturday at 1:05 p.m. Central Time (2:05 p.m. Eastern Time) to be followed by qualifying at 1:50 (2:50 Eastern). USA Network will broadcast both events.

Sunday’s 300-lap, 399-mile race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern), with Stage breaks at Laps 90 and 185.

NBC will carry the TV broadcast.
 

Dominic Scelzi Sidelined for a Couple of Weeks After Rough Crash During Dirt Cup

Inside Line Promotions – ALGER, Wash. (June 26, 2024) – Dominic Scelzi is taking the next couple of weekends off from racing to recover following a rough crash during the opening night of the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup last Thursday.

Scelzi and a fellow competitor touched wheels going into turn one on the opening lap of a heat race, sending Scelzi into a series of flips that ended his weekend early at Skagit Speedway.

“A driver on the outside of me turned in really early and his left front was in front of my right rear,” he said. “I never even saw him. It sent me flipping and it totaled the car. It was a pretty good crash.”

Scelzi has bruised ribs and a minor concussion, forcing him to be sidelined to let his body heal.

“We’re a good team and a strong team,” he said. “I know we’ll bounce back. Our summer schedule is more open now and we’re going to hunt for wins.”

Scelzi aims to tentatively return to racing on July 12-13 at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., during the 14 ^thannual Howard Kaeding Classic with the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo and the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series.

QUICK RESULTS –

June 20 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Qualifying: 33; Heat race: DNF (9); B Main: DNS (14).

SEASON STATS –

29 races, 3 wins, 9 top fives, 12 top 10s, 20 top 15s, 25 top 20s

UP NEXT –

July 12-13 at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., for the 14 ^th annual Howard Kaeding Classic with the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo and the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.DominicScelziRacing.com

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

Lebanon, TennesseeJune 28-30, 2024

With 18 points-paying races complete, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will enter the second-half of the 2024 season with a trip to Nashville Superspeedway. The 1.33-mile concrete oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, still stands as one of the newer venues for NASCAR’s top division, with Sunday’s Ally 400 marking the series’ fourth appearance at the track. Coming off a three-week break, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will return to competition for Friday’s Rackley Roofing 200 – starting the four-race countdown to the end of its regular-season. The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will also join in on the action with Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250.  The visit to the Music City venue will mark the ninth tripleheader weekend for the NASCAR national touring series this season. Chevrolet continues as the only manufacturer to complete a tripleheader weekend sweep in 2024 – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The Bowtie brand is poised to add onto that record again this weekend, with the manufacturer heading to Nashville Superspeedway as the defending winner across all three NASCAR national series at the track.

Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville Superspeedway: Chevrolet is the only manufacturer that has made a trip to victory in NASCAR’s top division at Nashville Superspeedway. The NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural appearance at the Tennessee venue came in June 2021, with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team dominating the event by leading a race-high 264 of 300 laps en route to the victory. Larson’s teammate Chase Elliott followed up that performance by taking Hendrick Motorsports to back-to-back victories at Nashville Superspeedway in June 2022. One year ago, it was Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain that carried the Bowtie brand to a three-peat at the 1.33-mile concrete oval.

LARSON, CHASTAIN LEAD NASHVILLE NUMBERSIn the NASCAR Cup Series’ three appearances at Nashville Superspeedway, Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain have posted an impressive stack of stats that makes the pair of Team Chevy teammates automatic favorites heading into the race weekend.

While still looking for his first win of the season, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will carry a little extra confidence to Nashville Superspeedway. Not only is Chastain the series’ most recent winner at the track, the 31-year-old Alva, Florida, native has yet to finish outside the top-five at the Tennessee venue. With a runner-up finish in 2021, a fifth-place finish in 2022 and a victory in 2023, Chastain leads the series with an average finish of 2.667 at the track.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson has also only recorded top-five finishes in the NCS’ three appearances at Nashville Superspeedway. In addition to his victory in the series’ inaugural race at the 1.33-mile Tennessee oval, the 31-year-old Elk Grove, California, native tallied a fourth-place finish in 2022 and a fifth-place finish in (2023) – giving him the second-best average finish of 3.333 at the track.

NASHVILLE KNOW HOWNASCAR’s history at Nashville Superspeedway dates back to 2001, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series each making their debut at the 1.33-mile concrete oval. Among Team Chevy’s entries for Sunday’s Ally 400, six drivers have made a trip to victory lane in the NASCAR national ranks at the Tennessee venue.  Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, who currently share the points lead heading into the weekend, took the organization to back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series victories at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021-2022. Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain continued the Bowtie brand’s dominance at the Tennessee venue in 2023 – driving his No. 1 Camaro ZL1 to the victory to make it a Team Chevy three-peat at the track.  Richard Childress Racing’ Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon are another set of teammates that have found success in the NASCAR national ranks at Nashville Superspeedway. Busch has claimed four victories at the Tennessee oval throughout his storied career with two NXS wins (April 2010 & April 2011) and two NCTS wins (June 2009 & June 2021) to his name. Dillon has one NCTS victory at the track – recorded in July 2011 behind the wheel of the organization’s No. 3 Silverado.  Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has one NXS win at Nashville Superspeedway, which came in the series’ most recent visit to the track (2023). Spire Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar will be making his first career NCS start at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend, but the young Team Chevy driver has already found victory lane at the Tennessee venue. The 21-year-old Portage, Michigan, native is the NCTS’ most recent winner at the track – picking up the victory in the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Silverado in 2023.

TARGETING A TENNESSEE THREE-PEATDespite the end of a five-race win streak in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last weekend, Chevrolet will look to rebound at a track where the manufacturer has earned recent success. Looking for his first win of the season, Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has an extra boost of confidence heading into the weekend as the series’ most recent winner at Nashville Superspeedway. In five NXS races on intermediate ovals this season, Team Chevy drivers have collected a combined three victories, with JR Motorsports earning two wins (Sam Mayer – Texas Motor Speedway; Justin Allgaier – Darlington Raceway) and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott taking the organization’s part-time NXS entry to the victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 will mark the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ 25th appearance at Nashville Superspeedway. Chevrolet leads the series with 10 victories at the 1.33-mile concrete oval, with the manufacturer’s first trip to victory lane coming in June 2002 with Jack Sprague behind the wheel of the No. 24 Chevrolet for car owner Rick Hendrick. Nine different drivers have tallied a NXS victory with Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway, including the series’ last two winners at the track (Justin Allgaier – June 2022; AJ Allmendinger – June 2023).

TRUCK SERIES’ REGULAR SEASON CONTINUES IN MUSIC CITYFollowing a three-week break, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return to the track with just four races remaining in its regular season. Heading to Nashville Superspeedway, the Bowtie brand sits at a manufacturer-leading eight victories in 12 NCTS races this season – four of which have come at an intermediate oval. Chevrolet leads both of the series’ points standings – pacing the manufacturer points standings by 33-points, with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes leading the driver points standings by 31-points. Eckes’ two wins this season may have each come at a short-track, but the 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has posted impressive numbers on the series’ intermediate ovals. In six races held on ovals measuring 1.25-1.5 miles, Eckes has yet to finish outside of the top-10, including four top-five finishes. His best came in the series’ most recent event at World Wide Technology Raceway, where he drove his No. 19 Silverado RST to a runner-up result.

Bowyer is Back: For the first time since his retirement at the end of the 2020 season, Clint Bowyer strap back into the driver’s seat to pilot the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. Bowyer may have retired behind the wheel of a competing manufacturer, but the Emporia, Kansas, native has a history of success behind the wheel of Chevrolet-powered machines. Bowyer’s eight career NXS wins and three career NCTS wins have all come in a Chevrolet. A 10-time winner in NASCAR’s top division, his first five wins in the series came with the Bowtie brand while driving for car owner Richard Childress.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       With 47 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has a winning percentage of 55.3% with 26 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – eight wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 10 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – eight wins). ·       In eight tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).  ·       Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to score a NASCAR Cup Series win at Nashville Superspeedway: Kyle Larson – one win (2021)Chase Elliott – one win (2022)Ross Chastain – one win (2023) ·       In 90 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 45 victories – a winning percentage of 50%.  ·       With his victory at Sonoma Raceway, Kyle Larson is the second driver to hit a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era with 10 triumphs. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron leads the series’ all-time win record in the Next Gen era with 11 victories.  ·       With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 859 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 650 Toyota: 647 (-3)Ford: 623 (-27)

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 603Toyota: 566 (-37)Ford: 503 (-100)

Manufacturer Points Standings Chevrolet: 458Toyota: 425 (-33)Ford: 384 (-74)

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup SeriesAlly 400Sunday, June 30, at 3:30 p.m. ET(NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 Saturday, June 29, at 5 p.m. ET(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90) NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesRackley Roofing 200Friday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET(FS2, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Garner Trucking Camaro ZL1Nashville Superspeedway has been a good track for you and Garner Trucking is back on board. What’s your perspective heading into this weekend?“I’m excited to welcome Garner Trucking back to the No. 7 at Nashville. The track has been one of our stronger tracks as a team so we’re going in with some confidence that we can race in the top 15. The concrete surface presents a little different of a challenge than usual, but I feel good about our process leading into the weekend.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Zone Camaro ZL1You have said that brakes are very important at Nashville. What can you do to take care of the brakes? Does finding the right balance with the setup help you to not abuse the brakes?“With the old car, I feel like brakes were way more important but with the new car, the brakes are so good that I don’t feel like brakes are really an issue. It’s all about being enough on the brakes to get the slowing down that you need done, but then getting off the brakes so you can roll the speed for the middle of the corner and the exit to make your lap time fast.” This will be the fourth Cup race at Nashville. What trends have you noticed over the three previous events? “What I’ve noticed over the last couple events at Nashville is the way the groove is and how it widens out throughout the weekend. Makes for a pretty fun track to drive. Nashville is just so unique. There’s really no other track like it.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1“Nashville has been a great racetrack for us on both the Xfinity and Cup side of our program. Being able to win the Xfinity race last year was a huge highlight; getting that guitar that is so iconic and then running inside the top 10 all day in the Cup race. It’s a racetrack that I have enjoyed since we started going to it. Hopefully, we can have the same success that we have had the past few years. Looking forward to the weekend and thinking we can have a good run in both race cars and find the momentum that we need.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Bowman on racing the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway:“I’m excited to get there (Nashville Superspeedway). It’s been a rough place for us the past couple of years, but I feel like the places we have historically struggled at we are getting better at. Like New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) we’ve fought hard at for a long time and last weekend we had a pretty good run going there compared to the past couple of years before our issue. I think Nashville (Superspeedway) can be really good and I always look forward to all that Ally has going on at and around the track for this race specifically.” Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Harris on his 48th start with Alex Bowman this weekend and expectations for the weekend at Nashville Superspeedway:“If it’s our (with Alex Bowman) 48th start this weekend at Nashville (Superspeedway), then we definitely need to add a win to the column together. The Ally 400 is a big race for our team with Ally as the primary partner on our No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro. I think we’ve got a lot to build on this year from similar intermediate tracks so far. It’s going to be hot and slick out there- we’re looking forward to getting out on track in the “Music City.” Zane Smith, No. 71 Jockey Outdoors by Luke Bryan Camaro ZL1Tell us about the Jockey paint scheme that you are running in Nashville this weekend.“It is super cool having Jockey Outdoors™ Collection by Luke Bryan on my No. 71 Chevrolet for this race. It is a perfect paint scheme to showcase in a race with an iconic city tied to it. Nashville has always been a great racetrack for me and I’m a huge country music fan, so to carry one of the best country music artists on the hood of my car for 400 miles on Sunday is awesome. I’m thankful for the Jockey team and Luke Bryan for joining us for an exciting race. I’m looking forward to getting on the track in Nashville.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Camaro ZL1Nashville Superspeedway has been a mixed bag for you in both the Truck and Xfinity Series. Now you’re stepping into a Cup car for the first time at Nashville, but you’ve been strong on mile-and-a-half tracks this season. How are you feeling about this weekend’s challenge at a track where you’ve won before?“I like Nashville a lot. We won there last year in the trucks so that is a great memory. I also ran really good in the Xfinity car last year before that crash but I felt like I actually had a shot to win that one. I’m looking forward to Nashville in a Cup car. We have really good notes from mile-and-a-halves and a really good idea of what it takes to go fast around that place. We have the ability to run really, really well. It’s a track that suits me but also really suits our team and what we’re really good at. I think it’ll be a great weekend.” Clint Bowyer, No. 7 Rush Truck Centers Silverado RSTWhy did you want to return to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and make a start with Spire at Nashville?“For me, it’s the tie working with (Brian) Pattie and the good old days. Putting the band back together, so to speak and having some fun. Nashville is a cool racetrack that has meant a lot to me over the years. Separate from that, it’s about the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. That’s a really fun series. It’s a fun vehicle to drive. There’s a lot of drag and you can drive them hard and get away with it. You hustle a truck pretty hard. This race should be right in my wheelhouse.” Do you have any expectations for the weekend?“Expectations are to win. The truck is winning. Put Kyle Busch in it and it wins. It darn well better win with me in it. It’s a good track for me. I’ve won in the Truck Series before. I’ve won with Brian Pattie before. He built me a new truck for it. It’s like, holy smoke! I don’t want pressure in my life anymore. I don’t need pressure, but here it is (laughs)!” How do you plan on knocking the rust off?“I’ll have one run on a set of tires to knock the rust off and then I’ll have to go qualify. It’s going to be a pretty important lap to start up front and have a shot at winning. Honestly, I don’t even remember being on that race track it has been so long, so I’ll have to get reacquainted with the track a little bit. I feel like I can get the fundamentals back pretty quick. I ran those SRX races last year and I was pretty quick right off that bat. I actually surprised myself. I had a ton of fun and was competitive.” Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 Ullico Silverado RSTAnkrum on his outlook for the final stretch of the regular season:“The focus for our Ullico team is on securing a playoff position. We’re in a good position right now with a nice cushion, but we want to give ourselves more of a buffer and hopefully lock in with a win at Nashville. I feel good about our Ullico Chevrolet for Friday night. I enjoy racing there and have had a couple top-10’s the last two years, so this is a good opportunity for us. The last three off weeks have been a good reset, but I’m looking forward to getting back in the truck and working hard to lock into the playoffs over these next four races.” Christian Eckes, No. 19 Adaptive One Calipers Silverado RSTEckes on restarting the season at Nashville:“The last few weeks were a nice reset for everyone, and we put the down time to good use. Our guys put a lot of effort into our Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet. We need to get back to victory lane and that’s what we want to try to do on Friday. We didn’t run the way we wanted to at Nashville last year, but hopefully we’ve made some gains that will pay off this week. Nashville can be a challenging place with the concrete surface and being a little smaller than a typical intermediate. Hopefully we can dial ourselves in throughout the race and execute the way we need to finish the night in victory lane.” Bayley Currey, No. 41 DQS Silverado RSTLast year, the trucks at Nashville seemed like it was a combo that naturally fit you. How can you take what you learned to transition it to this weekend?“Yeah, that was fun last year; I definitely feel like that was the best run in my NASCAR career. I felt like we could have walked away with the win if a few things went differently. I really like these kind of tracks that are in between a mile-and-a-half and a short track. You still have to use a little bit of brake, but you’re carrying so much speed too, so I feel like it fits my style as a driver. I think if we can fight the dirty air that’s usually pretty bad here and stay up front with some track position, we should be pretty good on Friday.” Matt Mills, No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Silverado RSTIt’s been a while since you last raced at Nashville, so do you anticipate it being tough to get acclimated again?“Well, the first time I raced at Nashville in the Xfinity car, I had no idea what the track was going to be like. So, going into it this time with having the resources of the simulator time and the good, experienced people at the team, I’m definitely more prepared for this track now. I think we should be a lot better; we’ve started to build some good momentum on our mile-and-a-half and short track package, and Nashville seems to be in the sweet spot right in the middle of those types of tracks. In the past, the Niece trucks have been really fast there, so hopefully it’ll be a good one for us.” Daniel Dye, No. 43 NAPA Nightvision Silverado RSTDye on coming back after three weeks off: “I’m excited to get back in my No. 43 NAPA Nightvision Chevy this weekend at Nashville. It’s nice to have some time off and take a step back for a moment. These last couple of weeks I have spent a lot of time getting with my team to prepare for the few regular season races remaining. I also was able to run a Xfinity race at Iowa and had a strong run to score my first career top-10 in the series. With these last couple of races our goal is still the same. We want to earn our spot in the playoffs and be a strong contender. “ Kaden Honeycutt, No. 45 AutoVentive/Precision Vehicle Logistics Silverado RSTHow high is your confidence heading into Nashville after having two strong runs on intermediate tracks?“I feel really confident going to Nashville, especially after the last two mile-and-a-half tracks that we ran. We’re bringing the same truck that we had at Kansas and Charlotte, so I know we’ll be really fast, but it’s all about executing. We’ve got to be fast on and off pit road, as well as myself on the racetrack in qualifying well. It’s up to me to figure out how to win the race and bring home back-to-back wins for Niece Motorsports after they won with Carson last year. Now, it’s our turn as a company to try and back it up this year. Thanks to AutoVentive and Precision for jumping on board, and for all they do for our team as a whole. We’ll go out and represent them well and try to get them a win!” Rajah Caruth, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Silverado RSTLast year at Nashville you were leading when mechanical issues arose. Are you excited to get back to the track and bounce back from last year’s result?“I’m honestly just excited to get back to Nashville, in general. Last year was the only time I’ve raced there, and it is a cool racetrack and a nice facility. They did a great job with the track preparation and the resin, so we were able to move around and race a bit. I know my truck will be better, and it’s hard to be much better than we were last year. We took the lead and were getting ready to have a really good day before we had that fuel pickup issue. I’m just excited to get back from this three week stretch and press the attack with the playoffs coming up.” Chase Purdy, No. 77 Bama Buggies Silverado RSTYou’ve earned a pole and have two top-10 finishes on intermediate tracks this season. How do you feel going to Nashville?“I’m looking forward to getting back to Nashville. Last year, we had a lot of speed there so we’re looking for more this season. Hopefully, we can build on the speed we found at the last few races and bring back a great finish.” Jack Wood, No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Silverado RSTWood on making his fourth start at Nashville:“I’m glad to get back in the truck. It definitely feels like it’s been a while since Charlotte and I’ve been looking forward to Nashville for a while. We had a couple good runs out west in our NAPA Auto Care Chevy since then and showed some speed, so hopefully we’ll have more of the same on the truck side this week. I’ve been able to run all three races at Nashville, so I feel like I have a good amount of experience there. There’s only four more races until the playoffs, and we’d love to get into the owners’ points playoff. We have a great opportunity to get it and are right there. We just need to maximize what we have each week and be consistent to make it happen.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2023): 42First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2024 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 8Poles: 6Laps Led: 1,561Top-five finishes: 34Top-10 finishes: 69Stage wins: 11·       Chase Elliott: 1 ·       Kyle Larson: 8·       Ross Chastain: 1·       William Byron: 1 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 859 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 749Laps led to date: 250,736Top-five finishes to date: 4,332Top-10 finishes to date: 8,929                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,193           Chevrolet: 859           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 831                                                                      Ford: 731           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 187

CHICAGO, IL (June 26, 2024) — Heading into the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 28-30, TJ Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team are looking to build on their early season success at Chicago’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals. Zizzo ran to his first career No. 1 qualifier at his hometown race in mid-May and recorded a quarterfinal finish. The weekend was a huge success for the part-time operation and gave Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum team a huge boost of confidence as they head to Norwalk, Ohio this weekend. “Chicago was a dream weekend for this Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team,” said Zizzo. “No one sees all the hard work and the hundreds of hours that my mostly volunteer crew puts in. I brought them all on stage for the pre-race ceremony to recognize the whole team when we were No. 1 and I hope we can do that again in Norwalk.” Throughout his career Zizzo and the Zizzo Racing operation that is owned by his father Anthony Zizzo have brought a level of professionalism and passion to every race. The team has raced to one final round, the 2020 NHRA Summernationals in Indianapolis, a race that was delayed by weather and their ongoing development with new parts and equipment have continued to elevate their race team. They are considered a threat to the competition every race they enter. The fact that they are not on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series full time is not a concern for Zizzo. “I have a very busy business and family schedule, so we race every opportunity we get thanks to the support from Rust-Oleum and all our other marketing partners,” said Zizzo. “Our number one goal every time we do race is to have fun and represent our sponsors and the sport to the best of our ability. We race at some of the most popular events that make sense for our team and the Norwalk race is a big deal. The Bader family that owns the facility does an amazing job of promoting the event. I can’t wait to get to the track.” This will be Zizzo’s third Summit Racing Equipment Nationals with his best effort coming at the 2012 race when he qualified No. 11 and outran No. 6 qualifier Cory McClenathan in the first round before bowing out to David Grubnic in the quarterfinal round. Last year Zizzo narrowly missed qualifying for one of the quickest fields in NHRA history, finishing the two days of preliminary runs sitting No. 17 for the 16-racecar field. Zizzo took the missed opportunity in stride. “Last year in Norwalk was a tough race but you have to take your lumps sometimes,” said Zizzo. “Top Fuel is one of the toughest classes in motorsports. We learned a lot and that was the biggest positive. Every time we take the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster down the track we are one step closer to winning our first national event. Norwalk has amazing fans and last year they were super supportive. We want to go back this year and give them even more reasons to cheer on our team.” This season, Zizzo plans on racing a handful of events following the race in Norwalk with the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Labor Day weekend next  on his schedule. The veteran driver isn’t looking beyond this weekend, but he knows the on-track experience of every national event makes his whole team better. “This is our second race of the season, and we want to keep moving in the right direction,” said Zizzo. “Chicago was a big step for us. We were the quickest car all weekend and I think conditions could be similar in Norwalk. We want to prove Chicago wasn’t a fluke, but we also want to make the most of our weekend with the fans. One of the best parts of being at the races is seeing the fans, the families and just putting a smile on their face.” For the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team which also receives marketing support from Dundee Heating and AC, Indak, Blager Concrete, Master Truck and Trailer and recently announced an extension with Button Transportation, they will get their first chance to impress the crowd Friday, June 28 when Top Fuel has two qualifying sessions. The entire field will get two more runs on Saturday to try and race into the top 16. Sunday, June 30, final eliminations will begin at noon ET with the race being broadcast nationally on FS1.

 TULSA, OK (June 26, 2024) – 

The American Sprint Car Series will wrap up a busy June schedule this Friday and Saturday, June 28-29 at Tulsa Speedway with the two-night Dirt Down in T-Town.

The event culminates with a $6,000-to-win Feature on Saturday night, with a total purse increase of more than $3,000. Friday’s race will feature a standard $4,000-to-win, $400-to-start payout.

The Sprint Cars will be joined on the card by B-Mods and Tuners on Friday and Factory Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Tuners on Saturday.

Fans will be admitted for $25 per carload on both nights, with no limit on the number of people per vehicle. DIRTVision will have live coverage for those unable to make it to the track.

Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:

TULSA TIME: The air might be 50 degrees warmer than it usually is when the dirt racing world converges on Tulsa, but the on-track action will be just as hot.

This weekend will mark the third and fourth National Tour races at Tulsa Speedway, which was built adjacent to the Tulsa Raceway Park dragstrip and opened in 2021. Blake Hahn took the win in the track’s inaugural season, while Tim Crawley visited Victory Lane in the most recent visit in 2022.

Tulsa Speedway promoter and drag racing superstar Keith Haney has pulled out all the stops to make the Dirt Down in T-Town a premiere event on the Sprint Car calendar. In addition to the increased purse for the race teams, fans will be treated to an autograph session at 5 p.m. on Saturday, live music, and shaded seating areas to take a break from the summer heat.

WELCOME BACK JASON: Reigning champion Jason Martin will return to the track this weekend at Tulsa. The Kansas native elected to sit out last weekend’s event at Batesville Motor Speedway as a precaution following a hard impact with the catchfence in the Speedweek finale at Tri-State Speedway. Following a visit with his doctor, Martin received the all-clear to get back in the seat of his No. 36 machine.

His absence at Batesville, as well as a pair of crashes to end Speedweek cost him dearly in the points chase, as he now sits 11th in the standings. Martin’s climb back into the top 10 will commence at a track where he has struggled in the past, as he finished outside the top 15 in both of his previous Tulsa appearances with the National Tour.

SUB DRIVER DELIVERS: Ever since Jordon Mallett jumped in the No. 55B to fill in for the injured Brandon Anderson, he has been consistently fast early in the night before fading by the end of the Feature. The opposite was true on Saturday night at Batesville, where Mallett lurked behind leader Sam Hafertepe Jr. for 24 laps until making the winning move on the final circuit.

The victory was Mallett’s second-consecutive podium finish and seventh-straight top 10, dating back to his debut in the car at Rush County Speedway on May 31. He’ll aim to keep those streaks alive at Tulsa, where much like most of his competitors, his experience at the new facility is limited.

Mallett’s lone Sprint Car start at the track came with the National Tour in 2022, and he came home fourth against a strong field that included the likes of Wayne Johnson, Dale Howard, Cannon McIntosh and Landon Crawley.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Nine races into the 2024 National Tour season, Matt Covington has done everything except win a Feature. The No. 95 car has been fast each night, as his three Heat Race wins and six Dash appearances this season put him top-three in both categories. Covington’s eight top 10 finishes are more than anyone not named Seth Bergman, and his lone throwaway night came when he collided with a slower car while leading at Dodge City Raceway Park.

While scoring his maiden win of 2024 will be the primary goal in Tulsa, Covington will also be looking to close in on points leader Seth Bergman and pull away from Sam Hafertepe Jr., who trails Covington by a single point in their battle for the second spot. To do that, he will need to improve on his past performances at Tulsa, as his two National Tour starts there ended with finishes of 15th and 16th.

WHEN AND WHERE:

Friday and Saturday, June 28-29 at Tulsa Speedway in Tulsa, OK.

AROUND THE TURN:

The American Sprint Car Series National Tour will return from a three-week hiatus with a Sunflower State doubleheader at Lakeside Speedway on Friday, July 19 and 81 Speedway on Saturday, July 20.

CURRENT POINT STANDINGS (TOP 10):

1. Seth Bergman (1270 points)
2. Matt Covington (-159)
3. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (-160)
4. Andrew Deal (-207)
5. Kyler Johnson (-296)
6. Jordon Mallett (-297)
7. Landon Britt (-298)
8. Hank Davis (-320)
9. Terry Easum (-326)
10. Zach Blurton (-331)

FEATURE WINNERS (4):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 4
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 3
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 1

QUICK TIME AWARDS (6):
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 4
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 1
Josh McCord – Bossier City, LA – 1
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 1

HEAT RACE WINS (19):
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 3
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 3
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 3
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 2
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 2
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 2
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 2
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1

DASH APPEARANCES (23):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 8
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 8
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 6
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 4
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 4
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 4
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 3
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 3
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 2
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 2
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 1
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Elijah Gile – Phoenix, AZ – 1
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (4):
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 2
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 1
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 1

PODIUM FINISHERS (12):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 7
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 4
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 3
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 3
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 2
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 1
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1

TOP 10 FINISHERS (31):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 9
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 8
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 7
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 6
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 6
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 6
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 5
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 5
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 4
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 3
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 3
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 3
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 3
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 2
Brandon Anderson – Glenpool, OK – 1
Channin Tankersley – Arlington, TX – 1
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Huish – Jetmore, KS – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Harli White – Lindsay, OK – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Fred Mattox – Drumright, OK – 1
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 1
Brad Bowden – Hernando, MS – 1

2024 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Friday, Apr. 19 / Super Bee Speedway / Chatham, LA / Seth Bergman (1)
Friday, May 10 / Red Dirt Raceway / Meeker, OK / Terry Easum (1)
Friday, May 31 / Rush County Speedway / La Crosse, KS / Seth Bergman (2)
Saturday, Jun. 1 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1)
Tuesday, Jun. 11 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
Thursday, Jun. 13 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
Friday, Jun. 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Seth Bergman (3)
Saturday, Jun. 15 / Tri-State Speedway / Pocola, OK / Seth Bergman (4)
Saturday, Jun. 22 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Jordon Mallett (1)
Friday, Jun. 28 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Saturday, Jun. 29 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Friday, Jul. 19 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS
Saturday, Jul. 20 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS
Thursday, Aug. 1 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Friday, Aug. 2 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Saturday, Aug. 3 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Friday, Aug. 16 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
Saturday, Aug. 17 / Lincoln County Raceway / North Platte, NE
Friday, Aug. 23 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT
Saturday, Aug. 24 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT
Friday, Aug. 30 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT
Saturday, Aug. 31 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT
Friday, Sep. 6 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Saturday, Sep. 7 / Winneshiek Raceway / Decorah, IA
Tuesday, Sep. 10 / Clay County Fair Speedway / Spencer, IA
Friday, Sep. 13 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Saturday, Sep. 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Friday, Sep. 27 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR
Saturday, Sep. 28 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR
Friday, Oct. 11 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO
Saturday, Oct. 12 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY
Friday, Oct. 18 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Saturday, Oct. 19 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Friday, Nov. 15 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
Saturday, Nov. 16 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK

LONG BEACH, CA (June 26, 2024) — The midpoint of a season is an opportunity to both reflect and remotivate. The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 27-30, in Norwalk, Ohio marks the tenth race in a 20-race season, and nitro Funny Car driver Buddy Hull has plenty to reflect on. As he gears up for his first time back at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park since his debut season in Top Fuel in 2021, he is ready for the second half of the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
 
“It’s great to be going back to Norwalk,” said Hull. “So much has changed in my racing career in just three short years, since I was last at this race. I’ve made the transition from Top Fuel to Funny Car. I’m racing for the iconic Jim Dunn. I’m fortunate to be racing for the full season instead of just a few races a year. I’m a truly blessed man.”

 Buddy Hull and the Blaze Exhaust Probe Funny Car are Ready for the Norwalk Nationals,
photo credit NHRA/National Dragster

The drum that Hull has been beating for a few weeks now is consistency. His car is finally consistently running in the low 4-second ET range. And with Norwalk being the fourth race in the past five weekends, there’s consistency with time-on-track.
 
“It’s so difficult to make advancements in your career when you’re not able to give full effort to it. And that’s true for anything, not just drag racing,” said Hull. “That’s how I felt when I was racing Top Fuel, and not competing at every race on the calendar. Starting and stopping keeps you from being able to build up a strong momentum. I’ve always done the best I could with the circumstances I’ve worked hard to earn. But now that I’m out here full-time, now I feel like I can really begin to reach my full potential as a driver.”
 
Norwalk is the final race of a four-race commitment that Hull is racing with a Blaze Exhaust Probes paint scheme on the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car. Blaze is one of Jim Dunn’s season-long sponsors, and since 1996, they have been a leading full-service temperature sensor manufacturer that offers solutions for even the most demanding applications. Their reputation for creating the most rugged sensors available has made them a top choice in the industry.
 
“One thing that really set Richmond apart to every other race this year so far was just how hot it was,” said Hull. “We felt like the flames on the side of our car were literal with how much we were burning up. I’m hopeful that we will have more reasonable track temperatures this weekend in Norwalk, but we’ll take whatever Mother Nature throws at us. And we’ll continue to try and represent the good people at Blaze well.”
 
In addition to Blaze, Hull will be repping other season-long sponsors Vertex Roofers and General Contractors, Solid Start/True Brand Products, Lescure Mechanical Services, Crow Safety, KGC Construction, Koppl Pipeline Services, Mooneyes, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Powerbuilt Tools and Wiley X.
 
“Last weekend in Richmond was everything I love and hate about this sport,” said Hull. “I’m becoming a better driver and so many things are coming together for our team. But seeing the Force crash really rattled me. It’s a reminder of how quickly things can change when you’re in one of these cars. How lucky we are to be able to compete in this sport at the same time as legends like him. And that you have to be on your A-game at all times while in the seat. One thing I will say is watching the outpouring of support for him is also a reminder that we have the greatest community in the world. I’m lucky to be a part of it.”
 
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be making two qualifying runs on Friday, June 28 and two qualifying runs on Saturday, June 29 at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. The top 16 quickest Funny Cars in the field will then compete for a Wally on Sunday, June 30. The first round of eliminations will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. EST. Fans can watch the finals on FOX. For tickets or more information on the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals visit nhra.com.

NORWALK, OH (June 26, 2024) — The Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series made the halfway turn on the 2024 season three weeks ago at the Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. As the series heads to Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, a handful of drivers are in contention for the world championship. Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals is one of the premier events on the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series schedule drawing the top drivers from across the country including point leader Stephen Bell, most recent winner David Janac, Ohioan Mark Pawuk and over a dozen Chevrolet COPO Camaro, Ford Cobra Jet and Dodge Drag Pak racers.
 
Qualifying will begin on Friday, June 28 with two sessions, and for point leader and two-time winner in 2024 Bell, the action will heat up as soon as the cars are pulled out of the race trailers. Bell has raced in four final rounds including the previous two leading up to this weekend but his point lead over Janac is barely over three rounds.
 
“We have had a great season, but so have a lot of other guys,” said Bell, a businessman from Shreveport, La. “You would think with four final rounds and two wins we would have a big lead, but everyone is racing so well we haven’t really pulled away and that is fine. I like racing all these guys and they are my friends. It keeps it interesting for these last four races of the season. I was thrilled to see David (Janac) get his first win in Bristol even if it meant I didn’t get the victory.”
 
During the Thunder Valley Nationals Janac worked his way through four tough rounds of racing, beating Richard Ingram, Tony Scott Jr., Lee Hartman and eventually Bell in the final. The last win not only gave him the NHRA Wally trophy but also the $1,000 Flexjet Bounty for defeating the most recent race winner. It was Janac’s first Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown national event win.
 
“I started getting excited about the win when I crossed the finish line and I didn’t see Stephen,” said Janac, from the Bristol Dragway winner’s circle. “That’s when I knew I won, and I couldn’t believe it. I can’t describe the feeling. It’s beyond words. This is an unreal feeling.”

 David Janac launches off the starting line, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

While Bell and Janac sit atop the Flexjet point standings, Ohioan Mark Pawuk would like nothing better than to get back to his winning ways at what he could consider his current home track. Pawuk, a second-generation racer and former NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Pro Stock driver, started his own race team ahead of the 2023 season. He drove his Empaco Equipment Dodge Challenger Drag Pak to the winner’s circle at the season opening Gatornationals and he is currently No. 3 in the point standings.
 
“I never got to race professionally at Summit Motorsports Park. We were racing at Columbus when I got out of the seat of the Pro Stock car, but I grew up going there, raced there in the 70s. Summit Motorsports Park was the place to go. My dad and I were close with Bill Bader and the Bader family,” Pawuk said. “I’d love nothing more than to get a victory there in front of friends and family, all those great Ohio fans and for our sponsors.”

OCALA, FL (June 26, 2024) — The summer months are heating up and for Top Fuel driver and team owner Josh Hart the hot conditions do not phase the Florida-based entrepreneur. Driving the R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster last weekend in the sweltering heat of the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals, Hart started No. 7 and finished with a quarterfinal finishing losing to eventual race winner Doug Kalitta. This weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, Hart will be looking to put on a great show for the fans and large contingent of R+L Carriers guests.

“We will have a packed house with R+L Carriers guests,” said Hart, a two-time Top Fuel national event winner. “You can see a massive R+L Carriers distribution center from the track so that is really cool. I love racing at Norwalk because of R+L Carriers as well as the Bader family. They do an amazing job with this facility and it is one of my favorite tracks.”


Hart will be making his fourth appearance at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals with his best finish to date as runner-up at the 2022 event. On that day he was the No. 4 qualifier, and he outran Spencer Massey, Austin Prock and Brittany Force, posting quick times in every session. Rain moved through delaying the final where conditions changed drastically, and Mike Salinas was able to get the win.

“I remember that race because we were rolling through eliminations with an amazing race car,” said Hart. “When weather rolls in like that it is a crap shoot for everyone. This track is great and I think we will have a great tune-up and plan for the four qualifying sessions. We’ll see what we can do on race day from there.”

Part of Hart’s affinity for Summit Motorsports Park stems from the facility’s attention to fan-friendly details and the passion the Bader family has for NHRA. Harts has visited suites and participated in fan autograph sessions hosted by the track almost every year he has competed at the facility just south of Cleveland. Last year he was one of the professional drivers, along with his daughter Londyn, who participated in the ice cream eating contest.


“This facility does so much for the fans it makes you really want to put on a good show through every round of qualifying and on race day,” said Hart. “The Baders are great hosts and then fans are amazing. I am glad I get to do what I do with sponsors like R+L Carriers and promoters like Bill Bader. It is a great combination.”

Hart has won multiple times on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and has collected a big money check for winning the 2023 Pep Boys All-Star Callout. The team overhauled their operation last season and the immediate results have not been forthcoming. Hart is not discouraged but the grind is testing one of the most positive drivers on the tour.

“I know ‘Anything’s Possible’ and I also know this isn’t easy,” said Hart. “We are working so hard and seeing results, but we just need to put everything together in one weekend. I think this could be the weekend in Norwalk.”

This season Hart and the R+L Carriers team have shown flashed of consistency. The team has raced to four quarterfinal finishes, and they are sitting No. 11 in the points in a grouping of four drivers from 8-11 that includes veteran Clay Millican, rookie Tony Stewart and two-time world champion Brittany Force.

“This is hands down the toughest most high-quality group of Top Fuel teams I think anyone has seen in 20 years,” said Hart. “This is why I am out here racing the best of the best. We are a championship level team. We just need to get some round wins and get on a roll. You can build momentum in this sport. You want to be peaking at the right time and now if the time for us to start making a move. We have the pieces and the attitude. I am ready.”

The R+L Carriers Top Fuel team will be on track for the first two qualifying sessions Friday June 28 with two more sessions scheduled for Saturday, June 29. The quickest 16 12,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters will race for the iconic NHRA Wally trophy as well as the one-of-a-kind Norwalk Ice Cream Scoop trophy on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. ET. The race will be broadcast nationally on F

Cruz Pedregon

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals – Norwalk

Pre-Race Report

Quotes for the upcoming Norwalk race – 

Cruz Pedregon, two-time Funny Car World Champion

“Norwalk is in my ‘top five’ racetracks on the circuit, mainly because it’s always a big event. The venue holds a lot of people there. The track President Bill Bader does a great job for all the families and the fans who attend the race.”

“Northern Ohio is such a great market for drag racing. The state has a rich history of the sport, going back to the Columbus days. Our primary sponsor, Snap-on, has so many great franchisees in the area, so we’ll do a double-wide hospitality and look forward to everyone visiting the pit. It’s going to be a busy week for us, but we’ll be ready for it.”

“We won Norwalk in 2021, and my daughter was there for it. So, it really meant a lot to get that win and share those moments with her. And we’re looking forward to doing it again…getting another win at Norwalk.”

“We did struggle last week, no doubt about it. The humidity made it more difficult, but we’re ready to get our batteries charged back up for Norwalk. The forecast is for temperatures to be in the mid-80s, so it should be perfect for drag racing.”

Names on the side of Cruz’s car – Snap-on Nitro Franchisee Clay Tomer and Memorial Decal for the late Dale Suiter

●        You’ll see two names on the side of Cruz’s car this week. First, the Cruzer is recognizing Snap-on Nitro Franchisee Clay Tomer.

●        Clay remembers going to the drag races as a child with his grandfather, dad, and uncle. He’s invited them to join him this weekend, and they’ll get to see his name on the Snap-on Dodge. 

●        He and his dad are restoring street cars to get them ready to race at local venues. They raced several years ago, and Clay says they’re ready to get back on the track.

●        He’s been with Snap-on for 10 years and says he gets to “do different things every day” and “meet new, interesting people.”

●        You’ll also see another name on the side of Cruz’s car…this one is in memory of 30-year Snap-on Franchisee Dale Suiter, who passed away just before Father’s Day.

●        Dale was a coal mine foreman before Snap-on and spent many years bracket-racing in his free time.

●        His son Cory now has his Snap-on route, serving three generations of customers.

●        Snap-on has a long history of brand enthusiasts like these franchisees. As Cruz’s primary sponsor, Snap-on is asking fans of the brand and NHRA racing to follow Makers and Fixers on Instagram and submit their inspiring stories to makersandfixers.com.

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

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

Pierce drove away from Series points leader Brandon Sheppard for his 22nd Series victory

WEBSTER CITY, IA (June 25, 2024) – It cannot be denied any longer, Bobby Pierce is back in championship form.

The Oakwood, IL driver took full command of the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models Feature race at Hamilton County Speedway to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Beginning the night with a win in Heat 2. Pierce had to immediately get to work at the drop of the Gorsuch Performance green flag after drawing the sixth-place pill in the Feature Redraw.

Using his familiar line of riding next to the cushion, Pierce jumped to second by the fourth lap to challenge New Berlin, IL driver Brandon Sheppard for the Feature lead.

With the two drivers crossing lanes to solidify their place at the top, Pierce cleared Sheppard on lap 10 as the two drivers distanced themselves from the rest of the field around the half-mile track.

A late caution for Robeline, LA driver Cade Dillard’s mechanical failure required the “Smooth Operator” to perform a flawless restart behind a stout field of talented dirt Late Models behind him.

Pierce did just that, driving away to a three-second lead as he took the 22nd World of Outlaws CASE Late Models checkered flag of his career – passing Newport, TN driver Jimmy Owens in all-time wins with the Series at the Webster City, IA track.

“It was an awesome race track,” Pierce said. “Top to bottom, the place was racey. When we race on these big race tracks, and for it to be a big track and for it to be super racey was pretty incredible. When I drew that six pill, I really thought that took out our chance of winning. A lot of times, it’s single file and you can’t pass with air and all the other things. It was a good track, and I’m glad to get the win tonight.”

That final restart saw Sheppard and Mooresville, NC driver Max McLaughlin get mixed up through Turns 1 and 2, allowing Chatham, IL driver Brian Shirley to drive down the bottom of the track to secure his first podium with the Series in 2024.

“On that restart, I stayed on the right part of the race track,” Shirley said. “The (22*) and (Sheppard) got crossed up so it let me get by the both of them. We just had to get up on the wheel, hit our marks right, and bring it home.

“We’re excited though. We’re just trying to build on this new car and try to make the right moves each night because it’s not easy to make the right decisions every night. So, we’re gonna take some baby steps because it’s not easy to make the right decisions every night. We’ll take the time it requires to understand the car and keep trying to do the right things and hopefully, the wins will come.”

Sheppard rallied to finish with a third-place at Hamilton County. He had a good car, but a late takeoff on the final restart cost the current Series points leader the second-place finish he was driving towards.

“I had a good car the whole race,” Sheppard said. “Even at the end, I had a good car, just chose the wrong line. I let the 22* get to the bottom and I had to slide to the top and Shirley got by me. So, that was my bonehead mistake by choosing the wrong line. But, I had been taking off on the bottom so good all night that I didn’t think the top was gonna be the place to go. Bobby turned down and I had to turn down with him and didn’t get the start I wanted. It is what it is, we had a solid car again tonight and we just gotta keep it going and try to stay consistent.”

Decorah, IA native Tyler Bruening finished fourth, and McLaughlin finished fifth to move his way up to second in the MD3 Rookie of the Year points.

RECAP NOTES:

Dirt King Simulator Hottest Hot Lap: Nick Hoffman

Simpson Quick Time Award: Kyle Bronson

Heat Race Winners: Kyle Bronson, Bobby Pierce, Brian Shirley

Bilstein Pole Award: Kyle Bronson

Fox Factory Hard Charger Award: Tristan Chamberlain

Up Next: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models finish the June stretch of the Heartland Grand Tour with racing at I-94 EMR Speedway on Thursday, June 27, River Cities Speedway on Friday, June 28, and Norman County Raceway on Saturday, June 29. Tickets for I-94 are $5 off if you purchase them HERE. For more information about the 2024 World of Outlaws CASE Late Models schedule, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch every World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models race live on DIRTVision.

CASE Late Model Feature (35 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[6]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 3. B5-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 16-Tyler Bruening[5]; 5. 22*-Max McLaughlin[11]; 6. 9-Nick Hoffman[10]; 7. 19R-Ryan Gustin[3]; 8. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[13]; 9. 40B-Kyle Bronson[1]; 10. 19-Dustin Sorensen[16]; 11. 32B-Cody Laney[9]; 12. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[22]; 13. 76-Blair Nothdurft[17]; 14. 25-Chad Simpson[8]; 15. 35-Parker Foster[19]; 16. 11-Jon Kirby[18]; 17. 97-Cade Dillard[7]; 18. 21-Billy Moyer Sr[14]; 19. 43-Derrick Stewart[24]; 20. 22-Charlie McKenna[20]; 21. B1-Brent Larson[12]; 22. 97JR-Cody Overton[15]; 23. 14W-Dustin Walker[21]; 24. 53-Andrew Kosiski[23]

(6/25/24 – Ben Deatherage) Chico, California … The cars and stars of the NARC 410 Sprint Series return to Silver Dollar Speedway on Saturday, June 29th, for the David Tarter Memorial. This is the last chance for fans to catch the 900+ horsepower fire breathing monsters of the NARC circuit kick the clay and take your breath away at the historic 1/4-mile oval.The super competitive NARC 410 Sprint Car Series has featured nine different winners in as many events during the month of June and ten overall this season in 14-events.”This is a really special race for this track,” said longtime Silver Dollar Speedway announcer Troy Hennig, “It’s a great honor to have known David (Tarter), and it’s fantastic that his family can come together and do so much for this race and be involved in making it better every year.”The race is run in honor of David Tarter, who tragically lost his life on June 8th, 2012, in a freak pit accident at Silver Dollar. Since 2013, there have been five winners of the Tarter Memorial, including the all-time leader Kyle Hirst, who has had five triumphs. Corey Day is the defending champion, winning the most recent one in 2022, while Sean Becker, Craig Stidham, and Justin Sanders join him as one-time winners of the race.Several raffle prizes will be offered, including a special David Tarter helmet, a pair of specially crafted embroidered quilts, several gift cards, and commemorative apparel. The money raised from these items will go into the purse and be put towards the 360 bonus. It will also go to the Enloe Medical Center, benefiting children with an extended hospital stay.To purchase any merchandise, secure a lap sponsor, or contribute to the 360 sprint car bonus award, please get ahold of Shelly via her cell phone at (530) 513-1500 or directly on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/shelley.tarter.9.The NorCal Dwarf Car Association will be the companion division for the entire weekend.Friday, June 28th, kicks off the racing weekend and will feature non-sanctioned 410 Sprint Car, Hobby Stock, and IMCA Northern SportMod action for the Brownell & Herseth Memorial.Who To WatchLemoore’s Cole Macedo enters the event as the series point leader and is coming off a third-place result at the Super Dirt Cup finale last Saturday. Macedo put the Tarlton Motorsports entry in victory lane last March when he won a thrilling Mini Gold Cup. With three wins on the year so far, he will carry a slim five-point advantage into Saturday night.Out of Aromas, Sanders is looking to return to his winning ways at Silver Dollar Speedway after getting fourth on the last night of Dirt Cup. Already scoring three NARC wins in 2024, the pilot of the Mittry Motorsports team and current runner-up in the points table has two career wins with the series at Chico when the tour came to town.Roseville racer Justyn Cox is looking to score his second win of the current campaign and will hope to add a NARC victory at Chico to his resume. Currently third in the title race, the Bates-Hamilton Racing driver is currently third in the championship, with his best SDS NARC finish being a seventh in 2013, and he was ninth back in the Spring.Rookie runner Caeden Steele emerged fourth in points after the long Northwest Swing. The recent High School valedictorian graduate from Easton posted his first career NARC podium at the Mini Gold Cup in March, showing everyone that he is a young man who can contend for wins this year. Since then, he has been consistently fast and has been close to earning his first career series win.When the series last visited Chico, 2017 NARC champion Bud Kaeding was fifth. The Campbell chauffeur has earned two NARC wins at the track since 2000, with wins coming in 2009 and 2015. He is fifth in NARC points.Oakley’s Dylan Bloomfield had a great run at the Mini Gold Cup, ending his night fourth in the Vertullo Racing-fielded mount, and was second at the non-sanctioned Fair Race during Memorial Day weekend. Bloomfield is another young talent that has been close to achieving that breakthrough first career NARC win.Chase Johnson was ultra-fast during the last Chico visit in March and led many laps. The Penngrove pilot is undoubtedly determined to win, as he showed cheetah speed in both Spring races and was the runner-up in the non-sanctioned Mini Gold Cup prelim on March 15th.2019 NARC champion D.J. Netto has the most 410 wins at Silver Dollar Speedway in 2024. Winning the first night of the Mini Gold Cup weekend and the Fair Race in May, the Hanford racer hopes to score his first Chico win with NARC; his best finish was a second in 2017.Fremont’s Shane Golobic is hungry for a Chico win in 2024 with NARC. He was second at the Mini Gold Cup and already has won with the series in the current campaign with a triumph at Thunderbowl Raceway in May. If he could score the victory on Saturday, it would be the first time he’s beaten the series at Silver Dollar.Andy Forsberg is always a driver to watch. Winning the 410 track championships in 2006, 2008, and 2017, the Auburn driver has only achieved a single NARC win when the series came to town—that was back in 2003. But Forsberg is a driver you can’t discount and is always a threat to win when he shows up in the pit area.The aforementioned Becker is another veteran who should not be written off as he has six 410 track titles to his credit including five in a row from 2012-16. Living in Roseville, he wowed everyone with an impressive runner-up at Stockton’s Salute to LeRoy Van Conett in May. The 2005 NARC champion has yet to finish the year outside the Top 10 in the three 410 shows Chico has put on and was seventh at the Mini Gold Cup after starting a deep in twenty-second. He has four NARC victories at Chico, getting winner’s checks in 2003, 2005, and twice in 2006.The rest of the NARC 410 regular contingent includes Skagit Speedway Super Dirt Cup preliminary winner Dominic Gorden of Clovis, Gauge Garcia of Lemoore, Chico’s Nick Parker, Billy Aton representing Benecia, and Lincoln gasser Tanner Carrick.Other Californian competitors in the crowd will be Wilton’s Ashlyn Rodriguez, Michael Ing from Chico, Concord teenager Joey Ancona, Jarrett Soares of Gilroy, and many more.Fan & Competitor InfoSilver Dollar Speedway, managed by SLC Promotions, is located at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds at 2357 Fair Street in Chico, California. For ticket information, log on to June Memorial Weekend 2024 (ticketspice.com) for online purchases. Tickets are priced at $30.00 for Adults, Juniors (13-17) at $20.00, and Children (12 and under) are FREE. Also, be sure to visit the track website at www.silverdollarspeedway.com.Front gates open at 4:00 p.m.Pit Gates open at 2:00 pm, with the Pit Meeting at 5:00 pm. Qualifying will get underway around 6:15 p.m. with opening Ceremonies at 7:00 p.m.The David Tarter Memorial, along with every NARC 410 Sprint Car Series race, can be viewed live on Floracing.com.Former winners of the David Tarter Memorial:2013 -27 Sean Becker2014 -83jr Kyle Hirst2015 – 3 Craig Stidham2016 – 21x Kyle Hirst (2)2017 – 83 Kyle Hirst (3)2018 – 83 Kyle Hirst (4)2019 – 94th Kyle Hirst (5)2020 – NO RACE – COVID2021 – 4sa Justin Sanders2022 – 41x Corey Day2023 – 17w Shane Golobic The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Diversified Machine Inc., Jim Allen Promotions, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Enterprises, Lifeline LLC, Maxim Racing Products, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Scelzi Enterprises, SCI Racing Products, Starr Property Management, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Williams Roofing, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
(AFTER 14 EVENTS IN 23-RACE SERIES – 6/25/24)

1. Cole Macedo, Lemoore – 1780
2. Justin Sanders, Aromas – 17752
3. Justyn Cox, Clarksburg – 1731
4. Caeden Steele, Fresno (R) – 1717
5. Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 1716
6. Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 1708
7. Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 1689
8. Gauge Garcia, Lemoore (R) – 1684
9. Nick Parker, Chico – 1660
10. Dominic Gorden, Clovis (R) – 1655
11. Chase Johnson, Penngrove – 1435
12. Billy Aton, Benicia – 1328
13. Dominic Scelzi, Fresno – 1327
14. Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR – 1200
15. Shane Golobic, Fremont – 1112
16. John Clark, Windsor – 1066
17. Robbie Price, British Columbia – 1046
18. Jessie Attard, Australia – 885
19. DJ Netto, Hanford – 820
20. Ryan Bernal, Roseville – 818

CHICAGO, IL (June 26, 2024) — Funny Car driver Chris King has been building his nitro program with an attention to detail that would make Bill Bader Jr., second generation owner of Summit Motorsports Park, proud. Known as “America’s Racetrack” the host facility for this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals presents one of the most professional and family friendly motorsports events in the country and King along with his Howards Cams/Competition Products Dodge Charger Funny Car team is looking forward to racing there for the first time. The event will start with two qualifying sessions on Friday, June 28 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, June 29, before the quickest 16 Funny Cars take to the track for final eliminations on Sunday.   “I am excited to get back on track and race at Summit Motorsports Park for the first time,” said King, who started his season at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals. “The Baders do an amazing job with their event, and it is one of the most popular races on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series for the fans and the teams. They have a rich history, great track and if you win you get a one-of-a-kind ice cream scoop. ‘How cool is that?’” Chris King is excited to be back in action for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals this weekend, photo credit Chris King Racing  King and his Bob Peck tuned nitro Funny Car will have their hands full with the rest of the Funny car competition. The plan is to take advantage of all four qualifying runs to gather additional data and build off their positive momentum from Chicago. As a new team they are still putting organizational pieces together and building a reserve of parts to make sure when they go rounds that are keeping a high level of competitiveness.   “The organizational aspects are some of the hardest things for a small budget, part-time team,” said King. “We are training guys all the time and we have to keep our focus on the big picture and also every little detail. All teams have to do that, but they have a lot more people. Bob is doing a good job and I try and be as involved as possible, but I am also talking with sponsors, media and fans.”   The team has heard the best part about racing at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals is the fan experience. This will be a new event for King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car team, but they have heard about how packed the track will be over the three-day event. The track will host a variety of special events including an ice cream eating contest for drivers and massive fireworks display on Friday night after qualifying.   “You want every event to have a personality and I can’t wait to experience Norwalk,” said King. “I know I sound like a fan but as a professional driver you want to go to events that give the fans and sponsors a little extra. We are serious about our racing, but we also want to be part of a great show. I am looking to come off the trailer and make good clean runs that we can build on to race on Sunday.”     When the race does get started King will face some of the toughest competition the sport has seen in recent memory. The class will also have Hall of Fame driver John Force on their minds as he recovers from a serious accident at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals. The legendary driver is still recovering from a serious on-track incident.   “Everyone is keeping John Force and his family in our prayers,” said King. “He is one of the reasons I wanted to race Funny Car. I hope he continues to improve and gets back out here if that is what he wants to do. The guy doesn’t have anything to prove. He has every record known to man. I just want him to get better and see that John Force smile at the track again.”   The Howard Cams/Competition Products team that King has assembled has been working together since 2021 when King raced in three NHRA national events qualifying for the Mile High Nationals in Denver, The Kansas Nationals in Topeka and the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. Last year King entered the Route 66 Nationals, the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, the Topeka Nationals, the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd and the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. This season King is looking forward to competing in five or six national events.   The Howards Cams/Competition Products Dodge Charger Funny Car and King will get their first chance to make passes on Friday afternoon and evening when qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals get underway. There will be two more qualifying sessions on Saturday with final eliminations for the 16 quickest Funny Cars commencing at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The race will be televised nationally on FOX Sunday evening.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 25, 2024) – The 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicks off its second half with the fabled Lima Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle and Drag Specialties at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio on Saturday, June 29. The opening half of the ‘24 season makes for a fascinating showdown this weekend, especially when considered in conjunction with past history at Lima. Three of the four leaders in the ongoing Mission AFT SuperTwins title fight have taken multiple race wins at the Lima Half-Mile. That list is headed by nine-time Grand National Champion, Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), who boasts five prior victories in the race, the first of which came 19 years ago today. Meanwhile, two-time class champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) has taken three Lima Half-Mile wins on three different makes of equipment. His first came in 2017 on a Kawasaki, his second in 2021 on a factory Indian, and last year saw him claim KTM’s maiden twin-cylinder victory in the premier class. And it’s best not to overlook Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), as he’s repeatedly demonstrated with his class-leading three race wins in 2024, the most recent coming just days ago. Robinson also happens to be a two-time winner at Lima, including just two years ago. That leaves Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), the current Mission AFT SuperTwins championship leader, as the sole rider among the four leading contenders without a Lima Half-Mile victory to his name. However, a closer inspection shows that in his two attempts, he’s twice been the fast qualifier and he’s twice finished a fighting second. With a perfect podium record on the line and driven by the sting that accompanies a defeat of 0.086 seconds this past weekend, Daniels is as strong a bet as any to stand atop the podium this weekend. Can any of the remainder of a stacked field mix it up with Mees, Bauman, Robinson, and Daniels this weekend? Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Davis Fisher(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Foods KTM 790 Duke) have all shown the capacity to do so on numerous occasions in the past and all four  are eager to do so again as soon as is humanly possible. Meanwhile, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp), Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), and Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) continue to gather the experience and data necessary to break into the top five on any given weekend. Two riders who have already done so this season – Billy Ross (No. 29 Mission Foods/Digitale Kawasaki Ninja 650) and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) – will look to do so again, and at the same track where Johnny Lewis raced the Royal Enfield Twins FT to victory in the Mission Production Twins class in 2021. Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Can anyone hope to contain the surging Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) this weekend? Not only is Kopp the reigning two-time defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion. Not only is Kopp the class’ all-time winningest rider and co-leader in the Half-Mile discipline specifically. And not only is Kopp currently riding a three-race win streak; he also happens to have dominated the previous two visits to Lima, claiming blowout victories in both 2022 and 2023. Title hopefuls Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) are all desperate to snap Kopp’s winning streak and shift the momentum in their direction as the season heads down its second half. Meanwhile, James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) flashed last year’s frontrunning form at the Bridgeport Half-Mile and may at last be ready to challenge for wins, particularly at a circuit where he landed on the podium a year ago. Young guns Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R), Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F), Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) are all primed to make a splash at any moment. And how about the possibility of a resurgent ride on the part of Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F)? With two previous Lima Half-Mile victories to her name, Texter-Bauman could reclaim a piece of the all-time wins lead and retake sole possession at the top of the Half-Mile wins list with a third Lima HM win this weekend. There will be plenty to keep spectators entertained off the track as well, including live music courtesy of Gypsy Kyngs, a bouncy house for kids, numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options, and extensive motorcycle parking. Additionally, flat track fans can head out to the track a day early to watch the amateur racing scheduled for Friday, June 28, from 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT) until 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT), free of admission. Following the race action, Angels of Dirt will be shown on the Jumbotron starting at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT). Today is the final day to save $10 on tickets, with all prices set to increase to their standard rate on Wednesday, June 26. If you act fast, General Admission Bleacher tickets remain just $30 (kids 12 and under free with paid adult ticket), Reserved Grandstand tickets are $35 (All Ages), Premier Reserved Grandstand tickets only $40 (All Ages), and the new VIP tickets, which provides access to the VIP trailer, are $125 (All Ages). The Pit Pass Upgrade ($40 for adults, $20 for kids in general admission, and free for kids with reserved seating tickets) provides all-day access to the pit area. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/meespromotions/events/lima-half-mile-87016 to reserve your seats today. Gates will open for fans at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m. ET (3:40 p.m. PT). You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. FOX Sports coverage of the Lima Half-Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, July 6, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT). For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Flemington, NJ (June 25, 2024) – For NHRA Drag Racer Joe Morrison, there is only one thing cooler than the legendary pound of ice cream in Norwalk, Ohio – and that’s driving a nitromethane powered Funny Car. And at this year’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Morrison’s cool meter is about to jump off the charts.

Joe Morrison behind the wheel during licensing runs, photo credit Joe Morrison

The longtime Nostalgia Funny Car and Fuel Altered pilot from Flemington, NJ will make his competitive debut in the ultra-competitive NHRA Nitro Funny Car division, driving for legendary Funny Car driver, owner, and tuner Paul Smith at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, June 27^th through June 30^th, in Norwalk, Ohio.

Morrison, who last competed in NHRA Top Fuel in 2022, wrapped up his NHRA license cross-grade process in July 2023 with Smith at Virginia Motorsports Park. This expanded his diverse NHRA competition license to an impressive 11^th active class, ranging from Top Fuel & Nitro Funny Car to Super Comp and Super Gas.

Joe Morrison with car owner and tuner Paul Smith, photo credit Joe Morrison

However, the exclusive 1B FC grade is one that Morrison has been hunting for since he fell in love with the nitro floppers while attending events at Englishtown Raceway Park in his youth.

“I’ve wanted to drive a NHRA Nitro Funny Car since the 1970’s, watching legends like Jungle Jim, Snake, Mongoose, and of course Paul Smith at E-Town. To make my competitive debut driving for Paul Smith not only is exceptionally humbling, but it just feels right. Many experienced nitro pilots have gotten their feet wet with Paul Smith for a reason, and I’m happy to join that list.”

After making his NHRA Top Fuel Dragster debut in 2020 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Morrison entered 17 NHRA National Events during a part-time campaign over a period of three years.

While driving the Kings of the Sport was exciting, educational, and humbling, it was a steppingstone for 20-year nostalgia drag racer, known for his expertise wheeling AA/Fuel Altered and Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars.

“It’s been my goal to compete in the NHRA Nitro Funny Car division. However, these things are wild, quick, and unpredictable. It made sense to start my accelerated learning curve in Top Fuel, and those 17-events were exceptionally educational.”

Morrison continued, “Funny Car licensing last year in Virginia was great. Working with the entire Smith family was seamless and professional. Paul gave me a great car to drive during the licensing process. I honestly think he could get a funny car down a dirt road if he wanted.”

Morrison will be competing at Norwalk thanks to the support of The Glockner Oil Company, PennGrade 1® High Performance Oils, and Dawn D’Agostino. The Nitro Funny Car division will receive four qualifying attempts, two sessions on Friday evening, and two more on Saturday. NHRA Drag Racing fans can stream the event live via NHRA.tv or watch it on Fox Sports One and the FOX Network throughout the weekend.

The “Smooth Operator” leads the second half of the Feature to score a $10,000 payday

INDEPENDENCE, IA (June 25, 2024) – The third podium of the Heartland Grand Tour was the charm for Bobby Pierce’s return to Victory Lane with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models in 2024.

In a display of dirt Late Model prowess at Independence Motor Speedway, the Oakwood, IL driver grabbed the lead halfway through the 40-lap Feature to win the Monday Madness in Iowa.

Beginning the night by setting a new track record in Sea Foam Qualifying and taking a dominating win in Heat 1, Pierce commenced the Feature from the front by drawing the Bilstein Pole Award.

He didn’t take early command though, as Mooresville, NC driver Nick Hoffman took the top spot on the first lap by using the outside line of the track to clear Pierce after front-row starter Chad Simpson fell out of the race due to a mechanical issue.

Hot on Bobby’s trail was New Berlin, IL driver Brandon Sheppard, who used every lane of the racetrack to get by the Pierce.

Once the lapped traffic came into play, Pierce evaporated the half-second gap on Hoffman to take back the Feature lead.

When Hoffman got held up by a lapped car on the high line, going over the cushion and pulling a wheelie, the No.32 machine slipped by Hoffman through Turns 3 and 4 to take the lead with two laps before the halfway mark on lap 20.

The final caution with seven laps to go gave Hoffman and Sheppard one last sniff at taking the lead away from Pierce, which never came to fruition as he crossed the checkered flag to seal his third Series win of the season at the 3/8-mile track.

The Feature triumph moved Pierce up to fourth in the Series standings, sitting 120 points back from Sheppard for the lead.

“From the start, I was a little worried,” Pierce said. “I knew Nick and Brandon were (on soft tires) and when Chad fell out of the race, that gave Nick the front row. If I can just hang with him, and we did. We got him in lap traffic, and it was great. The later half of the race, the car was great.”

Sheppard got by Hoffman on the final restart to get a chance at closing in on Pierce, however, the soft tire he chose did not help the driver of the No. B5 Longhorn Factory Team Late Model get closer to Bobby as he settles for a second-place finish.

“We didn’t snug up quite as much tonight,” Sheppard said. “We had a different tire on (the car) than Bobby, and I think that hurt us more than anything. Once the track got black, my tire wasn’t as good. Once we got to lapped traffic, Bobby could squeeze through them better than we could. I think we got a really good balance on our race car, we were right there with him. I feel pretty good about it, just gotta get a little better in the race and make the right tire call next time.”

Hoffman closed out the Feature’s podium from Independence after leading the first 17 laps of the Feature. He leaves the Iowa racetrack only 14 points back from the Series points lead.

“I should’ve known better,” Hoffman said. ���I probably should have crossed over on the bottom and get myself back on and not lose a spot. That’s basically what gives it away at the end of the day. I didn’t want to see that caution at the end because that’s when I gave up second. I felt like I was okay. That last five or six laps I wasn’t as good, so we’ll work on that a little bit. All in all, the car was good for us.”

Robeline, LA driver Cade Dillard finished fourth after picking up the Fox Factory Hard Charger Award with eight spots gained in the race, and Chatham, IL driver Brian Shirley rounded out the Monday Madness top five.

RECAP NOTES:

Dirt King Simulator Hottest Hot Lap: Cade Dillard

Simpson Quick Time Award: Bobby Pierce

Heat Winners: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Chad Simpson

Bilstein Pole Award: Bobby Pierce

Fox Factory Hard Charger Award: Cade Dillard

Up Next: The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models cross the halfway point of the Heartland Grand Tour with racing from Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, IA on Tuesday, June 25 before finishing the June stretch at I-94 EMR Speedway (June 27), River Cities Speedway (June 28), and Norman County Raceway (June 29). For more information and tickets CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch every World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models race live on DIRTVision.

CASE Late Model Feature (40 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 3. 9-Nick Hoffman[4]; 4. 97-Cade Dillard[12]; 5. 3S-Brian Shirley[3]; 6. 76-Blair Nothdurft[9]; 7. 19R-Ryan Gustin[5]; 8. B1-Brent Larson[14]; 9. 22*-Max McLaughlin[7]; 10. 40B-Kyle Bronson[17]; 11. 16-Tyler Bruening[16]; 12. 97JR-Cody Overton[20]; 13. 19-Dustin Sorensen[15]; 14. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[19]; 15. 43-Derrick Stewart[10]; 16. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[18]; 17. 14W-Dustin Walker[23]; 18. 21-Billy Moyer Sr[11]; 19. 11-Jon Kirby[24]; 20. 58-Garrett Alberson[13]; 21. 22-Charlie McKenna[22]; 22. 17-Tim Simpson[21]; 23. 29-Spencer Diercks[8]; 24. 25-Chad Simpson[2]

June 24, 2024 — COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

• INDYCAR, IMSA veteran Katherine Legge drove the HRC Acura Integra Type S DE5 to a top-five finish in the Time Attack 1 division in her Pikes Peak debut
• Paul Hubers clocked his best-ever run in the HART Acura Integra A-Spec, finishing among the top 10 in the Pikes Peak Open class
• BMX pro athlete Coco Zurita piloted the Acura ZDX Type S pace car to the summit, making history with the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb’s first all-electric pace car

Acura’s Integra racecars earned top-five and top-10 finishes in the 102nd running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb brought to you by Gran Turismo this weekend, paced by the all-electric Acura ZDX Type S pace car.

Making her debut on Pikes Peak, INDYCAR and IMSA veteran Katherine Legge finished among the top five in the Time Attack 1 division in the Acura Integra Type S DE5. Unlike the prior week’s cold and wet practice sessions, this year’s hill climb presented unexpectedly idealistic weather conditions, with many racecars’ cooling systems struggling in the warm, sunny weather that exacerbated Pikes Peak’s inherently thin air at the summit. Despite the challenging conditions, the Integra Type S DE5, HRC’s newest racecar, ran reliably for its stint finishing in 10:51.359.

Acura engineer Paul Hubers returned for his third year in the historic hill climb behind the wheel of the HART Integra A-Spec. Between Hubers’ growing experience on the grueling mountain course and key modifications to the Integra’s powerplant, chassis, and new sticky Yokohama ADVAN racing tires, the associate-led racing team shaved nearly 28 seconds off their last attempt at the hill climb, finishing in 11:40.736 and achieving the HART Integra A-Spec’s best performance yet.

Motorsports is a critical component of Acura’s commitment to Precision Crafted Performance, and its Pikes Peak efforts are a pure expression of this ethos. This is the performance brand’s 14th consecutive year competing at Pikes Peak, with the Acura team amassing an impressive 12 first place in-division finishes, over 30 podiums and multiple records.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado is one of America’s longest running motorsports competitions. Since 1916, drivers from all over the world, in a wide variety of vehicles and from multiple motorsports disciplines, race against the clock as they take on the challenging mountain course, starting at 9,390 feet and climbing to the 14,115-foot summit.

Acura 2024 Pikes Peak Racing Results:

Vehicle	Team	Driver	Division	2024 Result
2024 Integra Type S	HRC	Katherine Legge	Time Attack 1	10:51.359 (5th in Class)
2023 Integra A-Spec	HART	Paul Hubers	Pikes Peak Open	11:40.736 (10th in Class)

BMX pro athlete Coco Zurita drove the 2024 Acura ZDX Type S to the summit, making history with Pikes Peak International Hill Climb’s first all-electric pace car. The ZDX Type S reinforces Acura’s commitment to Precision Crafted Performance in the electrified era, with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain delivering nearly 500 horsepower and 544 lb. ft of torque, six-piston Brembo™ front brakes with 6-piston calipers, height adjustable air suspension and performance-tuned adaptive dampers.

About Honda Racing Corporation USA
(formerly Honda Performance Development)Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing, and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers since its founding in 1993 as Honda Performance Development. From pinnacle racing in INDYCAR and IMSA Sports Cars to commercial racing programs, HRC US powers the dreams of professional and amateur racers from age 4 to 40+. HRC US is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and leads all of Honda and Acura’s high-performance racing programs in North America.

HRC US specializes in the design and development of powertrain, chassis, electronics, and performance parts, as well as technical and race support. The company also offers parts and race support to Honda and Acura amateur and professional motorsports racers; and is continually expanding its palette of racing programs that make Honda racing products available to all racing styles, from karting and Quarter Midgets to the highest levels of professional racing. The HRC US title replaced Honda Performance Development on January 1, 2024, to reflect the new role of the company in Honda’s global racing efforts.

About the Honda of America Racing Team (HART)
Founded more than 30 years ago, the Honda of America Racing Team (HART) is among the longest-running associate-driven activities in Honda’s rich history and includes the majority of associate-led racing teams in North America. HART competes in a wide variety of motorsport competitions ranging from road racing, club-level events, rally or off-road racing, or even karting. HART provides invaluable experience to associates through motorsport, while transferring vehicle performance learnings into the development and manufacturing of next-generation Honda and Acura products.

June 24, 2024

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team emerged from a marathon day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a 14th-place finish in Sunday’s USA TODAY 301. With weather a constant threat, Sunday’s race started on a dry track and ended on a rapidly drying wet one.

Burton took the green flag from 27th place after rain on Saturday led to the field being set using metrics based on recent performances. He moved into the top 25 by the 15th lap and ended the first 70-lap Stage, which ran without a caution flag, in 23rd place.

After a pit stop during the Stage break, Burton restarted the second Stage from 25th place. He fell back a bit in the early laps of the Stage and fell off the lead lap during the 118th circuit as the field made green-flag pit stops.

A caution flag for an incident involving Daniel Hemric allowed Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team to opt for the wave-around and rejoin the lead lap. A subsequent yellow flag for a spin involving Kyle Busch allowed Burton and the team to pit at Lap 155 and rejoin the race with four fresh tires and a full tank of fuel.

Back in the top 25, Burton continued to move forward and ended Stage Two in 20th place.

With rain appearing imminent, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team elected to take just two tires on a pit stop during the Stage break and moved up to seventh place in the running order. Burton was able to post good speed with just two fresh tires and was running 12th when the cars were brought to pit road because of rain.

After a delay of two hours and 14 minutes, drivers returned to the partially dried track on treaded wet-weather tires.

Burton drove into the top 10 just after the restart, then fell outside the top 20 before breaking back into the top 10 with 25 of the scheduled 301 laps left to run. He was running seventh when the race’s final caution flag set up a two-lap Overtime run to the finish. That run didn’t work out in his favor, and he dropped to 14th at the checkered flag. It was his second consecutive top-20 finish and his third straight among the top 25.

Burton told reporters at the track that he was frustrated by the way the Overtime finish played out.

 “I think we should have finished a lot better,” he said. “We picked the bottom on the last restart, and if I had it back I would pick the top…..

“You never know how it works out. It is a bummer to not finish it off. It felt like we had a good car once it went to the wet especially.”

He said tire management was a key factor.

“The caution came out with nine to go and that was really good timing,” he said. “It is easy to be mad now but also thankful that it came out because my right rear was pretty hurt. “We just have to figure out everything there and go over our process on choose. I would like to finish it off better next time, but we had a good car, and I am proud of our guys.”

Next up for Burton and the Wood Brothers team is a 400-miler next Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (June 24, 2024) – When rain started falling during the pace lap for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Trans Am race on Sunday, Chris Dyson made quick but calculated decision to surrender his front-row starting position and duck into the pits to change to rain tires on his #16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang. Although the stop dropped the defending race winner to the back of the field, it proved a canny move; Dyson scythed through the field and into the lead while his competitors struggled on the wet pavement before eventually making their own stops. “It was a gamble, but I knew the odds were in our favor,” Dyson said later. “The weather was not in favor of slicks. From so many years of long-distance racing the team is well-practiced in executing fast, flawless pit stops. And although these are 100-mile sprints with no planned pit stops, we have air jacks on our car and practice for these situations.” By the fourth lap Dyson enjoyed a 45-second lead on second-place runner Paul Menard before a full-course yellow – the first of several over the course of the race – bunched up the field and allowed the rest of the field to change to rain tires. Because the 900-horsepower TA-class cars aren’t permitted to use driver aids like traction control or antilock brakes there’s a premium on driver skill. In the rain that premium is doubled. Dyson continued to extend his lead by a second per lap through the first third of the race, but misfortune struck when he got caught out by a faulty gear shift at Turn 1, running wide onto the wet grass before stoutly hitting the tire barrier. Dyson carefully avoided the gravel trap and eased the banged up but mechanically intact car back onto the pavement to complete the lap and then pitted so the crew could remove the damaged hood, which was blocking his forward view. “My engineers and I just spent the last half hour trying to figure out from the data what happened there,” a subdued Dyson said after emerging from the team’s hauler. “I didn’t do anything different or ‘wrong’ on the corner entry, which makes it more difficult to swallow what happened on the shift. Up to then and even afterwards, the car was flying. I was managing my pace and I was very comfortable out front. The conditions were so tricky but we had a really usable balance and I was feeling really confident.” Quick work by the crew meant that the GYM WEED Mustang got back onto the circuit without going a lap down. A combination of faster laps by Dyson than race leader Menard and his competitors’ misfortunes brought Dyson back to second place, less than 10 seconds behind race-winner Menard when the race was called nine laps short of the scheduled 45 due to the series’ 75-minute race time limit. “It’s disappointing not to come away from Mid-Ohio with a win, when we had a winning car and a winning race strategy,” Dyson said. “But we were fortunate not to have hurt the car badly when I went off and to be able to rally back to second place. Now it’s on to Road America, which is one of my favorite tracks and another place where the team has deep history.” Next Up: Road America In six Trans Am starts Dyson has scored two wins (2020 and 2021) and finished on the podium in all four of his most recent Trans Am starts at the classic Wisconsin circuit. He has captured the pole three times. In only one race, when he won in 2021, did he fail to start on the front row. Runner-up in last year, Dyson is optimistic for his chances this weekend. “I love everything about Road America,” Dyson said. “In addition to being such a beautiful natural circuit with enthusiastic fans and amazing heritage, it’s a very fast track where TA cars can stretch their legs. But the elevation changes and blind corners make it a real driver’s and engineers’ challenge.  We have to work on optimizing braking and traction, and trimming out the car for the long straights.” The Dyson Racing Team has fielded entries at Road America since the early 1980s. The team scored IMSA wins there in 1985, 1987 and 2003, including the closest-ever victory in American Le Mans Series history in 2012. Chris Dyson won the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge event. For more on Chris Dyson Racing. Mid-Ohio Rebroadcast Schedule In addition to the livestream, 60-minute feature produced by Greenlight TV will be broadcast the following Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET to MAVTV’s 22 million North American linear households and 175 million connected devices.  Road America Schedule Qualifying takes place Saturday, June 29, 3:40 – 3:55 PM CT – 3:55 PM (4:40 – 4:55 PM ET) The 100-mile race takes the green flag Sunday, June 30, at 1:05 PM CT (2:05 PM ET) Road America Broadcast Schedule The Road America race will be live-streamed on both the Trans Am and SpeedTour’s YouTube channels. Additional Broadcast Coverage On MAVTV In addition to the livestream, highlights of the race will be broadcast the following Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET to MAVTV’s 22 million North American linear households and 175 million connected devices.

Near miss for Catsburg, Milner in fight for GTD PRO victory; AWA grows Akin Award lead WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 23, 2024) – Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims scored the season’s second podium finish for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a third-place result at the Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday.

The No. 3 Corvette from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports ran up front in GTD PRO, fell down the order following an early-race brake change and then challenged for the win late in a topsy-turvy enduro at Watkins Glen International that was severely impacted by rain. It was the first podium finish for the Garcia/Sims duo, following a similar finish for the No. 4 Corvette at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. While luck went the way of Sims and Garcia at the end, it was the opposite for Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Z06 GT3.R, which had to pit for a fuel splash from the lead on the final lap. The duo ended up seventh in the final GTD PRO standings. In GTD, AWA’s No 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Matt Bell, Orey Fidani and Lars Kern finished seventh in class following a similarly chaotic race and a number of drive time-related penalties to GTD competitors. The trio fought from deep in the field and briefly ran in the top-five before the Corvette was caught out on-track in a heavy downpour on slick tires and went off-track. The trio’s result did, however, unofficially grow Fidani’s lead in the Bob Akin Award standings, which goes to the highest points-scoring Bronze driver in GTD. Three separate periods of rain had increasing impacts on the race. The first significant shower hit just shy of halfway and resulted in a crash for two GTD cars that brought out the third full-course yellow of the day. All three Corvettes had elected to stay on dry tires and jumped up the order as the pit closed – the No. 4 to second and No. 3 to third in GTD PRO, and the No. 13 to ninth in GTD. More rain meant more chaos nearly 30 minutes later as the No. 4 Corvette pitted during a brief but heavy shower on the frontstraight for rain tires. Another full-course yellow neutralized the field again, and Milner was left on grooved tires with the track drying quickly. Once the race went green, he had to stop for slick tires and fell down to 10th. The biggest downpour arrived with a little less than two hours to go. Garcia, the No. 77 Porsche and No. 14 Lexus were the only GTD PRO cars to make it into the pitlane for rain tires before the pits closed for the sixth time. After 25 minutes behind the safety car with standing water on the track, officials red-flagged the race. It resumed with 35 minutes left and the field behind the safety car. With the three leading cars in class having to pit for slick tires, Milner assumed the lead and drove a stunning final stint to keep the No. 4 Corvette out front before having to make the last-lap stop. All three Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will be back in action for the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, July 14.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS POST-EVENT DRIVER QUOTESANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – THIRD IN GTD PRO: “I’m happy with this. Considering we were on the front row the last two races and didn’t convert, it feels like today we got one back. It was an amazing job by Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller guys to change the brakes. They had the skills to almost keep us on the lead lap. Yes we lost some track position but after that, the car was good and every single strategy call was the right one. I had one of the scariest half-stints in my life when a whole set of our tear-offs on the windscreen came off and then came back on. So I had a triangle in front of me and I couldn’t see to my left. Somehow I made up several positions on the restart, but it was very scary to just keep the car on track. I just couldn’t see anything. Fortunately we got it fixed after the yellow, and it was made better when we were on the same strategy as the Porsche and Lexus to go on wet tires. It was the right call and it would have been nice to run four or five laps in the rain but we couldn’t take advantage of that. It’s also a shame for the No. 4 guys. With all the flag sequences, I think they deserved it. But it’s nice that we were able to get the first podium for Alex and me, and for the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team. Now we need to keep the momentum. We know we are fast; we just need to convert and hopefully a win is around the corner.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – THIRD IN GTD PRO: “To be honest with the weather forecast coming into this weekend, it kind of exactly panned out how we expected with a mayhem-filled race. We started up front and had a nice comfortable stint before we had to change the front brakes. The guys did an amazing job to change everything, and we almost got out without falling off the lead lap, which was pretty impressive. So our race went south for a little while but as with IMSA you’re able to get back in the race and we did. The guys made some great calls and the car was fast. It’s great to get a podium; it felt like we came back into contention where we should have been. It’s cool to get our first podium with the No. 3 Corvette. Antonio did a brilliant job in the end to almost get second. It was really tight out there, and I enjoyed it.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SEVENTH IN GTD PRO: “Nicky was right in that it was a bit of a lottery race for a lot of people with tire calls and things like that. We did well with the tire choice except for when we snuck in just before a yellow to put wets on. I agreed with Tyler (Neff, No. 4 race engineer) that it seemed like the right call at the time because Turn One was undriveable. At the end, we had to take them back off because the track was drying too quickly. But we also got stuck from getting into the pitlane before the red flag, I was happy that it came. But at the end of the day, the result is what matters. And seventh place is not where we want to be. We did some things really well today and some things not so well. We’ll analyze those things that didn’t and be better for the next time when we go to Canada and try again.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SEVENTH IN GTD PRO: “First off, Tommy did an amazing job late in the race in holding off the Aston Martin. I knew he had it and we were hoping the fuel would work out, but then that got snatched away. It’s tough. This style of racing makes some of these races a lottery. At the start I didn’t think we would be in a position to go for a win because our car was great everywhere except on a straight line. So that was a frustration. The car felt good toward the end of the stint, so we could get around some people. It was good on a long run and we saw that at the end with Tommy’s drive. It’s a tough way to end though. Hopefully we can be on the right end of it the next time out.”

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SEVENTH IN GTD: “I’m pleased with our result. It was a tricky race as we were lacking a little bit of speed this weekend, but I’m happy with how my stint went. The team has been working so hard all year long, and today they really delivered for us with strategy calls in what were very challenging weather conditions. They kept us in the fight, and Lars and Matt drove a great race as always.”

LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – SEVENTH IN GTD: “I’m happy with the result we were able to achieve today. When looking at our outright pace, we were just a bit off the mark throughout the whole weekend, and we are actively working on figuring out the reason behind it. We executed well in the race, the team made no mistakes and were perfect as always. We as drivers kept it clean and were able to make up ground, I think we maximized our performance today.”