John Force Racing

John Force Racing–JOHN AND COURTNEY FORCE CLINCH COUNTDOWN SPOTS AT BRAINERD

JOHN AND COURTNEY FORCE CLINCH COUNTDOWN SPOTS AT BRAINERD

 

BRAINERD, MN —- On a day when the winner’s circle eluded John Force Racing the team kept their eyes on the bigger prize as John Force and Courtney Force both clinched their berths in the 2013 Countdown to the Championship. By virtue of their first round wins and a first round loss by Del Worsham the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang and the Traxxas Ford Mustang will be running for the championship over the last six races of the season.

John Force made the quickest run of the weekend in his first round win over Alexis DeJoria powering his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car to the stripe with an elapsed time of 4.027 seconds at a track speed record 319.45 mph.

In the second round the eleven-time Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals winner made a superior run against veteran driver Johnny Gray but at the finish line it was Gray taking the win light thanks to a minute starting line advantage. Force’s 4.061 second run was the second quickest of the second round and showed that he has a race car that can contend for the Mello Yello Funny Car championship.

“I have a race car that can win the championship. If you run number like that you always have a shot at the championship. We have found some performance with these new chassis. The only thing that has to get right is me,” said Force, the fifteen-time Funny Car champion.

“We are making adjustments. I have been playing with the cockpit in my car. We have turned this Funny Car around thanks to Jimmy Prock and Danny DeGennaro. We are setting track records. I have no complaints. I am not where I need to be but I know how to fix that. The team is confident in me and I am confident in them. Right now we have locked up our spot in the Countdown. I am driving somehow different and I don’t know what it is. I have had my eyes checked. I just have to get my energy where it needs to be. I will be OK.”

Robert Hight was racing for the win and the final spot in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout to be contested at the Chevrolet Performance US Nationals Labor Day weekend. He was also racing to keep his Auto Club Ford Mustang in the Top Ten in the Mello Yello point standings. His first round win over Chad Head combined with first round loses by Bob Tasca III and Del Worsham helped solidify his position in the Top Ten. Hight is now only four points behind Bob Tasca III out of the No. 9 spot. He also has a round and a half advantage over Worsham going into the final race of the regular season.

Hight’s Auto Club Mustang Funny Car made a strong run in the first round over the rookie Head covering the 1000 ft. track in 4.055 seconds to Head’s 4.970 second run. It was the fourth run in a row for the Auto Club Mustang to run either 4.05 or 4.06 seconds.

In the second round Hight had a parts failure in his run against fellow Ford driver Tim Wilkerson. Hight was leading past half-track before Wilkerson’s Circle K Mustang passed him at the last second.

“We were on a great run and we just had a parts failure right before the finish line. Wilkerson made a great run and we just had some bad luck. The good news is we did put a round on some of the guys behind us and we closed the gap on the guy in front of us. We are just four points behind the guy in ninth place. We picked up six points in qualifying bonus points this race alone. This is a great race car and you look at the runs we made in qualifying and in the first round. We are consistently running 4.05s and 4.06s. You can win a lot of races that way,” said Hight.

“I need to ask all my fans now to get out and vote for me and this Auto Club team for the Traxxas Nitro Shootout. I have the best fans in the country and we will need every vote to try and give our team the best shot at winning the lottery to get that eighth spot in the Traxxas Shootout.”

At the second to last event of the NHRA regular season, Courtney Force not only drove her Traxxas Ford Mustang to a quarter-final finish, but she clinched a spot in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

Force double-stepped the throttle pedal on the starting line next to Bob Tasca III, but managed to steer clear of leaving too soon, turning on the red light and disqualifying her Traxxas Ford Mustang team in the opening round.

“That was me cracking under pressure. I made a mistake and double stepped the throttle. It felt like forever for the tree to come down. My foot was ready to leave and it did. I was able to hold it, pull back on the brake and get the car stopped before lighting the red light. Thankfully when the tree did come down I left and was able to still get a .036 light. But honestly, that was just a mistake on my part,” said Force.

In two years, Force has matched up with Tasca III seven times on race day. The 25-year-old now holds an impressive record of 6-1 over the fellow Ford driver.

“Thankfully my team gives me a great race car. Ron Douglas does a great job tuning my Traxxas Ford Mustang with Dan Hood,” said Force.

The 2012 NHRA Rookie of the Year took the win with a 4.094 at over 317 mph to Tasca’s 4.114 ET at 308 mph.

“There was a lot of pressure on me for that run. I know my team really wanted it. Obviously we were very concentrated on getting clinched into the Countdown to the Championship and I was trying to help my teammate Robert Hight out. I think that’s where I got a little flustered. I really wanted a good light against Tasca because I know he is really good on the tree up there and I just got a little ahead of myself,” said Force.

With Force’s opening round win, the Traxxas Ford Mustang team clinched a spot into the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

“It was also pretty amazing to hear that my dad and I clinched on that first run. Winning first round and picking up all those points is definitely huge for my team especially knowing that we are set in the Countdown going into Indy. It’s a lot less to stress about,” said Force.

Unfortunately, Force lost a tough match to Matt Hagan in the next round. She posted a 4.093 at 312 mph to Hagan’s 4.056 at 311 mph. 

“The good news for today is, it helped out my teammate Robert Hight to get that win and we were able to clinch into the Countdown. Those were both big deals. I’m very proud of my team. It’s a huge accomplishment to be clinched into the Countdown to the Championship early for the second year in a row. We’re 2-2 right now so I’m very excited,” said Force.

“I’ve got a great team behind me. I think we’ve got a great race car. As long as I don’t make any mistakes I think we’ve definitely got a good shot at this championship. Our Traxxas Ford Mustang team works hard and I can tell that they want this championship as bad as I do. Having a strong team and just being able to work together and keep each other motivated puts the Traxxas team at an advantage.”

Brittany Force and the Castrol EDGE Top Fuel dragster made their best pass of the weekend in the first round. Racing beside Spencer Massey Force launched hard and stayed with the veteran driver until just about 800 feet before he pulled away. Force’s 3.823 second run at 317.72 mph while Massey crossed the finish line in 3.791 seconds at 319.67 mph. Massey eventually went on to defeat Clay Millican in the final round and win for the fourth time this season.

 “I’ve raced Spencer quite a few times and unfortunately, he beat me again. It was one of the best runs we’ve had all weekend. We really stepped it up and had a good run. It just didn’t quite get down there fast enough. Spencer ran a 3.79 against us and got the win light. He had a fire at the end of the track after his run and he got out safely, so that’s what is most important,” said Force, the rookie of the year contender.

At the conclusion of the event the second youngest Force will also be asking her fans to vote to put her Castrol EDGE Top Fuel dragster into the Traxxas Nitro Shootout in the
Top Fuel ranks. Throughout the weekend Force was passing out trading cards and commemorative balloons reminding fans to vote on NHRA’s Facebook page.

 “The Traxxas Shootout fan vote starts today after the race is done. I would love to get that fan vote! I’d be the first woman in the Top Fuel Traxxas Nitro Shootout, so I would love to represent all the ladies out there and really show everyone what this Castrol EDGE team is really capable of,” concluded Force. 

 

Summit Racing

Summit Racing–Anderson Gains Performance, Leaves Brainerd Smiling

Anderson Gains Performance, Leaves Brainerd Smiling
 
BRAINERD, Minn., August 18, 2013 – Summit Racing driver Greg Anderson absolutely had the car to beat at Brainerd International Raceway as he pursued a fourth Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals victory, and for the first time this year, he dominated during eliminations with elapsed times that stood above and beyond his competitors. Anderson didn’t score the trophy at his home track this weekend, but the Duluth, Minn.-raised Pro Stock pilot set the tone for the rest of the season with a powerful performance.

Anderson put together a series of remarkable runs during qualifying with a best time of 6.588 at 209.10 mph to start from the lofty No. 2 spot on raceday. The outstanding qualifying position stood as his best start since the Topeka race in 2012, and Anderson was fired up to repeat victories earned in Brainerd in 2003, 2009 and 2011.

In the first round, the Mooresville, N.C.-transplant was strong at the starting line with a .029-second reaction time while opponent Deric Kramer was too early and fouled out by .096. Anderson powerfully raced ahead in his white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to clock a 6.604 at 209.33 mph that was second quickest in terms of e.t. and speed in the opening act.

The round win was a definite victory, but it also paired Anderson with KB Racing teammate Jason Line, who hails from Wright, Minn. Anderson grabbed an immediate advantage at the starting line, launching with a swift .024 to Line’s .049 and closing the door on his friendly foe with a best of the round 6.608 at 208.14 mph to Line’s 6.623, 208.52.

Anderson had the best car again in the semifinals when he tripped the final timer on the racetrack with an awesome 6.604 at 209.46, bettering his spectacular opening-round pass by just a smidge. Unfortunately, opponent V. Gaines stole a sizeable advantage at the starting line and turned it into a win at the top end, clocking a 6.632 that bested Anderson’s 6.604 by .01-second.

“It was still a hugely positive weekend,” said Anderson, who had already clinched a spot to compete for the big trophy in NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship and effectively preserved his position as seventh in the series standings. “We honestly have not had cars that could win races this year, but we had one here today. I should have won this race. I’m excited, and I’m very happy with the tremendous progress that the Summit Racing team has made in the past week. I’m very proud of these guys. They didn’t give up when times were tough, they kept digging, kept fighting, and it looks like we’ve finally turned a corner.”

The next event on the 2013 tour is the Chevy Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, the biggest and arguably the most historic race of the series, and the last race on the calendar before the Countdown to the Championship kicks off.

“Jason and I both locked in our spots to race for the championship, and that’s the first goal, you have to get in before you can even think about winning,” Anderson continued. “I am of the opinion that if we qualify for the chase but we don’t have a chance of winning it, what’s the sense of being in it? After this weekend, I can safely say that not only are we are in, we actually have a chance to win it. I feel confident now saying that we belong in that chase.

“We had a chance to win today. We had the best car on the grounds. That was pretty impressive, and I think we caught the attention of a lot of people. What we learned this weekend was a season-changer. Hopefully, we can progress from there and be a serious threat in the Countdown.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Post Race

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
AUGUST 18, 2013
 
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 RHEEM CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED SECOND
YOU STARTED 13TH AND BROUGHT IT HOME SECOND WE THOUGHT MAYBE YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A RUN ON JOEY LOGANO THERE AT THE END. DID YOU HAVE A SHOT AT HIM?
“You know, we never really got out in front by ourselves today, but our Rheem Chevrolet was really good. I’ve got to thank everybody who is a part of this car. I just mistimed that last restart there. I was rolling pretty good on the No. 55 (Mark Martin) and going to beat him to the start/finish line, so I had to check up and that allowed the No. 22 (Logano) to kind of make it three-wide and get under me and then we had to fight back from there. But all in all it was a good day and we tried a lot of different stuff today and it seemed to run pretty good.”
 
ALL IN ALL, IT’S ABOUT GETTING READY FOR THAT 10-RACE CHASE. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A TEAM AND A CAR AND A GROUP THAT’S CAPABLE OF WINNING THIS CHAMPIONSHIP?
“Well, they did a great job today and I think everybody was on their game. So, I think as long as we run like that every week and finish in the top five every week, we’ll have a shot.”
 
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SERTA CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED THIRD
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DAY?
“A good day. At the end of the day, we have our weaknesses and pit road and restarts are one of them. It’s just like our Achilles Heel, but to be in position to win at the end, we had it, we just didn’t have the speed. So we can’t blame those items as a result of our third place. But here we are talking third place and that’s what’s awesome about our effort today to bounce back from where we were at the first Michigan and what we’ve learned since June to be where we are now. Teams have to move quick to find technology and this little team keeps continuing to do that. Call these guys a big team, Furniture Row Racing. This is awesome. Thanks to them and everybody that keeps putting their hand on this car to put us in Chase position.”
 
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW YOU CLIMBED TWO SPOTS TODAY AND YOU’RE IN NINTH NOW; INSIDE CHASE CONTENTION
“I was all fired up. We were running 14th. (Martin) Truex was ahead of us, (Brad) Keselowski was ahead of us, (Greg) Biffle was ahead of us (Kasey) Kahne was ahead of us. You can’t run 14th and gain on guys. And I had a restart where the seas parted and I went to the high side and we got a lot of positions on that one restart. So, we’ll just keep plugging away. We’ve got three (races) to go (before the Chase) and we’re in the mix.”
 
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 NIBCO/MENARDS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED FOURTH
FUEL MILEAGE, STRATEGY, BUT A FAST RACE CAR, WHAT ADDED UP FOR YOUR FINISH HERE TODAY?
“We had a good car all weekend.  We didn’t qualify very good and I knew that the car had some speed in it, but it mostly just drove really good all weekend.  Lacked a little bit of speed to run with Joey (Logano) and even Kevin (Harvick) was too fast at the end.  Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) made some good calls to get some track position when to take two (tires), when to take four (tires).  Matt Krueter (gasman) filled up the car with plenty of gas at the end and everybody at RCR I’m just really proud of them.  We needed a good run and we’ve got four RCR built cars in the top 10.”
 
FIRST TOP FIVE OF THE SEASON, HOW DID YOU DO IT?
“We really needed a good run.  We started off the season strong and just fell off the last couple of months.  We have had good cars we just haven’t been able to put together a race and we have been crashing a lot and we just don’t do that.   Really proud of everybody at RCR with three cars in the top ten and the 78 being the fourth car.  Also just proud of RCR and everybody on my team.  Slugger made great calls about when to take two tires, when to take four, and made great adjustments all day long.”
JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 CHEERIOS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED EIGHTH
SOLID TOP 10 FINISH TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY:
“It’s good to be disappointed with eighth that is a good thing.  We had a lot of speed at times we had the best car on the track.  We just struggled with tires more than other people did.  When we put tires on it seemed like it hurt us more than others.  When we had our sequence of tires that we wanted our car was really happy.  That next to last caution was not what we needed.  Pitting under green and being able to put four (tires) on right there would have been a hundred percent for us.  We were about five laps from pitting and that caution came out.  That kind of sealed us.  Just because of what we had going on with our car, but it’s a good day.  That’s a step in the right direction, no drama, got what we deserved and we will go on.”
 
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 14TH
ON HIS RUN:
“It was up and down.  Definitely scared myself at the beginning it was too early to be wrecking out there.  I apologize to the No. 36 team and JJ Yeley.  I didn’t mean to get into them like that at all.  I just grabbed the brakes and locked them down in the rear, couldn’t steer out of it.  Luckily we had saved enough car where we could work on it, get some track position.  Steve (Addington, crew chief) made some great calls on track position and can’t say enough about them guys.  They did a great job.”
 
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH FOUNDATION CHEVROLET SS – SIDELINED WITH RIGHT-FRONT TIRE ISSUE ON LAP 135 – FINISHED 36TH:
ALL THE FANS WERE ON THEIR FEET AS YOU LED THIS RACE, AND THEN YOU WERE IN THE WALL AND BACK IN THE GARAGE:
“It’s just the tire; we’ve had a lot of problems with. I think this is the same tire we struggled with the last race. But, I don’t know, you know. It’s just kind of frustrating. It’s just bad luck. If we keep running like we’re supposed to run and like we’ve been running, we’ll get on into the Chase and not have to worry about it. But this bad luck, we need to shake that. We just can’t keep having this every week. It’s been biting us every week. So we’ll just have to see what happens.”
 
YOU ARE SEVENTH IN POINTS RIGHT NOW. LOOKING AT THE WAY YOU GUYS CAN RUN AND LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE WITH THREE RACES TO GO BEFORE THE CUTOFF, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHASE?
“There are guys in worst positions than us. We ain’t got to outrun just one guy; there’s a lot of guys. And all of them have got to have clean races, just like we do. I think we’ll be all right. We’re not an 11th place team. We’re a Top 5 team. We’re consistent. We’re more consistent than most. We’ve just got to shake this luck, whatever is going on; it’s something different every time. We’ve got good speed and we’ve just got to keep our head up and keep working hard and things will be all right.”
 
YOU ARE NOW 20 POINTS INSIDE THE TOP 10 IS THAT A CONCERN FOR YOU OR DO YOU STILL FEEL SOME WHAT COMFORTABLE?
“I feel pretty good.  I’ve been in tighter situations.  I think if we just run as good as we can we will be fine.  We are not an 11th place team.  If we just run as good as we can we should be alright.”
 
DID YOU HAVE ANY WARNING OR DID THE TIRE JUST BLOW?
“Yeah, it was down on the splitter getting into the corner.  I got it slowed down pretty good and then started getting close to the wall and put a little brake in it and it blew the tire out.  It had a slow leak and I don’t know.  We have had a lot of problems with this particular tire and it’s getting frustrating.”
 
IS THE FACT THAT YOU ARE EVEN IN THIS SITUATION, YOU’VE HAD SUCH A GOOD SEASON THAT YOU WOULDN’T EVEN THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO W
ORRY ABOUT RICHMOND IS IT DISAPPOINTING EVEN TO BE IN THIS POSITION?
“No not really.  It’s a competitive sport and we’ve got some good teams behind us.  We are not sitting here with everybody in the distance.  It’s just a little closer than we would like it to be, but it’s still 20 points is 20 points.  That is half a race a little more than that so we got three to go we should be alright.  If we keep having bad luck we can’t do nothing about that.”
 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Jimmie Johnson

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
AUGUST 18, 2013
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – SIDELINED WITH AN ENGINE FAILURE ON LAP 54
 
SOME EARLY PIT STOPS, BUT THEN APPARENTLY AN ENGINE PROBLEM WHAT HAPPENED?
“Yeah, we were just putting ourselves in position for later in the race with those early stops.  Then we had an issue there with the engine as I came out of the pits and got back up to speed dropped a couple of cylinders.  We were trying to get it figured out and see what would happen.  On my way into the pits it finally locked up and that’s the end of it.  Unfortunate day, but I’m happy that we have had such a strong opening part of the season and we have points on our side and some wins on side so we are not in jeopardy of anything going into the Chase.”
 
DO YOU EVER JUST SHAKE YOUR HEAD AND WONDER IF THIS PLACE HAS IT IN FOR YOU?
“It does.  It’s going to make it all the sweeter when we are able to win.”
 
ONCE AGAIN AT MICHIGAN YOUR DAY IS OVER EARLY.  I SAW YOU TALKING TO THE ENGINEERS, WHAT DID THEY SAY WENT WRONG?
 “The engine broke there.  I guess when we came in for a green flag pit stop something started then and made it a few more laps and didn’t really notice anything off.  Then it finally dropped a cylinder or two down the backstretch.  Definitely an unfortunate thing but we had plenty of speed in the car and I think we were going to be a factor with this Kobalt Tools Chevrolet.”
 
WERE YOU GUYS MAYBE TRYING SOMETHING NEW FOR THE CHASE?
“Not that I am aware of.  You know, this track is hard on engines and these guys will figure out what went on there.  Days like today, I am thankful for the big point’s lead that we have and the bonus points we have been able to accumulate to get us to this position for the Chase.  It happens and I hope to get all this stuff out of the way now although I hate losing momentum going into the Chase.  It’s nice to roll in there hot and I think we had a chance to win today.  We will dust ourselves off and go again next week.”
 
CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED?  WHAT DID YOU FEEL?
“Coming down the back straightaway I felt it drop a couple of cylinders and knew we were in trouble.  So brought it to pit road and unfortunately it finally broke all the way and locked up.  It would be nice to have salvaged something and maybe pulled the down cylinder parts out you know the valve train parts out and get back out on the track, but the engine didn’t live long enough once it broke.  These things break pretty quick and that was the end of it.”
 
IS THAT THE ENGINE THAT YOU HAD IN THE PRIMARY CAR?
“I am not 100 percent sure, but Jamie Little (ESPN Anchor) just said that it was a new engine and it wasn’t the one in the primary, but I don’t know for sure.”
 
ARE YOU AT ALL WORRIED THAT AS GOOD AS A SEASON YOU ARE HAVING LIKE WEIRD THINGS KEEP HAPPENING TO YOU EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THAT COULD CARRY OVER INTO THE CHASE AT ALL?
“When I look back most of it is self-inflicted.  Even though it’s an engine failure we will be able to trace back why and what.  Human hands are on these things assembling them and it could be in that or it could have been a simple part failure.  The bulk of the stuff has been human error.  I’m not overly concerned.  I hate having momentum not work in our favor late in the regular season.  I think we would have had a very strong race today if not a win.  That momentum is key rolling into the Chase.  That is the biggest downfall to me.”
 

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing–Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200

Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
August 17, 2013
 
Race Highlights:
Richard Childress Racing teammates finished fourth (Max Papis), 12th (Brian Scott) and 21st (Austin Dillon).
Dillon is tied for third in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Sam Hornish, Jr. by 15 points, while Scott is seventh in the standings, 63 points behind the leader.
The No. 3 Chevrolet team ranks sixth in the Nationwide Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 2 team ninth in the standings and the No. 33 team 13th.
According to NASCAR’s Post Race Loop Data Statistics, Papis ranked second in Quality Passes (25), had the fourth-best Driver Rating (107.5) and ranked fifth in Average Running Position (8.047).
Scott ranked eighth in Speed in Traffic (92.879 mph).
Dillon ranked third in Green Flag Passes with 72.
AJ Allmendinger earned his second victory of the 2013 Nationwide Series season and was followed to the finish line by Michael McDowell, Hornish, Papis and Brian Vickers.
The next Nationwide Series race is the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, August 23rd. The 23rd race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Satellite Radio Channel 90.

   
Brian Scott Earns a 12th-Place Finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
 
Brian Scott and Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Shore Lodge team were on tap for their first top-10 road course finish of the season, but a late race caution and unfortunate pit road penalty consigned Scott to a 12th-place finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ inaugural appearance at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the Buckeye State. The Boise, Idaho-native took the green flag from the 12th spot Saturday afternoon for the scheduled 90-lap event. During the opening portion of the event, Scott reported that he needed more rear grip. The afternoon’s first caution flag was displayed on lap 20, which gave the No. 2 Shore Lodge driver the opportunity to hit pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Green-flag racing resumed on lap 23 with Scott in the 12th position. The 25-year old Nationwide Series driver ran a consistent race navigating each corner with skill and avoided trouble. When green-flag racing resumed on lap 66, Scott advanced from 12th to seventh after several competitors veered off track or spun. In the closing laps of the race, the Nationwide Series competitor was in position for a solid top-10 finish, but a caution flag with two laps remaining created fuel concerns for the RCR team. With less than enough fuel in his tank, Scott visited pit road for a splash of Sunoco Green E15. NASCAR deemed that he entered pit road too early and forced the No. 2 Shore Lodge driver to start from the rear of the field. Upon taking the green flag from the 23rd position, Scott maneuvered his way up through the field ultimately taking the checkered flag in the 12th position.
 
Start – 12       Finish – 12    Laps Led – 0    Points -7th
 
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
“We had a fast Shore Lodge Camaro, but the way these road courses work out you need some luck. We were in line for a top-10 finish, but luck wasn’t on our side and we came home 12th. I’m proud of Phil (Gould, crew chief) and the guys who worked hard all weekend. We’ll head to Bristol (Motor Speedway) this coming weekend and have a good run. “
 
 

Last-Lap Spin Relegates Austin Dillon to 21st-Place Finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
 
Despite running within the top-10 for much of the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Austin Dillon earned a 21st-place finish in the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet after spinning on the final circuit of the 94-lap event. The Welcome, N.C., driver started the race from the rear of the field as a result of missing qualifying and the driver’s meeting in favor of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practices at Michigan International Speedway earlier in the day. He gained track position by staying out on the racing surface while the majority of the competitors pitted under a full course caution on lap 20, advancing to second in the running order. Dillon remained in the top five until making his first pit stop of the race on under caution on lap 25, dropping him to the 26th spot for the restart. Dillon led lap 59 to gain a championship bonus point before making his next green flag pit stop on lap 60. Just a few laps later, he was punted from behind and ran off course on lap 67, dropping him from 10th to 25th in the running order. He raced his way up to 12th, but was again spun on the white-flag lap and ultimately posted a 21st-place finish.
 
Start – 13             Finish – 21             Laps Led – 2           Points – 3                          
 
 
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
“Today was a rough day but I am so proud of the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet team. They had a fast car for me. We just didn’t get the finish we deserved but we certainly improved our road course game. I’m excited for Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend.”
 

Max Papis Earns a Top-Five Finish at Mid Ohio
 
When the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 began at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday afternoon, Max Papis and the No. 33 Menards/Rheem Chevrolet team lined up 10th. In the early going around the 2.258-mile road course, Papis did what he does best on the left and right-turn tracks by starting out strong. He gained two positions in the first five laps and remained there until the first caution waved on lap 20. Crew chief Ernie Cope stuck to the team’s pre-race strategy and kept Papis out on the track while other teams headed for pit road. When the race restarted on lap 23, Papis had the lead and held onto it for three circuits. The second caution flag waved on lap 26 as Cope called the Italian-born driver to pit road for four new tires with different air pressures, a full tank of fuel and a spring rubber change in the Chevrolet Camaro’s rear end. Restarting 27th, Papis quickly moved through the field and was up to 19th for the lap 30 caution, and when the race restarted on lap 32. One lap later he was up to 14th place, 11th on lap 38 and ninth by lap 41. The team made their second pit stop, as planned, on lap 59 under green, after leading lap 58, for tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments. When the sixth caution waved on lap 63, Papis was in ninth place and fairly content how his Camaro was handling. He quickly jumped to sixth on the lap 66 restart. The final caution waved on the white flag lap, thus forcing a green-white-checkered finish and extending the race by four laps past the scheduled 90 circuits. Papis put his extensive road racing experience to use and gained two more positions to finish fourth when the checkered flag waved.
 
            Start – 10                 Finish – 4              Laps Led – 4              Owner’s Points – 13rh  
 
MAX PAPIS QUOTE:
“This Menards/Rheem Chevrolet team was pretty darn good for most of the day. We had a little problem with it being loose into the corners, but that got fixed up on the first stop. From there, we stuck to our game plan on pit road and I did my part on the track. This has been
a great opportunity for me to drive for Richard Childress and Richard Childress Racing and this top-five finish was great for everyone on the team. I can’t thank Menards and Rheem enough for allowing me to drive their car. Good day, very good day.”
 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Big Night for Chevrolet, Wayne Taylor Racing in Kansas Triumph

Big Night for Chevrolet, Wayne Taylor Racing in Kansas Triumph
Taylor, Angelelli win for third time and regain DP championship lead
 
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Aug. 17, 2013) – Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli came away winners Saturday night in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in more ways than one. The Wayne Taylor Racing duo won the inaugural SFP Grand Prix at Kansas Speedway in their No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette Daytona Prototype and regained the championship lead in the DP drivers’ standings in the process.
 
Jordan Taylor held off a stern challenge from Scott Pruett to win by 0.568 seconds. The son of team owner Wayne Taylor, driving the closing stint for the first time in a Daytona Prototype, kept Pruett behind him for the better part of an hour. Angelelli moved up from fifth at the start to third when he handed off to Taylor.
 
The third victory of the season for the Angelelli-Taylor pairing came with the extra bonus of now leading the drivers’ championship. Angelelli and Taylor lead Action Express Racing’s Christian Fittipaldi by two points, meaning Corvette DP drivers hold the top three spots in the championship with two races remaining.
 
The Wayne Taylor Racing entry made only three pit stops – the least amount of the DP field. After the team elected to short-fill on its first stop, Taylor moved into the lead for the first time midway through the race following the third and final caution period. The team called in Taylor for his final stop with 38 laps to and was the first of the lead cars to pit. That strategy proved to be the difference.
 
“Max was great at the start and gave me a great car,” Taylor said. “The guys had the perfect strategy, and we were the only ones to do what we did. So it worked out in the end.”
 
The victory allowed Chevrolet to increase its lead in the engine manufacturers’ standings, and Wayne Taylor Racing moved from fifth to second in the team championship.
 
“Congratulations to everyone at Wayne Taylor Racing for a fantastic victory in the inaugural Rolex Sports Car Series event at Kansas City and reclaiming the Daytona Prototype drivers’ championship,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Program Manager for the Rolex Series. “This was an incredible challenge with a number of incidents that impacted many of the top runners. Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor may not have had the fastest car on the circuit but the Wayne Taylor Racing team had the best strategy and made the fewest mistakes. In a series as competitive as this, those two factors are keys to winning races and championships.”
 
After starting third and fourth, Action Express Racing’s two Corvette DPs finished fourth and fifth.
 
In GT, Stevenson Motorsports’ No. 57 Camaro GT.R of John Edwards and Robin Liddell placed fourth. They are third in the class championship and only three points out of first place, as is Stevenson Motorsports in the team standings.
 
Earlier in the day, Edwards and Matt Bell won the GS class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in Stevenson Motorsports’ No. 9 Camaro GS.R. Both drivers led during their stints, and Edwards ran out front the final 23 laps for the duo’s second GS victory this season.
 
The next round of the Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge is the Continental Tire Sports Car Festival. Both races are set for Sunday, Sept. 8 from Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. The Rolex Series event will air live at 5 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
 
ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES QUOTES
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 10 WAYNE TAYLOR RACING CORVETTE DP
“It was a stressful two hours. It was my first time finishing a race in the DP class. To have someone like (Scott Pruett) behind me for an hour-and-a-half was stressful but I knew I had a good car behind me and had all these guys (on the team) supporting me so I wasn’t phased at all.
“We went into this race thinking we had a third- to fourth-place car. Our engineers did their homework and it paid off. The car was solid for the whole stint. We usually have tire wear issues where they drop off a little bit, but the Continentals were perfect and we could push for the whole race.”
 
MAX ANGELELLI, NO. 10 WAYNE TAYLOR RACING CORVETTE DP
“Our Corvette was really good. Jordan did a fantastic job. It’s not easy to have Pruett behind you for over an hour. I’m very happy and very proud.”
 
CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE QUOTES
MATT BELL, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO GS.R:
“The Stevenson guys have been working really hard. This one definitely goes to the guys that run the car all week. Ryan (McCarthy) our engineer really pulled off a great job making this car drivable on the oval and on the infield. These guys have been working really hard. Ryan nailed the setup. My stint was mostly on my own, which really highlighted what the team did with the car. John had a lot of battling going on, and I think he did a very good job with that. It’s not an easy task keeping Matt Plumb behind you. I’m very impressed with everything the team has done this weekend.”
JOHN EDWARDS, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO GS.R:
“The car was great. I don’t think we expected this to be one of our (most favorable) tracks but that didn’t stop us from really focusing on the setup and just trying to make the car as good as we could make it. I think we had one of the fastest cars. I think we probably weren’t as fast as the No. 13 car but ultimately Matt (Bell) was faster than Nick Longhi and did a good job to get by him. So that move early in the race – even though this is an endurance race – really played a key part in the end because I was in a position to defend against the No. 13 instead of trying to get around them.”

Mopar Racing

Mopar Racing–Beckman and Nobile Bank No. 1 Spots for Team Mopar at Brainerd

Beckman and Nobile Bank No. 1 Spots for Team Mopar at Brainerd

Defending NHRA Funny Car champion Jack Beckman scores his second straight pole in his Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Charger R/T
Beckman’s Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan takes the No. 2 Spot in his Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car
Vincent Nobile paces the Mopar-powered NHRA Pro Stock contingent with his first No. 1 spot of the season
V. Gaines qualifies his Mopar-fueled Dodge Avenger No. 3 and locks up a spot in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship
Defending NHRA Pro Stock champion Allen Johnson qualifies fifth in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Avenger, while Jeg Coughlin Jr. will begin Sunday eighth in the JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge
Brainerd, Minn. (Saturday, August 17, 2013) – Team Mopar will head into eliminations on Sunday for the NHRA Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway with a pair of drivers racing for the event win out of the No. 1 spot. Defending NHRA Funny Car world champ Jack Beckman recorded his second-consecutive pole in his Mopar-powered Dodge Charger R/T, while young Vincent Nobile also paced his class, seizing the top spot in his Mountain View Dodge Avenger Pro Stock car.

Beckman, sporting a special Don Schumacher Hall of Fame Tribute graphics wrap on his Dodge Charger to honor his team owner, was quickest after the first qualifying stanza on Friday, but fell to 12th in the night session. In his first shot on Saturday, Beckman reeled off a 4.038-second elapsed time at 313.37 mph to earn his second consecutive No. 1 qualifying effort, second of the season and ninth of his career.

“We’ve got a brand new car that only has four runs on it and two of them were low E.T. of the session,” said Beckman, who will race Bob Bode in the first round tomorrow as he seeks his first victory at Brainerd and also his first win of the season. “These guys went back after Seattle and put together a completely new chassis, we’ve got the old school body on it and I love the mix. I like the way it is running and I like our chances.”

Team Mopar will start 1-2 in Funny Car, with current points leader and Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar Dodge Charger R/T driver Matt Hagan taking the No. 2 spot with a 4.044-second pass on Friday. Hagan, who was tops on the charts until he was knocked off by his Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) teammate Beckman, will face Tony Pedregon in the opening round. All four DSR drivers will race for the money on Sunday: Johnny Gray (No. 6, 4.074) will draw Cruz Pedregon to begin his day, while Ron Capps (No. 9, 4.096) will face his friend Del Worsham. Jeff Arend (No. 12, 4.109) will face Tim Wilkerson.

Nobile, red hot with back-to-back wins at Sonoma and Seattle heading into Brainerd, retained the No. 1 qualifying spot he scored Friday with a 6.580/209.43 run in his Mountain View Tire Dodge Avenger Pro Stock car. Nobile, who competes with Mopar HEMI engines supplied by Allen & Roy Johnson’s J&J Racing team, will lineup in a Mopar vs. Mopar duel with Chris McGaha in the opening round of eliminations.

“This is pretty exciting, especially considering that we haven’t been qualifying very great this whole year,” Nobile said. “To be No. 1 at this race means a lot, and it means we have a fast race car. After coming off two wins, there’s nothing better than qualifying No. 1. I think this shows that things are going in the right direction and it couldn’t happen at a better time than now with the Countdown coming up.”

Three Mopar Pro Stockers will start in the top five at Brainerd. V Gaines put his Mopar-powered Dodge in the No. 3 spot with a 6.592 pass, and in the process punched his ticket into the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs, which begin at the NHRA Charlotte event in mid-September. Gaines will face Steve Kent in round one. Defending Pro Stock champion Allen Johnson, currently second in the point standings, was quickest in the final qualifying session with a 6.593 in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Avenger, earning the fifth starting spot and a first-round battle with Roger Brogdon. Jeg Coughlin Jr. (No. 8, 6.605) will go head-to-head with Mike Martino. Deric Kramer (No. 15, 6.680) will post his Dodge against Greg Anderson.

Summit Racing

Summit Racing–Anderson Enjoys Best Qualifying Performance of the Year in Brainerd

Anderson Enjoys Best Qualifying Performance of the Year in Brainerd
 
BRAINERD, Minn., August 17, 2013 – Qualifying is complete at Brainerd International Raceway and Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson is enthusiastic and ready for raceday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals following the best string of qualifying passes he has made all season. Anderson, of nearby Duluth, Minn., will start from the No. 2 position – his best start since the Topeka race in mid-2012.

In the first session of qualifying, Anderson was a speedy 6.600 at 209.01 mph at the finish line and was second quickest for the session. The expeditious journey down the quarter-mile was just .007-second behind the No. 1 qualifier and was good for a pair of bonus qualifying points. After closing out the first day of the event with a 6.609 at 209.17 mph, Anderson came to the table on day two loaded for a remarkable 6.588 at 209.10 mph that was quickest of the round to generate three more bonus points. In the final session, Anderson was again among the quickest of the factory hot rods with a strong and solid 6.604, 208.97 that brought in another coveted bonus qualifying point.

“I think I’ve gotten more bonus points this weekend than I have all year,” said Anderson, who will race with Deric Kramer in the first round of eliminations. “We’ve had good qualifying sessions and made four really nice runs, so I’m excited and happy. We definitely made some ground. We had a good test this week and obviously that is showing. I think everyone on the Summit Racing team is happy that we are finally able to see some fruits of our labor. We’ve been working hard and haven’t had much to show for it, but we are doing a better job.

“We could have a great chance tomorrow of winning the race, and that means a lot to both Jason [Line, Summit Racing teammate] and I, to perform well at this racetrack that we love and to have a chance to win. If we continue to race smart and do the things we’re doing, we’ll have that chance. This was definitely the best group of four qualifying runs I’ve had all year, without a doubt.”

Anderson is no stranger to quick times in Brainerd; he was the No. 1 qualifier in 2004, 2006 and 2008. However, coming so close to grabbing the No. 1 spot this time around doesn’t leave the 74-time national event winner disappointed.

“I don’t look at it that way,” said Anderson, currently seventh in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings. “I’m more pleased than disappointed because we’ve gained so much, and I would accept this as a major step forward. If we can make gains in the next few weeks like we made this week, before we get to Indy and the Countdown, then we should be a serious player. The positive way outweighs that negative. We’re excited about tomorrow. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Summit Racing

Summit Racing–Line Has a Positive Vibe Heading into Raceday in Brainerd

Line Has a Positive Vibe Heading into Raceday in Brainerd
 
BRAINERD, Minn., August 17, 2013 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line has been enjoying a very full weekend at Brainerd International Raceway and the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. The Wright, Minn., native has been surrounded by friends and family at the racetrack where he grew up, and he has had the pleasure of seeing the Summit Racing team work together to make progress with both of their Pro Stock steeds at one of the most special events on the tour for Line and teammate Greg Anderson, who hails from Duluth, Minn.

Line, currently sixth in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock points, qualified in the No. 7 position and will have lane choice over Shane Gray in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.

“The biggest challenge this weekend has really just been trying to see and talk to everyone that’s here to see us,” said Line, a second-generation drag racer. “I love coming here, and I love being home. It’s hard to split your time and do everything justice, but it’s been great.

“My Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro is certainly looking better and better, and we’ve got a ways to go before we’re really where we want to be, but I’m very excited that Greg’s car made three real nice runs. That’s a really big deal, and I think it’s just in time for the Countdown, he’s going to have a car that he can contend with.”

Anderson is the No. 2 qualifier in Brainerd and will make his best start of the season, and Line made a series of strong runs that weren’t too far off target. His 6.628 at 209.17 started the weekend with a top-half effort that continued as a theme. The second session held Line’s best time of the weekend so far, a 6.603, 209.62 that momentarily boosted him to the No. 6 spot.

Day two produces a 6.621, 208.88 and a 6.616, 209.39, and Line settled into his final qualifying position of seventh.

“Today’s runs weren’t great, and there is certainly room for improvement,” said Line. “But we can see what needs to happen. Getting there might be a little bit of a challenge, but it’s one that the KB Racing team is up for. I feel good about tomorrow – better than I’ve felt in awhile. Team Summit has one really good racecar, and one pretty good racecar. We are pretty darn close to having two Summit Racing hot rods that can contend for the championship. First, we get to race tomorrow at a track where we all feel at home.”

John Force Racing

John Force Racing–JFR IN STRONG POSITION GOING INTO BRAINERD ELIMINATIONS

JFR IN STRONG POSITION GOING INTO BRAINERD ELIMINATIONS

 

BRAINERD, MN (August 17, 2013) — John Force showed today why Brainerd International Raceway is one of his favorite tracks moving up to the No. 3 qualifying position and putting the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car in position to win the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals for the unprecedented twelfth time. Force blasted down the track in the first session today with a time of 4.050 seconds and was just a shade slower than eventual No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman (4.038 seconds).

 

Force races second year driver Alexis DeJoria in the first round tomorrow. Last year Force met DeJoria in the first round and advanced to the second round after a bizarre turn of events. Force red-lit but DeJoria smoked the tires. The rookie driver did not realize that Force had been disqualified, pedaled her Tequila Patron Funny Car and it crossed the center line. Under the NHRA’s “First or Worst” rule Force was reinstated in the race and ultimately advanced to the final round.

 

Robert Hight and the Auto Club Ford Mustang continued their strong performance at the 32nd running of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals as well. He was the only Funny Car driver to pick up qualifying bonus points in both sessions today posting the third quickest and quickest times, 4.064 and 4.067 second runs respectively. Hight’s last three runs going into his first round match-up with rookie Chad Head were 4.054, 4.064 and 4.067 seconds.

 

“Chad Head, he ran good earlier in the year. I think 4.0 flat at Charlotte so you can’t take that team lightly. We’re going to have to go up there and I’m going to have to do my job and (crew chief Mike) Neff’s going to have to make this thing run good. That’s the way it’s going to have to be every single round,” said Hight.

 

“It’s going to be won or lost on the starting line if the cars are running like they normally are. It’s not going to be easy, but I believe we’re on the right track for a breakout win. We’re starting to gel as a team and it’s a lot of fun over here. It’s time to finish it off.”

 

Hight extended his points lead over No. 11 driver Del Worsham by nearly half a round moving from three points ahead of the driver of the DHL Toyota Funny Car to 11 points going into the first round.

 

“We got two more runs in today where we made up points and that’s big. We were going up there on this last run to try to be low of the session. We weren’t trying to be No. 1 qualifier because the conditions weren’t there, but we were definitely going up there to try to be low of the session and pick up three bonus points. If you look at all of the guys who are around that top 10- Tasca and Wilkerson and Worsham- we made points up this weekend, plain and simple. It’s big, but tomorrow is a new day,” said Hight.

 

Courtney Force and the Traxxas Ford Mustang team lead by crew chief Ron Douglas made four complete and quick passes this weekend to qualify in the No. 7 spot. The team will take on Bob Tasca III in the opening round on race day.

Friday consisted of a two passes straight down the race track at 4.125 seconds and a 4.094 seconds. The California native locked into the top 12 and carried her time over to Saturday’s qualifying sessions.

“We’ve qualified in the top half of the field and picked up a couple bonus points throughout two days of qualifying which is exactly what we need. That’s the position we want to be in to work our way up and around our competitors in the points,” said Force.

Today, the 25-year-old 2012 Automobile Club Road to the Future winner ran a 4.077 ET at 316.23 mph and a 4.087 ET at 314.31 mph.

“I’m excited that our Traxxas team was able to go out and make two consistent runs in the 4.0’s today, especially because we tried a lot of new things on the car from yesterday which seemed to be working,” said Force.

Force is 5-1 to Tasca III in previous events and in two out of her three career event wins, she has dismissed the fellow Ford driver from eliminations en route to a national event title.

“Tomorrow is going to be a tough first round match-up. It’s going to be crucial for John Force Racing, but it is exciting to see Ford side by side. Tasca is a good friend of ours and I know he is going to be tough up there. I’m going to do the best I can. I think we’ve got a great hot rod with Ron Douglas tuning it. I just have to do the best job I can as a driver and try to get that win so we can help out my teammate Robert Hight clinch into the Countdown to the championship,” said Force.

Castrol EDGE Top Fuel driver Brittany Force bounced back from a disappointing first day of qualifying to make the show Saturday at Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

 

After smoking the tires her first two qualifying sessions, the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award candidate was on the outside looking in. Leading into Saturday’s final two qualifying sessions, crew chiefs Dean Antonelli, Eric Lane and Richard Hogan made the right calls that got Force down the track with great ET’s. Session three Force ran a 3.927 ET at 309.91, which was a huge improvement from the night before. In the fourth qualifying session, Force ran a quicker pass at 3.881 with a speed of 315.78. At the end of the day, she qualified No. 15 in the Mello Yello Series field for Sunday’s eliminations.

 

“We had two runs today and we definitely improved from yesterday,” Force said. “We actually got the car down the track. It shook and rattled a little bit at the top end, but we got the car all the way down that and that’s all that matters. We ended up No. 15 on the ladder and we run Spencer Massey tomorrow in the first round. I’m excited about it and we get to play tomorrow, so I’m happy.”

 

This isn’t the first time the 27-year-old has crossed paths with Massey. Force has faced the Don Schumacher Racing driver twice before in the second round and has come up short of the win both times. The Southern California native hopes third time is the charm in Sunday’s opening round of eliminations.

 

“He’s a great driver,” Force said. “I’ve talked to him so much about being out here racing and different things about driving. He’s always offered tips and help if I’ve ever needed it, so he’s an awesome guy. I’m excited to be running him. I’ve run him twice this year in the second round and he’s beat me both times, so I’m hoping it’s our turn to get the win this time.”

 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Jimmie Johnson

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – INVOLVED IN A FINAL PRACTICE CRASH AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY.
 

 
IN REGARDS TO THE ACCIDENT:
“That was definitely part of it.  I’m a little puzzled as to why I spun out going in because I’ve had great entry stability even on that run I had great entry stability.  I got a little close to the No. 27 but then again it’s not like I was right on him.  To me it felt like I lost downforce just from the traffic scenario.  I’m not really sure either way we have a torn up car and we will have to work hard to get this one ready to go.  Hopefully make a couple of laps here before this session is up and take it from there.”IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE A GOOD BACK-UP CAR:
“Very good back-up car went out and put down an eight or 10 lap run there at the end that I would put up against anybody’s time.  I hate the extra work load, but we are trying to figure out what really happened because I had no sign of lose and certainly spun out and crashed.  The No. 88 came over and he said that he felt there may have been some oil down and he slipped real bad going through there.  Then we are trying to look at our tires and get an understanding of what might have happened because lose was not in the characteristics of the car and then I end up spinning out and going in.  It would be nice to figure out why so we know, but regardless we’ve got a back-up car that we’ve gone to and hopefully the race engine is still in good shape and we can put it in the back-up car and not have any issues with our grid position.”

YESTERDAY YOU HAD A CUT TIRE WHICH WAS SORT OF ODD DID YOU GUYS FIGURE THAT OUT?
“Yeah it was a valve core issue with the right front as we are rolling into tech the valve core was leaking air and NASCAR was like ‘hey we would love to tech your car, but you need tires we air in them, so get out of line and come back’.  So we had to put a different set of tires on for qualifying and got through inspection.”

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO FOR TONIGHT?
“If we can understand why it will help us with the last adjustment we made when we were on the track and decide if that is the direction we want to go in.  Because it produced the fastest lap and then I crashed.  If not we will back up a step and then play it safe there, but it was really nice to get out there and get some laps on the car and get our heights right and get the splitter broken in.  That was real important to get at least one run on the car.”

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Action Express Fills out Second Row in Rolex Series Qualifying at Kansas City Fittipaldi third-fastest for Action Express in inaugural event

Action Express Fills out Second Row in Rolex Series Qualifying at Kansas City
Fittipaldi third-fastest for Action Express in inaugural event
 
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Aug. 16, 2013) – Action Express Racing will fill out the second row and lead the contingent of Corvette Daytona Prototypes in the inaugural SFP Grand Prix on Saturday. Christian Fittipaldi qualified third in Action Express Racing’s No. 5 Corvette DP during time trials Friday night at Kansas Speedway for the 10th round of this year’s GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
 
Fittipaldi’s best lap was 1:10.055 (121.790 mph) in the entry he shares with Joao Barbosa. The pairing is coming off a runner-up finish in the Rolex Series’ previous round at Road America last weekend.
 
Four other Corvette DPs followed Fittipaldi in the qualifying order. Burt Frisselle was fourth in the No. 9 Action Express entry at 1:10.081 (121.745 mph). The top seven cars were within 0.598 seconds at the six-turn, 2.370-mile speedway road course. Memo Rojas captured pole position.
 
Stevenson Motorsports will start from the second row of the GT grid after John Edwards qualified fourth in the No. 57 Camaro GT.R. Edwards’ lap of 1:15.528 (112.96 mph) put him within 0.572 seconds of Alex Tagliani’s pole time. Edwards and teammate Robin Liddell sit second in the GT championship with four victories to their credit. Only one other duo has won more twice this season.
 
Boris Said in Marsh Racing’s No. 31 Corvette was sixth-fastest in GT qualifying.
 
“Of course we would like to be on pole position but we have seen far too often that qualifying means little when it comes to the race,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Program Manager, Rolex Sports Car Series. “The competition is very close, especially between our Corvette DPs. There still are many unknowns at this new venue for the Rolex Series, and our teams are well-prepared to meet those challenges. That, combined with racing under the lights at this great facility, should make tomorrow’s race very interesting to say the least.”
 
In qualifying for Saturday’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race, Stevenson Motorsports’ Matt Bell was the fastest driver in a Chevrolet entry at 1:21.695 (104.437 mph). That put the No. 9 Camaro GS.R he drives with Edwards sixth on the GS grid.
 

Summit Racing

Summit Racing–Anderson Enjoys Solid First Day Out in Brainerd

Anderson Enjoys Solid First Day Out in Brainerd
 
BRAINERD, Minn., August 16, 2013 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson made a very good first impression at Brainerd International Raceway on the first day of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Duluth, Minnesota-raised Anderson, the No. 1 qualifier at the event in 2004, 2006 and 2008, ultimately earned the provisional No. 5 position and will have two more chances on Saturday to improve.

In the first session of qualifying, with his parents Joan and Rod in attendance to cheer him on, Anderson clocked a swift 6.600 at 209.01 mph to launch right up into the No. 2 spot. His strong pass was just .007-second behind the quickest run of the early round.

The second session found Anderson on the left side of the racetrack in a lane that gave most drivers trouble, but the seasoned driver with four Pro Stock championships on his scorecard still managed to race to a 6.609 at 209.17.

“The first run was real nice, but we were a little bit conservative the second run,” said Anderson. “The racetrack got a little bit better, and we got a little bit soft on the clutch. We just missed it a little bit, but the car is very happy, and I’m looking forward to the rest of this weekend. We’re supposed to have similar conditions all weekend long, and I think we can run real close to the top. We’re closer than we’ve been all year, so we’re going to keep digging and keep trying to pull forward.

“We got off to a good start today, and we were happy to see the gains that we thought we made testing earlier this week actually prove to be true. We have definitely made forward strides, and that is exactly what the Summit Racing team needs to be doing right now.”

Wood Brothers

Wood Brothers Racing–Bayne, Motorcraft Crew Find Speed When They Need It In Michigan Qualifying

Bayne, Motorcraft Crew Find Speed When They Need It In Michigan Qualifying
 August 16, 2013

Trevor Bayne’s first laps in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion on Friday at Michigan International Speedway weren’t at all what he and the team were expecting.

His best lap in practice; at 196.732 miles per hour, was 34th on the speed chart and cause for concern for a team having to qualify on speed or miss a race at the home track of long-time backer Ford Motor Company.

Between the last lap of practice and Bayne’s one lap run against the clock, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team found nearly five miles per hour. His lap at 201.337 mph was 18th fastest, putting him safely in a starting line-up topped by the Ford Fusion of Joey Logano.

Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he was proud of the work done by crew chief Donnie Wingo and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew.

“We really struggled in practice, but Donnie and the crew went to work, made a lot of changes to the car and made it much better,” Wood said. “We’re happy to be in the show, and I think the car will race well on Sunday.”

Wood was relieved to see Logano carry the day for Ford, especially at Michigan, the home track for the U.S. automakers.

“But I’m always glad to see a Ford on the pole, wherever we’re racing,” Wood said.

For Bayne, the dramatic pick-up in speed from practice to qualifying came as somewhat of a surprise.

“It kind of threw me off in practice because we were so bad,” he said. “We were really tight in the center [of the corners], hitting the splitter and not turning.”

“We went out for that [qualifying] lap and now I feel like I under-drove it because I didn’t expect it to turn that good. We got down in the corner and it never pushed and I never hit the splitter.”

Bayne, who will practice the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion Saturday morning then fly to Mid-Ohio to race the No. 6 Mustang in the Nationwide Series, said he’s more optimistic about his chances in Sunday’s race after seeing how much Wingo’s adjustments improved the handling of his car.

“We will be good in the race here if we can make adjustments like that,” he said.

Summit Racing

Summit Racing–Line Sixth on Day One in Brainerd but Wants More

BRAINERD, Minn., August 16, 2013 – The first day of qualifying is complete at the 32nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, and hometown racer Jason Line, driver of the blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, is in the No. 6 position following a pair of respectable runs down the quarter-mile racetrack in front of family and friends.

Line, who was the No. 1 qualifier at the Brainerd event in 2007 and 2011, clocked a 6.628 at 209.17 mph in his first hit of the weekend and was No. 8 at the end of the first session. Although the time on the scoreboard was a bit under what the Summit Racing team was aiming for, it provided a good foundation to build upon.

In the second session, the Mooresville, N.C., transplant cleared the finish line with an improved 6.603 at 209.62 mph and jumped up two positions to settle provisionally into the No. 6 spot heading into day two.

“I had hoped for a little bit more, but all in all, it was a pretty good day,” said Line. “We tested a few things earlier this week with our Summit Racing Camaros, and I think it helped. It’s crunch time with the Countdown to the Championship right around the corner, so we’re happy to see any gains we can at this point.”

Although the team won’t be making any major changes overnight in preparation for the final two qualifying sessions in Brainerd, Line, who hails from nearby Wright, Minn., believes that there are things that they will need to iron out before morning if they’re going to shine.

“Obviously, a 6.60 wasn’t good enough to get us up to the top,” said Line. “So you can bet that the KB Racing team is going to be working out a few details before the first session tomorrow.”

John Force Racing

John Force Racing–HIGHT LEADS WAY ON CRITICAL BRAINERD FRIDAY

HIGHT LEADS WAY ON CRITICAL BRAINERD FRIDAY

 

BRAINERD, MN (August 16, 2013) — With only two races before the Countdown to the Championship every pass down the track is important. Robert Hight and the Auto Club Ford Mustang team made the most of their efforts today posting the second quickest elapsed time of the Funny Car class to take the No. 2 provisional spot. Hight’s Mike Neff tuned Funny Car covered the 1000 ft race track in 4.054 seconds at 312.64 mph and earned two qualifying bonus points in the process.

 

“Given that we messed up the first run, we played it safe, which luckily safe turned out to be No. 2. This just shows that my guys have a great handle on this thing; to just go up there and run a 4.05 that easy,” said Hight. “We were trying to run a lot harder on that first run. If you look at the computer, it was going to try to run a 4.07 if it would have made it. We’re being aggressive, we’re counting every point and I think going to Norwalk helped because that was just two more runs we made before we came here. That gives us more experience and data. We made up points today on everybody that we’re fighting for the Top 10. It’s all good stuff.”

 

Hight is battling with three other drivers to stay in the Top Ten and possibly grab the last spot in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout. Tim Wilkerson holds down the No. 8 spot, Bob Tasca III in No. 9, Hight is No. 10, and Del Worsham is No. 11. Only Wilkerson and Hight picked up qualifying bonus points today. Only forty points or two rounds of racing separate Wilkerson from Worsham. Wilkerson was the provisional No. 3 qualifier and Tasca was No. 8 followed by Worsham in the No. 10 spot.

 

In the first session Hight and the Auto Club Ford Mustang were charging in the left lane when their Goodyear Tires came loose from the track hazing at about 700 feet and dropping Hight’s elapsed time to 4.743 seconds. The early numbers on that run were impressive and Neff the crew chief was able to build on that to put Hight at nearly the top of the pack.

 

Right behind Hight in the standings is teammate and leader John Force who moved up into the No. 4 provisional qualifying spot on the strength of his second qualifying run. Running beside Matt Hagan Force kept pace with the points leader and eventual provisional No. 1 qualifying until about 900 feet. Force crossed the finish line with a time of 4.073 seconds at a track speed record of 316.45 mph. Hagan was quickest of the day in Funny Car with a 4.044 second pass.  

 

“We went down the race track both times, nothing really exciting. We made the top ten for today, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow. All three Funny Cars are doing good, but the dragster is still struggling,” said Force and eleven time winner of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

 

Courtney Force landed in the No. 6 spot toady after the first two sessions of qualifying were complete. She picked up one bonus point for her Traxxas Ford Mustang team and continues to inch her way up in the NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car standings.  

 

“It felt great to come out here today and have our car back. It’s feeling a lot more consistent. We were able to make two great passes today,” said Force.

 

Force posted a 4.125 ET at 309.63 for the third-best pass and top speed of the round in Funny Car.

 

“In the first session we ran well. We sat No. 3 after the session was complete so we picked up one bonus point. We also had top speed of the first session so that was pretty cool too,” said Force.

 

In the second session, Force raced her Traxxas Ford Mustang to a 4.094 second run at 307.65 mph.

 

“On the second pass, we were able to improve on our time. Our Traxxas Ford Mustang made a good pass, but when we went down there it actually threw the rods out. It started acting up right at the finish line and threw the rods out right when I was hitting my chutes. I had a little bit of a fire because of that, but that’s all part of the game. We’re going to come out here tomorrow and take two more shots at it and hopefully improve from the 6th spot.”

 

“I’m excited for tomorrow. The conditions look like they’re going to be a lot different; it’s going to be hotter. But it’s definitely a good track. I’m excited to be out here at the home of ‘the zoo.’ The fans here are amazing and they have so much energy. It really makes it fun to race for them. I think we have a good race car this weekend,” said Force.

 

In Top Fuel rookie Brittany Force made her first passes at Brainerd International Raceway. Her two runs did not put her in the top twelve but she will have two shots tomorrow to post a quick enough time to race on Sunday. Track conditions were decent but getting a handle on the Castrol EDGE Top Fuel dragster proved problematic for her crew chiefs.

 

“We had two qualifying passes today, both of which that didn’t quite go as we had hoped for,” said Force a leading contender for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award.

“First run we smoked the tires at about 200 feet and the second run we smoked them a little further than that. It wasn’t what we wanted, but we get two more qualifying runs tomorrow, so I’m hoping we can get this Castrol EDGE dragster down the track and we’ll be in good shape.”

 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Qualifying Notes

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER POST QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
AUGUST 16, 2013
 
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SERTA CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED SECOND
ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:
“If you’re not running on that edge and somebody is going to find that edge and put it right there. It was a really good lap for us and our Furniture Row guys and the way we picked up speed from practice. I was hoping to get a 35.35 and that’s exactly what we ran and we’ll see where that shakes up.”
 
IN REGARDS TO HIS QUALIFYING LAP AND THE QUICK SPEEDS:
“These Generation- 6 cars are incredible.  Each team has their own way of approaching how to find speed and my Furniture Row guys have found speed week in and week out.  Just real proud of them we gained a lot of speed from practice.  I was hoping to run a 35.35, I don’t know what that does for mile and hour and we ran exactly that.  Some guys might beat us which if fine, but we will get a great starting position from there.  Cloud cover is big today and that is adding to a lot of the speed.   Last time we were here I think we qualified and the track temp was in the hundred and teens.  This time around it is around 105.”
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED THIRD
ONE OF SEVERAL CARS THAT ACTUALLY HAD TO WAIT TO GO TO GET THROUGH TECH FIRST. YOU HAD A LEAKY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND THEN YOU GOT THROUGH TECH. BUT THE CAR DIDN’T LOOK STABLE AT ALL DURING QUALIFYING:
“Yeah, I guess if you’re in the sport long enough, anything and everything will happen to you. I’ve never had a flat rolling through tech before and we had a flat rolling up on the platform and had to put new tires on this thing and come back (laughs). So, with tech going as slow as it did, it put things behind and they’re still trying to get cars through right now. But we had plenty of time to get the car prepared and ready and we were very fast throughout practice today. I definitely had my hands full on that lap. I wasn’t as efficient I guess as I probably should have been and I think I dragged a little speed out of the car but it was a very good lap. And hopefully it will keep us there I the Top 5 and we’ll go racing on Sunday.”
 
JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 CHEERIOS CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED FIFTH
ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:
“When I got out of my car, somebody said it was a good job for an old guy (laughs) and I wonder what they’re saying to him (Mark Martin).  It was a clean day. We were fast in race trim; we were fast in Q-trim. We didn’t quite have the speed that we needed for the pole. I asked for an adjustment before qualifying and got us a little too further than we needed to go, but nonetheless the car has been great all day. Wherever it ends up, we don’t care. It’s been a good day for us.”
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED SIXTH
YOU WERE FAST IN PRACTICE, BUT MAYBE THIS WASN’T THE BEST DRAW FOR YOU TODAY:
“No, and I don’t mind the draw. Going out early is not the end of the world. The problem is I finished my lap and it cools down. I got in the car; the track was 12 degrees hotter than when we first practiced. And I’m like okay, and if I can back it down I’ll be the same lap time as practice and that’s a hell of a job. And we did and look at this. It’s probably cooled down 15 to 20 degrees. But we’ll see. It’s the luck of the draw. It should give us a Top 10 start.”
 
ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WON’T BE BACK WITH THE NO. 42 TEAM NEXT YEAR:
“I don’t know where I’m going to wind up. But I’ve got to thank Target because I’ve had an awesome seven years with them here. Everybody on the team has been really good. Chip (Ganassi) and I have a really good relationship. What I’ve been telling people is whatever I’m going to do; I’d better be in a winning car.”
 
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED SEVENTH
ON HIS QUALIFYING RUN:
“I over-drove the car in Turn 1 in practice and under-drove it in qualifying and you’ve just got to hit it right on the spot. The car’s got a lot of grip. I think the track is even more abrasive than the first trip here. The cars are carrying a little more speed than they were the first trip here in practice and in qualifying. So, there’s a lot of grip and a lot of comfort out there just trying to really hit the lap perfectly and do all those things just right is kind of difficult. But we’re pretty happy with the car. I’d like to have a little more speed but that’s a good lap and the National Guard Youth Foundation car should be good for the race. We’re going to work on it tomorrow and find out.”
 
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 27TH
ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP AND HOW HE IS FEELING IN THE CAR:
“I’m comfortable in the car.  I tried to get a little too much right there.  I got really tight in (turn) one just over drove the car, but trying to get some. Get a good starting spot, but it pays more on Sunday so we will go out there and have a good run Sunday.”
 
IS QUALIFYING WHEN YOU STEP IN ANOTHER PERSONS CAR MORE STRESSFUL THAN ONCE YOU GET IN AND RACE THE CAR?
“Yeah, it is.  It’s just I’m pretty good at qualifying just struggled today just because I over drove it trying to get a little bit more.  The car was there, the car was good it just didn’t turn good enough.”
 
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 28TH
HOW DOES THIS GEN 6 CAR COMPARE TO THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE?
“Everything feels a lot better. The car feels much more stuck out there, which is good. I feel like Hendrick has done a really good job of improving the engine package as well. So, I didn’t really get what I wanted there. I thought we’d have gone quicker. But it is what it is. We tend to race a lot better than we qualify so, I was just hoping we would do all right in qualifying here because we had a nice practice, but we’ll just have to see where it ends up.”
 
WHERE DID YOU MISS A LITTLE BIT DURING THAT QUALIFYING LAP?
“I don’t know. I felt really good. I was surprised I didn’t go quicker.”
 
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 ADVIL CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 29TH
ON HIS QUALIFYING RUN: 
“We didn’t take a qualifying run, obviously. We broke an engine earlier and thank goodness we have Advil on our car because everybody had a headache. So take Advil and feel better. The speeds are so quick, the cars are traveling more than ever and we just had the splitter on the ground and you could literally smell it when I went on my get up to speed lap. It’s like wow; it’s going to be a tough lap here. It wasn’t bad. The grip of the car was actually really good, which is encouraging. It just didn’t turn good enough just from the front end being on the ground so much.”
 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Danica Patrick

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 16, 2013
 
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Michigan International Speedway, and discussed the No. 14 car, racing at Michigan and other topics. Full transcript:
 
HAVE YOU TALKED WITH TONY STEWART?
“Not since Ricky (Stenhouse) and I went and saw him in the hospital.  I haven’t talked to him, but have texted with him a little bit.  I’ve heard he’s kind of getting back in the game you know.  He wants to know everything that’s going on.  He wants to be able to hear what we’re doing.  He’s off the meds and back to life again.”
 
ARE YOU HAPPY TO HAVE AUSTIN DILLON IN THE NO. 14 CAR THIS WEEKEND?
“Yeah, it’s nice to have a teammate that you know.  Obviously, running with Austin (Dillon) in the Nationwide Series, I know him.  I love getting other drivers perspectives on the cars and just kind of hearing the way they describe things.  I think it will be good for the team.  He’s young, he’s got fire and he wants to do it.  I think he will be a good addition for however long it works out for.”
 
HOW DOES THE TRACK FEEL TODAY?
“It feels like a smooth track.  We came here earlier in the year and I struggled and didn’t feel very comfortable, but we worked really, really hard on trying to get a car that was more consistent and predictable and felt better.  Actually, we kind of started working towards it here in the race and by the end of the race I felt really good.  We had double-stinted the left sides and it was the best the car had felt.  We made a lot of improvements and have continued to make improvements since we were here last.  When I first went out on the track, I thought, ‘Man, this feels like a whole different car.’  White literally it probably is, it just feels so much better than the last time.”
 
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SPEEDS?
“I was thinking about that because we were talking about the normal pick up from practice to qualifying and that qualifying pole was slower than what quite a few people have run.  That just means in my head that all the teams have had time to work with this new car, make it better, make improvements and I think that by seeing the speeds come up from the last time, it’s a result of how hard the teams have been working to make the cars better.  We work our butts off and we do a lot of testing and it’s nice when it shows.”
 
DO THESE CARS FEEL FAST TO YOU?
“I think any car that feels comfortable and is good feels like a moderate speed and any car that is not working right and doesn’t feel good, those are the cars that feel like you’re going at warp speed.  I’ve had both in both conditions.  Gosh, I can remember back in the IndyCar days here being so loose one time and feeling like I was doing 160 miles per hour instead of 220 or whatever we were doing.  It all depends on the balance of the car.  It’s all relative.  Let’s face it, a smaller percentage when you’re working up in the 200s.”
 
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU PICKED UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF HERE IN JUNE?
“That’s what I was just saying is it feels so much better than when we were here last and that’s just a result of (Tony) Gibson (crew chief) and myself and the engineers working together and finding a setup that’s more comfortable for me right off the bat and then also working on the car itself and making improvements there.  It feels better than when we were here last.”
 
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOUNG DRIVERS MIGHT FACE COMING FROM NATIONWIDE OR OTHER SERIES INTO SPRINT CUP REGARDING EXPECTATIONS?
“I think that it’s always difficult as a driver to say the words like my goal is top-20.  It’s not what it needs to be at some point.  While you’re ultimate goal is to win and if the opportunity presents itself, you’ll be ready, you still have to set realistic goals along the way to keep yourself upbeat and to keep everybody else upbeat.  That’s been something I’ve dealt with this year.  I think coming off of last year I expected to do a little bit better and I let things get me frustrated and I let my spot on the track kind of take me out of my game a little bit I think.  I pushed the limits a little bit too much and we took that week off and I just kind of looked at the season so far and said, ‘Man, every time I try so hard something bad happens and every time I just take whatever the car will give me and whatever the race will give me they are much better days.’  It’s just figuring out you yourself what makes you work and what makes you get the best results possible.  For some it might be to get fired up and for others it might be just relax and let the race come to you.  It’s just figuring that out.  Everybody’s different.”
 
HOW MUCH DOES THAT FRUSTRATION CARRYOVER TO THE REST OF THE TEAM?
“When you’re in the middle of being frustrated and wanting more and having some tough days, you don’t think that you’re making anyone mad, but we were testing at Nashville this weekend and we were just sitting there having lunch and one of my guys said, ‘I don’t know what you’ve been doing the last few weeks, but it’s been a noticeable difference in you and everything seems to be going so much better and everybody notices and appreciates it.’  Let it be a lesson that if you think something is going on, it is.”
 
DID IT SURPRISE YOU THAT THEY SAID THAT?
“No, no.  I think the best relationship you can have is being honest with your guys and with people that you work with.  I don’t think so because being the one in the middle of it, to actually come to the realization that you’re trying too hard probably means you’re trying too hard in a pretty obvious way.  Like I said, you have to figure that out yourself, you can’t tell somebody to relax.  You want someone to push hard so you can’t just tell them to back off.  They have to figure it out themselves.”
 
HOW IMPORTANT ARE TIRES TO RACING?
“It’s the chicken and the egg.  If we didn’t have tires, you can’t go.  They’re very important of course.  Tires are very important and most importantly here at Michigan there’s a lot of strategies to tires here because it’s repave and very smooth and the tires have a lot of longevity.  You can play a lot of different strategies with them, which I think makes the racing more interesting.”
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BRISTOL?
“I’ve liked Bristol since I went there the first time.  I remember when I stepped foot onto that track, it was the day before, it was load in day and I looked out there and you’re standing on the straightaway, but it sure seems like a corner.  It’s a very cool track and a spectacle for the fans.  I feel like that is always the one that everyone says, ‘I want to come see the Bristol night race.’  I feel like the attendance lately has been great, the coverage has been great of NASCAR and I think we’ll get a lot of people out there.”
 

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Juan Pablo Montoya

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 16, 2013
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media and discussed the recent announcement that he will not be returning to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2014 and other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
HOW DID THIS WHOLE DECISION COME DOWN?  HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?
“Well to be honest with you I think I knew from quite a while ago to be honest with you.  They had an option earlier in the year and they didn’t take it so I kind of knew it was going to be something different next year and that’s it.  They confirmed it this week and that was it.”
 
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO NEXT YEAR?
“I don’t know.  The only thing I said already is I want to be in a winning car.  Whatever else I do, don’t know what I’m going to do, but I want to make sure I’m in a winning car.  It was a fun seven years with the Target car and Chip (Ganassi) and everything. We worked really hard and we had our up’s our down’s, but at the end of the day I want to win races.  He wants to win races and we want to try something different.”
 
COULD IT BE ANYTHING WITH CHIP (GANASSI) IN INDYCAR OR GRAND-AM?
“It could be with Chip it could be with somebody else.  You know with Chip something we said is number one is make sure we keep our friendship.  We are really good friends.  We have a good relationship and that was it.  It’s not that bad.”
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON SAID IT TAKES FIVE YEARS TO LEARN CUP.  AFTER FIVE YEARS IT’S THE MAGIC BETWEEN THE CREW CHIEF AND THE DRIVER.  DO YOU THINK WE WILL LOSE YOU OUT OF NASCAR AND HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT WAS LEARNING AND HOW MUCH OF IT’S TEAM?
“A lot of it was learning at the beginning, but I thought I picked it up pretty well.  I run really well.  I made the Chase in my third year.  One of the hardest things and I just said it, it’s the amount of changes.  There was never any consistency and I think that was one of the hardest things.  It wasn’t because they were doing it on purpose they were just trying new things and trying to make things better.  The problem is every time you make changes it makes it harder.”
 
ARE WE GOING TO LOSE YOU OUT OF NASCAR MAYBE?
“I don’t know.  As I said the number one priority for me is trying to be in a winning car.”
 
IS GOING BACK TO INDYCAR IS THAT AN OPTION FOR YOU?
“I don’t know we will see.”
 
HAVE YOU TALKED TO OTHER NASCAR OWNERS YET?
“Oh ages ago.”
 
I KNOW YOU HAD TALKED TO SOME IN THE PAST…
“No I mean ages ago this year as well. I’ve been looking at all my options for a while.  I wanted to make sure we had the door open to stay at Ganassi if the opportunity was here.  I have a really good… a part from the relationship with Target, the relationship with Chevy is really important to me.  It’s good.  Right now it’s actually fun.  As I said yesterday I did an interview yesterday and I said you know I’m really good friends with everybody on this team.  They mean the world to me and we’ve still got 14 races to go.  I mean we still have a lot of racing to go.  Number one thing is to keep enjoying racing and go at it every week.”
 
WHERE DOES YOUR HEART LAY RIGHT NOW WHAT ARE YOU FEELING INSIDE?
“I mean at the beginning I was really disappointed, but we kind of knew it.  From one side you knew it was going to happen, the other side, you know it’s not a bad thing.  We wanted to win races and it hasn’t happened.  We’ve been close this year, but you know what I mean for one reason or another it hasn’t really happened.  I think a change will be good for him. It will be a good change for me.  I think it will be fun.”
 
IN SOME WAYS DOES THIS TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR TO JUST KIND OF GO OUT AND LET IT HANG OUT NOW?
“Well I kind of do that every week anyway so that doesn’t change.”
 
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN INDYCAR RIDE?
“I have talked to a lot of people put it that way.  I don’t want to be specific about anybody.  I know some people are interested and I just want to make sure whatever I do as I told you I have an opportunity to win races.  I grew up winning and I’ve won at everything.  I won some races here, but I miss dominating.”
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHANCES ARE YOU WILL BE IN THIS GARAGE NEXT YEAR?
“I don’t know we will see.”
 
WHY DO YOU SAY CHANGE IS GOOD FOR YOU?
“Well you know what I mean we have been together for seven years and we had our up’s we had our down’s and I don’t know.  I think if we keep going and the results don’t come we end up hating each other and it could be worse.  We are really good friends.  We respect each other as boss and driver and as friends as well.  I think we want to make sure we keep it that way.”
 
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE?
“I mean he has made a lot of changes through the years.  A lot of changes for him were logical for me were not.  It is what it is.  He feels we need to do something different and that’s it.”
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU NEED TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL? 
“A winning car.  We had winning cars here a few weeks and I blew some, they blew some and it’s clicked, but it hasn’t clicked as much as it needs to click.”
 
DO YOU HAVE ANY POTENTIAL SPONSORS THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE TO A TEAM AT THIS POINT?
“No, you know what I mean at the moment I’m just taking my time looking at the options and I want to make sure I make the right decision.”
 
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GO TO INDYCAR?  IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME AND TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED.  YOU NEVER EXPRESSED MUCH INTEREST…
“Well I was committed to NASCAR you know what I mean and when you are committed to NASCAR you want to make sure your head is in NASCAR.  My heart always has been in open wheel.  I had a lot of fun in NASCAR and you know we will see.”
 
I JUST WONDER IF THE TECHNOLOGY, IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME…
“Oh technology in IndyCar is probably not as advanced as it was in Formula 1.  You know what I mean… not to worry.”
 
DO YOU KNOW IF PART OF THIS WAS TARGET OR IF TARGET WAS PART OF THE DECISION?
“I don’t know and I don’t ask you know what I mean.  It’s what it is whether it’s Target or Chip (Ganssi) it is what it is.”
 
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK WILL YOU CONSIDER THIS WHOLE THING A DISAPPOINTMENT?
“Oh no, I had a great seven years.  I learned a lot.  Whether you believe it or not I became a better race car driver.  It’s funny because you know we do the GRAND-AM every year and the more I do this plus my experience in open wheel the better I do.  The wiser you become you know what I mean.  My speed I believe is the same or better and I’m just a lot wiser making decisions.  I think it’s been a good experience.”
 
WITH THE SIZE OF YOUR FAMILY AND THE AGES THE KIDS ARE NOW WOULD A LIGHTER SCHEDULE PERHAPS INDYCAR BE THE WAY TO GO?
“Number one choice winning car then we will worry about the rest.”  

Chevrolet Racing

Chevy Racing–Michigan–Jimmie Johnson

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 16, 2013
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS  met with members of the media and discussed the challenge of the Michigan track, what it would mean to win here, success in the Nationwide Series versus the Cup Series, and more. FULL TRANSCRIPT:
 
TALK ABOUT RACING AT MICHIGAN THIS WEEKEND AND THE APPROACHING CHASE:
“Yes, time is going by pretty quick. The Chase is right around the corner. We’re excited to be here. The way the No. 48 ran and all of Hendrick Motorsports ran here in the Spring, we’ve all been excited to come back and hopefully have that pace and lead the race and hopefully get one of the cars in Victory Lane. I certainly want to get the No. 48 to Victory Lane. We’ve tried a lot of years now and have been very close here, but haven’t been able to pull that off. And we had issues that kept all four cars out of great finishes in the Spring race and if we can avoid the varying issues that took place, I think we stand a really good chance of getting into Victory Lane.”
 
BECAUSE YOU’VE NOT HAD TO FOCUS ON TRYING TO GET IN THE CHASE THIS YEAR, AND IN OTHER YEARS, HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING?
“We’ve worked really hard to maintain the same mindset. There was a year where we started some radical testing and concepts with the car and got off base and entered the Chase pretty weak and not up to par where we wanted to be. So, I think we learned that lesson. I wanted to say that was in 2007 or somewhere in there. But, since then, we really want to obviously perform as good as we can week in and week out. I think there’s a lot in that. And the way things are anymore, especially with the new car, you have to bring something new to the track each week and keep evolving. So, the mindset that we started the year with is really where we’re at now. We’re not making a stronger effort to try different things with the race car and the set-up. We are fortunate to have a lot of test sessions left. We just tested in New Hampshire and we’re going to test at Richmond next week. We have a few more out there that we’ll try to use to try to be prepared for the Chase. But, honestly, there hasn’t been a different mindset this year. We’ve had pace. We’re proud of that. We need to execute. We’ve left some wins on the table and we need to not do that. But, we’ve got to keep inching forward. We can’t sit still. And we’ll try to carry that momentum right into the start of the Chase.”
 
THIS TRACK (MIS) HAS BEEN NAMED ‘TRACK OF THE YEAR’ IN TERMS OF FAN EXPERIENCES. WHAT DO THE DRIVERS THINK OF IT?
“This track has always been high on the drivers’ list. The repave brought us back down to a pretty narrow racing groove. And in time, we know that will change and we can start racing around the top of the race track once again. The asphalt is too good these days. They just put down such good stuff that  it doesn’t wear out or age anytime quick and pins us down to a narrower lane. But I love coming here. This track has worked very well with myself and the young fans; we have a package that we do here with them and I go out and spend some time with the kids. So, I’m very proud of what this race track does with the fans.”
 
TALK ABOUT THE WINDWARD DREAM CRUISE YESTERDAY. WHAT WERE YOU DRIVING AND HOW WAS THAT?  ALSO TALK ABOUT GOING TO BRISTOL NEXT WEEK AND THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING AROUND THAT TRACK:
“At Bristol, we run well. We are probably a Top 3 or Top 5 car there in most circumstances. We were able to get a win once and we definitely want to be better. Not that I’m content with running in the Top 3 or Top 5, but from where I started off, in being a lap down 50 laps in and running 20th all the time there (laughs), I now enjoy going to Bristol. I’m excited to go there. For the longest time, I dreaded going there. I loved watching the races there and being a fan, but in the car was pretty tough on me. So, we certainly hope to be better and we want to go to Victory Lane again.
 
“At the Windward Dream Cruise, I drove my ’67 Camaro that I built in ’05. It’s been through a few modifications since then. But it has the LS9 engine in it right now and the C5 suspension under it with the ’67 body on it. So it’s a good driving car. It has lots and lots of power and it also turns and stops. So, it’s a fun car to drive. I was able to lay down a little rubber yesterday and drift the car around a little bit and not get pulled over and get arrested, so that was fun.”
 
THIS IS ABOUT THE ONLY TRACK WHERE YOU’VE BEEN TO MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES AND HAVEN’T WON. DO YOU KEEP THAT CHECK LIST OF PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE AND HAVEN’T WON? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PLACE THAT HAS KEPT YOU FROM WINNING?
“Yeah, I do pay attention to the tracks I haven’t won at. It’s more on the front side going to the event and building excitement about racing at the track and wanting to win. When the race starts, it doesn’t go through my mind at that point. It has when opportunity slips by, especially here. We’ve been so close that it certainly enters my mind at that point.
 
“But we’ve had varying issues here and those only consistent one, I would say, has been fuel mileage. We’ve worked hard to improve the car. And then I’ve worked real hard on my driving style to get better fuel mileage here. It seems like we’ve covered that gap, but we’ve had a mechanical or two. We blew a tire this last Spring when we were here. So, there have been a lot of reasons why. But I really look forward to the day I’m able to pull into Victory Lane over here.”
 
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE AN ANOMALY BECAUSE YOU’VE HAD SO MUCH MORE SUCCESS AT THE HIGHER CUP LEVEL (MORE THAN AT NATIONWIDE LEVEL). DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT CLICKED FOR YOU WHEN YOU MOVED UP?
“Yeah, probably. I look at (Tony) Stewart’s Nationwide career and I think our paths were kind of similar where we didn’t have great success in Nationwide. For me, when I started in Cup, that was my fifth year ever in a stock car. So I think I was really green in my Nationwide days; not only as a rookie in the sport and the cars and the tracks, but in stock cars in general.  I had two years in ASA prior to my first year of Nationwide. So, I think I was just behind. And the right circumstances came together being with Hendrick and all of that and my maturity level in the car and understanding everything came along and I kind of peaked at the right time. But when I look at the Nationwide Series today, and I haven’t driven one of those cars in a while, there is great benefit in being in the series and to learn the tracks and kind of learn the basics and fundamentals of adjustments on the car. But I think you can get trapped in those cars too long and develop habits that don’t work in the Cup Series. The Cup cars have so much more power. And you have to drive them so differently that I think it can do some damage if you stayed too long in the Nationwide Series.
 
INAUDIBLE:
“I agree. And you don’t know until you get in there. And when you look at Kyle’s background (reference Kyle Larson) and he’s driving cars with far more power than grip, I think the Cup car will suit his style far better than a Nationwide car. But you do need that foundation of knowing these tracks because when we show up, our fastest lap we run all weekend will probably be our first lap right now. And if Kyle Larson wants to go to Cup next year, that’s tough to do. He’s going to need the whole session to get where he needs to and then you’re five or six adjustments behind the fast guys. And that’s when the Nationwide Series is so good. You can learn the tracks and understand some things there. But you’ve just got to be careful to not stay there too long.”
 
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE GEN 6 CAR AND WHY YOU HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR? WHAT WOULD A WIN AT MICHIGAN MEAN TO YOU?
“Th
e Gen 6 car, I think Hendrick does a very good job in responding to rules changes or rules that are put out or new cars or whatever it may be. And not always, but most times, we get on top of stuff faster than others. I think that’s been a big benefit to us and plays into the Gen 6 car and the success that we’ve had. A win here would be awesome. It would be a huge victory to win here; especially with how close I’ve been. We’ve had at least five or six that could have happened.”
 
WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE SO TOUGH AT THIS MICHIGAN TRACK?
“The track is so different than it’s been in the past that you’ve got to maintain track position. That’s really the key. In the Spring race, we didn’t qualify well but we were able to get to the front. And then through pit strategy, we lost track position a few times and were able to recover. But in the end, I ran the right front (tire) off the car and blew a tire and hit the wall (laughs). So, I think the secret to winning here really falls into the hands of the engineer and the crew chief in what decisions they make late in the race to maintain track position. I think that’s where the key is. For the driver, when you’re out there practicing, you’re going so fast around here and you’re usually running by yourself, that it’s easy to set the car up to run in clean air. And you don’t always get that luxury. So being aware, through practice sessions and even trying to run a little bit in traffic to understand the balance shift, is going to be key today and tomorrow.”
 
WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN YOU HEARD THE JUAN PABLO MONTOYA NEWS THIS WEEK?
“A little bit. Juan has been with Ganassi for so long that it did catch me off guard. I’m used to seeing Ganassi winning races and running up front through the open wheel world and I would imagine there would be a shake-up at Ganassi through the off-season. But that did catch me off-guard. They’ve been through some crew chiefs. If I look at the evolution of things, you usually go through a couple of crew chiefs and a driver change and that’s kind of what’s going on. So, yes; shocked, but the more I think about it I feel like there was some change coming there.”
 
WHAT IS IT THAT IS SO DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM OTHER RACING DISCIPLINES TO THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES?
“For me, I feel like you need five years to really know the tracks and the cars and that was really my evolution through the ASA racing through Nationwide and then Cup. So, Juan (Montoya) is at that seven or eight year mark. You kind of get to a spot where you’ve got the experience and there are many reasons why things might not work and I firmly believe in the relationship between the driver and the crew chief is where the magic lies; especially once you’re past that five year mark. One thing that I don’t have first-hand experience with is driving a high downforce car. But in talking with Juan and in talking with Dario (Franchitti) and even Danica (Patrick), it is such a different world in a high-downforce car than in what our vehicles do.
 
“So, there are challenges there that I don’t understand and sensations that I don’t get and understand. And through all that, I’ve been kind of curious to watch the driver go from stock cars into open wheel. Would it be as difficult or would it be easier for a driver to go to a low downforce situation to a high downforce situation and where that would be. But either way I guess my situation isn’t exactly true, but when you race against people that started off thinking sedan-style vehicles at a young age, that’s all they’ve known their whole life, I think there is something in that.
 
“And I say that, and that’s not my situation. But I want to believe there’s something in that too, where running in open wheel vehicles his whole life, and the same for Dario or Danica, there are just thing that are engrained in their habits and the way they drive that may not apply to what a stock car needs.”
 
HOW CAN TESTING THE GEN 6 CAR HELP YOU GET AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHER TEAMS?
“We spend so much time trying to get the cars in an ideal aero situation. The faster the car goes, the more importance aero plays. We are breaking track records everywhere we go. The speeds are up and the aero balance is more and more important. And we’re going to great lengths to get the right attitude in the car and the proper downforce and maximize the downforce that’s available. That’s really where we’re at right now. So as long as we can keep working in those areas, and I think that leads to the troubles that we have on some tracks with passing because you’re so aero-dependant that when you lose the aero assistance and you’re just sitting on the mechanical set-up of the car that’s underneath it, the car isn’t ideal at that point. But that’s the world we live in. Aero is everything.”
 
 

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