CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES INDIANAPOLIS 500 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT MAY 16, 2024 CHEVROLET TOPS INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE FOR SECOND DAY AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, and Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, led Team Chevy in first and second respectively on the third day of practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500.O’Ward’s fastest lap of 228.861 mph set speed over the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field, with McLaughlin trailing slightly with 227.316 mph.Chevrolet finished with five in the top-ten representing the Bowtie brand at the conclusion of Thursday’s practice session.A total of 1,896 laps were completed during Thursday’s on-track activity, with Chevrolet completing 878 laps.Friday’s practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow.Fast Friday will see the boost turned up, where drivers and teams get a bump to 1.5 bar from 1.3 bar, adding approximately 100 horsepower ahead of Saturday’s practice and the first day of Indianapolis 500 qualifying. TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT:Pos. Driver1st      Pato O’Ward (228.861 mph)2nd    Scott McLaughlin (227.316 mph)5th     Josef Newgarden (226.684 mph)8th     Ed Carpenter (226.115 mph)9th     Will Power (225.675 mph)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes);Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“That was a good day for us. The No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team just keeps working hard to get the car in the window. We did some qualifying runs today, and while I wish we had more time for those, the rain had other plans. There are no big issues, though, so I’m happy. Tomorrow is Fast Friday; time to go fast.” Callum Ilott, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“That was a really good day for the team. The No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team made some big improvements overnight and did a good job sorting everything out. We started the day with race runs, and the car continues to feel better and more comfortable. The afternoon was cut short a bit by weather, but I got a good feeling for our qualifying setup, as well. I think we’re in a good place going into tomorrow when everything gets turned up a bit. The team is working well together right now, and tomorrow we’ll see where we really stand.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We had another very good day today, and I’m leaving the day feeling pretty strong in traffic. The No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet is in a good window. I’m looking forward to turning up the boost tomorrow for Fast Friday and focusing on qualifying.” Kyle Larson, No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“The day didn’t go as we hoped. When we wanted to do runs in a pack, there were no packs on the track. When we wanted to do single-car runs, cars would pull out in front of me. It was frustrating.” Brian Campe, Technical Director at Hendrick Motorsports and Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 17 Arrow McLaren’s Indianapolis 500 Race Strategist:“We haven’t got as much running as we’d like to today, which happens around here with rain and things like that. We’re prepared. Kyle (Larson) is just working through all of the procedures for qualifying. We’ve got a lot of those boxes ticked there. Kind of got bit by some traffic, and then by the rain, so we haven’t got a full qualifying sim in but we’re trying to check as many boxes as we can.” You’ve worked with many great ones at the speedway. You’re talking about some of the most well-rounded drivers of the last ten years or so – Juan Pablo Montoya, Kyle Larson’s name comes to mind. Do you see similarities in the two?“Sure. I think you could easily draw the similarities. I think while you’re in it, you don’t realize it but in maybe a couple of weeks, we’ll talk about it in, and it’ll be come more clear. We’re focused on making the best qualifying effort with the weather. Not sure what’s going to happen the next two days. We’re just really focused on that.” When you were here with Juan (Pablo Montoya), including winning in 2015, you had the benefit of experience. He was a former winner. How different is the process with a true INDYCAR Rookie in Kyle Larson?“The driving part is well taken care of; the skill part is checked. It’s just the procedure differences – leaving pit lane, all the buttons to push and all those things, things to remember, and the fact he can actually adjust the car, which is just laps – he’ll get that figured out.” He adjusts his sprint car and midget a lot, but I don’t think he bothers…“I think that speaks to his skill and focus on his driving. We’ll certainly help him out here. We have the telemetry and we’ve been adjusting ourselves too, and just telling him what we think he needs to do and then he responds. So, it’s going well.” When you left Team Penske to join Hendrick Motorsports, did you think you would be back for the Indianapolis 500?“No. I never thought this would be a possibility, so I really appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Hendrick, Jeff Andrews, Gavin (Ward), Zak (Brown), and everyone at Arrow McLaren to put that trust in me to come back over here after being away for a while. I’m really enjoying it.” How much translation do you have to do with Kyle (Larson) from INDYCAR jargon into NASCAR dialect?“There is a little bit, but it’s a racecar, right? He speaks racecar pretty well, and everyone here understands. It’s just a racecar, right? Sure, they look different, but when you get down to the stuff that matters, it’s all the same.” You didn’t get the start today you may have wanted with the engine change and put you behind timing-wise. Where do you stand with qualifying looming?“I think we’re probably a run or two behind from where we want to be. You know, it happens. We had the unfortunate of changing an engine, but the reliability and power are most important. Chevrolet, we didn’t want to ruin a day by having an engine change in the middle of the session, so it the best thing for us to do and it’s just part of the month of May. Things come you don’t expect, and you just adjust.” Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Chevrolet:“Weather was another issue (today), a little bit of a stop and start, but we got through some things we needed to. Found a comfort level that I needed in the race trim. We came back out for qual sims, but of course it rained. Looking forward to going fast and left tomorrow a whole lot tomorrow with the added boost. Added horsepower, higher speeds, good times.” Conor Daly, No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Chevrolet:“There’s a few bits and bobs and I think they know definitely know what it is (referring to issues on his run that ended his day). That’s good. We can fix it. It could have been way worse, so pretty thankful for that not being way worse. Honestly, that run alone makes me feel a lot better because that was our first time actually going into qual trim and the car was super easy to drive. It was pretty decent in qual trim. We didn’t even have to change gears or anything in the course of the qual run. Just to have that speed in it that we had, I think we’re not upset about it, and overall in the race running, we’re okay. We want to win this race, so we need to fight with the Palous and the McLaughlins, and those guys look really good. I haven’t seen Colton (Herta) out there yet, but he looks good as well. We just need a couple more pieces, but obviously now we’re in qual mode. We’ll see what happens. We’re going to gain, we just need a few more things.” Ed Carpenter, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“It was an awkward day and not totally how we planned it. We had an issue earlier in the day that cost us some track time which is frustrating. We were able to sort everything out, but I wasn’t able to get as many laps as I wanted to. My teammates were able to do more work on qualifying simulations so we will look at what they were able to do. We will be in a good place heading into tomorrow.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“We started the day with qualifying simulations, and it felt good. We checked off our list today and are continuing to work through everything we need to ahead of this weekend. We tried to get some race running in at the end, but the weather didn’t cooperate long enough to do that. Ready for Fast Friday!” Christian Rasmussen, No. 33 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“We didn’t get too much running in, but we were able to focus on our qualifying simulations. I am learning and practicing everything that I need to do during a qualifying attempt, and I am feeling good. Each lap it gets easier and easier to keep my foot flat. Everyone wished for a bit of traffic running towards the end, but the weather in Indy this time of year is unpredictable. We will take what we worked on today into the rest of the week before we go all in on Saturday.”  Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“We finished the second day of (Indianapolis) 500 practice. We had good progress. We finished 26th today, which is better than the last day. We are going to try to do another step tomorrow and try to do a good qualifying (run) on the weekend.”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN CHEVROLET – Thursday Practice End of Day Press Conference Transcript:THE MODERATOR: Wrapping up this Thursday practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge looking ahead to Fast Friday tomorrow, But P1 today overall, Pato O’Ward in his 56 laps turned, top speed of 228.861 miles an hour, at least a top average speed around this two-and-a-half-mile oval. Driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet set to qualify for his fifth Indianapolis 500, best finish was second a couple of years ago. Did you get all the boxes checked and that sort of thing today? PATO O’WARD: Yeah, we did. We got a pretty fat tow lap on the board, which was unexpected, I would say. But yeah, I’m happy with my car. We did race runs. We did qualifying runs. Obviously it doesn’t necessarily translate perfectly to when the boosts come up just because the speed is so different. But I mean, tomorrow if it does rain out, at least we got a bit of a feeling of what the car is tending to want to do on a bit more trim level. Q. Looks like maybe rain ends towards the morning, maybe some afternoon running, so it could be crucial with another 100 horsepower tomorrow?PATO O’WARD: Oh, yeah, you feel it. It’s so cool. Honestly, it’s one of the coolest parts about the whole process is just those four laps in qualifying. They can be very enjoyable, but they can be miserable, as well. Like you’ve got to get it right, and puts a lot of emphasis on — you’ll really see a lot of the work that these teams go through in the off-season making those things go as fast as possible. Q. When you get that extra boost, does the track visually look different because things are coming at you a little bit faster?PATO O’WARD: Yeah, I mean, everything just gets — you feel the difference. I think the biggest thing is there’s so much more speed that you’re carrying through the corner. Front right takes a bit more of a beating, and whenever it does decide not to give you that peak grip from lap 1 to lap 4, that wall comes fast, really, really fast. Q. Alex said last week that you also can hear the speed because the wind sounds a little bit different going —PATO O’WARD: You can hear the engine. You can hear the different pitch of the engine that it’s producing. It’s freaking badass. Q. Is that a pitch you’d like to have all the time here?PATO O’WARD: Oh, my God, those boosts for racing would be gnarly. Too gnarly I’d say. I wouldn’t say no. Why not? Q. You should have seen the engines in the ’90s, early ’90s. With the lack of running on Tuesday, like 20-something minutes, and then a couple hours yesterday, what’s the level of frustration that you have knowing that this forecast is just stopping all this extra running that you could have done and checked even more boxes off instead of just doing almost everything today?PATO O’WARD: Zero, I’d say. I don’t mind it. If it rains, it rains. If it doesn’t rain, it doesn’t rain. I’m enjoying the process either way. It’s really cool to be a part of it, and I feel like every year it goes on, you really get to kind of see what it is to Indianapolis and what it is to the INDYCAR community. No, I mean, if it rains, I’ll just go to my bus. I had a lot of hours at the bus yesterday.But when we’ve actually had some time on the track, it’s been pretty intense. Like I didn’t get out all afternoon basically until it started raining again, and we got quite a few running laps. Then today, it was a beautiful day. Right now it got a little cloudy. We almost got through our whole list of testing. Q. With the cars being a little bit lighter, how much different does the car handle, especially in traffic?PATO O’WARD: I feel like that’s very weather dependent. To be honest, at least from my side, I haven’t really been able to tell the difference of balance shift with this new lighter aeroscreen on the superspeedway. I felt it on the road course and street course car balance, but I haven’t really felt it on the superspeedway. It’s not like last year we were slower. We weren’t. I think the speeds are pretty much what — you’ll probably see the same thing as you saw last year. It would be cool to go a little bit faster. It always makes it better for the spectacle. Yeah, not really, not much change I’d say. Q. I’m trying to be an optimist, but if tomorrow there is no running, presumably they would give you some time with the boost before qualifying. How much practice would you need say —PATO O’WARD: Oh, yeah. We’re going to need to get a few runs in with the boost. You’ll see guys today getting super consistent four-lap runs, but as soon as those boosts come up, some fourth laps for people are going to be like — I mean, you feel it. It’s just so much faster. The car just goes to a different dimension with the boost. It’s really almost incomparable to what it is now. Right now you try and pepper it in as good as you can, but you’re going way faster. It’s a lot more downforce, but you’re also trimming more. It’s a very different — yeah, very different car at that point. Q. They need to give you at least a couple hours —PATO O’WARD: Yeah. I think everybody would like to get at least two outings I would say. Problem around here is that there’s 34 cars, and if there’s another car on track, you’re getting towed, no matter how far back you are. You try and have maybe two, maybe three cars on track at the same time, nicely spaced out, but sometimes you just can’t time it, or people obviously will put their program in front of yours. But as long as we can get a read of what it’s like. Q. I understand where you are. You’re obviously in a good place. You’ve got a good car. But your teammate Kyle Larson had an engine change. I don’t know how many laps he ended up with, but he only had like 11 through mid-afternoon before he got out there and did some qual sims. Do you feel empathy for those guys who haven’t had much experience who haven’t gotten a lot of time over the last three days and do you feel like you have an edge over them?PATO O’WARD: I didn’t know they were going to do an engine change, and then I asked around and it seemed like it was a mileage thing, like it was going to happen. But obviously it’s not ideal for them to not get the same amount of laps, considering he’s new to INDYCAR. He’s new to the Indy 500. He’s new to basically everything that has to do with the Indy 500 and with the car and everything. For them, I do hope that it doesn’t rain much more because I’m sure they’ll enjoy to get some laps in. But Kyle looks comfortable. I think he’s fine. Like I said, today guys can be looking so comfortable, but as soon as the boosts come up, it might completely change direction, or it might be, oh, I feel as good or even better. Really got to see tomorrow. Q. Obviously you got a little bit of full-field action the past few days, but today just consistently with a more packed track, was that something that you were looking forward to just to be on the track with a lot of the other drivers, as well?PATO O’WARD: Yeah, I was. It’s always fun to go out there and start playing around with everybody and just seeing kind of what cars are fast, what cars are not as strong as you or stronger than you. Just every lap around here, you learn. Q. You said that you were pleased with your car and it felt good. What about it felt good, and why do you feel like you were able to go so fast today?PATO O’WARD: Just when it’s not trying to kill you, it’s a lot more enjoyable. Q. Pato, to piggyback, if Friday and Saturday are washed out, how crazy is Sunday going to be?PATO O’WARD: What happens if that happens? Do we just push everything back two days? Like Saturday would be Sunday — Q. Full field qualifying on Sunday. We’ll see. Depends on television, too.ALEX PALOU: It’s TV, so we would –PATO O’WARD: Would they shorten up the 34 qualifying to get Fast 12 and — Q. I’m sure we’d try to get it all in on Sunday.PATO O’WARD: Yeah, I don’t know. Yeah, it’s beyond my knowledge, I guess. Q. Pato, you mentioned earlier about everybody needs to have a shot at the extra boost if it does rain tomorrow, but is the scheduled amount of practice Saturday morning enough?PATO O’WARD: For everybody to get a shot? Probably not. But we’ll just see. It’s Indianapolis, man. It could say it was raining and then it’s like, oh, cleared out, and we’ll get two, three, four hours of running. It is what it is. Q. We’ve all been at this track for a lot of years. You are relatively new but you’ve been here long enough to know that it’s really rare when you get full days in consecutively. How difficult is that from a team standpoint, a preparation standpoint? I guess a lot of people say the downtime or the boredom is probably the hardest part to deal with for you guys.PATO O’WARD: Honestly, sometimes I think it’s not a bad thing to have the rain because sometimes there is so much time to be doing so many changes, it’s so easy to get out of rhythm. Yeah, it is what it is.

CHICAGO, IL (May 16, 2024) — For over 20 years, Top Fuel racer TJ Zizzo has been rolling into Rt. 66 Raceway chasing a dream. The Chicago native racing with his family team owned by his father Tony Zizzo, also a drag racing veteran, has proven time and time they are serious competitors. This weekend at the Gerber Collision & Glass Rt. 66 Nationals, May 17-19, Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum sponsored Top Fuel dragster will be looking to continue a streak of success with a consistent goal in mind. The team has won rounds and captured upset victories on race day, but standing in the winner’s circle hoisting the famed Wally trophy on Sunday afternoon is the ultimate prize.
 
“We are a family-owned team with crew members that have been with us for over 30 years,” said Zizzo, from his Chicago-based shop. “We come out to the races with winning as our number one goal. We have worked throughout the offseason making our race car better. Last year we built a new race car and made a big jump but this year we are in an even better position to really make quick runs and win some rounds. This Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster has been so close, and I think we can get there. I have so much confidence and cannot wait to get to the track.”

 
TJ Zizzo and Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team ready to get their season started at Route 66 Nationals,
photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

This year Zizzo Racing and the entire NHRA racing community will have a special person on their minds as they enter race weekend in Chicago. Over the off-season, Chicagoan and NHRA Hall of Fame driver and team owner Don Schumacher lost his battle with cancer. Throughout the weekend there will be several opportunities to celebrate Schumacher’s life and accomplishments on and off the track. For Zizzo the loss is especially hard because Schumacher was a great friend, mentor and supporter of his race team and family.
 
“Don Schumacher is one of the major reasons Zizzo Racing is still getting to do what we love at the highest level,” said Zizzo. “He was a great friend and mentor. His impact on racing and the Chicago business community was massive. I think about him every day and every time I go into the shop, I am thankful for every opportunity, every conversation, and the words of encouragement he gave me and our team. He was one of the iconic figures in our sport and this weekend will be a celebration of his generosity and impact.”
 
Last year Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team which also added support this season from Dundee Heating and AC, Indak, Blager Concrete,Master Truck and Trailer and recently announced an extension with Button Transportation raced to the semifinals from the No. 16 qualifying position. This was the third time Zizzo won rounds as the No. 16 qualifier at the Chicago national event. He raced to the semifinals, his best effort at his home track in over two decades. The veteran team has proven that when the chips are down, they will not give up.
“Winning from the No. 16 spot is hard but also there is no pressure,” said Zizzo. “I do not put pressure on myself no matter where we are qualified. For our team we just need to get runs to get the best information and we use every round of qualifying to get better on race day we always surprise people. I do not care where we are qualified as long as we are in the show. There are a lot of good race cars that will be racing in Chicago, and we will be ready for whoever we have to race.”
 
Zizzo’s best qualifying effort came in 2018 when he raced to the No. 5 spot only to be upset in the first round by Scott Palmer. In 2017, Zizzo qualified No. 8 and took out Pat Dakin and Brittany Force in the first two rounds only to be ousted by eventual winner Steve Torrence in the semifinals. That finish would stand as Zizzo’s best effort prior to his semifinal finish last year, but not the most memorable race.
 
As the No. 16 qualifier in 2012, Zizzo upset No. 1 qualifier and fellow Chicagoan Tony Schumacher in the first round before losing to Hillary Will in the quarterfinals. The first round race was an epic effort for Zizzo who was first off the starting line against the sure-fire Hall of Famer Schumacher, .092 to .120, and he never trailed in the drag race. Prior to that race Zizzo was 0-5 versus the world champion. As Schumacher crossed the finish line, his engine let go in a huge fireball.
 
“We have had so many memorable moments in Chicago we want to make some new memories this year,” said Zizzo. “Last year we almost made it to the final. We ran great in the first two rounds and then smoked the tires against Josh Hart in the semis. You look at the competition now and it will be a fun weekend. I think you could see the quickest Top Fuel field in history if the weather cooperates so we will need to be prepared.”
 
Zizzo has raced at Rt. 66 Raceway more than any other facility on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour. He will be surrounded by family and friends throughout the weekend. The added support is something that Zizzo enjoys and relishes.
 
“We love racing in Chicago,” said Zizzo. “It is our hometown track. Our sponsor Rust-Oleum is right up the road, so we get great support from them. I have family and friends from all over Chicago come to the races. The guys from the body shop come out. It will be an amazing weekend, and we want to put on a good show. I am so glad we are back here racing.”
 
In addition to the on-track activities, Zizzo will bring back his traditional Saturday morning pancake breakfast for the fans and his fellow competitors. The fan-favorite event is a way for Zizzo and his team to say thank you for the support and have some fun engaging with his fan base. The pancake breakfast will once again be held at the Rust-Oleum pit area on Saturday morning starting at approximately 8:30 a.m. and after the breakfast Zizzo will be the featured guest for Nitro School and interactive Q&A stage show with NHRA announce Alan Reinhart in the professional pit area.
 
“One of the many things that set NHRA drag racing apart from all other sports is the fan access,” said Zizzo. “On Saturday I will be serving pancakes to fans and then during Nitro School Alan and I will give fans insight into how the cars work. For long-time fans it is a chance to say hello again and for new fans we hope to give them tips to enjoy the race day a little better. I know I will be signing tons of hero cards all weekend and that is what makes NHRA unique.”
 
Qualifying for the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals will begin on Friday, May 17 with two sessions of the four professional categories. On Saturday, fans will be treated to two more qualifying sessions. The quickest 16 race cars, dragsters and motorcycles will race for the famed Wally trophy beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The race will be broadcast nationally on FS1 Sunday evening.
 

2003 USAC Triple Crown winner continuing passion of dirt track racing with new team owner

CONCORD, NC (May 16, 2024) – J.J. Yeley has spent his last 20 Memorial Day weekends competing in the most prestigious races in motorsports and this year he’ll add a new event to that list.

The NASCAR veteran and former USAC champion will make his debut with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota at Millbridge Speedway – Tuesday-Wednesday, May 21-22 – for the DIAEDGE Double Down Showdown.

“Regardless of where I am in my life and career, I’ve always been a dirt guy,” Yeley said. “That’s always been my passion. That’s where I started my career. Even though I’ve spent 20 years in NASCAR, I’ve run IndyCar, I’ve always kept the dirt side of things close to my heart. It didn’t matter if it was Midgets or Sprint Cars.”

Yeley, 47, of Phoenix, AZ, will get behind the wheel of the Avanti Windows & Doors-sponsored, Stanton-powered Ripper Chassis Midget for one of open-wheel racing’s newest teams – Petty Performance Racing (PPR), which was founded by fellow Arizona-native and Avanti CEO Jerry Petty in fall 2023.

Though it’s been roughly 20 years since he last competed full-time in the USAC ranks, Yeley has found pockets of time to be able to keep in touch with his dirt roots. He made scattered starts in the mid-2000s after taking on NASCAR full-time, but soon made efforts to scale back on the dirt after a hard crash sidelined him.

“The scheduling was always more difficult to do,” Yeley said. “After I was injured in 2009 at Lakeside (Speedway) in a USAC Non-Wing Sprint Car, I pumped the brakes a little bit on some of the events that I did, and then became more comfortable going back and doing it.”

In April, Yeley competed in a USAC CRA Sprint Car race in Arizona, piloting one of Petty’s Non-Wing Sprint Cars to an eighth-place finish.

Petty has been a supporter and investor of dirt track racing for many years, sponsoring multiple events and putting the Avanti logo on the side of several cars across the country. He’s had a strong connection with the Yeley family in sponsoring J.J.’s father Jack, who won several Midget championships around Arizona in the 1980s and 1990s.

Petty broke new ground on the foundation of his PPR race team for 2024, putting a Non-Wing Sprint Car operation together for Indiana racer Kyle Cummins, and a new Midget for Yeley’s own endeavors this season.

“Jerry Petty has been a sponsor of my dad for the last couple years, fantastic guy,” Yeley said. “He reminds me of a modern-day J.W. Hunt.”

Yeley debuted the Midget at the Chili Bowl Nationals in January but had limited results after experiencing mechanical issues during the week.

“It wasn’t a good barometer for what I feel the car has the capabilities of,” Yeley said.

He said he’s resolved those issues and will be ready to go at Millbridge, despite the limited time he’s spent on track with the car.

“Gonna go at it a little bit blindly, but it’s nothing new to show up to the racetrack and just have to make adjustments, see if we can find the speed and do what we need to win the race,” Yeley said.

He’ll race Millbridge next week as one of the only driver, mechanic and crew chief entrants in the field. Yeley said as far back as his days as a full-time USAC racer, he has always been most comfortable as the head wrench on his equipment – something he feels gives him an edge over the competition.

“As far as calling the shots, I’ve always been best doing that myself,” Yeley said. “If it’s not a good night, there’s no one to blame other than myself. If it came down to hard work, perseverance, the success comes from having to do it yourself and not necessarily relying on other people to get the job done for you.”

It’s been almost two years since his last national Midget series start, but he hasn’t forgotten how to wheel. Yeley is taking the two-day event at Millbridge seriously, armed with great equipment, a “DIY” attitude and the spirit of hard work.

“I’m showing up to win,” Yeley said. “There’s no participation trophy in my world; there never has been.”

See Yeley and his new Petty Performance Racing ride compete against the stars of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota at Millbridge Speedway next Tuesday-Wednesday night, May 21-22, in the third annual DIAEDGE Double Down Showdown.

Tickets will be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t be there in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

The first leg of the 2024 PFL Playoffs will be taking place at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on August 2nd. This is the PFL’s first visit to Nashville, and is sure to be an event to remember. Don’t miss your chance to watch Heavyweights and Women’s Flyweights punch their ticket to the PFL World Championship.

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The second event of the 2024 PFL Playoffs will take place on August 16th at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. MMA’s League makes its long-awaited return to Hollywood, Florida with Light Heavyweights and Lightweights looking to secure their title shot.

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The third and final event of the 2024 PFL Playoffs goes down on August 23rd at The Anthem in Washington D.C. After a successful D.C. debut back in 2023, the PFL looks to one-up itself with Welterweights and Featherweights fighting for the opportunity to close out the year with a $1 million prize at the 2024 PFL World Championship.

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CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES INDIANAPOLIS 500 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT MAY 15, 2024 CHEVROLET LEADS THE SECOND DAY OF PRACTICE, FINISHING WITH FOUR IN THE TOP-FIVE Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, led Team Chevy and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field with a fastest speed of 229.493 mph at the checkered flag of the second day of Indianapolis 500 practice.McLaughlin’s teammate Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, followed in second with his fastest speed of 228.767 mph to give the Bowtie brand lead of the top two positions on day two.Chevrolet finished with four in the top-five, five in the top-seven, and six in the top-10 at the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice session.A total of 2,084 laps were turned overall on Wednesday, with Chevrolet completing 979 laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Thursday’s practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been extended to accommodate for shortened days due to inclement weather, with Chevrolet drivers and teams on track from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT:Pos. Driver1st     Scott McLaughlin (229.493 mph)2nd    Will Power (228.767 mph)4th     Josef Newgarden (227.675 mph)5th     Alexander Rossi (227.484 mph)7th     Pato O’Ward (226.965 mph)9th     Ryan Hunter-Reay (226.490 mph)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes);Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“The No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet feels good. I ended the day really happy with the car. Obviously, the rain hasn’t cooperated in a perfect manner these first couple days, but it’s just part of the process sometimes. I’m looking forward to tomorrow when we’ll get more running in; it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. With the rain in the forecast for Fast Friday, our focus tomorrow will probably be on getting our qualifying car setup in a good place.” Callum Ilott, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“It was a pretty productive day, and it was nice to get some proper running in, as well. The car feels good; it’s very comfortable. We’ve been working hard and chipping away at it. There are a couple of clear things that we need to look at overnight, and hopefully we can sort that out for tomorrow, but I think overall, it’s not a bad start.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I think we got through a lot of what we were trying to do. We were getting close to completing everything. That’s the way it goes. I think the Arrow McLaren cars are in a really good window. I think Chevy has done a good job with some of the developments in the offseason. We feel good.” Kyle Larson, No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“There’s plenty of track time, so trying to remember that. I’m glad to have got out there and get running. Still trying to figure a lot out, and kind of work through the car balance some, timing of runs and all that. Maybe the timing of runs will becoming easier when the car balance gets better. Just trying to play around with things and try to be able to make runs and pass people like I see some others are able to pass pretty easily. There’s a lot of guys that just seem stuck, maybe. Just trying to figure that out. Overall, pretty happy with the few hours we’ve got. We’ll go back and talk to the teammates now, and listen in on what they were working through, what they felt, and if it matches up with what I’m feeling as well. Good to get out there.” Do you feel confident in the feeling you want from the car, or is that something you’re still having to learn?“I feel like know what I need to feel in traffic to maintain those runs, but then it’s like if you miss that a little bit or get some clean air, and then you’re now like weirdly loose, I feel like there are moments where it’s a little bit unpredictable when I feel the couple of times I’ve had a loose moment. Just talking to them and see what’s normal and all that. Tony (Kanaan) has been a great help throughout this evening in talking to him, but it would be nice to hear what the guys’ thoughts who were also in traffic today.” Are you looking forward to getting a full day in tomorrow?“I am. Sounds like there may be some qualifying trim runs, which will be interesting in seeing how that feels differently without the boost turned up. I think Friday doesn’t look good, so getting into that and keep learning.” Ed Carpenter, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“Today wasn’t a full day, but after an abbreviated open test and short day yesterday, it felt like a full day of running. Today went well and we were quite strong, before the conditions changed towards the end of the day. We are in a decent spot and happy with what we learned today. Looking forward to carrying on the program and hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“It is nice to finally get some decent running in today. The first day is all about building confidence and getting the car into a window where you can follow close. We did that today and feel good after running a full stint on a set of tires. There is still time to gain and confidence to build, but I am in a happy place to finish our first official day of running. Onto tomorrow!”  Christian Rasmussen, No. 33 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“Today has been a learning process, but it’s been good. We made great strides and I am feeling more comfortable. We spent most of the day peeling out downforce and it was like we couldn’t do it quickly enough, which is a good sign. I feel good and a lot better having half a day under my belt. I am feeling confident, and I can’t wait to get into tomorrow!” Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“It’s a very hard-working day. We tried a lot of things, but I was in clean air, no tow, so this is our work for today. Trying to get a better car for qualifying, trying to get confidence. We tried many, many different settings, so it was a good day.” With the track so busy today, was it tough to find a clean lap?“Every time we were looking for a hole, trying to get distance with cars in front, especially when you have a big pack of cars, it’s difficult and hard to find a no-tow lap. We did a good job, I think. Of course, I am last because I didn’t have a lap with any tow, but we learned a lot today. I think it was a good way to start the Indy 500.” Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:“It’s great. I love this place. It’s always a privilege to run an Indy car around here. I very much felt that the last couple of years. I’ve just tried to enjoy the opportunity. It’s just cool to be here in an Indy car. To win it, is a whole other thing and I’m so grateful to be able to do that with Team Penske last year. Get win No. 19 for Roger (Penske). Just being here, driving the car, being able to qualify for the race, that’s a huge deal. I enjoy it. I enjoy it a little more after last year now. I love this place. It’s the best racetrack in the world.” Will Power, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:“It can be frustrating to sit inside on the first couple days of practice for the Indianapolis 500 because of rain. You’ve been waiting to get back here for almost a year so you want to see what you have. It was good to finally get the Verizon Chevy out for a run. Very happy with the speed so far, but obviously a long way to go.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PENNZOIL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – Wednesday Practice End of Day Press Conference Transcript:THE MODERATOR: Wrapping up this Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of PPG presents armed forces qualifying this weekend and obviously the 108 running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, joined by the two quickest of the day, Scott McLaughlin, P1 overall. Scott, driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, set to qualify for his fourth Indianapolis 500 a top speed of 229.493 miles an hour in the 78 laps that you turned today. Kind of a busy day for you guys in the limited time we had this afternoon. SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was a pretty busy day. Well, the start of it was pretty slow, and then once we got out there, it was hustle and bustle just getting out there and finding some space, and traffic running was probably what we were working on. Race car feels really good, basically straight out of the truck. Even yesterday when we had those limited running, I felt really good there just from a balance perspective, and just had that confidence today. But yeah, ran some really good runs in pretty dirty air deep in the pack and was able to pass a few cars, and that’s always a good sign. Q. So much anticipation to get out there, everyone hates waiting for the track to dry. Once you got out there, what was the feeling like?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It’s awesome. So boring, there’s only so much Netflix you can watch. I was over it. I watched about three movies but then I was ready to go once we got going, and I was happy as. When the car is good straight away, that’s a nice feeling. I feel that anticipation, as well, because it is quite a bit of anticipation just getting ready to go. I think this is two years in a row we’ve lost opening day. It’s a nice feeling. Q. What were the three movies?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: There was one about Wembley. It was Kevin Hart, his roast, and I can’t remember now. Survivor. I actually watched an episode of survivor. Caught up with it. Q. Some anniversaries this year, 50th anniversary Johnny Rutherford drove that car to victory in the Indy 500, 40th anniversary that Rick Mears drove that car to victory in the Indy 500. Do you look at things like that and say maybe this is my year?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: No, at the end of the day Indy chooses you, as we all know. But pretty cool. I actually didn’t know about Johnny’s — 50 years since he won in this car, too. I knew about Rick, obviously. Super cool. We did some really cool stuff with that car this morning, and I think that’s going to be some really cool stuff come race week that Pennzoil are putting out. I count myself pretty privileged to work with a guy that won 40 years ago, and I’m excited to actually add a bit of history, but at the end of the day there’s so much yet to go, and we all know, and I’ll keep working. Q. Scott, everybody has got practice plans starting March and April, but of course the rain can always throw those away. How much have y’all been able to get through in the very limited running that we’ve had over the last few hours?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Well, it’s not a huge amount at all, really. You have plans, absolutely, but they change a lot when you’re here, especially at this time of year. I think we’re in — for me, I look at it, it’s the same for everyone. It’s not like anyone else is going out there and running. We’re all in the same box together. You’ve just got to make the most of the track time that you have, and I felt like we had a really good day today with how much we got through. We were able to sort of put the car away at 6:00 instead of running all the way to 7:00, even though the rain didn’t stop, so that was always our plan anyway. It’s nice to be in that situation, but at the same time it can change quickly if you let it. You get a little bit complacent or whatever, so it’s important that we stick with it and keep focused, and hopefully we’re there or thereabouts. Q. How much fun was that out there today?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Always fun. It’s always fun around here. Q. Scott, I believe if you want to include April’s open test and then the past two days, of like the 26 scheduled hours, there was only about six of green flag time. With that in mind, you had the fourth most completed laps today. Was that kind of the strategy you were looking for, just to complete a lot of laps in a limited time?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was just a plan. We just ran through — obviously running through a lot of race trim stuff, a lot of traffic stuff. A lot of it’s also, for me, I feel like I’m improving year in, year out, and you just never stop learning. Sometimes it take a little bit to get back into the rhythm of things around here and understanding the timing, and that’s how guys like Takuma have won this race is understanding that stuff, and I’m trying to get a handle on that pretty early. We’ll work on qualifying here tomorrow and whatnot, but at the same time, I think we’re in a lot better shape. For me mentally, just I’m a bit more focused on the right things, not being blase on the little details because it takes every little detail to be good here, and I think we made the most of our time. Q. Scott, I see you’ve got a Kiwi contingent coming over with the Scott McLaughlin experience. Talk about that and how cool that’s going to be for you.SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I think it’s just something that we just wanted to — I guess this is an amazing experience for anyone even if you’re in the States already, but anyone internationally to come and experience, and to have that option for people to come in and enjoy it from the inner sanctum with me, it’s exciting. There’s going to be people here for the whole week next week from — I think from Monday onwards, so they’re going to be doing bits and pieces throughout Indy and then seeing Carb Day, parade, concerts, all that sort of stuff. It’s exciting. It’s cool to be able to bring a little bit of a vibe to the INDYCAR event from the New Zealand contingent and just appreciate the support from everyone, whether they’re here or not. Q. Your fourth Indy, how are you feeling going into this one?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I feel really good. I understand the race a lot more for sure. I think you just build a bit of experience every year, and it’s just invaluable, that experience. Someone like Taku who’s done 15, you want to have that experience, but you just try and soak everything up like a sponge and understand what you want from the car, and I feel like I’ve got a pretty firm understanding of what I want from the car, especially on an oval. It’s just a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and I think I’m in that frame of mind and that experience level where I can really sort of take it to the next level. Hopefully we can do that this year.

CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES INDIANAPOLIS 500 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT MAY 15, 2024 CHEVROLET LEADS THE SECOND DAY OF PRACTICE, FINISHING WITH FOUR IN THE TOP-FIVE Scott McLaughlin, driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, led Team Chevy and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field with a fastest speed of 229.493 mph at the checkered flag of the second day of Indianapolis 500 practice.McLaughlin’s teammate Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, followed in second with his fastest speed of 228.767 mph to give the Bowtie brand lead of the top two positions on day two.Chevrolet finished with four in the top-five, five in the top-seven, and six in the top-10 at the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice session.A total of 2,084 laps were turned overall on Wednesday, with Chevrolet completing 979 laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Thursday’s practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been extended to accommodate for shortened days due to inclement weather, with Chevrolet drivers and teams on track from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT:Pos.  Driver1st      Scott McLaughlin (229.493 mph)2nd    Will Power (228.767 mph)4th     Josef Newgarden (227.675 mph)5th     Alexander Rossi (227.484 mph)7th     Pato O’Ward (226.965 mph)9th     Ryan Hunter-Reay (226.490 mph)

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes);Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“The No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet feels good. I ended the day really happy with the car. Obviously, the rain hasn’t cooperated in a perfect manner these first couple days, but it’s just part of the process sometimes. I’m looking forward to tomorrow when we’ll get more running in; it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. With the rain in the forecast for Fast Friday, our focus tomorrow will probably be on getting our qualifying car setup in a good place.” Callum Ilott, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“It was a pretty productive day, and it was nice to get some proper running in, as well. The car feels good; it’s very comfortable. We’ve been working hard and chipping away at it. There are a couple of clear things that we need to look at overnight, and hopefully we can sort that out for tomorrow, but I think overall, it’s not a bad start.” Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I think we got through a lot of what we were trying to do. We were getting close to completing everything. That’s the way it goes. I think the Arrow McLaren cars are in a really good window. I think Chevy has done a good job with some of the developments in the offseason. We feel good.” Kyle Larson, No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“There’s plenty of track time, so trying to remember that. I’m glad to have got out there and get running. Still trying to figure a lot out, and kind of work through the car balance some, timing of runs and all that. Maybe the timing of runs will becoming easier when the car balance gets better. Just trying to play around with things and try to be able to make runs and pass people like I see some others are able to pass pretty easily. There’s a lot of guys that just seem stuck, maybe. Just trying to figure that out. Overall, pretty happy with the few hours we’ve got. We’ll go back and talk to the teammates now, and listen in on what they were working through, what they felt, and if it matches up with what I’m feeling as well. Good to get out there.” Do you feel confident in the feeling you want from the car, or is that something you’re still having to learn?“I feel like know what I need to feel in traffic to maintain those runs, but then it’s like if you miss that a little bit or get some clean air, and then you’re now like weirdly loose, I feel like there are moments where it’s a little bit unpredictable when I feel the couple of times I’ve had a loose moment. Just talking to them and see what’s normal and all that. Tony (Kanaan) has been a great help throughout this evening in talking to him, but it would be nice to hear what the guys’ thoughts who were also in traffic today.” Are you looking forward to getting a full day in tomorrow?“I am. Sounds like there may be some qualifying trim runs, which will be interesting in seeing how that feels differently without the boost turned up. I think Friday doesn’t look good, so getting into that and keep learning.” Ed Carpenter, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“Today wasn’t a full day, but after an abbreviated open test and short day yesterday, it felt like a full day of running. Today went well and we were quite strong, before the conditions changed towards the end of the day. We are in a decent spot and happy with what we learned today. Looking forward to carrying on the program and hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“It is nice to finally get some decent running in today. The first day is all about building confidence and getting the car into a window where you can follow close. We did that today and feel good after running a full stint on a set of tires. There is still time to gain and confidence to build, but I am in a happy place to finish our first official day of running. Onto tomorrow!”  Christian Rasmussen, No. 33 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:“Today has been a learning process, but it’s been good. We made great strides and I am feeling more comfortable. We spent most of the day peeling out downforce and it was like we couldn’t do it quickly enough, which is a good sign. I feel good and a lot better having half a day under my belt. I am feeling confident, and I can’t wait to get into tomorrow!” Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:“It’s a very hard-working day. We tried a lot of things, but I was in clean air, no tow, so this is our work for today. Trying to get a better car for qualifying, trying to get confidence. We tried many, many different settings, so it was a good day.” With the track so busy today, was it tough to find a clean lap?“Every time we were looking for a hole, trying to get distance with cars in front, especially when you have a big pack of cars, it’s difficult and hard to find a no-tow lap. We did a good job, I think. Of course, I am last because I didn’t have a lap with any tow, but we learned a lot today. I think it was a good way to start the Indy 500.” Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:“It’s great. I love this place. It’s always a privilege to run an Indy car around here. I very much felt that the last couple of years. I’ve just tried to enjoy the opportunity. It’s just cool to be here in an Indy car. To win it, is a whole other thing and I’m so grateful to be able to do that with Team Penske last year. Get win No. 19 for Roger (Penske). Just being here, driving the car, being able to qualify for the race, that’s a huge deal. I enjoy it. I enjoy it a little more after last year now. I love this place. It’s the best racetrack in the world.” Will Power, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:“It can be frustrating to sit inside on the first couple days of practice for the Indianapolis 500 because of rain. You’ve been waiting to get back here for almost a year so you want to see what you have. It was good to finally get the Verizon Chevy out for a run. Very happy with the speed so far, but obviously a long way to go.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PENNZOIL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – Wednesday Practice End of Day Press Conference Transcript:THE MODERATOR: Wrapping up this Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of PPG presents armed forces qualifying this weekend and obviously the 108 running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, joined by the two quickest of the day, Scott McLaughlin, P1 overall. Scott, driver of the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet, set to qualify for his fourth Indianapolis 500 a top speed of 229.493 miles an hour in the 78 laps that you turned today. Kind of a busy day for you guys in the limited time we had this afternoon. SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was a pretty busy day. Well, the start of it was pretty slow, and then once we got out there, it was hustle and bustle just getting out there and finding some space, and traffic running was probably what we were working on. Race car feels really good, basically straight out of the truck. Even yesterday when we had those limited running, I felt really good there just from a balance perspective, and just had that confidence today. But yeah, ran some really good runs in pretty dirty air deep in the pack and was able to pass a few cars, and that’s always a good sign. Q. So much anticipation to get out there, everyone hates waiting for the track to dry. Once you got out there, what was the feeling like?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It’s awesome. So boring, there’s only so much Netflix you can watch. I was over it. I watched about three movies but then I was ready to go once we got going, and I was happy as. When the car is good straight away, that’s a nice feeling. I feel that anticipation, as well, because it is quite a bit of anticipation just getting ready to go. I think this is two years in a row we’ve lost opening day. It’s a nice feeling. Q. What were the three movies?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: There was one about Wembley. It was Kevin Hart, his roast, and I can’t remember now. Survivor. I actually watched an episode of survivor. Caught up with it. Q. Some anniversaries this year, 50th anniversary Johnny Rutherford drove that car to victory in the Indy 500, 40th anniversary that Rick Mears drove that car to victory in the Indy 500. Do you look at things like that and say maybe this is my year?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: No, at the end of the day Indy chooses you, as we all know. But pretty cool. I actually didn’t know about Johnny’s — 50 years since he won in this car, too. I knew about Rick, obviously. Super cool. We did some really cool stuff with that car this morning, and I think that’s going to be some really cool stuff come race week that Pennzoil are putting out. I count myself pretty privileged to work with a guy that won 40 years ago, and I’m excited to actually add a bit of history, but at the end of the day there’s so much yet to go, and we all know, and I’ll keep working. Q. Scott, everybody has got practice plans starting March and April, but of course the rain can always throw those away. How much have y’all been able to get through in the very limited running that we’ve had over the last few hours?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Well, it’s not a huge amount at all, really. You have plans, absolutely, but they change a lot when you’re here, especially at this time of year. I think we’re in — for me, I look at it, it’s the same for everyone. It’s not like anyone else is going out there and running. We’re all in the same box together. You’ve just got to make the most of the track time that you have, and I felt like we had a really good day today with how much we got through. We were able to sort of put the car away at 6:00 instead of running all the way to 7:00, even though the rain didn’t stop, so that was always our plan anyway. It’s nice to be in that situation, but at the same time it can change quickly if you let it. You get a little bit complacent or whatever, so it’s important that we stick with it and keep focused, and hopefully we’re there or thereabouts. Q. How much fun was that out there today?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Always fun. It’s always fun around here. Q. Scott, I believe if you want to include April’s open test and then the past two days, of like the 26 scheduled hours, there was only about six of green flag time. With that in mind, you had the fourth most completed laps today. Was that kind of the strategy you were looking for, just to complete a lot of laps in a limited time?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it was just a plan. We just ran through — obviously running through a lot of race trim stuff, a lot of traffic stuff. A lot of it’s also, for me, I feel like I’m improving year in, year out, and you just never stop learning. Sometimes it take a little bit to get back into the rhythm of things around here and understanding the timing, and that’s how guys like Takuma have won this race is understanding that stuff, and I’m trying to get a handle on that pretty early. We’ll work on qualifying here tomorrow and whatnot, but at the same time, I think we’re in a lot better shape. For me mentally, just I’m a bit more focused on the right things, not being blase on the little details because it takes every little detail to be good here, and I think we made the most of our time. Q. Scott, I see you’ve got a Kiwi contingent coming over with the Scott McLaughlin experience. Talk about that and how cool that’s going to be for you.SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I think it’s just something that we just wanted to — I guess this is an amazing experience for anyone even if you’re in the States already, but anyone internationally to come and experience, and to have that option for people to come in and enjoy it from the inner sanctum with me, it’s exciting. There’s going to be people here for the whole week next week from — I think from Monday onwards, so they’re going to be doing bits and pieces throughout Indy and then seeing Carb Day, parade, concerts, all that sort of stuff. It’s exciting. It’s cool to be able to bring a little bit of a vibe to the INDYCAR event from the New Zealand contingent and just appreciate the support from everyone, whether they’re here or not. Q. Your fourth Indy, how are you feeling going into this one?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, I feel really good. I understand the race a lot more for sure. I think you just build a bit of experience every year, and it’s just invaluable, that experience. Someone like Taku who’s done 15, you want to have that experience, but you just try and soak everything up like a sponge and understand what you want from the car, and I feel like I’ve got a pretty firm understanding of what I want from the car, especially on an oval. It’s just a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and I think I’m in that frame of mind and that experience level where I can really sort of take it to the next level. Hopefully we can do that this year.

Todd Cooney won his first World of Outlaws CASE Late Models Feature as an owner for Ryan Gustin at the Dairyland Showdown

CONNNEAUT, OH (May 15, 2024) – Before the conclusion of the 2023 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Ryan Gustin came to Todd Cooney looking for a fresh start in 2024. 

Despite having no resources to start with, Cooney took in his fellow Iowan, and Gustin’s tire specialist Noah Bushman to expand his team to two cars. 

A few months later, they were already in Victory Lane during the Ice Bowl at the Talladega Short Track in January. Then, again, during the King of the Mountain at Smoky Mountain Speedway in April. And then again in May for a $25,000 score at Mississippi Thunder Speedway during the Dairyland Showdown with the World of Outlaws Late Models. 

“Oh man, I started this deal with myself (last year),” Cooney said. “Then, Ryan and I talked in October of last year. But after Charlotte, we didn’t have a truck, a trailer, race cars or motors. We didn’t have anything for him starting off. It was just me, him, and Noah. We had a dream that we were gonna make this deal happen. Noah found Tim Douglas to be the crew chief, and he fully believed in what we were doing, knowing we had nothing to offer. 

“So, to build a team from nothing against the best Late Models in the country and go out there to compete and win, it feels like a fairytale, to be honest. I really don’t know how to explain it because I’m emotionally at awe. It still doesn’t feel real. I can’t think of anyone who built a team in this amount of time and can run with these guys. I’m speechless. I just tell everyone that this is a dream.”  

“The Reaper” was on Cooney’s short list of drivers he’d trust to drive his cars. With their families crossing paths through multiple generations, Cooney said he’s excited to continue the journey with Gustin for years to come. 

“There’s only a few people I’d ever want to drive for me, and Ryan is one of them,” Cooney said. “When he said he wanted to do something different, I was completely bluffed that he would even consider driving for me. I’ve known Ryan since he was super little. I raced with his dad and our grandfathers raced together, so our family ties go way back. He knows how passionate I am about the sport. He believes in what we’re doing and it’s going to pay off in the long run.” 

Shortly after the 2024 season commenced, the Todd Cooney Racing team made the change to Infinity Chassis by Wells Motorsports – becoming the first national touring Late Model team to pilot the new car. While still working out some kinks, Cooney is certain they will make it work with the help of the Wells family on their side. 

“Before the World of Outlaws, nobody knew who I was,” Cooney said. “I talked to Eric Wells and the whole family made me feel like home. They treat you like a million dollars and do what they say they are going to do. We knew this car was being made about a year and a half ago. Of course, we had to keep it under the radar. I told him I wanted to play ball and be a part of it. He’s done exactly what he said he would do. The process is much different to the other chassis builders. 

“The teamwork has been unreal. Eric and Tim (Douglas) speak almost every day. Tim, [Infinity Chassis driver Brandon Overton] and Ryan speak all the time. Brandon has helped Ryan out by giving him ideas to try on his Late Model and it’s went well. I don’t care what anyone says, [Brandon] is a team player and he is awesome. I’d like to think we’re giving back a little with Tim sharing things to Eric, and it’s been a whole team effort between all of us. 

On April 14, Todd Cooney Racing announced that three-time World of Outlaws CASE Late Models champion Billy Moyer will drive a No. 21 Late Model for Todd Cooney Racing in select races this year. Cooney said he hopes that the veteran’s experience and knowledge can help push the team further into developing a powerhouse team for the future. 

“We hope to do some (trophy hunting) with (Billy),” Cooney said. “Hopefully, he can bring the wealth of knowledge so we can learn some things off of him. I think we’ll give him some new ideas or teach new things and hopefully we’ll have the team running good. At the end of the day, Billy Moyer is Billy Moyer. He doesn’t forget how to drive; you just need to have him in the right position and the right people helping out.” 

Gustin, in his No. 19R ride, and Cooney, in his No. 30 car, will return to trophy this week with the World of Outlaws Late Model during the Series’ 2024 Ohio-Pennsylvania swing, which features four races in four straight days. They include Raceway 7 (Thursday, May 16), Bedford Speedway (Friday, May 17), Marion Center Raceway (Saturday, May 18) and Path Valley Speedway (Sunday, May 19). To see more information about the events, CLICK HERE. 

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

Cruz Pedregon

NHRA Route 66 Nationals – Chicago

Pre-Race Report

Quotes for the upcoming Chicago race– 

Cruz Pedregon, two-time Funny Car World Champion

I’ve been fortunate in my career to win races throughout the country, at some tracks more than others. But there are a few races that have eluded me, and I’d really love to get that first win at Chicago. 

It’s a great facility, really beautiful, state of the art, and we love the fans there. It’s like a home game for our primary sponsor, Snap-on with its headquarters right up the road in Kenosha, Wisconsin. So, for many reasons, we would love to get a win there. 

The car and the team are rolling right now, and the last race is proof we can go the distance. We have a car that lost a close last race, but we know it’s capable of winning.

We are definitely looking forward to Chicago, and the team has been working hard prepping for the busier part of the schedule this time of year with back-to-back races coming soon…and we’ll be ready.

Name on the side of Cruz’s car – Snap-on Nitro Franchisee 

·       Check out the side of Cruz’s car for the name of Snap-on Nitro Franchisee Bill Knippenberg who has been in racing, himself, for more than 30 years.

·       He drives late model and dirt modified race cars after decades of racing asphalt late models. When he’s not working with his Snap-on franchises, he works with a dirt oval track much like the one where Cruz got his start.

·       Bill has his name on the Snap-on Makers and Fixers Dodge^® and he took Cruz along one of his routes this week to meet makers and fixers in the shops his team calls on in the area.

·       If you’re a maker and fixer like the customers Cruz visited with this week, Snap-on is asking you to follow Makers and Fixers on Instagram and share your own stories @Makersandfixers or makersandfixers.com.

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

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

OCALA, FL (May 15, 2024) — Last year Josh Hart and the R+L Carriers Top Fuel team raced to the final round of the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals. This year the team will be looking to add one more round win and race into the winner’s circle for the first time in 2024. The business owner from Ocala, Florida, has been battling the Top Fuel competition since his rookie season of 2021 and the multi-time national event winner is eager to return to the windy city.
 
“We have been working through some issues since the beginning of the season and the lay off after Charlotte only has me more eager to get to Chicago and start racing again,” said Hart. “We made some significant changes and we need to make passes to build up some data. Everyone lost qualifying rounds early in the year, but I don’t know if anyone made as many adjustments as us. I know we will figure it out, but it never happens fast enough.”

 Josh Hart will be racing for his first victory of 2024 at the Route 66 Nationals this weekend,
photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

This season Hart has raced to the quarterfinals at the season opening Gatornationals and the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals. Early round exits in Pomona, Phoenix and Charlotte and frustrated Hart and his R+L Carriers team but they are far from discouraged. The upcoming four qualifying sessions in Chicago and a favorable weather forecast has the team that is regarded as a sleeping giant ready to go.
 
“The races that have been effected by weather have hurt us,” said Hart. “You can look at our ETs and our Sunday morning times are considerably quicker than our best qualifying efforts, but we lost some runs in qualifying. If we had had all the qualifying runs, we would have been higher in the order and that could make a huge difference. When we can get four qualifying runs, I am totally confident my crew chief Ron Douglas can put us in a position to go rounds.”
 
Hart has dedicated himself over the last season to improving his reaction times and the work has paid off for the accomplished Top Alcohol Dragster driver turned Top Fuel pilot. Hart is second in the class when it comes to reaction time average.
 
“It takes the whole team working together to get win lights,” said Hart. “The guys in the pits have to put the car together correctly, Ron has to make the right calls and I have to be at my best on the starting line. We have had two of the three elements come together but we need to get all three parts working together on Sunday. We have all the right pieces but sometimes it just takes time to get everything to gel.”
 
With only five races off the schedule Hart knows he has time to move up in the Top Ten and position himself for a run at his first Top Fuel championship. As a student of the class he has seen veteran drivers like 2023 Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta struggle for two seasons only to start hitting on all cylinders in the Countdown. Hart knows that the key is continuing to do the work and not go negative.
 
“We want to just keep improving round by round and race by race,” said Hart. “This season is a marathon that turns into a sprint during the Countdown. You want to get to the regular season finish line positioned with the top teams. You don’t have to be at the top, but we need to be moving in the right direction. I know we will keep grinding to make the right adjustments.”
 
Hart and the R+L Carriers team will get their first chance to make passes on Friday afternoon and evening when qualifying for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals get underway. There will be two more qualifying sessions on Saturday with final eliminations for the 16 quickest Top Fuel dragsters commencing at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The race will be televised nationally on FS1 Sunday evening.
 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 15, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is excited to confirm that the 2024 Grand National Championship season finale will be waged at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri, on Saturday, September 14.  The inaugural Lake Ozark Short Track is destined to be a centerpiece attraction of the 18th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest, which will draw more than 125,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to the Lake of the Ozarks to celebrate the area’s beautiful scenery and incredible twisty roads from September 11-15. This will also mark the first occasion the series will visit Lake Ozark Speedway. The venue, which opened in 2004, is a 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval with seating for more than 5000 spectators. Progressive American Flat Track will serve as one of the title partners of Bikefest to maximize awareness of what promises to be one of the most highly anticipated finales in recent memory as living legend and reigning Mission AFT SuperTwins king Jared Mees makes his bid for immortality via an unprecedented tenth Grand National Championship. Ed Schmidt, Bikefest member said, “We’re thrilled to bring Progressive American Flat Track racing to this year’s Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest. The racing is incredible and should prove to be a hit alongside all the other new attractions we have on tap. With more than 300 bars and restaurants, over 50 live music and entertainment shows, a Harley-Davidson giveaway, and tons of vendor areas, we have every expectation that 2024 will be the largest Bikefest yet.” Lake Ozark Speedway Owner Kenny Brown said, “We’re extremely excited to host Progressive American Flat Track for the very first time. These are the greatest motorcycle dirt trackers on the planet without question, and we absolutely cannot wait to witness the show they put on.” Tickets for the 2024 Progressive AFT finale are available for purchase. General Admission tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under $5 with a paid adult General Admission ticket), while the Pit Pass Upgrade adds access to the pit area for $50. New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($150 all ages). This ticket option provides reserved seating with Pit Pass access, a guided tour of, and photo opportunities at, the infield podium and start/finish line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the heat races, and a track talk and photo opportunity with a special guest. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/lake-ozark-short-track-104135 to reserve your seats today. For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

CHICAGO (May 15, 2024) — The popularity of the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series has been on a steady rise since the launch of the multi-manufacturer backed door-slammer class in 2017. The heated competition between Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Mustang Cobra Jets and Dodge Mopar Challenger Drag Paks will be front and center this weekend at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill. A full field of Chevrolets, Fords and Dodges will be racing for the coveted Wally winner’s trophy as well as points for the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world championship. Mark Pawuk and his Dodge Drag Pak sit No. 1 atop a stacked list of competitors heading into the fourth race of the 2024 season.
 
“We picked up the win at the Gatornationals and raced to the semifinals at Winternationals,” said Pawuk, driver of the Empaco Dodge. “This will be a special weekend celebrating the life of my friend Don Schumacher. We have been honoring him on our race car all season. He was a giant in drag racing as a driver and team owner. I would love to put on a good show in his memory.”

 Mark Pawuk (foreground) will be looking to extend his Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown points lead in Chicago, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

Right behind Pawuk in the points standings sits Stephen Bell, winner of Winternationals and runner-up for the season opening Gatornationals. Bell was also the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown championship runner-up in 2023. The businessman from Shreveport, La., would like to collect his second win of the season and first title at Route 66 Raceway with a strong performance in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro.
 
“There are so many tough competitors out here like Mark (Pawuk), David Janac, David Davies, Ricky Hord and so many guys,” said Bell. “We went a couple rounds in Chicago last year and so far this season we have been running pretty good. I just need to keep doing my job on the starting line. We are almost to the halfway point of the season and I just want to be in the mix for the championship when we get to the end.”
 
Last year at the Route 66 Nationals, Doug Hamp was runner-up to Lenny Lottig, who drove his ITI Trailers & Truck Bodies COPO Camaro and won his second consecutive Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown race at the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals. This year with Lottig racing in Factory X class, Hamp is hoping he can power his Hamp Racing Camaro into the winner’s circle.
 
“I am excited to get back to Chicago,” said Hamp, a two-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown runner-up. “Ever since we hooked up with Stanfield Engines, Aaron and Greg Stanfield have been awesome. We tested last week in Dallas and figured a few things out. My driving has improved and this has just been a great move. I am looking forward to getting to Chicago since it is closer to our home in York, Pa.”

KNOXVILLE, IA (May 15, 2024) – Two months before World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series drivers contend in “The Granddaddy of Them All” at Knoxville Raceway, they’ll get two days of racing at the premier facility in June.Knoxville will welcome the best Sprint Car drivers in the country for the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash, Friday-Saturday, June 14-15. The two-day event will feature two $12,000-to-win races and valuable lap time for World of Outlaws drivers before the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals, Aug. 7-10. Knoxville has ran two weekly shows, so far, this year with Aaron Reutzel picking up the season-opening win and Dusty Zomer scoring the most recent win at the track on May 11. When the World of Outlaws were last at Knoxville Raceway, Kyle Larson scored his second Knoxville Nationals title. David Gravel finished second with an impressive 22nd to second run, and 11-time Knoxville Nationals winner Donny Schatz finished third. The Knoxville Nationals was voted the second best motorports race in USA Today’s 10Best poll this year. EVENT INFO: Date – Friday-Saturday, June 14-15 Location – Knoxville, IA Track Record – 14.351 seconds by Brian Brown on May 22, 2021Times (CT) – 2PM Pit Gates open 5PM Grandstand Gates open 6:30PM Hot Laps & Qualifying -Racing to follow Tickets – Click HERE to purchase How to Watch – Can’t make it? Watch every lap live on DIRTVision Last Race Video Recap (Aug. 12, 2023) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJ66-l-pLYPrevious World of Outlaws Knoxville Winners – 2023 – Brian Brown on June 9, David Gravel on June 10, Kyle Larson on Aug. 12 (Knoxville Nationals) 2022 – Brent Marks on June 10, Brian Brown on June 11, Donny Schatz on Aug. 13 (Knoxville Nationals) 2021 – Carson Macedo on June 11, Carson Macedo on June 12, Kyle Larson on Aug. 14 (Knoxville Nationals) 2020 – David Gravel on May 8, Kyle Larson on June 12, Kyle Larson on June 13, Kyle Larson on Aug. 13, David Gravel on Aug. 14, Kyle Larson on Aug. 15 2019 – Brian Brown on June 14, Brad Sweet on June 15, David Gravel on Aug. 10 (Knoxville Nationals) 2018 – Donny Schatz on June 29, David Gravel on June 30, Greg Hodnett on Aug. 8, Brad Sweet on Aug. 9, Logan Schuchart on Aug. 10, Brad Sweet on Aug. 11 (Knoxville Nationals) 2017 – Brad Sweet on June 9, Donny Schatz on June 10, Donny Schatz on Aug. 12 (Knoxville Nationals) 2016 – Terry McCarl on June 10, Donny Schatz on June 11, Jason Johnson on Aug. 13 (Knoxville Nationals) 2015 – Donny Schatz on June 13, Donny Schatz on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals) 2014 – Brad Sweet on June 14, Donny Schatz on Aug. 9 (Knoxville Nationals) 2013 – Donny Schatz on May 11, Donny Schatz on June 15, Donny Schatz on Aug. 10 (Knoxville Nationals) 2012 – Sammy Swindell on April 28, Kerry Madsen on June 9, Donny Schatz on Aug. 11 (Knoxville Nationals) 2011 – Sammy Swindell on June 11, Donny Schatz on Aug. 13 (Knoxville Nationals) 2010 – Brooke Tatnell on June 3, Jac Haudenschild on June 4 2009 – Donny Schatz on May 2, Terry McCarl on June 27 2008 – Donny Schatz on May 3, Shane Stewart on June 6, Donny Schatz on June 7 2007 – Donny Schatz on April 28, Terry McCarl on June 16 2006 – Joey Saldana on June 23, Donny Schatz on Oct. 7 2005 – Kraig Kinser on June 24, Steve Kinser on April 30 2004 – Craig Dollansky on June 26, Mark Kinser on May 1, Danny Lasoski on Aug. 14 (Knoxville Nationals) 2003 – Danny Lasoski on April 26, Danny Lasoski on July 5, Danny Lasoski on Aug. 16 (Knoxville Nationals) 2002 – Steve Kinser on April 26, Danny Lasoski on June 29, Steve Kinser on Aug. 10 (Knoxville Nationals) 2001 – Danny Lasoski on April 28, Stevie Smith on June 30, Jason Meyers on July 16, Danny Lasoski on Aug. 11 (Knoxville Nationals) 2000 – Danny Lasoski on April 29, Stevie Smith on July 1, Steve Kinser on July 19, Mark Kinser on Aug. 12 (Knoxville Nationals) 1999 – Sammy Swindell on May 1, Danny Lasoski on July 3, Danny Lasoski on July 21, Mark Kinser on Aug. 14 (Knoxville Nationals) 1998 – Jac Haudenschild on May 2, Jac Haudenschild on July 4, Jac Haudenschild on July 22, Danny Lasoski on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals) 1997 – Mark Kinser on April 26, Jac Haudenschild on July 5, Mark Kinser on July 23, Dave Blaney on Aug. 17 (Knoxville Nationals) 1996 – Mark Kinser on April 27, Mark Kinser on June 22, Mark Kinser on July 24, Mark Kinser on Aug. 17 (Knoxville Nationals) 1995 – Mark Kinser on May 6, Mark Kinser on June 24, Steve Kinser on July 19, Steve Kinser on Aug. 19(Knoxville Nationals), Mark Kinser on Sept. 27 1994 – Dave Blaney on April 29, Steve Kinser on June 25, Steve Kinser on July 20, Steve Kinser on Aug. 20 (Knoxville Nationals), Jac Haudenschild on Sept. 23 1993 – Danny Lasoski on April 30, Mark Kinser on June 27, Steve Kinser on Aug. 21 (Knoxville Nationals), Stevie Smith on Sept. 24 1992 – Sammy Swindell on April 26, Steve Kinser on June 20, Steve Kinser on July 22, Steve Kinser on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals), Steve Kinser on Sept. 26 1991 – Steve Kinser on April 27, Doug Wolfgang on June 22, Steve Kinser on July 24, Steve Kinser on Aug. 17 (Knoxville Nationals) 1990 – Doug Wolfgang on April 29, Steve Kinser on June 23, Sammy Swindell on July 25, Bobby Allen on Aug. 18 (Knoxville Nationals) 1989 – Sammy Swindell on April 29, Doug Wolfgang on June 24, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 19 (Knoxville Nationals) 1988 – Steve Kinser on April 30, Steve Kinser on June 22, Steve Kinser on Aug. 13 (Knoxville Nationals) 1987 – Steve Kinser on April 25, Steve Kinser on June 22, Steve Kinser on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals) 1986 – Sammy Swindell on April 26, Steve Kinser on June 25, Steve Kinser on July 23, Steve Kinser on Aug. 16 (Knoxville Nationals) 1985 – Sammy Swindell on April 28, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 17 (Knoxville Nationals) Doug Wolfgang on Oct. 6 1984 – Sammy Swindell on July 25, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 11 (Knoxville Nationals) 1983 – Sammy Swindell on April 16, Sammy Swindell on July 27, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 13 (Knoxville Nationals), Sammy Swindell on Oct. 16 1982 – Doug Wolfgang on April 17, Danny Smith on July 21, Steve Kinser on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals) 1981 – Steve Kinser on April 18, Doug Wolfgang on May 22, Sammy Swindell on May 23, Sammy Swindell on July 22, Steve Kinser on Aug. 15 (Knoxville Nationals), Doug Wolfgang on Sept. 12 1980 – Steve Kinser on April 19, Steve Kinser on April 20, Doug Wolfgang on May 31, Steve Kinser on Aug. 17 (Knoxville Nationals), Tim Green on Sept. 20 1979 – Sammy Swindell on April 21, Ron Shuman on Aug. 11 (Knoxville Nationals) 1978 – Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 12 (Knoxville Nationals)

CHICAGO, IL (May 15, 2024) — It has been a year since Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Dodge Charger Funny Car hit the track at Route 66 Raceway. This weekend’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals will be a homecoming and relaunch for the Chicago firefighter and aspiring professional Funny Car driver. Last year King made a valiant effort and narrowly missed making the field. This season King and his revamped team have reason for optimism heading into their first race of 2024.
 
“We made some significant changes in the off-season, and I feel like we are starting the season in a much better position,” said King, who made his professional Funny Car debut in 2021. “Last year we raced in five races and we had our ups and downs. I have to thank everyone that has worked over the off season and beginning of this year to get us to this point. I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep in the past couple of weeks but when you are chasing a dream that doesn’t really matter.”

 
For King and his Howards Cams/Competition Products crew the goal for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 Nationals is simple. They want to take advantage of every qualifying round and make improvements without damaging parts along the way. Throughout his young career King has been mindful of driving smart and listening to his race car.
 
“We don’t have a big budget, but we have more parts this season than we have ever had,” said King. “We are not going to go out and run low ET, but we can race smart and race the track. The Funny Car class is tough, but I love every second of the competition at the track. We have received a lot of support from other teams in the class. I am excited to get to the track and hit the throttle. I am really glad the NHRA and the Chicago track added the fourth qualifying session. That will really help our team.”
 
Prior to the start of the race King will host several professional drivers at a firefighter experience event on Thursday at the Romeoville Fire Academy. King held the first event like this last year and showing his fellow competitors what it’s like to be a firefighter was a thrill for King. As a long-time Chicago firefighter himself, King knows the physical strain and adrenaline boost has a serious crossover effect from firefighting to driving a 12,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car or Top Fuel dragster.
 
“The firefighter experience is something I have always wanted to do ever since I started racing Funny Cars,” said King. “You get a unique perspective when you are putting out a fire or knocking down a door with an axe. The similarities between the focus you need and the physicality of both jobs are so similar. I am excited to show a new group of drivers what my day job is like.”
 
On Thursday night King will host a dinner at Joliet Firehouse 1 with the support of Mission Foods and Fire Department Coffee. Mission Foods is donating a variety of their great tortilla and salsa products to produce a Mexican Dinner Feast for the men and women who protect the great Joliet area with King doing the cooking along with members of the firehouse. This is another way King has thought about using his platform as a professional race car driver to give back to the local community.
 
“I have been thinking about how I could give back to some of the firehouses across the country and I wanted to be sure and include Mission Foods, since they are an amazing sponsor for our series,” said King. “I pitched them the idea of hosting a Mexican Dinner and they jumped at the opportunity. Fire Department Coffee, another great NHRA sponsor, is also supporting so we will have a great dinner and say thank you to these brave community heroes before the race gets underway.”
 
When the race does get started King will face some of the toughest competition the sport has seen in recent memory. Since the beginning of the season the class has seen multiple winners and record setting times and speeds. The fact that King and his Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car will be wading into a competitive pool that will feature eighteen drivers vying for sixteen spots has King hyper focused on the task at hand.
 
“We have been working for months towards this race and putting our best foot forward,” said King. “When we come off the trailer on Friday, we want to just make a nice smooth run to shake the car down. We have a lot of new parts and we aren’t going to try anything crazy. We are going to race what the track gives us and hopefully at the end of the day on Saturday we will have one of the sixteen quickest times.”
 
In addition to racing and his work with the Chicago fire department King volunteers his time with public safety charities including Ignite the Spirit, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, The Ronnie Thames Foundation, and The Leary Firefighters Foundation. All these amazing groups dedicate resources and support to first responders and their families. King has seen firsthand the impact the job can have on men and women and their families.
 
“I have a personal connection to every charity I work with and that is one of the things I missed about not being at the racetrack, was the connection to something I loved,” said King. “When you are a member of the firefighter or first responder community it is a big family and racing is the same thing. I can’t wait to just be around the other drivers. They have all bene welcoming and supportive in the past. This year we will be doing more races, so I hope to get to know some of these guys even better.”
 
In 2021 King raced in three NHRA national events qualifying for the Mile High Nationals in Denver, The Kansas Nationals in Topeka and the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. Last year King entered the Route 66 Nationals, the Mile-High Nationals in Denver, the Topeka Nationals, the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd and the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. This season King is looking forward to competing in five or six national events.
 
The Howards Cams/Competition Products Dodge Charger Funny Car and King will get their first chance to make passes on Friday afternoon and evening when qualifying for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals get underway. There will be two more qualifying sessions on Saturday with final eliminations for the 16 quickest Funny Cars commencing at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The race will be televised nationally on FS1 Sunday evening.
 

LONG BEACH, CA (May 15, 2024) — Entering what you could consider as Q2 of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Funny Car driver Buddy Hull is confident he has some strong momentum from the first five races of the year. As he prepares for this weekend’s Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, just outside of Chicago, he is fired up to keep the momentum going.   “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – this season is a marathon and not a sprint,” said Hull, driver for the iconic Jim Dunn Racing team. “We’re five races in and we still have fifteen to go. We have nine races left until the Countdown, so we just have to keep buckling down, and improving bit by bit, which is what we have been doing.”   Most recently, Hull made his best qualifying start as a rookie Funny Car driver at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, entering race day in the No. 13 spot. During qualifying at the same race, he made his quickest and fastest run in his Funny Car to date.   “We had a lot of things go right for us in Charlotte,” said Hull. “Our goal for this weekend in Chicago is to take those things that went right during four-wide and build on them, so we have an even better qualifying position, to increase our chances of taking a few round wins. Nothing would make me happier right now than to see a win light. We are becoming a more competitive team with every race, and I want to keep that energy going. I want every driver I go against to know they are going to have to work hard for it, if they want to beat me.”   Outside of being a tough competitor, Hull is also becoming more of an ambassador for the sport. This weekend Hull and Jim Dunn Racing will be debuting their new Sweet Classics nitro Funny Car. Sweet Classics candy from Mondoux Confectionery in Canada is a traditional mix of high-quality candies that are peanut and nut-free, gluten-free and come in convenient resealable packaging.   “I don’t care if this is a cheesy thing to say, but this is quite literally a sweet ride,” said Hull. “Since we announced this new partnership last week, everyone I’ve talked to has commented on how incredible the car looks. It’s bursting with personality and just makes you want to smile. I am so excited to bring candy company Sweet Classics into the world of drag racing and introduce the sport to their base of consumers. Just like how they have a Sweet and Sour Mix, drag racing has a mix of sweet and sour personalities. I have quite the sweet tooth myself, so this is a perfect pairing in my book. I’m grateful every time that we can bring a new brand or company into this world, because it just keeps making the tent bigger.”   In addition to the bright car design, Hull and the Jim Dunn team will be repping Sweet Classics uniform shirts, and specialty hero cards have been made for the weekend. Chicago fans will also be able to see the Sweet Classics Funny Car up close and in-person on Thursday, May 16 at Menards (2524 W Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL, 60435) from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. There, Hull will be signing the specialty cards, posing for photos and talking with fans about the race.   “I can’t wait to interact with fans and get them excited for this weekend’s race,” said Hull. “Any time we can get an actual car away from the track and out in the world, it’s an opportunity to get current fans pumped up and introduce new fans to the sport. I’m proud to be that ambassador.”

The Greatest Show on Dirt makes its first stops of 2024 a pair of Ohio staples  ATTICA, OH (May 14, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are ready to kick off a two-week stay in the “Buckeye State.”Ohio welcomes The Greatest Show on Dirt for two nights at two tracks this weekend. First up is the 24th visit in Series history to Attica Raceway Park on Friday, May 17. The following night it’s an eastward trip to Hartford, OH’s Sharon Speedway.The pair of races are the first two of five consecutive in the state of Ohio with Atomic Speedway (May 24-25) and Fremont Speedway (May 27) on the horizon.The slick ovals of Ohio routinely produce some of the season’s most exciting racing, and the upcoming slate should be no different. A strong crop of Buckeye based talent is ready to face off with the stars of the World of Outlaws tour.BUY ATTICA TICKETS HERE BUY SHARON TICKETS HEREWATCH LIVE ON DIRTVisionLet’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:HAUD’S HOME: Trips to Ohio are always circled on Sheldon Haudenschild’s calendar. The 30-year-old calls Wooster, OH home, and it’s where he cut his teeth in Sprint Cars. He’ll roll into home territory with four victories under his belt already in 2024.Attica is home to two of Haudenschild’s 17 career All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) victories. The Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing driver is yet to bag a World of Outlaws win at Attica, but he’s been banging on the door with three top fives in his last four tries including a runner-up at last year’s Brad Doty Classic.Over at Sharon, it’s a similar story for the son of Jac Haudenschild. He topped the 2015 Lou Blaney Memorial in ASCoC competition. Victory Lane has narrowly eluded him with the World of Outlaws as he owns three podiums in four tries piloting the NOS Energy Drink #17.BIG GAME BRILLIANCE: The combination of David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports are borderline unbeatable right now. Three of the last four races have belonged to the potent pairing as they’ve claimed wins at Jacksonville, Eldora and Lincoln. The most recent made Tod Quiring the sixth owner in Series history to reach 100 wins. The No. 2 has finished in the top two in nine of the last 12 main events. Gravel came into the year as a premier championship favorite, and he’s showing why.The numbers show no reason for Gravel to slow this weekend in Ohio. The Watertown, CT native three most recent visits to Attica have resulted in top fives. He’s also bagged a pair of Series victories at the 1/3-mile (2017 & 2021).Over at Sharon, Gravel is yet to make a trip to Victory Lane, but he’s been remarkably consistent. His four starts there with the Big Game Motorsports team have led to a pair of runner-ups, no result worse than fourth, and an average finish of third.Gravel heads to Ohio atop the standings with a 58-point advantage over Donny Schatz.OHIO EXPERTISE: There’s no doubt this coming stretch of Ohio races is circled on Donny Schatz’s calendar as he chases an 11th World of Outlaws title. The Fargo, ND native has won at least once at all four tracks within the “Buckeye State” borders over the next couple weeks.It begins this weekend at Attica where Schatz has excelled. In 17 Attica starts, Schatz owns five wins, nine podiums, and a 4.53 average finish. A DNF in 2009 caused his only result outside the top 10. Last May Schatz picked up his first Series victory at Sharon to complete a weekend sweep at the two tracks ahead this weekend.Schatz heads to Attica sitting second in the points amid what’s been a resurgent season. He’s already bagged a pair of victories along with seven podiums, and the only occurrences he’s missed the top-10 have been a trio of 11ths. READY TO WIN: There are two notable names on the 2024 roster still chasing a victory with the season nearly a quarter complete – Logan Schuchart and Michael “Buddy” Kofoid.Schuchart and the Shark Racing crew have been consistent all year long with an average finish of 7.21, and they’ve completed every lap of Feature competition through 19 events. None of Schuchart’s 41 career wins have come at Attica or Sharon, but like the story of his 2024 campaign, he’s been close. His last seven outings at Attica have led to top 10s including a trio of top fives. Four of his five Sharon finishes have been inside the top 10.Kofoid rolls to Ohio on a streak of 14 straight top 10s including six podiums with Roth Motorsports. But none of those top three efforts placed the Penngrove, CA native atop the podium. Kofoid owns plenty of Attica laps courtesy of moving from California to Ohio when his Sprint Car career was blooming. He’s made 11 appearances on the Attica podium highlighted by a 2020 local win. The 22-year-old’s Sharon experience is much more limited, but he did pick up a top five in a 2022 ASCoC race.The pair currently reside as neighbors in the points with Schuchart in fifth, 18 markers ahead of Kofoid.BUCKEYE PROUD: With plenty of racing on a weekly basis, Ohio offers up many local talents that are expected to battle the World of Outlaws this weekend.Bryce Lucius (Findlay, OH), Cap Henry (Bellevue, OH), and Craig Mintz (Gibsonburg, OH) are all Buckeyes who’ve already made visits to Attica Victory Lane in 2024. Greg Wilson is a 25-time Attica Feature winner (tied 16th-most) and is fresh off a runner-up finish at the 3/8-mile this past weekend. The Benton Ridge, OH driver picked up an Attica top five with the World of Outlaws back in 2005. Sharon may share the state with Attica, but its location being about 150 miles east typically means the local contingent looks a little different. Dave Blaney owns the racetrack and often finds success when he brings his No. 10 out for battle. Last year, the 1995 Series champion collected a trio of Sharon checkered flags, and it’s also the site of his most recent World of Outlaws win came at Sharon in 2021 with a dramatic last lap pass. Dave’s brother – Dale Blaney – is also strong at the Ohio oval. He matched Dave’s 2023 Sharon win tally with three victories of his own.Sharon also often invites a western Pennsylvania presence including the likes of A.J. Flick (Apollo, PA), George Hobaugh (Chicora, PA), Brandon Matus (Wampum, PA), and more.THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCEWHEN AND WHERE Friday, May 17 at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, OH Saturday, May 18 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OHON THE INTERNETWorld of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series X – @WorldofOutlaws Instagram – @WoOSprint Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/monthCURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (19/78 Races):1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (2692 PTS) 2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-58 PTS) 3. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (-62 PTS) 4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing #41 (-80 PTS) 5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-116 PTS) 6. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports #83 (-134 PTS) 7. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 (-180 PTS) 8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports #17B (-324 PTS) 9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing #3Z (-462 PTS) 10. Landon Crawley – Sides Motorsports #7S (-538 PTS)NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (10 Drivers): 6 Wins – David Gravel 4 Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild 2 Wins – Donny Schatz 1 Win – Brad Sweet, Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks, Giovanni Scelzi, Carson Macedo, Rico Abreu, Brady BaconFEATURE LAPS LED (14 Drivers):160 Laps – David Gravel 107 Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild 56 Laps – Giovanni Scelzi 55 Laps – Carson Macedo 54 Laps – Rico Abreu 47 Laps – Donny Schatz 29 Laps – Kyle Larson 26 Laps – Brady Bacon 25 Laps – Brad Sweet 13 Laps – Anthony Macri, Michael Kofoid 11 Laps – Bill Balog 3 Laps – Brent Marks 1 Lap – Tyler Courtney SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (10 Drivers):4 Quick Times – Carson Macedo, David Gravel 2 Quick Times ��� Brent Marks, Michael Kofoid, Giovanni Scelzi 1 Quick Time – Landon Crawley, Brian Brown, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Donny SchatzHEAT RACE WINNERS (23 Drivers): 12 Heat Wins – David Gravel 8 Heat Wins – Giovanni Scelzi, Carson Macedo 6 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Michael Kofoid 5 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu 4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks 3 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz 2 Heat Wins – Brian Brown, Tyler Courtney, Landon Crawley 1 Heat Win – Corey Day, Justin Peck, Bill Balog, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Brock Zearfoss, Logan Schuchart, Bill Rose, Ryan Timms, Danny Sams III, Kyle Larson, Emerson Axsom, Anthony MacriTOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (35 Drivers):16 Dashes – David Gravel 14 Dashes – Giovanni Scelzi, Carson Macedo 12 Dashes – Michael Kofoid 11 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild 8 Dashes – Donny Schatz 7 Dashes – Rico Abreu, Bill Balog 6 Dashes – Landon Crawley 5 Dashes – Brent Marks, Logan Schuchart 4 Dashes – Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown 3 Dashes – Emerson Axsom 2 Dashes – Brad Sweet, Aaron Reutzel, Brock Zearfoss, Anthony Macri 1 Dash – Justin Peck, Zeb Wise, Corey Day, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Bill Rose, Ryan Timms, Garet Williamson, James McFadden, Logan McCandless, Ayrton Gennetten, Brady Bacon, Danny Sams III, Cole Macedo, Kyle Larson, Skylar Gee, Kody Hartlaub, Chase DietzMICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (15 Drivers):2 LCS Wins – Logan McCandless 1 LCS Win – Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Corey Day, Kasey Kahne, Koty Adams, Jace Park, Anthony Macri, Landon Crawley, Garet Williamson, Brock Zearfoss, Kevin Newton, Brenham Crouch, Sheldon Haudenschild, Brandon RahmerKSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (14 Drivers):3 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart 2 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo 1 Hard Charger – Aaron Reutzel, Jace Park, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Brock Zearfoss, Chase Randall, Chris Windom, Noah Gass, Austin McCarl, Giovanni Scelzi, Sheldon Haudenschild, Danny DietrichPODIUM FINISHES (16 Drivers):11 Podiums – David Gravel 7 Podiums – Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo 6 Podiums – Michael Kofoid 5 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, Giovanni Scelzi 3 Podiums – Brad Sweet, Rico Abreu 2 Podiums – Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks 1 Podium – Justin Peck, Anthony Macri, Aaron Reutzel, Bill Balog, Brady Bacon, Kyle LarsonTOP 10 FINISHES (43 Drivers): 18 Top 10s – Giovanni Scelzi 17 Top 10s – David Gravel 16 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Michael Kofoid 15 Top 10s – Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart 13 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild 9 Top 10s – Bill Balog 6 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney 5 Top 10s – Brent Marks, Rico Abreu, Brock Zearfoss, Anthony Macri 4 Top 10s – Brad Sweet 3 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Aaron Reutzel, Cole Macedo 2 Top 10s – Ryan Timms, Chase Randall, Kraig Kinser, Landon Crawley, Corey Day, James McFadden 1 Top 10 – Justin Peck, Kasey Kahne, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Zeb Wise, Cory Eliason, Jacob Allen, Chris Windom, Garet Williamson, Joe B. Miller, Ayrton Gennetten, Brady Bacon, Emerson Axsom, Scotty Milan, Cale Thomas, Cole Duncan, Kyle Larson, Skylar Gee, Troy Wagaman Jr., Danny Dietrich, Chase Dietz2024 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)1. Wed, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brad Sweet (1) 2. Thurs, Feb 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1) 3. Fri, Feb 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (1) 4. Sat, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1) 5. Mon, March 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1) 6. Fri, March 15 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Brent Marks (1) 7. Sat, March 16 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / Giovanni Scelzi (1) 8. Sat, March 23 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / Carson Macedo (1) 9. Sat, March 30 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (1) 10. Fri, April 5 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / David Gravel (2) 11. Sat, April 6 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Sheldon Haudenschild (2) 12. Fri, April 12 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / David Gravel (3) 13. Sat, April 13 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Donny Schatz (2) 14. Fri, April 19 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY / Sheldon Haudenschild (3) 15. Sat, April 20 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1) 16. Wed, May 1 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / David Gravel (4) 17. Fri, May 3 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (4) 18. Sat, May 4 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / David Gravel (5) 19. Wed, May 8 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / David Gravel (6)For the full 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, CLICK HERE.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 14, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, will complete its run of five Short Tracks in its opening six races with this weekend’s inaugural Silver Dollar Short Track at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, on Saturday, May 18. While two weeks later than originally scheduled due to inclement weather on the original date, the visit to the historic venue is actually overdue by measure of decades rather than weeks. The track is fabled among West Coast auto racing superstars and finally has its opportunity to earn its place in the esteem of the world’s elite motorcycle dirt trackers starting this weekend. There have been different winners in each of the four Mission AFT SuperTwins Short Track Main Events to date this season: points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), second-ranked Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), and last weekend’s victor, Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke). Solid arguments can be made for all four heading into this weekend. But that level of parity combined with the novel nature of the Silver Dollar Short Track makes it difficult, if not impossible, to predict who is most likely to hold the upper hand. Of course, the ‘24 season could continue on brand and deliver fans a fifth winner in as many STs. Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) and Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) have both earned runners-up in the discipline this year, while Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Foods KTM 790 Duke) have all stood atop the box in recent seasons. Historically, Short Tracks have a way of springing surprises. So perhaps one of a number of talented underdogs will step to the fore in Chico, a group of riders that includes the likes of Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing MT-07), Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke), Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp). Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER By contrast, this year’s four ST wins in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKERcategory have been split evenly by just two riders, reigning class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and his most persistent challenger, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F). Outside of a last-lap incident in the opener that cost Australian Drane what could prove to be a vital haul of points, the two have been nearly perfectly matched, with each rider boasting two wins among four podium finishes this season. Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) haven’t been too far off that form. Saathoff boasts a pair of top threes including his maiden victory, former class champ Gauthier has reeled in two runners-up among three podiums, while Lowe has taken a pair of thirds. Others to watch include Californians James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction, P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R), andTyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), as well as up-and-comers Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). There will be plenty to keep spectators entertained off the track as well, including numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options, live music, activities for kids, and extensive motorcycle parking. General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free), while Reserved Grandstand tickets are $40 (all ages), Trackside Box tickets are $60 (all ages), and Pit Grandstand tickets offer premium viewing experiences for $70 (all ages). New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($150 all ages). This ticket option provides reserved seating with Pit Pass access, a guided tour of, and photo opportunities at, the infield podium and start/finish line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the heat races, and a track talk and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/silver-dollar-short-track-89147 to reserve your seats today. Gates will open for fans at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT). You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. FOX Sports coverage of the Silver Dollar Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, May 25, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT). For more information on Progressive AFT visit  https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Inside Line Promotions – ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 14, 2024) – Dominic Scelzi will participate in a pair of sprint car divisions this Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway.

The elbows-up track in Tulare, Calif., hosts the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series and the Kings of Thunder 360ci winged sprint cars.

“There’s no question Tulare is my favorite track and it’ll be good to get back there,” Scelzi said. “Both races we’ve done this year in Hanford have been good and racy. We’ve had a first and a second so I’m hoping we can go to Tulare and expect the same thing.”

Scelzi has been victorious at the track each of the last three years and he is seeking redemption following a frustrating finish to a NARC 410 Sprint Car Series race last Saturday at Antioch Speedway.

Scelzi qualified seventh quickest and advanced from third to second place despite mechanical problems during a Contra Costa County Clash heat race.

“We dropped a valve a lap in and it was still running so I knew it was important to finish the heat race in a good position,” he said. “We were able to make a pass running on seven cylinders.”

The team lined up on the inside of the fifth row in the main event.

“We were in sixth and passing for fifth when a caution came out about 10 laps in so I felt we had a strong race car,” he said. “I had passed (Cole) Macedo two laps prior and was underneath someone for fifth when the yellow came out. I don’t understand the scoring because they put Cole in front of me for the restart. The second we went green those two got together and I had nowhere to go. I got into someone and it ripped the right front shock off and damaged the nose wing. I tried to run for a lap or two, but ended up pulling off because the damage was too severe.”

Scelzi was credited with a 21^st-place finish.

QUICK RESULTS –

May 11 – Antioch Speedway in Antioch, Calif. – Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 2 (3); Feature: 21 (9).

SEASON STATS –

18 races, 1 win, 4 top fives, 4 top 10s, 12 top 15s, 16 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series and the Kings of Thunder

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

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

John and Brittany Force, plus Austin Prock, eager to start second quarter of NHRA season

For Immediate Release JOLIET, IL. (May 14, 2024) – With five races already in the record books, John Force Racing moves into the second quarter of the 20-race 2024 NHRA season at this weekend’s Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant at Route 66 Raceway in suburban Chicago. This is an especially big weekend for JFR, as PEAK is not only the presenting sponsor of the event, it has also been the primary sponsor of John Force’s Funny Car since 2015, and will also be the primary sponsor for this race on Brittany Force’s Top Fuel dragster. The sponsorship of the father-daughter team sets up a possibility of a “double up” end result: having both PEAK cars in the winner’s circle after Sunday’s eliminations (or perhaps a “double up” between Brittany and teammate Austin Prock in the Cornwell Tools Funny Car). Here’s the latest from John Force Racing heading into this weekend’s race: JOHN FORCE: The most successful driver in NHRA history with 16 Funny Car championships and 156 national event wins is especially looking forward to this weekend’s race. First, Chicago is one of Force’s favorite towns. He calls the Windy City “our hometown” because it is also the home of Old World Industries and PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant, the primary sponsor of Force’s Funny Car (and will also sponsor Brittany Force’s dragster for this race). Second, PEAK is once again presenting sponsor for this weekend’s big race in suburban Joliet, IL. It’s one of the biggest events for parent company Old World Industries and its employees. Third, Force is coming off a strong weekend in his last race three weeks ago, one that saw him set an all-time personal-best record of 3.820 seconds, the 10th-quickest ET in NHRA history. Force also reached the finals of the 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte that weekend. Force has three wins (2000, 2004 and 2006) at Route 66, tying him with Matt Hagan for most victories among Funny Car drivers there. Interestingly, each time Force has won at Chicago, he’s gone on to win the NHRA Funny Car championship in those respective seasons. Force’s eight total final round showings are also tops among Funny Car drivers there, as well as his six No. 1 qualifying positions. Force made history at Route 66: his 2000 victory over Jerry Toliver (June 4, 2000), which was his 86th tour victory, moving him past Pro Stock legend Bob Glidden and making him the most prolific winner in NHRA history. Force has since won 70 more races. Force is hoping to “double up” with his daughter, Brittany. They have jointly won the same national event in the same weekend just one time before: August 15, 2021, in Topeka, Ks. “This is a very important race for us,” Force said. “It’s our home office (PEAK is headquartered in north suburban Northbrook, IL.), but Route 66, where NHRA puts on that national event, is unbelievable. It’s fun to race there, the access to it is great, the stands wrap around so that the fans can see everything. It’s just a great place to be. “I’m also excited to be representing PEAK and Blue Def. And with myself, a Funny Car world champion and Brittany, a Top Fuel world champion, if we were to double up wearing PEAK colors and at a PEAK race, that’ll be huge. We’d love to double up, so we’re going to be trying. And this is also a home race for my son-in-law (and crew chief), Danny Hood, who is from Chicago. “I’ve always said Indy (U.S. Nationals) was our granddaddy of races and, of course, the world finals at Pomona. And this is major, just as big to me because of all the things that we’re doing. “We’ve got a big event at PEAK’s headquarters on Wednesday, we’re going to have media all over town, TV and radio appearances, and then we’re going out to the racetrack for photo shoots. So, all this is exciting. I love this race, the track and we’ve run good at it. We’re going in there with guns blazing.” Indeed, Route 66 Raceway is high on Force’s list of favorite racetracks. The NHRA raced there from 1999 until 2019, then returned last year. “I love the concept of Route 66, from the old days of the highway (Route 66) that went from Chicago and across the country, all the way to California,” Force said. “You never want to lose a race. But you especially don’t want to lose one that’s in a market that’s as huge as Chicago. We’re excited that we’re back in Chicago because that’s where my major sponsor is. That’s where we need to be.” John Force enters this weekend’s race fifth in the NHRA Funny Car standings.  AUSTIN PROCK: Austin Prock has had a dream season thus far. Since switching from driving a Top Fuel dragster to filling Robert Hight’s seat in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car at the beginning of this season, Prock’s performance has been nothing short of outstanding. He already has one win (Arizona), has finished runner-up two other times (Gainesville and Las Vegas), has been No. 1 qualifier in three of the first five races and has led the Funny Car point standings for the last two races. Not bad for a guy who is considered a “rookie” in Funny Car. However, Prock is anything but a rookie. Prior to switching to a Funny Car this year, he earned four wins and eight final round appearances in four seasons driving a Top Fuel dragster for JFR. Prock, whose father Jimmy and brother Thomas are his crew chief and assistant crew chief, respectively, has a legacy at Route 66 that he hopes to extend. Hight was the No. 1 qualifier in three of the last four races at Route 66 (2017, 2019 and 2023) and last year set the current track records of 3.831 seconds and 335.07 mph. Prock is seeking to become the fifth different JFR Funny Car driver to win at the Chicago track after John Force (2000, 2004 and 2006), Tony Pedregon (2002 and 2003), Mike Neff (2011) and Hight (2018). Having grown up three hours east of Route 66 Raceway in Lansing, Mich., Prock is excited to have a number of friends and family members to cheer him on this weekend.’ “They’re all big races throughout the season, but this is always a good one for us,” Prock said. “Growing up in Lansing, it’s kind of like a home race in a sense to have some family members and friends out there, it’s always a good time and it’s a huge race for PEAK and quite a few of our partners.” Being the points leader heading into the second quarter of the season, Prock is aware of the challenge he faces to remain No. 1. “There’s some very challenging tracks coming up,” Prock said. “New Hampshire is always a challenging track, you’ve got Bristol, of course, and Chicago as well. How do we keep our momentum going? I’m just excited to get back to the racetrack, sitting out of the seat for three weeks. “Yeah, there are some tough tracks ahead, but we’ve also done well at some other hard tracks in the first part of the season already. This team and this car have been really successful at all those racetracks. So I’m looking forward to getting back doing what I love, driving this race car. It’s like riding a bike, it’ll all come back real quick, but we’ve just got to keep our heads down and keep being really focused. So I’m looking forward to what should be a good weekend.” The success Prock has enjoyed thus far has caused him to say several times that he has to keep pinching himself to make sure all the good he’s enjoyed this season has been real. “This year has just been a blur,” Prock said. “It’s crazy that we’re already a quarter of the way through the season. It just seems like it’s flown by and it’s been a lot mentally to process and it just doesn’t seem like it’s really happened. So I’ve just got to keep doing the same job I’ve been doing. “It’s been working so far, but we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m just head down, got to stay focused, can’t get too caught up in everything surrounding you and just go up there and do everything one moment at a time and try to be perfect every moment you do something.”  BRITTANY FORCE: After roaring to her second Top Fuel championship in 2022, followed by a challenging year in 2023, positive signs abound for Brittany Force thus far in 2024. Thus far this season, the younger Force was No. 1 qualifier and reached the semifinals in her home race, the Winternationals, in Pomona, Calif.; qualified No. 2 in Arizona, and reached the semifinals in both 4-Wide races at Las Vegas and Charlotte. “Our team struggled last year and we need to get our car back on track,” said Brittany, who comes into this weekend ranked ninth in the Top Fuel standings. “We were lost all last season. I already feel the improvement that’s come into this season, looking at what we did last year and all the testing we’ve done this year. “We’re kind of combining the last few years and trying to create our tune-up that way, combining all the good from those last few years. But it’s something you can’t do overnight, it’s always a work in progress. But this extra testing is definitely getting us closer to the ultimate goal, to turning on the win lights and getting us back into the winner’s circle.” A two-time No. 1 qualifier at Chicago in Top Fuel (2016, 2017), Force has one final round appearance (2014) and reached the semifinals in last year’s race. She also set the Route 66 Top Fuel track speed record on May 20, 2023 (334.82 mph), but still is seeking her first Chicago win. Ironically, before he became Force’s crew chief, David Grubnic as a driver was No. 1 qualifier at Chicago in 2004 and finished runner-up to Del Worsham in 2011. “Our team is very structured with how we move through the season,” Force said. “So we had a goal coming into the first quarter, the first five races, that we should have so many round wins. “Well, the problem is we’re already behind, which is why we’ve been doing (so much) extra testing to get us moving forward quicker than what we’ve been doing this year.” Brittany is excited to not only carry PEAK colors on her dragster this weekend, she also would love to double up and share the winner’s circle Sunday afternoon with her father. “I look forward to coming to Chicago because it’s a unique setting,” Brittany Force said. “This year, with my dad running PEAK and me running PEAK, it gives us the opportunity for a double-up in all-PEAK colors, and gives us the opportunity to do something we’ve never been able to do.” ****************************** NITRO AND TV SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES EASTERN): Friday, May 17 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)·      Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 4:30 p.m.·      Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 7 p.m. Saturday, May 18 (Nitro Qualifying & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, streamed live on NHRA.TV)·      Top Fuel qualifying session (Q3): 1:30 p.m.·      Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Round 1: 1:55 p.m.·      Funny Car qualifying session (Q3): 2:05 p.m.·      Mission #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge – Round 1: 2:30 p.m.·      Top Fuel qualifying session (Q4): 4:30 p.m.·      Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Finals: 4:55 p.m.·      Funny Car qualifying session (Q4): 5 p.m.·      Mission #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge – Finals: 5:25 p.m. Sunday, May 19 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)·      Round 1: 12 p.m.·      Round 2: 2 p.m.·      Semi-Finals: 3:35 p.m.·      Finals: 5:15 p.m. TV coverage on FS1 (all times Eastern):· Friday, May 17: Qualifying show (7:30-9 p.m.)· Saturday, May 18: Pro Stock All-Star Callout (7-8:30 p.m.)· Sunday, May 19: Qualifying show, recap of Saturday’s action (1-2 p.m.)·  Sunday, May 19: FinalS Round 1 (4-5 p.m.)·.  Sunday, May 19: Finals show (10 p.m.-12 a.m.) #2024ORCE— John Force Racing —

Four days of racing at four different racetracks with over $230,000 at stake up next for the ‘Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet’  

CONCORD, NC (May 13, 2024) – Some of the toughest dirt Late Model racers come from the Ohio and Pennsylvania region, right where the stars of the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series is headed this week. 

The green flag waves on this tour beginning Thursday, May 16, with $10,000-to-win event at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH before crossing into the Keystone State for $15,000-to-win races at Bedford Speedway (May 17) and Marion Center Raceway (May 18), and the $10,000-to-win event at Path Valley Speedway on Sunday, May 19. In all, there will be more than $230,000 up for grabs over the course of the four days. 

Tickets can be purchased at each of the tracks. You can buy advanced tickets for Path Valley today at the link HERE.  

For more information about every event in the 2024 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment schedule, visit WorldofOutlaws.com/schedule, or CLICK HERE. 

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

Here are the top storylines to look out for this weekend: 

Ryan’s Win Gust: Marshalltown, IA driver Ryan Gustin’s tenure with Todd Cooney Racing in the first quarter of 2024 culminated in his first Dairyland Showdown crown at Mississippi Thunder Speedway after a tight battle with defending series champion Bobby Pierce that went down to the final lap. 

Gustin’s sixth career World of Outlaws CASE Late Models win moved him up to eighth in the standings — motivating “The Reaper” to continue climbing his way up the standings aboard his No.19R Infinity Chassis by Wells Motorsports. 

Marion Center Raceway allows him the opportunity to claim back-to-back wins as the 0.25-mile track was the site of Gustin’s first of three Series Feature wins in 2023. 

Shepp’s Steady Lead: In a similar position to Gustin, current World of Outlaws CASE Late Models points leader Brandon Sheppard has progressively shown improved pace from his No.B5 Longhorn Factory Team Late Model. 

While the New Berlin, IL driver has yet to win a Feature race with the Series in 2024, he is the only driver to finish inside the top-10 in all eight points races through the season, including a podium at Mississippi Thunder Speedway on Friday night. 

Sheppard has a solid track record with Series debuts at racetracks — winning 15 out of his record-standing 83 Feature wins in maiden races. 

Charge & Thrill: Nick Hoffman has continued to prove that he and Tye Twarog Racing are ready to challenge for his first World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series title in his second full-time season as a Late Model pilot. 

On the first night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, the Mooresville, NC driver led the final 45 circuits of the 50-lap Feature to claim his third win of 2024 — the most of all drivers to date. 

Through eight races in 2024, “The Thrill from Mooresville” passed his rookie numbers in wins with three, total laps led with 85, and holds a tie in podium finishes with five total. 

New-Look Three: The Ohio-Pennsylvania swing has two new tracks to test World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series drivers, and one track returning for the first time since 2009. 

Raceway 7’s first appearance with the Series is not the first time an Outlaw conquered the 0.437-mile track. In 2019, Brandon, FL driver Kyle Bronson claimed a Feature win in his #40B Super Late Model at the Conneaut, OH venue. 

Bedford Speedway’s Billy Winn Classic is the first time the Series has raced at the track since 2009, with winners at the track including Chub Frank, Steve Francis and Tim Fuller. Nick Hoffman took home a Feature win in 2021 by piloting a DIRTcar UMP Modified. 

Path Valley Speedway — known for its history in Pennsylvania Sprint Car racing — has the traveling band of Late Models invading the Spring Run, PA track for its first national dirt Late Model event. The track creates a new page in the notebook for drivers as no previous Outlaw has won at the 0.25-mile bullring. 

FEATURE WINNERS (5 Drivers) 
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins  

1. Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 3  

2. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 2 

3. Ryan Gustin –  Marshalltown, IA – 1 

3. Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 1  

3. Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1 
   

HEAT RACE WINNERS (15 Drivers) 
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins  

1. Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 4  

2. Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 3  

2. Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 3  

2. Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 3  

2. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 3  

2. Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 3  

3. Dale McDowell – Chickamauga, GA – 2  

3. Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 2  

4. Shannon Babb – Moweaqua – IL -1  

4. Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 1  

4. Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 1  

4. Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 1  

4. Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 1  

4. Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1  

4. Garrett Smith – Eatonton, GA – 1  

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (13 Drivers)  
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins  

1. Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 3  

2. Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 2  

2. Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 2 

3. Jake Timm – Winona, MN – 1 

3. Jordan Yaggy – Rochester, MN – 1  

3. Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1  

3. Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 1  

3. Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1  

3. Frank Heckenast Jr – Frankfort, IL – 1  

3. Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1  

3. Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – 1  

3. Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – 1  

3. Tripp Gerrald – Versailles, KY – 1  

PODIUM FINISHES (11 Drivers)  
Rank – Driver – Hometown – Podiums  

1. Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 6  

2. Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 5  

2. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 3  

3. Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 2  

3. Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 2 

4. Ryan Gustin –  Marshalltown, IA – 1 

4. Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1  

4. Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1 

4. Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 1  

4. Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 1  

4. Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1  

FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGER (6 Drivers)   
Rank – Driver – Hometown – H.C.  

1. Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 2  

1. Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 2 

2. Brent Larson – Lake Elmo, MN – 1 

2. Jake Timm – Winona, MN -1  

2. Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 1  

2. Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 1  

SIMPSON RACING PRODUCTS QUICK TIMES (6 Drivers)  
Rank – Driver – Hometown – QTs   

1. Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 2 

2. Ryan Gustin –  Marshalltown, IA – 1 

2. Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1  

2. Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 1  

2. Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 1  

2. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1  

BILSTEIN REDRAW POLE AWARD (7 Drivers)  

Rank – Driver – Hometown – Poles  

1. Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 2 

2. Ryan Gustin –  Marshalltown, IA – 1 

2. Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 1  

2. Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 1  

2. Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 1  

2. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1  

2. Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 1  
   

CASE FEATURE LAP LEADERS (9 Drivers)   
Rank – Driver – Hometown – Laps Led  

1. Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 85  

2. Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 70  

3. Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 47 

4. Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 29 

5. Ryan Gustin –  Marshalltown, IA – 28  

5. Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 27  

6. Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 16  

7. Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 15  

8. Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 6 

9. Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 5 

2024 World of Outlaws Late Model Schedule & Winners 

1. Friday, Jan. 19/Vololusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Devin Moran 

2. Saturday, Jan. 20/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Hudson O’Neal 

3. Thursday, Feb. 15 /Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Nick Hoffman 

4. Friday, Jan. 19/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Devin Moran (2) 

5. Friday, Apr. 12/Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL/Nick Hoffman (2) 

6. Saturday, Apr. 13/Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL/Bobby Pierce 

7. Friday, May 3/Mississippi Thunder Speedway/Nick Hoffman (3) 

8. Friday, May 4/Mississippi Thunder Speedway/Ryan Gustin 

(5/13/24 – Ben Deatherage) Sacramento, CA … The wait for an entire weekend of NARC 410 Sprint Car Series racing is almost over, as the 900+ horsepower behemoths of the tour are in action not once but twice, this Saturday and Sunday! First, Thunderbowl Raceway will be the first stop on Saturday, May 18th, for KRC Safety Night.But wait, there is more! The Stockton Dirt Track will visit the reconfigured ¼-mile track for a Sunday Twilight Show spectacular for the rescheduled Salute to LeRoy Van Conett.Among them will be Easton, CA driver Caeden Steele, the current leader in the race for the NARC Rookie of the Year award.  He sits ninth in the standings.”I’m excited to get back to 410 racing, especially Tulare,” said Steele.  “I have a lot of laps there, and that’s one of my favorite tracks because it really fits my driving style.  The season has been pretty great so far. We’ve been lucky enough to avoid some of the wrecks, so we’ll see if we can continue that.”The journey to the famed 1/3-mile clay oval in Tulare marks the fourth event of the 65th Anniversary season for the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series, followed by the Stockton Dirt Track show.The companion divisions for the Tulare are the Kings of Thunder 360 Sprints and West Coast Sport Compacts, while the Bay Cities Racing Association Midgets will be on the card on Sunday for Stockton.Sunday’s race will honor the living legend LeRoy Van Conett, one of the all-time great drivers to come out of California.  The “Dragon from Galt” scored eight NARC titles (1969, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1984) and won the track title at Calistoga Speedway on seven occasions.  He was the 1976 Gold Cup Race of Champions winner at the defunct West Capital Raceway. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1999.  The Van Conett race was established in 2016, and Shane Golobic and D.J. Netto are tied for the most wins at this event, with two apiece. Championship ChaseWith three completed rounds in the 2024 schedule, the march for the King of the West championship is still in the early stages.Cole Macedo enters the weekend as the series point leader. He is a tough customer to beat on the track and has yet to finish outside the top five this season. The Lemoore racer, piloting the Tarlton Motorsports #21 entry, already has won two of three events in 2024 and is coming off of a fifth-place result at Antioch.  Aromas driver Justin Sanders, the winner of last Saturday’s show at Antioch, is only 11-points behind Macedo.Who to WatchMany Central Valley-based competitors will attend, several of which are competing for the Rookie Of The Year honors. Steele currently leads the chase as the BCCR Racing #121 entry has been incredible despite a limited number of 410 Sprint Car starts to his name.Gauge Garcia, from Lemoore, is looking to bounce back from a hard flip last weekend.  The Keller Motorsports #2K team is also looking to try and build on their tenth-place finish in their most recent Stockton NARC outing.Dominic Gorden is looking to keep early-season gremlins behind him.  The Clovis teenager had a season-best result last Saturday with his 12th-place effort.Mariah Ede made her NARC debut last weekend. She is one of the newest members of the massive pool of 410 talent from California and has an extremely bright future. The Fresno racer will be running both tracks for the first time in a 410 between the frame rails.Another local driver also making the journey is the aforementioned Netto, from Hanford, who is always a threat to win against the competition when he rolls into the pit area.  The 2019 NARC champion has twice won with the series at Stockton, which happens to be the Van Conett Tribute and grabbed a victory at Tulare in 2015.Justin Sanders got a big win last weekend for the Mittry Motorsports #2X team at the Contra Costa County Clash. The Aromas racer didn’t win; he dominated, leading all the laps of the feature, setting a quick time, and winning the dash. He will undoubtedly look to continue that positive momentum. Sanders was third in his last Tulare outing with NARC and has two Stockton wins.The previously referenced Golobic will looking to score his 16th career NARC victory. The Matt Wood Racing #17W entry has finished second in three shows so far.  The Fremont racer will look to win his second career Tulare win with the series for the first time since 2018. His only two NARC wins at Stockton were during the Van Conett race.Other NARC 410 Series regulars in action will include 2017 champion Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Justyn Cox from Roseville, Oakley pilot Dylan Bloomfield, Billy Aton from Benicia, Penngrove’s Chase Johnson, Chico pilots Nick Parker and Michael Ing, and Jarrett Soares of Gilroy. Other notable names expected will be two-time NARC champ Dominic Scelzi from Fresno, Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick, and Ryan Bernal of Roseville.Fan & Competitor InfoThunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds at 620 South K Street in Tulare, California. Grandstand Tickets are $35.00 for Adults, Seniors $33.00, Kids (6-12) $18.00, and 5 and Under are FREE. Bleacher Tickets are $30.00 for Adults, $28.00 for Seniors, Kids (6-12 for $15.00, and 4 and Under are FREE.The Front Gates open at 4:00 PM, Qualifying at 6:00 p.m., and racing at 7:00.Additional information can be found at www.thunderbowlraceway.com.The Stockton Dirt Track is located at the San Joaquin County Fairground at 1658 S Airport Way in Stockton, California. Tickets are $30.00 for Adults, Juniors (5-17)/Seniors (65+)/Military (with ID) $25.00, and 4 and Under are FREE. Please note that there is a $10.00 cash-only parking fee for spectators. Online tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/narc-410-king-of-the-west-sprint-cars-bcra-midgets-tickets-890659044177?aff=website.The Pit Gates will open at 1:00 pm, and qualifying will kick off at 4:00 p.m, with racing starting around 5:15 pm.Additional information can be found at www.stocktondirttrack.com.The NARC racing format includes qualifying, four 8-lap heat races, an exciting six-lap trophy dash, a 12-lap last chance race, and a 30-lap main event.The NARC 410 Sprint Series is the leading 410 Sprint Car tour west of the Rocky Mountains. Since 1960, it has enthralled countless thousands of fans from tracks up and down the Pacific Coast. For more information, visit its website at www.narc410.com or social media pages.The event at Thunderbowl Raceway and the Stockton Dirt Track’s Salute To LeRoy Van Conett, along with every NARC 410 Sprint Car Series race, can be viewed live on Floracing.com.Past Salute To Leroy Van Conett Winners:
2016- Cory Eliason
2017- Shane Golobic
2018- Tim Kaeding
2019- Shane Golobic
2021- D.J. Netto
2022- D.J. NettoThe NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate and product award sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Diversified Machine Inc., Jim Allen Promotions, Kaeding Performance Center, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, KSE Racing Enterprises, Lifeline LLC, Maxim Racing Products, Mettec Titanium, Pyrotect, Saldana Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Scelzi Enterprises, SCI Racing Products, Starr Property Management, System 1 Ignition, Ultra Lite Brakes, Williams Roofing, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Winters Performance Products.NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS
(AFTER THREE EVENTS IN 23-RACE SERIES – 5/13/24)

1. Cole Macedo, Lemoore – 421
2. Justin Sanders, Aromas – 410
3. Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 407
4. Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 404
5. Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 400
6. Sean Becker, Roseville – 399
7. Chase Johnson, Penngrove – 397
8. Shane Golobic, Fremont – 397
9. Caeden Steele, Fresno (R) – 395
10. Nick Parker, Chico – 395
11. Kaleb Montgomery, Templeton – 387
12. Gauge Garcia, Lemoore (R) – 384
13. Justyn Cox, Clarksburg – 382
14. Jarrett Soares, Gilroy – 362
15. Dominic Gorden, Clovis (R) – 360
16. Billy Aton, Benicia – 359
17. Michael Ing, Chico – 344
18. Burt Foland Jr, San Jose – 339
19. Ryan Bernal, Roseville – 262
20. DJ Netto, Hanford – 252

UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 1 – Placerville Speedway – Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial
FASTEST FIVE DAYS IN MOTORSPORTS
June 12 – Southern Oregon Speedway (Central Point, OR) – Wild Wednesday Sprint Cars
June 13 – The Douglas County Dirtrack (Roseburg, OR) – Thursday Night Thunder
June 14 – Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR) – Friday Night Frenzy
June 15 – Willamette Speedway (Lebanon, OR) – Sprint Car Invasion
June 16 – Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, CA) – Fathers Day Timber CupJune 20-22 – Skagit Speedway (Burlington, WA) – Jim Raper Super Dirt Cup
June 29 – Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, CA) – David Tarter Memorial