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McDowell Helps Elementary Students Paint “Turtles” Ahead of Bank of America ROVAL ™ 400McDowell Helps Elementary Students Paint “Turtles”

NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell joined fourth graders from five Charlotte-area elementary schools as they painted “turtles” that will be used during the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Oct. 6-8. (CMS photo)
  • Five Charlotte-area elementary schools participated in a STEAM event to decorate rumble strips known as “turtles” ahead of the Oct. 8 running of the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
  • Fans can vote on their favorite “turtle” design at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/paint-the-roval-turtles/; the winning school will be recognized at the speedway’s STEAM Expo on Oct. 6
  • Tickets for the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend are still available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com; Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10

CONCORD, NC (Sept. 18, 2023) – NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell, alongside 30 local elementary students from five area schools, helped Charlotte Motor Speedway staff prepare for the upcoming Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend by painting “turtles” at America’s Home for Racing on Monday. As part of the speedway’s year-round STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) program, students designed and painted six-inch-high steel rumble strips that will be installed around the road course ahead of next month’s pivotal NASCAR Cup Series race. The 100-pound kerbs will be bolted to the track surface to help keep drivers on the 17-turn, 2.28-mile course during the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on Sunday, Oct. 8.

“Throughout the year, our STEAM program brings more than 10 thousand students to the speedway to learn about how the principles of STEAM overlap with motorsports,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “This event is a fun way to put some of those principles into action, but also to make these students part of race day, where their artwork will be on full display.”

Students from R. Brown McAllister STEM Elementary, Rea Farms STEAM Academy, Victory Christian Center School, Online Catawba and Our Lady of the Assumption each decorated their “turtle” based on the theme “NASCAR at its finest.” Designs included tributes to NASCAR’s 75th anniversary, race scenes, and, of course, turtles. Paint for the event was provided by Sherwin-Williams.

McDowell had the chance to interact with the children and see their creativity when painting the five turtles.

“Every group had a blank slate, and every single turtle’s design came out so different,” he said. “It’s great to see how creative children are.

“It is important to excite these children about NASCAR and introduce them to the different possibilities of working in motorsports, whether it is engineering, aerodynamics, graphic design, or one of the many different other possibilities.”

Through Sept. 28, fans can vote on their favorite ‘turtle’ design online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/paint-the-roval-turtles/. The winner will be announced at the speedway’s STEAM Expo on Oct. 6. The Expo brings together more than 3,000 students to explore more than 75 STEAM-related vendor displays to kick of Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 weekend.

TICKETS:

Adult tickets for Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina start at just $25. Kids 12 and under get in free with an adult. Tickets to the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 start at just $49 for adults. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10 with an adult. For tickets, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets.

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Ron Atapattu and Kevin Madsen Climb Through Field in Lamborghini Super Trofeo NA Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis, Ind., September 18 – International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the first time in nine years for Round Five of the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series Sept. 15-17 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Wild Elephant Racing team owner/driver Ron Atapattu and co-driver Kevin Madsen were due to compete in both Lamborghini NA rounds in the No. 24 Lamborghini Broward Super Trofeo EVO2 at the historic 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course. Unfortunately, during Saturday morning qualifying the engine failed and a lengthy new engine installation halted their ability to compete in Race #1.

The engine change forced the No. 24 Lamborghini Broward entry to start from the back of the field for Race #2. The team elected to have Atapattu, who was driving for the first time at IMS, be the starting driver from tenth position in the Am class and 36th overall. He quickly rose through the field with a yet untested new engine and by the caution flag displayed on Lap 7, Atapattu was P8 in class.

Pit stops were allowed once the race went green again and Atapattu brought the No. 24 Lamborghini Super Trofeo EVO2 into the pits on Lap 12 for the mandatory driver change pit stop. Madsen went to work quickly, continuing to climb through the large Lamborghini field at the historic Indianapolis circuit, where he had previously raced in 2021 during the 8 Hour race for the Intercontinental GT race in a McLaren GT3 race car.

His drive was impressive as he got as high as fifth position by race end on Lap 29. Unfortunately, while Madsen was alongside another car on Lap 24 contact occurred and he was deemed the primary cause of the incident since he was doing the passing, thus received a penalty.

In the end the No. 24 was scored as seventh in class and 23rd overall in the 50-minute race. The team left happy with the event and performance because the goal was a directive to go for a podium finish if possible. This was especially important after missing Race 1 this weekend and the previous two races at VIRginia International Raceway last month, which left the team unable to have a high season championship result.

Fans were treated to an up-close look at the No. 24 Lamborghini Broward-sponsored red, white, and blue, stars and stripes liveried Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 at Thursday evening’s IMSA Tirerack.com Battle On The Bricks Street Festival in downtown Indianapolis.

Atapattu and Madsen previously won the inaugural race of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. in their debut 2023 race.

Quotes:

Ron Atapattu, Team Owner/Driver, No. 24 Lamborghini Broward Elephantea Super Trofeo EVO2:

“We had quite an eventful weekend at Indianapolis. This was a track I was glad to see on the calendar this year because I have never raced here and it’s such an iconic track. Everyone wants to ‘kiss the bricks’, which you get to do when you win here.

No one would have thought we would have an engine failure because these Lamborghinis, although powerful and complex, rarely have issues like that. The Ansa Motorsports team did a terrific job working until midnight to change the engine after we couldn’t compete in the first race.

Starting the No. 24 Lamborghini Broward car from the back of the field gave me free range to put the power down to move up. I was making good progress and then the yellow flag came out. After it went green it was time for pit stops so I turned the car over to Kevin. He did an impressive job moving the car up so fast as he didn’t have a very long drive time. It was too bad for the penalty because we were so close to being back on the podium again. In the end though we were happy with our performance in Race 2.”

Kevin Madsen, Driver, No. 24 Lamborghini Broward Elephantea Super Trofeo EVO2:

“What a weekend here at IMS. It was Ron’s first time and the goal the entire time for me was to get him to ‘kiss the bricks’ and get him on that podium. Unfortunately I thought that was out the window once we had the engine failure during that red flag lap during my qualifying session. Ron drove great the entire weekend, especially for his inaugural race here, where he continually improved, knocking off big chunks of time. But with the engine going and us missing Race 1, we knew it was going to take everything by the Ansa Motorsport team to get this new engine in and get us on track. And they delivered. They did an absolute great job to put the car together. Whatever needed to be done, they did it and got us back out for Race 2.

Ron went out and started from the very last position, 36th place overall, for Race 2 and charged up the field, making a number of passes before I got in. Unfortunately a yellow came out and was just a little too long. I was charging through the field hot and the team had me giving it my all as they knew I could catch the podium cars. I had hoped the LB Cup car ahead saw me outside of him at Turn 1 but unforunately he didn’t and we made contact in Turn 2 when he came back to the left. When I talked to him after the race he said he thought I would drop back and just go by on the straight. Unfortunately we didn’t have that sort of time but we both left on good terms knowing we could have both given a bit more space to avoid one another. That’s how it goes in racing sometimes.

I have to thank the team because we couldn’t have done it without the Ansa Motorsports team supported by Lamborghini Broward. Next we’re going to Vallelunga and let’s see what we can do.”

The next race for the series will be held in Vallelunga, Italy on November 16-17 when all three Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, North America, Europe and Asia, come together for the tenth edition of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Grand Finals.

Warren Henry Auto Group’s Lamborghini Broward, located in Davie, Florida, serves as a sponsor and partner for the No. 24 Wild Elephant Racing team.

Supporting partners for the Wild Elephant Racing team include Lamborghini Broward, elephantea, ShipOCI, Star Warehouse, Hippogriff Racing Co., Racers Safety Source, and CXC Simulations.

About Warren Henry Auto Group

Established in 1976, Warren Henry Auto Group is one of the longest-standing, private, family-owned dealership groups in Florida. The company comprises of nearly 500 employees, 6 different retail locations, and 17 luxury and premium brands including Jaguar, Land Rover, INFINITI, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Hennessey, Koenigsegg, Toyota, Ford, Lincoln, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM, Icon, and Vespa.

Grounded in its original core values and vision, the company prides itself on providing exceptional customer service, creating a superior work environment for its employees, and supporting local causes in the communities it serves. Warren Henry Auto Group has received numerous awards and accolades including being named Best Dealership to Work for by Automotive News, honored by J.D. Power for Dealer of Excellence, and recognized by the South Florida Business Journal Philanthropy List. The company’s headquarters is located at 2300 NE 151st Street in North Miami. For more information, call (305) 690-6006 or visit www.warrenhenryauto.com.

For more information, please go to: www.wildelephantracing.com.

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Maple Grove Post-Race Report 09.18.23

KALITTA EARNS 50th CAREER WIN AT MAPLE GROVE
Toyota continues Top Fuel dominance with sixth consecutive category victory

MOHNTON, Pa. (September 18, 2023) – Doug Kalitta earned his long-awaited 50th career win in an extended Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway by taking home the Wally Trophy in Top Fuel. The milestone victory also came in Kalitta’s 110th career final round appearance.

Now third in the Top Fuel points standings, Kalitta defeated fellow Toyota competitor Steve Torrence in a hotly contested final Monday afternoon after final runs of the event were postponed due to inclement weather. Kalitta‘s Top Fuel victory earns Toyota its sixth consecutive win in the category, which began at Pacific Raceways in Seattle earlier this season. Toyota drivers have now won 15 Wally Trophies across Top Fuel and Funny Car in 2023.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps advanced to the weekend’s semifinals where he came up short against eventual event winner, Robert Hight. Capps heads to zMAX Dragway in Charlotte this week second in the Funny Car points standings, looking for a repeat victory in the Carolina Nationals as his push continues for a second consecutive Funny Car title.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Maple Grove Raceway
Race 16 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterWinnerW 3.658 v. 3.783 (J. Hart) W 3.692 v. 3.733 (S. Langdon) Holeshot Win 3.684 v. 3.677 (L. Pruett) W 3.662 v. 3.695(S. Torrence)
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinalistW 3.701 v. 3.789 (M. Salinas) W 3.690 v. 3.728 (A. Brown) W 3.685 v. 4.420 (T. Schumacher) L 3.695 v. 3.662(D. Kalitta)
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW 6.496 v. No Run (S. Farley) L 3.707 v. 3.716 (Holeshot Win – T. Schumacher)
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW 3.758 v. 3.771 (D. Foley) L 3.728 v. 3.690(S. Torrence)
Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW 3.723 v. 6.159 (D. Mercier) L 3.733 v. 3.692 (D. Kalitta)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Ron CappsNAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny CarSemi-FinalsW 3.903 v. 6.589 (D. Richards) W 3.899 v. 3.953 (J. Force) L 11.331 v. 3.861 (R. Hight)
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny CarSecond RoundW 3.879 v. 4.864 (B. Alexander) L 3.904 v. 3.867 (B. Tasca III)
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL 3.930 v. 3.871 (M. Hagan)

TOYOTA QUOTES

DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Final Result: Winner

It’s been 1,079 days since your last win. How much did you miss the elation of winning?

“Yeah, this is huge. Connie (Kalitta, team owner) has always had my back. I love and appreciate that guy and how much he does for the three cars we have out here. Getting a win with Alan Johnson (crew chief) has been huge on my list. Can’t thank Brian Husen (co-crew chief), Mac Tools, Toyota and all of the distributors with Mac Tools enough for continuing to support this effort. It’s a great way to start the Countdown to the Championship. Apparently, this car wanted to get off the trailer and prove what it could do. I’m really fortunate to have the guys build a car like this.”

RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

FC Final Result: Semi-finals

How would you describe the day and weekend overall?

“Well, if the event in Maple Grove Raceway is any indication on how the Countdown to the Championship is, it’s going to be one heck of a ride. Obviously, we had a great weekend qualifying second. Guido (Dean Antonelli, crew chief) and our NAPA Auto Parts team did a great job going down the track all four runs. We put great times on the board and great speeds. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to the final round, and we had to wait until Monday, which is tough on teams, especially on back-to-back weekends like we have here and then in Charlotte. But, that’s why I brag about the get-up-and-go of our team. We never quit. We got through some tough rounds to get to the semifinals, and it’s a great start to the Countdown. If we can’t win, we can get solid points from a weekend like this. I’m looking forward to getting back on track here in a few days back at the zMAX Carolina Nationals. It’s going to be a busy weekend for us, obviously with a lot of our Toyota folks being there, so I’m looking forward to showing off for them. Being the returning champion of the race, it’s nice to roll back into the event with that and the staff over there know how to treat the racers, so looking forward to that.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 24 electrified options.

EVENT RECAP: Wright Motorsports Charges to Finish as Top GT Porsche at Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (September 18, 2023) – Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Wright Motorsports celebrated an impressive performance at the Battle on the Bricks to finish as the top Porsche in both the GTD Pro and GTD classes. The team’s continued testing and development paid off at the iconic circuit when drivers Alan Brynjolfsson and Trent Hindman, combined with the fast work of their crew, produced a drive from 12th to sixth place in the two-hour, 40-minute sprint race.

“Today felt like a win,” said Team Owner John Wright. “Not only did our Porsche 911 GT3 R have a strong performance all weekend, but to close out the week as the top Porsche in a challenging race for many is an impressive feat we can be proud of.”

The No. 77 Volt Lighting Porsche 911 GT3 R rolled off the truck at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and immediately showed an improved performance as a result of continued testing and development throughout the season. After a competitive qualifying session, Bynjolfsson started the Battle on the Bricks from 12th place, avoiding an opening-lap incident that brought out the first full-course caution. He restarted from 13th position, navigating the course as the GT competitors began to get lapped by the faster prototype classes. At the 43-minute mark, a spun prototype brought out another full course caution, bunching up the field as the GTD Am drivers neared completion of their required minimum drive time. Brynjolfsson completed his drive time under caution and pitted from ninth place, setting his crew and co-driver to take advantage of his position. He concluded his clean stint and Hindman joined the race in the No. 77 Porsche from third place, slowly making gains on track, as the crew also used the team’s two pit stops to leapfrog competitors in pit lane.

Attrition from and aggression of other competitors allowed the VOLT Porsche to continue it’s climb, and with 33 minutes left on the race clock, Hindman made the move on the No. 32 Mercedes to take sixth place, where the Wright Motorsports Porsche successfully finished. The result marked the team’s fourth sixth-place result of the season, only bested by Brynjolfsson and Hindman’s third-place finish at Lime Rock Park.

The six-position gain during the short sprint race shows the team’s continued progress made throughout a challenging season and gives the team a strong momentum headed into the final race of the season. The 26th Annual Motul Petit Le Mans will take place October 11-14 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, where the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will conclude. The 10-hour race will also be the fourth and final endurance race of the 2023 season, drawing the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup to a close. For tickets and schedule information, visit imsa.com.

Porsche Carrera Cup North America

The pair of Wright Motorsports entries in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America also showed the strength of the drivers and crew. Young Varun Choksey earned back-to-back top-ten finishes, bringing his season tally up to eight. In race two, his several-lap battle for sixth place with veteran Thomas Merrill demonstrated the young racer’s continued progression throughout the 2023 season. John Goetz swept the third-place spot on the podium in both races, continuing his season of consistent execution. Last weekend’s results bring his podium-finish tally up to seven for the 2023 season. The Carrera Cup championship leaves Indianapolis Motor Speedway to journey across the country for this weekend’s Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, which will host the next two rounds of the single-make championship. Both races will be held on Sunday, October 1 at 9:05 AM PT and 3:35 PM PT. Fans can watch live on imsa.com/tvlive.

Alan Brynjolfsson

The best finishing Porsche shows how well the team executed and how well Trent drove. I’m really proud of everybody.

Trent Hindman

It’s nice to have a bit of luck on our side. It was a really good job, well done by everyone on the team, and really good preparation by the Wright Motorsports guys. They did a lot of work to the car over the last few weeks since VIR and found a few areas that we could gain performance. The car was driving better than it had at any other point this year. We made some good strides with that, and I’m grateful for not only their effort there, but over the wall. Thanks to their work in pit lane, we were able to jump a few cars though the pit cycles, and that was huge. Alan did an awesome job out there, staying in clean air and keeping the car clean in what was a chaotic race. Overall, it was great execution and great momentum for everyone. I’m looking forward to Petit Le Mans.

Wright Motorsports

Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

About VOLT® Lighting

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, VOLT® Lighting manufactures and distributes quality indoor and outdoor lighting products and systems. VOLT® is the largest manufacturer of professional landscape lighting in the world. For more information, visit www.voltlighting.com or contact the company at customersupport@voltlighting.com or 813-978-3700.

About Adelie Technik

Founded in 2011 Adelie Technik, a Service Disabled Veteran Small Owned Business (SDVOB) deploys the highest caliber engineers and consultants for our customers needs. Adelie is focused on delivery of your solution to your customer on your schedule. Adelie can deliver solutions ranging from PC deployment up to full DataCentre builds and beyond. Our engineers can also migrate your environment to the cloud. For more information on Adelie Technik, see adelietechnik.com.

We represent the highest quality in racing safety with the intention of maintain our position at the top. With 50 years in the industry, Sabelt is the world’s premier safety equipment

Kyffin Simpson promoted to full-time IndyCar ride with Chip Ganassi Racing for 2024 season

Photo by Travis Hinkle (Penske Entertainment).

Chip Ganassi Racing will be expanding as a five-car operation for the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season by adding Kyffin Simpson to its driver lineup from the Indy NXT.

The announcement comes as the 18-year-old Simpson from the Cayman Islands, is coming off his second season in the Firestone Indy NXT Series, where he recorded a pole position, two podiums, six top-10 results in 13 starts and a 10th-place result in the final standings. It also comes amid a eventful season for Simpson, who won the 4 Hours of Dubai at Dubai Autodrome in the Asian Le Mans Series, the 4 Hours of Le Castellet at Circuit Paul Ricard in the European Le Mans Series and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Florida’s Sebring International Raceway in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, all under the Le Mans Prototype 2 category.

“It’s been incredible working with Chip Ganassi Racing as their development driver over the last couple years and I’ve been able to learn so much,” Simpson said. “I am very excited to be making the next step to INDYCAR with this team. I had a great time at the test and I can’t wait to get back in the car. It’s been my dream to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and it’s an honor to make it happen now with one of the best teams in the series. I’m really looking forward to working more closely with the entire team and the drivers. I want to give all the glory to God, and I also want to thank Chip and Mike [Hull] for giving me this opportunity, Ridgeline Lubricants and The American Legion for their support, and of course my family.”

Simpson, who became a development competitor for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2022, commenced his professional racing career by competing for Velocity Racing Development in the Formula 4 United States Championship region in 2020 after spending the previous nine season racing go-karts. Competing for HMD Motorsports in the Formula Reginal Americas Championship during the 2020 season, he then joined TJ Speed Motorsports during the following season and captured the championship in a season where he won seven races and notched 13 podiums in 18 races.

During the 2021 campaign, he made 16 starts in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship for Juncos Hollinger Racing before moving up to Indy Lights in 2022, where he commenced the season with TJ Speed Motorsports before concluding it with HMD Motorsport and settled in ninth place in the final standings.

The addition of Simpson, who tested an IndyCar car for Chip Ganassi Racing in January 2023 at Sebring International Raceway, completes CGR’s driver lineup for the 2024 season that will include reigning two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou, six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, the 2023 IndyCar Rookie of the Year Marcus Armstrong and the 2022 Indy NXT champion Linus Lundqvist. The 2024 season is set to mark Chip Ganassi Racing’s first time fielding five entries on a full-time basis.

“We welcome Kyffin as a teammate to our INDYCAR program,” Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing Manager Director, added. “He has been integrated into a Chip Ganassi Racing multi-year defined development program which now provides the opportunity at open-wheel’s highest level. He has already tested an INDYCAR with more to follow as an INDY NXT graduate. In addition, he is already a proven winner in IMSA at the 12 Hours of Sebring in LMP2 and on an LMP2 global stage in the ASLM and ELMS series.”

The NTT INDYCAR Series’ drivers and teams are currently in an off-season period while the 2024 racing schedule remains to be determined.

TPC Racing Scores Pair of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Podiums in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Doubleheader

Shehan Chandrasoma and Nikko Reger Take Hardware Home From Both Races on the Road Course at the “Racing Capital of the World”

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (September 18, 2023) – TPC Racing made a pair of visits to the podium on the hallowed ground of Indianapolis Motor Speedway during IMSA’s Lamborghini Super Trofeo doubleheader this weekend, taking home a pair of trophies in the Pro-Am class with drivers Shehan Chandrasoma and Nikko Reger.

Chandrasoma and Reger drove the No. 20 Lamborghini Austin Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 to a third-place finish in Saturday’s 50-minute race and had an opportunity to compete for the win. Despite qualifying in eighth place and deeper in the field, Reger weaved his way forward before passing the car to Chandrasoma early in the mandatory pit stop window. Behind the wheel, Chandrasoma completed the run to second place with 11 minutes remaining and was aimed for the class lead.

Thoughts of the win ended when Chandrasoma was hit and spun by an out of class car. Though the offending car was forced to serve a drive through penalty for the incident, Chandrasoma had fallen one position while recovering. Fortunately he was able to resume quickly enough to hold onto the podium showing.

Chandrasoma started Saturday’s race eighth overall and second in class, but by lap two had driven to the class lead and fourth overall. A long caution erased any deficit he had built, but the No. 20 remained in the class lead and third overall at the time of the mandatory pit stop. As Reger left the box, he was held up by an LB Cup car driving slower than the pit lane speed limit. That lost time relegated him to third at the completion of the pit cycle, a position Reger held until the checkered flag.

The Indianapolis weekend was the first of 2023 that featured a trio of cars in the TPC Racing paddock, joining the No. 20 Huracan. But strong runs by Sebastian Carazo and Marco Cirone in the Am class and Alan Grossberg in LB Cup were unfortunately thwarted by incidents in their respective debuts with the team.

Though Cirone qualified third in class for Saturday’s race and Carazo nearly matched him with a fourth-place start in race two, the No. 82 Lamborghini Austin/TPC Racing Lamborghini Huracan met bad luck in each race despite the strong pace. Cirone, who was making his Lamborghini Super Trofeo debut, spun while racing hard in his stint during the opening race and the duo fought for a seventh place finish.

Carazo drove Sunday’s race solo, but was hit on the pace lap which knocked the left front fender lining loose on the Huracan. The team tried to pull it away from the Hankook tire during the pit stop, but it eventually punctured and forced Carazo to pit lane for a second time and an eighth place finish.

Grossberg stepped back into Lamborghini Super Trofeo after nearly a year away from the championship in a partnership with TPC Racing and Dream Racing. Grossberg’s best finish was ninth in No. 2 TPC Racing/Dream Racing Lamborghini Huracan with focus now on the upcoming Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America finale and World Finals during the same outing at Vallelunga near Rome, Italy in November.

The pair of podium finishes moves Chandrasoma to third in the Pro-Am point standings with just two races in Italy remaining.

Before the World Finals, however, TPC Racing is back in action again at Indianapolis for the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America presented by Yokohama, October 6 – 8.

Harris Levitas, Director of Race Operations: “Racing is a sport of ups and downs, but we had some really great highlights from this weekend. Shehan and Nikko drove their butts off this weekend, and I’m so proud of those two drivers. They did such a fantastic job. The TPC Racing team worked so hard every day to give them the cars they could compete with. In race two, Shehan took the lead early. Unfortunately we got a little screwed coming out of pit lane and we weren’t able to maintain that lead, but Nikko did a great job in his stint, made a pass, and kept it on the podium. Shehan is third in the driver’s standings, and now that’s a big thing as the team begins to prep for Vallelunga. In the No. 82 car, Marco Cirone and Sebastian Carazo did a great job all weekend. With Marco jumping between another single make series and this car all weekend, he did an amazing job. Unfortunately, he was involved in an incident in another series and wasn’t able to participate in race two with us, but Sebastian did a heck of a job doing the race as a single driver. He got hit on the pace lap, and when the tire blew shortly after the pit stop it ended any hope of finishing on the podium. Alan Grossberg was progressing all weekend, and unfortunately he had an incident in race two that took him out. But he’s feeling good, he’s ready to go, and all three cars will be prepped back at the TPC facility and ready for Italy.”

Shehan Chandrasoma, Driver, No. 20 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2: “Overall it was a great weekend. We got back to back podiums, which is always a plus. On Saturday, we finished P3 on the podium and I think we had a shot at first or second but I got punted off by an LB Cup driver. That put us back significantly, but we had such a big gap on the rest of the field and stayed on the podium. In today’s race I put the car in the lead and did a really good job up with the pro cars and holding the car in first place up until the pit stop. Nikko got caught behind a slow LB Cup guy on pit lane and that cost us a few seconds.”

Nikko Reger, Driver, No. 20 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2: “It was great. We’re racing Lamborghinis at Indianapolis, and there’s nothing to complain about. We come out here and raced to win and ended up with a pair of podiums, so it wasn’t too bad. We rolled the dice on an overcut there at the end, and ended up coming right out into traffic. It’s a little frustrating, but we take our blessings when we can and we brought the car back on four wheels. It’s a great day at Indianapolis, and I think we’re ready for the World Finals.”

About TPC Racing: TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

Can’t-Miss Attractions at This Weekend’s ​​​​​​​Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals

Friday’s “Night of Fire” kicks off three days of action-packed fun on and off the track at zMAX Dragway, where the NHRA’s best will battle for supremacy at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. (CMS photo)

CONCORD, NC (Sept. 18, 2023) – The Bellagio of drag strips is revving up to deliver a weekend of excitement that extends far beyond the thunderous roar of on-track action. From fiery Friday nights to jaw-dropping motocross stunts, this nitro-fueled thrill of NHRA drag racing promises fun for fans of all ages.

As the Countdown to the Championship continues, the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals will see the top competitors in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock side-by-side at over 330 mph in a nitro-fueled push to a championship. But the on-track fun is only part of what’s in store for fans this Friday through Sunday.

As a lead-up to the excitement surrounding the event, here are five can’t-miss attractions that set this race weekend apart from all others at America’s Home for Racing:

  • FRIDAY NIGHT OF FIRE: The weekend kicks off with a blaze of glory as zMAX Dragway will host a Friday Night of Fire where fans will see 10-foot header flames lighting up the night sky and these 11,000-horsepower dragster power down the strip in less than four seconds. Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock racers will make their first qualifying passes under the lights on opening night. Night of fire will feature a huge pyrotechnics display, music and more.
  • MOTOCROSS ON THE MIDWAY: Heart-pounding excitement will ride right in the middle of the pit area as the KSFMX freestyle motocross team brings their high-flying stunt show to an all-new 300×40-foot footprint right in the middle of the redesigned midway. In addition to seeing their favorite NHRA drivers up close in the pits or watching the teams rebuild their monster machines between each run, fans will have a front-row seat to the most eye-popping motocross stunts imaginable.
  • TURN UP THE HEAT: The action on the track isn’t the only thing heating up at zMAX Dragway this weekend. America’s Home for Racing, in conjunction with its food service partner Levy Restaurants, is turning up the heat with a sizzling culinary creation, the “Night of Fire” Sauce. This fiery concoction blends Habanero, Ghost Pepper, Scorpion and Reaper peppers to deliver an unforgettable kick. Perfect for chicken fingers, wings, fries and more, the “Night of Fire” sauce is so hot, fans will have to sign a waiver before indulging.
  • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE: Past and future stars of NHRA drag racing will be on full display at zMAX Dragway this weekend. Displays of Nostalgia Pro Stock cars that helped build to class, as well as future racing stars that currently compete in the Junior Drag Racing League (JDRL), will be set up in the midway for the young and young-at-heart to enjoy. Fans can meet past and current drivers, get an up-close look at their racing machines, and maybe even catch them making an exhibition run at the Bellagio of drag strips.
  • SUNDAY FUN DAY: All fans with a Sunday ticket will have a chance to join drivers and drag racing personalities for the SealMaster Track Walk on Sunday at 10 a.m. Just minutes before the dragsters take to the lanes for the opening round of eliminations, fans can walk the Bellagio of drag strip where history will be made in this weekend’s pivotal Countdown to the Championship event. Fans will then be front and center for opening ceremonies on the start line just before the first pair fire their engines to see who claims the coveted Wally.

TICKETS:
To purchase Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals tickets, fans can call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. Three-day ticket packages are available starting at $99 for adults and FREE for children 12 and under. Single-day tickets are $20 for adults on Friday; and $40 for adults on Saturday and Sunday.

MORE INFO:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on Twitter and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

Short Track Star Layne Riggs Joins Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series Program in Multi-Race Deal

Infinity Communications partners with Kaulig Racing beginning at Texas Motor Speedway

Lexington, N.C. (September 18, 2023) – Kaulig Racing announced today that 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAWS) champion, Layne Riggs, will drive the No. 11 Infinity Communications Chevrolet in a multi-race NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) deal. He will make his series debut at Texas Motor Speedway on September, 23 for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.

Son of Scott Riggs, a NASCAR veteran who made 383 national series starts, Riggs became the youngest driver to win the NAAWS title, which is the combined national championship for all NASCAR-affiliated short tracks, at 20 years old in 2022. He won 16 races and recorded 30 top-five finishes in 43 starts across runs at Dominion Raceway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Motor Mile Speedway, South Boston Speedway and Wake County Speedway. Now age 21, Riggs will bring a unique background to his first start with Kaulig Racing.

“I’m so excited to be making my first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway with a team that has had success in the Xfinity Series,” exclaimed Riggs. “I am super thankful to Jeff Coffey at Infinity Communications along with the whole Kaulig Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. I am so ready to get on track!”

While this will be Riggs’ first start in the NXS, he has made six starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS), and earned one top five and two top-10 finishes.

The Kaulig Racing All-Star Car, which has been piloted by the likes of AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Justin Haley and Jordan Taylor, has so far yielded three wins in 2023. It has also provided up-and-coming drivers like Derek Kraus valuable seat time. Riggs will be the 11th driver to feature in the car this season.

“I’ve been watching Layne (Riggs) on the short-track circuit for a couple of years now and I am impressed what he has earned so far in his young career,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “He’s had a couple of starts in the truck series and I look forward to seeing what he can do in one of our cars.” Rice continued, “Infinity Communications has been a huge supporter of Layne’s career so far, so I’m happy that he is able to bring them along for the ride”.

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway will air at 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA and will be the second race in the NXS Playoffs Round of 12.


About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

About Infinity Communications:

Founded in 2012, Infinity Communications Group has leveraged a diversified portfolio of experience that began in the mid 80’s. Their experience includes, but is not limited to, erecting new towers, system upgrades, maintenance, power outages, generator support and storage, generator and fleet refueling, and disaster recovery. Infinity provides qualified and experienced professionals and crews with at least 10-15 years of experience. Infinity holds to the belief that customers deserve an immediate response from qualified personnel. As a primary provider of repair and maintenance services for major wireless carriers, Infinity stores, maintains, and deploys emergency generators from our strategically placed facilities around the United States. The Infinity Communications Group is a member of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating safety, education and standards for the tower erection, service and maintenance industry. For over twenty years, NATE has been recognized as the industry leader in promoting safety, standards, education and uniform practices and procedures.wireless communication towers, managing large-scale power outages and assisting in disaster recovery. Infinity Communications partnered with Riggs for his previous starts in the NCTS this season.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin wants to finish on the momentum of the last races

SASKATOON, SK - JULY 26: The NASCAR Pinty’s series at Sutherland Automotive Speedway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada on Wednesday, 26, 2023. (Photo by Matthew Manor/NASCAR)
EventNASCAR Pinty’s Series Fall Brawl Championship
TrackDelaware Speedway – September 24, 2023
BroadcastTSN app | TSN.ca | RDS (tape delayed) | FloRacing (USA)
Race4:30 PM E.T. – nascar.ca/race-center/

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), September 18, 2023.- The 2023 season of the NASCAR Pinty’s series will end this Sunday, September 24, with the presentation of the fourteenth and final event. Among the major challenges of this final event, the fight for third place in the championship standings will certainly attract attention while three drivers can still claim to finish on the final 2023 podium. Among them, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, who obviously hopes to conclude the season with another good result after taking pole position and finishing second in the previous event, at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at the beginning of the month.

This final event of the season will take place as usual at the Delaware Speedway, a beautiful half-mile oval track located a few minutes west of the city of London, Ontario. It’s one of the oldest operating motorsports complexes in Canada and for the driver of car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab, the Delaware Speedway is one of the most appreciated ovals. “The owners did a very good job renovating the track last year and it’s a track that I really like because it allows you to run two cars side-by-side during a full lap” says Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, which was crowned there in 2021. It was then his third championship title in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.

The car used by Dumoulin for this event is the one with which he scored a podium finish in Saskatoon last July. « Preparing our car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab of the oval track went perfectly and I am confident of being able to finish the season in style, building on the momentum of our last races” mentions Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, who adds: “the goal of finishing third in the championship is of course in my mind and I would especially like to finish the 2023 season with a fifth podium, or even a victory, while already thinking a lot about the 2024 season.”

For the driver of car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab, this event will also serve as a basis for preparations for the next season: “We want to collect as much data as possible, refine our settings in anticipation of the 2024 season because we have made constant progress this year in the development of our oval car. We have reached an optimal level and finishing this season with a good result at Delaware Speedway would certainly positive for us and confirm that we are already off to a good start for 2024!”

The Dumoulin Compétition team did not made any testing session prior to this final round at Delaware Speedway this summer. The event, scheduled for late Sunday afternoon (green flag around 4:30 p.m.) will be preceded by a single free practice session (between 12:00 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.) which will therefore be important. Qualifying will take place from 3:20 p.m.

In the drivers’ championship, after 13 of the 14 races contested, Louis-Philippe is in fourth place, three points from third place.

2023 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Date                 Site                                         Location                      Track                          Start     Race

May 13             Sunset Speedway                     Innifil, ON                     Oval                             7th        7th       

May 21             Canadian Tire Motorsport Park  Bowmanville, ON          Road race                    7th        5th

June 10            Autodrome Chaudière               Vallée-Jonction, QC      Oval                             3rd        5th

June 24            Eastbound Speedway               Avondale, TN                Oval                             8th        8th       

July 14             Honda Indy Toronto                  Toronto, ON                  Urban track                  3rd        4th       

July 22             Edmonton International Raceway Wetaskiwin, AB             Oval                             6th         3rd       

July 26             Sutherland Automotive Speedway  Saskatoon, SK             Oval – Race 1               10th       18th     

July 26             Sutherland Automotive Speedway  Saskatoon, SK             Oval – Race 2               8th        3rd       

August 06         Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières      Trois-Rivières, QC        Urban track                  2nd        2nd       

August 14         Ohsweken Speedway               Ohsweken, ON             Dirt Oval                       21nd      16th

August 16         Ohsweken Speedway               Ohsweken, ON             Dirt Oval                       16th       6th

August 26         Complexe ICAR                        Mirabel, QC                  Road race                    9th        5th       

September 03   Canadian Tire Motorsport Park  Bowmanville, ON          Road race                    1st        2nd       

September 24   Delaware Speedway                 Delaware, ON               Oval

Cadillac at Indy: Back to the front in title chase

Cadillac V-Series.Rs finish fourth, seventh in 2-hour, 40-minute race at IMS

Updates Cadillac Racing place in the GTP Manufacturer Championship standings.

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 17, 2023) – From a 17-point gap to the championship lead, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R will look to wrap up the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype title Oct. 14 at the Motul Petit Le Mans.

After missing nearly all the initial practice session Friday because of a brake issue and qualifying a season-low eighth, Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims drove the hybrid Cadillac racecar to fourth place in the 2-hour, 40-minute TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande overcame a first-lap incident to finish seventh.

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R takes a three-point advantage in the GTP Team/Driver Championship into the 10-hour race on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Derani, Sims and Jack Aitken also lead the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in points.

Cadillac is eight points out of first place in the GTP Manufacturer Championship standings and will seek to claim its ninth manufacturer title (three in IMSA DPi, three in the Pirelli World Challenge GT, two in the SPEED World Challenge GT).

The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R took the point following a round of yellow flag pit stops and Derani kept the Cadillac, powered by the 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine, out front for 35 minutes at the midpoint of the race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

Derani was overtaken in Turn 1 with 1 hour, 3 minutes left by the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports entry and the eventual race-winning No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsports car. Sims held his own over the final 47 minutes after a full-service stop.

Bourdais, who qualified fourth, was tagged from behind in Turn 1 of the green flag lap, spun and hit again. He continued and brought the crippled car onto pit lane under yellow for a front bodywork change assembly and right-rear tire change. He returned to pit lane five minutes later under green for tires and fuel. Van der Zande took over the wheel for the final 1 hour, 51 minutes left.

The USA Network and Peacock (in the U.S.; IMSA.TV outside the U.S.) will air the Motul Petit Le Mans on Oct. 14.

What they’re saying

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R

Sebastien Bourdais: “The run down to Turn 1 at the start is so long and you get a crazy amount of tow. They were all bunched to the right, so the only option was to go left. You know at that point that you’re in a three-wide situation and I was just trying to hold my position. In the process, I got turned and got hit and we had to come in for a new nose and got a drive-thru. It was a frustrating race after the team prepared hard for this race. We’ll keep at it and hope to finish on a better note at Petit.”

Renger van der Zande: “I was disappointed with our pace after the first-corner crash because it didn’t feel right. I was hanging on to it much of the time. We hopefully can improve at the upcoming test and understand a little more what the tire does and take it from there at Petit Le Mans.”

No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R

Pipo Derani: “I’m proud of the whole team. After missing practice 1 and to be in position to lead the race, we fought hard to bring home a solid finish for the championship. We moved up the grid from P8 to P4 and back in the championship lead. Obviously, not the race result we were looking for when we arrived here. We always want to win, but if you can’t win you always try to get your best finish. Considering how we started the weekend, it was a very good effort. Thank you to our Whelen team, Cadillac Racing for always fighting hard.”

Alexander Sims: “Honestly, from where we started, the end was pretty good. The middle of the race it was looking pretty rosy the was the strategy played out. Ultimately, we didn’t quite have the long-run pace of the guys up front. When I got in we were fourth and we finished fourth. I didn’t have the strongest of stints and there is work to do to keep improving. Nevertheless, we go into the last race in a good position and as always in IMSA it’s pretty exciting down to the end. I’m looking forward to it.”