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CAPPS CLAIMS FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TOYOTA GAZOO RACING NORTH AMERICA

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Official Release
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Antron Brown Makes it to Final Round at Pomona Season Finale

POMONA, Calif. (November 13, 2022) – Toyota driver Ron Capps won his third career NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Funny Car Championship on Sunday night with a final round appearance in the season finale at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Capps’ championship marks the fourth Funny Car championship for Toyota, and the first for the GR Supra Funny Car. Capps met race-winner Cruz Pedregon in the final round and lost by only two one-hundreths of a second.

In Top Fuel, Antron Brown made his way to the final round and faced race-winner Austin Prock. Brown ran a 3.701 to Prock’s 3.641 to finish out the racing season.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Auto Club Raceway of Pomona
Race 22 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinal RoundW. 3.704 vs. 4.070 (J. Ashley)W. 3.805 vs. 3.890 (R. August Jr.)W. 3.725 vs. 3.717 (J. Hart)L. 3.701 vs. 3.641 (A. Prock)
Shawn LangdonDHL Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRound 1L. 7.377 vs. 3.711 (A. Prock)
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRound 1L. 4.267 vs. 3.903 (R. August Jr.)
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRound 1L. 4.070 vs. 3.704 (A. Brown)
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterRound 1L. 4.113 vs. 3.801 (J. Hart)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Ron CappsNAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFinal RoundW. 3.852 vs. 10.350 (J. Arend)W. 3.865 vs. 3.905 (T. Wilkerson)W. 3.865 vs. 3.905 (B. Tasca III)L. 3.850 vs. 3.839 (C. Pedregon)
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny CarSemi-FinalsW. 4.014 vs. 4.272 (J. Campbell)W. 3.914 vs. 4.065 (S. Densham)L. 3.880 vs. 3.864 (C. Pedregon)
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarRound 1L. 4.349 vs. 3.878 (T. Wilkerson)

TOYOTA QUOTES

RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

Final Result: Final Round

What would you say to anyone looking to take a risk like you did to start this race team?

“It’s like anybody in Amrica, anything you put your mind to, you can do with great people around you. I told you earlier I knew we deserved it because of the great group of people I have around me. I can’t even begin to say what it feels like right now. I mean, NAPA Auto Care people, all the NAPA Auto Care owners, 6000 strong and for everybody at home that puts on the Ron Capps NAPA jersey and watching on the couch there on Fox Sports, and GearWrench and Toyota coming on board – to give them a championship means so much. But my family and more than anything we have take on this role this year. That’s been unbelievable. I’m sure you’ve all seen me age quite a but in the last year or so. And I’m sure there were some upset people on the starting like including Slugger (Labbe, TRD) from Toyota and his guys. They thought I was going to shut it off and I planned on it, but I didn’t see Cruz (Pedregon) and I knew I couldn’t get across the centerline so I hugged the wall all the way down. I hope everybody appreciates that. I ran it to the finish line because that was a hard decision to make. For the fans, I did the longest burnout.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

Final Result: Semi-Finals

In your round one win, the GR Supra got really close to the center line. What does that feel like from the driver’s seat?

“These are over 11,000 horsepower race cars running on nitromethane – volatile. They don’t want to go straight. Sometimes you’re doing good on the steering and it just wants to push you over. Sometime you’re not as good at staying ahead of the car. But on that one, man, what a mess. That was an ugly run. I was relieved to see the win light come on in our lane. I know the guys give me a great car, but it’s up to me to get down the track and not cross the centerline and not mess up on the starting line. I can tell you that for as calm, cool and collected as I was, I almost double-stepped that car and then we get down there and realized I had to lift and get back on it. But what a weird day of upsets. I’m just so relieved that we’re going onto the second round. Now it’s time to be the quarterback who throws the interception, I just have to forget about it and move on. We have lane choice – amazing.”

STEVE TORRENCE, Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

Final Result: First Round

After losing in the first round in Pomona, how will you and your team reflect on the 2022 season and does this reignite the fire in you for 2023?

“The fire never went out, but I’ll tell you, I’m glad this year is over. It’s been terrible. Couldn’t have been a better way to end it. We’ve stubbed our toe and shot ourselves in the foot time and time again this year and we have to get back to square one and get back to doing what these Capco boys know how to do. We’ll have a good off-season and spend some time with friends and family. We’ll just do the best we can do, but it’s been a great year except for our performance. I’ll go home and spend some time with my family and my little girl and it will all be better.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Safest Cars For Teens 2022/2023

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SM
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Photo by Daniel Salcius on Unsplash

When buying a new car, your teen’s safety is paramount. The world of modern technology has made cars safer than ever before, and fortunately, manufacturers are investing more time and money to make their vehicles more secure.

There is now a range of safety features that were unheard of just a few years ago. With so many options available, it cannot be easy to know which car to buy. Fortunately, we have compiled a list of the safest cars for teens in 2022/2023. Learn more below.

1. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The Sonata Hybrid is a car for teens looking for safety and value. The Sonata Hybrid is one of the safest cars for teens due to its many safety offerings. The car has several advanced safety features, including an automatic emergency braking system and adaptive cruise control.

The Sonata Hybrid also offers excellent fuel efficiency. It can travel up to 42 miles per gallon on the highway and up to 27 miles per gallon in the city. This ensures your teen can get where they need to go without causing unnecessary fuss or expense. The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is also very spacious and comfortable, making it an ideal car for long journeys.

2. Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is one of the most popular cars on the market. It is a great car for new drivers, as it is easy to drive and has many safety features that improve your driving experience. Honda’s Accord comes with an excellent 2.4-liter engine, which produces up to 132 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque.

The Accord also features many safety features, including 12 airbags and anti-lock brakes. Regarding safety features, the Honda Accord does not disappoint in any way. It’s one of the very few vehicles to earn five stars in all categories in every test conducted. The Accord has been tested by the IIHS, which tests crash tests for front and side impacts, rollovers, and roof strength. The result? Five stars across all categories. With human error accounting for nearly 94% of traffic accidents, it’s the perfect vehicle to ease your mind when your child is on the road. 

3. Kia K5

The Kia K5 is the safest car for teens. It is currently very popular due to its affordability and reliability. It has undergone a series of crash tests and received the highest possible ratings from all major safety agencies, including the IIHS.

The Kia K5 offers a wide range of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and more. It also offers great fuel economy of 28 mpg on the highway and over 25 mpg in the city. It also has an impressive list of standard features, such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a Power moonroof, and a Keyless entry.

4 Subaru Legacy

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Legacy models are the safest cars for teens. Although the Legacy is small, it has received many safety updates.

The Legacy is equipped with Subaru’s Eyesight technology, which can help drivers avoid accidents. The technology uses forward-facing radar and cameras mounted at the front of the car to detect objects in front of or behind the car. If an object is spotted, drivers will receive warnings and audible alerts on their stereo system.

5. Mazda CX-30

This car is a great all-rounder and will suit most teens looking to get their first car. The Mazda CX-30 is more than capable of tackling the roads and does so with a little style. The vehicle has various safety features, including an autonomous emergency braking system and lane keep assist.

The Mazda CX-30 is also considered one of the safest cars for teens on the market. The vehicle has been awarded a Top Safety Pick Plus rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, indicating a high level of occupant protection.

6. Hyundai Kona

Hyundai Kona is an affordable car with a lot of safety features. It has a high level of safety and security and comes equipped with the best sensors on the market. It is one of the safest cars for teens.

It has adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring system, and smart city support. All these safety features help make it one of the safest cars for teens.

7. Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is a great SUV that is both spacious and comfortable. It also has plenty of safety features, which makes it the perfect car for teens.

The fact that it’s an SUV means you can take it off-road, which will help your teen get more experience behind the wheel. The Subaru Outback is also very spacious, which is important for teens. They need to fit their friends and themselves inside the car without feeling cramped.

This model comes with all the safety features you would expect from any modern vehicle on the market: airbags, ABS brakes, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. These are important in ensuring your teen reaches their destination safely and is comfortable while driving.

8. Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car that offers great fuel economy and a comfortable ride. The Prius is one of the safest cars for teens because it has multiple safety features, including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. A part of the appeal is Prius mods, which let owners transform this Toyota into a camper van, a utility vehicle, and even a convertible.

The Toyota Prius is currently ranked as the safest car for teens. It has a 5-star rating from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), indicating it meets all federal safety standards. It also holds an unbeatable safety rating from IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).

9. Honda Insight

The Honda Insight is a hybrid car produced by Honda. It is the first model to feature a hybrid drivetrain and an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The combined power output of the two motors allows for a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h), while the average fuel efficiency is 47 mpg (4.8 L/100 km).

Insight has received numerous accolades for its safety features, including the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, it has received four stars in every NHTSA crash test and five stars in front-impact tests conducted by EuroNCAP and in side-impact tests conducted by IIHS.

10. Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson has been a favorite of teens for a long time. It offers great value for money with plenty of safety features. It is available in four trims: SE, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate.

This SUV has all the latest safety features, such as rear sensors, front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, and stability control. The Hyundai Tucson is also very spacious, with ample head- and legroom for passengers.

If you’re looking for a safe vehicle for your teen driver, consider one of the above vehicles to ensure your peace of mind. 

Hagan Drives Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car Into Three-Way Battle for Championship Crown at NHRA Finals

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Official Release
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Auto Club NHRA Finals
  • Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) driver Matt Hagan qualified his Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car No. 3 on the eliminations ladder at the 57th annual Auto Club National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Finals and remains in the hunt for the championship for a fourth straight year heading into the last race day of the season
  • While Hagan has a 62-point deficit to Funny Car championship leader Robert Hight and is five behind No. 1 Qualifier Ron Capps, both of his opponents are on the opposite side of the eliminations ladder to the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat which sets up the possibility of TSR earning their first NHRA world title by advancing to the final or winning the Wally trophy
  • No. 2 seed Cruz Pedregon had the best qualifying performance of his Funny Car career aboard the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat with four of the quickest passes he has ever run, all of which were in the 3.84-second range
  • TSR Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett took her Dodge Power Brokers dragster for their best elapsed-time run of the season to earn the No. 4 position for eliminations at NHRA Finals

November 12, 2022, Pomona, California – Race day at the 57th annual Auto Club National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Finals may offer up a very exciting end to Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) first season in drag racing competition as Matt Hagan qualified his Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car No. 3 for eliminations and, with three win lights and a little luck, could end up battling for a Wally trophy and the 2022 NHRA World Championship in the final round of the season.

There are certainly plenty of scenarios that could play out on race day for the points-and-a-half finale at the legendary Auto Club Raceway at Pomona but should current class leader Robert Hight falter in the first two rounds while the Dodge Power Brokers Funny Car drives to a final elimination appearance, the world championship title for Hagan and TSR remains a possibility.

The three-time Funny Car World Champion’s best run of the weekend came in Friday’s second session with a 3.669-second elapsed time run at 329.67 mph to put him third on the elimination ladder and earn four of his five total qualifying bonus points. While he wasn’t able to amass enough extra points to put him within two rounds (or less than 60 points) of Hight as No. 1 Qualifier Capps (57 points behind) had done, the good news is that both of Hagan’s opponents are on the opposite side of the eliminations ladder, giving the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver a chance to contend for the crown by advancing to the final round.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Hagan heads into the last race of the season as a title contender. He’ll begin his drive against No. 14 seed Steven Densham. 

Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon earned the No. 2 Qualifier position for the last race of the 2022 season aboard his Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat after putting together the best qualifying performance of his career with four of the quickest passes he has ever run, all of which were in the 3.84-second range. Pedregon ran a career-best 3.840-second run at 322.58 mph with his first lap of the weekend to put himself in the provisional No. 1 Qualifier position on Friday, and had three more great consistent runs that put him first or second in each of the remain sessions to collect a total of 14 bonus points. 

Unfortunately, Pedregon was dislodged from to the top spot by Capps in their final qualifying run. Pedregon will have No. 15 seed Jason Rupert as his opening round opponent.

TSR Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett will go into the last race day of the year as No. 4 qualifier after wheeling her Dodge Power Brokers dragster to their best elapsed time run of the season with a 3.669 second/329.67 mph effort in Friday’s second session. That run put her provisionally third heading into Saturday qualifying where she added two more solid passes but was unable to improve her starting position in a tight Top Fuel field. Pruett will line up next to No. 12 seed Alex Laughlin in the opening round as she works towards earning her second Wally trophy of the year.

The NHRA Finals, the last of six NHRA “Countdown to the Championship” playoff events will air on FS1 with a recap of qualifying on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. ET and race coverage beginning at 4 p.m. ET to conclude with the crowning of 2022 NHRA World Champions.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES: 

Leah Pruett, Tony Stewart Racing Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster  

(No. 4 Qualifier – 3.669 seconds at 329.67 mph)

Qualifying 1: 9.948 seconds at 69.35 mph

Qualifying 2: 3.669 sec./329.67 mph (2 bonus points for 3rd quickest of session)

Qualifying 3: 3.739 sec./323.12 mph 

Qualifying 4: 3.692 sec./324.59 mph  

“Friday was a phenomenal day. Even though we smoked the tires on the first run, it really wasn’t due to tune-up. It was just an internal error that we identified immediately just like we had in Denver at the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-HIgh Nationals where we rebounded and put down a killer time and went on to win the race. It felt so good to go fast and it’s a complete tribute to the dedication that this team has had through our last couple races. We haven’t had the results that we wanted, but the team kept digging and applied all of those performance enhancing ideologies into this. Our goal is to finish out stronger than we’ve raced all year. We’re very happy with our Dodge Power Brokers dragster and we’re excited because we are going in the direction that we’ve been trying for so long. The car is reacting and it’s exciting to be able to continue pushing and not trying to fix problems. 

“To be able to execute like we did in qualifying was awesome. Qualifying fourth in what I would consider to be the toughest and tightest Top Fuel competition season that I’ve ever been a part of feels good. We’re just really focused on making sure that we keep this momentum and that fierce fighting attitude to make sure that we have a very long Sunday drive.”

Matt Hagan, Tony Stewart Racing Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car  

(No. 3 Qualifier – 3.844 seconds at 323.58 mph)

Qualifying 1: 4.199 seconds at 220.66 mph

Qualifying 2: 3.844 sec./ 323.58 mph (4 points for quickest run of session)

Qualifying 3: 3.867 sec./326.56 mph (1 point for 4th quickest run of session) 

Qualifying 4: 4.057 sec./245.32 mph

“It kind of comes down to if (Bob) Tasca can take Hight out in the second round, we still have a real shot at it. Then it could be a battle between me and (Ron) Capps to see who goes the farthest there at the end of the day. We’ve still got a shot at it. It’s always great to be in the hunt and I’ve got nothing but confidence in my team and Dickie Venables, Mike Knutson and Alex Conway. Those guys always put an amazing race car underneath me and I’m just excited to get to go tomorrow.

“Obviously there’s always pressure at every race but this is just amplified a little bit more because it’s an opportunity for a championship. It always seems to come down to the last race and the last run and the semi-finals or finals so there’s nothing new there. It’s just knowing that we have to go every round and make every round count. Dickie’s a great racer on Sunday. He races the racetrack. He’s good with making the calls up there and the gut decisions that he has to make up there to make the car go down the racetrack. I think that we just gotta go race the track tomorrow, race our race and let the cards fall where they fall.”

Cruz Pedregon, Cruz Pedregon Racing Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

(No. 2 Qualifier – 3.840 seconds at 322.58 mph)

Qualifying 1: 3.840 seconds at 322.58 mph (4 points for quickest run of session)

Qualifying 2: 3.849 sec./327.03 mph (3 points for 2nd quickest run of session)

Qualifying 3: 3.847 sec./323.43 mph (4 points for quickest run of session)

Qualifying 4: 3.841 sec./ 330.31 (3 points for 2nd quickest run of session)

“To say I’m happy and excited and relieved all in one would be an understatement. I’ve been surprised before at the finish line. but not like that. [The first pass] was such a great run and honestly, the car had a cylinder out about three-quarter track on that first (run) so had we been able to put the back half of this second run with the first one I would have been a little bit better.”

“To have four great consistent runs like that makes us very excited about our next season because we now know we have a car that can win races. We’re still trying to get faster speeds, That’s something that we know we need to work on but hats off to the team. They did the job and it’s exciting. That’s what you want and that’s what we work for. Tomorrow we’re just gonna go out there and do all we can to outlast everybody.”

NHRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS:

Following qualifying at the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona

FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Robert Hight 2649 (8)

2.  Ron Capps: 2592 (5)

3.  Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 2587(4)

4.  John Force: 2460 (1)

5.  Bob Tasca III: 2444 (3)

6.  J.R. Todd: 2344

7. Tim Wilkerson: 2313

8. Alexis DeJoria: 2312 (1)

9. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat): 2290

10. Blake Alexander: 2199

11. Jim Campbell: 2198

TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)

1.  Brittany Force: 2536 (5)

2.  Justin Ashley: 2510 (3)

3.  Mike Salinas: 2461 (4)

4.  Antron Brown 2444 (3)

5. Steve Torrence: 2443 (2)

6. Austin Prock: 2394 (1)

7. Josh Hart: 2359 (1)

8. Shawn Langdon: 2339

9.  Doug Kalitta: 2335

10. Clay Millican: 2318

11. Tony Schumacher: 2277(1)

12. Leah Pruett (Dodge Power Brokers): 2265 (1)

DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com.

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram

The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT Hellcat versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Dodge Durango, as well as an R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet, representing the brand’s first-ever electrified performance vehicle. Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock; the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world; and the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever; and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet. Combined, these four muscle vehicles make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2022, the Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market), making it the only domestic brand ever to do so three years in a row. In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). 

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), visit www.stellantis.com.

Mopar

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar, the global name for Stellantis genuine parts and authentic accessories.

A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar  expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com and the newly redesigned Mopar blog at blog.mopar.com. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge and www.facebook.com/mopar

Instagram: @DodgeMoparMotorsports, @DodgeOfficial and @OfficialMopar

Twitter: @Dodge, @OfficialMopar and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

CAPPS CLAIMS NUMBER ONE QUALIFIER FOR TOYOTA GR SUPRA IN POMONA FINALS

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Official Release
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Torrence’s Top Fuel Dragster Scores Number Two Qualifier

POMONA, Calif. (November 12, 2022) – Ron Capps and his NAPA Toyota GR Supra team struggled through Friday’s qualifying sessions and found themselves on the outside looking in at the top-16 cars. But when the final round came about Saturday afternoon, Capps posted the top time of 3.837 to claim the number one qualifier position. Capps now finds himself within 57 points of the Funny Car championship with eliminations starting Sunday morning from Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California.

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence posted the number two qualifier time with a pass of 3.647, but was behind one of the two championship contenders, Brittany Force, who claimed the number one qualifier spot only six one-thousandths quicker.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Auto Club Raceway of Pomona
Race 22 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Brittany Force*Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster*1st (3.641)S. Chrisman
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster2nd (3.647)R. August Jr.
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster6th (3.693)J. Hart
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7th (3.696)J. Ashley
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster10th (3.706)A. Brown
Shawn LangdonDHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster12th (3.751)A. Prock

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Ron CappsNAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car1st (3.837)J. Arend
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car6th (3.862)J. Campbell
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car9th (3.917)T. Wilkerson

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA QUOTES

RON CAPPS, NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 1st

Can you talk about the emotion involved in claiming the number one qualifier heading into the championship run tomorrow?

“I got on the radio and I was screaming and yelling, it was like going down the road to Disneyland and getting on Space Mountain for the first time as a kid. I was fighting for my life to keep it between the guardrail and the center line and it was just hunting and moving. A lot of times, you think that would take ET (elapsed time) away, but I felt the clutch come in sooner than normal and today I could just tell. Yesterday we had issues, turned out it was ignition issues and we found it, but today it just had max cackle that Gary Scelzi always talked about. When your car is just banging and popping and sounding good at idle and you do the burnout and you think, ‘This might be too much,’ it sounded like that all day today. We were worried that the conditions might cool off too much with it being late in the day, but it held its own and Guido got in the box a couple times during the oil down and it just got to where I was asking for us just to get down and have a good run. We’re not going to see these conditions again this year so it’s great to end this way. We started the season with the number one qualifier at the Winternationals as a new team owner and I thought it would be crazy and how much better could it get. Then we go on to win five races and get the pole here at the end. This is what I talk about when you get into a race car like this and you wish you could make those big runs at the big moments, but when you actually have the capability and the personnel and the tools and obviously the sponsors with NAPA and Toyota, but you can actually strap in and go not only do I wish I can or do I think we can, but I know we can go out and throw down with the best. It’s a great feeling so what a way to end qualifying.”

What does it do knowing you have a possible match-up with Robert Hight in the semi-finals tomorrow?

“It’s just an emotional roller coaster. First it’s the interview on the top end and then we come up and see my family on the fence – all 80 of them that we got tickets for. That’s all fun and that’s what makes this so special, right? Then to get up here and I forgot all about the math and we get up here and Paul Mecca and our Gearwrench tools guy are like, ‘Did that get us below two rounds?’ So to have you guys tell us that not only did it, but it got us three points under, it gets better and better. Then I find out that we’re on the same side of the ladder so like I said, it’s a different day tomorrow. New track, new people, new opponents, big moments. I’m going to wake up tomorrow in my motorhome trackside and have a chance of possibly winning a world championship once again in NHRA. Possibly not, but there’s a good chance. There’s not a better feeling to wake up and stand here and realize that as a kid I used to watch the big moments and now I’m part of some of them.”

How do you calm yourself down in a situation like tomorrow with the championship on the line?

“Some drivers have to be completely silent and sit in the tow vehicle and I’m sending Instagrams out and tweets. Leah (Pruett) asked me last year when I have the time to do all this stuff and I told her, ‘When I get into the staging lanes.’ I answer my emails and send my tweets and funny Instagrams and Facebook stuff before I get suited up and it keeps my mind calm. And if anyone here is A.D.D., they will understand. It’s backwards, but I just try to stay busy. I’ve been through this moment so many times, it doesn’t matter, you still wake up with a pit in your stomach and bald eagles flying around your stomach. That’s what it’s all about.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 6th

After a career-best pass in this qualifying session with 3.862, what does that say about this race team?

“Well, it definitely lifted up in the front, I could feel it a little bit, but it was nice and smooth. I didn’t get out of the groove too much. The temperature is great right now. Our last one would have been good, but I’m so nervous about crossing the center line or touching it and getting 15 points taken away. So I’m a little gun shy. I can’t say enough about our team, they are so rad and our crew chiefs are so rad. This year has really been building for next season. We have a badass car. We have a badass team and my whole crew is just freaking awesome.”

STEVE TORRENCE, Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

How do you feel about your championship chances with Brittany Force and Justin Ashley running strong in qualifying?

“There’s still a chance, but that door is definitely not open very much. Anytime you can run quicker than that Monster car on any lap, that’s a big deal and it’s crazy to think we ran .64 and we’re still number two. That’s a testament to how bad to the bone those guys are, but these Capco Contractors boys on this Toyota dragster, we definitely want to finish the season on a bang and finish strong. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot and just experimented entirely too long and couldn’t get it back in time. It’s been a good year, but I’m glad it’s over. We still have a shot to play spoiler tomorrow, but it would entail two of the best cars out here to go out early. We’re not going to hope for that, but we’re just going to go out and give it all we’ve got and maybe we can play spoiler.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

CORVETTE RACING AT BAHRAIN: What a Run to GTE Pro Podium!

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Official Release
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Second place for Milner, Tandy, No. 64 C8.R in season, class finale

SAKHIR, Bahrain (Nov. 12, 2022) – Corvette Racing’s never-give-up mindset came to the forefront again Saturday as a total team effort led to a runner-up GTE Pro class finish in the Eight Hours of Bahrain and the final race of the year in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy came home second in the last race for the GTE Pro category with the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. It marked the pairing’s third podium finish of the season and second runner-up result, the first coming in the season-opening 1,000 Miles of Sebring.

Milner, Tandy and Corvette Racing captured the Six Hours of Monza earlier this year as part of the team’s globe-trotting first season in the WEC. Saturday’s result provides a nice springboard to the 2023 season and a GTE Am campaign with the mid-engine Corvette C8.R.

Saturday, the Corvette team’s fortunes took a dramatic change just past the one-hour mark. After starting fifth in class – and sitting at the bottom of the GTE Pro timesheets throughout practice and qualifying – Milner gained track position by going a lap longer than three other GTE Pro cars in his opening stint and made his first pit stop during the race’s first full-course caution just past the one-hour mark.

Going long gained Milner 30 seconds and – more importantly – three positions to second place by the time the race went green again with 75 minutes running. From that point on, Milner masterfully managed his pace and tires on a hot and slippery surface for the next hour before handing off to Tandy for a double-stint under another yellow period.

The C8.R continued to show life with changes from the Corvette Racing engineers and crew following Friday’s qualifying. Tandy was able to fight and overtake one of the two Porsches and challenge eventual race-winner Ferrari despite behind handfuls of seconds behind throughout practice.

Milner got back in in the Corvette just past the halfway point – again, under a full-course yellow – and held second position throughout his 70-minute run before a final swap back to Tandy for the final 2.5 hours.

As much as the pre-race adjustments to the C8.R paid off, the pit work by the Corvette Racing crew and engineering strategies – both fuel and tire usage – kept the team in contention throughout. That bore out in the pit stops with the C8.R crew nine seconds quicker in its cumulative pitlane time throughout the race than the other two podium cars in GTE Pro.

The end of the WEC season brought to an end an iconic era of GTE Pro racing. Corvette Racing, naturally, has been part of GTE Pro in the WEC – including the 24 Hours of Le Mans – since the first year of the class in 2011. Its participation in GTE-rules racing was amplified in 2014 with the birth of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) category in IMSA, which used the same technical rules that existed for GTE.

Taking into account both championships, Corvette Racing has an exemplary record in GTE/GTLM competition with 32 victories at racetracks around the world to go along with five Drivers and Team championships and four Manufacturers crowns in IMSA

Corvette Racing will return to FIA WEC competition in 2023 with Ben Keating and Nicky Catsburg teaming in a GTE Am Corvette C8.R. The season begins March 17 at Sebring International Raceway.

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO: “That was definitely a lot better than we were anticipating! It’s great to be back on the podium in the last race of the year and the last GTE Pro race. It’s a little bittersweet. If you look at our season as a whole, we had a great year. There was still a lot to be had. If Le Mans had gone the way it was going for us, Nick and I would be World Champions as drivers so that’s a bit of a bummer. But that’s racing. I’m happy to end this class on a high note and be back on the podium for Corvette Racing. I’m super-proud of the work that all these guys have done this year. We realistically had a championship season, and everyone should be super-proud.”

(On the race): “We were really lucky with the timing of that second full-course yellow and to be in position to take advantage of that. That catapulted us back in the race. Ultimately we didn’t have the pace to run with the Ferrari. The plan from the beginning was to run our own race and be smart on the strategy to see where we end up. The engineers had me save quite a bit of fuel. We did whatever we could do to be as perfect as possible and let the result be determined by everybody else and not by us. Our goal was to drive our own race and see what happened.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO: “What a great way to finish the season. It shows again that in a long endurance race, all the pieces and parts of the puzzle – most of those being the people involved – make a huge difference. From a team point of view, we ran an absolute faultless race from start to finish. We got lucky with strategy but we put ourselves in position to get that luck. From then on, we made the Corvette the best that it’s been to drive all week. We had pace in the race when others saw theirs drop. From the pit crew to the engineering group, everyone who has been looking after the team, getting us and the car here and ready, it’s been a great day for Corvette Racing. We finished probably three places further up than we should have, and that’s due to great execution from every single team member. It’s a great way to end this season.”

(On the race): “We got lucky with the early yellow. Actually we had looked at it early and said maybe the only chance we’d have is to try and play something on the fuel strategy game. That worked out well for us and the 51 Ferrari. We gained about 30 seconds on the other three cars when we pitted. Then we were looking to see where we were in the meat of the race when the sun came down. We weren’t too bad on pace, and I had a great fight with Michael (Christensen, No. 92 Porsche) for a few laps. It was a good run out there.”

(On the full season): “I think you can see that all of us at Corvette Racing have enjoyed it. It’s been good fun. It’s been frustrating at times but overall everyone is pleased with what we’ve done by coming in for the full season. We’ve won a race and been competitive at most events. We’ve got experience not just for Corvette Racing but also for all our partner teams at General Motors. Everything we’ve done and learned will help not only this teams but hopefully others in the future. It’s good to come here and see everything and bring people to these events and tracks with regulations we haven’t seen before.”

LAURA WONTROP KLAUSER, GM SPORTS RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “We’re really proud of all the accomplishments by everyone on the Corvette Racing program this year in the World Endurance Championship. It was our first time in this series, and we knew it was going to be a learning season. To win at Monza, to lead as many laps as we did at Le Mans, and to finish second at Sebring and now here at Bahrain… I’d say we did pretty well! There is a lot we can and will take from this into the 2023 season. A huge thanks to everyone at Chevrolet, GM Performance, Pratt Miller and many, many more who supported us and made this possible. We’re already looking forward to Sebring next year!”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

DYER MOTORSPORTS CONCLUDES ITS 2022 SEASON NEXT WEEK AT BAKERSFIELD AND PLACERVILLE

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Official Release
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(Yucca Valley, CA, November 10, 2022) Nearly nine months after it started, Dyer Motorsports will finish its 2022 racing with four races next week. The first race will be the “6th Annual Western States Lightning Sprints Championship” at the Bakersfield Speedway on Tuesday, November 15th. That will be followed up by a day of travel and then three straight nights of racing in the “Hangtown 100” at the Placerville Speedway on November 17th, 18th, and 19th.

The race at Bakersfield will be the final points-paying race for the CLS and for the Civil War Series matching the California Lightning Sprint Cars vs Northern California’s Bay cities racing association.  Jeff Dyer and his son Seth will both be competing at Bakersfield.  Jeff comes into that race tied for fourth in the championship series point standings.  He also brings in the best 2022 main event finishing average at the track, 3.2 of all riders who have started three main events there.  On May 14th at the track, Dyer turned in his best 2022 appearance on the Kern County oval when he placed second in the 25-lap main.  In his other four starts at the track, he has finished third and fourth two times each.

Bakersfield is the track where Seth launched his lightning sprint career with the CLS on June 11th.  Two weeks ago the 15-year-old had turned in the best qualifying effort of his rookie season when he timed in 10th fastest of 16 cars at the Ventura Raceway.  He followed that up by leading every inch of the way to score the first heat race win of his lightning career.  Despite only running

After Tuesday at Bakersfield, Dyer Motorsports will drive 316 miles north to the Placerville Speedway for the “Hangtown 100.”  Phelan’s Cal Smith, who spent years racing in the SCRA Sprint Cars and ¾ midgets, will jump into Seth’s car and join Jeff in the season-enders.

In addition to the lightning sprints, Tuesday’s show at Bakersfield will also include the “November Classic” for the USAC National Midgets.  Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 7:00.  Fans can save $5.00 per ticket by ordering in advance at https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/1113.  The historic track is located at 5001 N. Chester Ext. in Bakersfield.  The track website is https://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/ and the office phone is (661) 393-3373.

Gates will open at 3:00 p.m. each day with racing at 6:00.  Fans can find the track at 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville. Advance tickets for Placerville are available at https://www.eventsprout.com/event/hangtown-2022. The website is https://www.placervillespeedway.com/ and the track phone is (530) 344-7592. 

Jeff is racing in memory of his grandfather Glenn Sels throughout the 2022 season.

Dyer would like to thank the following for making the 2022 season possible in the #4 Lightning Sprint Car.  Dependable Machine Inc., Haircuts By Susie, Jobu Racing, LBA Investigations, and Dyer Motorsports. 

For the USAC/CRA #39 sprint car, Straight Time Stirrups, Dependable Machines Inc., Hair Cuts By Susie, Jobu Racing, Justice Brothers, and Specialty Fasteners make it all possible.

If you would like to be a part of Dyer Motorsports in 2022, call (760) 267-0298.

Jeff Dyer 2022 Results

3-5      Imperial Valley Raceway                POWRi Southwest                                                  13th A Main

3-25    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     4th A Main

3-26    Perris Auto Speedway                    USAC/CRA                                                               13th A Main

4-1      Keller Auto Speedway                    USAC/CRA                                                               14th A Main           

4-2     Thunderbowl Raceway                   USAC/CRA                                                               23rd A Main           

4-16    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     3rd A Main

4-23    Mohave Valley Raceway                USAC/CRA Sprint Cars                                           14th B Main

4-30    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     2nd A Main 1

4-30    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     2nd A Main 2

5-14    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     2nd A Main

5-14    Bakersfield Speedway                    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars                                          14th A Main

5-21    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     2nd A Main

5-28    Perris Auto Speedway                    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars                                          DNS

6-11    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                    4th A Main

6-25    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     11th A Main

7-16    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     3rd A Main

7-23    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     2nd A Main

8-6      Santa Maria Raceway                     California Lightning Sprints                                     13th A Main*

8-25    Silver Dollar Speedway                  California Lightning Sprints                                     16th A Main

8-26    Placerville Speedway                      California Lightning Sprints                                     17th A Main

9-10    Lemoore Raceway                          California Lightning Sprints                                     11th A Main

9-17    Perris Auto Speedway                    POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints                       2nd A Main

9-24    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     3rd A Main

10-1    Barona Speedway                           POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints                      13th A Main

10-8    Mohave Valley Raceway                California Lightning/POWRi Southwest                    11th A Main

Seth Dyer 2022 Lightning Sprint Results

6-11    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     12th A Main

6-25    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     15th A Main

7-16    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     10th A Main

7-23    Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                     10th A Main

8-6      Santa Maria Raceway                     California Lightning Sprints                                     14th A Main

8-25    Silver Dollar Speedway                  California Lightning Sprints                                       DNS

9-10    Lemoore Raceway                          California Lightning Sprints                                     14th A Main

9-17    Perris Auto Speedway                    POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints                       16th A Main           

9-24    Bakersfield Speedway                    California Lightning Sprints                                     18th A Main

10-20  Imperial Valley Raceway                POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints                       11th A Main

10-29  Ventura Raceway                            California Lightning Sprints                                    13th A Main

Twenty Races on Tap for ARCA Menards Series in 2023

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Official Release
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The ARCA Menards Series will again race 20 times at 19 tracks in 2023, kicking off its 70th Anniversary Season with its 60th race at Daytona International Speedway and concluding, for the second consecutive year, with its championship event at its home track Toledo Speedway. 

The series will compete on one of the most diverse lineup of racetracks in motorsports, including superspeedways, intermediate speedways, paved short tracks, a pair of road courses, and a pair of one-mile dirt tracks. 

The highlights: 

  • The season opener will mark the 60th visit for the ARCA Menards Series to Daytona International Speedway dating back to 1964. The race will once again be held on the same day as the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the day before the Daytona 500. 
  • A pair of short track races at Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway highlight the month of June. 
  • In addition to the return of the wildly-successful same-day doubleheader with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on August 11, the series will add another same-day twin-bill with the Trucks at The Milwaukee Mile on August 27. 
  • The series will race in conjunction with the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway, which is the only track to host two series races in 2023, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, and Michigan International Speedway in addition to conjunction races at Daytona International Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Watkins Glen International, and Bristol Motor Speedway. 
  • The series will make its fourth visit to both Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Watkins Glen International for its two road course races. 
  • For the second straight year, the series will conclude its season with three consecutive short track races at Bristol Motor Speedway, the series-leading 109th visit to Salem Speedway, and Toledo Speedway. 

The series will also hold one combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West, at Phoenix Raceway in March, while events at Iowa Speedway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, The Milwaukee Mile, and Bristol Motor Speedway will be combination races with the ARCA Menards Series East. 

The complete 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule: 

Feb. 18 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, FL 
March 10 Phoenix Raceway Avondale, AZ 
April 22 Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, AL 
May 6 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS 
May 26 Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, NC 
June 17 Berlin Raceway Marne, MI 
June 24 Elko Speedway Elko, MN 
July 7 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, OH 
July 15 Iowa Speedway Newton, IA 
July 21 Pocono Raceway Long Pond, PA 
Aug. 4 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, MI 
Aug. 11 Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Brownsburg, IN 
Aug. 18 Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, NY 
Aug. 20 Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, IL 
Aug. 27 The Milwaukee Mile West Allis, WI 
Sept. 3 DuQuoin State Fairgrounds DuQuoin, IL 
Sept. 8 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS 
Sept. 14 Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN 
Sept. 30 Salem Speedway Salem, IN 
Oct. 7 Toledo Speedway Toledo, OH 

All dates are tentative and subject to change.   

Schedules for the ARCA Menards Series East and West along with the complete ARCA Menards Series platform broadcast schedule, including event start times, will be released at a later date. 

For further information please visit ARCARacing.com; for up-to-the-minute updates follow @ARCA_Racing on Twitter. 

About ARCA 

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization administers more than 100 events annually, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.  For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

CORVETTE RACING AT BAHRAIN: Closing the Gap

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Official Release
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No. 64 Corvette continuing to make progress ahead of season, GTE Pro finale

MANAMA, Bahrain (Nov. 11, 2022) – Corvette Racing will start the final race for the GTE Pro class in the FIA World Endurance Championship fifth in the category. Nick Tandy set a lap of 1:57.539 (103.023 mph) around the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday evening in the No. 64 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R that he will share with Tommy Milner.

It’s the first trip to Bahrain for the Corvette Racing and the mid-engine C8.R as the team and its fellow WEC competitors close the season in the Middle East.

The single-car team worked throughout Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions to try and come to grips – literally and figuratively – with the circuit layout and racing surface. The high temperatures in the desert present a challenge to tire life with high levels of degradation expected to factor in Saturday’s race.

Corvette Racing’s two manufacturer competitors – Porsche and Ferrari – have the benefit of multiple years of experience at Bahrain, especially having contested a doubleheader a year ago at the circuit. As a result, the gap to the front is considerable – nearly 1.4 seconds – but Corvette Racing engineers were hard at work after the session pouring over data to make further improvements before Saturday’s race.

The goal is to add one more victory in GTE Pro competition to its tally of 32 around the world, taking into account the category in the WEC as well as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class, which ran from 2014-2021.

The Eight Hours of Bahrain for the FIA World Endurance Championship is scheduled for 2 p.m. Arabian Standard Time (AST) / 6 a.m. ET Saturday from the Bahrain International Circuit. The race will air live on MotorTrend with live streaming coverage of the race on the MotorTrend Plus app and Radio Le Mans’ online audio coverage.

NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – QUALIFIED FIFTH IN GTE PRO: “Obviously the point staring us in the face is that we are slowest in the class, which is sad for everyone. We did a lot of work from Free Practice Three to qualifying, and actually the car was fantastic. My lap in qualifying was one that I was pleased with and probably was one of the best I’ve done this season. The gap to the front, while at almost 1.5 seconds, is the closest we’ve been all weekend. So as a team, we’ve done a terrific job. It doesn’t take away from the fact that we’re going to start from the fifth position. To end qualifying in GTE Pro like this is frustrating. But we can all be proud as a team for continually progressing and making the car better for us drivers. It was really pleasurable to be out there again in this C8.R in qualifying trim and driving fast.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding tickets are on sale now

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Official Release
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Three-day tickets provide fans access to the best available seats

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2022) – Three-day tickets to the 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding are on sale to the public. The 19th annual event is set for March 3-5, 2023, in downtown St. Petersburg.

Tickets are available online at gpstpete.com or by calling 727-898-4639 with pricing starting at $125 for reserved 3-Day Grandstand seats and $65 for 3-Day General Admission. Additionally, junior pricing is available for fans ages 12 and under. Pit and Firestone Paddock Passes can also be purchased. Single-day tickets will be released for sale in early 2023.

“The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding will be here soon! Fans need to be in St. Pete to see the start of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and should act now to secure the best seats with great sightlines along our stunning waterfront,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. “St. Pete’s downtown scene is one of the most spectacular in all of motorsports, and we can’t wait to have all our fans join us here again at this great event!”

The weekend schedule, highlighted by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, will have a full complement of racing series on track. Open-wheel development series INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires and USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires will battle on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course. Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup and GT America Powered by AWS will provide fierce stock car racing action as well.

For ticket pricing and event information, visit gpstpete.com or follow Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on social media using #FirestoneGP. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers. The complete weekend racing and festival schedule will be released in early 2023.

About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg:
The 19th annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (June 30-July 2, 2023), Honda Indy Toronto (July 14-16, 2023), and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 1-3, 2023).

For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.

Front Row Motorsports Ends Another Historical Season

By
Official Release
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Will Celebrate First Championship in Nashville

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 11, 2022) – In another year of “firsts”, Front Row Motorsports (FRM) will celebrate its first NASCAR championship during Champion’s Week in Nashville, Tenn. from November 30 through December 1. Zane Smith and the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team secured FRM’s first championship by winning last week’s race at the Phoenix Raceway.

The win at Phoenix capped a four-win season for the FRM truck team led by partners Ford, MRC, Love’s Travel Stops, Speedco, Fr8Auctions.com, Boot Barn, Horizon Hobby, RTA, First Phase, SEM and Plan B Sales. Smith finished in the top-10 in every race this season except for four. His remarkable season ended at Phoenix with an exclamation point after earning the pole, winning all three stages and the championship.

FRM also continued to excel with its two-car NASCAR Cup Series operation. Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team had 12 top-10 finishes and two top-five results. McDowell had two third-place finishes that came at Sonoma in June and Talladega in October. McDowell’s average finish in 2022 was nearly four positions higher than any other in his Cup Series career. McDowell was once again anchored by Love’s Travel Stops on the No. 34 Ford Mustang. Other partners included Fr8Auctions.com, Horizon Hobby, WISE-EV, Stage Front Tickets, Navage Nasal Care, Chicago Pneumatic and FloRacing.com.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang team completed their rookie season with two top-10 and one top-five finishes. Gilliland led laps during four different races. His highlights included finishing fourth at Indianapolis and pulling away while leading at Watkins Glen. Gilliland also finished seventh at Talladega after racing up front all day. Gilliland was primarily supported by First Phase, Boot Barn, Frontline Enterprises, Ruedebusch Development and Construction, Georgia Peanuts, Black’s Tire and Auto, Chicago Pneumatic, Southeastern Equipment, Entrepreneurs’ Organization of South Florida, Trident Seafoods, Cross Country Adjusting, CITGARD, The Pete Store and YANMAR.

“We knew that 2021 was a great season when we won the Daytona 500, but everyone dug in and we had an even better 2022 defined by our first championship,” said Jerry Freeze, General Manager, Front Row Motorsports. “It’s a testament to the men and women working at Front Row Motorsports, our drivers and all our partners. They worked hard to improve and we’re getting stronger on and off the track. More people are taking notice of what we’ve been building and now we just need to keep getting better. We’re excited about what we can do in 2023.”

FRM will next compete at the 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on February 5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 champions and 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters.

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