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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Joey Logano: Logano battled Ross Chastain over the closing laps and got by with three laps to go and held on to win the South Point 400 at Las Vegas.

“I’m beyond thrilled,” Logano said. “I’m on to the championship round, which means I don’t have to worry at all about what happens at Homestead or Martinsville. So, fittingly, I’m going to take a ‘chip’ from Las Vegas and carry it on my shoulder for the next two races.”

2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin came home fifth in the South Point 400, posting his eighth top 5 of the year.

“We didn’t have the car to win at Las Vegas,” Hamlin said. “But I’m confident in our ability at Homestead next week. I like my chances there, especially since it’s not for the Cup championship.”

3. Chase Elliott: Elliott struggled to find speed at Las Vegas and finished a disappointing 21st.

“My No. 9 Hendrick Chevy was adorned with the Hooters paint scheme,” Elliott said. “That’s always a fun paint scheme because I’m always intrigued to see how many kids in the stands can figure out exactly what the owl’s eyes represent.”

4. William Byron: Byron finished 13th at Las Vegas, posting the best finish among Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

“My HMS teammate Kyle Larson had quite the race,” Byron said. “He got side-by-side with Bubba Wallace and forced the issue. Then they wrecked each other and had a confrontation afterward. So, Kyle played ‘chicken’ on and off the track.”

5. Ryan Blaney: Blaney was running strong at Las Vegas until a blown tire caused him to spin and hit the outside wall and then the inside wall.

“When you crash and hit two walls,” Blaney said, “it pretty much tells you what you have to do in the next round: rebound.”

6. Ross Chastain: Chastain took the lead with 16 laps to go at Las Vegas, but couldn’t hold off the charging Joey Logano, who got by Chastain with 3 to go for the win.

“There wasn’t much I could do to stop Logano,” Chastain said. “I guess I could have wrecked him but is winning a race really worth it when I’ll then have to listen to another driver tell me ‘You’re on my list?'”

7. Christopher Bell: Bell was caught up in the Kyle Larson-Bubba Wallace melee early in the race, the damage from which ended his day. Bell finished 34th.

“I guess I was the collateral damage of the Larson-Wallace incident,” Bell said. “And how about their confrontation afterward? Kyle wanted no part of Bubba; Bubba wanted all parts of Kyle.”

8. Chase Briscoe: Briscoe finished fourth at Las Vegas, a solid start to the Round of 8 playoffs for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver.

“If we learned one thing from this race,” Briscoe said, “it’s that when push comes to shove, Kyle Larson will do neither.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 12th at Las Vegas.

“I think we’re all sad to hear that Kurt Busch is retiring,” Logano said. “That sadness could only be tempered if his brother followed in his footsteps.”

10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished seventh in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas.

“It’s hard to believe Kyle Busch’s hometown fans booed him when his wheel fell off late in the race,” Truex said. “But as someone who’s known Kyle and dealt with him for many years, I can totally understand it.”

Elk Grove Village, RFK Announce Unique Partnership for Chicago Street Race

By
Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 17, 2022) – Elk Grove Village, Illinois – a suburb of Chicago – has announced a unique partnership that will see one of the area’s most charming provinces serve as the primary partner for Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford at next season’s Chicago Street Course NASCAR race.

On Monday, Keselowski represented RFK Racing at the Made in Elk Grove Manufacturing and Technology Expo to announce the multi-year partnership highlighting the largest contiguous industrial park in the United States. Elk Grove Village was named the 2022 Municipality of the Year and will showcase its business slogan ‘Makers Wanted’ on the No. 6 Ford Mustang.

“Elk Grove Village is home to the largest industrial park in North America. We’re surrounded by incredible transportation options and our town works hard to make this a destination for businesses,” Mayor Craig Johnson said. “Partnering with RFK for a marquee race allows us to reach a huge audience with a partner that shares a passion in American business and manufacturing.”

The partnership is a perfect match for Keselowski, who is the owner and founder of Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing (KAM), a hybrid manufacturing company based in Statesville, North Carolina, specializing in additive metal technologies as well as CNC machining.

“This is a one-of-a-kind partnership and one I am especially thrilled about,” said NASCAR Cup Series Champion Keselowski. “Mayor Johnson and his team and residents of Elk Grove have a clear handle on the manufacturing industry, and have shown through many examples ways in which they give back to the community and surrounding areas. The Chicago race next year will be one of the most anticipated events in our sport’s history, and we’re proud to carry Elk Grove Village with us on board the No. 6 Ford.”

The Chicago Street Course event next season, held July 4 weekend, will be the first of its kind in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS). Downtown Chicago will serve as the host of the temporary street course, a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course that will run against the backdrop of landmarks like Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

The start/finish line and pit road will be located along South Columbus Drive directly in front of Buckingham Fountain. The course will also be near the northern edge of Soldier Field, which is the site of the only other Cup Series race to take place in downtown Chicago in 1956.

Elk Grove Village is no stranger to the sports and entertainment space, serving as the title sponsor for the Bahamas Bowl, an NCAA Division I bowl game, in both 2018 and 2019. Elk Grove Village also sponsored USA Track and Field, USA Wrestling and USA Triathlon in the 2020 Summer Games.

For more information on the ‘Makers Wanted’ campaign, visit www.makerswanted.org.

SLIM JIM® SPICES UP THE NO. 47 KROGER RACING CAMARO AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
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Harrisburg, N.C. (October 17, 2022) – Conagra Brands, Inc.’s (NYSE: CAG) iconic brand Slim Jim® returns to the No. 47 Kroger® Camaro of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the NASCAR Cup Series 267-lap event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Stenhouse Jr. and the JTG Daugherty Racing team welcomes back the spicy attitude and flavor of America’s #1 meat stick1.

“The Slim Jim team is fired up for a spicy race day at Homestead,” said Spencer Fivelson, Conagra Brands VP & General Manager, Snacks. “We’re proud to partner with JTG Daugherty Racing and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and look forward to seeing the Long Boi Gang colors fly by on Ricky’s No. 47 car.”

Consumer snacking is on the rise and JTG Daugherty Racing is reminding NASCAR’s 70 million fans that Slim Jim is a great snacking option fit for any lifestyle.

“It’s a fact that we’re always on the go – whether it’s in the NASCAR garage or back at home at Slide Job Ranch – and it’s good to have a CPG brand like Slim Jim that we can easily grab and eat on the go,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “Slim Jim is a favorite snack of ours and our hauler driver makes certain the team is stocked up on the racing hauler weekly.”

The JTG Daugherty Racing team travels to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday to park and unload racing equipment from the No. 47 Kroger/Slim Jim Camaro to begin the inspection process. Then on Saturday, NASCAR Cup Series practice begins at 10:05 AM ET with qualifying following. Stenhouse Jr.’s best finish at Homestead is 13th, which occurred last season and he looks to add to his career stats of two wins, 20 top-five and 45 top-10s.

“October is nice time of year to race at Homestead and we’re looking forward to it,” said Stenhouse Jr. “We had a test there recently that went well and our cars have had some good speed lately. We’re ready to get back to Homestead with Slim Jim and Kroger on board our 47.”

Live coverage of the 267-lap event at Homestead-Miami Speedway airs Sunday, October 23rd at 2:30 PM ET on NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) and streams on NBC Sports.

1: Source: IRI, Total US – MULOC $ Sales, L52 WE 9/11/2022

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America’s leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company’s portfolio is evolving to satisfy people’s changing food preferences. Conagra’s iconic brands, such as Birds Eye®, Duncan Hines®, Healthy Choice®, Marie Callender’s®, Reddi-wip®, and Slim Jim®, as well as emerging brands, including Angie’s® BOOMCHICKAPOP®, Duke’s®, Earth Balance®, Gardein®, and Frontera®, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.

Sarah Debuts For Historic Moment in NASCAR & ARCA

By
Official Release
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT, October 16, 2022 – At the end of the 2021 ARCA Menards season the Burgess family lightheartedly thought about the idea of Sarah and Bridget racing together once again – this time on asphalt. The opportunity took shape at the start of this year and when the team purchased a second car for the 2022 season, then became a reality when eBay Motors came aboard as Sarah’s title sponsor. The online marketplace – a destination of choice for drivers, mechanics and enthusiasts – saw the partnership as a great way to support both a passionate racing family and the motorsport community.

The BMI Racing team unloaded the #97 eBay Motors Chevrolet SS for the first time at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and prepared for the technical inspection. Once cleared, the team then went through the process of warming up the engine and preparing other items to get ready for the hour and thirty-minute practice session. Traditionally Adam (Sarah’s husband and Bridget’s dad) would spot for Bridget, but due to the circumstances, Adam would be Sarah’s eyes on the track, just how it was during their off-road racing days.

Sarah used the time wisely, getting comfortable in the car and learning the lines of the track. Throughout the session the team made minor adjusts the car to suit the conditions of the evening race. The session also served as qualifying, with Sarah and the #97 eBay Motors Chevrolet SS placing 23rd out of a 26-car field.

The green flag dropped and for the first time in NASCAR and ARCA history, a mother and daughter would be racing each other. Although Sarah didn’t quite get the start she was hoping for, an early caution flag gave her the opportunity to reset and learn from her mistakes. This was Sarah’s first time competing on an asphalt oval and through the 150-lap race, she displayed a solid effort in the #97 eBay Motors Chevrolet and finished 17th. Sarah’s comments of the evening, “eBay Motors has been a resource for us over the years and the first place we turn to, to find the race parts we need for the cars. I’m thankful to have eBay Motors step up and support our aspirations and be a part of this historic moment – without them this wouldn’t have happened. Our small team did an amazing job getting both the cars ready for this race.”

BMI Racing would also like to highlight RTIC Outdoors for partnering with the team and providing the extra support needed to keep the team cool and hydrated for the day for this event and to be a part of this memorable moment in motorsport history.

Sarah returns to her normal role as Crew for the final race of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series West season will take place at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race will be streamed live on FloRacing.

A replay of Friday’s Star Nursery 150 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will air on the USA Network on Friday, Oct. 21 starting at 5 p.m. ET.

These great companies power Sarah and BMI Racing:
eBay Motors – Let’s ride! Download the eBay Motors app today!
RTIC Outdoors – Overbuilt. Not Overpriced

Technical Partners
GEARWRENCH, Rugged Radios, Cometic Gasket, Circle Track Warehouse, Ferrea Racing Components, FK Rod Ends, Fragola Performance Systems, GC Cooling Fan, Hawk Performance, Impact Race Products, K&N Filters, Lucas Oil, Miller Electric, ProAm, Rare Parts, Streamline Custom Designs, Sunoco Race Fuel, XS Power, HMH Construction, S&S Diesel

Facebook page: SarahBurgess97 | Instagram: SarahBurgess97| Twitter: SarahBurgess97

Tony Stewart Racing: Event Recap for the Texas NHRA FallNationals

By
Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
Texas NHRA FallNationals
Oct. 14-16 | Dallas

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.906 ET at 290.06 mph).

● Earned No. 8 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (3.731 ET at 304.18 mph) when her car experienced a mechanical failure during the run.

● Maintained No. 8 provisional qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Pruett ran a 3.802 ET at 321.08 mph.

● Secured No. 8 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Pruett ran a 3.776 ET at 325.71 mph.

● Advanced to Round 2 on Sunday:

● Round 1: 3.888 ET at 229.84 mph, defeated Josh Hart (red light – 3.707 ET at 330.03 mph).

● Round 2: 3.764 ET at 275.72 mph, lost to Austin Prock (3.737 ET at 324.18 mph).

● Currently 11th in the Top Fuel championship standings, 243 points behind leader Justin Ashley.

Matt Hagan, driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:

● Earned No. 3 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.938 ET at 327.01 mph).

● Scored one bonus point for third-quickest run of the session.

● Earned No. 1 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (3.825 ET at 334.85 mph).

● Scored three bonus points for quickest run of the session.

● Maintained No. 1 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 3.900 ET at 335.87 mph.

● Scored three bonus points for quickest run of the session.

● Secured No. 1 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 3.893 ET at 322.77 mph.

● Scored two bonus points for second-quickest run of the session.

● Advanced to Finals on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.875 ET at 326.56 mph, defeated Terry Haddock (4.051 ET at 305.98 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.883 ET at 335.12 mph, defeated Tim Wilkerson (3.938 ET at 329.26 mph).

● Semifinals: 3.891 ET at 338.02 mph, defeated Bob Tasca III (3.891 ET at 329.21 mph).

● Finals: 3.923 ET at 331.32 mph, lost to Ron Capps (3.911 ET at 327.18 mph).

● Currently third in the Funny Car championship standings, 78 points behind leader Robert Hight.

Notes of Interest

● Hagan has advanced to the final round each of the last four years at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas. He has appeared in more final rounds in the Texas NHRA FallNationals than in any other event in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series (seven times in 14 appearances).

● Hagan’s No. 1 qualifier marked his sixth this season and his second at Dallas. His previous No. 1 start in the event came in 2020.

● Hagan’s Q2 run set a new track record at the Texas Motorplex, breaking the previous track record of 3.828 seconds, set by Robert Hight in 2017. The run earned Hagan and Tony Stewart Racing a $15,000 bonus established by the track. The time marked the second-fastest Funny car run of the season, just behind Hagan’s Q3 run at Phoenix in February (3.823 ET at 333.41 mph).

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel Dragster

“It was great to debut our Rush Truck Centers scheme at Dallas. Their slogan is to expect more when you go to their service centers and we expected to have more this weekend. We’ve delivered to ourselves because we’ve been trying very hard to run 2.10 to the 1/8 mile and we were able to do it a couple times. We’ve been trying to improve our incremental times. The better incremental times you have, overall you’ll have a quicker ET. We had a setback Friday night when a valve train part malfunctioned and caused colossal damage. It was not an over-tuning situation or over-driving, so we had to be a bit more conservative on Saturday to make sure all our system checks were right. There’s nothing like being the first pair out on Sunday with the national anthem in the great state of Texas. You can feel all that goes into this race. You can either feel it and be afraid of it, or feel it and encompass that, which I feel I did and we all did. I’m very impressed with shallow staging and cutting one of my best lights in eliminations. I was so focused on going straight down the track because the left lane is tricky and it wants to pull you to the left toward the wall. I saw my blue win light and knew we were on a good run. Talk about processing a lot of information at a high rate of speed. All of a sudden, it was over. We had an electronic issue that made the burst panel electric communication deploy the chutes and shut off the car. We got lucky on Sunday and got to the second round. We tuned the car up a bit more and had a solid race. We went up against Austin Prock, who also did a great job on the tree. We blew a blower belt that broke and we’re still dissecting the cause of that. It aborted our run sooner and would’ve been an even closer race than it was. I definitely don’t feel defeated because we’ve made extreme improvements. We finally feel like we have a racecar and are racing and competing. We’re a force to be reckoned with. We’re focused on Vegas and testing after Vegas and keeping forward momentum.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

“It was a very strong weekend. We ran a .82 out there on Friday and were No. 1 qualifier. Dickie Venables, Mike Knudsen and Alex Conaway put a great Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car underneath me all weekend. We had everything it takes to win the race, we were just on the back side of it a little bit. It’s so competitive out there right now and it’s kind of like splitting frog hairs. It was a great job and my crew did a phenomenal job. They serviced the car in 30 minutes to get ready for the final, which was exceptional. We were pressed with rain all day and we knew the turnarounds would be quick. The guys didn’t let that phase them and we had a great car. We’re still in the hunt and I know we have the capability and means to do it, we just have to have a little luck fall our way.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the NHRA Nevada Nationals Oct. 28-30 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It is the fifth event in the Countdown to the Championship and the penultimate race of the season.

Chevrolet drivers step up at FallNationals

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA TEXAS FALLNATIONALS
TEXAS MOTORPLEX IN ENNIS, TEXAS
OCT. 16, 2022

Chevrolet drivers step up at Texas FallNationals

• Erica Enders ties career best with ninth Pro Stock win of season, moves closer to title

• No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier Austin Prock is runner-up; Brittany Force sets track record

• David Barton drives Chevrolet COPO Camaro to second Factory Stock Showdown title

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 16, 2022) — Erica Enders took large step to claiming her fifth National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock world championship, driving the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS to victory in the NHRA Texas FallNationals.

Austin Prock, driving the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, was runner-up in the Top Fuel race at the Texas Motorplex. Prock, who won the Countdown to the Championship opener, earned the No. 1 qualifier honor for the first time in his career.

In a battle of Nos. 1 and 2 in the Funny Car standings, Robert Hight’s AAA Texas Chevrolet Camaro SS lost traction early in the run and the front-runner lost to eventual event winner Ron Capps. Hight, an eight-time winner this season, retained his advantage in the standings, though his lead was sliced to 10 points.

John Force, driving the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, lost in the Funny Car quarterfinals in the 121st career race day matchup with Capps.

Brittany Force broke her own Top Fuel track speed record, recording a pass of 336.30 mph in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster in the first round of eliminations. The 2017 Top Fuel champion ran low elapsed time of the weekend (3.676 seconds) in the quarterfinals but fell on a holeshot when her opponent tripped the light at .039 of a second to her .097 reaction time. She is second in the standings.

In a metaphoric passing of the torch, Enders defeated reigning and five-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, in the final with a pass of 6.537 seconds. Enders, the No. 1 qualifier, matched her 2015 career high with her ninth victory of the season and secured her 42nd Pro Stock win overall in 72 finals. She extended her points lead to a whopping 166 with two Countdown events left.

Enders swept the two events in her home state this season.

“I hope they keep coming. You never know when it’s going to be your last, so we never want to let up,” she said. “Being here in my home state of Texas, my sister reminded me right before that final round that if you can get this done you’ve accomplished the Texas two-step for the last time since Houston is going away. So, that cowboy hat is going to mean the world to me. I love Texas.”

Anderson, who earlier in the week was recognized as a Texas Motorplex Legend, dispatched Aaron Stanfield, driving the Janac Brothers Camaro SS, and Enders upended teammate Troy Coughlin Jr., driver of the JEGS.com Camaro SS, in the semifinals.

David Barton of Robesonia, Pennsylvania, clinched his second Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown championship in the Saw Mill Auto Chevrolet COPO Camaro.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet. It is hard to believe we came out on top amongst all these people who are trying so hard to accomplish the same goal,” said Barton, who picked up his first title in 2017. “It has been a lot of work from all our teammates and all our employees and all our families. This whole operation is like a big travelling family circus. It has been great, and I am honestly speechless.”

Drivers of the COPO Camaro have won the past three Showdown titles, including Aaron Stanfield in 2020 and ’21. Stanfield, of Bossier City, Louisiana, gave Chevrolet its fifth victory in the eight races in the series this season, driving the Janac Brothers COPO Camaro to a 7.764-second pass at 165.mph.

“I’m just happy for all of our guys. It’s been a lot of hard work and maybe we got our mojo back.” he said.

The penultimate race in the Countdown to the Championship is scheduled for Oct. 28-30 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. FS1 will telecast eliminations at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 30. Dallas Glenn won the Pro Stock race in the RAD Torque Systems Camaro SS on the way to the rookie of the year title. Brittany Force was the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier in the Chevrolet dragster.

An interview with Pro Stock winner ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS:

YOU HAD AN AMAZING CAR THIS WEEK.

“It speaks volumes for the talent that’s in our crew chief lounge. Those guys are just bad to the bone and even when I’m not confident they are, and they carry me.”

YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WE’RE RACING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP. YOU ARE IN A NICE SPOT FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.

“We are and we’ll take it. The fashion we lost last year gave us all the motivation that we needed in the race car shop, in the engine shop and my mental state behind the wheel of that Melling Performance Chevy Camaro. We have been mean, we’ve lost a few that I wish I had back but what a tremendous season we’ve had up to this point. We’re headed to Vegas and I’m looking forward to that. I hope the wins keep coming. You never know when it’s going to be your last, so we never want to let up.”

YOU WON BOTH AT HOUSTON AND HERE.

“Being here in my home state of Texas, my sister reminded me right before that final round that if you can get this done you’ve accomplished the Texas two-step for the last time since Houston is going away. So, that cowboy hat is going to mean the world to me. I love Texas.”

CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT

TOP FUEL

BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “There are still two races left in this Countdown to the Championship and weekend to weekend things can change so much. We can pick up points during qualifying, we have been all season. That’s going to remain this Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac team’s plan going into Las Vegas, qualify well and go rounds on race day. It’s not over yet. It will end in Pomona at the Auto Club Finals so we’ll keep on fighting.”

AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER: “Outstanding weekend for this Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist team. We just missed it in the final round and came up short of sweeping the weekend. I was proud of the team, and the crew chiefs. They made progress each and every lap and it showed. We showed up when we needed to. We’re in good hands for the rest of the season, we’re definitely back and we can’t wait for Vegas.”

FUNNY CAR

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I’m going to leave here and head into Vegas to win. I never give up. This PEAK Chevy team doesn’t give up. We just don’t have a mindset like that. There wasn’t anything left on the tree; I stole it all. I got away with the light and I was trucking on through there, but it got over into the wall. I had to lift and got back on it, but it was too late. He got around me. We never give up and it’s not over until we say it’s over.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AAA TEXAS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Tough way to go out. This AAA team had been on a great streak of solid A to B passes. Disappointing to get that loss in the semifinals. We wanted to try and grow our points lead, but luckily we did have a lead and we had a good two days of qualifying where we took some points. So, with two races left, we’ll head to Vegas still ahead. We have to continue to do what we know how to do. Pick up those small points in qualifying and then continue to go rounds on Sunday. Just two races left, we really need to be on our game.”

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.

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Dallas Post-Race Report – 10.16.22

By
Official Release
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TOYOTA RECORDS THIRD NITRO SWEEP IN LAST FIVE EVENTS
Ashley, Capps add to successful season with wins in Texas

ENNIS, Texas (October 16, 2022) – Justin Ashley picked the perfect time for his third victory of the season as the New York-native extended his points lead with his second consecutive win at the Texas Motorplex. Ashley continued Toyota’s recent dominance in the Top Fuel class with their sixth win in the last seven events. With the victory, Ashley holds a 82-point advantage over Brittany Force with two races remaining in the season.

Ron Capps earned his fourth victory in the Toyota GR Supra Funny Car on Sunday. The California-native ran strong all day and used a 0.035 reaction time and a 3.911 elapsed time to beat Matt Hagan in the final round. With the win, Capps closes to within 10 points of the championship lead.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Texas Motorplex
Race 20 of 22

TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel DragsterWinnerW. 3.699 v. 3.714(Kalitta) W. 3.677 v. 5.132(Kinsley) W. 3.686 v. 3.723(Langdon) W. 3.688 v. 12.682(Prock)
Shawn LangdonCMR Roofing & Construction Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-FinalsW. 3.730 v. 3.735(Torrence) W. 3.721 v. 3.676 – (Holeshot Win –B. Force) L. 3.723 v. 3.686(Ashley)
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-FinalsW. 3.684 v. 3.715(Schumacher) W. 3.699 v. 3.879(Massey) L. 3.689 v. 3.681(Prock)
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL. 3.735 v. 3.730(Langdon)
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL. 3.714 v. 3.699(Ashley)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS

NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
Ron CappsNAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny CarWinnerW. 3.889 v. 4.343(Diehl) W. 3.885 v. 4.045(J. Force) W. 3.897 v. 7.486(Hight) W. 3.911 v. 3.923(Hagan)
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL. 4.092 v. 3.980(Lee)
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL. 4.471 v. 3.924(Alexander)

TOYOTA QUOTES

JUSTIN ASHLEY, Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Davis Motorsports

Final Result: Winner

How was your race day?

“It really was a great weekend – anytime you can go out there and turn on four-win lights on race day it is great. The winner of this race, where it is positioned in the season, makes it all that much more significant. There are only two more races after this and we know the past history has shown that if you win Dallas – you really put yourself in position to go after that championship. Our team did an incredible job all weekend long. It was like a bracket car. To have a Top Fuel car run that fast and run that consistently, it just speaks volumes to our entire team. I think when you look at the Top Fuel class – it’s so competitive, from drivers to teams. We are all making each other better and I think that shows throughout the year.”

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

Final Result: Winner

What do you take away from today?

“For the fans this is big. We had a lot of nay-sayers that we weren’t getting any racing in – and we got it all in. Unbelievable. Under the lights in the final round. (Matt) Hagan and our team getting it on with flames out the side. We burned the NAPA body – Cathy and Joe Maynard, they are at home. They usually stay and toast with us – so we miss you guys. Wish you were here. NAPA AutoCare team – it’s like driving to your NAPA AutoCare down the street. You rely on them; you can count on them. Guido (Dean Antonelli) and John Medlen (crew chiefs) – this is going to Medlen. He hasn’t mentioned it in public yet, but he is going to retire off into the sunset and this trophy is well-earned by him. Toyota – we’re going to double up with Toyota with Justin (Ashley), so what a big night. Thanks everybody for staying.”

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.

What to Do If the Windows in the Car Fog Up?

By
SM
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One of the main conditions for safe driving is good visibility. It becomes especially relevant in the autumn-winter off-season when darkness comes quickly, and precipitation worsens visibility even more. It’s at this time that the windows in the car actively fog up. In this article, we will tell you what to do with such a problem.

Why Do the Windows in the Car Fog Up?

It’s quite simple to explain why the windows in the car misted up from the inside. The interior of the vehicle is heated by the running engine, heating system, passengers, and driver. The ambient temperature is much lower, and therefore water condenses on cold windows, which not only limits visibility but also constantly distracts the driver by wiping with a cloth and reduces their attentiveness. So, moisture in the car interior appears:

  • from the street together with shoes, and clothes during heavy rain;
  • from human breathing—the more passengers there are, the stronger the steam condenses;
  • from a passenger in a state of alcohol intoxication, because alcohol vapors contain a lot of water;
  • moist street air comes inside when ventilating the cabin through the heating system.

To avoid the car windows fogging up, follow our simple recommendations below.

Removal of Excess Moisture From the Cabin

Caring for your vehicle regularly is much easier than wiping the windows of the automobile from fogging up while driving. In addition, high humidity can cause corrosion, unpleasant odors, mold, and other harmful microorganisms. Always keep the interior of your car clean, especially in wet seasons. Regularly ventilate and dry the vehicle, and keep the mats dry. Clean the interior often.

Before boarding, shake off the snow and water in the treads of your shoes. As an alternative, you can use rubber mats that prevent water from going overboard, and the accumulated moisture can simply be poured out. Remove snow from the grilles of the air intakes because when the heating is turned on, it can get inside the car. In the winter, remove ice from the windshield, and in the summer, use antifreeze to clean it.

Prior to driving, warm up and ventilate the car. Don’t cause sudden changes in temperature. If the inside of the car gets wet even with a little rain, check the tightness of the seals. Don’t keep wet cleaning rags in the cabin, it’s better to store them in the trunk or engine compartment. A well-dried paper bag with salt easily copes with moisture. It can be kept under the seat.

Adjusting the Ventilation Systems of the Car

Window blowing mode and deflectors are available in any car. As soon as fogging has begun, you should direct a stream of warm air toward the glass and, at the same time, slightly increase the temperature. If you have an air conditioner, you can deal with humid air in a matter of minutes. Just turn on the external circulation mode. If the system doesn’t cope with heating and drying the air, you should check its filter—perhaps it doesn’t have time to dry or is out of order. If the vehicle isn’t equipped with air conditioning, then the heater’s fresh air will come to the rescue. Turn on the heating and open the windows to let the high-humidity air out.

Inspection of Ventilation Openings and Heating Equipment

Excessive fogging can be the result of serious breakdowns, especially for used and salvage auction cars. Sometimes, during body repair, the ventilation holes become occasionally filled with paint and the natural air conditioning of the interior doesn’t occur. Check the flow capacity of valves and air ducts, having previously learned their location, and remove unnecessary items. In cars with air conditioning, the drain holes can be clogged, water stagnates in them. Cleaning fixes everything. Even vapors from a faulty cooling system can enter the cabin, causing severe fogging. In the event of such a breakdown, it’s recommended to contact a service station.

Use the Anti-Fog Agent for Car Windows

The chemical industry produces numerous products of various types and costs: wipes, aerosols, liquids, and sprays. The principle of their operation is based on a change in the surface tension of water. The liquid accumulates and, in the form of drops, rolls off the glass into the form of a transparent film that doesn’t obstruct the view. Such products are applied only to clean and dry glass. Over time, the procedure must be repeated. From a large assortment, choose the agent that suits you in terms of finances and effectiveness. Remember that windows with anti-fog coverage cannot be wiped, otherwise, the effect will disappear.

In the End

We have a lot of different tips and tricks on how to deal with car windows fogging up, starting from the vehicle technical condition evaluation and ending with special chemical agents that make the protective coverage. In the article, we reviewed all the details to clarify the topic and help you manage the issue. Keep in mind that misted-up windshields and car windows are dangerous for both the driver and other road users. That’s why you should evaluate everything, including visibility and glass condition, before starting the engine.

These Are the Top 5 Most Unusual NASCAR Racing Vehicles Ever

By
SM
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With vehicles reaching speeds of 200 mph and colliding with one another as they compete for the position, NASCAR is among the most thrilling motorsports in the world. It is actually the automotive version of a true “fight to the finish“.

Since NASCAR initially commenced, which was in the late 1940s, there have been numerous modifications and adaptations, with a huge variety of types and models vying for the top spot. For some brutal racing action, coupes, sedans, and even trucks have made their way onto the ’oval’.

Did you know NASCAR was not always for conventional American (and, more lately, Japanese) car brands? For the last several decades, NASCAR has typically been the home of thunderous V8 muscle cars with huge, square bodywork and minimum aerodynamics.

The chassis used by NASCAR prior to switching to tube chassis and plastic bodywork was ’stock’ cars in their essence that had been adapted for oval racing. This meant that virtually anyone who wanted to participate in a race could do so with a car, including any manufacturer with a high-performance vehicle. Naturally, this led to a number of various manufacturers attempting their hand at racing, which now would not be appropriate for the brand at all. 

Let’s rank them in order according to the periods in which they appeared on the track and wonder what kind of odds would be assigned to each and every one of these cars if there were online bookies (and legal bookies, in general) from bookmaker-expert.com/bookmakers/sports-betting/nascar/ at that time…

Porsche 356

Porsche enjoys competing. In actuality, the company actually began as a producer of race bodywork and Volkswagen-specific components. Therefore, it should not be surprising that it has experimented with every type of motorsport available, including a NASCAR event in 1951.

Edgar Otto Sr. bought and then pitted cars like Porsches, Aston Martins, and Jaguars against their American rivals in what would have been some of the first post-war international vs American auto races. A Porsche 356 was reportedly on the starting grid for one race that was conducted at Langhorne Speedway in Pennsylvania.

Although little is known about the vehicle, the driver, or how it performed during the race, it is safe to say that it would have been an amazing sight to witness a small, effervescent sports car coexist alongside Mercury and Ford.

Volkswagen Beetle

Want to see more instances of NASCAR events that prompted participation from foreign automakers? Dick Hagey entered a Volkswagen Beetle in the July 1953 event at Langhorne Speedway. The Love Bug, in which Herbie, ironically, wears the number 53, according to the year of that race, may have had some impact on this scenario, but it was not one from it. 

Despite having only 30 horsepower on its back bumper, the Beetle somehow placed 18th out of 35 cars on the grid. It is still the only Beetle to have participated in the Sprint Cup race, formerly known as the NASCAR Grand National race.

Jaguar XK120

On June 13, 1954, the International 100 NASCAR event was held at the Linden airport track and featured a number of foreign vehicles competing against American machinery. Since the circuit was a road circuit, lighter and more agile cars were far more likely to win, but Al Keller’s Jaguar XK120 was the clear favorite.

A very unusual and speedy automobile at the time, the XK120 had an aluminum body and an ash frame. The Keller would also have his work designed and built for him considering that 21 of the 43 cars in this race were produced abroad. Keller ultimately won the race by nearly a full lap and collected $5,020 in prize money. Keller continues to be the only guy to have driven a British car to victory in a NASCAR race.

1957 Chevy Bel-Air Convertible

NASCAR had a dedicated convertible car division in the middle to late 1950s. Since 20 of the 59 cars entered for the 1959 Daytona 500 had no roofs, there was even a special practice session just for drop-tops. Yes, this ratio was the impetus behind the creation of the initial Twin 125s race, which is being held at Daytona today and known as the “Budweiser Duels“.

Almost each of the convertibles utilized in this race could have been picked for their oddity, but Joe Lee Johnson’s 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air is being singled out because it competes with every piece of chrome still in place. We suppose he did not anticipate wrecking it anytime soon.

Citroën ID-19

A simpler variant of the DS, the Citroën ID nevertheless had a front-wheel drive 70-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Citroën took ID and DS automobiles to just about every track event it could, such as the Monte Carlo Rally and, yes, NASCAR, despite the fact that the car does not have the best sports history.

On June 1, 1958, at Riverside, two Citroën ID-19s competed in the Crown America 500. They did not just compete; they also took first and second place in their category, which must have been the front-wheel-drive class, finishing 18th and 19th overall. Having their hydropneumatic suspension compression at every bend, they must have been quite the sight. Bill Jones drove the No. 100 car and Ralph Roberts drove the No. 101 car.

Burton Finishes 26th at Las Vegas

By
Official Release
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After a promising performance in qualifying, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team came away with a 26th-place finish in Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Burton started a season-best eighth in Sunday’s 400-miler but fell out of the top 10 during a 78-lap green-flag run that opened the race.

The DEX Imaging team made a handling adjustment during a green-flag stop on Lap 37 and ended the first 80-lap Stage in 22nd place.

After more tuning during a pit stop following the end of the Stage, Burton rejoined the race in the top 20 and remained there for much of the second Stage before ending that segment in 25th place.

In the third and final segment of the race Burton ran inside the top 25 until a brush with the wall led to him losing two laps while the DEX Imaging crew repaired the rear suspension.

He regained one lap by getting the free pass when the caution flag flew with 20 laps remaining, but the caution flag he needed to rejoin the lead lap never flew and he wound up 26th, one lap off the pace.

Burton and the No. 21 team now head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Dixie Vodka 400 on Oct. 23.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

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