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Follow A Dream looks to Virginia for the Championship

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Victory is Close for The Dream Team

MARSTONS MILLS, Massachusetts (September 19, 2022)

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it’s the courage to continue that counts.” That quote certainly resonates with Jay Blake and the Follow A Dream Team after this past weekend’s Pep Boy’s NHRA Nationals in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
It’s no secret that Maple Grove is Jay’s favorite track, and the reason is simple, its where Jay first dreamed up the crazy idea to start a race team despite becoming totally blind. After over 20+ years at the helm of his Top Alcohol Funny Car team, that is the one Wally that has eluded the Dream Team.

“I can’t really put into words what it would mean to me to win there, I’ve been chasing it for so long, and I guess it would feel like finally conquering the mountain.” said Blake of the continued pursuit.

The team did briefly taste victory after a few rounds of Qualifiers that didn’t quite go as planned. The first qualifier was a shut down due to an ignition problem that was solved by Q2. The second round of Qualifiers earned a 5.72 at 261 mph. The racecar shook the tires for several feet leaving heavy wheelie bar marks behind it. Tuner Anthony Terenzio and Team Consultant Rich Bozzelli had the kinks worked out by Q3 and the team was satisfied with the 5.51 at 266 mph that the final round of qualifiers yielded.

Saturday’s first round of eliminations brought early victory and stoked the team’s enthusiasm as Burkart screamed past Gawlik Sgro in the

Permatextraining.com funny car with a winning 5.54 at 264 mph to Brian Gawlik’s 5.63 at 258 mph.

Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t continue, and The Dream Team was bested in an incredibly close second round loss by DJ Cox’ s 5.47 at 267 mph to Phil Burkart’s 5.51 at 264 mph.

Now its on to Virginia for the teams last race of the year and one more chance to clinch The Eastern Region Championship!
Jay Blakes’s speaking program continues to flourish with Blake and some of his crew heading out for a presentation at Reading Muhlenberg Vocational Technical School before the races this past weekend. Blake smiled as the freightliner rolled out of the school heading for the track, “The racing is great, I mean really fantastic, who doesn’t love to win, but it’s the lives that we change that really makes this dream worth dreaming!” Well said, Jay!

For more information about Follow A Dream’s speaking program please reach out to Jay at FollowADream.org

Six Chevrolet Drivers Set to Take on NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12

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Official Release
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Team Chevy Continues to Occupy 50 Percent of Playoff Field

DETROIT, Mich. (September 19, 2022) – It was a battle all the way down to the last lap of the first elimination race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) playoffs at Bristol Motor Speedway, with six Chevrolet drivers prevailing to advance to the Round of 12 and continue in the championship title hunt. The 500-lap annual night race at “The Last Great Colosseum” provided drama throughout, but the bowtie brigade proved its strength, continuing to occupy 50 percent of the playoff field for the second consecutive round. Chevrolet drivers continuing on include all four Hendrick Motorsports teammates (Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, William Byron and Alex Bowman); as well as Trackhouse Racing teammates and first-time playoff drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez.

It was a playoff opening round for the record books. Three non-playoff drivers took the victories in each of the three races in the Round of 16; a first-time occurrence in series’ history since the NASCAR playoff era began in 2004. Consistency was key for playoff drivers to solidify their spot into the next round. William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team proved to be a contender right out of the gate, with an eighth-place finish at Darlington Raceway that took the 24-year-old North Carolina native to the second spot in the playoff standings. Byron was able to maintain that position on the playoff grid throughout the opening round, scoring top-10 finishes in all three races.

With the playoff grid reseeded in advance of the Round of 12, a familiar face is back in the top position in the standings: 2022 NCS regular-season champion Chase Elliott. The 26-year-old Georgia native now sits 31-points above the cutline, while continuing to lead the series in wins (4), top-fives (11), top-10s (18), laps led (719) and accumulated playoff points (40). Joining Elliott in the top-five of the playoff standings includes Ross Chastain (third; 11-points above the cutline), Kyle Larson (fourth; 10-points above the cutline), and William Byron (fifth; 6-points above the cutline), giving Chevrolet four of the top-five playoff spots heading into race one of the Round of 12 at Texas Motor Speedway. Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez sit in the 10th and 11th spots in the standings, respectively, but both only six-points below the cutline.

The Round of 12 will be contested on three completely different racetrack configurations, including an intermediate track (1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway); the unpredictability of a superspeedway (Talladega Superspeedway); and a left- and right-hand turns of a road course circuit (Charlotte ROVAL). Two of the three tracks in the round saw a Chevrolet-powered machine in victory lane in 2021, with Kyle Larson taking the wins in both the Texas Motor Speedway playoff and All-Star race, as well as the Charlotte ROVAL.

 
CHEVROLET RACING: NCS PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 12 FAST FACTS

  • In the 29 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races; Chevrolet continues to lead all manufacturers in race wins (16), top-fives (69), top-10s (127), laps led (3,329) and stage wins (23).
  • For the second consecutive round, Chevrolet continues to occupy 50 percent of the playoff field with six Chevrolet drivers advancing to the Round of 12.
  • Heading into race one of the Round of 12, Chevrolet drivers take four of the top-five positions in the playoff standings, led by regular-season champion Chase Elliott (1st).

Chevrolet All-Time NASCAR Cup Series

Championships:

Manufacturer Championships:
1st Chevy Title: 1958
Most Recent Title: 2021

Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 13 (2003-2015)

Driver Championships:
1st Chevy title: Buck Baker (1957)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)
Highest Number of Consecutive Titles: 7 (2005-2011)
Chevrolet’s 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 Drivers:

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings (+31 points above cutline)

2022 NASCAR Cup Series Regular-Season Champion

Victories: 4 (series-leading)

Top-Fives: 11 (tied for series-leading);

Top-10s: 18 (series-leading);

Laps Led: 719 (series-leading);

Average Finish: 11.1 (series-leading);

Stage Wins: 5

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Elliott’s seventh consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 the past two seasons, winning his first career NCS Driver Championship in 2020.
  • Six of his 17 career NCS wins have come in the playoffs.
  • Elliott has won at two of the three tracks in the Round of 12, including Talladega Superspeedway (2019); and a two-time winner at the Charlotte ROVAL (2019 and 2020).

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 3rd in Playoff Standings (+11 points above cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 10

Top-10s: 16

Laps Led: 584

Average Finish: 14.2

Stage Wins: 5

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Chastain’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Chastain has already scored a win at one of the Round of 12 tracks in 2022, with his second-career NCS win coming at Talladega Superspeedway in April.  

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings (+10 points above cutline)

2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 11 (tied for series-leading)

Top-10s: 15

Laps Led: 341

Average Finish: 13.7 (third-best)

Stage Wins: 3

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Larson’s sixth appearance in the NCS playoffs, with 2021 bringing Larson his first trip to the Championship 4.
  • During the playoff era (2004-present); Larson leads the series in ‘multiple playoff race wins in a single season’ with five in 2021 (Bristol, Charlotte ROVAL, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix).
  • In 2021, Larson took the wins at two of the three tracks that are in the Round of 12, including both the playoff and All-Star races at Texas Motor Speedway; and the annual race at the Charlotte ROVAL.

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 5th in Playoff Standings (+6 points above the cutline)

Victories: 2

Top-Fives: 5

Top-10s: 8

Laps Led: 671

Average Finish: 16.8

Stage Wins: 4

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Byron’s fourth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Bryon’s career-best finish in the NCS playoffs came in 2021, finishing the season 10th in the final standings.
  • Byron scored top-10 finishes in all three races of the Round of 16 including an eighth-place at Darlington Raceway; sixth-place at Kansas Speedway; and third-place at Bristol Motor Speedway.  

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 – 10th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 4

Top-10s: 12

Laps Led: 136

Average Finish: 15.7

Stage Wins: 2

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Bowman’s fifth consecutive appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Bowman has raced his way into the Round of 12 in each of his NCS playoff appearances; making it to the Round of 8 in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
  • Two of Bowman’s 12 top-10 finishes of 2022 came in the Round of 16, recording a 10th-place finish at Darlington Raceway and a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 11th in Playoff Standings (-6 points below the cutline)

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 6

Top-10s: 11

Laps Led: 246

Average Finish: 16.4

Stage Wins: 2

Of Note:

  • The 2022 season marks Suarez’s first career appearance in the NCS playoffs.
  • Suarez has three top-five finishes on road course circuits in 2022 including his first-career NCS win at Sonoma Raceway; and fifth-place finishes at Road America and Watkins Glen.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

TPC Racing Wins Dual Masters Class Titles and Secures a Pair of Porsche Sprint Challenge Season Championship Runner-up Honors with David Williams and Michael Levitas

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Official Release
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  • David Williams 992 Masters Class Champion and Scores Second-Place Finish in Full-Season Porsche Sprint Challenge 992 Championship in TPC Racing No. 37 Mission BBQ Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
  • Michael Levitas 991 Masters Class Champion and Holds On to Second-Place Porsche Sprint Challenge 991 Season Championship Finish in No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
  • Rob Lorndale Wins Year-End Yokohama Apex’n Award for Passing the Most Cars and Improving the Most Positions this Season in Porsche Sprint Challenge GT3 Cup

AUSTIN, Texas (September 19, 2022) – TPC Racing and its drivers won two Masters Class titles and secured season-championship honors in both the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama 992 and 991 classes to conclude a successful 2022 campaign this weekend in the season-ending event event at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

The 992 Masters Class title and runner-up championship honors went to David Williams in his No. 37 Mission BBQ Porsche 911 GT3 Cup while Michael Levitas earned the 991 Masters Class crown and second place in that division’s season-championship in his No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The dual achievements of Williams and Levitas anchored an impressive list of year-end awards TPC Racing and its drivers earned in the second season of the growing Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championships.

TPC Racing also finished second in the 992 team championship and third in the season-long 991 team title race. As well, Rob Lorndale earned the sought after Yokohama Apex’n Award for improving the most positions and passing the most cars throughout the 2022 racing season.

Williams earned his Masters title and runner-up honors in his first season of racing with TPC since 2015. He was a model of consistency throughout the year and wrapped up his season-long honors at COTA with a typically consistent pair of fourth-place finishes.

With six podium finishes on the year, Levitas was also a model of consistency this season despite a challenging weekend at COTA. He held on to second place in the championship despite a pair of pit -drive-through penalties Saturday and being knocked out of Sunday’s race by a 992-class competitor in the late stages.

Lorndale fittingly wrapped up the year-long Yokohama Apex’n Award with a season-best 10th place finish in the ultra-competitive 991 class Sunday at COTA in his No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The strong result also saw Lorndale provisionally crack the top-five in the final 991-class season-championship standings.

Another TPC Racing driver ending the year on a high note was Shaun McKaigue who secured a season-best ninth-place finish Saturday and then improved it one spot to eighth in Sunday’s season finale. The top-10 results were earned in what was just the third race weekend of the season for McKaigue in his No. 34 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. McKaigue debuted with TPC at Mid-Ohio on 4th of July weekend and also drove the No. 34 with the team at Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this month.

TPC Racing’s season-high five entries at COTA had at least one car in each of the three Porsche Sprint classes – 992, 991 and Cayman – but driver Rhamses Carazo never had the opportunity to take the green flag for either of the weekend’s two Cayman races. Carazo suffered a thumb injury when his hand hit the steering wheel of his No. 711 TPC Racing Porsche Cayman in a Friday practice incident.

With a successful Porsche Sprint Challenge season in the books, TPC Racing now sets its sights on the year-end event of the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship. A pair of TPC Racing Lamborghini teams will compete in the season-ending event in Portimão in Southern Portugal, November 3 – 6, where both the Super Trofeo North America final rounds and the 2022 Grand Finals will be held.

Harris Levitas, TPC Racing Director of Race Operations: “The TPC Racing team performed amazing all year long. It all really showed Sunday when all of the year-end awards were presented. Winning the 992 class Masters Championship for David Williams and the 991 class Masters Championship for Mike Levitas, and Rob Lorndale taking the year-long Apex’n Award for passing the most cars on track during the season are all accomplishments to be proud of. Shaun McKaigue joined us for the final races of the season, had some great runs and scored his best finishes of the year right here at COTA. That’s great momentum to head into 2023 and I have to thank every car lead, everybody at at the shop, all of the truck drivers, just everybody involved. They all did a fantastic job and we can’t thank them all enough. Without them, none of this would have been possible. They worked hard all year and it reall showed, winning second in the 992 team and driver championship and third in the 991 team championship. We really had a great season and it is a lot to build on going into next year.”

David Williams, Driver – No. 37 Mission BBQ Porsche 911 GT3: “It was really awesome. I haven’t been on track in years, so I was just kind of getting reacclimated and the Porsche 992 car is amazing. I love the TPC Racing guys. Part of this is just the joy of being with these guys and the camaraderie, and Billy Johnson this year was a big change for me. I felt very well coached, and just having the ability to understand what the cars is doing has materially improved. I still need some work on the racecraft side but otherwise it has just been an absolute blast. It was nice to make some progress.”

Michael Levitas, Driver – No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3: “I

“I can’t tell you how absolutely blown away I am and how proud I am of the team for the work that was done. Our family, the TPC Racing family just comes together. They never give up, no matter how bad it gets – or even how good it gets – they always stay in there with the same constant and no-quit effort. It’s all spearheaded by my son, Harris Levitas, who I couldn’t be any prouder of. And I can’t be any prouder about my teammates, they have done an awesome job, faced all the adversity during the season and never quit racing. It’s like being in the ultimate drama with the ups and downs. The highs are so high, and the lows are low, but they have really persevered. I am very proud of everybody and very appreciative.”

Rob Lorndale, Driver – No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3: “I feel as if we are ending the season on a real high note. David Williams and Mike Levitas finished P2 for the season in their respective classes. I feel good about my race weekend. It was really solid as I was intending it to be, and I believe I finished in the top-five in the season championship standings. The unexpected award was the year-end Apex’n Award for passing the most cars in the GT3 Cup class for the entire season. I am really proud of that award and I just think I owe a large part of that to Billy Johnson who gave me a lot of incredible coaching on race craft. A lot of those passes are attributable to Billy.”

Shaun McKaigue, Driver – No. 34 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3: “We made a few changes on Saturday, Harris made a couple of recommendations, and we made those changes after qualifying. Wasn’t unhappy with qualifying but wasn’t crazy about it. I just decided to run my own race, stay consistent, hit my marks and it paid off. It was very hot, I thought that might come into play, but all I did was consistently turn my laps and stay out of trouble. Sunday was a fun race. We had a good start, but I ended up getting tapped trying to make a pass on the inside. I spun and and ended up in the back and had to fight my way to the front. I passed a few cars, had a great restart after a yellow flag and passed a few more cars there and then avoided some of the late mayhem that took out a couple of guys. I ended up making up a lot of positions, so I guess it is just an example of never give up. I am just excited about the Porsche Sprint Challenge series. It seems like a lot of fun. It’s good clean racing, very competitive, very professional, love the support from Porsche Motorsport and I love running with TPC Racing. I am really looking forward to next year and I can see this going forward come Spring with TPC.”

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES STARS HIGHLIGHT TRACKSIDE LIVE DRIVER LINEUP FOR AUTOTRADER ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE 500 RACE WEEKEND

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  • Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez, and Bubba Wallace will be among the featured guests at the TMS Fan Zone’s Trackside Live stage during the Sept. 24-25 NASCAR Playoffs weekend.
  • Trackside Live also will host performances by fiery cirque act Grace Good and Q&A visits from Fan Zone Sideshow performers.

FORT WORTH, Texas (September 19, 2022) – The Trackside Live stage will be the entertainment centerpiece of the Texas Motor Speedway Fan Zone during the Sept. 24-25 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 ranging from visits by marquee NASCAR drivers to unique sideshow performances.

NASCAR Cup Series stars Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez, Bubba Wallace, Michael McDowell, and Harrison Burton will highlight the driver Q&A sessions on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Trackside Live, an entertaining, interview-style show hosted by Ric Renner. The outdoor stage, situated in the Texas Motor Speedway Fan Zone near Gate 3, will be buzzing with activity beginning at 10 a.m. CT each day of the race weekend.

Trackside Live’s opening day on Saturday, Oct. 24, will feature three shows from daredevil cirque performer Grace Good. She will provide a thrilling mix of circus entertainment, cirque skills and fiery acts at 10:50 a.m., 11:40 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The day’s schedule also will feature Q&A sessions with NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Noon); Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (12:15 p.m.); and Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Josh Berry of JR Motorsports (12:30 p.m.).

Additional Q&A visits will come from Texas Motor Speedway’s Sideshow performers Flippenout (10:40 a.m.), Bear Hollow Wood Carvers (11:15 a.m.) and Micro Wrestling Warriors (11:30 a.m.). The day concludes with the Speedway Children’s Charities Texas Playoffs live memorabilia auction, which begins 15 minutes after the checkered flag for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

NASCAR fans will want to ensure that they arrive early at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 25, with seven Cup Series competitors visiting Trackside Live for Q&A sessions.

Harrison Burton of Wood Brothers Racing will be the first driver to take to the stage at 11 a.m. and will be followed by the joint Q&A with 23XI Racing’s Wallace and Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing (11:15 a.m.) and then Hamlin, 23XI Racing’s co-owner/driver (11:30 a.m.).

Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports arrives at 11:45 p.m. and is followed by Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse Racing Team (Noon) and Michael McDowell of Front Row Motorsports (12:15 p.m.).

The schedule also will feature two more shows from Good (10:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m.) along with Q&A sessions with the West Texas Rattlesnake Show (10:40 a.m.) and Bear Hollow Wood Carvers (10:50 a.m.).

Here’s a look at the weekend line-up (subject to change):

SATURDAY, SEPT. 24

· 10:40 a.m. – Q&A with Flippenout performers.
· 10:50 a.m. – Grace Good Cirque Show #1
· 11:15 a.m. – Q&A with the Bear Hollow Wood Carvers.
· 11:30 a.m. – Q&A with the Micro Wrestling Warriors.
· 11:40 a.m. – Grace Good Cirque Show #2.
· 12 p.m. – Q&A with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver AJ Allmendinger.
· 12:15 p.m. – Q&A with Xfinity Series drivers Sheldon Creed/Austin Hill.
· 12:30 p.m. – Q&A with Xfinity Series drivers Justin Allgaier/Sam MayerJosh Berry.
· 1 p.m. – Grace Good Cirque Show #3.
· 15 minutes post-race – SCC Texas Playoffs auction.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 25

· 10:15 a.m. – Grace Good Cirque Show #1.
· 10:40 a.m. – Q&A with West Texas Rattlesnake show performer.
· 10:50 a.m. – Q&A with Bear Hollow Wood Carvers.
· 11 a.m. – Q&A with NASCAR Cup Series driver Harrison Burton.
· 11:15 a.m. – Q&A with Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and Ty Gibbs.
· 11:30 a.m. – Q&A with Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin.
· 11:45 a.m. – Q&A with Cup Series driver Chase Elliott.
· 12 p.m. – Q&A with Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez.
· 12:15 p.m. – Q&A with Cup Series driver Michael McDowell.
· 12:30 p.m. – Grace Good Cirque Show #3.

Texas Motor Speedway will play host to the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs on Sept. 24-25. The weekend will be highlighted by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, and PRN), and the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday, Sept. 25 (2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90, PRN, and 95.9 The Ranch).

The newly renovated Lil’ Texas Motor Speedway 1/5-mile dirt track will kick off the weekend of racing with the inaugural C. Bell’s MICRO MANIA. The four-day event (Sept. 21-24) features practice on Wednesday (Sept. 21), qualifying races Thursday and Friday (Sept. 22-23) and mains and finals Saturday (Sept. 24). Micro Sprints are smaller versions of full-sized sprint cars with side-mounted 600cc motorcycle engines that can generate 140 horsepower with similar chassis and body styles to the larger versions. NASCAR stars currently confirmed to participate include Christopher Bell, two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch and his son Brexton Busch, Sheldon Creed, Daniel Hemric, Brett Moffitt, and John Hunter Nemechek.

TICKETS:
For ticket information for the September 24-25 NASCAR Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 weekend, including individual day tickets for C. Bell’s Micro Mania, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

Season tickets and camping for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 major event season are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus buying individual tickets, take advantage of interest-free monthly payments, get the best seat selection and more. All-new reduced rates are available for the GEICO Infield, GEICO VIP and WinStar World Casino & Resort Lone Star Circle camping areas. Click HERE for more information and to purchase season tickets.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France Fights Back to Win Second FIM Endurance World Championship Title

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Official Release
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FIM Endurance World Championship

Le Castellet, France, Sept 19, 2022 – (JCN Newswire) – F.C.C. TSR Honda France, running second in the 2022 FIM* Endurance World Championship (EWC), made a comeback to win this year’s championship in the final round, the Bol d’Or 2022, held at Circuit Paul Ricard on September 17 – 18. The team has won the title for the second time, its first in the 2017-2018 season.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France kicked off its 2022 campaign with riders Josh Hook (29 years old, Australia), Geno Rea (33 years old, UK) and Mike Di Meglio (24 years old, France) on a Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP.

In the season-opener, the 24 Heures Motos held at Le Mans, the team qualified third, and finished third. In Round 2, the 24H SPA EWC Motos, the team started fourth on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps grid, and although down to tenth place mid-race, made a dramatic comeback to fourth, and a last lap charge by Rea gave them third in the final results.

In Round 3, the Suzuka 8 Hours, held for the first time in three years, Rea crashed during free practice and was transported by helicopter to a hospital. Hook and Di Meglio was left to ride the eight-hour classic at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie. They qualified fourth, and although they faced numerous problems throughout the race, reclaimed places and finished tenth.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France headed into the final round, the Bol d’Or 2022, second overall, 23 points behind the series leader. Alan Techer (28 years old, France), one of the riders in the team’s previous victory in 2017-2018, stood in for Rea, in the hope that his experience will help them reclaim the title. The team started from fourth on the grid at 3:00 pm on the 17th. Two incidents sent their placing down to 28th, but consistent and determined riding brought the team back up to 4th place by the time the race ended at 3:00 pm on the 18th. As other championship contenders fail to complete the race, F.C.C. TSR Honda France won the overall championship.

Josh Hook | F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“I have learned from the past to never take a result for granted before the chequered flag. We have come back from complicated situations in the past and nothing is ever certain. Like everyone else, we did our race and never gave up. We did very well, all three of us were fast, especially at night. We were quickly no longer in a position to fight for victory, so we focused on the championship, which was clearly the priority goal. We chose to take care of the engine as much as possible to avoid the problems that most of our competitors have. And it’s done!”

Mike Di Meglio | F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“I’m very happy to finally be World Endurance Champion! I came so close with GMT94 and I’m really proud of this title after so many years of fighting for it. It was a really tough race. We had some problems and our opponents were forced to stop one after the other. When Tati Team #4 was fighting at the front, we decided to build up enough of a gap to our chaser to get out of trouble. But when they dropped down the rankings, we changed our strategy to preserve the engine as much as possible by shifting earlier on the straight. It was the best thing to do because the world championship was more important than a podium finish.”

Alan Techer | F.C.C. TSR Honda France
“It was a complicated race for everyone, we also had some mechanical problems. The team worked hard to reduce the time spent in the pits and, with my teammates, we did our best to respect the race plan. The objective was clearly the title, and after the Suzuki’s retirement, we battled with the Tati Team, my former team. This is a special emotion for me, because I win this title with the team that had already given me the chance to be champion in 2018. We also have a big thought for Gino to whom we dedicate this title.”

  • FIM: Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme

Tony Stewart Racing: Event Recap for the Reading Pep Boys NHRA Nationals

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Official Release
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Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan
Top Fuel | Funny Car
Pep Boys NHRA Nationals
Sept. 16-18 | Reading, Pennsylvania

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster:

● Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.764 ET at 326.24 mph).

● Earned No. 8 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (3.736 ET at 328.62 mph).

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

● Secured No. 10 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.734 ET at 328.38 mph).

● Ran a 4.458 ET at 224.51 mph in Round 1 of eliminations on Sunday, lost to Doug Kalitta (3.720 ET at 329.58 mph).

● Currently tied with Kalitta for eighth in the Top Fuel championship standings, 107 points behind leader Justin Ashley.

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

● Earned No. 5 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.906 ET at 326.32 mph).

● Maintained No. 5 provisional qualifying position after Q2 on Saturday (3.947 ET at 327.90 mph).

● Secured No. 5 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 3.907 ET at 302.28 mph.

● Advanced to Semifinals on Sunday:

●  Round 1: 3.909 ET at 334.65 mph, defeated Jim Campbell (4.445 ET at 207.53 mph).

●  Round 2: 3.935 ET at 329.67 mph, defeated Bob Tasca III (3.941 ET at 330.63 mph).

● Semifinals: 4.123 ET at 255.34, lost to Robert Hight (3.908 ET at 331.69 mph).

● Currently second in the Funny Car championship standings, 81 points behind leader Hight.

Notes of Interest

● Hagan’s Round 2 win puts him 23-15 all-time against Tasca. It’s the fourth time this season the two have faced each other and the duo is tied at 2-2. Tasca won against Hagan at Norwalk, Ohio, in Round 2 and at Topeka, Kansas, in the Semifinals. Hagan previously won against Tasca at Pomona, California, in Round 2.

● Hagan and Hight had their 42nd career meeting Sunday at Reading and they competed against each other for the fifth time this season. Hight now leads 22-20 all-time.

● Pruett has faced Kalitta 29 times throughout her career and four times this season. Kalitta leads 3-1 this season. Kalitta won at Houston in Round 1, Richmond, Virginia, in Round 1 and Sunday at Reading in Round 1. Pruett won in Round 2 at Seattle.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel Dragster

“We definitely had a very promising racecar and I would consider it one of the most promising cars considering we were the only one to make three clean, full passes in qualifying. Unfortunately, when you have the first round in a matchup with a championship contender close to you in points and qualifying, you’re going to have a close race, and that’s what we were prepared for. We moved in a way to improve our short times. It’s something we’ve been working on for a while – to try and get better 60-foot times and our increments to 330, which means we have to push harder. We tried to push a little bit harder and the Rayce Rudeen Foundation dragster didn’t like it and we smoked the tires. The most frustrating part about it is we have been on this plan for three races or so and keep throwing a lot of power to different places on the car. It hasn’t been reacting the way we want and at the most important time so far in the season, the car says, ‘Oh, I recognize that and it’s a little too much now.’ For us to find that threshold in the first round of eliminations in the first race of the Countdown is slightly frustrating. We will be testing between now and Charlotte to further our progress because in order for us to have a better ET, we have to start at the starting line to the 60-foot mark and improve our acceleration gain. We won’t stop and that’s the name of the game. There are five races remaining in the Countdown and anything can happen.”

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

“We had a pretty strong weekend. We qualified No. 5, so the biggest thing we have to focus on is qualifying in the No. 1, 2 or 3 spot. It really sets the tone for the weekend to put yourself on the correct side of the ladder that works in your favor. We had to get through some really tough cars this weekend by qualifying fifth. There are no easy rounds out there. All in all, I’m really happy with what my guys are doing. As far as putting the car together, we had two turns today that only lasted 35 minutes breaking the car apart, putting it back together and firing it up. The guys are working so well together and I’m really proud of them. We moved back up to second in the Countdown. Anytime you’re gaining, I think it’s positive. Robert (Hight) and those guys will be tough all season long. They have been tough and will continue to be. I think our clutch combination is what we’re struggling with a little bit right now, but that’s way above my pay grade. We’ll keep working on it more and I have nothing but faith in Dickie (Venables, crew chief), Mike (Knudsen, co-crew chief) and Alex (Conaway, car chief). We always run strong and are in the hunt, so I’m expecting the next five races we will run well and turn the win lights on.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals Sept. 23-25 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It marks the second event in the Countdown to the Championship and the fifth-to-last race of the season.

Chevrolet sweeps Countdown to the Championship opener

By
Official Release
-

CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
PEP BOYS NHRA NATIONALS
MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY IN MOHNTON, PENNSYLVANIA
SEPT. 18, 2022

Chevrolet sweeps Countdown to the Championship opener

• Top qualifier Robert Hight extends Funny Car points lead with 60th career victory

• Austin Prock picks up second career Top Fuel victory, the first since 2019 at Seattle

• Erica Enders pads Pro Stock points advantage with seventh victory of the season

• No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force sets Top Fuel track speed record at 337.66 mph

• David Barton wins all-COPO Camaro Factory Stock Showdown final, closes in on title

MOHNTON, Pa. (Sept. 18, 2022) — Chevrolet drivers made big statements in the opening round of the six-race National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Countdown to the Championship at Maple Grove Raceway.

Robert Hight, who entered the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals as the top seed in Funny Car, entered race day as the No. 1 qualifier in the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS and swept aside his four challengers. Hight recorded his field-high seventh victory of the season and 60th of his career with a 3.937-second pass in the final.

Hight delivered the 154th Funny Car win for Chevrolet since 1967, including 74 with the Camaro body.

John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock claimed his second career Top Fuel victory, driving the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster to the win over points leader Justin Ashley. Prock also defeated reigning class champion Steve Torrence and U.S. Nationals winner Antron Brown.

Erica Enders extended her Pro Stock points lead with her seventh win of the season in the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS, edging teammate Troy Coughlin Jr. in a rematch of the Seattle final.

No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier Brittany Force reset her year-old track speed record by more than 2 mph (337.66 mph) in her opening-round matchup. Force, who recorded her eighth top qualifier honor in 17 races this season and 40th of her career, looked to have a clean run in the second round, but the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster sustained an explosion that cut short her day. She is nine points out of the top spot.

In an all-Chevrolet COPO Camaro final for the second consecutive race in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown, David Barton won his home race by defeating reigning series champion Aaron Stanfield of Bossier City, Louisiana, with a pass of 7.752 seconds at 177.44 mph.

“I finally got Stanfield covered; he’s been kicking my butt for two years,” said Barton, who also won two weeks ago at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and at Bristol earlier in the season.

Barton will seek to wrap up his second Factory Stock Showdown championship in the eighth and final event of the season Oct. 16 at Texas Motorplex.

Sixteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force, making his 800th career race day appearance, was the No. 3 qualifier in the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS. He advanced to the semifinals.

Hight extended his points lead in the Countdown, picking up his 25th Funny Car win with Chevrolet.

“It’s been a dream come true,” he said. “We worked hard all winter and this Auto Club team remained focused and there was never any doubt. Sixty wins is a big number and there’s one common denominator and that’s the Auto Club. They’ve been here for every single one of them, can’t do it without ’em, Chevrolet most of them.”

Prock, who was runner-up to Ashley in the season opener at Pomona, won for the first time since Seattle in 2019. He did not compete in a JFR car in 2021 and drove a limited schedule in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is awesome. It was just one of those days where everything was kind of going our way and I’m so proud of this team,” he said. “Joe Barlam, Rahn Tobler, the whole Montana Brand team and thank you John Force for giving me this opportunity. Thank you to the brain trust for fixing my race car.”

Enders spoiled an otherwise perfect weekend for track co-owner Kyle Koretsky, driver of the Lucas Oil Camaro SS, with a semifinal victory. Coughlin, driving the JEGS.com Camaro SS, defeated Greg Anderson, who moved to second in the standings in the HendrickCars.com Camaro SS, in the other semifinal.

“I’ve had a race car that most Pro Stock drivers dream about all year long,” said Enders, who is seeking her fifth Pro Stock world title. “That’s thanks to my guys back at the shop and we prepare to win races before the rigs ever pull out of Elite Motorsports.”

Chevrolet teams and drivers are back at it again Sept. 23-25 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. On May 1 at the racetrack, No. 1 qualifier John Force prevailed in the Funny Car four-wide event. FS1 will telecast eliminations at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 25.

An interview with Funny Car winner ROBERT HIGHT, AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS:

HOW MOTIVATING HAS THAT FEELING LAST YEAR – NOT WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP – BEEN FOR YOU THIS YEAR?

“It’s been a dream come true. We worked hard all winter and this Auto Club team remained focused and there was never any doubt. Sixty wins is a big number and there’s one common denominator and that’s the Auto Club. They’ve been here for every single one of them, can’t do it without ’em, Chevrolet most of them.”

TAKE US THROUGH YOUR RACE DAY.

“This is exactly how we scripted it. The only difference is it’s really easy to script something but it’s a lot harder to get out here and get the job done. It’s amazing what we accomplished this weekend. No. 1 qualifier, we got points every single run in qualifying, and then get the win. There were some big mountains we had to climb to get this win. It’s exactly how we scripted it, but it doesn’t usually go that way. One down, five to go. I’m so proud of this team. Sixty wins, I can’t even believe that. I never thought I’d get one. Very, very fortunate.”

THE FINAL ROUND AT INDY (RUNNER-UP), WAS THAT MOTIVATION?

“We were a little bummed at how Indy went. We had a great car and we spun the tires in the semifinals and Jimmy (Prock) and Chris (Cunningham) they backed it off for the final and it actually shook weak, we backed it off too much. So, maybe that taught us something, we learned. This has been a great racetrack all weekend.”

NO TIME OFF; YOU GO STRAIGHT BACK TO WORK AT CHARLOTTE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

“NHRA did an amazing job with the schedule. There’s nothing better than getting three of them knocked out, and this Auto Club Chevy team is carrying momentum into Charlotte. Can’t wait to get there and start again.”

An interview with Top Fuel winner AUSTIN PROCK, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER:

WHAT SENSE OF RELIEF ARE YOU FEELING?

“This is awesome. It was just one of those days where everything was kind of going our way and I’m so proud of this team. Joe Barlam, Rahn Tobler, the whole Montana Brand team and thank you John Force for giving me this opportunity. Thank you to the brain trust for fixing my race car.”

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING FOR?

“I had to get my ride back first and we started off real strong and went through a little bit of a lull, but nobody ever gave up. We just believed in ourselves and it all paid off today. Little bit of hard work and determination you can do just about anything.”

JUSTIN (ASHLEY) HAS BEEN A REAL THORN IN YOUR SIDE THIS YEAR AND YOU GOT SOME REVENGE ON HIM IN THE FINAL.

“I don’t think we beat him all year long until today, so that was huge. I was .58 on the tree and got left on by two-hundredths. That’s unbelievable, but my crew chiefs gave me a great race car today and we won as a team.”

YOU GOT INTO THE COUNTDOWN BUT YOU HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO MAKE UP. YOU COULDN’T HAVE HAD A BETTER DAY THAN THIS.

“This is exactly what we needed to do. We could only go up. We were sitting 12th and now we’re sitting seventh, so we’re definitely right back in the mix of things. We got get another win next weekend and get on a hot streak and we could leave with the gold.”

THE MORALE FOR YOUR TEAM MUST BE AS BIG AS ANYTHING.

“It’s unbelievable how hard everyone works and when you get in a lull like that it’s definitely mentally straining because you’re putting in the same amount of work and not getting any satisfaction out of it. I can’t wait to go back and watch the race and see how excited everybody was. I got a win with my brother; I haven’t won with him since 2016 racing circle track out at Tony Stewart Racing. Doubled up with my dad and this week was my grandfather, Tom Prock’s birthday, so this is for him.”

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

WHY IS THE STRIVE FOR FIVE MORE ALIVE THAN EVER FOR YOU?

“In the fashion in which we lost last year it just gave us all that extra motivation – not that we didn’t want to win before that – but these boys know how to rally. When their backs are against the wall, they performed flawlessly and I’m lucky to be their driver. I’m really proud of my team. I had a goal to win at the tracks I hadn’t won at and so far we’ve accomplished three of those and I think there’s only four left, so I’m really proud and give God all the glory. This just goes to show that if you’re mentally tough you can do anything with the right people in your corner.”

YOU HAD A RACE CAR TODAY THAT MOST PRO STOCK DRIVERS DREAM ABOUT.

“I’ve had a race car that most Pro Stock drivers dream about all year long. That’s thanks to my guys back at the shop and we prepare to win races before the rigs ever pull out of Elite Motorsports, so I could not be more proud of them for their hard work and sacrifice. I do have a really fast hot rod.”

IT’S IMPORTANT IN THE COUNTDOWN TO GET OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT AND YOU DID THAT TODAY.

“We definitely got off on the right foot. We came in here with the lead, though it was a little bit of a struggle to give up over 200 points and then 300 and 400, so my guys have just done an excellent job all season long and it’s my job behind the wheel to execute perfectly and make them shine. We did that today and I could not be more proud. A huge thank you to the Koretsky family. This racetrack is phenomenal. The racing surface is flawless. The upgrades that they’ve done is unbelievable, so hats off to those guys and we’re really proud to be here.”

IN THE FINAL ROUND, YOU HAD TO PULL UP AND THINK I REMEMBER THAT GUY.

“I remember that guy because he waxed my butt in Seattle and then he got me in Topeka. My guys were yelling in my ear redemption, redemption. To have two Elite Motorsports cars in the final round, we win either way. Bring on the next race.”

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.

A Checklist of Every Document You Need When Scrapping Your Car

By
SM
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Photo by Wade Lambert on Unsplash

If you have an old, inoperable, or malfunctioning vehicle sitting in your garage, you shouldn’t lose hope of getting your money’s worth. In fact, there are many ways you can get rid of a junk car and get instant cash from it. While many people decide to sell it privately, others choose to scrap it or sell it as salvage.

Either way, it is essential that your vehicle is scrapped and recycled by an Authorized Treatment Facility (ATF). These facilities are licensed companies that specialize in car scrapping and are required to demonstrate their certification when you arrive at a particular junkyard.

For instance, if you live in Philly, Pennsylvania, it is important that you look for certified junk yards in Philadelphia and surrounding areas where you can scrap your car legally.

However, as with all things vehicle-related, there is some paperwork you should gather before scrapping your car. Here is a checklist of the most important documents you need.

V5C registration certificate

The V5C registration certificate, commonly known as your logbook, is the most important document you need as it confirms that you are the registered keeper of your vehicle. Besides this, the certificate also helps prevent any further unauthorized selling of your car.

Once you gather this document, you need to send it to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and later receive a response letter confirming your receipt. In case you don’t receive the letter, you need to follow up and ensure all of your car’s records have been updated.

In case you don’t have the V5C certificate, it is imperative that you contact the DVLA at the earliest opportunity to send you a replacement document.

Personal identification

Whether you have the V5C registration certificate or not, it is important that you provide personal identification before scrapping your vehicle. This includes a form of ID, such as a driving license or passport, to prove your identity. You may also need to provide proof of address which you can do by submitting a recent utility bill.

The purpose of providing personal identification is to prevent any auto-related crime and dishonest dealings when taking an old vehicle to scrap yards.

Certificate of destruction

Once your vehicle has been given to an ATF to be scrapped or recycled, the ATF is required to issue a Certificate of Destruction (CoD). This certificate is a document that proves that you have had your vehicle legally and properly recycled by an authorized scrapping company, which is the only one that can issue such a document.

It is necessary as it informs the DVLA that the ownership of the car has changed. It also means that the scrapping process has been successfully completed and it clears you of any responsibility for your junk car following the scrappage.

Service history

Your car’s service history is another important document you need to have before scrapping or recycling. This history is a collection of multiple records featured together in a stamped service book or a folder consisting of service certificates, indicating the current condition of your car as well as any repairs that have been done over the years.

In general, there will be two types of service history—full service and part service history. The first one includes all the documents pertaining to the service of the car, whereas the latter refers only to a few of them.

If your vehicle has undergone any repairs, modifications, and other maintenance work, make sure you include all the receipts in the service history to serve as proof.

Owner’s manual and book pack

The owner’s manual is actually the instructional booklet that is shipped with all vehicles when they are first sold as new. The main purpose of this user guide is to elaborate on all of the car’s features such as clocks, aircon, or heating, and explain how they function or how to make changes to them.

This is another important document you need to include in your paperwork collection so the buyer and future owner will have it in case of emergencies.

Final thoughts

If you are thinking about selling your junk car, there are many ways you can go about it. However, if you choose to scrap it or sell it as salvage, it is important that you gather all the documents necessary for scrapping. So, make sure you refer to our post and use it as a reference to know what paperwork is needed for the legal and proper scrapping of an old vehicle. 

How Far Can NASCAR’s Austin Cindric Go?

By
SM
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As part of the new generation in stock car racing, it’s reasonably expected to see Austin Cindric covering the headlines more frequently. 

At 24 years of age, the young talent is currently in his second NASCAR Cup Series season. 

First steps in Motorsports 

Austin Cindric didn’t have much of a choice when he was growing up in Ohio. His entire family has spent their lives in stock car racing as his father, Tim Cindric, is currently the owner of Team Penske, while his grandfather, Jim Trueman, was widely known for being an IndyCar team owner and RedRoof Inn founder. 

Cindric began his professional career as part of the U.S. F2000 National Championship back in 2013. He raced for Andretti Autosport and eventually ended up 17th in the final standings. Cindric hadn’t waited much before achieving success as he won a race in a Porsche 944 in Historic Sportscar Racing the following year. 

He went on to participate in several championships throughout his teenage years. Making his way through the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Pirelli World Challenge, and ARCA has surely helped him develop his competitive driving skills. 

Cindric had to make just a couple more steps before being ready to race among the best. The determined teenager participated in several NASCAR racing series including Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series. 

First appearances in NASCAR Cup Series

Cindric made his debut at the 2021 Daytona 500 finishing off in 15th place which can easily be considered a positive result. He could have even been better off if he had not been involved in a last-lap crash. 

His inexperience surely took its toll on him throughout the year as he suffered several misfortunate events. However, Cindric recorded his first top-10 finish at the 2021 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard in Indiana. 

Cindric’s maiden win in NASCAR Cup Series 

He began the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series as a full-time driver for Team Penske driving the team’s No.2 car. This move was about to pay off big time as he would go on to win his first race in his career and the season-opener in Daytona Beach, Florida. Any online bet that had him winning the competition would have paid off at a staggering +2500 odds. 

He struggled during the qualifying stage as he finished off in 21st place. However, his second place in Duel 1 granted him a decent starting point for the race. After an unimpressive Stage 1 and a solid Stage 2, Cindric was sixth heading into the last 70 laps of the race.

After many lead changes throughout the final stage, Team Penske made a decisive move with Ryan Blaney helping out his teammate in the last lap. Cindric made the best out of it fending off three different challengers including the much more experienced Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe. 

With this win, the young prospect became the ninth driver to take his maiden win in the Daytona 500. The last person to do so was Michael McDowell who pulled off one of the biggest surprises in 2021.

2022 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year

Austin Cindric remained consistent throughout the season, but he was unable to grab another victory. However, three podiums and multiple top-10 finishes helped him make the playoffs. This can only mean that he has secured his 2022 Rookie of the Year award with 10 races to go in the season. 

Cindric had an easy task to defeat the competition as the other two rookies, Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland, lacked consistency and occasionally finished outside the top 20. 

The three of them had a thrilling battle at the 2022 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard as they were neck-and-neck heading into the finish line. In the end, Cindric topped his rivals snatching second place in the race, with Burton grabbing his maiden podium in NASCAR Cup Series, while Gilliland went home empty-handed with a 4th place finish. 

A big future ahead of him

His first full-time NASCAR Cup Series season turned out to be quite promising for the son of Team Penske’s president. Based solely on the potential he has shown throughout the campaign, there is a bright future awaiting Austin Cindric. The 24-year-old driver can also rely on the help of his father who will surely do everything he can to get him the best car for the upcoming years. 

Cindric has shown sheer consistency in 2022 as he will just need to keep that high rate heading into the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. However, Ford would have to work hard during the offseason, if they want to be competitive with the up-and-coming Chevrolet. 

Cindric’s talent has been recognized by many legendary active and inactive NASCAR drivers and he seems to be living up to the expectations so far. Gaining more and more experience through practice sessions and races will definitely be the missing piece for his puzzle. Austin has a huge potential that can only lead him to win the NASCAR Cup Series one day.

Smith Nabs Twelfth Top-Five; McDowell Runs Strong and Gilliland Impresses at Bristol

By
Official Release
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Front Row Motorsports (FRM) traveled to the Bristol Motor Speedway for more playoff racing as Zane Smith, Michael McDowell, and Todd Gilliland all saw action this weekend in Thunder Valley.

Zane Smith and the Speedco Ford F-150 team headed into Bristol looking to lock themselves into the final four in Phoenix, however left with a second place finish after leading a handful of laps late in the race after starting in the rear.

Todd Gilliland and the Long John Silver’s No. 38 Ford Mustang started in the rear of the field, in the 30th position, but battled all night long to finish in the top-20, in the eighteenth position.

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops, Luber Finer Ford Mustang team had the same result, starting in the top-twenty, running inside the top-ten all night long, but only barely missing out on a top-ten finish.

Zane Smith came into Bristol Motor Speedway with a 24-point lead to the cutline to start the ‘Round of Eight’ for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs.

The No. 38 Speedco crew had their work cut out for them to start the Thursday night event. With a seal breaking in the rear end during practice, Smith was unable to post a qualifying time and would start from the rear.

Smith would work his way through traffic and play pit strategy to gain the lead with the laps winding down. Unfortunately, on a late-race restart, Smith would lose the lead and finish in second place.

“Track position was really hard to come by in Bristol,” said Smith. “I’m proud of my guys for playing the pit strategy right when it mattered most. We just got beat on a restart there and couldn’t get back to the lead. I’m always thankful for the support of Speedco and look forward to Talladega in a few weeks.”

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Long John Silver’s team started Saturday night’s 500-lap race in the 30th position but quickly started gaining track position throughout the early stages of the race.

Gilliland and the No. 38 crew worked hard all day, making the right adjustments to get the car better. Fighting inside the top 20, and top 10 a certain points through the night, Gilliland would get caught up in a wreck with nowhere to go, cutting a good day short. Gilliland stayed in the race though and fought back to 18th for the finish in Bristol.

“We had a fast Long John Silver’s Ford for a lot of the night,” said Gilliland. “it was fun getting to race inside the top 10, but also disappointing that we didn’t get the result to show our speed. That’s a product of racing on short tracks like Bristol, I am proud of my team for not giving up after we had that incident. Hopefully, we can carry this into Texas next weekend.”

Coming off of a solid run in Kansas, Michael McDowell and the Love’s Luber Finer Ford headed into Bristol for the second time of the season. After running well earlier in the year at the track, the team were looking to hit it big in Saturday’s night race.

Starting the race loose but building tighter as the race progressed, McDowell and his Love’s Luber Finer team played both strategy and handling changes to his advantage. Running between seventh and twelfth during the first two stages, the team started the final stage of the race in position to finish in the top-ten, with the car handling exactly to McDowell’s liking. With steering box issues beginning to arise in the closing laps, McDowell worked hard to preserve the car, but fight for every position. In the end, the team would finish just outside the top-ten in the eleventh position.

“Tonight was definitely a race of attrition. A lot of the other cars were running into issues, but we were lucky enough to be able to run hard but conserve our equipment. We had a good car though with good speed. While we fought steering issues in the last half of the race, I’m proud of how we we have run with our Love’s Luber Finer Ford.”

FRM will head to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for NASCAR Cup action starting on Saturday.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 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. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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