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TPC Racing Competes for Two Porsche Sprint Challenge Titles this Weekend in Season Finale at Circuit of The Americas

By
Official Release
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  • Season-High Five TPC Racing Entries Arrive at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) Set for Competitive Close to 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama Season
  • David Williams (992) and Michael Levitas (991) Second and Closing in Respective Porsche Sprint Challenge Championships Heading Into Season-Ending Doubleheader at COTA

AUSTIN, Texas (September 15, 2022) – TPC Racing brings its season-high five entries to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) this weekend for a Saturday and Sunday doubleheader on the 3.426-mile Formula 1 road course that brings the 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama season to a close.

The five-strong TPC entry includes at least one car entered in each of the three classes competing this weekend across two Porsche Sprint Challenge series. Even better, two of TPC’s contenders come to COTA battling for a pair of Porsche GT3 Cup class season championships.

David Williams secured TPC Racing’s best results in the most recent race weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) two weeks ago with a pair of fourth-place finishes Saturday and Sunday in the top-tier Porsche GT3 Cup 992 class. The IMS results were the latest in a season-long run of consistent and competitive races for Williams that have collectively moved him into title contention in his No. 37 Mission BBQ Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in his first season of racing with TPC since 2015.

Williams comes to COTA a season-high second in the 992 championship rankings with 511 points, 53 points out of first place and 47 points ahead of the third-place competitor.

The other TPC title contender is Michael Levitas who is second in points in the Porsche Sprint Challenge 991 class for slightly older GT3 Cup models. Similar to Williams, Levitas has built his championship assault on a string of consistency that includes six podium finishes this season.

Levitas has scored top-three results on four of the year’s first six race weekends, including going two-for-two in podium finishes in the season-opening event at Sebring International Raceway and another podium sweep last month at Road America. He secured a second and third-place finish at Sebring and a pair of runner-up placings at Road America in addition to second at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) and third at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Fifth in the 991 point standings prior to Road America just two races ago, Levitas has charged to second in the championship coming into Texas in his No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Levitas and the No. 36 team are just 43 points behind the 991-class championship leader and 16 points ahead of the third-place competitor.

Levitas and Williams have shared the victory lane podium at COTA in the past after a memorable and title-clinching IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge race in 2013. Competing in the Gold Cup class, Levitas wrapped up that season’s Gold Cup championship with a second place finish and was joined on the podium by his teammate Williams who finished third.

The third full-season TPC Racing entry closing out the season at COTA this weekend is Rob Lorndale in his No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the 991 class. Lorndale has the most recent experience at COTA of the team’s five drivers after participating in the inaugural Porsche Sprint Challenge race in Austin early last year.

A consistent season of results has moved Lorndale into a position to possibly crack the top five in the final 991 championship standings at COTA. He heads into the weekend’s doubleheader in sixth place with 424 points, just 50 points behind the fifth place competitor and trailing the fourth place driver by 51 points.

Canadian driver Shaun McKaigue is set for his third race weekend with TPC at COTA following the doubleheaders at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July and two weeks ago at Indy. He backed up 10th place race finishes at Mid-Ohio with a 12th place in the first race at Indy and is targeting a pair of season-best results to close out the year at COTA.

Rhamses Carazo gave TPC Racing a positive return to the Porsche Sprint Challenge Cayman class at Indy in the No. 711 TPC Racing Porsche Cayman. After surviving a rain-soaked first race Saturday at Indy, Carazo was on a quick pace in Sunday’s finale, improving nine positions for a 15th place finish in his first full race weekend in five years. Carazo returns to the TPC No. 711 Cayman for this weekend’s finale in his first appearance at COTA in several years.

A three-day weekend event, the Porsche Sprint Challenge season-finale at COTA begins with practice on Friday, September 16. Qualifying Saturday morning sets the stage for the first of two weekend races for both the GT3 and Cayman divisions later that day at 4:20 p.m. CDT and 2:30 p.m. CDT, respectively. Sunday’s final rounds – all races are 35 minutes plus one additional lap – close out the weekend with the Cayman sprint going green at 10:20 a.m. CDT and GT3 wrapping the weekend at 12:20 p.m. CDT.

Harris Levitas, TPC Racing Director of Race Operations: “For the season finale of the Porsche Sprint Challenge series, the TPC Racing team sits currently second in both the 992 and 991 championships. We have a long season of momentum going in. The whole year has just been about being consistent, and obviously trying to win when possible, but collecting points in every race has been very important. We have been able to execute on that, and the team has done an amazing job the entire year. Without their hard work and dedication, we wouldn’t be in the position that we are in. We are preparing for the season finale with two days of testing this week to get everybody acclimated to the track and familiar with everything about this great facility. We are excited to be at COTA, the drivers really like this track, and we are ready to see what we can do to close out the championship. Both David Williams and Michael Levitas have all had great experiences here and it’s been good. The track has changed quite a bit since they were here – and even since the last time we were here in early 2021 as a team – in a few areas of the surface, but our two days of testing will get us up to speed on the chassis setup. We should be in a good spot.”

Rob Lorndale, Driver – No. 6 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3: “I’m looking forward to the COTA race weekend. With solid recent results, I’ve moved up to sixth in the standings. I hope to finish the season here with two solid races. We are fortunate to have a couple test days. I’ll be able to get reacquainted with the track and hopefully make some improvements.”

Rhamses Carazo, Driver – No. 711 TPC Racing Porsche Cayman: “I am hoping for the same results as Indy – the middle of the pack – but I think we can do a little bit better. I am more comfortable in the car now. I have driven a BMW here a few years ago but I think our Porsche is going to be faster in everything. COTA is a bit more challenging and a really fun track.”

Shaun McKaigue, Driver – No. 34 TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3: “This is my first time at COTA in a long time. I last raced here around five years ago and really enjoyed the track. It’s a spectacular facility and obviously one of the more impressive venues that we go to for sure. I had fun on the first day of our test getting reacquainted with the track, lots of work yet to do, but with all of the help and coaching I am getting from the TPC Racing crew I am confident we are going to get to the place where we need to go to be competitive for the upcoming weekend. The track is aging well. As a guy who really enjoys Sebring, I don’t have any real criticism of COTA. It all brings a little more character to the track and adds a degree of difficulty. I don’t have any issues with it whatsoever.”

Michael Levitas, Driver – No. 36 Erin Levitas Foundation TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It has been a hell of a season and a lot of fun. I can’t thank enough my teammates, my team and my son, Harris, who has just done an amazing job putting all of this together. He keeps the logistics running, he gets the manpower in the right locations, he keeps the trucks rolling and really does an amazing job across the board. I can’t thank him enough and I know everybody on the team feels the same way. That type of organization has really allowed us to just have a great season and a great time. I think another key to a great season is that you have to really love what you do, no matter what you do. And we truly love what we do at TPC Racing, and I always carry that right on to the race track. And I will continue to do that, I think that is really what made it all come together, and I think COTA will be a prime example of that. I really feel that right up until the end we are going to have some great cars. Billy Johnson will be helping us out with the amazing job he does with our driver coaching, and with his expertise and our engineering – and I do quite a bit of it – I think we will find the setup of the car and have some great, front-running Porsches at COTA. I have some great teammates, they are going to find some pace, and give me a couple of laps or so and I will find the pace, I can tell you that. We are going to end this season really strong, my goal is to win, and we are going to take it to them there.”

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.

SMITH DOMINATES BUSH’S BEANS 200, CAPTURES PAIR OF CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES IN ARCA SERIES

By
Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 15, 2022) — Sammy Smith capped off a championship night Thursday with a dominant victory in the ARCA Menards Series Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Smith clinched a pair of titles at The Last Great Colosseum: the ARCA Menards East Series championship and the Sioux Chief Showdown title.

“It means a lot,” Smith said. “I was telling these guys the two championships mean a lot, but it wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t win the race. Thanks to them and all the guys who work hard all season. Glad we were able to pull it off.”

Smith started on the pole and led 189 of the 200 laps around Bristol’s high-banked concrete oval, passing Toyota teammate Brandon Jones on lap 11 and pacing the field the rest of the race.

Jones, though, made things interesting after a caution bunched the field for a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag. Smith took the outside lane for the restart, and he and Jones raced side by side for nearly a lap.

“That was a tough restart there,” Smith said. “Glad we were able to pull it off.”

A slip heading into Turn 3 forced Jones to check up and allowed Smith to drive away.

“It came to life those last 30 laps or so, and I really started to catch Sammy,” Jones said. “I think he got trapped in some traffic as well. … I gave it all I had, and I think I just got in too deep down in Turns 3 and 4. Kicking myself a little bit; that was kind of a dumb move on my behalf. But we were trying to go for it. Gosh, we only had one lap left.

“It would have been tough to beat him. Maybe if I could’ve stayed side by side for another lap, it would have been a different story.”

Jones finished second, with Taylor Gray third, Rajah Caruth fourth and Daniel Dye fifth. Parker Chase was sixth, followed by Andres Perez de Lara (in his series debut), Andy Jankowiak, Connor Mosack and Jesse Love.

ARCA Menards Series points leader Nick Sanchez finished 12th, allowing Dye to close the lead to five points with two races remaining in the 2022 season. Caruth is third, 30 points back.

The 10-race Sioux Chief Showdown is held on short tracks and road courses and is designed to be a competition between drivers who may not be old enough to compete for the full ARCA Menards Series title and those who are.

Smith won four of the 10 Sioux Chief Showdown races.

Smith, who is also entered in the Food City 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday, also won the ARCA Menards Series East title in 2021.

Looking For Automotive Service Centers Online? Here’s What You Need to Know

By
SM
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Photo by Laurel and Michael Evans on Unsplash

Auto mechanics are getting easy to reach with the help of the internet. Many automotive service experts are available online, offering assistance anytime to their customers at the best possible price. So whether you want a Ford specialist or a fleet mechanic, you can find the best hands at work by searching online. 

It would help if you looked for experienced and certified mechanics while searching to get the best people at work. An expert will thoroughly assess your vehicle’s situation and provide the necessary solution. Here are a few tips that can help you find the best auto mechanic online:

  • Look For Certified and Trained People 

First, determine whether the prospective shop is certified and possesses the essential skills to handle your requirements. This means they have met rigorous guidelines regarding both skills and equipment. This is very important! 

Ideally, it would help if you also looked for shops where the staff is skilled and certified in an automotive training course. You want a mechanic with complete know-how in handling all types of repair and service jobs for your vehicle. 

  • Look For Accurate Pricing

Do not settle for any fixed price without knowing accurately how much will be charged by the mechanic hired by the site! You should be able to find out pricing information before you decide to hire anyone to do your car repair job. You also need to be able to compare various options, costs, and quotes. This will help you make an informed decision! Lakeview Automotive Service Centre-ROUSH & COBB Performance of Calgary is known for handling all repair and service jobs perfectly. 

  • Check for Reliability

A mechanic must offer high-quality services to customers in the past. This means you should check the history of their reliability. The online service centers should review previous customers’ work and rates. 

Also, check for feedback on social networking sites, blogs, and forums. Look for feedback that confirms the level of service, competence, and professionalism of the auto mechanic you are hiring.

  • Find Out if They Provide Discounts

You must get a price estimate before you hire someone. It would help if you told the mechanic what you want to do with your vehicle and ensure they understand your needs and limitations to give you a fair pricing quote for the service. 

Additionally, he must provide good recommendations on how much additional work may be needed for the car to be fully repaired. 

  • Check for Previous Experience

Experience matters a lot when it comes to automotive service. Therefore, getting help from people who have handled similar jobs is always advisable. Hence, go for experienced service providers who have worked in the industry for several years. This will help you save a great deal of money and time. It also ensures that they are pretty well aware of how things work and what should be done at what stage of repairing a car. 

To Sum Up!

With the help of the above-shared tips, it will not be hard to find the best automotive service center online. However, make sure you conduct detailed research before hiring any mechanic. It is better to pay more for good quality work than risk lower-priced and unreliable services.

Common Bad Headlight Relay Symptoms and FAQ | In-Depth Guide

By
Official Release
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Photo by Konrad Bednarek on Unsplash

Introduction

Relays are often used in vehicles in which the headlight systems are controlled by a computer to manage both the low and the high beams.

The headlight relays are prone to failure over time, similar to any other form of a relay. That will cause the headlights bulbs to stop working properly. You need to take care of this problem immediately.

The design and functioning of the headlights bulbs in your car depend greatly on the relays. Therefore, if your relays are faulty, it could be quite serious.

Thankfully, the relays offer you several warning signs and indications before they completely shut down. The key is to remain alert and take preventive action if necessary.

Working Of Headlight Relay

A relay is simply a reduced electromagnet that controls a relatively high circuit. A wire and a switching device with a pair of connections are both on the inside of a relay. Until the relay is activated, most car relays are generally open, which means that power does not go between the contacts.

A normal headlight circuit that is controlled by the computer has relays that are generally known as two relays. In this case, one relay is for the full beam and the other one is for the lower beam. A third headlight relay to turn on the daytime driving lights is also included in some vehicles

It’s important to note that not all headlight systems controlled by computers require relays. For instance, in some systems, the BCM – Body Control Module transmits a request for headlight operation to a specific kind of intelligent plug socket, also known as an integrated energy module. The also has integrated drivers to turn on the low beams after receiving the request from the Body Control Module.

Additionally, headlight relays are typically absent from earlier, computer-less headlight systems. The dimming switch usually allows current to pass straight from the headlight button to the headlights.

Common Bad Headlight Relay Symptoms

#1 The headlight will not turn on

Lack of function in the headlights is the most typical sign of a damaged headlight relay. Usually, a headlight relay will fail in the open spot, cutting off power to the headlights bulbs 

The low beams won’t function if the low beam relay breaks. In the same way, if the relay for the high beams or the daytime running lights fails, neither the high beams nor the daytime lights will work.

#2 Headlights will not turn off

Even though it happens rarely, a defective headlight relay sometimes can stay closed, stopping the headlights bulbs from going off. 

Circuits that constantly transfer power to the headlight relay are prone to issues.

#3 Covered headlights will not work effectively

Some cars, especially sports cars, feature hidden headlights bulbs that flash when turned on. The hidden headlights are computer-controlled lights that a relay activates on new cars.

The hidden headlights bulbs will not turn on if that relay breaks when it is opened.

#4 Headlight doors open or close abruptly and perform strangely.

Another sign of a potential faulty or failed headlight closing relay is irregular headlight door action. The headlight bulbs could act strangely and break as a result of a bad relay.

The headlights bulbs may quickly, randomly, or rapidly open and close, blocking their ability to provide sufficient visibility.

Similar symptoms may also be caused by a faulty engine or cabling, so it is strongly advised to get the car carefully checked.

Even though headlight bulb closing relays are not typically seen in current cars and new models, they can still break down and need to be repaired in a few older models. Have the car checked out by a qualified mechanic if you think the headlight closing relay may be damaged.

FAQ

Q. What is the procedure to test the Headlight relay?

Relays for cars are often pretty similar. A headlight relay can be tested most easily by temporarily replacing it with an additional (unimportant) relay from the electric supply box. 

For instance, if the designs of the two relays are similar, you may switch the headlight relay with the air conditioning unit compressor relay. If the replacement relay is put in and the headlights function, the headlight relay must be changed.

Q. Where is the Headlight relay located?

You can find the Headlight relay in the electrical distribution unit of the engine block. In case you need support locating the relay, refer to your owner’s manual.

Q. What is the cost to change the Headlight relay?

You can generally do the replacement of a headlight relay all by yourself because it is a simple process. If you still want to go ahead and change then the costs are approx $30. The actual price will vary based on several criteria, including the brand, model number, and year the car was made.

Conclusion

It is strongly recommended by many users to get the headlights bulbs changed from the reputable store SuncentAuto. Since they have their manufacturing facility, you will get good discounts online. They also provide free shipping.

There is a guaranteed return policy of 90 days. Their customer service is available round the clock. On their website, they also have an advanced filter so that you can find the compatible product based on the year and make of the car.

All About Convert Pdf to Jpg

By
SM
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Why Else Do Individuals Use Converters From PDF To JPEG?

Users would perhaps frequently require a JPEG picture. A lot of factors are being considered here. But even so, a mobile device or tablet typically can’t be used to perceive PDF files which will signify that users have to have a spectator to visualize a JPEG file. For example, JPEG is the required format when posting a story. The contraction of a PDF seems to be typically significantly lower than that of a JPEG.

For people to consume your document, your attached file may be required to be considerably longer. However, using JPEG enables users to decrease the contrast of an image without sacrificing quality by more vigorously applying the technique. Leveraging JPEG would allow you to reduce the volume of one PDF without sacrificing performance whether you’re forming a document with many images.

You would like to change a PDF image to something like a JPEG file!

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Users really would like to transform many pictures all at once.

Every one of the pictures that you are converting should be deleted. It can be tedious and time-consuming to remove each image individually each time from a PDF. These have numerous ideas, for instance, a book or printed materials. At about this moment, users can once more utilize this same pdf to jpeg software to its fullest potential and cut time significantly. This could be a useful task that has many advantages for you. Users could learn further about their offerings by paying for the webpage a single visit.

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Users are free to transform an unrestricted number of documents because we don’t necessitate setup or affiliation. There is no charge already for using our provider. 

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Conclusion

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Ty Majeski clinches Championship 4 finale spot with first Truck career victory at Bristol

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Christian Gardner for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ty Majeski became the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff contender to secure a spot for the Championship 4 Round finale at Phoenix Raceway after scoring his first career victory in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 15.

The 28-year-old Majeski from Seymour, Wisconsin, made his first appearance as the leader during a restart with 45 laps remaining after he overtook Playoff rival Zane Smith for the top spot. Despite enduring a final late-race restart with 12 laps remaining, he capitalized on the restart, holding off Smith to claim his first career victory within NASCAR’s top three national touring series. He also earned a one-way ticket to the finale, where he will contend for the 2022 Truck Series championship.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Thursday, Derek Kraus claimed his second pole position of the season after posting a pole-winning lap at 125.264 in 15.276 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Playoff contender Chandler Smith, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 125.584 mph in 15.279 seconds.

Prior to the event, Playoff contenders Zane Smith, Blaine Perkins, Chris Hacker and Josh Reaume dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective trucks. In addition, Playoff contender John Hunter Nemechek started at the rear of the field in a backup truck after wrecking his primary truck during Thursday’s lone practice session.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Kraus launched ahead with an early advantage on the outside lane. With the field jostling early for positions, Kraus led the first lap ahead of Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger and Stewart Friesen, who slipped in Turn 3 before slipping again in Turn 1 as he lost fourth to Ty Majeski before settling in front of rookie Corey Heim.

Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Kraus was leading by eight-tenths of a second over Chandler Smith followed by Enfinger, Majeski and Friesen while Heim, Christian Eckes, Matt DiBenedetto, Carson Hocevar and Bayley Currey were in the top 10. Tyler Ankrum was in 11th ahead of Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Rajah Caruth and rookie Dean Thompson while John Hunter Nemechek and Zane Smith were mired back in 27th and 28th.

Ten laps later on Lap 20, Kraus continued to lead by exactly half a second over Chandler Smith while Enfinger, Majeski and Friesen settled in the top five. Meanwhile, Zane Smith and Nemechek remained mired in 27th and 28th, respectively, as Kraus started to navigate his way through lapped traffic.

Eight laps later, Chandler Smith, winner of last year’s Truck event at Bristol, moved his No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro into the lead over Kraus’ No. 19 Incredible Bank Chevrolet Silverado RST in Turn 3. Behind, Enfinger was locked in a battle with Majeski and Friesen for third place while Heim, Eckes, DiBenedetto, Hocevar and Currey remained in the top 10. Two laps earlier, Spencer Boyd made contact with the outside wall in Turn 3, though the race remained under green.

Another nine laps later, however, the first caution of the event flew when Josh Reaume, who was lapped but racing in front of a handful of Playoff contenders, got loose underneath Blaine Perkins in between Turns 1 and 2, slipped and backed his truck into the outside wall in Turn 2. As Reaume’s truck slid below the apron, he was hit by a sliding Rajah Caruth, who tried to avoid hitting Reaume, as both trucks sustained significant damage. 

During the caution period, names like Zane Smith, Nemechek, Jesse Little, Dean Thompson, Tanner Gray, Lawless Alan, Taylor Gray, Kaden Honeycutt, Parker Kligerman, Tyler Ankrum, Timmy Hill and Connor Mosack pitted while the rest led by Chandler Smith remained on the track. Following gate pit stops, Zane Smith pitted his No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 for a second time to have his adjustments from his previous pit stop re-adjusted.

With eight laps remaining in the first stage, the race restarted under green. At the start, Chandler Smith retained the lead after starting on the outside lane while Friesen overtook Kraus for the runner-up spot. Behind, DiBenedetto and Enfinger battled for fourth in front of Majeski, Heim, Eckes, Currey and Hocevar.

When the first stage concluded on Lap 55, Chandler Smith captured his fourth stage victory of the 2022 season. Friesen settled in second, trailing Smith by four-tenths of a second, while Kraus, DiBenedetto, Enfinger, Majeski, Eckes, Heim, Currey and Matt Crafton were scored in the top 10. By then, Ben Rhodes was in 11th, Nemechek was back in 21st and Zane Smith was all the way back in 28th.

Under the stage break, names like Enfinger, DiBenedetto, Heim, Thompson, Hailie Deegan, Currey, rookie Jack Wood, Austin Wayne Self, Jake Garcia, Colby Howard, Timmy Hill, Leland Honeyman Jr. and Jesse Little pitted while the rest led by Chandler Smith, who has yet to pit, remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Wood was penalized for speeding on pit road.

The second stage started on Lap 65 as Chandler Smith and Friesen occupied the front row. At the start, Chandler Smith retained the lead with another strong start on the outside lane while Kraus reassumed the runner-up spot as Friesen, who spun the tires at the front, fell back to third in front of ThorSport Racing’s Rhodes, Majeski and Eckes.

By Lap 75, Chandler Smith was leading by half a second over Kraus while Friesen, Majeski, Eckes, Rhodes, Chase Purdy, Tanner Gray, Taylor Gray and Nemechek were in the top 10. By then, Zane Smith was in 14th and Enfinger was in 17th.

Ten laps later, the caution returned when Connor Mosack spun underneath Jesse Little in Turn 2. By then, DiBenedetto had pitted under green. During the caution period, names like Kraus, Deegan, Crafton, Enfinger, Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, Heim, Carson Hocevar, Austin Wayne Self and Bayley Currey pitted while the rest led by Chandler Smith remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Hocevar was penalized for speeding on pit road.

When the race proceeded under green on Lap 91, Chandler Smith rocketed with the lead while Friesen and Eckes battled for the runner-up spot in front of Rhodes and Taylor Gray. Shortly after, Friesen retained the runner-up spot ahead of Eckes as Rhodes and Taylor Gray also remained in the top five. Behind, Chase Purdy was up in sixth place while Tanner Gray, Nemechek, Zane Smith and Kaden Honeycutt were in the top 10.  

At the halfway mark on Lap 100, Chandler Smith retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over Friesen while Eckes, Rhodes and Gray remained in the top five. By then, six of the eight remaining Playoff contenders were scored in the top 10 while Majeski and Enfinger were scored inside the top 15.

When the second stage concluded on Lap 110, Chandler Smith captured his fifth stage victory of the 2022 season and swept both stages of the night at Bristol. Friesen settled in second while Eckes, Rhodes, Taylor Gray, Purdy, Tanner Gray, Nemechek, Kaden Honeycutt and Zane Smith were scored in the top 10.

Under the stage break, a majority of the field led by Chandler Smith, who peeled off to pit road for the first time of the night as part of a one-stop strategy, pitted while the rest led by Zane Smith remained on the track.

With 79 laps remaining, the final stage started as Zane Smith and Kligerman occupied the front row. At the start, Zane Smith and Kligerman briefly duked for the lead as Smith prevailed on the inside lane to retain the lead. Shortly after, Majeski moved his No. 66 Road Ranger Toyota Tundra TRD Pro into the runner-up spot while Kligerman, who got shuffled and mired on the outside lane, was locked in a heated battle with Kraus for third place. Then a few laps later in Turn 4, Kraus and Kligerman made contact and slid up the track in Turn 1, which allowed Enfinger to overtake both for third place before Kligerman retained fourth ahead of Kraus, Hailie Deegan and Crafton.

With less than 70 laps remaining, Zane Smith was out in front by three-tenths of a second over Majeski followed by Enfinger, Kligerman, Kraus, Deegan, Crafton, Heim, Ankrum and Hocevar. Meanwhile, Chandler Smith was mired back in 12th behind Dean Thompson and in front of Friesen and Eckes, Nemechek was back in 17th and Rhodes was scored back in 20th. By then, Taylor Gray and Colby Howard made contact with one another while battling in the top 20, but the race proceeded under green.

Then with 50 laps remaining, the caution flew when Chris Hacker spun in between Turns 3 and 4 before coming to a rest below the apron after he got hit by the No. 98 CMR Construction & Roofing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro piloted by Playoff contender Eckes.

During the following restart with 44 laps remaining, Majeski received a strong start on the outside lane as he assumed the lead for the first time over Zane Smith while Kligerman battled and overtook Enfinger for third place while the field behind jostled for late positions.

With 35 laps remaining, Majeski was leading by more than a second over Zane Smith followed by Kligerman, Enfinger and Kraus while Crafton, Friesen, Chandler Smith, Tyler Ankrum and Deegan were in the top 10.

Down to the final 22 laps of the event, the caution returned when Tanner Gray made contact with Dean Thompson in Turn 3 that sent Thompson’s No. 40 WorldWide Express Chevrolet Silverado RST slipping below the apron and into the outside wall as he sustained significant rear-end damage. By then, Majeski had stabilized his advantage to more than a second over Zane Smith while Kligerman, Enfinger, Kraus, Crafton, Friesen, Chandler Smith, Ankrum and Deegan remained in the top 10. Meanwhile, Eckes was in 11th, Nemechek was back in 14th and Rhodes was mired in 17th.

During the following restart with 12 laps remaining, Majeski rocketed away with the lead on the outside lane while Zane Smith, who spun the tires on the inside lane, was left in a side-by-side battle with Kligerman for the runner-up spot. Smith, however, was able to clear Kligerman during the following lap as he reassumed second place while Enfinger moved up to fourth in front of Kraus and Friesen.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Majeski continued to lead by four-tenths of a second over Zane Smith and eight-tenths of a second over third-place Kligerman while everyone else behind jostled again for late positions.

With five laps remaining, Majeski stabilized his advantage to nearly a second over Zane Smith while Kligerman settled in third ahead of Enfinger and Crafton. By then, Chandler Smith, who dominated the first half of the event, was mired in ninth while Kraus, Friesen and Eckes were in sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Majeski remained as the leader by more than a second over Zane Smith. With Smith unable to close back the deficit, Majeski was able to navigate his way around Bristol for a final circuit as he cycled back to the frontstretch and claim his first checkered flag in the series.

With the victory, Majeski, who claimed his first Truck career win in his 40th series start, became the 120th different competitor to record a victory in the Truck Series as this marked the third consecutive season where the Truck Series Playoff event at Bristol featured a first-time winner. He also recorded the second victory of the season for ThorSport Racing and the 11th for Toyota as he joined Corey Heim as the only competitors to achieve their first Truck wins this season.

By clinching a spot for the Championship Round finale at Phoenix Raceway in November, Majeski will contend for his first NASCAR national touring series championship in his first full-time season in the Truck circuit and without having to place his focus towards the upcoming Round of 8 events at Talladega Superspeedway and at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October. Prior to his first victory, he had achieved three poles, three stage victories, eight top-five results, 13 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 9.8 through the previous 19 scheduled events of 2022.

“Man, this is unbelievable,” Majeski said on FS1. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. [Owners] Duke, Rhonda Thorson, Allison [Thorson], thank you for this opportunity. Just so proud to be here. We came guns blazing for this race, took our best truck. [Crew chief] Joe [Shear Jr.] was aggressive on pit strategy. [It] Got us out front. We were able to get it done. This is so cool. My career’s been so up and down. There’s been a lot of people to help me get to this point. It’s so cool. I know my late model guys are watching back at the shop. They’re the big reason why I’m here. My parents, my fiancé. This is just so damn cool. Man, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Meanwhile, Zane Smith rallied from starting at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his truck to finish in the runner-up spot for his seventh top-two finish of the season. The result was enough for Smith to leave Bristol in third place in the Playoff standings and 21 points above the top-four cutline to the finale.

“A good salvage of the night,” Smith said. “We worked on our Speedco Ford. The only chance we got, and I felt like went the right direction. I wished I could’ve done a few things different there. Obviously, take the top [lane]. [The] Top [lane] always launches better here. I was so bad if I was outside of the PJ1 [TrackBite] or wherever it is. I didn’t want to get freight-trained on the top. I tried matching [Majeski]. I did the first time and the second time, he just got me. He was just ultimately better than us, but [it was a] never give up kind of a night. That’s what it takes to get in the Final Four.”

Parker Kligerman emerged as the highest non-Playoff contender of the night after finishing in third place for his fourth top-five result of the season while Enfinger and Crafton finished in the top five.

“We qualified 28th legitimately on speed,” Kligerman said. “I think we just kind of stole a third-place finish, but I’m proud of everyone at Henderson Motorsports. We have now, I believe, at least I have finished in every position within the top five except for first at this racetrack. I wanna win here so bad, and I can see it. I can taste it. I feel like I can touch it, whether it’s dirt or concrete. We just can’t quite get there. Tonight, though, we got to be really proud because I think after practice and qualifying, I was legitimately worried that we were gonna be a lap down within 15 laps and be riding around this place. [Crew chief] Chris Carrier and everyone stuck it through. We found ourselves in the top five…We just didn’t have enough.”

Pole-sitter Kraus, Friesen, Eckes, Chandler Smith and Corey Heim completed the top 10 on the track. Nemechek and Rhodes were the two Playoff contenders to finish outside of the top 10 in 12th and 18th, respectively. 

There were three lead changes for four different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 49 laps.

Results.

1. Ty Majeski, 45 laps led

2. Zane Smith, 39 laps led

3. Parker Kligerman

4. Grant Enfinger

5. Matt Crafton

6. Derek Kraus, 27 laps led

7. Stewart Friesen

8. Christian Eckes

9. Chandler Smith, 89 laps led, Stage 1 & 2 winner

10. Corey Heim

11. Tyler Ankrum

12. John Hunter Nemechek

13. Kaden Honeycutt

14. Hailie Deegan

15. Bayley Currey

16. Taylor Gray

17. Tanner Gray

18. Ben Rhodes 

19. Carson Hocevar

20. Austin Wayne Self

21. Jack Wood

22. Jake Garcia

23. Lawless Alan

24. Colby Howard

25. Jesse Little

26. Timmy Hill 

27. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down

28. Blaine Perkins, three laps down

29. Leland Honeyman Jr., five laps down

30. Chase Purdy, seven laps down

31. Connor Mosack, eight laps down

32. Dean Thompson – OUT, Accident

33. Chris Hacker – OUT, Suspension

34. Rajah Caruth – OUT, Accident

35. Josh Reaume – OUT, Accident

36. Spencer Boyd – OUT, Accident

*Bold indicates Playoff contenders

Playoff standings

1. Ty Majeski – Advanced

2. Chandler Smith +24

3. Zane Smith +21

4. Stewart Frisen. +9

5. John Hunter Nemechek -9

6. Christian Eckes -13

7. Grant Enfinger -15

8. Ben Rhodes -18

The second Round of 8 event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs will occur at Talladega Superspeedway on October 1 with the event’s coverage to commence at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

A GIBBS FAMILY TRADITION: CHASING CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Official Release
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  • Ty Gibbs will open as a strong championship favorite when the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs begin next Saturday at TMS with the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.
  • Grandson of Joe Gibbs was the 2021 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year and has recorded nine wins in less than two full seasons, including five this year.

FORT WORTH, Texas (September 15, 2022) – Ty Gibbs, the 19-year-old grandson of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, already owns a burgeoning resume in the NASCAR Xfinity Series but next week he begins to focus his attention on a family tradition.

Championships are the name of the game in the Gibbs family and the budding star will be among the prime title favorites as the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs officially open with next Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. CT, TV: USA Network Radio: SiriusXM Radio Ch. 90, PRN).

His legendary grandfather has won five Cup Series championships (2000, ‘02, ‘05, ‘15, ‘19), three Super Bowls (XVII, XXII, XXVI) and three Xfinity Series titles (2009, ’16, ’21) in his illustrious career while Ty begins the pursuit of his first of what could be many championship runs in NASCAR’s National Series. His strategy for this playoff run is succinct.

“Winning is the obvious answer,” Gibbs said. “If you win, you advance. And that’s the key.”

Gibbs, driver of the No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, currently is tied for the series lead in victories (5) with Noah Gragson of JR Motorsports and the two also are battling it out for the No. 1 playoff seed. It will come down to Friday night’s regular-season finale at Bristol Motor Speedway, which will determine the 12-driver playoff field and the seedings.

Gibbs already is assured a playoff berth regardless of his finish, but a win or dominant performance at Bristol could give him the top seed. He also has a remote chance at the regular-season title but will need a poor outing from leader AJ Allmendinger, who holds a commanding 38-point leader over Gibbs with a maximum 60 points available at Bristol.

“We’ve had a good year thus far and I’ve learned a lot,” said Gibbs, the 2021 Xfinity Series rookie of the year. “We’ve won five races but as a competitor you always want more, and I think there are a few more we should have. But overall it’s been a good season and I’ve learned a lot. It’s great working with Chris Gayle (crew chief) and everyone on the 54 and at JGR.”

The elimination-style NASCAR Playoffs is as much about winning as it is survival. A victory in a round automatically advances the driver to the next round but a major mistake in the three-race round format also could be devastating. So will the aggressive Gibbs remain in that attack mode or look to become a bit more conservative?

“Not really, to be honest,” Gibbs said. “The goal is to win races and when you win, you advance. But, if you don’t have a winning car, you want to finish as best you can and not put yourself in the bad spot. It’s just about getting good finishes.”

The Xfinity Series Playoffs opener will be just his second appearance at Texas Motor Speedway. He made his TMS debut in May, when he started seventh and finished 12th.

“Texas is a fun track, and it is an important race to us as Interstate Batteries is based just down the road,” Gibbs said. “So we want to do well for them. It’s a challenging track, but JGR won there twice last year so hopefully we can do it again.”

He also is expected to compete in next Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 race at Texas Motor Speedway. The addition of the Cup Series to his schedule was a result of 23XI Racing driver Kurt Busch being sidelined due to a head injury he sustained from a crash at Pocono in July. Bubba Wallace has moved over to Busch’s No. 45 Toyota and Gibbs is in Wallace’s No. 23 entry.

The double duty may be valuable to Gibbs on the Xfinity Series side of the equation as it does grant him more overall track time on the 1.5-mile oval in which he only has seen once.

“Any track time is good,” said Gibbs, who will be making his ninth Cup start of the season at Bristol on Saturday night. “Just making laps in a competitive environment helps. I’m learning a lot each week and Billy Scott (crew chief) is helping me as is everyone at 23XI.”

The three-race opening round will test the diversity of the Xfinity Series drivers’ skill sets with a 1.5-mile oval (Texas), 2.66-mile superspeedway (Talladega) and a road course (Charlotte ROVAL), respectively. Of Gibbs’ nine career wins, four have come on 1.5-mile ovals (Atlanta, Charlotte, Kansas, Las Vegas) and three on road courses (Daytona, Road America, Watkins Glen).

It would appear that the opening-round races would play in Gibbs’ favor given his success on those type of tracks.

“Yes and no,” Gibbs said. “Talladega is a wild card, but it does help that it’s the ROVAL and a 1.5-mile oval. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning or putting yourself in the best possible position each week to advance to the next round.”

The Round of 8 will follow and consist of Las Vegas (Oct. 15), Homestead-Miami (Oct. 22) and Martinsville (Oct. 29). That round will determine which four drivers will battle for the title at Phoenix on Nov. 5.

Texas Motor Speedway will play host to the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs next week. The NASCAR Playoffs doubleheader 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 next week’s 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.

Petty GMS Race Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway II

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Official Release
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Ty Dillon, No. 42 EG3 Technologies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway: Ty Dillon has made nine starts at the Last Great Coliseum in his NASCAR Cup Series career, dating back to 2016. Out of those starts, Dillon has amassed four Top-20 finishes, with a track best of 15th place. He most recently finished 18th in the 2020 night race.

The veteran also has made eleven Bristol starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, posting four Top-fives and eight Top-10 finishes, with a best result of fourth place. Dillon has also competed in three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events at the speedway, earning one Top-10 finish with a best result of sixth.

  • High Tech Partnership: Dillon’s No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will feature EG3 Technologies as his primary sponsor this week for their second race of the season in Bristol. The company is headquartered on the Petty GMS campus in Statesville, NC, and was formed when Spencer Gallagher made the transition from racing as a NASCAR driver to pursuing entrepreneurship opportunities.
  • About EG3 Technologies: Founded in 2018, EG3 Technologies LLC is a privately held Small Business Enterprise (SBE) providing Part 145 Repair Capabilities, advanced hybrid manufacturing, and electro-mechanical design/assembly solutions for government agencies and businesses that have requirements for extreme performance and reliability. EG3’s founding vision came through the observations and experiences of its creators, which underscored the need for an agile organization that can provide business and government agencies with rapid development of the innovative, high-performance solutions they rely on. EG3’s entry into the marketplace has been received with accolades, with multiple customer testimonies to the high standards of their innovation and execution, as well as their exceptional communication and client responsiveness. Since 2020, EG3 has created dedicated Government and Large Business verticals to better address the needs of requirements of its large-scale clients. - Trackside Appearances: Fans attending the Bass Pro Shops Night Race will have two opportunities to meet Ty Dillon throughout the weekend:

Food City Stage: Dillon will host a Q&A appearance at the Food City Stage in the BMS Fan Zone on Friday afternoon from 2:00 PM to 2:15 PM ET.
Chevy Display: Dillon will be at the Chevy Display in the BMS Fan Zone from 5:00 PM to 5:15 PM ET on Saturday evening.

  • Crew Chief Change: Earlier in the week, Petty GMS team officials announced that Ty Dillon will have new personnel atop the No. 42 pit box. Beginning this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, Chad Norris will be stepping in to serve as the interim crew chief for the remainder of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season.
  • From the Drivers Seat: When we last visited Bristol in the spring, you fought hard to secure your first Top-10 of the season. What mindset do you bring as we head back there this weekend?

“For sure, when we raced on Bristol’s dirt configuration in the spring time, our No. 42 team put together a fantastic race. We were able to win our heat race, which gave us the track position that we needed to be in contention throughout the entire race. However, as we return this weekend, it’s going to be a completely different animal because nobody has any laps on this surface with the NextGen car. At the end of the day though, Bristol will always be Bristol in the sense that you need to survive all 500 laps to have a shot at a decent result. If we can unload our EG3 Technologies Chevy with speed right off the truck, I think we can have another solid showing.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Jones at Bristol Motor Speedway: This weekend NASCAR heads to the short track of Bristol Motor Speedway where Erik Jones has seen success and strong runs across all three national series.

Jones will make his 10th-career Cup Series start at the Tennessee track on Saturday night driving the No. 43 U.S. Air Force Chevy. In his previous nine starts, Jones has four top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes, one pole starting position and 293 laps led. His best finish in the Cup Series came in his second Cup Start at the track in 2017 when he led 260 of 500 laps before being passed late in the race by Kyle Busch and had to settle for a second-place finish.

In the Xfinity Series, Jones has six starts with two wins (2016, 2017), three top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes, three pole starting positions and 120 laps led. With one lone start in the Truck Series at the track, Jones started the race fourth and finished sixth in 2015.

  • Erik Jones Sightings: Fans attending Saturday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway will have several chances to see Erik Jones before the race:

Food City Stage: Jones will be at the Food City Stage in the Fan Midway for a Q & A Session from 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. ET.
U.S. Air Force: Following his appearance at the Food City Stage, Jones will make his way to the U.S. Air Force display from 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET.

  • Aim High: The U.S. Air Force will serve as the primary partner for Jones and the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro team for Saturday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The brand-new dark green paint scheme, designed by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Brockman, was inspired by the famous B-29 Superfortress with glass up front and riveted panel design.
  • About Air Force Recruiting Service: The mission of Air Force Recruiting Service is to inspire, engage and recruit the next generation of Airmen and Space professionals. We are looking for America’s best and brightest to fill approximately 30,000 opportunities in more than 200 Air Force specialties, as well as more than 300 space professionals in approximately 27 specific career fields in fiscal 2021. Additionally, our total force partners, the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard are collectively hiring more than 19,000 part-time Airmen. Our military recruits to retain, providing tough, highly technical training that gives our future servicemembers the right skills to sustain the combat capability of America’s Air Force and protect our nation’s interests in space. For more information about Air Force and U.S. Space Force benefits and opportunities, go to www.airforce.com.
  • From the Driver’s Seat: “I’m really looking to Bristol this weekend with our U.S. Airforce Chevy team. It’s been one of my better tracks through the years in every series. I just really enjoy racing there. I don’t know what the Next Gen car is going to race like there, that’s going to be a pretty new experience for everybody and trying to figure out how it’s going to work. I always look forward to getting to Bristol and look forward to seeing what this car is going to race like there. Hopefully it has some similarities to what the old car was there.”

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. Founded in December 2021, Maury Gallagher, championship team owner of GMS Racing, purchased a majority interest of Richard Petty Motorsports. Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, known as “The King,” remains a key stakeholder of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pettygms.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow Petty GMS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

U.S. Legend Cars International Lowers Age Requirements For Racing Bandoleros and Legend Cars

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Official Release
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  • Children ages seven and up can now race Bandoleros in sanctioned events
  • Children ages 10 and up can now race Legend Cars in sanctioned events

HARRISBURG, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2022) – For the first time since the introduction of Legend Cars more than three decades ago, aspiring drivers can get behind the wheel of America’s most popular spec series race car starting at age ten. U.S. Legend Car International and INEX executives announced today that minimum age requirements for Bandoleros will move from eight to seven and for Legend Cars from 12 to 10, effective immediately.

The entry level Bandolero Bandit division will now include drivers ages seven to 12, and the entry level Legend Car Young Lions division will include drivers ages 10-15. National events with larger car counts may include select groupings for less experienced drivers in order for them to compete against their peers. U.S. Legend Cars International and INEX will continue to work with drivers to develop their progression at their own pace, promoting elevations to more competitive classes as their skills and performance improves.

“Bandolero and Legend Car racing is the premier developmental platform for aspiring race car drivers, and it’s time to introduce our product to a younger demographic,” said Graham Smith, managing director of U.S. Legend Cars International. “We’re proud of the safety and affordability of our cars and look forward to working with talented, young drivers as they join our field of competitors around the world.”

U.S. Legend Cars is a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports and located in Harrisburg, N.C. The company mass produces affordable spec series Legend and Bandolero race cars for drivers of different ages and experience levels. USLCI has produced more than 9,000 race cars since 1992 at its 68,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. The company features more than 50 dealers across the United States and has sold race cars to drivers in 29 countries worldwide. NASCAR champions such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Elliott, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick are among the drivers who learned their craft racing Legend Cars as teenagers.

INEX is the international sanctioning body for Legend Car and Bandolero events, managing and promoting all sanctioned racing and racing programs for the cars worldwide. In 2022, INEX will sanction more than 1,900 races in the United States, Canada and Australia. For further information about U.S. Legend Cars International and INEX, visit www.uslegendcars.com.

About US Legend Cars

U.S. Legend Cars International is a leader in motorsports entertainment. With the mission of creating a space where the art of racing is accessible to everyone, U.S. Legend Cars has created an extensive network that includes dozens of dealers across the United States and the entire globe equipped to accommodate any driver’s needs. U.S. Legend Cars International uses only the best parts and accessories in the industry to give drivers high quality cars and experiences out on the racetrack. Further information about U.S. Legend Cars International can be found at www.uslegendcars.com.

Tony Stewart Racing: Reading Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Advance

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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 Overview

Friday, Sept. 16 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5:45 p.m. EDT

Saturday, Sept. 17 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 1:15 p.m. EDT

● Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 4:45 p.m. EDT

Sunday, Sept. 18 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)

● Round 1: 10:30 a.m. EDT

● Round 2: 12:45 p.m. EDT

● Semi-Finals: 2:15 p.m. EDT

● Finals: 3:40 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1/FOX

● Friday, Sept. 16: Qualifying show (7 p.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, Sept. 18: Qualifying show recapping Saturday’s action (11 a.m. EDT on FS1)

● Sunday, Sept. 18: Finals show (2-4 p.m. EDT on FOX and 4:30-6:30 p.m. EDT on FOX – check local listings)

Notes of Interest

● The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals Sept. 16-18 at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pennsylvania, is the 17th race on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race schedule. However, it’s the opening round in the six-race Countdown to the Championship, where both Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers – Leah Pruett in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car – are ready to make a title run in their respective divisions. The top-10 drivers in each of the NHRA’s four professional categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – compete in the Countdown.

● This year’s Countdown marks Pruett’s sixth appearance in the NHRA postseason and Hagan’s 11th. Pruett is seventh heading into the Countdown, 140 points behind leader Brittany Force. Hagan is third, 40 points behind leader Robert Hight.

● Pruett has a winning career record (9-6) against No. 1 seed Force, but she has lost to the 2017 series champion both times they have met at Maple Grove – in 2016 when Pruett was the No. 1 qualifier and in 2021. Pruett’s overall record in Countdown events is 40-40. She is seeking her first Countdown event win.

● Hagan is 120-60 in the Countdown. His best Countdown season was 2014 when he went 18-3 en route to his second Funny Car title. There was no Countdown in 2020 when Hagan won his third Funny Car championship. He and Hight are tied for the most Countdown wins at 12 apiece. (Cruz Pedregon is next best with nine Countdown wins.)

● Pruett comes into Reading representing the Rayce Rudeen Foundation on her blue-and-yellow Top Fuel dragster. Hagan, meanwhile, sports the familiar silver, black and red scheme of Dodge Power Brokers on his Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car.

● The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction. The designated 501(c)(3) is named in honor of Rayce Rudeen, who at age 26 passed away from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. Since its inception, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation has advocated for creating a supportive community in which everyone can access prevention, treatment, recovery and family-support services, all free from stigma. By collaborating with local universities, researchers, organizations, businesses and community coalitions, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is leading communities toward a united and compassionate response to addiction by identifying gaps in care and building educational tools.

● The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience. Dodge//SRT and Mopar have supported Hagan since his rookie season in 2009.

● The Pep Boys NHRA Nationals will serve as Pruett’s 188th career Top Fuel start and her ninth at Maple Grove. For Hagan, this will be his 310th career Funny Car start and his 13th at the track.

● Pruett is seeking her first victory in the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. However, she does have No. 1 qualifier at the event, earned on Oct. 1, 2016 with a run of 3.705 seconds. Pruett has 10 career Top Fuel wins.

● Pruett made her only Funny Car start at Maple Grove in 2011 when she qualified No. 16 before losing to Johnny Gray in Round 1.

● Hagan won the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in 2014. His run of 4.330 ET at 215.00 mph defeated Tommy Johnson (5.465 ET at 152.31 mph). Hagan also has two No. 1 qualifiers at Maple Grove – 2010 when he set a then NHRA national record 4.011 ET and in 2016 with a 3.873 ET.

● Hagan had to sit out last year’s race at Maple Grove due to COVID-19 protocols, but Tommy Johnson Jr., filled in for him and won the race in Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car with Dickie Venables as crew chief, beating John Force in the final round.

● Maple Grove was Hagan’s first race as a Funny Car driver in 2008, but he failed to make the starting field. It seemed to only light Hagan’s fire, as he has gone on to win three Funny Car championships and 42 races.

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

In TSR’s inaugural season, both you and your teammate are in the Countdown to the Championship. Talk about that.

“Qualifying for the countdown was in our expectation wheelhouse. I’m very proud of my men for consistently executing their talents and work ethic to the level we believed true from the beginning. I’m even more proud of the attitudes they carry and enthusiasm to apply the best full-court press plays we have.”

You and your crew tested prior to Reading. How will that additional track time help in advance of the Countdown?

“Our test session is extremely performance-point focused. What we have in mind can fundamentally improve our acceleration package. We should know in a short number of runs if it’s a package we want to be dedicated to. However, we do not want to take the risk in Reading qualifying without having important data, especially since there are only three qualifying runs.”

You first ran the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Top Fuel dragster at the Sonoma Nationals, where you earned No. 1 qualifier and advanced to Round 2. Describe the importance of running their scheme again, knowing all the foundation is accomplishing.

“The honor I have to carry the Rayce Rudeen Foundation colors and spread their message is incredible. I feel like we made a great impact on the West Coast and helped many families and individuals struggling with addiction. I’m looking forward to making a difference on the East Coast, as well as advance in the Countdown.”

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

In TSR’s inaugural season, both you and your teammate are in the Countdown to the Championship. Talk about that.

“Even though it’s the first season with TSR, we’ve had this group together a long time and we’ve always been in the championship hunt with Dickie Venables (crew chief), Mike Knudsen (co-crew chief) and Alex Conaway (car chief). It’s nice when you can keep a group together because everyone knows what to expect. The crew can push hard to run hard and I have to dig deep on the tree. It’s going to take everything from everybody to win this thing this year. Everyone has closed the gap for how fast they’re running compared to how fast we’re running. No one really has an edge on anybody. It’s going to come down to reaction times and crew chiefs, so it’ll be tough. We have to dig deep and work hard.”

You and your crew tested prior to Reading. How will that additional track time help in advance of the Countdown?

“Anytime you get to shake the car down, it’s a plus. I’m always begging to test and run the car more, so any time we can take hits, it’ll be for the better. I’m excited to get out there and try a couple things the crew wants to work on. It’s another chance to see the tree and hit the lights. The seat time is irreplaceable.”

You are 120-60 in your 12-year Countdown career. What is your mindset entering Reading and what would a fourth championship mean?

“We’ve had a lot of good wins, but we’ve also runnered-up a bunch. We have to give it all because it’ll take all. We saw that last race at Indy, losing by .006 to (Robert) Hight. At the end of the day, the win light didn’t come on, so as a group, we all have to do more. I’m ready to come in and rip people’s heads off. We’re going into battle and it’s a war. This is the closest thing you get to gladiators nowadays. It’s the same thing with football and other stick-and-ball sports. This is what we’ve waited all year long to do. We have to give it all and sacrifice mindset and mentality to go out there and win this thing.”

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